Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HAS ADMITTED SOUTH SUDAN AS ITS SIXTH MEMBER AS PRESIDENT MUSEVENI BECOME THE NEW OF COMMUNITY NEW CHAIRMAN FOR 2013.

From: Arrum Tidi
News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

PRESIDENT Yoweri Kaguta of Uganda is the newest chairman of the East African Community {EAC} for the next one year.

Museveni takes over from President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya who had been heading the regional economic bloc for the last one year.

Kibaki handed over the chairmanship to his Ugandan counter-part during the 14 extraordinary summits of the Heads of State of the East African Community which was held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi last Friday. The meeting which was attended by the Presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi took place at the Kenyatta International Conference {KICC}, Nairobi.

The change over is in accordance with the article 12 of the East African Community Treaty that stipulates that the tenure of the EAC chairperson of the summit be held for one year on rotation among the partner states.

President Kibaki took over the chairmanship from President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi in November last year.

Among the far-reaching issues tackled by the Heads of States of the EAC last weekend was the deliberation and acceptance of the South Sudan, which has been pushing hard to join the enlarged regional bloc.

The election of President Museveni was in accordance with the Article 12 of the EAC Treaty, that stipulates that the chairperson of the EAC be held for one year among the five partner states on rotation. President Kibaki took over from President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burindi in November last year.

Among the far-reaching decision arrived at the last weekend summit in Nairobi include the acceptance of the South Sudan membership of the East African Community. The application by the Juba regime went a notch high when the heads of state and governments of the East African Community approved verification for the Juba regime to join the fast growing regional economic bloc. There has been persistent by South Sudan to join the now enlarged regional economic bloc.

The last week’s approval of the South Sudan membership to the EAC, now bring the number of countries partner states to a total six. They included Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rawanda and Burundi.

The presidents in attendance were Kibaki {Kenya}Yoweri Museveni {Uganda},Jakaya Kikwete {Tanzania} Paul Kagame {Rwanda} and Pierre Nkrunziza of Burundi.

Earlier fears had persisted about South Sudan security and personal safety of the nationals of its immediate neighbors Kenyan Uganda following reports that several Kenyan businessmen and professionals operating in its capital of juba have died mysteriously in the hands if those suspected to be members of South Sudan poorly trained security personnel. The county is still said to have yet to organize its judiciary system and proper police authorities to ensure that justice is done to the families most of those Kenyans and Ugandan who have lost their lives while working and living in South Sudan.

The summit resolved that the East African Community Council of Ministers should start negotiations at the verification work.

The Ministers were also told that they should explore this for the EAC to work constructively with the Somalia, A communique issued on behalf of the Summit by the EAC Secretary General Dr Richard Sozibera said in part. get in touch with Somalia,a country which is urgently still entangled in the chains of political turmoil to verify its application for consideration by the EAC for its membership.

of the Heads of States, which held at the plenary hall at the Kenyatta International Conferee center {KICC} in Nairobi on 28-29

The EAC summit also expressed its support or Burundi’s membership of the British Commonwealth and also supported Rwanda admission to the U Security Council.

The summit also supported regional efforts being undertaken under the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region under the chairmanship of President Museveni to ensure peace in the DRC Congo’s northern Kivu region.

President Museveni who chaired the Great Lakes Conference blamed ideological disorientation. support private sector, poor infrastructure and discovery of oil and gas and other minerals would ensure development in less than 50 years.

Museveni said there is enough market for goods produced in EAC countries and the improved infrastructure.

He promised that he would continue to fight myopic by parasitic and civil servants.

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THE CHANCES OF KENYA JOINING THE LEAGUES OF THE AFRICAN OIL PRODUCING NATIONS IS BOOSTED BY THE DISCOVERY OF THE SECOND OIL WELL BY THE TULLOW OIL PLC.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya, an African nation whose economic mainstay has for many year depended largely on agriculture with no sign of mineral resources is now edged close to joining the league of the oil producing nations following the latest announcement made by the Tullow, the British oil exploration company that it has made more discovery of substantial oil deposits at a second well in the Northern part of the country.

Long regarded by the big explorers, as frontier market, the second discovery by Tullow is now expected to generate ever greater interest in oil exploration in the country-even as companies are expected to start drilling early next year.

Tullow said in a statement that the discovery was made following successful drilling of the new well to the intended depth of 3,250 meters.

According to the announcement the well also holds potential for more oil that will be established once the planned testing to determine the exact amounts of oil in the well is complete. The tests are scheduled to take place in the next two months.

The British oil firm announced that the Twiga South-1 exploration well has encountered 30 meters of neat oil pay with further potential to be assessed on test. A series of flow tests will now be conducted on the well over the 4-8 weeks’” read Tullow’s statement in part.

While making the announcement, the company also said that it will be going back to its first well,Ngamia-1 located on Block 10818 in Turkana County where it made its first discovery in March this year, f to carry out tests in order to establish the quantities of deposits at the well.

Drilling at the Ngamia-1 well was suspended mid this year following what the oil exploration firm Tullow PLC termed as an encounter with an unexpected rock, structure that prevented further drilling at the well.

At the time of the suspension, Tullow announced that it had encountered 143 meters of net oil pay at the well with data indicating that the well could be holding more potential should it b dug to the full depth.

So far Tullow Oil Plc has drilled three wells in Kenya including the Paipai well located on Block 10A whose results are expected by the end of the year. Of the three, two have ended up in discovery.

Since the March announcement that Kenya had struck oil, the country’s oil exploration space have generated interest from leading international oil exploration firms with the data from the Ministry of Energy showing that all the 47 blocks have already been licensed to the various exploration companies.

The demand for licenses to explore in the local oil blocks has also been accelerated by the announcement of a discovery of natural gas in Block 1.8 in Lamu Basin by Apache Corporation which operates the block jointly with Origin Energy Pan-continental Oil and Gas and Tullow Kenya B.V.

However, in just 24 hours after making the announcement, Apache Corp came under the spotlight following what the Energy Ministry termed as malpractice in making its discovery public by the failure to adequately brief the government of the natural gas find before making the announcement.

The announcement by Tullow earlier this week now placed Kenya closer to becoming an oil producing nation which is hoped to provide great relief to the strained current a count and ease fuel-based inflation that has thrived as a result of a huge oil import bill.

Meanwhile newspaper reports emerging from the Ugandan capital, Kampala say the future of Tullow Oil Plc in Uganda still hangs in the balance, as the Irish Oil prospecting firm is reported widely to be temporarily frustrated by the lack of progress on arriving at “a final investment decision” about whether to build an oil pipeline or a refinery.

As senior company official was last week quoted by the newspaper as saying “ Our program for appraisals is complete and the development mean we either pump crude oil or refine it, so there is currently not much work in the field.”

Despite the company’s overall spokesman George Casenove stating in an e-mail response that “Tullow is not planning to exit Uganda and has stated repeatedly that it is committed to Uganda for the longer term,” several well placed sources in the oil industry say the lack of movement on the issue is causing the company to internally consider its exit options, reported the influential Nairobi based weekly publication, the EASTAFRICAN.

‘This is informed by the protracted nature of the disagreement between the oil companies and the government of Uganda on whether crude of refined products are the best way to commercialise oil production in Uganda”, the paper adds.

“Unlike the two other oil companies in Uganda-France’s total and China’s CNOOC, both giants – Tullow does not have the financial resources to play out a prolonged waiting game. According to its interim management statement released on November 14, Tullow says together with its partners, it has presented ‘a joint development plan” to President Museveni. This plan was presented in July, almost four months ago. This plan emphasizes a crude-pipeline option while the Ugandan government prefers a medium sized refinery to begin with..

Consequently, no tangible agreement has been reached ‘We can’t agree on anything,” a senior official of Tullow Oil who requested for his anonymity said.

Other sources the Ugandan capital is a buzz with the word that the industry players have put together a rebuttal of the official document that the Uganda government is relying on in pursuing its refinery option.

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Kenya: Wildlife / human conflict continues umabayed as the mysterious beast kills 20 livestock while hippo devoured fishermen in Lake Victoria

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Write Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

LIVESTOCK farmers in the North Rift district of Nandi are having counting losses after a yet to be identified wild animal attacked their stock during dead hours of the night.

More than ten local farmers at Chepterit and Tukon villages in Nandi Central district have reported that several of their goats and sheep had been killed by a wild animal.

The mysterious animal has also attacked more than ten cattle by biting off their tails. Two local farmers who are among the affected farmers said their individual losses were amounting to over Khs 200,000.

Mr Abraham Kago and Mrs Rose and Mr Wesley Saina told the newsmen that the animal, which has been roaming the villages for the last two weeks, had killed a total of ten sheep, three goats and two cows.

The mysterious attack the livestock at night by breaking into livestock shed and biting the throats of sheep and goats. It only sucks blood and leaves the carcasses,“ said Mr Kago.

