About 89.72 per cent of the 832,900 new jobs created last year were from the informal sector as the Jubilee administration failed once again on a million-jobs-a-year pledge in 2013.

The 2017 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics showed yesterday that the informal sector, commonly referred to as Jua Kali, generated 747,300 jobs while the remainder 85,600 were created by the formal sector.

The jobs in 2016 was a marginal 1.03 per cent drop compared to 841,600 jobs in 2015. More than 10,000 jobs were reportedly lost last year as dozens of companies resorted to staff layoffs to cope with a “tough operating environment”. The firms were largely in insurance, banking and media.

“The economy has however remained resilient and the growth has been achieved by the initiatives the government has put in place, easing the cost of doing business,” Devolution and Planning CS Mwangi Kiunjuri said.

The new jobs in 2016 pushed up the persons in employment to 19.92 million from 15.16 million in 2015.

New jobs created stood at 799,700 in 2014 and 742,000 in 2013 as per the government’s data.

Total earnings in public and private sectors increased to Sh1.647 trillion in 2016 from Sh1.509 trillion in 2015, a nine per cent jump.

Most jobs in 2016 were created in the tourism sector, information and communication, real estate and transport and storage sectors, which also helped the economy weather the impact of drought, hence the key drivers of the economy.

Total international arrivals increased to 1.34 million in 2016 from 1.18 million the previous year. Tourism industry earnings increased to Sh99.7 billion, compared to Sh84.6 billion.

The economy grew by 5.8 per cent last year compared to 5.7 in 2015, the KNBS survey showed, despite a ravaging drought and squeeze in credit to the private sector as a result of capping of interest rates.

“The economy experienced a relatively conducive macroeconomic environment. However, the growth was somewhat hampered by drought and a considerable slowdown in the uptake of credit in the fourth quarter of 2016,” KNBS director-general Zachary Mwangi said during the launch of the survey in Nairobi.

Vibrant Democratic Party has termed as "gibberish and wishful thinking" claims that boss Hezron Awiti will join forces with Governor Hassan Joho in the Mombasa governor race in August.

Awiti formed the party after ditching Wiper.

VDP denied that the Nyali MP will be the incumbent’s running mate.

Party deputy secretary general Millicent Adhiambo confirmed VDP’s “unwavering” resolve to take over Mombasa.

Joho has not named a running mate while Awiti’s is Hassan Mwamtoa.

Reports that both might team up started spreading after they shared a podium during unveiling of the iconic Mamba Statue at Mamba Village Centre last week.

The two said politics is not enmity. Awiti sympathised with Joho over his persecution by Jubilee.

But Adhiambo said Awiti only attended the event because he has interests in the Mamba Village estate.

“Our party leader shared the same platform as a matter of courtesy and protocol. Any political misinterpretations as are being hawked by certain panicked quarters should be dismissed and treated with the contempt they deserve,” she said.

She said the notion created that Awiti will collaborate with Joho to the extent of deputizing him is “mere gibberish, wishful thinking and the last kicks of a dying horse”.

Adhiambo spoke at a press conference in Mombasa on Tuesday.

Awiti is a strong candidate with the requisite experience, qualities and values and need not to team up, she said.

VDP will soon launch its manifesto based on revolutionary county structures that will radically transform democracy and development, Adhiambo said.

“The party is committed to take over the county’s mantle of leadership and form an all-inclusive government that has the face and voice of all communities that is characteristic of the highly cosmopolitan Mombasa region,” she said.

Party leader Awiti was not available for comment.

The deputy SG said VDP's mission is to revolutionise governance through progressive and responsive policies.

Adhiambo said the party's system of governance will be people-driven democracy that takes pride in the devolved system.

She said despite VDP being in a formative stage, there has been great reception.

“We intend to repay this warmth by promising and committing to people-centered governance,” she said.

Jubilee’s Suleiman Shahbal and Wiper’s Hassan Omar will also run for governor. Shahbal's running mate will be Anania Mwaboza, while Omar said his will be a woman.

When being received officially at VDP two weeks ago, Awiti said the party will enter into a pact with others to deliver Mombasa.

He was categorical that he and VDP will not play second fiddle.

There was excitement from some presidents when reports spread that a Joho-Awiti pact could be looming.

Similarly, there were jitters from rival camps.

Awiti was an ODM but moved to Wiper in 2013 and won the Nyali MP seat.

Awiti left Wiper for VDP, citing plans by the party to deny him the governor ticket.

Adhiambo said VDP will hold its primaries nationwide on April 20.

“The party has attracted a strong 50 plus aspirants vying for various positions across the county and beyond,” she said.

Adhiambo said VDP is not affiliated to any political coalition but is willing to form partnerships with like-minded stakeholders for the benefit of Kenyans.

A senior prosecutor told the High Court the DPP has never followed up on allegations of sexual crimes made to two government-appointed commissions that investigated the violence that followed the 2007 presidential election.

Jacinta Nyamosi told the court on Wednesday that as head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Division at the directorate, she had not asked the commissions that investigated the violence that occurred between December 2007 and February 2008 to share the complaints they received.

Nyamosi returned to court to continue testifying as a witness for one of the respondents to a petition by survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) that occurred after the bloodshed that followed the 2007 poll.

She began testifying on March 29 but had to break-up her testimony due to the court’s packed schedule.

She was called to testify by ODPP. Nyamosi told the court she is a Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and has been with the directorate’s SGBV division since 2007.

Following the violence of December 2007 to February 2008, and as part of an agreement to bring it to an end, the government appointed two independent commissions in 2008 and 2009.

One was the Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence that had a mandate to investigate in depth the bloodshed that occurred after the 2007 presidential poll. This commission is commonly referred to as the Waki Commission, named after the judge who chaired it.

It is also often referred to by its acronym, CIPEV.

The other commission was the Truth, Reconciliation, and Justice Commission (TJRC) whose mandate was to investigate injustices in Kenya between December 12, 1963 (when Kenya got independence from Britain) and February 28, 2008 (when post-election violence ended).

“Are you aware that the Waki Commission did consider and review over 900 cases of SGBV?” asked Willis Otieno, who is representing the petitioners.

“I know that they received complaints, but I cannot remember the number,” replied Nyamosi.

“Since the Waki Commission completed its work, have you ever asked the Waki Commission to share any SGBV reports?” asked Otieno a little later.

Nyamosi replied that a multi-agency task force the Director of Public Prosecutions appointed to look into post-election violence cases may have done so.

“Specifically, on SGBV, have you ever asked the Waki Commission to share the allegations it received," Otieno asked.

“I have not done it personally in my capacity [as the head of the SGBV division],” replied Nyamosi.

Later, Otieno wanted to know about the work of the TJRC, and he asked Nyamosi to read out a paragraph from the commission’s four-volume report that summarized allegations of sexual and gender-based crimes the commission received.

“Have you ever looked at any of the complaints [of SGBV] the TJRC received?” asked Otieno.

“I have not looked at this report in detail, but I would be interested in implementing this report,” replied Nyamosi.

State's obligation to ensure citizens' right to security

During his cross-examination Otieno also asked Nyamosi about the obligation of the state to its citizens. She said that it is the state’s obligation to ensure its citizens’ right to security “as far as possible.”

Sometime later, Otieno followed up on this issue.

“Does the obligation of the state, does it diminish during conflict situations?” he asked.

“It does not diminish,” replied Nyamosi.

Otieno then asked what the state could do, beyond criminal prosecutions, if its citizens’ rights had been violated.

“The state can actually compensate where it has flouted the rights of the citizen, if it was so glaring,” Nyamosi said.

“Are there any exceptions to these rights where the state can abandon its obligation?” asked Otieno a little later.

