Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

KENYA: THE NEW CROPS OF LUO MPS HAVE SCORED THE HIGHEST MARKS FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Unlike the crop of Luo MPs from Nyanza who sat in the August House for five years during the life of the 10th parliament. This was the period between 2007 and 2013 who had performed dismally preferring the politics of sycophancy and hero worshipping and making empty slogans and noisy.

The good number of the youthful MPs who won their seats on March 4 , 2013 election have secoredred the highest marks in terms of initiating and supervising the construction of the various socio-economic development activities in, coupled with proper disbursement of CDF and devolving government funds meant for development in the region where development has remained stagnant ever since 1966.

Commonly and popularly referred to as the “Great Horns” the youthful group of MPS comprising mostly the technocrats have performed miracles .The new politics dimension in Luo – Nyanza a region which has gone through decades of stagnant developments and political marginalization spearheaded by the previous KANU administrations and put the hitherto sleeping region back on the road on once again.

Out of the 20 parliamentary constituencies, which are represented in parliament, more than half of the MPs have scored high within only one year after the March 4 , 2013 election.

Leading the pack with the Highest score card is the outspoken Suna East MP Mohammed Juneet. He has scored the highest marka which stands at “A+’ Juneet is followed immediately by the Karachuonyo MP. Eng. James K.Rege who has scored “A”. This is the only MP who has made it sure that the CDF and other devolving funds meant for the development in the constituency are controlled by a team of intellectuals, most of them university professors to ensure the efficiency disbursement to the satisfaction of the electorate.

Silvance Oselle (Kasipul Kabondi “B+” He is a green Horn, but his performance is well felt within the contituency.

Eng. Nicholas O. Gumbo (Rarieda ) has scored “B” and is said to be doing extremely well. He is also a regular contributor in the critical debates in the House.

David Ochieng (Ugenya has scored “C” while another top scorer is the outspoken Muhoroni MP. James Onyango Kaoio His Scored card is reading “B+”.

Erick Omondi Anyango (Nyatike ), is another top scorer at “A”.The abrasive and outspoken MPM is the second term and one of those who retained their seats in the March 4,2013 elections. has done wonders in the improvemetn of feeder and access roads well and other infrastructures including Ruralo Electrification program and upgrading of schools and health facilities.

Augustine Neto Oyugi has scored “B” but his performance still lagging behind the remarkable performance of his predecessor the late Joshua Orwa Ojode whose score card still stand the higness at “A”. Ojode’s achievement has remained unequalled by any other leader in Nyanza.

Eng Kobado [Uriri] the colourless MP has scored “D” while his immediate neighbours Jaret Kopiyo has scored the LEAST markS at “D-”while his immediate neighbours Jared Kopiyo has scored the lowest mark at “f”.

George Oner (Rangwe has scored C+ while his immediate neighbour Opondo Kalima has equally scored the last mark at “C+”.

Millie Odhiambo Mabone ( Mbita} the most eloquent and outspoken and firebrand and MP has scored the highest marks at {A}in a constituency where her predecessor Gerald Otieno Kanjwang now the Homa – Bay Senator had represented for close to 19 years that left no legacy ito account for his manyyears of neglect and lacklustres performance ad left not even single socio – economic projet to cater for his name millie has scored “A}. Odhiambo happen to h AS Tas the nominated MP and gained experience on parliamentary prcedures and because of her legal training ; like Martha Wangari Karua,sometime she is sounding like the lonely the voice of reason in the male dominated house’

Fred Outsa(Nyando} is another second term MP who has scored the least marks despite bragging that he is related to the ODM supreme Raila Odinga by Marriage .He ha scored but displating a lot of political mediocrity at times. “F”

John Olago Aluoch (Kisumu west ) is another top performer which score mark is lending “B+”.He is the one of the second term MPs who have performed well to the satisfaction of the electorate .His score is leading “B+”.

Joshua Aduma Owuor (Nyakach )inspite of having encountered numerous of myriads 0f problems including , the grisly murder of his parents by unkonwn assailants , across Nyakach – Kericho borders skirmishes while left six of his constituents dead has done well scoring moderate mark at “B”.

ShakeslAhmed Shabbir (Kisumu Town East)has performed poorly scoring the least mark at “D”.The MP sometimes is acting erroneously and emotionally like a youth winger which has saw him involved in public scuffles with the constituents during funeral gatherings.

Opiyo Wandai (Ugunja )who is aslo one of the “Green Horns “ has performed poorly at “D”.

Followed by the neighbour Omondi Muluan…..(Alego – Usonga )with score mark at “C”

Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem )the abrassive and at time very controversial politician in the region has done well at the constituency level being credited for having supervised proper disbursemnt of CDF and other devolving funds for for deelopment to the satisafaction of the constituents.

Gideon Ochanda (BONDO)The other (Green Horn } who has gone quiete in the constituency where political temprature usually goes up. He is perhaps still sizing him to ensure that he fits well into the sesof Dr Oburu Oginga who had performed well ever since wining the election after the death of his father the doyen of oppositionist politics in Kenya and the hero of the struggle for independence.

Dr.James Nyikal [Seme}, the former long serving PS is one of the green Horns, but his previous experience in government matter is said to be guiding well in hs parliamentary duties. Hisscore-card stands at [B}.Dr Nyikal is showing signals of much improvement n the constituency in the future.

Another better performer is the Kasipul] MP Oyugi Maguwanga whose his constituents tells me that he is a man who is workerholic and down to earth and seriously committed to the development of thr area, whch he he is is in the process of representing for the second five year term. Maguwanga score-card .

stands at [B+.}Silvance Oselle [Kabondo-KASIPUL}], the youthful MP who could pass as a high school student is doing extremely well and easily interacting with his constituents. His score-card stands at [B-}

One of the most experienced MP from the region whose star is reading rather deem is Dalmas Otieno {Rongo}The man who brokered what was unpopular called “Negotiated Democracy”’ within the IODM when he prevailed upon the ODM leader Raila Odinga to give direct party nomination to Senator Wilfred Machage at the chagrins of other party leaders and aspirants for the same seat.

Otieno is having a very lean time in Luo-Nyanza politics after he had come out full blast and announced that he would challenge Raila Odinga the Luo political kingpin in 2017 in the presidential contest.

However, many people in his ongo backyard have dismissed his party arguing that the Makerere trained economist lacKed the financial ability to organize a vibrant mass political movement that can rival the ODM under Raila Odinga armpit. He is therefore viewed as someone n his way out of political limelight Otieno’ssscored –card standa at [C].He could be as well as bidding goodbye to the August House.

ENDS

KENYA: CIRCUSES REPORTED AT MIWAMI SUGAR MILL AS HIRED GOONS CHASE AWAY INVESTORS AND NEMA OFFICIALS

reports Leo Odera Omolo

THERE were circuses and near physical combat on Tuesday this week when a group of local land foreign investors toured the facility for the purpose of making assessment about its viability ahead of its privatization ,which is scheduled in two months time.

The investors were accompanied by the officials from NEMA, but they were confronted at the gate cf the facility by rowdy goons masquerading as local farmers and stakeholders who threatened to beat them up forcing the group to cut short and call off their mission.

It has since been established that a cartel of wealthy Kisumu based Indians with the vested interest in Miwani Sugar Mills had held a secret night meeting the with the goons previous night at undisclosed venue within Miwani and instructed the youth not to allow any other groups of potential investors to access the facility.

Mi9wani sugar Mills the oldest sugar factory in Kenya which was the first to be established in the country in 1927 by an Australian white settler farmer is currently closed. It went burst in 2001 and was placed under the joint official protective official receivership together with the Muhoroni Sugar MILLS by the government which is the sole shareholder.

The goons acting at the behest of their invisible hirer masters insisting that there should be no visit to the facility before it was advertised for privatization and were adamant not to allow any such visit. They also threatened to burn down the vehicles that conveyed the investors to the facility unless the owners made a quick about-turn.

Businessmen intending to make their bid for Miwani Sugar Mills are said to be very much scared after getting the information about the expected cut-throat competition involving the hiring of criminal thugs. \they have expressed the fear that unless the government moves much faster with speed and advertise when it plan to off-load its shares as all the five public owned sugar factories in Western Kenya the possibility of the exercise being sabotaged by the interested parties cannot be ruled out.

All the previous attempt to have Miwani sold to private entrepreneurs have always hit the snag. The attempts were followed with series of court cases filed on flimsy grounds deliberately to have the exercise time barred. When the cases were finally over and determined, some unnamed officials at the lands Ministry corruptly and deliberately withheld the facility’s land title deeds pre-empting the transactions.

The major source of all the commotions is the 10,000 hectares Miwani nucleus estate farm, which some wealthy cartel of RICH Indians tycoon based in Miwani and Kisumu have focused their attention and hell-bent grab through the hook or crook. These cartels of crooks have been putting all sorts of barriers on the path of Miwani Sugar Mll’s privatization, while its owner which is the government seemed to be toothless bull=dog on the issue.

The carcasses which erupted at the facility is the clear indication that something fishy is going on, which calls for the government action.

Ends

KENYA: VILLAGERS FLED IN DISSARAY AFTER THE POLICE VAN PULLED UP IN THE CRIME PRONE MARIWA

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

A large group of villagers fled in all direction following the unexpected arrival of a police men who were on a mission to investigate a non-related case of a murder suspect.

