August 14, 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.

Senate special sitting

The Senate will hold a special session this Wednesday afternoon to review impeachment charges against Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has called this special sitting through a gazette notice to begin addressing the allegations against Mwangaza.

Kingi noted that he received a letter from the Speaker of the County Assembly of Meru on August 9, 2024.

During the session, senators will first vote on whether to consider the issue in a plenary session or to create a special committee to investigate the claims against Mwangaza.

If the Senate opts for the Special Committee, the group will be tasked with reporting back on the validity of the allegations.

Should any charges be confirmed, the Senate will then hold a vote on whether to uphold or dismiss the impeachment.

Mwangaza is facing these allegations, which include serious constitutional violations, misconduct, and abuse of her position.

President Ruto’s ongoing tour

President William Ruto’s visit to Kisii enters its third day. On Tuesday, he was in the Nyaribari Chache Constituency, where he launched the construction of a Ksh3 billion Kisii County Cancer Treatment Centre designed to serve the region.

This 76-bed facility will focus on cancer awareness, prevention, screening, early detection, and diagnosis, offering advanced treatment options such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery.

Ruto also inaugurated the Outpatient, Surgical, and Mother and Child units at the Keroka Level IV Hospital in Nyamira.

In addition, he launched the Nyaribari Masaba Affordable Housing Project at Ekerubo in Kisii.

As part of the Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Programme, Ruto announced an allocation of Sh650 million to connect 10,000 households in Nyamira.

At Ekerubo, he unveiled plans for the construction of 350 housing units under the Affordable Housing Programme, part of a larger initiative to build 10,000 units in Kisii. Ruto emphasized that this program is crucial for the Gusii region, as it aims to alleviate significant land fragmentation that has resulted in agricultural land being divided into small, unproductive plots.

Moreover, Ruto announced that the government has set aside Ksh2 billion to provide electricity to 30,000 households in the county.

Later, he launched the tarmacking of the Metembe-Ngenyi/Bobaracho-Ititi/Rioma-Nyaore/Marani-Nyakoe roads in Marani, Kisii County.

Ruto stated that the government would invest Ksh4.5 billion to enhance the region’s transport infrastructure, fostering economic growth.

EACC Court case

There will be a mention at the Anti-Corruption Court concerning the case against Peter Gitaa Koria, the CEO of Bomas of Kenya Ltd.

He faces charges related to the willful failure to comply with laws governing public fund management. The allegations involve the improper awarding of tenders and embezzlement of funds by officials at Bomas of Kenya Limited during the 2020-2021 fiscal year, including splitting contracts to various companies, costing Ksh 8.6 million.