Mombasa governor Hassan Joho on Saturday met retired president Daniel Moi at his Kabaraka home.

In pictures widely shared on social media, Joho was seen chatting with Moi and his son Gideon who is also the Baringo senator.

It was not clear what they were discussing since it was a closed-door meeting.

"In the spirit of Building bridges and fostering unity, I was honored to sit down with former President ... I was fortunate to hear his wisdom on some national issues and thanked him for his time at the helm of this country,"Joho tweeted.

Retired president Daniel Moi with Mombasa governor Hassan Joho in Eldoret./COURTESY

Joho said through the grace of God and wisdom of ODM party leader Raila Odinga and president Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya has a unique opportunity to change the future of the country.

"A chance to nurture a more fair, just and caring society for our children. Let’s all embrace this second chance of building a new Kenya," he added.

In March, Gideon who is the Kanu leader and Joho - both with presidential ambitions - had a closed-door meeting at Joho’s office in Mombasa.

This move ignited speculations of a possible political partnership between the two.

But Joho downplayed the meeting claiming it was a continuation of the "Building Bridges" initiative by Uhuru and Raila.

More on this: Speculation rife as Gideon Moi, Joho hold talks in Mombasa

Mombasa governor Hassan Joho was accompanied by some coast MPs./COURTESY.

After the meeting, Joho headed to Rift Valley for a series of events scheduled for this weekend.

The ODM deputy leader is expected to lead a number of fundraising activities in the region.

Rift Valley is considered Deputy President William Ruto's backyard and voted overwhelmingly for Jubilee party last year.

Joho's visit comes at a time a section of the area MPs have openly expressed discomfort with President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga's handshake.

More on this: Joho heads to Rift Valley for a series of weekend events

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A man has left Kenyans on Twitter pleading on his behalf after he asked the Kenya police to give him a woman to marry.

“Hey @PoliceKE najua mwenye hii handle ni dem I am single..nataka dem askari,” User @OsamaOtero tweeted on Saturday.

(I know the owner of this handle, it’s a woman, and I am single. I want a police woman for a girlfriend)

But the handler tweeting for the police told off the man saying that he was wrong about the person who was in charge.

“Kulingana na matokeo ya #TwitterVAR umeng’oa,kwa hivyo jaribu kwingine,” @PoliceKE said.

(Depending on #TwitterVAR, you are wrong, try somewhere else)

This post which attracted mixed reactions from Kenyans left others pleading on the man's behalf.

"Katika hiyo hali ya utumishi kwa wote, peana number atumikie Boychild." @ThisIsKayeli said. (Since you are in the mood for service, give the man a phone number)

"Connect him with one," @enokkipruu said.

@ef570647492a416 said "Apewe ata kama ni mpishi asirudi bure."(Please give him even a cook so that he doesn't leave here empty handed)

"Mtafutieni hata kama ni NYS ..ninja amefungua roho...na pia anarepresent wengi sana," @msaniibutu said.

(You can give him somebody from NYS, he has opened his heart and is representing most of us)

@EKmwanzo said "Pea boy child afande mmoja mwenye ametoka Kiganjo jameni."(Give the boy child a police woman from Kiganjo)

But the police said "Ona huyu...Hapati...(Look at this person, he is not getting any)"

Others asked the police to give the man a job in the Industrial area since he looked idle.

"Mpatieni job ya Kuosha hata choo Industrial area. (let him wash toilets in Industrial area)," @Kathansojah said.

@indegwa said "Huyu apewe tuu P3 kwasababu ameumia roho sasa.(This man should just be given a P3 form since his heart is broken)"

"I think through this handle you can redeem your relationship with the public.... its working. Kudos afande," @EdgarSirEddie said.

@kiraitheamos1 said "Enyewe ni dame askari but ni wa mtaa.(The truth is, this handler is a woman but from the slums)"

"leave the boy child to prosper, if you're here not to have fun just log off, sometimes things are not serious," @kangethe67 said.

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U.S. Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam who ran unsuccessfully for president as a self-styled maverick Republican in 2008 and became a prominent critic of President Donald Trump, died on Saturday, his office said. He was 81.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona for more than three decades, had been battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, since July 2017 and had not been at the U.S. Capitol in 2018. He also had surgery for an intestinal infection in April.

His family announced on Friday that McCain was discontinuing further cancer treatment.

"Senator John Sidney McCain III died at 4:28 p.m. on August 25, 2018. With the senator when he passed were his wife Cindy and their family. At his death, he had served the United States of America faithfully for sixty years," a statement from his office on Saturday.

McCain will lie in state in both Phoenix, Arizona, and in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., and will receive a full dress funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral before being buried in Annapolis, Maryland, his family said.

Former President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Joe Biden were expected to give eulogies.

Vice President Mike Pence was expected to represent the current administration, the family said.

No further details were provided immediately.

"My heart is broken. I am so lucky to have lived the adventure of loving this incredible man for 38 years," Cindy McCain wrote on Twitter. "He passed the way he lived, on his own terms, surrounded by the people he loved, in the place he loved best."

AFFABLE. CANTANKEROUS

The vacancy created by McCain's death narrowed the number of Republican-held seats in the 100-member U.S. Senate to 50 seats, with Democrats controlling 49 seats in the upper chamber. Republican Arizona Governor Doug Ducey was expected to appoint a member of his own party to succeed McCain.

That could also give Republicans a slight edge in the battle to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court in the weeks ahead because McCain had been too ill to cast any votes this year.

Alternatively affable and cantankerous, McCain had been in the public eye since the 1960s when, as a naval aviator, he was shot down during the Vietnam War and tortured by his North Vietnamese communist captors during 5-1/2 years as a prisoner.

He was edged out by George W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000 but became his party's White House candidate eight years later. After gambling on political neophyte Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, McCain lost in 2008 to Democrat Barack Obama, who became the first black U.S. president.

Paying tribute to his one-time election opponent, Obama said in a statement he and McCain, despite their "completely different backgrounds" and political differences, shared "a fidelity to something higher - the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched and sacrificed."

