Kenya Insights

Category: News

  • Oscar Sudi: Uhuru And Ruto’s Friendship Is Fake

    Oscar Sudi: Uhuru And Ruto’s Friendship Is Fake

    Oscar Sudi, the Kapsiret MP and self proclaimed Ruto’s spokesperson has now claimed that Uhuru and Ruto’s political friendship is a bluff.

    According to the vocal DP ally, currently President Kenyatta is unable, rather unfit, to lead the country.

    “Apparently, the relationship between the President and his deputy is like of a man and a woman who are married, but sleeping in different houses an indication that the union is over. Kenyans should not be cheated to believe they are still in good terms,” Sudi said.

    Sudi said Ruto’s claims that President Uhuru and him enjoy a cordial bond are fake and a blatant lie to any sobber being.

    “It is obvious there is no bromance still existing in the Presidency as it was before. All this has been fueled by succession politics and the fight pitting dynasties and hustlers. President Kenyatta should hand over power to someone else,” Sudi said.

    According to Sudi, DP Ruto knows that he no longer has the Jubilee’s administration respect nor President’s ear.

    “If you see Senators and Governors on the streets demonstrating over an issue that would have otherwise be solved then there is a big problem,” Sudi said.

    On Sudi’s opinion, things are not good anymore and the centre cannot hold anymore.

    According to Sudi, Uhuru’s close relationship with DP Ruto has ended, rather vanished, and the duo are now engaging in a fake political union.

    Well, on my opinion, Sudi might be right. Everyone can clearly see that Jubilee is no longer a united front like they initially were in the last two Presidential campaigns.

    According to Sudi, Ruto should accept what has befell him and urged him to stop pretending over his relationship with the President because no one can believe it anymore.

    Sudi alleged that President Uhuru has now started turning against his own friends and supporters in Jubilee and is using state entities to sacrifice them in the name of fighting corruption.

    Sudi said, In a press conference held at his home in Eldoret, that he would make a better interim President that’s if Uhuru would step down for him.

    Sudi’s full Press:

    “Within three months, I can do better. I will get a deputy like Moses Kuria and we will perform better.” Sudi said.

    Oscar Sudi alleged that Uhuru is now engaging in sideshows in the name of ‘war on graft’ to bluff the country because his Big Four agenda have failed.

    According to Sudi, President Uhuru’s family wealth is not only unrealistic but also ill-gotten to an extent that the head of state has to offer “innocent sacrificial lambs” to the Nation for him to prove that he’s in charge.

    According to Sudi, President Uhuru is corrupt and, is instead, terming others as corrupt.

    Sudi stated that Kikuyus and Kalenjins were paying a heavy price for backing Uhuru and Ruto’s political journey.

    According to Sudi, the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal is a political gimmick by Uhuru and state entities.

    “They wanted the two projects to collapse and I can now assure our people that Arror and Kimwarer are dead projects.” Sudi said.

    “I have asked the President to forgive Kalenjins if we offended him but now I have to speak the truth.” Sudi added.

    Sudi urged the President, if he won’t step aside for him, to bring his house together and solve their own problems with Ruto privately without involving the entire nation.

  • Senator Orengo: Ruto Has Nothing To Lose If Uhuru’s Agenda Flops

    Senator Orengo: Ruto Has Nothing To Lose If Uhuru’s Agenda Flops

    Siaya County Senator James Orengo has alleged that Uhuru’s Cabinet Secretaries are fighting each other.

    On an interview, Senate minority leader offered a free advise to President Uhuru Kenyatta to make changes before things go south on him and his agenda.

    According to Orengo, Uhuru has a divided Cabinet that includes a Deputy President working at cross-purposes with his boss.

    According to the Senator, DP Ruto’s early 2022 campaigns are a plot that has been planned by Ruto to derail Uhuru’s development agenda and the fight against corruption because the DP has nothing to lose.

    “In writing history, they will talk about Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure. Ruto will not feature,” Orengo told a local media.

    According to James Orengo, Uhuru’s administration has been fractured by in-house conflicts between individuals in Power and The State.

    “The Government has become dysfunctional. It is at cross-purposes,” Orengo said.

    “The DP has made his ambitions of 2022 presidency clear, which is making it hard for him to serve the President,” Orengo added.

    According to Senator Orengo, DP Ruto has not only been lying to the President but also to the Public at large.

    “Ruto should not be speaking from the sidelines because he is in Government. If I were Ruto, I would do the honourable thing by resigning.”

    Orengo said Ruto should follow the footsteps gave of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who resigned after developing interest for the Presidency.

    On his defense, DP Ruto and his allies are on record saying that Ruto is roaming in the country to monitor Government projects.

    “Cabinet is dysfunctional. They are throwing stones at each other. The current one cannot work together to achieve Government’s agenda,” Senator Orengo alleged.

    “To bring sense in the management of Government, the President should dismiss and reconstitute the Cabinet,” said Orengo.

    State House spokesperson Kanze Dena however dismissed Orengo’s claims terming them as mere speculations.

    According to Senator Orengo, corruption has flooded various, if not all, sectors in the current Jubilee administration.

    It has become hard for Uhuru since most of those unwilling to support the fight against corruption are trading blames and counter-accusations at both the government and State entities.

    “I agree with what was once said by the Auditor General that corruption is actually budgeted from the Treasury. The Treasury is the nerve centre of every activity in any nation,” Senator Orengo said.

    “Asset recovery could be more effective tool because you can get immediate results. Prosecution may take a long time,” Orengo suggested.

    According to the senior counsel Orengo, the under-funding of the Judiciary is limiting its operations and contributing to dysfunctional state of Government.

    Senator Orengo also highlighted that the Judiciary was struggling with a backlog of cases because they are still using old methods of handling cases.

    “Courts need a better environment, better recording tools like Parliament, where we have the Hansard. Technology is not up to par to deal with issues,” Orengo said.

