Home Blog Page 60

Why it is Winnie for the mantle, Wajackoyah opens the lid, Ida confirms

By
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

At Kango ka Jaramogi, at the graveside of Raila Amolo Odinga, opposition leader George Wajackoyah, appearing to be possessed by spirits, opened the lid over the preferred new leader to inherit Raila’s mantle.

Crying and calling Winnie’s name and asking where she probably could be, he circled the grave chanting that Raila’s spirit had descended on his last-born daughter, Winnie.

“Let me sound this warning. I am sounding it openly. Whoever is trying to play his foul mouth on Min Piny’s daughter Winnie Odinga — and I spoke with her yesterday — try me.
Baba’s spirit is here. If you are running your mouth on Winnie, try me. Winnie, where are you? I will support you. Anybody who dares Winnie, that is a direct attack on me.
Baba is not dead, the spirit is with Winnie. As the elder brother from Mumias, I will defend Winnie,” he mourned.

Mama Ida Odinga, speaking to the team, confirmed that what Wajackoyah had said was the true position.

“You know Wajackoyah is a very open person. He says things as they are. He doesn’t know how to sugarcoat his words and make them flowery.
If it is bad, it is bad, and if it is right, it is right, and he will say it as it is. This trait of his he started much earlier, way back in 1991, when he got into problems with the system because he revealed some secrets which were not supposed to be revealed.
That was the secret of Dr. Robert Ouko’s death, which was not supposed to be revealed.

The harassment was something you had not seen in your life or in the near future. But somehow, he was smuggled out, and I remember that time, Mzee Jaramogi had just started Ford party. He was brought there and nobody could go near him. He was hiding in the car.

We were planning for his exit to go into exile. I was sent by Jaramogi to go and identify if the person being hidden in the car was indeed the person he was expecting. I went back and told Jaramogi he was the one, and from there he was sneaked out through a cargo plane,” she said.

When Raila died in India last month, it was Winnie who delivered his Fedora hat and other personal belongings to the mother in a symbolic power transition.

At the burial, Winnie told President William Ruto that she was ready to come back to the country from the East Africa Legislative Assembly, where she currently serves.

Winnie, who is a member of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA), told mourners that in Bondo, there still lives a lion.

“I have heard people talk badly about Bondo. I want to say here: we have a lion here. I am the lion. Do not be worried.
For President Ruto, I am ready to come back home,” she said as Ruto smiled and consulted with Mama Ida.

Winnie has been the cornerstone of Raila’s political journey after the death of his son Fidel Odinga, and she has been significant in his presidential campaigns.

At the recent ODM 20th anniversary in Mombasa, Winnie readied her troops and embraced Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, in a show of unity and comradeship.

Winnie, who holds Raila’s secrets and cards — having witnessed her dad slip away from her in India while undergoing treatment — recently threw a gauntlet at her uncle, the current party leader Dr. Oburu Odinga, by demanding a National Delegates Conference (NDC).

Winnie said:
“There is something I wanted to tell you. When it came to the matter of the broad-based government, the people of ODM entrusted one person with the management of that relationship. That person was Baba Raila Amolo Odinga.
That relationship is complicated, and therefore we are looking and wondering: those who are taking it upon themselves to manage it now — are they capable of managing that relationship?
I don’t think that is the question for me to answer. That is the question for the people of ODM to answer. That is why I am requesting we need to go back to the people and have an NDC to see who the people want to pick to manage that same relationship,” she said.

But tactical Oburu, an old and shrewd politician, did not swallow the bait but offered to use a different path to resolve the emerging contention.

“When my child Winnie said Raila was at the center of the management of the broad-based relationship, somebody should come to help manage the broad-based government. That is my child. I will speak to her and resolve the matter internally as the Odingas.

But the seat you have given me as the party leader of ODM, I will hold it the way Raila did and ran the party.
I have taken the responsibility and do not be scared. I will do all that appertains to the office and what my brother Raila wanted done and accomplished. We will remain in the broad-based government,” he said.

Currently, the battle for kingship has emerged in Nyanza, with Cabinet Secretaries John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi expressing interest in it.

Why Raila Chose Nyong’o as Acting Party Leader — and Could He Have Been Betrayed by ODM in Death?

By
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

Could former ODM leader, the late Raila Amolo Odinga, be restless in his grave? And did his closest political allies betray him in death through the party’s recent re-organization?

These are some of the unsettling questions emerging a month after his burial, as developments in ODM appear to contradict the transition path Raila had himself set while still alive.

In October 2024, Raila broke the intense lobbying for control of the party by appointing Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o as the acting party leader during his AU Commission chairperson campaign.