"We saw our political battles, even, as a privilege, something noble, an opportunity to serve as stewards of those high ideals at home, and to advance them around the world," Obama wrote.

Defense Secretary James Mattis saluted McCain as a figure who "always put service to the nation before self," and "represented what he believed, that 'a shared purpose does not claim our identity - on the contrary - it enlarges your sense of self'."

McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, remained prominent during and after the last White House race as both a frequent critic and target of his fellow Republican Trump, who was elected president in November 2016.

McCain denounced Trump for, among other things, his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders the senator described as foreign "tyrants."

"Flattery secures his friendship, criticism his enmity," McCain said of Trump in his memoir, "The Restless Wave," which was released in May.

McCain castigated Trump in July for his summit with Putin, issuing a statement that called their joint news conference in Helsinki "one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory." He said Trump was "not only unable but unwilling to stand up to Putin."

Sources close to McCain have said Trump would not be invited to the funeral.

Shortly after McCain's death was announced, Trump said on Twitter: My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain."

THUMBS-DOWN

McCain, a foreign policy hawk with a traditional Republican view of world affairs, was admired in both parties for championing civility and compromise during an era of acrid partisanship in U.S. politics. But he also had a famous temper and rarely shied away from a fight. He had several with Trump.

He was the central figure in one of the most dramatic moments in Congress of Trump's presidency when he returned to Washington shortly after his brain cancer diagnosis for a middle-of-the-night Senate vote in July 2017.

Still bearing a black eye and scar from surgery, McCain gave a thumbs-down signal in a vote to scuttle a Trump-backed bill that would have repealed the Obamacare healthcare law and increased the number of Americans without health insurance by millions.

Trump was furious about McCain's vote and frequently referred to it at rallies, without mentioning McCain by name.

After Trump launched his presidential campaign in 2015, McCain condemned his hard-line rhetoric on illegal immigration and said Trump had "fired up the crazies." Trump retorted that McCain was "not a war hero," adding: "I like people who weren't captured."

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Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK) has been de-registered.

Sports Registrar Rose Wasike cancelled the association’s interim certificate on grounds that its objectives are similar to those of Athletics Kenya.

In a letter to PAAK and copied to Sports CS Rashid Echesa, the registrar said organisation was issued with two letters in August and September 2016, asking them to review its objectives.

Wasike, in the letter, asked PAAK to review its constitution to be in line with constitution of Kenya 2010 and Sports Act 2013, but the association failed to comply.

"Since your functions and objectives are similar to those of AK and you have refused to review your objectives to remove those similar to AK and pick the licensing form, I hereby cancel your interim certificate from today henceforth and deny you the Registration Certificate," the letter read in part.

The Sports Registrar also noted that PAAK constitution had failed to encapsulate ways of dealing with the two thirds gender rule in elective and appointive positions as well as how to account for funds advanced by the state and sponsors.

But a defiant PAAK said the association will continue with its activities despite the de-registration.

PAAK President Wilson Kipsang on Saturday said the association has not received official letter cancelling the interim certificate from the registrar.

"I am the President of PAAK and I have not received a letter detailing the grounds of cancellation of our interim certificates. I am only reading things in the media," the former world marathon record holder said. "The cancellation will not affect our normal operations. I am telling our members not to panic," Kipsang said.

Kipsang, who is preparing to compete in the Berlin marathon defended PAAK, saying it has impacted lives of Kenyan athletes positively since 2014.

He said the association has trained athletes on sports management, their rights on price money as well as leading anti-doping campaigns.

"Many athletes have benefited from PAAK activities. The association helps athletes even when they have personal problems," he said.

Gor Mahia coach Dylan Kerr has hailed his record-breaking players for their professionalism after they beat arch-rivals AFC Leopards 2-0 at Moi, Kasarani to bag their 17th league title.

Kerr revealed he had to go out of his way to ensure his charges remained grounded when the title race seemed all but over.

"It’s all credit to the players for how professional they have been to ensure they got the job done. It could have been easy for some to get complacent but they remained focused all the way. For that, I am proud of them and every football fan in Kenya should also be," remarked the jubilant tactician, who joins his compatriot Frank Nuttal as the club’s only foreign coaches to win back-to-back league titles.

Against Leopards, a number of missed chances were the hallmark of the opening half an hour. K’Ogalo, however, opened the scoring in the 34th minute through Boniface Omondi, who beat Ezekiel Owade with a hard shot from the edge of the box after tricking two defenders.

Former Western Stima man Bernard Ondiek doubled the lead three minutes to half-time with a simple tap off a Boniface Omondi clever pass. Ingwe could have leveled scores just before the break after winning a penalty but Whyvonne Isuza shot wide.

Charles Momanyi handled Brian Marita’s cross in the box and up stepped Isuza to take the resultant penalty.

He, however, missed much to the disgrace of the Ingwe fans.In the second half, Ingwe made a double change with Vincent Oburu coming in for Baker Lukooya while former Thika United midfielder Eugene Mukangula replaced Edward Seda.

Gor introduced Wellington Ochieng for Lawrence Juma in the 71st minute and they managed to hold on to the 2-0 score-line to bag their 17th Kenyan Premier League title. With the league title secured, Gor now turn their attention to the small matter of the Caf Confederation Cup.

Last week, the government provided the team’s air tickets to Algeria, where they will be travelling to honour the decisive match against USM Alger on Wednesday.

The tickets, costing about Sh6.3 million were given on Friday. The Group ‘D’ leaders jet off to Algeria today to face second placed USM ‘A’ and must win to guarantee themselves a quarter final berth.

Any other result, however, will force the team to rely on results between third-placed Rayon Sport from Rwanda and Tanzania’s Young Africans (Yanga).

The National Cereals and Produce Board will not stop vetting maize farmers before they are paid Sh1.4 billion released by treasury two weeks ago.

But the board has not started vetting farmers as directed by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa. Managers at NCPB depots in Rift Valley said farmers must meet all the requirements before being paid.

