Love brewed in a Maasai calabash

Former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger and his Maasai wife Ruth Konchella at Lenamo Springs Hotel in Kilgoris Town on August 30, 2016. PHOTO | RUTH MBULA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

 SUMMARY

• Former US ambassador Michael Ranneberger and his wife, Ruth Konchella, are booked at Lenamo Springs Hotel in Kilgoris town.
• The couple has just spent their afternoon at the Kilgoris cattle market buying cows that will be given as bride price.
• Mr Ranneberger says they will be in Kenya for a week and then continue with their tour.
• He adds that during his tenure in Kenya, things were very different and he had little time for love.

A few minutes to midnight the couple is having the time of their life. Former US ambassador Michael Ranneberger and his wife, Ruth Konchella, are booked at Lenamo Springs Hotel in Kilgoris town.

They invite us warmly to their table where the chemistry between them is unmistakable. The former envoy tells us they have a great day ahead of them, indicating that they wish to retire early.

“We had a busy day today and are very tired. For that reason we do not want to stay here for long,” Mr Ranneberger informs us.

The couple has just spent their afternoon at the Kilgoris cattle market buying cows that will be given as bride price.

The former US envoy, however, refuses to disclose the number of cows he will give his in-laws. Cattle traders, we are informed, increased prices as soon when they spotted them at the market.

“You will have a chance to count them later. The moment they saw a white man at the market, they increased prices for heifers from Sh20,000 to Sh40,000,” says Ms Konchella.
They easily break into smiles and laughter as they share the secrets of their happy marriage. They have been together for over 10 years now.

Mr Ranneberger served as the US ambassador to Kenya when Kenya was at its lowest point after the 2007/2008 election violence.

He often rubbed the Kenyan government the wrong way in his frequent statements against corruption and poor leadership.

“I know my public pronouncements did not go down well with government officials because of my constant criticism of graft but I have no regrets,” he says.

ANGERED BY CORRUPTION

He is forthright that corruption in Kenya angers him. “I love this country. Kenya would be a great nation if corruption levels were reduced,” he says.

Switching back to his marriage, he says he is due to complete the payment of bride price the next day. “I will pay in our mother’s home at Ololchani village in the outskirts of Kilgoris”.

The wife explains that her father, a scion of the Konchella family, a died long time ago.

“We have heard the best marriage ever. I am the happiest woman in the world. He has truly loved and taken care of me. I know I am his queen and he always treats me as one,” says Ms Konchella.

The two are now spending their time on a global tour. Mr Ranneberger says they will be in Kenya for a week and then continue with their tour.
“Please take me to the Caribbean Islands next,” she proposes with a smile. “No I will take you to London,” he replies followed by a hearty laugh.
The former ambassador is divorced from his first wife. He is not keen to go into details.

He is however, happy to celebrate the presence of Ruth in his life. “I have had all the good times with Ruth and she has made me the happiest man in the world. Some people do very big weddings only to end up in tears and regret after a few months. But we are here to say marriage is a blessing,” says the former ambassador.

He adds that during his tenure in Kenya, things were very different and he had little time for love.

“I was very busy and the press were all over me. It feels good now with fewer cameras trained on me, and a happy wife besides me,” he says.
He says he is out to “be happy and enjoy life as it should be enjoyed.

The need to pay bride price for Ruth arose recently after her mother told her of the death of a relative.

“My mother said the relative was a great man but his only problem was that he had not paid bride price for his wife. It was at that point I began to wonder how important bride price was. I quickly realised that my husband had to pay my bride price lest it goes down in history that our marriage was never traditionally formalised,” she says.

So, they hurriedly organised for the ceremony.

According to a Maasai elder, Jonathan Ole Sialo, who is also Ololchani area chief, the going rate is a minimum of eight cows for bride price.

“Six of the cows must be very strong and big. A sheep of good quality is counted as the seventh cow. A ring that is worth more than Sh1,000 is considered the eight cow,” he says.

