Daily Nation 18.05.2014.pdf or47

Anxiety as Kidero awaits court verdict P. 15 Governor’s executive team is now in panic hoping the Supreme Court will rule in his favour

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Nairobi | May 18, 2014

Kenyan girl who works for boxer Mayweather Lifestyle Grace Nabwire, a professional dancer in the US, speaks of her connections with boxing champion

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No. 17942

TERROR| Ambassador says America had received information of potential attacks in Kenya

LSK wants Githu to step aside BY JOHN NGIRACHU @JohnNgirachu [email protected]

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ttorney-General Githu Muigai and top officials of the State Law Office are under siege as the Law Society of Kenya prepares a legal onslaught for what it describes as their “unconstitutional, illegal and unprofessional” handling of the Anglo Leasing-type cases. LSK chairman Eric Mutua said the association of lawyers is of the opinion that Prof Muigai (above), Solicitor-General Njee Muturi and Deputy Solicitor-General Muthoni Kimani were either negligent or conspired with the Executive to commit the legal blunders that resulted in Kenya having to pay Sh1.4 billion for CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

BUSINESS

US embassy cuts staff, asks for more marines The embassy is continuously reviewing and updating its security measures, and expects to take additional steps in coming days, to include on US staffing.’ Robert Godec, US ambassador to Kenya

Sh100m

Loses incurred in two days by Coast hoteliers since the issuing of travel advisories

ON OTHER PAGES

REFINERY SAGA: STATE PREPARES TO PAY ESSAR AGAINST MPS ADVICE But government plans to slash payout by 40 per cent as damages for breach of capital covenant . P. 36

INDEX

News P. 2-11, Back P. 12-13 Opinion P. 14 Letters Sunday Review P. 15-34 P. 36-39 Business P. 40-43 World P. 45-51 Sport

>> Ambassador says mission in Nairobi will continue to offer normal services despite threats—P.4

>> Govenment increases surveillance around Western embassies over fears of terror attacks —P.4

>> Four suspects held for questioning over explosions in Gikomba that killed 12 people on Friday —P.5

>> Coast hoteliers cry foul over the renewed travel advisories and evacuation of tourists —P.6

2 | National News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

NEGLIGENCE | Lawyers’ club accuses State Law Office of causing legal blunders on an unacceptable scale

LSK takes on Githu, Solicitor-General over Anglo Leasing payout CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

BY JOHN NGIRACHU @JohnNgirachu [email protected]

A

ttorney-General Githu Muigai and top officials of the State Law Office are under siege as the Law Society of Kenya prepares a legal onslaught for what it describes as their “unconstitutional, illegal and unprofessional” handling of the Anglo Leasing-type cases. LSK chairman Eric Mutua said the association of lawyers is of the opinion that Prof Muigai (above), Solicitor-General Njee Muturi and Deputy Solicitor-General Muthoni Kimani were either negligent or conspired with the Executive to commit the legal blunders that resulted in Kenya having to pay Sh1.4 billion for suspicious contracts. The LSK said it would ask Prof Muigai, Mr Muturi and Ms Kimani to show cause why a Certificate of Dishonour shouldn’t be issued to each of them. The society is also headed to court to file a suit to declare the trio unsuitable to hold office and surcharge them for all the costs of the case. Mr Mutua said they would further seek to remove the

Attorney-General from the roll of Senior Counsel, one of the recognitions of experience and scholarly excellence in the legal profession reserved for the most senior of them. In the meantime, said Mr Mutua, Prof Muigai should vacate his office by reg. “We believe very strongly that the President was either misdirected or misadvised by the Office of the AttorneyGeneral to order payments in respect of these Anglo Leasingtype contracts or he was privy to certain information which the public was not privy to,” said Mr Mutua. “The President has been looped in by being misled that we lost the cases. We did not lose the cases in England. We agreed to pay. We conspired to pay irregularly,” said Mr Mutua.

The statement by LSK is highly unethical and actuated by malice. In effect, Mutua should not point fingers as he is under investigation. - Githu Muigai

He said that contrary to the assertions by the Attorney-General, Kenya can still appeal the judgment. In a reder, Prof Muigai said he was “extremely shocked” by the statement from the LSK, found it “highly unethical, unprofessional, irresponsible and actuated by malice” and that, in effect, Mr Mutua shouldn’t point fingers as he is under investigation. Prof Muigai said that because the LSK has already filed a case in the courts seeking to stop the government from paying the two firms, commenting about the issues outside the courts amounts to contempt. “The office of the AttorneyGeneral has full confidence in the judicial process and shall await the orders of the courts. At an appropriate time we shall cite the Council for contempt of the courts before whom this matter is pending,” he said. “The chairman of the Law Society is himself presently under investigation by the Directorate of Public Prosecution on the advice of the Kenya Police for alleged criminal offences relating to the illegal and unlawful sale of Malili Ranch,” Prof Muigai said. “One would expect him, of all people, to have respect for the due process of law. Indeed, one would expect the council

ACCUSATIONS FILE | NATION

Attorney-General Githu Muigai (right) with Solicitor-General Njee Muturi. The two law men have come under fire for their handling of the Anglo Leasing cases. of the law society whose mandate is to uphold professional ethics and etiquette within the profession to have regard for the rule of law and to refrain from being judges in its own cause.” Despite the fact that the government’s first instructions on the case were issued to former Attorney-General Amos Wako, who it said frustrated government lawyers, failed to issue instructions and respond to letters, Mr Mutua said Mr Wako, now the Senator for Busia, is not among the people they want to take responsibility. In March 2010, Mr Wako abandoned the defence of corruption and illegality of the contracts and agreed after mediation that the Kenyan government pay Universal

Satspace $7.6 million. Kenya did not pay and that was when the case was taken to the courts in Europe. “It appears like the AttorneyGeneral followed the advice from Cabinet and instructed the foreign lawyers, with expertise in complex commercial litigation, but after 2010, that is when now we take over as Kenyan lawyers in the office of the Attorney-General,” said Mr Mutua. “To a very big extent, the buck stops with the current Attorney-General,” said Mr Mutua. Mr Mutua said that in December 2013, as the date for the judgment neared, the State Law Office failed to respond to five letters from Kenya’s lawyers in London seeking instructions, which enabled the judge to strike out Kenya’s defence and make a judgment against the country. He said the lawyers from the firm of Edwin Coe wrote to the AG saying that Kenya was handling the case “in a very casual manner. “There is a lot of money involved, I don’t seem to be getting adequate instructions on the matter and I’m concerned why the AG is handling the matter in a very casual manner,” read one of the letters. Mr Muturi then appeared before the judge in London and was allowed to act on behalf of Kenya despite the fact that he did not have a certificate to practise in the United Kingdom and Wales, making his submissions invalid. “We have been hurt as a professional body because of misconduct by our colleagues. Secondly we believe there was a conspiracy that was hatched in Kenya and went to London and it may have involved judicial officers,” said Mr Mutua.

Judge compromised

The LSK said that from its analysis of the case, from a trove of documents it had obtained, the British judge who handled the case between Universal Satspace and Kenya, a Justice Teare, was either “incompetent or compromised in

Officers made legal blunders Githu Muigai, AG: Was responsible for instructing the foreign lawyers handling Kenya’s case; failed to respond to letters from lawyers seeking instruction on the matter. Njee Muturi, SolicitorGeneral: Acted on Kenya’s behalf despite not having a certificate to practise in the United Kingdom. Muthoni Kimani, Deputy Solicitor-General: Advised the government’s lawyers not to advance the allegation that the suspiciois contracts were procured through bribery and corruption

5 Letters the AG received from Kenya’s lawyers in London regarding the Anglo Leasing case

the matter.” Apart from allowing Mr Muturi to appear before him without a licence, Mr Mutua claimed that the judge ruled against Kenya based on hearsay and based on oral evidence without the documents in which Kenya was said to have agreed to pay $7.6 million after mediation. “The judge appears to have been casual in dealing with the Kenyan case by ignoring the weighty matters of corruption and bribery which were pleaded in the defence and counterclaim,” said Mr Mutua. LSK says it will petition the British Government to investigate the entire proceedings to establish whether there was a conspiracy involving the judge, and will the Law Society of England and Wales to follow up the case. Overall, the LSK Council reserved its harshest criticism for Prof Muigai, Mr Muturi and Ms Kimani, who it basically accuses of professional negligence, misjudgments and blunders on an unacceptable scale.

National News 3

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

POACHING| Animal brought attention and efforts towards human-wildlife conflict in the country

Elephant that symbolised Kenya’s wildlife conservation campaign found killed at 46 Tracking system showed the animal was immobile, only for it to be later found dead with spear wounds and no tusks

BY JAMES NGUNJIRI @mjngunjiri [email protected]

W

ildlife lovers are mourning the death of an elephant nicknamed “Mountain Bull” that was killed by poachers last week. The enigmatic bull is described by conservationists at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Isiolo County as an animal whose dedication to using the traditional elephant migratory route in northern Kenya captured the imagination of many and led to numerous conservation initiatives. But to those who had settled along the elephant’s migratory route – or those neighbouring the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – the 46-year-old elephant was nothing but big trouble. During the dry season, the six tonne beast would often retreat to the cool and quiet Mount Kenya forest, while in the wet season he would be active in exploring the expansive countryside in the north, knocking down any fences he came across and eating his fill of farmers’ crops. Conservationists say “Mountain Bull” was often involved in cases of humanelephant conflict, opening gates and raiding farms that lie on these elephant routes. This way, it highlighted the issue of human-wildlife conflict in the country and enabled them to develop mitigation strategies. This led to the legendary elephant’s tusks being trimmed in October 2012 at the neighbouring Borana Conservancy. With shorter tusks, “Mountain Bull” found it more difficult to snap fence wires and raid farms. Besides, wildlife conservationists expected that the trimming of the tusks would make the animal less attractive to poachers. “Mountain Bull” had been fitted with a GPS-GSM collar by Save the Elephants, a nonprofit organisation, enabling him to be tracked as he traversed Samburu, Lewa, Ngare Ndare and Mount Kenya forest ecosystems. But early last week, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy co-founder Ian Craig noticed that the elephant had been immobile; its collar

JOSEPH KANYI | NATION

Game wardens from Lewa Conservancy in Laikipia inspect “Mountain Bull’s” carcass after it was killed by poachers in Mt Kenya Forest and its tusks hewn off. had not emitted any signal from its last reported position in Mt Kenya Forest. He raised the alarm and a search team from Lewa Conservancy and the Mount Kenya Trust, an organisation dedicated to helping preserve and protect Mount Kenya, was launched. “Mountain Bull’s” carcass was found deep in the forest at around 4.30 pm on Thursday. It spotted spear wounds and its tusks were missing. It is suspected that the elephant had been poached eight days before its carcass was found. According to the Lewa Conservancy, no

Elephants have got very good memory and they always follow thair traditional migratory routes ...” Lewa Chief Conservation Officer Geoffrey Chege

other animal had had greater impact on wildlife conservation in northern Kenya than “Mountain Bull”. Many credit the elephant for being the force behind the construction of the pioneering elephant corridor stretching from Mount Kenya through Lewa and onwards north into the wide expanse of Samburu, connecting Lewa Conservancy and the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust to Mt Kenya. Lewa chief conservation officer, Mr Geoffrey Chege said this has led to the opening up of the traditional migratory route of over 2,000 African elephants that had previously been blocked by human development in Mt Kenya. “‘Mountain Bull’ has been following those migratory routes, of which one comes from Lewa into Mt Kenya and then back, and used to break through fences that separate the two landscapes. This brought together like-minded personalities and conservationists in Kenya with the intention of establishing a safe corridor that was to be used by the elephants in moving between Samburu and Mount Kenya forest,” he said.

The corridor is estimated to be approximately 10 km long and it has an electric fence on both sides so that elephants can be funnelled when they are coming from Lewa to Mt Kenya Forest, and vice-versa. “Elephants have got very good memory and they always follow their traditional migratory routes. Historically, elephants used to migrate all the way from northern Kenya through Mount Kenya into Laikipia, then back through the same route,” Mr Chege observed. He said that due to significant human development, most of the migratory routes have been blocked by development and related infrastructure. The elephant corridor linking Lewa to Mount Kenya was inaugurated in 2010 and since the first elephant went through the under in January 2011, Lewa Conservancy has recorded more sightings of elephants and other wildlife making use of the highway. And to assist the conservancy and its neighbouring ranches to better understand elephant movement between the mountain, Lewa and Samburu ecosystems, Save the Elephants provided the technical expertise to fit 20 elephants in the three ecosystems with GPS-GSM collars. Equipped with these collars, the animals are being tracked on a daily basis using a Google Earth interface. In addition, Lewa has installed infrared cameras on the corridor under to monitor movement of other elephants that do not have the GPS-GSM collars. It is estimated that close to 300 elephants have used the under since its inauguration, reinforcing the importance of the corridor. The groundbreaking establishment of the corridor led to Kenya’s most recent Unesco World Heritage Site inscription when in June of 2013, Lewa and Ngare Ndare Forest were extended to be part of the Mount Kenya World Heritage Site. Conservationists at Lewa said that the enigmatic “Mountain Bull” taught them much about animal behaviour, migration routes as well as patterns, and to a large extent, left many inspired by his bravery and resilience.

4 | National News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SECURITY| American move comes soon after British Government evacuated more than 500 tourists from Kenya’s coast citing

US to send in more marines and reduce embassy staff over terrorist threats But ambassador says there are no plans to close mission even as Washington continuously reviews security situation in Kenya BY KENFREY KIBERENGE @KenKiberenge [email protected]

AND KEVIN J KELLEY in New York

T

he magnitude of the terror threat facing the country was exposed yesterday after it emerged that the US ambassador had requested extra security and will reduce the size of staff working at the embassy. Mr Robert Godec, in a statement, maintained that the embassy would remain open for normal operations and there were no plans to close it down. But an Associated Press (AP) report said Mr Godec had sent a letter to the more than 1,300 embassy staff on Friday telling them that he would reduce the embassy’s “overall footprint” in Kenya by cutting the number of Americans in the Nairobi mission. US-based AP is one of the world’s biggest and most respected news agencies. Yesterday, Mr Godec said his foremost interest was to protect American citizens and to keep them informed, which is an important responsibility of every US ambassador and embassy. “The embassy is continuously reviewing and updating its security measures, and expects to take additional steps in coming days, to include US staffing,” said the ambassador. In the Friday letter, he said Kenyan police officers were fortifying security at the embassy pending the arrival of Marines from Washington next week. “The United States greatly appreciates the Kenyan Government’s rapid response to requests for additional security at diplomatic facilities while it also increases security at public and other critical venues,” said the ambassador yesterday. The AP reported that armed Marines were patrolling the grounds clad in bullet-proof vests and helmets and that the frequency of emergency drills that tell embassy personnel to “duck and cover” are on the rise. “Unfortunately, the US Government continues to receive information about potential terrorist threats aimed at both Kenyans and the international community,” Mr Godec said. Kenya has experienced 12 explosions since last year’s Westgate attack, which have claimed 30 lives. The British Government has evacuated more than 500 tourists from Kenya’s coast after issuing a travel advisory on Wednesday citing an increasing terror threat against its nationals. The US, and Australia have issued similar advisories.

The United States greatly appreciates the Kenyan government’s rapid response to requests for additional security at diplomatic facilities while it also increases security at public and other critical venues,”

However, the latest attacks have raised eyebrows as the Al-Shabaab terrorist group has not been claiming responsibility as is the norm. For President Uhuru Kenyatta, this was a week to forget as insecurity swelled while he was still grappling with a public backlash stemming from his order to Treasury to pay Sh1.4 billion owed to two companies, which were part of the infamous Anglo Leasing scandal. As the Head of State prepared to address a press conference at State House on Friday, twin blasts rocked Gikomba market in Nairobi, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 70. Later in the evening, Coast hoteliers announced that they had lost Sh100 million in two days following the travel advisories. The President’s frustration with the travel advisories was evident when he said such announcements will only strengthen “the will of terrorists as opposed to helping us win that war”. “Terrorism is not an evil that was born in Kenya. Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon. Many countries are faced with this particular problem. We have seen the ongoings in Nigeria, in India, Pakistan. We have seen terrorist attacks in London, New York, in Boston. Terrorism is not an issue that is peculiar to Kenyans. This is an evil that all of us around the world must be united to ensure that we are able to fight,” President Kenyatta said on Friday. “I continue to urge my fellow citizens to us in this battle and to ensure we root it out from our midst.” Yesterday, Mr Munyori Buku, the director of media and external relations at State House, termed the advisories and evacuations as eco-

nomic sabotage. “Could somebody be green all the face with envy over the recent visit by the Chinese Premier (Mr Li Keqiang)? Well Kenya, as a sovereign nation, picks its friends,” said Mr Buku. The President’s spokesman added that the Coast evacuations were based on nothing tangible, noting that some British tourists had complained that they did not understand why they were being asked to go back home. “This is a straightforward and shut case – economic sabotage!” he told the Sunday Nation. Quoting a source in the Foreign Office, The Independent newspaper in London reported that the UK Government did not take the threats “lightly”, adding that the evacuation had been decided at ministerial level. “We are aware of the concerns this will cause in Kenya,” said the source. “But the safety of British nationals is our priority and this decision was very carefully thought through.” It is instructive that both America and the UK have never evacuated their nationals unless a country was at war. In Kenya, the future looks bleak with tourism stakeholders estimating that the direct cost on the economy will be in the region of Sh5 billion. On Friday, Thomson, one of the

largest UK travel agencies, cancelled all flights to and from Kenya until October 31. Tourism netted Kenya Sh96 billion in 2012 and Sh93 billion last year, making it one of the top income earners for Kenya. Tourism Secretary Phyllis Kandie yesterday appealed to the four countries to withdraw the travel advisories saying terrorism is a global challenge that requires concerted efforts by all to defeat. “We will work tirelessly with the private sector and our foreign partners to ensure that Kenya remains a recognised commercial hub in Africa,” she said. With traditional sources now threatened, Kenya could look East although China is still a nascent market. The largest Chinese tourist delegation to Kenya was a group of 110 holidaymakers last month. In contrast, last year, there were 149,699 tourist arrivals from the UK; the US had 115,636; Italy 79,993 and India and 64,887 and 60,450 respectively. But despite the high stakes, the government seems to have resigned itself to fate with many Kenyans questioning the viability of the security measures put in place. However, the government maintains it is working tirelessly to contain the situation. The latest effort was the

FILE| NATION

Part of the 110 tourists from China who visited the country last month, raising hopes for a sector that has suffered over terrorism threats. As some Western nations asked their citizens to leave Kenya, the government hopes other countries and Kenyans will continue to stand by Kenya.

Mr Godec

Police holding four for questioning over BY ZADOCK ANGIRA

[email protected] Anti-terrorism police are interrogating four suspects over the Friday afternoon twin blasts at Gikomba market that left at least 12 people dead. Nairobi County Commander Benson Kibue said three of the suspects were students from Comoros Island while one was a Kenyan identified as Joseph Wanjiru. The suspects were arrested shortly after the blast that claimed 12 lives and injured over 80 people. Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo has also said security agents have enhanced

security across the country with special focus on diplomatic missions following the recent terror attacks. Elsewhere, three of the four suspects behind the May 4 blast along Thika Superhighway have been arrested after two weeks’ hunt in a well-coordinated covert operation. One of the suspects was arrested at the Liboi border as he was crossing over to Somalia. According to intelligence reports, the attackers crossed over to Somalia last year where they trained for about eight months. They came back into the country on May 2, just two days before they planted the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the Githurai and Kasarani-bound vehicles.

However, detectives are still looking for the fourth suspect who is still at large. The deputy commandant of the Diplomatic Police Unit (DPU), Mr Ambrose Mwawaka, yesterday told the Sunday Nation that security had been enhanced especially in Gigiri. The US has also provided additional security personnel. Armed US marines have also ed the General Service Unit (GSU) and the DPU officers in patrolling the area. On Friday, the United States Ambassador in Kenya, Mr Robert Godec, asked for additional Kenyan and American security personnel. Police have also warned of the possibility of secondary attacks and warned of the public against milling around such scenes.

National News 5

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

intelligence over possible attacks targeting Western visitors CHRONOLOGY

Terror attacks in Kenya and the war on Al Shabaab March 1, 1975: A bomb blast at East Africa Road services bus terminus (OTC) on racecourse road in Nairobi kills 27 people and injures 35 others. December 31, 1980: A bomb explosion at Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi just

before the New Year kills 20 people and injures 85 others. August 7, 1998: A Bomb explodes at the US Embassy in Nairobi killing 224 people and injuring many. November 28, 2002: A bomb blast blows up

paradise Hotel in Kikambala on the North Coast killing 15people and injuring 80 others. October 15, 2011: Kenya declares war on Alshabaab. Defense Minister Yusuf Haji and his Internal Security counterpart George Saitoti

say Military would pursue Al Shabaab across the border. October 16, 2011,: Two Britons are arrested near the Kenya-Somalia border on suspicion of having links with al Shabaab October 18, 2011: Kenya and Somalia seal pact to

hit Al Shabaab 0ctober 19, 2011: Deputy police spokesman Charles Wahongo confirms that two Britons arrested at Kenya-Somalia border have been deported.

Survivors recall moments after explosives detonated BY AGGREY MUTAMBO @agmutambo [email protected]

move by President Kenyatta to disperse executive powers to the County Commissioners on Thursday. The opposition has criticised the move as the return of the infamous provincial istration. Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo has also issued a directive that cars should not have tint on windows. He said the tints are used by terrorists to hide inside vehicles. But yesterday, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority termed the directive unlawful. “It is completely erroneous and irregular for the police to impound private motor vehicles on the purport that they have tinted windows,” said IPOA chairman Macharia Njeru. Senior officials at the Interior ministry are also said to be on edge with the directive which they consider an “unnecessary sideshow”. A legal opinion sent to Interior Secretary Joseph ole Lenku and his Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo cites a 2012 ruling by Justice Isaac Lenaola that said the rule only affects public service vehicles. The government has also contracted Safaricom to install a Sh14.9 billion security surveillance system in Nairobi and Mombasa to boost the war on crime. Security agencies have been conducting swoops on illegal immigrants who

have been blamed for the incessant explosions in Nairobi and Mombasa. The ongoing operation is expected to continue into the next financial year and Sh3.3 billion has been allocated for it. Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has also directed the Inspectorate Department and other security agencies to ensure that people and vehicles entering or leaving public markets and PSVs are screened. “City Hall has taken security measures throughout the county and in particular all public markets to ensure that they are protected,” he said. Interior ministry spokesman Mwenda Njoka yesterday said the measures will work in due course. “We are dealing with mistakes of more than 10 years. Cumulatively, all these efforts will work and Kenyans will feel and be safe,” he said. Mr James Ndung’u, the arms control and policing project manager at Safe World, argues that Kenya’s biggest mistake was deploying soldiers in Somalia without marching that with adequate investment in internal security. “There is a big systemic challenge in our immigration and policing institutions which have not been well ed to deal with issues of illegal immigrants coupled with corruption,” he says.

the blast at Gikomba “I want to urge of the public who may have any information in respect to this incident to come forward and share the same with the police. They should also desist from crowding or milling around scenes of crime for their own safety,” said Mr Kimaiyo. The US has been ed by other countries like Britain, and Australia who have also warned their citizens of possible terror attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa. However, there are no specific details regarding the potential attacks. Even the US Embassy in Nairobi itted to its citizens that they did

not have the fine details of the targeted places. “While there is no specific information regarding the stage of any attack, preparations, targets, or timing towards US citizens, we would like to remind US citizens that targets for these attacks could include hotels, nightclubs, shopping malls, diplomatic missions, transportation hubs, religious institutions, government offices, or public transportation,” read the notice. Mr Godec had regretted that the security situation in Kenya, especially in Nairobi and Mombasa, continued to worsen.

Survivors of the Gikomba twin explosions have recounted happenings at the popular market after the blasts. The attack, which saw 12 killed and over 75 hospitalised, targeted a market known traditionally to sell second-hand clothes. “I heard the first blast, but ignored it. I thought, maybe, it was just a tyre burst. I moved back a few yards before the second explosion went off,” said Mr Timothy Eboya who had gone to buy bed sheets. He had visited the market several times, he said, and not at any moment had he been worried about his safety. “Moments later, I realised blood was oozing from my chest. I didn’t know I had been hit by an object because everyone was running. It was chaotic,” the 51-year-old mason from Emuhaya in Vihiga County told reporters from his bed. He was spending the second day at the hospital, but he itted his family was not aware he was among those injured in the terror attacks. His phone, he said, was charging when the blast went off. And when he tried calling home later, no one picked. He still hopes they know he is recovering. He spoke as he showed a bandaged wound near his stomach. Ms Janet Kahonga went to Gikomba to buy sweaters. Standing in a stall where second-hand pullovers were being sold, she said all she heard were two successive blasts before everyone started running. “I had been there less than five minutes when I heard the explosions. We were many people in that stall selecting sweaters. But something hit me on my head after the second blast went off.” Moments later, rescuers loaded her onto an ambulance. Mr Timothy Kahera, who sells clothes at Gikomba, said he walked out of his stall to check what was happening when he heard the first explosion. “Then the second one went off. I tried to run but, after a few yards, I realised I was bleeding.” His stall was near an electric transformer, where clothes were strewn high up the electric cables. He said he would rethink going back to Gikomba once he leaves hospital. Kenyatta National Hospital’s emergency wing has

DENNISH OCHIENG | NATION

Mr Thomas Kahera recuperates at Kenyatta National Hospital yesterday.

handled several terror victims since October 2011 when Kenya Defence Forces entered Somalia. The country’s largest public hospital has treated several head and limb injuries sustained by survivors of suspected terrorist attacks believed to have been perpetuated by Somali militants Al-Shabaab. The group has not acknowledged responsibility for the Gikomba blast. Most of the survivors of the Friday explosion said they were confused because it was the first time they were caught up in the commotion of a terror attack. Two sisters, Levinah and Jennifer Soita, said they were going about shopping when an explosion went off. They ran to save their lives. “We were to get back to town from Gikomba when my sister saw a blouse that attracted her. She asked me to have a look at it before we proceed to town. But shortly after, we heard a loud blast,” said Jennifer. “When I heard the first blast, I was confused, because I had never experienced this. I ran a short distance and fell down. I ran because other people were running and I thought maybe it was a good thing to do,” she added from her hospital bed. “We had gone to do shopping, we were standing beside the road then the explosion happened, I fell down and my sister fell down too. I lost consciousness and found myself in hospital,” Levinah said. For Maureen Waithera, a student, shopping at Gikomba was not a new thing. She was at the market as she had done many times before. But as she ed by a petrol station, the blasts happened. “A car ed by, then all of a sudden, it exploded. A few minutes later, next to where I was standing, there was another object that went off,” she said. “I don’t know whether it was thrown or was buried in the ground, but I seeing dust and objects being thrown in the air. I was shocked, but tried to run asking for help. I fell down. I was injured in my leg and my chest.” They were speaking from Ward 42 of the hospital meant for emergency cases. But these days, it could be labelled the ‘ward for terror survivors’ since nearly everyone itted there has injuries from a terrorist attack. Bandaged legs and limbs, slung arms, and other injuries are a common feature in the ward. There were 36 survivors from the Gikomba incident in the ward. The hospital said it itted 103 patients from the attack, 58 male while the rest were female. By last evening at 6 pm, 47 had been treated and discharged. Some 12 others had been moved to various hospitals in the city. The number of people who died on arrival were eight. Four others had died immediately the explosions went off, making a total of 12. “The management and the staff have managed to handle the cases very well, and all the patients as we speak are in stable condition, Ms Lily Koros, the hospital’s chief executive, told journalists in a briefing. “We received the of the public. We have received some blood as we are talking now, which is assisting in the operations. Everything is under control,” she said. “We can say that what (blood) we have is able to handle the cases that have been taken to the theatre and those in the theatre. Unless there is any other issue that might emerge, we can say we are not in dire need at the moment but of course blood is something that is required not only by the victims but other patients in hospital.”

6 | National News

STATE OF THE NATION

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

RELATIONS | Some believe Kenya is paying for changing its foreign policy, which has seen the country embrace China

Hoteliers cry foul over tourist evacuations They note Kenya is not at war or severely threatened to warrant removal of tourists BY DANIEL NYASSY @dnyassy [email protected]

P

layers in the tourism industry have described the evacuation of tourists from the Coast as deliberate economic sabotage. They said Kenya was paying for making wrong political choices, especially when it comes to its foreign relations. The Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) and the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA) leaders said the evacuation of British, Australian and French tourists from hotels in the South Coast raises more queries than answers. “I have never seen this in all my 30-plus years in the industry. This happens elsewhere, not in Kenya, and only when the host country is at war or severely threatened by war and insecurity. This is not the case with Kenya, that is why we believe it is sabotage,” said KAHC Kilifi County chairman Philip Chai, who is also the general manager of Lion in the Sun Hotel owned by Italian billionaire

Flavio Briatore in Malindi. Mr Chai termed the evacuations as “the last nail on the tourism coffin for Kenya”. He added that although they were totally uncalled-for, “they are a result of choices we made and we were told that choices have consequences”. The director of MCTA Millicent Odhiambo said the evacuations will cause “massive job layoffs” and greatly affect the economy. The British issued an advisory this week urging their citizens to reduce all but essential travel to Mombasa and Lamu, which are major tourist destinations, as well as sections of Nairobi. The Americans have also issued a caution. Mr Chai said a silent war between Kenya and the West has been going on for sometime and the evacuations are a culmination of the souring relations. “There has been a deliberate war to kill the tourism industry because I believe the West is unhappy with Kenya diverting her allegiance to China. The signs have been there for sometime. First, it was calls for foreigners not to visit shopping malls, restaurants and eating places,” he said. “Then it went to insurance companies in Europe warning clients that they risked losing compensation in case something happened while they were on holiday in Kenya. Then they went ahead to refuse to pay insurance

‘‘

I believe the West is unhappy with Kenya shifting allegiance to China. Kilifi County tourist body chair, Mr Philip Chai LABAN WALLOGA | NATION

Tourists at the Moi international Airport on Friday wait for flights back home. cover for travellers to Kenya.” He termed the move by the West as “a poisonous jab to Kenya’s economy” which will have devastating effects. Mr Chai warned that the Chinese, like the Europeans, are not up to any good for the country, but were seeking wealth to exploit for their motherland. “It’s only a matter of time before we see them looting the country like their predecessors or even worse. Surely, even if they pretend to be building infrastructure for Kenya, they will buy equipment from factories in their country and not locally,” he said. He further warned that Chinese are not known to be fighters of terrorism and Kenya should be able to stand on

its own without aid from the West, in the event that the attacks continue. “When the Westgate attack occurred, we saw Israelis, Americans and Britons helping us, not the Chinese,” he said. He added that the entire Coast, from Vanga in the south to Mambrui in the north, will be hit hard. Among those to suffer, besides hotels are, vegetable suppliers, landlords and Kenya Revenue Authority. Heritage Hotels chief executive Mohamed Hersi described the evacuations as “bad for the industry” but blamed the tourists’ home countries for taking hasty action and extending cancellations to the end of October. “Fortunately, they conducted the

evacuations during the low season. I feel that the action was exaggerated. They should not have extended the cancellations to October,” he said. According to Mr Hersi, the way forward is for Kenya to engage governments of source markets such as Britain, , , USA and Australia on a one-on-one basis in order to come up with a workable formula. Bahari Beach Hotel Operations Manager Godfrey Juma said Kenyans should be hopeful as all was not lost. Mombasa County Commissioner Nelson Marwa also assured tourists and people visiting the region that the area was a safe destination.

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

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8 | National News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

STATE OF THE NATION

CONTROVERSY | President says payment will have positive impact on the country’s economy and improve credit ranking

Experts fault Uhuru’s order to pay Anglo Leasing firms Controller of Budget and Parliament have last say on public expenditure, argues economic expert BY ZEDDY SAMBU @zeddysambu [email protected]

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xperts have faulted President Uhuru Kenyatta’s defence of the payment to two companies linked to the Anglo Leasing scandal, saying it was not backed by law. The President on Friday reiterated that he had no choice but to authorise the payment of Sh1.4 billion to First Mercantile Securities and

Universal Satspace in order to boost the country’s economy and protect its reputation after the two companies won court cases against Kenya in the UK and Switzerland. There have also been fears that local interest rates might rise and the country’s assets abroad could be seized by creditors. But the decision on Thursday evening came after Parliament went on a break before approving the release of the funds. On May 4, the Sunday Nation reported that Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo had blocked the National Treasury from quietly paying the two Anglo Leasing companies before the approval of legislators. However, President Kenyatta is said to have met of the Budget committee of the National Assembly before making the announcement.

MUST PAY

How the state lost cases

FILE | NATION

Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury Henry Rotich (left), with Gachoka MP Mutava Musyimi after the reading of the 2013/2014 budget. A House team the Rev Musyimi chairs had ed move to pay the Anglo Leasing money. But yesterday, some experts questioned the decision. “This is an issue of expenditure of public money which can only be authorised by the Controller of Budget in line with the Constitution. And Parliament has the last word on expenditure of public money,” said Mr Kwame Owino, CEO for economic think tank Institute for Economic Affairs. Mr Owino argued it was more about transparency than

the amount involved. According to Article 228 (5) of the Constitution, the Office of the Controller of Budget has the final authority on withdrawals from public funds. While economic experts criticised the move as facilitating expenditure of public money in violation of the Constitution, on Friday the President insisted that payments will pave the way for the planned sovereign bond to finance various transformational expenditure. President Kenyatta explained there were fears that the country’s creditworthiness may be downgraded if it failed to honour its international debt obligations. This was likely to lead to domestic borrowing by the government with negative implications such as higher interest rates and inflation.

Unrealistic targets

But Mr Owino differs: “The issue of the sovereign bond is not a constitutional issue but a policy instrument on the debt question. And the argument that Kenya’s debt ranking will go down does not hold.” On his part , Mr Jason Lakin, the International Budget Partnership Team Kenya coordinator, accused the Treasury of setting unrealistic targets on development spending. He questioned the ability of government agencies to absorb development budgets especially in infrastructure spending even as it was shifting its sources of foreign debt to include “free funding” through bonds. “The development budget has been underspent yearin-year-out . Kenya has traditionally borrowed concessional loans from donors, who insist on tied aid and projects for the money disbursed. There is a clear shift because bond holders do not give any restrictions,” Dr Lakin said on telephone. He added: “Of the Sh400 billion set aside in the 2012/ 13 year, only 50 per cent was utilised.” He, however, said Kenya needed a mix of local and foreign debt to help check

macroeconomic pressures. “There is a lot of interest in African debt by bond holders,” he said. President Kenyatta explained that the Eurobond was part of the 2013/14 budget to raise Sh132 billion. “Some of the programmes we have lined up to benefit Kenyans have stopped because of our failure to pay Sh1.4 billion. As a country, we need to move forward with our development programmes and other investments,” said the President. He said even though he opposed the payment, Anglo Leasing was standing in the way of Kenyans moving forward. “We will seek retribution after paying up. We must show the world that we are respecters of law,” he told reporters at State House. Among the projects that were likely to be affected were in the roads and energy sectors. The Geothermal Development Company, for instance, requires Sh10 billion to unlock counterpart funding to finance some additional 200MW of power from new sites planned to be opened up in parts of the Rift Valley. The firm has been grappling with funding shortages. The Jubilee government has pledged to in-

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The issue of the sovereign bond is not a constitutional issue but a policy instrument on the debt question” Mr Kwame Owino

Attorney-General Githu Muigai had told the committees of Parliament about the successful filing of the case against the Kenya government in July 2006, and the subsequent appeal and how the case moved to mediation, where Kenya lost again. “The mediation process brought down a claim of $14 million to $7.6 million,” he said. But the claimant had not been paid 10 months later and Kenya was taken to a court in London. The judgment was upheld and Kenya was ordered to pay. crease power generation to at least 5,000MW and bring down the cost of energy. “Some of the projects under the 5,000 plus initiative are likely to be delayed. In addition, we need a lot of counterpart funding for some of our projects,” said a top executive at the sector who did not wish to be quoted discussing the controversial issue. And at the Kenya National Highways Authority, the implementing agency for major road projects, officials said the initial allocation of Sh8 billion had been exhausted and that its programmes were facing delays arising from low budgetary allocations. “All our projects have suffered a certain amount of delay. We are indebted to several contractors who have slowed down work because our basket of funding has reduced,” said a senior official, who also requested anonymity.

Road construction

Contractors have either started slapping penalties to keep their equipment continuously at road construction sites while others have scaled down operations awaiting payments. “Some projects like Kilifi-Kaloleni which rely on government funding cannot begin. Others have scaled down to below 50 trucks from 200 until they are paid. Projects that would cost Sh1.2 billion have shot up to Sh1.3 billion as contractors demand payment as idle capacity to keep their machines at the sites,” added the source. The developments came as the Opposition Cord Coalition and the Law Society of Kenya opposed the decision to make the Anglo Leasing payments. LSK has sought the intervention of the Chief Justice after it filed an application arguing that any such payment would be unconstitutional. The “Anglo Leasing scandal” started during the Moi era but continued into President Mwai Kibaki’s istration. It involved fictitious companies g security-related contracts with the government.

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

STATE OF THE NATION

National News 9

DUPLICATION OF ROLES | New county CEOs will take over certain roles of several constitutional bodies

Anger over commissioners’ executive powers Legislators condemn move by President, say its expressly targeted at paralysing devolution BY SUNDAY NATION TEAM [email protected]

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What the president is doing is illegal... and must be rejected by Kenyans” Siaya Senator James Orengo

olitical parties leaders and of Parliament reacted angrily to a decision by President Uhuru Kenyatta to delegate executive powers to county commissioners. Amani Coalition leader Musalia Mudavadi, in a press statement to newsrooms yesterday, said the move was orchestrated by the President to paralyse, waterdown and kill devolution, and called on the President to re-assess his decision. “The draconian instruments that were employed and used to oppress the people, such as the provincial istration, were to be dismantled to usher in a new regime of access to fairness,” said Mr Mudavadi. “Unfettered executive power of the national presidency exercised at the county level by individuals annihilates devolution and creates instability.” He added: “Loading the human resource function of reward and punishment to an individual distorts and invades the prerogatives of constitutional organs such as the Public Service Commission and responsibilities in governance structures.” Mr Mudavadi termed as unconstitutional to return to the bad habit of awarding county commissioners the role of coordinating security while the constitution vests this power in

FILE | NATION

Mombasa County commissioner Nelson Marwa with the County Commander Robert Kitur. County commissioners received sweeping executive powers in governance policy changes made by President Kenyatta last week. the police service whose structure runs from the Inspector General to the field constable. “If the county commissioner has the prerogative to hire and fire, what is the role of the National Police Service Commission?” posed Mr Mudavadi. He went on: “This duplication and usurpation of responsibility de-legitimises the constitutionality of security organs in favour of istrative fiat and will escalate the state of insecurity currently taking toll on innocent Kenyans.” The move also attracted condemnation from ODM legislators

who accused the President of causing chaos by creating two parallel systems of government. Led by Siaya senator James Orengo, they claimed that the President is out to cause chaos by creating two parallel systems of government. “What the President is doing is not only illegal but unconsti-

47 Number of commissioners in the country, who will be county chief executives under new structure

tutional and must be rejected by Kenyans. As Orengo, I will not recognise any county commissioner wherever I meet one,” he said. MPs Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem), Millie Odhiambo (Mbita), Ken Obura (Kisumu Central), Agostino Neto (Mbita), Silvance Osele (Kabondo Kasipul), George Oner (Rangwe) James Rege (Karachuonyo) and John Mbadi (Suba) ed Mr Orengo. The leaders spoke in Homa Bay County during the burial of Kibiri ward representative Boaz Ondiek. Mr Oburu said the move to

give county commissioners more powers is a plot by the Jubilee government to prepare ground for rigging in the next general election. Mr Mbadi called on the President to respect the laws and Constitution of the country, and stop issuing decrees. Sovereignty, he added, rests with the people of Kenya and devolution is here to stay. Mr Midiwo, who is also the minority deputy chief whip, urged Kenyans to reject the imposition of county commissioners, saying the move by President Kenyatta is aimed at undoing democracy. However, former Defence Minister and Garissa County senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji, speaking to radio Salaam, defended the President, saying the restructuring of the provincial istration was part of the new dispensation. “The President is on the right track. He is doing his constitutional mandate of sprucing the role of national government through the commissioners,” he added. He dismissed the claims by ODM that the President was practising authoritarianism, and blamed the deterioration of security on the watering down of the role of the provincial istration under the new Constitution. “Just before the last general elections, the Grand Coalition appointed county commissioners but some of us went to court to challenge that, and this demoralised them,” he said. Reporting by Ouma Wanzala, Maurice Kaluoch and Mwakera Mwajefa

10 | National News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

CONTROVERSY | NYS officials present in a previous meeting say minister had threatened those out to derail her vision

Waiguru: I did not fire Rugut via SMS, but he had to leave FILE | NATION

Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru waters a tree at the National Youth Service headquarters on May as Director General Japther Rugut (centre) and PS Peter Mangiti (second right) look on.

ously denied consulting for President Kenyatta, but on Wednesday he told The Star newspaper that he now consulted for the government strictly as a business. In the same interview he denied being Ms Waiguru’s political adviser, even though he mentioned nothing about his NYS role that has now been revealed. Ms Waiguru has also defended the appointment of Dr Githinji, a civilian, to head a security outfit, saying there was no law that demanded a uniformed officer to be at the helm. Sources told the Sunday Nation the Devolution ministry has previously resisted attempts to transfer NYS to the Interior ministry. The chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Mrs Margaret Kobia, ed the minister adding that the changes were necessary as a result of the radical transformation that NYS is undergoing. Another controversial proposal that has been put forward by the consultants is to shorten the training period for recruits so as to recruit about 20,000 youths a year as opposed to the current 4,000. This is a Jubilee agenda of creating youth employment. But NYS insiders say that the organisation has no capacity to take in such a large number of recruits. On performance, the Ms Waiguru blamed Mr Rugut saying NYS was unable to deliver on its target of constructing 830 pans and 189 small dams this financial year. They

Sh7 billion Amount of money allocated to the National Youth Service in the 2013-2014 budget. The service also receives donor funding besides the millions it generates internally

Cabinet secretary says due process was followed in transferring director general and explains that changes were necessary to reform the youth service BY PATRICK NZIOKA @patricknzioka1 [email protected]

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He was not fired by SMS. He was not the only one. We released the director general and his deputy as well as other people because we needed to change the situation” Ms Waiguru

n May 7, two days before the arrival of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in a landmark visit to Kenya, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru visited the National Youth Service headquarters in Ruaraka, Nairobi. She was received by director-general Japther Kiplimo Rugut. A picture was taken of the Cabinet Secretary planting a tree. But a senior NYS official who attended a closed-door meeting with Ms Waiguru and Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti said things were less than cordial as the Cabinet Secretary warned those who did not measure up to her vision that they would be transferred. The most significant announcement was that the Chinese Premier would visit NYS on May 11. But according to the source, on the appointed day, Mr Rugut received a text message asking him not to attend the event. The long-serving learnt that he had been transferred to the Sports ministry, just like his predecessor Japheth Mwania, and replaced by Dr Nelson Githinji. It is an appointment that stirred controversy within the Jubilee Alliance and triggered debate on social media about ethnic balance in appointments and disrespect to senior civil servants such as Mr Rugut. But in an interview with the Sunday Nation on Friday, Ms Waiguru denied sacking Mr Rugut through an SMS, adding that she followed proper procedures. “We released the director-general and his deputy as well as other people because

we needed to change the situation,” she said. On Friday, during a media briefing at State House, President Uhuru Kenyatta also denied Mr Rugut was relieved of his duties through an SMS. “That is not true. What I can confirm is that yes, indeed, the officer who was in charge of NYS was moved to another State department in a normal reshuffle in government. And again, what I can say is that there will be more changes to come,” he said. Dr Githinji, a former mid-level manager at Coca Cola who later had a brief stint as State House comptroller in the Mwai Kibaki istration, reported to NYS on the day the Chinese delegation visited alongside Deputy President William Ruto. But later in the week after President Kenyatta posted photographs on Facebook of Dr Githinji’s swearing-in, State House took down the post that had sharply divided opinion with more than 4,500 comments. Ms Waiguru acknowledged she initiated the move to remove Mr Rugut within the laid down procedure, saying he and his team did not perform as expected. Mr Rugut rose through the ranks to become a provincial commissioner in the last two governments and had only served at NYS for a year. Multiple interviews with officials at NYS said no questions had previously been raised on Mr Rugut’s performance and there were no complaints on supplies and equipment to recruits. “We expected him to bring his own senior officials when he was appointed, but he opted to work with those he found here. However, we now believe it is some of those people that have worked with outsiders to undermine him,” said a senior officer, who requested not to be named. Interviews with those privy to the matter confirmed a vicious fight at the institution over the control of billions of shillings from the government, donors and internally generated revenue. In the 2013/2014 financial year, NYS re-

ceived Sh7 billion from the government out of which about Sh5 billion was to construct small dams and water pans across the country. The institution is also said to be generating about Sh600 million monthly mostly from the hiring out of equipment that include heavy machinery, drilling rigs, earth movers and vehicles. But to add to the intrigues, NYS officials say political commentator and consultant Mutahi Ngunyi, famous for his “tyranny of numbers” prediction of a Jubilee win in the last General Election, was hired in February to spearhead restructuring. It was not clear how Mr Ngunyi’s services were procured since no public ments were made. NYS insiders also questioned his skills in the area.

Fishy process

“Mr Ngunyi came with three other people and are sometimes based at the NYS premises but all we were told was they were consultants who would be working to restructure NYS. We were, however, not told of his of reference or how he was hired,” our NYS source said, adding that the consultants’ contract was worth millions of shillings. Ms Waiguru acknowledged Mr Ngunyi was indeed consulting for NYS but added he was only working for a company that had been given the job. The CS, however, declined to name the consulting firm nor the amount they were being paid. She referred the Sunday Nation to PS Mangiti for details, but his phone went unanswered. Ms Waiguru pointed out that the firm was hired through restricted tendering because NYS was a security outfit just like other uniformed disciplines and the consultant was expected to handle sensitive documents. When asked on Thursday whether Mr Ngunyi had the requisite know-how in restructuring organisations, the CS insisted he was bringing to the table skills just like any other consultant. Mr Ngunyi has in the past strenu-

only managed 80 pans. She explained she gave the job to water service bodies in areas they were supposed to be built resulting in the awarding of 550 contracts that are being carried out. Ms Waiguru now says the function of constructing the water pans and small dams in the next financial year would revert to the NYS. In addition, the authority to incur expenses was withdrawn after only Sh1 billion had been committed by the Rugut istration. But those interviewed say matters took a turn for the worse after completion of 50 pans when Mr Rugut resisted corrupt cartels keen on unprocedurally benefitting from the resources. We were told of a senior officer who would make unauthorised visits to the field to demand kickbacks. When the matter reached Mr Rugut, he suspended the officer which was not taken kindly. From then on, authority to undertake some of the tasks and which initially came from the director-general was being issued by some ministry officials without Mr Rugut’s knowledge. Yesterday, Kericho Senator Charles Keter, a close ally of Deputy President Ruto, questioned the urgency of making the changes and said the job should have been competitively filled. “I think the way it was done leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Why was it done on a weekend and yet the person had not committed an offence? You cannot act with such immediacy unless there is something. And yet Dr Githinji is a good man and an excellent individual. The President and the Deputy should discuss it,” said Mr Keter, adding that the matter was not expected to cause cracks in the ruling coalition. Leaders from Mr Ruto’s Rift Valley backyard, where Mr Rugut comes from, have criticised the treatment of the respected . He said there should be no speculation and added; “It should be handled in the best way for Rugut.”

National News 11

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

NATIONAL SECURITY | Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Lenku signed deportation order

Kenya to open liaison office in Somaliland

Italian with links to dreaded Mafia sent back home Living illegally in the country for 20 years, De Caro has also been previously charged with fraud, forgery and organised crime BY ANDREW TEYIE [email protected]

AND NEHEMIAH OKWEMBAH [email protected]

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n Italian national who has been living in Kenya illegally was quietly deported last week following allegations that he had links with the dreaded Mafia. The Sunday Nation has established that Giovanni De Caro, 70, who security agencies associate with the Milan branch of the international criminal network, was deported on Tuesday after living in Malindi illegally for the last three months. This was his second deportation from Kenya. Yesterday, Interior and Coordination Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku confirmed that he had signed the deportation order. “He was deported this week. It is important that we protect ourselves, our children and our country from these kinds of people,” Mr Lenku said. Malindi is a favourite of Italian investors and tourists, earning it the nickname “Little Italy”. The

foreigners largely live by their own rules and impose Italian culture. De Caro has been a fugitive in Kenya following alleged differences with the Mafia in Italy. He was first deported from Kenya in June 2012 after a Malindi court declared him persona non-grata (an unwelcome person) for his alleged involvement in fraud, forgery and organised crime. He was also found to have been residing in Kenya illegally since his arrival in 1992. After deportation to Italy, De Caro was jailed for one-and-a-half years by Italian authorities for economic crimes. Police said that upon completion of his jail term, De Caro flew back to Kenya on February 19 this year and landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. He remained at the JKIA lounge for two days from where he ed his Kenyan lawyers. But security sources say De Caro supposedly fell ill at the lounge and sought medical attention. “His lawyer was able to obtain court orders allowing the subject entry to Kenya for medical attention; thus De Caro was allowed back in,” said a source. However, De Caro is said to have later travelled to Malindi in unclear circumstances, and allegedly continued operating his hotel business.

BY ISAAC ONGIRI @ongiri2 [email protected]

FILE | NATION

Giovanni De Caro (centre) with his lawyer James Mouko during his trial at the Malindi Law Courts in 2011. The Italian was deported on Tuesday for alleged links to the dreaded Italian Mafia. De Caro was previously associated with Malindi’s Oasis Village, which has since changed name and ownership. According to close associates who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Italian had tried to sneak back to Kenya through Mombasa International Airport last November but was re-routed back to Italy.

