Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya: Sony Sugar turns profits after many years of decline and threat of insolvency

Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

The Awendo-based SONY SUGAR company has announced a 246 per cent increase in its pre-tax profits.

The company also announced that it has through its technicians has started producing power produsing biogas a by-product of sugar cane, but currently for its own use while discussion between the firm and the Kenya Power and Lightning Company is going on so that it could product more electric power and connect it to the national grid.

The company managing director Paul Odolla is currently involved in negotiation with the power producing and power distributing firms to see if we could produce more power and have it connected to the national grid, but for now we do produce very little, mainly or our own consumption.

Odolla said the company growth saw the company’s profit rise from Kshs 242 million last year to Kshs 595 for the last year ended Jun 30.

He said during the year under review, the company’s sale revenue grew by 43.1 to stand at Kshs 5.8 billion up from Khs 34.1 billion the previous year.

“This shows that our company is very resilient in its operations despite the challenges facing the sugar industry globally.”

Odolla disclosed that during the same period some 725,827 tones of raw cane was crushed. compared to 558,õ tones the previous financial year representing a 30.1 per cent increase .As a result, a total of 74,794 tones of made sugar was produced during the year compared 51,189 produced during the same period last year.

The Managing Director attributed the improve production to efficiency, total commitment by workers, cane farmers and all the stakeholders brought about by a heavy investment in the factory and improved cane quality..

Odolla said the company’s balance sheet has grown from Kshs 3.8 billion last yea to Kshs 5.8 billion this year leading to an improvement of net working capital from deficit Kshs 382 million last year to a surplus of Kshs 249 million in the last financial year.

SONY Sugar, which is the second largest sugar miller in the country attributes its growth to a sustained demand for sugar and molasses, increase sales of branded sugar and better pricing management which also resulted into an improve operating profit that rose from Ksh 280 million to Kshs 738 million.

“SONY-Sugar has crossed the technical insolvency line from where it has been operating for many year”,declared Odolla.

The Manager, however, said he was recently disappointed when he heard that a group of non-entities ha called for demonstration street protest in Awendo Town against the company recently increased of cane prices from Khs 3,200 per tone and Kshs 3,500 per tone, allegedly without consulting the so-called stakeholders.

The Awendo based firm has contracted close to 27,000 cane famers in its cane growing zones which spread widely into several administrative districts in he greater Southern Nyanza, These included Rongo, Awendo, Gucha, Homa-Bay, Migori,Kuria, Ndhiwa and Trans-Mara.

It has similar number of the out growers farmer in those districts, and its is the largest employing outlet in the region with close to 2400 labor force, making the government-owned facility to an important and integral part of the socio-economic of the region.

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EAC Ministers lift ban on staff recruitment and shelves the environmental Bill

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Reports Leo Odra Omolo

More than 20 new professional staff will be hired by the East African Community at its Arusha-based secretariat after the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA} relaxed its decision not to recruit any more workers issued a year ago.

The freeze on recruitment followed a request by Rwanda and Burundi to be integrated fully by filling employment positions as the other partner states.

The matter has been pending for review by the Council of Ministers, according to a Kenyan Assistant Minister to the EAC Peter Munya, there have been divergent views among the partner states on the way the EAC staff should be appointed.

“Some member states feel it should be on the merit system while other feels we should use the quota system so that each member state is equally represented,” said Munya says both the quota and merit system should be applied for Rwanda and Burundi.

At the same time plans by the EAC partner states to harmonize their environment laws have suffered a setback after Ministers disagreed over a new bill.

The EAC Council of Ministers last week asked the EALA to adjourn debate on the EAC Trans-boundary Ecosystems Management Bill, 2010 to November this year.

On the staff recruitment, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania dominate staff members at EAC since they are the original members of the community.

However, EAC Deputy Secretary General {Finance} Dr Julius Rotich, said of the 21 vacant positions advertised to be filled by Burundi and Rwanda in 2007/2008, only one-principal transport economist-was not filled as there was no specialist from the two countries.

“This was the Council of Ministers decision as a way of integrating them into the EAC as both countries were still new in the bloc,” said Dr Rotich.

Rwanda’s East African Community Minister Monique Mukaruliza said that the adoption of a quota system to recruit staff for the bloc is crucial and beneficial to all member states.”We have not had an appropriate mechanism of recruiting people to work at the EAC, if the quota system is adopted, the recruitment of staff will be fair to all partner states as part the EAC treaty, she said.

Under the quota system, recruitment of staff is based on the principle of equity and gender balance without compromising merit.

The EAC secretariat, according to reports, recently undertook a comparative survey of staff recruitment including the Common Market for Eastern Africa and Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States to assess the use of the quota system and identify what is applicable in the region.

The coordinating Committee of Permanent Secretary recommended that the quota system be adopted.

As far as the environmental bill is concerned, EAC nations are in the league of countries that are headed for an environmental implosion caused by pollution, environmentalists and policy makers said.

The take-up of electronic gadgetry, for example, is rising quickly among the EAC population without proper mechanism to dispose of obsolete devices, posing a challenge for policymakers to devise a common environmental law.

The chairperson of the Council of Ministers Hafsa Mossi said placing transboundary ecosystems under the management of the EAC the Bill goes against the Common Market Protocol that has placed land as a resource under individual partner states control.

“There are mixed composition in the Bill that are likely to give rise to conflicts of interests and lack of consensus in decision making, much as the Community is people centered and private sector driven,” noted Ms Mossi The minister feels they need at least a month to review the Bill and analyze critical issues that arose from it.

Kenya’s Assistant Minister to the EAC Peter Munya, the Bills fail to define a clear mandate between the existing institutions notably the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, and the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization and the new commission – East African Trans – Boundary Economic Commission-reflected in the Bill.

Munya said that the proposed Bill, which would include the private sector and civil society, was designed to be in a public domain institutions that would be accountable to the Council of Ministers.

The Bill, does not cater for transnational issues that arise when one partner state seeks to engage in a development project on a transboundary project ecosystem which may be considered a threat to the environment by a neighboring partner,” he said., Hafsa Mossi of the EAC Council of Minister said.

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Kenya: Conman on the loose in Rongo, Migori, Nyatike and Uriri targeting CDF and politicians

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Migori Town.

A smartly dressed and sweet talking conman masquerading as building contractor is said to be on the rampage causing havoc with the life of unsuspecting politicians, government officials and local CDF committees.

The man who is said to be in thirties is sad to be have perfected in the arts of conman ship is always bragging of having connection in higher authority and within the corridor of power.

His tricks and thieving escapades have on earned him jail terms twice. He said to have several cases related to conning escapades pending before the courts at Rongo, Kisii and Migori.

The well bred and well educated conman is also said to be fond of writing malicious letters the people in higher positions within the government making generalized and unfounded allegations and accusations against junior officers working in the field. After authoring such malicious letters to the higher authorities, he turn to the junior officers issuing threats and intimidation telling the victims how he is capable of causing them a lot of suffering.

He is reported to have swindled a number of local CDF committee huge sums running into million. He is said to be using the names of big people to secure contract under the pretext that he was a registered contractor.

After irregularly securing such tenders using the names of senior men in position, the man turns up and engages the same crude and crafty method of arms twisting the local CDF committee with the demand for advance payment even before setting his foot on the project’s site.

Once he had secured the advance payments of some money, which our source says usually reported to be involving quite substantial amount of money, the man vanished in the thin air without touching anything in the targeted project.

The conman is said to be on the loose. A member of Parliament from Southern Nyanza region recently suffered from the conman is silent. The conman is said to have approached Mheshimiwa with the documents purporting that he had worn a tender worth millions of shillings from local CDF, and request the MP to lend him some money so that he could buy some materials and place the same on the site before he could attract the first batch of payment from the CDF kitty.

The conned MP obliged and borrowed for him some substantial amount of money running into the excess of Khs 300,000. The man disappeared and it later emerged that he had not won any CDF tender. The MP made a frantic effort and later traced him. He cornered the conman who readily agreed that he would refund the MPO’s money by way of depositing cash on the legislator’s bank account.

