Category Archives: Kenya

KENYA: THREAT MASSAGE TO REBEL COUNTY COUNCIL OF SIAYA COUNCILLORS

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from Judy Miriga

Folks,

In relation to the recent violence that took place after County Council of Siaya
election gone bad on 6/7/2011, when the winning Lady Cllr. Elizabeth Owuor
was harrassed and thoroughly beaten up, with her clothes and inner underwear
being torn by thugs that were bought by the opponent group of Aggrey, who
presumably are backed up with heavy-weight financiers to spoil for Ms. Elizabeth
and equally, that the matter was reported to Police but up till now, no reasonable
help has been rendered to the victims with their supporters, who are now living in
fear at the mercy of the opposing group of former Office bearer Mr. Aggrey.

I am informed that the opposing councillors were sent hiding in Uganda and are
still there awaiting dispatched date of election where they hope to create more
dramatic confusion and distraction to keep the Status Quo in the office and as a
matter of fact, to reinforce back up support to those with vested interest in River
Yala Swamp.

These Councillors and their supporters are since worried and I continue to receive
messages of threats to these Civil Society group in the Rural Village of Siaya who
also have limited access to funds and Media where they can submit Press Statements
and expose those involved without endagering their lives.

This kind of behaviour must stop and stop immediately. Things are changing and
changing pretty first. No corrupt candidate will qualify for any Public Office elections
and also, women must be given an opportunity to Represent in Public Offices without
being tormented like has been the case.

I hope that those who are involved in criminal activities and are engage in threats using
force to retain Public Office, must be made to face Legal Justice in the Court of Law.
They must also be condemned not to contest or occupy public offices in any jurisdiction
or Government Department as the Law demands.

Those who swindled, corrupted and mis-appropriated Public Funds or engaged in the illegal and illegitimate Land sales, or transfers of Public Land or otherwise, will have no access to vie for Public Offices.

I therefore appeal for all good people of the world, United Nations and Leaders of the
world to equally assist to avert Human catastrophy and distruction like it is being witnessed in Somalia and other places.

Thanks you all,

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

— On Wed, 7/20/11, Leonard otieno Oriaro wrote:

To All Comrades and Your Networks,

Your attention I believe we have drawn earlier to the violence that become of elections at the COUNTY COUNCIL of SIAYA on 6/7/2011, which saw our proreform faction at the council had their democractic win(with women cllrs at the top seats) being stolen from us by way of brutal attacks at us by our colleagues in the status quo faction in the aid of hired goons under the supervision of the Police and local Provincial Administration.

Though we had in time alerted the administration of possible attacks at us, our concerns had fallen on deaf ears.

Since the day of violence, we have always lived in a state of fear of harm to our lives. Though ten of us had dully recorded statement with the police at the Siaya Police Station, treated at the Siaya District Hospital and filled the P3 Forms, with our case in a proper cause of justice seeking, our opponents are still at large, failing even to yestaday 19/7/2011 appear before the Siaya Principal Magistrate Court to answer to their plea following Court’s summons.

Below being a recent threat text massage ten of us councillors in the pro-reforms had received from the cell phone line (+254722979416) of one of our colleagues in the opponent camp:

‘I wish to say this say this word of advice, that when we met at ‘Nam Sagali’ and talked and agreed in principle to vote as a block and maintain status quo, nobody raised a finger to the contrary. We then I wish to say this as a word of advice, that when we met at `Nam Sagali’ and talked and agreed in decided to pray over the matter and I personally warned of dangers of going against the items of prayer. Now when some of us decided to go against all that, and met the consequences, they began laying blame on others to a point of throwing abuse in funerals. It’s quite unfortunate that as leaders, we still can’t embrace the fear of God and realize the power of prayer. Some of us still think that God is a man that they will negotiate terms with. My advice to all of us is, before a prayer is made over a matter; speak out your mind openly. If you choose to keep quiet then forever maintain the silence n go by the spirit of prayer. If you don’t then prepare yourself for what is ahead and blame nobody for your predicaments.” From +254722979416 17/07/2011 08:16:05 AM
TODAY five of us recorded a statement with the Siaya District Criminal Investigation Officer (DCIO) over the above cell phone threat in the anticipation of action-taking by the establishment against the responsible elements and as well the guaranteeing of us protection from harm.

Those of us who have recorded statement on the text treat by this evening include:

1. Cllr Leonard Otieno Oriaro… Boro West Ward
2. Cllr Lolwe Ombee Peter………Wagai South Ward
3Cllr Erick Owadho……………….South Alego Ward
4. Rebecca Otang’o………………..Usonga Ward
5. George Otang’o…………………(the embattled) ODM Party Chairman, Usonga Location(to whom another text from know cell phone line had been sent to with dire rape consequences to his wife Cllr Rebecca Otang’o, above, should the wife side with us the pro-reforms in the said Council elections)

We appeal to global human rights enthusiats to operate by us as we execute the people’s representative democrative mandate at the COUNTY COUNCIL OF SIAYA especially in the realm of the furtherance of upright governance and anti-corruption and human rights defence crusade

Yours Sincerely,

Cllr Leonard Otieno Oriaro
BORO WEST ELECTORAL AREA; COUNTY COUNCIL OF SIAYA
+254725992535 OR +254737198975

Corrupt Individuals to Start Applying for Amnesty Tomorrow

Cornelius Mwau
19 July 2011

Individuals who have committed economic crimes in the past have the next 60 days to seek amnesty. Such individuals should also be willing to surrender the stolen property back to the Government at an interest rate of 12 percent per annum. Anti-Corruption boss PLO Lumumba says the commission will issue a notice in the media outlining how to apply and conditions for the amnesty. Names of all those who apply for such amnesty will be made public as a condition.

Kenya: Raila Goes For Ruto Full Blast!!!

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From: Tebiti Oisaboke

This is the best way to end the divisive, mudslinging, selfish, corrupt, clanism or ethnic politics. Agwambo needs to put his foot down and start being realistic if he is serious about applying to lease Kenya’s statehouse and sign a contract with Kenyans in 2012. He should know that Kenyans are politically mature and are capable to determine who is a credible leader they can trust with their life’s security, tax money, education, legal justice, health care, land issues, promoter of foreign investments, peace promoter, defender of human rights and above all someone with a global image like Pres. Obama. This is the type of person we are looking for to bankroll Kenya’s constitution in 2012 and spear head the country’s 2030 economical vision in the right direction.

TOI

– – – – – – – – – – –
By Evelyne Kwamboka

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s party has filed a court case, which if ruled in its favour, would cost Eldoret North MP William Ruto and four of his allies their parliamentary seats.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto (left) and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Two Orange party members have gone to court seeking to have Ruto and other party ‘rebels’ lose their seats. Photo: File/Standard
Not just that, if Raila has his way Ruto and the other four may be out of contention in the subsequent by-election. The Political Parties Act requires one can only run on the ticket of a party to which he or she has been a member for at least six months. But lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui said if it comes to this they could run as independent candidates.

“Article 85 is clear and Ruto can decide to run as an independent candidate. All he needs is to wait for three months after he is declared a non-ODM MP,” he argued.

The article states any person is eligible to stand as an independent candidate for election if he is not a member of any registered political party, and has not been one for the last three months immediately before the date of the election

The matter comes barely a week after the High Court issued interim orders barring the Registrar of Political Parties from interfering with the United Democratic Movement (UDM) leadership register.

The other outspoken Members of Parliament ODM is seeking to be declared non-members of the Orange party, are Isaac Ruto (Chepalungu), Charles Keter (Belgut), Joshua Kuttuny (Cherangany), and Aden Duale (Dujis).

Two ODM members through their advocate, Cecil Miller, filed the petition at the High Court Registry in Nairobi, on grounds that the five leaders have publicly declared to have allegedly quit ODM.

The petitioners, Mpuru Mburi and Kepher Odongo are seeking a declaration from the High Court that the MPs have vacated their offices as MPs.

They also want the court to declare that Ruto and his group cease being MPs.

Intolerant to criticism

The latest ODM move is bound to excite more claims by Ruto’s side that the PM is intolerant to criticism and that he is the one standing between Ruto and his former Cabinet portfolio, now that the cleared him of criminal liability.

Looked at against the other ongoing case between Ruto and Lt-Gen (Rtd) John Koech for the control of UDM, which the Eldoret North MP, who is still one of two ODM deputy leaders, has declared is his new election vehicle; Raila is literally going for Ruto’s neck.

Koech obtained the interim orders on grounds that Ruto and 27 others have been going round identifying themselves in public as the bona fide officials of the party.

It is perceived that Koech, who is resisting Ruto’s takeover of UDM, which the suspended Higher Education minister has been popularising in rallies, is Raila’s ally.

The party moved to court after its attempt to sack 30 nominated councillors largely from the Rift Valley where Ruto is perceived to control the Kalenjin vote, failed after the electoral commission declared it irregular on a technicality.

