Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya: Michuki is misleading Kenyatta over Uhuru Kenyatta future leadership and should stop

Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

I was puzzled and dismayed last night when I watched the elderly Environment Minister John Njoroge Michuki in full view of Television news footage telling Kenyans that that politician who may be interested in harvesting the Kikuyu votes in 2012 must consult the Finance Minister Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta who is the chosen leader of that community.
In my view, these uncoordinated and reckless utterances were not meant to help Mr Kenyatta in anyway to realize his presidential ambition, but were most well calculated to ruin his political future.

Michuki ius not the spokesman for the Kikuyu community and has no business telling the community as to who should be their next leader. His utterances were misleading,undemocratic and unacceptable to any civilized Kenyan society.

I must say with all the due respect that I have for the Kangema MP that his untimely outbursts were autocratic and dictatorial. These utterances were misplaced and were aimed at underestimation of the intelligence of the Kenyans electorate, especially those in the Central region of Kenya.

The days of one choosing a leader for the people are long gone. Such dictatorial policy, I am sure for certain, went up in smoke with the bone fire of the failed Uhuru Kenyatta project of the year 2002. And such kind of politics of the imposed leadership will never again see the light of the day in this country. Minister Kichuki, the snake rattler fame ought to have known this.

It seemed that the likes of Michuki nursing the outmoded political tendency of the past, particularly those of the days of KANU “Mama na Baba” which were shamelessly and primitively coined into the body politics of Kenya by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi.
With such illustrious academic background and wealth of experience in public affairsKen6ans expect Hon Michuki not to stoop too low to an extent of being equal to petty political hirelings in comparison, but to be a man of upright standing above the parochial tribal hegemony.

Had Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta worked hard and succeeded in revitalizing and rebuilt KANU, the party of independence which was handed to him in a silver platter by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi to a vibrant political movement of its old self then it could make sense for the people to talk about his chances of succeeding President Mwai Kibaki as the next head of state. KANU is the only political movement with intact structure throughout the country.
But the Gatundu South MP through ill-advice from certain quarters had abandoned KANU to the dogs in preference to the seemingly structure less and amorphous PNU with falsified hope it could propel him easily to the State House. What a wishful thinking?
Moi despite having lost the 2002 general election to the vibrant Narc-Kenya had left KANU on a strong foot with close to 69 parliamentary strength and Uhuru had officially became the leader of the Opposition in Parliament and the assumed government in waiting. But owing to dismal performance and poor leadership of Uhuru Kenyatta that number had in the 2007 general elections dwindled to less than 20.What card f success Mr Kenyatta would present to the electorate in 2012? Or would it be just a simple tribal symbol?

Michuki appear to be in the process of underrating the influence of the up-coming politicians from Kikuyu land such as the articulate and eloquent Gichugu Mp Martha Karua and his Gatanga MP counter-part Peter Kenneth and their impact on the attitudes of the younger generation of voters in the Central region in particular and Kenya in general. The trio appeared to be the new voice of reasoning in that important region of Kenya as they are capable of outreaching the electorate outside the Kiukuyu land regions.
If I were to be asked to vote for a Kikuyu in the presidential race, definitely my hero is Ms Karua with Peter Kenneth in second place while my old friend Stanley Munga Githunguri would occupy the number three slot.

Michuki deliberately and flagrantly ignore the extent of influence of Martha Karua on the body politics of Kenya.Karua together with Kenneth have of late been playing the political of true national cohesion with the better national outlook than those of the old days of “Nyumba enene and kamwene of the Gatundu days.

I therefore challenge ther Minister to own up his sycophantic outburst and tender an heartfelt apology to Kenyan electorate because his utterances are viewed in the context of being a mockery to the tenets and essence of democratic principles. Hi give Kenyans a breath space to make their own democratic choices of the future leadership of this country.

He should stop polarizing the minds with his miscalculated political gimmicks. The time is up for the likes of Michuki to go home and enjoy their wealth peacefully while waiting for their sun-set days and leave the political atmosphere and space for the younger and upright thinking Kenyans.

Mr Kenyatta should come of out of hiding behind the likes of Michuki and sell his own policy. He should come out of the cell of tribal politic and an sell his own policy to Kenyans from all walks of life if at all he is genuinely and seriously interested in the hot seat at the State Ho8use, and perhaps do a bit of public relations and damage control as well as cleansing about the messes visited to Kenyans by his late father.

May be Kenyatta has been enjoying high profile kind of politics and inadvertently forgotten the naked fact that these were the same stigma that derailed his presidential ambition in the year 2002.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenya: Raila is still the darling of the Kipsigis people of the South Rift despite war with Ruto

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Political News By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

CONTRARY to popular believes and perception that the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga’s influence and popularity among the Kalenjin community has diminished and drastically dwindled in the recent past “Agwambo” is still the darling of the majority of ordinary Kalenjin people.

Those nursing this school of thought were proved wrong last weekend. This was during a tension parked consultative forum between the delegates from the eight parliamentary constituencies that forms the two counties of Kericho and Bomet who W came face to face encounter with Raila at a very crucial forum over the last weekend.

It turned out to be a true display of Raila’s masterly political acumen and dynamism, which took everyone in attendance by surprise. Those whom came to the meeting armed with tough questions about the controversial Mau Forest Complex had to change tact and abandon pre-conceived questions.

In fact what the Prime Minister need to do is to frequent the region and come close to the people. This will make his work much easier because he is still a power to reckon with in the Kipsigis land. Regular visit to the South Rift by the ODM party leader can defuse the entire falsified allegation against him by the rebellious MPs from the region.

It is equally important for “Agwambo” to make an overture of reconciling himself with his ester while political friend turned enemy William Ruto, but not through coercion in manner which can makes the Prime Minister a hostage of the Kalenjin MPs. After all Raila policy of making direct contact with the electorate on the ground is gaining ground and paying dividend.

The Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} party needs only to change its tactical approach by putting the right men and women on the ground. This required individual personalities that are articulate enough for damage repair work.

Already the party is enjoying the support and backing of the former Belgut MP Charles Kirui a highly respected politician among the Kipsigis people. It is also enjoying the support of the United Democratic Movement’s leader Lt Gen {rtd} John Arap Koech and the party’s patron Mzee Nathaniel Chebellion,a former two time Konoin MP.

ODM must shift from the use of cheap and unreliable political hirelings and power brokers with no grass root support of the population in the rural areas. It must overhaul its electoral and nomination system, which in the past had encouraged the locking out the popular aspirants and replaced them with power brokers and self-seekers. At the same time the ODM it must discourage the politics of handouts

The forum discussed wide ranging issues including the contentious Mau Forest, the distribution of cabinet positions in the grand coalition government. A section of the Kalenjin MPs felt they were short-changed.

The cheap idea which the rebellious Kalenjin MPs had tried to sell to the electorate is that in the year 2007 the Kipsigis community gave Raila close to 1.3 million votes in the presidential election, while their cousins the Nandis gave only 230,000 votes, but were rewarded with three cabinet positions. In this elementary arithmetic, the Kipsigis MPs were also counting on William Ruto, Dr Sally Kosgei and Henry Kosgei are all members of the minority Nandi sub-clan of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups, whereas the majority KLi0sigis were only given one cabinet slot that of the former Road Minister the late Kipkalia Kones, who was later replaced by Franklin Bett, and the late Lorna Laboso who was made an Assistant Minister for Home Affairs. She was later replaced by Mrs Beatrice Kones and Charles Keter who was appointed Energy Assistant Minister, but recently sacked and replaced by the youthful Magerer Lang”at the Kipkellion MP.

But political analysts countered immediately countered these claims by telling the rebellious MPs that in the cabinet appointment Raila had the duty of considering political seniority in the party hierarchy. William Ruto is the deputy party leader while Henry Kosgey is the ODM national chairman therefore there was no way Raila could have relegated them to junior positions in the coalition. Their appointment was so crucial, though they belonged to the Nandi community. Similar argument was also the major source of the fallout between Raila and the former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara.The latter felt that because he was the national treasurer of the ODM party and a member of the Pentagon, he was the one who deserved the cabinet appointment and not Chris Mogere Obure the Minister for Roads who had just came out of KANU. Magara eventually became the loser.. and he is no longer Mheshimwa.

But it took many people by surprise when the same Ruto was later to become a political turn-coat and started inviting the Kalenjin MPs against his chairman. Ruto at first thought that due to the numerical Kalenjin votes that Raila had received at the 2007 general election he would be a hostage and taken for ransom. For this “Agwambo” flatly refused to be a push-over. The entire argument lacked the credence and become illogic when it become a cheap song in the lips of the Kalenjin MPs portraying them as people who are not cohesive and difficult to work with.

It is equally important and could serve as an advance warning to those clamoring to form future political alliance with the likes of William Ruto to know better about the persons they are forming an alliance with, and ask questions whether such alliances would last and be best on mutual respect or on cheap empty political slogans. In other word by launching anti-Raila campaign in the expansive Rift Valley, Ruto has exposed himself to be an unreliable political partner, something which should serve as a deterrent advanced warning to those who might be tempted to form an alliance with him in the next general election.

But the Kalenjin MPs do forget that in the coal9tion government in which the ODM is one of the principal partners, the party had only a half a loaf and not full bread, and Raila had to look for ways how to struck the regional balance when he submitted the names of his party’s appointees to the cabinet. Even if it was the case of the winner takes all, not all the Kalenjin MPs should have been absorbed to the cabinet.

The weekend meting in Kericho proved that Raila is still a power to reckon with and popular leader among the members of the Kipsigis community. But the ODM, the Prime Minister’s party need to put the reliable and trustworthy people on the ground as its torch-bears and not ordinary political hirelings and power-brokers.

For the party to regain its old lost glory in Kipsigis land, it has to work out strategies that can endear it to the people, and not to rely on treasury hunters. It must shift its attentiu9n from those who want to hold the party and its leadership hostage on every petty issue, and work with people with proven political credibility within their community. ODM need to recruit honest and straight forward. But not a bunch of money-maniacs

In the 2007 general election, a section of Kalenji leadership appear to have taken the OIDM leadership by way of ensuring that only weak and not upright persons won parliamentary seats. As such, a plan was hatched and rolled out by Ruto and his supporter that ensure that high profile candidates in the region were locked out and replaced with weak and poor aspirants. This is the same style and fashion used in the region by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi in whose time any emerging Kipsigis political personality was destroyed, finished and reduced to a beggar.

