Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya: Rachuonyo South district residents concern at the strange conduct of their D.C

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Forwarded by Leo Odera Omolo

As the outcry persist in different parts of the country over the conduct of several provincial administration officials who are accused of committing crime ranging from theft of relief food, to corruption and impunity.The residents of South Rachuonyo District in HomaBay County are not spared, they have been left wondering in fear why their area DC John Olekepas and his political bed fellows from the area have chosen to use public political fora to vilify and threaten residents who have secretly tipped him on security matters.

Led by Young Orange Democrats luminaries Aguko Mayora and Omondi Otore, the residents claimed that the area DC’s action depicted him as part of anti-reformist civil servants who is busy serving purposes that are clearly personal and not public.” The DC is not ready to work in consonant with the new constitutional dispensation, he is busy looking for political ways to protect the status quo to propel his political interest in Kajiado in 2012 elections” said Otore.They asked the DC not to get involved in the local politics instead he should try to concentrate on his duties as a civil servant.They further requested the minister for internal security Prof.George Saitoti to intervene and appoint an independent team of detective to investigate the conduct of the DC as members of the public are now scared of passing information to the authorities for fear of being betrayed.

On 18/7/11 the Kasipul Kabondo area member of parliament had convened a political rally at Waradho in Kachien North Location to drum up support for his re-election in 2012.A business magnet from the area Ong’ondo Were got an information from some residents that some youths armed with crude weapons were planning to disrupt the rally and later blame it on him as part of hate and smear campaign against him,Were called the area DC asking him to investigate the claim.The DC who was reportedly in Kisii town a distance of 25 Kms from his area of work is said to have instantly dismissed that information as fabrication and won that the motive of that information was to undermine his authority as head of security in the area.

The Dc who is said to be vying for a political office in one of the constituencies in Kajiado county however, rushed to the rally, instead of keeping vigil or otherwise investigate the allegations,he took to the podium and addressed the crowd revealing to them that he had been called by One Ong’ondo Were to investigate some claims about insecurity at the rally adding that he knew even before he came that he was given a false information and that Were should be forced to substantiate his claim before the District panel.The DC said he was to sermon Were to appear before the District Security team for interrogation the following day.To date the DC has not formally sermon any body over the incident.

The Dc later colluded with a nominated Councilor who the residents have been accusing to have spearheaded the burning of Wire forest during the post election violence to fire residents who are complaining about the DC. addressing a funereal in North Kamagak Councilor Arthur Aoko warned that the area DC will stamp both his political and administrative authority over those who think can undermine his leadership and that of the current Kasipul Kabondo Mp.In another memorable incident last year during the campaign for the new constitution locals got the wind that there were some youths who wanted to disrupt YES rally that was to take place in Kadongo and Oyugis organized by some parliamentary aspirants without the blessings of the area member of parliament.When the DC was secretly briefed by the organizers of that rally he came to the scene closely escorted by the very youths that were being mentioned as suspects the DC instead of providing security dispersed the crowd that was being addressed by prof.Richard Muga as the said youths pounce on innocent people with crude weapon.In another dictatorial move is an incident in North Kamagak where the DC had authorized the prospecting of Iron Ore at God Nyango without consulting members of the community,he even threatened to arrest one Leo Ooro who had challenged the viability of the project.

While addressing several gatherings within the Kasipul Kabondo constituency Aguko Mayora and Otore praised the police for their ethical and professional abilities in handling issues of security.But said they are highly suspicious with the manner in which the area DC is handling his work.”We have a lot of respect to madam(OCPD) and her team ,but not this politician in the name of a DC,we wont surrender to his dictatorial political styles meant to harass and torture innocent residents of South Rachuonyo “said Aguko who was visibly agitated.

KENYA: AWENDO CANE FARMERS BLAMES SONYSUGAR COMPANY FOR DISCRIMINATION ON RAW CANE PRICES AND VOWED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Farmers around awendo sugar cane growing zone are up in arms against the SONYSUGR company fr what thy termed as gross discrimination on cane prices. They have blamed the company management for being adamant to increase cane prices.SONYSUGAR is still paying the old price of Kshs 3,128/- per ton.

Other millers are now payment between Kshs 3,950 per ton or even as higher as Kshs 4,200 per ton.

According to a Nairobi based business mn wh is also a cane farmer in Uriri constituency John Bob Awiti-Otange this company is fleecing the cane farmer out of their sweats.

He said that while it is assumed, that management of the organization would be more concern about the prevailing conditions in the market in order to monitor the forces of demand and supply which dictates the commodity price per ton. It is because the company is operating under perfect market conditions where there are several participants with little or no influences on prices by one particular participant.

In this regard,Awiti-Otange stated,” continuity in business would only depend on good hospitality and healthy rates being offered to potential customers who are engaged in the supply of raw materials input to the factory for conversion to finished product.”

“Looking at the current market rates, assuming all factories operate under the same environment conversion cost per ton would be the same as sources of raw materials are same, supplied by nearby out growers next to factory location. All factories have similar fixed and incremental costs in converting raw material to finished product ready for sale.”

And in each factory, one ton of raw material yields 100 kilograms of sugar after processing it packaged in fifty (50) kilograms sold @ Kes, 5,600/-. Therefore, 100 Kilograms would fetch Kes, 11,200/- factory price. Whilst Sony Sugar Co. pays farmers only Kes, 3,128/-

Awiti-Otange said the Direct material cost per ton Kes, 3,128/-, Conversion cost per ton 50% of cost direct material Kes,1,564/-,absorption cost per unit (ABC) Kes, 1,500/- therefore total production cost per ton is roughly kES, 6,192/-Mark up is Kes, 5,008/- which is more than cost of material.

Participants in the market are Kibos Sugar, Chemelil Sugar, Miwani Sugar etc which operate under the same environment with similar market conditions and particularly Kibos Sugar pays farmers Kes, 4,200/- per ton whilst other millers have pegged their prices per ton in the region of Kes, 3,750/- and 3,800/-. But Sony Sugar Co. which is also expected to operate in the same environment and under the same market conditions only pays Kes, 3,128/-per ton. What is the rationale behind this big variation in price per ton paid by Sony Sugar.

While some farmers perceive it as punitive measure inflicted by management to get cost advantage, others perceive as inept management which do not bother to monitor the concept of market conditions to adjust prices to motivate farmers for continuity of supply of raw materials to maintain factory’s operational existence.

In view of the above,Awiti-Oange warned” farmers have given the management one (1) week within which to review rates per ton upwards to comply with the existing market rate, failure to which farmers will have no choice save to demand theirs rights by demonstrating along Migori / Kisii highway and finally match to the factory to dialogue with the management.”

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Kenya: Acute shortage of cane has forced one of the sugar factories in Nyanza to sack 100 workers

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

UNCALLED for and unwarranted cut throat in competition in he price of row cane as well as undercutting and undermining of each other is likely to force several sugar factories operating in the Nyanza Sugar Belt to close down.

One of the factories, Chemelil Sugar Company, which is believed to be the best managed and the most vibrant facility has already sacked close to 100 f its workers as a result of the acute shortage of mature cane currently being experienced in the region.

In the past few months, Chemelil has reported experiencing acute shortage of cane within its cane harvesting zone, prompting to operate below its capacity.

The company’s Public Relations manager Salim Bakari said the factory had been forced to operate for only three days a week since they have to accumulate cane for two days to have the amount required for the week’s production.

He said when the situation was ideal, Chemelil factory used to run for 24 hours a day throughout the week and only close for one day maintenance a week, but the cane shortage has brought about a very grave situation,” said Bakari.

Under the normal conditiond, Chemeil factory has a production capacity of f about 3,000 tones of sugar per day, but this had now dropped to only 1,000 tons and could even be less in some instances.

The shortage has come about s the result of poor planning on he pat of the government, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture. Out of the four sugar factories situated within Nyanza sugar belt in Nyando and Kisumu districts, one of them the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries has got no nucleus estate of its own to ensure for uninterrupted harvesting throughout the year, and depends entirely on the out growers scattered in the Kano plains and along the Nandi escarpment.

And once the mature cane in the areas mentioned is exhausted this firm resorted to hawking and poaching harvesting system, even at time poaching for cane from the zones of Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar companies.

Another problem, which need to be urgently resolved by the relevant authorities, is the question of one sugar company trespassing and poaching the mature cane from the zones of the other, particularly the cane crops which were developed with cash loan from one factory, and the money which could only be recovered if the farmer in question delver the cane to the factory that had given him money for cane development. When the cane is delivered to another factory which did not spent even a cent for its development, this hurt the company which was involved in cane development with its money. It cannot recover the money it had loaned to the farmers who deliver his cane t another factory.

Several harmonization meetings have been called and held at the various paces to sensitize the farmers over the need to respect the loan agreements they had signed with the various factories, but all in vain. Those involved in the poaching are arguing that since the industry is liberalized cane farmers were free to sell their crops to whoever is paying them well and promptly. Liberalization, however, is a not a license that one can behave like a rough bull of buffalo and be immunized from paying back cane development loans money.

Among the three factories, which are currently operational within the Nyanza sugar belt, Kibos factory pays Kshs 4200per tone of row cane, while Chemelil pay Kshs 3,750 and Muhoroni is paying Kshs 3,200 per tone. This is what has prompted the cut-throat price competition.

However, rumor is widely spread that some factories could be offering incentive prices, while fleecing cane farmers through the alleged technical adjusted weighbridge. The Ministry f Trade which is responsible for Wight and Measures department, should therefore move with the speed and ensure that all weighbridge used for transacting farmers cane are up-date and without stage managed faults.

A government auditors report about 15 years ago had revealed that SONYSUGAR Company based at Awendo in Migori County had fleeced the cane farmers close to Kshs 210 million in ten years by way of using default weighbridge. This shameless theft was discovered and the company workers who were involved in the scam fired.

This is to say when a farmer delivers 10 tones of cane to the weighbridge, it is technically adjusted to read either eight {8} tons or less. In this cane the farmer loses two ton valued at Kshs 7,600—compared to hundred f farmers who do delivers thousands of row cane to the factory in a day, it could translate into million of shillings within a month.

