Kenya Insights

Author: Agencies

  • Kenya Names 16 NGOs Behind Anti-Govt Demos, Demands Sh800M Funding Report From Ford Foundation

    Kenya Names 16 NGOs Behind Anti-Govt Demos, Demands Sh800M Funding Report From Ford Foundation

    The government has written a letter to the Ford Foundation seeking beneficiaries’ details of the about Sh800 million disbursed to Kenyan organizations amid links to demos.

    In a letter, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei is requesting expenditures from 16 rights groups in the country, which the state believes contributed to the youth-led antigovernment protests.

    He demanded detailed information on all grantees over the past year, including approved programs, project budgets, disbursed amounts, and planned disbursements.

    Similarly, the Kenyan government wanted to know the activities carried out by the grants rolled by the foundation to the Kenyan based NGO’s as well as any sanctions the Foundation plans to impose for violations of local laws or internal policies

    “Thus, while we recognize the importance of maintaining an open civic space and respect for the principles of open government that we both share, the actions of some of your Grantees contravene the laws Kenya, including prohibition against incitement, hate speech, insurrection and mobilization using disinformation,“ read the letter by Sing’Oei in part to the Foundation President Darren Walker.

    In July, President William Ruto publicly accused the donor of being responsible for the chaos witnessed in the country since June in what started as protests over the controversial Finance Bill.

    “I am calling out Ford Foundation for sponsoring violence and anarchy in Kenya and we are telling them that they either style up or they leave,” Ruto charged Monday after weeks of protests.

    The demonstrations degenerated into anti-government protests demanding the exit of the president.

    Similar protests were underway in most towns in the country on Tuesday.

    The Ford Foundation would later denounce the accusations, saying it is not responsible for sponsoring the chaos that has left more than 40 people, mainly youths, dead.

    “We do not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the finance bill.” The foundation, which has been providing grants to civil and rights groups in Kenya for decades, emphasized its “strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking,” it said.

    Dozens of people have been killed since the protests started, with the deadliest incident occurring on June 25, when angry crowds stormed parliament and police responded with live bullets.

  • Crowdstrike and Microsoft: What we Know About Global IT Outage

    Crowdstrike and Microsoft: What we Know About Global IT Outage

    A mass IT outage has caused chaos around the world, with major banks, media outlets and airlines among the victims.

    Many flights have been grounded, with queues and delays at airports, while shops and communications have also been hit.

    The cause is unknown, but Microsoft says it is taking “mitigation action” to deal with “the lingering impact” of the outage.

    Australia’s home affairs ministry and American Airlines have both said the outage appeared to be related to an issue at global cyber-security firm Crowdstrike.

    What caused this?

    What precisely went wrong is still unclear.

    However, a spokesperson for Australia’s Home Affairs Minister said the outage appeared to be related to an issue at global cyber-security firm Crowdstrike.

    Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator described it as a “large-scale technical outage” and said there was no information to suggest it was an attack.

    American Airlines, which is the world’s biggest by passenger numbers, told the BBC the IT problems were because of a “technical issue with Crowdstrike that is impacting multiple carriers.”

    United Airlines told the BBC: “A third party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United.”

    There have been reports suggesting that Crowdstrike, which produces antivirus software, issued a software update that caused Windows devices to crash.

    Crowdstrike shares plunged as much as 14% in early trade, and Microsoft also declined, as did travel and leisure stocks, as the disruptions threaten the holiday season.

    The BBC has approached Crowdstrike for comment but has not yet heard back.

    Who is affected?

    The problem emerged in a piecemeal fashion, with first reports coming out of Australia.

    Payment systems went down at Australian stores including Woolworths, while financial institutions such as the National Australia Bank were also affected.

    Then the issues spread to the US. The state of Alaska warned that its emergency services were affected, while several of the country’s airlines – United, Delta and American Airlines – grounded their flights around the globe.

    Australian carriers Virgin Australia and Jetstar also had to delay or cancel flights as departure screens went blank at Sydney airport.

    Tokyo-Narita and Delhi airports said services had been affected. European airports reported that the outage was causing delays, with long queues reported at London’s Stansted and Gatwick and Amsterdam’s Schiphol.

    Ryanair said it was experiencing “potential disruptions across the network”, which it said were due to a third-party outage.

    Broadcasters were also caught up in the chaos, including Sky News in the UK, which is off air.

    As the full extent of the disruption became clear, more firms and institutions started reporting problems.

    The London Stock Exchange said it was working as normal, but there were issues with its news service, used by companies to report market-sensitive information in a timely way.

    Israel says 15 hospitals have switched to manual processes but this has not affected medical treatment. Ambulances are being told to take new cases to other hospitals.

    And Poland’s largest container terminal, the Baltic Hub in the northern city of Gdansk, has said the outage is “hampering terminal operations” and has asked companies not to send containers to the port.

    In the UK, railway companies have reported delays and said they were experiencing “widespread IT issues”, while some doctors’ surgeries in England reported issues with booking appointments.

    The problems have extended to upmarket UK bakery chain Gail’s, which has said it is currently unable to take in-store payments.

  • You’ve Spoken, You’ve Been Heard, Don’t Go Further Than That – Veteran Lawyer Khaminwa Urges Gen Z

    You’ve Spoken, You’ve Been Heard, Don’t Go Further Than That – Veteran Lawyer Khaminwa Urges Gen Z

    Senior Counsel Dr. John Khaminwa has asked Kenyan youth to refrain from actions that could in the long term severely hurt the country both politically and economically.

    In their demand for just governance, the lawyer argued that Kenyans should be alive to the fact that some actions may spell doom for the country and might prove difficult to reverse.

