Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya: How semi-illiterate and unqualified Indian expatriates are finding their ways through corruption to get employed in the sugar mills in Western Kenya

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Investigative Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

AS many as close to 200 expatriate workers from India and Pakistan could be engaged on full time jobs inside several sugar mills in Western Kenya on work permits which are suspected to have been issued irregularly.

The foreign workers mainly fitters, welders, electrical and motor vehicle mechanics, fitters, carpenters riggers, masons, cashiers, accounts clerks, cane-yard clerks and even time keepers, boiler attendants.

Impeccable multiple sources have told us that a source of recruitment of these unqualified foreign worker s a Hindu Temple located in Kisumu City. And that for these foreigners to access cheap jobs in Kenya, they are being made to part with colossal amount of money in bribery and kick-backs, which is paid out through an unknown Hindu Priest who is allegedly acting as a conduit.

Transactions take place in highly secret hideouts, mostly inside hotel rooms at one of the posh hotels or inside the temple.

All this happens while hundreds of better qualified Kenyans are jobless. Kenya has trained hundreds of thousands of artisans and technicians ever since independence 48 and it is therefore shameless of the country to recruit and engaged these semi illiterate Indians and Pakistanis.

The natural and common rule is that the country could source and engage an expatriate worker in a specific case where there is n o qualified Kenyan to fill the gap.

But what is happening in the sugar industry is a big shame to the Kenyan nation. These unqualified foreign workers are being recruited through established agencies in India and Pakistan.

In some case these foreign workers comes on a visit permit, while other come pretending to be priests or preachers on preaching missions and within months, the same people engage themselves on full time employment fully issued with work permit.

Do we need them really?.

A common say is that the “sugar industry is a milking cow” and it true to those who coined those word, the specification of jobs in which these foreigners are engaged could as well be competently and efficiently performed by local Form Four school leavers.

The practices is said to be so common in the Sugar Mills owned by Asian investors. The management of these sugar mills are said to be working in cohort with some unpatriotic officials mainly in the Ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons, which is charged with the sole responsibility of issuing work permits to foreigners in whatever categories.

Truly speaking Kenya is not short of qualified welders and fitters nor is the country experiencing acute shortage of artisans and office clerks?

Is the Kenya government applying double standard by telling the ordinary Kenyans that it was committed to creating hundreds of jobs for the youths annually, and on one hand issuing the work permits to people e who do not deserve it?

The scam is said to have spilled into our neighboring countries of Uganda and Tanzania. Indians and Pakistani recruited via Kisumu are said to have flooded the jobs market inside Uganda sugar mills at Kinyara, Lugazi and Kakira and to an extent Kagera Sugar Work in South Western Tanzania.

One may be left to wonder why has the government has succumbed to pressure from the investors and allow them to import their unqualified kiths and kins from India and Pakistan while our better qualified sons and daughter have remained permanently unemployed.

The Sugar Mills in Western Kenya where the imported unqualified expatriates are alleged to have infiltrated include West Knya Sugar Company, Butali Sugar Company both in Kakamega County, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries in Kisumu County and Sukari Sugar Industry in Ndhiwa district in Homa-Bay County. The fifth is the Trans-Mara Sugar Company I Trans-Mara district within Narok County in the South Rift.

If the government is not that of “Double Speak” then it should appoint a special committee to carry out forensic auditing of jobs specifications and work in these sugar companies. so as to ascertain the truth.

The provisional figures in our know says Kibos is leading the pack with close to 39 expatriate workers followed by West Kenya about 30, Butali,West Kenya Sugar Company 25, Sukari Industries {Ndhiwa} 21 and Trans-Mara Sugar Company 28. These are just provisional figures, the number of foreign worker in this establishment could well be higher than the figures mentioned above.

It defeats all the logic that Mumias Sugar Company in Mumias, which is producing the largest quantity of brown sugar per day with close to 7,000 gunny bags of made sugar is managed and manned by local Kenyans from the to office messengers and sweepers. Why should our government allow the Asian owned sugar mills which are not even producing half of what Mumias is producing should be allowed to fill all he jobs in their establishment with foreign workers?

The other aspect of this shameful double standard policy by the Kenya government is that local Kenyans workers employed in the Asian owned sugar mills are just working as casual and no letters of appointment.

Between Francis Atwoli, the COTU {Kenya} Secretary General who doubles as the General secretary of the Kenya Agricultural and plantation Worker Union and the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who is sleeping on the job? I think the two senior Kenyans owed an explanation to the public over the issue of foreign workers.

The Indians and Pakistanis are raking between Kshs 25,000 to Kshs 50,000 and even above.

These expatiate are not subjected to mandatory salary deduction such s NSSF NHIF, and yet they work and earns money in Kenya.

We have come across some cases where the Immigration officials rounds up the poor Maasais watchmen from Tanzania or Lioliondo on the Kenyan side of the border prosecutes them and have them repatriated back to their country. Why not do the same with these undesirable and unqualified expatriates from India and Pakistan?

In the sugar mills the highest paid African workers earn between 12,000 and 20,000 but most of those working in the categories of clerks, store men are within the 7,000 and 8,000 brackets. But most of them without letter of appointment specifying conditions and terms o services.

In one factory even a Cooke who is making meals for the expatriates is himself an expatriate blowing over 40,000. Surely has got the room for an expatriate cooks?.

What has gone wrong with our outspoken parliamentarians? Has the Mututho le Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture visited some of these factories and inquired about employment system?

Why has Bonny Khalwale buried his head in the sand and yet some of these things happens within in home turf of Kakamega County?

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Kenya: Tke KWS is restocking Ruma Game Park in Homa-Bay County with new species of animals

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town.

The relocation and the introduction of new species of wild animals at the strategically important Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County is a commendable project which is expected to boost the volume of tourism in the region..

Many year ago, the Ruma Park used to be very rich with all species of wild life including the “Big Five” until the year 1936 when the colonial authority ordered for the physical and forceful removal and relocation of elephants.

It was done in a very crude manner in which the local communities were forced to drive away elephants. Thousands of villagers were rounded up by security personnel and forced into driving the animals out of their sanctuary by way of beating up drums, empty tins, while tribal policemen fired their guns in the air to scare the jumbos out of their natural habitat in Lambwe Valley.

The elephant population in Lambwe Valley at the time was estimated to be in the region of 80 or 100. The action taken by colonialists was due to human settlement pressure and complaints raised by the locals through their chiefs that the animals were becoming a real menace to human being and their food grains.

All the herds were driven past village and locations up to the border of the then old and greater South Nyanza district and Narok and abandoned at a pace called Sikawa, Some of the animal escaped from one of the biggest dragnet mounted by human beings against animals by night falls were left behind hiding in a small forest called Ang’we which used to located about 6 kilometers south east of Awendo Town.

The herds that were left at Ang’we found the area was swampy and always water logged and moved out following the footsteps the rest into the Maasailand. Nobody thought at the time that these animals would at some day in the future turns out to be the national assets for the country.

The project of restocking of the Ruma Park is part of the government plan to resuscitate the 48 year old “Western Kenya Tourist Circuit” which was launched in 1967 by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, but which has all along these years reined I the drawing board without being implemented.

In early 1962 the County Council, of South Nyanza under the able leadership of the late Mzee Paul Mboya Akoko had renewed its demand to the Colonial Administration in Kenya to consider the possibility of repatriating the elephants back to Lambwe Valley from the Trans-Mara region. But the Council was told this could not be feasible due to increased human population and settlement.

Ruma National Game Pak in Lambwe Valley is administratively under Mbita district. However, geographically the park is more close to Ndhiwa and Gwassi districts and about 23 kilometers from Homa-Bay Town, which has already been chosen to b the regional County administrative headquarters under the devolution in according to the new constitution dispensation.

The communities living within the four districts of Mbita, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa and Gwassi economically stand to gain considerably from its resources.

The Park is famous for hosting rare animal species such as the Roan Antelope {Omoro}, beautiful, but one of the fiercest wild animals, Roth Child Giraffe, and the tiny Oribi antelope {othwele}

Officials at the Park disclosed that the KWS has relocated 100 zebras, 21 black rhinos and two white rhinos, 10 wildebeest –all removed from conservancy in Laikipia and Kitale.

The project of restocking the park with more wildlife was recently launched by the forestry an Wildlife Minister Dr Noah Wekesa who said the government was committed in bringing tourism in the area at par with other parks in the country. He added that the tourism, which is number one Kenya’s foreign exchange earner, is the backbone of the nation’s economy.

Tourism, the Minister said” is our foreign income generating approximately Kshs 100,000 million, and contributing ten per cent of the national budget.”

The Minister advised the local communities to value and preserves the resource for the future generations.

A senior Game Warden Daniel Rono disclosed that plans are underway to introduce other species of wildlife including ostriches. About 70 herds of buffaloes have survived in the park all these year, though their numbers has been dwindling due to excessive poaching.

