The Mwangi Maina Blog

Outspoken former Senate majority Leader Onesmus  Kipchumba Murkomen have lost  humongous privileges and perks any politician would dream of and hold dear if they were entitled to. During his tenure at the Senate top leadership, Murkomen and Susan Kihika were enjoying higher pay than their colleagues and had more enhanced security and their fleet of vehicles paid and fueled by the government. The two senators also had posh offices and a dozen office staff who were on government payroll. Following his ouster, Murkomen has lost the following benefits and priviledges; 1. His gross salary will be reduced from Ksh.1, 056,000 to Ksh.710,000 which is the normal earning gross salary for senators not in leadership positions. 2. He has lost 8 bodyguards, who are all trained police officers assigned to him. 3. He was allocated three motor vehicles all above 4500cc with GK number plates for official use. The motor vehicles  will be withdrawn and allocated to Senator Samuel Phoghisio 4. Murkomen ...

It was a day of long knives for Deputy President William Ruto allies at the senate as Jubilee Party made changes in the senate house leadership during a parliamentary group meeting called by president Uhuru Kenyatta  in Statehouse, Nairobi today.The State House meeting  included Kanu leaders days after Jubilee party signed a deal to have a coalition with the Gedion Moi lead party.vocal Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who was until today the Senate Majority leader was replaced with West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio who is a member of KANU. The mouthy Nakuru senator Susan Kihika who held the position of Senate Majority Chief whip was de-whipped and replaced by her deputy Senator Irungu Kangata who is the Murang'a senator. Nominated Senator Fatuma Dullo Adan from Isiolo County was picked as the Deputy Majority Leader while Nominated Senator Farhiya Ali Haji was settled on as the Deputy Majority Chief Whip. 20 senators attended the meeting while 22 affiliated to the deputy ...

General Robert Kariuki Kibochi has been sworn in as the the new Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces. The General takes over the mantle from General Samson Mwathethe whose tenure expired after serving as the Chief of Defence Forces for an extended term of five years and a career spanning for 42 years in the military. General Kibochi was accompanied to State House Nairobi by his wife Mrs Tabitha Kariuki where the swearing in ceremony was taking place conducted by the Head of Public Service James Kinyua in the presence of President Uhuru Kenyatta who is the Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces.Speaking during the ceremony, President Kenyatta commended the KDF for upholding merit and professionalism and thanked Amb. Dr. Monicah Juma who is the Cabinet Secretary for Defence for overseeing a seamless transition.President Kenyatta noted the new General was taking over the leadership of defense forces when the country is facing threats from coronavirus, floods, locust invasion and the ...

The Plane carrying Silvia Romano; a 23-year old Italian aid worker adbducted by Al-Shabaab millitants in Kilifi 18 months ago,  touched down at Rome's Ciampino airport  at about 14:00 hours local time a day after she was freed by her captors. Aboard a special flight, Romano was escorted by masked men from the intelligence service. Romano is seen dressed in traditional Somali women's clothes and  her head covered. Italian Media reported that she converted to Islam. She temporarily removed her protective mask to wave asshe descended the steps from the jet before hugging relatives waiting for her at the airport. She was greeted by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte andItaly's Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio . In her home neighbourhood in Milan, church bells saluted her arrival, with many people on their balconies, SKY TG24 television showed. Romano is expected to meet prosecutors in Rome.. Prime Minister Conte said that the task force working to free Romano had been in the final sta...

The Dedan Kimathi University of Technology located in Nyeri County  broke the limits yesterday and entered the Kenyan history books by becoming the first University in the country to ever hold a virtual graduation ceremony. The University's 9th graduation ceremony since the university was given a charter was streamed live on the university's social media platforms Facebook, YouTube and Twitter thanks to the internet.Yesterday , Friday 8th may 2020 was an auspicious day for 1,600 graduates who satisfied the university senate for the award of various degrees, diplomas and certificates and will forever be ingrained in the hearts of many. The University decided to hold the virtual graduation ceremony owing  to the impact of coronavirus pandemic on social gatherings. The University management, that seems to have the best interests of students at heart took the advantage of the new media era to hold the graduation so that they do not delay the student's certificates that are to s...

I came across this small article that i penned down in my private notebook a while ago on freedom. When it was time to open school, when I was in high school, my father always called me to the table room and anybody else who was around home. I used to stand 1 metre away from my dad as he stretched his hands towards me and said a prayer for me. When mum was around, they both stretched their hands towards me as father lead in prayers. I used to listen to the prayers keenly and they made me shed tears down my heart. One thing I promised myself and my father is that I'll never misuse my freedom especially the freedom of being away from home all the years I'll be be under my parents roof. I have tried to live true to my promise and God is my witness. When i joined the university, my parents prayed for me even more. I used to feel their prayers and they kept me going. Everytime before making any decision, especially that that would have any effect on my life, I remembered my parent...

When i heard my dad's phone ring, a couple of years ago, i was excited. I wanted to know the name of the ringtone and probably know the lyrics to the ringtone and ultimately sing along the singer. The ringtone was Jim Reeves' This World is not my Home I remember asking my father to play the song on his small yet expensive Nokia phone. I cant remember the model. I was probably in class eight or awaiting to join high school. My father obliged and played the song. I hummed along and ultimately i loved the composition. i remember too asking the genre of the song. I would later become a great fan of country music, in particular compositions of Don Williams, Dolly Parton, Jim Reeves, John Denver, and the icon himself, Kenny Rogers who has now departed this world to go join other cowboys. I'm not a great fan of music, in that case any music but country music speaks not only to my mind but soul and spirit. There's something unique with country music. It is the music that dif...

After the death of one Sharon Otieno and her unborn kid, whose burial cost one million, it doesn't seem to be the end of the road of sponsors. The trade continues to thrive. Also known as mentors or blessers, sponsors do not see the shame of putting horns on their wives as they pursue girls younger than their grandchildren. The rich lovers predate on the young glorified prostitutes for sex and bragging as the young girls pursue them sponyos for fame amongst their peers, material gains and to live life that they on their own cannot make it is the perception. But what is driving many girls to the sponsorship menace? Many think it is out of greed as others have a nay opinion. Some think it is out of desperation. Why would a 21 year old damsel be yoked with an old man whose weight they cannot even carry? The main assumption is that girls get into such relationships to enjoy better life, of which some are enjoying for just a short moment then the dark side of life befells them and the...

Brian Kimani Njoroge, the 13-year-old boy from Ndumberi, Kiambu County, now late, has been battling blood cancer for two years in different hospitals at home and abroad. It has been a brave and draining battle which the young boy lost a week ago. Brian illness brought grief and suffering and even in death it brings more grief. Brian suffered in life and even in death he is still suffering. The Getrudes hospital in Nairobi has refuesd to release his body after Brian acrrued 18m in mediccal bills, a humongous amount that the family cannot raise not even fathom. Out of resignation, the family conducted a virtual burial for their beloved son which was precided by a church service at the Ndumberi ACK church. Now imagine the pain and the grief the family had, the parents and his young brother and sister as they laid wreathes at the spot where they have chosen to lay the remains of Brian to rest. It's undescribable. It's draining and traumatizing. The family cannot contend with the ...