Keep The Faith: Era Of Broad-Based Cabinet Begins

Welcome to a sporty episode of 'Spill The Tea' where this week, we kept the Faith.

President William Ruto finally constituted his new and broad-based Cabinet. Plus amidst 'Nane Nane' protests, a major TV station closed down for the first time. Keep reading to find out

On Episode 23:

1. Faith Kipyegon & Night Of Drama At 2024 Olympics
2. End Of KTN News [THE SCOOP]
3. Ruto’s Broad-Based Cabinet...Minus One!
4. Police At Jimi Wanjigi’s House

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Faith Kipyegon & Night Of Drama At 2024 Olympics

We begin at Paris, France where what looked like a medal-winning moment for Team Kenya on Monday night introduced a chain of events that no one was prepared for...not even us.

After a dismal first week, Kenya's Beatrice Chebet ended the country's wait for a medal in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, winning gold in the women's 5000m final.

Chebet on Monday, August 5 won at a time of 14:28.56, beating her fellow countrywoman, Faith Kipyegon, who finished second. However, a controversial incident saw Kipyegon disqualified, denying Kenya a 1-2 finish.

Kipyegon lost the silver medal to immediate defending champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands. This is after she was accused of pushing Ethiopia's Tsegay Gudaf.

How Did This Happen?

The world silver medallist saved the best for last in what was an ill-tempered race that had a quality field.

With all eyes on Kipyegon, world record holder Guday Tsegay of Ethiopia and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, Chebet ran without pressure and waited for the right opportunity to go for the kill.

Hassan briefly surged forward before retreating while Ethiopian runners also took the lead after which Kipyegon raced ahead.

There was a moment of worry when the world champion was boxed in and had a go at Tsegay with two laps to go. She then sprinted forward after the bell and it appeared she was set to claim gold.

However, Chebet kept pace with her and in the final 60m, the double world cross-country champion went past Kipyegon to claim her first Olympics title and the first gold for Kenya at the 2024 Games.

Chebet clocked 14:28.56 as Kipeygon finished second but there would be a further shocker for her as she was disqualified with Hassan elevated to second place in 14.30.61 while Italian Nadia Battocletti was awarded a bronze medal.

It was not immediately clear why Kipyegon was disqualified but it appeared that her altercation on the track could have led to the shocking decision with obstruction cited as the main reason.

The Appeal

This kept the country awake the whole night. Just moments after the disqualification, Team Kenya right away appealed the decision, the ruling taking longer than expected and even leading to a post-race press conference being put on hold.

Then, Kenya had the last laugh as the Athletics powerhouse successfully won Faith Kipyegon’s silver medal appeal.

Kipyegon, who crossed the line second after being outsprinted by compatriot Beatrice Chebet with 50 meters to go, had been disqualified for obstruction with her medal given to Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands while Italian Nadia Battocletti was elevated to fourth.

The Reaction

An emotional Kipyegon disappointingly learnt of her disqualification on her way to the media mixed zone, lamenting Ethiopia’s Tsegay’s unsporting behaviour after the two big wigs tussled with two laps to go.

“I am disappointed with what has just happened, I am told I was disqualified, and I have no idea why…I do not know what happened,” an emotional Kipyegon said.

She added, “What happened between me and Gudaf is that I was in front and she was trying to overtake me, but I told her that she would push me outside the lane, but she kept on pushing and was wondering where was I to run to? We hope for the best after the appeal.”

With tempers still flaring, Kipyegon burst into tears walking past the vast media mixed zone as Team Kenya technical officials lodged an appeal that took more than 30 minutes to successfully go through.

Team-mates, newly crowned Olympic champion Chebet and Margaret Chelimo said Gudaf deserved to be punished and not Kipyegon since she is the one who shoved the double Olympic champion in 1500m.

“There was some shoving with two laps to go because everyone wanted to go in front, but Gudaf was elbowing us…so it was not easy. Although I did not get a medal, I am happy for Faith and Beatrice,” Chelimo revealed.

For the newly crowned Olympic champion Chebet, she said, ” The mistake was not Faith’s it was Gudaf’s. I was behind them… Faith was in the first lane and the Ethiopian was trying to go there, so Faith had to tell her not to shove her, so she (Faith) was trying to balance not go out of the lane,” Chebet, who is the 10,000m world record holder said.

Aftermath

Early Tuesday morning, social media platforms were abuzz with messages of encouragement and admiration for the runner's steadfastness in the face of adversity. The community support seemed to have bolstered her spirits, providing her with renewed energy to compete in her signature event, the 1500m, where she is the defending champion.

The following day, she got past the heats and as of Thursday, August 8, she breezed through the semi-final into the final set for Saturday.

