Category Archives: HEADLINES

Kenya: Former Jaramogi’s aide dies in a Kisumu Hospital aged about 80

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

 One of the top former aides of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga has died in a Kisumu Hospital aged about 80 years.

Crispin Were Olonde who was a key aide of the late Jaramnogi Oginga Odinga in the early 1950s and late 1970 has died in a Kisumu Hospital.

Olonde  passed away at the Jelaram Hospital, Kisumu on Thursday night after being admitted there for some undisclosed ailment.

Before joining Jaramogi, C.W. Olode was the long serving editor of the defunct RAMOGI weekly newspaper. He also worked hand in hand with the late Dixon Oruko Makasembo during the days of the Central Nyanza African District Association {CADA before the birth of KANU in 1960s.

Olonde had brushed shoulder with the Colonial police and later on with the police in an independent Kenya due to his radical stance. At one time he narrowly escaped the police dragnet in Kisumu after beating the former Nyanza P.C. Charles Murgor and went into self-impose exile in Uganda for a couple of years.

In the early 1970s Olonde abandoned politics and joined the staff of the Chemelil Sugar Company Limited the company’s welfare manager where he retired about 15 years ago after attaining the mandatory retirement age.

One of his comrades Edwin Onyango Radier, the former Deputy Mayor of Kisumu yesterday sent his condolences to the family of the decease. Radier said plans are underway to accord Olonde a heroic send off. It will include the laying in state at the Ofafa Memorial Hall for an overnight stay before the body is ferried to his Nyakach Jimo home for burial and that the tentative plan will be announced after consultation with the family.

Olonde left behind several wives and many children most of them grown ups. He was the key planner in the late Jaramogi’s team for many years

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KENYA: AMOROUS SUGAR MILLS MANAGER CAUGHT RED HANDED WITH PANTS DOWN WITH A MARRIED WOMAN IN A BUNGOMA HOTEL.

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By Bob Ndira Uradi

An amorous top manager with one of the sugar mills in Western Kenya is still nursing the wound as a result of the beating which is said to have received when he was caught red handed pants down with a married woman in a Bungoma hotel.

The incident left many residents of the town puzzled. The man is said to be serving in top managerial position as Human Resources Manager, while his lover is a married woman. She is a wife of a prominent businessman in the region.

Our source reported that the manager has been in the habit of dating married women, particularly those working under him with whom he enticed with promotion.

The love affair between the two has been flourishing for sometime, and the husband got the wind. On the fateful day, the husband is said to have followed the two lovers in a different car as they drove towards Bungoma town for their sexual escapades.

Unaware that they were being followed, the two lovers booked themselves into a hotel and immediately went into action. The husband armed with a Maasai rungu burst into the hotel room and found the two lovers in a compromised position.

He descended on the amorous manager with his rungu. The manager, however, escaped leaving his shoes and other belonging in the hotel leaving his love bird behind. At the mercy of the enraged husband who reigned blows and kicks on her.

According to an eye witness, the woman was buttered almost to death by her enraged husband who had sworn before his friends that he would teach her a lesson that she will live to regret.  

The commotion, attracted a large number of onlookers, and the woman was only rescued from further punishment by good Samaritans. The matter is still very hot and has since become the talks of the town.

The amorous manager who is actually an engineer by profession, but had only switched to human resources career. Dumb folded manager at the facility and workers alike were seen discussing the incident in groups and in low tones.

The Sugar Mill  where the two work is also said to be disgusted with the action of the two senior staff and is contemplating taking disciplinary action since the incident has become popular in the public domain.

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Kenya: The alleged UK forged dossier on Kenya could be the wrok of a Ugandan fugitive living in Nairobi

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The controversial dossier which was a tale in parliament last week purported to have been the official position and stance of the British government on Kenya could be the work of a Ugandan master forger.

Multiple sources in both Kampala and Nairobi are all pointing an accusing fingers to the direction of the unnamed Ugandan who is it is being alleged to have perfected in document

He suspected to be living in one of the posh hotels in Nairobi at the expense of Kenyan politicians who have covertly hired him for the dirty job.including writing slanderous articles adversely mentioning their perceived political enemies.

The Ugandan, according to a source in Kampala has been involved in similar forgeries in Zimbabwe where he was hired by the despotic President Robert Mugabe to discredit his government‘s rival opposition groups.
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The Kampala source indicated that the Ugandan is a man wanted in his native home country for his alleged association with the activities of the outlawed Lord Resistance Army {LRA} which has been waging the seemingly endless war in the Northern part of the country.

The LRA is headed by the rebel leader Gen.Joseph Kony who has successfully evaded the capture by the Ugandan security forces for well over twenty years. Kony is also wanted by the International Court of Criminal Justice {ICC} at The Hague to answer charges of crime against humanity by conscripting under aged children into his rug-tug fighters who are said to be mainly drawn from the Acholi and Langi Nilotes tribes of the northern Uganda.

Legislators allied to the ICC suspects Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Eldoret North MP William Samoei Ruto are said to be disillusioned and have been working round the clock to ensure that the Prime Minister Raila Odinga is incriminated and dawn into ICC cases.

When the forged dossier was on the table in Parliament last Thursday, one pro-Ruto MP from Kericho County was seen moving around the chamber mobilizing support for the document. At one point it forced the Deputy House Speaker Farah Maalim to issue a stern warning to the MP in question to behave.

The Ugandan is said to have fallen out with some elements within Robert Mugabe’s government who viewed him as a dreadful liar leading to his alleged arrest and torture by Mugabe’ secret police.

He said to have secured a job with the Uganda’s rebel LRA after being contracted by one of the rebel group top adviser to act as its public relations. But he is said to have quit in huff during the negotiation for peace between the Joseph Kony’s LRA and the Ugandan government which was brokered by the Southern Sudan. His resignation came about after Joseph Kony had reused to sign the peace negotiated in Sudan.

The Uganda has since been living in Kenya and according to an article in the website of May 2011 had secured a job as the presidential consultant. This claim, however, could not be confirmed.

Other impeccable sources says the Ugandan has been loosely associated with the a popular Television Network in Kenya which is connected to one of the of Campo Four. where he has been regularly participating in talking shows on various issues

Some articles says the Ugandan who is suspected to be a master forger hails from northeastern part of Uganda and he is married with grown up children. He is reported to have lived in London, UK or close to twenty five years, an is well versed with the operational system of the UK government.

When the forged British dossier was tabled in the Kenya parliament last Thursday, some MPs looked furious and demanded that the country severed its relations with the UK government despite of the plea for calm by the Kenyan Minister for Foreign Affairs Moses Wetangula who told his colleagues that the only way they could discuss issues related to a friendly foreign country is by way of introducing a substantive motion in the House.

Although the document contained therein a document tabled in Parliament last week looked like genuine, there are some elements of similarity with UK document, though the author’s English is not the native work of an Englishman and therefore anyone reading it could easily detect some loopholes in the grammar presentation, style and the not very flowing English.

A source in Kampala maintained that the Ugandan fugitive now taking refuge in the Kenyan capital is a wanted man at home. He is not a freedom fighter nor a revolutionary minded or a liberator, but has developed the cunning mechanism of minting cheap money from the seemingly disillusioned friends of the Ocampo Four.

The Ugandan officials who are said to be familiar with similar forged dossiers believe they are the work of the Ugandan whose name cannot be published due to legality. The Ugandan have advised the authorities in Kenya to investigate the activities of the Ugandan who is also fond of feeding major radio stations in the Western world with falsified information purporting them to come from top officials of the African governments, and he is known to be surviving on this kind of trade.

A spirited effort by the Legislators allied to the Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who was mentioned adversely in the forged document, to have it expunged from the record, failed. The House Speaker Kenneth Marende turned down the pleas by the nominate MO Rachel Shebesh.

The debate on the forged document ended when the MPs unanimously resolved that the authenticity of the document would be investigated by the Parliamentary Defense and Foreign Relation Committee in which the Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo who tabled the documents to the house is also a member.

