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Kenya: Prof Nyong’o is to face the stiffest opposition for his Senatorial bid in Kisumu County

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The Minister for Medical Services Prof.Peter Anyang Nyong’o who is the ODM’s Secretary General and who had sailed through the last month’s flawed nomination may not find it that much easier to take his seat in the Senate without a fight.

The man who he defeated in the contest for Kisumu Rural constituency contest two decades ago is upon his feet and ready for another bruising election battle with the Minister.

The aspirant is Winston Ochoro Ayoki who represented Kisumu Rural constituency between 1992 and 2002 has declared that he would challenge Prof.Nyong’o in his bid to become the first Senator for Kisumu County.

An American trained graduate, Ayoki has served the government in the Ministry of Education at first as an Education Officer for the then Migori sub-district before he was promoted and made the Principal the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Science and technology.

Ayoki retired from the civil service and contested the Kisumu Rural parliamentary seat during the first multi-party elections of 1992 and won the election on Ford-Kenya ticket. He was sent packing by Nyong’o in 1997 and there after engage himself in business and farming.

At one time Ochoro-Ayoki was the regional manager for the American-Peace Corps in Kenya. He is also the younger brother of the late Wycliffe Onyango Ayoki who was the Managing Commission of the Kenya Meat Commission in the late 1960s.

Onyango-Ayoki had also served as the KANU MP for Kisumu Rural constituency in the late 1970s.This constituency has since been realigned and separated from the parts of Kisumu with the new constituency which s known as Seme.

Ayoki told this writer that his had an eight point vision for the Kisumu County.If elected he would thrive to promote health care program, promote the delivery of clean water for heath to the rural population, launch very aggressive food production program to make the area self-sufficiency in food and work for food security.

He said he would improve the environment of the area as well of conservations, further improve educational facilities and technology and build good infrastructure such as feeder and access roads to facilitate easy communications between the farming rural folks and market places.

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KENYA: KARACHUONYO CONSTITUENCY MIGHT NOT BE THE FERTILE GROUND FOR NON-ODM ASPIRANT TO WIN THE PARLIAMENTARY SEAT DESPITE THE INTRODUCTION OF CLANS POLITICS

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town.

REPORTS emerging from Rachuonyo South district within Homa-By County say clans politics is raising its ugly head ahead of the March 4, 2013 general election.

However, sources in this most populous and expansive rural farming constituency have confided to us that it would be an uphill task for an aspirant contesting the election on another party ticket outside the ODM to clinch the east.

The residents have vowed to follow the six piece voting pattern in the area to the latter despite of the concerted effort by one of the parliamentary aspirant to introduce the inter clans rivalry kind of politics which is pitting the east and the west side of the expansive constituency.

According to impeccable sources, the architect of the inter-clans rivalry politic in
Karachuonyo is Adipo Okuome, a perennial parliamentary election loser in the area ever since the late1980s. This time around, he was beaten hands down by the immediate former MP for the area Eng. James K Rege.

Disgruntled after losing in the ODM primary nomination, Adipo Okuome it is being alleged had mobilized drunken and heavily intoxicated youths who staged violence protest by way of blocking he main Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay with logs and burning tires.

The youths stoned motorists, while singing derogatory songs against the ODM leader Raila Odinga shouting ‘no Adipo Okuome no Raila Odinga. They tore up and burnt Raila Odinga‘s election posters. The gangs of hired political goons had earlier attacked the motorcade of Eng. Rege when he toured Nyakongo area in Central Karchuonyo where the former MPs made a narrow escaped amid hails of stones.

Adipo Okuome had since ditched the ODM and took the ticket of the Wiper party and he is still in the race. Another ODM primary nomination loser David Ngala joined the UDF on whose ticket; he is still in the race for the election proper, which is slated for March 4, 2013.

Following the ODM nomination fiasco, the inter-clans politics has raised its ugly head with unconfirmed allegation claims that the Wiper candidate has been preaching for the partition of Karachuonyo constituency into to the east-West confrontation.

In Karachuonyo, the family tree is evenly distributed into sub-clans based on the clans named after the five wives of the community’s great grand father, Rachuonyo son of Jok. The descendants of the polygamous grand father are named after their grand-mothers, namely, Joka-Achieng’. Jo-Kanyipir, Jo-Kauma, Joka-Nyaluo and Joka-Adwet.

Rachuonyo’s wives were Achieng’, Nyipir, Nyaluo, Auma and Adwet.

The Kadwet group, which is the most populous sub-clan occupied the central and the eastern parts of the constituency including the Kendu-Bay town which is the nerves center of the region .politics.

The intriguing history of Karachuonyo politics rotates around the two major clans which live in the East and West. The east had the advantage accessing modern education owing to the fact that it was the homes of colonial chieftains, who dominated the area administration from 1906 to the time when Kenya attained its political independence in 1963. The old colonial chiefs who were from one sub-clan, joka-Adwet might have committed some act of injustices against members of other sub-clans, which were considered to be inferior due to lack of exposure to modern education and civilization, and from the look of things, it appears as if these sub-clans which were previously marginalized and suppressed by the colonial chiefs have yet to forgiven the Joka-Adwet sub-clan.

Despite of its population numeracy, the Joka-Adwet has yet to produce an MP ever since the inception of Karachuonyo constituency in 1962.

The first MP for Karachuonyo was the lat Elijah Omolo Agar who win the election as an independent KANU candidate the late Joseph Gogo Ochok who was the KANU official candidate during the 1963 independence general elections.

Omolo Agar met the fatal road accident in 1966 and died before completing his five year terms. At the time of his death he was serving in the post independence cabinet as an Assistant Minister for home-Affairs.

The election contest between the late Omolo Agar and the late Gogo Ochok was full of political intrigues and controversies in that Jaramogi Oginga Odinga who was the then KANU Vice President threw his weight behind the late Gogo Ochok the official KANU candidate while the late Tom Mboya who was then the KANU Secretary-General backed the candidacy of Omolo Agar.

Omolo Agar hails fro the Kanyipir sub-clan in the West .After Agar’s death, the former area member of the defunct Nyanza regional Assembly David Okiki Amayo was voted in to become the second Karachuonyo MP, Okiki Amayo, was to dominate the area politics for the next two decades until the until spoken women leader Mrs Phoebe Muga Asiyo dethroned him in another controversial and bruising election battle.

Asiiyo retired from active politic after representing thezrea for three five years term, ad was replaced by his former chief campaigner Dr. Paul Adhu Awiti.

Awiti lost to Rege in 2007 and has since been engaged by the prime minister Raila Odinga as his political adviser on Luo politic.

What is expected to come out of the election in Karachuonyo is the fact that those aspirants contesting the election in the Luo-Nyanza outside the ODM stand no chance of wining the election after the Luo political kingpin Raila Odinga had toured the area and questioned the voters not to elected “Madodoa” candidates. He warned that electing such a candidates would reduced the party majority in the next parliament.

