Poverty in the mind: US midterm elections pursuit of mirage packaged as economy and right to life
Yep, in a world in which inflation and oil prices reached disastrous levels this year, the latest polls seem to indicate that the Republicans may be taking advantage of that reality – or do I mean un-reality? – just as the midterm elections loom. Forget the fact that, as a...
Scandal-plagued former UK PM Boris Johnson backed by some Tory MPs to replace disgraced Liz Truss
Barely two hours after UK Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her resignation – just 44 days in office – her predecessor, scandal-plagued Boris Johnson is reportedly being backed to recapture the seat he was forced out of two months ago. According to the Telegraph, Boris Johnson is expected to stand...
With Russia running low on options in Ukraine, there are fears Putin plans to detonate nuclear warhead over Black Sea
Fears are growing that Vladimir Putin will launch a nuclear show of force by detonating a deadly warhead over the Black Sea. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace dashed to Washington for crisis talks yesterday amid mounting concern that Mad Vlad’s finger is inching toward the trigger. A security source told The...
Trumpism isn’t going away and Obama, for all his virtues, is an imperfect analyst of Trumpism
The last few days of any president’s term are bound to spark moments of melancholy reflection – perhaps for Barack Obama even more so than most commanders in chief. Imagine Obama in the third week of January 2017: He had made history as the first Black US president; he had...
Russia trains its hypersonic missiles on US and allies, with top Kremlin official warning of ‘even faster’ hit
Dimitry Medvedev has issued a chilling warning to the West, claiming that Moscow’s hypersonic missiles could hit targets “even faster”. Medvedev made the comments as the Kremlin plans to hold illegal referendums to annex occupied Ukrainian territory in the coming days. Medvedev, who also serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s...
Wafula Buke: Shrewd strategist and ideologue Kenya’s Raila Odinga ignored, then lost 2022 polls
In the aftermath of Kenya political stalwart Raila Odinga losing a presidential election for the fifth time, political commentator Edwin Shivakale Skem took time to reflect on where the rain began beating the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Alliance flagbearer. The absence of former political detainee and University of...
Impact of Kenyan polls in Africa shows the East Africans have carved out a roadmap for reforms
Kenyans have carved out a roadmap for themselves and democratic reformers across the continent, experts say. The country’s 2022 General Election has not followed the familiar script of voters exercising their civic duty only to helplessly sit back and watch their votes be manipulated. As work-in-progress, Kenyans have attempted to...
Kenyans have set a new and higher electoral bar for themselves in August 9 consequential polls
Despite shortcomings, Kenyans have set a new and higher electoral bar for themselves, their neighbours, and the rest of Africa – demonstrating how closely contested elections can be credibly resolved through sufficiently independent institutions. Kenya’s Supreme Court has upheld the results of the August 2022 presidential election affirming that Deputy...
Burundi parliament elects new prime minister on back of president alleging imminent coup
Burundi’s parliament on Wednesday approved the appointment of a new prime minister after President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned last week of a possible coup plot against him. Security Minister Gervais Ndirakobuca has replaced Alain Guillaume Bunyoni as prime minister after a unanimous vote in parliament, the national broadcaster RTNB said. Mr...
US President Biden, Obama reunite at White House to unveil latter’s portrait shunned by Trump
Former US president Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were finally be honoured on Wednesday with the official unveiling of their portraits in the White House, resuming a tradition that fell by the wayside under Donald Trump. Biden, who served as vice president throughout Obama’s two terms, is “looking...