Category Archives: Kenya

NEAR INSOLVENT RAILA’S MOLASSES COMPANY REPORTED IN A SECRET DEAL WITH KIBIOS SUGAR FACTORY AND PLANNING TO ACQUIRE MIWANI SUGAR MILL.

By a Special Correspondent In Kisumu City

INFORMATION emerging from corporate sources within Kisumu cIty say Raila Odinga’s company, the Spectre international has entered into a secret deal with the Kibios Sugar and Allied Industries and swabbed shares.

The Spectre International is the Odinga’s business flagship, which is currently managing the Kisumu Molasses plant, which is located at Otonglo Market in the outskirt of Kisumu City.

The information about the possible move by the two companies to collaborate and forming a consortium company has been in the public domain ever since last December when Raila made a surprise visit to the Kibos sugar factory, which is located at kibos town . Raila’s visit to the plant was immediately followed by the official tour of the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix koskei

Management of the kibos Sugar Companies are reported to have cooffed out substantial amount of money to the tune of Kshs 80 million, which they gave to the financially strapped Kisumu Molasses plant to enable it to clear the backlog of its workers salaries running to four months in arrears which prompted the stoppage of production at the plant when the workers went on strike and demanded that they be paid their salary in arrears amounting to Kshs 40 million. The Molasses plant had an accumulated unpaid power bill of the same amount.

Before the alleged deal the KPLC, the electricity providing firm had disconnected its power to the plant.

Other sources have confided to us, the the Spectre international and the kibios Sugar company are in the process of forming a consortium company, and once the arrangement is compete, the consortium would make a bid for the ACQUISITION OF THE RUB-DOWN Miwani Sugar mill, which is currently under the official receivership. Miwani together with the Muhoroni Sugar Mill were placed under what the then Minister for Agriclture Chria n Obure described as the “Protective receivership”. The two companies were placed under the joint official receivership management in 2001. But their status has remained unchanged and the same ever since 2001 with no signs in sight as to when the receivership would be lifted. Several firms and groups of official receivership management have been in place ever since, but no solution.

Miwani Mills {1985} together with Nzoia, Chemelil, sonySugar and Muhoroni Sugar Company are the five public owned sugar factories due for privatization.

The Kisumu Molasses of late to have been starved for molasses, a by product of sugar which it needed for making ethanol spirit. This is caused by the fact that most of the sugar factories in Western Kenya have established their own distilleries and as such can no longer adequately supply the Kisumu based plant with sufficient raw materials. The Molasses firm recently said it was exploring the possibility of turning into Sorghum millets for raw material and was heard urging local farmers to grow more millets.

The Raila company suffered a big blow and major set back following the the departure of Dr Evans Odhiambo Kidero from the helm of Mumias Sugar Mill where he was the managing director. It was Kidero who had kept the Kisumu Molasses plant running to its full capacity with the steady supplies of molasses, an arrangement which has since ceased to be in place as the company has already established its own ethanol distilling wing.Kidero is the governor of Nairobi County, the position which he won on an ODM ticket.

On Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries, the sugar processing factory was established without its own nucleus estate farm, and depended entirely the large and small scale sugar cane farmers from the nearby Kano plains, South Nandi and Kericho districts for supplies.

Miwani Sugar Mill, however, has its own nucleus estate farm measuring about 10,000 nacres, which has been laying fallow ever since the company went bust in 2001.

This farm has been the subject of high profile legal tussles in court, which has seen two senior judiciary officials comprising of a resident magistrate and a judge being removed from the bench and loosing their job as a cartel of Indian business men and farmers in Kisumu and Kibos made futile attempt to have the Miwani sugar cane farm grabbed from the backdoor. The exercise has degenerate a lot of controversies even involving some un named LUO MPS and cabinet ministers in the 10th parliament and became the “Milking Cow” in which some of them made of with palatial houses in their rural home corruptively constructed with the materials allegedly donated by unscrupulous Indian business tycoons who made all the tricks in the books in the vain attempt to secure the ownership of the Miwani farm.

The reported deal is said to have received the blessing of the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Koskei, an a top government officials whose interests in the deal is said to be through proxies.

However, the alleged plan to acquire the Miwani sugar Mills by Raila and business associates is likely to degenerate a lot of controversies because it may earn vehement opposition from the resident of the nearby Kano plains who for a long time have laid the claims that the farm happened to be their ancestral land, and as such they stand to be consulted as stakeholders in any deal and transaction.

Contacted by an SMS message through his mobile phone one of the top managers at Kibos Sugar Compay A senior manager at the Spectre Internationl is Odinga’s younger sister Ruth Adhiambo Oginga who could not be reached for her immediate comment. However a senior manager at the kibis sugar plant a Mr Raju promised that he would get in touch with this writer later as he was busy, but never came back on line.

Meanwhile ,apparently being aware of the secret deal by Raila and his Indians business associates, a section of leaders from the Nyanza sugar belt have raised objection against it and accused the jubilee government of plotting to ground the country’s economy through selling the public owned sugar companies to foreign and local investors without adequately consulting the local stakeholders.

Speaking during a fundraising meeting at the Koru Girls secondary School, which was conducted by the Nairobi governor Dr. Evans Kidero, the leaders accused the Jubilee government of failing to sustain the locaL sugar companies in the country to make them unviable and then privatize by selling them to their foreign and locally based business partners.

Apparently aware of the planned Raila deal with is Indian partners the leaders included the area MP James Onyango koyoo, Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo,Julius Melly {Tinderet} and Senator James IOrengo [Siaya} vowed they would push for the sale of sustainable sugar companies to County governments within which they are situated. Miwani, Muhoroni and Chemelil are all located in the Nyanza sugar belt region of Kisumu County, while SonySugar is situated in Migori County and Nzoia sugar Company is in Bungma County. All are currently experiencing financial constraints due to illegal importation of sugar into the country from foreign sources, which has created a huge stockpiles of unsold made sugar by the facturies worth millions of shillings.

Meanwhile contacted for his comment about the alleged deal with Raila firm, a senior manager at the KibosSugar Company Mr. Raju promise to get in touch with this writer, but never came back, though he had indicated that he would do so. On the side of the Spectre Internatinal, the top manager there is Ms REuth Adhiambo Odinga, the younger sister to Raila who is also the deputy governor of the Kisumu County who could not be traced for her immediate comment

ENDS

FIVE PEOPLE DIE IN FRESH TRIBAL CLASHES IN WESTERN KENYA.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Sondu TOWN.

Five people are believed to have died following three days of fresh ethnic flare up along the boundaries of Nyanza and Rift Valley Provinces in Western Kenya.

Tension has remained high for the last two weeks when youth from the Kipsigis community in Keriho West district crossed the border and launched what appeared a well coordinated, but surprise attacks against several villages on the Luo side of the border and torched several dwelling houses and property on unknown values.

The latest skirmishes began last Friday night when unknown men believed to be the Kipsigis youth attacked Peter Okango at Ngege village in Koguta East and hacked him to death using machetes.

The two communities shared the common borders between Kericho and Nyakach districts. Cattle rustling has been so rampant along the common borders separating the the Kalenjin and the Luos.

On Saturday morning at about 9 AM. close to 100 youth armed with crude weapons grouped along the main Kisumu – Kisii road and launched fresh attack on villages located in Kndaria and Jimo east and speared one man to death. The sparked off what looked like the retaliatory attack by Luo youth from Nyakach. The police moved in and disposed the two hostile crowds of combatants standing on both sides of the road while facing each other.

The presence of the armed youth on both sides of the road had caused the blockade of the main road and no vehicles were allowed to pass from either side during the best part of Saturday morning. Motorists driving on this route were forced to use alternative routes.

Nyakach District Commissioner Chaybgy Mwachaung visited the scene and urged the combatant to disperse and maintain peace. The police ordered the youth back to their side of the border, but not very long the combatants were seen to have re-grouped immediately the police left the scene.

Residents of Nyakach, however, have blamed the police for doing nothing and incapable of quelling the riotous youth. They said the police appeared to be biased on Luos while appeared to be protecting the aggressive Kalenjin youth. The Inspector General of the police Kimayio I a Kalenjiin and so is the Deputy President William Ruto is also a Kalenjin.

The latest flared up only came three days after security teams from both side had held an inter-counties meeting to discus the situation and find the lasting peaceful solution.

The residents of Nyakach further alleged that an innocent and a non-combatant man was killed in Jimo East in the presence of heavily armed police officers who did not act and appeared to be biased in favour of the Kalenjin yourh.

Two months ago, unknown assailants killed the parents of Nyaka M Aduma Owuor and burnt the family house. The region is prone to crimes waves which are mostly aggravated by cattle rustling. The Nyakach residents have called for the immediate deployment of the Crack para-military police unit, the General Services Unit {GSU}[commonly called Majohnie to protect the lives and property by mopping up all the criminal’s hideouts on both sides of the border.

ENDS

Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President (WAS SPEECH BY AKI Chair, Kampala, ON 19TH FE.2014)

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From: Shem Ochuodho

Friends,

Some of you will be aware that H.E. the President recently addressed Kenyan Diaspora in Kampala. Below, we are delighted to share with you summary of his remarks in Kampala from the Presidential Press Unit (PSCU). We appreciate H.E.’s apparent prioritization of Diaspora.

We were much delighted to have been represented as Diaspora, especially KDA, by the very able Chair of AKIU (Association of Kenyans in Uganda), Nd Isaiah Kojwang’, who by virtue of his office, also dubs in as Co-Convenor of KDA. Thanks, Nd Koji for highlighting most of the key issues so dear to the Diaspora.

Attached is copy of the full remarks by Nd Isaiah, shared with permission.

