The Standard May 6th 2013

By GEOFFREY MOSOKUThe fi rst major political

showdown looms in Parliament tomorrow after a weekend in which the two main coalitions stuck to their guns on the controversy over key House committees.

By late yesterday Jubilee and Cord offi cials had not reached a compromise on the composition of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Public Investment Committee (PIC), potentially threatening to disrupt the budget process.

Budget estimates tabled in Parliament on Thursday should have been referred to departmental committees, which however are yet to be established due to the standoff over PIC and PAC.

CORD insists that PAC and PIC are tasked with the responsibility of putting the executive in check and thus the ruling coalition must not constitute a majority membership.

CORD, which is the minority party in the National Assembly, has vowed to sabotage parliamentary business tomorrow by failing to name its representatives to various parliamentary committees and storming out of

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Kenya’s Bold NewspaperMonday, May 6, 2013

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New strike threat as schools reopen

A schoolboy samples new textbooks at Safi Bookshop in Kakamega yesterday in preparation for school reopening. [PHOTO/BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

Wamalwa widow told to account for millions - P8

<< Out of the closet:

PRETTY CONWOMEN ON THE PROWLThey are thieves masquerading as chips fungas

EIGHT KILLED IN MOGADISHU SUICIDE BOMB BLAST - PAGE 33

Teachers vow to paralyse public schools after secret pay talks between Knut and the Government end in deadlock

By AUGUSTINE ODUORPublic schools reopen today

under the threat of a strike by teachers after secret talks between their union and employer on a pay rise collapsed.

It comes on the heels of the Parliamentary Service Commission budgeting for higher salaries of Members of the National Assembly and Senate.

The Kenya National Union of

Teachers (Knut), whose chairman Wilson Sossion has backed the MPs salary demands, was in talks with the

Teachers Service Commissioner (TSC) on revocation of a legal notice that overruled payment of hefty

allowances to teachers. Under a 1997 agreement, the

teachers were entitled to a raft of allowances totaling Sh24 billion annually, but the Narc Government in disowned the deal in 2003 through a legal notice.

If the new perks were implemented, the lowest paid teacher in Job Group F, who earns Sh16, 692, would pocket an additional

The Perfect Way ToKick Off Your Week.

P8

Jubilee and CORD headed for showdown in Parliament

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Knut can call a strike any minute because we had already complied with the law in FebruarySossion

Speaker Justin Muturi

Stalemate

/ NATIONAL NEWS Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

We wrote to the minister and he also responded. The views also incorporated the advice from Attorney General and that is still the position — TSC Secretary, Gabriel Lengoiboni

Dispute: Schools reopen as tutors' unions insist on strike over pay deal

Sh11, 616 a month in allowances. In February, Knut declared a strike after the Government failed to revoke the legal notice, even after direction by a parliamentary committee, prompting authorities to initiate fresh talks.

However, the latest month-long talks brokered by a State-appointed conciliator, Mr J N Makaa, failed and Knut has vowed to press on with the strike.

Sources familiar with the matter say the State was not keen to part with Sh2 billion monthly as it would worsen the already spiralling wage bill that Presi-dent Uhuru Kenyatta has stated is unsustainable.

Separately, Knut and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), which have a mem-bership of more than 250,000, have issued a 14-day strike notice over an-other dispute.

Unresolved dispUteThe ultimatum, which expires on

Monday, is to protest the TSC’s freeze on promotion of teachers and the withdrawal of hardship allowances in some parts of the country.

Yesterday, Sossion told The Stan-dard they would ask their members to boycott work.

“After the certificate of disagree-ment was issued it meant that Knut can call a strike any minute because we had already complied with the law in February,” Sossion said.

“We will reactivate the strike be-cause we had only suspended indus-trial action to give room for talks. All organs of Knut had sanctioned the strike.”

Through a letter dated March 27, Makaa declared the dispute between the State and Knut over the legal no-tice, which Knut claims illegally amended the allowances negotiated in 1997, had not been resolved.

“Following conciliation efforts I hereby confirm that the dispute re-mains unresolved as provided by sec-tion 69 of the Labour Relations Act 2007 on the core contention of the de-gazetted Legal Notice No. 16 0f 2003,” reads part of the letter a copy of which The Standard obtained. “The parties are at liberty to advance the subject dispute to the next level.”

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

Recruitment of senior staff to the Teachers Service Commission is fac-ing another legal hurdle, if all the eight positions for commissioners are ad-vertised for replacement.

Another round of legal battle is looming if positions of the two com-missioners who were interviewed by the James Kamunge-led panel are also put up for fresh interviews.

The term for current five commis-sioners expires mid-next month and The Standard has established the po-sitions may be advertised this week.

However, reports that the commis-sion is set to re-advertise the two slots whose names were rejected by Parlia-ment is threatening to cripple it op-

erations. This is because a ruling by Justice David Majanja directed the President nominate fresh names from interviewed and shortlisted candi-dates in accordance with Section 8(11) of TSC Act, 2012 to fill the slots.

This means that the replacement of the two positions should be done by fresh names from names the list Kamunge panel proposed.

Those nominated for appointment in the initial list were Kahindi Ziro James, Fredrick Haga Ochieng’ and Adan Sheikh Abdullahi. Cleopas Tirop, who had emerged tops in the inter-view was missing in the list.

This list was rejected and the names taken back to the President and a new one presented to the House, this time with Tirop, Ochieng’, Abdul-

lahi and that of the chairperson.But a Mr Abdi Sitar Yusuf went to

court to block the three commission-ers’ names arguing the list was irregu-larly approved. The court blocked Ochieng’ and Abdullahi but cleared Tirop and he was sworn in last month.

According to the court ruling, the rejection of Ochieng’ and Abdullahi left the President with one duty of nominating fresh names from among the list. This means these two slots should not be re-advertised. And if merit is a factor in the replacement of these two commissioners, Dr Julius Jwan and Saadia Abdi Kontoma should constitute the fresh list.

According to the score sheet, Jwan who represented Nyanza scored 71.8

even as Ochieng’ scored 71.6 and was picked in the rejected list. Saadia scored 69.7 coming second to Abdul-lahi who scored 70.3.

With the two rejected, Jwan and Saadia should be the automatic ben-eficiaries in the merit list.

And now, Sitar who blocked the appointments of the two now warns should the two positions also be re-advertised, he will move to court again to block the entire process. This means the commission shall be un-constitutional as only one commis-sion shall be in office.

“If these two slots are sent for a fresh round of interviews then it will be contempt of court and we shall move to block the entire process,” said Sitar.

TSC faces new obstacle in commissioners appointment

Knut argued the letter by Makaa, according to the Labour Relations Act, allows them two options: to withdraw labour or move to the industrial court.

The union has ruled out going to court and says based on Makaa’s letter, the State has essentially given their impending strike legal recognition.

According to the Act, a strike is pro-tected if the effort by a conciliator fails and a certificate of disagreement is is-sued.

“If a trade union dispute is not re-solved after conciliation a party to the dispute may refer it to the Industrial Court in accordance with the rules of the Industrial Court,” reads section 73 of the Act.

terms and ConditionsThe Act also protects all teachers

who will participate in the strike under Section 76.

“A person may participate in a strike or lock-out if the trade dispute that forms the subject of the strike or lock out concerns terms and conditions of employment...”

ThE BIG chAllENEGE• Commissioners David Kuno, Rose Mogoi Sereti, Meshack Llanziva, Monica Kilonzo and Lucy Njeru will vacate their offices by June 14. • Only former Nairobi School prin-cipal Cleopas Tirop who was sworn in last week by Chief Justice Wil-ly Mutunga will remain in office throwing service delivery at TSC into dilemma.This is likely to create an avenue for any concerned citizen to chal-lenge the constitutionality of the composition of the commission in court.

Under this section of the Act, a trade dispute is deemed to be unre-solved after conciliation if the concili-ator issues a certificate that the dispute has not been resolved.

Makaa’s letter is copied to TSC sec-retary Gabriel Lengoiboni and the Federation of Kenyan Employees, La-bour Commissioner and the Secretary General, Confederation of Civil Ser-vants Union (Pusetu).

Lengoiboni confirmed that the talks did not yield a solution and said they are not at war with the unions.

He said the report by the House Implementation Committee indicated

that Parliament should ask the Educa-tion minister to de-gazzette the legal notice.

“We wrote to the minister and he also responded. The views also incor-porated the advise from the attorney General and that is still the position,” Lengoiboni said.

learning paralysedUnder a 1997 agreement, teachers

were supposed to earn half their basic pay as house allowance. They were also to pocket 20 per cent of their basic pay as medical allowance and another 10 per cent of their salary towards com-muter allowance.

But the contentious Legal Notice No. 16 of 2003 stopped the enjoyment of these perks.

The Government has always held that this particular notice overturned Legal Notice No.534 of 1997 under which all the allowances in question were negotiated and agreed upon.

This was also the cause of last year’s three-week nationwide teachers strike that saw learning paralysed in all pub-lic schools across the country.

Continued from P1

By JosepH mUCHiri A teachers’ union has expressed

disappointment at the Government’s withdrawal of hardship allowances of some teachers and failure to promote others.

Kenya National Union of Teachers first national women representative Dorothy Muthoni said they could not understand why their gains of many years were being withdrawn.

“How can hardship allowance that a member has enjoyed for years just be withdrawn? There is no way you can reduce someone’s earnings as this is against the labour laws and the In-ternational Labour Organisation,” said Muthoni.

She said thousands of teachers in Meru North, Taita Taveta and Kericho had been affected by the withdrawal. She said teachers never went to Teach-ers Service Commission offices or the Treasury to make their payrolls as its always done on merit and thus won-dered how it can be reduced.

pre-eleCtion deals“We want to tell TSC we will not

take this lying down, so they should reinstate the hardship allowance for the teachers.

We also demand they give the same allowance to areas that deserve but have been denied. Why should they cause tension among teachers while we are law-abiding citizens?” asked Muthoni.

She asked the commission to hon-our the Legal Notice No. 534 of 1997 and their structured dialogue prior to the General Election in which they agreed the Legal Notice No. 16 of 2003 be removed as it was denying teachers their allowances.

She said while they do not want to contemplate downing their tools, it appeared as if teachers would always have to go on strike for their griev-ances to be listened and addressed.

Muthoni also said that teachers should be promoted after getting a certain qualification and questioned why it was not being done.

Knut official faults move to deny teachers

allowances

Teachers participate in a past strike. Teachers’ unions — Knut and Kuppet — have issued a strike notice. [PHOTO: FILE]

ery term. This is very expensive to parents. The design is not also fa-vourable to children, who complain that they are very heavy,” she said.

Supermarkets were yesterday jammed with shoppers flocking the outlets to buy stuff for their chil-dren.

Transport was also a problem for those going travelling upcountry as many buses were booked to capaci-ty.

Long distance transport compa-nies Easy Coach, Crown and Guard-ian were fully booked leaving many students and their parents stranded.

Ongoing rains that have killed and caused destruction in many parts of the country are also a headache to parents.