    In the ongoing anti-government protests, that have lasted one month, Dr. Khamnwa said the voices of the young people in Kenya have had an impact and can no longer be ignored. He, however, wants them to drop hardline positions and give room for the demands to be acted upon.

    “Our youths have spoken. They have been heard by the establishment. Let them not go further, to do so would bring disaster as there would be no Kenya to talk about and complain against,” he said in a letter to Kenyans

    He warned that all Kenyans should be careful not to let the country go the way of countries that have faced ruin occasioned by uprisings or civil war. Over and above everything, he says Kenyans should seek to resolve issues in a peaceful way

    “Past and contemporary history reminds us of murders, assassinations, torture, detentions without trials, kidnaps etc. We have, however, deliberately avoided civil war or revolutions. Take, for instance, Raila Odinga whom I visited at Manyani detention, notwithstanding what he went through, he still preaches peace,” he said

    “Gitobu Imanyara whom I witnessed being dragged from his home in the wee hours of the morning in the presence of his young children for fighting for human rights and the rule of law has retired without uttering a word that would promote a revolution,” he added

    He says the tough economic situation in Kenya is also replicated in other parts of the world and urges Kenyans not to disregard what experts in economics and finance are saying about the present state of affairs.

    “To ignore or rubbish what they say is likely to bring disaster. I have never forgotten my experience of what I saw in Uganda when Amin Dada came into political power in Uganda –chaos, murders, kidnaps, collapse of the economy, rape, etc. One learns a lot about human nature when he has access to history,” he said

    Amid widespread criticism of the country’s political leaders, Dr. Khaminwa argued that some of them are honest and hard-working.

    “Not all are corrupt. Not all are dishonest. Not all are thieves and not all are murderers,” he said

    He said Kenyans have the power to kick out of power the leaders they consider unsuitable on the ballot.

    In the wake of President Ruto’s dismissal of his Cabinet, he asked the head of state to consider returning some of the ministers whom he thinks are trustworthy, hardworking, and not corrupt. He believes the President can convince a majority of Kenyans that he is there to serve their vital economic interests and nothing else.

  • Police IG Koome Replaced With Kanja

    Police IG Koome Replaced With Kanja

    The newly appointed Acting Inspector General Douglas Kanja Kirocho has taken over from former IG Japhet Koome, who resigned Friday.

    National Police Service Spokesperson Dr. Resila Onyango confirmed that a brief ceremony was held at NPS Headquarters where Koome bade farewell to fellow officers.

    “The outgoing IG Koome expressed his profound gratitude to the National Police Service officers for the support they accorded him while he was in office, and added that Kenya is a beautiful Country and bigger than all of us,” stated Onyango in a statement

    “The incoming Ag. IG Mr. Douglas Kanja on his part thanked the former police chief for his strategic leadership and wished him well,” she added

    In the changes announced by State House, Kanja who previously served as deputy to Koome, will now be deputized by former Commandant General Service Unit Eliud Lagat (Kenya Police Service) and former Commandant National Police College Embakasi “A” Campus James Kamau in acting capacities.

    Before Koome’s resignation, various groups, including Members of Parliament, had called for his sacking over his handling of the anti-tax protests that led to the killing of at least 39 Kenyans who took part in demonstrations.

    Amid the change of guard, Dr. Onyango reiterated that NPS is committed to professionalism and will continue to uphold fidelity to the Constitution.

  • Bishop Allan Kiuna Has Died

    Bishop Allan Kiuna Has Died

    Just in: Bishop Allan Kiuna of JCC, who has been battling cancer, has passed on.

    This is a developing story, more to follow.

  • Ruto Fires Half Of His Advisors

    Ruto Fires Half Of His Advisors

    The government has reviewed an initial announcement to cut the national budget by Sh346 billion in a bid to sustain key programmes.

    President William Ruto said on Friday the National Treasury will instead cut spending to Sh117 billion to make room for key commitments including the hiring of additional Junior Secondary School teachers.

    “Over the last few days, our treasury team has been assessing the adverse impact of either reducing the budget by the entire Sh346 billion or borrowing the full amount,” he stated.

    “We have since struck a middle ground and will be proposing to the National Assembly a budget cut of Sh177 billion and borrow the difference. The additional borrowing will increase our fiscal deficit from 3.3 per cent to 4.6 per cent and will be used to protect the funding of critical government services,” President Ruto stated.

    President Ruto listed several critical government initiatives that will receive continued funding, including the hiring of medical interns, support for dairy farmers, road infrastructure projects, fertilizer subsidies, and settlements of debts owed to farmers in various sectors.

    In addition to the financial adjustments, President Ruto announced a series of austerity measures aimed at optimizing government expenditure and enhancing transparency:

    • Dissolution of 47 State Corporations to eliminate overlapping functions and reduce operational costs.
    • Suspension of filling Chief Administrative Secretaries positions.
    • 50% reduction in government advisors within the public service.
    • Removal of budget lines for offices of First Lady, spouses of Deputy President, and Prime Cabinet Secretary.
    • Suspension of non-essential travel and participation in public contributions by state and public officers.

    “These measures are part of our commitment to enhance efficiency and transparency in serving the people of Kenya,” President Ruto affirmed.

    “We are determined to improve the quality of services and ensure maximum value for the resources entrusted to us.”

  • Mixed Reactions: Gen Z Forms X Space To Counter Ruto’s

    Mixed Reactions: Gen Z Forms X Space To Counter Ruto’s

    Kenyan youth have registered mixed reactions about the Executive’s move to host X-Space conversation.

    The youth, through the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) have expressed their divided oppinion on the convo scheduled for Friday with some supporting the governments move and others opposed to it.