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Raila witnessed the election violence as missiles and shoes flew over the dignitary dais in Homa-Bay CORD accompany rally

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

SECURITY details of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga ON Wednesday this week.and shielded the CORD presidential candidate from being hit when the mayhem broke loose during the ODM campaign rally at Homa-Bay Town

The Prime Minister was on the last leg of his three days campaign mission in his native home region of Luo-Nyanza.The trouble started when CORD leader made futile attempt to disown the ODM aspirants who have crossed over into other parties and got cleared by the IEBC to contest the March 4, 2013 general elections.

These were the same aspirants who had contested the election on ODM tickets, but felt aggrieved and deliberately rigged out after the much flawed ODM primary nomination.

Most of the rebel aspirants crossed to parties in partnership with the ODM under the enlarged CORD alliance.

The biggest crowd had turned out at the Homa-Bay campaign rally which was attended by the Prime Minister and several cabinet Ministers. The crowd was splinted into smaller groups of supporters carrying the portraits and electi0on posters of their favorite candidates, most of them those who had ditched ODM and crossed over t other parties.

The Gwassi MP John Mbadi, who was the master of ceremony pleaded with the crowd to drop the posters as this was an embarrassment to the Prime Minister, but the crowd defiantly displayed the posters while bursting into songs of praise for their favorite candidates. The MP’s voice was swallowed into shouting match by the huge crowd.

A heated argument ensued between the crowd and the Ministers followed by flying shoes and stones, some which hit the podium but kissed the dignitaries. The protesters appeared to have targeted the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’

At one point a shoe thrown from the crowd hit the Minister and several others, while the Prime Minister was shielded by his security details and the Lands Minister James Orengo. The Minister had earlier tried to calm down the enraged crowd but was heckled and shouted down.

The security personnel moved in and charged on the crowd and even making the matters worse. It was the youthful Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba who successfully pleaded with the crowd to calm down before Raila made his address after the order and calm had been restored.

During the melee that followed the crowd run helter scalter leaving behind hundreds of shoes which were used as missiles.

Insults were hurled at Kajwang’, who prior to the ODM nomination was the chairman of the party in Homa-Bay County and who the crowd blamed for having messed u the nomination. They called the Ministers names such as “Traitor” “Andhoga’.

Other voices coming from the crowd defiantly praised and approved the candidature of Hilary Ochieng; Alila, who is Kajwang’s only rival in the Homa-Bay Senatorial contest in the Homa-Bay Senatorial contest, though Alila was nowhere to be seen.

Alila is still on the race on the ticket of Omingo Magara led Democratic Party of Kenya and the populist aspirant is expected to give Kajwang’ a run for his money come the March 4, 2013,

Raila faced similar problem when he toured Migori County the previous day. All the problems emanating from the flawed ODM nomination

In Migori, the former Nyatike M Edick Omondi Anyanga, whose wife Anne Omondi Anyanga was among those whose election were questionable had been made the deputy governor, whose nomination is also questionable. Insiders say no nomination took place in the took place in the entire Nyatike constitu4ndfy. although the IEBC had cleared the former MP and sever County representatives plus his wife.The same problems occurred in Migiori East constituency where a Somali Juneet Mohamed who is believed to be a believed to aver won the primary nomination. There were unconfirmed allegation of bribery both at the ODM headquarter and also at the IEBC.

In his address Raila Odinga urged the electorate to vote for ODM candidates only in a six pieces pattern to ensure that his party secure majority MPs.. He said this would give the ODM the majority seats in the August House, but if they voted for those aspiring for the election using other parties tickets, the ODM parliamentary strength could be reduced into minority. But a section of the crowd could not hear of this, though ‘Agwambo” spoke in vernacular telling them’yawa kik ukuod wiya [please do not shame me}

Raila, however, made political blunder when he described those seeking elective position in the region using tickets from other parties including those in partnership with the ODM under CORD umbrella as “Madoadoa”This remark provoked further murmuring among the crowd.

When the former Rangwe MP Eng Phillip Okoth Okundi turned out at the venue of the rally then broke loose as if the heaves had come down on the earth. Okundi is believed by many people within the locality to have won the position of the co. Awiti..

The ODM candidate for the Homa-Bay County women rep 5esentatiuve Mrs Gladys Wanga was subjected to a lot of insult and called name with some of the unprintable insults and insinuations. She is believed not to have won the primary fairly, but was rigged in on instruction of the Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’.

Wanga is believed to have polled close to 31,00 votes against the winner Mrs Roselyn Onyuka, the former Nyanza PDE who polled 47,000 and above, but her names was cancelled at the ODM headquarters where she was replaced by Mrs Wanga. These were some of the issues which had angered and enraged the Homa-Bay crowd,and provoked them to act violently

From the looking of things,the majority of voters in Luoi-Nyanza appeared ti be hell-bent on voting for non-ODM candidates.

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KENYA: LAND CONMAN CHARGED IN KISUMU COURT.

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By Chak Rachar.

THE proprietor of a leading real estate agency in Kisumu was yesterday arraigned before a court and charged with obtaining money from a woman under the pretext that he would secure her a parcel of land.

George Adada appeared before the Senior Resident Magistrate Samuel Atonga and denied the charge.

Adada is charged that he February 11 2010 at Re-insurance plaza in Kisumu East district received a bankers cheque of 400,000/- and 50,000/- all totaling 450,000/- from Morine Leah Aketch Auma under the pretext that he could sell her a parcel of land at Kisumu Konya / 6067.

The accused who is the proprietor of Michigen Investments was ordered released on a bond of 100,000/-.

Atonga fixed the hearing of the case on February 27 this year.

The accused was taken to the basement cells as his bond was prepared.

He is represented by a Kisumu lawyer Ouma Njoga of Njoga and company advocates by inspector Francis Milia prosecuted the case.

Adada was earlier in the week roughed up by people who claim to be prospective land buyers after he and the complainant went to the scene together with surveyors, police and other complainants went to establish the situation on the ground.

The irate group left him half naked during the scuffle.

ENDS.

Kenya: Gun totting thugs kidnapped a prominent Oyugis trader in a political related violence

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The rate of crime waves in Oyugis town and its environs is reported to have reached the most worrying point and alarming proportion..

The semi-rural town is located in Rachuonyo South district within the Homa-Bay County.Cases of politically related intimidation are also said to be on the upsurge with several local leaders reporting having received phone calls containing life threatening messages.

A young man was killed a couple of weeks ago as he walked home at about 8.p.m after attending a church service in town. So far no arrest has been made.

Johnson Arong’a Apart met his death as he was walking to his home in Kokal village outside Oyugis town after attending an evening church meeting.

Another shocking incident occurred last week when Willis Ocholla a prominent trader in Oyugis town was abducted by four gun-0rorring thugs. The thugs drove him in his car all the way to Mumias where his car was eventually abandoned..

The incident took place while Ocholla was driving to his residence within Oyugis town after 8 p.m in the evening. The thugs blocked his path with another car and four thugs emerged, one of the brandishing what looked like an AK 47assault rifle. The bundled Ocholla into the back sea of his car, blind folded him and drove towards Kisumu.

He was later released in a Kisumu city residential estate where he was abandoned by his abductors chained from behind and stripped naked.

Oholla had the colossal sums of money toi the tune of Kshs 300,000 which the they took after frisking his pockets.

