Category Archives: HEADLINES

KENYA: STOP SUGAR IMPORT,GOVERNMENT URGED

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To: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

By Agwanda Saye

Sugar millers in Western Kenya have asked the government to find measures of stopping he entry of illegal sugar into the markets that threatens their operations.

The Kenya Sugar Manufacture Association says there is an influx of cheap sugar crossing the border into the Kenyan market without paying necessary duties.

The association chairman Peter Kebati says the government needs to seal the loopholes at the border where illegal sugar passes into the country.

Kebati says the mills will be forced to reduce the cane price that now stands at Sh. 2,900 per tonne if the issue is not addressed by the government.

Addressing the press in Kisumu after their meeting, Kebati who is also the managing director of Mumias Sugar Company says that the government should advance funds for development of more cane.

He says there are numerous millers in Western Kenya but there is no effort to develop more cane for the mills.

Kebati noted that more research should be done in other areas in the country for expansion of the development of more cane.

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KENYA: MUHORONI MP ARRESTED OVER HIS ATTEMPT TO KILL KENYA’S NGO’s BOSS.

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By Our Investigative Reporter

Muhoroni Member of Parliament James Onyango K’oyoo finally appeared before Kisumu County Criminal Investigations Department Officers to answer to allegations of being involved in an attempt to kill Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) Co-ordination Board Chief Executive Officer Dr.Hezron Mc’Obewa.

K’oyoo who appeared shaken and sweating profusely was grilled by the Criminal Investigations Officers for nearly six hours before being released and emerging out of the office of the County Criminal Investigations boss David Cheruiyot stating that he was from Nairobi and was “just passing by to greet” the detective boss.

Pressed further by journalists if he was not summoned after a suspect had mentioned him of having given them money to kill Dr.Mc’Obewa , K’oyoo admitted of having recorded a statement but denied ever hiring the said suspect.

“Mc’Obewa is my relative and the suspect has denied that he has never met me,” K’oyoo added

But Mr.Cheruiyot maintained that K’oyoo was summoned by his office to clear his name over the said allegations and he had indeed recorded a statement.

“Dr.Mc’Obewa received a death threat and reported the matter to the police and police managed to arrest a suspect who mentioned K’oyoo as the one who had given them money to kill him and that’s why we summoned him to record a statement which he has done and I have allowed him to go as we continue with our investigations”Cheruiyot said

He added that should there be any need for further clarification on the issue from the MP then they will not hesitate to summon him again.

There has been bad working relationship between Mc’Obewa and K’oyoo as the former has showed interest in becoming Muhoroni Sugar Company Receiver Manager which the latter who is the area MP has vehemently opposed saying such will happened over his dead body.

Contacted ,Mc’Obewa on his part called on the security agencies to speed up their investigations and bring any culprits found to book saying issues of life and death threats should be given attention they deserve.

However he maintained that despite the incident, it will not deter him from his set goals and agenda in helping the people of Muhoroni where he was born and brought up saying he is not nursing any ambition of being the area MP and told K’oyoo not to panic.

“If I am to go to any elective post then I might go for the Gubernatorial seat, Senate seat or the Presidency, I am not interested in being Muhoroni MP” he added

Meanwhile, Dr. Mc’Obewa has warned NGO’s against failing to make their financial returns as stipulated within the law.

Speaking in a Kisumu Hotel during the Kisumu County Government and NGO’s forum in which over two hundred NGO’s drawn within the county attended Mc’Obewa added that the NGO’s working within the County contributed to nearly kshs 200 billion during the last financial year.

“You NGO’s know of the requirement to declare our bank details in your annual reports and to report any changes in addresse or changes in officers as well as submitting an audited returns to the NGO’s Co-ordination board by every 31st March of every year failure of which you will be breaching the 1990 NGO’s act” he told the forum

CHEMICAL FISHING IN LAKE VITORIA COULD HURT KENYA’S ECONOMY

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THE DANGEROUS USE OF CYANIDE IN CHEMICAL FISHING IN LAKE VICTORIA COULD HARM KENYA’S FISH EXPORT TRADE ABROAD

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay Town.

UNSCRUPULOUS fishermen in Lake Victoria have recently introduced the use of cyanide and other chemicals to improve their fish harvesting in a manner which could prove to be very harmful and a health hazard to the consumers.

The time is ripe for the government of Kenya, particularly the Fisheries Department in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Minerals – Kenya, especially the Department of Fisheries in the Ministry of Minerals and Natural Resources, to institute thorough investigation on these claims with the view to protect fish commodity from this region as its economic mainstay.

Fish is one of the most important assets, which is raking millions of shillings into the country and as such is playing a pivotal role in Kenya’s economic growth.

According to Homa Bay County Governor Cyprian Otieno Awiti the county is earning about Kshs. 7 billion annually from the fishing industry.

It is being moderately estimated that Kenya earns about Kshs. 15 billion per year,most of the money come from foreign exchange from its experts to foreign countries in Europe, Middle East, Japan, Israel and the US. A highly prized item is the delicious fillets from the economically important Nile perch.

Nile perch fillet dishes is said to be so popular with consumers in the EU countries.

However, the laxity and complacency with which the government of Kenya is treating the fish industry could hurt the fish trade and further force close to 20,000 fishermen currently employed in the industry out of jobs.

