Wednesday 29 March 2017

Ngilu reveals why she has been losing elections and her new plot;

Former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Kitui Governor Julius Malombe hold hands on March 28, 2017 during an event in Emali, Makueni County. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By BRIAN MOSETI
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Kamba leaders on Tuesday threw their weight behind Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka’s bid to be endorsed as Nasa flag bearer.
They said they had united as one community and will be pushing to have Mr Musyoka on the ballot.
Former Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu said she had lost elections all the time she was opposing Mr Musyoka and did not want a repeat of the same.
"I opposed him in 2007 and lost and again in 2013. This is not going to happen again,” She said.
She also apologised to the community saying that in 2013 she cost the Cord coalition the presidency by campaigning for Jubilee.
Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana said Mr Musyoka was the best candidate to fly the presidential flag.
"Ask us to even go and talk to the other Co-principals so we can tell them this, because you are the one to save Kenya," he said.
Senator Mutual Kilonzo said its only 30 days left before Nasa announces their presidential candidate and they will fast and pray until Mr Musyoka is chosen.

Monday 27 March 2017

NASA to pick flag-bearer through consensus; 27.03.2017

One of the NASA principals, Musalia Mudavadi, has said the coalition flagbearer will be picked through consensus. Mr Mudavadi, who is the Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader and is also eyeing the joint Opposition presidential ticket, said the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) would promptly inform Kenyans when they settle on a particular candidate. Speaking in Rongai, Kajiado County, yesterday, he said Kenyans should expect communication from the committee. Mudavadi said there was no cause for alarm and the fact that NASA was yet to announce its presidential candidate should not be misconstrued to mean there was a deadlock in the Opposition regarding who should be the flag bearer. "We still have a lot of time ahead given the IEBC timelines. We still have party primaries, which will take the whole of April and the better part of May. It is after that the attention will now shift to naming presidential candidates," said Mudavadi. He said it would be confusing if reports on how the NASA presidential flag bearer would be coming from various quarters. ALSO READ: Opinion: Prayers alone won’t solve our problems Opposition supporters have waited for the naming of a presidential candidate by the NASA coalition with bated breath. If it holds together, this would be the second time in Kenya's history for a mighty coalition to come together to face a sitting government. In 2002, Uhuru Kenyatta, then a Kanu aspirant, was beaten by such a formation; NARC. Mudavadi, who was flanked by ANC party officials, defended the Opposition's plans to have a parallel tallying centre for presidential votes in the August elections. Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka courted controversy when he said on Friday at Muliro Grounds in Mathare that NASA would have a parallel vote tallying centre for the August 8 General Election. "What we mean is that the IEBC needs to demonstrate to the voters that indeed they are committed to delivering foolproof results. That is what every Kenyan wants," said Mudavadi. The statement has elicited lots of reactions from Jubilee, with Deputy President William Ruto accusing the Opposition of threatening to usurp the powers and responsibilities of a constitutionally-mandated institution; the IEBC. Mudavadi said a NASA government would enforce the one-third gender rule. ALSO READ: How previous losers won this year’s Sh3.7 billion polls kit tender
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Ruth Odinga ordered to pay Sh495,000 in damages; 27.03.2017

By JUSTUS OCHIENG'
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Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga
Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga. She has been given 30 days to pay up. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP. 
Kisumu Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga has been ordered to pay Sh 495,820 to a businessman for damaging his car.
Mr Rickham Muga sued Ms Odinga after her vehicle with his on June 1, 2013, causing severe damage to it.
SUIT COST
He sued the deputy county boss and Kisumu Senior Principal Magistrate Thomas Obutu ordered her to pay the trader.
Mr Obutu on Friday also gave Ms Odinga 30 days to pay the plaintiff the cost of the suit plus interest accrued from the date of judgment.
In his judgment, Mr Obutu broke down the charges incurred by the plaintiff as Sh351,720 as the cost of the repairs, Sh 8,000 – towing charges and Sh 5,900 for inspection.
Others included police abstract charged at Sh200, storage at Sh 10,000 and Sh 120,000 for alternative transport all totalling to Sh495,820.
DAMAGE
The magistrate found Ms Odinga’s driver, agent or employee to had had: “negligently, recklessly and carelessly drove motor vehicle… that he caused it to collide with that of Mr Muga… that was lawfully parked along Oginga Odinga Street in Kisumu.”
The court heard that on June 1, 2013, Mr Muga’s spouse had parked the vehicle near Telcom Building in Kisumu when the Ms Odinga’s driver rammed it.
“The collision caused extensive damage and material loss to the plaintiff’s motor vehicle,” stated Mr Obutu in his judgment.

Sunday 26 March 2017

University of Nairobi tough academic rules for postgraduates; 22.03.2017

UON Vice Chancellor Prof. Peter Mbithi
The University of Nairobi is implementing tough academic research guidelines aimed at tightening the quality of research papers for all its postgraduate programmes.
The university has capped the number of students a supervisor can take up and enforced a mandatory use of anti-plagiarism software on all research works across all academic levels.
The Standard has established that all university faculties, centers and schools have been instructed to ensure all research proposals done by masters students are run through anti-plagiarism software.
This means that all students currently undertaking research work will only have their research proposals moved to the next level after successfully passing the professional checks.
Previously some schools, faculties and centers only ran the anti-plagiarism software on the final research product.
The new guidelines issued by the Graduate School take effect immediately. The Board of Post Graduate Studies was recently converted into Graduate School and Prof Lydia Njenga appointed the director.
The Standard has learnt that Prof Njenga, has firmly instructed that only students whose research proposals have passed the critical test will be allowed to proceed to the field.
Communication from School of Journalism Post Graduate Committee chairman Dr. Samuel Siringi summons all graduate students cohorts to an urgent meeting today.
"Please attend an emergency meeting on Thursday to familiarize with the rules. You must attend regardless of the progress of your research work," reads the communication seen by The Standard.
Under the new requirements, PhD holders will only supervise up to a maximum of five students. And for doctorate programmes, supervisors will only be allowed to oversee research work of a maximum of three students.
The Graduate School director has also instructed that starting 2016/2017academic year; every PhD programme must introduce course work for those that did not have.
This means that there will be no PhD by research. The new requirements are in line with the Commission for University Education standards and guidelines (2014).
It also comes days after Prof Njenga communicated the CUE directive that each masters students must publish at least one article in a refereed journal before they are allowed to graduate. PhD students are required to publish at least two articles before they are allowed to graduate.
Speaking during the launch of Nairobi Innovation Week, Vice Chancellor Peter Mbithi said the university is committed to providing quality education.
"In order to remain relevant and successful, the university's strategy has to be tailored to respond to the challenges emanating from this environment," said Mbithi.

Saturday 25 March 2017

New leader must now drive Somalia’s rebirth; 26.03.2017

By Makau Mutua
The democratic installation of Mohamed Mohamed as President of the Federal Republic of Somalia is the most hopeful political development in the war-torn Horn of Africa country in decades. Mr Mohamed, a New York resident – and dual US-Somali citizen – is likely to lead a national renaissance in one of the most tortured countries on earth.
Somalia has not known peace since the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. President Mohamed, the urbane technocrat educated at the University at Buffalo, is bound to transform Villa Somalia into the nerve centre that puts humpty dumpty back together again. A man of virtue, Mr Mohamed is a one in a generation leader.
Mr Mohamed’s rise to power has been greeted with universal acclaim. Inside Somalia, he has been received with a unanimity never seen before. Somalis in the diaspora in America and the West have been delirious with joy at his election. Closer to home, ethnic Somalis in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti see real hope for Somalia. The adoration for Mr Mohamed is justified. He is a skilled technocrat. He was Commissioner for the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority and Equal Employment at New York State’s Department of Transportation. He put that expertise to effective use as Prime Minister in Somalia from 2010-2011 before he fell victim to palace and political intrigues.
What Mr Mohamed did in his short stint as Prime Minister brought hope to Somalis everywhere. In less than a year, he paid bureaucrats and soldiers on time. He introduced a code of ethics and required public officials to declare their wealth. He set up an anti-corruption commission to curb official graft. He stopped wasteful international travel junkets by senior officials. He introduced a full audit of government property. He trained more than a thousand new security officials and together with the African Union Mission to Somalia (Amisom), the multinational force fighting Al Shabaab, retook most of the capital Mogadishu and large chunks of the countryside. Lastly, he defused clan tensions and engaged religious and scholars on constitutional talks.
Historically, the Somali political landscape has been a snake pit. Somalia is not riven by ethnic or linguistic cleavages. Out of 12 million, eight to five percent of the population is ethnic Somali, 15 per cent Bantu, with a small number of Arabs. However, the demon of Somalia has been competing and toxic Somali clan politics. No central government can survive without massaging and managing the economic and political interests of clan-based elites. In a pastoralist culture where the writ of the central state has historically been wafer thin, clan elders are king. In the last two decades, state collapse and the total decimation of the economy have fed the radicalisation of disenfranchised and disillusioned youth. That’s why Al Shabaab has thrived.
Somali jihadists have perverted Islam to create a state of terror. Extremism has grown without economic opportunity, law and order. Amisom and Somali security forces protect the government in Mogadishu but the countryside remains perilous. Amisom troops, especially the Kenyan contingent, have taken huge losses from Al Shabaab attacks. Runaway corruption by the government and perceptions of human rights violations by Amisom have hindered the campaign against Al Shabaab. Besides, Mogadishu has no control over the self-declared rogue statelets of Puntland and Somaliland, which are not recognised internationally. President Mohamed faces a herculean task as he attempts to restore Somali statehood and sovereignty. He and his international backers, especially the US, must take several pivotal steps to return Somalia to civility.
Mr Mohamed must reinvent the Somali state. He has the opportunity to carry through with the reforms he started as premier. He must create a transparent, open, and democratic state devoid of corruption and impunity. He must use the deserved goodwill of the entire Somali people to stand up institutions of the state that work and are fair. An independent judiciary is indispensable. The executive must be accountable and service-oriented. The legislature, long a den of the mafiosi, must be brought under the rule of law. These steps will give confidence to the people – both at home and the large Somali diaspora – to return or invest in the economy. Drones and guns alone will not vanquish Al Shabaab. Mr Mohamed together with Amisom and the US need to court Somalis who have joined Al Shabaab out of desperation.
They must isolate the moderates from the diehard Al Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated jihadists. Most Somali Al-Shabaab fighters do not have global jihadist ambitions. They can lay down their arms with a peace deal and a path to deradicalisation and reintegration. Mr Mohamed and his allies must decisively address the current famine. To defeat Al Shabaab and lead a Somali renaissance, he must create a society of opportunity.

Thursday 23 March 2017

Police beat up and strip Standard journalist in Siaya

Bondo-based Standard journalist Isaiah GwengiBondo-based Standard journalist Isaiah Gwengi (left) and activist Rodgers Ochieng’ who were Wednesday evening, March 22, 2017 arrested by QRT police officers based in the town. They said they were tortured for several hours before being booked at the Usenge Police Post before being released on Thursday morning. PHOTO | COURTESY 

 Summary

  • Mr Gwengi was arrested while in the company of activist Rodgers Ochieng’ and other locals.
  • The officers are believed to be on a revenge mission by arresting the youths, including the journalist.
  • Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda condemned the incident and has vowed to ensure that the journalist and the activist are released.
By NELCON ODHIAMBO
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By RUSHDIE OUDIA
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Tension is high in Usenge town, Siaya County, after police arrested and locked up Bondo-based Standard Media Group journalist Isaiah Gwengi on Wednesday evening.
Officers from the Quick Response Team seized Mr Gwengi while in the company of activist Rodgers Ochieng’ and other locals.
The scribe was targeted for investigating the use of excessive force by the officers who have been on rampage since Tuesday evening.
The Nation established that Mr Gwengi’s arrest was related to a story he was following after residents accused the officers of harassment.
The two were reportedly beaten up by police and Mr Gwengi suffered head, neck, hand and waist injuries.
“They took off my shoes and said they were stinking that they cannot be kept in the police vehicle,” said Mr Gwengi.
STRIPPED
The officers also took his phone by force and removed his two SIM cards.
He added: “I was stripped naked and the officers demanded to check if I was circumcised.”
Trouble started when two traders were arrested on Tuesday and, since then, the town has been under curfew from 6pm.
The residents were threatening to hold a demonstration to condemn police brutality and to demand the release of the traders.
Mr Gwengi, who was in the process of interviewing the human rights activist, was then arrested alongside Mr Ochieng and bundled into a police van.
BLEEDING
The two were taken to Got Agulu Hospital after the area OCS refused to book them because they were bleeding profusely.
They were attended to at the hospital before being taken back to the cells at Usenge Police Station where they spent the night.
Standard Group Nyanza Bureau Chief John Oywa on Thursday said the journalist had been writing stories on police brutality, extortion and illegal charcoal business in the area, a matter that has put him on the war path with the authorities for a while now.
He expressed shock at the torture meted on his staff and demanded explanation from the police headquarters on the unfortunate incident.
HARASSMENT
“I thought the police had transformed from a force to a service. This clearly shows that nothing has changed. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Joseph Boinnet, must urgently investigate the activities of these officers,” said Mr Oywa.
Usenge residents have been calling for the removal of the Quick Response Team police unit, whom they have accused of harassment.
“We are not happy with the presence of the QRT in the area. They have resorted to beating up everybody on sight and arresting innocent boda boda riders operating in Usenge and its environs,” said a resident who sought anonymity.
In February, the journalist and activist reported to the Bondo DCIO that their lives were in danger.
TORTURE
Efforts to get comments from the police the arrests bore no fruit as the officers and Bondo police boss Paul Kiarie did not answer calls or reply to text messages.
On Tuesday, Administration Police officers, under the command of Inspector Benard Ongoro, injured one person and confiscated several motorbikes after the officers allegedly started torturing the youth for unknown reasons.
The alleged harassment sparked protests among members of the public.
The locals shouted at the officers, who later escaped from the wrath of the mob which threatened to attack them.
REVENGE
The officers are believed to be on a revenge mission by arresting the youths, including the journalist and activists, for being at the forefront advocating for their removal.
Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda has condemned the incident and has vowed to ensure that the journalist and the activist are released on free police bond.
Dr Ochanda said the actions by police would only raise tension and animosity between the residents and the police.
FREE BOND
He asked the police QRT unit to stop harassing locals, insisting that he would call for their removal from the town if similar incidents are reported to his office.
“I am headed to the police station to secure their release on free bond and I hope no case will be filed against them as they did not commit any offence. It is sad that the reason for their arrest is very flimsy,” said Dr Ochanda.
The two were released Thursday morning on a free bond.

CBK rejects bankers’ mobile money transfer; 22.03.2017

Mobile money From left: Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) vice chair John Gachora, PesaLink CEO Jenifer Theuri, KBA chief executive Habil Olaka and PesaLink information officer Michael Mbuthia. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU
Mobile money From left: Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) vice chair John Gachora, PesaLink CEO Jenifer Theuri, KBA chief executive Habil Olaka and PesaLink information officer Michael Mbuthia. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU 

Summary

  • CBK governor Patrick Njoroge said the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), had initially pegged their mobile money transaction time at 40 seconds, which it deemed too slow.
  • This prompted the financial regulator to direct the lenders to recalibrate their system for faster transactions as a condition for rollout.
  • The directive will now send the commercial banks back to the drawing board, a move that could further delay the planned launch.
By NEVILLE OTUKI
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The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has directed banks to cut by half the time Kenyans take to transact on the lenders’ mobile money transfer platform, PesaLink, from the current 20 seconds before launch.
CBK governor Patrick Njoroge said the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), representing 43 lenders, had initially pegged their mobile money transaction time at 40 seconds, which it deemed too slow.
This prompted the financial regulator to direct the lenders to recalibrate their system for faster transactions as a condition for rollout.
“We had this group of banks approach us with their mobile money transfer product. We asked them how long it will take to transact and they said 40 seconds. We send them back to cut the time. They came back with 20 seconds. We send them back again. The transaction time should be less than 10 seconds,” Dr Njoroge told participants at the just concluded Africa CEO forum in Geneva, Switzerland.
He was one of the panelists during the financial services session dubbed, Retail, banking, telecoms: the Fintech effect.
The directive will now send the commercial banks back to the drawing board, a move that could further delay the planned launch.
“They have to get their act together first before launch. Why should a simple transaction take 20 seconds?” Asked Dr Njoroge.
The KBA had planned to launch the service last August.
In February, six banks finally got the CBK’s greenlight, effectively putting them on the PesaLink platform, and the number grew to 23 lenders last week.
PesaLink is expected to rival telcos’ mobile money service currently dominated by Safaricom’s M-Pesa.
Customers using the platform will initiate transactions from the mobile phone, the banks’ branch, at the ATM, at agency banking outlets or via the Internet.
Dr Njoroge said mobile money service had deepened Kenya’s financial inclusivity to 87 per cent from 25 per cent in 2005.
“The past two years I have been in Kenya I have never stepped into a bank to transact. I conduct all my transactions on my phone,” he told the gathering in Geneva.
PesaLink, which allows account holders to transfer money across different banks, comes a decade after the inception of Safaricom’s M-Pesa in 2007, which was initially opposed by banks.
The lenders, however, later embraced mobile banking.
PesaLink, which in effect seeks to eliminate the M-Pesa mediation in the transactions, will also allow customers to transfer up to Sh1 million through mobile phones as opposed to M-Pesa which limits daily cash transfers to Sh140,000.
It is also expected to reduce reliance on real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems that process payments between 8am and 3pm on weekdays, but reflect on receiving accounts after four hours or more.