He did so on two or three occasion and then melted in the thin air. But he had retained the pay-in bank slips in which he deposited the money to the MP’s bank account. He later turned up and claimed that it was he who had lent the MP a hand of financial assistance and later displayed the pay-ins bank slips to several people and attempted to blackmail the MP who is now very jittery about the whole exercise.

After spending a couple of months in jail, the conman’s wife who is a non-Luo is reported to have deserted him and went back to her parents place in Eastern Province. The man is now operating as widow’s inheritor. He is being credited of being so immune from HIV/Aids because some of the women he is now cohabiting with in Migori town re said to have lost their husbands through the scourge of HIV/Aids.

Reports reaching us from Migori said the man was recently conneed by the brother-in-laws of a of a beautiful young woman a widow who he had eloped with from the rural village and was now cohabiting in a rented house in Migori town who gave the conman proper beating.

The man is also credited for being a master forgery. He was jailed for three months by a court in Mombasa who found him guilty on a charge of forging a project’s cheque.

The rude and arrogant conman is said to be a frequent visitor to police headquarters, office of the President and other offices manned by people in high places, and after such visits he come back to Migori County armed with good reasons to intimidate junior officers working in the field.

Previously he was so much feared by members of the police and provincial administration authorities in the entire Migori County, but after he was arrested and arraigned in court, he has since lost his immunity and is said to be on the run with he police sleuths hot pursuit on his heels. He is no longer untouchable, and plans are said to be a foot to have him account for all the money he has received from the various CDF projects in the region.

CFD officials, MP, civic leaders, the police and members of the provincial administration have been wane that this conman is on the loose and he is capable of causing havoc with the lives of others.

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KENYA: RAILA-RUTO POLITICAL WAR HAS NOW SPREAD INTO THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN NYANZA SUGAR BELT WHERE CEOS PERCEIVED TO BE PRO-RUTO ARE BEING SHOWN THE EXIT DOORS.

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Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

THE ongoing political war of attrition between top leaders of the Orange Democratic Movement has now spread into the sugar industry with devastating impact.

Last week the CEO of Chemelil Sugar Company in Nyando district within Kisumu County was given his matching order and shown the exit door after the company’s board of directors refused to renew his contact allegedly on the firm instruction of the Minister for Agriculture Dr. Sally Kosgei.

Eng Edwin Otieno Musebe, the man whose efficient management has turned Chemelil Sugar Company around, rescuing it from possible total collapse three years ago, was sacked through an SMS phone message sent by the chairman of the company board of directors Dr.Mining.

Eng Musebe joined Chemelil Sugar Company three years ago at about the time when the company almost went burst. And immediately initiated rescue measures.

Musebe was hired after successfully in competition with other applicants for the job. But the hiring came during the reign of the Eldoret North MP and the Deputy leader of the ODM who has since turned out to be the sworn political enemy of Raila Odinga. Musebe was therefore perceived to be a Ruto’s point man in the sugar industry, particularly in the Nyanza sugar belt.

Musebe, a Luhyia by tribe, had succeeded Prof. Julius Omondi Nyabund,i a perceived Raila Odinga’s man, but his appointment was not well received by the local politicians, particularly by the Muhoroni MP Prof.Ayiecho Olueny, who is suspected to have brokered the appointment of Prof Nyabundia, fellow Luo, and his former colleague at the Maseno University, in whose management had run down the firm almost to the ground. And that was the genetic basis of both political and tribal connotation.

Despite a protracted war and vehement opposition against the managing director, Eng.Musebe, from the local leaders spearheaded by the area MP and civic leaders, his surrogates, but things went on well until William Ruto swapped his Agricultural ministerial dockets with Dr. Sally Kosgei who was moved to the Ministry while Ruto headed to the Higher Education Ministry. This change exposed those who were perceived to have earned their appointments through the influence of Ruto to a lot of danger.

Musebe in particular had the long history of being a Ruto associate ever since their days at the KY92 KANU outfits and this had put his chances of survival in a facility which is located in an area which is considered the ODM stronghold into question.

The man who was appointed the Acting managing director Mr Owelle, the company Agricultural Manager, had once acted in the some capacity and was among the several applicants who Eng.Musebe had beaten to the job.

It defeats all logic for anyone to blame Eng Musebe of dismal performance. A Chemelil woe has come about as a result of government poor planning in the industry and lack of effective implementation of the laid down policy from the government by its agency the Kenya Sugar Board.

One of the clauses of the Sugar Act stipulated that no new sugar crushing factory should be established within less than 40 kilometers radius from an existing one.

The Kenya Sugar Board had allowed the establishment and construction of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry at Kibos within the outskirt of Kisumu City. The new facility has no nucleus estate .The establishment of this new facility with no proper source of raw cane supply is the cause of the current acute shortage of raw cane within the Nyanza sugar belt within Nyando district.

The establishment of the new facility in an area where already there are three other sugar manufacturing factories was a gross mistake and a total lapses on the government policy. The three other factories include the currently closed Miwani Sugar Mills, Chemelil and Muhoroni Sugar Mills. All the four factories are located within the under 40 kilometers in flagrant violation of regulation and rule under the Sugar Act.

As soon as Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry began crushing the pathetic situation of price, cut throat competition commenced in earnest. The new company which had no reliable source of cane supply, started poaching mature raw cane from previously exclusively cane growing zones for Chemelil Sugar Company, a wholly government owned facility which became drastically starved of raw material. This contributed largely the drastic reduction in raw material supply to the Chemelil factory reducing its operation into lame twice or thrice a week occurrence.

As if this was not enough, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry Ltd management, having been aware that they had no reliable source of raw cane supply, resorted to erecting weighbridges at Awasi, only six kilometers from Chemelil factory for the purpose of accepting and weighing cane from within Chemelil cane growing zones. It further moved to Chepsweta which is situated on the main Chemelil, Miwani and Kibos road for the purpose of intercepting accepting and weighing cane from Nandi farmers along the Nandi Escarpment, which were previously crushed by Chemelil Sugar Company. This second weighbridge is also situated about six kilometers from Chemelil Sugar factory. In this context, it is the government which has failed to protect both Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar factories.

The cut-throat prices of cane per tone, offered by Kibos factory, became instantly incentive to the small and large scale farmers within the cane growing zone, previously classified for Chamelil and Muhuroni factories. And owing to the cut-throat tactics introduced by the new factory the price of raw cane went up from Kshs 3,200/- per tone up to Kshs 4,200/-per tone.

Chemelil became totally eclipsed and blocked from receiving raw cane from itt cane growing zone. The new factory with impunity went as far as harvesting cane indiscriminately including those whose owners were given cash advance for the development cane on the understanding that Chemelil would receive its money upon harvesting process.

Before the sacking of Eng. Musebe took place last week, Chemelil Sugar Company which has been reduced to crushing twice or thrice a week instead of seven days day and night a week had sacked close to 100 of its workers after declaring them redundant. If the cane supplies systems were arranged properly and executed in an orderly manner, both Chemelil and Muhoroni factories with their large nucleus estates could survive and go on manufacturing sugar without any hitches.

It is the same case now affecting the production of sugar in Nzoia and Mumias Sugar companies. The cut throat and cane prices war is also almost paralyzing the productions at the newly commissioned Butali Sugar Company and the long established West Kenya Sugar Company within the County of Kakamega.

The same poor planning of sugar factories would soon grind the production at the Awendo based SONYSUGAR to a halt when the Sukari Sugar Factory, now in its advance stage of construction, starts crushing cane. It is also located within less than 40 kilometers radius from SONYSUGAR. The Company has already purchase more than 60 tractors with persons ready to transport cane from the field within a month from now to be crushed at the new factory. But the big question is; Where will the raw cane come from? The company has yet to developed its own cane fields. All the canes seen around were developed with cash loan advanced to the farmer by SONYSUGAR.

A similar situation is expected when the now under construction Tans-Mara Sugar factory is commissioned. It has yet to developed raw cane of its own and will start scrambling for those farms which were developed with advance cash loans dished out to the farmers in the area by SONYSUGAR.

The argument being put up by those poaching for raw cane from other factories zones is that the sugar industry has already been liberalized thereby allowing cane farmer to sell their crops wherever they wished and wherever the can get good prices. Yes this is good, but how will the other factories get back their money which they had loaned the farmer for the development of the cane in question?