The farmers said they will not take part in the vetting. Wamalwa ordered the scrutiny to remove brokers from the list of those to be paid, but farmers’ spokesman Francis Koech said it is unnecessary.

All those who delivered maize must be paid, he added. "No matter what happens we will not take part in any vetting," Koech said.

Moiben MP Sila Tiren said they sent a petition to President Uhuru Kenyatta to order the NCPB to release the payments without the conditions.

The farmers planned to demonstrate in Eldoret this week to demand that the vetting be called off.

Governors in the North Rift have also petitioned the NCPB to withdraw the stringent measures introduced to vet farmers before they are paid.

Farmers’ representatives Joseph Kimaiyo and Paul Ng’ethe said the vetting will cause farmers further suffering.

Kimaiyo said NCPB has all details of farmers and the order by Wamalwa for fresh vetting will not work. The vetting was to start last Monday.

"We are willing to help the government identify the genuine farmers instead of introducing requirements that will frustrate farmers who have been waiting for payments since last year," said Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago.

He said the delayed release of Sh3.5 billion owed to farmers will hurt maize production next year.

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British oil firm Tullow has resumed operations in Turkana, with transportation of crude oil to Mombasa going on smoothly for the fourth day yesterday.

A row between Tullow and the residents over jobs and security disrupted transportation for 60 days. The row was ended in a deal signed last week.

“We have set up a good mechanism through which we will resolve problems,” said Turkana South MP James Lomenen.

He said the company and the government will ensure residents are involved.

"Oil is a national resource but as residents of Turkana we have been marginalised. Our people should benefit from such resources," Lomene said.

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Manufacturers have called for clear policies on recycling plastic bottles to attract investors in the plastics and rubber sectors.

Four months ago, the National Environment and Management Authority, Nema, reversed its decision to ban plastic bottles. The reversal followed an agreement with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers that plastics would be recycled and used in the construction industry and other sectors.

The association is committed to establishing collection points as well as educating Kenyans on proper disposal.

“We are asking the government to create a clear policy statement on how long we will have plastics, and what are the terms and use of plastics in the long term,” KAM vice chairperson Mucai Kunyiha said.

He said this will be a guarantee to investors willing to put their money in the market. He said currently it is uncertain if investors would have enough plastic to recycle if they invest their money in the business.

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, says there are about 140 formal establishments in the plastics industry. The firms produce PVC pipes and fittings, packaging bags, plastic shoes, ,crates, bottles, floor tiles, household wares and containers.

Under KAM, there are about 100 companies under the plastics and rubber sector, with installed capacity of 360,000 tonnes plastic per annum.

The companies produce as much as 240,000 tonnes per year. Fifteen per cent of this accounts for the overall plastic packaging recycling rate. This amounts to about 38,000 tonnes of plastic packaging recycled per year.

RECYCLING FUNDS

The association has called on county governments to make it mandatory for businesses to have designated plastics bins in their premises. It also proposes scrapping of tax levied on trucks moving waste from one county government to the other.

Manufacturers also want Nema to draft regulations on management of Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes. The schemes provide for users, producers and main beneficiary of Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet) bottles to collect funds to help in recycling.

The funds are passed on to the recently established PET recycling Company (Petco). It will coordinate initiatives to collect, sort and recycle Pet bottles and containers. Annual Pet production in the country is estimated at 36,000 tonnes.

The Pet waste management initiative aims at collecting 20 per cent of disposable and reusable bottles for recycling in 2018 and 70 per cent by 2030.

Canon Charles Onginjo has been elected bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Maseno South Diocese.

He defeated two others in the election held at ACK St Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu on Saturday.

Onginjo replaces outgoing Bishop Francis Abiero, who took over the church leadership in 1994. Abiero will retire on November 4.

The new bishop will be consecrated on November 4 at the main Church of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu.

Onginjo was declared the winner after polling more votes than Zephaniah Kore and Boniface Obondi. The election was decided in the third round.

Lawyer Ambrose Weda, who presided over the election, termed the process free, fair and transparent.

He urged members to support the new leadership of the church to ensure unity, peace and growth.

The bishop-elect urged his competitors to support him in developing the church.

“I want to extend an olive branch and pledge to work together with my opponents after months of campaigns,” he said.

Onginjo, the outgoing vicar-general of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Kisumu, was elected by a 23-member electoral college.

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o congratulated the bishop-elect and urged him to focus on unity, peace and reconciliation.

Nyong’o said the electoral college that guided the process has lived up to its godly responsibilities.

This election process, Nyong’o said, has exhibited the level of faith in God.

“May the Almighty God shine his light upon his chosen bishop-elect,” the governor said.

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Kenya has stood its ground against the consumptive utilisation of wildlife for decades now.

Alliances between wildlife tourism enterprises and the communities offer unforgettable experiences for visitors, who often return for more.

In a post-Cecil world where people are increasingly aware of and angered by trophy hunting, Kenya has been a guiding light, one that is now threatening to self-extinguish.

In March headlines from Kenya informed us that Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala had initiated a task force to reevaluate wildlife game farming in community and private lands.

This committee would be chaired by former Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) director David Western. Western supports trophy hunting in Africa and has argued that tourists should have no say in the matter, in spite of foreign hunters having a very big say.

He now seems to have given up his chairmanship, perhaps to assuage concerns of bias, but he is still very much in the room. Questions about legality of actions, including his appointment, have not been answered.

Public comment was invited, with a closing date of July 31, yet there was a sense no one was listening. Instead we read of a new era in wildlife conservation policies, and that its proponents have been "former big game hunters who retain large scale ranches that host wildlife".

Looks like Western is taking a page from South Africa's game book, and that if left to its own purposes this task force will conclude that utilising wildlife contributes to the national GDP, food security, job creation, and enhances co-existence between communities and wildlife.

Safari Club International (SCI) lobbyists are on the sidelines, and have been since the hunt ban was implemented. In online forums, American hunters are salivating over fresh trophy prospects.

Then came the rhino translocation fiasco. In its aftermath, Kenyan media reported that the government was "concerned" about the multiple deaths, warning it would not spare "anyone doing injustice to the country’s tourism sector".

