Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

EAC summit expressed concerns about the Political Federation as concerns mount abut democratic credential of some partner states.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The planned political federation of Eastern African countries might be delayed owing to different application of democracy in some member states.

The fears and subsection surfaced this week at the end of the two days ninth extra-ordinary summit of head of states meeting in Dar Es Salaam.

Leaders in the fine East African nations in a stalled regional bloc admitted to broad concerns over the union with Uganda’s current unrest and a monetary union among the sticking points.

The presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi met in Dar Es Salaam on Tuesday to review the status of the East African Community, a regional economic and trade union similar to ones elsewhere in Africa.

The leaders said in a final statement, that the team tasked with finding out what their cities thought about the bloc had “identified fears, concerns and challenges. ”The statement, however, did not elaborate but simply said the team would draw up “concrete proposals on how to address th9se fears, concerns and challenges” before the next summit scheduled for November in Burundi.

A political federation would necessarily mean that members lose some degree of sovereignty and some diplomats worry that constitutional reform, in several countries, notably in Kenya, is complicating moves towards integration.

There are also concerns about the democratic credentials of some of the partners such as Uganda, said Tanzanian opposition leader and top economist Prof. Ibrahim Lipumba.

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has n recent weeks clamped down on opposition protests tarnishing his democratic image. He has been in the forefront championing the formation of an East African Political Federation with one president, one single currency and shared mineral and other resources. Prof. Lipumba said, ”Our countries should first be democratized adding; “A leader who does not respect the constitution of hid country will not respect the constitution of the East Africa political federation.”

Those back tracking the political federation had set the year 2015 as the deadline for the birth of the much highlighted political federation of East African countries, though experts and political pundits have expressed doubt about the plans viability and political goodwill.

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Kenya: MOI’S former aide is back in court after only six days of acquittal on fresh charge of land fraud

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The retired President Daniel Arap Moi’s aide, who narrowly escaped punishment in a controversial court judgment after being found not guilt on a land fraud charges, was back again in court only after six days while facing a fresh court action related to frauds on government land.

Joshua Kulei has now been charged with conspiracy to defraud, six days after he was cleared in Kshs 272 million in fraud cases. The magistrate, Gilbert Matumbei, blamed the prosecution for having failed to prove its case by not presenting key witnesses to the court during the trial.

The former aide to the retired President Daniel Arap Moi is accused in the fresh charge of conspiracy to defraud Moi International Airport,Mombasa of 12 pieces of land.

Kulei is jointly charged with Wilson Gachanja, former Commissioner of Land, and former managing director of the Kenya Pipeline Company, Ezekiel Komen, former Airport Authority CEO, Peter Langat, and a businessman, Prakash Bhundia.

The five were first arraigned in court in January 2010 alongside three companies-The Gas Company, Ashar Limited and Sian Limited – but the case failed to take off because Mr Bhundia was in the UK and the State had not been able to extradite him.

Kulei is said to have illegally obtained Kshs 12 million from East African Gas Company, in May 1999, by pretending that Ashar Limited had rendered engineering and foundation laying services on its behalf.

He is further facing another charge of obtaining Kshs 5.9 million from East African Gas in May 1999 by pretending that Shian Limited, a firm associated with him, had paid land rent, rates, and assessment fees, on behalf of the company.

Gachanja, Langat and Bhundia are accused of facilitating the transfer of 12 parcels of land irregularly excised from Moi International Airport in Mombasa to East African Gas Company Limited in May 1999.

Langat is separately charged with a second count of directing a land surveying consultancy firm to survey the land at Moi International Airport and excise all plots that had been allocated from the airport authority to private individuals when no such allocation had been done.

Gachanja faces another charge of directing a senior land officer to issue letters of allotment in respect of alienated public land belonging to Kenya Airport Authority.

Komen is accused of breach of trust by authorizing the payment of Kshs 65.2 million from the bank account of East African Gas Company..

The accused is said to have been a signatory on behalf of the pipeline company, which owned a 45 per cent stake on behalf of the government.

They have all denied the consolidated economic crime charges of conspiracy to defraud, abuse of office, breach of trust and obtaining money by false pretences. The four except Mr Bhundia are put on Kshs 1 million bonds.

When the case came up on Monday this week, the Attorney General told the court that the state was awaiting a response from a Westminster magistrate’s court to orders for the extradite Mr Bhundia to Kenya. He requested an adjournment to have Bundia reply to the charges.

The Principal Magistrate Lucy Nyambura ruled that the State consult with the defense lawyrs on whether to proceed without M Bhundia.

The case will be mentioned on May 18, 2011.

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EAC get the new Secretary General from Rwandaand other far reaching change in its secretariat

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

Top Rwandan government official was on Tuesday picked up by the five heads of state meeting in Dar Es Salaam as the new Secretary General of the East African Community.

In attendance were Presidents Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Pierre Nkurunzinza oif Burundi and ther Ministers responsible for the East African Community Affairs.

The summit which was attended by all five presidents of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi also made some far reaching changes in the administration of the regional body.

The Rwanda Minister for Health Dr Richard Seribera, a Makerere University trained surgeon now takes over from the previous holder of the office Ambassad0r Juma V. Mwapachu a Tanzanian whose tenure of five years terms expired early this month.

This appointment now brings to an end heated discussions and exchange of bitter word between the members states which had threatened to disrupt development and regional integration.

Dr Seribera was picked up during the ninth extra-ordinary summit of the Heads of State summit held in Dar Es Salaam from 17 to 18 April 2011.

Also appointed during the summit was Enos Bukuku who will now be the EAC Deputy Secretary General in-charge of the Infrastructure and Planning. He replaced Aloys Mutabingwa of Rwanda.

Dr Bukuku has been serving as one of the deputies at the Bank of Tanzania in-charge of economic and financial policy. He is a former Permanent Secretary I the Tanzanian Ministry of State for Planning and Privatization

The new Secretary General is expected to spearhead negotiation to the establishment of the EAC Monetary Union. Kenya’s Justice Isaac Leonola is the new presiding Judge of the Arusha based East African Court of Justice. The Kenya High Court Judge had played a leading role in the search for the new set of the country’s constitution when he was named a commissioner in the Constitution of Kenya Review that Prof.Yash Ghai chaired.

Justice Leonola is currently the chair person of the Kenya Mag9strates and Judges Association. The newly appointed team was immediately sworn in on Tuesday afternoon.

The next move by the regional body would now shift to the next pillars of the EAC, the Monetary Union and political Federation.

The new Secretary General s expected to spearhead negotiation for the establishment of the Monetary Union whose proposals are already under discussion. The Monetary Union is expected to establish a single EAC currency which has been slated to be in place by next year.

However, top economists in the region have questioned the ambitious target, citing the European Union experience where currencies were merged after several years of intense debate. How the region will achieve the proposed union now lies with the new CEO.

The new Secretary General will also have an uphill task of oversee the movement of the EAC toward a political federation by 2015, which some analysts have expressed doubt about its viability.

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Kenyans are demanding for the retrial of Ruto’s fraud case involving Kshs 96 million

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

CIVIC societies in Kenya are up in arms against the last week’s court acquittal of the suspended Minister for Higher Education William Ruto and his two OTHER co-accused The civic societies have since been joined by politicians demanding for a re-trial f the duo arguing that justice was not done in the case.

Ruto had faced criminal charge of fraudulently receiving Kshs 296 million from the illegal sale of forest land in Nirobi’s Ngong suburbs.

The Mnister was charged together with the former Commissioner of Land Sammy Mwaita, who is currently the MP for Baringo Cetral Constituency, and the former President Moi’s aide Joshua Kulei.

A Nairobi Chief Magistrate acquitted the trio on the strength that the prosecution had failed to prove its case. Key witnessed was not produced in court to testify whole those summoned by the prosecution turned hostile.

What ha elicited the controversies is the disclosed by the Kenya weekly the SUNDAY NATION, that a key prosecution witness Ms Hellen Njue formerly the Finance Manager of the Kenya Pipeline Corporation {KPC} was offered a new lucrative job by William Ruto in his Ministry of Agriculture docket to forbear her from giving evidence against him {Ruto}.

Ruto knowingly that he was facing a serious fraud case, appointed Njue to the board of trustee of the Coffee Development Fund in 2009 at the time when he had already been charged with the allegation of receiving Kshs 96 million from the KPC a parastatal corporation of the Kenya government.

In today’s edition of the daily nation one of the leading newspapers in this region quoted Mr Emmanuel Dennis the leader of the National Youth Sector Alliance as saying that the case has sparked off the blame game between the police and the prosecution department of the Attorney General’s Office. Each has blamed the other for having done shoddy job and failing to produce booked prosecution witnesses.

According to a court report a total of 18 prosecution witnesses were booked. Five of them have died mysteriously while 13 could not be found to come to court and testify. Those who gave evidence were viewed as having turned hostile to the prosecution case.

In acquitting Ruto and his –co-accused Matembei made it clear that Ms Njue was the most likely to be likely witness which should have testified and tell the court how she paid the money and to who did she handed the money. If she could not be produced in court to testify than it clear that none of the accused persons ever received any money from the KPC.

The prosecution, said the magistrate had failed to prove its case, thus all the accused persons have no case to answer,” the magistrate said.”

Ruto’s appointment of Njue to a parastatal under his Ministerial docket at the time when he was facing fraud charges will be seen as curious considering she was of the key witnesses the prosecution would have relied on in its case.

Njue could have testified against the Minister had the prosecution sought for her statement or called her as a witness, an omission which has been pointed out by the defense lawyers. No explanation was given as to why Njue was not called as a witness.

“Corporate bodies can only act on human beings and not evidence was placed before the court on identity of persons representing the corporate bodies who made false representations to Hellen Njue,” defense lawyers argued.

The NATION report further revealed that at the time of the appointment Ruto was already facing a charge of fraudulently receiving money from Njue, acting on behalf of KPC, by pretending he could sell to the Corporation1.75 hectares of land in the Ngong Forest. The offence is said to have been committed on September 29th April, 2001”The notice was signed by Ruto. Ms Njue tenure at the board ends in April, 2012.

The Coffee Development Fund was established in 2001 to provide credit and advances to the coffee farmers.

Ms Njue’s appointment, according be a member of the board of the Coffee Development Fund for Agriculture appoints ms Hellen Njue for a period of 3 years with effect from April 29, 2009. This revelation has caused the storm within the seemingly shaky coalition government of the PNU and ODM parties. The two principals President Mwai Kibaki and the Prime Minister appeared to have steered clear of the court matters

The report says Hellen Njue as a senior KPC official should have been in court to testify. The prosecution charge sheet of July 27, 2004 did not list Hellen Njue among the ten witnesses in the case despite investigating team asserting that Ruto obtained Kshs 96 million from her by false pretences. This means that she was the complainant alongside KPC, and therefore would have been a prosecution witness.

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KENYA: RAILA IS STILL COMMANDING A SIZABLE NUMBER OF VOTES OUT OF THE MUCH HIGHLIGHTED 1.8 MILLION KALENJIN VOTES IN THE RIFT VALLEY.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

The premature assumption, that the political influence of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga has waned in most parts of the vast Rift Valley Province, particularly in those area inhabited by members of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups, is just a myth.

The ODM is still the party of choice, and Raila is still commanding a very substantial number of votes among the Kalenjins and non-Kalenjin registered voters as per 2007 registration in the region.

