Beatrice Waruguru, 21, died in unclear circumstances in Saudi Arabia. [Pkemoi Ng’enoh, Standard]
The family of 21-year-old woman who died in Saudi Arabia under unclear circumstances have refused to sign a form that allows them to collect her body.
Beatrice Waruguru’s family said they were being forced to sign the form without first ascertaining whether the body is that of their kin.
JKIA officials, however, maintained that they couldn’t allow the family to view the body at the facility, saying it was against airport policy.
Waruguru left Kenya for Saudi Arabia in February 2021, but died under unclear circumstances in December that year, with her family claiming she was tortured.
On Saturday, May 7, the family was informed that their daughter’s body had been processed for transportation from Saudi Arabia.When Waruguru’s family arrived at the JKIA on Wednesday, May 11, they were told to first sign body-receipt forms before her remains could be handed over to them.
Waruguru’s employment representative was supposed to witness the signing of body-receipt documents.
“We were told that we could only view the body after signing the receipt documents,” said Mercy Wanjiru, the deceased’s mother.
“The body, which I’m not sure is that of my daughter, had been wrapped like a luggage. The airport officers told us to accept it and go view it at the mortuary,” she added.
Wanjiru said they won’t accept a body which isn’t their kinsperson’s.
The deceased’s friend, Mercy Wambui, said Waruguru left Kenya for Saudi Arabia shortly after completing her secondary education.
“She never told me how she secured the deal to travel to Saudi Arabia,” said Wambui.
She, however, suspects that Waruguru was directed to an employment agent by a broker.
The Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) representative, Josephine Muriuki, said they will alert authorities that Waruguru’s body arrived at the JKIA, but her family refused to collect it.
JKIA officials, who spoke to The Standard in confidence, said the airport does not have body storage facilities.
UPDATE: At around 6pm Wednesday, Waruguru’s family agreed to collect the body after signing the receipt forms, five hours after the stand-off ensued. They were not allowed to view the body on site. The Standard understands that her remains will be kept at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home. By Pkemoi Ng'enoh , The Standard
A prisoner being moved from Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba FILE
A Kenyan man convicted of attempted robbery has staged a legal battle in the US to avoid being deported.
In a petition filed before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Kenyan is pushing to have some of the immigration rules adjusted to allow him to continue living in the US.
In the petition US Attorney General, Merrick Brian Garland, has been listed as a respondent, the Kenyan asserted he is eligible for relief under the Convention Against Torture.
However, his bid suffered a major setback after 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled out his argument stating that he did not present enough evidence.
As the 7th Circuit noted, the immigration judge found that, among other things, the Kenyan-born middle-aged man failed to effectively defend his right to stay in the US, and was also not able to prove that he had or would suffer torture once deported.
In particular, the Judge held that the Kenya could have presented written statements or telephonic testimony from his parents and sister who still live in Kenya to show that he had been tortured in his country of birth. He also could have provided evidence such as the death certificate of his friend he alleges was murdered by a police officer in Kenya and medical records from his hospitalization.
The court stated that he only provided the written statement and testimony of his wife, who was not personally familiar with the events from his childhood.
"Before the Board, the Kenya [name redacted] failed to contest the decision that he did not produce reasonably available corroborating evidence to support his application. Although he argued that the immigration judge overlooked a report and article describing country conditions in Kenya, he never challenged the immigration judge’s findings as to corroboration," Judge Michael Brennan wrote for the 7th Circuit.
According to the documents filed in court, the Kenyan was forced to move to the US after suffering various forms of trauma while in Kenya, including witnessing the 2007/08 post-election violence.
"He alleges he and his family endured several hardships during his childhood there. For example, he states that his father was regularly harassed and intimidated for political and religious reasons.
"He also claims he watched a police officer murder one of his friends during the political unrest following the 2007 Kenyan national election. Out of concern for his safety, he moved to his grandmother’s house and assumed a new name.
His grandmother then arranged for him to work for a company of acrobats so that he would be able to travel outside the country. Four years later, at age 19, he was admitted into the United States on a P1 nonimmigrant performer visa. He has not left the United States in the last 11 years, and he has overstayed his period of authorization since May 2017," the court documents read in part.
Before he was served with deportation orders, the Kenyan had served one year in prison after being accused of committing a number of crimes in the US. Kenyans.co.ke
President Uhuru Kenyatta with President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda during a past event. PHOTO | PSCU
Kenya has moved to avert a diplomatic spat with Uganda over a decision to localize fuel cargo meant for Kampala.
“We had a meeting with the Ugandan ministry and their technical people because they were afraid that they were going to have fuel shortage. We explained to them and also sent them their stocks in our facilities and they are satisfied,” Mr Kamau said on Monday.
Oil marketers allocate 60 percent of their fuel imports to the local market and 40 percent for the neighboring countries including Uganda.
Kenya’s decision to localise the two vessels at end of last month rattled Kampala, prompting the lawmakers to order Ugandan lawmakers to push for the release of all cargoes meant for the transit market.
“Our country is likely to be enveloped into new fuel prices, which may lead to escalating prices and yet this is something we have been suffering from in the recent past,” Ugandan lawmakers said last week.
The government also slashed fuel allocations for oil marketers that had increased their quotas for the neighbouring countries adding to the supply fears that have gripped Uganda.
