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Angry Venezuelans accuse government of negligence and apathy

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2 weeks ago

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“Silencio” the rescuers scream turning towards the road with their fists up in the air, motioning to everyone to remain silent.

The vehicles on the road stop plying. People stop talking. The diggers fall silent.

A rescuer puts his ear to a hole they’ve just managed to drill through a concrete slab. Another one shines a torch into it.

They’re listening to see if they can hear any sounds of survivors calling from under the rubble of a 12-storey building that stood by the side of a busy road in the coastal town of La Guaira.

It’s one of the areas worst hit by the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday last week and killed at least 1,700 people.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has called the earthquakes the “most brutal natural catastrophe” in Venezuela’s history.

Standing by the side of the collapsed structure, Miguel Oscar Nunez holds his breath, huddled together with other families who had loved ones in the building. Miguel’s only child – 34-year-old son Angel – lived in the building.

Moments of anticipation pass by, but the rescuers hear nothing. The silence ends and work resumes.

“My son, like hundreds of others is trapped under the rubble. But we need more support from authorities urgently to dig them out. It’s possible that the earthquake has not killed him, but can you imagine if he is killed because of the negligence of the authorities,” Miguel Oscar says, anger showing on his face.

“The rescue operation started very late and it’s been slow. Initially it was only people who live in the community who came in to help. The police just came to check, but they didn’t help. The government’s response has been frustrating and impotent,” the 34-year-old says.

When we visited the site, rescue teams from Venezuela and Colombia were conducting operations. Two diggers, as well as a crane that was lifting up concrete slabs was also there.

But the families waiting by the roadside said precious days had been wasted before this effort started.

“I have not lost hope but I feel devastated. Nature’s law is that a father should die before his son. Imagine if your son dies suddenly,” says Miguel.

The building was one of several in a government owned complex. This factor, as well as the structure’s prominent location, is perhaps what has drawn the attention of the rescue teams to it.

Because there are parts of La Guaira state where search teams have so far not even reached.

We met Deilisbeth Herreira at a hospital in La Guaira town where she was going through the list of injured and dead. She’s looking for her daughters – Greydelys, 12 and Graybelys, 13.

A single parent, Deilisbeth was away at work when the earthquake struck.

She thinks it’s likely the girls would have been at home, but she’s also searching everywhere, just in case they were outdoors and have survived.

“I have help from no one. No machines or rescuers have been sent to dig through the rubble. It’s like you’ve been left on your own to find your loved ones,” she says, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“My daughters were quiet, studious girls. I just want them back at any cost,” she adds.

Everywhere we went, residents told us they felt let down by the state.

On a road that hugs the coastline, two high-rise apartment blocks – part of Bello Horizonte complex – have collapsed into a heap. We saw families and volunteers, wearing masks and rubber gloves, trying to dig through the rubble with spades and crowbars.

“The stench is horrible here. But I’m still trying because I’m looking for my uncle. We cannot just stand by idly when there’s the possibility that there might be people alive under the rubble,” says William Rodrigues. “Help arrived very late in most places, and in some, it has still not arrived.”

While the police were present near the complex, they were not engaging or helping in rescue efforts.

Sixty-year-old Juan Avendo – who lives across the road from Bello Horizonte – and whose home has also been destroyed says: “We could hear the screams and shouts of people trapped under the rubble. So we tried to help them ourselves, using our bare hands, clawing through the debris with our nails.”

He and his nephew Enyer Musics described how they managed to pull one woman out alive.

“We heard her screaming in the night. But it was dark and we couldn’t do anything. So the next morning we went and tried to find her. First we were able to pass her a bottle of water. And then we worked to pull her out,” he says.

Juan estimates that hundreds are likely lying dead under the debris.

It’s possible that their bodies might never be found, and that we might never know the true scale of this disaster-STAR.

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National Assembly dismisses claims Sacco Bill is being rushed through Parliament

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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The National Assembly has dismissed reports that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2025, is being rushed through Parliament, saying the proposed law is still undergoing public participation.

Through infographics shared on Facebook on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Parliament said misleading information had been circulating online about the Bill, formally known as the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2025.

Bill was published in June 2025

The National Assembly said the Bill was published on June 30, 2025, and had remained under consideration for more than 12 months.