He was later rescued by a good Samaritan who gave him a trouser and took him to the Kisumu Police Station. The victim was later admitted to the New Nyanza General Hospital in Kisumu Central Police Station. The good Samaritan also gave him a trouser and thereafter took him to the New Nyanza General Hospital for treatment. He could not speak at the time because the thugs had beaten him up.

Prior to the incident,sources in Oyugis said Ocholla had received the verbal warning from a person whom he knew pretty well who told him to scale his businesses down, especially his flourishing wholesale store.

At the same time, a civic leader representing Wire / Migwi ward Coun Jevis Abuor reported last week that he had received a telephone message warning him not to support a certain parliamentary candidate in the area or else his life would be in danger.The Councilor made a report at the Oyugis police station.

Similar incident of intimidations coming from marauding youths allied to parliamentary aspirants in the contest for the Kasipul seat are on the high increase.

The former MP for Kasipul-Kabondo William Oloo Otula has strongly condemned what he termed as life threatening political thuggeries in the area and called upon the police in Rachuoyo South to redouble their day and night patrol around Oyugis town and its environs.

Otula who said he had lost a cousin the late Arong’a Apat appealed to the police to ensure that the culprits who killed the young man were brought to book.

Otula who represented the area in parliament between 1992 and 1997appeal to the candidates vying for the parliament seat in the area to conduct their campaign in peace and refrain from engaging the drunken youths to disrupt the peace and tranquility in the are.

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Kenya: LSK on Limuru Country Club

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By Agwanda Saye

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) wants the Limuru Country Club to uphold gender rights under the Constitution.

LSK CEO Apollo Mboya said that the exclusive club had breached the constitutional provision on non-discrimination on gender.

He said that Article 27 of the Constitution provided that every person was equal before the law and had the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.

“Equality includes the full benefit and equal enjoyment of all rights and fundamental freedoms – irrespective of gender,” Mboya said.

The CEO said that men and women had the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.

The Board of Directors of Limuru Country Club held a meeting on December 18, 2012 and allegedly made a by law to disenfranchise lady members, according to documents at LSK.

“We (LSK) call on the Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch and the National Gender and Equality Commission to intervene on the stalemate,” Mboya says.

The CEO said that the issue was before the LSK Gender Committee which would advise the Governing Council on legal steps to take.

“We shall consider legal necessary legal action if the matter is not resolved amicably,” Mboya said.

Mboya said that LSK was in possession of documents showing that the Board of the golf club passed a discriminatory by law that was not in line with the Constitution.

“The by law says that the golf committee was a male affair …lady golfers can only attend its meetings as guests,” Mboya said.

Rose Mambo, Dr Caroline Wangari and Martha Vincent who are members of the club have instructed their lawyers Murgor & Murgor Advocates to write to the club over the matter.

Lawyer Philip Murgor copied the legal letter to Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ababu Namwamba and National Gender and Equality Commission chairperson Winnie Lichuma.

Murgor said that the Board of Directors had taken away voting rights of the women and consigned them to mere guests during general meetings.

“We are concerned because Dr Wangari and Ms. Vincent have even served as Lady Golf Captains at the exclusive club,” Mboya said.

He said that LSK was concerned that constitutional provisions as stipulated under the Bill of Rights were increasingly breached on economic, social, political spheres.

“It is high time we accept that society has undergone a complete transformation and the Constitution should be our guide,” Mboya said.

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KENYA: LEADING KISUMU ESTATE AGENT STRIPPED NAKED BY WOMEN AFTER CONNING THEM.

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By Chak Rachar

ANGRY prospective land buyers yesterday roughed up a leading real Estate Agent in Kisumu while accusing him of fleecing them of unspecified amounts of cash under the pretext that her would sell them assorted parcels.

The irate mob pounced on Mr. George Adada leaving him half naked.

Adada who is the proprietor of Michigen Investments which is based in Kisumu pleaded with the buyers to leave him alone but his pleas fell on deaf ears as they roughed him up.

Chaos erupted at Konya village in the outskirts of Kisumu town where land surveyors, police and lawyers had gone there in order to find the situation on the ground.

But the mob stormed the area next to Ukweli pastoral centre sending everyone scampering in different directions.

Earlier hundreds of prospective land buyers in Kisumu who claim to have lost millions of shillings to fraudsters posing as agents threatened to stage a major demonstration against the police and land officials in the area whom they say collude with the conmen.

The victims said that they will stage a major demonstration against the office of the criminal investigations department for not arresting the agents.

One of the victims Ms Leah Aketch said that she was coned by agent at Michigen Investments and has spent over 7 million shillings in developing a parcel of land at Konya in the outskirts of Kisumu which turned out to be a road reserve.

“Upon perusal of maps it has been established that the parcel of land is actually located on a road reserve’ she said.

Speaking in Kisumu Aketch said that she has severally referred the matter to CID headquarters in Nairobi.

She said that her efforts to have the conman arrested have all been in vain since the susoect enjoys protection from some officers.

Aketch said that officers at the CID office in Kisumu have been telling her that the matter is quite delicate.

She blamed officers at the land’s office in Kisumu for colluding with the conmen in order to fleece unsuspecting members of the public of million of shillings.

Aketch said she was given a parcel of land at Konya parcel number 6076 by a one George Adada only to be told that the real one is located at Dago parcel number 4020 which is located several kilometers away.

Another complainant Oliver Agnes alias Nyanaya said she had fallen victim to the fraudsters at Riat area.

She said huge tracts of her parcels of land had been sold out by some of the conmen posing as agents in Kisumu town.

Nyanza CID chief Joseph Mugwanja confirmed knowledge of some of the cases.

Mr. Mugwanja said he is aware of Aketch’s case since it was forwarded from CID headquarters for immediate action.

Documents seen by The People show that Aketch was given a referral letter addressed to the Nyanza PCIO to look into the matter.

He promised to look at the file with a view to taking action.

Mr. Mugwanja confirmed that there are some 32 cases of that nature which are being investigated by the Kisumu DCIO.

The days of those who have been fleecing people under the pretext of giving them parcels of land are now numbered.

A number of top civil servants and businessmen in Kisumu have also fallen victims of the super conmen.

Investigations have revealed that those who have been fleeced of millions of shillings have been promised parcels of land at Kibos Road, Dago, Konya, Dunga, parts of Kajulu, Riat and Kisian, Dago together with Otonglo areas.

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THE PLANNED MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SODA ASH PLANT INVESTMENT IN LAKE NATRON HAS SPARKED OFF VEHEMENT OPPOSITION FROM LOCALS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS IN TANZANIA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging out of the Northern Tanzanian city of Arusha says the battle line is drawn between the environmentalists and conservationists vehemently opposed to the establishment of a multi-million dollar soda ash plant inside Lake Natron.

It says the move is against the background of the report that six foreign firms, which have placed bids to set up a controversial soda ash plant on the shores of Lake Natron.

According to the same source, the National Development Corporation (NDC}, a quasi-government organization, these firms are seeking to set up the USD 500 million factory to exploit a million metric tones of soda ash annually.

Lake Natron a volcanic lake near Engaruka area nearly 220 kilometers from Arusha town have reserves of at least 4.7 billion cubic liters of soda ash.

