President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday pledged to "do everything in [his] power to ensure there will be no repeat of the 2007 violence" incited by politicians.

“It will not happen as long as I’m President. That you can take from me,” the President said in an interview with the Star in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday during a state visit.

The President said Kenyans have suffered greatly, especially during and after the 2007-08 post-election violence, and it was wrong for politicians to start inciting people to violence again.

“I will uphold the constitutional rights of every Kenyan but those rights do not include incitement, destruction of property and lives," Uhuru said.

“You can demonstrate freely but we will not allow any individual to infringe on the rights of other Kenyans. Incitement by politicians is what caused clashes between communities in 2007 and that will not be entertained.

“Those who choose to walk that path will face the full force of the law. That is how it shall be as long as I’m the President,” the President said.

A passionate and tough-talking Kenyatta said anyone breaking the law will be punished firmly, irrespective of their status.

“It does not matter who you are or what position you hold or how you are related to me —the law will be enforced fully,” Uhuru said.

Eight MPs from both sides of the coalition are facing charges relating to hate speech. They were remanded on Tuesday for four days and bail has been denied to all of them.

They are Jubilee's Ferdinand Waititu, Kimani Ngunjiri and Moses Kuria — Kenyatta’s MP in Gatundu South — and Cord's Junet Mohamed, Johnstone Muthama, Aisha Jumwa, Florence Mutua and Timothy Bosire.

Yesterday opposition chief Raila Odinga and other Cord leaders tried to visit them at Pangani and Muthaiga police stations where demanded their release..

"These members must be released without charge in the next 24 hours. If it does not happen, there will be consequences," the former Prime Minister said.

Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka said they waited at Pangani for three hours but were not allowed to see the politicians. He called the situation a "gross abuse of human rights.

"We remind those concerned, and we know them, the constitution is very strong on the Bill of Rights," he said.

He added: "We are not making any distinction. All of them, including Jubilee politicians, must be released."

But Uhuru said the law must take its course.

“Nobody is above the law. Freedom must be exercised with responsibility. Those in custody have not been detained. It is a judicial process and only the courts can determine the next course of action,” the President said.

On the IEBC, the President repeated that negotiations on replacing the commissioners will be held according to the constitution and through Parliament.

“I have made it clear I have no problem with the issues raised. But they [Cord] have decided dialogue will be between me and someone else. That cannot be.

"Let us follow constitutional provisions since we are dealing with issues within the constitution. There is no reason for us to go to the streets when there is the law with very clear provisions."

He said when the Inter Political Parties Group was formed, the law at the time allowed the President to unilaterally appoint election commissioners.

"Today I do not have that power so there is no need to insist I must negotiate with one person,” Uhuru said.

The President has named an 11-person team, including Kuria and led by Senator Kiraitu Murungi, to negotiate with Cord.

The opposition has rejected the team, saying it's too big and other issues must be addressed before talks can start.

Uhuru urged the opposition leaders to debate national issues instead of protesting in the streets.

He said he wants to engage with other political and economic viewpoints so Kenyans can decide who has the best ideas about moving the country forward.

“Let our differences be about ideas, not our ethnic backgrounds. Let them be about what you can offer 40 million Kenyans, but not about how you can lead your community,” added the President.

The President said it was morally wrong for Kenyans to attack each other on the basis of tribe and put hate-mongers on notice.

“No one individual should be allowed to use one part of Kenyan to fight Kenya,” Uhuru said.

Retired Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has said politicians could plunge the country into chaos if they do not stop “ethnic and combative” politics.

Speaking during his farewell at the Supreme Court, Mutunga urged leaders to rise above “parochial ethnic and jingoistic politics”, and embrace dialogue.

Jubilee this week agreed to talks with the oppositon after Cord staged a series of anti-IEBC protests. Both parties are yet to agree on the framework for the talks.

Commonwealth secretary general Patricia Scotland has appointed Mutunga as a special envoy to the Maldives.

He will help in a smooth constitutional transition.

“Mutunga urged the judiciary to continue to play its role of securing the constitution and promoting nationhood.

He said he achieved a lot as CJ, adding his accomplishments can only be denied by “those who wish the Judiciary ill or those interested in turning back the clock to a judiciary the public viewed with suspicion and scorn, and one where there was intimidation, victimisation, and disempowerment of colleagues”.

Mutunga said the judiciary has been transformed and is driven by confidence and ambition.

“Even as we laid this foundation, we were aware there were many termites at work that sought to destroy our institution and abort our progress, and so far they have failed. These forces will not just simply fade away unless we stand up against them. It is up to all of you who now remain in the judiciary, and Kenyans who are invested in a judiciary that delivers, to stop the termites and encourage and glorify those who embrace transformation,” he said.

Mutunga urged judges and Kenyans as a whole to defend the gains “lest the detractors have their way.”

“Transformation must be defended by your sweat and blood against regressive forces, many of which we have neutralised at every turn in the last five years,” he said. Mutunga said he is happy to retire.

Qatar Airways is among five firms interested in buying troubled Kenya Airways.

Transport Minister James Macharia told the Star in Brussels, Belgium that Qatar Airways is one of the airlines that have bid to buy the national airline whose code name is KQ. He did not name the other companies.

“We have received many proposals from companies in the Middle East and from America but no discussion has gone on yet because they are just expression of interests,” he said.

“That is important, but it is not a priority right now. The priority is to restore the viability of that airline and get it to make profit once again.”

He said although KQ was a private company, the government was bailing it out because it was strategic for the country. The government owns 29 per cent of the troubled airline.

KQ is experiencing turbulent times having posted huge losses in the last few years.

The government has moved in to rescue the airline. KQ on its part is leasing some Dreamliners and sold three triple B777s, the company has also been forced to sell a lucrative parking slot and other assets to raise cash for paying debts and sustain operations. In March, KQ sold its prime landing slot at London’s Heathrow Airport in a deal estimated to be worth Sh3.7 billion. The airline has also sold a 30-acre piece of land in Embakasi, Nairobi valued at over Sh2 billion as part of the recovery plan. KQ needs more than Sh100 billion to completely turnaround.

Treasury Cabinet secretary Henry Rotich has allocated KQ Sh20.2 billion in next financial year’s budget to stabilise it after a turbulent three years. This will be the second bailout after the initial Sh4.2 billion bailout the company was given six months ago.

Although he was reluctant to reveal details, the CS indicated that the management changes being undertaken at KQ could affect the topmost managers as well.

“We are changing management at all levels. You have seen us asking those at senior levels to leave so we will be restoring capacity in terms of management to ensure that we have the best people running it,” said the CS.

KQ’s loans stood at Sh52 billion at the end of September 2015, translating to a Sh3.4 billion financing cost burden. The company’s management has admitted it is significantly supported by creditors and is looking at avenues of replacing short-term debt.

Outrageous remarks and public spectacles including dramatic arrests characterised the arrest of eight politicians who were charged with hate speech on Friday.

The politicians were summoned to CID headquarters by IG Joseph Boinnet following public outcry.

The following are the charges they faced at Milimani law courts, as stated in court documents:

Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama

He was charged on one count that on the September 26, 2015 at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, without lawful excuse, he uttered the words “Sasa nataka kumwambia Raila na Kalonzo na Weta watuongoze mpaka huko, twende wapi, onyesheni wapi, wapi tutoe sungura mjanja tuweke rais wakulinda wannachi”, which words indicated or implied that it night be desirable to defeat by violence the lawful authority of the President of the Republic of Kenya.

Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire

The MP was also charged on one count that on June 13, 2016 at Capitol Hill centre in Nairobi, Bosire without lawful excuse uttered the words: “We too have communities that we can summon to act, to talk assassination and beign evictions....” which words indicated it desirable to bring death or physical injury to persons and communities in Kenya.