Kenyans on social media were calling for the resignation of none other than Balala, the man behind both the translocation and the task force. Balala told them all to "go to hell", a revealing outburst for which he later apologised.

What a mess. The great land of Kenya described in 1977 as "the last great reservoir of wildlife on earth", is failing on its stated goal to protect that reservoir. At the time of the ban companies and persons holding concessions were ordered to immediately turn hunting trips into photographic safaris.

Mathews Ogutu, then Minister for Tourism and Wildlife, said no one would be allowed to enter Kenya with firearms or other hunting weapons. "It is an electrifying and bold move," said a special adviser to the United Nations Environment Programme. "The millions of people who are interested in the future of East African wildlife will be greatly encouraged by this step."

What has gone wrong? Consumptive use of wildlife for profit makes no sense morally, economically, or from any conservation-incentive point of view. It has no place in today's world, the vast majority of people everywhere are against it.

As for the "tradition" of foreign hunters coming to hunt big game, some traditions should die. Here is what the Daily Nation had to say in an editorial from 2000: "The massacre of animals for sport...is unAfrican and an abomination...Countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe refuse to see what is essentially a simple truth: The only way to guarantee the future of the world's wildlife is to ruthlessly destroy the market for animal products. "

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) defines sustainable utilisation as an economic activity that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.

But in reality it facilitates systematic killing and environmental destruction. Political compromise has ensured the term 'sustainable' now means whatever the user wants it to mean. New research warns us that the misplaced belief we can use wild animals for profit is driving many species towards extinction. These findings should inform all policies surrounding wildlife everywhere.

Instead we see the Kenyan government and its advisers poised to step back in time. Popular opinion among Kenyans however seems overwhelmingly on the side with its wildlife. Concerns about the potential for corruption and conflicting interests are high.

This is a misstep that will be intensely controversial in the international community, which does include tourists. If this reaction doesn't matter to the individuals on this task force, it should matter to the Kenyan government.

Tourists Against Trophy Hunting (TATH) is an international lobbying coalition. We are conservationists, journalists, photographers, activists, tourism operators, and tourists, and through member connections reach a global audience in the millions.

We oppose trophy hunting everywhere. Kenya has been the example, and in more recent years Botswana too, of how to shut down these violent people who are intent on depleting our wild places for ego gratification.

Safari Club International has said that anti-trophy hunting arguments are based "merely" on morals. They are not, but they certainly do include the moral values and laws of nature that are central to all our societies. We trust Kenya will continue to uphold these values.

The country has been awash with news of food contaminated with chemical residues that has been on sale to the unsuspecting public.

And while sugar has received more prominence, the reality is, there are dozens of other foods, including bottled water, in the market whose quality cannot be guaranteed and which are not being talked about.

Kenya has a flourishing bottled water market, with 2016 figures from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimating sales to be more than Sh12 billion per year.

Whilst it is marketed as ‘pure mineral water’, recent research and government raids have shown that most of this water is tap or borehole water that is bottled in unsafe, unhygienic estate backyards and in some cases even from rivers. Further, tests carried out on some samples have found presence of faecal matter.

Investigations have also revealed that this water is packaged in used bottles in unsanitary conditions without proper testing facilities. Sometimes, unscrupulous vendors go as far as using bottles bearing labels of well-known companies and passing it off as genuine products.

This illegal practice is not only limited to the vendors who seem to be working in cahoots with crooked businessmen but extends to the hospitality industry.

A few months ago, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) cautioned that some hotels and public event organisers were procuring packaged drinking water that has not been certified by the bureau and distributing it for consumption to their clients.

The thriving industry seems undeterred by the sporadic enforcement that is carried out by government authorities.

According to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), over 70 per cent of products in the water and juice sector are illicit.

This translates into thousands, if not millions, of Kenyans being exposed to water contaminated with chemicals, hazardous waste and bacteria such as e-coli, which can result in serious diseases such as salmonellosis, cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis A, meningitis or amoebiasis.

In severe cases, water contamination has led to death, especially in young children and the elderly.

The proliferation of illicit bottled water has been blamed on a lack of stringent surveillance and enforcement mechanisms. Until now, only the Kebs mark has been required on bottled water products.

However, the Standardisation Mark (SM) for domestically produced product is not a secure, serialised mark that can be used by consumers to verify the authenticity of these product — each manufacturer is simply authorised to include the SM image in their product packaging. But most, if not all, illicit producers include the SM image on their products as well.

Additionally, the recent scandal regarding Kebs Import Standardisation Marks (ISM) has demonstrated the limits of a marking solution that is not secure and robust. This situation therefore calls for a change of tack, especially in the water and juices sector.

The best shot at protecting and defending the consumer comes in the form of tools such as the impending introduction of the Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS) as a first step to eradicating the sale of unlicensed and unapproved products.

The EGMS is a tried and tested solution that has been implemented in the tobacco, spirits, beer, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks industry for nearly four years with impressive results.

The system will enable Kenyans to verify the source and authenticity of the water they are consuming. In addition, this system would help weed out unscrupulous traders, importers and illegitimate products, thus guaranteeing the licensed bottlers a level playing field on which they can protect their brands’ integrity.

As core benefit, the EGMS would help enhance revenue collection. For the implementation of such a system to work however, the KRA must work hand in glove with other relevant authorities such as Kebs, the Water Services Regulatory Board and the Water Resource Management Authority.

The ultimate goal should be ensuring that only companies bottling genuine, clean and safe mineral water are licensed and authorised to bear the secure KRA stamp.

Water is an essential element of life thus there should be no compromise in ensuring that the highest standards attainable are met by all companies operating in and handling it.

Profits and revenues should never supersede compliance with the regulatory objectives including safety of the consumer and protection of government revenue.

The writer is CEO, Retail Trade Association of Kenya

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi is quietly but aggressively rolling out his 2022 presidential plan, branding himself as the only dependable leader.

The former Vice President has been holding meetings with influential leaders from Rift Valley, Nyanza, Central, Eastern and Coast as he plans a countrywide tour.

