Significant Political Sentiment

Ruto convenes historic summit with the judiciary to draft anti-corruption policies amidst allegations and attacks on independence

President William Ruto, on January 22, met with Chief Justice Martha Koome following recent attacks on the Judiciary by the Executive and a section of Members of Parliament (MPs), who have accused the third arm of the government of rampant corruption.  The President convened a

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President Ruto and UAE spearhead new African clean energy initiative at COP28

President William Ruto and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have joined forces to convene African Heads of State and other prominent personalities to accelerate Africa’s green industrialisation.   Speaking during the launch of the ‘Africa Green Industrialization Initiative’ at the COP28, President Ruto said the initiative

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NADCO fails to propose tangible ways to reduce the soaring cost of living

The National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) has failed to propose tangible ways to reduce the high cost of living.   This sentiment comes after the release of the NADCO 2023 report, launched on November 25 by a 10-member delegation team, which has elicited reactions among Kenyans. The

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Shift from Mungiki leadership to Amani Sasa Foundation and quest for Mt Kenya leadership: What is up Maina Njenga’s sleeve?

“Mungiki” a Kikuyu word derived from the word “Muingi” which means masses, emerged in the 1980s as a religious movement, drawing inspiration from traditional Kikuyu culture and practices.  The objective of the sect was to unite and mobilise the masses to fight against the yoke

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You can run but you can’t hide: High cost of living haunts Kenya Kwanza Coalition MPs

    The reality of the high cost of living which has largely been attributed to the rise in fuel prices now haunts UDA and Kenya Kwanza coalition MPs. The MPs are now demanding that the government urgently deals with the issue before it gets

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Kenya’s debt situation: Economist Ndii sheds light on looming crisis and mitigation efforts

Seven months before the maturity of the 2024 Eurobond, Kenya’s debt situation has been likened to a “patient in an intensive care unit” where extensive efforts are being made to restore good health, but the situation remains a matter of life and death.  In a

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Significant Political Sentiment – Kenya explores new infrastructure financing opportunities with Beijing

On Wednesday, October 18, China’s President Xi Jinping held a meeting with President William Ruto who was in China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.  This was his maiden trip to China, a visit which was keenly watched by diplomatic

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Significant Political Sentiment: As Africa remains divided on the Israel-Palestine conflict, Kenya takes a pro-Israel stance

The October 7 surprise attack on Israel by Hamas, the Sunni Islamist political and military organisation governing the Gaza Strip of the Palestinian territories, has united African leaders in condemning the violence, but they remain deeply divided on who to blame.  Globally, several countries have

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Political Sentiment – Isaac Mwaura assumes government communication responsibilities amid outcry over CS utterances

Attempts by Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) to exercise powers beyond their mandates and make pronouncements over roles outside their ambit are common characteristics of the Kenya Kwanza administration.     The Cabinet has also been attracting attention for issues ranging from utterances by some of its members to

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Leadership wrangles at Communication Authority deepen as board chair’s credentials challenged

Internal conflicts among certain board members and top managers at the Communication Authority (CA)  have escalated, persisting even after the dramatic suspension of the former Director-General Ezra Chiloba, three weeks ago. As investigations continue into Chiloba’s alleged abuse of the Authority’s mortgage scheme, which was cited

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Disquiet simmers over Kenya’s deal with the international community to dispatch 1,000 police officers to Haiti

An offer by Kenya to dispatch police officers to Haiti to lead an international police force aimed at combating the gang violence that has wrecked the Caribbean nation has been met with mixed reactions from different quarters.   Gangs are controlling most of the Haitian capital,

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Political Sentiment: One year into power: President Ruto is making friends abroad, but ‘hustlers’ at home groan under the cost of living burden

Last year, Kenyans demonstrated a commitment to moving past the history of electoral violence. This resolve was reinforced by the postures of then-presidential candidates William Ruto and Raila Odinga, both pushing for a General Election free from violence.  Their campaigns were steered in a way