    The government led by President William Ruto and members of his cabinet are expected to join thousands of youth in an online discussion following protests that led to the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024/25.

    President William Ruto will be engaging Kenyans from 2pm on the social media platform.

    The announcement was made after a Cabinet meeting at State House on Thursday.

    “Cabinet is scheduled to join His Excellency the President tomorrow Friday, 5th July 2024, as the Head of State and Government hosts his inaugural X Space Conversation with the youth of Kenya,” a Cabinet despatch from the Executive Office of the President read.

    Kenyans have been invited to join the X Space discussion from 2 pm to 5 pm.

    “All Kenyans are welcome to contribute to this dialogue as part of our collective effort to foster national renewal and create a better Kenya for all,” it added.

    The development comes in the wake of protests by Gen Zs to push for governance reforms.

    The initial nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024 which has since been dropped, had seen thousands of youthful Kenyans take to the streets for two weeks.

    In a televised joint media interview, the Head of State said he was ready to engage the youth on a platform of their choice.

    “I am hearing that the young people are saying we don’t want a multisectoral forum, maybe we should have an engagement with the President on X. I am open to having an engagement with the young people on a forum they are comfortable with. If they want me to engage with them on X, I will be there. I want us to discuss taxation, I want us to discuss unemployment, corruption, all issues,” he said during the roundtable interview with journalists at State House.

  • OpenAI’s Internal AI Details Stolen In 2023 Breach, NYT Reports

    OpenAI’s Internal AI Details Stolen In 2023 Breach, NYT Reports

    A hacker gained access to the internal messaging systems at OpenAI last year and stole details about the design of the company’s artificial intelligence technologies, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

    The hacker lifted details from discussions in an online forum where employees talked about OpenAI’s latest technologies, the report said, citing two people familiar with the incident.

    However, they did not get into the systems where OpenAI, the firm behind chatbot sensation ChatGPT, houses and builds its AI, the report added.

    OpenAI executives informed both employees at an all-hands meeting in April last year and the company’s board about the breach, according to the report, but executives decided not to share the news publicly as no information about customers or partners had been stolen.

    OpenAI executives did not consider the incident a national security threat, believing the hacker was a private individual with no known ties to a foreign government, the report said. The San Francisco-based company did not inform the federal law enforcement agencies about the breach, it added.

    OpenAI in May said it had disrupted five covert influence operations that sought to use its AI models for “deceptive activity” across the internet, the latest to stir safety concerns about the potential misuse of the technology.

    The Biden administration was poised to open up a new front in its effort to safeguard the U.S. AI technology from China and Russia with preliminary plans to place guardrails around the most advanced AI Models including ChatGPT, Reuters earlier reported, citing sources.

    In May, 16 companies developing AI pledged at a global meeting to develop the technology safely at a time when regulators are scrambling to keep up with rapid innovation and emerging risks.

  • SGR Passengers Drop By 65,000

    SGR Passengers Drop By 65,000

    The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has recorded a 65,000 passenger drop and reduced cargo volumes in the first quarter of 2024.

    A report released by the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) noted that on average, the transportation and storage sector’s real GDP registered an estimated decelerated growth of 3.8pc in the first quarter of 2024 compared to a 6.6pc growth recorded in the same quarter of 2023.

    The number of passengers transported via Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) declined by 11.0pc from 597.5 thousand in the first quarter of 2023 to 531.7 thousand in the first quarter of 2024.

    Similarly, the freight haulage via SGR declined by 17.4pc from 1,577.9 thousand metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023 to 1,303.3 thousand metric tonnes in the period under review.

    While SGR continued to struggle with cargo and passenger volumes, KNBS noted that the revenues increased marginally.

    This could be attributed to a 50pc ticket price hike introduced in January 2024.

  • HIV Breakthrough: New Drug Trial Shows Injection Twice A Year Is 100pc Effective Against Infection

    HIV Breakthrough: New Drug Trial Shows Injection Twice A Year Is 100pc Effective Against Infection

    By The Conversation 

    A large clinical trial in South Africa and Uganda has shown that a twice-yearly injection of a new pre-exposure prophylaxis drug gives young women total protection from HIV infection.

    The trial tested whether the six-month injection of lenacapavir would provide better protection against HIV infection than two other drugs, both daily pills. All three medications are pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) drugs.

    Physician-scientist Linda-Gail Bekker, principal investigator for the South African part of the study, tells Nadine Dreyer what makes this breakthough so significant and what to expect next.

    Tell us about the trial and what it set out to achieve

    The Purpose 1 trial with 5,000 participants took place at three sites in Uganda and 25 sites in South Africa to test the efficacy of lenacapavir and two other drugs.

    Lenacapavir (Len LA) is a fusion capside inhibitor. It interferes with the HIV capsid, a protein shell that protects HIV’s genetic material and enzymes needed for replication. It is administered just under the skin, once every six months.

    The randomised controlled trial, sponsored by the drug developers Gilead Sciences, tested several things.

    The first was whether a six-monthly injection of lenacapavir was safe and would provide better protection against HIV infection as PrEP for women between the ages of 16 and 25 years than Truvada F/TDF, a daily PrEP pill in wide use that has been available for more than a decade.

    Secondly, the trial also tested whether Descovy F/TAF, a newer daily pill, was as effective as F/TDF. The newer F/TAF has superior pharmacokinetic properties to F/TDF. Pharmacokinetic refers to the movement of a drug into, through, and out of the body. F/TAF is a smaller pill and is in use among men and transgender women in high-income countries.