The farmers said that attempt to hunt for the mysterious for the mysterious animal and kill it have been futile despite assistance from the Kenya Wild life Services [KWS} game wardens an rangers.” Even though we have been working I hand with KWS officers, we have not succeeded because the armed game warden just avail themselves during the day when the beat is hiding,”added Mr Kago.

The game warden in-charge in Nandi County Joel Kanda could no be reached on phone of Central Nandi County. However a local source that KWS men were there on the ground hunting down the mysterious beast.

This incident came barely three months after Tsavo cat attacked livestock in the neighboring Ndalat location in Nandi North district killing over 30 sheep and goats.

Experts were, however, still analyzing the nature of the latest attack on livestock in Nandi, but could not agree on which type of animals could be responsible. Other says it could be a rogue leopard or wild dogs, but leopard is known not to attack big prey such as cows, but only prey on smaller domestic animals such as sheep.

While in the lakeside town of Bondo about 80 kilometer northwest of here, residents of Usigu Division in Yimbo Kadimo Division, Bondo district within Siaya County residents on Monday this week held demonstrations to protest over rampant incidents of hippo on fishermen working on Lake Victoria fish landing beaches. The demonstrators while carrying twigs and chanting anti-Kenya Wildlife Service slogans, the residents led by one parliamentary aspirant William Abuonji marched to the DC’s office to demand solution to their grievances.

The demonstrators claimed they have lost several relatives to hippo an crocodiles attacks against human being, but KWS had taken no action to protect their people

‘We have lost 20 people in the last three months, but KWS has not even attempted check human wildlife conflict here. We cannot afford to lose more lives,”Said Abuonji.

The number of people who have died due to hippo attack on lake shoreline or beaches along Lake Victoria have increase three times.

The protest followed an incident in which a 40-year old fisherman drowned to the lake last week after his boat was hit and overturned by a rough hippo off Siungu Beach in West Yimo location last Sunday night.Two weeks before that a 20-year old fisherman also died from another hippo attack off the same beach.

In September six people drowned in the lake after their boat was hit by hippo at Goye in Bondo and a week later a father & son died between Misori Beach and Magare Island in the neighboring Rarieda district in similar circumstance.

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Kenya: ODM Mashinani campaign in Kisumu marred by violence as man is killed after Nyand rally

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

WITH only 100 days to go before the next general elections are held on March 4, 2013 ignals of discontent and violent political wrangling seemed to be emerging from most parts of Luo-Nyanza,the worse being within the two counties of Kisumu and Homa-Bay.

In Nyando district within Kisumu County, the police were reported to be actively investigating the cause of death of a man whose body was fished out of the thicket after he was allegedly assaulted by the youth supporting the rival political camp after he was alleged to have tried to disrupt a campaign rally in the area by heckling the speakers, which sparked off the fist fighting.

The deceased whose name was given as Omuoyo from Kanyilum sub-clan within Wawidhi B area of South East Kano is said to have bee involved in fracas with supporters of the area MP Fred Outa. The youths are said to have set themselves upon the deceased with crude weapons.

The area MP Fred Outa is among the leaders aid to have spent several hours recording statements with the police with the police following the incident.

In the neighboring Nyakach also within Kisumu County, scores of people sustained minor bodily injuries following the outbreak of fighting at the ODM Mashinani campaign rally held at Pap-Onditi Center in lower Nyakach.

The trouble was sparked off following the late arrival at the meeting venue by on of the aspirant for Nyakach parliamentary seat Aduma-Owuor a former senior legal 0fficer of the City Council of Nairobi.

This was accompanied by dozens of drunken youth. However, Aduma Owuor was ushered in and given a seat at the dais as one of the aspirants. But his youth were not lucky to be accorded similar treatment by the conveners of the rally. The youth tried to force their way into the venue thereby st8iring up the commotion as the made an attempt to disrupt the sitting arrangement which had been made earlier.

This what sparked off the commotion and protest by the ODM youth manning the meeting, and controlling the crowd. At this juncture the fighting broke out wit plastic chairs flying out in all direction. The combatants also used other missiles and objects sending the participants scampering or their dear lives. One civic leader Omdi Ouko was beaten up to the ground.

Peace was temporarily restored, but no sooner did another aspirant for the Nyakach parliamentary aspirant Eng.Evans Kodera arrived in the company of shouting youths. They two were roughed by the ODM youths, most of them beaten to the ground.

Several candidate aspiring for the various elective positions with the County governance attended the meeting among them Aloys Ager who is contesting the Sigoti County Ward, Grace A. Akumu {parliament}, Ms Ruth Adhiambo Odinga {governor}, Dr Barrack Abonyo from the US {governor} Ojwang’K’Ombudo{governor].

Meanwhile several politicians in Homa-Bay have bitterly complained about the slow path it taking the police Rachuonyo South district to apprehend the suspects criminal who are supposed to be facing serious criminal charges of causing grievous harm related to violent assault incident which occurred in the lakeside town awe ago following the violent disruption of ODM Mashinani held there two weeks ago.

The police in Oyugis have yet to apprehend any of the suspects despite of a requesting letters from their Homa-Bay counter parts who have recorded statements from the complainants and potential prosecution witnesses in the serious criminal cases pending there.

The two suspects who are believed to have used the sharpened knives in stabbing several people during the fracas Homa-Bay are said to be still roaming freely in Oyugis town and its environs.

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Kenya: US president Obama’s half-Kenyan brother is to contest for the position of Siaya County governor

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PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA’S ELDER BROTHER HAS JOINED THE ELECTION RACE FOR THE SIAYA COUNTY GOVERNOR IN DIFFERENT PARTY AND NOT RAILA ODINGA’S ODM

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

INFORMATION emerging from Siaya town, says that the US President Barack Obama half-brother Malik Abong’o Obama is contemplating running for the governor’s election in Siaya County, but on a TNA’s ticket and not as expected to be on Raila Odinga’s ODM party ticket.

This is so despite of the perceived closeness between the Prime Minister of Kenya and the Obama family.

TNA is the party which Raila Odinga’s arch-rival in the Kenya’s presidential race Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta intend to use in his presidential ambition. It has no following in Siaya County and are perceived to be the stronghold of Raila Odinga’s ODM and Obama candidature on a TNA ticket is likely to complicate and even worsen the cordial and warm relations between Raila Odinga and the Obama family.

The report from various sources in Siaya say Malik Obama is among those who are listed as potential TNA’s candidate to contest the lucrative and powerful Siaya County governor seat.

However, Malik Abong’yesterday confirmed that he is in the race, but insisted that he would be running for the post as an independent candidate, but not Uhuru Kenyatta’s party ticket.

“I have never registered myself as a member of TNA nor do I belong to any political party, you are the one now informing me that my name is there, Malik Abong’o told an interviewer.

Malik Obama had made an application to run for the election on a TNA ticket, but his application is still under scrutiny and consideration, a Nairobi publication, the STAR quote senior official of the TNA as saying.

Mali claimed he does not know who who had registered him with TNA, adding that he had many friends everywhere who might have enlisted him .

He added, “ Obviouly I am Obama and people may tend to use my name for their own selfish reason.He told the interviewer. “you can check for my name with the Interim Election Board of Kenya [IEBC] which show that I have never registered in any political party. I also wrote to the registrar’s office saying I a m an independent person,’ he added.

Malik Abongo’ Obama the first born of the late Barrack Hussein Obama was born In 1958 in the Kenya . He studied at the University of Nairobi and graduated with an accountancy degree.

The controversial Malik Obama met his half-brother President Barrack Obama for the first time in 1985 when he flew fro Chicago to Washington DC to see him. The two were best men during each other’s wedding.

He has since then taken more wives and become a polygamous in according to the Muslim belief and doctrine.

He is a frequent visitor to the UD, but runs a small electronic shop at Nyang’oma Trading Cent and also the famous Barrack Obama Guest House I an area adjacent to the same centre on whose roof he has defiantly hoisted the two national flags of Kenya and the US despite the vehement opposition by the local provincial administration and police authorities., which is located next to the Kogelo home of the Obamas.

During the election campaign of president Obama’s second tenure of office, Malik was the principal spokesman of the extended Obama family in Kenya. He said he is willing to work with any other parties if shares its visions, ideals and agenda.

Asked if TNA was such an ideal party, Malik Obama said,” it will depend on the TNA vision for the Country and Siaya County.

He went on,’ I am a public figure and I decide to join any party, I will do so in daylight and invite everyone to witness,”’he said.

None of the TNA top national officials could be reached to confirm or deny that Malik Obama had made an application to contest the Siaya governor position on their party ticket.

But political pundits in Siaya were quick in pointing out that, Malik Abong’o Obama stand very little chance of clinching the pot unless a miracle work

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KENYA: THE KENYATTA-RUTO OF POLITICAL ALLIANCE IS HEADED FOR THE DOLDRUMS AHEAD OF THE SIGNING OF THE URP-TNA PACT FOLLOWING MOUNTING OPPOSITION, THE KALENJINS

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo in Kericho Town.

