ODM leader Raila Odinga has renewed his attacks on President William Ruto’s administration accusing it of failing to address the challenges faced by Kenyans.
He said the government has failed to address many economic and social challenges that have put many Kenyans on the edge, including floods that are ravaging several parts of the country.
This came as the ODM leader toured Migori County to drum up support for his party and preside over the listing of new members as part of his efforts to reverse the gains Ruto’s UDA party has made in the region during the numerous visits by the president and his allies.
Raila will also visit Kisumu and Busia counties next week as he steps up efforts to build grassroots support in his traditional strongholds.
As he continued with his quest to strengthen ODM, Raila poked holes in the handling of the floods by the government claiming it had not done enough to help the affected families.
The Azimio leader told the Kenya Kwanza government to stop blaming the former Jubilee administration for its failure.
“Right now there is hunger and other Kenyans are dying due to floods. These people are sleeping on the job,” Raila said.
Raila added: “The president had announced that El Niño rains would not be there and now that the rains have come, counties are not getting support from the government.”
He slammed Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua for claiming the government had disbursed funds to counties to help mitigate the effects of the heavy rains.
“The Deputy President is trying to blame the governors and lying that they were given money,” Raila said.
The former PM who proceeded to Nyatike constituency for an ODM new members registration drive asked youths in Kuria to join ODM and remain united.
While at Macalder in Nyatike where he conducted a member registration drive, Raila pointed out that it was too early for people to start campaigning for the next elections. “I am advising ODM leaders to start campaigning in 2026.
Raila dismissed UDA’s visits to the region. He also dismissed claims the ruling party had registered over 100, 000 in Nyanza. He called on residents to remain in ODM.
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Senator Eddy Oketch, Nyatike MP Tom Odege, Awendo MP Walter Owino, Suna West MP Peter Masara, and Migori Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed, who accompanied Raila said Kenyans are suffering under the Ruto regime.
“Raila loves everyone. He is ever ready to stand with Kenyans no matter the situation,” Ayacko said.
Minority Leader in the National Assembly Junet asked the president to respect Raila.
Junet who has stayed out of the limelight after the 2022 elections said he has a major assignment that has been given to him by Raila.
“I was on the bench, resting. Now I have come back to the field. Raila, as the coach, has told us to come back to the field and play,” Junet said.
He downplayed calls for them to jump ship saying; “Those who think they can change my direction will wait until Jesus comes back.”
Junet held that Raila would not retire from politics despite pressure from some people.
“As ODM and Azimio, our leader is Raila Odinga. Let those people do what they want but we will remain in ODM and Raila will remain to be our leader,” he said. By Anne Atieno, The Standard
Force Commander (FC) of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) Maj Gen Aphaxard Kiugu addresses Contingent Commanders of EACRF troops deployed in North Kivu at Force Headquarters on Monday, 16 October 2023. Courtesy
As the mandate of the East African Community regional force in DR Congo expires on December 8, the Congolese government has informed the summit of EAC leaders that it will not extend it.
The summit held on Friday, November 24, directed the chiefs of defence staff for EAC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to meet before December 8 and deliberate the way forward for the regional force’s mandate. Their recommendations will be submitted for the next summit.
SADC is expected to deploy a military mission to eastern DR Congo in December.
The EAC regional force was deployed in November 2022 to support peace efforts and especially observe the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group, which fights the Congolese army in North Kivu province.
The regional force, with troops from Kenya, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan, currently occupies the rebels’ vacated positions.
However, the Congolese government has urged the regional force to fight the M23, which was not part of its mandate. Its first force commander resigned in April, citing threats to his personal security.
Multiple interventions, including one of the UN's longest and largest peacekeeping missions, MONUSCO, failed to end the decades of violence.
The 25-year-old UN mission in the country has been the target of demonstrations for failing to end the insecurity and plans to withdraw starting from December.
The EAC said in September that the UN was considering funding the regional force. By Moise M. Bahati, The New Times
Since the onset of November, Kenya has grappled with severe flooding, resulting in loss of lives, property damage, and a burgeoning humanitarian crisis.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 25 — The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) has launched a joint appealed with the The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to raise 18 million Swiss Francs (Sh3.12 billion) to bolster the ongoing response to the El Niño-enhanced floods wreaking havoc in various parts of Kenya.
