Category Archives: HEADLINES

Kenya: Chemelil is insolvent following clams that millions of shillng have disappeared ever since October last year

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By A Special Correspondent.

Information emerging from Nyando district within Kisumu County says Chemelil Sugar Company Limited is on the verge of total collapse and near insolvent.

Unconfirmed reports says that the Company, which is wholly-government owned has lost close to Khs 500 million ever since October last year when its former efficient management team was kicked out following tribally and politically motivated change of guard.

The facility, which for many years was known as the center of excellence in the permanently ailing sugar industry in Kenya is no longer paying ts cane suppliers in time, the salary for its workers also comes late, and its suppliers are yet to be paid for their bills running into millions.

Last week the Kenya Power an Lighting briefly disconnected its electricity supplies almost plunging the facility into to total darkness for non-payment of power ills estimated to be outstanding at the tune of Kshs 36 millions.

The KJPL, however, quickly restored the power supply the next day following an appeal by the authorities taht the disconnection would put to a big risk the company property by vandalized or stolen if it remain in darkness for several days.

Cane farmers I its cane growing zones have boycotted the delivery of raw cane facility owing to the delayed payment for cane bills. Instead those from the Nandi Escarpment areas of Chemase, Miwani and Songhor were now delivering their cane to the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industry mills near Kibos in the outskirt of Kisumu City and to the nearby Muhoroni Sugar Mills and avoiding Chemelil claiming they have yet to receive payment for one and half month.

In October last year the former managing director of Chemelil Sugar Company Eng Edwin Otieno Luhyia, and the most efficient CEO who ad turned the company around was kicked out following a protracted politically and tribally motivated.

Eng Musebe was replaced by the man who he had beaten at the interview during his appointment Charles Apudo Owelle,a Luo in acting capacity. Owelle had also acted as an acting CEO in the previous change over of the company management, and had also applied to be confirmed on the job, but was unsuccessful. However, he was retained in his position as the company Agricultural Services manager.

He chairman of the boar of directors Dr. M Mining, a Nandi and a senior lecturer at the Moi University, Eldoret was also removed, removed and replaced by a Luo in what was seen as the battle for the control of the facility between the Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the Eldoret North Mp Willam Ruto. The sacked officials were perceived to have been employed under the influence of Ruto wile the latter was still serving as the Agricultural Minister. Ruto was shown the exit door and replaced by Dr. Sally Kosgei, a fellow Kalenjin from the Nandi sub-tribe.

Information emerging from impeccable sources within the company says, the board has since confirmed Owelle as the new Managing Director in a controversial and suspicious in which a lot of water is said to have passed under the bridge and unconfirmed allegations of intensive maneuvers coupled with claims and of bribery.

Insiders say the appointment could have been brokered and influenced by the Lands Minister James Orengo and other top officials fro the parent Ministry in Nairobi. This is because Owelle hail from his Ugenya constituency, while the political big-wigs in Nyando were in favor and keen to have one of the top mangers at the nearby Agro-Chemical Company, a man from the local Kano community within Nyando district.

The Company cane crushing and processing mills are crippled due to lack of regular mechanical maintenance at a regular interval owing to lack of funds. It has been experiencing regular breakdown due to the fact that it has never had its annual mechanical maintenance for a couple of years and now operating at its production capacity due to its present poor mechanical status and also owing to acute shortage of cane supplies.

The same source says that before the removal of the former management team, tribally instigated act of sabotage involving secretly and deliberately crippling the mills by workers were the order o the day.

Due to the fact that the former Managing Director eng. Musebe was a Luhyia, the Luo workers engineers and, electrical engineers and mechanics working at the facility were instigated to sabotage to undermine and undercut the previous management local politicians who were not comfortable with the team.

The Eng.Musebe nd Dr. Mining team had replaced the previous management headed by a Luo university professor which left in huff while the company was down to its knees as the result of poor management an alleged embezzlement of its resources prompting the defunct KACC under Prof. P.O. Lumumba to swing into action. But so far no report his come out about the KJACC investigations and nobody has been charged with the alleged disappearance of millions of shillings, giving the credence to the popularly coined word that “The Sugar Industry is a milking cow.”

Other rumors making the round says that two to manager of the firm are currently building palatial homes one near Moi University, Eldoret and the other one at Kibos near the KPA Inland Terminal.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture has been asked to explain the alleged current disappearance of millions of shillings from Chemelil Sugar Company.

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Kenya: President Obama’s brother ordered to remove the US and Kenyan national flags from flying on the rooftop of a private business building

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

For defiantly ignoring the advice of the authorities and illegally hoisting both Unite States of America and Kenyan national flags on the rooftop of a private business premises.

Malik Abong’o Obama, the Kenyan based eldest step-brother of the US President Barack Obama has now found himself in big trouble with the Kenyan police.

The Kenyan police in Siaya County were earlier this week alarmed when they saw the two national flags of the United States of America and that of Kenya flying high side by side on the rooftop of a private business premises.

The incident took place at Nyang’oma Trading Center in Alego Kogelo village in Siaya County about 80 kilometers west of Kisumu City.

The flags were flying high at Barack Hussein Obama Recreation and Rest House. This was so despite the fact that the laws in Kenya forbade the hoisting of the Kenyan national flag on private premises, business building or private homes. But the flags can only be hoisted on top of a public facility such as schools, government offices, colleges, chief’s camps and other public institutions.

Malik Abong’o Obama shared one father with the US President Barack Obama, and their Recreation and Rest {Guest} House he has established near he Obama village home is named in the memory of their late father Barak Hussein Obama. Malik is the eldest or first born of the late Obama with his Kenyan wife Kezia Grace Obama.

The tough talking Malim Obama is being rumored to be eyeing the Alego / Usonga parliamentary seat in Siaya district in the forthcoming general election in Kenya. He ha world wide connection with international Muslim Organizations in the Arab world which said to be funding some of his NGOs development projects and activities within the locality and has constructed a Muslim Mosque right in the middle of the Nyang’oma village whose majority of inhabitant are Christians.

A local police boss Stephen Cheteka reiterated that it was illegal for Malik Obama to fly the two nation’s national flags on a private enterprise.

“We have politely asked him to remove the flags, but he I defiant an adamant forcing the police to take a stern measure against him,”said the police chief.

Malik Obama, however, claimed the order from the police was aimed at harassing him and infringing on his constitutional rights “ as a patriotic Kenyan who is at liberty to poses a Kenyan flag.

He threatened to write a protest letter to the Office of the President of Kenya over what he termed “protracted war’ with the law enforcers in Siaya County.”Is it not my right top fly the flag on the premises? He posed, adding this is a new Kenya under a new constitution.’

The hoisting and flying of the US national flag on the premises has elicited mixed reaction from many American citizens visiting the area as tourists.

In Kenya both US and Kenya national flags are at time being subjected to abuse with the two flags at time being recklessly flown over Boda Boda motorbikes and bicycle taxis with impunity

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KENYA: HOW ODM LEADERS WERE DUPED BY HON.JAKOYO MIDIWO IN KISUMU

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By Our Reporter,

Fresh details is emerging how Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga cousin who is ODM Party Chief Whip and Gem Member of Parliament Jakoyo Midiwo duped ODM delegates drawn from Kisumu Town and Kisumu East Constituencis that they were to be paid which was never to be.

