Breaking: Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ngeno arrested in Mau forest

By Milton Were
Emurrua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johanna Ngeno has been arrested after leading protests against the second Mau Forest eviction.

Some local leaders have also opposed the planned evictions and called for dialogue.

Tension has gripped the settlers since Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko directed that they leave the forest.

The CS ordered the land to be cleared of human settlement immediately, because it forms a crucial part of the water tower.The evictions target about 10,000 families occupying approximately 17,000 acres of forest land.

On Monday, some 4,000 learners could not access primary schools that were put up by the Government at a cost of Sh40 million between 2011 and 2016.

About 100 policemen in five police vehicles were stationed around Sierra Leone according to a report by the Standard.

The armed regular officers were stationed at Koitabai Primary, Chebirbeleek, Sebetet, Noosagam.

They turned away the learners, informing them that there are no schools in the area.The children seemingly had heeded calls by some Rift Valley leaders, who on Sunday told residents to ignore the Government’s order asking pupils to stay away from the shut schools.

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Kirinyaga women rep Wangui Ngirici blasted for disobeying traffic rules

Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici has broken her silence a day after a video of an irate man reprimanding her for breaking traffic rules emerged.

In the 17-second video clip, the man is seen scolding the lawmaker, accusing her of trying to assault him.

“Shame on you! You are a grown woman! What the hell is this car?! Follow the rules! And you’re coming here to try and punch me?” the man dressed in shorts and a T-shirt says.

In the middle of the road is the car with Registration No. KCM 141R which Ngirici boards after being scolded. Her driver then joins the left lane which he had previously ignored.

On Tuesday, Ngirici took to Twitter saying:

“Going by the clip making rounds on social media – Yes, sometimes back I had an incident involving overlapping on the road. I was rushing to attend to a patient by the name Magdale Wawira who was admitted at KNH. Sometimes, even leaders are reminded by the citizens about the society and its values. I took the lesson, appreciated and apologized accordingly. To grow together as one cohesive and harmonious society, we must remind and correct each other whenever we go wrong or make mistakes ~ PWN.”

The altercation occurred last week and that the man in the video apparently did not know he was being recorded.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Oluoch Dickens revealed that he was on his way to his brother’s house in Kilimani when a black Nissan 4X4 started to overlap and almost hit another vehicle head on.

“A woman came out from the back seat accompanied by what looked like her body guards …she started insulting the driver demanding that she comes out of the car. She was very abusive,” his post reads.

He revealed that he had been in a lot of pain as he had just undergone an operation and been discharged from the Aga Khan Hospital two days before.

Oluoch maintains that when he stepped out of his taxi, he had no idea that the woman in front of him was Kirinyaga Woman Rep Wangui Ngirici.

“I couldn’t just take it…I asked my Uber guy to stop..struggled to come out of the car and confronted her and her team…I dint know who the hell she was but could put that face to a noisy politician..couldn’t just tell who..she and her team tried to confront me but i stood my ground though in a lot of pain and dint allow them to know. ”

“We all must obey the law,” he added.

In May this year, Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai issued a directive warning the country’s leaders against breaking traffic rules.

His statement followed numerous complaints from motorists that some leaders were harassing motorists by pushing them off the road.

According to the IG’s directive, motorists should only pave way for vehicles belonging to the President, Deputy President, First Lady, Cabinet Secretaries for Defence, Interior and Foreign Affairs and their Principal Secretaries as well as ambulances and fire brigade.

courtesy: Citizen digital

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Uhuru orders cabinet to obey and follow Building Bridges Initiative (BBI)

Cabinet Secretaries have been ordered to toe the line and get behind the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).

The Standard on Tuesday, September 3, reported that Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Joseph Kinyua, has listed support for BBI as a key performance area in Cabinet.

That means that the ministries will be graded based on how much they implement the recommendations that will be proposed by the team constituted by President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

“In the circular dated July 19, 2019, ‘support (for) the building bridges initiative by implementing interventions aimed at promoting national unity and nationhood’ is listed among eight commitments in the 2018 president’s annual report against which ministries’ performance will be assessed this year,” published the local newspaper.

Inclusion of BBI in performance contracts signals its formal recognition as a government priority programme.

