By Erick Otienor

Residents of Osiri village in Macalder/Kanyarwanda Ward, Nyatike, will soon have access to safe and consistent drinking water, thanks to a local gold mine investor who has funded borehole projects in the area.

The investor, introduced to the community by the area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Felix Okwanyo, will establish eight water stations to serve the village.

Speaking during the commissioning of the boreholes, the locals highlighted the severe challenges caused by the lack of clean water, including outbreaks of cholera and the need to walk long distances in search of safe water.

The residents, led by Robinson Onyango, expressed hope that the new initiative will bring lasting relief to the community living in the Semi-arid area of Nyatike.

The community have been raising concerns over the dangers posed by contaminated water, noting that chemicals from nearby mines have often seeped into rivers, leading to health complications when used for bathing, cooking, or washing.

Eunice Atieno, a resident of Osiri, observed that access to clean water will significantly cut household expenses currently spent on buying water, while also allowing children to concentrate more on their studies instead of spending hours fetching water.

According to locals, the boreholes will end decades of reliance on River Kuja and River Migori, which are infested with crocodiles and associated with diseases such as bilharzia and other waterborne infections.

Despite the milestone, residents insist the eight water points cannot serve the growing population and appealed to both the county and national governments to step in and assist the locals.

According to the investor, Salah Okech, his mining company will continue doing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to improve the lives of people in the semi-arid area of Nyatike.

“We want our people to benefit from what we are doing here. We are doing business in their area and they deserve to benefit from some of our CSR”, he said.

Macalder/Kanyarwanda Ward (MCA) Felix Okwanyo applauded the efforts made by the investor to ensure the lives of the Osiri residents improve.

Okwanyo said that one of the biggest problems for his people is water scarcity, adding that the eight boreholes will solve the water shortage.

By Correspondent

The Board of the Financial Inclusion Fund (Hustler Fund) has announced the appointment of Mr. Henry K. Tanui as the Chief Executive Officer for a renewable term of three years.

Mr. Tanui takes over from Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu, who has been heading the Fund since its inception. The Board acknowledges Ms. Nkukuu’s dedicated service and pioneering leadership, which established a strong foundation for the Fund.

Mr. Tanui is an experienced financial services professional with over 24 years in the industry. He has broad expertise in Risk Management, MSME Lending, Business Lending, Personal Lending, Mortgages, and International Trade Finance. He has held senior roles at Ecobank, Consolidated Bank of Kenya, and the Industrial and Commercial Development Bank of Kenya. His extensive background has given him a deep understanding of Kenya’s economic development and the vital part that financial services play in promoting inclusive growth.

Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives & MSME Development, Hon. FCPA Dr. Wycliffe Oparanya, commended the role of the Fund in the country’s socio-economic agenda. “The Financial Inclusion Fund has already provided affordable credit to more than 26 million Kenyans. As we look ahead, I encourage the Hustler Fund team to enhance their efforts in promoting timely repayments to improve credit scores and to expand financial literacy programmes that support Kenyans in succeeding.”

Principal Secretary for MSME Development, Ms. Susan Mangeni, highlighted the Fund’s impact in enhancing financial inclusion. “Through the Hustler Fund, over 9 million Kenyans now have improved credit histories and are more capable of accessing financing from mainstream financial institutions. We extend our gratitude to Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu for her steady leadership in establishing the Fund and guiding it through its early stages.” Speaking about his appointment, Mr. Tanui expressed optimism about the Fund’s future. “The Hustler Fund has already proven to be catalytic in supporting livelihoods and economic growth. My focus will be on reengineering our collection processes, strengthening financial literacy, and building ecosystem lending channels that expand our reach and deepen our impact.”

The outgoing CEO, Ms. Elizabeth Nkukuu, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve and congratulated her successor. “It has been a privilege to serve Kenyans by establishing and launching the Hustler Fund. I am proud of the progress we have made in reaching millions of households and MSMEs. I warmly congratulate Mr. Tanui and wish him every success in expanding the Fund’s impact in the years ahead.”

BY WESTERN INSIGHT REPORTER

ODM National Treasurer Timothy Bosire has threatened legal action against ex-West Mugirango legislator Vincent Kemosi over alleged defamatory remarks made against him.

Through his lawyers, M.O.M & Company Advocates, Mr Bosire accuses Kemosi of publicly disparaging him during a press address on August 24, 2025, in Kisii dialect, where he allegedly claimed that Bosire received money from State House to fund a political meeting in Kericho.

