Making of a scandal: Inside the Sh15 billion drought scam

 

According to The Weekly Review, the Kenya National Trade Corporation (KNTC) will borrow a staggering Sh15 billion from a local commercial bank to finance one of the biggest and most extensive state-sponsored duty-free import regimes of consumer goods in recent memory.

The 58-year-old business will receive the funds in the form of credit lines, which KNTC will use to buy rice, cooking oil, sugar, wheat, and beans. Also, KNTC will be given credit lines totaling another Sh5 billion so that it can import fertilizer at a reduced price.

The information is found in a private letter from Ms. Mercy Wanjau, the Secretary to the Cabinet, dated November 15, 2022, to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which relays decisions reached during a meeting of the Cabinet on November 10, 2022.

The information is found in a private letter from Ms. Mercy Wanjau, the Secretary to the Cabinet, dated November 15, 2022, to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which relays decisions reached during a meeting of the Cabinet on November 10, 2022.

Major challenges

Given the size of the facility required, it is obvious that any "government-approved bank" involved in funding the extensive duty-free import program will have significant difficulties and dangers in adhering to the single borrower limit standards established by the Central Bank of Kenya.

Only a certain portion of the capital base of commercial banks may be lent to a single client. Only a small number of banks have the capital to cover their exposure. A similar agreement between the government and the Kenya Commercial Bank in 2018 left the institution.

with a sticky non-performing debt that has remained off of its balance sheet to this point. If anything, this is a risk that crystallized in a separate transaction. There are several issues raised. Where will the money come from to pay for this extensive program?

The Central Bank of Kenya's foreign exchange reserves are at historically low levels, and the value of the Kenyan shilling is in free fall, indicating that the country is indeed experiencing an unprecedented foreign exchange crisis.

Are we about to resume the practice of allocating foreign currency to those with connections? Does it make economic sense for the government to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in hard currency to buy duty-free consumer goods?

in the name of stabilizing local prices and running the risk of not only inflating the foreign exchange crisis but also oversaturating the local market with imports that will inevitably disrupt local supply chains?

Duty exemption programs

There have been questions about the way and pace in which President Ruto's new administration is carrying out one of the most extensive and intricate tariff exemption programs in recent history in Kenya. You should be aware that this task carries a high risk of corruption.

Especially given that it is being carried out in a region with weak governance institutions. It is debatable whether it is wise to entrust the KNTC, a state-owned trading company that has lain dormant since the 1970s.

And the 1980s when Kenya was still operating under the antiquated system of the command economy, price controls, and foreign exchange allocation committees, with the task of carrying out the importation of billions of dollars worth of consumer goods.

Duty-free import programs of this size only function if there are open and transparent bids, open and transparent commodity sales, open and transparent payments, and open and transparent beneficial ownership, according to local experience.

Under pressure from internal liberalization and international trade regulations, KNTC and other state-sponsored price stabilization enterprises in Africa have been crumbling. Where they still exist, their efficacy is compromised by persistent underinvestment in transportation.

And storage facilities, poor commercial trading abilities, constrained access to financing and weakened capacity for contract enforcement.KNTC lacks a financial sheet to back up the tax. According to its most recent audited and published statements.

It had a profit of Sh15 million and a meager total yearly income of Sh150 million. There are many sensational tales about well-connected briefcase salespeople prowling the streets of Dubai and Kuala Lumpur, peddling contracts from KNTC to cooking oil merchants.

Despite the anecdotal nature of the data, it has not helped that the state trading company does not transparently contract for supply. KNTC might become a significant hub for corruption. The Cabinet Secretary "directs that 100,000 metric tonnes of mill white sugar may be imported.

Into the nation duty-free not later than March 31, 2023," according to the announcement. "The Cabinet Secretary authorizes that 900,000 tons of white maize and 600,000 tons of milled rice may be imported into the country tax-free.

From February 1, 2023, to August 6, 2023," the notice states with regards to the two commodities. This first list of exemptions makes clear that KNTC's involvement in imports is not mentioned. It's an open invitation to any trader to bring goods in.

For some reason, the East African Customs Management Act does not require the second category of exclusions to be gazetted. The list of commodities may be found in a letter that Ndung'u, the then-KRA Commissioner-General, wrote to Githii Mburu on January 20, 2023.

80,000 MT of beans, 25,000 MT of wheat, 200,000 MT of sugar, 125,000 MT of cooking oil, and 150,000 MT of rice are the specifics. KRA issued a directive on February 14 instructing its Customs and Border Control division to begin accepting duty-free imports of the goods mentioned.

For exemption in Prof Ndung'u's letter. Unexpectedly, the duty-free approvals, which are valid until January 19, 2024, are retroactive to January 20, indicating that even items that entered the nation a few weeks prior to the internal circular on February 14 will be eligible for duty-free status.

