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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• Heads Up: Kenya is set to hold a social event to celebrate Haiti's culture on August 24, 2024. This is attributed to an initiative by the Government of Kenya, through the State Department for Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with the Africa for Haiti (A4H) Initiative.

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.

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On Episode 22:

1. The Grilling- What Ruto’s CS Nominees Said
2. Invasion At UDA Party
3. Standard Group Shedding 300 Jobs
4. Size 8 Dumps DJ Mo

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The Grilling- What Ruto’s CS Nominees Said

On July 24, President William Ruto nominated the second batch of Cabinet Secretaries in his broad-based Cabinet. On Thursday, August 1, they faced the National Assembly Appointments Committee.

Let's take a look at the first 5:

Kithure Kindiki

In what would set the tone for eyebrows to be raised regarding recalled CS nominees, Kithure Kindiki, nominated for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, revealed that his net worth rose by Ksh 150 million in the 21 months he has been in government.

According to Kindiki, his net worth has risen from Ksh544 million in 2022 to Ksh694 million at the current vetting.

Under intense examination by the Committee, chaired by Speaker Moses Wetangula, Kindiki was thrust into the spotlight once again at a time when demands for rigorous investigations into the financial dealings of public figures are at an all-time high.

As he faced questioning from the committee, Kindiki was adamant that his wealth increase was attributable to his legal practice and not to any government dealings.

“The increase in my net worth comes primarily from my law practice. I have not engaged in any business with the government or applied for any tenders directly or indirectly,” he declared.

The nominee explained that a substantial portion of the rise in his net worth followed the settlement of a long-standing debt by a client of his legal firm, a notable development that contributed to the substantial leap in his wealth.

He maintained that his financial gains are exclusively derived from his legal fees and consulting work. “None of my wealth has come from public funds except my official salary and allowances,” Kindiki emphasised.

Back in 2022, during his previous vetting, Kindiki had stated that his net worth of Ksh544 million was comprised of land and buildings valued at approximately Ksh165 million, along with bank deposits and investments in shares and various savings cooperatives amounting to around Ksh50 million.

What He Promised When Appointed

Kindiki revealed details of new and drafted Public Order Act regulations that will compel organisers of protests to declare the exact number of people expected to attend demonstrations. He disclosed that he was waiting for Cabinet approval regarding the drafted Act before presenting it to Parliament, before his dismissal when President Ruto dissolved his Cabinet on July 11.

The drafted Act would make protesters declare the exact number of expected participants to help in security planning purposes. If approved, Prof Kindiki said, the regulations will provide clear guidelines on how demonstrations should be conducted to ensure that both police and protesters abide by the Constitution.

Furthermore, Kindiki noted that the proposed rules will clearly outline the role and conduct of the police, while protesters will be required to declare the exact number of those who will be demonstrating for security purposes.

Prof Kindiki also told MPs that the regulations would require all public institutions to designate places where members of the public can picket and even present their petitions to ensure that the rest of the public who do not participate in the protests are not inconvenienced.

Passport Headache

At the same time, he postponed the promised reduction in passport processing times from three days to November 1, 2024, a massive blow to Kenyans who had eagerly anticipated swift passport services.

Initially set for September 1, 2024, the new timeline comes as a blow to many who had anticipated a quicker turnaround. Already, at the moment, passports are being processed within seven days, according to Kindiki.

"We have successfully addressed the previous backlog, which once peaked at 784,000. Today, there are no outstanding applications," Kindiki assured the committee. The ministry now processes passports within a week, according to the new schedule.

Kindiki added, “We are issuing passports within seven days.”

The original promise, made in April 2024, was that passport applications would be processed within three days starting September 1. This was to be preceded by a three-week processing period starting May 1, with a reduction to seven days from August 1.

“The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to process all passport applications within 21 days from May 1, 2024, with the aim of reducing this to seven days by August 1, 2024, and three days by September 1, 2024,” Kindiki stated at the time.

Despite Kindiki’s pledge to meet the August 1 deadline, the State Department of Immigration is still issuing passports within a week. The Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS) has also reported that 110,059 passports remain uncollected, adding to the frustration of many applicants.

Debra Barasa

Dr Debra Mlongo Barasa, the nominee for the position of Health Cabinet Secretary, revealed that her net worth is Ksh455,845,320. While appearing before the Committee for vetting, she expounded by saying "My net worth is a combination of mine and my husband and it is Ksh455,845,320."

The nominee further stated that she is a qualified medical doctor with 18 years of experience in the medical field. She also revealed details of her family life.

"I am a wife, a mother of four lovely children and also a twin. I have vast experience in terms of policy advice, strategic direction, technical advice and clinical practice," Barasa explained.

At the same time, Barasa disclosed that she has been working with several Health Ministry focal points in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, which covers 22 countries, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), to support their infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes.

In addition, the Cabinet nominee indicated that she has been involved in global strategies and action plans, as well as the development of guidelines at the global level.

What She Promised

During the vetting, Barasa was pressed to address the matter of the doctors' strike, but she stated that she would ensure that she worked together with the doctors' unions to ensure that there would be no more strikes.

"I believe that the long-term solutions are with us. We need to work together with the unions, doctors themselves, the interns, the bodies among other stakeholders to come up with a solution," she said.

She said she did not have a solution but she proposed situational analysis to develop action plans following that, which included a doctors'/ interns' Act, and the Return to Work Formulas which need implementation with help from the Ministry of Treasury.

Alice Wahome

The Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development disclosed a significant increase in her net worth, now standing at Ksh327 million. In 2022, Wahome stated that her net worth stood at Ksh218 million. Wahome revealed that her net worth has grown by Ksh109 million in the last 21 months.

During the vetting, the controversial Land Laws (Amendment) (Number 2) Bill, 2023, which had proposed to force freehold land owners, property owners who enjoy free ownership for perpetuity and can use the land for any purpose, to pay land rent, tormented her and she was put to task regarding the proposed Bill which also targeted ancestral land intending to change to leasehold land.

The CS nominee however clarified that the proposal, which was tabled in Parliament, would have compelled her to make an appearance to deliberate on the areas that would be designated under the proposed Bill.

"The provision was saying that the Minister will be able to designate the areas which then means you designate through regulations and I would still have had to come to Parliament to allow the designated areas that we would have picked and therefore the proposal by Parliament improved the provision," she responded.

Reminder: On June 13, 2024, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah revealed that he wrote to Speaker Moses Wetangula announcing the withdrawal of the Bill.

According to the letter, Ichung'wah revealed that there was a myriad of constitutional and legal issues arising from the Bill and that the Executive arm of government had recommended the need for those issues to be addressed.

What She Promised

Wahome stressed the need to amend certain sections of the Land Act to stop land cartels in their tracks. This is in the wake of rampant land grabbing across the country.

She revealed that she was willing to take the war to the roots, accusing cartels of going to the extent of disrespecting title deeds, which are supposed to be definitive proof of land ownership.

“I am willing to take the fight to the crime scenes. These people have stolen land left, right, and centre. Government, institutions have lost land to people working within.

"I think we need to work on the amendments very quickly to the Land Act so that the minute the technical information on the land record is known to be interfered with or to have been fraudulently secured or changed, then the registrar should be able to immediately effect a cancellation,” she said.

In terms of land records, Wahome revealed that the Ministry needed up to Ksh40 billion to digitise land records under the National Land Information Management System also known as Ardhisasa.

Julius Migosi Ogamba

The Cabinet Secretary Nominee for the Ministry of Education declared his net worth at Ksh790 million, to which he revealed that the amount comprises "land, tea, trees, vehicles, farm equipment, and my law firm."

Migosi is a legal professional with over 25 years of experience and is set to lead the Ministry of Education, taking over from Ezekiel Machogu, should he be approved for appointment.

Our reporter Lindwe Danflow covered what to expect from Machogu's successor:

What He Promised

Migosi opened up on plans to ring-fence the capitation budget if approved to the docket, saying this is because education is a vital sector in the country, adding that delays in disbursing capitation funds which turn out to be inadequate hinder activities in schools.

To solve this, Migosi recommended that the ministry ought to have a discussion with the National Treasury to have capitation funds ring-fenced.

“The Ministry through Parliament can agree with the Treasury that the budget of the ministry be ring-fenced because it is a sensitive ministry. So that capitation can be released on time and in totality,”  he said.

Issues of delayed capitation this year caused some schools to close earlier than expected in the first term as principals no longer had resources to sustain the learners.

This led to the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) threatening to hold a strike in April that would cripple learning over capitation.

Migosi termed inadequate funding as the biggest problem in the education sector, saying “There is not sufficient money to cover all the programs and all the students in the country."

Furthermore, he promised to change any policies he deems to be poor the moment he is approved by Parliament for the position. He was responding to queries by MPs during his vetting who noted that newly appointed leaders have recently adopted a behaviour of undoing functional policies their predecessors had in place.

He assured that he will not change any policy in the education sector that has been functioning perfectly. “However, it is good to give room for changes in policy that are not working,” Migosi said.

He also revealed that he is hoping teachers will not hold their planned September strike over budgetary cuts that will affect their salary increments, revealing he would bring together the teachers’ unions as well as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to discuss a way forward.

He affirmed that the situation must be controlled to ensure learning is not compromised come the Third Term in September.

Soipan Tuya

The Defence Cabinet Secretary nominee revealed that she is worth Ksh243 million, a significant increase from the Ksh156 million she reported in October 2022 when she was being vetted for the Environment CS position.

"It is largely from the appreciation of assets, private business and one asset acquired within Nairobi," she told the Speaker Moses Wetangula-led committee.

In 2022, Tuya told the same committee that her assets comprised three homes based in Nairobi, Narok and another in her village. She also mentioned owning motor vehicles, apartments, plots of land and a dairy business.

What She Promised

Tuya revealed that should she be appointed, she would re-examine the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to civilian streets in line with the security status within the country. She disclosed that two options would be laid on the table; whether to extend the duration of the KDF deployment to civilian streets in light of a volatile situation as a result of the protests or to recall the military officers if normalcy resumes.

She however noted that the Gazette notice by her predecessor, Duale, which authorised the deployment of the military, is still active.

"The question on the Gazette notice deploying the KDF, it is still live and the time duration is until the normalcy is restored.

"I think it is an issue that upon confirmation is to go back and assess the situation with a view to lay the utility of whether to keep on having the deployment subsisting or to bring it to a halt given that a fair amount of normalcy actually has been restored with regard to the recent unrest in the country," she revealed.

The deployment of the military amidst the anti-Finance Bill protests was challenged by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) at the High Court which however ruled that the intervention was justified, though finding that it was clear that the public had not been fully appraised of the extent of the military involvement.

Duale on June 25 gazetted military deployment to support the National Police Service (NPS) in restoring normalcy in the country. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah thereafter tabled a motion to legally ratify the government's decision to deploy military troops on Kenyan soil.

Three days later, another Gazette notice released by Duale gave specifics of the deployment, including to all the 47 counties and the duration being unspecified, though indicating that it would continue until normalcy is restored.

Subsequent protests have seen the KDF deployed only once to patrol the streets of Nairobi, this being on June 27. The officers were thereafter not spotted on civilian streets, despite some of the protests turning violent. With more protests planned for Thursday, August 8, it could be a while until the KDF is recalled.

The rest of the CSs are set to be vetted from August 2-4. Check out our website and social media platforms for more coverage on the vetting of the nominees.

Invasion At UDA Party

On Tuesday, July 30, one Joe Khalende showed up at the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party headquarters, declared himself Secretary-General and announced that Cleophas Malala was ousted from the position.

The lawyer, during a press briefing, accused Malala of abdicating his role and his duty as the SG of the ruling party. The SG is the spokesperson of the party and is charged with communicating as well as initiating meetings on behalf of the party.

Khalende further accused Malala of dumping the party in favour of the opposition and supporting the agendas which go against the ruling party.

"He has gone against our party leader. He is at the forefront against the formation of a broad-based government. I'm here to confirm that he is no longer the Secretary General of the UDA party," Khalende announced, adding that he would take over as the SG.

"Going forward, the UDA party is going back to its members. It was formed as a people-centred party, it was not formed on an individual within the party. We were formed as UDA to ensure that if we take over power, we initiate the bottom-up economic principle, but clearly, Cleophas Malala has gone against the UDA party."

Furthermore, according to Khalende, the opportunity was ripe for UDA members to extend an olive branch to members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party "and tell them that we are welcoming them in government, they come so that we can build the government together, we lift the lives of Kenyans from the bottom going up in the plan that the President and Raila Odinga have formulated in the broad-based government."

"Going forward, anybody who will transact business, who will do business with one Cleophas Malala, he will be doing business on his own, not as the Secretary General of UDA," Khalende added.

The founding member further claimed that the party had issued Malala a show-cause letter last month on why he has persistently failed to honour the party ideals, which he failed to honour, and allegedly frustrated the process of disciplining him within the party.

"They have gone ahead with other cartels within the party to be getting fake court orders to stop the party grassroots elections. So clearly, he has been a man on the run but trying to hide his plans by frustrating the true process of ensuring that we have a good election and new leadership within the party," Khalende added.

Repercussions

Khalende was injured on Wednesday, July 31 as chaos ensued at the party headquarters along Ndong Road in Nairobi. According to videos observed by us, a group of supporters believed to be allied to Cleophas Malala invaded the party's offices along Ngong Road chanting songs in support of the former Kakamega Senator.

Police were forced to intervene to save Khalende from the wrath of the crowd, believed to have injured him during the squabbles at the offices.

Videos showed him receiving treatment after suffering a cut on his head, and he emerged from the premises with bandages wrapped around his head and his white shirt soaked in blood.

He stood to face the crowd still in song in favour of Malala after they were barred from entering the premises by police. They could be heard shouting 'tunataka Malala' as some of them carried placards with the words 'bila Malala ni taabu kubwa'.

UDA's Next Course Of Action

UDA National Chairperson Cecily Mbarire has announced that the party will have an emergency National Executive Meeting (NEC) on Friday, August 2, 2024, which will address the recent wrangles in the UDA party between Cleophas Malala and lawyer Joe Khalende.

“I wish to announce that we are going to have an emergency national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Friday to resolve the matters that have emerged in the party since yesterday. I wish to assure all our members that as the NEC we shall make sure we solve those matters in a fair and best way possible and the party will be back on its feet and we will not allow what we have seen happen to continue,” said Mbarire.

The Embu Governor also faulted Khalende for declaring himself the UDA Secretary General noting that the party has a well-laid structure on how one occupies the position.

She further faulted the hiring of goons to storm the UDA Party headquarters in Ngong Road to beat up Khalende, stating that the party believes in the rule of law and has a clear way and means of dealing with conflicts.

Standard Group Shedding 300 Jobs

The media is just another sector coming to terms with the harsh economic times which have been characterised by mass job losses. But this is a twist, the mass firings have happened to the prominent mainstream media houses almost constantly.

Barely a month after the Nation Media Group (NMG) announced mass layoffs, the Standard Group has revealed its intentions to declare redundancies. On Tuesday night, July 30, it announced that it intends to declare over 300 employees across various departments redundant.

The Mombasa Road-based media house revealed that as part of its compliance procedure, The Standard Group PLC issued a notice of Intention to declare redundancy to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection as stipulated in section 40 (1) of the Employment Act, 2007.

The media house explained that in reaching this decision, it took into consideration, the difficult operating environment and its long-drawn effect on revenue generation.

"This situation has been witnessed on the back of shifting trends in media consumption, occasioned by technological changes in the digital media landscape and emerging consumer preferences which have necessitated a rethink of our business model," the statement read in part.

"We remain confident that the reorganization of the business through restructuring will place us in good stead by adopting a leaner, more efficient structure for better performance and growth."

Standard Group added that coupled with the new leadership that is coming on board, it considers the reorganization of its business as a necessary step intended to ensure business stability and continuity in the coming months as the Group strives to sustain and enhance the quality of journalism it offers.

Next Steps

"Additionally, we shall rationalize our products to ensure that they remain aligned with the media landscape," added the statement.

Standard Group however noted that all the affected employees will be compensated as follows:

1. Payment for days worked until the date of exit.
2. Severance of pay of 15 days (or as indicated in the CBA for employees who are members of a union) for every completed year of service.
3. Notice of pay as per the contract of employment;
4. Payment of leave days accrued and not taken at the time of exit, and
5. Pension dues or gratuity in accordance with the Scheme Rules Contract of employment respectively.