The incident occurred near Mariwa Market, Sakwa South Location, Awendo district within

Migori County. It happened when the villagers gathered in the homestead of one deceased person called Oyamo Doty who was lynched last week by a mob of motorbike boda boda riders who were in hot pursuit of a murder suspect.

It happened at the time when the villagers had converged in the deceased home to deliberate on funeral arrangement meeting to prepare or the burial of the deceased scheduled for next week.

The police van carrying the OCS at Awendo police Station to investigate the whereabouts of the suspected killer Dan Okoth Aero Ranyimbo who is linked with the recently mysterious killing of a boda boda rider, a Form Four student whom he had hired from Migori to take him to his home near Malunga primary School and whose decomposing body was a week later discovered in the thicket near Oyani Bridge on the main Awendo-Migori road.

The killing sparked off last week orgies of violence in which several houses in the home vilage of the suspect were set ablaze and torched into ashes. This is when the mob comprising of close to 200 boda boda motorbike riders from Migori invaded the home village of the suspect on a revenge mission to protest the death of their colleague. The suspect is reported to have smelled a rat and fled his home much earlier and went underground. This is after his dwelling house in Mgori town had been burnt down with all the household worth thousands of shillings.

After failing to locate the suspect the mob visited another home of his friend by the name oyamo Doty, who was reportedly feeling unwell and had gone to the nearby Mariwa Health Centre for medication When they caught up with Oyamo the mob dragged him out of the hospital beat up unconscious before tying his already buttered and weakened body on a motorbike and rode with him for nearly 20 kilometers to a place called Kanyuka where they killed him. The mob also beat up nurses and medics staff before they vented their angered at the villagers who had gathered near the health facility with the purpose of rescuing him. They left several villagers with injuries and event he police team which arrived at the scene from Awendo could not rescue him, but took to their heels and left the scene in huff.

When the police van pulled up, those in attendance took to their heels and fled in disarray and vanished into the nearby sugar cane plantations, only leaving the chairman of the funeral committee Babu Oloo alone.

The village elders together with the local administrative chief later converged in the suspect’s home and gave his family an ultimatum to produce the suspect, who is currently in hiding, to the police within the shortest possible period of time so that he could face the murder charge. Before the court of law.

Information emerging from Awendo, MIGORI AND Mariwa have hinted that the suspect Dan Okoth is hiding somewhere in Kisumu City where one of his wives is working as a nurse at one of the government hospitals.

The suspect’s wife who hails from Asembo in Rarieda has a house in one of the nurses quarters where the suspect killer is said to be hiding while trying to escape from the long arm of the law. His other wife who is also said to be a civil servant had their Migori in search of the suspect and will only stop after the culprit is apprehended by police to answer for his heinous crime.

The suspect is said to be a hard-core criminal and has always committed serious crimes, but always got away scots-free after his release is brokered by the deceased Oyamo Doti,

Ends

KENYA: MIGORI IMPENDING GOVERNOR’S BY-ELECTION MAY TAKE A NEW TURN

POLITICAL TEMPERATURE IN MIGORI COUNTY HAS RISEN UP AHEAD OF SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT.

News Analysis By leo Odera Omolo

NEWS EMERGING OUT OF Migori County indicating an area where political temperature has risen sharply following the recent Court of Appeal decision that saw the former governor Zachary Okoth Obado‘s election victory nullified and fresh polls ordered.

Governor Obado has, however, moved to and lodged an appeal with the supreme Court of Kenya challenging the appeal court’s Decision.

Indications are that the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment is likely to create dilemma for the ODM, which is arguably the dominant political party in the region. Going by the weekend utterances attributed to Migori Senator Wilfred Machage, sharp division and fallout between the two main communities sharing Migori County namely the Luos the majority and the Kurias the minority there in the impending tug-of-war as to who should be the running mate of an ODM candidate should the court throw out the case filed before it by Obado and order for fresh polls.

According to Senator Machage’s statement the 70,000 Kuria voters will settle on nothing less than one of their own being the running mate of an ODM candidate.

During the March 4, 2013 election ,Governor Obado had picked up a Mr Nyamhanga as his running mate on the PDP ticket. At the same time PROF. Edward Akongo’ Oyugi had picked Mrs Anne Omondho Anyanga from Nyatike as his running mate. The two had jointly petitioned the court against Obado’s election.

He has received unanimous support, and even all the The popular opinion in Migori is that Prof. Oyugi should be given direct ODM party nomination and should not be subjected to the primaries.

This suggestion that Prof Oyugi be exempted from primary has received unanimous support of the electorate. This suggestion has also backed by all the ODM MPs representing various constituencies within Migor county with the exception of one namely the rebellious Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno ,who has since declared that he had ditched the party and is currently in the process of forming another political party in the region to rival the ODM

Sources at the ORANGE House the Nairobi based headquarters of the ODM have confided to us that the decision to issue Prof. Oyugi with the direct party nomination is high on the card.

All the indications are clear that the PDP, the party on whose ticket Obado and Nyamuhanga had contested the governor’s election as running-mates and won has since then abandoned the CORD coalition and now an affiliate of the jubilee. PDP which is headed by the former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara was previously allied to the CORD coalition. And in the event of the fresh elections being called by the IEBC, the duo will have to look for another party’s ticket to contest the election.

The weekend remarks made by Senator Machage has earned him scathing criticism from the electorate and ODm leaders in Migori who have told the Senator to immediately desist from making parochial statements, which only made ODM leaders in the region and supporters to question his loyalty to the party.

Sen.Machage was given direct nomination in 2013 at the insistence of the ODm leader Raia Odinga, by all the standards had sacrificed the former Migiori ODM county branch chairman J.Magaiwa who was prevailed upon to stand down for Machageion the undersadig that this would persuade all the kuria voters to cast their votes for Raila Odinga in his presidential bid. The plan did not work and Magaiwawh had withdrawn his candidature for the Senate seat in anger moved to the URP, though he did not contest the election he used his political clout and influence to drum the Kuria support for the jubilee coalition of TNA/URP collation. Magaiwa’s efforts yielded the fruits that saw all the two parliamentary seats in Kuria East and Kuria West won by the URP/TA coalition. Raila Odinga the votes sharing arrangement and plan which had been brokered by Dalmas Otieno flopped and Raila Odinga garnered the least number of the presidential votes in the region where President Uhuru Kenyatta harvested the highest number of the 70,000 or so votes within the Kuria community.

Odm leaders this week warned Sen. Machage that stern disciplinary action might be considered by the party against him for tying to coerce ODM to nominate a non-member as its running mate ON ITS ticket.

“If Sen. Machage had any other party has something mind that would guarantee him a Kuria tribal running-mate for the governorship then he is free and within his democratic rights to quit ODM altogether with the Kuria voters and join that party, but he should not try to rock the boat from within.. There are well over 280,000 registered voters in Migori county and the 70,000 votes in Kuria region are like just a peanut and a small fraction in this cosmopolitan Senatorial electoral constituency and as such the ODM can still easily emerged the victorious with or with9ut Kuria votes ,said an ODM MP who requested for his anonymity.

MPs who are reportedly backing the direct nomination of Prof. Oyugi included the outspoken Mohamed Juneet [Suna East}, Eng Kobado {Uriri}. Joseph Ndiege [Suna West], Edick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike and Jared Koopiyo [Awendo}

In the March 4, 2013 election aspirants who vied for the senate on ODM ticket, but were prevailed upon to withdrew their candidature in favor Machage included J.Magaiwa, Ochieng’ Mbeo and Oluoch Kanindo. The trio reluctantly withdrew their bid after having deposited the colossal amount of money with the ODM head office.

ENDS

KENYA: POLITICAL POWER BROKERAGE IN KALENJIN REGIONS THE SOURCES OF DISCONTENT AND INSTABILITY

Political feature analysis By Leo Odera Omolo

POLITICAL power brokerage has always been the major cause of discomfort among members of the larger Kalenjin community ever since early 1960s

The practice got heightened during the early part of the reign of the retired president Daniel Arap Moi in early 1980s and immediately after the latter’ accession to power and in 1978 following the death of the founding president Jomo Kenyatta on August 22, 1978.

These political brokers become part of life particularly among the residents of the South and North Rift especially among the Kipsigis and Nandi sub – tribes.

It becomes the source of discontent and instability among the members of the most populous Kipsigis sub-tribe .This is the most populous sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups.

There was one time when emerged one by name of Isaak Kipkorir Salat a former junior clerk with one of the multinational tea companies operating in Kericho and Bomet Districts .

At first he become the brief case carrier of Moi when the latter was serving in the post – independence cabinet as the vice President and minister for Home affairs another person to emerge as the political power broker during Moi’s time was the former Belgut MP Ayub Chepkwony who happens to be related to Moi by marriage – After Chepkwony then emerged another political broker in the region in the name of Prof. Jonathan Ngulalu Arap Ng’eno while during the same period of time in the North Rift emerge one Mark Kiotarbei Arap Too in Uasin Gishu and Nan district In the same region also emerged the former soldier Ezekiel Bargetuny as another powerful political broker also in Nandi and Uasin Gishu regions

Anyone who rubbed shoulder the wrong way with these gentlemen was in for big trouble .The four had entrenched themselves in the Moi KANU regime and were the one calling shots in almost every political issue affecting the Kipsigis and the Nandi communities

One memorable act committed by Salat was when the Moi regime had envisaged a multimillion shilling plan to have the LondieniKikellion, Muhoroni and Kisumu road termacked . The road if constructed could have cut down the Kisumu-Nairobi by distant nearly close to 40 kilometers short.

