By Anderson Ojwang

Rigathi Gachagua, when he was in office as the Deputy President, wielded power, promised, and taunted then opposition leader the late Raila Odinga and the opposition. He promised to unleash violence to tame and quell any form of protests and asked President William Ruto to task him with handling the demonstrators and Raila.

Gachagua could arrive in the office at dawn with a sole aim: to tame the demos and Raila, a mania that became his forte.

Then Deputy President Gachagua even bragged that his people of Mt Kenya were not goons and do not destroy properties.

For him, the ODM demonstrators were an eyesore to the country and its economy and must be extinguished at all cost.

At functions where he shared a podium with Raila, he demonised the opposition leader and claimed that he was the country’s main trouble, who must be handled with utmost care.

The Nakuru ghost

On July 14th, 2023, at a function in Nakuru County, Gachagua threatened and declared to Raila that enough was enough, that the government would no longer tolerate him.

Ironically, on Friday, in Nakuru, Gachagua was served a dose of his own poison after goons attacked and destroyed vehicles in his convoy.

Gachagua then said the government would no longer turn a blind eye to the demos which have been marred by chaos, violence, destruction of property, and death.

“As a government, we have said enough is enough. Raila Odinga hatakubaliwa tena, under any arrangement, to cause violence, deaths and destruction of property. It will not happen; we have a responsibility as a government to protect the lives and properties of Kenyans. Ile itakuwa wacha ikuwe kwa sababu mtu mmoja hawezi sumbua watu miaka 40. Haiwezekani. How much blood do you want to shed in this country so you can be satisfied?” he said then.

On Friday, goons attacked Gachagua’s convoy and he blamed the government for failing to protect Kenyans.

“When Mr William Ruto and Mr Kipchumba Murkomen said goons would not be allowed anywhere in the country, it was just another lie, the usual lip service and political posturing. They cannot do without goons. But there will be no escape route for this dictatorial regime,” he wrote.

Gachagua claimed the goons were being unleashed on him and the opposition out of what he termed as fear of competition.

“They think that the only way to stop competition after being abandoned by Kenyans is through the use of violence against opponents and the employment of goons,” he claimed.

Goons attacked Gachagua’s convoy at Kaptembwa, in Nakuru Town West Constituency, with axes, rocks, and other crude weapons.

But ODM Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Junet Mohammed, this week accused Gachagua of tormenting Raila and the ODM fraternity during the demos.

Junet claimed that Gachagua was the one who plotted to assassinate Raila during the demonstrations and would arrive in his office in the morning to monitor Raila’s movements.

“Gachagua is the same man who said his disagreement with President William Ruto began when the President and Raila started engaging. The same man today wants to tell us about Raila,” he said.

Attack on Kenyatta farm

The Kenyatta family farm in Ruiru was attacked during the 2023 demos by goons who looted and destroyed properties.

Goons invaded retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s family estate on the Eastern bypass, cut down trees, and stole livestock.

While the goons were invading the Kenyatta family property, another group riding on motorcycles attacked the Raila Odinga family company, East Africa Spectre, in Embakasi, Nairobi, and pelted the building with stones, breaking windowpanes.

National Assembly Leader of Majority Kimani Ichung’wah, then alleged that Uhuru was sponsoring the demonstrations and warned that Nairobi residents were ready to “defend their property”.

“If you want to be respected, you must also respect other people and their properties. If you don’t, we will invade your large tracts of land and allocate them to the landless. And that is my message to none other than Uhuru Kenyatta,” Ichung’wah said.

On Wednesday, Ichung’wah changed the tune and accused Gachagua as being the ‘father’ of goons and having plotted the attack on the founding President the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta’s family farm in Ruiru.

“I have said this several times: that Gachagua was behind the goons who attacked Kenyatta’s farm in Ruiru. I sat with Gachagua in Harambee Annex when he plotted the attack. I challenge him to deny it,” he claimed.

Do unto others what you expect them to do unto you

For Gachagua, the absence of the trappings of power has finally dawned on him the kind of sacrifices the opposition goes through to stabilise the country.

The incident of goon attacks is a testimony of the sacrifices the freedom fighters persevered to make Kenya a better place.

By Hope Barbra

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has attained the minimum requirements for Level 6A and now seeks to sustain and improve on those gains.

The Board’s Chairman, Dr Olango Onudi, said the hospital was shifting to outlining measures aimed at strengthening staff systems, specialised services, and long-term planning.

“After attaining Level 6A status, we are now proving what the new status can deliver for patients,” he said.

