Weekly Review

THE

For the Thinking Person ISSUE NO. 33 | April 16, 2023 FREE WITH ‘SUNDAY NATION’

NJOROGE’S
HOT SEAT
The nation is going backwards at an alarming speed. As the economy hurtles
to the edge of the cliff of debt default, the next CBK governor faces a baptism
of fire. Given the worsening conditions, the new leadership of the banking
sector must strengthen policies to stop the rot and restore fiscal discipline
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 3

letter from the editor

Inside It’s time to sober up and talk

8 for the sake of every Kenyan
THE BRUTAL TRUTH:
David Ndii’s frank and
unconventional views

I
are sometimes so brutal that
they have key Kenya Kwanza t’s a time of confusion and With the benefit of histo-
figures wincing, wondering apprehension. The country ry, it behoves us to look back
if he is undermining the seems deeply divided and eth- on past pitfalls to think clear-
government from within or nic overtones are rising in dec- ly. In December 2007, it only
signalling an impending exit. ibels. These are indeed the ‘in- took 20 minutes for the coun-
teresting times’ flaunted in try to explode after the dubi-

15
the famous old Chinese curse. ous conclusion of one of the
AI PARTNERS ARE These are the times that beget most fiercely fought elections
COMING: Many people heroes and villains. We must ad- in the nation’s history. When
are struggling with mit that the anticipated biparti- then-Chairman of the Elector-
toxic relationships, or the san talks have had a cooling ef- al Commission of Kenya Samu-
emotional and physical fect on the dangerous vibrations el Kivuitu declared Mwai Kiba-
burden of loneliness, and the and sheer bravado witnessed in ki as duly re-elected, the coun-
only friend they can find is a past weeks. The talks, whose re- try erupted like a volcano.
virtual one. al kernel we have not yet dis- Allan Buluku In Kibra, Raila’s stronghold,
cerned, may yet act as a salve for thousands of youth burst out

22
our collective conscience. It is not a time to keep trump cards of their dwellings, waving
THE LAND With this is in mind, we know out of sight so as to cheat the other sticks,hurling stones and burn-
CONUNDRUM: A that there may be some new- out of the game; it is not the time ing tyres to protest their “sto-
recent major court bie souls tasting real power at len victory”. The whole coun-
ruling highlighted a great
to flaunt power and talk without
the moment, who even in their try was burning and lives were
misapprehension among sleep and worst nightmares are consulting the brain; it is not the needlessly lost. That sad peri-
many potential heirs that not ready to dialogue. They are time to think about ‘them’ and od should be our guide out of
they are, by law, entitled to seeking ways to scuttle the over- ‘us’; it is not the time to separate this present gridlock. It is time
whatever belongs to their ture that has given us the uneasy shareholders from the others to sober up and cool our egos.
parents. peace we are currently enjoying. It is important that the pro-
There is neither winner nor los- to make them feel a collective posed talks be taken seriously

29
er in these matters and in the disenfranchisement. and that they come up with a
THERE’S NO TURNING end, all of us suffer immeasura- position congenial to all. This
BACK: Facing 34 bly. All facets of the economy is not the time to keep trump
felony counts over For about three weeks, Kenya felt the shock of the wave. cards out of sight so as to cheat
alleged hush money paid to a was on the brink of Armaged- The last time the nation was the other out of the game; it
porn star, real estate magnate don. The weekly demos called by rocked by similar demos as is not the time to flaunt pow-
Donald Trump says nothing veteran opposition leader Raila opposition leaders demand- er and talk without consulting
will stop him from running Odinga to protest the high cost ed reconstitution of the elec- the brain; it is not the time to
for president, not even a of living and alleged electoral toral agency, businesses suf- think about ‘them’ and ‘us’; it is
conviction. fraud had paralysed the econo- fered huge losses. not the time to separate share-
my. The capital, Nairobi, and the And so, when President holders from the others to
lakeside city of Kisumu were in a William Ruto and Odinga make them feel a collective dis-
mess. announced a ceasefire and enfranchisement.
Neutral journalists were bru- initiated bipartisan talks to This is the time to show lead-
tally attacked and injured by the address the issues raised by ership, to open our ears more
police in the full glare of camer- the opposition, the nation to listen rather than f lap
as. All this sent tremors into the breathed a collective sigh our lips and make arrogant
already tumbling economy, so of relief. But alas! We might speeches. We may yet make
that the cost of living that was have raised our hopes too history in this region as that
the cause of the public demos soon. The hardliners in Ken- country that solves its prob-
soared even higher . ya Kwanza have dared the lems in unique style. We are in-
A cruise ship that was to land opposition to return to the formed by our past and that
at the Coast reportedly can- streets for mass action, and information tells us we are
celled docking in Mombasa and they have responded by an- Kenyans, and we need each
skipped Kenya as a destination nouncing the resumption of other now more than ever.
due to the demonstrations. The countrywide rallies dubbed [email protected]
nation lost millions of dollars. “consultative meetings”. ia.com

Stephen Gitagama Washington Gikunju Managing Editor, Weekends Andrew Anini Chief Graphic Designer
Group Chief Executive Officer Mike Owuor Sunday Nation Editor Joan Pereruan Visual & Syndication Editor
Founded by the late Hilary Boniface Ng’weno Joe Ageyo Allan Buluku The Weekly Review Editor Humphrey Osoro Graphic Designer
Group Editorial Director Njoki Ndung’u Production Editor
4 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

the telescope
Muslims share presents on special holiday Her first scripted on-screen venture in a decade

End of holy month of Ramadan

Muslims are this week expect- marked as a public holiday in
ed to celebrate the end of the Kenya, Muslims also share pre-
holy month of Ramadan. sents, pray and visit the graves
Eid al-Fitr, translated to the of their departed relatives.
breaking of the fast, is primed Ramadan is the Arabic name
for Thursday. As per Islam for the ninth month in the Is-
teachings, the occasion is a re- lamic calendar. It is considered
minder to be grateful for all one of the holiest months for
gifts bestowed upon them and Muslims and is marked by a pe-
rejoice with loved ones. riod of fasting, considered one
Like the beginning of Ram- of the Five Pillars of Islam.
adan, Eid begins with the first These are five principles
sighting of the new moon and which Muslims believe are
is normally marked with re- compulsory acts ordered by
ceptions and visits among the God: the other pillars are faith,
Muslim community. prayer, charity and making a
In an extension of the cele- pilgrimage to the holy city of US socialite Kim Kardashian and comedian Pete Davidson arrive for the
brations, which are normally Mecca. 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022.

Kardashian in ‘American Horror Story’

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is to public attention as a member of
swapping her domestic drama for heiress Paris Hilton’s entourage, but
something scripted,with an appear- gained global notoriety with the re-
ance on cult show American Horror lease of a sex tape.
Story. That was followed by the long-run-
The socialite and billionaire busi- ning Keeping Up with the Kardashi-
nesswoman posted an eerie video ans series and its spin-offs, in which
Monday to her 352 million Insta- viewers get insights into the lives of
gram followers, confirming that she the uber-wealthy family.
will be joining the series with regu- As well as a now-dissolved high
lar Emma Roberts. profile marriage to Kanye West, Kar-
The brief video includes an off-key dashian has also built a business
rendition of Rock-a-bye Baby and the empire selling lingerie and beauty
whispered line:“Emma and Kim are products.She appeared in a handful
delicate.” of films in the late 2000s, and recent-
The showbiz news outlet Variety ly voiced a character in PAW Patrol:
reported that Kardashian will have The Movie.
a lead role in Season 12, playing a But American Horror Story will be
A woman sells Iftar delicacies on the streets of Lamu’s Old character that was written specifi- her first scripted on-screen venture
Town on March 23. KALUME KAZUNGU I NATION cally for her. Kardashian first came in a decade.

Technology to power growth in Africa Political base of former President Barack Obama

ICT experts set for Nairobi show Dems pick Chicago for ‘24 convention
solutions in the industry. ICT take place from August 19-22, nearly
executives and thought lead- 11 weeks before the election.
ers will be sharing knowledge, The state of Illinois along with
experiences and technical in- neighbouring Wisconsin, Michigan
terventions on emerging tech- and Minnesota “were crucial to the
nologies and give strategic ad- 2020 victory of President (Joe) Bid-
vice on tackling today’s most en and Vice President (Kamala) Har-
The second Africa ICT Ex- pressing IT challenges, espe- The US Democratic Party will ris and to Democrats’ success in the
po Conference will be held at cially in developing countries. hold its 2024 convention in Chica- 2022 midterm elections”, the DNC
the Sarit Centre in Nairobi on Participants will meet public go, the site of its violence-marred said.
April 20-21. It’s a two-day event sector executives from the con- 1968 gathering. The Democratic Na- Chicago was also the political base
converging global ICT indus- tinent for business opportuni- tional Committee said the conven- of former President Barack Obama,
try players to showcase cut- ties and understanding coun- tion, where it will officially choose the country’s first and so far only Af-
ting-edge technologies and try by country ICT policies. its 2024 presidential nominee, will rican-American leader.
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 5

kenya lens
THE MULTIPLICITY OF KENYA’S POLICY CRISES

CBK’S TOUGH CHOICES

Kenya’s acknowledged growth po-
tentials still shine. US Ambassa-
dor Meg Whitman summarised
them recently: Kenya leads as
a regional hub for finance and
logistics, and is the leading des-
tination for FDI. With the US as
its lead export market, its eco- Kenyan banks’ unrealised losses at end of
nomic conditions can be reshaped 2022 were only about nine per cent of core
to improve our fortunes. capital. The US ‘loan-book’ losses from the
inverse rule on stocks and bond prices ver-
sus yields raised unrealised losses to $1.75
trillion or 80 per cent of their capital.
The regulator could pio-
neer a position that banks
holding assets above a
certain level would be
subjected to special reg-
ulations – a quasi-Dodd-
Frank Act.
The highest unrealised losses to hit a
Kenyan Tier 1 bank showed a paper loss of
Sh29.01 billion in 2022 compared to Sh7.09
The recent banking billion in 2021.
crisis exposed
Kenya’s lending
weakness in the
private sector as
if it was a virtue,
mainly because
“unrealised” losses
were relatively low.
Kenya’s highly profitable banks escaped
SVB-like fallout not by virtue, but thanks to
a conservative tradition of avoiding power-
A CBK leadership is needed that will align with Kenya’s domestic and regional and global opportuni- ing and enlarging private sector loan books.
ties by engineering trust or coverage of real or perceived lending risks to borrowers in the private sector.

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different
results… The next leadership of the Central Bank of Kenya should inspire
investor confidence with novel approaches to policy making, given the
worsening economic conditions
BY MBUI WAGACHA and wade through the assign- CBK Act to implement. especially for Africa.
ment to sharpen their deliver- The outlook is more daunting Listening to a House Commit-

A
concept called the Idiots ables, given the worsening eco- than in 2015. IMF’s Global Stability tee Chair fumbling a week ago
Curve recently flashed on nomic conditions and a tradition Report paints a perilous phase, at on subsidies to address hunger, I
my LinkedIn pages, thanks of bank balance sheets tight-fist- least since 1990, after banks and thought to prefix this piece with
to Dr Lucy Muthoni, a math- ed with loans. What a difference businesses failed to prepare for snapshots: Kenya’s many fail-
ematician. In summary, you will compared to March 2015, when the current phase of rising inter- ing policies compared to govern-
feel dumber before you get smart- as Acting Chairman of the CBK est rates. In low-income countries, ments of quality we’ve had in the
er on a new assignment, no mat- Board, I kick-started the shortlis- excessive indebtedness, high cost past, such as the Kibaki era. The
ter how well informed or experi- ting process for the current CBK of failures to tackle fiscal, mon- government teems with experts
enced you might be. leadership. We had a newly mint- etary and debt cracks, as well as in metaphoric talk as the econo-
The next leadership of the Cen- ed Constitution, Article 231 to a decline in global demand for my plummets to the edge of the
tral Bank of Kenya must ponder boot, s well as a newly amended their exports,are on the plate,and
Continued on Page 6
6 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

kenya lens

What CBK team can learn from ‘Kibakinomics’

The CBK and National Treasury have homework to do in strengthening their policy intents to referee the appropriate macro framework
for growth in accordance with our potentials over business cycles. FILE I NATION