The aim is to consolidate his support and reach out to areas considered to be President Uhuru Kenyatta’s strongholds.

Crafting a winning formula and reaching out to significant political players within regions is said to be driving the Mudavadi re-make.

Mudavadi, a former Finance minister, has held discussions with Kanu chairman Gideon Moi, Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, his Kilifi counterpart Amason Kingi and former Kiambu governor William Kabogo, among others.

The strategy, according to people close to him, is to propel Mudavadi to the position of overall opposition leader in the coming months and cultivate a dependable support base among supporters of Uhuru, Deputy President William Ruto and ODM boss Raila Odinga

According to long-time spokesman Kibisu Kabatesi, "Avoiding the limelight is deliberate. We don’t want to rattle our competitors or draw Mudavadi into the current fisticuffs. He is building his own bridges away from the fray. And it is informed by the belief that all politics is local, hence, the efforts to consolidate a Western voting bloc."

Mudavadi was, and technically still is a co-principal of the National Super Alliance, Nasa, whose presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga lost to Jubilee’s Uhuru Kenyatta in the last election.

Read: Mudavadi to Atwoli: Raila betrayed us

Nasa’s founding agreement precluded Raila from running again as its presidential candidate and stated that the coalition will be dissolved in February 2022, unless its principals agree to renew it.

Mudavadi’s preferred place to receive visitors is his private office along Riverside Drive where foreign envoys, MPs, governors and business people are able to discreetly consult with him in confidentiality.

According to his handlers, the Mudavadi rebrand is gaining traction because of various factors: ANC supporters demanding that his name be on the ballot in 2022 as the only reliable candidate; deteriorating trust in other political leaders and cynicism about the March 9 Raila-Uhuru handshake among Nasa supporters; and disillusionment with the Raila-Ruto divide.

“His selling point in the meetings that he has held with various leaders has been the fact that both leaders and voters increasingly view him as a dependable ally,” Sabatia MP Alfred Agoi told the Star. A safe pair of hands.

Mudavadi has ruled out joining President Kenyatta’s administration and has been busy working with other Western Kenya leaders — Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula and Cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa — to try and consolidate the region’s vote.

Although the three have not discussed who will be the best person to run for President, Cotu secretary general Francis Atwoli, a respected Luhya elder, previously declared that Mudavadi is the best candidate from the region.

Read: Mudavadi: I’m ready to succeed Uhuru in 2022

“Our interest is to unite the region. When the time comes we will support the best candidate,” Eugene said.

Although the former Finance Minister is still holding to the troubled Nasa coalition, which was thrown into disarray after Raila shook hands with Kenyatta, Mudavadi is also busy making plans to revamp his ANC Party.

With Barrack Muluka having settled in as secretary general after initial months of turbulence, Mudavadi is now planning to fill vacant position by February next year.

“We want to bring the face of Kenya into our party. We have many good and high-profile people from Central, Eastern and Coast who are interested in joining us at the right time,” Mudavadi told the Star yesterday.

Kingi and Kabogo are reportedly considering taking up two top positions as deputy party leaders. While Kabogo could join he party by the end of the year, Kingi is reported to have indicated that he would consider joining hands with Mudavadi just before the next election.

Mudavadi has not yet officially declared his interest in contesting the presidency but he is considered to be a formidable candidate — if Raila does not contest and endorses him.

DP Ruto, who was said to be a shoo-in, is already travelling around the country on development-campaign tours.

While Raila has not said if he’s in the race, Siaya Senator James Orengo has indicated that the ODM leader will be on the ballot for the fifth time.

Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka is also expected to contest, while Governors Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya and Alfred Mutua have also declared that they will be on the ballot.

With Central Kenya not having a clear and formidable candidate as Kenyatta serves his last term, Mudavadi believes that he can get a slice of he vote from that populous region.

Two weeks a go Mudavadi met more than 100 former TNA branch officials drawn from Central and Rift Valley who endorsed his candidature. Among them was former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga.

Read: Mudavadi creates new strategy for 2022 election

It is his soft-skills diplomacy, often executed through back-channels, that is slowly positioning Mudavadi as a strong candidate.

In what is defining the new Mudavadi, the former Sabatia MP has effortlessly managed to get all the usually stubbornly divisive Western leaders to buy into his pet demand that President Kenyatta should establish a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to unravel the forces behind the collapse of cane factories and contraband imports.

This success seems to have so rattled Ruto that the DP, who is usually dismissive of Mudavadi, was forced to gate-crash the Lurambi MP’s homecoming fete where the ANC leader was guest of honour two weeks ago, and plead for support.

“We should not create ‘political Zacchaeus’ who want to collect political debts. (Remember) debt collectors are vicious, they come with auctioneers. If at all there is going to be a debt, it is the leaders who were elected to live up to what they promised the electorate,” Mudavadi said as he told off Ruto.

Also Read: Kalonzo, Mudavadi and Wetang’ula irredeemable cowards – Atwoli

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President Uhuru Kenyatta will today hold talks with US President Donald Trump as he kicks off tight, high-profile global engagements with super powers.

According to his schedule, Uhuru will in a month hold high-level diplomatic meetings with the leaders of the US, Britain and China.

Today, he will meet Trump, making him the second African leader after Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari to be invited to the White House.

Kenya is a close ally of the US in the war against terrorism and security is expected to feature prominently in the two leaders engagements.

However, coming at a time when Uhuru is grappling with the funding of his Big Four agenda, the President and his delegation are keen to tap from foreign investment.

Uhuru’s Big Four, which he hopes to secure his legacy, are universal heathcare, affordable housing, food security and manufacturing.

But while the National Hospital Insurance Fund has started implementing universal healthcare, the financing of the other three components remains a huge challenge.

Before meeting Trump, Uhuru is set to meet executives of top US companies under the umbrella of the Business Council for International Understanding.

“We do not want this to be just a symbolic visit. We want this visit to have a lot of deliverables. There are a number of projects that we are negotiating. We hope they will be signed on Monday in the presence of President Kenyatta,” Kenyan envoy to the US, Njeru Githae, said.

