Category Archives: HEADLINES

Kenya & Uganda: Kenyan and Ugandan Ministers finally agreed to have survey work on the disputed Migingo Island resumed immediately

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

KENYANS and Ugandans living in village around Lake Victoria have good reasons to smile following a brief statement issued after a two days ministerial consultative meeting held in Nairobi resolved that the two countries should resume joint survey with the view to establish the true ownership of the disputed island in Lake Victoria.

The two small and rocky islands, which are located close to Kenyan mainland have been the subject of heated argument between the two sister countries. And at one time, the dispute about the ownership of Migingo and Ugingo had threatened to derail the regional integration under the auspices of the East African community, which both countries are the founder members.

Other members of the EAC include Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda shared lake Victoria with Tanzania having the lion’s share of 54 per cent, Uganda 42 per cent and Kenya had the smallest portion of the lake’s water at only 6 per cent, mainly around the Nyanza Gulf (formerly Kavirondo Gulf.

A joint ministerial consultative meeting held in a Nairobi hotel and chaired by Kenya’s Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Prof.George Saitoti and attended by a Ugandan delegation led by his counterpart Sam Kutesa also agreed that a joint policing exercise on the two islands should be established.

Prof Saitoti disclosed to the newsmen that police chiefs from the two countries would meet soon to operationalise the directive of the joint security policing and its mode.

Kenyans living on Migingo and Ugingo islands have often complained of harassment by Ugandan authorities, which they allege demand that, they pay taxes and bribes money before they are allowed to fish.
Migingo’s wealth lies in its proximity to some of the richest remaining deep water fishing ground in Lake Victoria. The highly prized and economically important Nil Perch species is said to be in abundance around the two islands.

Prof Saitoti spoke to newsmen on Wednesday evening at the end of the two days consultation meeting held in a Nairobi hotel between Kenyan and Uganda delegations. He said there is need to approach the issue soberly.”That is why I am happy that the joint consultative meetings that have been held in Nairobi have been very fruitful.”

Ministers in the Kenyan delegation at the Nairobi talks included James Orengo {Lands} Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ {Immigration}, Yusuf Hajji {Defense} and Prof.Hellen Sambili {EAC Affair}. Also in attendance was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of lands Dorothy Angote and the Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie.

Diplomatic row erupted between Kenya and Uganda three years ago and shortly after President Yoweri Museveni controversially claimed that the disputed Migingo Island was in Kenya territory, but its waters were in Uganda.

Museveni defiantly declared that Kenyans would not be allowed to fish on the island, sparking off outrage and protests from the Kenyan public. At one time even Kenyan parliamentarians were up I arms demanding that the issue be handled militarily instead of diplomatically. But the principals in the ruling coalition government President Kibaki and the Prim Minister Raila Odinga repeatedly called for calm and insisted that the issue would be solved harmoniously.

President Kibaki took some time before he public reiterated that both Migingo and Ugingo were on the Kenyan side of the common international border between the two countries.

And on Wednesday this week Minister Saioti said Kenyans and other inhabitants of the two islands should go about their day to day activities without fear.

He added that while carrying out the joint survey, teams from both countries should be guided by the African Map of 1926 and 1962 Lancaster House constitution of Kenya and he 1995 Ugandan constitution.

ON HIS PART, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said that the Migingo issue should not be politicized, adding that all efforts and consultations be made to resolve the matter

“Let us be sincere while conducting the survey and not engage in acts that may cause unnecessary excitement or tensions,” Kutesa said.

The Ugandan Minister said residents of both countries who lives on the two islands should co-exist peacefully as they wait for the survey to be completed..

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Kenya and Uganda have agreed to resume survey work on the disputed fishing islands in Lake Victoria

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

KENYA and Uganda have agree to resumed the suspended joint survey work in Lake Victoria to establish the exact border and restore the ownership of the disputed two fishing islands of Migingo and Ugingo in Lake Victoria.

The two survey teams will report to their respective governments within two months. While the exercise is going on the two governments have agreed that contingent of police team from both countries would be deployed to patrol the islands.

The dispute over the ownership of Migingo Island has been the subject of heated exchange between the Kenyan and Ugandan governments with the MPs in Kenyan parliament up in arms urging their government to take military action to restore its sovereignty over the two islands.

Uganda has been adamant posting its marine police to patrol the two island and despite of repeated agreement that it should pull its security personnel out of the two islands to allow the joint team of surveyors to complete their work an determine the exact boundaries.

Meanwhile the Kenyan Ministry of Fisheries is set to spend over Kshs 6 billions within three years to beef up security in Lake Victoria.

Disclosing this good news, the Assistant Director of Fisheries Michael Obadha said the money is to buy surveillance boats, train rescuers in time of disasters, and introduce coast guards. The envisaged plans, he added are in advance stage.

He was addressing fishermen an fish traders at Mahanga fish landing beach in Siaya County .He said plans to introduce coast guards to patrol the Kenyan side of the lake against pirates and criminal element is in advance stage. Coast guards are a special security agents who deal with safety and criminal matters around water bodies.

The Ministry said the Obadha is now waiting for procurement of equipment and training of personnel who will be hired as coast guards before launching the essential service needed around the Kenyan side of Lake Victoria.

He said decision to introduce coast guards services was arrived at following rising insecurity in the lake. Fishermen have persistently complained of piracy and harassment from security agents from the neighboring countries.

The director assured fishermen that the presence of coast guards in the lake would be felt within the next one year. He said the constant wrangling between Kenyan fishermen and fishermen from neighboring countries were unhealthy and needed to be addressed urgently.

Obadha, however, advised the fishermen to desist from demanding more rights given that Kenya had the least size of water bodies in Lake Victoria.

His remarks come amid complaints by the Kenyan fishermen over harassment from neighbors .The neighbors accuse Kenyans fishermen of invading their territorial waters. “Although we only have six per cent of the entire water mass in Lake Victoria, yet we have majority of fishing crafts and fishermen in the lake. If each country was to stick to its territory, then we will be the sufferers.”

Director Obadha called on the Kenyan fishermen to be calm and patient over border conflicts. He further urged the fishermen to safeguard the cordial relationship with the neighboring counties of Uganda and Tanzania as their survival in fishing business depended on this.

He, however, cautioned that Kenya should be taken for granted over Migingo and Ugingo fishing island in lake Victoria, which Ugandan are illegally occupying at the moment, though the government wants to see the matter solved harmoniously.

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Kenya: The government is urged to introduce regulatory authority to curb fatal accidents by boda boda motor bike taxis on Kenyan roads

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo Town.

WHAT was otherwise billed as a high profile burial of a highly respected elder and prominent sugar cane farmer in Awendo district cane growing zone turned tragically when two other accidents occurred leaving two mourners with multiple leg fractures.

It was indeed a double tragedy in the true sense because the deceased Mzee Nahashon Nyandiga Aloo was himself a victim of motorbike boda boda taxi.

Mze Aloo died two weeks ago when motorbike taxi collected him at his Ng’ong’a village home in Waundha sub-location, Sakwa South in Awendo district within Migori County, He was travelling to Awendo town a distance of six kilometers when the accident occurred.

But while riding on the main road between Awendo and Uriri center, a drunken motorbike rider suddenly appeared from an inlet road and hit his machine by the side killing him instantly.

In what appeared to be double tragedy, a woman mourner whose name was given as Mrs Barracj Aduwo who left the burial site on a motorbike taxi was crashed within only a few meters from the funeral home. She sustained multiple leg fractures.

Another an unidentified woman mourner was also crashed at a distance of few kilometers from the same home. Both women were rushed to the hospitals within Awend and Migori districts where they are receiving treatment.

Mzee Aloo who was in his early 80s is a retired former senior civil servant. Among the thousands f mourners who gave the elderly farmer a tearful send off include former Education PS Leo P Odero, the former DVC of Moi University Prof. Douglas Odhiambo, the chairman of Awendo Town Council Johnson Omolo Owiro, a one time two terms MP for the larger Homa-Bay constituency Phares Oluoch Kanindo.

Also in attendance were two local technocrats Nginjo Abonyo and John Odera Nyangaga both are CEOs in private sector in Nairobi and the MD SONYSUGAR Paul Odolla, Awendo DO 1, civic leaders from Rongo, Migori and Awendo Councils, religious leaders, teachers and farmers within the region.

Speaker after speaker heaped a lot of praise to the late Nyandiga for having been a man of peace and love who worked hard both as civil servant and later as a farmer and trader and urged others to emulate him. He lived a humble life of a staunch Christian had extended a hand of help many young men and women apart from educating his own children and those of his other deceased brothers.

They appealed to the government through the Ministry of Transport and the police to bring the menace of motorbike boda boda taxis to sanity in order to curb uncalled for deaths on Kenyan roads.

The number deaths occurrences on daily basis have already outstripped those killed by motor vehicles. An since it is the new made of transport in the country like its n other developing countries the police must ensure the riders are competent enough t o ferry the traveling passengers n the main-roads and highways.

They said the riders must produce certificate of proficiency, driving licenses, and the certificate of good conduct from the police before they are allowed to operate their machines on the main-roads.

Distributors selling the motorbike must also be compelled to ensure they may only sell the new bike to a rider on production of a driving license. The number of the boda boda motorbikes be curtailed by he licensing authority and be reduced o a manageable numbers

The boda boda motorbikes should be confined only to operate on feeder and access roads, but not on the highways unless within the town centers.

Those who addressed the mourners said they were alarmed at the high rate of deaths caused by boda boda motorbike taxis and now calls their operation to be regulated to avoid more loss of lives on the road carnage.

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Kenya: the family of the rebel Kenya Air force soldier executed 28 years ago for leading the abortive but bloody military coup demanded the remains be handed to them for decent burial

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The family of the ringleader of the abortive, but bloody military coup that almost toppled the civilian government of Kenya in 1982 want his body be exhumed from the prison cemetery and handed back to them for proper tribal burial.

Senior Private Hezekiah Rabala Ochuka was tried under the military court martial, fond guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed in 1984 by hangman at the Kamiti maximum Security Prison and buried along with other rebel member of the disbanded Kenya Air-force soldiers who were also found guilty of the same offence.