Banned from holding office

According to information from Italian court documents, De Caro had been banned from holding any public office in Italy after being found guilty of fraud. It is said he was among a group that, in 1990, formed a pyramid scheme that defrauded thousands of people of their money and then escaped to Kenya. The scheme, known as Network Florentine, brought together 15 companies and had at least 3,000

but collapsed in 1991, with the directors making away with shareholders’ money. Sources among Italians in Malindi said that De Caro was feared in the coastal town, with some alleging he may have been a high-ranking Mafia operative in the region. He is even claimed to have intimidated other investors. “He told me recently that he is back and that I should prepare for the worst, insisting that he would kill me,” said an Italian investor in the hospitality industry, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. The alleged presence of the Mafia in the Malindi underworld has long been suspected, but with little evidence. Foreign fugitives are also thought to hide among genuine investors who have pumped billions of shillings into Malindi’s economy.

Kenya is set to open a diplomatic liaison office in Hargeisa city the capital of the breakaway Somaliland State which, analysts warn, could trigger tension between Kenya and Somalia. The move comes even as the peaceful former State of the troubled Federal Republic of Somalia celebrates the 23rd anniversary since re-establishment of Somaliland as an autonomous state. But yesterday, Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Kibicho Karanja while confirming that Nairobi has authorised the opening of a liaison office for Somaliland State in Kenya, said Kenya will also open a liaison office in Hargeisa. “It is true that we are opening a liaison office in Haregeisha and we have allowed Somaliland to open theirs in Nairobi too. But that does not mean we’ll have a diplomatic consulate,” Dr Kibicho said. “The Federal Government of Somalia is well briefed on this as Kenya recognises the existence of only one government in Somalia,” Dr Kibicho said. Somalia is said to have protested the move, given that Somaliland is preparing to campaign for recognition at the African Union and the United Nations. Somaliland − which currently has a population of about three million people − seceded from Somalia in 1991. It is located to the north-western part of the Somali Republic, and has enjoyed relative stability.

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12 | Opinion

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Fix Kenya’s security as a matter of urgency

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oncerns on insecurity have persisted over the last one year despite assurances from the Jubilee Government that it was taking robust steps to protect life and property. The situation has been complicated by frequent “lone wolf” terrorist attacks linked to the Somaliabased Al-Shabaab, eight months after the deadly Westgate siege in Nairobi that left at least 70 people dead. The latest in the city’s popular Gikomba market on Friday has only added to the body count and lives shattered by physical and psychological injury. This is a dangerous way for one of Africa’s most promising economies to live. Kenya’s international reputation is also slowly being eroded and, with it, the attraction as a magnet for foreign tourists and investors. This week travel advisories by some Western governments showed how fragile the situation is when hundreds of British tourists cut short their holiday at the Coast and flew back home. While some may consider this an overreaction, ignoring the reality that terrorists with dark intentions are roaming the country ready to attack is equally unhelpful. What President Uhuru Kenyatta and his security chiefs must, therefore, do urgently is take another look at the situation and come up with more ways to stop the terrorist attacks. Kenyans must also remain united to fight the common enemy. While we appreciate efforts by the security agencies such as recent swoops and ongoing attempts to boost the use of technology, there seems to be little change as the fanatical criminals continue with their attacks. Much ink has been spilled in the last one year over the state of insecurity. There is, therefore, the danger that the authorities may be numbed to consider such editorials to be like a broken record — repeating the same thing over and over again. Nonetheless, the message to President Kenyatta and his government remains loud and clear: Fix Kenya’s security urgently.

THIS AND THAT | Murithi Mutiga

Dirty talk on radio should have no place on the breakfast menu W

Governors’ Bill welcome

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his newspaper has repeatedly warned that impeachment of governors in the 47 County Assemblies should be used as the last resort after all else fails. Unfortunately, some of the county assembly (MCAs) have not always prudently used their constitutional powers to check the executive. Some MCAs have, indeed, been accused of blackmailing governors with threats of impeachment for personal gain. That is why we welcome a Bill proposed for the Senate aimed at raising the threshold for impeachment to save governors from being unfairly targeted by malicious individuals. Parts of the proposed law will require investigations by security agencies and the Ethics and AntiCorruption Commission when a governor is accused of an offence. The electorate is also expected to be involved before the process of impeachment is completed. In short, MCAs must prove they tried other avenues, including watchdog committees and other government agencies, before impeachment. While the county assemblies must be allowed to exercise their oversight role, the reckless removal and threats to kick out governors are a danger to the stability of the new devolved units, which are still grappling with many challenges.

QUOTED “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set” —Barack Obama

Limits: Every person should have the liberty to enjoy what they please. But there should be reasonable limits.

hen people periodically complain about the extraordinary amount of X-rated nonsense which issues from the mouths of radio presenters on Kenyan radio every morning, the defenders of these stations leap to their defence with a number of arguments. If you don’t like it switch channels, they suggest. That line is obviously a non-starter because at least eight out of 10 Nairobians take their children to school in the morning by public transport and have no control over what radio station blares out of the speakers. This bedroom talk is popular, they counter. That may be true but one hardly needs to make the point that what the masses may find interesting is not always in the public interest. Otherwise, TV stations worried about ratings would simply show pornography and rake in the millions. Those who argue that regulation may amount to censorship make a fair point. People have the choice to listen to what they please. But the solution the Media Council of Kenya should adopt in dealing with this issue is fairly simple and has worked in many countries. Simply stop the stations from airing this stuff in the morning and require them to discuss these topics after, say, 10 or 11 pm. There are few places on earth, even in the most liberal and nominally free societies, where one is allowed to broadcast explicit content at breakfast time. That breaches the most basic norms of decency. O fcom, the

communications regulator in the UK, for example, has a straightforward rule: All adult content must only be aired after 9 pm and, even then, it should not come immediately after that time but should be broadcast progressively later. If there are parents who will let their children hear about the day a promiscuous man was ousted from the house by the wife and forced to sleep in the watchman’s cubicle, then that will be their choice. Such a story, however, should not be rammed down the throats of normal, unsuspecting wananchi in the morning. The UK regulator’s rulebook states that “material that might seriously impair the physical, mental or moral development of people under 18 must not be broadcast.” Although the 9 pm rule applies mainly to television, the regulator’s manual demands that “radio broadcasters must have particular regard to times when children are particularly likely to be listening. This phrase particularly refers to the school run and breakfast time, but might include other times.” It does no credit to the Media Council in Kenya that they have never taken steps to come up with a position on how operators should handle this issue despite a tide of complaints over the years. Kenya’s media are in many ways unique. They are the most developed on

Media should not get away with things that are obviously wrong.

the continent outside South Africa partly because Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire are the only countries which allowed private media some space in which to operate after independence. For that reason, the media are extremely influential and play a big role in shaping society. Although there are many legitimate criticisms of the industry and they can do better in many respects, Kenya is one of the few places in the world where the media consistently ranks in polls as the most trusted institution (a fact which maybe says more about the state of other institutions in the country such as the police and the political class). This trust should not be squandered or manipulated to allow the media to get away with things that are obviously wrong. This is not a moralist argument. Every person should have the liberty to enjoy what they please. But there should be reasonable limits. Because state regulation is out of the question – as the media logically play a role that the state does not find comfortable of checking on its actions – the Media Council has an obligation to act. The FM station DJs may think that the most interesting thing they could possibly discuss are the mischievous exploits of the housegirl with the man of the house. So be it, but let them hold their horses until, say, 11 pm when the fans of this sort of stuff can tune in. They must, however, spare the children on their morning commute to school. [email protected]

Opinion 13

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

FIFTH COLUMNIST | Philip Ochieng’

OPINION MAKERS | What they said

Needed in Kenya: Right attitude to curb road deaths “Kenya Police and security forces are using abusive and discriminatory tactics in the name of national security, and are targeting entire communities. This crackdown clearly violates the basic rights of Kenyans, refugees and other Kenyan nationals, and does nothing to improve security” — US Assistant Secretary of State, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

“Impeachment is a tool of governance. It is not a declaration about his (Mr Wambora’s) personal liability. It is not about his tribe. It is about ability. It is about facts, and Senate is mature enough to deal with his matter” — Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on why the Senate impeached Mr Martin Wambora as Embu Governor.

“An important reason for the significant improvement in life expectancy is that the number of children dying before their fifth birthdays has reduced drastically” — World Health Organisation Director-General Margaret Chan explaining the rise in life expectancy in low-income countries, especially among women.

“I have some information which I think would be useful. I will, however, not tell them how to go about their investigations ... I am frustrated. How can they tell me to go to a small CID office to report such a weighty matter?” — Dr Oburu Odinga after the CID declined to take his statement on allegations of a plot to assassinate Cord leader Raila Odinga.

“This is the law and it must be obeyed by everyone. It does not matter whose car it is. Even foreigners driving into the country must remove tints from their car windows if they are to drive on Kenyan roads” — Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo clarifying the ban on the use of tint on vehicle windows as applying to all motorists.

DEVOLUTION | Eric Ng’eno

Cord’s knee-jerk resistance to government policy will not do W

ith their last press conference, the Opposition confirmed my worst fears: That many of our leaders do not understand the constitution. They may claim to have read it – even to read it daily at bedtime – but the understanding they display is worrying. The constitution is not the manifesto of make-believe desiderata. It is a real document governing real situations in a real country. One of these realities — an immutable reality of our political and legal order — is devolution. Executive and legislative power has been devolved to 47 counties, together with the resources required to make devolution meaningful to Wanjiku and Ewoi, Kanze and Wafula, Mueni and Otieno. The Jubilee Alliance has done everything it can with the resources available to make devolution happen. It has enabled the county governments begin executing all the 14 functions set out in Part 2 of the Fourth Schedule of the constitution. Part 1 of that Schedule vests the national government with 35 functions. The President is the Head of State and Government, and exercises the executive authority of the Republic in accordance with the principle of service to the people of Kenya, and for their well-being and benefit. The President directs and coordinates the functions of ministries and government departments. Because of this immense responsibility, the constitution mandates the President under Article 132 (4) to establish any office in the public service in accordance with the rec-

PUBLICATION OF THE NATION MEDIA GROUP

ommendation of the Public Service Commission. He has a mandate and is able for that mandate. Towards this end, the President has moved to perfect the executive by making it rational, effective, professional and able within constitutional parameters. Our tragedy as a country is that we have an Opposition which only, just over a year ago, was part of government. Their performance as components of a governing coalition was dodgy at best. To be honest, a number of the problems Kenyans grapple with today are a direct result of their “leadership”. This is the reality that Cord and its fan base wishes to deny. Under the pretext of containing an “imperial presidency”, they insist that the presidency and national executive can only operate in State/Harambee houses, leaving over 562,000 square miles of Kenya unattended, except through the 14 functions of county governments. National government means exactly that: Government services throughout the Republic. The President has moved to coordinate government vertically and ensure all parts of Kenya receive government services wherever they are, without having to travel to Nairobi. Anyone resisting this wishes to deny Kenyans important government services. The argument by the Opposition, therefore, is absurd: Are they protecting devolution from executive encroachment or are they denying wananchi effective government service? Taken to its logical extent, the Opposition actually is using devolution as a mere excuse to undermine the national

LINUS GITAHI: Chief Executive Officer JOSEPH ODINDO: Editorial Director ERIC OBINO: Group Managing Editor

executive. Since the Opposition has gone to town shouting “unconstitutional”, one must wonder which constitution these people read. What particular breaches have the Jubilee Alliance committed in this and other instances? Is it enough to use a blanket general allegation as a foundation for political competition? Like everybody in leadership, the Opposition is able for its word and deed. Knee-jerk resistance to anything emanating from government will not stand them in good stead. Experience bears this out; didn’t they recently test the patience of Kenyans by calling a press conference in the wake of a needful crackdown on suspected terrorists and their accomplices, to side with terrorists? Come to think of it, the pattern is consistent. Wherever and whenever the government has stood with Kenya and Kenyans, the Oppositions stands with whoever happens to be undermining or tormenting them. It matters not whether we are talking about Nyumba Kumi, war on terror, KDF deployment in Somalia, ability of civil society, or even devolution. Yet in all these matters, they loudly pretend to be progressive, pro-wananchi and pro-devolution. While Kenyans wept bitter tears in the wake of terrorist attacks, the Opposition only saw political opportunity. One must be wary of those who are only inspired by disaster to gloat and dance at every scene of tragedy. The author is the Director of Messaging at the Presidency

Published at Nation Centre, Kimathi Street and printed at Mombasa Road, Nairobi by Nation Media Group Limited POB 49000, Nairobi 00100

[email protected] ed at the GPO as a newspaper

I

n one of his wonderful science fiction creations, Clifford Simak describes a distant future situation where the human species had long ago migrated to Outer Space. If individuals and groups still returned to the parent planet, it was only to bury their dead or to dispose of industrial and domestic effluent. Mother Earth had thus been reduced to a “cemetery planet”, a deadly world of hostile spirits and environmental pitfalls. Science fiction is like that. It imagines the shape of pings to come and describes certain “futures”, in which, seen with today’s eyes, mankind’s science and technology will look miraculous, even godly. Yet it remains fiction. That is why it must be narrated in the past tense. The point, however, is that “science fiction” or “distant future” is no name for it. For Dr Frankenstein’s scientific and technological monster – of Mary Shelley’s science fiction – has been with humanity ever since England pioneered the industrial machine. Since but two centuries ago, the automated machine has consigned more human beings to the grave than all other tool inventions ever since humanity elbowed its way into the evolutionary landscape 250,000 years ago. In Kenya, a 20th-century invention called automobile kills approaching 20 human beings every day. But only an ignoramus can blame the machine. Ever since Jacques Ellul introduced the anti-technology movement in Europe, Barry Commoner, Lewis Mumford, Jeremy Rifkin and, in science fiction, Simak have made anti-science and anti-technology the nub and core and their political platform. What a waste of intellectual energy! Their own Benjamin Franklin – a much better educated mind – would have shown them that humanity can stop technologising only at the risk of extinction because tool-making and tool-using is the evolutionary predisposition of the human brain, hands and vocal organs. As UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim onished member-states, humanity’s tragedy, as a gregarious species, lies only in our permanent failure – guided by the extreme self-interests of individual human beings in individual nations – to strictly subject our preoccupation with tools to the overseer-ship of collective national and international policy. How is it that, within a single nation like Kenya, the car, a nearly extinct 20th-century invention of other nations, continues year after year to slaughter us by the score every day ever since independence 50 years ago without goading the state – the governance expression of our gregariousness – into any serious preventive action? Despite the daily teeth-gnashing nationwide, a thoroughly corrupt policing system continues to allow thousands of ramshackle contraptions into our roads, driven by individuals half-baked in “training” schools whose licensing criteria are quite questionable. It helps nobody to heap the whole blame onto the matatu. The entire road system is rotten to the marrow. What makes the matatu system phenomenal is only that greed for quick money does not lead owners and operators into any kind of sophistication and refinement. But a foreigner driving on our roads must be bewildered by the utter absence of care and courtesy even by the private car motorist. Kenyans voted Jubilee into power hoping that its youthful leaders would quickly remove the country from the “benign neglect” and do-nothing-ism of the Moi-Kibaki era to devise a human machine capable of delivering Kenya out of the jaws of painful death through alleged “accidents”. When, even at the busiest crossroads, a barely trained driver forces an un-serviced machine to zoom at a speed that would scare even Mister Toad, you cannot rightly call it an accident if the machine rams into another or a pavement or a power post, killing every enger in its belly. The question for the Transport ministry is: Why have you failed to tap Kenya’s brains into creating a national road system and road attitude by which to stop the machine from controlling the mind, thus – in Shakespeare’s poetic phrase – rescuing Kenyans from “the heaven that leads men to this hell”? [email protected]

14 | Letters

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

To the editor Local languages our one enduring legacy The proposal to introduce mother tongue in lower primary schools is a step in the right direction. All the 42 Kenyan languages are as important as English and Kiswahili, perhaps more important because we learn our culture and ways through them. It is unfortunate that many of us have become so much alienated as to ‘forget’ their native tongues. In , for instance, Deutsch is the language of instruction, and any foreign student has to learn it before pursuing his or her preferred course. There is a distinction between tribalism and an individual’s love for his or her identity. Vernacular does not kill patriotism, and English or Kiswahili is not proof of it either. Alfred Mosoti, Baraton.

Let’s get one thing clear: We need ICC Warrants should be issued for the arrest of President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar for the senseless killings of tens of thousands of South Sudanese, and the displacement of millions more. Given the history of Rwanda as we know it, how could the world just watch as the massacre went on? The East African community and the African Union did absolutely nothing but make empty promises, and it took the intervention of US Secretary of State John Kerry to get some results. Is Africa unable of solving its own wars? This is precisely why we need the International Criminal Court − to deter such warlords from annihilating their people in the mad search for absolute power. We should hand over the two to the ICC. Justin Nkaranga, Mombasa.

Don’t take away our right to education The bid to raise fees in public universities by the Education Cabinet Secretary is bound to deprive students of the right to education guaranteed by the Constitution. The reasoning that it has been long since the rates were reviewed is naive. Reviews should come out of necessity, not habit. If the minister’s argument flies, then the loans students get from the Higher Education Loans Board must be revised accordingly. Government cannot unilaterally increase fees without regard for the thousands of poor, orphaned students, many of who depend on well-wishers. Besides, congestion takes away any justification to increase fees. Maina Kinyua, via e-mail.

The editor welcomes brief letters on topical issues. Write on e-mail to: [email protected]. You can also mail to: The Editor, Sunday Nation, P.O.B 49010, Nairobi 00100. Letters may be edited for clarity, space or legal considerations.

TALKING POINT

Kenyans don’t need devolved structures if they can’t deliver

The Africa Champion Clubs Cup second round, first leg match between Kenyan champions Gor Mahia and Zamalek of Egypt played in Cairo was abandoned at half-time. This was after Gor players attacked the referee, Hassan Abdulaziz, angered by his de-

BY THE WATCHMAN ILLEGALISE LIQUOR: The numerous deadly drinks sold in plastic bottles that are wrecking the lives of many young people should be outlawed, urges Mombasa resident Anne Mwangi. The growing concern about the number of people who have perished after drinking illicit alcohol, she adds, should inspire action by the Health Ministry and Nacada boss, John Mututho. “They are taking too many to their early graves. Cheap is not always cheap, but very expensive and painful.” Her is [email protected].

T

he history of devolution began during the struggle for self-rule up to the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya in 2010. Everyone re that journey – painstakingly long and treacherous. It is for that reason that we need to safeguard devolution, both to reap its benefits and posthumously honour the fallen heroes who bequeathed it to us and future generations. Regrettably, governors appear blinded by power, clan and political patronage, and are sliding us back to the very place we are coming from. Constant wars with the national government don’t augur well for progress. Governors are not the divine guardians – or proponents – of devolution they think they are. The recent wave of impeachments is out of the realisation that our minipresidents are not that clean and that they make unilateral decisions not based on need. Governors from arid and semi-arid areas − young and well-educated − are looked up to and expected to deliver badly needed results. The masses want well-equipped schools, a regular supply of food, alleviation of poverty, and access to clean drinking water, among other needs. After decades of marginali-

GET SCRIPTURE RIGHT: Though the idea of women marrying more men as security against increasing cases of impotence is one Wanjiru Peter wouldn’t necessarily embrace, worse, he says, is the attempt to justify it using an incorrect biblical quotation on women leaving their homes to their husbands. Ephesians 5: 31 in the New International Version of the Bible, he adds, confirms this. It reads: “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” His is [email protected].

FILE | NATION

Many problems persist among pastoralists owing to poor planning, corruption and supremacy wars at the counties. sation, these are the regions that were most optimistic about devolution. A sensible investment for pastoral communities, for example, would have been the putting up of abattoirs, but nothing seems to be happening. On the contrary, the county bosses are focused on cosmetic absorption of their allocations at the expense of what needs to be done. Investments, for example, could be made in sustainable livestock production programmes, pasture production and irrigation to ensure food security, and to mitigate

the vagaries of drought. My appeal to governors is to be selfless and to listen to the needs of their people. Mass water harvesting, installation of better veterinary services, development of workable drought contingency plans, and the mapping of dry and wet-season grazing areas for preservation will be the hallmarks of successful pastoralist county governments. Hon Ibrahim Abdi, MP, Wajir North.

We need more role models for our young women The main feature in last Sunday’s Lifestyle on Professors Olive Mugenda (Vice-Chancellor, Kenyatta University) and Margaret Kobia (chair of the Public Service Commission) is proof that career and family are not incompatible. The lifestyles of the two are an eye opener that women do not need any favours to make it to top leadership positions in society, and that an enabling environment, where equity of opportunity is observed, is all that it takes. Women’s contribution to society cannot be ignored; they are the bedrock of society. It is easy to destroy a society

by propagating wrong ideas to women that it is men. For instance, today’s career woman despises family responsibilities on the pretext that it is a burden to career progress, and that it is a way of equating oneself to a man, which is a misguided notion. Needless to say, our society is going down the drain, very fast too, because we thrive on the wrong ideas. To build a good society, equity and equality of opportunity for all men and women must be the norm. Emphasis and of the family unit as the basis for society and a good education should not be an option.

Thirty Years Ago May 18, 1984

The Cutting Edge

Education should not only be viewed as a means of getting women to have fewer children, but also as an enabler for having skills for good families as a basis of an educated society. Many researchers have concluded that societies which educate their women attain better health, education and nutrition standards. It is a pity that some of those who have died recently from taking illicit brews are young women who could have gone on to prosper in different capacities. Let more models such as Mugenda and Kobia continue inspiring our girls. Chris Momanyi, via e-mail.

Compiled by Augustine Nyagah cision to award the Egyptians a penalty, which Gor players strongly disputed. However, after intervention by Kenyan officials, the players agreed to the penalty. Tarek Yehia converted to give the home team a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute. After the penalty, as players walked to the centre spot, the Kenyan side was reduced to 10

men when the referee showed Gor midfielder Abbas Khamis Magongo a red card. The reason for Magongo’s sending off was not immediately apparent. Several Kenyan players then attacked the referee who was kicked to the ground. Police and officials from both sides rushed into the pitch, after which the match was cancelled.

ROAD ALREADY REHABILITATED: The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) says it is not true that the Uthiru junction to Kinoo shopping centre road is in a pathetic state, as alleged by local resident Wahu Kamunyu. Corporate Affairs manager Charles Njogu explains that section of A104 road was rehabilitated under the periodic maintenance programme of the Uthiru–Rironi road in 2012. Between Kinoo and Gitaru, the contractor patched up potholes, and the Gitaru-Kamandura section is under construction. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Shouldn’t Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo, who has ordered motorists to remove tints from their car windows lead by example by taking them off his official sleek blue Mercedes limousine, too? asks Jim Webo, who, only the other day, saw the car with darkened windows zoom past him on Harambee Avenue, Nairobi. “But more importantly, the law specifically talks about PSVs and the IGP cannot, surely have also forgotten that a similar directive was quashed by a court several years ago?” THINK THIS THROUGH: The directive by Mr Kimaiyo to motorists to remove tints on their cars is misguided, says James Kisilu. It will be too costly, he adds, for the owners of cars with factory tinted windows to replace them. The best way to go about this, he adds, would be to ban the importation of cars with tinted windows, “unless this is just a ploy by the government to enrich those who will be importing the car windows”. His is [email protected]. Have a transparent day, won’t you!

FILE | NATION

Mr Abbas Khamis Magongo.

E-mail: [email protected] Mail: The Watchman PO BOX 49010, GPO 00100, Nairobi. Fax 2213946

15

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SUNDAY REVIEW

ONE PROPERTY, TWO TITLES: OLD MAN PLEADS FOR JUSTICE.

For about 34 years, Kenneth Mwangi was a proud owner of a building in Nairobi, then one day in 2009, he was evicted. P. 18-19

POLITICS, OPINION, ANALYSES, BUSINESS COURT CASE | Governor’s executive team is now in panic hoping court will rule in his favour

Anxiety sets in as Kidero awaits judgment by the Supreme Court Analysts note that should Supreme Court nullify his election, the governor would have a hard time to convince his party and voters to elect him.

BY JUSTUS WANGA @Justuswanga [email protected]

R

einstated Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero is a man under siege. He is facing one of the toughest times in his political career as his fate now lies in the hands of Supreme Court judges. They will choose either to send him back to Nairobi voters or dismiss the judgment by the appellate court, which nullified his election. Observers and his ers alike acknowledge the timing of the court case might work to his disadvantage should the Chief Justice Willy Mutunga-led court rule against him. They say having spent so much time laying a foundation within a period that was also punctuated by several interruptions, Dr Kidero may have an uphill task convincing voters to re-elect him. But the Director of the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi, Prof Winnie Mitullah, says that Dr Kidero’s second year in office is the time to separate boys from men. “His first year in office has been wrought with so many distractions. He was just getting down to work and, as such, it would be unfair to send such a fellow back to the people to get their mandate before delivering on his projects. It will be hard for them to listen to him,” she says. His legal team led by Prof Tom Ojienda, also a member of the Judicial Service Commission, must then fight tooth and nail to save their man the agony of facing a disgruntled electorate that is haunted by many issues. City residents today attribute literally everything that has gone wrong to Dr Kidero. Sadly, he also bears the brunt even in cases of functions that should otherwise be rendered by the national government. “He has failed the most basic of functions – keeping our streets clean. I would be very reluctant to vote him in,” one resident told the Sunday Nation. But Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati defended Dr Kidero

BITS & PIECES | Gakiha Weru ROADSIDE DECLARATIONS

When a country is faced with serious threats of terrorism, it is easy to overlook illegal decrees from government functionaries who find themselves swimming in the deep end. Last week, we had police in a futile attempt to charge drivers and conductors with failing to prevent a felony after their buses were bombed. It is the job of the police to maintain security and, if they think touts can do a better job, they should recruit them into the force. And this week, without bothering to explain the connection between darkened windows and terror-related activities, Inspector-General of Police issued a blanket ban on vehicle tints. Thankfully, lawyers tell us that when a policeman stops to question you on that tint, politely ask him to move on to more important matters.

HE JUST WON’T QUIT!

Embu Governor Martin Wambora was impeached by his county assembly a couple of months ago and the Senate endorsed the action. The High Court reinstated him as governor, the County Assembly impeached him once again and the Senate stamped its approval, again! Now Mr Wambora wants three judges to hear his petition. It is difficult to understand what he hopes to achieve by clinging onto the seat. Sometimes it makes sense to quietly melt away into the night.

DESPERATE TIMES

Sh9bn

The money allocated to Nairobi County from national government.

‘‘

The city has deep problems that you can’t sort out in a day. The governor must be judged with that in mind” Prof Mitullah

against accusations of sleeping on the job. “The Sh9 billion Nairobi was allocated is a drop in the sea. It is the same as what it used to get through the Local Authorities Transfer Fund (LATF) yet it has a broader mandate now. You can-

FILE | NATION

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, ODM acting party leader Anyang’ Nyong’o (right) and party ers after the Court of Appeal nullified his election. Dr Kidero was reinstated temporarily by Supreme Court. not do much with this given the bloated workforce and the huge debts he inherited,” he says “My overarching view is that Nairobi is a very unique county that it would be unfair to judge Dr Kidero on the same scale as his contemporaries like say Prof Kibwana of Makueni. The city has deep problems that you cannot sort out in a day and the governor must be framed within this background,” Prof Mitullah argues. She explains that anybody managing Nairobi must face serious challenges, “in fact you can opt out because when you finally get there, you realise that it is not a walk in the park.” Senator Mike Sonko, a man who has perfected the art of populist politics, has also not made Dr Kidero’s work any easier. If he is not ing residents to oppose tax increases, he is bashing the governor on one

subject or the other. At one point, the senator threatened to mobilise one million signatures to force Dr Kidero out of office. His concerted activities have even led to talks that he is positioning himself to be the next governor when elections are called. The trick would then be to keep Dr Kidero as diverted as possible to lose the script and then capitalise on that during the next campaigns. The governor’s predicament also has ripple effects on a number of things. Losing a seat occasioned by an election petition sends the city electorate to the ballot. His ministers are all in a state of panic now. The entire executive arm of the government is anxious. On the flipside, some are keeping true to an African proverb which says that when the big CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho is a clever fellow who knows which buttons to touch when he needs to whip up emotions. He is threatening to mobilise “his” people to take over the port of Mombasa because of unclear grievances. Smart guys like Joho do not wake up one day with such amazing ideas unless their political lives hang on a thread. When burning ambition is threatened by claims of some academic papers being gushi, a man is likely to go a little soft in the head.

DRUNKEN LOGIC

I wandered into a makeshift pub in a small market in Nyeri County and the noisy patrons instantly fell silent. For a moment, I imagined they found my six-foot frame intimidating (I find no harm in kidding myself once in a while). When they relaxed, I discovered that they were surreptitiously spiking keg beer with one of those drinks that killed dozens of people last week. They told me that the fact they were still alive meant that the toxic batch did not reach their village. Some logic. [email protected]

16 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

UNBOWED | Business as usual at Gikomba market

ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION

Traders and other Kenyans defied the threat posed by terrorists after last Friday’s twin blasts in Gikomba market that left at least 12 people dead and carried on with their business yesterday. A primary aim of terrorists is to create fear among people and sabotage the economy.

DILEMMA | Lawyers can’t practise or work as judges

Delay in naming new judges raises concern BY ANDREW TEYIE @Muholo [email protected]

AND JOHN NGIRACHU

[email protected]

T

wenty-five lawyers who were nominated to become judges by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) are stuck in no-man’s land after President Uhuru Kenyatta delayed their appointment, the Sunday Nation has established. Five months have lapsed since JSC selected the lawyers for the job. The dilemma facing the judges-elect is that they can neither practise as lawyers nor preside over court cases in their new capacities as they while away time waiting for the political class to put their act together. Yesterday, the chairman of the Law Society of Kenya, Mr Eric Mutua, weighed in on the appointments and called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint the lawyers. He said that the judges-elect have been put in an awkward position by the delay. “The appointment of 25 new judges has taken too long. Under the Constitution, the President is expected to act within a reasonable time after their nomination. We are concerned by the delay in appointing the judges because the back courts continues and decisions in court delay,” he said. He added: “Those appointed are also put in an awkward situation. You are waiting to be a judge, thus you can’t take up new cases; you are waiting to be a judge, you don’t want to appear before judges because lawyers will think that you will get some favours because you are part of the Judiciary. That kind of dilemma needs to be resolved.” Similar sentiments were expressed by a member of the JSC, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media. “These people who were lawyers and magistrates cannot represent

FILE | NATION

their clients or work as magistrates because they are now judges-elect. This is a big problem for them. Are they sitting in court as lawyers, magistrates or in their new role as judges?” wondered the member. Apart from throwing the judgeselect into confusion, the delay has held back proposed transfer of judges who have served in their stations for more than three years. Last week, JSC effected piecemeal transfers of judges where they moved Justice David Majanja to Homa Bay and brought to Nairobi Justice Aggrey Muchelule and Justice Fredrick Ochieng. Justice Muchelule was elected to JSC while Justice Ochieng is the chairman of Magistrates Association. “Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has decided to involve associations in the management of the Judiciary. That is why it is important for Justice Ochieng to be in Nairobi where the CJ can consult with him at short notice,” says the JSC member. According to the source, the President was waiting for the case where JSC had gone to court to stop his tribunal from investigating them to end. “We were told the President was not sure whether JSC was properly constituted.”

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga (centre) with other Judicial Service Commission in August last year after MPs adopted a report to have six of them removed from office over former registrar’s saga.

You are waiting to be a judge thus you can’t take up new cases; you are waiting to be a judge” Eric Mutua

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

17

18 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Mess at Lands Ministry

LAND ISSUES | As the ministry of Lands suspended all land transactions for two weeks to clean up the mess in its offices, many

One property, two titles: Old man’s Mwangi claims he had overpaid his land rates by the time he was evicted for non payment

BY MUGUMO MUNENE @mugumomunene [email protected]

F

or about 34 years, Kenneth Mwangi was the proud owner of a multi-million-shilling property on Nairobi’s Kirinyaga Road. And then one Friday morning in 2009, Mr Mwangi was, without notice, evicted by auctioneers from the property he had bought way back in 1974. “They (auctioneers) came in very early in the morning and took over the premises before I arrived; there was no notice ... They didn’t share with us any documents,” Mr Mwangi said. The businessman had maintained an office on the premises and rented out the seven shops and residential space in the rest of the property. His possessions were thrown out, leaving him watching helplessly and seeking justice in every conceivable office in the land. Six years since Mr Mwangi’s Black Friday, he is a pale shadow of his former self. The impeccably dressed but frail nonagenarian, who once worked for the Department of Defence as a clerk, says the pressure brought on by the property fight has taken a toll on his health. Mr Mwangi is one of the Kenyans who hope that the ongoing audit at the Lands ministry can help give him justice. Alternatively, he prays and hopes that Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and his courts can deliver speedy justice so that the battle does not outlive him. “The baseline of my position is that even the entire process of purporting to sell my property for alleged unpaid rates is corrupt and false because at that time I was not in any rate arrears. A decision made on the basis of a false statement cannot and should not be allowed to stand,” Mr Mwangi says. His case – where a parallel title deed was issued to a second party more than three decades after Mr Mwangi acquired his – underlines the chaos that faces Lands Secretary Charity Ngilu and the National Lands Commission as they try to clean up the mess created by years of mismanagement and fraud at Ardhi House. Currently, Mrs Ngilu has suspended all land transactions to allow for an audit of the ills that have long bedevilled the Lands headquarters and left the likes of Mr Mwangi in dire straits. Mr Mwangi visited Nation Centre this week, to tell his story in the hope that this would speed up the wheels of justice. The businessman is perhaps one of the thousands of Kenyans who have found themselves fighting to reclaim property transferred in mysterious circumstances through collusion or negligence by unscru-

‘‘

The baseline of my position is that even the entire process of purporting to sell my property for alleged unpaid rates is corrupt and false because at that time I was not in any rate arrears” Mr Mwangi

pulous Lands officials. The purported new owners of the property – Nanak Hospital Management Services – hold a title that was issued in 2008 even though Mr Mwangi had owned the property since 1974. Both title deeds were issued by the Lands ministry and neither has been cancelled despite Mr Mwangi’s protestations. “It is obvious that the property as at 2008 was not available for allocation to another party because I already held a valid title. My title was never and has never been cancelled or revoked to date,” Mr Mwangi says.

PHOEBE OKALL AND ANTHONY OMUYA| NATION

Mr Kenneth Mwangi with his daughter Faith Nyambura during the interview at Nation Centre last week. Right: Kikuyu House on Kirinyaga Road, Nairobi, which Mr Mwangi built and now claims was taken from him fraudulently. Nanak Hospital Management now collectst rent for the property. What has frustrated the 75-year-old the most is the length of time he has spent in and out of the courts and offices at Lands, City Council, police, and anti-corruption offices since the auctioneers visit in 2009. The confusion is such that City Hall confirms that Mr Mwangi is the rightful owner of the property and collects land rates from him. But it was the same City Hall that allowed a change of ownership to Nanak ostensibly because Mr Mwangi had failed to pay property rates. Indeed the businessman had indeed paid rates and was ahead of time in a reconciliation of his conducted by City Hall. According to documents at the Lands ministry, the property was initially on leasehold of 52 years from January 1, 1949 to January 2001. On June 10, 1974, Mr Mwangi and two others purchased the property from the

previous owners. It was purchased through a financing arrangement offered by the Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC). Mr Mwangi, however, bought out his partners the following year and remained the sole proprietor.

Missing file

A meticulous record keeper, Mr Mwangi applied for a lease extension on March 6, 1987, three years ahead of the time his lease was set to expire. Records at the Lands registry show that the application was numbered but the file subsequently went missing. But Mr Mwangi was granted a 50-year lease extension at the expiry of the one issued in the colonial days. The records were updated in July 2005. But unknown to Mr Mwangi, Nanak Hospital Services somehow acquired a

Litigant who has pursued same case for 30 years now told to spare BY BENSON WAMBUGU [email protected]

ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION

Mr James Mwakio at the Supreme Court on Thursday.

He has been described by three appellate judges as a peculiar, unique and tenaciously resilient litigant who has been in and out of court over a single case for the last 30 years. Mr James Mwakio, 78, has been pursuing what he believes is his proprietary right over a prime city property sold by the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) to recover an unpaid loan advanced to him. But judges have now warned him against filing any application in any court relating to the case in which he first sued the bank

in 1984. If Mr Mwakio defies this, he risks being referred to the Attorney-General under Section 2 of the Vexatious Proceedings Act to be declared a vexatious (troublesome) litigant. Court of Appeal Judges Wanjiru Karanja, Mohammed Warsame and GBM Kariuki ruled on April 24 that despite Mr Mwakio’s case having been heard and determined by the High Court 30 years ago, he has obstinately refused to accept that the matter was concluded. The judges said the appellate court has constantly advised him that litigation, like a journey, has an end, and he must cease from filing a multiplicity of applications.

“Before we fold our hands, we must the chorus in condemning the applicant for his continuous abuse of the court process by filing numerous but frivolous applications,” said the judges. Some time in the 1980s, Mr Mwakio, a retired civil servant, allegedly used a fouracre piece of land in Kasarani as collateral to obtain a loan from KCB. He fell into arrears and the bank exercised its statutory power of sale to dispose of the property and recover its money. However, Mr Mwakio claimed the sale was unlawful. He moved to court in 1984 to block the bank from selling the property. As a layman, he opted to prosecute his case rather

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Sunday Review 19

Mess at Lands Ministry

FILE | NATION

Kenyans hope their troubles will end

Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu (centre), Mr Li-Jun Yi and former Finance Minister Njeru Githae during the groundbreaking ceremony for a multi-billionshilling housing project.

plea for justice Sh170,000 The amount of money by which Mr Mwangi had overpaid the city council in rates for his property. His land was still sold for ‘nonpayment’ of rates.

title to the same property through a vesting order ed in the Nairobi Lands registry on June 17, 1996. The order was based on a premise that Mr Mwangi was not paying his rates. This is despite the fact that the land was charged to Diamond Trust Bank from which Mr Mwangi had borrowed Sh450,000 and used the property as security. A copy of the order which arose out of a civil suit filed in 1981 is, however, missing from the records. Mr Mwangi says he was never aware of any such suit and was never served. It would appear from court records that the property was transferred to Nanak Hospital Management Services by the City Council for a consideration of Sh4.8 million. Mr Mwangi says he has never been shown the vesting order and does not know on what basis the transaction was done. His repeated trips to the Lands ministry drew a blank. He says no one was willing to give him information. He has sought redress in the lower courts and in the High Court but so far

has found none even though his title has never been revoked. On December 13, 2007, the law firm of P.J. Kakad and Company applied for a renewal of the lease on behalf of Nanak Management Services. In an interesting turn of events, the same Lands office that had issued a lease renewal for Mr Mwangi granted Nanak another lease and ultimately, a new title deed in 2008. Police opened an investigation file into the matter but it is still pending to date. In the 1980s and the 1990s, Mr Mwangi had been having run-ins with City Council officials whom he accuses of running extortion rings on property owners. To stay on the right side of things, he would keep up his payments of rates to the City Council and even started exceeding his payments. Such was the chaos at the City Council that some amount that Mr Mwangi paid in the early 1990s was only reflected in the records in October 2004, more than a decade later. A full reconciliation of the conducted in 2007 showed that Mr Mwangi had actually overpaid his rates by more than Sh170,000. “From the rates statement extracted for the period 1991 to the year 2007, it can clearly be seen that I have overpaid the and the City Council owes me money,” Mr Mwangi says in court papers. It would not be the last of his problems since Mr Mwangi was evicted from the property on April 24, 2009 and Nanak Hospital Management Services has been collecting the rent since. He has told the courts that he lost property worth more than Sh1.4 million during the eviction. While Mr Mwangi says Nanak Hospital Management Services are tresers, Nanak says the opposite and both flag their title deeds to confirm their stand. The court journey has been drawn out and includes a case barring Nanak from selling the property which has taken Mr Mwangi to court about 17 times since 2011 but has never taken off. The ongoing audit in the Lands ministry and reforms in the Judiciary give him hope that matters will come out in his favour when the case comes up in September.

court of frivolous applications than engage the services of a lawyer and subsequently lost the challenge to salvage his investment. The court decision opened the floodgates for Mr Mwakio to engage the High Court and Court of Appeal in endless litigation battles, filing multiple applications. On April 3, 1984, he filed an application in the Court of Appeal but was referred back to the lower court where the matter was heard by the then Justice David Porter and dismissed in its entirety. According to the judges, Mr Mwakio misunderstood the decision and thought the judges had ruled in his favour. This again propelled him to the Court of Appeal in 1988

seeking orders for enforcement of the court’s 1984 judgment. However, the appellate explained to him that the Court of Appeal had only referred the matter to the High Court and no orders were made in his favour. Not one to give up easily, Mr Mwakio, in his latest application of March 1 last year, sought leave of the Court of Appeal to move to the Supreme Court and argue his matter. The judges concurred there was no issue for Mr Mwakio to agitate in the Supreme Court. Consequently, they dismissed the application last month and ordered Mr Mwakio to pay KCB the cost of the suit.

Ngilu s row over prime city plot claimed by Chinese BY THOMAS KARIUKI

[email protected]

AND RICHARD MUNGUTI [email protected]

A group of Chinese investors is now occupying prime property in the upmarket Lavington area that has been the subject of a long-drawn and unresolved court battle. Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has been caught up in the controversy after she moved to help the investors launch a mega project for the construction of a 47-storey apartment complex a day after a court issued orders directing that no activity should take place pending the determination of a suit currently before Lady Justice Pauline Nyamweya. The property has been in the hands of the Vohra family who are prominent investors in the hotel industry under the Sarova Group. The ceremony was staged a day after a judge had directed a status quo over the ownership of the property which the plaintiff claims has been inherited through generations. An Environmental and Lands Division court was moved under a certificate of urgency to stop the “official grabbing” of the multimillion-shilling property, which lies on Ndemi Road along Ngong Road within Nairobi County. While the hoteliers were steadfastly clinging firmly to their property, a senior political figure was trying to reach out to the lawyer of Samvo Limited to woo him to abandon the court battle over the two-and-a-half acre property for a “lifetime fortune”. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has also not been left out of the saga. Three suspects who were allegedly involved in pulling down a house built on the land were prosecuted from a police station away from that jurisdiction. The suspects were charged by Muthaiga police station instead of Kilimani police station under which the land lies. This leaves unanswered questions as to why Muthaiga acted in an area it does not watch. Samvo Limited, who claim to be the ed proprietor of the land in question, then obtained an

WHAT’S ALLEGED

Who is the real owner? Delta Company said that although the title documents were in the hands of Samvo Limited they must have been forged. They accused the ministry of refusing to a new title saying that they have caused great financial loss and prejudice to Delta hence rendering the operations in the investment untenable. But Samvo claims to have acquired the 2.23 acre parcel at a cost of Sh18.25 million in 1998 and a title issued a year later.

order on May 9 from Lady Justice Nyamweya prohibiting Delta Haulage Services Limited from developing or interfering in any way with the disputed parcel. Delta has claimed ownership of the land and has been involved in litigation with Samvo from 2007. The judge said the order she gave would remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the two suits filed in 2007 and 2012. Documents from the Commissioner of Lands filed in court show that the property, as at 1998, belonged to Samvo Limited, a company under the Sarova Group, and in 2013, City Hall received land rates of Sh102,340 from the hoteliers. The two suits will be heard on Tuesday. On Friday last week, lawyer Musalia Mwenesi for Samvo told the court that Delta or their agents or their assigns, agents and/or foreign investors should be restrained from developing or interfering with the suit land pending its hearing and determination. He also urged Justice Nyamweya to compel Kilimani police station to assist in enforcing the order so as to maintain the status quo of the premises. But going by the grand launch officiated by Mrs Ngilu, the land

is now slotted for a multi-billion-shilling housing investment meant for more than a 100 residential homes. Mrs Ngilu is on record as asking police to protect Chinese investors. She made the remarks during the inauguration ceremony of the Chinese housing project — Fountain Garden Apartments — by Catham Properties Limited owned by Mr Guo Dong two weeks ago. Mr Mwenesi said that despite the Lands ministry being aware of the suit and a pending ruling touching on the suit property, it went ahead to authorise development. “It will subvert justice if the foreign investor continues developing the land whose ownership is the subject matter of a suit pending determination in court for over seven years,” the lawyer said. “My client is apprehensive that the development is being done hurriedly to subvert justice and in a bid to take advantage of the current embargo at Ardhi House’s central registry,” Mr Mwenesi argued. In June 1999, Commissioner of Lands Sammy Mwaita, through an allotment letter, officially issued a clean sheet to Samvo Limited and consequently gave them the title deed for the property that July. Delta Limited also claims ownership of the land, saying the ministry of Lands issued them with the land documents and a title deed in December 22, 1999. The Delta Limited suit was, however, dismissed for lack of merit and an order of maintenance of the status quo issued in 2012. They consequently initiated an eviction application and later alleged that the file for the property had disappeared. They alleged that one of Samvo’s directors, Mr Swarana Devi Vohra, transferred the property to them through a correspondence file at the Ardhi House. The Lands Ministry, however, denied the claim, saying that “any document or conveyances without corresponding records at the master registry are either fake or forgeries.” Samvo Company asked the court to strike out the accusations by Delta Haulage.

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

POLITICS | ODM is keen on retaining the seat in case of mini-polls

MCAs demanded Sh30m to save my job, says Chepkwony BY JUSTUS WANGA @Justuswanga [email protected]

yx XYXYXYXYX | DAILY NATION

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FILE | DAILY NATION

Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu ers celebrate after Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero’s elections was nullifies last week.

Kidero’s fate in hands of Supreme Court judges

Whether it is him who shall be given the ticket is currently immature and really not an issue, our intention as ODM is to retain the seat” Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 tree falls, the goat eats its leaves. Much as it would be inaccurate to say that Dr Kidero’s fate is already sealed, a number of individuals are warming up to this. They are jostling for his seat should the courts send him packing. Former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo has, for instance, said he would be seeking the ODM ticket to succeed him in the event of a by-election. This is happening against a backdrop of rumours that if the Appeal Court decision is upheld by the highest court in the land, some ODM party honchos may deny him the ticket to defend the seat. To them, the former Mumias Sugar CEO has been a truant boy who deserves thorough rebuttal. Critics like Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang have previously called for his resignation saying he is trying to create another centre of power within ODM. “I find it pedestrian for one to argue that he is Jubilee. He must work with both parties. Right now, he needs the of his party. He would be orphaned if party were to abandon him now,” says Prof Mitullah. Mr Arati shares the same view. “We know he is the city governor and we will stand by him, whatever the outcome of the court case. He has not been given time to run the city. All his time has been spent defending himself in court, he would excel if given time,” Ugunja lawmaker Opiyo Wandayi says that as a party, they do not care so much whether it is Dr Kidero or somebody else who clinches the Nairobi seat. What matters is that it remains in-house. “We do not want to lose our grip on Nairobi. Our priority now is to retain the seat whether the court rules in his favour or not. The internal differences that might have been here must now be relegated to the periphery,” states Mr Wandayi, who has not had kind words for the governor before. His statement gives credence to the possibility that the orange party may settle on another candidate. “Whether it is him who shall be given the ticket is currently immature and really not an issue, our intention as ODM is to retain the seat,” he adds. The governor’s critics accuse him of opening many war fronts. This, they say, might leave him overstretched were he to take on all his adversaries. Matatu

WISH LIST

Governor’s dream for Nairobi Put up a public service bus company to cushion residents from fare hikes Eliminate traffic jams on Nairobi roads Get rid of street families and hawkers off the streets Ensure Nairobi is a garbage-free city Automate revenue collection. The tender has already been awarded Create jobs, reduce crime and make the city business friendly Lure foreign investors: Dr Kidero says he intends to bring business men and women to the city to create jobs in different sectors operators are among those who have no kind words for him because of the new parking rates he has introduced. But ers of Dr Kidero, like former Mayor George Aladwa, say Nairobi is different from all counties that have the advantage of visibility of their projects. “Nairobi is not as highly visible as other counties given the levels of development here,” he says His biggest hope, however, is the fact that his main challenger, Mr Ferdinand Waititu, has integrity questions, with the court recently barring him from getting a parastatal job. The appointment as the chairman of Athi Water Services Board was rejected on that basis. This may be used to bar him from contesting. Prof Mitullah, however, cautions the governor against celebrating. “We have watered down Chapter Six of the Constitution. Anybody can go to court and obtain an order not to be barred from contesting. the president and his deputy were able to successfully vie even with International Criminal Court charges on their necks. It is only the public court that may live to the true spirit of integrity and perhaps wield this at the ballot,” she states.

Embattled Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwony has told the Sunday Nation that the architects of his impeachment unsuccessfully tried to extort Sh30 million from him before voting to send him home. Governor Chepkwony said that by refusing to “cooperate” with of the County Assembly, he knew he was cong himself to the “political gallows”. “On Saturday, a lady MCA called me at midnight, with the message that I could keep my job if I paid certain influential MCAs some Sh3.7 million,” said Professor Chepkwony. “I was also to give Sh3 million to nominated women MCAs to share amongst themselves, and Sh500,000 to all of the other MCAs ing my impeachment. In total, this was going to add up to Sh30 million,” he said. To emphasise that demand, Prof Chepkwony was told how other governors in the country had allegedly done that and escaped impeachment. “I was also asked to sabotage one project and divert the funds to the MCAs which, I was told, is what governors all over are doing. They, as well, wanted to be allocated plots at Chelimo area,” he added. The Kericho governor was impeached without getting the chance to defend himself, and despite the intervention of the Kipsigis council of elders. The five grounds of his impeachment, according to the motion, were gross violation of the Constitution, abuse of office, violation of the County Government Act, violation of the Public Finance Management Act and violation of Public Procurement and Disposal Act.

