Cord demands crisis talks as Raila makes big return

 Saturday, May 31, 2014
 

PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE Cord leader Raila Odinga arrives at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, where opposition supporters staged a rally to welcome him back from the US on May 31, 2014.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Kalonzo and Wetang’ula lead massive crowd in Uhuru Park rally to welcome coalition leader from US tour
• Jubilee asked to tackle high cost of living to cushion poor Kenyans
• Opposition calls for the disbandment of IEBC before the 2017 General Election
• Leaders give ultimatum to Uhuru to hold national dialogue on key issues

By Walter Menya
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Cord leader Raila Odinga returned from a two-month visit to the US with a demand that the government convene a national dialogue forum to address the worsening political, security and economic conditions.

Addressing a well-attended rally at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, upon his arrival from the US, Mr Odinga also repeated Cord’s demand for the disbandment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

The opposition coalition co-principals – Mr Odinga, Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetang’ula — said IEBC, as currently constituted, cannot be trusted to deliver a free, fair and transparent General Election in 2017 after supposedly bungling the 2013 polls.

On the national dialogue, Mr Odinga said he was giving the ruling Jubilee coalition 60 days to respond.

“Kenya must hold a national dialogue at a convention consisting of all the major political coalitions represented in Parliament with the participation of representatives of civil society, religious denominations and workers organisations within the next 60 days from today,” he said in a written speech sent to the Sunday Nation, but which he did not read at the event.

JUBILEE HITS BACK

But speaking in Narok and Naivasha, Deputy President William Ruto criticised Cord for holding rallies that could cause divisions.

(READ: Jubilee hits back at the Opposition)

The Cord leaders also called for a complete overhaul of the security sector to ensure professionalism and patriotism and to restore investor confidence in the country, which would mean more tourists visiting the country.

“Kenya has become one of the most dangerous places to live in Africa. Change we must have. To paraphrase President Obama, ‘Change is coming to Kenya’,” Mr Odinga said.

And to ensure that the change is achieved, the leaders said they will hold countrywide rallies to keep the government on its toes. “We will take a message of hope across the country,” the Cord leader said.

Mr Odinga landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 2.45 pm from the US through Dubai. He had travelled to America at the invitation of the Boston University African Presidential Centre.

He skipped a scheduled news conference at the airport and headed straight to address an enthusiastic crowd of supporters that packed Uhuru Park and had waited for hours in the scorching sun.

The crowd started making its way into the historic park as early as 6 am. When the leaders started addressing them after 3 pm, the crowd shouted down some of the speakers, including Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero.

Mr Kidero has in the past been accused of trying to foment rebellion against Mr Odinga within ODM and its Nyanza political bedrock.

“The train for change is leaving the station from here, in Uhuru Park where many campaigns have started, ended and succeeded,” Mr Odinga said in his speech.

Mr Musyoka said the talks should take place on July 7 to coincide with the Saba Saba day failing which Cord will mobilise Kenyans to send Jubilee home. This seemed to be at variance with the 60-day ultimatum by Mr Odinga.

July 7 is the day in 1990 when Opposition politicians began agitation for a multi-party state in the face of an oppressive one-party Kanu regime. They achieved their dream in 1991.

Mr Odinga said the preparatory talks ahead of the proposed national dialogue should take place between the Jubilee and Cord sides to agree on the agenda and timetable.

As a minimum, the Cord leader said the agenda must include addressing the cost of basic necessities, peace and security for the land and the review and reform of security organs.

Other issues the Cord leader said must be included in the agenda of the talks are how to implement and empower devolution and ensuring county governments get their equitable share of national revenue, reform of the electoral system and the overhaul of IEBC, and eradication of corruption.

“In the three months that I have been away, Kenyans daily communicated their frustrations to me via email, SMS and phone calls. A baby was shot in Mombasa and his mother killed, part of the growing victims of insecurity that has claimed young and old, babies and mothers,” said Mr Odinga.

He also criticised the Jubilee administration for failing to rein in the soaring cost of living and increasing rates of poverty.

The Cord leader further took on the government for paying Sh1.4 billion to Anglo Leasing related companies despite protests from Kenyans.

“While we were away, billions of Kenya shillings were digitally and electronically transferred to agents of impunity before Kenyans could wink. And when we winked there were yet more claims of billions from us,” the former PM said alluding to a Twitter hash tag #BabaWhileYouWereAway that has been trending.

The “growing insecurity and hopelessness”, Mr Odinga said, has seen thousands of tourists leaving Kenya in droves and with it, massive job losses in the tourism sector, yet it is among the country’s economic mainstays.

“Everywhere, things are falling apart. There are still no laptops. Many projects have stalled since the Grand Coalition Government’s tenure ended. Government has become one huge experiment without a cogent scientific formula or coherent policy,” he said.

FAILED TO PROTECT DEVOLUTION

He also accused the government of failing to protect devolution, alluding to the increasing instances of impeachment motions facing governors across the country.

Failure to protect devolution, he said, has seen governors living “one day at a time and money is not flowing to the counties as required by law”.

The Jubilee administration, he said, had denied the counties Sh200 billion in equitable share.

“While we were away, the State Law Office or the Attorney-General’s Chambers ceased to host lawyers. It became the place for surgeons and morticians. To all Kenyans who spared their hard earned money to call, text or email me on the State of our Nation, I heard you. I thank you and I wish to respond to your petitions,” said Mr Odinga.

He urged Kenyans to stand up for their rights and fight for the ideals and promises of the constitution and not be cowed even in the face of intimidation and harassment by the government.

Mr Wetang’ula, on his part, pleaded for unity within Cord. The Senate Minority Leader also challenged Jubilee to respect Kenya’s Western allies.

Cord leader Raila Odinga, President Uhuru Kenyatta, Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama, Saba Saba Day, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Masinde Muliro, Timothy Njoya, James Orengo, Paul Muite, Gitobu Imanyara, Martin Shikuku,

PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA From left, Cord leaders Hassan Joho, Raila Odinga, Hassan Omar, Ababu Namwamba and Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula take a selfie at JKIA, on May 31, 2014.  NATION

 Saturday, May 31, 2014

In Summary

• Cord leaders asks the President to embrace national unity and shun tribalism
• Mr Odinga said the Head of State captured the imagination of his supporters during the last campaigns but had now turned his back on them.
• Mr Musyoka also set off debate on the fate of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) saying it must be disbanded.

By JUSTUS WANGA
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Cord leader Raila Odinga on Saturday said Kenyans were ready to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta, arguing that he had lost direction.

Mr Odinga said the Head of State captured the imagination of his supporters during the last campaigns but had now turned his back on them.

“Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji (when you praise a brewer, he adulterates the brew). This is what has happened to the Jubilee government, we are going to sack this brewer,” he said in his off-the-cuff remarks.

Mr Odinga, who was Kenya’s second prime minister (the first was Jomo Kenyatta), was speaking at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, moments after landing from his more than two months sabbatical in the US.

But it was Mr Kalonzo Musyoka who touched off the subject when he declared that Kenyans have a case against the Jubilee government under President Kenyatta.

“We want a national dialogue to solve this case on July 7, but if they do not accept, they will go home,” Mr Musyoka stated amid cheers from the crowd.

Throughout, chants of “Uhuru must go” rent the air.

Cord co-principal Moses Wetang’ula accused the President of despising the West in his foreign policy. He said that was the genesis of the many problems the country faces.

“We must respect our friends from the West if we must achieve any meaningful development. They told Westerners to pack and go and you have seen what has happened to the country. The problems are not just limited to tourism, they are myriad,” Mr Wetang’ula said.

He said there was nothing wrong in looking East but added that “this should not be done at the expense of the West”.

On accusations by Jubilee politicians that Cord was plotting a revolution, Mr Wetang’ula admitted.

BY THE CONSTITUTION

“It is true that we are doing so; it will, however, be a constitutional revolution. We will not stand by and watch as the country goes to the dogs,” said the Bungoma senator.

Mr Musyoka also set off debate on the fate of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) saying it must be disbanded.

“We will not accept to go to any election with the current IEBC as it is constituted,” he said. Speaker after speaker thanked Mr Odinga for returning.

“Now we will not be scared because Baba is back,” Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho said.

