On Wednesday, December 3, political tension increased as daily newspapers highlighted the growing unrest within the opposition and the ongoing impeachment trial of Nyamira governor Jared Nyaribo which is expected to begin in the Senate.
Source: UGC
1. Daily Nation
The newspaper reports on the intense rescue efforts in Makongeni, Nairobi, after a concrete slab collapsed, killing two people and leaving others trapped under the rubble.
Authorities said the tragedy occurred shortly after the buildings were demolished to make way for a government housing project, even though the area was supposed to be off limits.
Residents used to sneak in to collect scrap metal, a procedure that turned fatal when the slab suddenly stopped.
Makadara County Deputy Commissioner, Philip Koima, described the response as quick and coordinated, saying disaster teams were dispatched within minutes of the alarm being raised.
Firefighters from the Nairobi County government and officers from the Makadara Sub-County Security Committee joined the mission, sealing unstable areas as they worked.
Rescuers used excavators, cutters and hand tools to lift heavy concrete and twisted steel, all through dangerous terrain.
One firefighter said the scene changed with each step, raising fears that another collapse could occur during the search. Residents who watched the operation said they had long warned the scrap collectors that the area was unsafe.
Teams from various agencies removed the bodies and continued to search the rubble to confirm if more victims were still trapped.
2. The Standard
According to the publication, the President William Ruto he has revived a powerful structure that many Kenyans thought had been buried by the Bomas Draft, the era of royal chiefs.
The move was made clear after welcoming nearly 15,000 chiefs and assistant chiefs to the Government House in what analysts interpret as political reforms before 2027.
Ruto defended the administrators’ new powers, saying they remain an important bridge between government and citizens and will help counter what he called the rise of misinformation on social media.
He told the meeting that the chiefs will play a central role in pushing the government’s change agenda, a sign that their influence is expected to expand.
Political observers say that the re-empowerment of chiefs is not for luck bad With the next General Election looming, officials can become key government mobilisers, a strategy reminiscent of the 1980s, when chiefs were central to State House politics.
During that period, chiefs gained notoriety for enforcing allegiance to the ruling party, KANU, often through threats.
The community remembers them for looting money, livestock and other valuables under the pretext of collecting money from the government.
They also used power arbitrarily, imprisoning villagers, sometimes drunkards or petty criminals, until relatives arrived with bribes.
Because of this history, critics warn that empowering chiefs without public participation could revive old tensions.
3. The Star
According to the publication, new tensions are rising within the Opposition as the political style of the former vice president Rigathi Gachagua fueling growing concern among alliance partners.
His fierce public attacks, disputed claims about seat-sharing in Nairobi, and increased rivalry with former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i have opened cracks in a coalition already battered by recent by-election defeats.
Gachagua’s announcement that his party DCP had secured control of almost all the electoral seats in Nairobi caused an immediate pushback, with Wiper and other parties dismissing the claims as one-sided and disruptive.
Leaders accused him of undermining unity and using the coalition platform to settle personal political scores, especially in Mount Kenya.
The dispute comes alongside ongoing hostilities against Jubilee and Matiang’i, fueling further divisions.
Coalition figures warn that Gachagua’s style of celebrating the victory of his party alone while distancing himself from collective sanctions is fueling distrust.
Critics say these moves risk turning the coalition into a fragmented group driven by ethnic interests rather than shared values.
Jubilee officials warned that dividing Nairobi areas along ethnic lines would give Ruto an easy advantage in 2027.
However, some leaders, including Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo, say Gachagua’s remarks were misinterpreted, insisting that there is no secret agreement and that negotiations are normal in coalition politics.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka he has also taken steps to ease tensions, dismissing claims of a unique Nairobi accord as propaganda aimed at dividing allies.
Analysts are now warning that if not resolved, internal friction could derail plans to impeach one presidential candidate.
“Gachagua needs to be told to avoid language that offends Kenyans. He is not strategic; he should only speak when necessary,” Professor Gitile Naituli of the University said, describing his remarks as careless and unnecessary.
4. Nation Today
The Kiswahili publication reports a rise in political anxiety among Kenyan youth, a movement that emerged last year when General Z took to the streets demanding a voice in national leadership.
Most of those who instigated the rebellion have entered the party structures or even contested in the November 27 by-election.
But their first encounter with the polls has revealed the unforgiving landscape of Kenyan politics, where money, party systems and entrenched elders still determine who wins.
In Kasipul, 26-year-old independent candidate Jeazmin Aoko, the only woman in the race, got only 26 votes.
He said his age, limited resources and the dominance of major political parties opposed him, but he is still determined to try again in 2027.
Aoko often walked or used a motorcycle to meet voters, but found children at home while adults flocked to meetings where money was being distributed.
In Mbeere North, the 30-year-old Safina Party candidate, Lawrence Ireri, got 100 votes after running his entire campaign on KSh20,000.
He said he was accepted by many residents but could not match the cash of his competitors. He plans to join the most powerful party in 2027.
In Magarini, 25-year-old Amos Katana finished fourth with 192 votes, despite the support of the youth and General Z’s fellow candidate Fatuma Ramadhan.
Katana moved from house to house, relying on small donations, and later denounced open corruption that he said deprived voters of a real choice.
In Chewani Ward, Tana River County, 26-year-old Pascal Wayu and 24-year-old Zena Haluwa faced harsh demands for money, as well as age and gender discrimination. Wayu got 38 votes, while Haluwa endured open abuse, mostly from women, who questioned his ability to lead.
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