taifaleo.nation.co.ke
@taifaleo Sun, 26 Jul 2026 05:55:34
Wanawake pia hutumika kueneza uhuni wa kisiasa-Utafiti
WANAWAKE wanazidi kuwa sehemu muhimu lakini isiyoonekana ya mitandao ya wahuni wa kisiasa nchini, huku wakitumika kuhamasisha vijana, kusafirisha silaha kwa siri na kukusanya taarifa za kisiri, utafiti mpya umebaini. Kwa miaka mingi, macho ya umma yamekuwa yakielekezwa kwa vijana wanaume wanaovamia mikutano ya kisiasa na maandamano wakiwa na rungu na mawe. Hata hivyo, ripoti mpya inaonyesha kuwa nyuma ya vurugu hizo kuna mtandao uliopangwa vyema unaowahusisha pia wanawake. Kijana mmoja kutoka Mathare, Nairobi, aliyekubali kuzungumza na Taifa Jumapili kwa masharti ya kutotajwa jina kwa hofu ya usalama wake, alisema wanawake wamekuwa sehemu ya mfumo huo. "Bila shaka wapo. Huenda wasiwe mstari wa mbele, lakini wanashiriki kikamilifu," alisema. Kijana huyo, anayejitambulisha kama mmoja wa "vigogo" wa eneo hilo wanaotafutwa na wanasiasa na wafanyabiashara kuwasaka vijana kwa shughuli za kisiasa, alisema hawabagui wanawake wanapofanya uajiri. "Sisi ndio viongozi wanaotafutwa na wanasiasa wanapohitaji watu. Hatujali jinsia. Tunawaajiri wanawake, nao pia huleta wengine," alisema. Kwa mujibu wake, wanawake mara nyingi hawashiriki moja kwa moja katika mashambulizi, bali hujichanganya na umati ili mikutano ionekane kuwa na watu wengi kuliko ilivyo. Pia hukusanya taarifa, huwatetea wenzao wanapokamatwa na wakati mwingine husafirisha mawe au silaha ndogo wanazofichwa kwenye mikoba yao. "Kama hujui utakula nini mchana au jioni, huwezi kuanza kuuliza kama mwanamke anafaa kujiunga na kundi au la," alisema. Hata hivyo, alisema hajawahi kuona mwanamke akifikia kiwango cha kuwa kiongozi mkuu wa mtandao huo, ingawa wengi hutumiwa kuajiri wengine. Ripoti inayoitwa Goonland: Looking Beyond the Money and Violence in the Political Exploitation of Young Men, iliyoandaliwa na shirika la OdipoDev, inaeleza kuwa magenge ya kisiasa si mkusanyiko wa vijana wasio na ajira pekee, bali ni mtandao wenye viongozi, waajiri, wajumbe na waratibu wanaofanya kazi kwa mpangilio maalumu. Utafiti huo ulifanywa kupitia mahojiano na wanachama 40 wa magenge ya wahuni, waajiri watano na maafisa watano wa usalama kutoka Nairobi, Mombasa na Kiambu. Ripoti hiyo inaonyesha kuwa mawasiliano hufanywa kupitia makundi ya WhatsApp na vituo vya mitaani, huku fedha na silaha zikisafirishwa kwa siri kupitia watu wanaoaminika. Wanawake ni miongoni mwa watu hao wanaoaminiwa kusafirisha na kuficha silaha kwa kuwa hawashukiwi kirahisi wakati wa ukaguzi kuhusu usalama. Mzee wa kijiji cha Mathare, Joseph Ouna, alisema akina mama wachanga wanazidi kuvutwa katika shughuli hizo kutokana na ugumu wa maisha. "Akina mama hawa wana watoto, na vijana hawa ni marafiki wao. Wanawapa pesa na kuwasaidia kwa mahitaji mbalimbali, hivyo huwa rahisi kuwashawishi wakubali kazi za kisiasa," alisema. Aidha, alisema baadhi ya wanawake hujitokeza kuwatetea vijana hao wanapokamatwa kwa kuwasawiri