On the top of the nearby Ruma Hills in which the park drives its name from, there are the unique species of antelope which are white in color and called by locals “Nyambaja”, and which are found nowhere in Kenya, but the herds which the local estimated to be around 80 or more rarely come down to the plains. The herds could only be seen while grazing majestically and jumping on the rocks after green pasture on the top of the hills are torched,

These are mountain species of animals, which stays out of the reach of the poachers, though not gazette nor mentioned anywhere in the government official document as exiting or endangered as one of the protected wildlife and are believed to have survived for centuries

The KWS should move e much faster and carrying a thorough research o establishes the existence of this very special species of animals, which the local says is lightly smaller than impala or bush-buck and reedbuck. These animals rarely come down the slop I search of water and it is believed to be depending on small springs available on top of the hills. Leopard, hyenas and pythons are some of the predators.

With newly improved roads the project is expected to benefit the communities living within the vicinity of Ruma National Game Park. The part could be accessed either via Homa-Bay town, Mbita Town or Mirogi Trading Center in Ndhia which is the nearest of the main gate of the Forest, only eleven kilometers. The road from Rodi-Kopany is now well done on termak, the same with the Homa-Bay Mbita Road. Tourists and visitors travelling from Kisumu could access the Park via Mbita Ferry which is plying between Luanda Kotieno on the mainland Uyoma and Mbita and then drive on he newly constructed tarmac road which can now link Mbita to the Ruma National Park.

Visitors may be booked to dozens of tourist class hotels such as Tausi Hotel at Rodi Kopany, Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel, Ndhiwa Hotel in Ndhiwa, Rusinga Holiday Inn, ICIPE Guest House, Mbita Beach Resort. There are several tourist class hotels in Mbita Town and one top class luxury hotel at Kamasengre next to the home of the late Mr Tom Mboya,Mbita Beach Resort, and several.

Visitor would also have easy access to pre-historic sites such as the legendary Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare site next to Nyandiwa Center in Central Gwassi, Nyama Gi Ware Rocks next to Wanyama fishing landing beach in Rusinga Island, birds watchers should find themselves very comfortable in Mfangano Island where there is also a tourist class hotel and many pre-historic sites.

The myth of Soklo Kipenji rocky Island nr Usawo, which many people believes no human being has ever set foot on, and where even birds fear to land on.

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How the opposition leader in Uganda beat the police dragnet and snuck into Jinja town

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An online report posted by Uganda correspondent
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

Dr Besigye: Slipped through the police net

Interesting details emerging from the hotly contested Jinja East bi-election that took place last week, Thursday, 9 February, indicate that Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] party president Dr Kizza Besigye has once again successfully outwitted a joint police and army security blockade that had been set up to stop him.

According to a source who was at the scene, the security blockade had been set up to stop Besigye and other top opposition leaders from entering Jinja Town Hall where the votes were being counted. Uganda Correspondent understands that initially, Besigye tried to approach Jinja Town Hall in his vehicle but he was rudely stopped in his tracks by mean looking security operatives who ordered him to drive off.

A few minutes of heated exchanges followed. The FDC leader finally obliged and asked his driver to turn around. His vehicle then sped off and disappeared into the misty distance of the streets of Jinja town which had been virtually saturated by the heavy clouds of teargas that had been fired by police to disperse rival supporters of the two main contenders, FDC’s Paul Mwiru, and NRM’s Nathan Nabeta.

After about twenty minutes or so, the security officers who had blocked Besigye from accessing Jinja Town Hall were shocked to the bone to hear that the FDC leader had somehow made it into the Town Hall and was now busy trying to make sure that his candidate’s votes were not stolen.

Besigye himself was tight lipped when contacted by this reporter to shed light on how he outwitted the heavy security blockade. “Hahahaha.” the FDC leader laughed out loud before steering the phone conversation swiftly away from what he called “the small matter” of how he beat the security blockade to enter Jinja Town Hall.

“That is not a matter for public consumption. All I can tell you is that you have to be creative when you are dealing with a rogue regime.” Besigye said. He then added that, “…The point is not really about how I made into the hall. It is about the oppressive environment imposed by this regime in which we operate. Transparency is a fundamental requirement for any election to be deemed free and fair. And this is precisely what we have been demanding for years.” the FDC leader said.

Several unsubstantiated theories have since emerged about how Besigye beat the security roadblock in dramatic fashion. Mr. David Waiswa, a 39 year old resident Walukuba West who says he was seated in a shop at the Town Hall end of Iganga Road as the drama unfolded, said he is convinced that Besigye came back on foot and walked straight past the security officers who had by now dropped their guard after seeing Besigye’s car drive off.

In truth, we never know how Besigye actually beat the tight security blockade. But it is not the first time that the FDC leader has pulled off such a mystifying antic. Soon after the 2001 elections, Besigye beat the heavy military ring-fence deployed at his house in Luzira and eventually escaped out of the country unnoticed. He ended up in South Africa where he lived until his return in 2005.

The Jinja East bi-election result

FDC’s Paul Mwiru emerged victorious after beating his close opponent NRM opponent Nathan Nabeta Igeme by 1,701 votes. Mwiru garnered a total of 7,758 votes and Nabeta came a close second with 6,057 votes. Consequently, Mwiru was declared winner in front of Electoral Commission [EC] Chairman Eng. Badru Kiggundu.

The Jinja East parliament seat fell vacant after FDC’s Paul Mwiru successfully challenged Nabeta’s election in the High Court, which then ordered a bi-election.

END

Kenya: The Rusinga Island Community in the mourning mood following the sudden demise of the chairman of Suba Council of elders

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Reports by Leo Odera Omolo

The resident of Rusinga Island were on Sunday afternoons thrown into a mourning mood following the sudden death a prominent educationist and a farmer Mr Apollo Okeyo Omuga who died of what the family suspected to be related cardiac arrest.

Doubling as the chairman of the Sub Council of Elders, Mr Okeyo Omuga was a retired school teachers who rose through ladder and ranks and became the Provincial Adult Education Officer before his retirement bout eight years. After his retirement from active service he then embarked into rehabilitation and reforestation program through an NGO, which saw millions seedling of tree planed on various hills within the Island which had been depleted of natural tree, particularly around Ligongo Hill.

Family sources says Mr. Okeyo Omuga has been slightly unwell and suffering from diabetic and hypertension and was among the many hundreds of Kenyan people who recently traveled to Lioliondo in the Northern Tanzania and visited the famous retired Pastor in search of treatment.

He had also succeeded in turning his lakeside Kakirigu farm in Waware area green in the semi-arid Rusinga Island by introducing new method and technology of mechanized irrigation using the idle waters of Lake Victoria producing vegetables, maize and other cash crops.

Mr Okeyo Omuga will be remembered for having actively participated in the development activities of Rusinga Island in particular and the Suba region in general. He is credited for having been a good organizer and mobilizer when it comes to the question o development and progress.

He was among the founder and patrons of the Rusiga annual cultural festival which brings together sports and cultural dancers from the various sub-clans and communities.

He is survived by his three wives, a large number of children most of them grown ups. His body was rushed to the mortuary in Homa-Bay town for preservation pending the family arrangement for burial, which will be announced later.

Among the leading personalities who sent their condolences to he braved family is Dr Mark Matunga, an aspirant for the position of Homa-Bay County governor who told this writer that he had just spoken to the deceased on Sunday morning and did not expect anything unusual to happen to him therefore his untimely him came as big shock to him.

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Kenya: Nyanza MPs got their priority on the wrong footing for asking Kibaki to anoint Raila as the next president of Kenya

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo.In Kisumu City

The recent utterances by a section of ODM Luo MPs do not add any value to Rail Odinga’s presidential ambition, and the time is ripe for the Prime Minister to tell his closest allies and advisers to check their tanks.

In this context, I have in my mind the speeches which were delivered by a section of Luo MPs during the recent tour of Kisumu by President Mwai Kibaki. And also the uncoordinated uncalled for attempt to coerce the ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi during the Jaramogi Oginga Odinya memorial service at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Bondo..

Several MPs cabinet Ministers included told President Kibaki in full view of a huge crowd to return his hand to Raila by declaring “Raila Tosha” in anointing the Prime Minister as his successor to the presidency. This, according to MPs was to be in return gesture to what Raila did in 2002 when he declared “Kibaki Tosha” at the Uhuru Park. It however worked upside down

Surely, Kibaki did not publicly asked for Raila favor in 2002, but the Prime Minister voluntarily did so in his own personal political interest. Nobody had coerced him to say so. In any case, the outgoing President cannot anoint the next President to succeed him. The responsibility of electing is based on the electorate.