The project was designed to branch off at Londiani junction on the main Nakuru- Kericho road at Londiani and traverse through this agricultural region through Kipkelion Railway station, Chulwa , Kenya all, Fort –Tennan , Koru Muhoroni and to link up with Kericho – Kisumu road at Awasi.

Acting at the behest of Kericho town wealthy Indian traders Salat publicly advised President Moi in a public address that the road was not viable and would be a waste of money because the road project would only benefit the Luos of Nyanza who were in opposition to the KANU government.

The project was abandoned and never saw the light of the day.Salat won Bomet parliamentary seat in the 1974 general elections and was appointed by Moi to be an Assistant Minister in the office of the President.

In the 1979 Moi called for snap elections .This time around salat and Prof Ngeno had decided that early , Kipsigis nationalist Dr Taaitta Araap Toweett who had featured prominently during the struggle for independence must vacatehis Buret parliamentary seat and go home. Dr. Arap Toweett who was then the Minister for Education, and perhaps the best Education Minister Kenya has ever had must go Toweet twas then the KANU MP for Ruret.

Moi went to Kapkatet an area which is the heart-beat of the Kipsigis politics and to surprise and shock of the mammoth crowd made an announcement that it was time for Taweett to rest or to vacate the Buret Seat and pave the way for a new blood .Moi told Dr. Tawett in his face to have a rest Inspire of the loud murmuring of disapproval by the huge crowd in attendance at the rally.Moi went and stood his ground. Toweett who looked shocked and disappointed reluctantly accepted the verdict and went home and quietly went home a disappointed man.

Prof Ngeno who was by then working for the Nakuru Millers a company asociated with Moi got the KANU ticket and was elected the new Buret MP and consequently appointed the new Education Minster in place of Dr. Towett though he performed dismally and was later relegated to the Housing Ministry

However, Prof Ngeno did not last longer in the seat. In the response to the protest of the elected as the treatment meted out on Toweet Moi later half heatedly made him a nominated MP. It is indeed imperative to remember that Moi and Toweett were age-mates, and there was no way theother became tired while the latter was still going strong snd serving as the head of state. Therefore Moi’s reasoning for the removal of Toweett from his job was irrelevant in this case.

Ngeno was himself in 1983 kicked out of the Parliament and in his place came the farmer Kapsabet Resident Magistrate. Timothy Arap Mibe an ex school teacher t Getarwet primary School who was later trained as a lawyer at the Dar Es Salaam University. At the time around Salat was gradually phased out and then emerged Ayut Chepkurony the Belgut MP who was made an Assistant Minister for Housing. Chepkwony was related to Moi by marriage .He was the husband of the younger sister to Mrs Lena Moi

Meanwhile Mibei who served in the cabinet briefly as the Minister for Works was hounded out of the Buret seat paving the way for for the return of Prof Ngeno in who later represented the constituency until in 1992 when he was he was beaten hands down by the former Tengecha High school’s principal Paul Arap Sang (Chamian Buch)

It was during the late 1997 when Donald Kepkamoe Arap Kones emerged as the most powerful politician and a power broker in Kipsigis and after winning the Bomet parliamentary seat and Kones was appointed by Moi as the minister of state in the office of the president.

Kones emergence saw Ayub hepkw being phased out. Kones and Moi parted the compnay and this gave the way for the return of Ngeno his cousins. Both Kones and Prof Ngeno were member of the Kapecherek sub-clan meaning the people with mixed of Kalenjin – Kisi blood.

As for now a Kericho Senatr Charles KETER who is a political associate DP William Ruto HAS Emerged as NEW power broker in Kipsigis land to the chagrins of the elected leaders of Kericho and Bomet Counties.Keter’ is allegedly openly displaying his dislike and hatred of the two governors, namely isaak Ruto of Bomet and Prof. Paul Chepkwony.

Like the late Kones who with others who were reported to have financed and fed the now infamous Kalenjin Warriors of the 1992-1997 launched simultaneous armed attack against the Luos, Kisiis and Luhyias because these communities were in opposition to the Nyayo KANU regime of Moi. Keter recently faced scathing criticism from the Nyakah MP Aduma Owuor who linked him to the recent out break of tribal skirmishes between theLuos and the Kipsigis along the Kericho-Nyakach borders. Which left six uos dead and close to 50 houses set ablaze destroying property worth millions of shillings.

THe Kericho Senator, however, has yet to come out with the convincing reasons of innocence to the problem,and has only rudely challenged the Nyach MP to make his allegations in report to the police.

POLITICAL RIPPLES IN THE REGION

Other known power broker had a group her during Moi’s 24 years president included Mark Mark Kiptarbei Arap Too Ezekiel Bargetuny also in Nandi and Hosea Kiplagat in Baringo,Nicholas Kiprono Kipyator Biwott who was acting as the principal political strategist of all the time during Mois 24 years presidency and was credited of all and was credited to have been the highly educated power broker in rule the North Rift where other were semi literate outfit.

ENDs

KENYA: BRITISH MULTI-NATIONAL TEA COMPANIES HAVE DONE WELL BY PHASING OUT EXPATRIATE MANAGERS AND REPLACING THEM WITH LOCAL AFRICANS.

Industrial feature By Leo Odera Omolo

It is indeed encouraging that the government of Kenya welcomes and encourage both foreign and local investors wiling to invest their money in the agro – based and manufacturing sectors, therefore the time is ripe for the government to set up certain conditions which must be met by the investors willing to invest their money in this country. The time is ripe for the government to set up certain conditions and terms conducive to employment regulations and rules before their investments kick off.

As for now, the multinational Tea companies operating in Kericho and Nandi Hills regions are the ones which have set up good examples by way of making sure that senior management positions are in the hands highly skilled and semi skilled in indigenous Kenya Africans.

The British multinational tea manufacturing companies, like the uniliver (formerly Brooke Band Tea) in Kericho, and the Finlays tea and Flowers in Kericho, and the Finlays tea and Flowers, also operating in Kericho and bomet counties have engaged the highly trained local personnel . The two terms even have promoted to high and middle management positions, some of them trained on-the-jobs.

The same could be said of Eastern Province tea company which own chains of tea plantations and processing factories in Nandi Hills, Kericho and Sotik Highland and Kibabet tea companies in Sotik region of Kericho county.

In most of the above multinational tea companies nearly all the top managers, engineers, doctors, Chief Accountants, Financial Directors positions, are held by indigenous Africans with the exception of the positions involving foreigners who are specilaized on highly technical work.

These British multinational tea Multinational companies had introduced a crush training program immediately after Kenya attained political independence in 1963. They embarked in phasing out foreign expatriate managers, technician artisans. The two expatriate who stayed on their jobs were compelled to train Africans to understudy the expatriate previously employed on lucrative and plum jobs and replaced Them with the local personnel.

What is happening in the tea industry is reflecting the true picture of job creation in a country like kenya where unemployment situation has reached as alarming proportion. It has at large become the source of rising crime waves. The government policy on job creation and employment regulation in Kenya not exceptional. This is something which is happening every where on the globe.

Certain conditions must be set up for the purpose of scrutinizing rogue investors who discriminate and enslave the locals in their establishment.

In this context, I am referring to the pathetic employment conditions in the sugar mills especially where he investors use local African workers like slaves, petty casuals without approximant letters and term and conditions of services etc.

I have in mind the five sugar companies owned by Indian investors.

To be specific and more clear ,the sugar companies owned by Indians include West Kenya and Butali sugar companies which are based in kakamega county ,while Sukari industries is located in Homa – Bay County , Kibos sugar and Allied industries based in Kisumu county and the latest is the Trans – mara sugar company based in Narok County Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries is situated in Kisumu County with the latest and the newest sugar mill being the Trans-Mara sugar Company in NAROK county

In all the five sugar mills the investors have embarked in engaging foreign expatriate workers with impunity. The Investors in the sugar mills have engaged the largest number of expatriates workers to the chagrins of locals. These expatriate workers, most of them imported from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, are semi-illiterate. Expatriate workers from India. Pakistan and Bangladesh are the ones who are running petty jobs such as time-keeper, junior clerks, cane yard clerks and top jobs from the top and down to messenger and … even cooks for making Indian dishes for the top Indian top managers

The whole set up looked like the modern day apartheid racial segregation in an independent Kenya .some of the positions held by the expartriates involved simple clerical jobs which the forum four school learners cam even perform better than semi-literate expatriates.

African workers are kept in the periphery. While working only as subordinate and manual workers, but with no letter of appointment. In the case of those local comparison to what their expatriate counterparts earns, some of the mills produced negligible tons of sugar per day but have employed close to 200 expatriates compare with the Mumias ugar company which turns the highest amounts of sugar per day, is the highest in the country, at 96000 tons per day . But the mill is managed exclusively and efficiently by the local African Manager from the top to the down trodden office messengers and sweepers

Since the terms of its former contracted management of Booker Agricultural international expired two decades ago and the expatriate left the have turned the company around from the the profit losses to a vibrant facility that is a profit making it rather shameful for Kenya, a country which has been independent for 50 years and has trained and truned out thousands of highly skilled personnel, to make the dumping for illiterate and oldest Indian workers who cannot be employed even in their own country .These undesirable Indian expatriate workers have flooded our sugar sub sector of the economy.