"The quantities permitted in the referred letter of January 20, 2023, referring to the imports by KNTC do not in any way change the exemptions already granted under legal notice," Nancy Ng'etich also stated in the internal memo. Many legal issues are raised.

Can duty exemptions be implemented without first posting a notice in the Kenya Gazette? Second, can the East African Customs Management Act's provisions be revoked by a letter from Kenya's CS for Finance? The attempt by KRA to claim that duty-free imports.

The government has permitted are compliance with the provisions of the East African Customs Management Act, 2015, which was the most egregious falsehood in the entire episode. According to the Act, a member may only unilaterally announce duty-free imports.

In the manner that Kenya is doing this after the country's president has declared a national emergency, the Council of Ministers has given its approval, and the community secretariat has published the exemptions. Why are we starting pointless trade fights with other East African Community members?

According to a press release issued last week by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria recently traveled to Egypt. While there, he met with representatives from the Cairo-based Afri-Exim Bank to discuss the bank's import financing options to support the KNTC duty-free import program.

In reality, regional banks with a focus on financing commodities were included in the cabinet note that generated the idea as a potential additional source of funding for KNTC. Yet, there is a significant possibility of corruption in this area.

A son of the previous president of Sudan, Bashir, was charged with utilizing powerful middlemen with connections to the ruling class of Sudan to obtain contracts from government agencies supported by Sudan's revolving lines of credit with the regional lender, PTA Bank.

Mane Returns As Bayern Thrash Union To Return To The Top

 

Kingsley Coman was substituted by the Senegalese striker after the France winger assisted Eric Maxim Choupo's header and scored Bayern's second goal. After missing the World Cup due to a leg injury, Sadio Mane helped Bayern Munich defeat Union Berlin 3-0 to retake the lead in the Bundesliga.

Kingsley Coman was substituted by the Senegalese striker after the France winger assisted Eric Maxim Choupo's header and scored Bayern's second goal. Thomas Muller's ball was intercepted by Bayern's leading scorer Jamal Musiala, who turned 20 on Sunday, to finish the scoring.

By goal differential, Bayern is ahead of Borussia Dortmund, while Union remains in third place. Union entered the game tied for first place with Bayern and unbeaten in all competitions since November 13.

But the visitors failed to register a shot on goal as they bounced back from their 3-2 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach. In his first game after being hurt on November 8th, Mane came close to helping the score end up more emphatic shortly after entering the game.

Muller's attempt was stopped by visiting goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow after the summer signing from Liverpool dribbled toward the Union penalty area. Ronnow twice stopped Alphonso Davies, helping Bayern extend their unbeaten streak at the Allianz Arena to 18 games.

Dortmund won 1-0 against Hoffenheim on Saturday, their seventh straight victory in the Bundesliga, temporarily retaking the top spot from Chelsea's Champions League rivals.RB Leipzig beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 to move into fourth place, four points behind Bayern.

They passed Freiburg, who tied Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 at home, by one point. Four days before they defend a 1-0 lead against Paris St. Germain at home in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, the leaders play their next match on Saturday when they travel to relegation-threatened Stuttgart.

Kate Actress: I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant Until L Got Into A Motorcycle Accident

 

Kate Actress was a first-year at Makerere University.  She started dating and shortly became pregnant. Kenyan actress Catherine Kamau, popularly known as Kate Actress, has narrated how a motorcycle accident made her learn about her first pregnancy at 19 years old.

Kate, then a first-year student at Makerere University in Uganda, said that she experienced quite a rigid environment while growing up and now that she was alone in a foreign land she had the freedom to explore all her amusements.

"I was in college, my first time away from home and from a strict mom. I never used to go out, or drink, or talk to boys and now I find myself in a different country and I can talk to boys, I can go to the disco, and drink, I was overwhelmed.

" she said speaking to Universal Plus AfricaTwo months after joining the institution, Kate added, she started dating and shortly became pregnant. She was not aware of the pregnancy until one time when she had gone out with her boyfriend and ended up being involved in a motorbike accident.

Kate narrated that it was at the hospital, where they later visited, when the doctor informed her of the pregnancy, a cross she was not yet ready to bear. "I actually did not know I was pregnant until when the child's father and I went out and we had a motorbike accident and had to go to the hospital," she narrated.

"The doctor came out and said you are okay and the baby is safe. I was like 'what baby!'. And he was like 'yeah you are four months pregnant' and I was like 'Who?" she posed. "I am looking at my tummy and it's flat because I was a very tiny girl and that is how I learned I was pregnant and I was not ready."

Despite the anxiety that had rocked their love boat, Kate decided to keep the pregnancy owing to her boyfriend's assurance and support only for him to change tune after the baby was delivered. She immediately returned home and enjoyed temporal soundness since her mother was not home, but could not bury her head in the sand for long.