The much highlighted political alliance between the Deputy Prime Minster Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA and the William Ruto led United Republican Party {URP} whose main agenda and objective is how to block the Prime Minister Raila Odinga from succeeding President Mwai Kibaki as the next president of the Republic of Kenya is doomed to fail.

Judging from the reactions of the people on the ground, this tribally-oriented plan is heading to nowhere. The pact is viewed as mischievous and lacked the political goodwill of the people it purport to represent. The proposed arrangement is viewed by the bulks of the Kalenjin community as a political sellout.

The proposed alliance lacked the blessing and political goodwill of the entire Kalenjin community and it is viewed in the context of selfish interest serving and fertile imagination of the Eldoret North MP William Ruto.

The common popular saying making the round in this rich tea growing region covering Kericho and Bomet Counties is that Ruto is just about to mortgage the Kalenjin community for his own power bargain and selfish serving interest without having any tangible agenda for the future well being of the community.

And in the North Rift in Ruto’s home turf a group numbering hundreds of unemployed youth have formed a lobby group calling itself “Achicha” loosely, meaning “we refuse” in simplest English translating to mean “Big No” told William Ruto that his political alliance with Kenyatta’s TNA party has no blessing and consent of the entire Kalenjin community.

In this context the ACHICHA group which staged anti TNA-URP demonstration in Eldoret town wants the pact re-negotiated afresh with the participation of the entire population,and not by a few individuals locking themselves inside posh hotels in Nairobi and then coming out with such unworkable aragroup blamed the Eldoret North MP for being lone ranger and for not consulting widely before entering into amorphous alliances, which could turn out to be disastrous to the future Kalenjin people in this country.

And while addressing well attended ODM Mashinani campaign in Bomet town at the weekend, The former legislator told Ruto that since Raila Odinga has made it clear that he intend to rule for one term only, it would then be much easier for Ruto to get elected the president in 2017.

The former legislator accused Ruto using the Kalenjin while in actual sense, he is only pursuing his own personal agenda by blackmailing the community. “The truth is that Ruto is not fighting for the community interest but his personal interests because he is not consistent with what he says in his uncoordinated public pronouncement ”One day he saying that he wanted to be Kenyatta’s running-mate, the next day he is saying he is on the presidential race to the finish.”

“Kalenjin community risk being locked out of the next government. It will be suicidal if we the Kalenjin did not change our political game as we will be out of the next government, and this will take the community another five yeas in the cold.” Kimeto.

The most common and popular feeling and beliefs in the South Rift part of the Rift Valley is that the formation of the mushrooming political alliances by the various tribal groups would cause a lot of problems to the peace loving and law-abiding Kenyans, therefore something must be done with the uttermost urgency to avert such farmhouse alliances.

A number of political personalities have also scathingly criticized the Home Affairs Assistant Minister Beatrice ones who on Wednesday ditched the ODM and run to William Ruto’s URP, saying those happily abandoning ODM will live to regret when they get to nowhere.

Kones’ action in decamping from the ODM did not please many people here in Kericho and people were seen discussing the matter in low tone inside coffee shops, restaurants.

Kones, whose original home is in Sigowet constituency in lower Belgut near Sondu Market, they said, had no good reason to ditch the ODM and her departure reasons were not very much convincing. ”May be some of the party hoppers are heavily indebted and wanted the easiest way out of sorting out matters with their creditors because of unlimited campaign resources said to be in abundance in the TNAA and URP.

Political pundits were quick in pointing out that Mrs Kones will not retain her Bomet seat no matter how much resources the IRP may put at her disposal.

In the by-election that followed the accidental death of her husband populist Kipsigis political kingpin Donald Kipkemoi Kipkalya Kones had won the seat against Nick Salatt of KANU due to the ODM euphoria. Kones is not very strong on the ground and such she is just running away under the pretext of ditching ODM and yet she knew it pretty well, that the chance of retaining the seat is very slim

Majority of many people in this region wanted to join the UDM a party, which is headed by the former deputy SGS Lt.Gen {rtd} John Arap Koech who hails from Ainamoi in Kericho County, but they blamed the party for failed to establish its grass root structure such as offices in key towns and urban centers in the region.

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For the ODM to win the next election it must weed out political thuggery and excessive use of hired goons

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

WITHIN the brief spell of two months, there have been serious incidents involving violent disruption of public gatherings either at funeral homes or political rallies inside Luo-Nyanza.

This is the region where the ODM arguably has the largest following and support. Of course there are no any other competing political parties, which are rivaling the ODM in this region to warrant such magnitude of violence

However, all these incidents involving breach of peace and tranquility are all pointing to the direction of the shape of things to come during the impending general election schedule for March 4, 2013.

What happened at Homa-Bay Town last weekend was the most shameful act of lawlessness and political thuggery, which the ODM leadership must urgently brainstorm together and make the concerted effort to weed out such unbecoming behaviors of its leaders at branches levels, supporters and MPs included before the situation got out of hands or before precious lives are lost.

The Homa-Bay rally last Sunday was called for the purpose of “Mashinani Campaign” for the popularization of party leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid in the next year. Presidential election slated for Mach 4,2013.

A similar meeting was held in Kisumu City last Saturday at a field next to the ODM offices, located next t0 Tuskies Supermarket It ended peacefully and all the delegates from the entire Kisumu County who attended the meeting dispersed and went home peacefully.

Instead of campaigning to popularizing the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the Home-Bay rally was turned into the battle ground in which crude weapons such as knives were used causing bodily injuries to score of unspecified numbers of people who went home while nursing their wounds.

Within a brief spell of time and within the last two months, there have been several incidents in which VIP were forced to fled the venue of public functions either funeral gatherings or political rallies as the result of skirmishes and disruptions caused by hired political goons.

These incidence could be chronicled as follows; A man was spotted flushing a sharpened machete [panga] at a political campaign addressed by the Finance Assistant Minister Dr.Oburu Oginga in Siaya town

The Ministers body guards and supporters wrestled the man to the ground disarmed him .He was arrested and taken into police custody. But within minutes another gang of nine drunken goons emerged and made an abortive attempt to storm the police station with the aims of freeing their friend who had been taken into custody there causing anther commotion in which the police applied full force and overcome the youth who were numbering nine and took them into custody

At Kolwa East Ward within Kisumu Muncipality, the ODM MP for Kisumu Town East Shakeel Ahmed Shabbir caused another commotion at funeral church service, The MP’s security details drew their guns while the other mourners were struggling with the MP and trying to force back to his car.

During the commotion the gun rang and one youth was hit in the leg by a stray bullet. It was not clear as to whether the bullet had been fired by one of the MP’s armed security guards or the bullet went off accidentally during the commotion. The bullet which was lodged in the victim body or two days was later remove at the New Nyanza General Hospital following a surgery operations carried out by Dr. Otieno Obondi

The MP has since fiercely denied that any shooting occurred as the result of the commotion caused by him, though several eye witnesses have confirmed the incident. So far n arrest has been made, though the doctor has kept the bullet which he had removed from the youth’s body in safe custody in case it is needed as an exhibit in court. All this are pointing out to the laxity and complacency on the part of the forces of law reinforcement in the region.

,In the same month the Education Assistant Minister Prof.Patrick Ayiecho Olueny, was forced out of a funeral home where other mourners also took to their heels and scampered in all directions for their dear lives.

The Minister who is also the MP for Muhoroni had gone to attend the burial of the brother of the chairman of Nyando County Council Samuel Onyango Ong’ou in Wang’aya Location within Kisumu County.This area falls under Muhoroni constituency.

The trouble stated after the triumphant arrival of the populist aspirant for Muhoroni James Onyango K’Oyoo who was accompanied by close to 300 youths almost bringing the burial ceremony to a standstill. The MP made futile attempt to calm the situation, but in vain and sensing the danger that the situation could get out of hand also fled the venue followed by his armed body guards amid hails of stones.

In all these incidences, nobody has so far appeared before any court of law to answer criminal charge of causing disturbances in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace. And all these are pointing at the laxity and complacency on the part of the forces of the la reinforcement operating in Nyanza region.

Back to the last Sunday ugly incident which took place at Homa-Bay town, the conveners of the rally stands blamed for poor organization and lack foresight in that they allowed the otherwise and become platform for the introduction of aspirants vying for the various elective positions with the County governance, parliament, Senatorial and governorship as well as civic County Wards

The party leaders in the Homa-County branch who were the joint convener of the meeting had allowed the “ODM Mashinani Campaign’ rally to be used by aspirant vying for the various elective positions as their platform deviating from the original agenda of the meeting, which was mainly and specifically to campaign for Raila Odinga presidential bid.

It also exposed a lot of weaknesses within the party leadership at the grass root structures. There are still many disputes involving the various grass root leadership which have remained unresolved for years. This is what caused the skirmishes at the VIP dais, and started exchanging fists blows.