The Kipsigis community was marginalized despite of its numerical voting strength.Any emerging leader from the community was immediatey destroyed and consigned to a political limbo. The man Moi used to perfect this kind of political games was the late Isaac Kipkoriri Salat, the semi-educated one eyed politician from Bomet. After Salat,Ayub Chepkwony took over the job of power broker and was also assigned the role of destroying an dismantling any Kipsigis individual personality with national political outlook on he ground. Chepkwony and Moi are related because they married from one family.

William Ruto being a disciple of Moi had learnt these tactics, which he used perfectly in the ,st general election byu ensuring that the likes of Justice Kemei {Belgut},Gen John Koech {Ainamoi}

In the final analysis, nothing is lost for ‘Agwambo I the South Rift region, and within the Kipsigis community in particular. He only needs to put the right men and women on the ground for the forthcoming general election. All the indications are that the local community would prefer Raila to any of the other possible contenders for the top job on the land.

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Kenya: Raila turns the heat on his Kalenjin MPs critics as he addressed a successful forum in Kericho

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

It was a day when the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga turned the heat on his critics in the South Rift region when he met with large delegates from all the eight parliamentary constituencies within the two counties of Kericho and Bomet on a first face-to face encounter in a very controversial public forum..

The meeting was held at the Tea Research foundation of Kenya complex which is located about 12 kilometers east of Kericho town in an area which is bordering the controversial Mau Forest Water Tower.

It was originally planned for few selected delegates from the eight constituencies, but the attendance overwhelmed the organizers when some groups even travelled in matatu and bus loads from as far as Chepalungu,Bomet and Trans-Mara districts. The institute is located in Kipkellion Constituency.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by two cabinet ministers and two assistant ministers. They were James Agrey Orengo {Lands}, Henry Kosgey {Industrialization}.Two Assistant Ministers Mrs Beatrice Kones {Home Affairs} and Magerer Lang’at {Energy who was the host.

Also in attendance were the Kipsigis community leaders who included the former Deputy CGS Lt. Hen {rtd} John Arap Koech, former Finance Assistant Minister Charles Kirui and former Konoin MP Mzee Nathaniel Chebellion, professionals, civic leaders and Kipsigis Elders, youths and women groups The Road Minister Franklin Bett who is on an official tour of the US sent an apology through his wife Mrs Alice Bett a prominent Kericho lawyer. Another legislator Dr Joyce Laboso also sent her apology;

Odinga brought two constitutional experts one a lawyer and senior lecturers from Moi University, Eldoret. Who dwelt at length in the interpretation of the packages contained therein the new counties governance and their long term impact on the people lives.

Raila said the main agenda of the meeting was post-referendum civic education for the purpose of sensitizing Kenyans on the new structure of government as outlined in the new constitution.

It was held amid high tension after a section of the Kalenjin MPs had told the press in Nairobi that the Prime Minister was welcome, but they would boycott the meeting arguing that the development issues should have been given priority instead of constitutional matters.

But the man who should be given credit for the successes of the meeting is Lt Gen John Koech, who travelled the full length and width of the entire Kipsigis region and urged the leaders and all the stakeholders to attend the meeting and to ignore those sending them message via mobile phones urging them to boycott the Prime Minister’s meeting.

Gen Koech is the leader of the UDM party. He was forced out of the ODM by the supporters of the Higher Education Minister William Ruto and his right hand man in Kipsigis land Belgut MP Charles Keter.

Other messages sent out by anti-Raila element within the Kalenjin politics urged the resident to shout him down and heckle him, but all these turned out to be pipedream. But Gen Koech who criss crossed the entire Kipsigis land few days earlier prior to the meeting date had dismissed the anti-Raila groups is mischievous people who have lost the direction.

A day before the meeting was held the outspoken Chepalunguy MP Isaac Ruto had told the newsmen in Nairobi the agenda of the meeting was ’weird’. But it came as surprise that the largest delegation in attendance of the meeting was from Chepalungu at the MPs backyard. They flayed their MPs accusing him of playing politics of “selfish interests” and not speaking the truth that could reflect the feeling of the electorate.

The master of the ceremony Hon Magerer Lang’at had difficult time cooling the tempers as speakers after speaker went straight to the throat of the absent MPs from the region. Magerer in whose constituency the meeting was held calmed down the angry speakers and told them to stick to the agenda of the meeting and stop name calling.

But when he took to the podium, Raila accused the legislators from the region of being insincere with the electorate,

Saying that they MPs were only pursuing their personal political agenda.” I pity a section of the MPs from the two counties of Bomet and Kericho for skipping this important forum for claiming that the meeting was political and a campaign tour.”These people should be able to know that the campaign for constitution debate and campaign for referendum are over”,he said.

The Prime Minister sent out a conciliatory note to the residents of the two regions and their leaders saying he was ready to work with them in the concerted effort of building the nation as opposed to politics of antagonism.

In relations to the families who were evicted out of the controversial Mau Forest Complex and all other water catchment areas, the Prime Minister said those camping o the edge of the Mau Forest would be allocated land. The land has already been identified for their resettlement and it will take only a mater of days and weeks.

His sentiments were confirmed by the Land Minister James Orengo who told the meeting that his Ministry had already identified the land which would be soon dished out for settling those living in makeshift camps outside the forest

The Minister said the government would not settle the landless far away from their former habitats and environs. But the Minister warned those who are still insisting pursuing the politics of Mau issue for making cheap political mileage to keep off in order to ensure smooth and faster settlement program.

There has been discontent and mistrust between a section of the Kalenjin MPs and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. The MPs all of them members of the ODM , the party which is led by Mr Odinga felt he had betrayed them when he sanctioned the removal of illegal settlers from the Mau Forest Complex without compensation.

Other leaders were opposed to the arrest and prosecution of the youths who were protesting against the outcome of the 2007 presidential polls.

The relationship between the prime Minister and Kalenjin leaders had deteriorated in the run up to the August 4 2010 referendum when the government rejected a move to amend certain clauses of the new constitution before the August 4.

Other contentious issues include the sharing out of the cabinet positions and the rejection of the new constitution by voters in the two counties. But on this, those in attendance admitting that they were misled to believe that the new constitution was bad and also blamed lack of properly organize civic education to enlighten the population about the new document could have also led to the fallout.

Throughout his address the Prime Minister steered clear of the forthcoming general election, but urged the people to continue supporting his party to enable him and his colleagues to expedite development of all regions of Kenya.

At the end of the meeting the Helicopter which had brought the Prime Minister and his entourage to the meeting stalled and could not lift up due to mechanical problems. Mr Odinga was forced to disembark from the Chopper and drove by roadmt0o Kisumu from where he caught u with the evening commercial flights to Nairobi. The Chopper was abandoned at the Tea Research Foundation school ground where the two pilots were still struggling with the repair work up to the evening.

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Uganda & Somolia: Museveni want Somalia to be declared no fly zone in order to curb the illegal supply of arms

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has called for a no-fly zone to be imposed over Somalia in a bid to curb the influx of arms and the terrorism activities in the war-torn country.

The President made the call yesterday during a closed-door meeting with the 15-nation team from the UN Security Council.

He proposed that the no-fly zone be enforced by the big powers which have aircraft carriers based in the Indian Ocean.

“If such a move is implemented, it will reduce the influx of arms in Somalia by over 70%,” Museveni reportedly told the delegation. The delegation was led by Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN Security Council, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda.

Museveni also told the delegation that the countries that are willing and capable to send troops to the Horn of African county should be supported, and that those which cannot provide troops should fund the operation.

He reportedly told the meeting that the insurgencies fighting the African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) are not Somalis but al Qaeda insurgents from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen.

At a press conference after the meeting, Museveni reiterated Uganda’s commitment to send more troops to Somalia.

Museveni (centre) with the security council team and Ugandan government officials at State House, Entebbe

He said it was the duty of the international community to help Somalia regain its sovereignty.
The President called for financial support to increase troop levels in the AMISOM. Uganda and Burundi are the only countries that have contributed troops to Somalia, with Uganda contributing the highest number.
“The number of troops is not the problem. If there is everything we need, we can raise the number but they (rich nations) must bring the money,” the President said.

The UN delegation, which was in Uganda for a one-day tour, was not specific on the kind of support it would give to AMISOM. The team later left for Sudan, where it will visit Juba, Darfur and then Khartoum.

Museveni warned the team against any delay in holding the referendum to determine the autonomy of Southern Sudan. He urged the UN to put in place the structures needed for a free and fair referendum in Sudan slated for January 2011.

“The referendum is very crucial and delaying it is highly risky. It is better to involve the UN in the organisation rather than waiting to see what happens after the results,” Museveni reportedly told the delegation.

He pointed out that the African Union did not support the International Criminal Court’s indictment of President Omar El Bashir because they thought it would jeopardise the peace process in Sudan.

Museveni also dismissed a recent UN report on DR Congo that accused Uganda of several human rights abuses and war crimes during the conflicts in the 1990s as a “concoction and lies.”

“These international groups are fictional writers. They should look for other subjects,” he said.

Museveni defended the army, saying it followed a strict code of conduct and could not torture civilians.

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Kenya: More women will be in the race for Nyanza Counties positions comes 2012

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Political Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The battle for political supremacy within the six counties created by the new constitution in what used to be the old Nyanza Province has began in earnest, and this time around more women contestants are expected to outstrip the number of their male counterparts.

This six counties to be established include Siaya, Kisumu Nyamira, Homa-Bay,Kisii and Migori. Already the talks that has filled the air is that the electorate would rather prefer more women to be in the race for the various positions like Senate, Parliament, County Governors and local assemblies.