"The redundancy notice takes effect upon expiry of the one-month notice issued today (31" July 2024) and is expected to affect more than 300 employees across various departments. All the affected employees will be duly informed in writing," the media house informed.

Has This Happened Before?

Standard Group has had a history of initiating frequent mass firings, which have exposed the media house to rampant poaching of stellar talent by rival mainstream media houses in the country.

The latest notice is a culmination of the group's longstanding financial woes with employees from the media company going more than half an entire year without receiving their salaries. From four months to six months to even 10 months and beyond, the salary woes sparked a backlash from the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ), which issued several ultimatums over the matter.

The redundancies have created a sense of uncertainty within its workforce for months on end and media experts fear that more mass firings could scare off potential talent wanting to utilise the media house, known for brands such as The Standard Newspaper, KTN Home, KTN News, Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Berur FM, and Vybez Radio to grow their careers.

Reminder: we became the first digital media house to officially confirm rumours of alleged financial constraints at the century-old media house in 2022 which saw staff experience delays in receiving their monthly salaries.

Among the popular names that left the media house over the two years for greener pastures include Sophia Wanuna, Mercy Korir, news anchor Sharon Momanyi, seasoned Foreign Affairs editor, Lilian Odera, seasoned journalist Frank Otieno and editor Ted Malanda as well as Sheila Kwamboka, Nazizi Hirji, Fredrick Odeo Sirari, Lynda Oriaso, Geoffrey Mung'ou Jasmine Wambui, Jimmy Mbogoh, Francis Odee, Emmanuel Too, among others.

Job Losses Elsewhere

Many sectors of the economy are expected to witness mass job cuts in the coming months owing to the economic struggles facing many businesses. This was revealed in the May 2024 Chief Executive Officer's Survey by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) which detailed that many businesses would aim to reduce their operation costs as they undertake other austerity measures.

Out of 1,000 CEOs from various sectors, 234 bosses indicated that they would reduce their workforce between July and September. 654 others noted that they would be maintaining their current workforce.

Mainstream In The Red

Many mainstream media houses are struggling to meet the salary demands of their employees owing to delays in the release of advertising charges by the government.

The government is one of the biggest advertisers in mainstream media. As of January 2024, the government owed various media houses Ksh1.7 billion in debt, a demand that found its way to the recent protests led by members of the Fourth Estate.

The situation was worsened when Broadcasting Principal Secretary Edward Kisiang'ani directed government institutions to exclusively advertise with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).

Size 8 Dumps DJ Mo

Let's assume it was bound to happen. Gospel singer Linet Munyali alias Size 8 Reborn claimed on Thursday, August 1 that she is single, a matter that brought an end to her 11-year marriage to Samuel Muraya, alias DJ Mo.

The musician, known for her powerful songs and uplifting messages, shared a heartfelt message on Thursday, August 1 expressing her acceptance of the situation and her unwavering faith in God's plan.

The message began "Sometimes marriage works by God's grace and sometimes it does not work but all in all, God is still on the throne!"

Adding that she is embarking on a new chapter in her life, she added "I've been married for 11 years and now I start the Journey of singlehood! But God is still on the throne, I worship you. Yahweh!"

Her announcement appeared to carry emotional weight, though she expressed her commitment to being steadfast in her faith.

The post was accompanied by emojis that conveyed a mix of sadness and hope, reflecting the complex emotions she was experiencing during this transition.

This announcement comes as a shock to many of her fans and followers, who have followed her journey as a wife, mother, and artist. Size 8 and her husband, DJ Mo, have been a beloved couple in the Kenyan entertainment industry, often sharing moments from their life on social media and television.

While Size 8 did not delve into the details of what led to the end of their marriage, her message indicates a deep reliance on her faith to navigate this challenging period. DJ Mo is yet to respond to her announcement by the time of publishing.

Some Kenyans claimed that she could be taking advantage of the announcement to chase clout, as has been a common case with Kenyan celebrities, though it does come as a surprise given that the couple has a show on TV47 dubbed 'Love In The Wild'.

Have They Broken Up Before?

Rumours of their separation are nothing new. In 2022, media reports revealed that the couple parted ways, with Size 8 alleged to have moved out of their matrimonial home with her children. They had friction with each other which was revealed to have lasted a while.

The couple who in 2020 shared on YouTube some of their marital issues via their 20-minute segment ‘Dine with the Murayas,’ were joined by another couple to discuss matters of sex while in the institution of marriage.

In the discussion, Size 8 noted that she was not getting enough sex from her husband; pointing out that her husband was too busy to meet her needs.

However, the Mateke hitmaker in a YouTube video on August 31, 2022, revealed that she was angry at DJ Mo and had to give herself some space to calm down.

Here are other stories we served for you this week:

1. President William Ruto denounced reports of plans to sell the iconic Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to an Indian-based multinational conglomerate, Adani Airport Holdings Limited. During a Presidential Town Hall held in Mombasa County on Sunday, July 28, Ruto said "We need to work with investors to give us a new airport in Nairobi. I have seen people saying that William Ruto wants to sell the airport. Am I a madman? How do you sell a strategic national asset? You have to be insane."
2. Residents of Thindigua along Kiambu Road in Kiambu County earlier this week proposed stringent measures to curb the rising cases of insecurity that have seen four residential apartments attacked in the space of one week. Read the proposals here.
3. In the midst of reports that surfaced on Tuesday, July 30 of a section of Mt Kenya politicians plotting an impeachment motion against Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, one Githunguri Member of Parliament Gathoni Wamuchomba believed that the plot is a distraction meted out on Kenyans to prevent them from focusing on real issues, including wanton corruption in the government.
4. After the downfall of the Finance Act 2024, the 2023 version was declared unconstitutional, null and void by the Court of Appeal. This means that President Ruto's government DOES NOT have a Finance Act to govern taxation and related financial issues.
5. The Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of Mpox in Kenya. On Wednesday, July 31, Kenyans were cautioned of an outbreak of the deadly disease. Read more about the symptoms and treatment.
6. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nominated Suna East MP Junet Mohamed as the Minority Leader, replacing Opiyo Wandayi who was nominated to President William Ruto's Cabinet. Owing to Junet's new role, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo was nominated as the Minority Whip.
7. Kelvin Kang'ethe, who was accused of killing Kenyan nurse Margaret Mbitu at a US-based airport in 2023 will face first-degree murder charges in the United States (US). Milimani Law Courts Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina on Wednesday, July 31 approved an extradition order, ruling in favour of the prosecution's application, directing that Kang’ethe be extradited to the Chelsea District Court in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, for the prosecution of an alleged first-degree murder offence, in accordance with Massachusetts General Law, chapter 265, section 1.

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Plus, we are gathered here to mourn the demise of the controversial Finance Bill 2024...and President William Ruto's winning over the opposition in his quest for a broad-based government has claimed a major casualty.

On Episode 21:

1. Nairobi Govt Proposing CAT-astrophe In Form Of Mandatory Licences
2. Finance Bill 2024 (Born May 12, Died Jul 25)
3. Ruto Woos Raila Allies With Cabinet Slots
4. Martha Karua Dumps Azimio

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Nairobi Govt Proposing CAT-astrophe In Form Of Mandatory Licences

(angry cat hisses, screams and lunges)

I showed my cat the story that was published on the website. We first broke the news that the Nairobi County government proposed to impose mandatory licences on cat owners, making them pay Ksh200 for every cat they own!

I obtained a digital copy of proposals contained in the Nairobi City County Animal Control and Welfare Bill 2024 introduced in the Nairobi City County Assembly which addresses various aspects of animal care, control, and welfare, aiming to create a harmonious coexistence between residents and animals.

The bill, which is set to come into effect upon approval by Governor Johnson Sakaja, is set to undergo public participation on August 2.

Among the key sections of the Bill touch on the welfare and control of cats, with proposals seeking to make it more difficult for anyone to just own a cat. In one of them, a person will not be able to keep or have in his possession within the City any cat unless a license under the Bill has been first obtained in respect of that cat and the applicable fee paid.

A license for a cat may only be issued or renewed under the Bill if the applicant makes an application to the County Government and provides proof that the owner has premises fit to control the cat.

The Bill also proposes that every cat in the capital city aged over three months shall be vaccinated against rabies by a veterinary surgeon at least once a year and a vaccination certificate issued by the veterinary surgeon which shall be retained by the owner at all times.

"Every cat license issued under this Bill, unless cancelled under the provisions of this Bill, shall expire on the thirty-first (31) day of December next following the date on which the license is issued and shall be valid only in respect of the cat for which it was issued," the Bill reads in part.

The County government further proposed that a cat license fee shall be Ksh200 and shall be subjected to revision in the current Finance Act and shall become due upon the issue or renewal of a license.

For cases of replacement of a cat license, a replacement license or license tag may be issued upon payment of the fee of Ksh100 or as specified in the current Finance Act, when; written evidence has been adduced to the Head of County Veterinary Services that the original license has been lost, destroyed or stolen, or a valid license for the cat has been issued in another jurisdiction and the license and receipt are surrendered to the County Government.

Furthermore, one license shall be issued free of charge for a cat which has been neutered during the twelve months immediately preceding the application for the license subject to the owner providing a copy of a certificate from the veterinary surgeon that the cat has been neutered.

"If the ownership of a licensed cat changes hands, the new owner may be issued a new license by the Head of County Veterinary Services upon payment of the transfer fee of Ksh100 or as specified in the current Finance Act," adds the Bill.

"Provided that the license issued to the previous owner of a cat shall be surrendered to the County Government when a new one is issued. The County Government may waive the license fees for a cat at its discretion."

The Head of County Veterinary Services shall keep a record of the name and address of the owner of every cat licensed under the provisions of the proposed Bill, the date the license was issued, a description of the cat, and the amount of fees paid.

The Furr-ious Reactions

When we shared a news graphic on this on Instagram, we never thought we'd get so many reactions. At over 126,000 impressions, this is one of our most engaged platforms. Check it out here

Anywho, from the comments, Kenyans who are ardent cat owners were infuriated, with a section of them threatening to call for protests as cat owners in Nairobi, christened 'meowndamano'. Let's sample some below:

Naomi Mutua (Cat Lovers Kenya Facebook Page)

OK. I've read the proposed #AnimalWelfareBill

I already have some questions.

Mostly around

✓ the licensing, structure and fees

✓ rabies vaccines at 3 months?

✓ limitations to how many cats one can have ????????

✓ agricultural zones for kennels

✓ more than four cats except for 'purebreds' TF is that discriminatory sh*t, aren't local cats good enough? ????

✓ not cause a cat to scream. These folks need to meet a cat yowling at another one just because. Also, who tells a cat what to do or not to do?

Muthoni Wakinaniri

Faith Njoki: Tuandamane, it's costly to have them vaccinated, spayed and neutered, food is expensive. If they are taxing us to take care of strays and help the animal shelters I will do it without question, but tacing us to put them in their pockets is where I draw the line.

Jane Molly

We have given homeless cats homes, and now you want to tax us for that, do you have homes for them tuwalete ama you want them to keep roaming out in the cold with no shelter or guaranteed meals?

Then you guys keep asking why Genz are not listening or doesn't want to talk to you guys, most of us if not all Kenyans are tired, Kila mtu amechoka na nyinyi malizeni muende.

Myself: Cat owners tunaoccupy CBD lini?

Patience Nangila: Now this, is what we call a cat-astrophe

Nairobi Feline Sanctuary

Nairobi County has proposed a new regulation requiring cat owners to pay 200/- for keeping a cat. While this fee might seem manageable to some, it poses a significant burden to many cat owners who may struggle to afford it.

What does this mean for our beloved feline friends?

Unfortunately, This fee could lead to an increase in the abandonment of cats, as owners who cannot pay may feel forced to give up their pets. The result? A surge in stray cats roaming our streets brings numerous challenges including:

- Overpopulation: More stray cats mean increased breeding, leading to a greater population that can overwhelm our neighbourhoods.

- Animal Welfare: Stray cats often face harsh conditions and lack of food and medical care, leading to suffering and disease.

- Community Impact: An influx of stray cats can affect public health and sanitation, as well as the cats' well-being.

We believe there's a better way!

Animal Welfare Groups in Kenya are calling on Nairobi County to reconsider this proposal. Instead of imposing a fee that could harm our feline friends and our communities, let's explore more humane solutions, such as:

- Support for Spay and Neuter Programs: These programs can help control the cat population humanely.

- Education and Awareness: Informing the public about responsible pet ownership and the importance of caring for their pets.

- Community Support: Providing resources and support to cat owners who may be struggling financially.

Join us in making a difference!

Solution: The Nairobi County government may have to reconsider such a proposal given the intense criticism it has incurred, and following the public participation set to take place on August 2, 2024.

My cat has purred now.

Finance Bill 2024 (Born May 12, Died Jul 25)

Birth

More than two months ago, the Finance Bill 2024 was introduced to members of the public, on a weekend.

The proposed amendments were likely to impact a wide array of products and services, potentially reshaping consumer spending patterns across the country and forcing Kenyans to rethink their budgets.

Some of the proposals that attracted intense uproar included the Motor Vehicle Tax, pegged at 2.5 per cent of the value of the vehicle and was to not be less than Ksh5,000 and not be more than Ksh100,000, with other factors coming into play including the make, model, engine capacity and year of manufacture.

Another proposal threatened the increase in the price of bread, with the Treasury proposing to impose a 16 per cent VAT on the product, a matter which will force bakers to raise the costs of the staple product.

Other proposals threatened increases in the cost of airtime, mobile money transfers, wines and spirits, VAT on mosquito repellents, tea packaging material, foliar feeds and bio-stimulants as well as agricultural pest control products.

Death

On July 25, 2024, following intense protests which forced President Ruto to decline to sign the Finance Bill, members of Kenya's National Assembly voted to delete it in its entirety.

The lawmakers voted to delete all 69 clauses of the controversial bill. This followed a Committee of the Whole House which voted in agreement with President Ruto's reservations and recommendations to delete all clauses.

They include clauses 2-26 relating to the Income Tax Act (Cap 470), clauses 27-35 relating to the Value Added Tax Act and clauses 36-42 relating to the Excise Duty Act.

Other clauses deleted included (43-49) relating to the Miscellaneous Fees and Levies Act, clauses (50-62) relating to the Tax Procedures Act and clauses (63-69) relating to the Miscellaneous Act.

"I beg to report that the Committee of the Whole House has considered the President's recommendations to the Finance Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 30 of 2024) and its approval thereof, without amendments. Therefore, deleting all clauses of the Bill," National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Gladys Shollei announced.

Following this, none of the clauses proposed in the Bill which ultimately triggered nationwide protests, shall have legal effect.

"The House has voted in agreement with the President's reservations and recommendations to delete all clauses of the Finance Bill 2024. Following this decision the Bill has been rejected in its entirety.

"I wish to clarify that the import of the decision of the House is that the Bill is lost... In this regard strictly speaking there is no Bill for the Speaker to present to the President for assent as contemplated under Article 115(5) of the Constitution. To signify the decision that the House has taken on the Bill I shall only convey the effect of the decision which is that the Finance Bill 2024 has been rejected. The House is accordingly guided," the Speaker, Moses Wetangula, communicated to the House.

Any move to negate the deletion of all 69 clauses would have required the support of at least 233 members, that is, a two-thirds majority.

Ruto Woos Raila Allies With Cabinet Slots

His deputy, Rigathi Gachagua 'set traps at State House', in his own words, and vowed that he would never bring confusion in their shareholder government.

He said he would never entertain a handshake with the opposition...whom he beat in the 2022 general elections.

But if you thought nominating Soipan Tuya as Cabinet Secretary for Defence was surprising enough, President William Ruto did what was thought impossible two years ago and nominated not one...not two..but FOUR members of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to his Cabinet. Yes, FOUR!

The Head of State while addressing the press at State House in Nairobi on Wednesday, July 24, nominated ODM’s John Mbadi (Treasury), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum) Ali Hassan Joho to Mining and Wycliffe Oparanya to the Ministry of Co-operatives.

It came as a surprise to many given that the ODM party had earlier stated that its members would not accept any ministerial appointments from President Ruto.

"A narrative has been woven that ODM is desperate to join the government when all along we have been clear that what we seek is a national conversation preceded by the creation of the necessary environment through the implementation of the conditions above.

"Some of our members have also fallen for the campaign of lies and misinterpreted our stance as a license to engage the Kenya Kwanza leadership and canvass for ministerial and/or other positions in the Ruto government," read a statement in part from the party on Tuesday, July 23.

