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29Sep/110

KENYA & ICC: POLICE IN KENYA ARE PROVIDING 24 HOURS SECURITY MEASURES AND ARE GUARDING THE HOME OF THE FAMILY OF AN ICC WITNESS IN THE RIFT VALLEY FOLLOWING LAST FRIDAY NIGHT ATTACK

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kapsabet Town.

POLICE in Kenya’s expansive Rift Valley Province are maintaining a 24 hours vigil at the home of an ICC witness at the Hague in the Netherlands.

The home is located a few kilometers from this town, which is situated in North Nandi district, about 300 kilometer North-south of the capital, Nairobi.

The witness and his family are currently under protection in an undisclosed location abroad at the expense of the International Court of Criminal Justice {ICC}where six top Kenya government officials are facing confirmation hearing on whether they should stand for trial for numerous offences related to the post-election violence of 2007 and 2008.

The top officials include the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President and the Head of Public Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura, the suspended Minster for the Industrialization, Henry Kosgey, the sacked Minister for higher Education, William Ruto, the Postmaster General and a form Commissioner of Police, Maj-Gen Hussein Ali and local Kass FM Radio station news broadcaster Joshua Arap Sang.

The case has attracted a lot of interests among Kenyans and their friends abroad. Thousands of TV viewers have been following the proceedings at the Hague with keen interests.

Five top police sleuths from the Department of Criminal investigations {CID}visited the home on Tuesday where they collected sample of stones and broken window panes used by the attackers who the locals believes are the supporters of one of the suspect in the Hague criminal cases of violating human rights.

On Monday this week the Director of Public Prosecution {DPP} Kariako Tobiko was reported to have written a letter to the Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere directing him to investigate the matter and provide round the clock security at home.

The DPP ordered to the relevant security agencies to investigate the incident was confirmed by the Council of NGO Council Ken Wafula.who confirmed having receive a copy of the letter said it was also copied to the Kenya’s Attorney General Githu Muigai and the CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro.

The ICC officials operating through its liaison office in Nairobi have also contacted the family of its prosecution witness which was attacked last Friday during the wee hours of the night.

Unknown people suspected to be the youths allied to politicians currently facing prosecution at the ICC in the Netherlands stoned the roofs of houses covered by corrugated iron sheet The threw stones and other missiles on the roof and destroyed window panes while shouting “The Hague the Hague" in the darkness.

The family led by the 65 year old has since fled the home and have sough for refuge with relatives in Eldoret Town. They escaped under the cover of darkness and boarded a matatu van destined to Eldoret Town. No one was injured in the attack.

Officials from the Witness Protection Advisory have also moved to the home and are said to be in contact with the family in Eldoret town. Following last Friday incident the several families whose members are suspected to be connected to the ICC cases as witnesses are said to be living in fear for their safety in the entire North Rift region of Kenya.

The region witnessed the Mayhem that engulfed Kenya following the hotly disputed result of the presidential votes tallying in December 2007 and early in 2008. Close to 1,500 people lost their lives, while close to 350,000 lost their dwelling homes, most of the torched by marauding political goons. Properties worth millions of shilling were destroyed by political thugs.

“I direct that you cause urgent and speedy investigation to be carried into the incident and statement should be recorded and all the persons who might have been involved interrogated,” says Tobiko’s letter in part.

The DPP wants the on the matter forwarded to his office as soon as possible. The Witnesses Protection Advisory {WPA} says it is considering the possibility of a preliminary stop-gap intervention or protection of the family.

The Attorney general through his state law office public relations officer Dominic Onyango promised he will work with the ICC liaison office in Nairobi on the issue to ensure that justice is done.

Ends

29Sep/116

Kenya: Two political heavy weights met head on at Oyugis fund dive function a tension and political temperature goes up

Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

TENSION was charged and political temperature rose to the highest peak when the two strongest contestants for the lucrative position of Homa-Bay County governor met for the first time .

The political temperature rose and the otherwise peaceful fund drive meeting almost got marred by the arrival of political goons ferried to the meeting venue by one of the aspirants for Kasipul-Kabondo parliamentary seat for the alleged purpose of "heckling and shouting against the incumbent MP Joseph Oyugi Maguwanga who did not show up.

The aspirants for the governorship position were former Marie Stoppie Clinics Country Director Cyprian Otieno Awiti,and the Microsoft executive Dr. Mark Matunga.

Awiti was the chief guest, and at one point in time almost lost control of the rowdy youths. The youths were alleged hired and ferried into Oyugis town from Kachien location about six kilometers south-west of Oyugis Town.

Most of the rowdies appeared to have been excessively intoxicated with the illicit "Chang'aa" and were shouting aimless as they menacing approached the venue of the meeting.

The aspirant who is allegedly to have imported a mobile crowd into Oyugis town and the rowdy youths is Were Ong'ondo who is a running his own clinics in Meru in Eastern province, and is challenging the incumbent Joseph Oyugi Mguwanga for the Kasipul-Kabondo seat comes the next general election.

Dr Matunga who was on his way en-route to Kosele to attend the funeral of the mother of a Mr. Aduke, another parliamentary aspirant in the area, just stopped and dropped in at the venue.and found it invaded by rowdy youths involved in the shouting match to the top of their voices. He tried in vain to calm down and dished out some money thinking it would come them, but to no avail..

Also in attendane were Muhoroni politician James Onyango Koyoo, Rachuonyo North ODM branch chairman Jack Nduri.

Rumor making the rounds within Oyugis Town and its environs that Awiti and some of his friends have been fronting for the incumbent MP Maguwanga and wanted him to be re-elected come 2012 was refuted by Awiti who called for peaceful campaign and responsible utterances in p[public on the parts of leaders.

He said he and Dr.Matunga would battle it out for the governor position and it was up to the electorate to make their own choice as who is best suited to represent them. This is their {voters'} democratic right and does not entail the two to be enemies.

Awiti said that every candidate should account for his past contributions in terms of socio-economic development projects. And also what he has been doing to assist the down trodden Wananchi ...

Matunga said that Homa-Bay County could be one of the richest counties in the country if the proper people with most suitable academic background are chosen to guide the institution. It will require someone with both national and international contacts, because the government annual grant will not be sufficient to run the most expansive Counties in the region. Someone should be there and who can successful in raising funds from Kenya's development partners and international financial agencies because the government annul grant will not be sufficiently enough to run and managed the most expansive County in the region.

It was alleged from certain quarters that Awiti had been working on a formula to make successful appeals to the international financial institutions and / or partners to bring the money for the region's development.so that he can stamp his authority in Homa-Bay County and had already single out loyal politicians under his patronage whom he want to represent the eight constituencies in the count...

It is said that in the larger Rachuonyo, Awit,i is grooming an inexperience junior, Banker Nicholas Koriko, for Karachuonyo constituency, while at the same time he is backing the perennial election looser Prof.Richard Muga for the newly created Kabondo constituency. And in Kasipul he has narrowed on the ever colorless Magwanga to carry on with the mandate for another five years.

Another unfounded allegation holds that Cyprian Awiti, who is aspiring for Homa-Bay county governorship, had conspired to combine force with Magwanga in co-ordination with an authoritative head of provincial administration in the area and their mercenaries during a fund raising function at the Oyugis Catholic church to undermine their opponents in Kasipul.

Among those targeted by Cyprian's team was an ODM political heavy weight in Kasipul .Charles Ong'ondo Were.

Were, who is a Meru based business magnet, and his political think tank, have given Magwanga a sleepless night. He has also refused the patronage of Cyprian a thing that had made the two politicians jittery

It was further alleged by one Jamumbo Auka Mayora, an ODM activist and youth leader, that Awiti had conspired with those who were to attend function that include Koriko, Muga,Onyango Koyoo among others, Cyprian had said he wanted to prove to those who are opposed to his choice in Kasipul that he still command the unrivaled political and financial power in the region. He mobilized and paid hecklers through the area Mp but the youths took the money and demanded more.

It however, emerged that these allegations against Awit were unfounded and only the fertile imagination of Jamumbo Aguko Mayora, about who it is further being said is allied as a political hirling and surrogate of Were Ong'ondo.

On learning that their plans had failed, Magwanga decided to stay indoors, choosing to monitor the event through his proxies. Cyprian arrived incognito as the tense condition forced him to abandon his heavy duty vehicle and boarded a taxi,According to an article, authored by Jamumbo Aguko Mayora,.the crowd blocked another aspiring governor Dr.Mark Matunga who was also heading to the same function mistaking him to be Cyprian.Matunga who later left for the burial of Enock aduke's mother in Kosele. Aduke is aspiring for the seat of senate in the Homa-Bay

Ends

29Sep/111

KENYA: GOVERNMENT IS TOLD TO TAKE ACTIVE PART IN REGULATING MINERAL EXPLORATION IN PARTS OF GREATER SOUTHERN NYANZA REGION.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In MigoriTown.

MEMBERS of the Parliamentary Committee on Land and Natural Resources led by their chairman Matava Musyimi made extensive tour of the mineral rich Nyatike constituency in Migori County to assess for them the situation on the ground.