Moreover, the Kalenjins are not the only inhabitants of the Rift Valley Province. If the number of people registered as voters in this region could be forensically audited, on constituency by constituency, the result would show that the number of the genuinely registered Kalenjin voters did not exceed 1.5 million voters in the whole of the Province.

There is no assurance that these people would all vote for Ruto-Kenyatta amorphous alliance in whichever party the duo chose to run on its ticket at the election time.

Rift Valley has thousands of residents who are not members of the Kalenjin ethnic group, but whose voting strength is well spread from Aldai and Tinderet in the Nandi County, Eldoret North in the Uasin Gishu County, Trans-Nzoia, Kericho County, Samburu, Turkana and Pokot regions, Samburu, Laikipia, Nakuru and Naivasha and Narok and Kajiado Counties.

The Maasai and Kikuyu factors in some parts of the Rift Valley Province must be taken into account by whoever is a amateurish political analyst. If William Ruto and his handlers are banking of harvesting the all of the 1.8 Kalenjin votes as per the 2007 registration, this could be a piped dream.

It is obvious that there will be a substantial increases in the percentage of voters when the new generation Kenyan youth got their new national identity cards and duly registered as voters, but such expected increase could push the voting strength on upward trend in the Kalenjin inhabited region to close to 2 million mark.

In order to come out with an accurate figure about the latest standing of voters registration, the expert analysts should visit registered voters roll in most parts of the Rift Valley Province, which if there is anything like iota of the truth to go by is tilted in favor of Raila Odinga.

Following the newly found political alliance of Kenyatta, Ruto and Kalonzo Musyoka, newspapers in this country have been carrying out reports by biased political analysts based on ethnicity overtones that Raila chose to have another shot at the presidency in 2012, he will go into the race minus the many Kalenjin votes in the Rift Valley.

The truth of the matter is that not all the 1.8 million registered voters in the predominantly Kalenjin inhabited regions are actually members of the Kalenjin ethnic groups. Half a dozen of rural constituencies in the lower part of the Rift Valley could be termed as cosmopolitan constituencies.

The Kalenjin people who are arguably the indignant people of the Rift Valley are scattered from the Mt. Elgon, to Laikipia, Nakuru, Naivasha, Molo, Kuresoi, Rongai, Subukia, Trans-Nzoia,Trans-Mara and in other regions are sparsely populated. A moderate estimate would give the pure Kalenjin voting strength to 1.5 M and not 1.8 M as claimed in recent analysis by people with vested tribal interests.

One single and moist populous Kalenjin sub-tribe, which is a member of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups, is the Kipsigis. This particular community occupied the rural reserve land in two Counties of Kericho and Bomet. Its members are also well spread on he Diasporas regions like Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Nandi, Trans-Mara, Molo, Nakuru with strong concentration in Molo and Mau Narok areas. The community also wielded a lot of influence in politics of Rongai and Subukia constituencies in Nakuru County as well as in Kuresoi in Molo region and also in Diasporas area of the neighboring Kilgoris and Narok North and Narok West. But is combined voting strength in the Rift Valley Province as whole could be moderately estimated to be around 800,000 or slightly more.

The Kipsigis is followed in population strength by their Nandi cousins, a community whose strength is spread to the neighboring Uasin Gushu County and Cherangany in Trans-Nzoia. However, the combined voting strength of the Nandis could not exceed the 500,000m marks The County of Nandi has two parliamentary constituencies whose inhabitants could be said to be a mixture f multi-ethnics. These are Aldai which has a large numbers of Luhyas inhabitants and Tinderet which has the largest number of immigrant workers in th tea plantations and factories from the neighboring communities of Luos, Kisiis and Luhyas{mainly the Maragolis and Tirikis}.

A combined voting strength of the sparsely populated like Sabaot,Turkana,Rendiles,El-molo,Samburu, Pokot, Marakwet,Tugen and Keiyo does not exceed 300,000 though these small and nomad communities had more constituencies, a factor which could as well be attributed to the influence of the retired President Daniel Arap Moi during his twenty four years reign of power. The number of registered voters in some constituencies does not exceed 30,000 or far much below that figure, but they were favored with more constituencies in the same fashion as they were favored with good road network, communications and electricity supplies as well as good infrastructure in general.

Those prophets of dooms, who have been dismissing Raila as a finished man in the Rift Valley, appear to be deliberately ignoring the Moi factor and the resurging of KANU influence in some pats of the predominantly Kalenjin inhabited regions. The retired President is still a power to reckon with in the region. Those ignoring his influence must do so at their own peril because he is still calling shots among the diverse communities in the region.

In the 2007 general elections, the Kipsigis was one single community in the South Rift, which voted to Raila and ODM on man to man and woman to woman basis. The Kipsigis gave Mr Odinga close or over 600,000 voters and voted in eight ODM MPs in Chepalungu, Bomet, Sotik, Konoin, Buret, Belgut, Ainamoi and Kipkellion parliamentary electoral constituencies. Members of this community living in Diasporas in Kuresoi also vote for an extra MP for ODM bringing the figure to nine.

Raila and his ODM party had the unswerving support services of the late Donald Kipkalia Kones now deceased following an aircraft accident, and the former Deputy Chief of the General Staff {CGS}of the combined Kenya armed forces Lt.Gen. {rtd} John Arap Koech . The two highly respected personalities in Kipsigis land launched vigorous campaign that propelled Raila to the top when it came to the polling day.

The only grave mistake Raila did at the material time was that he over-trusted his deputy ODM party leader the Eldoret North William Ruto who had a burning presidential ambition, and therefore was not playing in the same league with “Agwambo”.

Ruto while working in collaboration with the Belgut MP Charles Keter had secretly hatched secret plan to ensure that no Raila loyalist has won any elective post in the region. All those who were perceived to be staunch supporters of Raila were either fought in a tooth and nail battle or were deliberately rigged out. Kones, Lorna Laboso, Franklin Bettnrowl survive the onslaught and squeezed narrow victories in their respective constitencies.

One aspirant Justice Kemei a former Marketing and Corporate director at the Muhoroni based Chemelil Sugar Company had beaten Keter who is a Ruto’s spanner boy hands down during the party’s prel8minaries, but was eventually denied clearance at the Orange House on the alleged Ruto’s instruction. Lt. Gen. Koech was rigged out at Ainamoi and young school headmaster in the name of the late David Too was cleared for having won. In the consequent by-election which took place after Too was murdered by a police traffic officer in Eldoret town, K0oexch was rigged out for the second time. He vehemently protested against the outcome and wanted the preliminary re-run again, but despite of his plea for irregularities his appeal did not materialized, and the late David Too’s younger brother who was still very fresh from the

Another important factor in the Rift Valley is the Maasai. This particular community occupied the two Counties of Narok and Kajiado and has the most important votes. Most of the Maasai reserve land has in the recent past been invaded by new immigrant from other neighboring communities, but with more than half a dozen parliamentary constituencies, the Maasai stand to be the deciding factor in the Rift Valley.

The Maasai are said not to be dancing the tone of Kenyatta and Ruto or to that of Kalonzo Musyoka, and consider they not to be members of the extended Kalenjin ethnic groups. The Maasai are well spread in Laikipia, Nanyuki and in Samburu.

The Maasais voting strength in the Rift Valley is close to slightly over 400,000

University of Nairobi School of Accountancy Benjamin Too was erroneously declared the winner to the chagrins of the voters in Ainamoi. All these happened despite Raila having been forewarned of Ruto’s secret scheme to derail him. The warning and advice were ignored.

Another blunder made by Raila was that soon after the peace negotiation conducted by the former UN Chief Executive Dr. Kofi Annan, which resulted in the formation of the grand coalition government of PNU/ODM, he was et up by his political enemies to handle the most volatile issue of evicting the illegal squatters in the Mau Forest, one of the biggest water tower in the region.

Raila political enemies within the coalition government knew pretty well that Raila was on a collision with the Kalenjins, the community which had voted for him on 100 per cent in 2007, and had hatched a scheme to undercut him and delink him to that very community. Despite of the pleas and advice from certain quarters that such a move would only depict him as an enemy of the Kalenjin people, Raila hastily rushed into the issue and publicly vowed that he was ready to accept any political responsibility and its eventual consequences, the costs and price.

In this context, Raila wanted to succeed in evicting the so called illegal squatters from the Mau Forest, a crucial move where the previous presidents like Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki, had filed, though he had no executive power to do so.

He was too much in hurry to print his authority on volatile issues., But he should weighed his options while knowing it pretty well that the scheme to assigned him on this particular responsibility was ploy hatched elsewhere by his perceived political enemies and was going to mirror negatively on his political future with possible adverse repercussions.

As a “Agwambo” brushed his shoulders with the Kalenjin legislators who came up fire spitting in defense of their community. At the same time emerged reports that some of the legislators led by his deputy William Ruto were frequenting Harambee House for secret meetings with the Head of State over the same issue, which is the most intriguing aspect of it, and a clear indication that the move had only half-hearted government backing.

Raila should have smelt a rat of the political scenarios that followed the hullabaloo about Mau Forest eviction of the so called illegal squatters, majority of them who were said to have been allocated their and by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi and had secured their land registration certificates and title deeds.

This was a gross miscalculation by Raila because he played in the hands of his political enemies, who knew the repercussions of such action, taking into account that the land is the most valued asset by the Kalenjin people just next to their sacred herds of cattle. His detractors had succeeded in delinking him to the community that made him become the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya. However, all is not lost and a close check by this writer, has unearthed the truth is that the majority of the ordinary Kalenjin people, apart from the political hirelings and so-called power brokers are still having faith and confidence on the Prime Minister and would vote for him in the 2012 and his party despite of the intensive heat turned on him by the Kenyatta,Ruto Kalonzo Musyoka axis.

Raila need only to move with speed and smash the allegations heaped on him that he is a difficult person to work with as well orchestrated by William Ruto and his troop soldiers in the Rift Valley. He needs to refute in the strongest term that he is a lone ranger who listens to nobody’s advice.

He is equally admired by the Kalenjin for having displayed the politics of maturity and statesmanship by ignoring the insults hurled at him by the Kenyatta Ruto and their supporters at the various public rallies, which members of the public believe to be false propaganda.

Ruto, who is trying to take over the mantle of Kalenjin leadership still fall short behind Daniel Arap Moi. He is betrayed by his family tree lineage. He is said to have been a member of the Kipsigis community from Belgut region and that his family had moved to Nandi, but could not establish his true sub-clan back in Kipsigis. The same is happening with his Nandi linkage. He could not identify the real sub-clan, which he belonged to, and many people were now casting doubt about his real identity and family background.

The common talk of building up another leader to lead the Kalenjin to political glory in the near future is the offing, and the man whose name is frequently being mentioned is the former Agriculture Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa. Other names being flkated included that of Franklin Bett the Minister for Roads, the nominated MP Musa Sirma, former power-man and a long serving cabinet Minister in the Moi regime Nicholas Kiprono Arap Biwott.

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Tanzania: Africa’s most important forum investors conference open in Dar Es Salaam

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

About 400 delegates from are gathering in Dar Es Salaam this week for a two days debate key issues facing the investment sector in Africa.

Dar hoped to use this opportunity to woo more foreign capital by hosting a forum for African investors anticipating more foreign direct investment as economies rebound globally.

