2008 in Kenya explained
The following lists events that happened during 2008 in Kenya.
Incumbents
Events
January
April
- April 13 - The new coalition cabinet is finally unveiled.[4]
June
- June 10 - Four people, including politicians Kipkalya Kones and Lorna Laboso were killed in an aviation accident. They were on board of a Cessna 210 plane that crashed, without survivors.[5]
- June 11 - The first parliamentary by-elections in Kenya after the chaotic 2007 general elections were held. Out of five seats contested, ODM won three and PNU two. However, ODM lost the Embakasi Constituency seat to PNU.[6]
July
August
- August 11 - The results of Kamukunji Constituency of the 2007 parliamentary elections were not tallied until now due to a court case. Simon Mbugua of PNU was declared the winner.[10]
- August 13 - a Fokker F27-500 cargo aircraft operated by Fly540. crashed about 200NaN0 from the Namber Konton airport near Mogadishu, Somalia. All three crew members died. The aircraft was carrying a shipment of miraa (khat). The plane had departed from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.[11]
September
- September 25 - By-elections were held in Bomet and Sotik constituencies and were won by Beatrice Kones and Joyce Laboso respectively. Both represent ODM, as did their predecessors, who died in an aviation accident in June.[12]
- September 25 - MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship was seized by Somali pirates off the Somalian coast. The ship was carrying 33 Russian T-72 tanks destined to Kenya.[13]
October
November
- November 1 - A Nakumatt Supermarket and other fully operational properties were demolished in Nairobi to pave way for the expansion of Thika Road.[15]
- November 5 - The Kenya people celebrated the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States. The following day November 6 is declared a public holiday in Kenya. His father, Barack Obama, Sr. was raised and buried in Nyang'oma Kogelo village in western Kenya.
December
- December 11 - Kenyan parliament passes the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act regulating media in Kenya. Critics say the bill meant to suppress the freedom of press, while the Kenyan government denies it.[16]
- December 19 - Joel Onyancha of Ford-People lost the Bomachoge Constituency parliamentary seat after the 2007 results were nullified due to irregularities [17]
- December 24 - President Kibaki signs a bill disbanding the Electoral Commission of Kenya. It will be replaced by Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC).[18]
- December 31 - Over 120 political parties, four with a parliamentary representation, failed to meet the deadline for complying with the new Political Parties Act and face deregistration.[19]
Deaths
January
- January 1 - Lucas Sang, former olympic athlete, "hacked to death" in Chepkoilel, Eldoret.[20]
- January 2 - G. G. Njuguna Ngengi, Politician, hacked to death in Kuresoi, near Molo on January 2 [21]
- January 20 - Wesley Ngetich Kimutai, 34, marathoner, died after he was shot with an arrow on January 19 in the Trans Mara District.[22]
- January 20 - Donald Odanga, former basketball international was hit by a stray bullet shot by the police.[23]
- January 29 - Mugabe Were, recently elected ODM MP was shot dead in Nairobi.[24]
- January 29 - David Kimutai Too, recently elected ODM MP was shot dead by a policeman in Eldoret.[25]
February
March
- March 13 - David Mwenje, 55, former MP and assistant minister died of illness.[27]
April
- April 4 - Samuel Ndindiri, 59, the National Assembly clerk dies of illness.[28]
- April 10 - Jeremiah Nyagah, 87, former minister, dies of illness [29]
May
June
July
September
- September 17 - Michael Omondi, former field hockey player and Olympic competitor dies of short illness aged 46.
October
- October 11 - Saeed Cockar, industrial court justice died aged 81.[34]
November
December
Sports
January - March
April - June
- April 13 - Martin Lel beats the course record winning London Marathon for the third time. Samuel Wanjiru finished close second. William Kipsang won the Rotterdam Marathon, also setting a new course record.
- April 21 - Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won Boston Marathon for the fourth time.
- April 30-May 4 - The 2008 African Championships in Athletics were held in Ethiopia. Kenya won a total of 16 medals, five of them golden. The Kenyan gold medalists were David Rudisha (800m), Haron Keitany (1500m), Richard Mateelong (3000m steeplechase), Pamela Chelimo (800m) and Grace Wanjiru (20 km walk).
- May 4 - Kenya prisons wins the 2008 Women’s African Clubs Championship in volleyball.[44]
- May 31 - June 22 - Kenya national football team plays four 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches over four consecutive weekends, losing to Namibia away, winning Guinea and Zimbabwe at home and drawing with Zimbabwe away.
- June 1 – 18-year-old Pamela Jelimo runs a new women's 800 metres African Record. The previous one was held by Maria de Lurdes Mutola of Mozambique.[45]
- June 22, 2008: Kenya wins the 2008 edition of Safari Sevens. In the final, Kenya beat Emerging Springboks 31–12.[46]
- June 27–29 - The 2008 Safari Rally was won by Lee Rose, former Kenyan champion.[47]
July - September
- July 8–13 - The 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics were held in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Kenya finished third in the medals table by winning four gold medals, five silver and three bronze. Kenyan gold medalists were Josphat Bett (10,000m men), Jonathan Muia (3,000m SC men), Mercy Cherono (3,000m women) and Christine Kambua (3,000m SC women).
- July 27 - Tusker FC wins the 2008 edition of CECAFA Clubs Cup.