In the new lineup, ODM Chairman John Mbadi will be in charge of the nation's public coffers, a docket largely responsible for the recent nationwide protests, while deputy party leaders Joho and Oparanya will be in charge of Mining and Cooperative dockets respectively.

Additionally, Ugenya MP Wandayi will have to relinquish his position as the National Assembly Minority Leader to take up the position of Energy and Petroleum previously headed by Davis Chirchir.

On Friday, July 19, President Ruto nominated the first batch of cabinet secretaries and attorney general, which was initially given to Miano but now hangs in the balance.

The nominees were; Prof Kithure Kindiki (Interior and National Administration),  Aden Duale (Defence), Alice Wahome (Lands, Public Works, Urban Development and Housing), Soipan Tuya (Environment, Climate Change and Forestry) and Davis Chirchir (Roads and Transport).

Others were; Dr Debra Mulongo Barasa (Health), Julius Migosi Ogamba (Education), Dr Andrew Mwihia Karanja (Agriculture and Livestock Development),  Eric Muriithi Muuga (Water, Sanitation and Irrigation) and  Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u (Information, Communication and Digital Economy).

What ODM Members Said On Nomination Of Colleagues

Edwin Sifuna

"They do not have blessings of the party. The position that we gave is that they are going to join the government in their individual capacity. We don't begrudge them in fact I wish them well," he said.

"I can assure you that Mbadi doesn't understand the bottom-up transformative manifesto. Can John Mbadi reduce taxes as the Treasury Cabinet Secretary?"

"I expect that by the end of the day or before they go for vetting we will receive resignations of these people from their positions in the party. This is my expectation because the law is that they cannot go into Cabinet as parties and members of political parties," Sifuna said.

Raila Odinga

“I have taken note of President William Ruto's announcement yesterday regarding the reconstitution of the cabinet to include four members from ODM.

“As articulated in our statement on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, neither the ODM Party nor Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party has entered into any coalition agreement with President Ruto's UDA party,” Odinga remarked.

Other Azimio Members (ODM is part of Azimio)

Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni: We will not take part in the proposed broad-based government of national unity as it is a betrayal of Kenyans especially Gen Z and millennials.

Kalonzo Musyoka: Unless that new cabinet takes place after what our leader Odinga called a convention, not a dialogue then there can be an arrangement of a government of national unity. Should any of our members opt to join the proposed Kenya Kwanza-led Broad-Based Government of National Unity, we SHALL NOT be a party to that decision

Little did they know that a huge shocker was waiting:

Martha Karua Dumps Azimio

Two years ago this month, she was Azimio la Umoja's presidential running mate, going toe to toe with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in the deputy presidential debate. Then, Gachagua and Ruto defeated her and Raila Odinga in the 2022 polls.

Now, she and her party, NARC Kenya, exited the Azimio la Umoja coalition.

Karua took to her social media platforms to share a letter from the party dated Thursday, July 25, which reads "Kindly take note that our stay in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition is not tenable due to the prevailing political developments."

"As NARC Kenya by way of this letter, we are giving notice to exit the Coalition as stipulated in the exit clause (s) in the Coalition Agreement. This notice is effective from the date of this letter," read the letter in part.

Her later came in the backdrop of political turbulence within the Azimio la Umoja Coalition over courting the Kenya Kwanza government, one the coalition had opposed for close to two years, and even before they lost the 2022 general elections.

In an earlier interview with Ghetto Radio, Karua offered a hint that the coalition is walking on a tightrope in terms of its lifespan and it is only a matter of time before it is dissolved for good.

Karua asserted that the coalition had been pulling in different directions since the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) began its talks.

"Azimio is shaky and I think after yesterday, it's done. I'm saying shaky because, since the NADCO talks, we've been pulling in different directions.

"The only thing that has saved us is that we said at the beginning of this year, let every party go and build itself. So I've been busy with Narc-Kenya and not busy with Azimio," Karua remarked.

Was That It?

Karua on Tuesday, July 9 dismissed the recent calls for national dialogue by forming a multi-sectoral forum to address issues raised by Gen Z during the recent anti-government demonstrations, another sign that all was not well in Azimio.

In a series of statements on X, Karua claimed that the government intends to use the talks to divert Kenyans from actual issues facing the country.

"Dialogue can only be meaningful if the players have good faith and are guided by the best interests of the people. This is a trap period," she wrote.

On the same day, Raila welcomed the move saying it was the way forward to get out of the current crisis in the country.

“I can confirm that we have had consultations and after the consultations, we have agreed that a dialogue is the way forward out of the crisis that we have had as a country,” Raila stated.

“We have agreed we give people an opportunity to be heard, express themselves and come out with the grievances that are ailing our country today so that a lasting solution can be found."

What Next: With Karua's exit and Raila playing coy over the broad-based government, only Kalonzo and Kioni remain with the responsibility of keeping Azimio afloat with three years to the next general elections, however, predictions certainly aren't making for good reading for the coalition fanatics.

Here are other stories that made OUR headlines this week:

1. On Sunday, July 21, Ethiopian Airlines issued a statement a day after a video went viral showing a disgruntled female passenger being forcibly ejected from one of its flights that was bound for the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya from Addis Ababa. As the only media house in Kenya with a main segment dedicated exclusively to aviation, we fact-checked extensively some two key terms that were misinterpreted in the airline company's explanation.
2. Kenya Railways (KR) on Monday, July 22 introduced a new Premium class coach that will reportedly set one back Ksh12,000 on a single trip from Nairobi to Mombasa and Ksh20,000 on return trips, despite some of the features resembling those of business class on passenger aircraft.
3. On SGR, Kenya Railways also unveiled new features of the new wagon for the Ksh1,500 economy class of Standard Guage Railway (SGR) trains, including a new seating arrangement.
4. With reports of an alleged takeover of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) assured members of the public that it is not planning to sell the iconic airport to an Indian-based multinational conglomerate, Adani Airport Holdings Limited, instead stating that the deal was an investment on a new passenger terminal building, second runway and refurbishment of the existing facilities at JKIA.
5. With reports going rife about the night of terror at Zimmerman on July 23, I spoke to a resident who gave a true account of what transpired when police officers invited chaos on residents. Read my exclusive here.
6. From acting capacity to nomination as President Ruto nominated Douglas Kanja as the next Inspector General of the National Police Service (NPS). Gilbert Masengeli is now the Acting Inspector General of Police, pending the consideration of Kanja’s nomination as the substantive IG.
7. The National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday, July 25 rejected plans by President William Ruto to scrap the Offices of the First and Second Lady. The Ndindi Nyoro-led committee poked holes into the National Treasury's plan to fold up the two offices, despite mounting pressure over cost-cutting measures, and the move sees the extension of the offices that Kenyans had demanded that they be scrapped.
8. In the spirit of Wycliffe Oparanya's nomination as Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), my newly recruited colleague, Lindwe Danflow, revealed that Oparanya two years ago "was supposed to be the Minister in charge of the Treasury" in Azimio's government, if it won the election. A case of your wish being granted but in different circumstances.

News Graphic Of The Week

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On Episode 20:

1. Leave Us Alone- Kenyan Media [EDITORIAL]
2. Mukuru’s Serial Killer With 42 Body Count
3. Ford Foundation vs Ruto

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Leave Us Alone- Kenyan Media [EDITORIAL]

This week, darkness befell Kenya's media space. We didn't intend on penning another editorial, but because of the harrowing events from Tuesday till now, we had no choice.

N.B: We would like to caution our readers that the following we are about to state is brutal, and not for the faint-hearted.

It all began on Tuesday when in the midst of fresh anti-government protests, two of Citizen TV's most prominent reporters, Seth Olale and Stephen Letoo, were BANNED from Parliament.

"Reliable sources within Parliament Kenya confirm that indeed I have been BANNED from Parliament alongside my colleague Stephen Letoo because of our role in highlighting #OccupyParliament. This reported move by PSC is ill-advised & against Media Freedom," he wrote on X.

Letoo however stated that "Other than the relocation of Parliamentary Journalists to Outside Parliament, there is a resolution to BAN some journalists myself included who Covered #OccupyParliament from stepping into the new area. Seth Olale who exposed the MPs' escape tunnel also banned."

From face value, this looked like a solvable problem and we would all go back to our normal schedules, but what followed next on the same day would set the tone for the ENTIRE WEEK.

Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki, a K24 reporter based in Nakuru, was shot and injured by police officers while covering the ongoing anti-government protests in the city. Kariuki was in the company of a fellow journalist before she was shot three times in the thigh by police officers.

After being rushed to hospital for treatment, Kariuki stated that she was targeted by police during the protests.

The Nakuru-based journalist was admitted at the Annex Hospital, with Thursday being her third day in hospital. Doctors stated that she is out of the woods after she was shot at by police four times; three rubber bullets were lodged in her body and one hit her.

Wanjeri gave an account of Tuesday’s protests in Nakuru and claimed that police officers had singled her out, as this was not an isolated case.

“Nobody would convince me that I was not a target, I had been hit with a tear gas canister but I did not report, I did not even escalate it, I showed my colleagues the scar on the same leg that I was shot at,” narrated the journalist.

Moments before she was shot, Wanjeri was captured giving a police officer who was seated in a police vehicle toothpaste, which she believed would help her ease the effects of tear gas. What followed was an officer in a police vehicle who shot at her; the bullets struck her in the thigh.

The following day, a moment of madness ensued when police, instead of arresting one Francis Gaitho, went for veteran journalist and former Nation Media editor Macharia Gaitho, in a case of mistaken identity as narrated by the National Police Service (NPS) BUT:

"They did not explain how it was a mistaken identity. They did not explain how they could have trailed me near my home. As far as I am concerned, those are still criminals," Gaitho faulted the police's subsequent clarification of the arrest.

"They brought me back to Karen Police Station where they had abducted me in the first place and they went away. They were telling me now I could go home but I said no. First, I will report an attempted abduction, this is a criminal offence. I have already recorded an incident, reported a crime and it is in the occurrence book."

You would think the madness against the media would be over after that, then the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), under Director General David Mugonyi, who previously served as the Head of the Presidential Communication Service (PCS), entered the chat, accusing a majority of the mainstream Kenyan media stations of going overboard and violating the confines within which media practitioners are expected to remain.

It threatened to take decisive action on mainstream as well as digital media platforms found to have broadcast content against the laws of the Constitution, targeting their coverage of the anti-government protests...a direct attack on press freedoms by far!

To make matters worse, a section of Kenyans began targeting individual media stations and companies, most prominently the Royal Media Services (RMS) which owns Citizen TV. This is after reports surfaced on social media that unknown individuals were planning to 'occupy' the media house...which is another language for threatening, and planning to attack the media house.

The last one has GROSSLY offended us, that's why we're issuing this editorial. Here's why: the media house did run a news bulletin on October 12, 2023 of a suspected security threat which saw a Kenya Airways flight bound for London Heathrow from Nairobi intercepted by the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF).

Photos that you will see below feature our watermark being visible on screengrabs of the news bulletin, which our hawk-eyes managed to catch:

Original Photo Collage

Collage From Citizen TV screenshots

We'd like to state that we DID NOT HAVE any issue with the country's biggest TV station highlighting a bit of our watermarked photos...as a matter of fact, this is a WIN for us!

Not only does it show our testament to deliver quality journalism in real-time but also offers a hint that media collaborations/partnerships in our country are still possible. Do it, someone's watching.

So when a keyboard warrior thinks they can threaten and plan to attack Citizen TV, they threaten/attack all of us! The targeting and attacks on journalists are therefore UNACCEPTABLE and MUST be condemned, and punished in the greatest form possible!

To the government of the day, we are not those children that you pick on as a bully in primary or high school...this upcoming media house for example started a year before you were elected into power.

The media has been in existence and has been through all four regimes...and almost a half if you count this one. So messing with us is the greatest mistake you can make. Trust us, we are worse than the Gen Zs who are like "we are not your parents, we will mess you up".

When we get reports of journalists under attack while on duty...protests or otherwise, sometimes we feel like slamming our laptop shut and march towards all those offices of authorities that are supposed to take action and give them a piece of our mind. We have been here before...in 2023 it was the same story, but the media bodies and the rest of us condemned and kept quiet.

Not anymore.

"We have got to a point that we will now issue a 7-day notice if no action is taken against those responsible. We will not need to go on the field because it seems like that is the language that the government understands. It has got to a point that I have no idea what is being hidden when we try to explain to Kenyans what is going on, what are they fearing?" Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) President Zubeida Kananu communicated the fury on behalf of all of us media folk; journalists, editors, media executives, media owners etc.

A nationwide protest for journalists is since planned for Wednesday next week but we felt it wise first to express our words on the matter here.

Media serves as a crucial platform for holding the government of the day accountable to members of the public. All the media stations you see here are run by human beings who are prone to error because they're human...not machines, so give us a break!

Second, it is wrong to habitually target journalists. No government, institution or any entity has ever managed to silence them...not even social media platforms.

Without the media, you wouldn't hear about the numerous scandals in government including the fake fertilizer scandal, would you?

Without us, you wouldn't have heard it first about the shutdown of Look Up TV after six years, would you?

Without us, you wouldn't have heard about the Shakahola Massacre, would you?

Article 34 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of the media. Media freedom is non negotiable and interfering with such freedom is basically breaking the law. The same rule of law the President promised to uphold.

First, they teargassed our journalists. Then, they shot at our journalists. This week, they abducted our journalists. What will they do to our journalists tomorrow?

Journalists operate under very difficult conditions, including digital journalists who log on to and monitor social media platforms to source for story ideas, at times encountering gruesome imagery shared online and using various online tech to supplement our work...all that btw on a monthly internet connection charged at less than Ksh2,000 a month, and with just a laptop and power connection. That's it!

Field reporters have it much worse, going to tough environments to cover stories, including in real-time. Encountering hostile crowds at times. Interacting with newsmakers from politicians to CEOs to sportspersons, celebrites etc...and then go back home to rented single rooms, bedsitters or one-bedroom. Our profession, depending on the position, is not as moneyed as you think right now.

You may not agree with what we air or publish on a daily but our right to do so MUST be respected. Those paid on social media for example to target a media house and mobilise the masses to attack that media house belong in the same category as some politicians who have been in the headlines for the wrong reasons, for incitement.

Any police officer, uniform or plain-clothed who attacks a journalist is the same as a weak man. When does this all stop? When will the media be respected in this country?

Other than the now-obvious hazards, we'd like to also call out the bloggers. On Thursday, one prominent one attempted a smear campaign targeted at John-Allan Namu , one of the most respected journalists of our time. The very same blogger Kenyans worshipped when he first broke the news of the helicopter crash that killed former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Francis Ogolla...hours before the President officially announced this to the nation.

John Allan Namu is the brains behind Africa Uncensored , a media house that blew the lid open regarding the fake fertiliser scandal. So to try to smear such a journalist because the media house benefited from a grant courtesy of a foundation which was recently mentioned by the President is an act of madness!

Since the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests began, journalism has been the most DISRESPECTED institution in the whole country. Everyone ranging from police to lawyers, Kenyans, government officials attacking us offline and online, trying to gag us and what not and dividing us from the public...and it's even worse, journalists are dividing each other too.

We put our mental health and our lives on the line to give you real-time updates but what do we get? Mudslinging and dictating what to report, no thank yous at all. This MUST STOP!

STOP trying to gag us, dictate us what news to disseminate, attack us on the field, shoot at us, threaten us, attack us or, God forbid, kill us. However, some will choose to ignore this and continue to torment us anyway...they're not afraid to rattle the Constitution of Kenya.

STOP trying to incite Kenyans against us through social media platforms, using bloggers and influencers who either don't know, don't want to know or don't care about ethics. Please don't try to pick on us when you see this, we will call you out in public and spread the word that you did...without fear or favour.

Right now, all we need is your support. We are NOT in bed with the government, most of us are independent. So, pitch to us all those story ideas about scandals in government, in the entertainment space, in sports etc for consideration...pitch those feel good stories too. We may not consider all of them but we will run some on our platforms to the best of our capability.

Our founder and editor-in-chief, Marvin Chege , talked about supporting upcoming media houses like ourselves, extensively. We are the new guard that aims to sit in the table alongside the adaptable old guard and we will be here for a very long time into the future.

But if you don't support us, what's the need to be here? We can always close shop and move on, watch as you rely on social media to keep you updated, even if A and B is unverified.

A little caveat: we are ethically BOLDER than some of the other mainstream media channels and publish content that sometimes, you won't get anywhere else, another good reason to support us. If it ain't from Viral Tea Ke , the kings of viral news, it's not news.

