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Mustafa Juma

Talented and immensely creative journalist with a commitment to high-quality research and writing with over 5 years of professional experience. Dedication to sound investigative research methods and a strong desire to know the truth of the matter. Excellent reporting and interviewing skills and award-winning writing techniques. Experience writing and reporting across a variety of platforms, including Opera News Kenya, DailyActive.info, LitKenya.com, theexchange.africa and Scooper News

Politics

Mariga makes triumphant entry to Jubilee Headquarters ahead of interview( Watch Video)

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Soccer Star McDonald Mariga on Monday morning made a grand entry at Jubilee party’s headquarter in Pangani, Nairobi.

Mariga is among 16 aspirants who will be interviewed today for the Jubilee Party ticket to contest the Kibra parliamentary seat as focus now shifts to the elections board.

Mariga was escorted by a group of his supporters who carried placards bearing his name and Jubilee logo.

The supporters sang songs praising the player in luhyia’s famous Isukuti dance.

Some were heard singing “Mariga tukomboe”, which barely translates to Mariga save us.

If cleared, Mariga will be Jubilee Party candidate for Kibra constituency by-election scheduled for November 7.

He will face off ODM candidate who will be decided after the September 7 nominations, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC Party’s Eliud Owalo and Moses Wetang’ula’s Ford Kenya candidate who is not yet to be unveiled.

The Kibra seat fell vacant following the demise of Ken Okoth who succumbed to cancer.

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Politics

How Aisha Jumwa fanned fire in Kilifi to scuttle Team Embrace weekend rallies

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Details of Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa’s attempts to scuttle Team Embrace weekend rallies in coastal region have emerged. Jumwa who defected from Raila Odinga’s ODM camp to Deputy President William Ruto’s camp is said to have been running a campaign to reduce the opposition party’s stranglehold of the region’s politics.

Team Embrace, a group of women leaders drumming support for President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga’s handshake has been holding rallies across the country calling for peace and advocating support for Building Bridges Initiative.

But according to Ms Jumwa, Team Embrace is a fallacy and accused coastal women leaders of “betraying those who elected them in order to please outsiders”.

The Malindi MP told politicians from other parts of the country that Kilifi “has its owners”.

Team Embrace was in Kilifi and Mombasa counties during the weekend, drumming up support for the handshake.

It however emerged that Jumwa had paid a group of women from the region to heckle Team Embrace during their rally in Kilifi.

“It is wrong for Jumwa to give women money to come and heckle us during our meetings,” Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, who is the head of the group said.

Her Murang’a counterpart Sabina Chege accused Ms Jumwa of promoting violence at Inua Mama team meetings. Inua Mama team is another group of women leaders drumming support for DP Ruto.

It is said that Ms Jumwa paid the women hecklers then left for Nairobi to act innocent.

“Why would you fan fire against your colleagues and then leave for Nairobi pretending to be innocent?” the Murang’a Woman Representative posed.

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Crime & Investigations

How top officials at Maasai Mara University siphoned millions within 3 years

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

An expose done by Citizen TV journalists on Mara University has just shown as how top officials loot public institutions. From NYS 1,2 and 3, to sugar and maize scandals, and now, the looting in public institutions.

The investigative feature dubbed The Mara Heist that ran on Sunday evening compiled by two of the station’s journalists, Asha Mwilu and Waihiga Mwaura, included the personal testimony of Spencer Sankale, one of the four individuals who exposed the wanton corruption at the public university.

Spencer, who had served as the acting finance officer before his demotion in August 2017, secretly made recordings of illegal cash transactions he was allegedly instructed to make by the school’s Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Mary Walingo.

Spencer had furnished the investigative journalists with audio and video tapes made over a period of two years, which articulated how the entire syndicate managed to siphon over Ksh190million from the school’s accounts.

The incriminating evidence pointed at the VC, Spencers’s replacement after his demotion Anaclet Okumu and Ms Walingo’s driver Noor Abdi, as the main culprits.

According to the former acting finance officer’s statement, the three key suspects used to make huge lumpsum cash withdrawals using shady documentation, to the tune of Ksh10 million in a week.

Noor was the main conduit used by the VC to order Spencer to make the undocumented cash withdrawals, with the whistle blower going on to reveal that the driver used to speak in codes during such instances.

In one of the recordings, Noor could be heard stating,“Ile Ng’ombe kubwa inahitaji nyasi, bunde mbili na nusu, which was a coded message that translated to, the VC needs Ksh 250,000.”