The court action also built on previous attempts by the party to discipline Ruto and his allies over claims they had shifted allegiance to another party, and were campaigning against ODM, but were hanging on to keep their parliamentary seats.

Quit party

Last week, Raila dared Ruto and his group to quit the party if they wanted to work with the so-called Group of Seven (G7). Other members of the group are Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa, and Trade Minister Chirau Mwakwere.

Though neither Raila nor any top party officials holders are directly behind the case, Ruto’s side claim party members cannot take such action against ODM MPs without the PM’s knowledge.

It is alleged in the petition the five MPs have asked their supporters to join UDM. They have also embarked on recruiting members to UDM.

These, Miller claims, contravene Article 103 of the new Constitution as read with Section 17(4) of the Political Parties Act.

Article 103(1) (e) states that an MP loses his or her seat, “if having been elected to Parliament as a member of a political party, the member resigns from that party or is deemed to have resigned from the party…”

Section 17(4) of the Political Parties Act (2007) provides that, “Any person who joins or publicly advocates for the formation of another political party shall be deemed to have resigned from the previous political party.”

In an affidavit sworn by Odongo, the voter is relying on newspaper and Internet articles such as those touching on Ruto’s recent visit to the Coast and Tharaka.

“The respondents have effectively resigned/defected from ODM yet they continue to hold the office of MP having been sponsored by ODM during the 2007 General Election, and continue to draw remuneration from public funds on that basis,” he argues.

He claims that the five MPs are holding the parliamentary seats illegally by virtue of the new Constitution and Political Parties Act.

Block Ruto

In the matter filed by Koech, the retired general is asking the court to block Ruto and any of the 27 members of the UDM executive committee allied to the MP, from holding any meetings countrywide or recruiting new party members.

He also wants the court to stop the Registrar of Political Parties from replacing UDM party officials with Ruto and his allies.

In the case being handled by High Court Judge Daniel Musinga, Koech argues he will be prejudiced if the Eldoret MP and his allies continue holding public meetings and recruiting members into UDM.

“The petitioner is mandated under Article 50 of the Constitution the right to have any dispute he files in court be heard and determined in accordance with the law,” argued his lawyer, Nelson Havi.

Kinyanjui said if the court declares Ruto and his group cease being ODM members, they would lose their seats and the Political Parties Registrar would be required to notify the Speaker of the National Assembly. Once notified, the Speaker is to issue writs declaring the parliamentary seats vacant.

Ruto met 20 MPs allied to him at the lounge in Parliament Buildings last evening, but it was not immediately clear what was discussed.

Reached for comment, Kutuny said: “We wish them well in their attempt to kick us out, but what they are doing is like trying to burn a house with hot water.”

KENYA: COURT ORDERS ANTI-CORRUPTION PROTESTORS DETAINED WHILE ONGERI ROAMS FREE

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from George Nyongesa

Dear Kenyans and friends of Kenya,

It is unfortunate that while Prof Sam Ongeri and his cohorts remain in office and roam free, the courts of the land would choose to detain those seeking to obtain justice. The protestors arrested for attempting to petition the President over the FPE funds scam, were produced before the Magistrate’s Court at Milimani this morning on charges of allegedly creating a disturbance at State House. The Magistrate has ordered that the group remains in custody at Kilimani police station until 25th July, 2011. For no apparent reason, the protestors were not offered the option of bond or bail.

This latest twist in events is once again in blatant contravention of the protestors’ constitutional rights. Under Article 49 every arrested person is entitled to be released on bond or bail, on reasonable conditions, pending trial. The protestors were not made aware of any compelling reasons for their continued detention and why they could not be released. We demand to be informed of the compelling reasons for keeping us in custody and further that we be released immediately in line with our constitutional rights.

In the meantime, the high court petition regarding the infringement of a dozen of our constitutional rights is being made on behalf of the protestors by advocate Anthony Oluoch. We understand that he will be joined in representing the petitioners by advocates Paul Muite and Yash Pal Ghai.

We are most grateful for all the support that we have received this far. We issue the clarion call on all Kenyans to remain uncompromising on upholding the Constitution that we overwhelmingly endorsed in August last year. We must not allow corruption and impunity to maintain chokeholds on our destiny as a country. We must remain vigilant and in this regard, we call upon each of you to do what you can. Do something. Call or text your area MP, write a letter to the editor, petition the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Justice and the Chief Justice, call upon the Minister of Education and all other corrupt officials to own up to having failed Kenyans, show solidarity with us by visiting us and by spreading the gospel of anti-corruption and zero tolerance for impunity – but do what you can do.

We are grateful to the media for continuing to spotlight this cause.

For the determined protestors and the voiceless Kenyans,George Nyongesa | National Coordinator | Bunge la Mwananchi | www.bungelamwananchi.org | +254 720 451 235 | 733 827 859

from odhiambo okecth

In solidarity with our Friends who are keeping watch and mounting pressure on Hon Sam Ongeri and Prof Ole Kiyiapi to take responsibility over the missing FPE Funds and misusing the privilege of their offices by resigning, I am sending to Mr. George Nyongesa Kshs 1,000.00 in support.

May I also invite all People of Goodwill who believe that we can win this war to join in and help in as much as they can.

Those who are willing to support the Nyongesa/Omtatah Team, kindly send your financial support to them via; 0720 451 235 – Mr. George Nyongesa and help stop impunity and theft of public funds.

Keep up the fight.

Oto

from Tebiti Oisaboke

OTO;

I thought that Kenyans have since been liberated from the colonial oppressive laws and the freedom of speech and expression is adhered for. Since independence, concerned and dedicated citizen warriors have fought a long war to liberate us from tribalism, cronyism, corruption, impunity, clanism or regionalism and when our civil society brigades are trying to push the war to the finishing line, they end up in detention cells!!!! Why would they be locked up or smeared with fresh human waste by hired Mungiki’s parking boys for asking genuine questions and defending Wanjiku’s tax contributions? Its unbelievable that stuff which used to happen during the Kenyatta Sr. and Nyayo’s days are still taking place today even though we are in a new Kenya with new constitutional laws. Its a given fact that those behind the anti-corruption protesters are covering something up. However, time will catch up with them pretty soon as their days are numbered. Keep up the motivation against corruption and do not be swayed by any soul.

FORWARD WE STAND, BACKWARDS WE FAIL!!!

TOI

Kenya: Finally, Kisumu International Airport set for Global TakeOff

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from Lee Makwiny

The third busiest airport in Kenya has seen a transformation from domestic to international standards, raising hopes it will spur regional economic growth and lower the historic poverty levels.

The airport’s apron has also been expanded, and a new terminus that can attend to up to 700 passengers per hour was built. The terminal has the ability to check in passengers for eight flights simultaneously.

Although the airport was intended to be completed in 22 months, construction works were delayed due to constant wrangles between the Kenya Airports Authority and members of the clan, who live in areas surrounding the airport.

The completion of the construction works at the airport sparks new hopes for investors in the western region, who are optimistic that the expansion and upgrading to international standards will boost the region’s economy by opening up new business opportunities.

Farmers and businessmen have started introducing new crops, products and investments in preparation for the commissioning of the airport and introduction of cargo flights.

Earlier this month, the authority unveiled a new raft of investment opportunities, which included provision of aviation fuel, ground handling services and the management of an automated car park.

“We are now focusing on enhancing new business opportunities and encouraging people to open up more,” KAA managing director Stephen Gichuki said during a stake holder’s business forum in the lake side city.

After commissioning, Kisumu International Airport will have large aircraft like the Boeing B737 and B767 landing safely.

The third busiest airport in the country has recorded steady growth in passenger numbers. In December last year, passenger numbers increased to 24,271 up from 16,989 in 2009.

The expansion which has lasted two years is expected to offer an estimated 30,000 jobs and boost bilateral trade.

Apart from the direct earning expected from businesses and employment, Nyanza Province and the whole of western region expects to receive a higher number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Locals also enjoy enhanced security while value for land adjacent to the facility has appreciated tremendously.

Several construction projects have also sprung up around the facility while numerous hotels have been built or are under construction within and around the lake side city.

Even nearby towns like Ahero are now feeling the growth ahead of the commissioning of the new facility which will greatly open up the region for serious business with the rest of the world. Fish, horticultural products will now be exported directly to Europe and other world markets.

During a visit to the facility earlier this month however, the PS Cyrus Njiru of the Ministry of Transport said that the facility will not hold cargo flights yet, but collaboration between several stake holders would speed up cargo handling facilities and the emergence of cargo flights.

“The second phase of the airport expansion will concentrate on handling cargo flights, being the biggest need of the area that requires economic growth and poverty eradication” Mr Njiru said.

“We can now proudly say that the airport expansion and upgrading has been successful despite the various challenges that the Ministry and the Kenya Airports Authority faced” Mr Njiru said.

