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  • EAST AFRICA SPECTRE LIMITED COMPANY FACES DESTRUCTION.

    By Beverly Mautiah (beverlymautiah200648@daystar.ac.ke)

    The East Africa Spectre Limited company associated with the Raila Odinga family has been invaded and vandalized in the ongoing Azimio protests.

    According to the Security and Safety Manager Humphrey Waswa, the company that leads and deals with gas cylinder manufacturing and distribution both locally and internationally, was vandalized by several outsiders who made their way into the company ferried by motorbikes. “In the morning a group of around 50 motorbikes attacked us. “Waswa stated.

    Waswa insinuated that the attackers were being sponsored by some individuals seen with land cruisers. “There were people in three land cruiser’s who started surrounding this place in the morning. Some (of the cars) had number plates and others did not have number plates. They patrolled until 9am. At around 10am, I saw people on motorbikes approaching the company.” He said.

    He noted that their target was the Managing Director since her office was largely invaded and pelted with stones thus causing more damage.

    The invaders who were ferried by motorbikes with one motorbike accommodating an estimated three people damaged the building. “We were lucky that today we did not park our cars at the outside parking lot because the intruders majored in destroying the building.” He spoke.

    At the time of the vandalization by unknown assailants with unknown motives, there were close to 100 workers but none was injured. “No one was injured, the only tampered areas were the window panes and the building itself.” He remarked.

    Waswa said the company will issue updates later after investigations are done and concluded.

    A similar occurrence took place today, March 27, 2023, where the Kenyatta family land, Northlands farm in Ruiru sub-county, was invaded by intruders who cut down trees using power saws, set the farm on fire and made away with an unknown number of goats and sheep.

    The two affected owners, Raila and Uhuru are yet to react to the issue.

  • TWO BILLION LOST AS A RESULT OF THE AZIMIO PROTEST.

    By Beverly Mautiah (beverlymautiah200648@daystar.ac.ke)

    Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during a wheat flagship in Mombasa declared 1 billion losses following the Azimio organized protest.

    “As a result of the closure of some businesses due to the protest, Kenya has lost almost two billion shillings which would have improved the economy”. Gachagua stated at the Grain Bulk Handlers Limited compound where he received two consignments of food aid from the US and Ukraine.

    Gachagua noted that quite a number of the businesses were closed because of the tension ignited by the Azimio party.

    “Quite a number of the business people in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) did not open their businesses due to the fear of disruptions and destruction of personal properties.

    ”The businesses were forced to close down following the uncertainty that came with the demonstrations. Business persons feared that their businesses were going to be derailed and perhaps vandalized as was seen in Kisumu where Naivas Supermarket and a hotel in Kisumu bore the brunt of the protests.

    “What they are doing is destroying the economy. We had started showing signs of recovery from the economic downturn,” said Gachagua.

    He appealed to Raila to call off the mass action.

  • ERIC MUNGAI’S APPOINTMENT TO NEMA WAS REVOKED.

    By Beverly Mautiah (beverlymautiah200648@daystar.ac.ke)

    On March 6, the gazette notice no. 8002 of 2022 issued to Eric Mungai’s appointment to the National Environmental Management Authority {NEMA} board as the chairman was revoked.

    Mungai, who is said to be the former president’s cousin, was yesterday officially relieved of his duties as the chairman after President William Ruto handed former Kenya Forest Service chief conservator Emilio Mugo a new lease of life after appointing him the new National Environment Management Authority board chairman.

    Ruto in gazette notice No.2861 dated March 6, 2023, appointed Mugo who was hounded out of KFS helm in 2018 after a task force that had been formed to investigate illegal forest activities showed the harvesting of trees in plantation areas was riddled with corrupt practices.Mugo, however, successfully cleared his name after moving to court.

    Emilio Mugo replaces Mungai as the new NEMA chairman for the next three years.Mungai served as the NEMA board chair for less than seven months before his three-year contract was terminated.

    Mugo will now head the Nema board for a period of three years which took effect on March 10, 2023.