Continued from Page 5 tion of price stability the over- forecasts. Yet, while US banks on fixing inflation first, over the
sight of financial stability, install- failed trying to purr the US econo- losses and interests of financial
cliff of debt default. ing a matching Board sub-com- my with corporate lending on the markets.
One prank by a PS for Labour in- mittee. But challenges in Cen- assets side, Kenya’s banks fail to Second, in Kenya, with the po-
terprets his job as to roll out a bi- tral Bank/fiscal policy interplay support real economic potentials tentials cited above, banking for
zarre and simplistic economic fal- have since intensified as I warned by sticking to securities and keep- corresponding opportunities is
lacy: educate Kenya’s skilled work- in WR Issue No.17, Pulling Apart, ing the rest of deposits mainly as thematically a private sector are-
ers (at taxpayers’ expense – be- and WR Issue No 30, Banking Cri- liquidity, shunning the work of na in which to grow Kenya’s so-
cause Kenya boasts 86 per cent sis Raises Red Flag.Kenya needs to credit assessments. Banks which cio-economic opportunities. Yet,
of the labour force with post-sec- step things up. by regulations should hold a min- our banks tread on tiptoe to pin
ondary education, above the re- Following the recent stock mar- imum of 20 per cent liquidity ra- assets in the private sector, put-
gional average of 72 per cent) and ket rout, deposit flight and ex- tio, sometimes have held 88 per ting the asset category firmly on
use more taxpayer money to mi- odus from US and European cent, piling up holdings in Treas- the back burner,which holds back
grate that labour to the Middle banks starting with Silicon Val- ury Bills and bonds  called fis- financial intermediation, eco-
East (can he, with the macabre ley Bank (SVB), the resulting fail- cal dominance. nomic activity and growth.
deaths there?) not to the domes- ures brought tectonic shifts, plac- To promote growth and pro- Third, in an emerging market,
tic economy. ing central banks in a quandary ductivity, Kenya would have to policy and National Treasury/
We could cite many policies on two mismatched objectives: venture into more complicated CBK decisions, even when wrong,
of shame. Stay with the subject fighting stubbornly high infla- math, drawing down liquidities cut differently for domestic and
of the day – rebuilding our pre- tion, while maintaining financial and raising loan portfolios,for the foreign investors and stakehold-
mier macro-economic institu- sector stability. following reasons. First, as banks ers. While interest rates, for exam-
tions and constructing a return The reasons why recent collaps- fight stubborn inf lation with ple, affect capital flows  both
to the growth path that Kibaki be- es and systemic dangers were ob- higher interest rates, dispens- portfolio and FDI, increases or
queathed the nation over a dec- vious in hindsight but unantic- ing with Covid-era lower interest cuts affect domestic and foreign
ade ago. Kenya’s acknowledged ipated by policy makers is that rates, it was inevitable that bonds players differently. With increas-
growth potentials still shine. US central banks did not raise the and share prices would fall, and es, our business investors’ and
Ambassador Meg Whitman sum- alarm when regulatory f lood yields rise, with pressures to con- households’ access to credit re-
marised them most recently and gates were opened, revealing trol post-Covid era inflation as a treats. Capital flows in contrast in-
brilliantly: Kenya leads as a re- some banks swimming naked.Re- priority. crease, especially portfolio flows,
gional hub for finance and logis- peal of Dodd-Frank Act (thanks This drives instability in stocks in search of interest margins. The
tics,and is the leading destination to the Donald Trump regime) and bonds markets. Massive un- reverse is the case when we lower
for FDI. And with the US as lead played a part. After the 2008 cri- realised losses have occurred, interest rates and are faced with
export market, its economic con- sis, the Act had mended bank reg- with banks teetering on insol- bouts of capital flight.
ditions can be reshaped to im- ulations for holdings of elevated vencies. Yet, relenting on interest The macro-policy stance at pres-
prove our fortunes. shares in assets. rates as a trade-off to help low- ent is a typical example of our di-
er bond yields and stave off the lemma. Rising interest rates and
Lessons from a banking crisis The never-say-die economy haemorrhage of ‘unrealised loss- fiscal austerity run concurrent-
Among Kenya’s regulators in the Now, a high probability of global es’ in banks, associated with loan ly. This can only contract domes-
financial sector, few match the ca- recession is predicted from the books, as well as values of stocks tic investor opportunities with re-
pacity embedded in the CBK as banking fallout. Singularly in G7, and bonds, has never looked duced access to credit to grow out
I attested in my time, when we the UK economy sinks to a con- more contradictory. Central of the slump, while external capi-
added to the CBK regulatory func- traction of 0.3 per cent in 2023 banks like the FED and ECB insist tal benefits. Indeed, the Purchas-
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 7

kenya lens
ing Managers Price Index (PMI), scribes to that restraint but point- is part of the reason. The highest over business cycles.
trending below 50 per cent shows edly contracts the economy when unrealised losses to hit a Kenyan
contracting private sector busi- tightened together with fiscal Tier 1 bank showed a paper loss Dr Wagacha, an economist, is
ness activity in manufacturing,re- contraction as is happening pres- of Sh29.01 billion in 2022, com- a former Central Bank of Kenya
tail agriculture, services and con- ently. pared with Sh7.09 billion in 2021. chairman and adviser of the
struction. Austerity, deflation and Even worse, our broken cred- This is linked to a strategy of rais- presidency
economic contraction are associ- it markets restrain both short- ing exposure to holding sover-
ated with this erroneous policy term employment and recov- eign debt instruments – TBs and
mix. ery and productivity. As redress, bonds – while shunning asset
a CBK leadership is needed that holdings in the loan book. Ken-
The strategy we need will align with Kenya’s domes- yan shareholders need to ask
In the contest between the two tic and regional and global op- hard questions about how
central banking objectives cit- portunities cited above, by engi- this loss will be man-
ed, National Treasury’s spending neering trust or coverage of real aged, given the share-
and adjustments mainly drive or perceived lending risks to bor- holder dividend pay-
the aggregate supply in targeted rowers in the private sector. In the out amounts to only
areas of the economy but can spill Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for ex- Sh15 billion.
inflation and macro-instability. ample, the Willful Defaulter Law In sum, Kenya’s
CBK’s monetary policy,while slug- lowers risks and strengthens con- highly profitable
gish, influences access to cred- fidence, with loan collection in fa- banks escaped
it through interest rates but can- vour of banks. On regulation, CBK SVB -like fall-
not influence the supply side. The could also pioneer a position that out not by vir-
CBK modulates aggregated de- banks holding assets above a cer- tue, but thanks
mand to align it with supply, us- tain level would be subjected to a conserva-
ing monetary instruments to ad- to special regulations – a quasi- tive tradition
dress overheating when spending Dodd-Frank Act. o f avo i d i n g
or monetary excesses spill into in- Some general outcomes bear powering and
flation  targeted at the 2.5 per out some of the disconnects on enlarging pri-
cent to 7.5 per cent band. the recent banking crisis’ im- vate se ctor
The recent banking crisis ex- pact in Kenya and abroad. In the loan b o oks.
posed Kenya’s lending weakness US, high commercial private sec- The CBK and
in the private sector as if it was tor lending powers private sec- National Treas-
a virtue, mainly because “unre- tor as an engine of economic ury have home-
alised” losses were relatively low. growth and policy management. work to do in
Paradoxically, muted losses were Although the impact of deflated strengthening
incurred by Kenyan banks al- values of stocks and bonds spilled their policy in-
ready enjoying comfortable mar- over into Kenya, there is a stark tents to referee the
gins, compared to major banks contrast in heightened ‘unreal- appropriate mac-
in US and European capitals. ised losses’in the US, compared to ro -framework for
In the latter zones, exemplified Kenya. SVB sold some of its invest- growth in accordance
by SVB, banks piled their large ments on the assets side, clocking with our potentials
cash deposits to Treasury bonds, losses of US$1.8 billion. Losses for
long-dated private sector debt banks in the US reached US$620
and related wealth assets, on the billion, about 28 per cent of their
assets side of their balance sheets. total capital, but the banks’ ex-
These bank operations generate posure to other assets like the
strong corporate lending and se- long-dated loan-book portfolios
curities that drive economic ac- are much higher.
tivity and growth. Contrast this with Kenya,
Kenyan banks, however, keep a where banks have tradition-
tradition on the liabilities side of ally shunned private sector
their balance sheets (mostly cus- lending on the proverbi-
tomer deposits), translating them al risks of (especially local)
into a risk-averse mode – main- domestic clients. Kenyan
ly treasury bill, bonds and only banks’ unrealised losses
muted private sector lending (es- at end of 2022 were on-
pecially loans) on the assets side. ly about nine per cent of
A variety of portfolio hedges are core capital. The US ‘loan-
used – lending and repayments book’ losses from the in-
in forex for example or minimis- verse rule on stocks and
ing ‘unrealised’ losses from secu- bond prices versus yields
rities by segmenting holdings in- raised unrealised losses
to a tradable segment (marked to $1.75 trillion, or 80 per
to market), a segment for sales to cent of their capital. Why
gain from market positions, and the vast difference? Ken-
a segment held to maturity. I fo- yan banks’ tepid exposure
cus the failure of credit in Ken- to private sector lending,
ya’s macro-economy because, if vis-a-vis US exposure to
business cannot access it, growth both loan books and do-
is restrained. Tighter credit sub- mestic sovereign risks National Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u
8 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

kenya lens
THE SELF-DESCRIBED‘PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL’IS THE FACE OF RUTO’S ECONOMIC STRATEGY

NDII: THE BRUTAL TRUTH some might have expected he was becom-
His frank and ing increasingly exasperated with the
plain-spoken economic czar, whose
unconventional views numerous Twitter posts often seem
on politics, governance, to contradict government messaging.
Ruto, though, appears to have been
economics and the misled on the constant refrain that the
Kenya Kwanza strategy government-to-government oil import
deal will be paid for in Kenya shillings as it
are sometimes so is clear in the contracts that Qatar and Sau-
brutal that they have di Arabia will be paid in US dollars. Howev-
er, there is something positive in that the
key coalition figures monthly rush to secure dollars possibly
wincing, wondering eases immediate pressure on a fast-depre-
ciating local currency. Ruto went as far as
if he is undermining to publicly proclaim that the Kenya shil-
ling should in the next two months
the government from strengthen to between KSh115 and
within or signalling an 120 to the US dollar, from the pres-
ent low approach-
impending exit ing KSh140 on a
developing paral-
lel market high-
er than the stated
BY MACHARIA GAITHO bank rates of rates

M
of around KSh133.
any might have ex- A l s o, gove r n m e n t
pected that Dr David self-congratulations on
Ndii would face a severe the deal ignore the fact
tongue-lashing after the that buying on credit on-
frank and candid interview ly postpones a crunch that
with Citizen Television last could still come when the
Monday in which he admitted his ex- debt falls due in six months.
asperation at the level of waste in gov- Anyway, the real story now is
ernment, and the fact that nobody saw the self-described ‘public intellec-
the need to do anything about it. tual’ who has become the face and
Instead, President William Ruto the follow- voice of the Ruto government’s econom-
ing day lauded the chair of his Presidential ic strategy. With his outspoken views, usu-
Council of Economic Advisers for effective- ally enunciated on Twitter, he often eclips-
ly devising the programme allowing Kenya to es Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Nd-
buy fuel from Saudi Arabia and Qatar on cred- ung’u. His frank and unconventional views on
it terms, easing the frantic search for Ameri- politics,governance,economics and the Kenya
can dollars with every monthly import cycle. Kwanza strategy are sometimes so brutal that
The President spoke at a function on release they have key coalition figures wincing, won-
of a public service performance contracting dering if he is undermining the government
charter, later repeating the same on Twitter: from within or signalling an impending exit.
“My economic adviser, David Ndii, Mohamed Ndii himself, however, gave a hint of what
Hassan (also a member of the Council of Eco- was at play during the interview, revealing
nomic Advisers), Davis Chirchir (Cabinet Sec- that it was on his advice that Ruto bit the bul-
retary for Energy) and the young man at let and, immediately on taking office, de-
EPRA (name not mentioned but pre- clared an end to the expensive subsidies on
sumably Energy and Petroleum Regula- petroleum and maize flour imposed by
tory Authority Director-General Daniel President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government
Kiptoo) have done something phenome- as the 2022 election campaigns hit the
nal; they have managed to put together a pro- home stretch. The acclaimed scholar – who
gramme that has taken us away from looking served as adviser to President Mwai Kibaki’s
for $500m every month to buy our fuel needs thought was possible”. much-lauded economic recovery strategy be-
which was snowballing into a crisis... today we That he chose to laud Ndii just a day af- tween 2002 and 2013, and then as opposition
can buy fuel in Kenya shillings, which nobody ter the interview was a vote of confidence as leader Raila Odinga’s economic policy chief
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 9

