Category Archives: Kenya

KENYA: SUGAR WARS INTENSIFIES:-

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By: JEFF OTIENO

A wide scheme has been hatched to thwart the operations of a local sugar miller according to some key sugar industry stake holders.

The operations of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries may be dwarfed if plans by a certain miller to engage the services of people purporting to be advocating for justice and equality seeks and achieve legal recourse.

These were revealed by a group of councilors and farmers from the cane growing zones of Chemelil, Kibos and Muhoroni.

According to councilor Balala of Aldai ward, a local miller said not to be happy with the resilience and vibrant operations of Kibos last week approached him to engage the services of hirelings to go to court as farmers in a desperate bid to thwart the good work being done, by Kibos Sugar.

“As farmers we’ve had enough frustrations and therefore we can’t succumb to petty squabbles which have got no value to us”, Balala told the press.

Kibos has so far installed weigh bridges in Awasi and Chemase which has not gone down well with rival millers who argue its tantamount to encroachment or “a coup” .

Kibos Sugar has since denied the claims through the Managing Director Raju Chanan who said their pre-occupation as a miller is to engage positively with farmers to uplift them economically and not rhetorics.

The resilient miller recently topped their tonnage to Kshs.4,200 per tone while other rival millers are still pegged on the region of Kshs. 3,750 to 3,800 per tone to their chagrin.

Kibos further pays farmers on weekly basis after delivery and their weigh bridge installations across the zones is to curb spillage and cushion the farmer from hefty transport costs inflated by unscrupulous private transporters.

END

KENYA: IT HAS BEEN REVEALED IN A STUDY THAT OBAMA AND MBOYA SHARED ONE ANCESTRAL BACKGROUND BUT THE TWO MEN LIVED AND DIED WITHOUT KNOWING THEIR BLOOD RELKATIONSHIP.

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Exclusive Report By Leo Odra Omolo In Kisumu City.

President Barack Obama Jnr. of the United States could be sharing one ancestral background with the late Thomas Joseph Mboya, a charismatic and dynamic Kenyan politician and trade unionist who died in hails of bullets fired by an assassin in the Kenyan capital, Nairob1 42 years ago.

The late Barack Obama Snr, the father of the US President who died in 1982 befriended Mboya way back in 1956. But the two men who had a lot in common and character lived briefly and died without knowing that they had any blood relationship.

They lived apart and were geographically separated from each other’s family and none could have imagined the smallest iota of blood relationship between them.

Tom Mboya was born on a sisal estate at Killimambogo area of Thika district the called Juja Calimoni in 1930. Both his parents were born on Rusinga Island, but his father was employed in the Sisal estate owned by white settlers as” Nyapara” {Supervisor} while Barack Obama Snr. was born at Kanyadhiang’ village in Central Karachuonyo in what used to be South Nyanza district.

The history of Mboya-Obama relationship has been unearthed by a Kisumu-based Kenyan veteran journalist Leo Odera Omolo who knew the two men well, but who is currently carrying out a personal research on Mboya’s background for the purpose of writing a book on the slain politician’s background.

HE HAS TRACED Mboya background and family tree to one sub-clan in Asembo Location, Rarieda district in Siaya County. The sub-clan is called Asembo-Kanyugoro. Both the historians and Luo elder have confirmed that this sub-clan’s ancestral grand father was a man called “Nyigoro”.

Nyigoro is undisputed eldest son of Ogelo, son of Kisodhi son of Owiny. OGELO WAS THE ELDEST SON OF Kisodhi, but he had other brothers like Ager,Owiny Sigoma whom he named after his father, Nyakwar and several others. Upon the death of Kisdhi who was a chieftain, Ogelo and his other disagreed on the way and manner some tribal rituals cleansing which were performed by the elders his father’s death and rebelled. He bolt out of the family homestead and moved out of Alego Nyang’oma where the family lived and travelled to a place called Abom where h settled in forest (now part of Sakwa East in Bondo district.

Enraged by what happened when his younger brother was installed the chieftain in his place Ogelo move out during the wee hours of the night taking with hi his wives, family’s herd of cattle and all domestic animals and children. In rebellion with Ogelo was his younger brother Nyakwar.

And while living at Abom his eldest Nyigoro move further to a place now called Asembo and settled. It was here where the sub-clan called “Wayubu” Mboya’s own sub-clan branched off and move into some small islands inside lake Victoria on fishing expedition. But Mboya’s great grand parents found the going tough following the outbreak of the deadly sleeping sickness disease caused by tsetse fly, which almost whipped out many clans and sub-clans of the Luos then living along the shorelines of Lake Victoria. Mboya’s great grand father moved out of the fishing island and landed on Rusinga Island where the family settled among the Wasengre{Kamasengre} which is also related to the Wasenge of Yimbo.

Here is the place where Mboya’s father was born in a small village called Matenga which is very close to the shore of Lake Victoria. Mboya’s father Leonardus Ndiege late married Marshella Awuor the daughter of Nyang’ani of the Kakinaga sub-clan in Kamasengre clan, which is closely related to another small sub-clan living in Rusinga East called Kamgere where this writer belonged to.

Talks and murmuring about Mboya’s originality was persistently raised, and even during his marriage to Pamela Mboya in 1961, some elders from Asembo Kanyigoro had insisted in paying the first cows for the pride price his wife, but the issue was suppressed and defused by Mboya and his father in-law the late Walter Fanuel Odede of Uyoma Katweng’a sub-clan and Makerere University trained veterinarian who became a formidable nationalist who was equally detained by the British colonialist during the state of emergency in the remote Maralal in Samburu district from 1953 to 1961.

Among the clans which shared blood relationship with Alego Kogelo include Alego Kakan, Kanyada,Jo-Boro,Kanyakwar, Kagan.These clans are now well spread inside Luo-Nyanza with Kanyakwar livng a few kilometers in the outskirt of Kisumu City, while Kanyada and Kagan lives in Homa-Bay,Kaka and,Kogelo and partly jo-Boro lives in Alego,and Ugenya. Kogelo are well spread in many parts of greater Southern Nyanza like Nyatike,Awendo, Karachuonyo,Kasipul Kabondo and other places.

The movement of the Alego Kogelo the ancestral of President Barack Obama Jnr. and the movement of Asembo Kanyigoro the ancestral of Tom Mboya as authenticicated here now confirmed with no slightest of doubt that Obama and Mboya have blood relationship.

The late Barack Obama Snr. and the late Tom Mboya friendship from 1956 up July 5,1959 when the latter was felled by an assassin bullet in Nairobi street on Saturday afternoon, though thy differed at time ideologically.

During the time when their friendship flourished in the early 1950s,the two men had a lot in common in their characters, both were very eloquent in English, elegantly dressed, dancers per excellence and liked to keep the company of beautiful women, though Obama Snr. was rather bullies and arrogance Mboya was ever polite, but extremely cunning and intelligent. He was also excessively arrogance, though hiding his arrogance while appearing in public places like a politician and unionist.

The had series of failed marriages and numerous cases of divorce and father many children in the wedlock. both men were handsome and charming and loved by young educated girls.

Mboya was late to facilitate Obama’s higher education in the US together with other Kenyans who flew out in 1959 and 1961 in the great Airlift to study in the American colleges and universities.. After Mboya’s death Obama Snr. life drastically changed was never the same again.

After Mboya’s death in 1969, Obama Snr. life had changed drastically, He had lost an intimate friend, mentor and protector in the civil service where he served in senior capacity in the Treasury. He looked frustrated and demoralized and lie was never the same again for him.

The two men died and went into their graves without knowing one important secret, which was never revealed t them in their lifetime by anyone.

Mr Omolo’s book is expected to be published early next year.

Ends

KENYA: RACE FOR NAIROBI GOVERNOR SEAT TURNS MURKY

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BY: JEFF OTIENO.

The titanic battle for Nairobi Governor seat has dramatically turned nasty following early this weeks revelation that a centre associated with one of the aspirants has been given a fourteen days notice to close down or risk being pulled down.

EK centre as it is popularly known is situated in posh and leafy Kileleshwa area of Nairobi and is a launching pad for Mumias Sugar C.E.O Dr. Evans Kidero operating all round the clock with a full secretariat in readiness for next year debacle.

The centre was early this week ordered to close down on grounds that they have not applied for a change of user to operate as it operates now by the Nairobi Town Clerk Philip Kisia – who is also another hopeful for the seat.

Allies of Kidero are reading mischief in the whole thing arguing that it’s full of vendetta, parochial and is doomed to fail because they have been given a license by the same council legitimizing their operations.

A source privy to Kisias modus operandi confirmed to this writer that Kisia is blaming those in the EK centre for violating the council by laws yet some of them worked in the council as commissioners when it was disbanded by the former president Moi regime.

Though Kisia is yet to constitute a campaign structure keen observers will agree that as the town clerk of Nairobi he has of late been criss crossing the city suburbs under the pretext of launching or supervising council services, a move which has really catapulted his bid temporarily.

Some critics are however quick to argue that Kisia is more of an ivory tower kind of candidate who hardly mingles with the down trodden but prefer posh and secluded places dinning and wining with the high and the mighty doing round table campaign theories which have never worked world over.

Dr. Evans Kidero will rely on his humility, charisma and managerial skills which he exhibited in the Nation media group, Smith clime Beecham and now the leading miller Mumias sugar which is unrivalled and a show case to many.

With the new dispensation Nairobi is set to control billions of shillings and a manager of rare caliber is needed to shepherd its operations with vibrance.

Other contestants are a wealthy are a wealthy Nairobi business man Jimna Mbaru and former MP Dick Wathika. The duo are also said to be doing their strategies well and have hired both local and foreign consultants before they hit the road.

Dr Kidero and Kisia will battle it out under the O.D.M flagship according to sources privy to their strategies even though they have not disclosed, while Mbaru and Wathika will rely on another vessel to propel them

END

Kenya: LuoMPs

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From: Chak Rachar

LUO MPs IN POLITICAL DILEMMA,THEIR SCORECARDS AND PERFORMANCES

By Our Political Writer

Most luo MPs who have been beneficiaries of Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s flawed party’s nominations rules are in dilemma after it has become evident that with the new constitution it will be the task of Kenya’s electoral body to conduct political party’s nominations and issue the respective outright winners with party’s nominations certificates.

Beneficiaries like immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’, Lands Minister James Orengo his Medical Services counterpart Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, Nyando MP Fred Outa and Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo are some of the beneficiaries who were issued with ODM nominations certificates yet they never deserved and were defeated pants down and bailed out by Raila Odinga.

Presently luos have vowed to vote for their leaders as individuals and not Raila’s song prayers and chatterboxes who are are always going to help “Raila up there”.

“As luos we want to follow the trend of other tribes who usually elect individuals and not those forced on us by Raila,we will teach Raila a lesson this time as those who he gave us are a totallet down”most people within luo Nyanza usually says.

Just a look as to how the MPs have performed and their chances of going back to parliament.

1 -UGENYA CONSITUENCY-JAMES AGRREY BOB ORENGO.

From the mismanagement of his constituency’s CDF fund to full fledged corruption in his Ministry of Lands which elicited outcry from the Law Society of Kenya,Orengo has totally failed to be the man who many people thought he is or would be.

He is a man said to be tasked by President Kibaki to “check” on Raila as is evident during the signing of the MOU towards the establishment of the Grand Coalition and misled Raila to sign a document which wholly supported and given President Kibaki most powers.

He made himself so close to Raila that he knows what the man thinks, breathes and reports to President on daily basis.

He was literally helped to parliament after he was seen by many that he could not contain Steve Mwanga’s political power in Ugenya by then.

Despite the split of the constituency he presently represents, for Orengo to be elected again it will be like a miracle.

He is accused of being elusive and so slippery to his constituents in both Nairobi and Ugenya.

2 -ALEGO USONGA-EDWIN OCHIENG’ YINDA.

Despite being elected on the platform that voters of Alego Usonga “owed” him,Yinda has really failed to be what they expected out of him.

He is neither seen in parliament nor both his Siaya and Nairobi homes unlike before his election, he was really visible and accessible.

He has failed to set the standard of his development record equal that of the man he took over from Arthur Weya.

His CDF office is composed mainly of his cronies, sycophants and yes men who milks the fund with impunity.

Yinda has reached the apex of his politics and he is likely never to be elected again anywhere within Siaya County as people have seen his true nature.

3 -BONDO-OBURU ODINGA

Apart from taking round cabbage vegetables and one sack of millet flour to every funeral,nothing much can be written about Dr.Oburu on top of impoverishing political contestants whom he milks with impunity.

Many luo political aspirants are poor due to Oburu.

He is a stumbling block majorly to Gideon Ochanda whose two previous appointments as a commission has been revoked through his plea to Raila that should Ochanda be given “job” then he is doomed.

Many await his recent announcement that he is likely to go for Siaya Governorship is still awaited with held breath.
4 – RARIEDA -NICHOLAS GUMBO.

Gumbo has failed million times to fit into the shoes of former Foreign Affairs Minister Raphael Tuju.

He has no tangible development he has initiated since his entry to parliament and usually hovers like a vulture in most of the projects Tuju had started.

Many Rarieda voters wonder why they elected a man who could not be made a cabinet Minister and opted out a man who had an ear of the president and was powerful.

He tried to re-locate Rarieda district headquarter which has really made him unpopular coupled with putting his cronies in CDF committee and the misuse of the fund.

Gumbo is a man in real dilemma as he bids parliament good bye with his collapsed engineering firm facing financial problems..

Should Otiende Amollo and Fred Athuok decides to go for the seat then he will have to retreat to his Ngong rd office where he used to be.

Gumbo has totally failed to click and Rarieda voters really wonder why they elected him

5 -KISUMU TOWN EAST-SHAKEEL SHABBIR AHMED

He made his entry into politics as a nominated Councillor then Kisumu Mayor and presently a Member of Parliament, he is said to set his eyes on the Kisumu Governorship.

Among his major achievements so far are; he has brought electricity to nearly all parts of his constituency including Kajulu and Kolwa.

He has also completed the construction of Omollo-Ogoro bridge which sucked a lot of millions during the reign of his predecessor Erick Gor Sungu as it is presently passable.

He is also behind the renaming of Mamboleo-Kasete road which is presently being used for the first time in twenty five years.

The Kilo-Kotuoro-Nyalenda and Chiga-Luanda-Buoye roads which are now in better conditions as well as renovation of Gita Health Centre and Construction and fully furnishing of six laboratories in six secondary schools within his constituency are some of his major achievements.

He has made Kibos School a centre of excellence within Kisumu East Constituency.

The men who used to oppose him most like Eng.Job Ndege and Onyango Ollo appeared to be financially and ideally broke.

Shabbir can go back to parliament again if he opts not to go for the Governorship.

6 -KISUMU RURAL-PETER ANYANG’ NYONG’O.

The major undoing of Prof.Nyong’o is his turning deaf to complaints about his CDF office which is said to be a cash cow which is milked by both the officials and tenderers who hardly do any tangible work.