  • Kenya faces a possible blacklisting by the European Union in light of widespread corruption

    The European Union (E.U) has threatened to bar Kenya from doing business with its member states as a result of corruption.

    This statement was made by the E.U Ambassador to Kenya, H.E Henriette Geiger who was speaking ahead of the Kenya E.U Business forum that will be hosted in Nairobi on 21st and 22nd February 2023. In her speech, Ms. Geiger said that it is in Kenya’s best interest to fight off corruption speedily because it may put off the investors. The ambassador also went on to add that Kenya is on the watchlist due to money laundering. This results in scaring off people from investing in the country.

    Ms. Geiger was reacting to the recent Corruption Perception Index (CIP) by Transparency International that was released on Tuesday, 31 January, 2023. Kenya came in at position 123 out of 180 globally with 32 points out of 100. This was an improvement from 2021’s results where we were at position 128 out of 180 with 30 points.

    The results also showed that Kenya’s score of 32 points was equal to the sub-Saharan average of 32 but was lower than the global average of 43. Therefore, being a point of concern since a score of less than 50, according to Transparency International, signifies high levels of public sector corruption.

    The CIP results indicate that corruption is still a major problem in our society. It has become so common to the point that it is almost normal. Corruption has undermined our country’s development and progress. It also takes many forms from petty bribery to large-scale embezzlement of public funds.

    One of the most evident types of corruption that we have all encountered at some point is petty bribery. This happens particularly in the public sector. People frequently pay bribes in order to access fundamental services like getting a passport or accessing medical care. This not only undermines trust in the government and public institutions but also unfairly burdens the most vulnerable and poor members of society.

    Another type of corruption that is widespread is grand corruption, in which powerful individuals embezzle huge sums of public funds.

    Fighting off corruption will require a multifaceted strategy where the government and the public actively collaborate to eradicate this plague. Together, we can make progress in Kenya so that corruption is no longer an obstacle to development. This will be tremendously beneficial for us as a country.

  • Wear it with pride

    By Dephine Mutinda

    mutindadephine@gmail.com

    The 45th graduation ceremony which took place on the 18th of November 24, 2022 right here at the main campus Bethel grounds was like no other.  It was the first ever held graduation for the school of law and it goes without saying that “standards have been set high.”

    This is the case because the school produced two of the best graduants of the season. I had the opportunity to interact with Madam Ruth Wairimu Muhoro and Mr. Royal Kalume Sila who earned themselves a first class honors degree in law and the Vice Chancellor (Dr. Laban Ayiro) could not be any less proud of them.

    Mr. Royal Kalume Sila and Madam Ruth Wairimu Muhoro

    With the theme of the graduation being “beyond a world of endless possibilities,” Ruth and Royal have proven that a first class is not beyond the realms of possibilities. On a one on one session with the two, this is what they had to say in regards to their achievement;

    Qn: What did it take for you to graduate with first class honors?

    Mr. Royal Sila: Hard work, constant turning up in class, long hours in the library, a lot of interaction with colleagues, endless support from lecturers (the Pioneering Dean Mr. Wekesa, Madam Asha and the rest of the faculty in the school of law.

    Madam Ruth: First of all, decide what you want, if you want to pass, what levels you want to pass with and work towards that. Do your best, understand how your brain works, know your study pattern and be committed to it, be friendly to people and learn from them.

    Qn: What was the hardest part of this journey for you?

    Madam Ruth: Accounting was challenging for me, but with the help of Royal, I got to understand it, and get past it.

    Mr. Royal: Personally, I did not have any challenge with the courses, but my most challenging period was the Covid period when we had online classes and not being an online favorite, I had challenges reading law in PDF because I am the type that wants to flip pages, write my own notes and just experience the whole class experience.

    Qn: Do you feel that being the first graduating law class that you have set a good standard or pace for all other law students?

    Madam Ruth: I think we have provided a good modern; we did the best that we could.

    Mr. Royal: We have done our best and helped where we can.

    Qn: What advice would you give?

    Madam Ruth: Put the work and get the grades, listen to lecturers and practice team work.

    Mr. Royal: Listen to the people before and reach out. Don’t forget team work and dedication.