Geographically, the County of Homa-Bay will be largest, though sparsely populated in some parts. It will stretch all the way from Kabondo Division and winds up on Mfangano Island in Mbita and also coverers small fishing islands scattered all over Lake Victoria on the Kenyan side of the country’s border with Uganda.

This is to be followed by the Migori County. This will be a unique administrative area which will include people of diverse communal interests. It will include the majority Luos and minority Kuria and Suba communities grouped together under one administrative unit.

The most densely populated will be the Counties of Nyamira and that of Kisii in the Gusii region with County of Kisii having the lion’s share in both geographically and population wise.It will cover seven parliamentary constituencies of Nyaribari Chache, Nyaribari Masaba, Bonchari, Bobasi, Bomachoge ,Kitutu Chache and South Migirango, while Nyamira County will administer four parliamentary constituencies of Mugirango West, Kitutu Masaba and North Mugirango Borabu.

Already sharp differences in public opinion has emerged as regards the kind of women personalities who should represent their respective countries in the tri-cameral legislative system. The popular feeling is that old and mature women with proven leadership quality.

The youths says they are in favor of the young technocrats, while the older generation would like to see the old timers likes Grace Onyango, {Kisumu} Grace Ogot {Gem},Wilkister Onsando [Bomachoge},Catherine Nyamato {Mugirango West},Dr Phoebe Muga Asiyo {Karachuonyo},Mrs Damaris Ayodo {Kasipul-Kabondo} Mrs Roselyn Onyuka {Kasipul Kabondo, Mrs Janbe Were {Ndhiwa] Mrs Consilata Yambo,alias Nyaseme {Gwassi], Prisca Auma {Kisumu}, Eunice Arodi {Kisumu} and others.

The saying goes that these are the mature ladies whose leadership qualities have already been proven when their served either as Maendeleo Ya Wanawake, civic bodies, and Parliament as well as in the community services in the past.

However, the older generation of women leaders will have to cope up with the strong challenge from the younger generation, most of whom are technocrats and professionals.

The County of Homa-Bay has already attracted more than half a dozen women leaders. They include the outspoken firebrand Ms Millie Odhiambo, the ODM nominated MP who has proved she to be a great debaters in the House and knowledgeable on wide range of local and international issues affecting the Kenyan nation.

Odhiambo’s name is selling well in both Suba and Karachuonyo regions. In her own Suba backyard, she is likely to face it up with another technocrat lady in the name of Consilata Yambo,alias Nyaseme from Gwassi, who works with the Israeli national El-Al as an executive in Nairobi.

The same Senate seat is said to have attracted the former Director of Education in Nyanza Mrs Roselyn Onyuka who has served the region as the headmistress of the various girls secondary schools, AEO, DEO and later PDE before being promoted to the Ministry’s headquarters from where she retired a couple of years ago. She hails from West Kasipul Location in Oyugis Division of the Rachuonyo South district. Both Odhiambo and Onyuka belonged to families of prominent leaders.

Miss Odhiambo’s late father Harrison Odhiambo Opiyo was for many years associated with South Nyanza KANU politics. He took an active art during the struggle for independent and was reward with by the party {KANU} which sponsored him as its candidate in Lambwe Ward in the defunct Nyanza Regional Assembly, which he won and represented up to the year 1966 when the cumbersome Majimbo constitution was crap and abolished. Onyuka grew up in the chain of chieftainship family. Her Father the late Ex-Senior Chief Damianus Ajwang” was himself was the son of the second colonial location Chief Adiang’.

However, things could change dramatically if the influential former Karachuonyo0 MP Mrs Phoebe Muga Asiyo. Although she is living on semi-retirement her popularity remained intact, and she is an household name in the greater Southern Nyanza politics. The rumors making the round is that Mrs Asiyo has yet to decide on which position she would like to capture comes the year 20912.

Mrs Jane Were who hails from Kabuoch South in Pala Division, Ndhiwa has twice served as the chair person first of the larger County Council of South Nyanza and later in the same capacity in the Homa-Bay County Council until she lost her civic seat in the 2007 elections. Monica Amolo who hails from Ndhiwa once tried her luck in the contest of Ndhiwa Parliamentary seat in 2007 but lost badly to the incumbent Joshua Orwa Ojode. She is a business woman in Nairobi.

Elsewhere the name of Mrs Rose Buyu, who is currently serving as a member of the Boundary Commission, is linked to the Kisumu Senate seat. She contested the Kisumu Town West parliamentary seat in 2007 and gave the eventual winner Hon John Olago Aluoch a run for his money. If she chose to have a second shot at the same seat, then men aspirants should take an early notice to steer clear of her way. She is extremely popular and a good campaigner. Buyu is also a business woman in Nairobi.

And from Siaya the information being floated in public domain is that Prof. Jackline Oduol, who is currently serving in the government as the secretary for Gender and Children is planning to contest the Senate Seat. She contested the Alego-Usonga parliamentary seat, but lost to the incumbent Edwin Ochieng’Yinda.

The name of Mrs Grace Ogot is also featuring prominently in connection with the Senate seat for Siaya County, but she could not be reached to confirm or deny.

In Nyamira, the former nominated MP Mrs Catherine Nyamato would start as a favorite for the County seat, but it is rumored that she might be tempted to try her luck in the Specially seat reserved for the County women in the Senate instead of battling it out with male contestants in the open seat. There is the possibility of other women leaders coming forward to claim the same seat.

Other names being floated is that of the former Chairperson of the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Mrs Wilkister Onsando, who is a resident of Nyansiongo in Sotik area where she is running an hotel and also doing farming. Many people believes Mrs Onsando is mature enough and has a massed a lot of experience in public life which now places her at the to clinch of the top seat.

In the County of Kisii, two young women have declared their interest in the Senate seat. They are Prof.Moraa Gesicho a former l senior lecturer at the Kenyatta university and Ms janet Ong’era the director of operations at the ODM headquarters. Gesicho hails from Nyaribari, while Ong’era come from Bobasi. Both constituencies form the Kisii County.

Matter looked rather silent on Migori Senate seat. Only one name is being mentioned and that of the firebrand Mrs Agnes A. Okong’o from Central Sakwa in Awendo district. She contested the Rongo Parliamentary seat in 2007, but withdrew before the ODM primaries.

Report reaching us says women are also rearing to go for local assembly seats in all the six countries. Some have already declared their intention to contest the governorship of the various Counties as well as other position including those of the deputy governors, deputy assembly speakers and the rest.

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Kenya scores the lowest marks on governance rating in the EAC member states

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

Kenya’s performance on governance issues has been on the decline since 2005, a new report shows.

According to the Mo Ibrahim 2010 Index report, Kenya had declined from position 23 out of 53 countries in 2005 to position 27 in 2009.

The performance index, which is carried out after every five years, also shows Kenya performing poorly in the East African Community {EAC} with Tanzania and Uganda registering tremendous improvement.

He performance index focuses on areas of governance which have been divided on four categories, mainly safety and rule of law{personal safety, rule of law, accountability and corruption, national security},participation and human rights {participation, rights, gender}, sustainable economic opportunity {public management, private sector} and human development {health and welfare}.

According to the index, Tanzania has been ranked 15th in the EAC region followed by Uganda{24].Kenya {27},Rwanda{31} and Burundi ranked {32}.

The r5eport further shows Kenya dropping from its earlier ranking of position 23 in 2005 with its score dropping from 51 to five per cent, while Uganda rose from position 26 with its governance average increasing from 49 to 51.

While releasing the report on Monday, the director of index at the foundation, Hania Farhan, said Kenya’s performance has dropped significantly.

Asked why Kenya performed poorly, Farhan said he performance depend on quality ,tertiary education, teacher/pupil ratio and enrolment.

Reads the report;”Kenya scored 50 for governance quality in 2008/2009 and was ranked 27theout of 53 countries. However, Kenya scored higher than the regional average for East Africa which was 45.”

And the report also shows continued poor performance on insecurity, infrastructure, personal safety, corruption, facilitative business environment and the performance of the judiciary.

However, the report shows an improvement on gender issues which include gender quality, ratio of boys to girls in primary schools and women participation in the labor force and politics.

On access to health, the country was ranked 26th while on education it was the 30th in the continent.

The best Kenya rankings were in national security {83} per cent, gender {65],public management {63], environment and human rights [55] and health and welfare {54}.

On his part, the director for governance and public administration and member of the foundation said the report shows many African citizens are becoming healthier and have greater access to economic opportunities than it was in the last five years ago.

The report also shows other countries like Seychelles, Botswana, Cape Verde, Lesotho South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Tunisia, Lesotho and Egypt being in the top.

Others such as Angola, Liberia and Togo, the report indicates, have also made significant improvement in governance performance.

On the other hand, Somalia was rated last due to the lawless state of the country followed by Chad and Democratic Republic of Congo.

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BURUNDIAN PRESIDENT NKURUNZIZA TO OPEN INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR IN KAMPALA ON FRIDAY

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza will on Friday officially open this year’s annual Uganda International Trade Fair (UGITF) organised by the Uganda Manufacturers Association.

This comes at a time Burundi is seeking to attract more Ugandan investors in sectors like education, energy, communication, and construction.

T.S Mukasa, the trade fair manager, explained that exhibitors and business visitors would be involved in business-related fora, workshops and conferences through the first three days of the week-long fair.

LUKEWARM START? Van Hassan Hussein, the China Machines Uganda engineer, explains to the showgoers how the walking tractor works. The firm deals in agro-processing technology

Though the meetings are importance to the international traders, by yesterday morning when they were supposed to begin, there were no organisers nor participants in the UMA Conference Hall.

They are held to create development ideas, business partnerships and showcase new innovations and technology. The 18th annual trade fair runs from October 6 to11.

Over 920 exhibitors from more than 38 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe are participating, up from 900 exhibited last year.

“The increase of participants benefits the association to improve the infrastructure of the exhibition halls and to also boost the activities of the association,” Mukasa said.

“The fair will offer companies a platform to launch new products and make direct contact with the consumers.”

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New rail line to link Uganda and Southern Sudan capital of juba is to commence soon

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

-The $3b investment will help open up regional markets
-It covers 725 kilometres
A German-based firm, Thysssen Krupp, is to head a multi-billion railway project that will link Gulu in northern Uganda with Juba, the capital of Southern Sudan, highlighting increasing investment appetite in the Great Lakes region.

