Locally

Laikipia County: The way we know it.

[Locally @LocallyKE]

The CEREB Prosperity Debate.

Central Region Economic Bloc comprises 10 counties with a combined GDP of Kes.2.7 trillion (US$ 27 billion). For comparison, that economy is larger than 37 different African countries @cerebloc @LaikipiaCountyG @NdirituMuriithi @KiamaKaara @mbenekam

[Okiya Omtatah Okoiti-Commentary @RealOmtatah]

Kenyans will REJECT any form of real/perceived corruption, Mr. Hassan Joho.

Kenyans online made a whole sitting President (Uhuru) deactivate his accounts on social media, forever!

Kenyans online had a whole international media house (CNN) on its knees with apologies!

Kenyans online dragged a whole sitting President (Ruto) to explain himself on Twitter/X.

Dear Hassan Joho, Kenyans online are not people you want to threaten or disparage.

[Eric @amerix]

Do you know what has just happened in South Korea?

• Their besieged, unpopular president declares a state of emergency and martial law.

• President bans protests and censors media.

• Parliament rejects the decree and votes to restore the constitutional order by 190-0.

• Army storms Parliament to arrest MPs.

• Citizens storm the streets to protest and block the army.

• Army withdraws.

• President stands impeached.

All this drama in 1 day.

Keep clapping for others.

Vox Populi, Vox Dei.

#RutoMustGo

[Pauline Njoroge @paulinenjoroge]

AN UNPOPULAR OPINION

Gachagua is not Uhuru or Kibaki. The former presidents were futuristic, thoughtful and strategic! Gachagua is not.

The former DP is definitely bold, a great mobilizer and very good with narratives, but that’s just about it. He is not sophisticated in his thinking and strategically he is not smart. He gets carried away easily, gets caught up in the present moment and acts without thinking of future ramifications of his actions.

When he picks up a fight, he does it aggressively, but instinctively. Remember his inauguration speech at Kasarani and his other schemes that followed like Northlands raids? I can bet that even in his fight with Ruto, he only thought of that present moment and never applied any strategic plan to it.

At present, he will continue fighting aggressively, gatecrush events and cause a lot of excitement for the MOMENT. But if you happen to ask him what the eventual plan is, I am almost certain he would have no answer. Yet, a smart and strategic mind is required even for a kingmaker.

So my dear Mt. Kenya people, get all excited for now as there is a man who is giving Ruto a hard time in the region. But if you are looking for a person who will give the community strategic direction moving into the future, you will have to go back to the drawing board as that person is not Gachagua. Due to the urgency and significance of this matter, we may even need to pray facing the great mountain, and plead with Mwene Nyaga to provide and anoint for us a man who will lead the community into the future, and build great and meaningful collaborations with other Kenyan communities.

[Cornelius K. Ronoh @itskipronoh]

The great people Muranga have refused to listen to the speeches from Kithure Kindiki and Ruto during a burial service.

[Martha Karua @MarthaKarua]

As received

[The Kenyan Vigilante @KenyanSays]

Nyandarua senator Methu is giving Barbers in the county sleepless nights!

[Eugene L. Wamalwa @EugeneLWamalwa]

A tale of two State of the Nation addresses by two Wills, @otienowill & @WilliamsRuto,which Will is more believable?

[James Orengo @orengo_james]

Statement on the unlawful abduction of Kizza Besigye.

[coldsire @ColdsireSetup]

@DonaldBKipkorir If a donkey could win, maybe it's time Americans vote for policies, not mascots! Who knew democracy had a barnyard twist!

[Moe @moneyacademyKE]

KRA reported a revenue shortfall in October, with declines in Domestic VAT, PAYE, and Excise collections across key sectors:

These include:
—Domestic VAT dropped by 26.3%, resulting in a Sh2.3 billion deficit.
—PAYE remittances fell short by Sh1.2 billion as large taxpayers used refunds to offset liabilities.
—Domestic Excise Duty decreased by Sh573 million, impacted by lower output in bottled water, beer, and tobacco.
—Excise Duty on money transfers declined by Sh728 million due to reduced transaction values in banking.
—Import Duty, VAT, and Import Declaration Fee (IDF) missed targets by Sh2.9 billion, due to reduced non-oil imports and higher tax cuts.