    Qn: Who are the most outstanding faculty members/ support systems that you would like to appreciate for helping you get to where you are right now.

    Mr. Royal: Professor Moni Wekesa, Madam Asha Mikinyago, Madam Cathy Kilonzo (for believing in me).

    Madam Ruth: I would like to thank the librarians and all lecturers for all the help.

    Qn: Parting shot?

    Madam Ruth: Do you, do your best and understand you.

    Mr. Royal: Believe in yourself; believe that you are good and capable.

    Those have been the giants of this years’ graduation with some piece of advice to all of us who are still on this journey. This should be a wakeup call to each and every one who has lost hope in ever graduating with honors. It is possible, beyond a world of endless possibilities. Question is, how do you want to wear it?

  • GMO

    (Photo courtesy The Standard)

    By Hilda Kavai
    (hildahnkavai@gmail.com)

    President William Ruto lifted a 10-year ban on Genetically Modified (GM) crops on October 4, 2022, allowing their importation into the country.

    As expected, the move has elicited mixed reactions from a variety of sources. Opponents of genetically modified foods have stated that President Ruto acted too quickly and that a task force should have been formed first to conduct public participation and awareness creation before implementation.

    As Kenya prepares to commercialize genetically modified crops, some farmers and advocacy groups are raising concerns about their safety.

    The fact that many Kenyan farmers will begin using genetically modified (GM) maize seeds early next year, following the government’s recent lifting of a 10-year ban on the crops.

    According to the country’s agricultural authority, the seeds will be planted on half a million acres and will be drought resistant, helping to alleviate shortages caused by a lack of rain.

    Kenya is currently facing a severe water shortage as a result of four failed consecutive rainy seasons, as well as one of the worst droughts in the East African region in four decades. This means that crops cannot grow, prompting warnings of impending famine. They claim that the lifting of the GMO ban was motivated by a genuine need to ensure food security and environmental protection.

    Kenyan farmers can now openly cultivate GM crops and import genetically modified foods and animal feeds, such as white GMO maize, now that the ban has been lifted. Maize is Kenya’s staple food, and it is grown on 90% of all Kenyan farms. It is used to make ugali, or maize meal, the country’s most popular dish.

    According to scientists, the GMO maize variety developed in Kenya has a 40 percent yield advantage over the conventional hybrid grown locally.
    Agriculture employs 80% of Kenya’s rural population and is the backbone of the country’s economy. Kenyan farmers rely on their crops not only for a living but also to feed their families.

    There are also concerns that farmers who begin using GMOs will become overly reliant on the companies that sell genetically modified seeds, allowing them to dominate the market at the expense of ordinary Kenyan farmers.
    Kenya is the continent’s eighth country to approve the use of GMOs. They are currently permitted for cultivation in 70 countries worldwide.

    According to a state agency in charge of general supervision and control over the transfer, handling, and use of GMOs, the maize varieties have undergone clinical trials and have passed safety assessments.

     

  • ARE MASS GRADUATION PARTIES THE WAY TO GO?

    (Photo courtesy of Juliung Julius)

     

    By Wambui Mwaura

     

    Graduation is a special life event that many people look forward to. It is understandable that after the hustling and bustling of campus life; burning the midnight candles, hopping between classes and generally going through the vigor of higher education academic life, that one would want to celebrate the culmination of the academic journey. A highly acclaimed diploma is thus the ultimate prize, and worthy of celebration. It is a joyful time in the lives of students, and they look forward to celebrating it with family, friends and well-wishers. Graduation spells a sigh of relief, and marks an end to the constant financial outlay f壯陽藥
    ees entails. This is true for parents and guardians or even students who pay their own fees. For the fact that it is a one-off affair, many parents and guardians feel it is warranted to splash huge sums of money on parties in celebrating their children during this time, which represents a huge milestone in their lives.

