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Punctured Oburu’s Linda Ground May Force President Ruto to Connect Directly with Voters in Nyanza

By
lom robb
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0

By Anderson Ojwang

President William Ruto may be forced back to the drawing board and change tact in his pursuit of the 2.1 million Luo Nyanza votes.

President Ruto is banking on the Nyanza votes to jumpstart his 2027 re-election and hopes that, after the formation of the broad-based government with the late Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Amolo Odinga, he will have the Luo votes in his basket.

That is why President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) mandated him to begin pre-election coalition negotiations with ODM.

Similarly, ODM, under the leadership of Dr. Oburu Oginga, was mandated to begin a pre-election coalition pact with various political formations in the country and has declared that they will first engage with UDA in the talks.

But the team under Linda Ground has walked into serious political roadblocks that threaten to puncture its journey to a pre-election coalition pact with President Ruto.

What appeared to be a simple political deal between President Ruto and ODM party leader Dr. Oburu is fast turning into a political anthill with the emergence of the Linda Mwananchi faction led by Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, among others.

Oburu recently convened the party’s National Governing Council (NGC), which sacked Sifuna and replaced him with Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo.

But Sifuna received a reprieve after the Political Parties Tribunal halted the sacking and gave him relief, leading to a fallout in the party.

Punctured and Wobbling

The Linda Ground wobbles and looks punctured after three successful rallies by the Linda Mwananchi faction in Busia, Kitengela, and Kakamega.

The parallel rallies in Kitengela against Tononoka in Mombasa and Kakamega against Siaya have left Oburu’s faction struggling, while Sifuna’s faction has enjoyed huge, organic, and electric crowds.

Oburu said they will not allow people to pull them back after the party mandated him to embark on negotiations with President Ruto’s UDA.

“I have made my shoes and I have started to walk, so I cannot fall. I want to tell you Raila left us in a broad-based arrangement. I have been mandated by the party to negotiate with President Ruto. I am soon forming a strong team from ODM to lead the negotiations.

We are not going to allow people to pull us backward. Things will not fall apart,” he said.

But they are already being pulled back by the Linda Mwananchi faction, which enjoys huge support from the masses and party members.

That is why Babu said the Kitengela meeting marked an important moment in the party and defined the two factions.

“Today they have the party, but we have the party members. When they go to State House, do they tell you? They go alone. They are trying to threaten us, but they cannot manage us,” he said.

Orengo capped it by saying that the genuine ODM members were in Kitengela and that those in Mombasa should refund President Ruto his money.

“Watu wa ODM ambao wako Mombasa warudishie Ruto pesa zake. (Those ODM members in Mombasa should refund Ruto his money.) ODM members and leaders are here in Kitengela,” he said.

After the parallel rallies in Tononoka and Kitengela, the ground in Nyanza started to shift, and the first casualty was ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, who was booed and heckled in Ahero town in Kisumu County and Kendu Bay town in Homa Bay.

The crowd trouble did not stop with Wanga but extended to Siaya during the Linda Ground rally, which was interrupted and left several vehicles destroyed.

The rebelling ground is fast rendering Oburu’s team vulnerable, which could undermine the value of the coalition pact.

The Odinga Family Factor

The division in the Odinga family has sent mixed signals and opened a leadership vacuum not only in the party but also in the community. Raila’s grip and dominance in Luo politics is fast fading, opening the community to new leaders to occupy the vacuum.

The fallout between Dr. Oburu and his younger sister, Kisumu Woman Representative Ruth Odinga, and his niece, Raila’s younger daughter Winnie Odinga, has complicated matters.

Both Ruth and Winnie have shown solidarity with Sifuna over Dr. Oburu, swaying the masses toward the Linda Mwananchi faction.

Winnie was against her uncle driving the negotiations, terming them complex and requiring a new team, but Oburu dismissed her, saying he was the brain behind the broad-based government.

These differences and political realignments could have forced Dr. Oburu to hold a meeting with the County Assembly of Siaya to prepare for his own homecoming.

Siaya Speaker George Okode said the meeting was aimed at showing the public that the people of Siaya support Oburu’s appointment as party leader.

“We want to show the world that the people of Siaya are happy with his appointment and that the County Assembly of Siaya has agreed to work with him,” he said.

Wanga recently said Dr. Oburu does not enjoy the respect and fear that Raila had within the party, including from Sifuna and others.

The Faces Behind President Ruto’s Drive

The faces behind the Linda Ground faction of ODM are currently reeling from strong opposition in their political backyards, and leading President Ruto’s campaign in Nyanza may backfire.

In Homa Bay County, for instance, Wanga is facing a strong onslaught from her deputy, Oyugi Magwanga, who enjoys huge support from the area.

In Suba South, a rematch between Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi and Azimio Secretary General Caroli Omondi is in the offing.

In Nyanza, the Babu Owino wave is fast gripping the region and is likely to render Oburu’s faction irrelevant.

Similarly, his lead chargers in the Nyanza UDA brigades have little appeal to the electorate and may not meaningfully help in his political quest.

