Category Archives: Kenya

Scalling – up renewable energy program – Investment plan for Kenya

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from Yona Maro

This is Kenya’s Investment Plan (IP) for the Scaling-Up Renewable Energy (SREP) Program funding. The IP is in line with national renewable energy development strategy as set in the Least Cost Power Development Plan (LCPDP), Rural Electrification Master Plan, Sessional No. 4 of 2004 (The energy policy document), the Energy Act of 2006, the Feed-inTariff (FiT) Policy, the Kenya National Climate Change Response Strategy and Kenya .Vision 2030 (the National economic development blueprint). Kenya is one of the six Pilot Countries selected to benefit from SREP. The SREP program will support Kenya’s initiatives towards achieving a transformational change that will lead the country towards low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development pathway by harnessing the abundant renewable energy resources in country.
http://www.energy.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Updated%20%20SREP%20Draft%20Investment%20Plan-May%202011.pdf
—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

Kenya: Rapid Read & Take Regarding Raila vs Mudavadi ODM Nomination Hullaballoo.

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from Joram Ragem

Dear ODM members,

It is time I ask you to look at things the unusual way. We are in the new constitution era, but most importantly we are in the post ICC defining moment. This is a different Kenya. We all knew it will be different. But I guess, we never imagined how different. Remember, whoever loses this presidential elections is out of the next government absolutely.

There are two scenarios which are both not good for ODM.

The first scenario is a ‘wag the dog’ technique that ODM might have used. Though with bad notoriety, the Ekaterina 4 have been stealing the thunder from ODM and in particular Raila. They have seen their poll numbers begin to steady and rise albeit falsely and Raila’s drop gradually. To stop this trend, it is possible that ODM has ochestrated this ‘Mudavadi vs Raila’ competition to steal the headlines. This strategy could work, but it is like playing with fire. Whereas it will attract Raila opponents to pour money on Mudavadi, like the biblical Adam, Mudavadi could fall prey, it could make Mudavadi believe he is stronger than Raila. in real time, this might have already already happened. The split is already there because were are seeing it and talking about it. Mother always said not to play with fire.

The second scenario is even worse. Remember what Mutahi Ngunyi said? “A wounded Uhuru or Ruto are dangerous politicians.” Well, it is obvious that there is overt motive in the two seeing ODM or Raila prevented from even running for presidency. In real time, with real money, this is their work.

Here is the good news. Agwambo wuod Alego, owad gi Akinyi will prevail. Here is how:

My prediction is that ODM will not have elections at all. There will be infiltration by the URP rebels who will troop back in pretex of supporting Mudavadi but their real intention is to destroy ODM. They will rightly be denied the opportunity to vote, but they will go to court and the court will issue an injunction barring ODM from holding nominations. So ODM will be caught in the mess of waiting for decision by judges, like it is already happening with election date, and whether Uhuru and Ruto should be on the ballot. This is their scheme. This I predict will happen.

So my 10th great grandfather Ragem, and not I says thus, Raila as the favorite presidential candidate must be prepared to run as an independent, notwithstanding being branded a party breaker or hopper.

—-
I am Joram Ragem
You are not.
Yes, Joram Kaulikazi Ragem, wuod Ndinya, wuod Onam, wuod Amolo, wuod Owuoth, wuod Oganyo, wuod Mumbe, wuod Odongo, wuod Olwande, wuod Adhaya, wuod Ojuodhi, wuod Ragem (You may be my relative, but it matters less now. This is New Kenya!)

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ends

KENYA: DON’T ATTACK NAIROBI MAYOR-FIND SOLUTION TO PROSTITUTION TRADE

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From: People For Peace
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Nairobi Mayor George Aladwa has become under severe attack from some religious leaders and politicians when he said on Sunday he has appointed a committee to advise whether prostitution should be legalised in Nairobi city. The committee, which is led by assistant town clerk in charge of reforms Daniel Masetu, was mandated to analyse city by-laws that make prostitution illegal and advise the mayor.

Speaking to journalists at the mayor’s parlour in Nairobi, Mr Aladwa said those who are criticizing his boldness are beneficiaries of the sex trade, adding that most of those involved in the trade are not there by choice but due to circumstances. There are some incidences where media has reported that there are some politicians and prominent business men who have been beneficiaries of the sex trade.

Aladwa’s argument was based on the fact that despite the law enforcement by officers swooping on them now and again, the trade is increasingly becoming flourishing with some women waiting for their clients at Holy Family Basilica, Koinange Street and Westlands. They cannot stop even if they are arrested because this is how they are making their living.

That is why the trade does not only attract old women but also minors because of poverty. Take an example of this young lady captured by Daily Nation, Joyce Wangari, 16, and her mother Margaret Wambui crushing stones into ballast at a construction site in Ongata Rongai last week.
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Joyce sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exams at Bethel Academy in Rongai in 2010 and scored 316 marks out of a possible 500 but lacked school fees to enable her to join Ewaso Girls’ High School.

The story of Joyce is just one of the many children who cannot make the ends meet, majority of whom are coming from single mothers. For a white man what Joyce and probably other young ladies and boys, who try to survive on different ways, including child commercial work is child labour, not considering the hardship they are undergoing.

When some politicians are planning to use billion shillings as portrayed in this cartoon below, for their presidential campaigns many young people like Joyce cannot afford school and probably four meals a day as required by dieticians.
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While white men will condemn such acts as child abuse, black men would wonder why Joyce has joined the work of crushing stones into ballast because traditionally this has not been a girl’s or woman’s job.

Religious, politicians and civil society organizations will condemn the act, but for 16-year-old Joyce Wangari with her mother they are forced to do it to keep her going, especially in fulfilling her dreams that one day she would be able to raise little money to enable her go to school. Her admission letter to Ewaso Girls’ High School lies in the house until she would be able to raise Ksh 26,000 required.

That is why even though prostitution in Kenya is illegal many, thousands of girls and boys are involved in full-time child prostitution due to poverty in the region. Many families see the sex industry as the only way of putting food on the table.

The trade was given a negative concept from Swahili word for ‘prostitute’ (Malaya) when Christian missionaries started to impose western moral values on African tribal structures in colonial Africa. They created instability, including the need for men to spend long periods away from home.

In this context the malaya arose, providing ‘home comforts’ away from home, or for men unable to afford the brideprice. The young girls often wear high heels, short dress and pay a bribe to security to get into the clubs where they can get men for the night.

They like Mzungu (White man) because they generally pay 5 times more for sex than a Kenyan labourer can earn in a day. Some of them have opted to travel abroad to be married by White men for similar purpose.

The issue here is not only prostitution- there are some young people who are ready to kill due to massive unemployment in Kenya. There are about 11 million young graduate Kenyans unemployed. Those who have succeeded to be employed by security guards are paid a minimal wage of about Ksh 6,389 (about 76 US dollars) before taxes.