    “A witness can speak for long hours, days or even weeks, and recording accurately is not easy,” Orengo stated on an interview.

    According to Senator Orengo, the ongoing graft cases can be moved much faster if modern technology is in place.

    Senator Orengo also commented on Punguza Mizigo Bill fronted by Third Way Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot, saying it was opportunistic,rigid and more of a mythical creation.

    “Punguza Mizigo Bill cannot be amended and was not subjected to conversation, unlike what Building Bridges Initiative is doing. No one has even seen the Bill itself,” Orengo laughed off Auko’s proposals.

    Punguza Mizigo Bill has now started being received in the county assemblies after IEBC verified their signatures.

    According to the Constitution of Kenya, the County Assemblies have three months to pass or reject the Bill.

  • Cabinet Reshuffle: Ambassador Ukur Yatani Takes Over From Henry Rotich As The Treasury CS

    Cabinet Reshuffle: Ambassador Ukur Yatani Takes Over From Henry Rotich As The Treasury CS

    In order to ensure smooth operations and continuity at the National Treasury and in line Ministries following the Court Order affecting the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Planning Mr Henry Rotich and the Principal Secretary for the National Treasury Dr Kamau Thugge, His Excellency the President has made the following changes to the organization of Government:

    (I) Hon. (Amb.) Ukur Yatani Kanacho, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, assumes, in Acting Capacity the Cabinet Secretary responsibility for National Treasury and Planning.

    (II) Dr Julius Monzi Muia is appointed as the Principal Secretary for the National Treasury.

    (III) Mr Torome Saitoti is appointed as the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Planning.

    (IV) Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa is appointed as the Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Defence.

  • Rotich, Thugge And Team Officially Released After Magistrate Approves Bail At Night

    Rotich, Thugge And Team Officially Released After Magistrate Approves Bail At Night

    Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and his Principal Secretary Kamau have been released after posting bail.

    The two on Tuesday evening managed to each raise the Sh15 million bail that the court demanded for their release.

    EAC PS Susan Koech who was granted on Sh6 million bail with an option of Sh30 million bond also managed to pay hers.

    Also released was  Nema director-general Geoffrey Wakhungu who was granted Sh750,000 bail.

    Justice Douglas Ogori granted them the Sh15 million bail each and in the alternative deposit Sh50 million bond.

    Justice Ogoti also ordered them to surrender their passports in 48 hours and barred them from accessing their offices.

    They are accused of conspiracy to defraud the government, failing to comply with procurement law and irregular procurement of insurance policy through single sourcing for the Arror and Kimwarer dams project.

    Via Star.

  • Garissa Governor Korane In Sombre Mood As He Was Grilled By The Senate Over Graft

    Garissa Governor Korane In Sombre Mood As He Was Grilled By The Senate Over Graft

    By Abdi Dabir

    Garissa county Governor Ali Bunow Korane was full of confidence coupled with arrogance and has always wished away the gross allegations of misuse of funds and wanton corruption orchestrated by him and his close family members. He called the reports fake.

    But today , he seemed a powerless man,  cornered and in deep state of sombre mood as he evaded artillery of question after another about his blatant misappropriation of funds and the looting spree he oversaw in Garissa.

    Some of the contagious issues of interest that  Korane failed to answer are;

    1) About Sh276million was spent on domestic travels in which a member of the County Assembly was issued with a Sh5.5million imprest to attend devolution and he can’t provide documentation. Korane stared at the bench dumbfounded. He had no answers.

    2) Unsupported Domestic Travel and Subsistence. According to the auditor, only Sh 5million has been supported. The Governor has failed to support a balance of Sh15million. When questioned he just prayed for the ground to open and swallow him. He had no concrete answer for the question. Lord help us!

    3) He is also on spot on the irregular procurement of office and general supplies and services. Restricted tendering mode of procurement was used but there was no plausible reason provided to justify the use of restricted tendering contrary to section 102 (a-d) of the PPAD Act 2015. He failed to make a case for it and argue out. He was clueless.

    At some point , he was forced to retract and apologise for lying to the committee that a project was completed when infact the auditors and the inspection team on the ground had report contrary to what he was trying to feed to the men and women grilling him.

    Interesting times indeed.

  • Ndii: Keep The Treasury CS Job I Can’t Work With Uhuru

    Ndii: Keep The Treasury CS Job I Can’t Work With Uhuru

    Senior Economist David Ndii has rubbished off chances of him working for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration as Finance Cabinet Secretary.

    Ndii’s declaration comes a day after the arrest of Treasury CS Henry Rotich.

    Rotich, if he won’t resign, could probably be fired by Uhuru after DPP Noordin Haji linked him directly to the alleged loss of more that 19Billion meant for the construction of Kimwarer and Arror dams in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

    Earlier In April, President Uhuru said that he will only sack those prosecuted in accordance with the law.

    “I must, however, caution that the pursuit of the corrupt will be undertaken strictly within the remits of the law, and not through vigilante justice and pitchfork protest. Though media narratives rally our resolve as they should, our actions will not be based on condemnation before one has been heard. The cornerstone of our democracy is the rule of law, and the principle of due process is a critical anchor.” President Kenyatta said.

    “It is not enough to merely jail and fine those who have looted our public coffers. The wealth they stole from Kenyans must be returned to its owners, the People of Kenya with the clear message being that Corruption does not pay,” President Uhuru added.

    CS Rotich was today arraigned in court alongside PS Kamau Thugge, in what is believed to be a move that could lead Cabinet reshuffle.

    With that out, David Ndii, one of loyal supporters and strategist of the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has once again turned down requests and suggestions to take over the leadership of the Treasury.

    According to Ndii, Uhuru’s regime and reign is and will always remain illegitimate.

    Ndii posted this on his verified Twitter account.

