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Thursday, May 7, 2026
Home Blog Page 3423

Azimio: Former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya Arrested

Azimio La Umoja has announced that former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya was arrested in connection with the anti-government protests that paralysed the country on Wednesday, July 12.

Former Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa condemned the police for the arbitrary arrest at a press conference at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation.

“Across the country, families are mourning their loved ones who are victims of the police force. Tens of people have been hospitalised with gunshot wounds and arrows and pangas,” he stated. 

“Some of the victims are young school children who were not in the demonstrations. Hundreds have been detained in police cells or have been arraigned in court for participating in protests that are protected by our Constitution.”

The Azimio coalition demanded that the former governor be released immediately and that all charges against him be dropped.

“Among those in police custody is Mavoko MP Patrick Makau and as we speak we have just learnt of the arrest of Oparanya. We demand the immediate and unconditional dropping of all charges against these two for participating in a constitutionally protected action,” Wamalwa stated. 

The former Defence CS chastised police officers who used excessive force against Kenyans during Wednesday’s mass protests.

“We condemn the senseless brutality and state-sanctioned violence of civilians by police which is becoming the new normal in Kenya. We are deeply concerned about the repeated brutality against innocent Kenyans.”

Gov’t Creating Partnerships to Improve and Safeguard Medical Supplies, Reliable Health Services

Mary Muthoni, the principal secretary for public health and professional standards at the Department of State, met with Bert Ubamadu, the deputy mission director for USAID Kenya and East Africa, today to review progress and discuss potential solutions to the major issues with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board’s legal framework, human resources, and financial autonomy.

The Kenyan government has made great strides in achieving Maturity Level 3 (ML3) accreditation for the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, demonstrating a persistent commitment to this objective.

Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Vision 2030, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) all depend critically on the accessibility and affordability of high-quality healthcare products.

Recognising the critical importance of partnerships, USAID has been a significant ally in these efforts to speed up the process of achieving health commodity security.

The government’s unwavering commitment, together with cooperative alliances, will be crucial in boosting domestic production, safeguarding health supplies, and guaranteeing secure and reliable medical items for all Kenyans.

UFAA Partners With Huduma Centre To Accelerate Reconnecting Owners To Their Assets

In an effort to reunite rightful owners with their unclaimed assets valued at least Sh50 billion, the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) has teamed with Huduma facilities around the nation.

Susan Wachira, the manager of the Thika Huduma Centre, stated that a UFAA desk had already been set up and noted that this would be yet another service to be added to the facility’s present 23 offerings.

“We are capitalizing on Huduma Kenya infrastructure to reach people at the grassroots level and we believe that this is a great opportunity to hasten the reunification process as the centres will act as a point of contact for people enquiring about the status of their lost and found assets,” said UFAA Managing Trustee John Mwangi.

Speaking at a reintegration campaign drive called “Claim Your Lost & Found Cash Karibu Nawe” in Thika Stadium, Mwangi said the group wants to encourage people to use the shortcode *361# or to visit their official website to check the status of any unclaimed financial assets listed in the UFAA database.

UFAA now has 1.2 billion units of unclaimed shares and Sh48.8 billion in cash in the form of unclaimed financial assets.

Additionally, the authority has been successful in reuniting 39.7 million shares and about Sh2 billion in assets with their legitimate owners.

“We hope that by the end of this campaign, at least three-quarters of these monies will be reunited with its rightful owners. It is crucial that these monies are ploughed back into the economy,” said Mwangi.

The campaign also aims to persuade holding institutions, including banks, Saccos, insurance companies, and others, to turn over and relinquish any unclaimed financial assets they may have in their control on behalf of owners.

Regarding this, Co-op bank, KCB group, Safaricom, and other organisations were also on hand to help locals who attended the ceremony retrieve what was properly theirs.

Since most people are ignorant of the Assets Authority, the nationwide campaign also serves as an awareness push to educate the public on it.

According to the existing UFAA structure, it takes 90 days from the moment a person files a claim against an asset until the Authority eventually delivers a ruling on the matter.

In order to enhance the claim settlement procedure, the Authority is also attempting to include technology.

They have also put in place the Unclaimed Financial Assets Management Systems (UFAMS), which permits online claim filing, tracking, and automated backend processing.

Hearing of Sh3.5b Anglo Leasing Case Continues In Court

The Sh3.5 billion Anglo leasing scandal case proceeded today before Chief Magistrate Martha Mutuku.

So far, the chief investigator in the Anglo leasing case has maintained that Sound Day Corporation, the firm contracted to supply Kenyan police security equipment, was a ghost corporation.

Investigating officer Ignatius Wekesa told Anti-corruption Magistrate Felix Kombo that a conspiracy existed between the supplier, the Office of the President, and the Treasury since the project’s inception in 2002.

Even former Permanent Secretaries never recognized the existence of Sound Day during their inquiries.