In Homa-Bay County alone fishermen harvest approximately 80,000 metric tones worth Kshs 2 billion. This represents about 50 percent of the total catches in Lake Victoria waters, especially along the narrow Nyanza Gulf which the Homa Bay County is sharing with the neighboring Siaya, Kisumu Busia and Migori counties.

According to available statistics out of the total fish landings, Nile Perch accounts for about 40,000 metric tonnes valued at Kshs 6 billion and Omena (Ndaga) accounts 33,000 metric tonnes worth Kshs 2 million.

The Lake Victoria region, however, now has 1,801 fish pounds covering an area of 540,3000 square metres. Annual fish production from aquaculture is about 50 metric tonnes worth Kshs 12 million.

Governor Awiti disclosed that his county government has launched a campaign to popularize aquaculture to help ease pressure on Lake Victoria and its natural resources and is working closely with the Fisheries department in concerted effort to stamp out the use of illegal fishing nets, a practice which is to blame for the sudden decrease of fish stocks in Lake Victoria.

However, the other practice which is proving to be the worse is the increase in cases where unscrupulous fishermen use very cyanide chemicals in poisoning the fish. The practice is so bad as it killed fish in thousands and then destroyed the breeding grounds.

Equally met into great danger are the consumers of those fish killed with chemicals

Overseas consumers of Kenya fish often are unaware of the chemicals fishing method used upon some of imported fish from Kenya. The practice is also posed as being a health hazard to the breed consumers, therefore must be discouraged at all cost.

Fish harvested through the use of chemicals becomes perishable within hours and rotten even before reaching the consumer kitchen.

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KENYA LAWYERS TELLS UHURU TO SIGN THE BILL

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Subject: Kenya lawyers
To: “jaluo@jaluo.com”

By Agwanda Saye

Lawyers have urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to append his signature on the Matrimonial Property Bill 2013.

They also have called on the Judiciary to establish a division of the High Court that exclusively deals with matrimonial property.

The lawyers also proposed that Judges in the Family Division of the High Court at Milimani Law Courts be increased from two to 10 to deal with backlogs and increasing family disputes.

LSK Vice Chairperson Ms. Lilian Renee Omondi said that time had come for the country to do away ancient and unconstitutional matrimonial laws.

Family lawyer Ms. Judy Thongori said that the controversial amendments introduced by Parliament on November 12 can be addressed after President Kenyatta assents the Bill into law.

“We (Kenya) have made gains on the Bill that sending back the Bill to Parliament for debate may kill the dream,” Ms. Thongori said.

The lawyers were speaking during a joint Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) breakfast meeting at The Hilton Hotel in Nairobi.

UN Women Country Director Zebib Kavuma said that the Constitution has transformative provisions on equality and non-discrimination that should be upheld.

The Matrimonial Property Bill 2013 elicited public debate after Parliament amended a provision that spouses share matrimonial property 50-50 upon divorce.

According to the amendment by the National Assembly, spouses must prove financial contribution to acquiring matrimonial property before claiming a stake

Ms. Thongori said that the country has no law on matrimonial property arguing that the Bill has progressive sections that should not be embraced.

“There is a lot of public mis-information on the Bill. It has provisions that cater for both professional and stay at home mums on ownership of matrimonial property,” Thongori said.

Lawyer Ochieng Oduol said that the Bill should be passed into law and the Judiciary urged to establish a division that deals with matrimonial property.

“The Family Division at the Milimani Law Courts currently has only two sitting Judges to hear increasing cases on divorce and division of matrimonial property,” Mr. Oduol said.

Mr. Oduol said that the Judiciary should increase the number of Judges at the Family Division from the current two to at least 10 Judges.

Nominated Senator Ms. Judith Sijeny and Runyenjes MP Ms. Cecily Mbarire said that the Bill will be a pillar to both men and women when signed into law.

“We want President Kenyatta to sign the Bill into law then we shall deal with the few controversial clauses later,” Ms. Mbarire said.

Ends….

KENYA: A MAASAI WOMAN AND HER CHILDREN HOLD HOSTAGE BY LIONS

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A TERRIFIED MAASAI WOMAN WHO LOCKED HERSELF IN THE HOUSE AS THE PRIDE OF SIX LIONS FEASTED ON THE FAMILY BULL

Reports Leo Odera Omolo

A Kenyan Maasai living close to the famous and popular tourist destinarion in Kenya, the Maasai Mara is counting its losses after a pride of six adult lions and their cubs invaded their homestead and killed one fat bull.

The beasts made a break into highly fortified Manyatta home and jumped into the cattle pen,. A young housewife and her young children were asleep when the incident occurred. Her husband was away at the time of the incident leaving the family behind at home, which is located close to the Mara Game Reserve,

The lions imposed a dawn to dusk curfew and held the family hostage for close to ten hours. After accessing the cattle pen. The woman said she was terrified when she opened her door during the day break only to find the six lions and their cubs feasting on the carcase of the family bull they had killed. She quickly locked the door and could not raise the alarm fearing the beasts on hearing any commotion w could be provoked to attack her and her children, The children were still sleeping and It didn’t alert them.

