Governor Mutua to officially launch Maendeleo Chap Chap Movement

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua is due to officially launch the Maendeleo Chap Chap Movement today at the Bomas of Kenya.

It is expected that delegates from all 47 counties will attend the event and Mutua says it will focus on development and people driven politics.

More than 50 MPs, 350 MCAs and many hopefuls are also expected to attend and the movement has already opened offices in 35 counties.

The Machakos Governor has in the past stated that the Maendeleo Chap Chap movement wave is ‘unstoppable’ as it brought a paradigm shift in Ukambani politics which, he said, was now tilting to development instead of populist rhetoric.

He had also stated that he will defend his seat on the Maendeleo Chap Chap party ticket.

Maendeleo Chap Chap and Unity Movement, early this year was declared a political party.

He had stated that his decision to defend his seat in 2017 through Maendeleo Chap Chap was inspired by mistrust in the Wiper Party.

 

DONALD TRUMP HIRES NEW CAMPAIGN C.E.O

U.S. Republican Donald Trump overhauled his presidential campaign team for the second time in less than two months, hiring the head of a conservative news website to bolster his combative image and try to reverse poor opinion poll numbers.

Trump named Steve Bannon, head of the Breitbart News website, as campaign chief executive officer, a new position. He also promoted senior adviser Kellyanne Conway to the post of campaign manager.

The latest shake-up combines Bannon, a conservative flamethrower, with Conway, a measured, data-driven analyst who might be able to broaden Trump’s appeal to women and independent voters.

It offers Trump’s team a chance to return to the “let Trump be Trump” style practiced by former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski that helped Trump, who has never held elective office, win the Republican presidential nomination for the Nov. 8 election.

Lewandowski, ousted in the last campaign reorganization in June, said on CNN that Bannon was “a street fighter” like himself. A Trump campaign statement announcing the changes touted a Bloomberg Politics article that branded Bannon “the most dangerous political operative in America.”

Whether that style will work in the fight against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is unclear. Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV host, has largely been unable to extend his reach beyond white middle-class voters who pack his rallies.

Trump trails Clinton in national opinion polls and in many battleground states, potentially facing a big defeat that could also cost Republicans congressional races.

Trump, who relishes revving up crowds with off-the-cuff remarks, drew criticism for comments insulting women, Muslims and Mexican immigrants during the primary campaign for the Republican nomination.

He has since faced a barrage of criticism from Republicans over his campaign style and his refusal to stick to a policy message. In particular, he has been rebuked for his prolonged feud with the family of a Muslim U.S. Army captain who was killed in the Iraq war.

 

RAILA ENDORSES IEBC EXIT DEAL

CORD leader Raila Odinga has endorsed the report prepared by the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reforms which among others calls for the reconstitution of new Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commissioners (IEBC) by September 30.

The former Prime Minister urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to hold consultations on the new electoral officials.

This comes after the National Assembly approved a two-day extension for the Joint Select team to submit their report after meeting both President Kenyatta and the CORD leader.

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Minority counterpart Francis Nyenze further confirmed that they will submit the Joint Select Committee Report and proposed Bills during Thursday’s sitting.

The 14-member team had earlier in the day met with the leadership of the coalitions in Parliament where they briefed them on their findings of the four thematic areas that they were looking into.

The CORD leader called on President Kenyatta to whip his Jubilee Coalition MPs which enjoys majority representation in both Houses to support the adoption and implementation of the recommendations.

“It was give and take… we have conceded many issues we were insisting on for the sake of this country. All CORD members will support the report and the draft bills,” he said,

In its report, the Joint Select Committee recommended that the nine Commissioners led by Chairman Issack Hassan must exit office by September 30 to ensure the appointment of seven new commissioners in time for the 2017 General Election.

 

KEEP OFF MY FUNCTIONS!

Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau has warned Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria to keep off his functions

This comes after the governor said he does not need an invite or consent to attend his bitter rival’s public events in any part of Murang’a County.

Governor Wa Iria vowed to be gracing all the public events organized by Kamau in any part of the county, saying that as the county boss he does not require any invitation.

“I will always be the unexpected guest. Mr Jamleck Kamau is afraid of my presence because he cannot lie or malign my name in public as he is used to in my absence,” the governor said.

