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Tag: Kenya

  • Kenya to prosecute county governor, 9 others in graft case

    Kenya to prosecute county governor, 9 others in graft case

    Kenya’s top prosecutor on Tuesday ordered that a county governor face charges including abuse of office and conspiracy to steal public funds, the latest move in the country’s anti-graft campaign.

    Noordin Haji said evidence presented by the national anti-corruption agency was enough to prosecute Sospeter Ojaamong,
    the governor of Busia County, and nine other officials accused of helping him to steal millions of Kenyan
    shillings in public funds.

    The prosecutor said in a statement he had instructed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to
    arrest all of the suspects and have them brought before court.

    Ojaamong was not immediately reachable for comment.

    As with some other scandals involving alleged corruption by government officials, the case is based on evidence
    of suspicious procurement practices for a public works project that was never completed.

    The project in Busia involved a solid waste management system.

    The prosecutor said in June that several recent investigations by the EACC had gaps and lacked strong evidence,
    forcing him to return the cases to the agency for further work.

    In Tuesday’s statement, Haji said the investigation into the governor had been resubmitted to his office in June.

    “It had gaps that, in my opinion, if not covered would not have sustained a credible prosecution,” Haji wrote
    in a text message.

    The government led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was re-elected in 2017, has said it is undertaking a renewed
    push to tackle graft.

    The charging of dozens of civil servants and business people over the past two months suggested an attempt
    to fight corruption through prosecution, but the country’s track record on that front is poor.

    Kenyan media have reported on more than a dozen corruption scandals involving state agencies and officials
    since Kenyatta took power, but there have been no convictions of high profile figures, according to a
    Reuters review of the cases.

  • Kenya arrests youth service chief after theft of funds – media

    Kenya arrests youth service chief after theft of funds – media

    Kenyan authorities have arrested the head of the National Youth Service as part of investigations into a 99-million dollars theft of funds, media said on Monday.

     

    In spite of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s pledges to stamp out graft when he was first elected in 2013, critics say he has been slow to pursue top officials.

     

    They added that only big-name convictions will break what they call a culture of impunity.

     

    Privately-owned Citizen Television and K24 TV said the youth agency official, Richard Ndubai, had been arrested, along with an unspecified number of officials.

     

    Kenyan media have said 10 billion shillings (99 million dollars) had been stolen through fictitious invoices, and multiple payments on one supplier invoice, at the NYS.

     

    The Media could not contact Ndubai, who is in custody, for comment, and was unable to immmediately trace contacts for his lawyer to seek comment.

     

    The reports have dismayed many Kenyans, particularly as they come in the wake of a 2015 scam at the agency, which aims to equip Kenya’s young people with key skills and help create jobs.

     

    Last week, investigators summoned more than 40 people, including Ndubai, for questioning over the lost funds.

     

    Kenyatta has blamed the slow progress in tackling corruption on the lethargy of some government agencies charged with rooting out graft. ($1=101.0000 Kenyan shillings)

  • Kenya injects $134m to promote tertiary education in 2018

    Kenya injects $134m to promote tertiary education in 2018

    Kenyan government plans to raise about 134 million U.S. dollars to promote access to tertiary education in 2018, a Senior Government Official said on Thursday.

    Amina Mohamed, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Education, told a media briefing in Nairobi that the funds would be used to subsidise fees for approximately 294,000 university and vocational training students.

    “The funds are meant to assist those who would ordinarily not afford higher education so as to increase the skills levels in the country,’’ Mohamed said.

    “The student soft loans help to advance the national agenda of ensuring no Kenyan misses out on education for want of financing,’’ she said during the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Employer Engagement Forum.

    HELB draws its funding from the Government’s exchequer as well as loan repayments from past beneficiaries.

    Mohamed noted that 45 million dollars is expected to be recovered from beneficiaries in 2018, up from 40 million dollars in 2017.