This decision shocked many, especially Siaya Governor James Orengo, who had campaigned intensely for the role but was bypassed when Raila instead named Nyong’o.

Interestingly, had Raila won the AU seat and later died while in office, Nyong’o would have automatically led ODM — making the transition smooth. But in Raila’s death, the party leadership appears to have moved in a different direction altogether.

Why Nyong’o Was Raila’s Preferred Choice

During the Mombasa announcement, Raila emphasized that Nyong’o had been instrumental in grounding the party ideologically for over 20 years.

“Today, in line with a recent decision of the Central Committee, I formally task our founding Secretary General, Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o, to step in and provide leadership to our great party to enable me immerse myself fully into the final and more intricate phase of my campaign for chairmanship of the African Union Commission,” Raila said then.

He praised Nyong’o as central in giving ODM direction and ideological clarity since inception.

“We are therefore assured of ideological continuity and clarity that have been the hallmarks of our party,” Raila insisted.

This raises a key question:
Did ODM’s Central Committee betray Raila by appointing his elder brother, Siaya Senator Dr. Oburu Oginga, as acting party leader despite Raila having publicly shown his preferred successor?

Why did the Central Committee rush to appoint—and later lead the Governing Council to confirm—Dr. Oburu without considering Raila’s own criteria for interim party leadership? Was this a politically calculated move to protect certain interests in Raila’s absence?

How Oburu Was Appointed — Even He Was Shocked

Dr. Oburu, speaking candidly, said he did not seek the position and was shocked to learn about it from Suna East MP Junet Mohamed while waiting at the airport for Raila’s body arriving from India.

Oburu said Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir proposed his name — and he accepted.

“I want to thank my party ODM for making me the acting party leader. I will take that mantle with vigour and I will not disappoint, even though Raila’s shoes are too big,” Oburu said.

“It is my brother, the Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir, who proposed me. I didn’t apply to be party leader. I was surprised when you people made me party leader. Now I hear there is bickering that I do not fit the bill — but Oburu is capable,” he added.

Rising Tensions: Other Claimants Emerge

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has publicly expressed interest in the ODM party leader seat.

Winnie Odinga, Raila’s niece, has called for an NDC to elect a new team to negotiate the broad-based governance arrangement with President Ruto’s administration.

Fresh confusion erupted when a group of ODM life members, led by Rachael Tabitha, filed a petition demanding Oburu’s resignation.

Dated November 18, 2025, the petition accused Oburu of violating the ODM Constitution, undermining internal democracy, and sidelining long-serving members.

“It is deeply inappropriate for some leaders to speak with pride and boldly declare that they are legitimately in office, while Article 6.2.2(b) of the party constitution has been blatantly violated,” the petition stated.

The life members issued three demands:

  1. Immediate resignation of Oburu from all party leadership positions.
  2. An urgent National Delegates Convention to resolve what they call a governance crisis.
  3. Full recognition of the rights of life members in party decision-making.

They gave the NEB a 30-day ultimatum, threatening mass resignation in honour of Raila’s legacy should the demands not be met.

Oburu’s Defenders Hit Back

Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko and Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor strongly defended Oburu, calling him the most suitable leader at this time.

“We will defend our party leader Dr. Oburu Oginga. If push comes to shove, we will discipline those against him,” Aduma said.

The Big Question: Was Raila Betrayed?

Why did ODM ignore Anyang’ Nyong’o, whom Raila had publicly appointed as acting party leader?

Did the party abandon Raila’s wishes once he was no longer alive to enforce them?

And is this reshuffle a genuine transition — or a consolidation of power by factions seeking influence in a Raila-less political landscape?

As ODM battles internal storms, the question lingers:

Did Raila’s own party betray the succession plan he left behind?

Government advertises for Coffee Extension Champions as former MP Weya challenges Governors from LREB to seize the opportunity

By
-
0

By Sandra Blessing

Governors from the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB), MPs and farmers should seize the emerging opportunity by the government to revive coffee farming in the country to invest in the sector in order to open a new economic frontier.

The government, through New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union in collaboration with the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development, plans to revive coffee through cooperative societies in a programme dubbed national coffee revival programme.

In a recent advert, they invited passionate community-rooted individuals to join an intensive Coffee Extension Champions training programme which will be ward-based and seeks to recruit 1,600 champions.

“This initiative aims to expand coffee production within the cooperatives movement from 51,852MT to 152,000MT. Listed wards within the following coffee-growing counties (two positions available per ward, one for a male and female applicants,” read the advert.

The counties from the LREB bloc include Kakamega, Kericho, Homa Bay, Busia, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nandi, Nyamira, Siaya, Vihiga and Bungoma.

