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Kisumu County Assembly speaker Onyango Oloo’s impeachment has been upheld.

Kisumu court on Tuesday morning ruled that Mr Oloo was impeached legally.

He was ordered to surrender all county property including official motor vehicles.

The MCAs impeached Oloo citing an active corruption investigation at the Lake Basin Development Authority against him

Oloo in September moved to court to challenge his removal from the county assembly.

In an application filed under a Certificate of Urgency, Mr Oloo had sought six orders including stopping the county assembly from implementing a resolution to impeach him.

Oloo wanted the Labour and Employment Court to issue orders reinstating him as speaker pending the hearing and determination of his application.

The county assembly, on the other hand, had also filed a petition seeking to compel Oloo to return county assets in his possession, including a vehicle.

In his suit, Oloo claimed that his impeachment was marked by a series of breaches to the law and he wants the court to overturn the assembly’s decision.

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Nairobi county governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko has maintained that his arrest was Politically Schemed and designed to Humiliate and Embarrass him.

Taking to his social media accounts on Sunday evening, Sonko condemned the manner in which he was arrested, faulting DPP Noordin Haji for failing to summon him instead.

He has condemned his arrest, accusing the government of using excessive force on him.

Sonko says that a total of 25 police cars, a police chopper and 200 police officer were deployed to arrest him.

He however called for calmness from his supporters as he gets processed to appear in court tomorrow (Monday) to face corruption charges.

Sonko was arrested on Friday in Voi after DPP Haji issued a warrant of arrest against him.

Here is Sonko’s full statement.

“MY PERSONAL STATEMENT

“In the last three months, I have been summoned by the EACC four record times, where I have faithfully honoured all the summons.

“Question is, WHAT was so difficult for Mr. Noordin Haji or even Mr. Twalib Mbarak to follow the same process of summoning me to present myself at the Eacc offices for processing and charging?

“Iam convinced that my arrest was politically schemed and designed to humiliate and embarrass me. There was no point for the deployment of a police helicopter, more than 25 police cars, and 200 police officers to locate and arrest me, while we all know that, on the same material day, there was terror attack in Wajir County where the chopper with this kind of reinforcement, deployment and operation was needed.

“Lastly and most importantly, I wish to call upon ALL my loyal supporters and well-wishers to remain calm and stay at home or go to their usual places of work from tomorrow (Monday), as I get processed to appear before a court of law.

“I am a law abiding citizen, and therefore ask my supporters to stay away from the courts or any other activities that may threaten the peace.

“I urge all my supporters to allow the law enforcement agencies to do their work, and let the law take its course. The peace and stability of Nairobi is more important than anything else.

“Kwahivyo tafadhalini nawaomba muwache nipambane na hali yangu ninapofikishwa mahakamani kesho asubuhi kujibu mashtaka yanayonikabidhi. Kitu ninahitaji kwenu nyote wapendwa kwasasa ni maombi hata mahaters wangu wote muniombee ninapopambana na hali yangu.

“Ahsanteni sana, na Mungu awabariki Nyote.

“I am a law abiding citizen, and therefore ask my supporters to stay away from the courts or any other activities that may threaten the peace.

“I urge all my supporters to allow the law enforcement agencies to do their work, and let the law take its course. The peace and stability of Nairobi is more important than anything else.

“Kwahivyo tafadhalini nawaomba muwache nipambane na hali yangu ninapofikishwa mahakamani kesho asubuhi kujibu mashtaka yanayonikabidhi. Kitu ninahitaji kwenu nyote wapendwa kwasasa ni maombi hata mahaters wangu wote muniombee ninapopambana na hali yangu.

“Ahsanteni sana, na Mungu awabariki Nyote.

______________________________
H.E. Mike Mbuvi Sonko, EGH
Governor, Nairobi City County

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Machakos County governor Dr Alfred Mutua is urgently employing workers in his county.

The county chief through his official Twitter account on Sunday morning called for willing Kenyans to apply for building and construction works in Machakos.

He says the county is experiencing a severe shortage of qualified Masons, Electricians, Tilers, Plumbers etc.

