Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

TANZANIAN POLICE IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST MAN-HUNT FOR CRAZY GUNMAN WHO KILLED 8 PEOPLE.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Migori Town

PANICKING and fear has gripped the residenbts of both sides along the the common border of Kebyta abd Tanzaia following the reports that a crazy gunman who had run amok and shot eight people to death leaving three in serious gun wounds, and who is still at large, could possibly cross the border and sneak into Kenya and cause more havoc with the lives of innocent people.

According to Radio Tanzania, Dar Es Salam and BBC monitored in the neighboring Kenya, the shooting of the eight Tanzanians took place on Saturday if the previous week in Tarime district in the north Mara region. the semi-pastoralists Kuria community, which has spread across the international border line between Kenya and Tanzania with half of the population of this community living on both sides of the border and speaking one vernacular Kuria language. It is therefore much easier for any criminal person on the run and being pursued by police on the either side of the border to sneak to the other and vanish.

According to Radio Tanzania the government of Tanzania has sent a large number of policemen into Tarime district, both uniformed and top detectives to try and track down the gunman whose identity could not immediately be established. The motive behind the shooting also remained unclear to the security men in Dar Es Salaam. The gunman is said to be taking only mobile phone handsets and other valuables from the victims .

Kuria people living on both sides of the border are cattle rearing people and the region is cattle rustling infested.

Tanzania has beefed up the security and reportedly sent more than 200 policemen . The reinforcements were called into the area from other regions and the nearby districts.

Many people on the Kenya side of the border appeared to have been unaware of what is happening in Tarime, which is only about 20 kilometers from Sirare border posts, which is the official border crossing point. The two countries have a porous borderline and the longest stretching from Lake Victoria to the India Ocean. Locals on both sides can cross.

However, Kenyans living near the borderline have been cautioned by the local administration to be on the look out and report suspicious stranger person to the nearest police station for interrogation.

The police In Tanzania could not disclose what type of weapon the gunman is using, but his marksmanship indicated that he might have served in the armed forces previously.

Tarime district is laying north of the famous serengeti National game park and north east of the lakeside town of Musoma on the shore of Lake VICTORIA.

ENDS

VAT TAXATION IS HURTING THE FARMING REGIONS IN WESTERN KENYA

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

DISCONTENT has arisen in DISCONTENT the three highly agriculturally productive regions in Western Kenya following claims and allegations that the tax regime and the KRA have unrealistic increase the highest percentage of VAT charged on farm inputs and implements.

Previously farm inputs did not attract any taxation. Exempted from paying duties included trucks, tractors,and all the equipments used in farming.

However, according to the VAT Act, which was recently enacted by parliament, all these machineries now attract tax of 16 per cent, making them inaccessible to the farmers.

At the same time the Vat taxation system, it is being alleged, has exempted equipments used in the building construction industry.. Analysts say the construction work is only booming in Central Province and in the capital, Nairobi.

The players in the agriculture sector see some elements of discriminative taxation by the tax regime, which is deliberately and systematically targeting the communities living in the three Agriculturally rich Western Kenya region consisting of the Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western Provinces

Members of parliament representing the various electoral constituencies, which are close to maize producing, sugar cane growing and other areas with high insensitivity of farming have been asked to come out of their slumber .They should introduce motions in both Parliament and in the Senate challenging this discriminative taxation,” said one key player in the agricultural sector who requested for his identity to be kept secret for fear of possible reprisal.

The highly mechanized sugar industry is the hardest hit. There are so many prohibitive taxes charged such as ncess. “If the situation remain unaddressed for long, then Kenya will not be able To beat the COMESA deadline, “hr added.

A visit by this writer in the farming regions 0f Trans-Nzioia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Kisumu, Kericho and Trans-Mara region revealed that due to heavy VAT taxation now imposed on tractors and other farm inputs farmers can no longer afford to purchase new tractors and other farm implements owing to the skyrocketing prices..

VAT charges have also affected the sales of spare parts. One key player in the sugar industry6 asserted that may be there is a cartel of top government officials working in cohorts with the sugar barons to facilitate the importation of the same commodity so that they in turn could make a kill.. MPS should demand an explanation as to whether the high VAT taxation has any elements of political undertone aimed at the economic strangulation against the communities living 8in the agricultural productive regions in Western Kenya..

If It is true, as it is being alleged, that there is a cartel among the government officials collaborating with the sugar barons with the intent of creating artificial shortage of sugar in the country for their own selfish interests then the sooner such groups would be kicked out of Treasury and the KRA the better. It is sad that such people who are out to impoverish members of the farming fraternity.

The tea industry is another sector which is highly mechanized, which is also suffering from the effect of the heavy VAT taxation system.,

The government should set up a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations about unnecessarly high taxation imposed through Vat so that it could protect the farming community. Unless something positively is done to streamline the excesses in Vat taxation the country could in the near future experience acute shortage food grains.

Companies dealing in the sales of farm inputs have also reported sharp decline in business, which has seen the sales going down with huge percentage .No inquiries about the sales of new tractors, trucks and pick-ups are forthcoming, said one dealer in Eldoret, adding that the government need to move much faster and have the VAT btaxati9n rectified.

Sugar cane is grown in abundance in Western and Nyanza Provinces, whereas maize, wheat, barly is produced in the South Rift region of Narok County and some parts of Uasin Gishu, Tea is grown and produce in the North Rift regions of Nandi and also in the South Rift counties of Kericho, Bomet and also in parts of Trans-Mara.

Other areas where farming is thriving in the ift alley included Nakuru, Molo, Kuresoi,Naivasha, Gilgil, Subukia, Rongai and Molo.

ENDS

KENYA: THE GOVERNMENT IS ASKED TO INVESTIGATE THE ACTIVITIES OF LAND CONMEN IN AWENDO

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The Provincial Administration and police authorities in Migori County have been asked to launch a thorough investigation with the view to apprehending a group of conmen who are reportedly cheating the residents of Awendo and its environs that they could help them regains thousands of hectares, of land on which hey were removed from 30years ago to make room for the establishment of the SonySugar Company.

Before the establishment of SonySugar company in 1977, thousands of local residents were removed from their ancestral land,which now forms the bulks of Sony Sugar on exclusive estate estimated to be measuring about 5,000 hectares. Two sub-locations were affected, These were Waware and Waundha located in Sakwa East location, Awendo district, Migori County..

The land was acquired compulsorily under the Land Acquisition act. The affected families were adequately compensated by the government and asked to move on. Those whose land was acquired had their names gazette in he official Gazette showing the acreage of land each farmer had before it was taken away.

About a month ago a group of people suspected to be conmen formed a committee, and told the affected farmers that their land was not taken away by the government, but had been bought by GEMA As part of its investment wing, and that the cultural-cum-investment organization , which for many years was led by the late Njenga Karume has since surrendered the land and it wanted the same to revert to its original owners. The group has opened an office in Awendo town and Its coordinator is called Mr Richard Mamba Nyamani who is issuing forms and asking the farmers to sign it.

The group has held a series of meetings, the last one was held last week at the home of one William O. Okola, which is close to Miriwa Market.Owing to land scarcity in the area, many farmers who appeared to be ignorant of what is going on have signed those forms hoping that parts of SonySugar nucleus estate farm would be slashed, re-surveyed and given back to the former owners these meetings take places in behind closed door shopping centers in private homesteads instead of being organized in government facilities a such as at the D, Chiefs or D.’s office, and from the looking of things it appears that the local provincial administration is not aware of what is going on.