The woman and her children fearing they would be terrified on seeing the lions wondering in the homesteads next to their doorstep. She stay put inside the Manyatta until the neighbors, who sensed that something was wrong in the home, came. The neighbors wondered why the family cattle were still locked inside the pen whle the herds of cattle from the neighboring home were grazing outside They came with crude weapons such as arrows and speakers and chased the lions away . The beasts escaped into the nearby thicket and disappeared in the forest and game reserve. The woman and her family were late rescued by the neighbors. Mrs Christine Nakola 43 year old mother of six children.

The neighbors might have wonders that something is a miss, because there were no human movements in the usually crowded Manyatta, while the family herds of cattle were still locked in their pen.

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KENYA’S NEWEST WHITE SUGAR MILLING FACTORY EXPECTED TO START WORK NEXT JULY

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

Kenya is expected to commission its tenth white sugar processing factory next July. This will place the country to a near self-sufficiency in sugar products. Already the country has nine sugar mills most of them are located in the sugar growing region in Western part of the country.

Once fully operational, the new sugar mill, which is currently under construction in the Coastal district of Kwale will help the country cut-down its perennial deficit in sugar preproduction for its domestic requirement and needs.

Available statistics shows that Kenya is currently producing close to 500,000 of made sugar, while domestic needs stands at about 700,000 tons annually. This leaves about 200,000 tons, which the country is sourcing from foreign countries. At the present the bulk of these imports come from Egypt, a country which is outside the Preferential Trade ArEA for East and Southern African countries [COMESA}. However it has since been discovered that Egypt is a country which is producing less sugar for its domestic supplies, but only imports the commodity from Brazil, which in turn is re-exporting to Kenya.

Sugar products sale into the domestic and international market would boost the economy. The firm which is constructing the new factor is called Kwale International Sugar Company Limited [KISCO} The firm is expected to invest about USD 200 million which is equivalent to KJSHS 17 .1 billion. The project is also expected to generate 80 megawatt of electricity with 25 per cent being used to the plant and 75 per cent to be used for water supplies to the mill, and the rest would be connected to the national grid.

The new factory is expected to go into production on or about July 24, 2014 when its products would be introduced into the regional and local market. The project director Mr Harsil Kotwxha was recently quoted by the media as saying that that because sugar cane takes a year to mature in the coastal region due to unfavorable weather, compared to between 18 and 24 months in other sugar cane growing zones in Western KENYA.

The firm is currently embarked in constructing green field system of sugar cane growing. It started land preparation and cultivation in 2010 through the cultivation and plugging of a 5000 hectares nucleus estate farm.

The entire project is expected to cost Kshs 17.1 billion. It was launched by the retired President MWAI kibaki in 2007. It is owned by members of a family of business men through their family business flagship IPabari investment.

Endshich undertook the initiative following the collapse of Ramisi Sugar factory in 1980,which later sold 25 per cent share equity to Omni Sugar.

The project was partly financed by CPC/Stanbic and the PTA bank. At the same time about 1,200 local farmers were registered as the cane out growers. They have so far put about 4000 hectares of land read for sugar cane plantation2. The government of Kenya had leased 15,000 hectare of land for the same purpose..

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KENYA: POLICE ARE PRAISED FOR IMPROVING SECURITY ALONG LUO-NANDI BORDERS

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

The insecurity situation along the Luo – Nandi border that has been escalating in recent months is likely to improve following the gunning down of an armed thug by policemen in Nandi Hills town this week.

Jack Kispang who is suspected to have been ex-security personnel was on Monday this week trailed by detectives more than 10 hours from Cheptiret to Nandi hills town where he and his accomplices plans to stage a robbery of a supermarket were botched.

Detectives confronted the suspected robbers when they drew a pistol and threatened to shoot the workers at the supermarket and ordered them to surrender. Kipsang was armed with a Ceska pistol. The officers shot him several times at a close range. His companions fled and were still being hotly pursued by policemen.

A police source in Nandi County said the deceased is suspected to have been the leader of a heavily armed gang who were behind a spate of night attacks and killings in Nandi Hills Sub-County.

So far the gang has killed two senior managers in the tea estates within a period of two months.

The same gang, last Saturday, killed 70-year-old tea farmer Paul Malakwe Arap Rop. The wealthy farmer was attacked at his home, located at Chepotik village several kilometers outside Nandi hills town.

Police Chief in the area Jacinta Wesonga confirmed the incident. Seven people have been shot dead in the area in the last two months.

The police believe the culprits are behind six other murders and have appealed to members aware of the problem to volunteer information on those behind the worrisome and alarming killings.

Two weeks ago, the security Minister Joseph Ole Lenku in the company of the inspector general of police David kimaiyo toured the volatile Nandi-Luo and order and urged the two communities to maintain peace

The two top security officials assured tea and sugar cane farmers of the governments intention to improve security.

The first tea estate manager to die was was David Bivech of Chemartin Tea Estate who was attacked by the group armed with AK47 assault riffle in his house. Five other people who included Bivech’s wife, two administration police officers, a clerk and a night watchman were also injured in the attack on the manager’s house and were hospitalised for gun wounds which they sustained during the raid.

In the second raid incident William Nyongai an estate manager at Kapchoring Tea Estate received a gun shot wound and died while being treated at the nandi Hills Sub – District Hospital. Nyongai ‘s assailants escaped by cutting the barbed wire fence.

