The Star 01/27/2017

Doctors’ union officials one-month suspended jail sentence yesterday was postponed for five days. Employment and Labour Relations Court Justice Hellen Wasilwa had given them until yesterday to end their strike or be jailed for one month. She said the extension will lapse on January 31, when the parties will appear in court for the Council of Governors to respond to the officials’ new application. The union filed an application for the sentence to be suspended for an additional two weeks. The CoG, however, opposed it, saying the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union bosses have not demonstrated what they have done since the orders suspending their sentence were issued. But Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr pleaded for a review of the orders. The strike is in its 54th day.…

DAVID MARAGA Case status update via SMS Kenyans will be able to know the status of their cases at their own leisure via SMS by March, the Chief Justice has said. The CJ yesterday said he will ensure all court stations across the country have wi-fi connectivity, be enabled to receive mobile payment of fines and allow for the filing of cases onlineto make justice accessible. See Page 14 FRANCIS WANGUSI Airtel, Telkom delay in 4G rollout Airtel and Telkom Kenya’s Orange are yet to install infrastructure that supports high-speed 4G internet services, the regulator has said, hinting at a possible delay in the two getting a licence. CA says the two “would have already rolled out ( 4G) in a number of towns” on a trial basis, but lag…

Nairobi governor hopeful Peter Kenneth’s campaign has failed to take off due to a split between the President and Deputy President’s handlers. A source close to the presidency, who requested anonymity, said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s handlers are worried that Kenneth’s candidature will hamper his reelection. “Ruto’s men see Kenneth as an impediment to his 2022 quest for president. He has brought a wedge between President Uhuru and DP Ruto,” the source said. The source said Ruto’s men are determined to block Kenneth. “There is a feeling among Ruto’s camp that if he becomes the governor, he will inherit the Mt Kenya vote bloc and lock out Ruto. Even the President is afraid of him and is not going with him on his tours of the country urging residents to register…

ARE Jubilee power-brokers already hawking Foreign CS Amina Mohamed’s (pictured) position to Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang’ula? Our moles have revealed that Jubilee power players are interested in the two ditching Cord co-principal Raila Odinga and are sweetening the deal with offers of positions in government. “The Foreign Affairs CS position will be vacant next month if Amina is elected to the African Union over the weekend. Who tells you we cannot offer this position to either of them in exchange for their supporters?” a Jubilee insider told Corridors. Both Kalonzo and Wetang’ula have served as Foreign Affairs ministers. ON Tuesday, we ran an item on this column about an alleged attempted recall of all retired district commissioners. The same story stated that the…

Kenyan MPs — already the world’s second-highest paid lawmakers — will receive a taxpayers’ gift of Sh11 million each and ‘earn’ Sh1.09 million salary for two months with no work. These princely payments have been authorised as the doctors’ strike enters its second month. After years of medical school, public hospital doctors save lives, yet live like paupers compared with MPs. They demand better pay. University staff are also on strike. Parliament will dissolve on June 5, but members have been guaranteed their own pay through August 7, the day before the general election. In other words, taxpayers will pay 416 members of the National Assembly and the Senate a minimum of Sh456.1 million, as they campaign for reelection or for other high-paying positions. Majority leader Aden Duale assured MPs…

KENYAN parliamentarians have on many occasions in the past exhibited a propensity for awarding themselves lavish retirement benefits slightly before Parliament dissolves ahead of a general election. These benefits are in the form of hefty bonuses and unjustified perks that are embedded in legislation passed through lengthy negotiations and late-night decisions. In 2007, the Ninth Parliament passed legislation giving each parliamentarian a hefty bonus, bodyguards for life, private chauffeurs and a state funeral. These ridiculous proposals were promptly rejected by President Mwai Kibaki. In 2012, the 10th Parliament passed a Retirement Bill, bestowing upon Members of Parliament illegal incentives in the name of a retirement bonus that included more than Sh10 million per MP plus other perks. It was proposed Kibaki and his predecessor Daniel arap Moi receive cumulative perks…