If my memories serves me well, I can remember vividly well that the same cartel of Luo MPs and members of the amorphous Luo Council of Elders had invited the retire President Daniel Arap Moi at a leaders meeting. The meeting was held at the SonySugar complex in Awendo and the main agenda was to ask the Head of State to anoint Raila Odinga who by the was a member of cabinet in the short-lived KANU-LDP merger as the Minster for Energy. It didn’t work well in their favor of Raila sycophants, and the following week Mr Moi in a public rally in Mt Elgon district declared that Mr Uhuru Muigai as his favorite choice to be his successor.

Once it didn’t work in their favor, can’t these gentlemen of Parliament from Luo-Nyanza change the tact, which has only ashamed the community and find others suitable avenue of making political maneuvers. The request to Kibaki to anoint Raila as his success did not augur well and it sounded like a pure case of political naivety on the part of the so-called learned friends of “Agwambo”.

The other shameful act and blunder made by the Luo MP was during the memorial service for the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The ceremony was held at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Central Sakwa Bondo.Judging from the utterance of some of the MP who seemed to have been irked by the action of the Deputy Prime Minister Wycliff Musalia Mudavadi in declaring his interest and presidential ambition by challenging Raila Odinga on ODM’s presidential nomination. Raila himself has repeatedly made it categorically clear that any adult and sane member of his party has the right to stand and contest the election in any elective position. And this is what Mr Mudavadi has just been doing that. However, he was confronted with uncalled for and unwarranted attack by a section of Luo MPs who dressed him down in turns. One of the MPs Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem emotionally charged at the DPM and pointed an accusing finger alleging that the Vihiga MP was acting at the behest of external forces. Midiwo in his scathing criticism only
Midiwo it fell short of telling the ODM deputy leader that he was a “traitor and a PNU mole in ODM.”

Midiwo is a first cousin of Raila Odinga and his actions and utterances could be construed and mistaken as representing the inner side o the family view towards Mudavadi, which might not be the case. It is also not in line and accordance to the Luo culture guidance on how to treat a guest of Mudavandi’s status on a visit to the family from distant land. These reckless utterances has since sparked off protests from the Luhyia ODM leaders, followers and supporters who felt the MP had an ulterior motive of insubordination of the DPM. Whatever motives such utterances serves; it is my view that such issues should have been tackled during the ODM Parliamentary Group’s meeting. And that is the way any political party of highly disciplined men and women should be operating and functioning. Judging from what is now in public domain is that these degrading loose talks have achieved nothing tangible but has boomeranged.

Surely, that was a solemn gathering to remember Jaramogi one of the heroes of the struggle for the independence of this country, and in my view not the best forum the Luo MPs to hurled their vitriol’s at Mudavadi, who came in as an important guest of the Odinga family and joined them in remembering and prayers for the soul of their loved father.

It is also my view that some of the people surrounding the Prime Minister are only interested in retaining their parliamentary seats at the next general election, but contributing negatively towards the PM’s presidential bid.

Moreover Rala Odinga is a popular leader on his own rights. He is known by millions of Kenyans as forthright and genuine reformer. His track record ever since his active participation in the second liberation f the country is undisputed fact, which are well documented and well known to every sane Kenyans. It therefore does not require an MP or a bunch of MPs to polarize and polluting the air with mediocrity utterances.

Kenya’s politics is ethnically oriented therefore when members of one community recklessly embarrassed and harassed a leader from a neighboring community, the relations between the two communities cannot be said to be “business as usual” therefore if such degrading utterances like the one directed towards Mudavadi in Bondo were meant to appease and attract the attention of the PM then it did not work well and as such made no added value.

The Kisumu residents expected the local MPs to pressurize President Kibaki to consider the possibility of resuscitating the closed industries such as the multibillion Kisumu Cotton Mills Ltd, the Kenya Breweries Plant which has been shut down and left to rot in Kisumu town and to an extent the revival of the close Miwani Sugar Mills whose 10,000 hectares nucleus farm has since became the milking cow of the corrupt politicians in the region and top officials. The closure of the three manufacturing industries in Kisumu has since spilled out of work over 10,000 workers who were declared redundant. But the MPs got their priorities wrong.

Fishing and fish trade is another thriving business in the region, but of late there I a sharp decline in the volume of catches as the reports by experts indicate that the fish population in the Lake Victoria is on the downward trends. These are some of the pertinent issues, which the Luo MPs should have discussed with the head of State while he was visiting the region and explore how to improve and rehabilitate the fishing industry.

The sugar industry is another mainstay of the region’s economy, but of late several sugar mills, which are in the region are reportedly unable to reach their production capacity due to acute shortage of raw materials or engaged in cut-throat scrambling or the few mature cane that is available due to lack of a clear-cut policy governing the industry.

The region boost six sugar mills with four are located within Kisumu County, while two are in the greater Southern Nyanza. One of the sugar mills, Miwani Sugar Mills went burst about 12 years ago, and efforts by interested parties ,its owners the government and stakeholders effort to have it rehabilitated has run into a lot of difficulties, while its 10,000 acres nucleus estate has been subjected of lengthy legal tussle.

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KENYA: KIPSIGIS LEADERS ARE UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE SECRET DISMANTLING OF KETEPA FACTORY IN KERICHO AND ITS RELOCATION TO NAIROBI AND THIKA

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho

The Kipsigis leaders are up in arms against what they have described as secret dismantling of machinery at the 50 year old Kenya Tea Packers Association {KETEPA} by the directors of the Kenya Tea Development Agency {KTDA}.

Previously known as the Central Packing Plant, the facility was built by the Broke Bond Tea Company Limited in 1949. The same company established a big printing press in an adjacent building in 1950 in order to cut down the cost of packaging materials printed with the company logo and colors.

But when the Brooke bond sold its tea plantations and close to twenty tea plantation estates and more than a dozen of green tea leaves processing factories in the early 1970s to the Unilever Company, it also offloaded the Central Packing, which was sold to the KTDA and individual investors.

Prior to the new arrangement, the Central Packing was the main tea packers in the entire Eastern African region receiving tea of packaging from as far field as Uganda and Tanzania under Broke Tea business flagship of Brooke Bond Equatorial Ltd and later Brooke Bond Liebig Company Limited.

A couple of years ago the company’s printing complex, the most ultra modern Printing plan in this region were secretly dismantled in mysterious circumstances and its machines shipped away to unknown destination.

It was late rumored that the printing machines were sold to an Asian business tycoon, whose firm that Ketepa management later contracted for printing of its packing materials.

But things turned out to be the worse after the 2008 post election violence. The KDA directors were reported to b unhappy that Ketepa workers and staff were getting politically motivated threats and intimidation and a decision was made to have the facility closed down and its machines moved to a safe site in Ketengela, Nairobi and Thika Town.

Our investigations has revealed that 80 per cent of the Ketepa workers and staff including top managers were local people, the majority who are commuting to work from the nearby Kipsigis reserves therefore the question of the allegation that the company workers were being threatened does not arise and sounded like fiction.

A prominent Kipsigis farmer-cum-politician Mr William Kipkemoi Arap Kettienya termed the KTDA move of relocating Ketapa as an economic sabotage against the local community and another way of marginalizing the community. Such a move would obviously deny the locals the employment opportunities, which they have been enjoying ever since the facility was established over 50 years.

Kettienya blamed the MPs fro the two Counties of Kericho and Bomet of keeping silent while the dismantling of Ketepa facility is going on. He said the building which used to house its packaging machineries is now an empty cell and the MPs from the region should stand up and put the KTDA directors to task.

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Kenya: Luo MPs who addressed Mudavadi derogatorily in Bondo got their priorities wrong and need to have some amount of discipline for the ODM to survive

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo.

The recent utterances by a section of ODM Luo MPs do not add any value to Rail Odinga’s presidential ambition, and the time is ripe for the Prime Minister to tell his closest allies and advisers to check their tanks.

In this context, I have in my mind the speeches which were delivered by a section of Luo MPs during the recent tour of Kisumu by President Mwai Kibaki. And also the uncoordinated uncalled for attempt to coerce the ODM deputy leader Musalia Mudavadi during the Jaramogi Oginga Odinya memorial service at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Bondo..

Several MPs, cabinet Ministers included, told President Kibaki in full view of a huge crowd to return his hand to Raila by declaring “Raila Tosha” in anointing the Prime Minister as his successor to the presidency. This, according to MPs was to be in return gesture to what Raila did in 2002 when he declared “Kibaki Tosha” at the Uhuru Park. It however worked upside down

Surely, Kibaki did not publicly ask for Raila’s favor in 2002, but the Prime Minister voluntarily did so in his own personal political interest. Nobody had coerced him to say so. In any case, the outgoing President cannot anoint the next President to succeed him. The responsibility of electing is based on the electorate.

If my memories serves me well, I can remember vividly well that the same cartel of Luo MPs and members of the amorphous Luo Council of Elders had invited the retire President Daniel Arap Moi at a leaders meeting. The meeting was held at the SonySugar complex in Awendo and the main agenda was to ask the Head of State to anoint Raila Odinga who by the was a member of cabinet in the short-lived KANU-LDP merger as the Minster for Energy. It didn’t work well in their favor of Raila sycophants, and the following week Mr Moi in a public rally in Mt Elgon district declared that Mr Uhuru Muigai as his favorite choice to be his successor.

