Residents of Kisii are wreathing with fire following an incident on Thursday that left two women dead. According to reports gathered by Kenya Insights, the police attached to the DP’s quick response unit, engaged in a scuffle in Daraja Mbili market, Kisii County.
In the evening, chaos had erupted after the entourage heading to Kisumu after the DP had left in his chopper, got inti a minor accident with the boda-bodas leading to a clashing argument. Within minutes and being a market day, a large crowd surrounded with fellow boda-boda riders staging a mild protest to save their colleagues who were at the moment being held and roughed by the officers.
It is said the officers had aimed to shoot a rider before the two women who were going about their business selling fruits came to the officers pleading for them to forgive the driver. It was at this moment that the officers opened fire at them killing one woman on the spot and the other died while being rushed to the hospital.
The incident caused a major protested that blocked Kisii-Kisumu highway. The residents condemned the DP and pulled down the Jubilee Party billboards that had been freshly erected. Residents vowed to paralyze Jubilee operations in the area should there be any. More protests are anticipated today in Kisii town as local leaders hinted.
Battle of Titans seems to be lined up as the journalist and human rights activist Boniface Mwangi declined to apologize and retract a tweet aimed at the DP Ruto. Through his lawyer Kilukumi, Ruto had given Mwangi a grace period to retract and apologize for a tweet in which he accused and warned the DP against killing him the same way he did to the Spain businessman Jacob Juma who was murdered in a suspected State execution.
Before his execution, Jacob Juma had transformed into an anti-corruption crusader who vehemently insisted and accused the DP of being a corrupt figure and pointed fingers at him for plotting to execute him over his vocal stand against him. It will be interesting to watch of the furious DP who attacked Mwangi in a TV interview as a drunkard will go ahead with the lawsuit given stakes that it holds or will chicken out.
Reacting to demands by Ruto to retract tweet and apologize, Mwangi has dared the DP to go ahead with filing a lawsuit so he can find an opportunity to defend himself in Kenyan court over his involvement in PEV which he didn’t get a chance to defend himself since the case was terminated with prosecution citing incorporation from the State and interference with the witnesses. Yebei, a key witness in Ruto’s case, has been adversely mentioned in this angle.
Mwangi has dared to go ahead with the intended lawsuit so he can defend himself against allegations in him that were publicly made by the slain businessman on plotting to kill him. In a cracking punchline through his lawyer Gitobu Imanyara, Mwangi maintains Ruto is a public servant who should stand harsh criticism going further to say the DP has no reputation to protect as the public portrays him as a corrupt and filthy figure. How this case goes we can only catch a breath and watch
President Uhuru and DP Ruto when they officially unveiled the new Jubilee Party in Kasarani
The national campaigns for 2017 elections officially kicked off on Saturday when ODM declared Raila as their unanimous Candidate for the presidential race and Jubilee Party killing affiliate parties into one in what was a glamour filled ceremony.
It was dance and jubilation at the well attended merger ceremony at Kasarani Stadium, more than forty defectors from opposition parties were unveiled and Jubilee aspirants took the platform to strengthen their bid. Billions splashed on the event that has major ssideshow of delegates complaining over unpaid alllowances and it being slashed from the promised Sh20,000 to Sh,3,000 to even worst cases delegates from rural being stranded.
Now that the party mode is off, time for a reality check. The merger coincided with coming into law legislation that restricts party hoping. Knowing the voting patterns, next elections will still remain a two horse race between now unveiled Jubilee Party and CORD. Candidates who will win the party tickets in respective strongholds during the nominations will have the upperhand in the General elections. The nominations in respective party’s strongholds doubles as the final election, Party advantage is key in the end ballot.
With affiliate parties now swalloed into one Jubilee Party, the nominations is a do or die for everyone. The Politicians pictured dancing and shouting their lungs out in not during the merger, could go into deep depression any minute. In the previous election where the coalitions left open for affiliate parties to nominate candidates individually, disgruntled aspirants took advantage and jumped into an affiliate party within their coalition after nomination spat out. This time things will be different, in the case of Jubilee, there won’t be any open affiliate party to run into, Party hoping also restricted by law. In street language they say sh*t about to get real.
Jubilee Party nominations are slotted for next year May,within the next remaining months, major fallouts and realignment should be anticipated. Candidates have to seriously consolidate and not make a guess about everything, this is no gambling, you lose out on the nominations, you wait for another shot in 2022, knowing the huge power appetite for the incumbents and new entrants, Plan Bs should or rather already in place.