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Significant Political Sentiment: AGRF Summit 2023 imperative: A call for strong political leadership to drive food security in Africa

African leaders have been urged to collaborate rather than compete with each other in order to realise food security in the continent.   Heads of State and governments have also been urged to align with the Malabo declaration which mandates African nations to allocate a minimum

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Devolution Conference: County Assemblies’ financial autonomy a welcome move

County Assemblies are inching closer to financial autonomy after the devolution conference rooted for their independence in order to strengthen their oversight role on county executives. Last week, senior state officials who attended the devolution conference at the Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County,

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Promise delivery one year on: A review of Kenya Kwanza’s pledges after inauguration

It’s been a year since President William Ruto took over the leadership mantle amid challenges and opportunities in the country. He promised to revive the economy, improve food production and provide quality infrastructure, education, and healthcare services.  The 12 months have been characterised by high

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Significant Political Sentiment: President Ruto’s take on the new tax measures and the need to curtail borrowing

The government’s spending on various initiatives ranging from affordable housing, healthcare, and support for farmers and small businesses, will be footed by taxpayers following approval of the budget and the Finance Act of 2023.  This outcome stems from the government’s implementation of comprehensive tax measures

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Significant Political Sentiment: Now Azimio’s seeks to impeach President Ruto amid queries about legality and effectiveness of the move

Azimio la Umoja Coalition led by Raila Odinga on Tuesday launched a digital platform dubbed ‘Tumechoka Citizens’ Initiative’, aiming to collect over 15 million signatures from Kenyans in a bid to remove President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua from office. According to the

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Significant Political Sentiment: Kenya’s president emerging as a prominent African leader on the global stage

President William Ruto’s ongoing charm offensive toward the West has sparked both praise and criticism as he tackles such topics as Africa’s financial empowerment, climate action, and peace and security. Through his speeches, President Ruto aims to re-establish Africa’s economic influence while navigating the complexities

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Internal and external security threats rock new government’s boat

  Five months since President William Ruto was sworn in as the Commander-in-Chief, the threat to Kenyan national security has been on upward trend.   Externally, success in the Somali battleground against Al Shabab by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Somali army, has had

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Agression against ODM’s 9 lawmakers speaks doom for the party

If the petition by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch goes through, the Orange Democratic Movement will start the process of expelling nine of its members who visited State House without authorisation. Removing someone from a party is hard, especially if that person is an elected representative.

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Electoral reform agenda gets back on the table

Opposition boss Raila Odinga this week began piling the pressure on President William Ruto that he hopes will culminate in a discussion at the negotiating table. His plan, according to a media report, is to rally his supporters into mass action and civil disobedience. Mr

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Ruto changing the game on management of government

President William Ruto’s victory at his first attempt and without the support of the incumbent proved his prowess in strategy. In the early days of his presidency, he is also proving to be a corporate strategist.  He started the year with a retreat for the

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Another attempt to change the 2010 Constitution months after BBI blow

A genuine attempt at a constitutional amendment to placate the fledgling opposition and do right with the women base or a red-herring to distract Kenyans and buy to time for his administration that is facing a myriad of challenges as it clocks 100 days? These

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Raila’s call for protest rallies stirs Ruto government

Azimio calls for a ‘People’s Dialogue Forum’ as a way of putting the nascent Wiliam Ruto administration in check has raised political temperatures in the country months after the August 2022 General Election. The opposition outfit led by Raila Odinga which lost in the bitterly

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As it starts working, Ruto administration walks a fine line

A familiar scenario has played out in the last two weeks. Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria said he would be issuing the legal instruments needed to allow duty-free maize imports and a few days later, a ship with 10,000 tons of maize docked

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Explainer: The new offices created by President Ruto and what they mean for private businesses