It is the duty and responsibility of the government to protect the small farmers from being fleeced millions of shillings due to their ignorance. Therefore there is some elements of suspicion the cane famer may be subjected to cheatings through weighbridges hence the booming prices of cane unless the government agencies involved with weight and measure print its authorities on this issue by ensuring that each and every weighbridge transacting cane to he factories are checked at regular intervals.

The government must also come up with a working plan to demarcate cane growing zones for each and every factory. In some places the investors are known to be floating the rules and regulations set by the Sugar Act that a new sugar factory must be established at a place which is more than 40 kilometers from the existing factory to avoid the cut-throat cane price wars now being experienced in the Nyanza sugar belt region of Nyando and Kisumu districts. This is the only sensible way of protecting the workers in the ever ailing sugar industry.

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KENYA: IT HAS BEEN REVEALED IN A STUDY THAT OBAMA AND MBOYA SHARED ONE ANCESTRAL BACKGROUND BUT THE TWO MEN LIVED AND DIED WITHOUT KNOWING THEIR BLOOD RELKATIONSHIP.

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Exclusive Report By Leo Odra Omolo In Kisumu City.

President Barack Obama Jnr. of the United States could be sharing one ancestral background with the late Thomas Joseph Mboya, a charismatic and dynamic Kenyan politician and trade unionist who died in hails of bullets fired by an assassin in the Kenyan capital, Nairob1 42 years ago.

The late Barack Obama Snr, the father of the US President who died in 1982 befriended Mboya way back in 1956. But the two men who had a lot in common and character lived briefly and died without knowing that they had any blood relationship.

They lived apart and were geographically separated from each other’s family and none could have imagined the smallest iota of blood relationship between them.

Tom Mboya was born on a sisal estate at Killimambogo area of Thika district the called Juja Calimoni in 1930. Both his parents were born on Rusinga Island, but his father was employed in the Sisal estate owned by white settlers as” Nyapara” {Supervisor} while Barack Obama Snr. was born at Kanyadhiang’ village in Central Karachuonyo in what used to be South Nyanza district.

The history of Mboya-Obama relationship has been unearthed by a Kisumu-based Kenyan veteran journalist Leo Odera Omolo who knew the two men well, but who is currently carrying out a personal research on Mboya’s background for the purpose of writing a book on the slain politician’s background.

HE HAS TRACED Mboya background and family tree to one sub-clan in Asembo Location, Rarieda district in Siaya County. The sub-clan is called Asembo-Kanyugoro. Both the historians and Luo elder have confirmed that this sub-clan’s ancestral grand father was a man called “Nyigoro”.

Nyigoro is undisputed eldest son of Ogelo, son of Kisodhi son of Owiny. OGELO WAS THE ELDEST SON OF Kisodhi, but he had other brothers like Ager,Owiny Sigoma whom he named after his father, Nyakwar and several others. Upon the death of Kisdhi who was a chieftain, Ogelo and his other disagreed on the way and manner some tribal rituals cleansing which were performed by the elders his father’s death and rebelled. He bolt out of the family homestead and moved out of Alego Nyang’oma where the family lived and travelled to a place called Abom where h settled in forest (now part of Sakwa East in Bondo district.

Enraged by what happened when his younger brother was installed the chieftain in his place Ogelo move out during the wee hours of the night taking with hi his wives, family’s herd of cattle and all domestic animals and children. In rebellion with Ogelo was his younger brother Nyakwar.

And while living at Abom his eldest Nyigoro move further to a place now called Asembo and settled. It was here where the sub-clan called “Wayubu” Mboya’s own sub-clan branched off and move into some small islands inside lake Victoria on fishing expedition. But Mboya’s great grand parents found the going tough following the outbreak of the deadly sleeping sickness disease caused by tsetse fly, which almost whipped out many clans and sub-clans of the Luos then living along the shorelines of Lake Victoria. Mboya’s great grand father moved out of the fishing island and landed on Rusinga Island where the family settled among the Wasengre{Kamasengre} which is also related to the Wasenge of Yimbo.

Here is the place where Mboya’s father was born in a small village called Matenga which is very close to the shore of Lake Victoria. Mboya’s father Leonardus Ndiege late married Marshella Awuor the daughter of Nyang’ani of the Kakinaga sub-clan in Kamasengre clan, which is closely related to another small sub-clan living in Rusinga East called Kamgere where this writer belonged to.

Talks and murmuring about Mboya’s originality was persistently raised, and even during his marriage to Pamela Mboya in 1961, some elders from Asembo Kanyigoro had insisted in paying the first cows for the pride price his wife, but the issue was suppressed and defused by Mboya and his father in-law the late Walter Fanuel Odede of Uyoma Katweng’a sub-clan and Makerere University trained veterinarian who became a formidable nationalist who was equally detained by the British colonialist during the state of emergency in the remote Maralal in Samburu district from 1953 to 1961.

Among the clans which shared blood relationship with Alego Kogelo include Alego Kakan, Kanyada,Jo-Boro,Kanyakwar, Kagan.These clans are now well spread inside Luo-Nyanza with Kanyakwar livng a few kilometers in the outskirt of Kisumu City, while Kanyada and Kagan lives in Homa-Bay,Kaka and,Kogelo and partly jo-Boro lives in Alego,and Ugenya. Kogelo are well spread in many parts of greater Southern Nyanza like Nyatike,Awendo, Karachuonyo,Kasipul Kabondo and other places.

The movement of the Alego Kogelo the ancestral of President Barack Obama Jnr. and the movement of Asembo Kanyigoro the ancestral of Tom Mboya as authenticicated here now confirmed with no slightest of doubt that Obama and Mboya have blood relationship.

The late Barack Obama Snr. and the late Tom Mboya friendship from 1956 up July 5,1959 when the latter was felled by an assassin bullet in Nairobi street on Saturday afternoon, though thy differed at time ideologically.

During the time when their friendship flourished in the early 1950s,the two men had a lot in common in their characters, both were very eloquent in English, elegantly dressed, dancers per excellence and liked to keep the company of beautiful women, though Obama Snr. was rather bullies and arrogance Mboya was ever polite, but extremely cunning and intelligent. He was also excessively arrogance, though hiding his arrogance while appearing in public places like a politician and unionist.

The had series of failed marriages and numerous cases of divorce and father many children in the wedlock. both men were handsome and charming and loved by young educated girls.

Mboya was late to facilitate Obama’s higher education in the US together with other Kenyans who flew out in 1959 and 1961 in the great Airlift to study in the American colleges and universities.. After Mboya’s death Obama Snr. life drastically changed was never the same again.

After Mboya’s death in 1969, Obama Snr. life had changed drastically, He had lost an intimate friend, mentor and protector in the civil service where he served in senior capacity in the Treasury. He looked frustrated and demoralized and lie was never the same again for him.

The two men died and went into their graves without knowing one important secret, which was never revealed t them in their lifetime by anyone.

Mr Omolo’s book is expected to be published early next year.

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eac leaders in talks to focus on energy shortage, air, roads and water transport system for the future

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

ENERGY shortage and poor road, air and water transport will be the key agenda at a crucial East African Community meeting schedule for next month.

The EAC 4th development strategy meeting will also discuss food shortage agriculture, industry, manufacturing and tourism.

A draft, seen as the most ambitious of all plans by the bloc also aims to transform the master plans I key productive areas in action.

Information emerging from the Arusha based secretariat of the EAC says the Secretary General Dr Richard Sezibera while addressing Minister for the Community affairs from the five member state last week disclosed that the would place major focus on the development of Lake Victoria basin as well as rich farmland and fishing shores of Lake Tanganyika.

“The successful implementation of the strategy {2011-2016} shall stimulate investments, promote employment and growth and, on the whole lead to increased diversification and major transformation of the region’s economy,” Dr Sezibera pointed out.

The last week meeting considered he progress made by the regional bloc in the statistics sector to facilitate planning and decision making. It was decided that from now on, the region should consider observing the Africa Statistics Day on November 18 of every year.

The Community ministers further noted that progress was being made on the establishment and maintenance of a web-based statistics database and the program on harmonization of statistics in priority areas.

Addressing, the meeting which was held at the Arusha International Conference Center {AICC}, chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers Ms Hafsa Mossi decried the slow pace of integration.

“We must own up to the fact that our region is not yet cohesive for integrative enough”

Ms Mossi who is Burundi’s Minister for the EAC Affairs, said despite indicators of stable economic growth, the Eastern African region was still riddled with serious problems, citing the raging famine in Kenya and the horn of Africa, the problems of piracy in the Indian Ocean, the terrorist infiltration and threats posed by Somalia and the “energy deficit, which has intensified”.

The Minister went on” It is in times of crisis that regional integration is best tested and it is in the ways and means by which we stand together and forestall or roll back such crises that we should give true meaning and justification of belonging together in a regional bloc.” He said.

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KENYA: ANXIETY IN RACHUONYO OVER DC’S CONDUCT

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By Jamumbo Aguko Mayora
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

The residents of South Rachuonyo District in HomaBay County were left wondering in fear why their area DC chose a public political forum to vilified and threatened a resident who had called him to voluntarily tip him over some insecurity matters.

Led by Young Orange Democrats luminaries Aguko Mayora and Omondi Otore The resident claimed that the area DC action depicted him as part of anti-reformist civil servants who is busy serving purposes that are clearly personal and not public.” The DC is not ready to work in consonant with the new constitutional dispensation,he is busy looking for political ways to protect the status quo” said Otore.They asked the DC not to get involved in the local politics instead he should try to concentrate on his duties as a civil servant.They further requested the minister of internal security Prof.George Saitoti to intervene and launch an independent investigation over the incident as members of the public are now scared of passing information to the authorities for fear of being betrayed.

On 18/7/11 the Kasipul Kabondo area member of parliament had convened a political rally at Waradho in Kachien North Location to drum up support for his re-election in 2012.A business magnet from the area Ong’ondo Were got an information from some residents that some youths armed with crude weapons were planning to disrupt the rally and blame it on him as part of hate campaign against him,Were called the area DC asking him to investigate the claim.The DC who was reportedly in Kisii town a distance of 25 Kms from the district is said to have instantly dismissed that information as fabrication and won that the motive of that information was to undermine his authority as head of security in the area.

