Author: Agencies

Disgraced Ex-EACC CEO Halakhe Waqo Bribes CAK Board For Top Job

Controversy has rocked the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) over the flawed recruitment process of its top leadership.

According to insider information, the compromised CAK Board has submitted a list of three candidates for consideration as Director General.

Top of their consideration is the disgraced Halakhe Waqo, a former EACC executive, has been accused of using illegal resources to bribe his way into the position.

“One of the Board members Mr. Abdi Mohammed one of the Board members was the main distributing cash in millions during the interviews held at Ole Sereni Hotel. A special room had been booked in addition to the interview rooms to facilitate money exchange,” a whistleblower said.

The compromised Board is said to have waived a mandatory requirement for a Leadership or Management certificate, allowing Waqo to be included in the shortlisting.

The Competition Act requires a Director General with competition experience, but the Board refused to honor this requirement. The top candidate for the HR Manager position was influenced by her relations with top government officials. The Board’s activities have been criticized for their corruption, even claiming mileage allowance while traveling from their Nairobi homes.

The corporation secretary, who was recently promoted to director, has also been accused of enabling the board to run the authority corruptly.

Waqo would come in with vast experience in corruption. His tenure at EACC was riddled with controversies including bribery claims made on him and ran a totally toothless anti-graft agency.

Kemsa Scandal

For those who don’t know, the former anti corruption boss was adversely mentioned in the Kemsa saga that saw taxpayers lose billions to tenderprenuers at a time when the pandemic was crashing the economy.

Waqo was in March 2021 probed by a parliament committee following revelations by Ms Zubeda Nyamlondo, a director of Aszure Commercial Services a company implicated in a Sh347M scandalous tender to supply facemasks to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).

Waqo’s name popped up following a sustained probing by the committee members for the witness to provide details of ownership and how the firm sourced for funds to finance such large contract having only done business worth Sh8 million in the previous years.

Waqo confirmed to the that he was a loan guarantor to tge furniture supplies company that won a Sh347 million tender to supply facemasks to Kemsa.

He told the parliamentary committee that he had been approached by a manager at First Community Bank (FCB) – where he and directors of the firm are customers – whether he could provide security to a loan Aszure Commercial Services had sought to finance the Kemsa deal.

Unconvinced that Waqo was merely a loan signatory, the committee summoned Mr Waqo to establish whether he is the faceless owner of Aszure Commercial Services and only fronted Ms Nyamlondo to hoodwink the public.

The lawmakers also wanted to establish why the company, which had an account at Kenya Commercial Bank, decided to go to First Community Bank(FCB) for a loan.

After taking his time, his answers during the grilling painted a clearer picture of a larger conspiracy that did not only involve proxy managers but included bank officials from FCB and put Waqo right in the middle as the major stakeholder.

Waqo denied direct links to the firm.

And this is where it gets suspicious and puzzling, Waqo told the parliamentary committee that he had been approached by a manager at First Community Bank (FCB) where he and directors of the firm are customers whether he could provide security to a loan Aszure Commercial Services had sought to finance the Kemsa deal.

MPs were puzzled as to the nature of relationship that Waqo holds with the bank that the manager had the confidence to approach him as a guarantor and more so what was the bank’s interest in sourcing for a guarantor for a customer. In a normal setting, the customer approaches the bank for a loan with a guarantor in hand. The complex relationship between the bank, Waqo and the firm left more questions than answer as to the bigger common interest of all the three parties.

MPs question that wasn’t answered was why Aszure didn’t seek a loan from KCB where the firm hold its accounts and instead went for FCB. It is unconvincing that Waqo would fund a project for people whom he doesn’t know only relying on the bank’s managers word which also leaves a lot to speculate about their depth of relationship. One can certainly tell who the faceless owner of Aszure Commercial Services is.

FCB is associated with Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdulahi and others claim that Waqo too holds stakes in the bank.

And more scandals

In 2014, EACC put the president in an embarrassing situation when it handed him a list of alleged thieves which he presented to parliament during his state of the nation address.

Most of those mentioned were never prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

At one time an infuriated Uhuru on learning the wild goose chase that the commission had sent him on publicly dressed down Waqo at a State House function.

“We Waqo wewe ulinisimamisha hapo mbele ya bunge nikafuta mawaziri…mpaka wa leo, after two years hujaniambia where their guilt is,” the president lambasted him.

Waqo was severally mentioned by bloggers as a very corrupt guy who doesn’t hesitate to take kickbacks to go slow on investigations. His hate to questioning bloggers would see him having Robert Alai charged for questioning his academic credentials.

In 2018, Mr Waqo was accused of receiving a Sh300 million bribe from 2015/2016 National Youth Service (NYS) scandal suspects.

The bribe was allegedly received to cover the names of several governors and a Cabinet Secretary listed in the graft.

According to Adan Guracha, the then EACC lead detective in the scandal, Waqo used the proceeds to build a six-storey building in Isiolo town.

In a sworn affidavit, Guracha also revealed how Mr Waqo ordered him to discontinue investigations into the fraudulent compensation of the Lamu Coal-fired Power Generation project in 2017.

“When he tabled information linking Dido and Sons limited to the fraudulent pay of over Ksh100 million, Waqo intimidated him and directed him to handle other cases,” the affidavit read.

While Waqo’s path with scandals remain in plain sight, he was appointed Chairperson of the Universities Fund Board on his exit from the anti graft commission which came in the heights of many having lost confidence in the commission.

May 31, 2024
Revealed: How Much Govt Is Paying Uhuru Monthly, List Of Luxury Cars Assigned To His Family

The government has denied withholding ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta’s retirement benefits, including his pension.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura clarified on Friday that the Kenya Kwanza administration is dedicated to upholding the law and the constitution without compromise.

Mwaura emphasized that, contrary to reports, the government has consistently honored its obligations to retired presidents, vice presidents, and the former prime minister.

“The Kenya Kwanza government is firmly against the weaponization of state resources. The Presidential Retirement Benefits Act mandates that former presidents receive pensions and other retirement benefits after leaving office,” he said.