kenya lens
between 2013 and 2017 – is famous, or infa- with him as is,”observes Cheruiyot.There is no approach very cautiously. It might seem rath-
mous, for speaking his mind without regard to doubt that Ndii comes across as a supremely er hypocritical that Ndii would advocate re-
political sensibilities. self-confident intellectual who does not suf- trenchment in the public service whilst sup-
He is credited with conceptualising Ruto’s fer fools gladly. If many in the Ruto inner circle porting appointment of CASs as political re-
‘Bottom Up’ economic policy mantra and suffer the arrogance of power, it might be fair wards.
crafting the campaign manifesto, and was to say that he suffers, or is blessed, with the in- The President seems to appreciate his hon-
widely tipped to occupy a senior executive po- tellectual arrogance that frames much of his est and forthright approach to issues, in addi-
sition in the Kenya Government,such as Treas- discourse.The economic adviser, for instance, tion to shared antipathy to the Kenyatta ‘dy-
ury Cabinet Secretary or Principal Secretary. openly proffered on Twitter that a bloated nasty’. When he served as Raila’s adviser, Ndii
Either of the two posts, according to campaign government, as in Ruto’s appointment of 50 was one of Ruto’s most brutal critics. On Twit-
insiders, would have been his for the asking. Cabinet Administrative Secretaries at a time ter and elsewhere, he brutally tore into Ruto
But instead, he preferred to take a background when official exhortations were on belt tight- on his alleged corruption, typifying him as
advisory post, crafting policy and strategy and ening, was a necessary political investment. one who in leadership would oversee rapid de-
leaving others to manage the implementa- “The first obligation of a government is surviv- struction of public institutions.
tion. al and political stability. The more the dynas- He can be a contradiction in terms. He was
From his Twitter activity and media appear- ties (in reference to Raila and Uhuru) foment co-founder of the Institute of Economic Af-
ances, however, Ndii is not one to remain the destabilisation the more we will have to spend fairs, Kenya’s first public policy think-tank that
invisible backroom operator. Whether serving on political capital”. was partly funded by the same local ‘dynas-
Kibaki, Raila and now Ruto, he remains an out- And in typical fashion, he concluded with ties’ he now eviscerates with passion. The In-
spoken gadfly within any organisation, speak- an option that would be anathema to the key stitute gained credibility for its groundbreak-
ing the hard truths few dare to utter, stressing figures around Ruto: “If push comes to shove, ing surveys on corruption in Kenya during the
the politically risky policy positions and ruf- handshake is always an option”. That basically Moi years. British newspaper The Telegraph
fling feathers from within. means cutting a deal with Raila so that he calls described him as “one of Africa’s best known
His Twitter activity and other public pro- a halt to political protests. He put it in very economists and an outspoken anti-corrup-
nouncements since Kenya Kwanza took of- crude terms, about using scarce public funds tion crusader”, but once latched onto Ruto
fice are often the first signals that campaign to ‘buy’the veteran opposition leader. coattails, Ndii deliberately abandoned his an-
promises will not necessarily be met, and that Ndii was also very candid around the sensi- ti-corruption credentials. While he had harsh-
Kenyans, particularly the ‘Hustler Nation’, will tive issue of delayed public service salaries for ly criticised unchecked graft under the Uhu-
have to lower their expectations. He has pub- the first time in independent Kenya. ru-Ruto regime, he suddenly changed tune to
licly dismissed presumptions, for instance, While colleagues such as National Assembly dismiss the anti-corruption crusade as of no
that Kenya Kwanza undertook to lower the Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah were in more consequence.
prices of electricity, fuel and food  the very denial or keeping uncomfortable silences, Ru- Ndii ditched Raila in 2018 after the latter
issues at the centre of opposition protests on to’s economic adviser put it starkly that it had teamed up with Uhuru following the famous
cost of living. to be a choice between paying salaries or pay- post-election handshake. He played a key role
There are many in the Ruto government ing government debts, and the latter had to in the court cases leading to collapse of the
who remain suspicious of Ndii and his mo- take priority. That would be cold comfort for ‘handshake brother’s’ ill-fated Building Bridg-
tives. On discussion groups populated by Ken- thousands of public service employees who es Initiative. He also made it clear that his key
ya Kwanza adherents, questions are asked were facing the prospect of Easter holidays motivation henceforth was to counter any
about whether he is really helping the regime without their march salaries, but Ndii is not prospect of the Kenyattas retaining political
with his Twitter engagements. In the wake of one to be slowed down by such concerns. influence, and for that he was prepared to get
the Citizen TV interview, critics within were If anything, he seemed to have embold- into bed with the devil.
extremely uncomfortable and had begun to ened others to admit that the situation was Hence his moving into the Ruto camp and
sharpen their knives until Ruto’s implicit vote dire, with Ruto following up later with his first driving policy positions that were grounded
of confidence. Approached by The Weekly Re- comments on the delayed salaries. He stressed first of all on cutting the Kenyatta’s down to
view on how Ndii’s pronouncements are taken that the government would not borrow to pay size. The Hustler versus Dynasty crusade is not
within the party, Murang’a Governor Irungu salaries but wait for resources generated inter- an accident but a very well thought out agen-
Kang’ata pleaded that he now only comments nally, playing up the narrative of blaming the da which, even after the elections, is still being
on county rather than national issues. This de- cash crunch on the Uhuru administration’s played out in anti-Kenyatta diatribes driven
spite the fact that he writes a weekly column penchant for borrowing. by the likes of Gachagua, as well as very clear
in Kenya’s best-selling newspaper, the Sunday Others, such as Deputy President Rigathi attempts to hit the former First Family where
Nation, where he gives opinions almost exclu- Gachagua and Ichung’wah, found room to it might hurt most  their economic base.
sively on national issues. tear into Uhuru for allegedly emptying the As long as he enjoys Ruto’s confidence, Ndii
Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot was Treasury and leaving empty coffers for Kenya can be secure in his job, but he also has to be
more forthright, acknowledging there may Kwanza to inherit, excuses that have been re- aware that at some point he might step on too
be frictions but the party has to learn to ac- peated at every opportunity with no proof ev- many toes, especially with the undisguised
commodate his ways: “Ndii’s style of work is er offered of massive looting. Ndii was always contempt he reserves for those not on his in-
non-conventional. It has many of our team an unlikely Ruto ally, but has become a trust- tellectual level. In a previous discussion with
members greatly concerned with his didac- ed confidant, and also one of the few insiders The Weekly Review, Raila recalled how his 2007
tic ways.Some conspiracy theorists even hold ready to tell the President some hard truths campaign manifesto, largely authored by Ndii,
the view that he never really left the opposite away from the ritual praise-singing. was deemed too high-brow and academic. He
camp. However, he enjoys the full confidence The economic adviser is so far the only per- resisted pleas to revise it, so the task was giv-
of the boss as he is quite good at his job. son in government brave enough to broach en to others and the campaign ended up with
The senior politicians in the administra- the issue of cutting the bloated government two competing documents.
tion are rather concerned that he has a hab- wage bill through retrenchment, in addition He can be inflexible and arrogant, and the
it of veering off his course of duty and makes to shutting down or selling parastatals and irony is that in 2022, the Raila camp was accus-
what many consider to be reckless political State agencies that can no longer justify their ing Ruto of stealing their manifesto.It was Ndii
statements. They have no issue with his views existence. Layoffs would be advocated by the they stole, and in the process also stole Raila’s
on the economy.“I don’t think he is about to IMF and World Bank twins as a rational way of traditional platform as the voice of the under-
change; given that he is fairly single-minded. slashing government expenditure, but would dog, the voiceless and the marginalised.
So basically, the team will have to learn to live be a political hot potato that even Ruto would [email protected]
10 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

kenya lens
RUTO-RAILA STANDOFF

DAGGERS DRAWN
As disillusionment among the public soars, poisoned by delays in
payment of government workers’ salaries, Azimio’s “consultative
meetings” could mutate into a major threat to the establishment
By OSCAR OBONYO they are not interested in.
An irritated Raila has gone

G
oing by their hardening posi- ahead to make a mockery of
tions ahead of the scheduled the matter by stating he is not
bipartisan talks, it would ap- interested in shaking Gacha-
pear the teams allied to Pres- gua’s hand. So, if this is nei-
ident William Ruto and former ther about a“handshake”nor
Prime Minister Raila Odinga are “political posts” for the oppo-
hiding behind the famed adage, sition, then what is it about?
“if you want peace,prepare for And why are the Presi-
war”. dent’s allies fighting off
Originally by Latin au- their counterparts if
thor Publius Flavi- there is “nothing” to
us Vegetius Rena- fear?
tus, the phrase Si Hours b efore
vis pacem, para President Ruto ex-
bellum implies tended an olive
that conditions branch to Raila on
for peace are April 2, there were
often ref lect- tweets and coded
ed by prepared- messages from confi-
ness to go to war. The dantes of the two lead-
Ruto-Raila teams are do- ers about a“seven-aside
ing just that, with the Presi- rugby game”. It turns
dent’s men and women dar- out the game in question
ing the opposition to return was the bipartisan talks,
to the streets for mass ac- with seven representatives from
tion and Raila’s team glee- each side. And from the look of
fully taking up the chal- things, that is as far as execution
lenge by announcing re- of the secret pact by the
sumption of countrywide two top politicians goes.
ra l l i e s , d ub b e d Besides the naming
“consultative of the “rugby team”
meetings”. – whose members
The govern- are curiously all par-
ment, on its part, is liamentarians as point-
giving mixed signals on the issue engage Kimani ed out by Ruto – everything else
by publicly pronouncing support Ichung’wah. We are busy with de- be enthusiastic about embracing seems contentious and in dis-
for the talks while at the same ex- velopment work),” Deputy Presi- the opposition. pute. Orange Democratic Move-
hibiting indifference. Unlike the dent Rigathi Gachagua casually Luckily on this one, Gachagua ment Secretary-General Edwin
Azimio team, which attaches a remarked recently when prod- enjoys the support of his boss, Sifuna observes that the Presi-
lot of importance to dialogue,this ded by the media. who maintains that all engage- dent has opted to disregard “the
is clearly not a priority for Kenya Still, the proposed bipartisan ment must be made in accord- initial aspects agreed upon be-
Kwanza. talks are of great interest to the ance within existing governance tween the two principals”.
“Mambo ya handshake haku- DP at a personal level. Going by structures that recognise the rul- While the Nairobi Senator will
na. Mambo ya kuharibu biashara the most recent instance in the ing and opposition parties. The not delve into the details, his com-
hakuna. Waende huko bunge last Parliament, where the sym- President is accordingly unwill- ment is a pointer to the fact that
waongee na Kimani Ichung’wah. bolic handshake between Raila ing to accommodate the opposi- there was a discussion and agree-
Sisi tuko busy na kazi ya maende- and President Uhuru Kenyatta re- tion in government – a factor that ment between Ruto and Raila –
leo (There is no handshake and sulted in the elbowing of Ruto – opposition chief Raila and his key directly or through their emis-
there is no disruption of business. then the DP – to the sidelines, the allies, Martha Karua and Kalonzo saries – on the end game of the
Let them go to Parliament and former Mathira MP is unlikely to Musyoka, have also emphasised bipartisan engagement. Pointed-
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 11

kenya lens
ly, when he met MPs allied to his MP Sabina Chege and her Eldas
side of the coalition last week, counterpart, Adan Keynan, who
the former Prime Minister fault- was listed in Kenya Kwanza’s sev-
ed the President for going against en-member negotiation team.
“what we had agreed upon”. The The decision by Azimio “to re-
Weekly Review has independent- turn to the people” is thus per-
ly established that among the is- suaded by Kenya Kwanza’s un-
sues on the cards is the creation of Martha Karua Kalonzo Musyoka yielding position and is partly
the office of the Leader of Oppo- aimed at mobilising support to
sition and his/her deputies. But push its agenda through in the
the Azimio fraternity would rath- anticipated talks.
er downplay this factor and other And while some in his team
related ones owing to the people’s have dismissed the back-to-the-
priorities of the high cost of living. streets move, President Ruto is
Probably aware of this cautious alive to the risks involved. Talking
approach, the President and his to the press during his tour of Ger-
deputy are happily playing along. Samson Cherargei Rigathi Gachagua
many last month, Ruto conced-
The vocal Nandi Senator, Samson ed that Kenyans were experienc-
Cherargei, observes: “We know ing serious hardships owing to an
what they (Azimio) want out of underperforming economy and
this (dialogue), and that is why we that his opponents were taking
are playing politics on this one – advantage of the situation to in-
because we know what we are do- stigate street protests.
ing.” However, Azimio leaders have
And Political Science Professor yet to harness all the support
Amukowa Anangwe singles out they need to make a powerful im-
the issue of legitimacy of the Ruto pact. While many, including reli-
administration as one of the fac- gious leaders, civil society crusad-
tors that is bound to stall the talks. ers and even last year’s presiden-
Unlike in some of the previous in- tial hopeful,Reuben Kigame,have
stances of botched polls, which expressed interest in pushing the
placed the leadership of the coun- people’s cause against the high
try in serious doubt and jeop- cost of living, the Azimio lead-
ardy, the legitimacy of the current ership has not seen the need to
government is technically not in bring them on board.
doubt. But as the level of disillusion-
The President was declared val- ment among the public soars, poi-
idly elected by the electoral body soned further by delays in pay-
and the status affirmed by the Su- ment of government workers’ sal-
preme Court – the highest court aries, observers fear the timing of
in the land – following a poll pe- Azimio’s “consultative meetings”
tition. Any position to the contra- could mutate into a major threat
ry, therefore, is outside the realm to the establishment.
of timely legal procedure and can US ambassador Meg Whitman declared that last year’s poll was the Already, two unions represent-
only be regarded as a “protest ex- “freest and most transparent election ever in the history of Kenya”. ing national and county govern-
ercise”for electoral justice. The European Union has also voiced its support for the current ad- ment employees have notified
And because such protests can- ministration, but with a rider that President Ruto and his political the umbrella workers’ body, the
not possibly compel the President nemesis, Raila, engage in talks to stabilise the country politically. Central Organisation of Trade Un-
to exit State House, Prof Anangwe ions (Cotu), of their intention to
– a member of the Kenya Kwan- poll was the “freest and most rightly or wrongly – portray him boycott work. On Wednesday, Co-
za Alliance think-tank – believes transparent election ever in the as a serial poll loser, a factor that tu confirmed receipt of strike no-
the government can comfortably history of Kenya”. The Europe- smart opponents are bound to tices from the Union of Kenya Civ-
opt out of the talks depending on an Union has also voiced its sup- capitalise on this. While Anang- il Servants and the Kenya Coun-
the nature of the rival camp’s de- port for the current administra- we and Wakhungu agree that this ty Government Workers’ Union.
mands. tion, but with a rider that Presi- perception works heavily against Pockets of nurses across the coun-
According to the one-time Cab- dent Ruto and his political nem- the veteran politician, the bigger try are already striking, an un-
inet minister, there is no crisis in esis, Raila, engage in talks to stabi- picture is totally lost. This is be- precedented move that Azimio
the country and the question of lise the country politically. cause of the pigeon-holing of con- plotters could ride on.
President Ruto’s legitimacy does Admittedly, the Azimio la Umo- cerns of the country’s entire op- The challenges and varying in-
not arise – implying that the dia- ja-One Kenya leader has been on position as “Raila’s individual af- terests in the bipartisan talks not-
logue is not a must. The situation the scene long enough, protest- fairs”. withstanding, the main players in
is further complicated by the sup- ing against alleged poll theft, and Meanwhile, the President con- this exercise could do with some
port the President enjoys from development partners may well tinues to play politics by weaken- counsel from the notable Chi-
the international community – be fatigued. Little wonder, then, ing the opposition in Parliament. nese war strategist, Sun Tzu, who
particularly the west. that the Azimio brigade has late- During a Kenya Kwanza Parlia- opines that,“to win one hundred
In a move that surprised many ly been lamenting “the silence of mentary Group meeting on Tues- victories in one hundred battles
and has been heavily criticised by our international friends”. day called to discuss the biparti- is not the acme of skill. To subdue
opposition leaders, the US ambas- Political analyst Prof Derrick san talks, those in attendance in- the enemy without fighting is the
sador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, re- Wakhungu is of the view that Rai- cluded parliamentarians allied acme of skill.”
cently declared that last year’s la is a victim of statistics, which – to the Jubilee Party, Nominated [email protected]
12 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

the limelight

Emine Burc sits on a chair on April 5 near where her house stood as the rubble
of collapsed buildings is removed, two months after a 7.8-magnitude jolt and its Former President Donald Trump and his son,
aftershocks wiped out swathes of Turkey’s mountainous south-east in Antakya. Donald Trump Jr., attend the Ultimate Fighting
Many survivors blamed the government’s stuttering response for a death toll that Championship 287 at the Kaseya Center in Miami,
has now surpassed 50,000. PHOTO I AFP Florida, on April 8. PHOTO I AFP

