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Tag: kenya

  • 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.

  • Professor Wangari Maathai: A Legend, an Icon

    In honor of Black History Month (February), the Involvement Newspaper will be featuring African leaders, heroes, and activists in a bid to remember their contributions towards a better Africa.

    By: Nicholas Kweyu (nicholaskweyu99@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of potentash.com

    Professor Wangari Muta Maathai was born on April 1st 1940 in Nyeri. She went to Loreto High School and graduated in 1959. On a scholarship scheme known as the “Kennedy Airlift”, she went on to study biological sciences at the Benedictine College in Kansas. Following this, she got a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburg. Upon her return to a newly independent Kenya, she earned her PhD in 1971 from the University of Nairobi becoming the first woman in East and Central Africa to attain a doctorate. She died in 2011 at the age of 71 following a long struggle with ovarian cancer.

    The famous activist was involved in humanitarian and environmental groups such as the National Council of Women of Kenya which she joined in 1976. Here, she interacted with rural women who lamented on the social and environmental conditions affecting poorer Kenyans. She developed a community-based tree planting scheme that grew into the Green Belt Movement (GBM) in 1977. This movement has facilitated the planting of more than 51 million trees in Kenya. The GBM also works towards poverty reduction as it trains women in skills such as beekeeping and forestry; the preservation of land is therefore accompanied by a source of income. The movement’s activism spurred similar initiatives in other African countries including Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Ethiopia.

    Another of the professor’s contributions to environmental conservation was her adamant resistance to government plans to erect a 62-story skyscraper in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park in the 1980s. This saw her get beaten, tear-gassed and thrown into then-President Daniel Arap Moi’s notorious underground cells.
    “Every person who has ever achieved anything has been knocked down many times. But all of them picked themselves up and kept going, and that is what I have always tried to do,” she once said.

    Wangari Maathai protesting against a skyscrapper being built in Uhuru park. Photo courtesy of fatumavoice.org

    This was only one of several instances of the humanitarian’s challenging of President Moi. She was among those who championed a multi-party system and democracy in the backdrop of Moi’s dictatorial rule. She also, at the risk of her life, consistently spoke out about human rights injustices perpetrated by Moi’s government; with the help of Bishop Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki, she even disguised herself during a government crackdown on human rights activists to deliver a speech on the injustices of the Rift Valley conflicts in the 1990s. Wangari Maathai also participated in a hunger strike to pressure the government to release political prisoners.

    Her tremendous efforts resulted in her being the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her “contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” Later in 2009, she was named the United Nations Messenger of Peace in recognition of her deep commitment to the environment.

    To this day, we celebrate Wangari Maathai Day- renamed from Africa Environment day in 2012- every 3rd of March which focuses on celebrating Wangari Maathai’s commitment to environmental responsibility, peace and justice.

  • Somalia’s Threat to Withdraw from IGAD

    By: Evelyne Syombua (issyombua@gmail.com)

    Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. Thumbnail photo courtesy of africanews.

    On Wednesday the 27th of January, Somalia threatened to withdraw from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development after the group sided with Kenya in a diplomatic row between the two countries. On Monday the 25th of January, Somalia ordered all its diplomats in Kenya to leave within seven days while also giving Kenyan diplomats to quit within the same period. This comes after the diplomatic relations between Kenyan and Somalia being severed for the recent weeks with Somalia blaming Kenya for meddling in its internal political affairs.

    Last month IGAD created a fact-finding mission seeking an intervention which was aimed at settling the tension between the two countries. Somalia wrote to the members of IGAD on the 15th of December 2020, demanding an independent mission to verify its claims that Kenta was training forces to fight the Somalia National Army forces stationed in Gedo their common border. This came after it cut its ties with Kenya.

    The team which was led by Yacin Elmi Bouh, the Djiboutian Ambassador to Kenya and his colleague to Somalia Aden Hassan Aden and also included an IGAD observer said they had found no evidence supporting violations by Kenya.

    The Somalia Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Mohamed Abdirazak on Wednesday said the country will reject the report since those who took part in it were “biased, partisan, unfair, compromised and predetermined to exonerate Kenya”.