This money is so minimal that it cannot pay rent- take children to school, medical care, eat and save. Youth and young adults constitute almost 60 percent of the entire Kenyan population. That is why they are forced to join odd jobs like security guards, barmaids, commercial sex, and robberies among others.

Like security guards barmaids are also paid very minimal wages. Majority of them are single mothers who want to educate their children, take care of them and pay rents. A barmaid can earn up to Ksh 4, 800 (about 63 S dollars).

It is against the background that even though the Kenya government blames women for giving birth to too many children as the reason it cannot realize the vision 2030, the fact however, is that the government is to blame for luck of political good will to reduce poverty.

For poverty to be reduced, and for development to be sustainable, there must be a dynamic balance between policies and actions, which promote jobs creation, decent standards of living and a better management of the physical environment.

Such policies must ensure that poor, children, women and minorities have access to the health care, the education and social and economic opportunities. This can only be achieved if the government can act on recommendations made to fight against corruption.

Yet Kenya cannot realise its vision 2030 because much of Kenyan income is to pay debt of about 1 trillion shillings that could not be paid since independence because the money landed in wrong hands and pockets.

It is against the background that over 2.5 million households in Kenya continued to live below the poverty line. Today it is not only one in every two Kenyans is poor, the majority of them are landless and cannot enroll their children to school. This is not to mention infant mortality and life expectancy which have deteriorated to the alarming rate.

It explains why teenage girls who drop out of school due to pregnancy, social, cultural, economics, gender preference- lack of school fees, ill health, and lack of interest or failure to pay non-tuition continue to increase at higher rate.

It is due to economic hardship that many schoolgirls are not only dropping out of school due but also indulge in drug abuse, including illicit brews to suppress the stress. It explains why there are increasing numbers of single mothers in Kenya.

But even those who are married, statistics indicate that money is a major cause of marriage breakdown, accounting for 64 per cent of all divorce and separation cases according to media report.

Even women who earn more than their spouses either through better jobs or doing better in business whose husbands are increasingly becoming dependant on them cannot afford to do that for longer time.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail- ppa@africaonline.co.ke
omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: CITIZEN BREAKFAST SHOW LEADS THE WAY ON OBJECTIVITY.

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from otieno sungu

I wish to share my personal assessment of the standards of interviews by our media houses, especially the ones that touch on contemporary and topical issues, leadership and politics in general.

One media house leads the way through its very balanced approach. I must say that having watched most of these so called interrogation on issues, The Citizen’s Breakfast Show comes out as one that is fairly objective, balanced and the interviewers, both Jimmy Gathu and Henry Mutegi try to keep their political affiliations out of the show.

I must commend this level of journalism; it is this kind of level heads that will transform both our politics and journalistic standards. While we appreciate that even journalist have their affiliations, overtly, overly and shamelessly practicing the same is definitely a big no for any journalist worth his/her salt.

A lot of crap goes on in a number of other stations that I will not mention here that is passed for interrogation, one particular station relishes in leading gullible politicians into personal attacks on rivals, dragging names of opponents into the whole mix and just coming short of incitement, by the end of it all, an interview that would have been a promising platform to gauge such a leader ends up a sorry state of personalized engagement devoid of any issues.

These are the type that led to genocide in Rwanda;perhaps back home some are not far from this kind of practice if the ICC proceedings are anything to go by.

We must be very vigilant and alert to such kind of pedestrian ‘journalistic practices” that can lead to polarization.

Kudos Royal Media House for this kind of high standards, you must not think even for a moment that Kenyans do not appreciate your good work; you are actually leading the way where some are busy muddying the political waters for narrow tribal, sectarian or economic interests.

A county’s democracy is as good as its institutions, its media, its civil society and its citizenry.

We seek to stay with issues in the pursuit of good leadership, we seek to stay with issues in pursuit of good governance and we seek to stay united in all these processes.

Otieno Sungu.
Chairperson,

Vugu Vugu Mashinani.
Staying with the Issues!!!
0729294743.

TO WHOM I MAY CONCERN

1 Reply

From: Leo Odera

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS EARLY OPPORTUNITY TO RE-STATE THAT I HAVE NEVER LEFT MY KISUMU HOME FOR ANY OTHER PLACES BE IT EUROPE, AFRICA, US OR ASIA, THEREFORE AN EMERGENCY LETTER PURPORTED TO HAVE BEEN SENT OUT BY ME TO FRIENDS AND CONTACTS TELLING THEM THAT I AM STRANDED IN SPAIN AND AT LEAST 1,900 EUROS WHICH I SHALL REFUND WHEN I RETURN HOME IS FAKE AND COULD BE THE WORK OF INTERNET FRAUDSTERS AND HACKERS,THEREFORE IT SHOULD B E IGNORED AND TREATED WITH THE CONTEMPT IT DESERVES.

– LEO ODERA OMOLO –

Kenya & ICC: A Poisoned Chalice?

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from Yona Maro

This paper focuses on the initial months and years of the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s activities, recognizing that a deeper exploration of the dynamics that created division and tension is necessary for the success of future international justice interventions. Therefore this paper begins to explore a number of questions. Has the Court drawn appropriate lessons from the experience? What lessons have been learned by civil society organizations – both local and international? What more needs to be done to ensure less divisive engagements in the future?
http://www.refugee-rights.org/Assets/PDFs/2012/PoisonChaliceFINAL.pdf
—
Karibu Jukwaa la www.mwanabidii.com
Pata nafasi mpya za Kazi www.kazibongo.blogspot.com

Seminar- International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) & Tax Compliance – February 23rd & 24th, 2012

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from Gunther

DIT Approval Reference is DIT/TRN/761

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), & Tax & Compliance Seminar-February 23rd & 24th, Hilton, Nairobi

Preamble
Understanding of the requirements of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), and an appreciation of Business Tax Compliance is important for any Finance staff involved in preparation of financial statements. All Heads of Finance, Reporting accountants, Risk & Compliance staff, Internal Audit staff and other senior finance staff must familiarize themselves with the requirements of IFRS and Business Tax Principles if they are to avoid non compliance risks and be effective in production of the financial statements.

Hammond Tutu & Gunther Kenya Ltd will be conducting a two- days Seminar on IFRS and Tax Compliance on February 23rd & 24th, 2012, at Hilton, Nairobi.

This two-days overview is designed to take participants step by step through important IFRS technical issues on specific standards which are commonly applicable. This course provides a detailed overview of the major technical issues encountered when producing IFRS-compliant financial statements. The seminar will also touch on critical Business Taxation Issues especially those that have potential of exposing organizations to punitive non compliance risks. Our expert facilitators explain the principles clearly and simply and also help participants with the practicalities of implementation.

Seminar Details

Date- February 23rd & 24th, 2012

Venue- Hilton, Nairobi

Fees- Kshs 42,500/= Plus VAT per Participant.

