Kenyan Newspapers Review, September 3: Uhuru Kenyatta Joins Raila Odinga's AUC Campaign Team

On Tuesday, September 3, the local dailies covered a host of hot topics, with the bid of Raila Odinga at the African Union Commission (AUC) still dominating the pages.

It has emerged that Kenya's former president, Uhuru Kenyatta, is pushing for Raila's win in the continental seat race.

1. Daily Nation

The daily established that Uhuru seeks to leverage his networks across Africa to help Raila win the AUC chairmanship.

According to Uhuru's office, the former president was slated to join other dignitaries during the launch of Raila's bid at State House Nairobi but skipped due to his other engagements outside the country.

His spokesperson, Kanze Dena, confided in Daily Nation.

"He is out of the country, and that is why he did not attend the launch. He fully supports Raila's candidacy," said Kanze.

Ambassador Elkana Odembo, who is in the top brass of Raila's campaign secretariat, revealed Uhuru had already deployed his efforts to enhance the chances of the former prime minister in taking home the elusive seat.

Odembo said the former president has been reaching out to his former colleagues across the continent to rally behind Raila.

"The former president had a lot of connections with some of his ex-colleagues and is one of the key influencers we are working with to reach out to the heads of state who will be participating in next year's election, which is just five months away now," Odembo is quoted by Nation.

Raila is facing three other candidates; Djibouti's Foreign Affairs Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Madagascar's Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato and former Mauritius Foreign Minister Anil Gayan.

The Kenyan candidate will need support either by consensus or at least a two-thirds majority vote by member states represented by their heads.

Nairobi, under Ruto, has charged itself with selling Raila's bid, allocating resources to crisscross the continent to court support from the African heads of state who constitute the General Assembly, which will take the vote in February next year.

2. The Standard

The publication reported on the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) suspending teachers' strike on Monday, September 2.

The industrial action had disrupted secondary school education for one week since the start of the third term on August 26.

Following a daylong meeting with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), KUPPET instructed teachers to return to work immediately.

Akello Misori, the union's secretary general, stated that their action complies with a court order set for Thursday, September 5, as they await a prompt resolution of their grievances.

"From the union's side, we suspend the strike and ask all our teachers to go back to class pending the speedy resolutions of these matters as already agreed upon between us and the commission," he said.

"To this end and after a day-long meeting, we are happy to report to the nation that we have reached an amicable settlement which will be able to enable our teachers to resume duty immediately," TSC CEO Nancy Macharia added.

The TSC chief reaffirmed that the government allocated funds for the implementation of phase II of the teachers' Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and for settling the outstanding arrears.

All payments were made in August, including the arrears.

"As promised on August 21, 2021, the commission is today pleased to confirm that the government provided funds for the implementation of the second phase of the CBA with effect from July 2024 and all our teachers have benefited," added Macharia.

This came a week after the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) called off their planned strike after a successful dialogue with the employer.

3. People Daily

The newspaper highlighted a proposal by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to bar impeached governors from occupying office in the cause of the litigation of their petitions challenging their ousters.

In the proposal, the county bosses would hold office for not more than six months following an impeachment as they await the court's judgment.

Members of the commission appeared before the Senate Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, where they presented the proposal.

The electoral body wants the cases filed by the impeached county bosses to be determined within six months as election petitions.

IEBC's proposal came days after the High Court in Nairobi stayed the impeachment of embattled Meru governor Kawira Mwangaza.

Mwangaza moved to the court to challenge the Senate plenary's decision late Tuesday, August 20, to uphold her removal from office.

Justice Bahati Mwamuye, in a ruling, suspended the Senate resolution until the case is heard and determined

The judge further restrained Senate Speaker Amason Kingi from gazetting Mwangaza's impeachment.

The case was then slated for mention on September 17.

4. Taifa Leo

The newspaper spared space to report on the extradition of Kevin Kangether to the United States.

Kangethe is facing charges of murder after allegedly killing his US-based girlfriend.

The 40-year-old allegedly killed Margaret Mbitu and left her body in his car, which was subsequently abandoned in a garage at Logan Airport in Massachusetts.

Kang'ethe departed Nairobi on Sunday, September 1.

The case will be handled by the US FBI team, with his first court appearance scheduled for September 3.

"Kang'ethe left the country on September 1, 2024, and is expected to face the charge of murder at Suffolk Superior Court in Pemberton Square Boston on September 3. I wish to reiterate my commitment and support whenever needed to the United States of America and in particular the prosecution team as they proceed with the next phase of the case. To the family of Margaret Mbitu, we offer our support and prayers," Renson Ingonga, the Director of Public Prosecutions, said.

In February 2024, Kang'ethe escaped from the heavily secured Muthaiga Police Station, where he was being held.

The suspect was meeting with a man who claimed to be his legal representative when he took advantage of the brief opportunity to flee.

He was later recaptured while in his hideout in Ngong, Kajiado.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke