Week of October 31

CHANGES IN THE MINORITY LEADERSHIP AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

PROTRACTED BATTLE: After a protracted battle in the Jubilee Party which saw former President Uhuru Kenyatta and his former allies Kanini Kega and Sabina Chege engage in a tussle over the Jubilee Party, the Speaker has finally shed light on the Deputy Minority Whip position. 

OUT CHEGE, IN MWENJE: Embakasi West MP, Mark Mwenje was confirmed as the Deputy Minority Whip of the Azimio Coalition after the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetangula confirmed that there was no impediment at the time to stop the Azimio Coalition from effecting changes in its leadership. 

REPRIEVE. Hon. Chege however was allowed to act as the interim whip for the 21 out of 28 members of the Jubilee Party, owing to their application to have the House recognise them as a Parliamentary party. 

BATTLE NOT OVER YET: It promises to be a long battle as Sabina Chege has already moved to the High Court seeking to stop her ouster. Her application seeking for interim orders was thwarted though with the High Court in Kiambu holding that Hon. Chege is yet to explore and exhaust the full measures provided for in law in such circumstances. 

WATCH OUT: The Jubilee Party has called for a meeting to celebrate the birthday of the Party Leader whilst also deliberate on other issues among the rebels led by Sabina Chege, and it promises to come with some heavy political pronouncements. 

KENYA SET TO HOST THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP ANNUAL MEETINGS

UNDERSTANDING. Kenya and the African Development Bank Group have signed a memorandum that would see Nairobi host the AfDB 2024 Annual Meetings.  

CRUCIAL MEETINGS. The 59th Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank and the 50th meeting of the African Development Fund— the African Development Bank Group’s concessional arm for low-income countries—will take place in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, from the 27th to 31st May 2024. 

AGENDA. The Annual Meetings, the Group’s topmost statutory event, provide the stage for its boards of governors and management to review the organization’s activities over the previous year and adopt resolutions on key decisions to advance Africa’s development agenda. The 2024 meetings will also provide an opportunity for leaders to discuss progress issues on Africa’s socio-economic development. 

KENYAN LEADERSHIP. Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Treasury and National Planning, Prof Njuguna Ndung’u, is the current chair of the Bank Group’s Board of Governors, signed the memorandum on behalf of his country. He reiterated Kenya’s full commitment and dedication in supporting the Bank’s vision and strategy, and specifically in the preparation of the 2024 Annual Meetings. 

STRONG TIES. Kenya’s portfolio in the bank has increased from $2.88 billion in 2018 to $3.95 billion by September 2023, representing a 37.2 percent growth over the last five years. Kenya, a founding member of the Bank Group, has benefitted from the Bank’s investments since 1964. As of 30 September 2023, the Bank’s ongoing portfolio in the country stood around $3.98 billion. It comprises 51 operations; 37 sovereign and 14 non-sovereign, spread across transport, water and sanitation, energy, finance, agriculture, social, and multi-sector/governance. 

TALKING OF WHICH

LONG LIVE THE KING!: King Charles III and Queen Camilla will from October 31 to November 3, 2023 visit Kenya for an official visit. Charles is set to embark on his inaugural visit to Kenya, marking both his first official trip to the country and his first visit to a Commonwealth nation since ascending to the throne in May 2023. This holds historical significance as Kenya is the very nation where his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was declared queen, ascending to the throne in February 1952.

HISTORICAL TIES. During his visit, the King will also acknowledge the “painful aspects” of his nation’s shared history with Kenya, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of its independence from the U.K. on 12th December 2023. Despite the colonial past, the two countries have enjoyed a close relationship since independence.

WATCH OUT FOR

PROPELLING KENYA’S DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: President William Ruto will on 30th October 2023 preside over the launch of the East Africa Device Assembly Kenya Factory at the Grayland Warehouse V in Athi River. The launch will officially kick off the country’s bid to roll out affordable locally assembled smartphones in an effort to foster digital access and inclusion.

STATE OF THE NATION: Following communication from the Speaker of the National Assembly, it is notified that President William Ruto intends to deliver the 2023 State of the Nation Address to Parliament on Thursday 9th November 2023. The session will be a joint sitting of Parliament commencing at 2:30pm.

IN OTHER NEWS

RECESS. The National Assembly is proceeding on recess next week, while the Senate having finalized its recess period will resume next week. 

COMMITTEES. Despite being on recess, the National Assembly Departmental Committee will have a session to deliberate on the supplementary budget estimates published by the National Treasury last week. 

SENATE BUSINESS. On resumption, the Senate will debate on the County Boundaries Bill, 2023 among other agendas. The County Boundaries Bill, 2023 seeks to streamline the process of delimitation of county boundaries, solving county boundary disputes and handling of alteration of county boundaries among other things. 

MOVING UP

Mr. Philip Thigo, a Kenyan Technology and Public Policy Expert has been appointed as one of the 38 distinguished experts to the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Artificial Intelligence. Mr. Thigo currently serves as the Executive Director for Africa at the Thunderbird School for Global Management – Arizona State University and is an Advisor and technical lead on Open Government for the Government of Kenya. He has been recognized as the “World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government” in 2018 and as one of Africa’s “Top #100 Most Influential African Leaders in Technology and Telecommunications” in 2023. Mr. Thigo was recently appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy, Mr. Eluid Owalo to help reform the ICT, broadcast, and telecommunication sector in line with technological advancements.