A former banker and his wife are seeking Sh12 million from the state as compensation for the loss of property and trauma suffered at the height of the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Bethuel Njuguna and his wife Fidelis Wanjiru, in a joint affidavit, said the state failed to protect them and their children during the violence that rocked the country after the announcement of the presidential election results.

During this period, more than 1,000 people lost their lives, thousands were displaced from their homes, and property worth billions of shillings was either destroyed or looted in various parts of the country. 

Njuguna, a resident of Kuresoi in Nakuru county, said he lost his English mansion valued at Sh9.7 million on his 127.5 acres of land. Additionally, he suffered losses of assorted farm machinery worth Sh1.4 million and Sh273,500 in crops and livestock.

Nakuru High Court judge Heston Nyaga, who is presiding over the case, on Wednesday said the court will visit the scene. 

“The Deputy Registrar will visit the scene on November 30, and I will give guidance,” Nyaga said.

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• Defence Ministry under fire over delay to pay Sh1.8b awards

The banker, while testifying, said he was a government worker at Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and not a politician, questioning why the state failed to protect his family.

Expressing his grievances, Njuguna said the government failed and neglected to discharge its duty to gather relevant intelligence and put mechanisms in place to maintain peace, law, and order which led to him being displaced and his property ruined. 

“As a result of violence my family and I were displaced, our property destroyed, vandalised and looted thereby rendering us homeless, destitute which is a humiliating experience,” Njuguna said.

The land, he said, was bought in 1971 from a foreigner and has been his home since, but now his family is unable to return and recover their property. 

His son Samuel Mbugua said his parents managed to travel to Nairobi where he lives on January 12, 2008, but three days later he received a call from farm workers that the violence was near their farm.

“I called the OCS to inform him of the same and request for police officers to protect my father’s home, the OCS said he was unable to do that,” he added. The house, Mbugua said was attacked five days later, with the worker managing to escape, but 13 heads of cattle were stolen.

After the incident, following an intervention, he said that police visited the homestead but failed to assist. “Then on February 7, burglars broke into the house. The DO didn’t respond to my calls, and the house was set ablaze two days later,” he added. 

He accused security agencies of failing his family by not responding and protecting the properties even with the resources at their disposal.

The state through an affidavit by E.N Njuguna denied the allegations of negligence, maintaining it has never renounced its duty of maintaining peace, law and order.

“The defendant denies any failure by the government to protect and defend the constitution putting the plaintiff to strict proof to the contrary,” read the state affidavit. By Julius Chepkwony, The Standard

Renowned German biotechnology company BioNTech will start operations through its Rwanda-based factory on December 18.

Since 2021, the government of Rwanda has been working with BioNTech on the construction of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant for mRNA-based vaccines.

“Everyone is expecting the factory to be launched. That will happen before the end of this year, to kick-off operations in research of vaccines and therapeutics and vaccine manufacturing, though it will not be instant production as it’s a process that takes time,” said Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the Minister of Health.

ALSO READ: Construction of BioNTech vaccine plant launched in Kigali

A memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties in 2021 led to the establishment of a BioNTech facility in the Special Economic Zone in Gasabo District in June 2022.

After months of serious work that involved the shipping and installation of BioNTainers (facilities equipped to manufacture a range of mRNA-based vaccines), the factory is now ready.

The Rwanda-based facility covers an area of about 30,000 square metres. It is equipped with BioNTainers (for the production of mRNA and formulated bulk drug products).

ALSO READ: BioNTech first modular vaccine factory arrives in Rwanda

The plant is expected to start by producing 50 million vaccines, but production will increase depending on the demand.

According to BionTech, the facility is expected to become the first node in a decentralised and robust end-to-end manufacturing network in Africa.

BioNTech is also pursuing facility developments in Senegal and South Africa, in close coordination with each country.

ALSO READ: Five things to know about Rwanda’s vaccine manufacturing ambitions

Vaccines from such infrastructures will be intended for people residing in member states of the African Union, with the aim to support access to novel medicines.

