THE VIC REPORT

By Victor Oyuko.  History was made today in Nairobi as H.E. President of Kenya and Dr William Ruto, along with other African leaders, unveiled the 'African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action' at the closing of the 3-day Africa Climate Summit. The declaration marks a significant milestone for Africa, as it defines the continent's stance on climate action and sets the stage for a new era of socio-economic transformation with a distinct African perspective. With climate change posing an unprecedented challenge to the African continent, this declaration reaffirms the commitment of African leaders to address the issue and take immediate action. The African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action outlines a comprehensive plan for combating climate change, focusing on sustainable development, environmental conservation, and adaptation measures. It acknowledges the need for African nations to strengthen their resilience against...

 Going by statistics, Raila Odinga has always got enough votes to make him President. He's a master mobilizer who has built a solid following who would be willing to vote for him to the last man if they can be assured of a Free and fair play ground. His is all about having the establishment influence a fair outcome and he would be at satehouse. Ruto his closest competitor on the other hand has been able to rally millions under his hustler nation brand of politics. He has made them believe that his government if elected will lift the poor, lowly and down trodden economically out of poverty into active players in the economy. This puts him at an advantage being these people following Ruto under the Hustler nation are united by a common ideology that the government has neglected them and that only Ruto understands and identifies with them and through him, their lives will change economically. DP William Ruto is electable but he wouldn't beat Raila Odinga through votes in a free an...

  Like many countries, Kenya is guided by clearly set out laws that determine acts that are considered as sexual offences and recommended punishments for guilty persons.  The Sexual offences Act 2006 provides for a major part of sexual offense laws which Judges and Magistrates rely on to free or convict suspects of such offenses.  During the interviews in search of a new chief justice, Justice Chitembwe who was interviewed for the position  indicated that he had freed a man guilty of defilement and defended his decision arguing that he considered logic and reason apart from the law as it is. Some Kenyans agreed while others like myself disagreed.  Justice Martha Koome was also a candidate, now chief justice, noted that most daily convictions in Kenya are related to sexual offences. She added that when judging such matters, she sets aside her beliefs, religion, feelings, emotions, attitudes and thoughts and applies the law as it is. I vehemently agree with her....

This year will play a life-changing role in the run up to the 2022 general election. The outcome of the election will greatly be influenced by the actions, strategies and activities of particular politicians who shape the political discourse of the country. While some are fighting to remain in the political limelight, others are in the business of making a come back after being in political cold for years.  Musalia Mudavadi; The ANC party leader and former deputy premier is spending his 8th year out of government. He has however managed to stay relevant and influence political discussion in the country by his neutral and objective arguments.  He has expressed interest in the Presidency and is currently supporting the BBI for policy reasons and 2022 survival.  Uhuru Kenyatta; He is President of the Republic of Kenya and Jubilee party leader. He is serving his second term and is expected to retire in 2022. However, after launching the BBI, many have questioned his possibili...

2020 has been a devastating year not only for working adults but also young Learners whose lives turned around over night at the discovery of the first COVID-19 case in Kenya.  Children had to be confined within the walls of the home for longer hours due to movement restrictions in combating the virus. They were denied a fundamental opportunity to play and catch up with their peers as stigma about the disease increased by the day. For many, They nolonger accessed usual childly needs as parental income greatly reduced due to economic impacts of the disease. It has been paradise turned hell for them. Smiles were replaced with sadness and silent depression.  I feel for children who had to experience the dark side of marriage violence as partners who couldn't put up together longer that usual resorted to violence in solving their differences. This had a traumatic effect on children and the psychological torture could follow them for days into the future. COVID-19 provided an envir...