“No,” replied Nyamosi.

“Is the obligation absolute?” asked Otieno.

“You can say so,” answered Nyamosi.

Another subject Otieno questioned Nyamosi about was on victims of sexual crimes being able to report what happened to them to the authorities. He asked her to read excerpts of an affidavit in which two of the petitioners’ allege that the people who sexually assaulted them were police officers. He also asked her to read another excerpt in which another petitioner said she reported her allegation of sexual violence to the authorities, but it was not acted on.

Otieno then asked Nyamosi to explain some of the challenges victims faced if their alleged perpetrator is a man in uniform.

“The obvious challenge will be reporting itself,” replied Nyamosi.

“Why?” asked Otieno.

“You would fear going to the same person,” said Nyamosi.

Once Otieno completed his cross-examination, Edwin Okello of the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecutions asked Nyamosi some questions in re-examination.

Okello referred her to a letter written from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the police written to the ODPP in October 2013 and asked her to read it. Nyamosi read the letter, which said the CID had opened 381 case files in relation to post-election violence. With respect to the petitioners, “no case files were opened because none of the eight petitioners reported to the police,” said the letter Nyamosi read out in court.

The eight petitioners referred to in the letter are six women and two men who have petitioned the court to find the government failed to protect them during the post-election violence period. Four organizations are also petitioners in the case.

These are: the Coalition on Violence against Women; Physicians for Human Rights; the Independent Medical and Legal Unit; and the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists.

The petition has been filed against the Attorney General; the Director of Public Prosecutions; the Inspector General of Police; the Independent Police Oversight Authority; the Ministry of Medical Services and Ministry of Public Health.

When the petition was filed in February 2013, the two ministries existed. They have since been merged to form the Ministry of Health.

Nyamosi concluded her testimony once Okello finished his re-examination. She was the only witness that the ODPP called. None of the other respondents called a witness.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Enoch Chacha Mwita scheduled a mention of the case for April 25 when he will set a date for the court to visit public hospitals in Nairobi to see the facilities they have to receive and treat victims of sexual violence.

On that day he will also set a date for hearing closing submissions.

Click here for more on Kenya cases.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said he was misquoted in reports about an endorsement for Nairobi governor aspirant Peter Kenneth.

It was reported that the President appeared to endorse the former Gatanga MP as Jubilee flag bearer for the seat held by ODM's Evans Kidero. Senator Mike Sonko is also eyeing the ticket.

More on this: Uhuru 'endorses' Peter Kenneth for Jubilee ticket in Nairobi governor race

In an address to the media at State House on Thursday, Uhuru said in Kiswahili: "Sikuwaambia wamchague. Nilisema wamuombee. Hiyo si kupigia mtu debe. (I did not tell them to vote for him. I asked them to pray for him. That does not amount to an endorsement)."

"Muombeeni...ubaya uko wapi? Hata naombea aspirants wote (Pray for him. Where is the problem? I am praying for all aspirants)."

Uhuru added that he and his Jubilee Party do not have favourites for the August 8 general election.

"I will work with the people chosen by the wananchi," he said.

During the burial of former Gatanga MP David Murathe's father, Uhuru asked Murang'a residents to pray for Peter Kenneth to ensure he wins the Jubilee nominations on Friday.

"I am calling on you, Kirwara residents, to pray for your son so that he can win the Jubilee ticket in Nairobi," he said.

The President allowed Kenneth the chance to address the people.

"I will fight to get the ticket and seat in Nairobi so that when I come to visit you I will be Nairobi governor. I urge you all to vote for the President in the general election to prove your love for him," he said.

It has been said that Kenneth will shake up Nairobi politics. Kiharu MP Irungu Kang'ata cited his his experience and achievements in and out of Parliament, which he said will be a plus for Nairobi residents.

Also in the race is former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru.

Read: Peter Kenneth will shake up Nairobi, politicians say on governor bid

There were claims that Sonko had quit the race for Kenneth but the Senator dismissed it as "social media propaganda".

The legislator has maintained that he will be on the ballot as leaders are chosen by people.

Read more: I've not stepped down for Peter Kenneth in Nairobi governor race - Sonko

NASA relaunched 'The Pentagon' at the Bomas meeting at which it is expected to give the way forward on a flag bearer.

ODM leader Raila said this in his address to an enthusiastic crowd at the Nairobi venue on Thursday.

In the run up to the 2007 election, Raila assembled what was easily the most potent team in Kenya’s electoral history- the Pentagon. It was made up of a star-studded team of politicians representing most of Kenya’s regions.

They included Musalia Mudavadi - now Amani National Congress leader, William Ruto, Joe Nyaga and Najib Balala. Charity Ngilu joined them later completing a team of six influential politicians.

Raila said today that "the journey towards an inclusive, liberal, honest and vigorous nation that was cut short in 2013, through stolen elections, gets a new boost and fresh momentum".

He is at the meeting with Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya), Musalia Mudavadi (Amani), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and new NASA principal Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto of Chama Cha Mashinani.

Kanu secretary general Nick Salat has been seen at some of the Opposition's meetings.

Read: Isaac Rutto joins NASA as fifth principal, promises Jubilee hard time in polls

"Today we welcome a fifth member. With Ruto on board, we have a new general particularly for our battle to protect and preserve devolution," Raila said.

The Opposition chief said the big tent that the National Super Alliance set out to build was becoming a reality and that the nation's unity was within sight.

"I am proud to welcome Ruto to the NASA Summit. With his entry, we launch a new march towards August 8 elections on which day we shall liberate Kenyans from the yoke of Jubilee," he said.

Raila added that Kenyans will see NASA in its true and grand colours as the face of the nation.

"A rainbow leadership for a rainbow nation is emerging in the horizon. We begin a new journey characterised by bold, candid, honest and truthful engagement with our citizens to resolve the problems afflicting our nation," he said.

The ODM leader said that unlike Jubilee, they will not lie to the people about the state of the nation.

"We will confront the reality of a nation too divided to stand for long. We will not lie that we have done all we can to rein in corruption when our associates, family members and friends are fueling it and reaping from it," he said.

He said the coalition will soon unveil and launch its manifesto "which will be our contract with the people of Kenya."

"We promise it will be a contract worth the signature of every Kenyan. Then we will hit the road to the election," he said.

Raila said they remain faithful to the seven pillar policy platform in the run up to the poll and beyond.

The platforms are:

1. National reconciliation and healing;
2. Resolving historical injustices;
3. Realizing equality of women, youth, persons with disabilities, and the disadvantaged communities and groups as mandated by the Constitution (Article 27);
4. Strengthening devolution;
5. Transforming government into a servant of the people;
6. Realizing social and economic rights as enshrined in Article 43 of the Constitution;
7. Eradicating poverty and unemployment and dealing decisively with corruption.

Read: 'Desperate' Jubilee behind fake script naming Kalonzo Nasa flag bearer - ODM

Also read: NASA flag bearer choice rests with principals, not committee - Kalonzo

A 13-year-old girl from Kajiado county is fighting for her life after developing birth complications at Kajiado District Hospital.

Comatose Naimayo Leiyo is admitted in the intensive care unit at the Kenyatta National Hospital with pre-eclampsia.

It is a condition in pregnancy characterised by high blood pressure and often a significant amount of protein in the urine.

“It is often followed by coma,” Doctor Ifrah Hersi told the Star yesterday. “Anyone can develop this condition. It is not age limiting.”

It can be controlled by taking anti hypertensive medication which helps expectant mothers avoid birth complications.

Leiyo was taken to theatre on April 16 after part of her brain started bleeding. “It is actually a watch-and-wait situation,” Hersi said.

