Kenya Insights

Category: Arts & Culture

  • MWANGI: CS Magoha Should Embrace Diversity And Stop Discrimination Against LGTBQ+

    MWANGI: CS Magoha Should Embrace Diversity And Stop Discrimination Against LGTBQ+

    In a recent remark, CS George Magoha mentioned that LGBTQ+ kids should be moved to day schools in a move that will ensure that other kids remain “safe” and not influenced. This is part of the direct stigma and discrimination that the sexual and gender minorities in Kenya; LGBTQ+ persons continue to face.

    CS George Magoha should be highly concerned andaddress the sexual reproductive health needs in school, the ongoing school fires, school calendar and not anyone’ssexuality. Young learners especially girls continue to drop out of school due to early pregnancies from rape, defilement including minor-minor sexual intercourse. Humans are diverse in their interests, age, sexuality, love and no one should be discriminated. Human rights remain universal and indivisible.

    Anyone in this country, despite your age, sex, gender, religion has a right to Education and no policy, institution or leader should discriminate against a section of the population because of who they are. CS George Magoha is wrong to share such discriminatory statements. Suchstatements fuel stigma and discrimination to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+ including the learners. This is a direct attack and highlights the selfish culture of heteronormativitywithin our current society.

    It is evident that our community is diverse, this should be embraced and appreciated. LGBTQ+ persons are here,they have been here, they are human, they are within and among us. Gay or not gay, we all deserve love, respect and enjoyment of our rights.

    CS Magoha should ban school fires, early pregnancies and not LGBTQ+ persons in school. There are no gay learners, they are all learners, discriminating someone because of their sexual orientation is totally uncalled for.

    To many people including CS Magoha, the LGBTQ+ persons in school remains a threat to the safety and wellbeing of other children as well the general community “normal” way of life. Our families, our communities are and will continue being different. LGBTQ+ persons are not different in any way. They are human, they have been here. We are told love your neighbour, just as you love yourself. Being queer, lesbian, trans or gay should be a non issue, one’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression (SOGIE) is a non-issue.

    Being barred to access and enjoy their human rights because of who they are is a huge issue, the violence meted upon the LGBTQ+ persons is undeniably a big issue as it affects their quality of health, mental health and life.

    No one is and should be allowed to discriminate on the sexual and gender minority persons. This is a sad and worrying trend as it increases stigma and discriminationwhich in turn might lead to violence and even fear of accessing education within any level of schooling. The LGBTQ+ People experience prejudice in all areas of life, such as health, employment and housing. They are also frequently blackmailed, raped and in the worst cases, murdered. Because the law is used against them, the LGBTQ+ people have no access to protection from this kind of abuse.

    We should not fuel prejudice and use the law, an institutionor any office to target a group of people we don’t agree with! We all deserve respect. Basic human rights, dignity and respect must be accorded to each and every individual regardless of sexual orientation. Any law, policy and even a Constitution of a country should promote diversity, inclusion and tolerance. We are all equal and have right to protection under the law. Embracing diversity of different sexualities is key in ensuring that no violence or discrimination is experienced

    Alvin Mwangi is a Reproductive Health Youth Expert Nairobi, Kenya | Twitter: @alvinmwangi254

  • Dubai Ruler Ordered To Pay Ex-Wife Sh74B In Historic British Divorce Case

    Dubai Ruler Ordered To Pay Ex-Wife Sh74B In Historic British Divorce Case

    It’s described as the biggest divorce case in British legal history – a settlement of more than £500 million (Sh74.8 billion) involving the billionaire ruler of Dubai and his estranged wife.

    The UK’s High Court on Tuesday awarded a lump sum settlement of £251.5m to Princess Haya Bint Al-Hussain – the 47-year-old daughter of Jordan’s former King Hussein.

    She is the youngest of six wives of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum – the multi-billionaire ruler of Dubai, prime minister of the UAE and influential horse-racing owner.

    The judgment provides Princess Haya with sums to cover the cost of running two multi-million pound properties – one next to London’s Kensington Palace, as well as her main residence in Egham, Surrey.

    There is also provision for a substantial “security budget” as well as holidays, salaries and accommodation for both a nurse and a nanny, armoured vehicles for the family, and the cost of maintaining various ponies and pets.

    It has also awarded secured payments of £5.6m-a-year to each of her two children, a 14-year-old daughter and a nine-year old son. These are to be secured with a £290m guarantee.

    ‘In fear of her life’

    This long-running court custody battle has thrown a spotlight on the normally closed world of Middle Eastern royal families.

    Princess Haya fled from Dubai to Britain with her children in 2019, saying she was in fear of her life, after discovering Sheikh Mohammed had previously abducted two of his other daughters – Sheikha Latifa and Sheikha Shamsa – and rendered them back to Dubai against their will.

    Sheikh Mohammed, 72, who is also a giant figure in the horse-racing world, has denied the abductions – despite a 2020 High Court judgement saying they were, in all probability, true. He published a poem called “You lived, You Died”, widely assumed to threaten the princess after discovering she was having an affair with her British ex-Army bodyguard.

    Princess Haya continued to receive threats after moving to Britain, with messages saying “we can reach you anywhere” and she has since spent vast sums on security for fear her children would be abducted and flown back to Dubai.

    The High Court ruled this year that Sheikh Mohammed had illegally hacked the mobile phones of Princess Haya, her bodyguards and her legal team, which includes the Tory peer Baroness Shackleton.

    The hack was made using invasive spyware called Pegasus, which infects targeted phones and was produced by the Israeli firm NSO Group. Sheikh Mohammed said he had no hacked material in his possession and no surveillance had been undertaken with his express or implied authority. However, the president of the Family Division of the High Court in the UK found to the contrary.

    In the divorce judgment, Mr Justice Moor, decided that, given earlier rulings, the princess and her two children were particularly vulnerable. He said they needed watertight security to ensure their continued safety in the UK. The main threat they faced was not from outside sources, he said, but from their father, a man who had access to the full weight of the state.

    “There is a clear and ever-present risk to these children that is almost certain to persist until they obtain their independence,” the judge said. As to Princess Haya, he added: “There will remain a clear and ever-present risk to [Princess Haya] for the remainder of her life, whether it be from [Sheikh Mohammed] or just from the normal terrorist and other threats.”

    The court was told of a security assessment that put the risk to Princess Haya and her children as “severe”. The judge subsequently awarded funds to cover the running costs of armoured vehicles for transporting the family.

    The High Court judge said he had done his best to reach a reasonable conclusion, given “the exceptional wealth and remarkable standard of living enjoyed by these children during the marriage”. He said that took the case “entirely out of the ordinary”.

