Photo Courtesy K24

The Central Organization Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli says the government should be involved in negotiating working terms for domestic workers in Arab counties.

Atwoli spoke after a disturbing video of a woman alleging to be in the gulf seen breastfeeding puppies.

The lady laments that she travelled to the country in search of greener pastures after two months of giving birth and upon the realization of her employer, she was asked to feed the dogs.

Speaking to the media,

"This is indirect slavery. I'm appealing to the new government to do what Kibaki did when Phyllis Kandie was Minister for labour. She banned employment agencies in Kenya. 

"Let negotiations for immigrant workers to the Middle East from Kenya be government to government so people can do decent jobs. Some of these terms and conditions of services are  dangerous and deny Kenyans dignity and respect. I appeal to President William Ruto to review issues related to outside employment as guided by the international labour organisation," Atwoli

At the same time, Atwoli pleaded with women to stay in the country with a small pay instead of travelling to the Arab nations terming it as modern-day slavery.

"I'm appealing to young men and women, remain the way we are but keep our dignity, let us remain here as poor as we are. You better earn Ksh 10,000 and remain here since jobs out there are demeaning," Atwoli pleaded.

Own will...

This comes barely months after foreign affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said that Kenyans are suffering in Saudi Arabia out of their own free will. 

He says the ministry has cautioned against shipping domestic workers to Saudi but Kenyans 'have chosen not to listen'.

His statement was in response to AMREF Communications Director Lizz Ntonjira who questioned why there are agencies still facilitating their travel regardless of the many tragedies in the past.

"For how long will our sisters continue being enslaved in the middle east? Does it have to always get here for Govt to intervene? How many lives have been lost in the past?

"Still, do these rogue agencies that send these young girls out there exist? What is being done?" Lizzie questioned.

Macharia responded by putting the blame on the victims saying;

"We have told Kenyans repeatedly to stop sending this category of workers to Saudi. You’ve chosen not to listen."  By Naomi Njoroge, K24

JUBA – President Salva Kiir has this evening arrived in the Ugandan capital Kampala to take part with other African heads of states in the celebration for Uganda’s 60^th independence anniversary.

The neighboring country is marking 60 years of independence on Sunday, October 9^th, since gaining independence from Britain in 1962.

“H.E Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan has arrived in the country,” the Ugandan presidency said in a statement on its twitter handle this evening.

“He joins H.E Ruto (Kenya), H.E Ndayishimiye (Burundi) who arrived earlier for tomorrow’s Independence Day celebrations. Prior to the event, their Excellencies will be hosted to a state dinner,” the statement,” the statement adds.

Kiir was given a low-profile reception as little-known officials appeared to receive him at the airport.

His visit will be an opportunity for him to discuss bilateral relations with Museveni.

He is also expected to meet his newly-elected Kenyan counterpart William Ruto on the sideline of the celebration. - Sudans Post

Ten people, among them, top police officers have been shortlisted for interviews to be the next Director of Criminal Investigations.

In a tweet by the National Police Service Commission, the ten (10) candidates, each of whom seeks to fill the vacant position left by Kinoti have been invited for interviews and vetting. 

The ten are; 

1. Amin Ibrahim Mohamed
2. Bernard Barasa Walumoli
3. Eliud Kipkoech Lagat
4. Gideon Nyale Munga
5. Esther Chepkosgei Seroney
6. David Kipkosgey Birech
7. Jonyo Michael Wiso
8. Nicholas Ireri Kamwende
9. Paul Jimmie Ndambuki
10. Simon Mwangi Wanderi

Among those shortlisted are top bosses within the police service, drawn from different units including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

Mohammed Amin is the head of internal affairs unit, while Michael Wiso currently serves as Legal Director in the National Police Service. Bernard Walumoli on the other hand is the coast region DCI boss. Eliud Lagat is the DCI head of reforms and a long serving head of bomb unit.

The ten candidates will appear for interviews on Tuesday, 11^th October 2022 at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi. 

More than 160 Kenyans had applied to succeed George Kinoti as the Director of the Criminal Investigations. The applications were accepted between September 29 and October 6.

Besides police officers, seasoned lawyers and civil society members are among those who had applied for the position.

Kinoti exited the DCI on September 27, 2022.

He had been appointed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss in January 2018 during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s second term.

After a four-year stay at the helm of the investigative agency, he exited under a cloud of disapproval by President William Ruto, who accused him of weaponising the war on graft and other crimes, especially during the run-up to the August 9, 2022 General Election. 

Dr Ruto accused Kinoti of targeting leaders who were affiliated to him and opposed to Raila Odinga’s presidential bid.

Odinga, the first runner-up in the presidential election, was Ruto’s main rival in the Kenyatta-succession contest.

Kinoti served as Kenya’s 11th DCI director, taking over from Ndegwa Muhoro, who had been at the helm of DCI for eight years, between 2010 and 2018.

According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), the DCI chief earns a basic salary of Sh372,750, a House Allowance of Sh100,000 and a Salary Market Adjustment of Sh148,400, bringing the total gross monthly salary to Sh621,250.

The immediate former DCI director, Kinoti, has since been absorbed by the Public Service Commission (PSC). His assignment area remains unrevealed.

Prior to his rise to DCI director, George Kinoti was the Director of Corporate Communications at the National Police Service.