“If a patient is stable she will wake up from her coma after three or four days. If she is not stable we cannot give a timeline.”

This is the second patient being treated in KNH from Kajiado in one month. Another teenage girl, same age as Leiyo, was admitted with the same condition.

Nursing officer in-charge of ICU ward Anne Ngesa, however, said her condition was worse because she developed kidney failure and died on April 6.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o has endorsed her father’s bid for Kisumu governor in a passionate video message posted on Thursday.

The actress said she looks forward to seeing Kisumu grow into a centre of excellence, a feat she said Anyang' Nyang'o had the capacity to achieve.

“All my life I have witnessed your unwavering passion for cultivating a better future for Kenya…even when it was a threat to your life but you have never given up and you continue to push for change and development,” she said.

Lupita regretted that she will not be there to personally support the Kisumu Senator but she fully supported his bid for the county’s top job.

The 12 Years a Slave and Queen of Katwe star said her absence was due to the fact that she was working on a new movie.

She reminisced on her childhood, painting Nyong'o as a development conscience-leader since his formative political days as an MP to the present day.

“I have witnessed the developments, the electricity spreading, schools being built, roads being constructed and medical centres being erected, and you had a lot to do with that,” she said.

Lupita said she was proud of identifying herself with Kisumu even though most of her life was spent in Nairobi with only occasional visits to the lakeside city.

She said it was for that reason that she wanted the best for the city which she believed her professor dad was the best person to achieve.

“I know for certain that Kisumu County will be a better place and leap into the future with you steering it,” said the Oscar winner.

Lupita said that she was even more excited that with her father as governor, the arts industry would prosper in the county and be a model city to other counties by promoting young talents.

“I want Kisumu to shine in the world as much as you do and I for one I will be excited that with you as governor, Kisumu can become a centre of excellence for the arts, because you love the arts and culture,” she said.

And as if to replicate her “your dreams are valid” statement at the Oscars, Lupita said, “You have dreamt for a brighter future for Kisumu County, may you get the opportunity to see that dream bear fruit. May God bless you daddy, you are a winner.”

Nyong'o is expected to battle it out with incumbent Jack Ranguma for the ODM ticket.

ODM will be holding primaries in Kisumu on Monday.

Read:Senators back Nyong'o bid to oust Ranguma as Kisumu governor

NASA has recreated the famous opposition Pentagon to spearhead their onslaught on President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The announcement yesterday by opposition leader Raila Odinga evokes memories of his formidable 2007 political machine, the Pentagon, which nearly vanquished President Mwai Kibaki.

The NASA Pentagon consists of the five Super Alliance principals — Raila (ODM), Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Musalia Mudavadi (ANC), Moses Wetang’ula (Ford Kenya) and the newest member, Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto (CCM).

The opposition game plan emerged as the National Super Alliance finally said it would announce its presidential flag bearer on Thursday.

This appears to end months of speculation and fears of an acrimonious split that could unravel the opposition and hand victory to Jubilee.

At a Bomas of Kenya rally, Wetang’ula revealed the five NASA principals had finalised their power-sharing deal after marathon negotiations that sometimes ended past 3am.

The flagbearer ticket and the deal will be unveiled on April 27th at historic Uhuru Park at a mammoth rally termed “a million man and women” gathering.

"By 6am Uhuru Park will be full. On that day you shall be told the team that will save Kenya. They will obviously be first among equals but we shall all be equals," Wetang’ula said.

From the three-man Coalition for Reforms and Democracy that faced Kenyatta in 2013, the opposition has morphed into the commanding Pentagon with the entry of Rutto.

Raila said that with Rutto’s membership, NASA has gained a new general, particularly for “our battle to protect and preserve devolution”.

"With his entry, we launch a new march towards the August 8 elections on which day we shall liberate Kenyans from the yoke of Jubilee."

"From this day, Kenyans will see NASA in its true and grand colours as the face of the Kenyan nation," Raila said.

The 2007 Pentagon, ODM’s top advisory organ, was arguably Kenya’s most resolute party politburo.

It ran a well-oiled political machine that nearly annihilated Kibaki and his PNU brigade.

Its members were Raila, former CS Charity Ngilu, CS Najib Balala, former minister Joe Nyaga and William Ruto.

"Honourable Raila has said something and I believe in it. Chama Cha Mashinani, ANC, Wiper, Ford Kenya and ODM will now recreate a reinvigorated Pentagon. This is the NASA Pentagon," Mudavadi told an excited crowd.

Raila announced that when they hit the road, their campaign machine will be like no other.

"We shall take no county or village for granted. We will go to each of the 47 counties," he pledged.

Wetang’ula said for the past three days, the principals have been holed up in a secret location, unknown to even their most trusted allies.

On Wednesday, they worked until 3.30am to finalise the power-sharing deal.

But the NASA chiefs, keen to exploit the suspense for political mileage, once again put off announcing their ticket.

In his maiden speech as a NASA principal, Governor Rutto said he and the NASA bosses were “ideological soul mates”.

"I cannot continue to associate myself or my supporters with such a ridiculous regime [Jubilee]. We are ideological soul mates with my colleagues here. Raila Amolo Odinga and my friends here have continued to articulate the correct way of managing our economy," the CCM boss said.

Rutto said he is ashamed he once championed the Jubilee coalition and apologised for having participated in formation of a government that he said continues “to tyrannise” Kenyans.

"I am one of those who started and signed onto the coalition called Jubilee. And I am sorry I was part of that process. When we were forming that coalition it was not our intention to tyrannise Kenyans with our numbers. We get ashamed when they continue to talk about the tyranny of numbers, meaning even my own vote is being used to tyrannise others," the CCM boss said.

After weeks of heated exchange between NASA affiliate parties over who would fly the NASA presidential banner, the principals appeared keen to extinguish the flames of speculation.

Wetang’ula warned opposition supporters that they will have to accept the NASA presidential candidate.

"We are asking Kenyans, if you are a Kalonzo supporter and you are saying ‘if it is not Kalonzo you will not vote,’ then you are a Jubilee supporter. If you are a Raila supporter and you are saying ‘if it is not Raila, I will not vote,’ then you are Jubilee supporter," Wetang’ula cautioned.

Several weeks ago, minority leader in the National Assembly Francis Nyenze threatened that Wiper would quit NASA if Kalonzo was not declared the candidate. Wiper has gone quiet on that demand.

Yesterday, Kalonzo said NASA is ready with its parallel tallying system plans. He said the state is plotting to vandalise their tallying machines.

The Wiper leader said they have come up with “a final anti-rigging measure” and there will be no more rigged elections in Kenya. He did not elaborate.

"Hear me. We are aware Jubilee, on hearing of the presidential tallying centre, are planning to get to that place and dissemble [it]. We want them to know we will have another on iCloud, it will not be possible [to interfere with it]," Kalonzo said.

"We shall not do the announcement but before they [IEBC] announce the results, all of us would have known the results. This is the transparent nature we recommend and uphold as a democratic nation with the most vibrant Constitution of 2010."

Jubilee Party primaries were cancelled indefinitely in most counties on Friday following an acute shortage of ballot papers.

This happened despite JP secretariat chairman Raphael Tuju reaffirming that the primaries have not been cancelled.

In Elgeyo Marakwet, county elections board accused top Jubilee elections board officials of not responding to their concerns.

Barnabas Lagat, the elections board chair at the county, said they noticed the papers were insufficient when they were dispatched on Thursday.

Lagat accused the party's top officials of declining to pick calls when they were contacted over the looming shortage.

"We have been forced call off this exercise until the necessary materials are delivered. We cannot proceed without ballot papers."

He said the JP secretariat also failed to respond to his emails on the matter.

"I had to call an emergency meeting where we concluded that this process will not proceed until when the matter is cleared," Lagat said.

