Kenya Newspapers Review: Matiang’i Unsettles Gachagua's DCP as He Holds Talks With Mt Kenya Parties
On Saturday, August 23, the local newspapers widely reported on Harambee Stars' defeat in the ongoing African Nations Championship, bringing an end to their fairy tale run in the tournament as dark horses.
Source: UGC
1. Saturday Nation
As per the paper, schools are reopening under severe financial strain, with principals warning that debt could cripple the shortest and most crucial term of the academic year.
According to the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha), the government owes schools about KSh18 billion in unpaid capitation for the first two terms. Each learner is short by Sh5,506 in allocations.
Kessha chairman Willy Kuria said schools were forced to shut early last term because they had no money to pay suppliers or feed students.
He warned that without immediate disbursement, smooth operations in Term Three are unlikely.
This term, which runs for only nine weeks, carries national examinations including the KPSEA in late October and KCSE from early November.
Principals in Nairobi, Nakuru, and Bungoma echoed the crisis, noting that some schools are already burdened with deductions for infrastructure from meagre funds.
They questioned how they are expected to manage utilities, pay staff, and prepare candidates without adequate support.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba admitted the funds have not been released but assured they are being fast-tracked.
He also told Parliament earlier that schools are weighed down by debts amounting to Sh64 billion.
Teachers’ union Kuppet has warned that schools could again close early, disrupting the exam calendar.
Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima said chronic underfunding may push parents into paying extra fees.
2. Taifa Leo
According to the Swahili paper, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has entered the debate on whether President William Ruto should appear before Parliament to substantiate his claims of corruption within the institution.
The matter has stirred anger among lawmakers, many of whom have demanded that the President be summoned to provide evidence of alleged misconduct.
Murkomen dismissed the calls, insisting that the President is only accountable to investigative agencies, not parliament.
He argued that lawmakers pushing for such a summons misunderstand the law, since only investigative bodies have the authority to receive evidence.
Murkomen explained that the president, as head of state, has access to intelligence on national affairs, but such information cannot serve as admissible evidence in court.
He said Ruto’s comments were meant to caution legislators allegedly involved in corrupt dealings, not to target individuals.
“I knew he was not speaking about me, so there was no reason for me to complain,” Murkomen said.
He further noted that those troubled by the president’s remarks should instead reflect on their actions and correct themselves.
Murkomen also reminded the public that the president has in the past criticised Cabinet Secretaries, including some of his own colleagues, on issues of theft and mismanagement.
3. Weekend Star
The publication reports that former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is quietly building a political alliance with six parties as part of his preparation for a 2027 presidential run.
Sources indicate the talks could result in either a coalition or a merger designed to mount a credible challenge against President William Ruto.
Matiang’i has in recent weeks met leaders from several political outfits, including three from Mt Kenya, a region considered former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua’s base.
The latest strategy meeting, held in Karen on Thursday, brought together former Agriculture CS Peter Munya of PNU, Jubilee’s Jeremiah Kioni, Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, UPA’s Jacob Bagaka, PDP’s Omingo Magara, Kenya Social Congress leader Atati Kengere, and Lenny Kivuti of the Devolution Empowerment Party.
Insiders say the leaders agreed to form a technical team to explore legal and political options for building a joint platform.
Each party nominated one member, with a preliminary report expected in the coming weeks. The group will reconvene to review progress.
Matiang’i’s outreach in Mt Kenya has unsettled Gachagua’s camp, with some allies dismissing him as lacking grassroots networks.
4. The Saturday Standard
As per the paper, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is facing fresh criticism after making remarks widely condemned as reckless and divisive.
Leaders and Kenyans across the political divide have accused him of stoking ethnic tensions, with some demanding that he apologise to communities in the Mt Kenya region or risk impeachment.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has said it is investigating Duale’s comments, which linked the 2027 elections to the chaos of 2007.
NCIC chair Rev Samuel Kobia confirmed that the agency is working with the Communications Authority to verify the clip, stressing that it raised serious concerns.
Duale, a close ally of President William Ruto, angered many when he told his Somali community that Kenya was back in “2007 political mode.”
He warned Gachagua against belittling Somalis, insisting no tribe is superior under the constitution.
His comparison of 2027 to the bloodshed of 2007, when more than 1,300 people were killed, has sparked outrage.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba described his words as “heart-wrenching,” while Narok Senator Ledama Olekina warned that if Duale persists, impeachment may be necessary.
Political analysts have also faulted him for dragging Kenya into dangerous tribal politics and undermining national unity.
Duale has a long history of controversy, from failing to reveal financiers of terrorism after the 2015 Garissa University massacre, to fiery exchanges with political rivals.
Critics argue his outbursts show poor judgment for a Cabinet Secretary, whose role should be neutral and unifying.
Rev Kobia cautioned that inflammatory remarks ahead of 2027 risk destabilising the country, adding that NCIC will not hesitate to act.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