The Dc however, rushed to the scene where instead of keeping vigil or otherwise investigate the allegations,he took to the podium and addressed the crowd revealing to them that he had been called by One Ong’ondo Were to investigate some claims about insecurity at the rally adding that he knew even before he came that he was given a false information and that Were should be forced to substantiate his claim before the District panel.The DC said he was to sermon Were to appear before the District Security team for interrogation the following day.To date the DC has not formally sermon any body over the incident.

The Dc who has been in this area for far too long is not new to political controversies.Last year during the campaign for the new constitution locals got the wind that there were some youths who wanted to disrupt YES rally that was to take place in Kadongo and Oyugis organized by some parliamentary aspirants without the blessings of the member of parliament.When the DC was secretly briefed by the organizers of that rally he came to the scene closely escorted by the very youths that were being mentioned as suspects the DC instead of providing security dispersed the crowd that was being addressed by prof.Richard Muga as the said youths pounce on innocent people with crude weapon.

In another dictatorial move is an incident in North Kamagak where the DC had authorized the prospecting of Iron Ore at God Nyango without consulting members of the community when a member of the community one Leo Ooro tried to explained to the people that the due procedure had not been followed he threatened him with arrest, the matter has since been taken to court.The same DC is not in good books with members of the public that he usually abused whenever he stand to address them.Recently in a function in North Kachien he rebuked the clan of making bricks yet they lived in mud houses like Eskimos a statement which did not augur well with the locals.

While addressing mourners in a funeral in West Kamagak Aguko Mayora and Otore praised the police for their ethical and professional abilities in handling issues of security.But said they are highly suspicious with the manner in which the area DC is handling his work.”We have a lot of respect to madam(OCPD) and her team ,but not this politician in the name of a DC”said Aguko who was visibly agitated.

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Kenya: New Counties governors positions have attracted many professionals and high profile individuals in Luo-NyanzaN

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The plum job of County governors is increasingly becoming more incentive judging by the number and personalities of the new entrance into the race.

The latest entries comprise men of high integrity, technocrats and individuals considered to be men of high caliber. They included professors, engineers, accountants and Chief Executive Officers {CEO} in public companies and private sector.

The most interesting feature of the impending general elections is that those who had started their campaign as early as last year are now said to be on the losing trend.

Newcomers to the race seemed to be in the process of overturning the seasoned politicians who had launched their campaign immediately after the promulgation of the new constitution in August 2010.

In the contest for the Homa-Bay County governor, three personalities have been featuring prominently in the race. The front-runners include Eng. Philip Okoth Okundi, the immediate former Homa-Bay MP who is also the chairman of the ODM board of election. Okundi hails from Kochia west within Rangwe constituency. His other challengers were the retired former country director of the Marie Stoppie Clinics Cyprian Otieno Awiti who is from Karachuonyo constituency and Dr. Mark Matunga a senior executive with the Microsoft international Computer firm. He hails from Mfangano Island in Mbita district. Also said to be interested in the same plum job is the incumbent Rangwe MP George Otieno Ogindo, but the latter is of lately talking less about the campaign for the job of late.

The fifth person who had declared his interest the Homa-Bay governor is Opiata Ogad a businessman based in Nakuru town and a native of Rusinga Island also in Mbita district. However, Ogada seemed to have lost interest has not been heard of for some time. He appeared to have gone quiet or lost the steam in the race anymore.

A new entrant in the race whose campaign has sent shock-waves in the spine of other contestants is Prof.Joseph Akeyo who teaches in the Faculty of Physics at the Maseno University. He launched his campaign late last year at his Wagwe village home in West Karachuonyo late last year.

The launching ceremony, which had attracted thousands of people ended up tragically. Within only two days only after the launching of his campaign and while he was driving from his Karachuonyo home, his car had a terrible accident. The vehicle rolled up several time killing his first wife a young son and a brother instantly. Prof.Akeyo sustained serious injuries including a broken neck and skull.

The entry of Prof.Akeyo into the governorship race in the Homa-Bay County has drastically changed the cause of the contest drastically making matters looking gloomy and difficult for the seasoned politician Cyprian Awiti who is also a resident of Karachuonyo east within the same Karachuonyo constituency.

Prof Akeyo is also the chairperson of the Karachuonyo CDF seemed to be enjoying the blessing of the area incumbent MP Eng.James Rege and other leaders from Ndhiwa, Mbita,Rangwe and Gwassi. His popularity is spreading like bush fire and growing day by day. He appeared to have overcome his rivals in the rich voting region of Ndhiwa and god part of Karachuonyo, particularly in patches spots in Central and East Karachuonyo and in Kasipul Kabondo.

Prof. Akeyo is the rising star as far s the contest for Homa-Bay County governor is concern and a man to watch.

The other aspirant Dr. Mark Matunga appeared to have made very little progress, though he enjoyed support in some patches of the region, it will an uphill task for him to clinch the seat. Matunga is being stabbed at the back in his Suba region background with claims and allegations that he is not in good book with the Luo political kingpin Raila Odinga.

The rumor making the round within the County of Homa-bay that he is supporting a rebellion within the community by sponsoring the activities of the so-called Suba Council of Elders. The credence’s to this allegation emanating from the fact that a meeting has been called in his home backyard of Mfangano Island on August 12. In that meeting Ker of Suba Apollo Okeyo Omuga is expected to b officially installed.

The groups viewed by many people in Luo-Nyanza as a splinter and rebellion to the community cause. That of backing Raila Odinga’s presidential bid in 2012.The current set up of the Luo Council of Elders headed by Ker Willis Opiyo Otondi who was installed in a ceremony held at the Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu City. The Vice chairman of the Luo Council of Elders is Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi from Rusinga Island .This has caused a lot of anxiety fuelling the rumor that the group is not supporting Raila’s presidential bid.

If it is true that Dr Matunga support the Suba Council of elders as it is being alleged then his chances of winning votes from non-Suba dominated constituencies in the other regions would be rather remote. He need to come out clean and shake off the allegations and publicly disassociate himself with the activities of this group.

Homa-Bay County covered the largest parts of greater Southern Nyanza with eight parliamentary constituencies stretching from Kabondo, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita.

This are even much tougher in the neighboring Migori County.The governor lucrative position has attracted a large number of professionals, professors, engineers and the best brains in the region.

Leading the pact of aspirants is the youthful communication consultant with Airtel in Nairobi Eng Mark Nyamita, who hail from Rapogi Division of Uriri district. Nyamita’s popularity is felt in far afield like Rongo, Ranen, Uriri, Kakirao, Migori town and some parts of Nyatike constituency. However, h could not be reached to confirm or deny that he was in the race.

Also n the race is Eng.Jared Ochieng’ Baraza who is currently an adviser to the International Telecoms Union based in Geneva, Switzerland. Baraza is also the Country Director of the Engineers Without Borders, an international NGO,Ghana Telecoms University in Accra and a visiting professor at the Kenyatta University n Nairobi.

Eng Baraza is currently busy establishing water, electricity and telecommunication Institute and agriculture in Migori.A son of the Ex-Senior Chief of Suna Location the late Chief Baraza, the engineer is said to be very popular with the youth and woman folks.

Also in the race for Migori County governor position is Prof.Rachillo Luo Kobuoyo, a senior surgeon with the US Airforce based in the US. The surgeon who has attained the rank of a colonel with the US Airfore has lived in the US for many years..He hails from Karungu Central in Sori Division, Nyatike constituency and is reported to have been involved in the education of boys and girls in the region as well s financially supporting the needy economic and social projects.

Another person said to be keen in contesting the Migori governor is Christopher Odhiambo Rusana, an immigrant from Tanzania who has settled in Mikuro area of Suna west. He is the Clerk to the Kehancha County Council. He is said to be a native of Wagire a Luo sub-clan living in North Mara region in areas close to Kenya-Tanzania border. The impact of his candidature is yet to be assessed.

In Central Sakwa within the newly created Awendo district Ezra Odondi whom is a CEO in one of the largest auditing firms in Nairobi is also said to be keen in contesting the position of Migori County .governor. The other aspirant is Owiso Ngao who has been working for the oil companies in Saudi Arabia. He hails from Nyamome area of East Suna.

The seat is also expected to attracted one or two aspirants from within the two Kuria constituencies of Kuria West and Kuria East, though no one has so far come forward to declare his interest.

The contest for both Homa-Bay and Migori governors could produce fire work during the actual campaign period given the number of high profile aspirants vying for the the two sets.

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Kenya: Kisumu farmers plans to demonstrate in support of the Court of Appeal judgement on Miwni Sugar farm

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu.

LOCAL sugar cane farmers in Miwani and its environ have planned to stage a peaceful street demonstration in favor of what they termed as milestone judgment by three appellant judges in Kisumu Court last Friday.

Members of the Riwruok Dongruok Jokano Manyien {RIDOKAM} a welfare organization which is involving in development and investment by the local community within the Kano Plains in both Nyando, Kisumu and Muhoroni district led by their chairman Mzee Walter Kitoto Adell thanked the three appellant judges for they described as “Solomonic Judgment”.

Adell said that as a gesture of appreciation to the job well done by he judicial officials the group would like to show Kenyans that the county’s judiciary system is very much alive and strong.”We are pleased and satisfied with the outcome of the prolonged court case because it has now put the question of ownership f Miwani nucleus estate to rest.” Said Mzee Adell.

Three Judges of the court of Appeal sitting in Kisumu last Friday ruled that 10,000 acres belonging to the Miwani Mills currently under the official receivership revert to its original owners and that a land title deed fraudulently obtained by a firm known as Crossly holdings be cancelled immediately.

The farmer’s decision to stage the demonstration in favor of the rung came immediately after an appeal court ruled that the land in dispute be reverted to Miwani Sugar Mills with immediate effect. The land in question had been sold to Crossly Holdings by firm’s consultant in the name of Nagendra Saxena, way back in 2003 for Kshs 752 million which was far much below its market value of Kshs 2 billion.

Saxena a company whose one of directors is also a dirt with the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries had claimed that he had attached the land to recover defaulted debts owed to him the previous owners of Miwani Sugar Mills way back in 1993.

However, the matter was put to rest last Friday when three appellant judges Riaga Omolo, Phillip Tunoi and Daniel S Aganyanya ruled that the land reverted to its original owners, the Miwani Sugar Mills and the title currently held by Crossely Holdings be cancelled immediately.

