On Friday, August 23, the Kenyan newspapers reported that former prime minister Raila Odinga has garnered the support of at least 19 countries in his bid for the African Union (AU) Commission chairship.
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The dailies also reported on the new salary scale for teachers after the government increased their pay to avert a strike.
1. The Star
Former prime minister Raila Odinga is set to embark on an extensive campaign across Africa in his bid to replace Moussa Faki as AU Commission chair.
President William Ruto will officially unveil Raila as Kenya's candidate on Tuesday, August 27.
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Having gained the support of 19 AU member states, Raila still needs to marshall 15 other countries to win the seat.
He will face off with Djibouti's Mohamud Youssouf, Mauritian Anil Gayan, and Madagasar's Richard Randriamandrato.
According to the publication, the following countries are supporting Raila's candidature:
- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- Tanzania.
- Uganda.
- Somalia.
- South Africa.
- Rwanda.
- Nigeria.
- Zambia.
- Zimbabwe.
- Malawi.
- Burundi.
- Seychelles.
- Ghana.
- South Sudan.
- Guinea Bissau.
- Angola.
- Algeria.
- Congo.
2. People Daily
The government has increased salaries for primary and secondary school teachers to avert a looming strike.
Besides higher salaries, tutors will get improved commuter, leave and hardship allowances backdated to last month.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) secretary-general Collins Oyuu said the 9.5% salary increase will be spread over two years.
"Basically, we have agreed on all the contentious issues, save for one or two things," Oyuu revealed as he noted the salary increment will be reflected in August payslips.
Under the deal, the lowest-paid teacher (B5) will earn KSh 22,793, rising to a maximum of KSh 29,787.
Teachers in job group C1 will take home KSh 37,234, up from KSh 28,491, while those in C2 will get KSh 47,858 from KSh 36,621.
Those in job group C3 will see their salary increase from KSh 44,412 to KSh 59,084. Tutors in job groups C4 and C5, earning KSh 52,308 and KSh 62,272, will earn KSh 68,857 and KSh 79,651, respectively.
3. Daily Nation
A local firm has revealed it bagged a KSh 1.1 billion tender to import edible oils through email from a Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) officer.
Charma Holdings director Ruth Waithira Kinyanjui revealed her firm won the tender despite not applying for it or having previously dealt with the commodity.
According to Waithira, who appeared before the Senate on Thursday, August 22, her firm was contracted to supply 599,000 20-litre jerrycans of cooking oil.
However, she disclosed they supplied 499,224 jerrycans at $23 (KSh 2,973.90) each.
She told the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism that the tender was not advertised and that her firm was not required to provide proof of certification to supply goods.
"It was not advertised, but we learnt of the opportunity from one of the officers from KNTC being one of their main suppliers," she said.
4. The Standard
The National Assembly's Finance and Planning Committee has questioned Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Kamau Thugge over the award of a KSh 14.2 billion tender to a German firm to print banknotes.
CBK picked Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technologies GmbH (G+D) to print banknotes and prevent a stockout.
Thugge said the printer will replenish old banknotes as follows: 460,000 million pieces of KSh 1,000, 170 million of KSh 500, 260 million (KSh 200), 690 million (KSh 100) and 460 million (KSh 50).
The committee wondered why the firm was single-sourced and wanted to identify the owner.
5. Taifa Leo
New Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Andrew Karanja has announced new sugarcane prices.
Karanja ordered local millers to pay farmers KSh 5,000 per tonne, a KSh 50 increment from KSh 4,950.
"The new pay aligns with the market price and takes into account the price of sugar, the cost of production and the need to increase income for farmers," Karanja said.
Due to a market glut, the cost of a 50kg pack of sugar has dropped from KSh 6,300 to KSh 5,000.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke
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