Category Archives: Leo Odera Omolo

KENYA: THE GOVERNMENT IS URGED TO BEEF UP SECURITY POLICE PATROL ALONG THE NANDI-LUO BORDER

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

SECURITY along the Nandi-Luo border should be improved in order to save the lives of people now being killed every night. The situation now calls for urgent action by the higher authorities on both sides of the border to restore peace and calm.

Borders within Muhoroni sub-county is getting worse day by day. The residents have now appealed to the government to beef up police security night patrol. At the same time, politicians, especially MPS who are representing area close to the border area have been asked to hold public meeting and educate their constituents on the importance of living in peace and harmony, and to find the way o f resolving the land disputes amicably.

The people, who are believed to be member of terror gang from Nairobi, last Saturday night raided the small Police post at Ruga near Chemelil and attacked the policemen with arrows, machete and other crude weapons. The gang injured one policeman forcing his colleague to retaliate resulting in the three member of the gang being shot dead. The rest fled and disappeared under the dark cover.

The raid on the police post was staged at about 1.30 AM.

This attack came only a few hours after the revelers in a pub, which is located at Kibigori were forced to take cover following arrow attack by unknown people. Kibigori is an old, but a small town situated along the Kisumu-Nakuru railway line, but on the Kisumu Countryside.

The revelers were mainly a group of school teachers who were returning home after attending the colorful burial of their slain colleague Mr. Abira, the retired former head teacher of Nyakoko School and a Kisumu based businessman. He was shot with an arrow and killed by the Nandi youths two weeks ago. The incident took place when the retired teacher had gone to Chepsweta area to inspect his sugar cane. The deceased was given a warm send off in at the burial which attracted hundreds of friends, well-wishers and relatives at his Kajulu home. His killers have yet to be arrested.

As the teachers were enjoying their refreshment in a small bar, unknown people fired poisoned arrow into the pub. As they run helter-skelter, the bar owner went out to check in the darkness as to what was happening outside. He was shot with the arrow and another man followed suit.

No arrest has been made so far no arrest has been made.

The Kisumu Regional Commissioner Ms Lorna Odero is the only senior government official who has visited the area and preached peace to the two communities. of the border.

On the Nyanza side of the border only Muhoroni MP James OyangoK”oyoo has toured the troubled areas. He told the two warring communities to live in peace. But his Nandi Hill counterpart has yet to be seen in the area. K”Oyoo told the two communities to love one another and live-in peace and harmony.

Sources in both Muhoroni and Chemilil have confided to this writer that the latest flare up which has brought about the insecurity situation along the border between the two communities is abut some old and outstanding land disputes. One community is claiming that farms, owned by large scale farmers and those under the Settlement Schemes, were originally their ancestral land.

Settlement schemes in areas like Muhoroni, Songhor, Koru, Fort-Tennan,Kimwani were opened shortly after independent in 1965.These were the areas previously known as the White Highland, which were large scale mixed farms and belonged to the departed white settlers.

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KENYA: GOVERNMENT URGED TO TAME ROGUE HIPPOS IN LAKE VICTORIA

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Writes Leo ODERA Omolo In Kisumu City

HUMAN – wildlife conflict is the latest subject of discontent and complaints following the numerous incidents of the reported Hippos attack in Lake Victoria which have resulted in the death of dozens of people in the recent months.

Savage attacks by the huge amphibious animals have claimed the lives of fishermen in Bondo, Rarieda, Mbita, Suba and Nyatike sub-County of Migori County. Other deaths CAUSED BY Hippos attacks were reported from Rusinga Island also within the Homa-Bay COUNTY. These series of incidents have prompted the residents of Nyanza, particularly those living along the shorelines of lake to make an urgent appeal to the Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS} and the government to come to their rescue.

Three fishermen were killed two weeks ago in Kakisingri, near Sindo CentreThe three were sailing back to the lake and the catches haul into the water.

The three fishermen made an attempt to swim to safety, but the animals followed them biting each one of them savagely thereby leaving them fatally injured and drowning in the seep waters.

According to information reaching us,the latest incident involving of hippo attack took place last weekend at Nyang”uena beach in Central Kadem Location in Nyatike sub-County within MIGORI County. There three fishermen who were among the four who had gone into the lake to check in heir nets were attacked, in this particular incident Nahashon Abiero and Kisuge Odingo narrowly escaped death. The two, however, narrowly escaped and swam to safety while their other three colleagues escaped unhurt.

Between last year and this year, close to 12 people have perished as the result of attack by hippos. The residents of lowland locations which are lying along the shorelines of Lake Victoria are up in arms and wanted the relevant government Ministry and the KWS to scale down the hippos population.

Similar incidents have also been reported in Bondo, Rarieda and in other parts of Siaya County.

Two deaths by hippos were also reported from Rusinga Island in Mbita district.

IN Rchuonyo North district, farmers who cultivate their lad near the lake have had a lot of problems with the herds of Hippos reportedly destroying 80 per cent of their grain crops in the field.Any frantic attempt by farmers to chase these animals away from their farms have also resulted in the attacks.Hippos are known to be docile animals and not so aggressive towards human being with exception of mothers nursing their calves. Experts have pointed out that hippos in lake Victoria have turned out of late to be so aggressive due ye to the scarcity of weeds and grasses on which the animals feeds on due to excessive cultivation by farmers of the land along the lake shorelines, which has destroyed the weeds and grasses. The only lasting solution I for the KWS to move in and scale down the hippos population. These animals are currently protected by the law

Under the conservation regulations aggrieved farmers cannot be not permitted to kill them, causing the animals to starvation.

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Kenya: IS THE ODM – WIPER COALITION HEADED ONTO THE ROCKS?

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

SIGNS are emerging out of Luo-Nyanza indicating that relations between the Orange Democratic Movement [ODM] and the Wiper Democratic Party may be heading onto the rocks.

This could be judged by the recent events in which Members of Parliament who had won their parliamentary seat on MARCH 4, 2013 elections on WDP tickets have been placed under political siege, and are reported to be having it rough.

Both the ODM and WPD are the leading component of the CORD coalition, which also brings together other smaller parties. ODM is headed by Raila Odinga, while the WDP is under the leadership of the former Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka.

The symptoms of the rapidly widening gap and differences between the two partners surfaced during last week homecoming party for the Alego-Usonga MP Omondi Muluany. The gathering appeared to have been boycotted by senior ODM politicians in Siaya County. The only ODM luminaries in Siaya County who attended the party included Nicholas Gumbo, The MP for Rarieda and his Bondo counterpart Gideon Ochanda.

Muluany was elected on WDP ticket. Before this homecoming party, the legislator had faced rowdy ODM youth who confronted him and shouted him down during the Mashujaa DAY event held in Siaya town the previous week,

Senior ODM politician who were notably absent included Siaya Senator James Aggrey Orengo, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and his two counterparts from Ugenya and Ukwala constituencies. Also absent from the gathering was Dr. Oburu Oginga the former Bondo MP and several Ward representatives from the various parts of Siaya County. The minority leader in Parliament Nyenze from Ukambani was the only senior politician from outside Luo-Nyanza who attended the gathering.

Another MP who is said to be under siege is Fred Kopiyo [Awendo}. He too was voted into parliament on a FORD Kenya ticket. The MP who is prior to his election was living in a rented house within Awendo Town is reported to have relocated to and is now occupying a rented house near Rodi-Kopany within Homa-Bay Town constituency due to pressure mounted by ODM youth in Awendo. He is reported by sources to be as rare visitor to Awendo Town

The same sources say Kopiuypo these days changes his mode of travels whenever he is visiting his rural home which is in Sakwa West Location within Awendo district. He changes vehicles at the nearby Rongo town before he proceeded home where he is reported to be putting up an ultra modern house, which is still under the construction.