According to the delegates who attended the arrival ceremony which culminated with a brief briefing at the Jommo Kenya Sports Grounds, Jakoyo had through the ever drunkard and senile Dave Okwatch sent word to the delegates that they accompany him upon his arrival to Kisumu where he was to give a press briefing from Kisumu Airport with a promise that the delegates would paid one thousand and Civic leaders two thousand.

The entire delegation turned up plus other angry ones from adjacent constituencies accompanied by their councillors flocked the KIsumu Airport up to Kisumu town with expectations that they would be paid.

“Some of us even left our shambas with a view of being given something little which was never to be”lamented one civic leader.

The delegates says that upon Jakoyo’s ceremony being over the organisers started taking them in circles and when they confronted Jakoyo he told them that anyone who was bringing the monetary issue should be ready to be punished by the party as his/her name would be expunged from the delegates list’

“He told us that we were helping the party and there was going to be no payment and anyone who wanted payment should be ready to be disciplined by the party’s organs” a civic leader who approached him for a fuel reimbursement confided to us.

It was evident that all was not well as the delegates who never had fare trooped back to their homes hungrily and empty handed.

Attempts to get any comment from Jakoyo were fruitless as he never answered any

Kenya: Herds of hippos have imposed dawn to dusk curfew on Kisumu villagers after destroying acres of crops

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

HERDS of about 13 full grown up hippo and their two calves have imposed dawn to dusk curfew on in the villages within the outskirt of Kisumu City forcing the residents to stay indoor for day and night.,

The hippos all female under the territorial command of one huge bull estimated to weigh more than five tons have raided a villages in Nyamasaria in Central Kolwa Location forcing the residents to spent most of their day time indoor not to dare outside on fear of possible attack by the huge animals after they killed one bull owned by a local farmer.

The animals have destroyed crops in an area of six miles radius and stay out of the water most of the time.

Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS} officials have said there was a mass movement of the animals from the lake due to floods.

The animals are said to have been wondering around the villages day and night in an area of covering a radius of eight kilometers from the lake after escaping the surging water level.

When this writer visited the area, residents were counting their losses with one farmer by the name Reuben Obunga claiming that the hippos have killed one of his bulls. “This is the bull which is providing my family with the livelihood and I am using the animal to plough my farmers and also for my neighbors on fees.”

Mzee Obunga aged about 54 threatened to mobilize the villagers to attack and kill some of the animals so tat he could sell the meat and replenish his losses unless the KWS drives them back to their designated natural habitat along the lake shore. The animals he added have destroyed his four acres of maize and food crops.

Women and children have now stopped from coming home late from the nearby market places as the animals comes out of the water as early as in the late afternoon around 4 P.M. and chases everyone on their sight.

There are no longer free movement of people in the villages neighboring the lake shores, This I was told have also been curtailed. And even the herdsmen are no longer grazing their animals close to the shore of the lake on ear of being attack by these huge animals.

Civic leader representing Kolwa Central Ward in the Kisumu Municipal Council has appealed to the KWS to come to the escue to the villagers who she said were living in fdear. Coiun.Agnes Nyagol said thee were so many hippos on the loose, and yet no action has been taken to contain them. The amphibian animals which are nocturnal normally coming out of the lake water only after darkness have changed their behaviors to the amazement of the residents,who fear for their lives

“We are prone to attacks because many animals are on the run. An urgent solution to this problem must be found or else next time your will hear of a human casualties,” said the Councilor.

Residents have urged members of parliament to enact the law that would ensu5re that those incurred losses were compensated.

An official from the Kisumu town base of the KWS who visited the area promised that they would try and capture h animals and relocate them somewhere else far from Nyamasaria due to big concentration of human population in the area. He said he roaming bulls probably were edged out of their habitat during battles over territorial turf.

There are usually forced out by the dominant bulls during the mating season and this a bit cumbersome to contain them. The cases are higher during flash floods,” explained Corporal Laban Kiptui of the KWS.

MAJOR CABINET RESHUFFLE IS LOOMING IN TANZANIA FOLLOWING HEATED DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT OVER THE ALLEGATIONS OF GRAFT IMPLICATING MINISTERS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

INFORMATION emerging out of the Tanzanian capital, Dar Es Salaam says that major cabinet reshuffle is looming after five ministers in the current Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CCM} led government were recently implicated in fraud and mismanagement of government resources.

President Jakaya Kikwete who is also the national chairman of the CCM is reported to have called for urgent and terse meeting of the central committee of the ruling CCM to discuss how to salvage the government tainted image and reputation.

Opposition MPs as well as legislators from the ruling party were reported to have spoken out harshly and angrily over the alleged conduct of the ministers at the just concluded April parliamentary session which has been meeting in the political capital of Dodoma in Central Tanzania.

A no confidence motion by opposition MP Zitto Kabwe against the Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda, who is the leader of government business in parliament, was disallowed over legal technicalities.

Newspapers have reported that Pinda has already briefed the President Kikwete on the allegations of corruption, fraud and mismanagement of national resources leveled by fellow legislators from the ruling CCM against the Finance Minister Mustafa Mkulo, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Ezekiel Maige, Minister for Energy and Minerals William Ngeleja, Minister for Transport Omar Nundu and Minister for Regional Administration and Local Government Authorities George Mkuchika.

Nundu is aid to have sought to shift the blame to his deputy Dr Athuman Mfutakamba, sparking a furore in parliament.

Sources in the ruling party CCM legislators move to directly and openly implicate the ministers, the party’s top brass is concerned over losing ground to the opposition Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo m[CHADEMA}, its principal rival. The same source added that the ministers have been asked to write to the president offering to step down from their posts.

An MP from the ruling CCM representing Ludewa constituency in the Southern Highlands Deo Filikunjomba said sacking the ministers would not change the endemic culture of corruption in the county, adding “People are facing problems because of the rising inflation and the rampant corruption. These problems will not be solved by the ministers leaving their posts.”

The Opposition Chadema MP for Kigoma North Zitto Kabwe said that legislators had lost faith and confidence in President Kikwete government, while Hai MP and leader of the Official Opposition in the National Assembly Freeman Mbowe said Tanzanians were tired of the government not listening to them.

At the center of the debate were startling revelation contained in the 2009 / 2010 the Controller and Auditor general’s report, which alleges that the ministers have been involved in trading government properties.

.However, observers and analysis’ and a commentator Dr Azaveli Lwaitama was quoted by the a Nairobi publication the EASTAFRICAN, weekly as saying that he couldn’t see the president taking any action like firing or reshuffling his ministers.

“Taking such action would set a precedent, and the president is aware of that fact,”said Lwaitama. However, he added that individual ministers may be reprimanded with some unfortunate ones having their cases referred to the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau.

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KENYA: FORMER MASENO UNIVERSITY VC MAN DEFEATED IN CLUB ELECTIONS.

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By Our Reporter

Former Maseno University Vice Chancellor Prof.Fredrick Onyango recently wept during elections at Nyanza Club when a group he was backing for the club’s leadership were trounced by agroup which had a backing of Asian businessmen within the town.

Onyango could not believe his ears and eyes when his blue eyed boy Tobias See was trounced by the popular Ochieng Ajulu in elections the Asians had vowed to teach the former VC a lesson after he had allegedly threatened them with evictions if they could not elect persons associated with them.