Injecting professionalism in public service at the Presidency While recently announcing his Cabinet nominees, President William Ruto adjusted his government’s structure, including creating six advisory offices. The six nonpolitical offices functionally domiciled in the President’s office have been tasked to provide independent advisory services to

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7th October 2022 Significant Political Events of the week

On October 2, President William Ruto toured Homa Bay County where he promised to improve the wellbeing of residents. This was his first tour since he was sworn in. On October 3, the President William Ruto met for the second time with the Cabinet Secretaries

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At an inflection point, Raila must make a decision

Former Prime Minister and Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga is at a crossroads in his political career. He has to choose between leading the Opposition from outside Parliament or walking away from politics and into some form of retirement. This week, he appeared to swing

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At the Supreme Court, it will be about the questions unanswered  

The next few days will be critical, and it is not only political watchers who should have their eyes on the Supreme Court, where the petition challenging the election of William Ruto as President will be heard.  Raila Odinga’s coalition has asked for a cocktail

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After the hard work to woo Kenyans, the harder work to deliver begins

William Ruto this week took to his new status with authority and political wiliness. In his first meeting with elected leaders and representatives from his coalition, he made assurances on the freedom of expression and association and sought to bring everybody together. Dr Ruto also

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General Election Winners & Losers

The Sentiment this week sought to analyse some of the institutions and individuals involved in the General Election and how they have emerged from the process. WINNERS IEBC Wafula Chebukati, the commission’s chairman, had a twinkle in his eye as he encouraged the public and

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Why this different poll will keep everyone on edge

A combination of changes to electoral laws made after the elections in 2017 and the emphasis on traceability and verifiability of the polls have changed the way the results will be made public. In the week before the elections, the institution in charge has ramped

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Towards poll D-day: Misinformation tactics raise tension, keep media busy

The electoral commission on Thursday invited the four presidential candidates for a consultative meeting over the printing of results forms. At the same time, rumours surfaced on social media and were subsequently shared through messaging apps, that the police had raided the headquarters of a

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JKIA incident a bad sign for State-IEBC relations

Nothing political on Twitter is spontaneous and it was therefore evident the Azimio Coalition was unhappy with the electoral commission on Friday.  Singled out for criticism by affiliated individuals was Wafula Chebukati, the chairman of the commission, over the handling of three men who were

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Peace efforts prevail but a run-off is a bigger reality

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission and interested stakeholders has ramped up activities to campaign for peace in areas of potential election-related violence.  These activities are centred around Nakuru, Kisumu, Nandi, Isiolo and Marsabit counties and have the generous backing of non-governmental organisations, many of

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Uhuru’s war on corruption: Admitting being soft and appearance with Sonko point at watered down efforts

One of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s targets, as he sought to establish his legacy after 10 years in charge, was to enhance the war on corruption. This week, about three weeks to the election, he appeared to make several steps back in that effort. First was

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A month to go and IEBC is scrambling

Despite its best efforts, and more than four years to get its act together, the electoral commission faces the same challenges it did in 2017 when it bore the embarrassment of the presidential election annulled. Perhaps the greatest failure has been in the management of

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Efforts to relieve consumers start, but bigger issues remain

A combination of decisions this week have provided some relief and could reduce the political pressure on the administration as it sees out its last days in office. Via the Finance Act, the Treasury reduced the tax on cooking gas, giving consumers relief in the

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Despite a slow justice system, Waititu’s goose appears to be cooking

A bank official testified this week that a company owned by former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu received kickbacks from a contractor. Using statements, cheques and other documentation, the Equity Bank employee said he helped investigators piece together the transactions showing Waititu received the money from

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Cost of fuel and food will steadily take centre stage in the campaigns this season

The Petroleum Principal Secretary, Mr Andrew Kamau, forgot that you “don’t joke with a hungry man” after his assertion this week that Kenyans are practically paying no taxes for fuel due to the subsidy to oil marketing funds caused an uproar. Still, the authorities have

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Uhuru could be silently winning in Nairobi and Kiambu in a week Sakaja’s degree saga refused to let up