During cross-examination by Lawyer Edward Oonge, the witness stated that the government had worked with the company since 1992, but the contracts were irregular.

Wekesa stated in his opening statement to the court in January of last year that they had requested assistance from the British authorities regarding the directorship of Sound Day and if it was a registered corporation in the UK.

Sound Day was formed on September 21, 1989, in the British Virgin Islands, and the Kamani family was the firm’s director, having taken over from one Collins Foster in 1990.

London’s PSJ Alexander and company chartered accountants are the ones who provided most of the documentation as far as Sound Day Corporation is concerned.

Wekesa is the last prosecution witness. He was testifying against Deepak Kimani, Rashmi Kamani, the late David Mwiraria, former Permanent Secretaries David Mwangi, and Joseph Magari.

Sound Day Corporation are accused of committing an economic crime. The accused persons are on trial for conspiring to defraud the government of billions of shillings through a dubious financing agreement.

Joseph Magari is accused of conspiring with others in Nairobi between October 30, 2003, and April 14, 2004, to defraud the government of Kenya of Sh3.5 billion through a suppliers credit contract agreement for the modernization of the Police Security Equipment and Accessories Project.

Former PSs Joseph Magari, Dave Mwangi, and David Onyonka, as well as businessmen Deepak and Rashmi Kamani and their father Rasmi Chamanlal, have all denied conspiring to steal the government of Sh3.5 billion.

Ex-Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal Has Case To Answer In Ksh84.7M Graft Charges, Court Says

Milimani anti-corruption court has ruled that former Samburu Governor Moses Kasaine Lenolkulal, facing graft charges in a Ksh84.7 million contract for the supply of fuel, has a case to answer for abuse of office.

The anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Thomas Nzyoki said he was satisfied that a prima facie case had been established against the former county boss in three charges of abuse of office, conflict of interest and unlawful acquisition of property.

“After evaluation of the evidence adduced by 11 prosecution witnesses and 388 documentary exhibits am satisfied that a Prima facie case has been established against the three accused persons herein. I, therefore, put them on their defence,” ruled the magistrate.

The magistrate, however, acquitted the governor on the charge of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence for lack of evidence.

“I acquit the accused person on the first count as the same is far-fetched and a prima facie case has not been established,” ruled Magistrate Nzyoki.

The court also found that Lenolkulal’s proxy Hesbon Ndathi and eight persons with a case to answer on the charges of abuse of office and unlawful acquisition of property.

Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr Under Provisional Transfer Ban – FIFA

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club Al-Nassr are banned from registering new players until unpaid debts are settled, Fifa said on Thursday.

The team “is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts”, a Fifa spokesperson told AFP, without revealing the amount of the debts.

World football’s governing body did not say whether Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic’s recent transfer from Inter Milan would be affected by the sanction.

“The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned,” the spokesperson added.

In October 2021, Al-Nassr were ordered by a Fifa-appointed judge to pay Leicester City 460 000 euros ($514 000) plus interest in a dispute over the transfer of Nigeria international Ahmed Musa.

Musa joined Al-Nassr for 18 million euros in 2018. He left two years later and played for Turkey’s Sivasspor last season.

According to the ruling at the time, in the event of non-payment Al-Nassr could be banned from recruiting players for up to “three entire and consecutive registration periods”.

Backed by the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Saudi Pro League is luring big names from the major European leagues with the promise of huge salaries.

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard took over as coach at Al-Ettifaq earlier this month, while Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante have also made the move to the oil-rich Gulf state since Ronaldo’s switch to Al-Nassr in January started the trend.

Keroche Heiress Tecra Death: Omar Lali’s Report Had Inconsistencies, Court Told

The investigating officer in the death inquest of Keroche heiress Tecra Mungai has told a Nairobi court that they noticed some inconsistencies in Omar Lali’s report on what transpired leading to the death of his lover.

Corporal Fredrick Odemba, who is one of the investigating officers in the Inquest, on Thursday, told Milimani senior principal magistrate Zainab Abdul that after noticing the inconsistencies, they embarked on knowing who Omar is and noticed that at one point Tecra had feared for her life and called her parents to organize for her security.

He was testifying in the death inquest of Tecra who died in 2020 after allegedly falling in a holiday home in Lamu.

“We interrogated Omar at the scene with aim of knowing what happened, he told us that on the evening of 22 April 2020 after taking supper, they embarked on drinking and that at the middle of the night in his word, he chewed blackout and slept leaving Tecra at the table only for him to be woken up by a thunder like fall and a scream at the stairs”, Odemba told court. 

The officer said Omar’s report said he went and found it was Tecra and gave her first aid before calling neighbours to help him take her to hospital.

The officer further narrated that at the time him and other officers got at the crime scene, Omar had been arrested and was already in cell.

“We went to the cell to pick Omar so that we can proceed to the crime scene together, he took us through the house which was a two floor building. At the ground floor there was a swimming pool, on the first floor was the main bedroom and two other bedrooms, at the second floor had a kitchen, dining hall, a sitting room and a library. There was a rooftop which had treestand”, he said.