That is why President Ruto may be forced to go directly to the electorate, relying on the weight of his development record to seek their votes.

Goons Everywhere

By
lom robb
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0

By Billy Mijungu

We must decide, as a country, the direction we want to take. It is deeply troubling that goons now seem to be everywhere, present in almost every political gathering and public space and even now the worsed is church, a place of solace.

Politics must remain civil. Every citizen has a right to speak, to assemble, and to express their views without fear. Over the weekend, there were reports of goons disrupting events in Kisumu, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bomet, and Embakasi. These groups appear emboldened, some allegedly acting with political encouragement, others possibly enjoying silent state protection. This trend, if left unchecked, risks normalizing violence as a political tool.

We are staring at a problem that could take years to undo if we allow this culture to take root. We must resist the temptation to weaponize youth and desperation for short term political gain. At the same time, we must take collective responsibility and clean up a political system that is becoming dirtier by the day.

The police know the individuals who repeatedly disrupt public order. It is time to act decisively within the law. Known perpetrators of political violence should be barred from polling areas and political gatherings. Anyone who feels unfairly targeted can seek redress in court to clear their name. Accountability must apply to all, regardless of affiliation.

If we fail to act now, we risk raising a generation that believes violence is a legitimate path to power. That would be a tragic betrayal of our democratic aspirations, the same problem where money is seen as only path to power and people are stealing alot of it.

Kakamega births resolve as Oburu asks Linda Mwananchi faction to leave

By
lom robb
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0

By Anderson Ojwang

Kakamega, Linda Mwananchi rally marked a new political dispensation in the country. The meeting opened a new chapter in the country’s political landscape. It was a resolve, resoluteness and resilience by the crowd and the leaders that will go a long way to reshape the political terrain of this country.

But in Siaya, the party leader Dr Oburu Oginga and his faction of Linda Ground, during his homecoming rally asked the Linda Mwananchi faction to leave the party.

“Jo Siaya, Alego is my maternal uncle’s home. I am happy with the reception and today is historic for me and the party ODM. Let me ask, where does the other faction want to take us to? We have gathered here in Siaya as the community of ODM. We want the unity of the party. We are not expelling anyone from the party but anyone who feels they are uncomfortable with us can leave if they like.

Anybody who is uncomfortable can leave if they like. We are entering into negotiations with President William Ruto United Democratic Alliance (UDA). We are going to do our own thing and if you are not part of us please do your own thing and allow us to do our own thing. Leave us alone. Azimio died the day ODM left. We had not formalised. We have formalised our exit and it will be dead. We have been in the opposition but now we are going to government,” he said.

Back in Kakamega, when Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary General Edwin Sifuna rose to speak, he was met with plumes of teargas that were lobbed next to the main dais and into the crowd.

Sifuna braved and defied the smoke of teargas plumes, stood tall and was joined by other leaders while the crowd did not scatter. The crowd and the team broke into song, “hatutarudi nyuma hata wakitupiga na teargas” (We will not move even if they teargas us).

The crowd did not move an inch; the resolve was so strong that the discharge of the teargas did not move them.

Sifuna announced that the meeting would proceed and stood in the thick cloud of teargas and asked the crowd to stand their ground and not to respond by throwing stones at the police.

“Aah, hatutoroki leo (We are not moving today). Sima hiyo kitu mkutano iendelee (Extinguish the teargas. The meeting must continue. We are not moving), hatutoroki leo. Sima hiyo kitu. Funika na jacket (Cover it with a jacket). Mkutano lazima iendelee… haiwezekani, piga ingine kama uko nayo (You can throw another one but we are not budging). Let the leaders sit down, hatutarudi nyuma,” he said.

Sifuna said Kakamega was home and that they would not engage police in battle but would remain peaceful and the meeting proceeded without any hitch.

“I want to tell you why I say I am home. Behind me here is Kakamega Township Primary School, that is where I went to school. They said we would not gain entry to Kakamega, they threatened, intimidated and followed us but we are here,” he said.

In Kakamega, all the MPs from the county gave the rally a wide berth after the recent meeting with President William Ruto. The absence of the MPs presented Sifuna, Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi among others with an opportunity to emerge as the new kids on the block in the community political landscape.

Butere MP Tindi Mwale who spoke at Linda Ground in Siaya said the Luhya community were still in ODM and behind the party leader Dr Oburu Oginga.

“I hear some people are holding another rally in Kakamega. The true ODM is here and we as Luhya community are fully behind Dr Oburu Oginga.”

Interestingly, the Siaya meeting witnessed unending crowd trouble both at the main dais and outside the facility, with ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga forced to cut her speech short until the situation was restored.

Wanga said, “Ignore what is happening in the background. DJ give us that power song,” as she waited for order to be restored.

But Embakasi East MP Babu Owino said the Linda Mwananchi faction has lost plot and should instead hand over the party apparatus to them.

Siaya Governor James Orengo said the spirit of the Enigma, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, has reincarnated in the group.

“This thing is huge. It is a tsunami. It is unstoppable. No force on earth is going to stand in our way. Rest assured with their machinations this meeting is going to take place, just like they tried in Kitengela and the meeting went on.