Kilifi woman representative Aisha Jumwa

She is charged with two counts, one count on June 13, 2016 at Capitol Hill Centre in Nairobi, Aisha said: “Tunapeana hatma ya kwamba baada ya masaa ishirini na nne kama hatujaona chochote kufanyika kuhusu matamshi ya wambunge waliyo yasema basi pia sisi tuna jamii, mheshimiwa Raila Odinga ako na jamii, ako na wafuasi ana heshimika katika taifa hili kwa hivyo tunaweza kulingana na wao wanavyo panga na jamii na wafuasi wakapanga lao. Iwapo sheria hazitafuatwa kuhakikisha kwamba hali hii imepata suluhu?”, which indicated it desirable to bring death or physical injury to persons and communities in Kenya.

The woman rep also has another count that on the same day she said: “Tunapeana hatma ya kwamba baada ya masaa ishirini na nne kama hatujaona chochote kufanyika kuhusu matamshi ya wambunge waliyo yasema basi pia sisi tuna jamii, mheshimiwa Raila Odinga ako na jamii, ako na wafuasi ana heshimika katika taifa hili kwa hivyo tunaweza kulingana na wao wanavyo panga na jamii na wafuasi wakapanga lao. Iwapo sheria hazitafuatwa kuhakikisha kwamba hali hii imepata suluhu?”...which were intended to stir up ethnic hatred.

Suna East MP Junet Mohamed

That on June 13, 2016 at Capitol Hill Centre in Nairobi, Junet Mohamed uttered: “Even we have areas if they want to demarcate and balkanize this country we can do better than them, they fight confined in a very small region in this country compared to where we can travel and go too.”...which indicated it desirable to bring death or physical injury to persons and communities in Kenya.

In a second count, Junet uttered: “Even we have areas if they want to demarcate and balkanize this country we can do better than them they might confined in a very small region in this country compared to where we cam travel and go too.”...which words were intended thereby to stir up ethnic hatred.

His third count on the same day: “Even we have areas if they want to demarcate and balkanize this country we can do better than them they might confined in a very small region in this country compared to where we cam travel and go too.”...which words were intended thereby to incite feelings of violence and discrimination against persons or communties in Kenya.

Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri

The MP is charged on one count that on June 11, 2016 at Kiamunyi Estate in Naouru, he uttered the words: “Yeye walifanya demonstration wakachoma nyumba ya mkikuyu na ya Naivas kama ni namna hiyo acha Wajaluo wahame hapa, waende wameharibu mali yawatu yetu....mimi nasema we must defend our people na mimi nasema saa hii twende huko tustrike.” which were intended to incite feelings of violence and discrimination against persons and communities of Kenya

Kabete MP Ferdinand Waititu

On June 12t at Kasarani Gymnasium Waititu physically uttered:...”Haya ndired kuga atiriri, andu aya tutirathama ruririr rwa gikuyu. Rucio ruru rurakia, athuri othe, arume other tugakorwo Nairobi twetereire andu acio magerie hanini. Ni turaigwithania? Rucio ruru rurakia ithuothe tukorwo Nairobi, twetereire maikie mahiga uguo mayangai ut=yu tumeke atia?” Nituraigwithania?”

Translated to mean – "We want to say this when tomorrow comes e are calling upon all Kikuyu men toturn up tomorrow in large numbers to go to Nairobi to await for those people tp try to throw stones and if they throw stones what do we do to them?" (accused indicates a cutting motion)

These words indicated it desirable to bring death and physical injury to persons in Kenya.

Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria

That on June 12 at Kasarani Gymnasium Waititu physically uttered.....”Nyumba ni murathikiririra? Ndiraheirwo wira nimukuona ta nguhota? Muthama, na Orengo na nyina moke othe. Ni mui gitumi nikii? Na matume kimudu, giuke na mucinga, Raila rii rithathi ya mutwe akue mauge ni nii. No emenyerere, ona mbembe no arie, tutiguturio thinaine ni mudu umue. Na arie mbembe tumuthike Jumatatu iria ingi, maikie mahiga wiki imue na Kenya iithie na mbere. Okuruo ni haro mekwenda niyo mekuona. Muire Raila ona mbembe no arie na thii ihore na tuthie na nomenda thayu moke tuarie wega IEBC yenda guthi ithii tiii uguo mathii ma kiumaga.”

Translated to mean: ”My people, I was appointed to speak with these people. Do you think I will deliver?They should not fear on fact let Orengo , Muthama and their mothers come. They want to stage a gunman tasked to kill Raila and then blame it on me. But he should be careful because he can bite the bullet. We won't be troubled by one person forever. He cann as wll bite the bullet and we bury him next Monday. These protesters will throw stones for just one week and life continues. If it is war they want, it is what they will get. Tell Raila he can bite the bullet but they want peace they should come and let us negotiate...”

The words indicated it desirable to bring death and physical injury to the said Raila Odinga.

Kiambu Governor William Kabogo's recent utterances appear to be linked to which Kikuyu should be William Ruto's running mate in 2022 rather than whether Central Kenya should back Ruto in the presidential election.

On 4 June, Kabogo sent shock waves through the Kikuyu-Kalenjin alliance when he told a meeting in Juja that support for Ruto in 2022 was not automatic and that the Deputy President would first have to negotiate with the Central Kenya community.

"Even if we promised someone a seat, we will have to sit down and talk. We will not just give away the seat like that. If you think because we agreed it will go like that, we have the votes and therefore have to be respected," Kabogo said.

Kabogo later insisted that he just meant that the DP must assure Central Kenya that their interests are secure.

"Ruto and I are friends and as such I am entitled to tell him the truth. The conversation for 2022 presidential elections should begin now," Kabogo clarified on 8 June in Ndumberi.

However his comments need to be viewed in the context of an emerging power struggle over who should be the candidate for Deputy President in 2022. If the KK alliance holds, that person could become president in 2032.

Kabogo is said to be interested himself in becoming Ruto's running-mate in 2022, although Meru and Embu are already angling for the post.

On Tuesday, the Kikuyu Council of Elders met Kabogo in Thika town and backed his demand that Ruto dialogues with Central Kenya before 2022.

"DP Ruto is guaranteed total support by the region but we must continuously consult and engage him before 2022 and that is all that Governor Kabogo is saying," Kikuyu Council of Elders National chairman Wachira Kiago said.

Initially Kabogo's remarks were interpreted to mean that Ruto was not the automatic candidate for Jubilee after Uhuru.

In 2013 Uhuru and Ruto agreed that Central Kenya would back Ruto in 2022 after Uhuru had served two terms. It now appears that the KK alliance will break apart unless the candidate for Deputy President in 2022 is from Central Kenya.

Some politicians believe that Kabogo is angling to make himself the automatic deputy to Ruto in 2022 although others feel that Kabogo is angry that Ruto has visited Kiambu with MPs hostile to the governor.

Other potential running mates for Ruto in 2022 are already being discussed. Uhuru is rumoured to have identified Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri as the next Central Kenya kingpin. Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi, who is spearheading the merger of Jubilee parties, is also reportedly eyeing the position.

The Mt. Kenya East grouping believes that the Deputy President candidate in 2022 should be Senate Majority Leader Kindiki Kithure.

Tigania East MP Mpuri Aburi said Meru was opposed plans by some Central leaders for Kabogo to be Ruto’s running mate.

“This is a done deal. We are behind Uhuru until 2022. After that we will rally behind William Ruto with Kithure Kindiki as his deputy. We will not be shortchanged. We have supported other communities for many years,” he said.

Igembe South MP Mithika Linturi warned that TNA, a constituent party of Jubilee, must honour its promise to back Ruto in 2022 because Central Kenya reneged on former agreements to support Raila Odinga in 2007 and Kalonzo Musyoka in 2013 after they had supported President Mwai Kibaki in 2002 and 2007.

“If they (Kikuyu) don’t support Ruto, trust me that even the Meru, Mbeere and Embu will not take them seriously,” Linturi told the Star.

MPs Maina Kamanda (Starehe), Irungu Kangata (Kiharu), Benson Mutula (Makadara), and John Kiragu (Limuru) dismissed Kabogo's statement as "personal".

"The DP is like one of us. He has continued to champion the interests of Central Kenya, including development projects for our people," Kamanda said.