Former Alego MP Sammy Weya challenged the region’s leadership to seize the opportunity and invest in coffee farming as the new economic frontier.

Weya said a tree of coffee is capable of earning a farmer Sh 24,000 a year and this would be a milestone in the region’s new economic dispensation.

“Coffee should be the new economic frontier in our region. I am happy to witness the kind of investments the governors from Rift Valley have placed in coffee growing in the region and I challenge our governors from Nyanza to learn from their colleagues,” he said.

Studies have shown that Western Kenya has the greatest potential for producing the highest quality of coffee and to spur economic growth in the region.

In one of the studies undertaken by experts hired by some emerging coffee farmers in Nyanza, it was revealed that the temperature and the soil in the region were best for coffee farming.

Weya said with temperatures of between 23 degrees centigrade and good soil, it only takes 10 days for seeds to germinate, unlike Central Kenya, where it takes 34 days.

“In Western Kenya, because the soil is slightly acidic, coffee cherries have a natural sugar taste, making it one of the best and high quality. This is an economic potential for Nyanza and Western to join the league of coffee-growing regions in the country,” he said.

Weya said that Homa Bay, Siaya, Kisumu, Kakamega, Busia and Migori counties have the potential of producing high-quality coffee to reverse the region’s economy.

He said an acre of coffee plantation will earn the farmer Sh 1 million and this can go a long way in addressing poverty in the region.

He said that already the following varieties — Ruiru II, SL 28 and Batian coffee — are being grown in the region.

Weya said the colonial government created a myth that coffee cannot grow well in Nyanza because of the fear of malaria attacks and opted to live in the White Highlands that were malaria-free.

**“It is simple knowledge that colonialists did not want to venture into Western Kenya to grow coffee because of the fear of malaria attack, and then developed a myth that the crop cannot grow in Nyanza. This myth has been debunked by various studies and the growth of the crop in the region.

Arabica coffee was not promoted in Nyanza because the colonialists were afraid of malaria and successive governments were never interested in promoting high-value cash crops in Nyanza, thus marginalising the community,”** he said.

Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) thrives in cool, tropical highlands with the following conditions: temperatures between 23 and 32 degrees centigrade day and night January to January, and an altitude above 1,200 metres above sea level. Loamy soils are slightly acidic, making the berries naturally sweet.

Weya said coffee can be grown in the upper canals and intercropped with legumes, macadamia and pawpaw to provide cover.

He said the government disbursed the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund, and Nyanza was left out despite the potential, and some farmers were already growing the cash crop.

**“Between 3rd February 2025 and 10th February 2025, New KPCU disbursed Sh 28,785,253.85 to 2,243 beneficiaries across 14 counties: Baringo County, Bungoma County, Kakamega County, Embu County, Kericho County, Kiambu County, Murang’a County, Machakos County, Meru County, Migori County, Tharaka Nithi County, Trans Nzoia County, Uasin Gishu County and Nyeri County, but Nyanza was left out.

Mumunyonzo FCS in Kakamega County applied for cherry advance for the first time and is the second FCS to benefit from cherry advance in the county. Ten farmers benefited from the cherry advance of Sh 366,880,”** he said.

Weya said it was unfortunate that despite agriculture being devolved, the local leadership has continued to sleep and is yet to take advantage of the emerging coffee farming opportunity.

He said Uganda, which shares common weather, rainfall patterns and soil types, has continued to grow coffee while Nyanza and Western — which neighbour it — are yet to venture into farming.

Former Nyakach MP Ochieng Daima said in the area, there are already farmers growing coffee, and the yield is high with huge earnings.

“Kabondo is one region in Nyanza where coffee has done well; even in Nyabondo, we have farmers growing it. It is time our people ventured into coffee farming. It is a high-value crop that will change the economy of Nyanza and Western region,” he said.

Weya said that through irrigation, Nyanza can sustain coffee farming, and this will be a milestone in revolutionising the local and national economy.

He said that currently, China has emerged as a leading coffee market, and Nyanza and Western farmers must be prepared to explore and exploit the opportunities.

“China’s coffee market is booming! Expected to hit $23 billion by 2032, with a 2.10% annual growth rate. Rising middle-class incomes and the demand for premium coffee are fuelling this surge. Coffee chains and online shopping are making it more accessible than ever,” he said.

Kindiki hits back at Gachagua: You are a small man, I defeated Ocampo, I am the king as Gachagua dares President Ruto to join the fray

By
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang’

It’s all gloves off. It’s murkier and deadly. Punches flying all over in the air. This time, there is no President William Ruto to intervene as the referee, but the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) presiding over the duel.