Speaking during the Board’s introduction session to staff, Dr Olango said the hospital’s elevation was a milestone to better health services in the region.

The Chairman challenged the staff and management to maintain the gains so far achieved while enhancing service delivery and performance.

Dr Olango said the Board has already made key resolutions, among them the absorption of staff into the hospital’s new structure. Others include the approval for the introduction and maintenance of a staff pension scheme.

“Management has been tasked with implementing the pension resolution, with the Board expected to follow up on its progress,” he said.

Dr Olango said they have developed a five-year strategic plan. The Board expects the management to translate the strategic plan into annual work plans, targets, and actions across departments.

“The strategic plan was intended to give every unit a clear understanding of its priorities and contribution to the hospital’s broader direction,” he said.

He said the Board and hospital were committed towards the welfare of patients.

“A stronger workforce system and clearer institutional priorities are intended to support more reliable and specialised care,” he said.

Dr Olango called for JOOTRH to build capacity to provide services expected of a Level 6 facility, including reducing unnecessary referrals for services that can be delivered within the hospital.

Representative of the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr Norbert Abuya, Deputy Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, said the new status must translate into expanded services and patient-centred care.

He highlighted key areas of focus to include patient safety, clean and safe environments, referral and counter-referral systems, waiting times, and length of stay.

Dr Abuya said the Board and hospital leadership cannot achieve the strategic direction without the contribution of staff across departments.

He said the priorities must be translated into individual workstations.

JOOTRH CEO, Dr Joshua Clinton Okise, is expected to lead the implementation of the Board’s resolutions, while staff across departments will be central to turning the strategic direction into measurable improvements.

Dr Olango said the Board’s role was to provide policy and strategic direction, while management implements the resolutions and government policies.

Other Board members present included Dr Zablon Mokua, Ms Grace Essendi, Mr Elias Mokono, and Riyaq Ahmed, who joined the engagement with staff as the Board outlined its priorities for the hospital’s next phase.

The Board’s engagement with staff comes as JOOTRH begins consolidating its Level 6A status.

By odiwuor Alala

Moses Kuria’s political commentary often divides opinion, but his recent assertion that former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua might still be operating under an unwritten arrangement with President William Ruto is beginning to look less like a wild conspiracy and more like an astute reading of the game.

Look at the political landscape. How else do you explain a politician who claims to lead the charge against the current administration, yet spends virtually all his energy alienating potential allies, issuing reckless broadsides, and fracturing the very coalition required to mount a serious challenge in 2027?

Instead of building bridges, Gachagua has transformed himself into the opposition’s biggest strategic liability. His political behaviour reads like a masterclass in self-sabotage—or, if Kuria is right, a calculated strategy to ensure the opposition remains hopelessly divided.

The Cynicism of Rebranding

The most glaring absurdity in Gachagua’s post-deputy presidency persona is his sudden, opportunistic invoking of Raila Amolo Odinga.

For years, Gachagua built his entire political identity on fierce anti-Raila rhetoric. He was the chief architect of the “shareholder” doctrine—a narrative explicitly designed to lock out opposition strongholds from state resources and vilify the Luo community’s historical struggle for democratic inclusion. To watch him now drop Baba’s name in a bid to manufacture legitimacy is not just political opportunism; it is an insult to the intelligence of the electorate.

You cannot spend years treating an entire region as political persona non grata and then expect them to rally behind your grievances the moment you fall out of favour with the state.

The Unbridgeable Rift with Nyanza

If Gachagua believes his anti-Ruto posturing will earn him a sympathetic ear in Nyanza, he has miscalculated catastrophically.

The Luo nation has a long, documented memory. The region’s political consciousness is built on a legacy of principle, sacrifice, and ideological clarity. It will not be mobilised by a brand of politics rooted purely in personal bitterness and ethnic entitlement.

In fact, Gachagua’s lingering hostility toward anyone with a Luo name makes him radioactive in the region. For any Luo leader with genuine political ambitions, aligning with Gachagua is not a strategic gamble—it is outright political suicide. You cannot lead a national movement while harbouring visible disdain for a major pillar of the nation’s political identity.

When the time comes to vote, Nyanza’s stance will be unmistakable. The electorate will not merely be voting against the economic policies of the current administration; they will be actively voting against the divisive, tribal bigotry that Gachagua represents.

The Opposition’s Ultimate Dilemma

Whether Gachagua is operating under a secret deal with Ruto or simply consumed by his own unchecked ambitions, the net outcome is identical: President Ruto wins.