Ruto's supporters in the Rift Valley were also critical of Kabogo.

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter said support for Ruto should "not be because he is a Kalenjin but because he has the capability to lead this nation".

“He (Kabogo) has no capacity to decide the DP's fate in 2022. We shall campaign for him. We stood firm and supported them (Kikuyu) in the previous election so they should not take us for granted," he said.

Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi dismissed Kabogo's remarks remarks as "useless and reckless" considering the 2007/8 post election violence that left 1,200 people dead and 600,000 internally displaced, mainly in Rift Valley.

"Our business for now is to unite all Kenyans. Kabogo is not Jubilee. If he has a deal, let him come up with the plan and we shall deal with it," he said.

“Such statements should not be tolerated as it will divide communities who have formed a strong bond,” Joseph Saina, spokesman of the Ogiek elders, said during an annual ritual ceremony on Monday.

Political analyst Onyango Oloo defended Kabogo.

“If you remember in 2013, it was Kabogo who warned Musalia that even if Uhuru steps down, we will not support you. Kabogo understands the interests of the people of the Central region,” said Oloo.

“People of Central Kenya believe they are entitled to Presidency since they have the numbers and as a matter of fact they only need you to top them up to win the presidency,” said Oloo.

The mother of lawyer Paul Magu, who killed his wife and three children and then committed suicide, suspected him of having an affair with Pastor Ann Wanyoro. Wanyoro has been charged with aiding Magu to commit suicide in 2014. “Every time I would meet my son with the accused. I started doubting them and thought probably my son had taken her as his wife,” Keziah Wambui told a Kiambu court on Thursday.

She said Magu introduced her to Wanyoro, who visited her frequently. “... we used to talk about church matters and pray. Magu used to attend FEM [Faith Evangelistic Ministry] Church but moved to Showers Church, where he became a pastor,” Wambui said. She said the church met at the Bluepost Hotel in Thika town.

Earlier, Magu’s sister-in-law testified that he and Wanyoro used to travel to Nigeria to attend Prophet TB Joshua’s church. He would come back with anointed water, which he used during prayers, Esther Wanjiru told principal magistrate Justus Kituku. Wanjiru is the sister of Magu’s wife Lydia Wangui. She said she used to take care of the children and lived with family. “... we used to watch DVDs he came with from Nigeria and he was in them with Pastor Ann,” she said. The prosecution has more than 20 witnesses. The hearing will resume on September 19.

President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke for the first time about his lowest moment in his ICC case.

Uhuru told the Star his lowest moment was the day ICC prosecutor, then Luis Moreno Ocampo, announced that he was among the six suspects wanted for sponsoring and organising the 2007-08 post-election violence.

“I was signing agreements with the Japanese ambassador for some major infrastructure projects for Kenya when I was informed about the news,” he said during an interview in Brussels, Belgium.

On December 15, 2010, Ocampo disclosed names of the “most responsible” people for the violence. Kenyatta, then Deputy Prime Minister and Finance minister, was among them.

Others were William Ruto, then ODM deputy leader; Joshua Sang, then radio presenter; Francis Muthaura, then head of Public Service; Henry Kosgey, then ODM chairman; and former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali.

Ocampo put stringent restrictions on the six. They included bans on contacting other accused persons and contacting or intimidating witnesses. He mandated them to frequently update the ICC about their whereabouts.

“I felt it was better to stop what I was doing at the time and, instead, go and watch television. It is part of life. There will be challenges. My happiness is that we have moved forward,” the President said.

Kenyatta has been very sensitive on the ICC issue. It is understood he felt bad about it because, he believes he went out of his way to stop the violence.

“Kenya should never be taken back to that place again,” the President added.

The “Ocampo Six” were accused of organising violence following the disputed December 27, 2007, elections. Both the ruling PNU of Mwai Kibaki and ODM of Raila Odinga claimed victory.

Some 1,200 people were killed and more than 500,000 others displaced from their homes.

In September 2015, the court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, announced she was shelving the prosecution of Kenyatta. She said the case could not proceed because the government would not cooperate.

“The President spent hours and lots of personal money on lawyers. He fought to prove his innocence,” one of the lawyers who worked on his case said. One of Uhuru’s aides said he was firm against advice to ignore the court.

To understand why so many so-called leaders mislead people, we must acknowledge that every society in the world has two types of leaders – real leaders and conmen.

Between real leaders and conmen leaders, people are mainly misled by conmen leaders not real leaders who have an uphill battle distinguishing themselves from pretenders to genuine leadership.

Though Abraham Lincoln famously said: “one may cheat all the people some time, some of the people all the time but not all the people all the time”, one wonders why pretenders to genuine leadership succeed in misleading people, more than genuine leaders succeed in saving people.

Pretenders to leadership succeed in misleading people because they are bandits and conmen who have made lying and misleading their business, profession and survival. In this regard, a conman leader is no different from a quack doctor or a conman engineer but loss from conman leadership is much greater.

Though most dangerous, pretenders to leadership succeed to mislead people because there is no time they announce or admit their conmanship to people. False leaders always pretend to be real, more genuine than true leaders. And because they never call themselves false, pretenders to leadership succeed to mislead people who believe they are genuine until destruction of their conmanship is too much to conceal.

Despite calling themselves real, false leaders also succeed because ordinary people are attracted more to falsehood than truth. On this account, if people are called to two meetings, one of genuine and the other of false leaders, more ordinary people will attend the meeting of false leaders.

Because genuine leaders have a vision of serving people, the greater duty of genuine leaders is to develop the country they lead. There is no genuine leader who likes to see his country stay poor when other countries are developing.

A second goal of a true leader is to look after interests of people and especially provision of food, clothing, health care, housing, education and other necessities of life.

Unlike genuine leaders, the goal of conmen leaders is to be corrupt, steal and accumulate personal wealth. For this reason, conmen leaders focus not on development and interests of the people and country but on wealth, interests and power of leaders.

Because of the nature of conmen leadership, it cannot avoid corruption and stealing as a tool of amassing wealth in the quickest possible time. Conmen leaders cannot also avoid dictatorship to protect their power when under pressure from people. Additionally, conmen leaders cannot avoid the desire to live above the law which they break routinely. Finally, conmen leaders cannot avoid their great need for negative ethnicity to divide and rule masses to kill their rebellion against exploitation by false leaders.

As genuine leaders reveal themselves in their struggle for good against evil, when and where do conmen leaders reveal themselves?

Doubtlessly, there is no person without a conscience that will help him or her acknowledge and separate evil from good. And though goodness of genuine leaders takes to people services like water and electricity, the impunity of conmen leaders allows them to sell drugs to youth and the weak at great profit. Even if conmen leaders know the harm of what they do, the addiction of great profit cannot stop them continuing to propagate evil.

Incredibly generations of today are as blind as the generations of 2000 years ago. The blindness of ordinary people creates callousness of conmen leaders because they are beyond reproach and punishment.

Because of their callousness many will believe conmen leaders are genuine and even when they know them to be false, they will not shy from calling public meetings to promote their own interests rather than discuss interests and problems of the people.

Conmen leaders will even go to Church not to worship God or pray for the country, but to worship themselves, be prayed for and worshipped by the Church.

To save ourselves from conmen leaders, people must uncover them from their hiding, take off their garb that conceals their foxiness, and as the foxes they are, drive them out of the herd of the sheep.

THE opposition is using the ongoing protests against the IEBC to trigger a revolution similar to the Arab Spring, Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery has said.

Speaking in Brussels on Thursday in an interview with the Star, Nkaissery claimed that the protests by the Raila Odinga-led opposition coalition were “bigger” than the removal of the IEBC commissioners.

“We want peaceful elections but Cord has continued to incite the citizens and intimidate the government by throwing stones. This is a revolution in the making: As minister for Interior, I will never allow it,” Nkaissery said.

He added that the plan is similar to the revolutions that have seen governments toppled in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and civil wars in several other North African nations from 2010.

