Political parties should not decide constituencies
Constituencies should not become a political football. That could result in votes in some regions becoming more equal than others. To tackle the crisis of blatant 'redistricting', President Biden is reportedly thinking of creating an independent body to be responsible for drawing the maps of political constituencies, although this will be bitterly resisted by Republicans. Do we want political parties actively involved in creating and drawing boundaries of electoral constituencies? The 2010 Constitution set the rules defining how constituencies should be decided.
Source:The Star
April 15, 2021 00:56 UTC
Fresh-faced Foden helps Man City exorcise Champions League demons
At the fifth time of asking, Pep Guardiola has guided Manchester City to a Champions League semi-final as they saw off Borussia Dortmund and the demons of previous quarter-final disappointments on Wednesday. Foden's 90th-minute strike in last week's first leg against Dortmund handed City a slender 2-1 lead to take to Germany. However, that was cancelled out by another burgeoning young English star when 17-year-old Jude Bellingham's first Champions League goal gave a Dortmund a 1-0 lead on the night and the advantage in the tie on away goals. By scoring, the 20-year-old also became just the second player under 21 to score in both legs of a Champions League quarter-final after Kylian Mbappe, who he will face in the semi-finals. Foden also provided what City needed as he is a fresh face, unburdened by previous Champions League failures.
Source:News 24
April 14, 2021 21:11 UTC
Kolkata will learn from Mumbai heartbreak, says Russell
Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell bemoaned the failure of their big-hitters to get the team across the line against Mumbai Indians but backed the two-time champions to bounce back in the Indian Premier League. Kolkata, chasing 153, were cruising at 84-1 in the 11th over but Eoin Morgan’s side then paid the price for over-aggression and finished on 142-7 on Tuesday. Russell managed nine runs before giving a return catch to Trent Boult, who bowled a tidy final over. “As a new batter, to come in and hit from ball one is very challenging,” Russell said. “We definitely feel disappointed but at the end of the day it’s not the end of the road,” Russell said.
Source:The Star
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
Kenyan exports net Sh642 billion in 2020 amid pandemic
Total exports were valued at Sh642 billion in 2020, growing by Sh46 billion compared to the Sh595 billion value recorded in the previous year. This is according to the Kenya Export Performance 2020 report by the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KeProBa). Others are minerals, animal or vegetable oils, iron and steel products, vegetable and fruit preparations, pharmaceuticals and articles of plastics according to KeProBa. Total tea exports stood at Sh130 billion to account for 20.3 per cent of the total exports followed by horticultural exports which stood at Sh122 billion accounting for 19 per cent of total exports. In contrast to the previous year, among the export products whose exports grew in 2020 by more than Sh2 billion included tea, horticulture, vegetable oils, cereal products.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
US women's league opens investigation into racism allegation
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) said on Tuesday it had opened an investigation under its anti-discrimination policy after Chicago Red Stars defender Sarah Gorden said she and her boyfriend were racially profiled by a Houston security guard. The incident happened after their goalless draw at Houston Dash on April 9 when a security official said her boyfriend "would be arrested if he came close" to talk to her following the match. "At first I didn't realize this was a racial issue until I saw white players surrounding the stadium talking closely to their family and we were the only ones targeted," she tweeted. The NWSL said in a statement it had opened the investigation on April 10. "The league will have no additional comments regarding the current investigation prior to its completion and has asked the respective clubs to refrain from commenting further as well," the league added.