Since the onset of November, Kenya has grappled with severe flooding, resulting in loss of lives, property damage, and a burgeoning humanitarian crisis.
IFRC Head of Delegation for Kenya and Somalia, Mohamed Babiker, said Friday that the world’s largest humanitarian network is collaborating with KRCS to help victims of flooding in Kenya.
“The El Niño floods have triggered a major humanitarian crisis that is affecting millions of people. We are working closely with the Kenya Red Cross Society to provide emergency relief to those affected by the floods,” Babiker said.
He added the ongoing rains threatens the lives and livelihoods of Kenyans highlighting the need to augment the Kenya Floods Emergency Appeal efforts. .
KRCS Secretary General Ahmed Idris noted that the ongoing heavy rains have resulted to the destruction of critical infrastructure including roads which has disrupted delivery of vital supplies.
Idris appealed to well-wishers and donors for financial support to enable the organization to reach the affected individuals.
“We need to urgently provide food, clean water and medical supplies to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe,” Idris said.
The Kenya Red Cross Society’s ongoing response encompasses emergency shelter, psychosocial support, early warning dissemination, and the provision of food and water to over 10,000 households.
An initial IFRC allocation of Sh129.9 million has already been dispatched in support of the efforts.
‘Concrete measures’
The new Emergency Appeal aims to facilitate the expansion of life-saving activities, with a specific focus on shelter, livelihoods, health, water, sanitation, and nutrition.
On Saturday, President William Ruto assured Kenyans that the government has taken concrete measures, both short and long term, to address the effects of the ongoing El-Nino rains.
President Ruto expressed concern that 70 lives have so far been lost, while 36,160 households have been displaced by the rains.
He said Sh2.4 billion has been availed to help Kenyans who have been affected by the rains, especially in the provision of food.
“We have made available Sh 2.4 billion to provide food to the displaced persons across the country,” said President Ruto.
The President made the remarks at State House, Nairobi, on Saturday, after meeting multi-agency emergency response teams.
The multi-agency teams are responsible for assessing, managing and providing leadership on the ongoing El-Nino rains. By Bruhan Makong, Capital News
A Ugandan woman who has a physical disability is learning how to fight for her and other women’s rights after suffering a life “full of pain”, thanks to a UN-supported programme.
“My life has been full of pain,” she said, surveying the green landscape where she spent her childhood in Kasese, in Uganda’s western region. “In my community, women have less power, but if you are disabled, you are even more vulnerable to exploitation.”
Ms. Muhindo, who has had a physical disability since childhood, said she has faced violence and exclusion throughout her life. Such treatment is the norm for many women and girls with disabilities, she said, noting that they also face challenges accessing education, employment and health care.
People think that “a person with disabilities cannot get married and have children” and that “you are going to stay in your father’s home [forever] because no one is going to take care of you”, Ms. Muhindo said.
Inheritance dispute
When her parents died, a dispute over the inheritance of their property set into motion events that changed how she lived as a person with a disability.
She said she was threatened and intimidated by her male relatives over the inheritance and felt powerless to advocate for herself.
Land disputes can be a catalyst for gender-based violence in Uganda, where it’s not uncommon for widows and children to be evicted from their home after the death of a husband or father, or in the event of a separation.
The effect of this is two-fold – violence may be used to evict women from property by force, and without a place to live or land to farm, they become more vulnerable to violence in the future.
At the course, she learned about inheritance rights and realized that she was the sole legal heir to the property, and she gained the confidence to stand up to her relatives.
“I realized that as a person living with disabilities, I can do whatever other people can do,” she said. “I can speak up just like any other person. I can buy land, have a job.”
WFP/Marco Frattini Disputes over land ownership can lead to violence.
Advocating for others
It took over a year, but Ms. Muhindo successfully put the land in her name. She now has a safe place to live, food to eat and earns a living from the crops she grows. She also advocates for other women in her community, including those with disabilities, and speaks about gender-based violence on a local radio station.
“I do not want other women to go through what I went through,” she said.
The Spotlight Initiative aims to eliminate violence against women and girls through comprehensive programming that addresses all the key drivers.
This includes improving laws and policies that prevent violence, strengthening institutions, promoting gender-equitable social norms and strengthening women’s movements and essential services to survivors of violence.
