Kenyan Newspapers Review, May 8: Police Officer In Custody After Allegedly Stealing Woman's Fish

On Wednesday, May 8, the local newspapers covered an array of topics, among them the flooding situation in the country and the government's interventions to avert crises.

One of the dailies spared space for a Nakuru police officer's supposed misconduct after he allegedly robbed a female trader in the city.

1. Taifa Leo

The newspaper reported on a Nakuru female trader's plight at the hands of a supposedly rogue police officer who seized her supplies.

Seline Apondi sells fish within Nakuru city.

She moved to court to seek redress after an officer attached to the Nakuru Central Police Station took three sacks of fish from her.

The supplies were not paid for.

Apondi said the fish was taken from her illegally; she sought the court to compel the officer to pay for the fish.

The woman moved to court after her efforts to get the money from the officer proved futile.

Neither would the officers' colleagues help the trader.

2. Daily Nation

The daily spared pages for coverage of the current flooding situation in various parts of the country.

The after-effects of the disaster left many Kenyans counting losses.

Farmers in Kisumu, Baringo and Kirinyaga were left staring at losses after their crops were washed away by the floodwaters.

Governor Anyang' Nyong'o of Kisumu revealed over 1,700 hectares of land under cultivation were submerged, with over 2,000 livestock being swept away, all leading to estimated losses of over KSh 88 million.

In Baringo, food crops in irrigation schemes such as Perkerra, Murda, Wasu and Nenteyo were all swept away by the floodwaters.

Rice fields in Kirinyaga were not spared; the raging waters passed with the paddies on the large tracts.

The disaster also left a good number of Nairobi residents homeless as the government undertook forcible evacuation in slum areas.

People in Mathare and Mukuru Kwa Ruben were forced out of the riparian areas, with deaths being reported in the evacuation.

Three people were killed during the demolitions being done by excavators.

3. People Daily

The newspapers covered the likelihood of a solution out of a meeting between the Council of Governors (CoG) and the doctors after the latter's 57 days of industrial action.

Their meeting came after an order by the Employment and Labour Relations Court which compelled them to agree on the way forward.

According to the KMPDU representatives, they may sign an agreement before the deadline set by the court lapses on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 8.

"We hope to sign a deal, and a return to work formula if the meeting ends positively, and perhaps the same with the Ministry of Health later this evening," said Denis Miskellah, KMPDU deputy secretary general.

The medical practitioners vowed not to return to work until all their 19 grievances were met.

Among the issues that caused stalemate throughout the strike period was the remuneration of intern doctors which the union wanted reinstated, and the posting of the interns to their stations.

The national government was categorical that the particular demand would not be met owing to the insolvency on the side of the government.

4. The Standard

The Standard covered the woes faced by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi who is facing an ouster.

Bumula MP Jack Wamboka instituted the process to impeach the CS following the fake fertiliser saga in his docket.

Wamboka's motion was adopted by a majority of National Assembly members.

A special committee was then created to probe the allegations that informed the motion for impeachment.

The CS still insisted on his innocence amid the probe.

While fertiliser should be 70% organic matter, the one in question was only 40% organic and contained diatomaceous elements.

Over 5,800 bags of the product were later recalled from the market by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).