After the elections the former VC headed to the club’s washrooms which is near the swimming pool where he cried with mucus oozing from his nose lamenting what he will do as his men had lost the elections.

“Pesa ga te mag pension odhi e yieroni ma oyombe joga kara ne gin mana conmen” (all my pension money has gone to elections supporting this men so they were just conmen?”) He wept .

Attempts by the man who was defeated by Ajulu to cool him failed miserably as Onyango told him that he should prepare a rope for both of them to hang themselves on as the Kenya Revenue Authority would be shortly after them.

“This former VC was a very arrogant man, we just wanted to teach him a lesson he will never forget, he should respect people and cease having such a contemptuous attitude” the businessmen celebrated.

After the elections and his weeping stopped, Onyango is said to have driven at a top speed in is jalopy pick he grabbed from Maseno University heading to his Milimani home.

Gadhafi’s massive business interests in East Africa likely to shrink as Kenya and Uganda are said to be demanding new deals

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

REPORTS appearing in local newspapers in both Kenya and Uganda have hinted that Libyan interests in East Africa, which were brokered by the toppled and slain former Strongman Muamaor El Gadhafi continue to shrink as it emerges that Kenya, will be pressing for complete disengagement with the Tripoli’s business flagship Tamoil East Africa Ltd.

A crucial meeting is scheduled to be held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala later this weekend to review the propose Eldoret-Kampala pipeline.

Top industry players and Energy Ministry officials are reportedly wants the multimillion-dollar deal – the largest surviving project by a Libyan company in East Africa- terminated and the project floated afresh to attract new partners.

Launched in 2007,the project has suffered crippling delays, compounded by the insurrection that precipitated last year’s toppling of long-ruling dictator Colonel Muammor El Gadhafi.

Kenyan most influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN, reported early this week that lately, Libya had launched a major diplomatic offensive, hoping to persuade authorities in Kenya and Uganda to revive the deal, claiming that Tamoil had already spent USD 15 million.

It is understood that the joint co-coordinating committee that has been overseeing the contract on behalf of the two governments is not persuaded by the claim by h Libyan that Tamoil has spent such a large amount of money on the project.

“Doubts have also emerged as to whether Tamoil – which is said to have suffered the loss of billions of dollars in assets due to persistent bombing by NATO forces during the insurrection-still, has the wherewithal to undertake this critical project, especially after Uganda reportedly demanded that the scope of the project be altered to cater for n additional line to pump future refined Ugandan oil to export markets through Kenya.” the paper says.

So far, the project has not moved beyond even the first stages following the signing of the agreement in January 2007

It was originally projected that Libyans would achieve financial closure in July 2007. However, closure was not achieved; the time lines have had to be extended several times with the project stagnating at the heads of agreement level for months.

Still, a great deal of preparatory work was done, including the signing of a formal agreement. An environmental Impact Assessment was also done and licenses fro NEMA, Kenya and NEMA

Uganda issued in 2008.

The NEMA Kenya license, which was valid for a 24 –month period expired on July 6,2010. And In May,Tamoil, submitted designs for a 10-inch diameter pipeline that were approved by the JCC in June 2008.

When Uganda, following discovery of significant quantities of oil and having decided to build an inland refinery insisted on a reverse flow pipeline, Tamoil presented other designs of a 12-inch diameter reverse flow pipeline recommending construction of a 12-inch diameter reverse flow pipeline.

By the beginning o this year, the way leave acquisition process, which was being undertaken by the governments in collaboration with Tamoil had been substantially completed.

In Kenya, the Ministry of Lands released the compensation schedules for parcels of land along the way leave of the pipeline. The submitted schedule contained about 2,107 formally and informally subdivided plots with n estimated total compensation cost of Kshs 520 million {USD6.27 million].The compensation details for 191 affected plots were, however, found to be missing from the report and the Minister was directed to complete the work.

Under the arrangement, the Kenya and Uganda governments were to acquire the way leave and other land rights as part of their equity injection in the joint venture company.

Payments to land owners whose compensation schedules have been released have not been done.

At a meting of the JCC in October 2010,it was agreed that the Libyan provide finance to pay of landowners.

The JCC also decided that the two governments would postpone any equity injection until after the Libyan had produced the money to fund land acquisition.

The shareholding by the two governments would be equivalent to the equity injection that would have been made at commissioning of the project up to 12.5 per cent for each government as per heads of agreement. As at now, the report went on, acquisition of land for permanent installation such as block valves station and pumping stations is still outstanding.

Kenya-Uganda pipeline extension project is jointly sponsored by the government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Energy and the government of Uganda through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

The joint coordinating commission was set up through a memorandum, of understanding between the two governments in 1995 initially to oversee the feasibility study.

But the mandate of the JCC was expanded in October 2000 to allow the commission to oversee the implementation of the project. A feasibility study was done in 1999 by a firm called Penspen Limited, and complementary study was done two years later by Nexant Ltd. Both studies established that the uni-directional pipeline from Eldoret to Kampala was commercially viable.

The JCC considered and adopted the final report by Nexant Ltd and the two governments approved the construction of the pipeline as a public-private partnership.

Following international competitive bidding, the Libyan company was selected as the private- -partner, paving the way for the parties to sign the heads of agreement in January 2007.

However, the recent reported discovering of large quantities of oil deposits in the Northern Kenya County of Turkana could possibly change the speed of the work implementation and slacken the project.

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Kenyans based in foreign countries have made a record remittance of money back home

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

KENYA received the highest Diaspora remittances from its citizens living an working in the abroad.

This has put Nairobi on the lead of other regional states in eastern Africa, according to the World Bank report just released.

The report shows that last year alone, Kenya received a total of Kshs 208 billion {USD 2.5 billion} from the Diaspora. up from Kshs 149.8 billion {USD 1.8 billion} in 2010,representing a 39 per cent rise.

Statistics from the Central Bank of Kenya {CBK} show in February, Kenya received a record Kshs 8.7 billion {USD 103.97 million}, the highest the country for the country in a single month.

In an interview with Nairobi based DAILY NATION at the release of the February figure, a top official of the CBK attributed the harp rise in remittances during the month to increased use of formal channels and a reduction in costs.

The paper quoted Charles Koori, the director of research at the CBK as saying hat the country could have received more through informal channels.

The World Bank report recommends an improvement on data on remittances, both at the national and the bilateral levels, which it says will enhance monitoring of progress in reducing remittance costs.

Close behind Kenya is Uganda, which received USD 937 million last year, up from USD 915 million in 2010.

Tanzania had the least remittances of all the five EAC countries, maintaining an annul total of USD 25 million for each of the past two years.

Report says, apart from Tanzania and Burundi that maintained their remittance inflows, as recorded in 2010, all the other EAC member states recorded increased foreign remittances mirroring the trend in most developing nations, so the World Bank report indicates.

“For the first time since the global financial crisis, remittance flows to all six developing regions rose in 2011.

“Following this rebound the growth of remittance to developing countries is expected to continue at a rate of 7.8 per cent annually to reach USD 441 billion by the year 2014,” reads a statement fro the World Bank.