The two constituencies of Kabondo-Kasipul and Kasipul send two school buses full of youths estimated to be numbering about 150,000 while five other constituencies posted eight delegates each.

The two school buses, one from Wang’apala High School In Kabondo and other from Nyang’iela secondary school I West Kasipul ferried the youths from Oyugis to Homa-Bay. Other had travelled in the CDF van and in a four-wheel drive second hand Pajero van owned by the area MP Joseph Oyugi Magwanga and machetes and other crude weapons. In some account of eye witnesses the group of youths who travelled from Oyugis town to Homa-Bay Town were heard singing war-mongering songs as the uses snaked through Rangwe, Rodi Kopany and to Homa-Bay Town.

And as if the commotion and skirmishes a Home-bay were not enough, the group drove back to Oyugis and immediately launched a full scale hunt for the people they perceived to mall cafeteria owned by one of the potential opponent hey were on a mission hunting do those opposed to the MP’s leadership for the owner of the cafeteria.

The general elections are still five months away, and if the ODM could allow political thuggery of this magnitude in its stronghold area where there is stiff opposition, then this could plunge the country into a distasteful condition of mayhem and anarchy.

There are several dangerous spots inside Luo-Nyanza and Rachuonyo South, particularly in the newly created constituency of Kabondo Kasipul and the older electoral area of Kasipul. Hundreds of goons are roaming menacingly in Oyugis town and its environs.

ODM need to crack its whip and ensure that those its leaders who are conducting the war-like political activities thereby endangering the lives of innocent citizens are banned and barred from contesting the election on its ticket.

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South Sudan bid to join the regional trading bloc is to be deliberated upon in Nairobi by regional leaders late this month

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The Africa’s newest independence state of South Sudan’s bid to join the regional trading bloc will feature prominently at this year’s final East African Community Council of Minister meeting that kicks off in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi from November 19 – to 24.

The decision the Council of Ministers make will then be presented to the Heads of State Summit slated for November 28 in the same venue.

During the last extraordinary summit held in Tanzania in April, the heads of state directed the Council of Ministers to come up with a verification report by November regarding South Sudan request to join the regional bloc.

The presidents had expressed concern about the then conflict between the newly independent South Sudan and its former rule from the north, the Sudan, and urged leaders of the two countries to return to the negotiating table for a peaceful resolution.

According to an article, which is appearing in the current issue of the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN, Tanzania is expected to give its final decision on the admissibility of South Sudan to the EAC following its request in the last Council of Ministers held in Bujumbura in August, that it needed more time for consultation.

Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya gave their consent based on the EAC Verification Committee Report presented to them earlier.

Among the issues that guided their decision are that south Sudan had established mechanisms for ratifications, the and access to international treaties, the country had acceded to UN and AU charters, it had also has been admitted to several regional and international organizations such as IGAD, Nile Basin Initiative and UNESCO.

The heads of states will also be required to make a decision on the jurisdiction 0f the E.A Court of Justice to cover, among others crimes against humanity.

The E.AC J’s extension of jurisdiction came up following pressure piled on Kenya early in the year not to allow four of its citizens facing charges for crimes against humanity to be tried before the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

The heads of states then ordered that the treaty establishing the E.A.J be amended an d that EAC Council of Ministers considers the matter and present the report at the Summit.

They will also be required to make a final ruling on proposals to setup a single customs territory in the region, a common external tariff structure and rules at origin in the community.

Also other related reports originating from the EAC secretariat in Arusha says that Tanzania face regional protest over its proposal to amend the East African Community Treaty. The member state is seeking to overhaul the regional body’s lawmaking process.

The Tanzanian government has been pushing to broaden the role of the EAC Council of Ministers as representatives of partner states in the Community’s legislative process.It also wants the provision that empowers the Council to initiate and submit Bills to the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA] amended.

Tanzania wants the Council to be allowed to approve Bills together with EALA. The proposed amendments first moved in January, have sharply divided an EAC member state which further complicates the region’s integration process.

The Tanzanian government also wants the Council a role created in the regional law-making process for national parliaments. This change would see a Bill introduced to EALA also sent clerks to the national assemblies of partner states for deliberations. The national assemblies shall within a period of three months provide their comments through the clerk, who will then table them before EALA and the Council of Ministers for consideration.

Sources in Arusha say Tanzania’s contentious proposal have divided the partner states into three groups; Rwanda and Burundi are against the proposal, Uganda is partly in support of the move, while Kenya has been silent on the matter.

Rwanda’s Minister for EAC Affairs Monica Mukuruliza said her country does not support Tanzania’s proposals.He Tanzanian counter-part Samuel Sitta defended the proposal, arguing that they would provide for a more workable mechanism where the process of initialing private members Bill becomes more consultative.

”Our idea is not to trim the powers of EALA as is widely misunderstood, but rather to make the process of initialing Bills more consultative would, which would minimize the number of Bills not being assented by E.A.C heads of states,’’ said Minister Sitta.

Critics say Tanzania proposal could cripple the separation of powers among EAC organs. ”The proposals, if passed, would defeat the very proposals of having, EALA as a regional lawmaking body as it would basically become a rubber stamp for the Council’s decisions.” The bid as a direct assault on EALA’s only arena of original and exclusive jurisdiction.

The proposed amendments have prompted EALA to pass a resolution asking EAC member states to reject Tanzania’s proposals. Such a move would fetter the independence of the assembly and in effect sends a negative signal to the community,”said EALA to pass from Rwanda Patricia Hajabakiga.

Ganda said national assemblies should not be involved in the EAC legislative e process.

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Kenya: Awiti is endorsed by Karachuonyo elders to contest the powerful position of Homa-Bay County governor

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town.

The charismatic former Marie Stopie County director Cyprian Otieno Awiti was last weekend unanimously endorse to contest the lucrative and powerful elective position of the Homa-County governor by over 30 elders representing all major sub-clan in Karahuonyo constituency.

The meeting took place last Friday night inside one of the posh hotels in Kendu Bay town. In attendance were over 30 elders representing major sub-clans within Karachuonyo constituency, Rachuonyo North district within Homa-Bay County Major sub-clans represented at the meeting were Konyango, Kanyaluo, Kanyipir, Kakidhimu, Kanam, Kanjira, kanyipir, Kauma, Kotieno, Kogweno, Kogweno-Kobala, Kajiei, Kakwajuok, Karabondi,Wagwe, Kokoth ,Kanjiraand Kawadhigone.

The tentative meeting which started late in the night at about 10 P.M lasted for the whole night ending at about 5 A.M.

The elder said in a statement t the end of the meeting that their action was a good gesture and response in recognition of Awiti’s selfishlessness and massive contributions towards numerous socio-economic development projects within Karachuonyo and beyond.

Awiti is credited as one person who has been traversing the entire Luo-Nyanza while making hefty cash donations for the improvement of educational facilities, health centers and dispensaries, churches, women and youth groups.

Awiti hails from the Eastern part of Karachuonyo constituency in Kobuya sub-clan which is a member of the most populous and influential clan called Kadwet clan, whose members occupies the most part of Central and Eastern Karachuonyo constituency in Rachuonyo North district.

The elders said their action was in line with the famous oldage saying that goes that “Charity Begins at Home””If it was our own wish Awiti should have been elected to be the first governor of the Homa-Bay County under the new constitutional dispensations. He deserves the job taking into account his vast managerial experience and ability’ said Ker Nyandiko Ongadi.

A staunch member of the Roman Catholic church, which is enjoying the largest following in areas like Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and parts of Western and Eastern Kasipul constituency in Rachuonyo South district. ,

Awiti who has worked closely with the church by promoting its activities and church sponsored projects would be difficult and near impossible and perhaps an up-hill task for anyone of those characters challenging for the seat to beat him at the polls.

Going by the arithmetic of voters registration in which the Kasipul-Kabondo had slightly over 65,000 registered voters while the neighboring Karachuonyo constituency had more than 55,000 registered voters, this indicated that the whole for Rachuonyo region had about 115 registered voter. This number is expected to swell upward to about 150,000 as the result of the registrations of voters with new on-going registration exercise for the youths with the new generations national identity cards.

This figure could give twice more than voters expected to be register in all other five parliamentary constituencies that forms the part of the expansive Homa-Bay County. The constituencies include Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa, Rangwe and Homa-Bay Township.

The figures shown above would give Awiti the head-tart and with the majority of voters in Rachuonyo region behind him, the outcome would therefore be in favor of Awiti who is likely to carry the day.

Awiti’s main challenger Phillip Okundi could also be banking on marshaling the support of the two larger sub-clans among the groups that alias themselves Joka-Nyang’ur, which is grouping together the resident of kochia East and Kochia West,Gem East,Gem Central and Gem West Locations in Rangwe constituency because he hails from Kochia West which is part of this historical background. But he h as since lost the backing of the Kanyada group who will in the next elections be voting in the newly created Homa-Bay. Town constituency.