They better be prepared for this huge movement of the people and by the people,” he said.

Sifuna said despite attempts to intimidate and scuttle the Saturday meeting, he was happy that it was a success.

He wrote on his X handle, “By God’s grace and your prayers the Linda Mwananchi team arrived safely in Nairobi. We thank all of you who showed up and stood with us to beat all the traps of the enemy….”

Oburu has been enraged by Sifuna’s team opposing the proposed pre-election coalition pact with President Ruto and this culminated in his sacking, but he was reinstated by the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal.

After the failed sacking, the two factions have been on a popularity contest, holding a series of rallies in the country.

Kisumu where the sanctity of a title deed is in question

By
lom robb
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0

By Anderson Ojwang

In Kisumu County, the sanctity of a title deed is in question and the presence of fake titles or title deeds issued on grabbed public land is a common feature.

For years, developers and investors have often run into trouble over fake titles and lost millions of shillings in dubious land transactions in the lake city.

Unscrupulous people, in collusion with some government officers, have issued title deeds on public land, which have now returned to haunt innocent and unsuspecting Kenyans who purchased and invested in those lands as the government hammer looms large.

Central Nyanza Director of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Mr Abraham Kemboi, has warned investors and developers to undertake due diligence before they enter into any land transaction in Kisumu.

“Before you buy any land in Kisumu, kindly undertake due diligence. Before you buy land in Kisumu, look at the basic documents. Go to the physical planning office and look at the original plan of Kisumu town, spell out public land and private land,” he said.

He said any title deed tainted with illegality or fraud is not protected by law and will revert to the original owner.

“Please don’t waste your money on land set aside for the public. It remains for public use. Any title which is tainted with an illegality or fraud is never protected by the law.

That you cannot claim you are an innocent purchaser for value for something which was originally acquired as a result of a criminal act.

So those titles are not protected by the law and those with such titles within this town are exposed. You are walking around with papers and not an instrument of ownership,” he said.

The rush to invest in one of Kisumu’s upmarket estates in the city may soon come back to haunt investors and developers as the EACC plans to move in to recover grabbed public land.

Recently, Kemboi said some of the estates in the Milimani area have been constructed on public land, denying Kenyans the intended value, and will be reclaimed by the government.

He named the estates as Block 12 in the Milimani area, which the Commission intends to recover.

Kemboi said they will also recover Block Nine (9), where real estate investors and developers have built multi-million-shilling properties.

He said unscrupulous people grabbed public land and sold parcels to innocent and unsuspecting Kenyans, who subsequently developed the properties.

“Some estates in the Milimani area such as Block 12 were grabbed and we are intent on recovering the same.

We are also looking at Block Nine, which is historically Kenya Prisons Service land. Some unscrupulous Kenyans took away land which belonged to the Prisons and sold it to unsuspecting Kenyans.

Those Kenyans developed the grabbed land but we are moving in to ensure that the parcel of land is taken back to the Kenya Prisons Service,” he said.

In Milimani, several government houses have been grabbed, with some rented to various government departments which pay rent.

“We will recover that parcel of land, including taking action against all the government officers who were involved in the fraudulent allocation.

We will recover what we think are the proceeds, the income that you have earned from irregularly occupying that government property,” he said.

He said grabbing of public premises is common in the Milimani area, where people have taken government houses and rented them back to the same government.

“Some commissions are being housed in premises and paying rent for what they should not be paying,” he said.

He said 40 per cent of public land and properties in Kisumu have been grabbed, with three police stations — Kasagam Police Station, Carwash Police Station and Mamboleo Police Station — affected.

“It cannot be that as a private person you have taken away a police station and you want our police officers to be squeezed in a corner while you, as a private person, own the largest part of the police station.

Examples of police stations whose parcels of land have been grabbed are concentrated in Kisumu East Constituency. A police station in Kasagam, a police station in Carwash and a police station in Mamboleo Showgrounds have most of their parcels of land grabbed,” he said.

He wondered how grabbers have been acting with such impunity as to even acquire land belonging to a police station.

“It is very interesting that people can be so daring that they want to take away police land and evict officers who guarantee our security. You want to feel so nice, you want to look like an entrepreneur — how can you be that enterprising when most of the time you focus on taking away what belongs to us?” he said.

Kemboi said 40 per cent of public land in Kisumu has been grabbed and they are working to recover it.

“Generally about 40 per cent of public land that was earmarked for public use is actually in the wrong hands.

When I speak of public land, I speak of land which was earmarked for Kenya Railways, Kenya Prisons, public housing locally, land which was earmarked for police stations and other public utilities such as schools, roads and health facilities. Do you know most of these parcels are in the wrong hands?” he said.

Kisumu County was last year categorised among six counties in the country as hotspots for land theft.

He said the EACC was undertaking measures to return grabbed public land back to the government.

“As a Commission we have taken steps to ensure that these lands are returned to the public for the good use of all of us.