Reports emerging from Awendo says that an ugly incident recently occurred at the CDF office, which is also used by the MP as his constituency office when it was invaded by a group disillusioned and frustrated ODM youth who caused a fierce fighting. The attackers are said to have gone to the office with intention of forcefully ejecting the manager and workers out of the office. The fracas left several people inured and needed medical attention. Those who sustained bodily injuries included the MP’s personal assistant {PA}

Unconfirmed reports say the MP”s constituents are finding it difficult to communicate their messages to home because his cellphones are permanent switched off. They included the Ward representatives from the various locations within the constituency. The MP also sent his donations towards funeral gathering during the burial of his fallen constituents through emissaries. The MP could not be reached for his comments over these allegations as his two phone lines are permanently switched off.

The majority leader in the Migori County Johnson Omolo Owiro who represented Central Sakwa Ward is the one who is now handling most problems within the constituency because the MP is nowhere to be seen.

Owiro, the former chairman of the defunct Awendo Town Council confirmed in a phone conversation with this writer that he is also finding it difficult to communicate with his MP, but he is not nursing any ill=feeling towards the legislator and only wished well. He denied the rumor and speculations making the round that he is nursing parliamentary ambition, and might be a candidate for the seat in 2017. Kopiyo used the ticket of the PDP party of Omingo Magara after having losing the ODM ticket during the party’s primaries to his populist challenger Walter Sirawa.

Those politicians in Luo-Nyanza who the elections using other party tickets including those parties which were perceived to be friendly to the ODM and CORD have found the going difficult to integrate smoothly with their ODM colleagues and are therefore in political dilemma.

KOyoo is currently giving sleepless to the manager of the sugar mills which are located within his Muhoroni constituency, and who he has persistently accused of fleecing sugar cane farmers on their harvested cane crops and for the unnecessary delays in paying out raw cane bill after the deliveries.

However, there is only one Luo MP who has defied these political machinations and has integrated well with his ODM parliamentary colleagues. This is the Muhoroni MP James Onyango K”Oyoo. This is due to the fact that the outspoken MP is one of the shrewdest Luo politicians in the 11th Parliament.

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KENYA: THE FUTURE OF ODM IN LUO-NYANZA LOOKED BLEAK AS THE RESULT OF KIDERO SAGA

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The over all influence and popularity of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} Inside Luo-Nyanza is gloomm following the recent deadly rumors and speculation of in-fighting Within its rank and file in both the national office and local branches.

The situation is aggravated and worsened by the latest widely spread newspaper reports that some of the Orange party luminaries are not comfortable with the performance of the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Otieno Kidero. and ware actively plotting for the governor’s downfall.

The news about clandestine under current activities against the Nairobi governor, if true, could split the ODM in Luo-Nyanza.

The same could rekindle the old near violence confrontation which was witnessed in the region in the middle of 1960s and early 1970 when the two political giants in the region and heroes of the struggle for independence burst into open and caused a major split between the LUOs of Central and those of then greater Southern Nyanza

The close to violence confrontation between the late Jaramogi Oginga Oding and Tom Mboya did not only destabilized, but also polarized the region when the supporters of the two went for each others neck.

Luos living in Central in Central Nyanza rallied behind Jramogi while those of SOUTHERN nynza supported Mboys. The two traversed the region addressing series of rallies while tearing at each other’s style of leaders. These wrangling only came to ubpru0t end following Mboya”s assassination on July 5,1969. Thereafter Jaramogi became the undisputed and overall leader of the community.

CORD and ODM stalwarts in Kisumu and rural areas have been heard making malicious and wild allegations against Kidero to the effect that he was betraying CORD because of he is working in close relations with President Uhuru Kenyatta and other Jubilee leaders, and as such undermining the CORD the party which had sponsored his election as the City governor during the March 4, 2013 general elections.

Other accusations which are so common is that Dr KIDERO is currently warming up towards the jubilee leader Raila Odinga comes the year 2017 general election by contesting the presidency of the Republic.

Kidero only sin is having ushered President Kenyatta for a luncheon at his palatial Muthaiga upper market residence and for having travelled in President Kenyatta”s entourage during his recent state visit to Russia an China.

Those speaking in defense of Nairobi governor have dismissed these allegations and claims as cheap and petty and only based on nothing, but naked jealousy. Kidero supporters have been heard purring up the strong but logical argument that Nairobi County is the seat of the national government of Kenyan which is headed by President Kenyatta and as such the protocols requires the governor to work closely with the government of the day.

Kidero, according to the majority of CORD members has done nothing wrong to warrant such bashing, which are based on negative suspicion. Others are saying that that Raila has had enough backing for the community, though owing to bad luck he has failed to capture the presidency having contested thrice for it, and that it was time he gives up his presidential ambition and pave then way for another youthful Luo to take over the mantle of the community political leadership.

KIDERO who has a Suba ancensestry background hails from Gem Location in Rangwe in the Central region of the votes-rich greater Southern Nyanza.

Prior to his joining Nairobi politics he had served for well over a decade as the Chief Executive of Mumias Sugar Company in Western Province, which had successfully turned around from loss to profit making. the most dynamic , prolific speaker and uncompromising champion of the struggle for Kenya’s freedom. It is indeed in the lips of many Kenyans that the late Mboya whose life was cut short by the bullets fired by an assassin in a Nairobi street on July 5, 1969 was the true architect of Kenya’s political independence. he died while serving as the Minister for Economic Planning and Development in the post independent cabinet and also the Secretary-General of the then ruling KANU party a position, which he had ever since its inception in 1969.

Dr Kidero had traversed many parts of Luo-Nyanza while giving hefty cash donations towards the various economic project, and at first many people in the region thought he would contest one of the parliamentary seats in Southern Nyanza, but having born in NAIROBI he finally settled for the City governor position.

So far the ODM leader Raila the has kept mum, not to uttering anything in regard to the on-going reported under current and undercutting activities against Kidero by other party luminaries. including some Luo MPs.

However, those privy to ODM have been heard as saying that the issue is likely to boil up in the near future unless Raila himself come out in the open and restrain his supporters from making uncalled for criticism of Kidero who is said to be doing a good job for the Nairobi people.

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KENYA: SIAYA ODM MP IS HECKLED BY YOUTHS DURING MASHUJAA RALLY

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From: LEO ODERA OMOLO

Shouts of Alego ni nono oonge Mjumbe rent the air during the Mashujaa rally in SIAYA town last Sunday when a group of ODM youths made an attempt to heckle and evict the ALlego-Usonga MP Omondi Muluany at a well attended rally held at Siaya Stadium to commemorate the heros day. The party youths and security personnel intervened and ejected the rowdy youths out of the meeting venue.

It later emerged that the MP who the Mardh 14th general on the Whiper ticket had skipped all the campaign meetings which were held all over the County during the recent by-election campaign for Siaya governor,including the one which was attended by the party leader Raila O Odinga.

The MP who appeared to have been shocked and shaken described the group as hired political goons

THOSE who attended the Siaya rally were stunned when speaker after speaker heaped a lot of praise at politicians previously aligned to the late Jaramogi IOginga Odinga showering them as The only heroes who fought for freedom.

They deliberately excluded the names of other LUO freedom fighters who were known to have differed with the Jaramogi leadership style. Observers and pundits were, however quick in pointing out that those whose names had been mentioned prominently at the really included those who are known to be Raila sycophants and political surrogates whose contribution to the liberation war and anti colonialists activities are very insignificant.

THESE names represented only the residents of Siiaya County THEY INCLUDED Achieng Oneko, Jaramogi, Argwings Kodhek, Wasonga SijeyoBut even in SIAYA county, the names of political giants and heroes like Walter Fanuel Odede, DO Makasembo were deliberately omitted and replaced by some characters of some former boot lickers of the colonialists.

Odede who later was to become the father in-law of atom Mboy WALKED INTO THE SHOES OF THE Jomo KENYAT immediately after the latter and five other leading nationalists were rounded up and arrested by he colonialists following the declaration of the STATE OF emergency in Kenya by the colonialists. He too was arrested and placed in detention in the remote Northern Kanya district of Samburu and was detained for eight year because he had taken over as the acting President of KAU. Odede like Oneko hails from Uyoms in Rarieda within Bondo district.

