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KENYA
Ruto appoints 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries amid economic unrest in the country
President William Ruto on Thursday appointed 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) to serve in the 22 ministries, consequently increasing the yearly salary bill by Ksh 460 million.
The move, which rewards Ruto’s allies, comes amid an ongoing economic crisis where Kenyans are complaining about economic hardships, inflation, and a weakening shilling.
“It Is Notified that His Excellency HON. William Samoei Ruto, Ph.D., CGH, following the recommendation of the Public Service Commission, has today, March 16 2023, nominated various persons as Chief Administrative Secretaries. The Presidential Action is pursuant to Article 132(4)(a) of the Constitution,” Felix Koskei, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, said Thursday.
Among the appointees yet to be vetted by Parliament are UDA digital strategists Dennis Itumbi, former nominated senator Millicent Omanga, former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, and ex-Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, among others.
According to the schedule signed by SRC Chairperson Lyn Mengich on August 9, 2022, CAS is in the same category as Principal Secretaries (PS). Each will take home a monthly gross salary of Sh765,188.
The nominees took to social media to thank President Ruto for their appointment.
“Asante sana – The Commander-In-Chief of the Defence Forces @WilliamsRuto for nominating me to be the Disruptor-In-Chief. Wacha nikajitetee bunge to be the Home of Idea. Nashukuru sana,” Itumbi wrote on Twitter.
Evans Kidero appointed CAS Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry. Millicent Omanga, CAS Ministry of Interior; Dennis Itumbi, CAS Ministry of Information, Communication & The Digital Economy, among others.https://t.co/ihGVPNBk0C#CASAppointments#AfricanaVoice pic.twitter.com/FkKPGAyh0w
— Africana Voice (Formerly Hotseatnews) (@AfricanaVoice) March 16, 2023
“Thank you, your Excellency President @WilliamsRuto and Deputy President @rigathi, for the nomination to serve as CAS in the Ministry of Interior & National Administration. Awaiting to present myself before Parliament for vetting, I remain glad and committed to serving my country Kenya,” Tunai tweeted.
However, a section of Kenyans has ridiculed President Ruto for appointing the 50 nominees, arguing the move will further drain Kenya’s struggling economy.
“Mr. Ruto saddles Kenya’s broke State with 50 CAS Rejects, Incompetents, and Fools,” said Prof Makau Mutua.
Bravin Yuri, a Twitter user, said the appointments fuel the planned mass action against the government.
“Even when you want to say Raila Odinga should not call for maandamano, you wake up to 50 CAS positions created for politicians who have been part of the problems in this country, then Millicent Omanga made Interior CAS. We love jokes in this country. But again, Hustler tawala!” Yuri said.
Eddy Oketch, the Senator for Migori, ridiculed the move, saying the expanded executive will derail Kenya’s development.
“The economic outlook of the country makes one wonder whether this govt is serious when appointing 50 CASs; they have bloated the executive, and yet we need to cut physical spending if the economy is to get stability,” the legislator said.
President Ruto’s Cronies Appointed to Take Over KPA
On Saturday, the CS for Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, appointed Captain William Kipkemboi Ruto, the new Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) managing director. Ruto takes over from John Mwangemi, who has held the position in an acting capacity since 2022. He will serve for the next three years.
On Friday, March 17, President Ruto appointed former Soy MP Caleb Kositany to be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Airports Authority for a three-year term.
The appointments come amid simmering charges of tribalism in Ruto’s administration, where Kalenjins, members of Ruto’s tribe, seem to be getting the lion’s share of key government appointments.
Last week, President Ruto appointed Susan Koech, another Kalenjin, as the second deputy governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. Koech’s appointment is viewed as a strategic move to position a Ruto ally to take over the Central Bank when the current Governor, Patrick Njoroge, and his deputy, Sheila M’mbijiwe, end their terms in June.
As the second deputy, Koech, a career banker, will automatically rise to become the acting governor until confirmation or an appointment of a new Governor.
Gachagua says he won’t stop criticizing the media.
In a joint media interview last Sunday, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said he would not hesitate to call out the media whenever they erred.
“We hammered the media 9-nil because the media was part of Azimio, and we hammered Azimio and all its affiliates, including the media. In another election, if the media is in bed with our opponents, we will crush them ‘politically speaking’,” he said.