"I remember going back home, my mum was on some assignment in South Africa and I enjoyed my time because she was not there and dads rarely notice anything because I was always in hoodies," Kate says her mother, despite her disappointment, was very supportive through the genesis of her parental journey.

"I gave birth but despite mum being disappointed she was really supportive because she was in a similar situation and I think that's why she was more understanding," she said. "She made me understand that life has changed and you have to be a mum, you cannot wake up at 10:00, you have to wake up and take care of the baby.

" Kate is now a mother of two; her firstborn son (16) and a three-year-old daughter whose father is her current husband, film producer Philip Karanja.

Ten Hag Wants To 'Keep On Dancing' After First Trophy As Man Utd Boss

 Revived by the demanding and disciplined Ten Hag, United has set the stage for a potential return to the kind of sustained success last seen in the Alex Ferguson era. As Erik ten Hag danced a jubilant jig on the Wembley pitch after Manchester United's League Cup final victory over Newcastle, it was clear the manager's romantic ideas about the club had blossomed into a full-blown love affair.

Ten Hag has made a remarkable impact since leaving Ajax to take charge of United last year and Sunday's 2-0 win against Newcastle was the latest sign the club is back on track after a turbulent decade.

Casemiro's header and an own goal from Sven Botman sealed United's first major trophy since 2017 when they won the Europa League and League Cup under Jose Mourinho. But the trophy was only secured after keeping Newcastle at bay with a gritty second-half display that underlined how much difference Ten Hag has made.

Less than a year ago, United slumped to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League under interim boss Ralf Rangnick. Revived by the demanding and disciplined Ten Hag, United has set the stage for a potential return to the kind of sustained success last seen in the Alex Ferguson era.

While Ten Hag rules with an iron fist, as he showed in winning the power struggle that forced Cristiano Ronaldo's departure last year, the Dutchman has an empathetic side that he rarely shows in public.

That emotion was on display when he joined the celebrations at Wembley, linking arms in a joyous dance with Lisandro Martinez and Antony, the United players who know him better than most after their time at Ajax.

"We have a history, the two players and me in Amsterdam. We did some dancing and I hope we can do more in the future," Ten Hag said. Ten Hag has no intention of letting United's players rest on their laurels as he looks to recreate the club's dynastic years under Ferguson."We have to invest and suffer every day so we can win trophies," Ten Hag said.

"It is about glory and honor. If you want to win something you have to do it because no one is going to bring you silverware in top football."

'Make our own history

When he left the comfort of his role at Ajax last May, Ten Hag knew the challenge of leading United out of their slump was fraught with potential pitfalls. But the chance to manage one of the world's most iconic clubs was too good to turn down for a football romantic like Ten Hag.

"Maybe it was a risk but I am a little bit stubborn. I just loved United. When I see the shirt, when I see the fans at Old Trafford, the legacy from Sir Alex with players known around the world," he said. "We want to do the same. This team wants to make its own history, its own legacy. When the opportunity came I thought this is the right opportunity for me. I wanted to be part of it."

Ten Hag's approval rating among United fans was clear to see by the huge cheer that greeted him lifting the League Cup, while Ferguson also gave his blessing to the Dutchman when they met for dinner last week.

"The dinner shows we are good and it shows he is really involved in the club. We can all learn a lot from what he did for Manchester United. It is an inspiration for all of us," Ten Hag said."Of course, it is an honor to share my thoughts with him and to talk about how you lead a dressing room and the strategies. He is a happy man tonight."

Ten Hag's only misstep all afternoon came at the end of his post-match press conference when he almost forgot to take the League Cup trophy with him after bringing it to show the media. Even then, Ten Hag kept his cool with a wry grin as he joked: "It's only one cup".United fans will hope there are many more trophies to come thanks to their quiet revolutionary.

Mbappe Reaches 200 PSG Goals In Win Over Marseille

 

Nice, remain unbeaten since 36-year-old Didier Digard replaced the sacked Lucien Favre as coach last month, with six wins and two draws in eight matches seeing them creep into European contention. 

Kylian Mbappe reached 200 goals for Paris Saint-Germain to become the club's joint all-time top scorer as the France superstar netted twice in his side's 3-0 win over Ligue 1 title rivals Marseille on Sunday.

Mbappe scored both his goals at the Velodrome from Lionel Messi assists and in between, he set up the Argentine for PSG's other goal as they moved eight points clear at the top of the table. It was a result. 

And a performance that will erase many of the doubts about a team that had been in stuttering form in recent weeks as they outclassed their most credible domestic challengers. Mbappe's brace took him to a double century of goals for PSG. 

In just short of 250 appearances since signing from Monaco in 2017. The 24-year-old, therefore, equals his former teammate Edinson Cavani as the club's record marksman."He is obviously fast but it's not just about his legs -- the speed. 

At which he does things is out of the ordinary," PSG coach Christophe Galtier told broadcaster Amazon Prime."Players like him are clearly motivated by stats and records. Tonight he has equaled Edinson Cavani's magnificent record. 