Read: US Secretary of State slams China relations with Africa ahead of tour

Githae pointed out that Kenya places a lot of emphasis on economic, rather than political diplomacy.

“The two leaders will also discuss regional and global matters, in particular, regional peace and security, collaboration in the fight against terrorism as well as international cooperation,” State House spokesperson Kanze Dena initially said.

The President, accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, touched down at Dulles International Airport at 4pm Washington DC time ( 11pm, Nairobi time on Saturday) and was received by a team of senior US and Kenya government officials led by Githae.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma led an advance team, and held a series of meetings, including one with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Robert Lighthizer, US Trade Representative.

The team also held talks with Gil Kaplan, the Under Secretary of Commerce on participation of US companies in the Big Four agenda as outlined in the MoU signed in June this year.

Read: Uhuru leaves for US ahead of meet with Trump

At the heart of their discussions is the strengthening of trade relationship between the two nations.

The meeting comes just two months before national carrier Kenya Airways begins direct flights to New York. KQ has started selling tickets for its maiden direct flight to New York, for which economy class fliers will pay Sh89,000 both ways.

Juma said the President’s visit to the US is significant in many aspects.

“It underscores the importance of Kenya-US relations, a relationship that is historical and that has been growing in both breath and depth over the years to cover a wide range of areas, from security and defence to governance, trade and investment,” she said.

Juma said one of the items that will feature prominently during Uhuru’s historic meeting with Trump will be how to increase Kenya’s export volumes under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).

The Agoa treaty allows African goods to access the US market without tariffs. “You know, we are a key beneficiary of Agoa. But it is also true there are a number of lines within Agoa that we could enhance. And so, there will be discussions around this. And we hope we can also commence discussions on post-Agoa arrangements,” Juma said.

Read: [VIDEO] Uhuru to discuss trade, security with Trump in Monday meeting

Upon his return from the US, Uhuru will on Thursday host British Prime Minister Theresa May at State House, Nairobi. This would be May’s first visit to Africa since coming to power.

It is expected Nairobi will be pushing for the establishment of a British visa processing centre in the country.

But shortly thereafter, Uhuru will fly out to China for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

In Beijing, Uhuru will sign a new Sh380 billion loan for construction of phase two of the SGR that will run from Naivasha to Kisumu.

From China, Uhuru will leave for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

See: Uhuru-Trump meet: Kenya still chasing better trade with the US

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President Uhuru Kenyatta will today hold talks with US President Donald Trump as he kicks off tight, high-profile global engagements with superpowers.

According to his schedule, Uhuru will in a month hold high-level diplomatic meetings with the leaders of the US, Britain and China.

On Thursday, Uhuru will host British Prime Minister Theresa May at State House, Nairobi. This would be May’s first visit to Africa since coming to power.

Shortly thereafter, Uhuru will fly out to China for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

The three meetings come at a time when Uhuru is grappling with the funding of his Big Four agenda, the President and his delegation are keen to tap from foreign investment.

No cracks in Jubilee as claimed by media, detractors — DP Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto On Sunday dismissed claims of cracks in Jubilee.

He said the party is united and firmly under one leader— Uhuru Kenyatta. Ruto said JP was conceived and formed to unite the people and cannot have camps.

Ruto said claims he and his allies plan to take control of the party are generated by those who have all along held reservations about his ties with the President.

Millions of pupils go without textbooks for eight months

The Education ministry is on the spot over missing textbooks meant for three classes in upper primary under the new government distribution policy.

Millions of pupils in Standard 4, 5 and 6 have not received textbooks since January.

School heads, who spoke to the Star, said no funds to buy books were sent to schools.

In January the government adopted a textbook a distribution policy that slashed government capitation meant to buy books.

MPs cut gaming tax by 20 per cent

Parliament has bowed to pressure from the gambling sector to cut the 35 per cent tax on betting and gaming services to 15 per cent.

A report on the consideration of the Finance Bill, 2018 shows that the decision was made to preserve the economic and social contributions of the sector to the people.

"Section 29A of the Betting, Lotteries and Gaming Act is amended in subsection 1 by deleting the expression thirty-five and substituting therefor the expression fifteen," committee on Finance and National planning said in the report.

Did senators ask for Sh100m on Ruaraka report?

A Senate panel has summoned four senators over allegations they tried to extort Sh100 million to influence the final report on the Ruaraka land probe.

The Powers and Privileges Committee chaired by Speaker Kenneth Lusaka has written to the four lawmakers who allegedly demanded the money from Afrison director Francis Mburu to face the panel this Thursday.

Mburu wrote a statement and submitted an audio recording to the DCI, implicating Public Accounts and Investments Committee members.

Your Weather

NAIROBI: Thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Low 12ºC. High 24ºC. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 80%.

MOMBASA: Partly cloudy during the day, generally clear at night. Low 21ºC. High 28ºC. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h.

KISUMU: Partly cloudy, with a possible thunderstorm. Low 19ºC. High 27ºC. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 30%.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to arrive at the White House at 8.45pm (Kenyan time) to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump.

At 1:45pm (Washington time), Trump and his wife Melania will participate in the arrival of Uhuru and the First Lady Margaret at the South Portico.

Uhuru and the first lady will walk together with their hosts through the South Lawn to the Rose Garden before getting into the Oval Office.

At around 8:55pm (Kenyan time) the four will participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.

After their one-on-one talk, Uhuru and Trump will go to the Cabinet Room while the first ladies will proceed to their separate meeting.

Uhuru will be accompanied by Cabinet Secretaries Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs), Henry Rotich (Treasury), and James Macharia (Transport).

Others in Uhuru's delegation are Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and Majority Leaders Aden Duale (National Assembly) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Senate).

State House Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita and Kenyan ambassador to US Njeru Githae will also be in the meeting.

Later on, at around 9:15pm, Uhuru and Trump will be joined by their delegations of government officials for bilateral talks, which will take about 40 minutes in the Cabinet Room.