The office is riddled with corruption and he needs to take urgent action in regard to it.

He is rumored to be eyeing the governorship which he is likely not to get as it can be recalled that Raila gave him a direct nomination to be an ODM party ticket bearer during the last general elections which never augured well with his constituents who staged a demo in the major market centres of the constituency.

Should a free and fair nomination process be conducted, then Nyong’o should be prepared to retreat to his Ratta home

7 -KISUMU TOWN WEST-JOHN OLAGO ALUOCH.

The tall gigantic University of Nairobi School of Law graduate’s development record within the mostly Urban Kisumu Town West Constituency can not be counted as they are beyond counting and documenting.

Most Institutions of learning, Health Centers and infrastructures are all courtesy of him.

What he has done to his constituency for the few years in parliament are said to be compared to a ten year old plan.

A regular debater in parliament who when he addresses his colleagues can be said to have been in the house since his child birth and leaves his colleagues glaringly in ewe with eyes askance.

He is one of the few legal consultants of Prime Minister Raila Odinga,he is undecided as which constituency to go for; whether the newly launched Kisumu North Constituency or the Urban kisumu Town as he is said to be in demand and still admired in both constituencies.

Olago can go back to parliament anytime elections are held even if its midnight.

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8 -MUHORONI-PATRICK AYIECHO OLWENY. .

“Nyakwar Alesi” as he is known is behind the rival of rice and cane farming within his vast constituency.

He is a former University of Nairobi and Maseno lecturer who has really agitated for the education of Girl –Child through the establishment of St.Rita and Francissacan Capuccin Masogo Girls Secondary Schools.

He is behind the establishment of seventeen secondary schools,nine health centres,drilling of boreholes and overhauling of most health facilities within the constituency since his election to parliament.

Two Youth Polytechnics Raila Odinga and Kibigori together with Kegoche College of Technology and Mariwa are as a result of his brainchild.

“As an educationist, I have tried to uplift standard of education within my constituency ,the poorly managed schools have at least build one classroom each while the fairly managed ones we have helped to build four classrooms while those who have finely managed the funds we have helped to build up to six classrooms”Ayiecho added .

He has also established Miwani Resource Centre and helped through CDF fund renovated most Provincial Administration offices and has managed to initiate a lot of floods control and build severally foot bridges and drainage work within the constituency.

Indeed it will be a tall order to have his replacement given that his electorates have total confidence in him.

9 -NYAKACH-OCHIENG POLLINS “DAIMA”.

Might also be life term Member of Parliament of his constituency if he opts to, his constituents says that he is a man of action and not of empty words.

He is behind the murmuring of Kodong’a-Bodi road together with Nyamaroka-Kokumu-Bodi roads which previously were impassible and could not be accessed.

He is also behind the establishment of new schools like Ramula,Odowa,Apondo kapondo ,Kogolla etc etc together with youth Polytechnics like Rota and Kandaria.

The only area he needs to address is the cattle rustling menace and supply rural power to his constituents.

He is behind the Nyakach water project which supplies water to the entire Nyakach presently and upgrading of schools,health cemntres and offices of the Provincial Administration through his CDF fund which is said to be one of the most well managed within the Country.

Should he decide to contest again then he is likely to be elected again

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10 -NYANDO-FRED OUTA.

One man who is always permanently out of order in Kenya’s parliament, nothing worthwhile can be written about his leadership in Nyando which is known as a one term constituency.

He is said to be behind the demotion of most teachers within his constituency who he perceives not to toe his political line as well as exploitation of rice farmers within the constituency who kicked him out of the rice co-operative within the constituency.

A man who was once rice broker for a Thika based rice processing company Outa either always fights with Pastors,Chiefs,boda boda and tuk tuk operators who usually do not toe his political line.

His mismanagement of his CDF fund made his constituents to go to court to stop the funding further.

Should forget any political elected seat in luoland due to his arrogance,his academic capability is questionable due to his one English word he knows of “ I gonna”

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11 -KASIPUL-KABONDO-JOSEPH OYUGI MAGWANGA-“JOSSY” .

The soft speaking hard-to-notice legislator who won the Kasipul /Kabondo parliamentary seat while least expected is a real grass root man who seems to always hate to to be in the media and receive undue publicity.

He has managed to help nearly all secondary schools within his constituency to buy school buses and did all that is required of a Member of Parliament .

However his critic says that the school buses are not viable as the schools needs more than the said buses.

He is behind all the developments within his constituency and has a one hundred and one percent chance of going back to parliament.

12 -KARACHUONYO-JAMES KWANYA REGGE-“Ja Beyi” .

He is behind the internet installation within the entire Karachuonyo Constituency and distributing computers in nearly all learning institutions for them to be computer literate.

The man whom he defeated former Planning Minister Adhu Awiti seems to be tired of criticizing him as many asks him what he did to the constituency for the duration he was in Parliament.

He is behind Karachuonyo Water Supply Project which presently supplies water to the entire populace of Karachuonyo.

The multi-million resource Centre in Kendu Bay is his brainchild and the only man who could have stood on his way to re-election is former Marie Stopes County Director Cyprian Otieno Awiti who has opted to go for the Governorship of Homa Bay County.

He has made roads which were initially impossible to use to be used presently courtesy of his hard work within the constituency.

Should he opt to defend his seat,he is likely to be re-elected

13 -RANGWE-MARTIN OGINDO .

Ogindo was once a ticketing officer in most markets within Kisumu and his chameleone like lifestyle misled his constituents to elect him voting out the aging and imbecile Phillip Okundi.

He has been presently declared a persona non-grata in his constituency which is evident to the jeering, heckling and booing he receives whenecer he attends any public gathering within the constituency.

At one point his constituents told Raila that they were tired withy Ogindo and Raila retorted back to them that its them who elected him.

Rumors had it that he was contemplating going for the seat of Homa Bay County speaker but his limited academic level might be his undoing.

He has done absolutely nothing in Rangwe worth writing home about and his chances of going back to parliament are absolutely nil.

14 -NDHIWA-ORWA JOSHUA OJODE

The most independent, popular and one of the few wealthy luo politicians presently, he can be a life Member of Parliament.

Ojodeh has made Ndhiwa what it presently is due to good infrastructures, better schools and has done all a development conscious leader is needed from.

He has very limited time for funeral and roadside politics and his critics have been branding him a Raila critic yet he is one of the leading financiers of the luo-de facto political leader Raila Odinga.

He is said to be going for the Senator seat which most of his constituents are against saying he should still be their MP.

He is likely to go back to parliament if he opts to..

15 -RONGO-DALMAS OTIENO ANYANGO

His constituents says that the Dalmas they elected is not the Dalmas the current Minister, todate they lament why the never elected Ochillo Ayacko.

He is really inaccessible in both his Rongo and Nairobi homes and offices, he is said to be having sycophants around him whom he uses to avoid his electorate.

Many say that seems he is using his time in parliament to acquire what he never did for the duration he was in political limbo.

Dalmas can be defeated by any political novice unless he changes his leadership mode of operation.

The recent split of Rongo constituency separating him from Ochillo Ayacko might not help him any better.

He might not make it to parliament again

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16 -URIRI-CYPRIAN OJWANG’ OMOLLO

Not much can be written about him as a neither person nor Uriri Constituency.

He hardly contributes to parliamentary debates and his constituents complain about his perennial absence within his constituency.

Most of his constituents say that they elected him under duress as the man he took over from Odhiambo Omamba was never any better.

His chances of going back to parliament are zero.

17 -NYATIKE -ANYANGA PETER OMONDI.

He has thrown his fiercest critic Advocate Ken Okong’o to the political debris, he is behind many development activities which if written can fill up a whole journal.

He has been solely been fighting for better pay and rights of gold miners within his constituency, he can also be credited with bringing to his Constituency an airstrip which has been completed.

He has helped the girl-child education within Nyatike and is a strong agitator for schooling within his constituency.

He has been giving incentives to a teacher who performs better within the constituency which has always been a motivating factor.

The constituency’s infrastructure are in better condition courtesy of him.

Most of Nyatike students in most institutions of higher learning are in their respective institutions courtesy of him.

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18 -GWASSI-MBADI JOHN NG’ONGO

He is notorious for hurling insults at his constituents, former MPs and those he perceives to be strong in the grass root.

He is also known for fight\ting youths in public places and Chang’aa dens he frequents and hurl abuses at elders who questions his leadership.

His CDF committee is full of his clansmen,his wife and friends.

Not much can be said about his development record as there is nothing toi write about.

He has no chance if any of ever going back to parliament.
19 -MBITA-OTIENO GERALD KAJWANG’.

He is one of the beneficiaries of the flawed ODM party nominations in his constituency,Raila compelled Sam Wakiaga to step down for him and later made him a cabinet Minister in the grand coalition government due to his parroting in most ODM rallies.

His CDF office is in pathetic sate as it is jammed by most of his cronies and relatives and nothing tangible nor worthwhile has he done with the CDF fund in the constituency.

The constituency has one of the highest illiteracy levels within luo land and girl-child education is at its lowest ebb.

He is rumoured to be going for the Senatorship which is areal tall order as he will have to square it out with Office of the President’s assistant Minister Josua Orwa Ojode.

His chance of going to parliament is nil absolutely.

20 -GEM-WASHINGTON JAKOYO MIDIWO .

With eleven new secondary schools since he became Gem MP, supply of rural electrification and improvement of infrastructures within the constituency,Jakoyo is likely to be re-elected back to parliament if he continues with his present development tempo.

He has renovated most schools within his constituency which used to be in real pathetic state and fought single handidly and was ready to loose his voters against the schooled elite from Gem who wanted the headquarter to be in Gem and not Wagai which he was fronting.

He has made the high flying Sawagongo and Ondisore Centers of excellence and helped insecurity which used to be so rampant a thing of the past by agitating for the establishment of most police posts within his constituency.

His opponents should be ready to burn midnight oil if they expect to oust him; he has a one and million chance of retaining his seat.

MIGORI-DACHE JOHN PESA.

Migori is the most unfortunate constituency within luo land as you can not differentiate between the former and the current MP as both have totally failed the constituency.

Allegations of Constituency bursary fund finding its way to most of the schools he owns is really ripe in the constituency.

His constituents says that he is alone ranger and lucks team spirit as he makes decisions without involving those concerned and gives CDF fund to those areas he perceives to be his people.

Whenever he is always at home, his gates are usually permanently locked as he says that he has no time for “beggars from his constituency”.

He is likely not to see inside of parliament and his chances of going back are nil.

ENDS

Kenya: PM Raila Suspends Top Aide

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from Judy Miriga

Folks,

For the sake of Peace, Love and Unity of Common good of all, the process of change through Freedom of Speech, Information and Association must be accommodative…. This is because, The Truth is bitter, but it MUST be told………Corruption and conspiracies MUST be WRESTLED……..Men, Women and Children, must come out and face this DRAGON……….People, There is no short-cut……….there is no easy way, there is no where to hide. It is coming to your doorstep whether you like it or not…….It is coming in Leaps and Bounts, you will face it in the form of joblessness, extreme hunger, the little wealth you own, will also be taken away from you………death looming with lamentation everywhere……….The Dice has been cast……..The Status Quo are busy Re-Aligning Winning Strategies………But, do they care about competing fixtures of the New Constitution Implementation for Federal Majimbo County Set-up, and provide the needed Civic Education…??? I dont think so, it is delaying tactics, all they want is how they can generate more money to fill up their campain kitty…….

People, it is now that you stand tall and be United Now with the Righteous to save Kenya, or you are doomed and perish……..What is happening in Somalia has arrived and is in Kenya in droves……The good Responsible people who could be trusted to do what is right in likes of Mr Allan Odongo, has become a sacrificial lamb……..United, we are Strong, Devided, we perish…….

Yes, and in our records, we can remember how James Oswago tried to frustrate good outcome results received during the Referendum……..How can I be convinced…..????

We currently have Al-Shabaab who played part of local Civil Society in Kenya in day to day activites mingling with ordinary Kenyans as Kenyans, but majority of them have faked papers or are illegally staying in Kenya……..they are known to be members of the Kenyan Civil Society, but yet, some were found out in Court that they are top members of Al-Shabaab living comfortably in Kenya………Some of the same group were part of those trained by Uganda as Somali Soldiers, but recently were removed from Uganda to Kisumu. They are loosely praying between Kisumu and Siaya, in and around Lake Victoria, Migingo and Ugingo……..!!!!!……..There is a serious undercover of Conspiracy going on and people cannot afford to sleep any more…….!

Human Trafficking and Slavery, Child selling and porno are crimes and violation against Human Rights that must be met forcefully be suppressed and the players be netted to face justice……….These are signs of curses and Kenya is in deeper problems, than we can imagine……..

Rumours have it that some Politicians are engaged in supporting and Sponoring Al-Shabaab, and the center of Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda sympathizers are in Eastleigh Nairobi………and in Utange in Mombasa Kisauni………That Turkana was being cleaned to provide for sneaky investors while ocupying somali Refugees while wiping out the indigenous……….This is just a tip of an iceburg……….Open your eyes and open them wide……….!!!!!!!………….!!!!!

Enough is Enough……..!!!!

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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bwanda Ja-Karapul (Nyatiti)

Raila Suspends Top Aide
4 August 2011

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has suspended his advisor on coalition affairs Miguna Miguna.

Mr Miguna was suspended Thursday over gross misconduct as a probe over hate campaign in the Interim Independent Electoral Commission takes root.

He is accused of among other things harassment, intimidation and use of abusive language to colleagues.

On Wednesday, the IIEC recalled chief executive officer James Oswago from an overseas trip and suspended his personal assistant in a crackdown on a smear campaign targeting commissioners.

The IIEC also called in the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) to investigate allegations of nepotism, corruption and infighting.

Chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan dismissed the allegations as “totally false” and political.

“We have operated this commission with utmost high standards and professionalism. We hired a human resource firm to do the recruitment. This is the first time that the electoral commission was even advertising for clerks. We have been very professional and transparent. That is the reason we find those allegations very malicious and just out to destroy us,” he said.

Mr Hassan said Mr Allan Odongo was suspended after articles painting the commission in bad light were found on his laptop.

“Some of the articles are word for word of what has been printed in a local paper’s opinion pages under a different byline. The other articles were due to be released in subsequent publications. The commission has since suspended the said officer pending further investigations,” the IIEC chairman said.

Election Body Recalls CEO From Trip in Hate Probe
Walter Menya
3 August 2011

The Interim Independent Electoral Commission has recalled chief officer James Oswago from an overseas trip and suspended his personal assistant in a crackdown on a smear campaign targeting commissioners.

The IIEC has also called in the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) to investigate allegations of nepotism, corruption and infighting.

Chairman Ahmed Isaack Hassan dismissed the allegations as “totally false” and political.

“We have operated this commission with utmost high standards and professionalism. We hired a human resource firm to do the recruitment. This is the first time that the electoral commission was even advertising for clerks. We have been very professional and transparent. That is the reason we find those allegations very malicious and just out to destroy us,” he said.