    The trial had three arms. Young women were randomly assigned to one of the arms in a 2:2:1 ratio (Len LA: F/TAF oral: F/TDF oral) in a double blinded fashion. This means neither the participants nor the researchers knew which treatment participants were receiving until the clinical trial was over.

    In eastern and southern Africa, young women are the population who bear the brunt of new HIV infections. They also find a daily PrEP regimen challenging to maintain, for a number of social and structural reasons.

    During the randomised phase of the trial none of the 2,134 women who received lenacapavir contracted HIV. There was 100 percent efficiency.

    By comparison, 16 of the 1,068 women (or 1.5%) who took Truvada (F/TDF) and 39 of 2,136 (1.8%) who received Descovy (F/TAF) contracted the HIV virus.

    The results at a recent independent data safety monitoring board review led to the recommendation that the trial’s “blinded” phase should be stopped and all participants should be offered a choice of PrEP.

    This board is an independent committee of experts who are put in place at the start of a clinical trial. They see the unblinded data at stipulated times during the trial to monitor progress and safety. They ensure that a trial does not continue if there is harm or a clear benefit in one arm over others.

    What is the significance of these trials?

    This breakthrough gives great hope that we have a proven, highly effective prevention tool to protect people from HIV.

    There were 1.3 million new HIV infections globally in the past year. Although that’s fewer than the 2 million infections seen in 2010, it is clear that at this rate we are not going to meet the HIV new infection target that UNAIDS set for 2025 (fewer than 500,000 globally) or potentially even the goal to end Aids by 2030.

    PrEP is not the only prevention tool.

    PrEP should be provided alongside HIV self-testing, access to condoms, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and access to contraception for women of childbearing potential.

    In addition, young men should be offered medical male circumcision for health reasons.

    But despite these options, we haven’t quite got to the point where we have been able to stop new infections, particularly among young people.

    For young people, the daily decision to take a pill or use a condom or take a pill at the time of sexual intercourse can be very challenging.

    HIV scientists and activists hope that young people may find that having to make this “prevention decision” only twice a year may reduce unpredictability and barriers.

    For a young woman who struggles to get to an appointment at a clinic in a town or who can’t keep pills without facing stigma or violence, an injection just twice a year is the option that could keep her free of HIV.

    What happens now?

    The plan is that the Purpose 1 trial will go on but now in an “open label” phase. This means that study participants will be “unblinded”: they will be told whether they have been in the “injectable” or oral TDF or oral TAF groups.

    They will be offered the choice of PrEP they would prefer as the trial continues.

    A sister trial is also under way: Purpose 2 is being conducted in a number of regions including some sites in Africa among cisgender men, and transgender and nonbinary people who have sex with men.

    It’s important to conduct trials among different groups because we have seen differences in effectiveness. Whether the sex is anal or vaginal is important and may have an impact on effectiveness.

    How long until the drug is rolled out?

    We have read in a Gilead Sciences press statement that within the next couple of months the company will submit the dossier with all the results to a number of country regulators, particularly the Ugandan and South African regulators.

    The World Health Organization will also review the data and may issue recommendations.

    We hope then that this new drug will be adopted into WHO and country guidelines.

    We also hope we may begin to see the drug being tested in more studies to understand better how to incorporate it into real world settings.

    Price is a critical factor to ensure access and distribution in the public sector where it is badly needed.

    Gilead Sciences has said it will offer licences to companies that make generic drugs, which is another critical way to get prices down.

    In an ideal world, governments will be able to purchase this affordably and it will be offered to all who want it and need protection against HIV.

    Linda-Gail Bekker has received honoraria for advisories from Gilead sciences, ViiV Healthcare and Merck Pty Ltd. She is a Professor of medicine and deputy director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre at the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town

  • EACC Asked To Investigate Road Funds Misuse In Karachuonyo

    EACC Asked To Investigate Road Funds Misuse In Karachuonyo

    A concerned resident from Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County is demanding for a swift and thorough investigation into an alleged misappropriation of funds allocated for the improvement of roads.

    Samson Nyakoe has raised a formal complaint to the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) highlighting allocation budgets for several roads in three wards and their current status. The wards mentioned include North Ward, Wang’chieng’, and Kanyaluo.

    According to Nyakoe, North Ward was allocated a cumulative Sh12 million in the financial year 2022/23 for the improvement of various roads.

    He also provided detailed excerpts which are documented in public records by Homa Bay County showing additional breakdown of the roads.

    Nyakoe states in the petition to EACC that Wagwe-Kagai-Kibaga-Ramogi-otero market was allocated Sh3 million for opening and murraming.  Alos-Koboo-Lwasi and Kajigo-Othuon-Kodondi-Kagoga-Kosawa on the other hand were assigned Sh2.5 million each for grading and murraming.

    Additionally, Pala-Soko-nyamila-Ondeto was given Sh4 million for opening, murraming and culverting.

    Similarly, the Rakwaro-Mamba-Lida road in Wang’chieng’ ward and Wimagak Sare road in Kanyaluuo Ward were allotted additional funds.

    Marked complete

    Details were also provided for other roads in the county including Gem West and Kagan in Rangwe Constituency which also received Sh12 million each.

    Nyakoe claims that although documents show that these roads are constructed and marked “complete”, none of them have been worked on.

    “As we come to the end of the financial year, let it be understood that the said funds were disbursed as per documents within our possession in the last fiscal year, but no work done. It is utterly immoral to move into a new financial year and allocate new funds for roads that were earmarked for improvement in the last budget and not done” he stated.

    Nyakoe who is representing Karachuonyo residents is calling on relevant committees in Homa Bay County to implement authorities at grassroots level and want individuals responsible to be held accountable. He has assured that the residents will relentlessly follow up on the matter until action is taken and files handed over to the Office of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) for execution of persecutory mandate as provided by the Kenyan Constitution.