It rejected suggestions that lawmakers were fast-tracking the proposed amendments without allowing enough time for scrutiny.

According to Parliament, the lengthy period between the publication of the Bill and its current consideration shows that it is not being rushed.

Bill currently before the National Assembly committee

The Sacco Societies Amendment Bill is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

The committee is conducting public participation and receiving views from members of the public and other stakeholders.

The submissions are expected to help the committee assess the proposed amendments before presenting its recommendations to the National Assembly.

What happens after public participation?

After the public participation process is concluded, the committee will prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations.

Parliament said the views submitted by members of the public and stakeholders could inform further amendments to the Bill.

The proposed legislation will then proceed to the National Assembly for consideration by MPs.

This means the Bill has not yet completed the legislative process and could still be amended based on the submissions received during public participation.

Bill will be forwarded to Senate

The National Assembly also clarified that the Bill will not proceed directly for presidential assent after being passed by MPs.

Because the proposed legislation concerns county governments, it will be forwarded to the Senate for consideration in accordance with the Constitution.

The Senate will be required to consider the Bill before it can complete the parliamentary process and be presented for presidential assent.

Parliament urged members of the public to rely on verified information about the Sacco Societies Amendment Bill instead of unconfirmed reports circulating online-PeopleDaily.Digital.

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Digital house-hunting platform bets on technology to reshape Nairobi’s rental market

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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NAIROBI, Kenya, July 14 – A growing shift towards digital property searches is changing how Kenyans find rental homes, with real estate technology platform Reemio positioning itself as a solution to longstanding challenges.

This included fraudulent listings, costly house searches and limited market transparency.

As younger, tech-savvy consumers turn to online platforms to make purchasing decisions, the company says digitizing the rental process could improve efficiency for both tenants and landlords while lowering transaction costs.

“Our niche is to solve the problem of house hunting and also bring trust into that process. We use technology to connect renters and landlords,” said Kimani.

Kimani said the platform seeks to address inefficiencies that have traditionally made house hunting expensive and time-consuming.

Instead of physically visiting multiple properties, users can browse verified listings, take virtual tours, compare amenities and access information on additional costs such as water charges, electricity bills and service fees before scheduling physical viewings.

Beyond improving convenience for tenants, Reemio argues that technology can help landlords reduce marketing costs, shorten vacancy periods and reach a wider pool of prospective tenants, including Kenyans living abroad.

The company says its platform also generates market data that can help property owners and developers better understand evolving consumer preferences, although its long-term impact will depend on wider adoption of digital property platforms and continued investment in trustworthy online real estate marketplaces-Capitalfm.co.ke.

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ORPP edges two parties closer to joining Kenya’s political arena

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15 hours ago

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July 14, 2026

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The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) has issued a notice for the provisional registration of two proposed political parties, opening a seven-day window for members of the public to lodge objections.

In a notice published by the Registrar of Political Parties and Chief Executive Officer J.C. Lorionokou, the ORPP announced that the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) and the People’s Alternative Voice (PAV) are in the process of being provisionally registered under Section 5(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act.

The ORPP, a State office established under Section 33 of the Political Parties Act and Article 260 of the Constitution, said its mandate includes registering and regulating political parties as well as administering the Political Parties Fund.

According to the notice, the Social Democratic Party of Kenya (SDP) has adopted pink, white and sky blue as its official party colours, with the slogan “Change – Mageuzi.” The party’s symbol is the acronym SDP enclosed inside a circle.

The party’s listed founder members are Nyangong’ Duncan Nyumbah, Omwandasi Jared Dishon and Kinyua Mary Wacuka.

The founders of PAV are listed as Odenyo John Fitzgerald Elly, Nyando Rachel Mmboga and Ali Hussein Kiplangat.

The Registrar said particulars of the two proposed political parties have been published on the ORPP website to facilitate public scrutiny as required by law.

Any person wishing to oppose the provisional registration of either party has seven days from the date of publication of the notice to submit objections either in writing or in person to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties at Lion Place, Fourth Floor, Waiyaki Way at Karuna Close, Nairobi.

The provisional registration marks the first step in the legal process of establishing a political party in Kenya.

Kenya has 91 fully registered political parties. The ORPP’s updated register indicates that, as of January 2026, there were 91 parties that had met the legal requirements for full registration under the Political Parties Act-STAR.

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