Last year, remittance to developing countries totaled USD 372 billion representing a 12.1 per cent rise from remittances received in 2010. It is estimates last December; the bank had projected remittances to developing countries for 20911 to total USD 351 billion.

The increase in remittances has been attributed to reduction in the average remittance costs from about 8.8 per cent of the amount being remitted in 2008 to an average of 7.5 per cent during the third quarter of 2011.

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Kenya: heavy rains wreak havoc in many parts of Kenya and left 10,000 people homeless

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

MORE than 10,000 people have been displaced and 40 killed as heavy rains wreak havoc across the full length and with of the country leaving the trails of deaths.

Property and crops worth millions of shilling have been destroyed, and the government has confirmed that some people were still missing while close to 50 people have been injured in various parts of the country.

In the Nandi Hills region hundred of acres of tea farms have been destroyed by hailstorm. Before the arrival of the long rains, the tea plantations in this particular region had suffered heavy damages inflicted by frost.

By yesterday both small and large scale tea farmers in the Nandi Hills area were still counting their losses, which experts says would runs into million o shillings.

Nandi Hills is one of the regions in Western Kenya where tea is grown in abundance. With close to ten large scale tea plantations and eight green tea leaves processing factories, the region is only second to Kericho and Bomet Counties in tea production.

The chairman of the small scale growers and empowerment project Wilson Tuwei told this writer hat the rain come at a time when farmers are starting to recover from the devastating effect of the frost bite destroyed that destroyed thousands of acres a month ago.

He added that the weather has dealt a major blow to the crop, one of the leading Kenya’s exports. Tea plantations in area like Nandi Hills, Kericho, Bomet and Sotik are threatened.

Heavy rains that re pounding moist parts of the country have caused the river’s water to rise between 2.8 and 3.2 meter raising fear among the residents of the flood prone regions that further swells in the water levels might overwhelm the dikes built by the government as the protective measures.

Four Kenyans have died as the result of lightning striking their homes during the late afternoon heavy downpour, while several rivers have burst their banks and flooded large areas and villages forcing the residents to flee their homes, most of which are submerged in the waters.

The rains have sent many people fleeing their submerged homes in the floods prone areas of Budalangi in Busia,Nyatike, Gwassi in Suba South district, Rangwe, Nyakach, Nyando and Kisumu.

The Western Provincial Commissioner Samuel Kilele on Wednesday held an emergency meeting with humanitarian agencies and other stakeholders in the region to discuss how to mitigate the effect of the possible flooding.

The P.C. disclosed that the Kenyan government through the Ministry of Special Programs has already bought and stocked it at the local stores of the National Cereal an Produce Board {NCPB} for emergency supplies to those who are at risk of being affected the floods.

The Permanent Secretary n the Ministry Andrew Mondo has appealed to Kenyans in floods prone regions and villages to move to the higher ground. He directed has appeal specifically to the residents of Budalangi, Kano Plains, Turkana, the capital city of Nairobi and its environs, Pokot,Baringo, Nyatike, Suba,Wareng,and the coastal Strip.

The flash floods, this time around has affected some areas which hitherto were previously considered to be safe. The areas include Teso North where 20 houses were destroyed and 15 cows swept away.

The flash flood waters have destroyed food crops in Marakwet district in the north Rift and for the second time in less than a week Narok town in the South Rift experienced the worse flood.

The incessant heavy rains have had adverse effect on tourist spots within Narok County. It has washed away many bridges on rural access roads and cut many places by way of damaging roads.

Motorists

A bridge linking Sondu and Ahero towns on the main Kisii –Kisumu road has been washed away forcing motorist heading to Kisumu from Kisii to divert to Kapsoit junction and then drove toward Awasi- Kisumu, which is consuming a lot of time.

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KENYA: THE STANDARD PAPER BOSS, SACKED

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By Our Reporter

KISUMU

Twenty employees of The Standard newspaper have been sacked , including senior editorial staff over allegations of non-performance, scandals and massive financial loses in the floundering Mombasa Road-based giant.

In addition, the media is expected to reshuffle some of its managing editors.

Among the causalities are Senior Editor in Charge of Production Otuma Ongalo, Foreign Editor Andrew Kemboi, Mombasa Bureau Chief Ngumbao Kithi, Kisumu Bureau Chief Anderson Ojwang, sports journalist Benjamin Waindi, online editor Rosemary Nzioka and Administration Officer Peter Murigi.

Several sources erupted in anger, criticizing the Standard Group management for sacking Kithi, who is suffering from a massive cardiac problem.

A few years ago, he underwent a heart surgery in Kenyatta National Hospital. “This is unfair. How can Standard Group sack a man with a cardiac problem. We call upon the management to just reinstate him in his job. How is he going to survive without a job and he is sick,” a source in the group lamented

At the same time court reporter Evelyn Kwamboka has sent to manage Kisumu Bureau and Parliament reporter David Ochami was deployed to manage Mombasa, one of the most important bureaus in the Kenyan political circles.

In addition, the newspaper sacked five designers, touching off a firestorm of criticism. “There is a crisis in the design and graphics and yet the the newspaper has fired five of the best designers,” said a source.

These sackings have left panic in the newspaper, which has was founded in 1902, but has seen its fortunes plummet in the recent years, paving the way for several online news portals and other alternative weeklies. Media critics poured scorm in the latest move. “This is the bullshit of working in the Kenyan media, you never know when you will be kicked out of the company,” Mwangi Ngamate explained from the Cayman islands.

Early this month, the Jackal News reported that Standard group had plunged into pre-election engineering, effecting some of the most unnecessary, perhaps panic-driven changes in senior editorial. We also warned that there were fears of a Tsumani in Mombasa road.

In an earlier reshuffle, Woka Nyawoka was deported from Managing Editor, Weekend Editions and shipped to the Kwashiorkor-ridden County Weekly, paving the way for lackluster Fred Mbugua, who was plucked from the less-prestigious Deputy Managing Editor, Daily Editions.

Experienced Ben Agina was elevated to Senior Associate Editor, Weekend, perhaps to lend a hand to Mbugua, sources claim, explaining that the move was a vindication for Agina who was once news editor.

As a result of a recent 19-25 percent plunge in company overall profits, occasioned by systemic failures in KTN, sources said next time manager are swinging their machete in the television channel that was once the pride of independent TV, but is now a shadow of its former self.

But for now, the major focus in the newspaper, the main pillar of the group since they fear spending so much money on the TV could be counter-productive.

The heavy rains have left trail of deaths as more than 20 Kenyans have so far died due to devastating flood waters

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Deaths caused by flash flood have because the death of close to twenty Kenyans in the last one week and the heavy rains continued pounding many parts of the country.

The rains has left trail of deaths and inflicted serious damages to the residents of the affected regions where fast flowing waters left thousands of people homeless, swept away food granaries, domestic animals and destroyed homesteads.

The Meteorology Department has issued a stern warning to residents of the flood prune areas saying the worse is still to come as the long rains continued pounding various part of the country.

Reports emerging from the various parts of the country, says several area which are usually prone to floods have already been affected and several village submerged under water. Several major rivers in Nyanza have burst their banks causing floods in several villages downstream.

The worse affected areas include Migori district where River Kuja burst its banks spilling its water into several villages in Central Kadem Location in Nyatike district rendering many people homeless.