    “Public Notice: I’m not available to work for Uhuru Kenyatta’s corrupt illegitimate govt. Those thinking corruption/ economy can be fixed in Treasury are gravely mistaken. National crisis will persist until a financial implosion or Jubilee is out of power whichever comes first,”

    David Ndii was responding to a tweet that had proposed him for the Treasury job.

    Ndii is one of, if not, the best economist in the country and also has international recognition in the same field of profession.

  • Betika Admits To Cancelling Successful Bets Following Numerous Complaints From Users

    Betika Admits To Cancelling Successful Bets Following Numerous Complaints From Users

    Interior CS recently cracked his whip on betting firms in Kenya many of which he alleged were operating illegally and engaging in fraud. Following this, 27 betting firms had their licenses suspended after auditing.

    Giants like Sportpesa and Betin had theirs suspended and are struggling to come back to trade having their pay bills canceled by government.

    Betika, one of the leading firms was lucky enough to have their license renewed. However, the firm is now coming under harsh attack from users following claims that they’re canceling successful bets.

    A post on Twitter by blogger Muthui Mkenya, seem to have opened a can of worms that appears as a fraud scheme.

    https://twitter.com/muthuimkenya/status/1153562031620067329?s=21

    Betika immediately came out to refute the claims, “Hi,kindly note that Betika is not involved in such.We only rely on results.Thus, we don’t engage in the above mentioned vice. We are extremely professional and ethical in our dealings with our valued customer.” They wrote in response to Muthui’s accusation.

    Sam Macoha wrote in rebuttal to the Betika’s response, “You are denying a thing that you have done to me and I have shared the details and you have acknowledged the error if its truely an error. I only want one thing …..Reimburse the cash(14k) to me and there will be Peace  and your above statement will be of meaningfulness.”

    When contacted by this writer, Sam said the matter was being handled by the customer service who acknowledged his claims.

    Despite having denied the accusations onset, Betika seemed to have had a change of mind by admitting to canceling the bets, “We sincerely apologies for that, we had a technical issue that led to cancellation of some bets,but this was resolved and all bets paid in full. If you have any BET ID that still has an issue,kindly DM it to us and we will follow-up on it.” They wrote in a response.

    More complaints were however raised like with Antony Koome, “Very true they have cancelled 3 of my bets,at first I had thought it’s me who is not following keenly.” Another user Davis Chirchir complained, “Yes they Do. I’m victim of such cancellation.”

    Another user on Facebook claimed that he was shortchanged on a Sh900K multibet

    However, another user Sam Ndiri, disagreed with the majority saying his relationship with the firm has been smooth, “I have played on Betika since March 2019 and I’m yet to experience such a thing.”

    The fraud claims raised by users is only a matter that the Betting Board can investigate and ascertain but the number of complaints raises an alarm and a need for immediate action and also for the firm to come out clean and assure its customers. Such claims shouldn’t pass the scope of the interior CS Matiang’i.

  • Babu Owino: Ruto Should Resign And Must Be Arrested

    Babu Owino: Ruto Should Resign And Must Be Arrested

    Vocal Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has called on Deputy President William Ruto to resign with immediate effect.

    Babu tweeted yesterday on his official twitter account saying that Ruto should not only resign but also face arrest.

    Babu Owino has been very vocal on matters of national interest also believes DP Ruto has a hand in the Dams scandal and wants him probed.

    Babu was commenting on news that Treasury CS Rotich had been arrested alongside Kamau Thugge (Treasury Principal Secretary) and Jackson Kinyanjui the Treasury Director of resource mobilization among others.

    On Ruto’s defense, his allies have linked the arrests as stage-managed by anti-Ruto agents in the government.

    “My conclusion from what I have seen is that we are not fighting corruption. What is happening is that we are lying to Kenyans and trying to create a narrative that is meant to show that there is an ongoing war on corruption,” Murkomen said .

    National Treasury CS Henry Rotich was arrested and was presented in Court today,Tuesday.

    Rotich pleaded not guilty to corruption charges over the award of two dam tenders in an unprecedented move against a sitting cabinet minister.

    Henry Rotich, Kamau Thugge the Treasury PS, Susan Jemtai Koech the East African Community PS and David Kipchumba Kimosop ,Former Managing Director KVDA are accused of conspiring to defraud the public among other charges.

    According to DPP Hajji, Rotich borrowed 63Billion for the two dams which were budgeted to cost 46billion.

    According to the charge sheet, the accused persons conspired to defraud the Government of Kenya between December 17, 2014 and September 27, 2018.

    Rotich and others have also been charged with wilful failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement as well as engaging in a project without prior planning.

    Other charges include abuse of office, committing an offence of financial misconduct, fraudulent acquisition of public property and wilful neglect to perform official duty.

    Lawyers representing the Rotich and other suspects include Katwa Kigen, Kioko Kilukumi, Ginaro Kibe, Kipchumba Murkomen among others.

  • Rotich: My Seniors Stopped Picking Up My Calls

    Rotich: My Seniors Stopped Picking Up My Calls

    Treasury Cabinet secretary Henry Rotich has been left to fry alone after DPP Hajji and DCI director Kinoti turned their  ‘guns’ on him.

    According to sources speaking to media, Rotich had foreseen his arrest, prosecution and sacking from the Cabinet almost three months ago.

    Sources close to Rotich told media that people close to him, Rotich, who are senior officials in government had stopped picking his calls.

    Rotich is reported to have confided in his friends and close business allies that he felt the government had thrown him under the bus and his Seniors left him to fry alone.

    According to sources speaking to local media said that Rotich must have been aware that something bad was coming up because he told us that his seniors had stopped responding to his text messages after the saga of the dams broke out.

    Rotich told his friends that he felt frustrated and betrayed according to a source.

    “We could tell that he was a disturbed man when he told us that in the past his messages were promptly responded to. It was like he was telling us that he had been left on his own,” Said a source speaking to Media.

