Good morning,
In the famous words of Siaya Senator James Orengo, indeed governments eat their own people if recent developments are anything to go by.
Even as millions of Kenyans continue to suffer with no cent in their pockets to sustain themselves during the tough economic period precipitated by the corona pandemic, the government seems to be less sensitive to the plight of small scale traders at Gikomba market.
Yesterday, traders at Kenya’s largest open-air market once again woke up to their stalls being flattened in the early morning demolitions done under heavy police presence to reportedly pave way for road construction.
This comes barely three weeks after a fire razed cereals and mitumba sections of the market with some leaders led by Starehe MP Charles Njagua alias Jaguar wondering whether the government had something to do with the inferno.
Traders lost goods worth millions of shillings but the government led by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho promised to stand with the business people and promised those who lost property a KSh10,000 compensation.
Sadly though, with at least three fires recorded yearly, hope for the traders who mostly live hand-to-mouth remains bleak.
This is not to mention the infamous evictions by the same government in Kariobangi North, Mau Forest, Ruai and the looming demolition of homes in Lang’ata for illegally sitting on part of Ngong Forest.
Moreover, the threat of homelessness looms over many other Kenyans who have defaulted on rent due to these tough economic times.
Therefore, in a country that is battling a serious mental illness problem, homelessness (or the threat of it) will only but make things worse.
Here are the stories making headlines on Opera News today:
University Students to Resume Classes in July
University students will resume studies at the end of July 2020, with postgraduate students in their final academic year given priority. University Education and Research Principal Secretary Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi announced on Tuesday, July 14.
The former Kamusinga High School Principal detailed the plan while inspecting preparations set up by Chuka University and Tharaka Nithi University College in Tharaka Nithi County.
Hospitals May Soon Run out of Space, Kenyans Warned
You still stand a high chance of succumbing to Covid-19 even after getting admission to intensive care unit, data from the Health ministry, which confirmed 497 new cases yesterday, show.
The figures show that 78 of the 225 coronavirus patients who had been admitted to ICU died, with five succumbing yesterday.
Eight Mt Kenya bigwigs tussle to succeed Uhuru
At least eight bigwigs have lined up to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta as Mt Kenya’s political supremo with one setting up a presidential secretariat two years to the 2022 polls.
The Building Bridges Initiative is set to expand the Executive, creating three additional positions at the apex, which has become an irresistible menu for political leaders across the country.
There is more trouble for Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru after MCAs initiated a push for the dissolution of the county. The ward representatives, who are opposed to Waiguru’s leadership style, say they will not relent until the county is disbanded. Do you think the MCAs will succeed this time around after their failed attempt to impeach the governor a couple of weeks ago?