The PS attributed the delay in completion to the need to meet international standards and expectations of travellers, now that the facility was being transformed.

“The government needed to deliver a fist class international airport and fit it in the class stipulated by Vision 2030,” Mr Njiru said.
—

Kenya: The 8th Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign; Kakamega

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from odhiambo okecth

Friends,

We will be hosting the 8th Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign in Kakamega on the 23rd July 2011.

We are set and ready and the people of Kakamega are promising to turn out in their numbers to make the day a success.

I am also happy to announce that Kenya Airways have given us Kshs 6,000.00 to help with the Kakamega Campaign. We have also received Kshs 10,000.00 from Cllr Sam Okello- the Mayor of Kisumu in support of The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.

On behalf of KCDN, I want to register our appreciation to Kenya Airways and Cllr Sam Okello for this support.

On behalf of the KCDN Team, we want to invite the people of Kakamega to come forward and let us make the Kakamega Clean-up Campaign the biggest ever in the ongoing series of The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.

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

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

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

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

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

Peace and blessings,

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

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

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

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

KENYA: DEMOCRACY AND JOURNALISTS’ ROLE OF MOI ERA PURGES

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From: People For Peace
Colleagues Home & Abroad Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 2O, 2011

In history, religion and political science, a purge is the removal of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, from another organization, or from society as a whole. Yet, as Dr John Esibi, a renowned and veteran journalist with catholic background expresses in his book, it needs courage to stand for what you believe in.

He hails then Thika based Mary Hill School Chaplain cum journalist Rev Fr Dominic Wamugunda Wakimani for lashing out at former dictator President Daniel arap Moi, couragiously suggesting to him to step aside and allow new leadership to spearhead the genuine democratic changes.

Fr Wamugunda used his journalistic power to challenge old leaders as well to quit political scene, saying their idea have become irrelevant and obsolete. Fr Wamugunda further noted that projects initiated by Moi such as Nyayo Bus Corporation and Nyayo Wards, had all flopped.

Lake Basin Authority Development had been pushed to near collapse- the Central Bank of Kenya had been used to provide liquidity to politically well connected financial institutions such as Trade Bank, Pan African Bank and Exchange Bank.

Such banks were being used to launder the residential campaign money into convertible currencies abroad. In 1992 alone, the Central Bank printed and released for circulation more than 12 billion Kenya shillings. 7 billion shillings was used by Kanu as slush fund to manipulate the electoral process (Finance, March 31, 1993).

Another courageous journalist who used his writings to liberate Kenya was Otieno Mak’Onyango of the East African Standard Newspaper. He was arrested by Moi regime and charged with treason, accused of being behind the August 1, 1982 coup attempt. He was detained and tortured.

He was arrested from his place of work – The Standard Newspaper, Likoni Road Office, Nairobi – on August 17, 1982 at about 6.30 pm by one Patrick Shaw of CID Headquarters in the company of an Asian police officer. He was told he was required at the CID Headquarters to answer some questions in connection with one Prof. Otieno Osanya and what he had gone to do in his house situated on Ngong Road sometimes in July, the previous month.

At the CID headquarters, he was left in a room where he waited until about 10 pm when he was taken to and booked at Eastleigh Police Station for the night by some officers. The next day he was collected from the police station and taken back to CID Headquarters where he was questioned on how he knew Prof. Otieno Osanya and what he had gone to do at his Ngong Road House.

Later in the day, he was taken before one Inspector Charles Mwangi who told him he had been instructed to charge him with the offence of treason in connection with the events of the August 1, 1982, which charge he denied. At about 7 pm, he was taken and detained at the GSU Headquarters on Thika Road. Here he found Prof. Otieno Osanya and one Raila Odinga. From then on, the three of them were to remain together.

The charges against them were, subsequently, consolidated into one case – both he and Raila were jointly charged with Treason and Osanya, Misprison of Treason. The charge against Raila and himself alleged that on diverse days prior to July 31, 1982 within the Republic of Kenya, the two, jointly and with others not before the court, imagined, conspired and attempted to overthrow the Government of Kenya through unlawful means contrary to section 40 (i) (a) (iii) and (b) of the Penal Code Cap 63 Laws of Kenya.

In his statement to the police, he clearly spelt out how he knew Prof. Otieno Osanya and what he had gone to do at his Ngong Road House on a material day. He had gone to check the suitability of the House, then vacant and under repair, for rental by a staff of the German Embassy, Mr. Alvenslaiven who had just arrived in the country. His information was that the Police (Mr.Patrick Shaw) did in fact confirm with Mr Alvenslaiven the reason for him having gone to the said House.

They were subjected to all manner of torture throughout the period they were being held in custody. The torture was physical, mental and psychological. This was not limited to them as the suspects but their families as well. For the two or so weeks they were being held at the GSU headquarters, they spent days on end without food. This had to, if at all, be supplied by relatives who had to deposit the same at the CID Headquarters. Once in a while, the CID officers remembered to bring the food over, often times when this had gone bad.

One eventful night – August 20, 1982 or thereabouts – at the GSU Headquarters, a group of senior Police/GSU officials, led by the then Commissioner of Police, Ben Gethi, invaded the cells where they were being held at about midnight. They pretended they were investigating the events of the August 1, 1982. Later on, however, they learnt the Commissioner had been at the camp for a totally different mission – to mobilize the GSU personnel to attack a contingent of the Armed Forces said to have been sent to flash him (Gethi) out of the camp where he had gone hiding.

In his cell, Gethi demanded to know his role in the August 1 coup attempt. The last thing he wanted to hear is his claim that he was not involved in the crime. He maintained he played a leading role and he must state so.

Insisting he had a major hand in the crime, Gethi handed him a set of papers to write down in detail his involvement in the crime. Besides writing his role in the crime, he was to apologize and ask for mercy from the Commissioner of Police himself. He wrote on the papers he was given that he was innocent and had no role whatsoever in the crime.

On returning to his cell after visiting both Prof. Osanya and Raila in their respective cells, Gethi read his statement and tore it to pieces saying what he had written was a lot of rubbish. He gave him more papers and ordered him to, this time round, write as ordered. He again went to the other cells before returning a second time. The story was the same.

The third time Gethi read his statement declaring him innocence, he was so angered that he grabbed him by the head and bashed his head against the wall. He asked of Gethi why he was killing him? This earned him the wrath of a Mr. Mbuthia who was in Gethi’s company. “Who are you ?” he roared “to talk to the Commissioner of Police like that.” He kicked him with his boots, injuring him seriously on both legs. Just then, a Presidential Aide, then residing at the GSU camp, came by. He peeped into his cell and saw what was happening and simply walked away without uttering a word. On seeing the Aide, Gethi and his group appeared uncomfortable and walked out. They never came back.

Arising from the beatings by Gethi and his group, he spent the rest of the night in a lot of pains. He had difficulties keeping his balance as his head went round and round, even to a point of loosing memory. The following day, he reported the attack to Patrick Shaw when he came to the camp at about 4 pm. He complained of his condition. He took him to Nairobi Hospital where he was treated and later returned to the camp.

Denial of food and mistreatment was to continue through to our days in detention. Food served was not even fit for animals. For sleeping, they were given two thin blankets, one to cover with and the other spread on the cold cement floor. Little wonder he developed a perpetual Gout attack during and after his detention life.

For much of the time their case was under investigations, they were being held incommunicado. Any attempt on their part to seek legal or any form of assistance was rejected by both the police and Prison authorities. A case in point was a request he made to both a Mr Giltrap and Supt N’gan’ga to bring him his statement to the police to alter a date. This was totally rejected. It was inhuman treatment through and through.

Njuguna Mutonya’s story is the same. He was accused of being part of unlawful movement, Mwakenya. Although he had committed no crime, he felt invisible net closing around him. Mutonya’s life was just starting to show signs of bright career with his recent promotion as head of Government’s District Information Team. He loved his job.

For the next two days following his arrival at Nyayo torture chambers house-he was forced to accept that he a member of Mwakenya, a fact he vehemently denied. He woke up to find himself dragged out of his watery bed towards the bathrooms by two Special Branch officers. He was stark naked, weak and groggy with sleep. He was thrown into the showers where he collapsed on the floor. They opened the tap and cold water roused him up from his grogginess.

He was forced to remove his clothes-he removed his shirt, trousers and shoes and stood in his socks and pants. He was told to remove the pants and socks-he was stark naked. They beat him thoroughly and forced to stand in cold water until morning. He was ordered to lie on his back facing the security officers.

Mwakenya was a radical political organisation formed in 1979 in opposition to the Kenya regime of President Daniel Arap Moi. It operated underground and in exile. As a result of Mwakenya’s increased activities around 1986 there was an arrest of hundreds of journalists, teachers, students and civil servants. Few arrests were made public, following a ban in July that year on reporting by Kenyan journalists of all arrests and trials carried out on political grounds. None of those arrested and subsequently charged was allowed access to legal counsel.