Banking on Senate

MR Chepkwony denies the claims. The only option open to him now is to convince Senate that the move by MCAs was based on malice as he claims. He says that if the Assembly felt that something was not going right, they, at the very least, needed to summon him to hear his side of the story. “I needed to have been investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission or the Directorate of Criminal Investigations. Even the House Business Committee never summoned me like is provided for in the Standing Orders. I was served the notice on Friday and was expected to respond by Monday,” he says. The governor’s problems with the MCAs began when he moved to court to seek legal interpretation on the roles of the Assembly, which he felt was out to scuttle his government’s operations. “It was a non-adversarial case but my intentions were misunderstood,” he says. The Assembly had just ed the Bursaries Bill and decided to make themselves patrons and chairpersons. The paper that originated from the governor’s office stipulated that being an executive function, the office of the governor would ister the kitty that is worth Sh39 million.

Unseen hand

Before that, a motion stopping the employment of ward s and ECD teachers had also been ed by the Assembly, which cited irregularities in the processes. Governor Chepkwony has, for most of his first year in office, operated with an incomplete Cabinet, after the Assembly repeatedly rejected his appointments. His cabinet still lacks three ministers. “Somebody does not want me to be the governor; I, however, do not know who that person is.” Three months after being sworn in, he

‘‘

I was asked to sabotage one project and divert the funds to a group of MCAs. –Prof Chepkwony

survived an impeachment attempt after accused him of declining to approve a trip to Uganda, where each of the ward representatives was to get Sh500,000 in allowances. There are also murmurs that Prof Chepkwony’s woes are engineered by powerful people in URP, who are not happy with his close relationship with Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto. Mr Ruto has distinguished himself as one of the fiercest critics of Deputy President William Ruto, who he accuses of plotting to derail devolution. And although he exonerates his Senator, Charles Keter, some of the 15 MCAs who staged a walkout during the impeachment debate believe the Senator could be working in cahoots with URP bosses to bring Prof Chepkwony down. Senator Keter is one of the DP’s confidantes. “The senator has tried his best to salvage the situation but I think those fellows had already made up their minds. “The grounds for my impeachment are very flimsy and I am counting on Senate to stop this injustice,” the governor said. To explain the ongoing assault on county executives across the country, the director of the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi, Prof Winnie Mitullah, observes that governors are quite predisposed. “When crafting the law, much of the focus was on keeping the national government from tramping on devolution. We needed to shield governors a little bit. There is urgent need to do so,” she says. A total of 32 MCAs voted to send Prof Chepkwony home in a session presided over by Speaker Japheth Mutai. The notice of motion for the removal was moved by Nominated MCA Albert Kipkoech. “For Kericho County to progress, Prof Chepkwony must go, so that we can get a responsible governor. All evidence confirms that the governor violated the law,” said Mr Kipkoech. The MCAs claim that the governor signed several deals without the prior approval of the County Assembly, thereby violating Public Private Partnership laws.

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SEPARATION OF POWERS | MPs fault bid to en National Assembly in removal process

Bill seeks to raise bar for governors’ impeachment Proposal comes out of the realisation that governors are being targeted by MCAs BY DENNIS ODUNGA @dennisakwenda [email protected]

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overnors would have to be investigated and recommended for prosecution before being impeached, a Bill proposes. The investigations would be carried out by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations or the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission . A Bill set to be tabled in the Senate is also aimed at raising the threshold for impeachment to ensure the electorate is consulted before the process is finalised. Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki, who is the author of the bill, said it is important to strengthen the impeachment process to save governors from being unfairly targeted by of County Assemblies. Prof Kindiki said reports that more counties were in the process of proposing the

removal of their governors to the Senate were worrying. “The office of the governor is becoming the most insecure of all the elective leaders. Impeachment is meant to ensure ability, as a last resort,” said Prof Kindiki yesterday during a Press conference at Parliament Buildings. He appealed to the Council of Governors to inform the Senate of cases where their are subjected to intimidation from the MCAs, and warned appealed to courts to be cautious and stop engaging with Parliament in due disregard of the doctrine of separation of powers. He added that the proposed bill meant to have either House participate in the impeachment process for governors, is unconstitutional and goes against the spirit of bicameral Parliament. County Assemblies and the Senate, he said, are the proper institutions to conduct impeachment, and it’s prudent to strengthen these institutions instead of creating another oversight body. He wondered what the inclusion of the National Assembly has to do with addressing concerns that some of County Assemblies could be manipulated to target governors.

National Assembly should leave Senate to undertake its duty of oversighting county governments” Senate majority leader Prof. Kithure Kindiki FILE | NATION

From left: Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Governor Isaac Ruto and Senator Kithure Kindiki. Mr Kindiki is authoring a game-changing Bill.

Prof Kindiki said the National Assembly has adequate work to represent people at national level and oversight national government institutions. The majority leader added that whereas there is logic in empowering citizens to be involved in the impeachment process, there is need to guard against temptations to hand over the MCAs powers’ to the people. “People can retain the right to have a parallel process initiated by the people as principles,” he said. “Whether power can be abused or not is a

different question that should be addressed differently without trying to diminish county governments,” he observed. “The National Assembly should leave the Senate undertake its cardinal duties of representing, protecting and over sighting county governments.” Mr Adan Keynan (Eldas, ODM) is also planning to introduce a Bill in Parliament that will include the National Assembly and voters amongst the institutions that can deCONTINUED ON PAGE 24

AUTHORIZED PAY POINTS Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company would like to notify its esteemed customers the following are the only authorized pay points and any other forms of payment are deemed illegal. NCWSC Regional Offices & Banking hall • CBD Banking Hall: Cameo Building 1st floor, Kenyatta Avenue • Westlands Banking Hall: The Mall, Lower Ground Floor, Westlands • Headquarter Offices, Kampala Road, Industrial Area • Northern: Showbe Plaza; Pangani • Eastern : Pinnacle House, Spine Road; Kayole • North Eastern: Eastleigh Section III, 18th Street; • Western : Parklands Plaza, Chiromo Lane; • Southern : Woodely, Off Joseph Kangethe Road • Central : Enterprise plaza, Enterprise Road, Industrial Area Partner Banks • The Cooperative Bank of Kenya • K- Rep Bank • Citi- Bank • Barclays Bank of Kenya Ltd • Equity Bank Ltd • Housing Finance of Kenya • Postal Corporation of Kenya Service Providers • Nakumatt supermarket outlets • MPESA Business No. 444400 • Airtel Money • Pay- Net • Jambo Pay Kindly note, all payments to NAIROBI CITY WATER & SEWERAGE COMPANY must be made at the above mentioned AUTHORIZED PAY POINTS and an official receipt issued. MANAGING DIRECTOR

@NairobiWater

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

CONSTITUTION | The law provides for the distribution of functions between national and county governments

Mixed reaction to Joho’s port claim Leaders ask county and national government to agree on how to share the resource as Senate debates modalities of sharing revenue

BY MWAKERA MWAJEFA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

@mwakeramwajefam [email protected]

M

ombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho’s threat to take over the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) management has elicited mixed reactions. Mr Joho said he would mobilise residents to forcibly take control of the port if the Senate fails to devolve management of the facility. KPA chairman Danson Mungatana termed it “impossible” for Mombasa County to take over the port. Association of Importers of Motor Vehicles (AIMV) chairman Peter Mambembe also dismissed the move, saying it was ill-advised and an exercise in futility. According to Mr Mambembe, the governor has “hidden agenda” and his intentions should be resisted. “Demanding that the port be devolved to Mombasa county government is baseless. The facility belongs to the national government and all Kenyans must be beneficiaries,” he said in a statement to the Sunday Nation. Mr Mambembe warned that leaving the port under the management of the county would be counter-productive and was likely to adversely affect importers and clearing agents. “We are calling on President Uhuru Kenyatta to protect the national asset,” he said. However, Haki Africa executive director Hussein Khalid said the port and ferry services belonged to the county. “The Fourth Schedule of the

Bill seeks to raise bar for impeachment

Governor Hassan Joho

KPA chair Danson Mungatana

Senator Abu Chiaba

Constitution provides for the distribution of functions between the national and county governments,” he said. Similarly, Africa Nazarene University’s School of Law chair Morris Mbondenyi said the county has a right to manage the port. “It is not possible to fully define the executive mandate without reference to county governments. Under the Fourth Schedule, the county governments are charged with many functions. However, some of those purported to have been devolved to counties are not clear,” he said. He asked the two governments to agree on the modalities of the management of ferries and harbours. However, Senate Transport Committee chair Abu Chiaba (Lamu) said the county government was getting it wrong on management of natural resources. “What we are legislating as the Senate is modalities on sharing revenue accrued from resources within counties between the two governments,” he said.

Mr Chiaba said calculations indicate that the resources should be shared on a 30:70 per cent basis for county and national government. The senator is concerned the port debate is taking “an emotional” dimension, which can cause disaffection between residents of Mombasa and KPA management. “Politics is taking centre-stage and this is wrong. We should be careful what we say in public lest we cause disharmony,” he said and appealed for calm as his committee deliberates on the issue. Seafarers Association of Kenya secretary-general Andrew Mwangura claimed that all over the world, seaports were managed by city mayors and in Kenya, the county government should take charge of the port. “Just visit any port city and you will not fail to see different plaques of ships that have called there displayed at the mayor’s parlours,” he said, adding that this indicates that ports are run by local councils and not the national government. Turning to KPA’s corporate

social responsibility, Mr Mwangura asked why the authority is spending millions of shillings to renovate a golf course instead of assisting fishing communities. He put the social responsibility budget at about Sh30 million. He said that once the port came under the county government, seafarers’ welfare, infrastructure and reach to residents would improve. Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association national chairman Boaz Makomere and a business representative of Rwandans John Gasangwa told off those demanding control of the port, saying it was a regional asset. “This port does not serve local or national but regional interests for all the landlocked countries in the northern corridor and nobody can lay claim on it as personal property,” the two said. Mr Gasangwa advised the county government leadership to talk to the KPA through the national government on how it can benefit from revenue accruing from the port and other resources in the region.

termine the impeachment of a governor. But, another group of MPs from Jubilee and Cord have faulted Mr Keynan’s bid, saying the bill would create conflict between the Senate and the National Assembly in the running of county affairs. The MPs, who included Nicholas Gumbo (Rarieda, ODM), Vincent Musyoka (Mwala, Wiper) and Kanini Kega (Kieni, TNA) accused Mr Keynan of dragging the National Assembly into county affairs. They said the Senate should continue with its role of determining whether resolutions from county assemblies meet the required threshold before endorsing an impeachment, but maintained the process must start with voters. The legislators claimed that the MP had run away with their idea and warned that they would move with speed and be the first ones to push for an amendment on the County Government Act, when Parliament resumes from recess, on June 3. “We want the law changed to make it mandatory for voters to be involved before governors are impeached. But, unlike what Keynan and his team are proposing, we want the National Assembly to remain out of the process,” said Mr Musyoka. MCAs who want to impeach a governor will be required to collect signatures from at least a half of the voters in the affected county.

AFRICAN INDEPENDENT PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF AFRICA

PUBLIC NOTICE KENYA CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Notice is hereby given for public information that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority will hold a stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, 20th May, 2014 from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., at the East African School of Aviation, off North Airport Road, Embakasi, Nairobi, to provide participants with an opportunity to appreciate and deliberate on the various articles and provisions of the following: 1. Convention on the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Relating to International Civil Aviation (commonly known as the Beijing Convention, 2010). 2. Protocol Supplementary to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (commonly known as the Beijing Protocol, 2010). Col. (rtd) Hilary K Kioko, MBS, OGW DIRECTOR GENERAL

MR. PAUL WATORO GICHU A.I.P.C.A Central Board wishes to inform its and the general public that the person whose photograph appears above has been excommunicated. He is therefore not authorized to transact any business on behalf of the church either at the national level or the diocese level. H.G Archbishop Amos M. Kabuthu A.I.P.C.A SPIRITUAL HEAD

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

REVIVAL | Troubled Pan Paper Mills among the industries to be reopened in a few months

President gives Nzoia Sugar new cash lifeline Mr Kenyatta brings good news to Western region as opposition leaders criticise his move to pay Anglo Leasing companies

BY ERICK NGOBILO

[email protected]

P

resident Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday handed a Sh500 million shot in the arm to the troubled Nzoia Sugar Company and announced that Webuye’s Pan Paper Mills will soon be revived. Speaking on his first presidential visit to Bungoma County, which voted overwhelmingly in of Cord leader Mr Raila Odinga and his Amani rival, Mr Musalia Mudavadi, the President also appealed to county leaders to work in tandem with the newly-empowered Provincial istration. Mr Kenyatta, who was in Bungoma for a victory party for Governor Ken Lusaka, said leadership wrangles should end to allow leaders focus on service delivery. “It’s only through the actual practice of working together as leaders that we shall uplift the lives of Kenyans,” he said. The President said his government is fully committed to the full implementation of the Constitution and seeing the success of devolution, and that functions that fall under the national government would be performed by the responsible state bodies while those that were devolved will be handled by county governments. “There should be consultations and dialogue between the two levels of government for effective and efficient service delivery,” he said.

Defended move

Mr Kenyatta defended his move to give more powers to county commissioners, pointing out that it will ensure enhanced service delivery at the county level. “We have empowered county commissioners to enable them work well at the

county level. County problems should be instantly solved by county commissioners at county level,” he said. The President stated that the national government will work with county governments to address the security challenges that have confronted the country. He instructed the county commissioners to work closely with governors, saying everyone had a clearly spelt out role to play. He assured that the Pan Paper Mills will be working in a few months and that his government would also construct the Chwele-Lwakhakha road in addition to completing the construction of the Kapsokwony-Kospiro-Cheptais road. Mr Kenyatta disclosed that Sh500 million has been disbursed to the cashstrapped Nzoia Sugar Company to help pay farmers debts, but he appealed to area farmers to diversify and take up dairy farming rather than rely exclusively on income from cane farming. Nzoia Sugar Company owes farmers over Sh400 million yet the sugar they have in their warehouse is valued at Sh39 million. Players in the sugar industry have criticised the flooding of cheap imports into the market, warning that they were hurting local cane farmers and sugar millers. But yesterday, the President directed that cheap sugar imports should end to prevent unscrupulous dealers from flooding the market with the illegal commodity. “We shall impound and destroy such imported sugar and make people importing such sugar suffer heavily losses.” President Kenyatta ordered the construction of a tea factory in the county and urged farmers to diversify their crops and stop overreliance on sugarcane. Others present at the Governor’s victory party were Kakamega Senator Bonny Kha-

JARED NYATAYA| NATION

President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) and Bungoma Governor Kennedy Lusaka are entertained by pupils on arrival at Kamukuywa yesterday. lwale and his Bungoma counterpart Moses Wetangula, who faulted the President for his decision to pay Sh1.4bn for the controversial Ango Leasing contracts, and for empowering county commissioners. Mr Lusaka said his county government will continue to work closely with the national government in order to realise meaningful development.

Improve security

Mr Wetangula and Mr Khalwale challenged the president to overhaul the country’s security structure, which they termed defective. Mr Wetangula said that Cord is willing to work with the national government on security matters. He told the President to match his words regarding his commitment to devolution with deeds. He criticised the move to give more

powers to county commissioners, saying it would create parallel power structures and confusion. Mr Wetangula called for increased budgetary allocations for the continuous voter registration exercise. He observed that Western region, despite its high population, is under-represented in senior government appointments. Mr Khalwale said the President should have subjected the proposal to give county commissioners Executive powers to debate both in the National Assembly and the Senate. He opposed payment of debts to Anglo Leasing companies, terming the move as going against the law. “The assets of those behind Anglo Leasing scandals who are known to the government should be seized and auctioned to pay off the debts,” he said.

Parastatal heads to receive Sh25m handshake BY MUGUMO MUNENE @mugumomunene [email protected] More than Sh280 million may have to be spent in golden handshakes to chief executive officers and other staff of five State corporations to be merged in the coming months. And corporation executives are now jostling for the new, more powerful positions that will be created when parastatals are merged in what the Jubilee government says is part of its effort to contain the national wage bill and promote efficiency. It has now been proposed that chief executives of parastatals that market the country as a tourism destination be paid a non-taxable Sh25 million golden handshake. It is also proposed that staff in other cadres who will be sent home upon the mergers be paid between Sh5 million and Sh10 million in addition to three months’ salary and pay for the unexpired term of their contract. The tourism and marketing outfits to be merged are the Kenya Tourism Board, the Kenya Investment Authority, the Export Promotion Council, Brand Kenya and the Kenya Yearbook.

FILE | NATION

Brand Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mary Kimonye is one of the parastatal chiefs who could be affected by the proposed mergers. It means that the government will likely pick a new director general for the merged outfit from any of the respective chief executives – Muriithi Ndegwa, Moses Ikiara, Ruth Mwaniki, Mary Kimonye or Dennis Chebitwey. It is estimated that by merging the five parastatals the government will save more than Sh57 million every year. It is also proposed that

the centralised organisation would move into one building in order to ease istration, documents seen by the Sunday Nation show. The proposed new offices for the merged unit is the ultra-modern Kenya Tourist Fund House on Valley Road, Nairobi. “It is anticipated that the new entity will lead to better co-ordination in marketing the country as a

whole by creating synergies and improving efficiency,” says the merger document. The mandate of the merged outfit is to market the country as a leading tourism, investment and trade hub, the documents seen by the Sunday Nation show. It is proposed that the new agency be headed by a director-general under whom there would be three directorates: marketing, product development and corporate services with a total staff establishment of 216, down from the current 262. Should the proposals sail through, it means that approximately 46 employees in different cadres would have to be offered the golden handshake if they have not attained retirement age. Wide-ranging parastatal mergers were touched off by a presidential taskforce chaired by former Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed aimed at curbing waste, including the scrapping of whole entities and the merging of others. Among the parastatals to be scrapped and their functions transferred to other entities include the Privatisation Commission, the Tourism Research Institute, the Kenya Pipeline Corporation, the

Sh280m Total amount proposed for the golden handshake National Social Security Assistance Authority and the Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board. It will also advise the Cabinet on the establishment, merger or dissolution of State corporations and determine the and conditions of service for their directors and employees. For many years, parastatals have been used as dumping grounds for cronies and relatives of senior government officials. Many of the appointees had no qualifications or expertise in the fields they were appointed, leading to inefficient delivery of services. Some parastatal chiefs also abused their positions to employ relatives and associates without regard for meritocracy. Majority of them rely on the Treasury to pay salaries and manage their operations, a situation President Kenyatta asked the commission to look into when he launched the team in July.

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY In the Matter of Consideration of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Financial Year 2014/2015. Articles 127(6)(c), 173 (3) and 221(1) of the Constitution. I. Background of the 2014/15 Budget

7) Some of the largest recipients of the recurrent budget include: Teachers Service Commission Kshs. 165.48 billion; Interest Payments Kshs. 147.44 billion; State Department for Interior Ksh 78.89 billion; Ministry of Defence Kshs. 73.28 billion; 1) In line with Article 221 of the Constitution, on 30th April 2014, the Budgets for the State Department for Education Kshs. 54.12 billion; State Department for Higher three arms of Government were submitted to the National Assembly. The overriding Education Kshs. 53.78 billion; The National Treasury Kshs. 39.62 billion; Ministry theme of the 2014/15 is “Economic Transformation for Shared Prosperity in Kenya”. To achieve this theme, the budget is anchored on 5 key pillars namely: Breakdown of the Development Expenditure Creating conducive business environment for employment; Investing in agricultural Other transformation and food security; Scaling up investments in key infrastructure, Development 14% energy and water; Investing in quality and accessible healthcare services and education as well as social safety nets; and further entrenching devolution for better Acquisition of service delivery and enhanced rural economic development. Non-Financial Capital Grants to 2) In order to meet the aforementioned pillars, the following are the expected Assets Government 45% outcomes: increased investment opportunities; sustained macroeconomic stability; Agencies sustained and broad based economic growth; unlocked potential for agribusiness 41% ;sustained food sufficiency and poverty reduction; reduced cost of living through infrastructure development; skilled and productive human capital; protected and cushioned vulnerable categories in society; and accessible and targeted services for rural development. of Health Kshs. 26.31 billion; and State Department for Infrastructure Kshs. 25.80 billion. 3) The budget for 2013/14 and 2014/15 has shifted from the traditional itemised approach to the Programme Based Approach in line with the PFM Act, 2012. b) Development Expenditure Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have developed programmes that focus on outputs. These outputs will form the basis for oversight of allocated 8) With regard to development expenditure, bulk of the resources will go to acquisition resources, performance review of the spending agencies and future allocation of of non-financial assets (45%) and capital grants to government agencies (41%). resources to the entity. 9) Some of the largest recipients of the development budget include: State Department for Infrastructure Ksh 97.73 billion; Ministry of Energy and Petroleum Ksh 74.92 II. Overall Budget for 2014/2015 billion; State Department for Planning Ksh 51.08 billion; State Department for Transport Ksh 39.80 billion; National Treasury Ksh 33.75 billion; State Department 4) The total budget for 2014/2015 for the National Government as submitted to for Water and Regional Authorities Ksh 26.04 billion; State Department for Education the National Assembly amounts to Kshs.1,496,357,638,277. This includes Ksh 22.38 billion; State Department for Agriculture Ksh 21.41 billion; and Ministry of Kshs.654,079,738,848 for recurrent expenditure and Kshs.476,388,685,948 for Health Ksh 21.05 billion. Development Expenditure. The Contingencies fund has been allocated Kshs. 5,000,000,000. Parliamentary Service Commission and Judiciary, respectively, submitted a budget of Kshs.26,450,000,000 and Kshs.19,155,895,000. On the V. Public Hearings/ Receipt of Memoranda other hand, the share of National Revenue to County Government amounts to 10) In line with Article 221(4) of the Constitution, the Estimates for National Government, Kshs.226,660,000,000. Judiciary, and Parliament were committed to the Budget and Appropriations Committee. III. Financing the Budget for 2014/15 5) The total revenue for 2014/2015 is estimated to stand AT Kshs.1,180,997,028,089. 11) Pursuant to the provisions of Article 221 (5) of the Constitution, the Budget and Appropriations Committee now invites interested of the public to This comprises of Kshs.1,050,675,312,931 in in tax revenue, Kshs.36,207,961,623 submit any representations that they may have on the Estimates of Revenue and in non-tax revenue and Appropriation-in-Aid of Kshs.94,113,753,535. On the Expenditure for the Financial Year 2014/2015. The representations may be made other hand, total grants and loans will amount to Kshs.57,989,025,292 and orally or by submission of written memoranda in the following mannerKshs.370,522,439,195, respectively. i.

Written Memoranda may be forwarded to the Clerk, Kenya National Assembly, P.O. Box 41842-00100, Nairobi, hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi or emailed to [email protected], to be received on or before 27th May 2014.

6) The budget for 2014/15, as submitted by the National Treasury shows that 35%, ii. 30%, and 17%, respectively, of recurrent expenditure will go to compensation to employees, current transfers to government agencies, and interest payments.

Public Hearings shall be held in the following nine venues on the dates indicated below from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. :City/Town Venues Dates 1. Bungoma Town Mabanga Farmers Tuesday 20th May 2014 Training College 2. Mbita Town ICIPE Guest House Tuesday 20th May 2014 3. Narok Town Maasai Mara University Tuesday 20th May 2014 4. Ol Kalou Town ACK Hall, Ol Kalou Tuesday 20th May 2014 5. Kitui Town Multi-Purpose Hall Tuesday 20th May 2014 6. Wajir Town Wajir Guest House Tuesday 20th May 2014 7. Kwale Town County Headquarters Tuesday 20th May 2014 8. Maralal Town County Headquarters Tuesday 20th May 2014 9. Nairobi City Kenyatta International Thursday 22nd May 2014 Conference Centre (KICC)

IV. Where is the money going? a) Recurrent Expenditure

JUSTIN BUNDI, CBS CLERK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

28 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

County by County VIHIGA: County launches ‘Malezi Bora’ week

LAIKIPIA: Kuppet asks governor to sack ministers

The county will next week engage in various activities to mark “Malezi Bora” week in a move aimed at laying out a community health strategy and health leadership. Director of Public Health Patrick Luttah said the health department will pursue its plan of reducing maternal mortality rate by three quarter. He stated that the health department is also keen to ensure that the majority of births in the county are conducted by skilled personnel. – Derick Luvega

The Kenya Union of Post Primary School Teachers has challenged Governor Joshua Irungu to make good on his talk about sacking non-performing county executives. Local branch Executive Secretary Wangenye Ndung’u has asked Mr Irungu to dismiss Education Executive John Bosco Akaale for failing to address salary issues of early childhood development teachers. – Francis Mureithi

NAKURU: Sh22m for solid waste management

KAKAMEGA: Vigilantes put on notice due to crime Police have ordered the immediate arrest of of vigilante groups operating in the county. The groups have been accused of taking part in criminal activities and collecting illegal levies from residents in the name of carrying out security patrols. Law enforcers and local istration officials have been asked to crack down on the groups. – Benson Amadala

SIAYA: Government to spray 30 acres with pesticide The county government will spray pesticide on more than 30 acres of maize plantation in Gem infested with armyworm. Agriculture officer Dismas Oyugi said the county government has availed a chemical known as duduthril for use. According to Ms Philigona Ooko, the executive member for agriculture, livestock and co-operative development, the government will send agriculture experts to monitor the situation. – Nelcon Odhiambo

The county government will spend Sh22m in the next financial year to improve solid waste management in the area. Governor Kinuthia Mbugua said that his government will get into a Private Public Partnership to promote good health by making sure Nakuru town is clean. He disclosed that plans are under way to acquire a new dumpsite too. – Francis Mureithi

COMFORTING THE LITTLE ONES: Mombasa County nominated Woman Representative Zainab Said Ali presents toys to one of the many children she visited at the Coast General Hospital. The Member of the National Assembly had gone to console patients and wish them quick recovery, yesterday. PHOTO: LABAN WALLOGA

KERICHO : Residents hold breath over impeachment

BOMET: New college and offices for Sotik mooted

Residents will this week find out how the move to impeach Governor Paul Chepkwony plays out after the County Assembly Speaker on Friday notified the Senate of the impeachment. A Senate team will now probe the claims against the governor, who has indicated readiness to defend himself before the team. – Timothy Kemei

Residents of Sotik have unanimously resolved to have a constituent college of Kabianga university built on a 13.5 acre piece of land next to veterinary offices in Sotik town. The group also agreed that Sotik Sub-County offices be constructed on the 4.8 acres of land that houses the veterinary offices. – Geoffrey Rono

BOMET: County gets Sh97m from Uwezo Fund

WAJIR: Two in critical condition after shooting

The county has received Sh97 million from the Uwezo Fund, Woman Representative Cecilia Ngetich said. The allocations were based on the population of each of the five constituencies in the region and will be shared among the respective wards in each of the constituencies. – Geoffrey Rono

Two people were on Saturday night injured in a gun attack near Soko Mjinga in Wajir town. Mr David Gitonga, a civilian, sustained wounds on his back, while an army officer was shot in the head. Both are said to be in critical condition. Wajir East OD Odhiambo Wamba termed the attack an act of cowardice by al-Shabaab sympathisers. – Shekhey Ahmed

KISUMU: Dutch ambassador to talk to Maseno students

NYANDARUA: Governor, Tarda launch tree campaign Governor Waithaka Mwangi has challenged local leaders to mobilise farmers in a tree-planting campaign to protect water catchments and boost wealth. While launching the campaign at Tumaini Primary School, Ol’Kalou, he urged locals to embrace the campaign, saying trees were major source of wealth. He was accompanied by officials from Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority who donated 100,000 seedlings for the campaign.

The Dutch ambassador to Kenya, Mr Joost Reintjes, will address Maseno University’s Communication and Media and International Relations students on Wednesday morning. He will lecture on peace, justice and freedom of speech as ways of creating awareness on the Cartoon Movement peace project, initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. – Anita Chepkoech

The fate of 800 nursery school teachers is uncertain after a county assembly official declared that they were not recognised by law. The teachers have not been paid since January when the county government recruited them. – Muchiri Gitonga

KISUMU: Crimes cause panic in Kanyakwar

KISII: PSC to hold workshop on management tomorrow

Residents of Kanyakwar are living in fear following a series of crime incidents. Three university students were attacked on Friday evening, barely two days after Maseno University staff were forced to run for their lives in an encounter with a group of thugs. Area police boss Peter Omanwa said nobody had reported the occurences. – Everline Okewo

The county will host a regional workshop organised by the Public Service Commission to disseminate guidelines on the management of public officers seconded to county governments. The meeting, which targets leaders from Kisii, Nyamira, Homa Bay and Migori counties will be held at the Sameta Lodge and will be opened by Governor James Ongwae on tomorrow. – Elvis Ondieki

HOMA BAY: ODM secretary in feud with senator

NYAMIRA: 30 cereal mills to offer free service to locals

The local ODM branch appears to be headed into a wrangle after secretary James Rege endorsed the ouster of key allies to party leader Raila Odinga. At the same time, Mr Rege launched an attack on Senator Otieno Kajwang, claiming he has been a stumbling block for the party in the county. The secretary said Senator Kajwang accused him of plotting to take over the party’s leadership for the Homa Bay branch. – Maurice Kaluoch

A communal project to mill cereals for free has been initiated in one constituency. Mr Daniel Rogena, the initiative’s co-ordinator, said this undertaking that will see 30 posho mills commissioned in various sublocations in Borabu constituency is intended to assist poor families who cannot raise money for milling cereals. – Henry Nyarora

BUSIA: Rice farming to get a NYERI: Coffee farmers to get boost through mill, stores Sh355m advance The county is set to launch a rice mill and stores worth a combined Sh10 million at the Bunyala Irrigation Scheme. Magombe Multi-purpose Cooperative chairman Christopher Ngunyi said the project is aimed at improving yields, also through use of better variety. – Linet Wafula

LAIKIPIA: Hundreds of teachers in limbo over pay

The county government will advance Sh355m to farmers who delivered their coffee to a local miller after efforts to get overseas buyers failed. Governor Nderitu Gachagua said the money will cater for school fees as efforts to get market for the commodity continue. – Stephen Muthini

KAKAMEGA: Locals ask for new roadworks equipment Residents have called upon Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to acquire new graders for rehabilitation and maintenance of roads in the county. Kisa East Ward Representative Swaka Limera said two graders available in the county were not enough to serve its 60 wards. – John Shilitsa

NYERI: MCAs told to declare wealth in fortnight MCAs have been given two weeks to declare their wealth and make it public for transparency and ability purposes. While making the demand, the Nyeri county shadow cabinet, which is made up of residents who intend to hold county government positions, questioned the way some MCAs are amassing wealth. – James Ngunjiri

MERU: Bus park open after three months’ construction Governor Peter Munya has commissioned the Sh16m Riverland Bus Park project, whose construction started in February. According to the county government, the venture is meant to increase parking space, boost revenue through parking fees and decongest the town. – Kennedy Kimanthi

GARISSA: Governor

launches Sh500m projects Governor Nathif Jama Adam (above) will this week launch development projects worth Sh500m in Garissa town. He will tomorrow inaugurate the installation of Sh154m high-mast floodlights and street lights to improve security. Two power generators purchased at Sh75m and a Sh60m water pipeline will be set up. The governor’s spokesman, Mr Abdikadir Sugow, said the county boss will also launch the re-carpeting of Kismayu Road at a cost of Sh55m and lay a foundation for the construction of a maternity wing and mortuary at Garissa Referral Hospital for Sh25m. – Correspondent

Sunday Review 29

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Governors’ Lounge FOCUS ON SIAYA COUNTY

FUNDING | County government has set aside Sh80 million for the provision of early childhood education

I will turn Siaya into a breadbasket: Rasanga National Highway Roads Authority. We have realised that there will be duplicity in award of contracts and have resolved to have a meeting with all these agencies to address the challenge.

By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA

Q: But do you have the technical capacity to handle the roles devolved to you, including roads?

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Leader says he will not rest until his people have access to good healthcare, quality food, better education, and jobs

G

overnor Cornell Rasanga is witty and overwhelmingly ionate about his work. The Siaya governor was removed from office after his election was nullified, but he went ahead to retain his seat. And he believes the press did not get it right on devolution from the start: “The media only focused on the negatives of devolution and operations of governors. The reportage on devolution was not inclined to it. But I am happy that the attitude has changed”.

Q: How does it feel when a court nullifies your election?

A: Very painful. Our elections are also very expensive. But the by-election turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When I got elected for the first time, I was not known. My party had a feeling that Dr Oburu Oginga vies for governorship with me as his running mate. I accepted because of the political circumstances at that time. In fact, I campaigned for Mr Oginga. But things changed and I had to be governor. Some people had not believed that I will be governor. The complaint at that time was that I was not myself. But that mischief was cured during the by-election. It reinforced my stature and helped me propel and sell my agenda. It helped me show that I was not in anybody’s shadow.

Q: So what is your vision for Siaya?

A: To improve the welfare of Siaya people. My first agenda is to ensure they have food. A hungry person does not have an identity. Food security gives them assurance of who they are. Other things will follow. I am also concerned about health, education, and employment for the youth and women.

Q: How do you plan to put food on the table?

A: We have a lot of arable land, which is suitable for mechanised farming. We have bought 20 tractors for farmers and will repair some from the former local authorities. Our aim is to hit 45. We have allocated Sh50 million to small-scale irrigation in all our wards. We want to be able to harvest maize three times a year. I am uncomfortable that most food such as onions and tomatoes come from Kimilili . We buy milk from Rift Valley. But mechanisation alone will not increase production. We must use certified seeds and quality fertiliser. I also intend to increase food production using cooperatives such as Mwalimu Sacco. We can offer them “idle” land and ask them to cultivate then it can be managed by professionals. We should be able to produce more than 60 bags of maize from a few acres.

Q: Most farmers remain poor despite engaging in the activity for years. What is not being done right? A: Our critical aim is to fill the deficit in food production. As I have just told you, we buy milk, cassava, millet and maize from outside. Our challenge is first to address this deficit

and create a surplus for sale. And the way to go is mechanised agriculture subsidised by the county government

Q: What opportunities do you have in tourism?

A: We have the home of US President Barack Obama’s father in Kogelo. We have not utilised the Obama moment and heritage to benefit this region. We also have the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Mausoleum, which is rich in Kenya’s political history. Our lake, Kanyaboli, attracts rare species of birds and the sitatunga. We must improve the management of the lake. A team has been set up to profile our tourism sites and assess how best they can be used to generate revenue for the county. We also have the homes of Odera Kango and Arwings Kodhek, which are full of artifacts. I reckon that Kodhek was the first lawyer in Kenya. His bedroom has a lot of books, which can be transformed into a library. I am also a son of a great man called Amoth Amira, who had 27 wives. Researchers might be interested to know how he ran such a big family.

Q: Your county has been allocated Sh4.3b. How do you intend to use the money?

A: We have a challenge. Out of the amount, Sh1.9 billion will go to personal emoluments, particularly payment of county workers such as the of County Assembly, executives, chief officers and other staff whose responsibilities have been devolved. Only 30 per cent will go to development around Sh700 million.

Q: How do you deal with the burden of the huge number of staff, which you inherited from the former local government authorities?

A: We will carry out staff rationalisation to establish who we need. There is a big problem. Retrenching them will be politically suicidal yet some of them don’t have the skills we have. That is the difficult situation we find ourselves in.

Q: Why have you refused to pay people employed under the economic stimulus programme?

A: The Treasury rolled out the Economic Stimulus Programme and engaged a lot of staff. Initially, they were being paid by the national government. We were told to pay them, but we asked to know how they were engaged. Some of them were on contract. We reluctantly paid them with a rider that their positions will be d and they will be given opportunity to reapply. That is why they are uncomfortable.

A: The President said that all required responsibilities be devolved but they are saying we have no capacity to execute the devolved roles. We want the technical people to be devolved, as well as resources. I am surprised that equipment for repair of roads lies idle at the provincial headquarters.

We have the home of US President Barack Obama’s father in Kogelo. We have not utilised the Obama moment to our benefit” Rasanga

FILE | NATION

Siaya Governor Cornell Rasanga believes education services should be devolved.

Q: What progress have you made in health?

A: My idea is that we improve facilities and use friends from diaspora to help us with drugs as we build new dispensaries. We have already acquired ambulance services. Siaya has some of the highest maternal mortality levels and HIV prevalence in the country. We are fighting to reverse them.

Q: Should the entire education sector be devolved?

A: It is unfortunate that the whole of education was not devolved. They only devolved nursery school education. It is mind-boggling that I can’t help a secondary schools whose walls are collapsing because that role is not assigned to me. The whole system does not report to the governor. Yet three quarters of my work is occupied by issues related to education. The public is more concerned about education. My government has supplied solar lamps to schools and set aside Sh80 million for the provision of nursery school education. We are building three nursery school classrooms in each institutions but we do not have teachers.

Q: What is your comment on the position by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) that employment of nursery school teachers by county governments is illegal? A: You notice that it is Knut which is talking, not the

Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Necessity obeys no law. TSC has not employed enough teachers. We want to remedy the situation.

Q: Siaya is the hotbed of Kenyan politics and an ODM stronghold. How well do you work with the Uhuru-Ruto government?

A: The Constitution says that there are 47 county governments and the national government, which must operate independently but we must cooperate at some level on areas such as security. However, I think that security should also be devolved. The police commissioner sits in Nairobi. We are better placed to handle security matters because we are on the ground. The other day, police wanted to conduct an operation but they didn’t have fuel. I gave them the fuel.

Q: How do you plan to obtain greater value from Lake Victoria?

A: It is an important natural resource, which should be dear to us. We must improve on our lake transport – create a link between Homa Bay, Siaya and Entebbe, Uganda. But for us to effectively do this, all the counties sharing Lake Victoria must come together and chart the best possible way to benefit from the lake. That is what we have done. Whenever we approach an investor to invest in the lake, we are asked about the market. We have decided that the counties sharing the lake should come together to expand our market. There are also suggestions that we should start a common bank to our investment projects.

Q: What is your comment on the thinking that your people have negative energy, and poor attitude towards enterprise?

A: We must change the mindset of our people about how things should be done. We desire to come up with initiatives that will attract the Siaya diaspora. The response is positive. Our people are very hard working. Farmers are busy tilling their lands. They are interested in development and we are determined to create an enabling environment for them.

Q: Talking of investment, you seem to be uncomfortable with the Dominion Group, which has been operating here for years. What is the bone of contention?

Dominion occupies 17,000 acres of land, a chunk of which they do not use. I have set up a task force to establish whether Dominion is still useful to us. It is possible for us to engage in how the unused land can be best utilised to benefit the local population.

Q: What five things would you want to accomplish before your term ends? A: First, I must remind you that I have been in office for only six months because of the disruption that led to a by-election. I will be happy if I come up with strategies that will ensure our people have sufficient food, improved education standards, access to healthcare, and jobs for the youth. I also wish to see very organised and well-plan ned towns.

Q: There are multiple agencies handling roads. How have you dealt with it?

A: The Constitution says there are county and national trunk roads but there is a lot of duplicity in management of the resources. We have roads being done by the Kenya Urban Roads Authorities, others by Rural Roads Authority, under the Constituency Development Fund, national government and the Kenya

NEXT WEEK: Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba Have questions for the governor? Send them to: sundaynation@ke. nationmedia.com

30 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

NO APOLOGIES | Leader says Ruto deliberately misleading community

Cheruiyot criticism of DP splits region MP s several others who’ve come out to speak against deputy president

BY FRANCIS MUREITHI @FMureith1 [email protected]

K

uresoi South MP Zakayo Cheruiyot is regarded as one of the most sober MPs in the 11th Parliament, given his non-combative nature. However, when he openly attacked Deputy President William Ruto in public and accused him of undermining politicians from the South Rift, he ed a growing list of prominent politicians who have come out to openly criticise the Deputy President. The first to cast his stone at Mr Ruto was outspoken Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, who is on record accusing the DP of being dishonest, and a threat to devolution. When it appeared as if the attacks to the DP were mainly coming from the South Rift, Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter ed the band of the DP’s attackers. Mr Keter and the Bomet governor are known to be the most vocal critics of the Deputy President in the vote-rich Rift Valley, and the increasing barrage of attacks on the DP is causing concern among the Kalenjin. Mr Cheruiyot was once a close

ally of the Deputy President and is believed to be one of the architects of the United Republic Party. Interestingly when Mr Cheruiyot launched his attack on the deputy President last week during a fund-raiser for the African Gospel Church at Tumoi Secondary School, he was accompanied by governor Isaac Ruto of Bomet. The MP accused the Deputy President of undermining elected leaders from the South Rift, and fuelling conflict among them. The statement has sparked uproar among the Kipsigis leaders in Nakuru County who have told the Kuresoi South MP to apologise to Deputy President for attacking him in public.

Modern-day tribalist

Nakuru deputy governor Joseph Ruto and Solai Ward Representative, Paul Chebor, among other politicians, accused Mr Cheruiyot of being a “modern-day tribalist”. But speaking to the Sunday Nation, Mr Cheruiyot said he will never stoop too low as to apologise, and reiterated that he stood by his statement that the Deputy President wants to cause instability among the Kalenjin.

FILE | NATION

Deputy President William Ruto (left) and Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot at a past function. The MP last week censured Mr Ruto for what he considers deliberate attempts to confuse and divide the Kalenjin. “Apologise for what? For expressing my opinion? That is not going to happen,” said the former Permanent Secretary in charge of internal security during former President Moi’s regime. Mr Cheruiyot, serving his second term in parliament, said he will strongly oppose any divisive politics in the Rift Valley. “The Deputy President cannot just go inciting the whole community,” said Mr Cheruiyot. But Nakuru deputy governor Mr Ruto said Mr Cheruiyot was living in the past and was being used by

the critics of the Deputy President to cause confusion among the Kipsigis community in Nakuru, Bomet and Kericho Counties. “He speaks as if he is the better Kipsigis. I want to remind my friend Cheruiyot that there is no better Kipsigis than the other,” said Mr Ruto, adding: “If he has fallen out with the DP, he should not incite the whole community. The Deputy President is not giving the Kipsigis a raw deal, that is just propaganda,” said Mr Ruto. Mr Ruto said the Deputy President was welcome in the South

Rift, and asked Mr Zakayo to stop using the Deputy President as his punching bag. “If Mr Cheruiyot has problems with the Deputy President, he should not involve all the of the Kipsigis community.” Mr Ruto further added that instead of attacking the Deputy President, the MP would better serve by directing his energies in strengthening the URP to attract more s to the party. He said it as wrong for the MP to use the excuse that he had “invested a lot in URP”, saying “not a single of the millions of voters who voted for URP, who also have stakes in the party, can claim sole ownership of the party.” According to some critics, the latest attack on the Deputy President has widened up the gap between the politicians ing the Deputy President and those opposed to his style of leadership. Accordingly, that may hurt the unity of the Kalenjin, and even change the politics of the region, which has the highest number of voters in country.

Apologise for what? For expressing my opinion? That is not going to happen. The DP cannot go inciting the community” Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

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32 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

THE WEEK THAT WAS | Kwendo Opanga

Nigerian leader on the horns of a dilemma Should President do a deal and end up bestowing legitimacy on the Islamists?

Crisis:

The situation could change if the military triumphs over Boko Haram.

I

f you want to test the mettle of a leader, you present him with a crisis. Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has had lots of good fortune in his career as a politician, but as one who has been governor and head of state, he must have seen many a crisis. However, none from his wellthumbed how-to-handle-crises manuals could have prepared him for Boko Haram. The manual must say that if insurgents threaten to make a part of Nigeria ungovernable, declare a state of emergency and order the military to move in and take on the insurgents head on. But a year since he did that, Boko Haram not only remain undefeated, but also continue to cause havoc in the northern state of Borno and as far away as the capital Abuja. And look, they destroy lives, blow up buses and bridges, burn down churches and schools and raze down towns. In an unprecedented move last month, they abducted nearly 300 schoolgirls, herded them into lorries and drove them into captivity in the thick of night. That is not all; they have a

leader who says the girls have been liberated because they converted to Islam. Now that is the crux of the matter. Boko Haram (The Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad), among other things, regards Western education as akin to sin and seeks to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. By attacking churches and schools, Boko Haram makes clear its antipathy for the West and Christianity. But by taking hostage Christian girls and converting them to Islam, video-taping them and broadcasting them to the world, Boko Haram changed the game completely. It seized the initiative and, then, by gloating to the world, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau drove a dagger into the hearts of parents and a wedge between the parents and the president. He was teasing and taunting, smiling and smirking as he did so. Then, Shekau offered to release the girls in exchange for Boko Haram militants in government custody. Parents who have not seen their children for three long weeks suddenly saw them on TV in an unknown place and like they have never seen them before. They were reciting the Koran and they were dressed in full Muslim dress and had new names. Parents who are treated in this way want their government to strike a deal with Boko Haram immediately; they want

Or does Jonathan (below) go flat out to defeat them and risk Shekau using the girls as human shields?

their daughters to come back home at the earliest opportunity. They do not want their children harmed. They want a peaceful settlement here and now. No wonder then that last week, there were news reports to the effect that Abuja had signalled it was ready to dialogue with Boko Haram. It is the kind of position most parents would want for their children; it is a position guaranteed to divide the people of Borno who have borne the brunt of Boko Haram’s atrocities. In the end, President Jonathan put his foot down: There would be no dealing with Boko Haram. There would be no release of militants in exchange for free-

dom for the girls. Danger still looms large for the innocent girls held captive by Boko Haram for when their location or locations is/are determined, then the harder part of rescuing them unharmed will begin. President Jonathan has not had good luck for the last one year and the bad luck appears set to continue. Twelve of his soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram ambush last week and then in the confusion that followed, some of the surviving soldiers shot at their own commander. Second, Nigeria will hold a presidential election next February in which his handling of the abduction of the girls in particular and the insurgency in general may work against him. But this could change if the Nigerian military triumphs over Boko Haram and, even better, the group’s leader is captured alive or confirmed killed by the soldiers. President Jonathan has taken flak for his slow reaction to the capture of the girls, but if he secures their release soon, that could beforgotten. Yes, the release of the girls or defeat of Boko Haram presents the crisis of crises for President Jonathan. Does he do a deal and, therefore, bestow some legitimacy on the Islamists or does he go flat out to defeat them and risk Shekau using the school girls as human shields? Opanga is a media consultant. [email protected]

SECURITY | Twalib Mbarak

Training key to success of Safaricom venture Policing: We expect all police vehicles to be configured with tracking systems and laptops

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he awarding to Safaricom a security contract for technical is good news. The government seems to be headed in the right direction. It also shows that government security organs don’t have a monopoly over security matters. A confluence with the private sector is the way forward in boosting security. We hope the government will also seek the input of others in private security matters since they are way ahead compared to the police. The government must prepare itself to make this sustainable, otherwise it will be bogged down by inefficiency in its own ranks, or from speculators who may see this as an opportunity to rip off the state in future procurement deals. You might have come across the phrase Integrated Security System. This means the integration of human and technical capacity to enhance security. In the developed world, ISS is highly developed and maintained, hence security is well enhanced. In developing countries like Kenya, technical security is in its infancy because of financial constraints, lack of technical , high maintenance costs and corruption,

where procurement is done based on which company will give the biggest kickback. Technical security has immense benefits, but equally serious challenges. For instance, CCTV technology and electronic access management systems have a high turnover of obsoleteness − within a short period. The technology needs complete upgrading, which is costly. By embracing technical security, the National Police Service must be at par with the private sector, hence training is key. Most police stations do their daily business manually. In modern policing and with use of technical security, police must change the way they do business. We should expect all police vehicles to be configured with tracking systems and lap tops.