The 9th African Investment {AIE}, which opened today and will close on Tuesday 19th April,2011.It is being organized by the Commonwealth Business Council in collaboration with the East African Community.

One of the key issues will be how to attract investments into EAC and to tackle challenges faced. The decisions made at the Dar meeting are likely to shape trade investment in the region.

President Jakaya Kikwete said in his opening address that the meeting will also focus on promoting linkages between African economic clusters to attract new investment.”We will be pleased to welcome investors with a long term interests in Tanzania and the EAC,” said the President in a message to the conference.

Kikwete will tomorrow host fellow Presidents Pierre Nkurunzinbza of Burundi, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya,Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for the 9th African Investment round table whose main focus will be on doing business in East African Community.

Other issues include; accelerating East African investment, business in the EAC, enhancing regional investment and trade in the COMESA-EAC- SADC tripartite, public-private partnership for infrastructure development on energy, transport, communications, housing and construction.

Dr. Mohan Kaul the Director General of the Commonwealth Business Council {CBC} the organizer of the event ,said the forum provides a platform to bring investors and projects together to showcase new opportunities, enhance African trade and investment and to build business partnerships.

Dr Kaul said USD one billion worth of projects was up for discussion at the same forum last year in Ghana where more than 200 business meeting were held with 10 memorandum of understanding signed.

Another official of the CBC said the forum will feature a project portfolio of investment proposals that need funding, equity or business partnership in the region. The Dar meeting is expected to provide potential investors an opportunity to establish strong partnership and explore investment opportunities in key sectors such as ICT, financial services, tourism, infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing and environment.

“Summaries on potential projects will also be available in advance to interested investors and partners, and project holders will be available for on-to-one meetings,” said the official.

The project will be organized according to their countries of origins and sectors they fall under .Each project will have its business plans and investment requirements and technical knowledge needed.

Apart from investment opportunities, other issues to be discussed include the opportunities for East African business improving access to finance capital markets banking and financial services, agribusiness and food security and natural resources and mining. This year Forum will be held along the Summit of the EAC Head of States involving high level dialogue on investment with EAC heads of state.

The forum, which kicks off on Sunday, comes at a time when Tanzania is looking for strategies to increase its FDI to over USD 700 million.

In 2009, the FDI dropped markedly from USD 679 million the year before as a result of the global cash crunch.

Tanzania’s economy depends mainly on tourism, mining and agriculture. And its communications, energy, manufacturing, financial services and transport and attracting rising investor interest.

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Kenya: Raila is still on the lead of presidential aspirants in Kenya says the latest opinion poll

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Wtites Leo Odera Omolo

Prime Minister Raila Odinga remains the most preferred presidential candidate if elections were held today.

Latest opinion poll released by Synovate showed Raila leads the pack with 38 per cent while Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta trails the PM at 18 per cent followed by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka at 13 per cent and suspended Agriculture Minister William Ruto at eight per cent.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua was rated at six per cent followed by Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa and Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi who polled three and one per cent respectively.
Synovate lead researcher Tom Wolf after releasing the opinion poll results Friday.

House Speaker Kenneth Marende and Assistant Minister Peter Kenneth polled one per cent each in the presidential ratings.

Synovate lead researcher Tom Wolf told The Standard On Saturday that if Uhuru, Ruto and Kalonzo decided to field one of their own as a presidential candidate, the race will be intense.

“Their combined force if they agree to back one of their own will make the race very interesting as it will pit their choice against Raila,” said Wolf.

He however said the outcome of The Hague process will affect the presidential race.

WARRING ODM FACTIONS

In the Synovate poll released in February, Raila led the list of Presidential hopefuls at 34 per cent from 47 per cent in October last year meaning he had gained four points in yesterday’s poll. Uhuru, who polled 16 per cent in February gained two points.

Kalonzo who was ranked at eight per cent in February gained five points in Friday’s poll.

Forty one per cent of those interviewed said they felt close to ODM as a party followed by 21 per cent who rooted for PNU with ODM-Kenya garnering a seven per cent approval.

On party unity, 67 per cent of the respondents said ODM was the least united political party followed by PNU at 10 per cent and Ford-Kenya at four per cent. The poll showed 48 per cent of those interviewed said dissenting MPs in ODM should resign their seats, join another party and go for by-elections as a means of resolving the division in ODM.

Also, 36 per cent said the dissenting MPs should be expelled from the party while five per cent said the warring factions should reconcile.

Among those interviewed, 83 per cent said they identified with the Raila-led ODM while 15 per cent rooted for the Ruto-led team.

Regarding the investigation and possible prosecution of those responsible for the post-election violence, 82 per cent of the pollsters said they supported Raila’s stance on The Hague process with 63 per cent of those polled supporting Ruto’s stance on a local tribunal.

On the killing of dangerous criminals by police, 67 per cent of those interviewed in North Eastern supported the move with Coast Province giving the least approval of the killings at three per cent.

On the rating of institutions and personalities, the media topped with high approval rating of 88 per cent followed by House Speaker Kenneth Marende, the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission, the Kofi Annan team that brokered the Government Coalition deal in 2008 at 83, 82 and 79 per cent respectively.

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Kenya: Awendo Town Council chairman warns critics to stop malicious publicity

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

The Awendo small farming town in Migori County is totally committed to enhance the standard of living among its residents.

The Council has committed its limited resources in the installations of street lights within the town and its environs, and also extended the work to the neighboring markets such Ranen, Mariwa and Dede..

These remarks were made by the Council Chairman Councilor Johnson Omolo Owiro during an exclusive interview with this writer in his Awendo town hall Office. He said his Council has completed the new modern Bus Terminal at a cost close to Kshs 50,000. The Council has embarked on the program of providing its rapidly expanding population with clean water for life.

The Council has recently come under severe criticism for its alleged employment of people related to the elected and nominated civic leaders in the area, the charge which the chairman strongly refuted.

Other programs earmarked by the Council included the rehabilitation of the Town’s road network, new sewerage system. Another is the recent construction of road bumps, which has now drastically reduced fatal accidents, which were daily occurrences.

Talking about the recent employment, Coun.Owiro said his Council has never employed new workers, but what it has done was to confirm all those who have been working for as casuals. “We no longer have casuals and this clearly shows that we are the best compliance to the Kenya government police of creating 500,000 new jobs annually.” There are no longer any casuals on the employment of the Council.

The chairman severely criticized political activists, who were in 2007 involved in election rivalries in Rongo constituency, of trying to derail the Council by way of heaping and spreading malicious and falsified accusation against the Council.

Coun. Owito appealed to all stakeholders to work together and get rid of criminal elements in Awendo town.

Meanwhile another motor bike taxi thief was lynched after being traced to Ahero area of Kisumu County. The thief, who is reportedly hailed from Sakwa West within Awendo district, is said to be in a group of thieves who in the recent past have been robbing the motor bike boda boda taxis of their bike and rode them to distance places where they carried business as usual.

The other accomplice was killed in Ahero area. The thief was forced on a motor bike and driven from Ahero to Awendo where he was lynched in the same spot where another motor bike thief was burnt to ashes last week.

Meanwhile an Awendo trader, Mr Seth Okong’o, who was shot five times and killed, in his house located behind his shop in Awendo Town, was buried last weekend in a tearful send off ceremony in his home near Macalder Town.

Also buried was the woman, a mother of six, who was also shot four times and killed, at the nearby Ranen market after thugs raided her living quarters. Her husband who fained death after the first short was fired, is still being treated in Hospital. The thugs descended on the woman and shot her six times, because she had raised alarm, and hacked her lifeless body with machetes.

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Kenya: Kenyatta / Ruto political marriage of convenience is bound to fail even long before the next general elections

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

INTER-tribal political deals, peace and reconciliations built for political motives for the purpose of helping those individuals nursing presidential ambition, and for undercutting their perceived political enemies, will not last, but are bound to fail.

It is an alliance based on malicious intention to undercut Raila Odinga, the Prime Minister, the man who is truly the darling of every Kenyans with exception of those who have succeeded in enriching themselves from ill-gotten wealth after vandalizing the country’s resources with impunity in the past.

The modern political history of Kenya explains it explicitly clear that any inter-tribal political alliance formed between the Kikuyu politicians and leaders from other communities will always collapse before achieving its objectives and goals. Therefore the much highlighted political alliance between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and the MP for Eldoret North William Samoei Arap Ruto is just a temporary political marriage of convenience.

People should be bothered by such amorphous alliances, because it is just born out of panicking about the impending trials by the ICC at The Hague.

Dishonesty and non-commitment to any inter-tribal political alliances between the leaders from the Mount Kenya region and politicians from non-Kikuyu community could be well chronicled back from the days of the State of Emergency following its declaration by the then colonial governor Sir Evelyn Baring on the night of October 20th,1952.

The Kikuyu leaders hatched heinous schemes of killing individual personalities, particularly non-Kikuyus they then perceived to be the collaborator of the colonialists. This was the time when the likes of the late Tom Mbotela, the late Ambrose Ofafa were shot and killed by Mau Mau agents in Nairobi.

In 1958 the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga was then the Colonial Legislative Member for Central Nyanza and chairman of the African Elected Members Organization {AEMO}. He was believed to have been nursing presidential ambition himself. But had realized that his way up to the ladder, was being blocked by the presence of the much enlightened and urbanized Tom Mboya and Ronald Gideon Ngala. He shocked everyone by declaring that Jomo Kenyatta was the leader of this country.

Jaramogi did so in the same fashion as the Environmental Minister, John Michuki, who recently went public declaring that Uhuru Kenyatta, according to his opinion, would be the leader of the Kikuyu people {Not Kenya}.

Jaramoigi in a later statement referred Kenyatta as the second God of all Kenyan people, a statement that embarrassed and irked religious leaders in this country.

Those who knew Jaramogi well could still testify that Oginga Odinga was not genuine in his pronouncements, but all were due to guarded jealousy that Tom Mboya was increasingly becoming more popular and recognized both locally and internationally as the most suitable and preferable leader of Kenya at the material time. Jaramog’s objective was to undercut Mboya’s rising political star at the time.

The political difference at the time between Jaramogi and Mboya was based on the following factors. Mboya was more urbanized and had the upper hand in communication skills, whereas Jaramogi represented Central Nyanza, a rural constituency whose constituents were mainly Luos, and was not exposed to national and international political intricacies.

Mboya had won the Nairobi area seat reserved for an African on Kikuyu majority votes, a fete which he repeated in 1961 when Jaramogi ganged behind Dr. Munyua Wayaki and made the frantic effort to unseat him.

Following his outburst about the then still incarcerated Kenyatta, Jaramogi become an instant hero, and the darling of the Kikuyu people. to the chagrins of some Kikuyu up-coming leaders like the late Dr. Julius Gikonyo Kiano and others who had distanced themselves to his pronouncements.

Jaramogi’s outbursts temporarily endeared him to a close nit friendship with Kenyatta immediately when the latter came out of detention camp in the northern Kenya in 1961and this temporary friendship of convenience lasted between 1961 and 1964. The two leaders became so close that they even went into joint ventures in several businesses enterprises, both in Nairobi and Mombasa, before independence in 1963.

Kenyatta had taken over the mantle of KANU leadership as its President, a position which was previously been held by the late James Samuel Gichuru. Jaramogi remained the Vice President of KANU since the party’s inception at Kiambu in June 1960 and Kenyatta appointed him the Minister for home Affairs for only one year.