The huge infrastructure investment, estimated to be between $2b and $3b, will cover laying the rail network, covering about 725 kilometres, helping open up regional markets for more cost-competitive import and export of commodities.The government owned NEWVISION online reported this morning.

“Constructing improved haulage links promotes economic upswing and lower prices for consumer goods and additional jobs are created,” Stefan Ettwig, the firm’s spokesman, said.

“Railways are needed for transporting the (region’s) abundant mineral resources.”

The announcement comes at a time when the Great Lakes region comprising 11 countries including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania Rwanda, Burundi, Southern Sudan, and DR Congo are facing high transport costs due to an inefficient rail network.

Studies show that transport between Uganda and Kenya alone costs more than $0.13 per tonne/kilometre due to heavy reliance on trucking. This has skyrocketed the cost of doing business in the region.

ThyssenKrupp, the world steel maker, is involved via its Gleistechnik subsidiary, along with the US firm, Ayr Logistics, and the Russian engineering firm Mos Metrostroy.

An option for an extension of the line to Wau in southern Sudan and links to Kenyan and Ethiopian networks is under consideration.

The existing Uganda-Kenya railway network was sold to a consortium known as Rift Valley Railway, which has been embroiled in power struggle, which has stalled the desired rehabilitation and improvement of the railway system.

The shareholding is composed of Citadel Capital, Trans Century, Mirambo Holdings, Prime Fuels, Austrialia’s Babcock and Brown, plus a Ugandan investor.

Businesses are frustrated that while rail transport is cheaper than road, most cargo is being hauled on road, denying them the edge in a regional market that is becoming increasingly competitive.

The long chain of transportation makes Uganda vulnerable to any problems arising along the way, and immediately results into delays in supplies delivery, causing shortages and artificial price hikes

The Uganda-Sudan railway idea was conceived in 2004 after a feasibility study.

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KENYA: DESTRUCTION OF THE LATE ALBERT OWINO NYAOKE`S LAND BY SYNOHYDRO

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SENT BY: Leo Odera Omolo

DOCUMENTATION OF THE DESTRUCTION OF THE LATE ALBERT OWINO NYAOKE`S LAND BY SYNOHYDRO CO-OPERATION THROUGH KIMIRA OLUCH SMALL HOLDER FARM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (KOSFIP). A shameless act of impunity and violation of fundamental rights of poor people has occurred:

PHYSICAL ADDRES: Village-Kogelo

Sub location-Kogweno Oriang East

Location-Kogweno Oriang

District-Rachuonyo North

County-Homa-Bay

FAMILY

The late Albert Owino Nyaoke died on 16/12/202 Left behind a widow Elizabeth A Nyaoke and seven children namely:

Peter Odhiambo Nyaoke

George Ouma Nyaoke

Victer Otieno Nyaoke

Everlyn Achieng Nyaoke

Halfline Atieno Nyaoke

Judith Anyango Nyaoke

Millicent Akinyi Nyaoke

The family has stayed in their home ever since and this is the only place they know as their home. The late Nyaoke secured A Title Deed for the said piece of Land, and up to date the title deed number 717 is still in the latte’s name.

DESTRUCTION

It was in July 2010-The Contractor Synohydro Co-operation without notice came and cleared all the vegetation within the homestead of the said family, destroyed the fence and any existing tree which was in the compound leaving the Home a bear field. The Family has tried to get explanation for the said destruction through the relevant authority and it has always felt on deaf ears. The first person they consulted for the same was there area chief (Kogweno Oriang Location) Mr. George Osumba who told them that the said project is a government project and it is beyond him

The contractors also passed through the farm and went ahead and cleared the existing crops which were due for harvesting.

ENCROCHMENT:

The destruction proceeded with a road construction, separating the mother’s house and the son’s house making it more difficult for the family to move from one house to the other. Since the road constructed is very busy in use. This has made the family crippled in conducting any meaningful business within the home stead since the vehicles which transport construction materials are

Frequently passing there.

In the said situation it is no longer a home where one can do any development. The small children cannot excise their rights of playing in the compound;

No livestock can be kept including the common local birds;

gweno;

Nobody neither the government administration nor the construction company has consulted the family about the construction in the middle of the existing home and the result of the economic and social consequences.

Since the construction of the road started two months ago the widow has never had a glimpse of sleep as the vehicles are passing there all day long 24hrs.The right of privacy has become a thing of the past, the rate of air and water born diseases is alarming in the said family as a result of passing vehicles and water logged due to poor drainage at the main entrance of the house.

INSECURITY:

The family has been leaving with a lot of fear of their own security as the road next to the house has become a major road for everybody using it 24 7 and numerous threats from those who use the road. AAAAR

CONCLUSION:

The organization, Ministry of Regional Development Authorities. Kimira –Oluch Small Holder Farm Improvement Project (KOSFIP) through the constructer Synohydro Cooperation has done nothing for the family, except promise by word of mouth that they will build for the family a house, no documentation to support the same.

NOTE

Feel free to contact the following for more information:

1) Peter Odhiambo Nyaoke Cell No. 0727 541 813

2) George Ouma Nyaoke Cell No. 0721 842 822

3) Elly Kisera Cell No. O724 505 962 Area project representative

J A OSANO

Kenya: AKUKU DENJA is dead.He died at the age of 94 and believed to have married over 100 wives

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

Death has occurred of one of the most prominent and eligible polygamist in Kenya Mzee Ancentus Akuku Ogwela, alias Akuku Denja {Dangerman]. He was aged about 94 years.

File | NATION Polygamist Mzee Akuku ‘Danger’ with family members. He died on Saturday.

He collapsed in one of his homesteads and died on Saturday night, but had been unwell for sometimes.

Considered as one of the wealthiest Luo man during the years of early 1940 and late 1950s, Akuku Danja is believed to have married more than 100 wives. At the time of his death he had about 43 of them have either died of old age while other left on their own volition or divorced for one or the other reasons. Mzee Akuku Denja hails from Kanyamwa sub-clan of the Luos, in the same clan of the legend medicine and the greatest witchdoctor of all the time Gor Mahia son of Ogada.

Akuku Denja had established five homesteads with the major one which he used to referred as the headquarters located at Aora Chuondho in Kwabway Location,Nyarongi Division, Ndhiwa district in Homa-Bay County. The homestead is next to the market and also next to the main-Rodi Kopany-Karungu Sori. He had another home in his native Kanyamwa with the third major home homestead established in Karungu East, Sori Division in Nyatike district in Migori County.

Standing at about 6feet 4 inches and heavily built. Akuku Denja was a humanist, friendly, jokily and wearing a smiling face all the time. He earned the name Danger because he preferred calling anyone who he comes across “Danger Man “including friends and foes, his sons in-law and relatives.

An industrious man with lust for education Akuku Denja built and established three primary school on his own where the large number of his children estimated to be in excess of 250tool their early elementary education before proceeding to other schools and institutions of higher learning.

He had the best part of his wealth educating his children some who have excelled and graduates from public universities. One of his eldest sons the late Pius Olima Akuku a trained lawyer had served the government of Kenya as a resident magistrate before going into private law practicing business.

He had many sons and daughters who received good education and who are presently serving the country either in the public and private sector.

The Danger Man was reputed as strictly disciplinarians. Most of his children spent their time at home during school holidays tending to farm work or herding his large number of domestic animals. Despite having the largest number of wives and children the Danger Man’s home is a place where famine and hunger is out of bound. His wives and children engaged themselves, in farm work resulting in good yield almost every year, which is sufficient in feeding the largest family in modern Kenya with enough surpluses for selling and generating school fees.

Akuku Denjas own married daughters are not allowed to walk back home without written consent of their husband, giving specific reason for the visit, the specific number of days permi9tted for the wife to stay at home with her parents. Any of his already married daughters who simply walks back homer without a written permission from their husband are given specific time and hours, during which they must end their visit and travel back to their husband’s homes, failure of which they faced forceful deportation out of Danger man’s home.

On arrival home the daughters’ reports at the father office and registered their presence before proceeding to their own mother’s houses. His brothers-in-laws on a visit to one of his wives must also register their arrival at the Danger man’s office before proceeding to their sister’s houses in similar fashion. The family works as a team, especially during the cuoti8vation, weeding and harvesting times.

There are unconfirmed reports that his wives are transferable from one home to the other within his five homesteads. For example he would simply walk into his homestead in Kanyamwa and ordered any of his wives living there to proceed to the Headquarters at Aora Chuodho and the woman must obey or else she could find herself forcefully being deported to the headquarters even without her consent.

Akuku Denja acquired his wealth after a humble beginning life as a tailoring man and then venture into farm produce buying and selling and shop-keeping and was later to become the first man to purchase a motor vehicle in his own village in the late 1940s.

A case in point is an incident which occurred a couple of years ago when one of his daughter who was married to a wealthy businessman in Homa-Bay, who had abandoned a small child with her husband and was seen roaming about with some youths, most of them high school students. She was seen in dance halls and other public joint.Akuku Denja sent her a warning toi return to her husband and child as quickly as possible.

When she defied his warning, the old man registered the complains with children offices and to the police at Homa-Bay. And the young mother was apprehended and sentenced to six months imprisonment for neglecting her child. While she was serving her prison sentenced Akuku Denja offered her younger and perhaps best educated sister to the businessman.

Upon coming out of prison the young mother vowed not to go anywhere, but rejoined young her husband and child so the businessman, ended up having married to two young women .from one family of the Danger Man. Whenever his daughters disagreed with their husbands on petty domestic squabbles they do avoid going directly back to their parents home, but only ending up visiting relatives in the neighborhood before going back to their husband. This has made Akuku Denja’s dozens of daughter the most liked women and men are competing to get married to them. They are loosely called “Nyar-Danger”{ meaning the daughter of danger man]

He will always ne remembered as a development conscience man who9 contributed part of his hard earned wealth towards the development of schools, dispensaries,health centers and other economic infrastructure in both Ndhiwa and Nyatike constituencies.