Mr Hassan said Mr Allan Odongo was suspended after articles painting the commission in bad light were found on his laptop.

“Some of the articles are word for word of what has been printed in a local paper’s opinion pages under a different byline. The other articles were due to be released in subsequent publications. The commission has since suspended the said officer pending further investigations,” the IIEC chairman said.

But Mr Odongo disowned the articles in a letter to the chairman, and questioned the motive of suspending him without pay.

“A word document titled Seven Facts You Did Not Know about IIEC and which was found on my office laptop was given to me, together with other materials, from another source. Please note that the said documents alleged to have been found on my laptop are common documents circulating around in the media houses and a section of the civil society,” Mr Odongo stated.

He said the articles raised fundamental issues on governance, integrity and the rule of law.

Earlier, Mr Hassan said the suspended officer had told investigators that he was acting alone.

Mr Oswago left for the Philippines early this week. Mr Hassan and Commissioner Winnie Guchu were to travel with him, but abandoned the trip at the eleventh hour.

“If I was away with him in Philippines, we would not have been able to do the investigations we did to uncover the truth and actually go to the bottom of it,” the chairman told journalists flanked by commissioners Davis Chirchir, Guchu, Yusuf Nzibo, Tiyah Galgalo, Ken Nyaundi, Hamara Ibrahim Adan, Douglas Mwashigadi and Deputy CEO Gladys Shollei.

The contentious articles doing the rounds on email claim commissioners appointed their friends and allies to secretariat and field positions, and were holding brief for their political masters.

“The timing of these malicious allegations is suspect. We are in a transition and it is highly possible that some forces would like to influence who manages the 2012 elections. There is evidence that they are using some of our staff to champion their selfish interests,” said the IIEC boss.

The fallout has been linked to succession wars, with a new team expected to take over soon.

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Kenya: Abdikadir Warns Over Delays in Creation of LEBC
Isaac Ongiri
3 August 2011

THE creation of a new electoral agency may fail to take off if disagreements regarding the role of the commission in the delimitation of boundaries is not solved.

Chairman of the Committee on Implementation and Oversight of the Constitution Abdikadir Mohamed said emerging conflict and misinterpretation of the role of the IEBC on the boundary issue is disturbing. He was speaking outside Parliament after chairing a meeting of the CIOC.

He said that shifting of goal posts and outrageous outbursts over the boundary issue could permanently paralyse the ongoing plans to create a permanent electoral commission.

“There are those who want the delimitation to start afresh but the law outlines specific roles for the IEBC,” Abdikadir said.

The CIOC boss warned that the country could plunge into a irreparable constitutional crisis if leaders introduced unnecessary debate over the controversial boundary issue.
He said that his team has summoned the chairman of the Commission on Implementation Commission Charles Nyachae to clarify his numerous conflicting interpretations on different aspects of the constitution, and various acts being generated through Parliament. “We are shocked at the flying press statements here and there.

We want this process to continue unhindered and so we have asked the CIC chairman to come and talk to us about these issues instead of talking to the press,” the MP said.
On Monday Nyachae called for the amendment of the IEBC Act and warned that failure to do so could halt plans to create the 80 new constituencies. He faulted several parts of the Act saying they were defective and called for an amendment.

Abdikadir said that Nyachae and other stakeholders including ministers from ministries driving key legislations will meet the CIOC on Friday to try to unlock the process.
He said that the committee will ask for the expansion of the parliamentary sessions by 50 per cent to enhance the handling of the bills that must be passed before August 27.

Some 15 bills are yet to be tabled in Parliament despite the fact that the deadline for their passage is fast approaching. Members of the CIOC want parliament to work overnight and through the weekend to facilitate the urgent passage of the bills.

The pending bills includes the Independent Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission Bill, The Commission on Revenue Allocation Bill, The Police Service Commission Bill, The Independent Policing Oversight Authority Bill, The Ratification of Treaties Bill, The Employment and Labour Relations Bill all at the Attorney General’s office.

Others pending before the CIC include The Elections Bill, The Kenyan Citizens and Immigration Bill, The Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Service Bill, The Public Financial Management Bill and the Urban areas and cities Bill.

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)
Kenya: Tribalism, Nepotism Are Rife At the IIEC
Gikonyo Boaz
2 August 2011

These are facts. If you find them unsettling, then we have cause to be afraid, very afraid, indeed. If you doubt these please seek to establish the same from any or all of the following; Institute of Education in Democracy (IED), Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa (EISA), National Democratic Institute (NDI), International Commission of Jurists-Kenya Chapter (ICJ-Kenya), the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), URAIA e.t.c. These are NGOs involved intimately in supporting and collaborating with IIEC in various ways. On issues touching on governance or corruption in the IIEC, even the state Intelligence agency, we are sure has corroborative evidence.

The IIEC commissioners are fiercely divided on regional or tribal lines. First, against all common sense and better judgment, they first recruited Regional Election Coordinators (RECs), Constituency Election Coordinators (CECs) and Managers. Then lastly contracted the recruitment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Directors to KPMG. Reasonable approach would have started with the CEO and Directors who would have been instrumental in putting up criteria for the recruitment of lower cadre. The reason is simple: Commissioners see themselves as representing and projecting ‘provincial’ interests and their own personal interests.

The result is that nearly all RECs are either directly related to the Commissioners or were recruited at the behest of dominant political interests in the provinces. For instance, how is it that in the entire Rift Valley, all the three RECs are either Kipsigis or related to the Commissioner from the same ‘region’? How come there is not one Maasai as REC? And why is the REC for Southern Rift located in Bomet Town and not Narok? Could it be because the Commissioner for Rift Valley is a Kipsigis? Can it be denied that the South Rift Regional Elections Coordinator is related to the Commissioner for Rift Valley?

In Nyanza, the REC for South Nyanza, a Kisii, has lived and still lives in Eldoret Town where her home immediately borders that of the Commissioner for Nyanza, also a Kisii, and the two are long-time family friends. The Chairman himself is a relative of the REC for Garissa and many CECs!

There is a Staff Disciplinary Committee in the Commission. Fraud cannot be prosecuted because the commissioners protect their own. Example: A CEC related to the Rift Valley Commissioner, withdrew money to pay clerks, about Ksh. 400,000. His station is Muhoroni Constituency. Instead of paying the clerks he took the money to Eldoret, booked himself into a hotel with his wife and enjoyed mightily. Later he claimed that the money was stolen. The CEC was suspended and should have been sacked in accordance with the Commission’s disciplinary procedures. But the Commissioner from Rift Valley obstructed the process arguing that the fellow had returned the money after getting the family shamba sold and that this was enough punishment. ALL CECs from Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western Provinces were interchanged. This means that CECs that originate from Nyanza can be found posted to constituencies in either Rift Valley or Western Province and vice versa. Therefore, the CEC for Kisumu Rural Constituency is a Luhya; Budalangi a Kalenjin; Bomachoge a Luhya; Tinderet Luhya; Muhoroni Kalenjin and Narok South a Luo. This ‘ethnic interchange’ affected only Nyanza, Western and Rift Valley Provinces. The Commissioner for Central led a rebellion against this policy and the result is that all CECs born and bred in Central serve only in Central. So, if a general election is called, all poll officials from Central will be Kikuyus, while in Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western, there will be an ‘ethnic interchange’. As well, all Kambas will serve in their own backyard. In North Eastern, Eastern and Coast Provinces it will be the same thing. The Chairman of the Commission failed dismally to enforce a standard policy across all regions and this is a time bomb waiting to explode if not addressed immediately.

To make matters really worse all Regional Election Co-ordinators serve in their Regions of birth. In South Nyanza which includes Kisii, the REC is a Kisii, in Luo Nyanza, a Luo,in Central all the two RECs are Kikuyus, in Coast, North Eastern Western and Eastern the same!

All public and private sector employees in Kenya do not work only in the provinces of their birth. Why is IIEC so primordial in its thinking? In the entire North Eastern, Eastern, Central and Coast provinces, all electoral officials are native. This is a recipe for electoral fraud. This much can be guaranteed.

Commissioners have attempted to influence or influenced the conduct of elections to the extent that, due to repeated public outcry, the Commission adopted an unofficial policy that a commissioner will not take part in or supervise any election taking place in their Region or Province. But this policy hasn’t been enforced consistently as the examples here illustrate. In the recent Juja by-election, all the seven candidates – except Thuo who was considered by many to be a ‘state candidate’ – stormed the offices of the IIEC and protested at the ‘visible’ partisan involvement of Commissioner Winnie Guchu in the elections in favor of Thuo. This was widely covered in both the print and electronic media. The same was repeated in Kirinyaga where Martha Karua loudly, repeatedly and bitterly complained about the partisan state role in the election and the biased role of Commissioner Winnie Guchu. These are facts that the IIEC Chairman and his Commissioners must be asked to confirm or deny!
The writer comments on topical issues.

Nyanza Women demo Against Harassment
Thursday, 04 August 2011 00:14 BY JUSTUS OCHIENG’

Women in Kisumu yesterday protested against political violence and intimidation from their male opponents. The women thronged the streets of the lake side town from as early as 8 am to protest against violence and singled out the recent incident that saw the beating of a councilor in Siaya during the mayoral elections. Youths in Siaya beat Jera ward councilor Elizabeth Owino for opposing councilor Aggrey Onyango.

Demonstrating women claimed gender violence had scared women in the region from contesting for political seats. “For a long time, such events have made women shy away from politics in the province,” they added. They pointed out that the new constitution gave women equal opportunities adding that they should not be undermined when they declare their interest to vie for any elective position.

They vowed not to allow women denied their rights that are articulated and protected in the new constitution. “We the women of Nyanza condemn in the strongest terms possible those who seek to rubbish the very spirit of our new constitution,” they added.

Kenya: Policemen were posted to secure and protect the office of the Lake Victoria South Water Service Board in Kisum as its CEO refused to vacate office after the expiry of his contract

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Reported By Our Investigative Reporter.

THE operations at the Kisumu based Lake Victoria South Water and Sanitation Board came to a standstill earlier this week following life threatening confrontation between the two board’s top officials.

The confrontation between the board’s Chief Executive Officer Eng.Michael Ochieng’ and the chairman of the board of directors George Donji prompting the Provincial Administration to post a dozen of armed administration officer officers to secure and protection the offices.

The two men are all from Ugenya constituency within Siaya County and are said to be neighbors, but have sharp differences on matters of principles and issues of protocol.

The board offices are located in the posh Milimani estates beside the ring rod separating Nyalenda Peri-urban area and Milimani estate.

In January 2008 the compound of the Lake Victoria Water Board was the scene of massive looting and destruction of property worth millions of shilling including brand new government vehicles, most of the fuel guzzling Pajeros and other sleek cars which were torched to ashes by marauding bands of youths in the post election violence.

Sources in Kisumu say the misunderstanding between the two top officials of the board originated from the conflicts of interests between the headquarters of the Water Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister. This claim, however, could not immediately be ascertained and confirmed.

The same sources revealed that the contract of the CEO Ochieng’ expired at the end of May this year but secret maneuvers were made to have the contact extended. It was eventually extended by one month following intensive lobbying by a cartel of power brokers.

But one month extension expired at the end of July, and it is being alleged that the instruction had come from the Ministry of Water in Nairobi that the CEO should vacate his office immediately pending further decision and that a senior official at the board should serve as an acting CEO pending further instruction. The same instruction seemed to have been given to the Provincial and police authorities.

It is further alleged that after consultations with politicians the CEO decided not to vacate his office unless instructed from the office of the PM.

Meanwhile ODM activists in Kisumu joined the fray and mobilized a band of party youth to escort the CEO to his office and offer him the necessary protection. But this move came later after the administration got the wind of the pending invasion by the youth and posted ten armed administration police officer to secure and protect the offices.

The CEO and his mob of youths arrived at the office and found the gate locked with instruction that nobody should be allowed in, while the police men had secured the compound. Heated argument ensued between the CEO and the security personnel manning the gates who in turn told therou that he had firm instruction to bar anyone entering the compound.

This happened when the chairman Mr Donji and staff were busy working inside the compound, and the CEO pleaded with him that he should be allowed in to collect his personal effects, but at the same time insisted being accompanied by the youths. But the chairman is said to have told the CEO that he could only be allowed into his office alone, but on condition that he would be subjected to police escort and nobody else. The confrontation lasted for the better part of the day, when the CEO eventually drove off in the company’s motor vehicle and never heard off gain.

The latest development and stand off came about following serious allegation of favoritism in awarding contracts to suppliers. And that nearly 70 per cent of jobs at the board worth millions of shillings were contracted exclusively to the two sons of a prominent politician and concubines.

There were also claims of excessive extortion perpetuated by one ODM activist who is a former second hand shoe hawker at the main Kisumu Bus Terminal who is acting as a conduit and power broker at a fee. The man a non-Luo is always bragging of having the ears of all important Luo politicians and even Ministers. He said to be always seen shuttling between Kisumu and Nairobi using flights whose tickets is paid by those seeking favor from “Big Men and Women within the corridors of power.” The same character is being suspected to have played the pivotal role in securing the one month extension of the contract of the CEO.

Contractors and suppliers also have a bone to chew with one unnamed top official at the board who has over stayed and who is said to be so notorious of having perfected in the art of “Kick-Backs and bribery money”. It is also being alleged that the officer in question is always demanded his cut at a certain percentage before releasing cheques to the suppliers for the work done to the supplier and contractors and that such deals are always conducted in bar and restaurants or eating houses.

A story is widely spread in Kisumu and its environs of an MP from the larger Southern Nyanza region who recently stormed the office of the board’s CEO demanding to know the reason why his people have not yet been connected to water supply system for which the government has already paid millions of shillings. The MP is reported to have issued the threat that he would lead his people to stage demonstration protest if his people did not get clean water for health by November this year.

Other unconfirmed allegations are to the effect that the officials of this board have been seen entertaining politicians their cronies and power-brokers at the exclusive clubs in the lakeside city where they are extravagantly spending money for favoritism and protection. In such outing beautiful English speaking girls re not outdone and are ever presence.

As this report was being written, no word has come from Nairobi either from the parent Ministry or the Office of the PM indicating how the matter would be resolved. But strong rumor being spread by power brokers and political sycophants who are closely associated with the senior politician whose two sons are alleged to have undeservedly benefited from contracts and supplies to the board were heard bragging that Eng. Ochieng’ would be reinstated back to his job.

This is against the backdrop of the announcement made on Wednesday that the board has already appointed a Mr Gideon Kirui as the new Chief Executive Officer of the board. Kirui has served the board senior finance officer will be on acting capacity.

The appointment was announced by the board’s chairman George Donji, but Eng Ochieng’ defiantly denied the alleged changes saying the decision was personal and not the board’s decision.

During his tour of Kisumu on Friday, Eng. Ochieng was seen closely consulting with people perceived to be close to the PM.

Ends

KENYA BISHOPS ACT ON FOOD CRISIS AFTER THE POPE’S CALL ON MOBILIZATION

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from ouko joachim omolo

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011

Agenzia Fides reports that the Bishops of Kenya launch an emergency fund to help people affected by drought-“We are all deeply concerned about the crisis caused by drought and suffering of so many Kenyans.