After reporting the details of the grand heist to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Spencer was asked whether he fears the consequences of what he did,  he maintained that he was ready for anything, adding that he’d rather die on his feet, than live on his knees. 

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Politics

Kikuyu, Kalenjin communities will not be part of Uhuru’s succession plan, hints Waiguru

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities will not be part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2022 succession plan, Kirinyaga County governor Anne Mumbi has hinted.

According to the County chief, the communities can be accommodated in an expanded executive.

Speaking in Mombasa during Team Embrace rally, the former devolution minister said she will not be threatened or intimidated to stop the push to expand the national executive.

“We cannot have a situation where two communities can conspire and capture power because of their numerical strength,” she said. 

“Let us have an expanded executive. Kikuyus and Kalenjins cannot stay in power forever. We have many communities which also deserve to lead,” she said.

She also said time has come for Kenyans to support President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga’s Handshake.

Waiguru has previously been criticized by Kenyans over her recent support for Raila, but she has been insisting to support him as far as handshake is concerned.

Raila was Waiguru’s strongest critic while she was serving as devolution minister, with Raila implicating her in the multi-million NYS scandal.

With this renewed relationship between the two, do you think Waiguru is endorsing Raila for 2022 presidency now that she has insisted that Uhuru’s successor will neither be a Kalenjin nor a Kikuyu?

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Politics

Sonko for President 2022?

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

In 2007, he got to parliament as Makadara Member of Parliament. In 2013, he strongly came as a Nairobi County senator and in 2017, he jumped higher to clinch the Nairobi gubernatorial seat.

From the trend, governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has not vied for the same seat twice. Will he try it for the first time in 2022? Well, what does his team Wanjiku campaign alongside Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria mean?

On Saturday, political analyst Herman Manyora said Governor Sonko can become a very strong candidate ahead of the 2022 polls.

He compared Sonko to United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Donald Trump, and Uganda opposition MP Bobi Wine.

“I know some people might think I am crazy. But as I speak, there are similar Presidents in the world, Prime Ministers. There’s Boris Johnson, there’s Donald Trump and there might soon be Bobi Wine. The conditions in this country can allow a Sonko to be president,” he said.

He urged Deputy President Dr William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga to be ready to face Sonko when times comes. 

“And believe you me Raila Amollo Odinga, William Samoei Ruto you could have a serious competitor in the person of Mike Sonko come 2022,” said Manyora.

Watch the video below.

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Politics

VIDEO: Oscar Sudi’s latest jibe at Uhuru, Moi that might come back to haunt him

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi has yet again taken a swipe at President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing him of alleged hypocrisy, revisiting circumstances surrounding Mau eviction.

The legislature is now reading malice in the eviction, arguing that Uhuru opposed the evictions in 2009 and even attended a fundraiser to help the victims resettle.

The firebrand MP also insisted that Uhuru’s family should consider donating around 7,000 Ha and Daniel Moi’s family 10,000 Ha, adding that the two families own grabbed land.

“My humble request to Uhuru over Mau evictions is that he fundraised for this people when Raila Odinga was chasing them. He came in 2013 and asked them to vote for him. What Happened after 2017 that makes him to plot to kick them away?

“Stop damaging the lives of the poor because you’re not going to contest. Children in Mau are like those in your house. If you want to chase them, you have over 50,000 Ha. Give them around 7,000 because after all the land is not yours,” insisted Sudi.

The government is set to flush out over 10,000 people from the water catchment, a move that has been opposed by a section of leaders from Rift Valley.

Watch Sudi’s video below:

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Lifestyle

Female Congolese confirmed of Ebola in Uganda dies

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The 9-year-old female of Congolese origin who was confirmed of Ebola in Kasese, Uganda has died today (Friday) at Bwera ETU.

Her body will be sent back to Congo today for burial.

The 9-year-old Congolese girl had travelled to Uganda with her mother to seek treatment. The girl is believed to have entered the country through the Mpondwe border crossing in Bwera, Kasese on Wednesday.

The girl was identified at the border crossing during screening where she presented with high fever, body weakness, rash and unexplained mouth bleeding.  She is receiving treatment at the Bwera Ebola Treatment Unit.

Dr Joyce Moriku, the State Minister for Health in-charge of primary health care has asked all Ugandans to cooperate with health protocols.

