Kenya
Jubilee Announces Plan on Nairobi By-election
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, January 13, at the Jubilee Party headquarters, Secretary General Raphael Tuju stated that they were monitoring the situation in court and how everything will play out, before giving directions on the way forward.
“As for Nairobi’s seat of Governor [sic] we are on standby mode as the matter plays out in the High Court and Nairobi County Assembly,” he said.
The Nairobi mini polls set for February 18, were suspended pending the hearing and determination of former Governor Mike Sonko’s appeal on his impeachment.
Sonko is also engaged in another court case against Ann Kananu Mwenda, whose nomination as deputy governor he is said to have revoked.
The court, however, declined to stop the planned vetting of Kananu who was represented by senior counsel Paul Muite.
Jubilee is said to be considering BBI Secretariat co-Chair Dennis Waweru as the candidate to battle it out with UDA’s Margaret Wanjiru.
Tuju also announced that the party would not be fielding candidates in the Machakos, Matungu and Kabuchai by-elections.
He added that Jubilee was engaging ODM, Wiper, ANC and Ford Kenya in the listed polls.
Jubilee has avoided facing off with the Deputy President William Ruto-linked United Democratic Alliance party, which has already announced it’s participation in the Machakos, Matungu and Kabuchai by-elections.
Wiper has fielded Agnes Kavindu who is UDA Chairman Johnstone Muthama’s ex-wife for the Machakos by-election.
Muthama and his ex-wife are also expected to face off in a campaign where their differences are likely to play out in public.
In the first week of January, Muthama, together with DP Ruto, met with twelve aspirants interested in vying for the Machakos by-election on a UDA ticket.
The former Senator said his party would undertake a scientific poll to determine who among the twelve was most popular, and grant them the ticket.
Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua’s Maendeleo Chap Chap has unveiled former Water Minister John Mutua Katuku to carry its flag in the by-election.
The institution, Kenyan Police Leadership Academy, is located in Ngong area of Kajiado County.
The academy is situated on a 120-acre parcel of land of which 18 acres are already in use according to a statement issued by National Police Service.
The force indicated that over 50 per cent of the materials expected to be used in the construction of the facility will be sourced locally.
“Overall construction will be locally sourced where 56% of materials will be local. The project is expected to be completed and commissioned soon,” read the statement in part.
According to designs presented to the president, the institution is expected to have adequate accommodation for 220 individuals as well as classrooms and lecture halls.
Other facilities include a well-equipped auditorium with a sitting capacity of 450 people, kitchen and dining halls as well as sports and recreational centers.
The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has offered to support the project by constructing adequate accommodation for police officers attached to CBK and will be located in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
“The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) is supporting the development of this project through a Memorandum of Understanding with the NPS. As part of this arrangement, CBK will build adequate accommodation for the police officers attached to CBK in Nairobi.
“CBK has finalised plans to build a modern, gated community in Industrial Area with 210 units. This will solve permanently a long standing problem , and provide suitable living quarters for these officers and their families,” read the CBK statement in part.
This after the prosecution on Tuesday, January 26, 2020, failed to produce one Brian Mills – the suspected mastermind in the case who is said to be associated with Anglo Leasing Finance Limited.
Appearing before magistrate Felix Kombo, the prosecution was unable to reveal the whereabouts of one Brian Mills. Efforts to get to know him and his whereabouts through Kenyan government officials have also proved futile.
Present during the January 26 trial were Deepak Kamani, former PS Dave Mwangi and former Head of Debt Management at the Treasury David Lumumba Onyonka
The case had in 2005 fallen apart after the prosecution failed to present enough evidence that could lead to a successful prosecution. However, with the aid of foreign governments, accounts of suspects and offshore offices produced documentation that sustained the case.
On March 4, 2015, during the trial of former Finance Minister Chris Obure, among senior officials charged in the case, Magistrate Hellena Ndung’u issued international arrest warrants for Bradley Beckenfield, thought to reside in the US, and Brian Mills. Both believed to be connected to the scandal.
According to a report by the BBC in March 2015, Anglo Leasing Finance was paid about Ksh3.3 billion ($33 million) to supply and install a digital passport issuing system at the Department of Immigration and supply and installation of forensic science laboratories for CID.
Other phantom companies involved in the scheme had been contracted to supply naval ships. None of the contracts was honoured.
Progress was made in the case after about Ksh201 million suspected to have been proceeds of the scandal was frozen in Swiss accounts as reported by Business Daily on July 4, 2018.
Perhaps one of the biggest scandals in the history of the country, it roped in top officials of the President Mwai Kibaki era. They included former Vice-President Moody Awori, former Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru and former Finance minister David Mwiraria.
This is out of the 4.2 million signatures submitted by the BBI secretariat team on December 10, 2020.
In a notice dated Tuesday, January 26, IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati affirmed that the initiative surpassed the threshold needed to proceed to the next stage.
“The Commission, through interim verification of data captured as of 19th January 2021, has confirmed and is satisfied that the Initiative has been supported by 1,140,845 registered voters.
“This is, therefore, to notify you that the Initiative has met the requisite threshold as provided in Article 257 (4) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010,” read part of the statement.
The bill seeking to amend the constitution will be forwarded to the speakers of the 47 county assemblies for debate within three months from the date of submission by IEBC.
The county speakers will then submit the decisions of the county assemblies to the Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate. For the Bill to proceed to a referendum, it must be passed by at least 24 County Assemblies.
The BBI task force had initially slated the timelines for the BBI process, revealing that County Assemblies would submit their decisions by February 19, 2021. This would set the pace for the referendum to be held between April 6 to June 6.
Various politicians have embarked on various tours across the country to either drum up support for the bill or criticise the proposed amendments.
On the frontline of this initiative are President Uhuru Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Raila Odinga who have appealed to Kenyans to support the BBI citing that it provides long-term solutions to the majority of the problems in the country.
However, a section of politicians led by Deputy President William Ruto and his allies have suggested that the proposals be revised to avoid a scenario where the referendum will pit Kenyans against each other.
The DP has in the past stated that he would not participate in the referendum if it proved divisive.
