East Africa

Details: East Africa; 26 February 2023; 689

President William Ruto (left) and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (right) at separate events. TWITTER STATE HOUSE/ ODM

Five months after President William Ruto was sworn-in as Kenya's fifth president, the Azimio la Umoja coalition has embarked on a fact-checking mission to scrutinise the government's manifesto.

On Wednesday, February 22, Azimio party leader Raila Odinga issued demands to President Ruto, failure to which the opposition would lead the country to mass action in 14 days.

Among the demands were granting access to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) servers, the restoration of subsidies to cushion Kenyans from the high cost of living, the lowering of taxes and the formation of a bipartisan task force to oversee the IEBC restructuring.

File photo of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga speaking at a public rally. TWITTER RAILA ODINGA

In particular, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) scoffed at Ruto's remarks that the servers were accessible during the entire process of the election from the registration exercise of voters to the Supreme Court's verdict.

The party attached a letter from Smartmatic International Holdings dated August 31, 2022, which pointed out that opening the servers would compromise their intellectual property rights.

Instead, the company advocated for IEBC to avail all collected data related to the Results Transmission System as well as all Results Transmission System logs.

"This information should be sufficient to extensively audit the Results Transmission System and to verify that it worked properly. Also, all physical tally reports were available online in real-time since election night.

"All political parties and certified NGO election observers had access to those tallies and were able to audit the results independently. Even citizens all over the world had full access to these tally reports and were able to add the results," the statement read in part.

On Thursday, February 23, Ruto dismissed calls by Raila for the IEBC to open servers.

“It is necessary for our friends to know that the servers were opened when we all went to the polling stations. Demanding servers be opened now is taking us for granted. Is to believe that there are fools in Kenya. I want to tell our friends that the servers have always been open,” Ruto noted.

In addition, the opposition has been alleging that the incumbent is out of touch with the reality on the ground in terms of the high cost of living.

In response, Ruto asked Kenyans to be patient as he seeks to address the high cost of living.

He noted that efforts such as subsidising fertiliser, placing more arable land under food production, removing cartels in the agriculture trade and allowing imports from foreign markets would help remedy the situation.

"Our plan is to see Kenya making progress. I want to tell our rivals, you had five years and did handshakes. Maize flour prices hit Ksh230. Right now we have lowered it to Ksh180. They should give us time and see it coming to Ksh140 and Ksh120," Ruto stated during the commissioning of the Nairobi River on February 23, 2023.

A photo collage of President William Ruto speaking in Nairobi on February 23, 2023 (left) and Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressing the media on February 17, 2023 (right). TWITTER WILLIAM RUTO/ RAILA ODINGA By Brian Kimani -Kenyans.co.ke

Details: East Africa; 25 February 2023; 561

JUBA, FEBRUARY 24^th 2023 (SUDANS POST) – President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Friday signed at least four international treaties into law, days after a senior government official told journalists that the president will sign seven treaties into law.

In a statement, the presidency said Kiir signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Optional Protocol, International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, Protocol on the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol).

Speaking following the signing of the treaties into law by the president, the speaker of South Sudan’s peace parliament Jemma Nunu Kumba described the signing of the treaties by the president as an indication of the government “commitment to people with special needs and women’s rights.”

She added that lawmakers “were on recess and will resume work on 27^th of March 2023.”

On Tuesday, South Sudan’s cabinet minister Martin Elia Lomuro told journalists that the president will sign seven international treaties into law.

The other three treaties are Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Paris Accords or the Paris Climate Accords.

It remains unclear if the president will still sign these three treaties into law next week. - Sudans Post

Details: East Africa; 22 February 2023; 588

Raila Odinga addresses residents of Kisumu Town on February 18, 2023. TWITTER RAILA ODINGA

Azimio la Umoja party leader Raila Odinga on Wednesday, February 22, issued six demands to President William Ruto, failure to which the opposition would lead the country to mass action in 14 days.

Speaking at Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi County, Raila noted that food subsidies must be restored to cushion Kenyans from the high cost of living.

He pointed out that taxes subjected to Kenyans must come down within 14 days.

The ODM party leader noted that owing to the rising cases of learners dropping out of school, the government ought to subsidise fees to realise a 100 percent transition.

Raila detailed that electoral deceit must end. He called for servers to be opened and audited under the auspices of a reputable firm or organisation failure to which the opposition would lead the people to restore their authority and voice.