The Raila Odinga led  orange party is no doubt the biggest political party in Kenya. We can trace its roots back to the 2005 referendum in which Raila was opposed to the proposed constitutional change. He converted the opposing wing into a political party, ODM.  ODM thrived through 2013 and 2017 elections. In 2018,  ODM found itself in a handshake which now looks like a political pact between Odinga's party and the ruling Jubilee party led by President Kenyatta. The collaboration has manifested in many ways, the latest being Msambweni parliamentary by-election  where Ruto's independent candidate won against the ODM cum handshake candidate. This put ODM on the political radar, attracting profound negative perceptions about the party's influence not only in coast politics but also national politics. ODM Lost lost the third By-election after Embakasi south and Ugenya.  A single election shouldn't be used to measure the party's nation wide influence but a loss in a ...

In the last couple of months,  Machakos county recorded close to 4000 teenage pregnancies. Going by the MoH statement on Monday, the numbers we see could be as a result of double counts. I still don't understand why teenage pregnancy had to be rampant at this particular time of a pandemic. The children are on holiday, so are  adults as results  the stay at home order.  So  you find adults who have been in intimate relationships have now been cut-out from their  partners due to the situation. When the appetite grows as COVID-19 regulations stay longer, the next victim of sexual fulfilment becomes that young girl/guy next door whose parents are not so keen. It's that cousin who came over to your place after schools closed. It's that nephew or niece who was entrusted to you by their parents or any other case that may arise as demanded by various situations and such, the feeling is mutual between the two sexes, so we can't blame either sex solely.  Ho...

Kifo - the man accused of sealing off his wife's private parts. A Man in Meru - Kifo, is reported to have sealed off his wife's private parts for cheating.  The jealous husband later went to Kitui to seek the help of a witchdoctor  so that he could be delivered of his troubles, since the police were constantly after him.  The man, who is now in custody is said to have sneaked out of Nairobi to his home Village in Meru to discipline his wife who he had been suspecting of cheating. He got home and asked his wife, who is currently discharged from hospital to disclose the man who has been sleeping with her, but she declined.  Kifo then led his wife to the banks of the river after telling her they were escaping from the police who were already hunting him for getting out of Nairobi illegally.  Upon reaching the river, the man ordered his wife to undress. She humbly obeyed; their young boy holding the torch at the command of his father.  Kifo then sodomized the w...

Tanzania President John Magufuli Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli has stunned the East African people and the world  after he claimed that his child healed from COVID-19 by eating lemons. Speaking at a church service today, the no - nonsense President admitted that his child had tested positive for COVID-19, isolated,  took to home made remedies to treat the disease, recovered and is now  doing push ups.   “Nina mtoto wangu alipata Corona, mtoto wa kuzaa mimi, amejifungia kwenye chumba akaanza kujitibu, akanywa malimau na tangawizi, amepona yuko mzima sasa anapiga push up,” said President Magufuli during a Church service. President Magufuli has gone on record dismissing the disease as "fake". This is after samples from Paw Paws tested positive for covid-19 in his country. In making further headlines, President Magufuli had once declared a 3 day prayer period in Tanzania, allowing worship gatherings despite other countries in the world banning such gatherin...

Kipchuma Murkomen and Susan Kihika Earlier today, President Kenyatta chaired a Jubilee Party Parliamentary Group meeting( PG ) at statehouse which was attended by Jubilee senators. This followed a notice of the PG issued by statehouse on Sunday. In a Press Release by statehouse on Monday 11th May 2020, Kenyans learnt of critical changes in the Jubilee leadership in Parliament, following the resolutions of the PG. In the changes, Majority Leader in the Senate, Kipchumba Murkomen was plucked off his position and replaced with West Pokot Senator, Samuel Poghisio. ( KANU)    West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio. Majority Chief whip and Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika was also releaved of her duties and replaced with Murang'a Senator, Irungu Kang'ata. Other contents of the agenda were not disclosed. In  response to the changes in a letter to the speaker of the Senate, Senator Kihika said she didn't recognize the changes, that due process as required by the standing orders of parliam...

