Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya & Samolia: Security has been tightened up in the Kenyan capital following threats by terrorists to strike in revenge of its invasion of part of Somalia

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Security has been stepped up in Nairobi and its environs following threats issued by al-Shabaab militants who have vowed reprisals to protest a military offensive against them.

Members of the public have been urged to call emergency lines 999, 112, 020 272 41 54, 020 355 6771 or 020 355 67 80 in case they have anything suspicious to report.

Security agencies have been mobilized in the city and put on alert in case of a possible attack from the militants.

Major installations and places frequented by crowds have been mapped and accorded adequate security, officials said on Tuesday.

Nairobi Provincial Police boss Anthony Kibuchi said they have enhanced security in the city and intelligence mechanisms to secure the city.

He urged city residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious persons or objects to the nearest police station or police officer near them.

“It all starts with us and we must defeat these criminals threatening our peace. Let everyone be vigilant all the time,” he said.

Police and especially those from anti-terror unit plan a major operation in the city to arrest sympathisers of the militant group who are hiding in estates.

Al-Shabaab militants, through their spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage, announced on Monday that they intend to carry out revenge attacks to protest the military operation against them inside Somalia by Kenyan troops.

The Kenyan military forces have so far seized two towns, which were previously held by al-Shabaab militants, some 100 kilometres inside Somalia and they have vowed to get further inside.

On Tuesday, Military Operations Information Officer Emmanuel Chirchir said they were expected to seize the third al-Shabaab controlled base inside Somalia.

Maj Chirchir said military forces were driving into Afmadhow town, about 160 kilometres from the Kenyan border to fight off the militants.

Major Chirchir says dozens of al-Shabaab militants have been gathering around the town but no clash between them and Kenyan forces had been reported.

The Kenyan forces, heavily armed and using helicopter gunships and tanks initially concentrated their offensive on the Qoqani region, 100km from the Kenyan side.

Defence Minister Yusuf Haji vowed that the forces would not relent on their efforts to fight off the militants who have been blamed for a series of abductions since 2009, the latest of them being of four European women seized from Lamu and Dadaab refugee camp.

Kenya: Tea farmers in the South Rift who are expecting boon money from tea businesses next week advised to keep away from twilight girls and con men

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

Tea farmers in the South Rift region who are expecting their bonus payment next week have been warned to keep away from towns to avoid the ugly scene of losing their money to twilight girls and conmen posing as “fake money-makers”.

This warning came from the chairman of the Small Scale Tea owners Association South Rift branch Joel {Bwana Maendeleo} Chepkwony.

Speaking to this writer at the posh Tea Hotel in Kericho Town. Chepkwony said that he had received information that big towns and trading centers within the region are currently under invasion of twilight girls and conmen posing as “Fake Currency” makers with the purpose of preying on the farmer’s sweats.

Owners of hotels, lodges and guest houses in the regions have also been advised not to accommodate suspicious characters be thy men or women in their facilities, especially men and women of no fixed abode.

In this context, Chepkwony said he had in minds the towns like Kericho, Bomet, Litein , Sondu, Sotik and Mogogosiek.

He said he had received information that twilight girls have been pouring into the region from as far as Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Miori Isebania and even from far field like in the neighboring Tanzania to come and capitalize on the boon time of tea bonuses payment, which is reported to be in excess of Kshs 8 billion for the South Rift region alone.

Chepkwony advised to receive their payments through their bank accounts or accounts or get their cash money from the nearby Tea Farmers SACCO offices within their localities. The Tea SACCOS are well spread in small trading centers like Kapsoi, Litein, Mogogosiek, Bomet.

“As soon as the farmers got their money, they should go home and plan well how to pay for their children schools fees, how to improve their family lives maintain their tea bushes to the highest standard and make good saving for other family overheads,” said Bwana Maendeleo.

He went on,” past experiences where some farmer ended up losing the entire amount their earning from tea bonuses to prostitutes and the conmen masquerading as money doublers, the groups commonly known as “Wash Wash”. Farmers should spend their hard earned money wisely, pay their farm hands, debts, build good dwelling houses for their families or improved the existing ones and paint the region good.

‘He pleaded with the farmers to void drinking joins and mixing up with people of suspicious characters and strangers. The only sensible way of avoid such characters is to stay at home with the families and pan ell for the future.

Chepkwny also appealed to he Kenya Tea Board not to license any more privately owned green leaves tea processing factories in the region unless the investors are compelled to offer 50 per cent share equity to the tea farmers. There re two existing privately owned tea factories in Belgut region, one at Kabianga and the other one is located at Chemamul. The investors in this facility must be forced to sale 50 per cent of their shares to the tea growers.

He said if this is not effected with immediate, the farmer would consider other positive actions, which may involved denying these factories the regular supply of green tea leaves from his organization’s members to force them out of business

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Kenya: Minister Otieno Kajwang.predicts Raila victory next year in the presidential race

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Leo Odera Omolo Report from Mbita Twon,Sunday 16,2011.

IMMIGRATION and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang” has predicted the Inevitable fall out among members of the G-7 even along before the next general election.

The Minister told a huge crowd of mourners in his Mbita constituency in Mbita district said that those who formed the G7 alliance had malice specifically mean to derail the political ambition of one Raila Odinga, but God is not in their favor.” The G7 alliance will evaporate and melt away even before the election itself is held.

His is because none of G7 members has the capacity of beating Raila Odinga I fair and clean election due to his popularity with Kenyans. As a result his would be opponents fear to challenge him and that is why they are resorting to amorphous alliances’.

Thousands of tearful mourners gave a heroic sending off the former Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Michael George Okeyo who was laid to rest in his Kaswanga village home in Rusinga West Location, Mbita district, within Homa-Bay County.

Okeyo 72 died of kidney an diabetic related ailment which been pinning him down ever since his retirement. He left behind three widows and several children most of them grown ups.

Kajwang’ who was the master of the ceremony told the mourner that Raila’s election victory the next year is due to his steadfast and total commitment reform agenda.

The Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and his wife Mama Ida Raila were among the thousands of mourners who turned up to bade the former envoy a farewell. Other dignitaries were cabinet Minister Fred Gumo {Regional Develoment}, Prof.Anyang’ Nyong’o{Medical Services}

MPs Millie Odhiambo {Nominated},Eng. Nicholas Gumbo {Rarieda},John Mbadi{Gwassi}former Gwassi MP Zadock Syong’o, the Chairman of the ODM Board of election Eng.Phillip Okundi,an aspirant for Mbita parliamentary seat Phares Ogweno Ratego, the chairman of Luo Council of Elders Willis Opiyo Otondi,his vice chairman Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi, religious leaders and civic leaders.,

Speaker after speakers heaped a lot of praise to the lat Ambassador Okeyo who they referred to as a hero on his own right and a highly valued friend of many people both the rich and the poor.

In his address the Prime Minister narrated the achievement of the coalition government giving the example of new roads network covering many parts of Nyanza Province.

The example of these roads included Homa-Bay Mbita road, which is currently under the construction, Homa-Bay- Rongo and Homa-Bay-Kendu Bay- Katito road. Other road projects include Misori Rangala, Ndori-Landa Kotieno road which now links Kisumu City to the Mbita Ferry in Rarieda.

He said the government has already signed a contract agreement with the firm which is expected to build another road network linking Mbita to Sindo-Magunga and Sori and the work is expected to commence before the of the year. This particular road will be further extended to link Sori-ad Muhuru-Bay to the southern end f Nyatike constituency.

Raila spoke about the value of women as mothers and people who contribute immensely towards the development of the country. He said anyone discriminating women does not know what he or she is doing. They should contest the party positions at all levels, and even parliamentary, senate .counties seats without discrimination of any sorts.

Mrs Ida Odinga also addressed the gathering and said a great emphasize should placed on girls education and condemned the communities which shun female education. She warned those who are marrying off their young and under aged daughter as the enemy of the development. Educated women and girls are playing vital role in shaping up the country tempo of development.

Observers and local political pundits were ,however, quick in pointing out that both Raila and his wife Ida had set the ball rolling in the campaign for Mbita seat in favor of the Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo who had earlier declared her candidature for the same seat.

Raila gave example sterling performance of Odhiambo in the 10th parliament causing prolonged laughter when he said it is Millie Odhiambo who could tame the Gichungu MP Martha Karua in her political antics in the House. She is reportedly facing a stiffest opposition by his case cousin Phares Ogweno Ratego who hail from the same Kolo village.

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Kenya: Former Mathare MP switched to Migori’s County Senate seat

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From: Leo Odera

The one term one time Mathare MP Ochieng Mbeo has announced that he would be joining the already crowded election race for the Migori County Senate seat.

The former legislators who had also served as the Kenyan member of the East African Legislative Assembly in Arusha said his action is prompted by numerous requests from the electorate.

He was speaking during the burial of his aunt’s son, Ambassador Michael George Okeyo, whose burial took place at Kaswanga village, in Rusinga Island.Homa-Bay County. The funeral was also attended by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Mrs. Ida Odinga, three cabinet Ministers GERALD Otieno Kajwang {Immigration and Registration of Persons, Fred Gumo {Regional Development}, Prof Peter Anyang Nyong’o several MPs, who included Millie Odhiambo {Nominated},Eng.Nicholas Gumbo {Raried}civic leaders.

Also in attendance the chairman o the ODM electoral Board Eng Phillip Okundi, former Gwassi MP Zadock Syong’o,Mbita D.C Vincent Magoha, the chairman of the Luo Council of Elder Mzee Elily Opiyo Otondi .

Ochieng’ Mbeo is the son of the late Selemiah Mbeo Onyango who became the first Mbita MP during its inception in1966 immediately after the Senate and Regional Assemblies created under the Majimbo constitution of 1962 of the Lancaster House were abolished.

The late Ambassador Okeyo mother Philidah Nyengo was the sister to the late Senator Mbeo-Onyango.

Ochieng’ Mbeo is a resident of Sakwa East Location, Awendo district within Migori County .He is considered as close political associate of the Prime Minster Raila Odinga and a staunch follower of the ODM.

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Kenya: A top scholar called upon the youths in Nyanza to discard the culture of looking for free handouts

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Wrrites Leo Odera Omola

A TOP Kenya scholar has appealed to those who are fortunate enough within the society to help the down trodden members of the society to educate their children so that they too could come up.

Prof Douglus Odhiambo said those who are serving in senior positions within the public service and in the private sector should also help the poor families by not only helping them to educate their children, but also by offering them employment in the government and in the private sector.

Prof Odhiambo was speaking during prayer function to mark his younger brother Abner Ochieng’Okaka 80th birthday. The party, which was attended by many people, was held at their Mariwa home in Sakwa South Location, Awendo district within Migori County.

Ochieng’, a retired former civil servant, had served as the Provincial Co-Operative Development Officer in both Nyanza and Western provinces before retiring into sugar cane and mixed farming.

Prof Odhiambo called on the youths to redouble their efforts in farming as the sure way of increasing income generating activities and expediting the development of the region. He also advised the youths to lead a discipline life so that they can live longer.

He warned the youth in Luo-Nyanza to stop the bad culture of looking for free things and handouts and instead to go back to the land and be productive as this as the only sure way of realizing much faster development in the region.

Abner Ochieng’Okaka said Migori County is a region which is blessed with arable and fertile land as well as god annual rainfall therefore there was the need for the people to work hard in farming. Kenya, he said, is an agriculture economy and it is up to the people to make good use of the fertile land they have also to ensure food security.

The major asset of the region is its fertile land, and if properly exploited by way of planting cash crops such as sugar cane, maize, coffee, tea, vegetable, the locals would be able to mint cash money.

Speaker after speaker at the party heaped a lot of praise on Abner Ochieng’Okaka for having initiated various socio-economic projects in the area while serving in the government. They gave as examples the ultra modern dormitory at St. Albert Ulanda Girls High School, Mariwa Dispensary and Mariwa Co-Operative House among many projects he had initiated.

Speaking at the same function, the chairman of the retiree William Ayieko Nyakachunga urged the younger generation to emulate Mzee Abner Ochieng who had sacrifice a lot for the local community.

Nyakachunga appealed to the current leaders to set good examples of exemplary service to the nation

Both Ochieng and his wife Mama Getrude Ochieng’ were primary school teachers before the latter joined the government as a co-operative development officer in the early 1960s and rose through the ladder to become the Provincial Co-Operative development Officer in both Nyanza and Western Provinces.

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AFRICA: TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED FEARS THAT PLANS TO MERGE THE THREE MAJOR REGIONAL TRADING BLOCS IN EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA MAY RUNS INTO TROUBLE.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

TOP government official have expressed fears and concern that plans to merge the three regional economic blocs into one East and Southern Africa bloc in order to establish a Free Trade Area might run into trouble due to logistics and mistrust between the partners.