Other uncompromising freedom fighters whose names were missing at the Siaya rally included Tom Mboya, Elijah Omolo Agar, Lawrence Gerald Oguda,Daniel OJijo Oteko,John PAUL olola,BARRACK Owuor,The latter two were the founder of the Kavirondo Taxpayers ,which collaborated well with the Harry Thuku led Kikuyu Central Association that gave the colonialists sleepless nights.

THE Siaya rally clearly portrayed an attempt by Siaya leaders as trying at the distortion of the Nyanza region’s political history.

The history of the past should be told as per its true perspective for the interests of the present and future generations.

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CHEMICAL FISHING IS POSING A BIG THREATS TO FISHING AND FISH TRADE IN LAKE VITORIA

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From: LEO ODERA

Kenyan communities which are living along the shorelines of Lake Victoria have raised complaints about the alarming increase in cases whereby unscrupulous fishermen are reportedly using dangerous chemicals which are killing thousands of fish species at the same time causing high risk of health hazards to the consumers.

Reports reaching us from low lying locations along the lake’s shorelines, especially in the Nyanza Gulf says that owing to the laxity and complacency on the part of, and lack of effective patrol of, the lake by the officials of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Fisheries Department, there is a sharp increases in the use of dangerous chemicals such as snide and other poisonous chemicals by unscrupulous fishermen.

Experts have said that poisonous chemicals are now being used excessively by unscrupulous fishermen in their concerted effort to enhance catches. Any adverse publicity in the media, particularly in those countries which are currently importing lake Victoria fish could put into jeopardy the booming trade in fish commodity. This is what once happened to the neighboring Uganda some years back when EU and other importers stopped their fish import from that country following allegation about chemical fishing. Kenya and Uganda shared Lake Victoria.

THe regions most affected by the latest incidences of chemical fishing included parts of Suba, Rarieda and Bondo sub-counties.

In Uyoma West Location, the local fisherman had ganged themselves and beat one of them who Was caught red handed using chemical whioef9ishng during the dead hour of the night

Fisherman are also reported to be working in total defiance against the laid down fishing regulations by Way of using unauthorized fishing nets and fish unlawful fishing gears

The Ministry has posted fish scouts at the various points within the lake, but the officials are said to be Corruptly sleeping on their jobs and having been compromised by the unscrupulous fishermen.

Chemical fishing is also said to be so rampant in the two major fishing islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.The practice is slowly spreading into other fishing locations in Karungu and Kadem within Nyatike sub-county of Migori, Gwassi and Kaksingiri areas.

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Kenya: Man dies after snake bite within the outskirts of Kisumu City

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Residents of Dago Nyahera Kogada a village which is located on the outskirt of Kisumu City were all of a sudden plunged into the mourning mood following the death of a 31 year old villager after the encounter with an eight feet long fierce African tropical Black Mamba snake,

Washington Juma Orure Kaoko31 and a father of three was resting inside his parent’s home when the children of a neighboring home raised the alarming saying they were being attacked by an aggressive serpent which had slithered into their homestead.

Orure Kaoko decided to rush to the scene, which was only 30 yards outside his parent’s home fence to the rescue of the children. His mother, however, cautioned him against confronting a an aggressive snake with stones and that he needed something better like a walking stick, but the deceased ignore the advice of his mother and rushed to the scene.

Upon entering the next home the deceased found the children who had raised the alarm were throwing stone at the snake near a fence. He too wanted to kill it with the two stones, which he had picked up at his homestead. The snake retaliated aggressively and chased them back, but as they were running while escaping the possible fatal attack, the deceased slipped and fall down to the ground.

He black mamba which was on a full flight just running on its tail with its head raised as high as six feet high while hissing loudly jumped over him fatally giving him a fatal bite to the waist, shoulder and on the head.

The deceased managed to stand on his feet, but instead of seeking help for transport to the neighbor or going straight to the hospital went to his house and lay on his bed take an afternoon zester w while the snake’s venom penetrated his destroying all the important body organs. It was the small children who went to hid at home and informe his parents how the deceased had suffered snake bite. He Was rushed to St Monica Catholic Mission hospital six kilometers away, but the doctor refused to admit him a saying he was almost as good as dead.

The deceased was the youngest brother of a prominent Kisumu business tycoon Mr Gordon Kaoko who firm known as the Gulf Fitters and contractors.

The body was immediately removed from the Kisumu District hospital morgue and take to the star hospital mortuary for preservation ending the burial arrangement.

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KENYA: Nyanza COUNTY GOVERNMENTS IN NYANZA HAVE BEEN CAUTIONED TO STOP BUDGETING HUGE SUMS OF MONEY FOR BUYING FUEL GUZZLING PRADO CARS.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The NEWLY ESTABLISHED County governments in the former Nyanza Province have been cautioned against spending taxpayer’s money extravagantly budgeting for the fuel guzzling Prado cars.

Instead, the Assemblies should vigorously look for funds for major repairs of roads traversing the countryside, which are in the pathetic state and become night mares during the rainy seasons.

Secondly the regional governors and their assembly’s members should work out the best way of internal revenue collection bases, and stop budgeting for the donor money looking luxurious vehicles, which will have no direct benefit to the residents.

These sentiments were expressed byt a senior politician in Homa-Bay County Hilary Ochieng’ Alilla.

Alila was reacting to the news that the Homa-Bay County governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti and members of his County Assembly Executive committee last week made a budget proposal of a colossal amount of money to the tune of Kshs 230 million in it5s 2013-2014 estimates for the purpose of buying several Prado cars.

“The fuel guzzling vehicles should not be the priority of the Homa-Bay County government. Moreover there is no roads on which these vehicles will be driven on,’ he said.

Homa-Bay County has only one major road which is tarmacked. That is the Katito-Kenya-Bay, Kendu Bay Homa-Bay and Homa-Bay Mbita road which is partly still under the construction.

THere is urgent need to have the Oyugis Rangwew road tarmacked, and also the Oyugis Kendu-Bay road. Other roads included Kendu-Bay Pala, Kadongo-Kendu Bay.

Another area which need the improvement of road network is the Sindo, Kisegi, Magunga, God-Bura, Nyandiwa, Lak-Nyiero and Sori Town.

The fishermen, the fish traders and farmers wanted this roads repaired or upgraded to all weather for easy communication to the hinterland market places for rapid economic growth,” said Alila.

The region needs this money for the improvement of other institutions of public interest with value added. He requested the Homa-Bay County governor Awiti and his team to rescind their decision and work on projects which have the direct benefit to the residents.Two or three Prado vehicles would be enough and the for the exclusive use by the governor and his deputy, but the rest should be smaller car with their engines powers not exceeding 1300 cc.

Alila cited the Central Government of Kenya which a few years ago withdrew all the GK cars with the engines powers exceeding 1600 cc and replaced them with smaller car. Prados, Pajeros, and Mercedez Benzes were the category that were withdrawn and auctioned in order to save the government spending on fuel and spare parts.

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KENYAN FAMILY OF PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA SAYS THEY WILL NOT GO AND MEET HIM IN THE NEIGHBORING TANZANIA.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The family of the US President Barrack Obama who is currently on an African tour from which his ancestral home Kenya is excluded, have reiterated that they will not travel across the Kenya-Tanzania border to try to meet him there.

Mama Sarah Obama the 90 year old step grandmother of the US President, when contacted at her Nyang’oma Alego Kogelo home in Siaya County said they can’t travel to the neighboring country in order to meet her grandson.

”We are not invited therefore there is no point going there. Moreover Obama is the President of the US and all the arrangements for his African itinerary are organized by the US government”, she said adding “President Obama is on official visits to specific countries as the US President.”

“Joining him in the neighboring country of Tanzania, though it is next door to Kenya may interfere with his itinerary. He has a very busy and tight schedule and as such we have decided to not to attend any of his functions there.”

