Category Archives: Corruption

Kenya: The relevant ministries should lunch full scale investigation of faulty weighbridges and weighing machines in shops where Kenyan are being fleeced of millions

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City
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PRIOR to Kenya attaining its political independence and thereafter during the post-independence, there used be the department of Weight and Measures within the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The responsibility of this department was to send its highly qualified technicians and staff to carry out regular checks on weighing machine shops butcheries and even in bakeries and confectioneries outlets.

It used to detect the activities of unscrupulous traders and businessmen involved in cheating members of the pubic by selling underweight breads or sugar and meat and even maize-flour meals on sales in shops.

The staff of this department kept the traders on their toes, and those who were caught red-handed in the act of cheating customers while using defective or tempered weighing machines were promptly arraigned in courts and if found guilty heavy penalties and fines were meted out.

The technicians used to make regular to all market places and shopping centers visiting butcheries and all the businesses where weighing machines were kept in use as tools of the trade and thereafter inspecting such machines used to stamp them with the government seal certifying the correctness and validity of such machines to be the correct one.

However, for some unknown reason and for some years now, Kenyans do hear no cases of readers being charged with cheating by way of using tempered with weighing machines. What went wrong? Did this important department ceased from existence?

There is public outcry about the rampant cheating through tempered with weighing machines. It is affecting meat eaters, sugar consumers, wheat flours, baked beads, and even maize flour meals selling in shops appeared to be underweight.

The area which appears to have been totally neglected and the hardest hit being those machines used by meat shops and butcheries. Nearly all the weighing machine are tempered with or the purpose of cheating the customers.

It is even much worse in the sugar sub-sector of the economy. There are reports indicating that sugar cane farmers are losing millions of shillings for their raw materials to the sugar mills for crushing. The deliveries are made via weighbridge, which are allegedly tempered with an have remained un-inspected for years as the farmers continue incurring losses running into millions 0f shillings.

The worse scandals being witnessed n the sugar factories owned by Asian investors and under the top management of expatriate managers recruited from India and Pakistan.

The issue of tempered with weighbridge was detected about 15 years ago by the government auditors sent to the government owned SonySugar Company based at Awendo Town in the Migori County. The external auditing team which was sent to the facility by the department of Inspectorate of parastatals in the Office of the President carried to a thorough forensic audit and discovered that sugar cane farmers within the Awendo cane growing zone had suffered the heaviest losses in term of money which was abut Kshs 210 millions within a period of ten year through the faulty or deliberately tempered with weighbridge.

The team made a confidential report, which was seen by this writer. The company took stern disciplinary action, resulting n several weighbridge clerks being fired while some were prosecuted

The grieved cane farmers, however, were not compensated for the losses incurred, and the majority of them even weren’t told of the scam and remained unaware of it to-date. It later emerged that this was an inside work of some of unpatriotic managers at the facility, some of them have since left the services of the company, especially those who were suspected to have benefited from this scandal.

The scam began immediately after the hired foreign management team led by a British consortium multinational company Booker Tate Agricultural International had left Awendo in huff after the expiry of the their managerial contract.

About three years ago a prominent sugarcane farmer in Nandi South district operating around Miwani Chemelil area drove his own tractor loaded with cane which he had harvested in his own farm. He took the cane one of the sugar factories, which are located within the Nyanza sugar belt region.

The farmer had thought the heavy load of raw cane he was ferrying to the factory could be weighing approximately about ten tones. When he drove his tractor through the weighbridge at the facility he was shocked when he was told the load of cane he was carrying could only measure about seven and half tons.

And not satisfied with what had come out of the weighbridge, the farmer drove his tractor to another nearby next sugar factory. There he was told that his cane had weighed ten ton. After this the farmer had realized that he would have lost two half tons had he delivered his cane to the first mil. This particular incident was widely published by nearly all the local dailies, but such adverse publicity has never deterred the sugar millers who continued with their cheats with impunity.

Sugar mills owned by Asians include Sukari Industries in Ndhiwa district, West Kenya Sugar Company in Kakamega County, Butali in Kakamega County, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries in Kisumu County and Trans-Mara sugar Company in Narok County.

In all the five sugar mils, all senior managerial staff jobs positions are excusively held by Indian and Pakistanis
The issue of the tempered weighbridge at the sugar mills was rekindled last week by the striking cane cutters employed by the Mumias Sugar Company in Western Province.

The chairman of the cane cutters at the Mumias Sugar Company Mr Julius Makanda while making his argument on behalf of the striking cane cutters, was quoted as saying that the workers have rejected the offer of extra 20/-.

He further stated that the employer is currently paying them Kshs 223/ per tone harvested I a day. However, it has been difficult for the cane cutter to hit the target set of 7.5 tones per day because of the weighbridge at the factory had been tempered with.

Such claims as the one made by workers representative is worth investigation by competent team of experts formed by the government’s relevant ministry. Most of the harvesting work at Mumias sugar Company and in the mils are carried out in the farms owed by the small scale out growers who might be losing millions of shillings through the tempered with weighbridges.

It is high time the government take the issue of cane farmers being fleeced of millions of their hard earned money through this kin of shameless scam.

Five sugar mills located at the various locations in Western Kenya are owned by Indian investors. The workers in these facilities are reportedly being exploited to the maximum. They are not issued with the letters of appointment and eve those who have served the mills for over ten year remained on casual master -rolls. Mandatory salary deduction such NSSF or NHIF are things the past.

The Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation Workers appeared to have been compromised or its officials re sleeping on the job. This particular union seemed to have ceased to exist. It has never raised its voice abut hired of foreign worker being recruited from India and Pakistan who have flooded the job market with the sugar industries thereby depriving the indignant Kenyans of the scarce employment opportunities.

The expatriate workers some of who are not even properly qualified are the ones holding important jobs such as account clerks, engineers, mechanics, electrical mechanics, fitters, welders, time-keepers, cane yard clerks, weighbridge clerks.

This is done despite Kenya having trained thousands of workers in these categories even in excess of it is industrial output. Some of the Indians and Pakistanis are even working as tractor driver and cooks and as lowly laced job such as sweepers, office messengers etc.

These unqualified expatiate workers should pack and go home and create job opportunities for hundreds of unemployed Kenya youth shoo-leavers.

The fitters who were temporarily imported into the country for the purpose of helping during the installation of new cane milling machines and have stayed on jobs should be made to vacate and ordered out.

Members of the current parliament representing sugar cane growing regions also stand blamed for not effectively articulating for the farmer problem. The majority of them it is being alleged to have succumbed to mega bribery, which appeared to have put them into total silence.

Rumors are also rampant that some of them MPs have benefited by way of having the materials used in building and construction of their palatial houses in their rural homes were corruptively sourced or supplied by the sugar mills barons to silent them.

The time, therefore is ripe for the electorate in the sugar cane growing regions to the a serious note about the conduct of their MPs ad ensure that such people are voted out during the impeding general election a replaced by energetic and those committed to assist the excessively exploited sugar cane farmers and cane cutters.

Both the immigration and Labor Ministries also stand to be scathingly criticized for not effecting and properly implementing the government laid down policy on the employment of expatriates in this country.

Ends

KENYA: TENSION UP IN AWENDO TOWN AS THE COUNCIL WORKERS THREATENED TO PUT DOWN THEIR TOOLS IN PROTESTS AGAINST THE NEWLY POSTED TOWN CLERK.

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Reports Bob Ndira-Uradi.

Tension is building up in the small farming town of Awendo in Migori County after the dozens of the Council workers threatened to down their tools in protest against the newly posted Town Clerk.

The workers had mobilized themselves and locked the gate to the Council offices ,which are located in Awendo Town. They insisted that the new Town Clerk a Mr. Alia was not welcome in the Council on allegation and accusations that he is a non-performer.

Alila a former Mbita Town Clerk swabbed the position with the former long serving Awendo Town Clerk who has been transferred to Luanda Town Council in Western Province.

According to impeccable sources within Awendo, the issue had divided the civic leaders in Awendo Council right in the middle with half of them in solidarity with the protesting workers, while the other half had accepted the new Town Clerk.

There were unconfirmed allegations and rumors that money had changed had. Three of the Councilors said to have been compromised, it was reported had secretly traveled with the new Town Clerk to Nairobi where hey pleaded with the Ministry of their acceptance of the new chief officer. While the other were I solidarity with the chairman of the Council Johnson Omolo Owiro

The Councilor who were reported to have traveled to Nairobi to persuade the Ministry to stand their ground and withheld their posting included Adera Awene {Nominated]. Roselyne Arucho [ [Sakwa East} and Martin Ondong’ {Sakwa South}

Both teams made hastily arranged trips to the Ministry headquarters in Nairobi and after what is e believed to be widely consultations it was resolved that the new Town Clerk be accepted by he Council. This, according to sources was only after the intervention of both the Awendo D.C. and the Minister for Public Services Dalmas Otieno, who is the incumbent MP for Rongo constituency in whose jurisdiction Awendo Town Council falls under.

But finally the new Town Clerk Alia was driven into the Council offices by he Nyanza Provincial Local Government Officer {PLGO} who is based in Kisumu under tight security.

Alila, who hails from Suna East near Migori, according to reports had previously served in the same capacity in the nearby Migori Municipality was served in the same capacity, but was ejected from there under very controversial circumstances following the allegation that he is a non-performer . Alila had also served in Rongo Town, Kehancha and other local authorities within the region.

The Awendo Town Council workers are also up in arms demanding for the immediate transfer of the Town Treasure Pete Aoro arguing that he was another non-performer and that the positions of the Councl the Chief officer could be filled with’ Deadwoods”.

The have workers urged the Ministry to post the right men for the job or else they would what they termed as the mother of all protests and strikes in the near future if the government continued dumping only chief officers who have already been rejected and rejected by other local authorities.

Ends

Kenya: No end to rogue contractors, as sugarcane farmers cry foul.

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By Reporter

Despite the recent signing into law, the National Construction Authority Act, by the president that seeks to regulate the building and construction industry by setting up the National Construction agency (NCA) to oversee the sector-charged with registering and accrediting contractors and regulating their activities, the move still appears to be an elusive task and far from being realized.

Sugarcane growers and residents of Kakamega County are up in arms over a Kisumu based contractor for having allegedly done shoddy work: for the construction of culverts which was meant to serve and facilitate cane farmers in accessing their huge chunks of farms, during the period of cultivation, harvesting and transportation of their canes.

Maurice Omondi of GOGNI RAJOPE group of companies headquartered in the lakeside city of Kisumu, and with branches in other major towns, who “won” the tender last year April through one of their sister companies,WADICH construction and engineering company, was tasked with the building of culverts of KWABA area to the tune of over Kshs 4.5 million.

And it was among the nine projects which also included the building of bridges and access roads in the western sugar belt funded by National Sugar Development Fund (NSDF), through Kenya Sugar Board (KSB).The projects kicked off June, same year.

Speaking to a legion of reporters, the angered farmers, who have vowed to take to the streets to protest against the contractor for non performance which has hampered their farming activities thus leading to hefty financial loses, are now questioning the criteria that was applied that earned Omondi and its company the tender and yet he doesn’t harbour the requisite technical prowess and monetary capacity to do a work, of such magnitude.

Threatening unspecified legal action if the relevant authorities fail to crack the whip, the fire spitting farmers now wants the NCA as an authority which is also tasked with promoting professionalism by ensuring that only trained contractors, construction workers, and site supervisors are registered, to invoke its act and blacklist him, saying the contractor is associated with a spate of dubious work in different parts of the country “We will soon move to court if the work is not redone and completed to our satisfaction” said the relentless farmers.

Ahead of court action, the enraged farmers and other stakeholders in the industry, are reportedly planning to lead a high-powered delegation to the ministries of agriculture and roads to petition Hon. Sally Kosgey and Franklin Bett respectively, to address their myriad grievances over the besieged contractor whom they say has been, not only eluding them, but also evading the taxman over alleged non-remittances of taxes amounting to millions of shillings, running to years.

In an earlier interview with some professional contractors, who are registered engineers and also members of Architectural Association of Kenya, read from the same script with the farmers and expressed their disgruntlement with the contractor whom they strongly loathed his works and behaviours saying that he is a perennial disgrace to their fraternity, worth deregistration, since he rarely honours his contractual obligations “we strongly concur with the farmers’ move, its long overdue” they said, demanding for thorough audit, into their umbrella body to weed out the quacks.

The Act states that, a person shall not carry out the duties of a contractor unless that person is registered by the board to be established under new law. In case of a firm registration can only be given if at least one of the partners or directors possesses the qualifications, technical skills, or experience prescribed by the board. The Act further states that any person who decides to operate as a contractor without registration “commits an offence and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh 1million”, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.

Any contractor too found guilty of unprofessional misconduct will also face the same consequences. Failure also by the contractor to discharge duties, responsibilities and obligations shall have his or her names expunged from the register and shall not be registered afresh under any other new name.

Sources privy to the mother company, Gogni Rajope’ mode of operations, which also owns and runs CEABUD, RADO and HANRAJ among other chains of companies, revealed that procurement procedures were flouted with impunity during the tendering and subsequent award of the tender (read single sourcing).

That these outfits will hardly win any tender fairly and they ever, allegedly thrive on greasing the hands of the prospective procurement officials and tender board committees to land cream tenders, both locally and internationally. The art, which they say, have been indisputably perfected, per- excellence.

And in a bid to execute their well orchestrated clandestine deals in advance, they book state-of-the-art hotels, far away from the hawkeyed interested parties for the officials to put up, where the cartel covertly converges with them over special finger- licking foodstuff, to strategize on how to canvass, compromise and bag the contracts-pre or post the advertisement of the tender.

At the centre stage of this racket, that allegedly deprives other competent firms’ contracts unjustifiably, is the notorious Omondi of WADICH Company in question, who is assigned with nosing for the tenders, flapping and hawking the profiles of these companies.

And to achieve this effectively, all their bids, will always find their ways into the tender box, after the advertisements “to compete” for the awards, alongside other unsuspecting competent bidders (contractors), who only bided for one.

