Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

KENYA: NDHIWA RESIDENTS EMBROILED IN TENTATIVE BEHIND THE SCENE CONSULTATIONS AND BRAINSTORMING OVER THE SEARCH FOR OJODE’S REPLACEMENT IN PARLIAMENT.

News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town

The death in a chopper last Sunday has robbed the Ndhiwa constituents hardworking MPs who has turned around the hitherto most backward rural constituency into an ultra modern areas in the greater Southern Nyanza region.

Tentative plans are arrangement to have the departed soul of the abrasive MP buried at his palatial home in Unga, Kanyamwa in Ndhiwa district on Sunday. The high profile funeral is expected to attract one of the biggest gatherings in the region, which could only be in comparison to that of the world most acknowledged polygamist the late Asentus Akuku Ogwela {Dengerman} which took place in the same constituency two years ago.

While sending his heartfelt condolence to the family of Ojode, who died while serving as an Assistant Minister for Internal Security and Provincial Administration, an ODM operative who is also candidate aspiring for the Senate Representative of Homa-Bay County, Hilary Ochieng’ Alila appealed to the electorates in Ndhiwa to search and vote only for a visionary leader,but not a common heckler armed with fake academic certificate.

Alila said the next parliament will have no room or politically mediocre with no proper educational background. The next Mp must emulate Ojode and ensure that all the socio-economic projects initiated by Ojode were completed in time.

Ojode set a wonderful example of dedicated services to the constituents,making Ndhiwa to be he role model of massive development in the region.

Meanwhile tentative behind the scene consultations are gong on in both Ndhiwa and Nairobi where the constituents are said to be brainstorming while searching for a possible replacement of Ojode, signifying an early campaign to start in earnest.

Several names are being fronted and floated by the residents as the possible successor o Orwa Ojode.

One of them men is the youthful graduate Jeremiah Owiti. The latter who hails from Kanyidoto location is working with an international NGO in Nairobi. He contested in the 2007, but lost to Ojode during the ODM preliminaries.

Owiti who is commonly known to his peers as “Jero” is a popular aspirant within the locality.

And he is credited for having actively involved in most of the socio-economic projects donating generously.

Another personality in Ndhiwa who is considered as the most suitable replacement for Ojode is the outspoken marine expert working in both Kisumu and Mwanza Ted Odero who hails from the populous and votes rich Kabuoch Location in Riana Division, Ndhiwa constituency.

Odero had indicated earlier that he would challenge Ojode a couple of months ago when he declared hi candidature for the Ndhiwa parliamen6ary seat. He is said to have been in good working terms with the deceased an also said to be a friend of the ODM leader Raila Odinga who I the Prime Minister.

Also considered for possible successor of Ojode is a young veterinary scientist who used to work with ILRAD in both Ethiopia an Kenya Dr Edward Rege. He is the younger step-brother to the incumbent Karachunyo MP Eng.James K Rege.

Dr Rege is Ojode’s immediate neighbor at Unga village in Ndhiwa, Kanyamawa and is credited or having contributed a lot toward cultural and sporting activities in Ndhiwa as well as financially supporting socio-economic project in the constituency.

Another name which is being floated is that of Luis Otieno, a cousin of the late Ojode. Luis is the eldest son of Matthew Otieno Ogingo who had served as a two times Ndhiwa MP. He is a senior manager with Microsoft Computer International for African region based in Nairobi.Ogingo at one time served in the Moi KANU regime as an Assistant Minister and also represented Kenya in the defunct Central Legislative Council of the defunct first East African Community in the late 1960s.{now East African Legislative Assembly}.

Ogingo and the late Ojode are cousins. Their fathers Ogingo Oteno, and the late Michael Ojode Otieno are brothers. Therefore Luis Otieno stand will earn a lot of sympathy votes from the electorate, especially from those sympathetic to the Ojode family over his tragedy and untimely death in a chopper crash.

The former Ndhiwa MP Tom Okello Obondo ho of late is said to have been warming up to the ODM party and its leadership. He is also said to be planning for a political come back. He has remained in the political limbo ever since he was defeated by Or Ojode for the same seat in 1974 after he had defected from Ford –Kenya back to KANU.

Another Nairobi based businessman whose name is also making he round and also being mentioned as a possible contestant is the flamboyant Tom Otieno Alila who is an official of the KFF representing Nyanza Province.Alila, however, has yet to indicate his interest in the vacant seat, perhaps would make his position clear after the mourning period of the late Ojode are over.

Also expected to be in the race is the perennial Ndhiwa election loser and the self-styled ODM coordinator in Nyanza Mrs Monica Amolo.She was a candidate in 2007 but lost to Ojode with a large margin of 12,000 votes against Ojode’s 48,000, She of late been facing series of accusations and allegation of bad-mouthing fellow politicians in the larger Homa-Bay County.

It is further being allege that Monica Amolo is always heard while bragging in private to be the one who having the ears of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. However, her popularity appeared to have waned and diminished in the recent past and are the lowest ebb. She hails from Kanyikela Location near Rapedhi SDA mission.

Issues which are likely to surface during the next include clan’s politics. Ndhiwa constituency is made up of several major and smaller communities, the most populous being the Jo-Kabuoch group, followed by their cousins the Jo-Kanyamwa, and other small sub-clans such as Kanyikela, Kanyidoto, Kwabwayi, Koguta, Kaguria and Komenya campaign.

There are also minor immigrant clans such as Kajulu, Kadhola and those originally migrated from the Suba communities Suba During his tenure of office which lasted for close to 16 years Orwa Ojode had neutralized all kinds of clan politics in the region and united the constituents who worked together. This is how the faster development has been achieved within the brief spell of time.

If the arithmetic and statistics of the registered voters is anything to go by, then Ted Odero stands a better chance of clinching the Ndhiwa seat, but this political scenario could only be witnessed if this time around the Kabuoch group can produce only one aspirant.

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Ugandans living in South Africa have petitioned President Zuma to stop selling arms to Museveni

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A group of Ugandans living in South Africa have petitioned their host country’s President Jacob Zuma, urging him to, among many other things, end South Africa’s arms exports to Uganda.

The message is contained in the latest news posted to the website by the Uganda Correspondent website quoting its sources in South Africa

In the memorandum dated June 8, 2012, which Uganda Correspondent has seen, the signatories William Kyazze and Timothy Mugerwa, who represent an organisation called ‘Human Rights Voice International’ said they wanted to bring what they called “the brutality of the Ugandan regime” to the attention of the South African government and urge it to “reconsider” its relations with President Yoweri Museveni.

The memorandum reads: “…The prevailing human rights abuses by the government of Uganda have worsened since the 11th April 2011, when Ugandans embarked on the walk-to-work campaign to express their demands for respect of human rights.

The response by Uganda government has been that of systematic and consistent brutality on unarmed vulnerable citizens, with the help of some of the arms and armoured vehicles purchased from South Africa.

Arbitrary arrests, torture and death of opposition supporters, harassment of opposition leaders and intimidation of the general population by the police and military forces are daily occurrences. Media groups, both the local and international, have been at the receiving end too.

All this state brutality using the police and military forces has been widely covered by both the Ugandan and international media as well as many human rights organisations. This was also brought to your attention in a petition handed to your office in May last year by the Uganda Civil Alliance Network (UCAN).

Furthermore, this brutality has had the consequence of increased influx of Ugandan refugees into South Africa, thereby having a ripple effect on this country’s residents, politically, socially and economically. Sometimes the Department of Home Affairs officials have tended to misread the Ugandan situation when dealing with Ugandan asylum seekers but the reality is that the situation in the country is forcing many Ugandans to flee their country.

Though the country holds elections, Ugandans have lost faith in them under the current arrangement as they are mainly an exercise to put a face to the country’s dictatorship and do not express the true will of the people as has been shown by instability following the previous elections.”

The memorandum, issued to coincide with President Museveni’s visit to South Africa, then ends with a request to President Jacob Zuma to take action on a number of issues and says:

“…Your Excellency, as the leader of South Africa, a modern democratic and human rights respecting country, whose democratic principles are underpinned by Human Dignity, Equality and Freedom, we Ugandans wish to emulate these principles in our country, Uganda.

3.1. Your Excellency, we would appreciate if you would address the issue of human rights abuses carried out by the Uganda police and military forces, with President Museveni.

3.2. We request the South African government through you to urgently reconsider/revise its foreign policy and approach when dealing with the government.

3.3. We request that you put a stop to the sale of arms from this country to Uganda because of the misery these arms visit on ordinary Ugandans through the havoc they wreck.

3.4. We request that you review the training of the current Ugandan military personnel in this country.

3.5. We request that under the prevailing situation in Uganda, Ugandan political asylum seekers should be dealt with in relation to the existing brutal political situation in the country.”

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Egyptian entrepreneur to establish new multi-billion sugar mill in Tanzania

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

An Egyptian entrepreneur plans to inject at least Tshs 396 billion {USD 200 million} into a sugar plantation and processing factory at a location near the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam.

Egyptian African Company for Investment and Development revealed it plans to acquire a plantation of between 10,000 acres and 20,000 acres in Rufiji, some 100 kilometers from Dar Es Salaam.