The judges said that after examining the case, it was with no doubt that the regular procedures wee not followed during the same and acquisition of the Miwani factory and its estate.

The ruling threw the court into frenzy and dozens of local farmers who had jammed the court to hear the verdict burst out in jubilation with songs and dances.

It all started in 2003 when the government who owned Mwni Sugar Mills advertised for its privatization and a local firm in association with foreign investors successfully made their for with for Kshs 2.7 billion

Local farmers whose company was among the bidders, but whose bid was unsuccessful collaboration with other moved to court and filed legal suit claiming that the former owners of Miwani Sugar Mill owed them money in the equivalent of USD 400,000 for consultancy services and attached the land s collateral. The land was later sold in stage managed public auction in mysterious manner and its original title deed cancelled and a new one issued within the same day of the said auction.

The latest verdict follows a successful defense suit filed by the joint official receiver managers appointed by the government Eng.Martin Owiti and Kipng’etich Bett and the Kenya Sugar .Board.

In another verdict made a couple years ago the High Court Judge Justice John Mwera had ruled that certain individuals and groups involved in the alleged public auction and fraudulent transfer of the farm’s title deed to Crossely Holdings be thoroughly investigated by a competent police authorities.

The people suspected to have been involved in the scam include a magistrates, lawyers, senior officials from the Land Ministry, officials of the Nyando County Council and court officials.

The matter has since resulted in close to seven people including director of a sugar factory, senior land Ministry official, officials of the Nyando County Council a magistrate were arraigned to court late last year by the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission sleuths. They were released on cash bail of Kshs 5 million allegedly bailed out with cash bail deposit paid by one Sugar Company.

And now that the appeal has come out in favor of Miwani Sugar Mills it is hoped that the other case filed by KACC will be pursued to its logical conclusion by the KACC. And that the fraudsters will not be let out of the hook.

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KENYA: HILARY ALILA DECLARED HIS BID FOR HOMA-BAY COUNTY SENATE SEAT BEFORE THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS IN NDHIWA WHO INCLUDED THE PRIME MINSTER RAILA ODINGA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

A Ndhiwa politician Hilary Ochieng’ Alila stunned a huge crowd of mourners in Ndhiwa when he defiantly announced that he would contest the Homa-Bay Senate seat in the forthcoming general election.

Alila, 37, who is the youth coordinator in Nyanza, dispelled the rumor making the round that he was not a serious aspirant, but only fronting for the Immigration Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang.

He reiterated his intention to turn the region around if elected as its representative to the covenanted ’tri-cameral parliament in the next general election.

When the Prime Minister Raila Odinga took to the podium he endorsed Alila sentiments saying if the aspirant has gauged his manhood and found that he was mature enough and strong to sustain the hit of the contest then he was free to do so like anyone else

Hundreds of mourners who had attended the burial of George Okeyo Orata, a former senior Co-operative Development Officer left the funeral home and went home saying that Alila had been given the nod by “Agwambo” to be party favored candidate for the Homa-Bay Senate seat.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida Raila Odinga and other leader who included former Ndhiwa MP Matthews Otieno Ogingo, the Regional Commissioner for Southern Nyanza Erustus Ekidor, ODM regional coordinator Monica Amolo, civic leaders and community elders. The funeral took place in Kanyikela Location, Ndhiwa district within Homa-Bay County. It was held only one kilometer from Alila’s Ndhiwa rural home.

Raila told member’s of the Luo community to be accommodating and to discard arrogance and exercise respect to other communities. He urged to reach out to members of the neighboring communities to support his presidential bid. They should guard against prejudices and arrogance towards other communities.

Raila assured his audience that he will emerge the winner in the next presidential race and need the support of every Kenyan. When become the President he will not be the President of the Luo community alone but will serve all Kenyans equally. “Whenever I go out for votes hunting, other Kenyans have expressed their willingness to vote for me, but at the same time they claim Luos will not exercise respect to other communities.”

He urged the Luos to re-package themselves and discount the fears that persist that Luos will not even pay for their house rents when I become the president.”.

He assured the cheering mourners that he will put up a formidable fight in the next year presidential race

He told the youth who have attained the voting ages to register in large number when the government starts issuing identity cards this month.” I want those who do not national identity cards to get them so that we can go to polls prepared. I am prepared for this battle and I want you to be ready to support me,” he said.

He told the mourners that when elected as the President of this country he would serve all the communities uniformly and he will uphold the constitution.

Raila challenged his political competitors to address issues facing the country instead of incessantly attacking him. He urged the politician to unite Kenyan at the same time discarding tribalism. All the Kenyan tribes should be treated as equal for the country to realize meaningful progress and development.

In his earlier address Alila also appealed to other Luo leaders to visit other regions and campaigned for Raila. They should not only just make cosmetic appearances whenever the Prime Minister is visiting those areas. Such visits should b translated into well cemented down inter-tribal relationship and fruitful friendship.

The leaders from Nyanza should support Raila to the ht by frequenting other regions on their on nd working with local leader in those places to popularize ODM while promoting Raila’s presidential ambition at the same time.

Alila blamed some MPS from the Luo region of laxity and complacency and for doing very little in promoting Raila’s presidential bid among the diverse Kenyan communities. They should spread their wing and cover every part of the Republic while working with leaders from other communities, and make good speeches that could only harmonize the community relations with its neighbors.

Reached by phone, Alila reiterated that he was in the race for the Homa-Bay and not anybody’s puppet.

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Kenya: Bumper crop harvesting in some parts of Luo-Nyanza but “The Ocampo Six Famine” still bites

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

THERE is bumper harvesting of new food grains in some parts of Luo-Nyanza, and the arrival of new maize from the field I expected to reduce the prices f the same to an affordable proportion.

The relief of pressure of acute food shortage in the region is expected to be last only a few weeks, because the crop failure is widespread, most in low-lying locations along the shoreline of Lake Victoria.

The most biting famine which has since been christened “The Ocampo Six” is likely to continue until December. This will depend on how the short rains, which begin in late August and early September, will behave.

“The Ocampo Six” had sent the price of food grain sky rocketing from the previous Kshs 20/ per 2 kg of maize up to Kshs 160/- two kilograms in some regions. The situation is aggravated by the refusal of the neighboring Tanzania to allow its maize to be exported into Kenya.

Apart from banning the import of maize through the normal borders posts, some unscrupulous traders have since resorted to using parts of unguarded Lake Victoria and other “Panya Routes” in the villages, but the quantities which comes via such illicit routes are quite insignificant and cannot help the situation.

Crop failure is wide spread in places like Kano Plains, Nyakach, Karachuonyo, Lambwe Valley, Homa-Bay, Mbita, Gwassi and Nyatike constituencies. On the northern parts the crops failure covered areas like Raried, Alego-Usonga,Ugenya and part of Kisumu Rural constituencies.

In the upper parts of South Nyanza in areas like Kasipul-Kabodo, Rangwe, Rongo, Awendo Uriri ,Migori and Kuria there is bumper harvest. But fear persists that the grain would not last longer due to the scourge of “Ocampo Six” famine, which the locals says is the worst in the 21st century and only compare with two other previous famine “Nyaldiema and Nyngweso” of the 1920s and 1936.

Some older and still surviving Luos still remember other famine like” Ladhiri {1943} and Chung’ni Kimiyi{1961} and Ke Mau Mau of 1953. However, all acknowledged that the “Ocampo Six” will go down as the most biting famine in modern history of the region.

Other region which is reported to have received bumper harvest is Trans-Nzoia and parts of Kuria.

The poor harvest in some parts of Western Kenya is attributed to the supplies of irrelevant maize seedling by prepared by some unscrupulous and unprofessional seed companies, which have sprung up like mushroom in recent years. Also in the business re conmen, know to be using logos and container of the much efficient Kenya Seed Company based in Kitale town in Trans-Nzoia County.

The harvest is nearly 100 per cent better in Ndhiwa district, which of late has become the bastion o food in the greater Southern Nyanza.

Gwassi district which usually known as the bastion of grains in Suba region has witnessed a total crop failure, a making the situation in the two islands of Rusinga and Mfangano even worse.

Another bastion of food production is Uyoma in Rarieda.In some places it rained a lot flogging the crop field, or it rained less and insufficient to support the crop.The situation varied due to the climate change in the region.

Politicians and community leaders in the region have appealed to the peasant farmers to plant roots yielding crops such as cassava and sweet potatoes to avert further deterioration of the famine.

Among them is Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga and Karachuonyo MP Eng. James Rege. The two legislators have appealed to their constituents to make good use of the short rains by planting cassava and sweet potatoes in places where the two crop could grow and flourish.

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Kenya: Kipsigis leaders are pleased with the statement by Nyatike MP on the need to maintain peace and harmony among the neighboring communities

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

KIPSIGIS leaders have praised the Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga for his recent call that the Luos and Kipsigis neighboring communities should continue living in peace and harmony.

Speaking in Kericho Town the leaders appealed to MPs from the neighboring communities to emulate Nyatike MP and preach only the gospel of peace and love among Kenyans of diverse ethnic background. The MPs the leaders said, must refrain from making inflammatory utterances in public place and gathering which could fuel communal hatred.

Pastor Hezron Cheruiyot of the Methodist Church in Chilchila Division within Kipkellion constituency and Councilor Nicholas Tum of Kericho Municipality said they were pleased with Nyatike MP statement that the differences between the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the suspended Higher Education Minister William Ruto were personal and therefore must not be used to incite the Kalenjin and the Luos into hatred and hostility.

“Elected leaders must guard their tanks against making provocative utterances that could be construed by the general public that could cause confusion and misunderstandings among the neighboring communities. The Kipsigis and the Luos share the common border between Nyanza and Rift Valley and have lived harmoniously from the time immemorial and should be allowed to continue living and working together in the interest of the country.

Pastor Cheruiyot said he regretted an incident in Kericho Town in which an MP from Luo-Nyanza who had accompanied the Prime Minister Raila Odinga was heckled and shouted down and forced to cut short his speech when he made some incoherent utterances which did not pleased the audience who were mainly the Kipsigis people.

Leaders should always weigh their words before making public utterance. Those who have nothing in their mind to say before the multi ethnic audiences should shut up,”said the pastor.