Serious fallout in Jubilee strongholds, inevitable as the nominations will be a do or die foreach candidate. Take for an example Kiambu County where Kingpins Kabogo and Waititu are battling it out,Nairobi we have Sonko,Wanjiru,Sakaja,Waweru and Wamalwa both strong Jubilee aspirants fighting it out for the ticket, not unless a boardroom deal is inked to accommodate everyone, expect sizable noise.
We’re looking at a wave of independent candidates ahead of 2017 and scheming new parties cashing in on the developing events. In the last elections, Kalembe Ndile’s TIP maximised on the nominations fallout by selling certificates to disgruntled candidates.
Other possible scenerios ahead; there will be voter apathy in the general election because those defeated in nomination will not care to campaign for anyone hence their supporters will see no reason to go and vote. It will be the end of the road for many politicians especially if you have been a governor and now you lose in nomination. Expect candidates to spend heavily on the nomination. In worst case scenarios, look out for political assassinations as the last resort to remove stumbling blocks. Perhaps it now makes sense why Kabogo is moving around in an armoured car as if he’s in Afghanistan.
Expect 80% of sitting MPs,Governors to be sent home, this from historical voting patterns. Politicians faced with possible extinction and fallout in Jubilee Party but until then…ile le le yo
President Uhuru and DP William Ruto at State house after announcing the mega merger.
By Nicholas Olambo
As the distance to next year’s polls get shorter political realignments characterize every move as a preparation to emerge victorious. If the current showbiz is anything to go by then jubilee beats cord hands down. Cord is a jaundiced version of what Jubilee is now.
The electorate is being blinded by the flashy style of the ruling coalition but is the move really to unite the country? If you ask me, I will tell you no. The political outfits in this country are tribal just like the voting patterns.
If ODM for instance is still regarded as a Luo party despite having numerous elected leaders across the country from, Nyanza, Nairobi, North Eastern, Rift Valley and Coast. The mega merger of jubilee coalition’s affiliate parties is nothing different from what it was before; the idea is still based on the ‘tyranny of the numbers’ myth. In fact nothing has changed, and despite the showbiz, status quo will still remain in voting patterns.
From 2002 parties that win elections in this country don’t reach the next elections before camouflaging into a different thing. Kibaki came into power with NARC ticket but later changed into PNU to defend his seat in 2007 then threw PNU away after ‘winning’the disputed polls. PNU was formed to neutralize NARC which was a coalition of many parties and definitely had many demands, all of which President Kibaki could not meet.
The likes of Noah Wekesa kept disturbing Kibaki to have their pre-poll promises met but when the party was changed promises were forgotten with the old party.
The same is the case here; President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto cannot meet all demands by different affiliate parties that made Jubilee coalition. This move therefore is to neutralize coalition partners and their demands. The baggage cannot be carried into the next term or as he leads. It’s a Macheavillian tactic: you must destroy those who helped you get the power. ‘Men should either be generously treated or destroyed, because they revenge for slight injuries – for heavy ones they cannot’.
Neutralization is the best and silent way of destroying the affiliate parties that helped Kenyatta ascend to power in 2013. Power is not about groups or movements if you ask me, power is about individuals. Kibaki tried it by reducing Raila Odinga to a mere roads minister in 2003 but failed, Odinga became his fierce rival in 2007 polls. The affiliate partners of jubilee also know how they rank in terms of party strength from top to the bottom.
It’s all rosy, hype and showbiz at the moment but things will unravel in the aftermath of 2017 polls. Severe injuries will be realized, Uhuru may choose to support Ruto or not and party will not be of significance after winning re-election. Kibaki had no use of PNU after his controversial re-election. History repeats itself and its right before the eyes of the electorate.
The ruling coalition Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) will be transformed into Jubilee Party (JP) in a three-day event to be held in Kasarani as they renew and plot to intensify campaigns to retain power in the next election.
The transformation and solidifying the coalition by merging all the parties to one Jubilee Party will entail amending the party’s name, change officials, symbol, slogan and colour, rules and regulations.
Plans have taken top gear as organizers tip the event will be a hit. From reports Kenya Insights is getting, the three days events with expected over 10,000 delegates drawn from across the country will be flanked with a ray of musicians both local and international.
The event that will kick off from the 8th September and go through till 10th will see additional of estimated 100,000 people attending the launch besides the delegates.