He was a closed friend of both the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the late Tom Mboya, the former Minister for Economic Planning wjh0 was assassinated in 1969 and his close political associate Dr Joseph Gordon Odero-Jowi who alter served as Kenya’s Ambassador to the Un after losing his Ndhiwa parliamentary seat in the 1969,

In 1962 immediately soon after the founding President the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was released from colonial jails in Northern Kenya and during his first visit to Southern Nyanza Mzee Akuku Denja was one among the elderly who spoke at a meeting between him and Luo elders from the region. The same happen when Kenyatta visited the region in 1966 as the president of n independent Kenya, Akuku Denja was one of the elderly spokesmen.

When Mzee Kenyatta was jokingly told by Mboya that Akuku Denja had more than 50 wives and was accompanied at the meeting by a young woman, one of his latest at the time, Kenyatta took a careful look at him and Jokingly remarked “Kumbe yeye ni Dume kweli kweli”{he is a real bull] sparing a prolong laughter by the elders in attendance of the meeting which was held at the Homa-Bay D.C’s residence.

The late Asentus Akuku ‘Danger’ poses with his youngest wife Christine Ajwang’ at his home in Ndhiwa in this 2008 photog

Akuku Denja also developed close working relations with the one time two terms Ndhiwa MPs Zablon Owigo Olang’ and another former area MP Matthews Otieno Ogingo’ Upon learning of his sudden death Owigo Olang sent his heartfelt condolences to the family. He paid a glowing tribute to Danger man, saying his loss is irreplaceable. He aid the grand old man was steadfast in development undertaking and activities and was progressive and hard working, but humble man wh9i loved everyone.

Mzee Akuku had been reportedly unwell for close to three years, and at time was seen walking with the support of walking sticks which looked like crunches. He had promised this writer an up-date interview sometime back, but it never materialized.

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Kenua: Cyprian Awiti and Joe Odonde headed for governorship of Homa-Bayand Siaya Counties?

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Election and Political News By Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay town

A new political dimension has emerged in relations to the forthcoming election of Senators and Governors of the two counties of Homa-Bay and Siaya regions.

The electorate now pressing their demands that the position of governors need a certain categories of individual personalities, and the people to occupy this lucrative clots must be those with vast managerial experiences who must also be financial experts on their own rights.

Cyprian Otieno Awiti, the former Country Director of Marie Stoppie Clinics who had earlier emerged as the natural choice of the electorate to contest the Senate seat, which is located to the proposed Homa-Bay County by the new constitution, is now being prevailed upon to switch his interest to that of the County governor instead.

The populist Awiti had emerged as the natural choice of the electorate following his attractive track record of active participation in development activities with the greater Southern Nyanza.

Other rumors making the round within Homa-Bay and its environs says that the latest development has come due to pressure from the ODM party headquarters, which is said to be currently working on new strategies to ensure that all its party stalwarts get important slots with the four counties of Homa-Bay, Migori, Kisumu and Siaya.

And if Awiti agree and accept the proposals ,which are leaked to have been arrived at secret party caucus meetings in Nairobi and Kisumu, the man who is being fronted to contest the covenant Senate seat is the Immigration Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’. In such arrangement, voters in Suba and Rachuonyo regions would be asked to vote for Kajwang for the Senate seat and Cyprian Awiti for the position of governorship.

If it is true as the rumors goes, the position of the former Homa Rangwe MP Phillip Okoth Okundi who had earlier declared his interest in being contesting the Homa-Bay County governor remain unclear. Both Okundi and his arch political rival Martin Otieno Ogindo the incumbent Rangwe MP have declared their interest in contesting the same post.

In the case of governorship for the new Siaya County the name of the former Gem MP Joe Odonde has emerged as the one who is leading the pack of those likely to be elected to the lucrative governorship soot.

The electorate in the new Siaya County says they need someone who is a financial genius in the caliber of Joe Odonde. This is because the region has meager resources and therefore would require a genius financial expert to mould it up and make it compete with the neighboring counties.

During his brief stint in Parliament as the member for Gem between 1992 and 2002,Joe Odonde surprised many people his parliamentary colleague included by his expertise on matters of finances. He even introduced the famous, but what later aborted, but had long lasting impact ‘Joe Odonde Bill”.

Contacted by phone Odonde could not confirm or deny his interest in the position of Siaya County governorship, but philosophically stated that if it is the wish of the party sand the people that he should serve them as their new County governor, then he would give the suggestion a favorable consideration. But only after a thorough consultation with other party leaders and other stakeholders

But so far he has yet to make his mind. He remained non committal only saying it was too early for anyone to start premature campaign for the new positions as such campaign could retard development activities.

However the popular rumors and political gossips in the public domain in Siaya town and its environs is suggesting that the electorate would preferred and even vote for someone of Joe Dundes calibre should he wish to become the governor of the new Siaya county.

Ax moderate politician and son of a former journalist the late Esau Donde Odinga ,who was once the co-editor of the defunct RAMOGI weekly newspaper, which was so popular with the East African wide readership of the popular Dho-Luo weekly vernacular in the early 1940s and late 1950s. His father later joined the Colonial Ministry of Information as an Information Officer and retired at a senior level of the Provincial Information Officer{PIO] in charge of Nyanza Province inthe1970s.

Donde’s eldest sister Ambassador Mary Odinga a career diplomat retired from foreign diplomatic service as Kenya’s Ambassador to Japan after serving in many stations including the UK, Zimbabwe and other places.

A moderate and soft spoken politician, Joe Donde would simply pass anyone as a business executive, but in discussion one would realize that the former Gem legislator is a serious man with vast experience not only on financial matters but also in the world of diplomacy and economic fields.

Donde hails from Gem Kwenda in the Kathomo sub-clan near Nyagondoi Market in Central Gem, Wagai Division, Gem district in the Siaya in the new County.

The political gossips and rumors making the round within Siaya Town and its environs are that Donde would be the right person to take care of the new County as its governor there fore if he chose to contest the position he will have a head-start as the most favored candidate.

The former legislator has been keeping a very low profile ever since losing his Gem parliamentary seat in 1997 general election together with the Land Minister James Orengo, when they stuck with the Ford the ;ate Michael Kijana Wamalwa’s Ford Kenya, a party they insisted was formed by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. All those Luo MPs who had remained loyal to Wamalwa’s camp and refused to cross the floor to the Raila Odinga NDP side were voted out of Parliament in 1997.

They include J.D.Akumu {Nyakach}, Ramogi Achieng’ Oneko {Rarieda]. Clarkson Otieno Karan [Nyando], Justus Aloo Ogeka {Nyakach} and late Linus Aluoch Polo {Rongo}.All were swept out of parliament in 1997 by the strong current of the Raila Odinga’s NDP torrential rain waters and its euphoria.

Orengo has since repented and rejoined Raila Odinga’s ODM and recaptured his Ugenya Parliamentary seat in 2002while Joe Odonde is said to be leading a quiet life in Nairobi occasionally participating in the activities of NGOs and private businesses.

In Homa-Bay the reported shifting ground of Cyprian Awiti who has abandoned his claims to the Senate seat and settled on the more so important governor position is said to be most welcomed by the electorate, who argues that Awiti who has served in the various senior positions in private and public sector is the most suitable. He is expected to make good use of his vast experience in management of larger organizations.

Contacted by phone Awiti readily confirmed that he has concurred with the popular demand and pressure from the electorate that he should contest the governor slot instead of the Senate, because the Wananchi who knew his past attractive and clean record want him to serve them in that position.

Others have suggested that with his wealth of managerial experience, Awiti should have even suited to be made the overall governor of the entire former Nyanza region on supervisory position over other governors in the region,. But he only laughed at that suggestion, adding tat is outside the constitution.

Other names being mentioned as possible aspirants for the position of Siaya County governor include the long serving Alego-Usonga MP Peter Oloo Aringo, immediate former Rarieda MP and Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju, the former Kenya.s ambassador to Washington Odinga Ogego,

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Kenya: Trouble is brewing at the Luo Thrift and Trading Corporation based in Kisumu City

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Business and Economic News By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The Luo Thrift and Trading Company Limited, a private enterprise which has been the community’s trading flagship for close to six decades is on the verge of collapse.

Also known as Ramogi Trading Corporation, the company which owns several prime business building in Kisumu Central Business District {CBD} is said to be in land rent arrears running into million shillings.

Established as a trading company with limited liability in the early 1940s by the defunct Luo Union East Africa under the leadership of the Ker Jaramogi Oginga Odinga with the shareholders money contributed by members of the Luo community all over East Africa, the Luo Thrift and Trading Company was for many years the pride of the community.

At its inception, shareholders were told that only their grand children would benefit from its dividends and other fringe benefits, but generation after generations have come and gone without reaping from its profits, something which is causing alot of anxiety within the Luo community

The firm put up one magnificent building at the junction of Makasembo / Acra Street which is known as Africa House, and which for years served as the nerve center of both business and political operations of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The company was also the first one to put up another important business premises at Maseno, which was for years known as Maseno Stores. It later extended its operations into Rural Luo Nyanza by building several posho mills and conducting other business activities.

Luo Thrift also bought a large scale sugar cane farm to wit approximately 430 acres at Miwani sugar cane farming zone..

Although it traded and operated exclusively as shareholders company, it is believed that the late Jaramogi had slashed some of its profits and used the money accrued from its earning in paying school fees for hundreds of destitute children and those from poor families, and at times as well as even sponsoring those who were studying at the various universities both locally and abroad. This he did so only after persuading the shareholders into sacrificing their annual dividends. The good gesture made the company became most popular within the community, which loosely referred to it as the Luos “Milking Cow”.

A report reaching us says that shareholders have been demanding for a meeting of the directors in vain. The current Managing Director Mzee Edward Adera Osawa is said to be virtually inaccessible to the shareholders. The company is minting close to Kshs 300,00 earning from its rented premises, and ye it owed the Kisumu Municipal Council the colossal amount of money to the tune of KSHS 912,878 in unpaid land rent areas plus penalties, according to the Council demand note dated 30th September 2010.

