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☆ Opinion: A White House state dinner that could help Biden’s election chances
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Opinion Joyce. M. Davis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Today, at a time of turmoil and instability in various parts of the African continent, Kenya is an oasis of relative calm and stability. But it is another matter entirely for an American president to set foot onto African soil in person. Over 90% of its energy comes from renewable sources, and the United States is Kenya’s largest export market. Ruto departs the United States with the new status of “major non-NATO ally” strengthening his administration and providing valuable protection for his country. He is also receiving assurance that the vital African Growth and Opportunity Act, providing African states with duty-free status in the United States, will be extended.

Persons: Joyce M, Davis, Dan Gleiter, William Ruto, Rachel Ruto, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Biden, —, Uhuru Kenyatta —, Ruto, Jill Biden, Kamala Harris —, Ruto’s, ”, He’ll, Americans — Organizations: Patriot -, World Affairs Council, CNN, Washington, Black, Americans, Biden, White, Criminal Court, United, Kenyan, America, Delta Airlines, Kenya Airways, NATO, Twitter, Facebook, African, voters Locations: Harrisburg , Pennsylvania, Kenya, Nairobi, United States, Kenyan, Africa, America, US, East, Central Africa, China, Russia, Washington, Haiti

☆ Kenyan president's tax hikes alienate his 'hustler' base
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Duncan Miriri | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Ruto has also faced criticism for increasing allocations to his office and the deputy president's while cutting petrol subsidies. The proposals, contained in a draft law known as the finance bill, will be considered by parliament alongside the 2023-24 budget to be presented by the finance minister on Thursday. The president and his allies have defended the tax hikes, saying East Africa's economic powerhouse needs more revenue to avert a debt crisis and fund affordable housing projects. One man in Githunguri, who declined to give his name, defended the finance bill, saying Ruto was simply trying to leave his mark by constructing affordable housing. Fruit vendor John Nyaga, another Ruto voter, complained that the tax hikes would leave his customers with even less money to spend.

Persons: William Ruto, Ruto, Jacqueline Wambui, Ruto's, Uhuru Kenyatta, Raila Odinga, John Nyaga, Duncan Miriri, Aaron Ross, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Ruto, Thomson Locations: Kiambu County, Kenya, GITHUNGURI, Nairobi, Ukraine, Githunguri

☆ Renewed protests in Kenya as authorities vow to 'halt the descent'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In Mathare, a low-income settlement in Nairobi, protesters used improvised catapults to launch stones at police in riot gear, footage on Kenyan television showed. Local television stations on Thursday showed tires ablaze in Kibera and in Kisumu, near Odinga's ancestral home. During the previous two protests, they have fired tear gas and water cannon. The government says two civilians have been killed and more than 130 people, including 51 police officers, injured in protests since last week. Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Editing by Aaron Ross and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Putin is just the third head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court while still in power. The ICC accuses Putin of responsibility for the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children - at least hundreds, possibly more - to Russia. TRAVEL ABROADThe ICC's 123 member states are obliged to detain and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory. Kenya's President William Ruto and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta were both charged by the ICC before they were elected. Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, one of Milosevic's adversaries in the 1990s Balkan wars, left office after being indicted for war crimes by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

☆ Kenya tweaks 2022/23 spending, deficit estimates in supplementary budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NAIROBI, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Kenya's finance ministry has tweaked its spending and budget deficit estimates for the current fiscal year that ends in June to show a slight increase in overall expenditure but a narrower deficit. Supplementary budget documents submitted to parliament showed overall spending was projected at 3.37 trillion shillings ($26.98 billion), from the 3.36 trillion shillings contained in the original budget presented to parliament in April last year. The deficit for the 2022/23 fiscal year is now seen at 5.7% of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 6.2% originally. The supplementary budget said net foreign financing was expected to be at 2.7% of GDP from the original 2% seen in April 2022. Lawmakers are yet to approve the supplementary budget.

☆ African leaders agree on ceasefire in east Congo from Friday
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KINSHASA, Nov 23 (Reuters) - African leaders have declared a ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo starting Friday, which is aimed in particular at stopping attacks by the M23 rebel group, they said in a statement. The declaration was issued by the leaders of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Angola, and former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, after a summit in Luanda on Wednesday aimed at finding solutions to the east Congo crisis. Eastern Congo is facing an insurgency by the M23, a Tutsi-led rebel group which the Congolese government claims is supported by neighbouring Rwanda. In addition to the ceasefire, the statement said the M23 must withdraw from its occupied territories or face intervention by regional forces. "If M23 does not withdraw the East African Community (EAC) heads of states shall authorize use of force to compel the group to comply," it said.

