Janet Moraa Oyunge, popularly known as Janet Mkenya, is the new Majority Leader of the 2024 Youth Assembly Forum.

Oyunge was elected on Monday, August 12th, during the Bunge Youth Dialogue at Parliament, Nairobi, which commemorated International Youth Day 2024.

Her election to the influential role came on the heels of an unsuccessful bid for the Speaker’s position but despite the setback, she emerged victorious in the race for Majority Leader.

The 2024 Youth Assembly brought together over 80 influential young leaders from Kenya’s 47 counties, diverse sectors, and the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association (KYPA).

Mjority Leader Janet Moraa Oyunge, Speaker Nathaniel Mong’are,CEO Antony Buluma, and Chair Kenya Young Parliamentaruans Association Hon.Gitonga Mukunji on the sidelines of the 2024 National Youth Assembly Forum at Bunge Towers. PHOTO|Courtesy

The forum centered on the theme “From Clicks to Progress: Youth’s Digital Pathways for Better Governance in Kenya.”

As Majority Leader, Janet, alongside fellow youth leaders, is tasked with spearheading the implementation of key recommendations from the Bunge Youth Dialogue, including enhancing ICT infrastructure, promoting e-learning, and integrating technology into healthcare and manufacturing.

A rising star in Nakuru’s political landscape, the 28-year-old Oyunge expressed gratitude to KYPA for its role in advocating for youth issues and nurturing young leaders.

“We are grateful to KYPA  Chairman Hon.Gitonga Mukunji,the CEO Hon.Antony Buluma and entire leadership of KYPA for championing young people’s interests and grooming them to be better leaders.”

She also emphasized the significance of the forum’s discussions on climate change, youth empowerment, and technology highlighting the importance of translating the issues into actionable plans through the established technical teams and KYPA members in the National Assembly.

“The focus on diverse issues(such as climate Change,Youth Empowerment and Technology)affecting our young people and Kenyans at large in this year’s Youth Assembly Forum is of great significance in ensuring those pertinent issues are championed by the technical teams that were formed and also by KYPA members present at the National Assembly”. She added.

Born in Molo Sub-county, Her leadership journey commenced early in her academic life. She served as a class prefect and library prefect during her primary and secondary school years at Kimkasa Primary School and Molo Secondary School, respectively.

Janet’s leadership acumen continued to flourish during her undergraduate studies at the University of Eldoret, where she was elected as the sole female congress member representing her faculty.

She has been actively involved in various political organizations, particularly in the 2022 elections, advocating for increased women’s leadership in Nakuru County.

In Summary, 

• IPOA, a Kenyan oversight body, investigated the November 2023 attack on Jane Mugo.
• They concluded detectives Mumba Karisa and Joseph Kahuki were responsible.
• IPOA urged the prosecutor to charge them with abduction, torture, and assault.
• Mugo, a former undercover agent, runs a private investigation firm.
• She has previously faced accusations from police, which she denied.

The Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has instructed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to press charges against two detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regarding the abduction and torture of Private Detective Jane Mugo.

In their investigation report submitted to the DPP, IPOA has advised that CI Stephen Mumba Karisa and PC Joseph Kahuki be charged with abduction and torture offences.

According to IPOA’s findings, Karisa should also face charges for assaulting Mugoh.

On Thursday, November 24, Jane Mugo was assaulted by unidentified individuals around 6:30 pm at the Ainabkoi-Kapsabet junction while travelling from Bungoma to Nairobi County. She reported the incident at Kondoo Police Station in Kesses, Uasin Gishu County, stating that her abductors blocked her vehicle with a saloon Subaru. Unfortunately, she couldn’t capture the vehicle’s number plates.

The assailants used a machete to inflict injuries on Mugo’s face and hands. They kidnapped her driver, Kevin Okoth, and passenger Newton Manyana, before stealing her Prado vehicle along with her mobile phones and personal items.

After the attack, Mugo sought medical treatment at Burnt Forest County Hospital before being transferred to Reale Hospital in Eldoret Town.

In 2022, Mugo caused a stir in court by alleging that individuals intending to abduct and harm her were present during her arraignment. She claimed to have been kidnapped and tortured on November 24, 2021, and expressed concern that one of her potential assailants was present in court, using journalists to track her.

Following accusations of abduction and torture by law enforcement officers, IPOA launched an investigation to ascertain their veracity. They concluded that two detectives within the National Police Service were responsible and recommended their prosecution by the DPP.