“People think Kenya is a very weak country and you can repeat what happened in Libya and Egypt here. That is the thinking of these fellows of Cord. It is high time that Kenyans are told that this is a revolution in the making and the government will not allow it," Nkaissery said.

The CS also said the government will soon expose the opposition's plan and was currently gathering all the documentary evidence.

Cord has staged several protests in Nairobi and other towns calling for the IEBC commissioners to resign, arguing that the commission cannot deliver a free and fair election next year.

Some of the protests have turned violent, leading to deaths, destruction of property and looting, especially in Kibra and Nyanza.

The Cord leadership has dismissed the CS’s previous claims on the same issues as “figments of fertile imaginations”.

“Those claims must be treated with the contempt they deserve. They amount to whistling and shooting in the dark. If they are looking for targets, Cord will not give them any,” Cord co-principal Moses Wetang'ula told the Star in an earlier interview.

But Nkaissery said they have every reason to believe that the opposition was not after reforms in the IEBC but seeking to grab power from President Uhuru Kenyatta.

‘If you have a legal process and you are avoiding that legal process, you want a violent approach, what does that mean? Are you saying there is no government in place? Are you not challenging the constitutionality or legality of the government of the day? If the IEBC is really the issue, why don’t you follow the law in your quest to remove the commissioners who are in office legally?" Nkaissery said.

The CS said that while the constitution gives Kenyans a right to peaceful and unarmed demonstrations, the government would not sit back as people get violent.

‘Violent demonstrations are not allowed by law. What Cord has been doing is not peaceful demonstrations. You cannot come to demonstrations with machetes and slings. You cannot also block roads and loot people’s businesses in the name of demonstrations. That is not in the law," Nkaissery said.

The CS said that the government was satisfied with what the police have been doing because they have been protecting citizens from violent demonstrators.

He said that police had to deal with people who were involved in looting and violence as this is what is expected of them.

“Secondly let’s talks about the violent demonstrations in Kisumu. What happened? They threw 1,000 stones into a police station. How do you expect the police to react? I regret that life was lost. There was no other choice because, as you know, police do not carry stones to defend themselves – they used bullets,” Nkaissery said.

He also said that it was not yet proven that those killed were actually shot by police because some demonstrators were also armed.

“We have now issued a directive that all gun holders must apply afresh for certificates allowing them to hold guns, so we know how many Kenyans are armed,” the CS said.

Interestingly, Nkaissery denied that he had ever heard National Government Spokesman Eric Kiraithe say that neighbouring countries are funding Cord to topple the Kenyatta Administration.

“I know people have been saying this, but, personally, I have not heard it. We should not bring our neighbours into internal issues. We have a stable relationship with our neighbours, so we should not drag them in. I do not believe anybody could say that. It could also be propaganda by the opposition," Nkaissery said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, while on state visit to Belgium last week, had an interview with Kenyan journalists including Radio Africa Group Political Editor Paul Ilado on various issues.

Mr President, what are the highlights of your visit? I am particularly encouraged by the unparalleled support that the EU has given to Kenya in the ongoing peace and stability mission in Somalia. Eighty per cent of the contributions to Amisom come directly from the EU. It is important to point out a number of things about Kenya’s position on the issue of Somali refugees. We have agreed that we all have to work together to find a process of how we can establish the return of these people to their homes in a dignified and humane way. Kenya recognises her role in welcoming those who are running away from problems. And we shall continue to respect that position. But what Kenya is saying, especially in regard to the Dadaab camp, is that we now have been hosting these people for more than 23 years.

I think also, we have agreed on a bilateral basis between Kenya and Belgium, that we will also intensify and deepen our partnership with them. They want to establish themselves in Kenya, helping us create jobs for our people and using Kenya as a launching pad to enter the greater East African region.

Why do you want to visit the Port of Antwerp? I have been there before, and the purpose is that Belgium is a country where 80 per cent of the GDP is export-driven. This is where Kenya has a hope and a future. We want to learn and benchmark from how they are doing it, because if our port was that much more efficient, we could increase the GDP of our country — just through Mombasa Port — by an extra 1.5 per cent. That translates to thousands and thousands of jobs for our young people looking for placement and employment. And that is why we need to get out of the traditional way in which we think and see how we can benchmark on people who have actually made a whole economy out of using their port to build and develop their GDP.

As Jubile leader, are you going to set a standard for what rhetoric is acceptable and not acceptable ahead of 2017? I think I have made my position very clear. Kenyans have gone through a lot of difficulty, especially after the 2007-08 post-election violence that led to loss of life, property and displacement of people. I believe Kenyans made a very strong statement when we came to pass the 2010 constitution that Kenya will never go back to those difficult times. Those rights and freedoms cannot be at the expense of other peoples’ rights and freedoms. Just as I have stated severally, if our colleagues wish to demonstrate, it is their right to do so. Inform the police, what time your demonstration is going to start, which route you are going to pass, what time you expect to end and where you expect to address your people. But be peaceful and do not interfere with the rights of others, do not destroy property, and you shall be be protected to fulfil your rights in accordance with our constitution. We shall not allow you to infringe on the rights of others. We all know that the problems we had in 2007-08 were not that the Kenyan people do not wish to live together in peace and harmony. But what happened was a result of inciting statements by politicians that led to clashes between communities, people who live together as neighbours. My position is that those statements, be they coming from Cord, be they coming from Jubilee, be they coming from whoever, will not and shall not be entertained. Those who choose to walk that path will face the full force of the law. And that has been my position, it is not something new, I have said it severally and that shall be the way it will be, so long as I am President.

I keep repeating this. You know, our problem is that we just have such short memories. Even a week for some of us is too long. I have always been saying clearly that I have never had a problem. We have a solution to a lot of our problems if only we were to follow the rule of law. There is no reason for us to be out there in the streets to achieve what the law and the constitution has already given us.

But people are saying that we need to go back to IPPG. When were gong back to IPPG, people forget that the constitution at that time had given the powers of appointment of commissioners to the then President. That was the situation. So there was need to negotiate with the President, because, he is the one who had the powers. But this constitution is very clear — the President doesn’t have those powers.

Now, when we don’t follow those procedures, when we now go and get our people excited because maybe some don’t fully understand, it looks like so and so is refusing to talk. That is why I said, look, for the sake of bringing Kenyans together, I am willing to meet my colleagues, but even as we meet with our colleagues, it is to bring the country together. But we can’t engage in this particular subject because engagement has to be where it belongs, which is what is being planned right now. And I do hope that our colleagues will also — in good faith, because they are interacting now — sit down, create this committee, look into the issues, bring it to the floor of Parliament, and address the IEBC situation comprehensively, to the satisfaction of all parties, but most importantly, to the satisfaction of the 42 million Kenyans. And I, both as President and as an individual citizen of Kenya, will support whatever recommendations they come up with to chart the way forward.

Now, when it comes to this issue of loss of lives, and this is why I am saying, if again you want to demonstrate, you also have a responsibility of saying to your people that, look, we want to demonstrate against IEBC, then take them through a process of what a demonstration is. Wherever you have seen an incident or problem, it is because supporters have gone out to attend a rally and either on their way there or on their way back, they start pelleting Kondele police station with stones. Now what does Kondele police station have to do with the IEBC? The police are then forced into a situation where they have to react. When you have a scenario like it happened in Migori, where prison officers who were transporting prisoners from police stations to courts of law are also attacked, What do they have to do with the IEBC? That is this kind of confusion that results in actions being taken. When Naivas supermarket is being stoned and looted, what are police supposed to do? Should they say that, “Oh, no, this is part of the demonstration”, and yet the management is saying, “We are being looted. Protect us because you policemen are meant to be protecting us”. What does Naivas have to do with the IEBC?

I would like to end this particular conversation with: freedom comes with responsibility. If we were to do that as Kenyans, we would have peace. Nobody is being denied their right to exercise those freedoms, but we are just saying that we must be responsible.

Watch extended version of the interview here.

Both Uganda and Tanzania have opted to do the pipeline and railway line with Tanzania. What is your take on this development?