The DP requested that the media allow people to criticize it just as it does others. He, however, insisted that some cartels own media houses, and he won’t stop pointing them and their media houses for any wrongdoing.
“If the media wants respect, it must be objective. You cannot gag us from giving an opinion on what we think is your performance. It is our right as Kenyans,” he added.
Kenya Hands Life Imprisonment For 7 Foreign Drug Traffickers
A Mombasa Court last Friday convicted seven alien sailors to life incarceration after they were found guilty of trafficking heroin worth Ksh.1.3 billion into Mombasa via the Indian Ocean.
The Mombasa chief magistrate Martha Mutuku ordered the six Pakistanis and one Iranian to pay Ksh.3.9 billion in fines. They were given 14 days to appeal the verdict.
The seven were crew members of the Amin Darya ship. They were arrested aboard the vessel in 2014 while it was at sea.
Kenya Defence Forces blew up the ship carrying the drugs while at sea while the then President, Uhuru Kenyatta, witnessed it from a military chopper.
Ruto revives the construction of the Kimwarer and Arror Dams.
The construction of the Arror and Kimwarer dams will resume in a few months after a four years hiatus.
On Tuesday, President Ruto held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Nairobi, and they agreed to progress with the Ksh 63 billion projects.
“The government of Kenya and Italy have agreed to withdraw the arbitration cases against Itare, Arror, and Kimwarer Dams. We should be able to go on with the construction of these three dams in a few months, an issue that has stalled for almost three years,” President Ruto said.
In 2019, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration stopped the construction of the dams on claims of embezzlement of public funds.
In the dam fraud case, former National Treasury CS Henry Rotich, his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, and four others were charged with conspiracy to use the dams to defraud and abuse office.
“I am particularly elated and vindicated insofar as my crusade against the frustration of Itare, Arror, and Kimwarer projects is concerned. The resumption of the projects will have a positive socio-economic impact in our country,” said Kipchumba Murkomen, CS for Transport.
DPP Drops charges against former Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) Tuesday said it would not charge former interior minister Fred Matiang’i, saying that the evidence provided by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) against Matiang’i and his Lawyer Danstan Omari is not sufficient to sustain the said charges.
The inquiry file from the DCI related to allegations that Matiang’i, on 8th and 9th February 2023, jointly conspired with others to publish false information in the media.
The DCI investigating officer recommended that Matiang’i and his advocate Danstan Omari, be charged with conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to section 393 of the Penal Code and publication of false information contrary to section 23 of the Computer and Misuse and Cybercrime Act No. 5 of 2018.
“Upon independent and thorough analysis of the evidence availed and a review of the statements of the witnesses, the Director of Public Prosecutions found that the evidence provided was not sufficient to sustain the above charges against Dr. Fred Okeng’o Matiang’i and his advocate Mr. Danstan Omari,” the ODPP statement said.
“The evidence provided did not meet the ingredients needed to prove each of the afore-mentioned offenses as required by law. The Director of Public Prosecutions has therefore directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to close the inquiry file with no further police action,” the statement added.
AFRICA
Cyclone Freddy kills over 200 in Malawi
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Deadly Cyclone Freddy, traveling from Australia to Africa, hit Madagascar and Mozambique and tore Malawi apart, ravaging the towns and villages of the Southern African country.
The government in Malawi closed schools in 10 districts over safety concerns after Freddy wreaked devastation in neighboring Mozambique.
Heavy rains pounded Malawi, washing away roads and disrupting power generation.
According to the BBC, Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre, recorded 85 deaths. On Tuesday, the government declared a disaster in 10 districts that the storm hardest hit. Rescue workers are reportedly overwhelmed, and some resorted to using shovels to find survivors buried in mud.
Egypt threatens Ethiopia over Dam
Egypt has issued a warning stating that “all options are on the table” in response to any threats posed to its water supply by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile. This warning comes after a fresh dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the GERD. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that Egypt has all alternatives available and takes disciplined stances towards Ethiopian “intransigence.”
“All options are open, and all alternatives remain available, and Egypt has its capabilities,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry warned on Wednesday.
“We just declare all options open without defining specific procedures, and this serves the Egyptian interest in retaining all available alternatives.”
