The Star 03/21/2017

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero could retain the seat if Senator Mike Sonko and former presidential aspirant Peter Kenneth go to the next polls individually. An opinion poll released yesterday by Infotrak found that 35.3 per cent of the sampled people said they would vote for Kidero, 23 per cent for Sonko and 20.2 per cent for Kenneth. Eight hundred respondents were sampled with a margin of error of -/+ 3.5 at 95 per cent degree of confidence. The race for the county’s top job boils down to the three candidates across all the parties. Sonko and Kenneth remain Jubilee’s favourite, controlling a total of 43.2 per cent of the electorate. Others are Miguna Miguna with 1.2 per cent support, Margaret Wanjiru at 0.9 per cent, Esther Passaris with 0.7 per…

BONFACE MWANGI Vote wisely The activist says “foolish” Kenyan voters elected thugs and irredeemably corrupt leaders and have themselves to blame for the corruption and embezzlement. He says Kenyans should stop voting along tribal lines, party affiliation, and auctioning their votes to the highest bidder. He says citizens hold power in their votes and should elect leaders wisely. See page 9 KEN TARUS Power cost will not go up The continued falling water levels in hydroelectric dams will not result in higher electricity bills, the Kenya Power acting chief executive says. He says Kenya is being cushioned by geothermal, wind and solar energy, which are bridging the gap in reduced hydropower generation. However, data shows that the cost of power went up in February. See page 20 CARCASS Herders forced…

The battle for control of Maasai votes between Jubilee and Chama Cha Mashinani yesterday intensified, with political leaders from the two rival groups staging parallel meetings in Narok county. Narok Governor Samuel Tunai organised a rally in Narok Stadium to launch his political campaign towards his reelection, as Narok West MP Patrick Ntutu, who is running for governor, joined Bomet Governor Isaac Rut-to at Suswa 40km away from Narok town. Ntutu, who fell out with Tunai, launched a similar campaign three weeks ago at his Oloripik home and has announced he will run on the CCM ticket. At Narok Stadium, Tunai was with Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago, Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, Beatrice Elachi (nominated senator), several MPs and 40 MCAs. Tunai told his rivals to prepare for a tough…

WHAT is Raila Odinga (pictured) and the National Super Alliance’s strategy in Northeastern? Well, an ODM legislator from the region was overheard complaining that NASA has not been aggressive in courting the region’s leaders, who have lately been trooping to Jubilee in droves. According to the MP, Raila has a potent message of extrajudicial killings, mishandling of the war on terror and the detention of Somalis in the Kasarani Stadium, which he and his team have not articulated well. According to the MPs, nothing makes Somalis more bitter than the historical injustices, including alleged discrimination in the issuance of ID cards. The Northeastern counties are marked by both the Opposition and by Jubilee as a swing vote bloc. WHERE is Senate Majority leader Kithure Kindiki? The man is politically missing…

Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday launched a scathing attack on President Uhuru Kenyatta, accusing the head of state of abusing his power by abusing ODM governors. In an exclusive telephone interview with the Star, Raila said the President was using his office to insult, intimidate and harass opposition governors. “This behavior by the President needs prayers from Kenyans. He is not just abusing his powers but he is demeaning the institution of the presidency,” Raila said. The former Prime Minister said the President should be censured for not behaving like a head of state. “Something is very wrong,” Raila said, speaking on a stopover in Amsterdam. The ODM leader arrived last evening from the US where he, among other engagements, delivered a lecture at Harvard University. Earlier he had visited…

EVERYONE is supposed to be annoyed if the situation calls for annoyance, and everyone is human and therefore they are allowed to throw a tantrum every once in a while. The throwing of a tantrum, in and of itself, does not necessarily amount to abuse of office. It only amounts to opening up oneself to ridicule, because people look at you and they say, “Where is the dignity, where is the decorum that we would expect to go with the office?” You bring the office into indignity. Indignity in the sense that such an office should be emblematic of national unity but is reduced to an institution that can become a laughing stock and the subject of public ridicule alongside the holder of that office. So I think we can…