Something, that the contractor, when approached for verification, vehemently denied and instead advised this writer to go ahead and publish the story: “ You can go and write whatever you want I don’t bother whether you are president or prime minister” He yelled, waving cigarette stick and directing smoke, to a battery of journalists.

And a spot check at the site of the work, confirms some of the allegations since the workmanship is very poor, yet to be fully done and it’s past the stipulated timeline, with the areas already “completed” dilapidating at alarming rate “He is ever drunk and rough even to us whenever we dare raise our concern over some poorly done areas” regretted some dozen of the hapless construction workers, glued at the site waiting for their meager dues, adding that he hardly pays.

Independent sources from KSB reliably averred that the contractor, out of the total fee earmarked for the tender, has been paid a whooping ksh 3.5million in two phases, with the deficit being over ksh 1million and yet the work done so far is not reflective.

Owing to the unfolding dossier unmasking these outfits underworld activities, which flies in the face of the procurement rules, regulations and procedures, its also worth noting that the quintet companies which are now under spotlight, are currently engaged in a string of works across the country, further raising eyebrows whether they were awarded fairly or not.

According to knowledgeable inner sources, all the companies are the brainchild of one of the topnotch engineer who is said to be the proprietor and elder brother to the alleged cowboy contractor and, with a well networked syndicate buttressing across the boarders, hence according credence as to why they recently clinched a lucrative tender in southern Sudan for the construction of the road, among other plum jobs, to the chagrin of other potential lowest bidders.

The farmers move comes hot on the heels of the recent remaks, in some cross-section of the press, by the minister of public works Hon. Chris Obure that the NCA law will be implemented to the letter and, further read the riot act to the rogue contractors that the law will be slapped unto them, since their days are numbered.

The authority is also charged with, among other things, researching on any matter relating to the construction industry, promoting quality assurance as well as encouraging standardization and improvement of construction techniques and materials. It will also develop and publish a code of conduct for the industry.

KENYA: KISUMU BASED CHURCH MEMBERS UP IN ARMS AGAINST SEX IMMORALITY

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By Our Reporter

Church Members of a Kisumu based Church situated along Kisumu Nairobi road are up arms against their church administrator over the recent appointment of a church Pastor and an overseer of Manyatta Parish Pastor Luke who they are accusing Of being a serial wife inheritor who should not be accorded the Privilege of being a God’s Minister.

Speaking to the press in Kisumu , the angered church members wondered
Why their church head had opted to remove their previous from the church over immorality and substitute a worse man in the who is a well known serial wife inheritor an adulterer with women and concubines in all of their churche branches.

“As we speak to you now there is a woman from Suba who is sister to
who worships in Mamboleo and he is having an affair With, the church members there are also contemplating walking out of should not do that with one of their church members” they added.

They however said that it’s lamentable that despite the issue being Brought to the attention of their church boss no action has so far been taken.

“You say he is one of your best interpreter and the issues should
Be ignored at the expense of the body of Christ, why? Are not the same
Allegations leveled against him made you transfer him from Kakamega” they asked their Bishop.

Contacted for his comment on the said allegations the said church head Bishop warned this writer of dire consequences should he go ahead and write the said Story.

“Try and write the story, you will know who I am “ he replied in one
Of the text short messages services on this journalist cell phone. The said church which is so beautiful with modern chairs is always empty on Sundays as most people have walked out of the church.

KENYA’S FOUL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT-THE GENESIS OF THE FILTH

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From: otieno sungu

Last Friday, I traveled to my rural home in Rarieda among other things to check on my humble fish farming initiative besides visiting my aging mum. In spite of her age, she is a very hard working old lady, just like many Kenyans. She has just harvested several bags of maize, beans and millet, enough for consumption through to next year’s rainy season and surplus for sale to the local secondary school. This is besides her vegetable farm that keeps her going with money for supplies. I am proud of my mother, who, just like many Kenyans, works hard not only to survive but to contribute to our success as a nation. It is against this backdrop that when I met some young men in Kisumu later on Saturday, we engaged in some discussion in which I had to bring them down to some very hard truths about the state of our nation.

On Saturday, I took time to attend the funeral of Mr. Jashon Oluga, the former Managing Director of National Bank of Kenya in Seme. Among others was area MP Hon Anyang Nyongo. As expected, he implored the youth to take IDs so as to vote during the coming general elections.

Much later in the evening, I joined some bosom friends in Kisumu to catch up and compare notes on a raft of things. Inevitably, our discussions veered off from the general and catching up to politics; the current and aspiring leadership. The discussion got so animated that some young fellows sitting nearby joined the discussion.

I sat by and listened as many contributed with authority. I am usually very slow to jump into such fray of political support to the current crop of Presidential aspirants, especially the breed whose economic and social policies have been hibernating only to be reactivated at election year’s eve while they craft “tribal policies” to get them into leadership.

So much later, when the frenzy wore down a bit, and much of the leadership declarations whose resolutions I care less to remember died down, I asked if we could engage in some exercise to figure out the real issues rather than the personalities each had bandied around.

In spite of the audience being taken aback, they agreed to my suggestion. So I asked if we could all take an analysis of the current situation. I begun by asking about the state of our economy; employment levels, poverty eradication, fight against diseases, accessibility to affordable health care, food security, the cost of living, accessibility to affordable and quality education etc.

Many gave their sentiments about how things stand; I asked if we could then take a vote on the general standards of living. It was a unanimous decision that the standards of living for majority of Kenyans was far below satisfactory. So I asked,

………………. “and whose mistake is it that Kenya is in this sorry state?”

We then were left with the question why this state of affairs continued to persists. A few still tried to absolve their preferred candidates but realizing how futile and hollow they sounded after the reality check and the elevated debate, they gave up. The unanimous verdict was that the collective lethargic, selfish and vision-less leadership got us where we are otherwise things would be much better. It was agreed our collective predicament as a nation was as a result of those characteristics of our current and former leaders.

Having taken the energy and debate away from personalities to issues, I then asked if we could take an imaginary journey into the bin of leadership, the current aspirants especially those who have been in leadership. We thus took the journey of identifying, among the current filth of empty leadership one close to our aspirations, and while in there, each one came up with names of the person they thought was clean enough to epitomize the selfless leadership we all yearn for. This time round, the offers were less emotive but rather feeble attempts at looking for, from the dump, someone clean and visionary we could cling on.

The process of picking this leader was discursive, the more we discussed, the obvious it now begun emerging to many that the very leaders we fight over are part and parcel of the rot we are in. The very fact that all the frontrunners who have been in leadership have a scandal or two to their names sobered up even the diehard supporters of various candidates. Their collective unity in scandalizing this nation is what made this group realize that we are hinging our hopes on nothing other than the very rotten structures to build a new house.

As my closing remarks after that exercise, I bluntly made it clear to those folks, including very good friends, some from my high school days, the very ones who had begun frothing in the mouth over personalities when the discussions veered into politics and leadership; I told this group that the ordinary Kenyan is the enemy of this nation. It is the ordinary Kenyan who blinds himself to issues and defines politics from tribal prisms, it is the ordinary Kenyan who defends corrupt leadership in the name of “one of our own”, it is the ordinary Kenyan who compromises on integrity to create room for greedy, selfish, corrupt individuals to find their way into leadership, it is the common man who has lowered the bar for integrity to the extent money launderers, drug barons, land grabbers, sex pests, lords of scandals, tribal bigots have found favor in our national leadership.

When a nation allows scoundrels to play roulette, pilfer, plunder, scandalize and corrupt the heart of the nation; health care, education, agriculture, budgeting and social security, we can only expect social unrest as a result. The core areas that lead to a nation’s development are determined by how well it;

· Establishes for its population quality and relevant skills through education that spurs quality, professional services and innovation.
· Establishes quality, affordable, accessible and corruption free health care that ensures a healthy and vibrant workforce.
· Provides technical support to farmers for maximum returns which ensure national food security and individual wealth.
· Plans through diligent budget processes policies that spur job growth and capital availability.
· Establishes corruption proof social security systems that carters for disadvantaged groups and comfort in old age.

Once we achieve the above, we will have a nation and leaders worth talking of, but as it is, we are as good as the people I am currently reading about, Citizens of Nowhere.

In her book, veteran journalist Debi Goodwin follows up the lives of 11 refugees from Daadab Refugee Camp, 10 Somalis and 1 Ethiopian to Canada on education scholarships and permanent relocation and resettlement, a journey that takes you through their turbulent, violent and traumatic history after Said Barre’s toppling and the clan wars that brought them to Daadab. Life in Daadab Refugee Camp is a reality check of the tribalism our leaders have fermented and fomented to inform and drive our empty political passions for selfish ends. Today, these young men and women from Somalia do not wish to be reminded of their clans, it is a topic the journalist had to circumvent because for these young generation, the clans their fathers held so dear brought so much misery and lowly lives to their collective sense of a nation that they had rather not be reminded what clans they belong to as they begin journeys to new lives and lands to call home.

If we continue this path of tribalism and hate, if we do not become dispassionate and focus on the issues that should inform our discourse on leadership, if we continue to hurtle down the path of tribes, we will never wish to be reminded what tribes we belong to, for all we would be holding in some refugee camp,when we are done with fighting for our tribes like the Somali refugees fought for their clans, is that tribal identity, and yes, pitiful rations from non governmental organizations and hopes of a normal life somewhere far away from Kenya.

But right now, we can busy listening to politicians trying to make us hold so dear the tribal tags, use the same for bargains in leadership, whip emotions up into support and cheer groups and God forbid, pit us against each other like they did in 2007 in their quests.

Why worry, such a time and life as the one for the Daadab refugees will take care of itself!

Otieno Sungu.

Africa’s wealth is being devoured by tyrants and vultures

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From: Yona Maro
—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
Blogu ya Habari na Picha www.patahabari.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –
31 July by Nick Dearden

A surprise judgment was made recently against a vulture fund, FG Hemisphere, striking down its claim for $100m from the Democratic Republic of Congo. FG Hemisphere has spent many years and a small fortune pursuing Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko for a debt it bought “secondhand” for $3m, but on which it hoped to claim back $100m. Most recently it has been trying to grab the assets of Congo’s state-owned mining company, Gécamines, through a joint venture in which it is invested on Jersey.

The DRC has vast mineral wealth including diamonds, copper, oil and gas; one estimate puts the value of these resources at $24 trillion. However, it is pretty much the poorest country in the world. The reason is centuries of plunder, at its worst involving the buying, selling and brutalisation of millions of people. But plunder today continues in different guises – through odious debt and tax avoidance.

It seems incredible that so rich a country can end up in serious debt, until you think about the amount of money leaving the DRC through the other crucial factor in its impoverishment: unpaid taxes. Although the DRC has been a poor reporter of data, it has been estimated that, between 1970 and 2008, more than $6bn left the country illicitly. This is equivalent to about 1% of the economy every year – more than enough to cover its total outstanding debts. The figures suggest that an average of $170m has left the DRC every year, almost two-thirds of the average $300m it has to make in debt service payments. Little wonder that its debt is starting to rise again, and is expected to reach $7.5bn by 2015.

As Africa is celebrated for its growth rates, the amount of taxes lost to the continent accelerates. The funds flowing in, lauded by Tony Blair, Sir Bob Geldof and their ilk, will primarily enrich those already at the top, fuel inequality and expand dependence on a crony form of finance. Vultures will increasingly swoop on these riches.

http://cadtm.org/Africa-s-wealth-is-being-devoured

Kenya: IIEC caught up in vested interests needs help

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From: PETER KAMAKIA

From frying pan to fire. That is IIEC for you as we speak.

Earlier rigging of voting was carried out by by stuffing ballot boxes. Now this time around the enemy is not stuffed boxes but technologically savvy techs stuffing digital votes for non existent voters using a laptop or a smart phone.

The drama at IIEC is sad to say the least. And i am really questioning the ability to provide free and fair elections to the Kenyans population?

What “electronic observers” has IIEC put in place to ensure the integrity of the system cannot be compromised. What guarantee is there that the providers of smart voting systems, the ones quarreling over tenders, have no political interests and cannot be bought with the billions of shillings that our lords of politics command.

IIEC continued sidelining of Kenyan programmers and computer experts to audit their systems has not only ensured the most expensive voting expense in the history of Kenya but a very serious possibility of a bungled election exercise as the powers that be would definitely want to be in control of voting machinery.

I pray our politicians, who are easily spotted when their interests are crossed, will arise to the occasion and seriously assist out the IIEC.

Peter Kamakia
Mitambo ICT Company
P.O.Box 25365-00100
Nairobi
Kenya

Tel: 0720219320

Kenya: Corruption is the reason why Raila Missed the Opportunity to Rule Kenya

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From: Judy Miriga

Folks,

Kenya’s Political problem is bigger than what many people can imagine. In a surprise turn, many will be saddened when they will finally come to grips with reality in confirmation of the truth in how they were taken for granted. Miguna Miguna’s book as a witness tells his story and carries with it many aspects which if used by Local or International Jurisdiction, is loaded with valuable points that can put PM Raila to task to answer charges against the Court of Law and which can be used to bring justice against human rights, violation and abuse of public office in such like manner to create personal wealth and for Special Interest against public interest and mandate. Joining and eating with the corrupt robbed Raila the victory of freedom fighter, the journey he begun many years ago. Obstruction of justice will not go forever. Justice will finally be heard.

Raila and Kibaki are on a Mission for commission agency to complete unfinished business of the corrupt past regimes and to promote Uhuru’s Business empire facilitated at Boston’s Massachusetts. That is the base where Master Plan for MoUs for Vision 2030 was delivered by Amb. Odembo to Governor Duval Patrick at State House Boston, Massachusettes. That is why Odembo’s Diaspora team is formed with haste to conform and is set to serve Special Interest’s Agenda. They are in a joint league with China’s Commission Agency to Kenya representing the Unscrupulous International Corporate Special Business Interest under the New Emerging Markets. Funny that this is the reason why Devolution of Counties Bill, Land reform Bill, Security Bill and Finance Bill cannot be completed according to National Reform Accord. This is the reason why the Constitution is mutilated and is inflicted with dangerous clauses which benefits Special Interest values against Public Interest mandate.