Other journalists arrested included Wahome Mutahi Mutahi with his brother Njuguna Mutahi in 1986- they were detained in Nyayo House torture chambers charged with sedition and alleged association with Mwakenya movement and later transferred to Kamiti Maximum Security Prison. They were both released after fifteen months without ever being brought to trial. His imprisonment inspired him to write The Three Days on the Cross and Jailbug.

Even during Kibaki tenure things never changed. Sunday Times Senior writer David Ochami was arrested following his commentary on Sunday September 25, 2005 on which he argued that coups in Africa do not occur out of nothing.

He had argued that today, as the president’s men talk of an impending ouster of Mwai Kibaki, there are others who feel this should occur sooner or that the August 1, 1982 mutiny should have been taken to its logical conclusion.

In Africa he said, fewer governments have been ousted through the ballot box or popular uprising than through coup de tats and armed insurgency. “There are good reasons for most coups”, he said. The collapse of the Hezekiah Ochuka experiment he said denied Kenyans the opportunity to live through a military. “Maybe Kenya would be better off now without the first generation of post-independence politicians, mostly likely to have been executed. Perhaps the country could have seen a civil war”, he lamented.

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

Kenya: Ministries cannot Account for Ksh.7B?????

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From: Tebiti Oisaboke

By James Anyanzwa and Macharia Kamau

Controller and Auditor General’s report for last financial year was tabled in Parliament and the bombshell is auditors cannot figure out where Sh7 billion went.

According to report by Kenya National Audit Office (Kenao), the biggest culprits in the unsupported expenditures were just five ministries, which among them could not account for Sh6.4 billion.

At Sh3.6 billion, Beth Mugo’s Public Health tops the list of ministries with unaccounted for funds. Franklin Bett’s Roads follow her ministry where an expenditure of Sh889 million – almost a fourth what is untraceable in Mugo’s ministry – cannot be tracked.

Third in the hierarchy of ministries where auditors forensically tell how funds allocated were spent is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which in the financial year in question was under Moses Wetangula, at Sh743 million. The Sirisia MP, however, stepped aside last October along with his Permanent Secretary, Thuita Mwangi, over a scandal involving several Kenyan embassies abroad.

Two other ministries cannot explain how over Sh400 million was spent. They are the Internal Security and Provincial Administration Ministry under George Saitoti (Sh662 million), and Special Programmes, which oversaw the resettlement of the internally displaced, then under Naomi Shabaan (Sh408 million).

“During the year under review various ministries submitted for audit accounts which were inaccurate. Many such appropriation accounts had errors and reflected balances which did not reconcile with those shown in their ledgers,” said the Controller and Auditor General Anthony Simon Gatumbu in his report.

Political responsibility

Though ministers are not accounting officers, a function, which is held by Permanent Secretaries, they are the principal heads of their ministries and when things go wrong, are usually asked to take political responsibility.

In the shocking revelations, which were it not for the huge amounts involved would be explained as audit queries, the Auditor General’s report for 2009-2010 shows the accounting officers could not shed light on how the allocations were spent.

On the sixth position in the list is James Orengo’s Ministry of Lands, with unexplained expenditure of Sh196 million.

There were several ministries under the Sh100 million threshold, including the Prime Minister’s office (Sh59 million), Agriculture, which was then under Eldoret North MP William Ruto (Sh92 million), Samuel Poghisio’s Information and Communications (Sh59 million), Chris Obure’s Public Works (Sh28 million), Uhuru Kenyatta’s Ministry of Finance (Sh10 million) and Industrialisation then under Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey (Sh89 million).

Inadequate controls

The report also unraveled how Government ministries and departments manipulated their accounts and exercised weak or inadequate controls in management of imprests resulting in huge balances to the tune of Sh792 million.

Pending bills by all the ministries during the period under review stood at Sh16.64 billion. The unaccounted for Sh7 billion was listed on unsupported expenditure by 15 of 40 ministries of the Grand Coalition Government.

The Controller and Auditor General also asked the Treasury to reconcile the main pool accounts, which had an unexplained Sh120 million expenditure, to reflect prudent management of public funds. The office questioned the discrepancy between the appropriation account and the trial balance.

Some of the accounting officers at the time were Engineer Samuel Kamau (Roads), Francis Kimemia (Provincial Administration), Dorothy Angote (Lands), and Thuita Mwangi (Foreign Affairs). Though Shabaan was in charge of Special Programmes, the ministry is now under Esther Murugi and she is in Gender.

The accounting officer at the Treasury is Joseph Kinyua, whose unaccounted amount was the lowest.

Also featuring, albeit with low figures were Ministry of East Africa Community (Sh2 million) and Home Affairs (Sh3.75 million), under Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.

Not supported

Mr Gatumbu revealed in other instances, expenditures were not supported by relevant documents, and as a result the authenticity of the disbursements could not be ascertained.

The report also reveals how the Ministry of Information and Communication spent Sh44.47 million without the approval of Parliament. According to the report the ministry’s excess vote did not include pending bills amounting to Sh9.28 million.

According to the report financial year ended with the Government’s financial position having an overall net surplus of Sh25.92 billion, compared to Sh35.78 billion in the previous year.

However there was under-expenditure by various ministries and departments to the tune of Sh54.58 billion. The Auditor General attributed the under-expenditure to the inadequate absorption capacity among the various ministries.

“The under-expenditure was mainly due to slow implementation of projects, inadequate exchequer issues, delayed disbursement of donor funds, and non-submission of expenditure returns by development partners,” said Gatumbu.

It is not the first time the national audit office has found glaring irregularities in Government accounts. In the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 financial years, the Auditor General’s reports also showed a massive Sh714 billion, which could the Treasury could not accounted for.

The audit queries raised by the Controller and Auditor General were made up of Sh489 billion and Sh215 billion for the financial years 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. His reports for the two financial years give details of revenues raised through Income Tax, Value Added Tax, and Corporation Taxes. The Controller and Auditor General discovered discrepancies in records of revenues received by Kenya Revenue Authority and what was actually received by the Treasury.

The report also details cases where accounts of revenues banked at the Central Bank did not tally with KRA records

KENYA: IT WAS A SHOW OF STRENGTH AND POPULARITY CONTEST BETWEEN RAILA AND RUTO AS THE TWO MADE VOTE HUNTING FORAYS IN THE SOUTH RIFT AND NYANZA.

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News Analysis By Leo Odera Omolo.

Last weekend witnessed one of the biggest political contests between the two warring factions of the ODM who took their campaigns and votes hunting deep into the South Rift and some parts of Nyanza Province.

The Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who is the party leader, toured the Kericho County where he addressed a series of meeting and also commissioned the Nakuru-Kericho-Kisumu road now under the construction, before winding up the tour at the Moi Garden, which is located outside the D.C’s Office in Kericho Town. Moi’s Garden is the nerve center of Kipsigis politics.

Raila’s party’s de-facto deputy leader, the Eldoret MP William Ruto and his entourage snaked into the region from Nairobi by road and addressed crowds at the various stops-over before crown it up with a public rally at Chebilat border town.

Chebilat is a border town which is shared between the Kipsigis on the Sotik district within the Rift Valley Province and the Kisiis living in Borabu district of Nyanza Province.

This is the area which felt the heat of the post election violence of 2008 as the Kipsigis supporter of the ODM descended on property worth millions of shillings owned by the industries Abagusii traders including schools buildings were torched and burnt into ashes.

The region has ever since remained the flash-point of seemingly endless cattle rustlings which on occasions have resulted into death of innocent citizens on both sides of the common border. .A platoon of the crack paramilitary police, the General Service Units are station along the borders of the two districts as well as police Anti-Stock Theft Unit.

Interestingly, Ruto was drumming for the two communities, the Abagusii and the Kipsigis to join and vote for the United Democratic Movement {UDM} a party which is still embroiled in legal tussles before the court over its ownership.

The Prime Minister also had a closed door meeting with civic leaders in the Kericho County and the representative of the Mau Forest evictees.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Road Minister and Buret MP Franklin Bett who has, since departure of Ruto, become Raila’s point man in the South Rift region, the Kipkellion MP Magerere Lang’at who is an Assistant Minister for Energy, The Home Affairs Assistant Minister Beatrice Koneswho is also the Bomet MP, the Sotik MP Dr. Joyce Laboso, the former Deputy Chef of the General Staff Lt.Gen [rtd} John Arap Koech.

Gen Koech is still the de-facto leader of the UDM until the court rules otherwise in a court case filed by a group of Rift Valley politicians led by Ruto who staged a bloodless coup against him lat year and claimed to have overturned the UDM party leadership and thereafter Ruto declared himself the party leader.