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

Voting is a part of your birthright as a citizen. Don't give it away.

Make sure you’re registered and have a plan to vote at https://t.co/NKXRGNgJPv.

[Pauline Njoroge @paulinenjoroge]

They say delay is not denial…
Incoming Deputy President, Prof. Kithure Kindiki.

[Citizen TV Kenya @citizentvkenya]

Ndegwa Njiru: Nobody can deny that there is no IEBC. If Kindiki is to be sworn in tomorrow, what will be the import of swearing in a person who has not been verified and approved by IEBC?

#GachaguaImpeachment

[Donald B Kipkorir @DonaldBKipkorir]

SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

For long, I demurred criticizing the Supreme Court because I hold all its Members in the highest regard. Some were my Professors in Law School. Others have been my friends for decades. Some are my clients. But reading the Judgement on FINANCE ACT has shocked me to the core. Supreme Court has held that PUBLIC PARTICIPATION is a Constitutional Imperative but curiosity erases its value completely by holding:

“ .. National Assembly is under no obligation to provide reasons for accepting or rejecting public views .. “

If National Assembly has no obligation to provide reasons for accepting or rejecting public views, why then undertake public participation? Why then engage in a WILD GOOSE & ILLUSORY process?

Another curious holding was that there is no obligation on Parliament because we have no rules in place! Law is written or established by courts (case law) or law scholarly books & writings or under both local and international customs. We don’t need RULES to give effect to Constitutional Obligations.

Unless the Supreme Court reviews this Judgement only on the extent, remit & principles of PUBLIC PARTICIPATION & make it MANDATORY & NOT DISCRETIONARY on Parliament, this will be the Judgment that destroyed democracy as we know it in Kenya.

This Supreme Court Judgement on PUBLIC PARTICIPATION is REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM!

[Pauline Njoroge @paulinenjoroge]

In the past, I have used this wall to share thoughts related to two important topics; education and leadership and the intersection between these two. The history of politics in Kenya shows that leadership was entrusted mainly to the most academically polished. This tradition is traceable to independence era where education was the primary basis for consideration in elective or appointive leadership. Our independence cabinet for example was essentially an assembly of society's creme de la creme then.

My own backyard of Mt.Kenya was known to place a high premium on education and thus over the years gave the country their most academically outstanding sons and daughters: the Mwai Kibaki, Michuki, Gikonyo Kiano, Matiba, Wangari Mathai, Njonjo, Mbiyu Koinange, Kimunya, Martha Karùa and Kiraitūs of this world.

In the recent past however, we (especially in Mt. Kenya) have abandoned this progressive path and elevated mediocrity. In the process, leadership has fallen to the lowest standards ever and the results are there for everyone to see.

Given this state of affairs, the appointment of Prof. Kithure Kindiki who comes from a family where the star of education shines brightest as evidenced by his four professor siblings and others with doctrate degrees makes for a very interesting piece of news. It is my hope that the Deputy President Designate whose spouse, Dr. Joyce Njagi, is a PhD holder in Chemistry will be deliberate in inspiring and helping restore education to its rightful place in our society, and an important aspect in informing our choice of leaders.

[Pauline Njoroge @paulinenjoroge]

Hon. (Prof.) Kithure Kindiki, PhD., EGH,

Hon. (Prof.) Kithure Kindiki is currently serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior & National Administration, a role he has held since October 2022, with a brief hiatus between 11th July, 2024 and 8th August, 2024, when His Excellency the President dissolved his Cabinet.

As the cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Hon. Kindiki has led and overseen achievement of various milestones and reforms including: the Police Equipment Modernization programme significantly enhancing the capabilities of Kenya's security services; finalization of a strategic framework to commence implementation of Police Reforms recommended by the Hon. Justice David Maraga Taskforce; abolishment of the previous vetting processes for issuance of National Identity cards; recognition of minority groups and stateless communities ensuring they receive Kenyan citizenship and associated rights; operationalization of the Public Benefit Organizations Act; enhancing the fight against banditry and general insecurity around the country; development of a legislative proposal to amend the National Government Coordination Act of 2013 to officially recognize village elders in each unit; and enrolment of 13,120 inmates into formal education programs; among others.