Although Kibaki will be retiring, Raila and Uhuru expects to strike a deal on Memorandum of Understanding so they can skip going for election; why, because the Constitution is incomplete and No Election can be done without a proper constitution or with a mutilated damaged constitution. Raila and Uhuru are bonded on a mission and they are of “Birds of the same feathers”…

These projects are labeled Government Business Projects, utilizing donor funds, loans and taxpayer money corruptly, unconstitutionally and irregularly. They are enjoined with faked NGOs from where funds are fizzled through to feed the Trading Enterprises business interests of Special Interest network. Ponzi Schemes, Hedge Fundings and Pyramids Schemes are equally the kind of deals incorporated unscrupulously without public knowledge or consent. Many more politicians with innocent civilians are expected to be terminated, assassinated or killed during this turn-around of campaign season.

To seal their relationship, this is the reason why Raila went to campaign for Museveni after Museveni was awarded with Migingo by Kibaki and Moi playing crucial part over the unfinished business. After campaigning for Museveni, Raila went ahead and invited Museveni to be adorned with a ceremonial Luo Regalia to seal the deals made over the sale of Greater Luo Nyanza Lands with other Public Wealth resource; more specifically targeting Blocks for Oil exploration, other Mineral such as rare colta raw materials for computer with other electronics, Gold, iron ore, Diamond etc., found in and around Migori with a base at Odundu. It is sad that tribal groups are tipped to confrontational civil conflict where in areas of Migori and Odundu, about 2,500 Luo families are moved out of their community land and some Kisiis are favored to do the Government projects denying those who initially owned those land job opportunities to work in the project, and as well likewise, Lake Victoria and Migingo is made to be occupied by the Luhya’s supported by the Somali’s (Head of Al-Shabaab in Kenya while the tail is in Somalia).

People, this is Social injustices, Political intimidation and is an Economic Crime with abuse and violation of Human Rights; which is being made against the unsuspecting disadvantaged poor of Kenyan under a syndicate of conspiracy that has caused serious mental torture to many victims of the circumstances, it has driven many to extreme poverty, it has caused many people to lose their family and community homes and source of livelihood for survival has become extremely difficult. This behavior has caused many youth to go astray because of hopelessness and some engaged in unfavorable destructive activities because of lack of employment as well as exasperated situation of draught with extreme environmental pollution; which must not be taken lightly but people must engage Legal Justice to interrogate and bring to justice these corrupt leaders so that, discipline and order may take effect and properly organized investments for shared fair deal where everyone gets a chance and opportunity to participate in progressive development agenda is at play for all.

No business deals should have been made overriding the constitutional Public mandate. Policy regulations in the Constitution protects and preserves public interest and mandate, but going against it without transparency and accountability is unacceptable and it must not be left without legal justice taking precedence to protect rights of public.

Whether Raila and Uhuru join together under MoU to take leadership of Kenya, their place still remain to be occupied at the ICC Hague.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

On Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 7:33 PM, Maurice Oduor wrote:

KM,

Of course has not changed. Infact I would say that it has gotten worse in certain aspects. Look at how senior government appointments in certain key sectors are the preserve of one tribe!!!

All the Security organs, Finance ministry and its agencies, Transport ministry and its agencies, Energy ministry and its agencies, Provincial Administration and its agencies etc are all controlled by one tribe.

This is the worst scandal in the country and I’m not sure why Kenyans are not outraged about it. Maybe they gave up and came to accept it from this one tribe.

You are right Kuria; Kenya has not changed.

Courage,
Oduor Maurice

On 7/19/12, Henry Gichaba wrote:

Dear Kenyans,

Let wacha Miguna atoboe yote!

I also felt that I had some unfinished business to pursue there relating to the assassination of my good friend, Dr. Crispin Odhiambo Mbai. This sage had been shot and killed at close range in cold blood one Sunday afternoon in September 2003. From Canada I had tried to do all I could to assist in the arrest of his killers who, to date, have not been prosecuted even though The Standard newspaper’s investigative journalists traced some of them to a Tanzanian village. Senior Kenyanpoliticians who were alleged to have been involved in his death have never been investigated.”

Mobbi Gichaba, somewhere in the forests of North carolina.

US condemns China, Russia for Syria UN vetos
By AFP
Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 20:56

The United States condemned Thursday the “highly regrettable decision” of China and Russia to veto a UN Security Council resolution threatening sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

It is a “mistake to prop up that regime,” President Barack Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney told a White House briefing shortly after Russia and China blocked UN action against Syria for the third time in nine months.

The veto is a “highly regrettable decision that will, I think, have repercussions for the countries that vetoed the resolution for a long time, in terms of how they’re viewed by the Syrian people,” Carney said.

“There’s no doubt that Syria’s future will not include Bashar al-Assad. His days in power are numbered. It’s a mistake to prop up that regime as it comes to an end.”

Carney’s reaction followed that of US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, who said bluntly that the UN Security Council had failed on Syria.

“We will intensify our work with a diverse range of partners outside the Security Council to bring pressure to bear on the Assad regime and to deliver assistance to those in need,” Rice said.

“The Security Council has failed utterly in its most important task on the agenda this year,” Rice added, as she slammed Moscow and Beijing.

Highlighting Syria’s stockpile of chemical weapons, Rice said the Syrian government will be “held accountable” if it is used against the opposition.

“As the situation deteriorates, the potential that this regime could consider using chemical weapons against its own people should be a concern for us all,” she said.

Fears over the chemical weapons have increased in recent days.

On Monday, Nawaf Fares, who defected from his post as Syrian ambassador to Iraq, said in an interview with the BBC that he was “convinced” that Assad would draw on his stocks if cornered.

The latest Russia-China veto deepened an acrimonious battle at the 15-nation council over who is to blame for the world powers’ failure to get international action to halt the Syria conflict.

There were 11 votes in favor, with Russia and China voting against and with Pakistan and South Africa abstaining. As two of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the council, Russia or China can block any resolution.

Billions in tax revenue goes missing

[image]A clerk at the KRA headquarters receives tax return forms from members of public outside the Kenya Revenue Authority offices. The Government could have lost billions of shillings over the years as exact figures of the amounts collected in tax revenue remain unknown. Photo/FILE

By MWANIKI WAHOME jwahome@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 20:12

In Summary
Mars Group presents figures showing about Sh98.4bn in fiscal year 2007/08 was unaccounted for

The Government could have lost billions of shillings over the years as exact figures of the amounts collected in tax revenue remain unknown.

Figures presented by the Mars Group, a watchdog organisation, to the budget committee yesterday indicated that in the 2007/08 financial year, some Sh98.4 billion in ordinary revenue was not accounted for.

“What is shocking is that in June 2009, a month after receiving the auditor-general’s certified accounts indicating receipt of Sh496 billion, the Finance Minister declared Sh397 billion to Parliament — a difference of Sh98 billion,” said Mars Group managing director, Ms Jayne Mati.

Overall, Sh498.9 billion in revenue accounts was not certified by the Auditor-General’s office as required due to audit queries. Out of this amount contained in 57 queries in the accounts, only those concerning Sh3.4 billion were fully answered.

Ms Mati said their analysis of budget figures indicated a pattern over the years, with most of the queries raised by the auditor-general going unanswered.

“Most of the audit queries involving huge amounts of money every year are not answered. The figures seem to double in the election years,” she said.

The amounts collected by Kenya Revenue Authority do not tally with what is received by the exchequer in most cases. For example, the revenue collected in 2007/08 for taxes on income, profits and capital gains has five different figures depending on the institution.

The exchequer shows Sh168 billion, KRA noted Sh166 billion, the amount in ledger records is Sh172.9 billion, amount in revenue statement is Sh177 billion and the amount declared in Parliament by the

Finance minister is Sh165 billion.

She said the opening balance figures for the subsequent financial year were understated, and were omitted for the first time in this year’s budget statement.

Grants and loans revenue was reflected as Sh26.7 billion in the auditor-general’s certified accounts, but only Sh20 billion was declared in Parliament, a difference of Sh6 billion that is yet to be accounted for.

The miscellaneous accounts had Sh15.9 billion, but only Sh8.5 billion was declared to Parliament.

Income tax from corporations declared in Parliament was Sh79 billion, while the exchequer account records reflected Sh86.6 billion, an understatement of Sh7.5 billion.

Billions in tax revenue goes missing

By MWANIKI WAHOME jwahome@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 20:12

In Summary
Mars Group presents figures showing about Sh98.4bn in fiscal year 2007/08 was unaccounted for

The Government could have lost billions of shillings over the years as exact figures of the amounts collected in tax revenue remain unknown.

Figures presented by the Mars Group, a watchdog organisation, to the budget committee yesterday indicated that in the 2007/08 financial year, some Sh98.4 billion in ordinary revenue was not accounted for.

“What is shocking is that in June 2009, a month after receiving the auditor-general’s certified accounts indicating receipt of Sh496 billion, the Finance Minister declared Sh397 billion to Parliament — a difference of Sh98 billion,” said Mars Group managing director, Ms Jayne Mati.

Overall, Sh498.9 billion in revenue accounts was not certified by the Auditor-General’s office as required due to audit queries. Out of this amount contained in 57 queries in the accounts, only those concerning Sh3.4 billion were fully answered.

Ms Mati said their analysis of budget figures indicated a pattern over the years, with most of the queries raised by the auditor-general going unanswered.

“Most of the audit queries involving huge amounts of money every year are not answered. The figures seem to double in the election years,” she said.

The amounts collected by Kenya Revenue Authority do not tally with what is received by the exchequer in most cases. For example, the revenue collected in 2007/08 for taxes on income, profits and capital gains has five different figures depending on the institution.

The exchequer shows Sh168 billion, KRA noted Sh166 billion, the amount in ledger records is Sh172.9 billion, amount in revenue statement is Sh177 billion and the amount declared in Parliament by the

Finance minister is Sh165 billion.

She said the opening balance figures for the subsequent financial year were understated, and were omitted for the first time in this year’s budget statement.

Grants and loans revenue was reflected as Sh26.7 billion in the auditor-general’s certified accounts, but only Sh20 billion was declared in Parliament, a difference of Sh6 billion that is yet to be accounted for.

The miscellaneous accounts had Sh15.9 billion, but only Sh8.5 billion was declared to Parliament.

Income tax from corporations declared in Parliament was Sh79 billion, while the exchequer account records reflected Sh86.6 billion, an understatement of Sh7.5 billion.

Seek compensation, officials told

By PAUL OGEMBA pogemba@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 23:30

In Summary
Three activists want the courts to allow the commissioners to seek damages for their dismissal

The row over the appointment of 47 county commissioners has taken a new twist with a call to compensate them for the time they have been in office.

Three activists want the courts to allow the commissioners to seek damages for their “dismissal”.

Mr Tambo Michael Ouma, Ms Elizabeth Waithira Njuguna and Mr Jeremiah Odhiambo Ambasa claim that the commissioners’ appointments were nullified by the court and so they should be compensated.

According to the activists, the President should have appointed the commissioners procedurally.

They argued that the officers’ integrity was eroded when the court nullified the appointments and that they should be entitled to compensation for the three months in office.

The petition is the latest move in a saga pitting the Attorney General and the Ministry of Internal Security.

On Tuesday, AG Githu Muigai clashed in court with Internal Security permanent secretary Mutea Iringo over the ruling that nullified the appointments.

Prof Muigai maintained that his office was ready to obey the ruling.

The AG dismissed Mr Iringo’s hiring of a private lawyer to appeal the court decision, saying he was the only one mandated by the Constitution to act on behalf of any government office in legal suits.

Mr Iringo has instructed lawyer Kibe Mungai to file an appeal against the decision claiming that if the orders are enforced, a serious vacuum would be created in the administration of counties pending the completion of the restructuring of the Provincial Administration.

He argued that the execution of the judgment would affect security and administrative services provided by the Provincial Administration at county level, locations and sub-locations.

He claimed the judgment had paralysed and curtailed the President’s constitutional mandate and called into question all the powers of the President to act under the provision of the executive chapter of the former Constitution.

Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi last month nullified President Kibaki’s appointment of the commissioners; ruling that the President did not have the power to appoint or deploy the county commissioners and that such appointment violated the constitutional requirement for gender equality.

Nyong’o needs to tell Kenyans why he reinstated Kerich to NHIF helm

Posted Thursday, July 19 2012 at 20:04

The NHIF saga has elicited an acrimonious debate in the recent past and the public has cast a lot of aspersions on the way the institution has been managing the money that belongs to public servants.

That is why the President and the Prime Minister ordered further investigation into the scandal.

The dust has barely settled and Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o has reinstated Mr Richard Kerich at the helm as chief executive of the institution.

This has been done despite the fact that conclusive investigation has not been done, and there are still more questions than answers concerning the health insurance scheme hatched for civil servants. The minister has gone ahead to disregard the President and the PM over the matter.

The questions that linger on are: On which grounds did the minister reinstated Mr. Kerich? Was Mr Kerich cleared of the serious allegations levelled against him?

The minister owes Kenyans an explanation. Parliament did return an inconclusive and completely unreliable report on the scandal involving the civil servants medical scheme. Did the minister use this as a leeway to return Mr Kerich to the helm?

The Efficiency Monitoring Unit, which is under the PM’s office, was to spearhead investigations into the fund that has been accused of paying money to non-existent clinics. The unit has since then never produced a report that sheds any light on the scandal, yet the minister has disregarded all this.

What we are seeing from the minister is the height of impunity. His action raises eyebrows. The President and the PM should take a cue from the minister’s action and take action.

In my opinion the minister should either step down or be sacked for his defiance. The principals have, on various occasions, vowed to combat impunity. They should demonstrate this by punishing erring ministers like Nyong’o.

VIVERE NANDIEMO, Ikerege
—————————

Sham scheme

The NHIF civil servants outpatient medical scheme is proving to be a sham. What is the need of contributing to a scheme that puts very little monthly cash ceilings (as little as Sh2,000) to contributors who also have other family members?

Where did those enticing figures of Sh500,000 and above a year disappear to? To make matters worse, services such as x-ray, ultrasound are not catered for! I’m better off with my little monthly medical allowance and I demand it back.

