By Erick Otieno

The Migori County Woman Representative, Hon. Fatuma Mohammed, has terminated the employment of her official driver following allegations of gross misconduct involving an unlawful act.

In a formal statement, Hon. Fatuma announced the immediate dismissal of the driver, unidentified as his name was withheld for legal reasons, citing his alleged involvement in inappropriate conduct with an underage girl.

The Woman Representative described the allegations as a “grave and utterly unacceptable violation of ethical and moral standards” expected of anyone holding such a position.

“It has come to my attention that the driver whose name is withheld engaged in highly inappropriate conduct with an underage girl, which raises significant legal and reputational concerns.

Such actions reflect an utter disregard for the dignity and integrity required of all my employees,” said Hon. Fatuma in her letter.

Attempts to get a comment from the sacked employee were unsuccessful as he did not answer the calls.

The Woman Representative emphasized that the decision to sever ties was taken after thoroughly considering the facts surrounding the incident.

“Given the gravity of the actions and the irreversible damage caused, I have no alternative but to sever all professional ties with the driver, effective immediately,” the letter stated.

She further directed the driver to return any office property and clear any outstanding formalities in relation to his employment. His final entitlements, according to the statement, will be processed in line with his contract and prevailing legal regulations.

Hon. Fatuma underscored her commitment to upholding professionalism, respect, and accountability within her team. “The need to maintain the highest standards of conduct has left me with no choice but to take this action,” she added.

The dismissal of the driver serves as a stern message on the importance of ethical behavior and legal compliance, especially for individuals entrusted with positions of responsibility.

The incident has sparked concerns over the conduct of public office staff and the measures in place to prevent such violations. Authorities are expected to look into the allegations further, ensuring justice for the aggrieved party.

She said the matter has been referred to police for investigation and possible prosecution of the suspect

By Reporter

A village in Kochia ward, Rangwe constituency has come up with an initiative to fight school dropout among students faced with financial challenges.

The residents of Kowili Location initiated the programme by raising funds to support the education of students whose parents are financially vulnerable.

Through the Kowili Education Recovery Foundation, the residents are undertaking the programme by collecting money from individual clan members.

In the initiative, every clan in the area contributes money. Then money is pooled and shared out among the beneficiaries.

Upon completion of the collection, the committee assigns every clan through the assistance of clan and village elders to select the neediest students from every village.

When the clans have held their meetings in villages, the names of the selected students are submitted to the committee which finally awards bursary cheques to the selected students.

The beneficiaries are students who learn in secondary schools, tertiary colleges and universities.

Chairman Kennedy Ogindo and Organizing Secretary Edward Odhiambo said they had collected Sh3.3million. The money will be distributed to about 600 students when term one kicks off.

“Kowili Education Recovery works closely with clan elders to identify needy students. We have delegated the role of selecting the students to villagers because they know one another well,” Ogindo said.

Speaking to journalists at Ligisa Secondary School in Kochia ward, the officials emphasized that the selection of the vulnerable children is done by villagers themselves to ensure only the deserving students benefit.

The selection method enhances transparency.

On Sunday, Odhiambo said, “The money is distributed to the students based on their vulnerability.”

“We focus on the level of vulnerability of the selected students to determine the amount of money given. The distribution of money is done transparently,” Odhiambo said.

He said the initiative is aimed at promoting education and ensuring that Kowili has productive people in future.

Kajwang Nyadundo, a village elder, and Sarah Ong’ondo said they are collaborating with assistant chiefs in the area for the success of the programme.

“We secure letters from assistant chiefs allowing us to spread the message on the programme. The government officials know the economic status of each family,” Ong’ondo said.

Vitalis Oganda, a parent, said the programme will transform the area through education.

“Orphan students cannot acquire education because they lack fees. But this programme will enable many vulnerable students to continue with education,” Oganda said.

By Atieno Otieno.

Chief officer Public Communication and Governor spokesperson.

Governor Gladys Wanga, through the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Programme II [KISIP II], is spearheading infrastructural projects in Shauri Yako, Makongeni, and Sofia settlements.

These projects include road works, street lights, drainage systems, market infrastructure, recreational facilities, and sanitation facilities. These developments aim to attract modern housing infrastructure and pave the way for gentrification in these areas, enticing investors to build modern housing units.

Additionally, the municipality, in collaboration with Akiba Mashinani Trust, is developing a People’s Adaptation Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan for Homa Bay. This plan will not only establish a planning and development control framework but also address the unique needs of informal settlements within the municipality. The ongoing profiling exercise is a crucial step in this process.

We’re focused on making Homa Bay a city.

By Reporter

Internal security Permanent Secretary Dr Raymond Omolo has challenged youths to exploit sports talent for economic empowerment.

Omolo asked the youths to involve in sport tournaments to enhance the fight against teen pregnancies and HIV infections.