It has been revealed that officials have warned that the merger plan is unlikely to be achieved in the targeted three years due to overlapping membership among the Southern African Development Community {SADC}.Other blocs in the plan are the East African Community{EAC} and the Common Market for East and Southern African Common Market {Comesa}

The Kenya’s Director of Economic Affairs Richard Sindiga has been quoted extensively by the influential EASTAFRICAN weekly latest edition as attributing mistrust; delays and lack of legal framework from the SADC partners have derailed negotiations on the harmonization process.

The three economic blocs brings together 26 countries with a market close to 600 million people with an estimated gross domestic product{GDP} of USD 624 billion, are pushing for a free trade area..

In June, the blocs agreed on a three phase’s road-map including a preparatory phase of between six months and one year. Phase one which was to start immediately would involve negotiations on the trading of goods and would take and would take place between 24 and 60 months.

The phase two of the agreement would address border-crossing and non-tariff barriers such as imports bans and permits that cuts into competitiveness. The last phase would deal with actual integration.

The EAC has a Customs Union while four out of the five EAC member states of Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda are also members of the Comesa and only Tanzania is a member of SADC. As for Comesa, eight of the members are in SADC.

“This arrangement, according to Richard Sindiga, Kenya Director of economic affairs, is hindering smooth trading within the region as it discourage investors and development partners because they find it cumbersome to deal with different policies governing various regions even when some of the are cross-cutting.”

Government officials are saying that 19 countries are already in a Free Trade Area with similar rules of origin, therefore it means effective negotiations will be between the five countries that are in SADC.

According to Mr Sindiga the main issue being negotiated are harmonization of the imported contents of goods to the more than 60 per cent of the cost, insurance and freight value of the cost of materials used in the production; value addition requirement; and change I tariff classifications.

Comesa and EAC both have similar criteria for export goods approved by the Council of Ministers ,as goods are subjected to 25 per cent value addition in Comesa and 35 per cent in EAC .SADC rules of origins are mostly product specific and change as stipulated in the Protocol.

“Many companies operating in the region finds the threshold of 35 per cent value addition to attain,” said Director Sindiga, adding that up to 20 per cent of member surveyed with the East and Southern African region find the value added origin conferring a criteria a problem.’

“Thus creates an environment if uncertainty and inconvenience for business as it implies rules can change abruptly, an aspect that discourages the smooth flow of trade among the member countries”. Sindiga adds.

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Kenya: Trouble is looming over ODM nomination in civic by-election in Kajuku East Ward of Kisumu Municipality

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The controversy ridden ODM preliminary nomination scheduled to be held on Monday October 17, 2011 following allegations and claims that official of the Biwott’s led National Vision Party of Kenya have infiltrated the party rank and files.

Fear persist that NVP party official in Kisumu Town East is the man who is likely to clinch the ODM ticket. The allegation goes that the man George Onyango Ondere whose campaign is well oiled and as result other genuine ODM branch officials in the area have now been compromised.

Ondere’s camp has, however, discounted the rumor that he was associated with the Biwott’s party. They have insisted that hi opponents are only panicking after they have sensed the inevitable defeat, and hence branding as an NVP mole in the ODM.

Other sources in Mamboleo Kajulu have confirmed that Ondere is a close associate of Eliud Aum Ndalo who is closely associated with Biwott’s party and that Ondere is always operating and conducting his businesses in Eldoret town and has always been seen walking side by side with the power man {Biwott}

A group of ODM youths and members have vowed that they would disrupt the nomination unless the ODM headquarters intervenes. They have appealed to the chairman of the ODM’s board of election, Eng.Phillip Okund,i urging him to reschedule the nomination date so that the party members could sit together, brainstorm and pick up the right person.

A group of party members and leaders in Kajulu have written to the party headquarters challenging faulting the Monday nomination saying it would only benefit non-party members and that there be a proper consultation before the preliminary so that people whose loyalties have been tested as genuine party members were picked up to contest the preliminary.

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KENYA: THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF AMBASSADOR GEORGE MICHAEL OKEYO IS NOT ONLY A BIG LOSS BUT ALSO A BIG BLOW TO THE RUSINGA ISLAND COMMUNITY.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The cruel hand of death of Ambassador Michael George Okeyo has robbed the Rusinga Island’s community in particular and Kenya in general a highly valued individual personality who was a man of great value to the Kenyan society.

A career diplomat Okeyo was born on July 27,1939 at Kaswanga village in what is today called Rusinga West Location, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County.

He was born in a staunch Christian family and pioneer member of the SDA church of the late Mzee Zephania Owuor Ong’udi and Mama Philidah Nyengo who was the daughter of Pastor Johana Onyango of Kakimba in Mfangano Island.

Pastor Onyango was also the father of the late Senator Selemiah Mbeo-Oynango who in 1962 was elected to represent South Nyanza district in the tri-cameral parliament as the member of the Senate.Mbeo-Oyango was later to become the first Mbita MP in 1966 during its inception after the abolition of the Senate and Regional Assemblies under the 1962 “Majimbo Costitution” of the Lancaster House.

Mbita was curved out of the original Lambwe constituency which was later renamed Ndhiwa.Senator Mbeoi-Onyango is also the father of Ochieng’Mbeo who in 1992 won the Mathari parliamentary seat in Nairobi and later become Kenya’s representative to the East African Legislative Assembly in Arusha.

Ambassador Okeyo took his early education at Kaswanga Primary School where he passed his KAPE with flying colors and later joined Kisi high School in the late 1950s.Being close to the late Tom Mboya also a fellow Rusinga man, Okeyo was among bunch of Kenyans who proceeded to the United States for higher education. He was admitted to Berkeley University, Carlifonia where he graduated with bachelor and master’s degrees.

He worked briefly with the International Monetary Fund {IMF} Washington D.C. before returning home in Kenya and joined the civil service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations. He later studied and obtained diploma in international diplomacy at the University of Ursula in Sweden and obtained another similar diploma from the University of Nairobi. During his long and rewarding career with the Foreign Ministry he was posted to several Kenyan missions abroad before being appointed Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York.

He was finally recalled back home and appointed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and later to the Ministry of Minerals and Natural Resources from where he retired.