The company’s chairman Mostafa EL Ahwal said last week that the company expects to produce the first consignment of white sugar in the year 2014. The plantation in Rufiji, under Agro Forest Plantation Limited, will produce 500 tones to 750 tones of sugar per day translating into at least 120,000 tones of sugar per annum. This output is expected to help reduce the country’s reliance on sugar imports and bring prices down.

Tanzania is however, currently experiencing sugar glut with the sugar Board of Tanzania saying it has 460,000 tones of sugar, local demand is 380,000 metric tones per year.

Despite the increase in supply prices are still high at between Tshs 2,000 {USD 1.27} and Tshs 2,500 {USD 1.59} per kilogramme. The high prices have been attributed to factors such as transport and importation costs. Unreliable power supply and rising fuel costs, both major inputs in the manufacture of sugar, have also contributed to the high costs.

The increased production should also see Tanzania export more sugar as none of the East African Community member countries Is currently self sufficient in sugar production while the demand for the product continues to rise.

The entry of the Egyptian firm is the latest in a string of investments from the North African nation in Tanzania. Egypt Air recently resumed flights to Tanzania. The local project co–coordinator for Agro-Forest Plantation Ltd, Kiondo Mahanya, said that the focus of sugar production would include the smallholder farmers.

Tanzania may witness unprecedented levels of investment in the future because the regime in Egypt considers Africa a priority,” said the Egyptian ambassador to Tanzania HOSSAM Moharam.

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Kenya: Researcher expresses fears about the dwindling stocks of fish in Lake Victoria following industrial pollution and hyacinth weeds

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

FISH stocks in Lake Victoria have reduced so much to a near depletion, according to the latest research finding.

Dr Juma Jembe a researcher working with the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute has disclosed that statistics of fish stocks in the Nyanza Gulf areas of Lake Victoria is causing a lot of anxiety and worries to scientists.

“The Gulf a stretch of about 60 kilometers, and there is hardly any fish,” said Dr. Jembe, adding that the availability of the economically and commercially important Nile Perch was as low as 1,2 kg per hectare.

The worst affected places are fish landing sites in Kisumu,Siaya and Homa-Bay with some areas in Kisumu region hardly having any fish left in the water. aerial Satellite pictures show the Gulf stretch having a thick green layer.

However, many sections of Tanzania and Uganda have blue clean water. A team of journalist from the Nairobi daily, THE STANDARD, visited Dunga Beach which is located in the outskirt of the Kisumu City, a fish landing beach which has close to 500 fishermen, most of who were reported to be forlom, with their catches being at the lowest in the history of their fishing activity.

Dr Jembe was later quoted by the STANDARD as having attributed the worsening pollution of the lake, especially in the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf} has made it not conducive for fish. Poor farming methods in the water catchment areas has also resulted in nitrates and phosphates in the water.

“The fish move towards areas such as Mbita, where the water is less polluted. This has forced those in the affected to catch even immature fish,” said the scientist.

He went on, ”There is a lot of domestic and industrial effluence in the lake from Kisumu and Homa-Bay.Effluence from sugarcane factories provides nutrients for the obnoxious water hyacinth.

“The weed takes up oxygen and releases carbon dioxide which does not support the existence of fish,’ the researcher said.

Hyacinth has been a major impediment to the survival of fish,” Dr Jember said, adding that “the wind often blows towards many areas of the Nyanza Gulf and thus moves the weeds such as Migori to the Gulf.”

The researcher, however, was silent over the recent alarming claims that some unscrupulous are killing millions of fish through the use of chemicals for easy catches.

Fears persist in all the three countries of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda which shared the Lake Victoria waters that marketing fish, especially for exports into developed countries markets such to the EU nations, Middle East, Japan, Israel and the United States would experience difficulties after the word spreads to those countries about the chemical fishing.

Chemicals kills immature fish, destroys the fish breeding grounds, and could prove to be health hazards to the consumers.

Fishing industry and fish trades supports close to 10 million people who lives around the shorelines of the world second largest sweet water mass

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Kenya: The late Orwa Ojode is another departed political giant of our time in greater Southern Nyanza

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Leo Odera Omolo Mourns the fallen hero.

The late Joshua Orwa Ojode, the Assistant minister for Internal Security and Provincial Administration who died in sorrowful tragedy of a helicopter crash on Sunday morning is arguably to be remembered for many years to come by we the residents of the greater Southern Nyanza region as our of the departed soul of the giants of our time.

The first such giants was the late Thomas Joseph Mboya, and the second one was the late Hezekiah Nelson Oyugi[Kalambe ng’ongo wuon Ogango].

These great names are in addition to the late Mzee Paul Mboya {Oluwal Janyakongo wuon Akoko} who died of old age close to a decade ago after dominating the administrative circles of the region for many years ever since 1946.

These are the men who had shaped the Southern Nyanza region, and the future historian will always use their pens wisely by quoting them favorably in connection with the massive development that the region has received ever since 1950s.

Paul Mboya Akoko was in his own class during the colonial era after dropping down his last chalk at Gendia Mission Primary School where he was a teacher briefly before being promoted to the coveted position of the SDA Mission Pastor.

From the pulpit, there was no looking back. Paul Mboya became the 6th Location Chief of the larger Karachuonyo Location around 1922 after five other Chiefs had already rule the location and lost their jobs for one reason or the othee..The first location Chie of Karchuonyo was a medicine man allied with Nyakiti ogutu who was later discovered to have been an immigrant from across the Kivirondo Gulf in Seme.

The colonial authority then appointed one Oganyo Odero, who resign in huff and left the chieftain to ne Okoth Wuon Ougo,and the third Chief was one called Orinda. After Orinda then came Chief Dola Maira and after Dola Maira came Paul Mboya.

Due to his administrative prowess Paul Mboya was appointed the first Secretary of the then African Local Native Council {ALNC} in 1946. The ALNC for South Nyanza’ area of jurisdiction covered what is now common called Gusii region. The Council’s office were based in Kisii Town.

Paul Mboya was among the top African Administrators who were invited by His Majesty Government of King George V1 to attend the famous “Victory Parade in Central London.

The ALNC transformed itself to African District Council of South Nyanza in 1952and Mboya continued serving in the same capacity. He had a lot of influence in the region making his word sounded like a law of the land.

Paul Mboya was once again among the skillfully selected administrator from Anglophone colonies in African continent who were invited to London during he coronation marking the enthronement of Queen Elizabeth 11 June 1963.

He earned series of high class British Medals including Member of the British Empire {MBE} and the Order of the British Empire {OBE} and {CBE} for his exemplary service to the British. In 1961 he was appointed he first Secretary to the larger County Council of South Nyanza following the split of the former African District Council based at Kisii and he then moved to the new offices at Homa-Bay Town after the separation of the Kisiis and the Luos.

Paul Mboya retired from the public service in 1962 one year beore the country attained its political independence in June 1963 and later served the community as the overall and disputed chairman of the powerful Luo Union {East Africa} “Ker” until 1978.

In the late 1950s a youthful politician who outwitted the colonialist with his oratory and high command of political English called Thomas Joseph Mboya who entered into the colonial Legislative Council on in March 1957 as one of the first eight African elected Legco members.

Mboya {not related to Paul Mboya}fame came following his activities as a tade unionist during the State of Emergency which was declared in Kenya on October 20, 1952 by the then colonial governor Sri Evelyn Baring as a result of intensified Mau Mau activities in Nairobi, Rift Valley and some part of Central Province.

Mboya began his political career as a mere shop steward in the Health Sanitation section of the City Council of Nairobi. The Staff Association transformed itself in to the Kenya Local Government Workers Union {KLGWU}

Immediately after this Tom Mboya quickly rose to fame during the state of emergency with Mboya bravely issuing hundreds of anti-colonialists and white settlers press statements in defense of the oppressed African population. In the absence of any countrywide political movement after the banning of Kenya African Union {KAU} it was only the KFl through Mboya who expressed the African aspiration and his activities earned him recognition by the liberal minded British Labour Party MPs in the House of Common. Through his connections with the British Labour Party MPs and the British Trade Union Congress {TUC} Mboya won a one year scholarship to study English, Literature history and economics at the Ruskin College, Oxfordin 1955.

And while studying in the UK Mboya continued issuing inflammatory anti settlers and colonialism articles to the British, some of which were published and re-produced in Kenya press provoking sharp condemnation of Mboya by the White Settlers leaders, some of them called for his expulsion from the UK and possible arrest and detention.

He returned home in 1956 a much shaped and armed with very sharp English, the youthful trade unionist gave the colonial authorities in Kenya sleepless nights.

The Rightwing leader of the Settlers the late Group Captain L.R.Briggs who headed the all whites United Party, which declared that Kenya should be only a dominion like Southern and Northern Rhodesia called for Mboya’s detention along with those suspected of organizing and managing the Mau Mau uprising.Rhodesia.