    Lawyers for Princess Haya insisted she had made no claims for her own future needs but she was criticised during court hearings for her lavish spending. Her son, for example, aged just nine, has been given three expensive cars as he was “accustomed to being given cars as gifts”. This was, said the judge, a legitimate criticism.

    The judgment includes evidence provided by Princess Haya that she had been blackmailed by members of her security staff over an affair she had with one of them. She made several payments to four of these staff, some of which came from her children’s bank accounts. To correct this, she said she had sold jewellery to the value of over a £1m and had since had to sell more.

    Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai has said heirlooms given to his former wife would be sent on to her. These included ballet shoes given to her by the world famous dancers Dame Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. He also said he has removed the online poem ascribed to him, which the princess perceived as a threat to her life.

    He said he had no intention of causing harm to the princess.

  • Britney Spears Freed From Conservatorship After 13 Years

    Britney Spears Freed From Conservatorship After 13 Years

    Pop star Britney Spears on Friday regained control of her personal life and her money when a judge ended a 13-year conservatorship that became a cause celebre for fans and critics of an arrangement typically meant to protect the elderly.

    “Effective today, the conservatorship of the person and the estate of Britney Jean Spears is hereby terminated,” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny said after a 30-minute hearing in which no one opposed ending the court-sanctioned arrangement.

    The 39-year-old “Piece of Me” singer had begged the court for months to terminate the conservatorship that has governed her personal life and $60 million estate since 2008.

    Spears did not attend Friday’s hearing but said in an Instagram post, “I love my fans so much it’s crazy!!! I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day !!!! Best day ever.”

    Outside the courthouse, dozens of fans erupted into cheers and tossed pink confetti into the air when they heard the news. Some danced and sang to her hit “Stronger.”

    “It was a monumental day for Britney Spears,” the pop star’s attorney, Mathew Rosengart, said outside the courthouse. He thanked the #FreeBritney movement which he said had been essential to ending the legal arrangement.

    The conservatorship was set up and overseen by the singer’s father, Jamie Spears, after she had a public breakdown in 2007 and was hospitalized for undisclosed mental health issues.

    Interest in the case was propelled in the past year by documentaries and the #FreeBritney movement of fans who questioned why the singer needed such restrictions while she was touring around the world and earning millions of dollars.

    Lauriann Wright, the attorney for Jodi Montgomery, who had been entrusted with overseeing Spears’ personal life, told the judge there was “no reason this termination cannot happen and Ms. Spears cannot live a safe, happy and fulfilling life.” Rosengart said a “safety net” had been put in place to help

    Spears transition back to regular life. Judge Penny added that the current conservator should continue working to settle ongoing financial issues in the case.

    “I’m shaking,” Leanne Simmons, a fan and one of the organizers of the #FreeBritney movement, said shortly after the decision. “It still hasn’t sunk in to hear those words, ‘The conservatorship has been terminated.’ Britney is a free woman.”

    The Spears case helped prompt hearings in the U.S. Congress and a new law in California aimed at preventing abusive conservatorships, which are normally set up to protect disabled people, the elderly or those suffering from dementia.

    Traumatized and humiliated

    Since revealing years of private anguish in tearful testimony in June, Spears hired Rosengart, who moved aggressively to end the restrictions.

    In June, she told the court she had been humiliated and traumatized and that she wanted her life back. She said she had been forced to work and take medication against her will and was prevented from marrying or even getting her hair done.

    “She stepped up on June 23rd and really shocked the country and shocked the world with her powerful, poignant words,” Rosengart said.

    Judge Penny ended the conservatorship without requiring Spears to undergo a mental health evaluation, a step often taken in such cases.

    The arrangement began to crumble in September when in a sudden reversal Jamie Spears said he supported ending it because it had helped her and was no longer needed.

    Penny suspended Jamie Spears’ conservatorship in late September, calling his involvement “toxic” to the singer’s well-being.

    Rosengart is pushing for Jamie Spears to be investigated for possible financial mismanagement of his daughter’s affairs, but he said on Friday it would be up to Britney Spears to decide how to proceed on that matter.

    Jamie Spears has said through attorneys that he helped his daughter rehabilitate her career and always acted in her best interest.

    Spears is engaged to marry her personal trainer boyfriend, Sam Asghari, but no date has been set. “History was made today. Britney is Free,” Asghari wrote on Instagram.

    (REUTERS)

  • Travis Scott’s Fun-Filled And High Energy Concert Turns Tragic

    Travis Scott’s Fun-Filled And High Energy Concert Turns Tragic

    (AP) — Travis Scott’s high-energy performances are known for being chaotic and fun-filled shows with concertgoers encouraged to take part in a raucous nature involving mosh pits, crowd surfing and stage diving.

    Welcome to Scott’s Astroworld Festival — where concertgoers can become their rebellious selves.

    Tragically, the Grammy-nominated rapper’s energetic show this time turned deadly after at least eight people — between the ages of 14 and 27 — were killed during a crowd surge at his music festival in Houston on Friday evening. A sizable group of the 50,000 in attendance pushed toward the stage at NRG Park as a timer clicked down to start the performance before the chaotic scene began to ignite.

    People in the crowd reported lots of pushing and shoving during the performances leading up to Scott’s set — which is normal at his shows. He’s often encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, but none of those previous situations resulted in fatalities.

    “Travis Scott’s whole aesthetic is about rebellion,” said HipHopDX editor-in-chief Trent Clark, who has attended several of his performances. “The shows have a lot of raging. With the death of punk rock, hip-hop has indeed adopted and patterned the new generation of mosh pits. It’s not uncommon to see a lot of crowding and raging or complete wild behavior at a Travis Scott show.”

    Scott is an eight-time Grammy-nominated rapper who is music’s biggest young stars. The Houston-born musician founded his festival in 2018 on the heels of his chart-topping album “Astroworld,” which was led by the infectious song “Sicko Mode.” He also has a 3-year-old daughter with Kylie Jenner, who announced in September that she is pregnant with their second child.

    “Travis Scott is legendary in the hip-hop community for his beyond high-energy performances, where he really tries to rile up the crowd,” said Noah Shachtman, editor-in-chief at Rolling Stone. “That makes for some really fun shows and made for a couple of scary incidents.”

    In a tweet posted Saturday, Scott said he was “absolutely devastated by what took place last night.” He pledged to work “together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need.”

    Travis Scott performs at Astroworld Festival at NRG park on Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 in Houston. Several people died and numerous others were injured in what officials described as a surge of the crowd at the music festival in while Scott was performing. Officials declared a “mass casualty incident” just after 9 p.m. Friday during the festival where an estimated 50,000 people were in attendance, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña told reporters at a news conference.(Jamaal Ellis/Houston Chronicle via AP)

    No matter where the investigation ultimately leads, tragedies like the one at the Astroworld Festival have been happening for a long time. In 1979, 11 people died in a scramble to enter a Cincinnati, Ohio, concert by The Who. At a soccer stadium in England, a human crush in 1989 led to nearly 100 deaths. In 2015, a collision of two crowds at the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia caused more than 2,400 deaths, based on an Associated Press count of media reports and officials’ comments.