More on this: Transport challenges cause of JP poll mess, officials say

He pointed out Keiyo North constituency where only 12,000 ballot papers were delivered against the required 40,000.

Lagat told the national secretariat to provide an updated IEBC voter register for the exercise.

He said the voter register must be perused by all aspirants before the primaries begin.

In Chesoi, Marakwet East constituency, presiding officers spent the night at CDF hall after the returning officer detected the anomaly.

The same was the case in Baringo where the exercise was called off over shortage of ballot papers .

County elections board chairman Bernard Lotole said the exercise was suspended until further notice.

Lotole blamed the headquarters for dispatching insufficient materials.

Police blocked over 300 residents who flocked the county offices demanding that the nominations kick off.

Read: Shots fired at youth burning ballot papers in Nanyuki

In Kirinyaga county, voting did not take off as planned amid allegations that ballot papers had been stolen.

Jubilee Party county coordinator Martin Mwangi denied the claims.

Security was beefed up at most of the centres earmarked for the poll that would produce candidates for the August 8 general election.

County commissioner Erastus Ekidor warned aspirants not to cause chaos regardless of the outcome of the election results.

He has said police will not hesitate to arrest anyone who causes trouble during the primaries.

In Murang'a, the exercise delayed after ballot boxes were reported missing in various polling stations.

A presiding officer at Ikindu in Maragua constituency said ballot papers were stolen from his car which was parked at the polls venue.

Murang'a JP secretary general Irungu Mwaniki said the was being sorted out to ensure voting goes on.

Some residents alleged a ploy by the Jubilee Party to ensure some aspirants are rigged out.

Many voters registered their frustrations with the Jubilee Party's failure to conduct a smooth exercise.

This was the case in most parts of the 21 counties where the primaries were scheduled on the first day of the polls.

Also read: Eight choppers on standby to supply ballot materials, says Tuju

Polls in Kuresoi South were also called off until further notice following a request by aspirants.

The process flopped due to insufficient ballot papers that were delivered to the sub-county for the Friday primaries.

JP county elections board official Fredrick Rono announced the cancellation after consulting the head office.

Aspirants led by Senator Liza Chelule, Philip Korir and Keringet ward MCA Leah Serem asked the party to destroy ballot papers that were opened in absence of aspirants.

"We request destruction of the few ballot papers which are at the tallying centre to curb rigging." Korir said.

They also asked the party to appoint a new constituency returning officer when the elections will be done.

Reporting by Stephen Rutto, Alice Waithera, Amos Kerich, Joseph Kangogo, and Geoffrey Kibisu

It was a mess.

Chaos, long delays, insufficient ballot papers, missing names and general confusion forced President Uhuru Kenyatta's Jubilee Party on Friday to stop nominations in 15 of 21 counties.

Most were in Rift Valley, DP William Ruto's backyard.

There was ballot burning by angry voters, melees and arrests of suspects with a carload of crude weapons and campaign material.

It was a major loss of face and credibility for Jubilee which had boasted its two-day nominations would be well organised, smooth and credible. It gloated over confused and messy ODM primaries.

"This is very disappointing since we did not expect a party of Jubilee's status to have disorganised polls the way they did," Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire said in Embu after storming a ballot distribution centre. "This is contrary to assurances." She seeks the governor's ticket.

In most places aspirants complained the JP elections board sent insufficient or no ballot papers, forcing them to demand vote cancellations.

Following numerous complaints, the DP and President intervened, telling the board to call off nominations in all troubled areas.

The board announced it had postponed nominations in 11 counties. A new date was not announced.

The counties are Baringo, Bomet, Elgeyo Marakwet, Embu, Kajiado, Kericho, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Transmara and Uasin Gishu,

The board cancelled nominations in Kiambu, Laikipia, Meru and West Pokot, following complaints from aspirants accusing it of incompetence. No rerun date was announced.

"I apologise for the inconvenience caused to our aspirants and supporters," JP secretary general Raphael Tuju told a media conference at JP headquarters in Pangani, Nairobi. “I will take responsibility for the mess. These things took place under my watch. I will work to ensure our supporters get a chance to elect the leaders they prefer to fly Jubilee's flag.”

The board maintained elections were to go on in Muranga, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Nyandarua, despite similar complaints from aspirants that there were fewer ballot papers than registered voters.

Party supporters burnt ballots at five polling stations in Laikipia East constituency at Kanyoni, Mugumo, Bungoma, Likii and Nyaregeno primary schools.

Police in Gatundu South, Kiambu county, arrested three suspects in a vehicle loaded with new crude weapons, including wooden batons and slashers, in Ichaweri Village.

Officers tipped off by voters also impounded the Toyota Noah car in which the suspects were travelling, allegedly with the intent to disrupt voting. Campaign material bearing names of three MP aspirants were also found in the car, which did not have a rear bumper and number plates.

Allegations of pre-marked ballots and fake ballot papers were rife in Uasin Gishu and Nyeri where ballot papers were found marked in favour of some candidates.

In Uasin Gishu, papers were marked in favour Zedekiah Bundotich, also known as Buzeki, who is running against Governor Jackson Mandago. Mandago accused DP Ruto of favouring Buzeki.

In Nyeri, aspirants complained in Tetu, Othaya, and Mukurweini that some ballots were missing and others were pre-marked.

There were fistfights in Bomet and party election board member Leah Ntimama was rescued by the police from voters who attempted to attack her.

Tuju admitted the party had failed in some areas.

He said many aspirants were justified in being upset with "inconsistencies". He said lessons learnt will be used to plan primaries in counties yet to hold polls.

“We will do what is expected. Now we are taking stock of mishaps, which will define how we will deal with this process going forward," Tuju said.

He maintained the party was only using the IEBC register to verify specific details of those who turned up to vote.

“Our membership register is not adequate as it lacks details of polling station and specific centres where a voter is registered,” Tuju said.

“Apart from town areas, those with IDs reflecting their location were not turned away from polling stations,” he said.

Tuju said no one was caught with fake ballot papers as the exercise continued in areas where the polls were successful.

“It is impossible to rig this process. The system is tight. The ballot papers are serialised and those already spent cannot be reused when we repeat the primaries,” the JP boss said.

In Kirinyaga, former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru rejected the nominations and accused the party of disenfranchising her supporters.

"We are extremely disappointed by the party. There are no ballot papers in Kirinyaga and so there will be no election in Kirinyaga," Waiguru said.

No primaries took place in Kajiado after governor aspirant Joseph Lenku was accused of diverting a lorry carrying ballot papers to Ngong.

There was a standoff in Ngong, Kajiado, following an attempt to break into a store where ballot papers were stored.

Rigging claims were raised by candidates as voters waited patiently for voting to begin. It was to start at 6am but did not start for hours in many places. Voters instead went to work.

Countrywide, nominations failed to start on time at many stations.

Kajiado West MP Moses Ole Sakuda accused ODM of causing delays.

"There is an unseen hand of ODM trying to manipulate and cause chaos," he said.

Runyenjes MP Mbarire led other aspirants in storming Kirimari Secondary School where ballot boxes and papers for Manyatta constituency were being distributed.

She declared there would be no election.

In Bureti, former minister Franklin Bett announced all aspirants had resolved to postpone nominations.

The bullets that killed a Laikipia ranch worker on Thursday were from the Eldoret ordnance factory, a source has told the Star.

They said on Saturday that the bullets fired to murder Duncan Murimi on April 20 at Ol Maisor ranch were from the government factory.

The source questioned the circumstances under which militias acquired the bullets which were used in the murder of a police officer and ranch workers.