Mutua notes that there is a massive economic growth and construction work going on in Machakos County that has led to the shortage of qualified personel in the ongoing works.

“WORKERS NEEDED URGENTLY: Due to the massive economic growth & construction work going on in Machakos county, we have a severe shortage of QUALIFIED Masons, Electricians, Tilers, Plumbers etc. I am calling for QUALIFIED KENYAN builders to come & look for work in Machakos county,” he tweeted.

Mutua did not however give the procedure to be followed in application, but encouraged all qualified Kenyans to apply.

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Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has been thrown into a deep mourning state.

The party on Sunday morning announced the passing on of mama Dorcas Akumu Ajwang, the mother to the late Sen. Otieno Kajwang’, Sen. Moses Otieno Kajwang’, Hon TJ Kajwang’, Hon Peter Kajwang’ (MCA Kaptembwa Ward Nakuru), among many others, who are all ODM members.

“Our sincere condolences to the family of Mwalimu David Ajwang Nyakwamba on the passing on of mama Dorcas Akumu Ajwang’, mother to the late Sen. Otieno Kajwang’, Sen. Moses Otieno Kajwang’, Hon TJ Kajwang’, Hon Peter Kajwang’ (MCA Kaptembwa Ward Nakuru), among many others. RIP,” tweeted ODM.

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Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi has opened up on how he was duped by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy Dr William Ruto ahead of 2013 general elections.

In his book, Soaring above the Storms of Passion, Mudavadi recalls in his autobiography how Uhuru and Ruto drove to his compound one morning after he had launched his campaigns on a UDF ticket.

“Our domestic detail announced that Uhuru and Ruto were outside. They wanted to see me. I ushered them in at once,” the former Deputy Prime Minister writes in his book.

He says that without prompting, Uhuru and Ruto told him they wished to pull out of the poll because of the crimes against humanity charges they were facing at the International Criminal Court.

As such, they wanted Musalia to be their joint presidential candidate against ODM leader Raila Odinga, then Prime Minister.

“In short they were asking me to join them in the election effort. They were concerned that the ICC saga could come in their way,” he recalls.

Surprised by the turn of events, he asked Uhuru and Ruto to allow him to invite a few of his close associates.

He invited the current UNCTAD Secretary General Mukhisa Kituyi, ex-Kakamega Senator Bonny Khalwale and lawyer Dan Ameyo “to come in as my witnesses”.

“A quick one-page memo of understanding was drawn. We agreed to dialogue further and flesh out a more detailed memorandum,” Mudavadi writes.

Uhuru asked for a few days to fill his people in on this new development.

“It was agreed to give him two or so days. Meanwhile, we would all get busy behind the scenes, laying out a formidable campaign plan,” he says. 

However, within no time, the top-secret meeting had spread far and wide, including in the mainstream media that Uhuru and Ruto had pulled out of the race.

Mudavadi recalls that after two days, they saw an angry Uhuru recant the deal on national TV.

Uhuru, Musalia writes, claimed he had been “misled by demons” and that he was still very much in the race.

“The demons were cautioned not to try and reap where they had not sown, or gather where they had not scattered. We understood we were the demons. I have wondered often times how we became demons when we never invited anybody into our space to ask them to step down for us,” he laments.

For the first time, Mudavadi says the Uhuru, Ruto support that never was almost ruined his campaign’s momentum.

He says several MPs asked him if it was better to throw his weight behind another formidable candidate like Raila.

“It was suggested that we were now on a lost cause,” he recalls.

In the book, Mudavadi also says he remains indebted to Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni who accepted to be his running mate.

Kioni comes from Uhuru’s Central backyard and Mudavadi reckons his decisions was a big political sacrifice considering Kenya’s ethnic contours.

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Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s daughter Winnie Odinga has revealed that she is about to make a movie about his father.

This is after Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader Musalia Mudavadi released a book about Raila.

Taking to her social media account on Thursday afternoon, Winnie noted that everyone is now writing a book about his father.

She added that even Raila has written a book about himself as well, adding that other people have written more books about Raila as well.

“Everyone is writing a book about Raila. Raila has written a book about Raila. Raila has written another book about Raila. Others have written more books about Raila. I’m about to make a movie about Raila,” Winnie tweeted.

