The Star 09/29/2017

Embakasi East MP Babu Owino was once again released on Sh500,000 bond or Sh200,000 cash bail, pending the conclusion of his case. Babu yesterday denied two counts of grievous harm and using force during an election. The court heard that on August 8 in Soweto Social Hall, Kayole, Nairobi, Babu, jointly with others not before the court, unlawfully subjected Joshua Otieno to grievous harm. Police further said Babu directly and unlawfully inflicted physical injury to Otieno — a registered voter — to stop him from voting at the August 8 General Election. The prosecution told the court that the DPP had written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate Babu on leadership and integrity issues as outlined in Chapter Six of the Constitution. It urged the court not to…

CHARITY NGILU No detention over medical bills Kitui residents from next year will not be treated in dingy clinics manned by quacks or detained for failing to pay medical bills, Governor Charity Ngilu has pledged. There will be medical insurance for everyone, she said on Tuesday. Ngilu said every household will pay Sh1,000 for insurance and each family member will get a card for medical cover. See page 34 SUPREME COURT Fresh bid to have ruling quashed A fresh bid has been lodged to reverse the Supreme Court decision that annulled the August 8 presidential election. Jackson Ndegwa and Edwards Kings have appealed against a decision by deputy registrar of the Supreme Court Daniel ole Keiwua that dismissed their application. Ndegwa and Kings say the September 1 judgment was erroneous.…

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has pledged 30 per cent of the county budget to development projects. He also said he will amend ‘archaic’ bylaws not conducive to business. Sonko spoke when he addressed the Nairobi county assembly yesterday. He plans to cap the wage bill at 30 per cent. “I undertake to ensure devolution succeeds in our county. We can only achieve it if the county executive and the assembly pull in the same direction,” the new county boss said. Sonko said rapid development would be experienced through joint projects with the national government. The two governments have formed a joint committee chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Sonko as his deputy. A technical committee has also been formed chaired by Deputy Governor Polycarp Igathe. It comprises Cabinet Secretaries and…

POLITICAL GOSSIP Who is doing what and where in the world of politics IS there someone who is working hard to keep Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria out of parliamentary committees? Corridors has learnt that the MP is not very happy after he was left out of an ad-hoc committee tabled by majority leader Aden Duale (pictured) yesterday to prepare a report on the Supplementary Budgets. After the names from the Jubilee side were tabled, the MP was heard telling some colleagues: “As one of the few surviving members of the Budget Committee, I cannot comprehend how I was left out. It is part of the Duale-Kimani Ichung’wa (Kikuyu MP), whose name was included in the list, axis to lock me out of parliamentary committees. It is grossly unfair”. REMEMBER…

Jubilee’s radical election law amendments introduced in Parliament yesterday would make it almost impossible to invalidate a presidential election. They created a storm in Parliament and were denounced by the opposition. The amendments have further poisoned the already tense and toxic political environment — with only 27 days to presidential rerun. The changes also will slash the powers of the Judiciary and the IEBC chairman. The Supreme Court, which nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win, says it will not hesitate to do the same on October 26 if the poll again violates the Constitution and other laws. The vote was 4-2. So Jubilee is moving fast to put restrictions in place to tie the Judiciary’s hands and limit its independence before the poll. A date for the vote has not been…

The Constitution guarantees every person inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected. It further accords every person the right to freedom and security of the person, which includes the right not to be treated or punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading manner. It gives every person the right, peaceably and unarmed, to assemble, to demonstrate, to picket, and to present petitions to public authorities. The provisions of Article 49 of the Constitution give certain rights to any person arrested in Kenya: An arrested person has the right to be informed promptly, in language that the person understands, of (i) the reason for the arrest; (ii) the right to remain silent; and (iii) the consequences of not remaining silent. He further has the right to…