Home Blog Page 169

Fake employment racket hits HomaBay County Government

By
lom robb
-
0
farmers
By Habil Onyango

Unsuspecting and several innocent job seekers may have lost hundreds of thousands of shillings in fake employment scams at Homa Bay County government.

Among those counting losses is a Homa Bay Man who lost sh 240,000 in a fake job racket at the county

 And after the loss, the distraught man has now written Homa Bay County Governor Gladys Wanga over his ordeal.

In his letter he claimed, he lost the money to individuals working closely with the County Public Service Board members.

In a letter dated 26th September 2024, oneJactone Oduor claimed that a person named withheld for legal reasons conned him of the said amount in exchange with a letter of appointment for his son Evance Henry Opiyo for a revenue clerk (I) position on 12the June 2023.

He said despite his son receiving an appointment letter on 1st May 2023 for the position, his son is yet to absorbed.

“The above-named is my son and I am writing this complaint letter on his behalf as one who was swindled by fraudsters,” reads in parts the letter copied to Homa Bay County PSB, Intelligence Office, DCI Homa Bay, and the Homa Bay County Attorney.

“He (Evance) was given an appointment letter for the above post which has not materialized up to date,” he claimed.

“First I sent an M-Pesa payment of Sh80,000 on demand by the suspect on the pretense that the available position was for revenue Clerk (III).” Reads the letter.

“Then he demanded another Sh.60,000 claiming that the boy was overqualified for the above post being that he is a graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a CPA (IV), hence he needed my son to be placed on Revenue Clerk (I),” he claimed

The complainant however claims that the suspect demanded that he take the boy to the CBSB immediately after the appointment letter was out which had a seal and a rubberstamp where he demanded some requirements like a file and a certification document plus another Sh100,000 before handing over the signed appointment letter to the applicant.

“For the record the accomplish received the Sh100,000 in cash, in the presence of my son; then he handed over the appointment letter,” he alleges.

“A total of Sh.240,000 was given to the suspects.  He alleged the two were working in cohorts with some CPSB officials whom they can mention.

“Hon Governor, I am still stranded with my son at home and humbly request for your intervention so that my son Evance can secure employment,” said Oduor.

According to the appointment letter issued and signed by Homa Bay County Secretary and Head of Public Service Prof. Benard Muok reference number HB/PSB/APP2023/VOL1/10 Evance was appointed to Revenue Clerk One position and was to earn Sh31,270 per month with house allowance of Sh.5,800, Commuter allowance of Sh4,000 and another leave allowance of Sh4,000 per annum.

The letter was also signed by Evance upon reception.

I am pleased to inform you that following the successful interview held for the above position, the Public Service Board has approved your appointment to the position of revenue clerk.

This appointment takes effect from 1st May 2023.

However, according to Muok, the signature appearing in the appointment letter was fake.

“This is not my Signature. It is fake and I am not sure if the two are working for the County Government, but it is difficult to help when people are conned outside,” said Muok.

“The best would be to report to the Police,” replied the County Secretary to our WhatsApp message.

Government invests Sh 5 billion in the fishing and blue economy sector

By
lom robb
-
0
mwaura
By Habil Onyango

The fishing sector plays a significant role in the growth of the national economy, contributing approximately Kshs.178.8 billion annually

The Kenyan Coast and Lake Victoria, with untapped potential play a crucial role in the livelihoods of Kenya’s fishing communities.

Through sustainable business ventures, the Blue Economy and Fisheries subsector supports these communities both directly and indirectly.

The Government however has made significant strides in developing Coastal and Lake Victoria Blue Economy and Fisheries infrastructure to further drive this growth.

According to the Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura, the Government has invested over Ksh.4.9 billion in the blue economy and Fisheries sector in Coastal and Lake Victoria

Mwaura said that in the Coastal region, the Government has developed landing sites at Kibuyuni, Gazi, and Vanga in Kwale County. Ngomeni and Kichwa Cha Kati in Kilifi County.

“These projects, valued at Ksh.163.8 million and they are aimed at supporting the livelihoods of local fishing communities,” said Mwaura.

“Additionally, five more landing sites are under construction in Mwaepe (Kwale), Kidongo (Mombasa), Kilifi Central (Kilifi), Kipini (Tana River), and Mkowe (Lamu),” he added.