Germany’s Marshall Plan for Africa

 by 
On January 18th, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development unveiled its new Africa policy framework “Marshall Plan with Africa”. The idea was first put forward by global interest groups The Club of Rome and “Senat der Wirtschaft,” who emphasized that in the context of Africa’s demographic trend, Germany will have to mobilize more aid and private investment. The idea was also floated by Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou during German chancellor Angela Merkel’s state visit to Niger in October 2016. Issoufou called for a US$1 billion package to create jobs, prevent conflict, and reduce migration. Merkel was hesitant to endorse Issoufou’s proposal (it’s unclear why), yet just four months later Germany unveiled its Africa policy using that same title.
There is a long and misleading legacy of Marshall-Plans being called for in different parts of the world across a range of different contexts. In development advocacy, the term has often been instrumentalized by “big-push” theorists such as economist Jeffrey Sachs. These theorists are convinced that a large increase in development assistance will deliver low-income countries from poverty traps. However, the context in which Germany benefitted from the original Marshall Plan right after World War II was very specific to that moment and place. At that time, Germany had a large pre-existing industrial capacity, while the Marshall Plan’s transfers to European partner countries such as France, Italy, and the United Kingdom increased demand for German exports.
Before scrutinizing the plan in detail, it is useful to think about which political dynamics may have led to the adoption of this ambitious framework. With upcoming federal elections, Merkel has come under growing domestic pressure over her “open” refugee and migrant policy. Reports suggest Merkel has recently been in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya to discuss the migrant crisis with aim of managing the flow of migrants. It is her second Africa trip in six months after having not visited the continent in five years. Germany’s minister for international development, Gerd Müller, will likely not retain his portfolio following this year’s federal election, and aspired to leave a legacy with the Marshall Plan. He is also a member of Merkel’s Bavarian sister party CSU, which has criticized her migrant policy almost as passionately as the right-radical AFD. Similar to his British Tory counterpart Priti Patel, Müller and other German politicians have communicated and legitimized Germany’s aid budget by promising fewer migrants.
Leaving aside the moral argument about instrumentalizing international aid, and normalizing anti-migrant sentiments, evidence suggests that aid might actually increase migration. As the Center for Global Development’s Michael Clemens has pointed out, migration from low-income countries increases over the course of a “mobility transition”, (at least) until countries reach upper-middle income status. Instead of promoting fairytales to an increasingly anti-migrant electorate, policymakers are shying away from taking the courage to put things into perspective, while acknowledging the hard truths about global migration:
One, migration will not decrease from its current levels anytime soon and money invested specifically for migrant-deterrence aid is money wasted.
Two, repressive migration regimes actually force people to stay in Europe and disrupt potentially virtuous circular migration patterns. West African immigrants to France frequently moved between France and their country of origin. After the French migration regime was tightened, many feared that they would not be able to comeback, and felt forced to stay.
Three, poorer countries such as Kenya, Lebanon, and Uganda are hosting more migrants and refugees per capita, without comparable levels of xenophobia and exclusion.
Four, in the future, NATO should consider the long-term consequences of military interventions.
Another underlying political dynamic is Germany’s reluctant embrace of global leadership. Germany has historically approached international development assistance with the rhetoric of altruism. But increasingly, it has become more explicit in linking national and sometimes European interests to its international development policy. Contrary to the trend in other Western countries, Germany’s official development assistance (ODA) has increased by 26 percent in 2015, with the country spending $17.8 billion. According to Devex, German development aid is expected to increase by more than $8.9 billion more than initially planned between 2016 and 2019.
Though the increase in aid is substantial for Germany, it hardly qualifies as a Marshall Plan capable of delivering the infamous big-push for all African countries. Carlos Lopes, former Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, joked that it is roughly equivalent to the budget of a medium city in Europe.
But rather than solely providing a material increase in aid, the plan was to provide a blueprint for future international development policy. The plan consists of three pillars: Economic Growth, Jobs and Trade; Peace, Security, and Stability; and Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights. Countries that pursue anti-corruption, women’s empowerment, and good governance are to receive a 20% increase in development assistance, while it is unclear how this will be judged. From a governance perspective, the plan is short on fresh proposals, but rather reiterates the uninspiring “good governance” and “rule of law” rhetoric, which has been criticized by scholars such as Mushtaq Khan. African researchers have also pointed out that the plan bypasses existing continental development frameworks, ironic since policymakers made sure to call it the Marshall Plan with Africa.
With regards to financing in the context of Africa’s large infrastructure gap, the plan also attempts to find ways with which to incentivize private, and institutional investors such as pension funds to invest in African infrastructure. Under its current G20 presidency, Germany has committed to boost current multilateral development guarantees, and aims to create a currency exchange fund against local currency risks. Helmut Reisen, formerly head of research of the OECD Development Centre, has pointed out, that this was already envisioned under the “G20/OECD High-Level Principles of Long-Term Investment Financing by Institutional Investors”, but did not succeed in significantly raising investment levels. He points out that development finance institutions such as the IFC have used innovative instruments such as a Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program, or a First Loss guarantee to draw in long-term investors such as Allianz AG, but he remains skeptical about their potential for African countries. More emphasis should rather be placed on domestic resource mobilization and the fight against illicit financial flows, which are higher than overall development assistance according to some estimates.
While the plan calls for increased market access for African exports, it does not address the frequent disconnect of European development-and trade policy. Since the Lomé Convention in 1975, the EU has granted non-reciprocal trade preferences to African countries, but under the Cotonou Agreement, this system was replaced by the negotiation of economic partnership agreements (EPAs). EPAs are negotiated with different African regional trading blocs. Cameroon has angered other partners in the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) because of its unilateral decision to ratify the EPA. The East African Community (EAC) is divided with Kenya, and Rwanda in strong support of the EPA, and Tanzania, and Uganda calling for a renegotiation of the agreement. Germany’s stated goal is to promote job creation and increase value added exports.  For this to be genuine, EPA’s have to uphold the integrity of regional blocks, leave policy space for industrial policies, and refrain from dumping subsidized agricultural products into African markets.
Finally, in light of Germany’s recent acknowledgement of the Herero, and Nama genocide, which we discussed here, Germany has yet to address its guilt as a colonial empire, and genuinely respond to calls for reparations. Traditional traditional authorities of the Herero and Nama have filed a class action lawsuit  against Germany seeking reparations. The pre-trial conference of that case (Rukoro et al. v. Germany) will be held tomorrow, March 16, in New York’s Southern District Court.

Smartphone device can test sperm quality; 23.03.2017

By AFP
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A new smartphone device can analyse a man's
A new smartphone device can analyse a man's sperm quality and let him know in a matter of minutes whether he suffers from infertility, US researchers said Wednesday. PHOTO | FILE 

 Summary

  • The new test, however, "can analyse a video of an undiluted, unwashed semen sample in less than five seconds."
  • It works by using a combination of an optical attachment that can connect to a smartphone and a disposable device for loading a semen sample, said the report.
  • Researchers tested the device using 350 semen specimens at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Centre.
  • The smartphone-based device detected abnormal semen samples — based on World Health Organization thresholds on sperm concentration and motility — with an accuracy of 98 percent.
A new smartphone device can analyse a man's sperm quality and let him know in a matter of minutes whether he suffers from infertility, US researchers said Wednesday.
Infertility affects more than 45 million couples worldwide. Over 40 percent of fertility problems are due to poor quality sperm.
The technology described in the journal Science Translational Medicine aims to make it easier and cheaper for men to test their sperm at home.
"We wanted to come up with a solution to make male infertility testing as simple and affordable as home pregnancy tests," said co-author Hadi Shafiee, a doctor in the division of engineering in medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"Men have to provide semen samples in these rooms at a hospital, a situation in which they often experience stress, embarrassment, pessimism and disappointment."
'LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS'
The new test, however, "can analyse a video of an undiluted, unwashed semen sample in less than five seconds."
It works by using a combination of an optical attachment that can connect to a smartphone and a disposable device for loading a semen sample, said the report.
Researchers tested the device using 350 semen specimens at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Centre.
The smartphone-based device detected abnormal semen samples — based on World Health Organization thresholds on sperm concentration and motility — with an accuracy of 98 percent.
The cost of the materials used to assemble it came to $4.45.
"The ability to bring point-of-care sperm testing to the consumer, or health facilities with limited resources, is a true game changer," said co-author John Petrozza, and director of the MGH Fertility Centre.
"This development will provide faster and improved access to fertility care."
The device is not yet available to the public and is still in the prototype stage.
Researchers are planning additional tests before filing for US Food and Drug Administration approval.

SGR to be upgraded to electric railroad in four years

By AGGREY MUTAMBO
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A section of the SGR line. The government said on March 22, 2017 that it will be upgraded to an electric railroad once the power supply becomes dependable in about four years. PHOTO | AGGREY MUTAMBO | NATION MEDIA GROUPA section of the SGR line. The government said on March 22, 2017 that it will be upgraded to an electric railroad once the power supply becomes dependable in about four years. PHOTO | AGGREY MUTAMBO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

Summary

  • Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said on Wednesday that the electric addition will cost 15 per cent of the money already spent on the construction of the 472km line between Mombasa and Nairobi.
  • With Sh328 billion going on the line alone, Kenya has also had to spend another Sh5 billion to expand roads linking the Port to the railway and the airport in Mombasa.
Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) being constructed by the Chinese will be upgraded to an electric railroad once the power supply becomes dependable.
Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said on Wednesday that the electric addition will cost 15 per cent of the money already spent on the construction of the 472km line between Mombasa and Nairobi.
"We didn't want to construct an electric line yet we don't have a dependable source of electricity. So we had to construct a diesel locomotive line with a provision of upgrading it," he told journalists on a tour of the SGR construction yard near the Port of Mombasa.
Mr Macharia argued the electric option could not be built at first because there had to be assurances on regular power supply.
"We hope to upgrade in about three to four years," he said.
The current length of SGR cost approximately Sh328 billion with financing from the China Exim Bank.
But critics have often juxtaposed this with the Ethiopian electric line which cost about Sh100 billion less yet Kenya's rail wagons will be powered by diesel.
Mr Macharia said the design of the railway allows for an addition of a single electric line and will not require an overhaul.
Contractor, China Road and Bridge is expected to complete the first phase of it with subsequent launch of the transport services by June 1.
But the decision to construct this line has come with criticism.
Some economists argue there will be little trickle-down effect and few benefits to ordinary Kenyans.
On Thursday, Mr Macharia said the benefits are already reaching Kenyans.
"We will not wait to complete it. If you fly along the SGR, you will see the benefits. Some factories are coming up...some shopping centres are expanding,” he argued.
But with Sh328 billion going on the line alone, Kenya has also had to spend another Sh5 billion to expand roads linking the Port to the railway and the airport in Mombasa.
Two billion from these went to compensate shop owners in Mombasa who had to make way.
The government expects the SGR to transport 22 million tones of cargo a year, 20 million more than the current ordinary rail.
According to the CS, this will put 40 per cent of cargo transported via road on rail, saving maintenance costs for roads.
However, he argued that truck drivers should not be scared of job losses because new road projects to places off the rail will be put up.