Three other deaths in the recent weeks were reported in the Muhoroni site of the border. They included 3 teachers, a retired teacher and a farmer. In the Nyanza incident, the three victims were shot to death by the assailants using poisoned arrows.

At the same time large scale sugar acne farmers in Kibos area near Kisumu and around Miwani, Chepsweka areas along the Nandi Escarpment have raised complaints about the want on destruction of their cane fields by herds men who are defiantly grazing herds of cattle in their farms thereby destroying young cane land.

Each time farmers who are members of the Indian community send watchmen to drive animals out of their farms, the herdsmen threatened them by shooting at them with arrows. The farmers have appealed to the government to bring the situation to an end and save their crops.

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KENYA: ATWOLI AND COTU HAVE FAILED KENYAN WORKERS

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By our special correspondent

The sentiment expressed by a section of Western Kenyan leaders who have asked the Kenya Sugar Boards Chief Executive Rosemary Mkok to Resign has received the backing of sugar cane farmers in Nyanza.

A cross section of farmers in the sugar cane farming fraternity there is a teaching that the KSB CEO should pack and go home due to what they termed as “incompetency, inefficiency and poor management style.

Western province Mp who included Kakamega senator Bonny Khalwale, Mwingi West MP Benjamin Wachiali, Mumias West Johnson Nakoccaa an Lugari MP Ayub Savula in a joint statement released in Kakmega last Friday called on the KSB CEO to take responsibility for the problem taking the Sugar Industry in this country.

The \Western leaders were speaking during the stakeholders meeting held at Mumias Sugar Company Guest House.

The team warned that “Sugar Industry was on the verge of fatal collapse because of Mkok’s poor leadership”.

The KSB which is the regulatory body in the sugar industry had irregulsrlym licensed millers to operate in various parts of their region without meeting the mandatory requirements which stipulated in the law and that is why the sector is in the present mess.

The regulation guiding the establishment of new sugar mills have been ignored and violated with impunity hence the source of intensive scrambling for the raw cane.

It stipulates that the new mills might be located about 40 kilometers from the existing for the purpose of maintaining smooth supplies of raw cane.

The regulation was flagrantly violated by the KSB when it licensed both West Kenya and Butali Sugar Mills very close to each other.

In Southern Nyanza the Sukari Limited at Wachara in Ndhiwa is only 10 km from the Awendo based Sony Sugar while at the same time another Sugar factory in Trans Mara is less than 20km from each. This has been the source of excessive cane poaching.

Meanwhile workers within the Sugar Industry in Western Kenya have placed the blame about the woes in the sugar sub-sector of the economy on the unrealistic policy and practice of Cotu (k)

The workers blame the Secretary General Francis Atwoli for having failed the workers in the sugar industry in particular and in the agriculture sector as a whole. Atwoli is fond of double speaking and has contributed largely towards the workers endless problems in this country.

Atwoli is the secretary at the Kenya Union of Agriculture and plantation. He has clandestine interest in the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation Workers (KUSPW) whose secretary general is Francis Wagara while the union chairperson is Mrs Roslida Atwoli. It has become a family business.

Atwoli has failed to kick out foreign workers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who now forms the best part of staff in the Sugar Mills. All the sugar Mills owned by Indian Investors have imported hundreds of foreign workers. Some not even justified for the farm jobs they are holding can be filed by the local Kenyans.

These Mills included Butali, West Kenya, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries , Sukari industry in Ndhiwa and Trans Mara Sugar. Factory in Narok Countty.

Foreigners are engaged on petty subordinate jobs general office clerks, time keepers, store – keepers, junior clerks, account clerks, messengers, cleaners, mechanics, electricians e.t.c. these categories of jobs can be filled by Kenyans.

The attack on COTU (K) and Atwoli came as realization to his support for the de-regeneration of Buteli at West Kenya Sugar Companies in Kakamega County.

Speaking during a fundraising meeting at Chekalini Secondary School in Lugari Constituency where he supported the blamed move by members of the National Assembly to de-register Butali out then key as saying that some of then licenses to the millers were uncalled for..

Anyone supporting the existence of the two factories is encouraging corruption, he said, abutting Mumias Sugar Man can employ and support over 200,000 people it allowed to thrive without competition.

Atwoli also came in to time for having failed miserably from his vain attempt to block the introduction of mechanized tea plucking machine in Kericho, Bomet, Bituli and Nandi Hills, tea growing regions. These machines were introduced a couple of years ago hence rendering close to 20,000 workers who plucked tea manually further deep then Atwoli vehement opposition to the man, which included a failed strike.

The COTU (K) should stop the mechanized tea plucking machine that instead of interfering with the workers in the Tea industry first before poking his nose into the sugar industry

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KENYA: AWENDO RESIDENTS WANTS THE AUTHORITY TO STAMP OUT MOTORBIKE ACCIDENTS

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Awendo TOWN

RESIDENTS of Awendo Town in Migori County have raised complaints against the increased number of Motorcyclists boda Boda operating in the area which have become the source of insecurity and many accidental deaths. They are demanding for the quick intervention of the Prov9ncial Administration and the police authorities because the numbers of deaths caused by these machines have reached the most alarming proportion.

Many deaths in the recent months have occurred in the recent months. These deaths have become the source of worries as a day hardly passed without someone loosing his or her precious lives. Some of the deaths are are caused due to business competition. A number of riders have been killed by their own passengers and their motorbikes stolen by passenger – turned thug.

