KBC Channel 1

Author: Beth Nyaga

  • Ruto: Kenya will work with UAE to make COP28 a success

    Ruto: Kenya will work with UAE to make COP28 a success

    Kenya will partner the United Arab Emirates to make the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference in December a win-win outcome for all, President William Ruto has said.

    The President said the pre-conference climate meetings in Paris and Nairobi must help fashion an agreement acceptable to all: Developed and developing countries, emitters, and non-emitters, at the Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai.

    “Climate change is an existential threat to all of us and there is no room for blame games and sideshows. We are looking forward to COP 28 as a turning point in climate action.”

    The President was speaking when he met Dr. Sultan Al-Jebr, the UAE Minister for Industry and Cooperatives who is also the designated President for COP28.

  • Buy from Kenyan farmers, Mudavadi urges refugees agencies

    Buy from Kenyan farmers, Mudavadi urges refugees agencies

    The government wants the UN and other agencies funding refugees in Kenya to prioritize local farmers when procuring food aid.

    Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said buying grains from Kenyan farmers will provide a ready market for maize, rice, wheat, and other foodstuffs and prevent post-harvest losses attributed to seasonal abundance.

    Speaking in Nairobi during a government-development partners dialogue forum on the Shirika Plan for the resettlement of refugees in Kenya, Mudavadi said by buying locally, aid agencies will also demonstrate appreciation for Kenyans’ sacrifice in hosting displaced communities.

    “It is sad when we see that farmers in Kenya are struggling to sell their maize or wheat, but we are steadily importing all grain to feed the refugee camps from elsewhere.”

    Kenya is the 13th largest refugee host nation in the world and fifth in Africa with 612, 413 registered refugees and asylum seekers mainly in Kakuma and Daadab camps. Somali, South Sudan, and the DRC to the source of refugees accounting for 56%, 30%, and 7% respectively.

    There are also 94,417 urban refugees in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Eldoret among towns. Speaking at the same forum, the UN Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said the UN and other development partners have mobilized over $200 million dollars to fund the Shirika Plan which was previously known as the Marshall Plan for Refugees.

    The money will be used to transform refugee camps into integrated settlements and to benefit the host communities by investing in projects in health, education and other sectors that target socio-economic empowerment and inclusion of both refugees and area residents.

    Immigration PS Julius Bitok under whose docket the Refugees Secretariat falls said the government hoped that the successful implementation of plan that hopes to give dignity to refugees and to tap into their social-economic potential will boost security and infrastructural growth of counties hosting refugees.

    “We believe integration is key to giving refugees a sense of belonging and making them shareholders in the quest for a stable and secure environment. We want them to play their role in upholding peace and in preventing insecurity in our country.”

    Garissa Governor Nathif Jama and his Turkana counterpart Jeremiah Lomurukai whose counties host Daadab and Kakuma camps respectively said the integration of refugees into the host communities will cement already existing social-economic ties between residents and refugees and ease pressure on shared infrastructure.

  • Children across the country to benefit from school feeding programme

    Children across the country to benefit from school feeding programme

    President William Ruto has said four million children across the country will benefit from the school feeding programme.

    He said the Government will increase the number of children benefitting from the programme from the current 1.6 million to four million.

    Speaking during the launch of the Nairobi County school feeding programme at Roysambu primary school grounds on Tuesday, the President said Ksh 5 billion will be used to implement the programme.

    “We must eliminate the shame of hunger in our country.  We will be deliberate and focused in ensuring successful implementation of the school feeding programme,” said President Ruto.

    He added: “The greatest indignity is for our children to go to school and fast because of lack of food.”

    President Ruto, at the same time, said the national government will construct 3,500 classrooms in Nairobi County at a cost of Ksh 3 billion.

    He expressed concern that many children were out of school in Nairobi due to a lack of enough infrastructural development in schools.

    President Ruto urged Nairobi MPs to meet and explore ways of improving school infrastructure in the county.