Some of the enlightened farmers who have seen these forms, immediately became suspicious that this could be the work of conmen out to fleece them of their hard earned money. Some of the resident became suspicious when the group invoked the name of the defunct GEMA and were left baffled and wondering why and how the organization which was mainly operating in Central, Nairobi and Rift Valley region could have managed to acquired thousands of hectares if land in South Nyanza in 1976/1977. Most of them viewed the information as far fetched and as such devoid of the truth and have now called upon the government to investigate.

The residents have called on Migori Governor and Awendo D.C to come out of their slumber. They should come out and enlighten the public on this contentious issue before members of the public are conned of their money.

A survey carried in the area by thus writer revealed there is no land space in the area. All the parcels of land which the government had acquired was handed to he SONY SUGAR Company and almost all under the sugar cane plantations with exception of the small portion of land which was reserved for Awendo Town, and which was under the management of County Council of Migori and later Awendo Town Council. There is not even an iota of vacant land parcel left for anyone to retrieve back.

Asked by thus writer how the land would revert back to the original owners, Mr Mambas said over the phone that all the forms and signatures would be handed to a the group’s lawyer in Kisii Town who in turn would file the case in the High Court to demand that the land inquisition be returned to the owner. The coordinator , however, could not reviel the name of the group’s lawyer in Kisii,

This is not the first time for the residents of the area to suffer under the cunning conmen. A couple of years way back, another group of conmen had emerged in the are which fleeced the residents of thousands of shillings under the pretext that the landless people would be given land and settled in Maasaland at place called Keiyan In Trans-Mara district in Narok COUNTY. The group got away scot-free while laughing all the way to the bank. So far nobody has been given land in that area..

The forms are being distributed ibn an office in Awendo town, where people go and sign them giving particulars of their national identitity cards etc. Those inquiring about the scheme are shown some of the most outdated land maps and copies of stale official gazette publication showing where they former homesteads were located before the mass eviction of 1977.

ENDS

KENYA: DRUGS TRAFFICKING FROM NYANZA NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED BY COMPETENT AUTHORITIES

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CAN THE GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATE CLAIMS THAT ROGUE POLICE OFFICERS ARE INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING IN NYANZA?

Investigative Report By Leo Odera Omolo

The easiest way of stamping out bhang trafficking from Nyanza to Nairobi and to other Kenya towns and other illicit cross border trades is to equip the Kenya police with speed boats similar to those deployed in Lake Victoria by the Uganda marine Police.

There is also need to overhaul top policemen working in the sensitive border regions and counties like Migori, Nyatike and Suba regions.

There is rampant rumors, allegations and claims of police complicity in the lucrative bhang trafficking in the region trades. In some yet to be proved incidences racketeers involved in the illicit trades are said to be enjoying protection by some rogue and un-patriotic policemen stationed in the smuggling spots in Migori and Nyatike county.

The recent events and happening shows the illicit drugs coming into the country via porous Kenyan borders with the neighboring countries via Lake Victoria waters.

Large consignments of bhang get into Kenyan mainland side of Lake Victoria through the disputed Migingo Island. Other smaller fishing islands located on Kenya side of Lake Victoria also being used by the drug traffickers as conduit for smuggling and easy access to the mainland regions and eventually to the markets

Such spots include Migingo, Ugingo, Ringiti, Lolwe, Ngodhe and Oyamo islands.

Bhang is also grown in abundance in Sigulu island which is about 10 kilometers off Budalangi shoreline in Busia county. However, smaller quantity of bhang is also said making its way from Tanzania into Kenya on the main Migori highway that is linking the town to Sirare border post. But the ever presence of policemen on checkpoints and road blocks on the road has curtailed the trafficking forcing the smugglers to use ‘panya’ routes using bicycles and boda boda motorbikes.

Reports emerging from Musoma and Tarime towns say bhang is grown in large quantities in some parts of the world famous Serengeti National Gane Parkand in the neighbouring Ukerewe island In Tanzania

Other landing spots of bhang smuggled from Tanzania include Sori and Muhuru Bay towns in Nyatike sub-county within the larger Migori County

A truck loaded with bhang was recently spotted as it loads the illicit drug behind a store in Sori whose street value was estimated to be around Ksh. 50,000.

The incident took place within only three days after police discovered 7 acres of bhang farm on top of Kimaye Hills near with Ong’er in North Kadem ,which is located less than 10 kilometers from Sori town

Close to 60 policemen spent the whole day uprooting the bhang. They were then enforced by over 50 inmates from Migori G.K. prison .The police succeeded in apprehending six men who were tending the bhang farm and took them into custody .The men were reported to have been working for an influential and wealthy politician in the region who is said to be working as a bhang trafficker .

All these is said to be happening despite the fact that in most parts of Nytatike the police road check-points and road-blocks are there the whole day, and traffic police officers manning these check-points re mains in some places even soon after dark

What give credence to the claim of police complicity in the massive bhang trafficking in the region is that most vehicles nabbed by police in roadblocks are always found far away from Nyanza, mostly in Molo,Naivasha ,Nakuru and Narok area .Perhaps this is after such vehicles had travelled long distance from Nyanza while under the alleged police escort ,which saw them passing through Migori,Kisii,Nyamira and Bomet.

Police road blocks are everywhere in Migori ,Kisii ,Nyamira ,Kericho and Bomet but the bhang traffickers have always been nabbed in places far away from the region.Many of these are sure to conceal the drugs source of origins and supplies

Gwasi Hills ,Ungoe and Gembe Hills in Gwasi and Mbila constituencies are other areas where bhang is grown in abundance.

Before the coming of Independence in 1963, the colonial authorities knew these places and used to dispatch contingents of regular police GSU and APS.during dry seasons with ….to hunt down and burnt down the bhang as well as the makeshift house erected on hill tops by the farmers and those tending the farms. It worked well, but after the attainment of political independence, the successive KANU regime went into deep slumber and relaxed paving the way for more bhang farms to spring up.

The 7 acres bhang farm which the police discovered last month …..was estimated at KSh. 50 million in street value. The bhang was burnt and destroyed at Macalder Divisional Police headquarters.

Residents have however confided to this writer that there existed other bhang farms along the valley of River Kuja in areas not far away from Gogo falls, which is generating electricity for the KPLC and close to the famous pre-historical Thim Lich Ohinga which is now in the management of the Kenya Museum services.

END

USA & KENYA: RUMORS ABOUT THE OBAMA MARRIAGE CAUSED PANICKING IN HIS KENYAN RELATIVES HOME

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By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

PANICKING and anxiety has gripped the home of Kenyan relative of the US President Barrack Obama after a local daily newspaper made a startling speculative report that the Obama’s 21 year old marriage is headed to the rock.

THE PEOPLE, a Kenyan daily whose ownership is closely associate with the family business flagship of President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday this week devoted the whole page with the banner headline “Is Obama’s glamorous marriage ending soon?

The speculative article is well illustrated with series of photographs showing the Obamas in an unusual gloomy mood during couple recent trip to South Africa for the burial of the country icon Nelson Mandela, a clear sign that President and Mrs. Obama are no longer reading from the same script.

In one of the picture had a caption showing highly agitated Mrs Obama yelles at her husband in an animated chat with blonde Danish Prime Minister, Helle Thorning Schmidt during the burial of Mandela in South Africa.

Another interesting photo is showing President Obama engrossed on his smart mobile phone as unimpressed Michelle looks away and unconcerned.

The original report appeared to have been written by a US based journalist based In Washington D.C. a Mr Tom Leonard. A visit made by this writer to the Obamas family home in Alego Nyang’oma Kogelo in Kenya’s Siaya County about 50 kilometers west of Kisumu City found the grim faced family members gathering in small groups and carrying the copies of Monday edition of the PEOPLE while discussing the issue in low tones.