A pedestrian walks past a ‘Living Wall’ art

project produced in collaboration with
The National Portrait Gallery and the Earls
Court Development Company, in west Seychelles’ sprinter Sharry Dodin (right) trains alongside Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala at
London on April 8. PHOTO I AFP the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on March 23. PHOTO I AFP

A group of brides waits to take part in a Pope Francis performs the “Washing of the Visitors ride a merry-go-round at the ‘Wun-
mass wedding ceremony for 80 couples Feet” of 12 young detainees at the “Casal del derland Kalkar’ amusement park western
at the International Pentecostal Holiness Marmo” Penal Institute for minors in Rome Germany on April 11. Wunderland Kalkar was
Church in Zuurbekom, South Africa, on on April 6, as part of celebrations of the a nuclear fast breeder, which was completed
April 9. PHOTO I AFP Holy Week. PHOTO I AFP but never taken online until 1991. PHOTO I AFP
Arena
The

BEAUTY WITH BRAINS

Beauty queen Cleotilda Jemutai is using her knowledge in
agricultural and biosystems engineering to set up coffee farms
14 SATURDAY NATION JANUARY 15, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

OPEN SPACE

Solar energy systems will

enable schools to cut costs MIND SPEAK

They offer several benefits,including reduced energy costs,

reliability of power supply and a smaller carbon footprint
BY ROSE HASSAN generator technologies to provide a stable

O
and continuous power supply. The solu-
ne challenge I have always en- tion is designed to operate in standalone
countered while marketing solar mode,without relying on the grid,making
energy solutions to institutions is it ideal for schools in remote areas.
the financing aspect of the EPCFM It offers several benefits for schools, in-
(Engineering, Procurement, Con- cluding reduced energy costs, improved Zincy Okari Fred Mokua
struction, Financing and Manage- reliability of power supply, and a small- The government’s finan- The government is
ment). Negotiating even with banks that er carbon footprint. The system’s ener- cial woes may be solved struggling financially
have a green line of credit on behalf of gy storage capabilities ensure that pow- through a combination due to the reckless bor-
schools is one of my key remit. The argu- er is available even when there is no sun- of steps. It can borrow a rowing of the previous
ment by financing institution, plausible light or when the generator is offline. This loan from internation- regime. It’s unfortunate
on the face of it, has always been: how can guarantees a stable power supply for the al organisations, such as that more than 70 per
we finance a package that is not on ser- school, which is essential for teaching and the IMF or World Bank, re- cent of the tax collect-
vice package and/or warranty? learning activities.The Smart Micro-grid duce non-essential spend- ed goes to paying debts.
For a long time, my team and I have Solution also comes with advanced mon- ing and increase taxes to It should renegotiate the
grappled with achieving a middle itoring and control capabilities, which boost revenue. It should terms of repayment with
ground for schools consider- allows school administrators to also broaden the tax base lenders and cut expendi-
ing their termly nature of in- monitor the system’s perfor- and crack down on evad- ture. It should work well
come flow, but this is chang- mance in real-time. It’s intel- ers, encourage foreign in- with the opposition to
ing. First, key decision mak- ligent energy management vestments and introduce create an ambient politi-
ers in schools, especially pri- system optimises the use of economic reforms to en- cal atmosphere that will
vate schools which I have energy, ensuring that power courage private sector stimulate expeditious
had a pleasure of interact- is used efficiently and effec- growth and job creation. economic recovery.
ing with under the auspices tively. Now a school adminis- — A student at KCA — A Multimedia University
of Kenya Private Schools’ Asso- trator with rights can switch University graduate
ciation, are signalling acceptance off a non-critical heavy load
of a package with lower instalment when the solarisation is low.
payments per month. Smart solar PV systems, such as Hua-
Institutional solar plants have been wei Fusion, offer several advantages over
growing in popularity over the past few traditional solar systems. The modular
years as more organisations seek to re- and scalable design means that the sys-
duce their carbon footprint and become tem can easily be expanded or reduced
more energy-efficient. However, the so- as needed, allowing institutions to adjust
lar systems currently being used in these their energy production to meet chang-
plants are often inflexible and have sig- ing demands. The long-term warranty
nificant maintenance and repair costs, and service agreements also mean that
which can hinder long-term financing. maintenance and repair costs are mini-
Fortunately, the marriage of (AI) Arti- mised, making it easier for institutions to Ian Kiprono Maureen Atitwa
ficial intelligence and good old Solar PV secure long-term financing. The government should The government may
such as Huawei Fusion, with its modu- The adoption of smart solar PV for insti- reduce its spending in var- explore options for
lar and scalable design, long-term war- tutional plants is not just beneficial for in- ious areas such as travel emergency borrowing
ranty and service, may finally unlock the dividual organisations; it also has broader and luxury allowances. It from international or-
potential for longer-term financing for environmental and societal benefits. The can also reduce subsidies ganisations, such as the
these institutions. From my experience increased adoption of renewable ener- to certain industries or re- International Monetary
with school solar systems, I highly recom- gy ties in with President Ruto’s increased duce the size of civil ser- Fund or other financial
mend solutions such as Smart Micro-grid calls for reduced greenhouse gas emis- vice. Secondly, the govern- institutions, to obtain
Solution (ranging from five to 25-kilowatt sions and to combat climate change. It al- ment can negotiate with short-term funding to
systems) for small- to medium-size high so creates job opportunities in the renew- civil servants to find a mu- cover the salaries of civ-
schools with boarding facilities. The solu- able energy sector, which can help boost tually beneficial solution. il servants. It can also re-
tion can be tailored for schools that are lo- local economies and improve social equi- This could involve tempo- view its current budget
cated in off-grid areas, or islands and pro- ty. rarily reducing salaries or and reallocate funds
vides a reliable and sustainable source [email protected] implementing furloughs from non-essential are-
of energy, which is critical for schools to to help government save as to prioritise payment
function effectively. Any feedback on topical issues? We would money. of salaries.
The Smart Micro-grid Solution com- like to hear from you.Send your views to: — A student leader at Tech- — A student at Mount
bines solar PV, energy storage or diesel [email protected] nical University of Kenya Kenya University
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 15

DIGITAL CONNECTIONS

AI PARTNERS ARE COMING

Many people are struggling with toxic relationships and the best
friend they can have is a virtual one

BY WAGA ODONGO

A
while back I had a girlfriend who
used to subscribe to a service that
would send her an uplifting text mes-
sage every morning. It was an annoy-
ing thing, a ding at 6am with a girl-
boss message like “You are the captain
of your ship” to help her plough through her
day as a medical intern. I found it ridiculous
and made fun of her. Why couldn’t she just
self-medicate with alcohol like every other
doctor, I joked.
This memory came flooding back when
I read that users of AI companion app Rep-
lika were up in arms because a recent up-
date made their companion less likely to en-
gage in sexting. Like many people, I assumed
that apps like Replika were a bit weird, a slip-
pery slope to a digital dystopia.“Virtual friend”
sounds like an oxymoron to anyone who grew
up before a scrolling timeline was invented.
Going by the outpouring of grief from users
of the app over a software upgrade of their vir-
tual friends, it seems like it matters. Too many
people think that AI friends are worth some-
thing for them to be ignored.
Predictably, the country with one of the
largest markets for AI companions is China
which, due to its one-child policy, has the most
skewed gender ratio. Many men in the Mid-
dle Kingdom are locked out by demographics
from ever finding a partner, so they turn to the
virtual world. okushi. Fittingly, Japan is one of two countries Most conversations we have, have no point.
One chatbot, Xiaoice, has over a hundred with ministers in charge of combating loneli- Conversations are the end in themselves, rath-
million users, with some proudly claiming ness, the other being Britain. er than a means to an end. But we want to be
to be in a “relationship” with their app. Lone- Sometimes, even though we are in a rela- heard, to be felt, to be understood.
liness is the great unmentionable. It’s the ele- tionship, our partners are unwilling to listen We want a safe space to share thoughts and
phant in the room, the black sheep of the hu- to us and we have no one else to confide in. So, fears without fear of judgement. Many people
man experience. We all feel it at some point in does it matter that the person who is there for are struggling with toxic relationships and the
our lives, but few of us are brave enough to ad- you isn’t really a person? Does it matter that best friend they can have is a virtual one. Per-
mit it. It’s a taboo subject, our own shameful the text sent to you every morning to give you haps in real life you can’t get a girlfriend, but
secret that we keep hidden from the world. a pep in your step is generated by a machine maybe virtually you can.
But loneliness isn’t just an emotional bur- rather than a person, as was my girlfriend’s Relationships are difficult, fractious things
den. It’s a physical one too. Studies have shown case? Sometimes we want someone to talk and perhaps it would be good if we could have
that loneliness can have a detrimental effect to, but the world is a busy place. Everyone else them with the training wheels still on.You can
on our health, contributing to everything seems to be up and about their business, with practise your lines on the app before deploy-
from depression to heart disease.It’s a self-per- no time for little old us. It would be nice if we ing them in real life.
petuating cycle: the lonelier we feel, the more could get a shoulder to cry on, or a voice to talk Or, even better, go all virtual and skip the
we withdraw from the world, making it even to. (Replika can actually read out its respons- meatspace girlfriend all-together. I tried log-
harder to connect with others. es to you.) ging on to Replika for this piece, but I couldn’t.
It makes sense why loneliness bothers us Everything is currently going downhill for Ever since it upgraded its systems to stop all
so; we evolved in herds and being away from relationships in the younger generation. Em- the risqué messages, signing on has been a
your tribe in an unforgiving world where pathy is dead, communication skills are un- challenge.
everything was out to get you meant death. derdeveloped and even testosterone levels We can’t end human loneliness but, bit by
Loneliness is the savannah’s way of remind- among men are plummeting.Thank the heav- bit, it seems like we can alleviate it using a dig-
ing you that a loner is a goner. ens the climate won’t hold up for much longer ital friend.
Loneliness is so common that in Japan, they because they would have to live in this hells- Mr Odongo is a Software Engineer
have a name for those who die from it: Kod- cape. [email protected]
16 SATURDAY NATION JANUARY 15, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

BEAUTY AND BRAINS

THE FETCHING
Beauty queen Cleotilda
Jemutai is using her
knowledge in agricultural
and biosystems