In Nyanza and Coast regions, the rains have rendered families’ home-less. This might hinder opening of

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard NATIONAL NEWS /

Ms Nancy Ndinda, an attendant at a Bata shop along Muindi Mbingu Street, Nairobi, assists Mary Majanja, 7, to fit a pair of shoes before purchasing, yesterday. [PHOTO: COLLINS KWEYU/STANDARD]

Insecurity, floods worry parents as schools reopen

By ROSELYNE OBALA

As schools re-open for second term today, parents are a worried lot.

The tough economic situation notwithstanding, parents are con-cerned of insecurity, floods and high costs of school items.

The Standard established that many parents, even as they deep deeper into their pockets take their children back to school, they are con-cerned with rising insecurity and heavy rains.

Many expressed fears of upsurge of crime in various part of the coun-try.

Yesterday, many school outfit and stationery shops in Nairobi remained closed save for a few like Bata. The shops, however, registered low turn out.

NExt wEEkThe situation is a break from the

past where at such a time, many par-ents would have thronged retail out-lets in last minute rush to purchase shoes and other items for their chil-dren.

Varda Nita, a Standard One pupil at Advent Hill Primary School in Nai-robi, was among those out shopping with her parent. The school she at-

Parents troubled by rising cases of insecurity and floods, which has disrupted transport and displaced thousands

tends opens next week. However, her parent was keen to get her all the nec-essary items yesterday.

“Nita is going back to school next week. Am getting her ready to avoid last minute rush,” stated Peris Maina, Nita’s mother while purchasing her shoes.

Another parent, Zaccheus Ma-donde, was also buying shoes for her Standard Seven daughter Brina Gore-tti.

“I always prefer to get Goretti’s things ready earlier than this, but I have been quite busy, forcing me to do her shopping today (yesterday),” he noted.

ShOES ARE ExpENSivEMr Madonde, however, admitted

that even though his daughter is in a private school, he is worried with the latest happenings in the education sector.

“Teachers are threatening to go on strike. This does not augur well even with children in private schools,” he stated. At another Bata shop along Muindi Mbingu Street, Mary Majan-ja, a student at Braeside High School, was also fitting new shoes.

Majanja’s mother noted that the shoes are expensive but not long last-ing. “We are forced to buy shoes ev-

Teachers are threatening to go on strike. This does not augur well even with children in private schools — Mr Zaccheus Madonde, a parent

Back to school

many learning institutions.Schools in affected areas might

not open today since they are hosting displaced families.

Hundreds of people have been displaced in Homa Bay, Kilifi and Kisumu counties and are camping in schools. Also, about 100 families at Kisumu Ndogo slums in Kilifi town could be rendered homeless as their mud houses are almost getting sub-merged by floods.

highER gROuNdSThe situation is not any better in

Rachuonyo in Homa Bay County and Kano Plains in Kisumu County.

Affected families have been forced to move to higher grounds while oth-ers have sought shelter in nearby churches and primary schools.

There are possibilities that schools offering temporary shelter to flood

victims might not open today. Some schools have also been destroyed, while in others, pupils might not turn up since they have also been affected by floods.

In Tana River County, Kenya Red Cross Society has noted that more than 50,000 people have been dis-placed in the area. This will obvious-ly paralyse learning in the region.

The new wave of crime in parts of Western Province is a major concern to many parents and their children learning in the region.

Even as schools resume, parents have sought assurance from the Gov-ernment that their children will be safe.

Over 100 people, including chil-dren, have been attacked in the re-cent past in Busia and Bungoma counties, sending panic among resi-dents.


We have already allowed our colleagues to chair the two committees but we will not negotiate on the memberships — Leader of Majority Aden Duale

Showdown: Jubilee, CORD in major contest for key House teams

the House. The coalition wants House Rules relaxed to have majority mem-bers in PAC and PIC but Jubilee has only ceded the chairmanship, point-ing out that Standing Orders require that membership is based on relative party strength in Parliament.

The impasse delayed the forma-tion of all 27 parliamentary commit-tees scheduled for last Thursday. Na-tional Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi directed coalition leaders to consult and table their lists tomorrow.

Yesterday, Leader of Majority Aden Duale said Jubilee would tomorrow table its list of representatives to vari-ous committees. “The Bible or Quran of Parliament is the Standing Orders and they are clear on how committees are to be constituted,” Duale said.

“We have already allowed our col-leagues to chair the two committees but we will not negotiate on the mem-berships.” But Leader of Minority Francis Nyenze said CORD would not table its list until their demands are met.

“If they want to table their list, they can go ahead but as CORD we are not party until we get majority and chair-manship of these two committees. You cannot purport to audit yourself and definitely house business cannot proceed if this is not solved,” Nyenze said. Duale is required to table the

Face-off

By JAMES MUNYEKI

An accident and emergency unit is set to be constructed at the Nyahuru-ru District Hospital in honour of the late star marathoner Samuel Wan-jiru.

The facility, estimated to cost over Sh200 million, is envisaged to cater for accident victims and offer excep-tional skills in emergency life support, advance trauma life support, critical care nursing and well-equipped trauma unit.

The project is geared towards serv-ing life, which would otherwise be lost in absence of such a critical facility.

According to the project steering committee, the idea came about after the late Wanjiru died at the hospital as doctors made frantic efforts to resus-citate him after he allegedly fell from the balcony of his house in Nyahuru-ru’s Muthaiga Estate on May 15, 2011.

James Mwangi, chairman of the institution’s management board said the accident and emergency unit would be built in three phases.

He said the project was also in-

spired by the rising cases of accidents within the region. He said the hospital had already set aside Sh1 million to kick off the plan and called on well-wishers and other stakeholders to join hands in ensuring its success.

He noted that on its completion, the facility would help reduce refer-rals to other hospitals and further address critical medical issues.

His sentiments were echoed by the project’s resource mobilisation steer-ing committee chairman Michael Mugo who observed that the initiative that started last year has kicked off with support from the hospital, the community around Nyahururu, both local and international athletics fra-ternity, among others.

DONATIONSMugo said they had already re-

ceived a commitment and donation from Canada for equipment worth over 70 million Canadian dollars.

He added that the Kenyan Red Cross had paid for their shipment to the country and the donations would be arriving soon.

He added that a major fundraising

is set for August for the same project that will be accompanied by a half marathon competition.

SERVICE DELIVERYSpeaking to the Press after a fund-

raising dinner, Nyahururu Medical Superintendent Dr Lawrence Kama-nde further noted the completion of the facility would ease service deliv-ery and also make it possible to imple-ment disaster management plans so that in case of an accident, there will be clear guidelines on what should happen and how to resuscitate lives before referring the patients for fur-ther medical attention.

The dinner brought together ath-letes from around the region, mem-bers of the business community, and political leaders, among other stake-holders.

Meanwhile, the family of the late marathoner is set to hold a memorial service on May 15 and also unveil Kamau Wanjiru mausoleum at his Gatimu farm. Plans are underway for the ceremony with the family saying that further details would be an-nounced later.

Hospital to put up emergency unit in memory of Wanjiru

lists and Nyenze to second the motion seeking parliamentary approval.

Yesterday Muturi, who on Thurs-day overruled requests by CORD MPs that he invokes discretion powers to have the opposition dominate the two committees, said he would rule on the way forward tomorrow. He said the impasse could derail the budget mak-ing process, but assured he would make a non-partisan ruling with the interests of Kenya at heart.

RULING“Whatever happens, the chair

(Speaker) must make a ruling which will be guided by the Constitution and Standing Orders. The Speaker be-comes an impartial arbitrator and will make a ruling,” he told The Standard. Speaker Muturi however indicated that the standoff between CORD and Jubilee cannot be allowed to hinder the budget making process and his ruling will provide a way forward.

“I do not want to be drawn into partisan party politics and as Speaker of National Assembly I must do what is legitimate even if I was sponsored by one party,” he added. The commit-tees are required to begin scrutiny of the estimates and submit their reports to the Budget and Appropriations Committee within 21 days.

Another crucial legislation, Divi-sion of Revenue Bill, on the appor-tionment of revenue raised by the

national Government among the na-tional and county levels of govern-ment, is also held up by the impasse. The Bill was tabled last week and the National Assembly is required to pass it not later than 10 days after intro-duction.

Jubilee MPs believe that the Speak-er can be guided by a precedent set in the 8th Parliament when the then of-ficial opposition leader Mwai Kibaki and his Ford Kenya colleague, the late Michael Wamalwa, boycotted the Par-liamentary Select Committee (PSC) on constitutional review chaired by Raila Odinga.

Raila, whose NDP party was then allied to the ruling party, Kanu, spear-headed the Bomas I constitutional talks even after the opposition boy-cotted committees sessions. “The rules of the House provide guidance on the minimum number of members to form a quorum and with Jubilee dominating all the committees, we have the requisite numbers to per-form our duties,” commented Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki.

Duale added: “We will table our names on Tuesday which are already

with the Clerk of National Assembly and proceed to perform our duties as legislators. If CORD is not ready, they can join us later when they feel ready.” Jubilee points out that the new Stand-ing Orders, which were approved on January 9, expressly provide that party strength shall determine the sharing out of slots.

ARROGANCENyenze accused Jubilee of arro-

gance and warned the ruling coalition not to threaten people with the “so-called tyranny of numbers”. Mbiuki told CORD to forget the push for a majority membership in the commit-tees. “How can we kick ourselves from the majority and become minority?”

Continued from P1

If they want to table their list, they can go ahead but as CORD we are not party until we get majority and chairmanship of these two committees. You cannot purport to audit yourself and definitely house business cannot proceed if this is not solved — Francis Nyenze

The rules of the House provide guidance on the minimum number of members to form a quorum and with Jubilee dominating all the committees, we have the requisite numbers to perform our duties — Kareke Mbiuki

Whatever happens, the chair (Speaker) must make a ruling which will be guided by the Constitution and Standing Orders. The Speaker becomes an impartial arbitrator and will make a ruling — Justin Muturi

Mbiuki said the legislature has oversight and watchdog roles, which it has to perform irrespective of the political party a member belongs to. South Imenti MP Kathuri Murungi claimed some MPs from the CORD wing of the political divide were plan-ning to walk out of Parliament tomor-row.

Murungi claimed the move was meant to protest the alleged uneven distribution of parliamentary com-mittee chairmanship. “Whether they stage a walkout or not the Jubilee al-lied MPs are the majority and there-fore the move would be inconsequen-tial,” he said.

Borabu MP Ben Momanyi (Wiper) said Jubilee cannot be allowed to have majority in the two committees and warned if the deadlock is not resolved, the entire business of the House will be paralysed. “There are times when the law (Standing Order) can’t be fol-lowed to the letter and it’s in this spirit that we want CORD to control the two committees,” he said.

(See Also: Editorial Page 14)

The late world marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru died after allegedly falling from the balcony of his Nyahururu house in 2011. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]


House team to start vetting UhuRuto list on Thursday

Majority Leader promises they will complete exercise in time despite time constraint

By ALLAN KISIA

The Committee on Appointments is prepared to work overtime to beat the constitutional deadline of approv-ing or rejecting President Uhuru’s nominees to the Cabinet.

Leader of the Majority Party Aden Duale said the committee, though faced with a tight schedule and time constraint, is committed to complet-ing its work in time.

“We are meeting on Monday (to-day) to prepare the rules. Vetting will, however, begin on Thursday,” he pointed out.