During his youth Ambassador Okeyo was an excellent footballer. On several occasions he and this writer turned up for Rusinga location football team during the annual festivities organized by the Low Land Association whose founder and Secretary General was the late Tom Mboya. The football matches were usually played at Sindo Trading Centre in Kaksingiri Location. The games involved the teams from the five original Low Land locations of Gembe, Gwassi, Kaksingiri, Mfangano and Rusinga Islands.

Ambassador Okeyo because of his hard volleys {Dabal} which were sending most goal-keepers panicking while other packing, especially his specialty the free-kicks outside the box earned him a nick name “Okeyo Atiu.”The Rusinga team had always come on the top of the rest. On occasions Okeyo and this writer were invited to play for the Rusinga community team in Kampala Uganda, under what was then commonly known as “Luo Majimbo League” involving teams from all Luo Locations in Nyanza and the Rusinga team had always inspired by Okeyo and came on top of the rest.

The Ambassador has battled with the bout of kidney ailment, which for a long time made him uncomfortable with a lot of pains bravely born out.

A gentleman who wore the smiling face all the time Ambassador Okey left behind two wives Deborah Ayah Okeyo and Prof Acholla Pala. He was blessed with nine children, but three of them have passed away leaving only six children all grown ups.

He will be laid to rest at his father’s rural home in Kaswanga village on Rusinga Island West Location on Sunday 16thg October, May Our Almighty God rest his soul in eternal peace.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR. Leo Odera Omolo aged 74 years is a veteran Kenyan journalist living on semi-retirement, but currently operating as a freelance writer in Kisumu and parts of Western Kenya and also across the border into Tanzania and Uganda. He was born in Rusinga Island, but currently a resident of Awendo.

KENYA: THE CONTEST RACE FOR MBITA PARLIAMENTARY SEAT MAY BE PITTING BROTHER AND SISTER FROM ONE FAMILY.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The recent announcement made by the incumbent MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who is also the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister that the 2012 elections, he would go for the Homa-Bay Senate seat instead of defending his parliamentary seat has crated leadership vacuum in the area.

Kajwang’ has had a long chequered political career dating back to 1992 when he first won Mbita seat for the first time during the first multi-party elections. He won on a Ford-Kenya ticket.

The Minister was among the group calling itself “The Young Turks” who teamed up with the doyen of oppositionists in Kenya the late Jaramogi Oginga OIdinga and tormented the KANU regime with the demand for political pluralism system.

As the result of Kajwng’ shifting from Parliament to Senate race, the Mbita parliamentary seat has attracted many youthful and credible aspirants. However, the most talked about is the anticipated bruising election campaign battle between a brother and sister from one family.

The battle with be pitting Phares Ogweno Rated an executive with an NGO in Nairobi against the nominated MP Millie Odhimbo who is also said to be eyeing for the same seat. Both Ratego and Odhimbo hail from Nyamuga in Kolo village. Waware sub-location,in Rusinga East Location, Mbita district with the Homa-Bay County.

The two aspirants had their rural home in Kolo village hardly separated by a distance of 200 yards and almost sharing the fences.

The candidature of the two has elicited a lot of controversy raising the political temperature inside the usually quit small Rusinga Fishing Island. It came to the surface during the well attended burial of Mrs Damaris Odhiambo the highly respected retired former social worker at Kolo village. Concerted efforts were made by members of the Odhiambo family and busy bodies to ensure that Ratego played no role in the burial ceremony as one way of locking him out of the public eyes.

Ratego’s supporters argue that Millie Odhiambo is truly their most loved daughter. She is called {Migogo} simply translating that she was a daughter of the village who is married away to a distant community and a such he had no right to turn back to reclaim political leadership in her birthplace.

And because Millie Odhimbo is married to a Zimbabwean husband therefore she has all the right to sand and contest for a seat in Zimbabwe Parliament, because that is the country where she belonged to. It is therefore rather a stigmatic for her to come back home and start scrambling for an elective leadership position.

Millie Odhiambo supporter responds by dismissing this line of argument, The same people are insisting that because of the sterling performance by Millie Odhiambo in the 1O Parliament. Her unswerving support to the ODM and loyalty to the party leader Raila Odinga she should be given another chance to go back to Parliament.

Kajwang’ who is closely related to both Odhiambo and Ratego has maintained positive neutrality on the issue refusing to be dragged into the matter, though he s reputed to have influenced the nomination of Millie Odhiamb to Parliament by ODM party in 2008.

Other issues and hurdles that Millie Odhiambo had to clear include the allegations that when a Rusinga man Sammy Wakiaga who is a businessman in Nairobi had in 2006/2007 declared his intention of contesting for the same seat, Milliw Odhiambo and some members of her family supported Kajwang and disowned Wakiaga.

Wakiaga has since lost interest in venturing into parliamentary politics and decided to stick to his businesses his many supporters in Rusinga Island have yet to forgive Millie for having stood with Wakiaga’s opponent Otieno Kajwang. Moreover Wakiaga hail from Rusinga West Location with much bigger population than Rusinga East and he is still the darling of the electorate there.

The thinking of the mainlanders in areas like Lambwe, Gembe and other locations maintains that if the islanders cannot provide a man as their candidate and plan to push {Migogo} as their candidate, they too will put more men on the race..though they are favoring the islanders to take the parliamentary seat after Kajwang’s three times representation last for close to 16.

No word has come as to who they will support having come from the twin Island of Mfangano, which is now an administrative Division with two locations and a big concentrations of votes. In the past election a Mr Otiato from Wakula sub-clan has twice contested the election once for the old Mbita before it was sub-divided into two namely Mbita and Gwassi constituencies, and thereafter it sub-division.

The first Mbita MP was Senator Selemiah Mbeo-Onyango who had the constituency curved out of the ld Lambwe Constituency in what is today known as Ndhiwa constituency today after the Senate was abolished in 1966.He lost the seat to the firebrand George Osingo Migure in 1969 and in the 1974 Alfonce Okuku the younger brother of the late Tom Mboya dethroned Migure, though both of them hails from Kamasengre sub-clan on Rusinga Island.In 1983 a former prominent banker Peter Clever Otieno Nyakiamo won the seat sending Okuku packing. Nyakiamo successfully defend his seat in 1988, but lost it to Dr Calentine Omolo Opere from Gwassi after the constituency was splinted into two Mbita and Gwassi. Opere lost the seat to Felix Nyauchi in 1992 and Nyauchi lost the same seat to Zadock Syong’o a prominent Nairobi based businessman who in turn was dethroned by the incumbent MP John Mbadi.