Mbeere North is burning. Deputy President Prof. Kindiki Kithure has discarded his gentleman nature to also play rough, hard and tactical on his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, the self-declared leader of the mountain.

Kindiki taunted Gachagua as a small man and said he didn’t see him when he fought for former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto at the ICC court in The Hague.

“When Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto had problem in Haque, I was their lawyer… I did not see him there. We fought against the white man called Ocampo (Ocampo was the ICC prosecutor during the ICC trials) and defeated him. We brought back home Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto.
So who is this other one speaking? He is a small man. It’s only that he has inflated his muscles and troubleshooting,” he said.

Kindiki dismissed Gachagua’s claims that he was the kingpin of the mountain, saying that he was the senior-most political leader of the region.

“Hi tabia ya kujitangazo wewe mwenyewe eti mimi ndio mkubwa ya hi mlima. Nani alikuchagua mkubwa wa mlima? (This tendency of self-declaration that you are the king of the mountain. Who elected you to be the leader of the mountain?) I am the senior-most political leader in Mt. Kenya region for the avoidance of doubt.”

Gachagua also did not take the challenge lying down and upped the game when he invited President Ruto to the ring.

“Wewe Kasongo kuja. Mimi niko area na watu wa Mbeere. Tuoneze we kivumbi sasa. Hapana tuma mfanyakazi. Wewe Kasongo kuja mwenyewe. Hii Kasongo watu Mbeere wamekula pesa yake, amenyolewa (You Kasongo come, I am here with the people of Mbeere, let us show you dust. Don’t send a government employee. You Kasongo come yourself. This Kasongo, the Mbeere people have eaten his money, do we shave him?)” Gachagua said.

Kindiki exuded confidence that UDA candidate Leonard Wamuthende will win the Mbeere North by-election scheduled for this month, November 27th.

Gachagua is rooting for DP candidate Newton Kariuki. Both are immediate former Members of County Assembly of Embu after they resigned to vie for the seat.

“Hata sijui ametoka wapi. Alikuja tu juzi. Mimi nimekua kwa siasa for over 20 years, tangu wakati wa Kibaki (I don’t know where he is from. He just came the other day, while I have been in politics for the last 20 years, from the time of President Kibaki),” he said.

CS Geoffrey Ruku said Kindiki will not be a one-term deputy president but will successfully serve his second term and eventually be the sixth president of Kenya.

“2027 tunachagua President William Ruto and Kithure Kindiki. Na tukimaliza 2032 sisi kama mlima tutaungana na Kenya yote kuhakikisha kwamba Kindiki amekua rais wa Kenya. Tunaona mbali kama giraffe. (In 2027 we will re-elect President William Ruto and Kithure Kindiki, and after that in 2032, we as the mountain will unite with all Kenyans to ensure that Kindiki becomes the president of Kenya. We can see far, like a giraffe),” he said.

For five years, the two senior leaders from Mt. Kenya have been sparring, and finally, Mbeere North has provided the ring for the leaders to sort out their age-long differences.

In what was billed as the first contest between the two leaders, it ended prematurely when the referee William Ruto called off the match and instead annulled the initial results.

Ruto, then Deputy President and UDA presidential candidate for the 2022 presidential election, had invited then Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua and then Tharaka Nithi Senator Prof. Kithure Kindiki to a duel for his deputy.

In this contest, a stalemate that lasted over 17 hours was characterised by failed consensus-building, with the opinion polls that favoured Kindiki.

Ruto and his team resorted to opinion polls conducted internally to unlock the stalemate. The first poll, conducted internally by a strategy and research team headed by Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, involved 10,000 respondents drawn from 10 Mt. Kenya counties. In that poll, Kindiki trounced Gachagua, with Governor Anne Waiguru coming in third.

In the second survey, conducted nationwide in the 47 counties, involving 25,000 respondents, Kindiki yet again emerged top, with Waiguru and Gachagua second and third respectively.

The final vote involved the Central Kenya UDA MPs, who were called in for a vote. Senator Kindiki once again trounced Gachagua.

Out of the 31 Mt. Kenya UDA MPs present, 22 voted in favour of Kindiki, 5 voted for Gachagua, two backed Waiguru, while Muturi obtained one vote, with one rejected vote.

The referee had no alternative but to annul the results and instead awarded the mantle to Gachagua, who was later impeached by the Parliament and Senate.

And now the Mbeere North by-election is the battleground. On one corner of the ring is Gachagua, the second deputy president, representing the United Opposition and the self-declared leader of Mt. Kenya.

For Kindiki and Gachagua, Mbeere North is the test ground, and the battle will end up in premium tears with casualties.

The clock is ticking and hearts pounding. Who will have the last laugh?

