Kenya Newspapers Review For December 5: Mother Tortures Newly-Circumcised Son As Part Of Initiation

On Tuesday, December 5, the national dailies widely reported on the High Court's decision to halt the implementation of the privatisation bill until February 6, 2024, following a petition by the ODM party.

The dailies also had space for the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) decision to support the National Dialogue Committee report but opposed the proposal on the creation of the positions of the two Deputy Leaders of the Opposition.

1. The Star

The publication reported that police in Naivasha arrested three suspects, including the stepmother of a newly circumcised boy who was tortured for seven days "as part of his initiation ceremony".

His 15-year-old step-brother was also detained for allegedly working with the main suspect in torturing the boy with a hot metal rod.

Doctors in Naivasha Subcounty Hospital said the boy, who sat his Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam this year, was suffering from low blood levels, and his body was covered in wounds.

Police and members of the public rescued the 15-year-old from the family’s home in Mai Mahiu after a week of torture, days after he was circumcised.

Naivasha OCPD Benjamin Boen said the suspects would be taken to court and charged with attempted murder.

He said the main suspect, who was supposed to be the boy’s guardian, was arrested in Nairobi, where he had gone into hiding after the matter went public.

The police boss said the mother gave contradicting information on why she failed to report the matter.

2. People Daily

According to the daily, two MPs from the Mt. Kenya region raised concern over the delay in completing the Mau Mau link road.

Kangema MP Peter Kihungi and his Juja counterpart George Koimburi asked the Treasury to release funds to complete the road that links Murang'a, Kiambu, Nyeri, and Nyandarua counties.

They said that in the recent supplementary budget, the amount allocated to the road was slashed from KSh280 million to KSh175 million.

They said the jubilee administration had allocated the project KSh4.5 billion, and substantial work had been done on the ground.

Kihungi said the road is of immense economic importance to the local community and the country.

Koimburi said they promised their people that the Mau Mau Road would be completed once the Kenya Kwanza government assumed office.

3. Daily Nation

The paper reported MPs ganged up against a proposed law that would deny them power to discuss and decide on their salaries and benefits.

If the law is passed, the MPs would also be barred from considering matters related to the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) or National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

These are some far-reaching proposals in the Conflict of Interest Bill 2023 before the House.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula was forced to delay the passage of the Bill after Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo questioned its constitutionality, noting that it proposed giving the Ethics and Anti-Corruption (EACC) excessive powers.

While urging the Speaker to shelve its consideration, Amollo said that by discriminating against MPs and giving EACC unfettered powers, the government-sponsored Bill “is so fundamentally flawed from a constitutional prism”, unnecessary and unimplementable.

4. Taifa Leo

The Swahili publication reported that 47 people have died and 85 others injured in landslides caused by heavy rain in the northern areas of Tanzania.

According to the area's senior official, Janeth Mayanja, heavy rain fell in Katesh, located 300 kilometres north of Dodoma.

"As of (Sunday) evening, the number of fatalities reached 47, and there are 85 injured," said Queen Sendiga, the Regional Commissioner in the Manyara region in northern Tanzania.

The two district officials warned that the death toll could increase. Mayanja added that mud, trees, and rocks carried by water blocked many roads in the area.

Tanzania's President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was in Dubai for the COP28 climate conference, sent condolences and stated that she had instructed the government to rescue people.

After facing unprecedented drought, East Africa has experienced heavy rains and floods associated with the El Nino weather phenomenon.

5. The Standard

Religious leaders have opposed calls for a referendum, stating that lowering the high cost of living should be the government's priority and opposition.

Deputy Chairman of Full Gospel Churches of Kenya, Bishop Julius Induli, said the critical issue for the government and the opposition is addressing the ailing economy.

"For us as clergy, we do not see the importance of having a referendum right now because it will not lower the high cost of living. What is important is to see how the government and opposition can have a genuine conversation on how to liberate Kenyans from the wrath of the harsh economy," said Induli.

Induli said religious leaders would back any call to lower the high cost of living, especially the high price of common commodities like fuel, and to stop overtaxing Kenyans.

This came after the National Dialogue Committee, led by Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichungwah, released the final report.