Much of the reports reaching my office, especially in Kisumu East Constituency where grabbing is rampant, indicate that we are moving in to recover most of those grabbed parcels of land,” he said.

He warned the grabbers that they risk prosecution and forfeiture of investments made on grabbed public land.

“We want to warn these grabbers that you will be wasting your investments when you deploy your resources in a parcel of land that was traditionally and historically set aside for the good use of the people of Kenya,” he said.

Kemboi expressed optimism that most of the grabbed land will be recovered and reverted to the public for its intended purpose.

“You are wasting your investment. The law has been clarified; in Kenya currently, precedent has been set that whatever was set aside for the good use of the public will revert to its original and intended use. No one under the law has the authority to grab public land and make it their own,” he said.

MP Caroli Omondi Alleges Raila’s Dubai Betrayal by His Allies Over Broad-Based Government Formation

By
lom robb
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0

By Anderson Ojwang

Suba South MP Caroli Omondi has sensationally claimed that the late Raila Amolo Odinga was betrayed while in Dubai over the formation of the broad-based government.

Caroli, in a recent TV interview, claimed that while Raila was in Dubai, some of his lieutenants joined the government without his blessings.

“Let me tell you, in the fullness of time, we will bring some things out that will surprise people. There are people who claim they are in the broad-based government because of Raila.

They went into the broad-based government against Raila’s wishes when he was in Dubai, when he directed that they should not join the broad-based arrangement. They know how they ended up there,” he said.

Caroli said Raila was infuriated and disappointed, and that when he returned to the country, he avoided some of those leaders.

“When Raila came back, he refused to even meet them at the airport. He got into the airside, got into his car, drove away, and disappeared.

Raila issued a statement that they went in their personal capacity. People didn’t understand what Baba was saying,” he said.

Caroli said some of those leaders should not pretend and lie to the public that they were in good books with Raila before his death and should be honest about their relationship.

“Some of them, by the time Baba was dying, they were not on talking terms. When they are talking to us, they should know that we are not stupid. There is a way they should talk to us.

They should not talk to us with useless statements that we are in the broad-based government for development. I am asking them, yes, it is true, what development has been taken to Luo land under this broad-based arrangement under Sh50b, Sh50m cumulatively added by none other than the Chairman of Budget at the Assembly, Sam Atandi, while one hospital is being built in Uasin Gishu at Sh50b?” he said.

Caroli expressed concern that Raila’s pet project, the Sondu-Koin Dam valued at Sh25 billion, has stalled and nobody is following it up.

“Baba’s pet project was Sondu-Koin Dam, which is Sh25b. That is what he wanted the broad-based government to do, but it has not been done. Nobody is pursuing it.

We are being told about development while the contractor doing my roads has three pending certificates. The CS John Mbadi for Treasury is from my constituency. Why can’t they pay the bills so that the works can go on smoothly? You cannot take a whole community for a ride simply because of small handouts,” he said.

Recently, ODM party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga Oburu opened the lid of the can by declaring that he has been the one chairing all the broad-based meetings between Raila and President William Ruto, which probably makes him the brainchild and the chief negotiator in the arrangement.

Oburu said he is the one who has been chairing all the broad-based arrangements between Ruto and the late Raila.

“Those who are saying Oburu does not talk are talking nonsense. In this broad-based arrangement, I want to assure those who are saying that it was only Raila who could

Linda Mwananchi Becoming Kenya’s Mustard Seed, a Wave in the Making!

By
lom robb
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0

By Anderson Ojwang

As in the biblical parable of the mustard seed, the Linda Mwananchi group, from a tiny, humble beginning, is fast becoming and growing into the country’s expansive and prolific political outfit and movement.

Already, the Linda train has left the station and a storm swirls around it as it embarks on its third and most decisive rally in Kakamega, the political forte of the late Raila Amollo Odinga and the home of King Mumia of the Nabongo Kingdom.

From Busia, Kenya’s border with Uganda, the wave began even before the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Executive Council (NEC) sat in Kilifi County to sack the party Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, from the seat. The Busia wave caused panic within and across the political divide in the country and within ODM, culminating in the NEC, under party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga, sacking Sifuna.

Interestingly, the Busia nostalgia prompted the NEC to appoint Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo as Sifuna’s replacement — a move that backfired immediately at the press conference, with the new Secretary General failing to read out her name as the new SG and instead reading “me.”

Faced with the pressure of the cameras and the fourth estate, the new SG found the pronunciation of “constitutionalism” a little hard to crack, leaving Kenyans to mimic her.

The sacking became the political matchbox that transformed the country’s political landscape, with Sifuna posting on his X handle, “Tukutane Kite.”

The announcement triggered political tectonics in the country, and the subsequent press conference attended by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, Siaya Governor James Orengo, Vihiga Senator Geoffrey Osotsi, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, and the icing on the cake — the presence of Raila’s younger daughter, Winnie Odinga — became the mustard seed.

Previously, Winnie had written on X after the sacking, “It is not well,” which galvanized the team. Raila’s younger sister, Ruth Odinga, siding with Sifuna against his elder brother, added more wood to the fire. Oburu was left bubbling monotonously about the friendship and love he shared with Raila.