  • Students joining sand harvesting on the increase in Naivasha

    Students joining sand harvesting on the increase in Naivasha

    Residents of Longonot town in Naivasha have expressed their concern over the high number of students dropping out of school to join the lucrative sand harvesting business.

    This has been worsened by a rise in cases of substance abuse among students with peddlers using the transit town to sell their illegal ware.

    This comes as the residents launched a campaign against drug abuse and consumption of illicit brews in the town located along the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road.

    The move comes a couple of days after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua released a list of those involved in selling and producing illicit brews and drugs in the lakeside town.

    According to Stephen Karanja, the community stakeholders secretary, the number of students working as sand loaders and harvesters was on the rise.

    He said that many parents instead of supporting their children to join vocational colleges were opting to buy them spades to join the sand business.

    “We are deeply concerned by the high number of students working as sand harvesters and loaders in this town,” he said.

    Speaking during a peaceful demonstration in the town, he attributed the drug menace to motorists using the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road for selling drugs to the students.

    “Last week, police arrested five students who were found in possession of bhang and this problem is getting serious by the day,” he said.

    This was echoed by Pastor Peter Kariuki who said that they had launched a sensitization program on the effects of substance abuse.

    He noted that even students in primary school had been affected by the menace, adding that they were ready to kick out the peddlers from the area.

    “We don’t want any blame game and we have joined hands in dealing with this menace that is a threat to our children,” he said.

    A parent, Ruth Wambui, said that they had hired counselors to work with the students in schools as one of the ways of dealing with the problem.

    “We are grateful for the support given by police and we are asking members of the public to give us the names of the drug peddlers,” he said.

    Peter Kamau, a trader in the area, also said that tens of students in the town were under threat from illicit brews and drugs that were easily accessible in the town.

    “Parents have invested heavily in their children’s education and we shall not allow a group of few individuals to mess up their lives,” he warned.

     

  • Shakahola Tragedy: Postmortem of 94 bodies kicks off today

    Shakahola Tragedy: Postmortem of 94 bodies kicks off today

    The postmortem of 94 bodies of the victims of the Shakahola starvation cult kicks off Monday.

    This is the third phase of the exercise since the start of the exhumation of the bodies in the Shakahola Forest massacre.

    The postmortem is intended to ease congestion at the Malindi Sub-County Hospital Mortuary. 

    So far336 bodies have been exhumed from the expansive Chakama Ranch since the exercise began. 

    The government has since temporarily halted the exhumation process until the completion of the examination of the 94 bodies of the victims of a cult linked to controversial televangelist Paul Mackenzie who was remanded to await formal charges.

    The prosecution has indicated it intends to charge him with genocide and other related charges.

    The Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has disclosed that there still exist mass graves in the Chakama Ranch that are yet to be exhumed.

  • Union asks government to bail out Telkom

    Union asks government to bail out Telkom

    The Communications Workers Union (COWU) has asked the government to inject funds into Telkom Kenya to save the company from collapse. 

    COWU General Secretary Benson Okwaro said the Telco was struggling with debt and will soon shut down and render hundreds of workers jobless.

    The company, he said, was on the brink of collapse after American Towers Corporation (ATC) switched off half of its masts spread across the country over a Ksh 200 million pending bill, making it difficult for subscribers in the affected regions to call, browse the internet and send money.

    In 2013, Telkom sold 723 base stations to ATC on a sale and leaseback agreement to cut on operation costs.

    Addressing the media at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, Okwaro said the decision to sell the base stations was ill-informed and was to blame for the problems facing the company.

    “These masts belonged to Telkom. Now the company has to lease to use them and is unable to pay,” he said.

    If the situation persists, he said the company will be unable to pay salaries for the 600 workers and cater for operational costs.

    Over 6,000 pensioners of the defunct Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation, he added, were also set to miss their pension if the situation persists.

    Also at risk was the government’s intelligence communication system, which is domiciled at Telkom, hence the government should urgently look into the matter.

    The government’s acquisition of the company from Helion Investment Partners last year, he said, was shrouded in mystery making it difficult to tell who currently owns the company.