It is expected that close to Sh500 million will be spent in the event. The expenditure will include facilitation of the delegates for food and accommodation, payment for international guests from the various parties across the globe and the artists.
Banners with the party colours, T-shirts, caps, decoration for the parties’ events and the eventual final convention are also expected to take up much of the funds. Uhuru and Deputy will be the chief guests.
Costs will also include live broadcast of the event across major channels in Kenya and also intensified social media campaigns.
The event is only comparable to the inauguration of President Uhuru in 2013 that saw millions off taxpayers being spent on it. Here’s a breakdown of the Uhuru’s inauguration budget.
1. Sh50 million was spent on hospitality for President Kenyatta and retired President Kibaki.
2. Sh10 million for gifts which were given to retired President Mwai Kibaki.
3. Sh10 million on a State luncheon attended by 1,000 people. A plate of food was going for Sh5,000. The rest of the money went to hiring of tents (Sh5 million), flowers (Sh100,000) and soft drinks (Sh100,000).
4. Sh850,000 paid the Ministry of Public Works to mark Kasarani grounds in readiness for the event.
5. Sh14.6 million was spent on accommodation of 10 Heads of State who attended the event despite some travelling to their respective countries the same day.
6. Sh5 million spent to hire vehicles to transport leaders. Each leader was allocated three vehicles.
7. Sh6.7 million spent on paying traditional dancers from counties, gospel singers and bands and for entertainment during the State Luncheon.
8. Sh957,000 was paid to traditional dancers who entertained guests during their arrival and departure.
9. Sh7.2 million spent on a legal committee. In the budget, there is research and drafting of legal documents (hiring of legal experts) for election purposes .
10. Sh6 million spent on printing of oaths used for swearing in President Uhuru and Deputy President Ruto.
11. Sh1 million for producing portraits for President Kenyatta.
12. Sh50,000 for producing portraits for Deputy President Ruto.
Francis Kimemia prepared a budget of Sh1.2 billion, which then Treasury PS Joseph Kinyua slashed to Sh279 million. There was also a separate budget of Sh64 million which was funded by the Judiciary, bringing the total cost of the ceremony to Sh374 million.
Its unclear but we can predict who will foot the Sh500M bill for the JP launch. Talking of Uhuru’s inauguration there’s still cries from sections of Kenya musicians who performed at the event that they were shortchanged and never paid. The Statehouse entertainment cartel led by Big Ted is keen on maximizing gains on this launch just like the rest that have past.
The United State’s Secretary of States was in the Country from 22nd August meeting with the President, opposition and sections of the Civil Society. The need to improve business relations, boost counter-terrorism measures, increased corruption in the government, a highrise in drug trafficking to the US from Kenya and stabilise the region from civil war are the key reasons Kerry was in town.
While the President was hosting Kerry in Statehouse, Nairobi, his counterpart DP Ruto was forced to change his plans last minute by travelling to Mombasa. According to a diplomatic source talking to Kenya Insights, Kerry had given clear instructions to the protocol handlers and the US Ambassador that they must ensure the DP doesn’t get anywhere close to him given his reputation.
US Secretary of State John Kerry (back to camera centre) when he met Opposition chiefs led by Cord principal Raila Odinga in Nairobi on August 22, 2016. Mr Odinga was accompanied by his co-principals, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Moses Wetang’ula, Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi and Narc Kenya’s Martha Karua.
On giving his conditions, Statehouse was told were forced to find a quick way to hide the dark cloud hanging and to avoid embarrassment, decided that instead, Ruto tour Mombasa where the President was scheduled to travel in the next days.
According to the source confiding in Kenya Insights, the Secretary of State, didn’t want to be pictured or see near him the DP citing his corruption links, “the DP is named in most if not all graft cases and the boss didn’t want to get close to him and ordered that we ensure he’s kept as far away from him at all costs.”
This was a last minute communication prompting the unplanned trip by the DP who went on an extensive Coast tour ahead of Kerry’s visit in a strategic move to dupe the sceptical public. This isn’t the first time protocol was having hitches when the US President Obama visited Kenya last year, and there were speculations that DP was ordered to keep away and had to take the intervention of the President who insisted Ruto had to be on the table and delegation receiving and seeing him off.
Ruto’s impromptu visit to Coast coincided with Mr Odinga’s starts his tour in Taita-Taveta County on Wednesday. President Uhuru was slotted to visit Mombasa on Thursday to open a Law Society of Kenya conference.