Omollo is supporting such sporting activities during this December long holiday for the youths to eradicate drug abuse and HIV infections.

Omolo wants to make the target group busy and refrain from engaging in social ills.

Through his representative and coordinator of the activities Michael Odari said sports tournaments was one of the activities they want to reduce idleness associated with people who indulge in drug abuse.

According to this year’s report by the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC), Nyanza counties such as Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya and Migori lead in HIV prevalence.

It is reported that the high prevalence is attributed to the social behavior of the people living in the beaches.

National government through the National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) is also undertaking its awareness campaign across Nyanza region during the holiday.

“The sporting activities we promote among the youths and adolescents will enable them to avoid idleness. We’re keeping at bay the social ills the children can indulge in because they idle,” Odari said.

Speaking on Friday when he donated football kits to Wachara Karungu and Uloya football clubs at Wachara Karungu primary school in Nyatike constituency, Migori County, Odari said the program is also meant to nurture talents of the youth.

In the program, they are giving out jerseys, footballs, captain tags, goal posts among others.

More than 30 football clubs across the four Nyanza counties have benefited.

“The focus is also on talent development among the youths. Some talented footballers have been exposed and will be linked to major football clubs in the country,” he added.

Wachara football team manager Boaz Okech and his Uloya counterpart Joseph Okumu argued that provision of the kits will motivate the youths in the area.

He said business activities will also thrive during football games.

“We have people who will just be attracted by the new football jerseys the clubs have received. Many youths will come and watch games as these reduce idleness,” Okech said.

Okumu reiterated the significance of such football games in the fishing community. He said they are also in support of the ban of disco matanga during the December holiday.

“Let parents be vigilant and monitor their children during the long December holiday. They should also encourage their children to engage in sports to avoid idleness,” he said.

By reporter

Treasury and economic planning cabinet secretary John Mbadi has appealed to Kenyans to support the new health scheme.

Mbadi the new health scheme SHA will be a key changer in provision of health services in the country.

“We should not reject the new health scheme in totality . Let should accept it and be part of it in the new health scheme dispensation” he said.

Mbadi’ s sentiments were shared by a section of government officials from Nyanza region who asked politicians from politicizing the health scheme for their own selfish gain.

They appealed to the residents to register for the Social Health Authority (SHA).

Calls for Kenyans to register with SHA has elicited debate in the country as some opposition politicians criticize the government for allegedly transiting from the defunct National Social Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA without public participation.

The politicians have also argued that SHA is inefficient and expensive.

At the weekend, Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Authority (LVSWWDA) Chairman Odoyo Owidi and Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) board member Hesborn Omollo said it was wrong to politicize SHA.

Odoyo said SHA was meant to provide health solutions to all Kenyans and urged residents to register for the medical insurance.

“It is high time residents deafened their ears to people who oppose the ongoing registration for the new medical cover. SHA is a good programme that guarantees all Kenyans opportunity for affordable medical care,” he said.

Speaking during a fundraiser in aid of construction at Oneno Nam SDA church in Karachuonyo constituency, Odoyi expressed concerns that some politicians were taking advantage of hitches in SHA implementation to get political mileage.

He said health services should not be mixed with politics.

“There are people who keep telling Kenyans that SHA is not working. Their agenda is to taint the image of Kenya Kwanza government for political mileage,” Owidi said.

He said SHA will enable Kenyans from with low income to get medical care.

They said introduction of SHA will prevent cases of theft which were witnessed in the NHIF.

“SHA has clear records which ensure minimal theft to enable Kenyans to get medical care whenever they are sick. The scheme enables the poor to benefit from contributions of the rich because the rich contribute more money,” Odoyo said.

Owidi said SHA will cushion families from fundraisers held for settling medical bills.

By Billy Mijungu

It was a telling moment in African diplomacy and leadership, a stage set for three contenders to articulate their visions for the continent.

The African Union Commission’s debate saw Kenya’s Raila Odinga, Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato, and Djibouti’s Mahamoud Youssouf take center stage—or rather, Odinga took center stage, with the others seemingly flanking him in a symbolic display of hierarchy that spoke volumes.

From the onset, the arrangement raised eyebrows. Raila Odinga stood literally and metaphorically at the center of African politics, flanked by his competitors who, though qualified, struggled to command the same gravitas.

Was this mere coincidence or an unspoken acknowledgment of Kenya’s statesman as the continent’s quintessential leader?

Even the optics favored Odinga—his complexion, darker and unmistakably “African,” contrasted with his Cushitic-descendant peers, Mahamoud and Richard. He embodied the archetype of African identity in a way the others could not.

A forum attendee aptly described him as “cunningly suave yet goonish.” Odinga was both the sage and the warrior, a man of the people yet towering above them.