I don’t look at it as if there is any threat whatsoever. I am actually quite excited by the way that, for the first time, we are starting to see major projects interconnecting the region actually happening. And I have always said that, my view of our region is a region not in competition with itself but complementing each other with a view of competing with the rest of the world. I do not see the central corridor as a threat to our northern corridor. I don’t see it as a threat at all.

I actually believe that at some stage, right, looking into the future, that will be the way we will interconnect our infrastructure and truly link up our African continent. We will start focusing on intra-African trade, with us as the people focusing our efforts on areas where individuals are stronger and grow intra-Africa trade, which today forms a negligible component of the total trade we do with the rest of the world. So to me, I have always said, let the central corridor be built, and let us focus on the northern corridor. Let us focus on building the Lapsset, which will link us up with Ethiopia and ultimately up towards Cairo. This central corridor will link us down to Cape Town. Going up North, we will link up eventually through Central Africa to the West African Coast. This infrastructure can only help linkages between African countries and help grow intra-Africa trade.

When it comes to the pipeline, yes, indeed, we were disappointed, because we thought we needed to do this as a regional project. But for whatever reasons, our Ugandan counterparts thought their best interests might best be served by going to the Port of Tanga. That equally is their right. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that Kenya will continue to develop that pipeline, because ultimately, we are developing it to take our product from Turkana to the sea and into the market. Maybe like we’ve said before, we may end up finding all this pipelines linked up. As we now start developing our own refineries and other products, they may eventually link up, I don’t know. We may eventually come back to one line.

Let’s go back to history a bit. How did you feel after losing to President Mwai Kibaki in 2002? I felt happy that as a first-timer, I had done well. I felt disappointed, of course, as anybody would feel that I had lost. But also, I felt it was my responsibility to accept that I had lost and I did. After that, we went back to regroup and start my life again, because my life does not mean the beginning and end of Kenya. No, Kenya comes first; Kenya is greater than anybody else. And I think my proudest moment was sitting with those we campaigned with and agreeing that it was necessary for us to appear before Kenyans and accept and concede defeat. So that was one of the proud moments, a sorry moment but a proud moment.

Five police officers were killed on Monday after suspected al Shabaab militants attacked their vehicle using a rocket-propelled grenade.

Four officers were injured in the incident between Kutulo and Chuma Mrefu area in Mandera Central, IG spokesman George Kinoti said in a statement.

The officers were ambushed while escorting a Desert Cruiser bus to the county from Wajir.

Kinoti said police who survived the incident secured the bus which took the passengers to Elwak.

"The scene has been secured and police reinforcement immediately dispatched. Security agencies are currently in hot pursuit of the attackers," he said.

He asked members of the public to give police any information that could be helpful.

Northeastern regional coordinator Mahmoud Saleh told the Star the car the officers were travelling in was destroyed.

Governor Ali Roba condemned the attack saying locals shared information about a possible attack but were not taken seriously.

"It is sad that the information had long been shared by locals," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Read: Seven police officers killed in Lamu al Shabaab blast

Al Shabaab militants have carried out several attacks, two of which were on Makkah bus, which plies the Nairobi-Mandera route.

In December 2015, gunmen attacked a bus between Kotulo and Dabasiti in Mandera at 7am. The bus had stopped over at Kutulo following a ban on night travel in the region.

Read: Muslims shield Christians from al Shabaab terrorists in Mandera

In 2014, a bus was attacked near Mandera by terrorists who killed 28 non-Muslims travelling to Nairobi for the Christmas holidays.

Read: Teacher recalls how he survived Mandera al Shabaab attack

At least 45 al Shabaab militiamen were spotted crossing into the country on May 29.

A leaked intelligence report stated that the militants entered Kenya through the border village of Sugrow at around 2pm.

The Star learned that security organs, including the Kenya Defence Forces, were put on high alert.

Story updated

The United States played a key in defusing tension and getting Jubilee and Cord to the bargaining table, ending weeks of crisis.

In addition to persuasion, there was arm-twisting and warnings of imminent sanctions against Jubilee and Cord leaders by the international community. These are thought to include travel restrictions, which the US has been known to impose on 'undesirable' foreign visitors.

The Americans were instrumental in getting the two coalitions to agree on how to deal with electoral reforms. Negotiators are finalising the structure and process of dialogue by two, eight-member teams appointed by Jubilee and Cord.

A joint announcement is expected tomorrow by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cord leader Raila Odinga — a demonstration of political goodwill — before negotiations move to Parliament.

The agreement includes setting up the process, conditions, issues and framework for dialogue once the Parliamentary Select Committee takes over.

US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec has been the chief mediator for the team of Western diplomats, politicians, business figures and religious leaders have been seeking to end the impasse. The UK and EU have been active.

Sources tell the Star the opposition placed more trust in foreign diplomats than religious leaders whom they regard with suspicion because in past elections they backed the government.

Thus, Godec took charge.

The international community has stressed the importance of national and regional stability for the sake of political, security and business interests of all concerned.

The crisis over electoral reform has seen five weeks of deadly, destructive anti-IEBC protests and prompted fears of widespread violence and instability around the polls.

Cord wants all nine electoral commissioners to leave, saying they are biased and cannot conduct three and fair elections.

The threat of sanctions was effective, forcing both sides to agree to sit down with envoys, religious and business leaders.

Kenya Private Sector Alliance members and religious leaders in the negotiations confirm the international community demanded smooth elections.

Godec warned that the polls must be orderly and trouble-free.

"He also warned them the elections must be free and fair. The two teams were also asked to present their [negotiating] proposals, which they did," sources within the group told the Star.

All of this led to the "white smoke" Cord referred to on Sunday, when calling off anti-IEBC protests in favour of dialogue.

"The motion to establish a joint select committee of Parliament can be tabled this week. It is no longer about substance but form and a very secondary component thereof," Siaya Senator James Orengo said.

Diplomats, clerics and business people implored Cord to suspend protests to to allow for a negotiation team assisted by mediators

Jubilee had ruled out negotiations unless the opposition called off demonstrations.

Deputy President William Ruto also said the government was confident an accord would be reached this week, leading to an amicable resolution.

"I am optimistic the few sticky issues on the IEBC will be sorted out in the next few days to give way for dialogue so if there is any problem with the electoral body, we solve it for once," Ruto said on Sunday.

Jubilee agreed to some oppositions demands, including a deal by negotiators to be endorsed by Uhuru and Raila, before being sent to Parliament. for a vote

The Jubilee side had insisted both the Majority and Minority leaders sign negotiators' recommendations. However, the opposition was reluctant, demanding the two principals sign for the sake of goodwill.

Cord has pushed not only for removal of electoral commissions but also major reforms of the electoral process.

Multiple sources at State House and Capitol Hill confirm the team agreed also not to engage on constitutional issues — Cord's sweeping electoral and other reforms that would require a referendum

Political and ethnic tensions have escalated following the street protests as well as incitement and hate speech.

Religious leaders are led by Canon Peter Karanja and Cornelius Korir. The business community team is headed by Jeremy Awori.

“The two teams met in the presence of mediators to discuss issues raised and in some cases the negotiators [mediators] are forced to force them to compromise on specific matters,” Karanja said.

Yesterday, Karanja said both Jubilee and Cord agreed on a formula to set up the select committee

“All fundamental issues have been dealt with. Only a few logistical issues remain but we are not allowed to reveal the content of the discussions until we finalise the process, the recommendations are signed and the two principals sign,” Karanja said.

He added: “Content development and handling will be a preserve of the negotiation members. We as mediators will be aiding the talks as midwives.”

Yesterday, TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja said the government and opposition agreed to cooperate on a bill to manage the electoral process.

"By the end of tomorrow we will move a motion in both Houses to fast-track the process," Sakaja said.

A power struggle has hit ODM, delaying the hiring of new commissioners for the party’s National Elections Board.

Leader Raila Odinga has delayed the reconstitution of the board, two months after he kicked out the Judy Pareno-led team, in what has been attributed to infighting at Orange House.