Target Group- Heads of Finance, Other Senior Finance staff, Risk & Compliance Officers, Internal Audit staff, Reporting Accountants

Note-
Our programs are DIT Approved (Ref DIT/TRN/761), and participants can therefore claim refund from DIT
Participants are issued with a certificate of participation. ICPAK members earn 14 CPE Hours.
Organizations sponsoring more than 3 participants get the 4th to attend free.

Course Benefits
Understand and apply IFRS requirements, including accounting policies and disclosures
Understanding Financial statement presentation and specific disclosure requirements (operating segments, events after the reporting period, statement of cash flows, related parties, changes in accounting policies, changes in accounting estimates, correction of errors, and discontinued operations)
Implement the IFRS recognition and measurement rules for assets, liabilities, income, and expenses
Apply the most recent new and revised IFRS standards on the areas highlighted above
Identify key Business Tax non -compliance areas
Appreciation of Tax Planning & Management practices

Summary course content
IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements
IAS 8, Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors
IAS 16, Property, Plant and Equipment
IAS 17, Leases
IAS 36, Impairment of Assets
IAS 37, Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets
IAS 12, Deferred tax
Business Taxation (Highlights)
VAT (Highlights)
Withholding Tax (Highlights)
Tax Planning & Management

The course answers questions such as:
What are the current IFRS requirements?
When will upcoming changes be effective?
What impact do these changes have on financial statement presentation, disclosures and financial performance reports?
Which accounting standards allow alternative treatments when preparing IFRS financial statements?
What are the key tax non compliance risks is my organization exposed to?
How do you Tax Plan and Manage Tax for your organisation?

Booking Details

You can book this course online by clicking here, or send an email to info@gunthergibson.com.

For more information regarding the course, email us on the email address shown below, or call us on the numbers indicated below. You can also get more details on this course by clicking here, or visit our website www.gunthergibson.com

powered by ASPEN SOLUTIONS

Contact us
RSVP
Benson Mwangi or Ryan Kariuki, Liberty Plaza, 5th Floor, Mombasa Road
PO Box 214 – 00618, Nairobi, Tel: 020 2340347, 0704 914506, 0770 174425
Email: hammondtutu@gunthergibson.com

Kenya: five suspected night gangsters are lynched in mob justice in Uriri in Migori County

POLICE in Migori and Uriri districts are actively investigating the circumstances which led to the killing last night of five youths suspected to have been engaged in acts of criminal activities.

The incident occurred at Suka village, Central Kanyamkago, Rapogi Division, Uriri district within Migori County.

Eye witnesses reported that one of the gangsters was cornered in the act of stealing a goat and after receiving the beating from the angry villagers, the suspect took the mob to the hideouts of his accomplices, who were caught, beaten up savagely and tried with ropes and their bodies set alight by the mob using and sugar cane cobs.

Uriri D.C. George Chelagat confirmed the incident, but quickly made an appeal to the resident to refrain from acts of taking the law into their own hand. “They should hand the suspects to the police for investigations and possible prosecution against the suspected culprits instead of killing them.”

The village is only two kilometer from Rapogi Trading Center and the villagers seemed to have taken the advantage of loud music which was blow ring I a nearby funeral home. The deceased were hunted like wild antelopes during the wee hour of the night.

A member of the gang which has been terrorizing the villagers giving them sleepless night through acts of burglaries, robberies and theft was cornered. H then took the enraged villagers to the hideout of all his accomplices. Some of them on hearing the noisy of the oncoming armed villagers took off and fled the area for unknown destination.

One of the gangsters who survived is fig

WHY KISUMU COUNTY NEEDS MORE THAN JUST A SENATOR

2 Replies

from: GEOFFREY AJIKI

There are lots of rumors doing rounds that Prof. Nyongo will be vying for the Kisumu senate seat. I have not heard it from him but am seriously concerned that if this could be anything closer to the truth, then we are once again facing a bleak future as youths who hail from the county.To begin with, Nyong’o is a non performer who has failed to develop his own Kisumu Rural constituency for the two terms he has been in parliament. His immediate neighbors at home rarely see him and when they do, either Raila is spending in the Lakeside town or elections are nearing. Am not ashamed to say that his big brains should be taken to our lecture rooms to help develop the next generation of intellectuals for the country. Politics is not his game and i think a post as a lecturer at Kenyatta University would do for him.

So pathetic is the development record of Nyong’o that if he by chance gets to be the senator of Kisumu county, then we should be ready to lose the many resources we have to outsiders like it has been. For the hundreds of thousands of youths who have remained jobless and without proper education, it will be the beginning of another five years of suffering.

Let the truth be told: if he were to run for a councilor in his constituency, he would be beaten hands down like it has alwys happened. Of course everybody knows that were it not for Raila, Nyong’o would now be out of parliament because his main opponent in the last elections who also happens to be a alerned friend would have beaten him hands down. We respect you Prof but we need development minded people and not those who yell at orange house instead of serving people. You already made your future and what remains is ours. If we fail to secure it by electing a competent and able senator, we are certainly going to increase the number of school drop outs and boda boda riders. Take your good brains out of politics or wait to be a minister in the next government.

Before that, we need you people to come clear on who benefits from the factories around Kisumu like Kibos Sugar. It is in the public domain that these companies contribute money to you politicians so that they continue misusing young people without proper pay. So you eat what is not yours. If the next senator is not going to address this, then be ready for a long drawn street battle. Why has Joshua Nyamori suddenly gone silent on his criticism of Kibos Sugar? Has he also been paid?

Mr. Prof you people must know that this county is ours and if it means going to the streets to secure it, we will do it. There will be certainly no rigging or direct nomination for you this time round. If by mistake that happens, then you and Raila will never come back to Kisumu. Our suffering has reached boiling point and we are not ready for another term of failures like you.

KENYA: OURUU IS A DISGRACE TO THE KIBAKI ADMINISTRATION!!

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From: Tebiti Oisaboke

The former Deputy Prime Minister and Treasury “Mogul Magnet” has been a big time disgrace to the Kibaki administration, his Mt. Kenya counterpart Gurus and his family dynasty. He is a man who lives in his own world where he doesn’t have to adhere with the common man’s law. Flashback to 2010, he attempted to present his annual Treasury budget by over looking his fellow law makers whom he was supposed to give his budget proposals for dissection two weeks before his budget day. When the MPs learnt of his “tricky games” they raised an alarm to their prefect Speaker Marende who barred the son of Jomo from presenting his budget but read a “statement.” A few days after that it was discovered that some billions of the Kenya’s tax payer’s cash had disappeared from the Exchequer. When asked to explain the delinquent account, Junior brushed it aside jokingly saying that, that was a computer “glitch”. How that happen remains a mystery. All I know is that a computer gives you a feedback according to the date info you feed it with.