FELIX ONYANGO, Nairobi

STATEMENT OVER THE ONGOING FURORE OVER MY BOOK,
PEELING OFF THE MASK: A QUEST FOR JUSTICE
BY MIGUNA MIGUNA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

I wish to sincerely thank the more than five hundred Kenyans and friends of Kenya of good will who attended my book launch on Saturday, July 14, 2012 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi. Thanks to you, it was a splendid success!

Let me also express my gratitude to thousands of people, who have sent me short text messages, emails or telephoned me to encourage me and to express their unyielding support before and after the launch.

I am issuing this statement from Toronto, Canada, where my family and I have just arrived and hope to start enjoying a much-deserved and pre-planned summer holiday. Contrary to malicious reports in the media, my family and I booked our flights on May 24, 2012. I am not sure why some people are implying that I should have sought and obtained their permission before traveling abroad. No one has a right to my family privacy.

I am particularly disturbed by fake and false media reports that I had fled into exile. Some desperate political goons for hire have even claimed that I have ‘fled from justice.’ There have been suggestions that I have fled because of law suits and potential arrest. By the time I left Kenya, I had not been served with any legal notices or law suits. In any event, neither could have prevented me from traveling.

I have earned a living practicing law for more than 15 years. Therefore, a lawsuit isn’t something I run away from. Nor would I be scared of an incompetent, misguided and delusional political announcement to the media by the director of public prosecutions that I should record a statement with the Kenya Police. Keriako Tobiko has no mandate over the International Criminal Court. Instead of issuing threats to me – someone he considers a potential witness – the Witness Protection Act compels him to provide me with protection. Threatening me over the media is a clear breach. Consequently, I will treat his politically motivated statement with the contempt it deserves.

I boarded my flight at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on July 16, 2012, like any other passenger. Based on media reports, the Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga, also left for China almost at the same time our flight departed. Was he also fleeing into exile?

My book, Peeling Back the Mask is a political memoir. It contains my life’s narrative. It explains my background, growth, maturity, experiences, reflections and thoughts. It attempts to record history. It also tries to unmask the culture of impunity that has bedeviled our country for more than fifty years. For me, any debates, discussions and further reflections that result from the book’s publication can only deepen our thoughts, expand the democratic space, entrench the rule of law and help broaden good governance. That’s a good thing.

However, when I see ravenous mobs burn my effigy, bury a coffin symbolizing my death and threatening me, my immediate and extended family merely because I wrote a book that they perceive to be critical of their political deity even though, in all likelihood, they might not have read; it demonstrates a level of intolerance, ignorance and base loyalty to certain political personages in a manner that cannot be positive.

Chillingly, as my effigy and ‘coffin’ were being burnt and buried in a mock funeral in Nyando by Raila’s fanatics, the Prime Minister failed to see the need to restrain his supporters. He didn’t openly call for peaceful and reasoned debates as we would expect of someone claiming to be a statesman.

As a mob was holding my funeral procession, calling for my ‘deportation to Canada’, threatening my brother and his family, Raila’s intellectual groupies were unleashing a coordinated assault on my character and reputation through the media. False allegations are being dredged up in a desperate but futile attempt to bolster the ambitions and campaigns of a man whose quest for power has reached a dead end. But rather than conduct a searing self-evaluation, they want to hurl all the blame on me.

Raila Odinga is running for president. I am not. As a person who has occupied an exalted public position in our society for decades; one who has enjoyed immense privileges; and one who is seeking even more power and privileges; Raila Odinga must be audited, vetted and weighed thoroughly for his record in public life before he can be found to have satisfied the requirements for election. If he doesn’t like the audit, he must be prepared to cede ground and relinquish his political ambitions. There are no two ways around it. But he cannot intimidate, threaten or beat us into submission.

Two questions we need to ask Raila are these: (a) If his supporters and groupies can burn my effigy and mock coffin and attack me viciously in the era of the new constitution that guarantees me the right to express myself fully including in book form merely on account that I have written a book they dislike because it is critical of him; what are they capable of inflicting if Raila were to become president? (b) Are the rights Raila proudly claims he fought for only meant for his supporters and sycophants?

I wish to inform the country that when The Standard newspaper purportedly published an article titled “Miguna answers Sarah Elderkin” on or about July 17, 2012, I was in a jet somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean and couldn’t have been capable of accessing Sarah’s piece in the Daily Nation (which I have still not read, having just arrived in Toronto), and definitely didn’t have the time to write it. It’s unfortunate that The Standard newspaper published a misleading and fake article and maliciously purported it to be mine. By this statement, I would like to pout The Standard newspaper on notice that I shall take appropriate legal action against it for this false and clearly malicious publication.

Moreover, I don’t have the time, interest or the intention of arguing with Sarah over a book she has clearly not read. She answers herself at pages 496-498 of my book as well as in her article, “Keep It Real and Keep It Balanced” published in the May 19, 2011 issue of the Star newspaper in which she corroborated each and every claim I have made in Peeling Back the Mask. Readers should be aware, nonetheless, that I have more than fifty emails from Sarah confirming the runway corruption in the Prime Minister’s Office. If I was like Sarah, I would have unleashed them in defense of myself. But I am not going to bore my readers with details of the rot of and around Raila Odinga because the whole country already knows the truth.

Let me also make it clear that I do not have a Facebook account, have never used that platform to communicate and have no intentions of doing so any time soon. Consequently, purported Facebook publications bearing my name should be ignored as mischievous.

I am scheduled back to Kenya on or about August 18th, 2012, when my family holiday and publicity tour of my book ends. On arrival, I shall issue a comprehensive statement on some of the issues that have been raised in the media in recent days over my latest book and attendant political issues. Until then, I will enjoy my working holiday with my family.

Finally, let me say this: I will not be intimidated, threatened or shouted into silence by con-men, busy-bodies, hangers-on and political groupies.

The struggle against impunity will and must continue.

Thank you.

Lawmaker Rejects Calls for Kenyan Leader’s Resignation
Peter Clottey

Clottey interview with Ababu Namwamba, ODM leading member

Player cannot play this media

Last updated on: July 17, 2012 8:36 PM

A leading member of the Orange Democratic Movement in Kenya’s coalition government has dismissed calls by a former advisor and opponents for the immediate resignation of prime minister Raila Odinga.

Ababu Namwamba, who is also a parliamentarian, said accusations being leveled against the prime minister are aimed at undermining Odinga’s credibility and popularity ahead of the next general election.

His comments came after Miguna Miguna, a former adviser to the prime minister, called for his resignation for what he says is Odinga’s abdication of his constitutional responsibilities. He also accused him of condoning graft.

But, ODM leading member Namwamba said the allegations should be rejected “with the contempt that it deserves.”

“We have information, and we have good reason to believe that Mr. Miguna is acting and working at the behest of the rivals of the prime minister who are determined to go to any extent to scuttle his presidential bid,” said Namwamba.

“It has been clear the kind of support he [Miguna] has received from within circles… desperate to paint the prime minister as bad… in the public eye,” he added.

In his newly released memoir, Miguna said he has evidence connecting senior officials of the prime minister’s ODM party to violence following elections in late 2008. The 30-day conflict left at least 1,300 people dead and over 600, 000 displaced.

Namwamba said Miguna is committing a crime under Kenyan law for refusing to divulge information necessary for the prosecution of alleged masterminds of the violence.

“In the Kenyan constitution, withholding evidence is a criminal offense. It amounts to aiding and abetting a criminal offense. And so the question is if Mr. Miguna is holding this evidence for crimes that were committed more than four years ago… what has been his motivation for withholding this evidence?” asked Namwamba.

“That is why it is our considered opinion that he has to be invited by the Kenyan security machinery to give this evidence, and he has to be invited by the ICC [International Criminal Court] to proffer this evidence, otherwise what he has done is sensationalism. It is fear mongering really and is something that should not go unpunished,” said Namwamba.

Miguna left Kenya for Canada after launching his memoir and demanding the resignation of the prime minister. But Namwamba called for his extradition to provide the evidence he said he has about the post-election violence.

“He has sneaked out of the country which goes a long way to cast serious doubt not only about the veracity of his claims but also on the character of this man,” said Namwamba.

“I will urge the Kenyan authorities to extradite him back to Kenya so that he can take responsibility for his utterances and his publication.”

USA, Ohio: NOON in Dayton: Tell Romney to release his returns!

Leave a reply

From: Lenore Palladino, MoveOn.org Political Action

Dear Readers or MoveOn members,

We have a huge opportunity right now to turn up the heat on Mitt Romney to release his tax returns. Can you help by delivering a message to his campaign office in Dayton Ohio USA TODAY at NOON?

Everything you’ll need can be downloaded.

Then show up today at noon at the Romney office:

3297 Seajay Dr
Beavercreek, OH 45430

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore and the rest of the team

Dear MoveOn member,
News just broke in The Boston Globe that Mitt Romney may have been in charge of Bain Capital for three years longer than he’d previously reported—a bombshell that could change the trajectory of the presidential race.1 The press is all over the story, and people everywhere are wondering what Mitt is hiding by not releasing his tax returns from this period.

When George Romney, Mitt’s father, ran for president in 1967, he released 12 years of tax returns. He said, “one year could be a fluke, perhaps done for show.”2

But that’s all Mitt has released, one year. He willingly provided 23 years of tax returns to the McCain campaign in 2008 before being rejected for the vice presidential slot.3 Now he wants to be president—but he’s unwilling to release the same information to the American people.

Why? That’s the question—and the only way we’ll find out is if Romney releases his returns.

That’s why MoveOn members are showing up at Romney campaign offices all over the country today to turn the heat way up and deliver a simple message: Release your returns now!

There’s a Romney office in Dayton. Can you stop by TODAY at NOON to drop off our “Release Your Returns” letter to make sure they, and the media, get the message?

Yes, I’ll be there today!

If you can join in, we’ll follow up with everything you need including a copy of the newspaper article announcing George Romney’s original release of his returns that you can present to the campaign office.

Pressure has been mounting on Romney over his taxes all week after President Obama proposed extending tax cuts only for people who make less than $250,000 a year. The fact that Romney wants to give himself and the rest of the 1% even bigger tax cuts has put the issue back in the spotlight.

The one return he did release showed massive offshore investments in the Cayman Islands, a Swiss bank account, and huge deductions for things like his horse’s stables—loopholes only the super-rich can use to avoid paying their fair share.

Even Fox News just published an op-ed criticizing Romney for refusing to release more than just one selected year of his tax returns and the issue is starting to break through with independent voters.4 It’s clear that Romney’s on the wrong side of public opinion on this one and we have a chance, right now, to turn up the heat and force him to finally come clean—or end up looking untrustworthy in the eyes of voters.

Can you drop by the Romney office in Dayton today at noon and help deliver the message?

Yes, I can stop by!

MoveOn members have been urging President Obama to take a firm stand against extending tax cuts for people making more than $250,000 a year and this week he heeded our call by promising to veto more tax giveaways for the rich.5
With the president firmly on the side of MoveOn members—and working people all across the country—it’s time to turn up the pressure on Romney. The momentum is on our side and we can’t let Mitt get away with hiding the truth from voters.

Thanks for all you do.

–Lenore, Victoria, Emily, Robin, and the rest of the team
Sources:

1. “Mitt Romney stayed at Bain 3 years longer than he stated,” The Boston Globe, July 12, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=277303&id=46081-21095459-3OR3PTx&t=5

2. “On tax returns, Mitt won’t follow the leader—his dad,” The Washington Post, July 11, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=277279&id=46081-21095459-3OR3PTx&t=6

3. “Mitt Romney’s offshore accounts draw more fire,” The Boston Globe, July 9, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=277271&id=46081-21095459-3OR3PTx&t=7

4. “If Romney vetted himself, his tax returns would KO shot at White House,” FoxNews.com, July 11, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=277272&id=46081-21095459-3OR3PTx&t=8

5. “White House would veto full Bush tax cut extension,” Politico, July 9, 2012
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=277273&id=46081-21095459-3OR3PTx&t=9

MoveOn members are going to Romney campaign offices nationwide today to demand that he release the rest of his tax returns NOW—and stop hiding the truth of how he makes his money and where he stashes it from the American people. Can you stop by in Dayton and help deliver the message today at noon?

Yes, I’ll be there!

Produced BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee

Kenya: The secret deals of ODM power men

1 Reply

From: Judy Miriga

Folks,

The secret deals of ODM power-men are here for reading. One thing about Luos, in many cases such as serious as this, they never lie. I look forward to get my book of Miguna Miguna to read.

Cheers Everybody…..

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – –

The secret deals of ODM power men

[Photo|FILE]
Former aide paints the picture of Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a billionaire at the head of a fast-expanding regional empire.

By MURITHI MUTIGA mmutiga@ke.nationmedia.com and TIM WANYONYI twanyonyi@ke.nation media.com
Posted Tuesday, July 10 2012 at 21:24

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is a billionaire with interests spanning several continents and a business portfolio that has grown significantly since he entered the Grand Coalition, according to his former aide.

Mr Miguna Miguna, the PM’s former advisor for coalition affairs, claims in his new book that Mr Odinga has steadily built up his personal wealth over the past five years, cutting deals with regional leaders and some businessmen with questionable backgrounds in fields ranging from mining concessions in the DRC to oil deals in Uganda.

Mr Miguna also asserts in his explosive new memoirs, Peeling Back the Mask:A Quest for Justice in Kenya, that some of Mr Odinga’s closest aides have become enormously wealthy since the PM took office.

“I walked into Raila’s office with Caroli Omondi just before 8am one Wednesday morning in April 2011. There was something important I wanted the three of us to discuss.

“The previous day, I had visited Hon. (Dr) Sally Kosgei in her Ministry of Agriculture office at Kilimo House. What she had disclosed had shocked me.

“Dr Kosgei had informed me that she had heard that Caroli had purchased Heron (Court) Hotel, a three-star facility in Nairobi.

“Her information was that Caroli had purchased the hotel for between Sh800 million to Sh1 billion. Many might ask why I found that shocking. Well, Caroli happened to be Raila’s private secretary.

