Flights held at JKIA as KAA, KCAA staff begin go-slow

Flight operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) were Sunday disrupted by a go-slow involving staff of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), resulting in significant delays. Several flights scheduled to depart as early as 8am remained on the ground several hours later, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and [...] The post Flights held at JKIA as KAA, KCAA staff begin go-slow appeared first on Kahawatungu.

Uchaguzi wa 2027 utakuwa ghali zaidi katika historia ya Kenya

UCHAGUZI Mkuu wa 2027 unatarajiwa kuwa ghali zaidi katika historia ya Kenya, huku makadirio yakionyesha kuwa serikali, vyama vya kisiasa na wagombea watatumia zaidi ya Sh272 bilioni katika mchakato mzima wa uchaguzi. Kiasi hicho kinajumuisha bajeti ya Sh74.8 bilioni ambayo Tume Huru ya Uchaguzi na Mipaka (IEBC) imekadiria kwa ajili ya kuendesha uchaguzi huo pamoja na takriban Sh197.35 bilioni ambazo wagombea wanaweza kutumia katika kampeni zao iwapo watazingatia viwango vya matumizi vilivyowekwa na tume hiyo. Kwa miaka mingi, uchaguzi nchini Kenya umejulikana kwa nyimbo, kauli mbiu na kampeni za kuvutia. Hata hivyo, matumizi makubwa ya fedha yameibua maswali kuhusu vipaumbele vya taifa wakati sekta muhimu kama afya, elimu na kilimo zinaendelea kukabiliwa na changamoto za ufadhili. Kiasi cha Sh272 bilioni ni zaidi ya nusu ya fedha zilizotumiwa kuendesha kaunti zote 47 nchini katika mwaka wa kifedha uliomalizika Juni 2025, ambazo zilikuwa Sh470.7 bilioni. Pia fedha hizo zinaweza kulipa kikamilifu madeni ambayo serikali za kaunti zinadaiwa ya zaidi ya Sh156 bilioni. Kwa mtazamo mwingine, kiasi hicho ni kikubwa kuliko bajeti za baadhi ya sekta muhimu katika uchumi. Kwa mfano, sekta ya afya ilitengewa Sh177.2 bilioni, elimu ya juu Sh163.9 bilioni na elimu ya msingi Sh136.6 bilioni katika bajeti ya hivi karibuni ya serikali. IEBC inasema gharama kubwa ya uchaguzi inatokana na teknolojia ya uchaguzi, vifaa vya kutambua wapigakura, mifumo ya kutuma matokeo, karatasi za kura zenye vipengele vya usalama pamoja na ongezeko la idadi ya wapigakura. Tume hiyo inalenga kusajili wapigakura milioni 28.5 kufikia mwaka 2027, ikilinganishwa na milioni 22.1 waliopiga kura mwaka 2022. Ongezeko hilo litahitaji vituo vya kupigia kura 55,393 kutoka vituo 46,229 vilivyotumika mwaka 2022. Kwa upande wa wagombeaji, viwango vipya vya matumizi ya kampeni vinaonyesha kuwa kinyang'anyiro cha kisiasa kitahitaji fedha nyingi zaidi. Mgombea urais ataruhusiwa kutumia hadi Sh6.1 bilioni, kutoka Sh4.7 bilioni mwaka 2022. Wagombeaji wa ugavana, useneta, ubunge na uwakilishi wa wanawake pia watatumia mabilioni ya fedha katika kampeni zao. Mbunge wa Likuyani, Innocent Mugabe, anasema kiwango cha matumizi kilichowekwa na IEBC ni cha chini ikilinganisha na hali halisi ya kampeni. "Nilitumia takriban Sh50 milioni mwaka 2022. Ukiwa na nia ya kushinda, lazima utumie fedha zaidi," alisema. Kwa mujibu wa IEBC, mipaka ya matumizi ya kampeni inalenga kuhakikisha uchaguzi unakuwa wa haki, uwazi na uwajibikaji, na kwamba matokeo ya uchaguzi yanaamuliwa na wapigakura badala ya nguvu ya fedha. Hata hivyo, baadhi ya viongozi wamehoji jinsi sheria hizo zitakavyotekelezwa, wakisema bado Kenya ina mfumo mkubwa wa matumizi ya fedha taslimu ambao ni vigumu kufuatilia. Iwapo makadirio ya sasa yatatimia, uchaguzi wa 2027 utaweka rekodi mpya kama uchaguzi wa gharama kubwa zaidi kuwahi kufanyika nchini Kenya.