BioNTech is advancing mRNA-based vaccine candidates to address malaria and tuberculosis based on the Company’s mRNA platform. By Hudson Kuteesa, The New Times

The Kakamega county government is contemplating moving to court to sue the state over the ongoing demolitions in Milimani estate.
Governor Fernandes Barasa said his administration will be seeking millions of shillings in compensation. 

Speaking when he visited Milimani estate yesterday, Barasa said his administration was not consulted by the national government over the demolitions.

“We are an interested party in this matter because part of this land belongs to the defunct municipality and on that basis, the land is automatically under county government. We are going to be enjoined in a suit against the national government which has acted through the office of Regional Commissioner so that victims can be compensated,” said the governor. 

He accused Western Regional Commissioner Irungu Macharia of aiding the demolition on behalf of the national government in contravention of court order.

“We were not part of the ongoing demolitions and we never authorized it, what is going on is on the mercies of the Regional Commissioner who is acting on behalf of the national government and we will be moving to court against what he has done," said the county chief.

The governor termed the demolition 'impunity of the highest order' after the Kakamega Law Courts issued orders stopping the exercise.
“We are going to court to stop the ongoing demolition and it is so unfortunate that the government has decided to act in contempt of court orders and decided to go on with the demolitions at night," said Barasa. 

He termed the move by the national government a threat to devolution saying the demolition is selective and only county government buildings and those of private individuals are being targeted.

“The state has an ill motive, the demolitions are discriminatory because we are only seeing the county buildings being demolished and those that belong to the national government are being spared, this is a threat to devolution and violation of the Constitution,” said Barasa. By Bernard Lusigi, The Standard

Reacting to reports that Sultan Al Jaber, the president-designate of COP28, who is also the chief executive of ADNOC, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) state oil and gas company, was briefed to advance the interests of the businesses he leads before dozens of bilateral meetings about the climate summit, Amnesty International's Climate Advisor Ann Harrison said:

"Sultan Al Jaber claims his inside knowledge of the fossil fuel industry qualifies him to lead a crucial climate summit but it looks ever more like a fox is guarding the hen house. The appointment of the chief executive of one of the world's largest fossil fuel companies to lead COP28 was always a brazen conflict of interests which undermines the meeting's ability to reach the outcome we desperately need.

"Amnesty International has repeatedly warned it was not possible for Sultan Al Jaber to be an honest broker at a summit where the rapid and equitable phasing-out of fossil fuels to avert further trashing the climate and a just transition to renewable energy must be the priority. The stakes are huge, with our world heating at an unprecedented rate, many are already suffering, and the rights of billions of people are at stake.

"We are already experiencing a climate and human rights catastrophe caused by fossil fuels, yet since Sultan Al Jaber was made the COP28 president-designate in January, ADNOC has unveiled ambitious expansion plans, entirely incompatible with protecting the climate and safeguarding people's rights to a safe andclean, healthy and sustainable environment.

"Our calls on Sultan Al Jaber to step down from his role at ADNOC if he wishes to lead a successful summit remain valid. Documents suggesting he was briefed to advance business interests in COP meetings only fuel our concerns that COP28 has been comprehensively captured by the fossil fuel lobby to serve its vested interests that put the whole of humanity at risk."

Background

ADNOC is among the ten largest producers of oil and gas in the world. According to documents obtained by the Centre for Climate Reporting, Sultan Al Jaber was briefed to advance the interest of ADNOC and Masdar, another state-owned energy company focused on renewables and hydrogen. It was previously reported that ADNOC staff were seconded to the COP28 organizing team in the UAE, and COP28 communications were reportedly routed through ADNOC computer servers.

COP28 runs from 30 November to 12 December and brings together more than 190 states and other parties to address the climate crisis. Amnesty International has published a formal advocacy briefing for COP28. Amnesty International's Secretary-General Agnès Callamard will attend COP28 from 1 to 6 December as part of a Amnesty International delegation which will be present throughout the event.