But it was not long before the matter took a dramatic change in December 1964 when Kenya attained her republican status and the Queen of England ceased to be the head of state replaced by President Jomo Kenyatta. Jaramogi was shocking and surprisingly relegated to the empty cell of Vice President and Minister without Portfolio.

Mboya, who had served in a powerful ministerial slot of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, was equally relegated to the hitherto unheard of Ministry of Planning and Development where he had to start from scratch. A cabal of close Kiambu advisers, from what was known as “Gatundu Parliament” acting on the advice of the former Director o the Security Intelligence, James Kanyotu, from Ndia, had launched a well orchestrated and elaborate plan to sideline both Odinga and Mboya. Their close friends among the Kikuyus who were in the cabinet were summarily summoned to Gatundu, home of Kenyatta, and reprimanded with a stern warning to keep away from the two who became virtually isolated, though they were still serving in the cabinet secret meetings, were switched from State House to Gatundu where important government decision were made.

Rumors and insinuations of all kinds rent the air, about the threat of the Kenyatta government being toppled, by either Jaramogi using the Communist forces from abroad or Mboya using American and British forces. And suspicion became the order the day forcing Jaramogi’s premature resignation after Kenyatta had used Mboya, a fellow Luo, to kick out of both government and KANU party, his hitherto friend Jaramogi and his supporters following the infamous Limuru Conference.

Immediately after this the political scenario in Kenya had changed drastically with the cabal of Kenyatta’s advisers now trained their guns and focus on Mboya’s elimination, which they did on July 5,1969.

At this point in time Daniel Ara Moi had become the closest political associate of Kenyatta. The alliance thrived and was aimed primarily and strategically to have no dissenting views from the Kalenjin leaders about Kenyatta scheme to settle thousands of his Kukuyu tribesmen to the former White Highland farms previously owned by the white settlers who had left the country for fear of chaos at the independence.

The only Kalenjin leader who voiced concern about unfolding event was the late Tinderet MP, Marie John Seroney, who reportedly and bravely launched what was known as Hand Hills Declaration, was immediately consigned to the detention camp. His supporter, the Eldoret North MP Saina, was arraigned in court and earned long term prison sentence on framed up and flimsy criminal charges.

But when it come to the turn of Moi to succeed Kenyatta, the same cabal of Kiambu politicians led by Kihika Kimani, Njoroge Mungai, james Gichuru,Julius Gikonyo Kiano, Mbiyu Koinange with the help of the colorless Kamba politician, Paul Joseph Ngei, ganged up and came up with chorus call for constitutional change which was meant to bar Moi from succeeding the ageing Kenyatta.

It was the then powerful Attorney General Charles Mugane Njonjo who saved Moi’s neck. Njonjo came out with a stern warning that the group action bordered on treason offence of plotting against the President, and the issue was abruptly abandoned. Its proponents beat the hasty retreat. This timely action by Njonjo paved the way for Daniel Moi’s accession to power following the death of Kenyatta on August 22,1978.

But Njonjo’s closeness to Moi did not last long. The same cabal of Kenyatta’s advisers, after realizing that Njonjo’s rising political star was growing much faster, moved at top speed and secretly advised Moi against Njonjo, under the pretext that the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs was involved in the conspiracy to have his government overthrown with the assistance of foreign mercenaries from South Africa and other Western countries.

The serious allegation led to Moi and Njonjo parting company. These people had not forgiven Njonjo for having stood firm against their heinous and futile plan, to block Moi from succeeding Kenyatta, and made it sure that they crate friction between Njonjo and his boss Moi.

Again the MOU reached between President Kibaki and Raila Odinga in 2002, under the auspices of Narc-Kenya, after Raila had vigorously campaigned for Kibaki to be elected the President despite of his ill-health following a fatal road accident, did not materialize for long forcing Raila out of the government following the first referendum victory over Kibaki in November 2005.

It would therefore be a miracle if the alliance between Ruto and Kenyatta will survive and sustain the heat of advices from the same Kikuyu cabals of advisers, particularly if Kenyatta wins and becames the president. Ruto could easily find himself in Kamiti Maximum Security prison for his alleged parts in mass eviction of Kiukuyu from their acquired farms in Molo, Elburgon, Uasin Gishu, Kuresoi, Londiani, Burn Forest, Likia, Subukia, Rongai and other places in the Central and South, North and South of the Rift Valley.

The history as told in the foregoing has told us that any MOU between the leaders fro Mt. Kenya region with those from other parts of Kenya is unworkable due to self-seated egoists. But if it could materialize and work if Ruto become the President, and not under Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency. This is a hard fact which any level minded Kenyan must know.

It is indeed very interesting that anyone who wants to gain political fame in our Kenya today must open his ambition by invoking the Name of Raila Odinga, not as a hero, but as a villain. The Prime Minister has become the punching bag for amateurish political novices who at times openly display their political naivety by making irresponsible public pronouncements.

It is question of wait and see, if a party that is formed in the premises of numerous criminal cases, will stand the test of the day, and propel its leaders to the presidency!! In my view this is a big joke and my fellow Kenyans, I am sure, have been following the events very keenly. And I am sure they will make intelligent guesswork and arrive at a decision that would bring to an end all the hullaballoo and politics of deceits.

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leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

Kenyans shocked and puzzled when Uhuru and Ruto hired foreign lawyers to defend them at the ICC

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

THOUSANDS of Kenyans who watched the live television coverage from the court room when the “Six Ocampo” suspects made their first appearance before he ICC judges last Thursday and Friday to be told of the impeding criminal charges against them hired the leading teams of lawyer from the UK and Canada.

IT was indeed puzzling that when two of the six suspects, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and the suspended Minister for Higher Education and the MP for Eldoret North William Samoei Arap Ruto, made an appearance before the ICC judges they had their leading lawyers hired from foreign countries of Great Britain and Canada.

When the gongs proved to be too tough for the erstwhile chest thumping and arrogant Kenyan politicians with Luis Moreno Ocampo, the ICC prosecutor was not mincing his words about the evidence he will be adducing to the court, they run to foreign lawyers for help instead of engaging local Kenyans lawyer who are equally highly competent.

This is so, because prior to the trip to the Hague, the two politicians and their troop soldiers, comprised a number of hired MPs, while criss crossing the country had told a series of rallies called to drum up tribal and ethnic support against the ICC trials, had faulted the Prime Minister Raila Odinga for having suggested that Kenya should source its new Chief Justice from a commonwealth country to hold the office temporarily during the judicial reform process.

Odinga had also suggested that Kenya should invite a competent team of police investigators from a reputed and credible police force like the FBI to carry as thorough investigation on pending cases of post election violence.

For the political expediency and in order to gain cheap political mileage, Kenyatta and Ruto came out with their blasting guns and accused Raila Oding of advocating o a neo-colonialism system rule in Kenya after nearly 49 years of independence and yet the country had enough experts to handle its own affairs without resorting for expertise help from foreign countries.

Kenyatta and Ruto said Odinga was calling for foreign help because he had no confidence on Kenyan qualified personnel and local experts on these fields. And even the highly respected former First Lady Mama Ngina Kenyatta while offering prayers and blessing to her son Uhuru and his newly found political friend in amorphous alliance under the so-called KK tribal outfit had chided at the foreign whites for having caused her family a lot of suffering over 59 years ago, and were still out to disturb her people.

Surely, how comes within only two weeks after the two had made the most highlighted remarks about hiring of foreign experts as suggested by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the two now turn up and the umbrella of foreign lawyers, the so-called Queens Councilors. Did they mean that Kenya had no legal experts they should rely on? Or these remarks were just simply empty political slogans and common political gimmicks?.

The last week’s first appearances of the Ocampo Six” before the ICC judges at The Hague had exposed President Kibaki government to its most severance criticisms for allegedly spitting on the old wounds of the victim of the politically motivated post-election violence of 2007 and 2008.

Civic society leaders, from Kenya who were in attending a conference at The Hague at the material time said they were not clearly amused by the manner in which Kenyans MPs had taken over the ICC court in showing the solidarity with their colleagues.

They said, in a statement presented to the conference, that both the MPs and the government of Kenya had clearly demonstrated that they lacked concern about the victims of the violence, the majority who lost their loved ones and those still languishing in the Internally Displaced Persons Camps {IDP} in a very inhuman and degrading conditions.

The civic leaders said the MPs supporting the suspects have never been so vocal on the concerns of the victims whom they represent.

“The government and politicians must stop spitting on the wounds of the victim; no political statements, rallies, cheering squads or ethnic balkanization can bring justice to the victims,” they said in a statement read out at the entrance of the ICC buildings in The Hague last Thursday.

Human rights activists made the statement before Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura and Mohamed Hussein Ali appeared before the court last Friday. They included Human Rights Commission of Kenya’s Esther Waweru,COVAW’s Lydia Munyiva,Kituo Cha Sheria’s Martin Ouma, International Center for Policy and Conflict’s Kasiva Muli, ICJ’s,Stella Ndungu and ICTJ’s Christine Alai all of them lawyers in Kenya.

The group chided the government of Kenya for allegedly pulling out all stops to derail the post=election violence cases. The Inadmissibility challenge, they added, is another attempt by the government to impede accountability efforts. It is ell calculated to derail the ICC process.”

“It is alarming that the government of Kenya has chosen to stand on the side of its allies expending resources through futile diplomacy shuttle diplomacy to pursue deferral of the cases, an intention to provide time and resources to the suspects and now an application challenging the ICC jurisdictions after all avenues have been closed.” says the statement faxed back home to newsmen in Kenya.

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ICC & Kenya: President Kibaki allies finally appeared before the ICC court at the Hague to answer violence charges

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writes Leo Odera Omolo

Thousands of Kenya who glued their eyes on Television sets eagerly waiting to see how the senior most top government officials would react to questions put to them by the trial judges at the Hague.

To their disbelief, the three top official who included the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, the Head of Public Service and the Secretary to the Cabinet Ambassador Francis Muthaura and the former Commissioner of Police Maj-Gen Mohamed Husssein Ali finaly appeared before judges accompanied by batteries of highly esteemed criminal lawyers from Great Britain, Canada and Kenya.

But back at home in Kenya is mounting opinion that the three must step aside and relinquished their offices while awaiting for their eventual trial. Recent speeches in a series of rallies conducted by some of them showed to total defiance on thee part to that effect, particularly the Deputy Prime Minster Uhuru Kenyatta who has arrogantly and repeatedly insisted that he would continue working as normal.

Kenyans who gave interviews to the various TV ,radio and newspaper were unanimous that now that the three have appeared before a court of law on serious criminal charges against humanity, they must step aside and wait until the end of their trial. If found not gulty then they will eventually be reinstated on their jobs respectively.

This is the first time when President Kibaki’s allies appeared before the International Criminal Court to answer to accusations of crimes against humanity. The crimes were allegedly committed to crush opposition protests against his 2007 disputed re-election.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura and Postmaster General Hussein Ali, who was the police chief during the 2007/2008 post-election violence, made their initial appearance at The Hague Friday.

They appeared only hours before the United Nations Security Council in New York met to deliberate on Kenya’s request for a deferral of the cases by a year.

The unsettling eventuality, of his trusted aides being hauled before a foreign court on alleged international crimes that President Kibaki had fought so hard to forestall, including a plea to the UN Security Council and a challenge to ICC’s jurisdiction, came to pass.