Mwaura revealed that in the Lake Victoria region, the Government has completed and launched landing sites at Mulukhoba in Busia, Sori in Migori, and Luanda K’Otieno in Siaya Counties while the development of nine other landing sites is ongoing at a total cost of Ksh. 1.5 billion.

The spokesperson added that the government has further provided Ksh. 3.2 billion in grants to fund 1,263 Common Interest Groups (CIGs), helping to keep the fishing communities economically resilient.

He said that 875 other young fishers across the country will receive training in deep-sea fishing through this funding.

“These groups, which include youth, women, community-based, and self-help organizations, have used the funds for fishing boats, gear, coral reef restoration, and mariculture

“These will improve the livelihoods of people in the region by increasing business activity translating to money in the pockets of Kenyans,” he said.

Aquaculture

Mwaura said that the Government has further established 100 Smallholder Aquaculture Groups (SAG) in order to meet the huge market demand for Blue Economy and Fisheries products across the globe,

He said this has benefitted 1,200 smallholder aquaculture farmers who have been supported with pond rehabilitation and construction materials.

He said these group ventures will serve as a boost to their earnings while catalyzing food and nutrition security.

“The program has created jobs as 90 Aquaculture Technical Extension Officers trained on Technologies, Innovations, and management Practices have been hired,” said Mwaura.

The Spokesman added that 150 Beach Management Units (BMUs) have so far been transformed into cooperatives which include 84 in the Lake Victoria region and another 61 in the Coastal region as an effort to empower participants in the sector

He said the transformation is expected to enhance organization, resource access, and growth opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises among these communities.

“Despite these developments, the subsector continues to face challenges from Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) fishing,” said Mwaura in a press release

“To combat this, we have strengthened our monitoring, control, and surveillance efforts whereby a total of 123 fishing boats have already been distributed to fishing communities, and 25 additional offshore (deep sea) fishing boats will be procured at a cost of Ksh.600 million,”

“Six patrol boats are also in operation across the Coast, Lake Naivasha, Lake Victoria, and Lake Turkana to address overfishing and protect Kenya’s waters,” he said

Whistleblower’ reports Kisumu County to World Bank over alleged misuse of Sh 2 B affordable Housing fund

By
lom robb
-
0
Whistleblower
By Team

Kisumu County could be on the spot after a whistle-blower reached out to the World Bank over the alleged misuse of Sh 2 billion for affordable housing.

This comes hot on the heels after the National Assembly, watchdog committee the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) threatened to issue a summon to the governor to shed light on the expenditures accounts on the donor fund after it was flagged by the Auditor General.

In an email dated  27th September 2024 from Beatric Eraso Puig to Mr. Bob Ndolo, a former member of Kisumu County Assembly read in parts “Thank you for reaching out to the World Bank one more time on this matter. Please note that the World Bank takes very seriously allegations of fraud or corruption in operations,” read the email in parts.

“ We note that you have already reached out to our INT colleagues.INT will reach out to you one more time to further discuss this with you. We also note that you have reached out to EACC, read the email.

Beatriz Eraso Puig is a Senior Uban Development Specialist at the World Bank. She is currently based in Kenya managing the Kenya Urban Support Program and working on urban resilience, city climate planning, and urban mobility.

Ndolo a former MCA turned whistleblower had earlier written, County Director, World Bank, Nairobi over alleged misuse of Sh2 billion  International Development Agency (IDA) donor funds for affordable housing in Kisumu county.

“ Corruption often  fights back, and I am now facing false accusations of fraud after reporting fraudulent activities involving International Development Association (IDA) funds dating back to 2018,” he wrote

“It is crucial that we recover the misappropriated IDA funds in Kisumu county as detailed in the Auditor General’s reports under the State Department of Housing.  The misuse of these funds cannot be ignored,” he wrote in his email to the World Bank.

When The Western Insight made a telephone call to Kisumu Governor, Prof Anyang Nyong’o the call was not answered and the whats up message was not responded to.

Similarly, we contacted the Kisumu city manager Mr. Abala Wanga, who neither responded to our calls nor text messages.

Previously, the National Assembly had considered summoning Governor Nyong’o over the misuse of over Sh2 billion in donor funds meant for the county’s urban development projects.