"To be honest, I feel tired after last night but I am feeling good. This is a different race and my traditional race. My focus is fully on making Kenyans proud. I have no comment after yesterday as it was hard. This is sport and I am Faith, I’ve always participated fairly and all in all, I am now focused on 1500m. I have to keep going, It will be beautiful," Kipyegon stated.

She now seeks to do what no woman has ever done in the 1500m...win three successive Olympic gold medals. We're keeping the Faith!

End Of KTN News [THE SCOOP]

On a dramatic Monday in our digital newsroom, we received a tip from insiders at the Standard Group Limited...that both KTN News and KTN Farmers TV had gone off air.

We did a spot check on the former's live broadcast and found out that even though its 1.00 pm news bulletin ran without interference on Monday, August 5, the rest of it was completely different from the 24-hour news cycle that was synonymous with the TV station.

Instead, the KTN News logo featured at the top left-hand side of your screen has a logo of KTN Home. Established as Kenya's first private, independent TV station, KTN Home has over the years built a strong reputation for bold, objective and exciting entertainment.

A quick check on its social media platforms showed no snippet videos from its live broadcast shared, the last one posted at 10.19 pm on Sunday, August 4. We learnt that KTN News had indeed gone off air yesterday.

Insiders privy to the matter confirmed that both KTN News and KTN Farmers TV have now been merged with KTN Home, amidst perceived plans to do away with the news channel completely.

Rebranding

Two years ago, KTN News rebranded with a new station identity, including a new logo, look and feel to ensure it speaks to the brand’s value of ‘Setting the standard in journalism to make the news count’, and changing the look and feel to bring in vibrancy. This was a change from its red and blue logo.

KTN News History

Since its launch in 2015, KTN News has been the number one 24-hour news channel in Kenya and has been associated with current events and affairs facing Kenya.

It has been mostly news, updates and stories coverage and was one of the fastest-growing TV stations in Kenya. It had content that included sports, documentaries and investigative series, notably including Jicho Pevu and Inside Story as well as hard-hitting, exclusive interviews.

Then CEO, Sam Shollei, said KTN would break new ground in TV programming because it would give Kenyans a variety of news channels to watch. Indeed, it has broken new ground, covering news and analysis round the clock, but found it hard to break even.

It also offered Standard Group an alternative channel for live broadcasts as KTN Home maintained normal programming. KTN News has been broadcasting in both English and Kiswahili.

KTN Farmers TV was a 24-hour TV channel specialising in agricultural content through feature documentaries, news, demonstration videos and talk shows.

This switching off of the TV stations comes almost a week after Standard Group announced its intention to declare over 300 employees across various departments redundant.

Reactions & Implications

Most of the KTN News employees have since been let go, except a few who have been absorbed by KTN Home in its various departments. The closure of KTN News marked the beginning of a restructuring of the media company’s operations away from retrenching staff.

Cutting off KTN News, with other operations in radio and TV expected to follow, is hoped to make Standard leaner and agile enough to recover from its current financial mess.

Standard Group announced Marion Gathoga-Mwangi as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on July 4. Ms Mwangi took over from Joe Munene who has held the position on interim since July 6, 2023, after Orlando Lyomu left. Other TV stations likely to be closed include KTN Burudani, with a focus also on the Spice FM and Vybez radio stations.

As the media industry continues to evolve, the shutdown of these channels highlights the ongoing challenges faced by news organisations in balancing financial sustainability with their role in public information dissemination.

Ruto’s Broad-Based Cabinet...Minus One!

They were approved by Parliament after vetting, appointed by President Ruto and sworn in during an elaborate ceremony at State House. 19 Cabinet Secretaries, four of whom came from the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, have assumed office.

The Head of State gazetted the appointment of the CSs late on Wednesday, August 7, thus formally appointing them to serve in his broad-based Cabinet.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 152 (2) of the Constitution, I, William Samoci Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint [the following] to be Cabinet Secretaries of the Government of the Republic of Kenya," the gazetted notice read in part.

Among those formally appointed now include Kithure Kindiki (Interior), Debra Barasa (Health) Alice Wahome (Lands), Julius Migos Ogamba (Education), Soipan Tuya (Defence), Andrew Mwihia Karanja (Agriculture), Aden Duale (Environment), Eric Mugaa (Water), Davis Chirchir (Roads) and Margaret Ndung'u (ICT).

Others were John Mbadi (Treasury) Salim Mvurya (Trade), Rebecca Miano (Tourism), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports), Hassan Joho (Mining), Alfred Mutua (Labour), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives) and Justin Muturi (Public Service).

Lang'at Rejected

However, the nomination of Stella Lang’at for the Gender Ministry docket was rejected, a headline in the developments. In a 243-page report, the National Assembly Committee on Appointments revealed that Lang'at had failed to demonstrate adequate knowledge of topical, administrative and technical issues touching on the portfolio to which she had been nominated.