FARMER
engineering to help design
and set up coffee farms

BY EDDY ASHIOYA

P
erhaps Cleotilda Jemutai was always born
to be a star. For starters, she is a model. If
that doesn’t turn your head, then know
this: she is also an agriculturalist, svelte
yet athletic, another petite girl made larger
than life by her exploits and hard work. Tough
and flinty and shrewd, beauty balanced by
practicality.
She is famous among the kind of people who
read agriculture magazines or those who want
to know where their tea actually comes from.
She does not let her beauty speak for her; she
is not that kind of girl. She has no interest in
becoming a content creator; she is not that
kind of girl either. She is the kind of girl you see
once and never again.
Let’s be clear: All her life she has walked
a highwire tightrope, both interesting and
confusing because, as a rule of thumb, a
woman generally doesn’t present herself
as both beauty and brains. Beauty rarely
challenges men, but intelligence does. Women
who are admired as beauties risk being
dismissed as not being brainy. But Jemutai is
both. It is impossible to dismiss her outlook,
and it is impossible to ignore her looks.
In a way, it is the perfect image: In a society
that so often decrees that you can only be one
thing, she is like a ray of sunshine at the wet
end of August, a breath of fresh air. She has
done a lot, and she is only just getting started.
The hard way too, however easy she makes it
look.
How did she get here, this agricultural and
biosystems engineer practising in the tea
industry? “I have been quite passionate about
agriculture since I was young. My father was
a first-generation kind of farmer, and I grew
up interacting with agricultural systems,
specifically dairy, subsistence and tea farming.
That was all the motivation I needed to pursue
agriculture in university, but my mom was
having none of it. Eventually, something had to
give and I stuck to my guns. I told her I was a
farmer.”Or perhaps, a daddy’s girl.
She went to Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) to pursue
an undergraduate degree in Agricultural
and Biosystems Engineering, Soil, Water
and Environmental Engineering. “When I
joined university, this was a new course in
the department. I think I was in the second
ever cohort, and that presented us with
the challenge and uncertainty of a glaring
lack of job opportunities. The course was a Cleotilda Jemutai is an Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer. She runs Zurrii Coffee
merge between agricultural engineering and Consultancy, offering farm design and set-up services, agronomy support and training.
bioprocessing engineering.” She graduated PHOTO | POOL
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 17

in 2019 with a second-class upper either.I was lucky to be among the selected few
division. “I was the best in my championing the environment… that you can
class, if I do say so myself.” have different platforms to speak up …and
She did her attachment at that I could use my voice for change.”
a tea factory in Tinderet and The devil works hard but even he will tell
then taught part-time at the you, Jemutai works harder. What keeps her
Kenya Water Institute before driven? “My mantra for quite a long time
joining Eastern Produce has been to always keep the focus. I already
Kenya, where she works identified my niche in the agricultural space.
as an assistant factory I stick to my lane and drive forward in it. I love
manager.“The tea industry being consistent but I know discipline is the
is quite diverse, and I have key. There is no shortcut; you have to put in
been here for a year and the work. You need to be smart, detailed and
a few months. It is very precise, at least in this industry. You can’t go
intense, understanding the wrong when you are designing a system.”
art of manufacturing tea She does not wear her work rate, her
from the nurseries till you physicality, on her sleeve. She is, instead,
have the final product in the elegant and graceful; the best metaphor
market.” to summarise her would be that she is like
At just 27, tireless focus has a duck, serene and calm above water, but
imbued her with the charm of paddling furiously underneath. The problem
knowledge. “I have this is, effortlessness can seem like a lack of effort.
bu r n i n g pa s s i o n Not that she will lose any sleep over that. Her
and want to get work speaks for itself. The highlight reel of her
de ep er in the exploits is stuck on the progress that she has
coffee value chain. made in developing and growing her career.
When people “And of course, being a parent. My daughter is
wonder why I am three years and seven months old.”
invested in two How she keeps all these plates floating in the
warring beverages, air is a marvel of balance and multi-tasking
tea and coffee, I worthy of a standing ovation. It’s a high-wire
tell them now I act, Philippe Petite with boxing gloves on.
am planting my “You need to know how to manage your time,
own coffee. I want otherwise your time will manage you. Plan
more youth to yourself, plan effectively but don’t be too hard
venture into high- on yourself. Life can be hard at times but pick
value crops. That’s yourself up and move on, head held high.”
why I have Twitter How does she define success? “Success to me
conversations about is achieving your goals and not being in a rush.
the coffee economy. Things happen with time. Seeking help and
Many young people advice, and having a support system, (people)
are going into coffee, that can hold your hand, that you can bounce
and I believe there has ideas off of.”
never been a better The future, she says, is encouraging the youth
time to start trying out to embrace technology. It doesn’t have to be
farming.” rocket science or reinventing the wheel. The
Her love affair with future is innovative, and we are the innovators,
agriculture bloomed she says. Jemutai runs her own firm, Zurrii
when she discovered Coffee Consultancy, offering coffee farm
that someone needed design and setup services, agronomy support
to feed the nation. and on-farm training.
That someone could She is an introvert.“I just like my own space,
be her. That someone but it’s not that I am shy. I speak and will stand
should be her, she up for myself if I have to.” But, she adds, she
thought. “With the rarely has to. Love yourself, treat people fairly,
rapid climate change and choose happiness. Those are the three
we have to develop things she would want to plant in anyone. In
resilience and need everyone.
to interact with Have things turned out the way she expected
the environment at 27? “On a scale of one to 10, I’ll give myself a
seamlessly. This is six. I thought after my undergraduate studies
how I show my love I would proceed to do my Masters but I am
for the environment, working on that now.” She got here through
by cho osing to hard work, and cannot afford to fail. “I am
protect it.” afraid of failure, so I make sure I win. I am a
It is one thing to winner. All my failures have made me who I
choose. It’s another am.”
thing to be chosen. And she is not just a star, but a supernova.
She is both. It was Despite being so young, there is a sense that
written in the stars. I she has always been here,always been the best,
mean, in 2017, she was a model of consistency and reliability. Who
Cleotilda Jemutai was declared Miss Earth JKUAT in 2017 and real- Miss Earth (JKUAT). needs a scriptwriter when you can write your
ised she could use the platforms it presented and her voice to speak “ I rea l i s e d m ayb e own story?
out for the environment. PHOTO | POOL modelling isn’t too bad [email protected]
18 SATURDAY NATION JANUARY 15, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

CINEMATOGRAPHY
‘Igiza’director

IT’S A WRAP!
and other concepts. “Money
Abdi Shuria has laundering in Kenya is such
become a much- a peculiar culture, unlike any
other around the globe. While
sought-after most money fraudsters in the
commercial and US and other parts of the world
lead low-key lifestyles, in Kenya
documentary they openly flaunt their life of
opulence and brag about it. I
filmmaker and is found this very interesting and
keen to teach his due to its relevance in Kenyan
society at the moment, it was
craft to others an opportunity to dive into that
underworld and tell the story,” he
BY SINDA MATIKO explains.

A
Shuria speaks of film and
fantastic imagination, photography with passion. “My
flexibility and clarity of first introduction to creative
vision are the hallmark acts was through my father.
of a filmmaker, someone When I was younger, he gave
who can convert me his old camera – he used to
thoughts and fantasies be a photographer during his
into fascinating and motivating university days. I started playing
visuals. They may not appear around with it and found myself
in front of the camera, but falling in love with photography.
filmmakers are the artists, Remember this was a negative
creators and upholders of quality camera – you needed to
and workmanship who give life, a develop the images,” Shuria
heartbeat, a pulse, to works of art. recounts.
Known simply as Abdi Shuria The more he experimented
in film industry circles, 33-year- with photography, the more
old Abdulkadir Abdullahi counts fascinated he became. He
himself as one of these people. He remembers how he was left
wears the right shoes for the job, dumbfounded when a friend
and has the right soul. Shuria has introduced him to photoshop
produced several commercials, techniques, a rare skill at the
a good number of films and time.
numerous pilots. Film became his next step
Last year, he directed Igiza, a in this adventure. “One day in
series that ended up among 2007, the same friend showed
the 10 most watched shows on up with a small camcorder
Showmax in Kenya. and I was captivated.” He began
Th e 1 3 - pa r t d ra m a sho oting his own motion
starring Serah Ndanu was pictures for fun, learning and
an adaptation of the South experimenting as he went.
African thriller series Imposter, At this point, Shuria had made
its setting in the money up his mind to study film. His
laundering business popularly parents were supportive. After
own as ‘wash wash’ and Nairobi’s his A-levels at Braeburn School
fashion industry. The project in Nairobi, he went to the US
marked the return to the screen in 2009, returning five years
of Ndanu – wife of football later with a Bachelor’s Degree
international Victor Wanyama – in Cinematography from the
after a sabbatical to raise a family Academy of Art University in San
in Canada. Francisco, California.
How did Igiza come about? “I got At first, he tried getting white
a pitch invite from Showmax,” collar jobs,but all his applications
says Shuria, “as did many other were turned down. “One of my
film producers and directors. beliefs is that if you can’t find a
Showmax wanted to adopt the job, then create one for yourself.
Imposter series into a Kenyan That’s how Yare Pictures Studios
production and so we were all was formed.”
tasked to pitch ideas. I was lucky With his production company
to be the last man standing after registered, it was time to find
the shortlisting process. I must clients.“I remember renting the
say the other pitches were really entire MGM Studios, a production
good but I had exactly what they company in Nairobi, for a music
were looking for.” video shoot and that raised a lot
Binging on Igiza, one can’t of questions about me, as I was
help but notice how the director Filmmaker Abdi Shuria during the premier of the ‘Igiza’ drama just in my mid-20s. Word went
exe cute d the ‘wash wash’ series at Nairobi Street Kitchen last year. PHOTO | POOL out and people showed up at
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 19

industry. But as I always like to say,

you are as good as your last job.
Finally, there is a glimpse of hope.”
In 2017 and 2019, he
directed Seasons 12 and 13
of the popular political satire
animation TV series, The XYZ
Show, produced by legendary
cartoonist and animator Godfrey
Mwamp embwa (Gado). He
worked as a cinematographer for
the 2021 hit film Nafsi, directed by
Reuben Odanga.
Shuria is currently producing a
mockumentary TV series that he
is hopeful will be picked up by a
broadcaster.“Black and Blue is a
comedy show based on Kenyan
police. Forget the police comedy
shows you might have seen in
before. This will be different.
Think of a Kenyan version of the
American sitcom The Office.”
When not producing films,
you will catch Shuria giving
lectures and master classes on
From left: ‘Igiza’ production manager Peggy Ogollah, director Abdi Shuria, producer Dina Mwende and cinematography in several arts
actor Keith Chuaga during the premiere of the drama series. PHOTO | POOL institutions. Africa Digital Media
Institute is one of his main clients.
my set to see what I was up, to PSA was about the ‘My Dress and documentary filmmaker, “Capacity building in the
including the MGM boss.” My Choice Movement’ that was wo rk i n g w i t h s eve ra l b i g local film industry is one of
The boss was impressed by trending at that time, in 2015.” production companies either as a my greatest passions. Having
the young man’s creativity, H e e x e c u t e d t h e P SA director or cinematographer. The studied and lived abroad and
and Shuria was contracted successfully and with something list includes Protel Studios, Mojo experienced the industry there,
by M G M t o d o a P ub l i c to show, began pitching for more Productions, C-Hub and Trans. ours is still growing and we can
Service Announcement (PSA) commercial adverts, and the jobs Lieu. only contribute to it by sharing
commercial. “That was my first kept coming. Word got around “It’s been a long time in the our knowledge with others,” he
big job and my breakthrough in quickly and Shuria became a making, pushing and still being enthuses.
the Kenyan film industry. The much-sought-after commercial regarded as a newcomer in the [email protected]
20 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

opinion

The two sides should not tear each other down; they need to treat this as an emergency

Ruto, Raila should pull together and save the economy

T
he government is in a hole. The econo-
my is stagnant. The purchasing power
of the people has been drastically erod-
ed. The cost of grains and cereals has
shot through the roof. To make a grave
situation tragic, the cost of power and
fuel has similarly skyrocketed.
And, for the first time in Kenya’s history, K W E N D O

OPANGA
the President publicly confirmed that the
government had not paid the salaries of civil
servants on time. Indeed, as if to rub salt into
the wound, it emerged that the government is
contemplating retiring civil servants early.
This is situation critical. When a government rather than on each other, and discuss the best side seems determined to tear down the other.
which has no money to pay public servants possible way to deal with this crisis for the Each blames the other for the poor state
decides to retire those workers, it cannot pay benefit of all. of the economy. Azimio refuses to recognise
them their dues. At best it will pay them some The challenge, however, is that quite apart President Ruto and the government, calling
of their money and promise to pay them the from the economic crisis, there is also the them illegitimate. The President appears
remainder as soon as possible. political crisis. persuaded that Odinga & Co. want to force
Consider the following: There is a public The bone of contention is that Raila Odinga their way into government, but the former
servant in every corner of the country. In the and Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition want to reclaim their poll victory.
villages especially, at the end of the month Party argue that they won the presidential Both sides appear unwilling to see that the
these women and men pay their workers poll last August and their victory was stolen longer this stalemate goes on, the deeper
who, in turn pay their debts and buy from from them by the Independent Electoral Kenya sinks into this economic quagmire.
the shopkeepers and farmers, who in turn Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and handed to True, politics and economics are intertwined,
replenish their stock. President Ruto. but a kaput economy causes suffering to all
The disposable incomes of these women Odinga & Co.want IEBC’s poll servers opened and takes an eternity to get back on track.
and men give local meaning to trickle-down for scrutiny; they want the government to This economic slide needs to be stopped now
economics. There has been no money trickling bring down the cost of living and they want and reversed if Kenya is to avoid a long stretch
down because government has not paid public four IEBC commissioners who disputed the in the doldrums. What the two sides need
servants and if serikali will send its wafanyi presidential poll results and later resigned is not to tear each other down, but to put the
kazi home, many household economies will their positions reinstated. recovery of the economy top of the agenda and
shut down. They have only halted their Monday and treat this as an emergency.
So, the government must stop digging. Thursday street demonstrations to press the This is what it should mean to stop digging,
Similarly, the political class should stop demands because the President called for a what it means to put Kenya first, and what
digging. The best way to stop digging is for the truce and talks by parliamentarians to deal Kenya is bigger than all of us should mean.
politicians to call a ceasefire, turn to each other, with the issues raised by Azimio.However,each [email protected]
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 21

opinion
We will soon witness the most thorough and far-reaching prosecution in Kenyan history