BRIDE PRICE COWS

He says the ring is given to the girl’s mother by her son-in-law. According to Mr Sialo, Maasai tradition stipulates that the son in-law and his other relatives should spend a night in the woman’s homestead.

He explains the woman’s family then proceeds to their in-laws’ homestead to pick up the bride price cows.

“But because Mr Ranneberger does not have an established homestead here, he will have to look for a family that will temporary shelter him,” he says.
He says Mr Ranneberger’s temporary family will keep the cows purchased for the ceremony.

The woman’s parents will then collect the cattle from that home. Those collecting the cows dress in animal skin and use soft branches to drive the cows home.

“The ceremony is very sacred and that is why animal skin is won. Soft branches are used to push the cows because it is against traditions to hurt those cows,” he says.

He says besides the cows, there are other presents like blankets, Maasaishukas and other goodies but cattle are the main gift.

The Maasai elder says, the girl permanently belongs to the husband’s family after the ceremony.

“Her parents only recognize that they have her as their daughter but she solely belongs to the husband’s family. Even after her death, she is buried where she was married,” he says.

He explains that Ms Konchella will now be recognized as an American wife by the Konchellah family and Maasai community after the dowry ceremony.

“After the handover is done, she will now officially be an American wife. We wish her well in her new life,” he says.

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PHOTOS:Former US Ambassador Rannerberger pays dowry for Maasai wife

31.Aug.2016: Former American ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger paid dowry for his Kenyan wife on Tuesday in a colourful ceremony held at Ololchani village in Narok county.

Rannerberger paid 20 cows as dowry for Ruth Konchellah who he met 10 years ago during a tour at the Enoosaen area.

He had gone to see cows donated by members of the Uasin Gishu clan to the American government, in remembrance of those who died during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

‘’Ruth was among a group of women who welcomed me with a song and dance when I toured the Enoosaen area, after which we spoke briefly [and] she told me that she managed a non-governmental organisation known as ‘Cherise Others’ which was involved in a campaign to fight Female Genital Mutilation and early marriages,’’ Rannerberger said.

From left: Former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger, his wife Ruth Konchellah and his mother-in-law Grace Mesopirr at the dowry ceremony, August 30, 2016 /EDWIN NYARANGI

The former Ambassador said that they exchanged contacts and “one thing led to another”.

He said after they became an item and they have gone on to confound many who thought that their relationship was short-lived.

He described the payment of dowry as “the crowning of their 10-year relationship”.

Former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger and his wife Ruth Kochellah share a plate of nyama choma during the dowry ceremony, August 30, 2016 /EDWIN NYARANGI

Rannerberger was all praises for his mother-in-law Grace Mesopirr, who served as a continuity announcer in the Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation in 1960s.

She was also a cultural assistant in the Kenyan Embassy in France for 25 years.

Rannerberger’s wife Ruth was overjoyed that her husband had decided to adhere to the African customs by paying dowry to her mother.

Rannerberger prepares to cut some nyama choma for his wife Ruth Konchellah during the dowry ceremony, August 30, 2016 /EDWIN NYARANGI

He spent a better part of Monday at the Kilgoris Livestock market bargaining for the cattle.

‘’This is a very special day in my life since I do not know what to say but I am grateful that my husband has seen the need to comply to this very important custom to the members of the Maasai community and all Africans,’’ she said.

From right: Former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger, his wife Ruth Konchellah, his mother-in-law Grace Mesopirr singing a Maasai song at the dowry ceremony, August 30, 2016 /EDWIN NYARANGI

During the ceremony attended by a few invited guests, they ate a lot of nyama choma accompanied with drinks to celebrate the official marriage of Rannerberger and Ruth as per the Maasai Culture.

The couple are going to stay

in the country for a few days after which they will leave for the United States of America where Rannerberger is a Consultant in the Private sector.

From right: Former US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Rannerberger, his wife Ruth Konchellah and mother-in-law Grace Mesopirr in Mesopirr’s home, August 30, 2016 /EDWIN NYARANGI

-the-star.co.ke

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Salvage what you can and run; this gov’t is mortgaging your country

By Shadrack Muyesu

1 Aug.2016: President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto. Their appetite for external debt is unmatched.