Councilor Nicholas Tum of Kericho Municipality said ODM was still very strong in the South Rift despite of claims by ODM rebel Kalenjin MPs allied to the Eldoret North MP William Ruto that the community in the region has ditched the party.

Tum said some of the MPs representing various constituencies in Kipsigisland who are allied to William Ruto are in for a big shock come the next polls. Those who are persistently attacking the party leader Raila Oodinga whenever they opened their mouths will lose their seats comes the next polls. That is the reason why a good number of the incumbent MPs are scrambling for the two seats allocate for the region in the Senate.

Coun. Tum appealed to the ODM supreme leader Raila Odinga to pick the Road Minister Franklin Bett as his running-mate during the next general election.

He said owing to Bett’s steadfast and unswerving loyalty to the party and his contribution, he would be good bait for votes catching in the South Rift if picked as Raila’s running-mate.

Tum cautioning members of the Kipsigis community against making hasty decision of joining UDM saying that party is still embroiled in prolonged and protracted legal tussle before the court over its leadership. If the community is fooled about with propaganda to abandon ODM, it will be sidelined by the next government which will consign the community to the political periphery.

At the same time survey conducted by this writer in both Kericho and Bomet Counties indicated that members of the Kipsigis community, a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups are slowly drifting back to KANU.The Kipsigis is the most populous Kalenjin sub-tribe with more than 1.3 million voters.

The community occupied the fertile region in the highlands southwest of the Rift Valley a region which is agriculturally rich with sufficient annual rainfall which is conducive for tea and coffee growing.

In the year 2007, this community voted for the ODM on man-to-man and gave the party MPS in all the eight constituencies of Kipkellion, Ainamoi, Belgut, Buret, Konoin, Chepalungu, Bomet and Sotik. The region gave the party’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga almost 100 per cent. It also handed the ODM an overwhelming victory in the neighboring Kuresoi constituency in Molo district and another constituency in Rongai where members of the community are the majority of the inhabitants.

However, due to what is seemingly to be irreconcilable differences between the party leader Raila Odinga and his deputy William Ruto the party’s influence I the region is drastically reduced. If the ODM could managed to recruit credible new leaders and support their candidature in the election in all the constituencies, this time around there will be 10 electoral areas after the creation of two extra constituencies in Sigowet in Blgut and Chilchila in Kipkellion, it could still garner enough vote to enable it win at least between five and six seats in Parliament.. Similar percentage could be retained in civic wards within the two Counties.

The party which is likely to slash in the flesh of the ODM is KANU and not UDM. The party of independence could perform well in Kipsigisland if it will back the Vice President Stephen Kalonzo musyoka.

The common saying in the region is that the Vic President who had served in the KANU government under the retired President Daniel Arap Moi for a long time and only ditched the party in 2002 has since maintained a guarded tank and has never publicly issued any statement that is viewed as derogatory and despising Moi in similar in similar fashion like other former KANU luminaries have done.

Members of the Kipsigis community are, however, worried about political instability and endless internal wrangling in KANU pitting the party national chairman Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and other leaders like his deputy Gideon Moi and the secretary-general Nck Salatt.

The community is not comfortable with the idea of having another Kikuyu president after Mwai Kibaki, and if there is no solution on sight within the ODM within the next three months, they switch their support to Kalonzo Musyoka.This is because of the hurdles facing William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta in connection with pending criminal cases with the ICC causes looming large on their path..

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Kenya & Uganda: Kenyan and Ugandan Ministers finally agreed to have survey work on the disputed Migingo Island resumed immediately

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

KENYANS and Ugandans living in village around Lake Victoria have good reasons to smile following a brief statement issued after a two days ministerial consultative meeting held in Nairobi resolved that the two countries should resume joint survey with the view to establish the true ownership of the disputed island in Lake Victoria.

The two small and rocky islands, which are located close to Kenyan mainland have been the subject of heated argument between the two sister countries. And at one time, the dispute about the ownership of Migingo and Ugingo had threatened to derail the regional integration under the auspices of the East African community, which both countries are the founder members.

Other members of the EAC include Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda shared lake Victoria with Tanzania having the lion’s share of 54 per cent, Uganda 42 per cent and Kenya had the smallest portion of the lake’s water at only 6 per cent, mainly around the Nyanza Gulf (formerly Kavirondo Gulf.

A joint ministerial consultative meeting held in a Nairobi hotel and chaired by Kenya’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Prof.George Saitoti and attended by a Ugandan delegation led by his counterpart Sam Kutesa also agreed that a joint policing exercise on the two islands should be established.

Prof Saitoti disclosed to the newsmen that police chiefs from the two countries would meet soon to operationalise the directive of the joint security policing and its mode.

Kenyans living on Migingo and Ugingo islands have often complained of harassment by Ugandan authorities, which they allege demand that, they pay taxes and bribes money before they are allowed to fish.
Migingo’s wealth lies in its proximity to some of the richest remaining deep water fishing ground in Lake Victoria. The highly prized and economically important Nil Perch species is said to be in abundance around the two islands.

Prof Saitoti spoke to newsmen on Wednesday evening at the end of the two days consultation meeting held in a Nairobi hotel between Kenyan and Uganda delegations. He said there is need to approach the issue soberly.”That is why I am happy that the joint consultative meetings that have been held in Nairobi have been very fruitful.”

Ministers in the Kenyan delegation at the Nairobi talks included James Orengo {Lands} Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ {Immigration}, Yusuf Hajji {Defense} and Prof.Hellen Sambili {EAC Affair}. Also in attendance was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of lands Dorothy Angote and the Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie.

Diplomatic row erupted between Kenya and Uganda three years ago and shortly after President Yoweri Museveni controversially claimed that the disputed Migingo Island was in Kenya territory, but its waters were in Uganda.

Museveni defiantly declared that Kenyans would not be allowed to fish on the island, sparking off outrage and protests from the Kenyan public. At one time even Kenyan parliamentarians were up I arms demanding that the issue be handled militarily instead of diplomatically. But the principals in the ruling coalition government President Kibaki and the Prim Minister Raila Odinga repeatedly called for calm and insisted that the issue would be solved harmoniously.

President Kibaki took some time before he public reiterated that both Migingo and Ugingo were on the Kenyan side of the common international border between the two countries.

And on Wednesday this week Minister Saioti said Kenyans and other inhabitants of the two islands should go about their day to day activities without fear.

He added that while carrying out the joint survey, teams from both countries should be guided by the African Map of 1926 and 1962 Lancaster House constitution of Kenya and he 1995 Ugandan constitution.

ON HIS PART, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said that the Migingo issue should not be politicized, adding that all efforts and consultations be made to resolve the matter

“Let us be sincere while conducting the survey and not engage in acts that may cause unnecessary excitement or tensions,” Kutesa said.

The Ugandan Minister said residents of both countries who lives on the two islands should co-exist peacefully as they wait for the survey to be completed..

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Kenya and Uganda have agreed to resume survey work on the disputed fishing islands in Lake Victoria

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

KENYA and Uganda have agree to resumed the suspended joint survey work in Lake Victoria to establish the exact border and restore the ownership of the disputed two fishing islands of Migingo and Ugingo in Lake Victoria.

The two survey teams will report to their respective governments within two months. While the exercise is going on the two governments have agreed that contingent of police team from both countries would be deployed to patrol the islands.

The dispute over the ownership of Migingo Island has been the subject of heated exchange between the Kenyan and Ugandan governments with the MPs in Kenyan parliament up in arms urging their government to take military action to restore its sovereignty over the two islands.

Uganda has been adamant posting its marine police to patrol the two island and despite of repeated agreement that it should pull its security personnel out of the two islands to allow the joint team of surveyors to complete their work an determine the exact boundaries.

Meanwhile the Kenyan Ministry of Fisheries is set to spend over Kshs 6 billions within three years to beef up security in Lake Victoria.

Disclosing this good news, the Assistant Director of Fisheries Michael Obadha said the money is to buy surveillance boats, train rescuers in time of disasters, and introduce coast guards. The envisaged plans, he added are in advance stage.

He was addressing fishermen an fish traders at Mahanga fish landing beach in Siaya County .He said plans to introduce coast guards to patrol the Kenyan side of the lake against pirates and criminal element is in advance stage. Coast guards are a special security agents who deal with safety and criminal matters around water bodies.

The Ministry said the Obadha is now waiting for procurement of equipment and training of personnel who will be hired as coast guards before launching the essential service needed around the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria.

He said decision to introduce coast guards services was arrived at following rising insecurity in the lake. Fishermen have persistently complained of piracy and harassment from security agents from the neighboring countries.

The director assured fishermen that the presence of coast guards in the lake would be felt within the next one year. He said the constant wrangling between Kenyan fishermen and fishermen from neighboring countries were unhealthy and needed to be addressed urgently.

Obadha, however, advised the fishermen to desist from demanding more rights given that Kenya had the least size of water bodies in Lake Victoria.

His remarks come amid complaints by the Kenyan fishermen over harassment from neighbors .The neighbors accuse Kenyans fishermen of invading their territorial waters. “Although we only have six per cent of the entire water mass in Lake Victoria, yet we have majority of fishing crafts and fishermen in the lake. If each country was to stick to its territory, then we will be the sufferers.”

Director Obadha called on the Kenyan fishermen to be calm and patient over border conflicts. He further urged the fishermen to safeguard the cordial relationship with the neighboring counties of Uganda and Tanzania as their survival in fishing business depended on this.

He, however, cautioned that Kenya should be taken for granted over Migingo and Ugingo fishing island in lake Victoria, which Ugandan are illegally occupying at the moment, though the government wants to see the matter solved harmoniously.

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Kenya: The government is urged to introduce regulatory authority to curb fatal accidents by boda boda motor bike taxis on Kenyan roads

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

WHAT was otherwise billed as a high profile burial of a highly respected elder and prominent sugar cane farmer in Awendo district cane growing zone turned tragically when two other accidents occurred leaving two mourners with multiple leg fractures.

It was indeed a double tragedy in the true sense because the deceased Mzee Nahashon Nyandiga Aloo was himself a victim of motorbike boda boda taxi.

Mze Aloo died two weeks ago when motorbike taxi collected him at his Ng’ong’a village home in Waundha sub-location, Sakwa South in Awendo district within Migori County, He was travelling to Awendo town a distance of six kilometers when the accident occurred.