    These allegations and calls for transparency highlight broader concerns for accountability and transparency in public offices across the country with Kenyans demanding for appropriate management of funds starting from President William Ruto’s office down to local county offices.

    According to EACC, Kenya which has been put on the spotlight for having corrupt public offices, loses Sh608 billion or 7.8 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) annually to corruption.

  • Kenya Regains Normalcy After Weeks Of Protests

    Kenya Regains Normalcy After Weeks Of Protests

    Normalcy has returned to the country after weeks of protests that resulted in dozens of deaths and widespread disruption, with a sigh of relief seen in the streets and main roads of the capital Nairobi, where people flocked to main markets to purchase daily necessities.

    Anadolu carried out a spot check on Thursday and found businesses operating normally, with shoppers filling the streets and traffic moving through the capital’s major Central Business District (CBD).

    However, some of the traders were seen standing with wooden sticks outside their shops on Ronald Ngala streets.

    “From last week, we have been protecting our shops from looters, as some of us have lost a lot of goods, and we are deeply in debt. But now happy that the situation is stabilizing,” Brian Ouma, who owns a shoe shop on the popular street, told Anadolu.

    “It’s good to see people back on the streets, businesses open, and life returning to normal.”

    With the government jittery and on edge, police vehicles remained parked in strategic locations as officers patroled the streets, with scars from the protests, such as broken windows, looted shops, burned-out tyres, and barricade debris, could still be seen in some areas.

    The demonstrations, which were initially sparked by proposed tax hikes, have recently seen dwindling participation due to widespread chaos, robberies, and vandalism, with activists and youth on social media urging people not to protest, citing infiltration by looters.

    At least 39 people were killed in protests, which began on June 18 over planned tax hikes, according to a report by the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

    The Finance Bill 2024 that brought about the unrest was a cornerstone of Kenya’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), aimed at addressing the country’s fiscal challenges, it included tax increases aimed at raising more than $2.7 billion in revenue for the government’s ambitious Ksh 4.2 trillion ($30.6 billion) 2024-25 budget.

    Meanwhile, Kenyan President William Ruto vowed Thursday to take action against those police officers who injured protesters.

    Ruto promised in a statement issued after a Cabinet meeting, “They will be dealt with by legal procedure and by the institutions mandated to do so.”

    In a previous statement, he said the cost of protest-related damage was in the millions of dollars.

  • President Ruto To Engage Kenyan Youth On X Space For Three Hours On Friday

    President Ruto To Engage Kenyan Youth On X Space For Three Hours On Friday

    President William Ruto will tomorrow Friday from 2 pm host his inaugural X-Space (formerly Twitter) conversation with Kenyan youth.

    According to State House, the Cabinet is scheduled to join the three-hour online discussion.

    X Spaces, previously known as Twitter Spaces, is a feature that allows you to have a live audio conversation on the social media platform.

    The announcement was contained in a despatch to media houses after a Cabinet meeting chaired by the President at State House on Thursday.

    “CABINET IS scheduled to join His Excellency the President tomorrow Friday, 5th July 2024, as the Head of State and Government hosts his inaugural X Space Conversation with the youth of Kenya” a Cabinet despatch from the Executive Office of the President read.

    Kenyans have been invited to join the X Space discussion from 2 pm to 5 pm.

    “All Kenyans are welcome to contribute to this dialogue as part of our collective effort to foster national renewal and create a better Kenya for all,” it added.

    The development comes in the wake of protests by Gen Zs to push for governance reforms.

    The initial nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024 which has since been dropped, had seen thousands of youthful Kenyans take to the streets for two weeks.

    In a televised joint media interview, the Head of State said he was ready to engage the youth on a platform of their choice.

    “I am hearing that the young people are saying we don’t want a multisectoral forum, maybe we should have an engagement with the President on X. I am open to having an engagement with the young people on a forum they are comfortable with. If they want me to engage with them on X, I will be there. I want us to discuss taxation, I want us to discuss unemployment, corruption, all issues,” he said during the roundtable interview with journalists at State House.

    Meanwhile, the Cabinet was briefed on the security situation in the country following days of riots.

    The meeting at State House Nairobi, which was chaired by President William Ruto, was informed that though the riots started as a protest against the tax measures proposed in the Finance Bill 2024, they were infiltrated, hijacked and taken over by criminal and opportunistic political forces.
    The two groups have in the past two weeks reigned terror on the people of Kenya in the cities, towns and other urban areas, occassioning loss of life, destruction of National and County governments’ buildings, infrastructure, vehicles, homes and businesses.
  • Graft Case Against Obado Not Withdrawn, ODPP Clarifies

    Graft Case Against Obado Not Withdrawn, ODPP Clarifies

    The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has clarified that the corruption case against former Migori Governor Zachary Obado has not been dropped, countering recent allegations suggesting otherwise.

    In a statement, the ODPP dismissed reports claiming it had entered into a plea-bargain agreement with Obado and 15 co-accused, resulting in the withdrawal of charges.

    “The ODPP has noted reports alleging it entered a plea-bargain agreement with the accused persons and after settlement, withdrew the charges against the accused persons.  Do note the cases that have been withdrawn are the Asset Recovery Civil cases filed by EACC,” stated the ODPP.

    According to ODPP, the withdrawn cases pertained to Asset Recovery Civil cases initiated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

    Following investigations into allegations of misappropriation of public funds by Obado and his associates, the DPP pressed charges against them. The accused are currently facing various corruption charges in the Anti-Corruption Court at Milimani.