Kamiti prison is located abut 20 kilometer outside the Kenyan capital, Nairobi and it is the same institution where the revered to hero of the Mau Mau uprising and struggle for independence the late Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi was buried.

Kimathi was captured from the Aberdare Forest by the British forces in 1956 and executed in March 1957. The entire previous attempts authorized by independent government of Kenya to his family to retrieve his body for a heroic reburial have hit the snag.

This is because nobody knew his exact burial cite. Most of the prison wardens who served at the institution and who might have the knowledge of his burial cite have since either died of old or retired and too old and their whereabouts could not be located.

A couple of year ago members of the family of the late hero Kimathi were allowed by the government into the institution for the purpose of to excavating or exhuming his remains in vain. Several sites were point out, but the search ended in total failure.

Giving his testimony before the members of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission [TJRC sitting at the Aga Khan Hal in Kisumu City, the nephew of the executed ex-soldier Mr Robert Onyango Akuro said that a lawyer provide by the government to represent the condemned at the Court Martial trials did no involve the family in the proceedings and matters related to the case.

He told the Commission that the lawyer Moses Wetangula who is now the Ford-Kenya party chairman and until his recent suspension from the cabinet was Kenya’s Minister for foreign Affairs and international Cooperation and the MP for Sirisia constituency in Western province did not contact the family and never shared anything the late ex-soldier had told him.

“The lawyer never contacted the family and has shared anything with the family that the executed soldier had told him. We do not know the reason why the lawyer never bothered to consult and inform us about OIchuka,”he told the commission.

Wetangula had stepped aside from the cabinet to facilitate the investigations relation to massive financial scam involving billions of shilling alleged misappropriated by staff t the Kenyan mission in Tokyo, Japan in connection with the selling of the former Embassy mission building at a price suspected to be below the market value, a deal suspected to have some under hand dealings.

Akuro claimed there was a letter written by Ochuka to the family giving the names of the lawyers he wanted to represent him, but the family was poor and could not afford to raise legal fees. He charged that the late Ochuka was not given the opportunity to choose his own lawyer and Wetangula was chosen by the government.

Onyango told the TJRC that attempt by the family to meet with the retired President Daniel Arap Moi to plead for him was thwarted by security officers and the family became ostracized. “Our family has been abandoned and nobody would associate with us for fear of arbitrary arrests.

Onyango said they have not received any official document f the late Ochuka including his death certificate and other personal records.

The late Prvt Ochuka had an account with the Bank of Baroda and owned a City House in Umoja estate in Nairobi, a tailoring business in Gikomba and owned a motor vehicle. But so far we have not been told anything about these assets and others.” he said, adding that the family would like to know where the body of Prvt Ochuka was buried to undertake traditional Luo ritual burial.

The Commission took statement from those who were detained by the Moi regime under the guise that they were members of the underground “Mwakenya”an outlawed movement who sought for compensation.

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EAC: Fear of losing sovereignty by EAC member countries is what is derailing the creation of an East African political federation

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

ALTHOUGH member countries of the East African Community celebrate the first anniversary of the Common Market, fresh fears have emerged that have threatened to delay the integration process.

A report by a team of experts hired by the EAC to track the emerging challenges particularly seem to point an accusing fingers at Tanzania for her “slowness “in conforming to the ideals of the integration agenda.

According to a report, negative sentiments used loosely against others have negatively impacted on the environment for integration agenda.

Tanzanians, for instances are concern for what they see as aggressive nature of their neighbors, especially Kenyans” the report reads if part. Burundi has complained that Tanzanians only pay lip service to the promise of liberalizing the movement of people across their shared borders.

Tanzanians are also said to be afraid that their country risks being infected with ethnicity problems that characterize politics of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

Furthermore, a lack of harmony and a common standard in the education system in the region is seen as predisposing of citizens of some countries to exploitation of regional employment opportunities than their neighbors.

“The fears is particularly of Kenyans and Ugandans over running regional labor market,” the report notes.

“There are also concerns that citizens of some states now dominate the labor market, partly because of an advantage of speaking English. There are also concerns among some Tanzanians that the envisioned political federation will affect their close relationship with the Southern African Development Community {SADC} countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Angola.

As far as the monetary union, the creation of a single currency in the region is raising eye brows.

Experts from Kenya and Uganda have already raised the alert over rushing to a single currency urging the EAC to delay the process,” the report reads.

The two countries fear the legal requirements of a full transfer of monetary sovereignty to the regional level are likely to expose their countries financial sectors to external shocks.

And in as far as the 24-hour border opening program is concerned, fears have emerged about conflicting implementation. For instance, while vehicle crossing from Uganda into Rwanda are now getting cleared within 45 minutes for cargo and 30 minutes for buses, the gains are diminished when the same reach the Burundi border which is still operating a day time crossing regime.

“The community around Kenya-Tanzania and Tanzania-Burundi border felt that their freedom of movement and trade rights under the customs union is curtailed by partner state officers manning the borders,” the report adds.

Security concerns are also emerging with massive arrival into transit through East Africa nationals of Somalia, DRC Congo and Ethiopia. This has seen an increase in small arms related crimes in the region.

“Fears abound that greater integration may spread the problems originating from these countries of the EAC,’ the report says.

The report further notes that emergence of politically connected gangs such a the outlawed Mungiki and Bagdad Boys known to be operating in Kenya pose a serious to the proposed federation which is projected to be founded on the rule of law.

In addition, poor management of electoral competition in the recent past has dampened the regional stability and democratic consolidation that had started to gain root.

“The impasse among political parties in the run up to 2010 Burundi election and worse post-election violence following the disputed 2007 Kenya election caused some doubt as to whether management of internal electoral competition has reached the level of maturity to allow for region-wide political and electoral competition, “ the report says.

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A KENYAN DAILY TODAY CAME OUT WITH A SHOCKING STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE IN WHICH THE LATE FATHER OF THE US PRESIDENT MET HIS DEATH.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

A Kenyan popular daily newspaper the morning came out with an exclusive story and illustrations of a motor vehicle in which the father of the US President Barack Obama Jnr met his death in 1982.

The paper had traced the green 1981 make Chevrolet LUV pick-up in Homa-Bay Town about 300 kilometers south west of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The vehicle looks like an ordinary 30-year old workhorse that has seen better days. And yet the pick-up holds stories and secrets tha6t its present owner Joseph Owili Ongei will never know.

In an exclusive page one story the paper narrated that this was the car in which Barrack Hussein Obama Snr met his cold death on a cold night in Nairobi in November 1982.

The exclusive story about this particular vehicle has attracted a large number of readers for this particular paper. And became an instant sales boom.

The late Barrack Obama Snr had returned to Kenya in 1964 from Hawaii where he had married the mother of the future US President Ann Stanley Dunham. Their son, Barack Obama Jnr {Now the US President} was born in 1961 and in 2008 would become the President of the United States of America.

As an economist per excellence Obama Snr immediately changed several jobs before landing one as a top economist in charge of statistics at the ministry of Finance. In his rank and job specification as well as seniority Obama Snr was entitled to a new car at regular intervals.

Among the illustrations accompanying the story is the vehicle at its states during the accident, and thereafter following extensive repair work. The illustrations showing a broken steering wheel, which is believed to have hit Obama Snr side of the chest perhaps rupturing his heart and caused instant death.

It now put to rest the rumor fueled by the Obama Snr family in Kenya that the top economist’s death was an act of government sponsored assassination scheme. The vehicle had hit the tree from the driver’s right side, giving the late Obama no chance of escaping death. The sides appeared to have been smashed.

Also showing is the late Obama Snr’s national identity card, his death certificate. the steering wheel that killed Obama and the photograph of a Mr Patrick Obondo the mechanic who repaired the pick-up, the vehicles logbook and Mr Owili its current owner who purchased it as a junk from the late Obama Snr widow at the price of Kshs 78,000.

The accompanying story says in 1981 Obama became eligible for another vehicle of his choice for the government to buy for him, with the purchase price deducted from his monthly salary until the amount was fully recovered.

The late Obama Snr walked into the General Motors showroom in Nairobi and chose the Chevrolet LUV KB25 model, chassis 9583320,that was given registration number plate KTH 018.

Many of his peers considered it an odd choice. Other senior bureaucrats were go9ng for sleek saloon that suited their status. Obama ’s social life involved driving to drinking joins around Nairobi, where he would park the Chev Luv, as it was known, outside the bar and engage in loud conversation and backslapping.

Prior to this Obama Snr was involved in two major traffic accidents before the third ended his life prematurely.

In 1966 he reportedly killed a young man in an accident, even though details are not forthcoming. Following that crash, he spent almost a year recuperating in hospital but was still left with bad leg.

Upon his discharge in December after another accident Obama Snr made a month long trip to the US and visited Hawaii where he was re-united with his ex-wife Anne Dunham and their 10 year-old son Barack. That was the last time the 10-year old Obama would see his father alive. Obama Snr later lost his legs in another fatal crash.

Shortly after he bought this pick-up in 1981, he was dismissed from the Finance Ministry, either because of his drinking or because he had scathingly criticized the Treasury policy paper. He then sunk into alcoholism and abject poverty.

The report further stated,” He was just like Mr Toad [from Wind In The Willows}, very arrogant on the road, especially, when he had whisky inside.

On the night of November 24,1982, Obama entered his car for the last time. He died minutes later when his car hit a tree on Elgon Road in Nairobi’s posh Upper Hill estate.

He report that followed the postmortem, written by the longtime Nairobi pathologist Dr Ayres Lorenco Ribeiro, said death was caused by “bleeding du to ruptured heart due to a traffic accident.”The impact on his chest was so severe that the steering wheel broke. The wreckage was towed to the Treasury Building in Nairobi.

It was store in the basement for years alongside several other grounded cars until the August 1998 terrorist attack on the US Embassy in Nairobi.

Following the terrorists blast, the government of Kenya issued a directive for all broken vehicle to be towed to a central yard outside the City center. Obama’s beloved Chev Luv lay there out in the open for another eight years until an electrical technician Owili developed an interest in it.

He had seen it at the government yard behind the Finance Office where he worked but never gave it a second glance until his long time friend Benard Raburu urged him to buy it. But by then I was earning no more than Ksh 1,500” recalls Owili who had just quit his job as a technician to join the Ministry of Finance.