    But with Scott getting into trouble before for the two past shows, Shachtman thinks the rapper will get a “hard second look.”

    In 2017, Scott was arrested after he encouraged fans to bypass security and rush the stage, leaving a security guard, a police officer and several others injured during a concert in Arkansas. In a separate incident, he was sentenced to one year of court supervision after pleading guilty to reckless conduct charges stemming from a 2015 incident in Chicago at the Lollapalooza music festival.

    At the time, Chicago officials said Scott encouraged fans to vault security barricades. However, no one was injured.

    “In terms of energy, he wants the energy he’s giving out on stage to be reciprocated from the audience, almost in defiance,” said Julian Kimble, who wrote a concert review on Scott’s 2018 Astroworld performance for the Washington Post. He called the rapper one of the most electrifying performers he’s seen.

    “I’ve seen him tell people like ‘Don’t listen to security. Forget security. This is for y’all. This is for the fans,’” he continued. “With regards to last night, that’s an example of how things can go wrong. There’s a lot of negligence across the board. I don’t think there’s one bad guy or culprit. It’s a sweeping structural failure with what happened.”

    Shachtman said he hopes the tragedy will help tweak Scott’s approach toward his show. He enjoys the rapper’s performances but wants a safer atmosphere where people can still have fun — especially for those eager to find some enjoyment at live shows during the pandemic.

    “I would expect that they’ll be increased measures to make sure concertgoers can have a great time, but do so without getting killed,” said Shachtman, who grew up on New York hardcore punk rock music. He said that he’s no stranger to mosh pits, but he adds that “there’s a big difference between a mosh pit, even a giant one, and a life-threating situation.”

    Scott is a scheduled headliner for the Day N Vegas Festival next weekend. But any performance involving Scott could come under some scrutiny for crowd control measures and other safety concerns.

    “Concert promoters pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for security at both private and public (events),” Shachtman said. “That’s got to be deployed properly. Or else, we’re going to see another one of these incidents.”

  • Jirongo Has Many Kids He Bought Them Own Minibus To Take Them To School, Opens Up On His Wives And Girlfriends

    Jirongo Has Many Kids He Bought Them Own Minibus To Take Them To School, Opens Up On His Wives And Girlfriends

    Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo is known for being outspoken and never hesitates to speak his mind. Having made his fortune during Moi’s era, Jirongo who mentored DP William Ruto has grown to become one of his greatest critics, while DP has often chided his friend turned foe, Jirongo has never missed an opportunity to throw shades.

    During the burial of slain businessman Jacob Juma whose murder was largely speculated on DP having an hand in, Jirongo shocked the nation when he revealed that he once witnessed Ruto strangle a young man to death.

    In a latest interview with Daily Nation, Jirongo warned Kenyans against embracing the DP ahead of 2022 alluding that he’s dangerous for the prosperity.

    “I know Ruto inside out. He’s power hungry, he may plot to remove term limits. You can laugh at neighboring countries that people are being battered but it can happen here.”

    “In Kalenjin tradition, when you’re on the wrong you send elders to apologize for you. Ruto tried sending elders to Moi and the former President refused. What did he do that Moi defied Kalenjin elders? That’s a question you must ask yourself.”

    “Some of the things we know about Ruto can’t be printed. Raila, Uhuru, Mudavadi, Martha Karua and me can’t work with him. Ask yourself why. Ruto worked for me for 7 years. Find out why I kicked him out.” Jirongo said.

    In continuation of the interview, the father of many and husband to several and a boyfriend to several concubines, Jirongo doesn’t shy away from his lifestyle and revealed details. Below is an excerpt from the interview with Sunday Nation as he opened up on his personal life.

    A number of your friends say that your major undoing is that you splash money around and are generous to a fault, that you can have Sh10 million today and fail to afford a meal tomorrow. Is that so?

    What did I come with to this world? Why would I deny you to enjoy the extra that I have, that I want to hold it. When I came from my mother’s womb, I had nothing. It is through giving that you receive.

    Do not watch a friend go through pains and problems because you are hoarding for your children. That is how we end up with drunkards because that person is cursing. If you have, do with your whole heart, that is the whole purpose of living, service. That is what is interesting in life.

    When somebody tells you thank you, you feel very nice. That is the purpose of life, because you have served, because somebody appreciates what you have done. I believe that is what we must all do as human beings.

    Families of prominent leaders have been left in chaos either for lack of a will or leaving a contested one. Do you have a will for your family?

    My children are very good friends, they do not need a will. You see the way children grow, to understand somebody, you need to watch them in various instances. When they are alone, and they do not know you are watching. When they have money, when they are with their girlfriend, you tend to get a real feel of what your son, daughter is. I do believe they are good people because I have watched them grow, marry, earn money. I have seen how they behave with money and when they don’t have.

    That may change when you are not there, especially because they have different mothers.

    No, they will turn against that person who tries to poison their minds. I know them, they will turn against them very viciously.

    How many children do you have?

    (Laughs) Wanga, you know that we do not count children where we come from, you know it. We say we have many children, so I have many. They are several.

    How many wives do you have?

    That is also another topic on its own. They (children) come from several mothers but that does not make them not to be friends. They have grown up together, I have taken them to school together, there is nothing like this child belongs to this or that mother. It does not matter who their mother is, they all come from my house.

    There is a time they used to go to Makini School in a bus. I had a minibus for all my children, you must have had that story. All my children used that minibus. They do not know those stories about daddy’s girlfriends.

    Would you advise youth to have more than one wife?

    Most men have more than one partner. The only difference is some of us do not know how to hide. People have mistresses here and there and know how to hide. Personally, I do not hide because whatever the product, it is my product, so why should I hide? I talk to my wives and tell them, there is this boy, there is this girl, and he or she is a member of this family.

    The law allows polygamy. The law would not have allowed it if it was something bad. The law is just trying to remove you guys from where you are hiding because you all have mistresses. The law is just telling you, guys, do not bring us problems when you pass away, just do it, it is okay. Let the other members of the family know that she is not the only one. How I can advise a man? All of them are polygamous by nature.

    Don’t your wives have a problems with you bringing other children to their homes?

    Whether they take it well or not depends on the man. You have to put your foot down. You do not open that up for debate. When it comes to my children we do not discuss. Mtoto atakuja nyumbani (the child must come home). Otherwise, why are you a father? Why are you the leader of that home?