The residents have also appealed to the government to ensure that the boda boda riders operates only during working hours and strictly not after darkness. Two riders had their throats sit open and killed within a week after the smartly dressed passengers who hired them after darkness turned thugs and killed them in grisly and cold blooded murder.

The two incident took places within SAKWA central. In the first incident, a motorbike rider was hired by a passenger art Dede Market and who wanted to be taken to Ranjira area. But the rider never saw the next light of the day. He was found dead the next day by the roadside with hid motorbike missing.

Two prominent sugar farmers and business have died as the result of motorbike accidents. The first who died was Mzee Nahashon Nyandiga Aloo of Ng’ong’a village in Sakwa South who met his end while traveling from his home to Awendo town.

Mzee Washington Ogweno Otata, a retired medic from Rinya village in Waware sub-location Sakwa East, was killed by a motorbike rider a month ago. Gun toting criminal thugs have also been reported as being ferried into the villages at night by boda boda motor cyclists with intention of committing a felonies..Quite often the motorbike riders whose numbers have tripled in the recent months.

In most cases these riders have no driving licenses and not qualified to ride their machines on the highway. Police traffic manning the feeder and access roads from the rural locations into the town normally allows the riders to ferry extra passengers so that they could earn 100 ij bribes money. Most of the boda boda who are licensed to carry only one passenger do carry between town and three passengers, putting their lives to a great risk. The riders overload their bike, and even some times carrying up two or three passengers instead of one while traffic police only demand 100 for their bribe money.

There are several access and feeder roads which are linking Awendo town with the surrounding rural locations and villages. They included Awendo-Rapogi-Road, Awendo-Mariwa-road, Awendo Kanyimach-road and the Kisii-Migori highway which passes through.On Market days, the traffic policemen mount road barriers and road blocks on these roads as early as 7.30 A.M ,but all these for the purpose of collection but no traffic offenders are booked.

It has been confirmed that close to 500 motorcyclists are operating inside this small farming town and this has become the source of insecurity

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Kenya’s top leadership to snub western markets

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From: Gordon Teti

The top Kenyan leadership needs western markets more than the western markets need them. They are playing politics with the livelihood of Kenyans. I dare them to implement their threat as this will be the beginning of the end of a dying donkey. Those who claim that Uhuru Kenyatta is fighting terrorism in the horn of Africa are misguided fellows who don’t realize that Western intelligence gathering have facts on who were the architects of Westgate Mall terrorist attack in Kenya. The world has details on how and why the attack happened and those who thought they would hoodwink the world by using the Westgate massacre of innocent people for the deferral of ICC trials now know after the UN Security Council rejected the deferral bid that you can fool some people all the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time. I have always wondered who advises these people or to say the least if they understand the dynamics of international politics. Laurent Kabila lost power within 6 months after turning his back on
Western powers that sponsored his rebellion against Mobutu Sese Seko. The same Rwanda and Uganda, the two countries that are now taking Uhuru to the top of a political cliff before abandoning him there are the same two countries that were used to put Laurent Kabila in power and out of power. Uhuru has made the deadliest and costly political mistake by threatening the economic interest of the Western nations and by doing so his days are numbered. History is full of lessons of leaders from the South who made the same political miscalculations that Uhuru Kenyatta has made by chest thumping and acting tough against “Western imperialism” and all of them ended up with nothing to write home about. Saddam Hussein of Iraq who was more powerful than Uhuru Kenyatta dug a hole to hide into from where he was pulled out like a rat and exposed to the whole world looking a shadow of himself. What about Moamar Ghadaffi? The same scenario. He was found hiding in a tunnel despite the many bomb-proof palace bankers that he used
billions of the Libyan oil money to build for himself. Those who are still shouting threats against Western governments following the UN Security Council resolution that rejected deferral of ICC cases against Uhuru and refused to support impunity are digging a deeper hole for Uhuru Kenyatta.

KENYA: PLANS UNDERWAY TO HAVE THE ROAD TO TOM MBOYA MUSOLEIM IN RUSINGA TARMACKED

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Homa-Bay

THE Homa-Bay County government has envisages a plan to have the road from Mbita Point crossing to Rusinga Island termacked in order to give tourists and other visitors easy access to Tom Mboya Mausoleum, which is located at the late freedom fighter’s home near Matenga beach at Kamasengre, Rusinga West Location.

This was disclosed by the Homa-Bay governor Cypria. Otieno Awit. He further explained that ather road network earmarked from future improvement included Oyugis Kendu-Bay road and Rangwe-Rodi-Kopany Oyugis road. These roads are so important not only for easy communication, but would also facilitate easy travelling for traders and formers to access markets in the hinterland.

Other projects which are in the pipeline included tarmarcking the road which is traversing Mfangano, another fishing island which is also potential for tourist attractions.

Plans are also a foot for improving Kadongo-Gendia road and and the road that branches off at Kanyadhiang on the main Kendu-Bay-Homa-Bay rod and traversing Homa Hills via Pala as well as Kadel-Kowuor Pier road.

