Newspapers on Tuesday, April 7, reported political developments in the country, focusing closely on the fate of Senator Edwin Sifuna as Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
Source: UGC
1. Daily Nation
ODM Secretary General who is in a difficult situation, Edwin Sifunais facing a difficult test that can make or break him politically this week when he is expected to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee to answer questions about his conduct.
ODM gave Senator Sifuna until April 8 to respond to the letter written to him questioning his conduct, then appear before the committee on April 10.
Sifuna has three important decisions to make; remain ODM and continue to fight the President’s administration William Ruto until the end, start a new political party, or join the Opposition Union.
Political analysts are already saying that it will be difficult for Mr Sifuna to survive this journey after the Political Dispute Resolution Panel (PPDT) saved him by deciding that ODM did not exhaust all ways to resolve the dispute with him before expelling him.
Even if he remains in ODM, Sifuna will still face more challenges as the party has already started organizing without him.
Even getting a ticket to contest will be difficult after Lang’ata Member of Parliament Phelix Odiwuor popularly known as Jalang’o announced that he will run for the Nairobi senatorial seat through ODM.
In addition, the ODM leader, Oburu Oginga, at the National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) last month announced that he will no longer tolerate those who oppose him within the party, promising to fight them to ensure that discipline is observed.
Former Nyeri Town Member of Parliament Ngunjiri Wambugu said Sifuna will benefit politically if he remains in ODM.
“They should advise him to fight for his place in the party because even if he doesn’t get everything, he will get something. No one has ever shone politically by himself, and today Sifuna is important because of ODM,” said Wambugu.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi who was removed as ODM deputy leader said Mr Sifuna has no chance to save his position.
“ODM leaders are working for President William Ruto who must be satisfied with ODM’s decision. They have betrayed Raila with fake power and money,” said Osotsi.
Political analyst Rachel Omollo also said: “He deserves to portray himself as a victim of ODM and will continue to be popular,”
Regarding joining the opposition, political analyst Javas Bigambo said:
“Sifuna became famous because of Raila and that fame cannot be transferred to the opposition. Those who were loyal to Raila will start looking at him as a traitor because some opposition leaders were Raila’s enemies.”
In one of the interviews with the media, Sifuna expressed the readiness of Linda Mwananchi’s movement to cooperate with the opposition led by the DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua and Kalonzo Musyoka to remove Dr Ruto from power.
“I would like to assure all those who believe that our country cannot tolerate another term of Ruto, that we will not be an obstacle. We must all agree and say this is the plan that will bring him home,” he said.
Kakamega deputy governor Ayub Savula said if Sifuna decides to build himself through his Linda Mwananchi movement then his politics will be over.
Sifuna and his Linda Mwananchi group continue to gain strength by opposing Ruto’s administration. Within ODM, those who oppose the broad coalition government and Oburu’s Linda Ground camp have aligned themselves with Linda Mwananchi.
The situation has given rise to rumors that Mr Sifuna and his supporters within ODM, including Senator Osotsi, Siaya governor James Orengo, MPs Babu Owino (Embakasi East), Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), Carol Omondi (Suba South) and Wilberforce Ounda (Funyula), may be thinking of forming a new political party.
2. Nation Today
This newspaper gave space to the Kenya Meteorological Department which announced the areas that will receive rain this season.
The upper reaches of the East Rift Valley and Lake Victoria areas will receive heavy rains until the end of the season.
Through its website, the department said rain will fall in Nandi, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Siaya, Busia, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties this month.
Other counties that will receive heavy rains are Narok, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Bomet, Nyamira, Kisii and West Pokot.
The coast of the country where there are the counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu is also expected to receive more rain than usual.
The situation will be the same in the Ukambani and Mt Kenya areas.
According to the forecast, the rains are expected to be moderate until the middle of this month and then increase towards the end of the month.
The Ministry of Homeland Security has issued a warning about areas at risk of flooding.
Nairobi, residents of Kariobangi, Kayole, Njiru, Tassia, Lang’ata, Kawangware, Kangemi, Lavington, Westlands, Mathare, Eastleigh, South C, Gikomba, Mukuru kwa Njenga, and Ngong River forest have been asked to be careful during the rainy season.
The government has also encouraged residents living in flood-prone areas to be careful and evacuate if they are warned.
3. People Daily
This newspaper reported that the ruling UDA party is proposing plans to levy severe penalties, up to three times the amount involved, that is Sh3 billion, in relation to the oil importation scandal.
The association also recommends that any money recovered be saved and directed to improving the sixth level referral hospitals, thus turning the financial loss into a long-term investment in public health.
“We confirm that measures to collect and recover money from importers have begun to ensure that Kenyan taxpayers do not experience any financial loss. We also recommend a severe penalty of five times the estimated loss of Sh3 billion, which will be Sh9 billion,” said UDA Secretary General Hassan Omar.
In his statement to the media, Omar warned that the scandal threatens the stability, trust and security of the oil supply chain in the country, which is an important pillar of national stability, economic continuity and public welfare.
He described the issue as one of national security which unfortunately has been brought into politics.
Omar assured Kenyans that fuel prices will not increase at petrol stations, saying EPRA will continue with the government-to-government pricing system in the next review.
“We also encourage investigative agencies to investigate the conduct of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua due to his statements, which seem to indicate an unusual close knowledge of the alleged plan. If the evidence shows his involvement, he should be treated as an accomplice and strict legal action should be taken,” said Omar.
Omar added that political changes in the world, especially in the Middle East, have put Kenya in new economic and strategic risks.
He directly targeted former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro, accusing them of being spokesmen for a certain Mombasa-based financier.
Omar claimed that a small group of corrupt public servants planned to benefit themselves at the expense of Kenyans, running a program that would cost the public more than Shs 3 billion.
He claimed that they imported poor fuel under false pretenses of shortage, evaded quality control, and put consumers and important sectors of the economy at great risk.
“Wamunyoro and Ndindi Nyoro, instead of condemning those people and applauding their resignation because they are not victims but criminals, have chosen to support the people who created the artificial shortage of oil by blocking the supply to the oil marketing companies, while the innocent public bears the burden and directs the anger to the innocent actors,” said Omar.
4. The Standard
The Standard newspaper reported that the former Attorney General Justin Muturi has urged the government to initiate an independent professional review of the national population registry to verify its legitimacy.
He warned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) against making any changes in the voter register until the audit is completed and the results made public.
“The audit should be carried out by independent and reliable private companies, with transparency and public accountability,” said Muturi.
He explained that the recent discovery of nearly one million students missing from the education database shows the weakness of government systems.
Muturi warned that such defects could undermine the integrity of the voter register, stressing the need to protect against duplication, fraud or sabotage.
At the same time, the former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua claimed that there is repression of voters in areas that seem to oppose the government, saying that national identities are being restricted.
“We have received information that national identification cards are not issued in areas that do not support the President, such as Mount Kenya, Nakuru, Kisii and Kakamega, among others. We urge the Registrar of People to stop discrimination and issue identification cards to all,” he said.
The IEBC has emphasized that the current register is accurate, secure and verified by the biometric system, noting that since 2012, all eligible voters were required to register through the biometric system.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