The Reinvention of Dr. Oburu Oginga, The Man Draped in his Brother’s Legacy

By
-
0

By James Okoth

In style and spirit, Dr. Oburu Oginga is walking out of the shadows to embody the legacy his brother Raila Odinga built. An embodiment of a quiet transformation stitched in confidence, colour and purpose.

For decades, Dr. Oburu Oginga lived in the long shadow of his younger brother Raila Odinga, the man whose name stirred nations, whose rallies filled stadiums and whose wardrobe spoke its own language of charisma and command.

Now, in what feels like both a personal and political awakening, the elder Oginga is stepping forward. The new-look Oburu is impossible to miss: refined, deliberate and echoing the elegance long associated with the Odinga dynasty.

Those close to the Siaya Senator say this shift goes beyond appearance. It signals readiness, a man who has watched power up close now choosing to embody it. The crisp suits, the polished gait and the quiet confidence all suggest a rebirth.

To keen observers, the message is clear. A senior statesman who once stood behind the curtain is emerging into the light. The transformation feels like an answer to a question Kenya has whispered since Raila’s semi-retirement: who carries the Odinga aura next?

When Raila Odinga began to pull back from the daily grind of politics, he left more than a leadership gap. He left a void of presence. His fitted jackets, his Afrocentric scarves and his keen sense of visual symbolism were extensions of his politics, the wardrobe of a reformist who understood that appearance is persuasion.

Oburu seems to have studied that grammar.

At recent public events from Siaya to Nairobi, his new look has drawn admiration. Gone are the oversized blazers and neutral tones. In their place are tailored suits, bold hues and a refinement that commands quiet respect. He appears transformed, walking with the air of continuity.

An aide close to him captures it simply: “He’s always been the thinker in the background. Now he’s preparing to be seen.”

That preparation is steeped in legacy. From Jaramogi’s defiance to Raila’s reformism, the Odinga family has shaped Kenya’s political imagination. Oburu’s new form of expression seems to extend that lineage, measured, dignified and symbolically loaded.

Political analysts see in him a man reading the moment. In a country where image precedes influence, every appearance counts. The designer behind this change clearly understands the intersection between fabric and influence.

Each stitch tells a story.

In the evolving script of ODM, Oburu’s emergence reassures loyalists that the family flame still burns. Raila’s voice may have softened, but the values of resilience, reform and resolve continue through a man who has chosen to appear ready.

He may lack Raila’s thunder, but he carries his composure. He may not draw crowds by magnetism, but he reflects the steadiness that gave the Odinga name its weight. The new Oburu is a bridge between the familiar and the uncertain.

His transformation feels deliberate, a visual declaration of continuity. In the theatre of Kenyan politics, where meaning hides in every gesture, his elegance speaks loudly. It tells of legacy preserved, of transition managed with grace and of destiny worn with ease.

The clothes whisper that leadership, like heritage, is sometimes passed through quiet evolution. They suggest that the Odinga story, far from ending, is simply being restitched, thread by thread, step by steady step, by a man finally ready to carry both the name and the narrative.

The new Oburu stands, draped in destiny.

When Luos and Kikuyu push together, Kenya grows, peace returns

By
-
0
Billy Mijungu

By Billy Mijungu

Why do we continue imagining that Luos and Kikuyus cannot work together? This idea is an elite-crafted emotional play that keeps both Nyanza and Mount Kenya trapped in suspicion, even though there are no deep ideological differences to justify such a divide. It is a very unnecessary and, frankly, very stupid narrative that has been repeated for too long without any honest examination of facts.

It is true that Kikuyus have disappointed Luos before. Many point to three political moments: under Jomo Kenyatta, under Mwai Kibaki, and again when a large part of the community refused to follow Uhuru’s call to support Raila Odinga. Those moments created wounds, but they do not define the entire relationship. In 2022, more than one million Kikuyus supported Raila openly and boldly in a political climate that made it costly to do so. That reality shows that the two communities are not enemies. They simply need clarity and leadership.

Under President Moi, the relationship between the two communities was fairly stable. They operated within one centre of power. Moi often placed leaders from the two groups in deputy roles. He did not do this out of hostility but because his political base was in Rift Valley and he needed strong balancing pillars to stabilise the country. That is a political explanation, not an ethnic one.

If Kenya is to move forward, the gap between Nyanza and Mount Kenya must be deliberately bridged. That requires political gestures as well as honest conversation. Two important steps can help reset the emotional climate. First, Gachagua should follow the example of Uhuru by visiting Bondo and mourning with the Odinga family. That simple act would send a powerful symbolic message that politics does not need to poison national unity. Second, both Kikuyus and Luos respect and admire Kalonzo Musyoka. They can close ranks around him either by supporting him for the presidency with a deputy from Western, or by presenting him as a national figure willing to work with President Ruto as deputy in a broader power arrangement.

