Author: NLM Correspondent

By NLM Writer Irony is a form of politics, to quote Franco Berardi. But even when it is not, often, irony and politics go hand-in-hand. This spectre defines the General Election in August – and, by extension, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political legacy. Deputy President William Ruto has long maintained that the 2018’ handshake’ between President Kenyatta and Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga derailed the Jubilee government’s development and governance track record. On his part, Mr Odinga insists that the Handshake helped resolve the political crisis that followed the disputed elections of 2017 – Odinga boycotted a rerun ordered by…

By Peter Wanyonyi On May 17, Sri Lanka was down to just one day’s supply of petrol. The country, beset by debt and unable to afford imports of fuel, food, cooking gas, or anything else, was in the grip of devastating riots and protests, as irate citizens burnt government vehicles and beat up government officials across the island. The island’s worsening economic crisis turned deadly: an MP was killed, ministers’ houses were torched, and hundreds were injured as violence spread across the island. The older Rajapaksa was once the toast of the nation. Serving as President of Sri Lanka from…

By Tolu Olarewaju Sub-Saharan African countries are the most ethnically diverse in the world. Within each African country there are more ethnic groups than there are in most of the world’s countries. In fact, the world’s 20 most ethnically diverse countries are all African. An ethnic group is a social group that shares a common and distinctive history, culture, region, religion or language. The reason for this diversity in sub-Saharan African countries is chiefly that almost all of them were carved into colonial territories without regard to ethnic boundaries. The region also accounts for 40% of the world’s extremely poor (around 276 million people who survive on less than Sh220 a…

By Jannie Rossouw Inflation is a process of sustained increases in the general price level over a period of time, typically 12 months. Inflation can be calculated for a country, for specific regions in a country and for different income and demographic groups, for instance, pensioners. These different calculations are essential because the spending patterns of regions and groups differ. That means that their rates of inflation also vary. Therefore, each household needs to understand its own inflation rate clearly. Some countries allow for the development of this improved understanding. For example, South African households can use an Internet tool…

By Chris Heitzig Aloysius Uche Ordu Leo Holtz Financial sanctions tend to hurt both the sanctioned and the sanctioner, but they also threaten to hurt countries that are financially interlinked with the sanctioned country. Recent sanctions levied on Russia by the United States and the European Union in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are disrupting global trade and financial networks worldwide, including Africa. The sanctions prevent US and eurozone banks, their foreign affiliates, and Russian banks based in the US and eurozone countries from facilitating dollar and euro transactions on behalf of Russian entities. The problem for Africa is…

By NLM Writer For the discerning Kenyan, it is common knowledge that while all other parts of the country mattered, the election for the two leading contenders would be fought and won in the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region, which, having produced Kenya’s last two presidents back to back, has no candidate in the impending presidential election. As far as running mates go, Martha Karua is fearless and intelligent. Together with her presidential ticket flag bearer, they have an impressive record as human rights defenders. Their roles in the fight for the second liberation, the struggle of the 80s and 90s…

By John Mukum Mbaku Kenya is no stranger to highly contested elections, including those pervaded by political and ethnic violence. When there is no finality to elections, or if some parties refuse to accept the official results, the process cannot support democracy. It does not produce a legitimate government with the right to exercise power and the ability to meet the needs of all citizens. As Kenya heads to the polls in August 2022, it’s important to consider what role the Judiciary will play in ensuring that the elections are free, fair, and credible. As a legal expert and economist…

The chief Justice, through Legal Notice No 79 of April 12, 2022, has barred the expression of opinion by litigants, advocates and their agents on conduct, proceedings and Judgments of the Court in presidential election petitions By Nelson Havi Through Legal Notice No 79 of April 12, 2022, and published on May 5, 2022, Chief Justice Martha Koome amended Rule 18 of The Supreme Court (Presidential Election Petition) Rules, 2017. The amendment bars the expression of opinion by litigants, their advocates and advocates’ agents on the merit, demerit or prediction of the outcome of a petition challenging the election of…

All may not be well at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission amid allegations of a rift between commissioners, which could impact the conduct of the August 9 elections. With just over two months to the August 9 elections, the commission has been hit by divisions pitting the three commissioners who have been there the longest, namely chairman Wafula Chebukati, Prof Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu, and the four who were appointed in September 2021, namely vice chairperson Juliana Cherera, Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit, and Justus Nyang’aya. The Nairobi Law Monthly understands that the Chebukati group, using their experience and…

The Principal Secretary in the State Department of Broadcasting and Telecommunication, Esther Koimett, has said the government will not shut down the Internet during the forthcoming general elections. “Kenya will not shut the Internet; the Internet is critical to this economy, and Kenya is a country that respects freedom of speech,” she said. The PS further added that the government believes the country has a regulatory space and environment to deal with any challenges from managing the elections. She was responding to fears that Kenya may go the Uganda way, where there was total Internet shut down during last year’s…