He said in the same place, they were taken through by a housekeeper and the manager. 

Omar explained to the officers that in the evening of April 22, 2020, he had planned a house party and some arrangements had been made for drinks. The housekeeper procured for them coconut juice, he had also prepared for them some pasion fruit juice then he left.

On April 23, 2020, the officer said one Geoffrey Mario the caretaker of the house came to clean the house. He opened the door and started cleaning from the ground floor, when he moved to where the bedroom was, he noted that the door of the main bedroom was open, nobody was in the room and the bed looked disturbed. 

He moved to the second floor and found nobody in the room, he tried calling Tecra”s phone and it went unanswered. He called omar rari’s and it was off air, as he kept calling he noticed a phone beefing on the bed but he did not pick it.

“He went downstairs and noticed some watery like fluid in the bedroom, down the staircase were some blood spots, he got worried, continued calling Omar who was off air and he didn’t get him”, he said.

In the dining room, he said the caretaker noticed some used glasses. There were fallen leaves of miraa both on the floor and table.

The caretaker got worried and rushed to the house of the manager to report on what he had found. 

He briefed us that as they were still there, Omar called the manager and reported that they had a small accident in the house and that at that particular time they were in hospital where Tecra was being attended to. 

“Geoffrey Mario further told us that Omar told them they should not be worried and they should continue cleaning the house.”

In November last year, Omar Lali narrated how his relationship with the late Tecra was “full of love”.

He denied allegations that he was involved in the fall that led to her death.

The boat operator from Lamu said he had never had any disagreement with the deceased during the period of their relationship.

“Ours was a life full of love. Tecra loved my mother and the entire family. When I welcomed her home, she said she would live with us for the rest of her life,” said Omar.

According to Omar, Tecra had accepted to be married to him adding that they enjoyed each other’s company adding that she was jovial, lovely, welcoming and outgoing.

Kenya Railways Suspends Syokimau-Lukenya Service

Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has temporarily suspended operations on the Syokimau-Lukenya route due to damage caused by anti-government protests.

In a notice issued on Thursday, July 13, 2023, the company said the suspension was due to the volatile security situation arising from consistent attacks on the train passing through Mukuru Kwa Njenga, by rowdy individuals who are barricading rail tracks and stoning the train.

“We highlight two incidents where, yesterday evening, the Lukenya bound train was attacked at 6:00 pm, and this morning, a train carrying 520 pupils was attacked at 11:00 am,” the company said.

The company reiterated that the safety of their passengers remains paramount to them.

“Normal services will resume as soon as possible,” the company added.

“We sincerely apologize to all our esteemed customers for the inconvenience caused,” it added.

DCI Releases Mavoko MP Patrick Makau After Grilling

Mavoko Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Makau has been released by police following his arrest.

Makau’s house was raided at 4 am, where detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) took him to the directorate’s offices in Kiambu.

The MP was released around midday after being grilled by detectives over vandalism of the Nairobi Expressway at the Mlolongo toll station during Wednesday’s anti-government protests called by the opposition to picket against the high cost of living.

Makau was ordered to appear before the detectives on Friday.

Taking to social media, the Mavoko MP dismissed the allegations against him, terming them malicious and outrageous.

“Malicious and outrageous allegations. Either way, They must lower the cost of living,” Makau said.

At least nine people were killed in the protests, including four in Mlolongo, two in Kitengela, and one in Emali in Makueni County.

President Ruto: Kenya Will Protect Investors

The Government is creating a friendly environment that will attract more foreign investments to Kenya.

President William Ruto said the Government will also routinely refine its policies to make it more facilitative for businesses to operate in the country.

“We will keep engaging with investors so as to make our laws more pro-business. This will spur their growth.”

He was speaking on Thursday at State House, Nairobi, during the Kenya-Saudi Arabia business delegation meeting.

Led by the Saudi Arabia Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih, the delegation — made up of 30 major firms — is one of the largest single business groups ever to undertake a visit to Kenya.

President Ruto noted that Kenya is strategically located, making it easy for businesses to access the lucrative markets in the region and Africa in general.

He said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), of more than 1.4 billion, also offers broader opportunities for their goods and services.

The President further told the meeting that Kenya has a democratic system with a sound footing of the rule of law that protects investors.

“This means when you set up in Kenya, markets for your products are limitless. You will get value for your investment.”

He cited ICT, leather, transport, renewable energy, housing, blue economy, agriculture, among others, as some of the ripe investments in the country.

The Head of State explained that the current balance of trade favours Saudi Arabia.

“That is why I encourage you to participate in enabling Kenya to correct this imbalance by locating more industries here.”
 
Cabinet secretaries Moses Kuria (Minister for Investments, Trade and Industry), Davies Chirchir (Energy) and Florence Bore (Labour) omong other officials were in the meeting.

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