• The stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Good morning,
Three universities are technically insolvent, operating on bank overdrafts and failing to remit billions in employees' statutory deductions including loans, the Auditor General has said.
Reports by Auditor General Edward Ouko show that the University of Nairobi, Kenya’s higher education giant, is drowning in debt.
As are Kenyatta University and Multimedia University.
During the 2017-18 financial year, UON, Kenyatta University and Multimedia University alone reported negative working capital of Sh5.5 billion.
Here are the other stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Today's top stop stories in the Star.
ODM gets Sh120m to move headquarters
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM party will move to its newly acquired Lavington premises in a month, after acquiring a Sh120 million bank loan.
The opposition party has been unable to move due to financial constraints, which forced it to seek months’ tenancy extension.
The Orange Party in 2017 acquired a Sh170 million property at the city's upmarket area and was to move from Orange House by December 3, 2018.
Health ministry sued over Sh38bn tender
A Kenyan has sued the Health ministry over a Sh38 billion tender for supply of medical equipment and wants payment of the remaining Sh28 billion stopped.
Also sought is an order for an audit to be carried out on the project by an independent international company.
Daniel Muoki is challenging the tender due to what he calls lack of transparency and inflated cost.
Solai dam trial stalls as victims mark one year
As victims of the Solai dam tragedy mark one year, the wheels of justice seem to have been stuck.
Since July last year when nine suspects, including the dam owner and a senior government officer were arrested and charged, the trial is yet to start.
The Director of Public Prosecution has been blamed for the delay, as the case has been adjourned more than 30 times.
Soapstone carvers live a dog’s life crafting precious art
It is 6am on a Tuesday at the Nyabigeri Art Centre in Tabaka, Kisii county. Mary Achando, 55, sits atop a mound of sand, spreads her feeble legs apart and starts to gingerly scrub off the rough edges of a giraffe carving she has done.
More other unfinished carvings lie in wait on the huge bowl beside her. This tells of another long day ahead for the mother of six.
MPs reject senators' bid to give counties Sh25bn
Senators yesterday suffered a setback after MPs rejected their bid to increase revenue allocation to counties by Sh25 billion.
Members of Parliament unanimously agreed to throw out the motion to amend the Division of Revenue Bill, 2019, to increase the revenue share from Sh310 billion to Sh335 billion.