Asante na kind regards,
Shem

——– Original message ——–
From: PSCU Kenya
Date: 19/02/2014 22:52 (GMT+03:00)
Subject: Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President

Kenyan Diaspora is the single largest asset outside the country, says the President
By Kobia Mwirichia

Kampala February 19, 2014 (PSCU) – The Government is developing instruments of engagement to bolster relationship with the Kenyan Diaspora to enable them invest in key projects in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta has assured.

President Kenyatta said Kenyan Diaspora is considered the single biggest asset outside the country for the developmental roles they played through remittances.

The President spoke Wednesday night at a Kampala hotel when he met Kenyans living and working in Uganda. He said Kenyan Diaspora was the central pillar in the country’s foreign policy.

“You are the single largest contributor to the country’s development agenda through remittances and the face of Kenya in enhancing relations with the host countries. We as Government will continue to engage with you,” the President told Kenyan Diaspora.

The President, who is in Kampala for the Northern Corridor Integration projects 4th Tripartite Summit, said the instruments of engagement being put in place will enable the Diaspora to participate in Key projects in roads and the energy sectors.

On the issue of Kenyans living abroad participating in the electoral process, the President affirmed that Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is putting in place mechanisms to register all Kenyans including those in the Diaspora to enable them participate in the 2017 general elections.

President Kenyatta said registration of voters will be a continuous exercise to ensure that all Kenyans on attainment of 18 years are registered as voters to enable them exercise their democratic rights to elect leaders of their choice.

He said the Government has made great strides in the last nine months in the removal of non-tariff barriers and other obstacles that increased cost of doing business in the country.

“We prioritised removal of delays in cargo clearance at the port of Mombasa and the challenges of transporting it along the northern corridor as part of our contribution to promoting regional trade,” President Kenyatta said.

The President allayed fears that the coming together of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan in infrastructure development would hurt the East Africa integration.

He said all the five East African Community member States are committed to integration and are focused in the objective of uniting the region for prosperity.

“We want a one united East Africa as unity is strength. Through integration, EA will be a giant among countries of the world,” the President added.

The President said the four countries came together to address their common unique needs and their unity is therefore in any way meant to isolate Tanzania and Burundi or undermine the EAC integration process.

Fielding questions from the Kenyans, President Kenyatta assured IDPs in Uganda that the Government will facilitate them to return home and restart their lives.

He said, “The Ministry of devolution is working with the National Treasury to set aside funds in the next financial year to incorporate IDPS in Uganda in the resettlement programme”.

He thanked the government of Uganda for hosting Kenyans displaced by the 2007 post-election violence for the last six years.

The chairman of the Association of Kenyans Living in Uganda Mr. Isaac Kojwang thanked the President for pushing forward the EAC agenda and fast-tracking the integration agenda.

Ends…

On Monday, 3 March 2014, 13:27, Isaiah Kojwang wrote:

Dear Daktari,

Attached is the speech I made when Kenyans in Uganda hosted President Uhuru Kenyatta at the Kampala Serena Conference Centre.

I’m glad to say that The President and The Cabinet Secretary, Foreign affairs and International Trade took issues raised in the speech seriously and responded to most of them directly, and asking his (President’s) minders to make sure different issues belonging to various Ministries back home be raised with the relevant PSs and CSs. You have probably heard him already raising the IEBC and EAC issues which we presented, among several others. In Kampala, it became almost like a panel discussion with H.E responding to nearly every question raised and allowing his entourage to make comments where relevant.

We’ll talk soon.

Regards.

Isaiah Omondi Kojwang
Holiday Express Hotel
P.O Box 9923,Kampala, UGANDA
Tel.+256 312 262858/9, +256 414 253451/5
Fax.+256 414 252665
Cel.+256 772 669218.
Alt. email: ikojwang@holidayexpresshotel.com
Web: http://www.holidayexpresshotel.com/

KENYA: KISUMU JOURNALIST WAS CARJACKED TORTURED AND ROBBED

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

A Kisumu based investigative freelance journalist last week carjacked robbed, robbed of mobile phones and money before being abandoned in a disused Murom quarry, which is located four kilometers outside the City’s outskirts.

Shem Kosse who is a regular contributor to the popular WEEKLY CITIZEN, while in the company of a friend who is a prominent businessman in the town had a very pleasant evening. They had taken few bottles of beers at the famous hotel’s restraint where they also enjoyed an evening meals of the delicious tilapia fish.

The two left Lakeview hotel at about 11 PM and drove to the Club Signature which is only one street away from the hotel. The Club, they found had no parking space for their car. They moved further to another street down and found a parking space at the nearby petrol station.

After securing the parking space, they parked their vehicle and walked on foot back to the Club Signature a short distance where they stayed until almost close to midnight.

Kosse and his companion left the Night Club at about 1.A.M and walked on foot back to the Petrol station where they had left their vehicle. Upon reaching their car, they found another vehicle parked too close to their. The second vehicle had four occupants who appeared to be chewing “Miraa” and relaxing. And because it was parked too close to their car, the two went to the other vehicle and kindly requested them to move their car backward to create a space for them to move out. The men obliged and reversed a few steps backward their vehicle. But hell broke out when Kosse and his friends tried to open the door of their vehicle. All of a sudden the four occupants of the second vehicle turned out to be criminal thugs. They swiftly whipped out pistils and ordered Kosse and his friend inside their own car at the back seat. The men produced ropes and tied Kosse and his friend on the vehicle”s back eats. Three of the thugs got into their own car leaving one who was heavily armed with two pistils who took the command of the steering wheel and drove of from the scene and through the town with the other car following closely.

At this point one of the thugs hit Kosse on the forehead with the gun bat. He was bleeding profusely from his facial wound, but the thugs did not bother. They were driven to Kanyakwar area near Miwani Junction road on the main Kisumu-Kakamega road. The thugs then branched off and drove into a disused quarry, which is located next to the stalled headquarters of the Lake Basin Development Authority { LBDA}.

The two captives were made to scrawl into the quarry walking on their knees. Inside the quarry the thugs produced more ropes from their heavy jackets and tied their hands from behind as well as their legs and abandoned them for a while, only to return a few minutes later and threatened to shoot them .At this juncture the four thugs stood on the edge of the quarry and pointed their guns down on the captives. The thugs then selected the ignition key of Kosse”s friends sleek car a brand new Rav-4. They threw down into the quarry the rest bunch of keys which hit Kosse’s friend hard on the chest.

The thugs then drove away on both cars, but only after ransacking the captives pockets and fleecing them of their money. Kosse lost Kshs 3900. While his friend lost Kshs 12,000 in hard cash.

It was now approaching 4AM in the morning the two struggled for hours before untying themselves using a sharp stone. From there Kosse and his friend walked by foot in the darkness up to Kondele suburb about 4 kilometers from where they took a boda boda motorbike which took them to Kisumu Central Police Station where they reported the incident. Of late there is a sharp increase of carjacking by heavily armed thugs, and on sharp increase incident the stolen vehicle are hardly retrieved or traced.

Ends

Kenya Power Shift Camp on Climate Change

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From: Emmanuel Dennis

Are you passionate about the environment, climate, biodiversity and ecosystems?

Are you willing to spend three days in nature?

Do you want to learn about some of the practical skills on how you can protect the environment and become a climate change agent and model in your community?

This year’s Kenya Power Shift Camping Forum, taking place on 25-28 March in Nairobi is a good opportunity for you. We will be collaborating with the various climate change networks in the country in bringing together 120 young climate change activists and environment friends from across the Country.

The Power shift will offer opportunities to network and share experiences on one of the worst Global crisis. It will be an opportunity to share and learn on skills needed on Adaptation or Mitigation efforts across the country.

It will also be an opportunity to come and have fun.

Would you be willing to participate and bring your energies and passions for other enthusiastic climate agents?

Please do have a look through the event brochure that gives you an overview of the camp. With 3 weeks to go to the opening day, participation is being booked up very quickly with already 30% of the limited spaces allocated; please click here for the registration form.

Let us bring the knowledge on how to curb climate change in Kenya to be a reality for today and the future.

—
………

Emmanuel Dennis Ngongo
Box 8799, 00200. NAIROBI: Cell Ph: +254722619005: Skype: emmanueldennis
Blog: http://emmanuel-ed.blogspot.com : Twitter: http://twitter.com/Emmanueldennis
http://facebook.com/emmanuel.dennis

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We are calling on all the Youth to get engaged in County Governance. Please visit and Like our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/NYSAKenya
Thanks for Supporting the National Youth Sector Alliance
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KENYA: THE SPLIT AND DIVISION IN ODM IS DEEPLY ROOTED TO AN EXTENT IT MIGHT NOT BE SOLVED

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News analysis By Arum-Tidi Ogonglo, A Special Correspondent

The ODM leader Raila Odinga could have shot himself in the leg when he tried to look neutral and impartial telling the party followers and members that he had nobody whom he preferred to be elected in any position during the last Friday aborted NDC election meeting at the Safaricom Sports ground Kasarani in Nairobi.

Many people did put to question Raila neutrality and impartiality. The party members took it that “Agwambo“ is a double speak man who can go to the extent of fooling his loyal supporters with no regards to his political feature.

Lack of impartiality and neutrality was exposed naked when Raila’s younger sister Ruth Adhiambo accompanied Dr. Agnes Zani who was gunning for the coveted position of Secretary General during her campaign tour of Migori and Homa-Bay Counties and jointly addressed the delegates from the two counties. Could it happen that Raila had no idea that own sister was actively campaigning for Dr. Zani.

Ruth Adhiambo is a very important family member of the Odingas. She is the Deputy Governor of Kisumu County an as such a very significant member of the inner and kitchen cabinet of Raila. Adhiambo was also accompanied by Ms Prisca Auma Misachi, the Ward Representative of Kaloleni/Shauri Moyo Ward in the Kisumu County assembly and former Kisumu Mayor and another confidant of the ODM”s supremo.