In the case of Millie Odhiambo and Ratego is a clear battle of brother and sister, though the two hails from two small sub-clans,but sharing one ancestral grand father. Millie Odhiambo is a member of Wamusa sub-clan while Ratego is a member of Kamasime sub-clan, and their family tree is said to be very close.

The popular opinion making the round in the area is that the ODM should nominate Millie Odhiambo to contest either Homa-Bay women County representative Senate seat or any of the especially those specially reserved seat for women to allow the electorate in Mbita to vote for a man of their own choice.

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Kenya: Three gold miners died when the mines pit caved in Awedo district while the forth man is rescued in a critical condition

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Rongo Town.

THREE gold miners died when walls of a gold pit collapsed killing them instantly leaving the fourth man hospitalized with serious injuries.

The four, all from one family, met their fate last Friday at Kanyasrega village, Sakwa North Location, Awendo district within Migori County.

The death comes only a week after a team of the Parliamentary Committee on Land and Natural Resources led by Chairman Hon Mutava Musyimi made an inspection tour of the region and issue a stern warning on the safety of the minefields.

The team visited Nyatike Constituency in the neighboring Nyatike district and urged relevant government authorities to take the issue of mining and safety of the miners seriously.

More deaths occasioned by laxity in mining rules have been experienced in Nyatike and Rongo districts where over ten people have so far died recently.

The team visited the region at the invitation of the Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga who has persistently blamed the government for neglecting the miners, and for failing to realize and recognize the economic significance of the country’s minerals.

The MP has called on the government to ensure that those working in the quarries are well protected from work hazards.

The Nyatike has also scathingly criticized the government for not properly auditing the movement of gold produce by foreign miners who could be engaged in suspicious dealing such as siphoning and shipping gold out of the country through “Panya” roost via the neighboring countries to defeat taxation by the Kenya Revenue Authority {KRA}.

The MP has also decried the peanut payment by foreign investors to the mine diggers who are made to sweat it out I the burning heat under unsafe conditions.

In the latest incident the local deputy OCPD James Mwangi confirmed that the four had just entered the mines pit at Kanyasrega village near Ranen SDA Mission in Sakwa North Location.

There are two mining pits in the area both of them were abandoned by the old Kitere Gold Mines Ltd which closed its mining activities in the area in the early 1962 shortly before independence in 1963.Theminers had avoided th second pit because it was filled by water following heavy downpour in the region in the rent past.

The names of the victims were given as Ogaja Gony, Omondi Owiti an Okungu. The fourth person who was rescued in a critical condition and rushed o Hospital was given as Isaiyah Agoro.

The police said the four had just entered the pit in the morning when the walls caved in on them leaving suffocated underground and killing instantly.

The villagers managed to rescue one of the miners and brought him to the surface alive, but in a critical condition and rushed to the hospital. Further preliminary investigation reveals that the walls of the mine pit were weakened by the heavy rains pounding the area.

According to the police, the rescue team was not only inadequate, but that they were also poorly equipped, and it took the whole day before the rescuers could retrieve the bodies from the mining pit due to lack of equipment such as heavy earth moving machines.

The Deputy police boss called on the locals to refrain from prospecting gold especially during this time when it is raining.

He revealed that he police team is currently working with the local council to block the caves and ensure that no mining operations take place to help protect lives.

He said apart from the caving by the miners have also led to many deaths especially of the passersby and animals.

The regions were the beehives of mining activities from as early a 1930s during the “Big Gold Rush” when foreign multinational companies invaded the region and establish full fledged gold mines at Masara, Macalder and Kitere.

The mining activities had also extended into Kehancha in the neighboring Kuria district and also at Lolgrien in the neighboring Trans-Mara district near the Maasai Mara game Reserves.

But all of a sudden, the gold mines were abandoned with some of the pits left uncovered in the early 1960s as the foreign miners dashed home when the country approached its final journey to political independence in 1963.

The foreigners left in huff owing to fears that politics in Kenya would turn into chaotic situation similar to those witnessed in the Congo in 1960.

Ends

Kenya: Fishermen blame the government for insecurity in Lake Victoria and the emergence of pirates from foreign countries

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Luanda Kotieno Beach.

LACK logistics to support the effective security patrol of the Kenya side of Lake Victoria are some of the impediment to development and major source of insecurity giving leeway to foreign pirates to cross at will and antagonize Kenyan fishermen.

In the entire shoreline of Lake Victoria from Nyadorra in Alego-Usonga to Muhuru Bay In Nyatike district the Kenya police at the various station along the lake shore have got no speedy-boats with which they could respond effectively to any distress signal fro the fishermen.

Contrary to what is happening in Kenya, the neighboring countries of Tanzania and Uganda have equipped their security personnel patrolling their side of the lake with sophisticated equipment, speed-boats and round the clock state of alertness.

The Siaya, Bondo, Rachuonyo North, Homa-Bay, Mbita, Gwassi and Nyatike police bosses have no speed boats. They do respond to distress signals from fishermen and other users of the lake, but at times their responses are hampered by lack of fuels.

The whole of last Mbita district, one of the key frontier districts, remained without a District Commissioner for five good months. There were also no District Officer One, District Officer in-Charge of Mfangano Division and one for Lambwe Valley.

It became so pathetic that a few civil servants working in the various department including departmental heads took the advantage of the situation and went into prolonged holidays.

Several government officials whose homes are in Kisii region resorted to sourcing fuel and other essential supplies from their kith and kin in Kisii. An officer would drive all the way from Mbita Point Town to Kisii town in search of fuel supplies, and yet such supplies were available within Mbit, nearby Homa-Bay Town, Rongo or Ndhiwa for that matter.

But the situation has changed tremendously following the arrival of the new Mbita District Commissioner, Vincent Magoha, {formerly D.C.Nyando}. He had to cope u with the pathetic situation where no civil servant were performing their duties as demanded by their letters of appointment and regulations.

The D.C. actions, in an all out effort to put the running of the administration in the district back in order, sparked off falsified claims that the new DC was using draconian administrative policy. But Magoha told this writer that things were so bad that some civil servants would only show their faces in their offices on Monday, but disappeared immediately even before Thursday of the week only to reappeared the following Tuesdays. Most of the officers seemed to ha taken scotch-men’s leave and abandoned their paces of work for their juniors.

