On Saturday, November 23, Kenyan newspapers ran a series of headlines about the country, the government's U-turn on Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with Adani Group Holdings dominating the pages.
Source: UGC
Elsewhere, it is emerging that former president Uhuru Kenyatta and his successor William Ruto may be planning to end their political rivalry.
1. Saturday Nation
This newspaper analyzed what may have happened shortly before the President William Ruto announcing to the nation that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) between his government and Adani Group Holdings will be cancelled.
Ruto was in the National Assembly on Thursday, November 21, when he delivered his State of the Nation Address to a joint sitting that included MPs from the National Assembly and the Senate.
Even when the president used the platform to list the achievements of his two years in office, the widespread challenges and measures to deal with the issues troubling the country, what remained was his order that the ministries of Roads and Energy complete their negotiations with Adani.
Before the president's order, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi had told the country that the KSh 96 billion contract between Adani's subsidiary and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) will continue without suspension despite the company's bosses that of the Indian to be prosecuted in the United States. Nations.
Wandayi was before the Senate Energy Committee, answering the questions of the lawmakers.
In collaboration with KETRACO, Adani would repair and operate the electricity distribution infrastructure in the country.
Wandayi told the senators that proper background checks had been done before the talks.
He added that the events in the United States will not affect the plan in Kenya; The chairman of Adani Group Holdings, Gautam Adani and other suspects were accused in the United States of paying bribes of KSh 32.4 billion to Indian officials expecting to reap a profit of $2 billion (KSh 259.2 billion).
The Minister later left the Senate to attend a high-level meeting that preceded the president's historic decision.
Before the president's speech, Wandayi sent a message on Twitter suggesting that the government has got the views of Kenyans, perhaps after learning of the president's new views.
“Thank you for the greetings! We appreciate your comments, dear Kenyans,” the minister's tweet said.
Apart from KETRACO, another subsidiary of Adani was in a PPP with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA); the company would take over the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where it will carry out renovation works before handling the air business of the airport for 30 years.
Although the KETRACO agreement had been finalized, the Ministry of Roads was still conducting inspections before finalizing the agreement to allow Adani to take over JKIA.
Roads and Transport Minister Davis Chirchir had however expressed confidence in the company.
The President instructed the two ministries to look at other reputable investors instead of Adani.
2. Nation Today
The newspaper reported on the possibility of former president Uhuru Kenyatta and his successor William Ruto, merging after years of political rivalry.
According to Taifa Today, Uhuru and Ruto have been in secret talks; it is believed that the president wants to use his predecessor to ingratiate himself again to the voters of Mount Kenya despite the growing hatred fueled by the removal of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
Despite the fact that there is still no official communication, the partners of the two have touched on their cooperation plan to calm the political heat in the country.
“The two leaders have been talking, and this reflects Ruto's call for national unity as set out in his agenda to form a broad government,” Taifa Today quoted an interviewer from Nairobi State House as saying.
Talks between Uhuru and Ruto may culminate in the inclusion of the former president's allies in the current leadership.
Former Minister of Health Mutahi Kagwe and the former governor of Laikipia Ndiritu Muriithi are among Uhuru's allies who Ruto is said to be dreaming of government jobs.
However, insiders explained that Uhuru is not interested in getting positions in the government, instead he is rooting for a united country with a good environment where businesses can flourish.
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Adani Group Chairman Gautam has been accused of corruption, Ruto, Raila should be released
This comes months after Ruto reconciled with Raila Odinga, his long-time political rival.
The new friendship between the two witnessed some ODM leaders getting a big place in the Cabinet.
3. The Star
The Star saved Isaack Hassan's old plans page for the Independent Police Operations Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The former chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was brought before the National Committee of the Department of Administration and Internal Security of Parliament, where his suitability to be the chairman of IPOA was examined.ted.
Hassan promised to prevent the police from using unmarked vehicles while carrying out their official duties.
According to him, that behavior, which has become common, has been misused by officers to commit brutality against citizens, adding that it makes IPOA's efforts to monitor human rights violations committed by these officers difficult.
He also suggested the introduction of body cameras so that officers can be monitored and those found guilty of excesses held accountable.
Hassan also promised to speed up the investigation into the kidnappings and extrajudicial killings allegedly carried out by the police.
If his appointment is approved by the National Assembly, Hassan will take over the stewardship of the organization from Anne Makori, who led it between 2018 and August 2024.
President William Ruto relied on his decades of experience and academic excellence to entrust him with the leadership of IPOA.
The chosen one implements the law and advises.
4. The Saturday Standard
The Standard newspaper highlighted a new twist in the saga of the kidnapping of a veteran opposition politician in the country Uganda Kizza Besigye.
The politician was arrested in Kenya and exiled to Uganda, this thing brought Kenya into controversy as the international players involved came forward to strongly condemn those involved.
In an effort to clear its name, Kenya said it was not involved in the scandal.
Nairobi's Secretary General of Foreign Affairs Korir Sing'oei said the Kenyan government has no reason to be part of the plight facing the opposition leader in Uganda.
Sing'oei gave an example of Kenya's human rights record, adding that the authorities in Nairobi were not aware of Besigye's presence in the country.
The position of the Kenyan government stood until the Ugandan minister came forward to explain everything.
Kampala's Minister of Information and Communications, Chris Baryomunsi, revealed that government authorities in Nairobi were fully involved in Besigye's democratic arrest.
Baryomunsi said that Ugandan law enforcement agents could not reach Kenya without the knowledge of the authorities there.
He said the officers were in contact with their Kenyan counterparts throughout Besigye's arrest and transfer to Kampala.
The minister added that the intelligence reports that Ugandan officials had could not allow them to wait for Besigye's return to Kampala.
The politician was brought before a military court in Kampala on Wednesday, November 20 and charged at the Makindye High Military Court in Kampala with illegal possession of arms and ammunition.
The veteran politician was in Kenya to attend the book fair of Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua.
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