It is instructively to say that no sane person in his/or her true frame of mind would agree that Raila sister Adhiambo was campaigning for Dr Zani in Nyanza and elsewhere without full knowledge and blessing of the party leader.

The question about who was responsible for the chaos that erupted at Kasarani ground forcing the ODM leadership to call off the election. The majority of the men “In Black Suts” who caused the mayhem has the simplest answer. Most of the goons had travelled from Kisumu to Nairobi on a special mission. If the team in the election line up does not favor the one preferred by “Jakom” then there should be no election. This is the same tactics and style which was deployed in Thika Stadium when Raila fought the late Wamalwa Kijana tooth and nail in the struggle for power in the Ford-Kenya after the untimely demise of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in January 1994.now close to twenty years.

The true architect of last week’s ODM election debacles, according to rumor-meals were Reuben Ndolo former Makadara MP, Nyakach MP Aduma Owuor, Homa-Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang’ and the former Nyakach MP, former Nairobi Mayor J.Aladwa and Peter Ochieng’ Odoyo. The hired goons from Kisumu were joined by hundreds of job-seekers and idlers, especially ODM youths who hang around Parliament building in search of handout money from the MPS, but always turn out during the party functions clad in black in black suits similar to those won by security personnel charged with the task of guarding the VIPs and MPS’

According to the rumors making the round in Kisumu and its environs Peter Odoyo was tasked with the responsibility of manipulating the names in the lists of delegates from Luo-Nyanza.

The common saying is that these political hirelings had saved Raila from being ashamed due to the fact that his favorite team was heading for humiliating defeat, something which could have caused him a lot of embarrassment. A number of Luo MPS who are usually the staunchest supporters of Raila both inside and outside parliament stayed away from Kasarani NDC meeting.Notable absentees included Raila”s cousin Jakoyo Midiwo {Gem}. MIllie Odhiambo {Mbita, Jared Kopiyo {Awendo}, Geoerge Oner Rangwe}, Dalmas Otieno {Rongo}, Olago Aluoch {Kisumu West}. Agustine Neto {Ndhiwa} Deng James K Rege { Karachuonyo], Silvance Oselled {Kabondo-kasipul}, David Ochieng’ [Ugenya}., Omondi Muluany{Alego-Usonga}

Another popular word, which spread like the bush fire during the campaign was the suspicion that Dr. Agnes Zabi who was campaigning for the Secretary-General position couold not be trusted with such coveted position, and this brought in picture the previous gender issues, whereby the previously trusted ladies who had held senior position in the ODM/PNU coalition government left the party in huff and joined its competitors Those whose names were given as bad example included MADAM charity Kaluki Ngilu, Dr Sally Kosgei, and Ms Rachel Shebes. Their departure had invigorated the spirit of the youthful ODM MPS from Luo-Nyanza who saw no differences between Dr Zani and the three senior ladies who left the party at the time when they were needed most.

In fact some delegates were heard saying that if Raila insist in having Dr.Zani then he should even hang himself in the nearest tree. ”But we shall not have another woman holding such a higher position in the ODM”.

Chest thumping MPS, particularly those who hails from the greater Southern Nanza region made categorically clear that Ababu Namwamba was the man to watch. But the situation even became worse when some of Raila”s adviser branded Ababu Namwambas as a jubilee mole in the ODM, something which did not go down well with the section of MPS complaining that Rala need to re-brand himself and off-load some members of hissi89then cabinet. Names mentioned frequently as those needs to be off-loaded included Braila’s own brother Dr Oburu Oginga nominated MP, Senator Otieno Kajwang’.

Other information making the round in Kisumu and its environs is that two newly formed political parties are currently waiting in the wing hopng to capitalize on the ig fallout in ODM. One such party is said to have already been registered by the registrar of the political parties, its leaders are only holding up on a technical hitch before they come out full blast. It mis called the People Action n Party of Kenya {PAP}, which is closely associated with Mrs Grace Akumu, the wife of the former Nyakach MP and one time the Secretary General of COTU James Denish Akumu.

The other party in waiting is called Kalausi {Wirlwlwind} which said to be the brainchild of about ten MPS from Luio-Nyanza, Sime of the big names being associated with it included that of the Nairoi governor Dr Evans Kidero and the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno. There are also the names of Luo business tycoons and professionals. Its impact is yet to be assesses. It is not clear as to whether Kalausi is the new party which the chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo had hinted to be in the offing a couple of weeks ago.

Ends

KENYAN LEADERS ARE INTERESTED IN LOOTING NOT ACHIEVEMENTS

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014

Dennis from Nairobi writes: “Dear Father Beste, I find Kenyans interesting when one achieves like Lupita did we are proud but when it comes to leadership on the political scene like the late Okoth Owiro ( may his Soul rest in peace ) once said it is all about misdemeanor, harangue and intrigue.

Why can’t we just play to the rules of the game? You saw what happened on Friday with ODM elections, I need not say more. Let us like Lupita play the second fiddle look at the role she played it was humiliating, hurting and humbling but from thence she has achieved greatness, not just in Kenya but the worldwide.

It reminds me of the late Professor Wangari Mathaai during Moi’s regime, real achievers not given what they deserve in terms of recognition and respect yet looters, conmen, mediocre pampered with accolades and titles they don’t deserve not to mention the offices they hold.

Let us cast our eyes yonder and consider what is excellent and what is honorable. Kenya can do better. Look at the battle of supremacy all misplaced forgetting that what matters is service to the people of Kenya”

You are absolutely right Dennis. Our Kenyan leaders are busy strategizing how much they can loot in order to be billionaires overnight. That is why they are not interested in Kenyan achievers like Lupita Nyong’o among others.

That is also why Moi’s regime did notrecognize late Professor Wangari Mathaai achievement because she was against looters in his government, including land grabbers. Kenyan politicians are historically known for their state finances laundering across the world to buy properties and companies in London, New York and South Africa and even a 10,000 hectare ranch in Australia.

The leaked document, dated April 2004, is clearly self explanatory – being one of the preliminary reports received by the Government of Kenya (described in the report as the “client”). The persons stated as “Targets” are President Moi’s closest associates and relatives.

Kibaki’s regime was no different. He was surrounded with conmen, looters and grabbers. Within a short time of his rule allegations that corruption had cost Kenya $1bn – nearly a fifth of its state budget featured prominently.

It was the latest in a series of setbacks for President Kibaki since his National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) won a landslide victory in the December 2002 elections. Two of these involve the procurement of passport equipment and police forensic science labs.

The mediocre employee always arrives late to work, blaming the weather or traffic or some other bad luck. This is just because work is not their priority, theirs is how to loot and become billionaires.

That is why once at the office, they take a long time to settle down to work. They come late and leave earlier. They are among the first to go for tea break and lunch, and among the last to get back to his desk. Even when they are actually at their desk, they are usually chatting on their phone or with fellow employees.

Negative ethnicity is then used as a tool to distance themselves from realities. The result of it is hatred among and between communities. This is the similar hatred that developed into conflict as witnessed in 2007/08 and the Rwandan genocide.

This tool undermines nationalism, exacerbates corruption and poor governance as those in power use their communities to shield from public scrutiny and accountability.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

KENYA: THE EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE TROUBLED ODM ELECTIONS

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From: Kuria-Mwangi

Wanachungwa wenzetu

Kwa jina la baba (Raila), na mama (Ida) na mwana (Fidel), namusalimia. This is the Chungwa trinity but kaswari. Is true all this noise is over Raila succession and that some knucklheads wants Fidel to succeed his father? Hao vichwa vya ni sawa sawa kweli? Fidel yule yule kichwa maji with an arrest warrant in my state Maryland? Tafadharini wacheni kio kichwa maji ipumzike. Rao is okay but his son is a big no no. Afadhali we take Maurice Oduor as Raila’s successor or even Jagem instead. It is a question taking the better devil.

Now read all this will see why Warsama got it last time. Mwaura (why the hell did Khaguli call Mwaura yule mzungu Mkikuyu? Shame on Khaguli for calling Mwaura mzungu wa Central).

Mwaura is on your side, yani team Kajuang/Raila used him to disrupt the elections in order to stop Ababu from taking over from Nyongo.

So Khaguli, Mwaura ni wenu wacha huu ujinga na matusi. Jaribuni matusi tuonane kama wanaume.

THE EVENTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE TROUBLED ODM ELECTIONS

The Kenyan DAILY POST Editor’s Choice 03:21

Many people are wondering what happened at Kasarani. I gathered the following information from Be Ombima – the ODM youth leader.

1.) On Wednesday, Raila met a team of ODM at Oginga Odinga House in upper hill. The youth comprised of Luo youth from Kibra and eastlands to plan the chaos in Kasarani. The key linkman was George Aladwa the former mayor of Nairobi. This prompted Ababu to go to the media and announce that some people were planning to cause chaos.

2.) On Thursday evening, Raila met Ababu team and assured them that the elections will be free and fair. He told them that adequate security will be provided and no one will be allowed in unless he/she is a genuine delegate. At the meeting, Raila questioned Ababu team why they thought that Rosa Obuyu was the best they could get from Nyanza. This implied that Ababu team have given Luo Nyanza a pheripheral role in the party.

3.) On Thursday night, Raila accompanied by Aladwa and Ndolo secretly met the youth who had been accommodated in Kamukunji. The youth were to provide security and cause chaos if things did not go Raila’s way.

4.) A team at Orange house doctored the delegate list on Thursday night. The targeted regions were Central, Rift Valley, Eastern and North Eastern. These are places where ODM has minimal support and one would not easily notice the changes.

5.) On Friday morning the doctored list was used to clear delegates into hall with some delegates protesting that their names had been omitted. One notable delegate was Mpuri Aburi the MP from Meru. This explains why the process was very slow and the meeting had to start late in the day.