The challenge will be how to retain qualified staff in the police force due to low remuneration. Most police officers who train in organised crime are usually poached by the corporate sector due to attractive remuneration in the private sector. For effective crime management, technical security must be extended to other sectors, which contribute indirectly to crime management. For instance, a new generation of national identity cards, Kenya Revenue Authority PIN certificates, vehicle number plates, birth and death documents, insurance, mobile phone registration, credit cards and school certificates from all accredited institutions must be coded and the data integrated at the national level. All citizens over 18 years must

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Police are overwhelmed in dealing with criminal cases as they lack backup in technical security” Mr Mbarak

have their fingerprints captured in a biometric system. This data should be accessed by the CID (without abuse) so that in case of a crime, it takes a very short time for police to identify and apprehend the culprits. Currently, police are overwhelmed in dealing with criminal cases due to lack of technical security back-up. A citizen should be able to get a Certificate of Good Conduct at the press of a button from any police station or police post. Apart from crime management, it will be important for the government to extend technical security to other key agencies such as the National Disaster Centre, The Kenya Red Cross and all medical institutions across the county level. This will boost the national response mechanism to issues of importance, in particular disasters. To keep pace with the ISS, relevant government institutions must have a global network and liaison for the purpose of bench-marking and upgrading technical capacity on security matters. Mr Mbarak is a retired military officer and a certified security management professional [email protected]

MY THOUGHTS | Dominic Wamugunda

Unity of the governments our only bet in devolution

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ur Constitution seems to be giving us problems even though, having eluded us for over two decades, it was only fair that we celebrate as we did. Since the last General Election, we have been witnesses to a lot of accusations and counter-accusations between the various levels and arms of government. Right now there is some serious noise regarding the president’s move to give executive power to the county commissioners. Signs are that we shall take quite some time before the two levels synchronise operations. I am persuaded to think that when we drafted our new Constitution and introduced devolution, this concept meant different things to different people. I have argued many times in this column that in devolving power, we may have been devolving corruption, among other vices. Some instances since we started implementing this law have proved me right. Given the Kenyan approach to governance, which dates back many decades, we have a lot to do – and need a lot of time – before we arrive at a point when we accept that the rule of law must reign supreme. While I want to believe that some of these arguments are birth pangs as we try to midwife a proper balance to our constitutional arrangement, I also think that they are not necessarily good for us. One has only to look at some of the challenges we are facing as a nation to agree that without concerted effort from all of us, we might lose the battle. Take, for instance, the threat of terrorism. Only a united team of s, security organs, politicians and judicial officers with a common vision can help overcome this threat to our very existence. How about the dangers posed by social ills such as the distilling and consumption of toxic liquor? If we have a situation where governors and county commissioners are fighting over power and resources instead of working together to bring services to the people, then we have a serious problem. The other day, I went for a funeral to a place called Waguthu in Kiambaa Constituency of Kiambu County. After leaving the tarmac road and driving left to the church, I noticed there was some road work being done using local labour. But what struck me was that the labourers – about 30 of them – were all women. When I enquired, I was told that the men were too drunk to work. This is a serious matter that can only be resolved by a common front from both levels of government. Father Wamugunda is Dean of Students at the University of Nairobi. [email protected]

Sunday Review 33

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

OPINION | George Kegoro

Wambui case raises queries over reform of top court T Good faith: Chances that a decision will be respected depends on whether judgment is the product of best endeavour in good faith.

he controversial judgment of the Supreme Court in the Mary Wambui case raises, anew, questions as to the possible reform of this young court, which first became apparent after the presidential election petitions. Whereas a court is free to reach any decision, the chances that such a decision will be respected will depend on whether the judgment appears to be the product of the court’s best endevaours in good faith. Good faith can only be demonstrated through a clear justification of the choices made. In both the presidential and the Wambui petitions, however, the Supreme Court did not explain enough, leaving itself open to accusations of acting in bad faith. In the Wambui case, it is the differing treatment of time in relation to the filing by Wambui and her opponent, James King’ara, which has exposed the court to accusations of unfairness. In the presidential petition, the court made controversial choices, among them, subordinating the Constitution to subsidiary legislation when determining the question of “all votes cast”, creating a previously unknown standard of proof, misrepresenting the provisions of the Elections Act on the meaning of the of voters, and ignoring the findings of the court’s own scrutiny on the tallying at the Kenyatta Inter-

national Conference Centre. There is a third judgment of the court, sandwiched by these two election cases, which is also of interest. This is the judgment in the Rai Plywoods case, a family dispute over the ownership of a multibillion-shilling multinational corporation involved in the manufacture of wood products. The Rai case was already closed, having been handled in the High Court and then twice by the Court of Appeal which had ruled that although manifest injustice was apparent, there was no legal power to re-open the case, as urged by one of the parties. The case re-opened in the Supreme Court only because reforms that followed the new Constitution vested the Supreme Court with a special jurisdiction to address historical injustices caused by past judicial corruption. A judge in the Court of Appeal who sat in the Rai case had maintained an improper relationship with a lawyer representing a party to the suit. Following a complaint to the “radical surgery”, the judge resigned his office rather than face the well documented accusations against him. When Parliament established the special jurisdiction, the aggrieved party in the Rai case petitioned the Supreme Court for a remedy which was, how-

ever, declined. The decision of the Supreme Court is troubling for two reasons. First, one of the judges had twice disqualified himself from hearing the case in the Court of Appeal, of which the judge was then a member. The judge was then promoted to the Supreme Court, where he now refused to disqualify himself as he had done twice before, explaining that he had forgotten the reasons why he had previously declined to sit. Second, when the same judge had appeared before the Vetting Board, he gave the impression he had great sympathy for victims of past judicial injustices and said that, if allowed to keep his job, he would use his position to extend justice to these litigants. However, when Rai, one such litigant, subsequently came before the court, the judge was part of the majority that dismissed the case, having insisted on sitting amid the objections of one of

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Three judgments portray Supreme Court as unpredictable.

the parties. The three judgments considered here portray the Supreme Court as unpredictable and the decisions of the judges as based on enigmatic considerations. In the circumstances, it is increasingly difficult to foretell how the court will decide any particular dispute, since judges do not consider themselves bound to make basic explanations that demonstrate a commitment to justice and openness. The question then is: Can the country say it is in a good place when it has such a capricious apex court? Is there enough to suggest the possible reform of the Supreme Court? What form would such reforms take and how would they be instituted? Is a radical surgery, of the kind that happened before, still a possibility when considering the reform of the Supreme Court? One suggestion for consideration is that, in view of its narrow jurisdiction, which leaves the court with relatively little business, there is no justification for a Supreme Court made up of permanent judges. According to this view, the court can wholly or significantly comprise part-time judges. The Chief Justice, and perhaps two others, can be fulltime, and the rest part-time. In view of the polarisation in

Kenya, the possibility exists of making the part-timers outsiders, or non-nationals. In several national processes, notably the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) process, non-nationals played an integrity-enhancing role, where locals stumbled under political pressure. A model of presidential petitions decided by a bench partly comprising visiting non-nationals can command greater public confidence. Around the world, some jurisdictions have the kind of model suggested here. For example, the former Court of Appeal for East Africa was the apex court for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, until the break-up of the Community in 1977. Smaller jurisdictions that cannot afford the cost of permanent apex courts have ed up to create regional apex courts which exercise jurisdiction over a number of countries, or rely on visiting judges. The Privy Council in the United Kingdom is an example, and there are others in the Caribbean. Concerns of nationalism are the only argument against such an arrangement. However, in Kenya’s case, maintaining political stability after the recent conflict is a strong counter-argument. [email protected]

OPINION | Peter Kagwanja

Japan-China power rivalry working in favour of Kenya H Diplomacy:

Japanese leaders have embarked on a whirlwind of diplomatic tours of Africa to win the hearts and minds of the world’s new frontier of natural resources.

ard on the heels of the recent visit by the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, on Friday, Japan’s mission in Nairobi convened a high profile policy workshop on Japan-Kenya relations. Manifestly, China’s charm offensive in Africa and raging supremacy contest with Japan in Asia are galvanising Tokyo to expand its economic and diplomatic clout in Kenya. The power rivalry by Asia’s economic giants is increasing the flow of resources and investments in Kenya, breaking the threat of Kenya’s global isolation in the post-2013 presidential contest. As an economic powerhouse with no military of its own, Japan is still struggling to define its position in the new multi-polar world order. But Japan is looking to its new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, elected in December 2012, to soar is global fortunes. Premier Abe is weaving Japan’s foreign policy around two concepts, now influencing JapanKenya relations. One is his “active pacifism” doctrine; the other is his “Abenomics” – a portmanteau for Abe’s economic policies. “Active Pacifism” Unmistakably conceived as a rival ideology to China’s soft power, the active pacifism doctrine seeks to enhance Japan’s military power and diplomatic clout globally to check the growing influence of China, par-

ticularly in the East Asian rim. It has four core elements. First, Japan is re-interpreting its post-War “Peace Constitution” (Article 9) to lift the restrictions on its war-making capacity and to give its Self-Defence Forces (SDF) the requisite legal force to wage war. Japan’s hard power re-orientation has been emboldened by President Barack Obama’s recent visit where America reassured Tokyo on the US-Japan Security Treaty, signed after the Second World War. Second, Japan is seeking to strengthen its military capabilities, including the establishment or expansion of its military industry and technology, and coordination and integration with allies to counter a perceived Chinese threat. Third, Japan is elevating military issues within its foreign policy, giving priority to security/ military issues over diplomacy. Finally, Tokyo is espousing the moral superiority of universal values such as freedom, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, thus positioning Japan as a modern “Western” nation. On that basis, Yachi Shotaro, the national security adviser to the Cabinet (secretary-general of the national security secretariat), insists that “there seems to be absolutely no chance for China to facilitate a power shift from the United States in the global arena”. This is because “China does not

seem to embrace universal principles and ideals that justify its role as world leader.” As for now, the brewing power rivalry between the two Asian giants – spawned by the rise of China and tensions with Japan particularlyin the wake of territorial dispute over the Pacific Island of Senkakou ( Japan)/ Diaoyu (China) – has not yet started playing out in Africa, although its ripples are beginning to be felt. Abe’s economic outlook The historic mission of the Abe istration is to reverse Japan’s economic plunge, which is likely to undermine its influence in Africa vis-à-vis China. At the moment, the statistics do not portend a bright future, especially in the multi-polar world where diplomacy is heavily leaning on economic power. The Economist’s survey, The World in 2050, revealed that Japan’s GDP growth per year for 2011 through 2050 is expected to be only 0.9 per cent on average. This is way below the projected 3.7 per cent world GDP average growth for the same period. In this configuration, only Japan will continue to follow a long-term downtrend in its economy. Despite this grim picture, Japan is optimistic, especially in regard to its relations with Africa. Despite the entry of China, Africa remains an important frontier for Japan’s trade and investment. In strengthening its relations

with Africa, Japan, like China, is largely focusing on economic cooperation. Here, its image is not steeped in the colonial past, unlike in East Asia where Japan was a colonial power alongside Europe. Japan’s diplomats in Nairobi are hopeful that “Japan-Africa relations are an important juncture to develop to the next stage”. Like China, Japanese leaders have embarked on a whirlwind of diplomatic tours of Africa to win the hearts and minds of the world’s new frontier of natural resources and investments. During the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on Africa (TCAD- V) in June last year, Premier Abe promised to “set his foot on the African soil”. He made good his promise in January when he visited Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Ethiopia, and addressed the African Union in Addis Ababa where, like the Chinese leaders, Abe stressed mutual respect with Japan and Africa “thinking together and working together”. But concerns were raised that, like Obama who visited Africa in June 2013, Abe also skipped Nairobi at a time when Kenya was facing the threat of isolation over the choices its voters made in 2013. But Tokyo’s diplomats in Nairobi were quick to reassure Kenya that it is still a pivotal nation in Japan’s African policy. “I wish to welcome Prime Minister Abe in Kenya in the not too distant future,” wrote Ambassador

Tatsuchi Terada in January. The rivalry between China and Japan is effectively breaking the threat of what was widely seen as a possible diplomatic isolation of post-2013 election Kenya, and moving economic cooperation to a whole new level. Nairobi, which holds the largest Japanese community in Africa and is the regional headquarters for all the major Japanese agencies and Japan’s largest trading house, is the destination of a new inflow of development and Japanese firms seeking to invest in energy, oil exploration, infrastructure and agribusiness. During TCAD-V, the Abe istration touted Kenya as a model for Japan’s cooperation with Africa, citing the Toyota Kenya Academy as a model of cooperation in human resource development. Japan is casting its net wider into infrastructure projects, including the Mombasa port, Olkaria geothermal plant, Sodu/Miriu hydro-power plant and Nairobi Ring Road project, among others. But, unlike China, Japan is also focusing on governance issues. It has also not openly ed the African position relating to Kenya’s trials at the ICC. Japan, like China and the West, considers Kenya as a gateway and an important hub for eastern Africa. Prof Kagwanja is the Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute. [email protected]

34 | Sunday Review

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

VC escapes jail term after paying Sh500,000 fine for contempt BY BENSON WAMBUGU [email protected]

Embattled Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology Vice-Chancellor Mabel Imbuga (right) escaped going to prison for a month after she paid a fine of Sh500,000 for contempt of court. Industrial Court Judge Monica Mbaru found her guilty of disobeying court orders restraining the institution from filling the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, istration, Planning and Development , which was being held by Prof Francis Njeru. Prof Njeru had accused

the university of refusing to settle his dues as directed by the court arguing that the institution paid him Sh971,381 instead of Sh1.4 million. However, the university maintained that the former employee was not entitled to mileage allowances among

other benefits. Prof Njeru was dismissed on January 8 but he subsequently applied for reinstatement on March 28 after the court said his sacking was unprocedural. Through lawyer Kamau Kuria, Mr Njeru, urged the court to punish the vicechancellor. Mr Kuria accused Ms Imbuga of “playing tricks” with the orders issued by the court on December 6, 2013 and January 21. Lady Justice Mbaru observed that advertising for the new positions amounted to contempt of court. She said the council did it “with wanton abandon”.

UNITED CAUSE | A new beginning

Rival teachers’ unions vow to work together Secretaries general of the two unions term their decision irreversible, agree to bury differences BY WYCLIFF KIPSANG @wsang08 [email protected]

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fter years of engaging in supremacy battles, two teachers’ unions have agreed to bury the hatchet and work together to fight for teachers’ welfare. In rare show of unity, Kenya Nationa Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion and his Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers counterpart Akello Misori shared a platform at the Kabarnet Full Gospel Church during the Knut Baringo branch annual general meeting, and announced the historic move dubbed “Baringo Declaration” yesterday as secondary and primary school teachers cheered wildly. “I didn’t know that my brother (Misori) and I could unite. The last we sat together and talked was in the university,” said Mr Sossion. “This is not about Akelo or Sossion; it is about teachers’ welfare. That is paramount. Nobody can afford to ignore us when we are united,” said Mr Sossion. “We’ve taken an irreversable decision. The unity of a nation begins with teachers. We should pull down the curtains between us and speak in one

FILE | NATION

Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers’ Akello Misori. voice, for teachers from kindergarten to university.” He said that the two unions would now work together in all spheres affecting teachers, including addressing press conferences tly.

Mistreatment of teachers

“I know those who have been praying that we continue tussling will not sleep today. The journey to the Promised Land has begun. There’s no turning back. When we speak in one voice people will definitely listen,” said Mr Sossion. Mr Misori decried what he termed the mistreatment of teachers by the government, citing lack of descent housing for the teaching fraternity which he said amounts to violation of their rights as enshrined in the Constitution. “Everything points to the

fact that government is not willing to listen to the teachers, including increasing their salaries. It is on this basis that we have rethought our positions,”said Mr Akelo. The unionists said that their decision to merge was informed by a recent tour to Uganda on teacher unity where they said that they found out that they will have more bargaining power if they were united. Mr Akello drew some laughter when he likened the two unions to a team heading to the World Cup in Brazil. “With the likes of Omboko Milemba, Wilson Sossion and Mudzo Nzili, the goalkeeper (government) will be scared into submission,” said Mr Akelo. The AGM was attended by Kuppet and Knut officials from Uasin-Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Nandi Counties.

Raiders kill herder, steal animals BY MUCHEMI WACHIRA

[email protected] Police were yesterday deployed to Baragoi, Samburu County, after raiders killed a herder they had found at a dry riverbed then drove away his animals. According to locals, the attackers came from East Pokot, Baringo County, and they accessed Nachola village, which is inhabited by of the Turkana community, through Amaiya area in Suguta Valley. “It was around 10AM when the raiders who were fully armed found the herder fetching water for his animals at the dry Nachola River. He had kept his gun aside to fetch water for the animals,” a local, who sought to remain anonymous, told the Sunday Nation from Nachola by telephone. Herders usually dig holes at the riverbed to get water for their animals. The source said that the slain herder was grazing about 60 heads of cattle plus a herd

of sheep, goats and donkeys whose number he could not tell. Samburu County commissioner Nyakwanga said police were following up the raiders, who are believed to be from the Pokot community. The incident sparked tension in Baragoi where police have been carrying out a security operation to recover illegal guns at the hands of bandits. Turkanas have been fighting with Samburus over grazing lands of Baragoi, making the area one of the most insecure

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...we are still following the raiders.”

Samburu County Police COmmandant Lanet Sili

places in the country. In October 2012, Turkana bandits killed more than 40 security agents who were pursuing animals stolen from Samburus. Most of these guns are yet to be recovered – the reason security agents have been carrying out an operation since the beginning of this year, pitching tents in different places in Baragoi from where they carry out their activities. Yesterday, Samburu County Police Commandant Lanet Sili, who led officers in the operation, could not confirm if they had found the stolen animals. “It is still early for me to say if we had (sic) made any progress but we are still following the raiders,” he said. But one of the Turkana home guards who was helping the police in the operation disclosed that they had managed to get some of the sheep, goats and donkeys. “We are now trying to recover the cows,” he said.

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

OUTSIDE THE BOX | Otieno Otieno

LETTER FROM LONDON | Gerry Loughran

Cancer no longer a taboo topic T New drugs: With the development of new drugs and treatments, the days when the Big C was an automatic death sentence are long past.

he poster that adorns most of the Metro stations in my neighbourhood asks four questions: “Do you have persistent heartburn or indigestion? Feel full earlier than you would expect when eating? Have you had excessive or unplanned weight loss? Or experienced swallowing difficulties or problems with regurgitating food?” If so, it says, visit your doctor, adding in large letters, “Oesophageal Cancer: It’s a burning issue!” The days when cancer was spoken of in hushed tones are long gone. Most adults know a woman who has had breast cancer and probably a man with prostate cancer. That perfectly healthy people can speak of their cancers in the past tense is part of the reason the taboo has gone. With the development of new drugs and treatments, the days when the Big C was an automatic death sentence are long past. Official statistics show that half of all adult cancer patients in the UK are now likely to survive 10 or more years. The figure for breast cancer women is even better – 78 per cent. And 81 per cent of men with prostate cancer will survive at least five years. Not so with cancer of the oesophagus – the gullet or food pipe. Only 13 per cent of sufferers survive for five years and 10 per cent for 10. The reason? Failure to diagnose when the cancer is at an early stage and easiest

to treat. The problem is there are few symptoms and most people will ignore them. The poster campaign is part of a drive to alert people that the pesky indigestion they believe they are suffering from can really be something worse, much worse. Have it checked out!

***** British people are well known for their love of dogs but an increase in attacks on humans, often defenceless infants, by aggressive breeds such as pit bulls and Staffordshire terriers, has led to tough new legislation. Eliza-Mae, aged six days, was pulled from her pram and mauled to death by the family pet, and Ava-Jayne, 11 months, was killed by a pit bull terrier. Last year, an elderly man died after a neighbour’s dog ran free. There has also been an increase in attacks on care dogs, such as guide dogs for the blind. New rules have increased the penalty for allowing a dog to attack and kill someone from two years in prison to 14. And for allowing a dog to cause injury has gone up from two years to five. ***** Britain has more billionaires per head of population than any other country – 104 – and London hosts by far the greatest number in the world – 72 against the next

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Disease is no longer spoken of in hushed tones

best, Moscow, with 48. Many are foreigners. The Sunday Times Rich List puts the Indian-born brothers Sri and Gopie Hinduja top, with a combined wealth of £11.9 billion. Next is the Russian shareholder in Arsenal football club, Alisher Usmanov, with a personal wealth of £10.6 billion. Third comes the Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal (£10.2 billion). Like Usmanov, a number of the super-rich own or part-own football clubs, such as Chelsea, Newcastle United and Queen’s Park Rangers. Culture, financial services and life-style have been named as major attractions, though several plutocrats say they would leave if their taxes were increased. ***** A husband went to the police to report his wife was missing and the following dialogue ensued: What is her height? I never noticed. Slim build? Not really. Colour of eyes? I can’t . Colour of hair?

She changes it. What was she wearing? Something brown, I think, or no, maybe blue. Was she in a car? Yes. What is the make and colour of the car? Black Audi A8 with a super-charged 3.0 litre V6 engine generating 333 horse power, teamed with an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with manual mode. It has full LED headlights, which use lightemitting diodes for all light functions. Very thin scratch on the front left door. Said the policeman: Don’t worry, sir, we’ll find your car. ***** A rich miser is on his deathbed and calls his priest, his doctor and his lawyer. “Here’s £30,000 for each of you to hold until I die,” he says. “Then you must put it in my coffin, because I want to take my money with me.” At the funeral, each man puts an envelope into the coffin, but as they leave, the priest confesses, “I only put £20,000 in the envelope. I kept 10 grand to repair my church roof.” Says the doctor, “Since we are being honest, I only put £10,000 into the coffin. I kept £20,000 to pay for a new Xray machine at my hospital.” The lawyer is aghast. “I’m ashamed of you both,” he says. “When I put my envelope into the coffin, it contained my cheque for the full £30,000.” [email protected]

BAROMETER | Lukoye Atwoli

Let’s not interfere with MCAs’ oversight role

T

Checks and balances:

To guard against frivolous motions to remove governors, we gave Senate the final authority to decide fate of governors.

he recent spate of impeachments and imes at county assemblies pitting governors against of county assemblies (MCAs) seem to be raising hackles in certain quarters. There are increasing murmurs suggesting that MCAs are being overzealous in their task of keeping the county executive on its toes. There is even talk of ing legislation to limit the county assemblies’ roles in the impeachment of governors. The idea that MCAs wield the power to fire the county government terrifies many observers, and there are suggestions that this power will cause governors to try and please them with corrupt deals and money-wasting perks. I disagree with the doomsayers. One key reason Kenyans rejected the old constitution was that it had systematically concentrated all power in the hands of the president, who could delegate and use the powers at will. At some point, a little over 20 years ago, a former Attorney-Gen-

eral boldly declared to the National Assembly that “nobody, save the president, is above the law”. The implication was that the president could do pretty much as he pleased, and all presidents under that constitution did exactly that. In that constitution, there was even a clause that indicated clearly that all public servants served at the pleasure of the president. He had power over life and death, and the many detentions without trial that dot our history are just a few of the demonstrations of that power. It is in realisation of these dangers that Kenyans resolved to write a new constitution and, in a process spanning two decades, we eventually came up with our current charter. In the new constitution, we reduced and dispersed executive authority, to a large extent. We created multiple executive offices protected by the constitution, and introduced rights that could not be abrogated at will. In the realisation that even the dispersed executive could go overboard and harm the

very people it was supposed to serve, we built in a system of checks and balances that, if implemented, would be the envy of all civilised nations across the globe. At the national level, we established a Senate with the power to send the President and his Cabinet packing should they contravene the constitution or any other written law. The National Assembly was vested with day-to-day oversight authority to ensure that the interests of the citizen are upheld in all government dealings. Above all, we established a Judiciary to arbitrate in cases of conflict between the different arms of government, and between law-abiding citizens

As far as oversight is concerned, constitutional procedures have been scrupulously observed.

as well. At the county level, we established the office of governor to parallel that of the national president, and county assemblies to provide oversight and, if necessary, to impeach the governor and his executive should they behave in a manner contrary to the best interests of the citizens. To guard against frivolous motions of impeachment, we gave the Senate the final authority to decide the fate of impeached governors. As far as oversight of executive authority is concerned, especially in the case of governors, the constitutional procedures have been scrupulously observed. We should let the law take its course because that is how we designed our system of governance. Interfering with the oversight functions can only send this country back to the dark old days of leadership by executive fiat, and this would be a sure recipe for chaos. Dr Atwoli is a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer at Moi University’s School of Medicine. [email protected]

Kidero slowly becoming the darling of Kisumu town

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or the majority of adult Kisumu town residents, political conversation seems to come easily. Jump onto any of the many public service motorcycles (boda bodas) in town or walk into a street corner barbershop (kinyozi) for a haircut, and the next minute you will most likely be responding to quickfire questions about the hottest political topic in the country or the escapades of some prominent politician. What do you think about this and that? Who will come out tops in the battle between so-and-so? Who is sponsoring so-and-so to fight so-and-so? Why is soand-so silent on this and that? For close to 20 years, these questions have almost always revolved around Mr Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister whose associated political parties and loyalists have dominated the politics of the region loosely called Luo Nyanza. From my long experience, it was often a complete waste of precious time trying to argue against a popular view unless you were relatively idle or had the skills to wriggle your way out of a potentially ill-tempered situation. With the local political view largely blurred by “Railamania”, independent opinion did not count for much either. But my latest sojourn to Kisumu, the epicentre of Luo Nyanza politics, has brought me to a brave new world. Of course, political analysts on boda bodas or in kinyozis still talk about Mr Odinga. But they talk about other people, too – especially Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero. A youthful boda boda rider on the Dunga route last week drew my attention to two recent events in the town and the latent messages the local people sent out regarding the two politicians. In February, rowdy youth, many of them working in the Jua Kali sheds downtown, jeered Mr Odinga out of their neighbourhood after he ed the controversial construction of a Sikh monument there. My boda boda rider insisted that the scene was actually uglier than that reported in the media, with the crowd hurling some fairly nasty words like “personal greed”. Contrast that with the incident-free event in the same neighbourhood a month later when Dr Kidero presided at a fundraiser for the Kisumu Centre Jua Kali Association and you will get the drift. Even the Court of Appeal’s decision to nullify the Nairobi governor’s election last Tuesday evoked mixed feelings in the town. As you would expect, Mr Odinga’s ardent ers reacted to the news with glee and celebrated the perceived downfall of a man they have increasingly come to see as a thorn in their party leader’s side. But my aunt, a devout Catholic and an official of a local parish, was praying to God to bless Dr Kidero’s big giving heart and that the governor’s legal problems do not stop him from honouring invitation to be the chief guest at the diocese’s fundraiser next month. Otieno Otieno is chief sub-editor, Business Daily. Twitter@otienootieno. [email protected]

36 |

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

BUSINESS

SUNNY SUNDAY “Projects that enrich a few fat-cats, mostly public officials, while purporting to boost the economy should be questioned” Page 31

Parliament summons Kosgey over coffee deals

ACCUSATION | Poor business decisions by firm’s managers caused debt to swell 26 times

Refinery saga: State prepares to pay Essar against advice by MPs

BY STEPHEN MUTHINI

But government plans to slash payout by 40 per cent as damages for breach of capital covenant

@stevemuthiny [email protected]

BY ZEDDY SAMBU @zeddysambu [email protected]

E

ssar Energy will be paid by the taxpayer to exit the oil refinery, a top State official has said. This contradicts an earlier position taken by the AttorneyGeneral and a Parliamentary committee that Treasury should not make any payments to the Indian firm. In its report, the Public Investments Committee had advised the government against paying Essar Energy Overseas Ltd to exit the Kenya Petroleum Refineries. The AG had indicated that the exit should be purely on mutual agreement, with no demands as put forward by the firm. But Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir says Treasury and the AG had agreed on a Deed of Termination, spelling out the financial under which the company should exit. The deed will see the government settle $5 million (Sh429 million) negotiated under an exit clause known as the Put Option Price in the 2009 shareholders’ agreement. “The option of Essar to still walk out of the relationship exists. We have a contractual obligation to pay as structured in the legal framework in the Memorandum of Understanding,” Mr Chirchir said in an interview. “We have to obey the law.” A source privy to the deal said: “There will be consideration for Essar but the amount has reduced substantially.” But the government says payment will be subject to adjustments that should be mutually agreed upon with Essar prior to its exit.

CAPITAL ASSETS

Refinery worth Sh39 billion An independent valuation report seen by the Sunday Nation shows that KPRL’s assets total Sh38.983 billion. These assets include the refinery’s associated pipe work − approximately 403,000 cubic meters. The total value of storage is estimated at Sh16.3 billion, while the land on which the refinery facility sits is about 300 acres − cost per acre is Sh50 million, which translates to Sh15 billion. The total value attached to land on houses belonging to the refinery is estimated at Sh5.82 billion.

FILE | NATION

Chair of the Parliamentary Investments Committee Adan Keynan (left), Attorney-General Githu Muigai (centre) and committee member Chris Wamalwa. The government will pay Essar Energy Overseas Limited despite a recommendation by the PIC to the contrary.

The PIC has faulted Essar for failing to honour its obligation to upgrade the refinery. Attorney-General Githu Muigai had questioned the legality of Essar’s demand for Sh429 million in exchange for its 50 per cent

stake in the refinery, crippling talks on the exit plan. Three outstanding issues remain in contention − including payment by government of Sh2.22 billion to the Indian firm as costs for a power captive project, the Sh429 million for the Put Option Price, and management fees of about Sh190.2 million. However, the government plans to deduct Sh172 million for breach of a capital covenant agreed on during the buy-in, a demand which Essar has objected to. The power plant was funded by Barclays Bank of

Kenya for Sh1.2 billion. While the government insists that the payment of the $5 million to Essar may happen only once parties have agreed on how debt owed to KPRL shall be settled, it has also accused Essar-appointed managers of making poor business decisions which have seen debt levels rise 26 times. “Essar is not prepared to consider any claims for set off, counter claim or deduction in relation to associated or affiliated entities with KPRL,” said an official of the firm during a CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

We have a contractual obligation to pay as structured in the legal framework,” Energy CS Davis Chirchir

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Kosgey has been summoned to appear before the National Assembly on Wednesday to shed light on controversial coffee marketing deals between the Nyeri County government and dealers. According to Mathira MP Peter Weru, the secretary is expected to explain agreements he witnessed between the county government, marketers and millers, the nature and amount of sales made so far, and payments made to farmers. “We want to hear from him what the national government is doing to ensure farmers are not exploited,” said Mr Weru, in reference to claims that a delegation of Nyeri county government officials had travelled abroad using money from farmers’ coffee proceeds. On Monday, Governor Nderitu Gachagua announced that coffee farmers who delivered their produce to the Sagana Coffee Mills, as proposed by the county government, will receive an advance payment of Sh355 million to cater for school fees as they await the completion of the marketing of the rest of their produce. The advance pay is money derived from the sale of coffee made so far both through direct sales and auction at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. The governor said they had sold over 54 per cent of the crop, and urged farmers to be patient as the county government continued negotiations with buyers abroad, adding that his desire was to make the coffee industry self-financing to save farmers from high interest rates incurred from bank loans. At the same time, Mr Gachagua announced that the county government had procured 30,000 bags of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate at a cost of Sh40 million. On the trips the county government made to the US to market the coffee, Mr Gachagua said, contrary to the propaganda being peddled, the trip succeeded in acquiring markets for coffee. However, he said he could not discuss the details of the agreement with farmers as that was information meant for the various coffee societies which had delivered produce.

This week’s indicators MARKET PERFORMANCE Points NSE20 Close 3.81 Week change UP

TOP GAINERS Index 1 4967.57

Price Kakuzi Orchads 132.00 Kenya Orchads 8.60 Limuru Tea 670.00

BIGGEST LOSERS % 13.79 8.86 8.06

Price East Africa Cables 14.55 Pan Africa Ins. 125.00 Uchumi Ltd 13.35

TOP TRADERS % -7.91 -6.02 -5.99

Price(sh) Shares(m) Safaricom 12.85 108m KenolKobil 9.15 28m Equity Bank 39.00 26m

MARKET TURNOVER Equity: Bond:

Friday Sh4.9bn; Sh16bn;

Prev Sh6.1bn Sh4bn

MACRO INDICATORS Interest rates Latest(%) 91-day T-Bills 8.870 22/05/2014 182-day T-Bills 9.851 21/05/2014 Compiled by Joshua Masinde

Business 37

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SUNNY DAY | Sunny Bindra

When government spends, taxpayers lose T

Lost chances: There is something left not done every time we spend money. It’s never a win-win situation

he grand projects are in full flow, and the media applaud enthusiastically. A new railway, laptops for the children, roads for the counties, Wi-Fi for the towns. All of this is described as largesse, generosity on the part of enlightened government, freebies from our favoured development partners. The money is flowing, and boom times are coming. Let me take you back to an essay written many years ago by one Frédéric Bastiat, a political economist who laid some of the early foundations for the Austrian school of economic thought. He penned The Parable of the Broken Window which asks us to observe what is not seen in economic life, not just what is seen. Imagine a shopkeeper’s window is broken by some careless shopper. The angry shopkeeper immediately has to cough up a few thousand shillings to replace the window. A glazier duly arrives to do the work, and is paid. This is a good thing, right? The shopkeeper has his window back; the glazier goes home with money he did not have before, which he will now spend on something else; the economy is stimulated. So what’s the problem here? The problem lies in what is not seen. The window is seen; the money in the glazier’s pocket is seen. What’s missing is the expenditure that never

FILE | AFP

We must not rush into every huge spending spree imagining it is all free money. Public money must be spent on what is truly necessary. happened. The thousands of shillings spent on the window is what the shopkeeper was about to spend on shoes for his children. The children will now not get new shoes and the shoemaker will lose a sale. It sounds simple enough, but Bastiat’s intention was not to discuss shopkeepers – it was to attack the prevailing ignorance in government circles regarding public spending. More than a century later, governments still get carried away when describing the benefits of what they are about to spend on. Every project will stimulate the economy in some way; incomes will be created; spending will flow. The fallacy, of course, is this, in Bastiat’s words: “Do millions of francs descend on

a moonbeam into the (public) coffers?” Why do we always rejoice over the disbursement of funds, rather than discuss their collection? The billions and billions of shillings that are about to flow through our economy are not arriving from nowhere: they are coming from the pockets of taxpayers. Those taxpayers will now have less money to spend on things of their choice. To clarify: I have no problem with public projects that are necessary and that will generate a collective economic return. But we must not rush into every huge spending spree imagining it’s all “free” money. There is an opportunity cost to every investment made; there is something left not done every

time we spend money. It’s never a win-win. The bigger problem is where all this money goes. Projects that enrich a few fat-cats while purporting to boost the economy should be questioned. Spending that adds pomp and splendour to the lives of public officials is especially egregious. In Kenya today, we have every other governor trying to become a mini-president, complete with all the trappings of royalty, funded by additional taxes on every imaginable thing. This was true in Bastiat’s time as well, when the holders of public office would argue that their positions came with a certain esteem and prestige, and must be seen to be elevated. In today’s Kenya, we seem to think that spending on cars and offices and mansions and furnishings and security is a good thing as it stimulates many an industry. We’re back at that window, you see. The taxpayer is being asked to fork out more and more, to the projects and accoutrements of officialdom. , please, what is not seen: the missing school fees, medicines, or even entertainment that so many are asked to forego. Public money must be spent only on what is truly necessary, and on what is good for everyone. www.sunwords.com

TECHNOLOGY | Sam Wambugu

The mobile printer’s selling point is its simplicity

A

On the go: The devices are selfpowered, and allow you to print from other devices via bluetooth

s the number of gadgets on which people can view documents has grown, so has the variety of portable printers on the market. Together with smartphones and tablets have come petite printers that can handle varied input, including files received through Bluetooth. There are small printers for printing documents and others for producing paper photographs. These printers are not restricted to printing on the A4 papers sizes; they can print on odd-sized paper and your printing requirements on the go. Besides, there is no need for a special software to connect the phone to the printing device as long as the two devices can connect through Bluetooth. We still see traditional document printers designed to output letter-sized content from computers, as well as photo printers that can churn out 4 by 6-inch prints from memory cards or USB keys, and label printers. Mobile printers are ideal for business travellers who may need to revise documents for sharing with clients on the go. Because many mobile printers are self-powered or have alter-

nate power sources, they are also well-suited for anyone who works in the field and needs to print documents, such as contracts or receipts on demand. Specialty mobile devices, such as compact photo printers, allow photographers and others who work with images to distribute their work as and when need arises. It is how many of the commercial photographers hop from one event to another, taking photographs They take photographs and print them even before the function is over.

Cost-effectiveness

While on business travels, many people rely on hotel facilities to print their documents. Although many hotels and cyber cafes offer shared printers for guests to use (usually at a fee), using your own mobile printer may be more cost-effective in the long run if you need to print on demand. PC-free printing is another reason you may want a mobile printer: some portable printers allow you to print from devices other than just laptops. For example, you can print from PDAs, smartphones or cameras through Bluetooth functions, or directly from compact storage

cards − a feature you won’t likely find on shared public printers. With mobile printing, receiving and viewing huge spreadsheet attachments on your smartphone has now been made quite easy. Or the need to revise a PowerPoint deck just as your plane lands, which you then must print before you arrive at a meeting. Or maybe you’re just running to the airport and need to print a boarding directly from your phone. All these are a reality, thanks to changing mobile technology. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that establishes a short-range connection between two Bluetooth equipped devices. That is why you need a mobile printer that can Bluetooth wireless technology

if you wish to print from your devices wirelessly. You display the image of the document on your phone and choose the ‘send to Bluetooth’ or ‘print’ option from the menu. It is that simple.

Impressive speed and quality

In addition, a small but quickly growing number of printers employ Wi-Fi Direct, a technology that has the potential to greatly simplify wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi Direct-enabled computers and printers can easily connect with each other without requiring a wireless access point. HP has come up with its own equivalent, which it calls Wireless Direct. Print speed and quality from a mobile printer can be impressive. Although many mobile printers print at around 5 pages per minute, some are much faster. If you’re a travelling salesperson who can’t afford to wait for pages to print, look for mobile printers with a 10 pages per minute or faster print speed ratings. Sam Wambugu is a monitoring and evaluation specialist. [email protected]

Essar to be paid in spite of opposition from MPs

FILE | NATION

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 visit to Nairobi last month. A lawyer speaking on behalf of the firm said: “Claims of other entities belonging to Essar, under the Technical Operating Services Agreement and other services, will be pursued separately.” Essar has defended itself against claims it ignored a Cabinet decision of May 2007 to upgrade and modernise the refinery, saying “the upgrade was not economically viable in the prevailing refining environment then”, based on a series of studies conducted by international consultants. Essar bought 50 per cent of KPRL in July 2009 from three international oil companies − Shell, BP Africa and Chevron Global Energy − and also paid Sh172 million to the Treasury as consideration for the waiver of its pre-emptive right. Records at the Energy ministry show that the book value of KPRL at the time of sale was Sh396 million − on the basis of the shares available then (19.8 million) at

Sh7.1b

Amount sought by oil marketers from the refinery for product losses up to August 2012

Sh20. But the true value of the facility is estimated at Sh39 billion in view of the vast and prime land on which the refinery sits, the tanks, whose storage capacity is 455,200 cubic meters, its pipeline network, a power captive plant and the value of staff houses in various prime areas in Mombasa. Its liabilities have, however, been mounting over time. A forensic report by Deloitte Consulting confirmed a claim that oil marketers are seeking compensation for product losses estimated at Sh7.1 billion for the 10 years ending August 2012. In addition, the total debt before the incorporation of Essar was Sh26.7 million. The debt has since escalated to Sh688.5 million, according to the AG’s office.

38 | Business

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

MONEY MARKET | A growing number of operators are tapping into the international remittances business

Cross-border M-Pesa transfer likely in 2015 British firm Vodafone in the process of obtaining regulatory approval

BY MUTHOKI MUMO [email protected]

N

ext year, it may be possible for M-Pesa s in Kenya to send money to other network mobile subscribers outside the country. British firm Vodafone, which owns the intellectual property rights to M-Pesa, last week said that it was seeking regulatory approval to launch cross-border money transfers in 2015. Partnerships with money transfer firm Western Union have made it possible for M-Pesa s in Kenya to receive remittances from abroad on their mobile wallets. Following a separate deal, M-Pesa s in Kenya will also be able to receive remittances sent via MoneyGram on their phones beginning August. However, sending money abroad using M-Pesa is currently not possible, and neither are international M-Pesa to M-Pesa transactions. Under the proposal, payments will be routed through a single international hub where issues such as currency conversions will be dealt with before the monies are delivered. It will also incorporate other remittance transfer services and could potentially make it possible for M-Pesa s to send money to people using mobile money platforms outside the Vodafone network. “We are pursuing regulatory approval, the technology exists… we need to make sure that the protocols work properly and

I would say that in 2015, you will start to see more M-Pesa to M-Pesa international transfers,” said Vodafone director of Mobile Money, Michael Joseph. M-Pesa was first launched in Kenya in 2007 by Safaricom, a company in which Vodafone has a 40 per cent stake. With its success in Kenya, Vodafone has since expanded the mobile money platform to other countries. Currently, M-Pesa is used in at least nine countries other than Kenya including Tanzania, South Africa, India, Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Early this year, Vodafone forayed into Europe by launching M-Pesa services in Romania. Research carried out by the GSM Association last year found that a growing number of operators running mobile money platforms were eager to tap into the international remittance business.

Competition

“It is a business opportunity that many network operators are keen to explore, especially those with a live domestic mobile money service,” read the report. In East Africa, Tigo, a unit of Millicom Cellular, has launched cross-border mobile money transfer. In February, the company brought to market a service that made it possible for Tanzanians and Rwandese to send money to each other, automatically converting currencies in the process. The competitiveness of these cross-bor-

We have the technology. We just need to ensure the protocols work as they should ...” Vodafone Director of Mobile Money, Michael Joseph

FILE | NATION

British-owned Vodafone is currently working to enable M-Pesa s send money internationally beginning next year. The company has a 40 per cent stake in Safaricom and owns the intellectual rights to the mobile money transfer service. der mobile money services will depend on their ability to beat the prices offered by traditional money transfer firms. According to the World Bank, African migrants sent about $60 billion (Sh5.16 trillion) back home in 2012. Globally, the remittance market is expected to hit the Sh50 trillion mark this year. However, transfer costs are proving to be a major hindrance. The World Bank says that Africa is the most expensive market to send remittances to, with average costs of 12.4 per cent the value of a transaction. “We need to make sure customers pay the lowest possible price,” said Mr Joseph. Currently, Vodafone has concentrated the

rolling-out of its mobile money platform on markets that are heavy cash s, many of them in the developing world. On the other hand, remittance traffic to Africa is mostly from Western Europe and North America − relatively cash-lite economies which do not necessarily need M-Pesa services. However, Mr Joseph argues that there may be a need for an M-Pesa type product targeted at migrant communities. In Kenya, M-Pesa is facing a rapidly changing market and regulatory framework that may affect its competitiveness in the future, with government calling for sharing of mobile money agent networks among operators in the country.

Dairy industry lifts Olenguruone from ashes of post-election violence

REBRANDING | Going continental

BY FRANCIS MUREITHI @F Mureith1 [email protected] Olenguruone in Nakuru County was once the epicentre of ethnic clashes in the 90s and the post-election violence of 2007/2008. But it is slowly gathering itself from the ashes. Sitting on the edge of Mau Forest, Olenguruone is probably one of the most fertile regions in the country, where many a dairy farmer has thrived. The dairy industry once employed hundreds of youth, supplying milk to Nakuru and as far as Kericho and Bomet counties, earning farmers millions of shillings.

with 90 , but when Brookside Dairies opened a cooling plant at Olenguruone, our hip rose to 1,200 ,” says Mr Johana Kogo. The other successful cooperative societies include Kiptenden and Olenguruone, which process about 2,000 litres daily Mr Kogo says his society delivers at least 1,200 litres daily, which translates to about Sh1 million a month. “Todate, I have taken a loan of Sh100,000 from a local micro-finance firm using my milk delivery statement as collateral,” said Mr Henry Amalo. For Mrs Ann Koskei, a

transporter, the Brookside cooling plant opened up opportunities for her in the transport business as most of the roads in the area are imable during the rain season. “I have two pick-ups which I use to transport milk from various centres to deliver to the cooling centre, and this has seen me increase my income,” she says. Mr Victor Ruto, who owns an agrovet shop in the area, says the number of farmers buying inputs from him has increased tremendously since the cooling plant was set up. “Farmers are no longer worried about where they can get money to buy inputs,

Tribal clashes

PHOTO | NATION

United States International University Vice Chancellor Professor Freida Brown (right) with Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry chair Kiprono Kittony at the University’s rebranding on Thursday last week. USIU will now be known as United States International University-Africa.

However, it all collapsed like a pack of cards when hundreds of farmers fled their farms as homes were destroyed and livestock stolen or killed at the height of the tribal clashes, whose effects are still felt to date. But the sleepy rural town is slowly making a comeback, thanks to a thriving dairy industry. “At Solitarian co-operative society, we started

SULEIMAN MBATIA | NATION

A farmer transports his milk to a cooling plant.

equipment and other animal feeds. They just need their milk statement to access goods,” he said. The number of motorbikes transporting milk to the plant has also risen significantly. Rider Felix Koskei says that in a day he transports 200 litres of milk, making Sh800. “I used to hire transport to deliver the milk but today I have my own motorbike,” says Mr Koskei.

Farmer education

Mr John Gethi, the general manager in charge of milk procurement and extension services at Brookside Dairy, says Olenguruone has the potential to produce enough milk to supply more than the entire Nakuru county. “The rise in production is due to aggressive farmer education by the processor,” said Mr Gethi in an interview. He said that although milk prices were fluctuating, farmers contracted by the processors were assured of their payments promptly at the end of the month. Last year, farmers in Nakuru earned Sh600 million from milk compared to Sh540 million in 2012.

Business 39

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

TRANSPORT | Construction of key project was started in 2012

New vehicle service shop for county

Southern by on schedule Road is meant to reduce congestion in Nairobi town by providing a substitute route to motorists travelling to western Kenya

BY SUNDAY NATION BY GEORGE SAYAGIE

REPORTER

[email protected]

T

he construction of Nairobi’s Sh17 billion Southern by is on schedule, with the opening of the KiberaDagoretti section set for July. The opening of the key section is expected to go a long way in easing the flow of traffic in the city’s southern parts. The update was announced during a tour of the project by top Kenyan and Chinese government officials following last week’s visit to Kenya by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, which saw the g of a number of commercial agreements between the two countries. The project is one of the key ventures being undertaken by a Chinese firm. “We are on schedule. I see us meeting all the key thresholds and delivering this critical project on time,” said Shu Yili, project leader with the contractor, China Road and Bridge Corporation. Among officials present during the tour were Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau, Principal Secretary for Infrastructure, John Mosonik, Transport PS Nduva Muli and the two visiting presidents of Exim Bank of China, Li Ruogu and Chen Fenjian of China Communications Company. The latter is the parent company of CRBC. Exim Bank of China is financing 85 per cent of the project, scheduled to be complete in 2015, while the remaining component will be borne by the Government of Kenya. Already, the Southern by

CHALLENGES

PHOTO | COURTESY

Acquisition of land inhibited

The delegation of Kenya and Chinese government officials during a tour of the project to assess progress in the construction of the Southern by. The section between Kibera-Dagoretti will be opened in July.

A key challenge has been in the acquisition of certain pieces of land critical to the smooth implementation of the project. These include a part of the Nairobi National Park, whose excision has been stayed by a court decision, and a part of forest land needed for the Ngong Interchange, with the latter greatly diminishing the land available to the or for operations. Curving into the national park is necessary as there is minimum safety distance requirements for the nearby Wilson airstrip by Kenya Civil Aviation Regulations that must be adhered to.

link is 55.2 per cent complete, with the Dagoretti-Kikuyu section expected to be ready for traffic by December. Substantive work has been done on the segment leading to Alliance High School, with some 21 culverts and three bridges having been completed, while intensive earthwork is going on within Kikuyu Township, Ngong, Dagoretti and Mombasa Road interchanges. The key project, which is being supervised by the Kenya National Highways Authority, entails the construction of a 28.6 kilometre dual carriageway. Other key features include 12-kilometre slip roads, 8.5 kilometres of service roads, four modern interchanges and street lighting. Starting on Mombasa Road near Ole Sereni Hotel, it s

the Mombasa-Kisumu road, a major thoroughfare, at Kikuyu. It crosses the National Park westward then goes through Lang’ata Road, Ngong Road, Motoine River, Dagoretti Road, Thogoto Road, over Ondiri River and the railway line towards Kikuyu town. The by is meant to reduce congestion in Nairobi’s central business district by providing an alternative route for motorists going to western Kenya and other destinations.

Sh17 bn Total cost of the Southern by project

Narok County has its first one-stop sales and service store for motor vehicles after Bhogals Autoworld opened an outlet in the quickly expanding town. The venture adds value to Narok, whose rise was boosted by a World Bank report titled Doing Business in Kenya that rated it the best town to do business in Kenya. Narok Governor Samuel ole Tunai said that while the area is ed by a thriving agriculture industry and a vibrant tourism sub-sector, other businesses were moving there. He said that Bhogals Autoworld’s presence will save them millions of shillings incurred in ferrying equipment to Nakuru for repair and maintenance. It will benefit 427 large-scale barley farmers, as well as 200 wheat farmers, who operate under harsh terrain in the area. The company is a franchise holder dealing in all types of Toyota vehicles, Yamaha motor cycles and associated machines, Hino trucks and Case tractors. Bhogals expansion strategy seeks to bring services closer to its customers across the central and south Rift Valley regions, where all its commercial, luxury and agriculture machinery will be on display. “We have opened this branch because we want to bring services closer to our customers,” said the company’s managing director, Mr Bal Raju. Speaking at a cocktail party during the opening, Toyota Kenya chairman Dennis Otwori said the programme has seen Toyota East Africa invest more than Sh200 million in new facilities.

Mututho gives thumbs up to Keroche products BY OUMA WANZALA

[email protected]

Keroche MD Tabitha Karanja.

National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse chair John Mututho said yesterday that the products of Keroche Breweries are among the best in the market. He said that the leader brewer had submitted the required documents and samples and had been given the green light to sell its products. “They met the requirements earlier

on, only that they came in late when we had already gone to press with the earlier list,” said Mr Mututho. He added that Nacada had no intention of locking them out of the local market. Mr Mututho said 60 manufacturers and importers have been given the green light. Keroche Breweries managing director Tabitha Karanja confirmed that her firm had submitted samples of its products to Nacada and other relevant government bodies, including

the Kenya Bureau of Standards. Keroche is currently upgrading its factory in Naivasha at cost of Sh5 billion to increase production ten-fold and push its market share to 20 per cent. She said this was the latest of the wars that her company is waging to make headway in the market despite the competition. Some of the eight Keroche products include Viena Ice, Summit lager, Crescent Gin, Crescent Whisky, Summit malt and Viena ice spirit.

GEORGE SAYAGIE | NATION

The new Bhogals multi-operational branch in Narok town that is part of Toyota’s expansion strategy.

40 | International News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER WORLD’S BIGGEST ANIMAL Dinosaur is 20 metres long and weighs same as 14 jumbos. P.42

WORLD ATTACK | Staff were in Cameroon when militants attacked

Boko Haram kills Chinese worker and kidnaps 10 as leaders hold crisis talks

Two held over murder of albino in Tanzania Gasuma, Saturday

The Boko Haram militants were heavily armed, they came in five vehicles...Cameroon soldiers retaliated and the fighting lasted until 3am” Local police chief

FRANCOIS MORI | AFP

French President Francois Hollande (right) speaks at the start of an African security summit to discuss the threat of Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram to the regional stability, at the Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday. Paris, Saturday

French president hosts meeting to discuss how to root out group

B

oko Haram gunmen killed a Chinese worker and kidnapped 10 others overnight in Cameroon, piling more pressure on leaders meeting in Paris on Saturday to thrash out a tougher strategy against the Nigerian Islamists. Militants stormed an encampment used by Chinese road workers late on Friday in a region of northern Cameroon just across the border from the strongholds where they sparked global outrage by abducting more than 200 schoolgirls last month. “The Boko Haram militants were heavily armed, they came in five vehicles,” an official in Waza, a town near the site of the attack, told AFP on condition of anonymity. He said the camp where the Chinese road workers stayed was usually guarded by soldiers from Cameroon’s elite Rapid Intervention Battalion, but many of the troops were in Yaounde for a military parade ahead of National Day on May 20.