The debate on the documents kicked off on Tuesday this week with the Saboti PP Eugene Wamalwa leading to the disclosure of the dossier. The MP questioned the motive behind the UK Foreign Secretary William Hague recent visit to Kenya.

However, fears persist that legislators allied to the two of the Ocamp Four, namely the Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and the Eldoret North MP William Ruto could derail the finding of the committee and manipulate it to suit their whims.

During the heated debate, John Mbadi {Gewassi} insisted that Kilonzo who is the white blower be excluded from the committee. But the House Speaker Kenneth Marende old the MP that anyone of them could participate in the proceeding of the committee to ensure the investigations is not contrived.

The alleged British government dossier on Kenya has since been disowned by the UK government which termed it a simple work of forgers.

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MILLIONS OF KENYANS FACING EMINENT DEATHS AS A RESULT OF SKEWED PROCUREMENT RESULTING TO POOR QUALITY RESEARCH MATERIALS.

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By Our Reporter ,

Millions of Kenyans are likely to die as a result of low quality medical materials being channeled to the Country’s only research centre called Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) courtesy of high level of bad governance and corruption perpetuated by the institutions top management team led by a perennial political parliamentary looser a Dr.Mwinga Chokwe and the Procurement Officer one Chris Isabwa .
Details of our investigations reveals that that the corruption that got  former Director Davy Koech kicked out of the prestigious institution  have been received full blast courtesy of Chokwe and Isabwa.

However the new scam which we have authoritatively established reveals that the said Isabwa was dismissed from the giant Government Posta Kenya  on the grounds of Gross Misconduct.

A letter in our possession signed by Hellen Ambasa the Acting Corporation Secretary for the Postmaster General  dated 20th January 2012  says that Isabwa was employed as a Manager /Procurement  from 4th January 2005 to 22nd July 2009.

“Following  a forensic Audit Report conducted in 2008, the Board found him culpable and dismissed him from the service on the grounds of Gross Misconduct on 22nd July 2009” reads the letter ref no;DF;3250/SC/C/PMG/PF.23943 signed by Ambasa.

“How he ended up at KEMRI in a key position in the era of the Public Procurement Officers Act law, rules and procedures remains  not only a mystery but flies in the face of the new and still unfolding era of institutional reforms and the war on corruption” lamented one senior key KEMRI official who never wanted his name revealed.

We have evidences of corruption networks in most contracts (construction, renovation and supplies) and are given out to business associates of selected key senior officers.

“These cartels could well end up costing KEMRI more than the kshs 5000 million which disappeared under Dr.Koech” read one audit report in our possession.

As a result trouble is brewing in other sections of Kenya’s premier health care sector institution in a trickle down effect from the graft at the heart of KEMRI’S procurement processes.

A number of individuals have been wrongly dismissed and have hauled both the Director and KEMRI to court in cases that are guaranteed to bring maximum negative publicity to the heavily donor funding dependent institute.

Official documents in our possession paint a picture of rampant irregularities as audited by key leading Kenya forensic auditors.
Isabwa is said to be well into his third reincarnation as a dodgy operative at the heart of a high profile department in the government minting millions and oppressing any innocent Kenya professionals who stand in his path.

“Surprisingly this corrupt man who is protected by the Chairman of the Board Dr.Edwin Mwinga rather than reporting to his immediate boss Lina Boit who is KEMRI’S Deputy Director  of Administration and Finance   or Edwin Makori who assists Boit
he is reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer Dr.Solomon
Mpoke why” wondered  one senior official there.

KEMRI is presently heading by Dr.Solomon Mpoke as the Chief Executive Officer  while Dr.Hinga is the Chairman.

Mrs.Ann Wang’ombe is an Assistant Director in charge of Human Resource while Edwin Makori is an Assistant Director Finance and Administration  ,Dr.Elizabeth Bukusi heads Research and Training .

They are appealing to Medical Services Minister Prof.Anyang’Nyong’o and other stakeholders to urgently come in and intervene in regard to the corrupt practices there.

Kenya: The death of one of the oldest men in Kipsigis land at the age of 133 he was a veteran of the First World War

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.

DEATH has occurred of one of the last surviving veteran of the First World War who is estimated to have died at the age of 133.

Mzee Barnabas Kiptanui Arap Rop saw actions in Tanzania, Madagascar and some Islands in the Indian Ocean during the First World War between 1914 and 1918.

He got married in 1918 after being discharged from the Kings African Rifles {KAR} and his eldest child is now aged 90 years.

The grand old man was buried last weekend at Kapcheluch village near Kabianga University College a {local campus of the Mo University Eldoret} and Kabianga Trading Center in upper Belgut within Kericho County.

According to Mzee Arap Rop’s own account, he was born around 1879 and was converted to Christianity around 1910. He was conscripted into the Fist World War not as a young man, but an adult who at the time he was almost approaching his middle age.

Among the leading personalities who turned up to bid him a tearful farewell was the Belgut MP Charles Keter, an aspirant for the newly created Sigowet / Soin constituency Justice Kemei who is a prominent businessman in both Mombasa, Nairobi and Western Kenya.

His burial attracted unusual large crowd of well wishers, friends and relatives. The late Arap was a cousin and age-mate of Mr Kemei grand father the late Cherengeti Arap Cheruiyot who died three decades ago.

Speaker after speaker spoke about the grand old man wish counseling and wisdom. They added that he was the custodian of the Kipsigis culture and used to advice the younger generation on how to live in peace with one another and also preached the word of gospel which he had mastered without acquiring modern education.

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photo of the grand old man who is beieved to have been the oldest man in Kisigisland if not in Kenya

Kenya: Claims ares made that a Kericho tycoon is saying Sigowet/Soin seat against the father’s death wishes

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Reports Bob Ndira Uradi in Kericho Town.

The reported entry in to the political foray of parliamentary politics by a prominent Kericho tycoon is causing discontent among the resident of Sigowet / Soin.

The discontent has come about following claims and reports alleging that before his passing away Mzee Isaiyah Mutai, a pioneer businessman in Kericho town had advised his sons against venturing into politics.

Mzee Isaiyah Mutai considered as one of the wealthiest businessman among the Kipsigis community in Belgut within Kericho County died a few years ago. He left his business empire estimated to be worth Kshs 800 million in the custody of one of his sons Kenneth Mutai.

But unconfirmed reports emerging town says Kenneth Mutai whose business interests has spread into other regions like Nairobi and Mombasa is now eying the newly created Sigowet / Soin parliamentary seat in lower Belgut.

The late Mzee Isaiyah Mutai, according to sources in Kericho, before his death had expressed fears the family fortune would be lost if his son Kenneth Mutai ventured into politics.

Other family members are divided over Kenneth Mutai reported plan to foray into politics .Most of the family members are vehemently to his alleged plan of running for Sigowet / Soin seat arguing that Kenneth Mutai is being pushed into politics by few people who have the ulterior motive hoping to lay their hands into the family money.

His eldest step brother Mr J. Biegon is also understood to be against his younger brother’s running for a political seat and is said to have repeatedly reminded him respect and uphold of their late father’s advice.

Among those who are suspected of pushing Kenneth Mutai to join politics include the Belut MP Charles Keter who is a distance cousin of the Mutais.

Keter, it is being alleged has been good will messages through SMS to Sigowet / Soin constituents purporting to have come from Ken Mutai.

He was recently reported to have sent message to local teachers who had gathered at Kapkibet Secondary School telling hem that Ken Mutai had bought for them breads for their breakfast during their get together party in an apparent motive and aims of luring the teachers to support Mutai candidature.

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KENYA: POLICE THANKED FOR TAKING SWIFT ACTION IN ARRESTING AND PROSECUTING CULPRITS SUSPECTED OF FUELING TRIBAL CLASHES BETWEEN THE LUOS AND KALENJINS.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

POLICE in Kapsabet, Muhoroni an Nyando districts have received a pat on the back for having taken swift and appropriate action, which have resulted in scores of people suspected to have been responsible for fueling the recent flare up along the Nyanza –Rift Valley borders.