No more cartels, no more graft; hustlers are in charge

M A C H A R I A

GAITHO

W
e are set for the best piece of good be seized. Their farms, homes, factories, banks, team of politicians and senior public servants
news since the William Ruto hotels, real estate and other property and who worked in the previous regime, together
administration assumed office. commercial ventures will similarly be taken with the families and business associates who
We have it from impeccable over and restored to public ownership. may be beneficiaries of organised looting.
and unimpeachable authority Kenya being a country of laws, we will go As we say in French, ‘Gutiri muici na
that soon and very soon, those beyond unleashing barking dogs on the mucuthiriria (There is no difference between
responsible for Kenya’s descent into an political platform and twitter space. Neither the thief and the onlooker)’. All those who
economic black hole will be hauled in will we again countenance irregular actions served in the Jubilee regime over its two terms
handcuffs and leg irons before a very stern such as employing Mungiki-type criminal and were either willing accomplices and
specially-selected judge, and in short order gangs to invade and seize property. beneficiaries, or preferred to close their eyes
sentenced to very long jail terms at some Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to the goings-on instead of blowing the whistle
remote locations. has enough headache trying to tackle the and resigning, will not be spared.
If President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee regime domestic terrorists and ethnic militias we This will be the broom that sweeps clean,
was the embodiment of grand corruption, call bandits and cattle rustlers in northern and nobody will be spared. Kenya Kwanza
unchecked greed and the singular cause of Kenya, and need not be further burdened with promised a revolution. This is what will be
the economic meltdown afflicting Kenya, it is urban dorper sheep rustlers sponsored by his achieved once everyone, without exception,
exciting that those responsible for what can colleagues. Therefore, all these allegations are who served the corrupt Jubilee regime,
only be economic sabotage on a treason scale now being removed from the area of political is safely behind bars, leaving room for
will get their just deserts. propaganda and excuses for failure, and emergence of the brave new dawn. Locking
Far too often in this country, we have turned over to the law enforcement agencies. up the lords of corruption and seizing their
breathed fire and brimstone, pledging that We should be confident that seven months ill-gotten wealth will reap instant dividends
no stone will be left unturned in pursuit of into the Kenya Kwanza administration, the in unlocking resources previously under
criminals, but invariably the stones turn out very competent, professional, independent control of a few families.There will be enough
to be too heavy to move. Deputy President and impartial Dire ctor of Criminal to pay public servants, clear the national debt
Rigathi Gachagua and other Kenya Kwanza Investigations, Mohamed Ibrahim Amin, and and release the billions required to drive the
mouthpieces have, instead of doing the work Inspector-General of Police Japhet Koome, Kenya Kwanza development agenda. The
which we pay them for,spent all their time and as well as the boss of the Ethics and Anti- dams, irrigation projects, stadiums and other
energy blaming Uhuru for every crime under Corruption Commission, Twalib Mbarak, are projects abandoned by Uhuru to spite Ruto
the sun. about to complete investigations. will be revived.
We are finally going beyond the proverbial They should now be in a position to hand No Kenyan will ever have to labour in the
toothless bulldog and ensuring that justice over watertight cases for action by the Director farming fields again, as we will have the
is done. The political will is there to have of Public Prosecutions, Noordin Haji, who will resources to import maize, rice, beans, sugar,
the culprits arrested and jailed. It has been benefit greatly from information provided by wheat and other foodstuffs to ensure a well-
determined from the topmost echelons that Gachagua and other Kenya Kwanza operatives fed nation. As we say, a hungry man is an
strong action against criminals is necessary if who are armed with intimate knowledge of angry man. No Kenyan will ever go hungry
we are to inculcate in this country principles all the crimes committed by Mr Kenyatta and again, and therefore none will heed calls
of accountability and deliver decisive blows his handshake partner, opposition leader for maandamano and other protests driven
against the culture of impunity. Raila Odinga. Soon we will witness the most by enemies of development, disgruntled
There is no money to pay civil servants thorough and far-reaching prosecution in elements and agents of foreign masters.
and Kenya is at grave risk of defaulting on Kenyan history. In the dock will be the entire In the process, we will also build a new
the national debt because power brokers, generation of entrepreneurs issued permits
cartels and deep state denizens of the Uhuru for duty-free imports. Patriotic and public-
government carted away cash from the No Kenyan will ever have to labour in the farming spirited Kenya Kwanza shareholders will
National Treasury in truckloads. fields again, as we will have the resources to also help this country a great deal by being
Those responsible will shortly face the full import maize, rice, beans, sugar, wheat and allowed to import tractors, fertiliser, security
force of the law. Beyond stiff jail terms to be equipment, petroleum and other goods
served at Lokitaung, Kapenguria, Hola and
other foodstuffs to ensure a well-fed nation.
without the hindrances of pesky public
other places presently being refurbished by As we say, a hungry man is an angry man. No procurement laws. Welcome to the brave new
penal consultants from Belarus, they will Kenyan will ever go hungry again, and therefore Kenya, where hustlers take over the economic
must also be made to surrender all proceeds none will heed calls for ‘maandamano’ and other zones previously the preserve of dynasties and
of crime. protests driven by enemies of development. deep state cartels.
Their banks accounts,locally and abroad,will [email protected]
22 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

kenya lens
YOU CANNOT FORCE YOUR FATHER TO GIVE YOU LAND HE HAS ACQUIRED ON HIS OWN

THE LAND CONUNDRUM

There is a great misapprehension among many potential heirs that they are, by
law, entitled to whatever belongs to their parents

BY MAGESHA NGWIRI er mundane happenings. geous, for a child to assert that his ternal obligations, and since you
Ruling in a case in which two father must subdivide his land in are now adults, you should go out

A
major ruling made by En- men sued their father, accusing a particular way, and proceed to there and acquire your own prop-
vironment and Land Court him of selling ancestral land and sue his parent because he does erty instead of engaging in con-
judge Sila Munyao in Kisii thus disinheriting them, Justice not want to deal with the land in duct that is both “shameful” and
was buried in the politi- Munyao did not mince his words the way proposed by the child,”he “abominable”.
cal turbulence of recent weeks when he told them they could not ruled. There is no reason to disagree
that led to costly disruptions to dispute their father’s right to dis- Shorn of the circumlocution pe- with that assessment, which will
the economy. At a time of a tense pose of his property as he deemed culiar to the legal fraternity, the certainly comfort many parents
standoff between hardliners in fit. The judge argued that the judge was telling the litigants a who are dragged into court over
the Azimio la Umoja-One Ken- property in question had been few simple truths: No, you cannot their own property. In many soci-
ya coalition and their counter- acquired solely by the father and force your father to give you land eties, it is traditional for fathers to
parts in government, everything was not, therefore, part of the “an- he has acquired on his own and bequeath property to their chil-
else was ignored by Kenyans, with cestral land” which, under the law, you cannot tell him what to do dren. It is common sense borne
the possible exception of lawyers cannot be sold without their con- with it. Your father has educated of filial love, and rarely do such
and experts on land issues who sent. you up to university level, thus ful- things make their way into the
care little about politics and oth- “It is despicable, if not outra- filling an important part of his pa- courts except during formal sub-
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 23

kenya lens
It is despicable,
if not
outrageous, for
a child to assert
that his father
must subdivide
his land in a
particular way,
and proceed to
sue his parent
because he
does not want
to deal with the
land in the way
proposed by the
child. Children play in Ruring’u, Nyeri, on August 1, 2011. In many societies, it is traditional for fathers to

”
bequeath property to their children. FILE | NATION
Justice Sila Munyao

ty, specifically land, is that which in days of old, when women were shield themselves from litiga-
is inherited from parents, or that classified as part of the movable tion should things go bad later. In-
which is acquired by the spouses property that could be kicked out deed, Mwathane adds, Section 9
after marriage. on a whim.Today,a spouse cannot of the Land Control Act does not
There are no issues about this be evicted from her matrimonial have spousal consent as one of the
definition except that a recent home unless under a court order, grounds for granting leave to sell
court ruling determined that which is rare to come by. land, and the matter can be chal-
division processes. Only a very cal- couples are not automatically One issue remains unexplained, lenged in court.
lous parent would deny his or her entitled to 50 per cent property though. If one of the spouses has A lawyer contacted on the is-
offspring property, unless under share in case of a divorce. In that bought land without the input of sue agrees, saying that the reason
very extraordinary circumstanc- case, the court ruled, the proper- the other, why does he or she re- for involving the spouse in land
es. ty should be shared out depend- quire spousal consent to dispose transactions is that some men
Nevertheless, it is inevitable ing on the contribution each of of it? According to lands profes- have gone to the extent of fraud-
that disputes over property will the spouses made towards its ac- sional Ibrahim Mwathane, there ulently selling off property solely
erupt from time to time, especial- quisition.The men lauded the rul- is no law that dictates that such belonging to the spouse. As such,
ly when the father dies intestate. ing, a reaction that was to be ex- consent be demanded, but land the boards have to ensure that
In such cases, land courts are the pected in a custom-bound patriar- boards across the country insist families are not dispossessed by
final recourse, particularly if al- chal system. on it. uncaring fathers.
ternative arbitration methods Matrimonial property includes The most likely interpretation The other sticky issue is the
are found to be inadequate due the home where your children is that board members want to health of the property owners.
to bad blood between the heirs. were born and raised and any oth- Instances have been recorded of
This is most common in high pop- er movable or immovable proper- land owners sliding into senili-
ulation density areas of central ty jointly acquired by the couple Shorn of the circumlocution peculiar ty which, of course, impairs deci-
Kenya and Nyanza, where land is during a marriage. This definition to the legal fraternity, the judge sion-making.
scarce, and where an ownership has in the past seriously disadvan- was telling the litigants a few In some cases, such men start
dispute over an eighth of an acre taged women, who contribute dishing out land to outsiders at
is common. their share in activities that can-
simple truths: No, you cannot force the expense of the family. What
However, a greater concern here not be monetised like keeping the your father to give you land he protections do the offspring have
is the misapprehension among home, doing the farm-work, and has acquired on his own and you in such circumstances? Dragging
many potential heirs that they generally rearing children, which cannot tell him what to do with it. your own father to court over
are, by law, entitled to whatever is a back-breaking job on its own. Your father has educated you up property cannot be easy, nor is it
belongs to their parents. This is However, due to ignorance easy to prove that a father’s fac-
usually brought about by a misun- about their rights, many women to university level, thus fulfilling ulties are severely compromised.
derstanding of what constitutes are still being chased away from an important part of his paternal This dilemma confronts many
ancestral land, matrimonial land their matrimonial homes, and obligations, and since you are now families, and it can best be re-
and, in some instances, commu- they have no way of getting jus- adults, you should go out there and solved within the extended family.
nal land. We are not concerned tice, especially where the struc- If such interventions fail,the court
with the latter category, which is tures of communal arbitration
acquire your own property instead must decide, which is not always
governed by a different set of laws. are weak. of engaging in conduct that is both fair to all the claimants.
Legally, matrimonial proper- This was especially prevalent “shameful” and “abominable”. [email protected]
24 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

SCIENCE & TECH

NASA UNVEILS ‘MARS’ HABITAT Search for life

in Jupiter’s
FOR YEAR-LONG EXPERIMENTS icy moons
Could vast, long-hidden oceans
be teeming with alien life in our
very own Solar System?
A new chapter in humanity’s
search for extraterrestrial life
opens on Thursday as Europe’s
JUICE spacecraft blasts off on
a mission to investigate the icy
moons of Jupiter.
First discovered by Italian
astronomer Galileo Galilei more
than 400 years ago, these ice-
covered moons are so far from
the Sun that they were long
dismissed as possible candidates
to host life in our backyard.
Until re cently, the Solar
System’s habitable zone was
thought to “end at Mars”, French
astrophysicist Athena Coustenis,
one of the scientific leads of the
European Space Agency (ESA)’s
JUICE mission, told AFP. But
Nasa’s Galileo probe to Jupiter
A mobility prototype for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mars Sample Return in 1995 and the more recent
mission is demonstrated in the Mars Yard at Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 11, in Pasadena, Cassini spacecraft’s trip to Saturn
California. caused scientists to broaden their
horizons. The gas giant planets
HOUSTON themselves were correctly
we’re providing them, and that’s simulate the red planet’s lesser ruled out, but their icy moons

F
our small rooms, a gym going to be really important gravity. — particularly Jupiter’s Europa
and a lot of red sand – Nasa information to making those “We really can’t have them just and Ganymede, and Saturn’s
unveiled last week its new critical resource decisions,” walking around in circles for six Enceladus and Titan — offered
Mars-simulation habitat, in she said on a press tour of the hours,” joked Suzanne Bell, head fresh hope of nearby life.
which volunteers will live for habitat. Such a distant mission of Nasa’s Behavioural Health Under their icy surfaces are
a year at a time to test what life comes with “very strict mass and Performance Laboratory. thought to be huge oceans
will be like on future missions to limitations,”she added. Volunteers will use the treadmill of liquid water — a crucial
Earth’s neighbour. The volunteers will live inside to simulate long trips outside to ingredient for life as we know it.
The facility, created for three a 1,700 square-foot (160 square- collect samples, gather data or Nicolas Altobelli, a JUICE
planned experiments called the meter) home, dubbed “Mars build infrastructure, she said. project scientist at ESA, said it
Crew Health and Performance Dune Alpha,” which includes The members of the first would be “the first time that we
Exploration Analog (CHAPEA), two bathrooms, a vertical experiment team have yet to explore habitats beyond the frost
is located at the US space farm to grow salad, a room be named, but the agency said line”between Mars and Jupiter.
agency’s massive research base dedicated to medical care, an selection “will follow standard Beyond that line, temperatures
in Houston, Texas. area for relaxing and several Nasa criteria for astronaut plummet and “liquid water can
Four volunteers will begin the workstations. candidate applicants”, with a no longer exist on the surface”,
first trial this summer, during An airlock leads to an“outdoor” heavy emphasis on backgrounds Altobelli told AFP earlier this year.
which Nasa plans to monitor reconstruction of the Martian i n s c i e n c e , t e c h n o l o g y, The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer
their physical and mental environment – though still engineering and math. (JUICE) mission launches from
health to better understand located inside the hangar. Researchers will regularly test Europe’s spaceport in Kourou,
humans’ fortitude for such a Several pieces of equipment the crew’s response to stressful French Guiana on an eight-
long isolation. astronauts would likely use situations, such as restricting year odyssey through space. By
With that data, Nasa will are scattered around the red water availability or equipment July 2031 it will have entered
better understand astronauts’ sand-covered floor, including failures. The habitat has Jupiter’s orbit, from which it will
“resource use” on Mars, said a weather station, a brick- another special feature: it was probe Ganymede, Europa and
Grace Douglas, lead researcher making machine and a small 3D-printed. “That is one of the fellow icy moon Callisto.Then, in
on the CHAPEA experiments. greenhouse. There is also a technologies that Nasa is looking 2034, JUICE will enter the orbit
“We can really start to treadmill on which the make- at as a potential to build habitat of Ganymede, the first time a
understand how we’re believe astronauts will walk on other planetary or lunar spacecraft has done so around a
supporting them with what suspended from straps to surfaces,”Douglas said. moon other than our own.
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 25

africa lens
INVESTIGATION POINTS TO MAJOR FAILINGS IN SCREENING AND DERADICALISATION

INSIDE JIHAD ‘REHAB CAMPS’

Victims of Boko Haram insurgency at Malkohi internally displaced persons’ Camp in Yola, Adamawa State in northern Nigeria, on August 31,
2022. At least 25,000 people have been reported missing in the north-east of Nigeria in the 13 years since the bloody conflict with jihadist
groups began, more than half of them children, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. With 40,000 dead and more
than two million people forced from their homes, those figures are seen as underestimates.