“Cameroonian soldiers retaliated and the fighting lasted until 3:00 am,” said a local police chief, who said the militants also raided the police armoury in Waza overnight. He said one Chinese worker was killed and 10 others had

been missing since the attack and were believed kidnapped by the Boko Haram gunmen. A source close to the Chinese embassy in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde spoke of 10 missing and one wounded but would not confirm or deny

REACTION

World unites against terrorists

“This is one sickening and terrible incident but they continue almost every day to commit terrorist acts and atrocities,” British Minister William Hague

“What is of interest now is to locate the girls. The girls are not in Chibok. We will find them wherever they are,” Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan

“Boko Haram has become a major threat for all of west Africa and now for central Africa. Its linked to Al Qaeda,” French President Francoise Hollande

whether one had been killed. News of the latest attack came as west African and European leaders gathered for a special meeting in Paris aimed at ramping up action against the increasingly regional threat posed by Boko Haram. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was expected to face pressure to cooperate much more closely with Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin at the half-day summit. A long-running territorial dispute has soured relations between Nigeria and Cameroon, hampering any steps towards t action against the militants. British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters just before the summit that regional countries, backed by Western powers such as Britain, the United States and the European Union, would have to forge a “strategy to defeat Boko Haram more broadly.”(AFP) TO COMMENT ON THESE AND OTHER STORIES GO TO www.nation.co.ke

Two witch doctors in Tanzania have been arrested after a woman with albinism was hacked to death, police said yesterday. One of her legs and several fingers were removed in the attack on Tuesday. Albinos have suffered widespread persecution in Tanzania, where witch doctors say magic potions made with albino body parts can bring good luck. Such killings have declined in recent years, but this latest attack has prompted a human rights group to call for all witch doctors to be banned. At a press conference, the group, Under The Same Sun said the current regulation of witch doctors was clearly not working. Currently, all witch doctors have to apply for a certificate from the ministry of health and welfare to practise.

Parts removed

The attack occurred in the village of Gasuma, in Simiyu province - a remote rural area in the north-west of the country where there have been killings of albinos before. The woman’s left leg, two fingers from her left hand and a nail from one of the thumbs were removed. According to the lobby group, which campaigns against the discrimination of people living with albinism, the last killing of an albino in Tanzania was in February 2013. Charles Mkumbo, police chief of the Simiyu region in northwestern Tanzania, said a man and a woman, Gudawa Yalema and Shiwa Masalu, had been arrested. In Tanzania, albinos are killed and dismembered due to a widespread belief that charms made from their body parts bring good fortune and prosperity. ‘Witch doctors tell their clients that the skin, hair, blood and organs of persons with albinism when combined with their magic potions guarantee success, wealth and election victory,’ the group said in a statement. (BBC)

Witchdoctors tell their clients that the skin and blood of persons with albinism...guarantee success and wealth,” Under the Same Sun, an advocacy group

International News 41

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

ELECTIONS | The last election was interrupted by a military coup

Bissau gears up for first run-off No elected leader has ever served for a fullterm since the country’s independence in 1974 BY CIUGU MWAGIRU

ciugumwagiru@ yahoo.com

F

or Guinea-Bissau, a dirt-poor African country, the presidential run-off being held today is crucial in determining the tiny nation’s future. It may also offer it a lifeline following decades of instability. Just like last month’s first round vote, the international community will be watching today’s elections closely, particularly given the country’s reputation as a notorious transit hub for cocaine. Further, the perennially chaotic Guinea-Bissau has for decades endured a series of coups, mutinies and political assassinations. Among the international observers during the runoff will be a 40-strong African Union team led by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano. Today’s runoff became necessary because no candidate secured the required majority in the first round of the polls, which were held on April 13. The first round, which was widely praised as orderly, free and fair, saw almost three-quarters of Guinea-Bissau’s eligible voters cast their ballot. Remarkably, too, last month’s elections were the first in Guinea-Bissau since a 2012 military coup disrupted a presidential poll as it headed to a second round. Not surprisingly, last month’s first round of the vote was widely viewed as a landmark event for the impoverished country with a turbulent history.

Angola begins census after 40-year lull Luanda, Saturday Oil-rich Angola is holding its first national census since 1970 - when the country was still a Portuguese colony. More than 90,000 officials have been deployed across the country, which is recovering from 27 years of war. The process is reported to have started smoothly in the capital, Luanda. Following fears that criminals could impersonate census officials to gain entry to people’s homes, residents have been urged to be wary about opening their doors. Angola’s National Statistics Institute director Camilo Ceita also said that no census-taker would knock on their doors at night to collect data. Officials hope that having accurate information about the population will help the government improve its planning and provision of services. A team of census officials has gone to the airport to collect information from travellers who are going away for the next two weeks. (BBC)

No elected leader has ever served a full term since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1974. Today’s runoff pits former finance minister Jose Mario Vaz with Nuno Gomes Nabiam, an independent candidate who formerly headed the country’s civil aviation authority. The latter, who is reportedly the favourite of the nation’s powerful and politically influential military establishment, won 25.14 per cent of the ballots during the first round. Frontrunner Vaz garnered 40.99 per cent of the total votes cast. In the meantime, seven-and-a-half million Malawians will next Tuesday

Kidal, Saturday Malian Prime Minister Moussa Mara arrived in the rebel-controlled northern city of Kidal today for a trip that had been delayed when the army exchanged gunfire with Tuareg separatists, aides said. The visit was due to be the second leg of his first tour of the west African nation’s restive northern desert since his appointment in April, but he stopped briefly in the neighbouring region of Gao instead upon the news of the violence. “A MINUSMA helicopter ed by another (French) unit... allowed the prime minister of Mali to arrive in Kidal,” an official from the United Nations’ MINUSMA peacekeeping force in Kidal told AFP. The firefight was confirmed by an official from the local governor’s office, who described it as “an act of sabotage of the prime minister’s visit”. A member of Mara’s entourage said gunfire was still audible in the town, although less intense. An official from the governor’s office told AFP that no one appeared to have been hurt in the exchange but added that the situation was “very worrying”. Kidal, 1,500 kilometres northeast of the capital Bamako, was the scene of anti-government protests by several hundred youths and women on Friday who demonstrated against the visit at the regional airport.(AFP)

40pc The percentage of votes that the winner of the first round garnered vote in the fourth elections since the onset of multi-party democracy in 1994. The May 20 polls, which will be the first tripartite ones, will involve voting for a new president, legislature and the first formally elected local authority representatives since 2000. Dubbed the clash of the dynasties, the imminent contest will see incumbent President Joyce Banda facing the voters for the first time. Beleaguered from many quarters in recent times, the poll will be her first electoral test since ascending to the presidency following the death of her predecessor, President Bingu wa Mutharika, on April 5, 2012. Tuesday’s closely contested presidential poll will also see President Banda - who is standing on her People’s Party (PP) ticket – pitted against ten other candidates from 53 ed parties.

SEYLLOU | AFP

A er of Nuno Gomes Nabiam, an independent candidate in the presidential election, dances yesterday in Bissau. Voters will cast their ballot today.

Libya’s rogue general vows to soldier on Benghazi, Saturday A retired Libyan general who spent years exiled in the United States said today that he would press his campaign to free Benghazi of “terrorist groups,” a day after clashes there killed 37 people. “The operation will continue until Benghazi is purged of terrorists,” Khalifa Haftar told Libya Awalan television of the country’s second city, where the uprising against doomed dictator Moamar Gadhafi erupted in

Mali PM visits rebels despite war

February 2011. A precarious calm reigned in port city after a deadly day that saw Haftar’s forces target Islamist militiamen with ground and air power. Local sources said mediation was underway to try to ensure combat did not break out again. Early Friday, Haftar unleashed his forces on former rebel Islamist groups, vowing to rid Benghazi of a “terrorist” scourge. The violence, in which the health ministry reported 37 people killed and

MAHMUD TURKIA | AFP

Libyan women cast their ballots at a polling station during municipal elections in Tripoli yesterday. Benghazi residents did not vote due to the fight for control of the city between a retired general forces and islamists.

139 wounded, came weeks after the government in Tripoli acknowledged for the first time the existence of “terrorist groups” in Libya and said it was mobilising against them. But the former general would appear to have acted on his own initiative. The government condemned the operation, and armed forces chief of staff Abdessalam Jadallah al-Salihin denied any army involvement in the Benghazi clashes. “The (regular) army has nothing to do with the clashes. The army did not give any orders for any sort of operation” in Benghazi, he said in Tripoli. But Salihin acknowledged that some officers and units from the regular army had ed Haftar’s group. Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani denounced Haftar’s forces as “outlaws” and told a news conference in Tripoli that the army was “in control on the ground.” He also urged restraint. Haftar heads a group calling itself the “National Army,” which launched the “large-scale operation to flush terrorists out of Benghazi,” spokesman Mohammed al-Hijazi had said Friday. “This is not a civil war. It’s an operation against terrorist groups,” added Hijazi . (AFP)

Report urges peacekeepers to use force New York, Saturday United Nations peacekeepers should use force more frequently to protect civilians under attack but often fail to do so because they are afraid of court action, an internal report said. The evaluation by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services noted a reluctance to deploy force — even when it had been authorised by the United Nations Security Council. A perceived lack of staff or equipment, and the threat of being court-martialed or prosecuted before the International Criminal Court, were among factors preventing peacekeepers using force in hot spots including South Sudan. Of 507 incidents involving civilians between 2010 and 2013, only 20 percent “were reported to have attracted an immediate mission response,” the report said. “In cases where response was reported, missions almost never used force, even as a last resort.” Responding to the report , UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said there needed to be more focus on “comprehensive political solutions.”(AFP)

42 | International News

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

SCIENCE | Farmer stumbled on bones in Argentina and alerted authorities

World’s biggest animal discovered Dinosaur’s 20 metres height is equivalent to a tall seven storey building and 14 African jumbos

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Previous finds

A local farm worker first stumbled on the remains in the desert near La Flecha, about 250km (135 miles) west of Trelew, Patagonia. The fossils were then excavated by a team of palaeontologists from the Museum of Palaeontology Egidio Feruglio, led by Dr Jose Luis Carballido and Dr Diego Pol. They unearthed the partial skeletons of seven individuals - about 150 bones in total - all in “remarkable condition. By measuring the length

Mine deaths hit 299 as rescue continues

BACKGROUND

Scientists have made strides Recent find: The most recent pretender to the throne was Argentinosaurus, a similar type of sauropod, also discovered in Patagonia. 70 tonnes: Originally thought to weigh in at 100 tonnes, it was later revised down to about 70 tonnes - just under the 77 tonnes that this new sauropod is thought to have weighed. Methods: The picture is muddied by the various complicated methods for estimating size and weight.

PHOTO | BBC

Dr Diego Pol, a palaentologist lies next to a bone of the dinosaur found in Argentina. The animal weighed 77 tonnes and is the largest discovered by scientists so far. and circumference of the largest femur (thigh bone), they calculated the animal weighed 77 tonnes. “Given the size of these bones, which sur any of the previously known giant animals, the new dinosaur is the largest animal known that walked on Earth,” the researchers told BBC News. “Its length, from its head to the tip of its tail, was 40m. “Standing with its neck up, it was about 20m high - equal to a seven-storey building.”

This giant herbivore lived in the forests of Patagonia between 95 and 100 million years ago, based on the age of the rocks in which its bones were found. But despite its magnitude, it does not yet have a name. “It will be named describing its magnificence and in honour to both the region and the farm owners who alerted us about the discovery,” the researchers said. Dr Paul Barrett, a dinosaur expert from London said the new species is “a genuinely big critter. (AFP)

Gajaria, Saturday

Health authorities in Saudi Arabia have reported three more fatalities from the MERS respiratory virus, taking the death toll in the world’s worst-hit country to 163. The health ministry website also revealed on Saturday that 520 cases have been recorded in the country since Middle East Respiratory Syndrome first appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It said three women died on Friday, including one in Riyadh, 48, and a 67-year-old in the western city of Taif. A third woman died in Jeddah, the port city where a spate of cases among staff at King Fahd Hospital last month sparked public panic and the dismissal of its director and the health minister.

Other countries

Other nations including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have also recorded cases, mostly in people who had been to the desert kingdom. On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation said its emergency committee, which includes global medical and policy experts, had flagged mounting concerns about the potentially fatal virus. The WHO called on countries to improve infection prevention and control, collect more data on MERS and to be vigilant in preventing it from spreading to vulnerable countries, notably in Africa. But it has so far stopped short of declaring an international health emergency, which would have far-reaching implications such as travel and trade restrictions on affected countries.(AFP)

Rebels take another military base in East

ANKARA

Three succumb Bangladesh ferry death toll rises to to camel virus 45 as transport chief warns captain amid WHO alert Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

KIEV

Without even firing a shot, masked rebel gunmen overran a Ukrainian military headquarters in the main eastern city of Donetsk on Friday and swiftly declared they were in control. After a couple of hours of what one local described as “negotiations”, uniformed of a National Guard special forces unit simply took off in a few trucks, leaving the building to the rebels in what has become common. (AFP)

Patagonia, Saturday ones of a dinosaur believed to be the largest creature ever to walk the Earth have been unearthed in Argentina, palaeontologists say. Based on its huge thigh bones, it was 40m (130ft) long and 20m (65ft) tall. Weighing in at 77 tonnes, it was as heavy as 14 African elephants, and seven tonnes heavier than the previous record holder, Argentinosaurus. Scientists believe it is a new species of titanosaur - an enormous herbivore dating from the Late Cretaceous period.

BRIEFLY

Navy divers have recovered 16 more bodies from the wreckage of a Bangladesh ferry as the death toll from the disaster rose to 45 with scores more feared drowned, officials said today. Two salvage vessels managed to float the sunken ship and brought it closer to the shore, allowing the divers to search inside of the 90-feet (30 metre) long boat three days after it sank following a storm. “We’ve concluded our search inside the vessel. Navy divers have scoured every nook and cranny after we lifted the vessel out of water,” Bangladesh inland water transport authority chief Shamsuddoha Khandaker told AFP.

World’s largest

“The death toll is now 45. We’ve searched the vessel and there are fewer chances that any more bodies could be found there,” government of the region Saiful Hasan told AFP. Local police chief Ferdous Ahmed confirmed the figure. Hasan said the search for bodies in the Meghna river, one of the world’s widest, would continue as they feared that some bodies could have been washed downstream by strong currents. Hundreds of distraught rela-

The death toll in Turkey’s worst ever mining disaster rose to 299 yesterday as a new fire hampered rescue attempts, the energy minister said. Taner Yildiz told reporters that three miners were still thought to be underground based on families’ testimonies while 485 miners have either escaped or been rescued since Tuesday’s mine blast and fire in the western town of Soma. A fire broke out yesterday in another section, about 250 metre away from where the miners are trapped. (AFP)

SAO PAULO

Protesters torch cars ahead of World cup Brazilian police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up a protest on Friday near the airport in Sao Paulo, the city hosting the football World Cup opener in less than a month. Scores of protesters torched at least two vehicles and launched fireworks at police demanding better living conditions. Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos airport has just opened a new international terminal to handle World Cup fans.(AFP)

HAVANA

Colombia reaches deal with rebels on drugs

MUNIR UZ ZAMAN | AFP

Bangladeshi relatives mourn the victims of a ferry capsize on the river Meghna in Munshiganj district, 50 kilometres from capital Dhaka. tives gathered by the side of the river for a third day as bodies were brought and laid out for identification. Many have relatives still uned for. The exact number of engers was not immediately known as Bangladeshi ferries do not maintain enger logbooks. Authorities have initially said the ship was carrying up to 350 people when it embarked for a trip to southern Bangladesh, but later cut it down to 150-200. Some 40 people have managed to swim ashore. Survivors blamed the ship’s captain for refusing

to take shelter from a gathering storm. An investigation has been launched into whether it had been carrying too many engers. “We’ll take action against the ship’s captain and the owner as we have got evidences that he defied warnings to continue the journey despite the storm,” Khandaker said. Survivors and officials told AFP the ship capsized after it was swamped by giant waves. Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, one of Asia’s poorest nations which is criss-crossed by more than 230 rivers.(AFP)

The Colombian government and the FARC on Friday concluded Friday a key part of peace talks designed to end the 50-year insurgency, hours after the rebels said they would observe a unilateral truce during May 25 elections. The FARC said the truce will run from May 20 through May 28 and will also include tthe second-largest guerrilla group, the ELN. The two parties have talked for six months. (AFP)

BEIJING

Seven held in swoop after Chinese stabbing Chinese police have arrested seven people suspected of being linked to a deadly stabbing spree and explosion at a railway station in the restive Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang, state-run media said yesterday. On April 30, the last day of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the region, attackers armed with knives and explosives carried out an attack. (AFP)

International News 43

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

DIVISIVE | US denied him visa and Britain cut all ties

How tea trader rose to become India’s PM

Nation Media Group is the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa with operations in print, broadcast and digital media. It attracts and serves unparalleled audiences in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. We are seeking to recruit highly motivated individuals for the following positions:

Just like Jubilee leaders, Modi was shunned by the West over polls chaos

Reporting to the Procurement Manager and working closely with other teams within the organization, the key result areas for this position will include: Key responsibilities: • Effective sourcing of goods and services, both locally and internationally, as per laid down procedures for company use and eventually selling/ disposing to customers; • Managing supplier/ customers relations; • Monitoring market trends; • Ensuring timely supply of quality goods and services.

Saturday, New Delhi

I

ndia’s next prime minister, Narendra Modi, is a divisive politician - loved and loathed in equal measure. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who has been chief minister of the western state of Gujarat since 2001, is regarded as a dynamic and efficient politician who has helped to make his state an economic powerhouse. But he also is accused of doing little to stop the 2002 religious riots when more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed - allegations he has consistently denied. Mr Modi became an international pariah after the riots - the US denied him visas and the UK cut off all ties with him. But a decade later, the controversial politician has been reintegrated into the political mainstream. Last year, US ambassador to India Nancy Powell met Mr Modi to discuss the US-India relationship, regional security issues, human rights, and American trade and investment in India. And in October 2012, the UK’s high commissioner in India met Mr Modi and invited him to address MPs in the House of Commons. Tory and Labour MPs defended their decision to invite Mr Modi to speak, saying his voice needed to be heard. Mr Modi led the BJP’s campaign for the April-May general election from the front - he says he addressed 440 rallies across India. At his packed election meetings, ers wore his face masks and tea was offered at more than 1,000 stalls across India in paper cups with Mr Mod’s pictures on them. A brilliant speaker, he also used social media effectively, even resorting to 3D holograms to communicate directly to voters. Some Indians, however, say they cannot accept Mr Modi as prime minister because of his alleged role in the Gujarat riots. He has escaped censure so far. Mr Modi may polarise public opinion in

RAVEENDRAN| AFP

India’s PM-elect Narendra Modi was expected in new Delhi for a victory parade yesterday. India and abroad, but he has also been credited for bringing prosperity and development to Gujarat and enjoys from some of India’s top industrialists. Mr Modi’s personal life has also been under scrutiny, with critics accusing him of deserting his wife Jashodaben. He was 17 when the arranged marriage took place but the couple barely lived together. In the run-up to the election, for the first time he publicly itted that he was married. Analysts say the reason Mr Modi remains unscathed is the strong he enjoys among senior leaders in the right-wing Hindu organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu group The RSS, founded in the 1920s with a clear objective to make India a Hindu nation, functions as an ideological fountainhead to a host of hardline Hindu groups - including Mr Modi’s BJP with which it has close ties. It has taken him to the top and will most likely keep him there.(BBC)

A Lao military plane crashed on Saturday killing five senior officials on board including the defence minister of the secretive communist country, Thai authorities said. The group was believed to be travelling to an official ceremony in the northeastern province of Xiangkhouang on an air force jet manufactured by Ukraine’s Antonov. Lao Defence Minister Douangchay Phichit was among five senior officials killed in the crash, the permanent secretary of the Thai defence ministry,

Nipat Thonglek, told AFP. He said that he had been informed of the deaths by a senior Lao military official and would attend the defence minister’s funeral on behalf of Thailand.

Governor

The foreign ministry in Bangkok said about 20 people were on board including the Vientiane governor and other prominent figures. The official Lao news agency KPL confirmed the crash and said the authorities were trying to rescue survivors. It said the accident involved an Antonov

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TRANSMISSION ENGINEER Job Ref: HR-TE-05-2014 The Transmission Engineer will report to the Technical Manager and will be responsible for ensuring quality transmission and reception of Nation Media Group’s radio and television stations.

The reason Mr Modi remains unscathed is the strong he enjoys among senior leaders in RSS” An analyst

Minister among five killed in crash Bangkok, Saturday

PROCUREMENT OFFICER Job Ref: HR-PO-05-2014

AN-74TK-300 plane operated by the Lao air force — but did not give any information about the engers or any casualties. “The authority concern is now helping to rescue the survivors,” it said in a brief English-language report. “The cause of accident is under the investigation.” The news agency showed pictures of the wreckage of the plane in the Lao jungle. Laos has had 30 fatal air accidents since the 1950s, according to the Aviation Safety Network. In October last year, another plane crash killed 49 people.(AFP)

Key responsibilities: • Plan preventive maintenance for approval and implement the approved schedules; • Carry out corrective maintenance on the transmission equipment during breakdown ensuring that all broadcast stations are on air for 24/7/ 365; • Recommend ways and means of improving efficiency (improvement maintenance) of utilisation of existing transmitter equipment at all the stations; • Coordinate new projects in transmitter stations. This includes coordination and management of contractors; • Continuously monitor the radio and television signals with a view to resolving any transmission problems arising thereof; • Predict and ensure proper stock level of spares required; • Be available 24/7 to attend to emergencies; • Working independently with little or no supervision to achieve the set targets for maximum turn around for resolution of complaints & faults. Qualifications, experience and skills • Bachelor’s degree in telecommunications/electronics + IT or diploma from a Communication Institute/Electronics + IT; • At least 3 years’ technical experience preferably in broadcasting; • Knowledge of both Radio & TV Transmitter systems; • Knowledge of satellite (SC & VSAT) systems; • Must have excellent analytical, inter-personal and communication skills. These positions offer excellent career growth opportunity and a competitive remuneration package. If you meet the above criteria, apply online at http://careers.nationmedia.com before 22nd May 2014. Only shortlisted applicants shall be ed.

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SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

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Death and Funeral Announcement

It is with humble acceptance of God’s will that we announce the death of Daniel Karue Karoki (Manu) of the University of Nairobi Kikuyu Campus. Son of the late Benson Karoki and Wambui Benson. Step son of the late Esther Muthoni of Karindundu .

Husband of Anne Muya of CIC and beloved father of Bendenzel Karoki of Nairobi school. Brother of Njeri, the late Maina, Wanjiku Wesonga, Stephen Hiuhu, R. Kabiru, Mwangi, and late Kabang’a. Step brother of Maina, Wamuyu, the late Simon Hiuhu, Wanjiku, Wangechi and John Kabiru. Uncle of the Bens, Wambuis, Wanjikus among many others Son in law of Muya and Mary of Kiandu. The body leaves K.U funeral home on Tuesday 20th May 2014 at 07.30 a.m for prayers and burial at their Karindundu Home in Karatina at 10.00 a.m

Daniel Karue Karoki (Manu)

Daniel, In God’s hands you rest, In our hearts you will live forever. Amen.

In Loving Memory / 12th Anniversary We the Maina family marks with thanksgiving to The Almighty God the 12th anniversary since your journey to the heavenly abode. Your enduring spirit, warmth of heart and unwavering for honesty and integrity continues to be a constant source of inspiration to us. We particularly cherish your exhortation for each one of us to embrace peace and love.

Faith Waruguru Maina

As we reflect on the fond memories that we have of you, the family would like to thank all those friends and neighbours who have stood by us.

Missed and ed by you husband John Maina children: Waigwe, Wanjiku, Irungu Muchoki, Wambui, Stephen, Ann, Ruth and Grand Children.

45 |

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Sport

2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS

Harambee Stars start qualifiers journey against Comoros Island today. P.47

KENYA CUP RUGBY | Habimana’s men stamp authority over battling city opponents in tough decider

Resilient Nakuru edge out KCB to retain league title Wanyore recover to floor bankers at RFUEA and win honours for second straight year BY AYUMBA AYODI

@AyumbaAyodi [email protected]

T

hree tries, a conversion and a penalty is all Nakuru RFC needed to trounce Kenya Commercial Bank 20-13 and retain the Kenya Cup title at the RFUEA grounds yesterday. The victory that gave the Great Rift side its second consecutive Kenya Cup title came only six weeks after they had bagged the prestigious Enterprise Cup title at the same venue after beating the bankers 18-13 in the final. Just as they rallied from behind in the Enterprise Cup, Dominique Habimana’s side showed class and power in their forwards as they came from 0-3 down to trample over KCB. Nakuru, fondly referred to as Wanyore, made history last year when they became the first side from outside Nairobi to lift Kenya Cup, edging out Strathmore University Leos 37-3.

What kept us going this season is our resilience and determination to win, Dominique Habimana, Nakuru RFC coach

BY LARRY NGALA

[email protected] Simon Ngige of Thika Sports Club beat Sigona’s John Wangai by one shot to win the first leg of the 2014 KCB Golf Tour at the par-72 Thika Greens Estate yesterday. Ngige, two-time winner of the KCB tour order of merit, shot one under par 71 for a total of three under par 141 to take home Sh117, 000. “I did not putt well the way I did in the first round. I was leaving them short but all the same this is a good start for me,” said Ngige. Ngige birdied four times, two in each nine though he made bogeys at the sixth, 20th and 16th holes.

Prop Isaiah Nyariki, eighthman Martin Owila and centre Edwin Okemwa scored a try each as Javan Murayi made one conversion and a penalty to spur Nakuru to victory. Nakuru’s victory affirmed their status as the top team of the moment. A try by winger Darwin Mukidza, who curled over two penalties and a conversion failed to unlock KCB’s potential. The bankers last won the title in 2007 after completing a hat-trick with victories in 2005 and 2006.

Sh117,000

Money Simkn Ngige took home for winning the first leg of the 2014 KCB Tour at Thika Greens yesterday.

Determination to win

“What kept us going this season is our resilience and determination to win,” said Nakuru coach Dominique Habimana, whose side lost only one match against Mwamba this season. Habimana said they knew KCB would put all their hopes in the forwards. “It proved suicidal for them because we were stronger forward, that’s where we nailed them,” said Habimana. KCB coach Curtis Olago acknowledged that Nakuru were the better side. “KCB shall come back much stronger next season and avenge the defeats,” said Olago. The teams took time to settle down and engaged in an end-to-end battle. It’s Mukidza who gave KCB the lead in the 21st minute from a penalty. Murayi hit back in a similar fashion for Nakuru four minutes later before Brian Sagala was sin-binned in the last minute. Nakuru got an advantage of a scrimmage inside KCB’s 22 metre area. Nyariki then went over from the pushover, then Murayi missed but Nakuru led 8-3 at the drinks. KCB got a penalty upon resumption but Mukidza shot wide.

On the other hand, Wangai lost a ball at the 13th hole for a double bogey seven having birdied the second, fifth at the front nine at the 17th and 18th at the back nine for level over 72 and a total of 142. “I was moving well until the 13th hole where I pushed my tee shot to the rough,” said Wangai. Anil Shah and David Opati tied on third place with 143 points after they each shot one under 71. It was a bad day for over night leader Kopan Timbe who shot four over par 76 after hitting a string of bogeys including a double at the ninth to close the front with a poor five over 41. However, Timbe made two birdies at the back nine in addition to an earlier one at the second.

CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION

Nakuru RFC captain Edwin Makori and teammates celebrate with the Kenya Cup rugby trophy after beating Kenya Commercial Bank 20-13 to retain the title at the RFUEA grounds yesterday.

[email protected] Kenya Pipeline outclassed Mt Kenya University 3-0 (25-12, 25-10, 25-4) to reach the semi-finals of the annual Governor Gachugua volleyball tournament in Nyeri yesterday. Japeth Munala’s charges were ed in the last four by Nairobi Water who

CYCLING Britain’s Bradley Wiggins retained the Tour of California overall lead on Friday as Colombia’s Esteban Chaves won the sixth stage from Santa Clarita to Mountain High.

TUSKER PREMIER LEAGUE RACE

26

Gor Mahia’s points tally after 12 matches in the Kenyan Premier League, four points ahead of Chemelil

defeated Strathmore University in three straight sets of 25-12, 25-19 and 25-7.

Cup opponents

The other teams eyeing semi-final berths are Finlays, Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Commercial Bank and Nyeri County. In the absence of bitter rivals Kenya Prisons, Pipeline,

Coaches attain qualification BY ABDULRAHMAN SHERIFF

Pipeline outclass varsity lads to storm Cup semi-finals BY DAVID KWALIMWA

Ngige wins by a shot at Thika

who finished third at the Africa Club Championships in Tunisia earlier this year, are favourites to bag the title at the Ruring’u Stadium. In some of the pool matches, KCB beat Strathmore 3-0 (25-14, 25-16 and 25-19) in Pool A as Pipeline hit Finlays in sets of 25-3, 25-9, 25-3 in Pool B. “I am delighted and satisfied with the way we have played so far,” Mu-

nala said. “We want to reclaim the league title this season and therefore we need to continue working hard,” he added. In the men’s category, Prisons Kakamega won their two opening matches, beating Co-operative Bank 3-2 (27-17, 20-25, 25-21, 13-25 and 15-7). They would then beat King’ng’o Prisons in sets of 25-11, 25-11 and 25-11.

TENNIS

NBA

Nadal beats Murray in Rome

Pacers plot for Heat’s downfall

World number one Rafael Nadal dug deep to keep his chances of defending his Rome Masters title after a gutsy come-from-behind 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Andy Murray in the quarter-finals on Friday. Murray had won only five of his last 18 matches against Nadal but held the bragging rights from their last two — a walkover win in the semis of the Miami Masters and victory in the final of the Tokyo Open in 2011, both hardcourt events.

Hungry for revenge and inspired by doubters, the Indiana Pacers will try to dethrone the two-time defending champion Miami Heat starting today and win a place in the NBA Finals. The best-ofseven Eastern Conference finals that open at Indianapolis will be a rematch of last year’s matchup, in which the Heat routed Indiana 99-76 in game seven at Miami on their way to retaining the title.

asheriff@ke.nationmedia.com

Eighteen boxing coaches drawn from across the country have undergone a One Star course conducted by the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) in Mombasa. Former national team boxers James Wasao, Peter Bulinga, Boniface Odhiambo and Sammy Magima are among those who attended the course. The one-week course was conducted by AIBA instructor Bodo Andreass from . “Kenya needs more One Star coaches to raise the standards of boxing to compete internationally,” said Bodo who has also trained the Nigerian national team. He said Kenya needs to lay a strong foundation to improve in boxing, especially in the rural areas. Only three Kenyan coaches - Albert Matito, George Onyango and Patrick Maina - have the Three Star coaching qualification, the highest in AIBA ranking.

46 | Sport

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Mepani half ton lifts Kanbis over tourists BY RICHARD MWANGI

[email protected]

MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION

Bhavsinhji Club batsman Dharmendra Jadeja (left) plays under the watchful eyes of Kanbis’ wicketkeeper Rajesh Varsani at Nairobi Gymkhana yesterday.

Dependable batsman, Ramesh Mepani, knocked half a century to help Kanbis beat touring Bhavsinhji Cricket Club of Gujarat by six wickets in a thrilling Twenty20 friendly match that at Nairobi Gymkhana, yesterday. Mepani’s unbeaten 59 runs came from 44 deliveries with six boundaries and two towering sixes. He was Kanbis’ top scorer and match winner. Batting first after winning the toss, the tourists set a target of 154 in their allotted 20 overs for the loss of eight wickets. Dharmendra Jadeja was Bhavsinhji’s highest runs getter with 42. Satyajit

Chudasama (29) and Abhiraj Thala (14) were the other batsmen who got meaningful runs for the visitors.

Wicket takers

Kanbis’ main wicket takers were Harish Varsani (2/22), Narendra Kerai (2/23) and Gautam Bhudiya (2/33). In reply, Kanbis reached the target, 156 with the last ball of the last over when Mepani hit a four that sealed the fate of the visitors. At one point Kanbis needed 11 runs to win from six balls and sharing the crease were Mepani and Vinod Rabadia, who put on a fourth wicket stand of 60. The partnership was broken when Rabadia (29) was caught on long mid-wicket by

Dharmendra Jadeja off the bowling of Balkrishna Jadeja (1/33). At the Simba Union, Nairobi Gymkhana (163 for 6) beat Cutchi Leva (120 for 8) by 43 runs. The visitors will today face Cutchi Leva at the Gymkhana while Kanbis will play Gymkhana at Simba Union in the last games of the matches held in memory of Kanbis players Alpesh Budhyia and Harshin Sangani who died in a road accident a couple of years ago. The tour is the first by a foreign team in more than two years due to security concerns. The last team to tour the country was Ireland wich played Kenya in the ICC Intercontinental Cup on February 2012 in Mombasa.

ATHLETICS | Ndoro effortlessly keeps women’s 100m and 200m titles as Simiyu, Wekesa win men’s events

Red-hot Kiplangat, Choge light up Police championships at Kasarani World 5,000m bronze medallist and ex-Club Games 1,500m champ easily win their races BY AYUMBA AYODI

@AyumbaAyodi [email protected]

W

orld 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat and 2006 Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion Augustine Choge won their races as the Kenya Police Service Athletics Championships ended yesterday. Dominant Kiplangat retained the men’s 5,000m title as Choge won the 1,500m race at Kasarani Stadium. The 20-year-old Kiplangat who represented Western showed power and class to literally toy around with his challengers before going for the kill in the last two laps and retain his 5,000m title in 13:42.2 minutes. Kiplangat edged out teammate Joseph Kitur and Sammy Kitwara from General Service Unit (GSU) to second and third places in 13:46.4 and 13:46.5 respectively. “My body is responding well to training and I hope to stay free from injuries and make the team for the Commonwealth Games team,” said

World 5,000m bronze medallist Isaiah Kiplangat

BY AYUMBA AYODI

[email protected] The stage is set for the Kenya Open Tennis Championship that serve offs today simultaneously with the junior qualifying tournaments in Kiambu, Mombasa and Kisumu. Thika Gymkhana Sports Club will host the Kiambu County event, while Mvita Sports Club is the venue for Mombasa competition while Kisumu will hold its event at Nyanza Lawn Tennis Association Centre. The tournament was preceded by two-day coaching workshops that ended yesterday in the three counties. In Kiambu, the county minister for sport, Machel Waikenda, has offered to sponsor coaches from each ward to attend coaching workshops.

50

Coaches who attended training seminar in Thika ahead of the Kenya Open tennis championship

CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION

Sammy Kimaru (right) es the baton to teammate Newton Rono in men’s 4x100m relay during the Kenya Police Service Athletics Championship at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani, yesterday. Kiplangat, the 2010 World Youth 3,000m champion. A tough battle for places in Kenya’s 5,000m team is expected, what with Choge also seeking to recapture the title he won at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Ended dominance

My body is responding well to training and I hope to stay free from injuries and make the team for Commonwealth Games”

Kenya Open tennis tourney serves off

Uganda’s Moses Kipsiro ended Kenya’s dominance to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. This year’s Club Games are due for July 23 to August 3 in Glasgow, Scotland. “I think the Commonwealth Games 5,000m title belongs to me and I will be out to recapture it, God-willing, in Glasgow,” said Choge, who won the 1,500m race in 3:35.5 ahead of reigning World Indoor 3,000m champion Caleb Mwangangi (3:35.80 and Abednego Chesebe (3:39.0). “I am just looking for speed in the metric mile race,” said Choge, the 2003 World Youth 3,000m and 2004 World Junior 5,000m

champion, who will compete at the Eugene Classic on May 31 in the USA alongside Mwangangi. “This was just a warm up before heading for the USA,” said Mwangagi, who is also targeting a place in the 1,500m team for the Club Games. Janet Kisa who represented Kenya at the 2013 World Cross and 2014 Africa Cross won women’s 1,500m race in 4:16.0, beating 2010 Youth Commonwealth Games 1,500m champion Stacy Ndiwa (4: 16.1) and Florence Korir (4:24.8) to second and third respectively. The 2010 Delhi Commonwealth games bronze medallist Abraham Kiplagat won men’s 800m in 1:47.8 and declared that he will challenge for a place in this year’s Commonwealth Games team. “I feel great, having recovered from injury. I will aim at victory if I’m to make the team,” said Kiplagat, who beat David Mutunga (1: 48.5) and Timothy Sein (1:48.9. Janet Jelimo won women’s 800m title in 2:07.5, followed by Betty Njeri (2:08.7) and Sylvia Cherop (2:08.9).

IN THEIR OWN CLASS

Ndoro easilly retains women’s sprints titles National champion Millicent Ndoro was in a class of her won as she retained both the 100m and 200m titles, clocking 11.9secs and 24.3secs respectively as the Kenya Police Athletics Championships concluded yesterday at Kasarani. Bredan Simiyu won men’s 200m race in 21.6 while Alvin Wekesa claimed the 100m honours in 10.3. Edwin Kirwa also beat all to bag men’s 3,000m steeplechase title in 8min,44.0sec, beating Philipp Yego (8:46.0) and Collins Ngeno (8:48.8. Hyvine Kiyeng, who finished sixth at the 2013 World Championships, timed 10:00.2 to win women’s 3,00m steeplechase as Consolata Chemtai and Veronica Ngososei finished second and third in 10:06.0 and 10: 15.0.

Waikenda said the county will meet the cost of accommodation and pay the facilitators their allowances. Gymkhana Club, through tennis captain Bimal Shah, has offered its facilities to be used free of charge by the association during the tournament. Kenyan international and former FedCup captain Evelyn Otula facilitated coaches seminar and in Kiambu and will also oversee the competition starting today. Over 50 coaches attended the coaches seminar in Thika, with participants drawn from public schools from Kirinyaga, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Methodist University, Kenyatta University, Imani School and Braeburn Thika Peter Wachira Njuki, one of the longest serving coaches in the country and ITF Level Two coach, will facilitate the tournament in Kisumu while Lawrence Karanja who has produced the top players from Mombasa region over the years and holds ITF Level Two Coaching Certifcate, will take charge in Mombasa. The junior qualifying round tournament will also be held simultaneously in Eldoret at Moi Girls High School and Kakamega at the Kakamega Sports Club on May 25.

Sport 47

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

2015 AFCON QUALIFIER | Islanders’ coach says his men will cope with intimidating atmosphere

Stars start journey to Morocco

“It is always an honour to represent the country and when I was called up I had to stand up for my country with or without receiving the air tickets,” he said. Former team captain Oliech stressed the need for a positive start to the campaign for them to build momentum. “We do not know much about our opponents (Comoros) but what is important is to have a good start and reach the group stages. We want to qualify and for us to have a chance we must work hard,” Oliech said. Stars coach Adel Amrouche echoed his players’ ambition but warned them against underrating the opposition. “We have said it time and again that we need to improve. The time has come to walk the talk because this is about the country. If we reach next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, then the whole country will have achieved something. That is our goal,” Amrouche said. During the luncheon, the team received Sh1 million in cash for their allowances.

MATCH INFORMATION Kenya vs Comoros Islands Nyayo National Stadium: 4pm Tickets: 22,500 VIP: Sh600 Terraces: Sh200 Retail outlets: Nyayo Stadium, City Stadium and Kenya Cinema (CBD) MARTIN MUKANGU AND CHRIS OMOLLO | DAILY NATION

Harambee Stars players during a training session at the Nyayo National Stadium ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Comoros today at the same venue. Below: Comoros national team players warm up before their training session on Friday at Ruaraka grounds. Inset: Stars coach Adel Amrouche.

Comoros to provide first hurdle for Kenyan team’s bid to reach final after 10-year wait BY ISAAC SWILA

[email protected]

AND CELLESTINE OLILO [email protected]

H

arambee Stars will today embark on a long route to the 2015 African Cup of Nations finals when they host the lowly ranked Comoros at the Nyayo National Stadium in the first encounter of a two-leg preliminary phase tie. The last time Stars made an appearance at the continental showpiece was way back in 2004 under the tutelage of former coach-turned-television pundit Jacob ’Ghost’ Mulee. Since then, the team’s successive attempts to earn a ticket to Africa’s premier football competition have ended in heartbreak. When Stars last took part in the competition, the squad was a blend of

They (Harambee Stars) have very good players such as Dennis Oliech, who I have followed for long in , but we are here to fight and give our best. I have assembled a very good side capable of doing well against any team. We are fully focused on Sunday’s (today) match. Our goal is to keep a clean sheet in Nairobi” Amir Abdou, Comoros head coach

Although the islanders are ranked at a lowly position 184, 78 slots behind Kenya and have not won a major title, Harambee Stars will be wary of the unfancied opposition. If Kenya manages an aggregate win over Comoros they will face either Lesotho or Liberia in the next round of the qualifiers with the winner advancing to the group stage where Angola, Gabon and Burkina Faso lie in wait. Meanwhile, Comoros coach Amir Abdou said they will not be cowed by the big names in the Kenyan team. “They (Harambee Stars) have very good players such as Dennis Oliech who I have followed for long in , but we are here to fight and give our best,” Abdou said. “I have assembled a very good side capable of doing well against any team. We are fully focused on Sunday’s (today) match. We want to do well against a very strong side. Our goal is to keep a clean sheet in Nairobi,” he added. ROAD TO MOROCCO

youth and experience with former longserving skipper Musa Otieno, Mike Okoth, Robert Mambo and custodian Francis Onyiso forming the spine of the team. Also in the squad was a sensational teenager by the name Dennis Oliech who had just announced his arrival on the big stage. Ten years on, as the team begins a journey whose destination is Morocco their aim is to make up for past failures. The current squad boasts of a number of big names including team captain Victor Wanyama, MacDonald Mariga and Oliech all of whom bring a wealth of experience into the team.

For Oliech and Duncan Ochieng, the only survivors from the 2004 squad, the campaign presents an opportunity to take another bite at the cherry while the returning Mariga desires to make his debut at the Nations Cup. “I have been away from the team for too long, but what is important is to put our heads together and make our country proud. I am glad to be back and I want to give my best,” said Mariga.

National duty

The Inter Milan midfielder, who has been sidelined with injury for nearly two years, will be playing alongside his younger sibling Wanyama and Oliech for the first time since October 2011. Other foreignbased players scattered in various leagues abroad have likewise responded

to the call of national duty by diligently trooping to camp. Latest arrival Lawrence Olum believes success at this stage would provide the team with the much needed morale boost going forward into the campaign. The midfielder, who plays for Sporting Kansas City in the Major Soccer League in the United States of America said whichever player takes to the field today will have only one thing in his mind - victory. “On paper it looks like we are the favourites in this match, but we still have a job to do and make that statistic count. I want to assure Kenyans that we will do our part to conjure up a win, so let them show patriotism by coming out to us tomorrow (today),” Olum said yesterday when the team was hosted to a luncheon at a city hotel by the football governing body in the country. Indeed, Olum, who earlier in the week risked missing to report to camp, demonstrated his commitment to the team by purchasing his own air ticket following local football authorities’ failure to send him tickets on time.

No easy walk for Kenya to Afcon Kenya’s quest to compete in the 2015 African Cup of Nations finals will see them navigate through four preliminary stage matches against two teams before they earn age to the group stage. Harambee Stars will start their long torturous journey today in Nairobi against Comoros who they will meet again in the return leg away in Moroni in a fortnight’s time. If they manage an aggregate victory over the islanders, they will then tackle the winner between Liberia and Lesotho in another two-leg pre-group stage tie. The aggregate winners from this phase will earn age to the final group stage where they will play Angola, Burkina Faso and Gabon in a round-robin minileague format with the group winners and runners up booking their tickets to the 2015 Afcon finals in Morocco.

48 | Sport W. CUP WATCH SYDNEY

Socceroo Spiranovic to stay with Wanderers Young defender Matthew Spiranovic has re-signed with Western Sydney Wanderers for a further two seasons just weeks before playing for Australia at the World Cup in Brazil. Spiranovic, who turns 26 next month, had a stand-out debut season with the Wanderers, culminating in Socceroos World Cup selection. Spiranovic played 18 times in this season’s A-League, including one goal scored in this year’s Grand Final, as well as making five appearances in the AFC Champions League where the Wanderers have reached the quarter-finals.

TOKYO

Kagawa driven by painful 2010 snub Japan playmaker Shinji Kagawa is desperate to play a starring role at the World Cup in Brazil after the heartbreak of being left out of his country’s squad four years ago. The 25-year-old saidyesterday he had been devastated by his 2010 omission, and promised to hit the ground running in Japan’s opening game against Ivory Coast on June 14, despite a frustrating season at Manchester United. “Obviously I didn’t get to play at the World Cup in South Africa four years ago,” Kagawa told reporters after an open training session in Tokyo.

WASHINGTON

Klinsmann boosts US hopes for Cup glory Jurgen Klinsmann has not hesitated to take unpopular decisions in his mission to toughen up the United States team going into the World Cup finals. The 49-year-old coach, who as a player helped capture the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship, took over the American side in 2011. The progress may not be clear in the results but Klinsmann has backing for his tactics as he prepares to take on his former country in their opening group. “One of the reasons we hired Jurgen was to advance the program forward and we’ve seen the initial stages of that happening,” said US Soccer president Sunil Gulati.

SINGAPORE

Ferdinand worried by Carrick’s exclusion Rio Ferdinand has warned England may have left themselves exposed in midfield at the World Cup by omitting Michael Carrick from their core squad for Brazil. The former England captain, who announced his abrupt departure from Manchester United this week, also queried the decision to drop Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole. England coach Roy Hodgson this week listed Carrick among his seven stand-by players. His decision to omit Cole, in favour of Everton’s Leighton Baines and Southampton’s Luke Shaw, grabbed most attention.

Road to Brazil

25 Days to G -AL!

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

LIKE WINE, GETTING BETTER WITH AGE | He was good in German 2006, better in South

Ghana’s ‘Baby Jet’ tunes his form Teammates back the Black Stars skipper and prolific scorer Gyan to render his usual service

TEAM TARGET

African giants ready for big guns Ghana are confident they can claw their way out of a World Cup group that includes , Portugal and the United States. The Black Stars reached the round of 16 in their World Cup debut in 2006 in and reached the last eight four years ago in South Africa. Now they want to become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. Skipper Asamoah Gyan, who appeared at both previous finals, said that Ghana will raise their game in Brazil. “The thing about Ghana all the time is that whenever we play against a big team, we perform,” said Gyan. “That is what happened with us when we were going to the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. “And that is what happened with the Egypt (World Cup play-off) game where everyone got involved.

Accra

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hana skipper Asamoah Gyan will play a big role as the Black Stars aim to improve on a quarter-final finish from the last World Cup. Gyan is one of Africah’s most prolific strikers with 39 goals from 77 internationals — one goal shy of the country’s all-time record. The 28-year-old is also a part-time music star who goes by the nickname ‘Baby Jet’, a boxing promoter as well as martial arts fighter and classic car collector. Former Ghana captain CK Akunnor said Gyan is as much a talisman for the Black Stars as Didier Drogba for Ivory Coast. “His leadership qualities are there for all to see and his influence on the team is like that of Didier Drogba on the Ivorian team,” said Akunnor. “His form is imperious with the Stars and will again play a key role if we are to have a good World Cup campaign.” Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom also backed Gyan to shine in Brazil. “Asamoah Gyan has always delivered for the Black Stars and I know he will do same in Brazil,”the Platanias defender predicted. “He was good in , better in South Africa and I believe he will

GHANA SQUAD Goalkeepers: Razak Brimah (CD Guadalaraja/ ESP), Adam Larsen Kwarasey (Strømsgodset/ NOR), Fatau Dauda (Orlando Pirates/RSA), Stephen Adams (Aduana Stars) Defenders: Kwabena Adusei (Asante Kotoko), Samuel Inkoom (Platanias/GRE), Daniel Opare (Standard Liege/BEL), Harrison Afful (Esperance/ TUN) Jeffery Schlupp (Leicester City/ENG), John Boye (Renne/FRA), Jonathan Mensah (Evian/ FRA), Rashid Sumaila (Mamelodi Sundowns/ RSA), Jerry Akaminko (Eskisehirspor/TUR) Midfielders: Michael Essien (AC Milan/ITA), Sulley Ali Muntari (AC Milan/ITA), Rabiu Mohammed (Kuban Krasnodar/RUS), Kwadwo Asamoah (Juventus/ITA), Emmanuel Agyemang Badu (Udinese/ITA), Afriyie Acquah (Parma/ITA), Andre Ayew (Marseille/FRA), Yussif Chibsah Rahman (Sassuolo/ITA), Mubarak Wakaso (Rubin Kazan/RUS), Christian Atsu Twasam (Vitesse/ NED), Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough/ENG), David Titi Accam (Helsingborg/SWE) Forwards: Asamoah Gyan (Al Ain/UAE), KevinPrince Boateng (AC Milan/ITA), Mahatma Otto (Sogndal/NOR), Abdul Majeed Waris (Valenciennes/FRA), Jordan Ayew (Sochaux/FRA

PHOTO | AFP

Ghana captain and forward Asamoah Gyan in action during the 2012 African Cup of Nations. He will lead the Black Stars to this year’s World Cup finals.

be fantastic in Brazil, too.” Four years ago, Ghana became only the third African team to reach the last eight of the World Cup when they lost after a penalty shootout to Uruguay. Gyan missed a late penalty in extratime that would have catapulted the Black Stars to the semi-finals. “We left the last competition with a bang, although under strange circumstances,” the player said. “And the fans have still not forgotten about it, so I believe that they will still be waiting to see what we can do again this time. “The team have been waiting a long time since the 2010 World Cup in which we reached the quarter-finals. “Being so close to becoming the first African team to reach the semi-final was a great triumph but painful at the same time and we are really motivated to come back and achieve an even better result. “I believe that we can only get better this time at the World Cup.” Gyan also missed from 12 yards in the semi-final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations against Zambia. He was heavily criticised by the fans as a result and quit the national team but his mother begged him to reconsider his position — and no longer take penalties. Gyan will be a familiar face to European fans, having played for Rennes (), Sunderland (England) and Udinese

Coach Appiah lays down the law for Brazil showpiece Accra Ghana Black Stars coach Kwesi Appiah (left) will call the shots at the World Cup in Brazil for the first time and he has insisted he will do it his own way. The 53-year-old former international defender made history when he became the first local coach to qualify Ghana for the World Cup last year. “Since I took over the job, I have been my own man. If you let someone influence your decision, they won’t respect you,” said Appiah, who was an assistant to Serbian Milovan Rajevac when Ghana reached

the quarterfinals at the 2010 World Cup. “You do things your own way when in charge of the team and if they don’t work out you become responsible for the consequences. “If they do, you take the honours.” Appiah’s first test as boss after being appointed in April 2012 was the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. The highly fancied Black Stars were stopped in the semi-finals by Burkina Faso. The coach insists there were positive aspects to the team’s outing in South Africa. “For me, I have never regret-

You do things your own way when in charge of the team and if they don’t work out you become responsible for the consequences. If they do, you take the honours” Kwesi Appiah, Ghana coach

ted in any step I have taken. The main reason (why we did not win) being many of the players we took to the Nations Cup were young and we were building the team,” he reasoned. “Saying that, any coach goes into a competition to win it and I don’t think we were disgraced at the competition. “We came out of the competition with a lot of players who had played a tournament for the first time and could help us in the future.” Ghana put behind their ouster from the Nations Cup to qualify for the 2014 World Cup with a convincing 7-3 thumping of Egypt. (AFP)

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

Road to Brazil

Sport 49

25 Days to G -AL!

Africa 2010 and will be fantastic in Brazil, says defender Inkoom of his captain

Portugal pin their hopes on Ronaldo

to make a noise at World Cup sweat over fitness of midfield general Schweinsteiger as he battles injuries Berlin

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idfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger left Bayern Munich’s final Bundesliga match of the season with a knee injury giving fans another scare ahead of the World Cup. desperately need Schweinsteiger to be fit for the Brazil campaign, but it has been a season of many absences. And no one is giving a guarantee that he will be fit to start the Brazil campaign. The 29-year-old will celebrate a decade in the team just before their opening Group G game against Portugal on June 16 having won his 101st cap in the 1-0 friendly win over Chile in March. A defensive midfield shoo-in for club and country, Schweinsteiger’s appearances for Bayern Munich this season have been restricted by a trio of injuries.