Once it didn’t work in their favor, can’t these gentlemen of Parliament from Luo-Nyanza change the tact, which has only ashamed the community and find others suitable avenue of making political maneuvers. The request to Kibaki to anoint Raila as his success did not augur well and it sounded like a pure case of political naivety on the part of the so-called learned friends of “Agwambo”.

The other shameful act and blunder made by the Luo MP was during the memorial service for the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. The ceremony was held at Kang’o Kajaramogi’s home in Nyamira, Central Sakwa Bondo.Judging from the utterance of some of the MP who seemed to have been irked by the action of the Deputy Prime Minister Wycliff Musalia Mudavadi in declaring his interest and presidential ambition by challenging Raila Odinga on ODM’s presidential nomination. Raila himself has repeatedly made it categorically clear that any adult and sane member of his party has the right to stand and contest the election in any elective position. And this is what Mr Mudavadi has just been doing that. However, he was confronted with uncalled for and unwarranted attack by a section of Luo MPs who dressed him down in turns. One of the MPs Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem emotionally charged at the DPM and pointed an accusing finger alleging that the Vihiga MP was acting at the behest of external forces. Midiwo in his scathing criticism only
Midiwo I fell short of telling the ODM deputy leader that he was a “traitor and a PNU mole in ODM.”

Midiwo is a first cousin of Raila Odinga and his actions and utterances could be construed and mistaken as representing the inner side of the family view towards Mudavadi, which might not be the case. It is also not in line and accordance to the Luo culture guidance on how to treat a guest of Mudavandi’s status on a visit to the family from distant land. These reckless utterances has since sparked off protests from the Luhyia ODM leaders, followers and supporters who felt the MP had an ulterior motive of insubordination of the DPM. Whatever motives such utterances serves; it is my view that such issues should have been tackled during the ODM Parliamentary Group’s meeting. And that is the way any political party of highly disciplined men and women should be operating and functioning. Judging from what is now in public domain is that these degrading loose talks have achieved nothing tangible but has boomeranged.

Surely, that was a solemn gathering to remember Jaramogi one of the heroes of the struggle for the independence of this country, and in my view not the best forum the Luo MPs to hurled their vitriol’s at Mudavadi, who came in as an important guest of the Odinga family and joined them in remembering and prayers for the soul of their loved father.

It is also my view that some of the people surrounding the Prime Minister are only interested in retaining their parliamentary seats at the next general election, but contributing negatively towards the PM’s presidential bid.

Moreover Rala Odinga is a popular leader on his own rights. He is known by millions of Kenyans as forthright and genuine reformer. His track record ever since his active participation in the second liberation f the country is undisputed fact, which are well documented and well known to every sane Kenyans. It therefore does not require an MP or a bunch of MPs to polarize and polluting the air with mediocrity utterances.

Kenya’s politics is ethnically oriented therefore when members of one community recklessly embarrassed and harassed a leader from a neighboring community, the relations between the two communities cannot be said to be “business as usual” therefore if such degrading utterances like the one directed towards Mudavadi in Bondo were meant to appease and attract the attention of the PM then it did not work well and as such made no added value.

The Kisumu residents expected the local MPs to pressurize President Kibaki to consider the possibility of resuscitating the closed industries such as the multi-billion shillings Kisumu Cotton Mills Ltd, the Kenya Breweries Plant which has been shut down and left to rot in Kisumu town and to an extent the revival of the close Miwani Sugar Mills whose 10,000 hectares nucleus farm has since became the milking cow of the corrupt politicians in the region and top officials. The closure of the three manufacturing industries in Kisumu has since spilled out of work over 10,000 workers who were declared redundant. But the MP’s priority for the region appeared to have been on the wrong footing. Instead of representing the thousands of jobs residents they directed their appeals to the President to help Raila in his presidential bid, and yet the PM is a working man contrary to thousand of youth in the streets.

Surely was the requests placed before the Kenyan head of state were genuinely in the interests of the down trodden Wananchi? Only time will tell.

Ends

African dictators’ assets in Europe red-flagg

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This is the views contained in an article published and posted at the weekend by Uganda Correspondent in its website.
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

Past & Present: Africa’s powerful dictators.

Members of the European Parliament [MEPs] have, in an unprecedented move, raised the red flag on their governments and called on their leaders to end what they called “hypocritical” dealings with the world’s top tyrants who use EU member states as a safe haven for their ill gotten wealth.

“…Leaders of authoritarian regimes can spend their dubiously acquired wealth in the EU, despite measures to prevent it, because EU Member States provide safe havens for their personal fortunes and give them access to education and leisure services. This has to stop,” the European Parliament said in a resolution passed on Thursday last week.

In the resolution addressed to the European Council of Ministers, the MEPs said to many authoritarian leaders and their acolytes, the EU is an attractive place to invest, buy property, hold bank accounts, and enjoy the “…freedom to spend their often dubiously acquired wealth.” The EU legislators added that the hypocritical stance towards the leaders of authoritarian regimes needs to end.

“…We publicly denounce their human rights records, while letting them busily stash their money away in our banks, own property within our borders, do business with our companies, and holiday in our resorts. Our message has to be loud and clear: the EU will not help you launder your ill-gotten gains,” said MEP Graham Watson who drafted the report.

End selective application of sanctions

The MEPs also said applying restrictive measures inconsistently is not effective and damages the EU’s credibility. They thus called on all Member States to ensure that there are “…no double standards when deciding on restrictive measures or sanctions and that these are applied regardless of political, economic and security interests.”

They MEPs also invited the European Commission and all Member States to coordinate arms embargoes and pay due regard to International Criminal Court judgments relevant to EU sanctions policy. Member States were also urged to declare the names of persons on the sanctions list who hold property or financial assets within their borders and cooperate in identifying and confiscating those assets.

“…Listed leaders and persons or organizations associated with them [dictators] should be strictly prohibited from owning assets and property in the EU or travelling in Europe for leisure. Academic institutions, sports and charity organizations should likewise be prohibited from accepting funding, grants or donations from these leaders and their natural and legal associates,” the MEPs demanded.

At the same time, the MEPs said, the EU should strive to minimise the impact of sanctions on the vulnerable and innocent populations of authoritarian regimes. “…All restrictive measures must aim to influence only the accountable elites of repressive or criminal regimes, and should be coupled with support for civil society, so as to build respect for democracy and human rights.” the EU legislators counselled.

Repatriation of frozen assets

The MEPs were however, also at pains to point out the need to repatriate frozen funds and assets back to the citizens of the countries from which they were stolen. “…Member States should endeavour to mobilise frozen and confiscated assets and repatriate them to their respective countries as soon as possible so as to benefit the population,” the text of the report read in part.

Egypt’s former dictator Hosni Mubarak has for example been accused of stashing away [in the EU and US] a massive fortune estimated to be around $70 billion. Likewise, the family of the deceased Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is suspected to have accumulated billions of dollars worth of properties abroad.

Other Mubarak and Gadhafi, the French media reported in 2009 that on the 28th of August 2009, long serving Cameroonian President Paul Biya and his acolytes checked in La Baule, a luxurious French resort where they each booked 43 rooms at the cost of $60,000 per night. They stayed there for 20 days and racked up a bill of $1.2million for accommodation alone.

Before this latest EU resolution, a senior Ugandan opposition leader told this newspaper last year that when Museveni’s government falls, they would seriously hunt down assets bought by NRM leaders abroad using stolen money. That may however be easier said than done.

END.

KENYA: THE VIEWS OF A PROMINENT SUGAR CANE FARMER IN URIRI.

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IN MIGORI COUNTY.

Forwarded by Leo Odea Omolo

BY: BOB AWITI OTANGE – MIGORI COUNTY

It is a reprieve for cane farmers in Migori County as it demand for matured cane has increased due to stiff competition by the giant Sony Sugar Co. Ltd located in Rongo District and recently commissioned Sukari Sugar Co. Ltd located at riverbank of Kuja bordering Ndhiwa and Uriri District.

For along time Sony sugar Co. Ltd has enjoyed the monopoly from farmers being the sole vendor of sugar. From time again farmers have highlighted their predicaments on the poor services offered by Sony Sugar Co. management, including failure to harvest contracted canes in time as stipulated in the farmers contract document, failure to pay the cane proceeds in time once the raw materials have been delivered to the factory for crushing, poor customer care services etc.

With the advent of Sukari Sugar Co, Ltd which is now geared towards full operation, it is highly likely that, Cane farmers in Migori County will have a relief as they will have alternative factory to deliver their raw materials in case Sony Sugar Co. has repudiated terms and conditions stipulated in the contract document.

This is now making Sony Sugar Management to panic as they have sense stiff competition between the two (2) will put them out of business.