He noted that they would also have another meeting on Wednesday to collect and collate what the public has communicated to Parliament on their perception of individual nomi-nees.

prIvAte veNue “Vetting will be held on Thursday,

Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we will meet at a private venue to prepare the report. We will confirm the report on Monday,” Duale explained.

Unlike before, Parliament has a key role in vetting appointees to the Cabinet.

The public also has an opportu-nity to submit memoranda to the committee in case they have any ob-jections to any of the nominations.

Duale said he would table the re-port of his committee on Tuesday

(May 14) for debate by members. “I am hoping that by the end of

the session we will have approved or partially approved the list,” Duale stated.

He also noted that Thursday (May 16) would be the last day to dispose of the matter.

“If we will not have finished the work, it will be assumed that Parlia-ment approved the names and President Uhuru will then go ahead and confirm the appointments,” he explained.

If Parliament votes to reject even one of the nominees, the Motion will be lost and Uhuru and Ruto will have to go back to the drawing board to replace those rejected.

If Parliament approves the list as presented by the committee, Uhuru only have to formally appoint the Cabinet.

The House Business Committee

last month picked 28 members to the key committee that will vet Cabinet Secretaries nominees.

The committee consists of Speaker of National Assembly Justin B Muturi as the e chair, Joyce La-boso, MP — Deputy Speaker, Duale (Leader of the Majority Party), Fran-cis Nyenze (Leader of the Minority Party), Naomi Shaban (Deputy Leader of the Majority Party) and Jakoyo Midiwo (Deputy Leader of the Minority Party).

Other members of the commit-tee include members of Parliament from the Majority and Minority par-ties.

The Jubilee coalition has 12 MPs in the Appointment Committee while the CORD coalition has eight.Butere MP Andrew Toboso earlier said CORD was ready to scrutinise those nominated for appointment.

By KIpCHuMBA KeMeI

Three armed bandits who invad-ed a manyatta in Narok West and killed two brothers on Saturday night were yesterday, in turn, killed by an-gry villagers in a revenge attack.

Police say the bandits, who were armed with AK 47 rifles, invaded the homestead in Naikara area at around 7pm, opened fire on the owner Le-rium Lepore, killing him instantly.

The deceased’s brother, Malik Lepore, 40, was killed when he rushed to the scene after hearing gunshots.

“The thugs invaded the home-stead and when its owner who was a businessman emerged to find out what was happening, they opened fire and killed him. His brother who heard the gun shots and also emerged to find out what was happening was also killed,” said the area police boss Peterson Maelo.

AK 47 rIfLeMaelo said angry villagers pur-

sued and killed them at different lo-cations, adding that police also re-covered an AK 47 assault rifle and 24 live bullets.

Two bandits were killed within Naikara area while the other one was hacked to death at Olderkesi area near the Kenya-Tanzania border.

The incident happened less than a week after a Lands ministry officer was shot by bandits in the same area as he was travelling to Olpusimoru area to adjudicate over a land issue.

Stephen Kisotu, an official with Friends of Conservation (FOC), a conservation agency that operates in Masai Mara area told The Standard that the attack was co-ordinated, adding that the two brothers were targeted because they were prosper-ous livestock traders.

Mob kills 3 bandits in kin slaying

By LOANH KIBet

Iran is rooting for increased trade with the Kenya but has accused some Western countries of frustrating their efforts in the process.

Islamic Republic of Iran to Kenya Ambassador Malek H Givzad (pic-tured) said the two countries have been enjoying good relations for a long time, but some Western coun-tries have been frustrating efforts to expand their links.

“The (the Western countries) can-not tolerate good relations between other countries. They want certain countries to go through their chan-nels,” Ambassador Malek said.

He also said his country con-demned all acts of terrorism and were in the forefront in the fight against the vice.

expLOSIveSA Kenyan court recently found two

Iranian nationals guilty of planning to attack Western targets in Kenya.

The two, Ahmad Abolfathi Mo-hammad and Sayed Mansour Mousa-vi, were arrested in June 2012 and led

QuickReadMeru: Judge me by my record, Kiraitu tells media

Meru County Senator Kiraitu Murungi wants the media to give him space to serve his electorate. He claimed that when he was Justice Minister, the media kept antagonising him. “When I served as the Justice Minister, the media made capital from my activities to the extent that it almost became impossible for me to deliver services as required,” he said. He was speaking at Kinoru Stadium on Saturday during his homecoming ceremony. He said he is ready to be judged by his development record at the end of his tenure.

NAIrOBI: pM told to stop attacks on Judiciary

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been asked to stop his attacks against the Judiciary regarding the ruling by the Supreme Court over the Presidential election. Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri said Raila’s public utterances against the Judiciary were uncalled for. “What Raila should know and accept as a reality is that not only did he lose the 2013 presidential election but also lost the petition in the Supreme Court,” Ngunjiri told The Standard yesterday. He reminded Raila that he promised to respect the decision of the Supreme Court.

KerICHO: tea yields expected to grow by eight per cent

Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA) has projected an 8% increase in tea production this year. The association Executive Officer Henry Mwereria said that the country earned Sh112 billion from tea last year and the figure that is expected to be higher this year. “The weather has been good this year to tea farmers as cases of frost, drought and hailstorms have been minimal this year,” he said. KTGA controls 30% of Kenya tea production and covers areas such as Kericho, Sotik, Nandi and Limuru.

Forming Cabinet

Leader of the Majority Party Aden Duale. He said they will meet on Wednesday to collate public views on nominees. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

By pHILIp MwAKIO

A section of the top hierarchy of the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) now claims the Gov-ernment planted renegades within its ranks to cause fresh violence in Coast Province to justify a crackdown.

The MRC leaders claimed the Gov-ernment is using “one of the branches of the MRC” to unleash the alleged violence, but did not elaborate on the identity of the alleged splinter group.

SuppOrt reBeLSThey alleged that some senior

Government officials in the region were working in cahoots with some politicians to support ‘rebels’ within the movement to carry out fresh at-tacks on innocent civilians and dis-credit the group.

“The aim is to cause wanton de-struction and confusion and then have the entire MRC leadership ar-rested,’’ Randu Nzai Ruwa, the outfit’s secretary general said in the signed

statement issued in Mombasa yester-day.

In the three-page press statement, MRC leaders has reached out to President Uhuru Kenyatta to inter-vene and ensure that their members are not harassed.

Key MRC leaders including its founder and chairman Omar Mwam-nwadzi are facing criminal charges, while MRC’s spokesman Rashid Mraja is in police custody since early March for new crimes the State claims he has committed.

“We with to appeal to our beloved Head of State, President Uhuru Mui-gai Kenyatta, to intervene in this grave matter and ensure that the rights of us all as Kenyans are protected,’’ MRC pleaded.

MRC said they have credible infor-mation to support their allegations and that the rebels being planted are from one of their main branches.

Several security agents and resi-dents have lost their lives following attacks by suspected MRC members.

MRC alleges plot by Government to stage-manage attacks in Coast

officials to a 15-kilogram (33-pound) stash of explosive and were charged.

Magistrate Kaire Waweru Kiare said the prosecution had proved be-yond reasonable doubt all counts against the two.

Ambassador Malek also said they are keen to further the current good relations between the two countries and are looking forward to working with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ad-ministration.

“Iran is positive towards the future of Kenya which is bright. There are private and public investors in Kenya and there are also other projects in hand to boost the relations,” he said.

He was speaking during the Is-lamic Women’s Day forum held at a Nairobi hotel yesterday.

He appealed to Muslim women to follow in the steps of Lady Fatima Zahra, an Iranian woman who played an important role in the society.

gIrL CHILd eduCAtION“Lessons leant from her include

being a good wife, playing an active role in society and teaching and help-ing fellow women,” Ambassador Malek said.

Al Maktoum Girls Secondary School principal Sis Fardosa Mulemi stressed the importance of educating a girl child among the Muslim com-munity.

“Educate a girl child, educate a woman and you will see the difference from those who have not been edu-cated,” she pressed. Those present were also enlighten on importance of Hijab among other Islamic subjects.

Envoy: West obstructing trade push

/ NATIONAL NEWS

Muturi, Shaban say MPs’ salary increment demands justified

efits that other arms of the Govern-ment do. We are not committing any crime,” she said.

Mr Sossion argued that both Sen-ate and National Assembly were sym-bols of freedom worldwide. He said SRC’s move to revise MPs’ salaries downwards was a ‘punishment’ to the Kenyan people. “In any republic, Sen-ate and National Assembly represent the freedom of the people. Punishing them is like punishing the people who

By EDWIN MAKICHE

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi and Deputy Majority Leader Naomi Shaban have backed MPs’ de-mands for higher salaries, sparking public outrage and prompting civil society to plan protests this week.

At the same time, Kenya National Union of Teachers national chairman Wilson Sossion also defended law-makers’ agitation for the hike as the union prepares for a fresh battle with Government over similar demands for higher pay for teachers. Speaking in Sotik over the weekend, Muturi blamed the media for ‘misleading’

President Uhuru Kenyatta and First

Lady Margaret Kenyatta greet children at St

Austins Catholic Church in Nairobi where they joined

faithful for a Sunday Mass.

[PHOTO: PPS]

Duo claim legislators right to demand what is rightfully theirs and Kenyans should not ‘demonise’ them

By OSINDE OBARE

Cherangany MP Wesley Korir is opposed to the salary increment de-mands by legislators of the 11th Par-liament.

The former Boston Marathon champion said he is comfortable with the pay that was proposed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commis-sion (SRC).

He dismissed calls by his col-leagues to push for the disbandment of the Serem-led commission, arguing that MPs were greedy by demanding a huge perks. “I don’t support our sal-ary increment when other Kenyans are suffering. Some civil servants are getting Sh30,000. The push by MPs is not justifiable and is unacceptable,” said Korir.

Addressing his constituents at Kachibora during the homecoming of Trans Nzoia deputy Governor Stanley Tarus, Korir said Kenyans were keenly watching the MPs over their pay de-mands.

“I will take the amount recom-mended by the commission. I don’t need any additional salary and I warn my colleagues that Kenyans will judge them for their actions,” said Korir. Other MPs at the event were Dr Chris Wamalwa, Ms Janet Nangabo and Dr Robert Pokose.

DELAYED DISBURSEMENTTrans Nzoia Senator Henry ole

Ndiema, Eldoret Governor Jackson Mandago and Trans Nzoia assembly Speaker David Sifuna were also pres-ent. According to SRC, an MP will go home with Sh542,500, down from the Sh851,000 that those who served in the 10th Parliament earned.

The stalemate between MPs and the commission has resulted to de-layed salary disbursement to the lawmakers. The legislators, led by Ig-embe South MP Mithika Linturi, are pushing for the disbandment of SRC eliciting varied public reactions.

While opening Parliament last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta stressed the need for the country to reduce its public wage bill that he said consumes up to 12 percent of the national budget.

Korir at the same time asked his predecessor Joshua Kuttuny to join him and help in uplifting Cherangany resident’s livelihoods.

Korir opposes legislators’ bid for higher pay

By MOSES NYAMORI

Persons with albinism may soon be a happy lot after the Government launched an awareness campaign to include them in the development agenda.

The programme will be rolled out by the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) in partner-ship with Kenya Albino Child Sup-port Programme (KACSU) and is set to address problems facing albinos countrywide.