The recent newspapers advertisement announcing for the impending auctioning of some of Eng.Okundi’s properties is likely to have adverse repercussion on his candidature for the Homa-Bay County governor. His rivals are likely to exploit this to the maximum by pinning him down as someone who is heavily indebted and as such incapable of managing his own businesses and properties and therefore cannot be trusted to manage the County resources efficiently a its governor.

Okundi therefore urgently need to do more public relations and damage control exercise to re-brand and market himself a fresh to the electorate.

Other accusation against Okundi came as the result f the recently concluded, but highly controversial Ndhiwa by-elections. The by-election was called to fill the vacant seat left by the late abrasive Ndhiwa MP Joshua Orwa Ojode who died on June 10th together with his boss the former Internal Security Ministe Prof.Geworge Saitoti. Okundi was then the chairman of the ODM board of elections which he had performed poorly in that by- -election which led to his being shown exit-door by the party leadership There were unconfirmed rumors and allegation that Okundi was allegedly favoring one of his campaigners in Kabuoch who eventually emerged the winner of the highly flawed by-election Augustino Neto Oyugi.

Ndhiwa is part of the Homa-Bay County with close to 46,000 registered votes and the voters in this area might rebel against Okundi for his part in the much flawed by-election.

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Kenya: Senior politicians in big shock as they were banned from speaking at the church ceremony in Gunda-Kaswanga in Rusinga Island

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo
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MORE then 30 senior politicians who included several parliamentary and senatorial aspirants who converged at Gunda Kaswanga SDA Church In Rusinga Island left the place shocked and disappointed as all were barred from addressing the colorful church opening ceremony.

The multi-million shillings ultra modern Gunda SDA church, Kaswanga opening was attended by the President of the East African SDA church union. The ceremony had attracted many politicians some of them who drove long distances and all the way from Nairobi to grace the opening ceremony.

Also in attendance was the President of the East African Union of the SDA Church. The ceremony was witnessed by thousands of SDA church adherence’s and faithful, who had also traveled from distant places.

Among the senior politicians who were not allowed to address the occasions included the former MP for Rangwe Phillip Okundi, who Is contesting the Homa-Bay County governor, former Marie Stoppie Country Director Cyprian Otien Awiti, the nominated MP Millie Odhiambo whose home is in Rusinga Island and an aspirant for the Mbita parliamentary seat, Okuku Miregi, a local politician, Owino Ooroand Aduke.

Two prominent women Roselyn Onyuka,Gladys Wanga, they are in the race for Homa-Bay County Women Representative, Ben Odero[Gwasii} Ted Odero {Ndhiwa, Opiata Odero {governor}.

The only senior personality who addressed the gathering was Sammy Wakiaga, the donor who single handedly donated fund for the construction of the ultra modern church, one of its own kind in the region.

The only politician who supported the banning of politicians from addressing the public on such occasion was Ted Odero, an aspirant in Ndhiwa parliamentary seat who said the SDA Church had its own program such occasion and not every Tom, Dick and Harry could not have been allowed to speak at the ceremony.

“Politicians had their own day of polluting and poisoning gatherings and this has been witnessed occasion during funeral gatherings in the region,‘ said Ted Odero when asked for his comment, adding that church meetings cannot be turned into political platforms.

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Kenya: A populist Homa-Bay politician Alila returned home after a month long business trip overseas

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

A prominent Homa-Bay County prominent ODM activist Hilary Ochieng’ Alila jetted back into the country on Thursday morning after being away and missing from the political scene for over one month.

Immediately after his plane touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Alila who had travelled abroad on a business trip issued a stern warning to his only opponent in the contest get prepared for a bruising fight.

His only rival for the Senate seat is the Immigration and registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who is also the incumbent Mbita MP saying he would evict the Minister out of Homa-Bay camp where he has set his new political camp after absconding from his Mbita constituency.”We shall sending him packing and back to Mbita in hasty.

Mbita is where Otieno Kajwang’ belonged therefore it mischievous for him to desert his voters there and take refuge in Homa-Bay town. He had absconded and run away from his Mbita voters after failing to deliver the goods, though he has been an MP there for close to 17 years.

The populist and youthful politician had travelled abroad immediately after successfully campaigning for his friend Augustino Neto Oyugi who the recent by-election during the recently conclude Ndhiwa by-election with the landslide.”This by election has pointed out the new political dimension in the region.”It is now a clear-cut that the electorate are for change, and it is time for the political ”deadhoods” and unproductive leaders to go home and take a rest honorably and respectably,” said Alila who sounded jovially when he phoned this write from the JK Airport on Thursday morning.

Alila also challenged aged and tired politicians to leave the scene for the youthful energetic and focused leaders. He said he was very optimistic of clinching the Homa-Bay seat. The coming weeks will see him extensive tour of all the seven parliamentary constituencies which included Kabondo Kasipul, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Ndhiwa, Gwassi, Mbita.

“As far as the campaign for the Prime minister’s bid for the State House bid, some MPs from Luo-Nyanza have become the biggest liabilities than being assets to the party. The MPs, he added, “spent most of their weekends either drinking in big hotels, or causing chaos and mayhem in funeral homes. Instead of this,he said they should go out visiting out neighboring friendly communities and team up with their counterparts in those areas in lobbying and canvassing for votes for Raila Odinga.

“ We would like to her MPs fro Luo-Nyanza spreading their wings and making in-roads into other regions like Gusii counties, Kericho and Bomet Counties,Naro, Vihiga,Kakamega, Busia, Bungma and Nandi County sharing platforms with their counter-parts from those area while canvassing or votes for or party leader Raila Oding

‘Thee is nothing at stake at funeral gatherings inide Luo-Nyanza, All those I attendance happened to be Luos with unswerving loyalty the ODM and to to the Prime Minister and therefore do not need to be lectured about it. The MP should visit other area and open new fronts instead of polluting and polarizing the Luo-Nyanza,’said Alila.

He promised that with effect from first December he would lead the team of professions and youthful politicians from Nyanza and make extensive tour of other counties outside Nyanza where they will conduct door-to door votes hunting campaign for Raila Odinbga to enable him score a comfortable victory in the presidential election on march 4,2013.

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Kenya: Former Kisumu Town MP Ken Nyagudi is much favored for a triumphant political come back in 2013

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The former MP for Kisumu Town West the Most Rev.Ken Nyagudi could score a surprise as the only former legislator from Luo-Nyanza who is likely to make it back to the august House after the Mach4, 2013.

However, this will be in a different constituency after the recent realignment following the sub-division of his former constituency and the creation of the Kisumu Central.

The new constituency which was created by the IEBC was among those 80 new parliamentary constituencies created by the electoral body and endorsement by an act of parliament. It will be much smaller, only covering the Central Business District{CBD} and peri-urban areas of Nyalnda, Pandpieri, Dunga, Obunga, industrial area, Jua Kali, Kibuye and residential estates of Arina, Ondiek, Lumumba, Shauri Moyo and Kenya Railways quarter.

Large portion of the former Kisumu Town West is now included in the new Kisumu Town West which has also included part of the former Kisumu Rural constituency covering parts of Kisumo East,West and Central rural locations whose the majority of its inhabitants are the indignant people known as Jo-Kisumo.

Rev Nyagudi who has declared his interest in the Kisumu Central had a head-start owing to his good track record when he served as the MP for Kisumu town West between 2002-2007. He Is credited for excellent utilization of government devolved money meant for the development of socio-economic projects. The shoe-shiners shades at the main Kisumu Bus Terminal are some of the living shinning example of its excellent service t the electorate.

Nyagudi, however, will be battling it out with an equally popular, influential and an experienced politician the name of George Kwanya Odidi, the former KFF official in Nyanza a director of the flourishing building construction firm.

Coincidentally Mrs Nagudi is a close relative of Odidi. They both hail from Kanjira sub-clan in Karachuonyo constituency in Homa-Bay County. There the contest is interestingly expected to be the battle of the two in-laws!!

Also rearing to have at shot at the Kisumu Central seat is the heavily moneyed youthful former Nairobi University student Ken Obura.

The youthful aspirant whose father was a elected civic leader in the County Council Kisumu was born in a political house. He is from Kano Kabonyo in Nyando district and he is reported to have graduated from the university in 2010, but already a successful businessman.

Obura is said t have mastered a large following of the electorate, mainly the youth. However, he will have to do a lot of damage control and public relations after one of the newspapers had in the previous weeks reported that he is linked with the TNA-URP. He has since fiercely denied the report and reaffirmed his unswerving loyalty to the ODM.

The Kisumu Central seat has also attracted a party’s inception and currently operating her businesses mainly in Nairobi.

Also in the race for the Kisumu Central seat as the youthful entrepreneur Abdul Khadir Omar who is running and managing flourishing motor vehicles spare parts in the City’s Industrial / Jua Kali area under the business flagship of “Duba Shop”.