    You know in your case, you are a man of means so you can afford. It is…

    You are forgetting there was a time I slept in jail because I could not pay Bran Yongo 10 million shillings. People paid for me, including President Uhuru. Sometimes I have, sometimes I do not have because I do not have formal employment. I am businessman where today you make a profit and tomorrow you do not. Sometimes you have too much, other times you do not have, totally. They have also come to understand the dynamics of business.

    What are some of the dos and don’ts in polygamy?

    There is no uniform script for that. Let me tell you, those who pretend every Sunday that I am with my wife and we are going to church and so forth, it is a shocker. They are not living in reality. So much pretence around.

    In the animal kingdom, where does an animal have one wife? And we are animals, the appetite for the male species is propagation of its genes and when you look, be it a lion or any other animal, they all try to own as many as possible. And I think that is how God made us anyway. Just be honest, do it openly and don’t leave problems behind where people are fighting saying they do not know each other. Be open.

    That child is just as good as the children of your wife, give her or him his right to be known as your child and let that child feel proud that you are the father. Do not deny the child the good things. God meant the child to have a mother, a father, to be proud of her father. You know for children, the biggest hero is their father, they think no one can beat their father, so why do you deny them that? They think we are everything, do not deny your children that.

  • Dave Chapelle Addresses Netflix Transgender Controversy In New Standup Video

    Dave Chapelle Addresses Netflix Transgender Controversy In New Standup Video

    Dave Chappelle has spoken out about the controversy over his Netflix special “The Closer” in a new stand-up video, saying that he is willing to meet with transgender Netflix employees or other members of the trans community, but won’t bend “to anybody’s demands.”

    In the video, Chappelle remained unapologetic about the special — which was accused of containing transphobic and homophobic remarks and led to a walkout at Netflix — saying: “I said what I said.”

    “It’s been said in the press that I was invited to speak to the transgender employees of Netflix and I refused. That is not true — if they had invited me I would have accepted it, although I am confused about what we would be speaking about,” Chappelle said in the video. “I said what I said, and boy, I heard what you said. My God, how could I not? You said you want a safe working environment at Netflix. It seems like I’m the only one that can’t go to the office anymore.”

    Chappelle claimed that the controversy was about “corporate interests” and that some members of the LGBTQ+ community have been supportive of him.

    “I want everyone in this audience to know that even though the media frames it that it’s me versus that community, that is not what it is. Do not blame the LBGTQ [sic] community for any of this shit. This has nothing to do with them. It’s about corporate interests and what I can say and what I cannot say,” Chappelle said. “For the record, and I need you to know this, everyone I know from that community has been loving and supporting, so I don’t know what all this nonsense is about.”

    Chappelle also spoke about his upcoming documentary about his summer 2020 comedy tour, claiming that it has now been excluded from film festivals.

    “This film that I made was invited to every film festival in the United States and some of those invitations I accepted. When this controversy came out about ‘The Closer,’ they began disinviting me from these film festivals,” Chappelle claimed. “And now, today, not a film company, not a movie studio, not a film festival, nobody will touch this film. Thank God for Ted Sarandos and Netflix, he’s the only one that didn’t cancel me yet.”

    Though Chappelle said he was willing to meet with members of the trans community, he jokingly listed off a slew of conditions that would have to be met: “To the transgender community, I am more than willing to give you an audience, but you will not summon me. I am not bending to anybody’s demands. And if you want to meet with me, I’d be more than willing to, but I have some conditions. First of all, you cannot come if you have not watched my special from beginning to end. You must come to a place of my choosing at a time of my choosing, and thirdly, you must admit that Hannah Gadsby is not funny.”

    Chappelle closed out the video by saying he plans to make his movie available in 10 cities, and then asked the audience: “Am I canceled or not?”

    The release of “The Closer” resulted in a reckoning at Netflix, with co-CEO Ted Sarandos defending the special and trans employees and allies of the streamer hosting a walkout in protest on Oct. 20. During the walkout, organized by Ashlee Marie Preston, “a list of firm asks” was presented to Sarandos, and Preston told Variety that Chappelle was invited to speak to the organizers, but refused the opportunity.

    Watch the full video below.

  • Church Will Allow Donations From Politicians, NCCK Approves

    Church Will Allow Donations From Politicians, NCCK Approves

    Church leaders have been urged to refrain from anointing or commissioning individuals seeking political office henceforth.

    In Guidelines on ministering to Politicians Before, During and After the 2022 General Elections, the clergy shall not show preference to an aspirants or declare any to be the God-ordained candidate.

    The Church will continue to receive donations or offerings from political leaders but such contributions shall not be made public nor used to as a campaign tool or to access the pulpit for political messaging.

    The guidelines were arrived at during the 64th General Assembly held from August 23-26, 2021 at Jumuia Conference and Country Home, Limuru, by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).

    “Concerned that politicians are consistently passing messages of hate, division and discord from the pulpit and in churches, Churches shall endeavor to minister to aspirants from the different political persuasions, and to pray for each when they attend the serviced,” The said.

    Churches will continue to welcome political leaders and aspirants so that they are ministered to but their presence will not affect the normal flow of the worship service programme.

    “No political leader or aspirant will be allowed to speak to the congregation from the pulpit. Political leaders and aspirants will be encouraged to speak to the congregants after worship service,” They said.

    The Clergy in charge will have to agree with the political leader or aspirant what they will speak about to the congregants to avoid foul language and incitement, and should a political leader or aspirant be allowed to speak during the worship service, they must be stopped from campaigning.

    The Church will also seek to organize congregants to develop manifestoes to present to political leaders and aspirants.

    “The manifesto will be developed either by the whole congregation, or through the different groups such as men, women, and youth. The manifestoes will indicate what the congregation expects of the person who will be elected Member of County Assembly, Member of National Assembly, Women Representative, Senator, Governor or President,” NCCK said.

    The Clergy in Charge will present the manifesto on behalf of the congregation, or create a forum after the service where the different groups engage the aspirant who attend a worship service.

  • Inside Nigeria’s Ultra-Glamorous Royal Wedding

    Inside Nigeria’s Ultra-Glamorous Royal Wedding

    One of Nigeria’s biggest celebrity events of the year took place on Friday – it was the wedding of the president’s only surviving son and the niece of the Emir of Kano, one of Nigeria’s most prominent Islamic leaders. Thousands attended the event at the palace of the Emir of Bichi, a town in the northern state of Kano. A historian told the BBC that a wedding between presidential and royal families was unprecedented in Nigeria – and, interestingly, the pair met at the University of Surrey in the UK.

    Yusuf and Zahra Buhari during the wedding reception

    Instagram: @buharisallau

    Private jets reportedly filled the runway of the airport in Kano as members of Nigeria’s elite and West African dignitaries flew in for the wedding of Yusuf Buhari, 27, to Zahra Nasir Bayero, 19. Every five-star hotel in the state was fully booked.

