• The stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
Good morning,
Days after changes in the Executive seemed to push Deputy President William Ruto out of Mt Kenya and cut his influence in Cabinet, the focus has shifted to Parliament.
The Star has learnt that President Uhuru Kenyatta wants to take control of both houses to further assert himself and drive government agenda before he retires in 2022.
Here are the other stories making headlines in the Star this morning.
CSs swing into action, roll out Sh3bn coffee fund
Cabinet secretaries Ukur Yatani (Treasury) and Peter Munya (Agriculture) have sprung into action to roll out the Sh3 billion coffee fund and other programmes President Uhuru Kenyatta announced on Tuesday to boost farmers earnings.
The two have rejuvenated activities at the Agriculture ministry after the sacking of Mwangi Kiunjuri. Among the reasons the abrasive politician was dropped was a belief that he failed to improve farmers’ livelihoods, sparking a rebellion.
How to ensure election-related sexual violence never happens again
In the aftermath of the 2007-08 post-election violence, the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (Waki Commission) documented more than 900 sexual violence cases perpetrated by security agents and civilians against women, girls, men and boys.
During this tragic period, Kenya saw large-scale bloodshed, mass displacement, and more than 1,000 deaths. Kenya’s 2017 elections again were marked by widespread sexual violence, with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documenting more than 201 cases in 11 counties alone.
How Ruto's journey of 'betrayal' mirrors Raila
Deputy President William Ruto is at the centre of a high-stake succession battle that mirrors that of his nemesis Raila Odinga, characterised by betrayal and broken political deals.
Ruto and his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, have been squabbling quietly but the tension hit a crescendo on Tuesday.
Music sampling: Creativity or outright copyright infringement?
Kenyan music and music in general has transformed and crossed numerous borders. From zilizopendwa, to genge, kapuka to gengetone, to where we are now, what were once melodic pieces shared among small communities have now become worldwide tunes capable of being shared and heard all around the globe. And with that comes a few legal challenges as well as opportunities.
Beginning of the end: Anticipated Uhuru-Ruto fallout is finally here
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday reorganised his Cabinet and the effects of the Building Bridges Initiative were prominently visible in the changes to government.
Since last year, particularly soon after the launch of the BBI report, the relationship between the President and his deputy has been anything but cordial.