"Much of the ammunition bullet casings found after recent attacks against communities in Laikipia by Pokot militias are from the government factory."

"This is raising the question as to where and how criminals murdering policemen as well as private citizens are able to obtain this ammunition in such huge quantities," the source said.

Pokot militias on Thursday shot dead an employee of Ol Maisor ranch in Laikipia outside his house at around 7.30 pm.

Read: Pokot militias kill Ol Maisor ranch worker in Laikipia, steal nothing

This was a week after another Ol Maisor Ranch employee was shot in the stomach by Pokot militias.

The bullet lodged in Athaju Eloto's back was removed at Nyahururu district hospital.

Eloto was part of the Ol Maisor security team assisting government law enforcement units trying to restore law and order.

Heavily armed Pokot and Samburu militias invading Laikipia have been fighting police and KDF.

Read: Pokot militia kill two cops and worker, capture two from GSU in Laikipia attacks

When the gods wish to punish us, said Oscar Wilde, they first answer our prayers. There is a way in which the gods are getting ready to punish Kenyans in this nominations season.

They will answer our prayers by giving us the leaders we want, then, in turn those same leaders will ‘punish’ us on behalf of the gods by giving us what we don’t want.

I have heard a thousand times how Kenyans have cried, even moaned that so-and-so is such a bad leader — why did we elect him? Those tears are the punishment of the gods. But we will never learn. Returning to the polls, Kenyans will be going to ‘punish’ the leaders that they have a bone to pick with. Sure enough, we are the ones who get punished in the end and are doomed to repeat the cycle endlessly. The gods are punishing us.

DP RUTO PRAYERS

One person with his own set of prayers, is Deputy President William Ruto. He is praying that the elections will give him the kind of people he can work with in the run-up to 2022. If the gods answer his prayers, they will be propping him up to punish him. There is a way that the DP has attracted controversy from the leaders who should in reality be his best supporters.

This is in sharp contrast to President Uhuru Kenyatta who basically commands undiminished, near sycophantic support from his friends. It is different for Ruto. Some say this is because his base has not quite defined their strategic interest in the presidency, otherwise, they would not want to rock the boat ere it reaches the shores of Canaan. If indeed Ruto gets the leaders he wants (and indications strongly show he will), he may be starting with a fresh and quieter team. However, those who will feel slighted by his hand in deposing them, will work powerfully against his interests in 2022. They will be the hands of the gods.

WHAT NOMINATIONS MEAN FOR RUTO

Perhaps more than he cares to admit, Ruto’s 2022 bid for the presidency largely depends on the outcome of the ongoing Jubilee nominations across all its strongholds. Whoever emerges, will play key parts in his strategic positioning ahead of that crucial upcoming poll. It will determine many things including the kind of support he will receive, the financing and the geographical reach on the ground and the vibrancy of his campaigns going into 2022. Although he has vowed not to support anyone for a seat, his silent hand can be seen in the preference of candidates. While it is true that some of his biggest detractors today had once been his closest comrades-at-arms, there is something that turns his best friends against him. They find it in themselves to fight him.

SILLY SEASON AGAIN

The battleground regions in the nominations are where the Jubilee and NASA principals come from. In the North Rift, it will be a bruising battle for the Jubilee ticket, as it will be in Central Kenya. These are the homes of the Jubilee principals and indeed winning the ticket will be tantamount to winning the election. In fact, the chasing of one ticket by so many is a barometer of how the people are likely to vote. In Kajiado, for instance, there are about six candidates chasing the Jubilee or Jubilee-affiliated tickets, while the incumbent has no material opponent in NASA.That is a bad sign for him. Indeed, the decision by the ODM to award a direct nomination to its most loyal lieutenants has been described as anti-democratic and retrogressive, however, there is a way in which the decision is informed by emerging realities after the elections.

EDGY INCUMBENTS

There will be tremors in the aftermath of the Jubilee nominations. The chaos of the elections in some areas will see many incumbent leaders cry foul after they have been ‘rigged’ out (perfect excuse as always) and there will be some serious political falling out and realignments. This could return to hurt Ruto’s bid. The Rift Valley will see some of the most bruising battles ever. They could make or break the party going forward. What is perhaps of greater concern is the nature of the outcome in the light of DP Ruto’s candidacy in 2022. It could greatly change the landscape, as the trees that will fall from the hurricane will place serious barriers in the DP Ruto’s way.

Some of the sitting governors who are very edgy are Uasin Gishu's Jackson Mandago who is feeling the heat from Zedekiah Bundotich, better known as Buzeki. Mandago had used every bit of his energy to support the DP and doesn’t understand why the party, or Ruto for that matter, could not reward such loyalty by slowing down his rivals. There is a corner of his heart that is disappointed and he could take a negative attitude toward the DP, if he wins the nomination. Should he win, for instance, he could pay back the DP by become aloof to Ruto's bid in 2022, since he has nothing to lose in his second term.

MANDAGO'S PITY PARTY

But the second term is not so certain anymore. A few days ago, he hosted Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi to what amounted to a pity-party campaign, blaming their woes on a 'preferred list’ of candidates allegedly issued by the DPs office that excludes them. This defeatist mindset has sent the wrong message to the electorate and may have just been the right ploy by their opponents to get them out of the way.

Others feeling the heat include Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat, who is in a tight race with Senator Stephen Sang and former Cabinet Minister Henry Kosgey. Things so hotly contested against this incumbent that he has also started blaming his woes on the ghost ‘list’ from the DP's office.

Senator Sang’s campaign gained some last-minute mojo and he is giving incumbent Lagat sleepless nights. He has also practically disillusioned the erstwhile front runner Felix Kosgey. Indeed Lagat's administration had received much flak for being unresponsive to the development needs of Nandi.

Sang’s strategy was to identify himself with the historical injustices faced by scores of Nandis and he is exploiting what his opponent Lagat had ignored. He is also working strongly on the issue of the vast land holdings by multi-nationals whose leases are coming up for renewal.

Henry Kosgey's the albatross is the fact that he himself is a great landholder as well as an investor in multinationals, when Nandi has so many landless people displaced by the Europeans.

In Kericho, Governor Professor Paul Chepkwony is feeling the heat from Richard K Langat popularly known as RK. Chepkwony will be banking on his development record and relatively scandal-free administration. He has done very well with the fight to rectify the historical injustices against the Kipsigis, even bringing a case against the British for their footprint in Kericho, which can still be felt to this day. RK is, however, said to enjoy the patronage of DP Ruto and CS Charles Keter with whom Chepkwony had not bothered to align himself.

SMOKE-FILLED ROOM

In Bomet, Governor Isaac Rutto has bolted from Jubilee and is now a NASA co-principal. Incidentally, the smoke created in Bomet has pushed him out of the house, and the seat is left to be purely a Jubilee race. Rutto is creating a soft landing for himself come August 9 when the newspaper front pages will be carrying the story of his defeat.

The problem with his move to NASA is that many who had trooped to his Mashinani party had been banking on the fact that he was (quietly) in the neutral zone and had even told the people that they could vote for Jubilee at the presidency level and a lower levels they should vote for his party.

For many, it was like being an independent candidate. Their fortunes have now been tied to whomever NASA picks, but either way, they stand no chance in Jubilee strongholds. Their goose, like Rutto’s, is now largely cooked.

REMOVING GOVERNOR KIDERO

Ruto’s 2022 bid is also strongly tied to the outcome of Nairobi governor race. Jubilee’s man to face incumbent Governor Evans Kidero will still face the uphill task of removing him. Kidero came to office after approaching the power brokers and the city fathers who gave him their blessing. This blessing may not be there this time round, as it has (I highly suspect) gone to Jubilee candidate Peter Kenneth.