Jane Mugo, a vocal investigator with training in criminology from Kenyatta University and the DCI, runs Trimo Security Limited, offering undercover investigations, debt collection, and security services. Despite facing accusations and threats from certain police officers, she remains dedicated to her work.

In Summary,

• Residents in Bahati and Molo support the Bill but want amendments to make it more inclusive and help low-income earners own houses.
• A former slum upgrade program participant recommends involving experienced people in the Affordable Housing Fund.
• Committee Chair Hon. Kuria clarified that building applications and a 10% deposit are required, not just paying the housing levy.

Residents of Nakuru County are urging for the introduction of a Land Use Policy to bolster the Affordable Housing Program for their region.

They specifically advocate for the policy to include guidelines designating areas for agriculture, even as the Affordable Housing Program aims to minimize the division of fertile land and improve food security.

The public participation in Nakuru marked the seventh engagement with the public in an exercise aimed at collecting views and memoranda on the Affordable Housing Bill, 2023.

Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning during public hearings for Affordable Housing Bill 2023 in Nakuru County

The House team comprising of the Committee on Housing, Urban Development and Public Works which is sitting jointly with the Committee on Finance and National Planning is led by Hon. Johana Ng’eno.

In support of this initiative, Prof. Isaac O. Kibwage, the Vice Chancellor of Egerton University, emphasized the looming threat of food insecurity due to the continuous division of arable land.

He highlighted that passing the Affordable Housing Bill could aid agricultural communities in preserving more land for farming.

Prof. Kibwage, a representative from Kisii County, emphasized the urgency of allocating more land for agriculture, given the diminishing availability.

He stressed the need to act promptly, considering that by 2050, Kenya’s population is expected to reach 91 million. He proposed the enactment of the housing plan as a crucial step in ensuring food security for the country.

Additionally, he urged legislators to allocate resources for universities and tertiary institutions to construct student hostels. Prof. Kibwage acknowledged that immediate payment might be challenging for these institutions but suggested they would eventually fulfil their financial commitments.

Public hearings in Bahati and Molo Constituencies received positive feedback on the Bill, with residents suggesting amendments to enhance inclusivity and facilitate homeownership for low-income earners through affirmative action.

Participants recommended learning from past programs to address any shortcomings and ensure the effectiveness of the Affordable Housing Program.

Ms. Loise Kiige, a former participant in the Boma Yetu Housing program, proposed considering individuals with experience in similar initiatives for appointments to the proposed Affordable Housing Fund.

Responding to concerns about housing unit allocations, Hon. Kuria Kimani, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, clarified that formal application processes were necessary.

He emphasized that the housing levy, earmarked for affordable housing and slum upgrades, did not guarantee housing unit allocation. Applicants must undergo the application process and pay the required 10% deposit.

Another proposal discussed during the session was the establishment of a legal framework enabling Saccos to finance their members in acquiring housing units.

Hon. Kuria assured residents that the Committee would consider this proposal during their retreat when reviewing public submissions across 19 counties.

King Charles III Under Fire for Upgrading Royal Properties with Assets of Intestate Citizens

The lavish real estate portfolio of King Charles III is once again embroiled in controversy, this time over his reported use of an obscure feudal law to acquire assets from deceased British citizens without heirs.

The Duchy of Lancaster, a historic estate known for generating significant income for the King, stands at the center of the issue. Under a centuries-old legal principle called “bona vacantia,” assets of intestates – those who die without a will or living relatives – within the Duchy’s jurisdiction automatically fall to the Crown.

While the Duchy has long claimed to channel these funds towards charities, a recent investigation by The Guardian revealed a different story. Over the past decade, an estimated $76 million generated through bona vacantia has reportedly been directed towards renovations and upgrades on Duchy properties, boosting their rental value and profitability.

This practice, deemed “antiquated” and opaque by critics, has sparked public outcry. Friends of deceased individuals whose assets were allegedly used this way expressed outrage, stating that the deceased “would turn in his grave” if they knew their wealth was enriching the royal coffers.

The revelation that these “free money” funds, referred to as a “slush fund” by insiders, were never publicly disclosed further amplifies concerns about transparency and accountability within the Duchy.

King Charles III himself has remained silent on the matter, but a Duchy spokesperson defended the practice, claiming it aligns with a policy of using funds for “restoration and repair” of historic buildings. However, critics argue that this rationale masks a self-serving motive to enhance the King’s personal holdings through dubious means.

As public scrutiny intensifies, King Charles III faces mounting pressure to address the ethical concerns surrounding this controversial inheritance practice and demonstrate greater transparency in the management of his vast landed wealth.