The Kakamega Linda Mwananchi rally has not only caused panic and fear in Oburu’s Linda Ground and the United Opposition, but also in President William Ruto’s camp.

It has pushed the United Opposition from boardroom meetings, unending press conferences, and a monotonous ring campaign in Mt. Kenya, Ukambani, and Narok to move to other parts of the country.

Today, the United Opposition will be in Nyamira while the Linda Ground is in Siaya town, as all eyes remain on Kakamega, where the Linda Mwananchi train will converge.

Stung by the emerging new political wave, President Ruto on Monday held a consultative meeting with MPs from Kakamega County, in what appeared to be a move aimed at containing the group and possibly diminishing the gains made so far.

The train is currently witnessing an upsurge of new followers, including Members of County Assemblies, Members of Parliament, aspirants, gubernatorial aspirants, and women representative aspirants across the country.

Kenyans of goodwill also donated a van fully equipped with a public address system after the mess witnessed last weekend in Kitengela.

Sifuna wrote on his X handle, “We saw you struggling with sound. Bwana kumbe you guys are serious! They will not believe! Sasa ni wapi tunaeza chinja na kuchemedsha hizi 20 nimepewa hapo Kakamega?”

But as the van snaked its way to Kakamega town, it was stoned by unknown people.

Sifuna also wrote, “Confirmed. Amalemba Grounds, Kakamega this Saturday. Karibuni.”

Former nominated senator Millicent Omanga, a close ally of President Ruto, jumped ship and joined the train. She wrote on her X handle, “It’s about the people!” and posted her photo with leaders of the Linda Mwananchi group.

Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula promised the Linda Mwananchi group a battle royale and alleged that leaders outside Western were behind a high-stakes political rally scheduled in Kakamega on Saturday.

“If anyone wants to come to Kakamega, he should come himself and stop using surrogates. Those coming to do a rally in Kakamega, what kind of business are they bringing to Kakamega? Let us support President William Ruto as the Luhya community,” he said.

But Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa said Kakamega is a democratic county and that Sifuna was welcome.

“Senator Edwin Sifuna, like any other leader, is always welcome in Kakamega County. Our county is a democratic and inclusive space where all are free to engage the people peacefully and respectfully,” he wrote on his X handle.

Yesterday, Orengo capped it by saying the movement was huge and likened it to a tsunami.

“This thing is huge. It is a tsunami. It is unstoppable. No force on earth is going to stand in our way. Rest assured, despite their machinations, this meeting is going to take place, just like they tried in Kitengela and the meeting went on.

They better be prepared for this huge movement of the people and by the people,” he said.

Will Linda Mwananchi live up to the billing, or with time will it fizzle out before the 2027 general elections?

Defending Champs Bandari Youth, KNCP Queens Eye Repeat Glory at BingwaFest Season Finale in Kwale

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lom robb
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0

By PHILLIP ORWA

The final leg of Season Two of the Betika BingwaFest is currently underway in Kwale County and will culminate on Sunday, February 22, at the Kwale Stadium, with up to Sh17 million in prize money up for grabs.

Defending champions in football, Bandari Youth and KNCP Queens, return to defend their football crowns, with both sides keen to stamp their authority once again after last season’s memorable triumph in Mombasa.

Both champions started their second-season campaigns with draws in their opening matches, with Bandari Youth being held to a goalless draw by Simba Apparel, whom they beat 1-0 in the final, down at NYS Mtongwe Grounds for the preliminary matches before moving to Kwale Stadium for the finals on Sunday. Basketball will tip off on Friday at Kwale Stadium.

Athletics will also take centre stage on Friday at the Shanzu Teachers Training College.

Among the top athletes to watch are Japan-based Wilson Rotiana Lemangale, who will participate in the lucrative 5000m and 10,000m races. Reigning Africa Champion and National Champion over 10,000m, Gladys Kwamboka, will take part in the 5000m and 10,000m races, alongside Ostrava Golden Marathon Mary Munanu.
Fresh from winning the 2km category at the Sirikwa Cross Country, Naomi Korir will line up for the 400m, 800m, 1500m, and 5000m races at Shanzu.
Speaking ahead of the Coast edition, Betika Head of Brand

Eric Mwiti said:
“We are excited to be in Kwale as we conclude the regional qualifiers for the second season. This region has always produced incredible talent across multiple disciplines, and BingwaFest is about giving that talent a platform to shine. Beyond competition, we are creating an opportunity for athletes to test themselves against some of the very best, especially in athletics, where we have top national and international performers. We look forward to an entertaining and competitive weekend as we crown the Coast Bingwas.”

As with previous editions, winners in football and rugby will pocket KES 1 million each, while 3×3 basketball champions will walk away with KES 500,000. The first runners-up for football and rugby will be awarded KES 500,000, while the second runners-up are set to receive KES 250,000. In basketball, the teams that finish second and third will take home KES 250,000 and KES 100,000, respectively.