    Rotich goose started cooking early this year when he was summoned to the DCI headquarters for questioning over the dams scandal.

    CS Rotich was first questioned by Police on 18th February this year. He was later to make four more visits to the DCI as investigations progressed.

    Rotich became a close friend with President Uhuru Kenyatta after working together at Treasury when President Uhuru was Finance minister under Retired President Mwai Kibaki’s reign.

    When Treasury CS was sucked into the dams scandal, their close ties with Head of State vaporised and since then, President Uhuru vowed that all top government officials implicated in corruption will carry their own cross.

    Rotich was arrested yesterday almost immediately after the DCI director George Kinoti and Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji jetted in from their two-week visit in Italy.

    Kinoti and Hajji left for Italy on July 9 to meet government officials and the Italian government-owned insurer, Service Assicurnativi Dei Commercio Estero (SACE), which was paid Sh11.1 billion as insurance premium for a loan to build the two dams.

    “The investigations established that government officials flouted all procurement rules and abused their oath of office to ensure the scheme went through,” DPP Haji said in a press briefing.

    According to DPP Hajji, government officials went ahead to award the contracts to CMC Di Ravenna of Italy to run concurrently while aware that the firm was, at the time of award, straining and getting into voluntary liquidation back in Italy.

    The DCI director Kinoti had also asked CS Rotich about the missing National Environment Management Authority reports and lack of public participation in the Dam projects.

    According to records, a leading supermarket was paid Sh4 million for supplying pillows and bedsheets while a food and wine company based in Nairobi’s Lavington was paid Sh15 million for supplying food and wines to CMC.

    Car hire services costed Sh7 million while Sh18 million was used for aerial survey services and another company supplied alleged foodstuff worth Sh10.2 million.

    Another company was paid 6million to supply generators while another one was paid Sh19 million for physical studies.

    The records further indicate that another company was paid 13 million for provision of air tickets and yet another got 6 million for generators.

  • FIFA Gives A Life Ban For An African Football Official In Match Fixing Probe

    FIFA Gives A Life Ban For An African Football Official In Match Fixing Probe

    World Football governing body FIFA has banned for life former Botswana Football Association general secretary Mooketsi Kgotlele.

    Mooketsi has been permanently banned after being found guilty in the allegations of accepting bribes to manipulated international FIFA matches.

    On Monday, FIFA released a statement stating that adjudicatory chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee had also fined the former official $50,953.

    “The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Kgotlele… stem from an extensive investigation into various attempts to manipulate international matches for betting purposes by Mr Wilson Raj Perumal, a known match-fixer,” reads part of FIFA statement.

    According to FIFA, Kgoylele proceedings were initiated in late 2018.

    The ban slapped on Kgotlele covers all football-related activities.

    He has been banned from administrative, sports or any other FIFA related activities at both national and international level.

    This is not the first time FIFA has banned officials and players. Investigations into convicted Singapore-based match fixer Perumal and His activities has already seen players and former officials slapped with life ban.

    Togolese Football Association Refferee Kokou Hougnimon Fagla was banned from soccer-related activities last March for accepting bribes to manipulate an international friendly.

    In April this year, FIFA banned Seven current and former players for life.

    Amongst those given a life ban are Karlon Murray and Keyeno Thomas from Trinidad.

    Ibrahim Kargbo from Sierra Leone.

    Hellings Mwakasungula from Malawi.

    Seidath Tchomogo from Benin.

    Leonel Duarte from Cuba and,

    Mohammad Salim Israfeel Kohistani from Afghanistan.

    FIFA also gave Kenyan player George Owino Audi a 10-year ban.

    Zimbabwean football player agent Kudzanai Shaba was also banned for life.

    Perumal was jailed for 2 years by a Finnish court in 2011 after he was found guilty of bribing players and referees to fix matches.

  • Betway, Mozzartbet Amongst The Ten Betting Firms Okayed By KRA

    Betway, Mozzartbet Amongst The Ten Betting Firms Okayed By KRA

    Following the crackdown on betting firms by the interior CS Matiang’i, it has been a tough month as leading firms like Sportpesa and Betin struggle to get back on the trade after having their licenses suspended.

    Government last week refused to renew licenses of 27 betting firms over tax compliance, it was further directed that their pay bill numbers be frozen literally shutting down their operations.

    KRA has now cleared 10 betting companies whose licences had failed to be renewed by the government over tax compliance.

    They are: Betway, OdiBets, Mozzartbet, Ken Bookmakers, Lucky 2u, Eazi Bet, Kick off, Eastleighbet, Palms Bet and Bet boss.

  • List Of Those DPP Haji Has Ordered To Be Arrested Alongside CS Henry Rotich Over Kimwarer And Arror Dam Scandal

    List Of Those DPP Haji Has Ordered To Be Arrested Alongside CS Henry Rotich Over Kimwarer And Arror Dam Scandal

    Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji On Monday approved the arrests and prosecution of Rotich, Principal Secretaries Kamau Thugge (Treasury), Dr Susan Jemutai Koech (East African Community) and Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) Managing Director David Kimosop.

    Haji has ordered the arrest other top government officials over the multibillion-shilling Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.

    Others includes;

    Dr. Susan Jemtai Koech, PS, EAC.

    David Kipchumba Kimosop, MD KVDA.

    Kennedy Nyakundi Nyachiro, Chief Economist, National Treasury.

    Jackson Njau Kinyanjui, Director Resource Mobilization, Treasury.

    Titus Muriithi, Inspector General Of State Corporations.

    Paolo Porcelli, Director, CMC di Ravenna.

    William Kipkemboi Maina, Head of Supply Chain, KVDA.