It includes provision of sunscreen lotion to persons with albinism who are vulnerable to skin cancer due to little or no pigmentation (melanin) in their skin. Speaking in Eldoret,

NCPD Programme officer Alex Mu-nyere, who has albinism, said per-sons with the condition are normal human beings who should be in-cluded in development programmes without discrimination.

MISCONCEPTIONS“There are a lot of misconcep-

tions about persons with albinism and this has led to their exclusion in several programmes. Some have even been denied opportunities to go to school,” said Munyere.

He further said that persons with albinism have been exposed to sev-eral dangers follow myths about their body parts. Munyere added

that the sensitisation programme will help in eliminating such falla-cies thereby giving them a chance to participate in development activities at various levels.

“In Tanzania, some people be-lieve our body parts can be used for black magic and this has exposed us to dangers of being killed for such use,” expressed Munyere. He was speaking a forum at the weekend which brought together children with albinism and their parents in Eldoret.

He noted that women albinos were exposed to rape due to a mis-conception that those infected with HIV/Aids could get cured.

State campaigns for rights of albinos

Stalemate

For BreakingNews UpdatesSMS the word NEWS to 8040www.standardmedia.co.ke

elected them,” he said. Sossion ac-cused a section of the civil society of allegedly confusing the popu-lace arguing that the economy could sustain legislators’ de-mands.

“The problem with Kenya economy is not huge wage bill but how taxpayers’ money is utilised. Billions of shillings are lost every year through corruption,” he not-ed. In a quick rejoinder, however, Deputy President William Ruto urged the leaders to respect insti-tutions created under the new Constitution. Ruto said by continu-ally criticising institutions such as the Judiciary and SRC, leaders were creating anarchy in the country.

National Assembly Speaker Muturi

Meeting the President

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

citizens and being disrespectful by portraying MPs as people who lack decorum.

The Speaker faulted the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for tampering with a salary structure drawn by MPs in 2003. “The claim that the members of 11th Parliament want a pay hike is misplaced. No one is asking for a salary increase. All we want is for MPs to be treated with the respect they deserve,” he said.

RAW DEALDr Shaban claimed that the legis-

lative arm of the Government was being given a raw deal. She argued that despite the Judiciary and the Cabinet enjoying services like free Government vehicles and a robust state security, the legislators had been left to their own devices.

She faulted Kenyans for ‘demonis-ing’ MPs while they agitated for what was rightfully ‘theirs’. “Kenyans should stop cursing us when we simply ask for our rights. We are a constitutional body and therefore have to enjoy ben-

ODM nominated MP and National Coordinator for the Albinism Society of Ke-nya Isaac Mwaura addresses journalists in Mwingi town on Saturday. [PHOTO: PHILIP MUASYA/STANDARD]


Governors take a break at the end of a two-day familiarisation workshop at Simba Lodge Naivasha. [PHOTO: ANTONY GITONGA/STANDARD]

BY KIPCHUMBA KEMEI

The Maasai community has said there is renewed push by the Govern-ment to settle about 900 displaced families in the controversial 2,496-acre Rose Farm in Mau Narok.

It has consequently petitioned the National Land Commission to inter-vene and suspend the intended sub-division, accusing the Provincial Ad-ministration of pushing for settlement in the alleged community land.

“The community is opposed to the planned settlement, which was moot-ed three years ago. The ongoing talks between sections of our leaders led by an MP to have the community allo-cated 600 acres as a bait to abandon its claim on the whole land is selfish and doesn’t have the entire commu-nity’s blessing,” said Meitamei Dapa-sh, a Maasai land rights activist.

Mr Dapash, who has been in the forefront in opposing the internally displaced persons’ settlement and the bid to have about 30,000 acres of land in Mau Narok area whose 99-year leases have since expired revert to the community, also appealed to Presi-dent Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene until an amicable solution is found.

ExECUtE MAndAtE“The issue cannot be resolved in

boardroom meetings. All interested groups should arrive at a decision before any sub-division is done,” he said and added that there were about 20,000 landless youths in the com-munity who ought to be settled in the controversial land.

Dapash said there were suspicions that some people in Government want to be allocated land for com-mercial purposes at Rose Farm, argu-ing that the IDPs should return to their former lands because the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, which clashed over land in Rift Valley after the 2007 botched presidential elec-tions, have since reconciled.

He said Kenya Agricultural Re-search Institute and the Agricultural Development Corporation, which were last year mandated to manage the land should execute their man-date and wondered why the Govern-ment was concerned about the issue of landlessness at the Coast only yet there were many landless Kenyans who deserve attention.

County revenue

BY AntonY GItonGA

Tea and coffee growing counties could soon be collecting millions of shillings as revenue if governors suc-ceed in an attempt to collect cess from the farm produce.

The governors from the regions have called for a meeting with the Coffee Board of Kenya and the Kenya Tea Board on Tuesday to address the

They want the cess used at the county level to improve feeder roads and help farmers improve production

issue. They noted there was need to use the funds at the county level to improve feeder roads and help farm-ers improve their production.

This emerged at the end of a two-day workshop for governors in Simba Lodge, Naivasha where a group of the governors discussed the issue.

During their meeting, the gover-nors agreed that cess from coffee and tea should be channeled to the coun-ty governments.

According to Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, they wanted to meet the tea and coffee boards so that they could learn how they operate.

“We have scheduled a meeting on Tuesday with the boards of these two sectors so we can learn how to address the loopholes,” he said.

Mr Ruto, who is also the chairman council of governors, noted that the

BY ERIC WAInAInA

Kiambu Senator Kimani Wama-tangi has said the Central Government should allocate the county more funds to enhance equitable development.

Mr Wamatangi said the county has a high population of over 1.6 million people according to the last census results.

This, he said, means the county has more needs, adding that most of its inhabitants live in abject poverty and that the allocation should be in line with the population and needs ratio.

Kiambu County is set to get Sh6.5

billion from the Central Government, which the senator says is not enough.

MIslEAdInG ConCEPtIon“We have a very high population

and that means we have a lot of needs. Some counties with lesser population than ours are getting a bigger share. I feel that Kiambu should get more funds to meet its needs,” he said.

Wamatangi said the conception that Kiambu was a rich county was misleading. Like others counties, he said, it has a large share of needs that include improvement of health facili-ties, roads, security, learning institu-

tions and job creation.The county, he said, was a dormi-

tory for Nairobi, adding that most of its inhabitants either have businesses or work in Nairobi and revenues from their business benefit the capital city.

He also said collapsed industries located in Ruiru, Thika and Lari should be revived to increase the county revenue as well as create more job opportunities.

REvIvE fACtoRIEs“There are several factories which

were closed, hence sending a big number of Kiambu inhabitants to

poverty. If we could revive these fac-tories, we can create a channel to have more revenue and these factories will hence employ many youths,” he said.

He also urged the Government to resettle floods victims, saying in Lari and parts of Juja, some families were displaced from their homes due to the impact of the heavy rains, which have caused havoc in several parts of the country.

Several families were displaced last week in various parts of Lari con-stituency following landslides, which buried homes, killing three children and injuring one.

Senator seeks more funds allocation for county

Busia residents blame cane farm workers for insecurity

BY sAMMY JAKAA

Residents of Busia County are pointing fingers at cane cutters and loaders for the skyrocketing cases of insecurity experienced recently.

They raised concerns that the re-gion has experienced an influx of cane cutters and loaders who are not affili-ated to any sugar company and in-stead move around looking for casual jobs.

Western Development Initiative Association (Wedia) Vice-Chairperson Joseph Barasa said Nambale is now full of strangers who troop there in the guise of being cane cutters and load-ers of West Kenya Sugar Company.

Speaking to The Standard at the weekend, Mr Barasa said most strang-ers in the region claim they are at-

tached to a cane weighbridge at Olepito along the Kakamega-Busia highway.

“Nambale in Busia County is now full of unknown people mostly linked to sugarcane transporters and loaders who are operating a weighbridge at Olepito near Tangakona on the Busia-Kakamega highway,” said Barasa.

The Wedia vice-chair linked the strangers to the recent killings in Ako-bwait in Teso South, adding the fami-lies that were attacked had received money after selling sugarcane.

“Since they harvest cane, they are able to establish those people who have been paid and attack them. This can be connected to them because they demanded for the money the deceased had received after selling sugar cane,” added Barasa.

Kiambu Senator, Wamatangi

Residents of Akobwaiti village in Teso South District outside Busia hospital where victims of a gang attack were admitted. They blamed cane cutters and loaders for the insecurity. [PHOTO: RENSON BULUMA/STANDARD]

Community against push to settle IDPs

two products generated high revenue and thus the need to know how it could be used to improve produc-tion.

nYAYo tEA zonEsNakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbu-

gua said the issue of the Nyayo Tea Zones would also be addressed in their meeting.

“We want to learn how the two boards plan to devolve under the new government and also learn how the

cess collected is used,” he said.Other governors present included

William Kabogo, Peter Munya, Wyc-liffe Oparanya, and Moses Akaranga.

And at the end of the meeting, the governors called on the national gov-ernment to involve them in budgetary matters at the national level.

The council secretary, Kenneth Lusaka, said involvement of governors would address conflict between vari-ous arms of the central and county governments.

Governors eye cash from tea, coffee sectors


Estate row

By PAMELA CHEPKEMEI

The widow of former Vice-Presi-dent Michael Wamalwa has 45 days to give an account of how she used mil-lions of shillings received on behalf of her husband’s estate, a court has or-dered.

The judge who issued the orders said Kenyans should be encouraged to write wills in their lifetime to avoid distribution of their property through the courts.

The cash to be accounted for by Yvonne Wamalwa includes money in the late Wamalwa’s briefcase at the hospital before he died and Sh10 mil-lion paid out through a law firm to clear debts of the former VP’s estate.

The trial judge, G B M Kariuki, said Wamalwa seems to have had actual cash amounting to Sh3.4 million while in hospital and criticised the widow for not properly managing the estate of her late husband in the interest of his children. “The manner in which provision has been made to the de-pendants leaves a lot to be desired.”

The children left behind by Wa-malwa are still in school and require support from the estate but which must be done in a transparent man-ner and above board, he added.

THE AMounTsThe judge allowed an application

by the stepchildren of Yvonne to have her produce an account of all the money she received.

“Yvonne shall file in this court a statement giving a full account of monies received by her on the ac-count of the estate of her late hus-band,” he ordered.

Yvonne, an envoy in Kenya’s Em-bassy in Australia, is also required to account for Sh36.7 million received as gratuity for her late husband.

Yvonne to account for ‘spending’Court orders former VP Wamalwa’s widow to explain how family property was spent after accusations of ‘mismanagement’

By ERIC WAInAInAKiambu MP Jude Njomo has pro-

tested over increasing insecurity inci-dents in the area.

This follows a Friday midnight raid at Kiambu Municipal Council offices, where a watchman manning the premises was murdered and another critically injured. The armed gang broke into the council offices where they made away with Sh220,000 and the mayor’s chain.

Njomo said, previously, insecurity had gone down in the area but the recent trend is worrying.

“Cases of breakages in homes and institutions have gone down. We were only suffering from computer thefts in learning institutions but now it seems the gang is back and terrorising and killing their targets,” the MP said after visiting the facility.