The recent tribal flare ups along the border of Tinderet, Aldai, Nyando and Muhoroni constituencies borders along the Nyanza Rift Valley is suspected to have been fueled and instigated by inflammatory speeches by some leaders in the Rift Valley and Central Province during the recent series of the so-called prayers-cum-political rallies by the ICC suspects was only quelled by a combined forces of regular police and the paramilitary crack unit of the GSU.

The clashes left close to 50 houses in Metetei Valley housing both Nandis and Luos in ushers after being torched by rioters, while more than 1000 people left homeless and have to take refugee in churches and makeshift camps.

The clashes left six people dead and scores hospitalized with serious bodily injuries, mostly inflicted with arrows while other were hacked with machetes and other crude weapons.

On Monday this week nine people, among them two women appeared before the Kapsabet Senior Resident Magistrate Gerald Moriso charged with offences of engaging in cattle rustling on he Rift Valley-Nyanza boundary that triggered tribal clashes a week ago.

The suspects were John Kiprono, Richard Kiplimo, Cleophas Kimeli, Kenneth Kimutrai, Richard Kiplagat,Kenneth Kipsang, Selly Jeptarus, Janet JEMUTAI, AND Selly Kirui were charged with stealing 19 herd of cattle, 22 sheep and six goats, all valued at Kshs 1,034,000 from of Michael Otieno on the night of February 25/26 at Rechpal Farm in Songhor Location.

The accused person faced the second count which stated that on the same date at the same place, they stole a water pump, three bags of maize and one roll of barbed wire, all valued at Kshs 49,600 the property of Michael Otieno.

The magistrate ordered that the accused persons who were unrepresented, be remanded in custody at the Kapsabet GK Prison or each may be released on a cash bail of Kshs 200,000 until on March 25 when their case hearing will commence.

In the same court, four people were also charged with being in possession of papers meant to be used to print 1,000 fake currency notes equivalent to Kshs 1,092,000.

The suspects were David Chgeruiyot Tanui, William Ocheng’ Odhiambo, Michael Kipchumba Koech, and Elijah Odera. They denied committing the offence at Kaptumo trading Center in Nandi South district on February 23, 2012..

The accused were ordered o be released o a Kshs 3 million bond each and surety of a similar amount until March 12 when the case will come up for mention.

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EAC may miss out of the key trade benefits with EU for failing to implement negotiated pacts

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

The East African Community {EAC} risk missing out on benefits of key trade and economic agreements over legality test.

Member states of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are yet to implement the EAC Joint Trade Negotiation Act 2007, which is due to be signed by 2014.The Act aimed at streamlining the regional trade negotiations through the Joint Trade Negotiation Commission.

“The EAC partners states bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements, which are not bound under any legal framework, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly {EALA} Gervase Akhaabi has disclosed.

In an interview published by the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN in its latest edition, Akhabi said,”this is so despite the existence of a Common External Tariff, which is binding on all the five partner states under the Customs Union.

Thus, the European Union Economic Partnership Agreement {EPAs} as well as trade deals with the three African regional communities will not be affected soon.

EAC is negotiating trade arrangements as a bloc with other parties, notably the EPAs with the EU, and the Tripartite Trade Area with member countries of COMESA and SADC.

The EU is an important trade partner for EAC, commanding about USD 4.8 billion of imports- mainly oil products, medicines, machinery, cars, aircraft and electrical appliances, as USD 3.18 billion of exports –mainly coffee, tea and fresh cut flowers, as per 2010 trade data is showing.

The EALA member was further quoted as saying that” in order to effectively implement the Joint Trade Act, non-state actors should actively be involved.

“They will address legal maters through the EALA and the attorney general’s chambers, while conducting public awareness campaigns through academic institutions so as to make it more inclusive,”.

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Kenya: The battle for Homa-Bay county women Representative heats up as another high profile aspirant joins the race

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

The contest or the position of Homa-Bay County women representative is expected to be the toughest and most grueling battle of wits judging from the characters and individual personalities said to be eying for the same seat.

The lattest entry into the race is Mrs Gladys Wanga, the fiery former student leader having been the first lady to hold the position of Secretary General at the Kenyatta University Students Union {KUSA}.

Mrs Wanga’s development track record is equally impressive having mobilized millions of shillings from the European Union to promote tourism within Nyanza Province, particularly around Lake Victoria region.

This project resulted in the construction of the monumental Abasuba Community Peace Museum as a place for conservation of the Suba Culture and a tourist’s destination.

In additional Wanga has been involved with sanitary towel distribution in schools and giving hearty talks to motivate girls to excel in their education.

Wanga received her early education at the Aga Khan Primary School in Kisumu town before she moved to the Kisumu Girls High School the next door. She was admitted to the Kenyatta University where she studies Bsc an Msc degrees in health science.

Wanga is also credited for having mobilized through Homa-Bay District Water Office resources from UNICEF for the implementation of a major water project in her home turf of Kochia, in Rangwe constituency, a project that has radically changed the life of residents for the better.

With a wealth experience of ten years in the service of community project, Mrs Wanga says her vision is embedded in one core principle – “The power to sustainable development lies with the people,” – the esteemed communities of Homa-Bay county; the brave women old and young who wake up early morning to leave their homes for the farms and markets and return at dusk with something small for their families; the young sons and daughter who take are of their widowed mothers.””In there the solution the solution to the challenges that face Homa-Bay county lies.”

Mrs Wanga has published on this in her hand book entitled “Managing Community Projects.”

She told this writer that vision in a country where the “people” { young and old, rich and poor, men and women} are substantially involved” in finding solutions to the challenges they face.”

Mrs Wanga launched her elaborate campaign a couple of weeks ago and has toured most parts o the Homa-Bay including Mfangano Island where had worked with the local community previously. Homa-Bay County comprises of eight parliamentary constituencies covering Kasipul, Kabondo, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita. The region is full of tourist attractions and pre-historical sites. The upper part of the County including areas like Kabondo, Kasipul, Gongo, Kagan, Gem, Ndhiwa have fertile land which is arable and suitable for the production of cash crops such as tea, coffee, maize, fruits and vegetable.

The low laying locations along the shoreline of Lake Victoria have the potential of cotton production and other cash crops. But fishing and fish trade, are the mainstay of the economies scenarios for tourist attractions and pre-historical sites in Gwassi, Mbita, Homa, Rangwe and Karachuonyo.

If elected Mrs Wanga is likely to faces the tough challenges including sensitizing the gender issues, encouraging women to venture into businesses to compete equally with their men folks.

Homa-Bay county is also rich in minerals such as gold, lime and cement, whose deposits are said to be in abundance around Ruri Hills, copper, though some of the minerals he remained unexploited for years.

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photo of Mrs Gladys Wanga

Kenya: Two ODM MPS faces ejection in Suba region over the renaming of the two districts in the region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town
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TWO prominent members of the Orange Democratic Movement ODM} from Southern Nyanza region are facing lean times and embroiled in a very tricky boiling issue which could easily lead to their being locked out of parliament comes the next general election.

Unless the Mbita MP Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ and his counterpart Gwassi MP John Mbadi reversed their decision and abandon their vehement opposition to the boiling issue connected to the renaming of their two constituencies as Suba North for Mbita and Suba South for Gwassi they can as well count themselves out of the August Hose come the next general elections.

Kajwang is the current Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons in the grand coalition government, one of the mot important slots allocated to the ODM in the government.

He has represented Mbita a rural parliamentary electoral area ever since 1997, first on an NDP and successfully defended his seat later on LDP and finally on ODM tickets. He is considered as one of the closest political allies and confidants of the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.

John Mbadi a first timer whose sterling performance and outspokenness has made his presence in the August House felt beyond the Nyanza boundaries.

Mbadi who is an accountant by profession is sharp and eloquent debater who contributes a lot during debates on local, national and intentional issues, though at times he is time being blamed for acting like common “heckler” in the House when it comes to contentious issues related to the defense of his party boss Raila Odinga.