Although the Obamas have yet to visit Kenya their ancestral home where the President’s, father the late Barrack Obama senior, is buried, the couple are very popular with Kenyan people of all shades of life. Many people in this region are known to be most proud of the Obamas.

And even President Obama’s eldest step brother Malik Abong’o Obama who is a businessman-cum-politician could not offer any comment. Everybody is tight lipped including the usually flamboyant step-grand mother of the US President, the 90 year old Mrs Sarah Obama. The news appeared to have hit the family like the Tsunami.

The newspaper article opened with the following phrases citing the family invitation to guests for the Michelle”s 50th birthday. The invitation email message says in part ”guests to snack.sip and dancing, but advised the guests to wear comfortable shoes and practice their dance moves.”

“ Purse-lipped Washington etiquette, but it says experts were baffled at the informality of it all.” The Obamas have always been keen to appear accessible even if the stand offers vitality is somewhat different.

The report extensively quoted the US based newspaper, The National Enquirer. It adds that the Obamas are the world’s most scrutinized couple at the best of times, but was rare to find guests at the bash who did not secretly watch them with particular interests. After all,

the last time they were photographed together at the Nelsom Mandela memorial-The First Lady was looking none too pleased as the husband posed for for photographs with the leggy blonde Danish Primier Helle Thorning Schmidt.

ENDS

THE BRITISH MULTINATIONAL TEA COMPANIES IN KENYA FACES RAISING AGITATION OVER THEIR EXPIRED LAND LEASES.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town

The British multinational tea companies operating in Kericho and Bomet Counties in the Republic of Kenya whose 99 land lease has already expired should not be pushed out of their property, but they should be compelled to donate several hundreds of acres back to the community for the use in establishing essential public utilities projects.

Owing to the fact that the land in the rural locations in the two counties has become too congested and over populated, there are no space for the establishment of important public utilities such as hospitals and universities as well as other institutions of higher learning, therefore some parts of the land on which the tea plantations and factories stand on should revert to the community which were the original owners of the land.

These were the sentiments expressed by a prominent Kericho politician William Kepkemoi Arap Kettienya who reminded the multinational tea companies land that was forcefully seized from its original owners by the colonialists at the turn of the 20th century. Its lease has since expired but the locals live in densely populated rural community reserve land which can no longer be used in establishing socio economic projects such as hospitals and universities, which requires hundreds of acres of land space.

Kericho and Bomet housed more than 45 large tea estates and over 30 tea green leaves processing factories employing over 40,000 work force.

Keiitanya was reacting to a newspaper report which quoted leaders and politicians in the neighboring Nandi County who had called on tea farms whose land lease have expired to return the parcel to the original owners of the land and at the same time restore it to its form it had when the land was taken by force by the colonial authorities and distributed to the white settlers for tea plantation.

There are more than 30 large scale tea plantations for processing factories operating in both North and south Nandi. Key county leaders were amplifying what the Mps from the region had demanded.

Like in Kericho, Bomet counties, the tea farms operating in the region are owned by the British farms and individuals.

The Mps want the ownership of potrate of land used by British multi national companies reverted to the community. However, the leaders of Nandi county are not advancing the proposal that the land be sub-divided, hut will hold them in trust on behalf of the community.

The Nandi county leaders under the governor Cleophas Lagat is in total agreement with the Mps on the contentive issues is now backing the proposal hailed by the Mps and senator Stephen sang, Mrs. Alfred Keter (Nandi Hills), Nandi women rep. Zipora Kurgat , Alex Kosgei (bumugwen), Julias Meli (tindieret), Julius bitok (mosop) lejah lagat(ge) and Oscar sudi.

According to Mr. sang, their man is to give legal community ownership of land and not necessarily to interfere with the manners and the management of the tea firms

‘’we would like to make it clear that we are not trying to stage the kind of Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe style of farm takeover Of more companies, but rather empower the local community ownership and not necessarily interfere with owners and management of tea companies, but rather empower the local to be held in trust by the county government”.

There are more than 20 tea estates and factories in the Nandi Hills sub-county of the Nandi county, situated in the western part of the Rift valley.

The companies include George William’s and Eastern province of Kenya, Kepchono, kapchorwa, Koisagat, Sivet, kirkarus ,Nandi Hills Tea Company and others. These companies have employed up to 350000 workers directly and indirectly.

The issues surrounding the lease of the land on which tea estate and factories stand. On has remained the thorniest issue ever since 1996, When some leaders in Kericho and Bomet demanded that the land should revert to its original owners.

Thousands of rural communities previously occupying the land were forcefully removed from their property at gun point and consigned to to drought strickened and unproductive areas at the tune of the 20 century to pave the way for the introduction of tea bushes in the region which began in the early 1910 and 1922.

Some of the British multinational tea companies at one time were forced to disclose that their property land leased was not for the 99 years, but for the 999 years. This stunned and those advocating for the land to revert to its original owners/ The Kenya government made no comment on these claims.

Major tea companies operating in Kericho and Bomet Counties include james Finlays a Scotish firm, which is also of late involved in the production of cut fliers for reports. There are also other firms owned by individuals and companies in the region. They bringing the employment of the labour force in the regions to a total of about 40,000

However, the recent introduction of mechanized tea plucking machines saw a large number o0f workers being declared redundant and sent home. This has reduced the number of workers in the tea company drastically almost by half.

ENDS

KENYA: KIDERO’S GROWING INFLUENCE AND POPULARITY IN LUO-NYANZA UNSTOPABLE.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

THE Rapidly growing influence and popularity of the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Odhiambo Kidero in Luo Nyanza is unstoppable judging from the rousing welcome and deafening applause which he received during the last weekend Kisumu rally at the Kenyatta Sports Ground.

The Nairobi governor was the centre of attraction and his speech and endorsement by the luge crowd must left all and sundry convinced that Luo MPs who have been dissenting his fundraising activities in the region were at a loss and became disillusioned and disgruntled.

Buoyed by the prolonged cheering by the enthusiastic crowd of thousands of ODM supporters speech obviously might have caused a lot of panicking among his detractors.

The Kisumu rally was also attended by the three principals of CORD coalition led by the party leader raila Odinga, the former Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moaea WetangulA, Dr Kidero was wildly cheered despite some early wild rumors that a section of ODM youths and hirelings had been intoxicated and instigated to heckle him. Nothing lie that happened, and those responsible should feel themselves ashamed.

Kisumu rally followed an exclusive closed door meeting of all governors from the 25 Counties countrywide, which are under the CORD administration. Also in attendance were MPS from Nyanza and other regions.

The meeting came in the backdrop of the raging debate over the governors recent massive fundraising activities in the region, which did not go down well with the Raila loyalists.

AT THE END OF December last year a meeting of Luo MPs and other party stalwarts held aT Opoda BAR-Opuk, which is the rural Country home of the party leader Raila Odinga discussed and dwelt at length over Dr Kibero’s fundraising activities in Nyanza, with some of the dissenting it with claims that such activities had some elements of political undertone in Luo-Nyanza with the long scheme of wrestling don the political influence of the Odinga family.. This family has dominated the politics of the region ever since independence in 1963.

The debate went on despite Dr Kidero’s repeated denial that he had no political ambition ambition of challenging Railla supremacy in the Region. Such claims saw Dr Kidero and Raila sharing political platform at the Shauri-Moyo Primary school in Kisumu town during the home coming part of Ms Prisca Auma Misachi a member of Kisumu County. Ms Misachi is a sister to Dr Kidero’s mother-in-law the late Mra Pamela Mboya..

