The Star News Brief gives you a summary of the stories making headlines in Kenya today and offers you a glimpse of what to expect in tomorrow's newspaper.
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MCAs in Raila’s strongholds ready to pass BBI Bill
At least 14 Counties - mostly in strongholds of ODM leader Raila Odinga - have given a guarantee that they will pass the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020 that arose from the Building Bridges Initiative. Leaders in the County Assemblies told the Star that the Bill would easily sail through their counties.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila are counting on county assemblies in their strongholds to have the Bill pass to ensure that a referendum is held in June. Siaya county assembly on Wednesday became the first assembly to pass the Bill. Already counties within Raila’s backyard of Nyanza region have started considering the draft bill a week after it was released to the 47 County Assemblies. The MCAs have until April 26 to pass or reject the Bill before it proceeds to Parliament for final approval.
SRC asks governors to tame rising wage bill
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has asked Governors to develop strategies to tame the runaway wage bill in their respective counties. SRC chairperson Lynn Mengich said Governors needed to work towards ensuring their wage bills do not exceed 35 per cent of the revenues.
In a statement, Mengich said the new office bearers at the Council of Governors led by Martin Wambora and James Ongwae should immediately embark on plans to lower the wage bill. The Public Finance Management Act requires that all arms of government operate at a wage bill of 35 per cent of the ordinary revenue. A recent report showed that most counties are increasingly spending more on salaries, wages, allowances and other employee benefits. It said counties used Sh172 billion (almost 50 per cent) on such expenditure in the period between July 2019 and June 2020.
Ruto kicks off three-day tour of Coast counties
Deputy President William Ruto is on Thursday expected to begin a three-day tour at the Coast, where he will visit Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi Counties. The DP will have a tight programme in the three counties; where he will be hosted by MPs Khatib Mwashetani, Benjamin Tayari, Mohammed Ali, Aisha Jumwa and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar.
Ruto will first pitch tent in Lunga Lunga on Thursday morning where he will officiate the commissioning of projects funded by Mwashetani’s CDF office. DP will on Friday morning go to Jumwa’s backyard in Watamu, Malindi to officiate several youth empowerment programmes. On Saturday morning, the DP will travel to Kinango to launch MP Tayari’s projects before returning to meet youth in Changamwe and Jomvu constituency at Sakina grounds. Ali will then host Ruto in Nyali, where he will officiate the opening of the Kwa Bullo primary and secondary schools, which have been built by Nyali CDF.
Why locals are shunning new Likoni floating bridge
Lack of accessibility to the Likoni floating bridge has been a hindrance limiting its usage by Likoni residents, one month after its official launch on January 1. The 824-metre long bridge, which was constructed at Sh1.9 billion has continued to receive less number of commuters than it had been anticipated.
The Likoni ferry crossing channel serves over 300,000 people and over 6,000 vehicles every day, but the floating bridge is serving less than 4,000 people daily. Likoni residents say the matatu termini which are being constructed on both sides of the bridge have taken long. The floating bridge operates between 5 am-8 am during the morning hours and from 4 pm-7 pm hours.
Waruhiu’s heartfelt push for intersex recognition
Self-deprecating, soft-spoken and godly, Jedidah Waruhiu won the hearts of her professional colleagues through her relentless efforts to have intersex people counted in the 2019 population census. They crowned her the 2020 Jurist of the Year.
The Star caught up with her at her Edenville home in Kiambu. True to self, quite spirited, thoughtful and ambitious, the 52-year-old lawyer lives a humble life with her husband and children.
In 2014, alongside Kagwiria Mbogori, George Morara and Suzanne Chivusia, Waruhiu joined the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights as a commissioner. They left office in March last year after their six-year term ended.
Reflecting on major accomplishments at the body, Waruhiu is proud to have gotten intersex people recognition, a feat capped by the inclusion of the third sex marker (I) in the 2019 population census.