On Wednesday 18 December, local newspapers covered politics, including former Vice President Rigathi Gachagua’s allies blaming former President Uhuru Kenyatta for meeting with his successor and other topics of national importance.
Source: UGC
Elsewhere, President William Ruto tried to enact a law punishing anyone who opposes the transition of power after a presidential election.
1. Taifa Leo
The recent meeting between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and President William Ruto continues to raise a debate on the cause of the rift between the two leaders, who have been at loggerheads for the past two years.
In particular, allies of former vice president Rigathi Gachagua are asking what Uhuru can do to help Ruto, even though ahead of the 2022 general election he said he was not ready to lead and supported opposition leader Raila Odinga.
“We want to see how the former president will do after the meeting. Everyone is anxious to see how Uhuru will help him (Ruto) even after opposing his 2022 bid,” said Embakasi North MP James Gakuya.
Gakuya wondered how Uhuru would go around his earlier opposition to Ruto and support his re-election in 2027.
From her side, Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba said Mount Kenya had decided to distance himself from Ruto and would not reverse its decision.
“In our view, we are done with this administration, and we agreed and moved forward to wait until 2027. Things have not changed in rural areas in terms of how this administration is presented. We will continue to reorganize as a alternative power.” she said.
2. Daily Nation
The daily reported on the government’s resolution to have a new law on the official transition of the president after an election.
At its last meeting of 2024 on Tuesday, December 17, the Cabinet, chaired by President William Ruto, approved the Adoption of the Office of the President and Transition to the Executive Bill 2024.
The bill, which now goes to parliament for consideration, aims to streamline and strengthen Kenya’s presidential transition process, ensuring a smoother and more uniform transfer of power.
According to a dispatch from the meeting, the proposed law consolidates procedures for entry into office and transfer of executive power into a single legal framework.
It imposes tougher penalties on government and public officials who obstruct the transition, with fines of up to KSh 10 million, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both.
If approved by the National Assembly, the incumbent Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries will remain in office until new appointments are made by the incoming administration.
Additionally, the bill clarifies that the transition of executive authority is complete when the newly elected president, vice president, attorney general, cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, and cabinet secretaries take office.
The bill also addresses contingencies, including situations where the outgoing president is unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
In such cases, the surrender of instruments of power will be omitted without affecting the validity of the oath process.
In addition, the bill ensures that the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect are provided security arrangements corresponding to the incumbent president and vice president.
3. Taifa Leo
The newspaper spared space for the tension that built up at a police station in Elgeyo Marakwet, where residents found a missing cow slaughtered by policemen stationed there.
Locals had complained that three cows went missing a few weeks ago.
They began a search for the animals, but all in vain.
But on Monday evening, December 16, they stumbled upon a corpse that was discovered at the Kaptagat police station.
Locals flocked to the station demanding the arrest of men in uniform whom they suspected were behind the cattle theft and subsequent slaughter.
The threatened to take the law into his own hands if the law enforcement agencies fail to bring to light those behind the theft and slaughter of their animals.
The Under County Police Chief and the local MCA rushed to the station to try to calm the agitated locals who had threatened to set fire to it.
A preliminary investigation led to the arrest of two police officers who were found at the scene and negatively mentioned by local residents who linked the theft and the crime that followed.
4. The standard
The Standard reported on the government’s decision to extend the government-to-government oil import agreement between Kenya and the Gulf states.
The second extension of the program ended this month after it was first extended earlier in the year.
In a meeting held on Tuesday, December 17 at State House Nairobi, the government decided that the agreement eased the pressure on the exchange rate, strengthened the shilling and lowered petrol prices.
“Cabinet has approved the extension of the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) arrangement for imports of refined petroleum products. This arrangement has eased the monthly demand for US dollars for petroleum imports, which has stabilized the shilling-dollar exchange rate of KSh 129 from a high of KSh 166 and reducing pump prices from KSh 217 per liter of petrol to KSh 177.” the dispatch from the government.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and editor at TUKO.co.ke
Source: TUKO.co.ke