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Kenya: Fake currency circulation in Rongo and Awendo Towns

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Rongo Town.

TRADERS in various parts of greater South Nyanza have reported that large quantities of fake Kenya currency notes are in circulations.

The fake currency notes bearing 1,000 as denomination have been appearing in towns like Rongo, Awendo, Migori and Oyugis. Unsuspecting traders have been duped with these fake currencies.

The thugs minting the fake currency are said to be targeting mostly those operating MPESA outlets, bar and restaurants, retails and wholesale shops and even bus and matatus conductors.

On Tuesday this week, this writer watched in disbelief when a well dressed young man walked into Zamil MPESA shop in Rongo town. The man produced a brand new Kshs 1,000 note and wanted it deposited in his MPESA account. But all this time the man was unaware that the girls working in the shop were equipped with the currency detecting machine. When the currency note, which looked genuine with all its future including the security line water marks, was put into the machine it was out rightly rejected by the machine, and then when told that the note was fake the man walked out of the shop hurriedly and disappeared in the crowd at the market place.

The Rongo incident is not an isolated one. Bar owners and busy wholesale and retailing shops as well as kiosk owners have suffered the same fate.

MPESA shops have been warned to be on the alert and ensure that any brand new currency note of Kshs 1,000 is thoroughly scrutinized before being put into transactions. The culprits are also said to be visiting small shop keepers in isolated market places and fuel stations in the company of some unscrupulous motorists who pays racketeers genuine currency notes in return to fake money for filling the tanks of their vehicles.

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Kenya: Mrs J.D.Akumu is to challenge half dozen of male contestants in the battle for Nyakach Parliamentary

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

WHILE women politicians are making an all out effort to secure specially reserved parliamentary, senate and county positions, one iron lady has decide to take the male contestants in an election battle for the Nyakach parliamentary seat in Kisumu County.
Grace Adhiambo Akumu is not a new comer in the race for Nyakach seat. She contested the same seat in 2007 but came in second to last. Her dismal performance could as well be attributed to her joining the race rather late. She lost in the ODM preliminary, but went on contesting the election proper on the Narc ticket.

photo of Mrs Grace Adhiamo Akumu who has declared her interest in the constest for the Nyakach Parlamntary seat in Kisumu County and the first woman in LuoiNyanza to come forward and make it public that she will battle in the election with the male contestants

Akumu is an NGO executive and the wife of one time two terms MP for Nyakach, J.D.Akumu. She is also a veteran trade unionist. Her husband, Dennis Akumu, once served as the Secretary General of Cotu {K} and Also the founding Secretary General of the Accra based Organization of African Trade Union Unity {OATUU].

Speaking in Kisumu City, during an exclusive interview with this writer, Akumu said her mission is to economic empowerment of the poverty stricken rural folks in Nyakach. She said, if elected the next MP for the area, she would work very closely with the electorate and try hard to resolve myriad of problems including the pathetic situation of insecurity caused by bloody cattle rustling.

Her other priories include the effort to have the perennial flood in lower Nyakach placed under control and to sensitize the population in semi-arid areas to grow crop which are suitable for areas with less annual rainfalls.

Akumu was born 51 years ago in a political family. Her father, Benjamin Okang’ Tolo, is an ex-Kisumu Municipal Councilor, a one time Deputy Mayor of Kisumu City, and a prominent businessman who is well known contractor in the construction industry with his firm BOT Construction Company Limited.

She is the CEO of the African Network for People’s Empowerment {ANEPE}, an NGO which is her own brainchild. It has the aims and objective of aiding socio-economic projects in rural areas. She has served with the Climate Africa for many years and gained a lot of experience after exchanging ideas with representative of the relevant bodies from all over the world. The organization has made Akumu one the most globe totting women in Kenya. She has interacted with many experts at the various conferences and symposiums on climate change.

During her weekend visit to Kisumu, Akumu presented corrugated iron sheet and water tanks to Nyabande Primary School in Nyakach, and also at Nyang’ande in West Kano Location in Nyando district.

One way of creating peaceful co-existence among the various communities neighboring Nyakach district, she said, is to call for dialogue among the leaders and stakeholders with the aims of sensitizing the residents of the region to discard the outmoded negative traditional practices such as cattle rustling.

As an MP she will work towards peace and ensure that peace prevails among the residents o Nyakach and their neighbors and instead of uncalled hostilities people should redouble their effort in farming as the sure way of maintaining food security.

The ANEPE organization has been conducting studies at the various locations within Nyakach district to find out which crops are suitable for which area, and in some cases providing the farmers with free seedling of the crops recommended for the given areas.

She said her plan for economic empowerment will concentrate on women, but will include men and youths too. All the people must be sensitized to be productive and business minded as she believe that hard work and less talk are the keynote of successes in any forward looking society.

Akumu said she is not afraid of male competitors. She strongly abhorred the use of violence for one to achieve his or her objectives. The campaign must be peaceful and each candidate should be free to move around and for canvass for votes in a free atmosphere which is devoid of any intimidation of some sorts.

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KENYA: RUMA NATIONAL GAME PARK IS GRADUALLY LOSING ITS SPECIAL AND RARE ROAN ANTELOPE

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RUMA NATIONAL GAME PARK IS GRADUALLY LOSING ITS SPECIAL AND RARE ROAN ANTELOPE WHICH IS THE CENTER OF ATTRACTION FOR TOURISTS UNLESS CONSERVATION EFFORT IMPROVES.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay.

The rare roan antelope which for decades ago was roaming the hills plains in Eastern, Mt.Elgon and many wild animal sanctuaries in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania is gradually facing inevitable extinction.

Experts say only about 50 are left and their last home is Ruma National Game Park in Mbita district within Homa-Bay County.

The fierce and beautiful almost the size of Greater Kudu and Oryx, the roan antelope is arguably the center of attraction to tourists visiting the Ruma National Park, which is located abut 23 kilometers southwest of the lakeside town of Homa-Bay. The park, however, is administratively part of Mbita district.

During the recently concluded workshop held in Homa-Bay to sensitize the local communities on the importance of the community backed conservation, the Director of the Kenya Wild Life Services Julius Kipng’etich issued an alert signal that the rare roan antelope is gradually facing extinction unless join conservation measures are put in place.

He told the participants that the future of roan antelope in Ruma National Game Park is a matter of urgent concern to the local leaders and the entire communities living within the villages surrounding the park.

The rare roan antelope is great asset to the park, which is expected to play an important economic role in the newly created Homa-Bay County under the new constitutional dispensation as sure way on its revenue and source of the region’s economy. The County is expected to be constituted and inaugurated next year after the general election and will have to improve infrastructure jointly with KWS so as to make it attractive to the tourists and vibrant.

Ruma National Game park houses variety of wildlife, bird and pre-historic sites and there is high expectation that the park, which is he only one in the Southern Nyanza region would be an asset and major source of revenue to the County.

The KWS boss said that the beautiful and rare roan antelope now facing extinction could only be found at Ruma National Game Park. And the workshop was held specifically to be brainstorm on the recovery and conservation of the endangered species of antelope.

Kipng’etich disclosed that the population of roan antelope is rapidly declining at an alarming rate, He attributed this trend to several factors predation, disease and threat to forest habitat.

He said the last position of refuge of the roan antelope globally is in the 120 square kilometers Ruma National Game Park which is found I the Lambwe Valley, about 425 kilometers South West of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

That not withstanding, Kipng’etich warned tat the population of roan antelope at the Ruma National Game Park has drastically declined from202 in 1976 to only about 50 individual currently roaming the park.

“The decline in number shrinking in distribution roan antelope in Kenya necessitate to the formation of a national task force.

The task force will spearhead the process of formulating a national recovery, conservation and management strategy.

The strategy was released by the government last month {August 2011}, is expected to guide the conservation efforts of the roan antelope. It will explore all available options to ensure the species thrives for the present and future generations.

Originally the roan antelope occupied fairly large areas of Southern Kenya. Conservation experts say the antelope used to abundantly occupy all wild animal sanctuaries from Lake Nation to Lake Victoria, Mt Elgon, and Cherangany hills, as well as pockets of Central and Thika, Kitui as well as an area east of Chyulu Hills.