Hampered pre-season

Back-to-back ankle surgeries hampered him in pre-season, then in November and December before he suffered an inflamed knee ligament at a training camp in Qatar in January. He returned with a vengeance on his first full appearance over 90 minutes in mid-March when he curled home a free-kick for the winner as Bayer Leverkusen lost 2-1 in Munich. He also scored in the 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal in the last 16 as Bayern reached the Champions

When he is able to play 90 minutes, with his confidence on the ball and tactical awareness, he is very valuable for us. Other players respond when they see Bastian is playing well. But you can see that he was injured for a long time” Joachim Loew, German coach

League quarter-finals 3-1 on aggregate, then netted in their 2-0 league win at Mainz. Having only played 16 of Bayern’s first 27 league matches, Schweinsteiger gained valuable match fitness in 2014. But Bayern’s defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League was a psychological blow and the knock to the knee last weekend did not help. “With his class and experience, he has a big influence on our game,” said coach Joachim Loew. “When he is able to play 90 minutes, with his confidence on the ball and tactical awareness, he is very valuable for us. “Other players respond when they see Bastian is playing well. “But you can see that he was injured for a long time.” Schweinsteiger claimed his seventh German league title when Bayern were finally confirmed Bundesliga champions with a record seven games to spare after their 3-1 win at Hertha Berlin. Bayern captain Philipp Lahm switched from rightback to partner him in the defensive midfield partner in Berlin and Loew could repeat the move in Brazil. Loew is low on defensive midfield options to partner Schweinsteiger with Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira struggling with a knee injury. Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan has not played since August with a back injury and a virus, while Dortmund’s Sven Bender is out with a pelvis injury and also faces a race against time to be fit for Brazil. Bayern’s Toni Kroos, who has had a stellar season in the attacking midfield role for the European champions, is an option to drop back into the Number Six position or Lahm could be moved across from right-back. Having broken into the first team as a 19-year-old at Euro 2004, when the Germans failed to make it past the first round, Schweinsteiger played a key role as finished third at the 2006 World Cup on home soil. He earned the man-of-the-match award with two long-range strikes in the 3-1 play-off win over Portugal and nearly finished with a hat-trick. When Michael Ballack was injured just before the last World Cup, Schweinsteiger filled his midfield role and when fit, is Loew’s first choice in midfield. He will be at the heart of ’s bid to claim a fourth World Cup title in Brazil, providing he avoids a fourth injury of the season. (AFP)

Lisbon Portugal owe their place at the World Cup finals to the genius of their captain Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid man dragged his country through a fiercely contested two-legged playoff against Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden in November. Portugal won 4-2 and the two superstars scored all of their sides’ goals. A devastating array of finishing in a hat-trick in the second leg in Stockholm played a big part in the 29-year-old Ronaldo finally getting a second Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player in 2013, five years after he won the award for the first time. Portugal look to have landed in a group of death against , Ghana and the United States in Group G. However, with Ronaldo leading the way, they should be relatively confident of progress. Since bursting onto the international scene on home soil at the 2004 European Championships, Ronaldo has reached a final, two semi-finals, a quarter-final and lost out to eventual winners Spain in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup in five major tournament appearances. Moreover, if Portugal finish second in the group behind , there is no greater motivation for Ronaldo than a potential mouthwatering quarter-final clash against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Legendary Eusebio

PHOTO | AFP

Belgium’s Jelle Vossen (left) vies for the ball with German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger during their Euro 2012 qualifying Group A match.

Time surely running out for ’s Loew Berlin

coach Joachim Loew (pictured) can feel that time is running out for him to win a major title after eight years in charge of the much-feared national side. The 54-year-old, who hails from the Schwarzwald and still German accent, succeeded Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach after the 2006 World Cup. He has steered to the semi-finals of the 2008 European Championship, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, but his resume lacks the major title which would elevate him to ’s top division of coaches. Loew’s image is a daily occurence in where he fronts an

advertising campaign for a leading cosmetics brand, but the head coach rarely appears in the media spotlight. The German Football Association (DFB) has already told him his job is safe beyond Brazil 2014 and Loew is expected to see out his current contract which expires after Euro 2016.

1997 Year German coach Joachim Loew won the German Cup as VfB Stuttgart coach

But Loew has acknowledged that “the clock is ticking”. Having never played senior international football, Loew made four appearances for West ’s Under-21s and played Bundesliga football as a midfielder for Eintracht Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and VfB Stuttgart. He won the 1997 German Cup final as VfB Stuttgart coach and after working in Turkey and Austria, Loew ed the set up as assistant coach in 2004. Loew was responsible for tactics with Klinsmann as the team’s motivator and the pair delighted the nation as finished third at the 2006 World Cup on home soil. (AFP)

This year’s tournament will also be a poignant one for the whole of Portuguese football as it comes just months after the death of the legendary Eusebio. Ronaldo recently became his country’s all-time leading goalscorer with a double against Cameroon in a friendly in March to move onto 49 goals from 110 international appearances. However, he has never shone at a major tournament quite how Eusebio did with his nine goals in the 1966 World Cup as Portugal finished third. “He was one of the most brilliant players in the world and he was Portuguese so it was a sad day for Portugal and the world,” Ronaldo said after “The Black Panther” ed away in January. “I was sad especially because he was my friend. I was with him for many years in the national team. He was a special man for me and for all the Portuguese people.” Unlike at club level, Ronaldo does not have the intense pressure like Barcelona rivals Messi or Neymar will have burdening the heavier expectations of Argentina and Brazil, nor even those carried by the European powerhouses or Spain. (AFP)

50 | Sport

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

LA LIGA | We had our chances until the final game but they have been better, says Iniesta

Atletico are Spanish champions Madrid hold Barcelona at Nou Camp to claim their first title since 1996

Six big games that made the difference Atletico Madrid won their first La Liga title in 18 years yesterday, after Barcelona and Real Madrid had dominated the division for the last 10 years. Here, we look at six games which proved key to Atletico’s run to the title: Real Madrid 0 Atletico Madrid 1 - September 28 Just four months after ending their 14-year long wait for a win over their city rivals in the Copa del Rey final, Atletico made it two wins in a row at the Bernabeu as Diego Costa’s solitary goal was enough to send an early signal of the team’s intent to fight for the title.

Madrid

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tletico Madrid claimed their 10th Spanish league crown yesterday but first in 18 years after coming from behind to draw 1-1 away at title rivals Barcelona. Alexis Sanchez’s stunning strike fired Barca into the lead on 33 minutes, but Diego Godin’s header four minutes into the second-half was enough to give Atletico the point they needed to become the first side other than Barca and Real Madrid to win La Liga in 10 years. A point for both sides means that Barca finish the season ahead of third-placed Real Madrid thanks to a better head-to-head record, three points adrift of Atletico. “We have fought all year and the work we have done is amazing. To last 38 games against two great teams Real Madrid and Barcelona is incredibly difficult,” Godin told Canal Plus. “The boss told us at half-time that we were going to score a goal. In the end football has been fair to us.” Barca, meanwhile, finish a disappointing season without a major trophy for the first time in six years. “Congratulations to Atletico. They are deserving champions,” said Barca captain for the day Andres Iniesta. “We had our chances until the final game but they have been better and there is nothing more to say. We are hurt to lose the league in the final game. “We depended on ourselves to win and we haven’t done, so there is great disappointment because if we had managed to do it the feeling would be very different.” The visitors had started brightly but were dealt a huge blow after just 15 minutes when top scorer Diego Costa pulled up with the recurrence of a hamstring injury that will also make him a huge doubt for the Champions League final against Real Madrid next weekend. Forced off with a hip injury Arda Turan was then also forced off with a hip injury as Adrian Lopez and Raul Garcia entered the fray. Barca grew into the game as the half developed and could have been ahead when Pedro Rodriguez wastefully headed over Dani Alves’ precise cross from the right. When the Catalans did go in front just after the half hour it was in spectacular fashion as Lionel Messi cushioned the ball into Sanchez’s path on the right side of the area, but despite the narrow angle he managed to thrash the ball high past Thibaut Courtois at the Belgian’s near post. Atletico forced a series of corners without carving out a clear-cut chance in their search for an equaliser before the break, but the half-time whistle also brought frustration on the part of the Barca players as both Messi and Sergio Busquets were booked for dissent. (AFP)

IT’S BEEN A TOUGH RACE

Atletico Madrid 2 Real Madrid 2 - March 2 After two shock defeats to Almeria and Osasuna in three games, Atletico hosted a rampant Real at the Calderon and were behind within three minutes as Karim Benzema opened the scoring. However, in their best performance in weeks, they roared back to take the lead through Koke and Gabi and despite being pegged back by Cristiano Ronaldo’s equaliser, keeping Real’s lead at the top of the table down to three points proved to be crucial. Real Madrid 3 Barcelona 4, Real Betis 0 Atletico Madrid 2 - March 23 Three weeks later Atletico were to take back top spot for good as they comfortably saw off relegation bound Real Betis 2-0. Meanwhile at the Bernabeu, Barcelona ended Real’s 31-game unbeaten streak to leave all three title contenders separated by just one point with nine games to play. Athletic Bilbao 1 Atletico Madrid 2 - March 29 Other than their final game away to Barcelona, Atletico’s trip to the Bilbao on paper looked like their most difficult game remaining by the end of March. The Basques had already taken points off Barca and Real at home and had Champions League qualification in their sights. Iker Muniain even gave the hosts an early lead, but Atletico battled back to take all three points thanks to goals from Costa and Koke.

PHOTOS | AFP

Atletico Madrid’s Argentinian coach Diego Simeone is tossed by his teammates as they celebrate their Spanish league title following their 1-1 draw with Barcelona at the Camp Nou yesterday. Below: Atletico Madrid savour their glory.

Barcelona 1 Atletico Madrid 1 - May 17 An enthralling title race came down to the final weekend as after all three challengers faltered in the final stages, Atletico needed a point from the Camp Nou to seal the championship. Alexis Sanchez’s stunning opener looked to have put Barca on the road to glory, but Atletico’s threat from set-pieces proved the difference as Diego Godin powered home Gabi’s corner to score the goal that won the title.

ATLETICO FACTFILE

We have fought all year and the work we have done is amazing. To last 38 games against two great teams Real Madrid and Barcelona is incredibly difficult. The boss told us at half-time that we were going to score a goal. In the end football has been fair to us” Diego Godin, Atletico player

Founded: 1903 Home ground: Estadio Vicente Calderon (capacity 54,960) Coach: Diego Pablo Simeone Captain: Gabi Honours: Spanish La Liga title (10): 1939-40, 1940-41, 1949-50, 1950-51, 1965-66, 1969-70, 1972-73, 1976-77, 1995-96, 2013-14 Copa del Rey (10): 1959-60, 1960-61, 1964-65, 1971-72, 1975-76, 1984-85, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 2012-13 Spanish Supercup (1): 1985 Uefa Europa League (2): 2009-10, 2011-12

Sport 51

SUNDAY NATION May 18, 2014

TOGETHERNESS | Defender broke nose in a league assignment but got no help from the club

How ‘Green Army’ rescued Nasio BY DAVID KWALIMWA @DavidKwalimwa [email protected]

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Social “There is a togetherness within the Gor Mahia ers fraternity that mostly comes out when one of us is in need. I have never seen such generosity exhibited within a group of persons, especially towards someone not familiar with a majority of the set up.” Tony Owori (Anelka), an ardent er of the team, and mobiliser, says. Some of the social associated with the club’s fan base include visits to children homes within the City where ers donate in cash and kind towards the less privileged. Other standout cases of such initiatives from the fanbase came to the fore during the sudden demise of one of their own, Roy Kohadha, late last year. Within a nutshell a series of initiatives on

Uefa on Friday fined both Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain 60 million euros (about Sh7.2 billion) and capped their Champions League squad to 21 for falling foul of financial fair play rules. Newly-crowned English Premier League champions, Manchester City enjoyed a massive spending spree under billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan of Abu Dhabi. And French Ligue 1 champions PSG have benefitted from similar investment in top-drawer players after their takeover by Qatar Sports Investments

Pressure mounts on EPL boss in sexism

LONDON

Rodgers: Gerrard will not let slip affect him

PHOTOS | FILE

Gor Mahia fans cheer their team during in a past Tusker Premier League match at the Nyayo National Stadium. Fans raised funds towards Solomon Nasio’s (below) medical expenses earlier this week. social media resulted in the contribution of some Sh248,000 towards the funeral expenses of the deceased, and as ‘sadaka’ to the departed’s family. Still, hundreds of ers found time to travel for hundreds of kilometres to Alego in Siaya County to pay their last respects. Another opportunity for the Gor Mahia ers to show their kind heart came forth last week when the Daily Nation highlighted the plighted of the longest serving player within the first team, Solomon Nasio, who broke his nose while on duty but had no cash to raise funds to undergo reconstructive surgery. “I was overwhelmed with surprise with how fans from all walks of life raised Sh 300,000 which was double the amount required for the operation, in just one day”. Anelka, who was tasked with the challenge of receiving the cash said. “I am humbled, with no words to explain my joy. I give thanks to the Daily Nation and everybody who ensured that I am able to have this operation, Gor Mahia fans will always have a special place in my heart” Nasio, who has already booked for the surgery set for the 21st of this month at the Kenyatta National Hospital private wing explained. And that is not all. Another initiative, a mobile money paybill number launched a fortnight back to help the istration source for money from the fans to meet daily expenses has thus far raised close to half a million shillings.

in late 2012. But both clubs have paid for that with massive fines, 40 million euros of which will be repaid should the clubs fulfil the “operational and financial measures agreed with the Uefa CFCB (Club Financial Control Body)”. Uefa said other clubs to have failed the financial fairplay rules were Turkish trio Buraspor, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, Russian sides Zenit St Petersburg, Anzhi Makhachkala and Rubin Kazan, and Levski Sofia from Bulgaria. Both City and PSG battled Uefa through to the end, the former arguing there had been “a fundamental disagreement” over the interpretation

The club’s expenditure on new players for the summer transfer window, on top of income from players it might sell, will be limited to 60m euros. This will have no material impact on the club’s planned transfer activity” Manchester City statement

Brendan Rodgers says Steven Gerrard is his own worst critic but expects his captain to get over Liverpool’s Premier League title disappointment and lead England into this summer’s World Cup with his head held high. Gerrard endured a difficult end to the season and was at fault when his slip gifted Chelsea victory at Anfield on April 27. Rodgers believes Gerrard will put this season’s frustration behind him and be in a fresh state of mind when he boards the plane to Brazil. “I’ve no concerns whatsoever about Steven,” Rodgers said.

MANCHESTER

Utd to sign Serbia keeper Milinkovic Manchester United will sign Serbian Under-17 international goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic, after reaching an agreement with his club FK Vojvodina. Milinkovic, 17, will return to Vojvodina on loan next season but will hope to fight for a first-team place with David de Gea in the coming years. The club revealed the details of the deal on their official website in a statement which read: “Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with FK Vojvodina for the transfer of Serbian Under-17 international goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic. Both clubs have agreed that the player will remain with FK Vojvodina next season.

LONDON

Uefa fine City, PSG Sh7.2bn, cap Champions League squad Zurich

LONDON

The English Premier League chief at the centre of a sexism row came under fresh pressure to quit his post on Saturday. Last week Britain’s Sunday Mirror newspaper published leaked private e-mails sent by Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore in which he made crude references to a woman colleague and also included jokes about “female irrationality”. Now Scudamore has been urged to consider his position by Heather Rabbatts, an independent board member of the Football Association and one of the most prominent women in English football.

Gor Mahia fans rush to help one of their own after suffering injury

hey are popularly known as the ‘Green Army’, the most colourful football fans in the country. Welcome to the world of Gor Mahia football club ers. “Our main assignment is to follow our beloved Gor Mahia to all the corners of the universe to cheer them through the assignments. We are also here to do everything it entails to and defend our beloved team,” Jared Otieno aka Jaro Soja, one of the club’s most visible ers, says. Each weekend, they traverse the country in private cars, hired transport vehicles, motor bikes and bicycles in the name of cheering their team through the local assignments. Inside the stadium, they chant into unrivaled scenes of uniformed cheers, song and dance to rally behind their team. “The fans played a big role in my decision to this club. So far I have not been disappointed. The whole team wants to win and win for them, they deserve much more. Actually, when we lose a game, I am very disappointed because of how the fans will fill,” Ugandan striker Dan Sserunkuma explains. This has however been accompanied with some consequences. Many at times have the ‘Green Army’ been caught on the wrong side of the law. In the past few seasons to be precise, scenes of hooliganism, crowd trouble and to an extent destruction of public property. But it is not all gloom associated with these ers. For inside them exists a magic touch, a heart of sympathy that extends to a helping hand, that has many at times assisted one of their own in need.

BRIEFLY

of the FFP regulations on players purchased before 2010 but that it had “decided to enter into a compromise agreement with Uefa”. They agreed, the statement read, to limit their net spending on new players to 60 million euros. “The club’s expenditure on new players for the summer transfer window, on top of income from players it might sell, will be limited to 60m euros. This will have no material impact on the club’s planned transfer activity,” City said. “The MCFC Champions League squad for the 2014-15 competition will be limited to 21 players.” (AFP)

Hazard targeting UCL and Prem double Eden Hazard insists that Chelsea can win both the Premier League title and the Champions League next season. Hazard, 23, recently itted this season had been a failure after Jose Mourinho’s side came up short in both competitions -- finishing third in the table and losing to Atletico Madrid in the European semifinals. However, the Belgian has vowed to improve his performances on the pitch and believes his teammates can enjoy a double dose of silverware next year. “Next season, with this team, we can win the Premier League and maybe the Champions League as well,” Hazard said.

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

2015 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS Harambee Stars begin qualifiers journey today against Comoros Island at Nyayo Stadium. P. 47

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KIPLANGAT, CHOGE LIGHT UP KASARANI World 5,000m bronze medallist wins at Kenya Police Service Championships . P.46

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VIOLENCE | Deaths thought to be connected to recent land clashes in Athi River and Kitengela

Herders find suspected mass grave Rotting human body parts found in a quarry

BY NGARE KARIUKI

[email protected]

AND BILLY MUIRURI

[email protected]

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suspected mass grave thought to be connected to the recent land clashes in Athi River and Kitengela has been found on a farm in Machakos County. Herders guiding their livestock through the government land on the border of Machakos and Kajiado counties on Friday afternoon came across what they believed to be part of a human hand and reported the matter to the nearby CORRESPONDENT | NATION Kitengela police station. Police immediately combed The quarry on the border of Machakos and Kajiado counties where the area and found more par- decomposing bodies were found yesterday. tially decomposed human body parts. Yesterday morning, police ing after a feud over land owned Kajiado counties are not linked to found several skulls and pieces of by Portland Cement. We have the proscribed Mungiki sect. cloth scattered in an abandoned a strong reason to believe that “The battle for land in the area quarry in the 2,000-acre farm. some of the missing people are is caused by brokers who had Kajiado County Commissioner conned land buyers using fake buried here,” he said. Kobia wa Kamau, speaking at the The bodies will be exhumed titles,” said Mr Kamau. scene yesterday, said the grave Mr Kamau said preliminary today as a court order for the excould be an important piece of humation could not be obtained security investigations in the the puzzle that is land clashes in past 6 pm. county had not been able to conAthi River and Kitengela areas. Meanwhile, Mr Kamau said nect the clashes to the sect. “This is most likely related that the spontaneous land “There is no thread to link to what happened on March 4 clashes in Athi River and Mungiki with the when several people went missKitengela areas in Machakos and land tussles as of now. We can

confirm that illegal land sellers had conned many people who are now ri against the alleged chief brokers,” he said. Mr Kamau spoke moments after the County Security Committee grilled the founder of the sect, Mr Maina Njenga, and several of his associates for more than eight hours in Kajiado town on Friday. Mr Kamau’s team, which included police commander Tito Kilonzi, was trying to establish if there was a link between Mungiki adherents and the land wars in the area. More than five people reported to be former Mungiki are said to have died in the last few months over two pieces of land in Athi River. The 10,000 and 5,000 acres of land belong to the East African Portland Cement (EAPC) but have been invaded by people claiming it belongs to one community in the area. The matter, Mr Kamau said, was spilling over to the county from Machakos because most brokers had makeshift land selling offices in Kitengela town. “We are still investigating who the faces behind these land scams are. We are following crucial leads,” he said.

Centre Stage Dr Dre: Billionaire with an attitude P. 4 FREE WITH YOUR SUNDAY NATION. No. 195 May 18, 2014

Taking over P.3

Season review: the good, the bad, the ugly

Style Star: Solange Knowles

HARDBALL, P. 7

STREET FASHION, P. 6

Motorola’s Moto E smartphone TECH CORNER, P. 2 Follow us on Facebook - BUZZ MagazineKE

2 May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation GIG GUIDE TODAY: IT’S THE ULTIMATE SOUL NITE ON THE SUNDAY CRUIZ TONIGHT AT SAILORS LOUNGE, HURLINGHAM. ONE THE DECKS WILL BE DJ NIJO, PLAYING FROM 6PM TILL VERY LATE. THERE WILL BE LOTS OF OFFERS ON DRINKS.

SPOKENWORD It’s all finished By JEMIMAH OSORO How could I live for less? How could my ignorance felt so great? The ways He walked, the message He ed. I stood and laughed Was he love? I didn’t care!

Jay Z, Solange and Beyonce ‘moving forward’ after fight

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eyonce, Jay Z and Solange say they have “moved forward as a united family” since a video leaked of Solange attacking Jay Z in a New York lift. The Knowles-Carter family released a statement saying Jay Z and Solange have apologised to one another. It adds: “They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public.” There is still no word over what the argument was about. The three-minute video was released by celebrity gossip site TMZ on Monday. It was shot inside the Standard Hotel in New York. The hotel said it had fired the person who recorded the video. Reports about Solange being drunk and “displaying erratic behaviour” are false according to the statement, given to the AP news agency. It read: “As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. “But the most important thing is

that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologised to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.” “The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behaviour throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.” The hotel in New York says is still investigating the leak of the security video that shows the attack. The footage appears to show Solange trying to kick and hit Jay Z in front of Beyonce. A security guard is then seen restraining her and appears to attempt to stop the lift. It’s thought the incident happened after the three had attended the Met Gala Ball last week in New York and a party at the hotel afterwards. - BBC

ERIC OBINO: Group Managing Editor PHILIP MWANIKI: Editor JOAN PERERUAN: Photo Editor ROGER MOGUSU: Chief Graphic Designer DENNIS MAKORI: Designer WAMBUI KIBUE, BONIFACE MWALII: Contributors CHARLES KAMAU: Photographers ELANI: Cover photo

Buzz is published every week by Nation Media Group Limited. It is distributed free with every ‘Sunday Nation’. Unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, transparencies are submitted at the sender’s risk. While every care will be taken on receipt of such material, the Nation Media Group Limited cannot accept responsibility for accidental loss or damage. ©Nation Media Group Limited, 2014. All rights reserved.

I walked on dust my way to lust, I found nothing. He was everything but I crucified Him for something. Tangible staff, made my flesh to move so fast It greed me and gave him pain I did it in vain to gain but still he cried the last drop. Drop for me to come back home, Home where I belong,

Belong is where I am in Him, In him it’s all finish, it’s all gone. It’s all gone. For death didn’t carry Him away. I live to give myself away Lead me and show me your way. For your unconditional love paved a way. Let not my iniquities take me astray

GIZMOCORNER

Motorola’s Moto E smartphone Motorola is fighting hard to remain relevant in the smartphone business. The Moto E sports is a high-resolution 4.3” display with 256ppi pixel density making it the sharpest in its class. This means that whatever you want to view, ranging from photos all the way to videos and web pages will come to life in extraordinarily brilliant detail. Not only that, there is Corning Gorilla Glass thrown into the mix in addition to a water-resistant splash guard that helps protect it for lasting durability. Apart from that, a long-lasting 1980 mAh battery will be able to let you last throughout the entire day, assuming you’re not one of those s who need to remain hooked all the time to a 3G connection and need to run videos as well as processor intensive tasks throughout the day. A dual-core 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor runs proceedings from within, while there is a 5MP rear-facing camera, a microSD memory card slot, and an integrated FM radio to round up the specs.

Only Diamond from TZ has been nominated in this year’s BET awards. Which Kenyan musician do you think had a good chance to be nominated? James Hukil Chege - No idea whatsoever.. Rio-d Real Rapstar - Jaguar n maybe souti sol...the problem is that most kenyan musicians are nt focused on the international mrkt.I’m working on that and already my collabo with top American rappers is half way. Allan K Zeus - Elani, Sauti Sol, Jay A, Sage. Hell, Sana too for Mfalme Wa Mapenzi. That was a good track. Roy Getanda Nyong’o - Sauti Sol with their controversial track and video NISHIKE! James Hukil Chege - Am sure no single artist can grab tht right now,i mean not a group..true dat. K.m. Lewis - I choose to digress; BET is a good thing, but not the measure of success. Have they considered what artists like Juliani are doing with their artistry to change lives,

or is it just the weight of what one has on their necks? Benson Njumbi - ken wa maria Boniface Njiiri - Wyre deservt 2 Mc Rumaz - Redsan Boniface Njiiri - Trio yeah!Elani can go 4 it Humphrey Mwadime - Elani n Wyre Eric Ochieng Magz Geovanni - Camp Mulla set the bar too High.After BET noms last year they even couldn’t do it for themselves this year.. Murefu Saul - sauti soul Anny Della - Wyre n Jaguar Eric Tigerwoods Kubai - P- Unit na Rabbit. Patrick Nzomoh - Jaguar Kauni K Kelvin - octopizzo... Irene Goodie Love - STL Grace Bass - Victoria Kimani n STL

May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation

GIG GUIDE SATURDAY: THE MOJOS LOUNGE, BANDA STREET, NAIROBI, WILL BE HOSTING DJ KAYDEE THIS AND EVERY OTHER SATURDAY. THE DJ WILL PLAY THE BEST MIX OF MUSIC PLUS YOUR REQUESTS ALL NIGHT.

As one of the best bands in town, Elani has come a long way to establish itself as a young, brilliant and vibrant group that not only makes beautiful music but also wants to change society one song at a time. JOSEPHINE MOSONGO spoke to them

BUZZ: When did you officially get together as a band? In 2008. We were very young, but in 2010/2011 we decided to go for it. Was it hard to start out in the beginning? Yes it was because we were not even friends yet. We were just getting to know each other and it was a bit challenging handling three different personalities, but right now we are like a family.

ELANI

Maureen

What personalities do you each have that make Elani what it is? We all have strong multiple personalities. Brian: Maureen is the firm one, she is the decision maker, she is brainy and a perfectionist. Maureen: Wambui is timely and organised and likes to plan. She is also the class clown Wambui: Brian is protective, a creative thinker and very calm. We don’t know whether we are funny in public but when we sit down together it’s the most fun. We laugh a lot. Are you guys ever afraid that you might break up or head into solo careers? One thing the band has shown us is each of us can’t do this on our own, and we didn’t think we would get here. The fact that for some reason we’ve stuck together through all the hardships six years in, going back to ground zero will be hard. If any of us try to go solo from Elani it will be starting from the bottom again. Actually Beyonce might be the only person who has ever done it successfully. And that said, how long ago did they break up for her to get where she is?

Brian

In a group this brilliant, do you often clash creatively? Of course, all the time. The same way and magnitude that we are able to make the songs is the same way we disagree when it comes to artistic stuff. It can get very interesting to hang out with us, to an outsider it might seem crazy but it’s been such a long time that we understand how everyone works. Whether we fight or not, as soon as we come to a decision everything is forgotten and that’s the beauty of being together for so long.

What is your ultimate goal? A Grammy would be lovely, 16 Grammys would be even better, let’s just round that number up and say 20. We want our voice to matter, that’s why we sing. With a lot of power — music gives you power because people listen — comes a lot of responsibility. We want to change the way people think, on messages of positivity and responsibility to the young people who are living their lives in a manner that is questionable. We believe Elani is God’s plan because if we weren’t together there is no way that we could come up with songs that are perfectly produced and thought out. The reason that we have perfect products at the end of the day is all because of Maureen. You have had hits with ‘Jana Usiku’, ‘Milele’ and ‘Kookoo’. Do you fear that you will not top the last song? Each song that comes out is scary, and it’s never even about topping the last song, it’s about the fact that you have created something and you believe in it. The one thing that you want is for it to be loved; the scary thing is not getting the message across when you have worked so hard at it. If anything is true to you and genuine then it will always speak to someone. We can only hope for better than a previous song did. God is the Alpha and Omega and without Him we are nothing, the thing is to work smart and hard and everything will fall into place.

Do you play any instruments? Everyone plays the keys and the guitar. Wambui is better at the keyboard and Brian and I (Maureen) are good with the guitar. Do you think Sauti Sol and you guys are on the same level? It’s very difficult to say that because they are a boy group — they have a whole different harmonic thing happening

But if you were to go head to head, do you think you could take on them? Anyone can take on anybody. That’s the good thing about being a singer. Wambui has something that Maureen doesn’t, the same way Sauti Sol have Bien is the same way we have Wambui who has a husky smoky voice and Maureen has a sharp voice that can go high with a smooth peak. Everyone has something that is unique to them.

Did you ever imagine that one day you would be this big? We always hoped and dreamt about it. But the thing is you can always get bigger and better and that’s something that we have kept in our minds from the beginning. There’s never a finishing line, we just keep working hard. The thing that shocked us most is the reception from people. For instance, the song Milele made someone want to get back with her husband. Such comments make everything worthwhile. Giving hope to another human being is what keeps us going. Every single second of the arguments, of not being able to find a producer that understands our music is made worth it by that comment.

Your latest song ‘Kookoo’ is being received well, what was the inspiration behind the song and the video? It’s about being crazy in love; all you can do is think about this person when you wake up in the morning, anticipating a simple text. And that’s a feeling that many, if not all of us, have experienced. It is crazy unconditional love. When we were thinking about a video concept we had to go for something that we felt would touch everyone from children to adults. We found every type of relationship imaginable and we showed what a good thing that is — that’s why people are calling it unique because they know that feeling or they want that feeling. We were able to capture different kinds of people making sure that at the end of the day in as much as we are so different we are looking to be loved and be happy. Do you write your own songs? Yes we do, but we do work with other people. Jana Usiku is co-written including Mahindi which is co-written by a guy called Meshack who is just fantastic. But Brian is like the song writer extraordinaire. But the good thing is it’s a collaborative effort.

than when girls are involved. That’s why you can’t hear a Sauti Sol and an Elani song and think they are the same because there are girls singing. In of quality of music and vocal ability we’ve always looked up to them, they are the most fantastic singers. We learnt a lot about harmony from them because then we didn’t fully understand the dynamic of singing in harmony.

Do you have a manager? No, but we do have a good team behind us. It would be impossible for us to do everything.

How do you describe your sound and style of music? We call it Urban Afro because we couldn’t find a word that could fully describe three people from different places with different musical inspirations. When we put it together we ended up with an amalgamation of this huge sound. And as much as everyone’s interest is different, it is uniquely African because we sing in an African setting. It’s just a big pot full of inspiration that we call Urban Afro. What makes Elani unique and sets it apart from other bands? We started from the bottom and now we are here — three different human beings raised in three different ways listening to different types of music coming together to make beautiful music. No-one in this world thinks like Brian or does anything like him and that applies to the ladies as well. That in itself is what makes us unique. Every musician in every band is so unique because they didn’t come from the same place. What we brought was a connection solely built on music. When you hear something from us, it’s a collaborative effort and everyone is giving 300 per cent.

ONEONONE

Wambui

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May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation

TOP 5 BOX OFFICE 1. NEIGHBORS 2. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 3. THE OTHER WOMAN 4. HEAVEN IS FOR REAL 5. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

TOP 5 RNB 1. ALL OF ME - JOHN LEGEND 2. HAPPY PHARRELL WILLIAMS 3.FANCY - IGGY AZALEA FEATURING CHARLI XCX 4. TALK DIRTY - JASON DERULO FEATURING 2 CHAINZ 5. LOYAL - CHRIS BROWN FEAT. LIL WAYNE & TYGA

CENTRESTAGE

SCREENSHOTS

Dr Dre: Billionaire with an attitude So where did this Beats phenomenon come from and how did it grow to become a big deal for a famed music producer and gangsta rapper from the West Coast, you may ask. According to the New York Times, Beats was a result of a chance meeting on a California beach several years ago. Dr Dre lamented that his lawyer wanted to peddle Dr Drebranded sneakers. Mr Iovine responded: forget sneakers, sell speakers and the rest as they say is history. Let’s take a trip through Beats’ evolution. July 2008: Dr Dre and Iovine found Beats Electronics in. At the time, the Santa Monica, California–based

By CARLOS MUREITHI

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here’s an old Dr Dre song called Been There, Done That and in it the West Coast artiste raps about how he’s been making money and living large. The architect of gangsta rap says: Got to buy my own island by the year 2G/ Since way back, I’ve been collectin’ my fee… Got a palace in the Hills overlookin the sea/It’s worth eight, but I only paid five point three…A million dollar style, [expletive] wonder how…Young black Rockefeller, hella swiss and mozzarella/Pockets sweller, gettin money like a bank teller…Private jet, 600 Coupes, then I run Vettes/I’m livin on another level that y’all ain’t been yet/Spend a mill’, no sweat, water the lawn with Moet. The song is off his 1997 compilation album The Aftermath. The good doctor (real name Andre Young) had been there, done that, and his achievements backed the production of the song. After all, he had been in the game for 13 years in which he produced albums for and overseen the careers of many top rappers, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Xzibit, 50 Cent, The Game, and Kendrick Lamar. Born André Romelle Young in Compton, California on February 18, 1965, Dr Dre had also released numerous hit songs and albums both solo and as part of the groups World Class Wreckin’ Cru and N.W.A, and was running his own record label — Aftermath Entertainment. Fast-forward to 2014 and the “rap god” turned entrepreneur is all the news from the entertainment to business pages in the news for all the right reasons financially. In April this year, Forbes magazine ranked Dre, 49, as the secondwealthiest hip hop artiste, raking

in $550m (Sh47 billion) up from 2013’s $350m, he had overtaken Jay Z ($520m) and was only behind Puff Daddy ($700m). And for the past week, the talk on Dr Dre, who has not released an album since 2000, has been all about the company that has brought him great fortune and fame: Beats Electronics. According to the UK’s Financial Times, the firm that Dr Dre cofounded with entrepreneur, record and film producer Jimmy Iovine, 61, in 2008 is the subject of a $3.2bn (Sh255 billion) takeover by computer giant Apple. According to the New York Times, Mr Iovine made his name as a record producer and he is also credited with helping discover Lady Gaga and Eminem, whose demo tape he gave to Dr Dre. “A slight, wiry and hyperactive Brooklyn native in blue-tinted glasses and a baseball cap, Mr Iovine talks so much more than Mr Young that he jokes, ‘I’m his Charlie McCarthy, I really am’.” After the report of the buyout by Apple, R&B singer Tyrese recorded a video declaring in a now-taken-down Facebook video about Beats and the Apple buyout, “The Forbes list just changed. It came out like two weeks ago; they need to update the Forbes list”. Dr Dre, whom Bloomberg notes holds a 20 per cent stake in Beats while Iovine owns 25 per cent of the company, could only agree, in the same clip: “Understand that. The first billionaire in hip hop, right here from the [expletive] West Coast. Believe it”. The buyout means Dr Dre, after cashing his cheque will cross the billion-dollar mark, but not according to Forbes. Forbes indicates that a sale of $3.2

company releases its brand of headphones called Beats by Dr Dre. The company’s first product line launches exclusively in Apple and Best Buy stores and cost $349.95. August 2010: Beats Electronics licenses its brand to thirdparty manufacturers under the “Beats Audio” name. HP is the first to sign up. The IT corporation begins offering personal computers equipped with Beats Audio systems; its HP Envy line range of laptops is the first, featuring a software equaliser with a preset that HP marketed as being optimised for higher quality sound output. April 19, 2011: Beats Electronics signs a deal with Chrysler Group to bring Beats Audio into automobiles. August 2011: Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC buys

a 50.1 per cent share in Beats Electronics for $300m and at the same time loans the firm $225 million. September 14, 2011: HTC begins releasing Beats Audio– powered smartphones. Its first product in this line is the HTC Sensation XE, a 1.5GHz dualcore phone with Beats Audio. January 12, 2012: Beats begins manufacturing its products in-house. This comes after the company ends an exclusive deal with Monster Cable Products, which from 2008 through 2012 served as the manufacturer for all Beats products. July 2, 2012: Beats acquires MOG, a music streaming service, in a deal reportedly worth over $14m. July 23, 2012: Dr Dre and

Jimmy Iovine buy back a portion of HTC’s shares for $150m. November 2, 2012: Beats gets into the portable speaker market, a move that later flops. December 10, 2012: Beats partners with Trent Reznor, the frontman of rock band Nine Inch Nails, and plans to launch a music streaming service in 2013. March 25, 2013: Beats Electronics raises $60m and makes plans to spin-off its music streaming project into a separate company. Apple is said to be a potential partner in the new venture. September 27, 2013: HTC sells its remaining 25 per cent stake in Beats Electronics for $265m and the Carlyle Group, an asset management firm, reportedly

From Dusk till Dawn By JOSEPHINE MOSONGO

invests in the company in a deal that makes the audio equipment maker have a worth of $1bn. January 21, 2014: Beats Electronics enters the music streaming business to challenge the likes of Spotify, Pandora, and Apple’s iTunes Radio. April 21, 2014: Rumour emerges that Beats Electronics is raising another more than $60m in funding, signaling that Beats is probably struggling to compete with companies like Spotify. May 8, 2014: The Financial Times reports that Apple is in talks to buy Beats Electronics for $3.2bn. A video surfaces on Facebook in which Tyrese and Dr Dre appear to confirm the news, albeit in a seemingly drunken state.

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dapted from the 1996 Mexico-set vampire film, From Dusk Till Dawn is a further elaboration of the movie with a premise that now angles towards horror and drama. If you watched the movie then you pretty much know the ending, but do not write it off yet. The series still follows the lines of the original but some material and characters have been added to it. After a bloody Texas bank robbery, the well dressed and criminally insane Gecko brothers, Seth (D.J Corona) and Richie (Zane Holtz), are on the run from Texas Rangers. As with all criminal duos, there is always the brain and brawn, in this case Richie is the brain that sprung Seth from prison, however, with all that intelligence, Richie is all kinds of crazy that no mental facility can cure. He is the sort of crazy person that you do not want to call crazy. He is also subject to

OURPIX

supernatural visions and fits. If you are a series fanatic then you have come to the realisation that it is always the beautiful ones that are the craziest. The pilot episode does a fantastic job of diving right in to the story as a lady is chased through the woods by ghostlike warriors and shoved in a snake pit to a horrific death. With their “Men in Black” suits and too much product in their hair, the Gecko brothers wind up at Benny’s liquor store out in the middle of nowhere where they come up against Sheriff Earl McGrath (Don Johnson) and his deputy Ranger Freddie Gonzalez (Jesse Garcia). Gonzalez is a new character and seems to be the hero of the show as he swears to avenge the deaths of the innocent people the Gecko brothers have left in their wake. With each new episode, the show introduces new characters who either come into with the certifiable Gecko brothers or just cross paths.

Not to oversell the show but the producers have done a good job of pushing the story forward. As they head towards the Mexican border, the Gecko’s seek help from crime lord Don Carlos (Wilmer Valderrama). But with Gonzalez hot on their heels, they encounter former Minister Jacob Fuller and his family whom they take hostage by commandeering their van. With nowhere else to go, Carlos directs them to a strip club populated by vampires where they all must fight until dawn to survive. Albeit a good show, some scenes are unnecessarily drawn out but makes up for it with the occasional snappy dialogue, twisted humour and great cinematic direction. Because of the flashbacks that delve deeper into the back story you will need to pay close attention. The show is nothing that we have not seen before but it will definitely interest you.

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CHARLES KAMAU | NATION 5

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Mother’s Day luncheon 1

billion would increase Dr Dre’s net worth to $800m(Sh68 billion) after taxes are imposed, leaving him $200 million short of the billion dollar mark. Over its nearly six years of existence, the Beats by Dre product line has created devices such as Beats Studio, a circumaural headphone, Beats Tour, an in-ear headphone, Beats Solo & Solo HD, a supra-aural headphone, Beats Spin, Heartbeats by Lady Gaga, also an in-ear headphone, and Diddy Beats.

You’ve probably seen Beats products in numerous music videos. Well, the item’s popularity has been primarily influenced by its marketing practices that centre around product placement and branding deals with hip hop and pop musicians. In 2012, a market research company NPD Group, reported that Beats had a market share of 64 per cent in the US for headphones priced higher than $100. According to Forbes, Beats, which has 300 employees, controls twothirds of the headphone market and has annual sales in excess of $1bn and growing. The magazine says it valued Beats at $2b when estimating Dr Dre’s wealth at $550m. It guesses that selling Beats at $3.2bn would leave Dr Dre worth about $800m, taking capital gains tax and other adjustments into . Beats equipment prioritise bass performance. Likewise, Dr Dre’s productions are characterised with heavy beats and bass performance that is his signature.

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The Beats website says that the company was created from the desire to kick against “an age of ear buds and tiny laptop speakers”, allowing a “new generation of unsuspecting music fans to finally know what bass sounds like!”. Dr Dre states on the website: “People aren’t hearing all the music. Artists and producers work hard in the studio perfecting their sound. But people can’t really hear it with normal headphones. Most headphones can’t handle the bass, the detail, the dynamics. Bottom line, the music doesn’t move you. With Beats, people are going to hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way they should: the way I do”. A good music experience. That’s what Dr Dre represents, and he’s making a tonne of money by making people feel it. Well, back to that 1997 song, he raps: If you don’t stand for somethin you’ll fall for anything With the success of Beats, who can disagree with this maxim?

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1. Stylist Wambui Kibue during Mother’s Day luncheon organised by the Intercontinental Hotel last week. 2. Marjorie Maimba (left), Rowgna Barassa (centre) and Zippy Wandia 3. Purity Gatago 4. Charity Gatago 5. Local stylists Wambui Thimba (left) and Wambui Kibue. 6. Ann Njeri (L) and Ricky Oddesi of wines of the world 7. Rowgna Barassa 8. of Hot sound band Blavion Mwangi and Catherine Mutisya 9. Blavion Mwangi(left), Abishai Maxman(centre) and Robert Amon of Hot sound band

May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation

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TOP 5 BOX OFFICE 1. NEIGHBORS 2. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 3. THE OTHER WOMAN 4. HEAVEN IS FOR REAL 5. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

SCREENSHOTS

attitude Jimmy Iovine buy back a portion of HTC’s shares for $150m. November 2, 2012: Beats gets into the portable speaker market, a move that later flops. December 10, 2012: Beats partners with Trent Reznor, the frontman of rock band Nine Inch Nails, and plans to launch a music streaming service in 2013. March 25, 2013: Beats Electronics raises $60m and makes plans to spin-off its music streaming project into a separate company. Apple is said to be a potential partner in the new venture. September 27, 2013: HTC sells its remaining 25 per cent stake in Beats Electronics for $265m and the Carlyle Group, an asset management firm, reportedly

From Dusk till Dawn By JOSEPHINE MOSONGO

invests in the company in a deal that makes the audio equipment maker have a worth of $1bn. January 21, 2014: Beats Electronics enters the music streaming business to challenge the likes of Spotify, Pandora, and Apple’s iTunes Radio. April 21, 2014: Rumour emerges that Beats Electronics is raising another more than $60m in funding, signaling that Beats is probably struggling to compete with companies like Spotify. May 8, 2014: The Financial Times reports that Apple is in talks to buy Beats Electronics for $3.2bn. A video surfaces on Facebook in which Tyrese and Dr Dre appear to confirm the news, albeit in a seemingly drunken state.

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dapted from the 1996 Mexico-set vampire film, From Dusk Till Dawn is a further elaboration of the movie with a premise that now angles towards horror and drama. If you watched the movie then you pretty much know the ending, but do not write it off yet. The series still follows the lines of the original but some material and characters have been added to it. After a bloody Texas bank robbery, the well dressed and criminally insane Gecko brothers, Seth (D.J Corona) and Richie (Zane Holtz), are on the run from Texas Rangers. As with all criminal duos, there is always the brain and brawn, in this case Richie is the brain that sprung Seth from prison, however, with all that intelligence, Richie is all kinds of crazy that no mental facility can cure. He is the sort of crazy person that you do not want to call crazy. He is also subject to

OURPIX

supernatural visions and fits. If you are a series fanatic then you have come to the realisation that it is always the beautiful ones that are the craziest. The pilot episode does a fantastic job of diving right in to the story as a lady is chased through the woods by ghostlike warriors and shoved in a snake pit to a horrific death. With their “Men in Black” suits and too much product in their hair, the Gecko brothers wind up at Benny’s liquor store out in the middle of nowhere where they come up against Sheriff Earl McGrath (Don Johnson) and his deputy Ranger Freddie Gonzalez (Jesse Garcia). Gonzalez is a new character and seems to be the hero of the show as he swears to avenge the deaths of the innocent people the Gecko brothers have left in their wake. With each new episode, the show introduces new characters who either come into with the certifiable Gecko brothers or just cross paths.

Not to oversell the show but the producers have done a good job of pushing the story forward. As they head towards the Mexican border, the Gecko’s seek help from crime lord Don Carlos (Wilmer Valderrama). But with Gonzalez hot on their heels, they encounter former Minister Jacob Fuller and his family whom they take hostage by commandeering their van. With nowhere else to go, Carlos directs them to a strip club populated by vampires where they all must fight until dawn to survive. Albeit a good show, some scenes are unnecessarily drawn out but makes up for it with the occasional snappy dialogue, twisted humour and great cinematic direction. Because of the flashbacks that delve deeper into the back story you will need to pay close attention. The show is nothing that we have not seen before but it will definitely interest you.

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CHARLES KAMAU | NATION 5

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Mother’s Day luncheon 1

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1. Stylist Wambui Kibue during Mother’s Day luncheon organised by the Intercontinental Hotel last week. 2. Marjorie Maimba (left), Rowgna Barassa (centre) and Zippy Wandia 3. Purity Gatago 4. Charity Gatago 5. Local stylists Wambui Thimba (left) and Wambui Kibue. 6. Ann Njeri (L) and Ricky Oddesi of wines of the world 7. Rowgna Barassa 8. of Hot sound band Blavion Mwangi and Catherine Mutisya 9. Blavion Mwangi(left), Abishai Maxman(centre) and Robert Amon of Hot sound band

6 May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation GIG GUIDE TUESDAY: THE NATIVES CLUB, THIKA ROAD, BRINGS YOU THE WEEKLY KARAOKE NITE. THE HOST WILL BE FORMER BBA CONTESTANT, MALONZA CHEGE.

FASHIONFIX

STYLE STAR: SOLANGE KNOWLES with WAMBUI KIBUE

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olange is a singer, songwriter and model. Though most people originally knew her as Beyoncé’s younger sister she has since established herself as a fashion icon and style star! She started singing when she was five and recorded her first album when she was 16. She began writing her own songs at nine years and penned sister Beyon-

cé’s “Get Me Bodied” and “Upgrade U” for her 2006 “B’Day” album which went to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Often gracing best dressed lists she constantly tries an array of different styles and has never been one to shy away from a great print. The result, glamorous fashion forward looks. She started out in girl-nextdoor pretty looks with blond long layered weaves but has since transitioned into a retro glamour style where she combines lots of statement

pieces (bold lips, extra-long box braids, multiple prints somehow making it work and completely owning it) with nostalgic and modern afro hairstyles. Dare to be different by infusing her style into your wardrobe using her soSolange statement pieces. She is best known for her big afro wigs and love of prints and bright bold colours. Have fun with fashion in a statement afro wig. Though natural hair is currently one of the biggest trends, you

can ease into this voluminous style by wearing it for a themed party or on weekends. Select a wig with curls that frame the face with a little bang for best results. Print on print is another big trend this year. For beginners, start out with smaller prints in one or two colours; for instance, two different sizes of polka dot print for your top and bottom. Once you’re comfortable in these then you can transition into bolder prints like Aztec or Ankara.