There was a hint of desperation in Johnson Sakaja’s voice as he sought to drag President Kenyatta into the troubles over his degree that have bedevilled him to no end this week. Although he insisted that the President, who was once his benefactor, was behind

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Under pressure, IEBC needs to manage stakeholders

It will take a special process for the National Assembly to hold a sitting following last Thursday’s adjournment of its sittings indefinitely. Among the institutions that had hoped to have its issues resolved before the legislators effectively closed shop was the electoral commission, which had

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A very short story of Uhuru-Ruto’s rekindled bromance

The public camaraderie exhibited by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his estranged deputy William Ruto, during the annual National Prayer Breakfast on May 26, 2022, flickered out just four days later, during the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1. During the annual National Prayer Breakfast day,

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After dust settles on presidential running mates, manifestos are next as campaigns begin

Rigathi Gachagua, William Ruto’s running mate, is reported to have caused disquiet within the Deputy President’s campaign team over a series of tactless remarks he has made since his appointment.  The latest was made on Inooro FM earlier this week, where he suggested that a

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Work is cut out for Raila and Ruto after long wait for running mates ends

In the days after they unveiled their choice of running mate, Raila Odinga and William Ruto have had the opportunity to sit back, watch the reactions and listen to feedback on their choices. Mr Odinga will be happy about what has been said of his

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Sonko Mombasa bid a test for much more than Joho

Impeached Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has been the cause of a small-scale storm in Raila Odinga’s Azimio coalition. It initially seemed that Sonko had retired to Mombasa as an entrepreneur. He runs a club in the coastal city that he has worked to popularize on

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IEBC preparedness next on the radar

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission this week announced the start of the verification of the voters’ register, more than two months behind schedule.  The commission, abbreviated IEBC, is traditionally kept on its toes by the political parties through their party leaders and stakeholders such

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Running mate dilemma postponed but cost of living issues persist

The camps of both leading presidential candidates put aside their rivalry this week to push a pliable electoral commission to extend the deadline for the submission of their running mates by 20 days.  While the names of the candidates and their mates were originally scheduled

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Odinga’s stakeholders show their hand

Faced with pressure from different directions over a decision on his running mate, Raila Odinga this week resorted to a politically secure method – having the decision determined by a committee. While it had always seemed like Kalonzo Musyoka would return to the spot beside

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Party leaders take on nominations

The reporting on the United Democratic Alliance nominations suggested that there was widespread chaos in parts of the 36 counties where the party headed by Deputy President William Ruto was holding its primaries.  The party’s top officials and communication team were however happy that they

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Raila, Ruto struggle to avoid nomination fallouts

Raila Odinga endured a tough day on Thursday as he worked to convince parties in the coalition that he would continue to cater to their interests as the nominations ahead of the General Election begin. Mr Odinga would end up making a U-turn on a

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After the death of BBI, the Finance Bill is the next battlefield

Every party took something from the judgement by the Supreme Court that ended the journey for the bid to amend the Constitution that started with the Building Bridges Initiative.    Those opposed to the bid, Deputy President William Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza group, took the

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Martha Karua solves one dilemma, others to come

Martha Karua this week announced her decision to join Raila Odinga’s Azimio movement, ending weeks of speculation about her political direction.  It was evident from Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria’s reaction that they had hoped to work with Ms Karua to deliver support for Deputy

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Raila’s big three issues

As he travelled to the United Kingdom this week, Raila Odinga was hoping to outdo his main competitor, Deputy President William Ruto, but left behind a campaign in trouble just months to the elections.  Mr Odinga’s biggest headaches come from:  His running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka,

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Ruto ups the ante again

Deputy President William Ruto and his allies spent the past week in the Kiambu East region, starting from Thika earlier in the week and traversing through both Gatundu constituencies later.  Dr Ruto has decided to take the President head-on after his erstwhile ally openly showed