“…The country has been borrowing about Sh40 million per hour that adds up to about Sh1 billion every day or Sh30 billion per month… (The Standard)

“Government has been borrowing about Sh355 billion every year, an amount that is enough to construct about 10 Thika superhighways every year… this borrowing that has pushed up Kenya’s outstanding debt by Sh1.065 trillion in the last three years to hit Sh3.4 trillion… (The Standard)

“…Uhuru oversees signing of Sh15 billion loan from China at State House… A Sh4.8 billion grant was for the construction of the Foreign Affairs ministry’s headquarters while a $1 million (Sh102 million) grant was for support in hosting the on-going World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference” (The star)

 “…Treasury data shows that by March 2015, the Jubilee administration had borrowed Sh874.5 billion between 2013 and 2015, overtaking Kibaki’s regime, which borrowed Sh738 billion in his last term…” (The standard)

“…Sh340.5 billion from external sources. Another Sh229.7 billion will be borrowed from the domestic market… A Sh118 billion loan from China to fund the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR)… At the current borrowing rate, every Kenyan child born next year will have to shoulder a debt of Sh71,000…” (The standard)

“…The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank raised the red flag as early as last year on Kenya’s growing appetite for debt…” (The standard)

“…China now owns more than half of Kenya’s external debt…Kenya secured a $600 million loan from china last week to help towards paying for a $6 billion budget deficit that government expects this year…” (Quartz Africa)

“…President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Thursday that the investor had agreed to pump in Sh6 billion over the next three years after purchasing the company’s assets…” (Daily Nation)

 “…Chinese deals signed by the Head of State will raise the country’s external debt position to Sh1.26 trillion up from the Sh843.6 billion as at the year ending June 2013…” (Capital News)

“…China provided $745 million USD loan for the construction of Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital…” (AidData)

“…Chinese firm’s Sh16 billion deal kicks off Uhuru, Waiyaki Way expansion…”(Business Daily)

February 11th 1963 at the Presidential Palace in Accra. Dr Kwame Nkrumah is done addressing his Cabinet. Just as he is about to put pen to paper to commission yet another of his grand projects, the Minister for Finance stands to speak, his verdict is damning:
“Sir, I am afraid we might not be able to proceed; not now at least when our foreign reserves stand at less than 500,000 pounds…”

Momentarily, an eerie silence engulfs the entire room before it suddenly erupts in animated murmurs, then silence again. Everyone is shocked, yet none as the great man himself. For several minutes, he ponders pensively and then collapses into a teary heap.

Yet how could he? How could Ghana? One time the most promising of tropical states, wasn’t it surprising that hardly six years on, saddled by huge debt, a food shortage that had spiralled out of control and the ever-rising taxes, that Africa’s virgin land now was on the brink of bankruptcy?

Leadership problem

Ghana’s biggest problem had been its leader and, judging from his reaction, he must have known this. A good man to start with, with grand yet genuine ambitions of transforming Ghana into an industrialised state, Nkrumah had recklessly stumbled from one project to another seemingly driven by personal instinct and the grand novelty of an idea rather than its economic viability. He had overlooked the interests of the simple man, the peasant, choosing instead to focus government resources of expensive undertakings such as the mechanising state farms.

Simple necessaries such as elementary schools or even a pharmaceutical plants to heal the burgeoning drug shortage were overlooked at the expense of factories, shipyards and steelworks that he personally sanctioned, not to mention a huge set of concrete silos that were rendered unusable on completion. Actually, they never popped up on his “to do” list but even when they did, he always preferred the option that cost ten times as much.

Anyone with a bribe and a big idea could foster partnership with Nkrumah (Ghana). Then, as yours truly is doing now, some protested but that didn’t deter him for simply, they were “enemies of progress”; neither did a looming cash crisis or anything else for that matter.

