Latest news with #TonyKARUMBA
eNCA
08-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
At least 10 dead in Kenya during protests after heavy police deployment
KENYA - At least 10 people died across Kenya and hundreds were arrested during anti-government demonstrations on Monday, a rights group and police said, following clashes between police and protesters in the capital Nairobi's outskirts. The Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) also accused the police of cooperating with criminal gangs, as a heavy deployment of the security forces kept much of central Nairobi deserted ahead of the annual marches to mark Saba Saba Day. Meaning Seven Seven, the demonstrations commemorate July 7, 1990 when Kenyans rose up to demand a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi. The KNCHR said in a statement it "had documented ten fatalities, twenty-nine injuries" across 17 counties, but did not provide any further details. A statement from the National Police Service (NPS) late Monday put the death toll at 11, with 52 police officers and 11 civilians wounded. AFP | Tony KARUMBA From around midday, AFP saw running battles with groups of anti-riot police who fired teargas at small gatherings, with some of the crowd throwing rocks back and engaging in destructive looting. Young Kenyans, frustrated over economic stagnation, corruption and police brutality, are once again engaging in protests that last month degenerated into looting and violence, leaving dozens dead and thousands of businesses destroyed. Protesters accuse the authorities of paying armed vandals to discredit their movement, while the government has compared June's demonstrations to an "attempted coup". - 'Hooded gangs' - On Monday, the streets of central Nairobi were quiet after police mounted roadblocks on the main roads, restricting entry to areas that were the epicentre of previous rallies. Many businesses were closed for the day. AFP | Tony KARUMBA "I have never witnessed the city centre like this," security guard Edmond Khayimba, 29, told AFP. While the centre remained deserted, groups gathered on the outskirts in the afternoon with AFP reporters witnessing two people wounded, as well as looting and vandalism. Protesters on a major highway clashed with police blocking their entry into the city, with the small crowds chanting: "Ruto Must Go", a popular rallying cry against President William Ruto, and "wantam", meaning "one term". Again, AFP saw looting and property destruction in the surrounding area. In its statement, the KNCHR noted the presence of "criminal gangs wielding crude weapons, including whips, wooden clubs, machetes, spears, bows and arrows" during the protests in a number of counties, including Nairobi, where "these hooded gangs were seen operating alongside police officers". AFP | Luis TATO In comments to AFP, NPS spokesperson Michael Muchiri said the KNCHR statements "may lack factualness many times over". The spokesperson also reiterated that the NPS "would never work alongside individuals called 'goons' or criminal elements", using the name used for the armed men paid to disrupt demonstrations. Muchiri said in a later statement that 567 people had been arrested during the protests, but did not provide any further details. Kipchumba Murkomen, the interior cabinet secretary, said recent demonstrations had "been infiltrated by criminals out to cause chaos and destruction". In a statement on X, he said the looting and violence had been "markedly reduced" by the officers' presence, but promised those responsible would be "investigated and charged". - 'Ruto Must Go' - Social media and rising economic expectations have fanned anger over inequalities in a country where around 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs. But a crackdown by the police - at least 80 people have died in protests since June last year while dozens have been detained illegally - has scared many off the streets. AFP | Eden EZRA "What he has promised the country, (he) is not delivering," Onsomu said. Since being elected in 2022, Ruto has forged an uneasy alliance with the main opposition leader Raila Odinga, leaving no clear challenger ahead of the next vote in 2027. But each violent crackdown fuels further unrest, said activist Nerima Wako. "Every time people organise a protest, they kill more people, so it just continues to feed off itself," she said. The previous demonstration on June 25 - intended to mark the peak of last year's deadly anti-government rallies - turned violent and left 19 people dead, according to rights groups.
