Nyanza awaits Uhuru, City Hall uncertainty, Coast political shift: Your Breakfast Briefing

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Nyanza next week is designed to heal the wounds inflicted by last year’s divisive election and cement his unity deal with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The visit symbolically coincides with the first anniversary of the hotly contested, and vigorously disputed, August 8, 2017, General Election. It will also be five months since their March 9 handshake.

Although the two have shared platforms occasionally, the visit will be the first political outing together since their handshake.

Coastal political shift

The political matrix at the Coast is changing and new alliances are forging fast.

 The once perceived opposition stronghold rapidly cosying up to the government,  with the handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga seen as a contributing factor.

During his first term in office, Kwale governor Salim Mvurya broke ranks with the opposition and crossed over to the Jubilee side,  a move that earned him criticism and praises in equal measure. 

Nairobi on free fall

Some MCAs and residents have expressed outrage over the closure of crucial offices at City Hall.

Several offices have been closed -  some for 10 months now - after Governor Mike Sonko sent their holders home over corruption allegations.

Some officers, though not suspended, have been locked out of their offices to give way for investigations.

Taxes hurting business, employment

The Federation of Kenya Employers says the government is targeting them with the Finance Bill 2018, warning it will push companies out of business, rendering many people jobless.

Last month, High Court suspended the implementation of new taxes imposed under the Finance Bill 2018, including those on mobile money and kerosene.

Justice Wilfrida Okwany issued the directive after activist Okiya Omtatah challenged the implementation of the new tax measures saying the matter had not been discussed in Parliament as required by the law.

Speaking during the board meeting held yesterday, employers said most components of the Bill target them including 0.5 per cent housing levy, a robin hood tax on money transfers in excess of Sh500,000 and proposed National Hospital Insurance Fund.

Source