Kiambu Municipal Council offices were reserved for Kiambu Governor but William Kabogo said they are in bad shape and not enough to host him and his staff.

oRgAnIsEd gAngIn the recent past, several cases of

breakages in learning institutions and Government offices where culprits steal computers have been reported across the county.

Njomo said he had had a meeting with the area security committee where he raised the issue. He said the return of criminal activities would hamper development and scare away investors.

On Monday last week, a gang un-successfully attempted to raid Kiambu High School.

“Police should get to the bottom of this matter because it seems there is an organised gang targeting various institutions and the situation should be contained before it’s too late,” Njomo added.

County Commissioner Wilson Njega said they have commenced in-vestigations to nab the culprits who are still at large.

“We took samples of fingerprints at the scene for forensic examination and we are also following leads which could help us get them,” Njega said.

Leader raises concern over crime wave

Former VP Michael Wamalwa’s widow Yvonne. The court has ordered her to ex-plain how she spent the husband’s property. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

The former VP died while under-going treatment on August 23, 2003.

One of his eldest children Lilian Muthoni Wamalwa filed the case in court accusing the stepmother of sidelining her in the management of the estate. She told the court Yvonne had failed to release cash she held in trust of Wamalwa’s two children.

Muthoni sought orders compelling her stepmother to account for all the money received on behalf of the late VP’s estate.

FARM PRoCEEdsThe children, through lawyer Lil-

ian Machio, told the court that at the time Wamalwa died, he had Sh3.4 mil-lion in a brief case but their step-mother took the cash away.

The widow will also account for the money received on behalf of two step children who were minors then, William Samuel Wamalwa and Wil-liam Junior Wamalwa from the gratu-ity cash and the proceeds of sale of maize harvested from 300 acres in Kitale.

Machio had asked the court to order her to account for Sh8 million she allegedly received on behalf of the two children. The lawyer said there was an agreement Samuel and his brother would be paid Sh4 million

Why daughter took stepmother to court Ms Muthoni, Wamalwa’s daughter, filed the case against stepmother Yvonne on April 30, last year, accusing her of mismanaging the later father’s estate.She sought the court’s inter-vention to order Yvonne to give a full statement of the money she had received and how it was spent.Justice GBM Kariuki said the court has a duty to ensure property that constitute the estate of the deceased are col-lected and put together and that the debts owing are col-lected and paid out. He or-dered as requested.

/ NATIONAL NEWS

TJRC rebuffs calls to bypass President, release reportBy ALLY JAMAH

Truth, Justice and Recon-ciliation Commission has re-jected fresh calls by civil society leaders to bypass President Uhuru Kenyatta and release their much-awaited report di-rectly to the public.

CEO Tom Aziz Chavangi said doing so was against the TJRC Act, which he says ex-pressly requires them to sub-mit the report to the President, before making it public.

“We are keen to have Ke-nyans see the contents of our report and to discuss it but we cannot break the law in doing so. We have to go through the President,” he said, yesterday.

He said Section 40 of the TJRC Act required the commis-sion to submit its report to the President at the end of its op-erations detailing its findings on historical injustices and hu-

man rights violations and mak-ing recommendations.

The law demand that upon submitting the report to the President, TJRC shall publish it in the Kenya Gazette and in at least three local newspapers so as to reach as many Kenyans as possible.

FoLLoW THE LAW“There is no option of by-

passing the President in releas-ing the report. We don’t want to be accused of violating the law. My main focus for now is to secure the report to avoid it being tampered with before being handed over,” he said.

Yesterday, civil society lead-ers criticised President Uhuru, saying his delays in officially receiving the report and mak-ing it public was inexcusable. They said TJRC should release the report directly to public.

each. The two told the court they never received their share.

The three children complained they were unable to pay their school fees because Yvonne was in control of the money.

ACTEd ouTsIdE LAWYvonne and Muthoni were in 2005

given a limited grant to manage the estate.

The judge also castigated the widow for distributing the gratuity she received from the Government when the court had not given her the full powers to administer the estate. He said the division of the funds among the beneficiaries was in viola-

tion of the Law of Succession.Justice Kariuki said Yvonne dealt

with the estate as one would with personal property, adding that she had unknowingly or knowingly breached the provisions of the Law of Succession in how she handled the property.

The widow had told the court through her lawyer, Albert Khaminwa that she had purchased apartments from the funds and taken as mort-gages. She said she paid out living expenses and tuition fees for the ben-eficiaries.

Muthoni filed the case on April 30, last year, accusing her stepmother of mismanaging the estate.

FROm LEFT: Leaders of civil society groups Florence Kanyua, On-yango Oloo and Gacheke Gachichi during a news conference to call for urgent release of TJRC report. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

/ NATIONAL Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Bank wins Sh11 million case against former MP

Court faults Erastus Mureithi for failing to pay taxes and orders him to refund money remitted to KRA by Cooperative Bank

The writer is a court reporter with the Standard GroupEmail: [email protected]

BenchwatchRepublic of kenya

HIGH COURT OF KENYA, NAIROBICIVIL SUIT NO. 175 OF 2003

COOPERATIVE BANK OF KENYA….......PLAINTIFFVERSUS

ERASTUS KIHARA MUREITHI………..DEFENDANT

BENCH: HON JUSTICE J.B. HAVELOCK

JUDGEMENT: April 23, 2013

PS decries rise in theft of government propertyBy MAUREEN ODIWUOR

Ministry of Special Programmes PS Andrew Mondo has challenged security organs in Nyanza to safe-guard Government property follow-ing increase in theft of computers.

“Eight computers out of 25 do-nated by United Nations Develop-ment Programme (UNDP) and Eu-ropean Union were recently stolen from trade department in Kisumu. I have written a letter to security committees in this region seeking an explanation,” he said.

Mr Mondo said the Government

and other investors are ready to em-power young people by equipping them with tools of trade and skills to ensure they develop economical-ly. The most recent incident hap-pened a week ago at Kisumu Dis-trict agriculture offices where two computers disappeared after a break in.

According to Kisumu DC Willy Cheboi, officers who were manning the premise are being questioned by police.

He said UNDP gave Sh133 mil-lion grant to support development activities of women and youths in

four areas namely, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret and Kitale.

Mondo was speaking while do-nating salon equipment and sewing machines from UNDP to 16 youth groups within Kisumu County.

salon equipment“We have a national steering and

a monitoring and evaluation com-mittees to achieve sustainability of the projects,” he said.

County Youths Director Timothy Kajwang’ said the 16 groups come from Kondele, Carwash, Nyawita, Manyatta, Nyalenda and Obunga

estates in Kisumu town.He said UNDP had already pro-

vided 50 exotic cows, farm inputs and fishing gears to farmers in Muhoroni and Nyakach constituen-cies. Kisumu County Commissioner Lonah Odero said the empower-ment programme was meant to en-hance development in Kisumu County. She urged the groups to be aggressive and ensure they generate income.

“The intention of the projects is to create employment, produce goods and in the long run reduce cases of insecurity,” she said.

By wahome thuKu

Mr Erastus Mureithi is the imme-diate former Ol Karau MP. Before join-ing Parliament in 2007, he was the CEO of Cooperative Bank since May 13, 1989. Mureithi resigned as CEO in March 2001, but continued serving as consulting director until September that year.

On April 4, 2001, the bank received a letter from Kenya Revenue Author-ity (KRA) raising issues with payment of taxes on some benefits enjoyed by Mureithi. These included motor vehi-cle running allowance, insurance pre-miums, fees for his daughters, includ-ing their air travel allowances, as well as security guard services at his home. The letter was based on an audit re-port for the year 1998 to 2000.

Cooperative Bank then wrote to Mureithi on March 23, 2003 informing him that they had settled his tax lia-bilities amounting to Sh11.2 million and asked him to pay back the money within seven days.

Mureithi did not remit the money. On March 31, 2003, the bank sued him seeking to recover the money. The case went before Nairobi Judge J.B. Havelock.

The bank argued that it was Mure-ithi’s responsibility to ensure compli-ance with his statutory obligations to the KRA. He was, therefore, personal-ly liable for failure to remit the taxes.

Cooperative Bank submitted that Mureithi had unjustly enriched him-self since the bank had settled the bill for him as it was entitled to recover the money.

Mureithi filed a defence denying any culpability on unpaid taxes. He said all his benefits had been taxed appropriately and he only received the net after the deductions. He de-nied owing the bank the Sh11.2 mil-lion saying the money was directly chargeable to Cooperative Bank as his employer by KRA. He argued that the suit was bad in law and had been wrongly instituted and asked that it be struck out with costs.

legal requirementsJudge Havelock questioned why

the bank never made tax deductions on benefits and allowances enjoyed by Mureithi and family yet it was aware of the legal requirements.

The bank argued that as the MD, Mureithi was aware of the require-ment to make deductions on his sal-ary, benefits and allowances.

“He acted in reckless disregard of his responsibility as the MD and the CEO,” the bank submitted.

But Judge Havelock still ques-tioned; “To the mind of the court, there has to be a plausible reason as

to why the plaintiff (Cooperative Bank) ignored its statutory obligation to make deductions on tax on all sala-ries, benefits and allowances enjoyed by its employees.”

The bank’s former Head of Finance Lawrence Karissa said the bank would foot all medical expenses for Mure-ithi’s wife and four children aged be-low 18. It would pay education ex-penses for the four children up to and including undergraduate level.

Karissa said Mureithi was entitled to Sh8,000 a month as entertainment allowance to be revised from time to time.

Mureithi’s insurance premiums with Keyman Insurance was Sh10 mil-lion. The tax payable on the education fees for his children from 1998 to 2000 was computed by KRA as Sh4.6 mil-lion. The bank had paid airfare for Mureithi’s family trips to the UK and US in 1998 and 1999 attracting a tax of Sh474,241. The bank had used a tax refund from KRA to settle the Sh11.1 million.

The bank constructed a house for him on his own plot, which was later transferred to a company called Jese Holding in which he was a beneficial shareholder. The bank continued paying rent to that company and he also received house allowance. He al-

so took a loan of Sh1.5 million from the bank to renovate the house.

Karissa said there was a debate within Cooperative Bank on how to settle Mureithi’s tax dues but it had not found it fitting to take him to court. It was the Board of Directors that decided to take the matter to court to recover the money.

Mureithi testified on April 26 and 27, 2012 and also in September and October same year. He said he was not aware of the KRA audit until he was served with court papers. He was nev-er invited to take part in the audit. He said the KRA letter was never brought to his attention. He was never given any notice of tax liability. He main-tained that at retirement, he had re-ceived all his benefits with all the tax-es deducted.

employee’s salariesMureithi pointed out that under

the terms of employment, he was to receive all his benefits at no cost to himself, including the taxes. As lay-man, he understood this to mean the bank would cover the taxes and his take home would not be affected. He said no one raised issue with his terms of employment.

Mureithi argued that the bank had admitted having failed to carry out its statutory mandate to make the de-ductions hence it could not pass the responsibility to him.

Judge Havelock held that it was in-cumbent upon the bank to make the deductions on the salary and allow-ances.

Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act makes it a duty and an obligation for an employer to deduct and account for taxes from an employee’s salaries, emoluments and allowances. The law imposes a penalty to an employer who fails to comply. A similar obliga-tion is made to the employer under the Employment Act.