    Yusuf and Zahra Buhari during the wedding reception

    Instagram: @buharisallau

    According to the BBC, the groom’s family paid 500,000 naira (£900) as the bride price – about 10 times the average amount in northern Nigeria. Despite reports of the sheer scale of the celebrations, it is understood to have been a scaled down version because of the coronavirus pandemic and many of the guests wore face masks. The BBC reports that there was heavy security at the wedding ceremony, with police and military officers guarding the palace and stationed at nearby strategic locations.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CS6MHvMswxK/?utm_medium=copy_link

    The wedding itself was reportedly conducted by Communications Minister Isa Ali Pantami, a qualified imam. ‘Top politicians and traditional rulers from across the country flew in, including several opposition figures. Among them were President Muhammadu Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, whom he defeated in the 2015 election,’ the BBC writes. They also report that Gambia’s First Lady Fatoumata Bah Barrow and the former president of neighbouring Niger, Muhammadu Issoufu, were among the foreign guests.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CSzW8dMMB2i/?utm_medium=copy_link

    On Saturday, the bride’s father Nasir Ado Bayero was officially crowned as the Emir of Bichi; his brother is the Emir of Kano. Nigeria’s first lady Aisha Buhari shared some photos of the couple, poignantly captioning one image: ‘All is set to welcome and receive our new daughter into the family.’

    The no-expense-spared wedding provoked a furious reaction from some of the poverty-stricken Kano residents given the levels of deprivation in the area. Sheikh Dr Ahmad Mahmud Gumi told the Times: ‘People are facing all manner of problems, yet politicians spent public funds on private jets.’

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CS7anqqsoLX/?utm_medium=copy_link

  • 500,000 abortions happen in Kenya nationwide every year, according to statistics

    500,000 abortions happen in Kenya nationwide every year, according to statistics

    • Starting a discussion about legalising abortion in Kenya, radio presenter Maji Maji claimed there were 500,000 abortions across the country.

    • The figure is for 2012, and comes from a study by the African Population and Health Research Center. It’s the most recent reliable data on the topic.

    • Collecting data on abortion in Kenya is complicated – and expensive. The APHRC is looking for funding for a follow-up study.

    Radio celebrity Julius Owino, known as Maji Maji, recently made a startling claim to start off a discussion about abortion in Kenya.  

    “500,000 abortions hizo uhappen Kenya [happen in Kenya] nationwide, according to statistics,” he said on Ghetto Radio. 

    He then asked if abortion should be made legal in the country. Kenyan law allows abortion only if a trained health professional recommends emergency treatment or believes the life or health of the mother is in danger.

    But are there half a million abortions in Kenya? We checked.

    ‘Ulcer drugs used for abortions’ 

    Owino told Africa Check he got the statistic from an article in one of the newspapers published on 22 July 2021, the day of the show.

    We found the article, headlined “Ulcers drugs being used for abortions”, in the Daily Nation’s e-paper edition. (Note: The online version of the article is behind a pay wall.)

    The article reads: “A recent nationwide study by the African Population and Health Research Centre reveals that more than 500,000 abortions are conducted annually in Kenya.” The APHRC is a Nairobi-headquartered health research think tank.

    We asked the centre about the figure. A spokesperson, Siki Kigongo, sent us two studies.

    Middle estimate from 2012 

    The first, titled Incidence and Complications of Unsafe Abortion in Kenya, was conducted bythe APHRC, the health ministry, and others. It was published in August 2013 and  found thatthere were 464,490 induced abortions in Kenya in 2012. Most of these were unsafe, it said.

    The World Health Organization defines unsafe abortion as the termination of a pregnancy by a person who is not trained or in an environment that does not meet minimum clinical standards, or both.

    The figure was a middle estimate. The number of abortions could have been as low as 344,000 or as high as 546,601. The data was sourced from both public and private health facilities across the country.

    But some shortcomings were noted in a 2015 follow-up paper by some of the researchersfrom the study, who used the same data. For example, the previous study only looked at women and girls who went to hospitals to terminate a pregnancy or treat abortion-related complications. 

    Some may have opted not to go to hospital, while others with severe complications may have died without reaching a facility, the paper said.    

    The other study the APHRC shared with us was published in 2018, and also cited the 2013 study. The figure of 500,000 quoted by the Daily Nation and Maji Maji comes from this study. 

    Discussing the costs of treating abortion complications in Kenya, it says that “nearly half a million induced abortions (464,690) were performed in 2012”.

    Complications of collecting abortion data 

    Dr Caroline Kabiru heads the APHRC’s population dynamics and reproductive health unit.

    She told Africa Check that abortions may be under-reported by heath facilities. And many women and girls who have abortions without serious complications may never go to a facility. 

    “Because of this potential bias in reporting of abortions, estimating the number of abortions requires alternative methods that can be quite intensive and expensive,” Kabiru said.

    As an example, she said the 2013 study was a product of three separate surveys. “The resources required for such an intensive study may not be readily available for regular surveys.”

    She said the APHRC was seeking funding for a follow-up survey.

    Stigma and false narratives 

    Florence Machio is the regional technical advisor for Population Action International, an advocacy organisation working to reduce unsafe abortion. 

    She told Africa Check that the “stigma and false narratives” in communities, together with the country’s justice system, was putting the lives of women and girls in danger.

    “Many women cannot go to the hospital to seek safe and legal abortion for fear of prosecution and judgment even in situations where the terminated pregnancy is the result of rape, or it is a medical emergency,” Machio said.

    Kabiru agreed. She said that the “sociocultural sensitivities surrounding sexual and reproductive health” and the legal restrictions made women and girls “reluctant to speak about their abortion experiences because of fear of stigma or legal repercussions”.

    Conclusion: Most reliable available data largely supports claim of 500,000 abortions in Kenya 

    Discussing unsafe abortions in Kenya, a popular radio show host said there were 500,000 abortions in the country every year.

    We tracked the figure to a study published in 2013 by the African Population and Health Research Center, a health think tank in Kenya. The study estimated there were 464,490 induced abortions in Kenya in 2012. 

    A review of the data and conversations with experts shows this is the most reliable data currently available on the topic. The think tank told Africa Check it is looking for funding for a follow-up study.   

    We therefore rate the claim as mostly correct.

    Source link.

  • Humbling: Italian Catholic Priest Leaves Kenya After 53 Years Unto Retirement With Only Two Bags

    Humbling: Italian Catholic Priest Leaves Kenya After 53 Years Unto Retirement With Only Two Bags

    In his hey days, Italian Catholic priest Fr Adolf Poll straddled the Gusii hills on a motorbike to the hue of the local folk.