Our concern is for the millions of vulnerable people who risk dying of hunger and for the many communities that have lost their livelihoods “, the Bishops of Kenya say in a statement and launch a national fund-raising for the people affected by drought that has raged in several East-African Countries.

If the most dramatic situation is in Somalia, Kenya also heavily suffers the food crisis, not only because it hosts on its territory hundreds of thousands of Somalis escaping from their Country, but also because the drought has affected several areas of its territory.

The message of the Episcopal Conference of Kenya states that the most vulnerable people are: the shepherds of the north, north-east, north-west and south, and the poorest families living on subsistence farming in the coastal plains and south-eastern regions.

The drought, caused by very little rain in 2010 and, this year has caused, the Bishops recall, “food shortages, sharp rise in food prices, lack of water, migration and conflict, malnutrition, school dropout on behalf of children and loss of livestock”.

The Episcopal Conference of Kenya has decided to launch an emergency fund (Catholic Charity Emergency Fund) and has launched a fund-raising in favor of this initiative. Food collections in parishes, diocesan offices and other structures of the Church have been organized. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 04/08/2011)

The Episcopal Conference of Kenya ‘s move comes three days after Pope Benedict XVI called for an “international mobilization” to help the victims of a severe drought in Eastern Africa, which has been hit by drought and is now threatened by a famine that could endanger the life of more than 11.8 million people.

Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are the countries the most hit by the drought. Speaking from his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, Italy, the pope invited the faithful “to think of the many brothers and sisters who in these days, in the Horn of Africa, are suffering the dramatic consequences of famine, aggravated by war and the absence of solid institutions.”

In Kenya the famine is biting harder when the Kenyan shilling fell to a record low of 92.10 against the dollar on Thursday, weighed down by demand for the US currency from oil importers according to traders.

At 0624 GMT, commercial bank quoted the shilling at 92.00/20 against the dollar, weaker than Wednesday’s close of 91.65/75. “We have seen heavy demand this week. Telecoms were in and we also saw oil guys buying dollars,” Duncan Kinuthia, head of trading at Commercial Bank of Africa was quoted to have said. “Still the shilling is on the back foot. We don’t see any factors supporting it.”

In northern Kenya according to Fatuma Ahmed, some people go as far selling their daughters at a tender age so they can get food. Prolonged drought in northern Kenya has pushed many families, like widow Ahmed and her seven children, towards the outskirts of towns where they are more likely to get food and water, thanks to the generosity of Kenyans who have so far donated over 100 million Kenya shillings.

Dubbed Kenyans for Kenya, it is intended to raise over Sh500 million, in four weeks. The initiative has brought together a number of organizations among them Safaricom Foundation, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Foundation and the country’s leading media houses operating under the umbrella of the Media Owners Association (MOA). The effort will be administered by relief agency Kenya Red Cross Society.

The KCB Group CEO Dr. Martin Oduor – Otieno was quoted to have said that KCB is ready to support initiatives that would help to alleviate famine in the country. “KCB through the KCB Foundation is delighted to be part of this noble initiative bringing together the Kenya Red Cross Society, corporate organizations and the media in support of Kenyans hard hit by famine. In addition, we are also mobilizing our 5,000 staff to make individual contributions,” said Dr Oduor-Otieno.

Also key to the campaign is the use of M-PESA, Safaricom’s money transfer service to receive donations. This will ensure that even the smallest donation (as low as Sh10) is harnessed, as this will go a long way in improving the situation of millions of Kenyans currently staring starvation and death in the eye.

Donations can be sent to the M-PESA PayBill number 111111 at no charge as this has been waived. Donations can also be sent to account number 11 33 33 33 38 at KCB. Kenya Red Cross Society cash tins will also be available in 169 KCB branches countrywide for receiving donations.

The famine crisis in Kenya has already received unprecedented media coverage especially from the international media due to the influx of refugees in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. The corporate appeal comes at a time when the United Nations (UN) has also called an emergency meeting in Rome to mobilise aid so save starving Kenyans from hunger.

According to Ahmed young girls are being sold for as little as 15,000 Kenyan shillings ($168) “If he’s wealthy, it can go up to 50,000 ($559),” “A mother will take a 14-year-old girl out of school and sell her to a man – even an old man – to get money to give the other children food,” according to a local chief. “Some households have 10 children and feeding those children is really hard.”

Enrolment in his local primary school has dropped to 210 children from 350 since the drought started to bite last year. “Over a hundred have been removed because of hunger,” the chief told Reuters.

According to the United Nations, only one in five girls in North Eastern Province attend school. Aid agency World Vision is unable to trace 400 of the 3,060 children it sponsors in the district. Some have been sent to stay with better-off relatives who can feed them. Some are working as maids in people’s houses or in food kiosks. But others are married off “just to make sure that the rest of the family does not die from lack of food”, said Jacob Alemu, World Vision’s local programme manager.

It is not the first time the Pope expressed its fears regarding the situation in East Africa as on July 17, he spoke about the humanitarian catastrophe. “Countless people are fleeing terrible famine in search of food and assistance,” the pope told the crowd gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.
“May those who suffer not lack our solidarity,” the pope said.

In Somalia, the areas most affected by the drought are under the control of an Islamist militant group, al-Shabaab, which has banned western aid agencies, forcing people to flee to the capital Mogadishu, where the U.N.-backed government is struggling to fight off armed groups. In Somalia, 3.7 million people are in crisis, out of a population of 7.5 million. The UN said 3.2 million need immediate lifesaving assistance.

This is taking place at the same time Kenyan Foreign Affairs Assistant minister Richard Onyonka was today (Thursday) grilled by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) detectives over the purchase of sugar worth Sh137 million using CDF cash.

Mr Onyonka, who is also the Kitutu Chache MP, is alleged to have used CDF funds to purchase sugar worth Sh137,058,429 from Chemilil Sugar Company and did not remit VAT worth Sh18.5 million to the Kenya Revenue Authority.

KENYA: THE PAIN AND AGONY OF SEXUAL ABUSE

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from ouko joachim omolo

Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
THURSDAY, AUGUST4, 2011

It was too painful as two Maltese priests were sentenced on Monday August 1, 2011 to 5 and 6 years in prison after they were convicted of sexually abusing boys under their care in a Catholic Church home for children more than 20 years ago. The 11 boys were aged between 13 and 16 when the abuse took place in St Joseph’s Home in the late 1980s. The victims are now in their late 30s.

Fr Charles Pulis was sentenced Monday to 6 years while Fr Godwin Scerri was jailed for 5 for abusing an undisclosed number of children. The judgment, bringing to an end an eight-year court case, was delivered in a packed courtroom as the two priests stood quietly in the dock.

Last year a Roman Catholic priest committed suicide after he was informed that he would be suspended pending an investigation of his alleged sexual abuse of a minor 29 years ago according to the Diocese of Portland’s report.

Fr James Robichaud, 56, body was found Friday morning in the rectory of Our Lady of the Snows in Dover-Foxcroft. Robichaud died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The abuse was alleged to have occurred around the time Robichaud, an Augusta native, was ordained in 1979 and assigned to St. Jean-Baptiste Parish in Lowell, Mass.

The 21-year-old, an American actress and pop singer-songwriter, Miley Ray Cyrus was in pain on Monday when it was discovered that someone bragged online and hacked her email and distributing revealing pictures of the then 15-year-old singer.

Miley Cyrus who has thrown her support behind gay marriage with a new tattoo of an equal sign, saying that all love is equal made recent headlines with her cover of the classic Fleetwood Mac song “Landslide.”

On Tuesday August 2, 2011, IRIN reported painful story of two brothers, Charles and Jacques who set off for Uganda in search of safety after the murder of their parents in January in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), only to be waylaid along the border by six men carrying machetes, sticks and guns, who took them into the forest and raped them, leaving them unconscious.

Months after eventually finding their way to Kampala, the Ugandan capital, the brothers are physically and psychologically traumatized. “There is no hope, and sometimes it leads us to hate life,” Charles, the elder, told IRIN.

Jacques is visibly in pain as he leans on his chair. “It hurts here where I got raped. Sometimes when I go to the bathroom, I suffer for hours. Before, blood flowed [from the anus], now it’s getting better but the pain is very strong,” he said, adding that he undergoes a lot of mental torment. “I can go for days without speaking to anyone.”

An estimated 23.6 percent of men from the eastern DRC regions of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu have been exposed to sexual violence during their lifetime, according to an August 2010 study by the Association of Sexual Violence and Human Rights Violations With Physical and Mental Health in Territories of the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) [ http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/304/5/553.full.pdf+html?sid=1b583375-0736-444b-a4bc-2428257953d1 ].

And as Nation reports, John Mwenda was just eight years old when he was sodomised by a man old enough to be his father. For 16 years, this 24 year old man has kept this horrible secret to himself, shackled by shame, embarrassment, and fear of how people might treat him, should he speak out.

This is the first time that Mwenda is talking about what happened to him all those years ago. The physical scars healed a long time ago, but the emotional and psychological ones still torture him. He hopes that by talking about it, he will finally discover the path towards healing, but more importantly, encourage other young men like him, and boys that are too scared to reveal the men that violate them, to speak out.

According to this sad and painful story by the Nation, Mwenda was on his home from school. The school he went to was several kilometers away, and many of the children he went to school with were from neighbourhood – only a few of them would take the long walk home, although he would walk the last one kilometer or so alone, since his home was further away.

As the story goes, it was on a Friday when it happened. He remembered because he was looking forward to the weekend, since he wouldn’t go to school. He was in class three. As he walked through the familiar path that would lead him home, a man he knew approached him. He often saw him in his village, so he knew him.

Mwenda comes from Tharaka district, in Meru. He greeted him, and then asked him where h went to school, and other questions that he doesn’t really recall. After a while, he got hold of his hand and led him into a bush. He must have wondered why he did that, although he did not suspect anything sinister because he knew him.

It was not until he pulled down his shorts that he knew he was about to do something very bad to him. He tried to scream, but he covered his mouth with one of his hands. He was too strong, so he couldn’t fight back.

When he was done, he zipped his trousers. Before he left, he threatened to beat him up, and then strangle him if he ever told anyone what he had done. Mwenda waited until his footsteps faded away, and then he pulled up his shorts. The pain was so excruciating, he had no idea how he was able to get back home.

Mwenda became withdrawn, and would have recurrent nightmares. Even at that young age of eight years, he wondered why someone he knew would want to do that to him. This is what pained him most.

In yet another harrowing report by Will Storr who travelled to Uganda to meet traumatised survivors of sexual abuse reveals how male rape is endemic in many of the world’s conflicts.

For four years Eunice Owiny had been employed by Makerere University’s Refugee Law Project (RLP) to help displaced people from all over Africa work through their traumas. This particular case, though, was a puzzle. A female client was having marital difficulties. “My husband can’t have sex,” she complained. “He feels very bad about this. I’m sure there’s something he’s keeping from me.”

Owiny invited the husband in. For a while they got nowhere. Then Owiny asked the wife to leave. The man then murmured cryptically: “It happened to me.” Owiny frowned. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an old sanitary pad. “Mama Eunice,” he said. “I am in pain. I have to use this.”

Laying the pus-covered pad on the desk in front of him, he gave up his secret. During his escape from the civil war in neighbouring Congo, he had been separated from his wife and taken by rebels. His captors raped him, three times a day, every day for three years.

And he wasn’t the only one. He watched as man after man was taken and raped. The wounds of one were so grievous that he died in the cell in front of him.” That was hard for me to take,” Owiny tells me today. “There are certain things you just don’t believe can happen to a man, you get me? But I know now that sexual violence against men is a huge problem. Everybody has heard the women’s stories. But nobody has heard the men’s.”

For example, a study of 6,000 concentration-camp inmates in Sarajevo found that 80 percent of men reported having been raped. This example demonstrates how scattered statistics of rape and defilement cases across the world it difficult to determine whether there has been an increase or decrease in rape cases in recent years.

In Nairobi Women’s Hospital alone is attending to approximately 2,500 cases of sexual and gender-based violence cases – with rape cases accounting for 21 percent – during post-election violence in the first three months of 2008, according to a 2010 report by the Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development, an international NGO.

This is not to mention the 2010 annual report from the Nairobi Gender Violence Recovery Center of the Nairobi Women’s Hospital that listed 2,487 survivors of gender-based violence, with rape or defilement accounting for 85 percent.
Still, most women in the slum do not report cases of rape for fear of stigma, according to a 2010 Amnesty International report on women’s experiences in Nairobi’s slums. Some women interviewed in the report also said that the legal procedure took too long.
As BBC reports, every day women turn up at the doors of Nairobi’s hospitals and clinics telling the same story. “I could not run away. They gagged my mouth and pinned me down,” one woman remembers. “After raping me they blindfolded me and led me to a nearby forest. That’s where they left me.”

Her experience – doctors, officials and the UN say – is echoed by hundreds of other women who have survived a spiralling number of sexual attacks. Many are gang rapes, carried out by groups of armed men.

Only a small percentage of women actually come to receive medical treatment and counselling in the immediate aftermath of a sexual attack. It means they do not get access to the drugs which might prevent the onset of HIV.

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

Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

KENYA: NO CHANGE IN AKR ELECTION DATE

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from Boniface Mutua

Fellow Kenyans,

There was a letter that was circulated this morning by the out-going chairman purporting to postpone the elections scheduled for saturday 6th August 2011. I wrote the attached protest note to the High Commission, but unfortunately I have not recieved any response to this point.

Despite the foregoing, we shall go on with our elections as scheduled. Before end of day tommorrow, we shall advise you the venue and time.

Meanwhile, I shall circulate to you the updated list of paid-up members as recieved this afternoon. Kindly go through the list and ensure your membership is upto date. Let us all turn up on saturday and vote.

We need to get over this and focus on how to help out our brothers and sisters who are dying of hunger back at home and other more beneficial initiatives.

Mutua

AKR elections_reply to letter from high commission.pdf
75K View Download

3rdAugust 2011
Boniface Mutua
P.O. Box 341
Kigali,

The Kenya High Commission
Kigali, Rwanda.

Attn: Fred Eshikuta

AKR ELECTIONS

Kindly receive my highest regards.

Your letter KHK/CONS/12/(80) received today morning refers.

With all due respect, I beg to differ with your position. Kindly be advised that the mission has nomandate to postpone AKR elections. The power to do so rests on the members in a generalassembly and Kenyans are ready for elections. All we are asking for from the High Commissionis facilitation as the patron and given the fact that the out-going committee has totally failed in execution of its roles. Any further postponement will increase the acrimony among Kenyans and further deepen the lack of trust in the affairs of the association.

