Stories that caused a stir in 2014
1. Uhuru’s Hague case terminated
It had been a terrible, stifling and nerve wrecking six years for President Uhuru Kenyatta as he afced charges of crimes against humanity at the Netherlands based court.
The termination of his case in November thus came as a huge relief not just to the man, but his immediate family and friends.
2. Standard Gauge Railway
News that the government has acquired 300km of the 608 km stretch that is required for the building of a new railway line came as a huge relief.
This development is bound to create numerous job opportunities as well as ease the traffic snarl-ups on our roads, and reduce the cost of transporting good, services and people.
3. Petrol Prices slump
Motorists have had a particular easy time this year with the decline in petrol prices for five straight months.
Although this good news from the Energy Regulation Committee (ERC) did not have a direct impact on bus fare prices for commuters due to the imbalance between supply and demand during the festive season, it eased the burden on motorists and the public service industry is sue to reap big this Christmas and could even reduce on the cost of production and electricity.
4. Lupita puts Kenya on the map
Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o’s star has shone this year in Hollywood where she has bagged several awards for her role as “Patsy” in the movie “12 years a slave”, including Best Supporting Actress Awards in the coveted Oscar Awards.
The daughter of Kenyan politician Anyang’ Ny’ong’o’s talent and authenticity brought Kenya much joy as more young people are encouraged to take arts seriously.
The 31 year old is expected to have an even better 2015 season where she has been casted in three movies already.
5. Harambee Stars at the world Cup
Kenya stood no chance of securing a slot among the 32 teams at the 2014 FIFA World Cup staged in Brazil, but President Kenyatta found a way to sneak the team into the South American nation, to the excitement of several local folklore.
The headlines generated from this venture, coupled with a number of corporates lining up to be associated with this venture, ranked this as one of the most discussed events on social media.