    The student loans would be provided via the state-owned HELB that acts as a revolving fund to finance higher education.

    She noted that the government has also partnered with the private sector to support 20,000 students at a cost of eight million dollars.

    “These external resources have helped in bridging the gap arising from insufficient funding from the National Treasury,’’ she said.

    In 2017, the government sponsored 225,000 students to undertake various higher education courses at a cost of 100 million dollars.

    According to the ministry of education, since 1974, 396,680 loan accounts worth 475 million dollars have matured for repayment; while 264,000 loanees holding 245 million dollars have not matured.

    “Of the 396,680 loan accounts, a total of 175,003 loanees have completed their loan repayment valued at 167 million dollars,’’ the cabinet secretary said.

    Mohamed said that the government is currently exploring other resource mobilisation strategies to achieve 100 per cent Universal Higher Education Financing as currently the majority of students pay for their own education needs.

    She said that the government mostly finances students in universities in Kenya as well as the East African Community member states.

    “However, this year we hope to spend 20 million dollars to fund education for Kenyan students in universities outside the East African region in nations such as South Africa, China, U.S., and European nations,’’ she added.

    NAN

  • Excitement as Mr2kay extends media tour to Kenya

    Nigerian Afro-pop singer, Mr. 2Kay is not slowing down as he continues to amass fans from all over Africa. Barely a month after the release of his sophomore album – ELEVATED, Mr. 2Kay embarked on his ‘Elevated Media Tour’ starting from Nigeria and now, he’s in Kenya.

     

    Reports coming from Kenya’s media radar shows that the singer whose real name is Abinye David Jumbo is already buzzing in the East African country. Apparently, Kenya is very big on Nigerian music, hence, Mr. 2Kay’s songs such as “Bad Girl Special” ft. Patoranking, “Bad Girl Special Remix” ft. Seyi Shay and Cynthia Morgan, “Who No Like Better Thing,” “Belema,” “Pray for Me” and the latest single “Banging” featuring Reekado Banks has been enjoying heavy rotation on various radio and TV stations in the country before his visit.

     

    The Kenyan media tour kicked off on Monday, March 5, and will run till Saturday, March 10, 2018. So far, he has been featured on various platforms including Kiss 100Fm, The Star Newspaper, Radio Asylum, B Afrika TV, NTV Teen Republik Online, The Insyder Magazine, People Daily Newspaper, Y254 TV, Daily Nation Newspaper, Lolwe TV, The Mash Up on DSTV, Kiss TV Live, Hot 96FM, KBC Radio, The Standard Newspaper, NBS, Homeboyz Radio, and KBC 1 Xtra.

     

     

  • Kenya doctors performs brain surgery on wrong patient

    Staff from nurses to the CEO have been suspended at a Nairobi hospital after the wrong patient underwent brain surgery.

    One patient needed surgery for a blood clot on the brain, the other only non-invasive treatment for swelling.

    But a horrifying mix-up of identification tags saw the wrong man operated on, reports say.

    The doctors did not realise their mistake until “hours into the surgery”, the Daily Nation reported.

    They then realised “there was no blood clot”.

    The patient who was operated on is recovering, the hospital says, and an investigation is under way. Regulators have demanded a report and plan to hold a hearing.

    Social media users have expressed shock that such an incident could have been allowed to happen.

    It comes only six weeks after the health minister ordered an investigation into claims new mothers were sexually assaulted at the same hospital.

  • UN raises concerns at continued suspension of 3 TV stations in Kenya

    UN raises concerns at continued suspension of 3 TV stations in Kenya

    The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said it was concerned that three television stations remained suspended for the third day on Friday in Kenya.

     

    The suspension came after the Kenyan Government’s accused them of “complicity” for airing footage of opposition leader Raila Odinga’s “inauguration ceremony”.

     

    The UN human rights wing said it understood that the continued suspension was in spite of an interim order by a Kenyan High Court, instructing the Government to allow the television stations to resume transmission.