In a statement Ethiopia Foreign Affairs Ministry called Egypt’s foreign Ministers’ remarks “irresponsible” a violation of the UN Charter and against The African Union Constitutive Act.
Statement: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia rejects the irresponsible statement attributed to the Foreign Minister of #Egypt threatening #Ethiopia with yet another ‘all options are open’ declaration.” pic.twitter.com/K8NA6wrT2n
— The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of #Ethiopia ???????? (@mfaethiopia) March 16, 2023
South Africa watchdog exonerates Ramaphosa from corruption Scandal.
South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog Saturday, March 11, said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by President Cyril Ramaphosa linked to the theft of $580,000 in cash from his farm.
In a preliminary report, the public prosecutor, Kholeka Gcaleka, said Ramaphosa did not violate an ethics code or abuse his role as head of state.
“As stated before, we reiterate that the President did not participate in any wrongdoing, nor did he violate the oath of his office. Instead, the President was a victim of a crime that he duly reported to the relevant authorities,” Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, told the media.
Angola sends military to DRC.
Angola Sunday sent its military to Eastern DRC after a pact it brokered failed to end fighting in the neighboring country.
An East African regional force was also deployed to the mineral-rich country early this year to fight groups of militias.
The President of Angola said the soldiers would be deployed to help secure areas the M23 rebel group controlled.
The United Nations says the conflict forced 300,000 people from their homes in February alone.
Costa Titch Dies On Stage
South African rapper star Costa Titch, real name Costa Tsobanoglou, died last week. He was 27.
Costa collapsed while performing at the Ultra Music Festival in Johannesburg on Saturday night.
The star rapper was famous for his hit music Big Flexa which propelled him to stardom.
His family confirmed the news in a statement on Instagram: “It is with deep pain that we find ourselves having to acknowledge his passing at this time. As a family, we are faced with a difficult time as we try to make sense of what has befallen us.”
“We ask that we be afforded the time and space to gather ourselves. The Tsobanoglou family thanks you for the love and support you have given to our son, and may you continue to uplift him even in spirit. Please keep us in your prayers and uplifted in the Lord,” the statement read further.
Namibia’s ruling party names woman as its presidential flag bearer
Namibia’s President Hage Geingob, on Saturday, March 11, named Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the candidate for the ruling Swapo party in next year’s elections.
In a statement to the party’s top organ, the President asked party members to support Ms. Nandi-Ndaitwah when official campaigns begin next year.
Nandi- Ndaitwah is the party’s vice president and Namibia’s deputy prime minister.
A Zimbabwean sentenced to 88 years.
A Zimbabwean man was Wednesday sentenced to eight life sentences and an additional 88 years by a South African court for murder and rape, local media report.
Themba Prince Willard Dube, 36, was accused of kidnapping and murdering seven women in Limpopo province.
He was convicted on Tuesday of multiple crimes of rape, murder, robbery, extortion, possession of the stolen property, and being an illegal immigrant.
USA
US says it will proudly protect the LGBTQIA in Kenya
The US Ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, Wednesday said she has been meeting with the members of the LGBTQ community to advance and protect their rights.
“Over the past week, my team and I met with the LGBTQI+ community and stakeholders to support the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. The US proudly advances efforts to protect LGBTQI+ persons from discrimination & violence and will continue to stand up for human rights and equality,” Whitman tweeted.
Many Kenyans camped on her tweet and commented negatively against gay people and the need for the US to stop influencing Kenya’s stance on the LGBTQIA matter.
Kenyans and most Africans argue that LGBTQ rights are against their culture and traditions, and some say homosexuality is against their religious beliefs.
But gay rights groups have argued that their rights are enshrined on the law, and they have a right to associate with each other.
Kenyans and Africans are grappling with legal ways of navigating gay rights issues.
Seven deputies and 3 Hospital Workers Arrested Over Otieno’s death
Ten people, among them seven Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies and three hospital workers, were arrested this week in relation to Ivor Otieno’s death.
The ten are facing second-degree murder charges for the death of the 28-year-old man. The seven deputies were arrested on Tuesday, while the other three suspects were arrested and charged on Thursday.