Gold medalists in the lucrative 10,000m will take home KES 300,000, as the first and second runners-up will pocket KES 250,000 and KES 200,000, respectively. The athletes who finish fourth and fifth will round off the prize bracket and will receive KES 100,000 and KES 75,000.

In the 5,000m category, winners will be awarded KES 250,000, second-place finishers KES 150,000, third place KES 100,000, fourth place KES 50,000, and fifth place KES 30,000.

Prizes for the top five in the 100m, 4000m, 800m, and 1,500m will be the same, with gold medalists receiving KES 150,000, silver medalists KES 100,000, and bronze medalists KES 60,000. The fourth and fifth place finishers will pocket KES 30,000 and KES 20,000.

Beyond the action on the field, Betika BingwaFest continues to champion community impact and will hold a medical camp free of charge throughout the weekend at Kwale Stadium, offering general consultation services, specialist consultation services, laboratory, and pharmacy services.

Men’s Football Teams: Sango Sportiff FC, S.S Assad, Bumbani Stars, Wayzata Boys FC, Rwafa FC, L-15 FC, Kombani Youth, Ubuntu FC, Kwale United SC, Zaire FC, Good Hope SA, Simba Apparel, Azzam United, Bandari Youth, Coast Stars, Ganzoni FC
Women’s Football Defending Champs Bandari Youth, KNCP Queens Eye Repeat Glory at BingwaFest Season Finale in Kwale
Kwale, February 18, 2026: The final leg of Season Two of the Betika BingwaFest is currently underway in Kwale County and will culminate on Sunday, February 22, at the Kwale Stadium, with up to KES 17 million in prize money up for grabs.

Defending champions in football, Bandari Youth and KNCP Queens, return to defend their football crowns, with both sides keen to stamp their authority once again after last season’s memorable triumph in Mombasa.
Both champions started their second-season campaigns with draws in their opening matches. Bandari Youth were held to a goalless draw by Simba Apparel, whom they beat 1-0 in the final, while KNCP played to a three-all draw against Blue Sea Ladies.

The multi-disciplinary sports festival shifts gears on Thursday, with rugby action set to scrum down at NYS Mtongwe Grounds for the preliminary matches before moving to Kwale Stadium for the finals on Sunday. Basketball will tip off on Friday at Kwale Stadium.

Athletics will also take centre stage on Friday at the Shanzu Teachers Training College. Among the top athletes to watch are Japan-based Wilson Rotiana Lemangale, who will participate in the lucrative 5000m and 10,000m races. Reigning Africa Champion and National Champion over 10,000m, Gladys Kwamboka, will take part in the 5000m and 10,000m races, alongside Ostrava Golden Marathon Mary Munanu.

Fresh from winning the 2km category at the Sirikwa Cross Country, Naomi Korir will line up for the 400m, 800m, 1500m, and 5000m races at Shanzu.
Speaking ahead of the Coast edition, Betika Head of Brand Eric Mwiti said:

“We are excited to be in Kwale as we conclude the regional qualifiers for the second season. This region has always produced incredible talent across multiple disciplines, and BingwaFest is about giving that talent a platform to shine. Beyond competition, we are creating an opportunity for athletes to test themselves against some of the very best, especially in athletics, where we have top national and international performers. We look forward to an entertaining and competitive weekend as we crown the Coast Bingwas.”

As with previous editions, winners in football and rugby will pocket KES 1 million each, while 3×3 basketball champions will walk away with KES 500,000. The first runners-up for football and rugby will be awarded KES 500,000, while the second runners-up are set to receive KES 250,000. In basketball, the teams that finish second and third will take home KES 250,000 and KES 100,000,

EACC Investigating and Set to Prosecute Some CECs, MCAs and Senior Officers at Kisumu County and Assembly

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By Anderson Ojwang

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) spotlight is on Kisumu County and the County Assembly of Kisumu over alleged conflicts of interest.

EACC is investigating a number of cases where some County Executive Committee Members (CECs) have allegedly registered companies and conducted business with the county.

Similarly, EACC is also investigating conflict of interest at the County Assembly of Kisumu, where some Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) and senior assembly officials are engaged in practices seen as conflicts of interest.

EACC Central Nyanza Director Abraham Kemboi said the Commission has concluded some of the investigations and soon some CECs, MCAs and senior Assembly officials will be arraigned in court.

“We have concluded some of the investigations and we will soon charge those implicated in court,” he said.

Kemboi said some of the CECs, MCAs and senior officials at the Assembly have recorded statements with the Commission, and investigations are ongoing.

He said the Commission will also invite some of the CECs and top officers from the county and the Assembly to record statements over conflict of interest and alleged corruption.

“We will soon invite some CECs, senior officers at the county and Assembly, and some MCAs to record statements. We have various investigations which are ongoing and others which we are supposed to commence,” he said.

Last year, we reported that the rush to make quick money and the desire to control tender awards by some County Executive Committee Members (CECs) and senior government officers of Kisumu County could be leading to rampant battles and transfers of chief officers at the institution.

Equally, some CECs have allegedly resorted to taking advantage of Governor Anyang Nyong’o to institute changes in management for their own selfish and personal gains.