And he will obviously go on to beat it."Mbappe is now out on his own as Ligue 1's leading scorer this season with 17 goals and has 29 in 29 games in all competitions since the campaign began. 

Messi, meanwhile, now has 12 league goals this season and has set up 12 more, and PSG did not miss the absent Neymar. The Brazilian was sidelined after being stretchered off with an ankle injury in last week's 4-3 defeat of Lille.

The Qatar-owned club saw their injury problems continue as center-back Presnel Kimpembe -- whose season has been plagued by fitness issues -- was carried off early on after crumpling to the turf in agony."

Unfortunately, he seriously injured himself and will obviously be out until the end of the season," said Galtier, who added that it looked like an Achilles tendon injury."PSG overcame that setback to take the lead in the 25th minute. 

Mbappe darted infield from the left and broke away from the unaware Eric Bailly to latch onto a Messi pass before running through to score. Four minutes later it was 2-0 as Mbappe combined with Nuno Mendes down the left before playing.

A glorious ball through the legs of Bailly for Messi to finish from close in. Messi should have scored again from a Mendes assist soon after while both Mbappe and Marquinhos came close to making it 3-0 before the interval.

In the end, the third goal arrived 10 minutes into the second half as Messi's flighted assist was met first-time on the volley by Mbappe and his shot found the far corner of the net.

Monaco lose derby

Gianluigi Donnarumma then produced a superb save from an Alexis Sanchez header and also denied Vitinha as Marseille slumped to a second successive home defeat in the league.

"I am not disappointed with what my team did. Today it was the better team who won," said Marseille coach Igor Tudor, who admitted Mbappe was too hot to handle.

"They have this number seven who is very difficult to mark. When they come and play in this way there is nothing you can do." Monaco remains two points behind Marseille in third after going down to a 3-0 defeat at home to a resurgent Nice in the Cote d'Azur derby earlier.

Nigerian striker Terem Moffi scored twice for Nice before setting up Khephren Thuram for the third. Nice, remain unbeaten since 36-year-old Didier Digard replaced the sacked Lucien Favre as coach last month. 

With six wins and two draws in eight matches seeing they creep into European contention.

Monaco's defeat comes just three days after they were knocked out of the Europa League on penalties by Bayer Leverkusen and leaves them still third in the table but above Lens only on goal difference.

Elsewhere, Jeremy Doku's goal gave Rennes a 1-0 win away to near-neighbours Nantes to move back above Lille into fifth. Reims, coached by Belgian-born Englishman Will Still, are now unbeaten in 17 league games after beating Toulouse 3-0.

WETANGULA CONDEMNS SUPREME COURT RULLING ON LGBTQ RIGHTS GROUPS

 Speaker Wetangula said that the ruling opens the ground for "unintended and unhelpful consequences", claiming it will wreck cultural norms in the nation. National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has joined leaders and institutions. 

In rebuking the Supreme Court over its ruling on the freedom of association for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. In its ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court said that the decision to deny LGBTQ members their right to register as an NGO, despite homosexuality being illegal in the nation, was discriminatory.

This followed a ruling made in 2013 by lower courts to deny members of the community in Kenya to register a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) for the advancement of their rights. Taking to social media on Monday, Speaker Wetangula said that the ruling opens ground for "unintended. 

And unhelpful consequences", claiming it will wreck cultural norms in the nation. Condemning the ruling, Wetangula said that Kenya is "deeply religious" and highly disregards the ruling. "Each Individual and/or Public institution. 

Including the judiciary, has a duty to uphold, defend and protect public morals!!" he wrote on Twitter. Clerics have also condemned the Supreme Court ruling including CITAM presiding bishop Calisto Odede who questioned whether other illegal practitioners should also be granted their freedom of association.

Archbishop Arthur Kitonga from the Redeemed Gospel Church of Kenya said that the groups should not be allowed in Kenya.

The secretive, military-like life of bandits in North Rift

 Bandit live in Kenya's unstable North Rift is characterized by sworn secrecy, military-style ranks, ignorant young men who are extremely skeptical of their educated peers, and superior intelligence collection that would rival that of any organized force. 

The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) personnel sent to quell the unrest in the area have allowed The Saturday Nation to piece together the perilous and adventurous life of the bandits, who have caused trouble for communities for decades. 

100 civilians and 16 police officers have been killed in the past six months, or one every two days on average, in what is turning into Kenya's worst internal security issue. The government sent KDF forces to help police officers defuse tensions two weeks ago as a result of a worsening situation. 

But the bandits' weapons have not been silenced and they have grown even more audacious, as seen by this week's ambush on a KDF convoy in Kainuk. The Saturday Nation has conducted numerous interviews with former bandits, members of the clergy, and national government officials.