“Officially, Caroli was the Principal Administration Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister. His take home pay was less than Sh300,000.

“By April 2009, Caroli had worked for the OPM for exactly two years. Evenif he was saving 90 per cent of his net income – an impossible feat in any society – he would still not have saved Sh800m within two years.” Neither Dr Sally Kosgei nor Mr Omondi could be reached for comment on Tuesday and none responded to text messages sent to their mobile phones.

Mr Omondi is reputed to have been an independently wealthy property owner even before 2007 and housed the Raila Odinga Campaign Headquarters in one of his Upper Hill premises.

Mr Odinga, according to Mr Miguna, took a relaxed attitude to queries about the alleged financial impropriety by officials within his office.

Writes Miguna: “Jakom, hear what Miguna is saying=85that people are saying that I bought Heron Court,” Caroli started as soon as we sat down around a small coffee table.

“He was laughing. He didn’t wait for me to introduce the subject. I also noticed the casual and joking manner Caroli was approaching the issue, which I found unnerving.

“‘Hmmm – hmmm – – hmmm, is that so?” (Mr Odinga said) “Miguna, what’s wrong if Caroli bought Heron Court, hmm? What’s wrong with that? “What’s wrong with Luos? Why are they talking too much, hmm? Who told them not to make money?’ Raila dismissed me even before I could open my mouth.”

The deals Mr Miguna describes run the gamut from oil money to mineral concessions in southern Africa to others involving a subsidised maize scheme which was subsequently found to have been abused by officials, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of shillings.

Mr Miguna links Mr Odinga to controversial South African tycoon Ant=F2nio Texeira, the chairman of Petroplus Africa, who is associated with the Branch Energy and Executive Outcomes private security-cum-paramilitary firms that have been criticised for their work in war zones such as the diamond fields of Sierra Leone.

Mr Texeira has interests in gold, oil and diamonds in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He says Mr Texeira was introduced to Mr Odinga by his former PA, Herbert Ojwang’.

Those contacts, which Mr Odinga acquired while he was minister for Energy, subsequently helped Mr Texeira buy the controlling stake in one of the Odingas flagship firms, Spectre International.

“Then of course, are Raila’s (and through him, Caroli’s) “connections” to Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011. Caroli frequently boasted to me of their grandiose investments in the copper fields of Zambia.

“So thick were the connections that Raila sent Orengo and someone else to Zambia on the day Zambians voted in the September 2011 presidential elections.”

Mr Miguna was a senior aide in Mr Odinga’s office until he was suspended by the PM in August. His new memoirs offer insights into the behind-the-scenes intrigues at the highest levels of the coalition government.

But some have questioned Mr Miguna’s motives for writing the book. Mr Odinga’s spokesman, Dennis Onyango, said the PM will issue a comprehensive rejoinder to the book later in the week.

Some of the issues examined by Mr Miguna are the question of the methods used by politicians to raise fundsfor their campaigns and some of the deals they strike once they get into office.

Mr Miguna tells of an alleged deal between Mr Odinga and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, two men who have uneasy ties but, if Mr Miguna is to be believed, have shared business interests.

“On another occasion, Caroli talked to me =96 and I also heard him speaking on the telephone =96 about an oil deal involving Raila, Museveni and some “powerful men around Museveni”.

Some of my Kenyan readers might recall that Raila made a sudden trip to Uganda and met Museveni at State House, Entebbe, around mid-2009.

The agenda of the visit wasn’t publicly disclosed. During that visit Raila and Museveni purportedly agreed to work together in order to process and sell the oil currently being produced from Lake Albert in Uganda.

Initially, Museveni was keen to construct a brand new refinery in Uganda to handle the production but Caroli informed me that Raila had managed to convince Museveni that it would be ‘cheaper and more profitable to do it in Mombasa’.

Now obviously many people would say that Raila was only doing this for the economic good of Kenya. That’s possible. Why, for example, was the Ministry of Energy not involved in the discussions? Why was Caroli — Raila’s Private Secretary — deeply involved in the discussions?”

Mr Miguna also claims that another international businessman, Lee Jang-Soonof South Korea, “invested heavily” in Mr Odinga in the 2002 and 2007 elections.

Mr Miguna claims that it is Mr Texeira who gave Mr Odinga thedistinctive black helicopter, together with its pilot and mechanical crew in the 2002 election campaigns.

Conflict of interest

He claimed that Mr Odinga’s business ties with Mr Texeira presented a serious conflict of interest because after the 2002 election, he became Energy minister and was friends with a businessman who wanted to invest in the sector.

Mr Texeira’s A1 Grand Prix series company, he claims, collapsed as a result of his heavy investment in Mr Odinga. The A1 Grand Prix Series was founded by Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum of Dubai to rival the Formula 1 Series.

But it collapsed after only a few seasons after the billionaire sheikh sold out to a group led by Mr Texeira. The South Korean contributed money to MrOdinga’s campaign in 2007, Mr Miguna claims, but the funds did not reachthe campaign and were pocketed by an aide.

Mr Miguna writes that Mr Odinga was introduced to Mr Texeira by another businessman, Tanzanian Ali Ahmed Said of Tanganyika Investment and Oil transport company.

It was Mr Said, he says, who organised the shipment of maize from South Africa to Kenya some of which was subsequently found to be bad.

The Kenya Bureau of Standards, which inspected the maize, declared it unfit for human consumption and wanted it returned to South Africa but the importers resisted this decision.

Mr Miguna also claims that Mr Omondi and OPM permanent secretary, Dr Mohammed Isahakia, who were suspended to pave wayfor investigations into the maize scandal, were never really on suspension.

The two were cleared and reinstated. Dr Isahakia was unavailable for comment. But while on suspension, claims Miguna, they were allowed unlimited access to their offices almost every day and were paid full salaries.

Then Agriculture minister William Ruto, who was accused of issuing the allotment letters to his friends and political associates, survived a censure motion in Parliament over the scandal.

Mr Ruto, who has since left ODM after falling out with Mr Odinga, maintained then that the genesis of the scandal was in the PM’s office.

Rwanda: TV Documentary Links Kenya to Kabuga
By Edwin Musoni, 10 July 2012

A documentary aired by Nation TV, a Kenyan television network, has linked unidentified officials within the government security circles to one Africa’s most wanted fugitives, Felicien Kabuga.

According to the seven-month investigation, the Genocide fugitive has for the last 14 years been under protection of the top security officials in the Kenyan government.

According to the documentary, available evidence shows that the fugitive businessman, whom the United States has always insisted was harboured by Kenya, has businesses registered in Kenya and even at one time was given protection as a captain in the Kenyan army and a high security value asylum seeker.

The documentary also uncovered shocking new details about the mysterious death of Michael Munuhe, an informer whose body was found in Nairobi suburb of Karen in on January 13, 2003.

In the documentary, the deceased’s brother, Josephat Mureithi Gichuki, is convinced that Munuhe was murdered because he was about to reveal Kabuga’s whereabouts to the US security agency, FBI.

In a similar development, Michael Sarunei, a Kenyan soldier who is alleged to have been in charge of Kabuga’s security has gone missing and according to a story published in Nation newspaper, it is suspected that he was murdered.

The NTV documentary, by John-Allan Namu, an investigative journalist details out how several people who tried to close in ono Kabuga have either disappeared or been murdered.

During his investigations, Namu discovered thatKabuga, who is diabetic, is currently trying to sell off his business so that he can fly out of the country for treatment.

NTV’s investigations led it to some of Kabuga’s intermediaries. Oneof NTV’s operatives was to be picked from Nyali Golf Club in Mombasa by silver Toyota Harrier with a Tanzanian licence plate to meet two men who are from Rwanda.

They were to be taken to a house that Kabuga allegedly stayed in while in Mombasa. NTV was not able to continue with its quest to meet Kabuga as the deal was terminated for fear that it was becoming very risky for the journalist.

As it was revealed, NTV’s contact said in a text message to the journalist that Kenyan intelligence agency had gotten wind of the impending investigative documentary.

Rwanda: Bagosora, Three Others to Serve Sentences in Mali
By Edwin Musoni, 5 July 2012

United Nations

Rwandan children, refugees of the 1994 genocide.

THE man widely regarded as the architect of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, Th=E9oneste Bagosora, has been sent to Mali to serve his sentence, court sources said yesterday.

He was transferred to the conflict ridden country together with three other high profile convicts, namely; Yusuf Munyakazi, who was a businessman and commercial farmer in the former Cyangugu pr=E9fecture, Tharcise Renzaho, former Prefect of Kigali City, and Dominique Ntawukulilyayo, former Sub-Prefect of Gisagara, Butare.

Bagosora, a former director of Cabinet in the Ministry of Defence, was given 35 years last December, following his appeal against a life sentence handed to him by the ICTR lower chamber.

Ruled to have been de facto army chief in the first days of the Genocide, Bagosora was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2008 on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Earlier, before the transfer of the convicts, Rwanda bid to host them but the final decision solely remained in the hands of the Tribunal’s president.

So far, Mali and Benin have been the preferred destination of the ICTR convicts; however, the UN tribunal’s soft spot for Bamako has raised concerns over the recent military coup and the Tuareg rebellion that has split the West African nation into two.

There is concern the deteriorating security situation in Mali might provide an opportunity for the convicts to escape, even as ICTR officials insist the Koulikoro prison, situated just outside Bamako, is secure.

Despite the concerns, Rwanda seems not to be bothered by the Tribunal’s decision.

According to the Minister of Justice, Tharcisse Karugarama, Rwanda is not responsible for what is happening in Mali and so is to the security of the prisoners.

“We signed a convention with the ICTR to have convicts transferred to Rwanda but so far not a single one has been brought here. If these convicts are sent here, we would strictly keep in the provisions of the laws and agreements,” said Karugarama.

Rwanda has expressed readiness to take in the convicts and the country currently hosts Sierra Leonean war crimes convict by the UN special court.

According to Karugarama, although Rwanda is able to host international prisoners, the country is not desperate to have the convicts transferred to Rwanda.

“We are not dying or pushing to have these prisoners brought here but I believe it is good for the prisoners to serve their sentences in Rwanda since they would be visited by members of their families and also have a true moment of reflection and reconciliation with their conscience,” he said.

The transfer of the four convicts to Mali brings to 20 the number of individuals who have served or are serving their sentences in that country.

All ICTR detainees who have completed their appeals procedure must be transferred to another country, under the terms of an agreement between the UN and Tanzania, which hosts the Tribunal.

Before executing the Mali transfer, the Tribunal had also sent Aloys Ntabakuze, Ildephonse Hategekimana, Gaspard Kanyarukiga and Callixte Kalimanzira to Benin to serve their sentences there.

Earlier in the year, on March 20, three other convicts, Simeon Nchamihigo, Ephrem Setako and Simon Bikindiwere transferred to serve their sentences in Benin.

Samuel Imanishimwe who was serving his 12 year sentence in Mali, was recently released upon completion of his sentence. Juv=E9nal Rugambarara, serving his 11 year sentence in Benin, was on February 8, 2012 released upon serving three-fourths of his sentence. The two are yet to find countries that would take them in.

Jean Bosco Barayagwiza and Georges Rutuganda, who where serving a 32 year sentence and life sentence, respectively, died on 25 April 2010 and 11 October 2010 respectively in Benin.

Fourteen convicts are currently serving their sentences in Benin.

— On Tue, 7/10/12, Kuria-Mwangi wrote:

From: Kuria-Mwangi
Subject: The secret deals of ODM power men
Date: Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 4:19 PM

Hii Kijana ina maliza Jakom. Someni kwa makini:

Some highlights

-Prime Minister Raila Odinga is a billionaire with interests spanning several continents and a business portfolio that has grown significantly since he entered the Grand Coalition, according to his former aide.

-Mr Miguna also asserts in his explosive new memoirs, Peeling Back the Mask: A Quest for Justice in Kenya, that some of Mr Odinga’s closest aides have become enormously wealthy since the PM took office.

-Mr Miguna links Mr Odinga to controversial South African tycoon Ant=F2nio Texeira, the chairman of Petroplus Africa, who is associated with the Branch Energy and Executive Outcomes private security-cum-paramilitary firms that have been criticised for their work in war zones such as the diamond fields of Sierra Leone.

– Mr Miguna claims that it is Mr Texeira who gave Mr Odinga the distinctive black helicopter, together with its pilot and mechanical crew in the 2002 election campaigns.

-He claimed that Mr Odinga’s business ties with MrTexeira presented a serious conflict of interest because after the 2002 election, he became Energy minister and was friends with a businessman who wanted to invest in the sector.

-Then of course, are Raila’s (and through him, Caroli’s) “connections” to Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011. Caroli frequently boasted to me of their grandiose investments in the copper fields of Zambia.

-Now obviously many people would say that Raila was only doing this for the economic good of Kenya. That’s possible. Why, for example, was the Ministry of Energy not involved in the discussions? Why was Caroli – – Raila’s Private Secretary – – deeply involved in the discussions?”

-The South Korean contributed money to Mr Odinga’s campaign in 2007, Mr Miguna claims, but the funds did not reach the campaign and were pocketed byan aide.
–

Mr Miguna also claims that Mr Omondi and OPM permanent secretary, Dr Mohammed Isahakia, who were suspended to pave way for investigations into the maize scandal, were never really on suspension.

The two were cleared and reinstated. Dr Isahakia was unavailable for comment. But while on suspension, claims Miguna, they were allowed unlimited access to their offices almost every day and were paid full salaries
–

Mr Miguna writes that Mr Odinga was introduced to Mr Texeira by another businessman, Tanzanian Ali Ahmed Said of Tanganyika Investment and Oil transport company.

It was Mr Said, he says, who organised the shipment of maize from South Africa to Kenya some of which was subsequently found to be bad.
–

Then Agriculture minister William Ruto, who was accused of issuing the allotment letters to his friends and political associates, survived a censure motion in Parliament over the scandal.

Mr Ruto, who has since left ODM after falling out with Mr Odinga, maintained then that the genesis of the scandal was in the PM’s office.