The majority of Indian expatriate workers were told they cannot be subjected to the mandatory safety deduction such as NSSF al NHIF as are allowed to export their package back home to their families .Why should the key a government allow the kind of modern day slavery where in citizens are being subjected to discrimination on few opportunities that are available.

END.

KENYA: YATIKE LEADERS ANGERED BY ATTACK ON THEIR MP

From: LEO ODERA

NYATIKE LEADERS WARNS MIGORI GOVERNOR TO DESIST FROM POLITICS OF MALICE.

A CROSS section of ODM leaders in Nyatike constituency, Migori County have come out very strongly in defense of the area MP Edick Omondi Anyanga and advised the MIGORI GOVERNOR Zachary Okoth Obado to desist forthwith from pursuing destructive and retrogressive politics of malice..

Instead of pursuing the outmoded malicious politics of using hired power brokers and discredited political hirelings to discredit other elected leaders, the governor should fulfill his mandate of initiating more development which are beneficial to the residents of the region.

The group comprising of three leaders from Nyatike were reacting to an article which appeared this week in a section of media criticizing the MP on what they described as far-fetched uncalled for and unwarranted attacks.

In the article, according to the group purporting it to have been written by Natike professionals, they charged the work is by an individual masquerading as professional, but is instead a common Nairobi street broker who is Eric Oloo Kinyaga whom they accused of peddling rumor and writing slanderers articles against their hard-working MP.

The group identified the man as one of numerous power brokers and political hireling who has never visited his rural Nyatike in Kanyuor Kadem for long after getting embroiled in protracted land cases with his kinsmen. He is therefore not conversant with the goings in Nyatike.

Kinyaga is running an insurance brokerage firm which almost has gone burst and as such is not qualified to criticize their hard-working MP. The group comprised William Okello {Macalder},. Tobias Ocholla, Joakim Okoth {Got Kachola },Tobia Ocholla {North Kadem} and madam Zilpa Orwa [Karungu Kachieng’}

Speaking in Migori Town the group expressed their anger at what they described as mischievous attack against their MP which is devoid of even an iota of truth. They cited numerous projects initiated by the MP such as rural electrification, the installation of solar panels now providing street lights to all schools, trading centres, and other public institutions covering the entire constituency.

They advised Migori governor, whom they accused of having sponsoired the destructive and maliciously damaging article against their MP, that Ho.Edick Omnondi Anyanga is not interested in taking over the position of governor and was satisfied with what the public had bestowed on him.

During March 4, 2013, it was Mrs Anyanga and Pro. Edward Oyugi Akong’o who contested the governor position against governor Obado and not the who has so far expressed his wish to continue representing his Nyatike constituents and only to retire as an MP when the time comes.

The group told governor Obado to come out clean over the allegations of nepotism in the recruitment of County workers the allegation of massive corruption including taking of kick-backs from those contractors who have tendered to construct various projects including medical theatre at Awendo sub-district hospital and MTC.”He should clean his house first before embarking on hiring other people to make unfounded allegations against the MP,” they said.

Unconfirmed Rumors making the round in Migori and its environs says governor Obado has employed his brother, sister in-law and brother in-law in the services of Migori County. and to the chagrins of the electorate and these are some of the job seekers are being asked. “This are some of the vices which the governor should spare his energy and efforts in fighting,” they said.

Other rumors and speculation which are rampant in Migori is that governor Obado who was elected on a ticket of the PDP party of the former South Mugirango MP Oming

The Migori governor is also being accused for not being cohesive wit his fellow elected leaders and is working in isolation. The region is the ODM stronghold and unless he changed jhis tactics and humble himself to the dominant party he should count himself out of political leadership come the next elections.

Ends

Kenya: LUO ELDERS PLEDGED THEIR SUPPORT TO PRESIDENT KENAYYATTA

LUO ELDERS WANT KENYATTA AND RUTO TO VISIT NYANZA.

Reports leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu CITY

Members of the Luo Council of Elders held an urgent meeting in kisumu city on Monday and passed several far-reaching resolutions, one of them urging president Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to visit Luo-Nyanza in the near future at their on convenience time.

The meeting chaired by Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo and attended by 30 elders from all the four Counties within Luo-Nyyanza was held at the Museum view hotel within the posh milimani estate within in Kisumu CITY also urged the community to re-brand itself and avoid the politics of confrontation with the government og the day in order to foster fast development in the region.

This was the meeting of the management steering committee of the Council. It will be followed by another meeting of the governing council scheduled to be held at the Ofafa Memorial Hall at a later date net month.

The elders issued a stern warning to the youthful members of parliament from Luo-Nyanza most of them the so-called “Green Horns” to humble themselves to the government of President Kenyatta and to stop issuing reckless utterances, which are viewed as hostile to the government in order to attract development in the region.

The elders also called upon the government to use all the means at its disposal to fight the up surging insecurity situation .They expressed concern particularly on the deteriorating security along Nyakach-Kericho border by apprehending those instigating trouble in the area.

Flanked by the Council’s secretary Mzee Edward Adera Osawa the elders said the would like President Kenyatta and DP Ruto to extend their tour of Nyanza to cover all the 20 parliamentary constituencies in the region, and to visit all the Counties of Siaya, Kisumu, Homa-Bay and Migori and meet the people.

The meeting urged the government to ensure equitable distributions of the national cake so that all the Kenyan communities could benefit from the country\s recourses irrespective of the party of affiliation.

Party of the affiliation

The elders called upon the two communities living along the Rift Valley-Nyanza Provinces, namely the Kipsigis and the Luos to live in peace and harmony, and to abandon retrogressive practices such as cattle rustling, which caused the losses of lives.

The elders reaffirmed their loyalty to President Kenyatta and his Deputy Ruto and disclosed that the next meeting will hammer out the contentious plans for the members of the Luo Cuncil of elders to visit state house in to discuss political and socio-economic development matters in Luo-Nyanza.

Another resolution asked the government to do everything at its disposal to stop the illegal importation of sugar in to the country saying that the practice is hurting sugar millers in Nyanza, some of them are just about to halt their operations and send thousands of workers home.The situation is getting out of hand and the President should use his political magnanimity dynamism to restore sanity in the sugar industry.

ENDS

KENYA: THE DAY WHEN TAITA ARAP TOWETT TOLD HIS KIPSIGIS PEOPLE WHO WERE DEMANDING FOR FREE LAND TO GO TO SAHARA DESERT.

Poliical historical feature By Leo Odera Omolo.

It was sometime on a date in June 1961, and while serving in the brief KANU/KADU coalition government as the Minister for Lands Settlement and Housing, the deminutive Kipsigis pioneer politician Taaita Araap toweett bravely told a huge crowd during a political rally in Kericho that those who wanted land for free should as well go to the Sahara Desert where there was plenty of land for free.

The rally was held at Sosiot trading centre in Belgut, Kericho district. The tough talking Toweett whose Kalenjin Political Alliance party was affiliated to KADU had just won a bruising election battle during the snap elections called by the then governor of Kenya Sir Patrick muir renson on a KADU ticket poling the largest number of votes, 58,796 a record which for years remained never to be to-date by any other Kenyan politician.

It is believed that only Ngengi Muigai had garnered the highest number of votes and came close to the equal one received by TOWETT IN 1961. Muigai polled 48,000n when he contested he Gatundu South constituency in 1972 Gatundu South constituency on a KANU ticket

Toweett contested the election against two challengers, one Mister Mister Arap Korir of KANU and A Former chief Inspector of Police Tamason Barmalel, a Nandi man who had migrated from his native Nandi and settled I Chepalungu This was a straight contest between KANU and KADU

Toweett first one a seat in the Colonial and white settlers dominated legislative Council in 1958 under what was then known as Lenoxboyd Plan which gave the African population six additional seats in the Legco bringing the number to 14. This was in addition to the first eight African members who were voted in in march 1957. Toweett had won the Southern electoral, which covered some parts of Kericho, trans-Mara and Kericho.

The famous pronouncement by Toweett came at the time when the densely populated members of the Kipsigis community were clamoring for additional land and pestering the colonial authorities to open up the white highland, which was exclusively forth white settlers at the time.

Other Legco members who were elected together with Toweett in 1958 included David Ngati Mumom [Ukambani], Justus Kondit Ole Tipis, {Central Rift], J.J. Nyagah {Embu}, Francis Joseph Khamisi] and Dr. Julius Gikonyo Kiano {Central]. {Mombasa]

Toweett’s answer to the anxious crowd sparked off a lot of murmuring among the ing for it can at a later stagas the time goes be kicked out of the same land plot by any powerful neighbor who can grab it forcefully but the one who had paid adequately for his land is the one could be sure of owning his property permmnently. The Sosiot rally almost broke up in chaos amid protest by the huge crowd..

However, it was later transpired that the majority of the kipsigis people well received Toweet message. They formed land buying companies. Other moved in families and bought land in many settlement schemes which were launched by the post-independent government headed by the founding President Jomo Kenyatta. The community also responded well to President Kenyatta’s famous call of “Back to the Land’.

Many members of this community, a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group moved and purchased land previously owned by white settlers in Sotik, Rongai, Subukia, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin-Gishu, Nakuru, Molo, Elburgon, Londiani, Fort-Tennan, Koru and other places. Members of the Kipsigis can now be found in far fields like Laikipia, Nyahururu, Naromoru, Gilgil and Elmentaita and Cheranganyi where they have since prospered and became excessively wealthy following their acquisition of large scale farms in the “White Highland’.

During the same period of time Jaramogi Ogings Odinga, who was then repr5esenting the largest electoral constituency of Central Nyanza was telling his Luos that once independence comes, the land will be for free, and that luo herdsmen could go and graze their herds of cattle as far as Eldoret Molo, Kipkarren and other white settlers area without any problem.

Odinga instead of encouraging the Luos to spread their wing and acquire the kland in other farming regions and settlement scheme launched the infamous “Cham-Gi-Wadu”n a scientific socialistic slogan loosely translated that one must eat his your neighbor

And when the government finally opened new settlement schemes in Muhoroni, Koru, Songhor, Chemelil and other parts of Nyanza, the Luos were reluctant to buy land and settled in those schemes. The few who braved the taboo and defied traditional culture and bought land in the schemes, quickly abandoned their newly acquired farms and moved back to their ancestral land in the rural locations inside Luo-Nyanza. Those who persevered later abandoned the land and left their land laying fallow, though the few who Luos who took farming seriously and engaged in sugar cane farming have since prospered, although Odinga himself became a large scale farmer Songhor in Tinderet Nandi and in Miwani where the family now owns a large track of land and growing sugar cane. But the poverty index in the region still remains the highest.

In this context Toweett who died a few years ago in a motor vehicle accident did not fear losing his political popularity, but had told his people nothing but the truth the truth without fearing paying the political prices of losing their support.

Ends.

KENYA: SENATOR’S NEWLY ACQUIRED CHOPER CAUSES POLITICAL RIPPLES IN KERICHO.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho town

DISCONTENT is high in Kericho County after the word went around that the area Senator Charles Keter has acquired a brand new Helicopter at a staggering price of Kshs 90 million to the chagrins of the electorate who feels that the colossal amount of money spent on this machine could have been put to proper utilization towards socio-economic projects in the region.

Those interviewed were of the opinion that the County is too small and has all – weather roads, therefore a helecopter not an urgent need for the Senator .They further termed the acquisition of the Choper by the Senator as an act of excessive arrogance.

Among those who raised vehement opposition to the frequent use of the Choper by the Senator as a waste of resources is a Kipkellion politician Pastor Hezron Cheruiyot who said that owning a Choper by an elected representative of the people is not be the priority and yet thousands of Kericho electorates are currently wallowing in abject poverty due to skyrocketing prices of the basic commodities.

The acquisition of the new Choper by the Kericho Senator is viewed local as an act of mischief.

Senator Keter who is known as a spanner-boy for the Deputy President William to is also being accused of using his closeness to the DP to intimidate other elected leaders in the two Counties of Kericho and Bomet. He is roaming the full length and width of the two regions on mischief missions mean to undercut and undermine the two county governors Prof.Paul Chepkwony { Kericho} and Isaack Ruto {Bomet}.

Another Kericho politician who requested for his anonymity said a drunkard MCA representing a wqar in Belgut recently publicly disclosed that he had been paid cash money to the tune of Kshs 40,000 and advised by unnamed politician to use the cash to undermine the Kericho governor by way of moving a motion in the assembly for a vote of no confidence in the governor. He alleged that the excessively drunk MCA displayed the bundled of currency note in a public joint.

Senator Keter attended a Harambee fundraising meeting at Chamagosu in Ainamoi constituency, Kericho County two weeks ago and disclosed the gathering of how he had attended the DP function in Nyeri in the morning of the very day, and in the midday he was in Eldoret with the DP William Ruto where they jointly deliberated in ASK meeting before he flew on to Kericho for the Harambee date.

Those who attendedthe fund raising meeting, which was forthepurpose of raisingmoney for medical treatment of a ailing young man estimated the cost of the Choper flight covering Nyteri, Eldoret and Kericho to be approximately in the region of Kshs 200,000in one day and saw the exercise as a waste of resources. As long as we love our Senator, we feel he should change tact and be coercive and work in unity and harmony with other elected leaders in the the region in the real task of nation building in general and development of Kericho County in particular. He should stop the bad habit of working in isolation as a lone ranger,” commented another Kericho MCA.

One local Kericho politician recalled the old days of power brokers” during the Moi era, which saw when the late Isaack Salat used his close connection to the power that be and polarized the region undercutting and undermining almost every elected leader. The same kind of power brokerage politics was witnessed during the reign of the late Ayub Chepkwony.

The question as to who should be the spokesman of the Kipsigis people; all agreed unanimously that the Kuresoi MP Zakayo K.Cheruiyot deserve that position considering his experience in the public service as one time Permanent Secretary in-charge of internal Security and Provincial Administration and as an MP. Cheruiyot is also considered san achiever, who created Bureti district and singled handedly built the district headquarter a magnificent building standing outside Litein town and accommodating all district heads of department. He has also established the most ultra modern Valley College in Litein.

However, the community only recognized the two County governors Isaack Ruto {Bomet} and Prof.Chepkwony of Kericho as the joint official spokesmen o the Kipsigis people.

The Kipsigis is the most populous sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups. This community occupied the fertile highland region of Kericho and Bomet where green tea bushes is grown in abundance making its members to be relatively wealthier than their cousins in the North rift.

The two regions also boosted the best brains among the other Kalenjin sub-tribes with a large number of technocrat’s ad professionals. The previous regime of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi stands blamed for having marginalized the community by using its members at convenience time and dumped them in preference to numerous power brokers.

In the 2007 general election members of the community gave Raila Odinga and the ODM close to 1.3 million votes. It was almost a man-to-man. However, when the ODM supreme formed a coalition government of PNU/ODM Raila appointed three cabinet Ministers from the minority Nandis wh0s3d=combined voting strength was about 400,000 voters as opposed to 1.3 votes, which the party harvested in the Kipsigisland . Many Kipsigis people also lived in diaspora and they voted for the ODM wherever they were at the time.

Raila dished only one cabinet position to the kisigis when he appointed the late Kuipkalia Kone the Bomet MP as the Minister for Roads with the late Ms. Lorna Laboso asan Assistat Minster for Home Affairs in the Office of the Vice President. The community felt it had been shortchanged and ditched ODM en mess. The mass sacking of Kiopsigis people who had served in the senior position during the Moi era by the PNU/ODM coalition was anther contentious issue which contributed to the community parting company with Raila. The other issue which contributed greatly to Raila burning his finger ws the mass eviction of the Kalenjin illegal squatas from the Mau Forest.

ENDS

KENYA: CAN GOVERNMENT REMOVE INDIAN EXPATRIATE WORKERS IN THE SUGAR FACTORIES

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

CAMPAIGNING for his second term re-election in 2007 the retired president Mwai Kibaki made a pledge that his PNU government would create 500,000 jobs for youth and school leavers annually.

Indeed several half a dozen of newly established industries sprung up during the period of 2007-2013 giving Kenyans the hope for more employment opportunities.

Five new sugar mills were established during the period under review with an opening up of close to 1500 employment opportunity for Kenyans. This was in the agricultural sector where new five sugar factories were established and commissioned to be begin their production operation.

These factories included Sukari Industries in Ndhiwa, Homa-Bay Count, Trans-Mara Sugar Company Limited in Trans-Mara, Narok County, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries limited based at Kibos near Kisumu City, West Kenya Sugar Com0-any and Butali SugarCompany both located near Kakamega town in Kakamega County. The sixth sugar mill is the relatively much smaller Soin Sugar Works , which is located in Ainamoi constituency within Kericho County.

Most of the investors in all these facilities were locally based entrepreneurs and Indians from India.

However, the dream of many Kenya technocrats of securing jobs in these new sugar mills were dashed, when the investors arms-twisted the PNU/ODM coalition government headed by two principals in the name of President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and made sure that they imported their Indian kith and kins from India ,Pakisan and Bangladesh for all senior managerial positions.

Strange things happened. The very government which issued hundreds of work permits to hundred of expatriate workers in the new facilities, leaving Kenyans with nothing to be proud of.

The most shocking thing, however, is the categories of imported expatriate workers. Most of them are said to be semi-illiterate consisting of motor vehicle and electrical mechanics, store-keepers, account clerks, time keepers, cane yard clerks, cashiers, salesmen, warehouse clerks, messengers and the like.

The existing laws and regulations governing the employment of expatriates in Kenya were flagrantly ignored. The existing law says that expatriates may be engaged to fill up a vacancy on jobs categories where a local indignant Kenyan African is not available to take up the position.

The man who was at the helm at the Ministry Immigration and registration of Persons in the coalition government was none, but Raila Odinga right hand man Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who is currently the Senator for Homa-Bay County.

Expatriate workers, from Indian, were issued with work permits through the back door and within five years they flooded the five sugar factories. In one factory, the proprietors even imported a Cooke specialized in Indian dishes to be In hand to prepare the meals for their expatriate foreign Indian managers and other Indian workers.

This is a very said situation taking into account that after 50 years of independence, Kenya has trained and turned out thousands of technocrats, artisans and so many skilled workers in excess of its industrial output. These highly skilled personnel are jobless while many unqualified foreign workers sits on plum jobs in their doorsteps

A survey recently carried out by this writer revealed that more than 60 Indian are working at the West Kenya Sugar Company, 47 Indians are engaged at the Butali Sugar mill .The two mills are located in Kakamega County. 49 Indians are engaged In KibosSugar and Allied Induaatries ,which is located at Kibos near Kisumu City, 50 are working at the Sukari Industries in Ndhiwa, Homa-Bay County while 45 are engaged on jobs at the Trans=Mara Sugar Company in Narok County.