“We are now ready to salvage this country, it is being run down,” Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama said.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale challenged Mr Kenyatta to live up to his call for national unity he sent out this week during the national prayer breakfast.

“You cannot tell us to embrace national unity when all your appointments are skewed in favour of Mt Kenya region,” he said.

He said Mr Odinga’s return offered an opportunity for Kenyans to light up the flames of freedom that he said were dimming by the day.

Siaya Senator James Orengo said the return signalled a new era.

“We must return this country to the rule of law and the people power must be respected as the Constitution acknowledges,” he said.

Mr Odinga also drummed up support for the ODM candidate in the Mathare by-election Stephen Kariuki, a son of city politician Margaret Wanjiru.

“Let us give him all the support he needs to win the seat,” he said.

Mr Kariuki successfully petitioned the election of Mr George Wanjohi as the MP in the Court of Appeal.

*****

Significance of July 7

Saba Saba Day is traced back to July 7, 1990, when opposition leaders united and galvanised Kenyans to protest against the totalitarian Kanu regime.

The demonstration was held at Kamukunji grounds in Nairobi where calls for multipartyism were made.

Police responded brutally killing more than 20 protesters. The group was led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Masinde Muliro, Timothy Njoya, James Orengo, Paul Muite, Gitobu Imanyara, and Martin Shikuku. 
Mr Kenneth Matiba, Mr Raila Odinga and Mr Charles Rubia had been detained a few days before.

Thousands travel to city for Raila rally

 
A Raila Odinga supporter, Emmanuel Onyango, displays his portrait to be ferried to Nairobi ahead of his homecoming on May 31, 2014 at the JKIA. PHOTO/ EVERLINE OKEWO.  


Thursday, May 29, 2014
 
By NATION TEAM
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Scores of buses have been hired to ferry Cord supporters to Nairobi to welcome home their leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Mr Odinga, who has been in the US on a lecture tour that has lasted nearly three months will address a rally at Uhuru Park Saturday after he lands in the city.

Many of the supporters are travelling from the opposition coalition’s strongholds at the coast and in western Kenya.

Thursday, the organising committee was putting final touches to the preparations for the rally that received a go-ahead from the police on Wednesday after top level intervention that reversed a ban by Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo.

(READ: Kimaiyo gives in after pressure, allows rally -VIDEO)

Cord leaders Farah Maalim, Jakoyo Midiwo, James Orengo and Junet Mohamed were upbeat, saying, they were expecting a big turnout at Uhuru Park.

Mr Odinga, who flew from the US on Wednesday morning, arrived in Dubai Thursday and is expected at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 1pm Saturday.

“We have put everything in place to ensure a successful event. We have secured the venue at Uhuru Park and we are expecting not less than one million people to attend,” Mr Maalim, who is the organising committee chairman, said.

Mr Odinga’s spokesman Dennis Onyango said the Cord leader will address an international press conference at JKIA before driving to Uhuru Park.

PEACE WILL PREVAIL

Mr Maalim, Mr Midiwo and Mr Mohamed urged the police to provide security for the thousands of supporters expected at the rally as they promised that peace will prevail at the event.

“We expect a peaceful rally. The State must keep us secure because it is its duty to provide security,” Mr Midiwo, the Cord chief whip in the National Assembly, said, adding, “We want to tell Baba (Mr Odinga) all the ills that have happened while he was away.”

(READ: #BabaWhileYouWereAway... Kenyans take humour a level higher)

Mr Mohamed said they will neither engage in hate speech nor ethnic slaying and invited members of the Jubilee coalition to the rally which, he said, will address issues facing Kenyans.

“It will be a mammoth rally, which will address itself to issues that matter. All are welcome, including our brothers and sisters in Jubilee,” he said.

The coalition was spending modestly on the rally, he said, adding that no money is being spent to buy crowds as there was none.

“We only have Sh250,000 to spend on this event. This money has been raised through donations by our members. We have borrowed a public address system from one of our members and the rest will go into logistics” he said.

Uncertainty clouded the rally on Tuesday after Mr Kimaiyo banned all weekend public gatherings in Nairobi, citing insecurity based on intelligence reports. But the ban was reversed on Wednesday morning, reportedly on the intervention of State House.

SHORTAGE OF BUSES

In Kisumu Thursday, hundreds of Mr Odinga’s supporters hired buses to ferry them to the rally. Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura said politicians from the region had hired the buses.

“We are doing our best to ensure that Kisumu residents are well represented in the rally to be addressed by our party leader,” he said as he refused to disclose the number of buses that were hired. Some supporters complained that there might be a shortage of buses.

Taxi operators and bus managers said they had been receiving a number of group bookings since Monday.

“We have increased our transport charges from Sh800 to Sh1,200 because the number of passengers travelling to Nairobi has doubled,” Kisumu matatu operator Michael Munyendo said.

‘‘We can’t deny that we are cashing in to earn more money,” he said.

In the North Rift, ODM and Ford Kenya parties also hired buses while other supporters will use private means to travel to Nairobi.

“Almost all delegates and majority of Cord supporters are expected to attend the meeting in large numbers,” Uasin Gishu ODM secretary Charles Tanui said.

ODM officials from Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties Thursday met at an Eldoret hotel to finalise travel arrangements.

Similar arrangements took place in Nandi, West Pokot, Bungoma counties. Some of the supporters left for the city rally two days ago.

In Trans Nzoia, Ford Kenya chairman Ferdinand Wanyonyi said they will ferry their supporters to the rally.

Security will be tight at the venue, with more than 1,000 police officers stationed in Uhuru Park.

They will be drawn from the Kenya Police Service, the Administration Police, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Traffic Department and the National Intelligence Service.

Police sniffer dogs and horses will also be used.

Security officers will start clearing the venue Friday, hours before the function. All the persons attending the rally will be screened before being allowed into the venue.

Nairobi deputy county police commander Moses Ombati said that all vehicles will be parked at a designated area after being searched.

Reports by Bernard Namunane, Isaac Ongiri

New players, competition, negate claims about dominance in the cement industry

 Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Employee of Athi River Mining Company, makers of Rhino Cement, feed cement bags into a mill during the packaging. Photo: FREDRICK ONYANGO  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By Ochieng Oloo

 

It often happens that human beings, and more so, bureaucrats, become so fixated with history that they barely take notice of what is going on around them.

This would appear to be what has happened to the local cement industry in recent times.

For in the face of emerging dynamics, it is clear that the long-held notion of dominance in the Kenyan cement industry, and by extension, the suspicion of uncompetitive behaviour, can no longer stand to scrutiny.

The local cement industry has experienced phenomenal growth in the last few years, headlined by the entrance of new players, making it one of the most dynamic and competitive market ecosystems in the region.

An industry survey by the East African Cement Producers Association shows that installed cement production capacity has grown from three to 6.5 MT (million tonnes) between 2007 and 2014. Domestic demand has also increased, albeit more slowly, to 3.8 MT, up from 2.1 MT.

The direct corollary of this has been heightened competition among the six producers that now rule the roost in the industry.

These include Athi River Mining, Bamburi Cement and East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC). Others are Mombasa Cement, which started off in Uganda and still has an active operation there, the National Cement and Savannah Cement.

As a result, cement consumers are enjoying some of the best prices ever, as producers hanker for new ones in a market that has consistently shown growth in demand.

These downward price movements subsist in a high-inflation environment, which means the only logical justification for the trend is the fight for market share by cement manufacturers.

This low price “dividend” which consumers are reaping is bound to continue, given the bullish talk coming from prospective new entrants. Nigeria’s Dangote Group and CemTech are often mentioned as having set their eyes on the Kenya and East African cement markets.

Currently, there are no duties on imports or exports of cement or clinker between Comesa and EAC members.

EASY TO ENTER MARKET

Imports are reported in the survey as marginal on current form, with clinker, a key raw material in the manufacture of cement, being the main related import landing on the East African shores in material quantities.

Even then, this could change drastically in the face of a reduction in import duties in the region, opening the floodgates to cheap cement from low-cost and State-subsidised producers. Industry estimates put at between 2 to 2.5 MT the amount of cement that can be imported into the Kenyan market.