The term of the current Executive Committee is already expired and thus they are in office illegally. We need fresh mandate and energy to steer AKR forward. This was stronglydemonstrated by your intervention to get AKR back on track and the meeting you called on 25thJune 2011. On the invitation email sent out by the ag. Chairman, the elections were fixed to takeplace on 16thJuly 2011 at 2pm. This was later on postponed to 6thAugust 2011. On an email of24 May 2011, from the outgoing Organizing Secretary, Mr. Koech, “The Executive Committeeas is constituted at the moment cannot function. The team has been dormant since we last held a meeting three or four months ago” He further observed that “We need fresh team and sincethe Chairman has not call any meeting, orhas had any mention of Elections, I request members to make suggestions on the way forwardI propose Elections”.

Your request that all members aspiring to vie for various offices to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the AKR Constitution approved on 16thJuly 2011 is totally unacceptable for thepurposes of this elections. One issue that we should all bear in mind is that, you cannot applyamendments to statutes retrospectively. Secondly all members need access to minutes of theprevious AKR meetings and attendant list (if any) as provided for under the constitution. Further,the decision to re-register members from 1stJuly 2010 was illegal and unconstitutional.

KRBA held their elections a few weeks ago, without the involvement of the High Commission.Your direction on the AKR matter appears to give credibility to the rumours that, they did not seethe need to involve the High Commission for fear of interference.

————
Page 2

In view of the foregoing, I disagree with your position and insist that, elections will be held on 6thAugust 2011 as scheduled.

We reiterate our highest consideration.

Yours Sincerely,

Boniface MutuaASPIRANT0788-713619

– – – – – – – – – – –

from Thomas Kamire

Let us watch call first then we deal with these people after. For vs Tusker 0 0

Thomas Kamire

from Daniel Koech

Dear All,

We do agree that there is a serious issue which needs to be addressed especially on the issue of the constitution

I wish to draw the attention of everyone purporting to be sending mail to AKR members to read carefully ARTICLE 4 section 7 a-e concerning communication via any format to AKR members

As the current organizing Secretary I have not at any time received a mail which mail should be given the go ahead by at least any three members of the executive committee to communicate to Kenyans

Please lets us respect the constitution- This email applies to all AKR members.

It is only the organizing Sec who can send mail to AKR members! AKR Members wishing to communicate should follow the same rule

ARTICLE 7
Section 7: Communication to AKR Members

All official written communication and correspondence to other organisations shall be sent out by the Chair of the association.

All email communication to members shall be sent out by the Organising Secretary .

All sms communication to members shall be sent out by the Organising Secretary

Procedure of communication by email.

Any member of the executive committee shall be able to originate a message to members. This message shall be drafted by the originating party and sent out to all members of the executive committee. The Organising Secretary shall wait for an ‘okay’ response from at least 4 of the seven members of the executive committee one of which will be the chair of the committee .

Any message that will not be approved by the chair of the association shall not be valid to be sent out to members.

Procedure for communication by SMS

Any member of the Executive Commitee shall be able to originate an SMS message to all members. This SMS shall be drafted by the originating party then sent to all members of the executive committee. The Organising Secretary shall wait for an ‘Okay’ response from the Chairman and three other members of the committee before sending the SMS to the general members.

Kenya: More support for The Clean-up Campaign

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from odhiambo okecth

Friends,

As we approach the 6th August 2011, we are receiving more support for the Clean-up Campaign. We have also done a clip in partnership with the City Council of Nairobi to be aired on NTV during the Prime Time News on Friday the 5th August 2011. Please tune in to NTV and watch the clip then.

We want to thank Mr. John Ogutu Omondi of Embakasi for sending to us Kshs 3,000.00 yesterday via Mpesa. He was full of praise for the Clean-up Initiative and said he will be at Donholm at 6.45am on Saturday.

This is how we now stand;

Mr. Joseph Kohogo- Kshs 1,000.00
Mr. Phillip Kisia- Kshs 15,000.00- specifically in support of 3 Girl Pupils
Wildlife Clubs of Kenya- 300 seedlings
Green Belt Movements- 100 seedlings
City Council of Nairobi- man power for hole digging
Global Peace Youth Corps- Kshs 8,000.00
Nairobi City Carnival- Kshs 2,000.00
Mr. John Ogutu Omondi- Kshs 3,000.00

The Clean-up will be flagged off by Mr. Phillip Kisia- The Town Clerk at the City Council of Nairobi in the company of Embakasi DC Mr. Peter Mbugi, Pst Richard Chogo- Mavuno Mashariki Church, Ms. C Torome- DO Umoja, Ms Charity Munyapya- HOC-Kenya Forestry Services, Ms Margaret Otieno- National Coordinator Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, Mr. Daniel Juma- Global Peace Youth Corps, Mr. John Ogutu Omondi- Embakasi, Mr. Norman Magaya- Chairman- ODM Youth 2012, Ms Jane Njuguna- DEO Embakasi and many volunteers.

We must continue congratulating all the Friends of KCDN who have made this campaign the success story that it is. We owe you guys.

As usual, A Clean Kenya Starts With Me. And a Peaceful Kenya is My Responsibility. And those who might want to be of support to us may get in touch with the undersigned.

We are looking forward to creating a partnership that will add value to this campaign with all willing Kenyans.

We at KCDN -www.kcdnkenya.org firmly believe that we the People of Kenya can help Clean Kenya.

This is a campaign for Kenya by Kenyans. Let us make it big……

If it is to be, it is up to me. A Clean Kenya Starts With me. A Peaceful Kenya is my Responsibility.

Disclaimer; The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign is about us Kenyans. It involves all Kenyans from the various regions, religious persuasions, political thinking and we do not discriminate against any Kenyans nor any region.

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Nairobi
Nationwide Coordinator – Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit
PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
www.kcdnkenya.org
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com
Facebook; Odhiambo T Oketch

Facebook; Monthly Nationwide Clean Up Campaign

Board at KCDN; Mr. Rashid Juma- Chair, Ms Janet Ongera, Ms Irene Wasike, Mr. Lameck Siage- Nigeria, Ms Brigitte Frey- Switzerland, Mr. Moses Tanui, Ms Shazeen Chatur, Mr. Odhiambo T Oketch- CEO.

Strategic Advisors; Mr. Elijah Agevi, Ms Grace Odhiambo- Australia, Dr. Matunda Nyanchama- Canada, Mr. Oduor Ong’wen, Mr. Peter Ngoge, Ms Dorcus Amondi

Odhiambo T Oketch is the current Chairman to the City Council of Nairobi Stakeholders Evaluation Team on Performance Contracting and Rapid Results Management. He is also Chair to the Nyamonye Catholic Church Development Fund.He was also the Co-Chair and Coordinator of The Great Nairobi Walk against Corruption that was held in Nairobi on the 22nd October 2010. He is the Convener of the upcoming 2nd Edition of the Great Nairobi Walk against Corruption to be held on the 21st October 2011 in Nairobi Kenya.
…….Moving From Talking to Tasking……..

ICC & Kenya: Don’t mistake my visit to Hague

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From: Elijah Kombo

I will be at the Hague come September and more importantly during the days of the hearings of the Ocampo Six. I intend to meet the six fellows who have be accused for crimes against humanity and human rights violations. I will have coffee with them and probably go site seeing before facing the bearded man.

We all know that Ocampo is almost failing to do his job. And if he fails to fix those who actually caused the violence, then he needs to tell us what steps he has taken to those who have caused hunger and famine in Somalia.

Just like a clever rabbit, i will scare the judges ‘My names are Kombo Elijah Ogaro Rakamba Mogire Jaduong Ondare, son of a prominent Kenyan born in 1975 and fought for independence from wazungus like you here keeping jobs to hear African cases. I am an Elected member of Parliament courtesy of the Kenya People. I am also the deputy Vice President of the Republic of Kenya courtesy of a duly elected Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga. I hold a PhD courtesy of the University of Pittsburg. I am experienced in public finance and forensic auditing. I must add that this is the reason Ocampo has politicised the post election violence for reasons best know to him and his masters. I am ging for presidency to challenge Raila Odinga and that is why he and Ocampo have concocted evidence against me”.

“First before i introduce myself further, i don’t why i have to be dragged from Kenya to this court. I did nothing i can remember. I participated in a harambee to assist people purchase farm equipment. Its was not my job to know where they were going to use the items. I am shocked by these outrageous allegations’.

The submissions will go on and on……

I will be ready at the lobby to serve the G7 some chabazi na mandondo o condition that they must be adorned in caps with stripes of Kenyan flag. They must sing the national anthem with hand folded, mouth wide open and voices drowning in a flog style noise from a nearby swamp in Rionuti.

This time, i suspect the 21 MPs who accompanied Ocampo six during first hearing will walk away disappointed. Infact not so many of them will go. They have debts at KRA and therefore too broke to affrod a plane ticket to the Hague. I will rescue them to find cheap accommodation near the red street. Its cheap with full package. After-all why should they get off the Hague and hang out at Koinange street

I await that time, and i will be waiting at Den Hague where it will happen.

Kombo Elijah

Kenya: Listen to What President Kagame is saying……..

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from odhiambo okecth

A few great things are happening in Africa and we need to sit upright and take note.

In a Conference that just concluded in Rwanda, one which was attended by our Friend Japheth Ouda of the Global Peace Festival Foundation, President Kagame posed a simple, yet, very serious question; ‘Do we need donors to also help us clean our houses?’

This is a tough question.

I had a meeting this afternoon with Japheth- the Programme Manager Community Driven Development- Global Peace Festival Foundation, Mr. Vincent Rapando- the Director Strategic Partnerships East Africa- GPFF, Ms Wendy Wakhosama- Manager Strategic Partnerships- GPFF and Mr. Edwin Aketch- Programmes Manager GPFF and I was impressed with what the GPFF is doing with schools and communities around Kenya.

Now, what President Kagame is asking is one tough question we must all respond to. At KCDN and together with all our partners, we have been responding to this question; Do we need donors to help clean our country? I bet we do not. And this is why we at KCDN refused from the word go to be responding to calls for proposals on many things.

We believe that people of goodwill, people who believe that we can be the change that we want work towards realizing that change that we so need. Then, any donor who feels compelled can join us and help us make the difference- in our own way. Not in their confining ways. And so far, we are proving that we the people can be the drivers of the change that we want.

At Global Peace Festival Foundation, they are working with some women groups in Kariobangi and it is important to note that these groups have resolved to be cleaning their neigbourhoods every Wednesday from 4pm. My, this is the change that we need.

Can you all join us at KCDN in congratulating Global Peace Festival Foundation and the 3 groups that have come forward so far; Brave Footsteps, Jikaze Women Self help Group and Mzaituni Women Self Help Group.

They have set the tempo that we all need. Can we have similar groups, both youth and women, stepping forward and championing the change that we need as a Country.

We are happy that Global Peace Festival Foundation will be joining us on the 6th August 2011 at Donholm to help launch the Donholm Clean up Campaign. I have also confirmed that the DO Umoja- Ms C Torome, besides marshalling the Provincial Administration and the Administration Police, will be joining us for the event.

Let us help keep our neigbhourhood clean- let us not wait for any donor to help us clean our houses. That is our prime responsibility.

We must continue congratulating all the Friends of KCDN who have made this campaign the success story that it is. We owe you guys.

As usual, A Clean Kenya Starts With Me. And a Peaceful Kenya is My Responsibility. And those who might want to be of support to us may get in touch with the undersigned.

We are looking forward to creating a partnership that will add value to this campaign with all willing Kenyans.

We at KCDN -www.kcdnkenya.org firmly believe that we the People of Kenya can help Clean Kenya.

This is a campaign for Kenya by Kenyans. Let us make it big……

If it is to be, it is up to me. A Clean Kenya Starts With me. A Peaceful Kenya is my Responsibility.

Disclaimer; The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign is about us Kenyans. It involves all Kenyans from the various regions, religious persuasions, political thinking and we do not discriminate against any Kenyans nor any region.

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Nairobi
Nationwide Coordinator – Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit
PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
www.kcdnkenya.org
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com
Facebook; Odhiambo T Oketch

Board at KCDN; Mr. Rashid Juma- Chair, Ms Janet Ongera, Ms Irene Wasike, Mr. Lameck Siage- Nigeria, Ms Brigitte Frey- Switzerland, Mr. Moses Tanui, Ms Shazeen Chatur, Mr. Odhiambo T Oketch- CEO.

Strategic Advisors; Mr. Elijah Agevi, Ms Grace Odhiambo- Australia, Dr. Matunda Nyanchama- Canada, Mr. Oduor Ong’wen, Mr. Peter Ngoge, Ms Dorcus Amondi

Odhiambo T Oketch is the current Chairman to the City Council of Nairobi Stakeholders Evaluation Team on Performance Contracting and Rapid Results Management. He is also Chair to the Nyamonye Catholic Church Development Fund.He was also the Co-Chair and Coordinator of The Great Nairobi Walk against Corruption that was held in Nairobi on the 22nd October 2010. He is the Convener of the upcoming 2nd Edition of the Great Nairobi Walk against Corruption to be held on the 21st October 2011 in Nairobi Kenya.
…….Moving From Talking to Tasking……..

Kenya: An Effective Parliament Will make Things Happen to Suffice Public Mandate….

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from Judy Miriga

Folks,

Things never seizes to amaze………about 80% of Legislatures, specifically in Kenya hardly contributes or participate in weekly Parliament debate ………yet there is so much that needs representation for facilitation on behalf of voters in their respective constitutencies, ……… and .Presently they are doing nothing to provide Devolution readiness to Federalism structural strategies for implementation to their Constituents, the HECK, they do not understand what to do and why they are in Parliament……. except their Centred Special Interest FODDER Agenda…….the reason, now there is no easy, cheap dirty money and donor money trickling………the Parliemant and Government activities has come to a stand-still……..Totally Irresponsible Leaders without Focus or direction, who know nothing of development, advocacy ….. those that require them to visit their constituents and prepare people to plant enough food to avoid hunger…….get involved and engaged in public progressive matters and concerns……..cannot think beyond their stomach with those of their family members.

Sad to Say…..But, this is why Complete Transformation and overhaul for new broom is necessary and very very important, irrespective of Drum-Beat Sounds of Freedom Struggle…….Freedom Struggle is only relevant if the players remain relevant and true to the cause of the struggle……..otherwise, they become unproductive, and a burden to the society……..and mostly, they end up derrailing the process by becoming obstructionist to Public Empowerment towards Success & Prosperity and altogether slow progress where Production and Improvement of Natural Resources would spur Destiny towards prospects of Wealth Generating Agenda.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – – –

2nd August 2011

NO, NO and No Again – Parliament CANNOT be Overburden by the Task Ahead when that’s why it exists!

Edward Kennedy has sponsored 512 bills between Jan 6, 1987 and Aug 6, 2009 of which 328 haven’t made it out of committee and 41 were successfully enacted. Kennedy has co-sponsored 2,398 bills during the same time period. (The count of enacted bills considers only bills actually sponsored by Kennedy and companion bills identified by CRS that were themselves enacted, but not if they were incorporated into other bills, as that information is not readily available.)
In 1999, there were 5,514 bills introduced in Congress (not counting procedural and internal Congress housekeeping bills). Almost 2000 in the Senate and about 3500 in the House. Less than 300 became law.

