Here is what you need to know to get up to speed with today’s happenings.
Masengeli’s last chance
Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has one last chance to avoid serving a six-month prison sentence.
Masengeli must appear before the High Court by close of business on Thursday, September 19, 2024, to explain allegations surrounding the abduction of three people in Kitengela, as ordered by Justice Lawrence Mugambi.
Failure to which his sentence will begin on Friday, September 20, 2024.
His bid to suspend the prison flopped on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, after he failed to secure a stay order at the Court of Appeal.
Justices Aggrey Muchelule, Gatembu Kairu, and Weldon Korir rejected the request from Masengeli’s legal team, led by Cecil Miller, Steve Ogolla, and State counsel Emmanuel Bitta, to halt the sentence pending the appeal temporarily.
The judges however expedited the legal proceedings, scheduling Masengeli’s appeal for next week, to be heard by a bench appointed by the president of the Court of Appeal.
The acting police boss was found guilty of contempt of court and was sentenced to serve six months in prison.
Lecturers strike enters day two
Learning activities in all public universities is expected to grind to a halt for a second day after the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) instituted a nationwide strike.
The tutors downed their tools citing delays in finalizing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the government.
The unions’ leaders, speaking at the Technical University of Kenya (TUK) on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, also expressed concerns about delayed and insufficient pay for members, non-remittance of statutory deductions, and the State’s failure to provide comprehensive health coverage.
Their push for a Collective Bargaining Agreement disrupted normal activities as students joined the peaceful protest held on campus.
It is not yet clear if the government has agreed to engage them in a move to halt the strike.
Senate and National Assembly debate
Both Houses are expected to convene on Thursday, September 19, 2024 with various set to be discussed as indicated on the order papers.
In the Senate, a Motion filed by Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa on the consolidation of bursary funds to support free education is among thee hot topics set to be debated.
“Consolidate the funds distributed by various government entities and agencies, with the aim of directing these funds directly to schools as supplementary capitation to facilitate the achievement of free secondary education,” the Motion reads in part.
Besides Thang’wa’s push, Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu also filed a motion seeking to compel the Ministry of Education to deploy safety officers in schools.
“Deploying dedicated safety officers in schools will significantly reduce risks, enhance preparedness, and provide immediate response capabilities during emergencies, and that these trained safety officers will oversee safety protocols, provide first aid, conduct safety drills, ensure fire preparedness, manage emergency evacuations, and assist in addressing violence or other threats within school environments,” the order paper read in part.