“According to the Income Tax Act and the Employment Act, it’s the sole responsibility of the employer to make any deductions, statutory or other-wise and remit the same on behalf of

the employee,” he held. “Failure by the employer to exercise its statutory mandate is not excusable.” “By main-taining that the defendant was aware or ought to have been aware that he received remuneration without de-ductions, the plaintiff is shooting it-self in the foot given that it admitted to making deductions on some ben-efits but not on others,” the judge said.

foot taxThe judge, however, rejected Mure-

ithi’s explanation that he was unaware of his tax liability.

“One only has to read the defen-dant’s impressive profile to see that he is a man well-versed in the ways of business world as well as the world of politics,” Judge Havelock noted. “In my opinion, he knew or must

have known that the extensive emoluments he was enjoying as a re-sult of his employment would be sub-ject to taxation.”

The court analysed the facts and concluded that Cooperative Bank was not entitled to foot the tax for his mo-tor vehicle, insurance policy as well as education and airfare for his chil-dren.

“I do find that the defendant is un-der a duty to refund the money as paid by the plaintiff to the KRA,” the judge concluded.

The court ordered Mureithi to pay Cooperative Bank Sh11.2 million plus interest at court rates from the date the case was filed on March 31, 2003 as well as costs of the suit.

One only has to read the defendant’s impressive profile to see that he is a man well-versed in the ways of business world as well as the world of politics

To comment on this and other stories go to: www.standardmedia.co.ke

Judge J.B. Havelock made ruling at the High Court.

Special Programmes PS Andrew Mondo.

NATIONAL NEWS /

BY EMMANUEL WERE

The adoption of open learning by Kenyatta University (KU) has boosted its student intake as the institution gears up to open more centres across the country.

The institution seeks to take ad-vantage of opportunities set to be created by devolution.

Open learning allows students to choose when, where, what and how they will take their courses without reporting for classes at the main cam-pus or other campuses, which could be a distance away.

Instead, students take classes – ei-ther online or lessons availed there - at the open learning centres set up by the university closer to them.

KU currently has nine open learn-ing centres, one of the highest among Kenyan varsities in areas such as Mombasa, Marsabit, Garissa, Kisumu and Kakamega. Other centres are in Nairobi, Embu, Nyeri and Nakuru.

The facilities have made access easier for students and the plan is to roll out more of them across the coun-try riding on the efforts to have stron-

KU seeks more students in countiesVarsity posts record admissions as it moves to align itself with devolution and expand its reach across Kenya

ger county governments. “Of course now we are starting to work with the county government,” said KU Vice-Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda.

The devolution of power is set to see more interest in the county gov-ernment with some of the skilled workforce opting to look for employ-ment opportunities in the various counties.

PROGRESS

And as more workers seek to en-hance their academic qualifi cations so that they may progress career-wise, they will be trooping back to school for diplomas and degree certifi cates.

This will place universities that are easily accessible at an advantage to attract more students. “Through the centres, the students are supposed to have access to services and it is easier for them instead of coming to the main campus. Most importantly the students enrolled can get the services where they are enrolled,” Mugenda said.

She said the current focus would be to perfect the model but that there was also an eye on opportunities cre-ated by Kenya’s devolution of power from all functions being coordinated by a central Government to powers being vested among governors in the 47 counties.

However, Mugenda said they were working out modalities on how to work with the State before they roll out more centres. The centres also prove to be cheaper since materials can be provided online.

Open learning

Former President Mwai Kibaki with worshippers after attending a Sunday Mass at the Consolata Shrine in Nairobi, yesterday. [PHOTO: PPS]

Sunday MassBY DANIEL NZIA

A former chief Government pa-thologist has questioned why the seven pathologists who performed autopsy on the late Mutula Kilonzo had to remove so many specimens from his body.

Dr Geofrey Zambezi Mutuma also differed with his colleagues over the period they gave before the release of fi nal report, saying he was surprised by their promise to deliver a detailed report within a period of between eight to10 weeks.

“From my long experience and the good training I got in forensic practice there is no postmortem test that can take 10 weeks to conclude,” he said. Dr Mutuma said any serious patholo-gist would take a maximum of 72 hours to deliver his or her report after conducting a postmortem examina-tion.

“The pathologists should have told us what they had found as the cause of the late Mutula’s death as part of their preliminary fi ndings,” he added. The late Makueni Senator was found dead at his Maanzoni home late last month.

Meanwhile, preparations for the burial of the former legislator are in top gear. Family chairman Jeremiah Muthembwa said all necessary ma-chinery had been put in place for the burial of the late Mutula.

Expert queries time scale of

Mutula autopsy


Kenyatta University... ISO 9001:2008 Certified

Heavy rains leave trail of destruction

By Standard team

Heavy rains pounding various parts of the country have killed a man and left thousands of people dis-placed.

The man, 40, died in Homabay County, where the rains have also displaced over 400 families.

The body of Philip Odhiambo was found by children who were fetching firewood on Saturday near River Goye in Mbita District, three kilometres from his home.

His wife Josephine Odoyo, 30, said her husband left home at about 4pm last Friday for Homa Bay town where he was going to meet someone.

“I have been waiting for him to come back in vain. I am shocked of his death,” she said. It is suspected that Odhiambo died while trying to cross the flooded river.

The floods also damaged Odoyo’s house. “I have suffered double loss because I have also been left without a house,” the widow added.

croSSing riverLambwe West Chief Daniel Obure

said the deceased, who was a farmer, might have met his death while striv-ing to cross the river.

“He was seen at a nearby village late Friday evening. He might have drowned while crossing the river. It is always difficult to identify safe parts of the river when it rains,” Mr Obure said. Some 400 families with about 6,000 people in the county have been forced to camp at Ogando, Kamato, Nyamaji, Ochieng’ Odiere, Aringo and Waringa primary schools.

Lambwe Ward representative Wal-ter Okumu appealed to the Govern-ment to provide emergency humani-tarian aid to the victims.

Okumu said residents were living

Motorists stranded after roads cut off

A street in Kilifi town. Most roads in the town are flooded following four days of driving rainfall. [PHOTO: JOSEPH MASHA/STANDARD]

By Standard team

Ongoing rains have paralysed transport in various parts of the coun-try leaving motorists and passengers stranded.

Motorists using Maralal-Nyahuru-ru Road have been stranded for two days after floods cut off road at Suguta Marmar following heavy rains.

Another section of the road, be-tween Maralal and Rumuruti shop-ping centre, was also impassable.

Parents and students travelling ahead of schools’ reopening spend nights in the cold, as the only road connecting Samburu County to the rest of the country was damaged.

The situation has seen shortage of food hit Maralal town and surround-ing areas. “Prices of foodstuff have skyrocketed. Some basic commodi-

ties like sugar are lacking in shops. We do not know how long this will take,” said Ms Rose Lempaa, a resident.

Traders ferrying perishable goods from Nyahururu to outlets in Maralal town complained of delays saying they were incurring huge losses due to poor state of roads.

out of BuSineSS“Our products are going to waste.

Transporters are demanding more money to cover for delays. This will drive many of us out of business,” said business lady Mary Nyawera.

Ms Nyawera, who was transport-ing a truckload of cabbage to Maralal town, said the produce was rotting.

At Loikas village, River Loikas burst its banks washing away huts.

Hundreds of residents have been forced to flee the village to escape

floods. They appealed for assistance from the Government. “We need blankets, tents and food,” said Ms Jane Naini. Transport was also pa-ralysed in Lodwar and Lokichoggio in Turkana County due to heavy rains.

Several vehicles plying Lodwar –Kitale Road have been stranded for the past 72 hours near Lodwar town. River Kawalase burst its banks.

Many passengers destined for Ki-tale and Southern Sudan were strand-ed on the banks of the river.

A heavy truck was swept down-stream as its driver attempted to cross the flooded river. Lodwar Police Sta-tion commander Evans Omuga said the lorry tried to cross the flooded river. Omuga said the driver and the conductor were rescued.

–– Michael Saitoti, Lucas Ng’asike and Peter Ochieng.

Man killed, thousands displaced following

relentless downpourin fear of contracting waterborne dis-eases. In Nyatike Constitutency, floods have displaced 700 families.

They are camping at Nyora and Kabuto Primary schools.

The families, however, were forced to look for alternative sites after sev-eral classrooms they were staying in were flooded over the weekend.

“Even the place we thought was higher ground is no longer safe,” said James Owino, a resident camping at Kabuto.

Area MP Edick Anyanga called on the Government to come up with long-term strategies of dealing with the problem to ensure that people do not leave their homes every year be-cause of floods.

higher ground“Let us get ways of stopping water

from displacing people. Measures like building dykes long the river as well as constructing a dam could help in bringing a lasting solution,” he said.

In Nyamira County, heavy rains have led to breakdown of sanitation facilities in a number of schools as they reopen this week for second term. In Gesima Ward in Masaba North sub-county, several schools have their latrines overflowing.

In Rachuonyo South District, the disaster has forced over 60 families to flee their homes in Kasewe and Ram-ba area. Residents are now staying in churches and primary schools.

The floods in Kasewe occurred when River Awach burst its banks due to heavy rainfall.

Rachuonyo South DC Joshene Ouko told people living in areas prone to floods to move to higher ground.

At Kano plains in Kisumu County, the intensity of the menace was sub-siding, but rice farmers in the area have to contend with serious losses.

Police collect the body of a man sus-pected to have drowned in Lambwe village, Homa County.

RIGHT: Residents of Frere town in Ki-sauni, Mombasa count losses after their houses were flooded at the weekend. [PHOTOS: JOSEPH OMORO AND MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

/ NATIONAL Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

“Our lives entirely depend on rice farming. We have lost our livelihoods following the damages,” said Leonard Onyando, a farmer.

Homa Bay Red Cross Society coor-dinator John Roche confirmed to The Standard that water levels had in-creased in the area.

–– James Omoro, Nick Oluoch, and Dennis Onyango

Municipal council workers repair drainage system in Mwembe Tayari, Mombasa yesterday. A heavy downpour has paralysed business in the coastal town. [PHOTO: OmOndi OnyangO /STandaRd]

Residents of Kamelil in Tenderet Constituency, Nandi County as-sess damage after a mudslide at the weekend. PHOTO: PETER OCHiEng/STandaRd]

and anguish

Landslides destroy houses, displace families

By KENAN MIRUKA

A number of families in Kenyenya District have been displaced after landslides de-stroyed their houses.

Two of the houses belong-ing to the same extended fam-ily in Botaranda in Mokubo sub-location were marooned during the incident.

A section of the road near Botaranda bridge was de-stroyed, temporarily disrupt-ing transport along the busy Kenyenya-Etago Road.

Two other families at Moteiribe village were also forced to vacate their homes following floods.

Kenyenya DC Kaburu Kaimba confirmed the inci-dent, saying he was visiting affected areas to assess full extent of the damage.

Similar landslides hit Kiag-ware and Nyasasa areas in neighbouring Gucha South two weeks ago, displacing over 130 households.

Kenya Red Cross and Min-istry of Special Programmes officials have already delivered humanitarian aid to affected families camping in three separate primary schools.