The Government Spokesperson disclosed that President William Ruto’s predecessor received a lump sum payment of Sh48 million, equivalent to one year’s salary for each of the two terms he served.

Additionally, Mwaura stated that Kenyatta receives a monthly pension of Sh1.6 million, and tax-exempted monthly allowances totaling Sh1 million, which include entertainment, house, fuel, and allowances for water, electricity, and telephone services.

“He also benefits from comprehensive medical and hospital cover worth Sh20 million for both local and overseas treatment for himself and his spouse. Importantly, all these benefits are exempted from tax,” Mwaura said.

Furnished office, State protection

Further, Mwaura stated that the retired president enjoys a fully furnished and maintained office space of his choice, funded by the government.

Kenyatta is also entitled to two new cars of his choice, replaceable every three years, with an engine capacity of at least 3000cc.

Additionally, he is entitled to two other vehicles with an engine capacity of 3400cc, also replaceable every three years.

Mwaura noted that Kenyatta was allocated the vehicles upon retirement, and their replacements will be factored into the 2027/2028 financial year budget.

“The third retired president H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta is by law entitled to four vehicles at the expense of the state, whereas the former first lady H.E. Mama Ngina Kenyatta is entitled to enjoy half the benefits of a retired president, as a spouse to a former head of state,” he added.

Mwaura said the government, however, has provided the 12 vehicles to the two which is at least five more than the law stipulates.

The vehicles include two Toyota Land Cruisers with a 4,000cc engine capacity, one Mercedes Benz with a 5,000cc engine, four Toyota Prados with 2.700cc engines and two Range Rovers with 4.200cc engines.

Others are two Range Rovers with 5.000cc engines and one Subaru Forester with a 2,000cc 2,000cc engine.

Mwaura further revealed that the former president has been issued four fuel cards, while Mama Ngina Kenyatta has three fuel cards.

The government has also facilitated repairs and maintenance of the vehicles, he said.

“In the 2023/2024 financial year, the office requested service and maintenance for four motor vehicles, all of which were approved and facilitated,” he said.

Regarding staff, Mwaura said Kenyatta’s office submitted a list of 33 people, who have so far been deployed and are earning salaries.

Mwaura noted that the former president continues to enjoy VIP protection and that his homes are heavily guarded by the police.

May 31, 2024
Gatundu South MP GG Kagombe Arrested

Gatundu South Member of Parliament GG Kagombe was arrested on Friday ahead of his planned arraignment over a fatal shooting incident in Thika, Kiambu County.

The arrest follows the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution’s approval of murder charges against him in connection with the incident.

Detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation headquarters traced and arrested the MP in Kileleshwa, Nairobi to process him for plea-taking in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in a violent confrontation between rival groups in Thika, Kiambu County.

The MP had gone into hiding for over a week when police laid a manhunt for him.

Kagombe is set to take a plea on Monday, June 3, and will be taken to DCI headquarters for processing. Police had attempted to register the case at Kiambu law courts to obtain a warrant to arrest him in vain, as a judge who was to hear the case was absent.

Two Members of Parliament were grilled by detectives investigating the fatal shooting. Gatundu North MP Elijah Njoroge and his Thika Town counterpart Alice Ng’ang’a were summoned for questioning over the chaos. They denied opening the fatal fire and were informed that the team is investigating murder and causing bodily harm in the case.

As part of the probe, the team asked all politicians present to surrender their licensed weapons for ballistic tests.

The incident at the site of a proposed market in Kamenu ward resulted in the death of 26-year-old David Nduati and serious injuries to another man, Anthony Kamau. Spent cartridges collected from the scene, the bullet head in the deceased man’s body, and one lodged in the hospital will help in establishing the one who shot.

Lawlessness reigned in Thika Town on Friday, May 17, when supporters of area MP Alice Ng’ang’a and those of Kamenu MCA Peter Mburu clashed. MCA Mburu had visited the contested market area and subdivided it into stalls, while MP Ng’ang’a showed up with a bulldozer accompanied by National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah.

May 31, 2024
Undue Credit Is Given To Kibaki For CDF

By Michael Mundia Kamau

Undue credit is given to the Government of Kenya’s third President, Mwai Kibaki, regarding the initiation of Kenya’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

In particular, former Nyandarua County Senator, Muriuki Karue, is always presented as the “brainchild” of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), including in the “Daily Nation’s” said page 3 story of 30th May 2024. Muriuki Karue neither originated nor initiated the idea of Kenya’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Kenya’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is an initiative and brainchild of the Government of Kenya’s second President, Daniel T. arap Moi.

What happened is that in the year 2002, Kenya’s then President, Daniel T. arap Moi, constituted a task force made up of eight people, and chaired by renowned Kenyan lawyer, Pheroze Nowrojee, to explore the viability of setting up an annual fund, financed by the Kenya Government, for the purpose of development expenditure and development projects in all of Kenya’s constituencies.

The idea back in 2002 of setting up an annual fund for the development of Kenya’s constituencies was actually an extension of the Kenya Government’s “Sessional Paper No. 1 of 1986,” otherwise referred to as “District Focus for Rural Development.” For example, the current headquarters of the Kisumu County Government, were constructed during the era of the high profile “Sessional Paper No. 1 of 1986” (“District Focus for Rural Development”).

However, “Sessional Paper No. 1 of 1986” (“District Focus for Rural Development”) came to halt in the year 1990, following the suspension of donor funding to Kenya, a suspension that lasted to the year 2000.

After three months, back in early 2002, Pheroze Nowrojee’s Task Force handed President Daniel T. arap Moi an affirmative report regarding the viability of setting up an annual Kenya Government Fund, for the development of all of Kenya’s constituencies.

President Daniel T. arap Moi then handed Pheroze Nowrojee’s Task Force Report to the Kenya Parliament for adoption and ratification into law.

Paul Muite, who at the time was Kabete constituency Member of Parliament, then began the process of tabling a motion in Parliament for Pheroze Nowrojee’s Task Force Report to be adopted into law.