The Star has established that tension has heightened in a struggle between two camps fighting to influence the hiring of members to the party’s electoral board. Those fired are Nancy Abisai, Peter Odoyo, Amana Mwajirani, Hellen Katengie, Peter Mutulu and Joseph Misoi.

However, Raila retained chairperson Pareno. One faction led by ODM executive director Oduor Ong’wen is said to be in support of Raila’s decision to retain Pareno as the chairperson of the board. A rival group, allegedly led by secretary general Ababu Namwamba, wants the East African Legislative Assembly member kicked out. The tussles recently escalated when a section of party officials rejected Namwamba’s far-reaching work plan to tighten nomination rules ahead of the general election.

Raila approved the rules awaiting endorsement by the National Governing Council but a so-called cartel of power brokers around the former PM opposed them. The differences have disrupted activities, including countrywide recruitment of members. “Those forces that fought me to become secretary general did not die ... it has been a very frustrating 18 months in office,” Namwamba said in an interview last week.

Once put in place, the NEB is to ensure party primaries are free, fair and credible, while focusing on completing them by February next year.

In April, Raila dissolved the board in far-reaching internal reforms. The bold step was an attempt to end chaotic primaries. NEB has been accused of mismanaging ODM’s past nominations through internal structural failures that perpetuated violence.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed to sign Southampton defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama for 11 million pounds (Sh1.6 billion), British media reported on Monday.

Wanyama heavily featured in the Premier League under Ronald Koeman, who was named Everton manager last week, making 29 starts as the club clinched sixth place to qualify for the Europa League.

The 24-year-old, who picked up three red cards last season which led to a five-match suspension, had also been in talks with Spurs last year before the deal fell through.

Wanyama told the Star on Tuesday that he passed his medical tests on Monday evening and is to sign his contract this morning. He said he will fly to Kenya on Wednesday.

The Saints had hoped to tie down Wanyama to a new deal, with the player entering the final year of his contract, but British media reported that the Kenya international rejected the offers.

Wanyama, who is due to undergo a medical, will become the first Southampton player to be reunited with manager Mauricio Pochettino since his arrival at White Hart Lane in 2014.

Monday's deal also means Wanyama will become Tottenham's first signing during the close season, as Pochettino will look to build on last season's third place finish.

The President jets back to Kenya on Tuesday but it is not clear where he was four days after ending his state visits to Belgium and Angola.

Uhuru Kenyatta travelled to Luanda, Angola, on Monday and left for Belgium on Tuesday, ending that visit on Thursday.

But he did not jet back to the country after this and there there was no communication from State House on his whereabouts. But there were reports that he was in Dubai.

The President was to preside over various functions in the country but the events, including the launch of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority House and Terminal 1A and E have been postponed.

In Luanda, Uhuru attended the 6th Ordinary Summit of the International Conference on The Great Lakes Region.

Read: President Uhuru, Angola’s Dos Santos to improve trade, air links, ease visas

He travelled to Belgium at the invitation of Prime Minister Charles Michel.

He met the President of the European Parliament and executives of the European Investment Bank, and held private meetings with several corporate leaders.

Read: Uhuru in Belgium for key EU event, trade and security talks

The President is expected to be back ahead of a two-day state visit by Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The PM willvisit from Wednesday to Friday following an invitation by Uhuru.

The two leaders are expected to hold talks on the speedy implementation of the Special Status Agreement signed by their governments in November 2012.

They will inaugurate the 35th Joint Ministerial Commission in Nairobi on Wednesday, in line with the 2014 agreement to elevate the Joint Ministerial Commission to a Bi-National Commission.

The new framework raises the profile of the structured bilateral engagement to the highest level and underscores the countries' commitment to consolidating strategic partnership.

Matters for discussion at the summit include Lapsset and energy-related projects and agreements. The leaders will also seek stronger cooperation on matters including border management and reducing human trafficking.

Other issues to be addressed include strengthening security cooperation and deepening commitment to regional and international cooperation.

Read: KOT welcome 'visiting President' Uhuru after Malta, Paris, SA trips

Weeks of anti-IEBC demos over alleged bias have hurt staff morale, but the commission is now well-funded and determined to deliver a flawless election next year after technology failures in 2013, says CEO Ezra Chiloba. He spoke to the Star political writer Felix Olick.

1. What challenges have you experienced since your appointment as CEO?

I joined the IEBC [on January 12 last year] at a time when public perception was largely negative due to the disputed 2013 presidential elections. The challenge has been how to turn the situation around to inspire public confidence in the electoral process.

We have had to deal with the effects of structural and system weaknesses not uncommon for young institutions. These are now being addressed systematically, and I believe in three years, IEBC will be a different place.

[And the huge pending bills?] Many Kenyans do not know that if the commission were a corporation, we would be under receivership by now, due to the Sh4 billion claims arising from the 2013 general elections. Luckily, with support from National Treasury and Parliament, we are almost out of the woods on this one. For those who have not been paid, I plead for a little more patience.

We are refocusing the organisation towards a better, stronger and more effective entity executing its mandate with sustained momentum.

2. How will the commission ensure the 2017 polls are free, fair and credible?

The past 12 months, the commission has audited its capacity, systems and procedures. It has identified the challenges from the 2013 elections and developed a five-year Strategic Plan (2015-2020) and the 2017 Elections Operations Plan (EOP). The EOP provides the framework and a clear roadmap of all the phases and actions required to ensure a flawless election on Tuesday, August 8, 2017. These documents are public and are very useful for anyone seeking to understand plans for the next elections.

The commission is redeploying and recruiting new staff to enhance its capacity. We have created a new directorate of procurement and, with support from donors, engaged consultants to help streamline procurement, human resources, communications and warehousing in preparation for next year. This capacity building will cover all key areas. To ensure optimum delivery, we have now introduced a new performance management and appraisal system (PAS).

On the actual election preparations, the commission is continuing with voter registration. In February-March, we carried out phase one of mass voter registration. A similar undertaking will be rolled out early next year before we close the voters’ register for the election. In the meantime, we plan to launch a public inspection of the voter register in August. Other preparations around electoral technology, logistics planning, results management, voter education campaigns, are on course.

3. You have opened tenders for the re-engineering of various IT infrastructure. What is your target?

We use technology to register people (Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits to create an electronic register), identify them when they turn up to vote (Electronic Voter Identification Devices (Evids)), and to transmit the (Results Transmission System, RTS) to tallying centres from all the polling stations in the 290 constituencies to one national tallying centre. We are upgrading all these technologies to ensure efficiency, availability and integrity in voter identification, nomination and results management.

4. In 2013, electoral technology largely failed. Will it deliver next year?

The technology faults of 2013 were identified and solved in subsequent by-elections. Most of the Evids failed because of uncharged batteries, while some voters’ data was not in the electronic register. All these problems are now being addressed and will be tested for stress, readiness and resilience at least six months before the elections, unlike last time, when the gadgets were received a few days before the elections. The commission has advertised for a consultancy to upgrade the election management system. When it is set up, all stakeholders will be taken through to ascertain its functionality and efficiency. We must also remember that credibility of elections goes beyond technology and therefore we must get all other intervening variables right.

5. When will you procure new Evids, and what will they cost?

Procurement in public sector is based on Parliamentary approval. As soon as Parliament approves the 2016-17 budget, we can proceed with our elections plan.

6. When will procurement of critical electoral materials be finished?

Procurement is a multi-stage process. For example, we cannot tender for voting materials long before we have determined the exact needs. All election goods and services, except ballot papers and statutory forms, will be procured by May next year, in time for distribution, training and testing.

7. You are procuring new Evids after allegedly donating some during the Burundi elections. How comes?

The commission never donated Evids to Burundi. In 2014, the National Independent Electoral Commission of Burundi (CENI) requested East African countries for computers, cars, office printers and ballot papers under the framework of regional cooperation. In consultation with the Kenyan government, the commission contributed 150 laptops via the Foreign Affairs ministry. These were taken out of a pool of 30,000 Evid laptops and done in compliance with our laws and intergovernmental protocols.