The two happily addressed the crowd and jointly denied there existed any friction between two of them with Kidero coming out bold when he told the gathering that a son cannot challenge his father and mentor The two reiterated theiir commitment to work towards the unity if purpose within the Luo community and also in the ODM with the aims and objective of making the party a popular vehicle for development and future election victory..

It was also most interesting that some of the leaders who had attended the meeting at Raila home last December and who deliberated in bad gossip crowd for the Nairobi governor. When Kidero asked the crowd whether he should continue with his fundraising activities the crowed roared back with wild shouts”Harambee iendelee”..

The Nairobi governor took to the podium immediately after the crowed had jeered and booed the Kisumu governor Jackton Ranguma who was forced to cut short his speech and had come down on earth amid prolonged cheers, adulation and wild cat calls “Kidero Kidero”.

The huge crowed endorsed the Nairobi governor’s fundraising activities and renovations of schools, health facilities and other socio-economic projects in the region.

IT IS worthwhile to remember that the issue of questioning the sources of massive funds which Dr.Kidero was donating in his fundraising meetings was raised Raila’s home by by the Homa-Bay Senator who had alleged that such money could be used in dividing the Luos.

Ends

WORLD: GENERAL AERIAL SHARON DESERVED & WAS GIVEN A HEROIC MILITARY BURIAL HONOR

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

It is worth appreciation the way and manner in which the former Israel Prime Minister, the late Aerial Sharon, was given the highest honour of military sending off before his burial

Given Sharon deserved the heroic burial taking into account his both political and military history in the Jewish state since its formation in 1948.

But the most recent was his military role in the Yom Koppur war of October 1973.

The Egyptians 3rd army had launched a surprise attack against the the Israeli security network in the Sinai dessert and crossed through the them seemingly impregnable Barlev Line, the Israeli defensive line in the Mt Sinai desert. The Egyptians took advantage of the Yom Koppur holidays when most Israeli soldiers guarding their country’s defensive line were less attentive.

Gen. Sharon, while commanding the Israeli tank brigade, launched an elaborate counter attack offensive and encircled the Arabs armies, besieged them and managed to cross the Suez Canal

Thousands in the Egyptians army which had broken the Barlev line were surprised and besieged when they were cornered in the dessert and forced to retreat in disarray leaving behind tanks and other important military armaments. The Egyptian soldiers had even taken off their military boots and abandoned them in the desert together with guns .This was after two days of tank-to-tank battle in the desert. The Egyptian abandoned ultra modern Russian made tanks, some of them intact, while others were disabled.

At the time when the ceasefire which was brokered by the UN Security Council the US and the international community come into effect. Gen. Sharon and his tank brigade had already crossed the Suez Canal water way and were only 45 kilometer from Cairo. the Egyptian soldiers abandoned their army uniform and boots as well as guns in the dessert while fleeing from Gen. Sharon and his men.

Records show that Gen. Sharon took active part in the 1948 war which resulted in the creation of the State of Israel. This was a hit and run guerrillas like war. In the six day middle East war of 1967 against the huge Arab armies comprising combined forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria had received a thorough beating by him. Gen. Sharon was in the tank brigade that smashed Syria defensive line in the Golan Heights. He therefore deserved all sorts of public and military honour for his heroic background.

In the battle of Sinai desert, Gen Sharon was wounded in the forehead, and newspaper reports flushed his heavily bandaged fore head to the world.

In the 1948 war of independence. He was among the disciples of the one eyed Gen. Moshe Dayan.

thousands of Israeli citizens had staged a noisy demonstrations in Jel Aviv streets ,while shouting their support for Gen. Moshe Dayan. Kaczet (parliament) had forced the then prime minister Ben gurion to appoint Dayan to a term as the Defence Minister.

Gen. Sharon was later to serve both as foreign minister and PM respectively

As young Kenyan journalists under going social studies sponsored by the Kenya Federation of Labor under the late Tom Mboya IN 1962, We studied at the Kibutzi managed by the Stardust & The Israel Federation of Workers. I had the good luck of shaking haunts with Gen. Sharon at the five star King David Hotel in Tel Aviv in 1963 and also on two occasions shared a handshake which another former PM and foreign Minister Mr. Golda Meir and Abba Eban, the linguists Foreign Minister of Israel and other old politicians of those days..

However, I was so disappointed to read the comment by one of the Palestine politician who depicted Gen. Sharon a criminal man who died without having faced punishment for his crimes against human beings for his role in the massacre of Palestinian refugee in Lebanon

By all standard, Gen Sharon died as a hero who had served his country diligently, selflessly with zeal and dedication

I must take this opportunity to sincerely thank the government of Israel for having accorded Gen.Sharon the most colorful and fitting heroic burial

LEO ODERA OMOLO

KENYA: TWO NIGHT GUARDS BATTLED IT OUT WITH A HYENA OVER THE CARCASS OF A GAZELLE ANTELOPE THEY HAD HUNTED FOR THEIR MEAL

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Two night guards sustained grievous bodily harm during a tough fight with the hyena who sneaked into their makeshift house and snatched the carcass of a gazelle antelope which they had hunted and killed for their meal.

The incident took place in Narok North in the heart of Maasailand, not far away from the famous Maasai Mara Game reserve. The beast ventured in a makeshift house, where the guards lived, while they were asleep and snatched the carcass of an antelope.

The commotion then followed when the hyena was dragging the carcass out of the house. The guards were woken, but, it was too late because the hyena had already dragged meat into the thicket. They quickly armed themselves with bow and arrows, spears and machetes and gave chase.

Battle ensued and the guards manage to retrieve the carcass. ”We bravely followed it into the forest. The incident took place at a place called EOR-Kule in Narok district, Narok Count. The hyena did not gave up. It followed the guards and the carcass menacingly up to their s door steps, forcing them to light up a bonfire to keep the hyena at bay.. The beast then fled and disappeared in the nearby forest.

The two guards were treated of their injuries at the Narok district hospital and discharged. The senior game warded of the KENYA wildlife Service, KWS}Mr Benard Koruta, advised those who live next to the forest to be more cautious, adding that the current biting drought in the area was responsible for the rise in human-wildlife conflict.

In November last year a woman successfully fought off three hyenas which attempted to drag away her three year old son into the forest. Another Maasai woman braved a fight with a grown up male leopard which mauled her savagely last month.

And last week, two Maasai Morans were mailed by a lion they were trying to kill as part of their cultural initiation into manhood.. The two Maasai Morans are still being treated for their injuries at the Narok district hospital.

ENDS

KENYA: MORE REBELLION AGAINST RUTO IN THE SOUTH RIFT REGION OF KIPAIGISLAND

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News Analysis BY Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town

The time is ripe for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto to display their political magnanimity and dynamism and listen to the cries of the their supporters in the South Rift region., and if possible correct the erratic appointment of the parastatal chiefs.

The South Rift regions covering Kerixho and Bomet Countries appear to have a genuine case to complaints, about, which should be addresses in order to restore the confidence of the electorate who had supported the jubilee coalition almost on a man-to-man during the March 4, 2013 elections.

The Kipsigisland region is a votes rich area boosting close to 1.5 _ _ _ votes, and the most populous sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups and as such it is an area which should not be ignored in its appointments for paraststal chiefs and those serving the quasi-government organizations.

A cross check and interviews conducted by this writer with politicians In this town has revealed deeply rooted sense of disappointments and complaints against the Jubilee government which is blamed for having short-changed the community..