Discontent is high up in the Suba region following the reports that the two legislators are vehemently opposed to the idea of renaming the two districts as demanded by the electorate who are arguably predominantly people of Suba origins.

A testimony to the myriads of problems facing the two MP was witnessed last Saturday during the burial of the late Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga, who until his death late last month was the founding chairman of Suba Cultural and Development Council of Elders. He was laid to rest in a tearful sending off at his Kakrigu village home in Rusinga East, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County.

The burial ceremony was witnessed by thousands of mourners who included Minister Otieno Kajwang’ a good number of people known to be aspiring candidate for the various positions in Senate, Parliament and County governance in the region.

This did not work well, however, because the aspiring candidates who had travelled from far places hoping to be given an opportunity to address the gathering were never accorded that chance at all.

Apart from Minister Kajwang’ who should have been the host of other politicians other include Hilary Ochieng’ Alila an aspirant for the Homa-Bay Senate seat, Mrs Roselyn Onyuka who is vying for the Homa-Bay County women representative, Mrs Gladys Wanga who is also contesting the same women representative seat, Dr. Mark Matunga, a leading contender for the powerful position of Homa-Bay County governor, former Mbita MP George Osingo Migure ,Achilla Gogo who is vying for the position of the deputy County governor and Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi of Rusinga Island who is the vice chairman o the Luo Council of Elders, clergymen, businessmen, farmers, teachers and professionals from the Suba region.

Judging from the hostility displayed by the mourners coupled by hostile remarks and speeches against the two MPs fro the Suba region one could simple make an intelligent guesswork that the issue is really boiling up, putting the political career of the two MPs at a great risk.

Narrating the background of Suba community in a prepared speech Mr Ocholla Gaa, a member of the Suba Cultural and Development Council of Elders who is also retired secondary school teacher formerly of Homa-bay High School referred the late Okeyo Omuga as “The Omwami of Suba”

He said the late Okeyo Omuga was officially installed as the Omwami of Suba in Mfangano Island on August 12, 2011. The installation ceremony was conducted by the Revered Omugambi of Suba Peter Clever Otieno Nyakiamo.

Ocholla Gaa who is the father of Mr Karoli Omondi, the Chief of Staff at the Office f the Prime Minister told the mourners that the journey that culminated in this realization had been long, bumpy and intermittent since the nascent of “Pinje Abich in 1948,

“Pinje Abich” then comprised Gwassi, Kaksingiri, Mfangano, Rusinga, and Gembe {Kasigunga} locations. Former chiefs Gideon Okore,of Gwssi,Kamaria Odundo of Kaksingiri,Simeon Wasonga of Mfangano, Shemekia Wakiaga of Rusinga and Damianius Ajwang’ of Gembe had worked tirelessly as custodian of culture and social organization to mobilize the Abasuba people to realize their identity through sports and building of schools for social transformation and economic empowerment of the people.

The five locations chiefs, he said in an electrifying speech, cooperated with the Abasuba leaders who were, Vincent Oloo Odienge, as the president and Samuel Okello Onyango as the secretary-general and Vincent Odede as the treasurer.

Simultaneously almost during the same period of time, the urbanized and people from Suba region who were then working in Nairobi and other towns formed what was to become the most powerful organization in later years, The Lowland Association whose founder was the late Tom Mboya who served for close to two decades as the Association’s Secretary-General.

The Lowland Association was late r to become an instrumental tool in which the youthful Suba boys and girls with lust for higher education were identified and sent abroad for further studies, some of them travelling to the US n the Great Airlift of 1959 and 1961 through scholarships secured through the effort of the late Mboya and his American friends.

“The spirit of Subaism then and now wanted recognition and respect of the Abasba identity and political space for full realization of the Abasuba socio-cultural and economic development as a distinctive community among the forty three {43} ethnic communities that make the nation of Kenya. The quest to achieve recognition and respect has many obstacles and challenges that many have taken for granted as non issues requiring rectification,” said Ocholla Gaa.

He told the seemingly puzzled and attentive mourners that the geographical contiguity with the Luo community and their earlier access to Christianity and the benefits accruing fro Christian mission education gave the Luo community a false perception that they should dictate terms, socio-politically and chart political path for the Abasuba as subordinates, adding that such innuendos led them {Luos} to derogatively call the Abasuba just simple as Luo-Abasuba.”

He went on,”Our constitution promulgated on August 27th 2010, chapter Three, part two 27 {4 and 5} of equality and freedom from discrimination, states clearly that what Abasuba people stands for is perfectly legitimate. This fact is not negotiable.”

Ocholla-Gaa praised the late Okeyo Omuga saying he had brought to full realization of Suba people and their national identity in Kenya. Abasuba people he added, have a history of their own. They have their culture, social and a political organization prior to colonial invasion and disorientation of the local communities of Kenya.

He said the Abauba people occupy a geographical space on earth. But through their altruism, the Abasuba have allowed a motley non Abasuba community to come and settle in Subaland. So far, he said, the Abasuba have no problems with any immigrant Luo sub-clans into Subaland a ha been attested by peaceful and harmonious coexistence prevailing in the region now.

The ex-teachers revealed that it was Mnister Peter Clever Otieo Nyakiambo who persuaded the retired President Daniel Arap Moi to create Suba district for the Abasuba people in 1995.The mettle of molding Subaism in the 21st Century was then left to Omwami Okeyo Omuga to carry forward without fear or favor. Any geographical entity has two points of the compass. Suba district, therefore he sad, has no exception. It must have North and South, adding, ”What logic is there for any sensible person to deny this reality? Ocholla Gaa asked amid deafening and prolonged applaud by the mourners.

Ocholla Gaa told his audience, “We know that great men and women whose ideas and leadership have shaped the destiny of the people in the world never escaped boos and heckle. In our time Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Nelson Mandela were all heckled and ridiculed before incarceration, but the ideals they cherished and stood for have borne fruit to send the boos and heckles to the graves of shame.”

“We the Suba Cultural Development Council of Elders wishes to reaffirm here for all to hear that we stand for the ideals Omami Oeyo Omuga {the deceased} cherished and stood for. We shall not waver. We stand not be intimidated. The spirit of Subaism shall live in the comity of other communities of Kenya.”

Ocholla Gaa told the mourners that the Suba Cultural Development Council of Elders now under the leadership of Omwami Retired Senior Chief Thomas Okang’a Asango of Gwassi will work with other like minded Concil of Elders countrywide and would “wish them to joinus in unquestioned support for Hon Rala Amolo Odinga’s presidential bid to arrive safely to State Hose in December 2012.”

He issued a stern warning to sons and daughters of Suba, especially those eying county seats in Homa-Bay County to know that their vehicle to secure these elective positions is Subaism. ”Our message is clear.”

The lengthy of the speech delivered by Ochoola Gaa should serve as deterrent warning to the politicians who have been reported a having rubbished the aspiration of this minority community whose stance could wreck havoc with the ODM.

In Suba region mainly in two districts of Gwasi an Mbita the registered voters could be in the region of between 75,000 and 80,000, but the community is well spread in all other Counties. For example it occupied the largest portion in Migori district and its members are scattered in all the districts of Rachuony North,Rachuonyo South, Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, Nyatike, Ndhiwa, Rangwe and other places. A combined voting strength of the Suba people could be moderately be estimated at between 250,000 and 300,00o strong In the entire Southern Nyanza region.

In the relevant Minister Otieno Kajwang’ was quoted by the STANDARD as having told the funeral gathering in Rusinga Island that the me of his constituency will never be changed under all the circumstances come what may. But the newspaper story has some kind of discrepancies. Kajwang’ might have spoken to the STANDARD reporter elsewhere but not in the funeral home were he had no chance of even greeting the crowd.

