Newspapers on Tuesday, January 13, discussed several topics related to the country, while politics in preparation for the 2027 General Election dominated the pages.
Source: UGC
Elsewhere, cracks are visible in the opposition while the former vice president Rigathi Gachagua criticizing the Jubilee party led by Uhuru Kenyatta for playing a role in the United Opposition.
1. Daily Nation
The newspaper reported on the misunderstanding in the Union Opposition, with DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua accusing Jubilee of being the weakest link in the party.
Gachagua explained why he sees the Jubilee Party, under the former President Uhuru Kenyattaas an obstacle in the mission of the United Opposition to oppose President William Ruto from leaving power.
He said that Jubilee’s choice of presidential candidate, former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i, may not be possible as he does not have a clear political base and his team has been heavily influenced by Ruto’s allies.
In a televised interview, Gachagua said he had repeatedly warned Matiang’i that Jubilee was full of “amnesty advocates, traitors, and betrayers” and advised him to start a new party based in Nyanza to ensure loyalty and discipline.
“It is very difficult for anyone who aspires to the presidency to not have a strong home camp and still expect to negotiate effectively. You must close your camp first, then go to the table with a clear goal,” Daily Nation quoted him as saying.
He accused Jubilee members of spending too much time attacking him instead of defending their leader, Uhuru.
“Just recently, when Uhuru Kenyatta was being attacked by UDA and ODM, Jubilee members were silent. I was the one who defended him together with ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna. Matiang’i spoke later, but many Jubilee leaders did not say anything because they are Ruto’s supporters hiding in the party,” he said.
Gachagua added that Matiang’i is already facing opposition in his stronghold of Kisii, with some supporters reluctant to support a candidate affiliated with a party based in Mt Kenya.
He also rejected the Wiper leader’s proposal Kalonzo Musyoka of revealing a joint opposition candidate by March.
“That would be a big mistake. Ruto would release all the weight of the state to that candidate, and they will not be able to withstand the pressure for the next 16 months. We have to wait until about two months before the August 2027 General Election,” he warned.
He noted that the issue will be discussed in a joint forum next month to build an agreement.
“This is my view, just like Kalonzo’s and his. We must discuss openly and agree on a strategy that gives us unity,” he said, stressing that opposition parties often weaken themselves by naming a candidate too early against President William Ruto.
Reflecting on his Mt Kenya experience, Gachagua admitted that migration and migration are inevitable but manageable.
“One of the things that is badly criticized, but that doesn’t matter. Those who remain will face the voters. Our voters are not stupid. We just need to be patient, vigilant and stubborn,” he said.
He criticized some opposition leaders for ignoring the importance of organized mobilization and numbers in winning elections.
He suggested the opposition could benefit if Matiang’i focused on strengthening Nyanza while Kalonzo struggled to gain support from ODM, especially along the Coast.
The former vice president emphasized that he is a strong candidate for the opposition ticket but is ready to resign if he is convinced otherwise.
He added that the coalition has not yet agreed on how to choose a joint presidential candidate.
“We are at a stage where everyone who likes must announce their intention. We must also promise publicly that whoever loses will support the winner. I have been clear that I am ready to support the winner if I lose. Some people are afraid to say they are ready to lose,” he said.
2. Nation Today
ODM yesterday indicated that it has decided to fully support the re-election of President William Ruto after announcing that it has initiated talks with the UDA regarding the 2027 elections.
The talks with the UDA are taking place at a time when some ODM politicians are also opposing the election of President Ruto for a second term.
On Monday, January 12, the Central Committee of the party gave permission to Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga, who is the leader of the party, to lead negotiations with the UDA with the aim of forming a government in 2027.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting that lasted for six hours in Kilifi County, Oburu said that they will start negotiations with the UDA and also other political partners so that there will be no more conflicts after 2027.
“The committee has allowed me to start negotiations with various political parties, UDA being the first. The committee has realized that elections will be held next year and the party should not wait for elections to come without planning,” Oburu said.