“I needed a pick-up in case I was retrenched, which was the norm back then, so that I could use it to do business,” Owili told the NAIROBISTAR

Little did Owili know that the “junk” he had just bought linked him to President of the United States.“ I paid Obama’s widow Kshs 78,000 for the car and took possession of it. I immediately had a mechanic dismantle the engine to overhaul it because it had been dormant for many years. I had the body towed to a garage in Grogan Road {Today Kirinyaga Road, where a different mechanic worked on it.” recalls Owili.

“For impact to break the steering wheel, it must have been great, said the automotive mechanic Patrick Odundo who restored the vehicle. It took a lot of work to make the car roadworthy again,” he said.

After I finished it, it looked very beautiful and everyone congratulated me.”

Due to cash constraints, it took Owili almost a year to get the Chevrolet Luv back on the road. He then looked for the registration documents t transfer it to his name.

“When I bought the car, I had no idea it was the one that the President’s father used to drive, he narrates. “You can imagine my shock when I saw the log book.”

Apart from the registration documents, Obama’s widow also gave him a copy of Obama’s national identity card and death certificate, together with a letter authorizing the transfer of the vehicle’s ownership. Owili said he drove the vehicle round Nairobi for a yea before he drove to his rural home in Homa-Bay about 300 kilometers to the south west of the capital., and about 250 kilometers from Obama Snr rural home in Alego Kogelo in Siaya district 250 kilometer away.

“It is now old and cannot carry heavy loads anymore but I keep it because it was my first car and because I am proud to be associated with President Obama,”said Owili.” If President Obama wants to keep it as part of his family heritage, I can consider parting with it”,said Owili who said he had not considered selling the vehicle..Old cars can sell for tens of thousands of dollars on internet auction site EBay. It is difficult to estimate what the Chev Luv would fetch.

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EAC is working on a unifying constitution to speed up the proposed political federation of East Africa

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The East African Community secretariat is in the process of drafting a new constitution to guide the roll out of the proposed political federation.

Information emerging from the Arusha based secretariat says the EAC plans to table its recommendations for the proposed constitution at the forthcoming November East African heads of states summit.

“Governments across the region have been slow in setting in motion structures for the political federation,” says the report.

“While we are talking of a political federation in the EAC, we are bushy fighting on ethnic ground in our countries,” a Kenyan outspoken MP Martha Karua told members of the East African Legislative Assembly during their just concluded symposium held in Arusha two weeks ago.

The Kenya legislator added,” There are fears that will spill into region thereby slowing the integration process.”

The drafting new constitution for the proposed federation is expected o start once the East African Monetary Union protocol is signed and ratified by all the member countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

“National political parties are also said to be mum over political integration. look at their manifestos, there is nowhere were they mention political integration,” said Ms Beatrice Kiraso,th EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of the back tracking political federation at the EAC headquarters.

She added that a genuine political federation cannot run along side with five different constitutions.”

It has also been reported that the EAC has adopted a draft protocol or good governance seeking to push for democratic elections and peaceful transitions potentially saving the region from recurring political instability.

The five countries have agreed to put in place mechanisms for the appointment of electoral management team to curb rising allegations of bungled elections.

Recent elections, for example in Kenya and Uganda, were marred by the allegations of partisan electoral commissions.

If passed by the East African Legislative Assembly, the draft sanctions regional citizens to question the manner I which each person are appointed.

All member states will also be required to establish adequate legal and institutional framework in finance management system to combat corruption across the region.

In the year 2010, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission said it was handling cases worth USD 0.3 billions lost through graft annually highlighting the uphill task it faces in holding to account more involve in graft. The stolen money was estimated to be able to run parliament, the education and medical services ministries for a year, excluding the hundreds of millions spent on investigations by the anti-corruption commission.

Uganda had set aside a budget of USD 120 million to fight corruption figure that shot up to more than USD 217 million with the difference ending up in Ministers pockets. Such cases will now be taken and tried at the regional level.

Each country, according to an article appearing I the current edition of the influential weekly, the EASTAFRICAN will now follow uniform mechanisms for appointment of judges to promote a fair justice system across the region, while in earlier cases where presidents would appoint judges.

Kenya has already fallen into line with the public vetting of its current Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and the Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza.

Members agreed to establish regional mechanism for election observers and evaluation when member countries would ply a regional role during elections in the region.

The much flawed elections in Kenya in 2007 was the source mayhem that claimed the lives of close to 1500 people and saw close to 350,000 internally displaced people violently evicted from their homes and thrown into temporary refugee camps in their own country.

The East African Court of Justice will also have a mandate to handle cases related to human rights abuse earlier deferred to the Hague based ICC.

The Deputy Secretary General In Charge f political federation at the Arusha based EAC secretariat Ms Beatrice Kiraso was recently quoted as having urged EAC member countries to finalize the process of extending jurisdictions of the East African Curt of Justice.

“We cannot continue to look to the ICC when we have the EACJ, which can serve as a middle ground between national political judiciary mechanisms and international ones,” Ms Kiraso said during a ministerial meeting in Zanzibar.

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KENYA: ARMED POLICE GUARD OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL

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OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL IN KISUMU IS UNDER ARMED POLICE GUARD FOLLOWING ITS CONTROVERSIAL RENTING OUT TO THE BATA SHOE COMPANY.

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The Ofafa Memorial Hall, which is the nerves center of Luo cultural and at times political activities in Kisumu, is currently under armed policemen for unclear circumstances.

But inquiries by this writer has revealed that one of the warring groups claiming the leadership of the Luo Council of Elders had rented out the main hall to the Bata Shoe Company for a period of one month. The company made a down payment of Kshs 60,000.

Bata Shoe is using the Hall for its annual grand sales for its old and outmoded shoes, which are sold to the public at cheap prices and the sale is a countrywide exercise by the company.

Following the deal entered between the group of Luo Council of Elders led by Ker Opiyo Otondi, the other stakeholders had read a mischief and threatened to storm the Hall and eject the Bata Shoe Company by force.

This is what prompted Ker Opiyo Otondi to seek for police protection. Contacted by this writer, the chairman admitted that it was he who consulted the Kisumu West D.C. and requested for the police protection. And the D.C. in response posted a team of armed Administration Policemen to Ofafa to keep an eye on any group which might be tempted to disrupt the Bata She sales.

Further inquiries revealed that that there is a court injunction, which was obtained by the former Trustees of the defunct Luo Union East Africa which barred all the warring parties from accessing the Hall until the hearing and determination of a case which is pending before the courts regarding the Hall’s ownership.

The court injunction had also barred the previous Luo Council of Elders under its former chairman Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo and their agents from accessing the Hall on the same condition, and the order is said to be still in force.

According to our source the D.C. visited the Hall last week and when reminded of the existing of court injunction barring all the warring factions from accessing the Hall is reported to have told one of the tenants operating at the Hall that he did not care whether there is court order or not, but his men were to protect the property.

Built in the 1950s, the Ofafa Memorial Hall was constructed with money raised from members of the defunct Luo Union East Africa who working in Cities and towns all over East African region and also at Home in rural locations located inside Luo-Nyanza.

The Hall was named after the slain ex-Nairobi City Councilor Ambrose Ofafa from Alego Ka-Kalkada in Siaya district. Ex Coun Ofafa was shot dead in 1953 near Burma Market after his motor vehicle had stalled on Donholm road as he headed home by the agents of the Mau Mau agent’s in Nairobi who felt he was a collaborator of the colonialists. He was among the highly educated African to be nominated to the City Council. A fellow civic leader the late Tom Mbotela was also shot dead by the Mau Mau secret agents.

The original purpose of the Ofafa Memorial Hall which is standing magnificently on the main Kisumu-Kakamega rod near Kibuye Market was be used for restoration of Luo cultural artifacts, meetings, education hand other activities.

It has been used in the past also as a Hall of fame where dignified Luo personalities, mainly political luminaries, professionals, academician and others have had their departed souls taken there to lie in state over night stay as signs of community’s appreciation and respect before such bodies are taken to their rural homes for burial.

In such exercise members of the public usually piled up for viewing the body f the dead personality and paying homage as their last respect.

However, there has been the subject of heated disagreement between the various groups of stakeholders ever since the banning of the tribal welfare organizations by the retired President Daniel Arap Moi in early 1980.

At one time while serving as the Patron of the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Science and technology {RIAT} the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga unilaterally handed the management of the Ofafa Hall to the management of RIAT which turned it into its City Campus until some years later when the former patron of the defunct Luo Union East Africa moved to court and retrieved it from Riat.

The court ruled that Ofafa Mamorial Hall was an important institution belonging to the entire Luo community therefore Jaramogi Odinga as an individual had no right of deciding about the fate of this property or that power of handing over to Riat and ordered that the status quo be restored.

The reportedly existing court injunction also barred any faction of the disputed leadership of the Luo Council of Elders from receiving cash rent fro the tenants carrying out businesses there, and that all the rental money be deposited to the court for safe custody.

The Hall has been the subject of legal tussle before the courts for close to fifteen years with no group coming out clearly to claim its ownership. Members of the Odinga family are also being blamed for the Hall’s woes tribulations as it is being alleged that the family wants to have a grip over the properties of the defunct Luo Union East Africa using oblique techniques without the approval of the community.

Rumors making the rounds in Kisumu City and its environs have it that some people among them senior Luo politicians had a grand scheme and a plan to grab the Ofafa Hall and construct a five star hotel on the site,but the rumr culd not be confirmed immedtaley.

Luo Union {EA} had several other commercial buildings in Kisumu and Maseno towns The company also sed to own a 430 acres large scale Ramogi Farm near Miwani Sugar Mills where it used to grow sugar cane for sale to the Miwani factory. But some years back it was reported that part of the farm was sold to the former Emuhaya MP the late Weldon Muchilwa for undisclosed amount of money.

It remained unclear as to who had brokered the sales and whose bank account the amount realized from the sales, which was understood to have been n excess of Kshs 10 million was banked.

The company, however, had remained under the management of people closely connected to the Odingas serving as its directors. Most of its directors are hand-picked by the Odingas and their favorite agents. It has never posted any profits or sent our dividends to shareholders for years.