However, the plan to mine the deposits has been strongly opposed by residents and conservationist who have expressed fears that such a project would adversely affect the lesser flamingos’ population in the area.

The mine is to be set up in the middle of a nesting ground for the one third of the world’s population of lesser flamingos.

A 2010 report compiled by the Wild birds International and Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania had revealed widespread opposition among residents to the planned soda ash mine.

But another report seen in Arusha last week by a team of journalists shows the government of Tanzania is determined to kick-start the project on Lake Natron. The Wetland Management plan and environmental assessment study for the proposed project are set to be completed in June this year.

An August 2012 costs benefit analysis report showed that 75 per cent of local residents were vehemently opposed to the construction of the plant.

The report projected a loss on investment of between USD 44 million and USD 492 million over the next 50 years should the plan proceed. It predicted earnings of between USD 1.28 billion and USD 1.57 billion n over the same period if the government were to instead invest in local tourism and environmental protection in the area.

It is anticipated that the environmental assessment studies will also propose that environmental friendly technology be used to extract and process the soda ash for export, as the government f Tanzania seeks to sidestep the growing environmental concerns.

“This time, the director General of the NDC Gideon Nassari was quoted last week as having said this./me, the government will do all it can to ensure the project is realized as planned,”.

He, however,. Decided to divulge the names of the six foreign multinational companies interested in the project. But said the NDC was still scrutinizing them for the purpose of identifying the most suitable one for a joint venture with the government.

Earlier plan for mining Lake Natron involved Indian firm Tata Chemical and the NDC, but the deal flopped and collapsed.

Soda ash, known chemically as sodium carbonate, is key raw materials for glasses, chemicals, soaps and detergents.

The NDCX says the proposed plant could earn the country up to USD 300 million a year and create more than 500 jobs.

The government will hold a 46 per cent take in the project through the NDC, once it reaches a consensus with any of the investors in on-going negotiations.

For the past six years, the project has been facing vehement opposition from environmentalists and conservationists who argued that setting up the factory near Lake Natron would wipe out the breeding grounds of the lesser flamingo, thus putting at risk 75 per cent of the global population of this near threatened birds species.

“Experience elsewhere shows that the excavation can be done without any harm to the ecosystem,’ said President Jakaya Kikwete while dismissing the fears that the plant will wipe out the flamingos population.

“What matters is the application of environmentally friendly technology to avoid disrupting the flamingos breeding sites. Sometime those who are oppose to the project did not know what it entails. Those opposed to the plant are really patriotic because it seems as if they are agents of some people we do not know. He added,

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Kenya: A Big Showdown between Otienmo Kajwang and Hilary Alila in Homa-Bay town

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The presentation by the two aspirants contesting the Homa-Bay County Senate seat was so dramatic in that the Immigration and Registration of Persons Minister Otieno Kajwang’presented his nomination certificate to the IEBC officials in Homa-Bay in the company of a small crowd of followers.Kajwang’ is the ODM official candidate.

The Minister rival the 38 year old Nairobi-based businessman Hilary Ochieng” Alila who is contesting the seat on the People Democratic Party which is led by the former South Mugirango MP Omingo Magara pulled the largest crowd of supporters who escorted him to Homa-Bay town in Matatus. Boda Boda motorbikes and traditional dancers.

Immediately his papers were accepted by the IEBC officials, Kajwang’ quietly slipped off the town and drove away accompany by members of the GSU and the security personnel and drove to unknown destination, while Alila supporters continued singing and dancing around the town.

Kajwang was handed the ODM nomination certificate in a discredited and much flawed nomination exercise, which many people in the region believes had been won by Alila with a big margin of votes.

Kajwang’ previously represented Mbita constituency in Suba region ever since 1997, but recently shifted his political camp from Mbita to Homa-Bay and switched to the contest of Senate seat instead of defending his Mbita, the move which political pundits and observers saw as a” a blunder and political suicide.”

Fears persists that the Minister would not be able to garnered enough support from the residents of Mbita in his previous parliamentary constituency because he had burned the bridge between him and the Suba people and would be in the race for the Homa-Bay County Senate seat without their blessing and goodwill.

The flamboyant Nairobi businessman Alila appeared to have attracted more support in all the seven parliamentary constituencies including Ndhiwa, Gwasi, Mbita, Homa-Bay Town, Rangwe, Karachuonyo, Kasipul and Kabondo Kasipul, mainly youths and woen.

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Kenya: Trouble is brewing inside President Barrack Obama’s Kenyan family over the recent trip to Washington D.C by a self-styled spokesman

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

Trouble is brewing within the Kenyan based family of the US President Barrack Obama following claims that the person who had traveled to Washington D.C early this month to witness the second inauguration and swearing o President Barrack Obama had no mandate of doing so, but was an impostor.

It has emerged that a former Siaya County civic leader Nicholas Rajula had travelled to Washington D.C to attend President Obama second swearing in on behalf of the family while masquerading as the family spokesman.

Rajula’s trip to the US has since elicited a harsh reaction from Malik Abong’o Obama, the elder step-brother of President Obama who disowned Rajula as an impostor and impersonator with no blood relations with the Obama family in Kenya.

Addressing newsmen in Siaya town during the launching of his campaign for the lucrative and powerful elective position of Siaya County governor, Malik distanced the family from the so-called spokesman, adding that he is a self-styled person who had no blood relation with the Obamas, though he hails from the Alego Kogelo sub-clan. He added that he {Malik} was the defacto spokesman of the Obama family in Alego Kogelo .Siaya.

Malik is contesting the position of the Siaya County governor as an independent candidate. Observers and local political pundits, however, were quick in pointing out that he stands very little chance of winning the seat a region where the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} is the party of choice.

Ex-Councilor Rajula, who is a businessman running chains of hotels included Kogelo Luxury Resort, which is allocated only a few meters from the Obama rural home in Nang’oma Kogelo in Siaya County could not be reached immediately for his comment.

This writer made a frantic effort to reach President Obama’s 90 year-old step grand-mother Mama Sarah Obama for her comment over the ex=Councilor alleged trip to the US on behalf of the family in vain. However, none of the Obama relatives in Kenya had travelled to the US to witness his second swearing in his second term of five years.

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KENYA: THREE CHINESE FOREIGN WORKERS WHO WERE CAUGHT RED-HANDED WHILE COOKING STEW OF PYTHON SNAKE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND TAKEN INTO POLICE CUSTODY

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Three Chinese foreign construction workers were last night arrested and placed in police custody pending their appearance in court.

The three Chinese and their Kenyan aide were arrested by scouts and rangers of the Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS}.The incident took place at the Olkaria Geothermal power station project, which is currently under construction about 90 kilometer south west of the capital, Nairobi.

The four were arrested only a few hours after they killing the python. According to the police sources in Naivasha town , the four skinned the snake before cutting it into small pieces to make a stew meat.

The Chinese foreign workers are engaged on the construction site. They are said to have been making big influx into the nearby Hell-Gate National Game Park an area which is poplar with foreign tourists.

The local Maasai pastoralist’s herdsmen had tipped the KWS rangers deployed by the KWS to guard the game park and protect tourist sceneries within the area.