The resolution of the public accounts committee (PAC)  then under  Unguja MP and now cabinet secretary for energy, Mr Opiyo Wandayi came after the county failed to present its expenditure returns to the state Department of Housing as required by the Public Finance Management  (PFM) act.

The need to summon Nyong’o came after Housing Principal Secretary  Charles Hinga while appearing before the PAC, a watchdog committee of the national assembly, expressed frustrations from the governor and the employees of the county government on the need to be furnished with responses on the expenditures.

The expenditures issues had been flagged by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in the accounts of the state department for housing for the year 2018/2019 that PAC was currently considering.

“  We will be compelled to summon the Kisumu governor as it is evident the money is being ‘eaten’ by county staff.  There is a need for the matter to be probed,’ Wandayi said then a story reported by the Nation Newspaper.

He said so far, the county had received over Sh 2 billion for the last three financial years but it cannot account for the IDA funds.

Kisumu county is among those other counties that received Sh 13,32 billion from IDA for the urban projects but the lack of expenditure returns cast doubts on the continuity of the project.

Scout Global Announces Launch of Revolutionary Athlete Talent Identification Solution

By
lom robb
-
0
talent
By Western Insight Media

Nairobi, Kenya – September 27, 2024 – Scout Global, a company dedicated to transforming the
talent identification and evaluation landscape is thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of its
innovative solution aimed at revolutionizing how talent is scouted, evaluated, and developed.
After months of rigorous bootstrapping and testing, the company is now ready to go live,
bringing its global vision to life with a focus on the African market.

“Our journey started small but quickly grew into a collective mission,” said the Founder of Scout
Global. “We’ve spent months refining our solution, with invaluable support from early adopters.
Scout Global’s solution is designed for global scalability, with a strong emphasis on nurturing
talent across Africa. The platform aims to revolutionize the way talent is identified, evaluated,
and prepared for successful careers.

The founder expressed gratitude to the Scout Global team, saying, “This has been a team effort,
and I’m proud of what we’ve built together. Now, as we go live, we have no option but to make it
work. We had fun building—now it’s time to have fun sharing and improving.”
Scout Global looks forward to growing its impact and changing how talent is scouted and
developed, ensuring a more efficient and inclusive process for talent across the globe.

For more information,
Visit: www.thescout.app / LinkedIn / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Contact: talent@thescout.app

The Kenya’s constant, from a political pariah to an Enigma

By
lom robb
-
0
Enigma
By Anderson Ojwang

For the last four decades, he has remained Kenya’s political constant. The determinant of the political course and landscape. The master of political chase game and checkmates. The designer and creator of political alignments and realignment.

The alliance maker and breaker. The storyteller, the forgiver, and the sacrificial lamb, the breaker and maker of political unions and governments. The people’s president. Constant Presidential contender but after losing every election, remains the constant in all the successive regimes.

He is the enigma. The people’s father. The history maker of Kenya and the champion of constitutional order.

His political moves have often baffled his friends and foes alike who often have disapproved and feel cheated by the actions but in the end, have been left mesmerized by his political genius. His moves have shaped the political landscape of the country to date.

The political villain turned hero. Once a political pariah, left to rot in the dungeon of prison, returned to the stage to shape the political destination of the country. Today, he is fondly referred to as the enigma.

And could it be true that he is on the right path of history?

Meet Raila Amolo Odinga, once a prisoner over the alleged 1982 coup, released from prison and has remained a constant in the country’s politics after every presidential election.

Raila was arrested and charged with treason after being accused of being among the masterminds of the 1982 coup. He was released six years later in February 1988 but detained again in August of the same year to be released in June 1989.

From prisons to a political pariah, Raila returned to rule and reign over the political landscape to date.

The consequences of the 1982 attempted coup had lasting consequences on the country’s political landscape.

The opposition to the amendment of the constitution led to the arrest and imprisonment of Philomena Chelagat Mutai and George Anyona. 1982  and subsequently, multi-partyism was abolished and Kenya was thrown into a single state with Kanu as the ruling party.

Similarly, the infamous, Mlolongo system of voting was introduced to replace the secret ballot and was marred by widespread allegations of rigging.

Social Scientist Dr. Charles Muga poses that, could it be that Raila is on the right side of history and finds himself at the right place at the right time.

