The Star 01/11/2017

A court has issued an arrest warrant against Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union officials. They are secretary general Ouma Oluga, chairman Samuel Oroko, treasurer Daisy Korir and deputy secretary general Mwachonda Chibandzi. Other officals are Allan Ochanji, Titus Ondoro and Evelyne Chege. Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Hellen Wasilwa issued the arrest order after the officials failed to appear in court as directed. The judge was to pass judgment on the officials for disobeying a court order that stopped the ongoing doctors’ strike. “In the absence of the contemptors, a warrant of arrest is inevitable,” Wasilwa said. “I can’t do anything else other than to issue a warrant of arrest against them. If they don’t want to come to court, let the officers arrest them and bring…

HASSAN JOHO To be accorded grand reception Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho’s star is rising and shining bright, thanks to his tough talk and feud with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Joho’s supporters in Mombasa are organising a grand reception tomorrow or Thursday after he jets back from Ghana. His office did not confirm or deny the rally. He returns tomorrow. See Page 31 YOWERI MUSEVENI Appoints son a major general The Ugandan President has appointed his eldest son a major general in the army as his special adviser, renewing speculation that he is grooming him as his successor. Maj-Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba rose rapidly through the ranks of the military, and was the commander of the Special Forces, with responsibility over his father’s security. See Page 17 GEOFFREY WAHUNGU ‘SGR in…

The rejuvenated opposition is set to meet today at the Bo-mas of Kenya in what insiders say will alter Kenya’s political landscape seven months to the August 2017 poll. Cord CEO Norman Magaya, who is at the centre of coordination of the Opposition behemoth, NASA, yesterday told the Star the meeting will herald an “unstoppable political tornado”. Opposition politicians are trying to replicate the historic 2002 Narc unity that toppled the Kanu regime. “All is set and the preparations are almost complete,” Magaya said. “I can tell you its ramifications will be felt far and wide.” On Monday, Cord management committee co-chairman James Orengo said the meeting is significant in setting out winning strategies. This is be the first time all opposition chiefs will publicly come together, amid revelations of…

IS Governor Evans Kidero’s (pictured) Communications Director Walter Mong’are sabotaging his work ahead of the August polls? Word has it that Mong’are, alias Nyambane, has become a “Jubilee mole” working very hard to disrupt his boss’s activities. Corridors has been told that Mong’are, the custodian of Kidero’s public address and media coverage equipment, last Saturday locked the equipment in his own house and went missing. Kidero was supposed to use the equipment at a public function and his communication team was forced to hire other equipment. The team was also forced to borrow clips of Kidero’s address from freelancers. It is said Nyambane was later in the afternoon spotted sharing a drink with State House Digital Communications Director Dennis Itumbi at G-Port, Yaya Centre. A commissioner of the National Land…

It’s all about the numbers, the calculus of victory. There may be seven months to the polls, but the outcome could well be decided by the month-long registration starting next Monday – and by the coalitions’ turnout machines. Jubilee and Cord are geared up for a do-or-die battle for voters as the IEBC embarks on its final registration. The ruling coalition and opposition are strategising how to capitalise on the drive. They are leaving nothing to chance. Elected leaders, aspirants and supporters are being mobilised and both sides will have mobilisation teams on the ground to motivate eligible voters and collected uncollected ID cards. They will closely monitor the process and know the location of the essential eligible but unregistered voters. More than 15.8 million Kenyans are registered to vote.…

THERE were 14.4 million Kenyans enrolled as voters prior to the last General Election in March 2013. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) projected 22 million voters by the next election in 2017, if all factors remained constant. The elections will be held on August 8 this year. As of June 30, 2016, a total of 15,857,185 Kenyans had been uploaded in the database, pending verification and certification by the IEBC. We also realised that approximately 9 million people have been issued with National ID cards and are not registered as voters. This meant the second Mass Voter Registration exercise would target to increase the number of voters by 4-6 million. During the second Mass Voter Registration, 7,793 BVR kits will be deployed countrywide at the ward level. The…