The utterances, which were broadcast live on Egesa FM, Egesa Facebook page, and later circulated widely across social media, according to the former Kitutu Masaba MP’s advocate, allegedly insinuated that Bosire was corrupt and dishonest.

The remarks, his lawyers say, have attracted thousands of views and subjected the ODM official to public ridicule, contempt, and embarrassment.

Bosire, who also chairs the ODM Board of Trustees, maintains that the statements were “egregiously false, reckless, and malicious” and were designed to tarnish his political and personal reputation.

He argues that Kemosi’s failure to report the alleged corruption to investigative agencies like the EACC or DCI further confirms the baseless nature of the claims.

“Our client has been humiliated, disgraced, and subjected to untold embarrassment and ostracism for which he holds you fully, wholly, and personally responsible,” reads part of the demand letter.

The ODM treasurer now demands an immediate admission of liability and a “suitable and fitting apology” from Kemosi within 72 hours, failure to which his lawyers have threatened to file a defamation suit.

The apology, the letter adds, must receive the same prominence as the original remarks under Section 7A of the Defamation Act, Cap 36 Laws of Kenya.

Kemosi is yet to publicly respond to the accusations or the legal threat.

Bosire is a seasoned politician from Nyamira County, having served as Member of Parliament for Kitutu Masaba.

Bosire and Kemosi have often found themselves on opposite sides of the political divide, occasionally clashing publicly over county and national politics.

By Hope Barbra

The controversial former senator Gloria Orwoba has revealed that President William Ruto trusted Dr Raymond Omollo even before he appointed him to the powerful docket of as the permanent secretary for Internal Security and Administration permanent secretary.

Speaking during an interview, Orwoba also claimed some of permanent secretaries closed to her detested Omollo’s closeness with the president.

She said the permanent secretaries were concerned by Omollo’s closeness to the president and his often accompanying to functions and thus making him the President’s blue-eyed boy.

Orwoba said Omollo earned his appointment for having delivered for President Ruto in the 2022 presidential elections.

Orwoba said in 2022 Ruto then deputy president and Kenya Kwanza presidential candidate asked her to contact Omollo so that they could organize logistics and presidential election program for Nyanza.

“Omollo did a good job. Ray and his team after elections went around to pick form 34A at gun point it was a daring moment, but they braved it. 

Even when ODM went to court to challenge the election results, they had to rely on our forms from Nyanza because we did a good job. ODM was disorganized and didn’t have the forms.

People who don’t know him wondered how he got into the space. He worked for it, and this is the truth.

The president trusted him and even when the president would call and asked me how we were doing in terms of work, I would tell him, Ray is doing a good job. He helped relieve us of the burden the logistic burden. He did a good job, and I didn’t have an issue with him. He made our work of coordination easier and achievable.

There was a group of PSs who were witch hunting him, they tried to tell the president negative things about him, but the president never listened to them. They would come and tell me, Ray thinks he is superior, and he thinks he is the blue-eyed boy.

I told them you don’t know him, he is professional, give him a chance and you will understand him. Honestly, he is a good person, and we have no point of departure,” she said.

Former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during Dr Omollo thanksgiving in his Kanyipir village in Karachuonyo in 2023, said President Ruto made a great choice in Omollo.

“President William Ruto made the right choice of making Dr Omollo the Internal Security permanent secretary.

I wanted the position of the permanent secretary of internal security to be given to my person, But the president told me, for that post, I already have someone. Let’s talk about of the posts.

I did not Know Dr Omollo then, but I can confirm here that President Ruto made the best choice. Dr Omollo has served the president and the nation with dedication, honesty and commitment which is above reapproach.

I want to say, Dr Omollo is a great worker, and I accept the president wisdom to give him the post despite Nyanza having voted for the Azimio Presidential candidate. The president has been vindicated in his choice,” he said then.

Omollo former boss then and now the deputy president Prof Abraham Kindiki Kithure said it was a wise choice by the president to appoint Raymond to the powerful office.

“Your Excellency, I am here to say that you made no mistake in appointing Raymond. He is trustworthy. I can say without fear of contradiction that the choice of Dr Raymond Omollo was one of the most important decisions you made in your administration.

Raymond is disciplined, straight forward, humble, obedient to authority and is not given to drunkenness and other forms of indiscipline, between Raymond and I we will do the job you made us to do,” he said.

Omollo has been a cog in President Ruto’s charm in Nyanza and currently enjoy warm reception and support from the region, which was one hostile to him.