But while riding on the main road between Awendo and Uriri center, a drunken motorbike rider suddenly appeared from an inlet road and hit his machine by the side killing him instantly.

In what appeared to be double tragedy, a woman mourner whose name was given as Mrs Barracj Aduwo who left the burial site on a motorbike taxi was crashed within only a few meters from the funeral home. She sustained multiple leg fractures.

Another an unidentified woman mourner was also crashed at a distance of few kilometers from the same home. Both women were rushed to the hospitals within Awend and Migori districts where they are receiving treatment.

Mzee Aloo who was in his early 80s is a retired former senior civil servant. Among the thousands f mourners who gave the elderly farmer a tearful send off include former Education PS Leo P Odero, the former DVC of Moi University Prof. Douglas Odhiambo, the chairman of Awendo Town Council Johnson Omolo Owiro, a one time two terms MP for the larger Homa-Bay constituency Phares Oluoch Kanindo.

Also in attendance were two local technocrats Nginjo Abonyo and John Odera Nyangaga both are CEOs in private sector in Nairobi and the MD SONYSUGAR Paul Odolla, Awendo DO 1, civic leaders from Rongo, Migori and Awendo Councils, religious leaders, teachers and farmers within the region.

Speaker after speaker heaped a lot of praise to the late Nyandiga for having been a man of peace and love who worked hard both as civil servant and later as a farmer and trader and urged others to emulate him. He lived a humble life of a staunch Christian had extended a hand of help many young men and women apart from educating his own children and those of his other deceased brothers.

They appealed to the government through the Ministry of Transport and the police to bring the menace of motorbike boda boda taxis to sanity in order to curb uncalled for deaths on Kenyan roads.

The number deaths occurrences on daily basis have already outstripped those killed by motor vehicles. An since it is the new made of transport in the country like its n other developing countries the police must ensure the riders are competent enough t o ferry the traveling passengers n the main-roads and highways.

They said the riders must produce certificate of proficiency, driving licenses, and the certificate of good conduct from the police before they are allowed to operate their machines on the main-roads.

Distributors selling the motorbike must also be compelled to ensure they may only sell the new bike to a rider on production of a driving license. The number of the boda boda motorbikes be curtailed by he licensing authority and be reduced o a manageable numbers

The boda boda motorbikes should be confined only to operate on feeder and access roads, but not on the highways unless within the town centers.

Those who addressed the mourners said they were alarmed at the high rate of deaths caused by boda boda motorbike taxis and now calls their operation to be regulated to avoid more loss of lives on the road carnage.

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KENYA: IT WAS A SHOW OF STRENGTH AND POPULARITY CONTEST BETWEEN RAILA AND RUTO AS THE TWO MADE VOTE HUNTING FORAYS IN THE SOUTH RIFT AND NYANZA.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

Last weekend witnessed one of the biggest political contests between the two warring factions of the ODM who took their campaigns and votes hunting deep into the South Rift and some parts of Nyanza Province.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who is the party leader, toured the Kericho County where he addressed a series of meeting and also commissioned the Nakuru-Kericho-Kisumu road now under the construction, before winding up the tour at the Moi Garden, which is located outside the D.C’s Office in Kericho Town. Moi’s Garden is the nerve center of Kipsigis politics.

Raila’s party’s de-facto deputy leader, the Eldoret MP William Ruto and his entourage snaked into the region from Nairobi by road and addressed crowds at the various stops-over before crown it up with a public rally at Chebilat border town.

Chebilat is a border town which is shared between the Kipsigis on the Sotik district within the Rift Valley Province and the Kisiis living in Borabu district of Nyanza Province.

This is the area which felt the heat of the post election violence of 2008 as the Kipsigis supporter of the ODM descended on property worth millions of shillings owned by the industries Abagusii traders including schools buildings were torched and burnt into ashes.

The region has ever since remained the flash-point of seemingly endless cattle rustlings which on occasions have resulted into death of innocent citizens on both sides of the common border. .A platoon of the crack paramilitary police, the General Service Units are station along the borders of the two districts as well as police Anti-Stock Theft Unit.

Interestingly, Ruto was drumming for the two communities, the Abagusii and the Kipsigis to join and vote for the United Democratic Movement {UDM} a party which is still embroiled in legal tussles before the court over its ownership.

The Prime Minister also had a closed door meeting with civic leaders in the Kericho County and the representative of the Mau Forest evictees.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Road Minister and Buret MP Franklin Bett who has, since departure of Ruto, become Raila’s point man in the South Rift region, the Kipkellion MP Magerere Lang’at who is an Assistant Minister for Energy, The Home Affairs Assistant Minister Beatrice Koneswho is also the Bomet MP, the Sotik MP Dr. Joyce Laboso, the former Deputy Chef of the General Staff Lt.Gen [rtd} John Arap Koech.

Gen Koech is still the de-facto leader of the UDM until the court rules otherwise in a court case filed by a group of Rift Valley politicians led by Ruto who staged a bloodless coup against him lat year and claimed to have overturned the UDM party leadership and thereafter Ruto declared himself the party leader.

Ruto had in his entourage the former Mugirango South MP Omingo Magara, Belgut MP Charles Keter, Konoin MP Dr Julius Kones and other leaders most of the new aspirants routing for various parliamentary seats within the Gusii region.

And while Raila flew back to Nairobi on the same day, Ruto continued with his votes hunting deep into Gusii land and later criss-crossed the region into greater Southern Nyanza where he addressed members of the public at the various stops-over in Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, and Migori before addressing another crowd in Kuria. All these areas are considered as Raila’s strong hold and under the ODM unshaken influence.

A check on the ground indicated that contrary to a claim by MP allied to William Ruto that the entire Kalenjin region was safe in the hands of the Eldoret North MP there is a sharp division of loyalties to the two ODM luminaries turned arch-rivals. Raila is the most favorite man for the next presidency, while Ruto’s ambition for the presidency is being treated as a big joke.

Ruto seemed to have made a big blunder by trying to sell to the Kipsigis voters several presidential hopefuls without giving the community a clear direction as to which among the members of the so-called D7 alliance was his favorite.

These inconsistency include his remark that he would work with the Gatund Gatundu South MP Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, and at the same time telling the electorate in Western Province that he was for the Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa while on the other hand he has been quoted as saying he would support the Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka for the presidency.

These inconsistencies have been sending confusing signals to the populous Kipsigis community, a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group, which previously had eight MPs In the tenth Parlament, and this time round would vote for ten MPs following the recent creation of Sigowet constituency slashed out of the existing Belgut and the sub-division of Kipkellion into two parliamentary constituencies. The community has another safe seat in Kuresoi constituency in the neighboring Molo district.

Despite of his relatively successful tour of the Kipsigis region, Raila Odinga is being stabbed at the back in his Nyanza home turf with wide-spread claims and allegation that “Agwambo” is preaching water, but drinking wine in relations to the creation of democratic space.

Raila is being accused of being responsible for the stalled Mayoral election in Kisumu City, which is the nerve center of politics in Luo-Nyanza of allegedly coercing the civic leaders within Kisumu Municipality to re-elect unpopular Mayor Sam Okello as opposed to the wishes of the majority of the City’s residents and Councilors alike.

Claims about lack of democratic space in areas under the ODM influence were echoed at the weekend by the former chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo who locked horns with the Kasipul-Kabondo MP Oyugi Maguwanga during a funeral gathering I the Rachuonyo South district at the weekend.

Raila urged the community to open its door and allow every presidential aspirant to come around and sell his policy to the electorate unhindered.

He said Ruto-led UDM party should be allowed to sell its policies in the Luo-Nyanza region so that the community can have a free choice of political parties to choose from other than th dominant ODM

Raila, however, categorically and vehemently denied having personal links with UDM or Ruto at the same time issuing threat of filling legal suit against those making such claims.

His remarks provoked sharp reaction from the area MP Oyugi Maguwanga who was also present at the gathering. He told Raila in his face to stop interfering with ODM activities in the region, advising him to continue selling the policy of the UDM instead. He accused Riaga of being an agent of the UDM in the region.

The stalled Mayoral election in Kisumu City is causing a lot of jittery by the residents towards the ODM and could cost Raila some substantial votes among his Luo supporters, particularly those with moderate views who feels the civic leaders should be left alone to elect a mayor of their own choice. Even staunch supporters of the Prime Minister were heard expressing sentiments of disapproval of his involvement while political detractors viewed the action as part of Raila’s excessive arrogance and dictatorial tendency.

Other were heard saying that Raila should go out and campaign for his presidential ambition and leave the field free for competitive political among the elected Councilors. Moreover, the embattled and outgoing Mayor Okello was never elected in any ward within Kisumu City, but was brought from Mombasa the other day and nominated by Raila to the Council. He has never been an ODM activist, but a perennial KANU parliamentary election loser in Muhoroni constituency.

Within Kericho County the Prime Minister in his quest to regain popularity among the members of the Kipsigis community appeared to have picked u a team of youthful and energetic men and woman who hell-bent to dismantle Ruto influence in the area.

Ruto’s weaknesses, they claim, is his insistance that he was about to leave the ODM, but cowardly remained in the party for now close to two years. His handing around in ODM without making a bold decision and quitting the party altogether has weakened his case among the residents of the South Rift, an area which is also covering Bomet County and party of the Trans-Mara district.

Legally, Ruto is still the de-facto ODM leader, though he has made it publicly clear that he was in the UDM. “ If he has quit the ODM and join the UDM he did so without consulting us. It is indeed his democratic right to quit the ODM and join any party of his choice a an individual, but he had no right claiming that we are with him in that party because we were not consulted,” said Joseph Chepkwony Belgut politician in Kericho town.

A Kericho Municipal Councilor Nicholas Tum hailed the Prime Minister Raila Odinga for his political dynamism and magnanimity, saying he was pleased that the Kipsigis people have now realized that they were being fed with empty political slogans and propaganda aimed at maligning the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Tum attended all the Raila’s meeting during his last week’s our of the Kericho County said the committee to over see the settlement of Mau Forest evictee should be chaired by Minister for Roads Franklin Bett. The Committee must be free of politicization and from being used as a propaganda tools to malign those perceived to be allied to Raila.