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OKA fights undermine Kalonzo’s resolve

Nick Salat, Kanu’s secretary-general, is not a diplomat. This was evident this week as he chided Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka for his apparent indecision over whether to join Raila Odinga’s Azimio. Mr Musyoka was initially thought to be a shoo-in to join Mr Odinga,

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Peace efforts ramped up months to the election

With less than six months to the General Election, peace stakeholders have sprung into action in efforts to prevent election-related violence. Last Tuesday, the National Cohesion and Integrated Commission and the United Nations hosted the Uwiano Platform for Peace; Strategic Coordination and Peace. The event

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Headwinds in Raila’s attempt to build a winning combination with Kalonzo as duo struggle to repair relations

All along, it had seemed to Raila Odinga and his supporters that Kalonzo Musyoka would easily agree to cross over and accept to be his running mate, but things have changed drastically. This week, Mr Musyoka revealed to the public an agreement struck between the

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DP Ruto heads out West

Deputy President William Ruto has rattled his competitors with the news that he will this weekend embark on a 10-day tour of the United States of America and the United Kingdom.  According to his Head of International Relations, Ababu Namwamba, Dr Ruto is scheduled to

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Sagana III sparks the endless back and forth

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s third big meeting at Sagana State Lodge went as widely expected.  He castigated his deputy for starting his campaigns earlier than necessary, denying knowledge of the Handshake before it happened and then suggested that he had been involved in corruption before he

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As deadlines loom, so do familiar problems

Raila Odinga returned from a 10-day tour to an opinion poll saying that Peter Kenneth would be his best bet for running mate.  On the other hand, according to a poll by The Star, Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua is the right man for Deputy President

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As he demands a solid deal, Kalonzo could hold the cards

Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka was earlier this week given the greenlight by his Wiper party to negotiate pre-election deals.  Not that he needed permission, as he has nevertheless been approached and is still in the One Kenya Alliance (OKA), but he has over time

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Joint opposition to manual submission of presidential results could neutralize tensions

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has sparked a fresh round of controversy in political circles just after the fight over the law determining how coalitions are formed ended.  The electoral commission has proposed changes to the Elections Act, with the apparently most controversial

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Mudavadi’s political move and enactment of parties law roll the ball for coalitions

In the months before he announced an alliance with Deputy President William Ruto, Musalia Mudavadi had been working to change his profile.  He had become more assertive and angled his messaging towards the economy and reminding Kenyans that it was when he joined the Treasury

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Jimi Wanjigi’s foray into front-end politics enters snail’s pace

Jimi Wanjigi has since mid-2021 been vocal about his bid to become a presidential candidate, but the last week has made that ambitious idea fade into the background. The decision by a court to free him as it verifies the orders of another court preventing

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Extrajudicial killings put a spotlight on the government

While The Standard had published a story about it before, the visit by activists Boniface Mwangi and Hussein Khalid to the banks of River Yala have once again thrown the spotlight on suspected extrajudicial killings in Kenya. The activists reported that since July 2021, a

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Itumbi seeks to make a meal of his travails

Journalists have been wary about exploring the story of the abduction, torture and hospitalization of Dennis Itumbi, who now works as a digital strategist for Deputy President William Ruto. Keen to use the opportunity provided by his story, Mr Itumbi has decided to dole out

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To fight hate speech, aggression might not be the way

The potential to create conflict and its harmful effects was evident this week when Meru Senator Mithika Linturi used a metaphor that was previously used to mark subjects for elimination at a public rally. For those who can remember, “madoadoa” in a political context refers

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As he starts the last stretch, Ruto deploys a familiar playbook

Every day over the past two weeks, the Deputy President’s schedule is sent out by his communication team. His weekly schedule is released at the start of every week to media houses and also distributed via WhatsApp, mostly to journalists’ groups, which ensures that any

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In Parliament, a distraction for Raila and Ruto