But is populations have declined rapidly during the last 40 years throughout its traditional natural habitat.

The KWS experts say there have been no confirmed reports of species from either Eastern or Mara and Oloolal Escarpment of the Mt Elgon region over the last region..

Kipng’etich told the communities living next to the Ruma National Park to participate fully in the conservation effort of the park if they want to benefit for it.They should imagine and take it serious that this is the last home of the roan antelope in Africa.

He called on local people and leaders from the entire Homa-Bay County to step up their cooperative effort to enhance the county’s rare resources, which he noted is very strategic for the development of the region in terms of employment opportunities..The workshop was also attended by participants from Tanzania and Uganda and the Chief Game Warden at the Ruma National Game Park John Wambua.

uma National Game Park used to be rich in all sorts of wildlife including the Big Five, but owing to human population pressure, the colonial authority in Kenya in the early 1940s ordered to for the physical removal f elephants, the shooting and killing of lions while the few population of rhinos moved out and settle at the nearby Manyuru Forest in Central Kabuch Location, where they were whipped by poachers and this forest is now human villages. The elephants were escorted to Ang’we Forest, which is located six kilometers east of Awendo town, and eventually escorted to the Sikawa Hills now part of the Maasai Mara.

What used to be part ofAng’we forest is now part of the nucleus estates of the SONYSUGAR company based at Awendo’ Effort by the leaders of the former County Council of South Nyanza to have the elephants returned to the park in the early 1960 hit the rock due to logistic problems, but a few herds of buffaloes numbering about 60 are still holed deep in the Lambwe forest and rarely comes out during the day. The buffaloes have become the target of poachers from the surrounding villages using snare wires to capture them for meat and other crude method of killing the animals.

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EAC forces and US military exerts are conducting joint exercise in Zanzibar in readiness to combat the terrorists threats in the region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

As precaution step to keep the terrorists infiltration on check, member states of the East African Community in collaboration with the American military experts launched a joint exercises in Zanzibar,Tanzania.

The joint exercise which was launched last Friday comes in the wake of complex that facing the region, including terrorism, piracy and natural disasters and calamities.

The East African Community may have a fundamentally development vision, it is a fact, however, that peace and security are the prerequisite for social and economic development, Tanzania’s deputy secretary general {Planning and Infrastructure}Dr Enos Bukuku said during the launching of the exercise ceremony held at Chukweni Military Center in the northern town of Arusha.

The official noted that various threats facing East Africa, the partner states have a collective responsibility to ensure the region is secure.

Also involved in the joint military exercise code named ”Natural Fire 11”,which brought together more than 300 personnel from the region, are officers the United States Africa Command {USAFRCOME} ,whose head of contingent, Brigadier General James Owns, emphasized the need to have a more stable and secure East Africa.

“This collaboration between the EAC defense forces and the US is another positive step towards a more stable and secure region. Let us ensure that what is gained here will have a lasting impact on the ability of our militaries to respond to complex challenges we face today and in the future,’ he implored in a speech made available to the newsmen.

Tanzania’s Minister for Defense and National Service Dr Hussein Mwinyi flagged of the command post exercise, hailing the EAC partner states continued cooperation in defense.

Dr Mwinyi also called for the speedy creation of a framework for cooperating with partners such as USAFRICOM.

“Peace, security and stability are the lynchpins for accelerating socio-economic development,” Dr Mwinyi asserted, adding;”It is this regard that the EAC partner states recognized that collective defense enhance regional peace and security.”

The Minister heaped a lot of praise to the US government calling it “ a good friend and strategic partner.”,

However, the Minister stressed that any assistance should complement EAC efforts, adding that defense cooperation with the bloc’s partners needs to be clearly structured.

The joint military exercise sees to develop the capability of EAC defense forces to respond quickly and efficiently to complex security challenges.

The exercise aims to enhance cooperation between the defense forces, civil authorities and international organizations.

The Zanzibar will focus on peace support operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response, counter terrorism and counter piracy. It ends on Wednesday this week.

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EAC: EALA MPS will soon be directly elected by the voters in their respective counties before being sent to the EAC

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

It was revealed during the just conclude two days conference attended by delegates representing political parties in the East African Community’s partner states that a recommendation that the EALA MPs should be directly by the voters in their respective countries.

Kenya’s Assistant Minister for the East African Community Affairs Peter Munya disclosed during the press briefing that members of the East African Legislative Assembly will soon be directly elected if a proposal to amend the EAC Treaty is adopted.

A major recommendation that has been made to make the EAC stronger is to have its legislators at the EALA elected by the people in their respective countries.

“This will not only take us close to the political federation, but will also create legitimacy. It will allow the people to own the regional integration process as opposed to the current situation where political parties nominate the EALA MPs. The political parties based on their majority representation I their respective Parliament nominates and appoints the EALA MPs.

Earlier in his address the Prime Minister Raila Odinga had urged the delegates representing political parties in Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda to promote regional integration.

Odinga who is also the party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement also asked political parties to form regional units based on ideologies rather than personality based outfits.

The PM emphasized the need for political parties to capture in their manifestos the regional integration agenda.

“We must work together towards the collaborations across the national boundaries to realize our objectives.”No nation let alone any political party is an island in today’s global world,” said the PM.

He told the political parties in the region said to be numbering about 158 registered within the EAC member states that they must embrace the regional integration process. And at the same time they must uphold democratic principles.

Odinga blamed the founding fathers of African independence of failing for failing to uphold democratic principles that the constitutions provided.

“After independence the founding fathers of African independence began arguing that multipartyism – the West Minster style was an alien to African tradition. The EAC states, he added, now had the opportunity to reverse the trend of authoritarianism in a bid to lit their citizens out of abject poverty.

“Just as the EAC must embrace political parties, so must political parties must embrace the integration process.”

The East African Legislative Assembly sits in Arusha, Tanzania which is also the host of the EAC ‘s secretariat.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of fast tracking of the political federation Ms Beatrice Kiraso said bringing together of political parties from the EAC partner states is one step of attaining a common stand on issues affecting the regional integration process.

“The matter has come up a number of times and we hope the treaty will be amended to accommodate it,” said Ms Kiraso .

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Kenya: The new Kisumu International Airport is complete and ready to accommodate big planes

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

BUSINESS people as well as horticultural farmers in Western Kenya have good reasons to smile for the Kisumu Airport is complete and ready to handle more passengers and cargoes.

The Kshs 3.3 billion new facilities are ready for use. The extended Kisumu Airport now confirmed that the lakeside city is the true gate away to East Africa.

The horticultural farmers and exporters now stand to benefit a great deal because the facility will now offer them quick aerial shipment of their products to any destination in the world.

THE Kisumu Airport manager Mr Joseph Okumu told newsmen that the airport is now ready to welcome receive and see big planes.

”We have already shifted our operations to the new terminal. All the airlines currently flying Kisumu route have been allocated new offices at the new terminal. There are still more spaces for new airlines expected to come.”

The Kisumu Airport whose upgrading work started in 2008 will now be able to accommodate big planes like the giant Boeing 737.

The new facility boast modern control tower and terminal with several lounges for arrivals and departure, cargo handling facilities, the passengers cafeteria, VIP lounge and offices. The airport will also later this month, have new international departure and landing facilities.

The manager revealed that the terminal facility is already attracting inquiries from airlines keen on using Kisumu route to international destinations.

He further disclosed that direct flight from Johannesburg in South Africa will soon be operational. Currently the airport has three international routes which are operational. These include Kisumu-Entebbe, Kisumu -Musoma, Kisumu-Mwanza and Kisumu -Addis Ababa.

The completion of the Kisumu Airport now makes it Kenya’s fourth international airport after Nairobi’s Jommo Kenyatta International airport , Moi International Airport at Mombasa and Eldoret international airport at Eldoret.

Business people in Kisumu and its environs have expressed their gratefulness and hoped the expanded facility will now opens the way for investors and particularly the revival of the forty five year old sleeping Western Kenya Tourist Circuit, which was launched in 1967, but which has remained in the drawing board ever since.

Currently fish and flowers from the Western Kenya regions are transported by road to Nairobi resulting in many losses in terms of time lost, wastage and added transportation costs.