Flagging off the consign-ment, Kisii County deputy governor Joash Maangi and Kisii Central DC Philip Soi thanked the Government for responding quickly to alleviate the suffering of affected fami-lies. “We are grateful for this

NATIONAL / Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

gesture from the Government. A number of people have been spending nights in the cold after their homes were de-stroyed. Food in stores and crops in farms were damaged in the rains creating a crisis,” said Maangi.

thREE cENtREsIn Nyakach and Nyando

districts, hundreds of families camping at three centres re-ceived food and non-food aid from Plan International, a non-governmental organisa-tion.

Over 250 households camp-ing at Gem Rae, Ombaka and St Alloys Gem Primary schools

received maize, beans, cooking oil, blankets and water treat-ment kits from the organisa-tion. Acting Programme Unit Manager for Plan Internation-al, Kisumu, Elizabeth Ogweno said expectant women, chil-dren and the elderly were the worst affected by the flood situation.

“Floods deprive families of rights to live dignified lives, security and food. We have moved in to alleviate immedi-ate suffering and in the long term, we shall partner with the county government and other organisations to seek lasting solutions to this problem,” she said.

/ EDITORIAL Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Assault on commissions does not bode well

The National Assembly Speaker is the institution charged with the duty of leading the legislative agenda of the

country and setting the tone for public debate on pieces of legislation that regulate lives, liveli-hoods, social mores and economic indices.

Being this crucial means their composition is a big deal since their oversight role is the lifeblood of the country’s heartbeat. They do not all have the same powers or persuasion but the House Business Committee is top dog.

It is closely followed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Public Investment Committee (PIC) which are meant to audit key accounts and deliberations and are meant to act as checks and balances on the Executive. In practice, the PAC and the PIC should ideally be chaired by the Offi cial Opposition to check any

impunity or “tyranny” likely to be driven by the political party with overwhelming numbers.

This is, however, not the case in the Eleventh Parliament that has seen the ruling Jubilee coalition possess unassailable numbers on the fl oor of both lower and upper Houses. Their majority has seen Jubilee stake claim to chair most of these. Regardless of where you sit, this might not be a sobering thought as the ring-fence key parliamentary committees.

Of course, the ruling coalition MPs are reveling in this state of affairs as they feel their superior numbers will allow them carte blanche to implement the Jubilee Manifesto, almost verbatim. But that is hardly what popular, democratic best practice dictates. The ensuing stalemate over formation of the two vital committees will further grow the chasm in the

parliament as the Jubilee Coalition, which has majority of MPs in the House, angles to chair the PAC and the PIC, which CORD Coalition are laying claim as the minority.

As Leader of Majority Aden Duale says, “The Bible or Quran of parliament is the Standing Orders and they are clear on how committees are to be constituted. We have already allowed our colleagues to chair the two committees but we will not negotiate on the memberships.”

SCRUTINY OF ESTIMATESAnd in that statement of fi nality and intent

lies the seeds of discord that will hold everyone back. Not least because Budget estimates tabled in Parliament on Thursday should have been referred to departmental committees, which however are yet to be established due to the

standoff over PIC and PAC — the committees required to start scrutiny of the estimates and submit their reports to the Budget and Appropri-ations Committee within 21 days.

Also, the Division of Revenue Bill, which shall divide revenue raised by the national govern-ment among the national and county levels of government, is also held up. Remember, this eagerly awaited Bill was tabled last week and the National Assembly is required to pass it not later than 10 days after introduction.

Are Jubilee MPs borrowing a leaf from the 8th Parliament when then Offi cial Opposition was emasculated by selection of opposition party MPs to government? Should we brace for House business disruptions? This posturing and raising the din in the political echo chamber can not be in the national interest.

The Standard is printed and published by the proprietors,

THE STANDARD GROUPNewsdesk: 3222111 | Fax: 2213108

Email: [email protected] Chief Editor: John Bundotich

Managing Editor, Daily Editions: Kipkoech TanuiManaging Editor (P&Q): Okech Kendo

Registered at the the GPO as a newspaper.

Standoff over committees hardly a dream start by Parliament

WHAT OTHER MEDIA SAY...

Malaria: April 25 marked World Malaria Day and the second anniversary of a remarkable effort to engage 3,000 Peace Corps volunteers across Africa in the fi ght against the mosquito-borne disease that kills 600,000 people a year, typically children under age fi ve in Africa.

The Peace Corps Stomping Out Malaria in Africa initiative was launched in partnership with the US President’s Malaria Initiative, a multi-agency program led by the USAID and implemented together with CDC and Prevention. The effort combines the grassroots focus of Peace Corps volunteers in villages and towns in 23 African nations, with promotion of the inexpensive, but effective, tools of malaria control: insecticide-treated bed nets, rapid diagnostic tests, and medicines made with artemisinin, a plant extract to cure children or adults with the disease.

The global malaria fi ght is succeeding.

Automotive: Europe’s enduring economic slump has left its auto industry hurting with sagging sales forcing prices down and inventory up, even after thousands of factory jobs have been cut. Mid-level manufacturers such as Renault and Fiat are struggling, with PSA Peugeot Citroën in February reporting a record 2012 loss of $6.5 billion. Higher-end companies are, however, faring somewhat better.

BMW recently announced record annual earnings in 2012 with 1.84 million vehicles sold. Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz division sold 5% more cars in 2012, compared with 2011. Premium brands have several advantages over those in the mass market, including less competition. In some ways, car companies are victims of their own success. Thanks to improvements in manufacturing, vehicles last much longer than in the past, which means drivers upgrade their cars less frequently.

‘Divorcing’ China: HSBC Group is expected in the next few months to sell its 8% stake in the Bank of Shanghai. HSBC could receive as much as $800 million from its shares in the second-tier Chinese lender.

It looks like the Bank of Shanghai is set to raise $2 billion by selling newly issued stock, on the Shanghai and Hong Kong exchanges, with a value of up to 30% of its existing shares. The listing could occur before June, so HSBC will have to act now if it does not want to be trapped by a lock-up period, typically imposed on existing shareholders for periods of up to a year.

HSBC is not the only institution to feel this way. Analysts think Bank of America sold its remaining China Construction Bank holding in 2011 and Goldman Sachs a tranche of shares in Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in January. Chinese banks simply do not believe they need enduring relations with foreign counterparts.

It began with an attack on the Salaries and Remunera-tion Commission over its move to set the pay of Members of the National Assembly.

In fact, a Member of the House even had the gall last week to quote out of context the famous words of anti-Nazi German pastor and theologian Martin Niemöller in defending the MPs’ push to fatten their pay cheques:

They have the numbers to force President Uhuru to set up a tribunal they hope will send the SRC commissioners home, but the legislators also want to weaken other constitutional commissions under the guise of trimming the public wage bill.

This is impunity at its most brazen. MPs must stay away from independent commissions whose mandates are secured by the Constitution.

MPs are trying demonise the commissions to turn public limelight away from their own greed while casting them-selves as working for the public good.

They want to reduce the number of constitutional commissions and make them operate part-time.

NO SHORTCUTSWhile it looks and sounds noble, the savings to be made

by such a venture would be a drop in the ocean compared to what the country can gain from slashing MPs’ salaries.

In short, it would not make much of a difference to the overall wage bill.

Also, to get rid of any commission, the MPs must comply with Articles 251 and 255 (1) of the Constitution.

There are no shortcuts and they should not fool Kenyans.Independent Commissions do not operate at the behest

of Parliament or the Executive but the Constitution, which is the sovereign will of the people of Kenya.

MPs are trying to erode the independence of the commissions and subject them to the whims of Parliament and the Executive. If that happens, there is no knowing where it will end.

The commissions were created out of realisation that entrenched self-interest and corruption in Government rendered it unable to fulfi ll certain key roles laid out in the Constitution. They must be allowed to do their work.

OPINION /

Over 70% of the unemployed in Kenya are youth. The situation is complicated by Kenya’s age

structure, with 32% of the population being between 18 and 35 years. The median age is 18.8 years, meaning Kenya is truly a young country. It also means that the coun-try has a high dependency ratio.

This also means college graduates are taking longer to get jobs. They are postpon-ing the starting of their lives awaiting a job. Ordinarily obtaining a job marks the begin-ning of settling down to a life of indepen-dence. A young person who takes a long time to find a job is also likely to stay with parents longer, leading to frustration. An ex-tended wait also creates opportunities for youth to engage in deviant behaviour.

It is apparent, therefore, that creating job opportunities for the youth is an enor-mous task that requires concerted efforts by both the public and private sectors. We also need to put in place policies that will enhance job creation especially through enterprise development.

One of the initiatives the government has in place to encourage youth to get into self employment is the Youth Enterprise Development Fund whose launch was re-ceived with a lot of optimism by the youth. It cannot be denied that the Fund has re-corded tremendous success in awakening entrepreneurship among the youth. But it has also encountered challenges.

In order to empower the Youth Fund to play a bigger role in empowering young en-trepreneurs and therefore creating employ-ment, government will need to deal with

DOMINIC ODIPO} WAY F O R WA R D PalaverThe Lion of Mbooni and Tam-

er of the Man-eaters of Tsavo, Senior Counsel Mutula Kilonzo EBS, EGH and star of the clam-our for a new Constitution, a squeaky clean city of Nairobi and reformer of the education system will be buried in his Mbooni con-stituency. Not so lucky is one Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Yes, that is the same chap who wanted to pulverise our gallant athletes by planting deadly explosives near the fi nish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Apparently, a funeral home director can-not fi nd a cemetery to bury 26-year-old Tsarnaev. Nobody wants the body anywhere near them. And this after his mother continues to protest his inno-cence and his wife claims she knew nothing about Tsarnaev putting the explosives together in their loving home! What?

So only Mama Ngina Kenyatta and Barbara Bush are the fi rst names that come to mind when we talk of a husband and son for president? Now Barbara does not want to hear of George Dub-ya’s’ brother Jebmumbling incoher-ently about running for US prezzo after Obama! In fact, poll after poll shows that Hillary Clinton is so popular that it will take a miracle for anyone to beat her in 2016.

Last week Palaver told you of the array of gifts Queen Elizabeth II, President Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama have received since 2011. And while they were impressive, former President Kibaki landed a couple of soap-stone carvings, dairy cows and bulls, boreholes, and a digital TV set. However, the National Oil Corporation gift of a Sh50 million petrol station has had the NOCK board of direc-tors scrambling for the exits. Reason? Who ever heard of a public asset being given away as a gift? Hope ‘Baks’ tells NOCK to take back their “bure kabisa” gift as it is just making him look bad and painting him as a looter. Otherwise, we could also give retired President Moi the KICC for his commitment to education!

And fi nally…Now that journalists are not

going to get anything out of the 14% Uhuru gift, Palaver is pro-posing a gift for the person who ensures my CEO reads this small print: “New York company Rapid Realty NYC has offered its staff a 15% pay rise for being tattooed with the company’s logo.” Need-less to say, there were so many takers. Hint! Hint! Heh! Heh! Heh!

[email protected]

MACHEL WAIKENDA} Restructure this Fund to reap immediate youth dividend

voter registers with the actual voter turnout in the Western and lower Eastern regions, which were both CORD strongholds, you will easily discover that if those who registered as voters in these regions had actually voted, the 800,000 vote margin by which Uhuru Kenyatta defeated Raila Odinga would instantly have been wiped out.

THE ELASTIC LIMITIf you include the figures of those

who failed to vote in the Coast region, another CORD bastion, you can eas-ily see that there is no way Uhuru would have beaten Raila.