These expatriates are earning between Kshs 40,000 and 85,000 per month and do repatriates their salaries back home to their families without being subjected to mandatory deductions such as NSSF and NHIF.

All these anomalies happens while the outspoken Secretary General of the COTU{K} Francis Atwoli, who is also the General Secretary of the Kenya Plantations and Agricultural Workers Union is keeping a total mum. Also silent is the Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation Workers Francis Wagara.

The few lucky African who got top jobs such as supervisors, clerks and in most cases Human Resources Managers, their salaries are so discriminative in comparison with the salaries earned by expatriates. The highest paid African only take home between Kshs 6,000 and 25,000 per month. And in most cases their employment is treated as casuals without any letter of appointments. Some of the expatriate workers are too old and arguably pensioners in their home of origins.

In this context the Kenya government is silent while its citizens are being discriminated on a few jobs which are available and being enslaved in their own motherland with their elected government is keeping mum. And at the same time speaking loudly about its plans to attract foreign investment with the purpose of jobs creation, and yet it cannot give the direct to the existing firms of foreign investors, Who are flagrantly and defiantly contravening the labor laws of the country?

Do we really need clerks, mechanics, fitters, welders, plumbers cookes, account clerks, cane yard clerks and time-keepers from India?

The government should send a team of experts to the five Indian owned sugar mills to carry out a thorough surgery and jobs evaluation so as to ascertain if the hundreds of foreign expatriate workers are necessarily required.

Ends

KENYA: CALM HAS RETURNED ALONG KERICHO-NYAKACH BORDER AFTER ETHNIC SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE LUOS AND KIPSIGIS.

Writes leo Odera Omolo .

RELATIVE calm has returned along the volatile Kericho-Nyakach after three days of ethnic clashes, which left six people dead and scores sustained serious bodily injuries and close to 60 dwelling houses torched with household worth thousands of shillings destroyed.

The peace only returned after the government had dispatched a contingent of the crack paramilitary police unit, the General Service unit [GSU} who have joined other security personnel in patrolling the tension parked border areas separating the two communities in Nyanza and Rift Valley Provinces.

This came about only after Nyakach uutspoken MP Aduma owuor had fired the first salvo s and pointed an accusing finger at an unnamed senior politician from Eldoret North who he alleged is responsible for inciting tribal animosity in the area.

The MP at the same time issued a threat that he would be contacting and consulting the prosecutors at the Hague based International Court of Criminal Justice {ICC} asking it to explore the possibility of instituting fresh investigations on the violation of human rights against his constituents with the possibility of opening up fresh prosecution against the perpetrators of violence against his people

Other sources linked a Senator in the Rift Valley and a Ward Representative from Sigowet area in Kericho West sub-county of fueling ethnic clashes. The MP further alleged that the attackers were being ferried into the border by lorries and Matatus hired by the politicians who areas allegedly sending them fresh supplies of food , mainly loaves or breads and bottled mineral waters, which the criminal thugs have been seen enjoying in their hideout bushes in remote areas where there are no nearby shops.

Nyakach MP recalled that the Kipsigis and Luos have lived together harmoniously from the time memorable years and have always enjoyed peaceful co-existence while involved in batter trades across the common borders.

The Provincial administration who included the County Commissioners in Kerich West and Nhakach have also played the pivotal role in calming down the situation by way of holding joint peace meetings.

Their works were supplemented by a visit by Sigowet MP Justice Kemei who together with Justice Kemei who together with the Kericho Senator Charles Keter flew into the area and addressed a meeting at Kipsitet Market and urged the warring communities in give peace a chance and find ways of solving their problems amicably instead of engaging in combative attack against their neighbors. The flare ups which have so far left six people dead began last Friday night and continued on Saturday and Sunday. The attack covered several villages on the Nyakach side, which included Ngege in Koguta Eas. Onyuongo, Holo, Asao and Cherwa in Agoro area as well as Kandaria areas. Those interviewed said the attackers came in waves of dozens armed with arrows, bows, machetes, swords and spears. They are usually come around in the wee hours of the night and then retreated back to the Kericho West side at dawn.

The victims were puzzled and mesmerized and could not tell exactly what was the cause of the problems. The police Commandant in Nyakach district Ng’etich suspected the politician son both side of the common border for having incited their people into fighting each other, and wondered why some politicians have been holding separate meetings at this time when they need to have joint meetings and talk to the protagonists in a joint effort to end the conflict.

The volatile Nyaka-Kericho border has always been prone to incessant cattle at rustling, which some times ends up in the loss of lives

The two communities, Luos and Kalenjin went into full scale tribal war during the politically motivated Kalenjin Warriors attack in 1992, and in 1996/1997. Thus was durng the clamour for the multiparty politics as opposed to the hitherto monolithic one party system which was favored by the KANU regime under the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. THhe Kalenjin warriors launched spontaneous attacks against Luhiya, Kisiis and Luos in all fronts. Mainly these are the communities which were perceive to be in the opposition against the Moi regime.

ENDS

FIVE PEOPLE DIE IN FRESH TRIBAL CLASHES IN WESTERN KENYA.

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Sondu TOWN.

Five people are believed to have died following three days of fresh ethnic flare up along the boundaries of Nyanza and Rift Valley Provinces in Western Kenya.

Tension has remained high for the last two weeks when youth from the Kipsigis community in Keriho West district crossed the border and launched what appeared a well coordinated, but surprise attacks against several villages on the Luo side of the border and torched several dwelling houses and property on unknown values.

The latest skirmishes began last Friday night when unknown men believed to be the Kipsigis youth attacked Peter Okango at Ngege village in Koguta East and hacked him to death using machetes.

The two communities shared the common borders between Kericho and Nyakach districts. Cattle rustling has been so rampant along the common borders separating the the Kalenjin and the Luos.

On Saturday morning at about 9 AM. close to 100 youth armed with crude weapons grouped along the main Kisumu – Kisii road and launched fresh attack on villages located in Kndaria and Jimo east and speared one man to death. The sparked off what looked like the retaliatory attack by Luo youth from Nyakach. The police moved in and disposed the two hostile crowds of combatants standing on both sides of the road while facing each other.

The presence of the armed youth on both sides of the road had caused the blockade of the main road and no vehicles were allowed to pass from either side during the best part of Saturday morning. Motorists driving on this route were forced to use alternative routes.

Nyakach District Commissioner Chaybgy Mwachaung visited the scene and urged the combatant to disperse and maintain peace. The police ordered the youth back to their side of the border, but not very long the combatants were seen to have re-grouped immediately the police left the scene.

Residents of Nyakach, however, have blamed the police for doing nothing and incapable of quelling the riotous youth. They said the police appeared to be biased on Luos while appeared to be protecting the aggressive Kalenjin youth. The Inspector General of the police Kimayio I a Kalenjiin and so is the Deputy President William Ruto is also a Kalenjin.

The latest flared up only came three days after security teams from both side had held an inter-counties meeting to discus the situation and find the lasting peaceful solution.

The residents of Nyakach further alleged that an innocent and a non-combatant man was killed in Jimo East in the presence of heavily armed police officers who did not act and appeared to be biased in favour of the Kalenjin yourh.

Two months ago, unknown assailants killed the parents of Nyaka M Aduma Owuor and burnt the family house. The region is prone to crimes waves which are mostly aggravated by cattle rustling. The Nyakach residents have called for the immediate deployment of the Crack para-military police unit, the General Services Unit {GSU}[commonly called Majohnie to protect the lives and property by mopping up all the criminal’s hideouts on both sides of the border.

ENDS

KENYA: KISUMU JOURNALIST WAS CARJACKED TORTURED AND ROBBED

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

A Kisumu based investigative freelance journalist last week carjacked robbed, robbed of mobile phones and money before being abandoned in a disused Murom quarry, which is located four kilometers outside the City’s outskirts.

Shem Kosse who is a regular contributor to the popular WEEKLY CITIZEN, while in the company of a friend who is a prominent businessman in the town had a very pleasant evening. They had taken few bottles of beers at the famous hotel’s restraint where they also enjoyed an evening meals of the delicious tilapia fish.

The two left Lakeview hotel at about 11 PM and drove to the Club Signature which is only one street away from the hotel. The Club, they found had no parking space for their car. They moved further to another street down and found a parking space at the nearby petrol station.

After securing the parking space, they parked their vehicle and walked on foot back to the Club Signature a short distance where they stayed until almost close to midnight.

Kosse and his companion left the Night Club at about 1.A.M and walked on foot back to the Petrol station where they had left their vehicle. Upon reaching their car, they found another vehicle parked too close to their. The second vehicle had four occupants who appeared to be chewing “Miraa” and relaxing. And because it was parked too close to their car, the two went to the other vehicle and kindly requested them to move their car backward to create a space for them to move out. The men obliged and reversed a few steps backward their vehicle. But hell broke out when Kosse and his friends tried to open the door of their vehicle. All of a sudden the four occupants of the second vehicle turned out to be criminal thugs. They swiftly whipped out pistils and ordered Kosse and his friend inside their own car at the back seat. The men produced ropes and tied Kosse and his friend on the vehicle”s back eats. Three of the thugs got into their own car leaving one who was heavily armed with two pistils who took the command of the steering wheel and drove of from the scene and through the town with the other car following closely.