6.) When the Raila team realised that their preferred mode of elections – acclamation was rejected, they quickly re-grouped and started planning for the onslaught. They planned to have Mwaura (who was a member of Ababu team) raise the issue of missing registers to trigger the chaos. Mwaura was chosen because he is a Kikuyu and they could later blame him for the chaos and link it to Jubilee.

7.) Raila accompanied by Oparanya and Kajwang left the hall and immediately thereafter the chaos started. The chaos were triggered by the same youth who had been hired to provide security. Aladwa was seen given instructions to the team using signals.

8.) Apparently, Raila team sensing defeat used violence so that they can postpone the elections and buy time to deal with the Ababu group.

9.) After the incident, Raila cleverly convened a press conference for damage control purposes. The unsuspecting Ababu was brought into the press conference to fix him and to make it look like ODM is united despite the incident. However, Ababu was shocked when he was made to speak before Agnes Zani clearly showing Raila’s preference. Ababu again was shocked to learn that ODM will have a governing council meeting on monday to declare the way forward among other things. This has prompted Ababu team to organise a meeting today at Serena hotel to discuss the way forward.

10.) Raila team is planning to target Ababu team and brand it as jubilee moles out to divide the party. They would then organise makeshift elections to elect officials who are Raila’s puppets.

1 March 2014 03:12
Source .. Ombima

KENYA: RAILA’S ODM LIST SAGA

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Martin from Nyamira writes: “Fr Beste what can you say about ODM elections chaos. Is it true that Raila Odinga had preferred line-up in the party elections and that is why there was chaos? Don’t you think this is spoiling Raila’s chance to win 2017 presidential election?

Thank you for asking the question Martin. Although some ODM members maintain that after Luo Nyanza MPs quit ODM elections race en-masse, details emerged on what has been described as Raila Odinga’s preferred line-up in the party elections, Raila has denied the claim.

What is very clear and cannot be denied is that some of the Luo Nyanza MPs have publicly complained that the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the defacto party leader coerced them out of the race in order to clear the way for certain candidates.

They argue that Raila is interested in ensuring those who take ODM leadership present a national and gender balanced face as he prepares for his fourth bid for presidency come 2017.

According to insiders, that is why the position of ODM party leader will automatically be retained by Raila and his deputy will be Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho in order to retain the coastal region in the party.

The preferred candidate for the party chairman according to claimed Raila’s list is that Funyula MP Paul Otuoma ostensibly to boost ODM in Western region. Other candidates are Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok, South Mugirango MP Manson Nyamweya and his Tigania East counterpart Mpuri Aburi.

It is also claimed that Raila prefers his long time ally and Homabay Senator Otieno Kajwang to take the position of party vice chairman and not Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero and nominated senator Janet Ong’era who were also eying the position. They were forced to pull out when it emerged that Raila did not want them.

Nominated Senator Agnes Zani is touted to be Raila’s choice for the position of the Secretary General, the position the Luo Nyanza MPs were initially fighting to retain arguing that present holder, Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o should be replaced by someone from their region.

Raila is also said not to have been in favor of Elizabeth Ongoro, but instead would prefer Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba. Insiders say he did not also prefer Ken Obura and John Mbadi who have since pulled out in protest.

Raila is said to prefer Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire (Nyamira County) as the party’s treasurer while Kakamega Woman Representative Rachael Ameso as the preferred Deputy Treasurer.

Over the weekend, several leaders who attended the 20th anniversary of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga at his Kang’o home in Bondo dared the Luo Nyanza MPs to form a new party if they were not comfortable with ODM doctrines.

Raila is said to have not in favor of Dalmas Otieno for the ODM race for Secretary General. He quit the race and now he is close ally to President Uhuru Kenyatta, a move that may signal that Luo Nyanza may form a new party that could merge with Uhuru’s Jubilee’s coalition.

Since then Raila is slowly losing popularity in Luo Nyanza. Recently he was heckled for the first time in Kisumu where he had gone to quell tension that followed erection of an Indian Sculpture (Sikh Statute) in the town. He was forced to cut short his speech.

Your second question as to whether this preferred list may spoil for Raila to win 2017 presidential election, my take is that even if his preferred candidates would be elected for Raila to win 2017 presidential election is very slim.

This is given the fact that TNA completely outmaneuvered ODM in registering voters in their strongholds. Tyranny of numbers is still a force to Uhuru’s re-election. Many youth in Raila’s strongholds did not register for lack of national identification cards, despite the fact that Mr. Odinga controlled the ministry in charge of issuance of IDs through Otieno Kajwang’.

Money also matters. Uhuru Kenyatta is one of the wealthiest people in Africa (probably worth hundreds of millions of dollars). He is therefore able to pour money into his campaign once again without reserve.

Recent polls also showed that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s TNA is the most popular political party beating Raila Odinga’s ODM to second place. Deputy President William Ruto’s URP comes in third according to a survey by Strategic PR firm released recently. Fifty four per cent of the respondents said they would vote for Mr Kenyatta.

A section of youthful Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs have also come out and boldly warning that Raila Odinga may lose the 2017 elections because he is surrounded by deceitful advisors.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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KENYA IS NOT YET CIVILIZSED

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from: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014

Dennis from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste I know the topic here is different but I am getting concerned about this feeling politicians have about themselves being superior, look at the parliament threatening to vet activist judges. I am concerned because they themselves are never vetted and the purpose for which they want to vet the judges is purely revenge as to why they dare challenge their decisions.

Parliamentarians have never declared their wealth and that every time just before elections they always cripple whichever ant-corruption and ethics body in existence so that they are not vetted. And any such thing happens they would run to very courts they are now threatening to challenge such decisions reasons being the body was not fully constituted as provided for by law.

I don’t want to judge them but I feel they should know that they are not the ultimate and that Kenyans are watching their moves, and that they have no moral authority over others and that the rule of law is not about threats of use of hidden powers or legal amendments to suit your own selfish ends.

How many of the same politicians have gone to court to stop cases against them especially around corruption. Let them not behave as though it is only what suits them is important, they are servants not masters and the sooner they realized this the better. Let them all re-examine themselves, remember the standard railway gauge was recently passed by one of the committees of the house as having been above board, what a shame”.

Thank you for raising this concern Dennis. Although the rule of law is above everyone, in Kenya we are still very far from that fact. The rule of law according to the new constitution is to apply to everyone, including politicians. No one is above the law. No one is exempted from the law, and no one can grant exemption to the application of the law.

Currently the Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo says he has no power to arrest Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo. He says he doesn’t want to avoid embarrass him. Kimaiyo cannot arrest him because Iringo is a close ally to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Iringo is accused of sitting on a Sh31 million damage claim that was awarded to Tanzanian for wrongful detention and torture.

He has three pending arrest warrants emanating from a Sh780,000 compensation awarded to a police officer who sued for malicious prosecution after he was shot, arrested and charged with robbery but later acquitted for lack of evidence.

Justice George Odunga on Monday ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest the PS and bring him to court to “show why he should not be tried for contempt.” This is despite the fact that a basic hallmark of civilised society is a justice, law, and order system that treats all persons equally.

If Kenya were to be a civilised society where the president doesn’t interfere with the rule of law, then Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo would have been arrested immediately for gross violation of his oath of office when he wilfully ignores or defies an order by a High Court judge to arrest and produce in court Mutea Iringo, who himself risks jail for contempt of court.

Recently President Uhuru Kenyatta violated court order when he defended the Senate over its decision to impeach Embu Governor Martin Wambora and summon others.

Uhuru was reacting after Judges Hedwig Ong’udi, Boaz Olao and Cecilia Githua sitting at the High Court in Kerugoya stopped the gazette notice, which had been printed, declaring the impeachment of Wambora.

The court stopped the swearing in of Deputy Governor Dorothy Nditi as governor. The Senate exonerated Nditi of the charges of violating procurement regulations and financial management rules.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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KENYA AND TANZANIA IN CROSS-BORDER TOURISTS DEAL

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Writes Leo Odera Omolo

Kenya and Tanzania have finally agreed to allow the visiting tourists freely access each to each others tourists sites in border crossings into each other territory.

This follows an agreement signed between the two countries last week during a crucial meeting held in the Northern Tanzanian town of Arusha.

From now onwards tour operator firms in Kenya will be allowed to drop tourists into specific towns inside Tanzania.

Under the new agreement Kenyan registered vehicles will now drop tourists at Namanga border post and then proceeds to other towns further interior parts of Tanzania and also to other towns like Dodoma, Arusha, Musoma ,Moshi and Lungfa Lunga.

In the past, Kenya Tour firms have been voicing vehement opposition against the existing rule for them to be picked up by Tanzanian tour operators companies for onward trip to the interior parts of the country and also to the tourist attraction sites and national game park in Tanzania.

In the new agreement signed between Kenya’ s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and East African Community affairs Ms Phyllis Kandie and her Tanzanian counterpart Lazaro Nyalandu; tourist vehicles from from the neighboring country will continue dropping tourists in all towns in Kenya except in airports and tourist sites,

Ms Kandie described the new agreement as a win-win for the two countries. “It will allow Tanzaniians involved in tour operator to have business partners in Kenya and vice-versa and thus promote regional integration.” She added.

She explained that the new agreement would also help in marketing the region as a single tourists destination; adding that she hopes the new found relationship with Tanzania would continue to flourish.

ThE TWO COUNTRIES Kenya and Tanzania also urged the three other EAC member states of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi to develop bilateral agreements to grow regional tourism.

Tour associations tour guides, wildlife agencies, tourist boards from K

The EAC partner states were also asked to consider regional cooperation on conservations of fauna and flora, to review legislation to ensure the region’s endangered wildlife resources are protected by December and that there should be cross-border efforts to fight poaching and illegal trade in wildlife and forest products.