He came I with a lorry load of ODM youths an close to 25 policemen in full, uniform and his arrival caused commotion in an already tension charged funeral gathering. But the Minister who came happily flushing his fly which had his mood changed abruptly after realizing that the place was hostile to hi anti-Suba stance, and sat pensively at the dais hardly exchanging conversations with anybody.

The Minister never uttered even one single word at the funeral except he bitterly complained at the inflammatory speeches made by the University Students from Suba region who had spoke early and scathingly criticized his leadership.

Kajwng’ might not feel the weight of the Suba people’s opposition to his political leadership because he ha switched from defending his parliamentary seat and he is now eying for the Senate seat. In the contest for the Senate, the Minister will go out flat in canvassing for votes in all the eight constituencies and could even win the seat with the vote from other region outside Suba.

But the position of his friend and colleague John Mbadi {Gwassi} would remain threatened a he is said to be content in defending his seat.

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Kenya: Former Nyanza PDE Onyuka joins the race for Homa-Bay county women representative in Parliament

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Oyugis Town
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The election race for the Homa-Bay County women representative has entered its most crucial stage following the declaration by one of the women with the highest profile in the region that she will be  in the race.

The usually well mannered and conservative former high ranking high school teacher Mrs Roselyn Onyuka is the latest entry into the race for the seat which is also  expected to attract other women aspirants.

Mrs Onyuka hails from Kasipul-Kabondo constituency in Rachuonyo South district
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She started her long and rewarding teaching career as a high school teacher, but had meteoric rise quickly climbing up the ladder to become the Principal of St Albert’s Ulanda Girls High School in Rongo district {now Awendo district}.

During Mrs Onyuka headship St Albert’s Girls High School acquired the name as one of the girl’s schools with the excellence performance in the national exam. The school appeared regularly among the top list of excellence performance among girls’ schools in Nyanza.
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Coincidentally, this happened at the time when Asumbi Teachers Training College, one of the most important institutions in the region, was experiencing problems of  leadership crisis and almost being run down prompting top planners and decision makers at the Ministry of Education to consider posting the tough and no-nonsense and strictly religious Mrs Onyuka to head the college.
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However, shortly immediately after her arrival, Asumbi Teachers Training College was back on its feet and this again earned her quick promotion to become the Senior Principal followed  with her posting  to the Province as the new Nyanza Provincial Director of Education, a position in which she performed diligently with seal.

Mrs Onyuka is well known as an achiever. This was a clear testimony that during her role as the PDE schools in Nyanza,particularly those  whose names had long disappeared from the rolls of excellence performance got the face-lift and were back on their feet and performed well in national exams.

Mrs Onyuka’s transfer on promotion to become the Senior Deputy Director of Education some years later become controversial with regional leaders and stakeholders were up in arms against it.

 Politician joined the fur ore and commented sarcastically claiming it was the move which was aimed at ruining education in the region. Others viewed it as part of scheme and plans hatched  by those who had been responsible for running down education in the Nyanza
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The politicians complained bitterly arguing that her transfer was part of the well orchestrated scheme to marginalize the residents of the region in education.The Miistry, however, stood their ground arguing that her transfer was just normal.

At the Ministry headquarters she was assigned the responsibility of being the deputy national coordinator of NACADA programmes and thereafter she retired after attaining the mandatory retirement age. She was later appointed the TSC member for which she served for six years.

Mrs Onyuka was born in Gembe West {formerly Kasigunga} Location in Mbita district and got married in Kasipul-Kabondo where her marriage is blessed with several children most of them grown ups.

She received her primary education at Nyamasare Primary School in Mbita before moving to Asumbi Girls High School where she sat for her KCSE and scored the highest marks. She did her From Five and Form six at the same school before joining the University of Nairobi where she graduated with a bachelor of art degree in education.

Speaking before a huge crowd of mourners during the burial of the late Mzee Apollo Okeyo Omuga last Saturday,Mrs Onyuka declared hat she was an aspiring candidate for the elective position of Women Representative in Parliament and pleaded with the electorate to consider her for the job. The late Okeyo Omuga is her brother-in-law who got married to her eldest sister therefore she spoke on behalf of her relatives.

 Onyuka, however, steered clear of the on going local political feuds and wrangling over the controversies surrounding the Suba-Luo issues, which has been boiling in the are o some time now.

She, however, appealed t the residents of Suba region covering what used to be called Low-Lands covering  the low laying locations situated along the shorelines of Lake Victoria namely of Gwassi, Kaksingiri,Mfangano, Rusinga, Gembe West, Lambwe East to work together so that they could achieve faster development.

She decried the falling standard of education in the area, and specifically mentioned schools in Rusinga Island, which she said had nothing to celebrate about during the recent results  of the year 2011 KCSE national exam.

Onyuka urged the stakeholders, leaders, teachers, professionals and elder from the region to brainstorm together and find  the lasting  solution on how to improve the falling standard of education.
If elected Mrs Onyuka the women Representative in Parliament she will serve close to eight parliamentary constituencies in six administrative districts, namely Rachuonyo South, Rachuonyo North, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita district.

Currently Homa-Bay County is made of six constituencies. They include Kasipul-Kabondo, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Ndhia, Gwassi and Mbita. But the County was recently blessed with two additional parliamentary seats under the new electoral are arrangement by IEBC. The newly created seat will be in Kabondo hived out of the old Kasipul-Banondo while and Homa-Bay Town is created out of the old Rangwe constituency.

A survey recently conducted in the region indicated a signs of acceptance of Mrs Onyuka’s candidature with the majority of the electorate hoping she will make good use of her wealth of experience in public service and excellent management.

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eac experts are meeting in Arusha to discuss the birth of the EAC single currency and regional monetary union

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

REPRESENTATIVES of governments and stakeholders drawn from the financial five member states of the east African Community {EAC} financial sector are in attendance of the crucial meeting to review developments in the region’s financial markets as the deadline nears for the much awaited region’s’ single currency.

The meeting is taking pace at the EAC Secretariat, which is located in the Northern Tanzania City of Arusha.

It is discussing among other things the launching of the single currency, which is expected to in place by June this year.

“The participants discussed issues relate to the sustaining of the economic growth in the region, developments in the euro zone and lessons for the EAC as it negotiates protocol for a monetary union.”

A state issued by the EAC secretariat further disclosed that the meeting being held jointly with the International Monetary Fund {IMF}.

EAC countries are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The five states have been discussing a single currency plan covering monetary policy harmonization and financial sector integration.

However, Rwanda is said to have indicted that t might not be part of the region’s single currency plan.

A senior Tanzanian government official recently hinted that the deadline for the East African countries to adopt a monetary union set for this year, might be extended, signaling the partner states unwillingness to embrace the monetary union in earnest

A senior Tanzanian official told one of the country’sdaily this week that sticking issues such as budgets, inflation rate, foreign exchange reserves, government debts and exchange rates among member countries must be observed before they commit to a single currency arrangement.

Dr Stergomena Tax Bamwenda, the Permanent Secretary in the Tanzanian Ministry of the East African Cooperation noted that the ongoing negotiations on the monetary union would consider all the factors, and if not met, the countries will not embrace a single currency this year as planned.

“We are still I the process. We can’t rush to introduce monetary union until those criterion are met, even as the deadline approaches, we will not rush,” she insisted.

Dr Bamwenda said EAC was also learning from other regional blocs like the euro zone on intricacies of the monetary union before ratifying the agreement.

The two days Arusha meeting comes amid growing regional trade crisis. Most of the region’s border posts are experiencing cargo backlogs, amid graft allegations.

The EAC Secretary General Dr Richard Sezibera says the Arusha conference would offer a unique opportunity to discuss how best the region should work to achieve vision of promoting a secure, competitive and prosperous East Africa.

The conference ends today was held under the theme,” The East African Community after 10 years; Deepening EAC Integration” also offer a platform to about 100 regional and international experts and policy makers to discuss EAC accomplishments since the year 2001.

Peaking at another forum late last year Dr.Sezibera expressed confidence that the EAC would introduce a single currency by Jun this year, making it the second regional bloc to adopt single currency after the European Union.