Ruto had in his entourage the former Mugirango South MP Omingo Magara, Belgut MP Charles Keter, Konoin MP Dr Julius Kones and other leaders most of the new aspirants routing for various parliamentary seats within the Gusii region.

And while Raila flew back to Nairobi on the same day, Ruto continued with his votes hunting deep into Gusii land and later criss-crossed the region into greater Southern Nyanza where he addressed members of the public at the various stops-over in Rongo, Awendo, Uriri, and Migori before addressing another crowd in Kuria. All these areas are considered as Raila’s strong hold and under the ODM unshaken influence.

A check on the ground indicated that contrary to a claim by MP allied to William Ruto that the entire Kalenjin region was safe in the hands of the Eldoret North MP there is a sharp division of loyalties to the two ODM luminaries turned arch-rivals. Raila is the most favorite man for the next presidency, while Ruto’s ambition for the presidency is being treated as a big joke.

Ruto seemed to have made a big blunder by trying to sell to the Kipsigis voters several presidential hopefuls without giving the community a clear direction as to which among the members of the so-called D7 alliance was his favorite.

These inconsistency include his remark that he would work with the Gatund Gatundu South MP Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, and at the same time telling the electorate in Western Province that he was for the Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa while on the other hand he has been quoted as saying he would support the Vice President Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka for the presidency.

These inconsistencies have been sending confusing signals to the populous Kipsigis community, a sub-tribe of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group, which previously had eight MPs In the tenth Parlament, and this time round would vote for ten MPs following the recent creation of Sigowet constituency slashed out of the existing Belgut and the sub-division of Kipkellion into two parliamentary constituencies. The community has another safe seat in Kuresoi constituency in the neighboring Molo district.

Despite of his relatively successful tour of the Kipsigis region, Raila Odinga is being stabbed at the back in his Nyanza home turf with wide-spread claims and allegation that “Agwambo” is preaching water, but drinking wine in relations to the creation of democratic space.

Raila is being accused of being responsible for the stalled Mayoral election in Kisumu City, which is the nerve center of politics in Luo-Nyanza of allegedly coercing the civic leaders within Kisumu Municipality to re-elect unpopular Mayor Sam Okello as opposed to the wishes of the majority of the City’s residents and Councilors alike.

Claims about lack of democratic space in areas under the ODM influence were echoed at the weekend by the former chairman of the Luo Council of Elders Ker Meshack Riaga Ogalo who locked horns with the Kasipul-Kabondo MP Oyugi Maguwanga during a funeral gathering I the Rachuonyo South district at the weekend.

Raila urged the community to open its door and allow every presidential aspirant to come around and sell his policy to the electorate unhindered.

He said Ruto-led UDM party should be allowed to sell its policies in the Luo-Nyanza region so that the community can have a free choice of political parties to choose from other than th dominant ODM

Raila, however, categorically and vehemently denied having personal links with UDM or Ruto at the same time issuing threat of filling legal suit against those making such claims.

His remarks provoked sharp reaction from the area MP Oyugi Maguwanga who was also present at the gathering. He told Raila in his face to stop interfering with ODM activities in the region, advising him to continue selling the policy of the UDM instead. He accused Riaga of being an agent of the UDM in the region.

The stalled Mayoral election in Kisumu City is causing a lot of jittery by the residents towards the ODM and could cost Raila some substantial votes among his Luo supporters, particularly those with moderate views who feels the civic leaders should be left alone to elect a mayor of their own choice. Even staunch supporters of the Prime Minister were heard expressing sentiments of disapproval of his involvement while political detractors viewed the action as part of Raila’s excessive arrogance and dictatorial tendency.

Other were heard saying that Raila should go out and campaign for his presidential ambition and leave the field free for competitive political among the elected Councilors. Moreover, the embattled and outgoing Mayor Okello was never elected in any ward within Kisumu City, but was brought from Mombasa the other day and nominated by Raila to the Council. He has never been an ODM activist, but a perennial KANU parliamentary election loser in Muhoroni constituency.

Within Kericho County the Prime Minister in his quest to regain popularity among the members of the Kipsigis community appeared to have picked u a team of youthful and energetic men and woman who hell-bent to dismantle Ruto influence in the area.

Ruto’s weaknesses, they claim, is his insistance that he was about to leave the ODM, but cowardly remained in the party for now close to two years. His handing around in ODM without making a bold decision and quitting the party altogether has weakened his case among the residents of the South Rift, an area which is also covering Bomet County and party of the Trans-Mara district.

Legally, Ruto is still the de-facto ODM leader, though he has made it publicly clear that he was in the UDM. “ If he has quit the ODM and join the UDM he did so without consulting us. It is indeed his democratic right to quit the ODM and join any party of his choice a an individual, but he had no right claiming that we are with him in that party because we were not consulted,” said Joseph Chepkwony Belgut politician in Kericho town.

A Kericho Municipal Councilor Nicholas Tum hailed the Prime Minister Raila Odinga for his political dynamism and magnanimity, saying he was pleased that the Kipsigis people have now realized that they were being fed with empty political slogans and propaganda aimed at maligning the Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Tum attended all the Raila’s meeting during his last week’s our of the Kericho County said the committee to over see the settlement of Mau Forest evictee should be chaired by Minister for Roads Franklin Bett. The Committee must be free of politicization and from being used as a propaganda tools to malign those perceived to be allied to Raila.

Among the presidential aspirants who toured most part of Western Kenya at the weekend Ms Martha Karua, was the most successful. Her tour drew a large number of enthusiastic supporters who cheered him widely in Migori and Siaya Towns.

The iron Lady cut across the region with clear message that Kenya was yawning for a genuine change and that anti-reformist politicians should be voted out of leadership in 2012.

Karua instant popularity in Nyanza came about as a result of her consistency in parliamentary debates on issues of national importance as one of the few “Voices of Reasons in the August House”. In some places Karua heard supporter shouting the loudest tat she should disband Narc Kenya and team up with “Agwambo” in the next elections.

Ends

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo in Kisumu City.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ends

KENYA: 48YEARS AFTER INDEPENDENCE – THE GOVT DECLARES HUNGER A NATIONAL DISASTER

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from maurice oduor

Winfred,

There’s enough food in Kenya to feed everyone. The country has enough resources to provide for everyone’s basic needs and there’s no excuse as to why anyone should be starving in any part of the country. The County system will address that problem in due course. This national government has refused to effectively deal with hunger. Raila Amolo has tried to do something about it by appealing to the international community to jump in but no one else has joined him to chorus this.

Courage

– – – – – – – – – – –

from WINFRED NYAMBURA

A government that cannot feed its people, only complaining about population growth. Why Kenyans, why, 48years after independence and still the country cannot feed his people. look at the photo on the nation Newspaper today of a kid, who cannot even stand on his two feet coz of hunger? where is this country headed to?

During Mkoloni time, there was no hunger…

() GOD HELP KENYA

KENYA: THE FOLLY OF KENYA’S NEW CONSTITUTION; DEMOCRACY OR FORCED REPRESENTATION?

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From: David ochwangi

Folks,

The recent headline articles in the Daily Nation which called attention to parts of the new constitution that decree, require, compel or whatever description fits your fancy, Kenyans to vote for a certain quota of female representatives to Parliament and local assemblies illuminate a fundamental flaw those of us who opposed the constitution were concerned about.

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Elect+72+women+MPs+or+forget+Parliament+/-/1064/1202296/-/2vrlj/-/index.html

Kenya’s new constitution has been hyped as the BEST in the world by those who campaigned for it and while all that is perfectly OK depending on who you talk to, the truth is, this new constitution was founded on quick sand and the more we now learn the truth, the harder it will be believe anything the state or her stewards try to pass in the future. It clearly has its shortcomings, some of them so severe that absolute care must be taken so that it does not become an avenue upon which the country self-destructs, no constitution on earth is perfect and I am cognizant of this fact but when you have one like Kenya’s with sections which blatantly violate, impugn and contradict itself on the most fundamental provisions of which it purports to protect and frustrates the very purpose for which we sought a new constitution, i.e. self-governance through the sovereignty of “we the people”, then we are losing our existential compass as a nation

It appears that we are finally coming to terms with the fact that the new constitution is wrought with blunders, some of which if not quickly addressed, would do irreparable harm to the democratic advances Kenya has made since independence. It isn’t so much that the document was passed on false promises such as what was told to the Chiefs, District Officers, District Commissioners and Provincial Commissioners that they will keep their jobs in the new Kenya or Members of Parliament who are now disillusioned at the realization that they too, like the rest of us, MUST pay taxes notwithstanding repeated assurances from the powers that be that they will not pay taxes and several other fallacies contained in the document, far from it.