They were accompanied by the abrasive Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyangawho in the recent past has incessantly bitterly complained about what he terms as “grace exploitation" of local gold diggers by foreign and local investors who makes millions in profits, but only paying peanuts to the local people engaged only on manual work of digging and exacerbating for the precious stone.

The purpose of the visit by the committee is to institute proper regulation to govern mining of gold and copper in the area.

During a public meeting and exchange of views held at Macalder, the residents told the MPs that lack of proper legal framework has negated the economic benefits the residents would enjoy from the mining industry in the area.

The residents bitterly complained that the miners do not understand how the companies were going about their businesses and appealed for proper sensitization of the local community.

They said they have no problems with mining firms operating in the area, but they want the government to come up with laws "so that things are put straight “ their spokesman Ouma Nyakiya told the Committee members.

There has been discontentment by the local communities over what they called naked exploitation by multinational and local companies prospecting for the gold in the region. This prompted the area MP Edick Omondi Anyanga to call a for probe over the methods of exporting he precious stone to foreign markets. There were rumors awash that some prospectus could be siphoning the gold for export via the neighboring Tanzania and not paying the necessary taxes to the government coffer.

The legislators who were led by their chairman Hon Rev Mutaba Musyimi promised the residents that the team would come up with a report on the matter. “

“The community wants to know the manner in which these companies are operating. They need sensitization, a proper legislative framework and the government’s protection,”

However, the Nyanza based government geologist Martin Nyakinya defended the investors saying that currently the firm which is on the site {Bedrock} "was undertaking exploration, which he said would take much longer time to yield in actual mining. especially now that many companies that have come for the exercise are pulling out because questions of the financial viability of the project,” said Nyakinya.

The Geologist said one firm, Mid-Migori Company, had been granted the license to prospect for the minerals, but later entered into joint venture with other companies after it fell short of technical and financial capability.

The area MP who conducted the team around Edick Omondi Anyanga appealed to the government to intervene and resolve the issue for the community to benefit from the mining.

“We are standing on gold worth billions of shilling and the government should come in and help the situation,” said the MP.

Earlier the committee members heard that some of the companies which had been licensed to carry out exploration activities, were instead mining the minerals. ”Mining is going on, this is not an exploration exercise. There cannot be 20 years of prospecting and we suspect it is mining that is going on ,” said Mumias MP Benbjami Washiali.

In the late 1930 through to the 1940s and 1950s, there were full fledged gold mining companies in Mcalder Gold and Copper Mines Ltd, and also in Masara, Kihancha in the neighboring Kuria region and Lolgorien in the neighboring Trans-Mara region.

Macalder Mines later changed it hand in the 1950s and it was taken over by the Commonwealth Development Corporation {CDC}.

Another highly vibrant Gold Mines was situated at Kitere in the site where today sits the Mit Campus of the Moi University at Kitere. But all the mines were suddenly closed down in 1962 as the county approached its political independence in 1963. The expatriate miners hurriedly left the country in huff fearing that politically related chaos would erupt and that Kenya was just about to go the Congo way.

Ends

29Sep/110

THE LATE PROFESSOR WANGARI MAATHAI: CONDOLENCE BOOK

from AKR|Association of Kenyans Living in Rwanda

Fellow Kenyans,

Most of you may be aware of the demise of Professor Wangari Maathai on Sunday the 25th September 2011. Her death is untimely and a great loss to our country Kenya and the world at large. She inspired many of us through her commitment to conservation, democracy, women’s empowerment, the eradication of poverty and civic engagement.

For those wishing to express their condolences on the passing of Professor Maathai, a condolence book has been opened at the Kenya High Commission office, Kacyiru. You can visit and sign during the normal working hours.

Please remember the family during this difficult moment.

Carol.

28Sep/110

KENYA: WHY WANGARI’S SPIRIT WILL HAUNT FOREST LAND GRABBERS

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

Prof Maathai Wangi may have died but her spirit will continue haunting few greedy elite Kenyans who grabbed indigenous forests. It goes back to 2003 when the former Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife, Dr Newton Kulundu warned that should former power man in Moi’s government, Mr Nicholas Biwott surrender illegally acquired Kaptagat Forest land he would be taken to court-click here-KENYA: Government Contradicts Biwott On Forest

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The Minister reiterated that the allocation of 161 hectares at Kaptagat Forest land to former Cabinet Minister was null and void. The Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife Minister also warned that officers who allocated the forest land to Biwott without considering the environment impact assessment would be sacked.

It all started when Fr. Michael Rop, parish priest at Mokwo Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Eldoret, Western Kenya, began to ask some tough political questions in his homilies and civic education workshops as to why the Kenya government allocated Minister of Trade and Industry Nicholas Biwott a 1,000-acre plot carved out of the nearby Kaptagat Forest, especially since the land had previously been set aside to settle landless and poor squatters in the area.

Biwott, who was also the area's Member of Parliament, apparently did not take kindly to such inquiries from the church. Instead his supporters and other pro-government activists harassed Father Rop, accusing him of sexual harassment, threatening to evict him from the area, disrupting council parish meetings, and doing other things to undermine him.

It was not only Father Rop whose life was in danger but even his Bishop. On Sunday, July 1, 2001 armed police sealed off entrances to Mokwo Parish in an attempt to stop Bishop Cornelius Korir of Eldoret from entering Holy Family Catholic Church. The police's attempt failed because they didn't realize that Korir had spent the previous night in the church compound.

Bishop Cornelius Korir had said the mother of Mr Biwott, the late Mama Maria Sote, was not a national heroine to warrant the hiving off of 1,000 acres of forest land for the construction of a memorial for her.

Despite the fact that international laws on the protection of forests were clear that any one found destroying trees must be charged in court and the Kenya Government provides for similar action, Biwott and other elites who grabbed the forest land in Kenya has never been charged in court of law because they are politically connected individuals.

According to Paul Ndung’u report on illegal allocation of public forest land, among other elite Kenyans who are mentioned include former MP Joseph Kamotho linked to the illegal acquisition of 2.228 hectares in Karura forest in exchange for land of his that was said to have been allocated to the Kenya technical Teachers College. He has ever since denied the allegation.

Mr William Ruto is mentioned in the report as having acquired Ngong Forest land which he later sold it to Kenya Pipeline Company, through his company, at a cost of Sh9.9 million in 2001. Former Gatundu MP Ngengi Muigai is mentioned as having acquired land in Karura Forest area and sold it to Kenya Reinsurance Company.

The Ndungu Report covers ten other forests as well as other public land, ranging from road reserves to cemeteries to public toilets and even State House land. In 2001, for example, land which was part of Ngong Road Forest was illegally excised, subdivided into 32 plots and allocated to 13 companies.

Between 28th and 29th August of the same year, these thirteen companies sold the plots to Kenya Pipeline Company for Ksh 262,388,478. The list of the companies, their directors and proceeds are listed below as per Ndungu report:

8.8 ha allocated for expansion of Langata Women’s Prison but later a big portion allocated to private developers who have constructed residential houses.

15.09 ha allocated in exchange with a prime plot in Industrial Area belonging to Department of Prisons but later allocated to private developers.

53.68 ha allocated to a private developer in 1998.82 ha excised in 1997 – the legal notice was signed by John Sambu- Minister for Energy and Natural Resources.

Like Karura Forest, Ngong serves vital water catchments, environmental and recreational uses. It provides oxygenation which helps ease the high levels of pollution in Nairobi and stabilizes the water table over a large area.

Kenyan former President Daniel arap Moi has also been exposed as one of the main beneficiaries of a controversial plan to cut down nearly 70,000 hectares (170,000 acres) of Kenya's remaining forest, much of it in the Mau forest, home of Kenya's Ogiek tribe.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578

E-mail- ppa@africaonline.co.ke

omolo.ouko@gmail.com

Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

28Sep/110

Kenya: Sony Sugar turns profits after many years of decline and threat of insolvency

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

The Awendo-based SONY SUGAR company has announced a 246 per cent increase in its pre-tax profits.

The company also announced that it has through its technicians has started producing power produsing biogas a by-product of sugar cane, but currently for its own use while discussion between the firm and the Kenya Power and Lightning Company is going on so that it could product more electric power and connect it to the national grid.

The company managing director Paul Odolla is currently involved in negotiation with the power producing and power distributing firms to see if we could produce more power and have it connected to the national grid, but for now we do produce very little, mainly or our own consumption.

Odolla said the company growth saw the company’s profit rise from Kshs 242 million last year to Kshs 595 for the last year ended Jun 30.

He said during the year under review, the company’s sale revenue grew by 43.1 to stand at Kshs 5.8 billion up from Khs 34.1 billion the previous year.

“This shows that our company is very resilient in its operations despite the challenges facing the sugar industry globally.”

Odolla disclosed that during the same period some 725,827 tones of raw cane was crushed. compared to 558,õ tones the previous financial year representing a 30.1 per cent increase .As a result, a total of 74,794 tones of made sugar was produced during the year compared 51,189 produced during the same period last year.

The Managing Director attributed the improve production to efficiency, total commitment by workers, cane farmers and all the stakeholders brought about by a heavy investment in the factory and improved cane quality..