Mr Muthaura, Mr Uhuru and Maj- Gen (Rtd) Ali are alleged to have directed police and Mungiki attacks on ODM supporters between January 24 and January 30, 2008, in Nakuru and Naivasha towns, to suppress protests sparked by the declaration of President Kibaki as winner of the disputed December 27, 2007 presidential vote.

Same Court

Eldoeret North MP, William Ruto, Tinderet MP, Henry Kosgey, and Kass FM radio presenter, Joshua arap Sang, appeared before the same court on Thursday.

Muthaura, Ali and Uhuru faced five counts of crimes against humanity – murder, forcible transfer of populations, rape, other inhumane acts, and persecution.

Confirmation of charges hearings would be on September 21. A status conference will be held on April 18, at which the prosecutor will make available to the defence teams the evidence he has against the three.

The ICC issued a stern warning to the trio, just like it did to Mr Ruto, Mr Kosgey and Mr Sang, that they risked arrest if they sustained statements that could trigger fresh violence.

On The Radar

Presiding judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova though did not mention the particular individuals on the radar for hate speech, only noting the caution was based on reports in the Kenyan Press.

In an apparent reference to the anti-ICC campaigns preceding The Hague visit, she warned the trio the court could take the “drastic measures” to substitute summonses with arrest warrants.

“I want to reiterate the concern of the Chamber also raised in yesterday’s proceedings that it came to the knowledge of the Chamber by way of following some articles in the Kenyan newspapers that there are some movements towards triggering fresh violence by way of delivering some dangerous speeches,’’ said Lady Justice Trendafilova.

She added: “I would like to remind the suspects — and I’m not referring to anyone in particular, but this is a general point to be made to all the suspects — that such type of action could be perceived as constituting the breach of one of the conditions set out in the summonses to appear: Namely, to continue committing crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. Accordingly, this might prompt the Chamber to replace the summonses to appear with warrants of arrest.”

But Muthaura rushed to clear himself because he did not want to share in the collective blame widely seen as targeting politicians, who had whipped up anti-ICC rhetoric in rallies prior to The Hague appearance.

Adverse Comments

Through his British lawyer, Karim Ahmad Khan, Muthaura told the court he had not made any adverse comments and reiterated his commitment to obey the ICC conditions.

“There is the impression created that some adverse comments have been spoken by Ambassador Muthaura. I don’t want the public to think in any way that anything has been said or done by Muthaura to that effect. I want to assure of his commitment to the conditions set out by the court,” Khan said.

Justice Trendafilova clarified she was not referring to anyone in particular but that was a general caution to all the suspects. She, however, acknowledged the assurance by Muthaura and his “desire to make that clear to the public”.

The three suspects were calm and responded only to the questions put to them, unlike the bid by Ruto and Sang the previous day to raise issues they were not happy about.

Yesterday, it was the defence teams, foreigners among each team, who did most of the talking, directing jibes at Moreno-Ocampo.

Possible Unrest

Ali’s lawyer protested at “extra-judicial comments” by Moreno-Ocampo in Press briefings, such as reference to “possible unrest in Kenya”.

“It is not helpful when the prosecutor makes the extra- judicial comments,” he said.

They sought gag orders against the prosecutor, but the judges said they would decide on the matter while determining the pending application in 21 days.

The lawyer said there ought to be an “understanding between the parties” on how the Press is going to be addressed in the arena.

Earlier Muthaura, Uhuru and Ali were asked to identify themselves, before a court official read out the charges to each one of them. Thereafter the presiding judge informed them of their rights.

Muthaura stared expressionless, as the court official read out the charges to him, but leaned back and sighed as the list went on.

Ali followed proceedings with his right hand resting against the side of his cheek. He is accused of being criminally responsible by contributing to crimes committed against groups of persons, unlike his two co-accused alleged to be indirect co-perpetrators.

Uhuru said he had been informed of the charges against him, through “some press release from the prosecutor’s office” but he acknowledged subsequently a formal notification was delivered from the ICC registrar.

In an uncanny coincidence with history, Uhuru was facing the international crimes charges at The Hague on a date on which his father, the late President Jomo Kenyatta was jailed by colonialists. Kenyatta was jailed for seven years on April 8, 1953, on a Wednesday, after the infamous Kapenguria Six trials. Jomo Kenyatta was that year sentenced to seven years hard labour for his role in the Mau Mau freedom movement.

Different Positions

The court arrangement was slightly different, with Muthaura, Uhuru and Ali sitting in different positions, each with his defence lawyers. Muthaura sat on the left of the judges’ bench with Ali on the side, and Uhuru a row behind.

Ruto, Sang and Kosgey sat together on Thursday.

Earlier, Ali was the first to arrive at the court accompanied by his advocates. Muthaura, who was accompanied by his wife, followed. Uhuru came later holding hands with his wife.

Ruto and Sang were at The Hague in solidarity with their co-accused. But Kosgey was absent.

After the session, the three joined other MPs accompanying them to sing the National Anthem.

The defence lawyers made applications to press for the faster disclosure of the evidence the prosecutor intends to use during confirmation of charges hearings.

And Khan, who in 2006 led the defence for former Liberian President Charles Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone, said Moreno-Ocampo should disclose evidence against the suspects “at the minimum in the next hearing”.

“The filing by the Government of Kenya cannot be used to decide to slow down proceedings and prejudice our client’s right to full disclosure,” said Khan.

He was responding to the prosecutor’s remarks that full disclosure is constrained before the determination of the challenge of admissibility of the cases lodged by Kenyan Government.

Stiffer Conditions

The three serving State officers, however, left without stiffer conditions expected following Moreno-Ocampo’s protests they hold influential positions in Government.

Muthaura has stepped down from chairing the National Security Advisory Committee while Uhuru has given up his position in the Witness Protection Board.

Outside the court, Uhuru said:

“We expect nothing short of justice. We now have got the official chance to see what evidence the prosecutor has got against us. Also what we are accused of, and I have no doubt I will prove my innocence,” said Uhuru.

British lawyers Steven Kay and Gilian Kay Higgins represent Mr Kenyatta. The two defended former Yogoslav warlord Slobodan Milosevic at the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia.

Ali’s lawyers are Evans Monari and Mr Gershom Otachi.

Ends

ICC & Kenya: ICC judge warns the Ocampo Six suspects aganst making hate speeches back home else that may prompt the issuing of warrants of arrests against them

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya’s first three high profile suspects appearing before International Criminal Court got a stern warning they risk arrest if they sustain statements that may trigger fresh violence back home.

In nearly all major towns throughout Kenya hundreds of thousands of Kenyans remained glued on their Television sets in hotels, restraints,social halls, bars and at home, keenly watching the unfolding events at The Hague during the opening of the criminal cases against the first batch of three of the six suspects, who are facing various criminal charges before the International Court of Criminal of Justice.{icc}

The Kenyans, who included the head of public service, three cabinet ministers, a former commissioner of police and a vernacular radio presenter are facing charges of committing crimes against humanity, causing violence and displacement of thousands of citizens as well as the deaths of close to 1300 in 2008 when violence and mayhem erupted throughout the country following the disputed presidential election of December 2007.

The warning, however, brusque as it was, came without names and was founded on Kenya’s media reports seen by ICC. It was also the day the long and circuitous five-month process went to the next phase, out of probably years if it goes to the trial stage, began with the suspects bracing for what could literally be the battle for their lives and careers. The sombre mood in the courtroom, at least for the suspects sprung from the fact that the charges read to them fell in three categories: murder, forceful evictions, and persecutions of fellow Kenyans. They all related to the wave of post-election crimes in Uasin Gishu and Nandi.

It was the first time, before a formal sitting of the court that the Kenyan suspects were coming face to face with the ICC judges and Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.

The court also set September 1 as the day Eldoret MP, William Ruto, Tinderet MP, Henry Kosgey and Kass FM radio presenter Joshua arap Sang would know from the judges if the case against them by the prosecutor would go to full trial. They must attend this session in person, where, if it is ruled they must stand trial, and then they would be handed over to a new set of ICC judges.

The court also set April 18 as the day when the prosecution and defence teams will meet to ascertain the status of the process culminating in the confirmation phase on September 1.

In between now and then, the prosecutor is obliged to share the evidence he holds against the three with defence lawyers.

Fresh violence

The three, who will be followed in appearance before ICC today by Uhuru Kenyatta, Francis Muthaura and Hussein Ali, became the first Kenyans citizens to appear before ICC to be read charges of crimes against humanity.

“It came to the knowledge of the Chamber by way of following some articles in the Kenyan newspapers that there are some movements towards triggering fresh violence by way of using some dangerous speeches,’’ said the presiding judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova.

She then threw in the warning to the politicians who have appeared in pre-ICC rallies and prayer sessions.

“I would like to remind the suspects — and I’m not referring to anyone in particular but this is a general point to be made to all the suspects — that such type of action could be perceived as a sort of inducement, which may constitute the breach of one of the conditions set out in the summonses to appear: Namely, to continue committing crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. Accordingly, this might prompt the Chamber to replace the summonses to appear with warrants of arrest…” she said.

Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova, Presiding Judge at the initial appearance of William Samoei Ruto, Henry Kiprono Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang before the ICC on April 7. 2011.

The sitting arrangement, like that of local courts had the four traditional sitting formation of sitting pews: Defence, Prosecution, Registrar’s or court officials, the Judges’ Bench, and the Public Gallery.

Burden of proof

The prosecutor bears the burden of proof, as the defence teams fight the claims against their clients. The judge(s) constitute the final arbiters, and the public stand witness to the wheels of justice.

Yesterday and today’s cases however, as the judge said at the outset, were not sessions during which a ruling was expected or where evidence would be adduced.

Ruto and Sang appeared to be navigating in strange waters when they jumped the gun and prematurely sought to clear their names at the stage where they were to be identified, read their rights, and allow court to ascertain if they have been adequately briefed about the allegations against them.

Kosgey, however, was more guarded, and even after the appearance, he merely said he was anxiously waiting to be told the allegations against him so that he could clear his name.

Ruto, however, was fiery against the court, which had started by reprimanding the three for being late by three minutes, and was quoted by Associated Press dismissing the case against him as “balderdash”.

He also gave the analogy of a movie or cinema in and outside court to support his argument the charges read to him were fictitious and mythical.

“The allegations that have been made here … can only be possible in a movie,” said Ruto, in court. He added: “For an innocent person like me to be dragged all the way here is a matter that puzzles me.”

His wife Rachel and daughter accompanied Ruto. Kosgey’s son was also in his father’s defence team. Once the court session and in complete disregard of court protocol, Kenyan politicians who had accompanied the three held news conferences, donning the national colours, at which they sustained their anti-ICC tirade and made political inferences against the charges against the Ocampo Six.

They also declared they would hold a welcome rally for the six once back home, despite the warning by Justice Trendafilova to avoid political statements that could precipitate renewed tension.

At the court Ruto, Kosgey and Sang showcased their defence teams, called out to their names, and made short statements regarding who they were, where they were born, and what they do for a living. It was during this session that Ruto and Sang overstepped the questions they had been asked by the Judge and the agenda of the day to venture into their innocence.

Ruto wondered who his accusers were; said it was unfair for him to have been brought all the way from Kenya to be read false accusations. He was, however, asked to take his seat by the Judge.