    The ODPP further clarified that the criminal charges remain active and are scheduled for further hearing on July 8 and 9.

    The statement was prompted by remarks made by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during recent Senate proceedings, where he expressed disbelief upon hearing about a purported plea bargain between Obado and the ODPP, leading to the withdrawal of the case.

    “And then on the ODPP, I was just conferring here with my friend the Senator for Migori…We were shocked when we heard that a plea bargain had been entered in the Migori corruption case that a governor accused of stealing billions of shillings had agreed to return Sh300m and then the case was withdrawn,” he said.

    Sifuna called for an audit of recent corruption cases, emphasising the need for transparency to restore public trust in the judicial process.

  • GDC Blew Sh211M In London Court, MPs Query Sh4.2B Tender To UK Firm

    GDC Blew Sh211M In London Court, MPs Query Sh4.2B Tender To UK Firm

    Kenya spent Sh211 million to hire witnesses and experts to defend itself in a case in which a London-based firm sued the Geothermal Development Company (GDC) over a Sh4.2 billion contract to drill 20 geothermal wells.

    The National Assembly Committee on Commerce and Energy was told on June 19 that the money was used to hire experts to put up a strong case.

    Appearing before the committee yesterday, Solicitor General Shadrack Mose and GDC managing director Paul Ngugi defended the expenditure, saying the stakes were high for both the country and the company.

    “We had to ferry some experts from across the world to assist us. It was necessary because of the risk to the country and to GDC,” Mr Ngugi told MPs.

    Lawmakers, however, questioned how GDC chose Cluff Geothermal, a UK-based company, for the Sh4.2 billion contract.

    The lawmakers, led by the committee chairman David Pkosing (Pokot South), questioned the capacity of the company, which according to documents presented to them, did not have the technical capacity to undertake the project.

    The MPs challenged Mr Ngugi to produce any report where the company had drilled such wells in any other country to qualify for the contract.

    “How was this company identified, where is the feasibility study report that led you to choose this company? This looks like something that was pre-planned to blow our Sh211 million in the London court,” said Mr Pkosing.

    Mr Pkosing also questioned why the arbitration had to be held in London and not in Kenya when the rules of arbitration are the same in the country.

    “There could have been some mischief here, it defies logic to go to London when we had the capacity to have the matter heard here in Kenya. We could have saved Sh211 million,” said Mr Pkosing.

    It was also revealed that GDC never sought the advice of the Attorney General when entering into the contract.

    Mr Mose confirmed to the committee that the State Law Office was indeed not involved in the contract and only became involved when there was a dispute.

    “Our advice was not sought, we came in at the arbitration stage when we saw serious danger on the part of the government,” Mr Mose said.

    Kangema MP Peter Kihungi said there was negligence on the part of the GDC in the way the contract was drafted that led to the arbitration case being heard in London.

    “Our state agencies need to be careful with the contracts they sign because it appears that this contract was drafted by the contractor and given to GDC to sign,” Mr Kihungi said.

    Other MPs Mwangi Kiunjuri (Laikipia East) and Marianne Kitany (Aldai) said it was clear that the contract was designed for a particular company and meant to siphon off public funds.

    But Mr Ngugi defended the UK-based company, saying the kind of services they were looking for could not be sourced locally.

    “We had a technical problem and we needed a technical solution, so we put our needs out there,” Mr Ngugi said.

    According to the contract, each well was to be drilled (top-hole) to a measured true vertical depth of 1,000 metres or a total true vertical depth of at least 2,000 metres.

    In 2013, GDC entered into a contract to provide drilling services for 20 geothermal wells at its Menengai geothermal field at a cost of Sh4.2 billion.

    The procurement was advertised in November 2012 and five companies submitted bids. The companies included Cluff geothermal, PR Marriott drilling, Great Wall drilling company, Hansa engineering Ltd and Geothermal Exploration Ltd.

    By the time the tender closed on 28 December 2022, only three companies had responded by presenting their proposals. These were PR Marriott drilling, Cluff geothermal and Great Wall drilling company.

    The bids were opened at GDC’s Riverside office at 2 pm on December 28.

    However, only the technical bids were opened by the Tender Opening Committee, which MPs said was suspicious as they claimed the committee already had a company in mind.

    In terms of technical capacity, the tender committee chose Cluff Geothermal Renewable Energy Ltd, which it said was the only qualified bidder at that stage.

    After passing the technical stage, the documents submitted to the committee state that Cluff Geothermal Renewable was therefore qualified for the next stage, which was the financial evaluation.

    According to the documents, the financial proposal was opened by the tender committee at 11am in January 2013 at the GDC Riverside office.

    Another committee was later formed to further evaluate the companies’ drilling costs, infrastructure costs, supply of drilling materials and consumables, and training.

    “Upon completion of the evaluation, the evaluation committee recommended, among other things, that M/S Geothermal Renewable Energy be awarded the contract for the provision of top-drilling services for 20 geothermal wells at an estimated evaluated cost of USD 44,535,695 inclusive of taxes,” the documents state.

    However, due to financial challenges, Cluff Geothermal and its local partners abandoned the work, suspended operations and demobilised the drilling crew and equipment on June 23, 2016, and began charging standby fees even after its personnel had demobilised from the site.

    A dispute then arose after the parties disagreed on issues such as the amount of work completed and outstanding invoices, which led the contractor to suspend its drilling operations in March 2015 and, on April 15, 2017, file a notice of arbitration with the LCIA seeking an amount of Sh2.7 billion in unpaid invoices for the period from March 2015 to June 2016, damages in the form of lost profits and consequential losses relating to the late payment of certain invoices.