There was however heavy politicking in Kenya at the time in readiness for Kenya’s General Elections of 27th December 2002, and there was even a grouping of Kenyan Members of Parliament at the time, in association with different Kenyan Civil Society Organisations at time, that had declared that they would convene at Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, to ensure that a new Kenya Constitution was drafted, and later adopted into law in the Kenya Parliament, before Kenya’s General Elections of 27th December 2002.

In those days though, the President of Kenya had the powers to prorogue Parliament, and what President Daniel T. arap Moi did was to abruptly prorogue the Kenya Parliament in August 2002, before the “threat” of a new Kenya Constitution was effected by “rebel” Kenyan Members of Parliament at the time, and “rebel” Kenyan Civil Society Organisations at the time.

Therefore, the tabling in the Kenya Parliament for the adoption into law for a Constituency Development Fund (CDF), by Kabete constituency Member of Parliament, Paul Muite, was cut short following the abrupt proroguing of Kenya’s 8th Parliament in August 2002 by President Daniel T. arap Moi.

Mwai Kibaki and the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) won Kenya’s General Elections of 27th December 2002, after which Kenya’s 9th Parliament was convened in January 2003, at which point the motion on the adoption of a Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was tabled afresh and adopted into law. Paul Muite did not make it back to Parliament at Kenya’s General Elections of 27th December 2002, and it was not he who tabled the motion afresh.

It therefore continues to be a misrepresentation of Kenyan history that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) originated with the Government of Kenya’s third President, Mwai Kibaki, and that in particular, was the “brainchild” of Muriuki Karue.

The Nation Media Group can seek clarification of what I state above, from Pheroze Nowrojee and Paul Muite, both of whom are still alive, kicking and active.

Credit for Kenya’s Constituency Development Fund (CDF) needs to be given to the Government of Kenya’s second President, Daniel T. arap Moi, Pheroze Nowrojee, and Paul Muite.

May 31, 2024
‪Tens Of Billions Of African Gold Is Smuggled To The UAE Yearly; Report‬

Gold smuggling out of Africa, mainly to the United Arab Emirates, has surged over the last decade, with hundreds of tonnes of gold worth tens of billions of dollars illegally leaving the continent every year, according to a report published on Thursday.

Analysis by Swissaid, an organisation that focuses on development aid and advocacy, found that a total of 435 tonnes of gold, mostly mined by small-scale miners and worth more than US$30 billion, was smuggled out of Africa in 2022.

Swissaid said the UAE was the main destination for Africa’s smuggled gold and took in 405 tonnes in 2022. Over the previous decade, UAE accepted more than 2,500 tonnes of smuggled gold with a total value of over US$115 billion, the organisation said.

The report singled out Dubai as an international hub for trade in African gold, which then makes its way to countries including Switzerland.

It arrives in Dubai by plane, “in hand luggage or in the hold, on scheduled flights or in private jets”.

Asked to comment on the findings, a UAE official said that the country had taken significant steps to address concerns about gold smuggling and implemented new regulations on gold and other precious metals.

The scale of the flow underscores how small scale, or artisanal, mining has mushroomed into an industry involving millions of people producing volumes of gold on a par with or even bigger than industrial mining.

Artisanal miners pan for gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo. File photo: AFP

In 2019, a Reuters investigation found that billions of dollars’ worth of gold was being smuggled out of Africa every year through the UAE, which served a gateway to markets in Europe, the United States and beyond.

Aside from the loss in tax revenues, experts and governments have warned that smuggling on this scale indicates a vast parallel illicit economy vulnerable to potential money laundering, terrorist finance and sanctions evasion.

Marc Ummel, the commodities lead at Swissaid and one of the authors of the report, said the UAE contributes to gold laundering because large quantities of smuggled gold acquire a legal existence by transiting through the UAE.

“If we keep on seeing more than 400 tonnes of illegal gold entering the UAE every year, this is a clear sign that the implementation of the regulations in the UAE is seriously lacking.”

For its analysis, Swissaid compared total gold exports from all African countries with gold imports into non-African countries. The organisation filled gaps in UN COMTRADE data with individual country statistics and identified errors by comparing the data with figures reported by trade associations and speaking with governments and refineries.

These discrepancies between declared exports and declared imports do not exist for Switzerland and India, the other two major gold importing countries for African gold.

The Swissaid report found that there were 12 countries in Africa involved in smuggling 20 tonnes or more per year.

In response to accusations that it was not doing enough to enforce regulations on the sector, a UAE Ministry of Economy spokesperson said the UAE cannot be held accountable for other government’s export records.

“Only our own, where we have sophisticated technologies and systems to track and verify the data.”

With the gold price having doubled since 2009, the number of people turning to artisanal mining has surged. Swissaid estimates that artisanal and small-scale gold mining in African countries produced between 443 and 596 tonnes of gold in 2022.

Of this, more than 70 per cent is not declared.

By comparison, industrial miners have produced around 500 tonnes of gold a year.

The report found that the majority of African gold imported into the UAE each year comes from informal artisanal and small-scale mining. These methods provide a livelihood to millions of Africans but often come at a high cost to local communities and to the environment.

“There’s a certain hypocrisy with some of the Swiss refineries,” said Ummel. “They don’t want to source African artisanal gold directly but at the same time import very high quantities of gold from the UAE, which is the main hub for African artisanal gold.”

Between 80 per cent and 85 per cent of Africa’s artisanal gold in 2022 was exported to the UAE, according to the researchers.

A UAE official said the country recognises the importance of artisanal and small-scale gold mining to the sector and that its “inclusive approach” has allowed artisanal miners to realise more value for their extracted gold.

Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

May 31, 2024
What’s Next For Trump After Historic Criminal Conviction Of 1st US President?

Donald Trump on Thursday became the first former US president to be convicted of felony criminal charges in the New York hush money trial and now has a slew of challenges ahead as he aims to win his second term as president of the United States.

Trump continued to claim that he is not guilty of all 34 counts related to paying off former adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep her story of an alleged affair with him from going public during the 2016 presidential election and then covering up that payment as a business expense.

While Trump’s attorneys have not yet filed a formal appeal, the former president alluded to that scenario immediately after he left the courtroom.

“We’ll keep fighting, we’ll fight til the end and we’ll win because our country’s gone to hell,” said Trump after the guilty verdict was handed down. “We will fight for our Constitution. This is long from over.”