    IGAD SUMMIT’: UHURU IN DJIBOUTI OVER SOMALIA. Photo Courtesy of wardheernews.com

    The Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the findings of the team were proof that Somalia’s claims were a political ploy meant to distract the region from security issues. “The report of the fact-finding mission affirms the fact that the allegations by Somalia against Kenya are wholly unfounded”, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry further said, “The impartial report definitively settles the matter, Kenya will not be drawn into the reckless campaign whose sole intent remains the creation of artificial fissures for parochial and domestic ends at the expense of regional peace and security and regional integration”.

    The report criticised Somalia for severing ties with Kenya, arguing the historical problems faced by the two countries could only be solved through deeper diplomatic engagements. “Somalia strongly holds to all its initial accusations against Kenya and will pursue all means to protect her sovereignty”, Abdirazak said in a statement, threatening that his country will withdraw from Igad.

  • Kapedo’s Never Ending War

    By: Winfred Wacera Kamau (winfredwacerakamau@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of The Star

    Insecurity in Kapedo has once again become a subject of national security. The recent killings of General Service Unit Operation commander Emadau Tebakol and that of Chief Inspector of police in charge of Rapid Redeployment Unit (RDU) has led the government to deploy security personnel in the region to flush out armed bandit in the border area of Baringo and Turkana counties.

    More than 10 people have died in one week including police officers. These counterattacks have sparked tension among residents as hundreds of families have been forced to flee their homes fearing for their lives. The displaced families have been begging for humanitarian assistance from the government and well-wishers.

     Following the recent bandit war in Kapedo, four schools have closed, businesses have been shut down, residents are running out of food and essentials like medicine due to restrictions which have been imposed to affect the security operations in the area and the road to Marigat through Ameyan is inaccessible.

    Teachers Union have issued an ultimatum to the government to restore normalcy in the area within seven days or else they will withdraw their teachers from Kapedo

    Cabinet Secretary for interior security, Dr Fred Matiang’i, blamed leaders for funding the bandits. “We are in hot pursuit of certain people including leaders and I want to assure the country on this particular score we are going to act very decisively and we will make sure that those who are involved in that are facilitated to meet with the law.”  said CS Matiang’i “We will remain in that part of the country and we will remain in that operation until we have collected every one of those people who murdered our police officers.”

    The Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, George Natembeya, speaking to Citizen Tv on Monday said, “The government is prepared to end lawlessness in Kapedo.” Kapendo is currently under partial lockdown as the government is restricting the movement of people. The Rift Valley Regional Commissioner stated that “Kapedo is an active compact zone with ammunitions flying all over the place so you go there at your own risk. So those who are daredevils and want to go there they are welcome.”

    Disclaimer: Kapedo is a trading centre located in Turkana East sub-county of Turkana county. It is headed by a chief assisted by a village administrator recruited by the county government of Turkana.  It is approximately 4 hours from Nakuru town. Though with insufficient modern infrastructures for a town, Kapedo has a lot to offer from its hills which are a sight to behold, to its hot springs which are a few meters from the shopping centre is a good place for relaxation. Kapedo also has natural resources, several geological tests have been conducted where the mineral deposit has been discovered as well as Geothermal power.

    If all these resources can be utilized well Kapedo can be the heart of Turkana County.

  • Billions of Kenyan Shillings lost to Graft Daily

    By: Joy Ng’ethe (Shiku3joy@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of kenyans.co.ke

    Kenyans have expressed their outrage over remarks made by the president on 18th January during an interview when he confessed that Kenya loses up to 2 billion shillings daily to graft. The president made these remarks when he was being interviewed on various Kikuyu radio stations.

    The angered citizens took their frustrations to social media expressing their distaste in the state of affairs as revealed by the man who had promised to fight corruption in his manifesto.
    Some users are quoted as saying, “I like how in Kenya we talk about 2 Billion shillings like its 20 bob”. Another user commented, “No, Mr President. I cannot allow people to eat Kshs. 2 billion each day while paying MORE THAN 50% of my income in taxes. If that amount of theft (over Kshs. 700 billion a year) was extinguished, Kenya could soon have a budget surplus!”

