Author: Vincent Ng’ethe
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KBC digital card with Muheria criticism of politics in church fake
A digital card bearing KBC digital branding and quoting Archbishop Anthony Muheria seemingly criticizing President William Ruto is fake. The card reads, “We want to appreciate the new administration for acknowledging the place of God and the church in its establishment. However, the government must also understand that there’s time for everything. This is time…
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28 public secondary schools have not been approved for privatisation in Kenya
A list circulating on Facebook purportedly showing 28 public secondary schools that are to be privatised is fake. A November 2022 list of the enterprises in the government’s approved privatisation programme includes KenGen, the Kenya Pipeline Company, parts of the Kenya Ports Authority, sugar millers, hotels, banks, the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) and New Kenya…
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TVET Institutions Must Teach Business
Soon after ringing in the new year, Kenya’s education ministry ordered vocational training institutions in Kenya to cease providing business education via a circular. The Daily Nation reported that Ezekiel Machogu, the Education Cabinet Secretary, was concerned that the government “has put in a lot of emphasis and resources towards the support of Stem courses…
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When State House Feeds Journalists
President William Ruto gave his first full media interview as head of state soon after the New Year. Just like in 2018, when President Uhuru Kenyatta’s now-famous exchange with Mark Maasai immortalised Japan’s ‘weird borrowing habits’ (h/t Michael Joseph), a group of journalists interviewed the president in a joint media production NTV journalist James Smart…
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How Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee Almost Vanquished Cattle Rustling
Today’s Jubilee Party is a far cry from its earlier pomp. Out of government, with its leaders eyeing the governing Kenya Kwanza coalition, Uhuru Kenyatta’s party barely compares to the outfit that governed for two consecutive terms. This, remember, was the government that would use technology to solve all kinds of problems. First there were…
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Fact-checking Can’t Wait Till The Next Election
Never before has fact-checking been more popular on the African continent than now. In Kenya, numerous fact-checking reports were written as the 2022 election came and went. Now, as Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Sudan and other countries go to the polls this year, the same will be true outside Kenya. Every word uttered will be scrutinised, and…
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National Government Should Support Nairobi, Not Dominate
Recently, the two gentlemen at the top of Kenya’s executive have expressed contrasting views on how Nairobi is being run. First there is Rigathi Gachagua, who sounded miffed when talking about the governor’s plans for Nairobi’s matatus. “Nitamketisha chini,” (I’ll sit him down) he said of Johnson Sajaka. Then there was the President. “Keep the…
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Kenyan MPs Can No Longer Hide Behind “the Ayes”
Our thirteenth Parliament has well and truly begun work, and whatever honeymoon period may have existed is winding down. Soon Kenyans will want to know if the National Assembly and Senate will achieve much to speak of. As things stand, we would be wise to moderate any hopes. The legislature will always be hobbled by…
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Under Collapsed Buildings, Real People
As often happens, the collapse of a building in Kasarani was just another trending story, until reports of yet another collapsed building in Ruaka flooded the news cycle and the Kenyan Twittersphere on a rainy Thursday morning. Was it a streak of bad luck, that the gods of construction were angry with us for some…