“Cooperate with health workers, immigration and security officials to ensure effective screening at entry points to stop the spread of Ebola to other parts of the country.”

This is the fourth confirmed case of Ebola since the deadly disease was declared in DRC in  August 2018.  The first three cases and deaths included two boys and their grandmother who had previously travelled to DRC to bury a relative.

To date more than 2,000 Congolese have been affected by the disease.

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Politics

Wetang’ula to battle Raila in Kibra MP race

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

The much anticipated Kibra parliamentary race is becoming hotter and hotter as almost all major parties are now joining the race.

The Moses Wetang’ula-led Ford Kenya, the lion party has now joined the race.

Wetang’ula, the party’s leader on Friday disclosed that the party will be unveiling its candidate in Kibra by-election next week.

According to the Bungoma Senator, the party will consider a dynamic, young, professional, Kibra-born, grassroots operator who will carry on with the dynamic legacy left by Hon Ken Okoth.

Wetangula further disclosed that Ford Kenya is no stranger to the great people of Kibra.

He says Rt Hon Raila Odinga went to parliament for the first time in 1993 on Ford Kenya party.

So far, Raila’s ODM party, Musalia Mudavadi’s ANC party and President Uhuru Kenyatta-led Jubilee party are already in the race with ODM planning to hold its nominations on September 7.

Jubilee party has hence invited interested candidates to reapply for party tickets after it disowned its first list of nominees that had been presented to IEBC.

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Politics

Ex-Raila aide launches his manifesto ahead of Kibra seat battle

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Former ODM leader Raila Odinga’s aide Eliud Owalo has revealed the reason as to why he is seeking to be the shield and defender of Kibra people ahead of the upcoming November 7 by-elections.

Owalo who defected from ODM to Musalia Mudavadi-led Amani National Congress (ANC) was unveiled on Wednesday at ANC’s headquarters.

Through a long post on his facebook page, Owalo has outlined the reasons that have pushed him to contest for the seat that fell vacant following Ken Okoth’s demise.

Owalo says that when he made the decision to present himself as a candidate for Member of Parliament for Kibra constituency, the first question that came to his mind was “why is it that despite 56 years of independence and various interventions costing billions of shillings from Government and NGOs; Kibra is still wallowing in abject poverty and disease with the people still living in despicable conditions of abject poverty?”

Below is the long post.

“WHY I SEEK TO BE THE SHIELD AND DEFENDER FOR THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA

Ladies and Gentlemen,I wish to clarify and confirm two issues which have been a major subject of speculation in the recent past.

ONE; that following my recent resignation from the ODM Party, I have since formally joined and become a dully-registered Life Member of the Amani National Congress (ANC) Party; and

TWO: That subsequent to the same, I will be seeking the ANC Party Ticket to run for the Kibra Parliamentary seat in the by-elections slated for 7th November 2019.

WHY ANC?

When I made the decision to present myself as a candidate for Member of Parliament for Kibra constituency, the first question that I asked myself was;

Why is it that despite 56 years of independence and various interventions costing billions of shillings from Government and NGOs; Kibra is still wallowing in abject poverty and disease with the people still living in despicable conditions of abject poverty?

It has become abundantly clear to me that there has been a problem with the approaches being deployed to resolve the problems facing Kibra and the entire issue of poverty in Kenya.

I concluded that Kibra is in part, a victim of doing things the same way for 53 years yet expecting different results. My well-considered opinion is that it is now time for a total paradigm shift.

We must stop looking at Kibra just as a slum but instead as the human resource backbone of Nairobi that it is; which then requires investment in skills development; healthcare; social services; security; welfare; housing and recreation, among other conscious and deliberate interventions.

Kibra is the home of the toiling and resilient men and women who carry the industries and factories of Nairobi on their backs for as low as Ksh.150 per day. The profit is obviously invested elsewhere; with none trickling down back to Kibra.

Kibra houses the most hardworking construction workers who build and maintain our roads, houses, bridges and railways in the scorching heat or biting cold every single day. The roads obviously lead elsewhere and serve other people. They do not bring wealth and prosperity to Kibra.

Kibra is the home of our shamba boys, maids, watchmen, ayahs, cleaners, boda-boda riders, makangas, mama mbogas and mkokoteni pushers. They have invested heavily in other people’s lives but unfortunately with little returns in their own households in Kibra.

Indeed Kibra is a significant player in Nairobi’s economy and part of its human resource backbone yet very little is invested back or even trickles down back to its residents. We have become a society that does not care about its human resource.