In view of the above, MD of Sony Sugar Co. is seeking redress from Sugar cane arbitration Tribunal board to bar Sukari Sugar Co. from purchasing raw material from farmers in Migori County.

This kind act is quite unethical and unprofessional as both factories are operating under the same market conditions. if any thing Sukari Sugar Co. is only striving for a market share which Sony Sugar Co. has build for the last thirty (30) years or so. Using Sony Sugar’s retained earnings to finances cost of seminars to improve customer care, give slightly higher rate above market rate per ton of sugar cane, and giving prompt payments for proceed for sugar on their due dates would be enough to put Sukari Sugar Co. out of business. Furthermore it is farmers prerogative to decide on the healthy rate per ton and decide on which factory to transaction with.

Therefore Sony Sugar MD should stop snivelling on perfect market competition dictated by market forces and instead improve on quick service delivery to cane farmers as a means toward motivating them to stick to their factory Sony Sugar Co. Ltd.

The Smallest tribe living in Western Uganda faces extinction

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Small Western Uganda tribe faces extinction
IRIN NEWSFUTURE POSTED LAST WEEK
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo
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The Basua people, a little known Ugandan tribe of just one hundred people, is facing the threat of extinction, IRIN news reported last week. According to IRIN, the Basua were forcibly removed from their forest home two decades ago. They have also struggled to cope with modern life and have been ravaged by health crises, including HIV.

Uganda has two indigenous forest communities – the Batwa people of the southwest, a larger group originally from Rwanda and Burundi, and the Basua in the west who came from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Already marginalized for their short stature and for being traditional forest dwellers, the Basua have continued to receive less assistance than the Batwa because they are more geographically isolated and have a smaller population, numbering just 100.

Forced resettlement

Western Uganda’s Semliki Forest – the historical home of the Basua – became a National Park in 1993, and as a result, the community has lost its hunter-gatherer existence. They now have to request permission to fish and collect medicinal herbs and firewood, and are forbidden from hunting.

The Basua have been moved around ever since, most recently to a village outside the small trading town of Bundimasoli in 2007, after a local NGO won a grant from the European Union to build a village for them, but the project collapsed under corruption allegations before it was completed.

The community still has no clear rights to the land where it was resettled, and struggles to access basic services such as clean drinking water and healthcare. “…Imagine someone is used to maybe going to the office, working, making phone calls, going to the ATM, withdrawing money… then you dump them in the forest instead,” said Fred Lulinaki, a programme director at the East and Central Africa Association for Indigenous Rights (ECAAIR). “If they survive, it will be just by luck.” he added.

Some Basua men and women find casual jobs such as hauling wood, but most sit around the village with nothing to do. Some have turned to alcohol. Of the 40 children, Lulinaki said only two attend school, either because they are orphaned or their parents cannot afford the cost of pens and school fees. Fifteen of the community’s children are orphans.

Ezekiel Mugisa, local coordinator of the Organisation for the Survival of the Basua (OSIBA), said the first documented case of HIV among them was in 1985, but the virus really established a foothold when the Allied Democratic Forces – a Ugandan rebel group – launched a movement to overthrow the Ugandan government for the DRC in the mid-1990s. The Ugandan troops sent to fight the insurgents set up camp near the Basuas’ home; soldiers and suppliers offered money and goods in exchange for sex with Basua women, or raped them.

Rumours have long circulated in Uganda that sex with Basua women cured back pain and HIV. Stan Frankland, an anthropologist at Scotland’s University of St Andrews, has been working with and advocating for the community since he first visited them as a tourist in 1990. He helped establish OSIBA.

Frankland said the myths stemmed from a belief that as forest dwellers, the Basua “have some spiritual aspect to them. That they’re not fully human… they might transmit this power.” Even with the troops gone and education campaigns debunking supposed AIDS cures, transactional sex remains common. For many women, it is the only viable way of supporting themselves. HIV is a secondary concern to getting enough to eat.

There are no official statistics on HIV prevalence among the Basua. Those who know they are HIV-positive have limited access to, or knowledge of available treatments. Since Save the Children pulled out recently, the nearest source of treatment is a health centre 20km away – few of the Basua can afford the transport costs.

Even when they did have access to ARVs, there was no formal process to teach people why the drugs were important or how to take and store them. Instead, many would trade the drugs for food, according to Mugisa.

“…The [Basua] are dying,” said Basua King Geoffrey Nzito, who had just concluded a burial ceremony. “I want people to join hands so at least they can come to a solution that is good for us.” he said.

Powerlessness

The Basuas’ situation mirrors the problems indigenous groups around the world are facing, says Rebecca Adamson, president and founder of First Peoples Worldwide (FPW), a group that makes small, direct grants to indigenous groups to help carry out livelihood projects that they design and develop.

Adamson said she had seen many indigenous groups kicked off land they had lived on and cultivated for hundreds of years, so that governments and companies could access it for mining, industry or tourism. Once they are displaced, there is little funding to help the groups integrate into life outside the forests.

The funding that exists is often driven by NGOs without the input of the indigenous people, so they “remain at the whims of what western society wants for them instead of what they want for themselves”, she said. Adamson is afraid that “we will be seeing large-scale extinction of certain groups” like the Basua.

Stan Frankland also said the Basua fear that the community would soon die out. “…There are only 100 of them. If you can’t save 100 people, how are you going to make it work on a larger scale?”

E

Kenya: Many prospective aspirants in Luo-Nyanza have beaten quick retreat after burning their fingers and for fear of mass disqualifications by IEBC

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Investigative Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisum City

IMMEDIATELY soon after the promulgation of Kenya’s new constitution last August by President Mwi Kibaki, many prospective aspirants jumped overboard and quickly pronounced their intention to contest the election in various constituencies inside Luo-Nyanza.

The would be candidates contesting several election positions such as parliamentary and senate seats, country governors and county civic representatives made extensive tour of the country side, especially in the areas targeted for the big contest come the general elections schedule for later this year.

These prospective aspirants invaded the region organizing for Harambee fund drives in aid of the various economic and social projects in many parts of the region. Some of them initiated the establishment of football clubs to popularize and promote their personal image, others made it sure thy contributed lavishly towards the funeral expenses to the families of the bereaved.

Many potential aspirants rushed with books donation to schools or with other learning aids and gears to popularize themselves among the communities.

The worse of it all was the invasion of funeral homes in the company of heavily drugged and intoxicated youths menacingly behaving in readiness for physical combat and fight against those perceived to be the potential opponents of their man.

These aspirants and their drunken youths made funeral places no go area. Money appeared not to be in short supply. The aspirants purchased uniforms for their favorite sports teams and organizations, bought sport gears such as balls and trophies for the competing teams. Other spent fortune paying the popular “Ohangla musicians” other spent lavishly on local orchestra jazz bands which composed hurriedly composed and recorded cheap songs in their praise.

However, a thorough survey carried out by this writer in many constituencies revealed that most of these would be heavily moneyed aspirants have already beaten quick retreat and disappeared in the thin air not to be heard or seen anywhere within the localities.

Their sudden disappearance could be attributed to varied factors, but the major one being that these prospective aspirants had panicked in fear of facing mass disqualification at the time of the nomination which will be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, which has set up tough electoral conditions such as the requirement that each candidate for either parliament, senate or governorship must be a degree holder from recognized University or from any other institutions of higher learning.

MANY aspirants according to our investigations are armed with fake degrees and certificates obtained through dubious contacts or bought cheaply from back street vendors in India and other Western countries, where such document are said to be selling cheaply.

These tough conditions have since kept many aspirants out of circulations. Some have even severed their phone links with their supporters back home and retreated to the safety of Nairobi City.

In most cases the aspirants mobile phones have remained permanently switched off, and this to a certain extent is a blessing in disguise to the bereaved families whose homes have at one time or the other were turned into political platform.

Other reason could be attributed to the recent outbreak of a serious fighting in a funeral home at Kachien Village near Oyugis during which the vehicle which belonging to the chairman of the ODM election Board eng. Phillip Okoth Okundi was stoned and extensively damaged when the attackers mistook the vehicle to be that of the area MP Joseph Oyugi Mgwanga. In the same incident the Immigration and Registrations of persons Minister Otieno Kajwng’took to his heels amid hail of stones and escaped to Oyugis town for his personal safety.

Scores of youths were injured in the melee while some of the sustained serious bodily harm and were admitted to the hospital or treatment.

Several well known professional mourners who have been shuttling the full length and width of the greater Southern Nyanza region, while addressing mourners on behalf of their masters received the beatings, one of them the most notorious one was seen walking out of the fateful funeral home minus his shoes.

Other factors which have contributed immensely to the sudden disappearances of the aspirants from the scene could be due to finances. Those were reported to have been engaged themselves in premature election campaigns and were reported to be spending extravagantly may have already burnt their fingers and had their coffers depleted of funds. A case in point is that of one of the aspirants in the greater Southern Nyanza who was spending close to between Kshs 200,000 and 300,000 a week is now said to be in full flights from the troops of auctioneer in Nairobi and has gone underground.