And villagers to better understand who Kenya's North Rift bandits are and why efforts to control the "disturbed and dangerous zones" will not be easy. Most armed cattle rustlers obtain their "training" as young lads who receive no formal education and learn to live by the gun in the jungle. 

Boys are taught "the way of men" here, often as young as eight or nine years old, starting with how to grip and shoot a rifle along with lessons on how to survive the harsh environment. Mr. Julius Akeno resides in Tiaty, in the center of the area that is prone to banditry. 

He has experienced everything, and he wrote about it in the book Patrons of Wild Suguta Valley. Boys were kept apart from their moms at a young age and prohibited from sleeping in their mothers' huts, the author explains. 

They gather by the compound's aperit, an outdoor fireplace. Even when they were asleep, they were taught to remain awake. They were instructed to keep their ears open while sleeping with their eyes closed. 

Nobody should enter silently and discover them dozing off. It would be a blunder deserving of multiple cane strikes. Young boys who are treated roughly will become tougher as a result, preparing them for a challenging life ahead.

Target communities

Intelligence collection is the second most significant—and conceivably most sophisticated—aspect of a bandit's life. The reconnaissance, or "recce," is conducted in advance of a raid. The duties of persons in this category are straightforward: 

become familiar with the escape routes used to drive away the target communities' "wealth," as well as learn where the target communities' animals are herded and where they dwell.

They carefully observed the herders' and animals' movements throughout the entire day. Only armed guys were herding the livestock, they observed.

To have a closer look at the area, two groups immediately went to one of the adjacent tallest hills. Mortolee had picked a modest hill that wouldn't draw the herdsmen's attention. He was aware of danger zones. 

In his book, Mr. Akeno describes a raid in which herders on patrol preferred to climb high areas to watch their animals. According to Mr. Akeno, such "recce" expeditions can last up to a month or longer.

There are certain types of rustlers who possess intelligence skills, and their particular task is to spy on distant towns that are about to be assaulted. Such missions can only be completed by those who have been proven and tested, not by anybody else. 

Because this is the most difficult assignment—harder than the raid itself—these folks are highly revered in the community, according to Mr. Akeno.

Ranks

According to Colonel (Rtd) Moses Kwonyike, cattle rustlers typically sleep outside, primarily on riverbeds or in cowsheds, starting at a young age so they may be aware of their surroundings and pacify their supposed foes before ambushing them. 

The retired soldier claims bandits wake up early in the morning before anybody else to monitor all the routes in an effort to find out who came through, check footprints to determine which sort of shoe was worn, and other details. 

This is according to his extensive study of their behaviors. The rustlers are divided into ranks, and depending on the victims they have slain, the victims' bodies bear visible insignia. For instance, when a guy is slain by a rustler, four cuts are made on his corpse.

 

And you might find one with multiple of marks, a sign that he has killed many people. If rustlers demonstrate their skill in defending their village, the elders will reward them by giving them extra livestock. You are more highly regarded the more cuttings you have.

 They are known as generals, and here are some examples of evidence supporting the long-standing practice, according to Mr. Kwonyike. Enock Pkemoi, a 26-year-old ex-bandit from the remote Loyamoi community in Tiaty West, quit school. 

In Standard Three and was quickly attracted to the lifestyle. At the time, there was a severe drought, forcing herders to move their livestock farther away in search of pasture and water—even as far as Kainuk in the neighboring Turkana County. 

He then had to learn how to shoot a gun, which is a necessary skill for a herder in an unstable area where livestock theft is prevalent. He claimed that herders would traverse great distances in search of grass and water in spite of inclement weather and difficult terrain. 

He became resilient as a result, and he adapted to life in the jungle. Before the rains came again, they would stay away from home for a few months. "In case the 'enemy' struck, senior herders used to teach us how to handle rifles and the rules of the battlefield. I quickly developed into a sniper," he said.

Pkemoi transitioned from being a herder to a robber, robbing people in Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo, and Turkana despite the dangers. 2009 through 2012 saw him gone from home.

"I recall a raid we carried out on a community in Kainuk, Turkana. There were more than 50 of us, and everyone had a job to do, whether it was defending the group from attackers or chasing away animals that had been taken," he stated.

Together with him, three of his closest buddies from the same village were enlisted as raiders. One of them died from gunfire. "We stole his gun and left the corpse for hyenas to consume.

Of course, we didn't have time to transport it for burial back home, hundreds of kilometers away. Each of us grabbed eight cows when we eventually divided the herd among ourselves, he recalled.

No funerals

Funerals for raid victims are strongly discouraged. In this place, those who survive raids are regarded more than those who perish. It is clear that the ultimate purpose of rustlers is to escape from a raid unscathed by taking the victim's gun and leaving the victim's body in the wilderness for wild animals to eat.

Apart from being familiar with firearms at a young age, Joseph Chesang, a former police reservist (NPR) from the town Kesumet in Baringo North, claims that the offenders' other skills suggest they may have received training from knowledgeable individuals, including ex-soldiers. 