The then Prime Minister of the Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Sir Roy Welensky,and the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia wee in agreement with the Prime Minister ofr Southern Rhodesia Garfield Todd and the Governor of Nyasaland Sir Sobert Armitage declared Mboya a banned person I any of the three countries and non-granta persona in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

Mboya’s meteoric rise came soon after his entry into Colonial Legislative Council where he engaged the colonial authorities and the majority members who white settlers in crucial motion after motion calling for the repealing for discriminative laws against African and discriminative wages against educated Africans performing the same job and other inhuman treatment mated out to Africans

Mboya became a globe totting politician and his voice echoed all over the world effectively putting African viewpoints against colonialism in major world forums.

His skills and organizational ability saw him clinching the post of Secretary-General of KANU at the party inception at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu Town in June 1960 the post which he held p to his death on July 5,1969. He also defended his KFL position until up to the coming of political independence in 1963 when he was appointed to the cabinet in the post independence cabinet headed by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. First as the Minister for Labour in the short-lived KADU-KANU Coalition government, later as the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and lastly as the Minister for Planning and Economic Development.

It wa during hi six years in the cabinet that Mboya shaped up development in Southern Nyanza 5egion influencing the construction of Ahero-Kisii-Migori road in 1967, development o schools like Ogande Girls, Asumbi Girls, Homa-Bay High School, Mbita High School Agoro-Sare Secondary Schools, Asumbi T.T.C. Tonga Secondary School, St Joseph Rapogi High School and so many other development projects for the promotion of socio-economic of the region.

Mboya’s life was cut short by an assassin hail of bullets on 5th July, 196. His death brought the then flourishing development in the greater Southern Nyanza region to a halt and standstill.

After Mboya Hezekiah N.Oyugi, a primary school teacher turned administrator emerged as the most powerful individual in the greater Southern Nyanza.

Due to human error and miscalculation of judgement, Oyugi’s influence also came to an abrupt end in the early 1990 following h John Robert Ouko’s saga and the region slipped back in terms of fast development.

Oyugi played a big role of promoting an improving some of the development projects which ha experienced slackness after Mboya’s death a decade earlier.

In 1994 Joshua Orwa Ojde the son of a former colonial Assistant Chief Ojode Otieno from the Kamdar sub-clan of the larger Kwabwayi sub-clan in what used to be called West Nyokal Location won a parliamentary seat for Ndhiwa following the defection of Tom Okello Obondo who had won the Ndhiwa parliamentary seat on Oginga Odinga”s Ford Kenya party ticket. Obondo defected back to KANU, but Obondo failed miserably in his attempt to defend his seat on a KANU ticket..

The abrasive Orwa Ojode inherited a parliamentary constituency which was considered by many as the most backward in the entire Southern Nyanza.

The tough talking legislator died in an helicopter mishap at the time when Ndhiwa had become the envious of everyone in the region. All secondry and primary schools constructed on permanent building materials.

Access and feeder roads criss-crossing the entire constituency everywhere including those areas which had never seen a motor vehicle before. Electricity supply to all primary and secondary school and other institutions

Each one of the close to twenty four administrative location has a dispensary and fully stocked with medicine health centers.

For administration to be close to the people, Ndhiwa which had only one Division is today boosting seven administrative divisions which included, the old Ndhiwa Riana, Kobodo, Pala Nyarongi and Kobama, each of the Divisions had a fully function District Officer’s office with a DO posted in place. The Ndhiwa D.C. is located in Ndhiwa Market, which of late has became an ultra modern town with full electricity supply. The construction of a modern D.C. office n progress and anther landmark is the CDF Offices built under the late Ojode’s close supervision.

Next to the D.C’s office stands the tourist class Ndhiwa Village Resort with over 100 beds rooms, several special suits for VIP, a health care compartment and a swimming pool and ultra modern poolside bar with several extra modern facilities.

The Assistant Minister ‘s was cut short last Sunday by the cruel hands of death has the people of Ndhiwa in particular and Southern Nyanza in general the most outspoken and easily accessible MP who died while he was putting up one of the biggest hotels in Kisumu ‘s posh Milimani estate with up to 100 rooms. The hotel project is in its final touches.

Ojode will be missed by many friends and foes alike for his quick response to parliamentary questions and hard-hitting statements

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EAC member states jointly sharing waters of lake Victoria are blamed for not policing bad fishing practices including the use of chemicals for killing fish in breeding grounds

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

MEMBER states of the East African Community {EAC} would soon find it difficult to export their fish to the European Union nations unless they put in place joint effort to stamp out chemical fishing in Lake Victoria.

Kenya,Tanzania and Uganda shared the waters of Lake Victoria, However reports appearing in local press indicated there is alarming increase in cases where some unscrupulous fishermen are using chemicals fishing to boost their catches and other unconventional fishing methods, the use of unauthorized fishing gears such as the banned fish nets etc.

Countries that share Lake Victoria are also reported to be unwilling to invest money in joint campaign that would reduce overfishing and protect fish species threatened with extinction in lake despite the contribution these activities make to the economies of these countries.

Overfishing has led to the reduction of fish stocks in Uganda’s big natural water bodies, which contribute over 75 per cent of the total fish catch, thus threatening the country’s second biggest commodity export after coffee.

Fish prices have been on increase, but increment has not been reflected in earnings due to the reduction in the fish catch, which experts blame on dwindling stocks.

Information from Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization {LVFO} shows that Uganda,Tanzania and Kenya promised to contribute USD 600,000 each for the “Save he Nil Perch Fund”, but so far none has given a single penny.

The Nile Perch has, over the years, seen a reduction in it stocks and the money was meant to improve the stocks of this important fish in East Africa. The money was meant to increase to finance the capacity building of partner state institutions, research and combating of illegal fishing activities.

The highly prized Nile Perch is a key fish export for three countries and part of the money was meant to finance capacity building of partner state institutions, research and combating of illegal fishing nets.

The Executive Secretary of the LVFO Mr Dick Nyeko was quoted as having said that the institutions also suffers because states lack the willingness to pay their quotas to his organization. for example, he said, the financial year which is ending within a month time, but so far Uganda hasn’t paid its quota. Two months to the end of the financial year, official at the LVFO sat the organization is limping because it lacks money.

Uganda has paid 19 per cent of its USD 300,000 quota while Kenya gave only USD 200,000 which is 46 per cent of its quota, Tanzania has so far paid USD 247,136, which Is 15 per cent of its quota.

LVFO top official adds that without the threat of expulsion for failure to meet EAC obligations, ministries of agriculture in partner states receive the money and divert it to other remitting it to LVFO, Institutions fighting illegal fishing and for improvement of water quality are also grossly underfunded.

Uganda mostly depend on from EAC projects to safeguard Lake Victoria, with increasing agriculture agriculture in Kalangala Island, there is increased silting due to land recreation and fertilizers from a palm oil project running into Lake Sewage, processing industries and runoff from the surrounding towns is also threatening the lake.

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KENYA: WILLIAM RUTO’S URP EUPHORIC SUPPORT IN THE SOUTH RIFT REGION HAS SUFFERED MAJOR SET BACK FOLLOWING KALENJIN MPS SABOTAGING OF THEIR FELLOW KALENJINS NOMINEES TO THE REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE BODY {EALA}.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

The controversy surrounding last week’s nomination of nine Kenyans to represent the country to the East African Legislative Assembly{EALA}has created a new political dimension in the Kipsigis dominated South Rift region of the Rift Valley Province.

The Eldoret North MP William Ruto, the leader of the United Republican Party of Kenya {URP} has suffered a major political set back in presidential ambition by losing the populous Kisigis community in the South Rift.

Kipsigis a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups is arguably the most populous among the eleven or more sub-tribes that forms the larger Kalenjin.

The community is capable of turning out more than 1.5 million voters. The Kipsigis voters have the big and extended influence in the neighboring regions lie Kilgoris in Trans-Nzoia, Kuresoi, Molo, Rongai and Koibatek and Nandi South district.

It will vote for eleven members of parliament in the next general election within the two Counties of Kericho and Bomet.

The community supported the ODM in 2007 and voted for its presidential candidate Raila Odinga on a man-to-man.

The region then boost eight parliamentary constituencies covering Cheplungu, Bomet, Sotik, Buret,Belgut, Konoin, Ainamoi and Kipkellion. However, the region benefited by getting three new additional parliamentary constituencies following her splitting of Kipkelion, Belgut and Bomet by the Independent electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC}. The three parliamentary constituencies were among he 80 additional seats, bringing the total number of MPs 290 instead of the previous 210.

In 2007 Zakayo K. Cheruiyot the former powerful Permanent Secretary in-charge of Internal Security and Provincial Administration under the retired President Daniel Arap Moi’s last KANU regime that los power to the combined opposition forces under the umbrella of NARC had won the Kuresoi seat. Kuresoi has also benefited from one additional seat in parliamentary constituency called Olenguruone.

Given the high number of Kipsigis people living in the diaspora, the Community is likely to increase its parliamentary strength from 9 MPs to a total of 14parliamentarian.There is also the likelihood that a member of the community could clinch the Kilgoris seat in the neighboring Trans-Mara district, which fall under the County of Narok.given the fact that the number of Kipsigis and other Kalenjin settlers have since outnumbered the indiginant Maasai residents.

The indications are all that William Ruto last week action in sabotaging the nomination of the influential members of the community to the important regional legislative body has betrayed his hitherto raising star in the South Rift region. He is now being treated as an enemy of the Kipsigis community.