Kenya pursues a policy of trickle-down economics designed to empower the owners of capital who are then expected to invest and generate wealth that is subsequently expected to trickle down to the rest of the country, including those that toil at the lower end of the production chain like the Kiberans. This however does not happen.

Consequently, the bottom-line or net-effect is that the rich get richer while the poor get even poorer. That is how we end up with huge slums like Kibra waiting in vain for our National Wealth to trickle down to them.

Kenya’s Annual Budget of Ksh. 3.02 trillion is hardly trickling down to the poor resulting in our country becoming one of the most unequal societies in the world. The gap between the rich and poor in Kenya is widening everyday with the number of the super-rich millionaires being among the fastest growing while on the extreme opposite end, those living in abject and extreme poverty is also increasing at an alarming rate.

The people of Kibra have been patient for long enough waiting in vain for our national wealth to trickle down to them yet this hasn’t happened in 53 years. Instead they see one third of our budget (approximately Ksh. 1 Trillion) lost to corruption at their expense. From my perspective, they are now rightfully running out of patience. Something definitely has to change.

As a candidate for MP for Kibra I have an elaborate plan to shift this paradigm and change from the unsuccessful model of trickle-down economics to trickle-up economics whereby among other measures, I shall seek initiatives to empower the Kibra as is required for them to be fully functioning citizens in our society living happily in dignity and sharing in our prosperity.

In my view, an empowered, skilled and healthy citizenry in the middle and lower classes of society is the success that will trickle upwards in corporate balance-sheets in the form of higher performance and outputs by middle and lower level workers leading to higher profits. The trickle-up approach is therefore a potential game-changer for Kibra.

Achieving dignity and prosperity for Kibra requires partnership with a political party that has a shared vision and which is equally ideologically inclined towards shifting this paradigm.
The Amani National Congress Party (ANC) Party is a Social-Liberal Political Party. Worldwide, social liberal governments address economic and social issues such as poverty, health care, education and equity and focus on empowerment of the lower and middle classes through planned government and market interventions and policies towards equalization while also addressing the common good in harmony with the freedom of the individual.

Having carefully analyzed and interrogated the ANC policy documents, legislative agenda and ideology, I am convinced beyond any doubt that the ANC Party led by Hon. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi offers the best vehicle for us to work together towards shifting the paradigm in Kibra and bringing about the much-needed empowerment of the people.

I have noted that the ANC Party has the most elaborate and appealing pro-poor policies. More appealing to me is Musalia Mudavadi’s mastery of Kenya’s economic issues and persistent proposals on feasible policy alternatives; his zero-tolerance to corruption; zeal for good-governance; advocacy for effective debt-management; concerns on inflationary tendencies and the high-cost of living index; and advocacy for the rule of law.

This is why I chose ANC. And this is why the people of Kibra should vote Eliud Owalo and ANC on November 7th.

AND, WHY SHOULD I SEEK TO BE THE MP FOR KIBRA ?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am a proud son of Kenya who envisages the best for our beloved Country. Over the years, I have served worthy causes by partnering with local communities in socio-economic activities and agents of real change in worthy political causes; with the ultimate objective of realizing a better, equitable and all-inclusive Kenya.

In Kibra where I first lived upon coming to Nairobi, and continue to maintain strong-links to date, I have first-hand experience of the plight and challenges facing the people. I therefore have a strong-will, conviction and zeal to make life more bearable for the good people of Kibra.

Even as an ordinary Kenyan citizen, the people of Kibra and the country as a whole have known me as a strong defender and advocate for basic human rights, the rule of law, widening of the democratic space and key agent for real-change.

Augmenting this is my passion and pursuit for sustainable economic empowerment of families in Kibra. It is my considered belief that I am focused and committed enough to providing fearless, participatory and impartial representation to all the communities of Kibra.

My view is that this by-election should and must be about ideas. When I decided to challenge the late Hon. Ken Okoth, I told him as much: that my challenge would be based on a contest of ideas. That position has not changed.

My overall Goal therefore is to provide effective and servant leadership that facilitates the protection of civic rights and uplifting of the standards of living of the people of Kibra. When elected as MP;I will pursue an appropriate Legislative Agenda that promotes full implementation of the 2010 Constitutional dispensation; with particular focus on Strengthening of the Devolved System of Government; Equitable Distribution of Resources; Good Governance; Inclusivity; and Promotion of the Rule of Law.