Mukuru’s Serial Killer With 42 Body Count

A shocking discovery was made on Friday, July 12 at Kware Dumpsite after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) unearthed six bodies mutilated and decomposing.

In a short four days since, the authorities tracked down Collins Jomaisi Khalisia, the main suspect in the killing, who confessed to hacking 42 women to death, making his case the most problematic in Kenya's crime history.

Here's why:

Clashing Numbers

DCI reported that it had unearthed six bodies even though private players participating in the excavation reported more 10 bodies. The dismembered bodies were found wrapped in nylon and tied with ropes.

Soon after, DCI Director Mohamed Amin announced that investigations into the incident was launched to last 21 days and bring closure to the families of the deceased. A group of youth raised the alarm after spotting a single body.

The Reactions

DPP: Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Renson Mulele Ingonga directed the police bodies including the DCI and the National Police Service (NPS) to expedite investigations into the discovery of the bodies. DCI was directed to submit a detailed report in 21 days.

Raila Odinga: "It’s a sad and dark moment for Kenya, what we have witnessed in Mukuru Kwa Njenga, pains me deeply," he stated, demanding a thorough probe to the discovery.

President William Ruto directed that "Those who are charged with investigating the matter witnessed in Kware where many Kenyans including young women must be found, that process must be expedited and the truth must be found so that those who are involved in this heinous act must be punished and must be taken to court and the law must be applied to its fullest extent."

Rachel Ruto, who broke her social media silence for the first time in nearly a month, condemned the shocking events that witnessed close to 15 bodies recovered from the dumpsite in the space of 24 hours, with reports emerging that most of the recovered bodies were female. She said "The discovery of the mutilated bodies of young women dumped in Kware, Nairobi, is deeply disturbing and heartbreaking. Each of these women was someone's child, sister or friend and no one should undergo such cruelty. Violence against women must end in our country."

Transfer & Possible Angles

Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin on Sunday, July 14 revealed that his agency probing the mystery of the Kware dumpsite bodies recovery had explored three possible angles; either instances of cults, serial killers or rogue medical practitioners.

“The modus operandi was almost the same. If you look at the age, it was between 18-30. These are all female. If you look at how the bodies have been disguised and packaged - all the same,” the  DCI boss stated.

“Are we dealing with a cult that is associated with criminal activities? Are we dealing with serial killers that are also associated with criminal activities? Or even, could we be dealing with rogue medical practitioners who are dealing with criminal activities? All these are hypotheses we have tried to bring on board."

At the same time, Acting Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja announced the transfer of all police officers based at Kware Police Station.

"To ensure fair and unbiased investigations, I have moved the officers from Kware Police Station. In this difficult time, we stand with the community and we remain committed to uncovering the truth and bringing those responsible to justice," he announced.

The Arrest: How It Unfolded

On Monday, Amin confirmed the arrest of Collins Jumaisi Khalusha. The 33-year-old was arrested in the morning hours at Soweto in Kayole Sub-County at around 3 am in a joint operation by the DCI Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau and Operations directorates.

He was revealed to have been at a club where he had gone to watch the Euro 2024 football finals between Spain and England when the detectives outside the premises accosted him.

His pursuit and subsequent arrest followed forensic analysis of a mobile phone belonging to one of the victims, Josphine Mulongo Owino, where mobile money transactions conducted on the day she went missing pointed to the suspect.

"Upon his arrest, the suspect led officers to his single-room rented house in Kware, which is located about 100m from the crime scene where the bodies and body parts have been recovered," read the statement in part.

A quick search was conducted in the house, which led to the recovery of the following crucial exhibits:

1. 24 SIM cardholders with new SIM cards

2. 8 smartphones, two feature phones

3. One Laptop and one hard drive

4. Two flash drives and one phone memory card

5. One Machete

6. 12 Nylon Sacks

7. One pair of industrial rubber gloves

8. 6 ID cards for men and 2 ID cards for women

9. One pink female handbag

10. 2 female panties

11. 5 rolls of bhang

12. 4 huge clear sellotape

13. One nylon rope

14. One reflector Jacket

15. 2 title deeds

16. 2 notebooks

17. Assorted documents

On interrogation, the suspect confessed to having lured, killed, and disposed of 42 female bodies at the dumping site, all murdered between 2022 and Thursday, July 11, 2024.

"The suspect alleges that his first victim was his wife namely Imelda Judith Khalenya whom he strangled to death before dismembering her body and disposing it at the site," added Amin.

He Was What?

At the Makadara Law Courts, Khalusha, through defence lawyer John Maina Ndegwa, asserted that he was subjected to extreme forms of torture, compelling him to confess to crimes he vehemently denied.

Speaking before the courts, Ndegwa pleaded for urgent medical care for Khalusha, highlighting the urgent need for attention due to his alleged maltreatment while in custody. “My client is in dire need of urgent medical attention,” he declared.

The attorney dismissed the notion that Khalusha could be behind such brutal acts, labelling the confession “laughable” and “alien” to his client’s character.

Ndegwa’s impassioned plea painted a chilling picture of Khalusha’s ordeal, claiming he has endured “horrendous inhuman mistreatment” during his time in custody, raising serious concerns about the methods employed during the interrogation process.

However, the DCI denied these allegations, insisting that only a single police officer was assigned to record Khalusha's statements. The court nonetheless granted the investigators 30 days custodial orders to complete their investigations.

More Suspects Nabbed

DCI arrested two other persons who are serving as individuals of interest to assist in the ongoing investigation.

They included one Amos Momanyi Mogusu who was found with the mobile phone belonging to the slain Roselyn Akoth, and Moses Ogembo who sold the handset to Momanyi.

"Upon arrest of Amos Momanyi Mogusu at City Cabanas and recovery of the mobile phone yesterday, he led detectives to Ogembo's house at Mukuru kwa Reuben, who was found with a total of 154 used mobile phones stashed in his house. Moses Ogembo has admitted to having been sold used phones previously by the prime suspect in the murder," added the DCI.

What Next?

DCI is determined to conclude investigations in 21 days and arrest more individuals believed to be co-conspirators in the macabre murders. The agency, therefore, appealed to individuals with more information to volunteer.

Ford Foundation vs Ruto

A Recap

In March this year, the US-based Ford Foundation announced two Kenyans among its international 26-member 2024 Ford Global Fellowship cohort, that is, Ashura Michael and Willie Oeba.

The fellowship is a program which aims to connect and support the next generation of leaders from around the world who are advancing innovative solutions to end inequality.

"The Ford Global Fellowship focuses on shared learning across issue areas, building and strengthening connections across borders, and developing a supportive, interconnected cohort from across a wide variety of sectors and regions. It aims to build a powerful network of 240 fellows over the course of the program and serve as a catalyst for the fellows to accelerate the impact of their work, individually and collectively," a press release that had announced the duo read in part.

Michael was picked owing to her role as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Free a Girl’s World Network while Oeba was selected in his capacity as the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ISM Academy.

According to the foundation, each new fellow received a no-strings-attached Ksh3.31 million ($25,000) stipend, alongside individualized coaching, to help grow leadership skills and reach new audiences.

And then...President William Ruto happened!

You Funded Protests- Ruto To Ford Foundation

He pointed a bold accusing finger at the Ford Foundation, an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare, of financing the recent anti-government protests in Kenya.

While addressing residents at Keringet Market in Nakuru County, Ruto threw a stern warning in his bid to restore peace in Kenya and proceeded to allege that some parties were financially benefiting from the protests.

"Those who are sponsoring the violence, we know them and I want to call out those who are behind the anarchy in Kenya, those who are behind the sponsoring, the chaos in the Republic of Kenya, shame on them because they are sponsoring violence against our democratic nation," Ruto stated.

Ruto went on to sensationally claim that the organisation held sinister motives and was operating against the best interests and the democracy of the country.

"I want to ask the people at the Ford Foundation what benefit do they gain from giving out money to cause violence?" Ruto questioned.

Ruto warned that the government will ask the Ford Foundation to leave the country if they continue sponsoring the protests.

“We are going to call them out and we are going to tell them if they are not interested in democracy in Kenya. if they are going to sponsor violence and anarchy, we are going to tell them they either style up or they leave,” President Ruto added.

Not A First

On Wednesday, July 10, the Head of State accused some foreign powers and Kenyans abroad of using the Gen Z-led demonstrations to force him out of power.

He also claimed that some unidentified individuals were running schemes aimed at discrediting his reputation and causing a new kind of division in the country, one not involving tribal lines.

This is as reports emerged that the police are investigating six politicians, two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and a businessman believed to be financing the protests.

The suspects were accused of financing some protesters, mobilizing youth from slum areas, giving them cash handouts, directing them to infiltrate the peaceful protests and turn them violent.

They were also accused of providing transport to the protestors to the epicentres of the anti-government demos.

Umm...No We Did Not- Ford Foundation Responds To Ruto

The Foundation however denied ‘sponsoring’ violence during the recent anti-government protests, as alleged by President Ruto.

In a statement shared online late on Monday night, July 15, the organisation reiterated that since 1963, it has had a rich history of commitment to ensuring the independence of East Africa's democratic institutions, which includes its support for civil servants and technical experts who helped establish an independent Kenya.

The foundation went on to remind President Ruto that it had offered its support for the Africa Climate Summit in 2023, which he hosted in Nairobi and which brought together world leaders.

"We retain an ongoing commitment to supporting work in support of Kenya's development and Kenya's leadership on an African and global stage, exemplified by our support for the inaugural African Climate Summit held in 2023 in Nairobi and Kenya's current leadership as co-chair of the Open Government Partnership," read the statement in part.

The United States (US)-based foundation further condemned any actions or speech that have the potential to spread hate or incite violence against any sector ranging from individual to community.

"While we acknowledge the right of Kenyans to peacefully advocate for a just and equitable country, we repudiate any actions or speech that are hateful or advocate violence against any institution, individual, or community.

"We do not fund or sponsor the recent protests against the finance bill and have a strictly non-partisan policy for all of our grantmaking," it asserted.

In another reminder, the Ford Foundation also reminded the Kenyan President that "As we noted during the Kenyan state visit to the United States this past May, we are committed to building on the legacy of the Ford Foundation's more than 60 years in the region so that Kenyans can unlock opportunities that extend to all."

Ford Foundation In A Nutshell

The Ford Foundation makes grants through its headquarters and 10 international field offices. It has had operations in Kenya and the larger East Africa region for decades, with its Nairobi office opened in 1963.

As of now, it has grown to become one of the world’s top philanthropic organisations with operations in 11 regions across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and North America.

Prominently known for its grants, the Ford Foundation credits itself with having helped establish the University of Nairobi in 1963 and giving significant grants to universities in Eastern Africa “to invest in the region’s future.”

It has also been at the forefront of advocating for civic justice to protect social justice activists, artists, and marginalised groups.

Read more: Ford Foundation: US Company Ruto Accused Of Funding Anti-Govt Protests

Here are other stories we served for you this week:

1. President William Ruto on Monday, July 15 announced the return of Kazi Mtaani, a programme he disbanded two years ago after it was started by his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta.
2. President Ruto also announced that fresh negotiations had begun with Remotasks, an international online tasking platform which thousands of Kenyans had relied on for earning an income to support their livelihoods so that operations can resume in the country.
3. Nakuru Doctor and law student, Dr Magare Gikenyi, moved to court to challenge the dismissal of Attorney-General Justin Muturi by President Ruto. Muturi was among those dismissed by the Head of State who announced the dissolution of the entire Cabinet, a move that saw 21 Cabinet Secretaries sent home on the spot on Thursday, July 11.
4. On that note on CSs, President Ruto assigned Prime Cabinet Secretary (CS) Musalia Mudavadi the responsibility of the acting Cabinet Secretary in all 21 ministries.
5. The National Police Service announced that it banned protests in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and its environs, which were meant to take place on July 18. However, the High Court issued a conservatory order suspending the directive.
6. Despite President William Ruto's stunning decision to dissolve his entire Cabinet and send home 21 Cabinet Secretaries (CS), except Musalia Mudavadi, a majority of Kenyans now believe that three of them should be reappointed to the Head of State's new-look Cabinet, according to a report released by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA). Click here to read who those three ex-CSs are.
7. As Patrick Quarcoo prepares to exit as Radio Africa Group (RAG) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founder, the media house has announced potential staff firings, possibly the last action he is expected to take before his retirement later this month. However, though the exercise is set to target mainly correspondents, it is yet to be clear if the exercise in the media conglomerate famous for huge radio brands such as Kiss 100 FM, Radio Jambo, Smooth 105.5 and Classic 105 among others, could target its employees, who operate from its offices at Lions Place along Waiyaki Way.
8. Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on Thursday, July 18 threw a significant plot twist in the exit of Japhet Koome as the Inspector General of Police. Speaking during a press briefing, Mwaura stated that President William Ruto had to let go of the police boss, contrary to State House's announcement that the Head of State had accepted Koome's resignation.
9. Situational Awareness: The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has warned Kenyans against the purchase and use of Ozempic Pens (Semaglutide) to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This is after it had received an alert from the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) regarding the falsification of Ozempic Pens (Semaglutide) where Apidra Solostar pens (glulisine) used to treat both types 1 and type 2 diabetes has been falsely relabelled as Ozempic (Semaglutide) Pens.
10. Francis Ng’ang’a Gaitho, a controversial politician and social media influencer, was on Thursday, July 18 charged with False Publications and Cyber Harassment. Gaitho was arrested on July 17, 2024, and faced charges of false publications contrary to Section 22(1) of the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act No. 5 of 2018, and Cyber Harassment Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the same Act.

Photo Of The Week

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If you enjoyed this newsletter, share it widely with your friends.

Earlier this week, President William Ruto and Raila Odinga reunited during the signing of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bill, but how did the latter's cronies take this perceived new form of dialogue?

Plus, I have something brutal for the big media houses...make sure you read till the end.

On Episode 19:

1. GO HOME- Ruto Tells All Cabinet Secretaries
2. Ruto-Gen Z Talks, Raila Says ‘Yes’
3. MP Farah Maalim's Insensitive Remarks, A Ban & A No-Show
4. Journalists For Gen Zs + EDITORIAL

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• Housekeeping: We made some minor changes to the cover image and tweaked one bit of colour. Hope you like it...let us know in the comments below

GO HOME- Ruto Tells All Cabinet Secretaries

For the first time since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, President William Ruto dismissed his whole Cabinet, except one, Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, who doubles up as the Foreign Affairs CS. Also retained is Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Ruto, who addressed the nation at State House on Thursday, July 11, revealed that the drastic move came following pressure from Kenyans, moreso during the nationwide demonstrations.

The Head of State also cited a holistic appraisal of his Cabinet as the reason for this radical decision.

"Upon reflection, listening keenly to what the people of Kenya have said and after a holistic appraisal of the performance of my Cabinet and its achievements and challenges, I have, in line with the powers given to me by Article 152(1) and 152(5)(b) of the Constitution and Section 12 of the Office of the Attorney-General Act, decided to dismiss with immediate effect all the Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General from the Cabinet of the Republic of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs," he announced.

"I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient."

Despite outlining several achievements made by his government, Ruto acknowledged that Kenyans were displeased with the performance of his government, thus sending home all CSs, including Attorney General, Justin Muturi.

Below is the last photo President Ruto took with his Cabinet. The two men flanking him are the ones who remain.

Immediately after, all the profiles of the former government officials were deleted from the State House website.

Who Are The Sacked Cabinet Secretaries?

1. Rebecca Miano - Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry.
2. Kithure Kindiki - Interior and National Administration
3. Alice Wahome - Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Developments
4. Susan Nakhumicha - Ministry of Health
5. Peninah Malonza - Ministry of East African Community, The ASALs and Regional Developments.
6. Alfred Mutua - Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife
7. Moses Kuria - Ministry of Public Service Performance, and Delivery Management.
8. Aisha Jumwa - Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage
9. Njuguna Ndung’u - National Treasury and Planning
10. Aden Duale - Defence
11. Rebecca Miano - Investments, Trade & Industry
12. Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen - Roads and Transport
13. Rosalinda Soipan Tuya - Environment and Forestry
14. Zachariah Mwangi Njeru - Water, Sanitation & Irrigation
15. Mithika Linturi - Agriculture and Livestock Development
16. Ezekiel Machogu - Education
17. Salim Mvurya - Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs
18. Eliud Owalo - Information, Communications and the Digital Economy
19. Simon Chelugui - Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development
20. Ababu Namwamba - Youth Affairs and Sports
21. Florence Bore: Labour and Social Protection.

What Happens Next?