For the much expected improvement in tourists visiting the region, the business community in Kisumu Town have successfully put up dozens of medium sizes luxury hotels making he City to be self-sufficiency in hotels.

Apart from the Imperial, Sunset and New Kisumu Hotels, there are several new facilities such as the Great Lakes Hotel, Kisumu City Royals.Lakers,Vunduba, Lakeview. There are close to seven new medium size hotels led by Kisumu Milimani Resort and others ready to supplement the hotel bed accommodation in the town.

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An Australian company has started mining for coal in Tanzania to help in power generation

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

REPORTS emerging from the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salam say an Australian firm Intra Energy Corporation {IEC} has started coal mining in Tanzanian coastline of Indian Ocean.

The work has started at Mbalawala Mine, Ngaka coalfield in Tanzania and is targeting both domestic and export thermal coal markets of Kenya, Mauritius and India.

The Tanzania government awarded the firm a mining license in August that allows it to provide domestic coal in Tanzania for power generation and coal export starting before the end of 2012.

The executive chairman of the firm Graeme Robertson was quoted last week by the local media houses as saying that starting this month they will produce between 120 and 500 kilo tones of coal per annum, going for between USD 80 and USD85 per tone on the domestic market.

The firm will also start producing 120 megawatts of coal fired electric power with target of 1,000 MW in 2013.

Robertson further stated that after 12 and 18 months, IEC plans to ramp-up coal production to as much as 3.5 metric tones per annum to support domestic power generation in addition to industrial sales of 0.5 metric tones per annum.

“The coal- fired powered stations could be constructed by IEC and a joint venture partner, or by the government. or a third parties with a specific energy-intensive project,” he said.

IEC said that until coal-fired power plants are constructed in the region, initial customers are likely to be East African industrial users such as cement manufacturers, who are currently using expensive imported coal or low-quality alternative products.

“IEC understands that at least two contracts have been signed, though the details are considered confidential,” said Robertson, adding that 1,000 tones of Seam Three bulk samples has been sent to Tanga Cement and Mbeya Cement for testing.

Tanzanian Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja disclosed that mining license was granted on August 22 after receipt of an Environmental Impact Statement and that the mine site and port infrastructure is under construction.

The Mbalawala Mine was officially opened to the community and local government on May 19 this year.

The IEC says it prefer to own and operate services that are critical to mining as opposed to out sourcing, including establishment of business units such as mining, geology and technical services, catering assaying and drilling.

The strategy, according to IEC, is to set up an “ integrated profit center” that can boost the local economy and allow internal control of costs and scheduling.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy and Minerals January Makamba said investment in coal is a way to fight the persistent power deficit in the country.

“Countries like the US and the UK were dependant of coal, which drove them to development. So coal will bring significant progress to rescue Tanzania from darkness, “he added.

While Tanzania has a mineable reserve of 40-million tones of coal, about 250,000 tones of coal is imported from South Africa per year.

Meanwhile a report has revealed that East African coastline is increasingly attracting investors interests as a major natural gas hub following recent commercial discovery in Tanzania and Mozambique.

Mozambique is estimated to have over 6 trillion cubic feet {tcf} of gas while Tanzania has 7.5 trillion cubic feet of the resource.

Petroleum Development Consultants {PDC} said China, India and Japan are the potential export markets for liquefied natural gas {LNG} from Tanzania nd Mozambique once the infrastructure is in place.

“The interesting question is whether there will be a liquefaction plant in both Tanzania and Mozambique or whether a single shared location could be developed,” said PDC managing director David Aron.

He said natural gas from the Pande and Temane onshore fields in Mozambique is currently exported to South Africa while Tanzania gas, produced from offshore fields, is used primarily for power generation.

Toronto-listed Orca Exploration, through its subsidiary Pan-African Energy, is operator of the offshore Songo Songo gas field, jointly with Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation {TPDC} and Bermuda’s Globleq.

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AU Ad-hock committee on Libya crisis meeting in South Africa as French and British arrives in Tripoli

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Reports Compiled By Leo Odera Omolo {From several African news sources}

The one-day AU high level Ad hock committee on Libya that took place in Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday has committed itself to working with the National Transitional Council (NTC) and other Libyan stakeholders towards the goal of the early establishment of an all-inclusive national unity government in Libya.

The French and British leaders arrived in Libya on Thursday to congratulate the new rulers they helped install, but families fleeing besieged bastions of ousted strongman Muammar Gaddafi are a reminder that peace is still far off.

The visit is a victory lap for Nicolas Sarkozy and David Cameron, who defied doubters at home to lead a NATO bombing campaign that succeeded in ushering in a victory by forces who swept away Gaddafi’s 42-year rule last month.

The Committee also encouraged the African Union Commission to do the same.

This is contained a 3-page communique that was issued at the end of the AU high level committee meeting on Libya that was held at the Government Guest House in Pretoria.

It was attended by Presidents’ Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Jacob Zuma of South Africa and host of the meeting as well as President Dennis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazaville.

Mauritania, whose President is the Chairman of the Committee was represented by its Ambassador to South Africa and Mali, another member, was also represented by its envoy in Pretoria.

The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the African Union Commission Dr. Jean Ping and the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra.

In the communiqué that was read by Ambassador Lamamra, the members of the ad hoc committee welcomed the assurances provided by NTC leadership in Libya, including a the letter addressed to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on September 5, 2011 in which the new authorities in Tripoli stressed the strategic commitment to the African continent by NTC, the commitment to give priority to national unity in Libya and to bring together all Libyan stakeholders without any exception as well as to rebuild Libya and the commitment to protect all foreign workers within Libya, including the African migrant workers.

The AU high level committee meeting requested the Chairperson of the African Union Commission to convene an urgent meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the margins of the 66th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, to review developments in Libya and take appropriate positions to reinforce efforts to bring peace, democracy and development in Libya including ensuring a united African position.

The AU High Level Committee, having reiterated the relevance of many positions of the AU roadmap and of the proposals adopted in Malabo last July, for the long term stability of Libya and the fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of its people, recommended to the AU Peace and Security Council to encourage the NTC to spare no efforts in ensuring its effective follow-up to living up its pledge to formally institute an all-inclusive transitional government in Libya.

The AU high level committee requested the Chairperson of the AU Commission to submit, as early as possible, a report to the Peace and Security Council covering all relevant developments in order to enable the Commission authorize the all-inclusive transitional government in Libya soon to be formed by the current authorities in Tripoli to occupy the seat of Libya in the AU, as soon as it is established.

The AU high level committee meeting stressed that such a decision should be based on the exceptional circumstances in and the uniqueness of the situation of Libya, and without prejudice to the relevant instruments of the AU, particularly those on unconstitutional changes of Governments.

The ad hoc committee reiterated its readiness to work with the United Nations, the League of the Arab States, and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, the European Union and NATO to ensure a coordinated support to the Libyan people.

The ad hoc Committee pledged the AU’s readiness to extend full support in this respect and to the overall efforts to stabilize the situation, promote democracy and reconstruction in Libya and to this end encouraged the Chairperson of the AU Commission to expeditiously take all steps required for the AU to play an active role in the ongoing efforts in Libya in line with relevant Peace and Security Council (PSC) decisions.

The ad hoc committee reiterated the AU’s call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities in Libya

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Kenya: Some Luo-Nynza MPs are said to be inaccessible by their constituents back at home

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

WHAT happened to Nyando MP Fred Outa at the weekend is good lesson to most of the MPs from Luo-Nyanza.

Outa was heckled and forced to cut his speech short by irate school teachers during the homecoming party in honor of the KNUT Secretary General Okuta Osiany.

The MP found himself in trouble when he made a spirited effort to defend the government over its handling of teacher strike last week.

The incident occurred at St. Agnes Educational Center in Ahero Town in Nyando district within Kisumu County.

The angry teachers did not mince their words and they greeted the MP with heckling forcing hi to vacate the venue at huff.

The MP had arrived at the venue in style when the KNUT national chairman Wilson Sossion was addressing the thanks giving service and homecoming party for Okuta Osiany who had led the teachers to success in securing some of their demands which made them laid down their tool a week ago.

Similar treatment could be in store for a number of MPs from Luo-Nyanza – – a majority of them said to have lost touch with the electorate.