My Vision for Kibra is “An empowered, educated, healthy and compassionate Kibra community living in a decent, clean and secure environment”.

To realize this Vision; my Kibra Mission therefore is “To provide effective representation and facilitate the basic rights and needs of the Kibra people through servant and participatory leadership; strategic alliances; and relevant partnerships to empower and enhance the standards of living of the people”.

My Values are (i)Fidelity to the Rule of Law; (ii)Servant and fearless leadership; (iii)Active Public Participation; (iv)Integrity; and(v)Inclusivity and Impartiality.

Since I started partnering with the people of Kibra in various programmes and activities in the year 2013,I have not only aptly demonstrated my accessibility to the people of Kibra but also effectively espoused my empowerment Agenda. The Key Milestones in this regard are well-known to the Kibra people; and are available in my Kibra 2017 eliudowalo.comcampaign website; which is currently undergoing update.

My areas of focus upon being elected MP will be Democracy, Good Governance and the Rule of Law; Human Rights; Health; Education; Shelter; Youth and Women empowerment; Environmental management; Water and Sanitation; Security; Disaster response; Social security; and Sports.

Critical success factors for my Kibra Agenda include (i)Effective Strategic Planning: (ii)Effective Stakeholder engagement and Public Participation; (iii)Elaborate Strategic Alliances and Partnerships; (iv)Effective Resource Mobilization; (v)Good Governance; and (vi)Effective Performance Management Framework; while augmented by (vii) Effective Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting.

MY PLEDGES TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA

1. DEMOCRACY, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE RULE OF LAW

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO.1: 
“I will promote the widening of democratic space, good governance and conformity to the Rule of Law for the benefit of the people of Kibra”.

2. HUMAN RIGHTS

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO.2 :“I will advocate for and protect the basic and fundamental political, economic and social rights of the people of Kibra”.

3. HEALTH

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 3:

“ I will facilitate enhancement of the health status of the people of Kibra by partnering with health institutions and non-governmental organizations in the health sector to provide relevant periodic medical camps and mobile clinics”.
4. EDUCATION

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO.4: 
“I will augment the CDF Bursary efforts by facilitating the education of needy but bright and capable dependents within the Kibra Community. More specifically, I will promote TVET programmes to harness the unexploited potential of the Kibra Youth”.

5. SHELTER

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 5:
“I will partner with key stakeholders to support the people of Kibra in accessing low-cost but optimal and decent shelter”.
6. YOUTH AND WOMEN EMPOWERNMENT

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 6:

“I will facilitate empowerment of the Youth and Women of Kibra to enable them exploit their full potential by engaging in viable and sustainable income-generating activities in order to access basic subsistence”.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 7:
“I will facilitate a framework that realizes and maintains a clean and habitable environment to enable the people of Kibra live in an environmentally-friendly settlement free of garbage and diseases”.

8.WATER AND SANITATION

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 8:
“I will facilitate enhanced access to clean water and elaborate sewerage infrastructure to enable the Kibra people meet basic water and sanitation needs”.

I will also jointly work with other stakeholders to clean-up and restore the Nairobi Dam so that it can again be not only an important source of clean and healthy drinking water but also a magnet for water sports enthusiasts, fishermen, picnickers and bountiful bird life.
9.SECURITY

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 9:

“I will identify and partner with all the relevant stakeholders to determine and implement viable initiatives that will augment efforts towards guaranteeing the security of the people of Kibra and their property”.

10. DISASTER RESPONSE

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 10:
“I will establish and operationalize a Constituency Disaster Management Fund to provide timely and adequate response in instances of disasters like fire and floods”.

11. SOCIAL SECURITY

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 11:

“I will recognize that the Aged are integral members of the Kibra society and should obtain the inalienable economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for their dignity and the free development of their personality and are therefore entitled to realization of the same, through joint efforts and co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of the Constituency”.

12. SPORTS

MY PLEDGE TO THE PEOPLE OF KIBRA NO. 12:
I will sponsor an Annual Sports Tournament to promote cohesion;physical development; positive attitudes and discipline; manage pressure; improve endurance: build character; boosts self-esteem; strengthen perseverance; develop teamwork; and promote healthy competition amongst youthful members of the Kibra Society.