The company has four registered directors. They are Mr Akongo Arara, Okumu Wandei and Ater Odundo with Mzee Adera Osawa as its managing director. And despite of collecting monthly rents of close to Kshs 300,000 its employees, it is being alleged have gone for months without salary. It has about five employees, mainly those maintaining the buildings. It used to operate a full fledged printing press at the backyard of the Afrika House, but the printing machines have since been dismantled and kept in stores waiting to be sold as second hand after being idle for years.

Our source says that when the former Managing Director the late Dr.Okeyo died some years back, he left the company in a sounding feet financially with a fat bank account reading at about Kshs 600,000, but the company is now almost insolvent.

The share holders are up in arm accusing Mzee Adera OIewe of using the company as his personal enterprise and that the shareholders are in total darkness as far as the title deed and registration certificates of the two buildings in Kisumu. Nobody knew where the monthly rents goes, and are demanding auditing report within one month.

Mzee Adera Osawa who of late has featured prominently in the news as the deputy chairman of the Luo Council of Elders who is supporting the ousted group of the former Ker Meshak Riaga Ogalo could not be reached immediately. He was said to have travelled to his rural home in Central Sakwa Location, Awendo Division I Awendo district.

Other complaints against the MD it is being alleged that he spent his most valuable times in the affairs of the Luo Council of Elders at the expense of Luo Thrift and Trading Company Ltd. It is further being alleged that the managers only make cosmetic appearance at the end of the month, but immediately vanished after collecting rents from the company’s tenants.

A disgusted shareholder from Yala in Gem stated thatr he had acquired thre share certificate which was left in custody by his late father who died in February 1994, Mr Fredrick M Oriwo Odunga attached a photo copy of his late father’s share certificate sating back to January 1952. He said he wished to know if the company issuing any dividend, because his father had received nothing ever since 1952 to the date oif death in 1994.

Mr Oriwo Odunga wanted to know the stats of his father shares in the com any and if there has been any dividends declared since he died without receiving any. His late father was Mr John Odunga. Similar complaints have been heard from all over Luo-Nyanza.

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Kenya: Atwoli’s views on the laxity and complacency of MPs from Kenya regions is right

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The sentiments expressed earlier this week by the Central Organization of Trade Unions of Kenya {COTUK} Secretary General Francis Atwoli against the MPs from Western Kenya were not in vain nor destructive, but an awaking calls for our legislators to pull up their sacks and work.

The stinging and scathing criticisms of our MPs accusing them of laxity and complacency when it comes to the question of development were genuine and very constructive. The two regions of former Nyanza and Western Provinces are yawning for development, job creation and poverty eradication efforts,

The COTU[K} chief delivered his hard-hitting criticism of the MPs from Western Kenya last Monday during the National Women’s Committee Leadership Workshop at the Tom Mboya Labor College, Kisumu.

H blamed the MPs from Western Kenya regions for engaging themselves in endless empty political slogans at the expense of development. His views represent the true picture of what is going on the ground. It is also a clear testimony that our legislators are not genuinely serving the interests’ of the electorate, but their own selfish interests which are outside their mandates.

I am in total agreement that our MPs must wake up, initiate the genuine efforts on poverty eradication, building rural economic infrastructure, which have the direct economic bearing, which could be of great beneficial to the electorate instead of useless political gimmicks. The residents of the regions have heard enough these empty political slogans and sycophancy.

Truly to Atwoli sentiments, we have not heard from the Luo-Nyanza region talks about the possibility of reviving the collapsed industries in Kisumu City such as Kicomi [1985] Ltd, Kenya Breweries Plant in Kisumu City, Kibos Industries and many other medium and small scale manufacturing industries. Nearly all closed down ten years ago.

In fact, Kisumu City is the only town in the Republic of Kenya where there is not even one single functioning industry. The closure of the town’s large and medium size industries had spilled out thousands of jobless youths to the town’s streets and has since become life threatening phenomenon.

The Kenya Breweries plant and Kicomi {1985} Limited had a combine labor force of more than 5,000 workers. All these people were sent home permanently on redundancy’ and there is not the lightest hope of their reinstatement in the near future.

Another important facility which closed down about the same time as Kicomi and the Kenya Breweries plants was Miwani Sugar Company, which left and abandoned its workers as destitute in an overgrown and living camps and estates full of venomous snakes and other dangerous varmints. It went under while owing the workers millions of shillings in unpaid wages, and most of them could not move out of the company living camps due to lack of money for bus and Matatus transport fares back to their rural homes.

A series of meetings called by the MPs and leaders in Luo-Nyanza mainly to strategize on these contentious issues have all ended up with deliberations on matters of national politics and next presidential elections, but nothing tangible touching on economic empowerment of the residents of the region.

We have not heard our MPs putting up argument demanding better return for the hard working fishermen in Lake Victoria. And yet the fishing and fish trade in this region has of late become one of the greatest national assets minting billion of shilling in the much required foreign exchange.

Nobody in this region is talking about the revival of cotton one of the most lucrative cash crops with ready market out there. The last time Nyanza produced many bails of cotton made were in the years 1937, 1952 and 1957. The existing AGOA agreement between the giant US and the African nations has availed ready market for cotton, but its production has dwindled to the near extinct point.

Many parts of Luo-Nyanza are endowed with good annual rainfalls and distribution, but due to lack of incentive and encouragement from political leadership the region’s agriculture is being given only lip-service. This confirms that development agenda is not within the vocabularies of Luo MPs.

When the immediate former Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju struggled hard and initiated tangible development efforts in his constituency with far reaching effect on the population, he was simply dismissed by his FELLOW Luo parliamentary colleagues who branded him as someone who is serving the interest of the Mt. Kenya politicians.

The same group have now focused their attention on remarkable achievement of the abreast talking Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode whose sixteen representation in Parliament of an area previously regarded as one of the most backward parliamentary constituencies in Nyanza has turned around the area to be the bastion of massive development and food production.

In every election time, the anti Ojode elements within the ODM caucus have lost no chance of sponsoring candidates to derail his chances of recapturing his Ndhiwa parliamentary seat. But the only mistakes of Ojode’s enemies is always backing the wrong aspirants with no credibility. This has given the hard working MP who is also an Assistant Minister for Internal Security leeway of winning back his seat.

Whenever the opportunity availed itself for possible brain storming on contentious issues such as how to eliminate the abject poverty among the people, the economic empowerment of the residents of the region, the kind of talks that rent the air are quite irrelevant to the need f the population.

As a matter of fact, the residents of the lakeside region now viewed their MPs as serving them as a bunch of agents of poverty and visionless lots.

The ailing sugar industry has hit the Luos the hardest. All the five white sugar manufacturing plants are located within the region, four of them being established in Nyando and Kisumu districts where the indexes on poverty are said to be the highest

We have not hear even one single voice of an MP from this regions articulating and championing for the woes affecting sugar cane farmers in Nyanza.And where the cane famers are wronged and aggrieved due to the deployment by the government of non-performing managers or those involved in massive lootings.

But what we do hear is that some of the very our leaders who suppose to defend the farmers turns against the in support of such inefficient and incompetent managers that the farmers wanted kicked out. The farmers ends up being the losers at the hands of moneyed managers.

Iin most cases such inefficient managers only serves the interest of politicians and MPs who are allegedly shielding them from being fired, It is the politicians who some time acts as the power brokers and godfather of the inefficient managers in the sugar industry especially those serving their selfish interests . We do hear dreadful rumors of some individuals conducting clandestine operations of power brokerage between the inefficient managers and the parent ministry to ensure the retention of unproductive and non-performing managers. And these are some of the reasons the sugar industry has been baptized as the ‘Milking Cow”.

Francis Atwoli as the Secretary of the Union of the Plantation and Agricultural Workers knows better where the problem lies. He has consistently fought hard for the workers welfare and good wages, but at time finding himself being stabbed at the back by the seemingly compromised MPs.

His criticism of the MPs from Western Kenya is not misplaced, but genuinely timed and as such need to be supported by all level mind and sane people with the interest of the public at heart.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Uganda: Police in man-hunt for a catholic priest who disappeared with a vehicle he had hired

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Reports LeoOdera Omolo

THE Police in Tororo are hunting for a Catholic priest in connection with theft of a car worth sh13m, NEWVISION has reported..
Father Gerald Mangada attached to Kwapa Catholic parish of Tororo diocese allegedly hired a saloon car registration UAL 395T, Toyota Premo in Tororo on September 4, only to sell it in Kampala at sh6.1m before he disappeared.

According to the Police, the vehicle was recovered from the buyer after a two-week search by the Police Rapid Response Unit.

The Tororo district officer in charge of crime, Isabella Amejja, said on Monday that a criminal file No.CRB18/95 had been opened against the priest.

Police records indicate that Mangada hired the saloon car from David Wakela, a special-hire driver in Tororo town.

“The priest hired the vehicle on self-drive terms, only to disappear with it for two weeks,” Wakela said.

Godfrey Okurwon, the owner of the car, said Wakela used to make his remittances on a weekly basis.

“When my driver could neither make his remittances nor trace my vehicle, I reported the matter to Tororo Central Police Station.”

The officer in charge of the Police station, Aggrey Isabirye, said detectives visited the Catholic diocese in Kwapa to establish whether fellow priests there knew the whereabouts of Mangada, but did not receive a good reception.

“The residence was almost empty as the priest had already taken away nearly all his valuables,” said Isabirye.

He said the priest is believed to have left the country.

David Ogwang, a longtime friend of the priest, said he unknowingly negotiated the sale of the car.

“The priest called me to look out for a potential buyer of a saloon car, saying he had an urgent problem,” Ogwang said in a statement to the Police.

Ogwang, who had no reason to doubt his friend, sourced for the buyer who agreed to pay sh6.1m.

In the sale agreement, the buyer agreed to pay sh5m in cash and the rest in three days.

“The buyer agreed to obtain the logbook of the car upon clearance of the sh1.1m balance,” Ogwang stated.

He said he only discovered that the sale was fraudulent after the buyer paid the balance. For days, he tried to trace the priest, both physically and on phone, but failed to get him, he narrated.