Plans by the Jubilee Party to hold a National Delegates Convention late November died with a whimper and without an explanation.  It was reported that the plans collapsed after a consideration was made that with more than 100 MPs having left the party for the

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As Odinga considers his choices, Mudavadi presents a familiar dilemma

Orange Democratic Movement head Raila Odinga is scheduled to make a major announcement on December 10, but observers expect no surprises as he has pointed in the direction already.  Barring a change of heart, the former Prime Minister will be making official his fifth attempt

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UDA protest to CJ is louder than it sounds

Chief Justice Martha Koome has been handed yet another test in the form of a protest letter over her membership in a committee connected with the elections. The protest is from Deputy President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance party and was issued after Justice Koome

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Why all eyes are on Jubilee Party’s Delegates Congress

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party is set to hold its National Delegates Congress on November 30, a significant meeting for the party whose future has been in doubt since the fallout of its principals. Orange Democratic Movement boss Raila Odinga will be joined by Kalonzo

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Martha Koome casts her lot with the President

Chief Justice Martha Koome has appealed against a ruling by the High Court that the President can be sidestepped in the process of appointing judges, effectively casting her lot with the Executive. Details of her reasoning will emerge as the appeal progresses, submissions are filed

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When parties can’t make nomination rules

The electoral commission this week announced that it had rejected the rules to govern nominations submitted by 89 parties, amongst them the two backing the biggest candidates – Raila Odinga and William Ruto. Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati suggested the parties had

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BBI speaks from Purgatory

Kenyans were this week reminded of the Building Bridges Initiative in two ways.  The first was the publication of a Bill to amend the Constitution being pushed by Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua. One of the main, and controversial, features of the Bill is the provision

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The restless Ruto keeps going

Deputy President William Ruto is on a mission to visit every constituency in Kenya before the General Election.  He has, so far, held 133 meetings in 20 counties, which means that he is likely to meet and probably surpass his target.  The decision to open

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Dr Mutunga tests the Executive again

Going by his latest statements, Dr Willy Mutunga’s stint at the Judiciary was a five-year break from activism, for he is right back where he started, with more fire and actions that will test the leadership of the institution he left. Dr Mutunga has announced

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Judiciary wields the only tools it has

The relationship between the Executive and the Judiciary is seen in some quarters to have soured starting September 2017 when the Supreme Court annulled the re-election of President Kenyatta. That moment woke the current administration to the magnitude of the choices made in not only

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On his final lap, President Kenyatta is juggling many balls

From now onwards, every public holiday whose celebrations he presides over will be labelled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s last, and as the end of his term draws closer, the expectations grow heavier. He spent the most of his Mashujaa Day speech outlining the things done over

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Elections 2022, Another round of proposals to amend Electoral laws

The electoral commission this week gave the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs a wish list of laws it wants changed to make it easier to manage the General Election in August 2022. They include provisions to allow a complementary mechanism to transmit presidential election

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One more push for Raila

Compared to how they handled Raila Odinga, there was a different tone in the conversation when the Mt Kenya Foundation met the One Kenya Alliance earlier this week.  Where the former Prime Minister was assured of support, the One Kenya Alliance (OKA) was given the

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Odinga climbs the Mountain but the hard work remains

Raila Odinga, the head of the Orange Democratic Movement, this week made his biggest moves yet to harness the votes he anticipates will be the reward of his rapprochement with President Uhuru Kenyatta. He toured Central Kenya, met and received the approval of the powerful

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A year to the elections, a time to shape up

A sit-down with the President always offers interesting insights and is no doubt a good deal for the media, as it is bound to produce headlines as the country is given a rare chance to examine the thinking of its Head of State. President Uhuru

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After the BBI debacle, the new Opposition are happy

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga surprised many, their allies especially, when they reached a truce and marked it with The Handshake on the steps of Harambee House on March 9, 2018.  Part of the agreements reached that day were to resolve the issues they

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When hot mics pick narratives