Indeed, when domestic coffers ran low, he simply turned to the East for a loan, not caring about the suspect commitments he let Ghana into as collateral (at one time he even lined up a state carrier complete with a fleet of jets to fly to destinations such as Cairo and Moscow for which there was no demand. These planes became the personal taxis of government officials at the expense of the taxpayer).  Ghana become an import state – a problem only worsened by the inefficiency and corruption of the battalion of cronies he had handpicked from his CPP faction to oversee his developments.  Naturally, his projects couldn’t stand and as, one by one, they collapsed, he followed them into the abyss of Ghana’s forgettable histories.

50 years later, in faraway Kenya, it is Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta’s turn – a laptop project against a teacher and classroom shortage; food insecurity against low maize, cane and coffee prices for peasant farmers; food insecurity and lax imports against an embarrassment of a project in the Tana Delta; immaculate highways against a tipping public and external debt balance; national unity in the Jubilee Alliance against a reward mechanism in incompetent tribal appointments, not to mention a National Assembly that has prostituted its oversight role on the altar of quick cash and party politics! Hardly does history repeat itself in such exact margins.

As we cheer on the sand castle he is building, we should remember that, while the Chinese are always at our beck and call with “cheap” yet easily accessible loans, their dictate is often that this money will be spent on Chinese labour and Chinese machinery. Over and above the normal monetary payments, our friends from the East have been known to insist on China-friendly policies and other market concessions as preconditions – even payments for their loans. Simply, China pushes us to take loans she knows we will never be able to pay before it fills our markets with cheap Chinese commodities, which, unless we pay back, we can never have the moral or legal authority to throw out. It is no wonder therefore there is Chinese fish in Kisumu, Chinese mitumba, gadgets, “naturalised” Chinese ajua experts in Nyanza and the rising movement of cons and randy highway constructors that we can never deport.

The truth behind China’s extensive generosity is simple…

…To continue reading this story, please buy a copy of the magazine available in all leading supermarkets and street vendors at only kshs 350

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German students robbed of film equipment in Nairobi apartment

Mr Tobias Rosen (right) and Katja Benrath (third left), who are part of a group of German students shooting a film about the Mandera bus attack that happened in December 2015 in Kenya. Their film equipment worth Sh12m was stolen from a Nairobi apartment. PHOTO | COURTESY 

Summary

• Mr Rosen said they had left the cameras in their apartment on August 14 but on their return, they did not find the equipment.
• Kilimani OCPD Peter Kattam, when contacted for comment, said he was unaware of the case and promised to follow up.

By STELLA CHERONO
More by this Author

The thief disguised himself as part of the team at their Nairobi apartment when they were away.

Mr Tobias Rosen (right) and Katja Benrath (third left), who are part of a group of German students shooting a film about the Mandera bus attack that happened in December 2015 in Kenya. Their film equipment worth Sh12m was stolen from a Nairobi apartment. PHOTO | COURTESY 

A group of German students who are in Kenya to make a film about the December 2015 Mandera bus terror attack are distraught after their equipment was stolen from their rented apartment in Nairobi.

The group comprises actress, director and writer Katja Benrath, the group's film director and cinematographer Felix Striegel, the director of production.

The students’ apartment on Muringa Road in Nairobi was raided by a white man, who disguised himself as one of them and made away with the equipment worth Sh12 million.

“We arrived three months ago and have been collaborating with Kenyan film-makers to make a film. We hired the camera from a South African firm,” Tobias Rosen, producer and actor who is one of the students, told the Nation on Tuesday.

Mr Rosen said they had left the cameras in their apartment on August 14 but on their return, they did not find the equipment.

He said a watchman at the apartment said the white man driving a white double cabin pickup truck, whose registration number was recorded, entered the compound after claiming that he was part of the film crew.

“The man lied to him that he was part of our team and made away with the camera and three big cases,” he said.

He said they reported the matter to the Kilimani Police Station under occurrences book number 129/14/8/2016 but their equipment has not been found and neither have they received any feedback from the police.

But Kilimani OCPD Peter Kattam, when contacted for comment, said he was unaware of the case and promised to follow up.