The recent sentiments which were expressed by the Kurusu South MP Zakayo K Cheruiyot has received an overwhelming support by the leaders and ordinary members of the public. The MP who is known to be a man of few words is therefore considered as having spoken what is truly reflected the feeling of the silent majority.

A prominent Kipsigis politician William Kipkemoi [Chemosit] Arap Kettienya said the community is in full support of the views expressed by the Bomet governor Isaack Ruto, the Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter and other about the day to day management of the Jubilee government is wanting.

Kettienya blamed the Deputy President for hosting a delegation of the purported Kipsigis leaders at his Sugoit home in Uasibn Gishu. The delegation, he said comprised of self-seekers and bunch of opportunists who went there for the purpose of spreading ill-conceived gossips against the elected URP leaders in the region.

KETTIENYA TOLD dp Ruto to deal only with the two governors in the region, namely Isaac Ruto {Bomet} and Prof. Paul Chepkwony {Kericho}, because these are the de facto leaders mandated by the Kipsigisi to speak on their behalf and nobody else, Kettienya accused the Kipsigis cousins from the north of giving the community raw dealings, and trying to undermining the community leaders.

Kettienya is the KANU branch secretary in Kericho County When this writer visited Kericho town people could be seem in small groups discussing politics and all blaming DP Ruto for the woes affecting the Kipsigis community.

The common saying is that Ruto is not advising his boss Uhuru Kenyatta property, and has been making some provocative public pronouncements.

The original MNou signed between the URP/TNA was 50-50 power sharing between the two principal partners in the Jubilee coalition, but the TNA side appeared to have taken the lions share. Ruto’s recent tour of the region for the purpose of pacifying the region did not materialize, and instead some of his utterances have fueled more discontent more than ever before. The resident now call upon President Kenyatta to make an urgent visit for dialogue with the regional leaders in Kericho and Bomet Counters’.

Other leaders scathingly criticized Kericho Senator Charles Keter whom they blamed for being single handedly responsible for the current fall out

One Ward Representative in KERICHO County warned Senator Keter to stop dancing to the tune of Anti-Kipsigis elements from the North Rift. There is no way the Jubilee government should shortchange the majority people who voted for it, said the Rep who requested for his anonymity for gear of possible reprisals.

Another local politician blamed Senator Keter for undermining the two governors who are currently managing the two Kipsigis Counties, and adding this message, “Please leave our two governors alone to discharged their constitutional duties to the electorate,”

A group of youths in Kericho Town were heard shouting loudly in the streets that Alfred Keter, Zakayo Cheruiyot and governor Isaac Ruto were the community heroes who speaks the truth when their community is being marginalized and sidelined in government appointments.

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EAST AFRICAN STATES SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO JOINTLY COMBAT TERRORISM IN THE REGION

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City

SECURITY Ministers of the three Eastern African nations of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda met in Kigali, the Rwandan capital early this week and signed an important pact to jointly combat the activities of the terrorists bin the region.

The new pact according to an impeccable source, will address threats posed by marauding genocidal entities such as { FDRL}, terrorists groups like ADF-Nalu, and the islamists Al-Shabaab, and several transnational crime groups, that require collective security framework.

Kenya”s cabinet secretary for Defense Ms Rachelle Omamo and internal security counterpart Joseph Ole Lenku went Kigali and met with their Ugandan and Rwandan counterparts..They Signed the pactwith the Rwandan Defense Minister James Kabarebe while Ugandan Defense Minister Grispus Kiyongsa signed on behalf of the Kampala regime.

Under the new pact, the three countries which are member states of the East African Community joint forces will tackle the terrorism in the region following the steady raise of terrorism menace in the region.

Addressing newsmen on behalf the group, Rwandan Defebse Minister Kabarabe that the landmark Mutual Defense and security agreement will help the three countries jointly tackle “Negative Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda” [FDRL], WHICH Rwandan government accuse ofhaving links with the perpetrators 0f the 1994 genocide in Rwanda which claimed the lives of close to one million people..

The minister said the Rwandan government has refused to negotiate with FDRL and has accused the UN of backing the rebel movements in the DEMOCRATIC republic of the {DRC} and deploying death squad to murder opponents abroad.

The document was also endorsed by thr Rwandan Internal Security MIinister MUSA fazil Haremana and HIS Kenyan counterpart Arounda Nyakiraima \nd Ole Lenku respectively..

According to Rwandan officials, the pact will seek to address the security challenges that may come with free movement of people..”, he said adding that co-operation between the three countries will bring more benefits t the population.”

The Rwandan Minister hinted that after signing the pact,the next step will be to develop the common foreign policy for the three countries in order to have one voice on the global stage.

He added, “We need to harmonize defense and security with foreign policies.” We must be inclusive and outward looking because dealing with the current global maters require us to work together in the region.

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KENYA: ODM IS BEING FIZZLED OUT OF KISII REGION

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisii Town.

The recently active participation in the just concluded by election in Nyaribari Chache by members of the “Nyandusi family” has spelt the looming signal of dooms and the end of CORD / ODM influence in Kisii region.

This is the family of the late Ex-Senior Chief Musa Nyandusi Ayacko who had ruled the entire Nyaribari Location with an iron fist for close to 30 years ever since 1930s, but still highly respected for what the former Chief did to the community in terms of introduction of modern agriculture, modern education, and massive development.

He was the father of the former cabinet Minster Simeon Nyachae, the former cabinet Minister, and the most abrasive politician. Nyachae is the founder of the Ford Peoples party, which once ruled supreme in Gusii region between 2002 and 2007. He has since retired from active politics, but his influence in the Gusii region remained intact to date.

Members of thus family brushed aside clan’s politics which usually dominate Kisii politics and vigorously campaigned for the winner Richard Tongi from the minority Boguche clan.

The Nyandusi family belonged to Abanyamasicho, which is part of a group of the amalgamated eight sub-clans called “The Kambanane”. This group boosts the voting strength which is in excess of 30,000 registered voters in Nyaribari Chache.

The ODM/CORD also got a big thrashing in Bomachoge Borabu by – election where the Jubilee’s Joel Onyancha beat its candidate Peter Kimori hands down.

ODM Leader Raila Odinga and other party luminaries campaigned for their candidates in both constituencies, but it ended in total disappointment.

However, the party mostly blamed its usually flawed and poorly managed skewed nomination system. The party adamantly ignored the plea by voters in Gusii who had demanded that the party should conduct preliminary nomination exercises to enable the voters to send up the most popular candidate. ODM instead came up with hand-picked candidates named from its Orange House head office in Nairobi, understandably due to the ever present of many brokers and tried to impose them on the Kisii voters.

It should be remembered that the ODM lost close to 10 parliamentary seats, which were considered very safe in its stronghold electoral areas. in Western Kenya to its competitors during the March 4,2013. It lost the following seats which include Kuria East, Kuria West, Teso North and Teso South. Also lost were parliamentary constituencies in Luo-Nyanza of Alego/Usonga, Muhoroni, Kisumu Town West, Awendo and Migori governor position seat went to Omingo Magara’s little known People Democratic Party {PDP} whose tickets were also used by Migori governor Zachary Okoth Obado and the Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo.

The most intriguing aspect of the recent by elections in Kisii only two party MPs supported ODM candidates. These were Richard Onyonka [Kitutu Chache South and Simon Ogari [Bomachoge Chache. and T.Bosire of Kitutu Masaba. The South Mugirango MP Manson Oyongo Nyamweya openly threw his weight behind Tongi who contested by Nyaribari Chache seat on Ford People party ticket thus attracting the backing of the mighty Nyachae family.