“The car buyer gave me a lot of headache yet I could not trace the priest.”

He said one of the priests informed him in confidence that the priest had disappeared.

Ogwang said he later learnt that the vehicle did not belong to the priest. “I could not believe that Fr. Mangada could engage in such an illegal transaction,” he said.

Ogwang said he immediately reported to the Police.

“I was compelled to sell my new RAV4 car at sh12m to pay the buyer,” he lamented.

Okurwon said he recovered his car at Old Kampala Police Station but added that he was unhappy because it was damaged.

Okurwon has demanded over sh4m from the Catholic diocese of Tororo as compensation for the damage.

“I’ve had audience with the authorities of the Tororo Catholic diocese but they insisted that they had to consult their lawyer,” said Okurwon.

Efforts to get a comment from the Catholic church in Tororo were fruitless. Archbishop Dennis Lote Kiwanuka declined to talk to the New Vision reporter who visited the diocesan office at St. Peter’s College, Tororo.

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Uganda tables a new Bill in Parliament to protect the endangerd Albino people

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Reports leo Odera Omolo

ALBINISM has been included in the new disability coding by the gender, labour and social development ministry, state minister Emmanuel Otaala said. The minister tabled the National Council for Disability Amendment Bill, 2010, which contained the new list, before Parliament yesterday.

Albinos have been complaining of neglect by the Government, having been excluded from the 2006 Persons with Disability Act.the NEWVISION has reported

An albino woman and her children at a recent meeting in Mbale

They argue that the exclusion deters them from benefiting from development programmes as they suffer stigma and discrimination.

Albinism is a condition where a person is born without enough skin pigment called melanin. Melanin is a chemical that colours the skin, eyes, and hair. Without it, people look pale and their hair may appear yellow.

In the Bill, the disabled are categorised as sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, including those whose limbs have been amputated. Deformities, including lower limbs, spinal cord injuries, rheumatism, club feet and albinism are also included.

The Bill also seeks to streamline the election of persons with disabilities to Parliament and local government councils. Representatives will now be chosen basing on their political party affiliations in accordance with the multi-party system through the formation of electoral colleges.

“In forming electoral colleges, gender should be taken into consideration,” Otaala said. The Electoral Commission will be required to facilitate the formation of electoral colleges at different levels of government.

In addition, the EC shall appoint returning officers and presiding officers for the purpose of conducting elections of representatives of persons with disabilities.

“Any person with disabilities who meets national standards for elections has a right to contest for any elective office to represent persons with disabilities,” reads the Bill.

At every level of representation, a committee of five members shall have a representative of the blind, deaf, physically disabled, women with disabilities and youth with disabilities.

The district executive committee members shall form four regional electoral colleges to elect four representatives to Parliament and a woman representative, according to the Bill

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Kenya: KACC has charged seven including a director of sugar company with fraud in Kisumu

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo in KisumuCity

FOR the first time since its inception a couple of years ago, the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission {KACC} on Monday this week charged eight people and a private firm with six counts of fraud, abuse of public office and forgery.

The land mark case involved a former resident magistrate and deputy registrar of Kisumu High Court, a senior government land valuer, two senior revenue officers with the Nyando County Council and a director of Kibos Sugar and Allied industries ltd.

Seven of the accused person appeared before the Anti-Corruption Magistrate Court presided over by the Principal Magistrate Kimemia Muneeni at the Kisumu law court.

The accused persons were two auctioneers Ian Gakoi Maina, John Gitau Maina,a land valuer Phillip Odongo Kabita,two revenue officers with the Nyando County Council,Moses Nyabura Osewe and Kefa Lumumba Atunga, Epainto Okoyo,an employee of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd, Sukwindr Sigh Chatte a director of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd and a firm called Crossly Holding Ltd

The magistrate made an order that each one of the accused person may be released on personal, but court approved bail of Kshs 5 million or alternatively each be released on cash bail of Kshs 2.5 million.

The seven were charged jointly with conspiracy to defraud. The charge sheet presented to court stated that on diverse dates between May 21,2007 and January 30, 2008 with conspired together with intent to defraud Miwani Sugar Company [In official receivership], of its property comprised in all that parcel of land known as Land Register No 7545/3 situated at Miwani by fraudulently causing the same property to be transferred to m/s Crossly Holdings Ltd.

The seven accused persons were also jointly charged with an alternative charge of fraudulent acquisition of public property.It was stated that between January 2007 and January 2008,they fraudulent acquired public property, to wit all the parcels contained inland Register No 7545/3 measuring approximately 9,394 acres belonging to Miwani Sugar Coimpany [1989]Limited [currently under official receivership] The land is valued at Kshs 2.32 billion.

They also faced a charge the third count of an offence of fraudulent acquisition of public property, a charge which is contrary to Section 45[1][a] 128 as read with Section 36 of the under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Act No.3 of 2003.

Moses Nyabura Osewe a senior revenue officer with the Nyando County Council faced a separate charge that of willful neglect of official duty.

The charge sheet presented to court against the accused states that on January 3,2008 at Nyando County Council office at Awasi Town, Nyando district, within Kisumu County the revenue officer with the Nyando County Council while being the person concerned with the administration, custody and management of public revenue, he willfully failed to collect the outstanding land rent and rates while issuing a Certificate of Clearance of Payment of Rates and other charges in respect of all that property comprised L.R.No 7545/3 measuring approximately 9.394 acres of land situated in Kibos Miwani and belonging to the Miwani Sugar Company [1989] [in official receivership].

Sukwinder Singh Chatte, alias Raju Singh a director of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries and a firm called Crossly Holdings Ltd, were separately charged with fraudulent acquisition of public property.

The charge resented to court by KACC alleged between May 21 2007 and January 30,2008, they jointly and fraudulently acquired public property, to wit ,all the parcel of land contained therein L.R.No 7545/3 measuring approximately 9,394 acres valued at Kshs 2.32 billion belonging to Miwani Sugar Company [1989][In official receivership] situated at Kibos Miwani area.

Epainto Apono Akoyo an employee of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry was also separately charged in court that between May 21,2007 and January 30,2008,he forged a letter of consent dated 24,December 2007 purporting to be a genuine one issued by the Nyando District Land Control Board consenting to the transfer of all the parcel of land contained there in L.R.7545/3 situated at Kibos/Miwani areas belonging to Miwani Sugar Company [1989] Limited [n official receivership].

The former resident magistrate Abdulkadir Athman Salim Elkindy faced two counts of forgery and that one abuse of public office..

The first count alleged that on or about the day of 19, October 2007, being a public offcer as a Deputy Registrar of High Court at Kisumu Law Court, in abuse of the authority of his office arbitrary executed a notification of sale purporting that an order had been issued by the High Court for the sale of Miani Sugar Company Limited property involved in High Court covo; case number 225 of 1993, an act which was prejudicial to the Rights of Miwani Sugar Company Limited [In official receivership].

The former magistrate was further charged with the offence of an abuse of office. It was stated that on or about the day of 24th December 2007, being the Deputy Registrar of the High Court at Kisumuy Law Court, the accused used his office top improperly confer a benefit to M/s Cross;y Holdings Ltd by irregularly issuing orders in Kisumu HighCouyrt Civil Case Number 225 of 1993 vesting all properties belonging to Miwani Sugar Company Limited[In official receivership] to the said M/s Crossly Holdings Limited.

All the accused paid cash bail and were released. They were represented by a prominent Kisumu based criminal lawyer Mr Ridhard Onsongo of Onsongo and Company Advocates. The case will come up for mention within the next two weeks time.

The KACC sleuths carried out a thorough investigation of this case following recommendation contained in a milestone judgment made two years ago by the former Kisumu Resident Judge Mr Justice John Mwera., who had recommended that several people involved in the fraudulent transfer of the nucleus estates belonging to Miwani Sugar Company Limited be investigated.

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leooderaomolo@yahyoo.com

Kenya: Eight people including directors of Kibos Sugar Company faces fraud chags in Kisumu

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reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

EIGHT more people were arraigned today before the Kenya Anti Corruption Court in Kisumu and charged with fraudulently trying to acquire the collapsed Miwani Company and its land worth over 2 billion shillings.

They appeared before the Principal Magistrate Kimemia Muneeni and denied the charges.

Ian Gitau, John Kimani, Moses Oseko Joseph Lumumba, Sign Sate, Ephraim Apundo and Abdikadir Salim were all ordered released on bonds of 5 million shillings each or cash bail of 2.5 million each.

One of the suspects is a former resident magistrate in Kisumu law court who is said to have presided in civil case which resulted in the complaint filed by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission [KACC}

They were represented by lawyer Richard Onsongo who argued that bail is a constitutional right.

The offences were allegedly committed between dates varying in 2007 and 2008.

The case will be mentioned in two weeks time. Also listed in the charge sheet was Crowley Company limited.

Last week the Management of Kibos Sugar Factory Limited (KSAIL) alongside five other suspects were arraigned in a Kisumu court, charged with fraudulently trying to acquire the collapsed Company and its land worth 2.32 billion shillings.

The charge stated that between May 21, 2007 and January 30, 2008 they conspired with intent to defraud Miwani Sugar Company of its property comprising the entire parcel of land, LR. NO. 7545/3 measuring 9,394 acres.

All the six accused persons appeared before the Senior Principal Magistrate, Ezra Awino. and denied the charges through their Lawyer Richard Onsongo and were released on a bond of 3million shillings or cash bail of Ksh. 1 million each.

Also charged were two civic leaders from Nyando County Council, a Kisumu based Auctioneer, an advocate of the same Court and KSAIL Managing Director, Sukwinder Singh alias “Raju Sign Patel” who owns the Kibos Sugar Factory.

The case is set for mentioning on October 27th, 2010.

End

Albino people in Uganda want to be treated in the same category with the disabled

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

ALBINOS have petitioned the Government to include them in the category of people with disability to enable them benefit from development programmes.

Joseph Katete, the chairman of the Elgon Foundation for Persons with Albinism (EFPA), said there was need for the Government to build schools for children with albinism.