Ends

THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY MEMBER STATES SET TO ESTABLISH CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE TO TRAIN ITS PERSONNEL IN VARIOUS FIELDS.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Member states of the five countries of the East African Community are set to pick centers of excellence to train a pool of human capital to aid I the regional bloc’s integration.

Reports emerging from the Arusha based secretariat of the community disclosed the proposed centers will focus on training human capital in several fields across the region.

The exercise is set to rekindle memories of the old days when Makerere University, University of Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam University were still constituent colleges of the then University of East Africa.

The system that was so vibrant in the 1960 and 1970s saw most engineers in the region trained in Nairobi, lawyers in Dar Es Salaam and doctors at Makerere in Kampala.

The report says that Ms Immaculate Mpemberane from Burundi, led a team of five regional assessors drawn from each of the five EAC states on an evidence based assessment exercise to establish whether the institutions that applied to be considered meet the required threshold.

“A candidate institution must have proper infrastructure and adequate staffing levels among other things to qualify, according to the Principal Officer in the Ugandan Ministry of Eat African Affairs Salvadore Amutenda said “The proposed centers of excellence are necessary because the community cannot fund all institutions in the region to meet the required regional standards of personnel needs.@ she said adding, the team would present a report of their findings to the East African Community Sectoral Council of ministers of Education that would then make a final decision.

From Uganda, Makerere University College of Agricultural and Enviromental Sciences,National Agricultural Research Organization,Uganda Industrial Research Institute and Nakawa Vocational Training Institute were shortlisted for assessment.

In Kenya, University of Nairobi’s College of Health Science, Kenya Institute of Education, Kenya Marine and fisheries research Institute, Bomas of Kenya and Rift Valley Institute of Technology were shortlisted.

In Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam marine Institute in Zanzibar,Taasisi ya Sanaa na Utamaduni-Bagamoyo, Dr Es Salaam Marine Institute, Mwaka Wildlife Unstitute and Moshi University Collage of Cooperative and Business Studies were short-listed. While Rwanda had Kigali Institute of Science and Technology, Tumba College of Technology, Institute of Scietific and Technological Research, Rwanda National Examination Council and Rwanda Museum, Heritage and Cultural Center. However assessors opinion was tat Mwaka Wildlife Institute ,Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies and Rwanda Museum, Heritage and Cultural Center, were not assessed due to time and financial constraints, says Amatenda, adding that selection exercise will occur in phases and institutions that miss out in the first phase will get the opportunity in the subsequent phases.

Ends

ARE KENYA MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TOO BROKE TO PAY TAXES?

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By Agwanda Jowi

Those who have paid taxes we have used the word: TAX PAID

Those who have refused to pay taxes we have used the word: NO

– – – – – – – – – – –

Parliamentarian’s name
Representative for:
Belongs to:
TAX Paid

OR

NO?