Ends

A new and neutral government is the only solution to South Sudan’s problems

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From: South Sudan Press

Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955), the widely renowned physicist and humanist said “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” Sounds like a simple proposition but it is a powerful truth. If one is part of a problem, one can not see his/her role in it. In other words it is an issue of the blind spot.

This is why when doctors are sick they do not self prescribe but consult other doctors for treatment. Similarly, lawyers typically do not represent themselves in courts when accused, even though they are able to.

However, SPLM wants to be an exception and does not believe in the concept of blind spot. Destructive as it is, it can not see its role in the crisis that has sadly engulfed the country. Ridiculously, SPLM wants to remain in power as if nothing has happened in the country as a result of its brutal actions in mid December 2013. Remorselessly and with poor judgement of the situation SPLM expects to continue with business as usual. Is this not lunacy?

Akol Paul Kordit, the chairman of the SPLM Youth League in an article on Sudan Tribune ‘SPLM youth Leader warns against forming interim government’

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article49981

rejected the idea of a new and neutral government in South Sudan as a solution to the current crisis. He argues that the SPLM convincingly won the last election in 2010 and therefore it should not entertain any ideas of an interim administration because that would be tantamount to rewarding rebellion.

Such views are not helpful in the current situation because they are regressive and would not lead to any desirable solutions in the country.

Kordit would do better to familiarise himself with the election of April 2010. First of all, that election was thoroughly rigged by his beloved party. Secondly, that election was held in the then Sudan under president Omer Bashir and its mandate expired on the day South Sudan became a separate country on 9th July 2011. Note that given this view the SPLM assumed power illegally. The truth of the matter is that the 6 month interim period between the referendum in January 2011 and the independence in July 2011 was designed to enable South Sudan to prepare a legitimate government to take power on Independence Day. SPLM under president Kiir deliberately neglected this process to install himself as the president of independent South Sudan with the SPLM as the governing party regardless of what South Sudanese had wanted. In the said 6 month period South Sudan represented by the various political parties had agreed a way forward which president Kiir contemptuously violated to advance his hold on the people of South Sudan.

The sad thing is that SPLM claims that the election of 2010 gave it a mandate for 5 years and therefore it had the right to continue governing South Sudan after independence. This is not only misleading but a load of trash. The 5 years mandate referred to would have been applicable only in the event that South Sudanese voted for unity of the Sudan and remained in a united country. But this is not the case. South Sudanese voted for secession. As South Sudan broke away from Khartoum, that mandate became null and void in relation to South Sudan. SPLM could only claim to be democratic and legitimate if it had been voted into power in the now independent South Sudan. Without such election SPLM has no shred of any democratic legitimacy. Therefore, SPLM is not democratically elected by the people of South Sudan. Any such assertion amounts to fraudulent claim.

In fact it is arguable that president Kiir and the SPLM carried out a kind of a coup d’etat in South Sudan on 9th July 2011 when it assumed power without consent of the people. SPLM simply imposed itself on the people and the country.

Kordit’s argument that an interim administration amounts to rewarding rebellion is baseless. South Sudanese want an interim government as a solution to the unhealthy blood letting situation in the country. It is clear that the Nuer can not and rightly so feel safe under Jieng leadership because of the ethnic cleansing that president Kiir conducted on them. Equally, the Jieng will not feel secure under a Nuer leadership because of fears of revenge. So the solution lies in the leadership going to a neutral person respected by both groups and the country at large. Such a leader can only come through an interim government of national unity.

A new and neutral government as a solution to the problems facing the country is therefore the most reasonable thing to do. Any sensible and reasonable person with the country at heart must support this proposition. As Onyoti Adigo of South Sudan parliament recommended, a new government is needed to “make the political climate more inclusive and encourage reconciliation.” President Kiir can not just continue in power as usual. He and his beloved party have ruined the country. With the latest incident of ethnic cleansing there is just no reason whatsoever for president Kiir to continue ruling the country. His government has forfeited its right to rule.

Kordit argues “we believed in this government. We have elected this government. The youth of South Sudan love this government because it is their government. We trust this government and we must have collective effort to protect it and encourage good wish for this government.” This is empty rhetoric. What does Kordit mean by “we”? Who are the “we”? Does it include the people this government victimised? Does it include the Nuer? Does it include the Fertit? Does it include the Chollo people? Does it include the subjugated people of Equatoria? Does it include the broad masses of South Sudan? Or, who is this “we” referring to? Kordit as a beneficiary of the crooked system is doubly blind to the heinous crimes his party is committing in the country. Anybody in their normal faculties can not shower president Kiir’s government with rosy words like he did. Only sycophants do. It is clear the current government has served its purpose and it is time for it to go.

Thus the proposal for a new and neutral government is the right thing to do in South Sudan in order and not limited to: 1) rectify the usurpation of power by the SPLM on 9th July 2011. 2) mitigate the abominable ethnic cleansing president Kiir and his militia unleashed on the country. 3) assure the general public of their security. 4) allow for a proper preparation for the coming election. 5) enable return of peace all over the country.

Kordit must understand that this is the wish of South Sudanese and it will have to be implemented whether SPLM likes it or not. South Sudan is larger than all the political parties combined and so SPLM as a tribal organisation will not stop the wishes of the people. South Sudanese people now know that keeping quiet is not an option. They have to now speak out loud and clear for a democratic change with a demand for a new and neutral government. Please wind down by listening to the panel in the YouTube video ‘South Sudan: Is Peace Possible’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y19cWNIkVlo

[Truth hurts but it is also liberating]

The author lives in the Republic of South Sudan. He can be reached at elhagpaul@aol.com

KENYA: IN NYANZA TENSION IS BREWING OVER REGISTRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE WHO QUALIFIED TO FOR THE GOVERNMENT STIPEND

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.Writes Leo Odera Omolo

TENSION is brewing in various parts of LUO-NYANZA over the classification of the categories of aged, poor people who should benefit from the billions of shillings recently set aside by president Uhuru Kenyatta to benefit old and poor people.

The scheme is causing ripples and discontent that some of the local administrators were deliberately misinterpreting the scheme to suit their own selfish interests. Other unconfirmed allegations are that the Chiefs and their assistants were favoring their friends and relatives making it nightmarish for those who wanted to be registered as the beneficiaries of the scheme.

In many districts, the registration went on smoothly the whole of last week with hundreds of aged and poor running up to be registered.

Things did not work well, however. The exercise did not go well in Awendo and Uriri districts, Migori County. Hundreds of elderly people who turned up at Ayego Chiefs camp in North Kanyamkago location, Migori County encountered a lot of difficulties in having their names registered as the beneficiaries of the government stipend money.

The elders who gathered there were told that before they could dream of getting paid any money, officials from the Ministry of Social Services based in MIGORI D.C.’s office would visit their homesteads on very special missions to assess their poverty status. And that those found to be in extremely poor and having no houses and farms would automatically be the beneficiaries of the scheme.

However, from the looks of things on the ground, the government, particularly the Office of the President in Nairobib should come out with a comprehensive statement clarifying the details of the scheme explaining the categories of those old people who qualified for the stipend.

At the Rinya Chiefs Camp in Sakwa East Location also in Migori County a heated argument and exchange of harsh words ensued between Chief Ezra Odondi and his assistant Poul Ogweno and an enlightened elder called Henry Oguta Ouma, aged 80 and retired former police office who inquired as to why the names of only 65 people have been registered in the whole location with the population in excess of 15,000 people.

The exercise, Mzee Ouma said, locks out over 3,0000 older people who would miss the chances of enjoying the government stipend money. The two administrators were accompanied by an official from the social services department stationed at the Rongo D>C’s office who appeared not to be conversant with the government policy and rule governing the scheme for the aged people, people with disability and orphans

Failure by the official to give the proper and satisfactory explanation sparked off discontent and tension among the elders who left the venue while cursing corruption as the source of problem.

Mzee Ouma appealed to the area MP to convene an urgent meeting and explain to the public about the classic qualification for anyone to benefit to benefit from the government stipend for old people.

In other regions, old people were simply required to hand the photocopies of their national identity cards and leave everything to be sorted out by the officials.

Mzee Ouma later told the administrators that he would personally lead a delegation to petition President Kenyatta and sought for proper interpretation of the scheme.

Other unconfirmed reports reaching us say some officials were asking for bribe money form the poor old people so that they could have their names included in the scheme, while in other areas other were favoring their relatives and friends.

Reached on phone Uriri D.C George Kibet Lagat assured members of the public that who qualified for the stipend would get their money without any hunch or discrimination

ENDS

GOOD GOVERNANCE IS NOT YET ACHIEVED IN KENYA

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Kosmas from Kisumu writes: “Fr Beste I read your Lenten campaign 2014 review. I also managed to get the website link of the Kenya Conference of Bishops and read the whole book. I was particularly interested on the theme of Good Governance.

I liked the situation analysis in Tswani community on a journey to reform their laws, systems and practices owing to their experiences of bad governance often characterised by excessively powerful institutions, human rights abuses, poor infrastructure, brutal police, unfair courts, skewed development priorities, ineffective service delivery, corruption, impunity, run-away poverty and exclusion and discrimination.

In your own opinion do you think Kenya has made any efforts towards reform as required by the new constitution, especially on constitutional implementations, land reform and police?”

Thank you for this important and crucial question Kosmas. Before I answer your question let us list eight minimum criteria of ensuring good national governance highlighted in the analysis. This will help us argue effectively and professionally whether Kenyan leaders have political will to reforms. They are:

1. Participation, equity, and inclusiveness,

2. Rule of law,

3. Separation of power

4. Free, independent, and responsible media,

5. Government legitimacy,

6. Accountability,

7. Transparency,

8. Limiting the distorting effect of money in politics.

I have outlined these criteria because as mentioned in the analysis in Tswani community, the Constitution of Kenya provides for principles and values of good governance. The national values and principles of governance in Article 10, bind all State organs, State officers, public officers and all persons whenever any of them –

a) Applies or interprets this Constitution; b) Enacts, applies or interprets any law; or

c) Makes or implements public policy decisions.