Odolla said the company’s balance sheet has grown from Kshs 3.8 billion last yea to Kshs 5.8 billion this year leading to an improvement of net working capital from deficit Kshs 382 million last year to a surplus of Kshs 249 million in the last financial year.

SONY Sugar, which is the second largest sugar miller in the country attributes its growth to a sustained demand for sugar and molasses, increase sales of branded sugar and better pricing management which also resulted into an improve operating profit that rose from Ksh 280 million to Kshs 738 million.

“SONY-Sugar has crossed the technical insolvency line from where it has been operating for many year”,declared Odolla.

The Manager, however, said he was recently disappointed when he heard that a group of non-entities ha called for demonstration street protest in Awendo Town against the company recently increased of cane prices from Khs 3,200 per tone and Kshs 3,500 per tone, allegedly without consulting the so-called stakeholders.

The Awendo based firm has contracted close to 27,000 cane famers in its cane growing zones which spread widely into several administrative districts in he greater Southern Nyanza, These included Rongo, Awendo, Gucha, Homa-Bay, Migori,Kuria, Ndhiwa and Trans-Mara.

It has similar number of the out growers farmer in those districts, and its is the largest employing outlet in the region with close to 2400 labor force, making the government-owned facility to an important and integral part of the socio-economic of the region.

ends

27Sep/110

EAC Ministers lift ban on staff recruitment and shelves the environmental Bill

Reports Leo Odra Omolo

More than 20 new professional staff will be hired by the East African Community at its Arusha-based secretariat after the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA} relaxed its decision not to recruit any more workers issued a year ago.

The freeze on recruitment followed a request by Rwanda and Burundi to be integrated fully by filling employment positions as the other partner states.

The matter has been pending for review by the Council of Ministers, according to a Kenyan Assistant Minister to the EAC Peter Munya, there have been divergent views among the partner states on the way the EAC staff should be appointed.

“Some member states feel it should be on the merit system while other feels we should use the quota system so that each member state is equally represented,” said Munya says both the quota and merit system should be applied for Rwanda and Burundi.

At the same time plans by the EAC partner states to harmonize their environment laws have suffered a setback after Ministers disagreed over a new bill.

The EAC Council of Ministers last week asked the EALA to adjourn debate on the EAC Trans-boundary Ecosystems Management Bill, 2010 to November this year.

On the staff recruitment, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania dominate staff members at EAC since they are the original members of the community.

However, EAC Deputy Secretary General {Finance} Dr Julius Rotich, said of the 21 vacant positions advertised to be filled by Burundi and Rwanda in 2007/2008, only one-principal transport economist-was not filled as there was no specialist from the two countries.

“This was the Council of Ministers decision as a way of integrating them into the EAC as both countries were still new in the bloc,” said Dr Rotich.

Rwanda’s East African Community Minister Monique Mukaruliza said that the adoption of a quota system to recruit staff for the bloc is crucial and beneficial to all member states.”We have not had an appropriate mechanism of recruiting people to work at the EAC, if the quota system is adopted, the recruitment of staff will be fair to all partner states as part the EAC treaty, she said.

Under the quota system, recruitment of staff is based on the principle of equity and gender balance without compromising merit.

The EAC secretariat, according to reports, recently undertook a comparative survey of staff recruitment including the Common Market for Eastern Africa and Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States to assess the use of the quota system and identify what is applicable in the region.

The coordinating Committee of Permanent Secretary recommended that the quota system be adopted.

As far as the environmental bill is concerned, EAC nations are in the league of countries that are headed for an environmental implosion caused by pollution, environmentalists and policy makers said.

The take-up of electronic gadgetry, for example, is rising quickly among the EAC population without proper mechanism to dispose of obsolete devices, posing a challenge for policymakers to devise a common environmental law.

The chairperson of the Council of Ministers Hafsa Mossi said placing transboundary ecosystems under the management of the EAC the Bill goes against the Common Market Protocol that has placed land as a resource under individual partner states control.

“There are mixed composition in the Bill that are likely to give rise to conflicts of interests and lack of consensus in decision making, much as the Community is people centered and private sector driven,” noted Ms Mossi The minister feels they need at least a month to review the Bill and analyze critical issues that arose from it.

Kenya’s Assistant Minister to the EAC Peter Munya, the Bills fail to define a clear mandate between the existing institutions notably the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, and the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization and the new commission – East African Trans - Boundary Economic Commission-reflected in the Bill.

Munya said that the proposed Bill, which would include the private sector and civil society, was designed to be in a public domain institutions that would be accountable to the Council of Ministers.

The Bill, does not cater for transnational issues that arise when one partner state seeks to engage in a development project on a transboundary project ecosystem which may be considered a threat to the environment by a neighboring partner,” he said., Hafsa Mossi of the EAC Council of Minister said.

Ends

27Sep/111

Kenya: Muthaura under the spotlight

from Judy Miriga

Folks,

With this kind of exposure from ICC Hague, the coalition government in both the leadership of Kibaki and Raila is shaken. .........

I wonder how Muthaura will continue with Public Service under Government Administration and Police watch without intimidating and tampering with evidences......."The Cattle is calling back to roost".......

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA

http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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--- On Mon, 9/26/11, reasoning kenyan wrote:
From: reasoning kenyan
Subject: Re: DID THE GOVERNMENT WANT CIVIL WAR or WAS PREPAIRING FOR, IN 2007/2008

In this I submit kibaki failed miserably to protect kenyans and should answer to crimes of ommison and neglect of duties, resulting in deaths of so many. I believe is why he is mainly a ceremonial president, who even the police don't listen to. when is the last time you saw a presidential directive complied with? In effect he has no moral authority because he doesn't even believe he is worthy being the president, as a result, he is just whiling time at state house ..

since he was sworn in, he has done nothing but appear at official functions ..

if this theory is true, who then is it that exercises executive presidential powers?

..just theorising

On 9/26/11, obed nyaribo wrote:

Evans,

When the chaos erupted there was a government in place and Mr Kibaki had been sworn in as Kenyan President and he had said he will protect all kenyan according to the constitution that existed then. Therefore, let us not entertain side shows, Mr Kibaki must answer why he did not protect Kenyans from the thugs and gangsters. He had powers to declare a state of emergency, detain all opposition leaders, deploy the police, GSU and the army. Kenyans want Kibaki to answer and apologize to Kenyans for not protecting innocent Kenyans.

Obed

--- On Mon, 9/26/11, Evans MACHERA wrote:
From: Evans MACHERA
Subject: Re: DID THE GOVERNMENT WANT CIVIL WAR or WAS PREPAIRING FOR, IN 2007/2008
Date: Monday, September 26, 2011, 1:27 AM

Paul,

Definitely we had a government.There is no time the office of the president has ever been vacant,and government arms and functionaries operated without officers.

During the KICC fiasco,Major Ali was passing by,and no salutes flung from the officers in uniforms as expected.Labda they didn't know nor recognize him! Or what do we say!

Evans MACHERA.

--- On Sun, 9/25/11, paul nyandoto wrote:
From: paul nyandoto
Subject: DID THE GOVERNMENT WANT CIVIL WAR or WAS PREPAIRING FOR, IN 2007/2008
Date: Sunday, September 25, 2011, 10:04 PM

Kenyans;

All knows that the events of PEV in 2007/2008 are very hard to narrate, but one thing is clear. There was a government in Kenya which was sworn in at night in the dark, which even some foreign countries like Uganda recognised and congratulated. BUT this same government did not protect people, instead of sending policemen to protect people in the rift valley, or Nyanza or Coastal they removed all uniforms from the police men and gave it to mungiki to do police men`s job. Our old constitution also states very clearly that the former government is to remain in power during transition until a new government is takes over. So we had a government in place in the PEV 2007/2008.

WHAT WAS THEIR MOTIVE BY GIVING MUNGIKI POLICE UNIFORM??. WHY DIDN`T THE POLICE DO THE JOB THEMSELVES??, Was Kenya already in a civil war which we do not know about or were they prepairing already for a civil war indirectly?. Infact those are points that even if Hague does not convict the suspects, we Kenyans should ask and should be clearly answered for a trust to exist again in the country.

I hope you do not call this a proactive; it is not pushy, not aggressive, or insensitive thought either; i think this is just a smart and value driven reality that we must think about as an alternative motive some kenyans might have had in mind by swooping police men with criminals. I have heard how people narrate the events of 1982 coup how so and so did this and that. Where do you group people who overtake GSU and police men and put their own army on the streets; is it a coup detat or peaceful transition??.

Paul Nyandoto

27Sep/115

Kenya: Conman on the loose in Rongo, Migori, Nyatike and Uriri targeting CDF and politicians

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Migori Town.

A smartly dressed and sweet talking conman masquerading as building contractor is said to be on the rampage causing havoc with the life of unsuspecting politicians, government officials and local CDF committees.

The man who is said to be in thirties is sad to be have perfected in the arts of conman ship is always bragging of having connection in higher authority and within the corridor of power.

His tricks and thieving escapades have on earned him jail terms twice. He said to have several cases related to conning escapades pending before the courts at Rongo, Kisii and Migori.