☆ Ethiopia combatants sign deal to start implementing truce
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Ayenat Mersie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The deal will be put into effect "immediately", mediator Olusegun Obasanjo told a news conference before the signing. Both sides said they were committed to the declaration, stressing it was the only way to restore peace and stability. One of TPLF's representatives, General Tadesse Werede, said the declaration on implementation had given them hope that the suffering of the people in Tigray would end. The two sides agreed to a permanent cessation of hostilities in an unexpected diplomatic breakthrough in South Africa on Nov. 2. Reporting by Ayenat Mersie, Writing by Duncan Miriri and Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Clelia OzielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The truce has raised hopes humanitarian aid can start moving back into a region where hundreds of thousands face famine. Representatives of Ethiopia's military and government and forces from Tigray are in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to discuss how to begin implementing the ceasefire, with the talks set to last three or four days. Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray authorities, said the talks were to figure out implementation of the agreement. In a statement on Monday, the AU said it expected the outcomes of the talks to "include modalities for silencing the guns, humanitarian access and the restoration of services in the Tigray region". The ceasefire agreement says Ethiopia's army will safeguard the country against "foreign incursion" but analysts are worried about whether Eritrea - the TPLF's sworn enemy - will listen.

☆ Reaction to the agreement for a cessation of hostilities in Tigray
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NAIROBI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The Ethiopian government and regional forces from Tigray agreed on Wednesday to cease hostilities, a surprise diplomatic breakthrough after nearly two years of war. "This moment is not the end of the peace process. Implementation of the peace agreement signed today is critical for its success." The lasting solution can only be dialogue." We must be true to the letter and to the spirit of this agreement."

Kenya's former Central Bank Governor Njuguna Ndung'u speaks to Reuters during an interview at his office in Nairobi. File REUTERS/ Antony NjugunaRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNAIROBI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Kenyan President William Ruto on Tuesday appointed former central bank governor Njuguna Ndung'u as finance minister to steer the economy through rising inflation, a heavy debt burden and drought. Ruto also appointed a former vice president and deputy prime minister, Musalia Mudavadi, as his chief minister, a newly created post, to coordinate government business. He appointed Alfred Mutua, a former government spokesman and county governor, as minister of foreign affairs, and lawmaker Aden Duale as his defence minister. The tenure of the current central bank governor, Patrick Njoroge, is set to end in June next year.

Asked about the peaceful proceedings, Ruto said that the situation has been improving since 2007, and the next election will be even better. Amanpour later asked whether outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, who supported Odinga's election bid despite Ruto being his vice-president, had been in touch since the election. "Unfortunately, President Kenyatta has not seen it fit to congratulate me," he said. Amanpour later quizzed Ruto on human rights, particularly his previous comments that there was "no room" for homosexuality in Kenyan society. Amanpour also pressed Ruto on his controversial promise to deport Chinese people from Kenya, but the President-elect argued that he had been taken out of context.

CNN —Kenya’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld results declaring William Ruto winner of last month’s presidential elections. However, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected his claims and decided the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) held a credible election last month. We commend Raila Odinga and other candidates for abiding by the Supreme Court ruling. It was Odinga’s fifth time running and his third time challenging his loss in presidential elections through the Supreme Court, having filed a case after the last two elections in 2013 and 2017. But the Supreme court said the commission needed “far-reaching reforms” due to major dysfunction and governance failures.

☆ Who is Kenya's new President-elect William Ruto?
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-16 | by ( Stephanie Busari | Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

(CNN) William Ruto has emerged the winner of a tense and fiercely fought contest for Kenya's presidency, but who is the man who will lead east Africa's largest economy? Ruto, who has served as deputy president since 2013, pulled off a stunning defeat against his chief opponent, veteran politician Raila Odinga. "There were predictions that we won't get here, but ... we are here," Ruto declared in his victory speech on Monday. Odinga later doubled down, saying on Tuesday that, in his coalition's view, "there is neither a legally and validly declared winner nor a president-elect." Supporters of William Ruto, Kenya's President elect, celebrate in Eldoret on August 15, 2022.

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