The legislator however asked the governor to respect his functions by keeping off them, saying he has never invaded or gate-crashed his functions.

He accused Wa Iria of causing unnecessary tension with intent to cause chaos with his supporters and disrupting his functions.

The comments by the MP follow an incident in Kamahuha where Wa Iria attended a funds drive in which the Kigumo MP was the chief guest but represented by his wife, Agnes Irungu.

The governor is accused of arriving at the function together with his supporters who were riding on boda bodas with loud music playing from the a public address system mounted on one of his vehicles, causing undue disturbance.

“Just like I don’t attend his functions to disrupt them and cause chaos, I also expect him to show me the respect that I deserve,” the MP said.

The MP further claimed that the governor has so far attended and disrupted three of his events in two months, citing his expression of interest in the gubernatorial seat as the likely cause of the rivalry.

He lamented that before that, Wa Iria’s supporters had disrupted another fundraiser for women groups in Kahuro where he was the chief guest before heavily armed police intervened.

The MP has been a fierce critic of the governor, accusing him of mismanaging the county’s resources.

The governor, on the other hand, has accused the MP of failing to respect his office.

 

A TOUGH ROAD FOR JUBILEE IN KERICHO

While President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto are on record stating that the new outfit wouldn’t have preferential candidates in the election, Ruto’s allay Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Charles Keter seems to be reading from a different script.

Speaking during a fundraising at Nyabangi primary school in Belgut constituency, Keter declared that would put the county’s leadership in order by ensuring that his former Kericho High schoolmate, Governor Paul Chepkwony is sent packing.

Keter is fronting Richard Langat, the suspended National Social Security Fund (NSSF) trustee who is currently facing Sh5.5B financial misappropriation of fund case over the Tassia II housing scheme. But in a quick rejoinder, Chepkwony welcomed Jubilee Party’s decision that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission would conduct the party nominations reminding Keter that power rest with the people.

Keter’s remarks also appeared to rub Aaron Cheruiyot, his successor at the Senate the wrong way. Speaking during a fundraising at Kapsoit Full Gospel church, Cheruiyot who was accompanied by fellow senators Kipchumba Murkomen and Stephen Sang maintained that Jubilee Party (JP) doesn’t have a preferred candidate to wrestle the county’s leadership from governor Paul Chepkwony.

The senator pointed out that senior Jubilee leaders had stated clearly that the era when politician rode into power through political patronage had come to an end.

 

IS THERE ANY TRUTH IN THIS??

Details have emerged of a partially handwritten document that allegedly saw President Uhuru Kenyatta step down for Musalia Mudavadi in 2012.

The one-page agreement is said to have been signed in dramatic moments on the night of December 4.

The controversial document titled ‘The Agreement Between Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi’ shows the two leaders had agreed that Uhuru “shall step down as the presidential candidate of the coalition” and that Mudavadi “shall be the coalition’s presidential candidate”. “These details shall be announced within 14 days from the date hereof,” the agreement read in part.

Handwritten notes at the bottom of the document said the commitments were subject to agreement on sharing of Government as defined in the coalition agreement.

The sharing was to be in the following proportions: Uhuru’s The National Alliance 45 per cent, United Republican Party 35 per cent and Mudavadi’s United Democratic Forum 20 per cent.

The document was signed by Uhuru, Mudavadi and Deputy President William Ruto, who is also the URP leader, in the presence of lawyers Desterion Oyatsi and Dan Ameyo.

Uhuru and Ruto are said to have gone to Mudavadi’s home in Nairobi’s Riverside Drive to seal the pact but immediately the news broke, Uhuru disowned the deal, saying it was the work of “dark forces”.

Based on the failure to honour the agreement, Mudavadi has refused to join forces with Uhuru and his deputy.

The former deputy prime minister has, however, made it clear that he will focus on his presidential ambitions using the Amani coalition although political players believe he is being courted by CORD.

ZIMBABWE’S OPPOSITION LEADERS RALLY AGAINST MUGABE

Zimbabwe’s opposition leaders led a mass rally Saturday against embattled President Robert Mugabe’s failure to resolve the country’s worsening economic crisis.