Mama Sarah Obama was reacting about the rumor which went around that members of the Obama family in Alego Kogelo were making tentative arrangement to travel to Tanzania today.

There is no such arrangement, though the US President would have loved to see him stopping in Kenya, however, briefly it could be. This is the second time President Obama has skipped Kenya during is visit to the sub-Saharan Africa. The first time was when he was first elected President when he visited Ghana. Obama is very popular with the millions of Kenya people whom for along time have been looking forward to see him visit the country of his father ancestral land.

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TANZANIA AND RUSSIA WILL SOON BE EMBROILED IN MAJOR LEGAL TUSSLES THROUGH COURT OVER DISPUTED URANIUM MINING IN MKUNJU RIVER MINING FIELDS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Tanzania and Russia may soon face each other in court in ne of the toughest legal battle against a Russian firm in a multimillion dollar engaged in the business of mining uranium over tax evasion.

Information emerging from Dar Es Salaam says that state is demanding nearly USD 206 million, which is equivalent to Tshs 329 billion taxes from the Russian firm ,Rosatom disputes the taxes invoices.JSC Atomredmetzoloi {ARMTZ} OF Russia in relation to its Mkunju River Uranium mines that the state owned mining arm of Russia’s nuclear watchdog

As a result the ARMZ, Uranium Holdings through its lawyer FB Attornery has filed a case before the Tax Appeal Tribunal of Tanzania to challenge the tax claim.

Gandasiosus Ishengoma also a lawyer confirmed last week that the ARMZ has challenge the state over its claim and filed a case through theTax Apeal Tribunal.

The Energy and Mineral Minister Prof. Sospeter Muhongo was quote by a source in Dar Es Salaam as saying that the Tshs 329.01 billion {205.80 million tax had originated from MkunjuRiver uranium mining.

TAnzania law was enacted in 2011 in order to close loophole in a tax holiday incentive because that allowed foreign firms to operate tax-free for first five years.

He same law stipulates that any foreign firm operating in the country must pay capital gain tax, when it changes to a third party.

Mantra Tanzania Ltd the former owners of Mkunju River uranium mine in December 2010 cedeed the project operations to AMZ after the firm had acquired the percentage. Mantra Resources of Australia For Tshs .1.667.1 billion USD.O43.8 million..

And immediately after the transactions, the state through the Tanzania Revenue Authority [TRA] issued invoices demanding that ARMTZ settles Tshs 327.7 million out of the total USD 9.8 in stamp duty.The sum is quoted as being equavalent to 43 per cent of the current Tazania’s health and social welfare budget of Tshs 753.85 billion..

Observers and watchers of Tanzania-Rusia relations have maintained that the tax battle between the two countries could create bad blood between the two business partners.

In April last year Tanzania licensed ARMTZ RANIUM Holding to establish the first uranium mines in Mkunju River which is located in the south of the country.

This licence is the first to be issued by Tanzania and the newly enacted mining laws.

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The EAC has commissioned a study to enhance trade ties with the US

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The East African Community [EAC} has commissioned a study ahead of direct trade negotiations between the bloc and the United States which is keen to deepen ties with the region.

A directive by the EAC Sectoral Council on Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment, which consists of Ministers who handled the EAC docket, has directed the directors to undertake a study to determine what the negotiations should be based and how the region would benefit from any resultant agreement.

The Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement {TIPA] between the EAC and the US was initiated last year to support the economic integration of the region and enhance the EAC-US trade and investment play in economic and social development, including job creation,

Washington’s push for the clearly defined trade ties between East Africa Community and the United comes at a time when China is emerging as a dominant player in the region.

The study expected to be completed within four months will allow for shorter and more focused negotiations as opposed to the outgoing talks between the EAC a nd EU, which have dragged on for a long time.

A Mr Felix Okatch, a Kenyan multilateral trade expert, however, said the region should not expect a lot from the agreement because the distance between the two partners is a hindrance for trade when compared with the EU. Rwanda is the only country in the region that has a bilateral trade and investment agreement with the US. It was signed in December 2011.

He added that Rwanda-US deal would not affect the trade agreement to be signed by all the EAC member states and the US, as they would be bound by the most favored between nation {MEN} clause.

“In this case, what the US exports to Rwanda will also be exported to the other partners and what Rwanda exports to US can also be exported by the other partner states”, as per what the EAC treaty states.

The EAC-US trade and investment is a component of the US strategy towards Sub-Saharan Africa,which President Barrack Obama announced in June 2012.

President Obama’s objecives are to strengthen democratic institutions, promote peace ,unity and trade and investment.

The total trade volume between the EAC and the US is estimated currently at US D 1.1 billion and the trade between the US and Kenya is estimated at 656 million followed by Tanzania USD 201 million, Uganda USD 142 million, Rwanda stands at USD 81 million while trade with Burundi is USED 51 MILLION.

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Kenya: The story of the mysterioiusly huge snake which the Luos allmost worsipped in 1940 and aftermath of the reptile’s visit

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WAS “NYANG’IDI THE HUGE SNAKE OF GOOD HOPE OR OF BAD OMEN, DISASTROUS AND NATURAL CATASTROPHE AND CALAMITY?.

Short Story By Leo Odera Omolo who traces a historical disastrous which occurred in Nyanza Province in 1940

It was in the early part of the year 940 when a mysterious creature visited some low-laying locations in Nyanza Province in what is today called Rarieda district.

A huge and excessively big snake visited Uyoma Peninsula. It slithered from the direction of Kunya in Kabudha a

The huge snake is believed to have slithered out of Lake Victoria in search of food, but it was of a snake species which has never been seen in the area and nothing in comparison with the known species as it was excessively huge and long

THe reptile is appeared to have traveled by night. Its presence in the village attracted thousands of people.

The big tree has previously been used as the venue of weekly administrative Baraza by the first colonial administrative chief of Uyoma, the late Chief Otumba Mbede. The place is called “Gunda Kotumba” it is situated next to the homestead of the former Chief’s son Nathan Ojungo Otumba, who had inherited his chieftainship, but was retired around 1927.

According to the account of some still surviving eye witnesses, the snake was which was baptized by the villagers as “Nyang’idi “was three time longer than the normal python and resembled the common python in color. Its body was so huge that the eye witnesses compared its size to that of the rear tyre of a tractor.

The reptile resembled the “African Rock python which is usually larger and longer than the common python, and even stronger. The serpent was not aggressive and posed no threat to anyone. Thousands of people came to Chianda villagfe,some of them travelling on bicycle or on foot as far as away as from Yimbo, Alego Usonga, Gem, Seme, Sakwa, Asembo and even across the narrow water way of the Nyanza Gulf { previously known as the Kavirondo Gulf} from Suba and other locations in Southern Nyanza just to come and have a glimpse of the mysterious snake.

It was being fed with two animals every day or half a dozen of chickens. The huge snake was never scared of disturbed by huge crowd that milled around the creature. The crowd brought the live animals which were given as sacrifice for feeding the creature.

The animals on which it feed on for a couple of weeks were sacrifices made by the elders and sub-clans in Uyoma. And because it was during the Second World War II, which had started in earnest in the previous year 1939, the colonial administration in Nyanza got the winds of the news and became alarmed, after the white missionaries had warned that the population in the region was just about to start worshiping the mysterious creature.

The white missionaries were also alarmed by the volume of people flocking to Uyoma the mysterious creature.

As the usual culture of the Luos, the musicians also composed songs of praise for “Nyangidi” sending the white missionaries into great panicking.

Acting under the pressure of the white missionaries, the then Nyanza Provincial Commissioner a Mr Hunter asked the Kisumu based colonial District Commissioner a Mr Winright to immediately dispatch the team of sharp-shooter Administration policemen to Uyoma to go and shoot, kill land destroy the huge snake.

When the three armed APs arrived at Chianda School, they were shown the tree under which Nyang’idi was resting after a mean of a sheep, the police men developed cold feet and refused to open fire on it saying it was a mysterious creature not worth killing and the policemen went back to Kisumu without firing even one single shot at the creature.