In addition, his legal team told CNN that they were “prepared for a guilty verdict,” which foreshadows that they already have an appeal in the works.

“We were prepared for a conviction,” said Trump attorney Todd Blanche. “I think it was expected.”

If Trump files an appeal, that would set up yet more courtroom drama in the months ahead with another trial possibly being scheduled before the November general election. But the next court matter at hand will be sentencing of the former president on July 11 and whether or not he will face any prison time.

Trump could face up to four years in state prison on each count, with a maximum term of 20 years, according to CNN. However, Judge Juan Merchan is not required to sentence the former president to time behind bars and could consider sentencing Trump to probation with a possible fine since he does not have a previous criminal record.

Trump’s sentencing is scheduled just a few days before he will be officially nominated as his party’s presidential candidate at the Republican National convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin which runs from July 15-18.

Questions have arisen as to whether he is eligible to run for his second term as president as a convicted felon, but the US Constitution spells out the guidelines to run for America’s highest office: be a natural born US citizen, be at least 35 years old (Trump is 77) and have been a US resident for at least 14 years. Trump checks all those boxes, so there are no conflicts with running for office based on his conviction.

In fact, Thursday’s conviction immediately spiked fundraising efforts for Trump’s presidential campaign, according to media outlets, with the former president already proclaiming a win on social media.

“VICTORY ON NOVEMBER 5TH. SAVE AMERICA!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

President Joe Biden’s team is not ignoring the importance of this spike in fundraising from Trump’s voter base, countering with a punch of his own on social media.

“There’s only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: At the ballot box,” Biden posted on X, which was linked to a fundraising page.

Trump’s legal woes will not be over, regardless of an appeal, as he faces three other criminal trials. The only question is whether or not any of those cases will be scheduled before Election Day on Nov. 5.

The former president is facing federal criminal charges in Washington, D.C., where he is accused of trying to steal the 2020 election in which he lost to Biden. That trial was delayed when the Supreme Court agreed to hear Trump’s argument that he should be immune from prosecution for presidential actions. A ruling on that matter is expected sometime in July, which could mean another trial before the general election.

Trump also faces federal criminal charges in the state of Florida over taking classified documents from the Oval Office. He also faces state criminal charges in Georgia for his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in that US state. There are not yet any trial dates scheduled for either of those cases.

Through all of these legal crossroads, Trump still has the opportunity to be elected for a second term in America’s highest office. It would be an historical victory, as it would make Trump the first-ever convicted felon to be elected as US president.

May 31, 2024
World Bank Approves Sh156B Loan To Kenya

The World Bank on Thursday approved the first of three budget support packages for Kenya worth $1.2 billion (Sh156 billion), to help the East African country address short-term fiscal pressures and accelerate green policies.

The funding had been agreed amid an improved macroeconomic environment following government efforts to address liquidity pressures, depressed investor confidence and limited capital inflows that had resulted in a rapidly depreciating shilling, the bank said in a statement.

“After tackling the immediate fiscal pressures, the focus can now shift to addressing the country’s longer-term challenges,” said Keith Hansen, World Bank Country Director for Kenya.

The funding package aims to also create a more competitive labour market and strengthen the country’s efforts to combat the impact of climate change, the bank said.

May 31, 2024
What Trump’s Conviction Means For The US Election

(BBC)-

Donald Trump’s criminal conviction presents a remarkable collection of historic firsts.

He’s the first former or serving US president to be found guilty of a crime. He’s the first presumptive major-party nominee to become a convicted felon as well.

While Trump plans his appeal in the hush-money case, and awaits a sentence on 11 July that could in theory include prison time and a hefty fine, it’s not too early to consider the political fallout.

That will be difficult, however, given this has never happened before.

“We often look to history to find some kind of hint of what’s going to happen,” says Jeffrey Engel, director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University. “But there is nothing in the record that comes even close to this.”

Trump secured the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year and is scheduled to be crowned at the party’s convention just days after his sentencing.

Polls indicate he is in a statistical dead heat with President Joe Biden and maintains a slight edge in many key swing states that will decide the election. But those surveys also provide evidence that this conviction might change all of that.

In exit polls conducted during the Republican primaries this winter, double-digit numbers of voters said that they would not vote for the former president if he were convicted of a felony.

An April survey by Ipsos and ABC News found that 16% of those backing Trump would reconsider their support in such a situation.

Those were hypothetical convictions, however. And at the time he was facing four criminal cases, including charges related to an alleged conspiracy to overturn the result of the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents once leaving the White House.

Now those voters can make their judgement based on a real conviction.

“The real verdict is going to be [on] 5 November, by the people,” Trump said, moments after leaving the courtroom.

Doug Schoen, a pollster who worked with Democratic President Bill Clinton and independent New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, says American voters may feel less strongly about the hush-money case by then because it relates to events that took place eight years ago.

“While it’s not a great thing to be convicted of a crime, what voters will be thinking about in November is inflation, the southern border, competition with China and Russia and the money that is being spent on Israel and Ukraine,” he said.

Even a slight drop in Trump’s support, however, might be enough to matter in the kind of razor-thin race this presidential contest could become. If a few thousand voters who would have otherwise backed the former president stay home in a key state like Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, it could make all the difference.

“I do think it will have an impact and damage him as a candidate,” says Ariel Hill-Davis, co-founder of Republican Women for Progress, a group that has sought to move the party away from Trump.

She says younger voters and those who are college-educated and live in the suburbs have been concerned about Trump’s demeanour and his approach to governing.

“Those voters are really hesitant to get back in line with the Republican Party headed by Donald Trump,” she says. “The guilty verdict is going to further shore up those concerns.”

But leading Republicans, many of whom attended the trial in a show of loyalty to the party nominee, were quick to rally behind him.

House Speaker Mike Johnson called it a shameful day in American history. “This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one.”

For eight years, experts and opponents have been predicting Trump’s impending political collapse, only to be proven wrong. His 2016 presidential campaign was punctuated by scandals that would have likely felled a typical politician, including Trump’s recorded Access Hollywood conversation about groping women that was referenced multiple times in this trial.