Al the five aspirants are member of the ODM and will be battling for the party’s ticket during the preliminary nomination slated for December / January. Whoever sail through at the primary will automatically be the next MP or Kisumu Central due to the heavy concentration of ODM members in this newly created parliamentary constituency, which is a cosmopolitan in the true sense of the word because the winner will be representing a multi-ethnic residents of Kisumu town .

The electorate in this constituency include Indians, Luos,Arabs,Luhyias,Kisiis,Somalis. However, Rev Ken Nyagudi is considered like someone whose leadership has been tested and therefore he stand a better chance of beating his rivals with a large margin of votes.

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Kenya: A sugar cane farmer joins the race for the newly created Awendo parliamnetary season in Miugori

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The newly created Awendo parliamentary electoral constituency has attracted another parliamentary hopeful whose candidature is so unique and likely to attract members of the sugar cane farming fraternity.

He is the 42 year-old Seth Odiwuor Okoth who apart from being an accountant by profession is also a prominent sugar cane farmer within the locality.

Photo of Mr. Seth Odiwuor Okoth, a parliamentary hopefull for the newly created Awendo constituency seat in Migori County

Born in 1970 in Rabuor Kogelo in what used to be Sakwa East Location within Migori County, Okoth received his early education at Rabuor Primary School before proceeding to Kamagambo High School. He joined the Moi Institute of Technoo0gy{MIT} in Rongo and enrolled in the accountancy studies and later studied accountancy in Nyeri and wound up at Kimathi Institute of Advance Technology from where he proceeded to the prestigious Hong Kong University.

This is the University when he encountered some problems with the Hong Kong Immigration authorities forcing him to cut short his study tour and returned home his happened at the time when he had already enrolled for a law degree course

Despite of the shortcomings, Okoth finalized his CPA 11 and later completed CPA11.A staunchest ++ supporter of the ODM, the aspirant until last month was the Rongo district branch treasurer of the party. He only relinquished his position the other day after realizing that he was going to contest.

Okoth ‘s candidature is so unique that he is the only a farmer-cum-politician who is the race contesting a parliamentary seat and an area which forms the better ray hope to cane growers in the region that this time around thee will be some who will be tackling their problems t the highest level.

.Other aspirants are people who have excelled in other fields and professionals. They are well established in big job either with the government of parastatals and quasi government organizations.
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Peaking during an exclusive interview this writer, Okoth decried what he termed as the row deal the cane farmers were getting from sugar millers who cares very little about the cane farmer’s predicament. As a farmer, he has gained a lot of experience and well versed how the cane farmers, were being mistreated impoverished and enslaved by unscrupulous millers who makes huge profit from their sweats.

Awendo constituency is one of the 80 constituencies which were recently created by IEBC and approved by Parliament. It was curved out of the old Rongo constituency. It has also attracted other aspirants who include Fred Otieno Kopiyo who is the Principal of Gamba Secondary School, John Owuor who the Personal Assistant to the Minister for Public Service Dr and others.

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Kenya: Kipsigis people did not approve Ruto-Kenyatta alliance and still maintain that Raila is the right man for the presidency

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

SOME of the amorphous tribally driven political alliances being formed specifically with one simple agenda; that of how prevent the Prime Minister Raila Odinga from succeeding President Mwi Kibaki as the next President of the Republic are likely to be fizzled out even long before the next poll slated for March 4, 2013.

The residents of this rich tea growing region have become increasingly weary of the anti-Raila sentiments, and wee now demanding that the anti-Raila elements should be clear in their campaign agenda.”They should tell us what they intend to do for Kenyans instead of filling the air with anti-Raila empty political slogans and rhetoric’s,” remarked a prominent politician in Bureti district J.L Ng’eno.

A leading KANU politician in Kipsigis land William Kipkemoi Arap Kettienya has cautioned his community to aware and move cautiously about the numerous tribally oriented political alliances. ’These alliances, he said could be recipe to chaos and mayhem.”

The common belief of many people in this region is that some monetary interests has driven politicians are the one who have of late ditched the ODM and crossed to form amorphous alliances with wealthy politicians from other region.

Unfortunately those forming alliance don’t go back home and inform their people what such alliances entail to their communities. It is the question of serving selfish interest. And this is one of the reasons why they have decamped from the ODM in the recent past sought for green pasture in other parties, which are led by wealthy politicians from other regions.

Another prominent Kipsigis politician who has requested that his name should not be mentioned predicted that “As soon as the campaign resources, which are said to be n abundant supplies in the TNA-URP alliance dries up,’Our people will begin running back to the ODM, which I believe is the only.”

During my numerous interviews with the leading personalities and residents of this rich tea growing region of Kericho and Bomet Counties, I gathered some vital information which are clearly indicating that despite of the intensive heat of mid-slinging campaign against Raila Odinga mounted by some Kalenjn MPs aligned to the Eldoret North MP William Ruto, the Prime Minister is still the darling of the majority of the Kipsigis people.

The community is not comfortable with the political alliance an coalition TNA_URP, but the people here are willing t vote for Ruto if he is contesting the presidential seat alone on his own on URP party ticket.

The people of this region, which is part of the expansive Rift Valley Province, are not comfortable with Ruto-Kenyatta alliance as simple mischievous and political sell-out. They are viewing such an alliance as it seeks to sideline other Kenyan communities from the mainstream of national politics in the country and as such could be recipe to chaos and mayhem.

I also discovered that the normal quiet UDM party which is led by the retiree former Dept CGS Lt.Gen {rtd}.John Arap Koech, who is himself a highly respected Kipsigis personality is the second most preferable political movement after the ODM. What the UDM must do in order to build its credibility is put its grass root structures on the ground. It should conduct its grass rot election and set in motion its activities in the region.

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KENYA: WILD ANIMALS VISITED MESTERIEES AND BROUGHT HAVOC TO THE LIVES OF KENYANS AS LEOPARD AND HYENAS FEASTED ON SHEEP AND GOATS WHILE A WOMAN IS DEVOURED BY A CROCODILE.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The last two weeks witnessed the unusually intensified worsening of wildlife / human relations in many parts of Kenya.

Two families of famers in Kiambu County lost 200 graded sheep to wild dogs while in Narok County another farmer is counting his loses after hyenas and leopards feasted on his goats and sheep numbering 110 and worth millions of shillings.

The official of the Kenya Wildlife Service disputed the figures and numbers of animals killed, but made it clear that there will be no compensation payment to the farmer who incurred the heavy loses. The KWS argued the new Act [law][which proposed the compensation to those hurt or killed by animals was still pending before parliament and as such there can be no compensation.

In the small town of Mwatate in the Taita-Taveta County in the Coast Province a herd of buffaloes have imposed a dawn- to -dusk curfew on the villagers who were now living in fear of being attacked and killed by the fiercest African buffaloes.

The herds estimated to be numbering about 30 acre believed to have strayed in the village from the nearby Tsavo West National game Park. Two weeks ago the villagers and the game warden from the KW killed eleven. It was the meat feasting time as the villagers scrambled for the carcasses of the dead beasts.

This is also an area where a month ago herds of elephants had killed three people forcing the KW to use helicopters, trucks and aero plane to drive the Jumbos back to the park. The residents have appealed to the KWS officials to driver the buffaloes back to the park because thee animals have stopped their children from going to school as they roam menacingly from one village to the other charging at anyone on sight.

The logistics of driving the fiercest African buffaloes back to the park could prove to be nightmarish and could not the same like what happened wit the herd’s elephants which politely moved out on hearing the sounds of guns and helicopters. The buffaloes are the most feared wild animals as

In Kiambere in Eastern Province, a Nile crocodile killed a 65 year old woman as she fetched fr water t the Kiambere dam. The incident took place at about 10 AM in the morning. By yesterday the KWS officials were still combing the dam in search of the body of the woman. This is also the same spot where two months ago a 16 year old pregnant school girl was killed by the crocodile. The KWS game wardens were also still hunting for the reptile with intention of shooting to death.

In the Lakeside City of Kisumu herds of Hippos have invaded large acres of maize fields and cassava plantation. The farms areas lying west of the City in Obambo are which is about 8 to 10 kilometers from the City Central Business District {CBD}. Fears now persist that residents of the affected villages might face famine. It is an area which is densely populated and as things stands, the farmers will have nothing to take home at the harvesting time.

Kenya is leading other African nations in East Africa for its wildlife conservations. It has established wildlife sanctuaries and national game parks and reserves

Kenya is also the leading tourist’s destination in the region. The tourist visits its game parks and other sceneries as well as the pre-historic sites.

However, the future of tourism as leading earner of foreign exchange running into billions of dollars seemed to be rather bleak following the recent influx of greedy and shroud Chinese businessmen illegally dealing in Ivory.

The country Jumbo population is now facing serious .The police have unearthed secret illegal consignment of Ivory being smuggled out of the country almost on daily basis.

