By Erick Otieno

Gender activists in Migori County have started the process of reintegrating into society girls who escaped female genital mutilation (FGM) among the Kuria community, as schools are set to reopen for the academic calendar next week.

From November this year, the Bwirege clan in the Kuria region, cutting across both Kenya and Tanzania, started the circumcision period, forcing several girls to flee their homes to avoid the cut.

At Komotobo Maranatha Mission in Kuria East Sub-County, 120 girls have been seeking shelter at the facility for the past two months after being rejected by their parents.

Activists said the girls will be safe at the shelter until January 5, when schools reopen, as they are certain the circumcision period will be over.

“But most of these girls have been rejected by their families, and with schools set to reopen next week, we have started the process of counselling to ensure they are back with their families to continue with their education,” said Benter Odhiambo, Coordinator at Micontrap Kenya.

She was speaking on Tuesday when the organisation organised a donation of food and toiletries to the girls before holding a bonding and counselling session with them to celebrate the festive season.

She said activists from the region are working to ensure there is 100 per cent transition in education, which is the main challenge they face immediately after circumcision.

“Once circumcised, girls are considered mature and ready for marriage, or they start engaging in sex and marrying early, which leads to low rates of returning to school,” she said.

Already, counsellors have started engaging parents and guardians of the girls at the rescue centre to allow them to return home and resume schooling.

Denis Marwa, the centre manager, said that since 2007 they have opened their doors to fleeing girls, as the region lacks a government-owned rescue centre, and they have continued to receive girls escaping circumcision, with some coming from as far as Tanzania.

“We have girls whose parents were arrested and are undergoing the judicial process, while others have outrightly rejected any attempt for them to return home, which will affect their education,” Marwa said.

He said that at the centre, they have been training the girls in life skills and linking them with role models — other girls who fled earlier and are now either married, professionals or still in school — to encourage them.

“We will have to release them back to their families in one way or another because schools are set to open. We have created a team of elders, church leaders and family members to ensure they are reintegrated,” he said.

Colleta Bwahi, Micontrap Kenya Chief Executive Officer, said they will ensure they obtain data from schools and public administration on transition rates.

The three called on the government to help build a rescue centre that will provide girls with a longer and safer environment when they flee FGM.

They said that for over two decades, calls by activists to establish such a centre have been met with no action from the government and elected leaders.

By James Okoth

The Ministry of Education has firmly dismissed reports alleging that school fees in public secondary schools have been increased by KSh 9,374, terming the claims false and misleading.

In a statement released today, Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba clarified that no changes have been made to the existing school fees structure for public secondary or senior schools. He emphasised that learners in public day secondary schools will continue to pay zero tuition fees, while boarding fees remain unchanged under the existing government framework.

“There has been no increase in school fees for public secondary or senior schools. Claims suggesting otherwise are misleading,” the statement read in part.

According to the Ministry, the legal basis for school fees remains Kenya Gazette Notice No. 1555 of 2015, which set out the original framework for tuition and boarding fees under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) programme. Initially, parents were required to pay KSh 9,374 per learner, while the government contributed KSh 12,870 per learner per year.

However, following the full implementation of FDSE, the government increased its subsidy to KSh 22,244 per learner per year, effectively removing any tuition obligation from parents. This position, the Ministry noted, was later operationalised through a series of circulars reaffirming the government’s full sponsorship of tuition in all public secondary schools.

The Ministry further explained that FDSE covers all learners, including those in boarding schools. Boarding students only pay approved boarding fees, which have remained unchanged since the FDSE Guidelines issued on November 26, 2019.

Under the current framework, boarding schools in major urban centres are permitted to charge up to KSh 53,554, while those in other areas charge up to KSh 40,535. Special Needs Schools are capped at KSh 12,790.

“These amounts have remained unchanged and no school is permitted to exceed them,” the statement reiterated.