Other key areas that President Kenyatta’s administration is focusing on are the Big 4 Agenda, fight against corruption, protection of the environment by securing riparian lands and enhancing collaboration between the two levels of government to entrench devolution.

Kinyua, in a circular numbered OP/CAB 13/1/1A, directed ministries to submit the 16th Cycle of Performance Contracting Guidelines for 2019/2020 financial year.

“The performance contracting cycle requires that performance contracting guidelines be reviewed annually in order to incorporate and align government priorities to planning, budgeting and performance management,” the document reads in part.

“The purpose of the review is to enhance clarity of performance indicators, accelerate the realisation of government priorities including the Big Four initiatives and combat corruption,” Kinyua instructed in the circular also copied to all Principal Secretaries, Comptroller of State House, Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy President, Principal Administrative Secretary of Cabinet Affairs Office, Chief Executive Officer Public Service Commission (PSC).

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale confirmed the order explaining that the president is keen on implementing Article 10 of the Constitution on national values.

Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga also expressed her support for the circular.

“BBI is for the good of all Kenyans. If Cabinet has been ordered to take cognizance of all the BBI nine-point agenda, then there is no problem. It is not political, these are things that affect Kenyans,” Wanga weighed in.

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“I was born and raised in Kibra”, footballer Mariga announces entry into politics

Football icon McDonald Mariga has officially announced his retirement from active football to concentrate on politics.

The football star made the announcement on Monday, bringing to an end his 16-year football career.

Addressing the media, Mariga said he made the decision to quit football so as to focus in helping his community.

“I have retired from football and have decided to go and give back to the community,” he said

Meanwhile, the Jubilee Party on Monday evening nominated Mariga to be its candidate in the upcoming Kibra by-election.

The party’s National Elections Board settled on Mariga after vetting 11 candidates who had expressed interest in flying the party’s flag in the Kibra contest.

“I am pleased to announce that our vetting process has yielded a candidate of impeccable character and credentials, a person who has had an enduring connection with the people of Kibra,” the board’s statement

Earlier on, Mariga dismissed claims that he had been sponsored to vie for the Kibra seat.

“I am not a project of anyone and I will support whoever wins since I was born and raised in Kibra,” Mariga told journalists outside Jubilee party offices.

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DP Ruto banks on Soccer star Mariga to divide Luyha votes, to help Owalo win Kibra seat

By Onyango Ochieng Jr.

The strata of Kibra constituency has been the same since 2007 with Luyha leading, Luo and Kikuyu follow in terms of numbers, oh yes it has been like that since the past two elections…There were Luhyia candidates in Kibra. Hon Ken Okoth and ODM still carried the day. Governor Mike Sonko won in Nairobi despite Kikuyu being majority and Kikuyu candidates contesting in the City.

Governor Kidero also won in 2013. In politics there is a bit slightly too complex beyond tribal permutations. DP Ruto’s stooge MacDonald Mariga is not even sent their to win, his backers know he lacks the intellectual firepower to be in parliament. But he is there to scatter the vote of the youth and luhyias and thus leave the race open for Ex Raila 2013 campaign Manager Eliud Owalo to square it out with Orero of ODM.

Actually Mariga is a stalking horse for Eliud Owalo. It’s a strategy in 36 stratagems of war where you shout in the west but attack the east to confuse the enemy.

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Why Kenyans are taking more of Keroche’s Summit beer than KBL’s Tusker

By Onyango Ochieng Jr

Somewhere in 2016 or thereabout, EABL corporate swines unleashed an army of well-coordinated well-greased cold-blooded sabotuers among alphabetical soup of devil-inspired economic terrorists to go around bars buying out SUMMIT Larger manufactured from Keroche and destroying. I recall Keroche filed a case then, the jury is out there.

Now, those who drink will tell you SUMMIT is a beer out of this world. Low on sugar, zero on hangover, very very tasty. It’s way way better than Pilsner, White Cap and Balozi. The three makes the mouth smell like fermented dog urine!SUMMIT however is a beer you can sip an entire crate as you enjoy your evening without feeling weak in the knees or blacking out or even visiting the toilet 1000 times. It’s a beer of nobility! A beer that will easily invite a CLASSY woman on your table upon spotting it.