The press conference by Moses Kuria, Martha Karua and Mwangi Kiunjuri on Thursday was advertised as a significant moment for development in Kenya’s politics ahead of the General Election. At the end, a hot mic on the table at the venue picked up an interesting

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UDA, Uganda, and Ruto’s dilemma

When they emerged from their Parliamentary Group meeting, MPs supporting Deputy President William Ruto came out with a bold statement.  They declared: “The governing Jubilee Party has collapsed. The opposition NASA coalition has disintegrated. The Hustler Nation has found a new home in the United

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With Nasa dead, the President’s silence worries hopefuls

Going by the short Kenyan tradition as far as parties go, the National Super Alliance was never meant to last. Still, its imminent dissolution has been dramatized and televised, with Raila Odinga, its erstwhile presidential candidate, this week announcing the decision by his Orange Democratic

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As action on corruption resumes, a test of the commitment

Two incidents on Thursday and another one on Friday morning have swung the spotlight back on corruption.  The Thursday ones involved Justices Aggrey Muchelule and Said Juma Chitembwe, whose officers were stormed and searched by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations before they were

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A major boost for Ruto, but major questions for IEBC

In the cycle of Kenyan politics, every new party needs a confidence-booster ahead of its first major General Election. William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance got theirs with a narrow win over Jubilee Party in the Kiambaa Constituency by-election.  Uhuru Kenyatta was there in September 2012,

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Tricky attempts to revive NASA, without a Candidate

President Uhuru Kenyatta is reported to have made an attempt this week at uniting the heads of the now-dead National Super Alliance, the coalition Raila Odinga used to make his last attempt at the presidency. The President is reported to have initiated a meeting between

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The Appeal done, BBI enters a race against time

The public phase of the appeal against the High Court decision that sought to end the Building Bridges Initiative has ended. There were two days in which the proponents of the Bill to amend the Constitution clothed their bid in the finest clothes, and two

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DP Ruto prepares his party

The latest salvo from Deputy President William Ruto will add to the sentiment that the Jubilee Party is in its last days.  In an interview on KTN News, Mr Ruto criticized the suggestion that the ruling party could merge with the Orange Democratic Movement but

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Splits and realignments and more political noise

Politicians from the east of Mt Kenya were last week angered by the suggestion from their counterparts from the west of the mountain that there could yet be a candidate from that side fit for the presidency. Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi is arguably the most

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Budget gives hope to a referendum, and its attendant troubles

Budgeting for an election usually starts before the year in which the election is held, which would make an allocation in the Budget normal, but there is more this year.  The allocation has been tripled, from KSh4.6 billion to KSh15 billion, and this has been

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With tough choices made and explained, the President maintains focus

In the week he fired a broadside at the Judiciary, President Uhuru Kenyatta also dared the same arm of Government to what will be a long debate by appointing a section of the 41 judges he had refused to do.  He left out six of

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Controversial UHC plan gets going

At the National Prayer Breakfast held at Parliament on Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta asked MPs to fast track and approve the Bill for the implementation of Universal Health Coverage.  The National Hospital Insurance Fund (Amendment) Bill seeks to make it mandatory for any Kenyan who

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After the disastrous judgement, BBI could be out of time

A week after five judges delivered a scathing verdict of the Building Bridges Initiative, President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to make a statement on the matter.  There has been plenty of sentiment from the people around him, from what was perceived as a veiled threat

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After Parliament, the BBI debate goes to Wanjiku

The Building Bridges Initiative gained more momentum this week with the approval from the Senate of its Bill to amend the Constitution. Proponents of the initiative have been counting their achievements: easily getting four million signatures to support the initiative, getting an overwhelming majority of

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After a testing week, Ruto and Raila have a lot to ponder

There were two politically significant events touching on Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, two prominent candidates for the presidency next year.  First, Mr Odinga had to call in his loyal troops in the National Assembly to deal with Rarieda MP

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