With the Langata Primary School’s land-grabbing attempt still fresh in many people’s minds; memories of innocent school children getting teargassed by the police still vivid, the school has been hit yet another blow from the same hotel.
While National Land Commission promised it would investigate how the hotel acquired the land next to Wilson Airport, like many of the files that Swazuri has sat on after getting his hands oiled, the wait will be much longer. Swazuri, the NLC boss, is in the middle of all illegal land exchanges.
Moles at NLC tell Kenya Insights that Mzee is a darling to land grabbing cartels. His role in the USIU and Eastleigh market land grab hasn’t been forgotten.
Moving on; There is fresh controversy surrounding Deputy President William Ruto’s Weston Hotel after the management allegedly pushed for the relocation of a bus terminus and closure of an intersection on Lang’ata Road to create space. Now, the bus terminus next to the hotel, commonly referred to as The Hague, has allegedly been closed, and motorists are forced to drive up to the T-Mall roundabout and turn back before driving to Wilson Airport.
The terminus has been moved closer to Lang’ata Road Primary School, near classrooms and the main gate. Motorists leaving the airport have to drive past the flyover and use an intersection opposite the gate of the school to get to town.
Moving the stage to the school’s gate puts the lives of the school kids in danger exposing them to accidents besides the hooting and music banging buses will cause major noise pollution. Being next to the classrooms, concentration in class amongst these pupils is most likely to be affected. Last year, Weston Hotel attempted to grab playing ground of the school to expand their parking lot.
Kenya National Highways Authority who approved this shift is another body vulnerable to manipulation, a typical Kenyan authority that with few coins the corrupt officials will kick to space decent grades and bend rules. Taj Mall was spared from demolition after the same body redesigned Outering Road expansion plan to leave out the Sh.5B building on instructions from high places and after millions bribery.
DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn assaulting a policewoman
For a better part of Friday, the internet went berserk following the surfacing of a coral video showing Congolese Lingala star Koffi Olumide reigning on one of his female dancers with kicks. The assaulting video grasped the internet, elicited anger with users unanimously calling for his arrest and immediate deportation.
The pressure was coming from all corners that the police has no option but to jump in. Koffi was arrested outside Citizen TV’S studios where he had attended an interview show. Later detained at JKIA police station where he spent the night. Olomide has since been deported from the country with double tragedy of permanent visa ban.
Kenyans have a peculiar habit of forgetting things as soon as they relegate from the trends. The impunity forces are aware and take advantage of the this. Earlier this year, DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn was caught on tape assaulting a policewoman.
Expectedly, the video drew hostile reaction accompanied with #DeportRutoPilot, and he was taken to courts, and before we knew it, the chap was back in the skies with the same chopper under the same company.
DP Ruto’s Pilot, Mr Alistair Patrick Llewelyn(Middle) as seen back in action with him his client Lawyer Donal Kipkorir. Notice the registration of the chopper remains the same. (Pic Courtesy)
Kwale Island Development Limited, who run the helicopter 5Y-DSN, said they had terminated the services of Mr Llewelyn whom they had contracted, but they lied. Knowing nature of Kenyans, they duped us with PR statement that he was fired, bought time and sneaked him right back.
Olomide, as some have argued, didn’t survive not because Kenya has strict moral policies but because he didn’t have powerful connections in the government to cushion him. Wenjie Li a Chinese millionaire doing business in Kenya also a declared illegal immigrant by an office of the president is a good example. According to an expose done by Nyakundi, the illegal immigrant is receiving protection from aides to Interior CD Joseph Nkaiseery. The expose would later see the blogger getting police summon and arrest.
What’s so exceptional about Wenjie Li that he can’t be deported with the glaring facts that he’s in the country illegally. The culture of impunity is deeply rooted in the system, and you can nearly get away with anything as long as you have money and know people who know people. If we’re sincere in securing our borders and abiding by the law, then Wenjie Li and any other illegal immigrant should be bundled out of the country.
In 2008, Nakumatt Chain Stores woke up to a rude shock when their Thika Road unit was brought down with all their goods inside. They lost billions in the demolition exercise. The store stood on the road reserve, and constructors were making way for the Thika Superhighway construction.
In 2013, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) wrote to the National Lands Commission(NLC) to investigate the legality of the section of land where Taj Mall sits. September 2015, NLC in a letter to Ramesh Gorasia, the Taj Mall owner, revoked the title of part of the land on which the mall sits. It had been earmarked for demolition to pave the way for Outering Road expansion.
