TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
Curtain fall for the controversial government pathologist
A government pathologist who once spurned the theory that the late foreign affairs minister Robert Ouko had committed suicide is dead. Dr Jason Kaviti was the chief government pathologist when Dr Ouko remains were ostensibly found somewhere near his rural home in Koru. In a bizarre autopsy conducted by Kaviti, he claimed that Ouko has committed suicide, But 15 year after his odd claim, he appeared before the Gor Sunguh-led Parliamentary Select Committee probe and disowned his suicide theory and said it had been manufactured.
Raila on the spot over “Kazi kwa Vijana” youth fund
Prime Minister Rail Odinga found himself on the spot after a World Bank audit returned a “bad cheque” and demanded its money back over what it termed as misappropriation of the funds. As result the World Bank cancelled Sh4.3 billion it had earmarked for the project. It is estimated that 190,000 youth were meant to benefit from the initiative which was going to receive extra funding from WB. The Office of Prime Minister former Director of Protocol Tony Gachoka, said it about time Raila was exposed for what he really is and this time round he must take political responsibility for action in his office.”
Bill Lay under siege
CMC Motors now incessant wrangles took a turn for the worse for the embattled MD Bill Lay after a camp led by deposed chairman Peter Muthoka called for an extraordinary general meeting whose sole agenda is to seek the removal of Lay and four other directors. Muthoka through Andy Forwarders, is the single largest shareholder of CMC. The meeting is slated to be held at Bomas of Kenya. Lay was hired by CMC Motors in June as the managing director after working for General Motors for 36 years. But no sooner was he appointed than, Lay accused Muthoka of conflict of interest through his company Andy Forwarders.
Finally CBK gets a deputy governor
The Central Bank of Kenya has finally appointed a new deputy governor for Central Bank of Kenya. Mr Haron Sirma is the new deputy governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. HE replaced Dr Hezron Nyangito who was appointed in 2008 but never served in the position because being taken ill. Sirma was seconded to CBK from Treasury and was until his latest appointed the deputy director in charge of debt management, Ministry of Finance. CBK has lately been in the news perhaps for the wrong reasons because the depreciation of the shilling against the dollar and seemingly failing to tame the escalation.
Hassan on the verge of becoming the first IEBC chairman
The only thing between Isaack Hassan and his becoming the first chairman of the constitutionally constituted Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission is the Parliament. President Kibaki and his co-principal Prime Minister nominated the chairman of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission chairman Hassan as the new chairman of IEBC. Hassan name was forwarded to the co-principals by the Selection Panel that conducted interviews for the position of the chairman and his eight commissioners. The names of the eight preferred commissioners were also forwarded to Parliament for vetting.
Sonko fate now lies with the Speaker
Makadara MP Mike Mbuvi Sonko who was expelled from his sponsoring party Narc-Kenya and whose expulsion has been upheld by the Registrar of Political Parties Lucy Ndung'u. This means that Ndung'u has deleted Sonko's name from the roll of Narc-Kenya members effectively rendering the flamboyant MOP party-less and on the verge of losing a seat he won barely a year ago on great hype. The Registrar's action was effected immediately after the High Court temporarily stopped Narc-Kenya from expelling Sonko. The MP now wants the High Court to determine his fate.
Wole Soyinka in town for the film festival
Africa first Nobel Prize in Literature, renowned for his expertise in African literature, film writer, poet and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka is set to grace this year's Kenya International Film Festivals that will take place between October 21-31st, 2011. Soyinka, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1986, has written 21 plays, 2 novels, 5 memoirs, 10 poetry collections, 6 essays and 3 movies. His visit to Kenya has been made possible by the Nigerian Film and Video Censorship Board. The literary giant will also be accompanied by several Nigerian film producers who submitted their films for viewing at the KIFF.
Football elections finally held
After several postponements, the much awaited football elections gets under way today, with seven aspirants vying for the chairmanship post in the elections who will include Mohamed Hatimy, Hussein Mohammed, Ambrose Rachier, Sam Nyamweya, Elizabeth Shako and Twaha Mbarak. The IEB chief executive officer Peter Ogonji was confident everything was ready ahead of today's football elections.
