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What’s going on around Kenya today – 31/07/2015


Raila hits out at Jubilee government over Auditor General’s report

CORD leader Raila Odinga has continued to put pressure on the Jubilee government to deal with corruption.

Speaking while hosting Migori County legislators at his Capitol Hill offices Thursday, Raila took issue with the report released by the Auditor General’s office in which queries are raised about over Sh 60 billion government expenditures that is not properly accounted for.

The Parliamentarians resolved to raise these issues on the floor of their respective houses with a view to establishing the truth on behalf of Kenyans.

In attendance at the event were MPs Omondi Anyanga (Nyatike) and John Kobado (Uriri) alongside Siaya Senator and CORD Coalition Management Committee Co-Chairman James Orengo.

 

An aerial picture of the carcasses found at the Tsavo West National Park. PHOTO | COURTESY
An aerial picture of the carcasses found at the Tsavo West National Park. PHOTO | COURTESY

2 arrested for slaughter of five elephants in Tsavo

The Kenya Wildlife Service said two suspects had been arrested after they were traced to Ndoomani area of Loitoktok sub-county where blood-stained weapons used to kill the elephants were found.

A major operation was underway at the Tsavo West National Park on Thursday following the killing of five elephants whose tusks were taken away.

KWS rangers were dispatched on a search mission and found five carcasses of freshly poached elephants comprising a female adult and four sub-adults with tusks missing.

The carcasses were traced and found at Losoita area of Tsavo West National Park from where the search mission team tracked the suspected poachers to the nearby manyatta.

Kaimenyi tells county directors to act on schools conducting holiday tuition

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi has instructed the county directors to ensure all schools adhere to the recommended fee guidelines.

Kaimenyi said that schools that offer tuition during the holidays are committing a gross abuse of rights of children, under the constitution and relevant policies.

“The Ministry has taken into account the curriculum load that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in providing for the holidays,” Kaimenyi said.

He added that April, August and December holidays gives an opportunity to learners to relax and learn important social skills through interactions amongst themselves and with adults while on holidays, Kaimenyi told the county directors in a circular.

“You are required to ensure that no schools, without exception, under your jurisdiction, conduct holiday tuition. For the avoidance of doubt, all private and public primary and secondary schools are subject to the Basic education Act and other policies on education,” he added.

Kenya Airways chief executive officer Mbuvi Ngunze (left) and group finance director Alex Mbugua. PHOTO | NAIROBI NEWS
Kenya Airways chief executive officer Mbuvi Ngunze (left) and group finance director Alex Mbugua. PHOTO | NAIROBI NEWS

Kenya Airways hopes tourism boom will lift fortunes

Kenya Airways sunk deeper into the red in the year through March, sending its shares plummeting on Thursday, but CEO Mbuvi Ngunze said the tourism slump that sparked the losses may have bottomed out.

The airline, part-owned by AirFrance-KLM, has faced rising debts due to new plane purchases and has been in the red for the past three years as Kenya’s tourism industry was hammered by Islamist militant attacks in the country.

Passenger numbers rose by 12.4% to 4.18 million, boosted by Jambojet, a low-cost carrier launched in April last year, but the impact was blunted by lower yields on passenger revenue.

The carrier, one of Africa’s largest, said its pretax loss widened to Sh 29.71 billion ($293 million) for 2014/15, from Sh 4.86 billion a year earlier, hurt by higher fleet and financing costs and an unrealised fuel hedging loss.

The carrier said its planes are often not full and increased competition from Gulf carriers forced it to discount some of its fares.

Government officials step aside over corruption allegation

Two members of the Laikipia County Government Executive Committee and one chief officer have stepped aside to pave way for investigations over corruption allegations.

The three, Joel Wamicwe (Finance executive secretary), Ann Cheptoo (Education and ICT executive secretary) and Chief officer Paul Chiuri were forced to leave office by Governor Joshua Irungu for allegedly engaging in corruption.

According to Irungu, the officials stepped aside to pave way for investigations.

The move has however been viewed by many as a strategy by Irungu to appease his MCAs who were planning to impeach him over rampant corruption by his government officials.

Ol Moran ward MCA, Dan Ndegwa said stepping aside alone is not enough, pointing that those culpable should be prosecuted.

“Sending home two members out of eight in a non-performing government is a mere public relations exercise,” he said.