Ruto and his political surrogates had sabotaged the nomination of Donald Ng’eny and Lt.Gen John Koech under the pretext of fighting the Prime Minister Raila Odinga. But the locals have since misinterpreted his actions to mean that he is trying to marginalize the Kipsigis in the same way and manner they community was marginalized by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi.

Political pundits in Kericho town and its environs were quick in pointing out that the last week’s controversy surrounding the nomination to the EALA, Ruto and his URP has virtually locked himself out of the Kipsigis region, something which could have adverse repercussion on his presidential bid.

On senior Kipsigis politician accused Ruto for having looked upon the Kipsigis as the backward people. William Kipkemoi Arap Kettienya, a prominent politician in Kipsigis and recalled that while William Ruto was serving in a very fertile Ministry of Agriculture. Despite having close to 28 parastatals and boar, he never appointed not even one Kipsigis as the board member.

It was only soon after the {Ruto} had been kicked out the Ministry when President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga appointed Dr. Sally Kosgey the new Minister when she promptly appointed the former Health Minister Paul Sang, the immediate former Buret MP as the chairman of the board of directors of the Nyayo Tea Zone.

Leaders in the South region are fondly remembering that a year ago, the same Kalenjin MPs allied to Ruto had ganged up and mounted a spirited opposition to William Kirwa whose name had been proposed by President Mwai Kibaki to the post of Director of Budget.

The same bunch of Kalenjin MPs allied Ruto supporters had also opposed the appointment of Dr P Rotich as the deputy Director of the defunct Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission on some flimsy grounds.

The last incident in which Ruto is alleged to have mobilized his URP supporters and had ganged up with some MP from Mount Kenya region to derail the nomination of three prominent Kipsigis to the EALA has hit the South Rift region like Tsunami.

An ODM supporter in Kericho Nicholas Tum described Ruto action a tragedy and hypocrites to the Kalenji community. It ha exposed the Kalenjin politician as cheap lots which could be bought and pushed around when handling matter of national importance. If they could deny a Kalenjin an opportunity to serve in such important regional legislative body like EALA, then Ruto and his friends have no business claiming to represent the view of the community, but their own self-interests”,said Tum who is an ODM nominated Councilor in the Kericho Municipality.

Tum urged the Kipsigis to remain steadfast in ODM and voted for the party massively .The community will be much safe under an ODM government led by Raila Odinga as the President. “Our people must guard against the politics of opportunism and those of deceit.

Meanwhile a campaign has been launched in the South Rift region where the residents have been told to boycott called and addressed by the so-called anti-Raila Odinga elements”, said Coun.Tum.

It would be n uphill task for anyone among the sitting MPs allied to William Ruto to retain their parliamentary seat come the next year’s poll, said Robert Koskei, a Bureti politician. These people have spent five years directing their energies fighting Raila Odinga at the behest of William Ruto, and yet the Prime Minister is not an issue no is he the enemy of the entire Kipsigis community.

Our people must keep away from parties that is preaching h balkanization of the communities such as Kamatus and Gema and join only those political parties with the national outlook and whose leaders are armed with attractive agendas and policy for he well being of Kenyans and not a section of the communities.”

Ends

KENYA: GREAT PANICKING GRIPS KENYAN CITIES FOLLOWING THE THREAT BY SOMALI TERRORIST GROUPS AL-SHABAAB THAT IT WILL BOMB IMPORTANT SKYSCRAPERS IN KENYA WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Kenyans living in big cities are currently in great state of panicking following the threat issues by the Alqaeda trained Somalia based terrorists that they are planning to bring down all the tall buildings in the country within the next two weeks.

A local daily had carried the content of the threat in its front page news headline on Saturday .The NAIROBI STAR while quoting an American intelligence company that has warned that the Alshabaab is planning a major fresh attack on the tallest buildings in Kenya’s cities within two weeks.

Keeya Defene Forces last week overrunned an Al-Shabaab stronghold and captured Almadhow town,while Kenyan warships killed several militia fighters in an exchange of fire in Kismayu,the Al-Shabaab controlled port city.

However, Kenya’s Defense Minister Yusuf Haji said on Thursday tha Kenan troops will soon flush out the terrorists fighters out from their remaining stronghold in Kismayu.

One major international new agency AP reported quoting private intelligence firm,the Intel-Center as saying Al-Shabaab has threatened to bring down Kenya’s skyscrapers within two weeks.

On Monday last week a large and powerful bomb went off on Moi Avenue in one of the busiest Nairobi streets in the capital. A woman trader was killed while close to 30 people were injured and have to be rushed to several hospitals within the city, where some of them are still undergoing treatment.

Al-Shabaab quoted an internet threat last Wednesday that “Something big is coming” and Kenyans would soon watch your towers come down,within two weeks from now and you will weep.”

This is the third time Al-Shabaab has aid it would target Kenya’s tall buildings.The first threat came in December last year.

Al Shabaab is suspected of being behind the Monday last week’s bomb attack in Central Nairobi that killed one person and wounded more than 30 although no one has claimed responsibility so far.

The Intel-Center said that the latest threat of a large attack in Kenya over the next months is high given increasing number of threat from Al-Shabaab.

“The Tower most likely to be targeted are those housing big hotels,especially those frequented by Western government offices, media and prominent corporations. The building volume and low level activity indicate that such an attack may be attempted sooner or later.”The Virginia based Intel-Center was quoted as saying that Al-Shabaab and Alqaeda formally linked up earlier this year though their ties has hundreds of foreign fighters including many with combat experience from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In April the US government warned that it continues to receive information about potential terrorist attack in Kenya.

An Amisom / TFG offensive on three fronts is threatening to push the Al-Shabaab militia fighters out of their stronghold hideout at Kismayu. As it is a set-back,security experts have warned that the Al-shabaab are likely to resort to terror attacks and guerrilla warfare in Kenya and in the neighboring countries.

Ends

Kenya: The reported attack on journalists in Oyugis Town is a case of phantom and fiction reporting

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THE REPORTED ALLEGED ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS IN OYUGIS TOWN WHILE INVESTIGATING A DEFILEMENT CASE WAS NOT TRUE BUT A FAILED BOTCHED EXTORTION MISSION,

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town

The highly highlighted incident which took place last week at Oyugis Town in which for journalists who were on an investigative mission to probe the lead story of defilement was blown out of proportion and should’t have attracted such widest publicity.

It has been established beyond any reasonable doubt that the incident in question which attracted sharp reaction and wholesale condemnation from certain quarters was nothing more than a case which only fit into description of “Stranger than fiction.”

Among hose who strongly and unreservedly condemned he incident was the outspoken Oloo Janak who called upon the government to ensure that journalists were free to go about their duties unhindered.

The other reaction came fro the Kasipul-Kabondo MP Oyugi Maguwanga in whose constituency covered Oyugis Town where the alleged attack took place in Rachuonyo district within Homa-Bay County.

The legislator termed the incident as an infringement of human rights and asked the government o accord the journalists with maximum security protection so that they can go about their work unhindered.

It was reported that the for journalists Otieno Owida, Ouko Okusa, Brianb Yonga and Tom Otieno all of the Nation Media Group were reported to have gone to Oyugis Town to conduct an on the spot investigation in a case where a Form Two school girl who is a student in one of the local secondary school had been defiled by a politician who is an aspirant in the Kasipul-Kabondo parliamentary constituency and that the newsmen were attacked by the supporter of the politician.

What has emerged is that before the journalists visited Oyugis, unknown persons had sent some shocking and heart-throbbing SMS messages through the mobile phone of the politician whose name was adversely mentioned in relation to the alleged defilement case.

The sender of the SMS messages had asked the politician to coff-out a colossal amount of money to the tune of Kshs 250,000 so that the alleged adverse maliciously damaging story incriminating his name with the alleged defilement case could not find its way into to the newspaper columns.The politician whose name cannot be mention due to legal complications was told be the sender of the SMS message that the story if published would ruin him destroy his future as a politician and a parliamentary aspirant.

At first the politician said he ignored the message and treated as a common case of extortion.But he quickly changed his mind and contacted some of his supporters who were roaming about within Oyugis Town to conduct investigations to find out what was going on.

His men went into town and strategically stationed themselves inside a bar which is owned by one of the journalists.However, within minutes the team of journalists pulled up in a newspaper omany van and parked it outside the bar.

They were accompanied by a woman who immediately stared consuming beer. The woman had come with her daughter who is ageing about 18 years and who was in full school uniform.

This the girl who it was being alleged had been defiled by the politician. The battery of journalists then set their cameras and video tape recorders and began interviewing the girl and her mother separately on different tables.

The supporters of the politician who had earlier taken position in strategic corners with the bar then swung into action protesting against the presence of the girl in school uniform in the pub.

It was then when the shouting match started inside the bar, attracting the attention of a large number of onlookers who move close threatening to beat u the journalist, while alleging that they had been bought by the politicn’s opponents to discredit him.

Sensing that they were outnumbered, the newsmen took to their heels and drove out in high speed leaving he woman her daughter behind.

