Hello and welcome to the Evening Brief Newsletter's crisis issue where we are monitoring President Ruto's Cabinet and Standard Media Group's walkout.
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Ruto Cabinet Charts Its Future
After more than two weeks of intense protests and dropped plans, President William Ruto and his Cabinet have embarked on a navel-gazing expedition to chart its future.
Today, the Head of State chaired a Cabinet meeting at State House where ongoing protests and the defunct Finance Bill were dominant.
The Opening: The meeting was informed that though the riots started as a protest against the tax measures proposed in the Finance Bill 2024, they were infiltrated, hijacked, and taken over by criminal and opportunistic political forces.
The Cabinet learned that Due to the threat posed to Parliament, the Supreme Court, and other infrastructure, all national security agencies, including the military, were deployed to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
The Results: The Cabinet was also informed that the security agencies have stabilised the situation and are continuing to monitor the developments.
Catch Up Quick: Traders across major cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisii among others have counted losses after their shops were broken into. The damage to property is estimated at more than Ksh4 billion while the DCI has arrested more than 200 suspects.
Pat on the Back: CSs commended security officers, pointing out that they on the whole acted professionally in very difficult circumstances. The Cabinet also noted that security agencies did a good job of protecting the country from anarchists.
Yes, But: The Cabinet resolved that officers who acted outside the confines of the law should be dealt with per the Law. Civilians who committed heinous crimes of arson, looting, and robbery should also be Punished.
Back to the Future: President Ruto noted that after weeks of turmoil, the government must now focus on charting a new future for the country, pointing out that significant changes must be made to align with that new future.
The Significant Changes: Ruto said the National Treasury is reorganising the budget to accommodate the new reality which includes substantial cutting down of budgets to "balance between what to be implemented and what can wait", and ensuring that key national programmes are not affected.
What Ruto is Saying: "Our plan is good and solid and, in the fullness of time, we shall be vindicated."
Media House in Turmoil
After fending off the authorities during the protests, Standard Media Group was today forced to look within.
Today morning, the media house's staff across four radio stations walked out of their work stations over salary arrears dating back to June 2023.
The presenters left music playing at the stations and converged at the staff cafeteria.
Why It Matters: The employees drawn from Radio Maisha, Spice FM, Berur FM, and Vybez Radio had on June 28, threatened to go off the air if the management failed to clear the arrears.
The management had agreed to meet the disgruntled employees at 11:00 am and while the contents of their meeting are still under wraps, a source told editors of this Newsletter that the company threatened to terminate the contracts of all presenters should they fail to return to work.
Deeper Issues: On Sunday, the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) announced that it will force a total shutdown of operations of Standard Group in the next 14 days if the company fails to meet its four demands.
The demands include settling salary arrears, providing Sacco savings contributed by its employees, removing a cap on medical claims, and stopping capturing the biometric data of staff to enforce a new directive of reporting time.
Eric Oduor, KUJ Secretary General, confirmed that the strike would go into force in 14 days.
Voice From the Top: In March this year, Standard Group's management refuted claims that the organisation was facing bankruptcy and would be shutting down. The Group’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, (C.E.O), Joe Munene, assured its viewers that it would continue running.
“The Standard Group PLC wishes to inform its audiences, customers, suppliers, staff, shareholders and all other stakeholders that information circulating on social media touching on the integrity of the Company, its Management and Staff is fake," he stated.
"Despite the hostile business environment facing the media industry, caused largely by the problem of pending bills and a slowdown in the overall economy, we continue to transform our business to best serve our customers."
Here are five other stories to keep tabs on today;
- The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) unveiled eight reforms it will be advocating for in government following the anti-Finance Bill protests witnessed in the last two weeks.
- President William Ruto alongside his Cabinet announced plans to upgrade the Nairobi Commuter Rail, this was after discussing the implementation of the Kenya Urban Improvement Project in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area.
- Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja distanced himself from allegations of hiring goons to infiltrate the anti-Finance Bill protests.
- Protestors in Emali Town loot Eden Mart Supermarket stealing goods of unspecified amount.
- Russian Embassy denies that President Vladimir Putin supported Kenya's anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
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This newsletter was written by Derrick Kubasu and edited by Brian Muuo.
Washington Mito contributed to the content.
Graphics prepared by Adongo Kyalo.
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