Sources revealed that the rampant transfers could be a plot by some CECs and officers to manipulate the usage of budget allocations.

Sources revealed to Western Insight that the frequent changes have been occasioned by some CECs feeling uncomfortable with some chief officers whom they claim do not want to “play ball.”

Interestingly, recently two CECs prevailed upon the Governor, claiming that they had identified two competent directors in the affected departments who could be promoted to act as accounting officers, and wanted the chief officers transferred.

“The government gave in after pestering by the CECs, and the chief officers were transferred to a different office without any portfolio, awaiting redesignation. People want to make money but do not want to follow the law, and this is the cause of the wars,” said our source, who did not want to be named.

Sources revealed that the battle is so fierce that some chief officers, CECs and junior employees have recorded statements with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Last November 2025, a senior tourism officer, Philip Aloo Mwangi, recorded a statement with the police and obtained OB No. 51/03/11/2025, alleging attempted assault.

In a complaint letter by Aloo to the Chief Officer, Trade, Tourism, Cooperatives, Investment and Marketing, he claimed that on the said date, a group of eight well-built young men entered the office and proceeded to his workstation.

“The group confronted me and alleged that I had plans to threaten or harm the Director. I reported the presence and the threat to my direct supervisor and requested assistance. I am reporting this incident for formal investigation and for appropriate security action.

In the supervisor’s office, the group stated that they had been sent to find out ‘who Philip was’ and alleged I had plans to threaten or harm the Director,” he wrote in the complaint letter copied to the County Secretary, CECM, Director of Tourism, Director of HRM, and Director – Head of Enforcement.

Multi-Million Kisumu Upmarket Estates Built on Grabbed Public Land

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By Anderson Ojwang

The rush to invest in one of Kisumu’s upmarket estates may soon come back to haunt investors and developers as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) plans to move in and recover grabbed public land.

Regional Director of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Central Nyanza region, Mr. Abraham Kemboi, said some estates in the Milimani area have been constructed on public land, denying Kenyans the intended public value.

He named Block 12 in the Milimani area as one of the parcels the Commission intends to recover.

Kemboi said they will also recover Block Nine (9), where real estate investors and developers have built multi-million-shilling properties.

He said unscrupulous individuals grabbed the public land and sold the parcels to innocent and unsuspecting Kenyans, who subsequently developed them.

“Some estates in the Milimani area, such as Block 12, were grabbed, and we intend to recover the same.

We are also looking at Block Nine, which historically belonged to the Kenya Prisons. Some unscrupulous Kenyans took away land that belonged to the Prisons and sold it to unsuspecting Kenyans.

Those Kenyans developed the grabbed land, but we are moving in to ensure that the parcel is returned to the Kenya Prisons Service,” he said.

In Milimani, several government houses have also been grabbed, with some rented back to various government departments, which are now paying rent for them.

“We will recover that parcel of land, including taking action against all government officers who were involved in the fraudulent allocation.

We will recover what we believe are the proceeds—the income you have earned—from irregularly occupying that government property,” he said.

He noted that grabbing of public premises is common in the Milimani area, where individuals have taken over government houses and rented them back to the same government.

“Some commissions are being housed in premises and paying rent for what they should not be paying,” he said.

Kemboi said 40 percent of public land and properties in Kisumu have been grabbed, including land belonging to three police stations—Kasagam Police Station, Car Wash Police Station, and Mamboleo Police Station.

“It cannot be that as a private person you have taken away a police station and want our police officers to be squeezed into a corner while you, as a private person, own the largest part of the police station.

Examples of police stations whose parcels of land have been grabbed are concentrated in Kisumu East Constituency. A police station in Kasagam, a police station in Car Wash, and a police station in Mamboleo Showgrounds have had most of their parcels of land grabbed,” he said.

He wondered how grabbers have acted with such impunity as to even acquire police station land.

“It is very interesting that people can be so daring that they want to take away police land and evict officers who guarantee our security.

You want to feel so nice; you want to look like an entrepreneur. How can you be that enterprising when most of the time you focus on taking away what belongs to all of us?” he said.

Kemboi reiterated that 40 percent of public land in Kisumu has been grabbed and that the Commission is working to recover it.

“Generally, about 40 percent of public land that was earmarked for public use is actually in the wrong hands.

When I speak of public land, I refer to land earmarked for Kenya Railways, Kenya Prisons, public housing, police stations, and other public utilities such as schools, roads, and health facilities. Most of these parcels are in the wrong hands,” he said.

Kisumu County was last year categorised among six counties in the country identified as hotspots for land theft.

He said the EACC was undertaking measures to return the grabbed public land to the government.

“As a Commission, we have taken steps to ensure that these lands are returned to the public for the benefit of all of us.

Most of the reports reaching my office, especially in Kisumu East Constituency where grabbing is rampant, indicate that we are moving in to recover those grabbed parcels of land,” he said.

He warned grabbers that they risk prosecution and forfeiture of investments made on grabbed public land.