According to Mr. Chesang, a seven-year veteran of the reserve army, the rustlers typically carry AK-47 and G3 guns and ammo concealed in water bottles. Jackson Chemjor, a second reservist who has spent the past seven years at the dangerous Chemoe border in Baringo North, claimed that the bandits, who frequently assault an area, have an abundance of ammo. 

And can battle all day without running out. They typically carry sugar, water, and soaked maize in goatskin bags on their backs to restore their energy because they trek for great distances. They won't feel fatigued with this shipment. 

Because the sugar will replenish their energies, according to Mr. Chemjor. Despite being uneducated, "they know how to handle any advanced guns. The way they prepare ambushes and take cover during raids shows that these people have received expert training. 

An experienced security guard described how brazen the teenage bandits are. He claimed that the raiders have an advantage because they are familiar with the porous and difficult terrain and can simply use it to attack police officers.

In order to prevent residents from calling for help in the event of an attack and security personnel stationed nearby from communicating, attackers would occasionally damage communication masts. The local government's efforts typically go in vain because it frequently entails tracking down armed individuals who are prepared to use their firearms.

According to Lokis Chief Johnston Long'iro, the majority of offenders escape when they learn about an impending disarmament exercise, making it impossible to trace them down. "People leave the communities and relocate far away to neighboring nations like Uganda. Finding such individuals is no joke, according to Mr. Long'iro.

Even while they occasionally learn the names of people responsible for the recent wave of banditry and livestock theft, according to a chief from Kerio Valley who requested anonymity, the suspects frequently flee to other locations and entirely change their identities. 

"The majority of armed criminals don't have identity cards, and they do this on purpose to avoid being caught by the police in case their crimes are discovered. The few people with IDs run away to isolated locations where they cannot be found and change their names. 

There is more to the bandits' way of life and support network than just the armed guys who hunt cattle. The elderly at home and the ladies who are left behind set the scene.

In order to avoid being cornered and to determine whether the mission will be successful, the bandits acquire blessings from ordained elders prior to their raids. In the Pokot culture, the elders, including seers and magicians, are highly revered.

Praise songs

Mothers contribute to the ongoing issue by making fun of their sons who choose to attend school rather than embark on missions to steal livestock. "Women are the driving forces. When their boys go on raids and return with livestock, they write songs to celebrate them, whereas those who haven't are mocked and thought to be less manly. 

Also, they discourage their sons from attending school, according to Col. (Rtd) Kwonyike. He believes that former soldiers may be involved in the activity. "I recall that as part of affirmative action, the Pokot were heavily recruited into the military in the early 1990s.

Most people who joined the military had ulterior motives when they enlisted; for example, some wanted to become pilots or communication specialists so they could eavesdrop on military communications. However, because of their lack of education, they were unable to complete their mission, according to Col. (Rtd) Kwonyike.

Most of them eventually left the army after learning combat techniques from the military. When they returned home, they took on the role of those bush bandits' teachers. The combat skills used by criminals are learned from the veterans of the military. These people need to be looked at because they are the ones who accuse the offenders, he continued.

LOCAL CHIEF, NYUMBA KUMI ELDERS ARRESTED

 

In the Manyatta Police Station, the State is hosting a chief from the Embu county as well as a group of Nyumba Kumi elders from the Kirigi sub-location. Following the Director of Public Prosecutions' recommendations, Lincoln Muthee Kithaka, the Chief in charge of the Kanduri South Location. 

And eight elders were detained yesterday on accusations of arson and assault after an investigation linked them to the attack on Anthony Njue on December 24, last year. On a relevant day, the suspects barged into Njue's residence, assaulted him, and set his house on fire. 

To determine exactly what happened, inquiry file no.1/2022 was initiated. On February 24, 2023, our officers stationed at Manyatta police station received a report proposing the prosecution of the accused.

K’OGALO FINALLY MEETS ITS WATERLOO

 In order to go to the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, where Sirkal will finally meet its demise this afternoon, K'ogalo supporters compete for rides as others perilously cling to an all-terrain Police Land Cruiser.

(Kenyans from Tunajua ride in a Land Cruiser with a passenger named Vile Hamtaki Kusema.)

Come join us as we enjoy a game of neighborhood football while attempting to engage more and develop enduring friendships for the safety and security of every Kenyan. KICHWA F.C. POLICE!

KENYAN SHILLING SLIDES TO 126 AGAINIST US DOLLAR, IMPLICATIONS

 Leading market analyst at FX Pesa EGM Securities, Rufas Kamau, noted that the depreciating shilling puts extra pressure on household budgets. He told TUKO.co.ke that the rise in interest rates by the US Federal Reserve System and the widening gap. 