Among the presidential aspirants who toured most part of Western Kenya at the weekend Ms Martha Karua, was the most successful. Her tour drew a large number of enthusiastic supporters who cheered him widely in Migori and Siaya Towns.

The iron Lady cut across the region with clear message that Kenya was yawning for a genuine change and that anti-reformist politicians should be voted out of leadership in 2012.

Karua instant popularity in Nyanza came about as a result of her consistency in parliamentary debates on issues of national importance as one of the few “Voices of Reasons in the August House”. In some places Karua heard supporter shouting the loudest tat she should disband Narc Kenya and team up with “Agwambo” in the next elections.

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EAC: Fear of losing sovereignty by EAC member countries is what is derailing the creation of an East African political federation

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

ALTHOUGH member countries of the East African Community celebrate the first anniversary of the Common Market, fresh fears have emerged that have threatened to delay the integration process.

A report by a team of experts hired by the EAC to track the emerging challenges particularly seem to point an accusing fingers at Tanzania for her “slowness “in conforming to the ideals of the integration agenda.

According to a report, negative sentiments used loosely against others have negatively impacted on the environment for integration agenda.

Tanzanians, for instances are concern for what they see as aggressive nature of their neighbors, especially Kenyans” the report reads if part. Burundi has complained that Tanzanians only pay lip service to the promise of liberalizing the movement of people across their shared borders.

Tanzanians are also said to be afraid that their country risks being infected with ethnicity problems that characterize politics of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

Furthermore, a lack of harmony and a common standard in the education system in the region is seen as predisposing of citizens of some countries to exploitation of regional employment opportunities than their neighbors.

“The fears is particularly of Kenyans and Ugandans over running regional labor market,” the report notes.

“There are also concerns that citizens of some states now dominate the labor market, partly because of an advantage of speaking English. There are also concerns among some Tanzanians that the envisioned political federation will affect their close relationship with the Southern African Development Community {SADC} countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Angola.

As far as the monetary union, the creation of a single currency in the region is raising eye brows.

Experts from Kenya and Uganda have already raised the alert over rushing to a single currency urging the EAC to delay the process,” the report reads.

The two countries fear the legal requirements of a full transfer of monetary sovereignty to the regional level are likely to expose their countries financial sectors to external shocks.

And in as far as the 24-hour border opening program is concerned, fears have emerged about conflicting implementation. For instance, while vehicle crossing from Uganda into Rwanda are now getting cleared within 45 minutes for cargo and 30 minutes for buses, the gains are diminished when the same reach the Burundi border which is still operating a day time crossing regime.

“The community around Kenya-Tanzania and Tanzania-Burundi border felt that their freedom of movement and trade rights under the customs union is curtailed by partner state officers manning the borders,” the report adds.

Security concerns are also emerging with massive arrival into transit through East Africa nationals of Somalia, DRC Congo and Ethiopia. This has seen an increase in small arms related crimes in the region.

“Fears abound that greater integration may spread the problems originating from these countries of the EAC,’ the report says.

The report further notes that emergence of politically connected gangs such a the outlawed Mungiki and Bagdad Boys known to be operating in Kenya pose a serious to the proposed federation which is projected to be founded on the rule of law.

In addition, poor management of electoral competition in the recent past has dampened the regional stability and democratic consolidation that had started to gain root.

“The impasse among political parties in the run up to 2010 Burundi election and worse post-election violence following the disputed 2007 Kenya election caused some doubt as to whether management of internal electoral competition has reached the level of maturity to allow for region-wide political and electoral competition, “ the report says.

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A KENYAN DAILY TODAY CAME OUT WITH A SHOCKING STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE IN WHICH THE LATE FATHER OF THE US PRESIDENT MET HIS DEATH.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

A Kenyan popular daily newspaper the morning came out with an exclusive story and illustrations of a motor vehicle in which the father of the US President Barack Obama Jnr met his death in 1982.

The paper had traced the green 1981 make Chevrolet LUV pick-up in Homa-Bay Town about 300 kilometers south west of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The vehicle looks like an ordinary 30-year old workhorse that has seen better days. And yet the pick-up holds stories and secrets tha6t its present owner Joseph Owili Ongei will never know.

In an exclusive page one story the paper narrated that this was the car in which Barrack Hussein Obama Snr met his cold death on a cold night in Nairobi in November 1982.

The exclusive story about this particular vehicle has attracted a large number of readers for this particular paper. And became an instant sales boom.

The late Barrack Obama Snr had returned to Kenya in 1964 from Hawaii where he had married the mother of the future US President Ann Stanley Dunham. Their son, Barack Obama Jnr {Now the US President} was born in 1961 and in 2008 would become the President of the United States of America.

As an economist per excellence Obama Snr immediately changed several jobs before landing one as a top economist in charge of statistics at the ministry of Finance. In his rank and job specification as well as seniority Obama Snr was entitled to a new car at regular intervals.

Among the illustrations accompanying the story is the vehicle at its states during the accident, and thereafter following extensive repair work. The illustrations showing a broken steering wheel, which is believed to have hit Obama Snr side of the chest perhaps rupturing his heart and caused instant death.

It now put to rest the rumor fueled by the Obama Snr family in Kenya that the top economist’s death was an act of government sponsored assassination scheme. The vehicle had hit the tree from the driver’s right side, giving the late Obama no chance of escaping death. The sides appeared to have been smashed.

Also showing is the late Obama Snr’s national identity card, his death certificate. the steering wheel that killed Obama and the photograph of a Mr Patrick Obondo the mechanic who repaired the pick-up, the vehicles logbook and Mr Owili its current owner who purchased it as a junk from the late Obama Snr widow at the price of Kshs 78,000.

The accompanying story says in 1981 Obama became eligible for another vehicle of his choice for the government to buy for him, with the purchase price deducted from his monthly salary until the amount was fully recovered.

The late Obama Snr walked into the General Motors showroom in Nairobi and chose the Chevrolet LUV KB25 model, chassis 9583320,that was given registration number plate KTH 018.

Many of his peers considered it an odd choice. Other senior bureaucrats were go9ng for sleek saloon that suited their status. Obama ’s social life involved driving to drinking joins around Nairobi, where he would park the Chev Luv, as it was known, outside the bar and engage in loud conversation and backslapping.

Prior to this Obama Snr was involved in two major traffic accidents before the third ended his life prematurely.

In 1966 he reportedly killed a young man in an accident, even though details are not forthcoming. Following that crash, he spent almost a year recuperating in hospital but was still left with bad leg.

Upon his discharge in December after another accident Obama Snr made a month long trip to the US and visited Hawaii where he was re-united with his ex-wife Anne Dunham and their 10 year-old son Barack. That was the last time the 10-year old Obama would see his father alive. Obama Snr later lost his legs in another fatal crash.

Shortly after he bought this pick-up in 1981, he was dismissed from the Finance Ministry, either because of his drinking or because he had scathingly criticized the Treasury policy paper. He then sunk into alcoholism and abject poverty.

The report further stated,” He was just like Mr Toad [from Wind In The Willows}, very arrogant on the road, especially, when he had whisky inside.

On the night of November 24,1982, Obama entered his car for the last time. He died minutes later when his car hit a tree on Elgon Road in Nairobi’s posh Upper Hill estate.

He report that followed the postmortem, written by the longtime Nairobi pathologist Dr Ayres Lorenco Ribeiro, said death was caused by “bleeding du to ruptured heart due to a traffic accident.”The impact on his chest was so severe that the steering wheel broke. The wreckage was towed to the Treasury Building in Nairobi.

It was store in the basement for years alongside several other grounded cars until the August 1998 terrorist attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi.

Following the terrorists blast, the government of Kenya issued a directive for all broken vehicle to be towed to a central yard outside the City center. Obama’s beloved Chev Luv lay there out in the open for another eight years until an electrical technician Owili developed an interest in it.

He had seen it at the government yard behind the Finance Office where he worked but never gave it a second glance until his long time friend Benard Raburu urged him to buy it. But by then I was earning no more than Ksh 1,500” recalls Owili who had just quit his job as a technician to join the Ministry of Finance.

“I needed a pick-up in case I was retrenched, which was the norm back then, so that I could use it to do business,” Owili told the NAIROBISTAR

Little did Owili know that the “junk” he had just bought linked him to President of the United States.“ I paid Obama’s widow Kshs 78,000 for the car and took possession of it. I immediately had a mechanic dismantle the engine to overhaul it because it had been dormant for many years. I had the body towed to a garage in Grogan Road {Today Kirinyaga Road, where a different mechanic worked on it.” recalls Owili.

“For impact to break the steering wheel, it must have been great, said the automotive mechanic Patrick Odundo who restored the vehicle. It took a lot of work to make the car roadworthy again,” he said.

After I finished it, it looked very beautiful and everyone congratulated me.”

Due to cash constraints, it took Owili almost a year to get the Chevrolet Luv back on the road. He then looked for the registration documents t transfer it to his name.

“When I bought the car, I had no idea it was the one that the President’s father used to drive, he narrates. “You can imagine my shock when I saw the log book.”

Apart from the registration documents, Obama’s widow also gave him a copy of Obama’s national identity card and death certificate, together with a letter authorizing the transfer of the vehicle’s ownership. Owili said he drove the vehicle round Nairobi for a yea before he drove to his rural home in Homa-Bay about 300 kilometers to the south west of the capital., and about 250 kilometers from Obama Snr rural home in Alego Kogelo in Siaya district 250 kilometer away.

“It is now old and cannot carry heavy loads anymore but I keep it because it was my first car and because I am proud to be associated with President Obama,”said Owili.” If President Obama wants to keep it as part of his family heritage, I can consider parting with it”,said Owili who said he had not considered selling the vehicle..Old cars can sell for tens of thousands of dollars on internet auction site EBay. It is difficult to estimate what the Chev Luv would fetch.

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EAC is working on a unifying constitution to speed up the proposed political federation of East Africa

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The East African Community secretariat is in the process of drafting a new constitution to guide the roll out of the proposed political federation.

Information emerging from the Arusha based secretariat says the EAC plans to table its recommendations for the proposed constitution at the forthcoming November East African heads of states summit.

“Governments across the region have been slow in setting in motion structures for the political federation,” says the report.