According to impeccable sources, most of the aspirants who came to the scene too early are sad to be people engaged in dubious businesses such as drug dealers and peddlers, brokerage dealers with connection to high places, which facilitated them to acting as pseudo importers of popular items such as bitumen, oil, and other imported materials used in road construction and building industry in which they are said to be minting millions, which they are said to be sharing the loot with authorizing authorities, in most cases government ministries and parastatals as ell as quasi-governments, a clear indication that corruption in high paces still in existence in full swing with impunity.

There is a clear indication that the battle for most of the elective seats such as parliament, senate and governor in Luo-Nyanza will be a tall order in which Tom Dick and Harry will fall by the wayside. The sweet-talking politicians either men or women with half-baked education will find themselves in a more awkward conditions in some could even could prosecutions after uttering false documents before the IEBC.

Of late there appeared to have been many people inside Luo-Nyanza claiming to be the holders of fake Phd doctorate degrees whose sources are said to be dubious. And only the time will tell.

Ends

Kenya: President Obama’s 88 year old grandma and four other injured in a road mishap near Kisumu

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City

US President Barack Obama’ 88 year old grand mother, Mama Sarah Obama sustained bodily an facial bruises during a road accident which occurred last Saturday near the lakeside City of Kisumu.

The road mishap which left the 88 year old grandma shocked and shaken occurred near Otonglo Market, which is located about six kilometers in the outskirt of Kisumu City on the main Kisumu –Maseno -Busia road.

It appear as if Mama Sarah Obama was traveling to her rural home in Nyang’oma,Alego Kogelo in Siaya district in the evening. The police have confirmed that the accident took place at about 9.pm.

The accident occurred after the driver of the car in which the grandma and three others were travelling in lost control of the vehicle while trying to overtake another vehicle which was heading for the same direction.

According to an eye witness Jane Atieno who was among the few people from the nearby villages who rushed to the scene of the accident on hearing the heavy bang on the vehicle hit the ground, on impact,” the bang attracted many people from the surrounding villages.

After realizing that a vehicle had rolled and was resting on its rooftop the crowd milled around trying to figure it out as to who was involved. Their attention was raised by the arrival a good number of policemen who quickly came to the scene making the villagers to realize that mishap might have involved someone very important in the country.

The Kisumu OCPD confirmed tat Mama Obama was raveling to her home in Siaya about 80 kilometers to the west when the accident occurred. The five occupants of the car were immediately whisked away and taken to hospital for treatment. Two of the occupants were said to be her security details.

A spokesman at the Aga Khan hospital where rushed to for medical attention told this writer that all of the five sustained miner injuries. They were treated and discharged. Mama Obama had sustained bruises and was in shock when brought o the hospital for treatment.

Many resident of Kisumu expressed their sympathy and wished the popular and much loved grandma quick and full recovery.

MAMA Sarah Obama came to world fame immediately her step grand son President Barack Obama Jnr won the US presidency sparking a great influx of both foreign and local people into her well guarded home. She ha since received foreign and local dignitaries who visited her homestead where Barack Hussein Obama Snr, the biological father of the US President barck Obama Jnr is buried together with his father Hussein Onyango Obama.

Ends

TO WHOM I MAY CONCERN

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From: Leo Odera

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS EARLY OPPORTUNITY TO RE-STATE THAT I HAVE NEVER LEFT MY KISUMU HOME FOR ANY OTHER PLACES BE IT EUROPE, AFRICA, US OR ASIA, THEREFORE AN EMERGENCY LETTER PURPORTED TO HAVE BEEN SENT OUT BY ME TO FRIENDS AND CONTACTS TELLING THEM THAT I AM STRANDED IN SPAIN AND AT LEAST 1,900 EUROS WHICH I SHALL REFUND WHEN I RETURN HOME IS FAKE AND COULD BE THE WORK OF INTERNET FRAUDSTERS AND HACKERS,THEREFORE IT SHOULD B E IGNORED AND TREATED WITH THE CONTEMPT IT DESERVES.

– LEO ODERA OMOLO –

Kenya: five suspected night gangsters are lynched in mob justice in Uriri in Migori County

POLICE in Migori and Uriri districts are actively investigating the circumstances which led to the killing last night of five youths suspected to have been engaged in acts of criminal activities.

The incident occurred at Suka village, Central Kanyamkago, Rapogi Division, Uriri district within Migori County.

Eye witnesses reported that one of the gangsters was cornered in the act of stealing a goat and after receiving the beating from the angry villagers, the suspect took the mob to the hideouts of his accomplices, who were caught, beaten up savagely and tried with ropes and their bodies set alight by the mob using and sugar cane cobs.

Uriri D.C. George Chelagat confirmed the incident, but quickly made an appeal to the resident to refrain from acts of taking the law into their own hand. “They should hand the suspects to the police for investigations and possible prosecution against the suspected culprits instead of killing them.”

The village is only two kilometer from Rapogi Trading Center and the villagers seemed to have taken the advantage of loud music which was blow ring I a nearby funeral home. The deceased were hunted like wild antelopes during the wee hour of the night.

A member of the gang which has been terrorizing the villagers giving them sleepless night through acts of burglaries, robberies and theft was cornered. H then took the enraged villagers to the hideout of all his accomplices. Some of them on hearing the noisy of the oncoming armed villagers took off and fled the area for unknown destination.

One of the gangsters who survived is fig

Kenya: new ultra modern Mbita Ferry is to promote the volume of trades between the mainland and Suba region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town

RESIDENTS of Suba region have good reason to smile following the arrival of bigger and ultra-modern newly built ferry now plying the Mbita Channel from Luanda Kotieno in Uyoma, Rarieda to Mbita Point.

The arrival of MV Uzinza is a blessing to the residents of both Mbita and Gwassi districts.It will make travelling across the narrow waterway from Luanda Kotieno in Uyoma, Rarieda district within Siaya County across the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf}to Mbita Point in Mbita district within the Homa-Bay County.

The Mbita Channel is a vital economic route for the residents of low laying locations within the two districts as ell as to the two major fishing Islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.

Mbita point is also the getaway point to tourists destined to the nearby Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley and also further to the pre-historic rich sites in neighboring Gwassi district.

The passengers travelling on to Mfangano Island may now make an easy connection to small boats plying Mbita-Point Mfangano. The happiest lots are the traders who get their supplies shop goods and other cargo from wholesaler’s shops and major distributors in Kisumu.

MV Uzinza is capable of carrying 30 small cars and up to up 150 passengers. It is expected to easy congestion and scrambling, which were being experienced by travels, forcing some the to leave their vehicle on the other side of the Channel as the previous Ferry could not lift more than 8 vehicles causing also of inconveniences to the public.

The scrambles are usually common phenomenon during holidays and Christmas festivities when many residents of the region returns home from towns like Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kericho, Nakuru and other urban centers outside Nyanza. Similar congestion were witnessed particularly during funerals of prominent men and women, when hundred s of mourners got stranded at either side of the crossing points. Such scrambles will now be things of the past. The happiest lots included the fish traders and cattle dealers from both sides.

With the completion of the tarmac king of the multimillion shillings Homa-Bay Mbita road and the envisaged construction of Mbita-Sindo-Magunga, Laknyiero and Sori road businessmen and farmers in the agricultural rich Gwassi will in the near future enjoy their sweat because they will making easy access to the market for their farm products.

The government earmarked plan for he construction of the above mention ring road around the shoreline of Lake Victoria were made public for the first time by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he addressed a huge crowd of mourners during the burial of former Kenya’s Permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Michael Okeyo Owuor at his Kaswanga village home in Rusinga Island, adding that with the availability of fund the road could cross into Nyatike district winding up in Muhuru Bay.

The time for traveling between Luanda-Kotieno in Uyoma on the mainland and Mbita has been cut short nearly by half short following the recent construction of the ultra modern road from Ndori to Luanda Kotieno and motorist driving fro Kisumu to Mbita could now reach Luanda Kotieno within 40 minutes or an hour time depending on the size of the engine of the vehicle one is using.

The introduction of the ultra-modern Ferry on this route and the completion of modern highways between Homa-Bay and Mbit and between Ndori and Luanda-Kotieno n the mainland Uyoma now fulfill the long cherished dream of the late Mr. Tom Mboya had predicted many years ago that this region at one time would be a potential tourists attraction under the forty years Western Kenya Tourists Circuit

MV Uzinza is a milestone investment by a private firm called Mbita Ferries Limited, which is a business flagship of a youthful entrepreneur Mr Sammy Wakiaga of Rusinga Island who is also involved in other chain of businesses both in Nyanza and Nairobi.