Prior to independence in 1963 Mboya used to walk from Mbita Point to his Kmasengre home on Rusinga Island.a distant of about eight miles. He used to cross Mbita Channel using a Dingy while leaving his car on the mainland, but this was later replaced by Ferry servicerr and after Mboya’s death in 1969, a Coasway was constructed. A permanent bridge is currently under construction The KENYA Museium services has since taken over the management of Tom Mboya Mausoleum.

Mboya, the most brilliant politician Kenya, has ever had is widely acknowledge as an uncompressed freedom fighter at the same time the architect of Kenya’s independence, died in hails of bullets fired by an assassin in a Nairobi street on July 5, 1969. HE HAD BEEN THE Secretary General of the independence party KANU ever since its inception in June 1960 up to his death while serving as Kenya’s MINISTER FOR Economic Planning and Development.

Governor AWITI said his government is busy initiating many socio-economic projects with far reaching to the electorate in the region. These projects are well spread in all seven parliamentary constituencies.

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KENYA: KISUMU CITY IS SOAKING IN FILTHINESS

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

KISUMU City has lost its old glory, credibility and reputation as one of the cleanest towns in Kenya and is now soaking in filthiness with waste paper littered everywhere.

Refuse collection is something of the past. Rubbish is heaped in almost every street giving stinking smell. Brief walks through the Central Business District {CBD} confirm that the town is in a total mess if not neglect. Street lights go off quite often giving leeway to gangs of criminal elements to harass pedestrians walking home.

Petty kiosks are mushrooming everywhere wherever there is a small piece of land space, and most of these kiosks turns out to be the hideout for criminal thugs.

The shortage of water is one of the most worrying subjects, which the residents have to contend with. This is so despite of the fact that the beautiful City stands next to the eastern shoreline of Lake Victoria.

The current pathetic situation, according to residents is being attributed to the recent change of the town’s administration from the former Municipal Council to the County government under the new devolution brought about by the new constitution.

The County government is being accused for having allegedly removed nearly all the former chief officers of the defunct municipality and replaced them with ex-civil servants former NGO”s employees with no experience for managing an urban centre of Kisumu size.

Members of the Kisumu County assembly are said to have developed the love for frequent flight to foreign capitals, holding of endless seminars and workshops with no bearing to the services to the people. Upon their returns from such fruitless trips the County leaders goes home quietly without briefing the residents about the experience and new methods gained from such trip. The residents see such foreign trips as the sources of money minting and fleecing the county resources.

Car Washings is the latest most booming business in Kisumu, an those This is where NEMA stands accused of sleeping on its duties and mandate of ensuring that such businesses are conducted in an environmental friendly manner.

The town is also experiencing frequent sewerage blockade. At time sewerage bursts goes unrepaired for weeks while spilling dirty waters through the residential estates. Fears now persist that should there be an outbreak of cholera epidemic many people will would suffer. The town has the history of experiencing of frequent outbreaks, especially during the heavy rain seasons.

Members of the County cabinet or executive are mostly ex-civil servants and men and women from Diasporas whose qualification cannot be verified, but are known top be related or friendly to the top officials. Many interviewed residents see the current members of the County executive as spent forces which could not turn the City around to reclaim its old glory.

Traffic signs are nowhere to warn motorists of the danger ahead., and motorists now drivers their vehicles anywhere because most of the roads in the City center had no warning sign such as one way traffic, major road ahead etc, and now wonder there is sharp increases of cases whereby frequent head-ob collision between motorists and motorbike riders.

Matatu drivers, particularly those operating ferrying passengers from the town’s center to places like Kondele and Manyatta peri urban areas often stop anywhere in the middle of the roads while picking up passengers. This includs round-abouts. There are matatu terminals in every street whereas the town’s by-laws requires Matatu to pick up passengers in designated spots including the main bus terminal. At time these vehicles stops just in the middle of round-about, even during busy hours. Disaster is in the waiting, but this could be avoided if the town\ administration could collaborate well with police traffic section in Kisumu to ensure that no vehicle is allowed to pick up passengers at the round-about.

Kisumu Town Clerk Christopher Rungana could not be reached for his immediate comment. The County governor Jack Ranguma was nowhere to be reached for comments.

Residents fear that the City might not succeed in attracting investors. No sensible investor would risk his money investing in a town where there is inadequate basic services such as water supplies and town street lights.

It appears as if the refuse collection gangs previously working for the Municipality have been disbanded and the business of reuse collection contracted to private businesses.

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UGANDAN BUSINESSMEN WANTS THE ADMISSION OF SOUTH SUDAN INTO THE EAC BLOCKED BY COURT.

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

REPORTS emerging from the Arusha based secretariat of the EAST African Community says that top Ugandan traders operating inside the Republic of South Sudan have moved to the East African Court of Justice and filed a legal suit asking the court to block the impending admission of that country into the East African Community as its sixth member.

The newest African nation had applied to join the regional trading unit. Its application for the entry into the Eac is expected to be top on agenda for the next summit of the EAC Heads of state and government, which is scheduled for April next year.

The businessmen have cited bad governance, lack of democracy, arbitrary and illegal arrests of its members and detention, rape, maiming and confiscation of merchant goods belonging to its members and confiscation of vehicles.

The legal suit is filed by members of the Uganda Traders Association comprising mainly Ugandans who are doing business in South Sudan. The Ugandans claimed that that country does not meet the criteria and lad down the rules stipulating by the EAC Treaty for admission of its membership. Their objection is on the ground that the juba regime does not met the prerequisite condition and requirements for admission into the EAC membership.