Naivasha Police Chief Paul Korir confirmed the arrest of the three foreign workers and their Kenyan accomplices, adding that they have been released on police bail and would be taken to court within two or three days to answer the charges of being in illegal possession of game trophy, namely python skin and meat.

The Kenya Wildlife Services officers acting on a tip-off visited the camp site where they Chinese were being housed and found them cooking a snake meat. A large number of Chinese foreign workers later flocked the local police station to inquire about the fate of the colleagues.

Koriri said it was against Kenyan laws for any unauthorized person to kill mammals and wildlife that is “why we have arrested them”

There has been hue and cry ever since the great influx of Chinese foreign workers and businessmen into Kenya. Moist of these Chinese are engaged in construction of roads and other projects previous undertaken by international construction firms from the European Union and other Western countries.

The arrival of thousands of Chinese in Kenya is also said to be related to the increases and alarming cases of poachers who have been killing elephants at large to the near extinction of the Jumbos.

A lot of consignments of illegal export of elephant tusks have been discovered while on transit in far places like Hong Kong, Bankok in Thailand, and other foreign capitals. The tusks are believed to have been originating in Kenya, though the country has placed a total ban on elephant tusks trade.

Elephant and both white and black rhinos are classified in Kenya as endangered animals species and are under twenty four hour protection by the government through the KWS. But the poachers armed with deadly and sophisticated weapons are said to be coming from the ungovernable Somalia neighbor, and the Chinese merchants are believed to be working in cohort with the poachers from Somalia.

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Kenya: Siaya parliamentary aspirant says he was robbed of his nomination victory due to the family feuds within the Odinga camp pitting Mrs Ida Odinga and Dr Oburu Oginga

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From: Arrum Tidi
By Our Reporter

TROUBLE is brewing with the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga’s family following unconfirmed claims and allegations of gross interferences over the recently concluded nomination exercise in Siaya.

Impeccable sources within the Odinga family of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga Prime Minister Raila Odinga have confided to us that there existed a highly spirited political wrangling with the Odinga family backyard as the result of the much flawed ODM nomination and thereafter the issuing of party’s nomination certificates to the winners in their respective constituencies.

The ODM nomination certificate was issued to the former Alego-Usonga MP Edwin Ochieng”Yinda, the man who had publicly acknowledged that he had been defeated in the nomination by a Kisumu Hotelier Charles Odunga Mamba.

He said he had been very close to Dr Oburu Oginga to the chagrin of Mrs Ida Odinga for some hidden reasons that he could not elaborate on, but he firmly believes Mrs Odinga is responsible for his misfortunes. He was rigged out in 2007 and again durnig the last week’s controversial ODM nominations in Siaya

Odunga mamba who runs the chains of Mamba Hotels in Kisumu City had won the majority votes during the nomination exercises. Another aspirant George Omondi had alleged admitted that he was involved in some election irregularity and was automatically disqualified from the race.

And when Charles Odunga travelled to Nairobi the next day and visited the Orange House, the party headquarters in Nairobi , he was shocked to learnt that the nomination certificate had already been collected by the former MP for the area Edwin Ochieng’ Yinda.

Odunga-Mamba, the man who is known to have been very close to the Odinga for many years and had even at times sacrificed his wealth in backing the ODM has pointed out an accusing finger to Mrs Ida Odinga, the wife of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga has having been responsible for his misfortune..

Odunga said he had always been suspicious that Mrs Ida Odinga was “not very comfortable within him”, particularly due to his unswerving support to the Finance Assistant Minister Dr.Oburu Oginga.

It all started when he threw his weight behind Dr Oburu Oginga during the battle for the Siaya County Sanatorial seat that pits Dr Oburu Oginga against the Lands Minister James Orengo. The issue was resolved amicably and the two senior most politicians in Siaya County were separated with Orengo left to vie for Senate while Dr Oburu Odinga contesting the position of the County governor.

Pressed hard as to why should Mrs Ida Odinga want him out of parliament, Odunga said that he suspected the matter to be related to the family feuds at the Odinga home turf in Bondo, Siaya County.

Pressed to state whether he was going to ditch the ODM, Odunga said he would continue supporting Raila Odinga for his presidential bid, and was not about to ditch the ODM. However, he did not mince his word and insisted that Mrs Odinga had formed the bad habit of interfering in the day to day management of the party.{ODM}.

At the same time the rumors making the rounds within Kisumu and its environs that Jack Ranguma, the man whom won the Kisumu County governorship to accept Ms Ruth Adhiambo Odinga as his deputy governor.

However, the elders from the Kano sub-clans of Jack Ranguma last night had held a meeting behind closed doors and told Ranguma not to yield to the demand from the Odinga family that Ruth Adhiambo be accommodated in the County governance as the deputy Governor of Kisumu County.

Miss Adhiambo had been one of the half a dozen of aspirants, but had pulled herself aside from the race citing her family interests. The latest demand that she be accommodated into the County governance had just come as surprise to all the elected leaders. The move has exposed members of the Odinga family as being greedy people who are ought to hold members of the Luo community at ransom and slavery bondage.

The much flawed ODM nomination exercises has become the popular talks of the town. Many people areleft wondering how Prof.Anyang’Nyong’o is going to sit in the Senate knowing it pretty well that had not won the election for the same seat in a poplar vote?.

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Kenya: The aspirant who incited his supporters to burn Raila Odinga posters and block the roads with logs and burning tires is rejected by Karachuonyo residents

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kendu-Bay Town

A parliamentary aspirant in Karachuonyo constituency had lost the race during the recently concluded ODM nominations. He then ditched the party for the Wiper Orange Movement after mobilizing his supporters to stage the violent street demonstration during which Raila Odinga election posters were burnt down and the Prime Minister effigy also set alight. He now faces a total rejection by the voters.

The demonstrators, comprised mainly of drunken youth, had blocked the main Kendu-Bay – Homa-Bay road at Kanyadhiang’ bridge near the home of the aspirant Adipo Okoume. They used heavy logs, burned tires and, torched Raila Odinga’s campaign posters. The demonstrators menacingly threatened motorists while singing derogatory songs against the Prime Minister,saying “no Adipo Okuome no Raila Odinga”

The close to violent demonstration began in earnest after the word went round that the former Karachuonyo MP Eng had clinched the nomination with landslide voters.

Other aspirants included Dr Ofafa Adede, Anderson Ojwang’, Donny Opar, David Ngala. The other aspirants did not take part in the demonstrations and kept away, while the supporters of Adipo Okuome also hurled stones at the former MP’s convoy of vehicles near Nyakongo causing mechanical damage to some of the vehicles.

The former MP Eng James K.Rege returned home at the weekend to a rousing welcome by a huge enthusiastic crowd. The former MP arrived at Kendu – Bay in the convoy of vehicles numbering about 60 and openly displayed to the crowd his ODM nomination certificate. He later took to road show going around the entire Karachuonyo constituency before winding u at his Kanjira village home in West Karachuonyo.

During the rally at Kendu Bay it was disclosed that three of the ODM nomination losers have moved and secured nomination of other parties outside ODM. Adipo was reported to have moved to the Wiper Party, while David Ngala will be vying for the election in the UDF part and Donny Opar to contest on the Wiper Party tickets.