Ends

Photo of MV Uzinza as it cruises the waterway from Mbita on its way to Luanda Kotieno.The Ferry was welcomed with enthusiasm by the residents ho gathered in their hundreds to welcome it on both sides of the Mbita Channel

Kenya: Gossi Column

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Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

BY PETER OLIVER OCHIENG

The Famous Will

There’s a verse in the bible that says “Wise men know when they are just about to die”.

I believe the author of that verse was utmost inspired by his highness the Almighty Father because that is the simple fact of life.

And that is why most people write down their wills whenever it downs unto them that they are just about to give room for upcoming and future generations.

Otherwise, how can a sensible person write a will when he clearly knows that he’s not better placed to wave bye to this uncompromising world any time soon?

Since I was born more than two decades ago to present date, no one among those who went to hell or heaven before us ever left a famous will. The reason is that most wills range from providing heirs to wives, husbands, children, houses and acres of grabbed land among all other earthly materialistic things in the name of property.

For a very long time now, I have gone through desperate days and sleepless nights. I’ve gone through thick & thin, rain and sunshine. I’ve thought carefully and logically to produce what I now confidently refer to as “The famous will”.

“My dear wives, children, brethren, sisters and villagers (villagers are included chiefly because it takes the efforts of a whole village to raise a child).Time has come when we must call a spade a spade and not a big spoon. After birth, comes marriage and finally death. The writing is on the wall-my time has come, I have to go.

Since I was born almost 100 years ago, throughout my life as a junior, youth, middle aged man and now an old man who is just about to kiss this world an everlasting bye, I have stood the taste of time to witness the power of change on both negative and positive fronts.

Of all the changes, the most negative one has been coming out there in large numbers to feast in funerals of slain men. In the traditional African society, the trend was different as the aggrieved family used to get food donations from well wishing villagers.

From a biblical point of view, there’s no verse in the bible indicating that men ate and drunk heavily during burials. By feasting, will you be mourning or celebrating my death? I hope the point is home with all of you. Cooking food, drinking and feasting in the course of my funeral are condemned with the strongest terms ever.

As always, before the final journey to the land of the chosen few (heaven), there will be sermons and speeches from religious leaders, relatives, friends and foes alike. The holy bible always reminds us of saying only the truth so as to be set free. For those who will get a rare chance to speak, utter only the truth.

The issue of exaggerating every aspect of my life will do me no good. Of what benefit will it be to you if you stand tall and argue that I was holy than thou when all know that the word church never existed in my vocabulary? If you call me honest, many will wonder how because in death, I die with many of my neighbours debts.

How do you stand to gain if you stand before the whole village and falsely testify that I was on the fore front of fighting witchcraft when all know too well that it was not until very late that I relinguished the captain’s arm band to the villages’ witchcraft team. In order to increase my probability of ever shaking hands with those heavenly angels (Gabriel and Mary), do not be tempted to exaggerate anything about my life. Then to all speakers, do not speak to exercise your jaws. Be brief and precise.

Over the ages, there has been a raging debate as to whether women should be equal to men. Some male chauvinists argue that since Eve was constructed from Adam’s rib, there’s no way women can become a dorminant species. Irrespective of the chest thumping men, women have so far tried to hold their own account. They are nowadays fighting men left, right and centre on all professional fronts.

Leave alone professionalism, games and sports previously dictated by men have been ‘invaded’ by women. Take for instance women soccer teams like Brazil, Germany and Nigeria. These women play football like nobody’s business. All the same, they are still not equal to men.

What brings out the distinction is simple. Whereas men can dig graves, women have been denied that privilege by barbaric and superstitious beliefs imposed by men. My will is gender sensitive. Women are better placed to dig up my grave since they are the ones who toil the farms while men traverse the villages in search of drinking dens.

Women, permission is granted, brace yourselves up and dig my grave.

This is an opportunity that is extremely up for grabs. Come one, come all and prove to your male counter parts that what men can do, women can do it better and what women can do better, men cannot do. In deed, I’m bound to rest in peace if my grave is exclusively worked on by women.

Lest I forget, I’m leaving behind my pretty last wife. Although when I married her I said ‘till death do us apart’, she is not for inheritance. Not even over my dead body. I hope to meet her in the spirit world when her time expires on earth. And again, I do not need a coffin in order to go to heaven. Bye and may God bless you all.

EAC: Terrorism, piracy and rising crimes posing major threat to the East African region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

RISING insecurity tops the list of challenges to regional integration in 2012, the East African Community top officials have revealed.

The EAC region is currently under renewed pressure to deal with rising cases of piracy, cyber crime, terrorism, human trafficking and money laundering.

According to Ms Beatrice Kiraso, the EAC’s Deputy Secretary General in charge of political federation “These potential threats if not addressed could greatly undermine regional integration.

Speaking at the EAC secretariat in Arusha, Ms Kiraso cited abductions, illegal drug and arms trafficking as other serious crimes troubling the East African region. ”The threats have made it urgent for policy makers to implement the Protocol on Peace and Security, which lists about 20 goals for fostering regional peace and security.”

Meanwhile other reports appearing in local media indicated that Tanzania is hesitant to sign a protocol that is key to the East African Community integration, for the second time in as many months.

During the fourth joint meeting of the sectoral council on co-operation in defense, inter-state security and foreign policy co-ordination held in Arusha from January 16 to 19, Tanzania she said that the amendments it had proposed in November last year in Bujumbura had not been effected.

The report says,”Tanzania has always wanted a clear clause on what would happen in case a member state went to war and whether it would mean that he whole region was at war. In November during the heads of state summit in Burundi, Tanzania Minister for East African Community Affairs Samuel Sitta had put up a strong argument saying that his country was against a section in the protocol that required partner states to assist each other when at war.

The 13th Heads of State Summit held in Burundian capital, Bujumbura in November last year, which both Ugandan and Tanzanian heads of state had skipped approved the Protocol on Defense Co-operation subject to amendments of Article 17 to provide that partner states shall negotiate and conclude within one year, and opted for a Mutual Defense Pact awaiting consensus.

Kenya’s Assistant Minister for Internal Security Joshwa Orwa Ojode, who chaired the Arusha meeting last week, however, played own the Tanzanian concern, arguing that the failure to finalize the protocol was because the technical people had not finished their work.

At the same time Ms Kiraso insisted that the protocol would offer a range of interventions to help prevent and mitigate conflicts and threats.

Information emerging from Arusha says the draft Protocol was adopted by the EAC Council of Ministers a fortnight ago. The body then referred I to the sect oral council meeting for conclusion of policy guidance on counter terrorism, piracy, detention, custody and rehabilitation of offenders.

The policy, she contended, should enhance the exchange of criminal intelligence and other security information between partner states, enhance joint operations and patrols, install common communications facilities for border and interstate security, adopt the UN model law on mutual assistance on criminal matters, and implement the protocol on combating illicit drug trafficking.

The guide should also enable the exchange of training programs for security personnel, establish common mechanism for the management of refugees, formulate security measures to combat cattle rustling, and establish measures to combat proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons.

It has revealed that even South China Sea now suffers the most attacks, piracy off the East African coast- much of it carried out from Somalia- comes in a close second, as indicated by the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization {IMO}.

The UN study recently made public further indicated that 629 people –most of them crew members- were taken hostage in 2010 a number higher than anywhere else.

On Earth Future Foundation, an American non-governmental organization, in a recent study on naval piracy, estimated that Somali pirates exhorted USD 415 million in ransom over the past two years.

Including the costs of higher insurance premiums, re-routing ships, anti-piracy security, and the total annual costs for regional economies may range from between USD 7 billion and USD 12 billion, the study finds.

There are always concerns that funds obtained through piracy may find their way to terrorist networks like Al-Shabaab. Frauds and cyber crime related cases are siphoning the EAC partner states of billions of dollars annually.

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Africa: Egypt is lobbying a fresh for agreement over the use of Nile Waters

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

EGYPTIANS who visited the Kenyan capital, Nairobi at the weekend were expected to begin lobbying countries afresh to reconsider their ratification of an agreement that gives upper Nile states leeway in using the Nile’s waters.

The Nile Basin Convention Frameworks Agreement {CFA} that six countries signed in Entebbe in May 2010 was expected to dominate the agenda of the Inter-Ministerial meeting scheduled for last weekending on January 28.

Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda signed the CFA effectively making it operative even though Sudan, DRC Congo and Egypt are yet to ratify it.

The CFA is currently at the ratification level, but has been delayed because of Egypt’s request for more talks. If ratified, it will repeal the 1929 colonial agreement, ripping Egypt of any legal protection over the resource.

A representative of Ugandan government Dr.Callist Tindimagaya was quoted by the media last week as saying,” We shall go to the meeting with an open mind and give them the opportunity to present their point of view. But once you have signed, international laws prohibit you from withdrawing your signature or work against it.”