Mr Trump’s party largely stuck with him through two impeachments and the chaotic end of his presidency, during which the US Capitol was attacked by a mob of his supporters.

All this did not prevent the former president from undertaking a political revival that has put him in position to win back the White House in November.

“It’s axiomatic at this point, but Trump’s continued support, despite the kind of scandal that would have scuttled literally any other previous candidate in American history, is truly astounding,” says Mr Engel.

This historic criminal conviction may prove to be different – particularly if Trump’s appeals fail and he faces the prospect of prison.

Or it could just be the latest in a long series of seemingly disruptive events that, in hindsight, have only been bumps on Trump’s path to power.

Allan Lichtman, a professor at American University, has constructed a political model that has successfully predicted the winner of every presidential race since 1984. He concedes, however, that Trump’s criminal conviction could be the kind of “cataclysmic and unprecedented” twist that throws the model for a loop and changes the course of history.

“History books will record this as a truly extraordinary, unprecedented event, but a lot will depend on what happens afterwards,” he says.

The ultimate judgement on the importance of Trump’s conviction will come at the hands of voters in November. If the former president is defeated, his guilty verdict is likely to be viewed as one of the reasons why.

If he wins, it may become just a footnote to Trump’s tumultuous yet consequential political career.

“History is written by the winners, as we all know,” Mr Engel says.

May 31, 2024
Notorious B.I.G.’s Mom Wants to ‘Slap the Daylights’ Out of Diddy

Notorious B.I.G.’s mother, Voletta Wallace, wants to “slap the daylights out of” Sean “Diddy” Combs in light of video footage released this month of the music mogul assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie in 2016.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Wallace expressed her hope that the embattled Bad Boy mogul would apologize to both Cassie and his own mother.

“I hope to slap the daylights out of him,” Wallace stated bluntly.

These sentiments come in the wake of a series of disturbing allegations against Combs, which began when his former girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a sex-trafficking lawsuit against him in November, detailing numerous instances of violent physical abuse.

Following Ventura’s allegations, five more women and one man have also come forward with their own lawsuits, accusing Combs of sexual assault.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” Wallace said, reacting to the numerous accusations of violence and sexual abuse against Combs.

“I’m praying for Cassie. I’m praying for his mother. I don’t want to believe the things that I’ve heard, but I’ve seen [the hotel video]. I pray that he apologizes to her.

“I hope that I see Sean one day and the only thing I want to do is slap the daylights out of him. And you can quote me on that,” she added.

“Because I liked him. I didn’t want to believe all the awful things, but I’m so ashamed and embarrassed.”

Wallace emphasized the need for Combs to apologize to his mother. “He needs to apologize to his mother,” she said. “I hope to God he sits her down, spills his guts, and apologizes to her.”

May 30, 2024
‪Ruto Says ‘Friends’ Offered Him Private Jet To The US For Sh10M Not Sh200M‬

President William Ruto disclosed the whole expense of his travel to the United States was merely Ksh10 million.

Speaking during a National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, May 30, 2024, in Nairobi , President Ruto refuted claims that his trip to the US cost Ksh 200 million of the taxpayers money.

“When I saw the debate on my trip to US, some saying the plane costed Ksh200M because the president wanted to arrive in style holding Rachel’s hand, there was no way it cost 200M.

“The trip cost the republic of Kenya less than Ksh10M,” said President Ruto.

The Head of State further maintained that he is willing to lead by example in ensuring that the nation lives within its means.

“Look at me Kenyans, look at me again. I must lead from the front as I tell others to tighten up their belt mine must be where to begin. So relax and the debate must end because I am that responsible and it is going to be that way,” Ruto added.

But travel costs were just one element of Ruto’s overarching emphasis on fiscal rectitude and accountability. He revealed having instructed heads of state corporations and parastatals to slash recurrent budgets by 30% in a bid to rein in spending.

“I was pleasantly surprised that each and every parastatal was willing to contribute to making sure that we live within our means,” Ruto told the prayer breakfast attendees. “They have actually reduced their recurrent budgets by 30%.”

The President underscored his administration’s commitment to financial discipline, even at the highest echelons of power. “My office and that of my deputy and that of my prime cabinet secretary, we have said we are going to start with ourselves. We must lead from the front, tighten up our belts,” he stated.

Ruto outlined plans to prioritize investment in productive sectors like agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure to spur economic growth and create opportunities for ordinary Kenyans. Ultimately, he aims to eliminate the persistent budget deficits that have necessitated borrowing.

“My plan is that in three years we must have a balanced budget. We cannot continue to have a budget that has a deficit that before you begin, you have to borrow,” the President declared, calling for an end to the “debate” over his U.S. travel costs.

May 30, 2024
Trump Hush Money Trial Ends Without Verdict

The first day of jury deliberations in Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York City ended Wednesday without a verdict.

Jurors met for nearly five hours, taking meticulous directions from Judge Juan Merchan about exactly what they need to do to determine whether the former US president is guilty of 34 criminal charges, according to media outlets.

“Jurors, you will recall that during jury selection you agreed that you must set aside any opinions or bias you have in favor of or against the defendant and if you decide this case against the evidence and the law,” said Merchan. “You must set aside any opinions and bias and you must not allow any opinion or bias to influence your verdict.”

Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records relating to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 to conceal her alleged extramarital affair with the former president.

Prosecutors said the itemized business transaction illegally disguised what is called a “catch and kill” scheme with the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper to keep negative stories about Trump from being published before the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, made the six-figure payment to Daniels and was reimbursed by his boss with the transaction being listed as a business expense.

“It is not my responsibility to judge the evidence here. It is yours.” Merchan told the jury. “You and you alone are the judges of the facts, and you and you alone are responsible for deciding whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty.”

Merchan reminded the 12-member jury panel that Trump was presumed innocent unless, after reviewing the evidence, they have “proven the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“The burden of proof never shifts from the people to the defendant,” said Merchan. “If the people fail to satisfy their burden of proof, you must find the defendant not guilty. And if the people satisfy their burden of proof, you must find the defendant guilty.”