The bloc, Dr Sezibera said was halfway through the negotiation process, adding that the high level task force was doing all it could to accelerate the adoption of a monetary union.

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KENYA: SO THEY CAME FROM ALL DIRECTIONS WITH SHARPENED KNIVES AND MACHETES READY FOR THE SCRAMBLE OR THE FIVE TONES HIPPO’S MEAT THAT WAS NEVER THERE.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

They came from all directions. Men and omen with sharpened knives, machetes and other sharp instrument ready to scramble for the five tons meat of a dead Hippo in Kisumu Town.

The dram took pace at Dunga Beach within Kisumu Municipality. A huge dead bull of Hippo weighing close to five tons was washed ashore. The animal died apparently in fight with the other bull over the territorial control.

Women rushed with baskets while bear chest muscle men were readying themselves for the job of cutting the meat. But before the scramble could begin, the officials of the Kenya Wildlife Service {KWS} got the wind and moved in ready with their guns readily cocked.

Others brought with them axes ready to share the meat of a dead hippopotamus and were at the point of getting ready for the battle of the fittest for at least a kilogram of free meat. But the he crowd was mesmerized and puzzled when the KWS official appeared from nowhere and stopped them from touching the animal.

According to the local fishermen, there was a big fight between the two bulls of hippo the previous night along the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria. Those versed with the character of the huge animals says, the fight could have been caused by another bull trespassing in the territory of a much stronger bull.

It was a combined team of members of the Dunga Beach Management Unit and the KWS. They pulled the carcass using a motor boat to the nearby Impala Park, despite of loud protest fro the crowd, which at one point threatened to cause chaos.

Members of the fishing community around Dunga fish landing beach complained that when they discovered the dead animal nobody went fishing as they knew that there will be enough meat for every family. The meat of the dead hippo, they said would have compensated nearly every fisherman around.

However, the KWS official clarified that the dead hippo might have been infected with a disease and thus unfit for human consumption. The KWS later buried the dead animal in according to KWS policies.

It could not be confirmed whether the animal was killed by its rival or had suffered some mysterious animal diseases such as the deadly anthrax, though some of the fishermen claimed to have heard a big commotion around the lake shore the previous two nights and assumed that the two bulls of hippos were fighting, but the KWS could not take a chance and high risk by allowing the local to consume its meat in the absent of the scientifically established cause of its death.

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EAC countries to lure their professionals with comfortable perks to stop the brain-drain

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

BUSINESSES and governments in Eastern African region will continue to paying hefty perks to hire and retain key professionals, as scarcity of skills and strict entry conduct and regulations continued to have hurt labor movement, a new World Bank survey shows.

The findings run against expectation that the signing of the EAC Common Market Protocol- that should have seen thousands of skilled lawyers, engineers and accountants seek employment in the region would ease the talent war and slow down the compensation race in the East African Community labor market.

The survey shows foreign professionals constitute less than 10 per cent in any of the EAC countries, even as most of the nations suffer huge deficits. There is only relative abundance of professional in Kenya and scarcity in Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Uganda and Tanzania.

Although professionals in Eastern Africa receive low nominal wages relative to their counterparts in developing countries, once their wages are adjusted for purchasing power, professional in Uganda and Kenya are comparatively well paid reflecting the demand for their services.

However, in legal services the very high wage earned by professionals are not necessarily indicative of their scarcity ,but rather of the power of professional bodies which impose strict entry and conduct regulations says the report entitled,” De-fragmenting Africa; Deepening Regional Trade Integration in Goods and Services.”

“Regulations affecting operation of legal and engineering providers including restrictions on prices and fees, advertising, form of business and inter-professional cooperation, are particularly heavy when compared with those in emerging economies,” says the report just released.

It shows that the restrictions imposed on accounting firms are even more stringent, with branches of foreign firms being prohibited in Kenya, Uganda and even the more liberal Rwanda.

Kenya and Tanzania also prohibit ownership or control of foreign accounting and auditing firms by non-locally licensed professionals.

The lack of intra-East African foreign firms participation is because each member states of the EAC grants exclusive rights to contain professionals over certain activities, “said a Kenyan director of the EAC Economic Affairs Richard Sindiga.

The World Bank wants policy makers in Eastern Africa and the continent as a whole to do more to cut down the trade barriers within Africa or it will suffer on the on-going world economic recession.

“It is clear that Africa is not reaching its potential for regional trade, despite the fact that its benefits are enormous.”

Meanwhile tension is high in most of the border posts connecting Kenya and its neighboring Tanzania following the boycott by track drivers and other users of motor vehicle after Tanzanian authorities had unilaterally raised the border crossing fees to USD 200 {Kshs 16,000}

The issue had temporarily raised the political temperature of the region and caused a long pile up of vehicles at the border crossing points, mostly at Taveta, Namanga and Sirare.

It affected the vehicles plying the Voi-Taveta –Moshi route in the Coast Province, and also the Namanga border crossing, which is close to the Kenyan capital City of Nairobi and Sirare border post located in the far southern end of Nyanza Province.

Traders complained bitterly that the move by Tanzania was against the EAC Common Market Protocol signed last July to speed up free movement of goods and persons across the common borders of member states.

On Tuesday, however, an immigration officer working o the Kenyan side of the border at Taveta told he media hat the matter has been resolved after discussions with their Tanzanian counterparts and that its details would be announced soon. The Tanzanian officials, however, were tight lipped and maintain a total silent, only telling this writer to contact Dar Es Salaam for such comments.

Kenyan traders operating at the border post said many Tanzanian were operating their businesses on the Kenyan side of the border without work permit.

“We want to know why Kenyans who wants to do any business in Tanzania have to obtain permits, whereas traders fro Tanzania operates in Kenya freely without any interference”, said a Kenyan trader at Taveta.

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Kenya: Tke KWS is restocking Ruma Game Park in Homa-Bay County with new species of animals

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town.

The relocation and the introduction of new species of wild animals at the strategically important Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley, Mbita district within Homa-Bay County is a commendable project which is expected to boost the volume of tourism in the region..

Many year ago, the Ruma Park used to be very rich with all species of wild life including the “Big Five” until the year 1936 when the colonial authority ordered for the physical and forceful removal and relocation of elephants.

It was done in a very crude manner in which the local communities were forced to drive away elephants. Thousands of villagers were rounded up by security personnel and forced into driving the animals out of their sanctuary by way of beating up drums, empty tins, while tribal policemen fired their guns in the air to scare the jumbos out of their natural habitat in Lambwe Valley.

The elephant population in Lambwe Valley at the time was estimated to be in the region of 80 or 100. The action taken by colonialists was due to human settlement pressure and complaints raised by the locals through their chiefs that the animals were becoming a real menace to human being and their food grains.

All the herds were driven past village and locations up to the border of the then old and greater South Nyanza district and Narok and abandoned at a pace called Sikawa, Some of the animal escaped from one of the biggest dragnet mounted by human beings against animals by night falls were left behind hiding in a small forest called Ang’we which used to located about 6 kilometers south east of Awendo Town.

The herds that were left at Ang’we found the area was swampy and always water logged and moved out following the footsteps the rest into the Maasailand. Nobody thought at the time that these animals would at some day in the future turns out to be the national assets for the country.

The project of restocking of the Ruma Park is part of the government plan to resuscitate the 48 year old “Western Kenya Tourist Circuit” which was launched in 1967 by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, but which has all along these years reined I the drawing board without being implemented.

In early 1962 the County Council, of South Nyanza under the able leadership of the late Mzee Paul Mboya Akoko had renewed its demand to the Colonial Administration in Kenya to consider the possibility of repatriating the elephants back to Lambwe Valley from the Trans-Mara region. But the Council was told this could not be feasible due to increased human population and settlement.

Ruma National Game Pak in Lambwe Valley is administratively under Mbita district. However, geographically the park is more close to Ndhiwa and Gwassi districts and about 23 kilometers from Homa-Bay Town, which has already been chosen to b the regional County administrative headquarters under the devolution in according to the new constitution dispensation.