The favorite tourist attractions included national game parks and reserves, the country’s beautiful coastline beaches, lodges and luxurious hotels established in the National parks

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Kenya: Dr Machage’s set conditions for crossing into ODM is vehemently rejected by Migori County politicians

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AN ATTEMPT BY FOUR MPS FROM MIGORI COUNTY TO HAVE ALL THE ELECTIVE POSITIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY SHARED PROPORTIONATELY BETWEEN LUO AND KURIA HAVE RUN INTO BIG TROUBLE.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Migori Town.

The power sharing plan brokered by four Members of Parliament fro Migori County without involving the entire ODM members are reportedly to have run into big trouble.

The politician appeared have agreed that all the elective positions must be contested in a democratic manner with no seats to be reserved for any particular community.

The proposal is said to have been endorsed and sanctioned by the ODM party leader Raila Odinga during his tour of Kuria two weeks ago. Raila, however, made no public formal announcement and is said to have steered clear of the issue.

On of the Kuria ODM leader J.M Magaiwa who is the current ODM party Migori County branch chairman had requested that the Senate seat be preserved for him that the party should give a direct nomination as one way of securing the Kurias votes for Raila’s presidential bid.

The issue has since degenerated a lot of controversies and threatening to tear the ODM support apart in the region . Politicians inside the Luo side of the County have faulted the PM arguing that such issue amounted to forcing unpopular in the voters.

Moreover, they argued, there is no ODM branches or offices established n the region and which are formally operating inside the two districts of Kuria East and West and as such it would be a mockery to the tenets of democratic principles t offer one member from the region such coveted position in a silver plate..

The four MP who are said to have called a m secret meeting in Nairobi which deliberated on the contentious issue included Dalmas Oteno {Rongo] John Pesa {Migori} Edick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike} and Cyprian Omolo [Uriri}.

During the PM tour The Kuria MP Dr Walter Machage was asked by Raila to cross over to the ODM, but the legislator who is also an Assistant Minister in the coalition government an a member of the PNU told the Prime Minster his face that he would not move to the ODM until certain conditions were met. These include the promise that the marginalized minority communities within Migori County will be taken care of as far County governance is concerned.

It as the been resolve that a task force committee should be formed by the MPs to map out how the plan and strategies on how the organized communities would be accommodate in the County governance in Migori could be accommodated into the ODM.

It is being rumored that Dr.Machage had given the ODM big-wigs condition that he was willing to join the party on condition that he would be given direct nomination as the next Migori County Senator, and that the MPs have been arms-twisting ODM leaders and supporters to succumb Dr.Machage’s condition.

The common pinion is that such an arrangement encourages tribalism in ODM. It has sidelined other inhabitant of the County such as Luhyias, Kisiis Maragolis, Suba and Somalis.

The Migori County Senate seat has attracted quite a god number of well established politicians from the Luo side of the County whose campaign trail had already ht the ground. They included the former Mathare MP Gilbert Ochieng; Mbeo, former Homa-Bay MP Phares Oluoch Kanindo,

The two have been on the campaign trail for last two years ,and might not accept any move to sideline them. The idea and move has elicited a lot of jittery in and altered the tempo of Migori County politics as the majority of the residents are willing to accommodate a Kuria representative into a position of the deputy governor respectively as one way of power-sharing arrangement. They are vehemently opposed to the idea of anybody getting direct nomination by the ODM without going through the process of open election contest.

Other have been heard saying that they would accept Mr Magaiwa the ODM boss to be elected the Senator, but not Dr.Machage whom they seemed not to trust and whose politics appeared to have been somehow retrogressive and parochial.

It would an up-hill task for Raila to market Machage to the Luo voters as he is perceived to be a hostile neighbor, while Magaiwa is seen as a moderate and a cohesive person who can work with the rest harmoniously.

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Kenya: President Obama’s 91 year old Kenyan grand mother is taken ill after prolonged days and night of election victory dances and celebrations

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WRITES Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

For the third nights celebrations festivities coupled with excessive feasting on meat of the four slaughtered fat huge bulls unlimited supplies of beer, other alcoholic beverage and soft drinks, music and all sorts of traditional dances and songs, the US President Barrack Obama’s 91-year-old granny was taken ill.

Mama Sarah Obama who has defied her advanced age and kept nights of vigil sine Monday while anxiously waiting to hear the fate of grandson ‘s re-election without sleep was on Thursday evening taken ill and hospitalized.

Family sources said she needed a minor surgery on her hand. The operation which took an hour-long was conduct at Bama Hospital in Siaya town about 10 kilometers away from her Alego-Kogelo Nyang’oma home.

Doctors at the hospital confirmed that the granny was driven into the facility by her son Said Obama in the company of her daughter Massat Obama at about 6.30 PM [local Kenyan time].

After the successful operation which last or an hour Mama Sarah Obama was driven back tom her Kogelo village home where she is currently recuperating.Her condition was said to be stable, though the doctors who carried out the surgery declined to divulge more details about her ailment.

Impeccable sources told this writer that the pain in Mama Sara Obama’s hand may have been triggered by dancing and wielding here walking [support} stick for long dancing celebrating her grandson Obama’s poll victory in the just ended US Presidential elections.

But the celebrations continue uninterrupted because the huge crowd of relatives, friend and well wishers who had converged in Kogelo was not immediately informed that Mama Sarah had been taken ill and the dancing continued unabated.

Said Obama hinted that the family was planning a trip to the US to join President Obama in celebrating his election victory.

The 91-year-old Obamas’s step grand mother’s health has of late been subject to a lot of speculations and rumors. Earlier this year, she spent several days at the Aga Khan hospital in Kisumu City where she was treated for undisclosed ailment.

She was at one time involved in a motor accident, but escaped with shock and minor injuries after her care skidded and rolled several time on the Kisumu-Siaya road.

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KENYA: THE INTRODUCTION OF STEVIA, THE SWEETENING PLANT MAY SPELL DOOM TO THE EVER AILING SUGAR INDUSTRY IN KENYA.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

A Malaysia-based firm is reported to have acquired a license to expand stevia cultivation in, giving more farmers an opportunity to trade with the European Union market.

Stevia is a sweetening plant and its introduction into Kenya market as one of the cash crops with agro-based industry would definitely spell doom for the sugar industry. It is used as a sweetens in place of sugar, especially in the cases of patients suffering from acute diabetes.

The National Environment Management Authority {NEMA} and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate {Kephis} have allowed Pure Circle to expand its reach to Narok, Laikipia, Meru, Bungoma and Uasin Gishu Counties.

This news comes in the wake of the revelation that one of the multinational companies operating Kericho County has been carrying out the experiment of stevia cultivation large and commercial scale in areas lie Fort-Tennan, Koru, and Muhoroni for a couple of years and that it is only a matter of time before the breakthrough is made public.

‘After success in growing stevia through numerous small scale and a few commercial farmers in Kericho, Bureti and Bomet. The company is reportedly looking for commercial farmers, agents, companies or investors to partner with in this expansion program, ”Pure Circle Kenya said in a notice recently posted to media houses

The firm’s expansion comes a year after the EU the use of stevia as natural sweetener. Agriculture in Kenya were recently quoted as saying that a crop cleared by regulators may be planted anywhere according to the specifications of the license since the country is not zoned for particular economic activities.

“We have lately thought of regulating introduction of emerging crops, but the policy we have is still in draft form.’ The crops director in the Ministry o Agriculture Johnson Runngu was quoted as having said this.’

Irungu told the Business Daily a publication of the Nation Media Group of newspapers that local farmers have tried with the limited successes to venture into stevia production for export to the US where multinational soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola have for five years used the herb to appeal to health conscious consumers in the West.

A number of consumers in the West have increasingly turned to stevia a natural alternative to sugar, to manage conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

In Kenya, the commercial cultivation of the crop began in 2008 when the Malysia-based firm set u p local subsidiary to take advantage of market opening in the US. Kenya earned USD 50 million from stevia last year.

The new license is expected to spark off competition in land use. The Counties where is set to be introduced are already known for tea, coffee ,sugar cane, tobacco, wheat, barley and maize and dairy farming.

“We are not cuttings and training advising farmers to uproot other crops to plant stevia, but only unused part of their farms, which should not exceed one third of the total farm size ‘ the Pure Circle general manage in Kenya Piryanko Chatterjee..

‘The firm has been providing the new recruits with stevia cuttings and training campaign that has since yield more than 300 farmers-owned nurseries locally. The company has also signed an Kshs 84 million financing deal with two micro-financiers where some 2,200 farmers two year payback, low interest rates and a guarantee that deductions do not exceed 30 per cent of gross revenue.

Under the previous arrangement with the Agricultural Finance Corporation{AFC}to boost the commercial production of the crop, a farmer with half an acre or more was advance Kshs 25,000 for buying fertilizer or dying tables.

Coordinator at the NETWORK for the Ecofarming in Africa [ NECOFA} a community-based organization working 300 stevia farmers in the Rift Valley 4xplains that an acre yields three tones of leaves per year.