Suba South district {Gwassi} experienced the worse flood when several homestead were swept away in Central Gwassi location. Nine people have lost their lives. One of the women who was among those rescued unconscious has since succumbed to her death at Magunga Health Center.

The latest and the worse of all the flood related death is an incident in which 53 member of PCEA Church in Mukara near Nairobi who on Sunday morning set for leisure tour to the Hell Gate National game Park near Naivasha town ended tragically lost seven of their colleagues who were swept away by fast flowing flash flood waters.

Most of the victims were members of a church comprising mainly school pupils and children under age of 15. The rains stated at about 2 P.M in the afternoon and members of the leisure tour group took shelters in the caves around the gorge.

The park is located 100 kilometer southwest of the capital City of Nairobi. Six bodies of the flood victims were retrieved by experts, while the body of the seventh was still missing, feared swept far away from the scene of the accident by fast flowing flash flood waters.

The waters came from deep gullies on Mt Longonot and Kedong Hills areas. The group toured the game park, but when the rain started and despite of written warning printed everywhere at the entrance of the “Hell Gate Game Park” advising visitors to be aware of rising floods the church group took shelters in the caves and were caught unaware by the fast flowing waters from he gullies upstream which swept their colleagues downstream and killed seven of them.

In the greater Southern Nyanza, a family of one man Kennedy Onyango of Nyaburu village in Central Gwassi Location near Magunga lost seven of its members when their dwelling home was swept away. The villages are located an area which is surrounded by hills surrounded by deep gullies, but previously considered safe from floods

Rescuers managed to rescue Mr. Onyango’s two wives and his step mother several kilometers downstream, but they were found to be unconscious and rushed to Magunga health Center for treatment.

One body belonging to one of the children who were swept away an presumed dead was retried about six meters deep below in the mud.

The rescue operation mounted by the Red Cross and experts sent by the government’s Ministry of Special Programme from Nairobi were hampered by the heavy rains which have incessantly continued pounding the areas.

The only available earth moving machine deployed in the search for the bodies of the victims in the muddy water got stuck in the mud.

About 3,000 families lost their homes and were taking shelters in schools and churches located upstream. The rising flood waters also swept away chicken, food, stuff and domesticated animals as well as livestock.

He retrieved bodies of the flood victims were taken to St Camillus Mission Hospital at Sori in the nearby Nyatike district for preservation. Most affected and devastated villages were Wiga,Olando and Nyaburu in Gwassi Central Location.,Suba South within Homa-Bay district.

At the same time close to 5,000 people and close to 1500 have south help and shelter from churches an school when Oluch River that separates Rangwe and Karahuonyo constituencies burst its banks and flooded several villages downstream rendering thousands of residents homeless.

Two members of Parliament whose constituents have suffered a great deal and have become the victims of the flood have raised 38 bag o maize, ten bags of rice and six bags of beans for the flood victim, but this is inadequate considering the high numbers of the flood victims who have been left without food, and even their utensils and kitchen aware swept away.

The MPs are John Mbadi {Gwassi} and Martin Otieno Ogindo {Rangwe}. The victim needs more foodstuff, medicines, anti-mosquito nets to prevent them fro malaria attacks, blankets and tents.

In lower Nyakach close to 100 homes have submerged in the water.400 residents of Gem Rae area were last night camping at the nearby schools and churches. Fears and panicking persist that Budalangi constituency in Busia County which is usually prone to flooding is just days away from being flooded.

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KENYA: THE SON OF THE LATE JARAMOGI’S AIDE TO OUST MP SHAKEEL AHMED SHABBIR IN KISUMU TOWN EAST CONSTITUENCY COME THE NEXT POLLS.

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Writes Arrum Tidi Ogonglo in Kisumu City

The incumbent Kisumu Town East constituency MP Shakeel Ahmed Shabbir will survival in the next general election now hangs in balance following the entry into the race for the same electoral area by the son of the late Jaramogi aide and confidant.

Councilor Robert Oruko Otuge who is currently representing Kolwa East Ward in the Kisumu Municipality has announced that he is switching from civic leadership in order to plunge into parliamentary politics in the impending general elections.

Con Otuge aged 45 years was born in a political house. His father the late Alderman K.C.Otuge for many years was a close political associate of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. He had served as the overall chairman of KANU Young in the old and larger Central Nyanza district ever since the party’s inception in 1960.

The late Alderman Otuge ws among the first bunch of African to be elected to the Kisumu Municipal Council on KANU ticket in 1963 and later rose to become one of the three Town’s Aldermen before this particular rank was abolished because it carries colonial relics with it.

And when Central Nyanza district was sub-divided into two Coun Otuge remained the KANU leader in Kisumu district and later joined the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga when he ditched KANU and with the help of other formed the defunct opposition Kenya Peoples Union “KPU}.

Asked why he wanted to challenge the incumbent MP Shakeel Shabbir, Coun Otuge said he was just simply responding to the request from the residents of all the five Wards within Kisumu Municipality who felt the MP is a total “let down.”

The MP is being accused of helping the residents only by way of buying coffins for the burial of the dead constituents, but as far as development activities are concerned he has done nothing worth mentioned. He had sacked all the elected CDF and local leaders mandated to serve in the various development committees within the constituency. And instead he hand-picked his own men.

He scathingly criticized the MP for using his hand-picked sycophants to serve in the CDF. In turn his men have been dishing out construction contracts to unqualified contractors on “Kick-Back” who in turn have done shoddy work.

The disbursement of school bursary fund leaves a lot to be desired. People tasked for such task are outside who do not understand the people’s wish and not conversant with the goings on within the constituency.

MP Shabbir was elected in an electoral area where the electorates are 100 per cent of the voters. But he has adamantly refused to learn and understand the culture of the locals leave alone their language. He is working as an occupation force of foreign mercenaries and this is “Big Shame” to the local community to be represented in August House by someone who has no respect to their culture and tradition norms.

Infrastructure such as roads and communication, medical facilities re are all dead. The MP is married to a woman from Bukhusu sub-tribe of the larger Luhyia ethnic group after divorcing his Indian wife with several children.

Otuge accused MP Shabbir is being an instrument of confusion and pursuing the policy of “divide and rule”.

The affair of the constituency are poorly being managed and no meaningful progress has been recorded ever sine 2007when Shabbir was voted in to be the MP for the area at the insistence of the ODM leader Raila Odinga. The poverty index in the constituency is the highest in comparison of the same with those of other constituencies inside Luo-Nyanza, said Coun. Otuge.

He is allegedly extorting funds from the few Asian voters within the constituency and used their money n purchasing coffins for the dead. Our people did not vote for someone who is only interested I the welfare of the “dead” and ignoring the welfare and social amenities of the living human beings.

Otuge called on MP Shabbir not to defend his parliament seat. He should pack up and go, and the voters would like to have a dynamic MP who can understand their interests an can genuinely serving them with the objective of raising their living standards.

Coun Otuge called upon the relevant investigative authorities and auditing firms from external source to come to the area and carry our forensic auditing of how the CDF funds have been disbursed within Kisumu Town East constituency. The hand-picked CDF committee members have been spotted driving brand new sleek cars. “Some of them were people who only a few months ago could not even raise money for the purchase of bicycles”.