The albinos attending a meeting at Dreamland Inn in Mbale town on Saturday. They want to be included in the category of persons with disabilities

“Albinos have sight problems and, therefore, cannot study well in class with other children and this situation is sometimes compounded by stigma and discrimination,” he noted.

Katete also called for the need to help albinos get specialised doctors and access items like sunscreen, caps and sunglasses to protect them from the sun.

He was speaking at one-day meeting at Dreamland Inn in Mbale town on Saturday.

The participants observed that the Persons With Disability Act of 2006 defined disability narrowly, thereby excluding albinos.

Musa Kimaswa, who studied business studies at the Mbale based Islamic University, said this may explain why they are never considered for affirmative action.

The meeting came up with a one-year budget proposal of about sh40m.

The participants expect to solicit the money from members, government agencies, NGOs and the community.

It is hoped that when the funds are secured, the albinos will be able get an office, carry out advocacy programmes in the communities and train members in entrepreneurship skills.

The participants resolved to continue demanding for their rights and equalisation of opportunities using national and international legislation.

EFPA, which brings together albinos from Mbale, Kapchorwa, Manafwa, Bududa and Sironko districts, was founded two years ago with 15 members. It now has 64 members.

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Kenya: The government must stop extra-judicial killing in Gusii region ad ban SunguSungu

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

The re-emergence of the extra-judicial executions and killings of innocent in Kisii region must be put to an immediate end by the government.

It is disturbing and portrays our beloved Kenyan national as a failing state in the same category with some of ungovernable neighboring states. Our country has only one government of responsible men and women, and can ill-afford to see its citizens being recklessly slaughtered like wild animal almost on daily basis by a gang of criminals

Residents of Gussii region need the maximum security protection as the laws of the laws of the land stipulates that no one has the rights of taking away the precious life from another person except under the judicial process. But what is happening in the Kisii region cannot be ignored. The governments therefore need to act with speed to arrest the situation before it goes out of hand.

We do not have two governments in this country comprising of the ones who s summarily executing the suspected criminal s and the other one which prosecutes the suspect before the established courts of law. And from the looks of things that is what is happening in Gusii region.

The residents of the region are quick in attributing these killing as the work of an outlawed group calling themselves ‘SunguSungu vigilantes’..The group sprung up a decade ago and was hailed by the Provincial Administration was immediately recognized the Provincial Administration in the region. It was mandated to supplement the work of the regular policemen deployed in the crime prone region in suppressing criminal activities. But not to apprehend the suspect and execute them summarily before they were proved guilty of the offences with which they are charged with.

He strange thing is that while sanctioning the operations of the SunguSungu group to police the villagers and get rid of criminal elements within the society, the Provincial Administration erred for not having vetted the individual characters involved in this kind of risky operations. And no sooner did the complaints from the general public filtered in f the groups committing atrocities against the law a biding citizens.

The SunguSungu vigilantes youths exceeded their mandate of policing the villages, and turned out to be taking bribes under the pretext of settling family disputes, particularly on land, debts collection and being hired to settle outstanding contentious land dispute between the families, Such disputes always ends in the macabre killing of innocent people. Some of which have ended up in the summary execution of the suspect offenders, and even being bribed to kill unwanted neighbors and relatives by the economically powerful neighbors. The exercise painted the Gusii region in the wrong way as a place where one can easily find a group of hired mercenaries to eliminate his or her business rivalries.

A month ago residents if Kanyango village in Central Kasipul in a place located between Ruga and Rodi Kakuom markets, which are close to the border of Marani and Rachuonyo districts got a rude shock when they discovered the headless bodies of two well dressed young men laying before the roadside on the main Kisii-Oyugis road. The victim heads were also laying next to their bodies. It appeared as if the two men were killed elsewhere but transported and dumped to the place.

A week ago, the Kegogi village, which is located to the east of Marani district headquarters to the east and placed below the Manga Escarpment, was engulfed in a state of shock and mourning.

About 50 people armed with axes, machetes, rungus, swords, and guns stormed a funeral home where a committee charged with the responsibility of organizing the funeral plan for the burial of an elderly villages who was reported to have died a couple of weeks ago after being shot seven times by unknown assailants. The group dragged two selected people out of the meeting. And the next day their headless bodies were discovered by roadside the road near Miruka [Riochanda]market several kilometers away along Nyamira-Rachuonyo South districts borders.

According to the testimony of the eye witnesses a total of four young men were abducted on the same night and killed at different places. The victims were dragged to a deserted remote part of the villages where the summary execution took place. The killing was under the guise that the victim were the prime suspect in connection with the killing of the village elders..

One villager whose only crime is having come out of his house on hearing the commotion outside to investigate what was going on outside. His wife told this writer that about ten men accosted Mr Jeremiah Bogonko outside his hut and forced him back to the house. They asked why he went out and where he was going. The men using machetes smashed the family television set, and a radio. They pierced his clothes using machetes and asked fore mobile phones, which they took away and left with her husband whose headless body was discovered near Miruka on the main Nyamira- Kisumu highway.

The fact that these criminal gangs took away with them mobile phone handset and perhaps have put them to use makes it much easier for the police to trace these thugs and bring them to book. But so far no arrest has been made. The victim’s wife Mrs Eunice Nyaboke Bogonko narrated how she informed her father in-law about the abduction of her husband, and how the family had the sleepless night pondering about what would be the fate her husband night only to be told the next morning that his headless body had been discove5red far away from home. All these happened when the gangsters came and claimed they were searching for illegal guns which were used in killing the church elder of the Kenya Assembly of God Church Mzee Michael Onchong’a Nyakundi.

A Mr Pascal Gichana Onyiengo also of Kegogi village was killed in the same style, but in all these cases, the villagers says the police did not appear anywhere for the next twenty four hours, though these places are so close to Kisii Town and Marani, which is the ne district headquarters for Kitutu Chache.

Has the government abdicated from its responsibility of protecting its citizens? If not so then why has it placed its citizen under the extreme danger of being killed by night gangsters with impunity?. It is moderately being estimated that close to 200 people have lost their precious lives in Gusii region in the last three years in similar circumstances. Some of them victims died on suspicion they were witches or practicing witchcrafts’ other died on mere allegations that they were involved in unproven criminal activities.

The signs that business rivalries is also playing part in these killing is the destruction of business premises in Suneka market in Bonchari whose owners were suspected of criminal activities. Some double storey building were vandalized beyond repair by the enrage youths

It is time the government restore sanity and security of its citizens in Gusii region by banning the illegal activities of SunguSungu vigilante groups which have made the life difficult for the residents.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.cim

Kenya: Rongo D.C. in a crisis security meeting in Awendom with the striking farmers and can cutters

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town

RONGO District Commissioner Arthur Osiya yesterday spent the best part of the afternoon in a crisis talks with the contracted and non-contracted sugar cane farmers within the Awendo sugar growing zones.

The meeting, which was held in Awendo town was part of the concerted effort by the Provincial Administration to resolve dispute between the farmers, cane cutters and other local stake holders, which has paralyzed the operations of SONYSUGAR company.

It was held on the fourth days of a stand off between the cane farmers, cutters and civic leaders in the region, which has paralyzed the operations of the Awendo based facility for the last four days.

Si fat the striking cane cutters are suspected to have been responsible for the destruction of the company property, which has seen close to 20 hectares of mature and immature cane torched by unknown arsonists . The strike by cane cutters has also drastically hampered the operations at the facility and grossly interfered with the normal cane delivery at the factory.

THE D.C’s meeting with farmers and cane cutter came in the wake of an impromptu meeting of the boards of directors of SONYSUGAR board of directors, which was called specifically to deliberate on various issues affecting the operations of the SONYSUGAR company, which is a wholly government owned facility.

The D.C. made passionate appeal to the resident of Awendo cane farming zone to protect the property of the SONYSUGAR Company saying that the firm was playing pivotal role in the economy of the Southern Nyanza region being the only single largest manufacturing industry.

The D.C reminded the residents of the area of the importance of keeping peace, law and order while the government is looking into their grievances. He promised that an important announcement would be made soon in connection to the farmers demand for high prices for their row cane.

But the seemingly enraged farmers told the D.C on his face that they were not comfortable with the SONYSUGAR Managing Director Paul O Odolla and wanted him fired.

While the meeting was going on some voice from the crowd were heard shouting that the recent renewal of the MD’s contract was done in a questionable manner. This confirms the rumors making the round within Awendo and its environs that it was done through the back door and that a discredited former civic leaders was used as conduit and hirelings brokering the deal through an influential political family which prevailed upon the Ministry to have the non-performing manager’s working contract renewed to the chagrins of the cane farmers and workers alike.

The lasted development came about following the sugar cane farmers pressing demand that the row cane price be increased from the current price of Kshs 2885 to Kshs 3185 per ton of row cane delivered to the facility. The farmers want the payment in arrears back-dated to July 2009 when the National Pricing Committee of the Kenya Sugar Board approved the increment. Other Millers had already adjusted to the new prices and paid out money in arrears to the cane growers except SONYDSUGAR.

During the impromptu security Baraza by the D.C there were no senior managers from the SONYSUGAR in attendance, through there were eight civic leaders from the Councils within the Awendo environs.

A prominent farmer from Rapogi zone Mr John Boby Awiti Otange who is also a prominent businessman in Nairobi commented that the time of employing top managers in public companies through godfathers are long gone with the arrival of the new constitution dispensation.

He said the SONYSUGAR company managers must be prepared to serve the interest of the sugar cane farmers above all because the farmers are their employers. Those who could not cooperate with the farmers must pack and go because there is no more room for employment through godfathers.

Some of the farmers interviewed said they would not hesitate to go public and expose the names of people involved in underhanded and corrupt deals, which are likely to cause sufferings to the poor cane farmers

SONYSUGAR has contracted close to 27,000 within the six administrative districts of Rongo, Homa-Bay,Uriri, Gucha, Trans-Mara, Migori and Kuria. There are also equal number of non-contracted farmers within the region who are also benefiting from the company.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

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Kenya: Rongo D.C. in a crisis security meeting in Awendom with the striking farmers and can cutters