However, Egypt is optimistic that the Nairobi meeting will reach a consensus because of its new positive spirit and zeal after the revolution as opposed to feuding over the resource. “Egypt believes that the Nile Ban countries share the same water, same destiny and this is the spirit that we should embrace. Egypt is carrying out discussions with the other Nile Basin countries to move forward,” said Egyptian ambassador to Uganda Sabry M Sabry.

If consensus is reached, the World Bank Trust that manages resources along the Nile will stop mocking any development project on claim of legal basis.

Projects in the pipeline that are of mutual benefits to the region are Regional Interconnection Project that is expected to generate cross border electricity for the benefit of all the countries. The USD385 million projected to complete in 2014is already in progress.

Others are Bujagali {250MW} Ruzizi {145mw}, Lake Kivu Methane Gas {300mw}, Rusumo {80mw}, Isimba {140mw} and Karuma {700mw}.

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Kenya: Nynza farmers expected to earn millions from sorghum grains following high demand of the crops by East African Breweries Limited

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

RESIDENTS of Siaya county and other counties inside Luo-Nyanza which usually experiencing less rainfall, but has fertile arable land are expected to rake in millions of shillings following the launching of sorghum project in Siaya County.

The sorghum growing project has started in Siaya County and will involve the initial number of 500 farmers. In the project in Siaya proves to be successful, it will be extended to other parts of Nyanza region which are experiencing less annual rainfalls, and which are suitable for sorghum crops.

The crops require only two month of rains, especially during the long rain and unlike the maize that needs the continuation of the rains for four months before yielding. Sorghum used to be the staple food members of the Luo community for many years until around 1940s and 1950s following the introduction of maize seedling in the region by the British colonial authorities in Kenya.

And owing to its red and black color, sorghum became neglected and almost disappeared as most peasants went full blast for maize growing.

Regions an areas where it is making good yield include Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Mbita, Gwassi, Nyatike,Lower Nyakach, Uyoma and Asembo in Rarieda, Alego-Usonga, Seme, Kisumo, Kano Plains and Bondo. The crops is doing ell in higher lands in area like Migori, Uriri, Kuria, Kasipul, Kabondo, Rongo and Awendo, but has been neglected for years in preference to maize.

The new sorghum project is taking off this time around at the backdrop of the recent announcement the East African Breweries Limited ,the largest manufacturers of beer that it was considering the possibility of abandoning the growing of barley and replace it with sorghum for brewing its beer.

The Kisumu based Molasses Plant which is producing alcohol and ethanol from molasses a by-product of the sugar cane has also hinted that it might consider the sorghum a s its raw material instead of molasses or revert to the use of both .

The EABL communication officer Joseph Sunday has been quoted in a section of the press as saying that the sorghum project has been taken into consideration following high demand for the grain that is out of step with supply.

The new project is piloted by the EABL in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and the European Cooperation for Rural Development {EUCORP}.The project aims at creating a sustainable value chain for the grain I East Africa.

“It is part of a wider scheme to recruit more farmers in Siaya County into growing white sorghum as cash crop to boost raw material supply for industries reliant on the grain.

EABL will provide registered farmers with certified seeds and organize farms field day to instruct them on good farm practices.

Upon investing, the company will provide ready market for produce at better price than those in the market.” The farmers will benefit from 30 per cent price increase that will see them earn Kshs 30/- per kilogram of sorghum delivered up fro last year’s Kshs 23/- per kg.

This was disclosed by the Company’s Sorghum Project Manager Sylvester Ndeda, who added by saying that firm’s demand for sorghum is high.

The manager further disclosed that they were targeting the long rain season when the grain crop will be planted by at least 500 farmers.

The inaugural field was held last week where the farmers were advised to form groups of cooperatives to enable them bargain better for higher price of their produce, enjoy discounts on farm equipment and access bank loans.

The project will go along way in uplifting the lives of Siaya residents by offering a reliable income from their farming business.

It is hoped that the EABL will extend its project to cover areas where sorghum is grown in abundance such as Uyoma in Rarieda where the crops is known to be doing well with excellent yield in the black cotton soil and also in Kadel are of West Karachuonyo, Lambwe Valley, Kdem and Karungu in Nyatike, Gwassi and Mbita.

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Uganda: Federalism can’t solve all our problems

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By Dr Kizza Besigye

Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

23rd January 2012: There have been persistent and prolific publications and utterances on Federalism by some leaders of Uganda Federal Alliance that are quite misleading.

On the outset, I would like to state that I, personally, and the FDC that I lead, strongly support the adoption of a Federal system for Uganda. This support is based on objective considerations. It is, among others, based on the following reasons:

– The history of state formation in Uganda; where many autonomously functioning political entities (generally ethnically based) of varying levels of sophistication were forcefully merged into one country by colonialism. The merged political entities had widely varying aspirations and cultures that were merely repressed rather than integrated. This has continued to be a fundamental basis for social-political disharmony and turmoil in the country. Ethnicity has been the base of dictatorships that exploit and marginalize others. Federalism would promote harmony and unity without uniformity.

– Federalism can mitigate the tyranny due to concentration of power and resources in a central government.

– It offers States (Regional) governments the freedom to espouse different development policies; allowing a comparison of the outcomes.

– States/ Regions are more viable planning and implementing units than present Districts. Present districts would remain as lower State administrations.

– Areas that are not desirous or able to form State/ Regional governments can continue to be federally (centrally) administered, as in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

In a New Vision article of 12th January 2012, Hon. Betty Kamya asserted that MPs and all others focusing on fight against corruption, abuse of Human Rights, or electoral malpractices are only dealing with the consequences rather than causes of autocratic rule. She asserted that the real cause is having concentration of power in the President; who is the Head of State, Head of Government, and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; who controls the budget processes, and has power to appoint most people in government.

It has been similarly asserted that the humiliating poverty, decay of social services and infrastructure etc. are a result of the centralized system of government introduced by British colonialism. It is asserted that the remedy to these problems is to treat the cause by changing the system of government to federalism. This is the rationale behind the petition being made to the Electoral Commission for a referendum on change of political system (I intend to comment on this separately soon).

Whereas it’s appropriate to have federalism in Uganda for reasons given earlier, it’s wrong to suggest that federalism is a panacea for poverty eradication or democratic and good governance. It may be recalled, indeed, that the Federal arrangement of 1962 was not able to immunize our country against the turmoil that engulfed us a few years after independence.

Presently, there are six African countries with a federal system of government, namely: Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, The Comoros and Somalia. Nigeria was colonized in 1861, and a Federal system was introduced in 1947 by the colonial administration. It became independent in 1960 and continued as a federation till now. From independence up to now, Nigeria is politically turbulent and corruption is systemic and entrenched.

Despite Nigeria’s plentiful agricultural resources and oil wealth, poverty is widespread in the country and has increased since the late 1990s. Over 70 per cent of Nigerians are now classified as poor, and 35 per cent of them live in absolute poverty. This picture is the same with the other African Federal governments; where wars, Human Rights abuses, corruption are rampant. It’s worth noting that Ethiopia was never colonized.

Uganda is presently ranked 96th according to the Democracy Index (2011) out of the 167 countries surveyed. The African Federal governments are ranked as follows: Nigeria 119th, Ethiopia 121st, The Comoros 126th, and Sudan 153rd. Somalia was not surveyed. Other Federal governments outside Africa include Venezuela 97th, Pakistan 105th, Russia 117th, and United Arab Emirates 149th.

On the other hand, the countries at the top of the DI rankings are Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand; all of which have unitary systems. They also happen to be among the top of World Human Development Index (2011); Norway again being in 1st position.

In order to attain a sustainably democratic and good government, which engenders human development, the following, among others, are critical:

– Informed citizen participation. This entails raising the consciousness and building the capacity and knowledge of citizens. To this end, all-round education (formal and informal) is the key. For example, citizens must have the right and ability to know how public revenues are collected and spent, and to participate in the decision-making.

– Freedom of expression and media.

– A strong legal framework and enforcement mechanisms (eg: independent investigative, prosecutorial and judicial functions).

– An independent and effective legislature and civil society.

– High official competence (capability) – a product of training.

– Fiscal (budgetary) transparency and accountability. This includes giving the public budgetary information in an understandable, accessible and timely basis; independent assurances of integrity; and clarity of roles and responsibilities in whole budgetary cycle.

– The political will and commitment of government leaders. To lead by example and abide by the laws. This is especially vital in the process of making the transition from corrupt authoritarian regimes to democratic and good governments.

It’s these measures and actions that underpin political and economic accountability. In turn, political and economic accountability is the bedrock of democratic and good governance.

Whereas concentration of power and resources in the central government of a Unitary System encourages tyranny, it is clear that where appropriate policies are pursued, this need not happen. On the other hand, if appropriate policies are not pursued, Federal System governments become as corrupt and authoritarian as those in a Unitary System.

Let us support the Federal System of government in Uganda for appropriate and true reasons. Federalism is not, in and of itself, a solution to all political problems

. END: .

Dr. Besigye is the Party President of opposition Forum for Democratic Change