Uhuru Allies Disown Jubilee-ODM Coalition Talks – LitKenya

As you start your day, you need to power your mind with some relevant and useful information.

We have picked for you the Top 10 stories making the headlines on this day, 3rd July 2021.

We’re not Aware of Jubilee-ODM Coalition Talks, Uhuru Allies Say

A section of allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta have poured cold water on the planned talks to midwife a coalition between the ruling Jubilee Party and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Jubilee Deputy Secretary-General and Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny said the negotiations were ill-timed and could lead to the defeat of the ruling party’s candidates in Kiambaa parliamentary and Muguga Ward by-elections in Kiambu County.

Kutuny also said the party has not approved any such deliberations.

ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna and his Jubilee counterpart, Raphael Tuju, had said the talks have the blessings of President Kenyatta and Orange party leader Raila Odinga.

I Don’t Hate You, Raila Tells Mt Kenya

ODM leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has denied that he will harm the people of Mt Kenya region if elected President.

Speaking in Nyeri during a funeral, the ODM leader said he would have not worked with retired President Mwai Kibaki in 2002 if he had any grudges against the region.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega backed Raila’s remarks, saying that the mountain region should stop being misadvised by people who do not have its interests at heart.

Why Raila, Matiang’i Met

It has now emerged that the recent meeting between ODM leader Raila Odinga and Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was not a mere lunch as had been reported.

Those who attended the meeting revealed that the leaders made peace after falling out over the Bonchari by-election where supporters of ODM candidate Pavel Oimeke were harassed. The former Prime Minister accused the super CS of abusing his powers.

Raila and Matiang’i also discussed on how to lock Deputy President William Ruto out of Gusii region.

Court of Appeal to Deliver BBI Judgment in August

Promoters of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) have been sent back to the drawing board after the Court of Appeal set August 20 as the date when the ruling on their appeal against a High Court decision will be delivered.

Attempts by the BBI legal team to convince the court to make a judgment before the end of the month flopped.

This means the planned referendum on the Constitution in August cannot happen, as the electoral body needs time to prepare.

Uhuru Should Refund Money Spent on BBI, Lobbies Tell Court

Civil society groups and private citizens against the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) have asked the Court of Appeal to order President Uhuru Kenyatta to refund the money spent on the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2020.

Through lawyers John Khaminwa and Christian Andole, the lobby organisations said the High Court had proved that BBI is an illegal entity.

Enforcing the Campaign Financing Act

The electoral commission has vowed to regulate the amount of money the aspirants for various positions should spend in the 2022 General Election.

The Campaign Financing Act provides that a presidential candidate cannot use more than Ksh5.25 billion while gubernatorial, woman Rep and senatorial candidates are allowed Ksh433 million.

An aspiring MP can only spend Ksh33.4 million and an MCA candidate is allowed to use Ksh10.3 million.

Treasury Disburses Money to Counties

The Treasury has finally released the final amount of the equitable share funds to the counties for the 2020/2021 financial year.

The Ksh289.6 billion was disbursed after a meeting between Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani and the leadership of the Council of Governors.

CS Yatani told county chiefs to prioritise the clearing of pending bills

Finance Bill 2021 a Nightmare For Kenyans

Kenyans have started to feel the pain following National Assembly’s adoption of the Finance Bill 2021 that imposed new taxes on several essential items.

To fund the Ksh3.6 trillion 2021/2022 Budget, taxpayers will pay more for phone airtime after a 20 per cent exercise duty was introduced.

Cooking gas prices will go up after the approval of 16 per cent Value Added Tax (TAT) on the item.

Knut’s Blow on Promotion of Teachers

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has been dealt a big blow after the Employment and Labour Relations Court trashed a case in which it wanted the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chairperson and the Chief Executive jailed for allegedly disobeying a court order that has suspended the promotion of teachers through the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG).

Under the CPG programme, members of Knut were left out due to the long-standing standoff between the labour movement and the teachers’ employer.

However, the dispute is expected to end after the new leadership of the union pledged to work with TSC.

Kagwe Says Fully Vaccinated People Are Getting Covid-19

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has revealed that the country has registered cases of fully vaccinated people contracting Covid-19 virus.

Kagwe said the only sure way of not getting the virus was strict adherence of the preventive measures.

He added that respiratory illness was mutating, and, therefore, vaccines might fail to work.

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