Some people who saw the creature included Hon Wilson Ndolo Ayah, the former MP for Kisumu Rural constituency. He had just joined lower primary classes at Chianda Primary School and was staying with his uncle the late Ex-Chief Nathan Ojungo Otumba.Mr Ayah on a telephone interview with this writer said he was among the smaller boys who collected grass and covered the body of the snake as it rested under a tree during warm hours of the afternoon. Ayah served in the Moi’s KANU government as Foreign Affairs Minister and at one time Minister for Water Development admitted that he had seen this mysterious creature before he physically saw any python. Mr Ayah is on his 85 years.

Another eye witness is Mrs Grace Deya Omoso, the daughter of the late Ex-Chief Nathan Ojungo Otumba who is now ageing abut 86.Contacted at her home near Wang’arot in SemeMrs Omoso said Nyang’idi was a harmless creature.Children could even move close to where it had recoiled under the tree and play around.

Mr Ayah said the creature left mysteriously and slithered at night and the next morning many people trailed its footprint which looked like a place where a D8 or D10 heavy earthmoving tractor had passed. It travelled toward the neighboring Asembo location and was later seen in Akado area of Seme west before it permanently disappearing in the horizon.

The following year 1941 the entire Luo-Nyanza was hit by acute shortage of food grain. The worse famine came about which was baptized Ke Ladhri or Ke-Aladhra which his the area like thunderstorm up to 1943. Many people died of hunger.

Two prominent colonial chiefs died. They were Chief Ahenda of Alego and Chief Onunga Amimo of Kano plains.

Two prominent medizinemen {Witchdoctors} also died. They were Katete Owuor {Rambo} of Rusinga Island and Abang’a |Oungu of Uyoma. A wealthy businessman on Rusinga Olunga Onyango also died.A unit of Luo soldiers mutinied in Madagascar laying down their armed and demanding to be told the reason and the cause on which they were fighting for.

The mutiny became so serious that the colonial administration ordered for A RAF war plane stationed in eastern Uganda to fly one influential Luo Chief to the Indian Ocean Island of Madagascar to go and persuade the soldier to continue with fighting. The late Mzee Paul Mboya from Karachuonyo was chosen for task. Mboya, however, failed and almost got assaulted by the rebellious Luo soldiers and was flown back. He was quickly replaced by the late Chef Muganda Opwapo of Ugenya. Chief Muganda succeeded.

It was one year after Nyangidi disappearance when the formidable anti-colonialist campaigner Coun.Daniel Ojijo Oteko, died mysteriously at a government hospital in Kisumu. Thedeath of Ojijo Oteko raised political temperature in the region as the population pointed accusing fingers to the chiefs and colonial administrators.

The sealed off casket containing the body of the late Ojijo Oteko was taken immediately to his home in Kanjira in West Karachuonyo and buried with only his wife allowed near the coffin which was buried under the supervision of security police and thousands mourners harshly dispersed.

The year after the appearance of Nyang’idi SNAKE IN Uyoma was the same when Chief Paul Mboya sent packing the late Hussein Onyango Obama, the grand father of the US Present Barack Obama and forced him out of his home at Kanyadhiang’ in Central Karachuyonyo to go to Nyang’oma Alego in Siaya.

The two had disagreed over Hussein Onyango Obama closeness to the politician the late Ojijo Oteko.The action came after Mboya who was the then the Chief of Karachuonyo had issued repeated warnings to Obama to steer clear of political activities in the erea. The two had disagreed on a trophy ,which Hussein Onyangoi bought while working in Nairobi and brought home and wished it be used on a football tournament involved inter-sub-clans, but the Chief retained the trophy to his own clan despite his team having been beaten.

People who were born at the time of the visit by the mysterious snake are now ageing about 62 and above. Most of them are found n Sakwa Bondo, Yimbo, Asembo and Uyoma and even in Karachuonyo.

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EU to give millions of Euros for the rehabilitation of water towers in Mt Elgon and Chrangayi regions

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The European Union will fund the rehabilitation of the Cheranganyi and Mt Elgon water towers program in Western Kenya to the tune of 2.5 million Euros {K shs 278 million.

The two water towers are reported to have been massively depleted of the indigenous trees by illegal loggers threatening the survival of the rivers that depend on them including the world famous Nile River.

The project is to be undertaken by the Moi University, Eldoret in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute {kefri}

This was disclosed last week by the Dean of the Environmental Studies at the Eldoret based University Vinah Vindoi who disclosed that the project will be implemented over a period of six year and will benefit the local communities through the creation of jobs and rehabilitation of the much vandalized and depleted forest resources.

He said there has been discrimination in dissemination of information to the local communities leaving the room and vacuum which has turned into wanton destruction the two important water towers.

He said once the key objective of the project in sensitizing the local communities to the real need of conserving and protecting the towers, this could turn out to be the most important part of the rehabilitation objectives.

The local communities will then aide the conservation efforts by the government and other stakeholders.

Prof Sindoi said that KEFRI will conduct further research and recommend the type of tree seedling that will be suited for the area. The tree will be replanted in the area set aside as the commercial areas or zones and will be sourced from the local communities.

HE urged the local communities to take the conservation work seriously. The locals have bee accused of destroying hr forest through charcoal burning and illegal loggers.

Meanwhile another important project to get rid of Lake Victoria water hyacinth is also taking shape soon. The project is just about to take off in Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties.

And this time around the Kisumu based Lake Victoria Environmental Program LVEMPI is determined to ensure that the dreadful weeds, which invaded the lake two decade ago, and since caused problems for the fishermen, and made navigation of small vessels well as ships difficult, is permanently eradicated.

THe weed which has been a menace to fishing expedition in the areas affected like Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties will be removed manually and biologically.

This comes after all the previous effort to clear the lake of the weed had flopped. LVEMP is expecting to receive a machine for this purpose from the Kenya Marine and will also use the weevils to feed on the weeds.

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Kenya: Nairobi based businessman donated 10,000 pair of rubber-sporting shoes to all primary and nursery schools in Seme constituency

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

A Nairobi based businessman Mr Edward Omol has made a hefty donation of 10,000 pair of rubber-sporting shoes worth K,shs 2.6 million.

The shoes which is to be distributed to the nursery and primary schools pupils in the entire Seme constituency within Kisumu County included those small sizes fitting nursery schools children to the medium numbers that is fitting lower, medium and upper primary pupils.

Mr Omolo who contested the newly created Seme parliamentary seat in March this year, on a ODM ticket but lost to the incumbent Dr. Nyikal said children learning under a highly hygienic conditions stands a better chance of furthering their education to e higher height of success.

The distribution will be done on the basis of 360 per each school. The donor conducted the distribution of the shoes while accompanied by four Assembly representatives from the entire Seme constituency and members of the school committees, PTA chairman and opinion leaders in a colorful ceremony which started at Kirindo Primary School.

The donor handed his donations to the School’s committee chairman Kilion Otieno and another Kisumu and Mombasa based businessman, Mr George Abaja who is a director of a construction firm.

Also accompanying him were four County Assembly representatives Benter Nduta ,Ogoli, Okoth Diang’a and Makadede four local Assembly representatives. All the four thanked the businessman and asked him to maintain the same spirit of helping the unfortunate people.

Other schools which benefited from this hefty donation were Bundi, Jimo, Kayila Siala, Reru, Gumo and Kayila. THe businessman also donated 20 green houses to be used by other school’s pupils in growing vegetables, fruits and other cash crops and promised to donate more

This was the largest donation ever made for the schools in the region by an individual and it has since rekindled politics of the area a fresh with a lot of murmuring going around.

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Kenya: Mega land scandal reported in Kericho where the DC, Chief, MPs and ex-civic leaders grabbed the land meant for the landless Talai clan

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WRITES Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

A MEGA land scandal, which looked similar to the now infamous “Anglo Leasing Financial Scandal” has hit Kericho town like Tsunami. It has prompted the residents to call for the revocation of the allotment and start a fresh. This is after it has been discovered that those earmarked to be settled on the land were not given anything. But the D.C. and the Town’s chief had chosen to allocate the land for themselves.