    The president went ahead to emphasize the importance of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) as well as defending the high cost of the referendum. He mentioned that the money needed for the referendum would probably be less compared to the amount of money lost to graft daily.

    Considering that the Kenyan debt is set to account for 69.8% of the country’s GDP by 2023, the rage expressed by the citizens is highly justified. The Kenyan debt to foreign countries currently stands at almost seven trillion with the expected addition of one trillion Kenyan shillings to the debt for the financial year 21/22. Given that 2 billion is lost to graft daily, it would take Kenya about one and a half years to repay her debts from this amount lost on a daily.

    Disclaimer: This calculation does not take into account the country’s earnings rather is using the amount mentioned by the president lost to his corrupt government. The president ended his remarks by saying that he is set on fulfilling his remaining goals for the next year he is in power.

  • Supermodel Naomi Campbell, Appointed As Magical Kenya’s International Tourism Ambassador

    By: Daniel Nyaga (danielnyaga.dn@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of The Star by Oliver Valenta

    In a bid to help Kenya regain its spot top tourism destination, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife announced Naomi Campbell as Magical Kenya’s International Tourism Ambassador on Tuesday.
    .

    Tourism CS Najib Balala explained the appointment saying, “We welcome the exciting news that Naomi Campbell will advocate for tourism and travel internationally for the magical Kenya brand”.

    Her appointment caused a frenzy online as on Twitter (K.O.T) went on to criticise the decision to appoint her instead of appointing a Kenyan. However, Mr Balala was quick to respond to the criticism posting on Twitter stating, “Naomi Campbell will be Magical Kenya’s International Tourism Ambassador. That doesn’t take away from our domestic market, it only strengthens it.”

    Tourism CS Najib Balala and Naomi Campbell Taking a selfie after sealing the deal
    Photo courtesy of BBC News


    The Tourism CS believes this appointment will help Kenya gain more tourists as the International supermodel possesses a large following on her social media platforms with over 13 million followers.

    The tourism industry has greatly suffered due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Tourism Research Institute released data showing the number of tourists who visited Kenya fell by 72% between January and October 2020. As a result, there was a loss of revenue totalling Ksh 110 billion ($1.1 billion) during the said period. The tourism industry in Kenya contributes to 8.8 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product annually.

  • Speaker Mutura Sworn in as Nairobi’s Acting Governor

    By Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com) 

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Capital FM

    Nairobi County Assembly Speaker, Benson Mutura, has been sworn-in as the county’s acting Governor by Judge Jairus Ngaah at City Hall, Nairobi.

    Mutura said that his first order of business would be to bring back on track the delivery of crucial services that have been stalled due to lack of funds. This was occasioned by the failure of former governor Sonko to assent to the finance Bill.

    “When Nairobians went to the polls in 2017, what they expected is service delivery. We therefore have no choice but to deliver. Today would have never occurred had we focused on service delivery,” said Mutura.

    Owing to this, Mutura signed the Governor’s warrant that gives the Treasury the green light to release money to the county. The governor’s warrant is a document that authorizes withdrawal of funds from the County Revenue Funds (CRF).

    Mike Sonko had refused to sign the warrant, thereby paralyzing operations in the county since October.

    By Mutura signing the warrant, this means that once the money has been released from the CRF, county and assembly staff will be paid their salaries. 

    Mutura will be assuming the role of governor in an acting capacity for 60 days, following Sonko’s impeachment on Thursday.

    He was to be sworn in last week but the event was postponed after the presiding judge failed to show up on time.

    Given that Nairobi County currently has no deputy governor, the speaker will serve for the next two months, as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) sets a date for a by-election.

    Residents of Nairobi will then go back to the polls to elect a new governor who will serve the remainder of the term that ends in 2022. 

    Nairobi Deputy Governor Polycarp Iagthe resigned in January 2018, citing Sonko’s lack of confidence in him.