kama waathiriwa badala ya wahusika wa vurugu. Mratibu mmoja wa kisiasa kutoka Kayole ambaye hakutaka kutajwa jina alisema aliwahi kuombwa na mwanamke mwenzake amtafutie vijana kwa shughuli za kisiasa lakini alikataa kwa kuhofia kukamatwa au kushambuliwa. Alidai pia kuwa rafiki yake mmoja alipelekwa Ol Kalou kuvuruga uchaguzi mdogo uliofanyika eneo hilo. "Nilimshawishi asiende lakini alikataa. Hadi leo sijui alilipwa kiasi gani," alisema. Naibu Kamishna wa Kaunti Ndogo ya Nyandarua Central, Kenneth Kiprop, alisema hakuna mwanamke aliyekamatwa kufuatia vurugu za uchaguzi mdogo wa Ol Kalou, wala uchunguzi haukubaini wanawake walioshiriki moja kwa moja katika mashambulizi hayo. Utafiti huo unaonyesha kuwa fedha ndizo kichocheo kikuu cha vijana kujiunga na magenge hayo. Kuvuruga mikutano ya kisiasa hulipwa kati ya Sh500 na Sh1,500, shughuli za kuvuruga maandamano hulipa Sh500 hadi Sh2,500, huku migogoro ya ardhi ikilipa kati ya Sh500 na Sh2,000. Hata hivyo, watafiti wanasema si pesa pekee zinazowafanya vijana wabaki kwenye mitandao hiyo. Wengi walieleza kuwa hupata wanatambuliwa, kupata ulinzi, hadhi na hisia ya kuwa sehemu ya kundi. Ripoti hiyo inaonya kuwa kuanzisha nafasi za ajira pekee hakutamaliza tatizo la magenge ya kisiasa, kwa sababu wanaojiunga nayo hujengewa uhusiano unaotokana na hofu na mshikamano wa kijamii ambao si rahisi kuuvunja.
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@taifaleo Sun, 26 Jul 2026 03:55:05
Wantam: Sifuna aoshewa lami, apokelewa kishujaa Bungoma
KIFO cha aliyekuwa Waziri Mkuu Raila Odinga kimebadilisha kwa kiasi kikubwa mwelekeo wa siasa za Kenya, huku Seneta wa Nairobi Edwin Sifuna akiibuka kama mmoja wa viongozi wanaotikisa hesabu za uchaguzi mkuu wa 2027. Baada ya kuondolewa kama Katibu Mkuu na msemaji wa ODM, Sifuna sasa anaongoza vuguvugu la Linda Mwananchi, ambalo wachambuzi wanasema linaweza kubadili kabisa sura ya siasa za nchi na kutatiza mipango ya serikali pamoja na upinzani. Ndani ya ODM, baadhi ya viongozi wanakiri kuwa kumuondoa Sifuna kutoka uongozi wa chama kulikuwa kosa kubwa. Hata hivyo, sasa anaongoza vuguvugu linalovutia wafuasi wengi, hasa vijana, na ambazo zinazidi kupata nguvu kote nchini. Umaarufu wake umewatia wasiwasi viongozi wa kisiasa wa Magharibi kama Spika wa Bunge la Kitaifa Moses Wetang'ula na Mkuu wa Mawaziri Musalia Mudavadi, ambao wamekuwa wakijitambulisha kama vinara wa eneo hilo. Jana, Sifuna aliongoza mikutano mikubwa ya kisiasa katika Kaunti ya Trans Nzoia na kutangaza kuwa yuko tayari kuwania urais katika uchaguzi mkuu wa 2027. Akizungumza katika mkutano wa mwisho mjini Kitale, Sifuna alimshukuru Gavana wa Trans Nzoia George Natembeya kwa kumuunga mkono na kumhimiza azunguke nchi nzima kutafuta uungwaji mkono. "Nimekubali jukumu hilo. Niko tayari kuzunguka Kenya nzima kutafuta kura na sitawaangusha Wakenya," alisema. Sifuna alidai kuwa upinzani utaungana na kumteua mgombeaji mmoja wa urais atakayemenyana na Rais William Ruto katika uchaguzi ujao. Baada ya mikutano hiyo, msafara wa viongozi hao ulipitia Kaplamai na kusimama katika soko la Sibanga, Cherang'any, kabla ya kurejea Kitale kwa mkutano wa mwisho. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti wa hivi karibuni wa TIFA uliotolewa Ijumaa, Sifuna amempiku kiongozi wa Wiper Kalonzo Musyoka katika umaarufu wa urais kwa mara ya kwanza. Katika utafiti huo, Sifuna alipata asilimia 15 ya uungwaji mkono, akifuatiwa na Naibu Kiongozi wa Jubilee Fred Matiang'i kwa asilimia 14, Kalonzo Musyoka asilimia 13, kiongozi wa DCP Rigathi Gachagua asilimia saba na Mbunge wa Embakasi Mashariki Babu Owino asilimia mbili. Kwa jumla, viongozi wa upinzani wanaungwa mkono na asilimia 51 ya Wakenya, huku Rais William Ruto akiongoza kivyake kwa asilimia 24. Hata hivyo, kiwango hicho bado hakitoshi kumwezesha kushinda uchaguzi katika duru ya kwanza. Kinachowashangaza wengi si tu umaarufu wa Sifuna bali kasi aliyopanda nayo. Miezi miwili iliyopita hakuwa hata akitajwa katika mazungumzo ya wagombeaji urais. Sasa ameibuka kama mmoja wa wanasiasa wenye ushawishi mkubwa zaidi nchini. Katika uchaguzi wa Seneti wa Nairobi mwaka 2022, Sifuna alimshinda Askofu Margaret Wanjiru kwa kura 716,876. Leo, umaarufu wake unatajwa kuwa unaweza kubadili mazungumzo ya muungano wa upinzani kuhusu mgombeaji mmoja wa urais. Hata baada ya kuondolewa katika uongozi wa ODM, utafiti unaonyesha karibu nusu ya wafuasi wa chama hicho wangependa awe mgombeaji wao wa urais. Matokeo hayo yanaendana na utafiti wa awali wa Infotrak uliomuonyesha Sifuna akipunguza pengo kati yake na viongozi waliokuwa wakitajwa kama vigogo wa upinzani, jambo linaloashiria kuwa kupanda kwake si bahati bali ni mwelekeo mpya wa kisiasa. Akizungumza baada ya matokeo ya utafiti huo kutolewa, Sifuna alisema jambo muhimu si asilimia aliyopata, bali ni kwamba Rais Ruto anaendelea kushuka chini ya kiwango kinachohitajika kushinda uchaguzi kwa urahisi. Alisema iwapo upinzani utaungana nyuma ya mgombeaji mmoja, utaweza kumshinda Rais Ruto. "Tukijumlisha asilimia za Sifuna, Kalonzo, Matiang'i na viongozi wengine wa upinzani, ziko juu zaidi ya za Rais Ruto. Tunahitaji umoja ili kuwasikiliza Wakenya wanaotaka mabadiliko," alisema. Mchambuzi wa siasa Arnold Maliba alisema wengi wanakosea kuchukulia Linda Mwananchi kama muungano wa kawaida wa kisiasa. Kwa mujibu wake, vuguvugu hilo linalenga kubadili mjadala wa kisiasa kutoka ukabila na makubaliano ya viongozi kuelekea masuala ya utawala bora, uwajibikaji, Katiba na ushiriki wa wananchi. "Linda Mwananchi si chama cha kawaida. Ni vuguvugu linaloweka shinikizo kwa serikali na pia kwa upinzani uliopo," alisema. Kwa Rais Ruto, kupanda kwa Sifuna kunamaanisha hatari ya kupoteza kura za eneo la Magharibi, ambazo ni muhimu katika azma yake ya kutetea urais, hasa baada ya kupoteza uungwaji mkono mkubwa katika Mlima Kenya. Ndani ya upinzani, kuibuka kwa Sifuna kumebadili hesabu zilizoweka Kalonzo Musyoka na Fred Matiang'i kama wagombeaji wakuu wa urais.