Dr Muga says every political move that Raila has made has shaped every aspect of the country’s socio-economic and political landscape.

Dr Muga says Raila has been the engine of the country’s politics for over four decades and it may take Kenyans another century to have a person to the stature of former Prime Minister.

“Some of Raila’s move seems very unpopular with the masses but at the end of, they usually turn out to be in the best interest of the country. This baffles many and leads us to the conclusion that he is probably on the right side of history,” he says.

Dr Muga says the decision by Raila to seek Ford-K leadership against then acting chairman the late Wamalwa Kijana and later resign from the party to seek re-election on the now defunct National Development Party (NDP) baffled many.

But to Raila, it turned out to be the right decision, and subsequently contested the presidency in 1997 and thereafter entered into political collaboration with then-President Daniel Moi.

“The decision by Raila to work with Moi, who imprisoned him shocked many. Many thought he was swallowed politically. But guess what,  Raila left Kanu in shells and today, Kanu is like a dodo,” he says.

Dr. Muga says had Raila not joined Kanu, the party would still be strong and dictating the country’s socioeconomic and political course.

He says after the fallout, Raila declared the famous Kibaki tosha, which gave Kenya, the first opposition leader to be the president.

“The decision by Raila to support Kibaki did not go down well with the majority. But for the first term of Kibaki Presidency, the country’s economy grew and various infrastructural developments were realized,” he says.

Former Nyakach MP Pollyns Ochieng Daima agrees with the view that Raila is the country’s political constant and the most relevant politician in the history of the nation.

He says Raila often told them “If you were in a fight and your enemy is down. You do not step on him or kill him but you give him a hand to stand up. Then you reconcile and move ahead”.

He says in 2007 after the disputed presidential elections and with the outbreak of post-election violence. The majority thought Raila would not cede ground but were baffled when he opted for a grand coalition government with him settling for the Prime Minster seat.

He says Raila’s brand of politics is not based on the winner take it all but sharing to ensure prosperity of all Kenyans and that is why some of his decisions are so unpopular with his support base.

Dr. Muga says despite Raila participating in the presidential elections and losing, no regime can wish him away and that is why he is ever present in their administrations.

In 2017 after the Supreme Court nullified the elections of President Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila boycotted the elections and soon a handshake government was formed and the latter was a prominent figure.

After the 2022 elections, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed he had placed traps in every part of the State House to prevent Raila from gaining access and having a slice of the cake.

“  We will not have any handshake government with Raila. I have spies who inform us if he tries to get to the state house and I have laid traps all over,” he said,

But currently, a broad-based government is in place with three former top Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) officials in the cabinet while Rigathi could be facing an impeachment soon,

Equally, President Rutos is supporting and campaigning for Raila to win the African Union (AU) chair.

Dr Muga says Raila could be the only Kenyan politician who understands the art and practice of politics in this country. The Enigma.

Government disburses Sh 68M to compensate residents displaced by Rice scheme in Nyatike

By
lom robb
-
0
Ochilo Ayako
By Erick Otieno

Displaced residents of the Lower Kuja Irrigation scheme in the Nyatike sub-county can now smile after the government released Sh 68 M for compensation.

Migori County Governor Dr. Ochillo Ayacko said the National Irrigation Authority has received sh 68M  for the compensation of individuals displaced by the project.

The project,  is supported by the National Government and International partners, is envisaged to revitalize rice production and bring significant economic growth to the region.

Ochilo who spoke in his office during a visit by key stakeholders—including Principal Secretary for Water and Irrigation, Dr. Kipronoh Rono, representatives from the Japanese Government, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) confirmed the availability of the funds.

 “We are on embarking on verification process for the affected members before we can start payments. We want to be as transparent as possible,” he said.

Ochilo said once the National Lands Commission undertakes final approval, members will get their compensation.

 “This is good news for the farmers, and it shows that the national government is committed to delivering on its promises.”

President William Ruto during his recent tour of Migori County and the project pledged to hasten the release of compensation fund.

The Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, which covers 19,000 acres, is one of the most ambitious agricultural projects in Migori County. 

It has the potential to drastically boost rice production, reducing Kenya’s dependence on rice imports and positioning the county as a key contributor to national food security.