Kenneth, on the other hand, was seen as Ruto’s biggest threat in 2022 and so it was in Ruto’s best interest to have him governor of Nairobi, thus removing him from contention in 2022. However, the rambunctious Senator Mike Sonko connects very well with the poor majority in the city and therefore he has an edge over Kenneth for his practical approach to politics.

A friend lost a relative who was undergoing treatment in the city last week. As they waited to plan how to transport the body, someone approached the Sonko Rescue Team and the body was immediately transported to Kericho, cutting great costs for the family ahead of the funeral.

Sonko must get the seat, otherwise, he is capable of working vigourously against Ruto’s future interests.

THE HAND OF THE GODS

In the end, it is perhaps in Ruto’s best interest to carefully evaluate the meaning of the outcome of the Jubilee nominations. Perhaps of greater importance is to be careful what he prays for. It might just lead to a different set of tears come 2022.

Gunmen wounded Italian-born conservationist Kuki Gallmann at her conservation park in Laikipia on Sunday.

This was the latest of a string of attacks during land invasions in drought-stricken northern Kenya.

The 73-year-old author of the memoir "I Dreamed of Africa" was shot in the stomach after the vehicle she was driving in was ambushed by a group of gunmen, a family friend said.

Gallmann, who was played by Kim Basinger in the 2000 film of the book, was going to inspect fresh damage to her property after invaders burned down a retreat there on Saturday. A luxury hotel there had already been burnt down last month.

She was ambushed when she was forced to stop by a tree laid across the track, the friend said. The gunmen shot her, but Gallmann was saved when rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service intervened and fought off the attackers.

Gallmann was first flown to a hospital in the nearby town of Nanyuki to be stabilised. British military medics accompanied her on another helicopter to receive surgery at a hospital in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, the friend said.

Her daughter -- who herself was shot at in an incident in March -- said that her mother was able to speak, the friend said.

The Gallmann family own the 100,000-acre (400 square km) Laikipia Nature Conservancy and employ 250 Kenyans on the luxury lodges, ranch, and other businesses on the land.

They also run the Gallmann Africa Conservancy and Gallmann Memorial Foundation, conservation groups focusing on bringing people and wildlife together sustainably.

A wave of violence has hit Kenya's drought-stricken Laikipia region in recent months as armed cattle-herders searching for scarce grazing land have driven tens of thousands of cattle onto private farms and ranches from poor quality communal land.

Many residents of the area accuse local politicians of inciting the violence ahead of the August elections. They say the men are trying to drive out voters who might oppose them and win votes by promising supporters access to private land.

At least 14 civilians have been killed, including local resident Duncan Murimi, who was shot in the stomach by militias and who died three days ago on a neighbouring property. Another Kenyan man was killed a few days before him in the same area.

Four police have also been killed in the last six weeks, Kenyan media has reported. Police spokesmen did not return calls seeking comment.

Martin Evans, head of the Laikipia Farmers' Association, condemned the attack on Gallmann and said "dozens of people have been killed or wounded and subjected to robbery and vandalism of their property. Kuki is a world famous author and conservationist -- but the LFA urges sympathy for all."

Raila Odinga, the country's veteran opposition leader, also condemned the attack and said "we have watched in bewilderment as hooligans take advantage of the drought to subject these ranchers to unwarranted attacks ... the government is clearly unable or unwilling to bring these attacks to a stop."

Last month, Tristan Voorspuy, a British military veteran who ran a safari company in Kenya, was shot dead at a private ranch in Laikipia.

He had gone to the ranch to inspect the remains of a friend's home that had been burnt down.

Read: Conservationist Sveva Gallmann shot at as bandits set fire to Mukutan Retreat

Read: Pokot militias kill Ol Maisor ranch worker in Laikipia, steal nothing

Read: Bullets used by Pokots in Laikipia raids are from state's Eldoret artillery - source

Also read: Pokot militia kill two cops and worker, capture two from GSU in Laikipia attacks

Read: British father of two shot dead at Sosian ranch in Laikipia

Jubilee Nairobi primaries have been moved to Wednesday, Secretary General Raphael Tuju has said.

Tuju did not give reasons for the postponement of the polls were earlier scheduled for Monday.

This came amid speculation of ongoing talks between aspirants Mike Sonko and former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth.

Sources within the party intimated that the negotiations for consensus between Sonko and Kenneth are still ongoing.

The two are among candidates seeking to fly the Jubilee flag in the race against incumbent Evans Kidero of ODM.

Former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru is also eying the ruling party's ticket ahead of the August 8 polls.

The three were initially in the Team Nairobi which also had Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja and Dagoretti South MP David Waweru.

Sakaja will contest the senator seat whereas Waweru will defend his seat during the general election.

On the postponed Nairobi polls, Tuju said that they initially planned the exercise for Tuesday but realised they can run alongside those of ODM.

"Jubilee is not seeking an extension of time for party primaries beyond Wednesday," he told journalists on Sunday.

"All ballot papers have been printed. We are prepared for the nominations."

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday apologised for the chaos witnessed during Jubilee party primaries on Friday.

Read: Jubilee's total poll failure, Tuju cancels all nominations

He said the party did not anticipate the large turnout of voters during the primaries which were cancelled following the confusion.

Read: Uhuru summons JP officials, forced to intervene in chaotic primaries

Kalenjin elders have criticised Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago and Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter for leading hundreds of youth to perform a cultural ritual on the streets of Eldoret town to protest against alleged rigging of Jubilee Party nominations.

The protest amounted to a war cry.

The ritual involved all those present squatting on the streets and uttering an oath and it caused panic among some residents, many of whom ran away for fear of violence.

Video clips of the ritual went viral on social media, sparking intense debate. It was performed on Wednesday and Friday.

There was tension in Eldoret town, which led to an emergency security meeting chaired by county commissioner Abdi Hassan after some leaders and residents said the ceremony amounted to incitement.

First to condemn the governor and the MP was governor aspirant Bundotich Kiprop, popularly known as Buzeki, who has demanded that Mandago and those involved apologise for carrying it out in public.

“It was embarrassing and unacceptable within the Kalenjin community to do such a cultural ritual publicly on the streets yet it’s clear when, where and how it should be done,” he said.

Buzeki said the ritual caused panic.

Mzee Kibet Maswai, 86, says performing the ritual in such a manner is an abomination. “These young people got it all wrong and as elders we were caught by surprise and we have asked the leaders involved to desist from ever doing it that way again,” he said.

Maswai said the ceremony, known as Cheptilet, can only be done in sacred areas selected by elders who lead the event, not just anyone.

During the ceremony those present squat and sing songs led by a soloist who should be an elder, he said.

On Friday, Mandago and Keter addressed residents from the roofs of their cars and squatted in the vehicles.

“There are several songs that can be used during the ritual and the songs are used to mobilise, motivate, warn or cement unity within the community because of impending enmity or to call for peace during crisis and also warn the community of betrayers within,” Maswai said.

Elders said the ceremony is not supposed to be done in the presence of children and women and it cannot be done in areas with diverse communities such as in a town.

Elder Paul Kurgat said there was no need for such a ritual as Mandago’s team was dealing with political issues, which do not endanger their culture or community. “It is elders who decide when such a ritual is to be done and how. What they did was wrong and even calls for cleansing,” he said.

But elder Ben Kiplagat said the ritual was of no consequence and was done only as a way for those present to vent out their emotions. “Whenever Kalenjins are emotional they will sing certain songs to encourage themselves and that is what happened. It was not meant to harm anyone,” he said.

Mandago’s spokesman Silas Tarus dismissed critics of the ritual, saying they are trying to create a mountain out of nothing.

Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka is pushing hard to be the NASA presidential candidate or at least, Musalia Mudavadi’s running mate.