    He could occasionally stop his motorbike on the roadside and speak to women in fluent Ekegusii while he served in Nyamagwa, Gekano and Ichuni parishes. His old pick-up was readily available to ferry patients to hospital, an offer that endeared him to residents.

    His mastery of Ekegusii and his long service in the region would earn him the nickname Fr Alleluia Omogaka.

    He served from 1969 to 2000 before being transferred to Malindi where he served until his retirement.

    On Tuesday, he completed his mission in Kenya and returned to Italy after 53 years — with just two bags. He will celebrate his 81st birthday next month at his home in Italy.

    According to Catholic media, the priest celebrated his farewell mass at the parish of WituKipini in Malindi on May 23.

    “Fr Poll, 80, packed all of his personal belongings acquired during his more than five decades of priestly ministry in Kenya, in just two small bags, and began his journey home in Italy for his retirement,” said Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in a statement on his departure.

    It cited Luke 9: 3-6 as a testimony of the humble priest’s Christian mission in Kenya.

    He told them: “Take nothing for the trip – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whichever house you enter, stay there until you leave this town. If the people do not welcome you, leave their city and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them. So they left and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere. He was ordained a priest in his native diocese of Bolzano-Brixen, in northern Italy in 1966.

    He then left his native town, South Tyrol in December 1968 to serve as a missionary priest in Kenya. While in Kenya, the Mill Hill missionary is celebrated for constructing churches and paying school fees for children from poor families.

    Fr Lawrence Nyaanga says Poll replaced him in Gekano Parish after he was transferred to Nyabururu Parish describing him as sociable, compassionate and humble.

    Life was exemplary


    “I met him when I was a seminarian. He was open, friendly and motivated us to work hard to be ordained. His life was exemplary” Nyaanga told People Daily.

    He said the priest reared dairy cows, employed youths to care of them and donated milk to members of his flock.

    Nyaanga, who is Kisii University chaplain and serves at cathedral parish, says Fr Poll gave him free iron sheets which he used to construct a house, adding he will remember him forever for the support..

    “He baptised me in 1982. I have never seen a friendly priest like him. He whistled and joked with people whenever he was driving. May God’s grace be with him as he retires,” said Geoffrey Mogire, a Catholic faithful.

    Samwel Karuru, another Catholic faithful from Nyangusu parish, said the priest single handedly constructed Rusinga village polytechnic and helped construct several churches .

    “He could drive as if he wanted to knock pedestrians, only to stop, laugh and crack a joke,” Karuru recalled.

  • Multichoice’s Showmax Invests In African Content For Growth

    Multichoice’s Showmax Invests In African Content For Growth

    MultiChoice’s (MCGJ.J) online streaming platform Showmax is investing in producing its own local content for African audiences as it competes for their attention against Netflix on the continent, a senior executive told Reuters.

    MultiChoice is Africa’s largest pay-TV group, available in 50 African countries. Its streaming service Showmax, launched in 2015, is available in 46 African countries and also in several Western countries, including Britain and France, which have sizeable African diaspora populations.

    The company is focusing on developing movies and shows set in its biggest markets of Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, senior executive Yolisa Phahle said in an interview.

    “For us, it really is about getting the local entertainment which we know African audiences enjoy, programming in their languages, stories reflecting their realities, their hopes and their dreams,” said Phahle.

    She did not say how much Multichoice was investing in the production of local content.

    The company released six new original productions last year to add to its catalogue of content from the U.S-based cable channel HBO. It also offers global football, including the English Premier League, on its Showmax Pro platform.

    Some of the shows released so far this year include a reality TV series from Nigeria and a police procedural drama set in Kenya.

    As the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to spend more time at home, there was an initial increase in viewership for Showmax, Phahle said.

    Last week, MultiChoice said it would charge Showmax mobile subscribers across Africa on average 20% less for access on a single mobile device, in recognition that some users may not be able to afford such luxuries during the pandemic-induced economic slowdown affecting most countries.

    Broadcasters of all kinds on the continent are under huge pressure to keep viewers engaged, said Phahle: “They simply have hundreds and hundreds of other places where they can take their eyeballs or their wallets.”

    The company is co-producing programmes with HBO and Cinemax on productions set in Africa to global audiences, she said.

    “They know that the stories that we are telling from our own backyard will find global audiences,” she said of HBO and Cinemax.

  • Calls To Lower The Minimum Age Of Consent For Sex To 16 Years Dismissed

    Calls To Lower The Minimum Age Of Consent For Sex To 16 Years Dismissed

    Plan International Kenya in partnership with the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) have officially launched the Minimum Age of Consent for Sex Report that recommends 18 years as the legal age for sex.

    Plan International – Kenya Country Director Kate Maina – Vorley, said the report will ensure that the law protects and advances the rights of girls and boys to be protected from all forms of violence, with a specific focus on the need to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence.

    “With the rising cases witnessed of sexual violations among children that have led to teenage pregnancies, especially during lockdown, this report will ensure that our justice system is child-friendly and responsive to the needs of both girls and boys in contact with the law. To this we call out for partnerships in the establishment of child protection units in all counties in Kenya, where girls and boys in contact and in conflict with the law receive the care and support needed through their involvement in court proceedings,” said Kate Maina.

    She added that all stakeholders should ensure facilitation of both formal and informal forums for guidance and sharing of appropriate information on sexuality education for adolescent girls and boys in and out of schools.

    The country director commended the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection for the successful submission of the Children’s Bill 2020 to the Cabinet.

    Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Hon. Simon K. Chelugui, who was also the Chief Guest at the event said that the Constitution of Kenya clearly stipulates that a child is an individual who has not attained the age of eighteen years adding that the Sexual Offences Act, No. 3 of 2006 which gives the minimum age of consent for sex as 18, is one such law that is meant protect children from situations where they could be taken advantage of sexually, before they reach adulthood.

    “From the foregoing, as the Cabinet Secretary in-charge of Children Affairs and based on the Children Bill 2020, I would strongly recommend that the age of consent should not be LOWERED AT ALL, but measures should be put in place to mitigate the predicaments where young boys as opposed to girls are imprisoned for engaging in sexual activities. Besides, there should be clear regulations and establishment of comprehensive child rehabilitation programs for any children in conflict with the law. In the long term, the government should develop and implement programs that address the sexual and reproductive health of children,” said Hon. Chelugui.

    NGEC Chairperson Dr. Joyce Mwikali Mutinda said, “Withe the launch of this report and implementation by various stakeholders, it favours children below 18 years who are not physically, socially and psychologically developed to make decisions. The launch of this report adds on to the great effort by state and non-state actors in the overall protection of children’s rights.”