I fully understand the need and desire to advance and empower women in our society and frankly I think they make better leaders, after all they are the majority and if you ask me, male leaders have for the most part let us down. That being said, I don’t think this is the proper way to accomplish that, NO! This provision undercuts the integrity of the constitution; it renders the document gratuitously inconsistent and convoluted. The framers of the constitution made an indelible error in judgment with respect to this provision among others and it will be an even greater tragedy if we don’t fix it now. Admittedly, during the campaign to pass it, Kenya’s leaders conceded to the fact that the document in its current form, then just a draft, was far from perfect and that Kenyans should pass it first and question or amend it later; the argument made at the time was that there wasn’t enough time to correct inherent mistakes before the scheduled vote but now it appears the chicken are coming home to roost and I want to see the same leaders who rushed to pass this document to also be at the forefront of fixing it with equal zeal. The framers didn’t even attempt to mitigate the erosion this idea would have on democracy much less provide for enforcement mechanism; who decides which ward/location, county, constituency must vote for a woman and at what election cycle for example? I say let the people themselves decide.

These sections, along with others yet to be discussed and the contemplated drafts designed to implement local governments’ formation, elections and functions make a complete mockery of the supremacy of “we the people” prominently promised in the new document in so far as it subverts the will of the people to elect their representatives. The principle of the people’s sovereignty as unambiguously spelled in the constitution is supposed to be non-negotiable and yet the same document severely compromises that which it purports to promote. A paradox I am struggling to reconcile- a constitution which at the outset claims to revert power and governance to the people but in reality undermines that very sovereignty by placing unreasonable and unrealistic caveats, demands and prescriptions to the people as to whom they MUST elect based on gender. Which is which? We cannot have it BOTH WAYS folks; it is one or the other- democracy or forced representation-pick one.

As far as I am concerned, there cannot be a better election formula to substitute the will of the people or their right to democratically elect their representatives than the ballot box and to pretend otherwise is not only delusional but also grossly ill advised. These attempts to subvert the people’s will as this constitution surreptitiously does must be rejected otherwise this whole constitution risks being rendered hollow. We must respect that which we have promised the nation, observe common sense, preserve our sensibilities as a nation, be consistent in form, substance and purpose otherwise we are going round in circles and wasting valuable time and resources healing self-inflicted wounds. We need to develop and grow competitive democracy where competent and qualified candidates vie for elective office and win elections on account of their ideas and leadership-not this retrogressive cockamamie notion that a country can only advance by denigrating the people’s sovereignty in the name of a badly crafted constitution. Folks, I say let’s speak up and let’s fix this glaring anomaly in this document now.

Kenya: GTSO Invited to Join Kenya’s Chamber of Mines

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from Judy Miriga

Folks,

Policies are only authorized through the Legislative Policy Bill that are made through the Parliament, how are the Business Chamber of Commerce have express authority for such crucial matters that are touching on the Economic Stability and Wealth of the Nation?

Rare Mines are Rare Mines and so they are more lucrative in the Global Business and crucial and extremely important that care must be excercised in their being release freely without Restriction and Regulated Policy that which benefits the Nation with its People’s livelihood………
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We demand for food security first and foremost, GMO are a way to starve people and make them vulnerable to easy death eventually, which cause them to have no food as a result. Public are against GMO, and it has been impossed on the public by force, starting with DOMINION COMPANY that was influenced by PM Raila without being agreed and passed through the Parliament. Today PM Raila and Dominion have stolen people’s community land and the families are Internally Displaced People as Refugees.

They have no food or place to live and Dominion will not compensate those they took their lands. Kibaki and PM Raila’s leadership are pushing people’s lives and security into a quagmire, or which they must be urgently forcefully stopped by all means, before they do more worse damage to the Country’s wealth and security. We do not see why they are rushing to sell-out Auctioning the country before they complete the Devolution Federal Governance Bill for which all the Investment for such National wealth and resource are based.

These are the serious corruption with impunity we are complaining about. These two people must not be allowed to sell Kenya the way Ethiopia was sold to the Soviet Union. They are busy inviting investors into serious deals investment without protective measures for secured investment, preservation and sustainability, and without considering “Give and Take” principle value for gains, sustainability and for progressive factors in prosperity for destiny.
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We cannot afford this sort of Greedy “Provocative Jeopardy of Conspiracy” that is meant to consume and destroy human survival through driving people into excessive point of no return POVERTY. …..These two Principles must be forced out of Public Office, as they are in a hurry to Auction the whole Nationhood to Chinese and Indian Mission of consolidating Soviet Union Asianic power, and equally, before they do more damage in their greediness process to committing grave abuse on humanity.

Ethiopia has been destroyed, Somali has followed, and now these unscrupulous International Special Interest Corporate Business, are after Kenya down the line as they are in their Mission capture East Africa followed by the whole Africa to be under Chinese Mission invasion. This must not be accepted by good people of the world.

The whole world, the United Nation, Leaders of the world, friends and sympathizers must stand with us urgently to stop Kibaki and PM Raila now and not later.
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This is serious crime and abuse against humanity.

Thank you all,

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

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GTSO Invited to Join Kenya’s Chamber of Mines
Membership Would Ally GTSO with Driving Force Behind African Nation’s Mineral Development

SAN JOSE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– As Green Technology Solutions’ (OTCQB:GTSO) ongoing pursuit of rare earth exploration in Kenya heats up, the company announced today that it has received an invitation to join the Kenya Chamber of Mines, the leading mineral industry representative and lobbying body in that Southern African nation.

As rare earth and gold prices continue to soar worldwide, GTSO has placed a high priority on developing new sources of the sought-after metals throughout Southern Africa. Kenya holds significant potential for mineral resources development, including rare earths, gold and other valuable metals. The Kenya Chamber of Mines is currently working hand-in-hand with the nation’s government to draft a national Mining Policy and revise Kenya’s outdated Mining Act in order to encourage new development of the nation’s mineral industry.

“Membership in the Kenya Chamber of Mines is an invaluable opportunity that we plan to fully pursue,” said GTSO President and CEO John Shearer. “Collaboration with Kenya’s top mining interests will help GTSO not only to successfully implement our business objectives in the region but also to lobby for reformation of the nation’s restrictive mining legislation, as well.”

GTSO will submit its membership application for review this week. Once a member of the Chamber, GTSO will help to facilitate new geophysical studies of Kenya’s mineral deposits that will replace outdated data from the 1960s.

“A new strategic mineral survey is needed in Kenya,” Shearer said. “Our plan is to assist the Chamber of Mines in securing U.S. funding for the survey so we can move forward with mining rights negotiations for any profitable deposits found.”

Green Technology Solutions commercializes clean and renewable mining technology and products in a sector that includes Avalon Rare Metals Inc. (AMEX:AVL – News), MV Rare Earth/Strategic Metals (NYSEArca:REMX – News), Quest Rare Minerals Ltd. (AMEX:QRM – News)and China Shen Zhou Mining & Resources, Inc. (AMEX:SHZ – News).

For more information on GTSO’s efforts to develop new sources of rare earth minerals around the world, please visit http://www.rareearthexporters.com/Investors.

About Green Technology Solutions, Inc.

The next generation of green technology — electric car batteries, wind turbine generators, photovoltaic solar panels — is made possible by precious elements mined from the earth’s crust, and the world’s dependence on these substances is rising fast. Today, these rare elements largely come from some of the most environmentally damaging mines in the world. Green Technology Solutions, Inc. offers clean mining solutions to the acquisition of rare earths, gold and other materials used in the latest green-tech innovations. Our cutting-edge clean mining techniques and strategies are generating business leads from around the globe as governments and corporations seek to lessen the environmental impacts of ore mining. GTSO is positioned to capitalize on exciting and potentially lucrative opportunities to develop cleaner mines in emerging nations around the world, including Mongolia, the Republic of Congo and many more. Our company is focused on aggressively growing and diversifying our business in order to produce green mining solutions for our clients on a global scale.

Green Technology Solutions, Inc. [http://www.greentech-solutions.com] is an OTCQB publicly traded company. OTCQB is the middle tier of the OTC market. OTCQB companies report to the SEC or a U.S. banking regulator, making it easy for investors to identify companies that are current in their reporting obligations. GTSO acquires, develops and implements the newest clean mining technology to enable our partner clients to expand operations throughout the world. Environmental restrictions represent the largest restriction to mining industry growth and operations. GTSO focuses on overcoming these environmental restrictions with brilliant cutting-edge clean mining technology.

For investment information, please visit http://www.GreenTech-Solutions.com/Investors.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipate” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyone’s past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof.

Contact:

Green Technology Solutions, Inc.
John Shearer, 408-432-7285
President and CEO
info@greentech-solutions.com

UNDP Pokes Holes in Kenya’s Efforts to Reduce Poverty

George Ngigi

13 July 2011

Kenya’s huge debt burden, rising fuel prices, and inadequate financial resources are slowing the country’s race to meet the Millennium Development Goals, a UN agency has said.