Trade and investment, regional security will top the agenda of the bilateral talks.

Trump and Melanie will then see off Uhuru and the Kenyan delegation off at the West Wing Lobby.

Uhuru will also meet executives of top US companies to promote Kenya as a preferred investment destination.

Cooperation between Kenya and the US in security, governance, trade, and investment, people to people cooperation; and partnership in regional and international matters will take centre stage during the Washington visit.

Read: Uhuru arrives in Washington DC ahead of meet with Trump

Also read: Uhuru-Trump meet: Kenya still chasing better trade with the US

All the three Kenyan Presidents after founding father Jomo Kenyatta have been to the White House to hold bilateral talks.

Former president Mwai Kibaki visited the White House on October 6, 2003 where he was welcomed by former President George W. Bush.

The two discussed efforts in promoting trade and investment opportunities through AGOA.

They also discussed the international terrorism noting that Kenya stands with the United States in fight against the global menace.

Retired president Daniel Moi went to the White House on February 20, 1980. 

President James Earl Carter met for an hour with Moi in the Cabinet Room. Moi was in Washington on a 4-day state visit at the invitation of President Carter.

The two Presidents reviewed the very close relations which exist between the United States and the Republic of Kenya.

They discussed developments in east Africa and the importance of regional cooperation and understanding in that area. 

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Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria sparked a Twitter debate on Monday after asking Gor Mahia to stop begging for money.

The legislator congratulated Gor Mahia for winning the Premier League having humiliated their bitter rivals AFC Leopards to a 2-0 win on Saturday.

The performance saw them lift their 17th unprecedented SportPesa Premier League title.

Read: Gor Mahia humiliates AFC to a 2-0 win to retain the 2018 SportPesa Premier League title

"Congratulations my boys K'Ogalo for clinching KPL 2018. Now we have three major headaches to overcome," Kuria said on Facebook.

Kuria challenged the club’s management to come up with permanent solutions of ending their consistent financial challenges.

"...always begging for money for air tickets despite our mighty brand and getting a serious challenger at the local level, Viva," Kuria, who is a K’Ogalo fan, said.

The Gatundu South MP asked the players to also qualify for the quarter-finals at the continental levels and not only locally as they have previously done.

The MP’s comments comes days after President Uhuru Kenyatta bailed out the team with a Sh6 million handout to enable them honour a CAF Confederation Cup match.

Read: Gor Mahia on fire as they close in on Confederation Cup quarters

WHY THE TREND

"Ukiona Moses Kuria anatrend jua kuna mtu ametusiwa mahali (when you see Moses Kuria trending, just know that someone has been insulted)," twitter user @Oddcharley said.

He added: "For Moses Kuria to trend he must have talked shit, Kenyans are focused on important issues EACC matters; corruption sagas, SANY SANY 'unbribed master', Handshake and President Kenyatta visit at White House."

"Moses Kuria" trending on a Monday is a sign of jovial week-ahead," @ken_kipruto said.

@alekidariusz said: "I see Moses Kuria trending najuiliza, "sasa huyu amefanya nini tena?" (What has he done again).

"‏Moses Kuria trending??? How?...why...did he speak in mother tongue," @ColeterK said.

@WuonDollar said: "When you see Moses Kuria's name trending know that somebody crazy has done something stupid. #CrazyMonday IEBC."

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Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has downplayed visits by politicians to the home of retired President Daniel Moi for blessings.

A number of politicians have been to Moi's home since President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga's March 9 handshake.

The visits have sparked speculation of looming alliances with Moi's son Gideon. The Baringo Senator is said to be training his guns on the presidency in 2022.

Raila met with Moi, saying he wanted to wish the former President well after he was hospitalised in Israel.

Observers argue that the truce between Uhuru, Raila and Moi has shifted the political landscape amid fears it is too soon to start 2022 campaigns.

Read: Raila visits Moi at his Kabarak home, talk on state of Kenyan nation

More on this: Uhuru, Raila, Moi talks fuel 2022 succession debate

Raila's visit was quickly followed by one by Deputy President William Ruto, who also wanted advice from Moi.

Ruto flew to retired leader's home but failed to meet him after waiting for three hours.

It is not clear if Ruto had an appointment but sources close to the Moi family say there was none.

A meeting with Moi, to wish him good health, could give a boost to Ruto's presidential aspirations and his claim to lead the Kalenjin nation.

More on this: Was DP Ruto blocked from seeing Moi in Kabarak?

On Saturday, Mombasa governor Hassan Joho met retired President Daniel Moi at his Kabarak home.

In pictures widely shared on social media, Joho was seen chatting with Moi and Gideon.

It was not clear what they were discussing since it was a closed-door meeting.

But Ahmednasir, in a Twitter post, asked how the visits can inspire a future for Kenya.

"How can the old political order inspire/bless the new/inspiring future? I don't understand Kenya anymore,"Ahmednasir said on Monday.

He added: "The blessing or endorsement by Baba Moi must be the kiss of death for anyone who wants to be our next President."

His sentiments were echoed by some Kenyans who argued that Moi has nothing new to offer after his 24-year hold to power.

"I agree with you. Things were really bad during Moi's time but these years have taken it to another level,"a twitter user @emutoro said.

"These duo have done nothing beyond PR and daylight thuggery."

@GeorgesSavimbi said: " President Mwai Kibaki was 100x better than Moi, but I don't see these guys going to consult him or seek his blessings! Something is wrong with our political system."

"You must be too young to remember how bad things were during Moi's reign of blood. Don't argue with a man who suffered under his boot heels," @Rogal69167475 said.

RESPECT

Another Twitter user @machetevga told the lawyer to respect the elderly and the presidents that Kenya has had.

"He was our President and life was so much better than now. You cannot compare him with this kind of creatures we have now. Don’t talk as if you holier. You have your dark side too," he said.

@JoeAsali said: "Let me tell you, there is something you are not getting. The Kabarak isn't about Moi. It's about Gideon but it's framed as Moi. You need to read beyond the headlines."

