Kenya Roundup: State of the Nation address, floods, exam scandal
Flood kills 15, displaces thousands
About 15 persons have been killed while several dozen have been displaced in Kenya following recent heavy rains in parts of the country. While the northeastern part of the country is the most affected, the Kenya Meteorological Department warns that nearly half of the 47 counties in the country are at risk of being submerged, VOA reports. Several residents running into thousands in Garissa have been displaced. Among the reported losses are livestock, businesses and farmland.
Ruto’s first State of the Nation address
Kenya’s President William Ruto per his constitutional mandate addressed the nation on three main areas – national security, national values and governance and the country’s international obligations. Amongst others, Ruto pledged to commence the rollout of fibre optic connectivity, with free Wi-Fi spots by the end of 2023, the Nation reported. Ruto further pledged his government is working to settle the first instalment of the country’s US$2 billion dollars Eurobond debt in December and promised to streamline future recruitment into Kenya’s security forces.
Fuliza patronage soars
About 100,000 more Kenyans have turned to Safaricom’s overdraft facility, Fuliza, amidst the country’s economic struggles. The Star reports that according to Safaricom’s income report for the first six months to September 30, Fuliza subscribers rose to 7.5 million from 7.4 million a year ago. Despite facing financial strain, borrowers demonstrated improvement in loan repayment during the review period, with the total repayment value reaching Sh400.8 billion, a significant increase from the previous Sh304.6 billion.
Exam malpractice
Top Kenyan education officials and teachers have been arrested for their involvement in various forms of examination malpractices in the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). According to local news portal The Nation, some of the key perpetrators implicated in the scandal include principals of Gekomoni Secondary School, Nyambaria High School, and Sironga Girls Secondary School.
Fuel stations close down
Fuel stations in parts of Kenya have closed down due to a decline in sales. In Kakamega town, The Standard confirms that Fralet Petrol Station and Evolving Petrol Station at Lurambi are empty. The country’s Energy Cabinet secretary, Davis Chirchir has attributed the phenomenon to the Isreal-Hamas war while warning of a further surge in price per litre.