“The scheme has the potential of transforming agriculture in this region,” Ochilo said.

The governor highlighted the importance of partnerships, particularly with the Japanese Government, which has provided both technical and financial assistance through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

In addition to boosting agricultural production, the irrigation scheme is also expected to mitigate the perennial flooding that has plagued Nyatike. 

The project will channel excess water into irrigation systems, reducing the risk of flood damage while ensuring a steady water supply for both domestic and agricultural purposes.

“Our goal is to ensure that the water we receive during heavy rainfall is managed properly and turned into a resource for growth, rather than a disaster,” Ochilo stated.

Ochilo reassured local farmers that efforts were underway to secure markets for the rice they produce. 

“The National Government is working with the Kenya National Trading Corporation to guarantee fair prices, preventing exploitation by middlemen,” he said.

The Lower Kuja Irrigation scheme in Nyatike constituency will both directly and indirectly benefit 197,000 persons upon completion of the project.

It is anticipated that the project will create job opportunities for more than 250,000  Kenyans, which will go a long way in addressing the soaring unemployment in the country.

Currently, the scheme hosts 5,000 farmers who have been linked with the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for subsidized fertilizer. 

The project area covers six locations and 13 sub-locations in Nyatike and Karungu divisions. 

Various feasibility studies in the 1980s by the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) revealed the potential for irrigation within the Nyatike area with the use of water for irrigation from the two rivers of Kuja and Migori. 

 “ The project can improve the rice production in the country, create a sustainable supply of raw materials like straw, oil, and hull for Agro-based industries as well as contribute to the foreign exchange,” says Eng Gilbert Maluku, chair, National Irrigation Authority (NIA). 

The project cost for the two phases is estimated at Sh. 2.6 Billion and 7,000 acres of rice will be cultivated in phase I and an additional 12,000 acres in phase II accounting for 19,000 acres of land for irrigation. 

Where are the projects? Homa Bay residents ask Governor Wanga

By
lom robb
-
0
farmers
By Team

Could Homa Bay, the county of endless potential be aptly captured by the wise sayings ‘ All that glitters is not gold,  and that appearance could be deceptive.”?

The county has been in the media after successive reports and opinion polls placed it as one of the top performers in the country’s devolved units in the generation of its own source revenue and implementation of various projects.

But now the residents of Homa Bay both in the country and diaspora have come out to ask to be shown development projects undertaken through the enhanced revenue generation and national government allocation within the last two years.

Interestingly, President William Ruto’s government has undertaken massive development projects in the county namely the fish market, affordable housing, port uplift in Kendu Bay and Homa Bay, tarmacking of Homa Bay municipal road, Rusinga and Mfangano ring roads and Sindo-Mbita-Sori road.

The previous regime of immediate former Governor Cyprian Awiti was accused of non-performance and incompetence in terms of service and project delivery. 

The Awiti’s 10-year tenure was bedeviled by allegations of corruption, ineptness and the generation of own revenue was a mirage.

Data from the Commission of Revenue Allocation  (CRA) paints a grim picture of how a county of endless potential miserably failed to meet its revenue target. 

The Own Source Revenue (OSR) report indicated that collection for Homabay County shrunk over the last six years after the inception of devolved units. The collections were Shs 135 million in 2013-14 and rose to Shs 158 million in 2014-14. 2015-16 marked the last growth of own source revenue growth (OSR) for Homabay raising Shs 184 million. 

The report said in 2016-17 the collection declined to Sh 144 million and further declined to Sh 107 million in 2017-18. 

It revealed in  2018-19 the OSR registered the lowest collection of kshs 93 million. Homabay County has had an unsustainable revenue growth pattern and reversed previous years’ gains.

The report said the Homabay County government is far from achieving its estimated revenue potential. 

In 2018-19 the OSR collection constituted 9 per cent of the estimated revenue potential of Homabay County. 

“The estimated revenue potential of Homabay is Kshs 1,024.2 million.  Homabay revenue administration practices are inefficient and require robust reforms,” the report said.

With the change of guard in the 2022 elections that ushered in Governor Glady’s Wanga regime, the county’s source revenue grew by 235 percent.

The County government reached a significant financial milestone, collecting an unprecedented Sh 1.2 billion in Own Source Revenue over the past year.