Accusations

Sang described himself as ‘innocent journalist’ and told Justice Trendafilova he had not been interrogated by the prosecutor and criticised the charges against him.

Sang, like Ruto, was cut short by the judge with the restraint there would be time for those kinds of arguments and presentations.

Unlike in political arenas where politicians take the front positions in the high table, it was a different experience for Ruto and Kosgey. They took the back seats, right behind their defence teams. The three incidentally were behind Ruto’s lawyers, while their own were in different wings of the courtroom.

The Chamber assured the process would be expedited, and also promised the suspects they would be given sufficient time and facilities to prepare their defences. They were also informed the September 1 verdict could terminate or carry on the cases against them.

The judge also told them she knew well the ‘psychological burden’ the cases and summonses have on the suspects. But it was a departure from tradition for the judge to warn the suspects they risked arrest warrants even before ruling on the application of stringent conditions Moreno-Ocampo sought on Wednesday against the six.

When he left the court, Ruto declared: “My conscious is clear, and my soul is at peace that I never committed these crimes.”

Ruto said accusations against him are absurd, adding that he was praying for justice.

“To say I distributed 3,000 guns is absurd. We will be given the names of the accusers and their statements. But the truth will come out finally,” he declared.

The chamber is composed of Justice Trendafilova, Justice Hans-Peter Kaul, and Justice Jakob Tarfusser.

Justice Trendafilova informed the suspects they have the right to access evidence Moreno-Ocampo intends to use against them. This is to help the suspects to prepare their defence

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KENYA & ICC: RUDE SHOCK AND TOUGH CONDITIONS AWAIT FOR THE OCAMPO SIX AT THE HAGUE AS FIRST BUNCH EXPECTED TO MAKE FIRST APPEARANCE AT THE ICC COURT TODAY.

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Writes LEO odera Omolo

Kenya’s first batch of mass killings suspects come face to face with an International Criminal Court judge, opening another sad chapter for the country in 48 years of self-rule.
But even as Kenya’s citizens take their place in a courtroom that has starred infamous genocide suspects such as the late Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia-Yugoslavia, Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo will be seeking more stringent conditions against the Kenyan suspects.

The news of the ICC opening cases at The Hague against the suspects dominated the front pages of Kenya’s leading dailies like the STANDARD, DAILY NATION, THE NAIROBISTAR and even the PEOPLE’S DAILY, paper which is owned by one of the suspects, the Deputy pime Ministe and Mnister for Finance Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.

Moreno-Ocampo’s rude shock for the six include orders they provide, under oath, their financial statements, production of bond of personal security to ensure appearance when required, provision of all forms of contacts, including telephone and e-mail addresses, as well as commitment to appear at The Hague at least once every six months.

All the six, if Moreno-Ocampo has his way in court, will be required to ensure they do not make statements that can be interpreted as threats to potential witnesses, or even try and tamper with prosecution evidence.

Top positions

One of the post election violence suspects Mr Uhuru Kenyatta waves at the crowd at the airport as he left for the Hague on Thursday night
The new conditions, however, seem to weigh heavily against Deputy Prime Minister, Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, and Postmaster General, Hussein Ali, who he said he needed to restrain because of their influential positions in Government.

If they fail to meet any of the conditions, Ocampo wants the ICC judges to issue warrants of arrests against the suspects. He says the conditions are to make sure they comply with the requirements and decisions of the court.

At the same time, Prime Minister Raila Odinga went live on television to declare this was also the time for the country to reflect on the pain of those who suffered the brutality of the violence. “Justice for the victims and fair process for the suspects,’’ were his prayer.

He also asked the country to confront the truth, saying it was the only thing that would set her free. He also assured the world the stability and security of the country was not under threat because of the anxiety set off by the ICC process.

The appearance of the first three suspects this morning, and another three tomorrow morning, marks the first time eminent Kenyans will be facing trial in a foreign court. They will be in dock for international crimes they are suspected to have perpetrated and because the competence of Kenya’s judicial system, and the Government’s commitment to justice for post-election violence victims failed the test of the international community.

Ocampo filed his application for the imposition of the new conditions against the six, and more so against Uhuru, Muthaura and Ali, on Wednesday. The three hold significant positions in Government and appear before the ICC judge tomorrow for formal identification and to be officially read the charges against them.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga addresses the nation on the ICC process in his office, on Wednesday. [PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

Today, would be groundbreaking entry into ICC for Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey and Kass FM’s Joshua arap Sang. They are expected before the judge at 11am, but though covered by the general terms of the conditions, it is against the Uhuru trio that Ocampo specifically sought on Wednesday’s orders.

Ocampo’s argument is that he wants Uhuru, Muthaura and Ali bound by the new conditions so that they do not undermine investigations. Ruto and Kosgey are out of the Cabinet, while Sang does not hold public office.

Political sentiments

Ocampo wants the judges to issue an order to compel the three suspects to refrain from making public statements that touch on the case, the charges, the investigation, or the evidence. If issued, this particular order would gag the suspects from making political statements.

Even though, in his application the prosecutor says that all the suspects should refrain from making public statements, he specifically wants the judges to issue targeted orders against Uhuru, Muthaura, and Ali. “Due to their senior positions of authority in Kenya, any statements that the suspects may make concerning the violence or their co-operation with the court could, intentionally or unintentionally, be regarded by actual or potential witnesses as pressure to cease co-operation with the court, or impact future witnesses’ willingness or desire to cooperate,” the prosecutor argues in his application.

Given that the prosecutor lost bid to revive charges against the three for crimes committed in Kisumu and Kibera, it appears he wants to turn the heat on them by giving them stricter conditions.

The revelations of Ocampo’s ‘ambush’ on the suspects appeared to put a damper on their upbeat mood, as they entered The Netherlands.

When Ruto, Kosgey and Sang arrived at Schipol Airport on Wednesday, escorted by more than 30 MPs, Kenya’s Ambassador to The Netherlands Ruthie Rono was at hand to receive them. She escorted them to Steigenberger Karhaus Hotel where they spent the night.

Kenyan flag

Just like Ali, who arrived on Tuesday morning, the three went straight to consult their lawyers. At the airport, the MPs escorting Ruto, who were all donning caps decorated with colours of the Kenyan flag that Ruto wears at rallies they sang patriotic songs before boarding a bus to Carlton Beach Hotel. Some of the MPs already at The Hague are Eugene Wamalwa, Jeremiah Kioni, Linah Jebii Kilimo, Jamlek Kamau, Ferdinand Waititu, Isaac Ruto and Peris Simam

With the MPs, members of the civil society, and Kenyan journalists at The Hague, not everyone would sit inside the court during proceedings.

By Wednesday evening, space at the public gallery had been reserved for a few people to follow the proceedings.

Kioni said nobody or political party was catering for the MPs’ travel expenses. “Each MP is catering for his or her own expenses, and we have to inform our constituents of what is going on here, when we get back,” he said.

“Kenya is not a failed State. We believe in our country,” said Kioni.

Upon hearing charges against them, the Chamber will set a date for confirmation of the charges. The pre-trial process may take six months.

The ICC on Wednesday also released an instruction that lawyers representing the Ocampo Six will be required to contact ICC’s Victims and Witness Unit before approaching a witness.

Judge Trendafilova set the condition in an application that was filed by Uhuru, Muthaura and Ali. In her decision delivered on April 4, the judge said witnesses are not the property of any party, but conveyors of information.

Ruto’s lawyer, Kithure Kindiki argued this would be challenged, given the fact that Ocampo had not supplied them with evidence.

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Kenya: Prof Nyong’o facing lean times and his political career is under serious threat

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The outspoken and highly polished Secretary General of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} is facing political dilemma with uncertain future.

Prof. Nyong’o, who is the Minister for Medical Services and the ODM MP for Kisumu Rural, is believed to be the closest political associate of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga and the party’s principal spokesman is facing stiffest opposition in both his party’s position and in any future elective post.

Rumors and speculations making the rounds in Kisumu City and its environs have it that the Kisumu Rural MP is currently contemplating the idea of switching from his current parliamentary seat so that he could run for the Kisumu County Senate seat during the impending general elections.

Local political pundits, however, are quick to say that the move would be a big blow if not political suicide for the Professor of economics and political science. They are predicting that such a move would bring an abrupt and premature end to his political career.

He will definitely be no match to the likes of the flamboyant and populist Eng.Maxwll Otieno Odongo who is outgoing and interacts freely with the electorates.

This is so considering the names and characters of individual personalities within Kisumu County who have already expressed their intention to contest the same seat. “Unless Raila Odinga comes to his rescue Prof. Nyong’o would not make to the Senate in a fair and transparently conducted elections,” remarked one observer in Kisumu who requested his anonymity.

Leading the pack of the half a dozen or so aspirants for the Kisumu County Senate seat is the wealthy industrialist and hotelier Eng.Maxwell Otieno Odongo who is a Nairobi based businessman, but hails from Ahero in Nyando district. Also in the race for the same seat is the Nairobi based quantity surveyor James Ocholla Ogoda, who hails from Nyakach, but now a resident of Muhoroni settlement scheme in Muhoroni district. Ogoda is the former chairman of Gor Mahia Football Club.

Both Eng. Otieno Odongo and Ocholla Ogoda had started their campaign for the senate seat in earnest immediately the new constitution was promulgated by President Mwai KIbaki, but the campaign has since slowed down

The latest entry is the man who in 1992 beat the former Kisumu MP, the late Job Henry Onyango Omino, hands down during the Ford-Kenya preliminaries. But he was denied his victory by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who headed the party at the time, in favor of Omino Prof.Jimmy Ageng’o. He hails from Kolwa in KisumuTown East constituency, but originally from Kisumo Korando in Kisumu Town West constituency.

Prof Ageng’o boastingly said that he was the old man in the trade, and would teach his rivals a good lesson that they will live to regret.

After loosing the 1992 election, Ageng’o went back to the US for further studies, and thereafter has been associated with various teaching jobs at the various universities in Africa. Until very recently he was teaching at the University of Mozambique in Maputo. But he has returned home joined Moi University at its constituent college at Kabianga in Kericho County.

Jimmy Ageng’o, together with James Orengo, Paul Muite, Raila Odinga Michael Kijana Wamalwa and Gitobu imanyara, were the group of youthful politicians who in 1990s coined the word “Young Turks” and launched it as a pressure group, which gave sleepless nights to the retired President Daniel Arap Moi and his monolithic KANU one party system.

Ageng’o said in Kisumu this week that he could still marshal the support from the residents in the same fashion as he did in 1992. This is because the then Kisumu Town has now been splinted into three different parliamentary constituencies like Kisumu Town East, Kisumu City Central and Kisumu Town West.

Prof. Nyong’o is also being challenged in his position as the ODM Secretary-General by an equally experienced and credible personality by the name of Prof.Larry Gumbe, who a week ago was endorsed by public acclamation to contest the position by a huge crowd of enthusiastic crowd of ODM members at a public rally held at the Kendu-Bay Show ground in North Rachuonyo district, Homa-Bay County.

Gumbe, who is the chairman of the Multiparty Democracy Movement, an NGO, is not a newcomer to the ODM politics. He had previously held the same position in both the NDP and LDP before the two parties were transformed to the Orange party.

In the position of the Kisumu County governor, Jack Ranguma, a former senior KRA top official, appeared to be a one man lonely contestant. No candidate of substantial stature has so far come out to declare interest in this important seat. May be they are still buying time to avoid being pestered by the electorates, and yet there is still plenty of time.