Benjamin Kipkirui Langat
Ainamoi
ODM
NO

Sally Jemngetich Kosgei
Aldai
ODM
NO

Edwin Ochieng Yinda
Alego/Usonga
ODM
NO

Ojaamongson, Sospeter Odeke
Amagoro
ODM
NO

Benedict Fondo Gunda
Bahari
ODM
NO

Sammy Silas Komen Mwaita
Baringo Central
ODM
NO

Asman Abongotum Kamama
Baringo East
PNU
NO

William C. Kipkiror
Baringo North
ODM
NO

Charles Cheruiyot Keter
Belgut
ODM
NO

Christopher Mogere Obure
Bobasi
ODM
NO

Simon Ogari
Bomachoge
ODM
NO

Beatrice Cherono Kones
Bomet
ODM
NO

Charles Onyancha
Bonchari
ODM
NO

Oginga, Oburu
Bondo
ODM
NO

Namwamba Ababu
Budalangi
ODM
NO

Bifwoli, Wakoli Sylvester
Bumula
PNU
NO

Abdi Nasir Nuh
Bura
ODM-K
NO

Frankilin Bett
Buret
ODM
NO

Oparanya, Wycliffe Ambetsa
Butere
ODM
NO

Alfred Bwire Odhiambo
Butula
ODM
NO

Gitobu Imanyara
Central Imenti
CCU
NO

Kajembe, Ramathan Seif
Changamwe
ODM
NO

Isaac Kiprono Rutto
Chepalungu
ODM
NO

Joshua Serem Kutuny
Cherangany
ODM
NO

Beth Wambui Mugo
Dagoretti
PNU
NO

Bare Aden Duale
Dujis
ODM
NO

Moses K. Lessonet
Eldama Ravine
ODM
NO

Margaret Jepkoech Kamar
Eldoret East
ODM
NO

Ruto, Samoei William K.
Eldoret North
ODM
NO

Peris Chepchumba
Eldoret South
ODM
NO

Assistant Minister

Ferdinand Ndungu Waititu
Embakasi
PNU
PAID

Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat
Emgwen
ODM
NO

Wilber Ottichilo Khasilwa
Emuhaya
ODM
NO

Sugow, Ahmed Aden
Fafi
KANU
NO

Paul Otuoma Nyongesa
Funyula
ODM
NO

Mutava Muyimi
Gachoka
PNU
PAID

Dhadho Gaddae Goghana
Galole
ODM
NO

Francis S. K. Baya
Ganze
KADU-A
NO

Mungatana, Danson Buya
Garsen
NARC-K
NO

Kenneth, Peter
Gatanga
PNU
NO

Clement Kungu Waibara
Gatundu North
PICK
NO

Kenyatta Uhuru
Gatundu South
KANU
NO

Midiwo, Washington Jakoyo
Gem
ODM
NO

Karua, Martha Wangari
Gichugu
PNU
NO

Peter Njoroge Baiya
Githunguri
SAFINA
NO

John Mbadi Ngóngó
Gwasi
ODM
NO

Khaniri, George Munyasa
Hamisi
ODM
NO

Ntoitha M”Mithiaru
Igembe North
PNU
NO

Frankilin Mithika Linturi
Igembe South
KANU
NO

Haji YusufMohammed
Ijara
KANU
NO

Dr Khalwale
Ikolomani
New Ford K
NO

Kuti,Mohammed. Abdi
Isiolo North
NARC-K
NO

Abdul Bahari Ali
Isiolo South
KANU
NO

William Kabogo Gitau
Juja
NARC-KENYA
NO

Poghisio, Samuel Losuron
Kacheliba
ODM-K
NO

Ndambuki, Gideon Musyoka
Kaiti
ODM-K
NO

Nkaisserry, Joseph Kasaine
Kajiado Central
ODM
NO

Saitoti, George
Kajiado North
PNU
NO

Samuel Kazungu Kambi
Kaloleni
PNU
NO

Vacant
Kamukunji
VACANT
NO

James Maina Kamau
Kandara
PNU
NO

Alfred Khan’gati
Kanduyi
ODM
NO

Michuki, John Njoroge
Kangema
PNU
NO

Johnson Nduya Muthama
Kangundo
ODM-K
PAID

Julius Recha Murgor
Kapenguria
ODM
NO

James G. Kwanya Rege
Karachuonyo
ODM
NO

Elizabeth Ongoro
Kasarani
ODM
NO

Joseph Oyugi Magwanga
Kasipul-Kabondo
ODM
NO

Wavinya Ndeti
Kathiani
CCU
NO

Chepkitony, Lucas Kipkosgei
Keiyo North
ODM
NO

Jackson Kiplagat Kiptanui
Keiyo South
ODM
NO

Evans Bulimo Akula
Khwisero
ODM
NO

Stanley Munga Githunguri
Kiambaa
KANU
NO

Philip Kyalo Kaloki
Kibwezi
ODM-K
NO

Nemesyus Warugongo
Kieni
PNU
NO

Jamleck Irungu Kamau
Kigumo
PNU
NO

Barnabas Muturi C. Mwangi
Kiharu
PNU
NO

Lewis Nguyai Nganga
Kikuyu
PNU
NO

Gideon Sitelu Konchela
Kilgoris
PNU
NO

John Harun Mwau
Kilome
PICK
NO

David Eseli Simiyu
Kimilili
FORD-K
NO

Rai, Samuel Gonzi
Kinango
FORD-P
NO

David Mwaniki Ngugi
Kinangop
SISI KWA SISI
NO

Kimunya, Amos Muhinga
Kipipiri
PNU
NO

Kiprono Langat J. Magerer
Kipkelion
ODM
NO

Joseph Gitari
Kirinyaga Central
PNU
NO

Hassan Ali Joho
Kisauni
ODM
NO

Nyong’o, Peter Anyang’
Kisumu Rural
ODM
NO

Shabbir Ahmed Shakeel Ahmed
Kisumu Town East
ODM
NO

John Olago Aluoch
Kisumu Town West
ODM
NO

Ngilu, Charity Kaluki
Kitui Central
NARC
NO

Isaac Mulatya Muoki
Kitui South
ODM-K
NO

Charles Mutisya Nyamai
Kitui West
NARC
NO

Richard Momoima Onyonka
Kitutu Chache
PDP
NO

Walter Enock Nyambati Osebe
Kitutu Masaba
N LP
NO

Julius Kipyegon Kones
Konoin
ODM
NO

Zakayo Kipkemoi Cheruiyot
Kuresoi
ODM
NO

Machage Wilfred Gisuka
Kuria
DP
NO

Wekesa, Noah Muhalangángá
Kwanza
PNU
NO

Maalim Farah
Lagdera
ODM
NO

Kiunjuri, Festus Mwangi
Laikipia East
PNU
NO

Ndiritu Muriithi
Laikipia West
PNU
NO

Joseph Lekuton
Laisamis
KANU
NO

Abu Mohamed Chiaba
Lamu East
PNU
NO

Twaha, Yasin Fahim
Lamu West
NARC-K
NO

Prime Minister

Odinga, Raila Amolo
Langata
ODM
PAID

David Njuguna Kiburi Mwaura
Lari
PPK
NO

Mwalimu Masudi Mwahima
Likoni
ODM
NO

Peter Mungai Mwathi
Limuru
FORD-P
NO

Judah Katoo Metito
Loitokitok
NARC-K
NO

Khwa Shakhalaga Jirogo
Lugari
KADDU
NO

Atanas Manyala Keya
Lurambi
ODM
NO

Victor Kioko Munyaka
Machakos Town
ODM-K
NO

Amason Kingi Jeffah
Magarini
ODM
NO

Gidion Kioko Mbuvi
Makadara
NARC-KENYA
NO

Peter L.N. Kiilu
Makueni
ODM-K
NO

Shitanda, Peter Soita
Malava
NEW FORD-KENYA
NO

Maitha Gideon Mungáro
Malindi
ODM
NO

Hussein Mohamed Abdikadir
Mandera Central
SAFINA
NO

Mohamed Hussein Ali
Mandera East
ODM
NO

Mohamed, Muhamud Maalim
Mandera West
ODM
NO

Emilio Mureithi Kathuri
Manyatta
DP
NO

Mbau, Elias Peter
Maragwa
PNU
NO

Kilimo, Linah Jebi
Marakwet East
KENDA
NO

Boaz Kipchumba Kaino
Marakwet West
ODM
NO

Mbai, Benson Itwiku
Masinga
ODM-K
NO

Clement Muchiri Wambugu
Mathioya
PNU
NO

Empraim Mwangi Maina
Mathira
SAFINA
NO

Chirau Ali Mwakwere
Matuga
PNU
NO

Were, David Aoko
Matungu
ODM
NO

Kajwang’, Gerald Otieno
Mbita
ODM
NO

Mutula Kilonzo
Mbooni
ODM-K
NO

John Pesa Dache
Migori
ODM
NO

Hellen Jepkemoi Sambili
Mogotio
UDM
NO

Joseph Nganga Kiuna
Molo
PNU
NO

David K. Koech
Mosop
ODM
NO

Mohamud Mohamed Ali
Moyale
ODM
NO

Omar Mbwana Zonga
Msambweni
ODM
NO

Fred Chesebe Kapondi
Mt. Elgon
ODM
NO

Olweny, Patrick Ayiecho
Muhoroni
ODM
NO

Kabando Wa Kabando
Mukurweini
SAFINA
NO

Benjamin Jomo Washiali
Mumias
ODM
NO

Kilonzo, Julias Kiema
Mutito
ODM-K
NO

Balala,MohammedNajib
Mvita
ODM
NO

Daniel Mutua Muoki
Mwala
ODM-K
NO

Andrew Calist Mwatela
Mwatate
ODM
NO

Peter Njuguna Gitau
Mwea
PNU
NO

Vice President

Musyoka, Stephen Kalonzo
Mwingi North
ODM-K
PAID

Musila, David
Mwingi South
ODM-K
NO

John Michael Njenga Mututho
Naivasha
KANU
NO

Lee Maiyani Kinyanjui
Nakuru Town
PNU
NO

Okemo, Chrysanthus
Nambale
ODM
NO

Ntimama, William Ronkorua Ole
Narok North
ODM
NO

Nkoidila Ole Lankas
Narok South
ODM
NO

Jeremiah Ngayu Kioni
Ndaragwa
PNU
NO

Joshua Orwa Ojode
Ndhiwa
ODM
NO

Githae Robinson Njeru
Ndia
PNU
NO

Japhet M. Kareke Mbiuki
Nithi
KANU
NO

Francis Chachu Ganya
North Horr
ODM
NO

Silas Muriuki Ruteere
North Imenti
MAZINGIRA
NO

Wilfred Moriasi Ombui
North Mugirango/Borabu
KANU
NO

Pollyins Ochieng Anyango
Nyakach
ODM
NO

Fredrick Otieno Outa
Nyando
ODM
NO

Robert Onsare Monda
Nyaribari Chache
NARC
NO

Samson Kegengo Ongeri
Nyaribari Masaba
KANU
NO

Peter Edick Omondi Anyanga
Nyatike
ODM
NO

Esther Murugi Mathenge
Nyeri Town
PNU
NO

Erastus Kihara Mureithi
Ol’ Kalau
PNU
NO

President Kibaki, Mwai
Othaya
PNU
PAID

Martin Otieno Ogindo
Rangwe
ODM
NO

Nicholas O. Gumbo
Rarieda
ODM
NO

Luka Kipkorir Kigen
Rongai
ODM
NO

Dalmas Angango Otieno
Rongo
ODM
NO

Cecily Mutitu Mbarire
Runyenjes
PNU
NO

Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi
Sabatia
ODM
NO

Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa
Saboti
PNU
NO

Hussein Tarry Sasura
Saku
ODM-K
NO

Raphael Lakalei Letimalo
Samburu East
ODM
NO

Lesirma, Simeon Saimanga
Samburu West
ODM
NO

Justus Kizito Mugali
Shinyalu
ODM
NO

Lenny Maxwell Kivuti
Siakago
SAFINA
NO

Wilson Mwotiny Litole
Sigor
ODM
NO

Wetangula, Moses Makisa
Sirisia
PNU
NO

Joyce Cherono Laboso
Sotik
ODM
NO

Murungi, Kiraitu
South Imenti
PNU
NO

Manson Nyamweya
South Mugirango
FORD-PEOPLE
NO

Margaret Wanjiru Kariuki
Starehe
ODM
NO

Nelson Ributhi Gaichuhie
Subukia
PNU
NO

Shaban, Naomi Namsi
Taveta
KANU
NO

Francis Thombe Nyammo
Tetu
PNU
NO

Alex Muthengi Mburi Mwiru
Tharaka
PNU
NO

Munya Peter Gatirau
Tigania East
PNU
NO

Mwiria, Valerian Kilemi
Tigania West
PNU
NO

Kosgey, Henry Kiprono
Tinderet
ODM
NO

Ethuro, David Ethuro
Turkana Central
PNU
NO

Munyes, John Kiyonga
Turkana North
PNU
NO

Josephat Nanok Koli
Turkana South
ODM
NO

Aggrey James Orengo
Ugenya
ODM
NO

Cyprian Ojwang Omollo
Uriri
ODM
NO

Yusufu Kifuma Chanzu
Vihiga
ODM
NO

Danson Mwazo Mwakulegwa
Voi
ODM
NO

Ibrabim Elmi Mohamed
Wajir East
ODM
NO

Hussein GabbowMohammed
Wajir North
ODM
NO

Mahamud Muhumed Sirat
Wajir South
ODM-K
NO

Adan Keynan Wehliye
Wajir West
KANU
NO

Wekesa B.A. Sambu
Webuye
ODM
NO

James Ondicho Gesami
West Mugirango
ODM
NO

Gumo, Fredrick Omulo
Westlands
ODM
NO

Thomas Luhindi Mwadeghu
Wundanyi
ODM
NO

Kilonzo Charles Mutavi
Yatta
ODM-K
NO

Yakub Mohammad Dor
Nominated
ODM
NO

Nyamweya George Omari
Nominated
PNU
NO

Abdalla Amina Ali
Nominated
KANU
NO

END.

USA & Kenya: Obama family reacts

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From: Leo Odera

The family of President Barrack Obama in Kenya has reacted angrily over a new book to be release next week.

The book, authored by Sally H Jacob, a senior reporter with the Boston Globe, made a startling claim that the father of the US President, Barrack Obama Snr planned to give up his son for adoption.

Obama family spokesperson , Malik Abong’o Obama, described the new book as “fabrication, malicious and apolitical ploy aimed at derailing President Obama’s presidential re-election for the second term bid.”

The book, entitled, The Other Barack; The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama’s Father” authored by Sally H Jacobs a senior reporter with the Boston Globe will be released officially next week by Public Affairs Press in the US.“Every Tom, Dick and Hurry is writing the Obama family just to make money out of it, the added in an interviewed published this morning by The NAIROBISTAR.

Malik who is the first son of the late Barrack Obama Snr with his first wife Grace Kezia is the US President Obama’s step-brother and lives with the families, which include his grand step-mother the 88-year old Mama Sarah Obama at Nyang’oma village, Alego Kogelo in Siaya district.

He went on disclosing that the author of the book Sally H Jacobs “come here to get a comment from us and we told her to go and do whatever she wanted to do because that was her right. We told her that as a family we did not approve her intention neither did we agree with such statements.”

Malik made a startling disclosure that the family had told Ms Jacobs to get the approval from the Prime Minister Raila Odinga before seeking any view on Obama Snr from them.

Malik’s reaction and remarks about the new book were dismissed as “inconsequential and mere public relations gimmicks the late Obama’s contemporary and age-mate who knew him pretty well.

The older Kenyans interview felt the contents of the new book are the best ever written about he background and profile of the late Obama Snr.The book, they said had captured the true history picture of the late Obama Snr and will, shade the light of his hidden life-style and corroborate it ,and the same time gave an insight portrait of Kenya’s most celebrated top economist.

Barack Obama Snr old Kenyan -fiends and school-mates at Maseno High school, but who preferred to remain anonymous have advised Obama’s first son Malik to hold hi gun and wait for a while and only to air his to comments after reading the book and going its contents on page by page.

The author wrote in part.”Barrack Obama Snr was born in 1936 at Kanyadhiang’ village, Central Karachuonyo in what was then known as South Nyanza district {Now Rachuonyo north district}.

He later received a scholarship to study economics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the US through the airlift program organized by the then leading nationalist and freedom fighter he late Tom Mboya.

Obama Snr married fellow student Ann Dunhum in Maui, Hawaii, though he did not aware her his new Kenyan husband was already married back home in Kenya until much later.

President Obama was born on August 4,1961. His mother Ann Dunhum quit her studies to care for the new born baby while Obama Snr completed his degree.

President Obama’s parents separated when he was only two year old and were officially divorced in 1964.

On his return to Kenya in 1965, Obama Snr was hired by an oil company and also served as an economist working with he Ministry of Transport and later the Finance Ministry.

His decline began soon after the late Tom Mboya was assassinated in 1969 THEREAFTER Obama Snr was fired from jobs after the other and began to drink.

He had a serious car accident, spent almost one year in hospital, and by the time he visited his son in Hawaii in late 1971,he already had deformed leg. He died in 1982, at the age of 46 in a third car crash in Nairobi.

Commenting on the new book one of several others written by different authors in Europe and the US, Malik Obama said,” There are people who are out to spoil our good name. This is a political ploy to demean President Obama’s second presidential bid. We know there are some political forces working behind the scene to support the boo which is being used to fight President Obama,”

Ends

Four partner states in the EAC region to relax travelling documents to members of the EAC

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Report By Leo Odera Omolo.