Prior to his appointment to Cabinet, Hon. Kindiki served as the elected Senator for Tharaka Nithi County, from 2013, in which time he also served as the Deputy Speaker of the Senate; as well as the Majority Party Leader in the Senate. In his role as Senate Majority Leader, he spearheaded the legislative agenda of the Majority Party in the Senate and served as the leader of the Majority Party. As Senate Deputy Speaker, Hon. Kindiki deputized the Senate Speaker in presiding over sittings and debates in the House of Senate and enforcing rules of procedure and parliamentary processes. Hon. Kindiki also conducted oversight roles governance of counties and participated in law making on matters affecting counties.

As an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, with legal experience spanning over twenty-four (24) years, Hon. Kindiki has consulted for international organizations including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the United Nations (UN) and UN specialized agencies such the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and practised as Defence Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

Hon. Kindiki has also taught law and held various administrative positions at Moi University School of Law and the University of Nairobi School of Law. He began his career as an Assistant Lecturer in Law at Moi University immediately upon graduating with an undergraduate degree in law. He then joined the University of Nairobi as a Lecturer after graduating with a PhD in International Law where he quickly rose to the Head of Department of Public Law at the young age of 33 and then to position of Associate Dean at the age of 35. Hon. Kindiki was later promoted to the post of Associate Professor of Law at Kenyatta University. He has authored thirty-five (35) publications including books, book chapters and articles in local and international peer-reviewed journals.

Hon. Kindiki holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B )degree from Moi University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree, and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in International Law from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. His professional affiliations include memberships to the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), the International Association for the Study on Forced Migration (IASFM), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the East African Law Society (EALS), and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

[Citizen TV Kenya @citizentvkenya]

Kaikai: The political class introduced a template today that some of them may regret in future #CitizenNewsGang #GachaguaImpeachment

[Harry Karanja, DTM @harrykaranja]

I wonder if Gachagua is brave enough to do a Frank Underwood and give the senators a tongue lashing as he goes down in flames of glory.

[Henry Kabogo 💧 ❄ 🇰🇪 @Kabogo_Henry]

@ledamalekina Impeach all of them..

[Pauline Njoroge @paulinenjoroge]

Earlier this month, Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa, mainly known as the TANA Forum welcomed its newest board member, H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Forum brings together leaders and stakeholders from different backgrounds across Africa to discuss and explore African-led peace and security solutions for the continent. The nature of its meetings is unique, as they are held in an informal setting, in the spirit of the gathering taking place under the BAOBAB tree to encourage a collaborative environment where leaders have a frank, relevant, and candid dialogue.

The Forum compliments the formal African heads of state and government efforts on strategic and proactive management of African peace security matters, emphasizing the need for African leaders and stakeholders to have an interest in and strong ownership and responsibility for these issues. In order to ensure that the discussions are immersive, the Forum combines the worlds of academia and research together with real-world and real-time experiences.

There is one significant thing to note about the Tana Forum is its identity, which derives from the experience of Tana and the Baobab tree. The Baobab tree is the national tree of Madagascar and is located in many other countries across the continent. The tree can provide shelter, food, clothing, and water for both humans and animals in the savannah regions. The tree is symbolic in that the Forum invites participants to sit down together in the spirit of commonality and moral sense of duty to dialogue and come up with solutions in peace and security for the continent. As an African saying goes, “Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it. “

The venue of the forum is also significant in that it bares its name from ‘TANA’. The Forum takes place in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. A city located at the shores of Lake Tana, which is the source of the Blue Nile. The Tana is the largest lake island in Ethiopia, the fourth largest in Africa, and plays host to more than 21 other islands. The 11th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa will be held from October 25-27, 2024, under the theme “Africa in an Evolving Global Order.”

The Forum is chaired by former president of Nigeria, Obasanjo. Other Board members include H.E. John Dramani Mahama, former President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of the Republic of Malawi; H.E. Dr. Lassina Zerbo, former Prime Minister of Burkina Faso; H.E. Catherine Samba-Panza and former President of the Central African Republic.