Cabinet roundup: No protests, institutions hit by cyberattack

It was a week of relief for many Kenyans, especially business owners after the Azimio coalition called off the Wednesday planned protests.

It was also a relief to a section of Cabinet Secretaries who would otherwise have had it rough.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki’s ministry has been at the centre of backlash and praise after last week’s protests turned chaotic, leading to the loss of lives, destruction of property and disruption of businesses.

Kindiki had on Tuesday warned of possible arrests in the coming days in relation to the violence that characterised last week's three days of nationwide protests.

"In the coming days, weeks and months, the masterminds of widespread violence against the people of Kenya, including those associated with the huge consignments of money and weapons which were intercepted on their way to harm the public have a date with accountability," Kindiki said.

The police have been on the spot for allegedly using excessive force when handling protesters, with the Independent Police Oversight Authority confirming to have launched investigations into the matter.

However, it was also not a good time for the ICT ministry.

This is after key government institutions were hit by a cyberattack that crippled services and triggered anxiety in banks and mobile money apps.

On Thursday afternoon, platforms such as eCitizen and those linking banking systems with mobile money providers were experiencing "challenges" as it became apparent that hackers had targeted Kenyan institutions and private businesses.

Kenyans were unable to access any service from the eCitizen platform, a few weeks after the state increased the number of services to 5,000.

"There was an attack and we are addressing that. We are not just coming up with remedial measures to address the current situation," Owalo said.

His interior counterpart later in the evening announced the resumption of services through the e-Citizen platform.

Environment CS Soipan Tuya has marked her birthday by overseeing the planting of 10,000 trees in Mt Elgon forest in Bungoma.

She led residents in planting indigenous tree species at the Cheptais Forest Station in Chepyuk, in an exercise that was attended by county leaders led by Deputy Governor Chemutai Mbatiany.

The event was organised by the Kenya Forest Service and National Environment Management Authority.

Later on Thursday, Tuya joined Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to launch a Strategic Plan (2023-2027) by the Ministry of Environment.

The strategic plan provides a roadmap that the ministry will pursue within five years.

Mudavadi challenged the Environment Ministry to ensure the country’s water towers are protected and rehabilitated.

Mudavadi said serious action should be directed to protect the increasingly vulnerable government’s gazetted forests.

“We have to align our policies to ensure that we consistently conserve, protect and sustainably manage our environment,” Mudavadi said.

He in particular called for the protection of the Mau Water Tower and called for fencing and security by enough wardens to protect forest areas against human activity.

Health CS Susan Nakhumicha on the other hand pitched tent in South Korea for a benchmarking visit.

A key highlight of the visit was a significant meeting with the South Korean Minister for Health and Welfare, Cho Kyoo Hong.

Nakhumicha said the visit aims to explore potential collaborations between the two countries in matters of health.

She led a delegation from Kenya on a visit to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in South Korea, the CS called for joint efforts and collaboration between the two countries.

"We recognise the significant role that vaccines play in public health, and as a nation, we are determined to take steps towards manufacturing our vaccines," Nakhumicha said.

The delegation also toured South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), vaccine manufacturer SK Bioscience and SD Bioneer, a global leader in diagnostic reagents.

During the visit, Nakhumicha emphasised the importance of engaging with SK Bioscience for potential collaborations on vaccine manufacturing.