    “If we don’t come to the rescue of Telkom Kenya then it means the intelligence network of this country is going to go into private hands. I have not seen any country in the world that allows its intelligence network to be infiltrated with private players,” he said.

    To get the company back on its knees, Okwaro asked the government to bail it out with Ksh 6 billion and look for ways of making the company profitable.

    “Helios had a Ksh 6 billion investment which they took after the government bought their 60 percent stake. Therefore, a similar investment must be done to revive the company,” he said.

    Besides the investment, the government, he added, must pay Telkom a pending bill of Ksh 2 billion which has accumulated over the years to enable the company to offset operation costs.

    “They offer services, but the government is not paying. It is therefore not possible to expect the company to make profits,” he said.

    Okwaro who was flanked by the union’s Deputy Secretary General and first assistant secretary Shadrack Omamo, called for a thorough probe of the company’s acquisition from Helios and take action against board members found culpable of any malpractices.

    Telkom Kenya, he said, had assets worth billions of shillings that have been un-procedurally sold to private companies leaving the firm naked.

     

     

  • Lobby group threats to sue Gov’t over healthcare budget

    Lobby group threats to sue Gov’t over healthcare budget

    The Operation Linda Ugatuzi lobby group will take the government to court for failure to release the bulk of the health care budget to the counties, group leader, Professor Fred Ogola has said.

    Prof. Ogola said it was ironical to have 65% of the health care budget retained at the national level while the health functions have been devolved.

    Addressing the media in Siaya town, Prof. Ogola challenged President William Ruto to be sincere with Kenyans whether his administration was just offering lip service as far as devolution was concerned, and ensure that resources follow devolved functions.

    “The national government has put 35% of the health budget to the counties yet health care is 100% devolved. How can the national government retain 65% of the budget?” he posed.

    He said that the lobby group wants 80% of the health care budget pushed to the counties to enable ordinary citizens access quality care.

    Prof Ogola said that should the government not heed to their call and the parliament passes the finance bill in its current form, Operation Linda Ugatuzi will move to court to challenge the bill.

    He said that the lobby group has identified 50 illegalities in the finance bill that are violating the constitution.

    “50 sections of the constitution have been violated by the finance bill, among them a section that calls for prudent allocation of resources,” said the professor who cited the allocation of sh. 350 billion shillings t projects that he alleged had been undertaken by the previous government.

    He said that among such projects was the digitization of identity cards and huduma cards that, he added, had already been undertaken.

     

  • Ruto warns Sarrai group against grabbing Mumias Sugar land

    Ruto warns Sarrai group against grabbing Mumias Sugar land

    President William Ruto has warned private entities against grabbing Mumias Sugar Company land saying it belongs to the people of Kakamega.

    The High Court last month found Sarrai Group of Uganda and its directors in contempt of court for continuing operations at Mumias Sugar after their controversial lease was canceled last year.

    Speaking during Sunday service at Christ Church Cathedral, Kakamega County, on June 18, the President said the land cannot be taken by individuals whose aim is to make money from it.

    Ruto further said the 15000-acre piece of land must be used to benefit the people of Mumias and promised to revive the sugar miller.

    “I came here in December and said I’ll sort out Mumias Sugar woes. It was not a joke; it is in our manifesto. We will deal with the Mumias Sugar issue once and for all,” the President said.

    The Head of State also stated that the government spent up to Ksh5 billion to revive the sugar miller in the past, but nothing came out of it.

    “The government spent up to Ksh5 billion in the past to revive this factory but nothing happened This time around, we must get it right.

    “I have instructed the ministry concerned and I’ve taken a proposal to the Cabinet to sort out the mess at Mumias Sugar,” Ruto said.

    The President said the Cabinet will discuss the revival of Mumias Sugar with a view to securing land and making it profitable for both the county and Mumias sugarcane farmers.

    In December last year, the President threatened to evict Sarrai Group from Mumias saying they had not done anything to turn around the sugar miller.