The transfer was permanent and the gadgets were devoid of any software or content. It was up to them to install whatever operating system they chose in line with their needs during the elections. This type of arrangement is common in the Southern Africa and now East Africa has picked up.

8. What is your take on the plans to discuss IEBC reforms between joint Parliamentary teams of Jubilee and Cord, as directed by the President?

That is a political process. We can only offer our perspective of what is good or desirable for the country; at least as experts in this field. In the end, the rule of law must prevail.

9. There have been demonstrations against the IEBC for weeks but specifically targeting commissioners. Has it affected operations in the secretariat or affected staff morale?

We cannot ignore the impact of such generalised attacks on the commission’s staff morale. However, most staff remain focused on performing their work and the preparations as scheduled in our work plan. There is no doubt that all players know that the elections will be held next year and it would be imprudent to tamper with the technical preparations or fail to meet the critical timelines for this election. Managing the multiple-layered elections is not easy, and we hope good sense will prevail in the deliberations about the future of the commission.

10. The commission was allocated Sh19.7 billion in the new financial year. How much are you expecting from Treasury next year for the polls?

I think the figure for the next 2016-17 financial year is slightly below the Sh19 billion, following further adjustment in Parliament. Compared to the situation pre-2013, this is a major success in funding of elections. The National Treasury and Parliament have been supportive, and I believe we shall be resourced adequately as we move forward. Our development partners have also stood by us, which shows that many actors want to see a successful general election next year.

11. Is Diaspora voting and election hanging in the balance because you don't have accurate statistics of where they live?

Nothing “hangs in the balance” here. It is an issue we are closing in on, and soon, we shall provide details on how we plan to facilitate Diaspora voting.

Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery should be sacked as he is worse than his predecessor Joseph ole Lenku, Cord leader Raila Odinga has said.

Raila and Cord co-principals Moses Wetang'ula and Kalonzo Musyoka said President Uhuru Kenyatta should fire the CS for what they termed dismal performance.

They said he is worse that Ole Lenku who stepped down following deteriorating security in the country. Ole Lenku was appointed chairperson of the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority.

Raila said the CS does not understand his responsibilities and is using police to intimidate the opposition and innocent wananchi against ensuring the government delivers.

“We know the Jubilee government campaigned on a platform to offer good services to Kenyans. It is our duty as the opposition to ensure they live to their promise,” he said.

The opposition said Nkassery is micromanaging the country, does not know his job as Interior CS and should step down for someone who can run the ministry competently.

Wetang'ula, who is Bungoma Senator, said Nkaissery and National Cohesion and Integrity Commission chairperson Francis ole Kaparo are concentrating on non-issues.

The Senator said they should understand their responsibilities to serve Kenyans better.

He added: “We will actually demand that the Jubilee government stops sitting on the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report and implement it since it is part of the cause of all problems in the country."

The opposition also challenged President Uhuru to weed out corrupt, incompetent and impartial leaders to stop corruption and improve service delivery for Kenya to enjoy good governance.

“When we protest that people should stop stealing land, some should stop stealing public funds while others should stop tribalism it is not hate speech,” said Kalonzo.

The leaders spoke after having lunch with the Pangani six and Muthaiga two who were arrested on hate speech charges.

Read: Raila meets Moses Kuria, hate MPs for lunch after assassination claims

They promised to unite Kenyans and ensure their interests are considered despite serving different political alliances.

The eight politicians were held at the police stations for three days, charged in court and released on bond in the cases that will be heard on August 29.

Regarding the condition of prisons, Raila said the government should refurbish police cells to ensure inmates are not subjected to deplorable conditions.

Read: It’s cabbage and ugali as police cell reality sinks in for 8 MPs used to lavish lifestyles

"It is a shame to see the poor conditions in our police cells yet the government is not doing much," he said.

Read: Khaminwa says MPs’ cells in ‘deplorable’ state

Raila said historical injustice is the cause of hate speech across Kenya.

But he sad: “We found this country here and will leave it but we must do our best to ensure future generations have a good life."

Confident that the commissioners of the IEBC will be sent packing, Cord, with support from some Jubilee leaders, now aims to remove some Secretariat officials as well.

Panic has gripped the Secretariat of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the agency’s nerve centre, amid indications that some top staff could be kicked out in the looming purge.

All is set for talks between the two coalitions with most MPs - as the minority parties continue to demand inclusion - setting the stage for the sacking of the commissioners, including chairman Isaack Hassan.

The wording of the motion that may be tabled in the National Assembly today has been agreed on by the two coalitions. This is an indication that the Select Parliamentary Committee set up to negotiate a deal will also inquire into allegations of misconduct by individual members of the Secretariat.

The motion says the “mandate of the Joint Select Committee shall be to inquire into allegations against the IEBC Commissioners and the Secretariat”.

It goes on: “On the basis of findings, recommend modalities for vacation from office of the IEBC Commissioners and Secretariat if necessary in accordance with the Constitution”.

The Opposition chiefs led by Raila Odinga have previously trained their guns on the commissioners, accusing them of bias, corruption, rigging the 2013 polls and scuttling the Okoa Kenya referendum bid.

However, sources within Cord said they want to clean up the entire commission after Jubilee agreed to far- reaching electoral reforms.

Part of the mandate of the joint team states: “Recommend legal, policy and institutional reforms to strengthen the IEBC so as to ensure that the August 2017 elections are held in a simple, accurate, verifiable, secure, accountable and transparent manner”.

IEBC chief executive officer Ezra Chiloba could easily become a target after he was indicted by a key watchdog committee of Parliament for “irregularly” paying Sh258 million balance for biometric voter registration (BVR) kits.

The Parliamentary Accounts Committee recommended that Chiloba, a PhD student at the University of Nairobi, be surcharged and barred from holding public office.

Chiloba was not in office when the BVR kits for the 2013 elections were procured.

Chiloba has two deputies – Beatrice Sungura-Nyabuto, the deputy commission secretary in charge of Operations, and Marjan Hussein Marjan, in charge of Support.

The critical IT department is led by James Muhati Buyekane, a former boss of Information Systems at the troubled Kenya Airways. The Directorate of Finance is headed by Osman Hassan Ibrahim; Obadiah Keitany heads Risk and Compliance; Praxedes Tororey heads the Directorate of Legal and Public Affairs; and Immaculate Kassait is at the helm of the Directorate of Voter Registration and Electoral Operations.

Other Secretariat staff include Sellestine Kiuluku (Director, Human Resources and Administration), Rasi Masudi (Director, Voter Education and Partnerships) and Decimah Isalano (Director, Research and Development).

In an interview with the Star, Chiloba cautioned against what he termed tampering with technical operations 14 months to the polls.

“There is no doubt that all players know that the elections will be held next year and it would be imprudent to tamper with the technical preparations or fail to meet the critical timelines for this election,” he said.

“Managing the multiple layered elections is not easy and we hope good sense will prevail in the ongoing deliberations on the future of the Commission,” he said.

The CEO said his team is ready to offer perspectives on what is most desirable for the country in the proposed Cord-Jubilee talks, but noted the process is political.

There were indications that Cord could donate one slot in the seven-member negotiating team to Kanu, whose secretary general Nick Salat moved to the streets with the Opposition to push out the electoral chiefs.

However, Raila is said to have been uncomfortable with the Kanu nominee, Hellen Sambili, whom he sacked as East African Cooperation Minister when he was Prime Minister during the Grand Coalition Government.

Sambili at the time teamed up with the then ODM rebels, among them William Ruto (now Deputy President) to stage a mega-rebellion against the Prime Minister.

There is speculation Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr (Wiper) could also join Cord's five-member negotiating team.

However, Siaya Senator James Orengo is said to have strongly favoured Busia Senator and former Attorney General Amos Wako (ODM).

Apart from the 14-member panel, the two coalitions have agreed to provide no more than three persons from each side to act as experts to the Joint Select Committee as well as one rapporteur.