     

    While some are able to go out of their way to cater for this event, the reality is that not everyone is able to afford extravagant parties. These expenditures usually include: exclusive red carpet dinner parties, photography, new clothing, transport for their extended families and community members among many others. Just like any other big occasion, marketers, event planners and service providers are the biggest gainers. This is why they would never relent in pushing these big ostentatious party narratives to students, thereby creating a kind of situation where students are in fear of missing out.  It usually leaves the less privileged students with feelings of inadequacy and pressure for not being able to keep up with the Jones, and even causing some to fall into depression.

     

    In Daystar graduation groups for example, these planners, in the guise of student/entrepreneurs, step up to offer their services to fellow students for things like graduation dinner gowns, make-up services, graduation photo services and many others.  “As a graduate of the class of 2022, I [had] a chance to market the products of a business I started in 2020 to my fellow graduating students, and I am so glad to say that my business income has grown by 10%”, says Mercy Kasalu, the CEO of Mercelina Collections, and a Daystar University 2022 graduating student (Public Relations Major). She, like many others, benefitted from the fear of missing out this occasion created among her peers.

     

    The current economic crisis facing Kenya is something that can no longer be ignored, and households are tightening their belts, spending the scarce money meagerly on only essential commodities in order to meet basic needs. Needless to say that some families haven’t the wherewithal to cater for special occasions like big graduation parties. It is no secret that many students are facing the brunt of these harsh economic times, and coming up with the graduation fees alone proves to be a huge challenge for them to talk more of extravagant parties. This makes me wonder; are mass graduation parties something worth considering?

     

    Part of the concept of mass weddings is to enable financially constrained couples to celebrate their love at a low budget. For others, it’s just about being financially prudent and not wanting to spend huge sums of money on a day’s event. The same concept can also be applied to students who are not in a position to splash huge sums of money for the graduation occasion. Maybe mass graduation parties should be something worth considering by event planners and service providers in the spirit of inclusivity. Ultimately, everyone deserves to have a memorable graduation celebration, and it should not be dependent on how deep one’s pocket is.

     

    The proponents who are for big parties and huge celebrations might not agree with this. Some of them would argue that they saved for years in order to make it a memorable day to celebrate themselves, for a huge milestone in their lives. That is also true, because no one gets to set a standard of how anyone should celebrate their big day. The parting point is that everyone should feel celebrated, and no one should have to endure the feeling of inadequacy because of financial constraints. Mass graduation parties might indeed be the answer, and probably the next frontier for school party planning. This should be a call to duty for event organizers to take this up as a new business venture. Over to you event organizers.

     

     

     

  • SIM Card Registration Deadline Locks Out Thousands

    By Angela Mutayi.

    The dawn of the 15th of October was not that of a new day alone but also a new phase for Kenyan communication. This is after thousands of unregistered Kenyan SIM cards were suspended by their various telecommunication companies following the set deadline by the Communications Authority of Kenya. Communications had been made to Kenyans from earlier this year to register their SIM cards under their national identity cards by 15th of April to avoid suspension. This deadline was extended to 15th of October, following a low turnout after which unregistered SIM card owners have had their SIM cards suspended. Unregistered Safaricom SIM holders suffer the biggest blow because they are now unable to access MPESA, a popular money transfer means as well as communicate via text messages or purchase browsing bundles. Affected clients have since been advised to visit their nearest Safaricom outlets and have their SIM cards registered.

    The move by the Communications Authority of Kenya to have all Kenyan SIM owners register their cards is to lock out SIM-based fraudsters. Fraud has been a rising issue in Kenya where many are extorted of money via text messages or calls. The perpetrator often presents opportunities such as fake rewards and asks for money in return to cater for whatever the situation demands. Some have mastered the art of configuring money transfer messages similar to MPESA ones and dishing them out to unaware individuals as accidental transfers after which they ask for reversals and end up scamming the individuals. There have been many unprecedented forms of extortion on the rise which have pushed the hand of CA to act in this manner. I believe that in so doing, telecommunication companies have information on their users, and in case of any scam, relevant action can be taken. This move will also ward off attempts by scammers because they often use unregistered or stolen SIM cards in their work.