The communities living within the four districts of Mbita, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa and Gwassi economically stand to gain considerably from its resources.

The Park is famous for hosting rare animal species such as the Roan Antelope {Omoro}, beautiful, but one of the fiercest wild animals, Roth Child Giraffe, and the tiny Oribi antelope {othwele}

Officials at the Park disclosed that the KWS has relocated 100 zebras, 21 black rhinos and two white rhinos, 10 wildebeest –all removed from conservancy in Laikipia and Kitale.

The project of restocking the park with more wildlife was recently launched by the forestry an Wildlife Minister Dr Noah Wekesa who said the government was committed in bringing tourism in the area at par with other parks in the country. He added that the tourism, which is number one Kenya’s foreign exchange earner, is the backbone of the nation’s economy.

Tourism, the Minister said” is our foreign income generating approximately Kshs 100,000 million, and contributing ten per cent of the national budget.”

The Minister advised the local communities to value and preserves the resource for the future generations.

A senior Game Warden Daniel Rono disclosed that plans are underway to introduce other species of wildlife including ostriches. About 70 herds of buffaloes have survived in the park all these year, though their numbers has been dwindling due to excessive poaching.

On the top of the nearby Ruma Hills in which the park drives its name from, there are the unique species of antelope which are white in color and called by locals “Nyambaja”, and which are found nowhere in Kenya, but the herds which the local estimated to be around 80 or more rarely come down to the plains. The herds could only be seen while grazing majestically and jumping on the rocks after green pasture on the top of the hills are torched,

These are mountain species of animals, which stays out of the reach of the poachers, though not gazette nor mentioned anywhere in the government official document as exiting or endangered as one of the protected wildlife and are believed to have survived for centuries

The KWS should move e much faster and carrying a thorough research o establishes the existence of this very special species of animals, which the local says is lightly smaller than impala or bush-buck and reedbuck. These animals rarely come down the slop I search of water and it is believed to be depending on small springs available on top of the hills. Leopard, hyenas and pythons are some of the predators.

With newly improved roads the project is expected to benefit the communities living within the vicinity of Ruma National Game Park. The part could be accessed either via Homa-Bay town, Mbita Town or Mirogi Trading Center in Ndhia which is the nearest of the main gate of the Forest, only eleven kilometers. The road from Rodi-Kopany is now well done on termak, the same with the Homa-Bay Mbita Road. Tourists and visitors travelling from Kisumu could access the Park via Mbita Ferry which is plying between Luanda Kotieno on the mainland Uyoma and Mbita and then drive on he newly constructed tarmac road which can now link Mbita to the Ruma National Park.

Visitors may be booked to dozens of tourist class hotels such as Tausi Hotel at Rodi Kopany, Homa-Bay Tourist Hotel, Ndhiwa Hotel in Ndhiwa, Rusinga Holiday Inn, ICIPE Guest House, Mbita Beach Resort. There are several tourist class hotels in Mbita Town and one top class luxury hotel at Kamasengre next to the home of the late Mr Tom Mboya,Mbita Beach Resort, and several.

Visitor would also have easy access to pre-historic sites such as the legendary Nyamgondho Wuod Ombare site next to Nyandiwa Center in Central Gwassi, Nyama Gi Ware Rocks next to Wanyama fishing landing beach in Rusinga Island, birds watchers should find themselves very comfortable in Mfangano Island where there is also a tourist class hotel and many pre-historic sites.

The myth of Soklo Kipenji rocky Island nr Usawo, which many people believes no human being has ever set foot on, and where even birds fear to land on.

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Kenya: The Rusinga Island Community in the mourning mood following the sudden demise of the chairman of Suba Council of elders

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Reports by Leo Odera Omolo

The resident of Rusinga Island were on Sunday afternoons thrown into a mourning mood following the sudden death a prominent educationist and a farmer Mr Apollo Okeyo Omuga who died of what the family suspected to be related cardiac arrest.

Doubling as the chairman of the Sub Council of Elders, Mr Okeyo Omuga was a retired school teachers who rose through ladder and ranks and became the Provincial Adult Education Officer before his retirement bout eight years. After his retirement from active service he then embarked into rehabilitation and reforestation program through an NGO, which saw millions seedling of tree planed on various hills within the Island which had been depleted of natural tree, particularly around Ligongo Hill.

Family sources says Mr. Okeyo Omuga has been slightly unwell and suffering from diabetic and hypertension and was among the many hundreds of Kenyan people who recently traveled to Lioliondo in the Northern Tanzania and visited the famous retired Pastor in search of treatment.

He had also succeeded in turning his lakeside Kakirigu farm in Waware area green in the semi-arid Rusinga Island by introducing new method and technology of mechanized irrigation using the idle waters of Lake Victoria producing vegetables, maize and other cash crops.

Mr Okeyo Omuga will be remembered for having actively participated in the development activities of Rusinga Island in particular and the Suba region in general. He is credited for having been a good organizer and mobilizer when it comes to the question o development and progress.

He was among the founder and patrons of the Rusiga annual cultural festival which brings together sports and cultural dancers from the various sub-clans and communities.

He is survived by his three wives, a large number of children most of them grown ups. His body was rushed to the mortuary in Homa-Bay town for preservation pending the family arrangement for burial, which will be announced later.

Among the leading personalities who sent their condolences to he braved family is Dr Mark Matunga, an aspirant for the position of Homa-Bay County governor who told this writer that he had just spoken to the deceased on Sunday morning and did not expect anything unusual to happen to him therefore his untimely him came as big shock to him.

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KENYA: KIPSIGIS LEADERS ARE UP IN ARMS AGAINST THE SECRET DISMANTLING OF KETEPA FACTORY IN KERICHO AND ITS RELOCATION TO NAIROBI AND THIKA

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho

The Kipsigis leaders are up in arms against what they have described as secret dismantling of machinery at the 50 year old Kenya Tea Packers Association {KETEPA} by the directors of the Kenya Tea Development Agency {KTDA}.

Previously known as the Central Packing Plant, the facility was built by the Broke Bond Tea Company Limited in 1949. The same company established a big printing press in an adjacent building in 1950 in order to cut down the cost of packaging materials printed with the company logo and colors.

But when the Brooke bond sold its tea plantations and close to twenty tea plantation estates and more than a dozen of green tea leaves processing factories in the early 1970s to the Unilever Company, it also offloaded the Central Packing, which was sold to the KTDA and individual investors.

Prior to the new arrangement, the Central Packing was the main tea packers in the entire Eastern African region receiving tea of packaging from as far field as Uganda and Tanzania under Broke Tea business flagship of Brooke Bond Equatorial Ltd and later Brooke Bond Liebig Company Limited.

A couple of years ago the company’s printing complex, the most ultra modern Printing plan in this region were secretly dismantled in mysterious circumstances and its machines shipped away to unknown destination.

It was late rumored that the printing machines were sold to an Asian business tycoon, whose firm that Ketepa management later contracted for printing of its packing materials.

But things turned out to be the worse after the 2008 post election violence. The KDA directors were reported to b unhappy that Ketepa workers and staff were getting politically motivated threats and intimidation and a decision was made to have the facility closed down and its machines moved to a safe site in Ketengela, Nairobi and Thika Town.

Our investigations has revealed that 80 per cent of the Ketepa workers and staff including top managers were local people, the majority who are commuting to work from the nearby Kipsigis reserves therefore the question of the allegation that the company workers were being threatened does not arise and sounded like fiction.

A prominent Kipsigis farmer-cum-politician Mr William Kipkemoi Arap Kettienya termed the KTDA move of relocating Ketapa as an economic sabotage against the local community and another way of marginalizing the community. Such a move would obviously deny the locals the employment opportunities, which they have been enjoying ever since the facility was established over 50 years.

Kettienya blamed the MPs fro the two Counties of Kericho and Bomet of keeping silent while the dismantling of Ketepa facility is going on. He said the building which used to house its packaging machineries is now an empty cell and the MPs from the region should stand up and put the KTDA directors to task.

