Alexander Chagema

Abducting journalists won’t silence Kenya’s press. [File, Standard] September had an ominous beginning for Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich. Armed men in a government vehicle abducted him along the Gilgil–Nakuru road and later dumped him near Masinga Dam in Machakos County. It was Kiprotich’s second brush with armed men this year.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen.[File, Standard] Nothing describes Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen more aptly than the adjective 'feckless'. As Cabinet Secretary (CS), his deportment makes one acutely aware of how public offices in Kenya are decomposing from within. What the Constitution under Article 73 treats as a solemn public trust has, under the current arrangement, become a tradable commodity dispensed for loyalty. Cabinet posts are rarely filled on the strength of expertise anymore.

Edwin Sifuna lead the Linda Mwananchi brigade in Homabay.[File, Standard] No one saw him coming. In fact, he didn't see himself arrive at the threshold of the presidency. Edwin Sifuna burst into the national limelight on a matter of principle; not the desire to become president in 2027. He set sail by publicly denouncing the broad-based government from the outset and has stayed the course, massive tides notwithstanding.