Six people have died after a 14-seater matatu collided head-on with a saloon car and burst into flames at Kwa Majini area in Yatta Sub-County, Machakos County.
The accident occurred at 9am on Friday, July 15 on the Thika-Garissa Highway.
The public service vehicle (PSV) was heading towards Nairobi from Matuu, while the saloon car was heading towards Garissa direction.
All the six people, who died, were aboard the matatu, which caught fire after the crash.
Their bodies have been taken to Matuu Level Four Hospital morgue. By Erastus Mulwa, The Standard
Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga on Thursday rallied Mombasa residents to consider his bid as he promised to review the controversial Standard Gauge Railway cargo directive if elected.
Raila said his government will revive the economy of the coastal town and ensure nobody is forced to use SGR as is the case currently.
He said importers will have a free hand to choose their preferred mode of transport for their cargo.
Government directives currently compel all cargo imported through the port of Mombasa to be hauled to Nairobi and the hinterland exclusively by SGR.
The former Prime Minister said the directive, which was opposed by his Azimio MPs, rendered thousands of locals jobless weakening the Mombasa economy.
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed had called on Raila to consider reviewing the regulations.
Raila accused Deputy President William Ruto of engineering the ‘retrogressive’ SGR directive in the National Assembly.
“They brought a motion that made it mandatory for all cargo to be hauled through SGR, they are now shedding crocodile tears,” Raila said.
“We have a plan to bring back the Mombasa economy. We will implement an open sky policy where tourists will fly directly to Mombasa without going through Nairobi.”
The Azimio candidate said SGR and expanded port services were the brainchild of the grand-coalition government promising to make it work as they envisioned with late President Mwai Kibaki.
Raila accused Ruto of double-speak over the relocation of port services to Naivasha.
He said his administration will restore the region’s economy and turn Mombasa into the next Dubai, attracting direct international investments.
The ODM leader spoke when he toured the Coastal city to drum up support for his bid.
He was accompanied by his running mate Martha Karua.
The Narc Kenya boss said the Azimio government will have no sacred cows when it comes to fighting against corruption.
“Under Azimio, there will be no special treatment even if you are my brother or sister. The law will apply to all,” she said.
Leaders in Raila’s entourage included Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli, Governor Hassan Joho, Senator Mohamed Faki, and former Gatanga Peter Kenneth.
Others were MPs Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe, Junet Mohamed (Suna East, Babu Owino (Embakasi East) and Naomi Shaban (Taveta MP).
Raila called on Coastal voters to adopt a six-piece voting pattern to ensure the coalition has controlling numbers in the bicameral Parliament and the local assemblies.
“We have 24 days to the ballot, I don’t want you to vote for me as President without foot soldiers. I want my team,” he said.
Karua said the Azimio government will only push through his manifesto if it has a majority of MPs in Parliament to push the government's legislative agenda.
The leaders campaigned in Kengeleni, Sabasaba, Changamwe, and Jomvu where they urged electorates to reject Ruto saying he is unfit to lead.
Raila promised to embark on the delivery of his manifesto promises insisting they are achievable and will not get distracted by critics.
“We are on the final stretch, we are marching to the ballot. It is upon you to herald change or fuel continuation of status quo,” he said.
Raila reiterated his commitment to rollout the Babacare health insurance scheme that will ensure millions of vulnerable Kenyans have access to health services and implement the Sh6000 monthly social protection stipend in his first 100 days in office. - LUKE AWICH AND ALLAN OTIENO, The Star Edited by Kiilu Damaris
Bothered by occasional eviction of indigenous Sengwer community from Embobut Forest in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Ms Mary Komen took a bold step to remedy an unending crisis.
Ms Komen, 45, said evictions by the government had subjugated families, causing the minority group untold suffering.
“In all this crisis, women and girls suffered the most because when houses were burnt down, a majority of them became victims of sexual violence. They had no one to stand up against the injustices meted out to them because men had wandered off,” she reminisces.
“The girls were married off at a tender age after being subjected to the retrogressive female genital mutilation, which was still very rampant in the area. And with no education, they could not be independent and within no time they had babies that would soon be married off even before celebrating their 15th birthday and the vicious circle continued.”
Ms Komen decided to join Defenders’ Coalition to fight for the rights of the people. This was a decade ago. She says the situation has since been changing, with more girls now joining learning institutions.
“We have successfully sued several pedophiles and some have been jailed for over 10 years. Also, there has been a clamour for land rights and the government cannot just evict people without an alternative land for settling the Sengwer community.”
She says society is beginning to appreciate women's leadership, unlike before when they were treated like children, adding that this is a result of heightened human rights activism.
“Women are now being included in various community committees and their voices are heard. No decree is passed without the input of women, especially on land rights. This is a step in the right direction and we shall soldier on to advocate women rights.”
Ms Komen said that through human rights activism, she, together with others, has successfully blocked billions of shillings, which the government had sourced to rehabilitate Embobut Forest.
“The money, partly, was to be used to evict the Sengwer community from their homes, besides subjecting them to more torture like before. We, as a community, have never been against environmental conservation, but when the funds are used to cause human suffering, then we feel aggrieved,” she says.
The mother of seven states that to keep abreast of her activism work, she had to undergo training, more specifically in women's and children's rights, including land ownership.
“I have been to Cameroon to learn more about indigenous and marginalised communities still living in forests. I have attended several court cases in Tanzania on indigenous people and land rights and this gave me vast experience in my advocacy. I also attended training in Kenya and we now argue from an informed point of view.”