The purchase of clinker from fellow manufacturers to add on to the imports and smooth over existing capacity shortfalls is a notable trend, especially in the period before 2011. This window is used to meet the demand of Kenyan producers as well as their peers in landlocked Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

The ability to import clinker has been cited as one of the reasons new entrants are finding it relatively easy to enter the local market. Even with the scarcity of natural deposits of limestone in most parts of East Africa, any player can build and retain market share by importing clinker.

In any case, there is a big market to be had, most of it beyond Kenya. In addition, massive construction of infrastructure and property are underway in the region.

With price emerging as a key matrix of competition for what is sometimes considered a generic product, the pressure is now on manufacturers to reduce their costs. A natural stop in this pursuit is energy costs, given that cement manufacturers have some of the highest energy bills in the country.

Such has been the sea-change in the local cement industry that Bamburi Cement Ltd, which before 2009 controlled over 60 per cent of the stakes, has seen its share fall to just around 39 per cent.

EAPCC, in which Lafarge maintains what is largely a financial stake with no operational role, has also seen its market share go down to about 20 per cent from 28 per cent in 2009.

Mr Oloo is a Nairobi-based business analyst and CEO of Think Business (oloo@thinkbusiness.co.ke)

#BabaWhileYouWereAway... Kenyans take humour a level higher

 Wednesday, May 28, 2014
 
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. PHOTO | FILE   

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI
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Kenyans online have started a Twitter trend to update the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga - who is expected back from a three-month stay in US - on what has been happening in the country.

On Wednesday, hashtag #BabaWhileYouWereAway trended in the country with hilarious tweets.

Nameless the musician tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway I stopped wearing shades after tint order was about to be enforced...hahaha.

Hardley Malema tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway luo festival went down in style. A culture of class, Trendsetters, Pacesetters and the Learned

The Luo festival was held at Carnivore Grounds, Nairobi on April 26 and 27 and was attended by various political leaders among them Kalonzo Musyoka.

Boniface Mwangi tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway we missed your Kibera meet the people tours.

Jua Cali tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway I released a new song 'Tunaona Mbali' he he he.

Betty Githua tweeted; Lupita became the most beautiful woman in the world #BabaWhileYouWereAway

Lupita Nyong’o was named the People’s most beautiful person on April 23 among other stars like Pink, Gabrielle Union and Amber Heard.

Robert Alai tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway they wanted to sack #LindaOkello from the Police for her God given talent.

Linda Okello hit the headlines when she was pictured in the Nation during the KCB Safari Rally in Kiambu, Kenyans online came to her defence when she was allegedly summoned by the County Police Boss.

Norbert tweeted; #Babawhileyouwereaway some Kenyans drunk killer brews called sacramental and countryman.

The killer brew led to the deaths of over 70 people in five counties across the country.

Vicky Nthesh tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway I tried to remove my tint as per Kimaiyo's order but unfortunately I have to stay with my tint.

Mohammed Wehliye tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway Githu Muigai became a Mortician and Amos Wako, a Surgeon.

Attorney General Githu Muigai said he was a mortician in the Anglo leasing scandal during a press conference in his office.

Mr Odinga is expected into the country on Saturday from the US and is scheduled to address a political rally at Uhuru Park on the same day.

Even Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko took part in the trend through his Facebook page where he posted, ‘#‎BabaWhileYouWereAway I wrote a please call me to Mr President and he called me.’

Other hilarious tweets that Kenyans posted on the trending topic included;

Franklin Mwenda tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway Willy Paul bought an accent.

Daisy Njeri tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway Gor mahia lost a game at meru, they were busy chewing miraa instead of defending.

Amos Kimeu tweeted: #BabaWhileYouWereAway Vera Sidika obeyed the new law by The IG kimaiyo to remove all the tint.

Njeri Wangari tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway Sauti Soul became Sprite Ambassadors. For women, thirst was everything.

Nough Casillas tweeted; #BabaWhileYouWereAway , Public University students led by BabuOwino, had a peaceful demo, until the police started rioting.

Hilarious: MERU Miraa trader gives a summary of what to UPDATE Raila #BabaWhileYouWereAway

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IEBC RIGGED RAILA OUT IN 2013 ELECTIONS

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fareed zakaria preciding over graduation

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Is there Western conspiracy to end Jubilee rule before its five-year term?

 
Police corner a female student at the University of Nairobi last week. "The Western plots against the popular government include engineering last week’s demonstrations by university students, which were then given suspiciously prominent front-page picture and story treatment by major Western newspapers and TV stations". PHOTO | FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

 Saturday, May 24, 2014

In Summary

• I fault the West because Kenya has been a traditional ally, Mr Hassan Omar says
• Western diplomats in Nairobi have strenuously insisted that they did not mean to punish Kenya by issuing travel advisories and are only acting in the best interests of their countries, a position that is hardly believable in government circles.
• Mrs Kandie thinks that those issuing travel advisories and the media coverage of recent events in Kenya have been blown out of proportion.

An ominous picture hit the front page of the New York Times newspaper last week.

It captured a University of Nairobi student with a bewildered look, caught between baton-wielding police officers called in to quell a protest that had spilled onto the streets and turned ugly.

It is no mean feat to get anything Kenyan covered by the New York Times. It’s one of the highly regarded newspapers in the US, published out of the city after which it is named and which is America’s financial capital.

In Britain, the Daily Mail and The Telegraph also played up the pictures from the student riots. Although they are independent newspapers that make their own editorial judgment, conspiracy theorists were quick to judge it as part of a wider conspiracy by Western nations to punish the Jubilee government in line with the “choices have consequences” statement made by a former US diplomat for Africa, Mr Johnnie Carson.

Western media have also increasingly been giving heightened coverage to acts of terrorism and insecurity in Kenya – which the government says is out of proportion with the reality in the country.

DID NOT MEAN TO PUNISH KENYA

Western diplomats in Nairobi have strenuously insisted that they did not mean to punish Kenya by issuing travel advisories and are only acting in the best interests of their countries, a position that is hardly believable in government circles.

Critics of the advisories say it is the same diplomats – 18 of them – who closed ranks two months ago to write a joint commentary about corruption in Kenya and that it is only one part of a clever scheme to discredit the government or bring it under their control.

Immediately after London issued travel advisories cautioning their citizens against visiting certain parts of Kenya, some tour firms followed up by evacuating hundreds of tourists. President Uhuru Kenyatta responded by stating that Kenya would look for tourists from alternative sources.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie knows the gravity of the problem in her in-tray only too well. Tourist arrivals dropped by about 15 per cent in 2013 compared to the previous year leading to a revenue loss for the industry of about Sh2 billion and closure of no less than 20 hotels in the Coast, according to government statistics.

Political scientist Peter Kagwanja says that the West is undoubtedly out to punish the Jubilee coalition and possibly cause Kenyans to drive the government out of power for its open association with China.

“The conspiracy is deeper and practical than it is appearing. When you begin to think of a campaign, the first thing that you factor in is the media.

There is an effort to create an impression in the public that Kenya is not working, that the two leaders are unable to govern. There is a consistent plan,” said Prof Kagwanja.

He says that in his reading, there is a connection between the university riots and the advisories and then the assertion by the Opposition that Jubilee is failing.

“There is an Egyptian script. Whether it will succeed or not, they are trying it. Within one year of (former Egyptian President) Morsi’s election, the West sponsored a popular uprising. You smear and then move in for the kill by getting Opposition politicians to mobilise the people and bring them out on the streets and then publicise it to the world. Within that chaotic environment, create a transitional authority and then an election follows and they can pick a person of their choice,” said Prof Kagwanja.

According to him, the West is reacting to the recent high-profile visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the deepening of ties between Beijing and governments in the East African region.

“The Chinese leader coming to Kenya would itself not have been a big problem. But for Kenya to mobilise the region’s leaders and bring them for a high profile event was read as an affront,” Prof Kagwanja said.

BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION

Mrs Kandie thinks that those issuing travel advisories and the media coverage of recent events in Kenya have been blown out of proportion.

“Our country’s image and reputation is being slowly eroded by exaggeration of and over-reaction to these incidences by some of our foreign partners leading to extreme travel advisories, to the point of evacuation, that are causing hotel closures and job losses,” she said.

“But the most critical and most hurtful aspect is the erosion of the confidence in this country and this destination. Our reputation as a tourism destination is at stake.”