Foreign exchange rates were two major factors contributing to the fall. The strengthening of the Kenyan shilling versus the US dollar suggests that difficult times are ahead for Kenyans and the government, but on the plus side, Kamau pointed out. 

The increase in exchange rates boosts exports by making Kenyan goods more affordable to the rest of the world. The shilling was trading at 126.90 against the dollar as of Saturday, February 25, with commercial banks offering to sell dollars for between KSh 135 and KSh 137.

Rufas Kamau explains why the shilling is weakening. 

Leading market analyst at FX Pesa EGM Securities, Rufas Kamau, outlined how the declining shilling puts further pressure on household budgets. According to him, the rise in interest rates by the US Federal Reserve System and the widening gap in foreign exchange rates were the two main causes of the drop. 

"The official rates of the central bank are significantly different from the black market and bank rates." This occurs when businesses hoard funds because they are in short supply. "When you need dollars, you'll have to buy them again at a higher price if you sell yours in Kenya," "He rambled on.

Implications of weakening shilling 

On the plus side, according to Kamau, the rising currency rate encourages exports by lowering the cost of Kenyan goods to the rest of the globe. Kenyans must now pay more for essential goods and services, which raises the cost of imports. 

"Kenya imports more commodities than it exports. This shows that a 25% decline in value relative to the US dollar has more unfavorable effects than favorable effects. The Central Bank of Kenya reported that in December 2022, the annual inflation rate was 9.06%. (CBK).

 This indicates that a basket of consumer goods and services retail prices increased by 9.06% in 2022 "said he. According to Kamau, a weakening shilling may encourage individuals and businesses to hunt for a more reliable method of holding value. 

This could entail acquiring and holding dollars, foreign securities, gold, foreign bonds, and cryptocurrencies.

Impact of weakening shilling on debt 

Kenya has dollar-denominated loans, just like many other economies in the developing world. Kenya's liabilities increase when the Fed increases interest rates because the country has to spend more shillings to buy an increasing dollar, which it then uses to pay back loans. 

Kenya and other developing nations are at a high risk of defaulting on their loans, which will cause money to move away from the frontier and emerging economies and toward developed ones. By forcing investors to sell bonds in the developing world in favor of safer bonds. 

In the developed world, Kamau continued, "this drain weakens the exchange rate."

Wealthy Kenyans accumulate dollars 

According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), rich Kenyans hoarded dollars to protect the value of their bank savings as the value of the Kenyan shilling continued to decline. Rich Kenyans and businesses had KSh 922 billion in cash as of November 2022, up 14.8% from KSh 803.66 billion at the same time the previous year. The CBK instructed the c

Rufas Kamau explains why the shilling is weakening. 

Implications of weakening shilling 

Impact of weakening shilling on debt 

Wealthy Kenyans accumulate dollars 

WHY EX-CS FRED MATIANG'I SKIPPED DCI SUMMONS OVER ALLEGED HOME RAID

 Fred Matiang'i, a former interior cabinet secretary, claims he has not yet received a legitimate summons for questioning on the alleged police invasion of his Karen home in Nairobi at the beginning of February.

Paul Machari, Shadrack Wambui, and Danstan Omari, attorneys for Dr. Matiang'i, said on Friday that their client had not received a personal summons to appear before DCI agents (DCI).

As a result, they claimed, Dr. Matiang'i did not visit the DCI for questioning as had been reported in the media. At the Milimani High Court, the attorneys told the reporters that summonses needed to be personally served and signed by three police officers in order to be valid.

"Matiang'i has not yet received personal service, as required by the law. He was unable to honor the summons, which appeared to have been made on River Road, according to Mr. Omari.

"The DCI deceived the entire media community and Kenyans into thinking that Dr. Matiang'i had received a legitimate summons.

The new DCI leader, Amin Mohammed, is working in a "clandestine manner," according to the attorney, and this "left a lot to be desired." He "smirks of ineptitude," they alleged, and this will prompt efforts to have him removed from office.

"The DCI must act within the bounds of the law because he is a product of the law and was chosen in accordance with the law. In the absence of that, we will submit a petition for his dismissal "said Mr. Omari.

The attorney added that Dr. Matiang'i is "very much around" and conducting himself calmly in his capacity as a private person. "We will generate him when needed. I can reach him by phone right now, "Mr. Omari stated that since he had been given an anticipatory bail of Sh200,000, police could not detain him.

On February 23, the High Court extended the orders preventing the former minister's detention.

10 SUSPECTS lINKED TO 'FORCED ABORTION' THAT KILLED VASITY STUDENT

Ten suspects, including the father of her unborn child, are the focus of the investigation into February 12, 2023, the "forced abortion" that resulted in the death of a 22-year-old Dedan Kimathi University student. After becoming pregnant with Regina Wairimu, a fourth-year student of electrical.