Last Thursday, the National Super Alliance announced it would reveal its ticket this Thursday at a huge rally at Uhuru Park. This led to speculation a decision finally had been reached, the infighting was over and opposition unity was intact.

However, the issue remains contentious.

NASA has yet to agree on who will face President Uhuru Kenyatta in the General Election on August 8, and the line-up of officials in the presumptive new government.

Kalonzo told his colleagues yesterday he has the best chance of defeating Jubilee, with ANC's Mudavadi as his running mate.

“The Wiper leader has made it clear it is important NASA wins with a big margin and the only person who can guarantee that is Kalonzo," a Kalonzo aide told the Star yesterday.

"However, if Kalonzo is not the candidate, then he will be happy to serve as Mudavadi’s deputy because that ticket will still be strong,” he said.

Under this arrangement, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of ODM would be the new Premier Cabinet Secretary, the most powerful minister in the government.

However, Raila has insisted he is the most popular candidate and Kalonzo should be his deputy to deliver a decisive NASA victory.

According to Raila, he won both the 2007 and 2013 elections but his victories were stolen.

He says with NASA going to the elections as one unit, his numbers will increase dramatically.

Under this arrangement, Mudavadi would become the Premier Cabinet Secretary.

However, a third compromise scenario has emerged in which Mudavadi would be the presidential candidate and Kalonzo his running mate. Raila then would be the Premier Cabinet Secretary.

Yesterday, the NASA Pentagon discussed these scenarios but did not reach a decision. the Pentagon of five principals also includes Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto and Ford Kenya's Moses Wetang'ula.

They resume discussions today.

They are racing against time to hammer out a deal before Thursday, having committed themselves to announcing the torchbearer at Uhuru Park.

Today they are expected to use the report by foreign consultants to decide the flagbearer.

Nine foreign consultants have reconstructed a power-sharing formula, developed by the NASA technical committee headed by lawyer Dan Ameyo. However, it was not taken into account by the National Coordinating Committee led by Siaya Senator James Orengo.

In making recommendations, the consultants considered many factors, including 2013 voter turnout, ethnic voting patterns, the Census and current Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission voter registration figures by ethnic communities.

It's Raila-Kalonzo! NASA experts say

Pray for NASA to solidify, trounce Jubilee, Mudavadi tells Bomas crowd

Bomas rally: I am ready to sacrifice presidency again, Kalonzo says

It is understood Wetang’ula is backing a Raila-Kalonzo ticket because he believes a Mudavadi-Kalonzo ticket will weaken his political career.

NASA's proposed new government structure significantly reduces the powers of the President, making him almost a ceremonial figure.

According to the structure, the President’s main responsibility will be to chair Cabinet meetings, perform all state functions and make all state appointments.

The NASA Deputy President will assist the President and will act as President if the head of state is unable to perform his duties.

The 22 Cabinet slots provided in the Constitution have been organised in five clusters, each to be headed by one of the five principals.

They are the Presidency, Infrastructure and Economic affairs, Public Service, Devolution Affairs and Trade and Industry.

The new Premier Cabinet Secretary will be very powerful because his main responsibility will be to coordinate all national government operations and Interior affairs, including national security units.

The Premier CS will answer directly to the President and have the power to recommend hiring and firing of any senior government official.

Under the Premier CS will be two powerful deputies of equal rank. One will be responsible for Devolution and 10 other Cabinet Secretaries. The other will be responsible for Public Service plus 10 other ministries.

While the five principals have agreed to allocate themselves each four Cabinet positions if they win, they have emphasised that no tribe will dominate the Cabinet.

If it wins, NASA hope to amend Constitution to create the position of Prime Minister. It would further amend the Constitution to allow elected MPs to serve as Cabinet ministers.

They argue this will enable them to better articulate government policies than today when all Cabinet ministers are from outside Parliament.

NASA leaders have also signed an agreement ensuring as many tribes as possible are represented in higher government positions, especially the Cabinet.

Expert comment: NASA must be bold, strike when Jubilee is weakened

The Principal Secretaries will come from different communities so leadership is seen as all-inclusive. The Alliance says this is in contrast with Jubilee, which is dominated by two major tribes.

Apart from the Cabinet, each principal has also been guaranteed at least four parastatal slots of their choice.

The opposition chiefs have reserved defining and filling the two other Cabinet slots and other positions until after the polls. They include speakers of the National Assembly and the Senate and majority leaders in both houses.

“Leadership is about power and power must be shared and dispersed horizontally to lead this country properly. The agreement on power-sharing is already finished.

“In our culture, the cow is shared before it is slaughtered — who will take the hind leg, the foreleg, the head and who will have the ribs. That we have finished,” Wetang’ula said last Thursday at the Bomas of Kenya when Rutto joined the coalition.

Police officers charged with the murder of lawyer Willie Kimani and two others want LSK, IJM, and lawyers representing victims blocked from cross-examining witnesses.

The five are accused of hatching a plot to mercilessly kill Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and driver Joseph Muiruri on June 23, 2016.

But they filed an application before trial Judge Jesse Lessit on Monday saying their rights to a fair trial is being violated.

The five include Fredrick Leliman, Leonard Maina, Stephen Chebulet, Silvia Wanjiku and informer Peter Ngugi.

They said there is no provision in the law that allows cross-examination by other lawyers apart from the DPP.

"In criminal proceedings, advocates watching brief have no capacity to cross-examine witnesses at all," their lawyer James Muchere said in court papers.

The new legal challenge comes after shocking revelations, linking yet another police officer to the killer suspects, was introduced during cross-examination a fortnight ago.

Lawyers watching brief for the family, Law Society of Kenya and International Justice Mission, relied on Facebook chats and phone data records.

This was to prove Wilson Kamau, an officer attached to an undercover unit that was headed by Leliman, called Ngugi several times from June 23.

Kamau had denied knowing Ngugi and when he was referred to the evidence, he asked to be heard in camera.

"Allowing advocates watching brief to cross-examine witnesses is prejudicial and is not backed by any provisions of the law nor the constitution," lawyer Cliff Ombeta said.

The lawyers said a pretrial conference was held at the beginning of the proceedings when Justice Lessit took over the hearing from Justice Ruth Sitati.

They said that parties agreed that IJM, LSK victim’s lawyers will make contributions in the trial through the DPP.

According to the defence, some of the issues raised in cross-examination by advocates watching brief for and on behalf of victims has introduced new facts they are unable to respond.

The lawyers watching brief have cross-examined at least four witnesses.

The DPP and the lawyers have asked for more time to respond to the application.

Parties will go back to court on Wednesday, April 26 for hearing.

Read: Witness in Willie Kimani murder case describes lawyer's struggle for help

Also read: Three officers, strange cars spotted in field where Willie Kimani may have been killed

More on this: Tears flow as family of slain lawyer Willie Kimani testifies

NASA co-principals will form a five-year transitional government if they win.

This means, the 2017 flagbearer will not be allowed to run in 2022, and will instead endorse one of the other Pentagon members.

Lugari MP Ayub Savula, a close ally of ANC chief Musalia Mudavadi, said the move is meant to “correct mistakes made by the Jubilee administration and return the country to the path of growth”.

“NASA will focus on empowering wananchi, uniting people and building the nation,” he said.

Among NASA’s plans is to reorganise the government, audit assets and liabilities, come up with plans to manage debt and strengthen government institutions. “We are only calling on the principals to announce their flagbearer to minimise the anxiety among the big team that supports NASA,” Savula said. The development comes after a failed report by the NASA National Coordinating Committee and the National Technical Committee, which threatened to break the opposition. The co-principals have hired experts to help lead talks. “The experts are helping our bosses reorganise the government and pick a flagbearer,” an insider said.