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Jurors are scheduled to resume day two of deliberations Thursday morning.

May 30, 2024
I Can’t Be Intimidated; Stop Attacking Ruto And Bullying Other Leaders, Sakaja Tells Off Gachagua

The simmering tensions within the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), have now escalated to a full-blown scale.

Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja, who has been under the scope of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, has fired salvo at the besieged DP, who has been under attack from opposing factions in the ruling party.

Sakaja has told Rigathi to respect President Ruto and other elected leaders, including himself, and warned him to stop fighting Ruto.

Speaking to over 7,000 UDA grassroots delegates, Sakaja who’s vying for the Chairmanship in Nairobi, emphasized his determination to remain undeterred by those opposing his candidacy.

He underscored the importance of strengthening the UDA in Nairobi to secure more seats in the upcoming elections compared to the last cycle.

Sakaja took a swipe at the UDA Deputy Party Leader, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of bullying leaders within the ruling coalition.

He said: “Huwezi kuwa you are bullying people for two years, then unatajwa wiki moja unaanza kulia. Do you know bullies are the biggest cowards?”

“Mpaka unaenda sijui kwa msitu, sijui wapi…if you want respect, respect other leaders. If you don’t respect those leaders, then respect the people who put them there.”

Sakaja went on to dare the DP to run for the Nairobi County governorship seat in the 2027 elections if he does not respect his capacity as an elected official.

“I’ve been through a lot and I’m not easily intimidated, nobody has the right to say I was given the seat. I was elected,” charged Sakaja.

“In 2027, you are free to run for any elective post, run and be Nairobi Governor.”

The Nairobi Governor meanwhile stressed that the party must elect leaders based on their agendas for the people rather than tribal affiliations.

Sakaja in his address said that he envisions a future where key positions such as Governors, Senators, Women Representatives, and half of Nairobi’s Members of County Assembly (MCAs) are held by UDA members.

Rejecting his critics as proponents of tribal politics, he reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling his gubernatorial duties.

Corruption

Sakaja’s administration has come under increasing criticism for alleged massive looting that has attracted major critics, including the DP, and it’s unsurprising that he seized the moment to go on a full attack on Rigathi.

May 29, 2024
Elevated MCA, Sudi Tells Off Malala Over Disciplinary Warning As UDA Wars Escalate

Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi has dismissed a warning by United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala over misconduct labeling him an “elevated MCA”.

Sudi, considered President William Ruto’s political enforcer, said Malala was suffering an “illusory superiority” in a response on Wednesday.

“[An] Elevated MCA suffering from illusory superiority, thinking he matches Raphael Tuju’s calibre,” Sudi responded, comparing his to SG of the former ruling Jubilee Party.

Malala had ordered Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi, and Githunguri’s Gathoni Wa Muchomba to cease their attacks on the party leadership including the presidency, or have disciplinary action taken against them.

He said the recent public sentiments by the three members disrespected the leadership of the party they pledged to serve and were fueling disunity.

“Let this be a stern warning to desist from such actions with immediate effect. This behavior will not be tolerated within the realms of our party,” said Malala.

Malala, a former MCA and Senator, also warned Cabinet Secretaries Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport) and Moses Kuria (Public Service) asking them to cease political activity per the law.

He advised them to resign and join the political arena should they wish to pursue politics.

Malala warned young politicians in the party engaged in premature 2032 campaigns to stop such activities and focus on delivering service to the public.

“Early campaigning not only distracts from your responsibilities but also disrespects the trust placed in you by the electorate. Should you continue with these premature campaigns the party will take stern disciplinary action against you,” said Malala.

The call to order came following weeks of public attacks between two factions in the ruling UDA.

Siege on Gachagua

On May 26, Sudi rebuked Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s recent warning that Rift Valley MPs should refrain from engaging in Central Kenya politics.

Sudi said Gachagua had no authority to direct any politician or leader on where they should engage their politics in Kenya.

“You cannot control where I go. If we all stayed in our respective constituencies, then we would not be in government. We had to fly all over the country to ask Kenyans to elect this government,” he stated.

“I am not someone you can threaten,” Sudi declared saying he had had enough.

The lawmaker accused Gachagua’s faction of fostering division by restricting political leaders from touring other regions.

“I will continue meeting people even in Mount Kenya and doing harambees. I learned [this] from the president himself, and I will not stop,” he added.

Gachagua had taken the fight against the Sudi-led faction to the president’s stronghold warning “young politicians” against interfering in Central Kenya politics during a meeting in Kesses on May 25.

“The problem is a few leaders here from this region who have proximity to the President are the ones meddling with Central Kenya politics and involving themselves in premature 2032 succession,” Gachagua stated.

The DP launched the onslaught after emerging from a week-long absence from State function on May 19.

Kahiga who accompanied him to a church event at the time argued Mount Kenya region would not allow anyone to mistreat Gachagua.

He said the people elected Gachagua to his current position.

“I want to say here in front of everyone, we will not allow our son (Gachagua) to go through what Ruto went through in the hands of Uhuru Kenyatta. We will not allow our son to be mistreated. We will not,” Kahiga said.

May 29, 2024
Chaos In UDA: Cleophas Malala Warns Kuria, Murkomen To Stop Attacking Gachagua Or Resign, Threatens Rebels

The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has issued a stern warning to several of its members, including Cabinet Secretaries, to either focus on their official duties or resign from their positions to engage in politics. The party’s Secretary General, Cleophas Malala, expressed concern over the recent behavior of some elected leaders, which he deemed disrespectful to the party leadership and the presidency.

Speaking upon his return from a trip to China, where the UDA delegation engaged in discussions with the Communist Party of China on matters of mutual interest, Malala emphasized the importance of party unity and discipline. He specifically called out Githunguri Member of Parliament, Hon. Gathoni Wa Muchomba, Kapseret Member of Parliament, Hon. Oscar Sudi, and Nyeri Governor, Hon. Mutahi Kahiga, for their recent conduct that undermines the party’s unity and disrespects the leadership.

Malala issued a stern warning to these leaders, urging them to desist from such actions with immediate effect. “Failure to do so would result in disciplinary action being taken.” He said. He also addressed Cabinet Secretaries who have been involving themselves in political activities, contrary to the law, which requires them to remain apolitical.