  • ‪Sportpesa Owner Gerasim Nikolov Is A Wanted Criminal In Bulgaria But Enjoying Peace And Protection In Kenya‬

    ‪Sportpesa Owner Gerasim Nikolov Is A Wanted Criminal In Bulgaria But Enjoying Peace And Protection In Kenya‬

    In March 2014, the Bulgarian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) *Slavi Binev was on an official visit to Kenya. The MEP traveled there in his capacity of representative of the nationalist party National Front for Saving Bulgaria (NFSB), of the EP and as Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Union for relationships with Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP), according to the NFSP press release.

    While there, Binev lauded the launch of the mobile platform for bets of one of the largest companies in the sector SportPesa, owned by Bulgarians.

    “They drove capable Bulgarians abroad, the goal of NFSB is to bring them back,” said Binev at an event in Villa Kempinski in Nairobi.

    Official reports, however, withheld information about who were exactly the Bulgarians that created SportPesa, and for a good reason.

    Capable Bulgarian Abroad

    The Director of the new platform “SportPesa” is Gerasim Nikolov. He is “one of the main organizers of credit card draining in the world, according to experts from the National Security Agency (DANS),” the journalist Slavi Angelov from “24 Hours” daily claims in his investigation. His report was aired on the “On Target” broadcast of the public TV BNT1 in June 2014.

    “Gerasim Nikolov lives in Nairobi, where he accepts entire brigades, formed in Bulgaria, to steal money from foreign bank cards. He is being investigated for years over the notorious hijacking, together with another criminal nicknamed the Baron, of 14 Serbian trucks and their drivers for ransom, but later became a witness in the case,” we read in the article in the newspaper on the subject.

    A video circulated on YouTube, shows that the current Head of the Parliamentary Commission for Culture, Slavi Binev is too close to Gero – Gerasim Nikolov, whom he introduces as a longtime friend.

    “It is very unusual for a politician to maintain old friendships. But I value my friendship with Gero, Genata and the whole team. I am very proud that Gero, who is one of my best friends, is the engine of this team,” Binev said in his speech during the “official visit”.

    If it is true that DANS is investigating the said Gero, Binev can obviously provide valuable information about the latter’s business and life in Kenya to the local anti-mafia agency.

    *Slavi Binev is a Bulgarian politician and former European taekwondo champion. From the start of the 1990s until 2006, Slavi Binev had been one of the main shareholders in R – System Holding AD. Binev was elected a Member of the European Parliament on the ticket of the nationalist Ataka (Attack) party in May 2007, immediately after Bulgaria joined the European Union. He was Ataka’s candidate for Mayor of Sofia in 2007.

    He spilt from Ataka and was independent nationalist MEP after being reelected in 2009. In April 2012, he founded his own party People for Real, Open and United Democracy (GORD). In the 2014 general elections the latter ran in coalition with NFSB and Binev was elected Member of the Bulgarian Parliament. In late November 2014, he was appointed Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Culture and Media, triggering outrage among Bulgarian intellectuals, artists and civil society because he is seen as one of the main promulgators of chalga music through his former night clubs.

  • Rift Valley MPs Says Ruto Has A 500,000 Acre Maize Farm In Congo The Reason He Told Farmers To Do Avocado Instead

    Rift Valley MPs Says Ruto Has A 500,000 Acre Maize Farm In Congo The Reason He Told Farmers To Do Avocado Instead

    Maize scandals surrounding DP Ruto seems like are here to haunt him forever.

    In an explosive political storm started by three Rift Valley MPs, Deputy President William Ruto has been accused of owning a 500,000-acre maize farm in the Republic of Congo.

    The controversial Jubilee lawmakers claimed that Ruto has been discouraging famers from planting Maize.

    The move is said to be positioning Ruto as the Principal and only maize supplier to the scandal-ridden NCPB.

    Joshua Kutuny, Cherangany MP , Alfred Keter of Nandi Hill and Silas Tiren of Moiben alleged that Ruto has been encouraging farmers to substitute maize farming with avocado and macadamia.

    “You can’t be telling us to plant avocados, plant macadamia but you are not telling us what happened to maize…Now you have gone even to Congo. You are growing 500,000 acres of maize,” Keter told a local press.

    Kutuny asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be open on the backdoor deals that he alleged that Ruto had signed with the Denis Nguesso on behalf of the government.

    In September last year, DP Ruto traveled to Brazzaville with a large delegation and held talks with the country’s top leaders.

    Ruto’s website says DP was in Congo Brazaville for an official visit and was received at the Maya International Airport by Prime Minister Clement Mouamba.

    According to the government, Ruto’s tour was aimed at promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields of interest.

    Statements sent to media houses say that the two countries agreed to cooperate in political consultations, economics, trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology, culture and arts.

    Ruto accompanied Mining and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary John Munyes, Governor Kahiga Mutahi of Nyeri and Governor Granton Samboja of Taita Taveta. Also in delegation wasTrade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo.

    It has been alleged that Ruto used this State sponsored trip to seal his maize deals in Congo.

    “Part of his mission to Congo recently was to sign the deal to start maize farming there. He wants local farmers to do avocado to occasion a maize shortage in the country so that his maize from Brazzaville can gets its way to the local market,” Kutuny stated.

    When local press reached DP’s office for comment, the DP’s communication director David Mugonyi said, “I will not respond to nonsense.”

    Rift Valley is the biggest maize producer in country but poor pricing and infiltration by maize cartels threaten the region’s economic mainstay.

    The Jubilee legislators have asked the DPP Noordin Haji to crack the whip on Ruto and other influential officers based at Harambee House Annex.

    “Farmers, you must know this: most of our problems involving maize and fertilizer have been brought about the Deputy President and his office. We want his office investigated,” Keter said.

    Our constitution does not insulate the Deputy President or any other leader from criminal or civil prosecution while still in office.

    On Ruto’s defense, there is also no law that bars anyone or any leader from farming outside the country and importing the produce to Kenya.

    “We want the DPP to investigate Ruto over maize. Every time the government releases money to NCPB to pay farmers, he calls all managers and instructs them who to pay and who not to pay,” Keter said.