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African dictators’ assets in Europe red-flagg

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This is the views contained in an article published and posted at the weekend by Uganda Correspondent in its website.
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

Past & Present: Africa’s powerful dictators.

Members of the European Parliament [MEPs] have, in an unprecedented move, raised the red flag on their governments and called on their leaders to end what they called “hypocritical” dealings with the world’s top tyrants who use EU member states as a safe haven for their ill gotten wealth.

“…Leaders of authoritarian regimes can spend their dubiously acquired wealth in the EU, despite measures to prevent it, because EU Member States provide safe havens for their personal fortunes and give them access to education and leisure services. This has to stop,” the European Parliament said in a resolution passed on Thursday last week.

In the resolution addressed to the European Council of Ministers, the MEPs said to many authoritarian leaders and their acolytes, the EU is an attractive place to invest, buy property, hold bank accounts, and enjoy the “…freedom to spend their often dubiously acquired wealth.” The EU legislators added that the hypocritical stance towards the leaders of authoritarian regimes needs to end.

“…We publicly denounce their human rights records, while letting them busily stash their money away in our banks, own property within our borders, do business with our companies, and holiday in our resorts. Our message has to be loud and clear: the EU will not help you launder your ill-gotten gains,” said MEP Graham Watson who drafted the report.

End selective application of sanctions

The MEPs also said applying restrictive measures inconsistently is not effective and damages the EU’s credibility. They thus called on all Member States to ensure that there are “…no double standards when deciding on restrictive measures or sanctions and that these are applied regardless of political, economic and security interests.”

They MEPs also invited the European Commission and all Member States to coordinate arms embargoes and pay due regard to International Criminal Court judgments relevant to EU sanctions policy. Member States were also urged to declare the names of persons on the sanctions list who hold property or financial assets within their borders and cooperate in identifying and confiscating those assets.

“…Listed leaders and persons or organizations associated with them [dictators] should be strictly prohibited from owning assets and property in the EU or travelling in Europe for leisure. Academic institutions, sports and charity organizations should likewise be prohibited from accepting funding, grants or donations from these leaders and their natural and legal associates,” the MEPs demanded.

At the same time, the MEPs said, the EU should strive to minimise the impact of sanctions on the vulnerable and innocent populations of authoritarian regimes. “…All restrictive measures must aim to influence only the accountable elites of repressive or criminal regimes, and should be coupled with support for civil society, so as to build respect for democracy and human rights.” the EU legislators counselled.

Repatriation of frozen assets

The MEPs were however, also at pains to point out the need to repatriate frozen funds and assets back to the citizens of the countries from which they were stolen. “…Member States should endeavour to mobilise frozen and confiscated assets and repatriate them to their respective countries as soon as possible so as to benefit the population,” the text of the report read in part.

Egypt’s former dictator Hosni Mubarak has for example been accused of stashing away [in the EU and US] a massive fortune estimated to be around $70 billion. Likewise, the family of the deceased Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is suspected to have accumulated billions of dollars worth of properties abroad.

Other Mubarak and Gadhafi, the French media reported in 2009 that on the 28th of August 2009, long serving Cameroonian President Paul Biya and his acolytes checked in La Baule, a luxurious French resort where they each booked 43 rooms at the cost of $60,000 per night. They stayed there for 20 days and racked up a bill of $1.2million for accommodation alone.

Before this latest EU resolution, a senior Ugandan opposition leader told this newspaper last year that when Museveni’s government falls, they would seriously hunt down assets bought by NRM leaders abroad using stolen money. That may however be easier said than done.

END.

KENYA: THE VIEWS OF A PROMINENT SUGAR CANE FARMER IN URIRI.

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IN MIGORI COUNTY.

Forwarded by Leo Odea Omolo

BY: BOB AWITI OTANGE – MIGORI COUNTY

It is a reprieve for cane farmers in Migori County as it demand for matured cane has increased due to stiff competition by the giant Sony Sugar Co. Ltd located in Rongo District and recently commissioned Sukari Sugar Co. Ltd located at riverbank of Kuja bordering Ndhiwa and Uriri District.

For along time Sony sugar Co. Ltd has enjoyed the monopoly from farmers being the sole vendor of sugar. From time again farmers have highlighted their predicaments on the poor services offered by Sony Sugar Co. management, including failure to harvest contracted canes in time as stipulated in the farmers contract document, failure to pay the cane proceeds in time once the raw materials have been delivered to the factory for crushing, poor customer care services etc.

With the advent of Sukari Sugar Co, Ltd which is now geared towards full operation, it is highly likely that, Cane farmers in Migori County will have a relief as they will have alternative factory to deliver their raw materials in case Sony Sugar Co. has repudiated terms and conditions stipulated in the contract document.

This is now making Sony Sugar Management to panic as they have sense stiff competition between the two (2) will put them out of business.

In view of the above, MD of Sony Sugar Co. is seeking redress from Sugar cane arbitration Tribunal board to bar Sukari Sugar Co. from purchasing raw material from farmers in Migori County.

This kind act is quite unethical and unprofessional as both factories are operating under the same market conditions. if any thing Sukari Sugar Co. is only striving for a market share which Sony Sugar Co. has build for the last thirty (30) years or so. Using Sony Sugar’s retained earnings to finances cost of seminars to improve customer care, give slightly higher rate above market rate per ton of sugar cane, and giving prompt payments for proceed for sugar on their due dates would be enough to put Sukari Sugar Co. out of business. Furthermore it is farmers prerogative to decide on the healthy rate per ton and decide on which factory to transaction with.

Therefore Sony Sugar MD should stop snivelling on perfect market competition dictated by market forces and instead improve on quick service delivery to cane farmers as a means toward motivating them to stick to their factory Sony Sugar Co. Ltd.

Kenya: President Obama’s 88 year old grandma and four other injured in a road mishap near Kisumu

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City

US President Barack Obama’ 88 year old grand mother, Mama Sarah Obama sustained bodily an facial bruises during a road accident which occurred last Saturday near the lakeside City of Kisumu.

The road mishap which left the 88 year old grandma shocked and shaken occurred near Otonglo Market, which is located about six kilometers in the outskirt of Kisumu City on the main Kisumu –Maseno -Busia road.

It appear as if Mama Sarah Obama was traveling to her rural home in Nyang’oma,Alego Kogelo in Siaya district in the evening. The police have confirmed that the accident took place at about 9.pm.

The accident occurred after the driver of the car in which the grandma and three others were travelling in lost control of the vehicle while trying to overtake another vehicle which was heading for the same direction.

According to an eye witness Jane Atieno who was among the few people from the nearby villages who rushed to the scene of the accident on hearing the heavy bang on the vehicle hit the ground, on impact,” the bang attracted many people from the surrounding villages.

After realizing that a vehicle had rolled and was resting on its rooftop the crowd milled around trying to figure it out as to who was involved. Their attention was raised by the arrival a good number of policemen who quickly came to the scene making the villagers to realize that mishap might have involved someone very important in the country.

The Kisumu OCPD confirmed tat Mama Obama was raveling to her home in Siaya about 80 kilometers to the west when the accident occurred. The five occupants of the car were immediately whisked away and taken to hospital for treatment. Two of the occupants were said to be her security details.

A spokesman at the Aga Khan hospital where rushed to for medical attention told this writer that all of the five sustained miner injuries. They were treated and discharged. Mama Obama had sustained bruises and was in shock when brought o the hospital for treatment.

Many resident of Kisumu expressed their sympathy and wished the popular and much loved grandma quick and full recovery.

MAMA Sarah Obama came to world fame immediately her step grand son President Barack Obama Jnr won the US presidency sparking a great influx of both foreign and local people into her well guarded home. She ha since received foreign and local dignitaries who visited her homestead where Barack Hussein Obama Snr, the biological father of the US President barck Obama Jnr is buried together with his father Hussein Onyango Obama.

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