—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com
Blogu ya Habari na Picha www.patahabari.blogspot.com

KENYA: THE SCRAMBLING OVER RAW SUGAR CANE WAR BETWEEN THE COMPETING MILLS HAVE INTENSIFIED IN MIGORI, URIRI, RONGO, NDHIWA AND AWENDO DISTRICTS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The raw involving the harvesting of mature sugar cane crops has intensified in Migori, Rono,Tans-Mara, Uriri, Ndhiwa and Awendo districts.

The competition over the aw cane is between the long established wholly-government owned SonySugar Company limited and the two newly established Sukari Industries in Ndhiwa and the Trans-Mara Sugar Company, which is located in Trans-Mara district in the South Rift region.

The three sugar manufacturing companies are currently engaged in cut-throat competition for sugarcane harvesting war, which is increasing causing insecurity in the regions.

Whereas the Awendo-based Sonysugar Company, which as been in the business in the area for close to 30 years has been working in liaison with local farmers in and preparation and cultivating and planting of cane in the plots owned by the small scale out-growers farmers.None of the two new sugar factories were has its own nucleus cane growing estate, whereas SonySugar in addition to supporting the local cane farmers has its own 6,000 hectare eneucus estate where it is growing its own cane for raw materials.

Before a sugar mill is established the investors or its owner must ensure they planed several acres of raw cane, either their own, or in collaboration with local growers to ensure that its operations is interrupted by acute shortage of raw cane. This was not in the case of several makeshift sugar mills recently established in Western Kenya and is the cause of the current life threatening cut-throat competition for the raw cane own being witnessed in Southern Nyanza.

A source at the Sonysugar company blames the Provnial Administration and the police authorities in Migori, Ndhiwa, Awendo, Rongo and Tans-Mara districts for complacency and laxity.

The source said numerous reports have been made to the police repeatedly, and it appears as if they have been compromised by the management of the news sugar mills who are blamed for accepting for crashing the raw cane suspected to have been stolen from SonySugar cane growing zones. The thieves don’t even spare the already harvested and staked cane left in the filed while awiting for transportation the next morning.

The alarming theft of raw cane has now forced Sony Sugar to engage extra night guards to keep vigil at all cane harvest fields. Such theft usually ends up in the close to disturbances of peace and tranquility and encourages lawlessness.

SonySugar it is moderately being estimated to have lost close to Ksh 100 million in the recent past throgh illegal theft of it raw cane in the field. The company apart from incurring losses by way of paying the harassing team is deploying day and night guards to guard cane in the field.

One senior Administration Police Officer who owns a popular public join at the nearby Ranen Market, which is only 6 kilometer from the SonySugar plan is susepected to be collaborating with criminal thugs suspecting of sealing the company’s raw cane from the field. Most of the suspects have be market.

OCPD in-charge charge of Migori, Rongo and Ndhwa Police Stations who have been scathingly criticized and adversely mentioned for not helping the situation could not be reached for their immediate comments the Migori , Uriri Awendo and and Rongo D.Cs.were also not available for comments.

One experts who is a player in the industry said in Awendo Town that if the situation is allowed to continue as its today, SonySugar will be forced to close down its business operations after incurring millions of shillings of liabilities through this kind of cut-throat competition.

The massive theft of cane in the field and unauthorized harvesting of immature cane crops is not only hurting sonysugar company economically, but the loses also is being spilt into the economic gains of the small scale cane growers.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Provincial Administration and the police authorities should move with speed to ensure that the that the situation is harmonized.

The public servants who are suspected to have been compromised and not doing anything to arrest the situation should be transferred to other stations. Those who have served in the region for too long should be shown exit door.

Ends

KENYA: IMMIGRATION AND REGISTRATION OF PERSONS MINISTRY FOR ALLEGEDLY RAMPANTLY AND CORRUPTLY ISSUING INDIAN AND PAKISTANI ALIENS WORKERS WITH THE WORK PERMITS AT THE EXPENSE OF LOCAL KENYAN WORKERS.

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Special Report By Bob Ndira-Uradi In Kisumu City.

SUGAR milling companies in Nyanza and Western Provinces have raised complaints alleging that the government through its immigration Ministry is engaged in recklessness of issuing unskilled aliens workers from India and Pakistan with the works permits at the expense f Kenyan worker

Hundreds of unskilled India and Pakistani workers have flooded the sugar factories in the regions, and are engaged in odd jobs such as cane-yard clerks, time-keepers, store-keepers, vehicles mechanics electrical mechanics, boiler-operators, office sweepers, messengers, time-keepers, cooks , welders and penal-beaters, fitters and plant mechanics.

Kenya is not short of these categories of workers after close to 50 years ever since the country attained its political independence in 1963. The country has trained skilled worker n these categories in excess of its labor fore needs.” Said a source a the Awendo-based SonySugar Company.

The CENTRAL Organization of Trade union of Kenya {cotu{k} is silent about this grave situation and appeared to have been compromised.

The outspoken COTU{K} Secretary-General who is also the General Secretary of the Kenya Plantations and Agricultural Workers Union is sleeping on the job and has uttered no word in complaints against this seemingly naked corrupt deals in which some sugar millers are known to be sourcing their worker from foreign sources with impunity against the laws of Kenya that is governing the sourcing f foreign workers.

The sugar mills which are currently flooded by foreign workers included the Ndhiwa based Sukari Industries, kakamega based Butali Sugar Mill, Western Kenya Sugar Company also based in Kakamega district, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries based at Kibos near Kisumu City, Trans-Mara Sugar Company Limited, which is based in Trans-Mara district within Narok County.

Shortly before he met his untimely death in a helicopter crash in Ngong forest near Nairobi, The Internal Security Assistant Minister Joshua Orwa Ojode whose concerted effort is credited to have been an instrumental tool that yielded in the establishment of the Ndhiwa based Sugar Mills near Oria Market, is said to have warned the management of the Sukari Industry Limited, to remove about half of its Indian and Pakisani workers who are engaged on petty jobs which could be perfectly be performed well by the locals.

The Labor Ministry also stands blamed for not effectively inspecting the job specifications I the Sugar mill with he view o ensure that undesirable aliens were kicked out and their places taken over by local skills.

Unionized workers in the sugar industry tro8gh their union are also contemplating moving to court to have he foreign workers have their illegally and corruptively obtained work permits cancelled.

The workers lad the blames squarely on the MPS representing the sugar growing zones in both Nyanza an Western Provinces for allegedly having compromised and failing to articulate the workers sufferings to the government.

They included the MPs representing Mumias, Muhooni, Nyando, Rono, Uirii, Kiloris,IKOlOMANI, Bunyala, Matungu, and Butere.

Ends

Kenyan middle classes must demand accountability from politicians

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From: dick aduonga

Kenya is the largest economy in the East African trading block. A successful economy largely depends on an educated and innovative middle class in not only a predictable but equally progressive political environment.

At this moment in our political development Kenya needs men and women of unfailing characters whose convictions cannot be contaminated by the hostility of the state as they pursue national ideals beneficial to the national good of the nation. These young but assertive middle class generation need to be the driving force behind the reforms by repelling anti-reformist, inward looking forces.

A recent survey showed that a greater majority of Kenyans are not satisfied with the performance of key national institutions and individual politicians. It also noted that while the public have fully embraced the changes as anticipated by the new constitution, our politicians have not moved at the same speed with the public and are still taking voters for granted.

Today there are more graduates from institutions of higher learning than in the past three decades and yet some politicians have not taken notice. A growing educated middle class are self confident and are ready to fight for fairness and equity while ensuring justice prevails to all irrespective of one’s status in society.

Since this is an electoral period, the middle classes must have the courage without fear to demand accountability from all the politicians and others vying for public office. Leaders should be ready and willing to convincingly explain to the voters how they will address key issues such as endemic corruption, unemployment of the youth, inadequacies in education and health.

The struggle continues.
By Dickson Aduonga

WHY SCANDALS IN VATICAN CALLS FOR URGENT CLEAN UP

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2012

When a renowned exorcist in Rome released a book of memoirs in which he declares to know of the existence of satanic sects in the Vatican where participation reaches all the way to the College of Cardinals, his sentiments were rubbished by the Vatican authorities.

In a book released in February 2010, an Italian priest, Fr. Gabriele Amorth argues that the evil influence of Satan was evident in the highest ranks of the Catholic hierarchy, with “cardinals who do not believe in Jesus and bishops who are linked to the demon.

The attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II by a Turkish gunman in 1981 and recent revelations of “violence and paedophilia” committed by Catholic priests against children in their care was among the works of the Devil, he says.

Father Amorth, who is the president of the Association of Exorcists, argues that high-ranking churchmen are guilty of this heinous crime against God. According to one reliable source, the smoke of Satan has entered the very sanctuary of St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican.

Although his claims were rubbished, with what is emerging that Pope Benedict’s Deputy Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s Secretary of State and effectively the second most important official in the Catholic Church is the chief target of an unprecedented campaign of leaks in the Vatican confirms what actually is taking place inside the Vatican.

Since becoming secretary of state, Bertone has exposed Pope Benedict XVI to two public embarrassments. The first was in Poland, with the Wielgus case. The second is in Italy, with the maneuvers for the change at the top of the episcopal conference

Cardinal Paolo Romeo has even gone far by publicly announcing that Pope Benedict XVI would have only 12 months to live. He predicts Pope Benedict’s death is no further than November 2012 according to the exclusive content published by Italian newspaper, Il Fatto Quotidiano.

There is another satanic move involving Archbishop of Milan Angelo Scola who wants to be Pope Ratzinger intended successor according to the document written completely in German, Pope Benedict’s mother language.

The relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and his secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone seems conflictual according to the report. This is because Bertone in his part would also like to be the next Pope.

The Satanic version here is that Pope Benedict’s successor must be Italian. It explains why as cardinal Romeo said in China, after Pope Benedict’s death, cardinal Scola would be elected Pontiff. But another satanic war here is that Scola has important enemies inside the Vatican, including some of his fellow Italians who would not like him succeed the pope.

It is against the background that according to experts the release of the document could be part of a power struggle within the Vatican administration to try and force Bertone to leave room for Cardinal Scola.

Cardinal Scola was previously the Patriarch of Venice, but was promoted to the archbishopric of Milan by Benedict in June last year.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone according to the “Vatileaks” scandal has taken advantage of the pope’s weakness of not being able to keep his own private mail secret.

It explains why Benedict’s papacy has been marked until now by controversies over things he has said and done, such as his criticism of Islam at Regensburg in 2006 or his 2009 decision to readmit four excommunicated ultra-traditionalist bishops to the Church.

In February, the last time Benedict named new cardinals, 10 of the 18 who can vote for the next pope were Curia officials, majority of who are Italians. This means how they will play an important role in the election and could try to win the papacy back for Italy.

Father Amoth is not the only one who has claimed satanic sect actually exists in Vatican.

Benedict IX was accused by his enemies of being a rapist and a murderous “demon from hell”.

Ninth-century Pope Stephen VI went down in history for digging up his predecessor, propping his corpse up on a throne and putting him on trial for becoming pope illegally – before finding him guilty and tossing him into the Tiber.

The privacy of the pope’s own apartment has also been violated before. In 1958, papal doctor Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi managed to snap pictures of Pope Pius XII on his deathbed and sell them to gossip magazines in Italy.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who was appointed in October 2011 as apostolic nuncio to the US, had encountered hostility within the Vatican bureaucracy because of his complaints about business affairs.

During the 1980s, the Vatican bank was at the centre of a major international financial scandal which resulted in a loss for the Vatican of $250 million (about Sh21 billion today). Vatican Bank accounts are supposed to be held only by religious orders and members of the clergy.

Some of these Cardinals are well known for cover up. When John Paul I died they ruled out murder case, saying the pope had died as a result of too much medication. Because John Paul I wanted to clear out over 114 well known high ranking Freemasons (the vast majority being Cardinals), suggests that he was actually murdered.

David Yallop in his book: In God’s Name lists six key suspects: Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, Villot, Calvi, Sindona, Cody and Gelli.

It would appear that Marcinkus had tried to purchase $950 million dollars of American counterfeit bonds, on behalf of Pope Paul VI and with his knowledge (Yallop, p. 74.). Once the transaction had taken place, the Mafia, who had acted as middlemen, would receive their cut of $150 million dollars.

Even after interviewing Marcinkus at the Vatican, it was decided that insufficient evidence was available to prosecute him, he was immediately transferred.

Marcncus lived comfortably in his $400,000 bungalow, with outdoor swimming pool and played golf in their exclusive and private lawns, while still enjoying Vatican diplomatic immunity; he was known by his American parishioners, as “Fr.” Chink.

His total wealth of this diocese (then) was $250 million dollars. His diocese would be investigated by the US authorities, which turned up mismanagement of funds (500,000) and ($4,000,000,000 had been lost in one year alone, by the national conference of Catholic bishops.

Sindona on the other hand was called “the man of the year” by the US Ambassador and then Time Magazine dubbed him “the greatest man of the year.” He had financial connections with Rockefellers, Rothschilds and even the CIA and other government departments. Sidona was also heavily involved with the mafia drug trade as well.

He also bragged with Calvi how they ran the Milan stock market. Calvi would later be murdered (not suicide) under Blackfriars Bridge in London. His style of death was a Masonic form of punishment.

Mr Calvi became chairman of Banco Ambrosiano, now Italy’s largest private bank, in 1975 and built up a vast financial empire. In 1978, a report by the Bank of Italy on Ambrosiano concluded that several billion lire had been illegally exported.

In May 1981, Mr Calvi was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, but released pending an appeal. During his short spell in jail he attempted suicide.

The Vatican is directly linked to Mr Calvi by Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, the Pope’s bodyguard, a governor of the Vatican and head of the Vatican bank which has a shareholding in Ambrosiano. Archbishop Paul Marcinkus was sought for questioning but was granted immunity as a Vatican employee. He retired in 1990 and died in 2006.

Now Ambrosiano is on the verge of collapse amid press reports that investigators found a £400m “hole” in its accounts. Last week the bank’s executive board decided to strip Mr Calvi of his authority.