This beer is so cool that somewhere in 2016, it’s avid drinker Eric Ochanji II bravely fought corporate-hired domestic terrorists who stormed the local bar he was drinking to confiscate SUMMIT.

The towering Ochanji was mad, he was annoyed, he was fuming with rage of a charging park of hounds. He could not understand three things:

1. Why his finest beer was about to be destroyed by a group of deranged nation wreckers hired to do the devil’s work

2. Why such a hard-built Kenyan brand, built from scratch by a hardworking Kenyan woman was being fought maliciously by EABL corporate swines scared stiff of competition

3. Why EABL owned by British Diageo would seek to destroy a Kenyan brand in Kenya under Kenyan watch!

Friends, history has proved that vistory of evil over good is very temporary.

That said, I hereby officially make SUMMIT my beer of choice. Guiness will be my second beer. We must build our own industries if we hope to create jobs and a strong sustaining economy.

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Why Keroche Industries Tabitha Karanja will have the last laugh against KRA/DPP over fake tax evasion charges

By Eric Ochanji II

The story of Nigerian oil magnate Folorunso Alakija, the second richest woman in Africa and one of the richest black women in the planet is closely intertwined with that of Tabitha Mukami Muigai Karanja.

Alakija grew her business from nothing armed only with business acumen and a desire to take her place in Nigeria. When she applied for oil blocks, she was given what the giver described as ‘useless places from where she will get nothing.’ In the end her blocks were found to hold substantial deposits of oil and her problems began. The Nigerian dynasty and political leaders took her through years of frustrations reducing her shares from 60% to a measly 10% until the courts saved her. Who was she to own an oil block? Does she want to compete us and take our place as the rich of Nigeria?

Her husband Modupe standing by her side as Mr. Karanja stood with Tabitha, she won over the targeted frustrations of the dynasties and the greed of politicians. She formed a faithful support group of women ministry she called Rose of Sharon Ministry who prayed with her and urged her not to give up. Her painful experience would lead her to write three books, Growing with the Hand that gives, The University of Marriage and the Cry of Widows and Orphans.

In Kenya, at the making of our constitution, we gave ourselves the opportunity to establish a Tax Appeals Tribunal which was enacted into law through the Tax Appeal Act 2013 which came into effect in April 2015. This is because taxation is a global problem and that in order to support businesses to support our economy, we must create a judicial body to arbitrate on taxes and the decisions of KRA before they end up at the high court. This is because just like Kenya Power inflates your electricity bill at will, KRA is a rogue government body that can give you punitive, unjust demands on taxes.

Members of the Tax Appeals Tribunal were appointed in 2015 and their term ended in April 2018. Since then, the appointing authority( then Rotich), the Minister of Finance refused to do so, either because it served his corrupt interests not to have a tax arbiter or he was acting at the behest of the dynasties who want to settle scores using state might. Why can’t the members of the Tribunal be appointed so we follow due process? Is it not time we let the Judiciary appoint members of this Tribunal to remove it from the hands of someone with direct interest in it?

In the absence of a constituted Tax Appeals Tribunal as stipulated in our laws, the designs of dynasties move quickly because there is no arbitration. It means you are at the mercy of the rogue KRA and the designs of politicians. Use the attack dogs, the overzealous DCI and DPP.

Tabitha Karanja is being persecuted because she dared to be a billionaire without initiation by the dynasties. Who does she think she is? Two, most of the dynasties own shares in EABL. She is eating into their profits through her popular brands and it hurts them. She belongs to new money that is not needed. Old money should and must rule Kenya. Nothing hurts dynasties like ordinary people who through sheer effort takes a place in their ranks.

Daniel Moi used to harass opponents with punitive taxation. Ask Cyrus Jirongo and Geoffrey Asanyo.

When John Michuki refused to follow due process and slaughtered thousands of Mungiki adherents famously saying, ‘from tomorrow you will only be seeing coffins and burials’, we cheered him on. After all it was a Kikuyu killing his fellow Agikuyu. Little did we know the ground was being prepared for the mass slaughter of other communities during the election by their own government. In effect we were manipulated to say, our community is not being targeted, after all he also killed his own Kikuyu people.

If Kenyans were to be true to each other as the French became true to themselves in 1789, you will find the dynasties owe us billions and we should start with them.

Never cheer when someone turns his back to due process.

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