Malala specifically went all out for Hon. Moses Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Gender, and Affirmative Action, and Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, stating that their primary responsibility is to serve the people within their respective dockets. “Should they wish to engage in politics, they are welcome to resign and join the political arena.” He added.

Malala also urged young politicians within the UDA who have prematurely begun their campaigns for 2032 to halt these activities, as they not only distract from their responsibilities but also disrespect the trust placed in them by the electorate. “The party will take stern disciplinary action against those who continue with these premature campaigns.” He said.

Malala emphasized the importance of party discipline and respect for party hierarchy, stating that any form of indiscipline will not be tolerated within the ranks of the UDA party.

Ruto-Gachagua rift

Malala’s statement comes in the backdrop of widening rift between President Ruto and his DP Gachagua that has seen politicians allied to both leaders engage in fierce exchanges in the recent past.

There are reports that Gachagua has already booked a political outfit as he plots to exit UDA, further affirming the fears that his relationship with Ruto is in tatters.

Gachagua’s new party

According to reports in local newspapers, Gachagua is collaborating with The New Democrats (TND) officials to explore options outside UDA, while Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga warns President Ruto’s support in Mt Kenya could be threatened by attacks.

The DP is reportedly reaching out to political players, including a former top government official, for a possible political deal. Gachagua has acquired a political party and has approached a Western Kenyan governor (Natembeya) to join his team. The DP has accused some allies of President Ruto in his Rift Valley backyard of being used to undermine him. Another list of operatives is being used to fight the DP, including youthful groups including Ndindi Nyoro who believe it is time to assert themselves in leadership positions.

G7

The DP is also facing opposition from the G7 group, led by Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, who is aiming to increase the number of female governors in the next election. The governor, Kahiga, believes that Waiguru is using ‘G7’ as a strategy to strategically place herself as a possible replacement for the DP. President Ruto has previously clashed with the DP on having a woman as the running mate for a man in the next election, which has unsettled Gachagua, who fears “betrayal.”

Kahiga believes that President Ruto is a wise politician who will not change his running mate but warns that changing his deputy could risk losing the support he enjoys in the region. The DP’s claims of being fought by Ruto’s close associates and the “women factor” in the 2027 race have also upset him.

Mt Kenya’s politicians, including Githunguri MP Gathoni wa Muchomba and former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu, are calling for DP Gachagua to declare his interest in the top seat in 2027. They believe the problems facing the region are linked to a scheme to divide the country. Mountain politics are unique, often bringing together threats to its welfare or betrayal. Mr Kahiga described DP Gachagua as a battle-hardened political soldier, stating that he will survive relentless attacks and prove his loyalty to only one leader at a time.

May 29, 2024
Looting: Kakamega Governor Barasa Spent Sh11M For His Office Food

The County Public Accounts Committee has lambasted Kakamega County’s leadership over a KES 11 million allocation for meal allowances for staff in the Governor’s office during the 2020-2021 financial year.

Chairing the scrutiny, Senator Moses Kajwang unleashed his disappointment, deeming the sum averaging KES 1 million per month as an unacceptable and unjustifiable misuse of taxpayers’ funds.

“This is not the reason why I’m going to fight the National Assembly to give counties KES 415 billion, so that governors can be allocating one million per month for food for their staff,” Kajwang said.

Demanding a granular breakdown, Kajwang questioned the number of staff that could warrant such an exorbitant food budget.

“We must resolve it, so that we dispel some notions that we are more interested in houseworks than in development,” Kajwang asserted, his remarks carrying undertones that such wasteful expenditures undermined public trust in county governments’ developmental agenda.

The Senator’s fiery rebuke tapped into longstanding grievances of national legislators who have often cited perceived misuse of funds as justification for denying or reducing county allocations. “Small things like this are then used by our brothers in the National Assembly to say that money in counties is wasted,” he remarked scathingly.

In an attempt to douse the raging flames, Governor Fernandes Barasa stated the county had audited the staffing inherited from the previous regime and initiated measures to rationalize the workforce.

“In terms of working on the numbers, we have actually given staff an opportunity for voluntary early retirement, which is one way of addressing the staff numbers,” Barasa responded. “The other approach is through natural attrition – as people retire, we don’t replace all those vacancies. We believe this will get the numbers down to a level that reduces pressure on the wage bill.”

Barasa added that the county had commenced a workload analysis to determine optimal staffing levels. “We don’t want a situation where a department that needs 5 staff has 10. We are trying to work within the numbers we have to maintain and even reduce the wage bill to manageable levels – a process that can continue until June.”

However, Kajwang remained unsatisfied, insisting on understanding the public participation process authorizing spending on what he deemed a personal indulgence.

May 29, 2024
South Africans Begin Voting In An Election Seen As Their Country’s Most Important In 30 Years

South Africans began voting Wednesday in an election seen as their country’s most important in 30 years, and one that could put their young democracy in unknown territory.

At stake is the three-decade dominance of the African National Congress party, which led South Africa out of apartheid’s brutal white minority rule in 1994. It is now the target of a new generation of discontent in a country of 62 million people — half of whom are estimated to be living in poverty.

Africa’s most advanced economy has some of the world’s deepest socioeconomic problems, including one of the worst unemployment rates at 32%.

The lingering inequality, with poverty and joblessness disproportionately affecting the Black majority, threatens to unseat the party that promised to end it by bringing down apartheid under the slogan of a better life for all.

Any change in the ANC’s hold on power could be monumental for South Africa. If it does lose its majority, the ANC will likely face the prospect of having to form a coalition with others to stay in government and keep South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the leader of the ANC, in power. An ANC having to co-govern has never happened before.

The election will be held on one day across South Africa’s nine provinces, with nearly 28 million people registered to vote at more than 23,000 polling stations. Final results are expected by Sunday.

May 29, 2024
DRC: Tshisekedi Appoints First Female PM As He Announces New Cabinet

Democratic Republic of Congo has appointed a new government, spokesperson Tina Salama said in the early hours of Wednesday, ending an impasse that has mired the country in political uncertainty for months.