Mr Rosen said his team had been forced to find another camera to continue with their filming.

The students are from German Filmmaking University Hamburg media school. They were in Kenya to produce a 2o minute short movie .

Hear me now? 'Strong signal' from sun-like star sparks alien speculation

(CNN)Astronomers engaged in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) are training their instruments on a star around 94 light years from Earth after a very strong signal was detected by a Russian telescope.

An international team of researchers is now examining the radio signal and its star, HD 164595 -- described in a paper by Italian astronomer Claudio Maccone and others as a "strong candidate for SETI" -- in the hopes of determining its origin.

"The signal from HD 164595 is intriguing, because it comes from the vicinity of a sun-like star, and if it's artificial, its strength is great enough that it was clearly made by a civilization with capabilities beyond those of humankind," astronomer Douglas Vakoch, president of METI International, which searches for life beyond Earth, tells CNN.

Whenever a strong signal is detected, "it's a good possibility for some nearby civilization to be detected," Maccone tells CNN.

But experts say it is highly unlikely to be a message from alien beings.

"Without corroboration from an independent observatory, a putative signal from extraterrestrials doesn't have a lot of credibility," Vakoch says.

Advanced civilization?

Paul Gilster of the Tau Zero Foundation, which conducts interstellar research, said that if the signal was artificial, its strength suggested it would have to come from a civilization more advanced than our own.

Such a civilization would likely be Type II on the Kardashev scale, an attempt by the Soviet astronomer of the same name to categorize various technological stages of civilizations.

"The Kardashev scale is based basically on the energy that that civilization might be able to funnel for its own use," says Maccone.

At present, our own species is somewhere near Type I on the scale, whereby a civilization is able to harness all the energy available to it on its own planet, including solar, wind, earthquakes, and other fuels.

Dyson swarm (pictured) or Dyson spheres are proposed technologies for capturing all energy emitted by a star.

A Type II civilization would be able to harness the entirety of the energy emitted by its star, billions of billions of watts.

Doing so would require a colossal undertaking, likely the construction of some kind of superstructure, such as a giant sphere or swarm of super-advanced solar panels popularized by astronomer Freeman Dyson that could catch and store all radiation put out by the sun.

Scientists believe superstructures are probably our best chance of detecting alien life unless they are actively trying to communicate with us.

A Dyson sphere was one of the solutions suggested to the peculiar light fluctuations detected around Tabby's Star, which caused great excitement when they were detected last year.

Maccone is working on developing an alternative mathematical measure of how advanced civilizations are, based on the amount of knowledge and information available to them, that "might help us in the future classify alien civilizations" that we detect.

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Dimming star remains mystery, but it's likely not caused by comets

Raila in plan ‘to form super coalition with five parties’

Cord leader Raila Odinga addresses the media at Orange House in Nairobi on August 10, 2016. He is in talks with leaders of five other political parties to form a super alliance in his bid to unseat President Uhuru Kenyatta. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 29.08.2016

By ISAAC ONGIRI
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Summary

• The former Prime Minister, Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi of Amani National Congress and Kanu’s Gideon Moi are said to be the key pillars of the new political powerhouse being formed for the coming elections.
• Narc, which is led by former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, and Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua were also being wooed into the alliance.
• Mr Odinga was advised that his third presidential bid was weakened by the exit of his former Pentagon colleagues, including Deputy President William Ruto after the post-election fallout.

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Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga is in talks with leaders of five other political parties to form a super alliance in his bid to unseat President Uhuru Kenyatta, sources say.

Details of the secret talks began to emerge with Mr Odinga’s key allies and associates talking of what they termed “the mother of all coalitions”.

They exuded confidence that the political machine being assembled would be formidable enough to wrest power from President Kenyatta.

The former Prime Minister, Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi of Amani National Congress and Kanu’s Gideon Moi are said to be the key pillars of the new political powerhouse being formed for the coming elections.

Sources also said Narc, which is led by former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, and Narc-Kenya’s Martha Karua were also being wooed into the alliance that will “command adequate votes to defeat the Jubilee coalition”.

One of the opposition leaders in the know told the Nation that Mr Odinga and his key Cord partners had been advised by their strategists to do away with the coalition crafted at the end of 2012.Sources say key leaders of different political outfits part of planned deal.

(READ: Raila unveils ODM’s roadmap just days before Jubilee launch)

According to the sources, Mr Odinga was advised that his third presidential bid was weakened by the exit of his former Pentagon colleagues, including Deputy President William Ruto after the post-election fallout.

EMERGING OPPOSITION ALLIANCE

On Sunday, MPs Junet Mohammed (Suna East) and Ayub Savula (Lugari) gave credence to the talks on the emerging opposition alliance and said Mr Odinga and Mr Mudavadi have been in serious talks.

“I can authoritatively confirm that Mr Odinga, Mr Mudavadi, Mr Moi and Mr Musyoka are deep in talks to craft a super alliance to deliver Kenya from the yoke of corruption,” said Mr Mohammed.

Mr Savula, a key associate of Mr Mudavadi, said the opposition talks were serious and that the network being created was far and wide.

“As Luhya leaders, we have sat down with Mr Mudavadi and gave him the green light to go out there and engage his colleagues in the interest of all Kenyans,” the MP said.

But contacted, Mr Mudavadi said he was not aware of any talks aimed at forming a super alliance. “I have said that there is a commonality in some policies but I am not aware of any such talks. ANC is focused on Luhya unity,” he said.

Kanu secretary-general Nick Salat was non-committal on Sunday, saying: “I can neither deny nor confirm.”

Ms Karua declined to comment on the matter while Wiper secretary-general Hassan Omar said the matter was sensitive.

Luo elders: Raila must be Cord's presidential candidate

By RUSHDIE OUDIA
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Senators Moses Kajwang (second from left), James Orengo (third from left), Hassan Omar (back, centre) and Anyang' Nyon'go (holding shield) in Seme, Kisumu on August 26, 2016. PHOTO | TOM OTIENO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

Summary

• Elders say they have resolved that Raila Odinga must run for presidency in next year’s General Election.
• Council of elders chairman Willis Otondi says resolution was influenced by Mr Odinga’s “immense popularity across the country compared to Mr (Kalonzo) Musyoka and Mr (Moses) Wetang’ula, the Ford Kenya leader”.

They ask Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang’ula to rally behind him.Raila Odinga’s position as Cord’s presidential candidate in 2017 is not negotiable, the Luo Council of elders declared on Friday.

During a special sitting at Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu on Friday, the elders said they had resolved that Mr Odinga must run for the presidency in next year’s elections.

“After thorough deliberations and consultations, we have unanimously resolved that Raila’s name must be on the ballot come next year,” council chairman Willis Otondi declared.

The elders asked Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula who also want the Cord ticket, to rally behind Mr Odinga.

Mr Otondi said their resolution was influenced by Mr Odinga’s “immense popularity across the country compared to Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula, the Ford Kenya leader.”

“This matter is not negotiable,” said council secretary-general Owino Nyady said.

“We own Raila. Raila does not own us. Therefore our resolution is final. Raila must run for presidency in 2017,” he said.

He said the ‘Ofafa Memorial Hall Declaration’ will be communicated to Mr Odinga with immediate effect.

POOR SERVICES

Meanwhile, seven Cord MPs have accused governors in the coalition of failing Mr Odinga by poor services.

The four senators and three MPs claimed that the county chiefs had nothing to show despite being allocated billions of shillings since they were elected four years ago.

According to the politicians, the poor performance of governors could be used as a campaign tool against Mr Odinga’ quest for presidency.

They asked voters to elect leaders who have devolution at heart and those who can represent the Cord leader better in counties.

Senators Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu), Hassan Omar (Mombasa), Moses Kajwang (Homa Bay) James Orengo (Siaya) and MPs Fred Outa (Nyando), James Nyikal (Seme) and Rose Nyamunga said the governors had done little despite the billions of funds channeled to the devolved units.