Wanga said the achievement marked a substantial increase in local revenue generation, enabling the county to enhance essential services across various sectors.

She attributed the success to newly implemented measures and systems.

“This record-breaking revenue collection is a testament to our effective fiscal policies that include the cashless system and the dedication of our county staff,” Wanga said as reported in a section of the media.

Dr. Tobias K’Onyango, the County Revenue Board Chair, emphasized that the collaborative effort was behind the achievement.

“The support of our traders, taxpayers, and the wider community has been instrumental in reaching this milestone,” He said, adding that their contributions have directly fueled the transformative changes seen across Homa Bay.

The governor pointed out that the revenue boost was expected to have far-reaching impacts on the county’s development plans.  

Wanga assured residents of her commitment to drive a corrupt-free administration that continues to focus on enhancing the well-being of residents while fostering further growth throughout Homa Bay.

“We reaffirm our commitment to transparent and effective use of public funds to drive continued progress and improve living standards for the people of Homa Bay.”

But now the residents of Homa Bay county want to be shown the various projects to account for enhanced own source revenue and national government allocation.

In a heated debate on a WhatsApp platform “Lakeland Development”, the residents challenged the governor and her administration to list development projects they have undertaken after the assumption of office.

The residents also want to know the amount of percentage of the revenue collected  that is paid to the consultants and if the assembly factored the excess revenue in its supplementary budget

A resident Dr John Okello claimed” This is a county in Luo Nyanza with the highest revenue collection. The same county has no development of its own to show, only priding in national government projects, We will have 20 years of devolution with no meaningful development,”.

Dr Okello further alleged that the staff were demoralized and that just like the national government, Homa Bay county also overhyped their manifesto with constant public relations gimmick but now they were unable to implement the projects because of allegations of corruption at the county.

Mr. Gabriel Riako, a diaspora said “My unreserved observation is that Nyanza counties are gone to the dogs. Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya, and Kisumu have the potential to be the bread basket of Kenya but unfortunately, it is what it is,”.

Former Oyugis Mayor Omondi Fuony claimed that the majority of the projects that were launched by Wanga were initiated by Awiti and challenged her to show the residents her newly initiated projects.

When Western Insight Media contacted the County Chief  Public Communication Officer Ms. Atieno Otieno, she referred us to the County Director of Public Communication Mr.  Steve Muga as she was out of office.

When Muga was contacted, he told the writer that he was in a workshop, and through a WhatsApp text he only inquired about the media house and never responded to the set of questions that were sent to him.

But a visit to the Homa Bay County website lists the following as the projects undertaken by the government namely: Renovation of Rachuonyo East Sub-county hospital, Kigoto maize plant, Rachuonyo outpatient black upgrade,  Raila Odinga stadium, renovation of a maternity wing at Homa Bay teaching and referral hospital.

Others are affordable housing, lakefront development, rehabilitation of access roads, fins to swim scholarship programs, Sena operation theatre, and construction of classrooms for early child education.

Is the curse of ‘vice presidency’ out to hit the mountain again?

By
lom robb
-
0
Raila
By Anderson Ojwang

After 38 years, dark clouds of the curse in the office of vice presidency is back once again, hanging and fast descending into the mountain and threatening to consume its leadership.

The thick, dark political clouds have engulfed the mountain with tremors threatening to rupture anytime, while sparks of thunderstorms sweep through the once sleepy and united East and West villages of Mumbi’s house.

After nearly four decades, of good tidings, sitting on the country’s white house in the Mountain, the House of Mumbi now has to contend with the curse that fell their son in 1988.

The axe of curse first fell the Mountain, when their son the late Dr. Josephat Karanja was hounded out of the office with impeachment and offered to resign and was subsequently relegated to political obituary.

Interestingly, Karanja was appointed to the seat to replace another mountaineer, the late Mwai Kibaki who later became the country’s third president in the 2022 elections.

But today, the country’s Deputy President  Rigathi Gachagua is under siege and faces the curse of the office and could easily step into Karanja’s footsteps if all factors remain constant.

Rigathi, the Truthful Man may soon have to come face to face with his political destiny and historical moments replaying itself.

 Rigathi is currently watching history replay itself and threaten to forestall his politics just like it did to Karanja.

Rigathi just like the country’s fifth vice president the late Karanja who served for two years under former President Daniel Moi, is a man under siege.