The sandals in Vatican go back to many centuries ago. Pope Leo X (1475 – 1521), often associated with Martin Luther and the upheavals of the Protestant Reformation, was well-known for being one of the most lavish, uncontrollable spenders who ever headed the Christian church.

A famous phrase attributed to Leo aptly illustrates his greatest priority: “Since God has given us the papacy, let us enjoy it.” According to Alexandre Dumas, “Christianity assumed a pagan character” as Leo doggedly pursued worldly pleasures.

In addition to living a life of splendor, Leo practiced nepotism, famously used the sale of indulgences to finance the reconstruction of St. Peter’s Basilica, and was even accused of homosexuality. In fact, some sources hold that he died in bed while getting it on with a youth. That accusation may or may not be true, of course, but one thing is for sure: Leo certainly let his love of luxury get the best of him.

Pope Julius III (1487 – 1555), on the other hand, when Julius became pope, he elevated Innocenzo to the status of cardinal-nephew and bestowed many gifts and benefices upon him.

Pope Alexander VI (1431 – 1503) was accused of corruption that his surname eventually became a byword representing the hellishly low papal standards of the time. He sired at least seven different illegitimate children by his mistresses, and didn’t hesitate to reward them with handsome endowments at the church’s expense.

It is against the background that Catholic scholar Dr. Malachi Martin, formerly a Jesuit professor at Georgetown University and a confidant of Vatican insiders, flatly declared in a recent New York City interview: “Yes, it’s true. Lucifer is enthroned in the Catholic Church.”

Martin was also interviewed by The Fatima Crusader, a well-known Catholic publication. He again repeated his allegations, and expressed his dismay and distress that the Catholic institution of which he is a part has grown so decadent and morally reprobate since the Vatican II conference of the 60s.

The contention that there are Satanists in Rome is “completely correct” said Martin, adding: “Anybody who is acquainted with the state of affairs in the Vatican in the last 35 years is well aware that the prince of darkness has and still has his surrogates in the court of St. Peter in Rome.”

Confirming the fact, as far back as 1976, Pope Paul VI shocked a papal audience by confiding that, “The smoke of Satan has entered the very sanctuary of St. Peter’s Cathedral.” The Pontiff went on to explain that he had knowledge of a midnight hour, Black Satanic Mass having been conducted at the altar of St. Peter’s, on the exact spot where the Pope himself regularly says mass.

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

Kenya: Press Statement by NYSA on the Youth Fund Scandal

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From: Emmanuel Dennis

Please find attached the Press Statement on the embezzlement of the Youth Fund.

We shall be releasing the entire dossier on our website shortly.

Kind regards,

Emmanuel

—
Emmanuel Dennis Ngongo
Chief Executive Officer
National Youth Sector Alliance (NYSA)
2nd Floor, World Alliance of YMCA Building, PAWA254 Hub
State House Crescent, Off State House Avenue
P.O. Box 8799, 00200, Nairobi Kenya
Cell: +254722619005
My Bio:http://www.emmanueldenis.blog.com/
Blog: http://emmanuel-ed.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Emmanueldennis
http://facebook.com/emmanuel.dennis
www.nysa.co.ke/ www.thegreenteams.org

– – – – – – – – – – – –

NATIONAL YOUTH SECTOR ALLIANCE (NYSA)

A National Multi-Stakeholder Change Alliance focusing on Policy Dialogue for Keny Stakeholder Change Alliance focusing on Policy Dialogue for Kenyan Youth

STATEMENT BY THE NATIONAL YOUTH SECTOR ALLIANCE ON THE FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY OF THE YOUTH ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FUND
NAIROBI 29thMay 2012

The Youth Enterprise Development fund was launched in 2006 by President Mwai Kibaki with an initial disbursement of KShs1 billion. The fund was established by a legal notice under the State Corporations Act 2007. The fund’s mandate was to address the rising youth unemployment in the country, as well as provide youth entrepreneurs with capital for business startup and growth. The Fund was converted to a state corporation later in 2007, under the ministry of Youth & Affairs and Sports(MOYAS).

In a letter dated 28thNovember 2008, the Kenya National Audit Office detailed audit queries to the then Chief Executive Officer of the Fund. The Ministry denied having lost any money but confirmed receipt of the investigation report.

Internal fights ensued between the then chair Hellen Tombo and then Minister Prof Hellen Sambili over action to address the issues at Management level, consequence of which the then CEO Mr. Wario was suspended. KACC was called in but before the completion of investigations, the then CEO was reinstated without any explanations.

As the country heads to the next election, the Youth have become the natural target for votes by all leading contenders of the Presidency, Senators, Governors, Members of Parliament to County, Women and Ward representatives. Action is yet to be seen from Parliament to which YEDF reports its achievements. This issue will be the LITMUS TEST, if indeed young people are priority for them. The time for accountability has come when MPs must demonstrate their commitment to ensuring the benefits of YEDF to young people are real and the funds available are not misdirected.

Mismanagement, Impropriety and Embezzlement of Youth Funds The National Youth Sector Alliance (NYSA) takes exception to the issues of impropriety that have freshly emerged at the YEDF. The audit report dated 30 th April 2012 details the misappropriation of millions of shillings from the youth fund in fraudulent claims. The audit, done by the fund’s internal audit team, found questionable imprest claims and payments as follows;

1. Weaknesses in the entire system of the Fund

2. Lack of a procurement Specialist

3. Poor performance under contract performance in 2011/2012

4. Engagement of financial sector partners without due diligence to the Public Procurement and Disposal (Public Private Partnership) Regulations, 2009.

5. Exaggerated fuel consumption and misuse of work tickets, and falsification of youth payment schedules by officers of the fund (Outright Theft by the staff) which goes against the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2004, Public Officers Ethics Act, 2003 and Employment Act, 2007.

—
NYSA, 2
nd
Floor, World Alliance of YMCA Building, State House Crescent, off State House Avenue
P.O. Box 8799, 00200 Nairobi. •Cell: +254 722619005 • Tel: Tel: +254 20 145131 • info@nysa.co.ke •Website: www.nysa.co.ke
—
pg1

6. Lack of proper communication channels

7. Non authentic pre-disbursement under the Business Development Services , where some activities amounting to 1,133,500.00 were paid for but never took place

8. Fictitious receipts for county sensitizations expenditures

9. Impropriety over 4,231,000.00 million that was spent on agri business sensitization

10. Systemic weaknesses originating from lack of an implementation matrix with strategies.

The National Youth Sector Alliance can confirm that indeed based on the internal audit, the YEDF has been looted with the full knowledge of very senior government officials.

DEMANDS FROM THE YOUTH OF KENYA

1. The current MPs and aspiring MPs must demonstrate their commitment to young people in Kenya to access financial services, profitable enterprise, quality (basic) health services, security, representation (the National Youth Council) and protection of basic rights as enshrined in our Constitution.

2. The Board of Directors, Mandated to safeguard the Fund with Fiduciary responsibility, on behalf of the Kenyan youth must take political responsibility; explain to Kenyans their role in the mismanagement of the funds.

3. The Minister and Permanent Secretary, to take Political responsibility and step aside for a proper forensic audit and prosecution of the staff culpable of misappropriation of the funds.

4. The Artoney General and Director of Public Prosecution to institute full investigations into the alleged impropriety, and prosecute the culpable individuals. The Youth shall appoint their independent lawyers to join in the Legal team.

5. As the buck stops with the President and the Prime Minister, the youth of Kenya shall be waiting for immediate action on their commitment to Agenda 4 of the National Accord which they have abrogated to their shelves.

The National Youth Sector Alliance shall continue to mobilize young Kenyans from all over the country to begin to pay vigil on these issues until action is taken. The next course of action shall be announced if the above 4 demands are not implemented within 7 Days. The National Youth Sector Alliance (NYSA) is a conglomeration of over 350 youth organizations, youth sector actors, NGO’s, Societies, FBO’s, CBO’s Youth Groups, among others in the country coming together for purposes of ensuring coherent Policy engagement with Government, Private Sector and other relevant stakeholders.

Signed for and on behalf of the Youth of Kenya.
The National Youth Sector Alliance

—
NYSA, 2nd Floor, World Alliance of YMCA Building, State House Crescent, off State House Avenue
P.O. Box 8799, 00200 Nairobi. •Cell: +254 722619005 • Tel: Tel: +254 20 145131 • info@nysa.co.ke •Website: www.nysa.co.ke
—
pg2

Naomi Cidi Aided Artur Brothers at JKIA.

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from: Judy Miriga

— On Fri, 5/25/12, nelsonoreje@ . . . wrote:

Subject: Naomi Cidi Aided Artur Brothers at JKIA.
Date: Friday, May 25, 2012, 3:51 PM

KM, this the reason am so wise. Professor of PK Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Kenya

From: Kuria-Mwangi
Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 15:49:18 -0400
Subject: Naomi Cidi Aided Artur Brothers at JKIA.

Papa Likondi:

So Nelson looks like this? Kichwa ya Moi kabisa.

On Fri, May 25, 2012 at 3:26 PM, Papa Likondi wrote:

Nelson, take on your size and agemates like the late Maruge and leave Maryann alone. Gnu

On 25/05/2012, Maryann Wanjiru wrote:

Nelson,

i will gladly answer that infact be very specific with details once you answer the following questions;

1. what are your views on Anyang Nyongo`s NHIF scandal yaani kula pesa ya wagonjwa

2. pesa za kazi kwa vijana zilipelekwa wapi na Raila

3. kajwang amefikia wapi na kuuza kenyan passports?

answer that then il gladly answer all your questions plus many more you may want to know

On Friday, 25 May 2012, nelsonoreje@ . . . wrote:

Maryann, bingo! How do u feel about your tribesmen mostly getting involved in this saga. U don’t have to go silent today. Let’s watch an comment as well.

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone provided by Airtel Kenya

From: Oduya – Magunga
Date: Fri, 25 May 2012 10:45:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Naomi Cidi Aided Artur Brothers at JKIA.

Good People,

I am watching Jicho pevu and Naomi Cidi has been mentioned adversely as having aided the Artur brothers to stage manage the VIP press conference at the JKIA. Is this our own Naomi Cidi? Did I hear she wants to hold public office?

I’m damn shocked.

Regards,
Eric.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1vs 7.

Tanzania: Chinese business influence in East Africa may soon come to an end following accusations of having sold obsolete aircraft to Air Tanzania Corporation Limited

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The recent upsurge in the sweeping waves of the Chinese businessmen in the East African market may soon come to an abrupt end following allegations and claims that a Chinese firm had sold obsolete aircraft to the Tanzania national carrier.

One of the plane crushed within weeks after the delivery to the Air Tanzania Corporation Limited {ATCL}.

Of late the Chinese construction companies are on the lead clinching nearly all the major roads construction contracts in Kenya, also been accused in certain quarters of doing shoddy works.

The Chinese firms win the tenders after corrupting their way through the top government officials.

They have since replaced the traditional construction companies from Western European countries,which used to handle major road construction projects in the region.

In the latest development,. China Sonagol International Holdings limited, the Chinese government investment firm has been plunged into fresh controversy following recent startling revelation that it procured obsolete aircraft for the Tanzania national flag carrier.

On of the three aircraft purchased by China sonangol, a Dash 8-300 series operated by ATCL crushed in April this year at Kigoma Airport in Western Tanzania injuring85 passengers and four crew members.The aircraft is now a write off.

This information has come to the surface following a detailed report by the Controller and Audit General released last week says that China Sonangol ltd as the lead investor in ATCL, with 49 per cent stake in 2007 leased two second hand aircraft contrary to the memorandum of understanding entered with the Government of Tanzania that same year,after the breakup of the partnership with the South African Airways in September 2006.

The planes were bombardier Dash 8-Q300 and an Airbus A320-214 that was all of ten years old in January 2009,the Airbus A320 underwent a check D, also known as a heavy maintenance visit, which is done after every four to five years.

Subsequently in July 2010, the aircraft was returned to the lessor, a Lebanese firm, Wallis Trading Company. The government on paper incurred a loss of USD 39 million on the lease of the Airbus, which according to the report did not fly, but the report further shows that the debt accumulated from the transactions with the two Lebanese firm rose to Tshs 322 {USD 200 million}, enough to purchase three brand new Airbuses of the same series.According to Airbus aircraft 2012 average prices,the purchase order price of a brand new Airbus 320 series is USD 88.3 million.

The Controller and Audit General Lodvick Utpouah says thwqt the government involvement in business decision making at ATCL is a serious problem.

Uto says that the parties involved in the acquisition of two Dash 8-400 series aircraft that are currently being operated by ATCL were the government and China Sonangol and the airline’s board of directors and management were not part of the negotiations.”They were only informed of the decision to procure the two aircraft and asked to advance USD 500,000 as commitment,” he says. Mr Uto has now recommends that the government officials who participated in the controversial Airbus A3200-214 leasing deal be taken to court and prosecuted for forcing ATCL I the first place ATCL exists as a private company wide section three of its article of association,” he writes, add9inbg that its governance,organizational structure and business processes are therefore to be viewed from a private prospective rather than than that of a public company.

He CAG’s report also notes that ATCL has for the past year been operating without a board of directors to oversee its operations and activities.When the previous board of directors tenure expired in March 2010,another board was not instituted until August 2010 when the government extended the tenure of the old board to March 31 2011,that has no board of directors in place ,”said the report.

Ends

Africa – Dark Continent No More

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From: Yona Maro

AFRICA is a continent on the rebound. Poverty is still evident, some parts are still at war, diseases remain a challenge but the world must not be fooled. The continent is a giant that is awakening.

In fact, this has been happening over the past few years but many, even the Africans themselves, have hardly been noticing.

But now things are moving at such a pace the continent is now difficult to ignore, or the world can do so at its own peril.

The World Economic Forum on Africa, a meeting of minds in government, business, civil society, the academia, media and the arts held its 22nd summit in Ethiopia last week where Africa’s transformation was under the spotlight.

More than 700 delegates from 76 countries attended the summit hosted by Ethiopia, itself a country considered the third fastest growing in the world, at an average 8,1 percent Gross Domestic Product growth.