Four partner states o the East African Community have resolved that national identity cards issued to the citizens by member states can now be used officially as the inter-states travelling documents instead of passports.

From now onward citizens of the four countries, namely Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi can use their national identity cards as the recognized official travelling documents in the region.

Information emerging from the Arusha-based secretariat of the EAC says the four nations are in the process of issuing electronic identity cards that will be used as travelling documents. The EAC Secretary General, Dr Richard Sezibera made the disclosed of the decision by the four states during an address to the just concluded symposium of the East African Legislative Assembly MPs.

The symposium was held to mark the tenth anniversary of the EALA, the political umbrella of the community.

Among the principal speakers at the workshop was the retired President f Kenya Daniel Arap Moi who urged the partners states to hasten the creation f the pliticalfederati0n so as to harmonize the regional integration The seminar brought together close to 300 experts, professional and academicians from the region who gathered in Arusha to brain storm on several contentious issues affecting Africa’s most vibrant and successful economic bloc.

“I am informed that Kenya is making arrangement to issue the electronic identity cards to its national by September this year, ”said Dr Sezibera, adding Tanzania has n t made the decision yet, but he urged Dar Es Salaam to do so in order to harmonize travelling documents that will enable free movement of people as provided in the Common Market Protocol.

Dr Sezibera also stated that though the East African Passports should be an international travelling document it uses was rather cumbersome for the citizens of the region.

The Secretary-General was responding to the various issues raised by the EAlA MPs during the symposium.

Other requirements for free movement of persons across the EAC border include a single tourism visa.

He speaker f the EALA Abdirahaman Abdi raised the issue passports having to be stamped so many times a s one moves within EAC states occasioning the need to fast-track the issuing of travelling documents acceptable for use in the region.

“People must have travelling documents that will not be stamped at the point of entry or exit,” says the Speaker.

The Common Market is yet o be fully operationalised as some of the requirements are not yet in place. Electron8ic readable cards is one of the documents EAC partners states are required to issue to their citizens to facilitate the four freedom in the region-free movement of people, goods, services and capital.

Meanwhile an expert has advised the EAC partner states that they will have write a constitution to oversee the implementation of the much touted political federation of East African states.

The Deputy Secretary General Ms Beatrice Kirasi one of the brain behind the Community’s successes while addressing the EALS workshop held specifically to disseminate findings of a study conducted on key areas of the federation. She said this was one of the major proposals made by experts to oversee the operation of the regional economic bloc.

“Existing individual EAC states national constitutions have very little regional integration issues.”We have proposed the drafting of an EAC constitution that will have to be negotiated to oversee the political federation after adoption of a monetary union,” she said.

The proposed EAC constitution will accommodate those of the five EAC partner states, she said, adding that a number of constitutional provisions in existing individual EAC member states would be retained under the political federation. Kiraso said that the election of presidents in the EAC member states would be retained under the political federation.

Kiraso said the views recorded during the workshop would be presented to the EAC Heads of state summit to chat the way forward before the end of the year.

Presenting a paper entitled “A comparative Study on the Structure and Functioning of Federation, a Kenyan scholar Prof Tom Ojienda who is also a Commissioner in the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission said there are a number of convergences and divergences in the five constitutions of the EAC member states {Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi} that can be harmonized to drive the process.

“The executive, judiciary and legislative framework in the EAC are similar in a number of ways including election of presidents and MPs. However, there is divergence on the terms that the president is expected to serve,”

In the four of the five EAC member states, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, the constitution allow the president to serve foe two terms or fixed periods. In Uganda the number of terms for the president is unlimited,” he said, adding that this will have o be harmonized in the long run.

A scientist at the Dodoma University and a leading Kenyan scholar Prof Amukwa Anangwe was among hose who presented papers for debate and studies during the workshop. The latter is also a former Cabinet in the Ministry of Health.

Ends

Kenyans alarmed as lightning kills 20 people within one week

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

TWENTY Kenya were strike dead by lightening at different locations and districts within last week alone.

Experts maintain that this is the highest figure ever reported in the country’s history of natural calamities ever since 1960/1961.

On Sunday, he residents of Minjeiwa village in Keiyo South district in Elgeyo/ Marakwet County within the North Rift gave a tearful send off a 46 year-old mother and her seven children.

The entire family of eight was wiped out plus their two sheep when the thunderbolt struck their grass thatched house last Saturday evening as they assembled waiting to be served with the evening meals.

All the eight were burnt beyond recognition, while utensils were strewn all over the compound. The only living things were chickens. All the eight victims of catastrophic death were buried in mass grave.

A neighbor who heard the deafening blast rushed to the compound and saw the house on fire. When he peeped his eyes through a window, he saw the bodies were on fire.

Alice Chemurgor, a 46 year old, was living alone with her seven children after separating from her husband a couple of years ago. The husband did not attend the funeral. And in according to the Kalenjin customs people killed in search tragedies are buried immediately after which a cultural cleansing ritual will be performed by the elders from both families of the failed marriage.

Last Friday, three pupils at Toku Primary School, South Kanyajuok in Kamagambo South Location, Rongo district in Migori County were also struck dead by lightning. The thunderbolt injured more than 30 other pupils when it strike heir classroom during the late afternoon down pour. The injured were rushed to Rongo sub-district Hospital and to other medical institution within the nearby districts where most of them were treated for burns and discharged.

The Rongo MP who is also Kenya’s Minister for Public Service, Dalmas Otieno, visited the school lat Saturday and consoled the bereaved families. The Minister and the residents of the area later conducted an impromptu Harambee fund drive and raised money for the assistance of the bereaved and the injured pupils families to secure medical treatment.

Las Sunday afternoon at abut 6.30 pm lightning strikes once again and killed a man. Mzee Obura and his son was taking shelter in a house at Pala, in Pala Division, Ndhiwa district, in the County of Homa-Bay when the tragedy occurred. His body has since been taken to Homa-Bay district hospital morgue. His son received treatment at Ndhiwa sub-district Hospital.

Also killed in the previous week were three pupils of a primary School in Nyamira district within the Gusii County, and one pupil died in Trans-Mara East district when he was strike by the thunderbolt as he walked home from school during dressings.

In Silibwet in Kirinyaga district, a school girl was last Sunday struck dead and he companion seriously hurt while they were walking home after attending church service.

Other incidents involving lightning death have been reported in Trans-Nzoia, Mt.Elgon, Baringo, Bomet, Trans-Mara, Gucha, Kisii, Nyamira, Rongo, Homa-Bay, Bungoma, Kakamega, Molo, Kericho,Bomet, Bureti,Keiyo, Marakwet and other areas which are located on the highlands west of the Rift Valley and areas close to the Equator. It is also common within the locations and villages neighboring Lake Victoria. But Kenya still comes third after Zimbabwe and Zambia. The highest incidents recorded in 1984/85 were 166 people struck dead in Zimbawe. During the same period more than 220 died in Zambia while Kenya lost 186 lives during the same period under review.

Incidents of lightning tragedy usual occurred during the beginning of the short rains I the month of August and September, and also at the beginning of long rains which comes between April and July.

EndsKenya:

THREE KENYAN LAKES EARNS UNESCO RECOGNITION AS WORLD HERITAGE LISTED SITES ALTOGETHER WITH THE 400 YEAR OLD FORT JESUS NATIONAL MONUMENT AT THE COAST

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The pre-historic monumental site Fort Jesus the 400 year old, which is located at the Kenya coastal town of Mombasa has been inscribed into World Heritage list by the Unesco.

Fort Jesus therefore becomes the sixth Kenyan to get into UNESCO list.

Also inscribed were three Kenyan hinterland lakes, Elementaita, Bogoria and Nakuru,which have now joined the coveted Unesco’s World Heritage List.

Refereed to as the Great Rift Valley Lakes System, the three lakes is an integral part of one of the largest bird migratory routes sustaining 75 per cent of the global population of the lesser Flamingoes.

It also supports one of the major breeding colonies of the greater white pelican and provides a vital wintering ground for over 100 species of migratory birds.

The three lakes have been recommended for inscription by the International Union for Conservation of Nature {IUCN}.

Kenya’s Minister for National Heritage William Ole Ntimama in his reaction after receiving the t news from Paris, France hailed the inscription terming as a milestone for the country’s tourism.

“We are happy that Unesco has noted the heritage value of the three Kenyan lakes, which are located I the north and central part of the Rift Valley Province,” said the Minister.

IUCN, the independent advisory body on nature to Unsco presented the finding of its comprehensive evaluation of the natural value of 13 monumental sites to the World Heritage Committee.

With new additions announced last Sunday at the meeting in Paris, France, number of the natural and mixed sites now stands at 210.

“It is wonderful to see these spectacular lake site I Kenya and their rich birds life, achieving recognition as natural site of the highest global importance,” remarked Mr Tim Badman, the director of IUCN’s World Heritage Programme during the Paris event.

“We especially welcome this inscriptions, as the first natural World Heritage listed in Africa since 2007.”

A total of 35 nominations, including natural, cultural and mixed properties are being reviewed by the committee, which is holding its 35th session at the Unesco headquarters in Paris, France.

On Monday this week, Fort Jesus, which is more than 400 years old, was also identified as of outstanding universal value.

Fort Jesus become the sixth Kenyan heritage site to get into the Unesco list, The facility’s national monument and the museum principal curator Mbarak Abdikadir said the recognition is a major win for the residents of Mombasa City and Kenya’s tourism industry.

“It means our effort in conservancy and maintenance have been recognized the World over. This is expected to bring in more local and foreign tourists who may wish to find out what makes this Fort unique,” he said.

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Kenya: Battle for Kisumu County governor’s position has intensified following the entry of Mumias sugar top manager

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By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The forthcoming contest for the position of Kisumu County has taken a new political dimension following the entry into the race by several leading personalities in the region.

The former Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Peter Raburu is among those rumored to be eyeing the County’s Governor seat. If Raburu plunge himself into the contest, he will have to square it with Jack Ranguma a fellow clansman from Kano Kobura sub-clan. The latter is a former KRA senior official who at one time served s the joint receiver manager for Muhoroni Sugar Mills Ltd.

The majority of those who have already shown interest in this seat hail from the Kano plains with exception of Peter Hongo, the head of sales with the Mumias Sugar Company Limited in Western Province.