In an unusual move, Lands ministry quickly revoked the NLC’s directive on the mall’s title deed stating that it can only be revoked by court’s order. This gave Ramesh a reprieve. Taj Mall sits at the roundabout of Outer Ring Road, North Airport Road and Airport South Rd.
With a street value of $5M or Sh.5B, the mall’s owner Gorasia couldn’t stomach the thought of losing this valuable property and threatened to sue the government for compensation were they to effect the demolition order.
Taj Mall owner Ramesh Gorasia speaking to the media
The history of the 3.7acres piece of land where the mall sits goes back to 1991 when Gorasia bought the first phase 1.75 acres and another two acres in 1995, both from Abuja Ltd before joining the two parcels. He bought this land when Former President Moi was still in power and irregularities in lands acquisitions were at an all time high.
From what Kenya Insights gathers, Moi personally facilitated the sale of the property to Gorasia whom you can bet exchanged unknown amounts in return for the favours. The then Lands Commissioner Wilson Gachanja on instructions from Moi issued him with the title deed. The issuance was done in the presence of then deputy principal registrar of titles J M Okungu.
Faced with the horrible possibility that his Sh.5B mall would be brought down, Gorasia went on tears mode lamenting he was having problems even repaying the Pan African mortgage. He claimed Shelter Afrique loan was still withstanding. He also disclosed that he had other loans at Fidelity and Standard Chartered banks and an overdraft facility at Diamond Trust Bank.
However, her sympathy seeking please seemed to have fallen on dead ears, and KURA maintained the order and mall remained marked for demolition. Miraculously, in January earlier this year when the demolition was only weeks to be brought down, a change of tone signalled from the National Lands Commission. NLC Chairman Dr Mohammed Swazuri retracted earlier stand saying the Taj Mall property would remain unscathed.
Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) overhauled everything, the road structure and map was redesigned. In this new fishy development, Taj Mall was left out of the Outering Road expansion plan. Unluckily, bordering Oil Libya in Embakasi, Safeway Supermarket, Jogoo Petrol Station in Outering and Gulf Energy among others, were gazetted for demolition.
Deputy President William Ruto
The question in many people’s minds is how this could have possibly happened given the known pattern of the apparent demolition of earmarked structures on road reserves. Any sharp eye would see or even sense something unusual was cooking beneath the scenes.
Now Kenya Insights can authoritatively reveal that Deputy President William Ruto had a secret hand in saving the Sh.5B structure from being brought down. A highly rated lawyer privy to the details of the deal confided to us that Ruto got into a blurry detailed deal with the Taj Mall proprietor Gorasia.
Even though our source speaking on strict anonymity conditions tactically withheld finer details into the nature of the agreement between the two, he affirms, “they entered into a contract, and you can leave it at that, it was. As a result, KURA was forced to redesign the road. This alone tells you executive influence had to come in. It’s not on a typical day that a road plan is changed for a small building.”
Like most of such alike deals, it is nearly impossible to link him directly as an art of proxy reigns. The DP is not a surprise guest in property and lands turmoils. His Weston Hotel along Langata Road sits on a contested land piece said to be a property of Kenya Airports Authority and was accused of being the unseen face behind the private developers who had plotted to grab a piece of Langata Primary School playing ground to create a parking lot for the suffocated Weston Hotel.
The Jubilee Alliance Party has dealt a blow in Deputy President William Ruto’s backyard after it failed to win the Nyangores Ward by-election in Bomet County.
The win by the People’s Patriotic Party of Kenya (PPK) candidate is a blow to the Deputy President William Ruto, who has been involved in power struggles with the Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto, especially after the latter declined to support JAP.
PPK’s candidate Andrew Maritim, with the backing of Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, won with 4,853 votes against Richard Kipkorir’s (JAP) 2,314 and Benard Terer’s 56 votes, he represents CCP.
Turn out stood at 71%.
JAP is the party William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta will be seeking re-election in 2017. The leaders have been urging former members of the URP and the President’s TNA to join the new vehicle to consolidate nationwide support and boost their chances of being re-elected.
Wiper wins in Masongaleni Ward
Elsewhere in Masongaleni Ward, Wiper candidate Philip Kisangai won with 1,952, Florence Kasiku of The Independence Party (Tip) secured 1,239 votes, Muungano’s Dominic Mutote had 1,036 votes, Richard Kasyoki of CCU garnered 894 votes and LPK’s Charles Kioko trailed with 205 votes.