The CORD/ODM coalition, however, is still counting on the support of its few left stalwarts like Senator Chris Mogere obure, Nominated Senator Janet Ongera, Kisii governor James Ongwae and his Deputy Joash Maangi abd Women Representative Anne Otaraand several Ward Representatives. However, the gong appeared to be hard on the Raila Odinga party, which had ruled supreme in Gusii between 2007 and 2013 bagging nearly all the parliamentary seats. In Kisii and Nyamira Counties. The party should rebrand itself and strategize for 2017 general election. It must go back to the drawing board and usher in the necessary reforms in its electoral nomination system by avoiding many political brokers and hirelings.

There is clear evidence that many people in Gusii land now prefer the Jubilee coalition and the party of President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto should expect a great influx of people migrating from ODM to the Jubilee within the next few months.

Opinion leaders in Gusiiland, however, are saying the are not happy with the recent appointment of parastatal chiefs by President Uhuru Kenyatta whguch excluded Prof. Sanm K. Ongeri the former Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation during the defunct PNU/ODM coalition Ongeri the most astute and dynamic politician who is arguably the most experience leader in the region has yet to be given any appointment despite having campaigned vigorously for the Jubilee coalition.

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KENYA: FARMERS CALL FOR SPEEDY PRIVATIZATION OF MIWANI AND MUHORONI SUGAR COMPANIES

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

DISCONTENT is high up among the sugar cane farmers in the Nyanza sugar belt over the seemingly endless official receivers management of two sugar companies.

Miwani Sugar Mill and Muhoroni Sugar Company Limited, all government owned parastatals, were placed under the official receivership management in April, 2001. The then Agriculture Minister, Chris Mogere Obure, said at the time that the two companies were to be under the joint official receivers for protective purposes. THe receivership for Miwani was to last for three months while the Muhoroni Sugar Company was to last for six months

In the case of the heavily indebted Miwani Sugar Mills, Obure said government was to appoint financial experts to write its books of accounts and offset its debts. Miwani was heavily indebted to banks, suppliers, cane farmers and workers to the tune of about Kshs 4 billon.

At the time, Miwani had planted cane crops in its 9,700 neucleus farm, which experts had estimated that when harvested, crushed into made sugar and sold would generate sufficiently enough cash money which could offset its debts.

HOWEVER, Reports making the round says that the resources of the two public companies were later subjected to massive vandalization of the highest order. Following the appointments and dismissals of team of joint receiver managers after the other.

And ever since 2001 year after years passed without any signs as to when the joint receivership management would be lifted. Miwani the oldest sugar factory I the country grounded to a halt and stopped crushing cane about five years ago, while the ailing Muhoroni Sugar Mills is still functioning, but and ailing and limping.

Muhoroni MP James Onyango K’Oyoo recently raised objection to the latest appointment of the joint receiver manager of persons of not well proved credibility who however, stood his ground

The songs about the privatization of the five government owned sugar companies have been in the air for the last two decades while the joint receiver managers have continued milking the resources of the two companies. The deals also involved the Kenya Sugar Board KSB}, which is the official regulating body in the sugar industry as well as the parent Ministry.

The appointment of joint official receivers is said to be attracting a lot of goodies, thus confirming allegations and claims that the two companies have since become the “milking cows” for some unscrupulous Ministry’s officials and board members.

The farmers in both Nyando and Muhoroni districts now want the government to expedite the privatization of Miwani and Muhoroni Sugar Companies.

Other rumors making the round within Kisumu and its environs the round within Kisumu and its environs is say that an influential and crafty entity is currently working in cahoots and clandestinely with the wealthy Indian business while targeting the Miwani’s 9,700 acres nucleus estate land for the grab. A source has confided to this writer that it won’t take long the farm which has been subject to a heated exchange between the farmers and the receiver managers as well as protracted legal tussle through courts between the wealthy Indian businessmen in Kisumu is grabbed by the politicians and his collaborators.

The residents of Kano plains and the surrounding rural location are now urging the government either to hand over the two sugar mills to credible investors altogether with their assets including farms. They are insisting that anybody interested in Miwani and Muhoroni Sugar Mills should be ready to invest in the two companies with their crucial land farms intact as it could only play pivotal role in boosting the economy of the region if they are resuscitated and floated for privatization to investors.

The Kano people as well as farmers in the Muhoroni, Chemelil, Kibios,Koru, Fort-Tennan and those farming in the surrounding Locations of South East and North East Kano, Miwani and Kibos. Anything short of this will not be tolerated by the stakeholders.

The farmers are now bold and want the government to kick out the official receiver managers out of Miwani and Muhoroni as their presence is undesirable. This is because their resources. Five sugar companies, which are still under the public investments included the Awendo-based Sony Sugar, Chemelil, Nzoia, Miwani and Muhoroi sugar companies.

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KENYA: SUGAR CANE FARMERS ARE GETTING RAW DEALINGS FROM MILLERS

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Reports appearing in heal media stating that there is discontent among sugar cane farmers over high cost of cane production in Kenya despite the country’s commitment to lift COMESA safeguard by March next year.

Cane farmers are taling myriads of production which are slowly driving farmers out of cane growing moving to other cash crops with letter return.

High cost of cane farm inputs, exploitation by millers , expensive credit and poor execution of regulations governing business in the sugar industry have seen farmers paint give in the production of sugar sub sector of the economy this year.

Nearly all the millers in the sugar cane growing areas have drastically reduced the price of van materials (cane) which had hit Konsoro two years age. The millers are charging huge transport fees.

On top of all the production, train cane farmers, corruption is also rampant in relation to cane harvesting programes rolled out by millers. Delayed payment and indication of deductions

Two new medium size white sugar processing factories were in southern Nyanza region Owal Wachara in Ndhiwa district, the other one in Trans-Mara, Narok county

At the commence business, the two mils when paying the farmers very competitive price of Ksh. 5,000 per metric from. In fact the seller industries in Ndhiwa was paying Ksh. 5,000 and not charging the farmer for transport credit. It has since reduced this to 3,800 per tonne and extra enhanced on the cost of transportation.

The Maasai farmers violently, protected against the unilateral increase in transport charge. They blocked the roads leading to the factory, forcing the operation to an halt at the Trans Mara suffer factory, said the same loader.

Similar problem has risen in industry mills, which is located at Wachara near Oria Narket on the border of Ndhiwa and Levivi Districts . Two mills, one located in places less than 5km from the area to base sony sugar company mills.

However, sony sugar has maintained its prices as rain comes at 480/- @ tonne plus transport lorry fees.

These are allegations and complaints that the Manager charged with the responsibility of harvesting in the Sukari Industries. as one solution of managing, demanded bribes from the poor farmers before carrying out harvesting cane from the farmers field.

This stop and move behind the scenes should he expose and investigated. It is even very sad at this time stage for it to occur.

The ailing Muhoroni Sugar Company has turned out to be a field for trading receivers at the expense of turning the factory around and selling it to strategic indicator with cane farmers getting 51 per cent.

Records and background of those being traded in may be shocking. How were they arrived at during this era of openness and transparency? Could one of the RECEIVERS have been involved in the run down of Mumias Out Powers Company where money COULD have been SWINDLED in purchase of very exorbitant and inflated priced cane transport trailers? Could one of Board which ensured that a situation that was meant to last only 4 month lasted forever on that the low rolled continue to the Milked?

If Milking has been enough can’t he call for a break so that the cow can be attended to by some health expert to ensure its health does not lead to total collapse and death instead of going for any “miller” who has no basic understanding of the cow’s health requirement?

Is it that those who tested other during the last elections must now eat?

Farmers are helpless.