The woman who is a widow and having difficulty in raising school fees for her daughter has since admitted that he was lured into the conspiracy after one of the journalists had told her that they would publish the story of her daughter’s claims sensitize her plight and this could attract some donor agencies who could come to hi id. She alleged that the group had told her that the donor agencies would donate Ksh 200,000 for her daughter’s further education and even purchase the solar light and have it installed in her home.

The woman readily admitted that the politician in question was a member of her close family, and that on various occasions she has been working for the politician helping him as one of the cooks whenever the politician had visitors in his homestead.

It later emerged that the defilement story had been manufactured by the rivals of the politician and their agents with the aims and objective of discrediting the politician so that his popularity within the community could e adversely affected.

The incumbent MP Oyugi Maguwanga is one of he two leading contenders for the newly created Kasipul parliamentary seat which was hived out of the old Kasipul-Kabondo by the Interim Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC as one of the 89 new additional parliamentary seats countrywide.

Residents of Oyugis Town and its environ spoke scarcely about many incidents of”dirty campaigns involving several aspirants competing for the same seat. They have hired many goons who re engaged in spreading all sorts’ malicious rumors after rumors against those perceived to be credible opponents.

The residents were only wondering as to what interests should journalists from a reputed media house get themselves into the murky constituency politics in Kasipul. And should they act at the behest of opponents of the politician in question. On question which is still lingering in the minds of many people within the locality included; who invited he newsmen all the way from Kisumu to Oyugis?

If there was a genuine of defilement, the family of the girl should have reported the incident to the Oyugis Police Station who in turn could have ordered for the medical examination of the victim.

The local view the whole episode as the botched extortion mission, which failed badly and simply reduced the scribes as “greedy mercenaries” for hire.

The journalists had acted like local political hirelings.

Reached on phone the politician, whose name had featured prominently in the botched case of naked extortion, said he knew all along that his rivals were busy at work planning dirty tricks to soil his name. He vowed that he was soldiering on with his parliamentary ambition and he is not cowed by the dirty tricks and will meet his rivals at the ballot box in March next year. He only

request for their kindness to conduct clean and gentlemen campaign

Meanwhile the ODM branch in the region has taken up the matter and threatens to discipline whoever is involved in slanderous campaign targeting his or her opponent for character assassination.

The ODM officials in the region want the police to investigate the incident to its best conclusion.

Ends

Raila is the most suitable presidential candidate judging from his tireless effort to improve the lives of Kenyans

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Homa-Bay Town.

SOME of the many presidential aspirants would only turn the country into a tribal fiefdom by balkanizing some tribes and pitting against their neighbors.

The only presidential hopeful with genuine agenda to turn this country around into a better home for every Kenyan is the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.

Odinga should be judged by his exemplary dedicated service in the trouble-ridden grand coalition government. While other Cabinet members spent their valuable time preaching tribal politics and incessantly making his work rather difficult, he has defied all the tricks in the books being place on his way to the presidency.

So many tribal alliance have been formed with no agenda for the better future for Kenyans, but simply for the purpose of blocking Raila’s path to the State House.But the ODM leader has always whither the storm and continued serving Kenyans diligently and tirelessly despite of what at times looked like high provocation and near insults directed at him by those disgruntled politicians who ganged up under the umbrella of ethnicity.

This remarks were made in Homa-Bay by the youthful ODM youth leader and coordinator in Nyanza Hilary Ochieng’Alila.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with this writer, Alila recently has launched a high profile campaign for the lucrative position of the Homa-Bay County Senate seat told more than a dozen or so presidential hopeful to change tactics and preach for the unity of all Kenyans.

They must be told that Kenyans are very much awake and keenly following their vitriols and would teach them the best lessons at the polls.”Every one will have to harvest only what he or she had sown.

“Those who are currently busy sowing the seed of discord and thriving on politics of malice will reap the fruits of their sweats. For any leader who want to be the ruler of this country it is imperative that such leaders preach only the gospel of unity and love among Kenyans. They must desist from running back to their communities and mobilizing them into tribal warriors or inciting them ageist their neighbors. Kenyans voters will in future only consider those preaching for cohesiveness and peaceful co-existence of all Kenyan communities.

“Those who have run short of ammunition with which to carry out canvassing or votes should opt out as soon as they realized that they had run short ideas and had nothing to tell Kenyans,” said Alila.

Alila reminded those who have deserted ODM in search of green pasture elsewhere to conduct” gentlemen campaign in their new political homes while exercising some amount of respect towards their former ODM colleagues.

He cited the Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi who lost his Sabatia parliamentary seat in 2002 and was consigned into political limbo for close to five years only to be resuscitated politically to recover his lost seat in 2007 due to the ceaseless efforts of the ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Mudavadi was rescued from premature and forced retirement by ODM and he should be so grateful. He recovered from the shock of his dismal performance in 2002.The ODM offered him a second chance in the coalition cabinet and made him deputy leader of the party.

If there is any politician in this country who should be so thankful to Raila Odinga is none other than Musalia Mudavadi.”There are all the signs that those who have moved close to the DPM with ulterior monetary motives hoping to lay their hands in his reported unlimited campaign resources made available I abundance by the clique of anti-Raila elements within the coalition government have since disappeared in the thin air living him in loneliness,” said Alila.

He is one of the former Moi disciples who are known to have been the stumbling block against all kinds of reforms in this country.

Alila appealed to ODM members, leaders and their friends to double their effort with the view to ensure the outright decisive victory for the party in the next polls.

He urged them to strengthen the party at the grass root levels. ODM should win cleans all the civic seats in all he 47 Counties, Senate and return the largest parliamentary majority in the next general elections.

He went on,” Those placing her barriers on Raila’s path to the presidency will live to regret when they come to know that Kenyans are more intelligent voters.

Alila disclosed that it a bunch of anti-reformist who are still dreaming that he politics of impunity would return to protect their status quo who have ganged up behind the amorphous tribal alliances such as Kamatus,Gema etc.

Ends

Uganda has floated tender for consultancy to build 2 billion dollar oil refinery in Kabaale, Hoima district

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging from the Ugandan capital, Kampala reveals that the government has floated an international tender for consultancy service on the logistics for building a USD 2 billion oil refinery in Kabaale, Hoima district, some 420 kilometers South West of the capital, Kampala.

Officials at the state-owned Petroleum Exploration and Production {PEPD} at the Ministry of Energy confirmed this adding that they were also looking for a lead investor for the refinery, which will have an initial capacity of 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

“The search for the lead investor will start next month through international bidding, according Mr Ernest Kubondo, the Commissioner in-charge of PEPD, the planned refinery will be operated under a public private partnership.

The Ministry of Energy is soon acquiring some 29 square kilometers of land from local communities as part of the preparatory phase for the refinery.

The successful consultant will conduct a route survey from the Kenya’s coastal port City of Mombasa to Kabaale to Kasese limitations for transport and recommend specific location of the site for the refinery and its boundaries. advise on shipment expected during construction and overall operation of the refinery,’ said Kabambe Kaliisa, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy.

The PS said the interested consultants are required to obtain bid documents after paying USD 40 {Ushs 100,000}and submit them by June 21,2012.

Notice of he best bidder will be issued and published on July 11 and contract awards by the end of July in an exercise to be carried out under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act of 2003.

Uganda consumes about 550,000 cubic meters of refined fuel annually,85 per cent of which is imported through Kenya and 15 per cent through Tanzania.

Local production of crude oil has not started,

Tullow Oil PLC a British oil exploration firm, jointly with Total of France and China National Offshore Oil Corporation are currently working on details of refining 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Lake Albert basin by 2015.

“The parties are currently discussing how the investment in the project to build a refinery near Lake Albert will be shared,” the report quoted Elly Karuhanga, the chairman of the Uganda Chambers of Mines and Petroleum.

Major production from the Lake Albert basin is expected approximately 36 months after Ugandan government approves a plan for the development.

“Options are being weighed to allow the sale of small volumes of crude oil from well testing to industry as well testing as some small scale power projects,” said George Casenove who is in charge of Tullow’s media relations.

Uganda’s nascent oil and gas industry provides opportunities for both local and international investors to make money following the free-market policy adopted in the early 1990s.

“There are opportunities in the entire value chain from exploration,”said Energy Minister Irene Mukoni.”

Ends

EAC is seeking the better way of funding its institutions independently

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

INFORMATION EMERGING FROM THE East African Community’s secretariat in Arusha says that the Secretary General Richard Sezibera is pushing forward for merger of the budget for all institutions attached to the EAC to help improve their funding.

Somme semi autonomous institutions like the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization {LNVFO} and The Inter-University Council of East Africa{IUCEA] have been operating below budget due to a funding gap after partner states failed to meet their quotas for the financial year that ends this June.

Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, which make up LVFO, have paid 27.6 per cent of the expected USD 837,258.33 while partner states have paid less than 40 per cent of the USD 800,000 they are supposed to pay to IUCEA.

The budgets of the two institutions will be merged with that of the EAC for the first time in the 2012 / 2013 financial year, but partner states will still pay their quotas to thee institutions independently.