According to Mudavadi, the mending of fences between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga through the March 9, 2018 Handshake was the result pressure from Western powers that had embarked on a visa cancellation drive against key members of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) and their families.

In a tell-it-all memoir titled Musalia Mudavadi: Soaring Above The Storms of Passion, the former deputy prime minister and one-time vice-president also discloses that there was no unanimity in the move by Nasa, which had controversially lost the August 2017 presidential election to Jubilee’s Uhuru, to pull out of the repeat poll ordered for by the Supreme Court. 

 The court had annulled the results of the contest citing “irregularities and illegalities”.

 Mudavadi, an unsuccessful 2013 presidential candidate, will launch the autobiography ahead of Christmas in what is seen as a preamble to his second bid for State House in 2022.

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Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has finally opened up on the criteria used to pick him as a Master of Ceremony at the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report launch at Bomas of Kenya.

Speaking during KTN News’ Pointblank show on Wednesday night, Junet attributed his MC selection to him being present when President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga shook hands in 2018, at the steps of Harambee House.

“This was a political function that was supposed to deliver a document to Kenyans and that political function came about because of the handshake.When people were shaking hands at the steps of Harambee House, I think I am the only politician you saw there so I had a roll to play to deliver the same document that was brought about through the handshake to the people of Kenya,” Junet said.

The role Junet played during the BBI launch did not go down well with some people, triggering a lot of controversy.

There are those who held the view that a neutral person should have been choose to be the MC.

When Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen rose to speak during the launch, he accused the Suna East legislator of running the program in a manner he described as partisan.

Junet’s presence during the historic handshake raised his profile as not just any other politician, but a key Raila confidante.

Watch Junet’s video on Pointblank show below:

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Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi in his new book has revealed that there was immense pressure from their supporters after 2007 polls for a parallel swearing in.

Mudavadi was Raila Odinga’s running mate by then.

“We were told that a judge of the High Court and a section of the military were willing and ready to come to Uhuru Park to swear in Raila Odinga as president. I never got to know the name of this judge or who in the military had been contacted,” Mudavadi reveals in Soaring Above the Storms of Passion.

Mudavadi further divulges that he was among those opposed to the swearing in because Kenya would have erupted in civil war.

“I brought in some prominent lawyers to persuade the radicals in ODM that this would be the wrong way to go. We were perched on a precipice. We were now on the verge of sinking the country into a civil bloodbath,” Mudavadi reveals.

Amidst demonstrations and violence across the country, then President Mwai Kibaki had been sworn in for a second term  by Chief Justice Evans Gicheru at State House Nairobi  in a hurriedly prepared ceremony at night.

This escalated the post-poll violence that eventually culminated in deaths of more than 1,300 people while hundreds of thousands others were internally displaced. 

The 417-page autobiography also lays bare tussles that characterised the transmission of election results at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre.

Mudavadi further discloses that he and Raila were shocked at the turn of events at KICC as suspicious results began trickling in especially from the Mt Kenya region.

“Our candidate and I watched everything from Pentagon House. William Ruto, Andrew Ligale, Henry Kosgey and Caroli Omondi were our main people at the KICC. We watched them engage Kivuitu as things degenerated very steadily,” the ANC supremo recounts.

As Mudavadi and Raila arrived at KICC, they encountered heavy police presence as then ruling Party of National Unity (PNU) representatives piled pressure on Electoral Commission of Kenya chairperson Samuel Kivuitu to announce the results.

“On the third day, we went up to the ECK offices at the KICC and found the commissioners ready to make the announcement in favour of Mwai Kibaki. There was high tension. Martha Karua of PNU was almost belligerently urging them to announce,” Mudavadi says.

As ODM, Mudavadi points out that the turn of events was not surprising considering the intrigues that had surrounded the pre-election period.

“There had been signs all along, especially in the last few days to the election. There had been talk of security people who were masquerading as PNU agents in many parts of the country,” Mudavadi writes.

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Kimilili Constituency Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has said that the cap he lost in Kibra during by-elections was a counterfeit.