“While we are talking of a political federation in the EAC, we are bushy fighting on ethnic ground in our countries,” a Kenyan outspoken MP Martha Karua told members of the East African Legislative Assembly during their just concluded symposium held in Arusha two weeks ago.

The Kenya legislator added,” There are fears that will spill into region thereby slowing the integration process.”

The drafting new constitution for the proposed federation is expected o start once the East African Monetary Union protocol is signed and ratified by all the member countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

“National political parties are also said to be mum over political integration. look at their manifestos, there is nowhere were they mention political integration,” said Ms Beatrice Kiraso,th EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the back tracking political federation at the EAC headquarters.

She added that a genuine political federation cannot run along side with five different constitutions.”

It has also been reported that the EAC has adopted a draft protocol or good governance seeking to push for democratic elections and peaceful transitions potentially saving the region from recurring political instability.

The five countries have agreed to put in place mechanisms for the appointment of electoral management team to curb rising allegations of bungled elections.

Recent elections, for example in Kenya and Uganda, were marred by the allegations of partisan electoral commissions.

If passed by the East African Legislative Assembly, the draft sanctions regional citizens to question the manner I which each person are appointed.

All member states will also be required to establish adequate legal and institutional framework in finance management system to combat corruption across the region.

In the year 2010, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission said it was handling cases worth USD 0.3 billions lost through graft annually highlighting the uphill task it faces in holding to account more involve in graft. The stolen money was estimated to be able to run parliament, the education and medical services ministries for a year, excluding the hundreds of millions spent on investigations by the anti-corruption commission.

Uganda had set aside a budget of USD 120 million to fight corruption figure that shot up to more than USD 217 million with the difference ending up in Ministers pockets. Such cases will now be taken and tried at the regional level.

Each country, according to an article appearing I the current edition of the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN will now follow uniform mechanisms for appointment of judges to promote a fair justice system across the region, while in earlier cases where presidents would appoint judges.

Kenya has already fallen into line with the public vetting of its current Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and the Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza.

Members agreed to establish regional mechanism for election observers and evaluation when member countries would ply a regional role during elections in the region.

The much flawed elections in Kenya in 2007 was the source mayhem that claimed the lives of close to 1500 people and saw close to 350,000 internally displaced people violently evicted from their homes and thrown into temporary refugee camps in their own country.

The East African Court of Justice will also have a mandate to handle cases related to human rights abuse earlier deferred to the Hague based ICC.

The Deputy Secretary General In Charge f political federation at the Arusha based EAC secretariat Ms Beatrice Kiraso was recently quoted as having urged EAC member countries to finalize the process of extending jurisdictions of the East African Curt of Justice.

“We cannot continue to look to the ICC when we have the EACJ, which can serve as a middle ground between national political judiciary mechanisms and international ones,” Ms Kiraso said during a ministerial meeting in Zanzibar.

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KENYA: ARMED POLICE GUARD OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL

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OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL IN KISUMU IS UNDER ARMED POLICE GUARD FOLLOWING ITS CONTROVERSIAL RENTING OUT TO THE BATA SHOE COMPANY.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The Ofafa Memorial Hall, which is the nerves center of Luo cultural and at times political activities in Kisumu, is currently under armed policemen for unclear circumstances.

But inquiries by this writer has revealed that one of the warring groups claiming the leadership of the Luo Council of Elders had rented out the main hall to the Bata Shoe Company for a period of one month. The company made a down payment of Kshs 60,000.

Bata Shoe is using the Hall for its annual grand sales for its old and outmoded shoes, which are sold to the public at cheap prices and the sale is a countrywide exercise by the company.

Following the deal entered between the group of Luo Council of Elders led by Ker Opiyo Otondi, the other stakeholders had read a mischief and threatened to storm the Hall and eject the Bata Shoe Company by force.

This is what prompted Ker Opiyo Otondi to seek for police protection. Contacted by this writer, the chairman admitted that it was he who consulted the Kisumu West D.C. and requested for the police protection. And the D.C. in response posted a team of armed Administration Policemen to Ofafa to keep an eye on any group which might be tempted to disrupt the Bata She sales.

Further inquiries revealed that that there is a court injunction, which was obtained by the former Trustees of the defunct Luo Union East Africa which barred all the warring parties from accessing the Hall until the hearing and determination of a case which is pending before the courts regarding the Hall’s ownership.

The court injunction had also barred the previous Luo Council of Elders under its former chairman Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo and their agents from accessing the Hall on the same condition, and the order is said to be still in force.

According to our source the D.C. visited the Hall last week and when reminded of the existing of court injunction barring all the warring factions from accessing the Hall is reported to have told one of the tenants operating at the Hall that he did not care whether there is court order or not, but his men were to protect the property.

Built in the 1950s, the Ofafa Memorial Hall was constructed with money raised from members of the defunct Luo Union East Africa who working in Cities and towns all over East African region and also at Home in rural locations located inside Luo-Nyanza.

The Hall was named after the slain ex-Nairobi City Councilor Ambrose Ofafa from Alego Ka-Kalkada in Siaya district. Ex Coun Ofafa was shot dead in 1953 near Burma Market after his motor vehicle had stalled on Donholm road as he headed home by the agents of the Mau Mau agent’s in Nairobi who felt he was a collaborator of the colonialists. He was among the highly educated African to be nominated to the City Council. A fellow civic leader the late Tom Mbotela was also shot dead by the Mau Mau secret agents.

The original purpose of the Ofafa Memorial Hall which is standing magnificently on the main Kisumu-Kakamega rod near Kibuye Market was be used for restoration of Luo cultural artifacts, meetings, education hand other activities.

It has been used in the past also as a Hall of fame where dignified Luo personalities, mainly political luminaries, professionals, academician and others have had their departed souls taken there to lie in state over night stay as signs of community’s appreciation and respect before such bodies are taken to their rural homes for burial.

In such exercise members of the public usually piled up for viewing the body f the dead personality and paying homage as their last respect.

However, there has been the subject of heated disagreement between the various groups of stakeholders ever since the banning of the tribal welfare organizations by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi in early 1980.

At one time while serving as the Patron of the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Science and technology {RIAT} the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga unilaterally handed the management of the Ofafa Hall to the management of RIAT which turned it into its City Campus until some years later when the former patron of the defunct Luo Union East Africa moved to court and retrieved it from Riat.

The court ruled that Ofafa Mamorial Hall was an important institution belonging to the entire Luo community therefore Jaramogi Odinga as an individual had no right of deciding about the fate of this property or that power of handing over to Riat and ordered that the status quo be restored.

The reportedly existing court injunction also barred any faction of the disputed leadership of the Luo Council of Elders from receiving cash rent fro the tenants carrying out businesses there, and that all the rental money be deposited to the court for safe custody.

The Hall has been the subject of legal tussle before the courts for close to fifteen years with no group coming out clearly to claim its ownership. Members of the Odinga family are also being blamed for the Hall’s woes tribulations as it is being alleged that the family wants to have a grip over the properties of the defunct Luo Union East Africa using oblique techniques without the approval of the community.

Rumors making the rounds in Kisumu City and its environs have it that some people among them senior Luo politicians had a grand scheme and a plan to grab the Ofafa Hall and construct a five star hotel on the site,but the rumr culd not be confirmed immedtaley.

Luo Union {EA} had several other commercial buildings in Kisumu and Maseno towns The company also sed to own a 430 acres large scale Ramogi Farm near Miwani Sugar Mills where it used to grow sugar cane for sale to the Miwani factory. But some years back it was reported that part of the farm was sold to the former Emuhaya MP the late Weldon Muchilwa for undisclosed amount of money.

It remained unclear as to who had brokered the sales and whose bank account the amount realized from the sales, which was understood to have been n excess of Kshs 10 million was banked.

The company, however, had remained under the management of people closely connected to the Odingas serving as its directors. Most of its directors are hand-picked by the Odingas and their favorite agents. It has never posted any profits or sent our dividends to shareholders for years.

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THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY MEMBER STATES SET TO ESTABLISH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE TO TRAIN ITS PERSONNEL IN VARIOUS FIELDS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Member states of the five countries of the East African Community are set to pick centers of excellence to train a pool of human capital to aid I the regional bloc’s integration.

Reports emerging from the Arusha based secretariat of the community disclosed the proposed centers will focus on training human capital in several fields across the region.

The exercise is set to rekindle memories of the old days when Makerere University, University of Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam University were still constituent colleges of the then University of East Africa.

The system that was so vibrant in the 1960 and 1970s saw most engineers in the region trained in Nairobi, lawyers in Dar Es Salaam and doctors at Makerere in Kampala.

The report says that Ms Immaculate Mpemberane from Burundi, led a team of five regional assessors drawn from each of the five EAC states on an evidence based assessment exercise to establish whether the institutions that applied to be considered meet the required threshold.

“A candidate institution must have proper infrastructure and adequate staffing levels among other things to qualify, according to the Principal Officer in the Ugandan Ministry of Eat African Affairs Salvadore Amutenda said “The proposed centers of excellence are necessary because the community cannot fund all institutions in the region to meet the required regional standards of personnel needs.@ she said adding, the team would present a report of their findings to the East African Community Sectoral Council of ministers of Education that would then make a final decision.

From Uganda, Makerere University College of Agricultural and Enviromental Sciences,National Agricultural Research Organization,Uganda Industrial Research Institute and Nakawa Vocational Training Institute were shortlisted for assessment.

In Kenya, University of Nairobi’s College of Health Science, Kenya Institute of Education, Kenya Marine and fisheries research Institute, Bomas of Kenya and Rift Valley Institute of Technology were shortlisted.

In Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam marine Institute in Zanzibar,Taasisi ya Sanaa na Utamaduni-Bagamoyo, Dr Es Salaam Marine Institute, Mwaka Wildlife Unstitute and Moshi University Collage of Cooperative and Business Studies were short-listed. While Rwanda had Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, Tumba College of Technology, Institute of Scietific and Technological Research, Rwanda National Examination Council and Rwanda Museum, Heritage and Cultural Center. However assessors opinion was tat Mwaka Wildlife Institute ,Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies and Rwanda Museum, Heritage and Cultural Center, were not assessed due to time and financial constraints, says Amatenda, adding that selection exercise will occur in phases and institutions that miss out in the first phase will get the opportunity in the subsequent phases.

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