Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

Second term governors eyeing for elective seats at the county level after their tenure expires, will not be allowed to vie if a new bill proposed by Trans Nzoia Senator Dr Micheal Mbito is passed. The bill was read in the Senate for the first time last week. If passed, it will bar county chiefs, from contesting for elective positions such as MP and Senate seats after their second terms in office. “The President retires after serving his two terms, why are Governors allowed to vie for other positions after serving for two terms? The constitution is silent on that…

Former National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale has broken his silence on the ongoings in the political arena months after he was kicked out of the plum position. Giving his views on the fallout in the ruling Jubilee party, the Garissa Township MP says that he regrets the decision to fold up parties in the run up to the 2017 General Elections to form Jubilee. In a recent interview with the Standard, Duale said that he had reservations in the proposal to dissolve the United Republican Party (URP) but his then party leader Deputy President William Ruto and The National…

Two female foreigners are in police custody after they were nabbed trying to fly out of the country with concealed Miraa (Khat) at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The two, Ahmed Hibak Nooradin and Mahmud Duniyo, were arrested on Thursday night by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). According to the DCI, the two were found with 148 kilograms of khat that they intended to transport to Norway. They had concealed the khat by wrapping it in maroon nylon paper bags inside four large travelling bags. “[they] failed to declare to authorities until it was detected during…

Two women from Kajiado and Murang’a Counties have been dealt a blow after the High Court ruling that living in a man’s house or having his name on an Identification Document (ID) is not a proof of marriage. In the first case, the woman had moved to court seeking orders to compel a man she identified as her husband to give her a share of money from the sale of a house in Ngong. The woman codenamed NMM claimed that she met the man in 2009 and in 2016 they agreed she should move into the house since he was…

Former Nairobi Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke has joined the United Green Movement party after ditching Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Democratic Movement. In a tweet on Friday morning, Mueke said he has joined the United Green Movement party as a co-Secretary General. “Today I officially join the UGM party as co secretary general. #UGMpart, ” he said. “Today we start a journey with other progressive and like minded Kenyans to bring the change we seek. From today I shall lead with others, the #UGMparty that will deliver on the aspiration of Kenyans. “This is the reason I chose to change my political…

Details have emerged on events that led to Deputy President William Ruto supporting the Jubilee party’s decision not to field a candidate in the forthcoming Msambweni by-election after storming the party’s Headquarters in Pangani to protest the move. The DP rushed to the party headquarters on Wednesday moments after Jubilee Secretary-General Raphael Tuju issued a statement indicating that the party had decided not to participate in the by-election scheduled for December 15. Tuju had cited prevailing conditions including the possible dissolution of parliament over the two-thirds gender rule and the fact that the seat was previously held by an ODM…

The High Court has temporarily stopped the implementation of Chief Justice David Maraga’s advisory to President Uhuru Kenyatta on dissolution of Parliament. Justice Weldon Korir issued the orders on Thursday following a petition filed to challenge the advisory to dissolve Parliament over failure to implement the two-thirds gender rule. “In the circumstances of this case, I, therefore, find the petitioners’ notice of motion dated September 23 merited. I allow it in terms of prayer so that a conservatory order issued for the preservation of the status quo of the Advice of the Chief Justice dated September 21 to the president…

Vihiga County Governor Wilber Ottichilo has fired his political advisor Kibisu Kabatesi. In a termination notice dated September 17, the Governor cited gross misconduct and undisclosed conflict of interest as reason for sacking Kabatesi. The termination of contract takes effect immediately. Otichillo indicated that Kabatesi will be paid an equivalent of one month salary in lieu of notice. He will also be paid other accrued terminal benefits after successful clearance with authorities. Details of the alleged gross misconduct and conflict of interest remain unclear. Ottichilo assumed office in 2017 after trouncing Vihiga County’s first governor Moses Akaranga. Read: Vihiga Deputy…

Parliament’s Legal Affairs committee has approved the nomination of Anne Nderitu as the Registrar of Political Parties. The committee chaired by Kangema Member of Parliament Kigano Muturi also approved the nomination of Ali Abdullahi, Florence Tabu as Assistant Registrars in a report tabled on Thursday morning. The nomination of Wilson Mohochi to the position of Assistant Registrar was, however, rejected by the committee. Ms Nderitu was nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta to the top parties position on September 8. Read: Uhuru Nominates Anne Nderitu For Registrar Of Political Parties Position She has been holding the position in an acting capacity…

Exactly two weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta tasked the military to run struggling Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), it has emerged that plans are under way to hand over more civilian affairs to the soldiers. Reports indicate that plans are at an advanced stage to hand over the management of state owned aircraft to the Kenya Airforce. Sources in the know intimated to The Standard that it’s just a matter of days before the President issues an Executive Order directing the National Police Service and state parastatals including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), KenGen, Kenya Power and Ketraco…

Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi was on Wednesday charged with hate speech and offensive conduct. The MP denied the charges before Nakuru’s Senior Principal Magistrate Lilian Arika. Arika upheld the bond terms set by the High Court for the MP to be released on Ksh500,000 cash bail or Ksh1 million bond. The MP is expected to appear in Court on October for pretrial. The prosecution dropped three charges it had intended to charge the lawmaker with. When he was first arraigned on Monday, September 14, state counsel said they intend to charge Sudi with five counts including hate speech,…

The ruling Jubilee party won’t field a candidate in the Msambweni Constituency by-election scheduled for December 15, Secretary-General Raphael Tuju has revealed. Tuju said this on Wednesday while addressing members of the press at Jubilee party Headquarters in Pangani. Tuju cited the recent advisory by Chief Justice David Maraga to the Head of State to send lawmakers home over failure to enact laws key in the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule as one of the reasons why the party pulled out of the poll. “The decision not to engage in the contest is informed by the facts prevailing at…

The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti wants Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala arrested and charged in court over recent assassination allegations. The Kakamega Senator had claimed that five DCI officers want to kill him. But appearing before the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the Security Committee  on Wednesday, Kinoti stated that investigations into the claims revealed that the allegations are false and ill-intended. Kinoti told the committee to order Malala be charged with giving false information contrary to section 129 (b) of the penal code. Kinoti said the allegations amounted to character assassination of members of the…

Cash-strapped retailer Tuskys Supermarket has sent home hundreds of staffers as it struggles to stay afloat. The supermarket chain says the fresh layoffs are part of its business operation realignements. In a letter addressed to the affected staffers, Tuskys Human Resources General Manager Francis Kimani said the company will offer them payment inline with labour laws including accrued leave days and severance pay. However, the terminal dues, the employer said, will be paid out n February 13, 2021. “Due to the ongoing business realignments, Tusker Mattresses Limited hereby informs you that it will no longer continue to offer you employment…

Former Kajiado North Sub-county Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Stephen Wambua is facing arrest for ignoring court summons. Ngong magistrates’ court issued a warrant of arrest against Wambua on Tuesday after he failed to honour summons issued by Ngong Senior Principal Magistrate P. Achieng over abuse of office in a land fraud case. The ex-DCI boss is accused of having defrauded David Mahugu Thondu a piece of land — Kajiado/Kipeto /1452 —after instructing Kajiado North land registrar to irregularly revoke his title deed. The title had been legally issued to Thondu on September 12, 2018. Read: Two DCI Imposters…