President Ruto instructed his Principal Secretaries to continue running the government's operations, adding that the PSs and other government officials would undertake ministry operations.

"During this process, the operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials," he announced, adding "I will be announcing additional measures and steps in due course."

It is however worth noting that there are 51 Principal Secretaries, more than twice the number of their (now former) Cabinet counterparts.

Read also: List Of Cabinet Secretaries Fired By Ruto & Principal Secretaries Taking Over For Now

Has Any Kenyan President Dissolved a Whole Cabinet Before?

As much as this is a rare occurrence and as much as this is a move that might tone down the rage of the country's Gen Zs who had threatened more dire action, this is not the first time in Kenya's history that a sitting President has disbanded his entire Cabinet.

However, this is the first time this has happened in 19 years. You'd have to go back to 2005 when the late former President Mwai Kibaki sacked his entire Cabinet, though this came days after a national referendum.

In the 2005 referendum, over 3.5 million Kenyans rejected the draft constitution that Kibaki had strongly supported. On November 23, he took action, and just like Ruto, Kibaki spared Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.

"Following the results of the referendum, it has become necessary for me, as the President of the Republic, to re-organize my Government to make it more cohesive and better able to serve the people of Kenya," Kibaki said then.

"Accordingly, in accordance with the powers conferred upon me under the Constitution of Kenya, I have directed that the offices of all Ministers and all Assistant Ministers become vacant. Consequently, the occupants of the said offices cease to hold their respective offices with immediate effect."

Ruto's move to dissolve the Cabinet is a landmark event in the country's history. This now allows him to appoint a new team that has the right competence and know-how to deliver on his manifesto at the end of his term.

It is yet to be known if he will consider re-hiring some of the sacked Cabinet Secretaries.

Sample Reactions From CSs

Kipchumba Murkomen

It has been my greatest privilege and honour to serve my country as a Cabinet Secretary in charge of Roads & Transport. Thank you Mr. President for giving me the opportunity.

Alfred Mutua

I sincerely thank His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto for the confidence he demonstrated by entrusting me with the role of Cabinet Secretary in his government.

During my tenure, I have witnessed firsthand President Ruto's genuine commitment to the rapid transformation of our country. His vision and dedication to progress are clear and unwavering.

Ababu Namwamba

It is a special honour, privilege and blessing to serve one's nation, more so in Cabinet, the country's highest policy-making organ. I thank His Excellency President William Ruto for the trust and confidence that informed my appointment to serve in the Cabinet for the second time in my public service life. God bless Kenya and grant the President grace and wisdom to navigate our country into a safe harbour.

Mithika Linturi

I’m profoundly thankful to H.E. President William Ruto for the trust and confidence he placed in me by appointing me as the CS for Agriculture & Livestock Development. Your decision to entrust me with this significant responsibility is both a privilege & a humbling experience.

Eliud Owalo

“I thank H.E. President Dr. William Samoei Ruto for granting me the opportunity to serve my Country as Cabinet Secretary. I owe him a great debt of gratitude for the same,” he stated.

Soipan Tuya

“Anything that paves the way for the best interest of our Nation, at this point in time, is preeminent. I most sincerely thank H.E President William Ruto for the privilege, honour and opportunity to serve my country at the helm of the Environment, Climate Change and Forestry docket, for the last 21 months. My heart is full of gratitude”

Ruto-Gen Z Talks, Raila Says ‘Yes’

Meanwhile, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi...

On Tuesday, July 9, opposition leader, Raila Odinga, witnessed President Ruto sign the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bill into law...the matter of IEBC seeing the duo being at loggerheads since the 2022 general elections.

The IEBC Bill: The Bill was initially introduced and passed in the National Assembly in May. It was later sent to the Senate which subsequently passed it on June 11. The amendments were done on June 20.

• The new law gives a roadmap to the formation of the IEBC. The IEBC selection panel will now consist of nine persons. 2 nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission, 3 by the political parties liaison committee, 1 will represent the Law Society of Kenya and 1 will represent the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICAK). The Inter-religious council will front two people.
• The new provisions have emphasized the need to consider a two-thirds gender quota in the constitution of the selection panel.

Later, the two held a press conference where President Ruto announced the commencement of the National Multi-Sectoral Forum (NMSF) set to engage with all stakeholders in addressing the concerns raised by the youth. The forum will begin from Monday, July 15, all the way to Saturday, July 20.

Ruto called on representatives from various sectors of the country including religious groups, civil societies, political parties and even professional groups to submit their recommendations.

What Ruto Said: "This will be a six-day forum and will propose the way forward for the country. In the interest that we live within our means, all participants will bear their costs of attendance," Ruto stated.

The Head of State further asked Parliament to expedite the Conflict of Interest Bill 2023 for it to be passed promptly arguing that it would present a chance to hold everyone accountable over corruption.

Raila's Stance

The formation of the NMSF received the backing of Raila, who stated that he approved the formation of the multi-sectoral forum following a consultative meeting with the Head of State.

He encouraged Kenyans from different sectors including the youth to utilize the opportunity and raise their grievances for a lasting solution to be reached.

“I can confirm that we have had consultations and after the consultations, we have agreed that a dialogue is the way forward out of the crisis that we have had as a country,” Raila stated.

“We have agreed we give people an opportunity to be heard, express themselves and come out with the grievances that are ailing our country today so that a lasting solution can be found."

Siding with Ruto, the former Prime Minister agreed that everybody would bear their costs for coming to the forum.

The Reactions

While the attendees and high-ranking officials celebrated the move, outside and on social media, a multitude of Kenyans from different sectors appeared apprehensive over the perceived dialogue and outcomes. For instance:

• Raila's son Raila Odinga Jr broke his silence with a social media post seemingly distancing himself from his father's political move. "Everybody is an individual, please! Even people with the same exact names," he poignantly stated
• Other Kenyans, especially Gen Z and millennials, however, disavowed the dialogue to be held arguing that all they needed from the government was the delivery of their mandate.
• "Dialogue tena? Si ata last year kulikuwa na dialogue?... We cannot use an old map to navigate new territory!" wondered Pauline Njoroge.
• "The dialogue is between two individuals: William Ruto and Raila Odinga. We refuse to be controlled by selfish politicians who only value their stomachs. Gen Zs and Millennials are now taking the bull by the horns," lamented Cornelius Ronoh.
• "We told Raila Odinga to rest and let us handle our own matters. We are not going to dialogue with President William Ruto. We know how it ends and Baba is a clear example of how dialogue never works!" Added another.
• NARC- Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua penned a series of statements on X, one notable one read "Dialogue can only be meaningful if the players have good faith and are guided by the best interests of the people. This is a trap period."

Now all eyes are on the forum next week to fulfill the promises.

Of note: Raila, in response to rumours of a handshake in the offing, wrote on X that "Nimeambiwa na hawa viongozi kwamba mumesema hamtaki handshake. Ujumbe umefika (These leaders have told me that you don't want a handshake. I have received your message.)"

MP Farah Maalim's Insensitive Remarks, A Ban & A No-Show

It's one thing for a Member of Parliament to utter insensitive remarks asking a whole President to deal with Gen Z protesters. But not to show up for summons on those remarks?

How It Began

A viral clip emerged capturing Daadab Member of Parliament Farah Maalim allegedly telling President Ruto to rein in Gen Z protesters who have been exercising their constitutional rights in opposition to the Finance Bill 2024.

The translated clip showed Maalim claiming sensationally that if he were the Head of State, he would never allow Gen Z to stage protests in the first place.

"This was an attempted coup, a clear attempted coup. Children of wealthy business owners, wealthy parents and kids raised on ill-gotten wealth, 80% from one tribe were dropped off in downtown and told to riot and take over State House and Parliament buildings," he said.

Maalim blatantly noted that if he reigned over the nation he would have wiped them out in their thousands.

"God forbid if I was president I would have slaughtered them, 5,000 of them daily. Serious, there is no two ways about it," he said.

However, the lawmaker in defence of the video that went viral, claimed that the video was manipulated as a political weapon to be used against him.

Backing up his claims, Maalim further accused unidentified people from Somalia of digitally altering the clip in response to chiming in on the politics of Somalia.

“The video making the rounds has been edited. It's all cutting and pasting, taking a word from here and putting it together.

“It is Somalis who basically would do that, for other reasons, because I also weighed in on the politics of Somalia,” the Wiper Party elected legislator claimed during an interview with KTN News.

The Reaction

Amidst the uproar, KTN News anchor, Ken Mijungu, on Tuesday, July 9 announced that Maalim was banned from being hosted on his show permanently.

"A member of Parliament is on camera saying if he was the president the day demonstrators breached parliament he would have killed 5,000 of them!

"A LAWMAKER said this! A SEASONED Legislator. As a patriotic Kenyan, I will never host him on my show again! Never," he wrote on X.

Despite Maalim's defence, the seasoned journalist vowed not to invite the legislator to the KTN studios within the Standard Group Limited based on Mombasa Road. It is worth noting that this is Mijungu's personal reference, with Standard Group reserving the right to invite the legislator to interviews and talk shows.

Then, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) summoned Maalim over the remarks, instructing him to appear before the commission on Thursday, July 11 at 11.00 am at its offices on the 17th Floor, Britam Tower, Hospital Road, Upper Hill, Nairobi.

Did He Show Up At NCIC?

No. Maalim's failure to appear before the NCIC on the scheduled date has only added fuel to the fire.

However, NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia confirmed that the MP requested to reschedule his appearance to Monday, July 15.

His Party Acts

The Wiper Party's National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to kick out Maalim. The Kalonzo Musyoka-led party distanced itself from the lawmaker's remarks in which he was captured vowing that he would have taken some of the most drastic and punitive measures against the protesters, including mass killings because their actions amounted to a coup attempt.

The party also called for the MP, who is also the deputy party leader, to be removed from all Parliament committees. Its National Delegates Convention (NDC) is set to make a decision on the NEC’s recommendations.

Maalim was also flagged among other Wiper lawmakers for going against the party decision in the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 vote when it came on the floor of the House, by voting 'Yes' in favour of the Bill.

“On the conduct of party members, first, we believe strongly in the fidelity of political parties, their mission, vision and identity. It is in the public domain that three of our members, namely, Farah Maalim – MP for Dadaab, Doris Donya Toto - Kisii Women Rep, John Okano Bwire – MP for Taveta and Abubakar Ahmed - Nominated MP, have repeatedly gone against the party position,” the party's statement read in part.

“Their latest transgression was voting 'Yes' and Abstaining – in the case of Donya - for the now withdrawn Finance Bill, 2024. The four received invitations to attend today’s NEC meeting. They all failed to attend nor have offered their apologies. Their cases have been referred to the Party’s Disciplinary Committee.”

This may also put Maalim at risk of being recalled as a lawmaker, among MPs targeted for recalls for ignoring the plight of Kenyans regarding the Finance Bill 2024. Should he be recalled, fresh elections will be held for an individual to take his place.

Journalists For Gen Zs + EDITORIAL

With the rise of the Generation Z group of Kenyans who have been leading the charge in demanding accountability from President Ruto's government, there has been however an underreporting of the young people of our country across media platforms for a while...until now.

On Monday, July 8, the Kenya Media Sector Working Group (KMSWG) announced its bid to enhance coverage of what has been viewed as a critical segment of Kenya's vibrant society through various media platforms, both mainstream and digital.

According to a press statement sent to us, the group is mulling plans to set up a platform where Gen Zs, among all Kenyans, will engage on how best to shape the country, moving forward.

"We will shortly announce a comprehensive plan to develop a platform where Kenyans including Gen-Zs will engage on critical issues affecting the nation," the statement read in part.

I provided my very honest opinion on the matter. Read below:

My point of interest is the following quote: "We will shortly announce a comprehensive plan to develop a platform where Kenyans including Gen-Zs will engage on critical issues affecting the nation."

Let's go down further to what I reported on Monday, July 8; "However, it is yet to be determined if the platform will operate through both mainstream and digital media platforms as well as social media and whether established media channels, upcoming ones, or both, will be considered in its development."

What KMSWG needs to answer in their comprehensive plan to develop the platform is what is there above...will the platform be hosted on social media, like X Spaces, Facebook...or TikTok, or will media platforms be considered?

The protests that were started on Tuesday, June 18 brought Gen Z to the national limelight for the very first time. Thousands of Kenyans, mainly the youth (Millennials and Gen Z), took to the streets of Nairobi to protest against the 2024 Finance Bill, showcasing the real power of the biggest population demographic in the whole country.

You're talking about the very same group that forms our largest audience across our website and our social media accounts, and the numbers show. Photos and short videos covering the protests alone were shared across all social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram...and for the first time, baddies suspended breaking men's necks and protested against the Finance Bill.

June 20 and then June 25 (which I attended), and the Finance Bill was dropped. The power of Kenya's youth worked to the point that political figures who dismissed their demands for action ate their words. President Ruto then held more pressers at State House than possibly any other Head of State in Kenya, with radical changes, including the big one you began to read here.

Back to that 'platform'. Social media has become the main environment for millennials and Gen Z and while KMSWG might be on to something proper, there's the question of who should host/talk about that platform to the masses.

For more than a decade, mainstream media and the leading digital media platforms have been ruling the media space, but the turbulent times, especially among the former, have led to a decline in advertising revenue and ultimately, drastic decisions such as doing away with departments and firing journalists...hug anyone you see in media.

Freezing hirings or opting not to advertise job openings (if so, they come with weird requirements that show how your numbers on social media are like your CV) has made established journalists set up their own media platforms, mostly digital. The space has become so saturated...like owning a boda boda...that people still don't believe me when I tell them that I run Viral Tea in a tough environment, competing against more than 5,000-10,000 news websites in Kenya.

Despite being an upcoming digital media house, Viral Tea, a rapidly rising platform in the 2020s decade, has told numerous stories of Gen Zs making their mark in whatever sector in the country, from entrepreneurship to the media space itself while building a platform that caters to the demands of Gen Zs and millennials- our biggest audience. So far, I'm proud that we've established a connection with the biggest digital media platform in the country, but it doesn't stop there.

I'd like to come out and say that it is time for upcoming digital media platforms to take over, be empowered more and for the big boys to step aside for once. They are already big platforms, so it would be insane for them to keep being empowered while the upcoming ones are left to waste away.

I'm saying that if KMSWG chooses the media in terms of what they want to do with the platform, they should first come to the newcomers like Viral Tea to get the word out there. First of all, we are the fastest-growing Kenyan digital media house on LinkedIn, doubling to more than 20,000 followers...three years after beginning in 2021...covering content that at times you will get nowhere else.

There is a saying that when you empower your underperforming employees at work, you'll get the best out of them compared to giving the star performers more work which brings devastating results; you lose your best performers AND your underperformers. That's the same case here.

As a matter of fact, Kenyans deserve to pay more attention to the upcoming digital news and media platforms, not just because that's where the real juice is. I have seen Kenyan media being accused of being biased, and sleeping with the ruling political class among others...but this is because they have been so used to consuming content from leading platforms and ignoring the rest...others turn to bloggers who have a large following and think they're 'credible'.

Just because the upcoming media platforms are small doesn't mean they don't have their own policies. Yes, we check each and EVERY single pitch that comes our way, verify and use it in our stories or social media content...even though we are independent, we prize credibility as our 'main bae'. Truth is as staple as a plate of ugali in this country and just a note; we do not consider pitches on anything that we find to be defamatory. I gave you those tips for free today lol.

A good way to empower the upcoming digital media platforms is through collaborations/partnerships. To quote my fellow digital media friend Oliver Mathenge in one of his newsletters:

There will be a wave of consolidation in Kenyan media, as smaller publications team up or merge to take on bigger competitors. While there may be employment losses as a result of this, there may also be chances for creative cross-platform content development and collaboration.

In one of my comments, I indicated that Kenyan media houses have shown how allergic they are to collaborations or partnerships on a consistent basis, hence the only hope for such is within the smaller publications. And no, the Presidential Debates series is not enough.

More than just teaming up, it's time for the big companies in other sectors to give more attention to the smaller publications and for stakeholders to invest in them so that they can grow their craft as well as hire and train the upcoming Gen Z journalists to not just align them with modern office and work culture but to also adapt to the fast-paced news environment which we have seen of late is full of content, some of which is masked in misinformation to the point of catching even the best of us off-guard.