“Devolution has been tainted by governors who lack the spirit of devolution at heart. We have a bunch of thieves who are keen on their stomachs only,” said Mr Omar in Kisumu during the official launch of Prof Nyong’o’s campaign for governorship.

The Kisumu senator is seeking to remove Governor Jack Ranguma.

“We are not going into politics to amass wealth. We are running for governorship because those who are there have failed,” said Prof Nyong’o.

Earth 2.0: Scientists find ‘second Earth’ that could harbour life and is close enough to send space missions to The planet is just four light years away, meaning that it could even

The planet is just four light years away, meaning that it could even be reached by travellers from Earth in the far future

A rocky planet that might have aliens on it has been found, close enough that we could travel there.

The new world is just slightly bigger than Earth and sits about four light years away, orbiting Proxima Centauri. That star is the nearest one to our solar system.

As such, it is the most easily studied and understood of any “second Earth” that has ever been found. And it appears to be almost perfectly set up to serve as a home for alien life.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space

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The planet, known as Proxima b, is close enough that future generations of space craft might be abel to travel there, taking robotic probes with them. Eventually it could even be close enough to become a new home for travellers from Earth.

Scientists hope to be able to explore the planet more to try and find life. The planet orbits in the habitable zone around its sun, meaning that it would be well within the right place to be able to support life.

Dr Guillem Anglada-Escude, from Queen Mary University of London, who led an international team of about 30 astronomers, said: "Succeeding in the search for the nearest terrestrial planet beyond the solar system has been an experience of a lifetime, and has drawn on the dedication and passion of a number of international researchers.

"We hope these findings inspire future generations to keep looking beyond the stars. The search for life on Proxima b comes next.”

This artist’s impression shows the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. The double star Alpha Centauri AB also appears in the image between the planet and Proxima itself. (ESO/M. Kornmesser)

Proxima b is far closer to its star than we are, taking just 11.2 days to complete one orbit and sitting only 5% as far away from its star as we do from ours. But because that star is much dimmer, it is still within the habitable zone where there could be water on the planet – and, as a consequence, life.

But there are other issues with Proxima b as a potential home for nearby aliens. The star pelts its planet with powerful ultraviolet rays and X-rays, which would mean that anything living there would find it much harder and so would have to become hardened against that radiation.

Scientists still aren’t sure whether planets like Proxima b are habitable, because of debates about whether they can sustain an atmosphere and liquid water. It will require further research to come to understand more about the planet’s atmosphere and whether life could be found there – though the ongoing debates are intense, they are unlikely to be settled without direct study of the planet itself.

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Scientists find ‘closest ever’ second Earth – but won't say so

Scientists have long studied Proxima Centauri, the new planet’s star. Because of its proximity, it served as a place of much scientific interest, and so is one of the best-studied low-mass stars.

The planet was found by looking at data gathered from Doppler measurements that were collected by European Southern Observatory telescopes between 2000 and 2014, and others taken in 2016, the researchers write in Nature. Doppler data lets scientists study tiny movements of a host star, which tend to be the result of the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet.

That data seems to show what scientists have claimed about the new planet: that it is a warm planet, of roughly the same size as the Earth, that makes its way around the star every 11.2 days.

This image of the sky around the bright star Alpha Centauri AB also shows the much fainter red dwarf star, Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System. The picture was created from pictures forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (Digitized Sky Survey 2 Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin/Mahdi Zamani)

As such the research has been years in the making, and was undertaken by more than 30 researchers from across different institutions and countries.

Co-author Dr John Barnes, from the Open University, said: "Once we had established that the wobble wasn't caused by star spots, we knew that that there must be a planet orbiting within a zone where water could exist, which is really exciting.

"If further research concludes that the conditions of its atmosphere are suitable to support life, this is arguably one of the most important scientific discoveries we will ever make."

But that life might come long after we’ve died out, researchers said.

“Proxima Centauri will exist for several hundreds or thousands of times longer than the Sun,” Artie Hatzes wrote in an article for Nature. “Any life on the planet could still be evolving long after our Sun has died.”

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