Mr Ogamba also dismissed suggestions that the recent transition from the old classification of schools — National, Extra-County, County and Sub-County — to the new cluster system (C1–C4) had introduced new costs. The restructuring, he said, was purely administrative, as recommended by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, and had no financial implications for parents.

The Ministry warned that any school found charging unauthorised levies would face firm administrative and disciplinary action. Parents and guardians were encouraged to report such cases to education offices for immediate intervention.

This is the second time the Ministry has issued clarification on the matter, following a similar press release on November 6, 2025, which reaffirmed the government’s commitment to keeping secondary education free and accessible to all.

In his New Year message, the Education Cabinet Secretary extended warm wishes to parents, teachers and students, expressing optimism for a prosperous 2026 and a successful school year.

“Parents, guardians and the public are assured that school fees have not been increased, day scholars pay zero fees, and boarding fees remain unchanged,” the statement concluded.

By Anderson Ojwang

The brewing storm in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is not about to end any time soon, and it is likely to explode, shattering two decades of unity and strength.

The party has now officially apologised to former President Uhuru Kenyatta over recent attacks by a section of leaders who claim he failed to deliver the presidency to Azimio presidential candidate, the late Raila Odinga, in the 2022 elections.

They also accuse Uhuru of trying to sponsor a takeover using another wing opposed to the broad-based arrangement with President William Ruto.

However, all is not well in the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s party, as leaders have opted for bare-knuckle politics, and it is just a matter of time before the ghost of Ford-K — which pitted Raila against the late Wamalwa Kijana and reared its ugly face over party leadership — consumes ODM.

The Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, speaking in Lugari during the burial of Cyrus Jirongo, made a public apology to Uhuru over the recent criticisms.

“Hon Uhuru Kenyatta, today is 30th December 2025. Because I am still the spokesperson of ODM, I want to ask you for forgiveness over the recent abuse and attacks by a section of the ODM leadership,” he said.

Sifuna said Uhuru’s contribution to Raila’s pursuit of the presidency could not be downplayed and was immense.

“They have forgotten your role. We were there and we bear witness to your contribution. Today, they want to destroy the hands that fed them. On behalf of the ODM party, I want to say we are sorry. If there is no day ODM has come to thank you for the support, let me say it as the Secretary General of ODM: thank you for supporting Baba,” he said.

Last Sunday in Homa Bay, ODM National Chairperson, Governor Wanga, and Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Junet Mohamed, accused Uhuru of plotting to use insiders in the party to cause internal divisions.

Wanga accused Uhuru of hiring wheeler-dealers within the party to cause chaos and confusion in the outfit, which now enjoys a cordial working relationship with the UDA Party under a broad-based arrangement.

“We have respect for President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, if you want to destroy the ODM Party by sending wheeler-dealers to us, then we reject your plans. We will not take that matter lightly, as we will deal with it perpendicularly,” warned Wanga.

Uhuru dismissed the accusations as “baseless propaganda” used by politicians to mask their own failures.

“I am retired, but let me be clear: if you poke me in the eye, I will poke back. Let us respect one another. I respect the political order and the multiparty space created through great struggle, and others should do the same,” Uhuru said.

Junet claimed Uhuru was enticing some ODM leaders with financial support to revitalise the party in order to join the united opposition.

“If you want to be party leader, go and form your party. There are people who want to take over our party. There are people who are being paid by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. We want to tell them that if they think Dr Oburu has no ability, we are his foot soldiers and we will fight to the bitter end,” he claimed.

Junet promised that 2026 would be an all-out battle, saying it would be premium tears and that they would not be scared by cheap threats.

“Call us brokers, call us thieves, we are not leaving the broad-based government. It is you who are going to leave ODM. Uhuru Kenyatta failed to make Raila president despite having the instruments of power,” he said.

He said it was only the party leader, Dr Oburu, who is mandated by the constitution to run for the presidency.

“There are some within ODM who say that ODM must have a presidential candidate. The constitution says the presidential candidate is the party. Dr Oburu is the one who will tell us if he wants to be the presidential candidate or not. This is not a party of drunkards,” he said.