Should anything unfortunate happen to the big media houses and channels, as we almost saw with KTN News on June 25, it will be those upcoming publications that will be standing, some of which will have strengthened themselves in terms of accuracy, credibility and my favourite one...creativity mixed with professionalism. Imagine taking the humour of Justine Wanda and mixing it up with the professionalism and knowledge of the likes of Linus Kaikai, and Sam Gituku among others. That's your homework...tell us your results!

Allowing the leading media houses to run away with all the fame...and all the big money would force the upcoming ones to fold/shut down because of lack of funds to sustain their operations...and that clips the democratization of the media, hence we as the media cannot hold the government of the day, celebrity or any other newsmaker to account in a no-holds-barred way...how the Gen Z are doing it and how they want the media to do it today...truthfully and objectively.

Here are other stories we kept hot for you this week:

1. An unfortunate week of deaths from Bishop Allan Kiuna, the founder and preacher of Jubilee Christian Church (JCC) to High Court Judge David Majanja. May they Rest In Peace (RIP) and may God comfort their families as they go through this difficult time.
2. Before that 'purge', Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei directed that all Cabinet Secretaries (CS) select at least one advisor to be retained, thus paving the way for the rest to be fired. Following the directive, the number of advisors assigned to each Cabinet Secretary was revised from two to one.
3. Roots Party Leader George Luchiri Wajackoyah’s 2022 presidential running mate Justina Wamae on Monday, July 8 turned down her appointment by President William Ruto as part of a 20-member task force to address human resources for health in the country as she was on maternity leave which prevented her from working to the best of her abilities in the task force.
4. Three activists, among them popular Nairobi-based chips mwitu vendor, Bevalyne Kwamboka, had demanded that former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba reveal the full details regarding the delegation of non-athletes accompanying the official Kenyan delegation to the prestigious event. Later, word went around that Kenyans in France swore to assist in deporting individuals back home following revelations that the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) had extended an invitation to 11 Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) to the Olympics as part of the cheering squad.
5. The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) on Tuesday announced the immediate reinstatement of Vincent Chepkwony, a private security officer who demonstrated exceptional bravery during the recent protests at a popular restaurant at Kimathi Street, Nairobi after being recorded on camera opening the doors of the restaurant to protestors at the height of the Anti-Finance Bill protests.
6. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi on Wednesday, July 10 revealed shocking statistics regarding the death toll among Kenyans working in the Gulf States since 2002. Across the Gulf States, 316 Kenyans have lost their lives over the past 12 years, 166 of them from Saudi Arabia alone!
7. Based on 4, Kenyan TikTok star, radio host and influencer, Azziad Nasenya on Thursday, June 11 denounced reports that she is part of the delegation of non-athletes accompanying the official Kenyan delegation to Paris, France for the 2024 Olympic Games.

News Graphic Of The Week

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If you enjoyed this newsletter, share it widely with your friends.

Plus President William Ruto held a roundtable interview with both mainstream and digital media outlets. And before you ask, we were not invited.

On Episode 18:

1. Ruto Meets Journalists At State House
2. Goons On Rampage
3. No Salary Hike For You, No Job For You Either
4. The Standard Group Strike...Before The Big Strike

Checkpoint

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Housekeeping: Over the past weekend, we made an overall change to one of our colours. Instead of the red colour scheme, we now have a mixture of amber brown and fawn, mainly to reflect the colour of Kenyan tea with milk...however it appears on your cup.

Ruto Meets Journalists At State House

On Sunday evening, June 30, the country was glued to TV screens and the radio to listen to the highly-anticipated interview with President William Ruto at State House, which we later learnt was requested by his team.

This was in relation to the anti-Finance Bill protests that rocked the country for more than two weeks, and claiming lives as well as leading to casualties in the process. We picked some key areas from the interview with mainstream media houses:

Githurai Massacre

President Ruto denied reports of a massacre in Githurai on Tuesday, June 25 following the anti-Finance Bill protests, referencing an investigation done by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which found no evidence of mass killings in Githurai. Read it here

"BBC on that account went to investigate in Githurai, and of course, you know, you have read. BBC has said there was no massacre in Githurai. There was 1 person who was shot by the police," he revealed.

The report published over the weekend came from fact-finding investigations by the BBC following reports of the massacre which saw conflicting reports of people killed surfacing all over the internet and news platforms.

BBC had found that old videos filmed in 2022 were being reshared on social media, purporting to show protesters walking along a street carrying flaming torches at the protests.

"The BBC Global Disinformation Unit had previously investigated the clip and discovered that it was recorded in Ghana two years ago. This is not the first time it has been misrepresented.

"Despite the incomplete understanding of what happened in Githurai, as Kenyans woke up on Wednesday morning reports began to spread of an alleged massacre," read the report in part.

A police report seen by Viral Tea from the Githurai-Mwiki Police Station indicated that a protest that began peacefully turned riotous when an alleged group of about 6,000 became violent and lit a bonfire on a road in the area.

"Police officers led by the sub-county commander tried to negotiate with them to peaceably disperse but they refused and started pelting the officers with stones. A proclamation was read by the sub-county commander but they did not disperse instead turned very violent," stated the report filed under OB Number 46/25/06/2024 at 9.15 pm.

The KDF Deployment

President Ruto also spoke about the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) on civilian streets to assist the police in quelling unrest as a result of the anti-Finance Bill protests.

Speaking during a roundtable interview with top journalists at State House, Nairobi, Ruto claimed that he was out of options, adding that the situation would have been worse had he not resorted to deploying the military.

"In my first statement, I clearly said innocent lives were lost and in my second statement I said the same. If I hadn’t done what I did, things would have been much worse," he stated.

According to the Head of State, it would have been a reckless move had he not directed the deployment of the military, which was largely criticised by Kenyans from all corners and within opposition political circles.

"Many people asked me Mr President, why did you call in the army? What choice did I have?

"It would have been very reckless of me not to mobilize every arm of government and every arm of our security agencies to protect the country and to protect lives," he added.

The deployment of the military was challenged by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) at the High Court which however ruled that the intervention was justified, though finding that it was clear that the public had not been fully appraised of the extent of the military involvement.

Ruto also claimed that since the onset of the anti-Finance Bill protests, declared property worth Ksh2.4 billion had been destroyed, adding that the damage had been caused by criminals who allegedly infiltrated the peaceful protests to cause atrocities such as burning down a section of the Parliament Buildings.

"I have no blood in my hands. 19 people to the record that I have from the security agencies are dead. Very unfortunate," he stated.

"As a democracy, that should not be part of our conversation. Ksh2.4 billion of the property had been destroyed. The office of the Chief Justice has been burnt. City Hall has been burnt. Parliament has been burnt," he added.

His Assurance To Protest Victims

He however assured families of the deceased that investigations into the incidents were underway with a report set to be revealed to the public.

"I am telling every parent, I have kids like they do and I care when there are issues in town where criminals can take advantage of situations and create a situation where the police have to use rubber bullets and live bullets in some cases because that is what an independent police service has to do. I am sure the police have a record and explanation for every incident that they were engaged in," he added.

"Any life that is lost is something that must bother anybody beginning with myself. When I came into office I said there would be no extrajudicial killing in Kenya and I have made sure that there is no extrajudicial killing in Kenya. It is true that children got into situations where they became victims of the demonstrations. These great young people who have stepped forward to prosecute their agenda, I am certain that they did not burn Parliament."

Getting Rid Of Offices, Including Rachel Ruto's

President William Ruto then announced that his administration would scrap off the Offices of the First and Second Lady, revealing that the two offices will cease being part and parcel of the Kenya Kwanza administration beginning Monday, July 1 when the Financial Year 2024/25 began.

"I know citizens have said there is no need for the office of the first lady and second lady but these are offices that have been there but because we have to live within our means, those offices from tomorrow will not be part of our equation because, in the face of what has happened, we have to trim down every other area," the Head of State explained.

The scrapping of offices, he added, would extend to the Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS).

He said "On CASs, the court declared themselves on that and we have respected that. We are not going to appoint a CAS until our economy can sustain that."

The X Space: President Ruto gave the Kenyan youth a chance to be heard through an invitation to a direct dialogue via X (Twitter) Space on Thursday, July 4, or Friday, July 5 in a bid to improve his communication with the young people, for which his administration has been largely criticised of. He said "I hear the young people are saying they don’t want a multisectoral forum. Maybe we should have an engagement with the President on X. I’m open to having an engagement with the young people on a forum they are comfortable with. If they want me to engage with them on X, I will be there." We have since learnt that this space will be held on Friday, July 5, from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm though a parallel one is planned for the same time, until late.

Editor's Note: a reader asked us why we were not part of the interview with digital journalists despite being a fast-growing digital media house in the country. It was simple, 'we were not invited'. Probably this current regime hasn't recognised us yet and it will take the next one to discover us...anyway, there's a next time.

IEBC: President Ruto promised the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in 10 days, revealing that he received a parliamentary report authorising him to appoint new commissioners for the IEBC. This is in adherence to the demands set forth by the Gen Zs.

Threats to KTN: President Ruto addressed a report by Standard Group Limited TV station, KTN News on Tuesday, June 25 which revealed that the government had threatened to shut them down, directing the TV station that "KTN should make a formal report of who threatened them so that they can be dealt with in accordance with the law. Nobody should threaten any media personality for whatever reason either on account of what they reported or on account of what they did and if I have a complaint with a media house or a media personality, I know where to take them in terms of reporting them to the right agencies and have the matter sorted out within the parameters of the law."

Goons On Rampage

What was witnessed during chaotic scenes on Tuesday, June 25 grew a shade worse with goons going on the rampage during anti-government protests in Nairobi and other major towns in the country.

In Nairobi, protesters brought Waiyaki Way to a standstill at Kangemi as they faced off against police officers who tried to prevent them from marching to the Central Business District (CBD).

Protesters in Mlolongo vandalised a section of the Nairobi Expressway, resulting in severe traffic disruptions to and from Nairobi CBD.

In Nairobi's CBD, specifically at Odeon, clashes between protestors and police manifested into running battles, with reports of stone-throwing and property destruction. One shoe-shinning stall at Odeon was set ablaze with Tom Mboya Avenue closed with stones as youths and protestors faced off.

The unrest extended to various parts of the capital, where additional protests were reported, all without the presence of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers.

In, Mombasa, peaceful protests escalated into violence. Protesters clashed with police, who responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds. A shooting had occurred at the Ganjoni area of Mombasa by a civilian firearm holder and the alleged owner of Qaffee Point Hotel that left some persons injured, and chaos that led to the torching of some vehicles.

Some business owners resolved to protect their businesses amid reports of looting and break-ins by some protestors. Speaking on live television, a group of businessmen along Tom Mboya Street said they thwarted an attempt by protestors to torch a Shell petrol station on Latema Road.

Officers from the Recce squad arrived at Hamburg House along Tom Mboya Street to flush out a man believed to have been armed and shot a police officer from the top of the building during the protests.

The lone gunman was reported to be on the second floor of the building. Police officers noticed gunshots coming from the top of the building housing a local bank along Moi Avenue.

Govt Response

On Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki announced that the government will crack down on those who are found to have planned and orchestrated the infiltration of the anti-government protests using criminal gangs who caused havoc on public and private property.

Kindiki disclosed that upon completion of the ongoing evidential analysis, the government, in assurance to members of the public, will embark on arresting the planners, executors and financiers of large-scale arson, violent robberies and other felonious crimes.

"The organizers of today's orgy of violence in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa and several other parts of the Country are reportedly planning to repeat their anarchic chaos and cruel plunder again on Thursday and Sunday this week, and perhaps much more frequently in the future.

"This reign of terror against the people of Kenya and the impunity of dangerous criminal gangs must end at whatever cost. The Government is determined to stop criminals aiming to terrorize the public and harm Kenya, notwithstanding attempts to politicize crime," he stated.

Business Owners React

The following day, business owners in Nairobi vowed to protect their own premises at all costs from goons infiltrating the demonstrations to cause chaos.

The traders under the Nairobi Business Community who spoke during a press briefing on Wednesday, July 3 called out Adamson Bungei, who is reported to have been reassigned from the Nairobi police boss position, for declining to order his police officers to intervene to prevent the goons from mass-raiding and looting shops in the Central Business District (CBD).

"I want to ask you Bungei, with all honesty, will those children raid the shops of their mothers? Will those children raid the shops of their fathers? It cannot happen," a female trader lamented in a press briefing, indicating that some unknown individuals were part and parcel of a well-organized criminal syndicate.

The trader announced that the business owners would resort to protecting their premises from any future break-ins, thefts, and arson, even if they had to put their lives on the line. Fortunately, no protests took place in Nairobi on Thursday.

No Salary Hike For You, No Job For You Either

Meanwhile, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) came under heavy fire for its proposal to increase salaries for not just Members of Parliament but also various state officers from the President to Members of the County Assembly.

As detailed in the Gazette Notice published by SRC in August 2023, the increments were reported to have taken effect on July 1. Per the new rates, speakers of both houses in Parliament were to get an increase from Ksh1,185,327 to Ksh1,208,362.

Furthermore, their deputies would get a pay rise from Ksh948,261 to Ksh966,690 while Majority Leaders would see a Ksh15,251 increase. The leaders who include Kimani Ichung'wah, Opiyo Wandayi, Senator Aaron Cheruiyot and Stewart Madzayo were set to earn Ksh800,019 from Ksh784,768.

New salaries for MPs and Senators were to be Ksh739,600 from the past Ksh725,502.

In the executive, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney General got a salary raise of Ksh33,000, with the officers taking home Ksh990,000 from Ksh957,000 last month.

However, only President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were revealed to have their salaries retained. Ruto will continue earning Ksh1,443,750 as Gachagua continues to earn Ksh1,227,188.

The Response From Parliament

During a Senate session, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot on Wednesday, July 3 faulted the SRC for being silent during the anti-government protests instead of coming up with solutions to salvage the country's woes.

SRC was also called out by Kenyans for being insensitive to the current situation by enforcing pay raises that cut across the leadership in government, amidst anti-government protests by Kenyans over the high cost of living and punitive taxes.

"SRC has been silent during these protests. They have to speak and tell us what is it that we do to reduce the wage bill from 46 per cent to mandatory 35 per cent. If it means taking a pay cut, we as members of parliament have been told that we will never do it. We don’t have an option, we must do it," he said.

"The yearly increment that is being discussed, I saw it being reported or misreported that we are now going to earn more; SRC continues to be silent about it. We must make a resolution and say that we reject even that one in light of the financial situation."

What They Said

• Esther Passaris: I reject any salary increments. It's the exact opposite of what we're calling for; austerity. It's fiscally unsustainable and our current economic situation can't absorb it. Let's work towards living within our means.
• Babu Owino: MPs and other state officers should not be added even a coin. It’s sad to increase salary while Kenyans have no jobs, Kenyans have no capital to start businesses, Kenyans have no money to pay school fees, No money for medication. Say no to salary increments.
• Edwin Sifuna: The SRC is proposing to add Ksh14,000 to my salary. I didn’t ask for it. I don’t need it. It’s still money, in a country where many have no income, but for perspective, I pay close to 300k in income tax every month.
• Governor James Orengo: The salary increases for state officers including governors are absolutely unwarranted at this time
• Millicent Omanga: a betrayal to Kenyans for salaries and other benefits of state officers to be increased at this point in time when there's agitation for the same to be reduced. We can't always take Kenyans for fools. Reduce, not increase. That's what Kenyans are demanding!

Government Action

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria wrote to SRC declaring that he would not implement its Gazette Notice on salary increments for public servants.

In a letter to SRC, the CS noted that while he recognized that SRC is within its Constitutional mandate to set and regularly review the remuneration and benefits of all State Officers, he made reference to the Resolutions of the Third National Wage Bill Conference held on April 15-17, 2024 to reduce the Wage bill to 35 per cent of revenue as provided in the Public Finance Management Act 2012 and the prevailing austerity measures announced by President William Ruto occasioned by the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.

"As the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management therefore, I decline to implement the gazette notice on increased salaries as applies to the Executive arm of National Government and urge the Commission to degazette the implementation of the new salary structure, in its entirety, across all levels of Government," he stated.

The Council of Governors on its part urged SRC to immediately withdraw the proposed salary increments for all County State Officers including; Governors, Deputy Governors and County Executive Committee Members.

President William Ruto directed the National Treasury to review the Gazette Notice dated August 9, 2023, from the SRC regarding the remuneration & benefits for State officers in the Executive of the National Government, the Senate and the National Assembly, in light of the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024 and the fiscal constraints expected this financial year.

"The President has emphasised that this is a time, more than ever before, for the Executive & all arms of government to live within their means," State House spokesperson Hussein Mohammed stated on X.