    Cluff also threatened to bring an action against Kenya under the Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of British Investment in Kenya signed in September 1999.

    Mr Ngugi said the Attorney General took over the case and appeared for and on behalf of GDC before the LCIA and appointed a co-counsel to handle the matter.

    On June 3, the LCIA ruled that GDC should pay the claimants the sum of Sh232 million in respect of invoices issued for work done and a further Sh61 million in interest.

    Former Attorney General Kihara, Solicitor General Ken Ogeto and a British lawyer, Michael Sullivan QC, represented Kenya in the London arbitration.

  • Another Woman Accuses Diddy Of Sexual Assault

    Another Woman Accuses Diddy Of Sexual Assault

    Embattled rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing another sexual assault case after a woman came forward with fresh accusations against him.

    The complaint filed in New York by former porn star Adria English is the latest of several lawsuits filed against the star in recent months.

    Mr Combs, who is one of rap’s most successful moguls, has consistently denied all allegations of sexual assault and physical abuse, including the latest ones.

    The star is now reportedly also the subject of a federal criminal investigation, though there is no sign any charges are imminent, according to NBC News.

    Mr Combs’s legal woes have mounted after accusations made by ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura in November. Earlier this year, he apologised after footage came to light that showed him attacking Ms Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016.

    The new case in New York alleges that Mr Combs “forced and coerced (Ms English) to engage in sex work for him” at parties. It also alleges that the rapper threatened to ruin her career if she did not comply.

    A total of 33 allegations are made against Mr Combs and his associates in Ms English’s 114-page filing, which gives an account of events between 2004 and 2009.

    “No matter how many lawsuits are filed it won’t change the fact that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone,” his lawyer told US media.

    The statement went on to say that “Mr Combs is confident he will prevail against these and other baseless claims in court”.

    Ms English is the latest in a string of women to make claims against Mr Combs in recent months, following a lawsuit launched by Ms Ventura that was settled by Mr Combs in November for an undisclosed sum.

    She had accused him of rape and sexual trafficking over a decade. Mr Combs’ team clarified that the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing.

    Various allegations of sexual and physical abuse have been made against the rapper since then.

    His homes in Los Angeles and Miami, Florida, were raided earlier this year as part of a federal investigation into human trafficking.

    Mr Combs’s team has been notified that he is the subject of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, according to NBC News, citing two sources familiar with his legal issues.

    Details of the reported investigation have not been revealed, and neither federal officials nor Mr Combs’s legal team have commented on the matter specifically.

  • ‪Ruto Spoke To IMF Chief After Rejecting Tax Hikes In The Finance Bill 2024, Sources Say‬

    ‪Ruto Spoke To IMF Chief After Rejecting Tax Hikes In The Finance Bill 2024, Sources Say‬

    President William Ruto spoke by phone with International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva in the days after he withdrew $2.7 billion in proposed tax hikes in response to deadly protests, two diplomatic sources told Reuters.

    The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide details about Ruto and Georgieva’s phone call.

    However, they said there was agreement among major donors that the IMF needed to show flexibility on program targets as Kenya looked to fill the gap caused by the bill’s withdrawal.

    One of the sources added that the government should show a commitment to reducing wasteful spending, cracking down on corruption and increasing accountability in exchange for that flexibility.

    The finance bill containing the tax increases was central to policy reforms agreed by Kenya with the IMF as part of a lending program worth $3.6 billion.

    Analysts say its withdrawal a week ago is likely to result in Kenya missing key program targets, although the government does not urgently need cash from the IMF after it was able this year to repay a bond that was originally worth $2 billion by issuing a new seven-year bond.

    The IMF has been a major target of the ire of young Kenyan protesters, who have accused it of being the driving force behind the proposed tax hikes.

  • Activists Behind Kenya’s Anti-Govt Protests Rethink Their Strategies After Demos Turned Violent ‬

    Activists Behind Kenya’s Anti-Govt Protests Rethink Their Strategies After Demos Turned Violent ‬

    (Reuters) – Activists behind Kenya’s anti-government protests are rethinking their strategy after demonstrations on Tuesdaywere marred by violence and looting that they fear could undermine the movement and its efforts to push President William Ruto to resign.

    The activists say the violence was the work of “goons” hired by politicians to either discredit legitimate demonstrators or advance their own agendas. Some called on social media for the next planned demonstration on Thursday not to go ahead.

    “It seems the state has realised that the only way to counter this movement is by using goons to incite violence, break into people’s property, loot, and tarnish our cause,” Ojango Omondi, an activist in the capital Nairobi, told Reuters.

    “It’s time to go back to the drawing board and strategise on how best to overcome this violence and keep our protests focused on their true objectives.”

    Kenya’s government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement on Tuesday, Interior Minister Kithure Kindike blamed violence on “hordes of marauding criminal gangs” and said there was an attempt to “politicise crime”.

    The initial protests last month against proposed tax hikes were overwhelmingly peaceful, although the police fired tear gas and water cannon at demonstrators.

    The mobilisation of Kenyans from across ethnic lines around common economic demands marked a break with previous protest movements that have typically been organised by political figures with ethnic grievances often at the fore.

    The protests became violent as some demonstrators briefly stormed parliament last week and the police opened fire, killing dozens.

    The next day, Ruto withdrew the tax increases. But protesters vowed to carry on, issuing a range of demands, from anti-corruption measures to Ruto’s resignation.

    Almost from the outset, protests on Tuesday were marked by violence. Stone-throwing young men clashed with police in Nairobi and other towns. Looters stormed businesses, leading shopowners to arm themselves with sticks and clubs.