In 2011 coming back from his first date with the ICC Chief Prosecutor Mr. Moreno Ocampo he lost US 10Million dollars at the JIA, Nairobi-Kenya. That too remains a mystery to us. A week before the ICC pre-trial judges confirmed his charges pertaining to the 2007 elections violence, he took the law into his own hands and tried to hire the chief tax man at the KRA behind or through back doors. The COFEK had smelled a rat on the way the interviews were being conducted and lodged a case at the High Court of Kenya to stop the exercise because it was not transparent. The case was due for hearing on Friday and Jr superseded the court’s case and went a head and hired Mr. John Njiraini. However Justice Isaac Lenaola overruled Njiraini’s illegal appointment and blocked it until the matter is settled in court. Fair enough!! The country was astonished to see the disgruntled AG rush to court to defend Njiraini”s ill fated appointment by telling the court to throw away the case claiming that it had been overtaken by events. This is the worst AG Kenya has ever had since independence. What a sarcastic statement from a legal PhD holder? Its just about time we start questioning the authenticity of his academic papers and testimonials. The dude seems to be a shaming other legal practitioners in Kenya and he doesn’t give a damn. Soon or later they might start hatting their careers.

The son of Jomo needs to learn on how to conduct himself in a mature way in public. He is dismantling the good name the Mzee Kenyatta worked so hard to build. He should behave like his elder sister Margaret Kenyatta who was Nairobi’s first woman Mayor (1970-76 when her dad appointed her Kenya’s ambassador to UNEP 76-1986). His other older brother late Peter Muigai, the former MP for Juja also conducted himself in a mannerful way until he accidentally passed on in 1979. We had no problem with these two of Kenyatta’s kids. Magana, Edina’s son has always played a low profile and you will never know that he exists. Margaret is very lovable and has never been very controversial politician even when she was mayor of the city in the sun. She has always carried and maintained herself very well. Another sister, Jane Wambui who is Mbiu Koinange’s nice has also steered out of public life and only minds her own business. If Jr can afford to adopt a little bit of manners and respect the law, he will be fine. But disregarding the law and turn a deaf ear to the public cries to leave the DPM’s office according to section six of the constitution, is being very arrogant and irresponsible. Kenya does not need an arrogant occupant at our big house at the hill. We need responsible leaders who respect their employers and the supreme governing power of the land – The Constitutional Law!!!!.

Good night and may God bless Kenya during this elections year. May God bless us to elect mature and responsible folks to our 11th parliament.

TOI

Kenya: new ultra modern Mbita Ferry is to promote the volume of trades between the mainland and Suba region

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Mbita Town

RESIDENTS of Suba region have good reason to smile following the arrival of bigger and ultra-modern newly built ferry now plying the Mbita Channel from Luanda Kotieno in Uyoma, Rarieda to Mbita Point.

The arrival of MV Uzinza is a blessing to the residents of both Mbita and Gwassi districts.It will make travelling across the narrow waterway from Luanda Kotieno in Uyoma, Rarieda district within Siaya County across the Nyanza Gulf {formerly Kavirondo Gulf}to Mbita Point in Mbita district within the Homa-Bay County.

The Mbita Channel is a vital economic route for the residents of low laying locations within the two districts as ell as to the two major fishing Islands of Rusinga and Mfangano.

Mbita point is also the getaway point to tourists destined to the nearby Ruma National Game Park in Lambwe Valley and also further to the pre-historic rich sites in neighboring Gwassi district.

The passengers travelling on to Mfangano Island may now make an easy connection to small boats plying Mbita-Point Mfangano. The happiest lots are the traders who get their supplies shop goods and other cargo from wholesaler’s shops and major distributors in Kisumu.

MV Uzinza is capable of carrying 30 small cars and up to up 150 passengers. It is expected to easy congestion and scrambling, which were being experienced by travels, forcing some the to leave their vehicle on the other side of the Channel as the previous Ferry could not lift more than 8 vehicles causing also of inconveniences to the public.

The scrambles are usually common phenomenon during holidays and Christmas festivities when many residents of the region returns home from towns like Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kericho, Nakuru and other urban centers outside Nyanza. Similar congestion were witnessed particularly during funerals of prominent men and women, when hundred s of mourners got stranded at either side of the crossing points. Such scrambles will now be things of the past. The happiest lots included the fish traders and cattle dealers from both sides.

With the completion of the tarmac king of the multimillion shillings Homa-Bay Mbita road and the envisaged construction of Mbita-Sindo-Magunga, Laknyiero and Sori road businessmen and farmers in the agricultural rich Gwassi will in the near future enjoy their sweat because they will making easy access to the market for their farm products.

The government earmarked plan for he construction of the above mention ring road around the shoreline of Lake Victoria were made public for the first time by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga when he addressed a huge crowd of mourners during the burial of former Kenya’s Permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Michael Okeyo Owuor at his Kaswanga village home in Rusinga Island, adding that with the availability of fund the road could cross into Nyatike district winding up in Muhuru Bay.

The time for traveling between Luanda-Kotieno in Uyoma on the mainland and Mbita has been cut short nearly by half short following the recent construction of the ultra modern road from Ndori to Luanda Kotieno and motorist driving fro Kisumu to Mbita could now reach Luanda Kotieno within 40 minutes or an hour time depending on the size of the engine of the vehicle one is using.

The introduction of the ultra-modern Ferry on this route and the completion of modern highways between Homa-Bay and Mbit and between Ndori and Luanda-Kotieno n the mainland Uyoma now fulfill the long cherished dream of the late Mr. Tom Mboya had predicted many years ago that this region at one time would be a potential tourists attraction under the forty years Western Kenya Tourists Circuit

MV Uzinza is a milestone investment by a private firm called Mbita Ferries Limited, which is a business flagship of a youthful entrepreneur Mr Sammy Wakiaga of Rusinga Island who is also involved in other chain of businesses both in Nyanza and Nairobi.

Ends

Photo of MV Uzinza as it cruises the waterway from Mbita on its way to Luanda Kotieno.The Ferry was welcomed with enthusiasm by the residents ho gathered in their hundreds to welcome it on both sides of the Mbita Channel

Kenya: odm repeat elections in various trouble spots went on well and peaceful

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Writes Ndira-Uradi In Kisumu City.

The repeat of the much flawed elections in various sub-branches and branches in Luo-Nyanza of the Orange Democratic Movement {ODM} were concluded early this week

In most places the elections were held in a friendly and peaceful atmosphere except in the usually volatile areas of Rongo and Awendo district in the greater Southern Nyanza.

There were reports of tension and stone-throwing around Obama sub-branch in Sakwa Central, Awendo district forcing the elections to be called off by the returning officer in Kamiyawa sub-branch, while in three other sub branches of Kanyagwala, Awendo and Kasidula were concluded their election in which men and women

Dispute exists over the lists from South and North Kamagambo, which were changed over night. The returning officer allegedly doctored the correct list of the genuinely elected and replacing it with the names of people allied to the Minister for Public Services.