Reduction of the fuel quotas is being implemented in three phases as the government moves in to tame the oil marketers whom it accused of economic sabotage.
Kenya has since last month been grappling with supply hitches that led to a three-week fuel shortage prompting the government to order localisation of fuel cargoes meant for the export market.
The crisis that was blamed on fuel hoarding by oil marketing firms, has since eased as supplies to petrol stations improve after the government raised pump prices in a monthly review.
Uganda like other neighbouring countries offer oil marketers higher returns because fuel prices are not controlled in addition to being paid instantly unlike in Kenya where the State compensation delays.
Energy officials in Uganda will on Wednesday report to Parliament on the talks with Nairobi, coming barely a month after Kampala sought fixed monthly transit petroleum product quotas to ease the shortage.
Kampala demanded a fixed allocation of 110,660 cubic metres of petrol and 110,400 cubic metres of diesel transported through Kenya to satisfy fresh demand following the reopening of its economy from the coronavirus lockdowns.
Energy Permanent Secretary Pauline Irene Batebe wrote the letter after a meeting by oil marketers operating in Kampala linked the fuel supply crisis facing the country to inadequate allocations from Kenya.
Uganda wants its oil marketing firms to continue being supplied under the open tender system through their sister companies in Kenya. By John Mutua, Business Daily
Listed Ugandan banks have been instructed to withhold $4.5 billion worth of dividend payouts
The Bank of Uganda first issued the directive in March 2020 and then reaffirmed its validity last month.
The initial reason for the directive was to enable commercial banks build enough financial buffers to withstand the economic fallouts caused by the pandemic.
In the meantime, the East African country is grappling with high inflation and other economic challenges caused by the war in Ukraine.
For the second consecutive year, shareholders of listed Ugandan banks will not be getting any dividend payments due to a directive by the Bank of Uganda. The directive requires the banks to suspend dividend payouts and build their liquidity buffers instead.
Business Insider Africa gathered that the directive was first given during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The country's apex bank explained that the rationale was to enable commercial banks to build enough financial buffers that will enable them to withstand the economic shocks resulting from the pandemic.
More than two years later since the directive was given in March 2020, it remains in effect. Last month, many bank shareholders were disappointed when the apex bank issued a circular informing the banks not to pay dividends for the financial year ended December 31st, 2021.
The Bank of Uganda cited the country's current volatile economic environment as the reason for the continued suspension of banks' dividend payouts.
As you may well know, the East African country is currently grappling with high fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and high inflation, all of which are linked to Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine and other factors.
A Partner at KPMG Uganda, Edgar Isingoma, earlier today told CNBC Africa that the directive by the Bank of Uganda is not out of place. He said:
"The move by the central bank definitely is aimed at preservation of capital in times of uncertainty, vulnerability and when there is a lot of ambiguity. As you know, the ambiguity has come first of all from the pandemic. Uncertainty then followed, in terms of how these banks are going to perform, especially with regards to loans and portfolio performance. As we talk now, there is uncertainty coming as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war. So, as part of its role in ensuring financial stability, the central bank comes in with this directive which tries to protect the financial stability of the banks. Therefore, the suspension of dividend payment is to allow the banks to keep enough capital while monitoring the uncertainties"
In the meantime, the banks are reportedly withholding as much as $4.5 billion worth of dividend payouts, for the 2-year period.
Jacob Krop walks off the track after winning the men's 5000m at the Kip Keino Classic/ Image:ERICK BARASA
The Olympic Games 5,000m finalist timed 13:12.19 as Daniel Mateiko (13:13.45 ) and national champion Daniel Simiu (13:14.51) finished second and third respectively
In Summary
•Krop is also contemplating giving the Commonwealth Games a wide berth
•In the women's 5000m, Ethiopian Girmawit Gibrzihair won the race in 14:49.97
Africa junior 5,000m silver medalist Jacob Krop has said his next stop is the Monaco Diamond League on August 10 after clinching the men's 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic.
The Olympic Games 5,000m finalist timed 13:12.19 as Istanbul Half Marathon second-place finisher Daniel Mateiko (13:13.45 ) and national champion Daniel Simiu (13:14.51) finished second and third respectively.
“For me, I want to run at the World Championships. Before that, I want to try my best to compete at the Monaco Diamond League so as to set the pace,” Krop said.
Krop, who failed to retain his 5,000m title at last week's Adidas Adizero Road To Records, said he is also contemplating giving the Commonwealth Games a wide berth.
“My focus is on the World championships and am thinking of avoiding the Commonwealth games,” the 2019 World Championships 5,000m finalist said.
In the women's 5000m, Ethiopian Girmawit Gibrzihair won the race in 14:49.97, ahead of Kenyan-born Kazakhstani, former Africa Junior 2,000m steeplechase silver medalist Daisy Chepkemei (15:08.97) and World under 20 5,000m silver medalist Zenah Chemutai of Kenya (15:12.59) in second and third. By EMMANUEL SABUNI, The Star
Informer East Africa is a UK based diaspora Newspaper. It is a unique platform connecting East Africans at home and abroad through news dissemination. It is a forum to learn together, grow together and get entertained at the same time.
To advertise events or products, get in touch by info [at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447957636854. If you have an issue or a story, get in touch with the editor through editor[at] informereastafrica [dot] com or call +447886544135.
We also accept donations from our supporters. Please click on "donate". Your donations will go along way in supporting the newspaper.