Eventually, I will facilitate enhanced competitiveness of Kibra United Football Club and the purchase of a Van each for the Kibra Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards Football Club Supporters Branches.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in response to the challenges faced; emerging issues; and with a view to realize the above objectives, I will in the short-term be pursuing the following Flagship Projects to address what in my view are the most immediate and pertinent needs of the People of Kibra;

PROPOSED ELIUD OWALO FLAGSHIP PROJECTS IN KIBRA

1. Establishment and Operationalization of Youth Employment Centres in all the Constituencies;
2. Development of a Technical Industrial Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Centre to harness the skills and exploit the full potential of the Kibra Youth;
3. Purchase of a Fire Fighting Vehicle for each of the 5 Wards in Kibra;
4. Development of a Maternity Hospital and provision of Periodic Mobile Clinics for selected diseases;
5. Purchase of Five(5) Funeral Buses; one for each Ward; 
6. Purchase of a Welfare Bus each for the Bukhungu Community and Muliro Gardens Pressure Group;
7. Pursuit of Land Title Deeds for all the Markets; 
8. Development of 2 Ultra-Modern Sports Stadiums; one at Woodley and the other at Line Saba Grounds;
9. Purchase of a Transport Van each for the Kibra Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards Branches; and
10. Development of a Cultural Centre for the Nubian Community.

It is on the basis of my Agenda as outlined above and my proven track record that I now humbly submit my Candidature to the Kibra people-seeking their Vote to become their Member of Parliament.

A Vote for Eliud Owalo will be a Vote for a Shield and Defender; an Astute and Visionary Leader with proven development record; Advocate for Human Rights; Key Agent for Change; and opportunity for wide local and international networks for the benefit of the people of Kibra.

As I conclude, I wish to lay bare an issue that has caused me a lot of pain, anguish and sleepless nights over the past 7 years. Persistent attempts have been made in the past and prime segments of Kibra land runs the risk of being lost to faceless, nameless, mysterious people from outside Kibra.

Hard working Kenyans living in Kibra are in danger of being evicted from their business premises to make way for these egocentric land grabbers. I commit that this will NOT happen under my watch. And it will NOT happen under my watch.

In the face of all unfolding circumstances, I will remain the Shield and Defender for the people of Kibra.

Let the people of Kibra decide.

DATED AT NAIROBI THIS WEDNESDAY THE 28TH DAY OF AUGUST 2019.”

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Politics

MPs vow to shoot down Ekuru Aukot’s Punguza Mizigo Bill

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Members of Parliament are plotting to exploit a loophole in the Constitution by ‘sitting’ on Ekuru ukot’s Punguza Mizigo Bill should it get the backing of at least 24 county assemblies as required for it to be submitted to Parliament.

Article 257 of the Constitution that provides for the popular initiative path does not give timelines within which Parliament should introduce the Bill, handing lawmakers a lethal weapon against the initiative.

“If a county assembly approves the draft Bill within three months after the date it was submitted by the Commission, the speaker of the county assembly shall deliver a copy of the draft Bill jointly to the speakers of the two Houses of Parliament, with a certificate that the county assembly has approved it.

“If a draft Bill has been approved by a majority of the county assemblies, it shall be introduced in Parliament without delay,” reads the Article.Several MPs disclosed that they may decide to exploit the loophole in a protest against the Ekuru Aukot-led Thirdway Alliance for allegedly not engaging stakeholders in coming up with the Bill.

According to the Standard, several MPs have disclosed that they may decide to exploit the loophole in a protest against the Ekuru Aukot-led Thirdway Alliance for allegedly not engaging stakeholders in coming up with the Bill.

The Punguza Mizigo Bill, which also proposes a single seven-year presidential term and installs Senate as the upper house, however, was backed by 1.2 million voters — more than the 1 million needed for the electoral commission to submit the draft Bill to county assemblies. 

At the heart of the plot is a bid by MPs to protect President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition chief Raila Odinga’s Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), which is expected to come up with a Bill for a referendum.

Raila has expressly asked his supporters to ignore the Punguza Mizigo Bill, and yesterday the Siaya county assembly rejected it after members approved a Justice Committee report that recommended its rejection.

Jubilee, through Secretary General Raphael Tuju, has said the ruling party was for the BBI, giving the strongest indication that the two main parties may use their numerical strengths in both county assemblies and Parliament to frustrate the passage of the Bill.

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Others

Shock as ‘Prophet’ Owuor’s senior Archbishop is caught up in sex scandal

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A sex scandal involving Prophet David Owuor’s former bishop and women in the Repentance and Holiness Ministry has emerged.

