Jubilee Party aspirants from the larger Gusii region have urged opposition leaders to urgently agree on a joint presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 General Election, warning that continued delays could hand President William Ruto an easy path to victory. The largely youthful politicians said Kenyans were increasingly anxious to know who would emerge as the opposition’s flag bearer, arguing that prolonged competition among opposition leaders could split the anti-government vote and work in President Ruto’s favour. While calling for consultations, the aspirants openly backed former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, saying he possesses the experience, national exposure and administrative…
Author: Magati Obebo
Kisii Senatorial hopeful Denis Masenge Tuesday called for inclusivity and fairness in the selection of the party’s leadership team in Kisii County, warning against attempts by a few elderly influential leaders to dominate the process. Masenge, a political science don said he had previously cautioned veteran politicians Richard Onyonka, Omingo Magara and Ezekiel Machogu against creating the impression that they were the only Gusii leaders entitled to lead the community or determine who should receive Jubilee Party tickets. He argued that Kisii County’s six clans must be given an equitable opportunity to participate in shaping the party’s leadership and political…
Several Jubilee Party aspirants from the larger Gusii region have rejected calls by pro-government leaders urging former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to abandon his 2027 presidential ambitions and join President William Ruto’s administration. The aspirants said Matiang’i would not be persuaded to shelve his presidential bid by what they described as political manoeuvring aimed at weakening the opposition. The latest leader to reach out to Matiang’i was Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda, who, while speaking at Hema in Nyaribari Masaba on Monday, urged the former interior CS to abandon the opposition and support President Ruto. Jhanda claimed that the…
Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda has urged former Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i to abandon his presidential ambitions and join President William Ruto in what he described as the urgent task of rebuilding Kenya. Jhanda claimed the opposition had already charted a different political course and was unlikely to accommodate Matiang’i in its plans ahead of the 2027 General Election. Speaking at Hema Comprehensive School in Masaba South on Monday, the MP claimed the opposition was positioning Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka as its preferred presidential candidate, leaving Matiang’i with limited political space within the emerging alliance. “Dr Matiang’i,…
A member of the Green Army is reportedly recovering from serious finger injuries following a violent confrontation with traders at Getembe in Kisii town, after county cleaners allegedly destroyed goods belonging to women selling rice at Nubia Market. The Friday confrontation reportedly began when Green Army personnel entered the market as part of their routine street-cleaning operations. Witnesses told Kahawatungu on Sunday that tensions escalated after one of the male sweepers allegedly interfered with a female trader’s rice, prompting angry traders to confront the county workers. The confrontation quickly turned violent, with one Green Army member sustaining serious injuries to…
A former Ruto ally turned critic in the Kisii County Assembly, Bouse Mairura, has accused some ward representatives of abandoning their constitutional oversight role and reducing themselves to “beggars” and errand boys under the county administration. Mairura, the UDA MCA for Masimba Ward, launched the scathing attack on Sunday as he intensified his campaign for the Nyaribari Masaba parliamentary seat, where he is seeking to unseat incumbent MP Dr Daniel Manduku. He accused some Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) of prioritising loyalty to Governor Simba Arati over the interests of residents who elected them. “In Kisii, the county boss…
Kisii University has reaffirmed its commitment to producing globally minded medical professionals following the return of its medicine students from a 21-day academic and cultural expedition at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. The students returned home on Sunday after a three-week programme that exposed them to new approaches to medical education, healthcare delivery and professional practice in an international setting. Kisii University Vice Chancellor Prof Nathan Ogechi said the students returned with more than academic knowledge, describing the expedition as an important step in preparing future healthcare leaders for an increasingly interconnected world. “They went, they saw,…
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Omingo Magara has said political consultations are underway to build a formidable team to unseat Kisii Governor Simba Arati in the 2027 General Election. Magara said an emerging political partnership involving former Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu and Senator Richard Onyonka is focused on assembling a team capable of defeating the incumbent. “We are doing consultations and building a team. The ultimate prize for this team is to make Simba Arati a one-term governor,” Magara said on Sunday. He, however, cautioned against rushing to allocate positions within the proposed political alliance, saying discussions were still at…
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has called for the unconditional release of detained Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, warning that the veteran politician could die in prison unless he is allowed to access specialised medical treatment. Mwangi claimed Besigye was critically ill and being held in poor conditions at Luzira Maximum Security Prison, alleging that his health had deteriorated because of torture and prolonged detention. “If he is not released immediately to receive specialised treatment, he will die in prison,” Mwangi said in a statement released to journalists on Sunday. The activist also raised concerns over the detention of Besigye’s former…
Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has hinted at a possible political partnership with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Omingo Magara as he intensifies his campaign to unseat Kisii Governor Simba Arati in the 2027 General Election. Machogu made the remarks on Sunday during a fundraiser at Nyamarambe Catholic Church, where he also vowed to confront what he described as the “cancer of goonism” that has emerged as a major political and security concern in Kisii County. Although Machogu did not formally name Magara as his running mate, his glowing endorsement of the former South Mugirango MP is likely to…
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazetted new campaign financing regulations and spending limits ahead of the 2027 General Election, paving the way for tighter scrutiny of political money. The regulations, gazetted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, will govern campaign financing for candidates and political parties contesting the August 10, 2027 elections. In a statement issued Saturday, the IEBC said the framework sets rules on campaign contributions and expenditure, record-keeping, disclosure, reporting, auditing, monitoring, compliance and enforcement. The Commission said the prescribed spending ceilings are intended to promote a level playing field by preventing financial resources from disproportionately influencing…
Kisii Governor Simba Arati has banned night-time street sweeping in Kisii town following growing security concerns after traders and residents were allegedly assaulted and robbed in the Getembe and Nubi areas on Friday night. Arati issued the directive on Saturday during a visit to Nubi, where traders said they were attacked and forced to flee their businesses as tension gripped the area. “From now on, we shall have no further night sweeping. Much of the cleaning work can be done during daytime,” Arati said. The directive comes amid mounting complaints from political leaders, traders and residents over alleged goonism in…
Kisii County governorship hopefuls Ezekiel Machogu and Dr Enock Ondari have condemned the Friday night attacks on traders and motorists in the Getembe-Nubia area, warning that rising goonism could undermine investor confidence and the county’s economic prospects. The two leaders called for investigations into the incidents and demanded that individuals found responsible for assaulting and harassing residents be held accountable. Their remarks came a day after traders in Getembe reportedly came under attack from groups of men accused of assaulting them and harassing motorists during a night operation. The incidents have renewed scrutiny of the activities of the so-called “Green…
Traders in Getembe area of Kisii town are living in fear after suspected goons allegedly raided their businesses on Friday night, assaulting several vendors and making away with cash and other valuables. The attackers struck at about 9pm as traders prepared to close for the day, reportedly beating some of them before fleeing with unspecified amounts of money. A butcher said the attackers took Sh3,000 from him and a kilogramme of meat he had bought for his family. He sustained a machete cut to the head during the attack. Vegetable vendor Moraa Kwamboka said the suspects descended on traders and…
The government is preparing to overhaul Kenya’s university financing system with a new funding model that will guarantee financial support to every student admitted through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS), Education Cabinet Secretary Migos Ogamba has announced. Speaking on Friday at Kisii University during the opening of an international Kiswahili conference, Ogamba said the proposed model would shift the focus from assessing parents’ financial capacity to funding students based on the careers they are pursuing. “The new model is funding the learner or the student and what the student will become, not the parent,” Ogamba said.…