It was after this revelation that a group of elders in Karachuonyo made an impromptu announcement saying that the constituency will not be the fertile ground for votes hunting by those who have lost in the ODM nomination.

The elders’ spokesman who requested for his anonymity singled out the name of Adipo Okuome saying that although the Wiper party is in partnership with the ODM under the main umbrella of CORD alliance this particular candidate owed the Karachuonyo people an apology for having allowed his supporter to engage themselves in acts of violence, thuggery and lawlessness and for having publicly insulted the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The elders called for peaceful election campaign and asked the aspirants to respect the right of each other and at the same time not to incite their supporters to violence.

One of the elders Ex-Assistant Chief Nyandiko heaped a lot of praise on the former MP saying he had changed the face of Karachuonyo politics from the violence prone constituency to an area of peaceful co-existence and massive development. He appealed to the voters to cats their votes to Eng Rege in their thousands so that he could continue implementing his impressive development agenda.

The elders made it clear that they would not entertain any “Madoadoa” politics or let the people vote for an aspirant whose loyalty to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is questionable. Karachuonyo is an ODM stronghold and we should like to see all the votes goes to “Agwambo”.

THE Karachuony0 elders advised the former MP Eng.Rege not to relax because the real election battle is still ahead until after March 4, 2013. They urged those who have won the elections as County Representatives in both Karachuonyo South and Karachuonyo North districts to join hands with the rest of the population to ensure massive votes for Raila Odinga’s presidential victory.

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Kenya: Tension has gripped the South Rift regions following the zoning of the area as the exclusive URP electoral zone

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.In Kericho Town

Political temperatures has arisen up followed by tension in the South Rift region of the expansive Rift Valley Province after several districts were Cannibalized together and declared the exclusive voting zone outside the jubilee Alliance.

The issue came to the surface immediately soon after the recently concluded Jubilee Alliance primary nominations. In the nomination exercise, TNA, which is the principal alliance and partner of the URP had its members barred from contesting the elective positions in areas which were classified as the URP electoral zones.

The districts which were grouped together and declared as the exclusive electoral zone of the URP included several Counties of Kericho, Bomet, Nandi, Baringo, Keiyo, Baringo, Trans-Mara, Molo, Nakuru Kuresoi and other places.

An aspirant who was vying the election in the newly created Sigowet constituency in the lower Belgut region of Kericho County said that those who turned up ready to contest the elections on TNA were turned away and told that they cannot contest any seat in those areas which had already been classified as the URP electoral zone.

A good number of aspirants have since sought for accommodation in other parties, and the fear persist that those who won in the URP primaries in the region might not make it to the next parliament after March 4, 2013.

In the same context, the jubilee Alliance is also risking being rejected by the electorate in the region due to its discriminative policy, which has Balkanized the communities on tribal line.

TNA members were denied the right of contesting the election on Jubilee ticket and told they can only do so on URP ticket. But not on TNA which is the umbrella of the Jubilee Aliance

Members of the Kipsigis sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group who form the bulk of the majority of the resident of the South Rift region are known not to be comfortable with the jubilee Alliance that has in the face of it brought together the Kipisigis and the kikuyu community.

This particular community has yet to e wholeheartedly in the Jubilee Alliance, and view the URPO leader William Ruto who has secured the powerful position in the alliance of being the running – mate for the Jubilee Alliance Presidential candidate as someone who has mortgaged the community for his selfish interests.

The Sigowet aspirant who requested for his anonymity has since moved to another political party outside the Jubilee Alliance and has appealed to other who felt grieved to do likewise.

The zoning of these electoral areas is illegal and was made deliberately to have William Ruto’s political surrogates and sycophants get political mileage over their opponents during the much flawed primary nominations. He also blamed the former Belgut MP Charls Keter for being the architect of the political zonng of the South Rift region, and warned that the former legislator who is now vying for Kericho County senate seat will pay dearly for his part in ill-advising the URP to create the tribal zoning.

The zoning of several districts had disarmed many would be aspirant for the various elective positions in these area. It has also raised political temperature in the region which could see the majority of the voters drifting back to ODM and CORD.

The common talks making the round in Kericho and its environs is that William Ruto the URP leader had miscalculated and underestimated the intelligence of the voters in the region in is plan to convince his Jubilee partners that he had the political clout over the voters in the zoned districts, something which he will pay dearly for his mistakes.

The zoning of the vote’s rich districts into URP exclusive electoral zones, might also have a serious repercussion on Uhuru Kenyatta presidential voting system.

“Our people are not for sale, and Ruto seemed to be hell-bent in auctioning the Kalenjin voters for his selfish interest, but we shall teach him a lesson that he will live to regret for years to come, let him just wait for the March 4, 2013,” retored Mr Josephat Lang’at a Litein politican.

The Kipsigis sub-tribe, the most populous among th Kalenjin ethnic group has about 12 parliamentary constituencies in Kericho, Bomet, Molo and Rongai. Some of its members live in Nandi, Cheranganyi, Nakuru, Narok South, Kilgoris,Trans-Nzoia and Subukio.

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Canadian gold mining firm is closing its operations in Mozambique to concentrate its activities of gold prospecting in Western Kenya

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

A Canadian owned gold prospecting firm, African Queen Mines Ltd is reported to be in the process of quitting Mozambique to focus on its gold exploration activities in Western Kenya after reviewing its portfolio of exploration properties in South West and East Africa.

The move is expected to reduce the company’s operational costs and prioritize projects for development in 2013.

The firm’s Chief Executive Irwin Olian was recently quoted as saying that African Queen Mines Limited will halt development of King Solomon project in Mozambique to concentrate its activities in Western Kenya regions of Rongo and Ugunja gold fields in Kenya and Noyem and Nyadonam in Ghana.

The discovery of large deposits of gold reserves in Western Kenya in the past five years continues to attract foreign interests with several international mining firms taking acreage.

Statistic show that in 2010, Kenya earned Kshs 6’3 billion {USD 72.9 million) from the sale of five tones of gold – three times mote than the year before, indicating how rapidly the commodity is growing down as the most important export product in the country. and especially focusing on the Western Kenyan regions.

More gold exploration companies such as Africa Barrixck,Linear Metals, Red Rocks Resopurves and Gold Plat are narrowing down on Kenya and especially focusing on the country’s Western regions.

Last November, London based African Barrick Gold plc acquired mineral prospecting area in Western Kenya from Aviva mining Limited,a firm which is wholly owned Cubstation of the Monorovia Stock Exchange quotes Aviva.

Recent survey by the government and private companies have revealed gold deposits around Migori and \Kakamega Counties in Western Kenya.

However, the gold prospecting ground in many parts of Western Kenya might not be the fertile ground for business following the recent rising in concerted agitation by the local miners, particularly the indignant Kenya, who felt that foreign companies were out to exploit the country’s minerals while not making any meaningful return to the |Kenya | Treasury.

There is discontent by local small scale miners in Migori area, which has recently led to the revocation of one company’s prospecting license. the firm, Mid Migori gold mines Limited, has been in conflict of interests between the local miners and politicians, who have been accusing them of dishonesty.

