The Star 12/09/2016

Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka now want the tenders awarded by the IEBC for the 2017 election frozen until new electoral commissioners are picked. The two leaders, who spoke at Capitol Hill yesterday, said the new commissioners must be in office by December 23. They accused President Uhuru Kenyatta of frustrating the work of the commission by delaying assenting to the Elections Laws Act. “People died on the streets because they wanted reforms and a well-managed electoral commission. It is annoying that the people they wanted out [commissioners] are still in office. Please don’t return Kenya to Egypt,” Raila told Uhuru. In a statement read by Kalonzo, they warned Uhuru to be ready to bear the responsibility of any danger to peace, law and order. Raila said nothing…

PATRICK KHAEMBA Deploys volunteers to hospitals The Trans Nzoia government on Wednesday deployed 100 volunteer medical workers to help suffering patients in public hospitals. Governor Khaemba said they will deploy 100 more tomorrow. He said the volunteers have been engaged on a temporary arrangement until the medics call off the strike. See page 33 EVANS KIDERO Says officers didn’t evict couple The Nairobi governor has denied his officers were involved in the Sunday intimidation and forcible eviction of an elderly couple and bulldozing of their property in Westlands. The house of Purin Kurji, 74, and his 70-year-old wife was flattened by a bulldozer. The property was invaded by about 20 men armed with pangas and rungus. See page 27 CHRIS MURUNGARU Deemed a hurldle in war on graft The former…

The four APs charged with the murder of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, his client and a taxi driver will remain in custody until the case is determined. High Court judge Jessie Lesiit yesterday said despite bail being a constitutional right, the court cannot set the free owing to the gravity of the offence and the facts surrounding the abduction, torture and the heinous killings. The judge said the DPP had presented compelling reasons for Fredrick Leliman, Leonard Mwangi, Silvia Wanjiku and Stephen Chebulet to remain in custody. “The likelihood of a repeat of a similar offence cannot be overruled. And since the accused person are many, their release is likely to send cold shivers down the spines of potential witnesses and victims of the affected families,” the judge said.…

POLITICAL GOSSIP Who is doing what and where in the world of politics IN an interview aired by K24 TV on Monday, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s adviser Miguna Miguna (pictured) mentioned that he may consider running on the Jubilee ticket. Miguna asked why he cannot join Jubilee, saying he was not ready to join ODM or any other outfit. This has not gone down well with some of the already declared Jubilee aspirants. One of them, who has been widely dismissed as a non-starter, was heard saying that Miguna may just be “the Donald Trump of Nairobi county” - if he joins Jubilee. BARELY a week after Corridors heard some Cord legislators raise fears that their leader Raila Odinga will lose the race for State House, some Jubilee MPs…

‘SOME PEOPLE THRIVE ON LIES FOR POLITICAL MILEAGE BUT THEY FORGET THE TRUTH HAS A WAY OF ALWAYS COMING TO THE FORE’ Baringo Senator Gideon Moi yesterday said Rift Valley people no longer trust Deputy President William Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta should now deal with them directly. In an exclusive interview with the Star, the Kanu chairman said Ruto no longer commands the respect and support of many people in the region, especially the Kalenjin “who find him arrogant and condescending”. The Rift Valley has long been considered Ruto’s turf but his support is no longer rock solid. He and Moi are engaged in a supremacy battle to control the vote bloc. Both have declared they will run for President in 2022. Moi said Ruto has created many enemies…

KANU chairman Gideon Moi should not make any demands on Jubilee as regards the Rift Valley. He is in a much weaker position than he cares to admit and may just push himself further to the floor if he doesn’t change tack and radically find a new political path. If he needs to have a say in the future of Rift Valley, Gideon needs to urgently reposition himself. As things stand, his options are few and declining by the day. More importantly, time is not on his side. Perhaps it’s time to just swallow his pride and work with Jubilee fully, which needs everybody in their battle for 2017. If the regrouping Opposition sweeps into power, he has no guarantees and may be swept away just the same. Secondly, he…