A survey carried out by our team revealed that most the Luo MPs don’t communicate with their constituents. They have severed their phone connections, even with those close to them such as members of local Constituency Development Funds {CDF}, paving he way for the government devolving funds to be vandalized by their political cronies.

The majority of the Luo MPs with exception of a few are said to have severed their links with the electorate and not even accepting phone calls from their constituents and the same time they hardly seen at the local scenes.

Among those Luo MPs whose phone lines are said to permanently unobtainable include the Minister for Public Services Dalmas Otieno who is the Rongo MP within Migori County, Cyprian Ojwng’Omolo who represented Uriri constituency within Migori County, Martin Otieno Ogindo {Rangwe}, Fred Outa {Nyando}, Eng. Nicholas Gumbo {Rarieda}, John Pesa {Migori}, Poylins Ochieng’ Daima {Nyakach, Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda {Alego-Usonga},Ahmed Shakil Shabbir {Kisumu Town East},Prof.Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o the Minister for Health Services and MP for Kisumu Rural.

One MP, who won the election in 2007 in Rarieda constituency in Bondo County, where his predecessor had done a sterling performance in Parliament between 2002 and 2007, could not fit into the shoes of the former.

This is Eng. Nichoilas Gumbo who stepped into Raphael Tuju’s shoes, but has since found it to be too big and too hot for him to fit in.

The MPs who are being credited by their constituents for being easily accessible include Joshua Orwa Ojode{Ndhiwa} and an Assistant Minister for Internal security, Edick Omondi Anyanga {Nyatike}, LANDS Minister James Orengo {Ugenya,Joseph Oyugi Magwana {Kasipul-Kabondo}, Eng. James K Rege{Karachuonyo} John Mbadi {Gwassi} Ayiecho Olueny {Muhoroni}.Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ the Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons who is also the MP for Mbita.

One of the MP is said to be notorious for receiving phones through proxies – – either body guards or drivers. This is the Finance Assistant Minister Dr. Oburu Oginga. However, despite of the difficulties faced by his constituents in accessing him, Dr Oburu Oginga at time does interact with members of his constituents easily.

Having lost the touch with their constituents, the majority of MPs from this region are said to be scrambling for the lucrative positions within the Counties such as governorship and Senate representatives after sensing that their re-election to the August House would be nightmarish.

One MP is known not to have made his maiden speech ever since he was elected in December 2007. This is the MP for Uriri Cyprian Ojwang’ Omolo allegedly owing to lack of sufficient command of the language and poor communication skills. And another MP who is allegedly experiences difficulties in expressing himself eloquently in the House is Prof.Ayiecho Olueny of Muhoroni and Ahmed Shakil Shabbir {Kisumu Town East}.

The tenth parliament, however, produced several most eloquent and formidable debtors among the Luo MPs. They include John Mbadi{Gwassi}, Joshua Orwa Ojode {Ndhiwa},John Olago AluochKisumu Town West}, John Pesa{Migori}, Jakoyo Midiwo {Gem}, James Rege{Karachuonyo}, Geralf Otieno Kajwang’ {Mbita}

And the Nominated MP Ms Millie Odhimbo, the only female MP from Nyanza stole the show for having been the most effective and eloquent debater and a major contributor to most important national issues in Parliament followed closely by John Olago Aluoch of Ksumu Town West and John Mbadi of Gwassi.

Dalmas Otieno the Rongo MP is said to have his phone line permanently shut down, and could not be reached even by his close political association back at home. Those close to the Minister said he briefly open his line early the morning, but most time of the day it is shut down and he Minister is permanently inaccessible.

Among the MPs from Luo-Nyanza with the most shinning score cards reflecting good performance in terms of achievement in development activities.include Joshua Orwa Ojode {Ndhiwa}, Edick Omondi Anyanga{Natike], Dr Oburu Oginga { Bondo},Joseph Oyugi Maguwanga {Kasipul-Kabondo}, Eng. James K Rege {Karachuono},John Olago Aluoch {Kisumu Town},Gerald Otieno Kajwng’ {Mbita},Jakoyo Midiuwo {Gem},John Pesa {Migori},

Topping the list of those who have performed poorly is Cyprian Ojwang’ Omolo, Martin Otieno Ogindo, Ahmed Shakil Shabbir, Fred Outa,Nicholas Gumbo, Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda and Dalmas Otieno.

Cutting off from the electorate is viewed as failure on the part of an MP because as a representative f the people the MP need to interact with his constituents so that they could brainstorm together and plan for the development programme of a given constituency. But an MP who shy away from the constituents is considered to have abdicated from his responsibilities.

Other political pundits in the region are placing their blames squarely at the door steps of the heavily moneyed individuals whom they favor for nomination on the party ticket after bribing their way to the August House in total disregard of their academic qualification and understanding of local and national politics. This has produced many mediocre to become MPs in places they don’t deserve.

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Kenya: County governance will not be a talking shop like parliament but would require more qualified personnel to manage them properly

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The future successes of the County’s will not be the empty talking shops for mediocre politicians , but serious administrative business which will demand highly qualified in financial and administrative management.

In this respective politicians should not rush into contesting the County top jobs, but should instead aspire to be elected to legislative bodies like parliament and county representatives.

These remarks were made by one of the most high profile aspirants for the lucrative positions of Homa-Bay County governor.

The aspirant is George Opiata Ogada who is equipped with what it takes to be the vast wealth of experience in accountancy, financial management and administrative ability.

Ogada 53 is native of Rusinga Island was born in a high profile family. His father Didacus Ogada Migwalla served in public as a primary school teacher and rose through the ladder to become the district magistrate with the judicial department for many years.

Ogada took his earlier education at Wachara and God Bura Primary Schools in Ndhiwa and Gwassi before proceeding to Bunyala High School in Western Province.

On completion of his secondary school education Ogada joined the Kenya Polytechnic and trained as an accountant qualifying with CPA certificate.

He joined the Kenya power and lighting as an accountant, but later took a study leave and went Lucknow University in India and graduated with B.Com degree. He later graduated with MBA. He did his post graduate diploma in Finance and Banking and two other diplomas in procurement and IT.

Upon his return to Kenya, Ogada rejoined the Kenya Power and Lighting Company Limited as an Accountant and within a short while he become the head of procurement department for both local and external purchasing. He was later promoted and made the accountant in charge of the entire KPLC system and property n the Rift Valley.

In 1997 he contest Nakuru Township parliamentary seat coming second to the winner. And in 2007 he contested Mbita parliamentary seat, but pulled out of the race owing to certain technicalities

Ogada venture into private business and established his own consultancy auditing and accounting firm in Nairobi. He established Adambe Forwarding and Clearing firm in Mombasa.

In a long phone conversation with writer from Mombasa this week, Ogada said the challenges facing the new Homa-Bay County are so great. It will therefore require highly qualified men and woman to turn it around and make it a vibrant regional government which is capable to generate and managed its own revenue.

The region could be one of the richest inside Luo-Nyanza if its mineral resources, fishing industry, tourism and pre-historic sites are developed. The region is blessed with the Ruma National Game Park which has the stock of varieties of wild animals for the tourists to come and see. It has abundance place for bird watching.

Homa-Bay County, he said has a lot of untapped minerals resources such as cooper, nickel, gold, cement, lime and even uranium. The area is too big because after the next general election it will have nine parliamentary electoral areas as opposed to the current seven seats. This will come as the result of the two additional seats, one in Homa-Bay town and another other one in Kabondo, which is to be hived out of Kasipul-Kabondo constituency. The region will require good planners in order to be able o generate its own revenue besides the grants from the Central government.

In length Homa-bay County start at Sondu on the triangle border between Kasipul -Kabondo, Belgut and Nyakach and winds up in Mfangano Island which is close o 100 kilometers away.

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ICC & Kenya: the icc judges were duped with kalenjin translation of derogatory words

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HOW THE TRIAL JUDGES AT THE HAGUE WERE DUPED WITH FALSE TRANSLATION OF KALENJIN LANGUAGEBY PROF PAUL CHEPKWONY

Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo,

I am an accomplished authority n Kalenjin language and I was taken back when a witness for Joshua Arap Sang one of the accused currently appearing before the ICC Court at the Hague chose to deliberately cheat the court in giving misleading translation of language.