Bishop Joseph Gitonga — Owuor’s long-term personal assistant and head of security — has since been expelled from the church.

Gitonga, who was serving as the Bishop of the Kasarani branch, was ex-communicated on Sunday after several women in the church claimed they had been having sex with him.

Gitonga was the second most powerful person in the ministry after Prophet Owuor who is adored by the faithful as ‘the Mightiest Prophet of the Lord’.

He was among the few church top brass who had direct contact with Owuor and served as the link between the prophet and other bishops.

Gitonga managed several church projects and coordinated programmes and events including the crusades the prophet has been having across the country.

“This is an official communication that you Joseph Gitonga are forthwith excommunicated from the glorious Ministry of Repentance and Holiness with immediate effect together with your family and you are not allowed to congregate with this holy ministry of the Lord,” reads a notice authored by senior archbishop John Litunda.

The notice was copied to the National Council of Bishops — the church’s top decision making organ and all pastors.

Lawyer Okongo Omogeni, speaking on behalf of the National Council of Bishops, confirmed the excommunication of Bishop Gitonga.

“There were indecent sinful acts that were taking place within the church that led to his expulsion. There were victims who confessed, that is why the Bishop and the board met to take that action,” he told the Star.

However, several attempts to get a comment from Bishop Gitonga were futile as he did not respond to three messages and several calls to his mobile phone.

The prophet intervened in the matter after some members of the Kasarani church complained to him about  Gitonga’s alleged actions.

During the service, the women narrated how Gitonga had been praying and smearing anointing oil on every part of their bodies including their private parts.

The Star has obtained exclusive audio clips of the women’s confessions during one of the Sunday services.

“ … Akaenda na akaniombea bila nguo. Alinipaka mafuta mwili mzima mpaka sehemeu za siri. Akatoa mwili yake, sehemu yake ya siri… (loosely translated as…..he prayed for me while I was naked. He smeared the anointing oil in my entire body including private parts before lowering his pants….” a woman is heard confessing.

In another clip, a woman who had problems in marriage is heard saying she had sex with Gitonga in his Langata home.

“Nilikua napitia shida kwenye ndoa yangu, nikapigia bishop akaniambia niende kwake, mahali alikuwa anaishi Langata….. bishop akakuja chini usiku kama saa tano akaniambia anataka kuniombea akaniambia nitoe nguo zote akachukua anointing oil akapaka kwa mwili wangu yote nikiwa uchi. (I had marital problems and I called bishop and he told me to visit his home in Lang’ata. He came down at about 11 o’clock and told me to remove my clothes…….” .

On Tuesday, the Star managed to reach one of the women who was only identified as Caro.

She declined to comment on the incident and whether she had reported to the police.

Instead, she asked the Star to speak to the church leadership. “I cannot talk about it right now. Maybe you come [to church] on Sunday. You talk to the higher authority. They will give you the whole information,” she said.

Immediately after the Sunday service, Litunda sent out a notice to all bishops warning them against sharing the confessions with anybody “as the enemy may take advantage of it”.

When reached on Tuesday, Litunda said he was in a meeting and promised to call back. He had not called back by 7pm yesterday despite several phone calls seeking comment.

Three other bishops, who are the members of the National Council of Bishops, declined to comment and referred reporters to senior archbishop Litunda.

Some church members claimed the women could have been coached to lie against Gitonga.

On Wednesday, the Kasarani church had been  brought down under unclear circumstances. When the Star visited the place, the tent had already come down.

Youth and  church members were loading the tents and other equipment into a white canter.

“We have guns, we can shoot you. Try what you want to do you and you see,” a man told the Star photographer at the scene.

Two bishops oversaw the exercise.

Last Sunday, bishops headed by Litunda went to the Kasarani church to instal Erick Simiyu as the new bishop.

CREDITS: The Star

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Politics

Breaking: Governors to shutdown counties

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Governors have announced to shutdown all counties from September 16 if the Division of Revenue bill impasse is not resolved.

Council of Governors chair Wycliffe Oparanya has on Thursday made the announcement.

Governors in July accused the National Treasury and the National Assembly of holding counties hostage.

The county chiefs said the National Treasury has continuously been ignoring the Commission of Revenue Allocation’s recommendations on the sharing of revenue between the national government and the developed units.

The governors spoke outside the Supreme Court after lodging a case seeking the apex court’s intervention in unlocking the current impasse on the Division of Revenue Bill 2019.