    Mutura said he will work with all Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), despite the recent impeachment having left the members divided.

    “My assumption to the office of the Governor is temporary and is meant to guide transition to the next government. I want to assure you that in the 60 days, I will be at the helm of this County, I will provide the required leadership to ensure smooth transition,” he said.

    Mutura signs the Governor’s warrant immediately after his inauguration. Photo courtesy of Capital FM

    Sonko was impeached by the county assembly over charge of abuse of office, a gross violation of the law, committing a crime under the national and international laws and lacking the capability to run the county.

    Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka gazetted Sonko’s impeachment in less than an hour of his removal.

    “On Thursday, December 17, 2020, the Senate resolved to remove Hon. Mike Mbuvi Sonko, the Governor of Nairobi City County, from office by impeachment,” read a gazette notice signed by the speaker.

    According to the Constitution of Kenya, Article 182, Clause (4) says if a vacancy occurs in the office of county governor, and that of the deputy, or if the deputy is unable to act, the speaker of the county assembly shall act as county governor.

    “If a vacancy occurs in the circumstances contemplated by Clause (4), an election to the office of county governor shall be held within sixty days after the speaker assumes the office of the governor.”

    “A person who assumes the office of county governor under this Article shall, unless otherwise removed from office under this Constitution, hold office until the newly elected county governor assumes office following the next election under Article 180 (1).”

    Director- General of the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS), major-General Mohamed Badi and a few elected Nairobi leaders were present during Mutura’s inauguration.

  • Miguna announces gubernatorial candidature for Nairobi by-election

    By: Muhanguzi Tola (tolakofa1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of Twitter

    Political activist cum lawyer Miguna Miguna on Saturday, December 19 expressed his interest in the Nairobi gubernatorial seat following the impeachment of Governor Mike Sonko.

    The exiled author who had vied for the same seat in 2017 on an independent ticket stated via twitter that the decision comes after receiving legal advice from constitutional lawyer Waikwa Wanyoike.

    “Having received competent legal advice…I Miguna Miguna, a Kenyan citizen by birth and registered voter in Nairobi, hereby declare my candidature for the position of Governor of Nairobi in the upcoming by-election,” he declared.

    The fiery lawyer had on Friday taken to his twitter account to criticize the ousted governor, claiming that the latter had been imposed on Nairobians by President Uhuru Kenyatta, as he quoted his statements from the 2017 gubernatorial debate.

    “My friend Sonko is looting every land in Nairobi. He has a criminal record from Mombasa where he was jailed because of fraud, forgery and drug dealing,” claimed Miguna during the debate held at Daystar University.

    Sonko’s Impeachment

    Former Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko. Photo courtesy of the-star.co.ke

    The seat fell vacant after the ouster of former Governor Mike Sonko by the senate on December 17, on accounts of gross violation of the constitution or any other law, abuse of office, gross misconduct and crimes under national law.

    Nairobi county assembly speaker, Benson Mutura, takes over as interim governor given the absence of a deputy governor since the resignation of Polycarp Igathe in January, 2018. According to Article 182(4) of the constitution, the speaker of the county assembly shall act as county governor with an election to the office of county governor being held within sixty days after the speaker assumes the office of county governor. 

    The speaker’s swearing-in ceremony that had been scheduled for Friday 18 had to be postponed following the late arrival of the judge assigned to preside over the ceremony.

    Reactions Following Announcement

    Kenyans have taken to twitter to react to offer their thoughts, with most of their sentiments directed towards the self-proclaimed general of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). Notable was blogger Robert Alai’s remarks which warned Nairobians against voting for the ‘general’.

    “Replacing Sonko with Miguna is like replacing Wahome of Helicopter with Kanyari. Mad men! Zero work!” stated Alai.

  • Kenya orders 24M doses of COVID-19 Vaccine


    By: Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of reuters


    Kenya has joined other countries in securing Covid-19 vaccines and has ordered 24 million doses from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This is enough to cover 20% of the country’s population.
    Acting director-general of health, Dr Patrick Amoth said that each dose will be about $3 (Sh320) and cost the country a total of Sh10 billion.