Coming across the statements above leaves one wondering whether the Kenyan parliament and those that are its members really understand what their role is. Matters are made worse by a media that chooses to sell the ‘story of the moment’ and not the ‘truth of the matter’. The truth cannot be that parliament is in for a busy schedule. What busy schedule when there is evidence that ours is one of the most ‘unbusy’ of parliaments across the world? By the approach of selling the ‘story of the moment’ media has conceded ground to politicians to become the agenda setters as the media follows blindly. 2007-08 PEV was penned under such a foundation.

The most serious story that the press missed there was: why is it that our parliament does not debate so well when in fact the mention of parliament is almost synonymous to the word debate? How come there are members of parliament who do not (Or is it they can not) debate, yet they are members in that house? Maybe then the story of how they came to get there should have been great fodder for investigative media activism that can help bring out the positive influence that is needed for better elected leadership next time round. How about the rules and regulations that are hidden in standing orders that makes parliament a house of technical-ness as opposed to really performance in as far as its roles are concern. How about how hard it is to for private members bills to see the light of day and what huddles await a member who decides to do what his primary roles are – making laws. How about members who have taken this challenge and pulled major statutes off the air into the lives of Kenyans? How about the calendar that with a week that starts on Tuesday afternoon and ends on Thursday by 2PM when the person who is employed gets to take home over 1 million and dares his/her employers that they will not pay taxes? And do Kenyans really understand the job description of Mps. In my mind I have three 1) Law Making 2) Representation 3) Oversight – CDF? How about development? The oversight role that press is supposed to be playing has in fact been on hold for far too long.

The fact is that as we look into doing about 20 bills in three weeks, we know we are in a crisis. But what are the real underlining facts of the crisis we find ourselves in as 26 August beckons. Are we going to get ourselves out of this circle of fire fighting if we had an election tomorrow or would we elect the same breed of leadership or maybe even better record breakers in terms of worst of work rates?

And matters are worsened by the famine we are faced with. That should have been the top agenda in parliamentary debate at this very moment. May the Good Lord Have Mercy on us!

Nicholas Oyoo Ochieng
P. Box 28899 – 00200
Nairobi

KENYA: ANXIETY IN RACHUONYO OVER DC’S CONDUCT

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By Jamumbo Aguko Mayora
Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

The residents of South Rachuonyo District in HomaBay County were left wondering in fear why their area DC chose a public political forum to vilified and threatened a resident who had called him to voluntarily tip him over some insecurity matters.

Led by Young Orange Democrats luminaries Aguko Mayora and Omondi Otore The resident claimed that the area DC action depicted him as part of anti-reformist civil servants who is busy serving purposes that are clearly personal and not public.” The DC is not ready to work in consonant with the new constitutional dispensation,he is busy looking for political ways to protect the status quo” said Otore.They asked the DC not to get involved in the local politics instead he should try to concentrate on his duties as a civil servant.They further requested the minister of internal security Prof.George Saitoti to intervene and launch an independent investigation over the incident as members of the public are now scared of passing information to the authorities for fear of being betrayed.

On 18/7/11 the Kasipul Kabondo area member of parliament had convened a political rally at Waradho in Kachien North Location to drum up support for his re-election in 2012.A business magnet from the area Ong’ondo Were got an information from some residents that some youths armed with crude weapons were planning to disrupt the rally and blame it on him as part of hate campaign against him,Were called the area DC asking him to investigate the claim.The DC who was reportedly in Kisii town a distance of 25 Kms from the district is said to have instantly dismissed that information as fabrication and won that the motive of that information was to undermine his authority as head of security in the area.

The Dc however, rushed to the scene where instead of keeping vigil or otherwise investigate the allegations,he took to the podium and addressed the crowd revealing to them that he had been called by One Ong’ondo Were to investigate some claims about insecurity at the rally adding that he knew even before he came that he was given a false information and that Were should be forced to substantiate his claim before the District panel.The DC said he was to sermon Were to appear before the District Security team for interrogation the following day.To date the DC has not formally sermon any body over the incident.

The Dc who has been in this area for far too long is not new to political controversies.Last year during the campaign for the new constitution locals got the wind that there were some youths who wanted to disrupt YES rally that was to take place in Kadongo and Oyugis organized by some parliamentary aspirants without the blessings of the member of parliament.When the DC was secretly briefed by the organizers of that rally he came to the scene closely escorted by the very youths that were being mentioned as suspects the DC instead of providing security dispersed the crowd that was being addressed by prof.Richard Muga as the said youths pounce on innocent people with crude weapon.

In another dictatorial move is an incident in North Kamagak where the DC had authorized the prospecting of Iron Ore at God Nyango without consulting members of the community when a member of the community one Leo Ooro tried to explained to the people that the due procedure had not been followed he threatened him with arrest, the matter has since been taken to court.The same DC is not in good books with members of the public that he usually abused whenever he stand to address them.Recently in a function in North Kachien he rebuked the clan of making bricks yet they lived in mud houses like Eskimos a statement which did not augur well with the locals.

While addressing mourners in a funeral in West Kamagak Aguko Mayora and Otore praised the police for their ethical and professional abilities in handling issues of security.But said they are highly suspicious with the manner in which the area DC is handling his work.”We have a lot of respect to madam(OCPD) and her team ,but not this politician in the name of a DC”said Aguko who was visibly agitated.

END

KENYA: CHALLENGES OF HEALING WOUNDS OF VIOLENCE IN KENYA

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Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
WUNDANYI-TAITA TAVETA
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2011

WUNDANYI WORKSHOP TAKE-4

The saying that man finds himself in trouble when all types of insects gang up against him, when the insects have vowed to punish him for killing one of their own makes reconciliation and healing in Kenya difficult. Especially when the butterfly distances himself from them and offers to help man to fight in the war waged against him.

At the end of our workshop on land and water security in Taita Taveta County, Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa, we looked at challenges of reconciliation and healing the wounds of ethnic violences in Kenya. In order to reconcile and heal you must reconcile the wounds first.

It goess back to 1992 when Eldoret North Member of Parliament, Mr William Ruto was the deputy leader of Youth for KANU 92 assistant to Cyrus Jirongo. At the time the organization was formed, Ruto abandoned his Masters studies in zoology at the University of Nairobi to take advantage of the free money Moi was offering for his presidential bid.

Central Bank governor Eric Kotut, a fellow Kalenjin was forced to print paper money, in which the Kenyan taxpayer lost over Shs. 80 billion. Since then money has been heavily looted. Finance Minister who is also Kanu Chairman, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta was forced to earmark Sh1.11 billion towards the repayment of the debt the Central Bank printed for Moi’s 1992 campaign ‘comeback’ presidential bid.

Apart from Moi the government of Kibaki continues to make payments related to the Anglo-Leasing scandals. According to the latest audit report taxpayers’ money is being spent on servicing contentious debts, including Sh20 billion related to the Anglo-Leasing series of security contracts and Sh3 billion relating to the ‘ghost’ KenRen fertiliser factory.

Apart from Sh1.11 billion chaneled towards the repayment of the debt the Central Bank printed for Moi’s 1992 campaign, according to Controller and Auditor-General Anthony Gatumbu the payments of Anglo-Leasing alone have pushed the overall public debt to Sh1.17 trillion. So far, Sh3.1 billion has been spent on the KenRen project that was conceived in 1975 during the Kenyatta era when President Kibaki was Finance Minister.

As if that was not enough, some of the ministries including Internal Security of Prof George Saitoti who worked closely with Moi is not able to account for Sh953 million, State House (Sh10 million), Foreign Affairs of which Saititoti is the acting minister (Sh80 million), Home Affairs headed by former staunch Kanu follower during Moi, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka-(Sh349 million) and Planning- National Development and Vision 2030 (Sh10 million).

Others are Finance headed by Uhuru myself-(Sh121 million), Defence by Yusuf Haji who was Moi right hand in 1990’s-(Sh197 million), Agriculture by Sally Kosgei who shed tears when Moi was forced out of office in 2002-(Sh768 million), Local Government by Muslia Mudavadi who was Moi Finance minister when Kotut printed money for campaign-(Sh2 billion), Roads by Franlin Bett who benefited a lot from Moi, especially in Mau forest land scandals-(Sh9 billion), Education by Prof Sam Ongeri who was Moi right wing in Kanu-(Sh319 million) and he Interim Independent Electoral Commission (Sh280 million).

The report says 15 ministries could not prove how they spent Sh6.9 billion, with the Public Health ministry headed by Uhuru Kenyatta relative Beth Mugo having the highest figure not supported by documentation and Roads ministry, which could not prove how it spent Sh889.6 million.

Others are Foreign Affairs (Sh743 million), Internal Security (Sh662 million), Special Programmes (Sh408 million) and Lands (Sh196 million). The report also lists Information and Communication (Sh59 million), Industrialisation (Sh90 million), Office of the Prime Minister headed by Raila Odinga (Sh59 million), Agriculture (Sh92 million), Finance (Sh10.5 million), Public Works (Sh28.7 million), Home Affairs (Sh3.7 million) and East African Community (Sh2 million).

The amount unaccounted for by Public Health officials is nearly seven times that unaccounted for by the closest culprit — Ministry of Education according to the Audit General’s report-it shows that by June 30, 2010, Education officials had outstanding imprests of Sh76.7 million. The Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration completes the list of the top three ministries that had not accounted for their advances with a bill of Sh63.97 million.

Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta cannot fire his Permanent Secretary for failing audit tests and preparing falsified documents for Parliament because it is a deal, so to other corruption scandals. That is why only one out of 14 accounts has passed the audit test of the total amount of Kshs 714 billion for the two financial years.

Leave alone the year between1990 to 1993 when $600 million to $850 million “went missing. Olusegun Obsanjo, Nigeria’s former president estimates that just a few African strongmen now sit atop cash deposits of more than $20 billion in Swiss banks. This was about the same time more than $12 billion of Nigeria’s public funds went missing in recent years and is still unaccounted for.

This is not to mention a Sh251 billion mathematical error in the 2011-2012 Budget which Parliament’s Budget Committee has been alerted about. They were also notified notified of a repayment plan for a non-existent fertiliser factory, in which Sh1.2 billion would be paid out to an Austrian firm over the next three financial years.

It is against the background that the overall inflation rate has risen by 10.11 percentage points in seven months hitting 15.53 per cent in July 2011 up from 5.42 pc in January 2011. The rate stood at 14.49 per cent in June 2011 accordiding to the statistics released by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics for July 2011- Consumer Price Index increased by 1.27 per cent from 120.91 percent in June to 122.44 per cent in July.

It explains why the average price of a 2kg packet of sifted maize flour rose from Sh130 in June to Sh136 in July. Sugar price rose by 19.43 per cent from an average of Sh102.95 per kilogram in June to Sh122.38 in July.

Currently most Kenyans have experienced the pain of electricity rationing due to insufficient infrastructure, a relentless drought, and unusually high prices for petrol. According to Kenya Power, the country is facing a shortfall of between 70MW and 90MW at peak hours (6.30pm to 9.30pm), when most domestic consumers switch on electricity.

Arap Moi for example has been accused of using part of this money to fuel ethnic cleansing in October 1991 where a gang of youths -said to be from the Kalenjin ethnic group, armed with spears and machetes -attacked members of the Luo ethnic group living at Meitei farm in the south Nandi district of the Rift Valley Province.

In these attacks, thirty houses were burnt and some 4 000 people were left homeless. In November and December, fighting between the Luo and Kalenjin extended to Western and Nyanza Provinces, and in the process drew in members of the Luyhia and Kikuyu ethnic groups.

During the course of the December 1992 elections, there was a lull in fighting after which conflict restarted and escalated, now encompassing the Molo, Narok, Pokot, Londiani, Elburgon and Burnt Forest areas of the Rift Valley. The perpetrators of this latest violence expanded to include the Maasai and Pokot ethnic groups.

These attacks were aimed primarily at the Kikuyu. After another lull in fighting, there was renewed violence in March 1994. The Kalenjin again fought with the Kikuyu in the Rift Valley and Burnt Forest areas. This was followed by the forced eviction of Kikuyu by the Maasai in the Enoospukia region. In 1995, in the Mai Mahiu area of Naivasha, fighting broke out that left 300 000 people displaced. The violence that characterised the first elections was to be repeated on a greater scale in 1997, the year of the second multiparty elections.

Eyewitness accounts say that these were actually not gangs, but trained militia. Some of the gangs were calling themselves the Kaya Bombo after the forest where local people say they have witnessed groups of young men undergoing weapons training. Similar activities around the Similaini caves were also reported.

There were two major reasons why Moi had to drive away non Kalenjins from Rift Valley-one was to do away with Kibaki Democratic Party (DP) followers, majority of whom being Kikuyus-secondly it was to do with land dispute, where after non Kalenjins had been driven away it would remain for Kalenjins.

Luos, Luhyia and Kisii were to be driven away because they either supported Ford Kenya, DP or Ford People. That is why the Luhya, Kikuyu, and Kisii were greatly affected, their houses burnt, property looted, many displaced until today whereas some were killed. It explains why ethnic clashes raged in the Nzoia, Kericho and Kisumu Districts.

This was in March 1992 when the reports of ethnic violence become commonplace in the press. The Kalenjin Assistant Minister Kipkalia Kones had just declared Kericho District a KANU zone and stated that the Kalenjin youth in the area had declared war on the Luo community in retaliation for several Kalenjins killed in earlier violence. In the Chemichimi (the Bungoma District), the Kalenjin attacked the Luhya community.

Although the government accused the opposition parties of fueling the violence through Libyan-trained recruits, according to a parliamentary committee report of September 1992, senior government officials had been involved in training and arming Kalenjin warriors to attack villages and drive away non-Kalenjin ethnic groups from the Rift Valley, Western, and Nyanza Provinces.

The same year new clashes broke out between the Kisii and the Maasai while fighting continued to rage in the Bungoma District between the Kalenjin and the Luhya. In the Bungoma District alone, 2,000 people were displaced and 60 killed. Victims in the Molo Division report seeing 4 government helicopters bringing arrows to Kalenjin attackers and that out of uniform soldiers are fighting along side the Kalenjin.

The Kanu Secretary-General Joseph Kamotho publicly admitted in April 1993 that the Maasai were part of a 3,000 strong youth squad recruited by the Kanu to repress opposition supporters. Kamotho later recanted and denied the reports when Moi challenged him.

But as Moi denied any any trained worriors, in August 1993 it was reported that about 300 Kalenjin warriors attacked the Molo area of the Nakuru District, displacing hundred of Kikuyus. The Kalenjin burnt more than 200 houses belong to Kikuyus, but the local police took no action because they were instructed to do so.

This was about the same time fighting also occurred between the Kalenjin and the Kikuyu in the Burnt Forest area near Eldoret and Uasin Gishu Districts. 15,000 Kikuyus and Luhya fled the area as hundreds of Kalenjin warriors killed, looted and burnt their homes.