Mahmoud Youssouf’s performance was notable for his institutional memory, a solid asset in African diplomacy.

Yet, even his moments of clarity often felt overshadowed by the sheer presence of Raila.

Richard Randriamandrato, on the other hand, came across as a man plagued by frustration. His visible anger—perhaps justified, given the lack of attention he received—further alienated him from the audience.

In a telling moment, Randriamandrato lamented his invisibility on social media, seemingly unaware that even Raila’s detractors couldn’t help but shine a spotlight on him, inadvertently bolstering Mahamoud’s profile instead.

Raila, as always, was the sun around which everything orbited.

What truly set Raila apart was his vision. Unlike his competitors, who seemed bogged down by technicalities and personal grievances, Odinga presented a future-focused plan for Africa.

He spoke of creative infrastructure financing, leveraging local resources to solve continental challenges, and addressing poverty and inequality at their roots.

His proposals on peacebuilding were refreshingly grounded in solving local disputes—a far cry from the often lofty but ineffectual rhetoric that has plagued African diplomacy.

Odinga did not just present ideas; he embodied hope for a continent grappling with identity and purpose. Africa needs leaders who can envision where the continent must go and lead the way.

Raila Odinga, in that moment, was not just Kenya’s gift to Africa; he was Africa’s best bet for meaningful progress.

Even in the semantics of his speech, Raila struck a chord. He referred to the continent as “Afrika,” a deliberate nod to authenticity and rejection of colonial connotations.

In his hands, words carried weight and history but also promise. Perhaps it’s time for the continent to embrace that identity fully—Afrika, a name that resonates with pride, untainted by colonial baggage. And if anyone can champion that change, it is Raila Odinga.

In this tableau of African leadership, one truth became clear: while Mahamoud and Richard played their parts, this stage belonged to Raila. His calmness, charisma, and vision made the debate less a contest and more a coronation. Africa—no, Afrika—needs such leaders now more than ever.

#forward

#Tusongembele

By Reporter
Residents of Western Kenya will tomorrow, Saturday 14 December 2024 have a date with leading rhumba artists including Koffi Olomide after the county government of Kisumu decided to ignore the demand notice by Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK).

ASK through its lawyer Lilan and Koech Associates wrote to the County Secretary of Kisumu claiming ownership of the facility and demanded that the county government should seek approval before it could host the music extravaganza at the facility.

The letter titled “ Trespass over Mamboleo showground property of the Agricultural Society of Kenya.”

The memorandum of understanding signed between county government of Kisumu and the Agricultural Society of Kenya dated 16 th September 2020 lapsed on the 28 th November 2024 thereby ending any conceived collaboration between the society and the county government.

We are in shock and awe to learn that the county government in collaboration with other entities has planned an event dubbed “Mzuqa Fest” featuring among other performing artists Koffi Olomide on the 14 th December 2024 without the society’s approval.

”Take note that these actions amount to trespass and are actionable in any court of law. For the reasons above we are instructed to demand from you, which we hereby do that the county government of Kisumu does the following within seven days of this letter.That you desist from propagating or promulgating the promotion of the occasion slated for 14th December 2024. Immediately abstain from any misrepresentation or false pretension as the proprietor of the mamboleo show ground” read the demand letter.

But Acting City Manager Abala Wanga dismissed the claim saying the show will proceed as planned and that various artists have already arrived for tomorrow’s extravaganza.

“ASK is aware that the area has been zoned differently by the new Kisumu local and physical land use development plan. The area has been marked as a commercial sports and convention Centre,” he said.

Abala said the current ASK is to be relocated to Kibos, which has been zoned as an industrial and agricultural zone.

Abala urged the locals and visitors from various parts of the country that various security measures have been put in place and that the event will be peaceful.

By Anderson Ojwang Doublespeak
In the last five months, President William Ruto has made two strategic political moves that have exposed the depth of doublespeak in the country.

President Ruto’s moves have exposed the deep-seated jealousy, rivalry and political conniving that have ruled the country for the last six decades.

Picture two strategic scenes President Ruto pulled in his turbulent political moment, to rescue his boat from capsizing.

The first scene President Ruto extends a handshake to Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga and the move thaws away the surging Gen Zee demonstrations that had threatened to bring down his regime.

From the handshake, President Ruto and Raila agreed to form a broad-based government. The move subsequently, resulted in top Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leadership joining the high table.

They included ODM National chairman John Mbadi who was made Treasury and Economic Planning, the first person from Nyanza to hold the post after independence.

The two deputy party leaders namely Hassan Joho and Wycliff Oparanya and Parliamentary Account Committee (Pac) Chairman Opiyo Wandayi were all rewarded with the cabinet slots.

Equally, President Ruto agreed to support Raila’s quest for the chair of the African Union (AU) and has been on a campaign trail to whip votes for the latter.