    Maize scandal has had many accomplices including Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe and top NCPB officials who all are currently facing charges of fraud in the payment of traders instead of genuine farmers.

    The Jubilee MPs from the maize growing rift valley have rubbished DP’s early 2022 campaigns saying that Ruto stands no chance to succeed Uhuru.

    Ruto has banked everything he has on his Rift Valley backyard to take him to State House but the criticism from within and parallel critics from Kanu’s Gideon Moi has already started threatening his grip.

    “We don’t want the 2022 talk. In fact, he has already lost. There is no direction. You are going nowhere,” Keter commented on Ruto’s bid.

    “Lifestyle audit should continue. They should not come here to fundraise for us. Farmers here don’t want fundraisers. They want good pricing for their maize, better pricing for tea and milk and hospitals and roads built,” Keter said.

    Their pressure seems to be bearing fruits. Last week, Mwangi Kiunjuri was forced to suspend Sh2,300 price tag for a 90kg bag of maize and called for further consultation following protests from farmers.

    According to Keter and the team, farmers must be paid at least Sh3,600 for every bag of maize.

    Keter also dismissed claims by the government that there was a bumper harvest last year.

    President Uhuru has on various occasions, fired warnings at Kiunjuri over the massive irregular payments made to maize cartels through NCPB.

    “I promise you, Kiunjuri, and I swear before God, try that again and you’ll see what will happen to you. Sisi hatutaki mchezo tena,” President Kenyatta ranted during the Nairobi International Trade Fair that was held on 4th September last year.

  • Avoid Meat From NAIVAS Supermarkets For Safety As Lab Tests Confirms Poison Presence

    Avoid Meat From NAIVAS Supermarkets For Safety As Lab Tests Confirms Poison Presence

    Following an exposé on a local TV station that most supermarkets are using chemicals to preserve their meat, one of the leading retail chains, NAIVAS has gone out defensive saying their stores are not involved in the monkey business.

    According to Willie Kimani, Naivas’ Commercial Officer in a press conference, their storage and standards are up to the par dismissing allegations that they use cancer causing chemicals to preserve meat, something that threw many consumers into panic.

    In the Facebook post that many are viewing as a desperate and a PR strategy, many have come out to discredit the firm’s explanations.

    Meanwhile, In Machakos, Governor Alfred Mutua has ordered closure of meat sections in all Naivas stores in the county after lab tests showed presence of harmful additive. This can possibly be the same in other branches across the country. For safety, health officials need to conduct thorough research on the same.

    Governor Alfred Mutua, in a statement released to newsrooms on Thursday afternoon, said the decision was made to protect consumers.

    “I have been given a laboratory report showing that a sample of meat sold at the Naivas supermarket at Gateway Mall in Mavoko had 3,286 milligrams of an additive that should not be used on meat,” Dr Mutua said.

    “I have subsequently directed that the meat/butchery sections of all Naivas stores in Machakos county be closed immediately. This is on suspicion that the supplier of meat at all Naivas supermarkets in Machakos County is the same entity.” He went on.

  • Esther Arunga Jailed For Ten Months Over Child’s Death

    Esther Arunga Jailed For Ten Months Over Child’s Death

    In what could probably be a reprieve, the once upon a time Kenyan TV darling has been sentenced for a ten month jail stay for lying over her child’s death.

    This comes after Ms. Arunga admitted to lying to authorities about the incident that occurred at their home in Kallangur, Brisbane, in 2014 in order to protect her husband Quincy Timberlake.

    Appearing before Australian court Justice Martin Burns on Monday, Arunga pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter.

    The former media personality previously told Australian police that the then three-year-old boy fell down the stairs but an autopsy revealed that he died as a result of severe blunt force that was inconsistent with a fall.

    Timberlake was charged with the murder but, according to a new report by the Australian Associated Press (AAP), Ms. Arunga misled the police about the events leading to the boy’s death.

    “Crown prosecutor Danny Boyle told the court Esther called triple zero just before 2am on June 18. When paramedics and police arrived, she told them her son had fallen down the stairs,” reports AAP.

    The Australian media outlet added that the 38-year-old kept scrutiny away from Timberlake for 26 days, and only changed her statement once he was admitted to a mental health facility.

    According to AAP, Ms. Arunga has since admitted that she found Timberlake hitting their son on the stomach in the bathroom on the night of June 17, 2014.

    She reportedly told authorities that Timberlake “threw him against the wall” saying “there’s a devil in his stomach, I have to get it out”.

    Ms. Arunga also reportedly added that Timberlake had a strong arm and “even a grown man can’t survive that punch,” further that “I was terrified of being alone and I felt terrible because my husband was sick as well.”

    Esther Arunga with her baby and husband Quincy Timberlake.

    Defence lawyer Katarina Prskalo told the court that both Ms. Arunga and Timberlake had mental issues.

    Arunga whom to many was an innocent girl, is said to have been brainwashed by Timberlake who introduced her to the finger of God church which many perceive to be a cult. From that day henceforth, her life has been on the drain.

    She has however been released on parole.

  • How Viral FaceApp Could Be Used To Influence US And Kenya’s Elections

    How Viral FaceApp Could Be Used To Influence US And Kenya’s Elections

    FaceApp – an app that lets you edit your photos to appear younger, older, or as the opposite gender has finally gone viral after 2 years of existence.

    FaceApp blew the internet globally making it the most downloaded and active app currently thanks to the #faceappChallenge.

    The viral Challenge has seen Celebrities and global social media influencers sharing images of their older and younger selves.

    Take for instance, theJonas Brothers did it.

    Even that most terrifying robot is doing it.

    But everyone should be extra cautious as you all flood the App giving it your full information and permissions to access your private data.

    Is FaceApp safe with all your faces and private information?