“We want to warn these grabbers that you will be wasting your investments when you deploy your resources on land that was traditionally and historically set aside for public use by the people of Kenya,” he said.

Kemboi expressed optimism that most of the grabbed land will be recovered and reverted to the public for its intended purpose.

“You are wasting your investment. The law has been clarified in Kenya, and precedent has been set that whatever was set aside for public use will revert to its original and intended purpose. No one under the law has the authority to grab public land and make it their own,” he said.

Mbadi Eats Humble Pie, Rushes to Luo Elders to Reconcile ODM Factions

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By Anderson Ojwang

Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury John Mbadi has swallowed more than he had bargained for and was forced to seek the support of Luo elders to reconcile the community and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Mbadi, who was at the forefront in calling for the sacking of ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna for opposing the pre-election coalition with President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA), has eaten humble pie and now wants the factions reconciled.

Mbadi, a former ODM chairman, claimed that Sifuna and his allies have switched their allegiance to the opposition.

The CS said Sifuna and his allies cannot hold ODM hostage to meet their personal interests.

“If someone does not want to agree with ODM policies, that person should be left to go so that we know how many people he is leaving with.

Someone like Sifuna will not remain in ODM because already he is conflicted. He is now selling the agenda of someone else. Why are you pretending? You cannot keep him in the party,” he said.

He said the Central Management Committee should not take too long to act because the secretary general has shown indiscipline to party leader Oburu Oginga.

Mbadi and others’ push to have Sifuna sacked culminated after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to relieve the Nairobi senator of the post and replace him with Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo.

However, Sifuna moved to the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal, which gave him a reprieve, and he remains the party secretary general.

In a statement by ODM, the party said: “The Party National Executive Committee meeting in Mombasa today has resolved to relieve Secretary General Edwin Sifuna of his responsibilities with immediate effect.

Effectively, Catherine Omanyo, who is one of the deputy secretaries general, will act in this position until a substantive holder of the office is elected.”

In solidarity with Sifuna was the daughter of former party leader, the late Raila Odinga, EALA MP Winnie Odinga, who wrote on her Facebook page: “It is not well.”

Siaya Governor James Orengo said legally Sifuna remains the party secretary general, as he cannot be removed by those allegedly in office illegally.

“How can you remove a substantive party secretary general while your appointment was an illegality? The plotters are in office illegally and do not have locus standi,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mbadi changed his tune and called for a truce between the two factions to avoid the party splitting further.

“Can you come and tell us why you strongly feel you want to go to the other side and not President Ruto? Come and convince us. This disjointed statement is causing tension,” he said.

Mbadi said the elders were concerned about the emerging division in the party and the community, which they termed unhealthy.

“I met with elders from 17 constituencies in Nairobi and four counties around Nairobi, mainly Machakos, Kiambu, and Kajiado, and they were led by Mzee Tom Odongo.

The elders see unhealthy divisions in ODM. Division in the Luo community spirals into the ODM party and vice versa. The kind of exchanges within the party are not healthy. They do not push the agenda of the community and the party,” he said.

Mbadi’s move comes hot on the heels of the successful Linda Mwananchi rally in Kitengela, where Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Siaya Governor James Orengo declared that the Linda Ground faction had the party leadership while Linda Mwananchi had the party members.

Babu said last Sunday marked an important moment in the party and defined the two factions.

“Today they have the party, but we have the party members. When they go to State House, do they tell you? They go alone. They are trying to threaten us, but they cannot manage us,” he said.

Orengo said the genuine ODM members were in Kitengela and that those in Mombasa should refund President Ruto his money.

“Watu wa ODM ambao wako Mombasa warudishie Ruto pesa zake. (Those ODM members should refund Ruto his money.) ODM members and leaders are here in Kitengela,” he said.

ODM National Chairperson Governor Gladys Wanga and her entourage were on Tuesday heckled and booed in Ahero and Kendu Bay towns, respectively, over wrangles in the party and pre-election coalition arrangements.

Wanga drove and made a stopover in Ahero Town in what was seen as testing the ground after the failed sacking of Sifuna and differences over the proposed pre-election pact between ODM and President Ruto’s UDA party.

The crowd shouted Babu and Sifuna’s names and chanted: “Wadok e demonstration. Ongee ka uchamo uriambo kendo to duo kuru” (Nothing, nothing—lies, lies. If you ate alone, take it back).

The Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi faction will be in Kakamega this Saturday, while the Oburu-led Linda Ground faction will be in Siaya Town for parallel rallies.

Mama Ida Odinga recently appealed to the party leadership not to destroy the party and asked them to prioritise dialogue over wrangles to avoid disintegration and preserve Raila’s legacy.

“It is my wish that we can preserve the party in his honour as a matter of service to our country. I want to appeal to those Baba left in the leadership of the party to reflect deeply and sincerely on his dreams for the party and for our country,” she said.

Ida challenged the current leaders in the party to give dialogue a chance and follow Raila’s footsteps in resolving disputes within the party.

“Let us solve the problems of the party by always asking ourselves, what would Baba do under these circumstances?”

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