A Week in a Minute: 7 Hot Stories That Made Headlines This Week

The best thing about the month of August, even though it is superstitiously believed to be a bad-luck month, is that it flies by very fast. Can you believe that we are just nine days shy of September?

The topics of discussion for the past week have mostly revolved around jail; those in charge of jails, those who have been there, and those who almost ended up there.

The three Senate musketeers

A senate session in progress

Kakamega, Samburu and Bomet Senators had a minor brush with jail at the beginning of the week, after they were arrested shortly before the debate on the controversial Revenue Allocation Formula on Monday.

It was only after a huge public outcry and demonstrations, that Cleophas Malala, Steven Lelegwe, and Christopher Lang’at were released.

Jowie’s marriage bombshell

Jowie’s wife, Eleanor

Apparently, Kenya’s favorite ex-inmate, Joseph Irungi, alias Jowie, got married and now has a daughter.

Kenyans are still to understand when he and his wife Elleanor met, fell in love, and got married, but Jowie is now a gospel musician, so nothing really shocks us anymore.

Waiguru’s controversial earn-ings

Embattled Governor Anne Waiguru.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru is now under the radar of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), over the source of her massive wealth which is suspected to have been earned through corruption.

This time round, Kenyans jumped to the defense of the governor, who is also facing a second impeachment, accusing the government of using the Thursday raid on her homes and offices as a distraction from the KEMSA COVID-19 funds.

COVID-millionaires

KEMSA officials at a past event

Speaking of KEMSA, NTV’s Dennis Okari nudged high-ranking officials at the medical supplies body an inch closer to jail, after his expose on the shameless misappropriation of funds and equipment meant to help manage the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Consequently, international donors have now threatened to withdraw funding to Kenya, and wananchi have no complaints at all!

The Matiang’i-Ruto controversy

DP Ruto and Fred Matiang’i

In every silver lining, there is a dark cloud, and NTV makes a good example for this reversed idiom. While the broadcaster shone earlier in the week thanks to the COVID-Millionaires expose, its glory was shortlived after Interior CS Fred Matiang’i accused it of airing fake news.

The station had reported that the no-nonsense CS had called for the resignation of Deputy President William Ruto when he appeared before Senate to answer for the arrest of three legislators, claims that Matiang’i vehemently denied, forcing the media house to issue an apology to both him and the DP.

Uhuru breaks silence on Revenue Allocation standoff

President Uhuru Kenyatta during a past media briefing

In his usual fashion, President Uhuru Kenyatta sneaked a bit of politics at the end of his speech on Friday, while issuing title deeds to Embakasi residents.

Uhuru maintained that the one man, one vote, one shilling formula was the only acceptable mode of revenue sharing amongst counties. He gave the example of Nairobi, which is considered a ”rich” county but is, in reality, in dire need of a lot of funding owing to the high poverty levels in slum-dwellings.

The Barcelona let-down

Lionel Messi. [Photo: Courtesy]
Even if you would rather die than sit down to watch a football match, you must know that Barcelona is one of the highest-ranking football teams in the world, boasting of players such as Lionel Messi and a handful of other stars.

This is why the team letting Bayern Munich slide eight past their goalkeeper during the Champions League Quater Final sent waves of shock and embarrassment across the world.

It is, however, still less embarrassing being a Barca fan, as compared to being an Arsenal fan. That is just how it is!

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