Hajj is a centre for processing tens of thousands of jihadists, their

families and those who lived under their control
MAIDUGURI the Islamic State West Africa Prov- icopters over their camps in for those uprooted by the fight-
ince (ISWAP) group that has killed the “bush”, vowing that if they ing.

O
n an arid plot of land in thousands and displaced over emerged from hiding, they would The large majority of those
northern Nigeria, veiled two million more since 2009. be safe. “We will not hand you who turned themselves in are
women hurry past vegetable But an investigation by AFP over to the military. We will take not former fighters but rather
stalls and men idle outside points to major failings in the care of you and your family in a men, women and children who
endless rows of tarpaulin tents in screening and deradicalisation camp in Maiduguri for four or lived under jihadist rule. Even
what, at first glance, appears to be process, while the need for justice five months and then you will be so, the centres’ potential to ush-
a typical camp for displaced peo- has been set aside. In May 2021, a released,”was the message. er in peace has attracted glob-
ple. key event gave the authorities an In many ways, the tactic worked. al attention. The European Un-
In reality, Hajj Camp in Bor- opportunity. Boko Haram lead- More than 90,000 people for- ion, Britain and the United Na-
no State is a centre for process- er Abubakar Shekau died after ri- merly associated with Boko Har- tions are all in favour of the initia-
ing tens of thousands of jihadists, vals ISWAP invaded his hideout, am and, to a much lesser ex- tive –- known as the Borno Model
their families and those who lived demanding he pledge allegiance. tent, ISWAP defected. Most have -– and pledged to support the ex-
under their control. In exchange After his death, his fighters and transited through Hajj and some pansion of a programme present-
for freedom, the government per- their captives had a decision to through Shokari or Bulumkutu, ed to them as a way to help end
suaded them to turn themselves make: either join ISWAP or flee. which are similar centres. A num- conflicts.
in – a move aimed at ending an The government acted fast. ber of women and children were
insurgency by Boko Haram and Flyers were dropped from hel- taken directly to ordinary camps ...Continued on Page 26
26 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

africa lens
Continued from Page 25 ca, because ISWAP invaded their

Over several months, AFP, the

first international media to ac-
How Nigeria is treating hideout when she was away vis-
iting relatives. She deemed it too
dangerous to go back, opting to
cess Hajj Camp, the largest of the
three centres, spoke with 12 for-
mer residents as well as the top
two local officials in charge, hu-
former Jihadists, victims surrender instead. An additional
motivating factor for those in the
armed groups is that once they
surrender, the authorities give
manitarian workers and security them money – monthly stipends
experts. Official documentation and a lump sum when they leave
says the scheme takes far-reach- – as well as food and other basic
ing steps to separate former fight- goods. But this stirs resentment
ers from non-combatants – an“in- among residents of Borno who
tensive process of identification have suffered from the conflict.
and evaluation”. And while security experts in-
But the former residents, whose sist on the value of providing an
names have been changed for exit path to those who want to
the purpose of this article, all de- surrender, many believe that vic-
scribed the screening system as tims also deserve some redress.
threadbare. Among the three for- “Serious crimes have been com-
mer fighters interviewed by AFP, mitted... Someone must be held
only one said he was asked which to account, because without some
battles he had participated in and measure of justice, it’s hard to see
why. Two women said they had how there can be lasting peace,”
not been asked any questions at said an international security ex-
all – and that females were sim- pert in the country who asked to
ply categorised as “wives”. remain anonymous.
Residents of Ngarannam village on December 19, 2022. Ngarannam
One of three farmers inter- The absence of justice is part-
is located in the state of Borno in north-eastern Nigeria, which was
viewed, who had lived under ly a result of the poor screening.
the stronghold of the terrorist organisation Boko Haram. The village
Boko Haram control, said the au- But it could also be due to Borno’s
was once completely destroyed by the organisation.
thorities asked former fighters to reluctance to refer individuals to
screen him and others by point- in Islam”, “fundamental human 13, told AFP he had taken part in the federal level, where suspects
ing at whoever they believed was rights” and basic civic education. “many attacks” against soldiers previously charged with terror-
“one of them”. Those interviewed Before they are released, the men and “disbelievers” to establish “an ism have ended up behind bars in
also reported that members also have to take an oath, swear- Islamic state” before deciding to pre-trial limbo for years.
of the Civilian Joint Task Force ing on the Koran that they will surrender. In addition, the authorities’ abil-
(CJTF), a militia which fights the not go back to the bush or spy for During his five months in Hajj, ity to investigate potential crimes
jihadists alongside the military, those still fighting. Momo, who the now 26-year-old said preach- is limited.“What evidence do we
are involved in the screening. joined Boko Haram when he was ers advised him and others to have of who did what?”said Ishaq,
Abdul, 43, a former Sharia judge “be patient with people when we adding that later on they will ask
under Boko Haram who spent leave, that we have to be obedient victims to identify potential per-
eight months in Shokari and with local authorities and that we petrators.“The justice process will
two in Hajj, said the filtering sys- should be serious about our reli- follow. We must get to that stage,
tem did not always work.“There gious duties”. That was the extent but let us first have everybody out
is some corruption going on be- of the “deradicalisation” process (of the bush),”he told AFP.
cause sometimes relatives come he said he went through. Even Borno plans to build another
and give something to the CJTF so among those who were not fight- centre and three “integrated vil-
that they say ‘these are not Boko ers, some, like Abdul, held radical lages” where those who surren-
Haram’,” he said. Retired Briga- beliefs. dered would live temporarily be-
dier General Abdullahi Sabi Ish- The former judge and Islam- fore being reintegrated into com-
aq, the governor’s special advis- ic teacher spent years inflicting munities. The state government
er on security affairs, said the pro- lashes on those who didn’t fol- has devised a three-year plan re-
gramme, including the screen- low the group’s interpretation of quiring an estimated $150 mil-
ing, was“being handled by profes- Sharia law and brainwashed hun- lion, and is appealing to the inter-
sionals”. dreds of children in his school for national community for help.
In theory, non-combatants stay young jihadists. “Maybe their plan will work,”
only a couple of days or weeks in The father of nine, who now said the security expert. But “if it
the centres, while former fighters lives free, said he would have doesn’t, the risk is that you have
are kept for several months. Cer- joined rival group ISWAP if he violent former fighters at large
tain camp residents get day pass- could have, instead of surrender- who could return to criminal or
es to roam freely in the city. Inter- ing. Saratu, a 20-year-old woman militant activity.” Two weeks af-
viewees told AFP that some are married to a senior command- ter interviewing the surrendees,
released more quickly than oth- er, also seemed to still be sympa- a source contacted AFP to say that
ers, either to make space for new thetic towards the insurgents. She Saratu, the woman married to a
arrivals or because community told AFP that Boko Haram “on- senior Boko Haram commander,
leaders give them authorisation ly preach and kill those who use “has gone back to the bush with
to leave. drugs”. her children”.
Ishaq said former fighters are She said she ended up in Hajj, Her husband and his unit, he
given a two-week training course Former Boko Haram leader so named as it was once a transit said, killed at least 37 fishermen
that includes classes on “values Abubakar Shekau place for pilgrims heading to Mec- near Dikwa town last month.
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 27

global lens
HOW INVASION PLUNGED COUNTRY INTO DECADES OF CHAOS

SHOCK AND AWE: WAR@20

Iraqis feel the results of the invasion every day. Its consequences have
shaped and blighted millions of lives and changed their country profoundly
BAGHDAD and the Bible; their religion is Saleh, who was 16 at the time, was be indoctrinated as IS recruits. A
influenced by both Christianity among the crowd at the excavation. mother sitting near the suspected

T
he invasion of 2003 was a and Islam. The Islamic State He is one of only two men from grave wept as she remembered the
catastrophe for Iraq and its considered them to be infidels and Zile-li who survived. As he waited baby ripped from her and given to
people. More proof of that, carried out a genocidal assault. It for death with his father, brother a jihadist family.
measured in broken lives, was happened after the Americans and and 20 to 30 other men, he saw Next to the wire fence around
at a suspected site of a mass grave British had ended their occupation, another group shot dead. Their the site, Suad Daoud Chatto, a
in the desert outside Sinjar, not far but a direct line links the massacre bodies tumbled down a cliff into woman in her 20s, stood with a
from the border with Syria. to the invasion, and the disastrous the quarry.Then it was their turn. poster. On it were the faces of nine
Survivors of one of Iraq’s years that followed. Among those “They tied our hands from men from her extended family
damaged communities,the Yazidis, watching the excavation was Naif behind before the shooting. who were killed, and two missing
looked on as the earth in a marble Jasso, the Sheikh of Kocho, a Yazidi They took us and threw us on the female relatives. She said jihadists
quarry was excavated. On a wire community that suffered an even ground,” he said. Sofian’s father captured her in 2014,when she was
fence around the site were photos worse attack than Zile-li. and brother were killed, but he 16, along with many other women
of dozens of people, mostly men, He said that in Kocho, 517 people survived because bodies fell on and girls, and held her in Syria. She
who had been killed by jihadists out of a population of 1,250 were him,covering him up. remained until 2019,when she was
from the Islamic State group. They killed by jihadists from IS, also The Islamic State was using rescued as the Caliphate collapsed.
were from Zile-li, a village near known as ISIS or Daesh. its favourite tactic. First, they “They were like barbarians, they
the quarry, where 1,800 men were In Zile-li, men were separated killed the men, then took the kept us in handcuffs for a long
taken and killed on August 3,2014. from their families at gunpoint women as slaves. Children were
The Yazidis revere both the Quran and shot dead at the quarry. Sofian removed from their mothers to Continued on Page 28
28 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