While Rigathi is the country’s ninth deputy president, his boss President William Ruto is the fifth president of Kenya, what a historical coincidence.

Similarly, President Moi, from the Valley was the president when Karanja from the Mountain was hounded out of the office and subsequently resigned, and today history could be replaying President William Ruto is from the Valley and his deputy from the Mountain.

Karanja too was felled by his own sword, opting to resign as the vice president serving between 1988 and 1989 rather than be dragged through political muck. He was accused of behaving like a demi-god by the late Kuria Kanyingi, a lowly motor vehicle inspector.

Then the cantankerous Embakasi MP, David Mwenje, assigned himself the role of bringing down the bespectacled giant. He named Karanja in Parliament, leading to the formation of a commission of inquiry to hear how Karanja had misused his powers.

Last Weekend former UDA secretary General Cleophas Malala claimed the impeachment motion against Rigathi was to be introduced by ODM MPs and cautioned the president from falling into the political trap.

On Monday, Tana River Senator Dunston  Mungatana filed a censure motion against Rigathi in the Senate, claiming the Deputy President had engaged in divisive politics and betrayed his oath of office among other claims.

Similarly, Valley’s Iron Lady Gladys Shollei, who is the deputy speaker of the assembly said Rigathi should be ready to be impeached.

Shollei, who is the women’s representative of Uasin Gishu county, the President’s homeland told her people that they should not be worried about Ruto when she was around and would protect him.

“  I want to tell Gachagua, I will take you home. I want to put Rigathi Gachagua on notice. You are going to be impeached.  I am the iron lady. Nobody can touch Ruto when I am there,” she said.

Senator Ledama Ole Kina, who is currently in the USA with President Ruto and immediate former ODM leader Raila Odinga posted on his X handle “ It seems your goose is cooked Mr. I hate to break the News to you Mr. Truthful Man, the decision has been made. Waiting to vote”.

Last week when he visited Marikiti market in Nairobi, Rigathi warned “ Those who are planning my impeachment, please don’t try me. Impeachment is only meant to sell for me fear,”.

Gachagua asserted that the legislators are among his political detractors, claiming that they have been bribed by influential figures in government to tarnish his reputation and hound him out of office.  

“Nilichaguliwa na wakenya; sikuchaguliwa na wabunge. (Lakini) nyinyi mnakusanya wajumbe, mnawapatia pesa na kuwahonga, ati wauzie Rigathi Gachagua uoga. Nilichaguliwa na Wakenya na wao ndio watanitoa kwa kiti, wakati ukifika. ( I was elected by Kenyans  and not the legislators. They cannot sell fear to Rigathi Gachagua. I was elected by Kenyans and they are the ones who can remove me) he said.”

Analysts agree that it is a do-or-die battle for both President Ruto and his deputy as their political careers hinge on the outcome.

They said either Ruto or Rigathi would try to outfox one another in the battle of the Titan and the consequences will be far-reaching.

Political analyst Mr. Billy Mijungu said the sword is heavy on Rigathi and he has to do everything to survive or else he will fall into the path of Dr Karanja to the obituary.

“This is the battle of life for Rigathi. If he is impeached, politically, he becomes a past tense in the country matrix. But if he survives, he is the man to beat in the 2027 presidential elections,” he said.

For Ruto, this is a battle that he must win. He must be shrewd like his mentor former president Daniel Moi to survive the political storm from the mountain.

“With Raila on Ruto’s side, he has an edge to affect the impeachment. Because if he fails, he shall have been weakened ahead of the next presidential elections. It’s like playing a final match. There must be a winner whichever way,’ he said.

300 residents of Kasipul receive free medical care from a faith based Health Organization

By
lom robb
-
0
Medical
By Habil Onyango

Over 300, residents of  God Kwach Village in Kasipul constituency had a reason to smile after they benefited from a free medical camp from a faith-based health institution.

The faith-based medical institution, Beryl’s Medical Centre, recently undertook the provision of medical care to vulnerable persons in Homa Bay County and neighboring Kisii.

Beril’s Medical Centre despite its location in the Kotieno-Konuonga in West Kasipul ward village within  Kasipul constituency, has spread its gospel of free medical camps to five counties.