ODM Deputy Leader Geoffrey Osotsi said the Luhya community would not be pushed out of ODM and told Junet that his community has marginal votes.

“If they bring war, we will give it back to them. We are not cowards. We have invested in this party as Luhyas from 2007 to date. We cannot now be told to leave because Baba is not there.
Junet Mohamed, where you come from has marginal votes. We have more votes from our region than yours,” he said.

Oburu has maintained that ODM is in a broad-based alliance and will support President Ruto’s re-election to serve a second term.

However, his younger sister, Ruth Odinga, wants the party to field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.

ODM is increasingly becoming a theatre of absurdity, and it is only a matter of time before the two camps engage in a running battle over party leadership and ownership.

By James Okoth

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu has stopped an attempt by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga to remove the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development, Dr Peter Ogola, from office pending a full hearing of his constitutional petition.

Justice Nzioki wa Makau, sitting in Kisumu on 24th December 2025, certified the case as urgent and issued conservatory orders barring the county from removing Dr Ogola from office until the matter is heard inter partes on 19th January 2026.

“Pending the hearing inter partes, there be a conservatory order barring the Respondents from removing the Petitioner from office,” ruled Justice Makau.

Dr Ogola, through his lawyer Clifford Otieno Obiero, filed the petition accusing the Governor, the County Government of Homa Bay and the County Secretary of violating the Constitution by attempting to force him out of office without notice, reasons or a hearing.

In his court papers, Dr Ogola said he was ambushed with an Executive Order dated 1st December 2025 and a letter dated 2nd December 2025, which were delivered to him on 21st December 2025, directing him to hand over office immediately. He termed the move a blatant violation of Articles 41 and 47 of the Constitution, arguing that no allegations of misconduct or incompetence had ever been raised against him.

“The actions by the Respondents constitute a constructive, unlawful and unconstitutional removal from office, in violation of my rights to fair labour practices and fair administrative action,” Dr Ogola stated in his supporting affidavit.

The petition further claims the decision was deliberately timed to coincide with the festive season, with the intent of denying him access to justice.

Mr Obiero, in a certificate of urgency, told the court that unless it intervened, the Respondents would force the Petitioner out of office, appoint a replacement and stop his salary, thereby subjecting him and his dependants to immediate financial distress.

The lawyer emphasised that his client is the sole breadwinner and supports a sick family member who depends on his income for medical care.

“The impugned actions were timed and served on the eve of Christmas with the clear intention of ambushing the Petitioner and defeating timely judicial intervention,” said Mr Obiero.

Dr Ogola, who earns a monthly salary of KSh 413,079, argues that the move to eject him from office was done without following due process, amounting to abuse of executive authority and breach of constitutional values of transparency, accountability and fair administrative action.

In his petition, he seeks declarations that the Executive Order and letter are unconstitutional and an order quashing them, as well as an injunction restraining the county from removing or replacing him without due process.

The court’s interim order effectively preserves the status quo, shielding Dr Ogola from dismissal, salary stoppage or replacement until the next hearing.

The case, filed under Articles 41, 47 and 232 of the Constitution, will now proceed to a full hearing in January 2026, in what is expected to be a landmark test of executive accountability in county governance.

By Anderson Ojwang

The political noise-makers and excitement by a section of leaders after the death of Raila Amolo Odinga in Luo land must come to an end to allow the community to retreat and recollect.

The community must now retreat, become a mysterious entity, and allow the internal forces to reorder community politics. This will erase from the community noise-makers and opportunists parading themselves and cheapening the Luo community.

Equally, the baseless invoking of Raila’s name with unfounded messages, claims, and a supposed will to the people is an act of betrayal to Raila and should be avoided at all costs.

If anything, such statements are basically an act of betrayal to Raila by the opportunistic tendencies of a clique of politicians geared towards serving their selfish ends.

Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo has come out to inject sense into the community and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), saying the future must be determined by the living and not the dead.

Otiende told off those who claim to know what the departed hero Raila told them in secret, saying they cannot be trusted.

He said the public should only trust what Raila said in public when he was alive.

“People Raila never spoke to are saying Raila told me this in private. Do you hear and listen to them around?
The only thing that you can believe is what Raila spoke in public, and what somebody comes and says he told me in my ears, ignore them,” he said.

Otiende said that on the broad-based arrangement, Raila said they would be in the arrangement up to 2027 and that it was incumbent upon the living to determine the future going forward.

“The only thing Raila said is that we will be in this government up to 2027, and beyond 2027 it is us who are still alive to determine,” he said.

Otiende said it would be incumbent upon party members to decide whether to stick with President Ruto or seek an alternative arrangement.

“Nobody can come and tell us that beyond 2027 we are still with Ruto. No. We can or we cannot be, depending on the arrangement,” he said.

The Rarieda MP questioned why the community was so excited over piecemeal Cabinet and Principal Secretary appointments while the Kikuyu community, with the majority of appointments, remains silent.

“The Kikuyu community has more numbers in government than the Luos. We only have two Cabinet Secretaries, namely John Mbadi, Cabinet Secretary for Treasury, and his Energy counterpart, Opiyo Wandayi, while the Kikuyu have eight, namely Lee Kinyanjui, Mutahi Kagwe, Rebecca Miano, William Kabogo, Eric Muga, Alice Wahome, Mercy Wanjau, Geoffrey Ruku, and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
We have four Principal Secretaries while the Kikuyu have 12. Do you hear them talk and make noise? Why are we so noisy and loud?” he asked.

Recently, Suba South MP Caroli Omondi revealed that Raila only allowed and permitted Mbadi and Wandayi to champion President Ruto’s second-term agenda.

He said that Alego MP Sam Atandi asked Raila for permission to occasionally talk about Ruto’s second term by virtue of his position as the Budget Committee chairperson.

“Raila told us not to say two term. And if any MP wants to contradict that, let them try and we will tell them where they were told.
Only Alego MP Sam Atandi raised his hand as the chairman and member of the Budget Committee and asked Raila to allow him sometimes to say two term.
Baba’s instructions were that only Mbadi and Wandayi should say two term; the rest were a no,” he said.

Currently, ODM is split right in the middle over the broad-based arrangement, with ODM party leader Dr Oburu Odinga, National Chairperson Gladys Wanga, Junet Mohammed, among others, leading support for an alliance with President Ruto in 2027.

The other group wants structured negotiations and is open to any political formation, and is led by Siaya Governor James Orengo and Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

Orengo said that while other ODM strongholds have remained quiet, the civil war was being waged in Nyanza and specifically by the Luo.

“I see an attempt to try and drive ODM to become purely regional and, if not, a Luo party. The elements of the party from other regions are fairly quiet when we have this civil war within the party,” he said.

But Junet, speaking over the weekend, claimed Uhuru was enticing some ODM leaders with financial support to revitalise the party in order to join the united opposition.

“If you want to be party leader, go and form your party. There are people who want to take over our party. There are people who are being paid by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. We want to tell them, if they think Dr Oburu has no ability, we are his foot soldiers and we will fight to the bitter end,” he claimed.

Junet promised that 2026 would be an all-out battle and that there would be premium tears, and that they would not be scared by cheap threats.

“Call us brokers, call us thieves, we are not leaving the broad-based government. It is you who is going to leave ODM. Uhuru Kenyatta failed to make Raila president despite having the instruments of power,” he said.

He said it was only the party leader, Dr Oburu, who is mandated by the constitution to run for the presidency.

“There are some within ODM who say that ODM must have a presidential candidate. The constitution says the presidential candidate is the party leader. Dr Oburu is the one who will tell us if he wants to be the presidential candidate or not. This is not a party of drunkards,” he said.