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KENYA: MUHORONI VILLAGE IN SHOCK AS 68 YEAR OLD GRANNY IS BEHEADED BY HIRED THUGS

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

RESIDENTS of Kanjuro village in Sidho East Location within Muhoroni sub-county, KISUMU County woke up last Thursday to a rude shock when they discovered that a 68 year old grand mother had been killed in a grisly murder and beheaded and some parts of the body missing.

The lifeless and mutilated body of Mrs Doris Amolo 68 year old grand mother Matete was placed on a plastic chair, while the head was kept besides it. Her both arms, particularly the little fingers were also severed off altogether with her lip.

Her 78 year old husband was in the house and they house door was locked from outside. The husband William Matete a retired employee of the Kenya breweries Limited had gonr blind, and the two were living alone in the house. Villagers became suspicious that something fishy had gone wrong when the deceased family house door remain locked from morning to noon hours. They later forced the door open when they discovered the body. The blind husband was still struggling to open the door locked from outside in vain.

POLICE IN Kisumu immediately swung into action and arrested three people. The suspect included a former civic Councilor in the defunct County Council of Nyando representing MSOGO Ward.

The police visited the home of a family relative and recovered several items suspected to have been stolen by the old woman’s killers. The items included a gas cooker, 50 corrugated iron sheets, several kilograms of roofing nails, 12 bags of cement. The police are holding the three who are likely to appear before a court in Kisumu to answer murder charges.

The deceased was the mother an unsuccessful aspirant for the Muhorooni parliamentary constituency in 2007 and now a director director of Algiers, East African Air Condition Limited in Kisumu.

After a thorough interrogation by the police, the two youths readly admitted that they were paid Kshs 20,000 by the ex-Councilor and were to be paid a balance of Kshs 30,000 to add it up to a total Kshs 50,000 upon the completion of the job. The youth told relatives and the police that they had taken the missing parts of the body to the e-civic leader to justify the payment of the balance money.

A local source confided to this writer that there has been a long standing enmity within the larger MATETE family arising from unresolved old land dispute,. The Ex-Councilor, it was further alleged is fond of issuing death threats to members of this family., Most of these threats were reported to the police. Last year his son by the name Okoth attacked the deceased and assaulted her causing her bodily harm when the old grand mother cautioned him to stop grazing hers of cattle in her home compound. The deceased reported the matter to the police. She was issued with a P3 form, which was duly filled by a competent medic who had assessed her injuries as grievous harm. The P3was handed to the Police at Chemelil Police, but for the whole year the police did not act on it until the deceased met her death last Thursday.

The grisly murder come within only a month after the parents of Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor were killed and their house partly burnt in Kabete, Upper Nyakach region.

Muhoroni MP James Oyango Koyoo strongly condemned the cowardice killing of Mrs Matete and appealed to the police to step up surveillance in the area with the view to wedding out criminal thugs who are making the lives of fellow citizens difficult.

Koyoo at the same time appealed to his constituents to co-cooperate with the forces of law reinforcement in eradicating The alarming increased in criMe waves in Muhoroni.

At the time of writing this report, residents were still wondering why the neighbor of the deceased in whoise house the stolen items were discovered, and who is a school teacher living only 600 meters from thre victim”s house had yet to be arrested and charged with the offense of hadling stolen goods or items he had reasons to believe were had been stolen. The man is still moving around scots free.

The Ex-Councilor, according to residents who requested for their anonymity is a man who is fond of bragging off saying he had a lot of money and can hire thugs to eliminate anybody who crosses his path and bails himself out free.

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KENYA UGANDA AND RWANDA READY FOR SINGLE TOURISTS ENTRY VISA

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WRITES Leo odera Omolo

Foreigners visiting any of the five member state of the East African Community as tourists midstream now have to wait until next week to get a single visa covering Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda after the three countries missed January 1, 2014 deadline for valid of the travel document.

The East Africa tourist visa was expected to take effect yesterday January 1st 2014. However government officials in Nairobi were quoted by local media services as saying that this launch had been pushed forward to next week due the to unforeseen logistic problems.

The logistics for the role out, says a source, are being worked out right now and are expected to be in place by early next week.

Once in place in place, the visa will give the tourists multiple entry access to the three countries, allowing the government of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, to market the region as a single towards destination.

On December 17, 2013, stakeholders from the three countries met in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, to assess the feasibility of rolling out the visa on New Year day.

During the meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, the delegation had noted that it was in the process of distributing 60,000 visa strikers to high commissioners and immigration departments of the three countries. The process was expected by December 23 , 2013.

Kenya and Uganda were also expected to send information technology (IT) experts to Kigali for training which was set the fin on December 22 , 2013.

It is perhaps these logistics that have seen the launch of the visa delayed until next week.

According to report issued during the December 17, Kigali meetings, the East African tourist visa will have validity of 90 days and will be over about Kshs8,650 (USD 100) .

To: jaluo@jaluo.com, sjacobs100@aol.com, noc@bbc.co.uk

KENYA,UGANDA AND RWANDA SET THE PACE FOR ONE SINGLE TOURISTS VISA TO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY STATES.

WRITES Leo odera Omolo

Foreigners visiting any of the five member state of the East African Community as tourists midstream now have to wait until next week to get a single visa covering Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda after the three countries missed January 1, 2014 deadline for valid of the travel document.

The East Africa tourist visa was expected to take effect yesterday January 1st 2014. However government officials in Nairobi were quoted by local media services as saying that this launch had been pushed forward to next week due the to unforeseen logistic problems.

The logistics for the role out, says a source, are being worked out right now and are expected to be in place by early next week.

Once in place in place, the visa will give the tourists multiple entry access to the three countries, allowing the government of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, to market the region as a single towards destination.

On December 17, 2013, stakeholders from the three countries met in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, to assess the feasibility of rolling out the visa on New Year day.

During the meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, the delegation had noted that it was in the process of distributing 60,000 visa strikers to high commissioners and immigration departments of the three countries. The process was expected by December 23 , 2013.

Kenya and Uganda were also expected to send information technology (IT) experts to Kigali for training which was set the fin on December 22 , 2013.

It is perhaps these logistics that have seen the launch of the visa delayed until next week.

According to report issued during the December 17, Kigali meetings, the East African tourist visa will have validity of 90 days and will be over about Kshs8,650 (USD 100) .

PRESIDENT KENYATTA HAS THE RIGHT TO APPOINT HIS LOYAL SUPPORTERS TO THE POSITION OF TRUST

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo IN Kisumu CITY

Those politicians making noisy over the appointment of of parastatal heads have got it wrong. They ought to have known that such coveted appointment are not done by tht President single handedly, but only after a thorough consultation involving other arms of the government including the security intelligence for clearance.

This has been the tradition in Kenya ever since the country become independent in 1963 and thtrefore not the creation of President Kenyatta alone. Apart from the clearance by the department of the security intelligence it also required the approval and implementation of the parent MINISTRY INVOLVED.

What counts most is one’s total loyalty to the head of state who is the appointing authority and the government. The President of the Republic of Kenya cannot wake up in the morning and announce such appointment without proper consultation. And it is constitutional prerogative to do so without knelling down before anybody.

Ambassador Francis Muthaura comes in with the wealthy of experience in public administration and I do not see anything wrong for him being considered for such a plum job. He is more than qualified and his age cannot be a barrier to the job. Let the noisy making politicians respect the country constitution that empowered the President to be the appointing authority.

Some of the vocal critics of the appointments perhaps would have wished to see their political cronies given these jobs despite of experience and qualifications. We are still smarting from an era where one Leader had appointed close elatives and cousin’s t 21 of the plum jobs. This what happened during the PNU/ODM coalition. Such shameful acts should not be allowed to happen again in Kenya,

I can challenge those who are vocal over President Kenyatta’s appointments in parastatals and quasigovernment organizations to give us the breakdown of what happened during the coalition government.