    Plan International was involved in the development of the report that saw voices of adolescent girls from Kisumu and Kilifi contributing to the age of consent for sex debate.

    In March 2019, the Court of Appeal proposed a law change to lower the age of consent from 18 to 16 years. The rationale for lowering the age of consent for sex according to the judges was that underage girls and boys often willfully engage in sexual relations and that although they may not have attained the age of maturity, they may well have reached the age of discretion and are able to make intelligent and informed decisions about their lives and their bodies. The judges further pointed at the lengthy jail terms imposed on young men convicted of defilement.

  • Netflix to Adapt Lupita Nyong’o Children’s Book ‘Sulwe’ into an Animated Musical

    Netflix to Adapt Lupita Nyong’o Children’s Book ‘Sulwe’ into an Animated Musical

    Sulwe, a children’s book written by Academy award-winning actress Lupita and illustrated by Vashti Harrison, is getting animated for Netflix.

    The international streamer announced the news stating, “We’re so excited to announce SULWE, the animated musical, is coming to Netflix! Based off of Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o’s New York Times bestselling book, SULWE tells the story of a young girl born “the color of midnight” who learns to embrace her inner and outer beauty.” (SIC)

    Sulwe was written as a response to colourism. In her debut post about the book in 2019 Lupita wrote. “I wrote #Sulwe to encourage children (and everyone really!) to love the skin they are in and see the beauty that radiates from within.”

    Netflix is yet to share the production or tentative release date for the musical.

    Sulwe is available for purchase in Kenya in three languages; English, Kiswahili and Dhuluo.

  • Spectacular Look Of Eliud Kipchoge’s Launched Collection By Nike

    Spectacular Look Of Eliud Kipchoge’s Launched Collection By Nike

    You can now dress like world champion Eliud Kipchoge himself thanks to the new capsule collection by Nike. In colours inspired by his Kenyan roots, the collection includes the latest innovations in running footwear and apparel to help you find your unlimited potential.

    The range features the Alphafly Next% in the Kenyan colours, which Kipchoge was seen wearing at the elite-only London Marathon and the Ineos-1:59 Challenge in Vienna last October. Speaking about the shoe, Kipchoge said, “I was really involved in the making of the Alphafly Next%. My work was to test the shoe, to test how it feels, to compare the new sole to the old one, to feel how it responds when I’m running and give all my feedback to the technicians.”

    There is also a ‘Pegasus 37’ shoe in the collection and a range of kit featuring the words ‘Eliud’ and 1:59.

  • Explainer: The Burial Rites And What Happens When A Muslim Dies

    Explainer: The Burial Rites And What Happens When A Muslim Dies

    Senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji died on Sunday night while receiving treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi County and on Monday the 80-year-old Senator was buried after 4 pm prayers at the South C Mosque in Nairobi.

    The normal rite of passage of the Muslim faithfuls of  prompt burial ignited a discussion online as it coincided with the burial of Simeon Nyachae who died on 1st and stayed for 2 weeks before burial.

    Curious Kenyans wanted to know how the Muslims are able to conduct their funerals in the shortest time and what exactly happens behind the cemetery gates.

    Mohamed Hersi explains;

    Firstly we rarely transport a body. You get buried where you passed away. You must be wondering Garissa would have been ideal burial place for him being a public figure. For us your burial is where maut or death will find you.

    Our burials timings is mainly dictated by prayers times, remember we pray 5 times a day

    Fajr. 5am or so
    Dhuhur 1PM
    Asr 4PM or so
    Maghrib 6.30pm or so
    Isha 8pm

    Most of the burial prayers would coincide with the 1pm or 4pm prayers for various reasons ranging eg to allow immediate family like children to arrive etc. We try and avoid evening or nighttime burial unless it is case of accident and departed pught to be laid to rest as quickly as possible.

    The body is prepared either at home or even at some mosque. Ghusl is the full body ritual purification mandatory before the performance of ritual and janaza prayer. We don’t use a coffin, we have a common built contraption that is used for everyone ( returnable)

    Our mosque in South C does that very well and a few masjid in Mombasa. It is a new trend across many towns in Kenya since a Muslim passing away in your town it becomes your responsibility as a fellow muslims to give the departed bro or sister a good send off and burial. Growing up in Marsabit we used to lay to rest many muslims who die in road accidents as they head to Moyale and Ethiopia.

    Once the body is ready ( The departed is wrapped in a simple plain cloth ( The Kafan) and that’s it . It costs less than 500 Bob.

    The body is then carried away in a Janaza the common contraption and is placed at the back of the mosque awaiting the normal prayers to happen . Once the normal prayers have happened then announcement is made that we have a body of a departed bro or sister and if we could remain behind to join. It is considered a blessing to take part in such even if you were not known to the departed. We then bring the body to the front of the congregation.

    Typically the son elder one will confer with the Imam ( Priest) and announce if there is anyone who owed the departed anything and if the departed owed anyone anything . Then the son or immediate family male member will announce that they will take responsibility.

    We then all stand behind the Janaza and final prayers are led by the imam . Sometimes we have more than one body so they are all laid out in a line .

    It takes less than 10 minutes and swiftly the body is picked and young men who most likely are not even known to the deceased jostle to be the ones carrying the departed.

    Once at the graveyard immediate family members preferably sons and brothers to the deceased will go inside the grave which is always ready but we make a pillow to lay the head made out of mud.

    Once the body has been removed from the Janaza the departed is laid inside the grave lying on their right side facing Kibla ( Mecca we all face Mecca to say our prayers. )

    Wooden planks are placed as an enclosures inside and if you can’t find wood then concrete slabs is allowed.

    Once done the family members step out and soil is the poured into the grave . Again total strangers mainly young men would do it and get soiled yet they may not even be known to the departed.

    Once done a quick sermon is given hardly 5 to 10 minutes and we are done

    We make no speeches and there are NO protocols at the mosque or at the burial site based on your worldly position. At the mosque and burial site we are all equal.

    Women are not allowed at the cemetery and if they go then they can only watch from a distance. Men carry out the entire ritual once done then family members can be left behind to say extra prayers etc.

    The whole burial will not last more than 30 Minutes and you are done .

    If I may have skipped anything Aalahu A’alam. Allah knows best.

    I hope this quick write up helps you to understand our faith.

  • A Rare Love Story Between A Kikuyu Lady And Kalasingha That Has Gone Viral

    A Rare Love Story Between A Kikuyu Lady And Kalasingha That Has Gone Viral

    If you’re on the popular Facebook Group ‘Thriving Couples’ you definitely must’ve come across this rare love story that has gone viral. It’s a story of Lilian Boris from Muranga and her husband of Indian descent.

    She narrates her story on how they met and one they’ve made it through to a marriage of eight years. If you haven’t read the story, check it out via Facebook.

