Muscat: The Foreign Ministry has welcomed the Security Council’s adoption of a resolution by the majority calling for a cessation of hostilities in the Republic of Sudan, and considers this resolution an important step toward achieving stability and peace in Sudan....

Read more on: https://www.omanobserver.om/article/1150738/oman/community/foreign-ministry-welcomes-un-resolution-on-sudan

All National Government electronic advertisements will now be disseminated through the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) upon authorization by the Government Advertising Agency.

This follows a directive made through a letter to chief executive officers of state corporations, independent commissions and public universities by Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Prof Edward Kisiang’ani.

According to Prof Kisiang’ani, this move aligns with government policy of reviving ailing public sector entities and ensuring that any public-private partnership is not skewed against public sector.

“In light of the foregoing, all public sector electronic (radio and television) advertisements from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that fall under the National Government, Independent Commissions and Public Universities shall be handled by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) upon authorization by the Government Advertising Agency,” said Prof Kisiang’ani in a letter dated March 7, 2024.

The decision is further supported by the large network coverage the national broadcaster offers, a factor which the ministry says guarantees wide reach by advertisers.

Additionally, the directive is expected to boost the funding to the corporation as the government embarks on its revival through a modernization framework in order to make it a premier national broadcaster in the Africa.

“This effort requires the national broadcaster to take the lead in the dissemination of information in Kenya,” he added.

The directive is also on the backdrop of a circular by the National Treasury published in 2015 which led to the formation of GAA which has since centralized public sector advertising in a bid to cut costs through efficiency in the procurement process.

This comes as government targets to reduce the amount of pending bills owed to the media industry while maintaining smooth flow of public sector advertising services.

A recent report by the Communications Authority of Kenya indicates that out of Ksh 16.1 billion advertisers spent on media between July and September 2023, television had the largest allocation at Ksh 10.9 billion followed by radio at Ksh 3.6 billion and print Ksh 1.6 billion. By Ronald Owili, KBC

Millions of Commonwealth citizens will benefit from improved people-centred access to justice as law ministers concluded their meeting in Zanzibar yesterday with a package of new measures and pledges. 

The package was shaped by four-day deliberations among ministers, with input from diverse stakeholders, including people with disabilities, civil society representatives and leading innovators in the legal sector. 

As part of this package, ministers resolved to ramp up efforts to remove barriers to access to justice and address the legal needs of all citizens. 

Key provisions include improved access to justice for people with disabilities, a model law on virtual assets, a new action plan to protect women from online violence and a proposal to eliminate gender-discriminatory legislation. 

Ministers also welcomed an array of new Commonwealth legal resources, including a mediation guide, a small claims court app for dispute resolution and a database for cooperation on criminal matters. 

Additionally, they adopted the Commonwealth guidelines on the treatment of electronic evidence in criminal proceedings, designed to offer member countries a framework to craft national legislation. 

To support the implementation, ministers requested the Commonwealth Law Ministers Action Group to report progress at the next meeting. 

The package summarises the outcome statement issued by ministers, representing one-third of humanity, at the end of their meeting on 8 February 2024. 

'A powerful mandate' 

Speaking after the meeting, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, said the measures were "absolutely critical" because two-thirds of the world's population lack meaningful access to justice. 

She continued: 

"Our discussions have been purposeful, our decisions have been meaningful, and our powerful new consensus allows us to take the next giant steps forward towards equal access to justice, in modernised legal systems, across our wonderful Commonwealth. 

"We leave Zanzibar with a powerful mandate which will allow us to take the next decisive steps to ensure justice for all is the lived experience of every one of the 2.5 billion people living in our Commonwealth." 

In their statement, ministers recognised the Secretariat's tech-driven justice solutions and its work on artificial intelligence as important interventions in improving access to legal information and transforming justice delivery in today's complex world. 

The Secretariat also presented several papers in the field of energy and extractives, including a carbon tax model law and an oil and gas decommissioning guide, which leverage legislation in efforts to tackle climate change and deliver a just transition. 