End all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls
Eliminate such harmful practices as early and forced marriages and female genital mutilation
Adapt and strengthen legislation to promote gender equality and empower women and girls
Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in political, economic and public life
Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care
Globally, almost half of all married women currently lack decision-making power over their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
'I felt empowered'
Spotlight and UN Women work with local organizations to help to change discriminatory attitudes and support those at risk of, or experiencing, violence. Since 2019, almost 300,000 people in Uganda have attended community programming on women’s rights with Spotlight Initiative support.
UN Women has also supported advocacy to change legislation that advantaged male children in inheritance and land issues. In March 2021, Uganda’s Parliament passed the Succession (Amendment) Bill, formally recognizing the equal rights of women to own land.
“I used to feel uncomfortable speaking up, but after the training I felt empowered,” Ms. Muhindo says. UN Press Centre
The flagship Rwanda asylum plan is not the “be all and end all” of government efforts to tackle illegal migration, the home secretary has said.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak remains under pressure to revive the policy after this month’s Supreme Court defeat, with some Tory MPs also angered by latest data on legal net migration showing a record number of arrivals last year.
“My frustration is that we have allowed the narrative to be created that this was the be all and end all,” he told The Times.
“The mission is to stop the boats. That’s the promise to the British people. Never lose sight of the mission.
“There are multiple methods. Don’t fixate on the methods. Focus on the mission.”
The senior cabinet minister also made clear his reservations about any move to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which is advocated by Tory right-wingers who see it as a major barrier to ending Channel crossings. The mission is to stop the boats. That’s the promise to the British people. Never lose sight of the mission James Cleverly
Mr Sunak has pledged not to let a “foreign court” stop flights to Rwanda, with plans for a new treaty and emergency legislation to ensure the plan is legally watertight.
It was the UK Supreme Court, rather than “a foreign court”, that dealt the latest blow to the government’s hopes of sending asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on a one-way trip to Rwanda.
But Tories are keen to ensure that the ECHR and the Strasbourg court that rules on it will not prevent the policy – first announced in 2020 – from being implemented.
The new home secretary’s stance appears to differ from his predecessor, who made clear her frustrations with the ECHR.
“My argument has always been that we need to modernise, update and reform,” Mr Cleverly said.
“What some people, I fear, do is jump to their preferred solution and hang on to that really, really tightly and say this cannot be the right answer unless you do a particular thing.
“I do not want to do anything that might undermine the key co-operation we have with countries [who] are very wedded to the ECHR for understandable reasons.
“Nothing is cost free. Everything needs to be considered, the advantages and disadvantages.”
It came as Boris Johnson became the latest Tory to pile pressure on Mr Sunak to act on immigration.
Net migration into the UK peaked at 745,000 in the year to December 2022, which is a record, according to revised estimates published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.
The data places migration levels at three times higher than before Brexit, despite a Conservative Party 2019 manifesto pledge to bring overall numbers down.
Many MPs on the right of the party have called on Mr Sunak to honour that commitment.
Former prime minister Mr Johnson added his voice to those urging reform of the immigration system, as he echoed Ms Braverman in calling for an increase in the minimum salary threshold for UK visas.
Writing in his Daily Mail column, Mr Johnson said: “You will remember that after Brexit everyone was wailing about the thought of EU workers fleeing Britain, and business was worried about shortages. So the Migration Advisory Committee put the minimum at only £26,000 – not much more than the living wage.”
He said that figure was “way too low”.
“The minimum income for most types of migrant worker coming to the UK should now go right up to £40,000 or more – because it is the right thing for migrant workers, and for the entire British workforce,” he added.
“We have the powers to sort it out, and to change our immigration rules – which is exactly why the British people voted to take back those powers in 2016. We can do it now.”
Mr Johnson, who led the party to victory with the 2019 manifesto, only left office last year. The election-winning campaign saw the Tories pledge that “overall numbers will come down” and “we will ensure that the British people are always in control”.
Immigration minister Robert Jenrick is understood to have worked up a plan designed to appease calls from right-wing Tories for the government to take action.
He is pushing for a ban on foreign social care workers from bringing in any dependants and a cap on the total number of NHS and social care visas.
His plan would also scrap the shortage occupation list, a programme that allows foreign workers to be paid 20% below the going rate in roles that suffer from a lack of skilled staff.
Other data released by the ONS this week indicated that net migration for 2023, up until June, was 672,000.
The figures suggest a total of 1.279 million more people have come to the UK than have left the country during the past two years. By Dominic McGrath, The Independent
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