Dr Sezibera who was on a visit to Uganda last week to inspect the projects of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission {LVBC} and LVFO however, said in future, the secretariat will have the powers to compel partner states to pay their quotas to all institutions of the EAC on time.”If the money is coming directly from the ministries of education and agriculture into the EAC, we have more leverage,”said Dr Sezibera during a brief address to newsmen at the end of his Ugandan tour.

The secretariat via instruction from the Council to the Summit, will force defaulting member countries to pay up, with help from their presidents.

The EAC secretariat is also seeking to strengthen IUCEA, which received the mandate of the in February to accredit universities in the region through the Inter University Council of East Africa Amendment Bill 2010.

The Secretary-General is also looking at increasing the mandate of the LVFO to cover all the waters of East Africa and for the region to have full control of the fish resources.

Expected Rwanda, Burundi membership.This process will start with the admission of Rwanda and Burundi into LVFO in July this year.

The coming financial year will also see EAC turn LVFO into an East African Fisheries Organization EALFO using a protocol or an East African Legislative Assembly Bill. The EALVFO will help seal loopholes in over-fishing which are exacerbated by having different administration units controlling different waters. EALVFO is also expected to improve the region’s capacity to effectively police its waters.

He went on,”As we address the issue of Somalia, the governments of East Africa have to ensure control of their waters,” Dr Sezibera said, adding that Somalia’s problems like piracy are a result of that country’s failure to control its territorial waters.

The EAC Chief Pointed out that illegal fishing of the Somali coast had denied local residents a key source of livelihood.

The Lake Fisheries Organization promotes the sustainable use of the water bodies resources.

Ends

Kenya: Karachuonyo MP wants ODM to discipline its loose talking leaders and rumor-mongers

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In KIsumu City

The Karachuonyo MP Eng. James K.Rege has strongly condemned a group of disgruntled and idle local politicians in his constituency who he has accused of manufacturing falsified and unfounded rumors about him.

Speaking to this writer via the phone from Mongolia near India where he had gone on a tour of parliamentary duties, Rege strongly refuted claims and allegation making the round inside his expansive rural constituency in Rachuonyo North district within Homa-Bay County that he is a sympathizer to the DPM Musalia Mudavadi and was not loyal to ODM

The legislator accused one of his perennial rivals in Karachuonyo political derby of being responsible for such dreadful rumors.

He called upon ODM as a party to introduce the most stringent disciplinary measures in order to deal with erratic members who engages themselves in character assassination against their fellow elected leader for political expediency.”Such stringent rule would instill discipline and restore respect and unity among her party leaders at all levels.

Rege said he wholeheartedly support the Prime Minister Raila Odinga in his presidential bid. His working relation with the ODM leader is cordial and warm.

The MP accused an unnamed politician in his constituency whom he accused of being fond of manufacturing and spreading unfounded and malicious rumors.

“This man he added is unelectable to any elective position either within the ODM hierarchy or in any constituency.” This man is a spent force, and his time for political leadership is over and gone for good.

He appealed to ODM members and followers in Karachuonyo to exercise some amount of respect to the elected leaders. Respect is two way traffic. It must reciprocate. Anybody who is hell-bent in manufacturing falsified rumors against fellow leaders is not worthy being treated as a leader.

Eng Rege reiterated that he was a loytal member of the ODM and a staunch supporter of Raila Odinga, and would not sit idle and entertain anyone preaching he gospel of despondency between him and the Prime Minister or with any other leader in this country.

He told the rumor-mongers in Karachuonyo to look for any other avenue of endearing themselves to the party leader, but not through discrediting other party members.

ODM has no room for gossipers, and therefore must also discard the loose talkers and idle talkers. As a party the ODM has a daunting task of marketing its presidential candidate for the purpose of winning the next general election and forming the government.

“We should not spend our energies and valuable times fighting each other, and yet we are surrounded by many political enemies who have ganged up against our man. We must put our act together and ensure that we succeeded in popularizing our presidential candidate,” he added.

Rege said he was very much aware that one discredited politician was on the loose roaming about in Karachuonyo feeding the electorate with pack of lies with aims of making political mileage over his rivals.”This kind of politics must be considered now as being outmoded, destructive and counter-productive.

Rege appealed to those candidates aspiring or the various elective positions within the Homa-Bay County to conduct their campaign in a rather mature manner, which is devoid of names calling. At the same time, he said, ODM members and leaders must work hard to ensure they maintained unity of purpose and work as a team.

A number of people interviewed by this writer at Kendu-Bay town and its environs, pointed an accusing finger at the former Karachuonyo MP Dr.Paul Adhu Awitias the person who fitted the description of the unnamed leader in the region who is being accused of spreading dreadful rumors against the MP.

Dr Adhu-Awiti who is currently working in the Office of the Prime Minister as political adviser to Raila Odinga could not be reached for clarification.

He defended his seat in 2007 .but lost the election to the incumbent during the ODM preliminaries.

Ends

Kenya: More women leaders in Nyanza will contest the elections against seasoned male politicins

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The forthcoming general elections for the first time in Kenya’s political history witness several high profile women leaders in Luo-Nyanza taking their men compatriots in several parliamentary, senate, County and civic positions.

A new political dimension, which seemed to favor women representatives, is slowly cropping up. The ground seemed to be getting fertile and yawning for a change in favor women than men.

Among the leading women leaders in the region who appeared to be the favorites of the electorate include those who have excelled in the academic fields, past exemplary services to the community.

Among the leading women leaders tipped to clinch seats including he retired former Nyanza PDE Mrs Roselyn A Onyuka. She has already declared her interest in the position of Senate women representative in the Homa-Bay County.

Also expect to feature prominently in the election is Mrs Eve Obara, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Literature Beaurau. Shehas has yet to declare her interest in the parliamentary politics, but Obara who hails from Kasipul-Kabondo and the current coordinator for the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in Nyanza Province, the position which has even a facility to interact with women leaves all over the Province.

If she choose to contest the election, Mrs Obara would probably contest the newly created Kabondo constituency.

Another popular women is Mrs Rose Buyu, a Nairobi based business woman who in 2007 gave the incumbent Kisumu Town West MP John Olago Aluoch a run for his money almost flooring the outspoken Kisumu lawyer to the ground.

Popularly known to her peers as “Dwasi” {cow} Buyu is much favored to win the election in the newly realigned Kisumu Town West,which covered most parts of Kisumu rural locations,and which exclude Kisumu Central constituency which covered the Central Business Distinct {CBD} and pera-urban areas of Nyalenda, Pand-Piwei, Airport, Kibuye, Industrial Areas and the posh Milimani Estate.

The newly created Kisumu Central constituency does not seem to favor the incumbent John Olago Aluoch. The MP would also be a stranger if he chose to defend his seat in Kisumu Town West constituency due to several factors.

Although actively participating in parliamentary debates and contributing a lot on most issues of national importance, Aluoch appeared to have burned the bridges between him and the Town’s population, especially those who voted for him in 2007. He is being blamed for having favored non-indigents and appeared to have sidelined members of the indigent Jo-Kisumu people. He is facing myriad of accusations that he had filled all the important posts in the CDF with outsiders, especially people from Southern Nyanza and Siaya regions.

Mrs Buyu hail from around Holo market in Kisumo West location and she is a member of an influential family of the late Mr Radiak, who was the former sales and marketing manger with the Kenya Breweries Limited.

She has made major inroad in nearly all the rural locations turning up with hefty donations during fund drives for important community socio-economic projects.

Mrs Buyu is originally from Sakwa Bondo the daughter of a prominent entrepreneur and a close friends of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, the late Mzee Patrick Onyango Ochang’one of the first African who pioneer into big businesses in Kisumu City long before independence in 1963.

She is commonly being offered as the sister of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga owing to their long standing family tie with the Odingas dating back to 1950s.

Another high profile woman leader who stands a better chance of winning any elective position in the region is Prof. Jacklyne Oduol who is the current Secretary for Genders and Children In the Coalition government.

Oduol contested the election in Allego-Usonga constituency in 2007, but narrowly lost to the incumbent Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda.She is related to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga because she is married to the Kaka sub-clan I Alego who are the uncles of the PM and the place where Raila’s mother came from.

Oduol is highly respected personalities in addition to her colorful academic background and credibility.She has yet to declare her interest in any of the seats in the new set of constitutional dispensation.

In Migoti County, Prof. Suda has made her position clear that she would be challenging a team of men for the lucrative position of Migori County Senate representative.

Prof. Suda hails from Kanyamkago West in Uriri district. So far no credible aspirant has come forward to challenge her. The only person who has been campaigning for the same position in the region is the former two times KANU MP for the old larger Homa-Bay constituency Phares Oluoch Kanindo. He is, however, betrayed by he fact that he was in Parliament for well over ten years but made no maiden speech, and he considered as a spent force. He is no match to the firebrand and youthful professor.

In Mbita constituency, the ODM nominated MP Millie Odhiambo is expected to be in the race in a bruising election battle against her close cousin Phares Ogweno Ratego an executive with an NGO in Nairobi.

Miss Odhiambo who has made a name for herself as a firebrand and formidable debtor in the tenth Parliament is one of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s troop soldiers. Her rising popularity with youths and women in Mbita is what it is widely believed to have sent the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ packing.