Thanks to the colour blocking, her love of bold colours is the easiest to achieve. Select bold colours that are in season such as radiant orchid, cobalt blue, aquamarine, watermelon and canary yellow. Sassy, eclectic and daring Solange is definitely a style star that kicks (pun intended) Have a lovely week beautiful people. @MissAngelsmile

May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation

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TOP 5 K-KREW VIDEOS 1 BAHATI - BARUA 2. DENNO FT EUNICE NJERI - SAFARI 3. RURI SAMBILI - NYUMBANI 4. DADDY OWEN - DEFENDER 5. DK KWENYE BEAT - KEREKA

HARDBALL SEASON REVIEW: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY with PHARIS KIMARU

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s expected Man City were deservedly crowned champions for the second time in three seasons. They may have spent the least time on top of the table but their phenomenal attacking consistency kept them in the picture throughout and they held their nerve to clinch the title. A season is a long time in football so let’s look back and reflect on what we saw. The Good Obviously this is Luis Suarez and Yaya Toure territory, without question the best players in the Premier League and top five of the world. Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Adam Llalana, Sergio Aguero, Zabaleta, Eden Hazard and Emmanuel Adebayor are also deserving of mention in this category. The only Arsenal player worthy of greatness though is Aaron Ramsey who was outstanding whenever he was fit. Lukaku, Coleman, Flanagan and Barkley for their promise also earn a place in this elite category. Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez are the obvious manager choices in this category, equally so, Tony Pulis of Crystal Palace. His

team cost Chelsea and Liverpool the title on the way to easily securing Premier League status. The Bad I call this the “Arsene Wenger zone”. I call it so because he has consistently inhabited this space year after year. This year I thought he would exit given that there was no Alex Ferguson to beat him and he finally made a big money g by capturing Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid but alas, this was nothing but a regular Arsene Wenger who is content with fourth position season after season making you wonder under what circumstances will Wenger and Arsenal flirt seriously with greatness. A staggering 128 days on top of the table, that’s four months and some odd days, and then the usual decline steadily into fourth. Andre Villas-Boas, when he was around saw it fit to Wenger in this category. For a man regarded as the new Mourinho, Villas-Boas has greatly disappointed and has probably exhausted his chances in the Premier League. Oliver Giroud and Mesut Ozil headline the players in this section. I feel for Giroud because he was overworked but that’s no excuse for

David Luiz from the list this year, I am afraid I can’t but I will make an exception only for his performances as a defender not a midfielder.

Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez looks down the pitch during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park in south London on May 5, 2014. AFP PHOTO | ADRIAN DENNIS

some of the performances he served up. Mesut Ozil started with great aplomb, the technique was exquisite the creativity excellent and then at some point things went downhill, the mercurial creator suffered a depressing stretch of form, a funk if you will, that I do not think he has completely shaken off. We shall find

MUZIKLAB

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opular radio presenter Adelle Onyango has dipped her feet into the music industry, kicking off with her new song ‘Faded’. Well, Jaaz Odongo has done a great job in putting together that fast, hyper and dance beat, it’s important to note that. This will work very well in the clubs and it’s a guarantee that everyone will get off their feet and put their dancing shoes on. Well, let’s look at Adelle as a singer. First, she had Victoria Kimani on her mind, then a bit of STL gangster flow and a little bit of her as far as the message in the song is concerned. Lyrically, I believe Adelle can do better than what she has done in this song. She didn’t do justice to this great beat, it was too plain. But let’s give her another chance with her next release.

Morio and Juliet – Julianil HIT

HITORMISS

‘FADED’ BY ADELLE ONYANGO

out at the World Cup. With the exceptions of Adebayor and Eriksen, the entire Spurs squad comfortably fits into this section. Soldado, Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue, Kaboul and LLoris. Fernando Torres completed yet another season that makes you want to rip your hair out and while I would want to omit

The Ugly This section is reserved for David Moyes. All that experience, firepower and knowledge of the Premier League and the man could not step up to the big leagues. His entire tenure at Man United, it seemed, was made up of one-match winning streaks. The problem with Moyes was not that he could not win, rather it was that he could never sustain the victories. There was also the endless tinkering with the lineup and formation, the inability to handle the media and alleged unpopular training methods. Sir Alex got it wrong, horribly so and all his records tumbled in the aftermath-something for him to add to his course at Harvard. Every Manchester United player on the roster also lands here. None of them, with the exception of De Gea, tried hard enough or even bothered and while Moyes failed they did so too quite spectacularly.

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e all know him for his witty and intelligent word play and lyrics, for a keen fan or listener; watching Juliani’s metamorphosis from ‘Fanya tena’ to ‘Utawala’ has been amazing. This Ukoo Flani Mau Mau alumni and Kalamashaka student, Juliani has become a true testament to ‘… you don’t have to compromise your lyrics to reach a larger mass…’ With an influence cutting across all ages and physical boundaries, this is not to come as a surprise since he came from the same neighborhood that gave us Kalamashaka. In a music environment where artistes are constantly ‘dumbing’ down their craft, Juliani has proven time and again that he is cut from a different fabric. To say Juliani is creative is the understatement of the year, I mean, this is the ‘King’ (allow me to call him that) of local rap as all factors considered. His creativity and diversity is always one-upping him, taking him ten steps ahead of the flock. Off his coming third studio album

‘Exponential Potential’ set to drop sometime in June, Juliani released ‘Morio and Juliet’, a clever albeit sacrilegious twist of William Shakespear’s play ‘Romeo and Juliet’. One would easily mistake the song for another cliché Kenyan love song but it’s deeper than that; Juliani does what he knows best, using his strong word play and intelligent lyrics to once again educate the masses. And by now it is safe to call Juliani the best street poet East Africa has to offer. His music knows no boundaries, no titles and no limits. Morio and Juliet might be one meter or two outside of anything he’s done so far. We all know Juliani expanded and ventured to yet another musical plateau – especially after releasing Utawala – but this might be beyond above many people’s expectation, even though he doesn’t rhyme as much on this track but just like the rest it, is just as incredible. Before you press play, open your mind then your ears, don’t put this track into one category or genre, its music, think of it as such, you’ll never be disappointed. This is a hit.

8 May 18, 2014 Sunday Nation

A SUNDAY AT THE SNAKE PARK IN NAIROBI PAGE 3

STYLE

Importance of fashion and why you should care PAGE 4

lifestyle FREEWITH YOUR SUNDAY NATION. May 18, 2014

The cowards we love to call men PAGE 2

Online? Take a reality check PAGE 5

Proud to work for Mr Money Kenyan Grace Nabwire Haukwa, an entrepreneur and professional dancer in the US, speaks about her connections with World Boxing Champion Floyd Mayweather Jnr

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A most satisfying side of surgery PAGE 8

MWALIMU ANDREW: STRATEGIC LIFESTYLE SHIFT IN MY BOLD NEW WORLD PAGE 9

people

2 Lifestyle

Sunday May 18, 2014 SUNDAY NATION

When your man cannot kill a chicken

WORLD OF FIGURES» MUNGAI KIHANYA

Law on reflective and tinted car windows is opaque WHEN THE INSPECTOR-General (IG) of Police David Kimaiyo instructed his officers to impound vehicles with tinted windows this week, Kenyans went abuzz pointing out that there is no law against it. The IG then clarified that his directive only affected public service vehicles since the “Traffic Act Cap 403 S54 A 1&2 is clear regarding tinted PSV windows & Section 30 on windscreen & windows of [all] motor vehicles with reflective properties” I checked that law and, unfortunately, it is actually not clear! This is what it says in the sections that the IG referred to: “The windscreen and windows of every motor vehicle shall be kept free from the application of any material which has, or is capable of having, reflective properties; … A person shall not drive or operate a public service vehicle that is fitted with tinted windows or tinted windscreen …” “Tinted” means shaded, coloured or treated in a similar manner so that the persons or objects inside are not ordinarily seen clearly from outside.” It sounds clear but from a scientific point of view it is quite vague; for starters, even clear glass is reflective — you can see your image in it quite easily, can’t you? Secondly, most vehicles come out of the factory with faintly tinted windows. The question then is, how faint is permissible by this law?

On the surface, he looks like an alpha male. But under that macho exterior, most of the men in our lives are little more than frightened, clueless boys

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veryone in the neighbourhood knew him. He was the man who hid under the bed while his wife confronted robbers who had come to steal from them. I didn’t even live in that neighbourhood, yet I knew this man’s story. The first time I heard it from my cousins, who were his neighbours, I could hardly wait to see how this cowardly man looked like. I was a young girl then, in primary school, but where I come from, culture dictates that the man is the one who guards the home, and everything in it. My father was always the last one to go to bed, and would “patrol” the compound armed with a panga, and check all the windows and doors before calling it a day. Robbers once came calling but, I’m told (I slept through the incident) that my brave father had them running for their lives after launching a couple of arrows at them — he kept a bow and a couple of mean-looking arrows under his bed. I, therefore, found it quite amusing that this particular man

HER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR HAD JUST BEEN REDUCED TO A HELPLESS BOY RIGHT BEFORE HER EYES...”

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would take refuge under the bed, instead of facing the bad men head-on. Like a man. Even more outrageous was that he left his wife to face the machetewielding men on her own. As a result, he became the official laughing stock around the area, and just like that, all his past brave deeds were conveniently forgotten. When I went back home after spending a few days at my cousins’ home, I retold the story with relish, and each time I repeated it, my father took on the image of a super hero in my mind.

Some men have no clue how to slaughter a chicken because they have never bothered to learn. PHOTO | MARTIN MU-

Can’t slaughter chicken

About two weeks ago, Karimi Gatimi, a columnist in Wednesday’s Daily Nation, wrote about the frustration she went through when a visiting relative brought them a live chicken. Her city-bred husband had never slaughtered a chicken, and since she, a delicate woman, could not stand the sight of blood, they kept the poor bird in their balcony for a couple of days, until they got a light bulb moment and asked the watchman to slaughter it for them. But what tickled more was the story of one of her friends who spotted a small snake curled at a corner in their home. Frightened to the bone, she called out to her husband, who came running into the room. The man took one look at the snake and dived for the nearest seat, then scampered up the window and hang tightly onto the rails. Her knight in shining armour, the dragon-slaying man she had thought would gallantly pounce on the reptile without a second thought, had just

been reduced to a small helpless boy right before her eyes. She was left with no option but to swallow her fear and kill the slithery thing herself, and then coax her terrified husband down from the window. Her humorous story got an avalanche of responses, especially from relieved women who were thankful to learn that their husbands were not the only cowardly men in Kenya. One woman wrote that her husband, a martial arts expert (he has a black belt, no less) was once reduced to jelly at the sight of a rat. Ladies, your men may portray this tough, macho look, but underneath the steel exterior, chances are that they too would swoon or tremble at the sight of the minor things that unsettle delicate you and me. But there is nothing like the perfect man, now is there?

MY WEEKEND

caroline njung’e

[email protected]; @cnjerius. The writer is editor, Living Magazine, in the Daily Nation

SUNDAY SERMON

Charged to be our brothers’ keepers AT THE LAST SUPPER, Jesus told his apostles that “Satan had got his wish”. We don’t know exactly how Satan interacts with God or how he operates in our world. We only know that he can tempt us. He can even “enter into” a soul, as he did with Judas Iscariot. This is all part of Satan getting his wish whenever God allows him to inflict harm. In this case, Jesus said, “Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat.” He explained it by telling the apostles that they would abandon him in his moment of trial. There’s a lesson to learn from this mysterious pronouncement

of our Lord. Never be surprised to see yourself or one of your friends — or an entire community of Christians — being “put to the test”. But there’s an even more important lesson to be learnt. Jesus said, “Simon, Simon! Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you... that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered...” Jesus knows that Simon Peter will turn out to be just as much a coward as the rest of his disciples. And yet something unexpected will happen to Simon Peter. The apostle will not lose faith, because Jesus tells him, “I

have prayed for you.” Whenever you see one of your friends give up on God and go down the road that leads to destruction, do not abandon him. Pray for him. Do for him what you would want others to do for you. Don’t judge and don’t condemn, but be firm. If something is wrong, do not hesitate to point it out. Don’t expect him to get down on his knees and kiss your feet. Be patient. He will probably deny that there’s anything wrong. Even Simon Peter refused to listen when Jesus talked to him about his weakness. Speak to your friend, and then pray. Ask

God to help him recover. The scene of the Last Supper reminds us of the power of prayer. Jesus could promise Simon Peter recovery. Not that we ought to start making promises to a friend who has wandered far from God. We simply need to turn to God and say, “Look at this friend of mine! Help him.” We are all sheep. Christ is the Good Shepherd. But there’s a sense in which each one of us can be shepherd for some friend who has become the lost sheep. Fr Joe Babendreier [email protected]

What minimum? To be clearer, the rules should state the limits of reflectance and transmittance of the glass. That is, what minimum amount of light must through the window glass, and what maximum is allowed to reflect? I saw similar rules from a different country and they stated that the glass must allow at least 35 per cent of light to get through and must not reflect more than 21 per cent. That is something that can be tested scientifically; but it is also not perfect. Which light is the law talking about? Green, yellow, red or blue? So-called white colourless light comprises all the colours of the rainbow. And they are not seven! They are infinite in number. The nature of glass is that it reflects and transmits different percentages for different colours. It has higher reflectance for longer wavelength (reddish colours) than for shorter ones (bluish colours). This is the reason a car gets very hot inside when left under sunlight. It is also the working principle of a greenhouse. Once sunlight gets inside, it is absorbed by the items in there; as a result they warm up and emit infra-red “light”. More than 50pc of this infra-red is reflected back into the car by the glass – it is therefore trapped and cannot get out. Consequently, the car continuously accumulates the heat and becomes much hotter than the surrounding. With these technicalities in mind, a good lawyer can argue in court that the rules on tints and reflective car windows are not clear and are, therefore, difficult to obey. It would be advisable for the Transport ministry to revise the rules before we get to that point. www.MungaiKihanya.com; Twitter: @MungaiKihanya

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

travel

Lifestyle 3

GOING PLACES » NAIROBI

MOTORING » GAVIN BENNETT

Sunday morning at Nairobi’s near-world-class snake park

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BY JOHN FOX

[email protected]

was standing on a secluded river bank in Samburu, doing what the English used to call “spending a penny”. I was iring the view across the river — until I looked down and saw a huge python coiled in the grass about a metre from my feet. It was the quickest penny I have ever spent. I’m ing this close encounter because I was persuaded to go to the snake park last Sunday morning — the well known one, at the National Museum. Snakes don’t have much of a personality, do they? Well, even if they do, they don’t show it ... Mind you, one of my favourite Disney characters is the sly and sinister Sir Hiss, in the classic film version of Robin Hood. And there is also the smooth-talking Kaa in Disney’s Jungle Book. But, in real life, snakes don’t show their feelings much — until they strike, or get a crush on you, like a python. Otherwise, they lie listless, hiding under a boulder, hanging from a branch, coiled in the grass; or staying self-knotted in the corners of their glass-fronted cases in the snake parks, their black beads of eyes telling you nothing. We, ourselves, took a few snakes to the museum — dead ones. When we moved into our first house along Gitanga Road, we found the garden untended and overgrown. We also found a few snakes. Mwangi, the gardener, killed two of them. Each time we took them to the museum for identification — a house snake and a vine snake — we were told that they were harmless. They also told us that the only venomous snakes in Nairobi are spitting cobras. So we told Mwangi not to kill any more snakes in the garden. Then, when we came back from a holiday, we found he had killed another one — a rather squat snake with black and amber bands. I was rather taken to it because those were my old school colours. So I was cross with Mwangi for killing it ... Until the museum told us its bite was very poisonous. I was hoping to see a live version

of that black and amber snake when I visited the park last Sunday. It wasn’t there. But there were many others − sand boas, Gaboon vipers, Mount Kenya bush vipers, carpet vipers, brown house snakes, black mambas, garter snakes, puff adders, spitting cobras and, oh yes, rock pythons. The place has an interesting history — well told on the National Museum’s website. It was started back in January 1961 not only to entertain visitors but also to provide a research facility. It was set in a botanical garden. Despite, probably because of, many people’s aversion to snakes, the park has always attracted a lot of interest. But in 2008 it went through a major face-lift. And a more interactive programme was initiated with such things as an octopus exhibition, touchy-feely sessions with harmless reptiles and amphibians, and feeding of crocodiles with live fish. And the aquaria were greatly improved, with some art work and more dramatic lighting, to better show off the fascinating variety of fish — from the lugubrious catfish to the brightly coloured creatures that enliven the coral reefs at the Coast. “It is your world-class tourist destination!” the website boasts. Well, no, it really isn’t. Yes, the park has a good collection of reptiles and fish. The inner gardens are nice. There are a few stunted trees with snakes in them. There are concreted pools

where crocodiles and alligators lounge menacingly. There are tortoises and turtles, eating left-out cabbage leaves. But the place badly needs a wash and brush-up. Someone should clean and polish the glass of the showcases. And someone should give a lick of paint, here and there. There were only five of us there that late Sunday morning: the others were a couple with their little girl — and a lone Japanese tourist with his camera. “I thought there would be more here on a Sunday,” I said to the attendant on my way out. “But it’s too early yet,” he replied. “They will come – many people will come.” “Oh, they must be having a Sunday lie-in.” “No, they are in church. Then they will come.” Of course, this is Kenya. And there was another pleasant interchange as I started my engine in the museum’s car park. One of the security guys tapped on the window. I wound it down. “Is your car OK?” he asked. “Yes, it’s fine, thank you.” “Well, can you give me something for looking after it?” “Isn’t that what you are paid to do?” “Yes, but there is also something called a tip!”

The botanical garden at the Snake Park. INSET: A python on the rocks.

PHOTOS | JOHN FOX

John Fox is Managing Director, iDC

A car’s mileage should match its condition EVERY USED CAR has a story. And by the time it is 100,000 km long (more than twice round the world), it is a tale with deep, and sometimes dark, secrets. Whenever you checkout or test-drive a used car, you are reading the book of its life. Who has owned it, where has it been, how has it been used and maintained, what condition is it now in? And what is it worth? The fastest way to get an answer to all these questions is to ask the seller. And that’s also the fastest way to get swindled. Salesmen are not famous for their devotion to non-fiction, and they’ll gladly confirm that the vehicle has only been used on tarmac, has been meticulously cared for by an anally retentive mechanic, has always been parked in the shade, and has been washed every day in the tears of angels and buffed to a shine with the fur of golden retriever puppies. A mechanical maestro will glance at the blurb and re-engineer the plot; instead of checking the story to judge the car, s/he will check the car to judge the story. And that is what every buyer should try to do. You may not have the mechanical knowledge, but that does not mean you are helpless – you have the powers of observation, and that of reasoning called “ratiocination”. Look it up − and then use it. If you don’t think you’re technically qualified to judge the car, don’t panic. Judge the story! Assume from

the outset that you are hearing and looking at a work of fiction. Recognise there is a reason for the aphorism “never judge a book by its cover.” So, after a basic inspection (outlined in this column last week) take the car for a test drive (good luck finding a road that is empty enough). Use whatever mechanical know-how and experience you do have to make a technical assessment of the vehicle’s general and particular condition. The basics include easy start, smooth idle, even acceleration, smooth gear change, doesn’t wander or wobble, rides the bumps comfortably and quietly, brakes fiercely without sound … and so on. Thoroughly test every function. Even if you cannot diagnose the exact cause of a problem, or instantly judge whether the remedy is one screw or a whole engine, you will probably know what’s normal and what’s not. Be alert to everything that might be cause for concern, anything that does not tally with the story. If a car that has done 100,000 km is apparently without blemish, be suspicious. Too right is wrong. If at any point, in any way, the car and the story differ, and the explanation doesn’t ratiocinate, walk away. If they do tally, that justifies getting an expert to do a final check before you hand over any pictures of presidents. gavin.bennett@africaon line.com

THAT’S LIFE

Gleaning the best out of every season “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” Ecclesiastes 3:1 HENRY DAVID THOREAU wrote: “Live in each season as it es; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” While he spoke primarily of nature’s seasons, and aligning ourselves to it, there is another truth we can glean from this particular quote. Our lives have seasons, ebbs and flows, and, just as we must take our cue from the seasons of nature, life offers us clues, fruit and challenges. Let’s start with the season of teenage.

What a wonderful time of self discovery and exploration. In the best of worlds, teens get to explore who they are while parents and care-givers provide safety nets. Teens, in a rush to push their boundaries, hear from parents, “Enjoy your youth, don’t grow up too fast.” Pay attention to this truth. Mistake teens should avoid include ignoring education, not thinking about careers, acquiring strangling addictions and becoming sexually active. The 20s are the season of forging, going out into the world, conquering. Ask questions like, “will this career sustain me financially and emotionally while challenging me?” This is also a time to build solid

friendships with positive people who desire your wellbeing and for some, choose a life partner. Mistakes to avoid include financial mismanagement, and not being strategic in your career. Don’t spend all you have or party all you want. Now is a good time to take on a second degree, or to begin to make financial investments particularly if you don’t have a family yet. In your 30s, you will have chosen a spouse, decided to have children or not, and how many. Decisions will include how to raise children while growing your career. Mistakes include living beyond your means, not planning for your future, and sacrificing family for career. Financial management,

adopting healthy habits, spending time with family and making time to relax are important. By your 40s, you are consolidating your life and the choices you have made. Your life moves from existence to significance. The 40s are great times to take up more leadership positions, in your organisation, family or community and think of giving back. You are entering the platform of elders, and your opinions are sought after. On a personal level, you know who you are, what you can live with and what you can live without. Signs of aging are more evident and giving in to a severe mid-life crisis puts you at risk of destroying everything

you have built. In your 50s, you have a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, to pour your life out as one of my 50-year-old friends told me. You have more time, as your children don’t need you much. “There is the fear that you don’t know how much time you have left. It’s a scary thought. I want to make things right with God, take more care of myself spiritually, physically and live healthy. I seek fulfilment,” she says. You begin to reap what you sowed. Make right choices; don’t give in to loneliness. Take on every season. Live right. Thrive. [email protected]

style

4 Lifestyle

BEAUTY

Your guide to safer skin bleaching

YOUR SKIN

Bound by four generations of surgery PAGE 8

There is nothing in the world untouched by fashion. Besides its monetary worth — it generates billions in consumer-driven cultures — it opens doors, launches careers, creates opportunities

BY CAROL ODERO @CarolOdero [email protected]

s

o far, the Met Gala 2014 proudly boasts #WhatJayZSaidToSolange, and Lupita Nyong’o finally making it on several Worst Dressed Lists. It makes it difficult to why the event is so significant to the fashion industry. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a party once a year. The patron is the most powerful woman in fashion, editor in chief of Vogue and artistic director of Conde Nast, Anna Wintour. She also happens to be the chair of The Costume Institute Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event, besides being a huge fashion party with lots of famous eye candy on the red carpet, witnessed the opening of the Anna Wintour Costume Centre. The Guardian described it thus. “It is widely judged to be the fashion world’s most extravagant night out, wielding huge influence over trends on the high street. This year’s red carpet will be graced by a host of celebrities, including Lupita Nyong’o, Sarah Jessica Parker, Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian, and industry VIPs and some of the wealthiest people in the world, each splashing $25,000 (Sh2.1 million) on a ticket.” It is said to have much more relevance to the fashion industry than the Oscars. The Met Gala has been around for decades and has a theme each year, adding to the adventurous sense of playfulness. It is by invite only from Anna herself. It entrenches fashion and, by extension them, into art, culture and history.

ACCORDING to research carried out by skin care companies in Africa, the most sought after skin products are skin-lightening agents. Women are still bleaching their skin en masse, despite all the campaigns about the dangers of that practice. It is difficult to convince women to stop changing their skin colour from dark to light. Many of those who practise bleaching believe that they look better with light skin. Although we do not advocate for skin bleaching, it is prudent to point out that it is less damaging and slightly safer when carried out strategically.

Irene is the national director, Safe Skincare Initiative; safes [email protected]

diary

The significance of fashion: why care?

irene njorogekristian

Cautionary measures Here are some tips on how to do safe bleaching, if you must lighten your skin. • Hydroquinone is a better poison than mercury, or steroids. • Apply skin lighteners at night. If used during the day, they react with the sun rays to darken the skin in patches. • Do not use skin bleach daily. Use it on alternate nights. • Wear sunscreen during the day. • Use skin restoring oils to minimise the effects by buffering the skin. • Give your skin a break from lighteners every month for one week. During this time, apply skin-restoring oils to strengthen your skin.

Sunday May 18, 2014 SUNDAY NATION

Why all the fuss?

WHY DOES FASHION MATTER? BECAUSE THE WORLD IS NOT RUN BY NAKED PEOPLE”

— vanessa friedman

Why, you ask, should you care? This year’s theme was Charles James: Beyond Fashion. Charles was a suicidal genius ahead of his time. British, born to a military dad and socialite mother, he had ready access to a wealthy clientele. Christian Dior called him “the greatest talent of my generation.” Temperamental and eccentric, style.com says, “He was a complete failure, economically. He made only a handful of dresses, and there are no perfumes associated with his name. The company’s been extinct for years. People have really only heard of designers whose houses continue to exist.” The New Yorker says, “His Taxi dress, of the early thirties, spiralled seamlessly around the body and clasped at the hip. (Later models zipped across the torso on a rakish diagonal.) The dress got its name, because James wanted to design a

garment a woman could slip into—or out of—in the back of a cab.” In comes Anna. Since 1999 she has fundraised $125 million for The Costume Institute of the Met Museum which made it possible for them to renovate and designate this section to her. Worth $40 million (Sh3.4 billion), it is a marvel of technology recreating Charles James’ 60-year-old dress in 3D to show how it moved. Here is the part where you care. Chances are, the general public hasn’t heard of Charles James till this instance. Imagine Kenya turning 100. The party is in full swing.

Cultural landmark

Who will the wealth of fashion talent that walked across East Africa? Who is curating, documenting, recording and storytelling what fashion and its practitioners — designers, models — have done? Will your grandchildren what your grandmother wore, not just because this is the cradle of mankind, but because fashion evolves, its spirit a landmark through cultural and historical touch points not to mention an art form demanding preservation? It is the least we can do for its intellectual and creative weight. While it is great that even non-fashion insiders picked up on the inappropriateness of what Lupita wore — or the fact that she can stand a little negative publicity — who carries the torch from our very own Leonardo DaVinci of fashion? There is nothing in life untouched by fashion. Yes, there are moments when even I do wonder, how do people take to fashion when there is so much wrong with the world? Ultimately, though, fashion generates billions in a capitalist, consumer-driven culture. Obviously we haven’t treated fashion with greater seriousness. And asking for a museum may just be me getting ahead of myself. After all, we barely consume our own local fashion. This is why I am thankful for the Lupita frenzy. She has given fashion a legitimacy that was not there before. We can now see how it can open doors, launch careers, create opportunities, bring endorsements, build brands, leverage partnerships and showcase talent. It is powerful beyond the scales we have used to measure it, which have been, at best, tepid and, at worst, glamorous. It was Vanessa Friedman, dubbed as the last true fashion journalist, who said: “Why does fashion matter? Because the world is not run by naked people.”

Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o arrives at the Costume Institute Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

PHOTO | AFP

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

relationships

Lifestyle 5

Online? Take a reality check and log out Emotions work differently on social media − successes feel smaller and failures bigger. And it’s easy to get tangled up in people’s lives

MEN AND WOMEN

chris hart

F

acebook and Twitter have become an important part of our lives. Posting comments, tweets, status updates, videos and photos is huge fun − but putting all that information out there has some downsides because online “friends” are far less close than our real life friends. That isn’t all bad, of course. Facebook can keep you in touch with long lost buddies, connect you with people world over, and make it easier to approach someone. But widely different groups of people, from your closest family

to your boss at work, can access your whole social network. In a way that doesn’t happen in real life. And that can create all sorts of problems. Like you’ll be judged by the number of online friends you have, by the photos they tag you in, and thought less attractive and trustworthy if people don’t like the look of the company you keep. You probably also behave differently online. Less warm. More self-centred. Caring less about other’s feelings.

Click and regret

You’re probably less inhibited and might well say things online that you’d never say in real life, spoiling your reputation and wrecking relationships. It’s easy to disclose more personal information than you intend, only to regret it later. Sending someone a sexually explicit photo of yourself was quite hard before digital cameras. Now it takes seconds. You also feel a false sense of intimacy. You feel you really know your Facebook friends, even when you actually don’t. Online relationships feel more intense and committed than they really are. And your online conversa-

tions can easily upset the people closest to you. You’d probably think twice before going out drinking with your mates and leaving your partner behind on their own. But somehow ignoring them while chatting on Facebook feels okay. It isn’t. Emotions also seem to work differently online. Your successes feel smaller and your failures bigger. If an online friend’s lonely, you tend to feel lonelier. If they’re angry, you’re more likely to make angry comments yourself.

And it’s all too easy to get caught up in other people’s online lives, at the expense of your own. You feel you’re connecting, but you’re not really. LOL’s no substitute for real laughter. Having dinner with friends feels quite different to messaging. No emoticon can lift a friend’s spirits like holding their hand.

Losing oneself online

Face-to-face politeness also gets lost online. You can be mean in ways you’d never be in real life because not seeing your partner’s hurt response means

you feel you’re not doing any harm. But you are. It’s far easier to upset someone online than face to face. And because even “private” online conversations are not really private, a thoughtless remark can go right round the world, and do lasting damage to your reputation. So if you need to work something out with someone, do it in person. Social media’s fun, but it’s easy to get hurt. So take care! [email protected]

SOCIAL MEDIA IS FUN, BUT IT IS VERY EASY TO GET HURT. SO TAKE CARE.

6 Lifestyle

Sunday May 18, 2014 SUNDAY NATION

feature

feature

I’m living my dream in boxer Naivasha-born entrepreneur also provides back-up dancers to 50 Cent, The Jacksons, Awilo Longomba and other top artistes in the United States BY ELIAS MAKORI @EliasMakori [email protected]

H

e has been described as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer, and lives a flashy lifestyle true to his worth as one of the world’s highest paid sportsmen. And when early this month Floyd Mayweather Jnr chalked up his 46th win in professional boxing, beating Argentina’s resilient World Boxing Association welterweight champion Marcos Maidana on points, the American not only boosted his image of invincibility but also certified his “Money” nickname. The bout at the famous MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas earned the 37-year-old Mayweather a cool $32 million (Sh2.7 billion) and he expects to bank a further $38 million (Sh3.2 billion) from pay-per-view television revenues, increasing his mind-boggling earnings to a massive Sh6 billion! This translates to $14,815 (Sh1.27 million) per second from the 12-round fight, or $888,889 (Sh76.4 million) per minute, or $2,666,667 (Sh229.3 million) per round. That means that from one 36-minute fight, Mayweather can comfortably run Taita Taveta and Laikipia counties for one year with some pocket change to spare! “Money” was the highest paid sportsman last year raking in an estimated $73 million (Sh6.2bn) from his two wins against Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez. His salary was one-and-a-half times more than the year’s second highest earner, Real Madrid’s Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. Part of the boxer’s success story is down to his staff — known as The Money Team — that works closely with Mayweather Promotions and the boxer’s other affiliate companies. It is this exclusive team that a Kenyan woman has been part of, alongMayweather lands a right hook on the nose of Marcos Maidana of Argentina during a recent fight in Las Vegas. PHOTO | AFP

side US celebrities and professionals from around the world, to make sure the legendary boxer is in tip-top shape inside and outside the ring. Grace Nabwire Haukwa, who is a professional dancer and entertainment consultant involved in the promotion of African culture in Las Vegas, says she is proud to be part of the team that ensures the endurance of her “nice friend” Mayweather. “He is hardworking and a very big fan of Africa,” Nabwire told Lifestyle in a telephone interview from the US. Born in Naivasha but tracing her roots to Busia, Nabwire’s fortuitous meeting with Mayweather was in 2011 when she visited the boxer’s gym alongside Kassim Ouma, a Ugandan professional boxer, to watch a sparring session. The American was busy training ahead of his fight against his Mexican-born counterpart Victor Ortiz. So impressed was she with the boxer’s determination that she talked with him after the training and offered to be part of his team. She has never regretted the decision and was present to cheer on Mayweather to victory in the May 3 tough fight against the Argentinian. Nabwire continues running her private businesses, but her current core roles in The Money Team are fight promotions and working on Mayweather’s charity projects that include the construction of a boxing gym in South Africa.

Typical routine

“A lot goes on during fight week. For example, we meet fans on a Monday, welcome the opponent and his team on a Tuesday and make sure all goes well at the official press conference on Wednesday,” she says about her typical routine ahead of a weekend fight. Nabwire explains that the week continues with a media work-out session on Thursday and weighing-in on Friday before D-Day on Saturday. “In between, Floyd will have to sign autographs for thousands of fans,” she says. Nabwire, who went to Olkaria’s Mvuke Primary School in Naivasha, was mostly raised in Busia and moved to USA in 1994 with her family. Her father, Dr Charles Haukwa, was an engineer with KenGen in Olkaria. “My father went to the University of California at Berkeley for his doctorate and, at the time, my sister also suffered from sickle cell anaemia and the US was a good place for her to get treatment. That’s why we moved,” she recalls.

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

Lifestyle 7

Mayweather’s ‘Money Team’ Unbeaten world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather after his most recent fight. PHOTO | AFP

MAYWEATHER IS A GREAT GUY TO WORK FOR AND HE HAS A BIG HEART. BEFORE THE FIGHT AGAINST MAIDANA, FOR INSTANCE, HE DONATED $50,000 TO A CANCER CHARITY” -Nabwire

Kenyan light heavyweight boxer Douglas Otieno (left), Mayweather and Grace. PHOTO | COURTESY

Grace Nabwire Haukwa (left) with Nkule Dube, daughter of the legendary musician Lucky Dube . PHOTO | COURTESY

Her sister died in 2010, three years after giving birth to a baby girl, Isabella, who Nabwire is bringing up. “Isabella is a miracle kid because the doctors had told my sister that she would not be able to get a baby owing to her condition,” says Nabwire. She explains that she made her foray into show business after winning a 2004 dance hall reggae dancing competition in California. Nabwire then moved to Las Vegas and set up a professional dancing troupe, Nabtry Dancers, providing back-up dancers for prominent musicians including the Jacksons, Awilo Longomba and 50 Cent. “We have done back-up dancing for many artistes and I’m happy about this as it gives us a chance to showcase African culture,” she says. “Las Vegas is the capital city of live music and entertainment.” Besides managing her group, Nabwire works for African Beat, an entertainment magazine, and is also involved in organising concerts for African musicians. Recently, her organisation invited Kenyan gospel artiste Willy Paul for a series of live performances and has also lined up Wyre for an tour. “We are making great in-roads in USA as Kenyans,” says Nabwire whose mother, Phanice, teaches at a Nevada school. “People here, of course, know the origin of President Barack Obama; and Lupita Nyong’o winning an Oscar has also made Kenyans very proud here. People listen to us these days.” Nabwire says Mayweather has shown interest in visiting Kenya, and there are plans for a tour that may also include pop

star Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s brother. “Mayweather is not just about fighting. He’s also about helping the needy,” Nabwire says. “He’s been feeding the homeless through the Mayweather Junior Foundation that helps underprivileged people in Las Vegas.” She adds that Jermaine believes the origins of the Jacksons are in Kenya among the Maasai ethnic group, and he looks forward to visiting again decades after his 1987 tour. Nabwire is involved in promoting Jermaine’s Vita mineral water and an energy drink. “Through Vita water, we plan to build several water wells in Africa and I have lined up one in Busia,” says Nabwire, who is also involved in other charity initiatives for the disabled and underpivileged in America. The Kenyan is philosophical about her interractions with the rich and famous. “If you surround yourself with great people who your work, then there is no such thing as impossible.” Despite the privilege of working closely with one of the world’s most famous boxers, Nabwire and others in The Money Team are aware of criticism against Mayweather’s handling of his staff. “Ramifications like the loss of self, and questioning whether this level of subservience is what you sought in your life’s work,” journalist David Mayo wrote last September ahead of Mayweather’s fight against Alvarez. “In truth, they (Mayweather’s employees) often find themselves individually analysing precisely those issues as they

wield spit buckets, or mop sweat on demand, or smear petroleum jelly into the champion’s nostrils, or cook his food, or place his wagers, or carry his championship belts into the ring.” The journalist noted that apart from celebrities, the team includes computer experts, college graduates, photographers and businessmen. There are also “massive bodyguards” earning $150,000 (Sh12.7 million) a year and boxing insiders who are sometimes awarded with diamondstudded platinum watches as bonuses. “They are Mayweather’s family , like his uncle John Sinclair, the camp masseur. They are his specialised employees, like James “P-Reala” Mcnair, the CEO of Mayweather’s Philthy Rich Records. They are his old friends like assistant trainer Nate Jones, Mayweather’s 1996 US Olympic team-mate,” the journalist wrote. Last September, an article in UK’s Daily Mail noted that the boxer’s entourage “typically includes at least 20 associates who spend most of their time waiting for Mayweather to determine what happens next”. “We don’t know what we’re doing until we do it,” one of his assistants told the British paper.

Reacting to Mayo’s comment, Mayweather maintained that he had close affiliation with his employees who “would go to war for me.” “And it’s just like any other business. I’ve got disgruntled employees, people that are upset, and when they leave the company they’ve got something negative to say, or make up lies,” he said. Nabwire agrees with Mayweather and denies that the boxing superstar would treat her or the rest of The Money Team in a condescending manner.

Cancer charity

“Mayweather is a great guy to work for and he has a big heart. Before the fight against Maidana, for instance, he donated $50,000 (Sh4.3 million) to a cancer charity,” she says. She explains that the star has people from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and many other nationalities working for him because he wants to reach out to Africa. “He’s gonna retire as the best ever boxer and I’m extremely proud to be part of his team,” she says. She adds that nobody around Mayweather can ever be sad as he works hard to make everyone happy.

Nonetheless, Mayweather remains a colourful figure, making headlines for his lavish lifestyle, legal challenges and controversial comments. Nabwire believes she could not have achieved much in America without the of her family. Her elder sister, Betty, for example, is a ed nurse but is also involved in show business. “She helped me get into entertainment through her husband DJ Burt. They bring artistes to USA and they are currently working on Wyre’s tour here,” she says. Besides show business, Nabwire loves fishing, a hobby she took up while living in Kenya’s flood-prone Budalang’i. “I love fishing and I love the life that I led in Budalang’i as I also used to go to Lake Victoria a lot. Even here in the US, when I’m bored, I go out fishing,” says Nabwire, who also enjoys playing basketball and bowling. A teetotaller, Nabwire’s advice to Kenyan youths is to dream big and chase their dreams. “We have great talent in Kenya and in Africa. I’ve been dancing since I was in my mummy’s tummy and I’m proud of where this has taken me so far.”

THE BOXER

Sh6.2 bn

Moneybags rules Las Vegas In 2012, a Nevada court postponed the jailing of Floyd Mayweather Jnr for a few months after his lawyer successfully argued that the boxer’s professional fight was commercially critical to the city of Las Vegas in Nevada. Judge Melissa Saragosa agreed with lawyer Richard Wright that the boxing champion’s domestic violence conviction and his subsequent jailing would hurt the economy of Las Vegas. The judge ruled that the boxer’s reporting date could be delayed to allow him fight on May 5 in a super light middleweight title bout against Cuba’s Miguel Cotto, a fight that Mayweather won on points at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Mayweather had been convicted of

battering his ex-girlfriend and, after defeating Cotto, the boxer presented himself to the Clark County Detention Centre in Las Vegas on June 1 to begin his 87-day sentence and was released on August 3. Should the boxer have been jailed ahead of the Cotto fight, the Las Vegas economy would have lost over $100 million (Sh8.6 billion) in revenue from the fight. “When Floyd fights here, it’s different. There’s an electricity you can’t describe. Staging an event like this is important not only to our hotel but to the entire city,” Richard Sturm, the president of sports and events at the MGM Grand, told the BCC early this month. “We have a lot of great events, and I

mean great events, and they’re all very important to us. But a Mayweather fight here is one of a kind. It’s the best we have.” Kenyan Grace Nabwire Haukwa, a member of Mayweather’s “The Money Team”, says a Mayweather fight month sees prices of services quadruple in Las Vegas. “Las Vegas is not expensive, it’s the lifesyle that’s expensive,” she told Lifestyle on telephone from Las Vegas last week. “Hotels here cost on average $45 a night (Sh3,900) but on a Mayweather fight month, revenues quadruple as hotel prices, for instance, go as high as $300 to $1,000 (Sh25,800Sh86,000),” she explains.

Amount of money Floyd Mayweather earned from his two wins against Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez, last year

Nabwire adds: “The same as flights. If a return ticket from another state to Las Vegas costs $300 (Sh25,800), in a Mayweather fight month, the tickets will go up to $1,000 (Sh86,000).” That Mayweather has some interesting habits has long been known. He has itted that he does not fly with his bodyguards in his private Gulfstream V because he fears their weight might bring the plane down. Instead, he charters a separate jet for them. And, according to a September 2013 article in the Daily Mail, he has two sets of identical luxury vehicles that are colour-coded to help him

whether he is in Las Vegas or Miami. And that is before one even mentions his Cadillac golf cart. The boxer also reportedly wears his sneakers and underwear only once before discarding them. But the Kenyan in Mayweather’s team says the man nicknamed “Money” is not all about, well, the money. “He has helped thousands of poor people and each Christmas and Thanksgiving, he feeds the poor in the city. He does not do things for people to notice and he’s a very warm person.” — By Elias Makori

feature

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

Lifestyle 7

Mayweather’s ‘Money Team’ Unbeaten world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather after his most recent fight. PHOTO | AFP

Kenyan light heavyweight boxer Douglas Otieno (left), Mayweather and Grace. PHOTO | COURTESY

wield spit buckets, or mop sweat on demand, or smear petroleum jelly into the champion’s nostrils, or cook his food, or place his wagers, or carry his championship belts into the ring.” The journalist noted that apart from celebrities, the team includes computer experts, college graduates, photographers and businessmen. There are also “massive bodyguards” earning $150,000 (Sh12.7 million) a year and boxing insiders who are sometimes awarded with diamondstudded platinum watches as bonuses. “They are Mayweather’s family , like his uncle John Sinclair, the camp masseur. They are his specialised employees, like James “P-Reala” Mcnair, the CEO of Mayweather’s Philthy Rich Records. They are his old friends like assistant trainer Nate Jones, Mayweather’s 1996 US Olympic team-mate,” the journalist wrote. Last September, an article in UK’s Daily Mail noted that the boxer’s entourage “typically includes at least 20 associates who spend most of their time waiting for Mayweather to determine what happens next”. “We don’t know what we’re doing until we do it,” one of his assistants told the British paper.

Reacting to Mayo’s comment, Mayweather maintained that he had close affiliation with his employees who “would go to war for me.” “And it’s just like any other business. I’ve got disgruntled employees, people that are upset, and when they leave the company they’ve got something negative to say, or make up lies,” he said. Nabwire agrees with Mayweather and denies that the boxing superstar would treat her or the rest of The Money Team in a condescending manner.

Cancer charity

“Mayweather is a great guy to work for and he has a big heart. Before the fight against Maidana, for instance, he donated $50,000 (Sh4.3 million) to a cancer charity,” she says. She explains that the star has people from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and many other nationalities working for him because he wants to reach out to Africa. “He’s gonna retire as the best ever boxer and I’m extremely proud to be part of his team,” she says. She adds that nobody around Mayweather can ever be sad as he works hard to make everyone happy.

Nonetheless, Mayweather remains a colourful figure, making headlines for his lavish lifestyle, legal challenges and controversial comments. Nabwire believes she could not have achieved much in America without the of her family. Her elder sister, Betty, for example, is a ed nurse but is also involved in show business. “She helped me get into entertainment through her husband DJ Burt. They bring artistes to USA and they are currently working on Wyre’s tour here,” she says. Besides show business, Nabwire loves fishing, a hobby she took up while living in Kenya’s flood-prone Budalang’i. “I love fishing and I love the life that I led in Budalang’i as I also used to go to Lake Victoria a lot. Even here in the US, when I’m bored, I go out fishing,” says Nabwire, who also enjoys playing basketball and bowling. A teetotaller, Nabwire’s advice to Kenyan youths is to dream big and chase their dreams. “We have great talent in Kenya and in Africa. I’ve been dancing since I was in my mummy’s tummy and I’m proud of where this has taken me so far.”

THE BOXER

Sh6.2 bn

Moneybags rules Las Vegas In 2012, a Nevada court postponed the jailing of Floyd Mayweather Jnr for a few months after his lawyer successfully argued that the boxer’s professional fight was commercially critical to the city of Las Vegas in Nevada. Judge Melissa Saragosa agreed with lawyer Richard Wright that the boxing champion’s domestic violence conviction and his subsequent jailing would hurt the economy of Las Vegas. The judge ruled that the boxer’s reporting date could be delayed to allow him fight on May 5 in a super light middleweight title bout against Cuba’s Miguel Cotto, a fight that Mayweather won on points at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Mayweather had been convicted of

battering his ex-girlfriend and, after defeating Cotto, the boxer presented himself to the Clark County Detention Centre in Las Vegas on June 1 to begin his 87-day sentence and was released on August 3. Should the boxer have been jailed ahead of the Cotto fight, the Las Vegas economy would have lost over $100 million (Sh8.6 billion) in revenue from the fight. “When Floyd fights here, it’s different. There’s an electricity you can’t describe. Staging an event like this is important not only to our hotel but to the entire city,” Richard Sturm, the president of sports and events at the MGM Grand, told the BCC early this month. “We have a lot of great events, and I

mean great events, and they’re all very important to us. But a Mayweather fight here is one of a kind. It’s the best we have.” Kenyan Grace Nabwire Haukwa, a member of Mayweather’s “The Money Team”, says a Mayweather fight month sees prices of services quadruple in Las Vegas. “Las Vegas is not expensive, it’s the lifesyle that’s expensive,” she told Lifestyle on telephone from Las Vegas last week. “Hotels here cost on average $45 a night (Sh3,900) but on a Mayweather fight month, revenues quadruple as hotel prices, for instance, go as high as $300 to $1,000 (Sh25,800Sh86,000),” she explains.

Amount of money Floyd Mayweather earned from his two wins against Robert Guerrero and Canelo Alvarez, last year

Nabwire adds: “The same as flights. If a return ticket from another state to Las Vegas costs $300 (Sh25,800), in a Mayweather fight month, the tickets will go up to $1,000 (Sh86,000).” That Mayweather has some interesting habits has long been known. He has itted that he does not fly with his bodyguards in his private Gulfstream V because he fears their weight might bring the plane down. Instead, he charters a separate jet for them. And, according to a September 2013 article in the Daily Mail, he has two sets of identical luxury vehicles that are colour-coded to help him

whether he is in Las Vegas or Miami. And that is before one even mentions his Cadillac golf cart. The boxer also reportedly wears his sneakers and underwear only once before discarding them. But the Kenyan in Mayweather’s team says the man nicknamed “Money” is not all about, well, the money. “He has helped thousands of poor people and each Christmas and Thanksgiving, he feeds the poor in the city. He does not do things for people to notice and he’s a very warm person.” — By Elias Makori

8 Lifestyle

Sunday May 18, 2014 SUNDAY NATION

diary

Bound by four generations of surgery

A

I DID NOT TELL MUM AND DAD BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN ME TO DR KITUR AND I WOULD HAVE MISSED

I opened the wound and was confronted by torrential haemorrhage. “Here is the bullet,” I said. It was lodged between torn muscles.

long surgical practice may not have huge monetary rewards, or earn one a longservice gold medal, but it is very gratifying as I discovered recently when Dr Ogutu rang me one morning. “Now this might sound like asking the Pope to carry out a christening, but I wonder if you can circumcise a baby I delivered last night. You have operated on three generations of the Karanja Family and they insist that you do the operation.” To acquaint my readers with the time span, I must take them back to a surgery I carried out on 40-year-old Mrs Karanja in 1961. Kenya was still a British Colony, but the drums of Uhuru had been sounded. The population of the country was seven million, out of which only 300,000 lived in Nairobi. There were neither traffic jams nor traffic lights in the city, no matatus, no grilles on the windows and no walls around the houses. Mzee Jomo Kenyatta had just been released from detention and the avenue subsequently named after him was then called Lord Delamere Avenue. It was in that historical milieu that I was rung one night by Dr Tom Mathews. “I have a lady here who, but for the fact that she is African, I would have labelled an acute case of cholecystitis.” Dr Mathews was referring to the racial, regional and ethnic bias which diseases also suffer from. In those days, though gall stones, duodenal ulcers and coronaries were rampant among the expatriate community, they were uncommon amongst the indigenous people. So although the clinical picture of Mrs Karanja was that of classical inflammation of the gall bladder, probably packed with gall stones, Dr Matthew was reluctant to put that label on her. “I am itting her to the hospital with instructions to call you when she arrives,” he added. Acute cholecystitis − the inflammation of the gall bladder − is a dire surgical emergency and cannot brook any delay. I rushed to the hospital to see Mrs Karanja. Seated by the side of the bed was an anxious lad. “I am Peter, Mrs Karanja’s son,” he got up respectfully and introduced himself as he saw the ward sister and me approach his mother’s bed. I took a brief history from the ill-looking lady and examined her. There was no doubt she was a case of acute cholecystitis. “Dr Mathews is right,” I said to the patient and her son. “We need to do an urgent operation to remove that gall bladder.” “Does it have to be an operation? Are there no drugs?” Mrs Karanja asked.