Party members have blamed the party’s election board for picking up dishonest people and appointing returning officers each time the elections are called. These people fiddle with the elections results after being manipulated by senior politicians seeking to maintain their influence in the local branches by filling the positions with their political surrogates..

The residents of both Rongo and Awendo district highly praised Mr Tom Okong’o, a civic leader from Kasipul-Kabondo, who was the overall supervisor and returning officer, for being steadfast and conducting the business in a fair manner.

Regions and areas like Rongo and Awendo, where acts of political thuggeries have resulted in the deaths of several people, needed to be handled with care. The party must post only trustworthy people, and not dishonest supervisor to oversee the elections in the volatile areas.

Party members have appealed to the ODM leadership to work out a formula that spellings out clearly that any politician whose leadership has been associated with political violence that which resulted in loss of lives, should be barred permanently from contesting for any elective position using the party ticket no matter how mightier he or she is and irrespective of his status within the society.

In the Rongo and Awendo contest, It emerged that forces allied to the two political giants of the region region, former cabinet Minister George Ochilo-Ayacko and the Minister for Public Service Dalmas Otieno, were involved in cut-throat competitive politics. They fought and won the elections on a 50-50 basis with Otieno suffering more losses I his Rongo backyard.

Ends

Kenya: Gossi Column

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Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

BY PETER OLIVER OCHIENG

The Famous Will

There’s a verse in the bible that says “Wise men know when they are just about to die”.

I believe the author of that verse was utmost inspired by his highness the Almighty Father because that is the simple fact of life.

And that is why most people write down their wills whenever it downs unto them that they are just about to give room for upcoming and future generations.

Otherwise, how can a sensible person write a will when he clearly knows that he’s not better placed to wave bye to this uncompromising world any time soon?

Since I was born more than two decades ago to present date, no one among those who went to hell or heaven before us ever left a famous will. The reason is that most wills range from providing heirs to wives, husbands, children, houses and acres of grabbed land among all other earthly materialistic things in the name of property.

For a very long time now, I have gone through desperate days and sleepless nights. I’ve gone through thick & thin, rain and sunshine. I’ve thought carefully and logically to produce what I now confidently refer to as “The famous will”.

“My dear wives, children, brethren, sisters and villagers (villagers are included chiefly because it takes the efforts of a whole village to raise a child).Time has come when we must call a spade a spade and not a big spoon. After birth, comes marriage and finally death. The writing is on the wall-my time has come, I have to go.

Since I was born almost 100 years ago, throughout my life as a junior, youth, middle aged man and now an old man who is just about to kiss this world an everlasting bye, I have stood the taste of time to witness the power of change on both negative and positive fronts.

Of all the changes, the most negative one has been coming out there in large numbers to feast in funerals of slain men. In the traditional African society, the trend was different as the aggrieved family used to get food donations from well wishing villagers.

From a biblical point of view, there’s no verse in the bible indicating that men ate and drunk heavily during burials. By feasting, will you be mourning or celebrating my death? I hope the point is home with all of you. Cooking food, drinking and feasting in the course of my funeral are condemned with the strongest terms ever.

As always, before the final journey to the land of the chosen few (heaven), there will be sermons and speeches from religious leaders, relatives, friends and foes alike. The holy bible always reminds us of saying only the truth so as to be set free. For those who will get a rare chance to speak, utter only the truth.

The issue of exaggerating every aspect of my life will do me no good. Of what benefit will it be to you if you stand tall and argue that I was holy than thou when all know that the word church never existed in my vocabulary? If you call me honest, many will wonder how because in death, I die with many of my neighbours debts.

How do you stand to gain if you stand before the whole village and falsely testify that I was on the fore front of fighting witchcraft when all know too well that it was not until very late that I relinguished the captain’s arm band to the villages’ witchcraft team. In order to increase my probability of ever shaking hands with those heavenly angels (Gabriel and Mary), do not be tempted to exaggerate anything about my life. Then to all speakers, do not speak to exercise your jaws. Be brief and precise.

Over the ages, there has been a raging debate as to whether women should be equal to men. Some male chauvinists argue that since Eve was constructed from Adam’s rib, there’s no way women can become a dorminant species. Irrespective of the chest thumping men, women have so far tried to hold their own account. They are nowadays fighting men left, right and centre on all professional fronts.

Leave alone professionalism, games and sports previously dictated by men have been ‘invaded’ by women. Take for instance women soccer teams like Brazil, Germany and Nigeria. These women play football like nobody’s business. All the same, they are still not equal to men.

What brings out the distinction is simple. Whereas men can dig graves, women have been denied that privilege by barbaric and superstitious beliefs imposed by men. My will is gender sensitive. Women are better placed to dig up my grave since they are the ones who toil the farms while men traverse the villages in search of drinking dens.

Women, permission is granted, brace yourselves up and dig my grave.

This is an opportunity that is extremely up for grabs. Come one, come all and prove to your male counter parts that what men can do, women can do it better and what women can do better, men cannot do. In deed, I’m bound to rest in peace if my grave is exclusively worked on by women.

Lest I forget, I’m leaving behind my pretty last wife. Although when I married her I said ‘till death do us apart’, she is not for inheritance. Not even over my dead body. I hope to meet her in the spirit world when her time expires on earth. And again, I do not need a coffin in order to go to heaven. Bye and may God bless you all.

Kenya: Uhuru / Ruto a threat to Kenyan Peace

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From: odhiambo okecth

Efforts at Peace Building in Kenya has suffered severe threats from the new found friendship between Hon Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon William Ruto and their political friends in the recent past..

As Kenyans working with others in Peace Building efforts across the Country, we must point these issues factually without fear or favour, but for the good of Kenya and the Kenyan people.

First, it is a fact that Hon Kenyatta, Hon Ruto, Mzee Francis Muthauara and Mr. Joshua arap Sang have been indicted by the International Criminal Court at the Hague and sufficient evidence to stand trial against them established. This makes them Prime Suspects for abetting the Post Election Violence that saw Kenya almost tipple down the precipice.

They are only suspects. Time will surely prove their innocence or guilt and this, only the ICC will confirm. Not the people of Kenya.

Now, they have rallied together to threaten the peace of Kenyans once more and the results can be very devastating. Almost 5,000 Kenyans died as a result of the Post Election Violence, forget the small convenient figures of 1,133 that we have been saddled with. As many as 500,000 Kenyans were displaced and many Kenyans lost property.

This is a fact many Kenyans would not like to see happen again. But with the acrimonious political posturing from Uhuru, Ruto and their sidekicks, we are most likely to see the worst. These people are inciting Kenyans against each other, and when we will be fighting, they will be fighting for war contracts. They will gain at the expense of our loss.

We all know how the ICC came about. His Excellency the President and the Rt Hon Prime Minister attempted to move our Members of Parliament to help establish an International Tribunal to listen to the cases here in Nairobi. At that time. we all saw the spirited attempt to scuttle this noble effort with Hon Ruto even boasting in public that the ICC cases will take 90 Years, and within that time, they shall have been long dead.