Reports emerging from Remba and Ringiti Islands, which are situated inside Kenyan side of the lake, say foreign smugglers are ferrying thousands of liters of fuel. The fuel is brought in several twenty liters plastic containers and sold not only to Kenyan fishermen, but also finding its way to the Kenyan mainland. Also commonly ferried are the illicit drugs such as bhang and counterfeit goods.

The government of Kenya seemed to have abandoned their citizen, especially the fishermen and those involved in fish trade. Weeks hardly pass without reports of prates from foreign countries having seized fishing boats belonging to Kenyan fishermen. Security personnel on the Kenyan side have no means of responding to distress signal by fishermen due to lack of logistics such as speedy-boats and adequate number of security personnel.

The Mbita D.C. disclosed that with effect from July firsts this year, the government issued a stern directives that all the lake sailing vessels be it a native canoe,.a boat with an outboard engine, motor-boats and even ferries must equip their vessels with life jackets. The life jackets must be displayed openly for the travelling passengers to see before they sailed into the lake. “We are trying to avoid any future disaster as it ha happened elsewhere in the East African coastline and even in some places in Lake Victoria,” said the D.C.

But some wealthy and influential businessmen and traders are flagrantly defying this directive and still visibly ferrying passengers in the lake waters without life jackets. No Sooner than later we will be forced to swing into action in order to have the situation rectified, he added.

The DC was reacting on reports appearing in a section of DAILIES that pirates are rampant, attacking fishermen inside Kenyan waters as far as Bondo and Rarieda district, which are so close to the mainland Kenya. The pirates apart from seizing fishing gears and also confiscating the fishermen catches, under the pretext that they {Kenyan fishermen were fishing in their territorial waters.

The fishermen want the government to equip every police station with security boats with which security personnel could use while patrolling the like. They want the government to give them the maximum security like any other taxpayers.

“Fishermen play a very pivotal role in the economy of this country and as such need protection like any other business people.”We are losing fishing gear worth millions of shilling to the pirates,” said a fisherman in Mbita who requested for his anonymity.

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Kenya: Mrs J.D.Akumu condolences to the fallen woman hero Prof Wangari Maathai

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from Leo Odera

A Towering Figure in Life and Death
Tribute to Hon. Prof. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Laureate

By: Grace Akumu, Executive Director, Climate Network Africa

Although I first met Prof. Maathai, in 1992, I had heard and read about her since 1980s. In the early 1990s, we shared the same gym club and she exercised as rigorously as any other younger woman. At the club, we only began talking when inadvertently, the management gave me the key to her locker.

In early nineties, I was beginning to get into the thick of climate change negotiations when Prof. was intensely engaged in reforestation of degraded areas, fighting against the construction of the politically and socially ill-conceived 62 story Kanu Times Tower in the middle of Uhuru Park, advocating for multi-party democracy and campaigning for the release of all political prisoners. She was a multi-tasker per excellence!

While at the gym, Professor sought to know what I was doing and I let her know that I was working on climate change issues. She advised me to always work hard and remain focused. We talked about the importance of forestry in combating climate change and the international controversies surrounding indigenous versus exotic tree species, and concluded that it was in Africa’s interest to push for indigenous species. Later on, during 2007, we talked about bio-diesel in the same context and agreed that the product was good for domestic consumption but not for export in order to power motor vehicles abroad. Professor abhorred what would contribute to further marginalise the marginalised! She advised me to only promote activities that would ensure sustainability. I admired her brilliance, dedication, commitment and passion for what destiny appeared to have conjured upon her. Her unassuming nature and sheer simplicity confounded all!

When in 2004 it was announced that she had won the Nobel Peace Laureate, I thanked the Almighty for rewarding her self-less and lifelong efforts in the most urgent socio-economic and environmental spheres.

As years passed by, my work in climate change intensified and was nominated one of the Lead Authors for the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-TAR, 1998-2001) and again for the Fourth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR4, 2004-2007), respectively. It was a pleasant surprise when it was announced that the Nobel Peace Laureate for 2007 was the IPCC and former Vice-President of the United States of America, Mr. Al Gore. Whenever I look at my wall and see the Nobel Certificate bestowed to the IPCC and shared with all the Lead Authors including myself, I vividly remember the treasured pieces of advice I was lucky to receive from Professor. She truly inspired me.

In November 2006, during the Twelfth Conference of the Parties of the U.N. Climate Change Convention held at UNEP headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, Prof. asked how I had managed to stay the cause championing Africa’s interest in the climate change negotiations for so long. My response was obvious that she was my inspiration.

In order to underscore Professor’s simplicity, she never complained even when the government of Kenya could neither accredit nor include her in the several government delegations to the United Nations Climate Change negotiations. Instead, she could seek accreditation from Climate Network Africa and I did it many a time with horror as I felt the humiliation and prayed that the Almighty forgive our leaders. I can only reiterate that a woman’s worth is truly measured in death!

By: Grace Akumu, Ms.
Executive Director
Climate Network Africa
Email: gakumu@yahoo.com
Tel: 0733-992288 / 0725-808292

Kenya: Two brother-in-laws are to battle it out in the race for Kericho County governor in 2012

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

For the second time in the political history of Kericho region two brothers-in-law are once again in the race in the contest for the lucrative position of the Kericho County governor.

In the 2002 general election, Charles Keter, then a newcomer in Kericho politics stood against his brother-in-law Chale Kirui who was then serving as the Finance Assistant Minister in the last KANU regime of the retired President Arap Moi and MP for Belgut.

Keter triumphed over Kirui in a bruising election victory which has left a permanent scar in the two families. Keter ids married to Kirui’s younger sister.

This time around Keter again will be in the race for the lucrative position of the Kericho County governor against Joel Kirui the younger brother of Charles Kirui who is n international economist running chains of businesses in both the UK and Kericho.

The Kericho County governor position has attracted some of the best brains and political personalities in the region which stretches from Londiani to Sotik about 50 kilometers in length.

Among the leading contenders is Eng.Kipng’eno Arap Ng’eny, the former Minister for Water Development in the last KANU regime of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi. Ng’eny is still being remembered as having served the country for many years as the most successful Postmaster General and later the Managing Director of the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications and also at one time as Permanent Secretary.

He ventured into parliamentary politics after retiring from the postal services in 1997 and becoming the first MP for Ainamoi constituency after it was curved out of the larger Belgut.