The well bred and well educated conman is also said to be fond of writing malicious letters the people in higher positions within the government making generalized and unfounded allegations and accusations against junior officers working in the field. After authoring such malicious letters to the higher authorities, he turn to the junior officers issuing threats and intimidation telling the victims how he is capable of causing them a lot of suffering.

He is reported to have swindled a number of local CDF committee huge sums running into million. He is said to be using the names of big people to secure contract under the pretext that he was a registered contractor.

After irregularly securing such tenders using the names of senior men in position, the man turns up and engages the same crude and crafty method of arms twisting the local CDF committee with the demand for advance payment even before setting his foot on the project’s site.

Once he had secured the advance payments of some money, which our source says usually reported to be involving quite substantial amount of money, the man vanished in the thin air without touching anything in the targeted project.

The conman is said to be on the loose. A member of Parliament from Southern Nyanza region recently suffered from the conman is silent. The conman is said to have approached Mheshimiwa with the documents purporting that he had worn a tender worth millions of shillings from local CDF, and request the MP to lend him some money so that he could buy some materials and place the same on the site before he could attract the first batch of payment from the CDF kitty.

The conned MP obliged and borrowed for him some substantial amount of money running into the excess of Khs 300,000. The man disappeared and it later emerged that he had not won any CDF tender. The MP made a frantic effort and later traced him. He cornered the conman who readily agreed that he would refund the MPO’s money by way of depositing cash on the legislator’s bank account.

He did so on two or three occasion and then melted in the thin air. But he had retained the pay-in bank slips in which he deposited the money to the MP’s bank account. He later turned up and claimed that it was he who had lent the MP a hand of financial assistance and later displayed the pay-ins bank slips to several people and attempted to blackmail the MP who is now very jittery about the whole exercise.

After spending a couple of months in jail, the conman’s wife who is a non-Luo is reported to have deserted him and went back to her parents place in Eastern Province. The man is now operating as widow’s inheritor. He is being credited of being so immune from HIV/Aids because some of the women he is now cohabiting with in Migori town re said to have lost their husbands through the scourge of HIV/Aids.

Reports reaching us from Migori said the man was recently conneed by the brother-in-laws of a of a beautiful young woman a widow who he had eloped with from the rural village and was now cohabiting in a rented house in Migori town who gave the conman proper beating.

The man is also credited for being a master forgery. He was jailed for three months by a court in Mombasa who found him guilty on a charge of forging a project’s cheque.

The rude and arrogant conman is said to be a frequent visitor to police headquarters, office of the President and other offices manned by people in high places, and after such visits he come back to Migori County armed with good reasons to intimidate junior officers working in the field.

Previously he was so much feared by members of the police and provincial administration authorities in the entire Migori County, but after he was arrested and arraigned in court, he has since lost his immunity and is said to be on the run with he police sleuths hot pursuit on his heels. He is no longer untouchable, and plans are said to be a foot to have him account for all the money he has received from the various CDF projects in the region.

CFD officials, MP, civic leaders, the police and members of the provincial administration have been wane that this conman is on the loose and he is capable of causing havoc with the lives of others.

Ends

27Sep/110

USA: Wed. 28Sept.2011: premiere of “Rocket City Rednecks”, starring SF writer Travis Taylor…

from Taras

... and his crew of good ole boy scientists and engineers (his relatives and in-laws, it appears).

Premiere: National Geographic Channel, Wed. 9/28 9-11PM EDT (first four episodes in a row).

Repeated Thurs. 9/29 12-2AM, Sat. 10/1 9-11PM, Sun. 10/2 12-2AM, Wed. 10/5 5-7PM.

"Bomb-Proof My Pick-Up": Travis comes up with an innovative idea to make Humvees more bomb resistant, and it involves beer cans.

"Moonshine Rocket Fuel": The team come up with an alternative energy resource to fuel a homemade rocket.

"Junkyard Iron Man": The Rednecks build a bullet-proof exoskeleton suit using only spare parts and junkyard materials.

"20,000 Kegs Under the Sea": The boys build a homemade submarine utilizing beer kegs but disaster strikes during the test run.

Travis S.Taylor has published about a dozen SF novels and non-fiction books.

His webpage is: http://www.doctravis.com/

27Sep/111

Jessica Cox -Disarming Impossibilities

from judy matu

Good people,

She's the only pilot in the entire world licensed to fly a plane using her feet. She's a black belt in Taekwondo, a scuba diver and wave surfer. She's incredible on the piano.

Kenya is hosting Jessica Cox this week for motivational talks in Nairobi and Mombasa on 28th and 29th respectively.

for more details visit

threecworld.com

you and I cant afford to miss.

Regards,

Judy.

Filed under: Culture, Who's Who 1 Comment
26Sep/110

Africa: Growth, Colonization, and Institutional Development. In and Out of Africa

from Yona Maro

This essay investigates the determinants of the growth performance of Africa. It starts by illustrating a broader research agenda which accounts not only for basic economic and demographic factors, but also for the role of history and institutional development. After reporting results from standard growth regressions, the author analyzes the role of Africa’s peculiar history, which has been marked by its colonization experience. Next the author discusses the potential growth impact of state fragility, a concept which reflects multiple facets of the dysfunctions that plague the continent. The last topic addressed in this essay is the influence, in and out of Africa, of the slave trades. The essay ends with critical conclusions and suggestions for further research.
http://www.recent.unimore.it/wp/recent-wp64.pdf

--
Kwa Nafasi za Kazi kila siku www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

http://worldngojobs.blogspot.com/ Nafasi za Kazi Kimataifa

26Sep/110

Intellectual Property Rights and South- North Formation of Global Innovation Networks

from Yona Maro

With the rise of the knowledge economy, delivering sound innovation policies requires a thoroughunderstanding of how knowledge is produced and diffused. This paper takes a step to analyze a new form of globalization, the so-called system of Global Innovation Networks (GINs), to shed light on how the protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) influences their creation and development. The authors focus on the role of IPR protection in fostering international innovative activities in emerging economies (South), such as China and India, and more generally, how IPRs affect the development of GINs between newly industrialized countries and OECD countries. Using both survey-based firm-level and country-level global data, it was found IPRs to be an important determinant of participation in GINS from a Southern perspective. It was found that IPR protection at home and its harmonization across county pairs foster South-North formation of GINs. The authors also find that a stringent regime in the destination country discourages foreign international innovative activities that originate in NICs.
http://www.recent.unimore.it/wp/recent-wp69.pdf

--
Kwa Nafasi za Kazi kila siku www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

http://worldngojobs.blogspot.com/ Nafasi za Kazi Kimataifa

26Sep/110

Zambia picks its next president in tight vote…”King Cobra” Michael Sata Congratulation….

from Judy Miriga

Folks,

A fight well done, Congratulation King Cobra Michael Sata.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA

http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

- - - - - - - - - - -

Zambia's 'King Cobra' Sata wins elctions

Zambia's 'King Cobra" Michael Sata elected President

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsXPIT6yoQ8

Uploaded by comapass1 on Sep 23, 2011
Zambian opposition leader Michael Sata, scored an upset presidential election victory on Friday which may have negative results in foreign companies' view of Africa's biggest copper producer as a sound investment destination.

Zambia's opposition leader Sata wins elections
By Chris Mfula | Reuters – Thu, Sep 22, 2011

LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia's opposition leader Michael Sata was declared the winner of the country's presidential elections on Friday, defeating incumbent Rupiah Banda in polls marred by public violence in Africa's biggest copper producer.

Zambia's Chief Justice Ernest Sakala declared Sata the winner after he received 1,150,045 votes compared to Banda's 961,796 with 95.3 percent of constituencies counted.

(Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Marius Bosch)

Zambia picks its next president in tight vote
AFP – Mon, Sep 19, 2011

About 5.2 million registered Zambian voters head to the polls Tuesday for elections pitting President Rupiah Banda's pro-business policies against opposition leader Michael Sata's fiery nationalism.

The race has been described by analysts as too close to call.

Banda has presided over one of Africa's fastest-growing economies thanks largely to the rising international price of copper, Zambia's main export.

But Sata has sought to turn the incumbent's economic track record against him by arguing that Banda has let foreign investors reap the rewards of the copper boom while ordinary Zambians continue living in poverty.

The election will decide the country's leadership for the next five years, but is unlikely to bring major policy shifts if Sata's Patriotic Front (PF) defeats the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), in power for the past 20 years.

Political analyst Phineas Bbaala of the University of Zambia predicted the race will be tight, with the winner claiming less than 50 percent of the overall vote.

"Most of the voters around the country are in a deep state of psychological discontent, and as a result, we're likely to see an opposition which will poll more votes than the ruling party," Bbaala told AFP.

"But because the opposition vote will be fragmented, it is most likely that the MMD will win."

He said the PF's chances diminished when its alliance with the minority United Party for National Development (UPND) collapsed in March amid a leadership squabble.

A PF win would only be the second transfer of power in Zambia since the country gained independence from Britain in 1964.

The PF says if elected it will bring back a 25 percent windfall tax on mining revenues that Banda's government abolished in 2009.