He also called for the ongoing process of reconstituting the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to stop.

In its place, Raila advocated for a bipartisan task force to be put in place to oversee the restructuring the electoral body. He claimed that the move would end its monolithic operations.

"If demands are not heeded within 14 days, we shall lead Kenyans to mass action across the country to restore sanity," Raila stated.

While addressing his supporters, Raila referenced Amos 5:11 and reiterated Prophet Amos' warning:

"You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses, you will never live in them. Though you plant lush vineyards, you will never drink wine from them," Raila quoted the Bible.

Raila also alleged a political witch-hunt against politicians allied with former president Uhuru Kenyatta, pointing out former Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and his lawyer, Danstan Omari.

"You see how they keep punishing Uhuru's former Cabinet. Recently, we saw what happened to Matiang'i. Now they want to inflict harm on Danstan Omari as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) wrote to him to investigate him. We want to tell them to leave Matiang'i and Omari alone," he noted.

The ODM party leader lauded comedian Eric Omondi and added that it was his constitutional right to hold peaceful demonstrations.

"Now Eric Omondi went to Parliament to defend Kenyans' rights and have peaceful demonstrations. We want to show Ruto that peaceful demonstration is a right," Raila warned.

A photo collage of Eric Omondi in the company of other activists during a protest along Parliament Road on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. DAILY NATION -TWITTER/STANDARD DIGITAL, By Brian Kimani, Kenyans.co.ke

Details: East Africa; 23 February 2023; 634

Statement from President Joe Biden on Nigeria’s Upcoming Election

I commend yesterday’s peace accord in Nigeria, signed by the political parties and candidates running in Nigeria’s presidential election on February 25. By signing this pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results of the election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, and to support a peaceful transition of power.

Elections are a fundamental part of a functioning democracy, and all Nigerians deserve this chance to choose their future — freely and fairly. While the United States does not support any single candidate or party, we strongly support a peaceful and transparent process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria. On election day, I encourage all Nigerians — no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity —to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard — including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.

The United States stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future. I appreciate President Buhari’s firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected. And in the coming days, I encourage voters to remain peaceful and patient as their ballots are tallied, and urge the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge. Peoples Gazette

Details: East Africa; 22 February 2023; 592

A photo collage of President William Ruto (Left) and British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott (Right). DAILY NATION

The UK government on Wednesday, February 22, added its voice to the case of sexual harassment at a tea farm in Kenya.

Through the British High Commissioner to Kenya Jane Marriott, the United Kingdom warned that the country considers sexual exploitation a serious offence.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Monday, February 20, 2023, released a documentary that detailed a sexual exploitation clique of male bosses who targeted female workers at UK tea firms operating in the country.

"Sexual abuse and exploitation has no place in society," she warned while asking the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to get to the bottom of the matter.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott giving a speech during the Kenya national elections conference held on Monday, July 11, 2022. MARRIOTT'S TWITTER

Marriott urged the companies concerned to protect their workers and cooperate with the police in ensuring that the suspects are brought to book.

"I am concerned by the allegations of appalling behaviour made in this documentary - sexual abuse and exploitation has no place in society.

"I welcome the commitment by the companies to investigate, cooperate with the Kenyan authorities, and take action to protect staff in Kenya," Jane Marriott noted.

The UK-based farm, James Finlay, which operates in Kenya on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, announced that it had sacked two contractors who were featured in the BBC exposé.

"We have terminated our agreement with John Chebochok’s company Sislo Holdings. All 300 contractors who were working with us through Sislo have been offered direct employment to ensure their livelihoods are not affected – 98 per cent have accepted," noted the firm in a statement.

James Finlay explained the fired employees were not allowed to return to the company without legal provisions of the land.

"We have also suspended John Asava. Both individuals have been barred from entering James Finlay Kenya," James Finlay noted.

According to Section 6 of the Employment Act, an employee is deemed to have been sexually harassed if the employer, its representative or a co-worker requests for any form of sexual favour in order to get preferential treatment at the workplace.

In Kenya’s Sexual Offences Act, a convicted person could be jailed for at least three years, or fined Ksh100,000, or both for engaging in sexual harassment.

Tea farmers in the field  FILE By Mark Obar, Kenyans.co.ke