If you thought 2024 was a busy year, then brace for defining 2025

Impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is consoled by his wife Pastor Dorcas after being discharged from Karen hospital where he had been admitted after falling ill during the Senate proceedings on October 20, 2024. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] It is a new year and picking from where 2024 left, it is expected to bring new activities that will shape not only the country's future but also for generations to come. The year 2024 and went, which provided Kenyans with an opportunity to further understand the old adage that 'a day is quite a long time in politics', at least going by the activities that were witnessed on this front. And now 2025 is here, with more events expected to unfold, starting with back to school after a two-month break. In the education sector, schools resume for a new academic year next week and it is the first time in about four decades that the country will not have Form One admissions, as has been the norm. Similarly, the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) is approaching yet another pivotal point as the pioneer class moves to Grade 9, even as preparations are in top gear to prepare for administration of the maiden Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA). Grade Nine marks the last stage of junior school marking a transition to senior school, which has three pathways that include Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Arts and Sports Science as well as Social Sciences. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has constantly affirmed the successful rollout of CBC, which include construction of additional 16,000 additional classrooms to host Grade 9 learners starting this month. Other areas that the CS said the ministry is focusing on is provision of one textbook per learner in all core learning areas, the recruitment of additional teachers to serve Junior Schools and early release of capitation. "The Ministry is preparing the necessary guidelines and policy instruments to facilitate forthcoming transitions to Senior School and subsequently, to tertiary institutions," the CS said. According to Kenya National Examination Council Chief Executive Officer David Njengere, assessment will be cumulated from Grade 7 and 8 School Based Assessment (SBA) as well as the summative exercise they sit at the end of the year. "The summative assessment will account for 60 per cent while the SBA will account for 40 per cent. We want to explore both their interests and their other personal attributes that will speak to the kind of pathways they will pursue in senior schools," he explained. Also the Government seeks to convert 46,000 teacher interns to permanent and pensionable terms and another 20,000 teachers are expected to be employed. Similarly, Ogamba said the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will be released this month. And still on the education front, the year is beginning with thousands of university students facing funding uncertainty. About 250,000 university students under government sponsorship are staring at an uncertain future after the High Court dealt a major blow to the new funding model after the ruling of December 20 quashed it, saying it lacked legal grounds.. The government has since said it will appeal this ruling, saying it would have a great implication on higher education financing. And still in the courts, Chief Justice Martha Koome is facing an acid test in her leadership of the third arm of government. Lawyers have come out to attack the judiciary saying judges are hawking court decisions to the highest bidder and that integrity and common decency have been thrown out of the window. The next few days or weeks, probably months, will put to test the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. Also in the spotlight is the African Union Commission (AUC) elections, with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga being in the race. Raila is vying for the position of AUC chairperson alongside Djibouti Foreign Affairs Minister, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and former Madagascar Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Randriamandrato. The election will be held in February. Raila has been crisscrossing the continent seeking support from AUC member states, in a bid to secure the coveted seat, as he assures of implementing his ambitious plan. Raila is seeking among other things to focus on women and youth empowerment, leverage on AI and technology to boost trade in the continent in addition to transforming the economy, if elected AUC chairman. On December 24, President William Ruto met the outgoing Chairperson Moussa Faki in Kilgoris, with Ruto stating that Kenya is implementing reforms at the African Union's structure to make it more effective and efficient in pursuing the continent's interests. "We discussed, among other things, AU reforms and the upcoming election of the AUC Chairperson, a post that Raila is running for," said Ruto. However, Raila's candidacy is not just about Africa Union. The repercussions of a win or loss will reverberate across the country with all eyes on 2027. If he wins competition against President William RUTO Will be reduced significantly as the opposition will have to settle on a different candidate after years of Raila trying and not making it. If he loses then he will be back on the local scene with an imminent disruption of the broad based government and possibly another stab at the presidency. His candidacy, should he choose to contest will disrupt the alliance in the making of Kalonzo