Speaking on Tuesday during Raidio Maisha’s Bunge la Maisha morning show, Barasa said that he was well aware that he would face trouble, and therefore decided to keep the original cap at home.

“This one is the original one, the other one was counterfeit. You don’t go into another man’s bedroom with your original belongings. You might leave your cap or coat in there. (Hii yenye nimevaa ndiyo original, ile ilikuwa counterfeit, huwezi enda bedroom ya mtu mwingine na vitu original. Unaweza wacha kofia ama koti mle ndani),” he added.

The first time Jubilee MP was roughed up in Kibra while safeguarding Jubilee candidate McDonald Mariga’s votes.

He was also accused of bribing voters alongside former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale who got pelted with stones over the claims.

Barasa’s cap got lost when he got roughed up with Dagoreti North MP Simba Arati being accused of unleashing the goons on him.

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Just a few days after the official launch of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report by president Uhuru Kenyatta at Bomas of Kenya, some MPs are already mulling an amendment to the Constitution to make Garissa Township MP Aden Duale Prime Minister.

With the excitement around the BBI, a lawmaker who sought anonymity has revealed that they plan to present the proposal next week.

Just like the BBI report recommends, the proponents of the idea say Duale is the leader of the party with the majority in Parliament and should without delay become the premier.

If endorsed, he will also chair cabinet sub-committees and not Interior CS Dr Fred Matiang’i.

The only brake to the plot is the fear of a backlash in the wake of no implementation framework.

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Controversial Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria has claimed that National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi was bribed by a tilapia meal by Suba MP John Mbadi to rule out a parliamentary route for Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

Kuria further announced that he was launching a bid to impeach the National Assembly Speaker.

Muturi, speaking at a church fundraiser in Migori County on Sunday, December 1, had insisted that it was up to Kenyans to read the BBI report and decide on how to go about it, and not the National Assembly’s role to decide for the public.

“If it was justice Maraga pronouncing himself in a public baraza on how he will rule on a matter before the court, there would be no devils in hell. They would all be in Kenya. Why Justin Muturi would allow himself to be bribed with a tilapia meal by John Mbadi in Migori to rule out a parliamentary route for BBI is a mystery to me. Today I will start collecting signatures to impeach him,” Kuria wrote.

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The Internet war between Embakasi East MP Babu Owino and Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen seems not to be ceasing anytime soon.

On Friday, Murkomen attacked Babu Owino on social media terming him as a woman following the heckle he faced at Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday during the official launch of Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report.

While commenting on the incident of him being heckled at Bomas by CAS Rachael Shebesh, Hon Rosa Buyu and Hon Alice Wahome, Murkomen said that they had broken the unwritten rule governing comrades by heckling at their classmate.

He said he won’t mind other women led by Homa Bay Women Rep Gladys Wanga, Babu Owino and Mishi Mboko.

“Hon.Shebesh,Hon.Roza Buyu&I are alumni of the first class of Political Leadership Development Program 2003-05 together with Hon.A.Wahome&Hon.Mariro. By heckling their classmate they broke the unwritten rule governing comrades.I don’t mine the other women led by Wanga,Babu&Mishi! ” Murkomen posted.

But in a swift response, Babu Owino has accused Murkomen of being a gay after he referred to him as woman.

He says BBI should set aside a national prayer day for gays like Murkomen who look at fellow men as women.

“BBI should set aside a national prayer day for gays like @kipmurkomen who look at fellow men as women.After the prayers he should be given free dildo/vibrator and a cork to block his anus incase of any emergency,” Babu Owino posted.

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Is Gatundu South Member of Parliament Moses Kuria warming up to taking Prime Minister post once Deputy President Dr William Ruto manages to become the head of state in 2022?

A viral photo of the two shared on Moses Kuria’s social media pages indicating that Kuria is to be the Prime Minister when Ruto becomes president has stirred heated reactions on social media.

The photo viral photo indicated that the two were perusing through a phone, with the item of discussion amusing Ruto who burst into laughter as Kuria stared stone-faced.

Kenyans while reacting wondered whether Kuria had joined the Ruto bandwagon.