Kajwang’ has witched his position and will now be contesting for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat instead of defending his Mbita parliamentary seat which he has held ever since 1997.

The move is viewed by the electorate as strange happening because Kajwng’ is considered to be one of the Luo MPs who is very close to the ODM leader Raila Odinga.

The election battle between Miss Odhiambo and Ratego in Mbita is expected to be one of he toughest election ever witnessed in the area featuring two prominent members of one family. Odhiambo and Ratego hail from Rusinga Island in a sub-clan called Kolo in Waware in Rusinga East Location. And their rural homes located near Waware Secondary School is only separated by a fence measuring about 30 yards.

Ends

Kenya: Prof Nyong’o under heavy fire for neglecting understaffed and under utilized medical facilities

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Investigative Report by Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town

Ailing Kenyans are known to be succumbing to their deaths from incurable diseases owing to inadequate medical facilities, shortage of hospitals well stocked with drugs, neglected health centers, idle and understaffed hospitals.

This writer has discovered that some hospitals which were built with millions of taxpayers money are idle, neglected or understaffed.

One of these facilities, which gives the bad example of total neglect to the important medical facilities in this country is the ultra modern Sigowet Hospital, which is located within the County of Kericho’s newly created Sigowet district in lower Belgut.

The buildings housing the sub-district hospital stands magnificently beside the min-Sondu-Sosiot district.

The institution was built about twenty years ago. It was a pet project of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. The government is believed to have sunk as much as close to Kshs 200 million in putting up this ultra modern medical facility.

Sigowet hospital is strategically located in a densely populated region. If it s put to a better used, it could be promoted to a level Five Hospital. It caters for patients from several administrative districts in Nyanza and the South Rift region of the Rift Valley Province.

These districts include Rachuonyo South, North Mugirango Borabu, Sotik, Kericho, Nyakach, Bureti, Nyando, Muhoroni and Rachuonyo North.

Sigowet hospital has yet to be officially commissioned to cater for both inpatient and outpatients respectively, though it is currently rendering skeleton services members of the public despite of the repeated requests by the residents to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Minister for Medical Services Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’ to pay an urgent visit to the facility to have it upgraded.

Sigowet hospital despite having all the building extra facilities such as xray, laboratory has only six staff working at the institution. They comprised of our nurses and two medical technicians. There is no resident doctor whereas the facility is a big complex which could accommodate s many as ten medical doctors, specialists, surgeons.

This important ,but neglect facility could could provide the opponent of the coalition with good ammunition during the forthcoming general elections. Already the residents of Sigowet an area which has recently been gazetted as one of the 80 additional parliamentary constituencies counry wide to place the blame at the doorstep of the incumbent area MP Charles Keter who they said appeared to spent most f his valuable time drumming for the support of his political friend, the Eldoret MP William Ruto and in the course of doing that has totally neglected his constituents and openly abandoned the new hospital not pressing the government to supply the facility with adequate number of medics to man it.

Keter has since stated that he will not defend his parliamentary seat at the next general elections and would instead campaign for the lucrative position of Kericho County governor.

The neglected facility stands only a few meters from the main Sondu-Sosiot-Kericho road and would go down in history as one of the best medical institutions established in he region by the former KANU regime.

Another hospital, which is also facing semi-neglect, is the Awendo based sub-district hospital. Here those assigned to man the facility have no business asking the parents Ministry to supply it with adequate number of qualified medics. The hospital is relying mainly on volunteers, most of the untrained women from the surrounding rural locations. These women work as cleaners and maintenance staff, but are not on anybody’s payroll.

The women comes either twice or thrice a week from the rural villages, Resident of this fast rowing rural farming town are wondering as to where the money meant for the annual medical votes for the Ministry of Medical Services goes, if hey cannot engage adequate staff to man their facilities in rural areas.

The area MP is Dalmas Otieno who is also the Minister for Pubic Services could not b e reached to shade any light why the government cannot employ qualified nurses to work at the Awendo hospital.

It is not unusual to find some old women working at the hospital as untrained midwives and nurses or cleaners. The women said they were told about three years ago to star working at the facility as volunteers an that they would be considered for permanent employment. Some of the do commute from as far as seven to eight kilometers from the surrounding rural locations in Sakwa East ad Sakwa South Locations.

One civic leader in Awendo Town Council scathingly criticized the Minister for Medical Services Prof. Nyong’o for gross inefficiency and for having failed to provide Kenyans with proper medical protection and gross negligence and called for the Minister to be reshuffled and transfer to a lesser important Ministry.

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Kenya: The use of chemical fishing is soon whipping out all fish stocks inside Lake Victoria unless it is stamped out

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The entire fish stocks in Lake Victoria could be wiped out within the next few years unless the Kenyan government moves much faster and with speed to stamp out the use of chemicals in fishing by unscrupulous fishermen engaged in the use of unconventional and unauthorized fishing methods.

The Fisheries Ministry stands blamed for having abandoned the lake. The fisheries scouts who are usual deployed to oversee the orderly fishing in the lake by stopping those using unauthorized methods of fishing in the lake appeared to have abandoned the lake.

There are alarming increases in cases whereby unscrupulous fishermen engaged in illegal fishing activities with impunity.

Chemicals are used in fishing and not only reported to be killing fish in their thousands, but also destroying fish breeding grounds as well as killing fish fingerlings in the lake as well as endangering the lives of the consumers, something which is likely to put into jeopardy the marketing of Kenya’s fish into the overseas markets.

The environmentalists and conservationist have abandoned their duties and responsibilities of protecting Lake Victoria from environmental degradation pollution, overfishing and the increase use of unauthorized fishing methods by racketeers and profiteers

Lake Victoria is shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. All the three countries are known to be earning millions of dollars in foreign currency through the export of fish to the overseas markets, and the East African Community and donor agencies have poured millions of dollars in support of fishing programmes, research and environmental preservation..

Members of the fishing communities who are living along he shorelines of the lake have alleged that each time they arrest those using chemicals, the offender and the culprits are readily getting released by the authorities after bribing their away out of police and fisheries scouts custody.

A shocking incident recently occurred last month in Rarieda district where those enraged as fishermen lynched a man who was caught red-handed during the dead hours of the night to be using chemicals in the lake. The incident has resulted in dozens of people being arraigned in court facing prosecution on murder charges.

Those who were rounded up after the lynching incident have already appeared before a Kisumu court as murder suspects.

The fishermen in Rarieda told this writer that sometime last year, a senior officials from Fisheries department held a public Baraza near Luanda Kotieno beach. The officer was asked by those in attendance to state what they should done with those caught using chemicals, but the officer under pressure responded by telling the Baraza that they should in turn poison such uncouth fisherman and lynch them.

This is exactly what the move justice did near Luanda Kotieno last month. A fisherman who was caught red-handed using chemicals while fishing near the center was chased in the night by a mob of people who beat him to death.

They meted move justice to the illegal fisherman. This was in desperation after several incidences of cases of people caught using chemicals and handed either to the police or the Fisheries department officials quickly gained their freedom after bribing their way to freedom. Fishing regulations are being flouted all over.

As for now eight people are in custody waiting to be tried for murder. The suspects are mostly youths who work at the busy Luanda Kotieno beach as Matatu toughts or petty traders. They had responded to distress call by those who found someone using chemicals in the lake at night and catching hundreds of dead fish.

The suspects were later rounded from villages in Naya Kogweno sub-Location Uyoma West Location, Rarieda district, Siaya County.

The culprit who is now deceased took to his heels with vigilante youths in hot pursuit, and when they caught up with him they beat up him senselessly killing him instantly.

Incidents of chemical fishing have been reported in Busia, Bondo, Mbita, Rachuonyo and Seme area in Kisumu West district.

Lake Victoria fish is being exported to the European Union counties in Europe, Middle East, Japan, Israel and to a lesser extent to the United States, particularly the fillets from the economical and highly prized Nile Perch and Tilapia. The fish stock or both species have been depleted to near zero.

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Kenya: The government is asked to issue speakers at funeral gatherings in Nyanza with police licences

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town.

The popular making the round in many parts of Luo-Nyanza, especially in the greater Southern Nyanza is that the government should consider the possibility of introducing stringent rule that would require speakers at funeral gatherings to be subjected to the police licensing.

The proponent of this school of thought maintains that owing to the fact that the general election is around the corner, such a move would be most appropriate for the maintenance of law and order and would ensure that the peace and tranquility prevails during he electioneering campaign in the entire region.

The recent incidents where funeral goers were forced to scamper for their safety are testimony. Some politicians have shameless turned funeral gatherings into political platform.

Such commotions have resulted in innocent peace-loving citizens sustaining bodily injuries and such must come to an immediate end.

Unpopular aspirants vying or the various elective position are known to have been using funeral gatherings for making reckless and provocative pronouncements against their perceived opponents either real or imagined.

At the same time two senior ODM politicians in Southern Nyanza region have been warned to desist from making slanderous utterances in public gatherings which are meant to discredit the reputation and image of their perceived political enemies either real or imagined.

The two unnamed ODM leaders in the region are all candidates aspiring for the various positions of Senate, Parliament and County governorship.