President Felix Tshisekedi won a second term after elections in late 2023 that also handed his Sacred Union coalition a large majority in parliament. But internal jostling for jobs has delayed the formation of a new cabinet of ministers.

The president eventually named Judith Suminwa as Congo’s first female prime minister on April 1 and his ex-chief of staff Vital Kamerhe as parliament speaker on May 22, paving the way for the appointment of the government.

The new cabinet comprises 54 ministers versus 57 in the last government – a smaller-than-expected downsizing despite pressure to reduce costs.

In an announcement on state broadcaster RTNC, Salama said Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita had been appointed defence minister – a key role given Congo’s costly two-year conflict with the M23 rebel group in eastern territories.

Muadiamvita, a lawyer by training, was previously head of Congo’s official gazette, the journal of record for legal acts.

Doudou Fwamba Likunde was named finance minister and Kizito Pakabomba was appointed to oversee the mines ministry and Congo’s globally significant reserves of coltan, copper and other minerals.

Referring to the delay forming a government, the president’s communications director Erik Nyindu said it took time for the different parties in the ruling coalition to find a compromise.

“Better that than a country full of conflict,” he said on RTNC.

Tshisekedi formed his first government when he was elected in 2019. It was a coalition with his predecessor Joseph Kabila that broke up in 2021.

Tshisekedi then formed another coalition.

Since the last election in December, the Sacred Union has held around 95% of National Assembly seats.

May 29, 2024
Mike Tyson Says He Is 100pc Okay After A Health Scare Ahead Of Fight With Jake Paul

Mike Tyson insisted on Tuesday he felt “100%” despite a recent health scare as he prepares for his July bout against Youtuber Jake Paul.

The 57-year-old former world heavyweight champion reportedly needed medical treatment on Sunday after complaining of nausea and dizziness during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles.

Paramedics boarded the plane at Los Angeles International Airport to treat the boxing legend before other passengers were allowed to exit the American Airlines flight.

The incident came as Tyson prepares to make a controversial return to the ring against Paul in Texas on July 20, which has raised fears that the fighter once known as the “baddest man on the planet” could be hurt due to his advanced years.

Tyson however insisted on Tuesday he felt fine despite Sunday’s scare.

“Now feeling 100% even though I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul,” Tyson wrote in a brief post on X, formerly Twitter.

Tyson, who turns 58 in June, takes on the 27-year-old Paul in a professional bout which will comprise eight two-minute rounds. The fight has been sanctioned by boxing authorities in Texas.

Tyson has not fought a professional bout since 2005, although he did take on Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition contest in 2020.

May 28, 2024
Mossad Chief Threatened ICC Prosecutor Over War Crimes Probe

Yossi Cohen, former head of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “unofficial messenger,” threatened Fatou Bensouda, former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), during a series of covert meetings, pressuring her to abandon investigations into Israeli war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, a well-known British daily said in its investigative report published on Tuesday.

“Yossi Cohen’s covert contacts with the ICC’s then prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, took place in the years leading up to her decision to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in occupied Palestinian territories,” The Guardian said in its report.

That investigation, which began in 2021, culminated last week when Karim Khan, Bensouda’s successor, announced that he was seeking an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for the country’s actions during the Gaza war.

The prosecutor’s decision to apply to the ICC’s pretrial chamber for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders, is something Israel’s military and political establishment has long feared, the daily said.

“Cohen’s personal involvement in the operation against the ICC took place when he was the director of the Mossad,” it said.

According to the report, a senior Israeli official’s actions were sanctioned “at a high level” and justified in light of the court’s perceived threat of prosecuting military personnel.

The Mossad’s aim was “to compromise the prosecutor or enlist her as someone who would cooperate with Israel’s demands,” the UK’s daily said in the report, citing another Israeli source familiar with the threats against Bensouda.

Cohen, described as one of the prime minister’s “closest allies” and “unofficial messenger,” is said to have led Mossad’s role in Israel’s nearly decade-long effort to undermine the ICC.

According to four sources cited by The Guardian, Bensouda informed a select group of senior ICC officials about Cohen’s efforts to exert pressure on her, raising concerns about the “threatening nature of his behaviour.”

Cohen is accused of saying to the ICC prosecutor: “You should help us and let us take care of you. You don’t want to be getting into things that could compromise your security or that of your family.”

“The Mossad also took a keen interest in Bensouda’s family members and obtained transcripts of secret recordings of her husband, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation. Israeli officials then attempted to use the material to discredit the prosecutor,” the report said.

The ICC case goes back to 2015, when Bensouda began a preliminary examination into the situation in Palestine, assessing allegations of crimes in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

May 28, 2024
Ruto In Talks With Governors As Court Lifts Ban On Muguka

President Williams Ruto had a phone conversation on Tuesday with the coastal Governors of Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita-Taveta Counties regarding their concerns about the sale of muguka.

Governors Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi), and Andrew Mwadime (Taita-Taveta) agreed to participate in a stakeholder meeting convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock this week.

This follows a session on Monday between President Ruto and the leadership of Embu County, led by Governor Cecily Mbarire.

“We agreed to convene a meeting of political leaders from the affected counties next week,” explained the President.

During the Monday meeting with Embu leaders, the Head of State reversed a contentious ban on muguka imposed in parts of the country.

Ruto stated that muguka is a legal crop under the Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023.

“With muguka recognized by national legislation, any other laws or orders that contradict national legislation are null and void,” read a statement from his office.

Additionally, Ruto announced that the government would allocate Ksh 500 million to miraa and muguka farmers in the 2024/25 Financial Year for value addition.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Lucy Njuguna issued a restraining order preventing counties from enforcing the ban on muguka until July 8, 2024.

The ruling temporarily halts the sale, distribution, and use of muguka in the counties that had imposed the ban.

“Pending the inter-parties hearing and determination of this application, a conservatory order is hereby granted restraining the respondents from enforcing Executive Order No. 1 issued on May 22, 2024, until July 8, 2024,” the ruling read in part.

Justice Njuguna ruled that the application must be served upon the respondents within seven days from Tuesday.

May 28, 2024