Otieno, a black man of Kenyan origin, is reported to have been taken into emergency custody after experiencing a mental health crisis on March 3. During a press conference, Otieno’s distraught mother, Caroline Ouko, said that her son was not a criminal— he was undergoing a mental health crisis.
She described the surveillance footage as disturbing and traumatic. “What I saw was heartbreaking. They smothered the life out of my baby.”
Terming the death as inhumane, the family’s attorney Ben Crump said that Otieno was brutally restrained with handcuffs and leg irons throughout the ordeal and had the weight of seven individuals on his face-down body.
He further noted that the surveillance videos from Henrico Jail and Central State Hospital showed that Otieno was seemingly lifeless throughout the video; he did not show any signs of aggression toward the deputies.
According to Crump, one of the deputies had their knee on Otieno’s neck as the rest held him down with their bodies.
“Throughout the video, you could hardly see his body since there was an officer on every part of his body pushing him to the ground.” He said.
Attorney Crump drew attention to how similar Otieno’s death was to George Floyd’s, who also died of asphyxiation at the hands of law enforcement officers in May 2020.
Crump appealed to law enforcement officers for consideration, professionalism, and humanity in dealing with suspects saying, “When he’s in your custody, he is in your care.”
He recounted how on Friday, March 3, Caroline Ouko, Otieno’s mother said she had begged the authorities to let her see her son since she could help calm him down. Her pleas, however, yielded no fruits. That was the last time Ouko saw her son, Otieno, alive.
Attorney Mark Krudys, who also represents the family, pointed out that when Ivor was taken into custody on March 3, he was cooperative and posed no threat to the law enforcement officers. They are now questioning why Ivor, who needed medical help, ended up in custody instead.
The police, however, said that Otieno was assaultive toward the arresting officers. At the same time, they attempted to take him to a local hospital on March 3, which prompted them to jail him instead, with charges of assault on law enforcement officers, vandalism, and disorderly conduct.
Attorney Krudys says that Ivor was treated in a subhuman manner; the entire time he was in custody, he was held naked in his cell. He was also brutally paper sprayed and denied access to his medication.
According to Ann C. Bakersvill, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Otieno died of asphyxiation while in the custody of Henrico County sheriff’s deputies.
Otieno’s family and attorneys described Otieno as a man who had a promising career in hip-hop music. Ouko described her son as a kind person who was a great listener and would always be there for his friends.
She said that she hopes to get justice for her son and that no other parent undergoes the injustice that she has suffered. The seven deputies are currently on administrative leave and are set to appear before a grand jury on March 2.
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FEATURED HEADLINE STORY
Winds of rebellion blow from the four corners of Africa, all set for a major storm on Monday, March 20
On Monday, March 20, Mama Africa will be home to major protests from the East, West, North, and Southern regions.
In the East, Azimio leader Raila Odinga declared Monday, March 20, a national holiday and called on his supporters to come out and protest the high cost of living in Kenya and put the Kenya Kwanza government on notice to leave or be evicted.
From the South, the fiery South African opposition leader Julius Malema, will lead a protest seeking the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa for mismanaging the country, particularly for the power crisis.
In the West, Nigerians are expected to take to the streets to protest the recent election results. Less than 25 % of registered voters elected Bola Tinubu in what the opposition has claimed to be a corrupt process.
And in the North, Tunisians will take to the streets to protest President’s Kais Saied recent racist remarks against black Africans and his crackdown against the opposition.
We look at the background to all these, starting from the South.
South African police have fired warning shots at the opposition protests scheduled for Monday, saying they are a bid to overthrow the government.
The opposition party— the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is planning nationwide demonstrations to protest against the country’s power crisis.
EFF’s firebrand leader, Julius Malema, has also demanded that President Cyril Ramaphosa resigns from office.
“Stand still on March 20; we don’t apply for nothing. We can’t apply for that given to us by the Constitution. It is our constitutional right to protest, and we shall protest on March 20. We are not scared of the state power; let the state come with its power, we will come with the mass power,” Malema says in his clarion call speech recorded last month to mobilize the masses for nationwide protests.
The opposition leader, in the viral speech, says that all services, save for the emergency ones, will be suspended on March 20.
“There will be no school. There will be no University. There will be no factory. There will be no cars, no taxis unless they’re taking protesters to the lines, and we are not threatened by any security because we do this peacefully. It’s our right. And if they want to come and violate our rights, They will find us ready,” Malema thunders more.