The national values and principles of governance according to the situation analysis include:

a) Patriotism, national unity, sharing and devolution of power, the rule of law, democracy and participation of the people;

b) Human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non-discrimination and protection of the marginalised;

c) Good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability; and

d) Sustainable development.

To answer your question now, the fact remains that despite the Constitutional provision on the principles and values as the guide for public engagement according to the analysis, it is notable that as a country there are limited efforts to mainstream these principles and values in governance both at County and National governments.

In other words, good governance requires a competent executive that respects the Constitution and the rule of law and that exercises sound leadership. It also requires institutions that counter-balance power and hold the executive accountable.

We must admit that Kenya has indeed embarked on extensive judicial reforms. This began with the exit of the former Chief Justice six months after the passing of the country’s new constitution in 2010. This was followed by a rigorous appointment process which – for the first time – saw applicants for the position of Chief Justice interviewed by a revamped Judicial Service Commission in the presence of the media.

Similarly, applicants for the posts of Deputy Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court were advertised and interviews carried out publicly. Subsequently, Parliament also passed the Vetting of Judges and Magistrates Act in 2011 to facilitate the vetting of serving judges and magistrates – and, if necessary, terminate their employment.

Grounds for termination include delayed judgments, lack of integrity and lack of professionalism, among others. The vetting process, which began in 2012, has already led to the termination of the terms of four Court of Appeal judges.

Another progress of reform is on the vetting of the police that saw Mr Philip Tuimur who has been based at police headquarters in Nairobi and Eusebius Laibuta who was charge of senior Administration Police training college in Emali discontinued from service after being found unsuitable.

On land reform, although the decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta to issue title deeds to residents of the Coast should be commended as an act of magnanimity that aims to stem a problem that has lived with us for half a century now, the fact that the law establishing the National Land Commission (NLC) was based on the premise that the Executive should not, in any way, meddle in the administration of land leaves a lot of question marks.

Since land-related grievances were among the underlying causes of electoral violence in Kenya, with immediate one that followed Kenya’s disputed presidential election results in 2007, land reform must be taken seriously.

While some communities, such as those in the worst-affected Rift Valley Province, invaded land that did not legally belong to them but which they perceived to be their birthright, the fact that conflict in regions in the north and near the coast have been driven in part by land-related interests calls for urgent attention.

The story and analysis in Tswani community challenge greedy and corrupt leaders who after the polls put their own interests before those of the community and the villages. They mismanaged funds allocated to the communities, moved into big expensive houses, bought themselves big cars that cost millions of shillings, furnished their offices with expensive furniture and spent huge sums on entertainment and trips abroad.

The village governments were facing challenges in handling village workers who were demanding higher wages. One strike after the other became the norm; teachers, doctors and nurses all went to the streets, demanding for what they believed was rightfully theirs. Out of frustration, the leaders at the village government level responded by threatening to lay off the striking worker. But this did not stop the strikes.

The villages of Lesedi, and Ulundi were well informed about their rights and understood the responsibilities their leaders were to play as provided in the Tswani Constitution. They did not sit back to watch as the community leaders misuse their power and resources. They formed village forums to monitor and audit the performance of their leaders. In the villages, people were involved in decision-making and project prioritisation, resulting in optimum use of resources.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Explosion in Attack on Church in Kenya Injures 15

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From: frank patrick materu

By Jeremy Reynalds
Senior Correspondent for ASSIST News Service

NAIROBI, KENYA (ANS) — Assailants on a motorbike threw an explosive device into a church compound in southeastern Kenya on June 9, injuring 15 people.

According to a story by Morning Star News, two pastors were among the wounded from the explosion at an evangelistic service of Earthquake Miracle Ministry Church in Mrima village, near the coastal town of Likoni, Mombasa District.

That according to David Njoroge, pastor of the Worldwide Gospel Church.

Assistant Pastor Collins Maseno had both legs broken in the blast, and is in critical condition.

Senior Pastor Dominic Osano suffered serious injuries to his hand and the back of his neck, Njoroge told Morning Star News.

“The Christians living around the scene of the incident are still in shock and are wondering as to the mission behind the attack, while several pastors looked demoralized,” Njoroge said. “But others said prayers will help them stand strong in sharing the Christian faith.”

The blast occurred at 7 p.m., he said, adding that the weapon appeared to be a home-made fuel bomb, though area press quoted police as saying it was a hand grenade. A 10-year-old boy, Dominic Maseno, was reportedly among the injured.

Morning Star News said Islamic extremists from Somalia’s rebel Al Shabaab group have been suspected in previous attacks in the coastal areas of Kenya, and 45 pastors have met with government officials to discuss security. The provincial police commissioner, the officer in charge of police, the district commissioner and a county commissioner attended.

The officials accepted the pastors’ request that the government provide security during such Christian gatherings, Njoroge said.

At the same time, Morning Star News reported, the parties agreed that Christian meetings are to end before 6 p.m., he said. The commissioner told the pastors they must keep watch for extremists and report suspected militia groups.

Mombasa police said they were searching for the assailants.

In Nairobi, suspected Al Shabaab members reportedly tossed a grenade into a crowd in the Majengo area of the capital’s largely Somali-immigrant area of Eastleigh, injuring four.

Morning Star

News said Kenyan churches and other facilities have been the target of several bombings and shootings. That’s since Kenya sent troops into southern Somalia in Oct. 2011 in response to kidnappings and other attacks by Al Shabaab rebels from Somalia.

African Union Mission in Somalia forces have been battling the insurgents in Somalia, and northern and coastal areas of Kenya have become places of refuge for retreating rebels.

Morning Star News reported that many Al Shabaab rebels, said to have ties with Al Qaeda, have taken refuge in Garissa in northern Kenya.

Chaplain Julius Mukonzi was killed and 11 others were injured on Nov. 4, when suspected Islamic extremists tossed an explosive device at a church in the Administrative Police compound in Garissa.

At the same time, Morning Star News said, a separatist group known as the Mombasa Republic Council has also been accused of mounting attacks in Kenya’s coastal regions, according to Agence France-Presse.

On Sept. 30, 2012, suspected Al Shabaab militants threw a grenade into an Anglican church in Nairobi that killed 9-year-old Ian John Maina. Several other children attending a Sunday school class were seriously injured in the attack on the Anglican Church of Kenya St. Polycarp in the Pagani area, next to Eastleigh.

Morning Star News said Al Shabaab, which has been designated a terrorist organization by several Western governments, wants to impose a strict version of sharia (Islamic law) on Somalia.

Kenya is nearly 83 percent Christian and 8.32 percent Muslim, according to Operation World.

Morning Star News is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to inform those in the free world, and in countries violating religious freedom, about Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith
For more information go to http://morningstarnews.org http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master’s degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is “A Sheltered Life.”
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KENYA: UHURU AND RUTO RISK RE-ELECTION IF THEY GET RID OF CARTELS OF CORRUPTION

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2014

Carolyn from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste thank you for the review of Lenten campaign 2014 booklet. I have a question which has been bothering me very much. My daughter Stacy is 11 years old and has been asking me why Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during lent.

In my house I don’t cook meat on Fridays even though sometimes Stacy would like to eat meat on that day. What age is forbidden to eat meat?”

Maurice from Lodwar writes: Fr Omolo I always read your articles you post on your Jaluo.Kom. You must be very courageous Father because some of them are direct to the point and you call a spade a spade. Now my question is, do you think President Uhuru and his deputy Ruto can end corruption in Kenya given that the mafia cartels of corruption operate from their offices? Thank you and continue doing this good apostolate.”

Thank you for the question Carolyn. Abstaining from meat on Fridays during lent is the precept number 4 of the Catholic Church (You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church”) in accordance to Canon Law 1252.

It states that only on Fridays in Lent are Catholics, aged 14 and older, bound to abstain from meat. It means your daughter Stacy can just eat meat. Nevertheless, pastors and parents are to see to it that minors who are not bound by the law of fast and abstinence are educated in an authentic sense of penance.

Can. 1253 further states that it is for the conference of bishops to determine more precisely the observance of fast and abstinence and to substitute in whole or in part for fast and abstinence other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety.

Thank you for your encouraging compliments Maurice. There are several reasons why Uhuru and Ruto won’t succeed on ending corruption in Kenya. Firstly, the mafia cartels of corruption are powerful individual Kenyans in the Office of the President (OP), under which the Directorate of Personnel Management (DPM) has been domiciled for decades.

This is the most corrupt institution in the country, a fact that the President has admitted. The most corrupt institution in the Office of the President is the internal security docket followed by the Defence docket that has also been under the OP for long and has often been cited as a den of corruption.

The Provincial Administration is no exception, with even funds for IDPs and relief food not being spared. These are powerful cartels that have looted this country and have used the OP as their entry point.

Office of the President is the office that directs who gets what mega contracts in which ministry or department, including the standard railway gauge contract. It is the office where the network of cartels built around the Head of Public Service continues to haunt ministries to date.

Secondly, Uhuru and Ruto cannot end corruption in Kenya because it is the very office, where the same cartels have created the web of cartels that have fleeced this nation continue to be retained in high places in government.

These are untouchable powerful cartels, and so are the senior managers who do their bidding in Deputy President’s Office. These are the cartels who systematically plan for ghost workers’ salaries and various employment sectors.

If Uhuru and Ruto make a mistake of rooting them out, it means they risk being re-elected in office. These are the financers of leaders who promise would work with them if elected.

In fact cartels of corruption in Kenya are many like weed and have spread in all the government sectors. It means if you weed them out other weeds will grow. This is because cartels create themselves as a business system based on global business, special interests, corruption, greed, organized crime and other interests.