She has also secured a social protection programme under which 40 people aged 60 and above are given a monthly stipend of Sh5,000. But her work, despite winning the 2020 human rights defender of the year, has been curtailed by inadequate funds, which are sourced through the organisation.
“A lot of advocacy is still needed on gender issues, as well as land rights, but you cannot do much because you access little money. Rural communities need emancipation on various issues; on several occasions, I have been holding radio talk shows to educate the public on issues that affect them.”
Her work has also been curtailed by society, which maligns her because of the advocacy work, sometimes abusing her.
“We have been branded derogatory names, which, sometimes, is spiteful and we have been nicknamed. There have also been threats, especially from suspects, and even when we seek police protection, we are never accorded any,” she says.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. By Fred Kibor, Daily Nation
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan told the Bishops of Eastern Africa that she was pleased to discover that Pope Francis stresses the issue of environmental protection.
She addressed participants in the 20th Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) on Tuesday, 12 July.
"It should be part of your mission and strategic plan to be more inspiring, and as the Holy Father stated, the Earth is our common home. Certainly, we here in Tanzania value the social life that is in line with the Catholic Church's strategy, that we now build our own home."
The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, called on religious and political leaders and Catholic faithful in the region to ensure that they maintain peace and take care of the environment everywhere.
President Samia said the presence of peace in the country helps to preserve ecology and protects against environmental degradation and deforestation, as well as reducing sea pollution.
It is therefore everyone's responsibility to protect the environment and not jeopardize overall development.
President Samia also said Tanzania must take care of water sources and forests, and plant trees to ensure that the environment is clean in all cities, as outlined in the National Environmental Policy.
On the other hand, President Samia said that the Government of Tanzania is pursuing an integrated development policy, and is therefore ready to work with non-governmental organizations, including religious and social organizations to achieve a better future for human life and development.
"It is great to think and implement the goals of sustainable development which do not concern only the world but also they are our goals in the African Union. So, congratulations to all the Bishops, Cardinals and Religious Leaders,” she said.
President Samia lauded Pope Francis’ desire to address the issue of environmental protection "as part of your mission and strategic plan to be more inspiring. It is for this reason the Holy Father stated, the Earth is our common home."
“Certainly, we here in Tanzania value the social life that is in line with the strategy of the Catholic Church, so we agree that we should now build our own home.”
In this regard, President Samia called upon religious leaders to continue implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the world at large, but also in the African Union (AU), including environmental protection.
“As you know, our government is a responsive and receptive government,” she said. “Bring your feedback on environmental stewardship, so that we can set up forums. Today, as you are discussing the issue of the environment, we would like to get your resolutions and see how we are integrating them in our national policies. We all want to protect our treasure, our home that God created for us.”
All bishops and participants in the 20th AMECEA Confederation Conference had been invited to dinner at the State House.
The meal was also attended by political leaders and council elders.
After the reception, the prayer before the meal was led by Bishop Flavian Kasala, Vice President of the Bishops’ Conference of Tanzania.
The meal was followed by an exchange of gifts, among which were those given by the AMECEA Cardinals, Archbishops, and others.
President Samia reiterated her message to bring their views on environmental protection so that together they can come to a common agreement.
The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) is a regional institution of Catholic Bishops in Eastern Africa with nine member countries, namely Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. By Angella Rwezaula – Dar Es Salaam
Nairobi has been named among the world's 50 greatest places of 2022 in a new ranking by TIME Magazine.
In the ranking, TIME noted that the Expressway was among the major reasons why Nairobi made it to the list due to the advantage it has brought in solving the traffic jam crisis in the east African city.
The publication noted that Nairobi offers a variety of outstanding sites and treats that visitors may enjoy. Moving away from the usual Safari that Kenya is popularly known for, TIME noted that the capital offered art and cultural experiences that newbies would enjoy.
"The brand-new Nairobi Expressway, the $650 million (Ksh76 billion) project, provides a long-overdue reprieve from congestion in the centre of the city, so residents and visitors can access it more easily and quickly than ever before," the magazine noted.
"And although tourists may have previously opted to make a beeline into the bush, today Nairobi is offering visitors plenty of reasons to keep inside the capital. The Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute (NCAI) just celebrated its opening with an exhibit showcasing Nairobian artist Sane Wadu."
The growing food scene in Nairobi was also a key point in the recommendations by TIME. According to the publication, the city holds a variety of cultures and the food scene had grown to accommodate travellers looking to enjoy international cuisine.
"In the food scene, a synthesis of global inspiration is heating up. Cultiva Farm Kenya is an exceptional example, where Ecuadorian restaurateur Ariel Moscardi renders East African ingredients and flavours with South American techniques."
Kenya is among Africa's fastest-growing economies and a number of international start-ups and businesses have planted their roots in Nairobi, this has also expedited the growth of education with companies giving back to the local communities through CSRs.
"In the district of Mukuru, Micato Safaris opened the Harambee Community Centre, providing resources and education to help ensure that the recent economic boom will be felt more equitably," TIME noted.
Nairobi was among the only four other cities in Africa that made it to the TIME magazine ranking. Kigali, South Africa's Franschhoek, known for its wineries, and Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park were also recommended.
The list was compiled by TIME's international network of correspondents and contributors.
The 50 cities to make the list include classic big-hitters and less-explored spots, but what unites them is that they are "thriving, growing and changing." By
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