Others who are being rumored as having keen interest and claim on the seat include Walter Adell Kitoto, a prominent Kisumu City based businessman, the deputy clerk of the National Assembly Owino Omolo.

Adell Kitoto is the chairman of the powerful RIDOKAM {Riwruok gi Dongruok Mar Jokano Manyien}, a social welfare organization whose aims and objectives is to empower the people of Kano sub-clans economically.

The County of Kisumu is one of the largest, and only next to Homa-Bay in terms of geography and population. It covered seven parliamentary constituencies, namely Nyakach, Muhoroni, Nyando, Kisumu Town East, Kisumu Central, Kisumu Town West and Seme. It will be housed in Kisumu City as its new administrative headquarters.

The region’s main economic stay is sugar cane farming and sugar factories. There are four white sugar manufacturing mills. All located in the Nyanza Sugar Belt, namely Miwani Sugar Mills, Chemelil Sugar Company, Muhoroni Sugar Mills Limited and Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries. Other economic activities in this region include fishing and fish trades.

There are also three other manufacturing industries, namely Agro-Chemist plant at Muhoroni, Kisumu Molasses, situated at Otonglo within Kisumu Municipality and the run down Miwani Distillery, which together with Miwani Sugar Mills are currently under the official receivership.

All the industries when operation according to their manufacturing capacity have a combined labor force of about 12,000 . But owing to the recent economic recession, most of these industries are currently operating at half capacities of the production turn out.

The construction and the completion of the much expanded and improved Kisumu Airport is expected to enhance economic activities and confirm the City as the “Gateway” to east African true to its coined name which has been associate with Kisumu for ma Southern Sudan and other countries within the Great Lakes Region.

Horticulture and vegetables farmers in the highlands west of the Rift Valley will be able to export their crops via Kisumu Aiport as the facilities expected to accommodate bigger passenger and cargo planes on daily flight to Europe and other destinations.
Kisumu City s served with four connection highways, namely the Kakamega road, Kisumu Ahero Kericho and Ahero Oyugis-Kisii road, Kisumu Maseno and Kisumu Bondo road all tarmacked.

Kisumu County is bordering Kericho in the South East, South Nandi in the Northeast, Vihiga in the North, Siaya in the Northwest Bondo in the west, Rachuonyo South in the South East and Rachuonyo North in the Northwest and also the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf}.

Local political pundits says Peter Hongo, the Mumias sales corporate director has a head star. This is because he hails from the Jo-Kisumo sub-clan where there is no one else eyeing for the same position.

Hongo is said to be an outgoing personalities who is liked by many people, particularly the youth and women. It is being rumored that the ODM Secretary General who is also the Minister for medical services Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o is currently considering the option of switching from defending his Kisumu Rural Parliamentary seat and contesting the Senate seat for the Kisumu County instead.

If Nyong’o joins the race for Senate seat, he would have to face off with the like of the populist Eng Maxwell Otieno Odongo, a Nairobi based architect Ochola Ogoda, who was once the chairman of Gor Mahia Football Club.

Ogoda is originally from Nyakach, but has since settled in the Muhoroni Settlement Scheme.Other rumors making the round says that former Nyakach MP Peter Odoyo is also keen in contesting the Kisumu County governor’s seat. But Odoyo could not be reached immediately. Another personality who is being mentioned as the possible aspirant for the governor’s seat is the US based Kenyan who is an accountant Fred Otieno Waga. He too hails from Jokano-Kobura sub-clan.

If clan’s politics raises its ugly head during the campaign, then candidates from the majority Jo-Kano from the Kano plains could have the advantage and one of the could clinch the seat. But hey could at the same time disadvantaged by the fact that there is likely to be more contestants from the same clans and sub-clans, and someone like Peter Hongo who is a resourceful person might stand a better chance of winning the governor’s seat in Kisumu County.

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Tanzania: CHINESE to construct another multi billion railway line in Tanzania’s mineral rich Southern region

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

TANZANIA, Africa’s third largest gold producing Africa nation has envisaged plans to construct a railway line to open up its mineral rich Northern region to boost the country’s coal and iron ore revenues.

The planned rail project is estimated to cost a colossal amount of money to the tune of USD 1.5 billion {Tshs 2.3 trillion}.

The 850 kilometer railway line whose construction is set to begin next year, will link coal and iron ore mining projects in Mchuchuma and Liganga respectively to the Mtwara port in Southern Tanzania.

The deputy Minister for Transport Athumani Mfutakamba was last week quoted in the local press as having made the announcement while in the country’s political capital, Dodoma that negotiations between the National Development Corporation and Sichuan Hongda Corporation of China over the necessary infrastructure were at an advanced stage.

The Mchuchuma iron ore and Liganga Coal reserves located in the Southern highlands have the potential to create an estimated 40,000 jobs to spur iron and steel industries in the country and boost coal exports.

The project will be the second largest single operation since the 1970s when China built the USED 500 million 1860-kilometer long Tanzania-Zambia Railway line {TAZARA} from Dar Es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi,

Another senior government official disclosed that investor in the Liganga and Mchuchuma iron ore project has set aside Tshs 10 trillion {USD 625 billion} for the project implementation.

The Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Marketing Lazaro Nyalanda said the project is expected to contribute between 20 and 25 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Coal deposits at Mchuchuma which is located near the border of Malawi and Mozambique are provisionally estimated at 1253 million tones while iron ore deposits in the Liganga area are estimated to be 45 million tones. These are to be exploited jointly to stimulate an iron and steel industry that depends largely on the agricultural sector.

Transport Minister Omari Nundu in his part said the railway line will boost trade with neighboring Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia.

“The railway line will attract passenger traffic because of the huge potential in mineral and agricultural activities in the region, said Minister Nundu.

Thd Finance Minister Mustafa Mkulo reported that the government plans to spend USD 34 million in 2011.202 financial year in conducting feasibility studies and detailed design of Mtwara-Songea-Liganga railway line.

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Kenya: When Raila came face to face with placard waving youths demanding that he keep off Kisumu Mayoral election

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

For the first time in his long and rewarding political career, the Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga last Saturday came face to face with placard displaying youth in Kisumu City protesting against his involvement in the mayoral election.

The youths were protesting against the re-election of Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello whose tenure comes to an end on July first. The embattled Mayor had accompanied the Prime Minister t the School’s function which was held at Nyamasaria Primary School within Kisumu Municipality.

A group of 17 Councilors allied to Okello’s rival Odhiambo Oyolo who is the Town’s Planning Committee were notably absent at the function.

The group skipped the function and were reported to have gone underground in their hideout believes to be somewhere in Entebbe City in Uganda to strategize how to dislodge Okello, The Kisumu Mayoral election is slated for July 1st.

One of the placards reads “Raila we love as a democrat, but Mayor Okello must go home”. We support Coun. Odhiambo Oyolo {Soldier} for Mayor.

More noisy and unprintable words displayed in placards unfolded at the nearby Oyile Market when the Prime Minister asked Mayor Okello to address the residents.

Raila criticized the move by a group of civic leaders opposed to Mayor Okello for displaying the placards at the function saying they were hired to disparage the mayor. “

“What can a new Mayor achieve in one year? We don’t want politician when some people hide somewhere in attempt to win the mayoral election”.

Raila’s remarks were viewed as veiled attack against a group of 17 Kisumu Municipal Councilors who are said to have gone underground, reportedly hiding in the Ugandan City of Entebbe to strategizing about how to win the Mayoral elections.

The previous weekend a group of elders led by Ker Willis Otondi the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders accompanied Mayor Okello to Raila’s residence in the posh Milimani estate and pleaded with the Prime Minister to intervene and ensure the status quo remained unchanged at the Kisumu Town Hall.

But Raila who initially appeared to be neutral referred the Otondi and Okello team to the ODM party branch chairman Dave Okwatch to convene the meeting and have the matter resolved.

The two camps later on Tuesday the previous week, but no deal was struck any consensus reached. And the branch chairman Dave Okwatch later stated that his office would remain neutral on the issue of Mayoral election to enhance democracy.

Other sources confided to us that the group opposed to Mayor Okello had ignore the ODM reconciliation effort and was determined to ensure the Mayor was ousted on July 1st at all costs.

Mayor Okello has recently come under scathing criticism over his style of leadership with allegation that he has become one of the most expensive Mayors. His critics are citing his frequent trips overseas and in the region at the expense of the Council and the rampant sales of the town’s land plots.

The Mayor’s critics says that the impending administration of Kisumu County would run into trouble because it will have no land to offer to the new potential investors.

Other accusations being level against Okello include excessive arrogance and having presided over the Council which had gone into rampant sale of the Council Houses and land spaces in Town..

During the Nyamasaria meeting last Saturday, two Kisumu MPs John Olago Aluoch {Kisumu Town West} and Shakil Ahmed Shabir { Kisumu Town East}who were also present steered clear of the Mayoral election.

At the time when Mayor Okelo was brought to Kisumu and hastily nominated to the Council by he ODM on Raila instruction he was said to be an industrialist operating in the Coastal town of Mombasa and that his being the mayor of Kisumu would be an asset to the town because his presence will attract more investors. But throughout his tenure of office no tangible investment has come up in Kisumu.

Okello was previously a staunch KANU member a leader and perennial election loser in Muhoroni constituency on KANU ticket,but only switched to the ODM after losing the Muhoroni parliamentary seat to the incumbent Prof.Patrick Ayiecho Olueny.

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Kenya: Sugar Millers In Nyanza engaged in a war of attrition over row cane and harvsting zonal dispute

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

The ongoing scrambling for raw cane from the farmers by millers in the Nyanza Sugar-belt is a blessing in disguise to the growers who for many years have been subjected to a lot of suffering, delayed harvestings and other injustices.

Three sugar milling companies are currently engaged in the war of attrition over cane harvesting zones with claims of intensified poaching of raw materials and encroachment on each other’s cane growing scheduled zones.

The Millers involved in the cane harvesting war include the Chemelil Sugar Company, Muhoroni Sugar Mill and Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries based at Kibos in the outskirt of Kisumu City.As the result of competition, the prices of row can has gone up with Kibos paying Kshs 3300 per tone, while Chemelil is paying Khs 3200 whereas Muhoroni Sugar mill is paying Khs 3100 per tone.