He goes on to reiterate that South Africa will come to a standstill if President Ramaphosa does not resign.
In response, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said on Friday, March 17, that the protests are an attempt to overthrow the government, equating it to anarchy.
“The magnitude of threats differs from other planned shutdowns, and that is why we have to be extra vigilant,” Mkhwanazi said.
On Thursday, March 16, President Ramaphosa said that anarchy would not be tolerated during the protests. He asked the security forces to defend the people.
In Kenya, East Africa’s economic powerhouse, veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga has announced mass protests that he said will culminate in a march to the statehouse in Nairobi to remove President William Ruto from office.
In the past month, Odinga, in the company of Azimio la Umoja co-principals, has been leading countrywide people’s consultation meetings while building up the anticipation for March 20 mass action.
On Thursday last week, Odinga said he will lead the demonstrations. Further, he said that the action will involve company boycotts, strikes, and sit-ins in government offices.
The Orange Democratic Movement party leader blames Ruto, IEBC—the electoral body, and the Supreme Court of Kenya for stealing his victory in the general election conducted in August last year.
“Take note that on March 20, we have a date with destiny in Nairobi. We shall stage a massive procession in Nairobi for a legitimate and inclusive government,” Raila announced Thursday to his supporters.
Besides his claims of stolen election victory, Odinga blames Ruto for mismanaging the country, misusing the security organs by harassing senior officials who served in former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government and failing to lower the cost of living in the country.
About two weeks ago, the five-time presidential candidate had issued a 14-day ultimatum to Ruto to address the cost of living, open the 2022 presidential election servers and stop the process of appointing new members of the electoral agency, IEBC, until all the stakeholders were brought on board.
To add fuel to the Monday protest, Odinga on Tuesday, while in Siaya, Nyanza, declared Monday to be a public holiday and asked Kenyans to participate in the planned countrywide mass action.
“We do not want any kind of violence or bloodshed. It will be peaceful, and I have also said that we do not want any handshake. We are only doing this because it is the only alternative that we have,” he said.
“In the name of Azimio one Kenya Alliance, we declare that Monday, March 20, will be a public holiday,” he said to a charged crowd.
Martha Karua, who was Odinga’s running mate, asked Kenyans to join in the protests to save the nation.
“The people must use their constitutional right to ensure that they allow the person who was chosen by the people to take over the leadership of the country. Let us join the rally to save this nation. This fight is for the people of Kenya,” Karua said.
President Ruto, on Wednesday, March 15, responded to the planned protests and asked Odinga to liaise with the police to ensure the protest is peaceful.
“We must tell my good friend Raila Odinga. You cannot. Enough is enough. You cannot continue to blackmail the country. We have no problem with you organizing demonstrations, but please, it is your responsibility to work with the police to make sure that the rest of the citizens of Kenya, and their lives, are not disrupted, their property is not destroyed, and businesses are not affected. They can go to work, and you can carry on with your demonstrations,” Ruto said.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi faulted Odinga for illegally declaring a national holiday.
“We are in a country anchored by the rule of law. It’s wrong for anyone to declare a public holiday in disregard to the rule of law,” Mudavadi said.
In Nigeria, the opposition leaders have planned street demonstrations on Monday, March 20, to protest over the alleged rigging in last month’s presidential elections.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP),
Nigeria’s main opposition party, led by its presidential candidate in last month’s election, Atiku Abubakar, has been protesting in the streets over his alleged stolen election victory.
On Monday last week, his supporters marched to Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices and protested the alleged fraud.
They met at the main entrance of INEC headquarters, shouting and dancing anti-INEC and Tinubu songs. However, the electoral commission’s gates were locked, and they set another demonstration on Monday, March 20.
In Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, there is a planned national protest on March 20 to oppose the alleged dictatorial rule of President Kais Saied.
Masses of opposition supporters, including members of the Tunisian General Labour Union, have been rallying in the capital Tunis, in readiness for Monday, when they will stage the significant protest.
Protesters have slammed the government’s crackdown on the opposition. The Tunisian President is also being accused of failing to address the ailing economy and his racist remarks against people from Sub-Saharan Africa.
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