    Subsequently, there has been a rather low turnout to register lines in the wake of the call. The move to extend SIM card registration from 15th April to 15th October 2022 was after over 14 million Kenyans had failed to register their cards before the initial deadline. My take on all this is that most Kenyans have been ignorant of the matter. Many lack information on the importance of registration or simply what it entails. Some are simply oblivious to the situation at hand, and others do not see the need to provide their personal information to the telecommunication companies again. I mean, why register again when they already have my details right? A recent conversation with a group of friends sparked up the topic, and one asked why they simply could not lift the same details he had provided when he acquired the card and use them for the registration. My take is to countercheck that indeed the holder of this SIM card is the same one on the details you will provide.

    Communication is one domain that continues to develop with technology. Artificial Intelligence is now taking over communication and as a developing nation, these global trends bound to catch up with us. The only issue is that it has caught up with others more than the rest, and some are still in the dark. SIM card registration is only a progressive move in a much bigger and developing telecommunications system. I believe that the future is bright, and in all the negativity and darkness the web sometimes holds, there is a light, there is security and protection against them and for Kenya, and the Communications Authority of Kenya is on the lookout for us.

  • DUSA President Declares DUSA Secretary General Impeachment Null & Void

    By Evelyne Syombua

    The Daystar University Students Association President Walter Nalwa on 25 October declared the impeachment of the DUSA Secretary General null and void.

    Walter Nalwa issued the communication via internal memo send to all students, Dean of Students, DUSA Congress Speaker Evans Owino, DUSA Congress among others.

    “DUSA Council appreciates critiue either positie or negatie. We highly appreciate issues including agcademics, welfare, co-curricular and extra-curricular. Dragging any other students into your personal, political feuds is uncalled for. However the Secretary General appeared before the congress and apologized for the uterances prior made,” stated the memo.
    The memo was send in response to the DUSA Congress communication on the impeachment of the DUSA Secretary General send on 24 October.

    DUSA President, Nalwa indictaed in the memo that Congress did not follow the process required, ”The congress leadership did not follow the due process under article 8.13 andi article 8.1c of the DUSA constitution before planning the alleged impeachment. I therefore urge the Congress leadership to be objective and put more focus uniting and not dividing whatsoever”.

    Nalwa appealed to his fellow leaders to take care of those under their charge. The fate of the DUSA Secretary General now lies in the hands of the two parties with each holding a different view on the matter.

  • DUSA Secretary General Desmond Mwyne Voted out of DUSA

    By Evelyne Syombua Kioko

    The Daystar University Students Association(DUSA) Secretary General Desmond Mywne has been relieved of his duties as of today 24 October 2022.

    The communication was made by the office of the Speaker of Congress Evans Owino. Having failed to adhere to the values expected from him as a student leader in Daystar University and the DUSA Congress voting against him, Desmond Mwyne was declared unfit to hold the S.G position.

    The S.G had appeared before Congress for questioning on Tuesday 18 October regarding his alleged misconduct.  As detailed in the findings, the S.G had used his office in an abusive, vulgar, and demeaning manner in the Fun Day Whatsapp group forums.

    The replies were directed to students who had asked for clarification regarding payment for the Fun Day event that was held on 15th October and some took to complaining regarding the S.G via email to the office of the Dean of Students.

    One of the replies send read, ’’look kid if it feeds your emptiness go for it, if it makes you effective go for it, if it makes you irrelevant as you’ve always been GO FOR IT, if it makes you appreciated for go for it. You are who you are stop overselling you STUPIDITY here’’.

    The S.G also posted on his WhatsApp status and went as far to disrespect the constitution, ‘’ Wacha waendelee ku qute constitution like mad men… the law my ass, chapters my foot…’’ this ended his whatsapp status in which he had said the next students’ fun day event would be held in Bali.

    A student witness Ms Catherine Omondi who was a victim of the SG’s testified before the DUSA Congress.

    This marks the Second DUSA Council Member to be voted against by the DUSA Congress after the former DUSA Council Treasure was impeached last year 14 October 2021 by DUSA Congress 2021/22.

    The Electoral Commission of Daystar is hereby expected to conduct a by election according to the DUSA constitution.