The ex-Kericho Municipal Councilors, relatives and friends of the former MPs, and their political cronies undeservedly benefited from illegal allotment.

The residents were now up in arms appealing to the Kericho County governor Prof. Paul Kiprono Chepkwony to order for all the pieces o land which were dished out t undeserved persons revoked for fresh re-allocation.

Prof Chepkwony could not be reached for his comment as it was stated that he had travelled outside the region.

The scandal involved the peace of land parcel in the town ,which was set aside by the government to be use in settling members the landless Talai{Laibon} who returned to the region in 1962 after being force into colonial exile for 40 years by the former British Colonial rulers.

The Talai clan estimated to be numbering about 259 families have since been living in a small piece of land which belonged to the Municipal Council of Kericho in the most squalid condition.

Al l the previous KANU administration had failed to have the Talai clan settled on the land they can call their own ever since independence. But the defunct coalition government headed by he retired President Mwi Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga had agree to have the matter solved once for all. The government negotiated with one of the multinational Tea companies operating in Kericho and Bomet Counties and secured the land which is next to the posh Tea Hotel.

The Prime Minister visited Kericho on several occasion in the company of the then Lands minister James Aggrey Orengo and it was agreed that the Talai people be settled.

Unconfirmed allegation and rumor say the DC had allocated himself five plots of 500X100 each using the names of his junior staff, mainly the local Kipsigis working in his office including Administration Policemen. The D.C.Joseph Njora has since been transferred to Makueni district in Eastern Province. All the alleged grabbed plots were sold like hot cake.

It is also being rumored that former Belgut MP Charles Keter who is now the Senator for Kericho had the lion’s share. All of his supporters and his multi-million cousin Ken Mutai were the beneficiaries. Former Kericho Mayor John Kauria, it is being alleged, to have grabbed several plots.

Most of the ex-Councilors who grabbed the plots are said to have quickly sold them and have since been seen driving sleek new cars in own.

The MP who benefited from the allocation included Magerer Lang’at [Kipkellion} and the Chief Town Duncan Bii is said to have allocate himself 12 plots.

Prior to the negotiation between he government and the Unilever Tea company, the company had already earmarked the plot toe used in establishing an aborreterum in own. The grabbers who seemed to have been in hurry moved in with the snake speed and started demarcating the land even before the el was sealed off and the land surveyed as required by the law. The grabbers went as far as breaking the beacons of the adjacent land plot and house belonging to the former director of the Brooke Bond tea Company Mzee Musa sang’.

Members of the Talai sub-clans were previously scattered in various districts whose inhabitants are the members of the larger Kalenjin ethnic groups. The had their ancestral land homes in Emngwen, Nandi County, Kericho and Bomet Counties, Baringo and Koibatek,mosty Eldama Ravine and in other regions.

But following the malicious ad falsified accusation by the colonial chiefs, white missionaries and white selrs, that they were practicing witchcraft, the Colonial administration in Kenya I the year 1934 ordered thathey be rounded up and exiled in a remote section of Gwassi Hills in South Nyanza.

Some of them were vanished in Northern Tanzania. Some of their elderly leaders were detained in Embu, Meru and Nyeri prisons where they died. Other were dispatched to Kismayu while one who was known as Arap Koilgen was detained on Mfangano island inside Lake Victoria where he died around 1956In 1961 one a diminutive Member of the Colonial Legislative Council the late Dr Taaitta Araap Toweett, who was representing the entire Kipsigis region moved a motion in the House asked the government to allow thetalai n toreturn toteir ancestral land. The motion which was supported by other MLC including Daniel T Moi, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Dr Julius Kiano,Tom Mboya and other nationalist was accepted by the colonial government.

And in the middle of the 1962 when it was only six months to the attainment of Kenya’s political independence

As political independence the journey of returning home.

The deal , however, was hurriedly and poorly negotiated and brokered with the British colonial administration and did not produce a tangible plan and program for the land on which the returnee could be settled on.

All the land previously owned by the Talai clan had been taken over by their neighbors and relatives during the many exile.

In Nndi the Talai oved nd settled in a place called Kaptel near the SDA University of East Africa {Barraton} and settle at Kapsisiywo, Other went to Cheranganyi,other to Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu districts and found land for them in the settlement schemes. Others went Eldama Ravine Iand Baringo County.

Their population had grew from 2700 to about 7000 people.So aboiut 200 family remain stuck as squatters in Keicho Municipality for all these years.

This is the can of the famous freedom fighter Orkoiyioyot Koitalel Arap Samoei w hose rug-tug forces of the Nandi warriors fought he British for nine years and also prevented tem from building and completing the Mombasa-Kisumu Railways l ine. Samoei was shot and killed in 1905 after he was tricked to attend a peace meeting with the head of the British expedition forces who shot it point-blank.

The Talai before their expulsion were being accused by the colonial chiefs of practicing sorcery and preventing the population from becoming member of the churches and the youth from acquiring modern education in schools run by missionaries. Other allegations were that they were intimidating the white settlers and stopping from acquiring more land for tea plantation in Kericho, Sotik ,Nandi Hills and other areas.

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Kenya: OUR MPs deserves higher payment for a living and not a peanut

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KENYA MPS DESERVES TO EARN A BETTER SALARIES AND ALLOWANCES FOR A LIVING SO THAT THEY GIVE THE TAXPAYERS GOOD SERVICES AND PERFORMANCE.

Commentary By Leo Odera Omolo In KISUMU City.

MEMBERS of Kenyan parliament deserve to be paid adequately so that they could perform their duties diligently and avoid what kind of word which some people had coined in connection with the 10th parliament, which had depicted of legislator as the “MP for Hire.”

Our legislators are tasked wit heavy responsibilities, particularly those representing remote rural constituencies who on many occasions are being called by the village to use their personal car and vehicles as ambulances while assisting the sick.

Medical services in this country collapsed many years ago. Most health centers, which are located in the interior part of the country have no standing by ambulances, at time even mothers in labor seek MPS assistance and support so that they could be rushed to the nearby, but poorly equipped medical facilities.

Poorly paid MP cannot afford to shoulder all these responsibilities, therefore the proposed basic alary of USD 10,00O per month for an MP is very much reasonable. The government has the poor record of appointing numerous but useless commission of Inquiries or other commissions whose finding have no direct benefit to the taxpayer or added value, and whose members are known to have been minting million of shillings, but performing nothing.

Members of parliament are honorable people. We expect them to be living decently as the honorable people, not like papers who could not discharge their responsibilities and deliver the goods to the electorate. The adjustment of the MP’s salary and allowances upward should not be negotiable.

I must say here in emphatically clear terms that even those members of the civil societies who last week staged violent street demonstration outside parliament and took piglets and pigs to harass and antagonizes our Muslem brothers who are not even taxpayers.

But we are driven by the desire to be heard and to make things difficult or our elected legislators to intimidate them not to perform their duties efficiently and competently. They were merely petty mischievous people and political hirelings and goons.

The time is ripe for Kenyan of good will and intention to come forward and say “a big no” to political thuggery. Such moves if left unchecked could plunge Kenya into distasteful condition and political turmoil that could make life difficult and unbearable for our children.

Madame Sarah Serem should think twice and make sure that our MPs are paid adequately, though I also concur with those who opined saying the number has increased threefold, and could definitely overburden the treasury with heavy Wage Bill.

With the present tri-cameral parliamentary system, I have a feeling that the extra 47 women representatives in parliament is a luxury, though it is contained under a cause in the ne constitutional dispensation. Te 47 Counties are adequately represented and covered by the Senators.

Kenya, however, must accept that the new set of the constitution is a very expensive one and the government will have to go extra miles in search of funds to have all its clauses implemented fully. But we can afford it through dialogue and negotiations and not through the staging violence street demonstrations by mainly goons and job seekers.

