Kenya Newspapers Review: Uhuru Kenyatta's Rise In Mt Kenya Threatens Rigathi Gachagua's Gains

On Saturday, January 6, the Kenyan newspapers reported on the political intrigues in the country and increased criticism of President William Ruto over his criticism of the Judiciary.

1. Saturday Nation

According to the daily, Uhuru's hand in the current heightened political activities in the populous Mt Kenya region is threatening gains by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Gachagua has been trying to galvanise the region around him in his quest to succeed Uhuru as the region's political supremo.

But a year after leaving State House, Uhuru has re-emerged with his Jubilee Party engaged in a major political revamp through a mass membership registration drive in the region with a focus on the 2027 General Election.

Uhuru has also been pulling strings behind the scenes on the national stage, prompting President William Ruto and his allies, especially from the Mt Kenya region, to escalate their attacks against him while alleging an attempt by the former Head of State to sabotage some of the Kenya Kwanza administration's projects.

The retired president and his team are said to be capitalising on reported voter discontent in the region over Ruto's failure to deliver on most of his pre-election promises.

Mt Kenya has also witnessed reported re-emergence of the outlawed Mungiki sect linked to Maina Njenga.

Njenga claimed to be in regular talks with Uhuru and Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua and Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni to promote the Kamwene Leadership Forum.

A Kamwene is a political platform that brings together politicians from the region, especially those in the opposition camp.

Analysts and political observers have noted that Uhuru remains a major threat to Gachagua because of his financial muscle and name recognition.

His recent political activities - including holding meetings with Jubilee officials - are seen as an effort to regain his stature as well as reclaim his political base of Mt Kenya.

2. Saturday Standard

The publication reported that a section of boda boda operators and small-scale traders have sued the government for allegedly ascending to power through falsehood.

Led by the Malindi Boda Boda Association have accused Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of duping them that the government would boost the livelihoods of boda boda operators and mama mboga.

The Malindi Boda Boda Association and Operation Linda Jamii are seeking Sh426 billion in compensation over alleged lost business as a result of the alleged decision by Kenya Kwanza to use them as a campaign tool.

In the petition filed at the Malindi High Court on January 4, the hustlers claim that the Kenya Kwanza campaign narrative has turned out to be false.

"The Kenya Kwanza has peddled a narrative that structures of the current political government are comprised of the boda boda and mama mboga, while the same is utterly false and untrue," said Linda Jamii leader Fred Ogola.

Ogola joined a section of the boda boda riders and traders in a procession in Malindi town to denounce the government's skewed appointments.

3. Taifa Leo

The Swahili paper reported that the Minister of Health, Susan Nakhumicha, urged the court to dismiss the case filed against the implementation of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Nakhumicha stated that this action would allow individuals with low incomes to also benefit from the insurance.

She appealed to the judges hearing the case brought by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) to exercise prudence in their decisions, as the plan aims to address challenges facing the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and expand healthcare provision to citizens.

The court halted the implementation of the new law after doctors contested its legitimacy. President William Ruto had announced that the plan would take effect from January 2024.

NHIF is set to expire in October this year, with the funds being transferred to the new SHIF program.

Nakhumicha blamed wealthy individuals with good health insurance for disrupting the new plan designed to benefit many.

She mentioned that despite the new law reducing fees for low-income earners from KSh 500 to KSh 300, it also has a fund to address dangerous diseases and emergencies.

Through SHIF, the government aims to collect KSh 57 billion from Kenyans without formal employment every year.