On Thursday, November 14, local newspapers highlighted important issues, including the departure of US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman a few days after the victory of Donald Trump in the 2024 US election.
The Standard
The daily newspaper reported that a group of experts is making efforts to collect KSh 100 million to fund the case of the ousted Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, as well as several other cases involving government projects. The group, which includes Gema Watho, an association that unites lawyers from the Mt Kenya area, Gema Youth Council, Kiama Kia Ma, council of elders, and professionals gathered at the Nairobi Public Service Club and agreed to launch a fundraising drive for of the Gachagua case, and other cases of public interest. Led by the Chairman of Gema Watho, lawyer Wambugu Wanjohi, the group explained that they took up Gachagua's case because they felt that the constitutional procedures to remove him were not observed. “As lawyers, anything that threatens the constitutional order threatens the well-being of the nation. We are not against the removal of Gachagua because he is from Mount Kenya but due to various issues such as weak public participation and the denial of the right to a fair hearing,” he said. He emphasized that even if Gachagua is from any other area in the country, they would protest if they felt that the criteria for removal was not met. In addition to the Gachagua case, where Wanjohi said they have three cases, he mentioned other cases they are monitoring in court, including the Adani-JKIA plan, the Ndabibi farm where the legal owners have been removed, and the case challenging the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) by the Community Health Authority (SHA), Wanjohi noted that the party, which was established on September 2 last year, has attracted 2,000 lawyers from all over the region to support cases of public interest, seeing that it is an act of compassion for their community. Douglas Ndonga, the chairman of the Youth Council, added that the community feels very affected by the removal of Gachagua, which made them take that responsibility. “Gachagua was only in charge of the position of Deputy President on behalf of the area. By giving that position to Kithure Kindiki, we see an attempt to divide Mount Kenya West and Mount Kenya East. But that approach has failed, and we will not allow it to succeed. We have no problem with Kindiki, but we stand with Gachagua, ours,” said Ndonga. Political analyst Charles Njoroge sees this move by the Mount Kenya parties as a sign of growing anger against the Kenya First administration under President Ruto. Charles Njoroge said that the region supported Ruto for various reasons: sympathy due to allegations of torture by former president Uhuru Kenyatta, the “Hustler” narrative understood by many, and fear of Raila Odinga instilled by Mt Kenya politicians. “People from various groups who supported Ruto are now suffering, and that is why politicians, civil society, academics, and religious leaders are slowly but surely turning away. The high cost of living, reports of kidnappings, and the weaponization of government agencies are strengthening that situation,” added Njoroge.
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The Daily Nation
According to the publication, cases involving a businessman who has been wanted for 15 years by a former Mungiki leader are among the 1,000 cases dismissed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Renson Ingonga. The cancellation of the case against Mr. Yagnesh Devani, who fled the country in 2009 until January this year when he was returned to Kenya by England, is the latest blow from the DPP. Devani was wanted due to the scandal of oil products worth Sh7.6 billion. After the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) fought to get him back, the DPP dropped the case two weeks ago for lack of witnesses. Millions of taxpayers' shillings were used to take him to court for one of the biggest corporate fraud cases in the country. The director of Triton Petroleum Ltd is now free, just one year after arriving in Kenya. The Deputy Director of the Department of Prosecutions and the Institute of Prosecution Studies, Aloys Kemo, said the cases were withdrawn to avoid wasting taxpayers' money. “Cancellation is not a new thing. It's that we consider cases involving high-profile people,” said Kemo. Other cases dismissed include against former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga, a KSh 8.5 billion case against former Tourism Minister Najib Balala, a KSh 2.5 billion tax evasion case involving businesswoman Mary Wambui and her daughter Purity Mungai, a case corruption case of KSh 7.3 billion against the former Gachagua, corruption case of KSh 19 million against the former Minister of Gender and Human Services Umma Aisha Jumwa, and corruption cases against the former boss of Kenya Power Ben Chumo and former head of NHIF Geoffrey Mwangi.
National Today
The Kiswahili newspaper reported that education officials in Kwale County were forced to make changes in the management of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary national examination. Education (KCSE) after realizing that some students were hiding their phones where they could not be inspected by supervisors of the opposite sex. This action was taken as various agencies continue to investigate several teachers at Waa Boys High School, where students were found with phones during the ongoing national examination. According to Kwale County Director of Education Ahmed Mohammed Abdi, Monday's incident occurred when three candidates were found with mobile phones. He explained that some students use the opportunity to have managers of the opposite sex by hiding mobile phones in secret places, knowing that these areas cannot be inspected by the managers of the opposite sex. After this event, Abdi noted that changes have been made: all female administrators will be assigned to girls' schools and males to boys' schools to facilitate a thorough vetting of candidates.
People Daily
According to the newspaper, the petition against the appointment of Raila Odinga's key allies in President William Ruto's Cabinet was withdrawn yesterday. Judge Chacha Mwita dismissed the case after the plaintiff, Julius Ogogoh, informed the court that the matter has expired. This followed the appointment of John Mbadi, Hassan Joho, Opiyo Wandayi, and Wycliffe Oparanya as Ministers in their ministries. “My client wishes to withdraw the case as the matter has expired following the entry into power of the four,” said the lawyer representing Ogogoh. Ogogoh, the Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission, filed the suit, saying their appointment would have a negative impact as it would affect the ability of the opposition to carry out its role of overseeing government activities.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