Ruto once again accuses Uhuru of financing opposition to undermine his administration

Chinese carmakers eye African EV market with new models at South Africa auto show

The firms used the annual WesBank Festival of Motoring to showcase both price-sensitive and...

Race for control exposes deepening fault lines in political camp

In other news, a political wedding between a first-term governor and a new party was called off...

Azma ya Raila Jnr Kibra yachemsha Orero, Imran

KUJITOSA kwa Raila Junior katika kinyang'anyiro cha ubunge wa Kibra, Nairobi, kumeanza kuzua pingamizi miongoni mwa baadhi ya wawaniaji wa ODM, huku mwana huyo wa aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu Raila Odinga akisaka kiti hicho 2027. Kibra kwa miongo imekuwa ngome ya kisiasa ya familia ya Odinga. Marehemu Raila aliwakilisha eneo hilo bungeni kuanzia 1992 hadi 2013, wakati Kibra ilikuwa sehemu ya Lang'ata. Kila mara nchi ilipokabiliwa na maamuzi magumu ya kisiasa, Raila alirejea Kibra kutoa mwelekeo ambao baadaye ulikumbatiwa na maeneo mengine nchini. Mnamo Novemba 30, 2009 wakati wa mvutano kuhusu uamuzi wa kufurusha watu kutoka msitu wa Mau, Raila alitangaza hadharani kwamba alikuwa tayari kurejea Kibra akapike mandazi iwapo suala hilo lingemgharimu kisiasa. Kuingia kwa Raila Junior katika kivumbi hicho kumezua ushindani mkali wa kisiasa kati yake, mbunge wa sasa wa Kibra Peter Orero na aliyekuwa mbunge wa hapo Imran Okoth. Junior amekuwa akishiriki miradi ya kijamii na kukutana na makundi mbalimbali huku akiweka misingi ya kampeni zake kuelekea 2027. "Kibra ilikuwa ngome ya kisiasa ya babangu, na kama familia tumekuwa na safari ndefu pamoja na watu wa eneo hili. Nikichaguliwa nitamakinikia sana elimu kwa kuhakikisha basari zinapatikana ili pasiwe na mtoto anayekosa fursa ya kupata elimu," mwana huyo mdogo wa Raila alisema katika mahojiano na Jamvi.  "Najua baadhi ya sekta kama afya na maji zimekabidhiwa serikali za kaunti, lakini nitafanya kila niwezalo kuhakikisha huduma hizo zinafikia watu wa Kibra. Tutazingatia sana kuboresha maisha ya wakazi kwa kila njia iwezekanavyo," akaongeza. Junior pia alifichua kuwa kwa miaka mingi alikuwa miongoni mwa wandani waliompangia babake mikakati ya kisiasa huko Kibra. Wiki hii mama yake, Ida Odinga, alipokuwa akisherehekea siku yake ya kuzaliwa, alitangaza kwamba amempa Raila Junior baraka za kutimiza ndoto zake za kisiasa, ikiwemo azma yake ya kuwania ubunge wa Kibra. "Nyinyi watu wa Kibra mmeamua na sina chaguo jingine. Namkabidhi mwanangu mikononi mwenu. Viongozi mlio hapa mtunze, mfundishe na mpe mwongozo. Wengi wenu mlianza siasa pamoja na Baba. Mwonyesheni njia," akasema Mama Ida. Alisisitiza kuwa siasa za Junior zinapaswa kuwa safi na zisizo na matusi wala vurugu, akisema Kibra ilikuwa msingi wa safari ya kisiasa ya familia ya Odinga. "Washawishi watu kwa maneno yako na uwaambie kile unachoweza kuwafanyia," akasema. Hata hivyo, mbunge wa sasa Orero anadai Junior anasukumwa na baadhi ya wawakilishi wadi (MCAs) maalum ambao hawana ushawishi wa kisiasa Kibra. Alisisitiza yuko tayari kukutana na Junior kwenye debe. "Baadhi ya wawakilishi wadi maalum wanaomsukuma wamepoteza uchaguzi mara nne, na wanalenga maslahi yao binafsi. Hata hivyo, kazi yangu Kibra iko wazi kwa kila mtu kuona. Sina mpinzani. Aje tushindane, nami nitamshinda," akahoji Orero. Alishangaa kwa nini Junior amejitosa kwenye kinyang'anyiro hicho ilhali dada yake, Winnie Odinga, aliwahi kukinyemelea kabla kujiondoa na kuelekeza nguvu zake katika kivumbi cha useneta Nairobi. Orero alisema licha ya kuwa karibu na familia ya Odinga hajazungumza na Mama Ida kuhusu azma ya Junior. "Kuna nini cha kuzungumza? Junior ana haki yake ya kidemokrasia na sitaki kuwadharau au kuonekana niko kwenye vita nao. Waache watu waamue," akasema mbunge huyo. Kwa upande wake aliyekuwa mbunge Imran Okoth ametishia kuondoka ODM na kuwania kiti hicho kama mgombea huru iwapo chama hakitaendesha uteuzi wa haki na huru. "Junior yuko huru kuja kuwania lakini ajue sisi ni wanachama wa ODM na tunasisitiza kusiwe na mapendeleo yoyote. Orero, Junior na mimi tushindane kwa haki, na atakayeshinda apewe tiketi ya ODM," akahoji.