    Do you all know, understand or even have gone through their terms and Conditions?

    In recent years, we’ve had couple of scandals involving questionable data collection via social media Apps.

    Take for instance, Cambridge Analytica was alleged to have Used Millions of Facebook users Private data sway the results in all the election campaigns they were involved in.

    Perhaps, FaceApp, being owned by Russians who had data mining links with Cambridge Analytica might be a crisis everyone has embraced.

    For those of you who don’t remember Cambridge analytica was accused of using similar ‘viral influential’ methods in mining the data during elections.

    Do you all remember during those times Cambridge had funny questions on Facebook that prompted one to let funny apps get permissions to access private data?

    Well, Yes- the permissions gives not only biometrics but also is a smooth way to study your behaviors and give you targeted ads.

    Well, If Cambridge Analytica used hate campaigns then nothing can stop FaceApp from selling your data or any other company can use such unscrupulous deals.

    Cambridge did it in USA, where they swayed people’s opinions and votes for Trump.

    On Tuesday night, Alexandra Phillips admitted that Cambridge helped Jubilee leader, the Current President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta in unscrupulous way just the same way the did to Brexit vote.

    Big data is the new business and this FaceApp is definitely it. When you access FaceApp you give them permission to access so much of your personal data from their end.

    For instance in the US, Russia unleashed extensive campaigns of fake news and disinformation on social media with the aim of distorting US public opinion, sowing discord and swinging the election in favor of the Republican candidate Donald Trump.

    The US Attorney General William Barr, had released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election to Congress and the public.

    Mueller has spent nearly two years investigating attacks on the US 2016 Presidential election and whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Russians behind it.

    Read the roughly 400-page report.

    Mueller also was tasked with looking into any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.

    Such instances is, without doubt what’s making some people wonder if FaceApp could be more ‘evil’ than it looks.

    Scott Budman, a technology report pointed out that FaceApp isn’t clear about what it does with images of your face once you’ve used the app.

    Everyone should should be warned that FaceApp was developed and being ranned by a Russian company.

    Recently companies have been caught selling privileged information of their users.

    In May, an international media had reported that a photo storage app, was using shared images to train facial recognition technology which it then sold on to private companies, law enforcement and the military.

    In February, IBM were found to be using Flickr photos to train facial recognition systems without users’ permission.

    FaceApp are allegedly uploading users’ entire camera roll to their server, rather than just photos that are explicitly selected from the users side.

    David Vaile, chair of the Australian Privacy Foundation, said this about this about FaceApp’s privacy policy in 2017.

    “They ask for way more rights than they need to offer the service to you, [they] can remove the data from any effective legal protection regime, share it with almost anyone, and retain it indefinitely.”

    “It is impossible to tell from this what happens when you upload it, that is the problem. The licence is so lax. They can claim you agree they can send to wherever they like to whoever they like, and so long as there is some connection, [they can] do a lot of things with it.” Viale added.

    Security expert Ariel Hochstadt Said this about FaceApp;
    “They also know who this image is, with the huge database they created of Facebook accounts and faces, and the data they have on that person is both private and accurate to the name, city and other details found on Facebook.”

    “With so many breaches, they can get information and hack cameras that are out there, and be able to create a database of people all over the world, with information these people didn’t imagine is collected on them.” Hochstadt added.

    UK-based Digital strategist James Whatley said on Twitter.

    Many tech companies, Just like FaceApp, quietly takes information from its users.

    Millions of people give up their data every day without realising it.

    You can read the FaceApp’s terms, conditions and their privacy policy here.

    Everyone, at least by now, should be extra cautious when giving up their private data for or in a simple viral challenge.

  • Narcotics Trafficking Kingping Joaquín Archivaldo ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera Has Been Sentenced To Life In Prison

    Narcotics Trafficking Kingping Joaquín Archivaldo ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán Loera Has Been Sentenced To Life In Prison

    World most notorious drug lord Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera has been sentenced to life.

    The famed drug lord known as “El Chapo,” whose dramatic prison escapes fed his legend as an untouchable kingpin running the world’s largest narcotics trafficking group, was today, Wednesday, sentenced to life in prison.

    Before the sentence was imposed, Guzman, 61, angrily denounced his treatment, calling the trial unfair.

    “When extradited, I expected to have a fair trial where justice was blind and my fame would not be a factor, but what happened was actually the opposite,” El Chapo said in Court before sentence was imposed.

    “The government of the United States will send me to a prison where my name will never be heard again. I will take this opportunity to say there was no justice here.”

    U.S. District Court Judge Brian Cohan, said the law gave El Chapo no discretion in his life imprisonment.

    Guzmán was convicted in February after a three-month trial which detailed his murderous rise to power in Mexico, where his Sinaloa Cartel moved billions of dollars worth of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexico to the United States.

    Witnesses at the trial also described multimillion dollar bribes paid to senior Mexican officials to keep the cartels running.

    Prosecutors introduced extensive evidence — including 1 million intercepted messages between alleged cartel members and testimony from 14 cooperating witnesses — detailing ghastly killings in addition to the smuggling.

    The proceedings offered vivid insight into the cartel’s brutal force and intimidation, its reach and the profits it reaped.

    Over 25 years, Guzmán earned the organization more than $14 billion while exhibiting an extraordinary ability to evade law enforcement.

    After the conviction, Richard P. Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, pronounced that Guzmán’s bloody reign had come to an end.

    “And the myth that he could not be brought to justice has been laid to rest,” Donoghue said at the time.

    Defense attorneys argued that Guzmán was a scapegoat, railroaded by witnesses who were gutter human beings lying to save themselves.

    After six days of deliberations, the jury found him guilty on all 10 counts on the indictment.

    Renowned for escaping two maximum-security prisons in Mexico — first in 2001, with the assistance of prison guards, and again in 2015 through a tunnel beneath the shower in his jail cell — Guzmán was recaptured in 2016 after a meeting with actor Sean Penn tipped authorities to his whereabouts near Mexico’s northwestern coast. He has lived in solitary confinement since his extradition from Mexico the following year.