Our MPs deserves good vehicles for their safe travelling, good houses while attending their duties in the City, security details.

It is also time for the government to tell members of the Provincial Administration pack up and go home, or reassign them elsewhere as it has become obvious that their continued present in the Counties is not in the interest of taxpayers.

They could be sabotaging the operations of the devolutions and undermining as well as undercutting the work of the governors and their regional assembly teams. The undercutting could be the source of insecurity in places like Bungoma, Busia and Trans-Nzoia and elsewhere. Sooner or later such insecurity would spread like bushfire to other peaceful areas. The PCs,D.Cs,,DOs were dismissed by the High Court and told that they have no role in the evolution system, but someone somewhere choose to ignore the court judgment. It could be a cartel within the defunct coalition government had special assignment for them during the March 14 general elections. However, the elections have come and gone. They should now be relieves of their duties

If the purpose of retaining the Provincial Administration was a secret weapon used in rigging the last general election, then their role is over, they should go home now.It is all duplication of work and responsibilities with the governor and their team safely installed.

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KENYA: THE TRUTH AND JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION {TJRC} DID SHODDY, SHALLOW AND HOLLOW JOBS AND FAILED TO CONVINCE KENYAN OF ITS SERIOUSNESS.

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COMMENTARY By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

I have sat down for a length of time perusing and scrutinizing the report released last week by the Truth and Justice Reconciliation Commission and found them to be shallow shoddy and hollow, not even worth reading any sane person.

Perhaps the Bethwell Kiplagat team just wanted to justify the millions of taxpayers money its members had consumed during the stormy period it conducted it half-baked inquiries.

The TJRC did not caste its net wide open, though it came up with some names of leaders both in the present and past it has recommended should be probed further so as to ascertain the truth about their wrong doing.

In regards to past politically motivated assassinations TRC reported is highly rubbished for merely bush-beating, which are devoid of any iota of the truth.

The TJRC chairman Kiplagat himself had long been rejected by the entire Kenyan society that he was not the right person for the job, but insisted on carrying it out and even went to court so that he could be clear to proceed on with the job. Those had loudly raised objections knew it pretty well that Kiplagat was not the right person taking it into account his covert operations and flirting with RENAMO of Mozambique and its renegade forces under the rebel leader Dr Dhlakama .

The TJRC came out with the large number of names of innocent Kenyans, which it has recommended should be probed further in connection to human right abuse of the past regimes.

Conspicuously missing from the names that the TJRC wanted to be investigated was the name of the late James Kanyottu, the former director of the security intelligence police unit, which was known as the {Special Branch}.

Kanyottu who has since died after retiring from the security intelligence service which he headed ever since 1965 after succeeding Benard Hinga might have gone into his grave with the heaps of secrets about the past political assassinations in this country, therefore any inquiry report which exclude his names is considered by Kenyans of average intelligence as shoddy and shallow and not worth its salt.

Kanyottu might have not personally participated in actual assassination exercises, but definitely knew the political enemies of the victims who might have been involved in hatching plots to eliminate those whom their perceived to be their political enemies.

During Kanyotu’s rein as the head of the security intelligence five senior Kenyan politician were gunned down or killed

The victims were Pio Gama Pinto, a specially elected member of parliament who was the first to die I a series of well hatched plots of assassination, Thomas Joseph Mboya, C.MG.Argwings-Kodhek, Ronald Gideon Ngala, Josiah Mwangi Kariuki {JM} and finally Robert John Ouko being the last one to die.

From my own intelligent guesswork Kiplagat ‘s commission job was only to rekindle the communal emotions of families and relatives of the victims while serving the interests of some evil and invisible forces still operating lie mafia groups in this country.

For Mr Kanyottu, there was no way someone of the late Tom Mboya status could be assassinated without the knowledge of the head of the national security intelligence unit unless the unit’s operations had long collapse or were on the verge of total collapse.

If it was so Kanyottu couldn’t have lasted on his job for close to 40 years after those painful events of the early and late 1960s.

We have been eagerly waiting to read from the TJRC report as to who ordered fro the closing down of all the phone communications between Nairobi an Addis Ababa as from June 29,1969 to July 4,1969 on the very day Mboya and his delegation to the UNCEA returned home to be killed the next day July 5,1969.

There were strong rumors making the round in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi ad its environs, that some of the late Mboya’s closes friend who hah heard o the assassination rumors made frantic effort to reach him in Addis Abba by phone for the purpose of alerting him about the dreadful rumor in Nairobi, but Nairobi Addis phone were severed off at the external-telecom. Surely such events if it is true they took place could not have escaped the knowledge of the head of the nation’s national security organ, and here is where the name of Kanyottu comes in hand.

Obviously someone in a very senior position in the government of the day might have been the one who ordered the phone line between Addis and Nairobi line severed of for a specific pupose.

These are some of the area which were so fertile for the TJRC team to visit an make thorough inquiries because all the records in those institutions are said to be still intact for probe.

In the case of Dr. Robert John Ouko, reports were made I courts tat his phone lines at his Koru Farm in Kisumu had also gone off during the fateful night of his mysterious disappearance and death. Obviously the head of the security intelligence cannot be exonerated for having been totally ignorance of these events.

The same could be said of the deaths by faked road accidents of Ronald Gideon Ngala and CMG Argwings-Kodhek. Like Mboya both died while serving in the cabinet as Minster for Foreign Affair and minister for Power and Communications respectively. All the four Mboya, Ngala, Argwings-Kodhek and Ouko were the possible future presidential materials during the reign of the late Jomo Kenyatta. And as such Kenyans were expecting Kiplagat’s TJRC to caste its net much more wider and come out with some truth about thee past politically motivated killings in Kenyatta instead of writing rubbish and perhaps copying some old reports from other regions.

Leo Odera Omolo

KENYA: CLAIMS ARE MADE THAT DEAD PEOPLE CAST THEIR VOTES IN KASIPUL CONSTITUENCY DESPITE SERIOUS OBJECTIONS RAISED AT TIME BY ASPIRANTS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

SEVERAL dead people were reported to have their votes casted and their names ticked off in the voters registration as having duly voted on March 14. 2013.

These are some of the complaints lined up as evidence of the irregularities during the violence marred election by a petitioner seeking or the nullification of the election of the MP for Kasipul Joseph Oyugi Maguwanga.

The petition which is before the Homa-Bay High Court is filed by the election loser Charles Ong’ondo Were.

According to the detailed account of the allegation contained therein the petition paper, the petitioner had submitted copies of the government issued death certificates as well as the burial certificates to confirmed that the two voters whose names are featuring prominently in the petition paper had died, but the presiding officers had allowed their names to be ticked off as if they had come back from the dead and voted on March 14, 2013.

Were said, he believed that more dead people and ghost voters could have participated in the elections on the polling day. His effort in alerting the Provincial administration of these irregularities had hit the rock. The area D.C. is reported to have instructed the Location chiefs not to co-operate with those seeking the official document about the dead people within the constituency.

The death and burial certificates are being accompanied by affidavits sworn by he petitioner and the family of the decease persons as well as the local administrators.

Maguwanga had squeezed narrow victory over Were who has since moved to court seeking the nullification of the election an also recounting o the votes cast during the process.

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I was luck to be in attendance at the birth of the OAU 50 years ago

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A KENYAN VETERAN JOURNALIST WHO WITNESSED THE BIRTH OF THE OAU 50 YEARS AGO RECALS HOW THE LATE GAMAL ABDUL NASSER OF EGYPT AND AHMED BEN-BELL OF ALGERIA WERE RECEIVED WITH ULULATION AND STANDING OVATION IN ADDIS ABABA

By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City,Saturday 25th May 2013

I was lucky to have been among the youthful budding journalists who were privileged to witness the birth of the Organization of African Unity {OAU} on May 25,1963.

This was the second largest Pan-African political gathering to be held in an African independent country. The first such major pan-African political gathering was held in Accra ,Ghana in December 1958.