South Sudan government, they claimed has failed the test of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice. They further accused the Juba regime of failing to satisfy foreign investors operating businesses and trade in that country. Their members are allegedly being killed, maimed, raped and brutally beaten up by that country’s primitive and untrained security personnel. They laid claim of approximately 4.9 US dollars owed to them by South Sudan authorities related to unpaid bill on credit line and compensation for financial losses incurred due to the said violation of universally acceptable trade deals.

However, the Ugandan Minister in-charge of the East African Community Affairs Shem Rugena blamed the traders for having rushed to court, saying that they should have forwarded their claims to the EAC Council of Ministers before fling the court cases.

Meanwhile Kenyans arriving home from South Sudan alleged that close to ten Kenyans have died in that country under very mysterious circumstances. Some of them have disappeared without trace suspected of either held in illegal detention camps of killed.

Kenyans, they claimed, expect bare faced mass deportation and are being asked to finance the cost of their deportation. This is sometime exaggerated by the police, put at Kshs 200,200. Whereas the cost of travelling from Juba to the Kenya South Sudan border posts does not exceed Kshs 30,000 . Those under arrests or placed in police custody are tortured and at the same time being asked to pay colossal amounts of money to buy their freedom.

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EAST AFRICA LAWYERS TO MEET OVER OPPRESSIVE MEDIA LAWS

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To: jaluo jaluo@jaluo.com

By Agwanda Saye

Regional lawyers will meet over the sweeping wave of oppressive media laws in East Africa.
The East Africa Law Society (EALS) President Mr. James Aggrey Mwamu said that Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Somalia have adopted a pattern of media suppression.

“Governments in the region are jointly suppressing democratic freedoms by using unconstitutional laws to gag journalists the media,” Mr. Mwamu said.

Mr. Mwamu said that media freedom will be among the core subjects to be discussed in depth at the EALS Annual Conference set for November 15th and 16th at The Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa.

The Conference will bring together practicing lawyers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The theme is Raising the Bar: The Changing Environment for the Legal Profession in East Africa.

“We are dismayed that the Kenyan Parliament last week passed into law Acts which suppress freedom of information under Article 35 of the Constitution,” Mr. Mwamu said.

The EALS President regretted that intolerance to media freedom has also intensified in Tanzania with the recent suspension of two newspapers for alleged violation of stringent media laws.

“The Ministry of Information stopped the publication of Mwananchi newspaper and Mtanzania, alleging violation of secrecy and sedition laws,” Mr. Mwamu said.

The EALS President also recalled how The Daily Monitor newspaper was raided and shut down for 10 days in May after allegedly publishing a politically sensitive story in Uganda.

“The Daily Monitor was allowed to reopen on the promise that it would not publish material that might disturb law and order or generate tensions,” Mr. Mwamu said.

The EALS President also regretted that journalists are also reportedly being harassed and intimidated in Uganda when covering political stories like arrests of Mr. Kizza Besigye.

“There are also concerns on violent deaths of journalists, such as that of Thomas Pere in June,” Mr. Mwamu said.

The EALS President said that Burundi President Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza is about to sign into law a media Bill recently passed by the Burundi National Assembly in April.

“The Burundi Senate passed a draft media law despite opposition from journalists and the international community,” Mr. Mwamu said.

According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the new law would interfere with media independence by forcing journalists to disclose sources and imposing minimum requirements for journalists’ education and experience.

Under the proposed bill, journalists will be required to have at least two years of professional experience in addition to a university-level degree.

Additionally, the media will be banned from covering “sensitive” issues including public security, national defense, and the economy.

The new law repeals many of the provisions for jail terms imposed on violators under the 2003 law, but violations still carry penalties such as steep fines that HRW said most Burundian media outlets would not be able to afford.

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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KENYA: SIAYA COUNTY GETS REHABILITATION CENTER

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Subject: Rehabilitation Centre
To: jaluo@jaluo.com

By Agwanda Saye

35,000 people living with disability from Siaya County are set to benefit from a shillings 56 million rehabilitation center to be operational by mid next year.

Of the amount,Sh 24 million will be channeled to building,2 million for purchasing equipment,5 million for acquiring project vehicle and the rest for facilitating the beneficiaries to the facility.

The referral center being supported by Association of Persons with Disability in Kenya (APDK) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, family health department, is scheduled to construct a one stop center at the Siaya district hospital by February next year.

According to the APDK chairman Hon Moody Awuori, the facility will offer crucial service to those living and supporting people with disabilities.

“The facility once completed will help those physically challenged receive support services without travelling long distances which is costly,” added Awuori.

The former Vice president was speaking at the Siaya district hospital where he graced the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the facility.

Awuori who called on the County government to support the initiative,at the same time urged the locals to embrace the project lest it becomes a ghost project despite huge funding from development partners.

He challenged the County government to ensure that 30 percent of the local contracts are available to the youths adding that APDK has adhered to the same in its management and contract allocations.

Awuori added that APDK is seeking to open another branch in due course once the Siaya facility proves to be successful.