Furthermore, Lang'at was revealed to have lacked the requisite abilities and qualities to be approved for appointment to the highly publicized docket.

The rejection was also informed by deep concerns regarding her suitability for the role, with frequent job transitions also playing a part in a perceived lack of in-depth understanding of the gender docket she was nominated to run.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, in representation of the views of the committee, further cited Lang'at’s career trajectory consisting of multiple short-term roles, thus her failure to demonstrate the stability and strategic vision necessary for a high-level ministerial position.

The committee's report was in agreement with Ichung'wah's findings that Lang'at's wielding of experience in roles that range from Director of Administration at the State Department of Housing and Urban Development to Senior Deputy County Commissioner in Nyamira rendered her unfit to take the helm of the Gender Ministry.

“The result of this frequent role-switching is a lack of grounding in any one area of leadership,” Ichung’wa elaborated, adding “Moreover, the nominee struggled to demonstrate an adequate understanding of the administrative and technical issues crucial to the ministry she was set to oversee.”

President Ruto will have to nominate another individual to the CS post for the Gender Ministry to replace Aisha Jumwa who spearheaded the Ministry before she was dismissed on July 11, along with 21 CSs when the Head of State dissolved his entire Cabinet 27 days ago.

Swearing In

On August 8, President Ruto put his newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries on their toes during their swearing-in ceremony at State House, Nairobi, emphasising the importance of integrity, efficiency, and transparency in their service to the nation.

Almost a month after disbanding his Cabinet following nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024, Ruto reconstituted his Cabinet on a broad-based government approach, bringing together familiar and new faces as well as individuals who have been prominent in the opposition.

During his address, Ruto assured the new CSs of their full support in discharging their mandates and executing a reimagined and catalysed transformation agenda.

However, he urged them to work with him in doing the right thing, noting that by doing so, they would collectively ensure success, warning this time round that his support for the cabinet would end if it conflicted with his accountability to the public.

"I have already given my undertaking to be the foremost steward of public resources and embraced my accountability for its proper use. Therefore, it is important to make it clear that my support for you ends if it conflicts with my accountability to the people of Kenya. Let us therefore work together in doing the right thing, and we shall be assured of success," he stated.

He called on the CSs to focus on service delivery and put Kenyans first in discharging their mandate.

"I urge you, therefore, to go forth and from this day, focus on delivery, and dedicate your time and effort to the implementation of the various strategies, programmes, and projects that the nation’s transformation demands. I encourage you to make the people of Kenya your first and only priority and to never let your own interests come in the way of your duties," he stated.

The reconstitution of Ruto's Cabinet was in line with demands by the Gen Zs who have been staging protests for the better part of two months. Now, all eyes will be on the new CSs in delivering their mandate.

Police At Jimi Wanjigi’s House

While all eyes were on the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) during the 'Nane Nane' protests, something was cooking in Muthaiga...

Businessman Jimi Wanjigi’s residence in the lush neighbourhood of Muthaiga Estate in Nairobi on Thursday, August 8 was turned into a dramatic scene as a contingent of police officers surrounded the residence in what he claimed was a raid.

Police cordoned off his residence with yellow tape reading 'CRIME SCENE, DO NOT CROSS' as a means of deterring people from interfering with crime scenes.

Clips shared by the businessman showed police officers in full combat gear at the gate of his residence. A live broadcast by Citizen TV showed the police conducting a search on a Toyota Land Cruiser TX vehicle outside the business mogul’s home.

According to witnesses, a suspicious vehicle came speeding and parked right outside the gate to Wanjigi’s home, after which the occupants disembarked and went inside the compound.

The officers, alongside a forensics team from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), were also spotted screening items from the vehicle including a walkie-talkie, a pair of binoculars, a bottle of water and assorted electronic items.

“The police have decided to raid my home,” the renowned businessman stated.

The businessman reported that the police were demanding entry into his home, a move he believed was an uncalled-for invasion.

According to reports, Wanjigi was allegedly spotted along Limuru Road earlier in the day, accompanied by a group of individuals and supposedly dishing out money.

Authorities claimed that when they tried to arrest him, he fled and with police hot on his heels, he vanished into Karura Forest, accusations Wanjigi denied.

The businessman condemned the raid as a blatant act of harassment, suggesting that the authorities were attempting to intimidate him due to his political stance.

His Son & Family Lawyer Speak

Speaking to reporters, Maina Wanjigi, Jimi's son, expressed his disappointment at the events but revealed that he was not surprised.

“It is not shocking; it is not the first time we’ve been raided. It seems whenever we are a threat to them, they decide to raid us. But this is all in the spirit of political freedom. Why is it that when you express an opinion against the government, you have to be victimized like this?” Maina lamented.