Thomas Joseph Mboya, then twenty year-old Kenya member of the colonial Legislative Council for Nairobi and a leading Pan-Africanist trade unionist was elected unanimously to chair the Accra meeting beating the host Ghanaian President Dr Kwame Nkrumah {Osyageffo} with the largest number of votes.

In Addis Ababa the summit of the OAU was initial attended by 21 heads of states of the African governments. 15 other joined later in the process brining the initial number of founding fathers to 36.

Today the OAU which later transformed itself into African Union has 54 member countries including the hotly disputed Saharawi Republic.

It was during the cold war, and there were evidence of covrt operations between members of the intelligence communities from ther East and West. The two blocs were scrambling for the control of Africa’s political and economies at the time.

The man who stole the show and looked the most popular head of state was the Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser, his popularity emanating from his firm stand and beating off the Allied Invasion of the Suez Canal in 1956.Thius was after the British and France combined forces had invaded Suez Canal and Alexandria, which sparked off the middle East Crisis of 1957.

President Ahmed Ben-Bell was just smarting from the .Both Nasser and Ben-Bella had become an house hold across the African continent.

Other heads of states in attendance at the initial stage were Hompught Boigny of Ivory Coast, Leon Mba of Gabon, the poet-writer Leopold Senghor of Senegal. Olympio of Togo,Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea,Jomo Kenyatt of Kenya, the Prime Minister of Uganda Dr Apollo Milton Obote, Julius \Kambasrage \Nyerere of Tanganyika. AlI Muhsin of Zanzibar,Dr Sharmake of Somalia,.Chiuef Leabue Jonathan of Lesotho

THe meeting took place before the formation of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar which was later christened Tanzania a year later after the rug-tug soldiers led by a Ugandan carpenter John Okello overthrew the Sultante of Zanzibar in 1964 paving the way for the formation of the Union between the mainland Tanganyika and the Isles of Zanzibar and Pemba, which became Tanzania.

The African countries which were still struggling to free themselves from the Yolk of colonialism were given the observers status between the mainland Tanganyika and the Isles of Zanzibar and Pemba.

Notable present at the Africa Hall, which also houses the UN Economic Commission for Africa {ECA}

President Jomo Kenyatta a personal friend of the Emperor Haile Selassie was accommodated in a suit located inside Gion Hotel, a walking distance to Africa Hall and also a short distance to the Menelik Palace,the official residence of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Other prominent Pan-Africanists who attended the inception of the OAU included the late George Padmore of Trinidad and Tobago, Dubois. Padmore was the adviser of Dr.Nkrumah on Pan-African affairs.Dr Namdi Azikiwe of Naigeria, Sir Abubakas Tafawa Balewa the Federal Prime Minister of Nigeria,Kenneth David Kaunda nf Zambia and Dr Hasting Kamuzu Banda oif Malawi.

The radical camp which was led by Dr.Nkrumah and Nasser had an agenda of wanted the founding fathers to work out on the charter and agenda of for the creation of the United States of Africa the model of the USA, but this was found to be impracticable due to the fact that almost close to half of the African continent was still under the occupation and colonialists and racists white South Africans.

The meeting began after the official opening ceremony in an electrifying speech by the Emperor Haile Salassie on May 22nd.But it encountered problem in the afternoon of the same day when the government ofCongo Leopoldville presented two sets of delegations. One delegation had come from the ceciuonist leader Moise Tshombe of Katanga and was led by one Godfroid Munongo, while the Leopoldville delegation was led by its then Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Bomboko.

There werealso several splinter delegation like those of the Srahawi Republic and Morocco.But our gounding father used their political magnanimity and cooled down the situation. The Francophone Anglophone differences also emerged during the meeting. but was shot down and watered with anti-colonialism sentiments.

Kenya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Joseph Murumbi was busy shuttling between Africa Hall and Gion Hotrel whenever he was required for consultations by President Kenyatta. The other Kenyan minister who looked busy was Dr. Mungai Njoroge, who was also acting as the personal physician of President Kenyatta.Tom Mboya was another Minister assigned a lot of work by the President. He was the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs..

President Julius Kambarage Nyerere had brought along his Minister for External Affairs and Defense, the flamboyant Oscar Kambona who was then the Secretary-General of the ruling TANU party.Dr Hasting Kamuzu Banda had Kanyama Chiume a journalist as his country Minister for Foreign Affairs, whileDr. Obote had Sam Odaka and Adoko Nekyon as his principal advisers.

Dr Nkurumah the Ghanaian president had Alexei quesedion as his Foreign Affairs Minister.Things were so cheap in Addis Ababa, especially in the Mariketo area, one could buy an autoimatic pistal with full ammunition loaded in its magazine or a hunting rifles in the street provided you handed the gun to the captain or pilots of the plane while boarding it for home.Vials of drugs were sold in the open area and dd not require any doctor’s prescription.

Batteries of local and international journalists were herded into Ras Hotel ,for their accommodation.The hotel is located right in the middle if he City, but it is also a walking to the Africa Hall.Accreditation was noi very cumbersome as it is today.

It came at a time when I had already worked for the Uganda Argues in Kampala,and also edited PINY OWACHO,I had also served as s tringer for the East African Standardand later joined the staff of the BARAZA the weekly Kiswahili as its sports editor. and a regular contributor to the drum MAGAZINE East African edition

In 1963 each and every bar and restaurant in Addis Ababa had a compartment with well prepared bed for the revelers who wished to go inside for a rest with their girl-friends

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About the author LEO OIDERA OMOLO is a veteran KENYAN JOURNALIST NOW AGED 76 AND STILL WRITING AND COMMENTING ON TOPOIC ARTICLES. HE OPERTATES IN KISUMUCITY.

President Obama is to bypass Kenya once again in his next month’s African tour

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

WHEN it became obvious that the US President Barrack Obama has excluded Kenya during his African tour next month, local leaders have reacted angrily, though putting up brave faces to conceal their disappointment.

Government leaders in Kenya, however, put up brave faces saying they were not worried President Obama would not be visiting due to some unforeseen complications and due to impending crime cases against humanity cases against its leaders.

This would the second time when the US President Obama snubbed Kenya, the birth place of his biological father.

The US President is schedule to start his first African tour since he was re-elected the US President for the second five year term. The planned itinerary would take President Obama to Senegal South Africa and Tanzania, but the itinerary will bypass Kenya, the country where his biological father the late Barrack Hussein Obama Snr was born.

The US President has a sizeable number of his family and relatives living in Western Kenya County of Siaya in Nyanza Province.

The Obama planned latest African tour has elicited a lot of controversies among the Kenyan political class and also among the senior African diplomats in Nairobi.

Among those who commented over the matter included President barrack Obama elder half brother Malik Abong’o Obama who is still smarting from a devastative election defeat of March 14 general-election in which he had contested for the plum elective position of the Siaya governor and came the second to last. Abong’o contested the election as an independent candidate.

Malik Obama told newsmen in Siaya ‘As a family including our grand mother Mama Sarah Obama we do not want to comment on the matter.He {the President} has not informed us of his visit to other African counties, a strong indication that the forthcoming visit is not family affair.”

President Uuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto who were voted in on March 14, 2013 this year both face trial at the International Criminal Court [ICC} at he Hague for their alleged role in orchestrating deadly post-election violence in 2007/2008.

The US administration officials have unofficially stated on condition of total anonymity that President Uhuru Kenyatta election had been the complicating factor in setting President Obama’s schedule in Africa. But the government spokesman in Nairobi dismissed the reports.

There has been a strong rumor that President Obama is avoiding Kenya because of the on-going ICC cases at the Hague said the government spokesman Machai Kariuki adding that these are all unfounded rumors.

President Obama visited Kenya in 2006 shortly after he was elected to the US Senate.He was elected the US President in 2008.

HE VISITED Ghana and South Africa after his election for the first term of five years, but did not come anywhere near Kenya during the tour.But this time around the US would be visiting Tanzania, which is next door to Kenya. Bloggers writing in the social media and websites have written a lot of controversial comments over the visit.

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