The Star 05/02/2017

The party primaries that ended on Friday have given a new lease of life to former political bigwigs who have been out in the cold for four years. The former MPs, most of whom were vocal and influential, lost elections in 2013 due to their choice of parties, performance and character. They include Amos Kimunya (Kipipiri), Joshua Kutuny (Cherangany), Jayne Kihara (Naivasha), Maoka Maore (Igembe North), Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon), Njeru Ndwiga (Embu), Dhadho Godhana (Galole) and Margaret Kama (Eldoret East). Former Finance minister Amos Kimunya won the Jubilee Party ticket for Kipipiri MP, beating incumbent Samuel Gichigi and five other aspirants. Kimunya got 16,479 votes against Gichigi’s 5,999. He lost the seat in the March 4, 2013, election to Gichigi. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political affairs adviser, Kutuny, lost the…

JOYCE LABOSO Unqualified staff to go home Jubilee Party Bomet governor nominee Joyce Laboso has said if elected she will ensure only those qualified for their roles and hired on merit keep their jobs. Laboso said there are many individuals holding plum positions who were employed through the backdoor due to their connections with those in power. See page 7 CYPRIAN AWITI Homa Bay governor flagbearer The Homa Bay governor today is set to be officially announced as the ODM flagbearer. He will defend his seat at the August 8 election after beating aspirants in disputed nominations. His closest rival, Oyugi Magwanga, protested, alleging he was rigged out. Awiti won with 46,346 votes against Magwanga’s 14,661. See page 28 DELEGATES IN KENYA Kenyan project replicated Seven African states will roll…

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network will from tomorrow hold its seventh conference, the main focus being on issues affecting gender equality in Africa. Every three years, Femnet, in accordance with its constitution, convenes a three-day Programming Conference and General Assembly for its members and partners. Delegates discuss topical issues in Africa affecting women’s advancement, as part of the development goals for Africa. This year’s conference will be the first for Femnet members and women’s rights organisations across Africa. The forum will be held after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, and soon after the AU developed the 10-year implementation plan of the Agenda 2063. The 2030 Agenda and Africa Agenda 2063 prioritise realisation of gender equality. It is therefore up to women to see…

IS Cotu boss Francis Atwoli (pictured) endorsing some aspirants in Nairobi? Well, the no-nonsense and vocal trade unionist on Monday urged workers in Nairobi to vote for nominated MP Johnson Sakaja as the next senator from Nairobi. Atwoli was categorical that, irrespective of the party, Sakaja should be voted as the capital city’s Senate lawmaker at the August 8 polls, raising questions about his neutrality ahead of the polls. “Msijali ni chama kipi, mpigieni kura kijana yangu Sakaja [never mind about the party, vote for my son Sakaja],” Atwoli said. INFLUENTIAL politicians in Mt Kenya who lost during the Jubilee Party primaries are mounting a rebellion against Deputy President William Ruto. In what may place roadblocks on the path to Ruto’s 2022 bid, the leaders, among them close allies of…

The IEBC has described as “a recipe for chaos” a court declaration that presidential results announced at the constituency are final. Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati says, “I was dismayed by that ruling for the simple reason that presidential results are supposed to be announced at the national tallying centre by the national returning officer, who is the chairman of the IEBC. That is very clear in the law,” Chebukati said. The decision by three judges — Chacha Mwita, Weldon Korir and Aggrey Muchelule — knocked down all sections of the election rules and regulations that subject the presidential vote announcements made at the constituencies to verification by a national tallying centre. “You cannot have a situation where each constituency returning officer announces results. What if they make mistakes? We have…

BEING prepared and being committed are two different things. I have no doubt in my mind that both the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati and the Commission are very committed. However, the biggest question you need to ask is: Are they prepared? I can tell you for a fact there are some indicators that show that they are not really prepared. First, the political parties’ nominations: If you look at Article 88 ( 4 ) A, it is very clear that the IEBC is mandated by the law to actually oversee the primaries. But look at the shambolic nature of the all these nominations, regardless whether you are in Jubilee or ODM. They are a mockery of democracy in our country. Second, we went for the second mass voter registration without…