The various statistics released during the Forum from all perspectives showed that the continent is experiencing real transformation with its 2 percent share of global foreign direct investment set to grow phenomenally over the next few years now that the world’s attention has shifted to this continent.

The famous Asian Tigers are fast being tamed by the aggressive “Lions of Africa” as the continent shrugs off the demeaning tag of poverty, darkness, war and disease that it has been known for, for a long time. The picture of wars, hunger and dirt is fast being replaced by that of sunshine, improved infrastructure, wealth and a better quality of life.

The continent is not yet there but there is light at the not too far end of the tunnel.

The body language, the tone of presentations and discussions at the forum told a story of a continent that has suddenly found itself and is raring go.

It certainly was about time that we changed the world’s view on Africa. Often times the minute you say you are from Africa, one suddenly begins to talk about civil strife, diseases and poverty levels instead of engaging on more progressive issues such as ICT development.

But such speakers as Africa Development Bank president Donald Kaberuka and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other prominent speakers stressed that that phase was fast disappearing and a new Africa was about to change the global complexion.

These were no mere sentiments or wishful thinking. Mr Kaberuka said the past decade had been the most progressive for Africa in the last 50 years.

The continent is faring well and is one of the fastest growing regions despite the economic crisis in the West.

In fact, Africa is expected to maintain an average 5 percent growth rate over the next decade.

Sustainable growth would have to be inclusive, with various programmes and projects targeted at the youth, women and micro and small businesses. The need to generate employment for the millions that are jobless cannot be overemphasised.

Of course, challenges such as low intra-Africa trade, corruption, poor infrastructure, political instability in some instances and other impediments to growth would have to be addressed in the process.

As I listened through and participated in some of the discussions at the World Economic Forum, my country Zimbabwe kept coming to my mind.

This country should not be left out of the renaissance and should make the most of the mileage gained by the continent.

The resurgence on the continent resonates well with what has been happening in Zimbabwe on the economic front. This country is the fastest growing in the region and its inflation is the lowest. This, coming from a hyperinflation state only three years ago, is something that has begun to catch the eye of investors and development partners.

Zimbabwe’s economy, although coming from a very low base, has been on the mend.

We were discussing with colleagues over lunch yesterday, the 2007-2008 era when carrying a loaf of bread home would make news and when a petrol attendant in South Africa would easily recognise a Zimbabwean because they always said “pane petrol here?” (is there petrol here?) when to the South Africans it was obvious that a fuel station would naturally have petrol and diesel.

But that phase belongs to history and Zimbabwe will need to consolidate its gains and move the economy further up the ranks.

However, challenges such as perception on indigenisation, poor electricity supply, political disharmony in some instances and poor infrastructure presently threaten the gains that have been made to date.

The economy is expected to grow by 9,4 percent but already some schools of thought argue that the figure will need to be revised downwards.

The country has begun to interest investors with planeloads of businesspeople coming from South Africa, Asia and some parts of Europe but it is the policies we implement here that will determine whether the inquiries will amount to much.

Electricity is a key production component but the challenges at Zesa are compromising Zimbabwe’s competitiveness in terms of trade and investment.

What does it take for Zesa to operate effectively? When will the electricity challenges end? Why have they persisted for this long?

Furthermore, the liquidity challenges have constricted economic activity and the challenges in this respect seem to be worsening.

What strategies do we presently have in place to tame the situation? When should we anticipate a softening of the tight liquidity crunch?

Is there a roundtable where Government, business, labour, civil society and the academia are bringing their minds together to resolve the problems confronting the economy?

Are such platforms as the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and the National Economic Consultative Forum actively engaged in finding solutions?

Is the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries holding emergency meetings to proffer solutions from a business perspective or do we wait for their next annual conference to deliberate on issues?

What is the Business Council of Zimbabwe presently seized with?

To what extend has the one-stop investment authority eliminated the cumbersome process of starting business in Zimbabwe?

Has the country been visible enough to the outside world?

These are some of the questions that need answers as Zimbabwe anticipates an improved economy where business thrive, jobs become available and where the ordinary person can afford a decent meal, healthcare and other facilities to do with their welfare.

At the World Economic Forum Zimbabwe was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Finance Minister Tendai Biti, Investment Promotion and Economic Planning Minister Tapiwa Mashakada and his permanent secretary Dr Desire Sibanda, among others.

From the business sector, I noticed Kingdom Financial Holdings founder and director Nigel Chanakira, among others.

In my interactions with them, they were upbeat about the country and felt progress would be made once a few issues as stated above were settled.

Professor Mutambara said Zimbabwe had a good story to sell and him and his team were at the Forum to keep a present on the global stage and to benefit from the ideas and thoughts exchanged at such platforms as the WEF meetings.

Let’s see what the next half of the year has in store for this country.

We will collectively have a say in this country’s future.

In God I Trust

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php#

—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

Tanzanian President fired eight ministers implicated in corruption deals with Chinese business people who have invaded the East African region

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo

PRESIDENT Jakaya Kitwete has set the record of an African head of state that has bravely parted the company with eight ministers in his concerted effort to help his government get rid of corruption and graft.

The latest emergence of rampant corruption in the Eastern African region is being attributed to the arrival of Chinese business people scrambling for influence and businesses, mainly in the construction industry.

The Chinese construction firms have taken over the construction of road network, building of bridges, expansion of ports and other economic infrastructure.

These Chinese big business people are said to be too generous in parting with colossal amount of money in “kick-backs” unlike the former traditional firms from Western European countries, which for many years dominated the construction industry in the region.

The Tanzanian head of state two weeks ago fired six ministers and their two deputies over corruption allegations and other accountability shortcomings, in a case that puts the Kenyan and Ugandan executives on the spot in their handling of cabinet members mentioned in shady dealings.

Kikwete relieved the eight ministers of their ministerial positions following nearly two weeks of pressure by members of Tanzanian Parliament and the public who wanted them dropped in order to repair the damaged image of the government.

The action came after four different reports, one by the Auditor and Controller General, and the others by parliamentary oversight committees exposed corruption an embezzlement of hundreds of millions of shillings in public funds in the respective ministries.

The sacked ministers include Mustafa Mkulo {Finance}.William Ngeleja {Energy}, Ezekiel Miage {Tourism and Natural Resources}.Cyril Chami {Trade and Industry}, Omar Nundu {Transport} and his Deputy Athumani Mkatakamba, the Health Minister Hadji Mponda and his deputy Dr Lucy Nkya.

It has since emerged that some of the fired officials are very close political allies of the president.

The sacking on May 4, 2012 was the second time in as many in as many years government minister implicated in scandals were forced out or resigned voluntarily to save the image of the government and safeguard the political interests of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM}.

In February 2008, the then Prime Minister Edward Lowasa stepped aside from office after parliamentary select committee investigating a USD 172 million emergency power generation contract between Tanzania Electric Supply Company {TANESCO} and an American registered firm accused him of influencing the award.

Resigning with him were two ministers who held the Energy and Minerals docket-Nazir Karamagiand Dr Ebrahim Msabaha.

In the recent reshuffle the ministers suspected of corruption and influence peddling. Some of them came under heavy censure for presiding over corrupt public institutions, including failing to take disciplinary action against those found to have misappropriated money meant for schools, health centers, roads and other public projects.

The former Finance Mister Mustafa Mkulo was blamed for rising national debt, deterioration of the local currency and spiraling inflation, which led to a sharp rise in the cost of living.

The sacked minister was also accused of diverting money in the budget without Parliament’s approval, MPs debating in Dodoma during the month of April session claimed the Finance Minister had interfered with the day to day management of boards of directors for the parastatals and agencies under his ministerial docket.

The fired Energy and Mineral Resources Minister William Ngeleja paid the price for the crippling power crisis in the country as well as failure to steer the ministry into delivering satisfactory national benefits from mineral resource, mainly gold.

The dismissed minster for Tourism and Natural Resources Ezekiel Maige found himself under a storm related issuance of wildlife and hunting block licenses. He was also forced to come out and explain how he had acquired his enormous wealth within the shortest time he had been minister.

The sacked Trade and Industry Minister Cyril Chami was blamed for being indecisive on alleged scandals in connection with the pre-shipment inspection of Tanzania destined vehicles- a task undertaken by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards{TBS} and which reportedly saw the agency lose colossal amount of money to the tune of Tshs 13 billion in suspect payments.

The sacked Transport Minister Omar Nundu and his deputy Athumani Mkatakamba, were dropped from the cabinet apparently due to irregularities in the expansion of the Dar Es Salaam Port. The two officials were also reported to have differed publicly on which companies to support to undertake the port project, with the minister publicly revealing in a press conference that his deputy was sponsored for foreign trips by a Chinese company interested in the construction tender of the project.

Not surprisingly, the top two top officials of the Ministry of Health an Social Welfare,Dr Hadji Mponda and his deputy Dr.Lucy Nkya, lost their slots as the result of a recent stormy doctors strike that shook the East African nation.

President Kikwete was quoted as having said,”it is a good practice for Ministers to take political responsibility, however, this time around directors in departments, chief executive officers in parastatals and the likes who caused the problems must also go. There are people who have a tendency of plotting against their ministers.”

Some political analysts and independent commentators say the the Tanzania case should be the roll model and should be adopted to make the East African region compliant to tenets of democracy, good governance and war on corruption.

They say, however, that Kenya and Uganda as senior members of the East African Community are worst affected and suffer deplorable levels of public accountability. Case in point is the going controversy involving the National Hospital Insurance Funds {NHIF} scandal with the Minister for Medical Services Prof Pete Anyang’ Nyong’o strongly resisting calls for him to step aside over what appears a monumental insurance cover rip-off under his watch.

Former Education Minister Prof. Sam K.Ongeri vehemently resisted a call for his suspension an deployed political tactics in resisting any disciplinary action an switched the blames to others after his ministry’s top official having squandered and vandalized millions of money donated by the British government for free primary education I the country.

Ends

Kenya: Chemelil Sugar Company is on its deathbed as the result of poor management and embezzlement of its resources

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By a Special Correspondent

CHEMELIL Sugar Company, which for many years used to be one of the most vibrant and efficiently managed sugar producing mills in the country is ailing and headed for a total collapse.

It owed its raw cane suppliers millions of shilling in unpaid bill for the cane delivered to the facility during the months of March, April and this month, forcing the cane farmers to divert their cane from its growing zones to other factories.

The Company has yet to pay its senior staff and mangers, their salary for the month of April. It has, however, paid the laborers and the junior staff on fears of facing possible strike and demonstration protests.

It has had a change of guard in recent months, which saw the long serving agricultural manager Charles Owelle a Luo from Ugenya being confirmed as the new managing director .He replaced the former MD Eng.Edwin Otieno Musebe, a hard working Luhyia man who had turned around and steered the hitherto run-down facility.

Musebe’s unceremonious removal was both tribally and politically motivated, which saw members of the local Luo community had ganged up and they did everything possible including the staff sabotaging of the mechanically ailing factory, which has had no annual mechanical maintenance running into several years.

Politically Eng. Musebe was viewed to be leaning to the former Minister for Agriculture now the MP for Eldoret North William Ruto, while the local workers and many staff wanted the facility to be managed by a Luo who is allied to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the ODM.

They did this to the chagrins of the sugar cane farmers who had very cordial and warm relations with the company during highly profiled skills during Musebe’s managerial prowess. That saw the local cane farmer getting paid for their cane delivered to the facility n monthly basis.

THE former chairman of the company’s board of directors Dr M Mining, a Kalenjin was replaced by Ms Margaret Chemengich a fellow Kalenjin who is a retired former Permanent Secretary.

The abrupt change of top management after the Ministry had refused to renew the contract of the former MD was expected to bring in some skills an efficiency in the management of the facility, which is based in Muhoroni district in the region classified as the Nyanza Sugar-belt, but it has made it the worse instead.

According to unsigned and anonymous documents circulating within Chemelil and Muhoroni towns, the company sale of made sugar indicated that the firm sold 30,000 50kg bags at Kshs 4000 each earning Kshs 120 million, but still could not meet its financial obligations. Where this money did goes to?

By the end of April the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited {KPL} was owed Kshs 30 million unpaid for power bills. This forced the company temporarily disconnect the power supply to the factory last week. However, it later restored the supply following the intervention of by the higher authorities on fears that plunging the facility into to total darkness would pave the way for criminal minded people to vandalize its property.

The cane farmer have yet to be paid for the cane delivered and crushed in the facility between the month of March, April and this month amounting to a total of Kshs 114 millions.

The employees ha received their salary in March and had been warned in a circular that their salary for April would be affected much later. The pay bill is amounting to Kshs 20 million.

Mandatory deductions from the employee’s salary had yet to be remitted to the relevant authority such as NSSF and NHIF. This has now hit the Kshs 14.4 million in arrears. Medical cards covering the employee’s medical schemes are no longer valid and the employees cannot use them, to access medication.

For the rehabilitation of the mill, the company is believed to have received close to Kshs 340 million from the Kenya Sugar Board, but experts says this amount is inadequate taking into account that the mill had gone for years without its annual maintenance. It is now experiencing persistent mechanical breakdown thereby drastically reducing its production capacity.

The frequent breakdowns and the scarcity of raw cane had also drastically reduced the company revenue base. The employees were recently disturbed and disillusioned when they heard that the company had planned to take 18 of its senior managing staff an 11 members of the board of directors for a couple of day retreat to Sarova Lions Hotel in Nakuru.

The retreat was supposed to have taken place around May 8 to May 11th. But both farmers and the workers alike say there is nothing to celebrate while the financially ailing government wholly-owned firm is still facing myriads of problems.

Unconfirmed reports say that Chemelil Sugar Company might have lost between 400 and 400 million shillings between October last following the change of guard to date and due to poor management of its resources.

The local farmers have placed the blame squarely at the doorsteps of the parent Ministry of Agriculture whose some of the officials are being accused of collaboration with inefficient m one on political an tribal considerations

Bothe the new MD Charles Owelle and the Company’s public relations man Bosco Magare could not be reached for their immediate comment. Effort to trace them were fruitless

Ends