On Thursday, August 10, the local dailies covered a range of topics, with politics taking centre stage.
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One of the dailies spotlighted the ongoing police probe into the death of an 82-year-old woman whose body was found nine months after her death.
1. Daily Nation
The daily reported on the ongoing police probe into the death of an 82-year-old woman whose remains were discovered inside her house in Thika nine months after she breathed her last.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are on top of things and now suggest that Leah Njeri might have been killed in a well-arranged plot given that the carcasses of her dogs and chickens were found in her compound.
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Inside the house, the electronic appliances such as the television and refrigerator, and other properties were found destroyed, clothes scattered all over, the police now suspecting the killer(s) might have ransacked the house looking for something.
The perpetrator(s) of the alleged murder might also have known that Njeri's home was not frequented and thus went ahead to execute their plan, confident that it would take time before it is known that she is long dead.
"If you analyse the whole situation and put into the context her age and what we found out there - the over 20 chickens and her dogs had decomposed- you can rightly say whoever did this planned to kill her.
It is highly likely that whoever killed her by poisoning or by whatever means was well known to her and knew very well that place is not frequented by people so it was not easy for the body to be discovered soon," the detectives privy to the investigations confided in Daily Nation.
Njeri, according to her neighbours, lived alone and rarely socialised.
2. The Standard
The publication reported on the start of the crisis dialogue between President William Ruto and the Opposition leader Raila Odinga sides.
The talks were kick-started under the stewardship of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah.
Respective technical teams were put together to prepare the documents on the agenda for the talks.
"It was a cordial meeting, we agreed to set up two technical teams on both sides to sit down and prepare the necessary documents for the negotiations by Friday this week. There are a number of issues like the agenda that we need to consult on and the technical team will help us narrow it down," Kalonzo said.
Ichung'wah restated that the meeting would focus on matters pertinent to the Kenyan citizenry at the expense of individual politicians.
"We cannot afford to fail in this process. We have serious issues before us and we may agree on some and disagree on others but we are coming to the table in good faith," he said.
The government side had outlined the two-thirds gender balance, the creation of the office of the opposition leader and embedment prime cabinet secretary, and the reconstitution of the IEBC.
On the other hand, Azimio had listed, among other things, the escalating cost of living, an audit into the IEBC servers and police brutality in the recent mass action protests as agenda items for the talks.
3. The Star
The publication covered the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) announcing a substantial salary increment ranging from 7% to 10% for all civil servants.
The salary review was disclosed during a breakfast meeting held in Nairobi on Wednesday, August 9, where SRC Chairperson Lyn Mengich highlighted that the decision was anchored in the economic rebound following the disruptive aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This stride towards better remuneration is aimed at rewarding civil servants for their dedication, hard work, and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges.
The salary increment is set to be backdated to July 1, a decision acknowledging the financial strain government employees endured during the salary freeze period.
Civil servants could look forward to receiving their revised salaries, encompassing the months they have patiently waited for their dues.
Mengich said it is noteworthy that the salary increment is part of a well-structured plan.
SRC allocated an average increase of 7-10% over a span of two years, and this includes the implementation of a notch increase, averaging at about 3% annually.
“The average increase of 7-10% will be undertaken over a two-year period and is inclusive of a notch increase, averaging three percent annually,” Mengich said.
4. People Daily
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has directed CSs Eliud Owalo and Kithure Kindiki to furnish the legislative house with details of the Worldcoin cryptocurrency tokens in a week's time.
The duo has been asked to explain to the House why Kenyans were being offered KSh 7,000 to have their irises scanned and giving their data in the process.
Owalo, who heads the Information, Communication, and Digital Economy docket, and Kindiki of Interior, differed on the validity of Worldcoin operators to scan data from Kenyans.
The ICT CS defended the operations of Worldcoin in the country.
Owalo disclosed that the Kenya Kwanza administration is aware of OpenAI’s operations in the country and sought clearance in April before the Worldcoin registration process began.
“This is something that started way back in April. We have a fully-fledged Data Commissioner’s office charged with the regulation of data security and privacy. In April, the office of the Data Commissioner got wind of Worldcoin and wrote them a letter to clarify what they wanted to do,” Owalo said.
The ICT CS stated that despite the concerns over data security issues due to scanning people’s irises, Worldcoin is not breaching the Data Protection Act.
On the other hand, Kindiki suspended the activities of Worldcoin and any other entity that may be engaging Kenyans.
He said the suspension would be in effect until the government certifies the absence of any risk to the public.
“Relevant security, financial services and data protection agencies have commenced inquiries and investigations to establish the authenticity and legality of the aforesaid activities, the safety and protection of the data being harvested, and how the harvesters intend to use the data,” he said.
Kindiki's position was supported by Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, calling on Kenyans to aid the government.
5. Taifa Leo
The Swahili publication highlighted the events in Eldoret town where parents and students who committed to the airlift program organised by the Uasin County government took to the streets to demand refunds of their monies.
They decried being defrauded after failing to get the value of the monies that they entrusted the county with.
The beneficiaries were to fly to Canada and Finland to advance their education and explore job opportunities there.
State agencies like the DCI and EACC are already, and independently so, undertaking a probe into the matter; parents said they sold their property with others going for loans to enlist their children in the program that looked lucrative in the beginning.
On the spot are Senator Jackson Mandago who brought up the idea, and Governor Jonathan Bii who have been put to task to explain the goings-on of the program.
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