There were accusation that Mid-Migori, a firm which has been in exploration work in the area for the last ten years, was actually prospecting gold and exporting its product by road via the neighboring Tanzania without having gone through the country taxation system under the Kenya Revenue Authority. The conflict also is with the local Member of parliament Edick Omondi Anyanga, and in September last year a team of Parliamentary Select Committee on minerals and natural resources visited Migori area and held talks with the local and foreign miners. He committee had recommended the revocation of Mid-Migori Gold Mines, though one of its manager later wrote from London suggesting the change of names and accused the former area MP of under mining its activities in the area.

The local miners through the managing director of Migori Mining Company limited, a self-help group comprising local and small scale miners Mr Timon Oliewo Sure, a Kenyan mine engineer with the vast experience in gold mining gained after long service in South African gold mines came out in full support of the local MP insisting that the MP had their mandate to speak on behalf of the much exploited local miners.

Kenya is not benefiting from its abundant minerals because of illicit dealing and rackets of exporting the commodity secretly.

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EAC community is working on single tourist passport and visa for people visiting the region

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The East African Community {EAC} secretariat based in the northern Tanzanian city at Arusha has singled out tourist visa and common passport as its top priority projects to be implemented this year as the bloc battles to reverse credibility crisis over failed projects.

The EAC Secretary General Dr Richard Sozibera was last week quoted as saying that the EAC passport, the single tourist visa and liberalization of the airspace will boost free movement of people across the region, a promise that the bloc has fallen behind in achieving three years after signing the Common Market convention on people movement across the region.

“Frustration is growing among business executives from the member states over delays in pushing through key projects like opening up the region’s airspace, rolling out a single passport and visa and the elimination of the non-tariff tariff barriers {NTBs}, saying this was slowing trade and business envisaged by the protocol.

The implementation of the monetary union is among the 77 articles needed for the creation.

Observers, however, say the EAC technocrats will be judged by how they handle the integration process in 2013 after the delays experienced last year.

“While the five EAC partner states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi had in principle agreed to remove NtbS BY November 2012 in the absence of a legally binding framework, little action was taken. The latest report from the EAC secretariat shows that while 35 NTBs were reported as unresolved, ten new NTBs emerged in 2012 alone.” said Dr Sozibera.

A source at the Arusha based secretariat of the EAC said the bloc has set a deadline of between March and June 2013 for the commencement of printing the new EAC passport.

On the single tariff visa, the EAC Principal Tourist Officer Shedrqack Mshauri was recently quoted by the local media as saying the delay were being caused by lack of consensus over visa for collection and revenue sharing model among the EAX partner states.

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EAC: Food experts and analysts are meeting in Nairobi to deliberate on food security in East African region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

FOOD experts and analysts drawn from Europe, Asia and the entire Eastern African region to deliberate on strategies that can be used to enhance food security in the region.

The Workshop organized and sponsored by the European Union and the East African Community {EAC} under the joint EU-Africa’s Strategies- will seek ways of strengthening the harmonization of the food hygiene management through training.

The four days workshop dubbed Regional workshop on harmonization of food security in Africa will take place between January 22-25.

The Arusha based secretariat of the EAC has stated that food safety can only be achieved through the application of reference framework and introduction of guidelines that will harmonize the management of food hygiene and enhance inter-regional trade and integration in Africa.

The delegates to the four days workshop will also deliberate on how to secure fertilizers with the AU Commission and other regional economic blocs such as the Comesa, Ecowas in order to demonstrate and apply the reference guidelines for harmonization food hygiene in Africa.

The EAC is currently in the process of implementing its food security action plan [2012 – 2015} and preparing to implement the regional SPS Protocols, which was recently approved the Community’s Council of Ministers and the EAC Summit.

The SPS measures will focus on plytosanitary measure and procedures for mammals, birds and bees.

Food security analysts in the region said last week that food security in Eastern Africa countries has improved as the number of people at risk of starvation declined by over one million.

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KENYA: SCIENTISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS HAVE SOUNDED WARNING ABOUT EXCESSIVE POISONING OF RARE MIGRATORY BIRDS SPECIES IN AREAS AROUND LAKE VICTORIA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

SCIENTIST, conservationists and environmentalists have sounded a stern warning and the alarm over wanton poisoning of rare migratory birds species along the shorelines of the Lake Victoria by illegal hunters.

The experts say the move is threatening tourism in the region and increasing gains made in controlling common diseases in the area.

Illegal hunters are said to have taken the advantage of the fact that thousands of immigrant and wetland birds species appear on rice plantation every year, some having flown from far away as Northern Europe and Asia to spend the winter months in the Southern hemisphere.

During the rain season, especially when it is also the time for planting water foods in the fields and attract a variety of wetland birds.

Another issue of urgent and great concern around Lake Victoria is the reported increase in cases of excessive chemical fishing, which is posing threat to have the fish from Lake Victoria boycotted by importers in foreign countries, and at the same which could endanger the lives of the local consumers of the fish commodity.

The department concern, which is part of the \ministry of Fisheries and Natural Resources seemed to be sleeping on the job and very little is being done to protect the fishing industry around the lake, paving the way for the unscrupulous fishermen to engaged on illegal and crude method of fishing by using chemicals which kills the fish in their thousands including fingerlings, immature and destroying the breeding grounds.

IN Luanda Kotieno beaches in Uyoma West Location within Rarieda District in Siaya county fishermen recently cornered one unscrupulous fisherman who was caught red handed while using unorthodox method by way of spraying substance of poisonous insecticide in the lake at night. The fishermen beat up the suspect to death.

It was after this incident when the police moved in and arrested score of youths suspected to have lynched the illegal fishermen. The youth and members of the fishing fraternity in the region have complained bitterly that the have been reporting to the higher authorities the presence of chemical fishing along the lake, but their reports have always been ignored by

The incident resulted in scores of people living around Luanda Kotieno being rounded up by the police and taken into custody. Dozens of them have appeared before a Kisumu court on suspicion of illegal killing of the fisherman, who was reported to have travelled into the area along way from Seme in Kisumu West district.

Once highly poisonous chemical is sprayed in the surface of lake waters it kills fish in their thousands and the fishermen business is only to collect the dead fish and thereafter sell them to unsuspecting consumers.

Fear persist that bad publicity about chemical fishing in Lake Victoria could jeopardize the fish export, which is fetching Kenya millions of shillings in foreign exchange from European Union countries, Japan, Middle East and the United States.

Poachers interested in catching and selling the birds meat as food. The poachers then wait till the birds have consumed the baits move very quickly and clobbered the birds before killing and taking the poisoned birds for selling in the villages.

Up to 50 per cent of large flock of wetland birds are killed in single session which amount to some 6,000 being killed per one month.

“Bush meat is more often associated with the mammals said one expert Mr Martin Odino who is himself a conservationist in the area.

Birds, he added that the birds too do attract more visitors to the region, particularly the lover and bird watchers.

Other crude methods are used by poachers is killing the birds including rainy snails with caboturan on the ground another highly poisonous.Insecticides. The bait is then left in the field for the yellow billed stocks. After eating poisoned snails the large birds are clubbed to death and the meat of the . . .

