Murathe Role in Firm Awarded Sh4bn Kemsa Tender; Parliamentary Committee Scuttling BBI, say Raila Allies & Govt Working on COVID-19 Vaccine Passport for Kenyans

Good morning,

While most Kenyans can agree that the Jubilee administration has turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment, we need to appreciate how much freedom of speech we have in the country.

Every other day, hashtags arise on social media scorning our leaders, including the Head of State himself, and nothing too big, just an arrest here and there, has happened.

This is despite the said mockery entailing unmentionable insults, defamatory accusations and embarrassing memes and cartoons.

Yesterday, a photo comparison of the president’s body size while starting out his term in 2013,  versus his appearance in 2021 emerged, insinuating that his weight has grown proportionally to the country’s debt.

Just days before that, a poster warning foreigners against allowing Uhuru to transact debts on behalf of the country had also gone viral.

We all know that President Uhuru Kenyatta has quite the sense of humor, which could be why he probably does not react too much, or, perhaps, he is not aware of the amount of power he holds.

Remember earlier in the year, when Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni shut down the internet for several days, just so the citizens couldn’t discuss the election and incite one another against him?

Tanzania’s ex-president Pombe Magufuli also took his reputation seriously, and it was not until his demise that tens of media stations he had been banned from operating in the country were pardoned, by president Samia Suluhu.

Even as we enjoy our freedom of speech, let us act responsibly, keeping in mind that it is a rare privilege.

Here are the stories making headlines on Opera News today:

Revealed: Murathe role in firm awarded Sh4bn Kemsa tender

Jubilee Vice-Chair David Murathe

Jubilee vice-chairman David Murathe has said he was a bank guarantor for a firm implicated in the Sh7.8 billion Kemsa scandal.

In an affidavit submitted to the Public Investments Committee, the politician said he guaranteed Kilig Ltd. Murathe had previously denied association with the firm.

He denies being a director, shareholder or beneficial owner of Kilig in the affidavit.

Read more…

Parliamentary committee scuttling BBI, say Raila allies

SIGN HERE: ODM leader Raila Odinga leads Kenyans in collection of signatures for the BBI process during the launch at KICC in Nairobi on November 25, 2020

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s allies are now reading sabotage in the constitutional amendment push, with fears that anti-change forces have permeated the joint committee considering the BBI Bill.

Whereas the allies are not clear on the source of the sabotage, a number who spoke to the Star admitted the existence of a deep-rooted force out to scuttle the process so that BBI spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila does not reach the ballot.

Initially, promoters of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were working with a June deadline, a timeline that is now becoming a mirage by the day.

Read more…

Govt Working on COVID-19 Vaccine Passport for Kenyans

Gra[phic demonstration of Covid-19
The Kenyan government says it is developing a Covid-19 Vaccine passport for Kenyans traveling out of the country.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said the passport will be mandatory for travellers starting next year.

He said the govt is working in consultation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to develop the vaccine certificate that will act as proof that a person has been immunized against Covid-19.

Read more…

Do you think the distribution of wrong BBI documents to County Assemblies was an innocent error, or a cheeky move to sneak some unpopular clauses into the bill?

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