     

    “We call on the Government to respect and implement the judicial decision. We are also concerned at the Government’s attempts to interfere with the rights to freedom of expression.

     

    “This is by reportedly warning that participation in the “inauguration ceremony” would lead to revocation of licences. Media organisations that disregarded this advice were shut down.”

     

    The UN agency urged the Government and the opposition in Kenya to work towards resolving the current situation through dialogue.

     

    It added that the resolution should be with full respect for the rule of law and the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and political participation.

     

     

    Israel accuses UN rights forum of bias over Palestinians

     

     

  • Kenyatta is Kenya’s President, U.S. tells Odinga

    Kenyatta is Kenya’s President, U.S. tells Odinga

    The U.S. Government declared that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was validly elected as the president of the country in accordance with Kenya’s constitution.

    The U.S. Department of State in a statement said it was gravely concerned by Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga’s self-“inauguration” on Tuesday as Kenya’s ‘People’s President’.

    The statement issued by Ms Heather Nauert, Department Spokesperson, said: “We reject actions that undermine Kenya’s Constitution and the rule of law.

    “Uhuru Kenyatta was elected as President of the Republic of Kenya on Oct. 26, 2017 in a poll that was upheld by Kenya’s Supreme Court.

    “Grievances must be resolved through appropriate legal mechanisms”.

    The U.S. commended the restraint shown by security forces and urge them to continue to refrain from any unnecessary or excessive use of force.

    The U.S. said any arrests and prosecutions must be made in full accordance with the rule of law and demonstrate transparent due process.

    “We urge all Kenyans to reject violence and hatred. Protesters have a right to assemble peacefully, to express their views freely, and to hold opinions without interference.

    “We are also deeply concerned by the Government’s action to shut down, intimidate, and restrict the media.

    “Freedom of expression, including for members of the media, is essential to democracy and is enshrined in Kenya’s Constitution,” the statement read.

    The U.S. urged the Government and all Kenyans to respect freedom of expression and implement court orders calling for the restoration of television broadcasts.

    The U.S. further said: “We again urge Kenyan leaders and citizens to begin a national conversation to build cohesion and address long-standing issues.

    “The U. S. continues to support efforts by religious, business, and civil society leaders to begin this conversation in the near future and calls on everyone to participate in this endeavour.

    “The U. S. stands firmly with the people of Kenya; it is only Kenyans who can find a way to resolve their differences and chart the destiny of this great country”.

     

  • Kenyan opposition leader Odinga takes presidential ‘oath of office’

    Kenyan opposition leader Odinga takes presidential ‘oath of office’

    Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga took a symbolic presidential oath of office on the Bible in front of thousands of ecstatic supporters on Tuesday in a direct challenge to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s rule.

    “I, Raila Omolo Odinga, do swear that I will protect the nation as people’s president, so help me God,” he said as the crowd cheered.

    NAN reports that earlier, Kenyan police fired teargas to disperse thousands of opposition supporters gathering in central Nairobi to celebrate the planned swearing-in of opposition leader Raila Odinga.

    Odinga says he, and not President Uhuru Kenyatta, is the country’s rightful leader.

    He lost an Aug. 8 presidential election that was nullified by the Supreme Court, and boycotted a repeat poll on Oct. 25, saying it would not be free and fair.

    NAN reports that Violence erupted after the re-election of Kenyatta on on Aug 13, 2017, leaving at least 24 people dead nationwide, a rights group said.

    The victims included a 9-year-old girl, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Relatives said the victims were shot dead in various parts of the nation, including 17 in the capital of Nairobi, the group said.

    Allegations of vote-rigging have sparked concerns, with some Kenyans fearing ethnic clashes similar to those triggered a decade ago.

    Though Kenya’s last election in 2013 was mainly peaceful, the country plunged into widespread violence in the aftermath of the 2007 vote.