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Kenya: Awendo Council chairman refutes claims he was holding up the construction of a modern market

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The chairman of the Awendo Town Council Johnson Omolo Owiro has strongly refuted claims that he was the one holding back the planned construction of new indoor market in the town.

He also dismissed as malicious the claim that he was dilly-dallying with the implementation of the project because the market has been earmarked to be construction of the side of Sakwa East Location, which is outside his electoral Ward in Sakwa Central.

He said Awendo town is not subjected to locations politics, but is an entity administrative area of itself and any government project can be built anywhere on any side of the town.

Councilor Owiro in a long phone conversation with this writer admitted that “some alarming leaflets were last week dropped n Awendo Town by unknown people”. He said the same people suspected to have been behind the anonymous leaflets have since applied to the Provincial Administration for permission to stage street demonstration in Awendo Town.

But he explained that the market project is not the Council responsibility, but a Central Government project which is being financed by the Ministry. What role the Council is playing is to identify a suitable land plot and site.

The Council had identified the site of the old market and had asked those owning temporary kiosks and makeshift structures to dismantle them and vacate the site to pave the way for the construction work on the new market to go on as planned. The trader had complied with the Council order and duly vacated the site.

. It was at this juncture when someone from nowhere emerged and laid the claims on this site. arguing that the land belonged to him The man moved to court and filled a legal suit in an attempt to stop the work and temporarily restrained the Council from carrying on with the project. And this is what has been holding back to construction work at the new market.

The ownership of the land which has been the market place for many years is right in dispute involving a court case. And because of the court case, the Council cannot implement the project on the plot which is in dispute. Once the court is determined and disposed, the project would go on as planned.

Councilor.Owiro was reacting to an article which appeared in one of the weekly newspapers under the headline “Alarming Leaflets Hit Awendo Town “alleging among that he was reluctance to allow affect the construction of the modern market on a land earmarked for it, which is free of any dispute or a court case.

Impeccable sources have revealed that Awendo, the small, but fast growing farming town within Migori County is faced with endless scandals after one another

The latest scandal is about its two ODM nominated civic leaders who are reported to have influenced the employment of their relatives.

One of the nominated civic leaders Coun Odera Awene from Central Sakwa Location who is also the ODM sub-branch chairman is said to have brought back his two married daughters and have them employed in the Council a market gate collectors.

The other nominated civic leaders is Councilor Mr Berty Onyango, from Sakwa East Location who is reported to have influenced the employment of her husband who is now working as driver and now driving the Council’s tipper. She has also employed her own sister to the Council service.

Kenya government now suspends payments for compensation of people who suffered snake bite after losing millions in fake claims

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The government of Kenya has now made it clear that it has temporarily suspended the payment of all claims by people bitten by snakes.

It has ordered for the probe o claims that some people have been making falsified claims, and even other are reportedly inflicting injuries by cutting their legs with razor blades and thereafter conspire with medical personnel to register false and fake claims of snake bite.

A Senior Game Warden in Mwingi district, Eastern Province who is in-charge of the Kora National Game Park Wilson Njue made the announcement.

The announcement says some victims of snake attacks in the region may not be paid after the government suspended compensation following infiltration into the exercise by fraudsters.

The government has launched investigations into a scam in which it has paid out millions of shillings for fake and phony snake bite injuries and death claims.

About 100 people from Mwingi a semi arid area in the Eastern region of Kenya where cases of snake bites are so rampant who had been bitten by snakes were awaiting compensation. He said in the same district, the Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS} offices is said to be receiving almost 10 cases of snake bites are reported every month.

It was further established that suspension of compensation through a ministerial directive was brought about by revelations that fraudsters connived with crafty medics’ personnel and police officers to present false claims that passed and were paid.

“The government realized it was losing lots of money by paying fictitious claims and thus in February slammed a countrywide suspension on payment of claims related to snake bite injuries or deaths.

However, claims for attacks, death or injuries resulting from other wild animals are being honored.”

The Game Warden further disclosed that at the time of the suspension took effect in February his office had up to 100 snake bite claim forms awaiting for payments.

“The suspension was mean to facilitate investigations into the government rip off through falsified claims; residents who will attack by snakes should file reports with his office.”

“The suspension does not mean the claims will never be paid.””After investigations are concluded, a decision with be made and the genuine claims may be paid,” he said.

“Therefore those who are attacked should not be discouraged but should report to us as we wait for the conclusion of the probe.” The statement concluded,

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Tanzania: Nyerrere’s son is among the political heavyweights in the contest for EALA regional parliament seats

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

The son of the Tanzania’s founding president Julius Kambarage Nyerere are among the political heavyweight whose names have been submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly by the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi {CC for possible nomination to the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA}.

The nomination will take place in the political capital of Dodoma this after noon when Parliament resumed it sittings

The Clerk to the National Assembly Dr Thomas Kashilila confirmed last night that the CCM has proposed 24 names of candidates approved to contest the EALA eight seats positions apportioned to it, while the opposition parties represented in parliament have been allocated one seat bringing to nine ,the total number of equal East African Community partner states representation in the prestigious regional legislative body.

CCM ideology and publicity secretary Nap[e Nnanye confirmed that among CCM candidates are Makongoro Nyerere, the son of Tanzania founding president the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere who is the current CCM branch chairman in his North Mara region home turf.

Makongoro Nyerere’s entry into regional politics is expected by observers o rekindle Nyerere’s long cherished dream of a united and prosperous East Africa.

The election to the EALA has also aroused political interest because for the first time, it has attracted the sons of prominent former and sitting high profile ruling party CCM leaders.

Others names floated by the CCM for nomination included those of Abdallah Ali Mwinyi, sons of former president Ali Hassan Mwinyi, William John Malecela, son of the former Prime Minister and long serving Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs John Malecela, and Dr Said Gharib Bilal, who is related to the incumbent Vice President Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal.

Other CCM aspirants are Ruth Blasio Msafiri,Shy-Rose Bhanji, Siraju Juma Kaboyonga,Angela Juma Kazigha, and Adam Omar Kmbisa. The list also includes Happyness Lukiko, Norah Petero Mukumi, Simon Sales Berege,Mrisho Gambo, Handley Mpoki Matwega, Nussa Elias Mnyeti, Safia Ali Rjiali and Maryam Ussi Yahya.

Others listed in the same CCM lists of recommended aspirants includes Rukia Seif Msellem, Sabah Saleh Ali, Haji Mwita Haji, Ahmada Hamad Khatib,Abdul-Aziz Abdul Aziz and Bennard Simon Murunya, while the opposition CHADEMA has submitted one name of its nominated Antony Ecalit Komu.

Political pundits commented that “ It would be worrying if the ordinary candidates would outshone the sons of the political heavyweights in this race’ But international trade lawyer Edward Lekaita was quoted as saying that MPs should not look at big names, but instead pick EALA MPs based on merit.

“The election is not about CHADEMA or CCM candidates, but I is about getting serious country representatives o the ambitions of the EAC integration process,”

Meanwhile Kenya’s nomination of representatives to the EALA is will be a clear departure from the past when they were hand-picked by political parties.

Candidates seeking nomination to the Arusha based regional parliament will now be scrutinized by the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee before being vote for by MPs with the Clerk of the National Assembly acting as a returning officer.