Mrs Kandie is also critical of media coverage accorded to Kenya abroad. “It is a well-known and understood fact that foreign media rely heavily on our local media as reference points on the stories they report on insecurity. Naturally foreign media when lifting stories from local reports will often misrepresent the situation to our national detriment.”

“I am not suggesting by any means that you divert from telling the truth, or water down stories, I am merely asking for a heightened awareness of the impact of our headlines, judgment in crafting them and a constant eye on national interest,” she added.

State House in part believes that the advisories and the intense media coverage the country has received lately from some foreign media houses is part of a bigger conspiracy against Kenya.

“The plan to justify evacuation of tourists and lockdown of embassies was evidence. It was surprising to see last week’s university riots on the front pages of some major Western newspapers yet the needless riots didn’t even get much of front page coverage in Nairobi,” said a State House spokesman Munyori Buku.

According to Mr Buku; “Diplomatic rumours to make Kenya look bad finally met the printing press.”

“But Kenya will soldier on,” he said. “This week’s measures to boost local tourism and seek visitors from emerging markets will bring a lasting answer to these antics. Kenya will liberate itself as it did when the tax collection ended the humiliating bowl-in-hand days of begging for aid.”

Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar does not believe there is a conspiracy against Kenya by Western power but says it is possible that Kenya’s traditional Western allies have been rattled by Jubilee’s dalliance with Beijing.

“Maybe they are unsettled by the Chinese but whether there is a conspiracy is something I’m reluctant to buy. These are our partners in other areas like security and counter-terrorism. You need to make an assessment of what has gone wrong and then try to share some fact and figures so that it becomes the basis on which you can have a joint approach as partners,” Mr Omar told the Sunday Nation. Mombasa is one of the counties that has borne the brunt of attacks.

CRITICISED APPROACH TO TERROR

He however criticised the West’s response to terror attacks in Kenya.

“I fault the Western because Kenya has been a traditional ally. Also, this is about business markets and business. Our reaction should have been; how do we sort out the problems so that the numbers of tourists can flow. It is a fallacy to think that Chinese will come where there is insecurity. Is there a way that we can improve security so that tourists and indeed all Kenyans are safe? The approach should have been totally different. Advisories should be preceded by consultation,” said the Senator.

Tourism consultant Arthur Mahasi says that the Tourism ministry must counter the adverse advisories with a deliberate charm offensive to woo tourists.

“Appropriate strategies have always worked for many unstable countries. If travel advisories are not countered, tourists will think what their government says is the gospel truth,” Mr Mahasi said.

He proposes that immediately a terrorism activity occurs, the country through embassies should organise conferences for industry players in the originating countries to supply hard facts about the actual status in the country.

“If tourists don’t want to visit Mombasa because they fear being attacked, it is not the whole country which is on fire. They can be re-routed to safer places such as Western or the northern Kenya tourism circuit,” said Mr Mahasi.

Reported by Mugumo Munene, Abiud Ochieng and Aggrey Mutambo

Househelp who drives family car and takes annual leave

 Monday, May 26, 2014 



Photo/FILE Mueni has proved to be so trustworthy, that Makena entrusts her with the responsibility of monthly shopping and even gives her emergency money to spend on any miscellaneous household expenses. 

By Nation Reporter
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Not all relationships between househelps and their bosses are bad. There are those who have nurtured a humane relationship with their workers, and as a result, have managed to stay with one for years.

Purity Makena, 27, is one such employer. She hired her current househelp, Mueni Nguni, 49, almost two years ago. Theirs is a happy story that has defied the usual employer-employee drama, and matured into friendship.

“I was pregnant with my first born when I hired Mueni,” says Makena.” Mueni did not disappoint. She was a mother of three, had extensive experience as a househelp, was tidy, trustworthy, honest and humble. The background check Makena did on her did not turn up anything suspicious and she had excellent recommendations from her former employer.

“She is a very good person, and is excellent with my son, who is now almost two. Sometimes she even tries to mother me,” Makena says with a chuckle.

Mueni has proved to be so trustworthy, that Makena entrusts her with the responsibility of monthly shopping and even gives her emergency money to spend on any miscellaneous household expenses. In addition, she even enrolled her in a driving school. This means that when Makena is unable to, her househelp runs the errands.

Pay fees

For Makena, teaching Mueni to drive was a necessity, and she does not think of it as a luxury.

“One rainy night while I was out of town, my son contracted a fever,” she narrates. “My car was in the drive way, but Mueni had to beg our neighbour to drive her and the baby to hospital, by which time my son’s condition had become so bad, he was almost convulsing.”

That experience shook her so badly, that a few days later, she enrolled Mueni in a driving school. One of the most fulfilling aspects of this relationship is the fact that Makena pays school fees for one of Mueni’s children, a Form Two student. 

She has done this since the boy joined Form One, and she intends to continue educating him up to university level, whether or not Mueni will still be working for her.

Makena’s househelp gets two weeks off in December. Sundays are her day-offs.

Uhuru Kenyatta takes radical actions to boost tourism

 
President Uhuru Kenyatta at a past event. PHOTO/FILE
Friday, May 23, 2014
By PSCU
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In Summary

• Kenyans working in corporate and business entities will now enjoy paid up vacations
• The tourism stakeholders pledged to offer better vacation package to Kenyans compared to what they offer international tourists

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a raft of new measures to boost domestic and international tourism.

He said Kenyans working in corporate and business entities will now enjoy paid up vacations in the tourism sector.

Making the announcement after holding a meeting with tourism sector stakeholders at State House Nairobi, President Kenyatta said the Government is taking specific measures to stimulate the tourism sector including giving at least 25,000 Kenyans a chance to go for a week’s holiday every month at the expense of their employers.

President Kenyatta also ordered that Government events be held in hotels, revoking a directive by the National Treasury Circular restricting the public service from holding conferences and other meetings in private hotels.

The President's move follows recent travel advisories issued by the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and France to its citizens that Kenya is not a safe destination.

(READ: Kenya angered by US, UK travel advisories)

Other measures taken to revamp the sector include exemption of VAT on air ticketing services supplied by travel agents as well as payment of all income tax related refunds owed to tourism industry players by the Kenya Revenue Authority not later than Thursday next week.

“All park fees currently set at USD90 per non-resident and KShs.1,200 per resident guest shall be reduced to USD.80 and KShs.1,000, respectively, effective 12th June 2014,” he said.

To increase flights to Moi international Airport and Malindi Airport, the President announced the reduction of landing charges for both local and international flights by 40 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

To give impetus to tourism sector recovery, President Kenyatta affirmed that all budgetary resources at National Government earmarked for foreign travel in Supplementary II, will be reallocated to domestic travel. He also urged other arms of Governments to do the same.

“The National Government urges the County Governments to reallocate all their foreign travels budgets to domestic travels in order to spur growth of domestic tourism and sustain employment,” President Kenyatta stated.

President Kenyatta said the industry has also identified several other measures to complement government’s initiatives to revamp the sector.

The tourism stakeholders pledged to offer better vacation package to Kenyans compared to what they offer international package tourists, estimated at about USD 60 (Ksh5,280) daily per person.

“The Government and Industry will develop an interactive Kenya Tourism Portal, within a week, to promote and manage booking and distribution of domestic guests under the Tourism Stimulus Program,” the President further added.

He affirmed that for the Medium to Long Term Measures, the Government will reconstitute a task Force with a mandate of developing a strategy to address underlying challenges and positioning Kenya as a preferred destination for all types’ of tourism activities including conferencing tourism and professional services in Africa, attracting at least 5 million guests in the next five years.

Chairman of Tourism Committee in Council of Governors who is also the Taita/Taveta Governor John Mruttu, said the Industry players appreciate measures taken by the National Government and that they will fully support the initiatives regardless the current challenges facing the sector.

“ I also welcome what has been agreed with the hotel owners where hotels in the beach and in the park will stop selling curious and other wares and instead leave this business to small scale traders,’ Said Governor Mruttu.

The chairlady of the Kenya Tourism Federation Lucy Karume urged all stakeholders in the industry to do their best and maintain the good image of the country.

Missing Embu speaker found wandering in Limuru

Friday, May 23, 2014

A picture of Embu County Speaker Mr Kariuki Mate who has been missing since May 19, 2014. PHOTO/PAUL WAWERU


Embu County Assembly Speaker Kariuki Mate was found wandering on Limuru road, next to St Pauls University at midnight on Thursday.