The Interim Independent Electoral Commission published their final voters list early this week, after the branches and sub branches rectified all the anomalies in the previous registers. “The process of elections has been long in coming and we are confident IIEC will conduct transparent elections to give Kenyan football a new dispensation,” said Ogonji.
A LONG TIME IN POLITICS
Nairobi Chief Magistrate Gilbert Mutembei declared former assistant minister Wilfred Machage and the MP for Mt Elgon, Fred Kapondi are liable for prosecution for engaging in hate speech over a year ago. If found guilty, the duo may spent a total of 15 years in jail or pay a fine totalling Sh15 million. Machage has been accused four accounts which could land him in jail, if found guilty as each charge carries three years or liable to pay Sh12 million. For Kapondi, he has been accused of one account which would attract Sh1 million fine or three years in jail.
Supreme Court inaugurated
The Supreme Court which was inaugurated mid-week sat for the very first time to deliberate on two urgent agendas as a matter of priority. The ceremony to inaugurated by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga. However Mutunga said “this inaugural session is not the official launch of the Supreme Court. Rather it is a ceremonial event being hosted to symbolise the commencement of the operations of the Supreme Court, which has two matters before it. It is however truly a historic event in our nation’s history. A complete and formal launch of the Court will be held once we complete the construction of that Court and where all the three arms of government will be invited.
GOING PLACES
Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore received a trophy from President Kibaki during the 2011 Taxpayers Awards ceremony in Nairobi. Safaricom won the highest taxpayer award and emerged the overall tax payer for the third consecutive year. Safaricom was voted as the most distinguished taxpayer, followed by Kenya Breweries Limited, and Teachers Services Commission. In 2009/2010, Safaricom paid the Kenyan taxman a total of Sh25 billion in various forms of taxes. The award was presented to Safaricom’s Bob Collymore President Mwai Kibaki at a colorful ceremony attended by top companies from the private and public sector.
IF ONLY
An angry Minister of Medical Services Prof Anyang' Nyong'o sent a furious letter to the co-principals President Kibaki and Prime Raila Odinga reporting Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka of overstepping his boundary and mandate, when he visited the embattled Moi Referral Hospital in Eldoret. But in a swift rebuttal to the accusations, the VP posited that “the Office of the Vice President is an extension of the presidency and hence the sensibility that informed the request of the Baringo and Uasin Gishu leadership to ask the VP to make a goodwill tour to the hospital.”
STAR NUMBERS
Sh4.3 billion—the amount of money that was intended for the “Kazi kwa Vijana” project shelved by the World Bank after its audit report showed that money given to the project had been misappropriated
1000—the number of people who were killed in Turkey after an earthquake hit the middle east country
50—the age of Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta which he celebrated this week
NEWSPAPER REVIEW
STAR
MPs allied to the G7 alliance are planning to introduce a motion in Parliament to censure Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the Kazi kwa Vijana scandal and demand his removal from office. The notice of motion is expected to be presented tomorrow by Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale. According to standing orders, MPs can only start debating the motion after seven days, which means the earliest it can be discussed is November 2. The G7 alliance is led by Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa. It is intended to create a voting block big enough to defeat Raila and the ODM in the 2012 elections. The G7 MPs spent most of yesterday working on the wording of the proposed censure motion.
THE PEOPLE
The chairman of Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) Isaack Hassan was last night poised to become the country's next elections chief after he received the endorsement of President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. His name was immediately forwarded to parliament for approval by MPs. Hassan beat constitutional lawyer Koki Muli and former commissioner with the Interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission (IIBRC) Murshid Abdallah, the two other contestants for the top polls job, to edge closer to being the man to oversee the 2012 transition general election. For now only parliament stands between him and the job.
BUSINESS DAILY
Ousted CMC chairman Peter Muthoka has called an extraordinary general meeting he expects to settle recent boardroom wars in the motor company. A notice issued on Tuesday indicated that Mr Muthoka will use the meeting to seek shareholders’ approval to remove his rivals from the board and appoint replacements.(Also read: Regulator suspends motor dealer CMC shares from trading) “Andy Forwarders made a decision to requisition an extraordinary general meeting to give shareholders an opportunity to reconsider the leadership of the company and save it from mismanagement and collapse,” the notice from Andy Forwarders to CMC shareholders said.
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