The A to Z of 2022: From 'amici curiae to zoea hiyo sauti'

A woman walks to a watering point in Modogashe, Garissa County. Residents in the region are battling prolonged drought. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

D for Droughts- And as that climate debate raged on, droughts gripped a good number of countries as incessant heatwaves led to damage in vegetation in others, such as Australia. Europe recorded the worst drought in 500 years, factories shut down in China due to decrease of water levels in the Yangtze river basin and here in Kenya, over 4.5 million people faced starvation and over 2.5 million livestock worth Sh1.8 billion died due to drought.

E for Eight billion- Mathematics won another one as multiplication, and filling of the earth, went one further. Human beings struck the 8 billion mark on November 15, 2022. The human race reached a billion individuals in 1803. Baby Shark, the children's YouTube rhyme by Pinkfong, has 12 billion views, though. TWELVE billion.

F for FIFA lifts ban- The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) got a reprieve of a lifetime when, on November 25, world football governing association FIFA lifted an indefinite ban it had slapped on the FKF in November when the then Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed ordered for an audit of FKF accounts, as per Goal.com.

Kenya had been prevented from participating in international tournaments. That, however, was not the reason we did not win The World Cup.

G for Genetically Modified Organisms- In 2012, President Mwai Kibaki imposed a ban on GMOs. French molecular biologist Gilles-Eric Seralini had published a research paper claiming that GMO maize caused cancer in rats and several governments reacted. The paper was soon retracted. After years of lobbying, protagonists of GMOs had their way in October 2022 when President Ruto's government lifted the ban, partly in a bid to contain the cost of living by allowing for importation of cheap GMOs, and to curb hunger. Debate continues on the suitability of GMOs.

H for Hot air- Chief Justice Martha Koome, the first ever woman to occupy that position in Kenya, led The Supreme Court in quashing the election petition and upholding the election of Dr Ruto as president. But what caused excitement- and furore- was the terms she used while reading the judgment. She said that the court had been taken on a wild goose chase and that one of the petitioners' lawyers presented nothing but hot air. This angered the petition's support, but it was the icing on the cake for the supporters of Dr Ruto.

Casket bearing the remains of Mwai Kibaki during his funeral service in Othaya, Nyeri County on April 30, 2022. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

N for Null and void- After the (in)famous handshake between President Kenyatta and his nemesis Raila Odinga on the steps of Harambee House on March 9, 2018, the two co-formulated the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI). Seen by opponents as an effort to mutilate the constitution, the reforms were objected to in courts of law and the High Court and the Court of Appeal declared the BBI push null and void. The Supreme Court drove the last nail on the coffin in March 2022, preventing sweeping constitutional changes from taking effect.

O for Odinga's unsuccessful fifth stab- The presidential frontrunners in 2022 were Dr William Ruto and Mr Raila Odinga. For Dr Ruto, who was until then Deputy President, it was going to be his first attempt at the top seat. For his competitor, though, it was a fifth trial. He first gunned for the position in 1997, coming third. In 2007, he lost to incumbent Mwai Kibaki. He lost to Mr Kenyatta in both 2013 and 2017, including in a repeat poll which he asked supporters to boycott. The loss to Dr Ruto was his fifth, and probably the biggest blow in his long political career if this turns out to be his last stab.

P for Pele- Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously and mononymously known as Pele, died on December 29, 2022. He was a former footballer who many argue is the greatest of all time. An outpouring of tributes showed that he transcended the sport and was a true global icon. Pele took home a record three World Cup trophies with Brazil. He was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 and appeared in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. Pele died aged 82.

Q for Queen Elizabeth II- Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms for 70 years and 214 days prior to her death in 2022. She ascended to the throne aged 25 when her father King George VI died in 1952. At the time, Elizabeth was in Kenya at The Treetops hotel with her spouse Prince Phillip ahead of their Commonwealth visit to Australia and New Zealand.

She died on September 8, 2022 aged 96.

R for Russia invades Ukraine- On February 24, after months of speculation, Russia escalated tensions by invading neighbouring Ukraine. The Russo-Ukrainian war, which started in 2014, suddenly reached new heights, with over 15 million people being displaced and fleeing their country within nine months of the invasion. Thousands of civilians and tens of thousands of soldiers from either divide were killed as the west continued to offer missile support to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, left, and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani leave the stage before the 2022 soccer World Cup draw at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Friday, April 1, 2022. [AP Photo]

X for Xpressway- It should be the Expressway alright, but you get the point. The Nairobi Expressway is a 27-kilometre road connecting the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with Westlands. It was designated in 2019 and was completed, and opened, in 2022. It is a tolled road and is managed by contractors China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). It was initially expected to be built at a cost of around Sh65b, but the cost has nearly hit Sh100b on throughout the construction.

Y for Ye- Kanye Omari West, now famously known as Ye, is a rapper who is never too far away from controversy. He has been accused of making anti-semitic comments and late in the year, he appeared in an interview with journalist Piers Morgan in which, alongside in other instances around the interview, he made comments that angered many. Many of his collaborations, partnerships and sponsorships were terminated, including with Vogue, Balenciaga, Gap and Adidas. He had praised Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust, even having his Twitter account deactivated.

Z for Zoea hiyo sauti- Cotu boss Francis Atwoli was, before the August 9 elections, a steadfast supporter of Mr Odinga's presidential bid. One of his famous phrases was "Zoea hiyo sauti", referring to Mr Odinga's voice. This became a common statement in the country, but he had to change tune when Dr Ruto won the presidency instead and to zoea the new voice. 2022 has been quite a year but 2023 does not promise any major differences politically, economically and maybe even socially, so zoea hiyo sauti!