Tecra Muigai and her lover Omar Lali Like every other woman, Tecra Muigai was destined to fall in love and her heart lived to chose Omar Lali the beach boy from Lamu. Omar has been arrested and is currently being held in custody for 21 days as investigation into the controversial death of Tecra Muigai proceeds. Omar Lali in detention awaiting investigation into Tecra's death. Until his arrest, Lali worked as a boat operator, transporting tourists to luxurious retreats in places like Kiwayu. It's in one of these boat rides he met the heiress to Keroche Breweries. Tecra and Lali lived together at a local hotel before moving to an apartment in March.  It is in this apartment Tecra is said to have fallen down the stairs while intoxicated, an event whose impacts she later succumbed to. Lali was born in a poor family in the isolated island of Kizingitini in Lamu East. Fishing was the only means of earning a living he had learnt and practiced as he grew up into his youth, before he le...

Outgoing CEO Nancy Macharia and  Ken Mulunda The Teachers Service Commission has today appointed Dr. Ken Mulunda Commission Secretary/ CEO in an acting capacity. The  incumbent CEO Nancy Macharia is set to retire in June when her 5 year term will end. Until his appointment, Dr. Ken Mulunda served as Deputy Commission Secretary at Teachers Service Commission. Dr. Ken Mulunda, newly appointed TSC CEO During her tenure, Nancy Macharia exhibited a bitter-sweet kind of relationship with teachers;  endless teachers strikes and court battles. She has faced constant ruthless opposition from Teachers' Unions especially in implimenting news polices including delocalization of teachers. Her seat was a hot one, her  tasks were enormous. Is Dr. Mulunda fit to take the wheel? As Dr. Mulunda takes charge, among his first tasks  will be to work out the payment of some 10,000 teachers who the commission hired in an internship programme but have not b...

Fuata Nyayo in South B, Nairobi Residents of South-B ward are at great risk of covid-19 spread as taps have run dry for the last two weeks. This has affected over 30,000 residents. Residents say despite struggling to pay bills, they've have not got access to water for domestic uses including drinking, and are now finding it hard to maintain the hygiene standards required to keep covid-19 away. Shops and eateries are finding it impossible to operate safely as water is extremely scarse. They depend on water vendors who sell water at unbearable prices. Most affected areas include Fuata Nyayo, Kisii village, Kayaba, commercial among others. Commercial center in South B The entire blame seems to be directed to the Nairobi Metropolitan Service which recently took over key services from the county government. The agency was formed to specifically "improve service delivery" to the people of Nairobi, but the situation at South B and most parts of Nairobi shows...

Right: Moses Kuria, Left: Raila Odinga Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has launched a vitriolic attack on the ODM party leader Raila Odinga, accusing him of being behind the firing of Nicholas Gumbo as Chairman Kenyatta National Hospital Board. In a gazzete notice dated 21, April 2020, President Kenyatta releaved the Former Rarieda MP of his duties and immediately replaced him with George Ooko Opondo who will serve for 3 years. However, He never gave reasons for doing so. In response to this, Moses Kuria said Raila Odinga was behind the firing of Mr. Gumbo to "extinguish his light" ahead of 2022. "Why did you fire Nicholas Gumbo as Chairman Kenyatta National Hospital? Is it because he will beat Oburu Odinga ( Raila's brother)  for Siaya Governor 2022? .." he asked, in a Facebook post seemingly directed to the former premier. Kenyatta National Hospital has been at the center of controversy after Profilic Writer Ken Walibora lost his after being hit by a ...

 Nurses during a past nurses strike. The unforeseen covid-19 thud has hit our country and exposed a great shortfall in the  health work force in our health institutions country wide. There has arisen urgent need for extra personnel to bridge the gap as the inevitable  demand for  Heath care providers grows, in efforts to contain the rapidly spreading disease. In response to this crisis, the President directed for the release of Ksh. 1bn to hire more health workers and another 2.6bn to be used in enhancing the welfare of health workers, including unpaid salaries. Forming part of the vast and diverse health workers body are the nurses. Nurse are the only cadre of health professionals specifically trained to care for the patients; they handle the patients directly from admission to discharge, they are in direct contact and are therefore exposed to whatever conditions Patients could be suffering from, including covid-19. Nurses form a part of our forefront so...