    Foi Wambui, a young actress who had come to protest in downtown Nairobi, said she was heading home because of the chaos.

    “What has happened is that peaceful protesters are deterred from coming to town, and we are deterred from actually coming and practising our civic duties,” she told Reuters.

    DISCREDITING THE MOVEMENT

    In official statements, Ruto and the government have generally distinguished between peaceful protesters and those they brand as criminals that have hijacked the demonstrations.

    But their allies have seized on the violence to try to discredit the movement, popularly known as Gen Z protests for their youthful following.

    Dennis Itumbi, a political consultant close to Ruto, posted a video on X of a group of young men robbing another man in the streets. It was not clear where or when the video was taken.

    “Congratulations Gen-Z for your Peaceful and democratic protests along the streets,” Itumbi wrote. “The police should not interfere with your moves.

    Gerald Bitok, the communications director at the presidency, said young people were beginning to turn against the protests.

    “The Gen Zs and the young people of this country have made it crystal clear that going forward, they will not be part of the demonstrations that are now synonymous with terror,” he said on X.

    On a public forum on X on Tuesday evening that was attended by over 400,000 people, one supporter of the protest movement said it bore some responsibility for the chaos by continuing to call for demonstrations after Ruto withdrew the tax hikes.

    “You are equally culpable if you are still beating the drums of war,” he said.

    Other speakers said what they referred to as paid goons were to blame, but several agreed that demonstrators should take a step back and call off Thursday’s protest.

    “We will have more casualties and we will not achieve what we want,” said one. “Let’s go back. Let’s strategise.”

  • Inside Ruto’s First Cabinet Meeting After Protests

    Inside Ruto’s First Cabinet Meeting After Protests

    The Cabinet met on Thursday for a briefing on the security situation in the country following days of chaos that saw protestors strom Parliament.

    The meeting at State House Nairobi, which was chaired by President William Ruto, was informed that though the riots started as a protest against the tax measures proposed in the Finance Bill 2024, they were infiltrated, hijacked and taken over by criminal and opportunistic political forces.

    The two groups have in the past two weeks reigned terror on the people of Kenya in the cities, towns and other urban areas, occassioning loss of life, destruction of National and County governments’ buildings, infrastructure, vehicles, homes and businesses.

    Due to the threat posed to Parliament, the Supreme Court and other infrastructure, the Cabinet was informed that all national security agencies, including the military, were deployed to forestall the break down of law and order.

    The Cabinet was also informed that the security agencies have stabilised the situation and are continuing to monitor the developments.

    The members commended security officers, pointing out that they on the whole acted professionally in very difficult circumstances. The Cabinet also noted that security agencies did a good job of protecting the country from anarchists.

    The President said the government must now focus on charting a new future for the country, pointing out that significant changes must be made to align with that new future.

    On any officers who may have acted outside the confines of the law, the Cabinet said they will be dealt with in accordance with legal procedure and by the institutions mandated to do so.

    The Cabinet also called for action against those who have committed heinous crimes of arson, looting and robbery, among others, saying such atrocities must not go unpunished.

    On the withdrawn Finance Bill, President Ruto said the National Treasury is reorganising the budget to accommodate the new reality.

    This will include substantial cutting down of budgets to “balance between what to be implemented and what can wait”, and ensuring that key national programmes are not affected.

    “Our plan is good and solid and, in the fullness of time, we shall be vindicated,” President Ruto said.

    On other agenda, the Cabinet discussed the implementation of the Kenya Urban Improvement Project in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.

    This includes the phased out upgrade of the 163km Nairobi Commuter Rail. The first phase of the upgrade will comprise improving the  58km commuter rail between the Nairobi Central Railway Station and Thika.

    The project will also include acquisition of new locomotives and improvement of non-motorised transport infrastructure, and feeder roads along the Nairobi Commuter Rail network.

    The Cabinet also approved the following Bills  policies:

    Kenya Secondary Education Equity and Quality Improvement Programme

    Kenya-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

    Co-Hosting of the Second Edition of the African Continental Free Trade Area Youth Symposium on September 5-7, 2024

    Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill 2024

    Ratification of Bilateral Air Services Agreements between Kenya and various countries, including Somalia, Morocco, Algeria, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Guinea, the United Kingdom and South Korea.

  • We Must Give Police Power To Bite, Ex-Police Spokesman Owino Says

    We Must Give Police Power To Bite, Ex-Police Spokesman Owino Says

    Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino has criticized a recent decision by the High Court prohibiting police from using water cannons, tear gas, and bullets against protesters.

    Owino says doing so leaves the law enforcers at a compromised position especially when dealing with elements who take advantage of peaceful protests to carry out their criminal activities.

    “You go to court and you tell policemen, don’t use teargas, and don’t use your firearm. What happens is there will be no fear amongst the demonstrators, robbers and the bad people. The policemen will be overrun and properties will be destroyed,”

    Charles Owino, Former Police Spokesperson

    According to the former police spokesman, the instruments prohibited by the court are crucial if the police must execute their mandate and ensure life and property are secured at all costs.

    “You use teargas and baton to disperse. But when property is being destroyed what do you do? Those are the times police use firearms. I hear people say use rubber bullets, but will they stop?” posed Owino during an interview on Citizen TV Thursday morning

    Owino reiterates that “We must face the reality. We must give police power to bite,” for them to manage situations such as those witnessed this week where individuals went on a looting spree while others staged anti-tax protests.

    “You have seen members of the public saying police are not protecting us. But what happens? Say you have five or ten police officers against 1000 members of the public, how do you react, how do you manage your firearm, teargas, etc?,” queried the Ex-Cop who now serves as the chairman of the board at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC)