REPORTS emerging from the Arusha based secretariat of the EAST African Community says that top Ugandan traders operating inside the Republic of South Sudan have moved to the East African Court of Justice and filed a legal suit asking the court to block the impending admission of that country into the East African Community as its sixth member.
The newest African nation had applied to join the regional trading unit. Its application for the entry into the Eac is expected to be top on agenda for the next summit of the EAC Heads of state and government, which is scheduled for April next year.
The businessmen have cited bad governance, lack of democracy, arbitrary and illegal arrests of its members and detention, rape, maiming and confiscation of merchant goods belonging to its members and confiscation of vehicles.
The legal suit is filed by members of the Uganda Traders Association comprising mainly Ugandans who are doing business in South Sudan. The Ugandans claimed that that country does not meet the criteria and lad down the rules stipulating by the EAC Treaty for admission of its membership. Their objection is on the ground that the juba regime does not met the prerequisite condition and requirements for admission into the EAC membership.
South Sudan government, they claimed has failed the test of good governance, democracy, the rule of law, observance of human rights and social justice. They further accused the Juba regime of failing to satisfy foreign investors operating businesses and trade in that country. Their members are allegedly being killed, maimed, raped and brutally beaten up by that country’s primitive and untrained security personnel. They laid claim of approximately 4.9 US dollars owed to them by South Sudan authorities related to unpaid bill on credit line and compensation for financial losses incurred due to the said violation of universally acceptable trade deals.
However, the Ugandan Minister in-charge of the East African Community Affairs Shem Rugena blamed the traders for having rushed to court, saying that they should have forwarded their claims to the EAC Council of Ministers before fling the court cases.
Meanwhile Kenyans arriving home from South Sudan alleged that close to ten Kenyans have died in that country under very mysterious circumstances. Some of them have disappeared without trace suspected of either held in illegal detention camps of killed.
Kenyans, they claimed, expect bare faced mass deportation and are being asked to finance the cost of their deportation. This is sometime exaggerated by the police, put at Kshs 200,200. Whereas the cost of travelling from Juba to the Kenya South Sudan border posts does not exceed Kshs 30,000 . Those under arrests or placed in police custody are tortured and at the same time being asked to pay colossal amounts of money to buy their freedom.
Regional lawyers will meet over the sweeping wave of oppressive media laws in East Africa.
The East Africa Law Society (EALS) President Mr. James Aggrey Mwamu said that Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Somalia have adopted a pattern of media suppression.
“Governments in the region are jointly suppressing democratic freedoms by using unconstitutional laws to gag journalists the media,” Mr. Mwamu said.
Mr. Mwamu said that media freedom will be among the core subjects to be discussed in depth at the EALS Annual Conference set for November 15th and 16th at The Whitesands Hotel in Mombasa.
The Conference will bring together practicing lawyers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. The theme is Raising the Bar: The Changing Environment for the Legal Profession in East Africa.
“We are dismayed that the Kenyan Parliament last week passed into law Acts which suppress freedom of information under Article 35 of the Constitution,” Mr. Mwamu said.
The EALS President regretted that intolerance to media freedom has also intensified in Tanzania with the recent suspension of two newspapers for alleged violation of stringent media laws.
“The Ministry of Information stopped the publication of Mwananchi newspaper and Mtanzania, alleging violation of secrecy and sedition laws,” Mr. Mwamu said.
The EALS President also recalled how The Daily Monitor newspaper was raided and shut down for 10 days in May after allegedly publishing a politically sensitive story in Uganda.
“The Daily Monitor was allowed to reopen on the promise that it would not publish material that might disturb law and order or generate tensions,” Mr. Mwamu said.
The EALS President also regretted that journalists are also reportedly being harassed and intimidated in Uganda when covering political stories like arrests of Mr. Kizza Besigye.
“There are also concerns on violent deaths of journalists, such as that of Thomas Pere in June,” Mr. Mwamu said.
The EALS President said that Burundi President Mr. Pierre Nkurunziza is about to sign into law a media Bill recently passed by the Burundi National Assembly in April.
“The Burundi Senate passed a draft media law despite opposition from journalists and the international community,” Mr. Mwamu said.
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the new law would interfere with media independence by forcing journalists to disclose sources and imposing minimum requirements for journalists’ education and experience.
Under the proposed bill, journalists will be required to have at least two years of professional experience in addition to a university-level degree.
Additionally, the media will be banned from covering “sensitive” issues including public security, national defense, and the economy.
The new law repeals many of the provisions for jail terms imposed on violators under the 2003 law, but violations still carry penalties such as steep fines that HRW said most Burundian media outlets would not be able to afford.
Freedom of speech, association and communication is under siege against the public mandate referendum Reform Change Accord how they wish to be Governed. It looks like special interest corrupt politicians want to silence people from demanding for their rights…………..and this is against not what the people demanded at the Referendum. This behavior is contravening the freedom and suppressing transparency and accountability from public servants who have failed to do their work according to their oath of office…………to protect, deliver and safeguard the core value of how people want their Government facility to operate and deliver services to people with fundamentals that the Security must restructure and overhaul to bring on board Responsible Leaders with integrity to avoid what happened in 2007/8 election gone bad and where massacre, genocide and atrocities committed were masterminded by suspects of those inscribed in the police force to do the unthinkable…….in the event, peoples security was compromised; which was top of the agenda for Reform was Administering Police overhaul urgently, which has not happened to-date.
People want complete healing not a bandage to cushion a chronic sore on peoples governance with just rule of law. Negative comments from senior police and political leadership is causing disharmony in the minds of people and people must demand for apology for such inflammatory injustices meant to shut people from engaging in their own business of good governance……………this behavior is unacceptable……..
All People must go firmly in solidarity with Mohamed Ali and John Allan to protest and demand what is called jeopardy of public insecurity and safety and demand for Media freedom, good governance with just rule of law including holding Kimaiyo responsible and force him to step down for further investigation for Wastgate attack with relation to connection of Al-shabaab in Uganda.
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
– – – – – – – – – – –
Police target media over Westgate reportage
In a bizarre twist, government has now trained its guns on the media coverage of the Westgate terror attack with Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo saying KTN journalists John Allan Namu and Mohamed Ali will be arrested for incitement and spreading propaganda.
Published on Oct 23, 2013
In a bizarre twist, government has now trained its guns on the media coverage of the Westgate terror attack with Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo saying KTN journalists John Allan Namu and Mohamed Ali will be arrested for incitement and spreading propaganda. But as NTV’s Andrew Ochieng reports, Kimaiyo may have jumped the gun, as regulations require him to direct complaints to the Media Council Of Kenya.
Police Inspector General asked to channel grievances through Media Council
Published on Oct 25, 2013
The Media Council of Kenya has asked police inspector general David Kimaiyo to channel any grievances he harbors against any media practitioner or media house through the council. The council says the police Inspector General was wrong to summon KTN journalists over the Westgate attack without following due process.
For more news visit http://www.ntv.co.ke
Baragoi residents living in makeshift camps out of fear
Published on Oct 25, 2013
A large number of Baragoi residents are living in makeshift tents following recent attacks in the area. Cattle rustling has become the plague of Baragoi. For long Baragoi residents have had to endure criminal activities linked to cattle rustling that has led to the lose of lives and displacement.
For more news visit http://www.ntv.co.ke
===============================
From: OS
To: “progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com”
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 7:24 AM
Subject: IG KIMAIYO: ARREST JICHO PEVU TEAM.
Weli,
This is intimidation that the journalists should not cower to.
OS.
On Thursday, October 24, 2013 2:20 PM, Jagem K’Onyiego wrote:
Weli,
We do not agree on many things, but on this one I agree with you. Since Stage managed attack and rescue, at westgate, Kimaiyo has been looking like someone with no clue at all on what goes on in Kenya. I am surprised that he is coming out now issuing threats to reporters. I think he has been told by Kamwana to silence the press. Hakuna kitu ingine.
Jagem
From: Maurice Oduor
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 6:16 AM
Subject: IG KIMAIYO: ARREST JICHO PEVU TEAM.
Welcome to Kenya Abdi. That is Kenyans for you. Akina Asman Kamara will insist on denying what everyone can see on video from the CCTV. They will insist on denying it until the issue dies off. That is how Kenyans behave in nature. It’s one of the things I really hate about our people. One may know the truth about a situation but because he/she has decided to support one side, he/she will defend that side to the death even if it is the offending side.
In Luo we say, “Jo Kenya richo” (Kenyans are bad).
Courage
From: Mburi Eric
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 4:06 AM
Subject: IG KIMAIYO: ARREST JICHO PEVU TEAM.
Lailatu,
And I wonder why Kimaiyo thinks he is law unto himself and can not be subjected to the law per-Se
Nyakwar Mburi
Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:57:33 -0700
Subject: IG KIMAIYO: ARREST JICHO PEVU TEAM.
From: lailatuatiende@ . . .
Mohamed /Mburi,
I concur with both of you on this one. KIMAIYO should show some transparency to Kenyans. By demanding the arrest of the Jicho Pevu team lacks lucidity.
From: Mburi Eric
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 2:08 AM
Subject: IG KIMAIYO: ARREST JICHO PEVU TEAM.
Its actually Kimaiyo who should be arrested
Nyakwar Mburi
On Thu, Oct 24, 2013 at 2:33 AM, Mohamedweli Abdi wrote:
Inspector General wants Jicho pevu team Mohamed Ali and John Allen Namu be arrested.
Is this for diversion of attention from the incompetence of our security agencies and terrorist attack, or this two guys are threat to our national security.
Please Mr IG, all they did is do their kob unlike you and your team. Your boys let you down looting Kenyans in their worst hours.
Arrest the real looters and the terrorist not Ali and Namu.
Shame on you.
Mohamed
Outrage as Police summon Standard boss, KTN reporters over Westgate
October 25
00:352013
by In2EastAfrica Reporter
In what could be the first assault on media freedom under the Jubilee government, police have targeted the Standard Group over a report aired on television station KTN.
Hooded gunmen raided Westgate Mall last month, killing 67 people and wounding several others according to official reports
Police are seeking the Groups Chief Executive Sam Shollei and two KTN journalists, Mohammed Ali and John-Allan Namu, over the investigative report on the Westgate Mall terrorist attack.
Police delivered summons to the Standard Group Centre on Mombasa Road on Thursday, requiring the three to present themselves to Kilimani Police Stationon Friday.
Head of Kilimani CID George Ojuka said police had wanted the three to appear before them on Thursday but were informed that Mr Shollei was out of town.
Police summons signed by Mr Ojuka addressed to Mr Shollei and copied to the two journalists compel the trio to report to him this morning to answer to charges of ‘unlawful sending of misleading messages’.
The misleading messages apparently refer to an investigative series run on KTN titled ‘Zilizala la Westgate’ and ‘Wolves at Westgate’.
Ojuka alleges that the series, which offered insights into events at the mall after the Al-Shabaab gunmen struck, was not factual. The journalists relied on CCTV footage that captured events inside the mall during the siege and which had been widely broadcast both locally and internationally.
“I do require you Sham (sic) Shollei to attend before me George Ojuka, the DCIO Kilimani at Kilimani CID offices situated at Kilimani Police Division, Nairobi, on Friday the 25th day of October at 0900 hours,” read the summons.
SLIPPED OUT
The officer warns that, ‘failure to comply with this requisition comprises an offence.’
The investigative series raised questions about official accounts of events during the Westgate siege. The footage at one point showed the four gunmen looking relaxed in a section of the mall before one moves the CCTV cameras. Questions were raised about whether they slipped out of the mall unnoticed. More contentious footage shows soldiers carrying white plastic bags. Authorities have explained that the soldiers had taken bottles of water to quench their thirst. Questions were also raised about the cause of the extensive damage to the building after three floors collapsed.
Police said they have launched investigations into the source of the Westgate Mall footage that showed soldiers carrying items from Nakumatt Supermarket.
Nakumatt boss Atul Shah was summoned by police investigating the incident on Tuesday, and appeared before detectives at the Kilimani CID offices for about an hour.
Yesterday’s police action against the Standard Group came a day after Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo threatened the two journalists with arrest.
It also comes just a week after High Court Judge Mumbi Ngugi ruled as illegal the State-sponsored 2006 raid on the media groupâs offices and awarded it Sh5 million as compensation.
HOODED GUNMEN
In the raid, hooded gunmen set upon staff, switched KTN off, carted away equipment and burnt copies of The Standard newspaper that was rolling off the press at its Likoni Road premises.
The Internal Security minister at the time, John Michuki (since deceased), alleged that the media house was about to disseminate information that would have undermined ânational securityâ.
On Wednesday, Kimaiyo seemed to be reading from the same script claiming that the journalists were not patriotic in the manner in which they covered the Westgate issue, and accused them of incitement and propaganda. On Thursday, the Standard Group legal team sought confirmation from the police chief about the identities of individuals who had sent text messages summoning the two for interrogation.
The Groupâs lawyers protested the action noting that, âsummons by text messages is not one of the methods contemplated under the law.â
The action by the police sparked outrage from rights groups, including a state rights watchdog, media practitioners and political leaders, who condemned the harassment of journalists and termed it a breach of media freedom.
The Media Council of Kenya (MCK), the industryâs regulatory authority, said it was aggrieved byKimaiyo’s threats of arrest and prosecution, saying there were proper channels to address grievances by any party regarding journalistic work.
Harun Mwangi, the chief executive of MCK, said during and after the Westgate attack, the media did an excellent job of informing the country about the national tragedy.
“The journalists have not committed any criminal offences; Kimaiyo’s complaints border on the impact that the coverage generated,” said Mwangi. “We would expect him to present his complaint to the council if he needs any recourse, but we cannot entertain intimidation and curtailing of media freedoms.”
Tom Rhodes, the regional co-ordinator of the Committee for Protection of Journalists, said Kimaiyo and the state are trying to prevent the media from reporting on issues that affect everyone, such as security.
“We find it absolutely ridiculous that the journalists would be investigated. Why doesn’t the report focus on probing the attack rather than the messengers?” Rhodes posed.
He added that the country would be far worse without an independent media.
Media practitioners are protected by law under Article 34, which prohibits the state from âcontrolling or interfering with, exercising control over or interfering with any person engaged in broadcasting, the production or circulation of any publication or the dissemination of information by any medium.
By MOSES MICHIRA and CYRUS OMBATI, The Standard
========================================
MATHIU: Why Kimaiyo left Kenyans baffled over his threat to arrest journalists
Thursday, October 24, 2013
PHOTO | FILE IGP David Kimaiyo. NATION
In Summary
Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo has hoisted himself into a similar position and he seems to leak public goodwill every time he offers his views in the media.
Specifically, Mr Kimaiyo warned that he was going to arrest two journalists for “provoking propaganda”, whatever the hell that is, and inciting the people against the authorities.
All that nonsense about matresses and carrying of water in Nakumatt bags has convinced no one. The mall was systematically looted. Instead of confronting the indiscipline in our forces, the authorities have chosen to beat up on reporters. This is beyond belief.
By Mutuma Mathiu
There was a time my brother, Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi was often in the news for all the wrong, controversial reasons. Wags characterised him, poor man, as a politician who lost votes every time he opened his mouth.
Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo has hoisted himself into a similar position and he seems to leak public goodwill every time he offers his views in the media.
I remember watching a catastrophic interview on NTV and thinking “Dear Lord, why did they let this one out?” For Mr Kimaiyo, bless him, is not the most eloquent of men.
But it is his press conference on Wednesday which really exposed him as a man who, though he has spent some time around universities, has not modernised his views about society and rights. He also has a 1990s concept of the power of government.
Specifically, Mr Kimaiyo warned that he was going to arrest two journalists for “provoking propaganda”, whatever the hell that is, and inciting the people against the authorities.
When governments are new in office, they will always do that kind of nonsense. In 2003, the CID arrested the entire leadership of The Standard. I was also invited by the director of CID at the time “for a cup of tea” at his office which I declined and was off radar for a while.
Many attempts have been made to write laws that would allow the government to control the Kenyan press, one of the freest in the Third World. Politicians, because they are mainly self-absorbed and thick, always think the country would be better off with a muzzled press.
FREE PRESS
So let me tell it to you: the government does not own the freedoms of the people. They are not its property to give. Our right to a free press is not a gift from the President, the Inspector-General of Police, Parliament or indeed any other person or organ.
They belong to the people and can only be limited when there is manifest general good to be achieved by so doing.
Also, I don’t think it is going to be possible for anyone to roll back the gains we have made so far and for banana-republic theories of some bureaucrat to have sway in the media. It’s just not going to happen.
Now, going back to the arrest threat. Kenyans know that something went terribly with the rescue mission. They know that the calling in of the military was either premature or ill-advised and that had the SWAT team been allowed more time, they would have rescued everyone, including the VIPs in there, contained the terrorists, and preserved the scene of crime.
Secondly, they already believe that the military behaved in a most disgraceful fashion, looting and feasting as the nation grieved.
Thirdly, they are royally pissed off at being lied to by the military and Internal Security Cabinet secretary, the hapless Mr Joseph ole Lenku.
All that nonsense about matresses and carrying of water in Nakumatt bags has convinced no one. The mall was systematically looted. Instead of confronting the indiscipline in our forces, the authorities have chosen to beat up on reporters. This is beyond belief.
Finally, through no fault of his own, Kenyans believe Mr Kimaiyo was not in charge of the rescue operation. He couldn’t have been: it was a military operation and the military does not take orders from the police.
Mr Kimaiyo is not employed to break the law, although the Kenya police are some of the leading law breakers. He is employed to enforce it, including the laws protecting the freedoms of Kenyans. If he tries to do anything contrary, he will lose, if he already hasn’t.
* * *
I want to wish the best of luck to all those candidates who are sitting their exams this season. I know my views about education and managing behaviour are boring; they are copied from my headmaster, the late Stanley Ndeke.
Mr Ndeke believed in science. You needed his express permission to take the arts. He used to say that good, well-behaved boys don’t walk, they run. So I spent part of my childhood running everywhere.
From him I learnt the value of hard work and discipline, the importance of intellectual rigour and discipline and the centrality of learning to human progress.
So yes, all that reading is a pain but you and the world probably couldn’t exist without it. Good luck.
===================================
Westgate: Kimaiyo now threatens journalists
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
In Summary
He accused the journalists of “provoking propaganda” and inciting Kenyans against the authorities with investigative stories which exposed command confusion during the operation which saw at least one police officer shot and killed by the Kenya Defence Forces.
By ZADOCK ANGIRA
Police boss David Kimaiyo on Wednesday announced that journalists will be arrested and prosecuted over their coverage of the Westgate rescue operation.
He accused the journalists of “provoking propaganda” and inciting Kenyans against the authorities with investigative stories which exposed command confusion during the operation which saw at least one police officer shot and killed by the Kenya Defence Forces.
Journalists, both local and international, have also reported the apparent looting of the shopping mall by the KDF. The military however told Parliament that the soldiers were carrying water in the shopping bags and not looted goods. (VIDEO: Military: KDF soldiers carried water from Westgate)
The Inspector-General’s announcement is the latest in a sustained assault on press freedom in Kenya in recent months, which has seen the tabling in Parliament of bills giving government control over media operations.
Mr Kimaiyo said investigative journalists from KTN are among those to be arrested.
He appeared to take umbrage at the insinuation that he was relieved of command during the operation against terrorists who massacred nearly 70 shoppers at the mall located in Westlands.
At the time, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Mr Kimaiyo remained in charge of the operation.
However, from around 5pm on Saturday September 21 until the end of the siege four days later, the operation was controlled by the military. KDF does not take orders from the police.
Mr Kimaiyo’s decision to muzzle the press flies in the face of the constitution which prohibits the government from interfering with the media.
Mr Kimaiyo has not filed a complaint with the Media Council of Kenya, the normal procedure for dealing with cases where journalists are involved in unethical conduct.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Mr Kimaiyo said the journalists had “overstepped” press freedom apparently by reporting the command chaos and looting during the operation.
“You cannot provoke propaganda and incite Kenyans against the authorities. The two journalists will be apprehended,” explained Mr Kimaiyo.
In Parliament, Majority Leader Aden Duale has published a Bill which gives the cabinet secretary for communication immense powers over the Media Council, which regulates the media.
The cabinet secretary has, among others powers, the right to dissolve the current Media Council and then constitute the selection panel that will interview and nominate members to form part of the new council.
At Wednesday’s press conference, Mr Kimaiyo denied that British terrorist Samantha Lewthwaite was involved in the Westgate attack.
Ms Lewthwaite is a high ranking and dangerous member of al Shabaab who has explicably been allowed to live and move freely in Kenya until relatively recently.
In one egregious act of police incompetence, officers bizarrely did not take Ms Lewthwaite into custody even though they found her with stacks of foreign currency and forged papers.
Mr Kimaiyo said yesterday that eight of what he claimed to be chief suspects will be charged.
Police arrested more than 100 suspects after the attack, almost all of whom were innocent.
He said detectives were looking for more suspects who may have played smaller roles in the attack.
But even as he made the announcements, it was still not clear how many terrorists took part in the attack and what eventually happened to them.
There have been claims that some were killed, but no bodies were ever produced. The government said there were between 10 and 15 attackers. CCTV footage showed only four.
There are suspicions that four bodies recently found in the ruins of the mall were terrorists, but that is still to be proved.
Explaining the command chaos in the operation, Mr Kimaiyo claimed that he was consulted about the rescue mission.
“It was a joint effort, and we clearly agreed on how to conduct it,” Mr Kimaiyo claimed.
Turning his guns on the media, the Inspector-General said: “We know very well that every person or organisation has the right to freedom of expression, but this freedom does not extend to advocacy of hatred or propaganda. Again, in the exercise of such rights, people should respect the reputation and rights of others.”
Mr Kimaiyo has had a slow start on the job, characterised by widely publicised fights with Police Service Commission boss Johnston Kavuludi.
Mr Kavuludi was involved in a dramatic incident earlier in the year when a human head was delivered to his office.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) create new scenarios, new ways for people to live, and these reflect real-life problems. Women need to assert their rights here with determination and without delay. Women may not have been an active part of policy-making conversations when internet governance started, but the rapid pace of change online means they need to participate now to ensure that the future of the internet is shaped taking into account women’s rights. For people who have little access to other kinds of publics due to the multiple forms of discrimination they face including gender, age, class or sexuality in the internet can be a particularly important space to negotiate and realise their rights.
For women, the internet is a vital public sphere due to barriers of access to media or political representation. Inequalities that women face in terms of economic power, education and access to resources also affect access and participation in shaping the internet, its debates and policy. This explains why the internet has become an increasingly critical public sphere for the claiming of citizenship rights and civil liberties, including women’s rights. For those who have little access to other kinds of “publics” due to the multiple forms of discrimination faced – including based on gender, age, economic status and sexual identity – it can be a particularly important pace for the negotiation and fulfillment of their rights.
from: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013
Chris from Nairobi writes: “Fr. I think Pope Francis has taken the right direction as far as the reception of Holy Communion is concerned by opting to allow the divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion.
My wonder is that there are some priests who stop their faithful from receiving Holy Communion on merely their personal differences. Is such an act justifiable according to the church’s law?”
Juliet from Nairobi would also like to know why the Inspector General of the police David Kimaiyo wants to arrest KTN Jicho Pevu presenter Mohamed Ali and Inside Story John-Allan Namu of incitement and propaganda when they were just reporting how Kenya Army looted Westgate Mall instead of protecting the people and their property.
Chris there were no way the conservative cardinals working with the pope could allow this happen. On October 22, 2013 Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, strongly reaffirmed Catholic Church teaching forbidding divorced and remarried Catholics from receiving Holy Communion.
In a length essay published on the Vatican newspaper’s website in five languages, Archbishop Gerhard Muller was categorical that Pope Francis has no intention at all to change this dogma.
This is despite the comments from Pope Francis on his return trip from Rio’s World Youth Day regarding divorced and remarried Catholics that a change in the Church’s long-standing tradition on the matter was coming. That perception was strengthened with the announcement of an upcoming synod on families for next October.
Juliet this is not the first time Mohamed Ali and John -Allan Namu have been threatened. They have received death threats over George Saitoti death exposé that aired on the station some weeks ago.
The Standard Group management expressed concern over the threats that appeared aimed at intimidating its journalists. Group Chief Executive Sam Shollei said the Group supports Press freedom and will not allow its journalists to be intimidated in the course of their duties.
The exclusive stories dubbed Ghururi ya Saitoti and Death in Ten Minutes by Ali and Namu respectively showed that there could have been foul play in the death of then Internal Security minister George Saitoti.
Mr Shollei said Standard Group will stand by its journalists, and will remain steadfast in discharging its duties as a media house, without fear or favour.
The two journalists looked into the circumstances that led to the death of Prof. Saitoti, his assistant Orwa Ojode, their bodyguards and two pilots. The pair tried to prove that Saitoti’s ‘accident’ was an indeed an assassination.
Mohammed Ali was to be killed along Waiyaki Way, near the Museum Hill Interchange.
Dennis Onsarigo, his colleague was to be terminated as he headed home. To support his claims, Moha played a clip of the then Makadara MP Mike Sonko addressing residents of Likoni in May last year. Sonko said that he was aware of a plot to kill Mohammed Ali, Maina Njenga and himself.
In the flight recording aired on Jicho Pevu, the pilots were heard coughing repeatedly just before silence and crashing. They did not even press the distress button.
In the investigative piece, it emerged that the pilots that were to fly Saitoti initially, were replaced with other quite inexperience ones. Nancy Gituanja and Luke Oyugi were informed of their morning assignment that past night while at a club near the airport.
When the plane crashed, Mohammed Ali wondered why the police failed to seal off the scene to prevent loss of evidence. He also wonders why the plane wreckage was let to remain at the scene for 14 full days. A few moths later, Saitoti’s phone was recovered with an Administration Police officer.
Soon after, the commission investigating the accident, led by Judge Kalpana Rawal, was informed how NSIS made phone calls, to prevent the inclusion of particular evidence.
In the postmortem, there was decolourisation of the body, and a particular jelly-pink colour was observed in some organs.
These two factors are brought about by poisonous gas cyanide, and these two facts were not included in the final report. This was admitted by Dr. Amripal karsi. It proves that NIS Director Gichangi was aware of the plan.
Similarly, Ali and his colleague Dennis Onsarigo were threatened after running Paruwanja ya Mihadarati or Untouchables in 2011. Former Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere threatened he would sue the journalists after they exposed how a senior General Service Unit officer, Erastus Kirui Chemorei was killed.
The journalists wanted to prove to Kenyans that what the police had reported earlier concerning the death that it was robberies was not the case. In fact Chemorei had been killed by his fellow police in connection with the Sh6.4-billion cocaine seized by police in a private villa in Malindi where it was kept.
At the time of his killing, Chemorei was keeping custody of the store where the cocaine was kept. Jicho pevu exposed how together with then GSU commandant Lawrence Mwadime and Assistant commandant and current Police Commissioner, Mathew Iteere, were mandated to keep safe custody of the cocaine – the biggest ever netted locally.
According to sources, Chemorei who was an adjutant at the GSU Training School, Ruaraka, was picked because he was seen as honest, secretive, and trustworthy. These attributes would lead to his brutal murder at the hands of those who had theirs firmly fixed on the haul.
Jicho Pevu revealed that on February 19, 70 police officers led by then area DCIO, Julius Sunkuli, OCPD Augustine Kimantheria, and DC Christopher Musumbu surrounded his house. Many officers disembarking and taking positions around the barbed wired fence as others entered the compound planning how to finish him.
Daniel Maiyo, who was stationed at Kapsowar police post and who was among the officers in the said special operation, says in a statement that after arriving at Chemorei’s home, they found the OCPD and two other people they did not know.
He said the DCIO, Julius Sunkuli, told them to remain outside as he entered the compound, he shortly returned, and ordered them to search the house.
The officer says they found two bullets, handed them over to Sunkuli, and continued searching. But as they went on with the search they heard gunshots. When they came out they saw Chemorei lying dead about 30m from his house.
Besides the body, as they would verify later, were three AK 47 guns, three magazines, and 62 rounds of ammunition.
Another officer, Kimantheria, in his statement, says he was told there were gangsters who had escaped from Chemorei’s house, and he decided to follow them. But when he could not find them he headed towards the suspect’s home.
He said a few metres from Chemorei’s gate he heard gunshots, which lasted for about three minutes. When the gunshots stopped, he saw Chemorei’s body on the ground. He was told he had attempted to flee after being found with guns.
He said the guns found were AK47s serial numbers: 56-128132564, 1960 xa5207, and 386056367017 and 62 rounds of ammunition and a bayonet.
Sunkuli says in his statement that after the guns were found in Chemorei’s compound, Chemorei tried to flee and when cornered he attempted to grab a gun from a police officer hence he was shot.
But the statements of officers who were in the operation contradict Kimantheria and Sunkuli’s statements. Bernard Cheruiyot, a police officer, states that Chemorei co-operated with the police and did not attempt to run as indicated in the OCPD and DCIO’s reports.
“I heard the voice of the DCIO who was outside the gate say, “Simama!” Immediately officers opened fire. I never saw him jump over the fence.”
Another officer corroborates Cheruiyot’s statement. Jackson Cheruiyot says when they arrived at Chemorei’s house they found the OCPD in company of two other people inside the compound.
This was about the time when John-Allan Namu was still reporting for NTV and Harith Salim uncovered evidence of recruitment activities in Kenya by Somalia’s radical al Shabaab group.
Undercover video footage taken by the crew shows the activities of a network of terror recruiters luring youths to go and fight in Somalia. Disturbingly, one of the key recruiters captured on tape introduced himself as a serving member of the Kenyan military.
This is none other than Corporal Hussein Abdullahi Athan. He holds the rank of corporal, and has been in the Kenyan military for more than 10 years. Hussein is also a trained engineer – a skill set which, in the army, means that, among other things, he is a specialist in laying land mines and booby traps as well as in bridge-building.
His base is 10 Engineers in Nanyuki, but at that time he was attached to the school of combat engineering in Isiolo as a trainer.
In fact Juliet Kimaiyo should be very grateful to the media because they are able to discover security threats in the country which Kimaiyo with his security team are not able to do. But assure Kimaiyo’s threats are just like a sound of a frog which cannot scare a cow from drinking water. Kimaiyo and his team must accept they have failed in their duties.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.comFacebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002
MIGORI County Women Representative Danita Ghati has decried the attitude of some parents within the county who do not support the education of the girl child.
Ghati observed that Migori County is still lagging behind in terms of girl-child education because of lack of support from a number of parents.
She said parents must be ready to fully support the education of the girl-child within the region as this is their responsibility.
The women Representative singled out both Nyatike and Kuria districts where she said education of the girl child is still compromised due to several factors including cultural believes.
Addressing a gathering during the launch of a strategic plan for St. Joseph Alendo Secondary school-cum education day for Kosiemo and Alendo Primary schools in Karungu East of Nyatike Sub-County, Ghati said it is as if some parents are still living in the past where education for boys was given a priority unlike for girls.
She said both boys and girls should be given equal opportunities when it comes to issue of education because since both have same potentials which can make them excel academically.,
The women leader also took up issues with some teachers whom she blamed for contributing to early pregnancies and marriages of school going girls.
Ghati further announced that she will launch several mentorship centers in Migori County to fully support girl-child education.
The women Rep further said she plans to set up an education trust fund which will help in funding the education of bright but need school going girls within Migori County, urging the stakeholders to properly utilize both the UWEZO and CDF Funds, adding that there was still need for bursaries to improve education in the county.
Shouts of Alego ni nono oonge Mjumbe rent the air during the Mashujaa rally in SIAYA town last Sunday when a group of ODM youths made an attempt to heckle and evict the ALlego-Usonga MP Omondi Muluany at a well attended rally held at Siaya Stadium to commemorate the heros day. The party youths and security personnel intervened and ejected the rowdy youths out of the meeting venue.
It later emerged that the MP who the Mardh 14th general on the Whiper ticket had skipped all the campaign meetings which were held all over the County during the recent by-election campaign for Siaya governor,including the one which was attended by the party leader Raila O Odinga.
The MP who appeared to have been shocked and shaken described the group as hired political goons
THOSE who attended the Siaya rally were stunned when speaker after speaker heaped a lot of praise at politicians previously aligned to the late Jaramogi IOginga Odinga showering them as The only heroes who fought for freedom.
They deliberately excluded the names of other LUO freedom fighters who were known to have differed with the Jaramogi leadership style. Observers and pundits were, however quick in pointing out that those whose names had been mentioned prominently at the really included those who are known to be Raila sycophants and political surrogates whose contribution to the liberation war and anti colonialists activities are very insignificant.
THESE names represented only the residents of Siiaya County THEY INCLUDED Achieng Oneko, Jaramogi, Argwings Kodhek, Wasonga SijeyoBut even in SIAYA county, the names of political giants and heroes like Walter Fanuel Odede, DO Makasembo were deliberately omitted and replaced by some characters of some former boot lickers of the colonialists.
Odede who later was to become the father in-law of atom Mboy WALKED INTO THE SHOES OF THE Jomo KENYAT immediately after the latter and five other leading nationalists were rounded up and arrested by he colonialists following the declaration of the STATE OF emergency in Kenya by the colonialists. He too was arrested and placed in detention in the remote Northern Kanya district of Samburu and was detained for eight year because he had taken over as the acting President of KAU. Odede like Oneko hails from Uyoms in Rarieda within Bondo district.
Other uncompromising freedom fighters whose names were missing at the Siaya rally included Tom Mboya, Elijah Omolo Agar, Lawrence Gerald Oguda,Daniel OJijo Oteko,John PAUL olola,BARRACK Owuor,The latter two were the founder of the Kavirondo Taxpayers ,which collaborated well with the Harry Thuku led Kikuyu Central Association that gave the colonialists sleepless nights.
THE Siaya rally clearly portrayed an attempt by Siaya leaders as trying at the distortion of the Nyanza region’s political history.
The history of the past should be told as per its true perspective for the interests of the present and future generations.
The inspiration behind the recent launch of Constitute, a new application for lawmakers and those aspiring to draft their first constitution, are cases like Egypt, fresh from a revolution and still grappling with political unrest. It is a platform created by the Comparative Constitutions Project in partnership with Google Ideas and is a tool to “read, search and compare” constitutions from over 170 countries.
“Most people who are drafting constitutions have never done so before and hope to never have to do it again,” the project’s co-director, Tom Ginsburg, told Foreign Policy. “We seek to empower both potential constitutional drafters and their citizens, so as to better inform the choices they will have to make to establish and preserve lasting national constitutions. With Google’s help, we’ve been able to do just that.”
The website allows users to filter for constitutions by country and the 300+ topics, as well as utilize a search function that shows suggested topics while searching.
For example, a search for “abortion” turns up only two countries that have written it into their constitutions. The 2012 Somalian constitution only says that abortion “is contrary to Shari’ah and is prohibited except in cases of necessity, especially to save the life of the mother.” Swaziland’s 2005 constitution has a conflicted notion of abortion, decreeing it “unlawful but may be allowed.”
This is the first edition of the Global Slavery Index. It is the first Index of its kind – providing an estimate, country by country, of the number of people living in modern slavery today.
Each year, Walk Free’s Global Slavery Index will produce the most detailed global picture of the numbers of enslaved people available. The Index will also identify factors that shed light on the risk of modern slavery in each country and examine the strength of government responses in tackling this issue.
Explore findings from the 2013 Report by navigating the interactive map. Browse regional and country-level research and statistics examining the risks of modern slavery, current levels of government response and a set of recommendations that can effectively tackle modern slavery.
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2013
In Greek, a tyrant, ????????, tyrannos is not only a ruler of a cruel and oppressive character but a ruler who rules without law, looks to his own advantage rather than that of his subjects, and uses extreme and cruel tactics—against his own people as well as others”.
This is what we are celebrating today, the Mashuja (heroes) days. It begins with elections held in May 1963 where KANU won 83 seats out of 124, and on June 1, 1963 when Mzee Jomo Kenyatta became the first Prime Minister of a self-governing Kenya.
On December 12, 1964, Kenya officially became a Republic within the Commonwealth with Kenyatta as its first President. Kenyatta’s major stated goals were unity, economic prosperity, and restitution.
Kenyatta exercised almost complete control over the workings of government and did not tolerate dissent. Upon his re-election in 1966 he changed the constitution to extend his already far reaching executive powers.
He outlawed most opposition parties in 1969 establishing KANU as the only viable political party, essentially making Kenya a one-party state. He ran unopposed and was re-elected in 1974.
He died in office on August 22 1978 in Mombassa at the age of 89 without telling Kenyans why his government killed Gama Pinto, Tom Mboya and JM Kariuki and why. As we celebrate his hero today Kenyans have not gotten the answer.
Even after JM Kariuki was killed when he condemned the government of Kenyatta for having 10 millionaires and 10 million beggars, Kenyans continue to languish in poverty. No enough medical personnel, medicines, enough beds and food in government hospitals.
Although Kenyatta was a great man before he took over power but power corrupted him. Power did corrupt the great man that was Kenyatta to the extent that he could order the detention of Achieng Oneko with who he had served in Kapenguria and Odinga who had refused to form a government until the release of Kenyatta.
It was under Jomo that the Lancaster constitution was raped and amendments were made to increase the powers of the president. Kenyatta had the powers to order one to life and to death- he was the absolute.
Poverty is till the norm and so is ignorance, disease and tribalism. We give people jobs because they are our friends or belong to us, ethnic, region, woman friend, so name them. The impunity that saw the murderers of J.M Kariuki and Robert Ouko and Tom Mboya remain a mystery is the same that still reigns supreme.
Then here comes Daniel arap Moi. His dreaded torture machine was commonly referred to as the Special Branch and Mr Khwatenge, who worked with the agency. Anglican bishop Alexander Kipsang Muge was one of the many marked men in his government.
But Bishop Muge was not a man to take such threats.
He was committed to the justice he lived and died for and he believed in speaking the truth. Although his death was attributed by Moi government as normal, Mr Khwatenge, who worked in Eldoret at the time, says the theory of an ordinary accident was only a cover-up.
According to Mr Khwatenge, days before the bishop died, four Special Branch officers from Nairobi arrived in Eldoret with specific orders to “finish the bishop” who was becoming a thorn in the flesh for the Moi regime.
This is not to mention what you have already known about Wagalla massacre, Dr Robert Ouko’s assassination, ethnic classes, economic crimes among other evils. Yet still, Kenya has never reformed, so whose heroes are Kenyans celebrating?
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002
From: Shem Ochuodho
Subject: Human Rights Training, Quebec, Canada (IHRTP 2014 – call for applications – deadline November 18)
Might interest some … Thanks Dada Flora for sharing.
For any queries, please contact the addresses given or Dada Flora.
Regards,
Shem
—– Forwarded Message —–
From: flora terah
Sent: Wednesday, 9 October 2013, 18:01
Subject: IHRTP 2014 – call for applications – deadline November 18
Hallo Shem
Please circulate widely.I am an alumni/spokesperson and probably could endorse depending on the applicants criteria.
Flora Terah Igoki
Founder
Terah Against Terror
www.floraterah.com
I am grateful for all my problems. After each one was overcome, I became stronger and more able to meet those that were still to come. I grew in all my difficulties.
J. C. Penney
On Wednesday, October 9, 2013 10:54:54 AM, IHRTP-PIFDH wrote:
35th International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP)
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada, June 8 – June 27, 2014
Dear Friend,
Greetings from Equitas!
We are delighted to contact you today with details about our next annual International Human Rights Training Program. We are looking forward to another inspiring three-week program and the opportunity to meet around 90 participants from about 50 different countries.
We are inviting you to forward the enclosed Application Form, Program Information and Memorandum of Agreement to your network of human rights educators/activists and encourage organizations who you think could benefit from the program to apply. It is also a good opportunity to share with your network your personal experience at the IHRTP. We always appreciate recommendations from IHRTP Alumni.
In circulating the information, please bear in mind that the IHRTP is intended for human rights workers and educators from Non-Governmental Organizations, National Human Rights Institutions, Government bodies and educational institutions. The goal of the IHRTP is to strengthen the capacity of human rights organizations to undertake human rights education efforts aimed at building a global culture of human rights. The curriculum is based on principles of adult experiential learning in which participants and facilitators engage in a process of mutual teaching and learning. The Program Information provides a detailed description of the Program.
We received more than 850 applications for the 2013 IHRTP and it is therefore unlikely that we will have enough spaces for all of the qualified candidates. The selection process and participant profile we are looking for are described in the attached document. The Equitas Selection Committee gives priority to the organisations best able to demonstrate their commitment and effectiveness in relation to human rights promotion and education. Consideration is also given to overall gender balance, geographic representation and the availability of bursaries.
Please note that the deadline for receiving applications is November 18, 2013 and that only the 2014 Application Forms will be accepted. You can also find the documents, in English and French, on our web site at: www.equitas.org.
Should you have comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the IHRTP Team at ihrtp-pifdh@equitas.org
Yours sincerely,
Chris
Chris Bradley
Program Officer, IHRTP / Chargé de programme, PIFDH
Equitas – Centre international d’éducation aux droits humains / International Centre for Human Rights Education
666 Sherbrooke Ouest, Bureau 1100,
Montréal, QC, H3A 1E7
Canada
Tel: (1) 514 954-0382 Poste / Ext: 222
Fax: (1) 514 954-0659
www.equitas.org
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We are calling on all the Youth to get engaged in County Governance. Please visit and Like our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/NYSAKenya
Thanks for Supporting the National Youth Sector Alliance
Ambassador’s ‘way of thinking’ could also be US’s ‘ way of thinking’. Alfonso Lenhardt is a diplomat.
Maggid. Iringa.
– – – – – – – – – – –
” In a democratic society, freedom of press is paramount as media has a role and responsibility to disseminate information to help people make informed judgements.
..so, to shut down a press is to my way of thinking counter to that objective..
…Journalists have a part to play as well, by being professional- reporting the facts without bias, being as accurate as possible and doing it in a timely manner must not be compromised.
….In every situation there are two sides to the coin but I do not like what has happened… and I hope that will be rectified in some way.
I am not at all happy with the notion of suspending media houses in this case press organaizations because I would hope that as I said, it is freedom of the press.”- Alfonso Lenhardt, Former US ambassador to Tanzania, The Citizen, 4th October, 2013.
The leaders who formed the ICC will be remembered as great men and women who thought aboutholding people at high places to account when they committed atrocities against their own or otherswithin their influence.
ICC was intended to try criminals who had committed known crimes against humanity and who couldnot be tried at home. The criminals deserving the attention of the ICC are the notorious criminals whohave in no doubt committed atrocities which are clearly observed, talked about are indeed attributableto them. In most instances these criminals are heads of state or military leaders who turn to crime uponreaching the zenith of their power.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto do not fit any of the known descriptions ofcriminals and the emergence of their names from a mysterious and curious secret envelop whosecontents and handling remains strange, has baffled many and is the first of its kind in the history ofjustice in Kenya; the envelope. It has been said that the actual instigators and perpetrators of the crimeswere missing from the secret envelop and thus the secrecy.
It is also important to note that these are the most popular leaders with the Kenyan people who, inexercising their democratic rights chose them as their President and Deputy President. The KenyanPEOPLE exercised their rights as enshrined in their constitution and chose them to LEAD theGovernment of the PEOPLE by the PEOPLE for the Kenyan PEOPLE.
The collective action of the Kenyan People in electing them President and Deputy President clearlyshows that the Kenyans have given them the mandate to lead them and represent them in the variousinternational fora as may be necessary in discharging their duty.
It is remarkable that even after achieving this new status and important responsibilities at home andinternationally they openly humbled themselves to God. They have also continued to be humblethemselves and to subject themselves to the ICC where they could become the subject of ridicule and embarrassment without recourse because the dock does not invite respect and sensitivity. It has beensaid that some of the witnesses were bribed and may tell falsehoods against them. It has also been said that the ICC is serving the political interests of some drivers and are therefore not pursuing justice.
The position of the Head of State and the Commander in Chief of the Armed forces are very important inany country and Kenya is no exception; this is not a Person to be exposed to chance and hope that thoserelating to him will observe protocol. He is to be protected from all visible, perceived and probablethreats and allowed the flexibility to maneuver as he keeps awake to various situations affecting theNation and responds to them from whatever vantage point he finds appropriate. This is as it should befor all Heads of State.
It is worth noting that in July 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his visit to Africa by aroundseven hours to allow himself time to prepare to address MPs about the fast-developing phone-hackingscandal (The Independent Monday 18 July 2011)
In December 2012, with a yearend deadline looming before the economy going over the so-called fiscalcliff, President Barrack Obama cut short his traditional Christmas holiday in Hawaii.(ASSOCIATED PRESS Wednesday, December26, 2012)In July 2009 Chancellor Merkel cut short an Afghanistan troop visit (DW, 2009).
These are but a few examples of the extreme freedom that Heads of states, without exception, need torespond to the constantly changing situations in their countries and discharge their duties effectively.
The processes at the ICC and the decisions of our International community friends, who intend topromote the interest of the Kenyan People, should be informed by the events in Nairobi since theelection and the statement by Kenyans in regard to the responsibilities of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto, through a democratic process. Perhaps this would be a more reliable revelationof the correct position.
Requiring the President and his Deputy to shelve their status , even for the shortest period, while in thehands of the ICC is equal to temporarily relinquishing their constitutional position in Kenya and exposingthemselves, and the Kenyan Nation, to unknown situations and circumstances and isolating themselves from the Kenyan people.
This would obviously be the first time a Head of state surrenders his power and effectively leaves his country in a situation where he cannot exercise his executive powers, and invites a situation whereignorant or ill intentioned persons may deny him the freedom to serve the Nation for whatever reason.
Is this a position that the International community and friends of Kenya wish to see Kenya in?
Is this a position that Kenyans want to be in?Some people have said that old scores are being settled. Could this be true and who are involved?
The President and the Deputy President committed themselves to protect all Kenyans and uphold theConstitution of Kenya for the Kenyans. What did Kenyans commit themselves to do in regard to the wellbeing of their President, Deputy President and their Country?Is Kenya sleepwalking into a trap?
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today raised serious concerns about the deteriorating situation of press freedom in Tanzania, following the decision of the East African country to ban two widely-read newspapers.
According to independent sources and news reports, on 27 September the Tanzanian government took the decision to ban the Mwananchi (citizen in Kiswahili language) newspaper for 14 days and Mtanzania newspaper for 90 days. The decision was confirmed by the Information Services Director, Mr. Assah Mwambene.
“We are seriously worried by the Tanzanian government’s decision. Banning a newspaper means preventing journalists from providing news to the public. This is a press freedom abuse which must not be taken for granted,” said Gabriel Baglo, IFJ Africa director. “The authorities in Tanzania must re-open the two newspapers and promote press freedom”.
The official reason given for the decision is that the two newspapers were carrying stories “which were likely to force citizens to mistrust their government”. According to the government, Mwananchi has published several stories based on official documents not to be released to the public, while Mtanzania has published stories focusing on violence.
The IFJ believes that journalists in Tanzania are mature enough not to promote unethical standards in their daily work. It has stated that there is nothing to prevent the government from engaging in discussions with journalists and media practitioners to develop a more efficient and responsible way of working. The truth is that the Tanzania government continues to repress the right to media freedom in the country at a time when other African countries are making great efforts to improve freedom of expression.
The IFJ has questioned the decision of the Tanzanian government and stated that these are not the actions of a country that is respectful of the rule of law. In July last year the weekly newspaper, MwanaHalisi was banned. No decision to reopen it has been yet taken. While In September 2012, Daudi Mwangosi, who worked for Channel Ten as a TV reporter, died after being struck by a tear gas canister as police dispersed a crowd at a rally staged by an opposition political party ,Chadema cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party for Democracy and Progress). Until now there has been no justice for him and his family.
In December last year, Tanzanian police shot and wounded the journalist Shabani Matutu at his house in the capital city Dar-es-Salaam, and Issa Ngumba, a 45- year old radio journalist who worked for a community radio station Radio Kwizera in western Tanzania, was found dead on January 8 this year. He appeared to have been hanged by unknown assailants.
For more information, please contact: +221 33 867 95 86/87
FAJ represents more than 50.000 journalists in 40 countries in Africa
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2013
When Archbishop David Gitari gave testimony during the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) sitting in Nyeri he wished he could not die before the government of Kenya answered him the following questions:
1. Who killed Nyandarua politician JM Kariuki in 1975 and why? Gitari told the commission he went to the media to protest against President Kenyatta’s government as it was obvious some of Kenyatta’s cronies had a hand in the murder.
2. What happened with commission of inquiry parliament appointed to investigate the circumstances leading to the murder? He told the commission some people were mentioned as having played a role in Kariuki’s murder but nothing was done, “where is justice?” Gitari posed.
3. Why did the government of Daniel Moi kill Robert Ouko in 1990 and why? And like Kenyatta, what happened with the inquiry to Ouko’s death? “There must be people in government who know how Ouko was killed,” said Gitari.
He said the many commissions formed by the government whose findings have never been made public concerned him. “The government forms commissions to hoodwink people,” said the retired archbishop adding that he hoped the TJTC would not be like the other previous commissions.
4. In 1988 when the government of Moi tried to silence everyone and as a result, outspoken MPs, the media and trade unions were muted and only a few church leaders like him, Bishop Henry Okullu and Bishop Kipsang Muge could not be silenced, Gitari wondered, where was other church leaders?
Gitari told TJRC that he witnessed first hand the injustices of the mlolongo system when he visited a few polling stations and could see smaller queues winning and the longer ones losing.
He summed it: “According to Kanu’s mathematics, five was bigger than 5, 000!”
Gitari urged the TJRC to go to the National Archives, retrieve a report commissioned on his house raid and hand him and his family members copies.
Another injustice Gitari raised was committed when 3, 000 Kanu delegates meeting at Kasarani passed 12 resolutions in 12 minutes. Among them that NCCK should be abolished. He says the government used the delegates as a rubber stamp to pass the resolutions.
Other issues Gitari demanded an answer to no avail included:
1. In early 1975 when the first bombs exploded prior to the death of JM Kariuki in February where there were two blasts in central Nairobi, inside the Starlight night club and in a travel bureau near the Hilton hotel, what was the motive?
2. The day after the second explosion, J.M Kariuki revealed in Parliament that his car had been hit ‘by what seemed to be bullets’. There were rumours of a botched attempt on his life. They were followed by a more serious blast in a Nairobi bus on 1 March, which killed 30 people.
Despite a massive public outcry and a police manhunt, no arrests were made. For several days thereafter, the city lived in fear, destablised by numerous telephone bomb hoaxes. Did someone try to create a climate of fear and if so why?
3. On 2 March 1975, the day after the bus blast, security officials including GSU commander Ben Gethi Publicly accosted J. M. Kariuki outside the Hilton hotel, followed by the police throughout the day, including European police reservist Patrick Shaw, what was the motive?
4. Why did Gethi ask Kariuki to accompany the Security officials into a convoy of cars and took him to an unknown destination?
5. The next day, Maasai herdsmen discovered his tortured and mutilated corpse in the Ngong hills near Nairobi. His fingers had been cut off his eyes gouged out before he was shot dead, why did the police send the corpse to the mortuary as an unknown victim.
6. After Kariuki’s disappearance, there was a lull of five days while friends and family tried to discover his whereabouts, there were rumours that he had been detained. Finally, on 7th March, Assistant Minister Justus Ole Tipis admitted to the Assembly that Kariuki was missing and appealed for anyone knowing his whereabouts to cooperate with police.
The same day Kenyatta, returning to Nairobi from a month-long stay in Nakuru, made a veiled speech that appealed for order, and warned ‘the government would have no mercy on any individual or group that attempted to disrupt peace and harmony in Kenya, what did Kenyatta mean? Did he know what was to come out of it?
7, When on Saturday 8 March, the Daily Nation reported Kariuki was in Zambia, although the news desk already had sworn statements that the corpse in the mortuary was his; editor-in-chief George Githii ordered a reluctant news desk to print this misinformation, who instructed Githii to do so and why?
8. On 11 March, nine days after his abduction, Kariuki’s wife identified his body in the mortuary, after which armed GSU sealed off the building. At the same time Moi was making a statement, reporting that Kariuki’s whereabouts were still unknown, could Moi be asked who told him to tell lies and why?
9. On 12 March, police commissioner Bernard Hinga finally confirmed that Kariuki was dead, killed by two bullet wounds. He claimed that the ‘partial decomposition’ of the body made identification impossible, why did it take time to declare JM had died?
10. On 14March, parliament appointed a Select Committee to investigate the killings. Its chair was backbencher Elijah Mwangale from Bungoma, and it included Martin Shikuku, Seroney and other friends of Kariuki, why is result of the committee not made public?
Since then several inquiries gave been formed and their findings have not been made public. They include Justice Akilano Akiwumi commission to find those who initiated the ethnic clashes under Moi.
Emeritus Archbishop John Njenga of Mombasa who was the chairman of the Catholic Church’s Justice and Peace Commission had written twice to Attorney General Amos Wako, asking him to make the finding public to no avail.
The archbishop wrote to Wako first on August 3, 1999. The Attorney General did not respond. The archbishop wrote again on February 23, 2000 and has not received a response to date.
Similarly, in January 2000 the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) issued a statement asking the government to release the Akiwumi findings as a way of healing the wounds, to date the finding has never been made public.
Long before Akiwumi Commission was set up, a parliamentary select committee had investigated the 1991-1993 land clashes in the Rift Valley. The committee, headed by Changamwe MP Kennedy Kiliku, linked several Kanu MPs and government ministers to the violence that preceded the 1992 General Election. Kanu and a few opposition MPs ganged up against the Kiliku report and threw it out of parliament.
Throwing the findings out when it touches the government is not something new to Kenyans. The parliamentary Anti-Corruption Select Committee, the List of Shame that detailed corrupt government leaders, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Cult of Devil Worship in Kenya, chaired by Nyeri Catholic Archbishop Nicodemus Kirima, presented its report to the president in June 1995. To date the government has not released the report to the public.
In August 1999, the Commission of Inquiry into the Education System of Kenya, headed by Dr. Davy Koech, presented its report to President Moi. Kenyans are still waiting for the report.
President Uhuru Kenyatta wants to form another inquiry to find out how Westage Mall was attacked. Kenyans will not be amused that the findings will never be made in public. This brings us yet to another question as to why waste tax payers money to inquiries that have never been?
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002
The Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) recently completed a country Security Needs Assessment Survey for human rights NGOs, and for journalists being one of its thematic groups. According to our observations and what was recorded in the questionnaires that we distributed, media practitioners working for public media outlets are facing severe hatred from fractions of the citizenry or from supporters of certain political parties. These have led to commotions during political rallies and in situations where there is a tug of war between the citizenry in one hand and the government and investors on the other.
Given this situation this Coalition can foresee of worst scenario as this country is heading towards the 2015 General Elections. Incidents of throwing out, hurling stones and other forms of humiliations to this group are a common practice according to leaders of the 16 regional press clubs that were visited by this coalition.
Good examples to elucidate this scenario are in all regions which are a strong mainstay of the opposition, or which are endowed with rich reserves of natural resources. In this category regions like Mbeya, Iringa, Mtwara, Arusha, Kigoma and Dar es Salam have witnessed incidents of humiliating journalists like what happened to the TBC announcer Mr. Marin Hassani Marin when he was rounded up and harassed by sympathizers to the main Opposition party Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), when it was launching the presidential campaigns of their candidate Dr Willibrod during the 2010 General Elections at the Jangwani grounds following a sudden blackout of the national television coverage. Happenings like this could hinder the work of media practitioners in public media outlets which are run on coffers money.
Any sudden blackout of this media outlets have always created a critical risky situation towards these journalists as the public at large tend to assume that it is the journalists who decides what should and should not be aired without any attempt to understand that reporters operate under orders from their managements and editors. Just to mention a few, a similar blackout of news from the TBC led to the unprecedented violence against the Mtwara based TBC reporter Kassimu Mikongolo in May this year, whose house was set ablaze by the irate mobs condemning him of having terminated this coverage deliberately.
Other similar incidents have also occurred in Arusha whereby TBC reporters have been sidelined starting from the Arumeru by-election, and in other rallies by the Opposition CHADEMA. This has forced them to use stories which have been collected by their colleagues from such rallies. Scribes from public outlets that have faced difficulties are Leonard Manga, Sechela Kongola, Khalfan Mshana and Ben Mwaipaja.
In Kigoma scribes in the public media outlets have a working confidence with leaders from all parties. However, citizens at large do not have trust with such outlets. In Kigoma TBC reporter Dotto Elias once faced a stiff challenge when at the CHADEMA rally when he was harassed by its sympathizers. In that occasion CHADEMA’s leaders came to his rescue. Gervas Msigwa also with TBC has been facing harassments whenever he attends CHADEMA’s rallies he escaped narrowly an attack during the by-election in the Lisabon Songea in 2011.
The current chairman of the Iringa Press Club Mr. Frank Leonard, who is employed by a public media outlet publisher of Daily News and Habari Leo, says there is a problem with politicians who fail to construe journalists as members of the community and that whatever they report reflect people’s wishes. In the 2010 General Election the ruling CCM top leadership had substituted its candidate who emerged an overall winner and replaced him with one who happened to their own choice. By reporting this discrepancy he was seen as an agent of the opposition so he was confronted by the CCM’s Green Guards on grounds that he was working against their party, at the end of the day the ruling party lost in the Iringa Urban Constituency.
Due to insecurity that these journalists are facing they have been forced at times to remove the TBC emblem and stickers from their cars and cameras in an attempt to rescue their lives. Vivid examples were when they were covering cases of Sheikh Ponda Issa Ponda Islamist leader and Willfred Rwakatare CHADEMA’s cadre. In these incidences George Kasembe and Nora Uledi almost lost their cameras to the angry mobs, let alone the booing from these fanatics of the two suspects.
The Source of these Commotions
• Our attempts to understand the core of this problem detected that the problem could be not with the scribes at the reportage level, but with their top management and editorial policies guiding their works. Journalists in this category always are at cross roads whenever they are engulfed in a tug of war between the citizenry and their government.
• Another challenge in a related situation is when some government functionaries like district and regional commissioners together with their district executive directors who choose to use such journalists as their public relations officers on an assumption those media outlets in electronic and print forms are their mouth pieces and of the government of the day and the ruling party.
• This has gone hand in hand with providing offices for them in shared public buildings between government administrators and journalists. This has always been at the peril of the journalists who must report in the tunes of the bigwigs whether it is through inducements and pay offs or the forced dictates.
• In another stance it is when public media outlets are sidelined by some institutions that do not trust public media outlets on grounds that they cannot get a fair coverage. This tells that some groups in the citizenry, political parties, or even public institutions do not have a trust towards public media outlets.
Under these circumstances journalists from the public media face a stiff challenge due to a failure to understand where they should stand and how their news coverage would be perceived by political fanatics, and whether their reportage will be against the expectations of the citizenry.
In an attempt to get a position of the TBC management recently there was a face to face discussion on the matter and TBC admitted some of these challenges such as those facing journalists in Mtwara, Arusha and Kigoma. Responding to the issues of being perceived as pro ruling party, the TBC denied the allegation saying that it is a non-political, non-biased entity and that it operates and it will continue to operate within its own guidance and editorial policy which moreover, guarantees fair coverage to all despite their political postions.
Solution to these Challenges
• On the question of security to journalists the TBC management admitted that there has been provision of training on security management but usually when General Elections approaches. This management acknowledged the importance of forming alliance with the THRDC in provision of security management trainings.
• There is a need to improve managerial capacity to the runners of these institutions so that they can get well acclimatized to the multiparty era in which this country is now operating.
• Also there is a need for a joint meeting between leaders of public media outlets, political parties, and the THRD-Coalition in order to underscore security of scribes in the forthcoming elections.
• This coalition urges all Tanzanians to stop harassing these journalists whenever they are in their routine coverage, and that any challenging matter should be reported to their management.
• We urge media practitioners in public institutions and their management to understand that public media should remain neutral and they should not have any kind of inclinations to either the government of the day or to any one political party.
• In order to maintain neutrality all offices of the public media outlets should be located outside the government buildings. Therefore the need to construct their own houses in order to get rid of an assumption that these are mere public relations officers of government leaders.
• We thank the TBC management for assisting Kassim Mikongolo during his trying moment including his subsequent transfer from Mtwara an area that could endanger his life. Moreover this Coalition will also assist him financially in order to meet some of the expenses that he has undergone following the tragedy.
Brought to you on behalf of the THRD-Coalition by:
Onesmo Olengurumwa
NATIONAL COORDINATOR THRD –COALITION
From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Today’s first reading is taken from Am 8:4-7, second reading is from 1 Tm 2:1-8, the Gospel is from Lk 16:1-13. All the readings today emphasize the concept of Justice and peace. While justice is a virtue which guides the human will, prompting us to give others what is due to them by reason of their existence and their actions, peace is a gift of God implored with faith.
As prophet Amos speaks out in the first reading, we must fearlessly condemn greed, self-indulgence, corruption, complacency, and religious indifference in the strongest term possible. We must condemned political, religious and any other leaders who exploited and oppressed the poor.
We should emulate the courage of Anglican Bishop Alexander Muge who became a true voice to the voiceless of the exploited and oppressed people of God in Kenya. He fearlessly condemned Moi’s regime for corruption and ethnic cleansing which had begun sweeping through the Rift Valley, Western, Nyanza and other regions.
We should also emulate the courage of American Mill Hill missionary, Fr John Anthony Kaiser who fearlessly brought attention to the social problems facing people of God in Kenya. He became a vocal critic of the waves of evictions which were clearly government-backed.
He came into national limelight in the early 1990s when he vigorously resisted the eviction of the internally displaced people who had camped at Maela in Narok, following their eviction from Enoosupukia.
In the second reading St. Paul insists that we must speak the truth without fear, bias or favor. We should emulate the courage of American human rights activist, Malcolm X who courageously and fearlessly spoke the truth:
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.”
Jesus told his disciples that to believe in his is to know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:31,32. The key to genuine freedom is found in the phrase; “continue in my word”. Jesus says we come to know the truth by continuing in his teachings, and truth is that which will liberate us or make us free.
Truth will lead men and women, boys and girls to love one another. To the extent that we love one another, we shall also respect each other’s rights and privileges.
Later Saint Paul would write about the necessity to be numbered among those “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For…ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit” (Romans 8:4-6, 9). It is not a matter of being “bad” or “good” but of being truthful.
To live as a material being is to live a lie; to live as a spiritual being is to live the truth. And that is truly “life and peace.” “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit,” for “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” with the Divine (Galatians 5:16; I Corinthians 6:17).
In the Gospel Christ is warning those who would follow him on the road to heaven not to become the slaves of earthly things. We should serve God, not money. No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.”
In simple word, Jesus wants us to be generous with what you have. Generosity is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need. Generosity can also be spending time, money, or labor, for others, without being rewarded in return.
Although generosity often goes hand-in-hand with charity, it is not solely based on one’s economic status, but instead, includes the individual’s pure intentions of looking out for society’s common good and giving from the heart. In other words, generosity should reflect the individual’s passion to help others.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
Wednesday September 18, 2013 – The Chinese Government has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to drop the two Kenyan cases facing President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto saying Kenya is not a Pariah State
In statement read by Chinese Government Spokesman, Hong Lei, on Wednesday, the Chinese Government said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto were elected in a democratic and fair manner and ICC and other Western powers (US and Britain) should respect the country’s sovereignty.
“We have noticed that there are different voices in Kenya on the ICC trials, and that quite a few African nations have raised serious questions about the trials,” Hong said Uhuru and Ruto were elected by Kenyans in a free vote, Hong said, adding that an African Union summit in May urged the ICC to transfer the trials of Kenyan leaders to Kenya.
“We hope the international community will respect the Kenyan people’s choice, and the ICC will heed the advice of African nations and the African Union,” he said adding that the Chinese President will formally meet with ICC officials in order to urge them to respect Kenya’s sovereignty.
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Why should we not all live in peace and harmony ? we look up the same stars , we are fellow passengers on the same planet and dwell beneath the same sky , what matters it along which road each individual endeavours to reach the ultimate truth ? the riddle of existence is too great that there should be only one road leading us to an answer
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QUINTUS AURELIUS SYMMACHUS
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The decision by authorities at Kality Prison to impose visitor restrictions on imprisoned journalist Reeyot Alemu constitutes harassment and runs counter to the Ethiopian constitution, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
"We call upon the Ethiopian authorities to lift these latest restrictions and allow Reeyot Alemu to receive all visitors," said CPJ East Africa Consultant Tom Rhodes. " She is a journalist, not a criminal, and should not be behind bars."
Reeyot, a critical columnist of the banned private weekly Feteh, began a hunger strike on Wednesday to protest an order by Kality Prison officials to turn in a list of visitors, according to local journalists and news reports. The officials did not provide an explanation for the request. In retaliation for the hunger strike, authorities forbade her from having any visitors excluding her parents and priest, local journalists said.
Two days later, prison officials said she could receive any visitors except for her younger sister and her fiancé, journalist Sileshi Hagos, the sources said. Sileshi was detained for four hours at the prison later that day when he attempted to visit Reeyot.
Reeyot stopped the hunger strike on Sunday, but decided not to receive any visitors until the restrictions on her fiancé and sister are lifted. The journalist is serving a 14-year prison term on vague terrorism charges that was reduced in August 2012 to five years on appeal.
It was not immediately clear whether the visitor restrictions were in connection with an article published by the International Women's Media Foundation last month that had been written by Reeyot. It is unclear if the journalist wrote the letter from prison or if this was a translation of an earlier story. In the article, Reeyot criticizes Ethiopia's anti-terrorism law, an overbroad legislation that was used to jail and convict her for her critical coverage of the government.
Kality Prison Director Abraham Wolde–Aregay did not respond to CPJ's calls and text messages for comment. Desalegn Teresa, a spokesman for Ethiopia's Ministry of Justice, did not return CPJ's call for comment.
The denial of rights to Reeyot runs counter to the Ethiopian Constitution, which states: "All persons shall have the opportunity to communicate with, and to be visited by, their spouses or partners, relatives and friends, religious counselors, lawyers and medical practitioners."
In a December 2003 report, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment stated that prisoners should be "permitted to have contact with, and receive regular visits from, their relatives, lawyers and doctors." The same report stated that "access to the outside world can only be denied on reasonable conditions and restrictions as specified by law or lawful regulations."
This is the second time in six months that the prison administration has put pressure on Reeyot, according to CPJ research. In March, officials threatened to put Reeyot in solitary confinement, according to sources close to her who spoke on condition of anonymity. Officials accused the journalist of indiscipline, according to news reports, a charge she denied.
In a report issued the same month, the United Nations Special Rapporteur determined that the rights of Reeyot under the UN Convention against Torture had been violated on account of the Ethiopian government's failure to respond to allegations of her ill-treatment. Reeyot had complained of mistreatment, and her health had deteriorated while she was held incommunicado in pre-trial detention, reports said.
This is a matter for ICC Hague ………..Very very sad indeed……
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson &
Executive Director for
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
email: jbatec@yahoo.com
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Jicho Pevu : Wagigisi wa mauji katika vita dhidi ya ugaidi part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdARlR2PJY
Published on Sep 5, 2013
Jicho Pevu – Wagigisi wa mauji katika vita dhidi ya ugaidi part 2
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From: Judy Miriga