Omollo’s coordination skills has ensured that he doesn’t antagonize the local leadership with president Ruto.

MPs led by Sam Atandi, Jared Okello, Mark Nyamita among others have constantly praised Omollo for his role to the president and uniting the community.

Omollo has firmly established himself as one of the most effective and influential figures in President William Ruto’s administration.

Recognized as one of the top-performing Principal Secretaries, Omollo’s rise to prominence is a testament to his dedication, strategic acumen, and unwavering commitment to service delivery.

Since his appointment, Dr. Omollo has become the President’s go-to leader in the Nyanza region, a position that has not only solidified his influence but also transformed him into a key player in the national political landscape.

His leadership has been marked by significant achievements, particularly in enhancing national security, advocating for better working conditions for National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), and securing salary increments for police officers.

These reforms have endeared him to Kenyans, who view him as a leader dedicated to improving the lives of those in the public service and ensuring the safety and security of the nation.

By Hope Barbra

Kenya and Uganda have moved to Fastrack trade between two countries by committing to eliminate Non-tariff Barriers (NTB) and tariffs, which have been trade barriers to the two countries.

In a joint communique of the joint Trade Ministerial meeting with the Ministers directing that all products originating between Kenya and Uganda to be treated as transfers.

“Both Ministers committed to eliminate all existing Tariffs and NTBS hindering trade between the two countries and fully implement all trade related commitments under the EAC Treaty and Protocols. In this regard, the Ministers agreed to remove all discriminatory excise duties, levies and other charges of equivalent effects,” read the statement 

This follows the recent directive by president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, of Uganda, and  president William Samoei Ruto,  of Kenya, during their bilateral engagement held in Nairobi, Kenya from 30th to 31st July 2025, that Ministers responsible for trade of both countries urgently convene a meeting to resolve all trade barriers between the two countries including congestion along the major trade corridors, tariff and non- tariff barriers.

Subsequently, the two Ministers convened a meeting on 31st July 2025, in Nairobi City and agreed to exchange lists of all products affected by Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).

This was followed up by convening a technical meeting in Mbale City from 18th to 22nd August 2025 to consider the exchanged lists.

“The technical officers were also directed to undertake assessment at the borders of Suam, Busia, Malaba and Lwakhakha to ascertain the causes of delays and congestions at those borders and provide comprehensive recommendations to the Ministers on how to resolve the barriers during their meeting of 29th to 30th August 2025,” it read.

Uganda’s, Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (Trade). Wilson Mbasu Mbadi  led the Ugandan delegation. 

The delegation  comprised of representatives from Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotion Authority (UFZEPA), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)

For Kenya, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, Mr., Lee Kinyanjui led the delegation.

He was accompanied by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry Dr Juma Mukhwana, and Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade Ms. Regina A. Ombam. 

Other members of the delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MoFDA), Kenya High Commission-Kampala, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Kenya Revenue Authority

The two Ministers reiterated their commitment in implementing the Directives of the Heads of State: to specifically decongest the borders of Malaba and Busia and address all barriers hindering trade between the two countries.

While conducting the border inspections, the Ministers received additional administrative/operational, infrastructural and systems related challenges causing congestion at the borders. 

In addressing the delays and congestions, the Ministers provided short, medium and long-term directives.

The Ministers noted the achievements so far made in resolving long outstanding NTBs which have been hindering trade between the two countries.

On the Congestion at the border, the ministers directed border agencies to clear the congestion at the Malaba border within 24 hours and reduce and maintain it not more than 4 kilometers.

Ministers also directed border agencies to clear the congestion at Busia border within 24 hours and maintain it to not more than 500 meters.

Ministers equally directed border agencies to immediately address delays relating to multiple check points.

They directed the border management agencies to ensure 24/7-hour operations of their respective functions.

“Government of Uganda committed to immediately address the issues related to the weighbridge operations along the major trade corridors as a measure to facilitating faster movement of goods,” it read.

Both Ministers committed to prioritize and mobilize resources for critical border infrastructure, including road upgrades, and bridge construction.

Both Ministers committed to expeditiously complete the construction works on the Kenya side and commission operations to enhance service at Suam OSBP Operations.

“Lwakhakha Border; Both Ministers committed to upgrade the road infrastructure and acquire a scanner on the Kenya side.

Joint Border Committees (JBCs): Both Ministers directed Joint Border Committees (JBCs) to be operationalized to resolve daily operational challenges and escalate unresolved matters to higher authorities immediately,” it read.