The increase in copper prices since then -- from around $3,000 a tonne to almost $10,000 -- and the friendly tax regime have drawn a rush of foreign and especially Chinese investment to Zambia.

Thanks largely to the mining boom, Banda has presided over an economy that grew 7.6 percent last year and 6.4 percent the year before.

But the PF says Banda has failed to spread the wealth, with 64 percent of Zambia's 12.9 million people still living on less than two dollars a day.

Sata has also attacked his rival's record on corruption, after Banda's government refused to appeal the corruption acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba, accused of embezzling $500,000 during his 1991 to 2002 presidency.

Sata, whose biting rhetoric has earned him the nickname "King Cobra", faces image problems of his own in his fourth presidential bid.

Critics fear the strong-fisted firebrand, who made his name bashing the growing Chinese presence in the country, would make an authoritarian president.

The last contest between the two rivals -- a 2008 special election to fill the remainder of late president Levy Mwanawasa's term after his death -- was decided by just two percentage points.

Sata alleged the election was rigged, and his supporters rioted for days after.

Voting stations open at 0400GMT and close at 1600GMT, according to the electoral commission.

26Sep/110

A book review; _The Key _ by Whitley Streiber;

Reviewed by octimotor

The book is titled, _The Key_ published by Tarcher / Pinguin; 2011 ed. Its author, Whitley Streiber, provides a written account recalling an approximately two hour amazing conversation with an extraordinary individual.

On a night in 1998, W.S. had been resting in his hotel room, near the conclusion of an author's tour to promote his then most recent book. The visitor to his room that night was a guy evidencing great depths of knowledge and abilities to clearly communicate in a number of fields. Those fields ranged over a number of topics in spirituality, religion, science, metaphysics, history.

The visiting gentleman, early in the narrative, is quoted as saying, 'Your feet are chained to the ground. I am from The Good. I offer you a key - - a way out of your culture's condition of bondage and ignorance'.

So it seems reasonable to infer that this was the basis for the book about this meeting and conversation to become titled, _The Key_.

W.S. does not know the name of that amazing individual. So W.S. calls him simply, "the Master of the Key" (M.o.t.K), for lack of knowing his actual name.

Q.
Who are you?

A.
At one point the guy said, he was a Canadian. He did not pay taxes, nor did he have a driver's license.

At another point, he said, 'you might call me Michael. Or you might call me Leagon'.

Readers may recognize correlations, of spiritual significance, out of the Judio-Christian tradition. On one hand, there is Michael, an arch-angel among the heavenly hosts. On the second hand, there is the name given by an unclean spirit (spirits). That is from the story in which Jesus performs healing of a mentally ill / possessed, man. He removes possessing spirit, transferring it / them into a herd of swine.

It is an interesting ambiguity, though, that in answering a question as to what was his name, the M.o.t.K chose both of these apparent spiritual opposites in his response.

Q.
Who, what, were Buda, Jesus the Christ, the prophet Mohamed?

A.
They existed and were as they said they were, as given in accounts within the scriptural documentation associated with each one of their ministries, respectively. These bodies of tradition and written words contain great truths spoken by their spiritual teachers.

Consider them together, as three aspects of an overall spiritual system. In Christianity, there is Seeking after the Divine. In Islam, there is Surrender to the Divine. In Buddhism, there is Experiencing of the Divine.

Exercise discernment, though. There have been additions and alterations. These were done by others afterward. This was done by those who were, thru such insertions, seeking to promote various political / social / economic ends.

Spirit, Soul, are real. Divinity is real, said M.o.t.K. We humans are divinely created immortal spirits. As such, we do not vanish when the biological body dies. This is not intangible and supernatural. Rather, it is natural, and in accordance with physical laws discoverable thru scientific study.

Spirits' existence involves patterns of energy, electromagnetic fields, plasma-state matter (ionized gases). Therefore, suitably crafted technologies and devices could in principle detect, interact with, communicate with, spirits - - such as those of deceased earthly humans.

Spirits / Souls, are generally immortal. M.o.t.K indicated, however, that:
- they can be destroyed;
- they can be executed;
- they can suicide; however, this would not be an instant or even quick ending. Rather, that soul would, subjectively, experience pain lasting an almost endlessly long duration.

Additionally, stated M.o.t.K, spirits can be captured, exploited to achieve certain utilitarian ends. This can be done via employment of technological devices crafted for such purposes.

Mis-use, said M.o.t.K., of abilities to interact with - - exploit, technologically, as unwilling servants - - the souls of the dead, figured in as one of the reasons why a prior scientifically advanced earthly human civilization was destroyed long ages ago.

That was a culture in which scientifically advanced knowledge was used and horded in secrecy by an extremely small upper class. All the rest of the people were kept in ignorance - - treated essentially as slaves, considered almost valueless except as exploitable for simple laborers. That was a grave mistake. Each and Every soul has the same High value - - not only those who set themselves up on Top. That civilization fell because of its habits of secrecy and exploitation of the masses. You should take this lessen to heart in your own current times and global culture.

An extremely devastating war occurred. It left huge long lasting scars throughout this solar system. A region in the brain of humans, responsible for allowing them to more readily sense, communicate with, souls of the dead, was for the most part deactivated thereafter.

The ruined remains left from that age will hardly ever be found by you. A great portion of such is under ocean depths. For some other places, the climate was changed. Now those parts are hidden under deep sands of desserts.

Q.
How common is life, how common are intelligent lifeforms?

A.
Throughout the universe, Life is ubiquitously abundant. It exists under a huge variety of conditions.

In a galaxy, there may be thousands of intelligent forms of life. The physical conditions supporting their existence is much rarer by contrast to those allowing simple life. Some of it resembles that found here on earth. Some is vastly different - - given local conditions which differ greatly from what is here on this world. There are even instances of intelligent life existing in the relative void of intergalactic space.

A reason for life's very high abundance is that, as you have been informed by your scientists who research quantum mechanical systems, observers are necessary for physical events to take on reality. In performing this basic function, life forms do not need to be intelligent ones. Even the simplest of microbes are adequate for the task.

W.S.. noted that he certainly did recognize that in recent decades there are certainly conditions of great secrecy and miss-information associated with big government and big business.

M.o.t.K. stated, there is a great need for citizens to form a very vigorous assault to penetrate the veils of secrecy at all levels. Our survival may hinge upon doing so successfully. Even a number of the apparently high level elected officials inside governments are kept unaware of what is hidden.

A related comment has been publicised during interviews of Apollo Era CBS science advisor Richard Hogland. During his researches in recent years he has had received confidential background conversations with current or past USA intelligence community participants. The statement from one of them is especially important. "The Lie is different at every level", he was told. Cover stories exist in layer upon layer on top layer of other cover stories. Each is targeted to the role of the given player.

Relevant to M.o.t.K's discussions about possibilities for us to technologically obtain ways to communicate with no longer incarnate spirits, is an interview of a recent book author, on tour in support of its recent publication. Title is _The Sacred Promise_ , by Dr Gary Schwartz. The interview show appeared in the "Dreamland" section of Whitley Striber's web site, www.unknowncountry.com, 15 Sept. 2011. Its author, with career in the sciences, had been previously of the mindset to view the universe as spiritless. However, his recent experimental research, pertaining to physics, electronics and computers / information science, persuaded him to shift toward the opposite view - - that of a 'spirit - filled universe'.

One aspect he notes are results from a USA Stanford U. team involving the 'Global Consciousness roject' A world wide array of test computer systems have software applications running to assess the randomness level in 'random number generators'. Slightly before the occurrence of major events which strongly catch the attention of the public, the test systems measure the generated streams of 'random numbers' to become more correlated, less random.

An experiment he had designed and ran used the tools of electronics, physics, computers & automation to investigate matters previously confined to the activities of persons calling themselves mediums. The heart of the measurement consisted of a closed chamber, enclosing a photo-multiplier tube able to record even single photon absorptions by the detector. Experiment tests made comparisons between two differing situations. One type of run was with normal background, nothing special. Second type of run was under the condition in which a recorded scripted, even power - point supported, audio visual presentation was made active while the photon detector measurements were performed. The script consisted of an invitation, welcoming the visiting presence, at that time and place, by a particular warmly remembered deceased family member. Random-number based computer automation process is what selected when either respective case ran.

He said that much to his surprise, he found that the occasions in which spirit visit was requested corresponded with those in which the data showed increased rates for photons detected in the unlit sealed chamber. Consequently, Spirits may be real and detectable by physical means after all, he concluded.

Q,
W.S. asked if there were things we could learn from the of spirits of departed earthly humans.

A.
Reply by M.o.t.K indicated a need for caution. Some of those spirits are perhaps far less wise than yourselves. A few are more wise, and their advice could be worth having. Both, though, would likely to offer their advice, if asked. So we would need to very carefully exercise critical discernment of any such information.

Q.
There is much current concern expressed about our possible entry into a period of climate & weather shifts away from what he have been familiar with over recent several centuries. Is the concern merited?