DP William Ruto with Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria. The posted sparked an uproar on Saturday, November 30, 2019

Some Kenyans had to laugh off, citing that Kuria has fallen a victim of “If you can’t beat them join them”, thus becoming the latest tanga tanga recruit.

Some started speculating about 2022’s government structure, arguing that Mr Kuria might become Prime Minister, Ruto president as Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i becomes Deputy President.

The photo was taken at a wedding event that DP Ruto had attended on Friday evening.

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Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria clashed with the Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni wa Muchomba after he dismissed those calling for adoption of BBI report through a referendum.

It all started when Mr Kuria told a gathering at a function in Kirinyaga on Friday that there was no logic in the country spending billions to take the document back to the public when they had already given their views on the same.

“It was just the other day we spent Sh500 million collecting views on the same initiative. Why would we again want to spend more on a referendum when we can easily get everything done through Parliament where we are the people’s representatives?” posed Kuria.

But Ms Wamuchomba dismissed the parliamentary route claiming that MPs could not be trusted to undertake the process as they can be compromised.

“We cannot allow this process to be left to these political thugs and it should be left to the people who are supreme on matters Constitution,” she said.

The Woman Reps remarks attracted the fury of MPs Gichimu Githinji (Gichugu) and Wangui Ngirichi (Kirinyaga Woman Rep), who were attending a harambee in aid of Gathuthini Hope Foundation organised by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was in attendance.

“By simply expressing our democratic rights to state how we feel the BBI should move, and supporting that it comes through Parliament, does not make us political thugs,” Ms Ngirichi said.

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Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) senator has rejected the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report that was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta at Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday.

The Narok senator Ledama Ole Kina says a status quo should be maintained as per now.

He says if the report is implemented the way it is, it will divide kenya further.

The vocal ODM legislator adds that they is no way he is going to support a report that creates an imperial presidency.

“We maintain the Status quo for now! If we implement the report the way it is, we will devide kenya further … there is no way I will support a report that creates an imperial presidency – no way! ” he tweeted on Wednesday night.

According to the report, the President will remain the Head of State and Government and the Commander-in-Chief. He or she shall be the central symbol of National Unity.

The President will chair the Cabinet, which comprises of the Deputy President, the Prime Minister, and Cabinet Ministers.

The Executive, under the authority of the President, shall have the power to determine the policy of the Government in general, while the Ministers under the leadership of the Prime Minister, shall be collectively responsible in the National Assembly for the execution of the affairs of the Government.

This structure executive makes it more accountable in Parliament and to the people.

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Cherengany Member of Parliament Joshua Kutuny has taken credits in most recommendations made in the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) report just hours after being handed to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The BBI’s task force led by Garissa senator Yussuf Haji handed over the report to the president and ODM party leader Raila Odinga at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday.

Present was Deputy President Dr William Ruto.

However, Kutuny says the report set to be made public today ( Wednesday) at Bomas of Kenya is similar to what he was pushing for in 2018.

He says the BBI task force borrowed on his proposal to come up with its report in regard to the creation of the post of Prime Minister and his deputies.

“On matters Building Bridges Initiative (BBi)- This was the proposal I was pushing in 2018 to amend the constitution of Kenya. I am glad BBI taskforce borrowed on my proposal to come up with it’s report in regard to the creation of the post of Prime Minister and his deputies,” he posted.

In the BBI report, the president remains Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief, while the PM will draw his powers from parliament and supervise execution of day-to-day government affairs.

The PM, under the proposals, will be the leader of the largest political party or coalition of parties, and will be appointed by the president and approved by the House.

“Within a set number of days following the summoning of parliament after an election, the President shall appoint as prime minister an elected member of the National Assembly from a political party having a majority of members in the National Assembly or, if no political party has a majority, one who appears to have the support of a majority of MPs,” the 14-member BBI team has recommended.

The report says that prime minister shall have supervision and execution of the day-to-day functions and affairs of the government.

He/She shall also be the Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly.

On the president’s tasking, the prime minister will chair Cabinet sub-committees. In the exercise of his authority, the prime minister shall perform or cause to be performed any matter or matters which the president directs to be done.

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