The two factories Chemelil and Muhoroni are public owned enterprises, while Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries is privately owned by a family of entrepreneurs. The latter is much more aggressive to an extent that it has constructed and established cane yards in places previously considered as exclusively Chemelil Sugar Company’s vane growing zones.

Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries has established weighbridge and cane-yard near Awasi only a few kilometers from Chemelil Sugar Factory and another at Chepsweta on the main Kisumu-Miwani and Chemelil road also approximately about eight kilometers from Chemelil sugar factory, an action which observers viewed as aimed at encircling Chemelil and preventing the factory from receiving row cane from its cane growing zones.

But the management of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries has responded with argument that they are acting within the law taking into account the recent liberalization process. The liberalization process now allows a cane farmer to sell his crops to whichever factory or whoever he wished to do business with.

But the crux of the matter is the competition over the prices and the mode of payment. Kibos sugar Factories pays the farmers promptly on delivery of the row cane. It takes less than three weeks for the farmer to collect his cheque once his delivery is confirmed.

In Chemelil and Muhoroni the payments now takes up to one month. In the old days, this could take as many as six months long after the delivery is made, cane crushed into made sugar and sold to the consumers before the farmer received his money.

The situation is made difficult by the fact that Kibos sugar factory has got no nucleus estate farm of its own, and depends entirely on out-growers in other factories growing and harvesting zones in the outlaying districts prompting the outcry of “cane poaching”.

During its construction, the investors ignored the laid down rule and regulations, which require explicitly spelt out that a new sugar processing factory must be established in distant of 40 kilometers from the existing facility. This is the rule set out by the Kenya Sugar Board and well entrenched in the Sugar Act an article of Parliament.

The flagrant defiance of this particular clause of the Sugar Act is also the main source of the prolonged court battle between the Western Kenya Sugar Factory and the newly established Butali Sugar factory in Kakamega in Western Province which has seen a protracted legal battle through courts.

The other source of the ongoing discontent is the hurdles facing Muhuroni and Chemelil sugar companies. The firms had advanced the farmers in their harvesting zones with cane development loans for cultivations, land preparation planting, seedling and weeding in the form of loans, which are only recovered after the farmers had their cane harvested by the loaning company and delivered their row cane to the particular factory.

The same cane crop if harvested and delivered, crushed in another factory, the sugar company which had funded the cane development in the field loses its money as it cannot have the right of deduction of the same.

This has been the contentious issue, which required the government to move in with speed before the issue developed from bad to worse. The government, particularly the Ministry of Agriculture must come out with a clear-cut-policy on cane harvesting and delivery.

Concerted effort by the stakeholders to have the issue sorted out and harmonized has hit the rock. A hastily called meeting of the stakeholder recently held at Soliat in Belgut constituency and chaired by the Kricho District Commissioner turned chaotic and near violence. The meeting was also attended by the outgoing KSB board member from Chemelil/Nandi Zone, Muhoroni

The Kericho DC Samuel Njora was menacingly confronted by of rowdy and angrily farmers of Zoin zone in his district when he tried to impress it upon them to take their canes to the government-owned millers, Chemelil and Muoroni factories.

The administrator had convened the meeting to bring harmony, following a recent standoff pitting security agents and farmers who were defiantly ferrying their canes to other favorite millers instead of making delivery to the government-owned factories of Chemelil and Muhoroni.

It took political magnanimity and quick action and intervention of the former cabinet Minister Eng Kipng’eno Arap Ng’eny and local civic leaders to cool down the flaring tempers before the meeting could proceed.

But after two and half hours of the standoff the meeting kicked off with speaker after speaker castigating the DC and accusing him of being partisan in resolving the ragging zonal dispute bedeviling the rival millers Kibos, Chemelil and Muhoroni.

The two millers Chemelil and Muhoroni have been castigating Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd for encroaching into their cane growing zones causing superficial an artificial cane shortage.

The two outgoing Kenya Sugar Board directors Nicholas Oricho and David Kadongo whose areas zonal are dogged by zonal dispute also attended the meeting and took issue of liberalization of cane with the DC for allegedly being partisan in solving the prevailing wrangles.

Observers, however, maintains that the only sensible course of resolving the ongoing zonal war in the Nyanza sugar-belt is to allow the factories which had loaned or advanced the farmers with cane development cash loan recover their money before the liberalization take its effect. In the absence of a well defined rule, the factories like Chemelil and Muhoroni stand to lose millions.

The Kibos sugar mill has installed another weighbridge at Chepsweta and also near Awasi to save cane farmer from the Nandi zone with rigorous of transport and also to avert spillage in Awasi Township.

The scrambling over row canes has of late become incentive to the growers and made sugar cane as one of the highly valued cash crops. And the competition could even be worse once the currently out of production Miwani Sugar Mills in its zone is revived.

But farmers say they were happy, because they can now expect a visit by agents of the millers at their own step exploring the possibility of having their cane harvested. They are everywhere even looking for premature cane crops. They come with a couple of kilos and a few shillings in hand for the purpose of persuading the cane farmers to allow them to harvest his field unlike in the old days when they millers were asking for bribe money before any talking of harvesting cane from a famer’ field is initiated.

It is now the turn of the Millers to bribe their way in order to get immature cane to harvest for their factories which are reported to b running at half their daily turn out and crushing capacities.

The Awendo-based SONYSUGAR would soon find itself to a similar situated when the new factories currently being established in Ndhiwa and in Trans-Mara district goes into production next year.

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Uganda: Tullow Oil has announced more discovery of oil and gas in Uganda’s Lake Albert basin

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

NEWS emerging from Kampala says that the London-based Tullow Oil has announced its discovery of two more oil wells in Western Uganda.

The Irish company says it has encountered oil line with pre-drilling expectations in Albertine basin.

The oil prospecting company said it had discovered hydrocarbon {oil and gas} bearing reservoirs in Jobi-East 1 and Mpyo-3 well sunk in exploration area EA-1 seismic in the Lake Albert Rift basin.

A gross one billion barrels of oil has been discovered to date in Uganda’s Albertine Rift. With many prospect still to be drilled, Tullow Oil Plc believes the basin has an additional 1.5 billion barrels of oil yet to be found.

“Jobi-East-I and Mpyo 3B well results mark an excellent start to the next phase of exploration and appraisal campaign in the basin to determine the total oil resource base, says Angus McCross, the Tullow’s exploration director.

The logging and sampling operations confirmed the presence of oil in two high quality reservoir zones. In addition, gas has also been logged and sampled with sands.

Tullow Oil has interest in EA-1 as well as exploration area 2 and 3A in Uganda. This firm gained a foothold in the landlocked country through the acquisition of Energy Africa in2004 and Hardman Resources in 2007.

“We look forward to more exciting wells as we endeavor to determine the total oil resources base, which will underpin the basin-wide development preparation in progress,” adds McCross.

At the same time Tullow CEO Aidan Heavy was also quoted as saying that plans to accelerate production stage of highly successful Uganda blocks are underway.

In the neighboring Kenya meanwhile, a Canadian oil exploration firm, Vanoil Energy, will spend USD 4.6 million on acquisition of seismic data in Block 3B in Northern Kenya in preparation for drilling of oil and gas wells.

The Canadian firm has contracted the Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting {BCP] to carry out the seismic survey to map out potential drilling sites.

Completion of the data acquisition is expected by the end of September 2011. Dal Brynalsen the Vanoil CEO said the objective of the 2011 seismic program me is to delineate more leads in Block 3B and upgrade three known leads to possible drillable target.”We are very pleasant to have executed a second agreement and look forward to engaging such a high quality organization to implement our seismic plans,” he said.

Evaluation is going on for 2010 seismic program which cost over USD 5 million Vanoil has executed another contract with BGP for USD 3.5 million involving acquisition of 373 kilometer data.

Additional costs will be incurred on technical equipment audit, quality assurance control, data reprocessing, interpretation and integration with other geophysical or geological data.

A crew is being mobilized to commence field operations as a sensitization grass roots resident in the area is ongoing.

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Tanzania: Following a visit by Secretary of State Clinton Washington is injecting money into energy and infrastructure projects in Tanzania

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

The recent tour of Tanzania by the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Washington is injecting at least USD 206 million into energy projects in that country that will help boost the country’s power generation.

The money will be used to construct and rehabilitate 24 power sub-stations as will as install a new 100MW sub-marine power cable between the mainland and Zanzibar

The financing is part of deal of a USD 698 million grants extended to Tanzania in 2008 under the Millennium

Challenge Corporation to fund water, energy and infrastructure projects in Tanzania.

During her cent visit to Dar Es Salaam, Clinton said the success of the project will mean Tanzania can cut the present power crisis by over half and boost the country’s economic growth.

“The future of Tanzania depends on the availability of a reliable power service,” she said.

The power shortage has triggered rationing and pushed up the cost of production in the manufacturing sector.

The government plans to spend Tshs 4.7 trillion {USD 2.96 billion under a five year development program that end in 2015 to boost electricity output from 1,000MW to 2,780MW.

An American energy firm Symbion Power LLC will construct a 100MW plant at Ubungo in Dar Es Salaam and another 60MW in the lakeside northwestern City of Mwanza.

The CEO of Symbion Power Paul Hinks was quoted in the local media has government has entrusted his firm with almost USD 100 worth of electrification work across Tanzania.

Energy and Mineral Minister William Ngeleja also disclosed that talks were underway between Pan-African, TANESCO and Petroleum Development Corporation to increase gas supply from 90 million cubic feet to one million cubic feet to meet the rising demand.

“One gas unit produces 15 MW and additional supply from Symbion will step up this to 75MW,”the Minister added.

Symbion Powr management said last week it had signed an interim agreement with Tanesco to sell power to the state-owned utility. The company charges a rate of USD 4.99 per kilowatt hour.

Symbion Power and Pick Electronic Corporation based in Mount Airy, North Carolina, won a contract of USD 110 million and USD 18 million respectively, from the Millennium Challenge and Corporation account to build a sub-station and extend electricity distribution in Tanzania,the us Embassy said in its website.

Early this year Tanzania started the construction and expansion of nearly2,88o kilometers of the national power grid after it acquired USD 65 million from the MCC account.

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