The Star 12/29/2016

Politicians yesterday eulogised former assistant minister John Keen as a selfless man, committed to serving the country. Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka, Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Narc leader Martha Karua were among the leaders who attended the requiem service held yesterday at his residence in Karen. Keen died on Christmas Day at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi. He was a former MP for Kajiado North and assistant minister in the Office of the President. Kalonzo described Keen as a man who had no tolerance for injustice, an attribute he said landed him in problems with the Jomo Kenyatta administration. He said Keen looked beyond tribe. Nkaissery said Keen, who was also the Democratic Party secretary general, mentored him in politics. Nkaissery assured attendees of a peaceful election.…

PATRICK NJOROGE IBL depositers to get more cash Depositors of the collapsed Imperial Bank will receive the third tranche of their cash through mid-tier NIC Bank, the Kenya Deposit Insurance Corporation said yesterday. The parastatal said verified depositors will access additional funds of up to a maximum of 10 per cent of their remaining deposits, subject to some conditions. See Page 15 UHURU KENYATTA Urged to resolve poll standoff President Uhuru Kenyatta has been urged to intervene and end the standoff surrounding the contentious amendments of the election laws. Religious leaders from Kisumu county yesterday said the President and the opposition should dialogue. Bishop Joshua Koyo said the the planned January 4 demos called by the oppositio could cause chaos. See Page 7 ISAAC RUTO Accused of drawing gun A…

Nine people died and 13 others were injured when the driver of the matatu they were travelling in lost control of the vehicle and plunged into a gulley. The accident occurred between Nzaini and Kalawani markets in Mbooni subcounty, Makueni county, yesterday. Mbooni West police boss James Barasa said the injured were taken to Tawa and Mbooni health centres. “We have confirmed nine passengers died, but we have others taken to various hospitals for treatment,” he told The Star on the phone. He said the 14 –seater matatu was headed to Machakos from Kikima town. A witness said he saw six bodies at the scene and said two others were stuck in the matatu, including the driver. He said the accident could have been caused by a burst tyre. The…

WHY is Moses Wetang’ula (pictured) and his brigade uncomfortable with the naming of a Luhya spokesman? The initiative, spearheaded by Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has rattled many Western politicians. Even Jubilee zealots like Benjamin Washiali are equally jittery. But perhaps Wetang’ula and his deputy Boni Khalwale already know what is in Atwoli’s “envelope”. Sources whisper to Corridors that the veteran trade unionist could unveil ANC Party Leader Musalia Mudavadi as the region’s kingpin. But even if the Atwoli initiative is shelved, would Wetang’ula accept to play second fiddle to Mudavadi in Nasa, where Raila Odinga appears to treat Mudavadi as more senior? CORRIDORS has it that a section of the Jubilee Party met recently and fronted Wafula Chebukati as a replacement for Issack Hassan as the next IEBC chairman.…

 CORD has dashed to court, seeking to prevent President Uhuru Kenyatta from signing into law any changes to the election laws. PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTAAND OPPOSITION LEADER RAILA ODINGA MUST UNDERSTAND THATTHE COUNTRY IS BIGGER THAN THE TWO OF THEM. IT IS DANGEROUS THAT WE HAVE REACHED SUCH LEVELS OF MISTRUST ABOUT ANYTHING The opposition moved to court even as the Senate pushed the debate on the Election Laws (Amendment) Act 2016 to January 4, to allow the Legal Affairs and Human Rights committee chaired by Busia Senator Amos Wako to conduct public hearings. But even as the Senate pushed forward the debate on the controversial changes, Cord, under a certificate of urgency, asked the High Court to block Parliament and the Executive from handling any Bill touching on changing the…

IF you read the substance of the amendments, many of them actually make sense. It would be irresponsible to go into an election where you tie yourself to technology without an alternative. Technology being what it is can malfunction: So you need a fallback. You cannot have an election without a fallback, even in the best-developed countries. What we should be interrogating is the credibility of the fallback. Can the fallback be abused? How do we protect it so that it does not become an avenue to subvert the will of the electorate? That should be the conversation, not either or. That’s Number One. Number Two, because these issues involve elections which obviously happen in a very heightened political environment, it’s always important to try and seek consensus. You may…