Leo Odera Omolo

KENYA: CRITICISM AND ATTACK ON GOVERNOR KIDERO BY LUO LEADERS IS UNCALLED FOR

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu CITY

The bunch of Luo MPS and leaders attended the so-called consultative meeting in Bondo last week. They denounced the Nairobi governor Dr. Evans Otieno Kidero for his effort to assist the poverty ridled community by conducting a series of high profile Harambee fundraising towards socio-economic projects in Nyanza was misplaced.

These gentlemen of parliament should know that the index of poverty in Luo-Nyanza is the highest in this country. Therefore, the community would definitely welcome anybody who is readily coming to their assistance with both arms. The region therefore needs a foresighted person like Dr Kidero who is mindful of the less fortune members of the society.

Some of the leaders who spoke the loudest should perhaps spent their valuable hero worshiping individuals instead of making any meaningful contributions to wards development activities in the region. One of the examples is the Homa-Bay Senator, Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ who spearheaded anti-Kidero debate, was first elected to represent the larger Mbita Constituency in Parliament before it was splintered into two parts with the creation of Suba South or Gwassi constituency some years ago. Kajwang’ later jumped the ship and relocated his politics to HOMA-bay County and contested the Senate seat, but left nil record of development in Mbita. However, the Senator cannot account for any single economic or infrastructure project he had initiated and completed in Mbita after being in Parliament for close to 17 years.

The outspoken Senator can only be remembered with the song lyrics of Bado Kuna Mapambsno as his only legacy in Mbita. He was eventually forced out of Mbita which he left in a huff after sensing defeat early this year and relocated his politics to HomaA-Bay town for the purpose of hoodwinking the voters in the larger County.

Kajwang’ entered into Parliament almost at the same time with the late Joshua orwa Ojode, the former Ndhiwa MP who was elected in 1974. Ojode, however, left behind a remarkable record of development in Ndhiwa. The MP who converged at Bondo and vilified Kidero are some of those leaders still happy when presiding over the Poverty ridden people, while some of them are swimming in ill-gotten wealth. They should know that hero worshipping politics is now outmoded and has no place in modern society,

Instead of criticizing Dr Kidero, the MPS should strive to sensitizing their people to compete with their neighbors in wealth creation. The Luos have been wallowing in abject poverty ever since this country attained its political independence in 1963, while other neighboring communities moves much faster and turned their areas.

Good example is the comparison of Kisii town and Kisumu CITY. While Kisumu is lagging behind in development, activities in Kisii town are very competitive while Kisumu is stinking in dirty garbages and broken sewerage lines which goes for weeks unrepaired.

Let these MPS come up with tangible ideas on how the Luo-Nyabza could move much faster and catch up with other regions, instead of polarizing the region with deceitful politics, which are full of empty slogans.

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KENYA: A MAASAI WOMAN ESCAPED DEATH AT THE JAWS OF ROGUE MALE LEOPARD.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

Cases of wildlife – human conflict still persist in Kenya with fresh report which emerged during Christmas holiday. A middle aged Maasai women narrowly escaped death after she was attacked by a full grown male leopard while fetching firewood in a village near the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The Maasai Mara Game Reserve is in a Narok land, 80Km – 250kilometres southwest of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

The victim who was alone in a thicket reportedly encountered the beast on X-mas eve at a place called Aitong area

Officials of the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) said the women escaped with some minor injuries on her hands, face, head and back

She had gone to fetch firewood to prepare supper for her family when the incident happened. The KWS official Benard Karua said she is lucky to be alive because moments after the attack one raised alarm which scared the beast away

The KWS hinted that the woman is entitled to compensation for injuries following the – introduced wildlife conservation management- act placed by parliament

In a separate incident of 15 years old boy was killed while a 13 year old girl escaped with broken limbs when they were attracted by a crocodiles which testing water in the River Tana in Garsen, Tana River County in Kenya’s coastal region.

Eye witness saw the body of Abdi David, a herdsboy, that had yet to be recovered at the time of writing this time report.

They said the girl, Leila Santuri, a standard five pupil at Garsen Primary School, suffered broken limbs during the attack.

Both her legs were broken during the vicious attack by the reptile. She was rushed to Malindi Hospital where she is receiving treatment.

The hospital authority confirmed that she was admitted to the facility on December 14 but decline to disclose about her latest condition. She is, however, responding well to treatment.

Another brother of the two victims was attacked and killed by a crocodile in the same spot in 1990, but the government has yet to compensate the family.

The Ward Rep for Garsen and the family of the herdsmen called on the KWS to s build the protective measures as a part of its corporate social responsibility to prevent crocodiles from attacking those villagers fetching water.

ENDS

KENYAN POLITICIANS MUST GIVE PRESIDENT KENYATTA AND THE JUBILEE GOVERNMENT A BREATHING SPACE OF TIME TO WORK

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Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo

I should like to extend my passionate appeal to the opposition groups both inside and outside parliament to give the young jubilee government the breathing space of time so that it could implement its election pledges and carry this country to the next level of development.

This government needs sufficient time to enable it to plan well its development activities and programmers. But it could not do so because the opposition groups have kept it on its toes with flurry of destructive criticisms and allegations one after the other making look like if Kenya is permanently on the election mood.

The elections comes and goes, and those who lost their seats and positions during the March 4, 2013 general election should now take the back seats, go home and take care of their cows, goats and sheep if they had any and allow President Uhuru Kenyatta and his teams of youthful technocrats to work under the peaceful atmosphere and in harmony.

Equally important is that there should be only one government’s spokes man who is well versed and fully conversant with the government policy and not not the so-called Tom Dick and Harry.

These characters at times act as agents of confusion through their frequent sycophantic outbursts, which often fell short of convincing Kenya that they are the right defenders of the government.

In this context, I have in mind the like of the Hon. Aden Duale the majority leader in Parliament and the Starehe MP Hon Maina Kamanda and other Jubilee supporters who have been displaying their political mediocrity and naivety each time they opened up in the name of defending the government. Some of these people need to have their statements officially cleared by the government spokesman before such statements are released for public consumption. Kenya is a country of civilized and highly educated men and women, and not a banana state like the neighboring Somalia.

Constructive engagement is the best way of running a country. Therefore our politicians who are engaged in criss-crossing the full length and width of the country while feeding the people with empty poetical slogans and pack of lies are doing a disservice to this nation. THe people need time to cultivate their farms and plant new food crops so that they have enough to eat and not empty political rhetorics based on malice. There will be no other elections until the year 2017 therefore those who wanted to stay afloat and remain relevant in our national politics should strive to find other gainful engagements and allow the Wananchi enough time to go about their daily cores.

The jubilee government is only eight months old in office and as such cannot solve all the problems affecting the Kenyan people overnight. In needs sufficient time to settle down and plan well forth future.

President Kenyatta, I am sure for certain meant well for Kenyans and only need time to implement the government programmers without frequent disruption and endless political agitation by the disgruntled losers of the March 4, elections. Kenyan are so happy that the President appear to be committed to reaching every communities including those living in areas and region which voted against his jubilee coalitions. This is a wonderful political magnanimity on his part, which should be highly appreciated by all Peace-loving Kenyans.

We should all appreciate that managing the state affairs is quite different from seeping a glass of beer or whisky.

Let us all hope that the new year with restore sanity in the minds od the disgruntled oppositionists.

LEO ODERA OMOLO IN KISUMU CITY