A scattered, infighting opposition that allows itself to be dragged down by Gachagua’s baggage cannot offer a credible alternative to the nation. Until the anti-government forces recognise that Gachagua’s brand of politics is an insurmountable obstacle to national unity, they will remain trapped in a game where the house always wins.

By Hope Barbra

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) will undertake public participation on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

The public participation will inform Kisumu residents, stakeholders, and members of the public about the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Public Participation Meetings on the proposed expansion and upgrading of the hospital.

The proposed project seeks to transform JOOTRH into a modern 2,000-bed Level 6A Referral Hospital.

The first phase comprises a 250-bed Trauma and Critical Care Wing, and members of the public are invited to participate.

“We invited residents to attend, learn more about the proposed project, and share their views, comments, concerns, and recommendations as part of the ESIA process. Your voice matters in shaping the future of healthcare in Kisumu and the wider Lake Region,” read the statement.

Mental health study

JOOTRH has also welcomed a proposal for the NeuroGAP2 Mental Health Study.

JOOTRH welcomed a proposal to conduct the Neuropsychiatric Genetics of African Populations (NeuroGAP2) study in Kisumu, with discussions focusing on how the research can support better understanding of mental health conditions.

Recently, the research team, led by Prof. Lukoye Atwoli of Aga Khan University Medical College East Africa and including Dr Linnet Ongeri of KEMRI, met JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Joshua Clinton Okise and later held discussions with the hospital’s mental health teams and other relevant staff.

Dr Okise said mental health was an important part of healthcare and should receive attention alongside other health needs. He also stressed the importance of staff wellness, noting that the wellbeing of healthcare workers matters in supporting quality patient care.

The proposed NeuroGAP2 study will look at the genetic factors linked to psychotic disorders among African populations, particularly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The researchers also want to better understand the mental health services available, where patients seek care, and the challenges they face along their care journey.

The team was exploring JOOTRH and Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH) as possible study sites.

Discussions also focused on community and ethical issues that may need to be considered when conducting mental health and genetic research in Kisumu.

The study would involve adults with psychotic disorders and control participants. Participants would undergo mental health assessments and provide saliva samples for genetic testing. The researchers have also outlined measures to ensure participants understand the study and are able to give informed consent.

The proposed study could also provide opportunities for training in genetics, psychiatry, epidemiology, and informatics, while supporting local research skills.

NeuroGAP2 is still at the proposal and planning stage, with feedback from JOOTRH and county teams expected to help shape the study before the necessary approvals are sought.

Heart camp

The hospital is set to hold its inaugural Open Heart Surgical Camp from 14th–20th September 2026.

The camp will target patients with:

• Valvular stenosis
• Valvular insufficiency
• Adult congenital heart disease
• Cardiac tumours

Screening is ongoing every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at the Consultants’ Clinic.

Surgical Camp: 14th–20th September 2026.

By Hope Barbra

Waste management has been a nightmare for most cities and municipalities in the country.

Waste management is one of the biggest nightmares in the country and the most controversial, with cartels calling the shots.

It is the best-rewarding venture, and those in it have been minting millions of shillings.

Kisumu City took a new path to resolve the waste management crisis to make it one of the cleanest cities in East Africa.

Previously, Kisumu City outsourced waste management services at Sh75 million a year. But the city was still dirty.

Kisumu City Manager Mr Abala Wanga said with the support of the Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, they opted to discontinue the outsourcing of the service.

“We decided to take over the service of waste management and recruited the 500 employees of the service provider. We paid the salary arrears they had and entered into a contract with them, and that has been the turnaround,” he said.

Abala said from the direct procurement and contract award, they were able to save the City Sh25 million from the Sh75 million paid to the contractor.

Abala said the cleaners are expected to work at night, and this has ensured the cleanliness of the city.

Abala spoke during the benchmarking by Embu Municipality in Kisumu.

Abala said outsourcing of waste management services was a source of unreliable service and that is why the government should take over the management of waste services.

CEC for Lands, Mining, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development, Raymond Kinyua, said the waste management system in Kisumu City was the way to go.

“We are impressed by the unpopular move to manage your own waste. It has paid dividends, and this is the route we will take in future,” he said.

He said they were impressed by the planning of Kisumu City and the general cleanliness.

Reasons why Kisumu City is the cleanest

• There is regular waste collection by local groups, and officials and county teams clear trash from the central business district on a daily basis.
• Recycling programmes by dedicated youth and community welfare groups turn plastic waste into useful products.
• Better infrastructure – paved walkways, cabro-paved lanes, and improved drainage systems – keep mud and loose dirt off main roads.
• Top-ranked towns are Kisumu, Kericho and Nakuru.