The Star 12/28/2016

Fida has defended the controversial bill that aims to lower the age of sexual consent from 18 to 16. The organisation says the bill seeks to protect teenage boys. Some residents signed a petition seeking to stop Parliament from lowering the age of sexual consent from 18 to 16. Others raised concerns using social media. It is feared the amendment could lead to a rising number of teenage pregnancies and early marriages. Currently, it is a crime to have sexual relations with someone under the age of 18. A person who commits the offence faces a jail term of not less than 15 years. Speaking to the Star yesterday, Fida national chairperson Josephine Mong’are said some teenagers have unnecessarily suffered long sentences of between 15 to 20 years. “If you…

SETH PANYAKO Medics’ salary talks set to begin Nurses and governors are expected to begin talks on the medics’ Collective Bargaining Agreement in the second week of January. The governors’ side will be led by Kisii’s James Ongwae, while the nurses will be led by Kenya National Union of Nurses secretary general Seth Panyako. Ongwae will oversee the process. See Page 10 CORNEL RASANGA Demos to protest poll laws Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga has said he will paralyse all operations in the county on January 4 to protest against the amendment of the election laws. He said he will ensure residents join him on the streets to “show solidarity with the opposition as it pushes to liberate the country from oppressive laws”. See Page 28 JOSEPH NKAISSERY Refugees could flee…

The government has extended the dusk-to-dawn curfew in Mandera county by three months starting today. Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery yesterday said the order remains effective until March 28, 2017. He said the directive aims to improve efforts to deal with terrorism. Nkaissery said the curfew will be observed in Mandera Town, Omar, Jillo, Arabia, Fino, Lafey, Kotulo and its environs up to 20km from the Kenya-Somalia border. The government had in October declared a one-month curfew in the county. Nkaissery at that time said the order applied to every person except under special conditions of a written permit granted by the respective deputy county commissioner. “Remain indoors and in such other premises as may be authorised,” read part of the legal notice. The curfew came after al Shabaab militants attacked…

IS the National Assembly leadership as non-partisan as it claims, even on controversial issues that threaten to tear the nation apart? Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso (pictured) recently exposed how partisan she can get as she preside over issues of the national interests. In what has shocked many, after presiding over the debate on the contentious electoral laws, Laboso joined Jubilee MPs in a victory dance and ululation. The Sotik MP joined the jubilant MPs immediately after she stepped out of the Speaker’s chair. IF you want public office, stay away from controversy and ensure your name is clean. Well, this is what could have denied Taib Ali Taib, the opportunity to become the IEBC chief. Sources whispered to Corridors that the Selection Panel received a dossier on allegations of Taib’s…

 ALL eyes will be on the Senate today as it reconvenes for a special sitting to consider controversial changes to the electoral laws adopted by the National Assembly last week. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE PHYSICAL FIGHT THAT PLAYED OUT IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DURING THE TWO ACRIMONIOUS SPECIAL SITTINGS WILL CARRY OVER TO THE SENATE, CONSIDERING THAT IT IS GENERALLY A SOBER HOUSE THE SENATOR LASHED OUT AT CORD LEADER RAILA FOR HIS CALLS FOR MASS ACTION ON JANUARY 4, SAYING THAT HE WAS A BENEFICIARY OF RIGGING IN 2007 The changes that include a manual backup system for voter identification and results transmission and the timeliness for the acquisition of election ICTs, significantly alter the Elections Laws (Amendments) Act 2016. The law arose from a negotiated agreement reached…

THIS IS A SERIOUS LAW, MORE SERIOUS THAN THE 2014 SECURITY LAWS THAT WERE OVERTURNED BY THE COURTS THE adoption of the controversial amendments to the election law has unmistakably thrown the country back to Square One. The amended law, which requires registration and identification of voters and the transmission of results to be electronic, was a product of negotiations and intense public participation following the clamour for the removal of the outgoing IEBC commissioners. In other words, this amendment means returning the country to the street protests that brought to the table the need of the amendment in the first place. For a start, Cord has moved to court. The coalition has opted to explore a legal solution to this problem. This is a serious law – a product…