Thousands of supporters gathered to hear Morgan Tsvangirai and ex-deputy president Joice Mujuru denounce Mugabe’s hold on power, calling for unity among opposition parties.

Thousands of Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters and Mujuru’s newly formed Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) attended the rally, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The crowd clad in red MDC party colours chanted “Mugabe must go,” others hoisted placards reading “Where are the promised jobs?” “Stop Abductions” and “No to bond Notes”  referring to the pending introduction of bond notes, a local token currency equivalent to the US dollar.

The rally went on under a watchful eye of anti-riot police.

 

YOUTHS SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE SLOTS IN PARTY POSITIONS

The Jubilee party leadership has been urged to ensure youths get a bigger share of the party’s leadership positions by setting aside seats to be held by young people.

A Youth leader who is also the chairman of the Friends of Youth and Women organization Allan Mburu has said it is vital for the party’s leadership to provide a conducive environment for youths to vie for party positions.

He said despite the party having set aside positions for a youth and women leader at both the national and county level, there is need to have more youths occupy leadership positions for better representation.

He said that this will make it possible for young people to lead alongside seasoned politicians and acquire skills that will enable them to engage the government effectively.

He also noted that it will be difficult for youths to effectively compete with experienced politicians who are wealthy saying that the party should provide a more enabling environment for youths to clinch more seats.

The youth leader said ensuring more youths are incorporated in the leadership of the party will provide a smooth transition during elections as older politicians retire from politics.

The jubilee party is expected to hold its party elections after the national delegates’ convention that will be held on September 9.

Mburu was speaking at Kambirwa shopping centre during a meeting to educate youths and women on how to empower themselves financially by starting small entrepreneurships.

He lauded the Jubilee party for its decision to employ the services of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission during its nominations and urged young people not to shy from vying for political seats as nominations will be free and fair.

He also urged the government to speed up the recruitment of IEBC commissioners and consider youths’ women and persons with disabilities to ensure there is equity.

 

NARC-KENYA WILL CONTINUE ENJOYING ITS FREEDOM

NARC-KENYA Party leader Martha Karua has responded to reports claiming that a section of Jubilee leaders had called on her to join the Coalition.

The 2013 Presidential aspirant stated that she would not bow to the pressure of dissolving her party to join the Jubilee Party.

The Opposition supporter insisted that she would not be coerced into working with Jubilee, stating that any such efforts will bounce.

Karua took to Twitter saying: “I & Narc Kenya will enjoy our freedom of association which jubilants so must respect.”

Some leaders from the government’s side had asked Ms Karua and Kenya National Congress leader Peter Kenneth to disband their respective parties and merge with Jubilee.

The group from Mt Kenya region observed that the two should also drop their presidential bids to support President Uhuru Kenyatta in the 2017 Election.

President Kenyatta on Wednesday announced that 12 parties had decided to dissolve and form a formidable force which would have representation from different parts of the country.

In a press conference at State House, Kenyatta stated that the Jubilee Party would be launched in September.

 

IEBC LIMITS CAMPAIGN FINANCING

The electoral commission has issued new campaign finance rules limiting spending by political parties, party contributors and aspirants during the 2017 electioneering period beginning in February.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has capped presidential contenders’ spending at a maximum of Sh5.2 billion, Members of Parliament Sh33 million and governors, senators and woman representatives to Sh432 million.

Spending by members of county assemblies has been capped at Sh10.3 million.

The new rules have also limited political party expenditure during the elections to a maximum of Sh15 billion and single-source contributors to political parties to Sh3 billion.

In a statement the IEBC said “Article 88 (4)(i) of the Constitution mandates the electoral body to regulate the amount of money that may be spent by or on behalf of a candidate or party in respect of any election.”

“This requirement has been effected through Kenya Gazette notice (No. 6307 of 8th August, 2016). The electoral legal framework under the Constitution contemplates free and fair elections based on equality, non-discrimination and empowerment of key participants.

“Electoral campaign reforms, therefore, are meant to afford equal opportunity for eligible persons to compete in elections by not allowing money or resources to be a key determinant of the outcome,” read the statement.

The 2013 Election Campaign Financing (ECF) Act was enacted on December 24, 2013 but the law came into force on January 10, 2014.