    The amount is already heavily discounted by Gavi through donations from several developed countries, the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. “The first to be vaccinated will be frontline workers, then the vulnerable and the elderly,” said Amoth. He, however, did not specify a timeframe but vaccines are expected early next year.


    Amoth said that Gavi has signed agreements with manufacturers of about nine vaccine candidates. Kenya therefore did not dictate which vaccine to receive, but the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will be ideal for the country because it fits within its cold chain supply system.

    Acting Health DG Dr Patrick Amoth during a past COVID-19 press briefing. Photo courtesy of Citizen TV.


    Kenya also launched clinical trials for the AstraZeneca vaccine in Kilifi in October. An emergency use approval is yet to be granted by the Health Ministry.
    “Once they get approval from the European Medicines Agency and in the UK, then we will also consider granting such authorization in Kenya,” said Amoth.


    The announcement means Kenya has applied for the largest number of doses in East Africa.
    Last week on Thursday, Uganda’s Health Ministry, said it ordered 9 million doses to cover 20% of the country’s population.
    “Plans are underway to secure additional doses of the vaccine to cover more people,” said the Ugandan Ministry in a statement.


    Rwanda’s Minister of Health Daniel Ngamije on Sunday also announced they had applied for either the AstraZeneca or the Moderna vaccine. He, however, did not say how many doses they had applied for but hoped they would be the among the first African countries to receive them.

    VA medical syringe and a vial in front of the AstraZeneca Vaccine. Photo courtesy of Times

    Egypt applied for 20 million doses from Gavi and expected to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
    Gavi is supplying Covid-19 vaccines to 92 developing countries including Kenya through a facility called Covax. Covax was created by Gavi, UNICEF and the WHO to deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of 2021. The facility says it has already secured millions of ready-made doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca candidate, ready for distribution to the 92 developing countries.


    Experts say although there won’t be enough vaccines for every Kenyan, getting the shots to the right people could help tame the pandemic.

  • President Kenyatta Orders all schools reopen in January 2021

    By Sumaya Hussein (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    Thumbnail photo courtesy of PSCU


    President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that all schools reopen in January 2021 as the country continues battling the COVID-19 pandemic.


    The Head of State instructed that the Interior Ministry, through all Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs to ensure that all students report to school at the beginning of next year.
    “We remain on course for the resumption of learning in all classes effective the 4th of January 2021, with the safety of our learners being our top priority,” said President Kenyatta during Jamhuri Day celebrations at Nyayo Stadium.
    “In that regard, and in line with the policy of the Government on universal and compulsory basic education for all children up to 18 years, all parents and guardians are required to facilitate their children to resume learning in January 2021,” added President Kenyatta.

    President Uhuru Kenyatta inspects a guard of honour mounted by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) upon arrival at the Nyayo Stadium for Jamhuri Day celebrations. Photo courtesy of PSCU

    The Ministry of Education in consultation with the Health Ministry has developed sector-specific protocols and guidelines to facilitate the reopening of all learning institution.


    The President added that the Ministry of Education shall receive reports from all primary and secondary schools on the identity and details of any student who shall not report to school.
    He also directed that the Education Ministry facilitate the resumption of learning for all learners who had dropped out of school due to pregnancy.
    “That the Ministry of Education shall re-issue and publicize the Education Policy on School Re-Entry, so as to facilitate the re-admission of all those who may not be able to report back due to pregnancies,” said the President. Even with the pandemic, the Head of State assured that no learner will be left behind.


    All schools in Kenya will reopen next month after nine months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. The government had already begun phased reopening of Grade 4, Class 8 and Form 4 students returning to school on October 12, 2020.


    Last week, the National Council Churches of Kenya (NCCK) called on the government to review the planned re-opening of all schools citing the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.
    NCCK General Secretary Canon Chris Kinyanjui cautioned the situation risks the lives of teachers, students and parents.
    “We propose that the decision that all learners will resume in-school learning on January 5, 2021, be reviewed and proper measures be put in place to avoid a surge in new infections,” Kinyanjui said last week.