SRC Bows

Addressing the press on Wednesday, July 3, Commission chairperson Lyn Mengich termed the recent budget cuts and the current economic situation in the country as the reasons for the decision to freeze the upward salary review for all state officers following consultations with the National Treasury.

"In consultation with the Treasury, SRC hereby freezes the upward review of salaries for all State officers, and will review the advice for all other public officers, taking into account the current realities of the economy, and a reduced budget to ensure affordability and fiscal sustainability of the wage bill," she announced.

Furthermore, the SRC boss noted that whatever was frozen would have been implemented in the current financial year 2024/25, but the commission took into account the fiscal constraints and the budgetary cuts.

Budget Cuts = No Jobs

A double-edged sword. As of Thursday night, CS Kuria announced that the government suspended all new and ongoing public service recruitment in a move that threatens to worsen the unemployment crisis in the country.

This was revealed on Wednesday, July 4 when Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria wrote to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to suspend new and ongoing staff hiring, including ongoing interviews, due to anticipated budget cuts.

"Our current expenditure on salaries, allowances, and benefits for public servants exceeds sustainable levels, placing undue strain on our national finances and hindering our ability to allocate resources towards essential national priorities.

"In view of expected budget cuts in the ongoing budget rationalization, therefore, I urge you to halt any new recruitment and any that is ongoing and has not been concluded," he directed.

CS Kuria further announced that during the suspension of employment, the government will conduct an audit and clean all public payrolls.

Unemployment Statistics

The unemployment situation in the country has been so dire with the number of Kenyans without jobs increasing to more than 2.97 million in the quarter to December 2022 as per data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

More than half of Kenyans without jobs, or 1.54 million people, were between 20 and 29 years old, underlining the growing crisis of youth unemployment.

The Standard Group Strike...Before The Big Strike

Last week, one of Standard Group Limited's TV station branches, KTN News, faced threats by the government to shut them down. This week, the media house had to clean up its own affairs...and they were getting more messy!

Standard Group employees from Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Berur FM and Vybez Radio on Thursday morning, July 4 downed their tools, making good their earlier threat to do so over salary arrears going as far back as June 2023.

The employees had on June 28 threatened to go off air starting July 3 if the company had failed to clear outstanding salaries.

The presenters, who host some of the most popular shows on stations under the media conglomerate, walked out of their studios, leaving their listeners listening only to music, demanding that the management honour their contractual obligation.

With management not heeding their plea, the journalists staged a walkout from their respective workstations and converged at the staff cafeteria.

We were informed that the staffers had been at the cafeteria since 7 am waiting for the management to address their concerns.

According to the radio employees, they have not been paid for the months between June to August 2023. In 2024, the employees had allegedly only been paid for the month of February.

Reply...With Sacking Threats

In response, the media house threatened to fire all radio presenters from the radio stations following the walkout, with the management addressing the journalists who had converged at the staff cafeteria, and threatened to terminate contracts should they not go back to their workstations.

Staff at the media house have been vocal about their plight, using organisations such as the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) and the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) to air their grievances and demand immediate action from the management.

Even on their social media channels, many of the stations under the Standard Group umbrella did not have updates as is usual for presenters to drum up fans to tune in.

The media house based along Mombasa Road has been suffering economic challenges with frequent mass layoffs and retrenchment.

The Big Strike Is Coming

Meanwhile, Standard Group has another problem on its way after KUJ on Sunday, June 30 issued a 14-day strike notice to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour on its intentions to stage a work boycott should the company fail to meet four of its demands, a matter that could lead to a total shutdown of operations at the country's oldest media house.

KUJ had demanded that the media house based along Mombasa Road settle salary arrears owed to its staff, some of whom have reportedly gone unpaid for more than seven months.

The union also called on the company to devise a concrete plan to restore the Sacco by providing Sacco savings contributed by its employees.

This is after it accused Standard Group of defying a directive from Sacco's regulator, The Sacco Societies Regulatory (SASRA), to prioritise this matter in its debt-settling plan.

"For seven months now, staff at the Standard Group PLC, the oldest media house in this part of the world, have gone through untold sufferings due to unpaid salaries despite hard economic times in the country," KUJ's statement read in part.

"The Kenya Union of Journalists, therefore, is demanding an immediate response from the following issues failure to which we shall force a total shutdown of operations of Standard Group PLC in the next 14 days. In this regard, we have issued a 14-day strike notice to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour on our intention to stage a work boycott over the following issues."

KUJ also called upon the company to remove a cap on medical claims and cease capturing the biometric data of staff to enforce a new directive of reporting time.

Standard Group was also compelled to come up with an acceptable payment plan to clear the arrears, failure to which the staff will not only withdraw their services but also begin auctioning prime assets of the company to recover the funds.

Other stories we paid attention to for you this week:

1. This week's newsletter is dedicated to Teresia Nzau , (MPRSK) who won the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Public Relations Division's Inez Kaiser Award for 2024, which placed her among the top graduate students in the division in America. Read our exclusive story here.
2. Former Nandi Member of Parliament Alfred Keter on Monday, July 1 revealed that he was interrogated regarding his relationship with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua following his arrest on Sunday.
3. The Orange Democratic Party (ODM) on Tuesday announced its intention to recall six of its members who voted in favour of the Finance Bill 2024 in Parliament. They include lawmakers in Gem, Bondo, Navakholo, Kajiado Central, Ikolomani and Suba South
4. Workers of a Nyeri secondary school are in a fix after their employer sacked them arbitrarily without notice and is threatening to evict them from the school-owned houses before awarding them their dues.
5. The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) on Wednesday, July 3 clarified the election of John Chebochok as its regional director in the Ainamoi Tea Zone, more than a year after he was at the centre of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)'s undercover investigative feature under the BBC Africa Eye segment which exposed claims of widespread sexual abuse affecting tea farms in Kenya.
6. President Ruto's daughter, June Ruto, was on Wednesday appointed as the Director of Foreign Service and selected as a participant at the National Defence College. Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale told Citizen TV that “June Ruto, the daughter of the President and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is one of the 67 students who have started their classes today. She is among the three that were nominated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to do the one-year National Security Strategy that Foreign Affairs, Immigration, KRA, EACC, NIS, DPP, and Ministry of Health among another 29 KDF officers at the rank of Colonel joined."
7. President William Ruto's Cabinet commended the professional conduct of security officers during protests against the Finance Bill but announced that it would take decisive action against the officers who broke the law by harming peaceful protesters.
8. Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on Thursday, July 4 denied allegations of hiring goons to infiltrate the anti-Finance Bill protests to cause havoc and loot businesses in the Central Business District (CBD), claiming that he was in Diani at the time for a Cabinet retreat where they carried out a review of the just-concluded financial year 2023/24
9. What are you doing on Sunday, July 7? Activist Boniface Mwangi is inviting you to a memorial concert at Uhuru Park set to honour protesters who died during demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024, dubbed 'ShuGenZ'.

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Plus Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua took on the National Intelligence Service (NIS) head-on over intelligence regarding the protests. Meanwhile, his senior, President William Ruto, finally said NO to the Finance Bill 2024.

On Episode 17:

1. Protests: Good, Bad & Ugly [IN MY OWN EYES]
2. The Internet Shutdown?
3. Ruto Rejects Finance Bill...Finally!
4. Gachagua Picks Fight With NIS

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Protests: Good, Bad & Ugly [IN MY OWN EYES]

An account of this writer's experience of the anti-Finance Bill protests on Tuesday, June 27:

Out of the times that my career as a digital journalist has been put on litmus tests, this will probably rank in the top 2. But let's begin from last week:

The anti-Finance Bill protests gained significant momentum on Thursday (June 20), but I was still nursing my tonsilitis which led to a few crazy fever episodes, but with medication, I managed to make it out of the ordeal and promised that I would catch the Tuesday (June 25) one...the biggest of them all.

Having read a series of tips to follow during the protests, and knowing that nearly all of Nairobi's youth would be there, I called a friend of mine because I needed company for the protests. She agreed to attend, and the days leading up to Tuesday were spent answering the big question; where are we going to meet?

D-day. I was nervous as hell. First of all, I've never been to a protest (before that day). The numerous ones I've covered digitally have all been riddled with chaos and police battles, with gunshot wounds, injuries and deaths. However, the feminist march earlier this year showed us that peaceful protests were very possible.

June 25 felt like a public holiday. From where I stayed, a lot of kids had remained home, despite the mid-term break for most schools set for the following day. It was a total shutdown and many of my young peers (not much in the media) had the companies they were working for grant them leaves just to attend the protests.

This meant that traffic along major roads leading to the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) was non-existent. In my case, Thika Road leading to town was deserted by cars, meaning the Gen Z protesters would have to walk from their destinations to town...that also meant those in Roysambu.

A daunting task that wouldn't matter to the Gen Zs...but a few matatus operating the route opted to pick up passengers just to cash in...as long as the final stop would be Ngara, from which it is a 5-10 minute walk to the city. I ran into such matatus.

Getting there, I called my friend...she hadn't reached the city yet, and so as I waited for her arrival, I proceeded with hundreds of protesters into the city.

Hundreds of peaceful, joyous protesters, generating an atmosphere I only see in popular music concerts. I buy a whistle to join the hype, cost me just Ksh50. On my way through the Globe Roundabout fly over to the CBD...with my phone intact.

As I wait to print a flyer in one of the cyber cafes near Khoja Matatu terminus, breaking news flashes: Members of the National Assembly passed the Finance Bill 2024 after the Third Reading, paving the way for President Ruto to assent.

In a record TWO HOURS! Despite the uproar from Kenyans, the controversial Finance Bill sailed through again, with 195 Members of Parliament voting to pass it while 106 others rejected it. Three votes were spoiled.

As I was done printing, I thought to myself; what's the push to have it rejected at the August House?

While still searching for my friend, my eyes were slightly stinging. The effects of teargas that dissipated in the air from the morning protesters vs police were evident. The search nonetheless took me past Nation Centre, I&M building, GPO and back to I&M...where I found her, with another friend.

As we moved to the vicinity of City Hall, I went right past my former business partner who's an editorial lead for a local media house. Kweli, Nairobi ni ndogo. I stopped to greet her, ignoring the bad blood we unfortunately had two years ago.

In her soft-spoken voice "Don't go to Parliament, it's bad...". I thought she was saying it to keep me away from the action, but from the year I've worked together with her, she doesn't lie.

Following the little scare of police advancing to our location, we paused outside the 680 Hotel. I checked my X and saw the following major headlines:

The Government Threatens To Shut Down KTN News

Standard Group's KTN reported that the government threatened to shut them down. Through an announcement during their live coverage at 4:09 pm, it was announced that there were threats to shut down the media house based along Mombasa Road.

"In the wake of our detailed coverage of the ongoing protests that has been organised by Gen Z protesters, we would like to inform our viewers that we have received threats from authorities of intention to shut us down. We would like to inform the public of our commitment to defend the public interest and we shall not be cowed by any threats,” the broadcaster announced.

The media house did not detail the specific office or the individual who had threatened to shut them. However, it was noted that the threats emerged as a result of the live coverage of the Tuesday protests.

Parliament On Fire & Invasion

Those were two eventualities that no one in Kenya would ever think they'd happen.

The anti-Finance Bill protests which, at the break of dawn, seemed peaceful turned chaotic in the hours succeeding mid-day on Tuesday as a section of the protesters attempted to break into Parliament buildings.

Members of the National Assembly, who were preparing for the third reading of the Finance Bill, were forced to scamper for safety as the situation worsened.

Video clips shared online and broadcast live on TV showed ruins within a section of Parliamentary precincts. The ruins showed broken window panes, damaged furniture and broken office fittings.

Lawmakers, some of whom were inside Parliament, sought refuge inside the building's upper floors and secure basements. In the afternoon, some of the protesters aggressively made their way to Parliament and broke into the buildings.

Deaths: The police officers guarding the buildings opened live fire on the protesters instantly killing an unidentified number of them. Reporters counted up to three bodies lying outside Parliament.

One of the clips shared by Citizen TV's Seth Olale on X showed just how the break-in took place, with police firing automatic guns to scare away the protesters who defied the danger. Like a scene...of walking dead!

According to the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), police officers manning the parliament buildings reportedly shot five protestors.

"Police have shot four protesters, as witnessed by KHRC, killing one. We strongly condemn the police killing. Such actions are unacceptable and constitute a grave violation of human rights. "Justice and accountability are imperative. We will vigorously push for police accountability," the Kenya Human Rights Commission noted in a statement.

Shortly after, a section of the Parliament buildings, broadcasted live, was on fire with smoke seen billowing. This was after some protestors managed to gain access to the buildings after overpowering the police who had barricaded the barriers.

Earlier, a police truck was set on fire outside Parliament.

Aftermath

"Occupying Parliament...that has never happened in our nation's history," another friend who joined us for the protests, revealed.

Not only was Parliament occupied, but it was on fire! From photos and videos going around, one protester was captured wearing a jacket belonging to the Speaker of the Senate (the office that is). Other photos showed protesters feasting on what was probably beforehand lunch for the MPs.

We could see smoke coming from Parliament buildings, but more of it came from the direction of the Nairobi Expressway. That's when we learnt that the dummy plane at Uhuru Park which was meant to be some kind of restaurant was also torched.

In the midst of taking memorable pictures and watching the Gen Zs smoke bangi (weed in our lingo), we got intel that the military was going to be deployed thanks to that eye-popping fiasco at Parliament...a famous government institution which isn't a protected area because it gets visitors who sit at the House regularly.

Three words; deployment of military (Kenya Defence Forces [KDF] these days)...the last time we had military on Kenyan civilian streets was during the 1982 coup. You know it's possibly bad news when the military has to be deployed to contain otherwise peaceful protests.

More intel was coming in that police would start cracking down on protesters as the timeline for the protests was fast approaching. Rumours had it that they would trap everyone still in the city and round them up...thus the message was clear...get out now!

My best bet out of the city was the same way I came in...via Thika Road. As other Kenyans marched towards their homes, I luckily caught a matatu.

The Internet Shutdown?

The other issue I was forced to deal with was the internet disruption. On one Saturday, a friend I met in Roysambu shared with me the possibility of the internet being shut down, despite an assurance by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) that this would not happen.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority has no intention whatsoever to shut down internet traffic or interfere with the quality of connectivity,” the statement read in part, adding “Such actions would be a betrayal of the Constitution as a whole, the freedom of expression in particular and our own ethos.”

Getting a story through back at home was impossible. Posting on social media was difficult...felt like my powers as a digital journalist were cut to size.

What was even worse was that the most affected platform by this outage was X...the very same platform that mobilised Gen Z to protest in the street.

Global internet observatory NetBlocks confirmed the internet outage at around 5 pm, on the same platform.

NetBlocks reported, "Confirmed: Live network data show a major disruption to internet connectivity in Kenya," sparking widespread concern and frustration among Kenyans.

The blackout coincided with escalating anti-finance bill protests, which relied heavily on online mobilisation and live streaming by media and influencers.

That Tense Ruto Speech

Meanwhile, as June 25 inched to a close, I and other journalists received an alert that President Ruto was set to address the nation following the 'chaotic' events of Tuesday.

Before that, Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale gazetted the deployment of KDF in different parts of the country to help police quell the anti-Finance Bill protests...your official confirmation of KDF being deployed on Instagram baddies with iPhones and looks that could kill...who were protesting peacefully.

By the way, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenged this in court but lost in their bid to have their deployment declared unconstitutional.

Back to the speech...and in all my years in digital media, never have I heard a speech as insensitive as that of President Ruto, who stated that "legitimate" protests against his policies had been "hijacked by a group of organised criminals," he warned his government would use all means at its disposal to prevent a repeat of the violence – "at whatever cost".

“I hereby put on notice the planners, financiers, orchestrators, and abettors of violence and anarchy, that these security infrastructures established to protect our republic and its sovereignty, will be deployed to secure the country and restore normalcy.”

“The government will therefore uphold its constitutional mandate to secure our nation and its development and shall treat every threat to national security and the integrity of our state as an existential danger to our Republic. Accordingly, I assure Kenyans that we shall provide a full, effective and expeditious response to today's treasonous events,” stated Ruto.

I sit stunned at the fact that the President of the Republic of Kenya might have referred to peaceful Gen Z protesters as 'criminals'. As I'm writing this, I'm thinking "Is my university crush a criminal? Maybe a freaky one..."

Ruto Rejects Finance Bill...Finally!