global lens

Tide of violent sectarianism rumbles in the Gulf

Continued from Page 27 to war. George Bush and Tony
Blair embarked on a war of choice
time.Our hands were still tied even that killed hundreds of thousands
during the meals,”she said. of people. The justifications for
“They married me off many the invasion were soon shown
times… they were marrying the to be untrue. The weapons of
slaves. They did not spare anyone. mass destruction that Tony Blair
We were all raped. They were insisted, eloquently, made Saddam
killing people before our eyes. a clear and present danger, turned
They killed all the Yazidi men – out not to exist. It was a failure
they killed eight of my uncles. not just of intelligence but of
They destroyed many families.” leadership.
In the end, only a few bags of The Americans called the
human bones were found at the huge air raids that started their
site. Dozens of others are still to be offensive “shock and awe”. Neo-
excavated.By the time IS rampaged conservatives around George W
through Iraq in the summer of US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld poses with troops as- Bush deluded themselves that
2014, the US and the UK had ended signed to Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq’s restive Al-Anbar province during democracy, and regional stability,
their occupation. Jihadist ideology a surprise visit to Iraq, on December 9, 2006. could be imposed through the
existed long before the invasion, barrel of a gun. Overwhelming
and had inspired the 9/11 attacks. were there, it is hard to recreate the reality the Iraqi leader, a secular US force would not just safeguard
But far from destroying the febrile atmosphere of “fear, power dictator, saw religious extremists America, it would stabilise the
ideology of Osama Bin Laden and and hubris”, as one historian put as a threat. The US president’s Middle East too, and democracy
the jihadist extremists, the years it recently, that gripped the US in father, George HW Bush, decided would spread through Syria, Iran
of chaos and brutality set off in the 18 months between al-Qaeda’s not to remove Saddam from and beyond,like a good virus.
2003 turbo-charged murderous 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the power in Baghdad after the Saddam was removed within
jihadist violence. Al-Qaeda, broken invasion of Iraq.I was in New York Iraqi occupiers were driven out weeks. Iraqis were in no mood
for a while by an alliance between a few days after the Twin Towers of Kuwait by an international to be grateful. In Saddam’s last
the Americans and Sunni tribes, of the World Trade Center were coalition assembled by the US in decade as leader, the vast majority
regenerated into the even more destroyed, as F-15 jets patrolled 1991. The first President Bush and of them had been impoverished
barbarous IS. above Manhattan. It was a visible his advisors saw trouble ahead by sanctions authorised by the UN,
Iraq is more stable so far this year demonstration of American force, if they continued to Baghdad. A but driven hardest by the US and
than it has been for a long while. as the biggest military power on long, belligerent occupation of Iraq UK. The Americans, the British and
Baghdad, Mosul and other cities the planet worked out how to looked like a morass and they had their allies were unable to bring
are much safer. But Iraqis feel the respond. no UN authorisation to topple the peace to the streets. Nightmarish
results of the invasion every day. The shock of the attacks swiftly regime. I was in Baghdad when years started with wholesale
Its consequences have shaped produced George W Bush’s the ceasefire was declared. Regime looting, revenge attacks and
and blighted millions of lives and declaration of “war on terror” officials I knew could not believe crime. An insurgency against the
changed their country profoundly. against al-Qaeda and its jihadist that Saddam’s dictatorship had occupation turned into a sectarian
It is a grim irony that the invasion fellow travellers. UK Prime survived. civil war. Iraqis turned against each
has dropped out of political and Minister Tony Blair chartered a Twelve years later, by 2003, other as the Americans imposed
public debate in the US, which Concorde to cross the Atlantic to America’s rage and arrogance a system of government that split
conceived and led it, and in the offer support. He believed Britain’s of power blinded the second power along ethnic and sectarian
UK, its closest ally in the coalition. best guarantee of influence in the President Bush to the realities that lines – between the country’s
The Americans and British bear world was to stay close to the White had constrained his father. When three main groups, Shia Muslims,
a heavy responsibility for what House.They moved fast against al- the US and UK could not persuade Kurds and Sunni Muslims. Armed
happened after the invasion, and Qaeda’s network in Afghanistan. the UN Security Council to pass a militias fought each other, the
its consequences also affect them. Before the end of the year, a US- resolution explicitly authorising occupiers, and killed each other’s
Iraq’s tyrant, Saddam Hussein, led coalition removed the Taliban invasion and regime change, civilians.
was well worth overthrowing – regime from power when it Messrs Bush and Blair claimed Jihadist groups moved in
he had imprisoned and killed refused to give up al-Qaeda’s leader, earlier resolutions gave them the to exploit the chaos and kill
thousands of Iraqis, even using Osama Bin Laden. Kabul was not authority they needed. foreigners. Before the Americans
chemical weap ons against enough for America. Among many who did not managed to kill him, a brutal
rebellious Kurds. The problem President Bush and his advisors buy their argument was the UN Sunni extremist from Jordan, Abu
was how it was done, the way the saw a global threat to the US. They Secretary-General, Kofi Annan. In Musab al-Zarqawi, targeted attacks
US and UK ignored international thought states that opposed them a BBC interview 18 months after to turn the insurgency against the
law, and the violence that gripped could make deadly alliances with the invasion, he said it was “not in occupation into a sectarian civil
Iraq after the Bush administration al-Qaeda and its imitators. The conformity” with the UN Charter – war. Shia death squads retaliated
failed to make a plan to fill the biggest target in their sights was in other words, illegal. France and with their own reign of terror.
power vacuum created by regime Iraq. Saddam Hussein had been a other Nato allies refused to join the No-one knows exactly how many
change. thorn in America’s side ever since invasion. Tony Blair ignored huge Iraqis have died as a result of the
The past 20 years since the he sent his army into Kuwait in protests in the UK. His decision 2003 invasion. Estimates are all
invasion, coming on top of 1990. Without any evidence, the to go to war dogged the rest of his in the hundreds of thousands.
Saddam’s dictatorship, add up to Americans tried to manufacture political career. The tide of violent sectarianism
almost half a century of torture for a link between Saddam and al- No president or prime minister continues to rumble around the
the Iraqi people.Even for those who Qaeda when none existed. In faces a bigger decision than going Middle East.
SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 The Weekly Review 29

global lens
FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES, HE VOWS TO ‘NEVER’ DROP PRESIDENTIAL BID

steadily grown again as the Republican nomi-

TRUMP: THERE’S nating contest heats up.

The interview, part two of which is expected
to be broadcast on Wednesday, comes weeks
after texts emerged showing Carlson speak-
ing disparagingly about Trump after his elec-

NO TURNING BACK
tion loss.
The messages were uncovered as part of a
$1.6 billion lawsuit brought by Dominion Vot-
ing Systems against the Rupert Murdoch-run
Fox News over its coverage of Trump and his al-
lies’ unfounded claims of widespread fraud in
the 2020 election.
“We are very, very close to being able to ig-
nore Trump most nights. I truly can’t wait,”
says one Carlson text message sent two days
before a Trump-supporting mob – inspired
by the then-president’s false claims of a “sto-
len election”– invaded the US Capitol in Wash-
ington.
“I hate him passionately,”says another.
No mention was broadcast of the texts or of
other evidence produced in discovery.
At the same time, Trump last week said
French President Emmanuel Macron was in
China meeting with Xi Jinping and “kissing
his ass”.
The former US president sat down with
Tucker Carlson for his first mainstream media
appearance since being indicted on criminal
charges in New York.
In a rambling interview, the Republican Par-
ty’s presumptive presidential nominee said
the United States had lost influence in the
world since he left office.
“You got this crazy world, it’s blowing up and
the United States has absolutely no say,” he
told Carlson.
“And Macron, who’s a friend of mine, is over
with China, kissing his ass. Okay, in China! I
said,‘France is now going to China.’”
Former US President Donald Trump Macron caused a storm after a state visit to
China last week in which he cautioned Euro-
peans should not chain themselves to US for-
Facing 34 felony counts over alleged hush money paid eign policy.
to a porn star, the real estate magnate says nothing In remarks to journalists, Macron said Euro-
pean countries should not get caught up in the
will stop him from running – even a conviction tense standoff between Beijing and Washing-
ton over the fate of Taiwan.China has vowed
WASHINGTON “I don’t see how it’s possible,”he said. to regain control of Taiwan, while the US gov-
“It’s not an age thing... I don’t think he can.I ernment pledges to help Taiwan defend itself.

F
ormer US president Donald Trump, hav- just don’t see Biden doing it from a physical or Macron, who discussed Taiwan with Xi on
ing been criminally charged in New York, a mental standpoint. I don’t see it.” Friday, warned against Europe being “caught
pledged Tuesday to “never drop out”of the Trump and other senior Republicans have up in crises that are not ours,which prevents it
2024 race for the White House,and insisted repeatedly cast doubt on Biden’s mental acu- from building its strategic autonomy”.
Joe Biden is not fit to run again. ity and apparent frailty. “The paradox would be that, overcome with
The Republican real estate magnate, who is Right wing outlets like Fox News frequent- panic, we believe we are just America’s follow-
facing 34 felony counts in New York over al- ly highlight his verbal flubs, and moments ers,” Macron said.“The worse thing would be
leged hush money paid to an adult film ac- where he appears to have lost his train of to think that we Europeans must become fol-
tress, told Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson thought. lowers on this topic and take our cue from the
that nothing would prevent him from run- Throughout his own presidency, Fox offered US agenda and a Chinese overreaction.”
ning –even a conviction. an uncritical forum for Trump to air his griev- The remarks sparked unease in Washing-
“I’d never drop out,” he said. “It’s not my ances. ton, although the White House sought to play
thing. I wouldn’t do it.” The then-commander-in-chief sometimes them down, with spokesman John Kirby say-
Trump, 76, in his first major interview since called in unannounced to shows and talked at ing the Biden administration remains “com-
being arrested and fingerprinted last week, length to presenters. fortable and confident in the terrific bilateral
cast doubt on whether Democrat Biden, 80, The relationship cooled after Trump’s de- relationship we have with France”.
would be in the 2024 race. feat to Biden at the ballot box in 2020, but has — AFP
30 The Weekly Review SATURDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023 SUNDAY NATION APRIL 16, 2023

OBIT
HE HELPED MOULD THE GOLDEN GENERATION OF VOLLEYBALLERS

SERVICE WINNER
was invited to a volleyball tournament some-
where in Nyeri in 1984,”he recalled in a previous
interview.
“It was never the same after that,” he added.
“They (volleyball fans) are very passionate about
the game. I fell in love with the scenes I saw and
during our next executive meeting at the com-
Waithaka Kioni is credited with revolutionising pany, I suggested to the Kenya Pipeline Manag-
ing Director, William Mbote, that we start a team.
Kenyan volleyball through seven continental title Luckily he agreed and that’s how the Kenya Pipe-
line women’s volleyball team was formed.”
wins by the national team in a span of 13 years With Kioni as manager, the team recovered
from a slow start to win seven African titles be-
BY DAVID KWALIMWA tween 1995 and 2019. In between, Kioni, who

O
helped mould the golden generation of volley-
ne warm afternoon in mid-2014, Ken- ballers such as Doris Wefwawa,Lucy‘Fataki’Kam-
ya’s national women’s volleyball team ar- weru, Wanja Kanyi and Esther Enane, quit the
rived at the Mexico International Airport dugout for administrative duty when he success-
to compete in the FIVB Grand Prix. fully vied for the Kenya Volleyball Association
To get to Mexico, the side, commonly Nairobi branch chairmanship.
referred to as the Malkia Strikers, with “He was friendly and harsh at the same time.
yours truly as media liaison officer, had endured Without him, I’d probably never have achieved
an eight-hour journey from Nairobi to Amster- my potential in volleyball. He pushed us to limits
dam, a six-hour layover, and a gruelling 14-hour we never believed we’d achieve,”says former vol-
trip across the Atlantic. leyballer Janet Wanja.
The star-studded squad, consisting of the likes Despite the successes, Kioni yearned for more.
of Brackides Agala, Mercy Moim, Janet Wanja, He was consistently frustrated by the inability of
Jane Wanja and Everlyne Makuto, had won the the men’s team to replicate the women’s success-
African title and earned the right to compete at es on the continental front.
this international event alongside Mexico, Bul- There were other challenges as well. On
garia and Algeria. the management front, despite serving as
The day after they arrived, the squad, handled the vice-president of the continental body
by veteran coaches David Lung’aho and Japheth and representing sub-Saharan interests at
Munala, masterminded a remarkable 3-1 set win the high table, Kioni watched helplessly as
over the hosts at the Olympic Arena in Mexico the deep-pocketed North Africans skewed
City. administrative decisions to their favour, tak-
Puzzled, hundreds of Mexican fans took in the ing the lion’s share of hosting rights for conti-
defeat in style: they stormed the court to laud the nental events and development aid.
gallant African Queens with handshakes and With volleyball officially an indoor sport,
hugs. A significant number asked for autographs. Kioni’s pleas to successive governments to
In the midst of the celebrations, Waithaka Kio- invest in sports infrastructure consistently
ni, the Kenya Volleyball Federation chairman, fell on deaf ears.
posted an emotional message on the team’s Waithaka Kioni The national teams were forced to share the
Whatsapp group from Nairobi.“This is the first Kasarani indoor arena with political and so-
ever competitive win we’ve posted against a ly show it. Even when we had won comfortably, cial events. At times, teams would be kicked out
non-African team.The whole country is so proud he’d put his hands together for a few claps and of the government facility for failure to pay for
of you. Keep going. May this (win) be the first of immediately after say we should have done bet- their use. This forced Kioni to beg professional
many,”he wrote. ter,”recalls veteran coach Paul Bitok. clubs in Japan to host the Kenya national team
For years, Kioni remained a constant feature in Kioni was greatly respected and considered the for professional training ahead of international
the stands as Kenyan volleyball teams dominat- father of Kenyan volleyball. He and Lung’aho are meets.
ed at continental assignments. He was always re- credited with revolutionising the sport in Kenya, He once requested the Japanese Ambassador
splendent in a crisp suit with a matching shirt a feat achieved through seven continental title to Kenya for help in building an international
and tie, his grey hair and beard neatly trimmed. wins by the national team in a span of 13 years. volleyball court.
He would watch keenly from the VIP seats at the “He believed in me as a young coach and “He was set to retire as KVF chairman at the
5,000-seater Kasarani indoor arena as the Kenya brought me to (Kenya) Pipeline at the end of end of this month and wanted those who are go-
national women’s volleyball team, or clubs such 2003 while he was working there. He was very ing to come in as the new executive to volleyball
as Kenya Pipeline and Kenya Prisons, hammered supportive and maintained me as head coach (of to the next level. He asked us to get credible and
their opponents to submission. the national team) when he took over the federa- hardworking officials who have the interests of
Kioni, who until his death a week ago also tion until 2016,”says Lung’aho. the game at heart and promised us he will for-
served as Confederation of African Volleyball Transforming the women’s national team in- ever remain a supporter of volleyball activities,”
vice-president, would rarely display emotion as to statistically the best in Kenya and Africa did said Lung’aho.
team Kenya, statistically the best African team not happen overnight. After graduating with a A trained public relations professional par ex-
by a mile, swept aside seasoned opposition from degree in Public Administration at the Universi- cellence, Kioni did not suffer any negative public-
West and North Africa. Instead, he’d remain ty of Nairobi in 1980, Kioni briefly practised jour- ity in his role as KVF chair and enjoyed a good re-
glued to the game, occasionally scribbling some nalism at the Standard Group before landing a lationship with the media. He is survived by four
notes, or whispering into the next ear. public administration job at Kenya Pipeline. children – Kioni Waithaka Jr, David, and celebrat-
“He was unique. It was not easy to know when He briefly played amateur football before ed motorcross riders Mwangi and Jemimah.
he was happy or disappointed; he would rare- stumbling his way into sports management.“I [email protected]