Hello and welcome to today’s edition of The Roundup. We’ll start by reviewing President William Ruto’s visit to the United States. So, what did the highly publicized visit yield?
Top Story this week
Four days of President Ruto’s state visit to the United States culminated in the announcement of several deals agreed between both governments.
Among them was a promise to deliver 16 military helicopters and some 150 armored vehicles ordered by the Kenyan government.
White House, in a statement, said the new helicopters will include 8 Hueys and 8 MD 500s which are expected to arrive beginning the end of 2024.
Well, the announcement was received with mixed feelings as a debate on recent air crashes involving the Huey helicopters resurfaced.
The US government also announced plans to commit Ksh929 million towards supporting police reforms and an additional Ksh288 million for spearheading reforms in the prisons department.
Game Changing Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway
But the benefits were not just accrued to the security sector.
After years of waiting, President Ruto secured Ksh471 billion in funding from Everstrong Capital to construct the 440- kilometer Usahihi Expressway from Nairobi to Mombasa.
The expressway which has been in the pipeline for years had failed to take off.
According to Ruto, the four to six-lane dual carriageway will revolutionize transport in the country and help foster development.
Rongai Lionesses are now eating dogs
While President Ruto’s state visit was dominating headlines throughout the week, a footage showing a lioness entering a home in Rongai sparked reactions on social media.
The lioness was captured scaling a perimeter wall on Tuesday, May 21, to gain entry to a home in Rongai.
Moments later, the lioness resurfaced, this time carrying a dog to answer questions locals had raised about the disappearance of their dogs.
The lioness incident came days after the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) warned about three straying lions spotted in Lang’ata.
Opportunities
The Tenwek Mission Hospital announced mass job opportunities for qualified Kenyans across various departments.
In a notice published on May 17, the hospital announced that it is seeking to recruit interested and qualified individuals in pursuit of growth and to enhance the facility’s service delivery.
The opportunities include Cardiac Surgeons, Nursing Officers – Critical Care, Nursing Officers, KRN/CO Blood Bank Technologists, Social Workers Phlebotomists Medical Officers – Cardiac (MD), and Lab Technologists.
Other positions listed in the job advert are Scrub Technicians, Stores Clerks, Sterilization Technicians, Customer Service Assistants, Lab Receptionists, Chaplains, Sonographers, Radiographers, and Theatre Technologists.
Sad note
In Nepal, a Kenyan mountain climber Joshua Cheruiyot Kirui was found dead after disappearing while attempting to climb Mount Everest without extra oxygen.
Kirui, 40, was reported missing on Wednesday, May 22, evening after officials at the camp lost contact with him while on his bid to become the first African to climb the mountain without extra oxygen.
Details about the cause of his death were not immediately revealed. But his friend and a fellow hiker told the BBC that Kirui died after a fall.
It was not also clear whether the KCB banker had agreed to be buried on Mount Everest.
Fun Fact: Mt Everest is the highest point on earth at 8,849 meters. Human beings first reached the summit of Mount Everest in 1953
Storm hits Kenyan Coast
Barely a month after Cyclone Hidaya struck the East African coast, the Kenya Meteorological Department warned of another storm identified as Storm lALY.
The Storm lALY wreaked havoc along the Kenyan coastline in counties including Mombasa, Kilifi, and Lamu.
On Wednesday, Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro said that one person had been killed after he was struck by a flying iron sheet due to the strong winds experienced in the region.
Consequently, the Kilifi Governor ordered the closure of all Early Childhood Education (ECDE) centers as a precautionary measure.
KenyaMet had warned that the winds would cause waves with heights ranging from 1.5 to 3.6m beginning Tuesday, May 21.
As such, activities including transport and fishing in the Indian Ocean were paralyzed with locals feeling the heat of the disruptions.
The Kenya Red Cross also reported that the Storm IALY had caused severe damages including blowing off roofs of residential homes.
TKT Weather
Wondering what tomorrow’s weather will be like, check out this page for real-time updates on weather forecasts including temperature, wind speed, and rain.
Also Big This Week
- U.S. Government announced plans to Designate Kenya a special status as a non-Nato ally. If fulfilled, the new status will be a testament to high trust from the U.S. Benefits of being a non-Nato ally of the US include enhanced cooperation in areas of defense, trade and security.
- KUCCPS released the 2024 application results. Students from across Kenya were able to access the results online for direction about the universities, colleges or institutions they secured slots in.
- Kenyan entrepreneur and Marini Naturals founder Michelle Ntalami committed her life to Christ. In a statement, Ntalami revealed a moment she heard a voice speaking to her hence her decision to commit to God.
- One person was confirmed dead after flight SQ321 of Singapore Airlines from London (Heathrow) faced severe turbulence.
- Kenyans expressed their rage online after Iceland Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson flew to Malawi for an official Visit onboard a Kenya Airways (KQ) aircraft while President Ruto chartered a private luxury jet.
Photo of the Week
Word on the street
The Kenya Times spoke to Kenyans on the streets of Nairobi about the President Ruto’s state visit and his preference for a luxury jet at a time the country was grappling with a cash crunch affecting counties and even vaccines delivery. Here’s what they had to say.
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Compiled by Ndungu Chiuri
Graphics by Felix Kabugi