The Government is also sponsoring Raila’s candidature with Prime Secretary Musalia Mudavadi mandated by the President to lead the campaigns.

The formation of the broad-based government and the bromance between President Ruto and Raila have been criticized mainly by the political class from Mt Kenya who viewed it as a betrayal by the latter and chastised him for supporting the former.

After talks with Ruto, Raila claimed that former President Uhuru Kenyatta calmed tensions for the Kenya Kwanza administration by advising him to have a sit-down with President William Ruto.

Thus assertion drew criticism from Mt Kenya leaders who claimed Raila had betrayed them and was using Uhuru’s name to blackmail them. Former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui cautioned that Uhuru would only advocate for well-structured talks.

“Although I do not speak for Uhuru Kenyatta, for the country to descend to anarchy would be a cause for major concern. However, power sharing without a long-term commitment to resolve matters raised by Gen Zs is suicidal.”

Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said Raila had invoked the name of the former president to gain the confidence of the Mt Kenya people, who are accusing him of betraying their cause.

Ngunjiri said Raila had exposed himself as a leader who could not be trusted as he had given several conflicting accounts of what transpired before he accepted to work with President Ruto.

“He initially said the four ODM leaders who were given Cabinet Secretary posts went to work with the government on their own. He told us that President Ruto had begged him to help him stabilize the country following the challenges brought about by the demonstrators, only to fabricate another new story,” said Ngunjiri.

In scene two, President Ruto recently visited his predecessor and immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta at his Ichaweri home in Gatundu.

The two leaders held a consultative meeting on national matters with speculations on the air over the possible inclusion of Uhuru allies in the broad-based government.

But the political class and the public from Mt Kenya have gone mute on the meeting and it has not stirred any political storm.

If anything, it has been welcomed by the Agikuyu elders as a positive move.

The storm and criticism that marked Ruto and Raila’s handshake and subsequent formation of a Broad-based government were not replayed and replicated in scene two.

The Agikuyu elders welcomed that the meeting would help bring peace and that it was important for the two leaders to meet.

“We welcome the gesture of the two leaders as it will help bring peace and stabilize the economy. As Agikuyu elders we encourage such consultations,” they said in a recent press
statement.

And this begs the big question, when will the Murima accept the lake moving to the King’s table to preside over the cake distribution?

Political Commentator Mwalimu Odoyo Owidi said this double-speak didn’t start today but is historical and has been part and parcel of Mt Kenya region in the distribution of the national cake.

“Historically, Mt Kenya has been behaving so. Whenever the lake gets or sits closer to the cake, they feel agitated and will demonize any move to that end,” he said.

He said Mt Kenya wholeheartedly supported the handshake between President Uhuru and Raila and wondered why they have been against the broad-based government.

“In the last general elections, they had two choices, Ruto and Raila. They saw Ruto as a lesser devil and what is wrong with the main devil joining the lesser one? Let them eat their cake,” he said.

Odoyo said it was time Mt Kenya accepted equitable sharing of the national cake for the sake of peaceful co-existence.

Political analyst Michael Agwanda said there is an inherent fear by Mt Kenya about the lake assuming leadership and that is why they have remained critical of moves that bring the community near national leadership.

“The mistrust between the two communities usually plays out and more so when the lake gets closer to the cake when the Murima is not in the driving seat. They want the lake confined to the
periphery,” argued.

By reporter

Panic and anxiety have gripped Kisumu county after the government embarked on headcount and verification of academic and employment letters.

The move aims to address the ballooning wage bill at the county, which now stands between 450 m and 550 m and is said to be undermining operations.

Similarly, the government also want to address any instances of ghost workers on the payroll.

All the employees have been directed to deposit their papers at various county points

A memo from the county secretary captioned ” schedule for mapping of staff and physical verification exercise, department of public service, county administration and participatory development directed the staff to deposit various documents with the government ”.

The list of requirements included a letter of current employment or current contract renewal, a letter of transfer or current deployment, the latest letter of promotion or redesignation applicable, an October 2024 payslip and a national identity card.

Sources at the county told Western Insight newspaper that the move is aimed at addressing wage bill and skewed job designations and aligning the staff according to their qualifications and competence.

The government’s decision to undertake headcount has with immediate effect stopped any promotion and contract renewal to staff.

Recently, the public service board postponed contract renewals and promotions after they were advised to do so by the county secretary Mr Hesborn Hongo.

Hongo has embarked on strategic measures aimed at creating sanity in the county government and recently ordered that the government will no longer pay for out-of-station allowances to staff not approved by his office.

Some of the employees who spoke but did not want to be named said the move was strategic and would help address the huge wage bill.

“We support the initiative as it will help correct the messes in the government and address serious gaps in the staff designations and promotions going forward. ” they said

.