At this point one of the thugs hit Kosse on the forehead with the gun bat. He was bleeding profusely from his facial wound, but the thugs did not bother. They were driven to Kanyakwar area near Miwani Junction road on the main Kisumu-Kakamega road. The thugs then branched off and drove into a disused quarry, which is located next to the stalled headquarters of the Lake Basin Development Authority { LBDA}.

The two captives were made to scrawl into the quarry walking on their knees. Inside the quarry the thugs produced more ropes from their heavy jackets and tied their hands from behind as well as their legs and abandoned them for a while, only to return a few minutes later and threatened to shoot them .At this juncture the four thugs stood on the edge of the quarry and pointed their guns down on the captives. The thugs then selected the ignition key of Kosse”s friends sleek car a brand new Rav-4. They threw down into the quarry the rest bunch of keys which hit Kosse’s friend hard on the chest.

The thugs then drove away on both cars, but only after ransacking the captives pockets and fleecing them of their money. Kosse lost Kshs 3900. While his friend lost Kshs 12,000 in hard cash.

It was now approaching 4AM in the morning the two struggled for hours before untying themselves using a sharp stone. From there Kosse and his friend walked by foot in the darkness up to Kondele suburb about 4 kilometers from where they took a boda boda motorbike which took them to Kisumu Central Police Station where they reported the incident. Of late there is a sharp increase of carjacking by heavily armed thugs, and on sharp increase incident the stolen vehicle are hardly retrieved or traced.

Ends

KENYA AND TANZANIA IN CROSS-BORDER TOURISTS DEAL

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya and Tanzania have finally agreed to allow the visiting tourists freely access each to each others tourists sites in border crossings into each other territory.

This follows an agreement signed between the two countries last week during a crucial meeting held in the Northern Tanzanian town of Arusha.

From now onwards tour operator firms in Kenya will be allowed to drop tourists into specific towns inside Tanzania.

Under the new agreement Kenyan registered vehicles will now drop tourists at Namanga border post and then proceeds to other towns further interior parts of Tanzania and also to other towns like Dodoma, Arusha, Musoma ,Moshi and Lungfa Lunga.

In the past, Kenya Tour firms have been voicing vehement opposition against the existing rule for them to be picked up by Tanzanian tour operators companies for onward trip to the interior parts of the country and also to the tourist attraction sites and national game park in Tanzania.

In the new agreement signed between Kenya’ s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and East African Community affairs Ms Phyllis Kandie and her Tanzanian counterpart Lazaro Nyalandu; tourist vehicles from from the neighboring country will continue dropping tourists in all towns in Kenya except in airports and tourist sites,

Ms Kandie described the new agreement as a win-win for the two countries. “It will allow Tanzaniians involved in tour operator to have business partners in Kenya and vice-versa and thus promote regional integration.” She added.

She explained that the new agreement would also help in marketing the region as a single tourists destination; adding that she hopes the new found relationship with Tanzania would continue to flourish.

ThE TWO COUNTRIES Kenya and Tanzania also urged the three other EAC member states of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to develop bilateral agreements to grow regional tourism.

Tour associations tour guides, wildlife agencies, tourist boards from K

The EAC partner states were also asked to consider regional cooperation on conservations of fauna and flora, to review legislation to ensure the region’s endangered wildlife resources are protected by December and that there should be cross-border efforts to fight poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and forest products.

Ends

KENYA: IN NYANZA TENSION IS BREWING OVER REGISTRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED TO FOR THE GOVERNMENT STIPEND

.Writes Leo Odera Omolo

TENSION is brewing in various parts of LUO-NYANZA over the classification of the categories of aged, poor people who should benefit from the billions of shillings recently set aside by president Uhuru Kenyatta to benefit old and poor people.

The scheme is causing ripples and discontent that some of the local administrators were deliberately misinterpreting the scheme to suit their own selfish interests. Other unconfirmed allegations are that the Chiefs and their assistants were favoring their friends and relatives making it nightmarish for those who wanted to be registered as the beneficiaries of the scheme.

In many districts, the registration went on smoothly the whole of last week with hundreds of aged and poor running up to be registered.

Things did not work well, however. The exercise did not go well in Awendo and Uriri districts, Migori County. Hundreds of elderly people who turned up at Ayego Chiefs camp in North Kanyamkago location, Migori County encountered a lot of difficulties in having their names registered as the beneficiaries of the government stipend money.

The elders who gathered there were told that before they could dream of getting paid any money, officials from the Ministry of Social Services based in MIGORI D.C.’s office would visit their homesteads on very special missions to assess their poverty status. And that those found to be in extremely poor and having no houses and farms would automatically be the beneficiaries of the scheme.

However, from the looks of things on the ground, the government, particularly the Office of the President in Nairobib should come out with a comprehensive statement clarifying the details of the scheme explaining the categories of those old people who qualified for the stipend.

At the Rinya Chiefs Camp in Sakwa East Location also in Migori County a heated argument and exchange of harsh words ensued between Chief Ezra Odondi and his assistant Poul Ogweno and an enlightened elder called Henry Oguta Ouma, aged 80 and retired former police office who inquired as to why the names of only 65 people have been registered in the whole location with the population in excess of 15,000 people.

The exercise, Mzee Ouma said, locks out over 3,0000 older people who would miss the chances of enjoying the government stipend money. The two administrators were accompanied by an official from the social services department stationed at the Rongo D>C’s office who appeared not to be conversant with the government policy and rule governing the scheme for the aged people, people with disability and orphans

Failure by the official to give the proper and satisfactory explanation sparked off discontent and tension among the elders who left the venue while cursing corruption as the source of problem.

Mzee Ouma appealed to the area MP to convene an urgent meeting and explain to the public about the classic qualification for anyone to benefit to benefit from the government stipend for old people.

In other regions, old people were simply required to hand the photocopies of their national identity cards and leave everything to be sorted out by the officials.

Mzee Ouma later told the administrators that he would personally lead a delegation to petition President Kenyatta and sought for proper interpretation of the scheme.

Other unconfirmed reports reaching us say some officials were asking for bribe money form the poor old people so that they could have their names included in the scheme, while in other areas other were favoring their relatives and friends.

Reached on phone Uriri D.C George Kibet Lagat assured members of the public that who qualified for the stipend would get their money without any hunch or discrimination

ENDS

KENYA: THE GOVERNMENT IS TOLD TO STOP LUO – KIPSIGIS TRIBAL SKIRMISHES IN NYAKACH.

Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Sondu market.

It was as if the hell broke loose on Tuesday night when a band of 80 Kipsigis youth descended on 14 villages with crude weapons during the wee hours of the night and started spearing, slashing and hitting everybody on sight before torching dwelling houses in ten homesteads.

The raid left one man dead with several others injured. a young girl was stabbed in the stomach with what looked like a Somali or maasai swords.

The attacks who an eye witness estimated to have been between 70 and 80 youths were armed with crude weapons like bows and arrows, spears, rungus and swords. The night raid came at between 1. am and 2.am and caught the villagers unaware and apparently in deep sleep.

The unprovoked bloody night raid occurred in the village close to the Luo – Kipsigis border around Holo Trading center almost nest to the main Kisumu –Sondo road. These villages are lying only 2 Kilometers northwest of Sondu borer town where there is full fledged Police station.

The villages which had come under the bloody attack were Ramogi, Kisai, Onyuongo, Koguta, Kandaria, Jimo and Kasai. All the residents of the above villages are members of the various sub- clans of the larger Nyakach. The attack was similar to the one staged by the defunct Kalenjin warriors who carried out politically motivated bloody attack on the same villages during the tribal clashes of 1992.

The attack came only a week after the Kericho County governor Prof. Paul Chepkwony and his Kisumu County counterpart Jack Ranguma had held a peace meeting and urged the border communities to live in peace and harmony and advised them against the outmoded culture like cattle rustling..

The attackers seemed to have been well drilled and both the police and the members of the provincial Administration were at a loss and could not figure out the motive behind it.

Elders in Nyakach said they suspected the attack to be an act of revenge following the recent killing of a Kipsigis man who was in a group of cattle rustlers. He was speared to death and his accomplices fled and disappeared in the darkness. The incident took place a couple of weeks ago.

Communal relations between the Luo-s and the Kipsigis in the area has always been very cordial and warm as members of the two communities mingled easily in Sondu and flourishing border town while carrying out butter trades.

The attackers took away unspecified herds of cattle, sheep and goats. The attackers also stole all valuable house hold goods, utensils, and destroyed cooking sufurias, or anything of value they set their eyes on, in the house whose owners had led the deadly night orgies.

The raiders turned the villages up and down and forced some families to flee their homes leaving their clothes behind as most of the fled naked to save their skin from being lynched by the merciless attackers. Although the situation is relatively calm there is tension and the Nyakach resident have called upon the government to arrest the situation, restore peace and apprehend the trouble makers from both side of the border before it goes out of hand.

It was reported that both the regional commissioners for Kericho County and its Kisumu County were having a series of crucial security meeting while exploring the possibility the lasting solution.

Ends.

KENYA: SUGAR INDUSTRY IN KENYA IS ON THE VERGE OF TOTAL COLLAPSE

Sugar industry feature By Leo Oder5a Omolo in Kisumu City

Sugar millers in West Kenyan have huge stockpile of unsold produce in their warehouses.

The millers have reported that they are unable to sell the commodities as the local market is currently flooded with cheap sugar imported from Brazil and Egypt finding its way into Kenyan market via unscrupulous folk working in cohort with sugar barons who are reportedly importing cheap sugar from foreign sources. The sugar barons are said to be having connections with the powerful government officials in high places.