Just as Uhuru and Ruto promise to end corruption, Government tenders worth Sh461.8 billion are currently embroiled in controversy, with questions being asked about the procedures followed in awarding them.

They include the Sh425 billion standard gauge railway, the Sh22 billion school laptops project, the Sh13 billion National Social Security Fund tender involving Tassia scheme and Hazina Towers and the estimated Sh1.8 billion paid annually to ghost workers on the government’s payroll.

Given their powerful system is why since 1989 the government has not been able to arrest and charge cartels behind Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station project. The dam was built at three times the estimated cost, twice the allocated amount and producing energy significantly below capacity.

It is also why the longest-running scandal in the Goldenberg, where the Kenyan government subsidised exports of gold, paying exporters in Kenyan Shillings (Sh) 35 percent over their foreign currency earnings have not been arraigned in court of law.

In this case, the gold was smuggled from Congo. The Goldenberg scandal cost Kenya the equivalent of more than 10 percent of the country’s annual GDP.

The next is to do with a Sh360 million helicopter servicing contract in South Africa in 1998. Despite the military officers argument that the contract was too extravagant and servicing the helicopters could be done locally the government at that time had no power to stop the tender.

Kenya Air Force (KAF) went ahead to spend Sh108 million as a down payment for servicing the Puma helicopters, whose tail number is logged as 418 at Denel Aviation, a South African firm.

Another one was in 2003 when military was split over plans to buy new Czech fighter jets. The plan to buy the jet fighters would have cost taxpayers Sh12.3 billion.

Then it came 2005 plans to buy a sophisticated £20 million passport equipment system from France, as government wanted to replace its passport printing system, created conditions for corruption scandal.

The transaction was originally quoted at 6 million euros from François Charles Oberthur of Paris (a supplier of Visa and MasterCards) but was awarded to a British firm, the Anglo-Leasing and Finance Company Limited, at 30 million euros, who would have sub-contracted the same French firm to do the work.

Despite the lack of competitive tendering Anglo Leasing was paid a “commitment fee” of more than £600,000.

In November 2006, when the government was accused of failing to act on a banking fraud scam worth $1.5bn involving money laundering and tax evasion, nothing could be done to stop the scandal.

The same year, when British Foreign Office minister Kim Howells warned, that corruption in Kenya is increasing the UK’s exposure to drug trafficking and terrorism, nothing was done.

In September 2007, when documents exposing a 500 million Kenyan shilling payroll fraud at Egerton University and subsequent cover up were released, the subject of ongoing legal dispute in the High Court just ended prematurely.

And in June 2008 when the Grand Regency Scandal broke, wherein the Central Bank of Kenya was alleged to have secretly sold a luxury hotel in Nairobi to an unidentified group of Libyan investors for more than 4 billion Kenyan Shillings (approx US $60 million) below the appraised market value, nothing the government of Kibaki could do.

Finance Minister Amos Kimunya negotiated the sale, and was censured in a near-unanimous motion by the Kenyan Parliament, he was briefly suspended. He was re-instated with no expiation.

This followed on the heels of the Safaricom IPO, overseen by Kimunya, which had been alternatively praised and questioned for possible corruption in the execution of the sale. Safaricom is the largest mobile phone service provider in Kenya, having operated with a near-government monopoly for many years. The government of Kenya sold its 50 percent stake in Safaricom in the IPO.

Then there was a scandal became public over the sale of imported maize in 2009, the Triton Oil Scandal regarding the unauthorised releasing of oil by Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) without informing financiers and in October 2012 Japanese land by Foreign Affairs ministry officials that could have saved the country loss of Sh1.1 billion. Moses Wetengular was the minister then.

The litany is so long that you cannot finish in a day. This is just to demonstrate how cartels of corruption surrounding State House are untouchable.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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EFFECT OF BAD GOVERNANCE IN KENYA

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From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2015

Rose from Kericho writes: “Fr Beste I was so happy when I saw Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth of Kisumu in an exclusive interview with Waumini Communications Limited at the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) General Secretariat, saying Catholic Bishops in Kenya have contributed 2.5 Million, equivalent to 30,000 US Dollars to alleviate hunger in Turkana County.

I was so excited when I saw His Excellency Charles Daniel Balvo, the Popes representative to Kenya extending a cheque of one million shillings to the Bishop of Lodwar, Rt. Rev. Dominic Kimengich, towards general food distribution to households and school feeding program on February 3, 2014.

Now Fr Beste, my worry is that, do you think the Government of Kenya is going to heed to the call by Zacchaeus Okoth to find a way of utilizing the discovered large volume of water in Turkana that geologists say can feed Kenya for 70 year to eradicate poverty in the region through irrigation?”

This was a good concern by the Kenya Catholic Conference of Bishops Rose. The bishops had asked each diocese to contribute Ksh 100,000 towards that. Turkana falls under Lodwa Diocese that is why His Excellency Charles Daniel Balvo presented the cheque to the bishop of Lodwa.

Your worry whether Kenya Government will heed to Archbishop Okoth’s call for irrigation is a worry of the majority of Kenyans, Turkana and Pokot included. There are several reasons why Kenya Government won’t bother implementing irrigation schemes in Turkan and elsewhere in semi-arid areas.

One major reason is to do with bad leadership and governance in Kenya. Poor governance as a result of leaders not implementing reform agendas, not ensuring the citizens have access to basic needs, non accountability, passing of policies and laws that oppress people, not fighting impunity providing an environment where citizens don’t enjoy their rights.

This includes the manipulation of electoral process to remain in power, failure to uphold independence, failure of police and other security to keep law and order, misuse of public funds by government officials for their personal benefit, and voluntary or forced bribery by citizens to obtain services which they should be entitled to.

It explains why in Kenya, corruption in public institutions has been a telling indicator of wider governance-related problems, such as lack of democratic space for Kenyan citizens and insufficient government interest in political reform.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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Twitter-@8000accomole

Uhuru’s Std gauge railway will bring economic suffering to Kenyans

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From: Abdalah Hamis

By Dr David Ndii

So far, the raging debate on the proposed standard gauge railway is focusing on dodgy procurement.

There are also questions about the cost although, on the whole, it is not evident that it is grossly overpriced. Many people seem to be under the impression that it is otherwise a good investment. It is not.

Three hundred billion shillings is not loose change. If it proceeds, it will be the biggest loan that we have borrowed to date. It will increase our external debt by close to one third, our debt to GDP ratio by nine percentage points and our interest payments on external debt by 50 per cent.

The annual repayment of the principal amount translates to over Sh600 million per county – you may want to think what your county could do with an extra Sh600 million every year for the next 10 years.

If we are going to put ourselves in debt to this extent, we need to be sure we are getting value for money. Are we?

I have a simple back-of-the-envelope method I use to check whether a project makes commercial sense.

At the very minimum, a commercial project should pay the cost of capital. Let us put the cost of capital at 7.5 per cent per year, about the rate that we can expect to pay on the sovereign bond we are about to float. This means that the project needs to generate a surplus of Sh22.5 to pay for capital.

To generate this kind of surplus, the railway would have to have a turnover of at least Sh120 billion. Assuming that it charges the prevailing tariff of US$1,000 per container, it would need to carry 1.4 million 20-foot containers a year, 4,000 a day. That would take about 48 very long trains every 24 hours. The busiest single line railways in the US, for instance, run 20 trains a day.

What about cargo? The Mombasa port is now handling containers about one million TeUs (twenty feet unit equivalent). That means the new rail would have to enjoy a monopoly of Mombasa port cargo to pay its way. This is probably why the Chinese financiers are asking for guaranteed cargo. But what they do not seem to appreciate is that the Kenya State does not have the same command and control power that the Chinese State has.

One can argue that the cargo volume will grow. That is true. But we are not demolishing the old line. And the new one comes only to Nairobi at first.

It does not make sense to load cargo going beyond Nairobi on the new line only to transship it to the old line that could have carried it from Mombasa in the first place.

TANZANIA’S CENTRAL LINE

More importantly, the region is building competing transit corridors not least our very own LAPSSET. But the most immediate competition is Tanzania’s central line. This line goes from Dar-es-Salaam to Isaka, about 100 km south of Mwanza. It is being extended to Kigali, with a branch line to Musongati in Burundi. At 1,400 km, the distance from Dar to Kigali is 25 per cent shorter than Mombasa to Kigali.

If our Chinese friends make good their pledge to build the mother of all ports at Bagamoyo, Mombasa will have a hard time competing for transit cargo to and from Rwanda and beyond.

The Lamu port, if completed, will also take a chunk of domestic and northbound cargo. And Djibouti is also angling for South Sudan and Ethiopian business as well. No massaging of data, or growling at critics, will make this railway make commercial sense.

The long and short of it is that the railway will be paid for by taxpayers’ money. Our constitution has set out five principles that public finance must fulfill. Two of these are pertinent.

Article 201(c) requires inter-generational equity that is fairness between current and future generations. Article 201(d) requires that public money be used in a prudent and responsible manner. Let us take 201 (d) first.

The fact that the railway cannot pay its way does not mean it is imprudent. It may be that it has huge indirect public benefits which are not captured by the revenues — what we call in economics positive externalities, are very high.

A good example of this was JF Kennedy’s mission to put man on the moon. Its direct economic returns were zero, but the technological advances it engendered are said to far exceed its cost.

But it is hard to see what the public benefits beyond those that accrue to the owners of the cargo that is carried are. And the fact that alternative modes of carrying cargo on the same route, including modernising the existing one, means that even the additional economic benefits to those are not that significant.

LAMU TO THIKA

If we must build a railway, it is doubtful that this particular one is the best value we can get for our money. It seems to me that a new line from Lamu to Thika represents better value for money. Three reasons.