Ng’eny, however, lost his seat to the former CID Director Noah Arap Too in 2002 and has since concentrated in running and managing his vast investments in Nairobi, Kericho, Kuresoi and Kipkellion. He has also converted the former Mid-West Hotel, which for many years was one of the ultra modern hotels in Kericho Town into a privately managed Teachers Training College.

Charles Keter is said to be in the process of abandoning his Belgut parliamentary seat for the governorship race.

Other aspirants said to be in the race eyeing the same position include two senior university lecturers. They are Prof.Paul Chepkwony of Moi University, Eldoret and Dr. Malawi, a senior lecturer at the Eggerton University in Njoro.

Prof Chepkwony is not a new comer in Kericho politics. He contested for the Ainamoi parliamentary seat in 2007 and lost to the late David K Too. And again in the by-election that followed the accidental death of Tooin a shooting incident and came second to Too’s younger brother Benjamin Lang’at.

Also in the race is Jonah Keter, a former top manager with the Catering levy Trustee who had also served the tea farmers in the region as a member of the Tea Board of Kenya.

But the man to watch in this race is Sam Chepkwony the current chairman of the tea Research Foundation. He is a former secondary school teacher who had also served with the Brooke Bond Flower Company {Sulmac} in senior managerial position before he ventured into a chain of businesses within Kericho Town and large scale tea farming.

Chepkwony was until recently the chairman of the Kericho Water and Sewerage Company. He is said to be a very influential man within the Kericho business fraternity.

The bilingual Eng. Ng’eny who speaks fluently all the local vernacular languages such as Ekegusii, Dho-Luo and major foreign language Russian and German included has a head-start owing to his proven managerial capability going by his track record of development I the region. . But he will be pitted against the dot com generation. All the other aspirants are people in their late thirties and early forties.

While heading the Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Eng Ng’eny had facilitate employment opportunity for the Kipsigis youths, most of them are said to still serving with the parastatal in senior capacities, He is known to have been close to the ears of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi.

As far as political party choice in this region, ODM is still ahead of the rest followed by KANU and he struggling UDM, which its leadership is the subject of the legal tussle between the former Deputy CGS Lt.Gen {rtd] John Koech and the Eldoret North MP William Ruto.It is not yet know as to how long will the protracted court battles will take before the issue is resolved and the matter put to rest.

Kericho is one of the richest Counties in the South Rift, having close to 40 large scale tea estates and factories owned by foreign multinational companies. It is the single largest region which has employed many young Kenyans both in the labor force and skilled personnel sections.

These county’s political gravity is always rotting within the tea industry, but the region has other openings like dairy industry, sugar cane, maize, vegetables, beef, pyrethrum, coffee, bananas, bee-keeping and honey are other sources of the resources.

The retired President Daniel Arap Moi is still wielding a lot of political clout among members of the Kipsigis sub-tribe of the largest Kalenjin ethnic groups. His word is still obeyed like the law of the land, and the outcome of the next general election will depend on which side has Moi’s blessings. The general public seemed to have a lot of trust in the retired former head of state than the youthful politicians.

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Kenya: Mrs. Akumu’s candidature in Nyakach parliamentary race is welcomed with enthusiasm by the electorate

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The last week’s announcement by Mrs Grace Adhiambo Akumu that she would challenge her male opponent in the contest for Nyakach parliamentary seat come the next year’s polls has received a big boost at home.

A group stakeholders who converged at Pap Onditi in lower Nyakach on Monday unanimously resolved to give Mrs Akumu a trial. “Nyakach needs a change in its political stewardship after nearly forty five yeas of mael representation”, membors of the group said.

The group called for a fair nomination system, in the ODM, to be put in place so that the playing ground is leveled for all the players including female aspirants. And in the next preliminary elections, nominations be supervised by the officials from the government electoral body.

Led by their spokesman Ben David Okoth said Nyakach has had six different representatives ever since the inception of the constituency in 1966. But all have failed to offer the residents any effective representation in the national Assembly and also in the government.

The seat was created in 1966 following the abolition of the tri-cameral parliament. Which include the Senate and Regional Assembly under the Lancaster House constitution of 1962.

The first MP was Ondiek Chilo Miguda, a former member of the Nyanza Regional Assembly, who had just succeeded the late Senator D.O. Makasembo who represented Central Nyanza district, then perished In a road accident. And following the abolition of both the Senate and Regional Assemblies, a new constituency was created to absorb the Senator like it was the case in all other 42 districts country-wide.

Chilo, along side the leader of the defunct KPU opposition party, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, were detained following Kisumu disturbances of 1969. In the general election that followed the same year, a veteran trade unionist, J.D. Akumu, was elected the new MP and became he second MP for the area. Akumu did not finish his five year term. He moved to Accra, Ghana to become the founder Secretary General of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity {OATUU}.

In the 1974 general election Kisumu base business magnate, Samson Odoyo, who had also served as the Kisumu Mayor briefly, won the election and became the third MP for Nyakach. Five years later, Odoyo in 1979, was dethroned by his cousin and his former Town Clerk, Ojwang’K’Ombudo, who successfully retained his seat in 1983 and 1988. K’Ombudo had also served briefly in the cabinet as the Minister for Water Development in h last KANU regime led by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi.

But in the 1992 general election, K’Ombudo was ousted by by the veteran trade unionist, J.D.Akumu, who had teamed up with Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in Ford-Kenya party. This was the first multi-party elections after the abolition of the monolith one party system and the introduction of multiparty system. Akumu was ousted by Peter Odoyo in 1997 who successfully defend his at in 2002, but was later dethroned by Polins Ochieng’ Daima in 2007.

This writer interviewed a cross section of Nyakach residents, who were of the opinion that the time is ripe for the area to have a female representative in the August House.

“Our previous MPs who have been all male were a big let down, and it would be good for us to try a woman with high profile like Mrs Akumu. As a mother her candidature is most welcome. If voted in as the new MP Mrs Akumu would definitely change the path of local political derby in Nyakach and we expect hr to take care of the orphans, widows and youths,” said Bob Ojwang’, who said he was an ODM official n lower Nyakach.

Mrs Akumu contested the same seat in 2007 and was third place after Eng Kodera and the winner Ochieng’ Daima. She beat a number of men contestants, but this time around she has been assured of an overwhelming support.

Nyakach is an area with myriad of problems and need a high profile woman representative Mrs Akumu’s calibre.