Three weeks ago, Oburu indicated that ODM would announce its decision on the re-election of President Ruto in June 2026 and that they would not wait until 2027 to start negotiations.
Oburu and some senior leaders of the party have been at the forefront of supporting the Unity Government while showing that they will support President Ruto.
However, Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, Deputy Leader Godfrey Osotsi and the governor of Siaya James Orengo have been opposing the ODM and UDA alliance.
The three leaders once claimed that there was a plot to sell ODM to Ruto.
Senators Sifuna and Osotsi were not present at the meeting despite being members of the committee.
Oburu said the two had sent their requests for forgiveness. He revealed that Sifuna missed his flight while Osotsi was in South Africa on an official business visit.
The Kilifi meeting was to close the gaps and extinguish the differences that were emerging in ODM.
Sources informed that earlier there were plans to remove Osotsi and Sifuna from their positions for opposing the ODM-UDA alliance.
Oburu had approved the removal of the two, and then a group of 40 MPs were waiting in Nairobi to support the move.
However, the meeting was heated and controversial, and the plan was shelved for fear that it would cause further tension in the party.
3. The Star
The Star newspaper reported on a human-wildlife conflict in Kajiado that led to the killing of wildlife.
Earlier this week, seven lions were found dead on the Kitenden plains, their powerful bodies deadened by poison allegedly used to avenge livestock losses.
Nearby, at least 13 vultures also died after eating contaminated carcasses, victims of the ongoing human-wildlife conflict in Kajiado County.
Conservationists warn that the number of vultures could be much higher, as scavengers often travel long distances before being affected by ingested poison.
The head of the Amboseli Conservation Area, Joel ole Nyika, said the investigation is still ongoing.
“We don’t have an exact date when the poisoning incident happened, but the carcasses appear to be from about two or three days ago,” The Star quoted Nyika as saying.
He noted that killing eagles and other protected animals, including elephants, is a criminal offense that can result in a fine of up to KSh 20 million or even life imprisonment.
Lions, classified as endangered and considered a national treasure, are protected under Kenya’s Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013.
Poisoning them, even as revenge, is a serious crime punishable by heavy fines or prison terms.
Initial reports suggest the lions were poisoned after attacking livestock, a recurring trend in which herders put poisonous substances on their carcasses to kill their prey.
Kenya’s 2025 wildlife census estimates that the country has 2,512 lions, but the species continues to face threats from habitat loss, poaching, and increased human conflict.
Poison intended for lions often kills unsuspecting species. Vultures, attracted to simple meals, eat contaminated meat and die in large numbers.
Kenya is home to eight of Africa’s 11 vulture species, including white-backed, white-headed, hooded, Rüppell’s, Egyptian, side-faced, bearded, and palm vultures. Four of these are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Over the past 30 years, eagle populations across Kenya and Africa have declined due to poisoning, habitat loss, collisions with power lines, cultural practices, illegal trade, and weak enforcement of conservation laws.
Despite being neglected, eagles play an important ecological role.
By eating carcasses quickly, they help keep the environment clean and prevent the spread of dangerous diseases such as anthrax, rabies, and tuberculosis among wildlife, livestock, and humans.
4. Standard
The Standard reported the tragedy that befell the family after their son died while playing.
A family in Ndabibi, Naivasha, has been left devastated after the death of their seven-year-old daughter.
The child’s body was discovered hanging from a rope outside their home, prompting initial fears of self-harm.
Police later concluded that the tragedy was an accident, saying the girl had been caught in a loose end of a rope.
Village elder Samson Mburu explained that the girl was playing with her friend who left shortly before the incident.
When he returned, the friend found him hanging and unresponsive, then informed his parents, who were working nearby.
“When the parents arrived and rushed him to the local health center, he was already dead, and the police had taken over,” Mburu said as quoted by The Standard.
Naivasha Director General Isaac Kiama confirmed that an investigation had been opened, with initial findings indicating an accident.
“It was first thought that he had hurt himself, but we suspect he got caught in the swing rope, causing his death,” he said.
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