Two months later it was reported that an estimated 500 Maasai warriors attacked an area, Enosupukia (Narok District), south of the security operation zones, burning houses of Kikuyu farmers and uprooting 30,000 Kikuyus.

On April 9, 1996 Kanu parliamentarian Kipruto arap Kirwa, had disappeared after he launched a verbal attack against President Moi for fuelingand sponsoring the ethnic violence in Rift Valley. Those days when you opposed Moi either you were detained, tortured or assassinated.

Other things Kirwa accused Moi of was stifling alternative views in Kanu and of being undemocratic. The following month-May 3, 1996 Kenya’s Daily Nation reported that Moi asked the Kalenjin community to remain united as their solidarity in Kenya’s ruling party will be the basis of their future political survival. This was meant to silence the Kalenjins who were opposed to him.

Given that for the ethnic Kalenjins of Kenya’s Rift Valley, the red, iron-rich soil is something worth fighting for, and many still resent the ‘invasion’ of other ethnic groups who bought coffee and tea plantations left after British colonial rule, reconciliation and healing in Kenya will remain one of the major challenges, unless this was resolved.

Just like 1990’s ethnic clashes were more on land and water, so did the 2007 presidential disputed election. The violence is yet to continue because many Kalenjins believe that Kikuyu whom they refer to as “foreigners” were given unfair advantage to buy tracts of land by the ethnic Kikuyu under Kenya’s first black president.

Mr. William Ruto, who is plagued by a corruption scandal and by investigations into his role in the orchestrated violence that killed 1,200 people and displaced 300,000 after the disputed Dec. 27, 2007, elections, is now at the center of an investigation by the Internationa Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

During the attack, perpetrators forced Kibaki’s PNU supporters inside the Kiambaa Church. The perpetrators poured fuel on the Church and mattresses, which were used to block the doors. They then set the Church on fire, killing between 17 and 35 men, women, children, elderly, and the disabled trapped inside or attempting to flee. As those inside the church attempted to flee, attackers chased them, hacking to death those that they could catch.

According to ICC Proscutor Mr Moreno-Ocampo Mr Ruto and Mr Kosgey led the network in preparing meetings, raising money to buy weapons (guns, grenades and ammunition), paying the perpetrators and rewarding them for every single PNU supporter killed. It is part of the evidence that Mr Moreno-Ocampo on Monday handed over to the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to support his accusation against the three over the violence that followed the disputed December 2007 presidential election results.

The ICC prosecutor argues that Mr Ruto headed the political and military sections, while Mr Kosgey deputised and acted as the boss in his absence. “The network had a military component consisting of former members of the Kenyan military and police. In 2007, the Military Component advised Ruto on logistics, obtained weapons, identified financial resources, and mobilised direct perpetrators”, Ocampo charged.

“In 2006 and 2007, the Network also had a Military Structure that included three “Commanders” or “Generals” (Commanders), all of whom reported to Ruto or Kosgey,” he says in the report. He says that under Mr Ruto were three commanders in Nandi Hills, Central Rift and South Rift. “Ruto was the head of the Military Component.

The attackers targeted Turbo Town, which they said was inhabited mostly by Kikuyus and the greater Eldoret area (Kiambaa, Yamumbi, Huruma, Kimumu and Langas), Kapsabet Town, and Nandi Hills Town.

“The organisational policy of the network was to punish and expel from the Rift Valley those perceived to support PNU, namely, Kikuyu, Kamba and Kisii civilians; and to gain power and create a uniform ODM voting block,” the prosecutor says.

Mr Moreno-Ocampo also describes how the attackers planned and executed the attack on the Kenya Assemblies of God church in Kiambaa in which more than 30 people, including children, were killed according to media report.

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
P O Box 14877
Nairobi
00800, Westlands
Kenya
Tel 254-20-4441372
Website: www.peopleforpeaceafrica.org

Kenya: New Counties governors positions have attracted many professionals and high profile individuals in Luo-NyanzaN

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo.

The plum job of County governors is increasingly becoming more incentive judging by the number and personalities of the new entrance into the race.

The latest entries comprise men of high integrity, technocrats and individuals considered to be men of high caliber. They included professors, engineers, accountants and Chief Executive Officers {CEO} in public companies and private sector.

The most interesting feature of the impending general elections is that those who had started their campaign as early as last year are now said to be on the losing trend.

Newcomers to the race seemed to be in the process of overturning the seasoned politicians who had launched their campaign immediately after the promulgation of the new constitution in August 2010.

In the contest for the Homa-Bay County governor, three personalities have been featuring prominently in the race. The front-runners include Eng. Philip Okoth Okundi, the immediate former Homa-Bay MP who is also the chairman of the ODM board of election. Okundi hails from Kochia west within Rangwe constituency. His other challengers were the retired former country director of the Marie Stoppie Clinics Cyprian Otieno Awiti who is from Karachuonyo constituency and Dr. Mark Matunga a senior executive with the Microsoft international Computer firm. He hails from Mfangano Island in Mbita district. Also said to be interested in the same plum job is the incumbent Rangwe MP George Otieno Ogindo, but the latter is of lately talking less about the campaign for the job of late.

The fifth person who had declared his interest the Homa-Bay governor is Opiata Ogad a businessman based in Nakuru town and a native of Rusinga Island also in Mbita district. However, Ogada seemed to have lost interest has not been heard of for some time. He appeared to have gone quiet or lost the steam in the race anymore.

A new entrant in the race whose campaign has sent shock-waves in the spine of other contestants is Prof.Joseph Akeyo who teaches in the Faculty of Physics at the Maseno University. He launched his campaign late last year at his Wagwe village home in West Karachuonyo late last year.

The launching ceremony, which had attracted thousands of people ended up tragically. Within only two days only after the launching of his campaign and while he was driving from his Karachuonyo home, his car had a terrible accident. The vehicle rolled up several time killing his first wife a young son and a brother instantly. Prof.Akeyo sustained serious injuries including a broken neck and skull.

The entry of Prof.Akeyo into the governorship race in the Homa-Bay County has drastically changed the cause of the contest drastically making matters looking gloomy and difficult for the seasoned politician Cyprian Awiti who is also a resident of Karachuonyo east within the same Karachuonyo constituency.

Prof Akeyo is also the chairperson of the Karachuonyo CDF seemed to be enjoying the blessing of the area incumbent MP Eng.James Rege and other leaders from Ndhiwa, Mbita,Rangwe and Gwassi. His popularity is spreading like bush fire and growing day by day. He appeared to have overcome his rivals in the rich voting region of Ndhiwa and god part of Karachuonyo, particularly in patches spots in Central and East Karachuonyo and in Kasipul Kabondo.

Prof. Akeyo is the rising star as far s the contest for Homa-Bay County governor is concern and a man to watch.

The other aspirant Dr. Mark Matunga appeared to have made very little progress, though he enjoyed support in some patches of the region, it will an uphill task for him to clinch the seat. Matunga is being stabbed at the back in his Suba region background with claims and allegations that he is not in good book with the Luo political kingpin Raila Odinga.

The rumor making the round within the County of Homa-bay that he is supporting a rebellion within the community by sponsoring the activities of the so-called Suba Council of Elders. The credence’s to this allegation emanating from the fact that a meeting has been called in his home backyard of Mfangano Island on August 12. In that meeting Ker of Suba Apollo Okeyo Omuga is expected to b officially installed.

The groups viewed by many people in Luo-Nyanza as a splinter and rebellion to the community cause. That of backing Raila Odinga’s presidential bid in 2012.The current set up of the Luo Council of Elders headed by Ker Willis Opiyo Otondi who was installed in a ceremony held at the Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu City. The Vice chairman of the Luo Council of Elders is Ex-Senior Chief Omolo Anditi from Rusinga Island .This has caused a lot of anxiety fuelling the rumor that the group is not supporting Raila’s presidential bid.

If it is true that Dr Matunga support the Suba Council of elders as it is being alleged then his chances of winning votes from non-Suba dominated constituencies in the other regions would be rather remote. He need to come out clean and shake off the allegations and publicly disassociate himself with the activities of this group.

Homa-Bay County covered the largest parts of greater Southern Nyanza with eight parliamentary constituencies stretching from Kabondo, Kasipul, Karachuonyo, Rangwe, Homa-Bay, Ndhiwa, Gwassi and Mbita.

This are even much tougher in the neighboring Migori County.The governor lucrative position has attracted a large number of professionals, professors, engineers and the best brains in the region.

Leading the pact of aspirants is the youthful communication consultant with Airtel in Nairobi Eng Mark Nyamita, who hail from Rapogi Division of Uriri district. Nyamita’s popularity is felt in far afield like Rongo, Ranen, Uriri, Kakirao, Migori town and some parts of Nyatike constituency. However, h could not be reached to confirm or deny that he was in the race.

Also n the race is Eng.Jared Ochieng’ Baraza who is currently an adviser to the International Telecoms Union based in Geneva, Switzerland. Baraza is also the Country Director of the Engineers Without Borders, an international NGO,Ghana Telecoms University in Accra and a visiting professor at the Kenyatta University n Nairobi.

Eng Baraza is currently busy establishing water, electricity and telecommunication Institute and agriculture in Migori.A son of the Ex-Senior Chief of Suna Location the late Chief Baraza, the engineer is said to be very popular with the youth and woman folks.

Also in the race for Migori County governor position is Prof.Rachillo Luo Kobuoyo, a senior surgeon with the US Airforce based in the US. The surgeon who has attained the rank of a colonel with the US Airfore has lived in the US for many years..He hails from Karungu Central in Sori Division, Nyatike constituency and is reported to have been involved in the education of boys and girls in the region as well s financially supporting the needy economic and social projects.

Another person said to be keen in contesting the Migori governor is Christopher Odhiambo Rusana, an immigrant from Tanzania who has settled in Mikuro area of Suna west. He is the Clerk to the Kehancha County Council. He is said to be a native of Wagire a Luo sub-clan living in North Mara region in areas close to Kenya-Tanzania border. The impact of his candidature is yet to be assessed.

In Central Sakwa within the newly created Awendo district Ezra Odondi whom is a CEO in one of the largest auditing firms in Nairobi is also said to be keen in contesting the position of Migori County .governor. The other aspirant is Owiso Ngao who has been working for the oil companies in Saudi Arabia. He hails from Nyamome area of East Suna.

The seat is also expected to attracted one or two aspirants from within the two Kuria constituencies of Kuria West and Kuria East, though no one has so far come forward to declare his interest.

The contest for both Homa-Bay and Migori governors could produce fire work during the actual campaign period given the number of high profile aspirants vying for the the two sets.

Ends

ICC & Kenya: Ocampo publishes the detailed account of charges awaiting for Ruto,Kosgey and Joshua Arap Sang

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Forwarded By Leo Odera Omolo

The fates of Mr. William Ruto and Mr Henry Kosgey at their September 1 confirmation hearing at The Hague hinges on how they fight off charges that they commanded, financed and armed an unnamed Kalenjin terror network.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo will be arguing that Ruto and Kosgey, the MPs for Eldoret North and Tinderet respectively, held at least nine meetings at which the post-election violence was designed, and that the planning began in 2005.

Mr Joshua Arap Sang of Kass FM, the third suspect in the joint case with the two former ministers, will also face charges that he sat in meetings where the attacks were planned, and gave the coded orders in his broadcast programmes for the terror visited on Party of National Unity (PNU) sympathisers in various parts of the Rift Valley to commence.

In the Document Containing Charges (DCC) filed by Moreno-Ocampo Monday, he claims that the two MPs and Sang hatched a plot to punish and expel PNU supporters from specified areas in the North Rift region under a ‘common plan’ which had military command structure, logistical approach, and precision in execution.

The MPs were accused of financially supporting the attacks because they were allegedly the direct perpetrators of the heinous crimes. Ocampo also claimed part of the money Kosgey and Ruto raised was used to buy grenades.

“Ruto was crowned Kalenjin leader, which gave him the authority to decide on matters affecting the Kalenjin community,” said Moreno-Ocampo. He claimed given Ruto’s position as the Kalenjin leader, and Kosgey’s authority as his subordinate, the former oversaw attacks throughout the Rift Valley, while the latter oversaw attacks that were executed in Nandi District.

Violence reinforced

He also hints the violence was reinforced with support of other Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs, whose party Kosgey was the chairman and Ruto one of the two deputy leaders.

“In December 2007, other ODM affiliated MPs participated in planning and financially supported the Post Elections Violence (PEV) attacks or otherwise attacks, or otherwise participated in preparatory meetings and even attacks in the Uasin Gishu and Nandi Districts,” argued Moreno-Ocampo.

He said Ruto was the single most authoritative ODM figure in the Rift Valley and therefore used existing structures and roles in Kalenjin society to create the network.

The ICC Prosecutor claimed authority was subordinated only to Ruto, but Kosgey acted in his absence. “Five commanders responded directly to Ruto or to Kosgey in his absence and they both ensured members of the network understood and believed in the common plan,” read the charges.

The network is said to have had a military component consisting of former members of Kenya’s military and police. This is the cadre, the Prosecutor will be arguing, advised Ruto on logistical issues, obtained weapons, identified financial resources and mobilized those who were to commit the crimes.

Military structure

It is further claimed that in 2006 and 2007 the network also had a military structure that included three “Commanders” or “Generals”, all of whom reported to either Ruto or Kosgey.

“The Commanders were responsible for specific geographic areas in the North Rift, including the greater Eldoret area, Turbo town and Kapsabet town, the Central Rift area including Nandi Hills town, and the South Rift Area,” Moreno-Ocampo went on.

Ruto is claimed to have been the head of the Military Component and below him the three Commanders led in hierarchical order in their respective geographical areas. Each hierarchy contained a horizontal layer of subordinates and direct perpetrators.

Moreno-Ocampo further submitted that the two MPs controlled the alleged crimes by operating as the ‘hubs’ of the organisation.

They are further accused of obtaining information from groups in Rift Valley and sharing plans and information from group to group regarding targeted locations and reporting overall progress of the common plan.

Moreno-Ocampo further contends that Ruto and Kosgey garnered supporters to create the network, provided money and weapons to their subordinates and established a localised level of subordinates who were responsible for specific geographical areas.

Apart from establishing a functioning command structure; they also were accused of using events and specific language on Kass FM under the command of Sang to communicate with subordinates and direct perpetrators.

They also provided weapons, training; and imposed order by threatening punishment in case of insubordination. That meant there was near automatic compliance with Ruto and Kosgey’s instructions, he concluded.

Ruto, Kosgey and Sang and others are said to have ensured near compliance with their instructions by indoctrinating network perpetrators to accept and agree with the common plan by referring to PNU supporters in a derogatory manner.

They also allegedly ensured compliance by training direct perpetrators and creating localised coordination structures headed by local subordinates who ensured compliance in their respective areas.

Loyalty was also earned through paying subordinates and direct perpetrators; and instilling in the subordinates and direct perpetrators a fear of punishment if they did not participate.

“Ruto and Kosgey were mutually aware and mutually accepted that implementing their common plan might result in the realisation of the crimes charged,” said Moreno-Ocampo.