According to the Gigiri OCPD Vitalis Otieno, Mr Mate was taken to the Gigiri Police Station by a lorry driver who picked him up after he flagged down the lorry which was on its way to Nairobi.

The lorry driver who picked him up could not understand what he was saying and decided to take him to the police station.

The police officers also found him incoherent and took him to the Aga Khan hospital where he is currently admitted.

This comes hours after a Pangani Police Station-based detective who was charged with his abduction and confinement was released on a Sh100,000 bond by a court on Thursday.

Mr Nicholas Muriuki Kangangi denied having anything to do with the speaker's disappearance.

Mrs Caroline Wangari, Mr Mate's wife, told Mr Justice Weldon Korira at the Milimani Law Courts that Mr Mate disappeared while in the hands of a police officer and demanded his unconditional release.

The speaker went missing on May 19 at 4:30pm while on official duty at a Nairobi hotel

Kenya says tourism industry at stake over unrest

 
British tourists arrive at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa on May 16, 2014 on their way back home. Only one UK tour firm, TUI UK, evacuated tourists from the Coast according to Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA) chairman Mohamed Hersi. PHOTO|AFP

Kenya on Thursday unveiled a campaign to lure more tourism as it warned the crucial sector was facing a massive slump following a wave of deadly Islamist attacks.

The national tourist board said Kenya's "brand equity" as a top safari and beach destination was at stake, with western nations issuing new warnings advising travellers to avoid many parts of the country due to the threat of attacks by Islamist militants.

It also said rampant poaching of elephants and rhino, together with high crime, was also proving to be a major tourism turn-off.

"In light of recent insecurity incidents affecting the destination, Kenya's reputation as a safe destination has been compromised," said Muriithi Ndegwa, managing director of the Kenya Tourism Board.

"There has been quite an effect, especially on the coast," he added, a week after Britain, France, Australia and the United States urged their nationals to avoid all but essential travel to the coastal city of Mombasa, the scene of a string of recent bombings and shootings.

Last week two British tour operators evacuated hundreds of tourists from resorts near Mombasa.

Tourism is a crucial part of Kenya's economy: according to the most recent figures from 2011, the sector directly or indirectly accounted for 14 percent of economic output and roughly 12 percent of the workforce.

But the number of foreign visitors to Kenya slumped by 11 percent in 2013, when the country was gripped by fears of election-related political violence.

The current year is expected to also see a similar if not worse slide, particularly in the wake of the September 2013 attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi that was claimed by Somalia's Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels and left at least 67 dead.

Kenya has been targeted by the Shebab since sending troops to war-torn Somalia in 2011 to fight them.

The new scheme was unveiled on the same day as a top Shebab chief vowed to bring their war to Kenya.

Tour operators have also complained that last year's introduction of VAT has also pushed up prices, reduced margins and has left Kenya's safari and beach offerings far more expensive than those of neighbouring Tanzania.

The Tourist Board said it would be spending 200 million shillings ($2.23 million) to market the country and "put Kenya's tourism firmly on a recovery path".

Measures planned include a "global online reputation management campaign" -- with the notable aim of trying to get positive news about Kenya score higher in search engine results.

"I wish to assure the international community that Kenya remains a safe destination," Ndegwa said.

Part of the plan also involves trying to lure more tourists from China -- already a major investor in the country. Earlier this week the government said it wanted to attract a million Chinese tourists a year, up from 45,000 at the moment.

Malawi minister Geoffrey Kamanya commits suicide after elections

Malawi's Deputy minister for Local Government Godfrey Kamanya killed himself in the wee hours of Thursday over suspected political disagreements with his colleagues in the People's Party. Photo | NATION

Posted  Thursday, May 22, 2014 |  by- Rex Chikoko, Nation Correspondent in Lilongwe, Malawi

Malawi's Deputy minister for Local Government Godfrey Kamanya killed himself in the wee hours of Thursday over suspected political disagreements with his colleagues in the People's Party.

Mr Kamanya failed to retain his parliamentary seat in the just ended elections.

His close friend and former deputy minister for Agriculture Ulemu Chilapondwa confirmed the death of his colleague.

Mr Chilapondwa said while the exact reasons behind Mr Kamanya's death were not immediately clear, a suicide note left behind indicated that they were political.

Mr Chilapondwa said the fallen colleague left a suicide note that indicated his life was being threatened by two other politicians whose names were not mentioned.

Over 70 per cent of members of President Joyce Banda Cabinet have lost seats in parliament in a closely contested election, whose results were yet to be officially released by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC).

Mr Chilapondwa said Mr Kamanya attended a People's Party meeting on Wednesday and at around 3am (local time) he received a telephone call from the latter's wife that he had shot himself dead.

Talking to the local media Thursday morning, Mr Chilapondwa indicated that Mr Kamanya gave reasons for his committing suicide in his note, and also asked President Banda to take care of his child.

"The death is in relation with politics. I cannot say more as police are the ones to disclose the contents of the letter after investigations," he said.

Police were yet confirm the cause of the death.

Malawians on May 20 voted for the new set of leaders in the tripartite elections.

Probe claims of plot to kill me, says Raila - VIDEO

In Summary

• On Mr Kenyatta’s recent directive empowering County Commissioners, Mr Odinga argued that the officers have no role and that the government should allow counties to manage their own affairs.

By B M J Muriithi
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By OUMA WANZALA
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Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has accused police of treating as trivial the claims of an assassination plot against him.

Commenting for the first time on the claims first made by his elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga earlier this month, Mr Odinga asked the police to take the allegations seriously.

Dr Oginga had alleged that there was an East African Community conspiracy to eliminate him. Days after he made the claims, he presented himself to the CID headquarters to record a statement last week. However, the officers asked him to record the statement in Bondo, Siaya County.

On Monday, in a wide-ranging interview in the US, Mr Odinga said: “I have not had an opportunity to talk to my brother over the issue at length as he only talked about having credible information and I advised him to report to the police.

“I do not know the reason someone will want to kill me but the reason is best known to people who are planning it.”
He wondered why, even after volunteering to go to the CID, Dr Oginga was referred to the police in Bondo.

“It is strange that he was turned away. Where you give information does not matter as it is the responsibility of the police to investigate,” he said.
Mr Odinga regretted that a citizen of the standing of an MP could be turned away by police.

“May be they know the reason why,” said the Cord leader who has been in the US for over two months on a study programme and is scheduled to return on May 31.

“All of us will die one day. Like Shakespeare in Julius Ceasar said, death is a necessary evil. It will come when it will come and only cowards die many times before their death.”
He said that he had done what was right for the country and wished to see a united Kenya.

“As Nelson Mandela said this is an ideal which I would like to live to see realised but if I must pay the ultimate price, so be it,” he said.
Last week, Dr Oginga had claimed that senior leaders in the East African Community had hatched a plot to assassinate Mr Odinga.

However, State House dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
On regional integration, Mr Odinga said that he had a cordial relationship with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandan counterpart, Mr Paul Kagame.

He said he believed in the dream of an EAC federation which, he said, was started by his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the Tanzanian founding president Julius Nyerere.

“I have enjoyed good relations with Museveni and Kagame I have visited both of them and held discussions on various issues affecting EAC,” he said. He supported the standard gauge railway project which he described as the brainchild of the Grand Coalition government in which he was Prime Minister and Mr Mwai Kibaki the President.

“I was chairing a joint committee with the Ugandan PM. We agreed that each country moves on with the project and it is good that Presidents Museveni, Kiir and Kagame were in Nairobi to witness the signing of the deal with China,” he said.

Lamu project

However, he asked President Uhuru Kenyatta not to abandon the Lamu project saying it would open up the region for development.

On Anglo Leasing, he said that it was unfortunate that the scandal occurred when the Narc government had put in place mechanisms to fight corruption.
He said the scandal occurred in the Kibaki administration but had started under the Nyayo era.

“It is sad that this occurred when former minister David Mwiraria was the chair of an anti-corruption committee while John Githongo was the secretary of the committee,” he said.

Mr Odinga added that the deals happened under their feet.

However, he said that not all Anglo Leasing-related projects were fictitious and gave the example of the navy ship and Project Nexus, a border surveillance system based in Karen.
“It is mad to  refuse to pay for the delivered services,” he said.