This was a very serious statement. It bordered on impunity; tume fanya na mta do?

We are seeing the same bravado being exhibited now, with these so called peace rallies where the subject of attack is one Raila Amolo Odinga, and no efforts are being made to unite Kenyans.

The question that begs then is; Who is this person who has given these suspects the authority to criss-cross the country pretending to be preaching peace while, their main mission is to preach hated and strife?

Who in his right senses can allow people who have been indicted with serious charges of crimes against humanity to criss-cross the country preaching hatred?

Kenyans must call this open bluff and see the person for whom this pair is working for.

Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, being international suspects for crimes against humanity cannot hold political rallies to malign Raila Amolo Odinga without the express support and authority from the highest seat of the land. And if they had no such authority and support, the President could have stepped forward to reprimand them on the tone of their speaches.

Some of us are left to wonder why the President has allowed this pair to box him so awkwardly in the eyes of the world. The world is now convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that it is President Kibaki that is behind the political bravado this pair is exhibiting.

President Kibaki, being the ultimate authority that has sworn to defend and protect the Kenyan Constitution must uphold the rule of law and stop this pair from tearing the country apart.

What would happen if Hon Raila also mobilized his team to counter the reckless and baseless accusations coming from the Uhuru/Ruto axis? Will we have a country to govern? Will we leave in peace as Kenyans, as brothers and sisters?

No. The die is cast and the bark ends at the Presidency.

He is the power behind the new found political friendship of convenience between Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto. Someone must tell His Excellency the President that Kenya has a population of close to 40m and we all look to him for leadership.

Someone must also tell Judge Ekaterina Trendafilova- sp- to promptly issue a warrant of arrest for Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta and Mr. William Ruto. They are becoming a threat to the peaceful co-existence of the people of Kenya.

Oto
Peace Builder

KENYA: ACCOUNTANT – TURNED PHILANTHROPIST GIRL CHILD EDUCATION PROMOTER

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By Bob Agwanda.

When Golda Ayodo was invited for the first time at Amilo Primaty School within Muhoroni District for a prize giving day, something struck her which she could understand in regard to the event and while heading home she was disturbed why during the entire exercise there were no girls pupils who were rewarded.

She saw first hand those girls who were being rewarded were being given prices just for the sake of it that they never deserved. “When I asked why, I was told that girls were dropping out of school and they never deserved any reward. Hence I was left with a homework of what I can do and change the whole scenario” Ayodo adds.

Ayodo, who holds masters and is presently pursuing her PHD at Kenyatta University in Kenya, says she was pained so much and it resulted to her calling friends and together they formed Golden Girls Foundation which agitates and helps educate girls within the region.

“The club was my brainchild and basically it is about giving girls better conducive atmosphere for learning as after my research I discovered that they said girls major problems were uniforms, sanitary situations and lack of talks between them and their mothers which resulted to their dropping out. We started collections of clothes, sanitary towels, and uniforms, to give to the girls who were schooling there” she adds.

She says that so far they have contributed school uniforms, panties, and slippers, for all the girls within the institution, together with home clothes, saying most uniforms are always at the same time are used as home clothes .

“Looking back I can say that we have made a mark. Though the girls are home based, we always have weekly mentoring sessions with professionals who are members of our group, like doctors, teachers, lawyers etc etc, and surprisingly one of our product managed 430 marks in last years KCPE national exams, and her follower, another girl, got 312 marks. They have all been admitted to Provincial Secondary Schools and we are presently raising funds for their education” she adds.

“The young girl whom led the exams called Cynthia Midira’s mother is blind and her father is just an ordinary farmer, she has done us proud together with Beryl Akinyi who is part of our programme. We started this programme with seven girls and we managed to maintain that to date. But lamentably, Beryl got pregnant after exams and we are to take her back to school once she delivers”says the school’s Headteacher Mr.Auma Ouma adds.

Presently at Amilo Primary school the pupil populace has doubled from 392 to 456 as a result of what the area residents sees as achievement and motivation of girl-child.

“The community has really embraced their effort as the school was 10th within the zone in 2010 but during last year’s exams it became number five which is real motivation” the headteacher said. He adds that his school was supplied sl with revision papers and we tried to make sure that they did not have any societal limitation,

“Amilo is a pilot project but we are moving on though we do not have funds as we deep our hands in our pockets and contributes” Ayodo says ,she however laments. that presently thy are looking for people who can sponsor a single child at Kshs 1,500 per year to enable her to learn or any form of contributions be it material or finance.

“One thousand five hundred per girl per year is not much, its something anyone can afford , we do not have donors ,however we expect donors to really help us as we are really constraint, while empowering the girl, parents must also be involved “Ayodo says.

She laments that girls within the luo culture setting are really over burdened, as she goes to school, after that does domestic chores resulting to very limited time for studies if any.

“Its not the girl’s responsibility to cater for the family. Let girls be girls. We should always encourage them because girls are softer at heart and needs a lot of understanding” she adds. She also says that the major resistance to girl child education presently within the larger luo Nyanza revolves around culture, infrastructure, and lack of concentration while they go to school.

“This is one pupil who passes through cane plantation while going home and market places while hungry; surely she will be lured to any form of a vice which might jeopardize her schooling” Ayodo adds.

She says that though million mile journey begins with a step, they are determined to concur the entire luo Nyanza with limited resources and faith they have.

Ayodo began her schooling at Maseno Girls Primary Boarding School before going to St.Albert’s Ulanda for her secondary education and later left for Southern Adventist University in Ternnese USA where she graduated with Bachelor of Business Administration(Accounts) before doing her Masters which rsulted to her graduating in Accounts and Marketing, she is presently persuing her PHD at Kenya University in Accounts and Management.

“People thought I did social work, I think God made me do Accounts so that I could account for girls who has problems studying”, she jokes as we ends up the interview”

ENDS

KENYA: JANUARY 2005 THAT WAS A LITMUS PAPER TEST FOR KIBAKI

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From: People For Peace
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2012

As January 2012 comes to an end, we are looking at January 2005 that was a litmus paper test for President Mwai Kibaki. This was the month the Catholic Church described his visit to the famine-stricken regions of North Eastern Province as “too little, too late”.

The chairman of the church’s Kenya Episcopal Conference, Bishop Cornelius Korir said it was unfortunate that the President’s tour came only after lives had been lost. The worst hit was Garissa, Mandera, Wajir and Marsabit in North Eastern province.

Others were Mwingi in Eastern province; Laikipia in Central Kenya; Tana River, Kwale, Kilifi, Malindi, Lamu and Taita-Taveta districts in Coast province, Samburu and Turkana in the Rift Valley.

According to Bishop Korir it was not only a sin for somebody to die of hunger, it was also a criminal offence for the government to leave citizens to die of hunger. He noted that it was ironical that Kenyans were dying due to hunger, while some parts of the country had enough food which the government could buy to feed the dying.