With the local price of Khs 100 per kilogram,a farmer gross annual revenue is Kshs 300,000 out of which Kshs.60.000 covers the cost of used and applied farm input.

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KENYA & USA: IT WAS AN ECSTATIC MOMENTS IN NYANG’OMA ALEGO KOGELO VILLAGE AS PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA KENYAN FAMILY AND RELATIVES AS THEY RECEIVED THE NEWS OF HIS ELECTION VICTORY IN THE US.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Nyang’oma Kogelo Village.

It was indeed an ecstatic moments for the thousands of enthusiastic Kenyans who had gathered in Nyang’oma Trading Center, and also at the Obama family home on Tuesday morning Siaya County while anxiously awaiting for the US Presidential election results.

Carrying twigs, seats and traditional clubs the huge and enthusiastic crowd burst into loud songs. They danced in rows of youth, women an elderly people. They were joined by President Obama’s 90 year old

Those who had kept vigil and slept in the open and braved the heavy down-pour as the rains pounded the area at the market place . They burst into song and danced, while heaping a lot of the US President as they matched toward the Obama’s family home with songs.

This prompted the overjoyed 90-year old Obama’s step grand mother Mama Sarah Obama to jump up on her feet and joined the dancers. They song {Wan wadhi Ka Sarah wan wadhi rwakoObama”}. Loosely translating “We are heading for Mama Sarah’s home to welcome Obama”.

The song and noisy sounds even awoken those who had already retired to bed at the nearby Kogelo Resort jumped out of their sleep. Earlier on the anxiety had gripped the KOgelo village when the results from Kentucky indicated Romney was leading. Some of the hotel guest slipped back into their room and went sleep in protest.

But all of a sudden they rushed back to the venue in thud and even the boda boda motorbike taxis riders roared back to the center to celebrate the victory when the news came thro8gh the huge TV screen, some women screamed and other even shade tears in joy.

This followed a call by a friend of the Obamas who phoned from the US to break the news.The caller called the proprietor of the Kogelo Resort Mr. Nicholas Rajula who is a cousin of Obama to beak the good news..The news was greeted with sounds of vuvuzelas, blowing of motor vehicle horns and all sort of noisy making musical instruments.

Rajula immediately announced that they would slaughter four more bulls for the crowd to feast on as their morning breakfast!!.

Braving the torrential rains the villagers and visitors danced to the tone of the numerous music including live bands and Ohangla

Batteries of international and local journalists took their positions to monitor celebrations in this tiny village that transformed in the last four years

Addressing newsmen Mama Sarah Obama attributed her step-grand son’s election victory in the US to “Humility and the grace of God helped Barrack Obama win the hotly contested election.”

The grand old granny who kept vigil for the last two nights ever since Monday thanked the American voters for giving her grandson another chance to lead them.

She said there were many people who are perhaps ten times better than Obama, but it was God’s will that he gets the second term.

“I knew he was going to win. We are happy for the victory and we are embracing everyone who visits our home.” she said as women and youth danced in groups.

“My grandson is loving and down to earth. I am asking him to work hard for the people ho voted for him and his opponent Mitt Romney also should consider working with him.” She said, adding that I prayed hard for his victory, because this time around he was competing against very tough opponent.’

Asked by newsmen if she would be travelling the US to witness President Obama inauguration as she did the previously, Mama Sarah shouted , “To bende nanyalo dong {How can I remain behind”}

Mama Sarah expressed her heartfelt thanks to those who have been keeping vigil in the village and in her home following the development via Television Screens sets mounted around and wished them safe journey back to their homes.

For the first time, the Kenyan police officers who have always received order of vetting who to be allow into Mama Sarah’ home on Tuesday morning allowed jovial villagers into the home to celebrate the much awaited victory with Mama Sarah and her immediate family members and relatives inside her compound which has remained heavily guarded ever since the threat of the Alqaeda backed Al-Shabaab in the neighboring Somalia.On the burning issue of President Obama not having considered Kenya a country where he had a family root for a visit Mama Sarah defended her grandson saying he has always been busy working for the people who voted or him.

Unlike in the previous occasion President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and the prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga who is a distance of the Obama immediately appeared in most of the local Television stations in Kenya and promptly offered their congratulations to President Obama in his election victory.

In his message President Kibaki said the re-election was a re-affirmation of the confidence of the Americans to you for your well deserved victory, I commend the American people for showing their confidence in your leadership.

On behalf of the government, the people of Kenya and on my own behalf, I convey our congratulations to you, for your well deserved victory. Kenya, as always, is proud of our association with you. We look forward to deepening of relations between our two countries, during your second term in office.

IN his message the Prime Minister for Kenya Minister Raila Amolo Odinga sent congratulated President Obama. He said Obama had electrified the world with his re-election, something that ha made Africa and Kenya in particular proud.

“It is a tribute to the people of the United States that they have re-elected an African American President amid an immensely trying economic environment that would have tested any incumbent.’”It is therefore also a message of congratulations from Kenya’;s Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and several cabinet Ministers, MPs and leader from all walks of life.

However, the big question which appeared to be in the lips of the many senior African diplomats in Nairobi and elsewhere is “what President Obama re-election meant to the world in general and African continent in particular.

Sub-Saharan Africa has only received one cursory trip from Obama during his first term. So how much will change in President Obama’s second term? That question was, perhaps understandably, barely mentioned in an election campaign that focused on pressing US domestic issues and the Arab uprisings.

The start o Obama’s second term is likely to b preoccupied with more of the same international efforts to remove Al-Qaeda linked rebel from the north of Mali and efforts to ensure that Zimbabwe and Kenya avoid repeating the violence that wrecked their last election.

So far there is no sign of a “grand Obama Doctrine for Africa and perhaps that’s a good thing, given the diversity and complexity of the continent, Obama has left to others to warn about the danger posed by insatiable China, but the second term may give him an opportunity to move away fro preoccupation with war on terror and focusing the broader issues- trade in particular that he raised thee years ago in China,”Commented the Kenyan popular daily The STANDARD’.

Ends

KENYA & USA: THE FAMILY AND RELATIVES OF THE US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN KENYA HAVE EXPRESSED HIGH HOPE THAT HE WILL EMERGE THE WINNER IN THE NOVEMBER 6, 2013 ELECTIONS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The on going UAS election fever appeared to has hit family members and relatives of the US President Barrack Obama back in their rural native home in Alego Kogelo,Siaya County in Western Kenya.

Family members and relatives last weekend gathered in the homestead around Malik Abong’o Obama, the US President elder brother who told newsmen that the family has been following the American presidential debate keenly I the count-down to November 6 elections.

“We have been watching how debate has been unfolding and we are sure Obama will emerge the winner in the elections,” he said during the press briefing at his Kogelo home.

Abong’o expressed confidence that his brother will emerge victorious” because his four year leadership has helped to transform America,” he said adding that the majority of US citizens supports Obama’s candidature.

Malik disclosed that the family will host a major party in their home if Obama gets re-elected for a second term.

Another close relative of the Obama, the Siaya nominated Councilor Nicholas Rajula said the once sleepy and dusty Kogelo village will be transformed into the economic hub of Siaya County if Obama wins,

IT was Nicholas Rajula who led the delegation of family members to Washington D.C during President Obama inauguration in 2009, and ever since then Kogelo Nyang’oma village and market place has witnessed rapid development activities which included two medium size hotels, an ultra modern guest house for tourists accommodations, the construction of the community center and many modern shopping premises have sprung up, water and electricity supplies, construction of new road and many other economic activities.

Rajula further disclosed that plans are underway to mount a giant TV screen in Kogelo to enable Obama relatives, supporters and admirers back home in the village to follow the US elections.

However, there was a small hitch when it was learnt that members of the press were not allowed to access the home of President Obama step grand mother Mama Sarah Obama’s home.

Her security details said a directive to barring the press from entering into the home had come fro the US Embassy in Nairobi. It bars the media interviewing the 90 year old granny.

Rajula said,”I have asked her daughter if she can allow to interview Mama Sarah Obama.but she said there is a sanctions from the US Embassy in Nairobi.

A US Embassy official had visited the Obama homestead four days earlier on a private mission for a meeting in which the press and local security officers were also locked out.

The new men and media fraternity viewed this action of barring the pres from access the grand old granny’s home as an exercise of excessive arrogance.

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KENYA & USA: IT WAS AN ECSTATIC MOMENTS IN NYANG’OMA ALEGO KOGELO VILLAGE AS PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA KENYAN FAMILY AND RELATIVES AS THEY RECEIVED THE NEWS OF HIS ELECTION VICTORY IN THE US.

KENYA & USA: THE FAMILY AND RELATIVES OF THE US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN KENYA HAVE EXPRESSED HIGH HOPE THAT HE WILL EMERGE THE WINNER IN THE NOVEMBER 6, 2013 ELECTIONS.