On Mr Kenyatta’s recent directive empowering County Commissioners, Mr Odinga argued that the officers have no role and that the government should allow counties to manage their own affairs.

The National Government Coordination Act violates the Constitution, he said, adding that the provincial administration was meant to be restructured and not renamed.

“The national government should co-operate with county governments which are the representative of people on the ground,” he said.

Monday, May 19, 2014 Probe claims of plot to kill me, says Raila - VIDEO

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Large counties set to dominate selection

First year students reporting at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology(MMUST) in Kakamega. Nakuru, Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kakamega are among counties expected to send the highest number of KCSE candidates to public universities when the selection for the government-sponsored regular programme officially starts Monday. PHOTO/FILE  

 Monday, May 19, 2014

In Summary

• These counties have produced the highest number of candidates with an average grade of B- (minus) and above in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams whose results were released two months ago.
• According to a Nation analysis, Nakuru county produced the highest number of candidates who have qualified to join regular programmes in public universities with 4,889.
• Many of the counties which rated highly based on the mean score of their students had fewer candidates joining public universities under the regular programme.
• The only exception is Siaya, which was rated as the county with the second best mean score nationally.

Nakuru, Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kakamega are among counties expected to send the highest number of KCSE candidates to public universities when the selection for the government-sponsored regular programme officially starts Monday.

These counties have produced the highest number of candidates with an average grade of B- (minus) and above in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams whose results were released two months ago.

Although candidates who scored C+ and above are qualified to join universities, the cut-off for the regular programme in public universities has been set higher with year because of the limited number of spaces.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service, which replaced the Joint Admission board, has set a B- (minus) of 58 points as the least entry grade for female candidates and a B plain of 60 points for male candidates who will be joining Kenya’s 31 public universities in 2014.

Those who scored C+ and above but fell below this year’s cut-off can still join private universities or parallel programmes offered by public universities.

According to a Nation analysis, Nakuru county produced the highest number of candidates who have qualified to join regular programmes in public universities with 4,889.

It was followed by Nairobi with 4,797. Its neighbour, Kiambu which has 4,162 was third.

Ironically, during the ranking of counties when the KCSE results were released, Nakuru was ranked 19 while Nairobi was ranked at number 29 out of 47. Kiambu was number 37. Now they have turned tables on the counties that had better mean scores.

Many of the counties which rated highly based on the mean score of their students had fewer candidates joining public universities under the regular programme.

Among them is Samburu county, which topped the examinations charts.

Although the county had the best mean score nationally, only 159 of its KCSE candidates scored B- (minus) and above.

The only exception is Siaya, which was rated as the county with the second best mean score nationally.

And now, figures show that 3,603 of its candidates had B- and above.

However, third best county in the exams, Elgeyo Marakwet, only has 1,331 candidates with B- (minus) and above.

What these difference between counties like Samburu and Nairobi indicate is that regions with fewer KCSE candidates are more likely to score highly when ranked in terms of mean scores.

Most of the counties ranked as top performers when the exams were released are in arid and semi-arid regions, which are also sparsely populated.

Because they had fewer than 10,000 candidates, they had better mean scores compared to counties such as Nairobi, Kajiado and Nyeri which have much larger numbers of candidates.

For instance, Samburu — which was ranked position one nationally — only registered 969 KCSE candidates while Kiambu had 24,268.

That explains why Kiambu will be sending more candidates to public universities.

Again, Kiambu is home to several national schools including Loreto Limuru, Mang’u, Limuru Girls, Alliance Girls and Boys and Mary Hill Girls.

At the Coast, Mombasa has the highest number of candidates (923) followed by Kilifi with 598 and Taita Taveta (444). Kwale has 362, Tana River 71 and Lamu 49.

4,000 Coast hotel workers home as tourism takes a hit

 
PHOTO | FILE Travellers’ Beach Hotel in Mombasa. Thousands of hotel workers in Coast have been declared redundant due to a drastic drop in the number of international tourists, officials from various counties in the region said on Tuesday.  NATION
Tuesday, May 20, 2014 
By Mathias Ringa

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Thousands of hotel workers in Coast have been declared redundant due to a drastic drop in the number of international tourists, officials from various counties in the region said on Tuesday.

Lay-off of at least 4,000 workers, has been blamed on the low tourist season that began in April and travel advisories, which were issued by the United Kingdom, the US, France and Australia earlier this month.

However, the Nation yesterday learnt that some British tourists had chosen to remain in Mombasa to continue enjoying their holidays despite the travel advisory and the evacuation of about 700 tourists at the weekend. Those evacuated were mainly on vacation in hotels in the South Coast.

Kwale County tourism executive Adam Sheikh said about 1,500 workers have been laid off since April. “Some hotels have temporarily shut down owing to the low season, while those remaining open are averaging at 10 per cent occupancy,” he said.

The Kwale county official said hundreds of businesspeople, who depend on tourism, have also been denied their livelihoods. Among those affected were curio dealers, safari sellers, boat operators, fishermen, farmers, taxi drivers and suppliers of various goods.

“Diani depends solely on tourism and following the evacuation of the British tourists, traders who depend on the industry are out of business,” he said.

In Kilifi County, at least half of the hotels in Malindi and Watamu tourist resort towns have been closed down, according to the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Kilifi county branch chairman Philip Chai.

2,500 workers

Of the 26 hotels affiliated to KAHC in Kilifi county, 13 had closed down due to lack of tourists. As a result, about 2,500 workers were sent home. The KAHC official said hotels that solely depend on Italian tourists were the hardest hit.

“From March to date, we have seen 50 per cent of hotels in Kilifi County close down due to tourists drought,” he said. “We expect the hotels to reopen from mid-July to July 26 depending on when the Italian chartered airlines will resume flights.”

KAHC Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said the hotels, which have been temporarily closed down due to the low season in Malindi and Watamu towns, include Tropical Village, Coral Key, Blue Bay Village, Turtle Bay and Kilili Baharini.

Meanwhile, British holidaymaker Alma White said she found no reason to cut short her five-week holiday since she felt safe in Mombasa even as her colleagues were evacuated.
Ms White said when the UK issued the travel advisory, which led to the evacuation, her family called her.

“I told my family in the UK that I was very safe together with my partner and that we had decided to remain in Mombasa till the last day of our holiday on May 30,” she said.

Last week, she says, a travel agent visited her at the hotel and told her to cut short her holiday following the UK travel advisory.

Probe claims of plot to kill me, says Raila - VIDEO

Monday, May 19, 2014

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has accused police of treating as trivial the claims of an assassination plot against him.

Commenting for the first time on the claims first made by his elder brother, Dr Oburu Oginga earlier this month, Mr Odinga asked the police to take the allegations seriously.

Dr Oginga had alleged that there was an East African Community conspiracy to eliminate him. Days after he made the claims, he presented himself to the CID headquarters to record a statement last week. However, the officers asked him to record the statement in Bondo, Siaya County.

On Monday, in a wide-ranging interview in the US, Mr Odinga said: “I have not had an opportunity to talk to my brother over the issue at length as he only talked about having credible information and I advised him to report to the police.

“I do not know the reason someone will want to kill me but the reason is best known to people who are planning it.”
He wondered why, even after volunteering to go to the CID, Dr Oginga was referred to the police in Bondo.

“It is strange that he was turned away. Where you give information does not matter as it is the responsibility of the police to investigate,” he said.
Mr Odinga regretted that a citizen of the standing of an MP could be turned away by police.

“May be they know the reason why,” said the Cord leader who has been in the US for over two months on a study programme and is scheduled to return on May 31.

“All of us will die one day. Like Shakespeare in Julius Ceasar said, death is a necessary evil. It will come when it will come and only cowards die many times before their death.”
He said that he had done what was right for the country and wished to see a united Kenya.

“As Nelson Mandela said this is an ideal which I would like to live to see realised but if I must pay the ultimate price, so be it,” he said.
Last week, Dr Oginga had claimed that senior leaders in the East African Community had hatched a plot to assassinate Mr Odinga.

However, State House dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
On regional integration, Mr Odinga said that he had a cordial relationship with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandan counterpart, Mr Paul Kagame.

He said he believed in the dream of an EAC federation which, he said, was started by his father, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the Tanzanian founding president Julius Nyerere.

