Opposition MPs against KDF bill

Opposition MPs Augaustine Oneto of Nthiwa and Peter Kaluma of Homabay Town have vowed to ensure the controversial KDF amendment bill 2015 is not passed in the parliament.

Neto and Kaluma speaking in Ikolomani, Kakamega county have claimed that if the KDF bill is passed in its current form then the KDF soldiers can be used to harass citizens.

“This country is walking the citizens in the path of dictatorship, people may not know but am warning the country very early”, Oneto claimed.

The bill if enacted to law will give express authority to the chief of the Defense Forces to deploy KDF in civilian operations.

The bill also shifts operational and command powers from the Inspector General of Police to the millitary.

Teacher threatens to down tools over pay rise

Teachers have threatened to down their tools next month if the employer, Teachers Service Commission(TSC) does not obey the court order and award the a 50-60% pay rise.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion and Chairman Mudzo Nzili have also said that they will pull out of the AON medical cover claiming it is being given to specific teachers and on selective terms.

“The simple fact about teachers is that, end of August, if there are no salaries; 50,60, they will not resume duty on September... the war has just began” Sossion said.

Speaking at the KNUT headqaurter in Nairobi on Sunday the two also warned TSC against using medical schemes to weaken KNUT.

“The employer has found this is the way to finish us(KNUT)... let the employer remain with there AON and teachers remain with the medical allowance...” Mudzo triumphed.

The union has also questioned the independence of TSC saying that the govt and the SRC has time and again compromised TSC.

Opposition leaders release memorandum presented to Obama

Cord leaders have just released to Kenyans the memorandum they presented to U.S president Barack Obama during his visit to the country.

The opposition leaders used this platform to dismiss claims that the U.S president Barack Obama criticized them for seeking his intervention on challenges facing the country.

This is the memorandum the Opposition leaders presented to Obama....

CORD STATEMENT ON MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

We made a promise to share the substance of our discussion with President Barack Obama and to disclose the contents of our memorandum to him. We are here to keep our word.

First, we take this opportunity to thank President Barack Obama for visiting our country and helping turn the spotlight on the opportunities we are yet to fully exploit, the challenges that we need to turn into opportunities and matters that we need to summon courage and confront head on.

We also appreciate the time the President spared to listen to our thoughts on what Kenya and the US can jointly do as long standing friends for mutual progress.

Our first words to President Obama during our meeting yesterday was that he had addressed literally everything we had lined up to appeal for US support to Kenya on. That made our work easy and helped us save on time.

It became extremely fitting that the President chose to meet the Opposition after his address to the Nation.

We would otherwise have been accused of influencing the President’s speech and conspiring against the country.

We however note with appreciation that President Obama raised vital points on democracy, including the role of the opposition, the citizens, civil society and the government. He made it clear, as we have always said, that democracy requires that dissenting voices and the search lights of the media and civil society need to be strengthened, not muzzled or put off.

The President boldly addressed the question of corruption saying it is tolerated because that's how it's always been done. We have warned about this before, and we intend to continue our crusade against corruption, which costs Kenya about 250,000 new jobs every year. It has contributed to Kenya sliding steadily down the annual list of Failed States listed by Fund for Peace to 17th from the bottom globally in 2013.

The President adequately addressed the politics of tribalism that is holding our country back, and warned against second names being used to deny people jobs or to award them the same. We have raised this countless times in our stand against exclusion in public affairs.

As we have done and will continue to do, the US President warned against the economics of exclusion and termed them fodder for extremist groups. We have sounded this alarm. This has been at the heart of our call for the strengthening of Devolution as a way of ensuring equitable development across our country. We shall continue with the crusade.

The significance of the President’s speech, which is reinforced in our discussions with him, is that we can solve our problems as a nation. All of the issues President Obama raised in his address in Kasarani are the very same ones we have been raising for the past one year and which we eventually turned in to a referendum Bill when our call for national dialogue fell on deaf Jubilee ears.

We discussed the strengthening and entrenchment of Devolution, protection of Civil Society and the media and electoral reforms to ensure that election results reflect the wishes of the voters and the electoral body, the IEBC, earns the respect and trust of the people of Kenya.

As Opposition, we remain energized and determined more than ever to push the agenda for an honest, corruption free government, inclusivity, gender parity and equitable sharing of the nation’s wealth. The rest of the issues are contained in the memo.