As the relationship grows, the two communities can occupy strong horizontal roles such as Deputy Premier positions, working behind a Premier like Hassan Joho or any other agreed national figure. Kenya is large enough to accommodate creative power-sharing that respects all regions.

Bringing the country together is not only possible but necessary. We must ignore emotional claims that Gachagua hates Luos or that Luos dislike him. These are cheap political narratives. No one is dragging anyone anywhere. We must live together and negotiate daily, just as Raila Odinga consistently taught through his political life.

Why Gor Mahia must deliver free Tusker to Owalo on his assumption of office and avoid premium tears on Saturday, at Kasarani

By
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

This Saturday is a special day for the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency in the Executive Office of the President, Mr. Eliud Owalo. This is the first game as the substantive chairman of Gor Mahia after the demise of the immediate former patron, Raila Amolo Odinga.

So, when the two of Kenya’s most successful teams, Gor Mahia and Tusker FC, meet, it’s either free flow of alcohol, premium tears or a deadlock.

For the mighty K’Ogalo, sipping Kenya’s favourite brand Tusker has always been the moment of joy, laughter and catching up after 90 minutes of successful work at the stadium.

And for Tusker, the revenge and witnessing premium tears flow from their bitter rival, Mighty K’Ogalo, is a cherished moment, for “Bia Yangu. Nchi Yangu (My Beer, My Country)”.

Gor Mahia and the Brewers have met 45 times with the Mighty K’Ogalo winning 19 matches while Tusker have won 11, and they have drawn 15. In all the games, goals have been flowing on average; in direct matches, both teams scored 1.56 goals per match.

In the last six matches Gor have played against Tusker, they have won three, drawn two and lost one, and that is why this Saturday, at Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani, they go in as favourites while Tusker are the underdogs.

Currently, Gor Mahia are at the top of the log with 16 points from seven games, while Tusker lie seventh with 12 points from nine matches.

Gor Mahia have won 21 Kenya Premier League champion titles while Tusker follow them with 13 league champion titles.

For Gor Mahia, this match is a test to the newly appointed patron Mr. Eliud Owalo. This is the first game after the club’s chairman announced the official confirmation of Owalo as the patron.

Rachier, in a recent press release, said Owalo had been appointed as the substantive Gor Mahia patron.

He wrote: “Further to the press release dated 16th October 2015 by the club executive regarding the notification of assumption by the then club deputy patron, Eliud Owalo, as acting club patron.
This is to formally notify the general public, the football fraternity in general and the Gor Mahia Football Club members in particular and the Gor Mahia fans at large, that the club has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Eliud Owalo as the substantive club patron with effect from the first day of November 2025,”.

In November 2023, Owalo, then ICT Cabinet Secretary, bought Gor Mahia Football Club a state-of-the-art bus valued at Sh 20M.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Honourable Eliud Owalo and his associates for purchasing the club bus possible. The bus has been customised and has already been registered,” Rachier said then.

Gor Mahia wrote on the X handle: “This weekend’s clash against Tusker marks the 100th league meeting, the most-played fixture in Kenya’s top-flight league. Grab your ticket for Saturday’s tie.
A quiet weekend, but the view from the top is still ours. We face Tusker on Saturday at Kasarani Stadium,”

Tusker also hit back on their X handle: “Back to work at Ruaraka. Focus on Saturday’s assignment against Gor Mahia,”

The weekend game will be an appetizer for the Mashemeji Derby.

Private Security Regulatory Authority in a countrywide public participation on the Private Security Draft Regulations 2025, scheduled for this Friday

By
-
0

By Sandra Blessing

The Private Security Regulatory Authority will on this Friday 21st November 2025 engage the public in a countrywide public participation on the Private Security Draft Regulations 2025.

The countrywide meetings have been zoned into eight, with North Eastern forum to be held at Garissa, Government Guest House, while Lower Eastern will be at Machakos Social and Central will be held at Nyeri Cultural Centre.

For the Coastal region, the meeting venue will be at Tononoka Social Hall, while for North Rift, the venue is at Eldoret Multipurpose Hall, and for Nyanza it will be at Le Savannah Hotel in Kisumu, and for Western Kenya it will be at Kakamega Social Hall.

“In Nairobi, the public participation forum will be held on 24th November 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
We invite all stakeholders and members of the public to attend and share their views. Your voice matters in shaping the future of the private security in Kenya,” read the statement.