Musyoka, ODM party and other potential candidates. The economic front is also expected to face another taxation policy. Already, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced changes to the computation of Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) following the enactment of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024. The key updates in the Act include deductible contributions, changes to tax reliefs and clarifications on employment gains and profits. Under amounts deductible in determining the taxable employment income, it will include amount deducted as affordable housing levy pursuant to Affordable Housing Act 2024, contributions to a post-retirement medical fund subject to a limit of Sh15,000 per month and those made to SHIF. It also includes mortgage interest not exceeding Sh360,000 per year (Sh30,000 per month), upon money borrowed by a person from one of the first six financial institutions specified in the fourth schedule to the income Tax Act, to purchase or improve premises occupied by the person for residential purposes. It has also covered contributions made to a registered pension or provident fund or a registered individual retirement fund up to a limit of Sh360,000 per year. KRA has also said the Act has introduced a tax amnesty on interest, penalties or fines on tax debt for periods up to December 31, 2023, a program which will run from December 27 to June 30, 2025. Tax regime Kenyans have raised concerns over what they term a punitive tax regime but the Government has been insisting that taxation is necessary to move the country forward. Also in December, the President quietly assented into law seven parliamentary Bills that seek to fast-track the achievement of the mandates of the Kenya Kwanza regime. The Bills are the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Kenya Roads (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill 2023. Others included the Tax Procedures (Amendment) Bill 2024, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024. This, as President William Ruto continually defended the government's policy on Public Private Partnerships to finance the national development agenda. The President said PPPs are meant to ensure that the government does not burden Kenyans with more taxes or loans in the financing of development projects. He said PPP agreements have helped the country implement major development projects, citing the Standard Gauge Railway. "It is important to appreciate that the partnership between the public and the private sector gives us a win-win outcome to deliver public services using the efficiency and investment of the private sector," he said. Another major issue that requires urgent resolution is the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Supreme Court judge Isaac Lenaola raised concerns over the delay in putting in place IEBC, saying that the country risks a crisis in the 2027 General Election, views that a majority of Kenyans hold. Former IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati and Commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molus' terms expired in January 2023. Other commissioners, Justus Nyang'aya, Juliana Cherera and Francis Wander resigned while Irene Masit was kicked out by a tribunal formed to investigate their conduct after the 2022 elections. Also in December, the High Court nullified the IEBC (Amendment) Act of 2023, which established the selection panel for the electoral body. This further threw into disarray the eight-member selection panel, which was still waiting to start their work owing to cases in courts. Parliament, however, explained that the ruling does not have any effect on the IEBC panel. "While the petition was pending before the High Court, the IEBC Act was amended in 2024 to implement recommendations of the National Dialogue Committee on the composition of IEBC selection panel. This amendment was made through the IEBC (Amendment) Act, 2024," Parliament said in a statement. Kenyans have also raised questions on the stalemate surrounding delimitation of boundaries, which should have been long completed. Article 89(2) of the Constitution provides that the IEBC shall review names and boundaries of constituencies at intervals of not less than eight years, and not more than 12 years. The last review was in March 2012 and the latest date for the next review was to be in March 2024, which has since lapsed. Political oblivion The case that will determine whether former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua would trot into political oblivion is supposed to be heard beginning January 23. If the court rules he was impeached fairly then that is the end of his political career as he would be banned from seeking elective positions. However, should the court say he was unfairly treated then he would not only be compensated but also be free to vie in any election. Since his removal from office, Gachagua has been the greatest government critic taking on the president on may issues. Gachagua has said extensive discussions are still underway to chart the way forward for the Mt Kenya region, saying that they will be careful on who to engage in the next political phase. He intends to communicate the way forward this January once he completes his consultations. "We will first build our house. We learn from previous mistakes that we gave our all to Ruto. This time, we will engage with others, such as Kalonzo Musyoka, Raila Odinga, Eugene Wamalwa, George Natembeya and so many others. Even Ruto is welcome to engage with us," he explained. igithinji@standardmedia.co.ke

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