“You can’t kill us all,” a protester shouts as heavily armed riot police charge at him. He stands his ground, water bottle in hand, occasionally splashing water on his face, his eyes visibly irritated by tear gas smoke floating in the air and choking police and protesters alike. A group of protesters push forward towards him. They chant, “We are peaceful, we are peaceful.” Some raise their hands above their heads, others kneel down, intent to demonstrate the non-violent nature of the protests to the police. Suddenly, sirens blare. Then, pink-coloured water scatters the crowd as a water canon blocks demonstrators from…
Author: KahawaTungu Editor
Before Thursday evening, many Americans had expressed concerns about Joe Biden’s age and fitness for office. To say that this debate did not put those concerns to rest may be one of the greatest understatements of the year. The president came into the debate with a low bar to clear, and he stumbled. He was flat. He was rambling. He was unclear. Roughly midway through the debate, the Biden campaign told reporters that the president was battling a cold – an attempt to explain his raspy voice. That may be so, but it also sounded like an excuse. For 90…
Dramatic U-Turn by President Ruto In a surprising turn of events, President Ruto made a dramatic U-turn and withdrew the contentious tax hikes that had sparked widespread protests. This announcement came after a series of deadly demonstrations were triggered by the 2024 finance bill. Initially peaceful rallies gained momentum, leading to violent clashes across the country. Deadly Protests and Parliament Set Ablaze Last week’s protests escalated dramatically. On Tuesday, the unrest reached a peak when Parliament was partly set ablaze, resulting in the deaths of at least 22 people nationwide. The violence was a direct response to the finance bill,…
Kenya’s President William Ruto on Wednesday evening rolled back controversial tax reforms that he had championed in the face of public opposition, after mass protests turned violent a day earlier, leaving 23 people dead, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. “The people have spoken,” Ruto said in a press conference at around 4:30 pm local time (13:30 GMT), barely 24 hours before protesters vowed to again take to the streets. “I concede.” The admission of defeat was rare for a politician not known to backtrack, and was a sharp about-turn from his speech less than a day…
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has convicted an al-Qaeda-linked leader of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Mali, during an alleged reign of terror between 2012 and 2013 in the city of Timbuktu. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud, 46, was convicted on Wednesday on charges including torture, rape and sexual slavery, and destroying religious and historic buildings. He faces up to life imprisonment when a sentence is handed down at a later date. Prosecutors said Al Hassan was a key member of Ansar al-Din, an al-Qaeda-linked group that held power in northern Mali in 2012. He…
After a day of protest, turmoil and bloodshed, Kenyan President William Ruto addressed the nation with a message of sadness and strength. Saying “legitimate” protests against his policies had been “hijacked by a group of organised criminals,” he warned his government would use all means at its disposal to prevent a repeat of the violence – “at whatever cost”. “Today’s events mark a critical point on how we respond to threats to our peace,” he said. “We will ensure a situation of this nature does not recur again.” The president’s message was an attempt to seize back control after days…
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep sadness and concern over the recent violence during protests in Kenya. In a statement made on X, Guterres addressed the fatalities and injuries reported, which included journalists and medical personnel. “I am deeply saddened by the reports of deaths and injuries – including of journalists and medical personnel – connected to protests and street demonstrations in Kenya,” Guterres stated. “I urge the Kenyan authorities to exercise restraint and call for all demonstrations to take place peacefully.” The protests, which erupted on Tuesday, were in response to the controversial Finance Bill 2024.…
Azimio leader Raila Odinga sharply criticized the government’s handling of recent protests, calling for the suspension of the Finance Bill 2024. In a strongly-worded statement, Odinga accused the authorities of brutality and murder against peaceful demonstrators. He expressed deep concern over the violent crackdown on young protesters who were demanding changes to taxation policies, which he believes should have been resolved through dialogue. “Matters that should have been resolved through dialogue and humility have degenerated into developments that have never been witnessed in the 61-year history of our country since Independence,” he added. Odinga stated that the country is paying…
Nominated MP John Mbadi has criticized President William Ruto’s administration for what he sees as excessive spending on the offices of First Lady Rachel Ruto and Second Lady Dorcas Rigathi. According to Mbadi, allocating public funds to these offices represents a wasteful use of resources, especially during a time when many Kenyans are struggling with the high cost of living. Since 2022, Rachel Ruto’s Office of the First Lady has been engaged in initiatives focused on religion and women’s economic empowerment, a strategy she has termed ‘faith diplomacy.’ Meanwhile, Dorcas Rigathi, a former pastor, has been running ‘boychild empowerment’ programs…
The East African Community (EAC) Telecom Sector Statistics 2023 show that the Internet traffic within the region stands at 54 per cent, with population penetration coverage of 2G averaging 92 per cent, 3G at 78 per cent and 4G averaging 62 per cent. According to the East African Communication Organisation (EACO) regional statistics overview, mobile internet subscriptions stand at 61 per cent penetration with 122.3 million subscribers. Speaking today during the opening ceremony of the East African Communications Organisation (EACO) 29th Annual Assemblies and Extra-Ordinary Congress, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, said that with…
The first Eastern Africa forum on Artificial Intelligence (AI) successfully kicked off Monday in Nairobi after four years’ postponement occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenyan Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Prof. Peter Ngure, while appraising the organisers of the three-day Eastern Africa Regional Forum on Artificial Intelligence (EARFAI), said the planning committee for the forum, drawn from UNESCO and its agencies in collaboration with line ministries in the Eastern Africa Regional governments, hosted by Kenya, went full throttle to ensure the success of the important event. We are ready. Welcome to Kenya is the message shared by Amb. Ngure…
The National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) Chairperson, Rachael Musyoki, has put on notice officials engaging in corruption, thus frustrating women in accessing grants from the kitty. Speaking during the commemoration of International Widow’s Day in Mariakani sub-county, Mombasa, Musyoki divulged that they are probing several cases of fraud and that they will soon apprehend and charge some unethical officers in their midst. Some of the cases were from the Coast region, where women go through hell, when applying for funds to boost their businesses. The Chairperson lauded the Mariakani Member of County Assembly (MCA), Martha Koki, for bringing together…
At least seven people were killed and 100 kidnapped on Saturday night when gunmen attacked a rural community in Nigeria’s northwestern Katsina state, residents and police said on Sunday, in the latest attack against residents in the north of the country. State police spokesperson Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq confirmed the attack and the seven deaths, but would not say whether anyone was missing. He said police were investigating. “The remaining men who did not flee are living in fear … and waiting to hear news about their abducted loved ones,” said Muhammad Sani, whose sister was abducted. Residents said gunmen on…
A year after Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a community shrine near Vancouver, a series of diplomatic and legal measures is sharpening the scrutiny on India’s alleged role in quashing overseas Sikh separatist movements through assassinations in both the United States and Canada. In Canada, an upcoming hearing on the Nijjar case on June 25 will offer prosecutors a new chance to present evidence to back their allegations of India’s involvement in the murder. Meanwhile, Nikhil Gupta, suspected of being involved in a plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was extradited from the Czech Republic to the…
Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank have tied a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military vehicle during a raid on the city of Jenin, appearing to use him as a human shield. A video posted online on Saturday, and verified by Al Jazeera, showed Mujahed Azmi, a Palestinian resident of Jenin, strapped to a military jeep that passes by two ambulances. The family of Azmi told the Reuters news agency that Israeli forces carried out an arrest raid in Jenin, during which he was wounded. When the family asked for an ambulance, the military took Azmi,…