The world kimurkelda means someone whose teeth are rotten. It is not the word used ordinarily, but it is code and derogatorily or derogatory reference to the Kikuyus.

The other one which is commonly used, but which is already the domain of those Kikuyus who understand the Kalenjin proverb for Kikuyu is Kimoryong’. The latter word is also derogatory, but the users fear it could be easily picked by the targeted

I am suggesting that the ICC Prosecutor and Judges should look for an independent linguistic experts and translators of these two crucial words without relying on the witnesses flown to the Hague by the suspects whose evidence appeared to be totally biased and unreliable to rely on.

The word Kamama Kabmama kab neumametis meaning the place of uncle where one’s mother comes from. But it is also the Kipsigis derogatory reference for the Kisiis or Abagusii. This not n ordinary word commonly used unless someone has something to hide against a person of Kisii origin. So the truth and natural meaning of Kamama is in reference to the Kisiis.

Another example of derogatory words for the Kalenjin against the Luos is King’akut or king’agut meaning someone whose lower teeth were crushed or missing.

Although personally I have no grudge against Mr Joshua Sang nor do I have any political interest what happened in December2007 and January 2008, I did monitor a lot of Mr Sang breakfast top show Lene emet {What the country is saying } I detected a lot of talks which were not very friendly to other people whom I cannot mention here. After all I was not called as witness.

What hurts me most is that the whole Professor of Chepkwony caliber could choose to misled an internal court handling an important case of this magnitude the court on such an important case which Kenyans have a lot of interest.

Mr Sang had a lot of injurious words against Raila Odinga during the Mau Forest saga, which drew my attention to open his programme almost every morning. In most cases his words amounted to incitement, especially when he hosted the fund raising for the evictees of Mau Forest.

I knew Prof Paul Kiprono Chepkwony who was born and brought in village not far from Chepng’obop village in Kapsaus Location where I also grew up and I am sure he cannot doubt an iota of my Kalenjin translation.

Owing to this deliberate and flagrant pack of lies about Kaleniin translation, I am wiring the correct interpretation about Kamama and Kimurkelida words to the ICC chambers so that the judges could evaluate and scrutinize the true meaning of the two words.ICC judges will sought for proper interpretation from other much authority in Kalenjin language.

I am sure for certain the ICC chief prosecutor and the judges will sought for other independent translators instead of relying on Prof. Chepkwony

But I am sure for certain that Prof Chepkwony was groomed and advised to deliberately cheat the Judges. It is indeed a sorry state of affair.It meant I other words the suspects did not take the charges cases they are facing seriously.

Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya: Moi & Raila possible new political alliance would be most welcome in the South Rift region

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Leo Odera Omolo Reports in Kericho Town

The political topic which dominated the lips of many people in the South Rift region is the newspaper disclosure that the retired President Daniel Arap Moi is warming up to the Prime Minister Rala Odinga an overture which many believes could yield into KANU/ODM alliance ahead of the 2012 general elections.

This latest topic dominated the air in public joints cafes and restraints in Kericho Town where local politician were quick in welcoming the move saying it would be fruitful if Moi could prevail upon the current crops of KANU leaders in the region to wok with Odinga’s ODM.

Moi is still a force to reckon with in the South Rift region where he has the largest following among members of the populous Kipsigis sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group. Of late, however, the community which supported the ODM on man -to-man basis in 2007general election has been tossed around by selfish interests serving youthful politicians advocating for political alliances one after the other with no end result on sight.

A meeting which took place between the Prime Minister and Moi last weekend coincided with public vow by four MPs from the region who reaffirmed their intention to stay in the ODM despite pressure coming from their colleagues in the North Rift led by the sacked former Higher Education Minister William Ruto who have been criss-crossing the region urging the area MPs to ditch ODM and join the UDM.

It come simultaneously with an assurance given by four MPs from the Kipsigis community who have vowed to remain in ODM until the current tenth parliament is dissolve citing the interest of their community which compels them to support the government of the day so as to benefit their electorate.

The Kipsigis MPs were led by the Road Minister Franklin Bettwhos the MP for Buret within the Kericho County, an Assistant Minister for Home Affairs Mrs Beatrice Kones who is the MP for Bomet, within the Bomet County, Magerer Lang’atwho is an ASssistant Minster for Energy and the MP for Kipkellion also within Kericho County and Dr.Joyce Laboso, the MP for Sotik in Bomet County.

The legislators were speaking at Tenwek Day Primary School during a fund drive in aid of the school.

The four MPs makes a half of the total legislators representing the Kipsigis community in the current parliament. The region currently has eight parliamentary electoral constituencies, which include Kipkellion, Ainamoi,Belgut,Konoin,Buret,Bomet,Chepalungu and Sotik.

The other group of MPs include Charles Keter who it is being alleged has since become William Ruto’s spanner boy and abdicated from his responsibility of serving the electorate adequately ever since he was sacked as an energy Assistant Minister two years ago, Benjamin Lang’at Ainamoi} ,Dr.Julius Kones {Konoin} and Isaac Ruto {Chepalungu}. In the next elections, the region will have ten MPs following the sub-division of Belgut into two with the creation of the Sigowet constituency.Also sub-divided into two constituencies namely Kipkellion East and Kipkellion West.

The culture and nature of the Kipsigis people could be sad to be conservative. They don’t rush into issues in a hasty manner before thoroughly examining all the implications involve. The campaign recently launched by William Ruto urging the Kipsigis and the entire Kalennin community t ditch Raila Odinga’s ODM for unpredictable amorphous alliances with the people the community seemed not to trust appeared to have hit the rock.

The anti-ODM campaign in the region seemed to have boomeranged on the face of its advocates. The people re being told to ditch the ODM and join UDM, but the latter seemed to have got no structure on the ground, and is shrouded with legal tussles in court between its real national chairman the Lt.Gen {rtd} John Arap Koech, who the former Deputy CGS and is himself a Kipsigis tribesman. As far as the court cases involving the UDM are concern, there is no party called UDM under William Ruto’s leadership, and what the Eldoret North MP has been telling he Kipsigis to join remain a fiction if not a phantom.

The General is said to have a soft heart for both Raila Odinga and Daniel Arap Moi therefore if he eventually emerged the winner of the court case, then UDM will definitely expected form a genuine alliance with both KANU and ODM and not PNU oasis. So far the General is also being urged by his supporter to contest the presidency on UDM ticket an option which he said ws receiving his attention.

Ruto appeared to have shot himself in the leg by incessantly criticizing Raila Odinga and blaming hi for his own woes, the criticism which the locals leaders in Kericho say lacked constructive agenda, but based on jealousy and personal conflicts of interest. Ruto, they said has failed to pi Raila down on any mistake the latter has committed against the community. “What we are seeing is selfish interests by someone who want to go to the top while ridding at the back of his erstwhile colleague and political associate” said Councilor Nicholas Tum of Kericho Municipality.

A Kericho politician who is a staunch supporter of Raila Odinga,Tum is the opinion that I he latter form an alliance with Moi and his KANU supporters in the South Rift the latter two will swept the board clean. Our region extends into the neighboring Trans-Mara region, and we shall make sure that the ODM win all the votes in this region.

Tum said the ODM leadership in the region was happy with the unequivocal support the MPs led by Bett were giving the party, and effectively articulating its policy.

“What the Ruto group is involved in is verbal twisting and purely the case of miscalculation and underestimation of the intelligence of the electorate in this region, but they will live to regret comes the year 2012.,” said Tum.

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Tanzania now prohibits its sugar from being exported to he neighboring countries

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

REPORTS emerging from Tanzania say the government has banned the export of sugar the neighboring countries to protect to domestic stock.

The action is viewed of as part of testing its commitment to open trade in the region in other East African Community member states battle a bitter sugar deficit.

The government has already directed all regional and district authorities in border areas to ensure that no sugar is transported out of the country.

The Tanzania Sugar Board {TSB} which is the regulating authority said at the weekend that the shortage is due to smuggling was to blame for the sharp price increases by some areas as kilogram of sugar is retailing at between Tshs 2,200 {USD 1.35} and Tshs 2,500 {USD 1.54} compared with Tshs 1.500 {USD one} a few days ago.