And telecommunication engineering, the man is thought to have been motivated to get rid of the unborn child. "Investigations are moving forward steadily with a pool of suspects that includes that man and other locals [in Nyeri] with the hope that soon we will separate the wheat from the chaff.

And be advised by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on the way forward," stated John Gacheru, the director of the Nyeri County Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Discreet monitoring

According to him, the DCI has put all persons of interest under a covert monitoring program to safeguard them from any harm brought on by a cover-up. Regina informed her friends on February 11 that she would be visiting a Nyeri pub to meet the father of her unborn child.

Detectives think she met with numerous people in this bar, including the regular DJ and two ladies. Then, they traveled to one of the two women's rental homes in the Kengemi estate on the outskirts of Nyeri town, where Regina is thought to have had her eight-and-a-half-month-old fetus forcibly aborted.

Investigators also want to speak with the taxi driver who was hired by the two women to take Regina to the hospital at Dedan Kimathi University while she was unconscious. As she was taken to Nyeri County Referral Hospital, it was determined that she had passed away.

Dead fetus

Two bags, one carrying the deceased fetus and the other filled with bloody garments, were found with her in this hospital after being picked up by the ambulance driver after the cab left them behind. She was reportedly carried from the third floor of the apartment building into the taxi by two males.

Police think the deceased had a partner who lived in the area who was "streetwise, controversial, and jealous" (whose name cannot also be revealed for legal reasons). Even suggesting that "we can just let this matter [go away without any inquiries; we settle everything.

And leave the rest to God," the two had made this suggestion to the family. According to Mr. Gacheru, an examination of every suspect's cell phone activities during the time of Regina's death would be part of the investigations.

The result of a post-mortem performed by Dr. Bill Muriuki on February 17 will also be examined by the police. It said that "she died of several tumors on her uterus that prompted massive blood hemorrhage." After Regina passed away, a young woman and a guy went to the deceased's rural home.

In a BMW driven by a man who was "presented by the girl as a conduit to influence and authority" to "look into any difficulties, the family could be facing in paying the funeral," according to the report.

Forensic analysis

"But that is not an issue, we are fully empowered by technology to retrieve all of the lost data and we will investigate them," Mr. Gacheru said, adding that Regina's phone had been formatted to remove all recordings.

In order to identify the father and determine whether he was involved in her death, DNA testing must also be done. Please be aware that we are doing all in our power to solve this death, and nobody on my team is interested in protecting anyone who has been implicated for any reason.

According to Mr. Gacheru, we will approach the task at hand professionally, and any conclusions will be subject to due process. Documents that Nation has access to suggest that Regina may have made up her mind to have a child even when she asked to have her studies postponed.

From January 12 to September 2023. She was supposed to graduate this year in May if there hadn't been a deferral. He stated that forensic examination of the two bags' fingerprints and the blood stains discovered in the residence will play a significant role in the investigations.

The medical staff who treated Regina after the taxi had carried her inside will also be questioned by the police.

Valentine’s Day message

According to the information on her antenatal clinic card, she was seven and a half months pregnant and set to give birth in two weeks at the time of the deferment's start. A Valentine's Day card with the following words was found in one of her notebooks: "To my unborn son... I cherish you.

My baby daddy's influence and authority are causing issues... But I have to give birth to you so I may adore you like my mother.

BABA MONA A FAMED TIKTOKER PERISHES IN ROAD CRASH WITH LITTLE DAUGHTER, 2 SISTERS

 On Friday, February 24, Kevin Oselu passed away together with his daughter and two sisters. He was known for his material that was laced with humor. The saloon car Baba Mona, as he was affectionately known, was driving drove off the road in Londiani, where it repeatedly rolled. 

The deceased will be remembered for the words of wisdom he shared with everyone through his TikTok account, which has a sizable audience. Kenyans were heartbroken to learn of Kevin Oselu's passing. The renowned content producer 

Who had a sizable TikTok fan following, died in a car accident on the evening of February 24. The father of one, popularly known as Baba Mona, was traveling from Nairobi to Kisumu with his small daughter and two sisters. 

According to sources, the black saloon automobile the two brothers were riding in went off the road and rolled numerous times as he was about to branch to Awasi to drop them off. After losing control, the vehicle crashed into a culvert close to the Kipkelion coffee plant in Koru. 

According to Leonard Ochieng, a close friend of Baba Mona, the group died there and there. "They were close to Londiani when their car was involved in an accident. Before returning to Kisumu, he was going to drop off his two sisters at Awasi. 

He had asked me to reserve an Airbnb for him so he could stay there while visiting Kisumu. Only Connie, one of his sisters, is someone I know "Lenard stated. Baba Mona is going to be remembered for the wisecracks he shared with everyone via his TikTok account. 

Which has a huge following of over 200,000 followers. He offered advice to many people on dating, being a single parent, and money management, among other aspects of daily life. The dead posted adorable videos of himself and his daughter Mona, whom he shared a home with but who was never seen with her mother.