    Last month, the judge denied Guzmán’s application for more comfortable prison conditions, citing prosecutors’ suggestions that the request could be part of a ploy to escape from prison for a third time.

    Source

  • Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips Admits To Working With Cambridge Analytica For Uhuru In Mudslinging Raila

    Brexit Party MEP Alexandra Phillips Admits To Working With Cambridge Analytica For Uhuru In Mudslinging Raila

    Alexandra Phillips, the former head of media for Ukip and a vocal member of Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party has admitted to have secretly worked for Uhuru Kenyatta.

    Ms Phillips made the admission to Channel 4 News after initially denying any involvement with Cambridge analytica and SCL that was used to mudslign Raila.

    According to Channel 4 News, Ms Phillips accepted after a recording of an interview from 2017 surfaced online in which Alexandra confirms she had been employed by Cambridge Analytica to work for Uhuru Kenyatta, the current President of Kenya.

    According to a statement released to International media, Ms Phillips admitted to have worked for SCL, Cambridge Analytica’s parent company, on President Kenyatta’s successful re-election campaign.

    Cambridge Analytica Bosses were filmed by undercover investigators last year exposing the disgraced data firm’s dirty tricks and influencing elections globally.

    Analytica Bosses were caught on camera chest thumbing about their smear campaigns, bribing politicians, putting unattributable and untraceable propaganda on the Internet Search engines in a bid to sway campaigns for their political clients.

    In 2017, Kenyan election contest between Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta was full of misinformation and massive fake news were spread across the country via the Internet and on smartphones.

    Cambridge Analytica’s SCL, which was working as Uhuru’s campaign team smeared Raila Odinga with a series of viral videos which were notoriously depicting apocalyptic scenes for Kikuyu’s if, at all, Raila was to win the election.

    The notorious Cambridge Analytica have been facing accusation from every country they’ve worked for or with and have been unsuccessfully denying their involvement with the content, and any role in negative political campaigns in Kenya.

    Ms Phillips, in the past interview, had initially denied working for Cambridge Analytica nor being in contacy or knowing anyone on their political campaign team.

    “I didn’t work for them at all. That’s libellous. I’m being very serious now. You’re actually propagating a load of misinformation that’s been put online… based on nothing.” Ms Phillips said in an interview.

    “If you want to talk about the Cambridge Analytica campaign, speak to them, not me. I don’t know them. I really don’t know the people.” she insisted.

    Ms Phillips had also threatened investigator that she will sue them.

    “And if you use this online, it’s going to be very difficult, OK… And actually, please don’t pursue that because there’s going to be a lot of things that might be happening over the next weeks, months, which is going to make life very difficult. I’m being serious. I’ve never been employed by Cambridge Analytica in my life.” She ranted on an interview.

    However, an audio recording in possession of Channel 4 News has Alexandra admitting she was secretly employed by Cambridge Analytica to work for President Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party which was alleged to have swayed and rigged the elections in favour of Uhuru.

    She’s recorded saying “I’ve not been able to speak to you because I’ve been under my contract which finished yesterday. So now I’m able to talk. But whilst I’m under contract with Cambridge Analytica, if they’d found that I’d spoken to a journalist about them, then, you know what I mean non-disclosure agreements and all the rest of i… I wasn’t working for Jubilee I was employed by Cambridge Analytica who had the contract with Jubilee.”

    “I was brought on as a political communications consultant for the Kenya project. I’d be writing the president’s speeches and his talking points for rallies and State House statements. I trained their communications team; they’re all sort of journalists who came together to create a press office. So I had to train them up and daily management of that communications team.” She added

    SCL’s contract with Jubilee was so sensitive such that Ms Phillips was told to always say she’s working as an air hostess if anyone would ever ask what she was doing in Kenya.

    Ms Phillips had also claimed SCL’s contract with Jubilee was worth £300,000 a month and would add up to a total of around $6 million for the contract

    “The $6m they got me and another chap who are two of the best in the business at doing this kind of stuff, and paid us nowhere near that much, my friend. The only thing that appals me about Cambridge Analytica was when I realised essentially how much of a money-making exercise they are.” Ms Phillips said.

    Ms Phillips issued a statement last night admitting Cambridge’s involvement in Swaying voters and rigging for Jubilee’s candidate while distancing herself from SCL’s under deals.

    “In Kenya, I worked as a freelance contractor focusing on speechwriting with the team of President Kenyatta, who is a great ally of the UK. The campaigns I worked on promoted peace and national unity in a country that I love dearly.” Read part of Ms Phillips statement.

    “This work was sub-contracted out to me by SCL, which went on to become a different company. Out of respect for those whom I served, I will continue to respect the confidentiality agreements that I signed upon accepting the role in Kenya.” She insisted.

    Alexandra also insisted that she will not be bullied by agenda-driven and guilt-by-association reporting that has vilified her name.

  • Ann Kiguta Joins K24 After Quitting Citizen TV

    Ann Kiguta Joins K24 After Quitting Citizen TV

    The self proclaimed queen of TV politics is back on the screens after a six month break on quitting her job at Citizen TV.

    According to emerging reports, Ann now joins the MediaMax group associated with the president whom she previously criticized in her show at the Citizen studios so this would bring a great blend on the show, hopefully.

    Kiguta’s poster for the show.

    Kiguta will now be running her own show dubbed ‘Punchline’ every Sunday on K24. Its expected to be a hit joining the growing wave of political talk shows that has dominated key TV stations in Kenya. She’ll now battle for audience alongside veteran Jeff Koinange Of Citizen and Tony Gachoka of KTN.

    Kenya Insights is following and shall be bringing you updates on the show that is now creating waves and expected to be a hit on its launch.