The UNDP says in a new report that the growing government borrowing coupled with debt repayment were denying Kenya the much-needed impetus to maintain the momentum of progress made so far in the efforts to meet the MDGs by 2015.

“The withholding of external aid in the last decade led to increased government borrowing, which has led to higher servicing costs. As more debt matures, the government will have to pay more money to service it, posing the danger of putting Treasury in a vicious circle of borrowing, thereby reducing the amount available for development” says the report.

To meet the MDGs, Sh411 billion had to be set aside annually in the budget for related sectors which was not the case in 2007/2008 financial year and 2008/2009 year where the minister allocated Sh330 and Sh393 billion respectively. However, in 2009/2010 the allocation rose to Sh521 billion indicating the governments urgency to regain lost ground. UNDP however notes how ironical it is that on one hand there is inadequate funding and on the other a lack of absorption capacity, which it attributes to inefficiency and bureaucracy.

Last year, ministries returned to Treasury Sh142 billion in unspent funds allocated to them for development projects. But the government reiterated it was acting to ensure it remains on course in achieving the goals.

“The post-election violence, successive droughts and global increases in food and energy costs especially after 2010, are likely to set this MDG off track. Interventions are therefore required and have already been initiated,” said the minister of state for planning, national development and vision 2030, Wycliffe Oparanya.

Other challenges facing the country are population increase especially in urban areas, climatic changes which have brought about extremes of flooding and drought occasioning disruptions in livelihoods of the poor and HIV/AIDS whose prevalence has gone down while absolute numbers of those infected remain high.

While overall poverty and unemployment levels fell, UNDP challenges the government to ensure that the growth is sustainable, inclusive and equitable.

“Progress has been uneven. This disparity is visible between and within countries but more pronounced amid urban and rural regions,” said Maria-Threase Keating UNDP country director.

On gender parity and equality, the provisions in the new constitution earned praise. The introduction of free primary education has also seen the education system achieve gender parity at the lower level with net enrolment up to 93 per cent from 68 per cent in 2000, with 83 per cent literacy.

The country has also made strides in the fight against Malaria, tuberculosis and high mortality rates. Immunisation coverage rose to 77 per cent in 2009 from 53 per cent in 2003, while safe births rose to 92 per cent from 40 per cent in 2004 and 55.7 per cent of households had mosquito nets.

Foreigners to Drive Country’s New Trade-Centred Diplomacy

Victor Juma

12 July 2011

Kenya has taken a new trade-centred diplomatic stance that will see the country deploy foreign nationals to head commercial departments of its missions across the globe.

Part of the plan is to hire nationals of the target markets with right skills and networks to head the charm offensive instead of sending Kenyans with little or no connections, said Foreign Affairs minister George Saitoti.

The move not only marks a major shift in the country’s diplomatic positioning but also makes a significant departure from the way Kenya has traditionally staffed its embassies and high commissions abroad.

“The expats should bring on board local knowledge that helps the missions come up with unique trade promotion strategies in countries of accreditation,” Prof. Saitoti said.

The new policy puts Kenya in step with countries such as the UK, India, Columbia, Brazil and Costa Rica that have effectively used diplomacy to champion economic interests and tilt trade balance in their favour across the globe.

Analysts said the shift to economic diplomacy is not unique to Kenya but is a rising global trend informed by the realization that the rise in global peace and stability is relegating politics from the diplomatic stage.

“Trade and investment now take up to 70 per cent of ambassadors’ time and this shift is likely to earn Kenya huge benefits,” said Gerishon Ikiara, a lecturer at University of Nairobi’s Institute of International Relations.

“A number of loans, grants, and big infrastructure projects Kenya has received in recent past have been born out of technical co-operation with selected partners,” he said.

Prof Saitoti said the new diplomatic stance should help Kenya grow its export markets, attract foreign direct investments, tourists, and speed up transfer of technical knowledge that the country needs to realise its development goals.

Though employment of foreign nationals may initially see a few Kenyans lose their jobs, the country is in the long term expected to claw back lost ground as increased investment at home and export growth create more jobs in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors besides driving foreign exchange inflows.

The ministry’s wage bill is also likely to rise faster as the foreign professionals ask for relatively higher compensation though the anticipated economic benefits could offset such expenses.

The ministry has scheduled an investment promotion fair in South Africa in December that will kick off a series of similar activities in Brazil, South Korea, Poland, and Nigeria in the medium term.

Kenya has steadily grown its exports in the past 10 years, a move that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) attributes to product diversification.

The number of items exported stood at 222 in 2009 compared to 151 in 2000, representing an addition of 71 new items in 10 years, according to the trade agency.

This helped the value of exports grow from Sh121.4 billion in 2001 to Sh409.8 billion in 2010, or an growth average of eight per cent.

Foreign Affairs ministry has identified more than 20 markets it wants to use as hubs to deepen Kenya’s pursuit of economic diplomacy.

The list includes the UK, US, Spain, Dubai, Zambia, China, Brazil, and South Africa. The hubs will act as outposts from where Kenya will pursue its commercial goals in Africa, Asia and Australia, Western Europe, North and South America, and the Middle East.

Asia and Africa are Kenya’s biggest trade partners that business leaders have demanded a concentration of diplomatic efforts.

“The scale of economic diplomacy has to be in the context of the African agenda and must specifically target Africa’s untapped natural resources, high population, green energy and strong and resilient manpower,” said Carole Kariuki, the chief executive of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance.

Ms Kariuki gave the example of the newly independent Republic of South Sudan and Ethiopia as markets where Kenya must move with speed to sign bilateral trade agreements faster expansion of its economic interests and for greater impact.

Hiring local economic experts with inside knowledge of their respective cultures, language and business environments should add speed to Kenya’s quest for rapid growth and economic transformation.

“It is important to have people who have thorough knowledge of processes and institutions of decision-making in the big markets,” said Joseph Kieyah, an analyst at the Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research and Analysis (Kippra).

In the US, for instance, governments and companies spend billions of dollars annually to lobby the Congress on a number of diplomatic issues, including regulation of foreign donations and investments.

Casting a positive image in such markets is seen as critical to attracting investments and strengthening trade ties.

Attracting foreign direct investments is seen as critical to the creation of new jobs and steady the inflow of forex earnings.

Data from the Kenya Investment Authority (KIA) shows investors pumped Sh155.5 billion into the Kenyan economy in fiscal year 2009/10, down from Sh163.4 billion in 2008/09 the peak year.

Special department

To tap into the billions of shillings sent by Kenyans in the diaspora, the ministry has set up a special department (Directorate of Diaspora and International Jobs) that will provide them with information regarding investment opportunities in the country.

Kenyans in the diaspora send home more than Sh5 billion per month and the remittances have been climbing this year in tandem with the healing economies of Europe and North America the biggest source of the inflows.

Most of the cash is channeled into the booming property market and to support dependants, with analysts saying broader investments options could increase the remittances.

The government has previously announced plans to issue a diaspora bond but has frozen the plan, preferring to raise funds through regular domestic debt instruments.

Kenya: Thank you Prof PLO Lumumba, Dr George Omburo;

From: odhiambo okecth

Friends,

We had a very lively launch of the Clean-up Campaign in Kisumu City yesterday.

The occasion was graced by His Worship the Mayor of Kisumu Cllr Sam Okello, DO 2 Ms Lilian Itubo, Chairman of Environment Department at the Municipal Council of Kisumu Cllr Romanus Odhoch, the Director of Environment at the Municipal Council of Kisumu Mr. Thomas Sweta and many more guests.

Mayor Okello announced that the Municipal Council of Kisumu will start a Monthly Clean-up Campaign and from now on, they will own the process and work with like minded organizations for the betterment of Kisumu City. He also urged the Youth and Women Groups to step forward and take advantage of the Funds that have been earmarked to support environmental activities.

For the clean-up, we were joined by the Kenya Airways Crew from Kisumu led by Mr. Sammy Ndirangu and Mary Nyabuto, Nakumatt Mega Team from Kisumu led by Mr. Joseph Wanyoike, the Kisumu Poly Students led by Mr. Ezekiel Obongo, the Oile Market team led by Henry Obara and many CBOs.

We were also joined us by Dr. George Omburo, a Friend of KCDN from New Jersey in the USA who shared his experiences with the people present. Later, he made a donation of Kshs 5,000.00 to the CEO KCDN to help advance The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.

In the afternoon, we received Kshs 10,000.00 from Prof PLO Lumumba as his personal support to The Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign.

On behalf of KCDN, I want to sincerely appreciate this support from Dr Omburo and PLO. They have been Friends of KCDN and they have supported us previously. Thank you so much.

We will be in Kakamega tomorrow for a Consultative Meeting with the Town Clerk and his team and we want to invite all our Friends in Kakamega to get in touch and be part of this growing campaign.

Thank you Kisumu and thank you Kenyans for the support you are continuing to give us with this campaign.