IOL News
03-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
How to move a rhino
Kenya Wildlife Services veterinarians and rangers rush to aid a sedated female black Rhinoceros that has been selected for translocation to the Segera Rhino Sanctuary from the Lake Nakuru National Park. Kenya announced the translocation of 21 critically endangered eastern black rhinos from the congested conservation areas to the Segera sanctuary where black Rhinoceros were once endemic but died out due to human encroachment and poaching. Image: Tony KARUMBA / AFP Barely feeling the tranquiliser shot, the panic-stricken female rhinoceros ran to take shelter in a wooded area, eluding the low-flying helicopter trying to prevent her escape. The rhino was supposed to be transferred to another park in Kenya, but outsmarted the humans. A few minutes later, rangers in 4x4 vehicles searched through thickets too dense for the crane truck that was meant to carry her away. A decision was quickly made to administer the antidote to the tranquiliser to prevent her from collapsing. If she fell the wrong way, she could suffocate. The young female will therefore remain where she was born. "The rhino is the worst one to translocate," said Taru Sheldrick, who was piloting the helicopter in Nakuru National Park in northwest Kenya, an oasis of greenery surrounding a deep blue lake. "When you dart them, if you don't have long enough, they're running straight for thick bush, which is their security," he said. "Whenever you're darting a rhino, you have a little bit of fear. Because it's a species in danger. Every animal is just so important." Rhinos, which can weigh up to two tonnes, were once abundant in sub-Saharan Africa. But hunting by European colonisers and later large-scale poaching pushed them to the brink of extinction. The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) says there are about 28 000 left in the world, nearly 24 000 in Africa. Kenya is home to more than 2 000 of them. Rhinos reproduce less efficiently if too many of its kin live in the same location, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which manages the country's parks. Moving them is therefore important, but rhinos are vulnerable to tranquilisers that slow their breathing, increase their body temperature and affect their heart rate, said Dominic Mijele from KWS. So it is a race against time as soon as a veterinarian, aboard a helicopter, administers the drug using a dart gun. Five to seven minutes after injection, the rhino begins to feel groggy. Then it collapses, as AFP observed on a recent trip: after the first female retreated into the bush, three other black rhinos were anaesthetised within the span of a few hours in Nakuru. A rescue team arrived on-site within two minutes of each shot, moving like a well-oiled machine. About a dozen caregivers surrounded the animals, spraying them with water to cool their body temperature, rolling them onto their sides to ensure their respiration was not obstructed, administering oxygen and monitoring their vital signs. Simultaneously, several other rangers secured the animals with straps threaded through the transport cage and attached to the front bumper of a jeep. Fifteen minutes after the rescue team's arrival, the antidote was administered. The animal then jolted to its feet and was promptly guided into a cage, which a crane loaded onto the flatbed of a truck. Mijele boasted of Kenya's unmatched expertise. "We are number one in the world. We have done so many rhino translocations successfully," he said. Jochen Zeitz, the owner of the private Segera Reserve, where about 20 rhinos have been relocated in the past two weeks, could not hide his relief after the latest operation. On his 200 square kilometres of land, elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, cheetahs and more roam freely, said the former Puma CEO and current Harley-Davidson executive. But the reserve lacked "this iconic species" which were present up until 60 years ago in Segera, but have since disappeared. Welcoming rhinos back is "completing the conservation work that we've done as a foundation over the last 22 years" since acquiring the land, he told AFP. Due to the high risk of poaching for their horns, security measures had to be significantly enhanced with 100-150 new security staff, Zeitz said. Later in the day, a small group witnessed the release of the three rhinos from Nakuru, who had arrived in Segera after a six-hour drive. In the dense night darkness, they listened as the metal bars of the transport cages were removed, doors creaked open, and heavy stomping accompanied by guttural growls rang out. The rhinos had finally arrived at their new home. | AFP
The Citizen
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Eight killed as deadly clashes erupt in Kenya on protest anniversary
At least eight people were killed and 400 injured as anti-government protests turned violent in Kenya. Protesters pelt a Kenya anti-riot police water canon with stones in downtown Nairobi on June 25, 2025 during a planned day of protest marking the first anniversary of the storming of the parliament. Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with two killed and running battles between protesters and police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. (Photo by Tony KARUMBA / AFP) Marches in Kenya to mark a year since massive anti-government demos turned violent on Wednesday, with eight killed and at least 400 injured as protesters held running battles with police, who flooded Nairobi's streets with tear gas and sealed off government buildings with barbed wire. Initially peaceful commemorations descended into chaos as scattered groups ripped up flagstones to throw projectiles at security forces and chanted for the resignation of President William Ruto. The marches had been called for the anniversary of massive protests last year against tax rises that left at least 60 people dead and peaked when a huge crowd stormed parliament on June 25. 'We are marching against police brutality, against oppression by the government, against high taxation, everything that is going wrong in this country,' said Anthony, 25, who was also selling flags and did not want to give his full name. A coalition of rights groups said eight people died as protests were held in 23 counties. ALSO READ: Kenyan anniversary protests turn violent 'At least 400 others were treated, with 83 of them referred to specialized treatment for serious injuries,' the coalition, which includes Amnesty International and the Kenyan Medical Association, said in a statement. A hospital source in Matuu, a town around 100 kilometres (65 miles) from Nairobi, earlier told AFP that two people had died from gunshot wounds there, with local media reporting that police had opened fire. The government ordered TV and radio stations to halt live coverage of the protests, which gained momentum beyond the capital, including in the port city Mombasa. NetBlocks, a global internet tracker, said social media platform Telegram had been restricted. 