They fell in love – then had to check they weren't brother and sister

For years, Arthur Kermalvezen, the child of a sperm donor, saw possible fathers everywhere he went. I imagined it might be my teacher, the people I saw on the bus and I was very angry because its impossible to live like this. When, as an adult, he fell in love with Audrey, another sperm donor [...] The post They fell in love then had to check they werent brother and sister appeared first on Kahawatungu.

Two more suspects including a cop arrested in Kampala over murder of Dr Mutiso

One of the wanted police officers over the murder of psychiatrist Dr. Victoria Nthunya Mutiso was Saturday arrested in Kampala, Uganda. His accomplice who is also wanted over the same is still hiding in Uganda, officials said. A specialised team investigating the assassination of Dr Mutiso, comprising detectives drawn from DCI Headquarters Crime Research and [...] The post Two more suspects including a cop arrested in Kampala over murder of Dr Mutiso appeared first on Kahawatungu.

Boma Yangu Takes Action After Residents Flag Missing Units Despite Paying Deposit

On Friday, Nairobi residents protested over missing the units despite paying the required deposit, raising fresh concerns over graft in the allocation of the units.

Canada installs large Lake Ontario sign in latest jab at US

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has hit back at Donald Trump by installing a large sign on Canadas shoreline with the message: Lake Ontario. Now and Always. The US president signed an executive order on Thursday seeking to change its name to Lake America and has shared a series of AI-generated videos about the lake that [...] The post Canada installs large Lake Ontario sign in latest jab at US appeared first on Kahawatungu.

Former Ecuadorian president imprisoned for corruption

A former president of Ecuador has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of taking bribes. Lenín Moreno insisted he had not taken money from a Chinese firm which secured a contract to build a hydroelectric plant in the Latin American nation. The 73-year-old will serve his sentence under house arrest [...] The post Former Ecuadorian president imprisoned for corruption appeared first on Kahawatungu.

Policy questions persist as Sakaja's Dishi na County hits 85 million meals

Programme serves more than 324,000 learners in Nairobi, but its long-term future hangs in the...

UDA, ODM experts start crucial talks in race against time to craft Ruto, Oburu deal

The 12-member team plans a nationwide tour to collect views.

Walking football, the novel sport helping Kenya's elderly keep fit a step at a time

Englishman Ricky Weir introduced the sport in Kenya in late 2018 to comical results.

No money for campus: Why some students are stranded at home as universities funding woes deepen

Admission letters promise places, but fees and accommodation costs keep students at home.

When the tax math changed, traders found their voice

Kenya Revenue Authority raised the customs benchmark on a consolidated container from Sh2.5...

Pronouns reveal how leaders really govern

A citizen struggling with unemployment does not need a 20-page explanation of structural...

Why ODM offers the best and boldest choices for Ruto's 2027 running mate

Kenyan history shows that presidential power is won by combining political machines.

Kenya can build more without heavy borrowing

Sustained economic transformation requires major investments in transport, energy, logistics...

Dissecting Kenya's goon politics

Democracies must deal with goons, or the goons will deal with them.