The situation would have been saved had the government adhered to the warning by the UN World Food Programme that the number of people in need of food in Kenya was expected to rise to 2.5 million in the first half of 2006 because the October-December short rains which had failed in many eastern and northern districts.

This was the month that also saw Kiabki faced with many challenges in fighting against corruption, including the recovery of 850 million USdollars lost between 1990 and 1993 in the fictitious export of gold and diamonds by Goldenberg International by a company owned by Kamlesh Pattni.

Kibaki could not act given that along with Pattni, several key political figures had been implicated in the scam spanning the Moi government to Kibaki’s government. It was the month he could not also act because politicians close to him were mentioned in the the payments of equivalent of almost 90 million USdollars made to the Anglo Leasing and Finance company.

Finance Minister David Mwiraria and his National Security counterpart, Chris Murungaru who had been linked to the scam were dismissed from their respective ministries due to pressure from the opposition and donor agencies, but were not charged in court of law.

The other politician who could also not be tried was former powerful man in Moi’s government Mr. Nicholas Biwott who was one of the several ministers named in an inquiry into the suspected siphoning of $700m of government funds.

Mr Biwott was among several ministers close to the former president named in a parliamentary committee into corruption in 2000. The report said corrupt officials in the provincial administration had defrauded the government of some $700m between 1990 and 2000.

This was also the month that saw the government of Kibaki slowly losing proper direction. Kapenguria Member of Parliament Samuel Moroto spent several days in a police cell when Kibaki’s government refused to bail him out. He was to be moved from Kapenguria to Nakuru where Henry Nyaga was Resident Magistrate.

Moroto had been arrested because he warned of bloodshed if communities living in Pokot did not leave the land for the Pokots. Moroto had told ethnic communities settling on the community’s land to prepare for war any time. Moroto was elected on January 12, 2001 following the death of former fiery Cabinet Minister Francis Lotodo.

In Kanu heydays, especially in the periods just before the first multiparty elections in 1992, opposition party’s sympathisers (later) in Narc were harassed and at times arrested for flashing the two-finger salute.

This was also the month while People for Peace in Africa were conducting a workshop organized by St Mary’s Mukuru kwa Njenga Catholic Church the residents blamed the area Officer Commanding Station (OCS) for not taking any action when criminals were handed over to the police.

The residents told the workshop that as soon as the criminals were locked behind bars they were released on the very day. The reason for the release they said was because the police colluded with them. In some incidences they said police give them their uniforms and even guns. Previous year two girls were raped and killed.

Despite the fact that an estimated 60 per cent of the city’s population lives in slums, Mkuru Kwa Njenga is one of the slums that are not officially recognized, a policy that deprives the population of the normal governmental protections.

This condition has left the field open for misappropriation of land and has produced an unstable and highly volatile social situation. This explains why the government had not issued the title deed for the 7 hectares land owned by St Mary’s Catholic Church despite numerous attempts to acquire the deed.

These extremely dense slums are located in Nairobi’s industrial area, which attracts a large number of poor and destitute families and individuals who come to the city seeking employment.

The slum is faced by food security, lack of adequate housing, landlessness, unemployment, and sanitation. The only community health in Mkuru is run by the Medical Missionaries of Mary.

Out of about 2 million people residing in Embakasi Division, 150,000 reside in Mkuru Kwa Njenga slums. Embakasi Division has been identified as a high HIV/Aids prevalence area. The Nairobi industrial area where Mkuru is located continues to loose a large number of employees to the Aids pandemic.

January 2005 was the month which also saw the drama in an Eldoret hotel when members of the public caught a man red-handed with a school girl in lodging as they prepared to have sex.

The 16-year old Form Two girl was reported to have consented to sex after an elderly man had bought her some chapati (flat baked bread). The hotel guard saved the situation when he alerted members of the public of the incident after he saw the two enter the lodging at 1pm.

Members of the public stormed the lodging and apprehended the man who was just about to begin the shameful act before handing him over to the police. The man tried to give a bribery of Sh10, 000 to be set free but this was not his lucky day.

When the girl was asked by public why she consented to have sex with the man, she it was because she did her shopping bought her chicken and chapatti and promised she would continue assisting. Her parents could not assist her much because they were poor.

January 2005 was again the month when the report revealed that poverty in Kenya was steadily on the rise. The report revealed that for every shilling a poor Kenyan earns the richest get Sh56. The report further revealed that the gap between Kenya’s rich and poor was growing bigger by the day.

The report by the Society for International Development issued by Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, then minister for Planning and Development, while 10 per cent of the wealthiest Kenyans controls more than 42 per cent of incomes, the poor continue to be poorer, making Kenya among the top ten most unequal countries in the world and the fifth most unequal in Africa.

The poor in Kenya constitute a majority among the landless, people with disabilities, female headed households, households headed by people without formal education, pastoralists in drought prone districts, unskilled and semi-skilled casual labourers, Aids orphans, street families and children including beggars, subsistence farmers, urban slum dwellers, and unemployed youth.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya

Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail- ppa@africaonline.co.ke
omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

Africa: Egypt is lobbying a fresh for agreement over the use of Nile Waters

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

EGYPTIANS who visited the Kenyan capital, Nairobi at the weekend were expected to begin lobbying countries afresh to reconsider their ratification of an agreement that gives upper Nile states leeway in using the Nile’s waters.

The Nile Basin Convention Frameworks Agreement {CFA} that six countries signed in Entebbe in May 2010 was expected to dominate the agenda of the Inter-Ministerial meeting scheduled for last weekending on January 28.

Ethiopia, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda signed the CFA effectively making it operative even though Sudan, DRC Congo and Egypt are yet to ratify it.

The CFA is currently at the ratification level, but has been delayed because of Egypt’s request for more talks. If ratified, it will repeal the 1929 colonial agreement, ripping Egypt of any legal protection over the resource.

A representative of Ugandan government Dr.Callist Tindimagaya was quoted by the media last week as saying,” We shall go to the meeting with an open mind and give them the opportunity to present their point of view. But once you have signed, international laws prohibit you from withdrawing your signature or work against it.”

However, Egypt is optimistic that the Nairobi meeting will reach a consensus because of its new positive spirit and zeal after the revolution as opposed to feuding over the resource. “Egypt believes that the Nile Ban countries share the same water, same destiny and this is the spirit that we should embrace. Egypt is carrying out discussions with the other Nile Basin countries to move forward,” said Egyptian ambassador to Uganda Sabry M Sabry.

If consensus is reached, the World Bank Trust that manages resources along the Nile will stop mocking any development project on claim of legal basis.

Projects in the pipeline that are of mutual benefits to the region are Regional Interconnection Project that is expected to generate cross border electricity for the benefit of all the countries. The USD385 million projected to complete in 2014is already in progress.