    No fewer than 1,000 people were killed in months of bloodshed following the 2007 election after Odinga –defeated by then-President Mwai Kibaki — claimed the vote was rigged.

    Protests and violence broke out after he was declared the winner.

    Most of the demonstrators were supporters of Odinga, who has rejected the results of the presidential election, calling the vote rigged. National election officials have decried the accusations, saying the vote was free and credible.

    Police said protests erupted in and around Kisumu, a stronghold of Odinga.

    One person was killed overnight in Kisumu.

    Violence also broke out in Nairobi’s slum of Mathare, where tear gas and gunshots rang out all night, witnesses said.

    (Reuters/NAN)

  • Kenyan TV, radio station say govt shut them down over opposition coverage

    Independently-owned Citizen Television and Radio stations said on Tuesday that government authorities forced them off the air over plans to cover a gathering in the capital where opposition leader Raila Odinga plans to swear himself in as president.

     

    “The Communications Authority of Kenya has switched off Citizen Television and Radio in most parts of the country over the coverage of the National Super Alliance (NASA) ‘swearing-in’ plan,” the Citizen website said.

     

    Earlier, several hundred supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga gathered at a park in downtown Nairobi, determined to “swear in as president” their leader who boycotted a re-run election in 2017.

     

    President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term in November after winning the repeat presidential election in October that Odinga boycotted due to doubts it would be free and fair.

     

    Kenyatta had also been declared winner of the August election, but the Supreme Court later nullified that result, over irregularities.

     

    Odinga said the October election was “fake” and earlier said a “people’s assembly” would swear him in on Dec. 12.

     

    That did not happen, and a new event was planned for Tuesday.

     

    By 0600 GMT, about 400 people were gathered in Uhuru Park, near Nairobi’s main business district.

     

    Though the police had said they would prohibit any illegal assemblies on Tuesday, there were no uniformed police in the park and no anti-riot officers or vehicles.

     

    Local radio station Capital FM reported that supporters had been granted permission by Kenyan authorities to use the park.

     

    Police and government spokesman were not immediately reachable for comment on that report.

     

    Opposition supporters claim Odinga won the August vote.

     

    “The swearing in that will happen today is legitimate based on the Aug. 8, 2017 election.

     

    “Odinga is the one we recognise as the president and that is why we are swearing him in,” said hairdresser

     

     

  • #KenyaDecides: ‘There won’t be peace for your government,’ Odinga tells Kenyatta

    #KenyaDecides: ‘There won’t be peace for your government,’ Odinga tells Kenyatta

    Kenya’s opposition leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday rejected outright the result of last week’s “sham” election, vowing to fight on after the protest-hit poll that handed President Uhuru Kenyatta a landslide win.

    “This election must not stand. If allowed to stand, it will make a complete mockery of elections,” he said in his first remarks on Thursday’s presidential re-run, which his supporters boycotted en masse.

    Without change, “elections will become coronation rituals,” Odinga warned.

    The vote, which saw Kenyatta winning with 98 percent of the votes cast, was the chaotic climax of two months of political drama and acrimony triggered by the Supreme Court’s overturning of an initial August poll over widespread irregularities.

    But Odinga did not say whether he would once again petition the Supreme Court to have the vote annulled, as he did back in August.

    He spelt out a campaign of non-violent protest and disobedience that would ensure the government had “no peace” so long as there was no change.

    The remarks are likely to extend the political uncertainty that has paralysed the country since September 1.

    Despite his successful bid to throw out the results of the August election, Odinga withdrew from the re-run some two weeks beforehand, citing concerns the new vote would be neither free nor fair.

    Last week, the 72-year-old leader pledged to transform his National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition into “a resistance movement” that would spearhead a campaign of “civil disobedience.”

    On Tuesday, he laid out plans for a programme of “vigorous” political action including “economic boycotts, peaceful processions, picketing and other legitimate protests.”

    “If there is no justice for the people, let there be no peace for the government,” he declared.