Many of the President’s words will, or should long live with us and inspire us to action in the interest of our country. The President said a time comes when ordinary people have to stand up and say… enough-is- enough. This is truly a call to action, the kind of call that this country needs at this very moment. Enough-is-enough.

This call is not far from what we have been asking for. You will recall that when Hon Raila appeared on NTV on July 12, his words to the IEBC and to the entire country on the need for electoral reforms were that … “we turned the other cheek in 2013. IEBC must not expect us to do it again in 2017.” The theme is the same as President Obama’s. A time is coming when people will say enough is enough. That moment is fast approaching. It may well be already with us.

Thank you.

LSK Mombasa branch seek to impeach CJ Mutunga

Members of the law society of Kenya, Mombasa branch on Monday started collecting signatures in support of a petition seeking to remove CJ Willy Mutunga from office.

The group are accusing the CJ for marginalizing the Mombasa station in posting of Judges and Magistrates.

The lawyers also say that they have not got any replacement of judges who have been transferred from Mombasa from the 1st of May.

Due to this many cases have been forced to be postponed with many people not receiving justice at the right time. 

According to the lawyers the petition which is due to be presented to the parliamentary committee also seek to dissolve the judiciary.

Five die in Kimana road accident

Five people have died on the spot in a grisly road accident along the Emali-Oloitoktok highway early Tuesday morning.

The tragic road accident occurred after the vehicle they were traveling in lost control hitting an electricity pole killing instantly all the five occupants.

One of the witnesses says that he found the vehicle after the accident but thought they were thugs escaping the scene.

“I found the vehicle but I never thought it was an accident, I escaped thinking it they were robbers...” the witness said.

Oloitoktok OCPD Hurbert Khaemba says that he could not immediately establish the cause of the accident since they were no other vehicles on the road.

Area residents either say that the driver of the vehicle might have been drunk with Khaemba indicating that by judging the extend of damage the driver seems to have been over speeding. 

Investigations to the cause of the accident are underway with the body of the deceased taken to Oloitoktok Mortuary. 

Obama Hit on Kenyan Goverment Opposition

Kenyans including the opposition and the govt turned out in large numbers at the Safaricom Kasarani indoor arena on Sunday to listen to the U.S president Barack Obama's speech. 

Obama in his speech insisted that corruption was the biggest stumbling block to development in the country.

The U.S president added that there will be a better relation between Kenya and the U.S and that his govt will help in the fight against terror in the country.

During his three day visit to Kenya U.S president Barrack Obama has called on the opposition to put aside their interest and work with the current govt.

Speaking when he met the opposition at the Kasarani indoor arena, Obama told them that the current govt was legally elected and they should team up for developments. 

He met the opposition leaders Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Moses Wetangula and Martha Karua in the arena after addressing Kenyans.

Learners Asked to Avoid Strikes

Education CS Jacob Kaimenyi has advised learners to avoid strikes and instead use alternatives to their grievances.

Kaimenyi says that strikes in learning institutions end up loosing property which affects development and the progress of the school.

Speaking on Monday at Jogoo House in Nairobi during the flagging off of the Kenyan scout which is headed to Japan for the scout conference, Kaimenyi asked students to use learning a tool to improve their lives. 

The CS has also called on students to focus on fundamental areas of specialization that will help them become productive, disciplined and innovative. 

Kaimenyi has also noted that many students have benefited dearly through co-curriculum activities in reference to scouting.

Over 11 participants drawn from 7 counties will take part in the conference which is set to start tommorow.  

Ngilu moves to court to block her case

Suspended lands CS Charity Ngilu together with six others, have moved to the high court seeking orders orders to stop EACC from investigating and prosecuting her over the Karen land saga.

Ngilu is facing eight counts including obstructing justice by hindering EACC officers from collecting evidence regarding fraudulent transactions in respect to 134.4 acres of land in Karen.

The suspended CS say that the law of prosecuting them is illegal since it was inserted without consaulting after the president called for the prosecution of those who were named in the 'List Of Shame'.

Ngilu has also added that the land she is in court over is a personal property and therefore EACC has to mandate to investigate the matter.

Either the DPP's offiece has recommended the charging of the chief land registrar, deputy chief land registrar, senior deputy director of survey and registrar of titles as well as the Telesource company directors for alleged land fraud.