Others are Bujagali {250MW} Ruzizi {145mw}, Lake Kivu Methane Gas {300mw}, Rusumo {80mw}, Isimba {140mw} and Karuma {700mw}.

ends

Kenya: STATE HOUSE VISIT: HOW JACK WAMBOKA, KIZITO TEMBA AND FWAMBA NC FWAMBA CANNIBALIZED PATRIOTISM.

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From: Lee Makwiny

Shock is what can best describe the reaction of the people of Bungoma County when Jack Nelson Wamboka, Kizito Temba and Fwamba NC Fwamba were associated with the proscribed Mungiki youths. Some of them even paraded themselves before the full glares of the media, savoring every bit of the moment as they bawled from both ends of their mouths admitting to what many have considered the basest of unpatriotic act.

Whereas it is not my intention to associate them in whatever way with the proscribed Mungiki sect, one wonders why they chose to visit State House precisely at the time when Kenya was being decimated by this proscribed sect. Was it their insatiable appetite for quick wealth at the expense of the health of the Nation that propelled them to the pedestal of idolatry? Did their political ambitions receive a jab in the arm courtesy of the State House visit? It is instrumental to note that since then Jack Nelson Wamboka and Kizito Temba have declared their intention to vie for parliamentary seats in Bumula and Webuye Constituencies respectively.

The question on everyone`s mind is whether these individuals have the budding spirit of liberation that characterized yesterday`s youthful patriots who sacrificed everything including their valuable lives and those of their families to make a better Kenya for everyone? Are they really the atoms in the incessant human struggle towards the light that shines in the darkness—the ideal of economic, political and spiritual liberation that the electorates yearn for?

Unfortunately, the answer is an emphatic “No.” Their actions and inactions point to the fact that they have in so startling a manner departed from the philosophy of our founding fathers such as Masinde Muliro who gallantly fought to have us enjoy a better and meaningful life. Sadly, Jack Wamboka, Kizito Temba and Fwamba NC Fwamba have given the liberation struggle a wide berth. They do not care to be on the right side of history. Their proclivity for politics of deceit, corruption, self aggrandizement and negative ethnicity knows no bounds. They have demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that they cannot hesitate to stab the country on the back for the sake of the selfish course they pursue. Perhaps they mistakenly believe that the ability to cut stinking deals and becoming masters of impunity is a mark of true leadership and valor.

I for one cannot believe that love of one’s country lies in blindness to its social faults, in deafness to its social discords or in not articulating its social wrongs. I know many people who love Bungoma County and the country at large with deeper passion and greater intensity than this current youthful harem whose patriotism manifests itself in pulling, kicking, and insulting the fabric of our society.

Unfortunately, the danger is that these are the individuals who have taken over leadership positions in political parties such as New Ford Kenya. Even more worrying is that the political kingpins in such political parties risk their minds being contaminated on account of their association with these idolaters of impunity. That they stand shilly shally on issues of national importance lends credence to fact that they constantly imbibe vile while in the company of these youthful political barkers.

I rightly think that now, more than ever before, the conscientious electorate is duty bound to bawl-out these political barkers. If we do not confine them in the dustbin of politics there is real danger that Bungoma County and especially Bumula and Webuye constituencies will inevitably sink deeper in morass. No constituency should wish to suffer from this worst form of impotency.

Lastly, I request the administrators of Bungoma County and Bumula Sub-County Stake-holders forum to desist from partisanship. I understand that they have declared some people personae non gratae in these forums courtesy of their reluctance to mince words in respect of a specific aspirant. Whereas other aspirants have received as much flak the administrators of these two forums have largely remained silent.

TOME SIMIYU FRANCIS,
BUMULA, MABUSI VILLAGE.
CELL: 0720 877 518

Kenya: Nynza farmers expected to earn millions from sorghum grains following high demand of the crops by East African Breweries Limited

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

RESIDENTS of Siaya county and other counties inside Luo-Nyanza which usually experiencing less rainfall, but has fertile arable land are expected to rake in millions of shillings following the launching of sorghum project in Siaya County.

The sorghum growing project has started in Siaya County and will involve the initial number of 500 farmers. In the project in Siaya proves to be successful, it will be extended to other parts of Nyanza region which are experiencing less annual rainfalls, and which are suitable for sorghum crops.

The crops require only two month of rains, especially during the long rain and unlike the maize that needs the continuation of the rains for four months before yielding. Sorghum used to be the staple food members of the Luo community for many years until around 1940s and 1950s following the introduction of maize seedling in the region by the British colonial authorities in Kenya.

And owing to its red and black color, sorghum became neglected and almost disappeared as most peasants went full blast for maize growing.

Regions an areas where it is making good yield include Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Mbita, Gwassi, Nyatike,Lower Nyakach, Uyoma and Asembo in Rarieda, Alego-Usonga, Seme, Kisumo, Kano Plains and Bondo. The crops is doing ell in higher lands in area like Migori, Uriri, Kuria, Kasipul, Kabondo, Rongo and Awendo, but has been neglected for years in preference to maize.

The new sorghum project is taking off this time around at the backdrop of the recent announcement the East African Breweries Limited ,the largest manufacturers of beer that it was considering the possibility of abandoning the growing of barley and replace it with sorghum for brewing its beer.

The Kisumu based Molasses Plant which is producing alcohol and ethanol from molasses a by-product of the sugar cane has also hinted that it might consider the sorghum a s its raw material instead of molasses or revert to the use of both .

The EABL communication officer Joseph Sunday has been quoted in a section of the press as saying that the sorghum project has been taken into consideration following high demand for the grain that is out of step with supply.

The new project is piloted by the EABL in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and the European Cooperation for Rural Development {EUCORP}.The project aims at creating a sustainable value chain for the grain I East Africa.

“It is part of a wider scheme to recruit more farmers in Siaya County into growing white sorghum as cash crop to boost raw material supply for industries reliant on the grain.

EABL will provide registered farmers with certified seeds and organize farms field day to instruct them on good farm practices.

Upon investing, the company will provide ready market for produce at better price than those in the market.” The farmers will benefit from 30 per cent price increase that will see them earn Kshs 30/- per kilogram of sorghum delivered up fro last year’s Kshs 23/- per kg.

This was disclosed by the Company’s Sorghum Project Manager Sylvester Ndeda, who added by saying that firm’s demand for sorghum is high.

The manager further disclosed that they were targeting the long rain season when the grain crop will be planted by at least 500 farmers.

The inaugural field was held last week where the farmers were advised to form groups of cooperatives to enable them bargain better for higher price of their produce, enjoy discounts on farm equipment and access bank loans.

The project will go along way in uplifting the lives of Siaya residents by offering a reliable income from their farming business.

It is hoped that the EABL will extend its project to cover areas where sorghum is grown in abundance such as Uyoma in Rarieda where the crops is known to be doing well with excellent yield in the black cotton soil and also in Kadel are of West Karachuonyo, Lambwe Valley, Kdem and Karungu in Nyatike, Gwassi and Mbita.

Ends