Raila Odinga and Suleiman Shahbal at Shahbal's Mombasa residence. Is Suleiman Shahbal in place to succeed Joho? The fight against covid-19  in Mombasa county under the leadership of Governor Hassan Joho has seemed to attract much public attention as the 47 counties are all putting measures to contain the deadly virus. The public is perhaps impressed because the interventions being put by  Governor Joho to contain covid-19 are commendable, or rather admirable compared to what other counties are doing, ( the details are not important here). However, in the course of  leading the fight against covid-19, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho seems to have got a new "working partner", his close political rival Hon. Suleiman Shabal. Suleiman Shabal has been Joho's right hand man in rolling out various programs aimed at cushioning the people of Mombasa from the effects covid-19 and those to help them stay safe from the virus, they've launched and supervised covid-19 rel...

  Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja A month down the line since the covid-19 thud hit us, parliament had not conducted any formal sitting to discuss measures to handle the pandemic. MPs have since been accused of abandoning Kenyans in times of crisis. After series of public uproar, parliament resumed and Senate already began with the Covid-19 Pandemic Bill. The Covid-19 Pandemic Bill was proposed by Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja. It aims at putting in strategies to cushion the most vulnerable citizens from the harsh economic impacts of Covid-19. However, the bill as moved by Sakaja seems to put greater emphasis on cushioning the Tenants as well as landlords who he said should be cushioned in equal measure. " We look forward to protecting the landlords too, they've also been hit adversely," he said. Expounding on the bill, Sakaja said the bill seeks to provide an avenue where the landlords and tenants can negotiate and agree on rent payment terms friendly to both of...

Right : Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Maj. Gen Mohammed Badi. Left: Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko It captures sincere attention to learn that Nairobi Governor, Mike Sonko has refused to assent to the Ksh. 15bn Nairobi city County  budget as passed by the county assembly; Regardless of the reasons for refusing to okay the urgently needed money, not only by the county but also by the Nairobi Metropolitan service to run crucial functions, it is clearly indifferent for Sonko to sit on such crucial allocation at a time the nation is doing all which is possible to make money available for the fight against covid-19.  In defending his stand, " The amendments by the Assembly to the bill that gives rise to these irregular transfers and allocation was done without the input of the county executive committee member of finance contrary to provisions of Public Finance Management Act,” Sonko said. It is unreasonable to rubbish an important budget bill passed by...

Covid-19 is not a respector  of age, sex, culture, social class, level of income or any other human distinguishing factors. We are made to believe It attacks and kills both the rich and poor, the haves and have nots, those in government and those being governed, the law makers and the subjects of the law all in equal measure; this I refute! The virus attacks and kills both the rich and poor in unequal measures, especially when the rich are protected while the poor are exposed, or made to be exposed. While the government directives should be able to cushion and protect all citizens in equal measure, the case in Kenya is  different. Poor in my understanding means someone who survives on less than a dollar a day, that's if he is able to get the dollar.  On 30 March, 2020, the daily nation newspaper recorded, " The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has moved to court seeking suspension of the dusk-to-dawn curfew and an order compelling Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to...

THE DANCE WITH DEATH CONTINUES.. On the 3rd of April, 2020, the Daily Nation newspaper had in it's headlines a sounding warning to Kenyans, "stop dancing with death". Kenyans seemed not to have listened. The dance had just began. Kenya and the world at Large has been hit by a unexpected, cruel and life-changing pandemic, covid-19. The world economy with the confession of the World bank is on its knees. Business has  stopped, school has been stopped, entertainment has stopped, production ha stopped, everything is at a standstill. Kenya is no exception of such diverse impacts. Lives have been lost in thousands, the global infections almost hitting 2M. Wait, did 5 Kenyans just die of covid 19 in the United States? Just 3 weeks ago we reported the first case in Kenya; the dance with death began,,oh yes, we already knew this was death from world news but we proudly gave landing rights to a foreign plane with  239 passengers of Chinese origin; Uhuru Kenyattas government fea...