The Kenyan government has enacted the Private Security (General) Regulations, 2025, under the Private Security Regulation Act, Cap. 207, to strengthen oversight, accountability and professionalism within the private security sector. The regulations, issued by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, set out detailed requirements for registration, licensing, employment, training and operations of private security service providers.

Under the new regulations, individual and corporate private security providers must register with the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) and obtain valid licences. Applications require proof of identity, compliance with tax obligations, insurance coverage including WIBA and public liability, police clearance certificates, audited financial accounts and a full inventory of uniforms, equipment and vehicles. Registrants are required to pay prescribed registration and annual fees, with penalties for late renewal.

Employment and training standards are rigorously defined. Private security firms must vet employees, verify their training and employment history, and ensure all personnel undergo mandatory annual security training. Officers are required to wear legibly marked nameplates and uniforms, which must comply with specifications including distinctive badges, headgear and heavy-duty belts. Firms must also provide necessary safety gear such as reflective vests, torches and defence equipment.

The regulations prescribe approved tools and equipment, including CCTV systems, alarms, patrol vehicles, armoured cash transit vehicles and specialised devices for locks and keys, with mandatory annual calibration and inspection by the Authority. Branding of vehicles, equipment and premises is strictly controlled to prevent misuse of law enforcement identifiers.

By establishing these standards, the government aims to professionalise the private security industry, enhance public safety and ensure accountability. The regulations also provide for community safeguards, including vetting prospective employees and ensuring separate resources for firms engaged in other businesses.

The Private Security (General) Regulations, 2025, mark a significant step towards regulating a sector that plays a critical role in national security, balancing operational flexibility with legal and ethical oversight.

IEBC blames Boyd Were and Philip Aroko for violence, fines them Sh 1m each, condemns Homa Bay county government over involvement in the campaigns, threaten to disqualify the candidates

By
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has put the county government of Homa Bay County on the spot over interference in political activities in Kasipul Constituency and subsequent use of public resources and involvement of public officers in political campaigns.

And IEBC also blamed the escalating political violence in the constituency on ODM candidate Boyd Were and Philip Aroko, an independent candidate, and fined them Sh 1M each.

“Upon keenly listening to the parties and considering all the facts and law, it is the Committee’s finding that the two candidates in this matter are responsible for the violence witnessed in Kasipul Constituency.
In the context of both oral and written submission of the parties, the Committee finds that both candidates are in violation of paragraphs 6 (a) (b) (c) (e) (i) (k) (m) and (n) of the Electoral Code of Conduct,” read the statement.

Similarly, IEBC warned should any re-occurrence of violence in the constituency during the campaigns, the candidates risk disqualification.

“A most stern warning be and is hereby issued to both Candidates that should any violation of the Electoral Code be repeated by any of them, this Committee will consider all penalties under the law, including their DISQUALIFICATION from participating in the November 27th by-elections altogether,” read the statement.

The Committee also said investigations had revealed engagement of the county government, civil servants and use of public resources in the campaigns.

“This Committee is seized of intelligence reports corroborating the allegations of interference by the Homa Bay County Government in political activities within Kasipul Constituency.
The Committee condemns the use of public resources and involvement of public officers in political campaigns as this is in contravention of section 14 of the Election Offences Act, Cap 66,” read the press statement signed by all the commissioners.

The Committee also fined the two candidates Sh 1M each which must be paid within 48 hours.

“Mr. Philip Aroko, for the violation, is hereby condemned to pay a fine of Sh.1,000,000 to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission within 48hrs of these Orders.
Mr. Boyd Were Ong’ondo is condemned, similarly, for the violation, to pay a fine of Kenya Shillings One Million (Ksh.1,000,000,) to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission within 48hrs of these Orders,” read the statement.

The Committee was also appalled by the gravity of violence, deaths and damage to property caused by campaign-related activities within Kasipul Constituency.

“Astonishingly, when police officers attempted to arrest suspects in relation to the violence witnessed on 6th November 2025, the officers were attacked and the suspects freed by persons associated with one of the candidates,” read the statement.

The Committee said the candidates must ensure peaceful campaigns to allow the electoral process to remain a democratic space where all individuals can freely express their views and support candidates of their choice without fear of violence, harm, or loss of property.

“Respect for the sanctity of life demands that every leader takes responsibility in guiding their supporters to uphold peace and protect the rights of others.”

The candidates were expected to sign the Political Decency Charter publicly and declare, publicly before media, to uphold peace and tolerance in their campaigns, with a clear undertaking that reneging from it would amount to a violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.