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@taifaleo Sun, 26 Jul 2026 04:55:46
Gachagua aapa kuzima njama za kuleta mgawanyiko Mlimani
KIONGOZI wa chama cha Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), Rigathi Gachagua, ameapa kupinga kile alichokitaja kama njama za Rais William Ruto kugawanya eneo la Mlima Kenya kabla ya Uchaguzi Mkuu wa 2027. Akizungumza katika mikutano ya hadhara mjini Embu, Kathangariri, Karurumo, Gategi na Siakago Jumamosi, Gachagua alimshutumu Rais Ruto kwa kutumia Waziri wa Utumishi wa Umma Geoffrey Ruku kuendeleza mpango wa kugawanya eneo hilo kuwa Mlima Kenya Mashariki na Magharibi. "Lazima nimzuie Ruto kugawanya Mlima Kenya. Tunataka tubaki pamoja ili tumpeleke nyumbani katika uchaguzi ujao," alisema Gachagua katika soko la Kathangariri, Embu. Alidai Rais Ruto amewasaliti wakazi wa Mlima Kenya waliomuunga mkono kwa wingi 2022 kwa kuwaita wakabila. Pia alimshutumu Rais kwa madai ya kuruhusu makundi ya wahuni kuwashambulia wakazi wa Mlima Kenya na kuharibu mali yao. "Nitahakikisha Ruto anakuwa rais wa muhula mmoja. Kilichotokea Ol Kalou kitajirudia katika Mlima Kenya mzima," alisema. Gachagua pia alimkosoa Waziri wa Afya Aden Duale kwa madai ya kutoa matamshi ya kuwadhalilisha wakazi wa Mlima Kenya, akisema atawajibishwa kisiasa katika uchaguzi ujao.
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kahawatungu.com
@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:29:52
Trump takes swipes at press during White House Correspondents' Dinner
US President Donald Trump took swipes at the media at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner, a night celebrating press freedom, after the first event was cancelled by a shooting three months ago. The president sat as reporters from outlets he has sparred with and even sued, including the New York Times, CNN and [...] The post Trump takes swipes at press during White House Correspondents Dinner appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:32:09
India's education minister resigns after days of 'Cockroach' youth protests over exam paper leaks
India's education minister said Saturday he had resigned in a major victory foryoung protesters, whose spiraling demonstrations have presented a rare and growing challenge to the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Protesters have been calling for accountability after allegations entrance exams to esteemed medical schools had been leaked and sold, with the unrest led [...] The post India's education minister resigns after days of 'Cockroach' youth protests over exam paper leaks appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:34:12
8 found dead in Michigan home after fire, some with gunshot wounds
Eight people, including six children, were found dead in a Michigan home after a fire, some with gunshot wounds, law enforcement said Friday. Police and fire authorities responded just before noon to a house fire in Grand Haven Township, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. When they went inside, they found the bodies, Capt. [...] The post 8 found dead in Michigan home after fire, some with gunshot wounds appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:37:03
Murkomen orders transfer of entire Keringet Police Station team in crackdown on drugs,
Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered the immediate transfer of all police officers stationed at Keringet Police Station in Nakuru County as the government intensifies its crackdown on drug and substance abuse. Speaking during a public baraza in Keringet, Murkomen said officers who have served at the station for extended periods [...] The post Murkomen orders transfer of entire Keringet Police Station team in crackdown on drugs, appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:42:16
Uganda Adventist church seeks exemption from Saturday cleaning exercise over Sabbath observance
The Uganda Union Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has appealed to its members to remain calm and prayerful as church leaders engage the government over the implementation of the country's National Cleaning Days, which coincide with Sabbath worship. In a statement issued on July 24, 2026, Uganda Union Mission President Pastor Kajoba Samuel reaffirmed [...] The post Uganda Adventist church seeks exemption from Saturday cleaning exercise over Sabbath observance appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:16:26
Real News Photos Beat AI Invented Street Scenes
Local audiences do not fact-check your color grade. They fact-check the corner. If a Reel invents a second stall, a stranger's placard, or a shop sign that is not on that street, someone who walks there will reply with their own photo. I edit digital for a local desk, and when producers paste Seedance 3.0 [...] The post Real News Photos Beat AI Invented Street Scenes appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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@kahawatungu Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:24:09
'Maybe he's a racist' – Trump critical of James
United States President Donald Trump said LeBron James might be a racist when asked if the basketball star is the best ever to play the sport. James, 41, announced on Friday he is set to continue his glittering career with the Philadelphia 76ers. When asked about the move in a White House news conference later, [...] The post Maybe hes a racist Trump critical of James appeared first on Kahawatungu.
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