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KENYA: ODM NOMINATION PRIMARIES IN NYANZA WAS A SHAM AND MOCKERY TO DEMOCRATIC TENETS AS IT WAS MARRED BY ACTS OF HOOLIGANISM AND POLITICAL THUGGERY

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

THE just concluded ODM primary in many parts of Luo-Nyanza was a sham reflecting a political movement in crisis with its members.

It has since sparked off discontent and complaints which the party supreme at the headquarters should move with the snake speed and have the anomalies rectified before the March 4, 2013.

The primaries were marred by acts of hooliganism and political thuggery of the highest order. The marauding goons moving in groups of between 30 or more made it sure that no credible primary nomination took place.

The outgoing MPs from the region stand lamed for the lawlessness and criminal activities meted out by their supporters to the genuine voters who had turned out in their thousands ready to caste their votes and chose leaders who would take the community to the next level of development.

The voters in several parliamentary constituencies were in actual sense de-franchised and denied their rights of voting.

In the newly created Kabondo-Kasipul constituency in Rachuonyo South district, the ballot papers and other election material arrived late close to noon hour. But some of the aspirants, particularly the populist Hebert Ojwang’ had his name missing from the ballot papers.

In the neighboring Kasipul about 50 goons raided a polling station near Agoro-Sare High School within Oyugis Town and seized all the election materials. The goons sent the presiding officer and his entire team of election clerks fleeing for their dear lives.

Another bunch of hired political goons invaded five polling station in Kachien location, destroyed ballot papers and other election materials forcing the stations to be closed prematurely, though the election material had arrived late from Nairobi. Despite of high provocation, the voters persevered and continue voting into the late hours of darkness, but only for the goons to return again , ransacking the polling station n seized ballot boxes and destroyed them.

In Homa-Bay Town a presiding officer by the name Mulei was ambushed at 4.a.m and beaten senseless and left for the dead by un known goons.AS A RESULT BALLOT BOXES AND VOTING Election materials meant for for the neighboring constituencies of Mbita, Gwassi, Ndhiwa, Homa-Bay Town, Rangwe and other places were displaced like Mbita, Ndhiwa, Gwassi .Homa-Bay Town, Rangwe and other places went missing. The region was later become awash with rumours of ballot papers being recovered mysterious at places like Kodiera, Mbita Junction .

Election materials which arrived in Mbita Town were found to be inadequate. However, the aspirants jointly reached a consensus after consultation to produce duplicates of the few ballot papers that had arrived late in the evening on the first day of the nomination. All the ballot papers and election material were kept at Mbita Town offices of the ODM. But the next morning the office was found to have been broken and all the material missing either destroyed with no trace.

The same goons are said to have set a blaze dozens of ballot boxes containing ballot papers in Ndhiwa Town not far away from the local |D.C’s office and got away scot-free with this heinous crime. The song was the same in Awendo and Rongo constituencies as well as in the neighboring Uriri, In all those places no voting took place on the first day. The reason being non-arrival of the elections materials and the election official having failed to turn up in time to serve the electorate.

Thousand of the would be enthusiastic voters who turned out in their thousands went home disappointed after waiting for the whole day with no election material on sight. The situation became so pathetic and the disillusioned and frustrated voters walked home.

From the looking of things it appeared as if all the outgoing MPs in Luo-Nyanza had conspired secretly with some top officials of the ODM at the Orange house, Nairobi and hatched a secret plan so the frustrated the outgoing MPs could maintain their status quo.

These anomalies were experiences in Siaya, Migori and all other places. In Siaya a vehicle packed with crude weapons were intercepted by police and close to 32 occupants nabbed.

IN Nyakach voting did not take place in five sub-location with over 3,000 registered voters, though the returning officer a Mr Okoth defiantly announced the result in favor of one of the aspirants. Similar incidents were evidence everywhere.

In some places even police and members of the Provincial administration appeared to have been compromised. They became toothless bulldogs and made no effort to prevent crime or any act which fueled violence in the polling stations.

What emerged was that political parties are not capable of organizing successful and credible nomination exercises in this country and the sooner political parties deliberated on this issue and found a solution the better.

The abrasive Raila Odinga’s cousin Jakoyo Midiwo of Gem was one of the leading casualities and so was the Prime Minister own elder brother Dr. Oburu Ogings the Finance Assistant Minister whose bid to become the first governor of Siaya suffered the heaviest blow.

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East Afraca: Confusion over multiple memberships of EAC countries into several African trading blocs

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

IMPORTS into the East African Community countries from two key African trade blocs will continue to enjoying zero tariff for one more year.

With effect from January 1, 2013 imports from the Common Market for East and Southern Africa {Comesa} and the Southern African Development Community [Sadc] will continue enjoying preferential treatment courtesy of the East African Community Customs Management Act 2004 which expired on December 30, 2012.

The chair person of the EAC Council of ministers Shem Bqrgeine recently moved to have the Bill amended as the EAC is yet to complete the negotiation of the Tripartite Free Trade Area [FTA] which would establish a market of 525 million people with an output of the USD One Trillion.

The TFTA is a grouping of 27 countries members of the Common Market for Eastern and southern Africa [Comesa}, and the Southern African Development Community [Sadc.

The Tripartite arrangement is expected to remove intra-regional trade distortions in the three regional groups of Customs, EAC and SADC.

Last month, EAC member states said the common external tariff will take effect in 2013.

The five member states signed a protocol establishing the EAC Customs Union and the Common External Trade [CET] in 2005.

The delay in establishing the CET and a single customs territory is hindering the free movement of goods, capital and people across member country borders, even though the common market protocol was officially launched in 2010.

However, the harmonization of trade deals between the EAC member countries remained complicated as long as countries belong to several different economic blocs.

BURUNDI FOR EXAMPLE IS A MEMBER OF Comesa, FTA, EAC the Comesa Free Trade Area {FTA}, the EAC and the Economic Community of Central African States {ECCAS], Kenya is a member of Comesa,Comesa FTA, EAC and IGAD, Rwanda is a member of Comesa,Comesa FTA, EAC and ECCAs,Tanzania is a member of SADC AND eac WHILE Uganda is a member of Comesa,Comesa FTA,EAC and IGAD.

This means that partner states apply different external tariff because of their membership in the different trade blocs.

According to the provisions of the EAC Customs management Act 2004, goods imported by the EAC partner states under Comesa and Sadc attract preferential tariff treatment as proscribed in each of the member states legislation.

For example, Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda charge tariff on all imports from SADC member countries, because they do not have a trade arrangement with the bloc. However, all SADC countries that are members of the Comesa are accorded preferential tariff treatment under the Comesa and EAc arrangement.

The issue of multiple membership is pushing up operational costs for business in East Africa. It is understood that the region’s business community is paying heavily, and losing money as a result of multiple membership because in some countries within the EAC when they ought to pay less in trade tariff, they are forced to pay more.

For instance, while Tanzania is trading with SADC using the rules of origins, goods imported from Sadc into Kenya, Rwandfa, Burundi and Uganda have to be charged according to EAC member countries, apart from Tanzania are 4xempted from an external tariff.

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