'We are here as the young generation. We want a complete overhaul of the system, the system is rotten, the system is rogue,' said protester Florence Achala in Nairobi. ALSO READ: Kenyan court extends investigation into four filmmakers arrested for BBC documentary Protester attacked by motorbike-riding 'goons' Anger has flared over police brutality, particularly after a teacher was killed in custody earlier this month. A group of peaceful protesters was attacked last week by a gang of motorbike-riding 'goons', as they are known in Kenya, armed with whips and clubs and working in tandem with the police. Western embassies in Kenya, including those of Britain, Germany and the United States, criticised in a joint statement 'the use of hired 'goons' to infiltrate or disrupt peaceful gatherings'. The 'goons' were not clearly present on Wednesday but police used large amounts of tear gas and water cannons as they attempted to push back groups of protesters. Analyst and lawyer Javas Bigambo told AFP he was worried political groups would exploit the volatile mood to foster violence. ALSO READ: Motorbike-riding 'goons' attack Kenya protesters 'There is nothing good to celebrate about the events that happened last year,' he said. 'If we were serious about commemorating June 25th, it should be in solemnity, prayer and restraint.' Disillusioned by stagnation, corruption and high taxes There is deep resentment against Ruto, who came to power in 2022 promising rapid economic progress. Many are disillusioned by continued stagnation, corruption and high taxes, even after last year's protests forced Ruto to cancel the unpopular finance bill. His government has been at pains to avoid direct tax rises this year. But the frequent disappearances of government critics — rights groups have counted more than 80 since last year's protests, with dozens still missing — have led many to accuse Ruto of returning Kenya to the dark days of its dictatorship in the 1980s and 1990s. ALSO READ: Kenyan author and literary giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o dies Ruto has previously promised an end to abductions but was unapologetic in a speech on Tuesday, vowing to 'stand by' the police. – By: © Agence France-Presse
eNCA
15-05-2025
- Business
- eNCA
Can cash handouts replace aid? Kenya offers some answers
NAIROBI - Three years ago, Thomas Kazungu Karisa was struggling to make ends meet as a petrol station attendant in the Kenyan county of Kilifi, when a sudden cash donation changed his life. "My family often went to bed hungry, my children were sent home from school for unpaid fees and I was buried in debt," said Karisa, a father of five. Now he beams at his lush farm blooming with okra, the result of a one-off donation of 110,000 Kenyan shillings (roughly $930 at the time) from a New York-based NGO, GiveDirectly. He used the cash to lease a plot of land with two neighbours in his village of Milore, install an irrigation system and start farming. He built up credit and bought two cows, as well as a chainsaw he rents out for 2,000 Kenyan shillings at a time. "If they had given me food, it would have been long gone by now," Karisa told AFP. "But with the money, I have been able to change my life." AFP | Tony KARUMBA GiveDirectly believes charities and NGOs should stop handing out things like food and school books, and start just sending people cash. It has given donations to almost 1.5 million Africans, and has carried out 25 studies across the continent to measure the impact. Fears the money would be misused or wasted were unfounded, it said. One Kenyan study found that families generated $2.50 for every $1 received. "We can show evidence of cash having reversed domestic violence, improved child mortality, improved business outcomes, made families healthier, children accessing more education," said Caroline Teti, GiveDirectly's vice president for risk in Africa. - 'Poverty doesn't wait' - With the United States and other Western countries sharply cutting aid in recent months, GiveDirectly believes cash handouts offer a way to do more with less. Traditional aid systems spend vast amounts on planning, supplies, transport, offices and expensive Western staff. A 2022 study by the University of Washington found that back-office costs in the United States ate up 30 to 60 percent of budgets for global health projects. Much more was lost getting supplies to the final endpoint. GiveDirectly still has overhead costs, but says 80 percent of donations goes directly into the hands of recipients. "Cash is not a magic bullet," Teti said. Governments are still needed for fundamentals like schools, health facilities and electricity. AFP | Tony KARUMBA But for improving the livelihoods of the poor, cash can be effective and fast. "Poverty doesn't wait," Teti said. "One year is enough for a girl to drop out of school... for a mother or child to die." Other aid agencies have embraced the concept over the past 10-15 years as hundreds of studies have shown its efficacy. The Norwegian Refugee Council now gives 20 percent of its aid in cash, but could easily give as much as 45 percent, said Tariq Riebl, its strategy and innovation director. Even USAID -- before being gutted by the administration of President Donald Trump -- finally backed the use of cash payments in a policy paper last October, after years of internal pushback. The only real obstacle, Riebl told AFP, is "latent conservatism" in the aid sector: "There's something more comforting about handing over a kit of non-food items or a sack of rice, than giving cash." - 'Dilemma' - Cash is not suitable everywhere, such as war zones where markets barely exist, or when specialist items are needed like ID cards for refugees, or HIV medication. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a medical organisation, has twice used cash transfers when markets collapsed: in Syria in the mid-2010s and recently in Sudan's Darfur region. But they were exceptions. "Cash for healthcare remains very rare," said MSF's advocacy head, Tarak Bach Baouab. "We want to be sure of the quality of our programmes so we prefer sourcing the drugs and equipment ourselves." Nonetheless, there is a dilemma. AFP | Luis TATO "We're not there to tell people what to do with their lives. It's not very empowering and it creates a lot of dependency," Baouab said. "But if you give cash to a family and they don't spend it in the right way, then we might see health outcomes diminish." GiveDirectly sees this as a selling point for giving cash wherever possible. "Lives can only be changed by the people who are living that life," Teti said. "We are giving them dignity and we are giving them choice."