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EAST AFRICA: A STUDY REPORT HAS REVEALED THAT NEARLY ALL FISH SPECIES IN LAKE VICTORIA MAY BE EXTINCT IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS UNLESS POLLUTION AND OVERFISHING IS PUT ON CHECK.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

POOR management of the resources coupled with over-fishing, industrial pollution and the of Lake Victoria and its resources.

And now the residents of the region and the communities living along the shorelines of the lake as well as scientists and researchers have raised red flag over the reported rapid depletion of fish stock.

The fisheries ministry officials, especially the fish scouts and officials charged with the responsibilities of ensuring the orderly fishing stand to be blamed for not implementing the government policy to he letter.

Corruption is also cited when it comes to the issues involving fishermen’s using an unauthorized fishing net that kills immature fish.

The scientists and researchers have so far predicted that unless all these malpractices stopped, the lake could be depleted of all fish species in 30 years time, if the environmental degradation was not adequately addressed.

A damning study report recently released by the Lake Victoria Management Programme has revealed that production of the stock of the economically prized Nile Perch went down by 750,000 tones from 2005 to only 232,000tones in 2008.At the same time tilapia number dropped from 27,061 tones to 24,811tone during the same period of time.

“The fish industry sub-sector o the national economy which earns Kshs 7 billion annually in foreign exchange is now said to be set to record reduced revenue as a result,” says the report.

At the same time a researcher from a Swedish University has said that the number of fish species in Lake Victoria had dropped significantly from more than 400 at the turn of the twentieth century to only 192 a the turn of 21st century.

“The situation is alarming because over-fishing environmental degradation and pollution is still at the peak. Due to many industries up stream discharging pollutant material to the lake..

The scarcity of fish and acute supplies has I the recent past sent the prices of the commodity skyrocketing.

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Kenya: Awendo town is hit by anonymous leaflets dropped by unknown people in the night

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AWENDO TOWN IS HIT BY ANONYMOUS LEAFLETS CRITICAL OF THE TOWN COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION AND PLANNED STREET DEMONSTRATIONS.

Report By Bob Ndira-Uradi In Awendo Town.

The small, but fast growing farming town of Awendo, which is located in the middle between Rongo and Migori towns on the main Kisii and Migori highway was on Thursday morning hi by anonymous leaflets,

The town is situated in the newly created Awendo district within Migori County. It has became so important in the greater Southern Nyanza region owing to he fact that the multibillion shillings white sugar mil, the SonySugar Company Limited is also located within the town, making it to be one of the busiest hub of trade in the region.

The resident of the new district were so lucky that they were blessed with a new parliamentary constituency, which was curved out of the old Rongo and confirmed by the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission {IEBC} among the extra 80 newly created parliamentary constituencies.

However, the town is of late administrative problem caused by what seemingly appeared to be an endless political wrangling between the civic leaders allied to two political giants in the region, despite of the fact that the creation of the new constituency has now separated the two and placed them into two different electoral areas.

The two political giants of the region are the Minister for Public Service Dalmas Otieno who is the current MP or Rongo and the former Mister for Energy George Ochillo-Ayacko who now heads a government parastatal body dealing in energy. Ayacko was the Rongo MP until 2007 when he lost the seat to Dalmas Oieno.

In spite of the separation of the two, which has now places Dalmas Otieno in Rongo while his arch-rival at the local political derby Ochillo Ayacko in the newly created Awendo parliamentary seat, civic leaders allied to the two are still at war with each other, especially in Awendo town.

The latest leaflets entitled “Political Strategy” is accusing he chairman of the Awendo Town Council Coun. Johnson Omolo Owiro for having refused to implement the government directive o the construction of the multimillion shilling indoor make despite the money having been made available by the relevant government ministry. The chairman is said to be adamant because he wanted the Town’s modern market built on the site where the old market was an area which is falling under Sakwa Central Location in his home turf, whereas the place designed for the construction of the market is situated on the side of Sakwa East Location,

Asked why there were unnecessary delay in the construction of the market, Coun Omolo Owiro defended the Council saying that the land earmarked for the market is in dispute. The dispute has resulted I a court case, and as such the Council cannot construct the market on a disputed land.

What is intriguing many is the fact that the civic leaders said to be allegedly involved in inciting the town dwellers, traders, Matatu touts and kiosk owners to stage street demonstrations in protest against the Town Council are all ODM nominated Councilors. They hail from both sides of the political divide, namely Sakwa Central and Sakwa East Wards.This has given the credence that the political war between those allied to the two senior politicians in the region is still on.

The unsigned leaflets revealed that a meeting was held on April 8, in the home of one of the nominated civic leader in Sakwa Central where some far reaching decision ere reached on how t tackle the Town Council administration. Matatu touts and other stake holders were by Thursday reported to be collecting signature of traders and businessmen in town for the planned action schedule for next week.

Local political pundits, however, have dismissed the on-going wrangling as part of the forthcoming general elections election fevers. This is because Awendo Town and its environs has been transformed in the new set up under the new constitution dispensation from the Town Council into an electoral ward, which will produce only one County representative to the Migori County.

The current Council chairman is said to be allied to Dalmas Otieno, while his detractors are said to be in the Ayacko’s camp, so the daggers re already drawn ahead of the next general election as each group would like to dislodge the other.

Observers, however, were quick in pointing out that such aimless and destructive political squabbles could to more harm than good t the fast growing farming town, and it is up to the ODM to instill some amount of discipline to its followers and local grass root leaders with firm warning to maintain unity and serve the public.

These leaflets, according to impeccable sources, has drew the attention of the security personnel in the area who are said to be actively investigating its source.

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How a Nigerian “Prophet”accurately predicted the death of Malawian President two months ago

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An exclusive report published By Uganda Correspondent online

Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

TB Joshua: Prophet of doom?

A flamboyant Nigerian Pastor who claims to be a “Prophet” is being hailed by his admirers for predicting the death of former Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika. During a church service on the 5th February, “Prophet” TB Joshua announced that he was seeing the death of an African president in two months time.

“..I am seeing a Head of State…by that I mean a President. He is not feeling well. He is very old. What is this I am seeing…sudden death…I am seeing the death of an old African president in two months”, TB Joshua said.

He added: “…It could be sickness being in the body for a long time but God showed me the country and the place but I am not here to say anything like that. When it’s too close and there is nothing I can do about it…I will mention it clear…the place, the country and the person so that they can see what they can do to rescue him…” he said.

On Sunday April 1, TB Joshua said his prophecy was drawing closer and closer. “…I was talking about April…we should pray for the nation…this country…God loves us. You should pray for one African Head of State. The sickness that is likely to take life…sudden death.” said the Pastor.

TB Joshua’s prophecy was confirmed on Friday, April 6, a day after Bingu wa Mutharika died of a heart attack. April 5, the day Mutharika died, is strangely, exactly two months after the Nigerian church leader predicted the death of the African president.

Whether or not TB Joshua’s prophecy should be taken seriously may be totally irrelevant to fanatics who profess dogmatic faith in religion. Indeed, going by the debate raging online, it appears TB Joshua’s prophecy has won him hundreds of thousands of new followers.

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natural calamities strikes many parts of Kenya following the arrival of the long rains

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

NATURAL calamities and disaster have hit Kenyans so hard in the past one week with reported death by a man trampled by elephant, while two people drown after their fishing boat was hit by a rogue hippo in Lake Victoria.