A.
The global climate situation, said M.o.t.K., is subject to cyclical wide fluctuations - - wide enough to profoundly effect the ecology of lifeforms here (and any civilizations, if applicable) at such times. There are periods of warmth, periods of ice-ages. The change-over can be very swift - - unlike the belief held by most climate and geology scientists. Intense warming occurs just before the freeze-ups. That would likely occur any way sometime within the next 2000 years. Humans' impact upon the related processes simply speeds things up. It could thus happen very soon.

Arctic ice cover melting lowers the salt concentration in places such as North Atlantic ocean. The Gulf Stream circulation can thus be weakened or cease - - with very major impacts upon climate and weather problems for Europe. Thermal instability, high amplitude atmospheric convective events, can bring the development of storms more intense than any others seen during the past 10 thousand years. The importance for the impact of world wide food harvests failing many years in a row can not be overstated.

25Sep/110

Kenya: Ohuru Departs Amid Drama!!!

From: Tebiti Oisaboke

The controversial MP for Makadara constituency deserved the treatment he received at JKI Airport on the night Ohuru Kenyatta departed for the ICC's confirmation hearings. The young man has a tendency of using force and his role as an MP to demand preferential treatment whenever he goes. If you conduct and walk around like a wild animal, don't expect special treatment in return. All he had to do was to abide with what the law keepers were telling him to do and control his rogue supporters and sentries and his recognition could have been honored. He didn't have to physically show up at the airport from his hospital bed propelling himself on crutches just to bid farewell to his buddy when Jr was just a phone call away. Their supporters are clearly heard threatening the inspector who was manning the departure entrance that they have seen and marked him. Why would someone threaten a senior civil servant who is conducting his official duties according to the law? All his entourage needs to be rounded up and charged with threatening civil servants on duty. They didn't even respect the government badges or state crown. They were all pushing, pulling and shouting at the officers like they were nothing to them. All this time, Sonko, Kabogo and Waititu stood stuck mum without any attempt to control their paid supporters. Such kind of behavior needs to be curtailed from locations such as Int'l airports which are our external gateways. These chaps need these kind of showoffs at their constituencies away from Kenya's foreign guests. This could easily lead to a grievous security glitch at the airport whereby a terrorist might sneak through the security check points and cause a mayhem in Jr's plane when its in the high seas. And Kenya could be transformed into a 1994 Rwanda just because of three fame searching elements. These chaps need to be trained on how to conduct themselves as public leaders.

TOI

24Sep/110

KENYA & ICC: THE DATA IN OCAMPO SIX THAT WON’T ERASE

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News
from ouko joachim omolo

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

Even though Uhuru Kenyatta and Francis Muthaura have denied the allegation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that they organised deadly attacks against rival supporters after the disputed 2007 polls to keep PNU in power by “any means necessary”, the fact remains that their reputations have been tinted and to repair it would not be very easy.

According to ICC Prosecutor Adesola Adeboyejo the Deputy Prime Minister and Head of Civil Service created a common plan and policy to retaliate against the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) supporters and to ensure the Party of National Unity (PNU) remained in power.

While Muthaura and Kenyatta she said organised and directed forces which then unleashed the attacks, former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali directed the police to stand down in order to create a safe passage for the Mungiki to attack ODM supporters in Naivasha.

Kenyatta on his part the court heard used Mungiki given his long time ties with them. In 2002 Kenyans were surprised to see the outlawed sect demonstrating in Nairobi by the ("Daily Nation," August 21, 2002) ostensibly in support of President Moi and political protégé Uhuru Kenyatta, a fact that the ICC confirmation hearing court could have used to assert that Uhuru has been having a long tie with Mungiki.

The sect, drawn mainly from the Kikuyu ethnic group, marched through Nairobi waving placards expressing solidarity with the president Moi and his choice of Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor to fight for the presidency in elections in 2002. The sect demonstrated because Moi had been criticised within the ruling Kanu party over his endorsement of Mr Kenyatta.

This was the same time ("East African Standard," August 19, 2002) the Catholic Church condemned calls by two MPs that they would mobilise Mungiki sect members if members of the public continued insulting President Moi.

Fr Emmanuel Ngugi of then in charge of Holy Family Basilica was reacting to remarks made by former Juja MP, Mr Stephen Ndichu, and his Molo counterpart, Mr Dickson Kihika Kimani, that they would use Mungki to fight anyone opposing President Moi.

Mungiki, Kikuyu for "multitude" or "masses," started as a religious movement in 1987 when one of its founder Maina Njenga saw a vision in which, he says, God commanded him to lead his people out of bondage.

The Mungiki grew rapidly during the 1990s, a time of severe political turbulence and violence surrounding the movement to restore multiparty democracy to Kenya. This was the time the Moi regime instigated ethnic violence against Kikuyu communities in Rift Valley Province through private ethnic militias-for-hire in 1992 and then again in 1997. In the mid-1990sthe sect became involved in vigilante activity to "protect" Kikuyu slum dwellers.

In the recent shooting of two prominent Kenyan human-rights campaigners, Kamau King’ara and Paul Oulo, it was alleged that the Mungiki were involved because the duo had been investigating death squads widely thought to be linked to senior politicians. It was immediately assumed that the pair had been silenced by orders from on high to cover up the evidences.

Mr King’ara had said that at least 1,700 young Kenyans had been shot or tortured to death by death squads during President Mwai Kibaki’s first term in office between 2002 and 2007, while another 6,500-plus had disappeared, probably also at the hands of government goons.

It was not just an isolated allegation. Previous month Philip Alston, a UN investigator, published a report documenting around 500 death-squad executions in the months leading up to the election of December 2007, whose disputed results led to 1,500 or so deaths and the displacement of at least 300,000 Kenyans in the subsequent violence.

Mr Alston, an Australian, called for the chief of police, Hussein Ali, and the attorney-general, Amos Wako, to resign. They show no sign of doing so. Hours before the two campaigners were killed the government’s spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua accused Mr King’ara of raising funds for the feared Mungiki.

Uhuru’s lawyer however, do not want him crucified alone, he also wants President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to appear for trials in The Hague since they were the ones who were behind the violence.

According to articles 27 and 28 of the Rome Statute, on which the International Criminal Court is founded, Kibaki and Raila could easily be called to The Hague anyway. Article 27, titled “Irrelevance of official capacity”, removes any immunity to prosecution on the basis of status in society. Section 2 of the same article makes irrelevant the provisions of the Kenya Constitution that grant a sitting head of state immunity from prosecution.

It reads: “Immunities or special procedural rules which may attach to the official capacity of a person, whether under national or international law, shall not bar the Court from exercising its jurisdiction over such a person.”

The two leaders’ responsibility for crimes committed under their watch is captured in Article 28 of the Rome Statute which says that “a superior shall be criminally responsible for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court committed by subordinates under his or her effective authority and control, as a result of his or her failure to exercise control properly over such subordinates, where:

(i) The superior either knew, or consciously disregarded information which clearly indicated, that the subordinates were committing or about to commit such crimes;

(ii) The crimes concerned activities that were within the effective responsibility and control of the superior; and

(iii) The superior failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures within his or her power to prevent or repress their commission or to submit the matter to the competent authorities for investigation and prosecution.”

Uhuru and William Ruto see The Hague as politically incorrect to bar them from standing as presidential candidates in 2012. That Raila is afraid Uhuru could easily defeat him since Uhuru is slowly but steadily emerging as the most likely potential presidential designee of the Kikuyus — should they decide to back a candidate for president.

The fact that Kibaki has not mentioned Uhuru as his successor, Minister John Michuki who has also been mentioned at the ICC hearings that he organized Mingiki to attack non Kikuyus in Kibera, has made an interesting declaration that anyone interested in getting the Agikuyu vote must co-operate with Uhuru Kenyatta.

Since Gichugi Member of Parliament Martha Karua who hails from Kirinyagah showed her interest of contesting for presidency in 2012, it has been the wish of Michuki and other Gikuyu elders that Karua form an alliance with Uhuru as the sole presidential candidate.

Ms Karua has ever since distanced herself from ethnic political alliances and has refused to play second fiddle to Uhuru Kenyatta in central Kenya politics. She is on record saying that the era of political dynasty is gone and Kenyans should be allowed to elect leaders based on choice.

Environment Minister John Michuki last year sparked controversy, when he declared Uhuru would succeed President Kibaki as the community’s leader. He had hinted anyone eyeing the vote-rich region must recognise Uhuru or brace for a fight.
Karua dismissed Michuki’s ‘dictatorial’ suggestions, saying the electorate should decide without coercion.

Ethnic mobilisation has been routine in Kenya since 1963. The plot has been to harvest tribal votes and then the tribal chieftains use the bloc to negotiate for their own political agenda, even if that meant shedding of blood.

But even so, Uhuru will find it very difficult to excel through for fear that he will use the tactics of his father to take Kenyans back where land could easily continued to be grabbed and people opposed to his style of leadership shown a different way as his father did.

This is also the fear expressed on William Ruto that he could easily turn Kenya to the dark era of Moi where corruption and ethnic cleansing would be the order of the day. Rutu was with Moi when the 1990s’ ethnic clashes were being carried on.

However, with G7 alliance, Uhuru thinks he is in a better position to win even if Karua distanced herself from him. He believes the vast majority of Kikuyu will vote him even if votes were divided because of Karua and likely Peter Keneth who has also shown the interest.