Prof.Nyongo’, whose Kisumu Rural constituency was recommended as one of those areas to be splinted, under the auspices of the defunct Interim Independent Boundary Commission headed by the former Vihiga MP Andrew Ligale with some parts to be rejoined with the Kisumu Town West, is said to be facing lean times.

His political future is said to be too bleak, and even within the realigned constituency, which will only cater for members of his Seme community, he is not a popular MP. He is being accused of dismal performance as an MP at the constituency level, being mean and inaccessible to the electorate.

Pundits maintain that even if he chooses to defend his parliamentary seat, he won’t make again to the August House. He is said to have lost touch with the electorate, and his political lifeline and chances for survival for the future now lays in the hand of the party supreme Raila Odinga

The man whose star is flying high for the Kisumu Senate position is Eng. Otieno Odongo He belonged to the largest Jo-Kano sub-clan whose political influence has spread widely into the three administrative districts of Nyando, Muhoroni and Kisumu Town East

The engineer-cum-lawyer is credited for having established many businesses and industries in the region in which close to 200 people got employed. His businesses span from posho mills in both Ahero and Muhoroni, to large scale sugar cane farming in Kibos, an engineering firm which is carrying out consultant work in Kenya and other countries in Africa and beyond. He is also running the Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel, which he bought from the Kenya Tourist Development Authority and another medium size hotel, which is located at the posh Milimani estate in Kisumu City and a rice mill in Ahero plus many others. On top of all these, he is the Managing Director of his business flagship Otieno Odongo and Partners Engineering Consultancy Company with its headquarters in Nairobi.

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Tanzania and Uganda plans a multi billion dollars new transport corridor from Tanga to Kampala

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

PLANS are in advance state for the two Eastern African nations of Tanzania and Uganda to establish a multi billion dollars joint venture to develop a new railway line and ports on Lake Victoria to cope up with increased trade from the East African hinterland.

It is moderately estimated that the plan would cost close to USD 2.7 billion.And it will involve the construction of the new 800 kilometers long railway line that will link a proposed deep water port at Mwambani Bay in Tanga and ends up in Arusha nearly 400 kilometers away from Lake Victoria and a new extension will be needed to link it up with the port of Musoma about 400 kilometers to the west.

Te rail line will link up with the port of Musoma with onward connection to Port Bell in Kampala and Juba in South Sudan.

The extension is expected to pass through the world famous Serengeti National Game Park, something which the environmentalists, conservationists had vehemently opposed to arguing that with noisy trains passing through the wild animal sanctuary something which would not augur well. This is what had caused the plan being shelved during the reign of the late President Julius Kambarage Nyerere when the idea was first muted in the late 1980s.

The officials of the two countries have said the project is provisionally estimated to cost USD 2.7 billion, out of which USD 1.9 billion is for the construction of the railway line, USD 672.6 million for the development of Mwambani Port and USD 72. Million for the development of Musoma dock.

In a well researched article appearing in its business page, the EASTAFRICAN weekly quoted the Tanzanian Minister for Transport Omar Nundu as saying that the partnership plan includes rehabilitation and upgrading of the Port Bell pier and the construction of a new Kampala inland port in Uganda.

The Minister further explained that the plan will also see Tanga and Musoma ports dedicated to handling cargo destined for Uganda and Southern Sudan.

The cost of transporting goods in the region could reduce significantly in the next five years as another EAC partner Kenya too plans a new railway connecting the port of Mombasa to Kampala.

In the joint venture, Tanzania and Uganda are seeking USD 250 million fresh capitals to upgrade a separate jointly owned 100 year old imperial gauge rail line built during the colonial era.

A 25 year concessional deal signed in 2006 with Rift Valley Railway {RVR} consortium has so far failed to revamp the ailing railway network. This consortium is made up of o South African Sheltam Trade, Mirambo Holdings and Primefuesl Ltd. Others partners include Kenyan private equity firm Trans-Century and two other investors- Kenya’s Centum Investment Ltd and Babcock and Brown of Australia. And last week Trans-Century disclosed it plans to inject USD 300 million into RVR.

The funds to be disbursed in the next five years will be spent on modernizing the Kenya-Uganda Railway in which the private equity firm holds a principle interest of 34 per cent.

“The transport division is focused on the turnaround of the Rift Valley Railway and recapitalization of the railway line,” said Trans-0Century CEO Gachao Kiuna.

While cargo volume at the Kenyan port of Mombasa has grown to over 19 million tones as at the end of last year from seven million in 1980s, volume transported by RVR have declined from 4.8 tones to 1.5 million tones in the same period.

The proposed new railway will be an important link between ports in Kenya and Tanzania and the neighboring countries of Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.

According to information attributed to Tanzanian Transport Minister Omar Nundu, rehabilitation of wagon ferries and building of a new ship to service Lake Victoria are also among projects stipulated in the joint plan.

President Museveni of Uganda has repeatedly said that the Musoma was “lifeline” of the Uganda of his dreams, adding that freight will be conveyed from Musoma dock by ferry to Port Bell pier – about 350 kilometers inside Uganda. A rail connection runs via Tororo to Gulu – nearly 600 kilometers on the Pakwach branch. North Gulu, a new line of roughly 250 kilometers will have to be constructed to Juba, and a further 550 kilometers to the Wau railhead in Southern Sudan.

The proposals arise from the continued difficulties with getting freight from the port of Mombasa to Uganda, and to Southern Sudan.

The cost of Kenyan route are said to be prohibitive and there are serious delays. The Dar Es Salaam port has its own logistics problems too. Figures made available shows the Dar Es Salaam dock accounts for only one per cent of all trade from Uganda with 99 per cent passing through the Kenyan port o Mombasa.

However, the Ugandan business community is of the opinion that Dar and Kampala will have to make some concessions to promote the route.

“To start with, Dar Es Salaam need to talks with Kampala not to charge tax freight when we use the Central Corridor. This will be a good enticement” says Busingye Rwabogo, the Mukwano Industries operations general manager.

With a rated capacity for 4.1 million tones of dry cargo,6 million tones of bulk liquids, 3.1 tones of general cargo and a million cargo of containerized traffic, the port of Dar Es Salaam is said to be severely stretched.

Dar Port handles about 95 per cent f Tanzania’s international trade in addition to serving neighboring landlocked countries of Malawi, Zambia,Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo {DRC}.Development at the port of Tanga with current annual handling of 500,000 tons will reduce the load on Dar Es Salaam port meaningfully.

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Russia & Tanzania: Russians return to the uranium mining projects in Tanzania after abandoning the deal

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The latest reports emerging from Dar Es Salaam says the Tanzanian uranium mining project is back on track after an Australian firm Mantra Resources Ltd agreed to lower its offer to Russian Russia’s JSC Atomredmentzoloto {ARMZ} from USD 1.16 billion to USD 944 million.

ARMZ had said last week it had shelved plan to purchase the Mkuju River uranium assets in Southern Tanzania from Mantra over the recent Japanese nuclear plant crisis.

The transaction, to be closed in July this year, will see ARMZ acquiring on of the issued share capital in Mantra Ltd including Mkuju River project in Tanzania.

Construction of the mining plant in Southern Tanzania will start in the first quarter of 2011 with operations beginning in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Two weeks ago, ARMZ had given Mantra Ltd, a notice that the on-going nuclear crisis in Japan could hurt its operations. ARMZ, however, indicated that it was willing to exlo5re how the transaction could proceed by way of an alternative approach.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Mantra Ltd in Tanzania, Tony Devlin said the revised transaction is in the Mantra’s best interest taking into consideration the current global equity market condition and increased uncertainty for the uranium sector.

Devlin further stated that the capital cost for the construction of the mining plant including all associated infrastructure stands at USD 298 million.

Tanzania’s Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja was quoted this week by the influential EASTAFRICAN regional weekly as saying that the Mkuju River Project is shaping up into a truly world-class venture and has the potential in its first phase of development to position the country as the third and perhaps even the second largest producer of uranium in Africa.

Minister Ngeleja said the pre-feasibility study in March 2010 indicated that, once developed the mine would produce 1,650 tones of uranium oxide a year thus overtaking the US – – which produced 1,560 tones in 2009 – – to become the eighth largest producer in the world. Tanzania, he added, “will produce three times more uranium oxide than South Africa.”

The mining plant will have an average annual production of 1,650 tones per annum with the potential to expand production in the second phase of the project And this will be the second major mining development in South Eastern Tanzania, bringing jobs to an underdeveloped region with a foreign direct investment of USD 450 million generating approximately USD 250 million in annual foreign currency receipts.

The government of Tanzania expects about USD 630 million in royalties, income and employee taxes directly from the project based on the 15 year estimated life span of the mine.

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Tanzania: Nation headed for big trouble with Egypt for its diversion of Lake Victoria waters

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

Information emerging out of the Tanzanian capital city, Dar Es Salaam says that country is headed for another diplomatic row with the two northern African states of Egypt and the Sudan over the decision to draw water for domestic use from Lake Victoria.

This will be the second project using Lake Victoria water, which will be drawn for domestic use in Tabora Region, 278 kilometers south of the lake.

Designs for the project are to be drawn up this coming July with the implementation slated fir January 2013 and completion in December 2014.

The first project, in 2004, was implemented in two phases under which Lake Victoria water was pumped overland to benefit residents of Kahama and Shinyanga towns, about 176 kilometers to the south of the lake.

The USD 85.1 million project will serve a population of 420,000.It is reportedly raising concern in Egypt and Sudan, the main interested parties in the River Nile, of which Lake Victoria is a major source.

The influential EASTAFRICAN weekly, this week quoted the press attaché in the Egyptian embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Mr Ahmed Abdul Fatah, as saying the Egyptians have not been informed about the current project.

The two Nile Basin treaties signed during the British Colonial era in 1929 and in 1959 between Britain and the Egyptian governments restricted the carrying out of any project on the Nile River tributaries or their lakes that would adversely affect its water level without Cairo’s consent

And in order to make sure that the agreement is applied to the letter, Egypt has posted a team of military water engineers who are permanently station in Jinja Town, which is the source o the River Nile, a Ugandan City, Uganda’s second largest city, which is located about 90 kilometer to the east of the capital, Kampala.

The same Egyptian government has posted its water experts attached to its embassies in Nairobi, Kampala and Dar Es Salaam whose main responsibilities including the monitoring of Nile River water level on daily basis.

However, the Draft Agreement over the Nile River Basin Co-operative Framework, Section 15, all the countries except Egypt and the Sudan, take the position that the treaties in question are illegal, arguing that they were negotiated and signed before independence for Tanganyika, Kenya Uganda and the other riparian states.

The Framework involves nine countries among them are five member states of the East African Community {EAC} and Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia which are not ember of the EAC.

The Deputy Director of the Urban Water Ministry in Tanzania Elizabeth Kungu was quoted by the media this week as saying that the project would cost Tshs. 255 billion, which is equivalent to USD 176 million.

She noted that the project would be partly funded by the Tanzania government and its development partners including the World Bank under the water sector development program.

Asked about Egypt and Sudan concerns, she said that based on o the previous experience ”The quantity of water drawn or to be drawn for both Shinyanga and Tabora towns is very little compared with the size of the lake.”