And 19 of the beneficiaries are currently admitted at the hospital undergoing specialized treatment.

“And recently, residents of  Kasipul constituency had a reason to smile after befitting from a medical camp sponsored by the medical organization adding to the number of regions that have benefited from them,” Mr. Newton Ogada, the Director of the Institution said.

Mr. Ogada said they have conducted free medical camps in various counties namely Turkana, Kisumu, Narok, Kisii, Nakuru, and Homa Bay with the aim of bringing medical services closer to the people.

“We have conducted four medical camps in Karachuonyo, one in Turkana, Nakuru, Narok, and Kisii. We have also done camp in Nyakach constituency of Kisumu county,” he said.

Ogada said in Kabondo they have undertaken  10 medical camps, three in Kasipul, one each in Ndhiwa, Kagan, and Rangwe respectively,” he said.

He said the commitment of the health institution was to give free medical care to the vulnerable across the country in line with the scripture.

“We do home-based care, we visit the old and poor who cannot manage to visit the hospital.,” he said.

And in Kasipul, recently, beneficiaries included the elderly, and people living with disabilities drawn from the area, who could not access specialized medical care because of financial constraints.

MS Viona Anyango Odhiambo, a physician at Beryl Medical Centre said the initiative was a response to the emerging health challenges in the area that needed urgent response.

“The medical camp was a social corporate service to the community by our organization. We are responding to the people’s needs by giving medical care,” she said.

She said a number of patients especially the elderly suffer silently in their homes with no one to help them access proper health services,

“We have walked across the village and discovered a number of elderly persons who are unable to seek medication in various health facilities or lack of finance stuck in their homes suffering silently,” said Odhiambo

“We have picked them to our health facility where they will be treated and in case of any complication, we will refer them to other better health facilities for treatment,” she said.

The exercise involves physicians from Beryl’s Medical Centre and even foreign physicians.

It involves several services which include gynecology, psychiatry, optical and dental disorders, general illnesses, and screening for cervical cancer among others.

 Dr Lucy Okelo of Berils expressed gratitude that after a long illness, most of the beneficiaries have responded well to the treatment.

She said they mapped the area and took the free medical services in the interior parts of the villages where the locals cannot access essential health services.

A beneficiary by the name, Domain Achieng from God Kwach thanked the facility management for bringing closer free medical service to the locals.

“I am happy for the initiative, my grandmother has been sickling for some time, and she has been lying at home due to lack of money to take her to hospital, we have brought her here today and she has been treated and given free drugs,” she said.

Government auditing state of facilities in schools to arrest fire disasters

By
lom robb
-
0
Raymond Omollo
By Habil Onyango

The Government has directed  the National Government Administration Office and the Ministry of Education to conduct an assessment of the state of the facilities within Schools

Interior Permanent Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo said the directive was aimed at containing the spate of recent fire outbreaks in schools and safeguarding the learners.

Omolo said the exercise was ongoing and once completed, the report will give insight on the infrastructure and measures to be undertaken to improve emergency response systems in schools.

“Recently, we have had incidences of fire breakouts in a number of our Schools. The Government has already begun assessments on the state of our facilities in Schools so that we avoid more incidences of fire outbreaks like it has been the case,” said the PS.

“My state department is leading the coordination of that assessment across the Country working together with the Ministry of Education, the exercise is still going on and out of the exercise we will have more awareness on what action to be taken in our Schools,” he said.

The PS expresses concern over fire incidents which usually occur in the third term ahead of the national examinations in secondary schools.

He assured Kenyans that the Ministry of Education, the School heads, and the Directors of Education were following such cases to create a good atmosphere for the candidates.

According to a report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, there has been a significant increase in incidents of school fires and accidents over the past 10 years. Between 2010 and 2020, over 1,000 cases of school fires were reported.

The root causes of these incidents are multifaceted, encompassing both human and environmental factors.

Poor infrastructure, lack of proper safety equipment, inadequate training of staff and students, and psychological stress among students have all been identified as contributing factors. Addressing these issues requires a holistic and strategic approach.

In September, nine schools had been destroyed by fire according to the Police.

The schools included one academy and eight secondary schools where in one of the incidents under probe, 21 pupils were killed and 20 injured at the Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri on September 5. 

1...168169170...172Page 169 of 172