The warning came as the result of numerous accusations and allegations against the two disgruntled ODM politicians in the region whose chance of winning any seat are said to be too “slim’. The two have been quoted in certain quarters as having engaged themselves in utterances considered to be provocative and bordering on character assassination.

All the aspirants vying for the various elective positions either in the County governance, parliament, senate and location Wards in the Council should guard against making sweeping and unfounded allegations against their opponent. The party should move fast and instill discipline that would require aspirants to engage themselves on the issues-based campaign as opposed to threats intimidation and uncalled for personal attacks, which are the recipe for chaos.

The kind of public gathering guidelines being asked for would compel the bereaved families to have the names of their earmarked speakers’ submitted to the police in advance. This would also require the speakers at such gatherings to account for all kinds of allegations and insinuations whenever required by police to account or heir utterances.

One of he ODM operatives in Rachuonyo South district said it had become evidence that some politicians were now roaming the entire region in search of places where there are expected huge crowds of people to the burial ceremony. Burial ceremonies should be the solemn peaceful sending off of the departing loved ones, and therefore should not be turned into political platform for electioneering campaign speeches.

One of the unnamed politician who is being accused for bad mouthing his rivals, it is being alleged to have recently branded some of the populist youthful aspirants, particularly the Nairobi businessmen, accusing them of being “drug dealers’.

The politician who is said to be eyeing the position of the County governor, is said to be too old and worn out and as such cannot offer any effective leadership to the community.

A group of youths allied to one of the contenders for the County senate seat have advised the bad mouthing politician to take a rest as he is time bar for any elective position and should vacate the field for the young and energetic aspirants for the position.

Meanwhile reports emerging from Homa-Bay say the contest for the position of Senate representative ha kicked off in earnest.

The Senate seat ha s attracted the youthful Nairobi based businessman Hilary Ochieng’ Alila who is likely to face two senior ODM politicians I the region. The two include the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’ and the Internal Security Assistant Minister Joshua Orua Ojode.

Kajwang’ is the ODM Homa-Bay County branch chairman and the MP for Mbita constituency in Suba South district while Ojode is the MP for Ndhiwa.

Minister Kajwang’ has already declared his interest in the seat, while Ojode has yet to make his intention publicly known.

Both Ministers are seasoned politician who are well known to the voters in the entire Homa-Bay County, while Alila who had started his campaign as an underdog has taken the early lead owing to his effective campaign which has endeared him to the youth and women groups.

Alila has made major inroad into all the eight parliamentary constituencies, which include Kasipul-Kabondo, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita.

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Tullow now extends its oil exploration to Western Kenya district of Nyakach near Lake Victoria

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

Encouraged and buoyed by its recent major discovery of massive oil deposits in the remotest Northern Kenyan district of Turkana, Tullow, the British oil exploration firm has now focused its attention to the Western Kenya region of Nyakach within the County of Kisumu in Nyanza Province.

Tullow is now set to begin a round of oil prospecting in Nyakach district following a visit to the region by its technicians.

The company team of experts were welcome to the area last week by he Nyakach District Commissioner Chaunga Mwachunga who was accompanied by the area MP Polyns Ochieng’ Daima.

In a joint address to members of the Hindu Council of Kenya said officials from Tullow have secured a certificate of exploration from the Ministry of Energy.

The MP said the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry o Energy had informed him of the potential for oil in the area and that he will take up the matter to Parliament to expedite the exploration.

He said the prospecting is part of the government efforts to explore mineral in the region, with Nyakach believed to have oil deposits.

Speaking in his office at Pap Onditi, the DC confirmed that he had received technical officers from Tullow who toured the area early last week with a promise to start putting up a drilling machine in the area b middle of June.

The government, He said, had already earmarked some regions for exploration of certain useful minerals and oil.”This region was marked and Tullow were awarded the certificate to carry out exploration activities for oil.

Tullow Oil general manager for Kenya Martin Mbogo confirmed that an advance team had visited the area to conduct a block assessment.”What we are doing is surveying the area and checking issues of infrastructure, security and community issues. We expect too start the prospecting around August,”Mbogo said.

The discovery of oil deposits in Nyakach could open up the area for development and raise the standard of living. The oil wells be the first to be sunk in the region, which is very close to Lake Victoria eastern shorelines.

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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.

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Kenya: Alila’s campaign style hit the ground in Homa-Bay County like Tsunami

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GREAT PANICKING GRIPS HOMA-BAY COUNTY AS THE CAMPAIGN BY THE YOUTHFUL ASPIRANT FOR THE REGIONAL SENATE SEAT HIT THE GROUND WITH THE THUDS LIKE THUNDERSTORM SENDING SEASONED POLITICIANS INTO SCARE.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town

The waves of popularity of one of the youthful aspirants vying for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat has hit the ground with heavy bang sending the established seasoned politicians into great panicking and scare.

Hilary Ochieng’ Alila, then a 37 year old Nairobi based businessman, had started his campaign two years ago and were initially viewed by his opponents as a big joker and not a serious contender for the coveted political positions in the regional governance.

One of Alila’s rivals in the contest for the Senate seat is the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’.

The latter is also the incumbent MP for Mbita, which is one of the eight parliamentary constituencies within the Homa-Bay County.

Another potential rival expected to join the race soon is the abrasive Ndhiwa MP Johua Orwa Ojode, who is an Assistant minister for the Internal Security. Ojode has yet to declare his intention publicly, while Otieno Kajwang’ has made his position publicly clear that he would not defend his Mbita seat and instead has switched to the Senate. The Minister has since pitched his political camp from Mbita Town, which is his home turf to Homa-Bay. He is also the ODM Homa-Bay County branch chairman. a powerful position which has given him an overriding influence and advantage over his competitors.

Ojode whose track record at the constituency level is said to have the blessing of his Ndhiwa constituents who he has represented in parliament as an MP ever since 1993 when he won the seat for he first time.

Kajwang’ is, however, reported to have burned the bridges with his Mbita constituents due to his dismal performance ever since he first won the seat in 1997.

He will be leaving the constituency without the political goodwill of the electorate following his recent outbursts about the true background and the existence of the Suba sub-tribe. The Suba people are the majority of the inhabitants of Mbita.

The controversy involving KaJwang’s reported disapproval of the recent realignment of the two parliamentary constituencies within the two Suba districts by the Interim Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission{IEBC], which had renamed the present Gwassi Constituency as “The Suba South while Mbita was renamed Suba North Constituency. Kajwang’ who has since moved to court challenging the IEBC decision renaming the two constituencies. He was quoted as having vowed that Mbita could only be renamed Suba Norrth constituency over his dead body.

The feuds between Kajwang’ and his Mbita constituents has since given more room of maneuvering the Minister out of Mbita by his two political rivals, Namely the Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo and the supporters of a wealthy Nairobi based business tycoon Sammy Wakiaga.

Reports emerging from Mbita town says that a CDF local committee meeting which was scheduled to be held in Mbita Town at the weekend was cancelled at the eleventh hour and switched to Homa-Bay town instead. The meeting was to be chaired by Kajwang’, but could not take place in Mbita due to intensive internal feuds between the Minister and he CDF committee members.

Hilary Alila’s organizational and mobilization ability has placed him ahead of the two senior and seasoned politicians in the region, namely Kajwang’ and Ojode. Alila has made Homa-Bay Town his operational headquarters where the bands of youths allied o him are roaming the streets freely and ready to harass and dismiss any politician who do not agree with the politics of the Nairobi-based businessmen. His popularity has spread like bush fire in all the eight parliamentary constituencies within the Homa-Bay County,namely Kasipul-Kabondo, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay Town, Ndhwa, Suba South[formerly Gwassi] and Suba North {formerly Mbita}.

Within the shortest period time since his name came into the political limelight, Alila has moved much faster making major inroads in all the eight constituencies sending his detractors into great panicking and scare.

The Nairobi tycoon has gained foothold in the two Rachuonyo districts, Ndhiwa and Gwasi districts. He has conducted several successful harambee fund drives for women groups, youths projects, schools and medical facilities.

Kajwang’ who is considered to be man closest to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the ODM leader and Ojode are not on speaking terms. Speculations are ripe that Ojode could throw his weight behind Alila who has the family root in Ndhiwa. This could spell dooms to Kajwang’political ambition of becoming the first Senator for Homa-Bay County

Alila, however, appealed to his two rivals to conduct their campaign in a mature manner which is issues-based and devoid of hate speeches and names calling.

Alila scathingly criticized unnamed politicians in the region who have already engaged on issuing threatening SMS short message via their cellphones.

Political maturity will give the electorates ample opportunity to pick only the best candidate who will deliver the goods and not those engaged in empty political slogans.

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Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

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Kenya: Prof Nyong’o under heavy fire for neglecting understaffed and under utilized medical facilities

Kenya: The use of chemical fishing is soon whipping out all fish stocks inside Lake Victoria unless it is stamped out

Kenya: The government is asked to issue speakers at funeral gatherings in Nyanza with police licences

Tullow now extends its oil exploration to Western Kenya district of Nyakach near Lake Victoria

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

Kenya: Alila’s campaign style hit the ground in Homa-Bay County like Tsunami