The family's lawyer, Nelson Osiemo, condemned the police action as a witch hunt, saying “It is just police harassment, he has faced this before so we are prepared for any eventuality. I believe this is all politics."

“I arrived 10 minutes ago, and they have not told me anything. They are still doing their work. I asked where the vehicle was taken, and they said Central Police Station,” he added.

When questioned about whether the police action was connected to the ongoing Nane Nane protests, Osiemo could not confirm as the police had not formally charged Wanjigi. He stated that he would address the media once the police filed charges against his client.

“We are waiting to see. We are giving them time to clear here, then we will go see them at the police station. We want to understand what the OB being written is so that we can address you (the media) about why they have taken that vehicle away,” Osiemo added.

Recap

This incident is not the first time Wanjigi’s properties have been the focus of police attention. In January 2022, heavily armed officers stormed his Westlands office in a similar raid. The most infamous episode occurred in October 2017 when his Muthaiga home was besieged by police, leading to a dramatic standoff that saw opposition leader Raila Odinga and his allies camp outside his home in solidarity.

During the 2017 raid, police claimed to have recovered five AK-47 rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition from Wanjigi’s residence. However, attempts to arrest him were unsuccessful as he managed to evade capture. The businessman was later accused of being involved in the illegal importation of firearms, allegations that he has consistently denied.

Police's Side Of The Story

Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli on Thursday, August 8 called upon the former Presidential Aspirant to surrender himself to any police station, linking him to the 'Nane Nane' demonstrations.

While addressing the press, Masengeli revealed that Wanjigi was wanted by the police to record a statement after several items linked to criminals believed to have infiltrated the Nane Nane protests were recovered from his car.

“As we informed the public yesterday, our intelligence had indicated that there were security threats to our country with criminals who had planned to infiltrate today’s demonstrations and cause havoc,” Masengeli stated.

“We wish to inform the public that today we intercepted a personal motor vehicle in Muthaiga at the residence of Jimi Wanjigi. In the vehicle, we recovered four teargas canisters, two Motorola gadgets, seven assorted chargers for the pocket phones and one mobile phone. There is one arrest that has happened."

Masengeli however revealed that another motor vehicle managed to enter Jimi Wanjigi’s compound, with police unable to intercept it as the gate was immediately closed after it managed to sneak in.

He emphasized that investigations were still ongoing, with officers on the ground working to uncover further details. Last night, the police managed to break into his home.

Here are other stories that we served hot for you this week:

1. The dream for Kenyan passengers enjoying internet connections during their flights is set to become reality after national airline Kenya Airways on Monday, August 5 signed a strategic partnership with leading telecommunications provider, Safaricom PLC . Among the perks offered by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is in-flight WiFi, which is set to be introduced to KQ passengers for the very first time.
2. The Kenya High Commission in the United Kingdom (UK) announced that it was closely monitoring ongoing social unrest across major cities in the country. This is as the UK continues to grapple with its most severe riots in over 10 years, which began after a 17-year-old with a knife attacked a children's dance class in the seaside town of Southport, near Liverpool. Three children were killed and eight injured in the attack, but before the suspect's identity was confirmed, false claims circulated online that he was a Muslim asylum seeker in the UK. The rumours led to thousands of UK residents taking to the streets, some shouting anti-immigration and Islamophobic slogans.
3. Content creators on Facebook will now be able to earn money from the platform after Meta on Tuesday, August 6 announced the roll-out of in-stream Ads and Ads on reels. Read more to find out how you can earn from this initiative.
4. On Wednesday, August 7, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) unveiled changes to the Kenyan banknotes affecting denominations from Ksh50 up to Ksh1,000. They come with new features such as the signatures of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Dr Kamau Thugge, and that of the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury, Dr Chris Kiptoo and the year of print - 2024, with new security threads with colour-changing effects that are specific to each denomination.
5. A new bill is set to give the National Treasury powers to determine the cost of essential goods which include eight basic food products, following the trend it does on fuel products including super petrol, diesel, and Kerosene. The Senate introduced the Price Control (Essential Goods) (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which aims to regulate the price of essential commodities and ensure that Kenyans afford the products, including those with a low income. The proposal wants the Treasury Cabinet Secretary to be accorded power to determine the minimum and maximum retail prices of the products.
6. Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza was impeached for the third time by the Meru County Assembly. On Thursday, August 8, MCAs voted to impeach her on charges of abuse of office, gross misconduct and gross violation of the Constitution and other laws. 40 out of 69 members of the county assembly voted in favour of the impeachment motion tabled by Deputy Majority Party Leader Zipporah Kinya, meeting the two-thirds threshold. Another 17 voted against the impeachment motion, while three did not vote.

News Graphic Of The Week

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