“I have enjoyed good relations with Museveni and Kagame I have visited both of them and held discussions on various issues affecting EAC,” he said. He supported the standard gauge railway project which he described as the brainchild of the Grand Coalition government in which he was Prime Minister and Mr Mwai Kibaki the President.

“I was chairing a joint committee with the Ugandan PM. We agreed that each country moves on with the project and it is good that Presidents Museveni, Kiir and Kagame were in Nairobi to witness the signing of the deal with China,” he said.

Lamu project

However, he asked President Uhuru Kenyatta not to abandon the Lamu project saying it would open up the region for development.

On Anglo Leasing, he said that it was unfortunate that the scandal occurred when the Narc government had put in place mechanisms to fight corruption.
He said the scandal occurred in the Kibaki administration but had started under the Nyayo era.

“It is sad that this occurred when former minister David Mwiraria was the chair of an anti-corruption committee while John Githongo was the secretary of the committee,” he said.

Mr Odinga added that the deals happened under their feet.

However, he said that not all Anglo Leasing-related projects were fictitious and gave the example of the navy ship and Project Nexus, a border surveillance system based in Karen.
“It is mad to  refuse to pay for the delivered services,” he said.

On Mr Kenyatta’s recent directive empowering County Commissioners, Mr Odinga argued that the officers have no role and that the government should allow counties to manage their own affairs.

The National Government Coordination Act violates the Constitution, he said, adding that the provincial administration was meant to be restructured and not renamed.

“The national government should co-operate with county governments which are the representative of people on the ground,” he said.

FRUSTRATED UHURU lets anger out

Posted in: News|May 19, 2014

That Uhuru Kenyatta is a frustrated man is NO DOUBT, the man from Gatundu Kiambu is faced with challenges both at personal and official capacity. Uhuru finally faces reality that presidency is NOT a walk in the park.
The president has found it difficult to drop propaganda and lead the country, every time there is a new national debate far from the miseries of Kenyans is a blessing to his government, it is now obvious that his regime cannot stand scrutiny or a sustained national debate. A distraction MUST be created to engage the public to sustain his trial and error style of leadership.
Desperation is not good, more so to a wealthy man, a man who has a near religious following, with some people going to great heights to defend him like declaring civil war (read Moses Kuria), it is not easy being Uhuru !
Watch Uhuru rant like Aden Duale, giving a careless talk that can only come from the likes of Kuttuny, Gachoka,Kajwang among other cheap fairly literate Kenyans.
A president who does not understand the value of Foreign Direct Investment in an economy, a president who pretends to know little of the value of Western Tourists in our economy, it is sad.>>> Enjoy the rant.

President Uhuru Kenyatta dismissed the travel advisories issued by the United States, United Kingdom, France and Australia. President Uhuru said the move by the four Western nations was unfair since terrorism is a global problem and not unique to Kenya.
The President however promised to get tourists from elsewhere to visit Kenya , now we don’t know how he will do that!
Uhuru already promised Miraa traders that he will a market for their produce but more than a year later its still NOTHING!
Uhuru’s close confidants like Moses Kuria are also stressed and exhibiting high degree of anger that seem to be caused by incompetence leading to a stagnant economy, unemployment, high cost of living and insecurity that seem to cause jitters even in their core stronhold of Mt Kenya (Jubilee supporters will not eat propaganda, they too are Kenyans and are demanding answers). Only a few weeks ago Moses Kuria claimed Opposition is dead, now he claims opposition is coordinating terror attacks, now only fools can believe such desperate talk.
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Ruto trial hits snag as Prosecutor withdraws witness

Deputy President William Ruto arrives at The Hague on May 14, 2014. His case has resumed. PHOTO | REBECCA NDUKU | DPPS  NATION MEDIA GROUP

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Deputy President William Ruto arrives at The Hague on May 14, 2014. His case has resumed. PHOTO | REBECCA NDUKU | DPPS  NATION MEDIA GROUP

Thursday, May 15, 2014

 

By Walter Menya
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The trial of Deputy President William Ruto and Joshua Sang has hit a snag after the prosecution Thursday applied for the withdrawal of a witness.

The witness P-0025, described previously as key to the prosecution, was withdrawn Wednesday evening just hours before he was due to take to the stand.

(Read: Ruto case resumes as victim testifies)

“Dear Chamber, dear counsel, I regret to inform the Chamber, parties and participants that, following the witness preparation session with witness P-0025 held on 14 May, the Prosecution has decided to withdraw him as a Prosecution witness,” an email of May 14 from senior trial lawyer Anton Steynberg announcing the prosecution’s decision states .

Mr Steynberg conceded that during the customary witness preparations before one takes the stand to begin testimony, the prosecution discovered that witness P-0025 unable to accurately recall, or give a coherent and consistent account of, critical parts of the evidence the prosecution had intended to lead from this witness.

“In the circumstances, the Prosecution does not consider that the witness’s evidence is sufficiently relevant or reliable to call as a Prosecution witness, particularly bearing in mind the limited court time available to the Prosecution and the consequent need to present the most cogent and reliable evidence. The Prosecution of course has no objection if the Defence wishes to consult with the witness with a view to calling him during the Defence case (subject to the provisions of the Protocol). I apologise to the Chamber and parties for the inconvenience occasioned by the late withdrawal of this witness,” Mr Steynberg said in the e-mail.

During the oral application Thursday, Mr Steynberg also informed the court of the prosecution’s application to have the current session deferred until the first week of June when the next prosecution witness 405 will be available.

'ROTTEN UNDER-BELLY'

The application by the prosecution to withdraw the witness attracted a debate with Mr Ruto’s lead defence counsel Karim Khan repeating that the action was a proof that the prosecution’s case against his client has a “rotten under-belly”.

According to Mr Khan, the witness was referred to 25 times in the pre-trial ruling and 17 times in the prosecution’s pre-trial brief to demonstrate his significance to the case.

P-0025 who is already in The Hague is understood to have told the prosecution that he was present during one or many of the planning meetings of the 2007/08 post-election violence at Mr Ruto’s Sugoi home.

According to Mr Khan, the credibility of the witness, whom he described as a ‘master chef’ has been in question as he was purportedly a conduit for prosecution to obtain five other witnesses. Mr Khan further alleged that the witness had been procured by among others USAID and other foreign embassies that he did not disclose.

“Witnesses are duping the OTP. Witnesses have come through hands of individuals especially this one P-0025,” said Mr Khan.

“As such it is premature to grant the prosecution leave to withdraw this witness,” said Mr Khan.

The Ruto defence team requested that the proceedings be adjourned until Friday 2pm after the prosecution discloses certain materials to the defence before the witness is withdrawn. The materials the defence wants are the video of the witness preparation, an update of the schedule of expenses and benefits asked for or conferred to the witness since October 2013 and any discussion, if any on agreements taken between the Victims and Witnesses Unit and the Office of the Prosecutor on the benefits for the witness after he testifies.

Mr Steynberg however said the request by the defence for video for witness preparation was unwarranted unless there is an allegation of witness coaching. He also said that the prosecution has not made further disbursements to the witness since the last disclosure in October 2013.

The prosecution, Mr Steynberg said, will however be ready to share with the defence the proofing notes of the witness.

On their part, former radio journalist Joshua Sang’s defence team agreed with the prosecution to drop the witness on the assurance that he will not be brought back again in the course of the trial, an assurance Mr Steynberg gave.

“We submit it is the right decision to withdraw this witness. We regret though that this happened at the eleventh hour but it is at the discretion of the prosecution to decide who to call or not to call. If they withdraw him not, that’s it. They should not recall him again,” said Ms Caroline Buisman, Sang’s lawyer.

The victim’s lawyer Wilfred Nderitu also agreed with Ms Buisman that the discretion to call or not to call a witness remained with the calling party and as such the prosecution should not be compelled to produce P-0025 after disclosing that they no longer intended to rely on his testimony.

The chamber is due to make a decision Thursday afternoon on the application by the prosecution as well as the disclosure requests by the defence. In case the prosecution’s application for adjournment is granted, Mr Ruto will be free to return home much earlier than earlier planned.

Mr Ruto is required to be in the court for five days following a long recess though the chamber can also order his presence in the court any time. He arrived in The Hague on Wednesday May 14 and was expected to stay until mid-next week had P-0025 testified.