After a week of protests and intense uproar from members of the public regarding the Finance Bill, President Ruto finally conceded.

The Head of State, while speaking during a press briefing at State House on Wednesday, June 26, announced that he has returned the bill to Parliament for further amendments.

"Having reflected on the conversation surrounding the bill and listening to the people of Kenyan who have said they want nothing to do with the bill. I concede and therefore I will not sign the bill. It will be subsequently withdrawn and that becomes our position," he stated.

What Happens Next?

Moses Wetangula, the Speaker of the National Assembly, issued a Notification to the Members and the general public in relation to President Ruto's Memorandum which saw the rejection of the Finance Bill.

In the Notification, Wetangula on Thursday, June 27 indicated that he had referred the Memorandum to the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.

The notice came after the National Assembly on Tuesday, June 25 passed the Finance Bill 2024 after the third reading, after 195 Members of Parliament voted to pass it while 106 others rejected it and three votes were spoiled, paving the way for Ruto to assent it into law before Ruto's announcement that he rejected the Bill.

"Further whereas, in accordance with Article 115(1)(b) of the Constitution, H.E. the President, vide a Memorandum dated 26th June 2024, referred the Finance Bill, 2024 back to the National Assembly for reconsideration with reservations recommending deletion of all clauses of the Bill.

"Cognizant that, the President's Memorandum constitutes a rejection of the bill in its entirety; and that the decision is informed by the need to reflect the voice of the people of Kenya who have rejected the Bill," the statement read in part.

The notification however revealed that in accordance with Article 115(4)(a) of the Constitution, any Member desirous of negating the President's reservations or reviving any of the 69 Clauses of the Bill is required to marshal the votes of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Members of the National Assembly, being 233 MPs.

Furthermore, Standing Order 42(3) provides that a Message received from the President at a time when the House is not in session is to be transmitted to every Member and reported to the House on the day the House next sits. Currently, the House is on recess until July 23, 2024.

As a result, Wetangula referred President Ruto's Memorandum of Referral in respect of the Finance Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 30 of 2024) to the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.

"That the Committee is required to expeditiously commence consideration of the President's Memorandum, its reservations and recommendation, and report to the House at the next regular sitting upon its resumption; and that the Clerk is directed to circulate this Notification to all Members of the National Assembly, and accordingly facilitate the Committee to undertake the exercise; and prepare the necessary Message for formal conveyance to the House upon its resumption," the statement added.

Constitutional Procedure for Returning a Bill

According to Kenya's constitution, the process of returning a bill to Parliament involves several critical steps:

After a bill is passed by Parliament, it is presented to the President for assent. The President has 14 days to either assent to the bill or refer it back to Parliament with a memorandum outlining specific concerns.

In this case, President Ruto has exercised his constitutional right to refer the Finance Bill 2024 back to Parliament. The memorandum should detail the particular clauses or provisions the President disagrees with and suggest necessary amendments.

Upon receiving the President's memorandum, Parliament must reconsider the bill. According to Article 115 of the Constitution, if the President refers a bill back, Parliament can either accept the proposed amendments or reject them.

If Parliament agrees with the President's recommendations, the bill is amended accordingly and sent back to the President for assent. However, if Parliament disagrees with the President's amendments, it can override the President's veto.

To do this, the National Assembly must pass the bill again with a two-thirds majority. If successful, the bill becomes law even without the President's assent.

Since the bill cannot be withdrawn at this stage, in his memorandum, President Ruto directed the National Assembly to delete all clauses in the bill.

Gachagua Picks Fight With NIS

As President Ruto gave his speech regarding the rejection of the Finance Bill, something else was brewing in the Office of the Deputy President.

DP Rigathi Gachagua emerged with a bombshell press conference where he demanded that National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General Noordin Haji should resign over what he termed as laxity in disseminating intelligence to President William Ruto.

Speaking during a live press conference in Mombasa, Gachagua on Thursday, June 26 claimed that the country's intelligence system was faulty, blaming the NIS for failing to gather enough intelligence that could have been used to avert the fatal demonstrations on Tuesday.

Gachagua pinned the blame on Haji, the former Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for failing to gather accurate intelligence which led to Ruto receiving unactionable information.

"Noordin Haji must take responsibility for the deaths, mayhem, failing President Ruto and Kenya for not doing his job. He must do the honourable thing, not just taking responsibility but resign," Gachagua stated.

"We have a dysfunctional NIS that has exposed the government and the people of Kenya. Had the NIS briefed the president two months ago about how the people of Kenya feel about the Finance Bill 2024, so many Kenyans would not have died. There would have been no mayhem, but they slept on the job."

Gachagua further claimed that the brewing rage that led to Kenyans storming Parliament was the most evident sign of failure since such actions had never been witnessed before in Kenya's history.

He also claimed that a day before his press conference, Noordin Haji was trying to put up a team together to drive propaganda and attribute the chaos to a section of targeted leaders including him and former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

"Yesterday, Noordin Haji was trying to put up a team together and propaganda and attribute the chaos to leaders including myself and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. It is very clear and the President has admitted that the protests were caused by the anger of Kenyans on the Finance Bill," Gachagua added.

He also blamed the NIS for what he termed as incompetence in the briefing of security officers leading to the breach in Parliament, an event never seen before in the country's history.

"Senior officers have told me in confidence they did not have an advance intelligence brief so that they prepare in advance," stated Gachagua.

The Response

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir: These unbecoming utterances go against the solemn oath that Mr. Gachagua took. It exposes our nation, the institution of the Presidency, and our security agencies to ridicule, ethnic division, and potential exploitation by our country's enemies. At a time when the young generation has lost faith in the direction the country is moving, such remarks only serve to fuel confusion and public anger. It is regrettable that the Deputy President would casually discuss sensitive security matters in public instead of in the constitutional body - the National Security Council of which he is a member.

Northern Kenya MPs: The unfortunate utterances of the Deputy president demean and undermine the sanctity and honour of the presidency and the government he serves. Following his attacks on the Director General, Noordin Haji, and his open sabotage of President Ruto, it is untenable for Hon. Rigathi Gachagua, to continue serving as Deputy President. We therefore call on him to resign immediately. Failure to do so will compel us as members of the parliament to pursue impeachment proceedings against him.

Moses Kuria: He is in the National Security Council yet complains about the Director of the National Intelligence Service. It was enough to have a President who is a teetotaller.

Other stories we've been following for you this week:

1. Pamella Makotsi Sittoni announced earlier this week that she will leave the Nation Media Group (NMG) at the end of this month of June, after 12 years at the regional media house.
2. On Monday, June 24, NTV announced the return of the popular Churchill Show after two years of being away from the station. The station did not however reveal the exact date the show would start airing again.
3. The Global Peace Leadership Conference (GPLC) earlier announced the cancellation of its opening ceremony which President William Ruto was meant to attend. It thereafter issued a statement revealing that it had offered prayers for Kenya following the anti-Finance Bill protests.
4. DP Rigathi Gachagua is in mourning after announcing the death of Leah Wangari Muriuki, who was the elder sister of his family. He mourned the late Wangari, hailing her as a family matriarch who took good care of the Gachagua family.

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They are fearless. They are loud. They shut down almost the whole country and left some Members of Parliament (MP) shaking, so let's just wait and see what will happen next after they ignored everything and voted in favour of the Finance Bill.

On Episode 16:

1. The Gen Z Maandamano
2. How Your MPs ACTUALLY Voted On Finance Bill 2024 [DATA]
3. Ruto Lied About Kenya Airways Being ‘Expensive’
4. Finance Bill 2024: Some Proposals Dropped But Not The WHOLE THING

Checkpoint

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• During our break, we opened our WhatsApp channel. Follow here
• Owing to possible public demand and to accommodate all our readers, we have expanded to our article version. Not to worry, the LinkedIn version will still be posted first, followed by the article version later

The Gen Z Maandamano

Last year, the anti-government protests were led by the opposition Azimio la Umoja coalition...but this time round, those protests took a new face:

Kenya is witnessing a remarkable shift in political activism, driven largely by the fervent activism of Generation Z. This generation, born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, is coming of age in a time of significant socio-economic challenges and rapid technological advancements.

Gen Z in Kenya have become increasingly vocal and active in the political discourse, driven by a unique set of factors that compel them to demand change. We picked out some of them:

High taxation

A critical issue that has galvanised Gen Z in Kenya, the burden of punitive taxes on individuals and businesses has been a significant point of contention.

Young professionals and entrepreneurs have found themselves overwhelmed by taxes that eat into their earnings and profits, making it difficult to save, invest, or expand their businesses.

Gen Z activists are therefore calling for tax reforms that ensure a more equitable distribution of the tax burden, encourage business growth, and make it easier for young entrepreneurs to thrive, with calls for a more favourable tax regime that could stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and ultimately generate more revenue for the government through a broader tax base

Limited employment opportunities

One of the primary catalysts for political activism among Gen Z in Kenya is the severe shortage of employment opportunities. Despite high levels of education, many young Kenyans find themselves unemployed or underemployed, which is a huge problem if you don't add the job crisis in the county.

The unemployment rate for youth is alarmingly high, with a significant portion of this demographic struggling to secure stable and meaningful employment.

Additionally, the slow growth of the formal sector has failed to keep pace with the burgeoning youth population.

This disparity has led to frustration and disillusionment among young people, who feel that their potential is being squandered.

3. High costs of doing business

Young entrepreneurs face numerous barriers, including bureaucratic red tape, exorbitant licensing fees, and inadequate access to financing whenever they think of doing business and starting new ventures.

These challenges stifle innovation and entrepreneurship, which are crucial for economic growth and job creation, and disproportionately affect young people, who often lack the financial resources and networks to navigate such complexities.

Add cost of living, corruption & governance issues, environmental issues and so on...and the country's leadership ignited a powder keg that was bound to blow up eventually.

For three days straight, Gen Zs overtook Nairobi and major towns such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Nanyuki among others, marching with determination in opposition to the Finance Bill. A notable difference? There was NO destruction of property and NO looting of businesses.

The police, many argue, should have stayed out of this one and ensured protection, but when Nairobi Region Police Commander Adamson Bungei deemed the protests illegal, it became a battle of cops vs protesters which should not have happened. In his words:

"We have heightened our patrols within the CBD to ensure there is no disruption of businesses. Nobody applied for any license or permit to do the protests."

Teargas, water cannons, and live bullets (in some instances) were on protesters who demonstrated peacefully and enjoyed themselves while at it. Now we know who the real buzzkill was.

March to Parliament, made almost. To catch them off-guard, some made their way to the entrance of State House...no recent protest had ever got to that point.

If you liked the three days of protests, word has it that they will continue next week.

How Your MPs ACTUALLY Voted On Finance Bill 2024 [DATA]

It was initially announced that 204 MPs voted in favour of progressing the Finance Bill to the Third Reading and 115 voted against it, with zero abstentions.

Mzalendo Watch made public the identities of the lawmakers and their stance on the Finance Bill. We would later collate this data and found out that there were a few absentees when voting took place on Thursday afternoon...the protests in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and across the country led by Gen Zs notwithstanding.

From our findings using the Mzalendo Watch data, 198 MPs voted in favour of the Finance Bill while 112 voted against it, an increase from last year's voting on the Finance Bill 2023 which saw 162 MPs voting in favour of the Bill and 74 against it.

21 MPs were absent from the voting this year, a drop from 24 last year. One MP was unwell, Tubi Mohamed, though it was indicated that he communicated with Speaker Moses Wetangula.

And in true, digital and Gen Z fashion, we created an interactive table where you can easily search for the name of your MP who was present for the voting.

Access it here: How Your MPs Actually Voted For Finance Bill 2024 [NUMBERS & NAMES]

Ruto Lied About Kenya Airways Being ‘Expensive’

Long ago, it used to be difficult to tell if a Head of State was lying. Then President William Ruto came in.

It was on Sunday, May 26 that President Ruto stirred conversation across different quarters following his explanation on deciding to hire a luxurious private jet to the United States (US) for his visit as compared to flying commercially with Kenya Airways (KQ).

Ruto argued that the jet presented the cheapest option compared to using commercial means, saying on his X account that;

"As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than travelling on KQ."

However, on Monday morning June 17, the Head of State jetted into the country from Switzerland using...wait for it...a Kenya Airways flight.

The President earlier travelled to Italy and later Switzerland using what was reported to be private means before returning to Kenya.

Ruto arrived in the country aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This is one of nine aircraft in KQ's fleet and despite its smaller size compared to the Boeing 777s operated by other airlines, it is used for long-haul to ultra-long-haul trips from Kenya to various countries including the US.

Following criticism over his decision to fly with private means compared to using commercial, President Ruto on Thursday, May 30 narrated how he came to hire the luxurious plane he used to travel to the US, as he revealed that the aircraft cost taxpaying Kenyans about Ksh10 million.

"When I was told the cheapest plane was Ksh70 million, I told my office to go book Kenya Airways.

"Some friends asked me, 'how much do you want to pay?' Then I said I was not ready to pay more than Ksh20 million. They said, 'bring Ksh10 million and we will give you the plane,'" the president remarked.

Finance Bill 2024: Some Proposals Dropped But Not The WHOLE THING

The Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group on Tuesday confirmed the removal of several punitive tax proposals in the Finance Bill 2024, during a press briefing at State House.

Speaking after the Group’s session, Finance Committee Chair Kimani Kuria announced that the government was able to respond to the feedback of Kenyans through the reduction of taxes.

Top of the list to be struck off is the plan to impose a 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on bread, financial services and foreign exchange transactions.

"We are all in agreement that there are two things we must do. One of them is to protect Kenyans from increased cost of living and therefore the proposed 16 percent VAT on bread has been dropped," Kuria stated.

"To support again on reducing the cost of living, we're doing something about vegetable oil so that we do not make it expensive for Kenyans."

On the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and Housing Levy statutory deductions, the MP noted that the deductions would be allowable to Pay As You Earn (PAYE), thus saving salaried Kenyans from paying an additional PAYE on them.

"Levies on the Housing Fund and Social Health Insurance will become income tax deductible. This means the levies will not attract income tax, putting much more money in the pockets of employees," he remarked.

Regarding the Eco Levy, Kuria clarified that it would only apply to imported finished products, thus sparing those manufactured within Kenya. He further specified that diapers and sanitary towels produced domestically would not be subject to this levy.

"Consequently, locally manufactured products, including sanitary towels, diapers, phones, computers, tyres and motorcycles, will not attract the Eco Levy," he stated.

Wait, wait, wait!

Aren't most of the goods Kenyans rely on imported? Including diapers and sanitary pads?

Azimio MPs led by Embakasi East legislator Babu Owino convened a press conference at Parliament Buildings later that day and rebuffed the development as nothing short of a Public Relations gimmick.

Babu said imposing taxes on imported goods will still hurt Kenyans since most other basic items are imported.

“Kenya as a nation depends on 80 per cent of imported goods, including toothpick, tissue paper, foodstuffs, eggs [and] chicken. We are importing all these,” the MP said.

“Therefore, as you purport to only remove the taxation on the locally produced goods but you still raise the tax on imported goods, the person who is going to bear this burden is the common mwananchi.”

According to their reasoning, the Azimio MPs contend that the move by the government is not going to lessen the cost of living for ordinary Kenyans in any way.

Other stories that we kept an eye on for you this week:

1. Going to the World Cup? Here is Ksh10 million: Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba on Monday, June 17 announced that the Ministry of Sports awarded Ksh10 million to the Kenya U17 women’s national football team, commonly known as the Junior Starlets, the first Kenyan team in history to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
2. No dodgy courts: Chief Justice Martha Koome directed that all makeshift structures which judges and magistrates have been using as alternative courtrooms be shut down, in response to the fatal shooting of Principal Magistrate Monica Kivuti in one of such structures at the Makadara Law Courts.
3. This Gen Z suddenly became a nationwide sensation for urging Azimio la Umoja leader, Raila Odinga to stay home during the anti-Finance Bill protests. Something Raila was so proud of.
4. Anonymous, a decentralized international activist and hacktivist collective and movement primarily known for its various cyberattacks against several governments, government institutions, government agencies, corporations and the Church of Scientology, on Wednesday, July 19 issued a stern warning to the Kenyan government and Members of Parliament amidst the protests.
5. What happens if the Finance Bill is rejected entirely? The National Treasury is bracing itself for a series of major budget cuts in different sectors, warning that failure to pass proposed tax measures outlined in the Finance Bill could result in a substantial revenue shortfall of Ksh200 billion for the fiscal year 2024/25.

News Graphic Of The Week

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