Substantive outcomes 

Hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania from 4 to 8 March 2024, the meeting was chaired by Hon Ambassador Dr Pindi H. Chana, the country's Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, who commended the substantive outcomes. 

Officiating the closing ceremony on 8 March 2024, H.E. Hussein Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, said: 

"I am pleased to note that the meeting has recorded a number of achievements, which challenge us to undertake reforms in an effort to ensure that justice is accessible to all. 

"I am aware of efforts that the Commonwealth countries have taken to shape its agenda on the rule of law and access to justice. It is high time that you made the same efforts on access to justice through digitisation." 

The outcomes from the meeting will shape the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later this year.

 The next meeting will be hosted by the Government of Fiji in February 2026.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has filed several suits at the Environment and Lands Court seeking to recover several parcels of land allegedly grabbed by private developers.

The Commission in a statement through its spokesperson Erick Ngumbi said it has filed four separate cases seeking to recover five parcels of land valued at Sh1.6 billion.

The parcels are located at the junction of Haile Selassie Avenue and Uhuru Highway and are alleged to have been originally alienated for Kenya Railways Corporation.

Among those sued in the cases include private entities and former Commissioners of Land, Neno Evangelism Centre Registered Trustee, Apostle James Maina Nganga, Arts 680 Limited and Kobil Petroleum Limited (Rubis Energy). 

Pastor Ng'ang'a and Neno Evangelism have been sued in respect to parcel Number LR. No. 209/9640 and LR. No. 209/12361 valued at Sh480 million and Sh30 million respectively.

• 
• EACC seeks to recover Sh1.6 billion land from private owners
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• Win for Kenya Railways as land lease cancelled

Kenya Railways Corporation in November 2023 sued Neno Evangelism Registered Trustees and three others. It named EACC as an interested party. KRC and EACC claim a mesne profit of Sh500 million.

Apostle Ng''anga in August 2023  sued Kenya Railways over land parcel number 209/12361. Kenya Railways filed a defence in September 2023. It also amended its defence, introduced a counterclaim, and joined EACC as a second plaintiff in the counter-claim which was filed in February 2024. EACC and KRC want Ng''anga to pay Sh250 million mesne profit having utilised the land for 25 years. 

Arts 680 Limited has been sued in respect to land parcel number LR. No 209/12492 valued at Sh380 million while Kobil Petroleum Limited has been sued in respect to parcels Numbers LR. No. 209/9641 and LR. No. 209/12133 all valued at Sh720 million.

Land parcel No 209/12492 is occupied by Arts Limited, LR. No. 209/9640 (Nganga), LR. No. 209/9641 (Kobil) and LR. No. 209/12361 (Neno Evangelism) EACC claims originally belonged to Kenya Railways Corporation. 

In 1953, Kenya Railways allegedly surrendered Land Reference. No. 209/9640 and LR. No. 209/9641 for purposes of construction of the Post and Telecommunication Headquarters. In 1960, Kenya Railways surrendered more land where orbiting the earlier surrender for the construction of a flyover and cloverleaf intersection. The land surrendered in 1960 includes LR. No 209/12492.

No. 209/12361 is a truncation of the road connecting Haile Selassie Avenue to Rhodes Avenue serving Nairobi Central Railway Station, Marshalling Yard, railway residential houses, and other sections of the yard. It is part of the road junction at a T-intersection for purposes of provision of adequate space for safety and visibility for vehicular and human traffic, to avert a blind spot at the T-junction.

Land Reference No. 209/12133, EACC claims was excised from a public road reserve.  On it contained a public amenity – a public toilet owned and managed by the Nairobi City Council. 

In the ELC Case No. E182/2023, EACC sued Japheth Kimutai Chepkeres and four others. EACC instituted the suit in May 2023 for the recovery of LR. No 209/12492 whose current registered owner is Arts 680 Limited. EACC’s case was consolidated with ELC E064 of 2021 Arts 680 Limited v Kenya Railways Corporation and four others. Arts 680 Limited had sued KRC and KeNHA. By Julius Chepkwony |The Standard