- August 2–5 - Kenya fails at the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier
- August 8–24 - The 2008 Summer Olympics were held in Beijing, China. Kenya got a medal record of 5-5-4. All of Kenya's medallists came from the Olympic athletics competition. The gold medalists were Wilfred Bungei (800m men), Brimin Kipruto (steeplechase men), Samuel Wanjiru (marathon men), Pamela Jelimo (800m women) and Nancy Lagat (1500m women)
- August 30 - Kenya Harlequins wins Kenya Cup, the prime rugby union competition on Kenya [48]
- September 5 - Pamela Jelimo wins the IAAF Golden League jackpot
- September 6 - Kenya wins a 2010 World Cup Qualifier against Namibia at home.
- September 9–12 - The Women’s junior African Nations Championship in volleyball was held in Kenya. The tournament was won by Egypt, while Kenya finished third out of five participants [49]
October - December
Notes and References
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7166932.stm "Kenyans burned to death in church"
- http://news.smh.com.au/up-to-50-people-killed-in-kenya-church/20080102-1jt7.html "Up to 50 people killed in Kenya church"
- BBC News, January 24, 2007: [Kenyan rivals meet face-to-face]
- BBC News, April 13, 2008: Kenya unveils coalition cabinet
- BBC News, June 10, 2008: Ministers killed in Kenya crash
- BBC News, June 12, 2008: ODM wins three Kenya by-elections
- BBC News July 8, 2008: Minister resigns over Kenya hotel
- Capital News, July 15, 2008:Raila meeting endorses Mau evictions
- Daily Nation, August 2, 2008: Raiders shoot dead 30 herders
- The Standard, August 12, 2008: Kamukunji: Eyes now shift to Starehe
- Daily Nation, August 13, 2008: Plane crashes in Mogadishu
- KBC, September 26, 2008: Kones and Laboso win seats
- BBC News, September 26, 2008: Somalia's pirates seize 33 tanks
- Daily Nation, October 14, 2008: Waki report to be handed over
- Capital FM, November 1, 2008: Nakumatt Thika rd demolished
- BBC News, December 11, 2008: Kenya defends new 'media gag' law
- Daily Nation, January 28, 2009: Speaker free to declare Bomachoge seat vacant
- Daily Nation, December 24, 2008: Kibaki seals ECK fate
- Daily Nation website, December 31, 2008, 30 parties meet deadline for new law
- The Standard, January 3, 2007: Poll violence claim former athlete Sang
- The Standard, January 3, 2007: Politician killed in ethnic clashes
- Daily Nation, January 23, 2007: Kenya loses another athlete to violence
- The Standard, January 25, 2008: Basketballer dies in post-election violence
- Jeffrey Gettleman, "Opposition Politician is Killed in Kenya", The New York Times, January 29, 2008
- BBC News, January 31, 2008: Tension after Kenyan MP shot dead
- http://www.iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=43329.html 1996 Olympic bronze medallist Stephen Arusei Kipkorir dies in car crash
- Daily Nation, March 14, 2008: Ex-Embakasi MP Mwenje dies
- Daily Nation, April 5, 2008: [Death breaks off Ndindiri’s 34-year career Death breaks off Ndindiri’s 34-year career]
- Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, April 10, 2008: Jeremiah Nyagah dies
- The Times, June 8, 2008: Ngugi wa Mirii: Modern African playwright
- Daily Nation, May 18, 2008: Former Gatundu South MP dies
- Daily Nation, May 25, 2008: Droves of militia surrender
- The Standard, March 16, 2011: Curtain rolls down on rumba, benga star Musa Juma
- Daily Nation, October 14, 2008: Ex-Industrial Court judge Cockar dies
- The Standard, November 16, 2008: Reuben Chesire is dead
- Daily Nation, December 9, 2008: Man who gave false testimony against Kenyatta dies in crash
- Daily Nation website, December 30, 2008: Former police chief Nyaseda dies in hospital
- IAAF, January 1, 2008: Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Timbilil beat the heat in São Paulo
- IAAF, January 2, 2008: Menjo, Cheruiyot the victors in Madrid
- IAAF, January 1, 2008: Soi, Kibet take Bolzano victories
- IAAF, January 1, 2008: Kogo sets course record in Houilles
- The Standard, March 20, 2008: Dunford, Jepkosgei Soya Winners
- European Tour, March 9, 2008: Hot Pyman wins the Tusker Kenya Open
- The Standard, may 6, 2008: Prisons women’s volleyballers clinch Africa Club title
- IAAF, June 1, 2008: Berlin witnesses Jelimo, 800m revelation
- Web site: Safari Sevens website . 2008-07-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080626102623/http://www.safarisevens.com/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/176-lucky-13-as-kenya-regains-tusker-safari-sevens . 2008-06-26 . dead .
- Automobilsport.com, July 5, 2008: Lee Rose wins Safari Rally
- The Standard, August 31, 2008: Quins crowned Kenya cup champions
- African Volleyball Confederation 2008 Women’s junior African Nations Championship
- BBC Sports, November 22, 2008: Mathare win first Kenya title
- The Standard, November 23, 2008: ‘Flying Singh’ beats Rose to glory in battle for KNRC honour
- The Standard, December 10, 2008: Swimming team bags nine medals
