Author: Wycliffe Nyamasege

President Uhuru Kenyatta has hit out at Deputy President William Ruto over his youth empowerment program that has seen young people receive wheelbarrows to support their “hustle”. In the direct attack, the Head of State said the youth need jobs and not wheelbarrows to achieve financial independence. “Then you say we know the problem of Kenyan youth, that you want to help them by giving them wheelbarrows, who told you that the youth need wheelbarrows? What they need are jobs; they want to be independent, ” said Uhuru. The President was speaking on Sunday at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri…

Eight more patients have succumbed to the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19), raising the number of fatalities recorded in the country so far to 1,763, the ministry of health announced on Sunday. In a statement to newsrooms, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said 98 more people have tested positive for the virus, from a sample size of 3,739 tested in the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of cases to 100,773, with the cumulative tests standing at 1,186,951. From the new cases, 86 are Kenyans while 12 are foreigners. 82 are male and 16 female. Age-wise, the youngest is…

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has said that it will oppose any attempt to reintroduce corporal punishment in schools amid rising cases of indiscipline. According to KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion, the reintroduction of the cane would risk the lives of teachers, especially from “aggressive” teenagers. Instead, Mr Sossion, who doubles up as a nominated Member of Parliament, has rooted for the abolishment of boarding schools to allow parents to take their rightful place in disciplining their children. “We will not accept the return of corporal punishment which will put our teachers in conflict with the leaners. If…

Ugandan opposition politician Bobi Wine has once again hit out at President Yoweri Museveni over electoral malpractice in the recent General Election. In a hard-hitting social media post on Saturday, Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, claimed that Museveni shamelessly rigged the January 14 Presidential Elections by declaring 100 per cent votes in 348 key polling stations in his favour. According to the former National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate, the 76-year-old  rigged 95-99 per cent of the vote in other polling stations across the country. In photos of tally sheets, Wine claimed to have obtained from Uganda’s…

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has endorsed Wiper Democratic Movement’s candidate Agnes Kavindu for Machakos Senator seat in a by-election slated for March 18. This comes a day after the Machakos branch leadership announced support for Maendeleo Chap Chap’s candidate John Katuku, raising serious questions on whether the leaders had consulted the party’s top organs. In a statement on Friday afternoon, the party said the decision to support Wiper’s candidate was informed by previous cooperation including the 2017 National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition where the party’s boss Kalonzo Musyoka supported ODM leader Raila Odinga for presidency. ODM added that…

President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a stern warning against perpetrators of arson cases reported in schools across the country in the past few weeks. Speaking to members of the press on Friday morning, State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo said the Head of State was greatly concerned over the trend, with at least 10 schools having reported incidents of fire since reopening on January 4, 2021. Mrs Mararo said the National Police Service and the Ministry of Education officials have been directed by the President to probe the incidents and bring the culprits to book. “The President notes with great…

President Uhuru Kenyatta will today kick off his tour of the Central Kenya region as part of efforts to sell his pet project, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), amid deep divisions among the political-class. In a press briefing on Friday morning, State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo revealed that the president will be in the Mount Kenya region for four days. Kahawa Tungu understands that the Head of State will today meet the region’s Members of County Assembly (MCAs) and Members of Parliament at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County before tomorrow’s much-anticipated convention. In the invite-only meeting, leaders allied…

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has endorsed John Katuku of Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC) for Machakos Senatorial by-election slated for March 18, 2021. In a press briefing on Thursday, ODM Machakos county branch chairman Peter Mutuku pledged the party’s support as the by-election draws closer. Mutuku declared the position after a meeting with the party’s County leadership comprising of Branch Chairpersons from all the regions eight branches of Masinga, Yatta, Mwala, Kathiani, Kangundo,Matungulu, Machakos Town and Mavoko. He said the decision was informed by the good working relationship with the Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s party. Read: Why IEBC Has…

A section of Mount Kenya leaders has written to President Uhuru Kenyatta ahead of the scheduled meeting at Sagana River State Lodge in Nyeri County on Saturday, expressing their dissatisfaction on his leadership. In the letter dated January 28, the leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto’s Tanga Tanga camp protested exclusion in the planning of the meeting. The Members of Parliament including Senate Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata, who recently wrote a similar letter to the President detailing unpopularity of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) draft Bill in the Mount Kenya region, listed at least 10 points that they want…

Rogue boda boda operators have been put on notice over rising cases of hooliganism involving the riders. In a statement on Thursday, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai said the culture of impunity and lawlessness among boda boda operators is worrying. “Recent incidents indicate that victims of accidents where boda boda riders are involved have been assaulted and in some instances, their vehicles burnt, ” said Mutyambai. The IG warned that the National Police Service will not tolerate the riders’ uncouth and uncivilized manner of addressing issues in the transport sector. Going forward, the IG said, the riders will be…

The Kenyan government has fired back at Somalia after claims of meddling into the country’s internal affairs. Somalia cut diplomatic ties with Kenya on December 15, 2020, citing interference of her sovereignty and territorial integrity. But in a press briefing on Thursday, Government Spokesperson Colonel (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna said nothing could be further from the truth. “As a country, we want to state very clearly, that we will not accept to be drawn into internal politics of Somalia,” said Oguna. “We are calling on Somali leadership to desist from dragging Kenya into their domestic issues.” Read: Heavy Gunfighting Reported Along…

The government will not deploy military officers in troubled Turkana and Baringo counties, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said on Wednesday. Addressing members of the press in Kericho, the police boss noted that the situation in Kapedo where at least four officers have been killed in recent bandit attacks, is under control. He stated that regular police officers and those from the elite General Service Unit (GSU) are the only security teams that will be deployed in the area. “The security situation in Kapedo is under control. We are confident of ridding the region of bandits due to change…

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has gazetted the extended curfew in troubled Turkana and Baringo Counties. In a gazette notice dated January 25, the CS noted that the curfew will remain in effect for a period of 30 days and will run between 6.30pm and 6.30am. It shall apply to Turkana East Sub-county in Turkana County and to Tiaty East and Tiaty West Sub-counties in Baringo County. “This Order is made further to the Public Order (State Curfew)(Extension) Order, 2020, currently in force and varied only to the extent of the above areas and in line with the special provisions…

As countries in the East African Community (EAC) rush to order doses of Covid-19 vaccines, Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has dismissed the products as ineffective. Speaking during the launch of a public forest in Chato, Geita Region on Wednesday, Magufuli, who has been on the spot since last year over the country’s unconventional approach in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, asked Tanzanians to be prayerful to keep the virus at bay. Some of the vaccines that have been recommended in the fight against the virus include Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines. The Head of State maintained that traditional…

Drama is unfolding at an apartment in Kayole area, Nairobi, where detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have cornered a man suspected of killing his ex-lover in Njiru last Thursday, January 21. According to the DCI, the suspect who has been on the run since Friday locked himself up at a house in the fifth floor of the apartment after getting wind that detectives from the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) were trailing him. “He is currently at a balcony, threatening to commit suicide. Our officers are at the scene pleading with him not to take his…