Uhru also banks on Minister of Security Georgs Saitoti and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka should Uhuru be the sole candidate. He banks on the VP because of the Kamba community, which is closely related to the Kikuyu community.
Although tensions between the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities remain high and make an alliance problematic, the political imperatives driving potential cooperation between Kenyatta and Ruto cannot be dismissed also. Probably that is why Uhuru and Ruto think that The Hague was staged by Raila to ensure they don’t stand for presidency.

Letter to the Editor

THE INVENTION OF TRIBALISM IN AFRICA

By Chrispine Onyango- Nairobi, Kenya

Generally speaking, most African countries have suffered for long as a result of tribalism. A very good example is Kenya. Africans historically were known to embrace community living and therefore there was no tribal division. This concept of tribal division was brought about by the Europeans who believed that Africans lived in tribes and that tribal loyalties were the only primitive stuff of African Politics.

Therefore they divided Africa into tribes, and where these tribes did not exist, they had to be invented by them. In many cases there were ethnic identities, based on the kinship of common traditions, language, social and religious customs and history. Each ethnic group were to live by themselves without crossing to the rest of the other groups.

This trend has been embraced by some African countries like Kenya. In fact nowadays it's very hard for a Luo to stays at ease with a Kikuyu or a Kikuyu with a Kalenjin. In short each ethnic community will be at peace his own tribes mate. This trend has even affected the religious sectors. Each priest or pastor desires to identify himself with his own tribe mate.

In my view I encourage Raphael Tuju to go for presidency even if majority of Luos will object his idea. Though his battle may seem as that of David and Goliath in the Bible as Fr Joachim had stated it earlier, Tuju should courageously break the dominance of this tribal based dynasty in Lluo Nyanza.

I couldn't really understand why Tuju did not make to Parliament. For any one who has not been to that place should make an attempt or ask those who know like me. Luos should know that we don't need idealists nor sophists but people who are ready to work for Kenyans.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
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23Sep/110

Kenya: Uhuru in trouble over remark

from Tebiti Oisaboke

My friend Kenyatta Jr. started his Hague trip on a wrong foot. You don't utter such kind of words even before you appear before your accusers. Lie down like an Antelope and make yourself look like a fool in order to earn some innocent credits. Junior doesn't know that even though you say jokingly to a Caucasian that "I'm gonna hurt you", they take it very seriously and will call 911 on you. Mark and always weigh your words before you spill them out on camera especially when you know that you are under the mic 24/7.

TOI

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A lawyer representing 233 victims of post-election violence accused Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta of uttering inflammatory statements on the eve of his appearance at The Hague.

The lawyer, Mr Morris Anyah, used press reports carried on September 19 in which the minister was allegedly quoted saying, "we are going to The Hague and we know justice will prevail, because we did nothing wrong and all we did was to support our people".

. . .

Click here

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/InsidePage.php?id=2000043265&cid=4&ttl=Uhuru%20in%20trouble%20over%20remark

to read "Uhuru in trouble over remark ".

23Sep/112

KENYA: RAILA-RUTO POLITICAL WAR HAS NOW SPREAD INTO THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN NYANZA SUGAR BELT WHERE CEOS PERCEIVED TO BE PRO-RUTO ARE BEING SHOWN THE EXIT DOORS.

Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

THE ongoing political war of attrition between top leaders of the Orange Democratic Movement has now spread into the sugar industry with devastating impact.

Last week the CEO of Chemelil Sugar Company in Nyando district within Kisumu County was given his matching order and shown the exit door after the company’s board of directors refused to renew his contact allegedly on the firm instruction of the Minister for Agriculture Dr. Sally Kosgei.

Eng Edwin Otieno Musebe, the man whose efficient management has turned Chemelil Sugar Company around, rescuing it from possible total collapse three years ago, was sacked through an SMS phone message sent by the chairman of the company board of directors Dr.Mining.

Eng Musebe joined Chemelil Sugar Company three years ago at about the time when the company almost went burst. And immediately initiated rescue measures.

Musebe was hired after successfully in competition with other applicants for the job. But the hiring came during the reign of the Eldoret North MP and the Deputy leader of the ODM who has since turned out to be the sworn political enemy of Raila Odinga. Musebe was therefore perceived to be a Ruto’s point man in the sugar industry, particularly in the Nyanza sugar belt.

Musebe, a Luhyia by tribe, had succeeded Prof. Julius Omondi Nyabund,i a perceived Raila Odinga’s man, but his appointment was not well received by the local politicians, particularly by the Muhoroni MP Prof.Ayiecho Olueny, who is suspected to have brokered the appointment of Prof Nyabundia, fellow Luo, and his former colleague at the Maseno University, in whose management had run down the firm almost to the ground. And that was the genetic basis of both political and tribal connotation.

Despite a protracted war and vehement opposition against the managing director, Eng.Musebe, from the local leaders spearheaded by the area MP and civic leaders, his surrogates, but things went on well until William Ruto swapped his Agricultural ministerial dockets with Dr. Sally Kosgei who was moved to the Ministry while Ruto headed to the Higher Education Ministry. This change exposed those who were perceived to have earned their appointments through the influence of Ruto to a lot of danger.

Musebe in particular had the long history of being a Ruto associate ever since their days at the KY92 KANU outfits and this had put his chances of survival in a facility which is located in an area which is considered the ODM stronghold into question.

The man who was appointed the Acting managing director Mr Owelle, the company Agricultural Manager, had once acted in the some capacity and was among the several applicants who Eng.Musebe had beaten to the job.

It defeats all logic for anyone to blame Eng Musebe of dismal performance. A Chemelil woe has come about as a result of government poor planning in the industry and lack of effective implementation of the laid down policy from the government by its agency the Kenya Sugar Board.

One of the clauses of the Sugar Act stipulated that no new sugar crushing factory should be established within less than 40 kilometers radius from an existing one.

The Kenya Sugar Board had allowed the establishment and construction of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry at Kibos within the outskirt of Kisumu City. The new facility has no nucleus estate .The establishment of this new facility with no proper source of raw cane supply is the cause of the current acute shortage of raw cane within the Nyanza sugar belt within Nyando district.

The establishment of the new facility in an area where already there are three other sugar manufacturing factories was a gross mistake and a total lapses on the government policy. The three other factories include the currently closed Miwani Sugar Mills, Chemelil and Muhoroni Sugar Mills. All the four factories are located within the under 40 kilometers in flagrant violation of regulation and rule under the Sugar Act.

As soon as Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry began crushing the pathetic situation of price, cut throat competition commenced in earnest. The new company which had no reliable source of cane supply, started poaching mature raw cane from previously exclusively cane growing zones for Chemelil Sugar Company, a wholly government owned facility which became drastically starved of raw material. This contributed largely the drastic reduction in raw material supply to the Chemelil factory reducing its operation into lame twice or thrice a week occurrence.

As if this was not enough, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry Ltd management, having been aware that they had no reliable source of raw cane supply, resorted to erecting weighbridges at Awasi, only six kilometers from Chemelil factory for the purpose of accepting and weighing cane from within Chemelil cane growing zones. It further moved to Chepsweta which is situated on the main Chemelil, Miwani and Kibos road for the purpose of intercepting accepting and weighing cane from Nandi farmers along the Nandi Escarpment, which were previously crushed by Chemelil Sugar Company. This second weighbridge is also situated about six kilometers from Chemelil Sugar factory. In this context, it is the government which has failed to protect both Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar factories.

The cut-throat prices of cane per tone, offered by Kibos factory, became instantly incentive to the small and large scale farmers within the cane growing zone, previously classified for Chamelil and Muhuroni factories. And owing to the cut-throat tactics introduced by the new factory the price of raw cane went up from Kshs 3,200/- per tone up to Kshs 4,200/-per tone.

Chemelil became totally eclipsed and blocked from receiving raw cane from itt cane growing zone. The new factory with impunity went as far as harvesting cane indiscriminately including those whose owners were given cash advance for the development cane on the understanding that Chemelil would receive its money upon harvesting process.

Before the sacking of Eng. Musebe took place last week, Chemelil Sugar Company which has been reduced to crushing twice or thrice a week instead of seven days day and night a week had sacked close to 100 of its workers after declaring them redundant. If the cane supplies systems were arranged properly and executed in an orderly manner, both Chemelil and Muhoroni factories with their large nucleus estates could survive and go on manufacturing sugar without any hitches.

It is the same case now affecting the production of sugar in Nzoia and Mumias Sugar companies. The cut throat and cane prices war is also almost paralyzing the productions at the newly commissioned Butali Sugar Company and the long established West Kenya Sugar Company within the County of Kakamega.

The same poor planning of sugar factories would soon grind the production at the Awendo based SONYSUGAR to a halt when the Sukari Sugar Factory, now in its advance stage of construction, starts crushing cane. It is also located within less than 40 kilometers radius from SONYSUGAR. The Company has already purchase more than 60 tractors with persons ready to transport cane from the field within a month from now to be crushed at the new factory. But the big question is; Where will the raw cane come from? The company has yet to developed its own cane fields. All the canes seen around were developed with cash loan advanced to the farmer by SONYSUGAR.