Source:The Star
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
Man gets 10 years in jail for killing his grandma
High Court Judge Roselyn Aburili said while the court had powers to condemn him to life in prison, it opted to exercise discretion. The court was told how the suspect, who lived with his grandmother, returned home and demanded food from Jael Akuru. When Akuru told him she did not have any food, Omondi demanded flour so he could cook porridge. When he failed to get food or flour from her, Omondi dragged the elderly woman from her house and assaulted her. His advocate told the court Omondi was a first time offender.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
From picking pockets to stealing hearts through music
In the wake of his father’s untimely death, the then 11-year-old Daniel Simiyu made peace with his estranged mother. His music success is moving him towards his dream; saving his mother from poverty and affording the family a better life. He would take to the streets and sing before crowds in Kitale in-between school, all this without his mother’s knowledge. On a good day, he would make up to Sh5,000 from well-wishers and took the cash to his mother to supplement their domestic needs. The last has become a big Gengetone hit, with music channels like Trace Music playing it on rotation.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
Swazuri thrown under the bus over Sh12 billion SGR payouts
Former National Land Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri when appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on March 29, 2021. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]Embattled former National Lands Commission boss Mohammad Swazuri is on the spot over alleged irregular payment of Sh12 billion as compensation for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) land. Yesterday, former NLC senior officials who appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee turned the heat on Prof Swazuri, blaming him for the payment. Dr Mboya, who was the Land Acquisition and Compensation Committee chairperson, disowned a previous submission by Swazuri that the advice to delegate payment mandate came from his agency. The commission sat down and acknowledged that we did not have structure and staff to handle such large sums,” said Swazuri.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
Last of 9 giraffes rescued from disappearing island
Floating to a new home, four of the last giraffes have been rescued from Longicharo island in L. Baringo, Kenya and onto the mainland of Ruko Community Conservancy, on April 9, 2021. [Duncan Ndotono, Standard]The last of the nine Rothschild giraffes that were stranded on a shrinking island in Lake Baringo has finally been relocated to Ruko Conservancy. Nkarikoni, the female giraffe, was the last to leave the island since 2011 following increased water levels in Lake Baringo that led to shrinking space within Longicharo Island. When translocation began, there were eight giraffes on the island but in December, Nkarikoni, who was still on the island, gave birth to Noella. KWS data on giraffes indicates that Ruma has the largest population of Rothschild giraffes at 273 while Soysambu Conservancy hosts 159 giraffes.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
High fuel prices: State knows you have no choice
Whether the landed cost of petroleum goes down or not, pump prices have always raced towards the skies. Well, the first reason, experts say, is that fuel is a low-hanging fruit in terms of revenue collection. In short, Kenyans are hooked on fuel. Kenyans keep buying cars despite the increase in prices of fuel, sending the wrong message to the government. In the end, the government sees taxing fuel as a very easy way to drive revenue.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 21:00 UTC
ODM could get more constituencies as MPs meet next week
The Raila Odinga-led ODM party could get three additional constituencies to be included in the 70 new ones proposed in the BBI Bill . Following the development, members of the National Assembly will be called for a special sitting next week to debate the Building Bridge Initiative Bill among other urgent businesses. MPs have been split over the protection guaranteed to a bill under popular initiative, which many argue cannot be amended once passed by the county assemblies. Constitutional lawyers have on their part maintained that a bill under a popular initiative cannot be amended. We have to ask ourselves the rationale of having a popular initiative and a parliamentary initiative,” lawyer Bobby Mkangi said.
Source:The Star
April 14, 2021 20:02 UTC
State disowns DNA report in Kanyotu succession case
The Government Chemist has disowned a DNA report allegedly filed in court in a succession case by one of the widows of the former spy chief James Kanyotu. "The DNA was done without my knowledge so as to be locked out of succession case No. He has also lodged his complaint at Directorate of Criminal Investigations on several fake documents filed in court in the succession case. Following a complaint about the alleged fake DNA report and the documents filed in the case, the Government Chemist through Ali Gakweli filed its response. "We wish to clarify that the DNA report purported to have been authored and signed by one Lilian Ouma is not our report.
Source:The Star
April 14, 2021 20:01 UTC
Of Twitter Spaces and the ‘revolution’ coming with it
On a night like this when sleep does not come easy, I find myself on Twitter, idly so. Kenyans on Twitter (KOT) are an interesting lot. Actually, a day on Twitter is akin to a day in politics. The emergence of Twitter Spaces. What’s more, the few times I have joined Twitter Spaces as a listener, it felt as though I personally knew the speakers.
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 19:10 UTC
Don’t dare divert BBI funds to battle Covid-19 pandemic
No, don’t use the BBI referendum money to combat Covid-19. Our real problem is this: Have we audited the accounts of the monies meant for the fight against the pandemic? But dragging in debate for or against the BBI referendum in relation to Covid-19 is irrelevant. But let us not sanitise what we have been told repeatedly and confirmed by the government itself that billions earmarked for the Covid-19 fight have been siphoned. What makes us think we will be better off by diverting resources from other programmes to fight the disease?
Source:Standard Digital
April 14, 2021 19:10 UTC
Malindi tourism players decry low business
Tourism investors in Malindi want the government to continue enforcing the strict Covid-19 regulations to prevent more travel bans from other countries. Curatolo said the banning of UK tourists from visiting Kenya together with the plan for the US to do the same, will have negative repercussions to the sector. Philip Matei, the owner of Sabaki centre which houses key tourism businesses including the famous Barbar restaurant, said tourism has really been affected by the pandemic. He said most tourists visiting Malindi were from Italy but have been unable to visit due to the pandemic and this left the sector dependent on domestic tourists. However, the recent travel restriction on five counties of Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado and Nakuru has affected local tourism.
Source:The Star
April 14, 2021 19:01 UTC