Both the NCC and technical team will be dissolved. At a three-hour meeting yesterday, the co-principals agreed to work as a team. They agreed that no one will leave the alliance. Documents obtained by the Star show the co-principals target 16 million voters out of the 19 million registered by the IEBC.

The additional three million are believed to be fake.

The co-principals are to sign a power-sharing agreement to work as a team enjoying equal powers. They will deposit the power-sharing agreement with the Registrar of Political Parties before making public their flagbearer on Thursday. Details show the team will revisit the Bomas draft in a bid to strengthen the Constitution. It will call a referendum and ensure Kenya is governed through the parliamentary system. Sources told the Star the team has divided the ministries into a pool of three - the productive economy, public service, and infrastructure development.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria on Tuesday cursed on national TV after he was asked about chaos that marred primaries in the constituency.

This was after an NTV journalist asked Kuria what was his take on the issues that characterised the polls staged to elect a Jubilee candidate for August 8.

"Every wrong done here in Gatundu is by Moses Kuria. F*** you," he said before walking away from the journalist.

Later, Kuria addressed the media dismissing the allegations as a smear campaign against him by his opponents in the race.

"That is a smear campaign. I am now suspecting the hands of the opposition."

Kuria asked the media to keep off Gatundu saying there are many places where they can cover the Jubilee nominations.

"Why only Gatundu? Keep off. Within an hour everybody will be voting here," Kuria said.

More on this:Jubilee's total poll failure, Tuju cancels all nominations

Read: Jump ship if you think primaries will be rigged – Kuria

The legislator, on his Facebook page, wrote a letter to the President Uhuru Kenyatta citing plans to rig him out of the Gatundu South MP race.

"I am just suffering in silence. Please assist not me but justice and fairness," he said.

Kuria claimed that if nominations were held on Friday he would have been rigged out.

"It is true ballots were interfered with on the way. The ballot papers were personally delivered by a police officer attached to Kristina Pratt's son in law Pepe," he said.

"When he was confronted he drew a gun in public and he actually had to be physically disarmed by the OCPD."

Kuria claimed that he overheard a conversation between Pepe and a returning officer that he will be locked out.

"Pepe physically came to Gatundu and he met there with a member of the NEB and made a comment to him 'Lakini huyu Moses Kuria sisi kama chama hatutaki yeye (As a party, we don't want Kuria to win this poll)," he claimed.

Kuria says he has undergone lots of pain and personal sacrifice adding that: "I am at a great loss."

"If they can try to rig me out in favour of Kungu Kibathi, how about thousands of Jubilee aspirants who are unknown and have no profile?"

"Its the saddest day of my life," he said adding that the case of Pepe's bodyguard drawing a gun was known to police.

"I can not go to a slaughterhouse knowingly. I believe they will do the same on Tuesday."

"I am personally seeking your intervention to ensure we have free, fair and open nominations," he said.

Kuria said he does not want to be favored but allow the people's will be enforced.

"I just need this decision to be left to the people of Gatundu. Ata kama ni mlolongo (Even if its decided by queuing).

"I am this unfortunate because others would jump to media but I can not because the whole focus will move to Gatundu South because of the names involved," he said.

Police were forced to fire in the air to disperse rowdy voters after they claimed that the deputy police commander had ballot papers in his possession.

The voters claimed that the commander had secured the ballot boxes and was planning to use them to rig in the incumbent Moses Kuria.

More on this: Police disperse voters protesting plot to help Moses Kuria rig Gatundu South polls

Police in Gatundu on Friday last week arrested three suspects in a vehicle loaded with new crude weapons.

The three were apprehended in Ichaweri village with wooden batons and slashers.

MORE than 1,200 aspirants have sought clearance to contest various seats as independent candidates, the highest number ever and expected to rise in the coming days.

Many cite the spate of shambolic or unfair nominations across parties as the reason for the last- minute decisions to quit.

But as disgruntled aspirants rushed to the Registrar of Political Parties to effect the changes, a court in Malindi issued orders extending the party nominations deadline by two weeks.

In another ruling that interferes with the IEBC's election calendar, Justice Weldon Korir agreed with the Director of the Angaza Empowerment Network, George Mirigu, that it was important to move the deadline from April 26 to May 7 because the primaries were marred by chaos and logistical problems.

The office of the Registrar of Political Parties in Nairobi was yesterday a hive of activity as aspirants dissatisfied with the party primaries resigned en masse.

Tens of politicians lined up at the RPP headquarters at Lion Place, Westlands, to withdraw from their parties so as to be on the ballot on August 8 as independent candidates.

To be cleared to run as an independent, an aspirant is required to submit an application letter of request for clearance, copy of ID, and a fee of Sh500. The candidates then receive clearance certificates certifying that they have not been members of any political party in the 90 days to Election Day.

The Star established that most of those resigning were previously in ODM and Jubilee. Both parties face claims of unfairness in their nominations.

Expert comment: Expect many more to go independent for August 8

ODM primaries across the country, for instance, have left many aspirants bitter, rubbishing the exercise as a sham.

First to decamp from the Orange Party after bungled primaries in Busia County was Funyula MP Paul Otuoma. He is believed to be planning to run as an independent candidate.

Former KTN journalist Mohammed Ali lost in the ODM nominations for the Nyali parliamentary seat. He was trounced by Said Salim, a cousin of Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho.

"I will be on the ballot whether on ODM or not. I will appeal to the party because I have video and picture evidence [of malpractice]," he said.

Aspirants from Jubilee's strongholds have also threatened to ditch the party if nominations, the majority of which will be done today and tomorrow, are not free and fair.

Yesterday, Deputy President William Ruto spent most of the day at Jubilee Headquarters at Pangani Junction, Nairobi, ensuring that that repeat nominations went according to plan. Ruto on Sunday night helped resolve the logistical nightmare facing Jubilee Party in its primaries.

Jubilee Party started party nominations yesterday and plans to conclude the exercise tomorrow.

Senior police officers on Sunday met Ruto in Nairobi and impressed on him that the police should be involved in the transportation and storage of ballot boxes and papers.

The police chiefs told the DP that since schools were being used as polling stations, the same logistics used to transport and secure national examinations should be employed.

At the end of the meeting, it was agreed that police officers be deployed to escort vehicles transporting ballot boxes and guard them until they are handed over to polling officers.

Police were directed to offer security at the polling centres and to escort the ballot boxes from the centres to the party tallying centres.

Initially, the police chiefs wanted the ballot materials airlifted to county headquarters and handed over to party officials to transport them to polling centres. However, the Jubilee chiefs insisted on the voter materials, complete with security seals, be transported overnight by road, under police escort.

Yesterday JP said all their members will be allowed to participate in the ongoing primaries, provided one has a national identity card.

This follows numerous complaints by hundreds of supporters who had been barred as their names did not appear on the JP register.

National elections board chairman Andrew Musangi said no member will be denied a chance to cast their vote.

Wiper Party postponed the Machakos county gubernatorial nominations that were scheduled for today and called for an urgent meeting with all aspirants.

Wiper Party secretary-general Hassan Omar Hassan announced that the decision was reached by the top party organs that include the office of Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka, the party elections board and other leaders in a consultation meeting.

The party has invited all the three aspirants —former Chama Cha Uzalendo Party leader Wavinya Ndeti, Deputy Governor Bernard Kiala and the outgoing East African Legislative Member Peter Mathuki — to attend an urgent meeting today to reach a consensus on who will fly the Wiper gubernatorial ticket.

“If the three will not reach an agreement then we will have no option than to organise for a nomination exercise to allow the people of Machakos to determine who will be our candidate,” said Hassan.