December 21, 2024: Top news events to look out for today

Here is what you need to know to get up to speed with today’s happenings.

Weather outlook

The Kenya Meteorological Department has predicted continued rains in some parts of the country for five days.

According to the weatherman’s latest outlook, rainfall is expected to continue over some parts of the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the South Rift Valley, the southeastern lowlands, and the Coast.

For most parts of the country, rain is expected over a few places in the morning, showers and thunderstorms over several places in the afternoon, and showers over a few places at night.

“Rainfall is expected to continue over some parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Central and South Rift Valley, the southeastern lowlands, and the Coast,” the weatherman stated.

The weatherman predicts that regions in the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, including Nairobi County, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, and Tharaka-Nithi, will experience intermittent cloudiness in the morning, giving way to sunny intervals, with afternoon and night showers likely to occur over a few places.

Reactions to Ruto’s Executive Appointments

Reactions are expected to the latest appointment of the former presidential hopeful Peter Kenneth and former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria by President William Ruto on Friday, December 20, 2024, to lead state corporations.

In the appointment notice shared by State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, Ruto appointed Peter Kenneth as the chairperson of the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) National Standards Council. On the other hand, the former Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria was picked to lead the Public Procurement Regulatory Board.

“The appointments within the Executive Office of the President seek to augment the complement of personnel supporting the Head of State and Government in fulfilling the profound mandate vested in the nation’s foremost office,”

“These appointments have been made based on the recommendations of the Public Service Commission and in line with the laws governing each public office, as applicable,” the notice read in part.

Besides Peter Kenneth and Wa Iria, Ruto also handed Noor Yaror Gabow the role of Consular General for the yet-to-be-established Consulate in Haiti.

Other appointments

In the notice, the Head of State also confirmed the appointment of Gerald Nyaoma Arita as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, while Professor Adams G.R. Oloo appointed to serve as an advisor for strategy and communication and Silvester Okumu Kasuku as a governance Advisor.

Major (Rtd) Ali Mahat Somane will serve as an advisor on security affairs in the Office of the National Security Advisor and Joe Owaka Ager as the Secretary of Governance.