“A stern and a formal warning be and is hereby issued to Mr. Philip Aroko who is an independent candidate and Boyd Were in the upcoming by-elections for Kasipul Constituency to respect and obey IEBC’s harmonised campaign schedule as agreed upon by all candidates on 10th October, 2025 without any deviation whatsoever,” read the statement.

Calls Grow for Safer Sporting Spaces and Accountability in Sports

By
-
0

By James Okoth

A staggering 57% of Kenyan athletes have experienced sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, with many reporting repeated incidents, according to a 2021 study by the Ministerial Committee on Gender Welfare in Sports. Alarmingly, 43% of these incidents occurred during team trips, social gatherings and changing rooms, spaces that should be safe for athletes.

While sports are often celebrated for discipline, teamwork and empowerment, these figures reveal a sector where Gender-Based Violence (GBV) thrives, fuelled by power imbalances, isolation and institutional neglect.

In Kenya, sports operate under strict hierarchies. Coaches control selection, exposure and success, while athletes, particularly young girls and women, are taught to obey and “tough it out.” This dynamic fosters environments in which abuse is normalised and victims remain silent.

The Smart Ladies Youth Initiative (SLYI), working in Kisumu and Migori counties, has documented how structural and cultural weaknesses leave survivors without the knowledge or support to identify or report abuse.

Common patterns include:

▪︎ Power Imbalance: Authority of coaches over vulnerable athletes.
▪︎ Culture of Silence: Fear of reprisal discourages reporting.
▪︎ Isolation: Training camps and travel remove athletes from family support.
▪︎ Institutional Neglect: Federations prioritise medals and reputation over safety.
▪︎ Gender Gaps: Male-dominated leadership silences female voices in decision-making.

A recent fact-finding assessment in Kisumu and Migori revealed that almost all federation officials acknowledged the existence of GBV and agreed it is a problem requiring urgent attention. Many requested more sensitisation, noting they were unaware of existing policies and safeguarding guidelines.

SLYI’s findings, corroborated by local sports officials, indicate that certain sports present higher risks for abuse, largely due to prolonged travel, close contact and limited oversight. The most vulnerable include:

● Hockey – Limited resources and smaller federations make athletes highly dependent on coaches.
● Athletics / Track and Field – Frequent travel for competitions creates isolation.
● Football (Soccer) – High visibility yet weak safeguarding measures for female teams.
● Basketball – Intense training camps and close coach–athlete relationships increase vulnerability.
● Volleyball and Rugby – Mixed-gender or male-dominated environments expose female athletes to harassment.

Across these sports, female athletes are disproportionately affected, facing physical, sexual and financial abuse more frequently than their male counterparts.

Elizabeth Obong’o is the Hockey and Development Coach in Kisumu.

“Resources are limited or, at times, non-existent. There is limited support from relevant authorities. Fear of victimisation among affected persons means that many cases go unreported,” she says, “Female athletes are more vulnerable and constitute the majority of those who suffer GBV, which can be physical, sexual, or financial.”

She emphasises that community-wide sensitisation is critical, not just within sports.

“Educating the entire community on GBV will go a long way. Bringing cases forward allows justice to prevail and empowering all members of the community creates a safer environment for everyone, not just female athletes.”

Following the tragic death of elite runner Agnes Tirop in 2022, Kenya adopted the Agnes Tirop Post-Conference Resolutions, designed to eliminate GBV and promote gender inclusivity in sports. Yet, implementation remains uneven. Many federation officials acknowledge GBV exists but lack clarity on how to detect, document or respond. Safeguarding policies are often absent or non-operational, leaving athletes exposed.

The message is clear: the sports sector must prioritise safety, accountability and gender equity as seriously as medals and performance.

SLYI’s interventions in Kisumu and Migori aim to create systemic change:

● Training and sensitisation of federation officials on GBV prevention and response.
● Establishment of County Sports Safeguarding Committees to institutionalise safety mechanisms.
● Documentation of survivor stories to support advocacy and policy reform.
● Community-wide forums promoting gender equality and empowering women to lead.

These measures aim to cultivate a sports culture where athlete safety is foundational to performance and pride.

GBV in sports is a systemic failure requiring collective action. Government institutions, federations, sponsors, parents and athletes must collaborate to create safe, inclusive sporting spaces.

As Eunice Dollar, Executive Director of Smart Ladies Youth Initiative in Kisumu and Smart Youth Initiative in Migori County, notes:

“Protecting athletes is not a favour but a duty. We can no longer celebrate victories while ignoring the violence behind them. Every federation, coach and leader must take responsibility for creating a culture where safety, respect and equality come before medals.”

The time to act is now. Sporting institutions in Kenya must strengthen governance, enforce safeguarding structures and empower survivors to speak without fear.

1...596061...173Page 60 of 173