Court nullifies Kidero’s election

Written by PHILIP MUYANGA, posted on May 13, 2014

City residents will have to do without a Governor for the time being after the Court of Appeal overturned Dr Evans Kidero’s election.
Appellate judges GBM Kariuki and Patrick Kiage ruled that Dr Kidero’s challenger during the 2013 gubernatorial election, Ferdinand Waititu had raised sufficient grounds to have the results nullified.
Justice Mohammed Warsame however gave a dissenting verdict saying Waititu’s appeal was incompetent.
“We have declared that Evans Kidero and Jonathan Mueke were not validly elected as the Governor and Deputy Governor respectively. The judgment and the decree of the High Court have been set aside,” Justice Kiage ruled on behalf his two colleagues.
Waititu had moved to the Court of Appeal after the High Court dismissed his petition seeking to have Dr Kidero’s victory overturned.
High court judge Richard Mwongo had dismissed Waititu’s petition on grounds that he had failed to prove his case. The Judge also said he had found no evidence of vote manipulation as cited by the petitioner and dismissed it with costs.
Mr Waititu’s lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui outlined 39 grounds of appeal seeking to reverse Justice Mwongo’s judgment that upheld Dr Kidero victory.
“The learned judge rendered a final written judgment that differed from what he read in open court on September 10, 2013 in violation of article 48,159(1)(a) and (e) of the constitution of Kenya,” the lawyer argued.
He said the oral judgment made reference to a finding that he had found the impugned election unconstitutional and in violation of the electoral law “yet his final written version was worded the exact opposite.”
During the March 4, 2013 gubernatorial elections, Dr Kidero was declared the winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission having garnered 692,483 votes. Mr Waititu was second with 617,839.
Dr Kidero ran on an ODM party ticket while Waituitu was the TNA candidate.
Justice Mwongo however noted that the general conduct of the election was however not devoid of malpractices.
“The court has observed that in Mathare constituency and Embakasi Central constituency, the results in forms 36 cannot be verified because every entry in constituency form 36 differs from every entry in county form 36,” Judge Mwongo said before ordering a recount in selected polling centres.
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Uhuru Kenyatta warned against snubbing West

  Nyamira County Women representative Ms Alice Chae at a past event. PHOTO/FILE

Monday, May 12, 2014

The Jubilee government should not ignore Western countries in favour of the East, Nyamira County Women representative Alice Chae has said.

Reacting to the multi-billion shilling deals that the government entered with China recently, Ms Chae said the Jubilee leadership was treading on dangerous grounds by ignoring Kenya’s old development partners after establishing trading links with countries from the East.

“I am not against our country partnering with the Eastern countries for development. What I detest is a situation where our President is ignoring Kenya’s old development partners in the West in preference to the Eastern blocks,” she said.

She said Kenya will suffer in the long run if it ignores Western development partners.

“Since independence we have been trading with foreign countries that equally support us in developing our countries. What the government is required to do is to expand its partnership without ignoring our old development partners,” she added.

She said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government should not cut international relationships with Western trade partners, who she said had assisted Kenya develop for the past 50 years.

“I am not against the country getting new development partners but as it does so it must not ignore our old international trade partners who have made Kenya what it is,” Ms Chae said at Rianchiri PAG church in Nyamira County

Top 5 Reasons why East Africa ‘Evil Axis’ gang may want Raila dead

By George Nyongesa
Five reasons why E.A. Presidents want Raila Odinga dead
A little background first. To put it as it is, the evil axis that want Hon. Raila Odinga dead are powerful individuals who control tools and machinery of violence. They are persons who have no respect for the sanctity of life. And yes they have no democratic credentials; they don’t respect human rights, or, rule of law.
Those with the benefit of historical knowledge, case study of Kenya, know that before they were murdered, there were rumors of plots to kill P.G Pinto, T. J Mboya, J .M Kariuki and other victims of political assassinations. In Rwanda, political rivals of status are killed even if they are far in South Africa. Most of us were here when Sudanese’s Dr. John Garang was murdered in a highly suspicious helicopter accident. Sudanese will tell you: before it happened, there were rumors. Therefore, in politics rumors must be treated seriously. Friends, there is nothing new in biopolitics since the days of Jesus of Nazareth.
Moving ahead. Allow me to ask this question. Is the climate conducive for such high voltage assassination? Those who have eyes can see. Those who have ears can hear. Those who have minds can perceive. Suddenly, Al Shabaab is playing poker with our lives – anywhere and everywhere. What is the official explanation? Supposedly because our army is in Somali to rescue Somalis from Al Shabaab horrors. And innocent Kenyans are suffering supposed surprise retaliatory attacks from Al Shabaab. Nonsense! Other countries too have boots on the ground in Somali. Dijbouti is there; Sierra Leone is there; Uganda is there; and yes, Ethiopia is also there in Somali. But citizens of those countries are not catching hell like we do. Why? Your answer is as good as mine.
But why would four sitting Presidents want a former Prime Minister dead?
Here are my plausible reasons:
First reason is born of the proposed political union of the six sovereign states of the East Africa community – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and S. Sudan – as a single federated sovereign state. This means that citizens of the six countries will eventually be voting for a President of the Federation. There is real fear among current East African Presidents that Raila Odinga is very popular across the region and a serious challenge to any ambitions in the contest for East Africa Federated States’ presidency. The other reasons I detail below are actually just icing on this East Africa political cake.
Secondly, look around; in Uganda, opposition is silenced by all means necessary. In S. Sudan, someone is killing stay on the throne. In Rwanda, opponents are killed wherever they are found. In Burundi, nothing is different. In almost all East African countries, save for Tanzania, killing an opponent
is always, always option number one. So talk of East African Presidents plotting to kill a perceived opponents shouldn’t really shock us. They have killed whenever it was politically necessary; they will kill if political necessity calls.
Thirdly, besides Tanzania which East African country can claim on a legitimate and proud democracy? None. All the other East African countries have Presidents whom we can boldly say ruthlessly killed their way to top leadership. It doesn’t matter in whose name or ideal they killed. I say it again. No doubt as long as it is politically necessary they can kill. True or False? In 2013, in Kenya’s final presidential campaign rally, one of the Presidential candidates said: “…I have never killed anyone. My father never killed anyone…”. The thought of such a clean person becoming the President of East Africa’s super power definitely sends shivers to those who know they might sooner or later be ‘guests’ of the international justice system.
Fourthly, there is truth in the saying that “prophets are dishonored at home.” The world loves and respects Raila Odinga. Today, he has no government title. He served in a government as a premier for only 5 years. But he globe trots giving lectures: in Harvard; in Yale; in Princeton, you name it. He fraternizes with the world’s who is who. He has ears top world leaders. He is the choice speaker on Africa’s renaissance. Show me another East African President sitting or retired with such recognition. Don’t you think envy, jealousy and distrust is good reason for wishing him away?
Fifthly, in local context, let nobody cheat you that Raila Odinga is an ordinary opposition politician. He commands majority the number of Senators, Governors, MPs etc. His competitors have to gang up to marshal a combination that outweighs his legitimacy to the throne. This is made worse when you have a top leadership that does not how to govern a modern State. Of course the “alternative factor” is a loaded political reason for one to nurse the idea of neutralizing him.
In conclusion, we all know that Dr Oburu Odinga is not a mad man. Considering he is a senior Luo, a man who still respects culture and traditions of Africans and Luos in particular. I doubt he would discuss his own small brother in terms of death unless he has a sound reason. That said, I want to state categorically that this is my personal opinion. Any truths in these opinion is just facts observable by those who care to know. Like majority of Kenyans and good people of our region, I would like this conversation with you to remain as what Uhuru Kenyatta’s spokesman Manoah Espisu termed “nonsense” and “cheaptalk”. I have interacted with Hon. Raila Odinga, one-on-one and I have no doubt that he wants a united people, here at home – Kenya – and the wider region of East Africa. Indeed, Hon. Odinga is one of our leading enviable pan Africanist with global focus of playing his part to make Africa part of the rest. We can only wish him long life!

Author George Nyongesa
About Author: George Nyongesa is a consultant and an activist on governance, devolution and human rights. He blogs and comments on politics, law, development and policy. Twitter: @GeorgeNyongesa 
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