More to follow………

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Others

Drama as KNUT officials storm Sossion’s office, demand his removal(Watch Video)

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

A section of KNUT officials on Thursday stormed the union’s headquarters and demanded the removal of Secretary General, Wilson Sossion.

The situation, which was getting out of hand, had to be managed by the police, who fired teargas canisters the teachers.

The police later tried to calm the situation in the area.

During a press conference held on Wednesday by Sossion, he directed that the union offices would be closed from August 28 to September 23.

He went ahead and postponed KNUT’s NEC meeting that was supposed to be scheduled for Thursday. 

” Within my power as secretary general given by the constitution, I did postpone the NEC meeting,” Sossion stated.

 The KNUT boss also announced that he would only step aside if voted out by delegates.

“I’m not quitting…I’m not quitting…and I cannot be removed. Forget about it, no matter how much money they use, I am not on trial. I will only go home if the delegates say so,” he remarked.

Below is the video courtesy of Daily Nation;

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Politics

Kriss Darlin reveals how Jubilee candidate will help him win Kibra race

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Kibra parliamentary hopeful on the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket Christone Odhiambo alias Kriss Darlin now says that he is ready to battle it out with anyone.

This comes amid possibilities that the ruling Jubilee Party could as well present a candidate in a bid to snatch the seat which has for years belonged to the Orange party.

Speaking on Wednesday evening, the deejay said that he is ready to battle it out with a Jubilee candidate, daring the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led side to join the race.

Confident of a nomination, in an interview on Radio Jambo’s Mazungumzo Waziwazi, he predicted that the introduction of a Jubilee candidate will make it even easier for him.

“Jubilee fielding a candidate will be even more helpful, they are welcome (Jubilee kuleta mtu itanisaidia zaidi, nawakaribisha),” he said.

On the other hand, he called upon the ODM to hold free and fair nominations, in a party that has repeatedly seen its primaries married with confusion and at times violence.

He declared his readiness to support whoever wins the party ticket, provided that the exercise is credible.

“If we lose in a free and fair way we will accept the outcome and back the winner (Tukishindwa na tuone ni free and fair tutakubali na tumuunge yule ameshinda),” he added.

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Crime & Investigations

7 Tharaka Nithi residents arrested for boycotting census claiming they will be counted in heaven

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Seven people suspected to be members of Kabonokia Sect have been arrested by DCI detectives at Gatue, Tharaka Nithi County after they refused to be counted in the ongoing census exercise on grounds that they will be counted in heaven.

According to a post by DCI, the arrests happened last night after the seven refused to give information to authorised person collecting Statistical information.

The DCI in its Thursday morning post via its official twitter handle revealed that the members refused to be enumerated claiming the process is Satanic and that they will be counted in heaven.

Several arrests have also been made in several parts of the country over refusing to be enumerated. The exercise kicked of on August 24, 2019 and is scheduled to end on August 31st.

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Politics

Sifuna defends ODM’s 10 million budget in Kibra nominations

by Mustafa Juma
written by Mustafa Juma

Raila Odinga’s ODM party has planned to spend Sh10 million to conduct nominations ahead of Kibra parliamentary race.On Wednesday, the nominations that had been scheduled for Saturday 31st were postponed to September 7 over security concerns.

The party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna defended the high budget, saying the money was meant to make the contest free and fair.

“We want to run a free and fair democratic contest. Each of the candidates cleared will be given an equal chance to prove his popularity without any interference,” said Mr Sifuna.

Sifuna also revealed that ODM had handed the names of 11 candidates cleared to run in the primaries to IEBC.

He noted that since the party has been blamed for holding shambolic nominations in the past, a situation that led to an exodus of some of the candidates to other parties, ODM will this time be keen to avoid such a scenario.

“We are not going to entertain chaos. If you try to cause chaos we will de-register you from the party. You must conduct yourselves with utmost civility,” Sifuna told the candidates.

Those cleared are Christone Odhiambo, popularly known as DJ Kriss Darlin, Peter Ochieng, Tony Ogola Sira, William Ayacko and Stephen Okello.

Others are Bernard Otieno, Eric Ochieng, Brian Owino, John Otieno, Benson Musungu and Patrick Lumumba Owade.The by-election will be held on November 7.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Ken Okoth on July 26.Sifuna reiterated party leader Raila Odinga’s remarks that the exercise will be free and fair, and urged candidates to promote party values.

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