    “The government will clear all outstanding debts of the miller and bring in a new investor under an agreement that he will be remitting Ksh100 million monthly to the County Government of Kakamega to improve on standards of education, health, and improve the road network,” he said.

    President Ruto said many investors were willing to work with his administration to take over the running of Mumias and improve the sugar sector in the country.

    He regretted that while hundreds of the local youth were starving for job opportunities, Mumias Sugar was in a position to address the same.

    The Uganda-based Sarrai Group had been awarded a 20-year lease to operate the troubled miller but it was later canceled.

    In his ruling on April 14, 2022, Justice Mabeya said if the lowest lease amount of Sh5.8 billion by Sarrai Group was accepted, the sugar miller would never bounce back to profit.

    He said the amount was not even sufficient to settle the debt owed, pay cane farmers, and resume the company’s operations.

    “The receiver manager cum administrator was seriously conflicted in awarding the lease to Sarrai Group.

    “The lease should have been awarded to a company with the financial muscle to bring the company back to life.

    “I do not understand why he disregarded the highest bidders,” Mabeya said in his ruling.

    Tumaz and Tumaz, a company associated with US-based business tycoon Julius Mwale, emerged as the top bidder with Ksh 27.6 billion for a 20-year lease in the Mumias Sugar bidding process which had attracted a total of eight bidders.

     

  • Three people to remain in custody over kidnapping saga in Likoni

    Three people to remain in custody over kidnapping saga in Likoni

    A Mombasa court has Friday granted police seven days to detain three people suspected to have played a key role in the disappearance of a 4-month-old in the Likoni area.

    Senior Principal Magistrate Vincent Adet allowed the application against the minor’s mother Jackline Bahati Kioko, her uncle, Stephen Mugambi, and his wife (aunt) Mercy Masika.

    Prosecution Counsel Yassir Mohamed told the court that the minor was allegedly kidnapped on the night of 4 June inside her mum’s bedroom in the couple’s house.

    He added that the investigators believe they colluded with other unknown persons to kidnap the minor and police needed time to interrogate them, trace the child’s birth certificate, immunization card, and other documents as well record statements from neighbors.

    Hon. Adet heard that police had to rescue the three from mob baying for their blood adding that if released, their lives are at risk, they could interfere with the investigations and derail the cause of justice.

    The application is supported by an affidavit sworn by a policewoman, who stated that the child’s mother, Jackline reported the incident at the station.

    The mother told the police that her 4 months old went missing while sleeping with her at home but investigators the mother, her uncle, and his wife colluded in the disappearance of the infant.

    The investigator added that the three live in the same household where the victim went missing and from preliminary investigation there is reason to believe they were involved in the abduction of the minor.

    The policewoman posits that the child was last seen having been placed to sleep in her mother’s bedroom and upon visiting the scene there was no established burglary.

    The investigators believe the suspects are in cahoots with another unknown person whose identities are yet to be established and requested more time to unmask the mystery.

    The matter is set for mention on 23 June 2023.

     

  • Rutto, Nzilani take oath of office as JSC members

    Rutto, Nzilani take oath of office as JSC members

    Isaac Kiprono Rutto and Caroline Nzilani King’oku-Ajuoga Friday took the Oath of Office members of the Judicial Service Commission before Chief Justice Martha Koome, at the Kisumu Law Courts.

    The National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) approved the nomination of the former Bomet Governor and Nzilani for appointment to the JSC.

    The two members were nominated by President William Ruto on May 3 to represent Kenyans before the 11-member commission led by the Chief Justice.

    Caroline Nzilani King’oku-Ajuoga
    Caroline Nzilani King’oku-Ajuoga takig the oath of office as a Judicial Service Commission member before Chief Justice Martha Koome, at the Kisumu Law Courts.

    Their nomination was then communicated to Parliament by Speaker Moses Wetangula ahead of their vetting exercise.

    “I wish to convey a message from H.E the President regarding the nomination of persons for appointment as members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC),” Wetangula told the House then.

    The two replace Felix Koskei and Prof Olive Mugenda whose five-year term is expiring in November 2023.