Lake Victoria, the second largest sweet water in the world covered 68,000 square kilometers bordering Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Its maximum depth is 80 meters.

A[art from Tabora town, the regional headquarters, the planned project will also benefit Nzega,Igunga Kigongwa,Isaka and Muhesa towns as well as the residents of 76 villages situated along the pipeline.

Tanzania Vice President Mohammed Gharib Bilal described the project as a solution to the persistent water problems in area covered by the project.

In 1910, the Germany had contemplated using Lake Victoria waters for irrigation, transport and production of electricity in the dry parts of Mwanza,Shinyanga,Tabora and Singida regions.

Official document at the Ministry of Water reveals that the ideas of taking water from the Lake Victoria and supplying to the dry Central area of the country, dates back to the German’s colonial era in Tanganyika.

However, when the British took the control of the then Tanganika Territory from the Germans following the defeat of its forces in the East African military campaign during the First World ,the emphasis on using the Lake Victoria water into the dry Central zone of Dodoma and Singida which are naturally dry. Instead the use of Lake Victoria water has ever since been limited to the use in areas around the lake.

There have been persistent calls by Tanzania, experts for the government to extend for the use of Lake Victoria waters to end water shortage and create an environment for irrigated agriculture and economic development.

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Irland & Tanzania: The Irish Multinational engineering company is to built gas pipeline in Tanzania

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

AN Irish construction firm and civil engineering company, Castle town Enterprises has expressed interests in constructing of new pipeline to transport natural gas from the Songo Songo gas field to the capital Dar Es Salaam.

Information emerging from Dar says the project is intended to add 200 megawatts{MW} of electricity to the national grid.

The Chief Executive Officer of the firm Mr Charlie Mc Cauley told newsmen in Dar Es Salaam last week that his firm also plans to build and operate a 200 MW open cycle gas fired power plant that could be expanded to 500 MW in the future.

Tanzania’s Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja said this project comes as good news to Tanzania which has been grappling with power shortage and that the government has already replied to the Castle town Enterprises Limited inviting the firm to open negotiations with both Tanzania Electricity Supplies Company {TANESCO} and Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation{TPDC}.

McCauley said Castletown Enterprises has approached the government and hoped to enter into a memorandum of understanding {MOU} to formalize relationship., and enable the firm to begin the required task.

If the deal is approved, the planned pipeline would be the second to carry natural gas from Songo Songo field 200 kilometers south of the commercial City of Dar Es Salaam to the Ubungo power plant.

Songas Limited owns and operates the first pipeline which was completed in 2004.And according to Minister Ngeleja,it took least a year to lay the existing gas pipeline “and to be laid by Castletown would take much shorter period of time because they won’t necessarily have to start creating new leeway and the current is 60 meters wide, which is big enough to accommodate anther pipeline.”

The Northern Irish company, which is located in Limvady near Belfast, is to discuss the best possible location for the new power plant with TANESCO officials”, he added.

“The two groups will have to sit down and jointly decide where to put up the new plant because TANESCO being the country’s electricity supplier, will play a bigger role in making sure the project comes on board in the shortest possible period of time,” he said, adding that “It is not in their interest as well that the generation of 200MW gets into the national grid sooner than later given the crisis that we have been going through.”

The government said the new pipeline is expected to be bigger than the current one, which has a diameter of16 mm. The one Castletown wants to construct would at least 24mm in diameter.

According to the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation {TPDC}, a second pipeline is needed because the existing one cannot accommodate any more users unless capacity at the supply side is increased.

Songas Limited has already applied to the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority {EWURA} for tariff adjustment so that it can begin increasing the output of natural gas from Songo Songo.

Tanzania has gas reserves at Songo Songo,Mnazi Bay, and Mkuranga. Gas from Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay is used to generate power and some supplied to the industries in Dar Es Salaam, while a lesser amount is converted compressed natural gas{CNG} to power motor vehicles.

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Kenya: Political intrigues witnessed in the recent KNUT elections

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu.

The recently concluded teachers elections in Luo-Nyanza were full of political intrigues that show aspirants in some branches being sponsored by their big brothers {the politicians}.

The election ended up with rumors and speculation from the various branches that there were some elements of political patronage and sponsorship. Teachers were aligned to certain powerful politicians succeeded in wrestling various branch positions, while those contested the various offices without political patronage or sponsorship fared badly at the polls.

What sounded rather strange was the teacher’s election had become the good ground for budding politicians in various constituencies, especially those who are nursing ambition to in various positions within the local counties, parliament and Senate.

Senior politicians in the region, according to our unimpeachable sources, were involved and made sure that their favorite candidate clinched the senior most posts at the branch levels.. In Homa-Bay County one youthful politician who is an up-coming, who is reported to be eyeing for the Senate seat, allegedly sponsored candidates allied to him in almost every districts.

In some places, the ever alert teachers got wind of plans hatched by senior politicians to plant their men in the branches, and refused to bow to pressure from outside the union.

Those privie to information about teacher’s politics in Nyanza have revealed to us that money was poured everywhere. And that the elections were not fair and transparent due to supplies of money in excesses.

It was further alleged that who had sought for financial sponsorship from politicians are mainly teachers with dubious academic qualifications. This is the category of the teachers who struggled hard to ensure that they won positions at the branches so that they could protect their own selfish interests.

Allegations were also rampant that there were certain teachers in various parts of Luo-Nyanza to the effect there are, still, a large number of teachers who are using fake academic and training certificates, but who could not be detected by the officials from the Ministry of Education and TSC due to laxity and poor supervision. Some of the teachers alleged to be armed with fake academic and training certificates are said to have corrupted their way and even got promoted to the positions of primary school headships.

But if anything to go by, the elections had elevated the position of one aspirant who is vying for Senate position in Homa-Bay County, whose friends had succeeded in harvesting and won the election in nearly all the seven parliamentary constituencies.

The outcome of the elections in some branches has given a serious scare to the other aspirants for governorship, parliamentary and Senate whose supporters had performed dismally at the teachers elections despite having invested a lot of money.

Friends and political associates of the youthful politician from Ndhiwa are said to have swept the board clean in almost every constituency, and given the influence that school teachers wielded among the rural forks, the outcome of KNUT election in several districts within Homa-Bay County is now the subject of the speculations and talks about the forthcoming general elections.

Reports of political patronage and sponsorship in the KNUT branch elections, says similar manoeuvres were also experienced in Rongo, Kasipul- Kabondo, Rangwe, Mbita, Ndhiwa,Gwassi, Nyakach, Kisumu, Muhuroni, Nyando, Rarieda, Kisumu Rural and Gem. In some places ambitious politicians who had hatched planes to use KNUT branch elections as the ladders to test the ground had failed mysteriously, when their men and women was badly beaten at the KNUT polls.

The stage was set for those potential aspirants hoping to contest parliamentary, Senate and County governor positions. These hopeful aspirants worked round the clock to ensure that teachers allied to their sides won the elections, and it was the question of the fittest men and women.

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Kenya: Insecurity situation grips Awendo town as two traders are shot dead by night gangsters wthin one week

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Twon

Two traders in Awendo town and its environs have been shot and killed by marauding gun-totting night gangsters and robbed of unspecified amount of money.

So far no arrest has been made. The bodies of the two victims, a man and a woman, are still laying at the mortuary. The two incidents occurred within one week.

In Awendo Town a wholesale trader, known by the name as Mr.Okong’o, had his business premises, which is located next to Awendo Market, raided by the gun-totting night gangsters who shot him six times and made off with unspecified amount of money.

Another incident took place at the nearby Ranen Market, which is located on the main Kisii-Rongo highway and only six kilometers from the main Awendo town. A woman, mother of six, who is running an MPESA outlet at the market, was shot dead and her assailant made off with unspecified amount of money. The residents said the woman had twice been robbed previously by people the deceased had suspected to be the same gangsters.

The woman, according to an eye witness, appeared to have known her attackers and had frantically pleaded with them to take the money, but spare her life, but her plea was ignored by the gangsters, seemed to be hell-bent in concealing their identities.

Another grisly murder occurred outside Awendo Town on Wednesday this week. A man suspected to be involved in the chain of Boda Boda trxis motor-bike theftx in Homa-Bay town and its environs was set ablaze while alive and burnt beyond recognition.

The incident took place not far away from the Awendo Office of the District Commissioner and half away between Awendo and the nearby Luwala Primary and Secondary Schools and within the nucleus estates of the SONYSUGAR Company Ltd on the main Awendo-Migori highway.

The incident caused a two kilometer traffic jam which lasted for a close to one hour. Motorists, Matatu drivers and onlookers, crowded the roadside and watched helplessly as the victim’s body went up in flames as he was shouting for help.

The man and his accomplis were caught red-handed as they made and attempt to rob a boda boda motor bike taxi rider in Homa-Bay Town. One was lynched in a mob justice action. The other, they tied, then him to Migori town 60 kilometers away so that he could show them the House where the stolen motor bikes were hidden.

There has a been a series of boda boda motor bike hijacking and thefts resulting in the riders being either killed or maimed before their machines are taken away with no trace.

More than 250 boda boda motor bikes took part in the exercise riding their bikes all way the from Homa-Bay to Migori town, an action which took many people by surprise. Upon reaching Migori town, the suspected thiefs took the seemingly enraged motor bike taxis riders to a house, where they recovered some helmets of the victims. A man said to have been inside the house took off through the back door on seeing the enraged mob of boda boda taxi riders.

The boda boda men ransacked the house and found some money and other items. They took a pair of mattresses, tied them on one of the bikes, and rode back to Homa-Bay, On reaching an isolated roadside in a place between Awendo and Luwala, they stabbed the victim with a knife, threw him off of the motor bike, placed a mattress over his body and poured on it five liters of kerosene and set it a blaze.

Many onlookers were socked and taken aback at the cruel death the victim underwent and even some woman, particularly mothers, expressed sympathy for an unknown suspected culprit.

At the same time an Homa-Bay politician has called upon the government to seriously address the insecurity situation in some parts of the greater Southern Nyanza region.

Hilary Ochieng’ Alila, the ODM Youth coordinator at the same time, appealed to the youth to work closely with the police and members of the Provincial Administration in a concerted effort to eradicate the waves of crime in the region, which he said has reached the alarming proportion.

He said the waves of crime in the region could only be eradicated through the co-operation of members of the public and the government security agents when people volunteer information about certain characters they suspect be involved in criminal activities which are so detrimental to the development already achieved after hard work.

Alila who has already declared his interesting contesting the Homa-Bay County Senate seat in the forthcoming general election decried the increased spate of crime in the region and asked the government to improve the police night patrol of several marketplaces and schools and other institutions.

Mean while the residents of Awendo and its environs have blamed the rapidly deterioration in crimes situation in the area to the laxity of the policemen working at the Awendo Police Station. They said some of the policemen including the Officer In-charge {OCS} have overstayed in one station for close to ten years and were no longer productive.

Investigations are done haphazardly, giving the criminal elements leeway of escaping punishment as laid down by the law of the land. In some cases when a resident reported for help after an incident of crime had occurred the officers are allegedly asking for Kshs 1,000 to fuel their vehicle before moving to the scene of crime to investigate the incident in a given area, and the criminal are known to use the time lapse to escape the arrest.

Traders and business community in general want the entire police officers Awendo Police Station reshuffled and new men posted to the station. The maintain that new men and women posted at the station could improve the insecurity situation

Ends