    First of all I am grateful for my family and I would choose my husband again and again if I had to.

    We met in November 2011 in a night club, having accompanied friends for an after party, we shared a few drinks, later exchanged contacts and now here we are.

    At first from the minute we exchanged contacts, it took us more than three months to connect again. First because I traveled a few days after our first meeting so every time he tried to reach me I was unreachable so he gave up trying. I somehow forgot to save his number the first time we met.

    When I came back, he tried calling again and this time he got through to me, without wasting time he asked if we could meet for coffee or lunch. I said yes to the meeting and sisi hao, java yaya centre.

    Just like most of you, I had painted my own picture of how Indians are (not a good one) so I wasn’t having much expectations. From the very first meeting he had said that he liked me very much but I could hardly see me and him together ?. Yaani, how? Kalasingha?

    I wasn’t sure where our relationship was headed but we kept meeting and one day I told him that the following week I would be going to Murang’a (to visit my parents) and immediately he said he want to accompany me. I asked him as who? He said that if I wasn’t ready to introduce him as someone I like or love, we can say he is a colleague who just want to see that part of this beautiful nation.

    We travelled as scheduled and I had informed my mom that my colleague will be accompanying me, my sister too. Everyone was happy to see us when we arrived home. My grandma was also home that day and even without waiting for introductions, she asked. “Nuu wauga aturehere mundu??? (Who brought us people?) If you know, you know. And by the way, those saying that I must be a Njeri ( I am not, she could be my sister from another mother) I am Wangui. And those mocking my flat assets???, where did you expect me to inherit curvy from?

    Basically that is how we went home as colleagues and came back as blessed partners. I was however still unsure and we kept an on and off relationship in 2012 and part of 2013, but later that year we decided to settle down for real. His family didn’t have an issue with it (they are very open minded). I could however see some of the neighbors peep at us every time I visited him before we settled down but later they became the best of friends.

    Wenye mliuliza whether I had to send those things other indian men ask for online ?, I didn’t. Shame on you actually for asking me that??. I didn’t pay dowry for him since most of you wanted to know.

    He is a Sikh a I remain a Christian, our kids often go to the temple (which I also do at times) but understand christianity pretty well. When you understand or explore more than one religion, it broadens your ability to understand and respect other people’s beliefs.

    He is a good man, a good father and the best husband I could ask for. We are blessed with three beautiful kids (one boy and two girls) and I could never want it any other way.

    When love finds you, embrace it. Like someone said, ‘mapenzi haina mwenyewe’.

  • Harambee Stars Olunga Angling For A Move To Qatar’s Lucrative League

    Harambee Stars Olunga Angling For A Move To Qatar’s Lucrative League

    Harambee Stars forward Michael Olunga is reportedly angling for a move to  Qatar side Al Duhail Sc following a stellar season in Japan that saw  him top the league’s scorers chart with 28 goals from 32 games.

    Olunga helped Kashiwa Reysol to finish seventh in the 2020 season.

    Apart from topping the chart Olunga was also named the league’s MVP with Fifa naming him in a shortlist of five   “little-known strikers who’ve emerged as scoring sensations in 2020.

    26-year old Olunga who has turned out for Clubs in Spain,  China,Sweden  has found his form in his adopted home of Japan scoring regularly .

    “I attribute the success to hard work and staying focused even when you think everything is lost,” he told FIFA.com.  “It’s about believing you are capable of achieving great things and doing wonders on the pitch.”

    In 2020, that work certainly paid dividends, because the talented Kenyan racked up no fewer than 28 goals in 32 games, topped the J-League scoring charts, and led promoted Kashiwa to seventh place at the conclusion of the 2019/20 campaign.

    Olunga’s targets for 2021 will likely include maintaining the pace he set this year, and perhaps adding to his international scoring total in the upcoming qualifying matches for Qatar 2022, where Kenya is pooled alongside  Mali, Uganda and Rwanda.

  • Michael Olunga Named Most Valuable Player In Japan

    Michael Olunga Named Most Valuable Player In Japan

    Kenyan International striker Michael Olunga crowned an impressive season by being named as the 2020 J-League Most Valuable Player(MVP).

    The Harambee Stars forward who plies his trade for Japanese side Kashiwa Reysol, was also feted for being the top scorer and featured in the best 11 of the top flight league.

    The 26-year-old led the goal scoring charts with a record 28 goals, his closest challenger Brazilian Everaldo finished the campaign with 18 goals.

    The ex Gor Mahia player improved on his personal tally as he had scored 27 goals in the previous season albeit in the second division.

    Engineer as he is fondly known, became the first African to earn the recognition of being voted as the MVP.

  • American Singer Who Tested Positive For COVID-19 Says She Didn’t Get It From Nairobi

    American Singer Who Tested Positive For COVID-19 Says She Didn’t Get It From Nairobi

    American singer and actress Ashanti tested positive for the Coronavirus shortly after her brief trip to Nairobi. Posting the news on her Instagram account, the singer said, “Hey y’all I can’t believe I’m saying this but I tested positive for COVID-19. I’m ok and not in any pain.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CItyLdnDHG-/?igshid=1u14af9baxski

    Soon after, many people were quick to conclude and point out that she got the virus from Kenya, which is currently listed on the American COVID-19 travel advisory list.

    However, in a video post she made on her Instagram, she was quick to clarify that she didn’t get it from Kenya. She said, “Yes, I have been travelling. Yes, I went to Nairobi; I had an amazing time. No, I did not get COVID from travelling, I did not get COVID from being in Africa or anything like that.”

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CIwVAPjHO9n/?igshid=1ak5lq3yk226k

    Ashanti was scheduled to take part in a musical battle on the popular online show “Verzuz” against Keyshia Cole which was subsequently cancelled owing to her positive status. The show has now been pushed to January 9th 2021.

  • Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 Finalists Revealed

    Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 Finalists Revealed

    The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 finalists have been revealed on Friday.

    Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo, Barcelona’s Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich’s Polish striker Robert Lewandowski are named the Best FIFA Men’s Player award finalists.

    The winners of the awards will be announced on Dec. 17.

    The shortlisted nominees for the awards are listed as follows:

    The Best FIFA Women’s Player: Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Pernille Harder (Chelsea), Wendie Renard (Lyon).

    The Best FIFA Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Lionel Messi (Barcelona).

    The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Sarah Bouhaddi (Olympique Lyonnais), Christiane Endler (Paris Saint-Germain), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars).

    The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid).

    The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Emma Hayes (Chelsea), Jean-Luc Vasseur (Olympique Lyonnais), Sarina Wiegman (Dutch national team).

    The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United), Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

    The FIFA Puskas Award: Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Son Heung-min, Luis Suarez.