First, it is a cheaper and faster alternative to the proposed LAPSSET route, as there is already a line from Thika to Nanyuki that only needs rehabilitation. All it would require to make LAPSSET a reality is a container terminal in Nanyuki and a good road from Nanyuki to Juba, as the road to Ethiopia is already under construction. The economic rationale for replicating the Mombasa-Nairobi line when we are struggling to secure funding for the LAPSSET infrastructure has totally escaped me.

Second, it would connect both the Northern Corridor and the proposed LAPSSET corridor to both Mombasa and the new Lamu port. Choice for the customer, and competition between the two ports, can only be a good thing.

Third, it will stimulate development of the historically marginalised regions along its route. It will carry livestock and livestock products to the ports for export, coal and cement from Kitui, and food from the million acres of the lower Tana that we are about to irrigate.

Let us now consider 201(c), the inter-generational equity provision. This provision requires that we do not burden future generations unnecessarily, and vice-versa. It would be unjust to borrow money to consume today, for example, to throw the Golden Jubilee party, which would be repaid in 20 years.

That is obvious enough. What is less obvious is that it is equally unjust to tax poor people today for an investment that will benefit future generations who, in all likelihood, will be wealthier than we are today.

It should be readily apparent that taxing people who don’t have enough to eat to finance a project whose benefits will be realised in 50 years is as unconscionable as burdening our children and future generations with debt whose benefits they will not enjoy.

BORROW LONG-TERM

So, how else then can we finance such a long-term investment as a good railway project? There are various ways, but the most obvious is to borrow as long term as possible. As it happens, we do have access to long term cheap loans from the World Bank — 40-year maturity, 10-year grace period at 0.5 per cent interest.

If it were World Bank IDA or the African Development Bank’s (ADF) money, the repayment works out to a third of the Chinese loan, and we will not start paying until 2024, by which time the economy will be much bigger, there will be a lot more cargo to carry, and in effect, the public financial burden less onerous.

But this funding will not be available for long, as it is only available to the poorest countries, a status that we will soon graduate from. What a smart government would do is take advantage of this to finance as many long term capital projects as the World Bank and AfDB are willing to finance.

There is no shortage of commercially viable infrastructure projects, energy ones notably, for the Chinese to finance. At any rate, the Chinese are likely to win most of the construction work even when it is competitively tendered.

It’s hard to see what is smart about getting into the kind of murk they now find themselves in on this project. All it does is to reinforce the negative perceptions that many people have about the way they are doing business with African governments.

It is a lose, lose, lose project. We lose, the President loses, the Chinese lose. It is not worth it.

KENYA: THE GOVERNMENT IS TOLD TO STOP LUO – KIPSIGIS TRIBAL SKIRMISHES IN NYAKACH.

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Sondu market.

It was as if the hell broke loose on Tuesday night when a band of 80 Kipsigis youth descended on 14 villages with crude weapons during the wee hours of the night and started spearing, slashing and hitting everybody on sight before torching dwelling houses in ten homesteads.

The raid left one man dead with several others injured. a young girl was stabbed in the stomach with what looked like a Somali or maasai swords.

The attacks who an eye witness estimated to have been between 70 and 80 youths were armed with crude weapons like bows and arrows, spears, rungus and swords. The night raid came at between 1. am and 2.am and caught the villagers unaware and apparently in deep sleep.

The unprovoked bloody night raid occurred in the village close to the Luo – Kipsigis border around Holo Trading center almost nest to the main Kisumu –Sondo road. These villages are lying only 2 Kilometers northwest of Sondu borer town where there is full fledged Police station.

The villages which had come under the bloody attack were Ramogi, Kisai, Onyuongo, Koguta, Kandaria, Jimo and Kasai. All the residents of the above villages are members of the various sub- clans of the larger Nyakach. The attack was similar to the one staged by the defunct Kalenjin warriors who carried out politically motivated bloody attack on the same villages during the tribal clashes of 1992.

The attack came only a week after the Kericho County governor Prof. Paul Chepkwony and his Kisumu County counterpart Jack Ranguma had held a peace meeting and urged the border communities to live in peace and harmony and advised them against the outmoded culture like cattle rustling..

The attackers seemed to have been well drilled and both the police and the members of the provincial Administration were at a loss and could not figure out the motive behind it.

Elders in Nyakach said they suspected the attack to be an act of revenge following the recent killing of a Kipsigis man who was in a group of cattle rustlers. He was speared to death and his accomplices fled and disappeared in the darkness. The incident took place a couple of weeks ago.

Communal relations between the Luo-s and the Kipsigis in the area has always been very cordial and warm as members of the two communities mingled easily in Sondu and flourishing border town while carrying out butter trades.

The attackers took away unspecified herds of cattle, sheep and goats. The attackers also stole all valuable house hold goods, utensils, and destroyed cooking sufurias, or anything of value they set their eyes on, in the house whose owners had led the deadly night orgies.

The raiders turned the villages up and down and forced some families to flee their homes leaving their clothes behind as most of the fled naked to save their skin from being lynched by the merciless attackers. Although the situation is relatively calm there is tension and the Nyakach resident have called upon the government to arrest the situation, restore peace and apprehend the trouble makers from both side of the border before it goes out of hand.

It was reported that both the regional commissioners for Kericho County and its Kisumu County were having a series of crucial security meeting while exploring the possibility the lasting solution.

Ends.

KENYA: FEARS PERSIST THAT NEW PARTY IN LUO-NYANZA A SECURITY RISK

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News Analysis By a special correspondent

This announcement made this week by the chairman of the troubled Luo Council of Elders, Mzee Meshack Riaga Ogalo, that plans are underway of launching a new political party, whose name is still being kept secret, appeared to have hit Raila Odinga and his loyalists troop soldiers below the belt.

The hot news appeared to have been most welcomed by many people, especially the frustrated and oppressed ODM members in all of the Luo-Nyanza region.

Ogalo hinted that the name of the new party will be unveiled on February 28, 2014. This meant it will coincide with the forthcoming ODM”s for the safaricom Kasarani stadium on February 28 to March 1st 2014.

The announcement did not come as surprise due to the on-going alleged fallout between the ODM Raia Odinga and a good number of the youthful MPS from Luo-Nyanza who seemed to have detested Odinga style of leadership.

The rumors making the round in both Kisumu and Nairobi is that people suspected be associated with the panned party includes Luo business magnets, professionals, youthful legislators from Luo-Nyanza, who claim they were unfairly out and out coerced from contesting for the various top positions.

The sitting MPs whose names are being mentioned as having a hand in the planned formation of a new political party included Dalmas Otieno {Rongo}, Neto Oyugi {Ndhiwa}, Milie Odhiambo {Mbita}, David Ochieng,(Ugenya), Olago Aluoch {Kisumu Town West}, Ken Obura {Kismu Central}, George Oner {Rangwe} John Mbadi {Gwassi} Joseph Ndiege {Suna West} and a good number of women representatives in Parliament from Nyanza. and dozens of Ward Representatives fro various constituencies in the region and and dozens of insignificant political activists in the region.

Making the announcement Mzee Ogalo said that the new party would open its door for membership of people from outside Nyanza who may wish join it & will be devoid of malicious rumors, witch-hunting insinuations which have riddled to the ODM; rumors, insinuation and witch hunting lie the ODM, which he said is riddled with malicious rumors, undercutting and politics of sycophancy.

He said that the main intention of forming a new political party was based on the past political experience in the region.

Mzee Ogalo has been at loggerhead with the ODM and its leader Raila for the past six years ever since he was kicked out the Luo Council of Elders at the behest of some Luo MPs in the 10th parliament who had accused him of having grown the horns and was drumming support for those intending to challenge them in the 2007 general election. He moved to the High Court, which ruled in his favor, although the same position is also claimed by Mzee Eli Opiyo OtondI

Launching scathing criticism of the ODM leader Raila Odings, Ogalo said ”there has not been any democracy in Luo-Nyanza and as elders we feel that we should break away from the past and let our people have another popular political vehicle to enable them effectively engage in political Participation,”

However, the main fear being expressed by many moderately thinking Luos is the new political party emerging in this region will definitely rekindle the bloody violence experienced in the region in the early 1960s when the followers of the late Jaramogi Going Odinga and his KPU party and the supporters of the late Tm Mboya went for the throats of each other.

The news about the new party came only three days after Raila Odinga was heckled and booed by angrily and rowdy hundred of youths who had gathered in he middle of Kisumu city where they staged near violence protests against a statue which had been erected in the Central Business District Kisumu by members of the Sikh community to commemorate the 100 years of their fore fathers’ arrival in the town.

The youth had mistaken the statue to be an idol and felt it was against the Christianity. Odinga had attempted to address the youth and told them to leave the statue alone as it represented no religion, but the youth responded with accusation that he was favoring the Indians who had erected the statue and told him in the face that they want the statue pulled down

Raila has been having a hard time with the younger generation of Luos ever since the new year gathering by a section of Luo MPS at his country opoda Bar Opuk home n Bondo during which some MPs severely criticized the Nairobi governor Dr Evans Kidero and questioned the source of the governor’s money, which he has been donating hefty in his series of Harambee tour of Nyanza.

The Homa-Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang” was reported as having kicked and spearheaded the debate on Dr Kdero who as the result of his series of Harambee fund raising has of late became the darling of many luo people.

ENDS

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Category Archives: Kenya

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KENYA: UHURU AND RUTO RISK RE-ELECTION IF THEY GET RID OF CARTELS OF CORRUPTION

EFFECT OF BAD GOVERNANCE IN KENYA

Uhuru’s Std gauge railway will bring economic suffering to Kenyans

KENYA: THE GOVERNMENT IS TOLD TO STOP LUO – KIPSIGIS TRIBAL SKIRMISHES IN NYAKACH.

KENYA: FEARS PERSIST THAT NEW PARTY IN LUO-NYANZA A SECURITY RISK