In the neighboring Kenya the price of sugar rose to Kshs 200 {USD 2.2} per kilo as retailers took advantage of supply shortages to raise price of the commodity.

In Uganda and Burundi, a kilo of the commodity is gong for Ugshs 5,000 {USD 2.2} AND Ush 2000 {USD 1.64} respectively.

TSB is not advocating border closure but instead the government to take swift measure to address the mushrooming sugar smuggling into neighboring countries which is subjecting the country to massive revenue loss TSB Director General Mathew Kombe said.

“We know local traders have been exporting the commodity to various countries the deficit.”

The government said premium prices offered in neighboring have pushed up prices in some regions along the border on a retail basis.

Exports are expected to have pushed up prices

In some regions along the borders on a retail prices.Export as expected to seek export permits to other countries but many were doing so.

The local industries mainly production stands at 40,000 tomes against consumption of between 30,000 tones at 35,000 tones.

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Kenya: Homa-Bay ODM party leaders told they must recognize the role of youths and respect them

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Politicians from Homa-Bay County have been asked to stop the use of threatening statements and abusive languages against young leaders from their community as that may create unnecessary acrimony and animosity that may bring setbacks to the expected gains of the devolved government.

The youths Led by Orange Young Democrat luminaries Odhiambo ManJack, and Washingtone Nyambero,complained that they have been subjected to scorns and even physical assaults from some leaders in the County who fear their political influence and might.

On one such attacks Denish Okoth from Ndhiwa constituency sustained severe injuries in his upper abdomen when he was assaulted by an aspiring governor from the County.

The leader of the Orange Young Democrats volunteers Maurice Aguko Mayora and Omondi Otore both from Kasipul Kabondo have expressed fear that their lives are in danger as their area Member of Parliament Joseph Oyugi have conspired to combined forces with South Rachuonyo area DC to hire the outlawed mercenaries to silence them for exposing their malpractices to the people.

The youths however,said they will continue to champion the right of the common people in the society “We will always defend our people’s rights we now known the plans of some of our leaders against us and I dare them touch one of us without proper cause “warned Nyambero.

They further reiterated that they have the constitutional rights to participate on issues affecting their county and the country in general and no one has power to deny them those rights.

“As young leaders we will do our best and give due respect to our sinuous, but we wont sit back if our leaders engaged us in confrontational type of politics.”said ManJack.

The youths warned politicians against the use organized gang to execute their dirty plans.They however thank the police for being non partisan.Last year a team of security personnel in Rachuonyo led by the able area OCPD Naomy Gichami crushed a deadly political terror squad operating as “Tiacha” that was terrorizing and issuing death threats to those perceived to be political and business rivals of a local politicians

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East African Countries are sceptical about rushing to recognize new Libya rulers

1 Reply

Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

EAST African Countries have adopted conflicting positions on the developments in Libya with some still reluctant an refusing to recognize the ruling National Transitional Council [NTC}.

While Kenya and Tanzania have declined to recognize the Transitional Council, Rwanda has given it full support.

In Kenya where the regime of the ousted Col Muamor El-Gadhafi has massive investment in hotels, oil already retailing firm, opinion seems divided over whether to recognize the NTC or not.

Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Mwangi Thuita was last week quoted as arguing that the NTC by its name is transitional, and as a matter of policy Kenyan does not recognize regime but states.

But the immediate former Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. George Saitoti recently stated that Kenya was willing to work with the NTC to stabilize the North African country.

Earlier Prime Minister Raila Odinga had urged the deposed Libyan leader Muamor Gadhafi to surrender power unconditionally..

Libya owns a good number of businesses worth billions of dollar in Kenya, including petroleum company Oilibya and the prestigious Laico Regency Hotel.

It is not only Kenya in a delaying but also neighboring Uganda, where Gadhafi invested heavily including building a chain of modern Muslim Mosques all over the country.

The Libya Arab Foreign Investment Company own a 49 per cent stake in the Uganda National Housing and construction Company, 69 per cent in Uganda Teleco Ltd and 99 per cent in Tropical Bank.

S far, Kampala has taken no position on Libya, though prior to the revolt in that country which began in February this year diplomatic relations between Gadhafi and President Yoweri Museveni had gone sour. This followed complaint rose by Ugandan government that Libya was encouraging traditional monarchs and traditional rulers as opposed the Uganda national policy. Gadhafi had even made an attempt of calling for a meeting of the traditional rulers from all over Africa for a meeting in Kampala without prior knowledge of the government.

Tanzania on its part has followed the African Union script, with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Coopertion Benard Membe maintaining that Tanzania would recognize the group only once it formally formed a government.

Rwanda has, however, pledged unequivocal support for the NTC with Prime Minister Benard Makoza calling for the establishment of an exclusive and democratic government in Libya.It has also urged AU to play a much more proactive role in a democratic and peaceful transition in Libya.

It has been all quiet on the sides of the Burundi another member of the East African Community.

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Kenya: Gold prospectng in Nyanza are flayed for exploiting local wokers and siphoning their proructs to foreign markets

28 Replies

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

A member of Parliament has bitterly complained over what he termed as “exploitation of gold diggers” working for foreign investors prospecting for the precious stones in Nyatike and in the neighboring Migori district.

Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga further alleged that the gold prospecting companies working in his Nyatike constituency have employed only Chinese workers and not locals. The locals are used only as labors, and yet the all the executive jobs such as clerical and supervision goes to foreigners, mostly Chinese.

The investor using a forty five old prospecting license issued by he government to the late Minister for Economic Planning and development Tom Mboya who was assassinated in1969 must be compelled to pay statutory compulsory salary deductions such as NSSF and other payment due to the government through the Kenya Revenue Authority.

The investors are Mid-Migori and Red rock working in partnership, the angrily MP alleged could be suspected of exporting their gold through Tanzania and thereby evading taxations. “These are big companies which are regularly quoted in London Stock Exchange meaning they are minting million of dollars for the exports of the precious stone from Kenya.”They must be mad to account for every single cent they make out of the sales of gold.

Under the devolution and new system of government which comes to force under the new constitution dispensation, the prospectors are suppose to be accounted for their trade within the County of Migori. The must be forced to be transparent and accountable for their gains, the MP added.

Anyanga said he was disappointed that the bear chest local workers who are made to be toiling for the whole day under the humid weather conditions and also risking death underground are paid only peanuts.

He disclosed that the two foreign companies were currently prospecting for gold in Mikei, Mcalder and in Osiri area of Nyatike constituency. They are also prospecting in Migori district, and most of their staff and top managers are Chinese not Kenyans. Local Kenyans are only engaged in gold digging manual work,

The MP termed this like the “modern day slavery” and we want the government to move in with speed and to make sure that every ounce of gold is accounted for and taxes paid promptly to the revenue authority.”

Manager of the two companies could not be reached for their immediate comments.

Migori County and the neighboring Trans-Mara regions are mineral rich area, but there seemed to be lack of proper arrangement that would ensure the prospectors are operating within the law and adequately paying their taxes due to the revenue.. Suspicion is high that some of the prospectors could be siphoning their products to export through the neighboring Tanzania.

Between the 1930s and 1963 British and South African as well as Australian companies had established full fledged gold and copper mines at Macalder, Masara, Kihancha and Kitere Gold Mines near Rongo. Most of these mineral outlets were later sold to the Commonwealth Development Cooperation {CDC} which for political reasons closed their operations in those areas around 1961 and 1962 mainly for fears that an Independent Kenya could go the Congo way and marred with acts of violence.

Mines shafts in those establishments and facilities were abruptly close down and thousands of workers declared redundant. However, the locals are known to have been carrying on with the gold mining work in the disused mines in primitive manner and ways, which at time carries a lot of risk for the miner’s safety.

Other areas suspected to be have a lot of minerals underneath include Ruri and Gembe Hills in Mbita district, Gwassi Hills,Oyugis and Kihancha regions in Migori and Homa-bay County. Lime and Cements are also sad to be in abundance in Ruri Hills in Lambwe valley. But the government has made little effort to attract foreign and local investors

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Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

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Kenya: Gold prospectng in Nyanza are flayed for exploiting local wokers and siphoning their proructs to foreign markets