"I agree with you @ahmednasirlaw we have 2 former presidents alive one ruled for 24yrs and did nothing to the economy the other one ruled for 10yrs and revamped our economy between the two who should politician seek the blessings?" @joshuamwash said.

@NetoDomnic said: "Elders must be respected no matter the wrongs they did. There are leaders in this country who have ugly political order more than Moi and you praise them every day on your tweets."

He added, "They maimed, killed in fact murdered, raped, forced out people from their land,be courageous to speak up on such."

Also read: Is 2022 shaping up to be a one-horse race?

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The last time that Donald Trump hosted an African President in the White House, he referred to him as "lifeless", the Financial Times says in an article on President Uhuru Kenyatta's meeting today.

Describing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, the Financial Times says the United States President told his aides that he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again.

Buhari is the only African President, besides Uhuru, to be invited to the White House since Trump camp into office.

Uhuru is expected to arrive at the White House at 8:15pm Kenyan time accompanied by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta and a lean government delegation.

FT reported that advocates of closer US-Africa ties hope Trump's encounter with a younger and more urbane Uhuru, will change his position about being 'lifeless'. 

"Trump likes chemistry. Africa has never been high on his radar but if the big guy likes you he’ll find a way to make things work,” a person familiar with the US administration and the Kenya delegation said.

A senior policy analyst Joshua Meservey told FT that the two presidents have a pretty warm relationship which can hopefully pave way for more engagement with Kenya and the rest of Africa.

Uhuru and the first lady will walk together with their hosts through the South Lawn to the Rose Garden before getting into the Oval Office.

More on this: Trump to receive Uhuru in White House at 8.45pm for bilateral talks

Also read: Uhuru-Trump meet: Kenya still chasing better trade with the US

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The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chiefs have blamed other state agencies for interfering in its work to give it a bad image, the Star can reveal.

Nitty-gritty details pieced together from interviews with EACC insiders indicate that the EACC bosses met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House on August 18 to seek his assurance on the graft crackdown.

The officers feared the commission would be disbanded and had to seek protection. They also wanted to brief Uhuru on the problems they face.

The Star has reliably learnt that the officers raised the Sh3.2 billion Ruaraka land case and interference in their operations by the National Intelligence Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

 The EACC bosses briefed Uhuru on the Ruaraka land saga and the recommendations by the investigators to have 25 people, among them top government officials, prosecuted over irregular payments.

Highly placed sources familiar with the internal operations at Integrity Centre and the State House meeting said they claimed the ODPP was stopping prosecution of the suspects.

Spymaster Philip Kameru was accused at the meeting of allegedly pushing for removal of names of high-profile government officials who the EACC wants charged.

The thinking at the EACC is that DPP Noordin Haji had on several occasions returned the Ruaraka land file to the investigators with new instructions to stifle the case.

Its investigators believe the evidence they had presented to the prosecutor was sufficient and returning the file with fresh demands was aimed at pushing the EACC to expunge the names of senior government officials. The EACC bosses believe the NIS was pushing the DPP, himself a former senior NIS officer, to frustrate the investigations.

“We wanted the president to hear our story now that we have been painted as inefficient and the DCI is seen as the best in fighting corruption,” a senior Integrity Centre official told the Star.

The spy agency was also accused of being behind the negative image the EACC has developed lately. It  has been accused of influencing perception that the DCI was in a better position to deal with corruption.

 The EACC chiefs believe the NIS was scheming to have senior officials at Valley Road forced out of office or have the commission disbanded.

Save for the official statement issued by the president’s media team, there has not been any other communication on the meeting from EACC.

The sources said prior to the meeting, the EACC commissioners and secretariat bosses had met several times at Integrity Centre to draw their agenda and come up with a common position.

A statement from State House on the meeting corroborates some of the information provided to the Star on why the anti-graft agency bosses sought audience.

President Uhuru had assured the EACC chiefs of his support in the fight against corruption, the statment said.

Uhuru is also reported to have asked the EACC to work together with the DCI and the ODPP.

The President said the anti-corruption fight will bear fruit if it is conducted through the multi-agency framework that brings together the DCI, the ODPP and the EACC as well as other security agencies. 

The family of former Minister Njenga Karume will sell 17 per cent of its Sh17.5 billion estate, in a decison to accept mediation and end court battles.

His children want to raise Sh2.975 billion to pay debts after the Karume estate ran out of liquid cash.

“The estate is rich in properties, but it does not have the liquid money,” spokesperson Stephen Karau said yesterday.

The estate owes the Kenya Revenue Authority Sh350 million and other creditors Sh2.62 billion.

The properties earmarked for sale include Village Inn Hotel, 25 acres in Elementaita and Kacheliba Tea Estate.

“The decision to settle outstanding bills is part of the deal we signed in May this year binding us to a mediation process. This has led to the formation of the mediation council for the Njenga Karume estate,” Karume’s daughter Jane Mukuhi told reporters.

The family, the trustee and executors were addressing journalists at a Nairobi hotel after they announced they will settle the family battles out of court.

“The mediation council comprises the 10 generic families of Njenga, the trustees and executors,” Karume’s grandson, Matu Njenga, said.

The estate has been the subject of bitter wars between the trustees that Karume appointed before his death in 2012 and his children.

The trustees are George Warieri, Kung’u Gatabaki and Margaret Nduta, whom his children wanted replaced for allegedly mismanaging it.

“We asked if President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nasa leader Raila Odinga shook hands, why can’t we follow in their footsteps so that we can agree as a family,” Jane said.

The mediation council has become the supreme decision-making organ for the estate.

"This is a major development that will enable the vast estate to be restored and its huge potential unlocked so it can serve those for whom it was intended,” Karau said.

The family said it has frozen all court processes.

"We believe in the next three months, we will have an agreement on how to run the business and triple it the way my dad wanted. He told us he wanted us to triple the business in five years," Jane, who spoke on behalf of the family, said.

The family members said they are not interested in the past but will focus on solutions to put the properties back on track.

Also read: Bar trustees from our father's estate, say Karume's children

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