KENYA: GOVERNMENT URGED TO TAME ROGUE HIPPOS IN LAKE VICTORIA

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Writes Leo ODERA Omolo In Kisumu City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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KENYA: PENSION FUND FOR COUNTY WORKERS OPENS OFFICE IN KISUMU

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By Agwanda Saye

Laptrust, the pension fund for county government workers in Kenya, has opened a new branch in Kisumu as it seeks to grow revenues by strengthening its membership base in the counties.

The fund, which boasts over Ksh18 billion in assets, plans to expand to other counties and bring its services closer to members who are spread across the country.

“We have decided to open branches in every county. Kisumu is the first branch outside Nairobi we are opening in the 84 years of our existence. The decision was aimed at bringing more personalized service to our members in line with our quest to be the pension fund that serves the counties,” said Laptrust CEO Hosea Kili during the opening ceremony in Kisumu.

He added that Laptrust will soon open other branches in Mombasa, Nyeri and Garissa.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma said move by Laptrust would benefit pensioners who would no longer have to travel to Nairobi to collect their dues.

“My government appreciates this noble initiative of bringing services to customers in the spirit of devolution. Kisumu is the regional hub and this office will not only serve customers in Kisumu but also others in the region,” said the Governor in a speech read on his behalf by the county executive committee member Rhoda Ahonobadha.

The pension scheme, established in 1929, is targeting to grow its asset base to Ksh 22 billion by the end of this year. The fund’s net assets improved by 17.6 per cent to Ksh4 billion in 2012 compared to Ksh3.4 billion in 2011, attributable to high returns realized from liquid investments as well as quoted equities.

“Due to the positive environment in the year under review, the scheme recorded another strong of performance with the emphasis on improving revenue collection and prudent investments across a range of assets,” Kili told the fund’s members at the annual general meeting in Eldoret on Monday.

Kili said the fund was keen on further diversifying its asset portfolio comprising mainly property, government securities and quoted and unquoted equities.

“We are restructuring our current portfolio, for instance, by investing more in private companies with strong growth potential and optimizing our property investments,” explained Kili.

He added that the fund was keen on reducing debt owed by contributors and had successfully recovered Ksh4 billion in debts by the end of last year. The number of pensioners benefiting from the scheme rose from 4,294 to 4,450 in 2012.

The fund’s membership grew from 22,685 in 2011 to 23,458 as at December 31, 2012. Kili says the improved revenue collection was also partly attributable to improved operational efficiency and enhanced customer service.

The fund’s membership comprises mostly county government employees, previously working for the defunct local authorities.

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KENYA LAWYERS BODY WANTS TRAFFIC BOSS REMOVED

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To: jaluo jaluo@jaluo.com

By Agwanda Saye

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has filed a suit to eject from office Traffic Commandant Mr. Samuel Kimaru over increased tragic road accidents.

LSK has also included the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) as respondents in the suit filed at the High Court, sitting in Mombasa.

The suit seeks a declaration that the Traffic Commandant is unfit to hold office following omissions, actions, abuse of power and gross neglect of Constitutional and Statutory duties.

It further seeks an order directing the NPSC to sack Mr. Samuel Kimaru as an employee of the Service.

According to the plaint (legal papers) drawn and filed by Ndegwa Muthama Katisya & Associates Advocates who are representing LSK, thousands of lives are being lost on roads.

“Neglect of duty by the Traffic Commandant and the NPSC leads to loss of over 3,000 lives on the road annually,” says LSK in the plaint.

LSK told the High Court that over 9,000 people are maimed for life annually, 26,000 vehicles and other property destroyed annually and billions of shillings spent on hospital bills and funeral expenses.

“Over 1,725 people lost their lives on the road between January and July 16, 2013 alone,” LSK said in the plaint.

LSK said that unlawful omissions and actions of the Traffic Commandant and NPSC have significantly contributed to the Police Service becoming the most corrupt institution countrywide.

“The Kenya Police service has consequently been nationally and internationally recognised as the most corrupt institutions,” LSK said.

LSK said that the respondents are in gross violation of the National Police Service Act No. 11 of 2012.

“The Traffic Commandant has failed to maintain law and order on roads, protect life and property, investigate, prevent and detect traffic offences, apprehend offenders, and enforce of all traffic laws and regulations,” LSK said.

In violation of Section 49(3) and (4), of the National Police Service Act , the Commandant has failed to make reports of all daily occurrences and incidents encountered in the discharge of the statutory function and submit the report to superiors.

Under Section 49(10) of the National Police Service Act, the Commandant has failed to respect the law, regulations, Service Standing Orders and to prevent violations thereof.

“The Traffic Commandant is professionally and vicariously liable for the neglects, unlawful omissions, and commissions of the officers working under his command.” LSK said.

LSK has argued that as a result of the Commandant’s failure to remove defective vehicles from the roads, a substantial number of vehicles with visible defects or violations of the Traffic Act pass through Traffic checkpoints.

LSK said that the visible defects or easily discernible defects and or violations include vehicles without both or any head-light being driven for long distances at night without being removed from the road.

Others include public service vehicles with dangerous worn out tyres, overloaded public service vehicles and commercial vehicles.

Some of the vehicles illegally emit heavy obnoxious petrol or diesel fumes, public service vehicles without speed governors, vehicles without identification number plates are habitually used in Kenya roads.

LSK said that many vehicles driven by unlicensed drivers and kerbs have been converted into parking and garages for repairing broken down vehicles.

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