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Kasoa applauds electricity connection cost reduction

Mbiuni Ward MCA in Machakos county Thomas Mweu Kasoa has applauded the move by the national govt to reduce the cost of electricity connection in the country.

During his visit to Machakos county two weeks ago president Uhuru Kenyatta announced the reduction of the electricity connection by half from the previous Sh35,000 to Sh15,000.

Kasoa said that the move is a great benefit to the common mwananchi as everyone from any class of life will be able to acquire the commodity.

Speaking to journalists in Machakos town on Wednesday, Kasoa added that this will help improve businesses in the county and better the commoners living standards.

“The common mwananchi will now be able to be connected with electricity, because previously electricity was just acquired by the rich due to the high connection cost, we applaud what the president did and now many will get electricity,” Kasoa said.

The MCA also called on Machakos county residents and Kenyans to take adavantage of the reduced cost and apply in large numbers to be connected with electricity.

Kasoa also called on political leaders across the country to unite and put away there political differences to advocate for development to benefit the common mwananchi.

AIC church war in Kangundo announced to be over

The A.I.C church conflict that has been witnessed in Kangundo, Machakos county for a long time is said to have been settled and the churches agreed to work together.

This was announced by the A.I.C Kenya Archibishop Silas Yego when he attended a church service at A.I.C Kakuyuni in Kangundo.

Yego visited the church to attend the grant opening of the church which was constructed in the year 1879.

Yego also noted that the people who had transferred from their churches in the area had come back following the reconciliation.

Yego did not also hesitate commenting on the gender rule where opposed the proposal by national assembly speaker Justin Muturi to scrap women representatives positions.

Yego says that instead of scrapping women representatives post they should even be added from 1/3 to 1/2.

“I want to urge Kenyans, don't allow to loose women in leadership, women are very important people and for the small work that they have been assigned, they have done it tirelessly...” Yego advised.

Yego also used the chance to oppose the same gender marriage rights in the country saying that it is against the God's will.

He noted that it is something practices in the West and so they want to engage Kenya in going against Go's will.

God is against homosexuality from long time ago, it something that makes God unhappy, you very well know what happened to Sodom and Gomora, we as the church are against this thing in our country”, yego said.

Govt to use Sh8b on Machakos hospital

The national government has announced that is will spend Sh8bn to improve health facilities in Machakos county.

Speaking while he led the upgrading of Machakos level 5 hospital to a refferal hospital, president Uhuru Kenyatta said that his government will take modern equipments to hospitals in Machakos county.

Speaking on Wednesday at Machakos level 5 hospital president Uhuru Kenyatta also urged the Machakos county government to continue expanding the hospital to create more space for the new equipments.

Uhuru has added that the cancer screening equipments which have already been disbursed to the hospital are expected to help very much in saving lives of patients in the county and the country too.

“Many have lost their lives because they could not simply get cancer screening, many have died because of lack of ICU in the hospital, we now have six ICU bed and the governor has said that he is working to increase them”, Uhuru said while addressing residents.

Either the president who was accompanied by his deputy William Ruto has showed his disappointment on some of the governors who have opposed the cancer machines which are donated to the counties by the national government.

Uhuru called on the governors to stop politicking with the lives of the people who voted them.
“If we are going to politic even which the healths of our people, I think there is something seriously wrong with us people as Kenyan”, Uhuru said.

Machakos county is the first county to benefit with the cancer machanes which will cost the national government over Sh38bn.

Deputy president William Ruto who was also present has assured governor who has been opposing the programme that all the cost will settled by the national government sidelining romors that governors will be forced to settle some of the machines expenses.

Ten men escape police arrest narrowly in Mwala

Ten men were forced to run for their lives after they were ambushed by police as they made a road leading to sand harvesting river in Mwala, Machakos county.

The 10 were ambushed by police last night at Kundu river in Mwala, Machakos county as they prepared the road leading to the river.

The police responded to a tip from area residents who have being against sand harvesting in the area for a long time.

Yatta OCPD Edward Changach confirmed the report where he warned those who are involving in the sand business that there days are numbered.

“I received a tip from the public that ten men were preparing the road which leads to the river with an intention of fetching sand, immediately I discharged my officers...”

Edward also confirmed that they were not able to arrest any of the 10 men as they disappeared on police arrival.

Edward also warned that the rules set by NEMA and the Machakos county govt on environment should be followed by everyone and that he will not allow anybody to violate the rules.