SCHOOL” —

Dr Kitur. “Jambo, mwalimu,” Dr Kitur greeted me. “Elisha has acute appendicitis and on asking the father if he had a favourite surgeon, he told me that I should it her under your care and he would you himself. He tells me that you have operated on him and his mother in the past.” Elisha was 11 years old, a school girl and a spit image of her paternal grandmother. She reminded me of Mrs Karanja, whose gall bladder I had plucked out about 40 years ago. “I woke up with this pain on my right side,” Elisha told me, pointing to her abdomen when I went to see her. “I did not tell my mum and dad because they would have taken me to Dr Kitur and I would have missed school ...” For a girl of her age, she was very articulate and logical. “... But when I started throwing up during my geography class, my teacher rang my mum who took me to see the doctor. He diagnosed me with appendicitis, and so here I am.” After asking Elisha various questions and examining her, I said to her: “Your appendix is as bad as your grand-mum’s gall bladder and it needs to come out, and quickly too.” Mr Karanja readily signed the consent form and a couple of hours later Elisha had lost her appendix to me! Thankfully, I did not see the Karanjas professionally until about the end of last year, over a decade after I had done the appendicectomy on Elisha − when Dr Ogutu rang to ask me to carry out a circumcision on the newborn boy he had delivered.

Different coats, same fit

Fear on their faces

“Dr Mathews is an excellent doctor and if he could have treated you with drugs, he would not have called me in,” I replied. “Can it wait?” Peter inquired. “My father is upcountry and will be here tomorrow.” “From my examination, I find that your mother’s gall bladder is both inflamed and blocked by a stone. There is real danger of it bursting, in which case, infected bile and pus will spill inside her tummy and cause fulminating peritonitis.” I don’t know if mother or son understood the technical I used but I could see the fear on their faces. They had a brief conversation amongst themselves in their tribal dialect and agreed to my proposal. At operation I found what I had suspected, a grossly inflamed gall bladder, filled with stones, blocked by one and almost ready to rupture. The next morning, I rang Dr Mathews. “That was a clever diagnosis,” I complemented him. “Despite being African, she was a case of acute cholecystitis. I removed her gall bladder last night. I am sure this is the beginning of a clinical pathology happily getting blurred in our country.” All was well on the surgical front for 20 years until August 1982 − on the night of

elisha

SURGEON’S DIARY, IN ITS 34TH YEAR

yusuf k. dawood

the coup − when I received a phone call from the Accident and Emergency department. “I have a 36-year-old man here, hit by a stray bullet which is lodged in his thigh,” Dr Patel informed me. “I opened his wound in the Casualty Department and found that in the depth of the wound there is a large bleeder and quickly applied a pressure bandage to stop the haemorrhage. I am afraid his wound needs to be explored in the main theatre, under general anaesthesia, and the bleeding stopped.” Then, as if he read my mind, he added: “His mother has arrived in the hospital, having been informed by his friends who were with him and she wants me to call you. She says that you removed her gall bladder about 20 years ago.” The news about the coup had not spread yet and I was blissfully ignorant of the danger I was exposing myself to as I drove to the hospital that night. There, I saw Peter with his mother, Margaret Wambui Karanja. I greeted them, subtly noting their roles had been reversed. The last time, a healthy son had accompanied a very sick mother. This time it was the son who had been shot and his mother

was sitting by his side. “I won’t open your wound here again because Dr Patel has given me all the details. I will do so in the theatre and deal with it while you are asleep,” I said to Peter and both he and his panic-stricken mother nodded in agreement. “The bullet must have hit an artery,” I said to my anaesthetist after he had put Peter “under”. I opened the wound and was confronted by torrential haemorrhage. “Here is the bullet,” I said. It was lodged between torn muscles. “And here is the profundus branch of the femoral artery, which has been ripped through and is bleeding furiously,” I added. I was just thinking aloud, mentioning to my anaesthetist that the deep branch of the main artery of the lower limb had been injured by the bullet and needed to be repaired. A lull of another 20 years and we were now in the new millennium when Mr Peter Karanja rang me. “My daughter has been diagnosed with acute appendicitis,” he informed me, “and needs surgery urgently, according to our family doctor.” So saying, he handed the receiver to

“You might consider it a very minor surgery for a surgeon of your calibre,” Dr Ogutu added as I reflected on my long relationship with the Karanjas. “Not at all,” I replied. “I am delighted that you called me.” When I went to see the baby, the Sister in the maternity ward took me to see the mother. It was Elisha, a mother at 22, proudly holding her baby. Not much was said except for me to congratulate her. As I circumcised the little boy later in the week, I reflected on how much our country has progressed since Independence. Amongst other measures, male and female circumcisions carried out by medicinemen, resulting in great morbidity, sometimes even mortality, had been replaced by procedures carried out in sterile operating theatres by qualified surgeons. Happily the repugnant practice was gradually fading away for girls. Notwithstanding this modernisation, traditions were still maintained as became apparent when the celebrations for the birth and circumcision of the boy were carried out at the Karanja Farm. I met all the four generations in one frame there. The matriarchal Mrs Karanja in all her geriatric glory who I reckoned to be around 90 years, was sitting with her brood around her. Peter Karanja, her firstborn, was busy welcoming guests; Elisha and her husband were seating them. Personally I felt like how her Majesty Queen Elizabeth must have felt at the birth of Prince George. I, too, had a great grandchild − professionally speaking – if not in the blood line!

humour JOKES Macadam - The first Scotsman. Tarmacadam - The first road. *** Old hairdressers never die, they just braid away.

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

Strategic lifestyle shift in my bold, new world

Old teachers never die, they just grade away. Old gardeners never die, they just spade away. *** Do it now - later it will be against the law. ILLUSTRATION | JOHN NYAGA

People who take care never get anywhere. Take a chance, take charge, take control! *** Today’s decisions are tomorrow’s realities. *** A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. *** Uncle: For fifty years I had my nose to the grindstone. Nephew: Gosh, it must have been a really big one to start with. *** Toots: What is the bump on your head? Winker: Oh that’s where a thought struck me. *** Sarah: Look who’s coming up the street – my husband and my boyfriend. Martha: I was about to say the same thing. *** Richard: How long is the Wimp Convention in town? Khan: Until they wreak havoc happily ever after. *** Secretary: I need a new typewriter. Boss: Why Secretary: This one makes too many mistakes. Compiled by Deja Vu [email protected]

Lifestyle 9

A STAFFROOM DIARY

mwalimu andrew

s expected, my first week as a deputy heaster had challenges here and there – or teething problems, as Pius would call them. I had known that some of my colleagues, out of jealousy, would not be too happy with my promotion but little did I know that some of them would set out to sabotage my work. Others, like Madam Ruth and Lutta, were out to insubordinate me. But I was not going to take it lying down. The two were reluctant to discharge any of the assignments I gave them, with Lutta going to the extent of inciting other good teachers like Tito not to follow my lawful instructions. Then there is the case of Kwame. After being informed that he had been demoted to a classroom teacher, Kwame immediately asked for a transfer. He was asked to find a teacher who was willing to swap places with him for that to happen. Sources intimate to my source at Hitler’s would later tell me how Kwame had sworn not to continue serving at Mwisho wa Lami with me as the deputy. “I can’t report to that boyfriend of Bensouda,” he allegedly told all and sundry at the den. When I heard of this, I was very angry and called Bensouda to tell her what people were saying . “Relax,” she said. “With your success, people will always talk ill of you. Ignore them.” Kwame did not come to school for two days and when he did, he did nothing. I wasn’t very sure how to deal with that, given that he was the immediate previous deputy HM, so I let him be. But Bensouda told me that it was my responsibility to ensure that Kwame worked just like other teachers.

Clicked and walked away

“Until he gets another school, he is still a teacher here so you need to treat him like any other teacher. He is not special,” she said. The next day, I called him to my office and gave him a long lecture, reminding him of his responsibilities. He just clicked and left my office. He went to see Lutta with whom he spoke for a long time. Last weekend, I went looking for Kizito.

Kizito is a former college of mine who is currently a deputy heaster at a neighbouring school. I wanted to learn from him how he had fared when he was promoted. We agreed to meet on Saturday afternoon. “Sawa, tuonane kwa Hitler saa nane,” I told him. “No, let’s do it at Cosmos Bar,” he said. I found him already seated at Cosmos, taking his third Allsops. “Congratulations on your promotion to glory,” he said, his arm stretched out in greeting. “You are welcome,” I answered, not very sure if that was what I was supposed to say. Since I was broke, I ordered for Keg but was told it is no longer being sold so I ordered for Stoney madiaba. It’s only after Kizito chided me that I ordered for an Allsops.

Pet talk

“So how are things?” Kizito asked. “Don’t even talk,” I told him. “Work is good but the other teachers seem unwilling to me. I think ni wivu.” “Don’t worry,” he said. “I also went through the same but you can handle it.” I asked him to explain how I would do that. “The mistake you made is that you did not change your lifestyle, and yet you expect to be obeyed. Make some changes so that the teachers see you differently, then they will respect you,” he said. “What should I change?” “You need to change many things. For example, you wanted us to meet at Hitler’s yet that is where Lutta, Saphire and Tito frequent. How can they respect you if you go drinking with them? “You don’t want to have Tito on Monday asking you what time you go home. Make sure that the only place you meet is at school. Let them see your life become very different from theirs, and you will have earned their respect,” he advised. We discussed at length the various aspects of my life that needed change and after an hour, I came up with a list of things that I would be changing. Below are some of them: Dress Code: Out with the old, in with the new. As an indication of my changed status, I am making a strategic shift from green Kaunda suits to sky blue Kaunda suits. Ex-

AS AN INDICATION OF MY CHANGED STATUS, I AM MAKING A STRATEGIC SHIFT FROM GREEN KAUNDA SUITS TO SKY BLUE ONES. EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS SHOWED ME THAT BLUE IS THE COLOUR OF AUTHORITY...” — Dre tensive research has showed me that blue is the colour of authority, presence and power. I, therefore, measured three high quality, blue polyester Kaunda suits, the first of which has already been delivered. The second will be delivered after I have fully paid for the first one, which will be sometime in July, after which the third will follow. The transition will be slow but by March 2016, I will only be having blue Kaunda suits. Transport: As deputy heaster, I cannot walk to and from school, nor should I be meeting with other teachers at the bicycle repairer’s fixing the bike’s inner tube. I sold my relatively new, size 36 Raleigh bicycle to Tito, walked to ART last Monday, and walked away out with a brand new TVS motorcycle on hire purchase. Nyayo still ferries me around but I am learning quickly and will be self-reliant in the next two weeks. Shopping: It would be shameful to be meeting other teachers at the kiosk trying to borrow or balance my debts. Going forward, I will only be shopping at Mama Watoto Supermarket at the county headquarters when I go for my salary. Any mid-month shopping will be done at Kim’s wholesale at the Mwisho wa Lami market centre. Food and beverages: A deputy heaster must eat a balanced diet. That is why last Monday, I asked Fiolina, the laugh of my life, to draw up a food timetable. I reminded her to ensure that matumbo and omena appeared at least four times a week. There will be no more strungi and sukuma wiki was to be done away with – unless it is an accompaniment to matumbo. As for drinks, I committed to ensure that juice and soda are always available in the house: juice for our domestic consumption and soda for any visiting VIPs. Friends: The wise men said that “show me a man’s friends and I will show you the man’s values”. To show my true values, I will no longer associate with people who add no value to me. Goodbye Nyayo, Rasto, Saphire, Alphayo and your ilk. Welcome to my world Kizito, Bensouda and Pius. As advised by Kizito, I will only visit Hitler’s if investigating a certain matter. Otherwise, Cosmos, Kasuku and Teachers Tavern will, going forward, be my watering holes of choice. I must only interact with polished people, and intelligent discussions can only come up in such serene environments. With these changes, I am sure the teachers in Mwisho wa Lami will start seeing me in a different perspective and once this happens, I will automatically earn their respect, and obedience. And together we will take this school to the next level. Welcome to my new world. [email protected] www.facebook.com/mwisho-walami

A graduate of Wesleyan University, Benjamin Skinner has worked as a journalist covering Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. A Crime so Monstrous is his first book.

10 Lifestyle 10 Life

Sunday May 18, 2014 SUNDAY NATION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

books&culture

Religious fanaticism, modern-day slave trade and terrorism In and outside of war, rapes happen, people leave home to enter into bondage, sex workers are exploited and tortured, young soldiers are made... and terror goes on

BY TOM ODHIAMBO

O

Tom.odhiambo.uonbi.ac.ke

ften, journalists and commentators miss the relationship between religious fundamentalism and commerce. Sometimes reports on groups such as Al Qaeda, Al Shabaab, the Taliban or Boko Haram simply appear disinterested in the fact that behind claims to religious exceptionalism that drives these organisations, are economics and money. The Taliban may have terrorised millions of Afghans into religious and political submission but they were also interested in the money that came from the poppy fields. The Al Shabaab aren’t just boys. Some of its are scheming businessmen interested in how much they could make on the Somali coastline and from exports. Now, the Boko Haram has declared that it will “sell into slavery/marriage” the more than 200 girls that it abducted in northern Nigeria. Today, religious fundamentalism is complex and complicated enough to adopt and adapt to changes as may be needed. So, whereas some religious fundamentalists like Boko Haram may call Western education — and Christianity — heathen and, therefore, undesirable under their spiritual/political jurisdiction, they won’t shy away from using technology and knowledge developed by the same Western world. This is the irony of Boko Haram — abducting school girls to sell into slavery, and then announcing their terrorist intentions and acts for global consumption, using the Internet. But it is the relationship between fundamentalism — or what es as fundamentalism — modern slavery and business that should really bother agencies fighting terrorism today, as well as the rest of the society. The young men who are recruited to be trained as terrorists are nothing but spiritual/psychological slaves. But more insidious is that in some cases these organisations also mutate into global business networks that make money from smuggling goods and people across the world, selling

contraband goods, levying taxes in regions where they are established, running extortion rackets and so on. This is the sense in which Boko Haram’s activities should partly be seen. To appreciate how insidious modern slavery is, and how and why groups like Boko Haram and Al Shabaab may find enslavement appealing as a way of earning income and recruiting followers, one needs to read Benjamin Skinner in A Crime So Monstrous (2008). Slavery is a global business; a commercial empire that earns its perpetrators billions of dollars yearly. Skinner writes: “Beginning in the 1990s, human trafficking metastasised faster than any other form of slave trade in history. As many as two million people leave their homes and entered bondage every year. Some crossed international borders; many did not. Human beings sured guns as the second most lucrative commodity for crime syndicates of all sizes, netting around $10 billion annually...” These figures may appear exaggerated. But probably they really are understated simply because Skinner may not have had the correct data. Very few organisations really know the true extent of modern slavery although the media and human rights organisations repeatedly report that it’s widespread. But one can guess; one can begin with the abduction of the 200 plus girls by the Boko Haram. If one uses the Nigerian case as an example of forced enslavement — yes, there is voluntary slavery — in a country that is really not at war, what about the figures of women, children and men abducted and sold into slavery in countries at war? Think of how many Congolese, Ugandans, Somalis, Sudanese are in bondage due to wars in their countries? Think of the thousands of women in the Congo today held as sex slaves, the black Sudanese who have been enslaved since the Pharaonic times, the hundreds of Kenyans who go to work in the Middle East and come back home with horror stories of torture, rape and starvation. Think of the children who beg for upkeep; of those women who ask for shilingi kumi on Uhuru Highway; of the disabled in wheelchairs begging for alms...

...SLAVERY IS AN INDUSTRY AND ONCE THERE IS A MARKET, THOSE WHO RUN IT WILL LOOK FOR SUPPLY” — Dr Odhiambo

ASIAN SCENE

Play on icon’s life to be staged today

But the Boko Haram case should scare us all because religion is being cited to justify the abduction of these young girls. Because they are seeking knowledge from non-believers, in the eyes of Boko Haram, they deserve to be forced from school and forced into marriage. Now, compare this case to that of the young boys who are being recruited to fight on behalf of, say, Al Shabaab. Are these youths converted voluntarily or are they forcibly indoctrinated into becoming forced believer?

The Cover of A Crime so Monstrous.

PHOTO | TOM ODHIAMBO

Why we need to be scared

Once they become followers of the preachers and their commanders in the great modern crusade of jihad, do they get to decide whether their actions are for the good of the society or the benefit of the few who influence their minds and actions or even opt out? No, they don’t because slave owners don’t voluntarily let go of their vassals. We need to be scared of this monster precisely because, as Skinner warns, slavery is an industry and once those who run it find a market — for prostitutes, sweatshop hands, farm-hands, smugglers, mercenaries, soldiers, labourers, house helps etc — they will look for supply. Skinner’s A Crime So Monstrous is based on research that involved travelling around the world, meeting people who had been enslaved and had freed themselves or had been “redeemed”, as well as talking to those in bondage. It is a book that policy makers and anybody whose everyday job is to guard against the abuse of human rights should read and keep.

Dr Odhiambo teaches literature at the University of Nairobi.

NEWS IN BRIEF European Film Festival in Nairobi The Kenyan chapter of the 23rd European Film Festival was officially opened on Monday at the Alliance Française in Nairobi. The event included the screening of the opening film, Brides (2004), directed by Greek Pantelis Voulgaris and produced by American Martin Scorsese. Twenty critically acclaimed films from 14 European countries will be on the menu, with all being shown at the Alliance Française’s auditorium.

The European Film Festival presents an opportunity for cinema lovers to experience Europe’s diverse cultures. This 23rd edition will close on June 1. Documentary for next Ten Cities The monthly Ten Cities Screening Series, which shows numerous feature films and documentaries focusing on different aspects of club and sub-culture around the globe, is ongoing in Nairobi. As part of it, the Goethe-Institut

ATAMJIT SINGH, a wellversed and distinguished Punjabi Indian theatre personality, is in town. Theatre lovers have an opportunity to see and listen to him in a recital this afternoon at Oshwal Centre’s auditorium in Westlands. The playwright and director has been invited by Asian African Heritage Trust to recite an original Punjabi play, “Mungu Comrade”, in Hindi. The play is based on the life and times of Makhan Singh (below), our very own father of the trade union movement. Atamjit infuses the play as a voice from the audience as he participates in a discussion with the characters on stage. This rare mode of presentation will certainly provide the Kenyan audience with a novel experience.

will screen SubBerlin, a documentary that traces the history of Berlin’s famous club Tresor from its beginning in the early 1990s to the closure of its original location in 2005. Individuals interested in attending the free screening may request invitation by writing to moritz.kasper @nairobi.goethe.org. Biopic on Hemingway shot in Cuba An film on American writer Ernest Hemingway’s life has become the first full-length Hollywood film shot in Cuba in 55

years. Papa, a story of the US writer’s friendship with a young journalist in 1950s Havana, won a licence from the US Treasury exempting it from the trade embargo that has been in place since Castro came to power, the Hollywood Reporter wrote. Hemingway’s bibliography includes The Sun Also Rises (1926) and Green Hills of Africa (1935). Compiled by Carlos Mureithi; @CarlosMureithi

From my understanding, Atamjit’s “Mungu Comrade” is not the story of one man; rather, it is the story of every man in every age that has stood for a noble cause. The play has been performed in India and Europe, including Britain, to great acclaim. In a statement, Makhan Singh’s son, Hindpal Singh Jabbal, said “Mungu Comrade” is inspired by a biography of Makhan, Unquiet, written by Zarina Patel, and that the presentation is part of his father’s centenary celebration. Chief Justice Willy Mutunga will be guest of honour at the show beginning at 3p.m. today. Interested readers can reach Manmit Jabbal on 0733 510 581. Elsewhere, the entertaining Nairobi University Students Hindu Association will present a dance recital at Oshwal Centre’s auditorium on May 24 in aid of the medical department of Kenyatta National Hospital. Allaudin Qureshi; allaudin_ [email protected]

Leisure 11

SUNDAY NATION Sunday May 18, 2014

CINEMA GUIDE

TELEVISION

5:00 Al-Jazeera 6:00 Tumsifu 7:45 Vision Of Glory 8.15 Melodia Mix 9:00 Qusifu

12:00 Vipasho 12:05 Gozomo 1:00 Toleo La Mchana 1:30 Bunge la Wazalendo 2:05 VIPASHO 2:05 Maximum Miracles 2:30 Movie: Sin No More - Marudio 3.05 Movie: Sin No More - Marudio 4:00 Vipasho

CITIZEN TV 5:00 Pambazuka 8:00 Gospel Sunday Live 13:00 Live At 1 13:30 Shamba Shape Up 14:00 Inspekta Mwala - Classics 14:30 Tahidi High - Classics 15:00 Machachari - Classics 15:30 Papa Shirandula - Classics 16:00 Mother In Law - Classics 16:30 Mashtaka 17:00 Naswa 17:30 Don’t Mess with Kansiime - Rpt 18:00 The Wedding Show 19:00 Nipashe Wikendi 19:45 Mother In-law 20:15 Wild at Heart 21: 00 Sunday Live 22:00 The Tempest 23: 00 Afrosinema 00:00 Citizen Late Night News 1:00 Afrosinema KTN TV 6:00 Tukuza Live Gospel Show 9:00 Voice of Jubilee 1:00 Lunch Time News 1:30 Sunday Animated Classics: 3:00 Roses and Throns 4:00 Mbiu Ya KTN 4:10 Roses and Throns5:00 Samantha Bridal Show 6:00 Property Show

4:05 Sakata Rumba 5:00 Maisha Bure - Marudio 6:00 MOTO Marudio 7:10 Joboz 7:30 Karibu Customer 8.00 Mwisho Juma Na Walibora 8:30 Mkulima Ni Ujuzi - Marudio 9:30 Movie: End of Battle - Marudio 12:00 Al-Jazeera

6:30 KTN Leo 7:30 Junior 8:00 Los Rey 9:00 KTN Weekend Prime 10:20 Movie 11:00 Baseline 12:00 IAAF/CNN KBC TV 5.00 BBC News 6.30 In Touch Ministry 7.00 Winning Ways Ministry 7.30 Kuna Nuru Gizani 8.00 God’s Power Church 8.30 Hope In Him 9.00 Celebration Times 9.30 Jijenge Imani Yako 10.00 Gospel Hour 11.00 Homegrown -live 1.00 Kbc Lunchtime News 1.30 The Bible Jesus Pt 2 2.30 Classmates Rpt 3.00 Jee Huu Ni Ungwana? Rpt 3.30 Sing And Shine 4.40 Easter Music 5.30 Vitimbi 6.00 Together On The Move 7.00 Taarifa 7.30 Makavazi 8.00 Taj Show 9.00 Kbc Channel 1 News 9.45 Turning Point 11.00 CCTV 12.00 Gospel Hour 12.30 BBC World News

NAIROBI

FOX CINEPLEX-SARIT CENTRE

SCREEN II “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (3D) (P/G) 11AM, 1.45PM, 6.40PM, 9.15PM “THE OTHER WOMAN” (U/16) 4.30PM CENTURY CINEMAX JUNCTION, NGONG ROAD SCREEN I “LEGO” (G/E) 10AM “CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER” (2D) (16) 12PM “THE OTHER WOMAN” (2D) (16) 2.30PM, 4.40PM, 7PM, 9.20PM SCREEN II “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (3D) (PG) 11AM “GODZILLA” (3D) (U16) 1.40PM, 4.20PM, 7PM,9.40PM

N-SOKO PROPERTY SHOW @ 5:30PM: Focus on

Mombasa County

CODEWORD Each number in our codeword grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 21 represents W so fill in W every time the figure 21 appears. You have one letter in the control grid to start you off. Enter it in the appropriate squares in the main grid, and then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them. Solution in next week’s paper.

SCREEN I “RIO 2” (2D) (G/E) 11AM “GODZILLA” (3D) (TABA) 1.45PM, 6.55PM, 9PM “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (3D) (P/G) 4.10PM

TODAY 5:00 One Cubed 6:00 One Voice 6:30 Nairobi Chapel 7:30 Kingdom Seekers 8:00 Rudicci 8:30 Murugu Herbal 9:00 Tabibu 9:30 Refreshing Times 10:00 Crossover 101 1:00 NTV at 1 1:30 #The Trend - RPT 3:00 OffSide - RPT 3:30 Churchill Raw - RPT 4:30 Woman Without Limits 5:30 N- Soko Property Show 6:00 Mali - RPT 7:00 NTV Jioni 7:30 The XYZ Show 8:00 Churchill Show 9:00 NTV Weekend Edition 10:00 Movie: Spider’s Web 12:00 Movie: CNN

SUDOKU

SCREEN III “RIO 2” (2D) (G/E) 10.30AM, 12.30PM, 2.30PM, 4.40PM “CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER” (2D) (U16) 6.50PM, 9.30PM SCREEN IV “NON STOP” (2D) (P/G) 10.30AM, 7.40PM “ENDLESS LOVE” (16) 12.20PM “DIVERGENT” (2D) (P/G) 2.20PM “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (2D) (PG) 5PM, 9.40PM

Sudoku with Steers

Two winners win a Free Meal with Steers daily on 20567!

Fill in the 3 shaded digits and send the values ABC to 20567 for your chance to win a Free Meal wih Steers. Start the SMS with the word Sudoku e.g Sudoku 1,2,3 Check your Wednesday paper to see if you are a winner. Winners will be ed directly by Steers within 2 weeks to receive their prize. SMS cost: 10/=

Yesterday’s solution

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

SENIOR CROSSWORD

Movie: Godzilla

ACROSS

DOWN

Last Week’s Solution

1 Checkout lines (8) 9 Notice lease includes cover for home er (8) 10 Nice road after start of the straight (4) 11 Depressed by putting in order for carpeting (8,4) 13 Quiet craftsman showing favouritism (8) 15 Strangely silent coves (6) 16 A Spaniard’s positive answer from a large part of the world (4) 17 Tips from the French politicians (5) 18 Conceited individual in commercial transport (4) 20 Rest room for boys — that’s inside (6) 21 Dull finish to her old hat (8) 23 One-way ticket, given with no assistance (6-6) 26 A route out of the office (4) 27 Copper leans on head of organisation supplying specialist doctors (8) 28 Plea to have dinner during introduction (8)

2 Music bosses are idiots (8) 3 Direct grant in trouble welcomes one financial assessment (6,6) 4 Several grebes for example (6) 5 Speaks, for example, on Origin of Species (4) 6 Terrible hiding in case of serious wild parties (8) 7 Ban Doctor Who at last (4) 8 Put up with error from substitutes (6,2) 12 End of term speech engagement (8,4) 14 How to identify people caught in a mess? (5) 16 Trick dismissing one for a reference (8) 17 Presides over spread (8) 19 One runs twice with it, to worker’s annoyance (8) 22 Small-scale, but majority, holding 25% of deposits (6) 24 Nothing seen in rising star shows common sense (4) 25 Storage space retaining room for an altar (4)

Across

Down

1 Hallucinate 9 Melodrama 10 Swing 11 Record 12 Attendee 13 Magpie 15 Circular 18 Paraguay 19 Angora 21 Athletic 23 Cubism 26 Ibiza 27 Tarpaulin 28 Eurosceptic

1 Humdrum 2 Lilac 3 Underling 4 Imam 5 Abattoir 6 Ensue 7 Bugbear 8 Gershwin 14 Consulate 16 Vindaloo 17 Canister 18 Pianist 20 Almanac 22 Inlet 24 Evade 25 Iris

IMAX XX CENTURY CINEMAS, 20TH CENTURY PLAZA “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” 7AM, 9.50AM, 12.40PM, 3.30PM 6.20PM, 9.10PM, 12AM KISUMU

PLANET MEDIA CINEMAS, NAKUMATT MEGA CITY MALL SCREEN I “300 RISE OF AN EMPIRE” (16) 3.40PM, 5.45PM, 8.30PM SCREEN II “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (3D) 1.30PM, 6.10PM “GODZILLA” (P/G) 11.10AM, 3.50PM, 8.40PM MOMBASA

NYALI CINEMA “2 STATES” 10.30AM “REVOLVER RANI” 10.45AM, 9PM “GODZILLA” (3D) 1.45PM, 4.15PM, 6.45PM “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (2D) 3PM “THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN 2” (3D) 6PM

PHANTOM

FLASH GORDON

POPEYE

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Sunday Nation May 18, 2014

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What You Say?

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It’s Storytime...

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Did You Know?

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Sports Time

Meet the multi-talented Renee Renee has excelled in both sports and academics. BY MWORIA MUCHINA [email protected]

R

enee Shashikant Kachra, 14, is a perfect example of an all-rounder pupil. Since she won her first award in a handwriting competition at the tender age of five, Reene has never looked back. She has won many more trophies, medals and certificates in sports

like cycling, chess, soccer, netball, taekwondo, as well as in academics, essay writing, and drawing competitions, music, floral design and Bharat Natyam, an Indian classical dance. The origins of Bharat Natyam dates back more than 2,000 years. It was nurtured in the great temples of In-

dia as a sacred ritual, patronised in the courts of kings and celebrated through sculptures and paintings, poetry and song. “That first award made me want to always succeed,” says Renee in an interview with ‘Young Nation’.

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young nation editor says...

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s a child, it is somehow difficult to make an ultimate decision on what you want to be when you grow up. That is the time when you find out that you have so much interest in everything. A child can be good in soccer, basketball, chess, cycling, music and acting, all at the same time. How does one decide what you want to concentrate on at that age? What if you concentrate on soccer ad find out that you were much better as a swimmer instead? How can you make the right decision at that tender age, especially on what to concentrate on as a future career? If you move forward with everything, will give it your all? Those are some of the questions that we all get mixed up in. Career experts, however, recommends that it is always important to concentrate on what makes us happy first, or what we do best. In our cover story today, meet young Renee who is good at quite a number of things and has achieved a lot so far. Read our usual juicy and educative stories too. Have a great Sunday and week ahead.

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

pen pals

letters

Githinga Brian Preblo Academy Ikinu School P.O.BOX 2040 Kiambu. Age 13,

Learn to be organised Being organised is the best way to save time and to work smart. To achieve maximum output in a given activity, one needs to plan well. You need to plan which activity you need to give priority and which comes first and which one can wait. A candidate preparing for an exam should start preparing for the exams several weeks ahead. This helps the can-

didate to revise without panic and also give priority to the subjects he or she knows are hard to him or her. By so doing you give the brain enough time to grasp what you have learnt or revised. Always be organised and you will never go wrong. Wambugu Simon Rukwaro, Nyeri

- Congolese Proverb 2)) Dine with a stranger but save your love for your family. ~ Ethiopian proverb 3)) Don’t take another mouthful before you have swallowed what is

in your mouth. - Malagasy Proverb 4)) He who doesn’t clean his mouth before breakfast always complains that the food is sour. - African Proverb 5)) You cannot tell a hungry child that you gave him food yesterday. - Zimbabwean Proverb

Which health issue do you think affects most young people and why?

GROUP MANAGING EDITOR : Eric Obino EDITOR: Liz Gitonga-Wanjohi CONTRIBUTORS: Mworia Muchina, Patricia Mundia, Samuel Muigai, Steve Muthini, Sheila Okongo, Frankline Akhubula PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITOR:Joan Pereruan CHIEF GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Roger Mogusu DESIGNERS: Kenneth Kusimba, Oscar Anaswa Mutuura Ken Kamau

watching Movies, singing, traveling and cooking would like, penpals, from Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden and Nigeria.

Gitau Anne Wanagare Preblo Academy Ikinu P.O.BOX 2040 Kiambu. Age 13,

Jacinta Mwaniki Mutira Girls High School, P.O.BOX 223 Kerugoya. Age 17 Hobbies:

hiking, traveling, watching movies and playing tennis. Would like, penpals, from Rwanda, Sweden, Spain and India. Abigale Nanjala Bignet Educational Centre, P.O. BOX 21280 Nairobi. Age: 18 Hobbies:

traveling, dancing, watching football and swimming. Would like penpals from South Africa, Korea, Rwanda and Thailand.

Linet Wanjiku, Dr Kamundia Girls High School P.O.BOX 573 Nyeri. Age 16,

MUCHIRI

our team

Nyarua Brian Preblo Academy Ikinu P.O.BOX 2040 Kiambu. Age 14, Hobbies:

Hobbies: watching Movies, singing, traveling and socialing would like, penpals, from Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden and Nigeria.

quotes 1)) You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty.

Hobbies: watching Movies, singing, traveling and socialing would like, penpals, from Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden and Nigeria.

David Ochieng Were: Sexually transmited infections. This is because of increase in immoral tendencies like irresponsible sex and drug abuse. Hassan Malik Mohamed: Depression and identity crisis, and inadequate life skills. Dann Briann: Obesity, this is due to unhealthy eating habits.

Vallie Leo: They are many. There’s obesity because many young people like junk foods which cause diseases like cancer, diabetes. There is also drug abuse which causes addiction and other side effects. Evance Ouma: Malaria is so rampant especially among the infants due to their vulnerability and failure to apply safety measures by their parents.

Follow us on our Young Nation Facebook page

Hobbies: cooking, reading, and traveling hiking and watching movies. Would like, penpals, from Tanzania, USA, Mexico, Canada, and Tanzania. Sasha Atieno Bishop Okoth Girls, P. O. BOX 221 Siaya. Age 15 Hobbies: cooking,

watching wild animals, dancing, reading and listening to music. Would like Penpals from Sweden, Canada, USA, Uganda, and Australia.

Esther Mbulua, St Angelas Girls Secondary School P.O. BOX 179 Kitui. Age: 16

Hobbies: cooking, singing, swimming and playing tennis. Would like penpals from South Korea, India, Sweden and Burundi. Send penpal requests with photos to: My penpal, Young Nation, P. O. Box 49010 Nairobi

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May 18, 2014 sunday nation

The multi-talented Renee PHOTOS/MWORIA MUCHINA

Cover: Renee displays some of her trophies. Below: Renee playing the cello. In-set, right: Renee shows off one of her drawings.

And while still working hard to excel in whatever she does, Renee’s parents are at the moment looking to buy her a new cabinet for her awards since the one she has is already overflowing. “Whenever I do something either in competitions or in class, I always get my inspiration from the words said by the late Nelson Mandela that, the greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but rising every time you fall,” says Renne. But how has she managed at such a tender age to achieve all this and still excel in class work? “Self-motivation, self-discipline, and the ability to prioritise all the essential activities so as to manage and balance them,” says the Year Eight pupil at SCLP Samaj School, Nairobi. And when the ‘Young Nation’, visited her home recently, Renne, the first born in a family of three siblings, was busy playing a cello. A cello is an instrument of the violin family, held upright on the floor between the legs of the seated player. She is in Grade Four in playing this music instrument. In her music room, Renne also works hard to perfect her saxophone skills as she prepares to sit for her

Grade 4 Saxophone ABRSM exam. She hopes to the Kenya Orchestra by November. “My dream is to perfect playing the cello and saxophone since I want to be among the best performers in the Kenya Orchestra,” she says. Renne, who likes maths, physics, chemistry and English has won an international gold award in the Advance Students Roll (ASR) for children who have excelled in the Kumon Maths programme. She says her dream career lies in astronomy.

The love of nature

The talented youngster also loves nature and learned the floral design course, which has made her appreciate the art and beauty of flowers. In 2007, the Oshwal Education and Relief Board rewarded her after she raised Sh7,200 for planting most trees during a tree planting initiative. In 2010, she was awarded by the Karura Forest Environmental Education Centre for her participation in environmental conservation. In drawing, she has won many trophies and certificates. Last year, she won two nights at the Ark after her artwork emerged best in an art competition organised by Asia Weekly. She has also excelled in creative writing. In sports, Renne won her pre-tan black belt in November last year. She also plays competitive chess and netball practising every Friday at SwamiBapa Temple. In 2012, she led a team of 10 girls named Extreme Riders to cycle and help raise more than Sh60,000 during a Rhinothon competition organised to help in the conservation of rhinos. She took part in last year’s Standard Chartered marathon competing in the 21km race as well as the Mater Heart Run. At school, she is the school’s captain of the under-15 team. In chess, where she has

done very well, Renne has represented the country in various international events posting good results. In 2009, she represented the country in the 1st African Youth chess championship, in Cape Town, South Africa, in the under-10 girls category, before travelling to Antalya, Turkey to represent Kenya in the World Youth Chess Championship. In the following year, she was at it again sweeping the medal boards during the World Youth Chess Championship held in Halkidiki, Greece. In 2011, she carried the Kenyan flag high during the 3rd edition of the African Youth Chess Championship in Lusaka, Zambia. According to her, her best moment in chess has been competing with seniors during last year’s Samaj Chess tournament. “It’s good for children to be active in sports to help in them growing up healthy and also to help those who are talented outside the classroom to curve a niche in sports,” says Renne. Renne’s parents advises fellow parents that they should be ive and encourage their children in order to help them realise their full potential. And for Renne, with her right attitude, hard work and determination, the sky seems to be the limit.

happy birthday wishes CHLOE KHAYASI INGUTIA Nothing compares to the feeling of pride parents have when they see their little daughter grow up so wonderfully into a kind, young woman. No matter how many birthdays come and go, you will always be our little princess. Happy birthday wishes from dad Jeff Ingutia, mum Lilly Were, aunties Luizer, Virginia, Noel, Jacky, Julia, Hendricah and Agnes. MILAN CHEBET Happy fifth birthday Milan. You are a special gift to us. May you continue growing in body and wisdom, gaining favour with God and people. Wishes from mum Nduku, bro Thierry, auntie Ndanu, uncles Eric

REJOICE ROSE OMUCHEYI Happy birthday, Rejoice, as you turn four. May you live to be a God-fearing, caring, humble and loving daughter. May the Lord favour you in all your deeds as you celebrate your birthday. Best wishes from dad Readon, mum Irene, grandparents

and Kevin, grandparents Mary and Muema and all your friends. CINDY WANJIKU Happy fourth birthday, Princess. Know that you are loved by dad Charles, mum Alice, brothers Arnold and Ryan, uncles, aunties and grandparents. May God fill your life with good health, favour and wisdom.

and bro Ramsey.

BABU and DANA As both of you add a year to your years, we call upon the favours of God to flow in your lives. May you be God-fearing and obedient children all the time. We love you dearly. Best wishes from mum, friends Eston, Derrick and Lino, your classmates, aunties and uncles.

TYMON MUTUA You are now four years old. We thank God for the gift of life. We pray for His guidance, care and blessings throughout your life. May you grow to be a man of honour who fears God. Happy birthday wishes from parents Josephine and Isaac, sis Jasmine, bro Jayson, friends and relatives.

ELI MURITHI MAITETHIA Happy second birthday, little angel. I wish you God’s guidance, love, intelligence, wisdom and humility. You are a blessing and we love you so much. May you live to blow 1001 candles. Best wishes. SEAN TOLA KOFA Sean, you are a blessing to your family. As we celebrate your seventh birthday, we pray that you will grow up into a Godfearing person and be an asset to your family and society. Best wishes from mom, dad, brother Brandon, friends and the entire family. Happy birthday.

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young nation

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what you say

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

Recently there have been terror attacks in buses and churches where lives have been lost and property destroyed. Some children from Kathiani sub-county in Machakos County share their views on what the government should do to contain the spate of terrorist attacks. Interviews and pictures by GASTONE VALUSI [email protected]

children and law What should happen when a is child arrested? PATRICIA MUNDIA [email protected]

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JACKLINE MUTUNG’A, 13 Foreigners should be screened as they enter the country through our borders and also more police officers should be employed and existing ones trained on how to deal with terrorists.

KILONZO KITAVI, 13 The government should employ enough police officers to investigate crime and arrest dangerous criminals who are either within or from outside the country. Police should also use bomb detectors on people entering public places and businesses.

He was born on September 16, 1953. He is the manager of English Premier League side Manchester City. As a coach, he has managed teams mostly in Spain, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. A qualified civil engineer and a competent footballer, after retiring as a player, he moved into coaching in Chile and subsequently Argentina. He has won national leagues in three different countries. A defender, he spent his entire playing career at Universidad Chile, making more than 450 appearances. He retired in 1986

PETER MULI, 12

MAUREEN NZAU, 13

The government should find jobs for school leavers to prevent them from staying idle and engaging in destructive activities. The police should be honest as they fight crime and also they should refuse to be bribed as they carry out investigations.

Visitors to our country should be screened because some have been known to take part in criminal activities. The government should enforce security laws and police should intensify patrols in all areas all the time.

RUTH ISOE, 13 The government should intensify the war on Al Shabaab because they are causing insecurity in our country. We should prove that we have the potential to defend our country and police officers who are corrupt should be sacked.

MUSYOKI MUMANGI, 13 Security should be tightened at the border between Kenya and Somalia to prevent entry of Al Shabaab terrorists and other immigrants. But I pray to God that our police officers win the war against terror for the sake of our beloved country.

and took his first managerial role the following year at Palestino. He has taken charge of 11 teams in total including Villarreal (2004-09), Real Madrid (2009-10) and Malaga. He has won league titles in Chile, Ecuador and Argentina and the Intertoto Cup with Villarreal in 2004 before securing this year’s Premier League title with Manchester City last weekend. 1. What is the name of the manager? 2. Which country is he from?

ANSWERS ON PAGE 8

hen we say that a person has been arrested by the police, we mean that the power of the law has been used to pick and keep someone. Sometimes children are arrested by the police if they are suspected of breaking the law. The law protects arrested children to ensure that their rights are not violated during the criminal justice process. If a child is arrested, he/ she; • Should be taken to court as soon as possible. • Should not be detained in a police station for more than 24 hours. • Should be directly informed of the charges against him/her as soon as possible in a language they understand. The parents of the child should also be informed as soon as possible. It is important to note that; • No police interview can be held without the presence of the representative of the child. • During the period before the trial, when being held in custody, children must be kept separate from adult offenders. • The Court can decide to send the accused child to a remand home during the time of the investigation, but the period of stay should not be more than 3 months. However if the child has committed an offence punishable by death then the maximum is six months. The Court should ensure that there is a lawyer for an unrepresented child. This is stated in The Constitution and The Children Act. When a child is unable to obtain legal assistance on their own, the assistance such should be provided by the government; • The child has the right to have his/her case resolved without delay; • A child should not be forced to give testimony or confess guilt • A child has a right to have a free interpreter; • A child has a right to appeal if found guilty (first to the High Court and then to the

COURT OF APPEAL);

- Child’s privacy should be respected; - Children with disabilities have a right to special care and dignified treatment; - The child has a right and is entitled to medical assistance. The orders made by court should be in accordance with the best interests of the child and in consideration with the child’s welfare, feelings and needs; Some efforts have been carried out to separate children from adults in police settings but most police stations still do not separate suspected child offenders from those in need of care and protection. This increases the stigmatisation of children in need who continue to be treated as potential offenders after their arrest. Although children should not be kept in police custody, some are temporarily deprived of their liberty before trial and, in that case, can be subjected to violence from adult inmates when there are not kept separately. The writer is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

Fun Page...

young nation 5

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

Fun Page...

young nation 5

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young nation

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

it’s story time

did you know?

HOW MAN AND LION BECAME ENEMIES

L

SEA OTTERS SLEEP WHILE FLOATING ON THEIR BACKS

ion was once man’s dear pet. Man would generously feed him daily with some of his milk from his cows; and their friendship grew by the day. But one day lion became greedy and stole man’s milk that was stored in a pot. Man’s wife had just preserved the milk for some guests the couple was expecting – friends of their only daughter, Palomar. That fateful day, the jovial guests started to spill into man’s spacious compound early in the morning. It was the day Palomar was to introduce her boyfriend whom she was to marry later in the year. Palomar was the most beautiful girl in the entire village and everyone was excited about the ceremony. After exchanging greetings with the guests, man accompanied them to a big, shady neem tree that stood in the middle of the compound, where he typically received his important visitors. Mats were already spread, and he quickly asked his wife to prepare tea for the guests.

T

he sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. It spends most of its time floating on water while lying on its back. Although it can walk on land, the sea otter lives mostly in the ocean. The generic name, Enhydra, is derived from the Ancient Greek ‘in’ and ‘water’, meaning ‘in the water’, and the Latin word lutris, meaning ‘otter’.

tle which would have saved the family from embarrassment had unluckily been driven to a faraway land to graze. Shortly, she revealed the sad news to man, who could not believe the turn of events. He quickly excused himself to search for lion. But his bid to locate lion also turned a futile exercise. He then unhappily returned to his guests and explained the situation to them. Luckily, the guests understood, as they downplayed the situation. The ceremony went on well as Palomar accepted her suitor’s hand in marriage. However, man would not find it in his heart to forgive lion for the embarrassment he had caused them. As darkness began to set it, lion brazenly showed up at man’s compound.

Nothing for the guests

Man’s wife straight away strolled to the kitchen. When she opened the kitchen’s door, she realised the pot where she had stored the milk was open. Curious, she got closer. To her disappointment there wasn’t a drop of milk left! She immediately suspected lion their pet to be behind the crime. Frustrated, she looked in the cupboard to see if there was anything else for the guests. There was nothing to offer the guests. She then started to call out for “patsy”, as that was how they fondly called lion. But patsy was nowhere to be seen. She wondered what to do. Their herd of cat-

Man’s wife was the first to spot him while he was entering the gate. She immediately woke up her husband who was in a nap, “Darling, the shameless idiot is here,” she muttered. Man sprung out of his bed and immediately reached for his baton and gave lion a hot chase.

The animals feed on sea urchins, crabs, octopuses and fish. Sometimes they place a rock on their chests, and smash the shellfish against it until it breaks open so that they can eat the tasty meal inside. By doing so, they are some of the few mammals that use tools. After eating, they wash themselves with water. They also like grooming their fur with their teeth and paws. This helps the fur to remain waterproof and protect them against the cold. They have no insulating fat on their skins. Sea otters give birth in the water. Mothers take care of their young while floating on their backs. They hold infants on their chests to suck them, while teaching them how to swim and hunt. The animals also sleep while floating on their backs. Their nostrils and ears are able to close in the water.

Disappeared forever

Lion ran to the bush, where he forever disappeared and blended with other wild animals. He miserably turned bloody in order to survive in the wild, after being cut off from the daily milk supply by man. Luckily though, man out of his comion, retained lion’s offsprings, who loyally stay with him up to today as his ‘cats’ and enjoy his milk daily. - HASSAN MALIK MOHAMED

crossword

easy sudoku The rules of Sudoku are quite simple. You are presented with a 6x6 grid of boxes, some empty, some filled with numbers in the range of 1 to 6. That gives you 2 rows, 3 columns and also 2 larger squares of 2x3 boxes. The idea of Sudoku is to completely fill the empty grid squares with numbers in such a way that the following conditions hold true: 1) Every row should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that row. 2) Every column should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that column. 3) Every 2x3 square should contain the numbers 1 to 6 but should not repeat the numbers 1 to 6 at any point within that square.

Answers on page 8

Answers on page 8

ACROSS 1. First letter of the Greek alphabet 5. To travel on a ship or boat 6. A large celestial body that moves around the Sun 7. To wander about without any definite goal 9. A republic in West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea 11. A wormlike larva of certain insects, as the fly 12. A river in East Africa flowing from Lake Victoria through to Egypt 13. To surround or attack from all sides DOWN 2. Kinds of bulbous plant

bearing large showy white or reddish flowers 3. A man who is very attractive 4. To find fault with, reproach 5. To be chocked, kill by squeezing the throat 8. Make amends 10. Sound or the quality of sound SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 8

May 18, 2014 sunday nation

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May 18, 2014 sunday nation

solutions

sports time...

MYA EXCELS IN SWIMMING, EYES TRAINED ON OLYMPICS BY ELVIS ONDIEKI

“Jason Dunford inspires me a lot. I will work hard and be like him one day. I will be very happy to represent Kenya in the Olympics,” Mya said. Her ion for swimming started when she was t just nine years, Mya Omondi has won 46 medbarely a year old, according to her mother, Janet Nyabilo. als from various swimming competitions she has “She learnt the art of swimming from her dad and I. We participated in. A fifth grade pupil at the Braeburn used to swim very often and she was eager to us.” School, Kisumu, Mya also holds the record of being the After ing Braeburn in 2007, Mya’s ion for fastest swimmer her age across the 11 Braeburn schools in swimming got a boost thanks to swimming classes ofEast Africa. fered at the institution. The school swimming coach, She is proud to have set a record in the under-nine catLinet Odhiambo, said Mya has a deep interest in swimegory of the Inter-Braeburn swimming competition held ming. in Nairobi’s Lavington area last year. “She pays lots of attention to what I tell her. She is in The last born girl in a family of two children also holds the category of those who do not require much attention the record of the fastest swimmer in the 25-metre under-10 while in the pool.” swimming in the Turi upcountry swimming competitions. The coach went on to say that Mya has a better phyShe broke the record early this year. sique and stamina than most of her age mates. “Her Other competitions in which she has taken part in are body build makes her very good at butterfly swimming. the 2013 edition of the Kenya Swimming FederaWith consistent training, she will achieve her dream tion Junior Championships, the Rosslyn of being like Jason Dunford,” she noted. Academy International Gala and the Mya’s mother added that she has strived Nyasa Swimming Gala. hard to ensure her daughter’s swimming Mya told ‘Young Nation’ that her skills are honed so that she becomes the proudest moment in the swimbest she can be. “Swimming is an expensive ming pool was last year when she sport. I often have to cater for her upkeep emerged third in the East African wherever she goes. But I am determined to Junior Championships. spend whatever amount so she can participate “It was a special moment for me in a sport that I did not get a chance to take because I was competing with other PHOTO | CHRXXXX part in when I was in school,” she explained. girls from Uganda and Tanzania. I XXXXXotecha plays a forehand at JD Tennis The young swimmer’s mother added that had just turned nine and most of my she was proud to see both Mya and her elder Academy on Ngong Road recently. competitors were a few months older,” sister soar to greater heights in the swimming she said. world. She is determined to become a “Their determination gives me the urge to better swimmer and one day repreensure that they encounter as few obstacles as sent Kenya in world-class swimming possible in order to realise their full potential,” competitions, just like her role model said Janet, who is a teacher at Braeburn. Jason Dunford. [email protected]

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PHOTO/TOM OTIENO

Main picture: Mya Ashanti during swimming practice in Kisumu. Inset: Mya shows off her medals.

colour me

SPORTS QUIZ Answers

1. Manuel Pellegrini 2. Chile

SUD0KU

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Alpha 5. Sail 6. Planet 7. Roam 9. Togo 11. Maggot 12. Nile 13. Beset DOWN 2. Lily 3. Handsome 4. Blame 5. Strangle 8. Atone 10. Tone