The traders in question are the same people responsible for poor cane prices but the Kenya Board, which is the industry regulating body is unable to intervene.

Farmers and millers have appealed to the KSB to come out of its slumber and rescue the sugar industry from totally collapsing.

Frustrated Millers are now said to be in the process of declaring thousands at their workers redundant because of sugar worth millions which the companies were unable to sell in the local market which is currently flooded with imparities sugar. The situation is so pathetic as it threatens to drive Kenyan workers in the sugar industry out of their jobs while we are exporting our money to benefit came farmers and workers in Brazil, Egypt and other sugar producing foreign countries.

Perhaps the Jubilee government headed by the hard working President Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is kept in the dark about multiple arts of economic sabotage through the malfeance the dumping from regions outside COMESA .

A structure deficit exists in COMESA with their surplus from domestic sources and weak compliance for that portion destined to Kenya.

There is urgent need for Kenya key players in the industry to lobby for the exclusion of sugar from rules of origin teamwork and only all our COMESA FTA countries with surplus trafrom domestic production to expert to Kenya.

SNC of Egypt, a government corporation, imparts on government authorization from Brazil over one million metric tones annually for local market supply stabilization and the export the sugarcane into COMESA FTA under rules origin; a glaring loophole must transfer economic welfare to Brazil and producers at the expense

Kenyan sugar cane farmers in the Lake region and western Kenya SIIC of Egypt, a government corporation, imports an government authorization to aim Brazil over one million metric tones annually for it local market supply stabilization and le-export the same quantity into COMESA FTA under rule of origin, a glaring loophole that transfers economic welfare to the Brazilians producers at the expense of the Kenyan sugar cane farmers in the Lake region and in Western province.

It is worth to be remembered that. Egypt is pursuing a mixed economic model of country and free market approaches.

Tax evasion, which is so rampant among private millers who under declare production and sell sugar-un-invoiced. Immigration breaches on work permits through the use of low skilled migrant labor from India and Paikstan…is prevalent in some privately owned sugar mills………some process sugar millers who under dealer production and sell sugar uninvoiced immigration measures on work per unit through the use of low skilled migrant labour train Pakistan and India is prevalent in privately owned sugar mills.

These breaches of fair labour practices allow transfer across traction mixing through inflated repatriated remuneration and contribute to you unemployment in the country

Transfer prices for imported parts and materials act through our country’s own incorporated supplies companies in the UK and India.

Dumped sugar from UAE and Somalia, India, Brazil is fueling crime through financing it. Contraband dumped sugar is used to under through “duty money.”

Incorporate businessmen from Somalia community posing as large sugar traders are the one funding crime from sugar trade, which 15 million Kenyans who depends on locally produced sugar supply chain both directly and indirect arein danger of t of further impoverishment if order is not restored.

Sugarcane farmers / producers have suffered a deadline in farm produce prices from Kshs. 4,300 to Kshs. 3,200 per t0n of produces in the last 18 months and is in danger of further declare to Kshs. 2,500

Unprecedented counterfeiting of packaging for leading sugar brands of Mumias Sugar Company and Sony Sugar is blatantly being carried out by contrabands and sugar traders dumping the non-COMESA sugar in local market.

The produce packed in counterfeit packaging of these two leading companies are openly sold in the coastal towns, North Eastern and part of Eastern, Rift valley and Mount Kenya regions of Kenya. The government therefore should out a thorough investigation about the source of repacked and trended sugar calling in the main supermarket outlets and tact for wholesomeness.

The government should also address public health concerning that radioactive waste and harmful heavy metal could be released to un-susceptive consumer public in Kenya.

Surplus production stocks from prior years, kept in open shortage in countries such as Brazil, India one reproduce of choice for dumping to countries with weak regulatory regimes. The open manner of handling could expose Kenyan Public Health concerns since such sugar is meant for further KRA and KEB’s are powerless in contending the vice involving trip money in Kick back.

End.

Kenya: KISUMU IS PARALYSED AS YOUTH STAGE PROTEST AGAINST A SIKH COMMUNITY MONUMENT

From: LEO ODERA
Date: Sat, Feb 8, 2014 at 8:07 AM
KISUMU POLICE IN THREE DAYS BATTLES WITH THE YOUTH OVER STATUE

Reports leo Odera Omolo

The police in Kisumu city fought a running battle with hundreds of rowdy ODM youths who had staged near violence demonstration in Kisumu city central Business District (CBD) demanding that a statue erected by members of the Sikh Community be removed.

The monument is meant to commemorate 100 yeas since pioneer members of the community settled in the town 100 years ago.

The statue made of bronze metal is erected on the round about on Mosque road right behind the Siri Guru Sabha Mosque.

It has attracted hundreds of youth who are usually idling themselves at Kondele, Nyalenda, pandpieri and the main Kisumu Bus Terminal, boda boda motorbike and bicycle riders.

Business was paralyzed in severeal streets as the shop owners hurriedly closed doors fearing the possibility of looting

The demonstrators, some of the armed with and bottles filled with petrol in readiness to set the monument a blaze. It forced the police to lob tear gas canisters on the demonstrators who fled in on directions, but immediately regrouped at a distant spots.

The ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the scene, on late Friday afternoon and pleaded with the protesters to disperse in vain. The former Prime Minister returned to the scene on Saturday morning and pleaded with the youth to disperse, but none could hear him. The youth heckled him and shouted obscene words. The youth and mistaken the statue to be an idol God erected by Devil worshipers and vowed to bring it down even at night. Some had brought the old tires and fuel ready to set the monument ablaze. Aiaoleft quietly after his pleas landed on the rock.

Sensing the danger that some of the demonstrators had ulterior motives of looting Indian shops the police have kept vigil at the scene.since Thursday when the project was started.

The youths according to some of the eye witness were incited by a woman who claimed that she represents the church Ministry of the Prophet Dr. Owuor and had insisted that the monument would symbolize devil worshiping – – Something, which they claim was an insult to the mainly Christian Kisumu residents.

Curious onlookers milling around the statue fled in disarray after the police fired teargas at the protestors. The youth vowed that they would not rest until the statue is pulled down.

Two religious leaders in Kisumu commented they had objected the construction of the monument when their opinion were sought by the county Governor Jack Ranguma whose office is believed to have concerted to the by members of the Sikh community

Bishop Dr. Washington Ogonyo Ngede of the Power of Jesus Around the World and Bishop Mwai Abiero of the Anglican of Kenya said they had voiced their objection that the statue was a sign of idolatry.

However, head of the Sikh Community in KisumuMr C S Hayerin vehemently denied that the statue was offensive to any religion. The monument was erected for the single purpose of commemorating 100 years of the Community arrival and presence in the town. It has nothing to do with religion

ends.

KENYA: MANY LUO-NYANZA DELEGATES FAVOR ABABU NAMWAMBA TO WIN TOP ODM POST

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The Budalangi MP Ababu is the man tipped to clinch the coveted position of the Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM}, according to a good number of the would be delegates to the forthcoming party’s national elections schedule to form more than 2500 delegates to the NDC.

It will, however, be an up-hill task for the ODM leadership to pick up the right delegates owing to the fact that there are several branches in Luo-Nyanza with two parallel sets of leadership. Efforts made previously to have proper election in the branches where there is disputed leadership became difficult after the grass root election held three years ago was marred with complaints of rigging and favoritism.

Branches with several set of leadership included Rongo, Nyakach. Migori. Mdhiwa, Homa-Bay, Kasipul, Kabondo Kasipul, Muhoroni and other places where the grass root election were held In haphazardly or faulty manner.

Meanwhile claims by the ODM leader Raila Odinga that the election will be free and fair without interference from any quarters is taken by man delegates as a big joke and his usual political gimmicks.

A clear evidence that there are certain favored and She went to Migori in the company of the Kisumu Kaloleni Ward County representative Ms Prisca Auma Misachi who is the former Kisumu City Mayor. Both ladies addressed a section of Migori delegates in favor of Dr. Zani to win the forthcoming elections.

Other evidence of favoritism is the active participation of the seemingly unpopular Homa-Bay Senator Gerald Otieno Kajwang´and the unkindest utterances made by several speakers against the so-called rebel Luo MP during the memorial of the 20th anniversary of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga at the Odinga family home at Kang’o Kajaramogi in Nyamira Bondo.

The most lethal speeches against the rebel youthful Luo position were delivered by Otieno Kajwang’, Dr Oburu Oginga, John Mbadi and Raila Odinga himself.

The man most targeted for vilification and scathing criticism was the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno who was allegedly accused of being the Jubilee mole in the ODM with ulterior plan to rock the party’s boat from within.

What has emerged as the result of the heated campaign for the party positions is that the DOME’S invisibility is much exposed, and what is likely to emerge is the party which is divided than ever before.

It has been confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that those who have polled out of the race did not do so voluntarily, but were coerced, The coerced which has been fiercely denied by Raila is on the card, and the ODM supporters in Luo-Nyanza be of Luo MPs or the so called “Green Horns”

There is clear evidence that the position of the ODM Secretary General will go to Ababu Namwambsa. Party leaders consider him as being witty, brave, eloquent, experience and has all is take for one to be the Secretary General of a mass political movement like the ODM.

Many believe Namwamba is mature, and has a wealth of experience in addition to his unswerving loyalty to the partly leadership. Namwamba”s victory will, however, depends on the attitude of the party’s delegates from Western Province.

ENDS