He further argued that they intended to commit the crimes charged, or were aware that crimes would occur in the ordinary course of events.

“As the leaders of the Network and architects of the common plan, which called for the commission of the crimes alleged, they had full knowledge that their actions would cause the crimes to occur as they did,” said Moreno-Ocampo..

Preparatory meetings

He said the two MPs forged the common plan, and held preparatory meetings and events to plan and organise the attacks. Moreno-Ocampo will be telling the court Ruto’s awareness and knowledge was demonstrated by his anti-PNU rhetoric at meetings and rallies, inciting anti-PNU sentiment among the perpetrators.

Ruto statements to the network’s perpetrators were allegedly made to attack PNU supporters and expel them from their land, killing them if necessary.

“Ruto’s awareness and knowledge is through the requests to recruit ex-soldiers who were already trained,” said Ocampo.

He claims Kosgey’s awareness and knowledge was demonstrated through his meeting with Ruto to organise and plan for the expulsion of PNU supporters from the area. He also allegedly used derogatory language, directed at PNU supporters and used network perpetrators in advocating for the eviction of PNU supporters from the Rift Valley.

The Tinderet MP allegedly participated in plans for deployment, attacks and logistical arrangements by which reinforcements were co-ordinated between Uasin Gishu and Nandi districts. “Kosgey’s statement that financial assistance would be provided for, weapons, bows and arrows, transportation and food, or for use for bribes,” is cited as proof that he was aware of the pending crimes.

Ocampo said the awareness and knowledge of subordinates and direct perpetrators were demonstrated by their full integration into the Network, their attendance at meetings with Ruto and Kosgey where they received information regarding the planning, organisation, and logistics of the attacks.

Ruto and Kosgey, he will be arguing, should be held liable because of their commitment to listening to Kass FM radio which functioned as a communication tool for the network; and their provision of logistical assistance and or support for the attacks.

Widespread or systematic attack against members of the civilian population, within the specified areas are said to have taken place from December 30, 2007 through January 31, 2008.

Network perpetrators are said to have been responsible for nine attacks in different parts of the region while targeting PNU supporters.

“The direct perpetrators implemented the Network’s policy of attacking the PNU supporters to punish and permanently expel them from the Rift Valley by systematically inflicting fear, killing, looting, burning or otherwise destroying their property,” claims Moreno-Ocampo. He said their express purpose was to force PNU supporters in Rift Valley out using whatever means necessary, including the commission of crimes.

Uasin Gishu and Nandi Districts are said to have suffered the most with approximately 230 deaths recorded. The media, including Sang who served as a broadcaster on KASS FM, allegedly furthered the network’s organisational policy, both prior and during the attacks.

Broadcast propaganda

“Prior to the attacks, Kass FM broadcast propaganda against PNU supporters, broadcast the locations of preparatory meetings and events, and organised fundraising events that financed the attacks,” claimed Moreno-Ocampo.

He further alleged that at the preparatory meetings, the network designated specific persons to call into Sang’s programme and spread the network’s views.

“After the presidential election results were announced, Sang called on perpetrators to begin the attacks and broadcast coded language signaling that PNU supporters were to be attacked; and broadcast the locations where the attacks were to take place,” claimed Moreno-Ocampo.

He said that apart from Kass FM, financial support for the network was received from Ruto, Kosgey, ODM supporters, supporting organisations and businessmen.

“The financial component raised funds to compensate attendees at preparatory meetings, purchase weapons, purchase materials to make traditional weapons and to sustain attacks,” read the charges.

Tribal elders allegedly participated by supporting, planning, coordinating and conducting blessings all of which contributed to the attacks.

Ends

China & Kenya: The Lies And The Truth Of Digital Media

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from Judy Miriga

Does this means the Chinese are already controlling the Digital Global Telecommunication network, Internet & Media market through Kenya and Mumbai …?????…….

Wow….are the Chinese taking the world by surprise through Kenya and Africa……and for how long are Africans going to continue sleeping……..???????

Is this the “Free Trade Enterpreneurship” where Special Business Interests overcome and takes the role of Government which is expected to serve the Public and the Business community fairly….????………Is this the reason why there is a strong lobby for “Intellectual Property Thieving”, the reason for unscrupulous International Corporate Business investors scrumble to Africa……..the reason for Ponzi schemes to benefit the rich, the reason the poor must pay through their blood and life to the rich and powerful……???

Wake up people……Wake up the World, ………Wake up and save the world from the selfish and self-centred greedy rich………who will take take take and will not share……!

I am so disgusted sick and tired with these failed bad African leadership…….They must all be sent home for retire and inject New Leadership to take immediate control of the country…….

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – – –

From: chifu_wa_malindi
Subject: Kenya: The Lies And The Truth Of Digital Media

The Lies And The Truth Of Digital Media
Monday, 01 August 2011 00:05
BY JAMES KIMATHI

The furore that has greeted the award of the second digital license is welcome, because for far too long the digital migration process has been shrouded in an opaqueness that is not good for the public interest.

The Chinese, as had been expected, got the award and typical to the script, the Nation Media Group and Royal Media are screaming from the mountain tops for all to hear and accusing PS Bitange Ndemo and the CCK of premeditated bias and a lack of transparency.

First, the blame for the mess lies squarely at the door of the Ministry of Information. Ndemo and his team of bureaucrats should precipitated the crisis we are now facing. In the move to digital, the CCK, the ministry and media players held a consultative session that ended in a draft recommendation submitted to the ministry by the Digital Migration committee that two licenses be issued, the first to government broadcaster KBC, and the second to a consortium of the Media Owners Association.

The move to digital means all current TV infrastructure will be scrapped at the stroke of a pen, leaving players with millions in unusable transmission infrastructure. The idea behind the second license to media players was to allow them to form a single transmission company along the lines of the TEAMS telecom consortium to allow use of combined network.

After the recommendation was made, the Committee was disbanded and a new one formed under Ndemo’s chairmanship. The original recommendations were then immediately drastically mutilated without widespread industry consultation or concurrence. The Ndemo draft kept the award of a license by fiat to KBC and cancelled the award of the license to Kenya’s existing media owners.

Strangely, the new recommendation opted for two more licenses by open bidding. Under the new scenario, KBC and the Chinese will now be the sole people authorised to carry the signal of all the current and future TV…..??? (Digital=Telecom Transition 3 in one Signal)…….. operators in Kenya, unless a third license is awarded.

At the pre-bidders conference, industry players raised concerns about the transparency of the process especially in the light of what happened during the last election, when John Michuki against all existing laws instructed that all radio and TV stations to be shut down.

Under the current scenario, Ndemo or any government official with one word can black out all of Kenya, unless one gets a court order to stop him. The reason Michuki was unable to do that in the last election was that every media owner had their own infrastructure.

In his article in The Star, Ndemo claims that “..the ministry and the Communications Commission of Kenya have agreed to issue another license for the industry in view of the investments they made”. This is strange given that a month ago the same Ndemo and the CCK knew that industry investments needed to be protected, yet would happily tender the license to disadvantage Kenya’s media and endanger freedom of speech.

Kudos to Ndemo and the CCK for recognising the mistake in the policy and changing it. The Citizen and NMG award would have also in its own created an equally problematic duopoly. We understand they opted to go alone much against an MOA effort to present one industry bid. As a way forward, the license must now be awarded to a broad consortium of interested media industry players, to ensure that no one person can mortgage the future of press freedom in this country especially with another election coming up.

Ndemo, NMG and Citizen Media – let us put the noise behind us and as the President says get to work for the benefit of the people of this country. Enough said.

James Kimathi is a media industry analyst.

http://www.the-star.co.ke/opinions/others/34155-the-lies-and-the-truth-of-digital-media

Kenya: Kisumu farmers plans to demonstrate in support of the Court of Appeal judgement on Miwni Sugar farm

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu.

LOCAL sugar cane farmers in Miwani and its environ have planned to stage a peaceful street demonstration in favor of what they termed as milestone judgment by three appellant judges in Kisumu Court last Friday.

Members of the Riwruok Dongruok Jokano Manyien {RIDOKAM} a welfare organization which is involving in development and investment by the local community within the Kano Plains in both Nyando, Kisumu and Muhoroni district led by their chairman Mzee Walter Kitoto Adell thanked the three appellant judges for they described as “Solomonic Judgment”.

Adell said that as a gesture of appreciation to the job well done by he judicial officials the group would like to show Kenyans that the county’s judiciary system is very much alive and strong.”We are pleased and satisfied with the outcome of the prolonged court case because it has now put the question of ownership f Miwani nucleus estate to rest.” Said Mzee Adell.

Three Judges of the court of Appeal sitting in Kisumu last Friday ruled that 10,000 acres belonging to the Miwani Mills currently under the official receivership revert to its original owners and that a land title deed fraudulently obtained by a firm known as Crossly holdings be cancelled immediately.

The farmer’s decision to stage the demonstration in favor of the rung came immediately after an appeal court ruled that the land in dispute be reverted to Miwani Sugar Mills with immediate effect. The land in question had been sold to Crossly Holdings by firm’s consultant in the name of Nagendra Saxena, way back in 2003 for Kshs 752 million which was far much below its market value of Kshs 2 billion.

Saxena a company whose one of directors is also a dirt with the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries had claimed that he had attached the land to recover defaulted debts owed to him the previous owners of Miwani Sugar Mills way back in 1993.

However, the matter was put to rest last Friday when three appellant judges Riaga Omolo, Phillip Tunoi and Daniel S Aganyanya ruled that the land reverted to its original owners, the Miwani Sugar Mills and the title currently held by Crossely Holdings be cancelled immediately.

The judges said that after examining the case, it was with no doubt that the regular procedures wee not followed during the same and acquisition of the Miwani factory and its estate.

The ruling threw the court into frenzy and dozens of local farmers who had jammed the court to hear the verdict burst out in jubilation with songs and dances.

It all started in 2003 when the government who owned Mwni Sugar Mills advertised for its privatization and a local firm in association with foreign investors successfully made their for with for Kshs 2.7 billion

Local farmers whose company was among the bidders, but whose bid was unsuccessful collaboration with other moved to court and filed legal suit claiming that the former owners of Miwani Sugar Mill owed them money in the equivalent of USD 400,000 for consultancy services and attached the land s collateral. The land was later sold in stage managed public auction in mysterious manner and its original title deed cancelled and a new one issued within the same day of the said auction.

The latest verdict follows a successful defense suit filed by the joint official receiver managers appointed by the government Eng.Martin Owiti and Kipng’etich Bett and the Kenya Sugar .Board.

In another verdict made a couple years ago the High Court Judge Justice John Mwera had ruled that certain individuals and groups involved in the alleged public auction and fraudulent transfer of the farm’s title deed to Crossely Holdings be thoroughly investigated by a competent police authorities.

The people suspected to have been involved in the scam include a magistrates, lawyers, senior officials from the Land Ministry, officials of the Nyando County Council and court officials.

The matter has since resulted in close to seven people including director of a sugar factory, senior land Ministry official, officials of the Nyando County Council a magistrate were arraigned to court late last year by the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission sleuths. They were released on cash bail of Kshs 5 million allegedly bailed out with cash bail deposit paid by one Sugar Company.

And now that the appeal has come out in favor of Miwani Sugar Mills it is hoped that the other case filed by KACC will be pursued to its logical conclusion by the KACC. And that the fraudsters will not be let out of the hook.

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KENYA: HILARY ALILA DECLARED HIS BID FOR HOMA-BAY COUNTY SENATE SEAT BEFORE THOUSANDS OF MOURNERS IN NDHIWA WHO INCLUDED THE PRIME MINSTER RAILA ODINGA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo.

A Ndhiwa politician Hilary Ochieng’ Alila stunned a huge crowd of mourners in Ndhiwa when he defiantly announced that he would contest the Homa-Bay Senate seat in the forthcoming general election.

Alila, 37, who is the youth coordinator in Nyanza, dispelled the rumor making the round that he was not a serious aspirant, but only fronting for the Immigration Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang.

He reiterated his intention to turn the region around if elected as its representative to the covenanted ’tri-cameral parliament in the next general election.

When the Prime Minister Raila Odinga took to the podium he endorsed Alila sentiments saying if the aspirant has gauged his manhood and found that he was mature enough and strong to sustain the hit of the contest then he was free to do so like anyone else

Hundreds of mourners who had attended the burial of George Okeyo Orata, a former senior Co-operative Development Officer left the funeral home and went home saying that Alila had been given the nod by “Agwambo” to be party favored candidate for the Homa-Bay Senate seat.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga was accompanied by his wife Ida Raila Odinga and other leader who included former Ndhiwa MP Matthews Otieno Ogingo, the Regional Commissioner for Southern Nyanza Erustus Ekidor, ODM regional coordinator Monica Amolo, civic leaders and community elders. The funeral took place in Kanyikela Location, Ndhiwa district within Homa-Bay County. It was held only one kilometer from Alila’s Ndhiwa rural home.

Raila told member’s of the Luo community to be accommodating and to discard arrogance and exercise respect to other communities. He urged to reach out to members of the neighboring communities to support his presidential bid. They should guard against prejudices and arrogance towards other communities.

Raila assured his audience that he will emerge the winner in the next presidential race and need the support of every Kenyan. When become the President he will not be the President of the Luo community alone but will serve all Kenyans equally. “Whenever I go out for votes hunting, other Kenyans have expressed their willingness to vote for me, but at the same time they claim Luos will not exercise respect to other communities.”

He urged the Luos to re-package themselves and discount the fears that persist that Luos will not even pay for their house rents when I become the president.”.

He assured the cheering mourners that he will put up a formidable fight in the next year presidential race

He told the youth who have attained the voting ages to register in large number when the government starts issuing identity cards this month.” I want those who do not national identity cards to get them so that we can go to polls prepared. I am prepared for this battle and I want you to be ready to support me,” he said.

He told the mourners that when elected as the President of this country he would serve all the communities uniformly and he will uphold the constitution.

Raila challenged his political competitors to address issues facing the country instead of incessantly attacking him. He urged the politician to unite Kenyan at the same time discarding tribalism. All the Kenyan tribes should be treated as equal for the country to realize meaningful progress and development.

In his earlier address Alila also appealed to other Luo leaders to visit other regions and campaigned for Raila. They should not only just make cosmetic appearances whenever the Prime Minister is visiting those areas. Such visits should b translated into well cemented down inter-tribal relationship and fruitful friendship.

The leaders from Nyanza should support Raila to the ht by frequenting other regions on their on nd working with local leader in those places to popularize ODM while promoting Raila’s presidential ambition at the same time.

Alila blamed some MPS from the Luo region of laxity and complacency and for doing very little in promoting Raila’s presidential bid among the diverse Kenyan communities. They should spread their wing and cover every part of the Republic while working with leaders from other communities, and make good speeches that could only harmonize the community relations with its neighbors.

Reached by phone, Alila reiterated that he was in the race for the Homa-Bay and not anybody’s puppet.

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