In the last two weeks, the lightning strikes left three Kenyans dead, and at the same time there were two incidents of big cats devouring domestic animals in Murang’a County and, and in Nyahururu.

The incident in which two fishermen drawn while on fishing expedition in Lake Victoria when heir boats was hit by a rogue hippo took place near Uhanya Beach in Usenge Division, Bondo district within Siaya County occurred on Monday.

Four fishermen had set on a fishing expedition in Lake Victoria when a five tone rogue bull of hippo attacked their boat and sunk it violently. Two of the fishermen managed to swam to safety, but two of their colleagues were unlucky. Up to the time of writing this report the bodies of Fred Ochieng 42 and Dancan Ochjonjo 20 were yet to be retrieved from the water.

The Assistant Chief of the area Manaseh Osur identified the survivors as Bill Omondi and Musa Okaka.

A 75 year old woman was strike dead by thunderbolt in Adanya village in Teso district within Busia County in Western Province.Rose Idanya 75 had gone out in the rain to pick up some of her utensils when the lightning struck.

The Area Assitant Chief Zachary Olekete has cautioned the residents against engaging in risky activities, especially during the down pour as the rainy season started. He further asked head teachers of all the primary schools in his area to ensure that they install lightning arrestors in all classrooms and important buildings within their schools compound.

His particular incident came only a week after two young men who had taken a shelter under a tree were struck dead by lightning near Mwakitau in Taita-Taveta district at the Coast Province.

Another incident in Keiyo district in the North Rift a woman and her daughter dead after lightning hit their home during the late afternoon heavy down pour.

In the same Taita-Taveta district a man was trampled to death by a rogue elephant. The incident took place last Sunday forcing the officials of the Kenya Wildlife Services {KWS} to mount the ground and air operation aimed at driving back to the close to 200 herds of elephants which had invaded the area and were causing havoc with human lives and food crops.. back to the nearby Tsavo West National Game Park where the jumbos are suspected to have come from before invading the villages causing havoc with human live and destroying a lot of food crops in the field.

The elephants had imposed dawn to dusk curfew forcing the children to abandon their studies In the nearby schools.

In Nyahururu a suspected ,female leopard which had strayed in the farming villages is blamed for having killed close to 35 goats and sheep. A farmer at Gichaka village in Olkalou constituency is now counting his loses after the beast had attacked her leopard her curbs attacked and killed her nine sheep on Tuesday morning.

Mrs Gechia Karichu the nine sheep were part of a flock of 23 she had taken to grazing shed near her house. But soon after returning to the house, three of the sheep came back bleating with one of them having been mauled in the leg. But when he went out to check what had happened to the sheep she found the carcasses of the nine sheep strewn allover.

The residents told the newsmen that the same leopard had killed many goats , sheep and dogs in the village in the last two weeks.

The area MP Erustus Mureithi who visited the scene appealed to the government to compensate the farmers who had lost their animals in such attacks by big cat.

The next incident involving the attack by a leopard was in Gikuyu Sub-Location in Murang’a district where a marauding male leopard killed seven sheep on Monday night. The big cat is reported to have strayed in the village from the nearby Mount Kenya Forest which was recently devastated by the wildfire.

The beast is also reported to have already devoured close to 5o goats and sheep during the last three weeks and it is so elusive that the villagers in collaboration with the armed game rangers have hunted it without success.

On Monday night at about 4.A.M a resident Mr Justus Mwan in bed woke up to a rude shock after he found the carcasses of seven sheep killed.

In unrelated story, an official of the KWS in Tsavo East National Game Park has made a startling revelation of people who have been faking snake bites so tat they could compensated. This discovery was made after it was detected that nearly all the companion forms were signed b only one doctor.

The Senior Kenya Wildlife Service Samuel Bukura said some people re known to have cut their legs using razor blades to fake snake bite or the purpose of getting compensated b the government.

The scam was discovered after many people had presented the forms bearing their claims for compensation after faking snake bite incidences.

“Most claims lodged in our offices, are bearing the signature o only one doctor paving he way for suspicion that the forms were fake. This , he aid is a clear indication that the compensation exercise is grossly being abused.

Bukura revealed that the government has set aside and released the colossal amount of Kshs 2.6 million which is to be paid out as compensation to the families of those people who were either killed and injured by wildlife in the coastal district of Taita-Taveta The issuing of payment of cheques and cash has been delayed because the people involved did not provide the officials with the correct information.

The payment has been categorized for those killed will be compensated with Khs 200,000 while those who sustained bodily injuries a result of attack by wildlife would be paid Kshs 50,000.mT in this category include the genuine cases of snake bites, and it is what has made so many people fake the injuries. Some have inflicted injuries n their bodies using razor blade top look like snake bites.

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EAST AFRICA: GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF FISH COULD LEAD TO THE BOOSTING OF EXPORTS OF THE LAKE VICTORIA’S ECONOMICALLY PRIZED NILE PERCH.

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Write Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

A shortage of Pangasius fish in international market markets following flooding in Vietnam is expected to boost Nile Perch exports from Lake Victoria.

Nile Perch sales in Asian and Western European markets have in past few years gradually reduced as more price sensitive consumers opted for Pangasius, a cheaper alternative source of white meat.

Analysis with the Food and Agriculture Organization {FAO} SAID Nile Perch exports from Lake Victoria could rise sharply this ear following shortages of the rival species after massive floods in the main producing Vietnam contaminated ponds.

“Drop in demand doe Pangasius and the increase in the value of marketing of certified Nile Perch in the EU {European Union}, could give extra boost to the fishery products coming from Lake Victoria,” says the agencies I the market update report for the month of April, 2012.

The food in the third quarter of lat year saw nearly 70 per cent of all pangasius fish processing plants in Vietnam Mekong delta shut down due to contaminated fish ponds mainly in Dong Thup and An Ging provinces.

The effects of the damages on the Pangasius market are expected to spill over into much of this year, reviving the Lake Victoria Nile Perch industry whose fortunes have been rising with adoption of certification programme .

Kenya and other East African countries mainly rely on Lake Victoria to support Nile Perch industries even though the business has in the recent years come under pressure from dwindling supplies and weak prices in the international market.

FAO report says, Lake Victoria Nile Perch exports to the EU had began stabilizing due to improved quality standards. In this period, Tanzania was by far the biggest supplier for European countries with 12,300 tones, following by Uganda and Kenya,” the agency said.

Statistics showed that n the first quarter of lat year, the EU remained the main market for Nile Perch with 8,200 tones of fillets coming from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

In 2010, Kenya exported 3,600 tones of Nile Perch fillets to EU markets, while Tanzania sold 16,300 tones and Uganda 11,800 tones.

Apart from competing from Pangasius, the Lake Victoria Nile Perch industry has also suffered an image problem over poor fishing methods that deprived the lake of its potential resources.

Data by the Fisheries Department showed that the Nile Perch stock in Lake Victoria decline from 1.9 million tones to 1.2 million between 1999 and 2001 before dropping drastically to 544,000 tones in 2005.The stocks were estimated at 37o tones in 2008.

As part of efforts to stall dip in Lake Victoria catch, governments have formed beach management units to oversee sustainable exploitation of the fish resources.

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