Sources said Raila's former legal aide Paul Mwangi, constitutional lawyer Anthony Oluoch as well as Cord CEO Norman Magaya could be the legal experts from the Opposition. It remains unclear who Jubilee is eyeing for these positions.

Following complaints from other electoral stakeholders, the two sides of the political divide have agreed to receive views from outside Parliament.

The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya has proposed that the IEBC commissioners be facilitated to leave office with full pay for the remainder of their term. However, Cord has insisted that taxpayers’ money will not be used to pay commissioners implicated in the ChickenGate scandal.

In December 2008, the then Electoral Commission of Kenya was disbanded through a Bill in Parliament that only needed a two-thirds majority of 145 MPs to be passed into law.

During the vote, 169 MPs voted in favour of sending ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu and his 21 commissioners home.

Kivuitu and his team, who were accused of bungling the 2007 polls, however moved to court challenge the constitutionality of Parliament’s legislation to disband the Commission.


As Kenya reels from news of yet another al Shabaab attack, this time killing five police officers in Mandera, Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery acknowledges that terror is the nation's biggest security threat, but says he is satisfied with the state of security. He spoke to political editor Paul Ilado.

How has it been like for you since your appointment in December 2014?

It has been difficult but I'm happy we have made good progress. The President gave me clear instructions on what he expected of me, so the first thing I did was to take the first 90 days studying how things worked and what needed to be changed.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

The biggest achievement is being able to bring all security agencies to work together in a coordinated way. That is now giving Kenyans the best service. The next biggest thing was to tackle corruption, and so I have removed people I suspected were engaged in graft, especially in procurement. The President was very empathic that the bad image of his office had to be removed.

What do you think of police vetting?

You must understand that people are working to earn livings, improve their lives and guarantee their survival. Some of the officers have worked for 30 years. So when you get people with money in their account, it is not from corruption. We have to get that out of our minds.

There are some who cannot account for the wealth they have. That is where we should demand to know how they got that kind of money. I do not think the vetting is being carried out to determine corruption. First of all, I do not believe in that vetting myself as Cabinet Secretary. I do not believe at all. I do not believe that somebody who has been vetted for 30 years should be vetted for the same job. I do not believe in the team that is vetting because those people have not undergone police training. I believe somebody who should vet me in my profession should be a professional like me. The National Police Service Commission's vetting board should have been composed of police officers themselves, and we can bring in other people to do lifestyle audits on how people acquired whatever they have.

The vetting should be about suitability, not corruption. How do you expect an officer who has been doing that job for 30 years not to be suitable? To vet such an officer is a mockery. We should have created have created another mechanism of weeding out corrupt officers.

Should [NPSC chairman Johnston] Kavuludi’s team be disbanded?

The NPSC's mandate is really employment. To get to the level of superintendent, you must have gone through a lot of tests. Discipline issues are the responsibility of the inspector general, deputy IGs and the chain of command. It looks to me that someone is usurping the powers of somebody else. This is something we are going to look into because there is a lot of hue and cry emanating from this vetting. Sometimes that vetting is embarrassing.

What, then, is the right way to vet?

Vetting should be done when one is entering the force for the first time. That is where your criminal record should be checked and your suitability confirmed, in terms of health and other things. As you are progressing through training and work, the service board should determine other things, like your continuous suitability, progress and suitability for promotion.

Are you satisfied with the general state of security?

Yes, I’m satisfied. All security organs, the police, APs (Administration Police), and the NIS (National Intelligence Service) are properly coordinated and performing well.

What is the biggest security challenge at the moment?

Terrorism, because it is not conventional. It comes without any warning, despite the intelligence. We are doing our best, but this unpredictable. We have the NIS and the military intelligence working closely together with foreign intelligence agencies to deal with global threats. With their help, we have taken out some al Shaabab leaders.

Have police dealt with anti-IEBC demonstrations well?

I’m very satisfied with the police because they have been protecting citizens from violent demonstrators. What Cord has been doing is not peaceful demonstrations. You cannot come to demonstrations with machetes and slings, block roads and loot people’s businesses.

See what happened in Kisumu. They threw 1,000 stones at the police station. How do you expect the police to react? I regret that life was lost. There was no other choice because, as you know, police do not carry stones to defend themselves, so they used bullets.

We can, however, not prove that these people who were killed were shot by the police because some demonstrators were also armed. We have now issued a directive that all gun-holders must apply afresh for certificates so we know how many Kenyans are armed.

What, in your view, is the real intention of the demonstrations?

These demonstrations are not aimed at the removing the IEBC. This is a revolution in the making. As Interior CS, I will never allow it. That is why beginning last week, we have decided to arrest anyone who engages in hate speech. That is why you have seen eight MPs face charges in court.

What makes you call it a revolution?

If you have a legal process and you are avoiding that legal process, you want a violent approach, what does that mean? Are you saying there is no government in place? Are you not challenging the constitutional or legality of the government of the day? If really IEBC is the issue, why don’t you follow the law in your quest to remove the commissioners, who are in office legally?

People think Kenya is a very weak country and you can repeat what happened in Libya and Egypt here. That is the thinking of these fellows of Cord. It is high time Kenyans are told that this is a revolution in the making and the government will not allow it. We will expose them soon. We are gathering all the documentary evidence and will tell you more.

Is that why government spokesman Eric Kiraithe claimed neighbouring countries are funding Cord to topple the Kenyatta administration?

I have never heard Kiraithe say that, unless I was absent from Kenya. I do not believe anybody could say that. It could also be propaganda by the opposition.

You have been accused of dictatorship. Are you a dictator?

I’m a military-trained person and very disciplined. I believe in defending everyone’s rights. I have never been a dictator and I will never be. I’m accused because I follow the law to the letter. Once you break the law I will deal with you without mercy. That is why I do not regret police arresting any politician for breaking the law.

I’m a very kind and friendly person. My training gives me the chance to be helpful to people. I just want people to understand that this job calls for big decisions, some that may not very pleasant to some people.

Do you think you are misunderstood?

For those who do not know me, they misunderstand me. I’m not a bad guy but I’m a bad guy if you break the law.

Is there any decision you regret so far?

I believe decisiveness is a quality and once you make a decision and something happens, you do not regret as a leader. However, having said that, Garrissa University incident was a very low moment for me. I do regret that the people on the ground should have given that institution better security especially. We have since taken action, especially on the people who should have acted.

Where do you want to take this ministry in the next one year?

My vision is to have a highly trained team in all units under this ministry that is very loyal and keeps Kenyans safe. We want to give the officers the best training to ensure the system is always functioning. I will tell Kenyans today that their nation is secure.

Former civic leader Henry Billy Ngala, a son of pioneer post-Independence Cabinet minister Eliud Ngala Mwendwa, died on Monday evening, two days after his father’s burial.

The former minister died on June 8 and was buried on Saturday at his Ithookwe home.

The death of Billy, a former ODM-K councillor in the now-defunct Kitui Municipal Council, is a double blow to the Ngala family.

Kitui Central police boss Kennedy Onsando said officers are investigating Billy’s death as it was “sudden”.

He said police will carry out a post-mortem examination.

“He was well throughout the day and displayed no signs of ill health. He even addressed a family meeting at 7pm on Monday, then he dies suddenly,” Onsando said on the phone yesterday.

A medic at the Kitui Neema Hospital told the police in the presence of journalists Billy was already dead when he was brought to the hospital at 7.20pm.

Billy’s older brother Kitavi Ngala said his brother fell ill suddenly at the family meeting about their father’s funeral.

Billy addressed the meeting and hugged everybody joyfully before he complained of being unwell, he said.

“He started complaining that he suffered from high blood pressure, but he had skipped taking his usual dose [of medicine]. He was rushed in a car to his nearby home to pick up his medicine, but he collapsed,” Kitavi said.

Billy was then helped back to the car and rushed to Neema Hospital in Kitui town, where he was pronounced dead.

At their father’s funeral service on Saturday, Billy appeared to be in good health. He mingled freely with mourners.