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

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

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

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

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

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch

CEO KCDN Nairobi

Nationwide Coordinator – Monthly Nationwide Clean-up Campaign
National Coordinator- Friends of KNH Maternity Unit

PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; oto@kcdnkenya.org, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
www.kcdnkenya.org
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com
Facebook; Odhiambo T Oketch

KENYA: ARMED POLICE GUARD OFAFA MEMORIAL HALL

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

Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ends

USA (DC) & Kenya: Invitation to Partner with Fellow Kenyans: Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC

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From: Dan Mbuthia

Dear President/Executive Director, Joluo.com:

On behalf of fellow Kenyans, you are hereby cordially invited to partner with fellow Kenyans in Washington DC at Kenyan Embassy, on Tuesday July 26th, 2011 at 1:00pm.

The main objective of the meeting is to register our protest to the continued refusal by Members of Kenyan Parliament to pay their taxes like all other Kenyan do. It is with great concern that Kenyans have noted the MPs unrelenting stubbornness, arrogance and total disregard of the welfare of fellow citizens. As they continue to allocate themselves from the coffers, it is only fair that they pay all their back taxes to enable the government to provide most needed services to citizens. Other key issues such as corruption and insecurity will be addressed.

We hope that you will encourage your membership to join fellow Kenyans so that together we can speak truth to power in one voice!

Please feel free to contact me for more information and let me know if you would like an opportunity to address fellow Kenyans during this event.

Best Regards,

Dan Mbuthia
Director, Congress of Africa
Email:dmbuthia@rocketmail.com

Kenya: International youth day Activity

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from Isaya Omwango

H!

the youth congress is welcoming you to the international youth day Activity.

The bellow data will give you full information on what will take place on that day.

Interest other young people to participate.

Regards,

Isaya.

—
ufuo creations | 0722 74 84 55 | 0752 74 84 55 | 0734 74 84 55 | po box 21482, nairobi 00500

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The Youth Congress & Koko Band

Presents

International Youth Day 2011

Dialogue and Mutual Understanding

Olympic Mtaani
Kariobangi grounds 12th-13th August 2011

Youth Assembly in Nairobi

Muisic Concert

Koko Band album launch

Sarakasi Dome Ngara
12th August 2011
Entry 500/- from 7:00Pm
Featuring Elani and many more

The Yiouth Congress, www.theyouthcongress.org
International Youth Day 2011
MTU Kawaida
Kokoband (on facebook)

KENYA: DOWRY/BRIDE PRICE , CHULO AYIE IS A MUST….

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from: Felix Okatch

PAYMENT OF DOWRY IS A MUST!!

The section of Marriage Bill 2011 which proscribes payment of dowry is inconsistent with Article 44 of the New Constitution. The Article respects people’s cultures and values but this Bill negates that position.

Payment of dowry, dubbed pride price is a cultural practice among African communities and cultures. The Europeans do not have this practice. The Asians have it in a different format. Similarly as Africans have polygamous marriages, the Europeans do not.

Our Laws must be consistent with our cultures not foreign thinking. For example, the Bukusu communities of Western Kenya have annual circumcision ceremonies; the Swazis have annual Reed Dances and many more. These are initiations into adulthood according to various communities and many more.

Payment of dowry is a cultural and matrimonial practice among most African communities. It marks the issues of amatory, that includes entry into adulthood.

As a matter of fact marriage is one of the most important conditions in human life. It is a condition which produces more problems just as it has more joy and satisfaction in life. On a bad note, it does end tragically at times besides causing misery. This can loosely be made attributable to ignorance of both man and woman in matrimony.

Forms and types of marriage are many and have evolved over time. They include marriage of one man to one woman (monogamy), one man to many women (polygamy), many men to one woman (polyandry), man to man (gay) and woman to woman(lesbianism). These are all marriages. It depends on which side of the equation you subscribe to.

Now let us turn to payment of dowry, the bride price. To Africans this practice is as old as life and there are no major complaints about it. Socially, economically and politically the dowry payment has not caused any manifestation of injury to those undertaking this practice.

The purpose of dowry is not money or sale of a bride. You cannot sell human beings. Slave trade was banned in 1884 and cannot happen in this era and time. Dowry payment is essentially a manifestation of commitment and agreement. It has no commercial value but social satisfaction. Among the southern Luos the word is not price but, agreeing. AYIE.

The payment which is a token symbolizes that the bridegroom accepts to take the bride to his home as wife permanently and for good. Dowry payment and agreement is a ghost contract and the payer receives the bride. It is done publicly, in the day time, and in presence of close relatives and in-laws from both sides of the divide.

In absence of such a ceremony, the bride is alleged to have eloped; she is cheap, low value and many more derogatory silent insinuations.

The word bride price does not signify monetary value of substance. If it was of actual monetary value, it could have been construed to mean slavery yet it is not. On the other hand it does not show that it is paid according to economic value of the bride. It is just a way of thanking, appreciation to the parents of bridegroom, acceptance, AYIE.etc

Payment of dowry is usually an occasion of festive nature, not a hidden affair. It is at day light and well publicized ceremony that gives pride to the parents, in-laws, and all other close relatives on both sides of the divide. This occasion can also be rejected by either bridal party if one side is suspected to be sorcerers, witches or close relatives. Note that relatives are not supposed to be married tone another.

This bride payment ceremony would also help parents and close relatives determine whether the bride and bridegroom are related. This calls for vetting on consanguinity, which is, checking on blood relationship. People do not marry their relatives. This must be checked at the point of paying and receiving dowry.

This Marriage Bill 2011 assumes that all people planning to get married stay in town, they know that they are not related and also do not need any parental guidance on marriage. But this is not so. Marriage though seen as a union of the parties in exclusion of the others but the real world is not so. You cannot live alone. Man /woman are social beings and need other just as others need them.

Bride price/Dowry in an African context makes sure that things do not fall apart. From experience due care is taken in advance so that a marriage does not fall apart.

The coming of Christianity in East Africa as from years 1800 by missionaries like Livingston, Krapf, and Rebman etc. brought with it a lot of Christian definitions of marriage. These are in the bible. They include quotations from the Holy Bible like; (1. Cor.6:17), (Eph.5:30, 31), (Deut.22:28, 29), (Mark 10:9) What God has joined together let no man separate’

As for southern Luos of Kenya, marriage is one of the ways in which they fulfill some of their customary rites. These range from pre-marital visits, making of homes, and burial ceremonies among others. The Luos believe in agnatic lineage (naming the dead) for their ancestors and also the principle of primogeniture, the first born starts a journey and others follow in that order etc.

Therefore failing to pay dowry/bride price can raise many cultural issues even after death of either spouse. This means that some aspects of insisting that dowry be paid after death is possible if it was not paid during a life time of married couples in question.

Among these southern Luos, there are instances where it is a taboo for a first born to be married to another first born. Similarly last born are not supposed to marry their fellow last born. This might sound biologically nonsensical but when bad omen or spirits befalls the two, then these are the matters that come up. They would lead to questions as to why did such matters get resolved at the stage of paying dowry. Culturally these issues get handled at premarital stages, hence bride price ceremony.

Therefore this section of the Bill is repugnant to cultural beliefs of some communities. It is in conflict with the Article 44 of the New Constitution. It does not respect cultural beliefs.

Felix Owaga Okatch
Wuod Gem Nyawara, Siaya County
Tel: 254-721-735489 or 0733-735489
E-mail: felixokatch@yahoo.com

Kenya: Should Nation go GMO?

2 Replies

From: Fanuel Olala

Hallo wonderful people in this forum.Its not news that Kenya cannot feed her population and there has been a big debate whether or not the government should give the green light for Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) foodstuff to be imported.

Its even shocking that the minister for public health Hon.Beth Mugo has clearly stated in black and white that the government has no machinery in place to determine the safety of GMOs.I’m perturbed to say the least.

Are there people here on the know concerning health issues that these foodstuff pose to humans and livestock?

I’m very sure that once they get into this country,they will become very cheap and our traditional foods will in effect become costly and unaffordable to many.

As a concerned citizen,I vow to stay put with our common diet.

Thanks and God bless Kenya!

Kenya: ‘Sonko’ charged with malicious damage and theft

1 Reply

from Tebiti Oisaboke

The lunatic MP for Makadara, Nrb has been aligned in a Nrb court for property damage and theft. Is this the same dude who supporters claim that he “stinks” mangotore? How could he stoop this law for a man with a professional conman’s diploma? How come Sonko was so fast to be bandwagoned to the court house, yet the “suspects” who brutally murdered Mercy C. Keino are still strolling the Nairobi streets like Kings and Lords of England? Is commissioner Iteere still sleeping on his job?

TOI

The following article has been recommended:
‘Sonko’ charged with malicious damage and theft

[http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Sonko+charged+with+malicious+damage+and+theft/-/1056/1200510/-/13vbbe6z/-/index.html]