These problems include perennial flooding of its lower pats, poor crops husbandry which has led to incessant acute shortage of food grains due to poor planning, insecurity cause by cattle Sondu town, a number of youths have declared their support for Mrs Akumu and vowed to campaign for her.

ENDS

Kenya & ICC: It has been established that one of the ICC suspects is linked to threats and intimidation of the Ocampo witness’s family

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kapsabet Town.

ONE of the top Kenyan officials suspects in criminal cases currently going on before the International Criminal Court of Justice at The Hague {ICC} was on Monday named during investigations into threats against the family of a witness whose home was attacked and stoned in North Nandi district lat week.

The name of the ICC suspect was mentioned when police in Kapsabet town were interrogating the father of the witness whose house was stoned by menacingly threatening and rowdy youth shouting obscene and abusive slogans against the ICC and The Hague.

The incident forced the family to flee their home and took refugee into the house belonging to their relative in Eldoret Town about 30 kilometers away.

The North Nandi district Criminal, Investigation Officer {CID}Samson Thoya is leading the tem of police sleuths investigating into the matter following a directive by the Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere.

The 65 year-old said several people recorded statements on Monday in connection with threats against the family. The father of the witness told the police that suspect held a fundraising at a nearby church which is close to the witness home and it is t that function where the ICC suspect said the family ha betrayed him.

“Immediately after mention of my family name when, we started receiving messages with threats followed by the night attack,” the man whose name could not be published or security reason and personal safety.

Police Commissioner Iteere has yet to decide whether suspect will be summoned to record statement on the matter.

Members of the family, who met with the officials from the government’s Witness Protection Agency said, they want security to be provided saying the relocation of the family is not enough.

“My son is a grown up and an adult and we had nothing to do with his decision to his and links with ICC issues. We have the right to live in our own home in our country and People must understand that we have nothing to do with ICC issues,” said the 65 year old father.

NGO Council chairman Ken Wafula met with security officials in Kapsabet over the matter. Also present in town and attended the meeting were Provincial Administration officials from the home area of the witness.

“We want to deal with the issue so that those who have been threatening can face the law,” said Wafula.

Last week the Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko officially wrote to the Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere directing him to investigate the matter and provide the family with protection.

In direct that you cause urgent speedy investigation to be carried out into this incident. Statements should be recorded and all persons who may have been involved be interrogated, “said Tobiko’s letter in part.

The DPP letter was also copied to the NGO council chairman Wafula and the Director of the CID Ndegwa Muhoro.The witness is among those who were taken out of the country for protection.

The reported attack in Nandi took place as the confirmation hearing against three of the poll violence suspects are going o at the Hague.

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Africa: Three major economic blocs in Africa are likely to merge within the next twenty four months

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

THREE existing regional African economic blocs would be merged within the next twenty four months to establish the largest economic unit in Africa.

The proposed new economic unit would comprise 26 countries to create the largest free trade area stretching from Egypt to South Africa.

The three major economic groups expected to be merged include the Common Market for East ad Southern Africa {COMESA}, Southern African Development Community {SADC} AND THE East African Community {EAC}.

The chairman o the Task force fast tracking he merger agenda Sindiso Ngwenya disclosed this when he addressed newsmen after the conclusion of the three days investment conference held in Nairobi. Ngwenya is also the Secretary General of the COMESA.

Ngwenya said there is a strong political will for the three institutions to conclude the talks that will merge the trading blocs into h economic market.

”Most of the member states are already part of the three blocs so what have taken ten years could take as little as two years. Multiple memberships by most of the African states is an opportunity.” Said Ngwenya at the end of the two days economic conference

SADC has 15 member countries in Southern Africa, Comesa has 19 states in the North, East and Southern Africa while the East African Community has five countries in East Africa.

Only few countries including Egypt, Libya and South Africa are not members of either of these economic blocs

The two remaining sticking points are harmonization of the rules of origin as well as agreement on the reduction of tariffs for imported goods from partner states, ”said Ngwenya.

“South Africa, which accounts for about 60 per cent of the region’s Gross Domestic Product {GDP} has requested that tariffs be gradually phased out to protect its local industries,” said Ngwenya.

Two major multi-country transmission projects are under discussion at the two days conference. The Kenya-Ethiopia connection is envisioned to link the power to the two countries, allowing up to 1,000 megawatts of hydropower to flow from Ethiopia{currently with surplus capacity} to Kenya and the East African Community.

Also in the review will be Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya link that will connect the East African power pool bringing up to 4000 megawatts in the EAC grid.

Ngwenya said that other option available countries include bonds, donor funds and development credits to raise money for key regional infrastructure projects.

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Kenya: Poor and inefficient transport system the cause of impediment to the growth in Africa

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

A three days Tripartite Investors Conference held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi last week herd that poor and inefficiency in the transport system is the biggest impediment to growth in Africa.

The Tripartite Conference on Infrastructure was told that he transport costs on the continent are prohibitively high and act to limit investments, which rely to economic growth.

“Today, it cost about USD 5,000 {Kshs 500,000} to ship a car from Abidjan to Addis Ababa, but it can just cost USD 1,500 {Kshs 150,000} to ship the same car from Japan to Abidjan,” says Sindiso Ngwenya, the Secretary General of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa {Comesa}.

He went on,”It cost about USD 1000 to ship a 20 container from Japan to the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa, but the same can cost as much as USD 5000 {Kshs 500,000} to ship similar container from Mombasa to Rwanda and Burundi.

The regional economic blocs, the Southern African Development Community {SADC} and the East African Community {EAC}, Comesa and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development {IGAD} also inferred as Tripartite Conference heard that without reliable and competitively freight transport system, delivered on the foundation sturdy infrastructure different have little hope of trading profitably.

Comesa hopes that with funding from investors and adequate political will from the governments, the region will start making the in-road toward proper development in the near future.

“If our farmers cannot transport their produce to markets from relatively rural of areas, they will be unable to break out subsistence agriculture,” Ngwenya said.

“If they cannot transport their children to schools and clinics, the next generations will fair no better. Efficient system makes market works.”

For African economic growth to take pace with the continent’s booming population, it needs investment of some USD100 billion each year in infrastructure alone.

Private lending arm of the World Bank- IFC has estimated that Africa invests USD 10 billion each year in energy, but actually needs investments of USD 40 billion annually in this sector a lone.

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kapsabet Town.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In MigoriTown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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