A similar situation is expected when the now under construction Tans-Mara Sugar factory is commissioned. It has yet to developed raw cane of its own and will start scrambling for those farms which were developed with advance cash loans dished out to the farmers in the area by SONYSUGAR.

The argument being put up by those poaching for raw cane from other factories zones is that the sugar industry has already been liberalized thereby allowing cane farmer to sell their crops wherever they wished and wherever the can get good prices. Yes this is good, but how will the other factories get back their money which they had loaned the farmer for the development of the cane in question?

Ends

23Sep/110

Kenya: Country to Hold Regional Infrastructure Meeting

from Judy Miriga

Folks,

The Status Quo, business as usual in total disregard of the New Constitutional order for Reform Strategy.....It has to be Their Way or No Way, the Old Constitutional way of the "Birds of the Same Feathers", the Cartels way......No Way for New Constitution.......It is the Collition Regional and International Network of Special Interests "Public Kupe" Wheeler Dealer of "Intellectual Property Thieving".......Cant you connect the dots....???

It is the reason there is no boarder police patrol in Kenya.........exposing insecurity to local communities for thuggery........MoU between Kibaki, the Ethiopian President, Raila, Moi, Ugandan President, Congo and Somali leadership. The reason too much killings, poverty, pain and suffering of public with stealing of public land, Natural Resources e.g. natural gas, Oil and Gas, cobalt, steel, copper, titanium, uranium, Gold and Diamond.

This should stop..........Life, however simple, is valuable and important. Must be treated with dignity. It is the reason why public vote for leadership to plan, budget and provide services in a shared balanced manner. If they cant do it the way majority public wants, they must be forced out by popular voice of reason and ultimately they must be rejected through public consensus ...........The Power of the People.......

Haya Connect the dots and Compare notes..........ask yourself why Kibaki loathe to work with official Kenya's Armed Forces in the likes of Kenya Army, Kenya Airforce and Kenya Navy..........it is because their uniforms are being used by the Mungiki and Al-Shabaab marcinaries gang.............pretending to be Kenya Armed Forces.........It is the reason why Kenya Police cannot be overhauled, even after National Reform and the New Constitutional Order to RESTRUCTURE THE POLICE FORCE, to weed the bad guys of Mungiki from the real Kenya Administration Police and Kenya's Armed Forces.......

It is business as usual folks,..........Do your Math, it is as simple as 2 + 2 = 4

Thank you all,

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA

http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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East African Business Week (Kampala)
Kenya: Country to Hold Regional Infrastructure Meet
Ngugi Njoroge
19 September 2011

Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya will later this month be host to a major high level investors' conference that will seek to highlight ongoing infrastructural projects in the region thereby attracting investment.

The two day conference involving all the major regional trading blocks including Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, (COMESA), East African Community, (EAC) Southern African Development Community, (SADC), and Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) will take place in Nairobi between September 28 and 29.

President Mwai Kibaki will officially open the tripartite and IGAD development conference.

An estimated 33 relevant government ministries from the countries served by the Lamu, Djibouti, Northern, Central and Berbera transport corridors will attend with delegations expected from the ministries of Transport, Roads, Information, Energy and Roads among other minstries.

"The objective of the conference is to advance the highlighted projects toward feasibility and bank-ability allowing investors from the private sector, governments and donor community to finance such projects through institutional arrangements such as direct private sector investment, Public Private partnerships and public expenditure," said Jason Kap-Kirwok the Kenya country director of TradeMark East Africa, a multi-donor funded agency which provides support for increased regional trade and economic integration in East Africa.

Kap-Kirowk said the conference hopes to attract an estimated Sh 2.7 trillion (US$ 3 billion) in investment capital towards priority roads, railways and ports infrastructural projects in the region.

Mr. Gabriel Kaunda the deputy chief economist, in the ministry of Kenyan Trade said the conference is highly critical coming at a time when the world is being faced by a global financial crisis which made donor financing of projects almost inconceivable.

"In the wake of such challenges regional governments are putting emphasis on regional financing solutions through the creation of meaningful partnerships and the conference will help us highlight on this," said Kaunda.

Kaunda added that the conference would also help in exploring avenues for regional countries to expand their technical capacity to implement regional projects.

Borderless Kenya!

Uploaded by NTVKenya on Sep 20, 2011

http://www.ntv.co.ke

The government has often hastened to assure that Kenya's borders are secure whenever there is a threat or attack. But are they really safe? Judging by the Merille incursions into Todonyang, not once, but twice in the span of two months, Kenya's furthest flung borders are no safer than if there were no border at all. O ne border that the government claims is even closed is the Kenya-Somalia-Ethiopia border point, or border point one as it is famously known. John-Allan Namu has just been at that border point and reports on a wide-open space guarded by just a handful of police officers.

Comments

Standard YouTube License

I wonder what are kenyan and Ethiopians are doing there...And why is this reporter is saying no mans land while Mandera to garissa and Mandera to Jigjiga is Pure Somalia...i was born wajir i don't consider myself as kenyan,I am somalian..My kenyan documents i just destroyed them five? years ago....people think i am crazy ..No I my grandparents were Born wajir ..They were somalis will always be somalis..My Grandpa left his somalian ID ..imagine wajir was Somalian country b4 colonies....

OMG Kenya lacks? seriousness.

sandezack 21 hours ago
i? wish ethiopian president was smart enough to take over kenya...i would be much happier being ethiopian than kenya...kibakis security polici is was than the watchy who used to guard our home

simbakafiri 1 day ago
This happens becoz we have the most useless president...I can't wait for? that toad to get out of office next year...our country is really insecure with kibaki being in power..bure kabisa!

bethukip 1 day ago
@mytime81 if the kenyan government doesnt even take security seriously, i doubt they can? harness river water for food production.

Environmentalists warn against large-scale farming
Published on 17/09/2011

By LILIAN ALUANGA

Agricultural projects, changing climate and a rise in population are some of the factors being blamed for the drying of one of Kenya’s top fresh water wetlands.

Known for its rich diversity of birdlife, wild animals and plants, the Tana Delta wetland is home to thousands of pastoralists, farmers and fisherfolk whose livelihoods depend on activities that are supported by this ecological feature, which is now at risk of being turned into one huge farmland.

At Dide Waride, a wetland area, Hussein Gona is worried that herds of the pastoralist Orma community in the area may not have enough pasture this season.

Gona is standing on a dry portion of land and points to hundreds of cattle, sheep and goats scattered across hundreds of acres of land.

"Usually, during the rainy season, goats can stand in water that is chest-deep," he says. When the rains subside the area becomes an important dry season grazing site for hundreds of thousands of livestock.

Frequent droughts are, however, posing a new challenge as herds of livestock that are not resident to the area converge in the delta.

"Herders are coming from elsewhere to graze their cattle here. They are coming from as far as Ethiopia, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, and Bura. If this is not controlled we will not have much left for our livestock," adds Gona.

"All the water is gone. I blame irrigation projects in this area to some extent, because I believe they have sucked the area dry," he says of the now seasonal wetland.

In Salama location, farmers are blaming the canals and dykes constructed in the 1990s to support irrigation projects in the area.

Ox-bow lake

There is talk that a good portion of land that was converted into farmlands was once part of the wetland.

"Flood waters had natural channels through which they would flow into the wetlands," says a farmer in the area. The waters often provided good breeding grounds for fish and other aquatic life.

Along the shores of Lake Moa, fisherfolk are counting their losses as a result of dwindling fish stocks in the once raging waters of the Tana that fed the ox-bow lake.

"It is not the same anymore. We now have to seek other means of survival like doing odd jobs in surrounding villages," says Joseph Otieno.

Also at risk are the dozens of bird species, hippos and crocodiles dependant on the Tana’s wetlands. There are said to be over 300 bird species, which include the endangered Basra reed warbler and Tana River cisticola. Other species are ibises, herons, kingfisher and pelicans. The wetlands also support mangrove forests, grasslands, marshes, woodlands, lakes and bushland.

At the edge of Mpeketoni village in Ozi location, a section of the land on which mangrove trees stands looks dry and cracked.

"This is just a fraction of what is really going on here," says Omar Ngama.

Salinity in the area has been attributed to a rise in sea level, which some environmentalists link to global climate change. But there is also no denying that the forest has not been spared degradation.

Back in Dide Waride, Gona is musing over the fate of herds that now have to walk dozens of kilometres in search of water and pasture and the effect this may have on their market value and productivity.

"Over 60 per cent of the meat in Mombasa, Malindi and other areas in Coast Province is supplied by these herds. If they die then that supply is also cut off," he says.

Gona, like many other pastoralists, is not too keen on farming and projects geared towards it.

"We have seen irrigation projects started here. They come and promise us jobs and a better life, but in the end we do not benefit," he says.

Plans to put thousands of hectares under crops like sugarcane and others geared towards the production of biofuels are worrying environmentalists, who insist the delta must be protected at all costs.

Says Prof Odada of the University of Nairobi: "Some of these crops require a lot of water and we must think critically about the effects of growing them in large scale in a wetland area."