August 15, 2023: 4 top stories to look out for today
By Joel Sang, August 15, 2023Here is what you need to know in order to get up to speed with today’s happenings.
Ruto to open devolution conference
President William Ruto is expected to open the 10th Devolution Conference on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Over 10,000 delegates are expected to grace the event, which will run from Tuesday to Sunday.
Ruto visits his home county, which has been rocked by a scholarship scandal involving Senator Jackson Mandago, and residents will wait to see if the head of state will weigh in on the issue.
Security has been beefed up in the county in anticipation of Ruto’s presence as well as that of other dignitaries.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Azimio leader Raila Odinga are expected to grace the occasion too, on different days. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also among the dignitaries at the conference organised by the Council of Governors.
DP Gachagua at Nairobi Coffee Exchange auction
DP Gachagua, meanwhile, is expected to preside over the Nairobi Coffee Exchange auction at Wakulima House in Nairobi.
Gachagua has been at the forefront of fighting cartels in the coffee sector in a bid to make the farmers benefit from their produce.
Recently, the Kenya Kwanza government suspended licenses in a bid to clean up the market. The move to suspend the licenses came after Gachagua headed a two-day meeting in early July while on a tour of Meru County.
Coffee farmers and stakeholders will wait to see what the DP will direct further as he presides over the Nairobi exchange auction.
Catholic bishops hold presser
Amid the ongoing bipartisan talks involving the Kenya Kwanza administration and Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance, Catholic bishops are set to hold a press conference today.
There have been calls for the clergy to be involved in the national dialogue, and the country wants to see whether the bishops will push to have them welcomed on board.
During the recent public rallies staged by the opposition, a section of the clergy called for sobriety and urged President William Ruto and Raila Odinga to initiate talks in order to diffuse political tension in the country.
The bishops will address the media on the sidelines of their Kenya Conference Catholic Schools Principals’ Association (CaSPA) Conference, 8th edition, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA).
Shabana leadership wrangles
As the 2023/24 Football Kenya Federation Premier League is weeks away from starting, newly-promoted side Shabana FC find themselves in intense leadership wrangles.
The club’s patron, Sam Nyamweya, moved to court on Monday in a bid to bar Kisii Governor Simba Arati from running the activities of the National Super League champions.
Nyamweya is also at loggerheads with the club chair, Nivaton Ombongi, over a sponsorship deal worth Ksh20 million.
More reactions are expected from the leadership of the club as they prepare to take part in the top flight for the first time in 17 years.