On the other hand, in the Jubilee strongholds, especially in the Central region, both the registration and voter turnout percentages virtually hit the elastic limit. They can hardly be pushed any further for 2017.

Looking then at only these two parameters, the registration and turn-out figures, one can easily see that the 2017 presidential elections will be a toss-up.

Who will or should lead the CORD Alliance into the 2017 presidential elections? That is now the question. And the answer to that question is, or should be, that that person need not necessarily be Raila Odinga, if the ul-timate objective of that alliance is to defeat the Jubilee Alliance and form the next government.

The writer is a lecturer and consultant in Nairobi.

[email protected]

What should be the way forward for the CORD Alliance now that Uhu-

ru Kenyatta, the leader of the Jubilee Alliance, has already been declared the new President of Kenya?

Should its leader, Mr Raila Odinga, who is now about 68 years old, con-tinue to lead the Alliance as it gears up for the 2017 presidential elections? Should its deputy leader, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, who will soon be 60 years old, remain in that position?

Or should the political space in that Alliance be opened up so that new and preferably younger politi-cians can emerge well in time to take on the Jubilee Alliance come 2017?

For the party faithful, especially those from the ODM side of the alli-ance, such questions should not even be posed. Whether in defeat or victo-ry, Raila continues to bestride the par-ty like a colossus and, on paper, his position appears unassailable.

But appearances can sometimes be very deceptive.

If the CORD Alliance does not ask itself these questions and seek honest answers, it will be in danger of mak-ing mistakes so game-changing that 2017 could turn out to be a walkover for the Jubilee Alliance.

Let us use a few American exam-ples to inform this emerging debate. In the American presidential elec-tions held in 1960, John Kennedy de-feated Richard Nixon by a razor-thin margin of only 120,000 votes. Word at the time was that these votes had been stolen by the Kennedy Machine

in Cook County, Illinois. But, fully aware of these allega-

tions, Nixon reacted in a very poi-gnant manner. He quickly conceded, congratulated Kennedy upon his vic-tory and retreated from the political stage. He did not publicly attack any election official or try to remain the leader of the Republican Party.

It was not until 1968 that he re-turned to try again for the presidency and, incidentally, won.

In 2000, Al Gore actually defeated George W. Bush by almost 300,000 votes. However, in a curious turn of events, the Supreme Court ruled that Bush had won. Gore did not publicly attack the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice. He quietly retired into private life and has never ventured into poli-tics since.

EFFUSIVE THANKSThe point here is that, no matter

how the Jubilee Alliance achieved its victory, this is the time for the CORD leadership to put all its options on the table. And of all those options, three now stand out.

One, the former Prime Minister can hold on to the leadership of the CORD coalition, no matter what, and begin preparing it for the 2017 presi-dential elections.

Two, he can call a full-throttle na-tional congress of the ODM or CORD Alliance which would be mandated to chart the way forward and recom-mend how the future leadership of the party and the alliance should be constituted.

And, three, he can announce that he will be retiring within a few months and set in motion the process that can produce a new ODM or CORD leader before the end of the year.

The biggest mistake that the CORD Alliance can make at this time is to continue demonising both the Supreme Court and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commis-sion (IEBC), while the rest of the coun-try moves on. From the CORD view-point, all the lessons of the March 4 electoral debacle need to be isolated and internalised so that they can form the basis for a CORD victory in 2018.

There are some people out there who are now murmuring choice inanities about how the Jubilee Alli-ance cannot possibly be defeated af-ter only five years.

That is a load of bull, as the Amer-icans (again!) would put it.

A close look at the electoral num-bers in both the CORD and Jubilee al-liances clearly shows that Jubilee should be thanking CORD very effu-sively for its victory.

The March 4 presidential election was, in fact, not won by Jubilee. It was lost by CORD, and here is why.

Thousands upon thousands of people in the CORD strongholds did not even bother to acquire identity cards. And of those few who actually acquired those identity cards and went on to register as voters, thou-sands upon thousands more did not actually bother to turn out and vote on Election Day.

If you compare the official IEBC

“In 2000, Al Gore defeat-ed George

W. Bush by almost 300,000

votes. How-ever, in a cu-rious turn of events, the Supreme

Court ruled that Bush had won.

Gore did not publicly at-tack the Su-preme Court or the CJ. He quietly re-tired into

private life and nev-

er ventured into politics

again.”


challenges that limit its effectiveness. In-deed, the Kenyatta administration has promised to promote employment, with the Youth Fund playing a cardinal role.

One of the greatest challenges the Fund has faced is the perception that it was a po-litical gimmick. The greatest critics of the Fund had very unkind word, of course mainly for political mileage.

The wing of the coalition government that was in charge of the Fund for five years was in fact its greatest critic. No wonder loan uptake reports from the Fund had for long shown a disparity trend that reflects Kenya’s political fault lines.

The Fund must have grassroots struc-tures that are visible and close to wananchi to enhance its acceptability as a genuine and viable initiative. It must also invest more resources in public education.

The legal order that established the Fund states clearly how the board should be appointed. This order has in the past been ignored, leading to a board made up of political appointees who lack the requi-site skills and experience to shepherd the Fund. The Fund has occupied acres of me-dia space, all for the wrong reasons, ranging from allegations of misappropriation to leadership wrangles. This is a pointer to lack of focus on what their mandate is. Political appointees will tend to play politics, ignore concerns of the primary client and engage in selfish pursuits. Let the board of the Fund be reconstituted to inject professionalism.

The fund must address itself to its ca-pacity to deliver services. To date the fund has disbursed about Sh7 billion to youth-

owned enterprises. Of this, only Sh1 billion has been lent directly. A whopping Sh6 bil-lion (or 85.7%) has been loaned through fi-nancial intermediaries (read banks).

This calls to question the Fund’s capac-ity to serve the youth without using banks. It also means that 85.7% has been loaned to youth who would ordinarily be able to obtain a loan from a bank (and meet its conditions).

What then has happened to the major-ity of the youth who find banks unfriendly? They have only borrowed Sh1 billion, main-ly as groups, over a period of six years. Me-thinks they have been shortchanged.

MANDATE AND LINKAGESInterestingly, despite reduced funding

by the Treasury over the years, the Fund has always had more money than it can lend. At no time have the youth been turned away because there was no money.

The Fund’s capacity, or lack of it, must be addressed urgently. Government can strengthen the Fund by revising the laws governing it and empowering it to employ more extension officers and other staff.

Government could also revise the broad mandates of the Fund to ensure it special-ises in financing, entrepreneurship training and market support.

The other mandate that the Fund must now abandon is that of providing worksites and trading premises, which it refers to as commercial infrastructure. This should be left to Kenya Industrial Estates or to county governments. The Fund should limit its in-volvement in this area, and focus on lever-

aging on what others are doing.In the medium term the Fund needs to

change its model to be friendlier to the youth. A micro-finance model will enable the fund be more relevant and accessible to the youth. My proposal is that of a depos-it taking youth micro-finance institution. Not only will it enable youth to accumulate savings, it will also design products that are convenient and attractive to the youth.

We should, therefore, see more “un-bankable” youth benefitting from the kitty. This deposit taking MFI could then gradu-ate into a youth bank that will provide loans and guarantees to young entrepreneurs, in addition to trade finance.

The Fund should also restructure its loan products to ensure they are not too tra-ditional, and that they cater for sectors that our youth are increasingly taking interest in, including arts, music and ICT. The prod-ucts must be well researched and youth in-volved in developing them. It must also be able to meet the needs of youth with big ideas such as buying franchises.

Finally the fund must embrace partner-ships. It cannot do everything from scratch. It must leverage on the efforts of other gov-ernment and private sector agencies. That way the fund will realise more from less.

A vibrant youth fund will help create employment and give youth confidence and hope. A hopeful population is an opti-mistic and positive population. It is easier to engage because it sees opportunity.

The writer is TNA Secretary of Arts and Enter-tainment.

CORD needs to chart path to 2017 elections now

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Kibaki’s Sh50m gift raises storm: These gifts are ridiculous. They don’t mean anything to Kibaki who is already so rich. Why can’t they give him something creative like a painting, a signed t-shirt—stuff of sentimental value not monetary value. They might as well just give petrol stations to his children or some other relative. Mdada

MPs add hefty salary increase in budget: The words Jubilee and Cord are only used in eyes of the public. Otherwise, Parliament is a united House when it comes to salaries and perks. They have the power. The President has to agree otherwise they will derail all government business in the House. SRC should be disbanded for succumbing to demands by the MPs. Charles

Salaries team scoffs at MPs’ plan of attack: Shame on MPS, shame on your appetites and death to such behaviours. Shame, shame shame,shame.... Garry

Destination Nakuru, the new ‘sin city’: What about the side effects of this kind of lifestyle? It would be nice to mention about the dangers of STDs and crime that come with the lifestyle. CitizenX

Governor faces opposition in assembly: “To convert the only municipal health centre in Nyeri town into offi ce space for county executive members.” Most ridiculous proposal!! Whoever is doing this should be recalled!! kp

Kenyans making a fortune in the UK: I’m happy to see there are Kenyans out there making money. However, it is also shows how our government is lacking in creating opportunities for ordinary people to make money. michael

President Uhuru pledges to educate ‘Otonglo’ narrator: Uhuru Kenyatta offers scholarship to a young man....but what about the rest of the young men and women struggling with paying tuition? The solution is not to solve one person’s problem. That’s politics. The solution is to look for a general solution that will benefi t all students in the same position as this young man. bea

Nyeri Governor runs into opposition: ”Convert the only health centre to offi ces for the executive!” That can only make sense to a Kenyan politician. mimi

Lessons for MPs from tale of greedy, ungrateful tortoise

The scheme by our MPs to award themselves huge salaries reminds one of the actions of the avaricious tortoise in a folk tale.

In the story, the selfi sh tortoise was given feathers by birds so as to be part of a trip to heaven. The un-wise tortoise arrogated himself the name “All of You” and when food was brought, he ravenously ate it all pointing out that the host had said the food was for “all of you”.

The generous birds were not happy with this and they stripped the tortoise of their feathers, mak-ing him to drop, unaided back to earth.

Our MPs demand higher pay al-leging that they will share the mon-ey with their constituents. They want to perpetuate the culture of hand-outs. All wananchi want is good representation, good over-sight role and fair sharing of any public funds that pass through the lawmakers’ hands.

Related to that is the eerie take from Parliament’s Majority Leader Aden Duale that MPs are greedily demanding higher pay allegedly because the electorate is equally avaricious! Does the MP know that

about two thirds of the 10th Parlia-ment MPs were voted out because of their self-centredness? Kenyans expected the new blood in the House to perfom better and not to make salary their priority.

The MPs must know we can take back our “feathers” and send them on a free fall from Heaven (Parlia-ment)!

{Nicholas Cheruiyot, Bomet}

I take exception with MP Aden Duale’s contention that Kenyans are greedy by virtue of having pro-pelled ungrateful and avaricious in-dividuals to Parliament. This is an insult and Duale must apologise. MPs should stop deluding them-selves that they are God’s gift to long suffering Kenyans.

They must wake up to the fact that they are merely privileged, not more special than the average citi-zen who gave them status.

In the formative days of his pres-idency, Uhuru Kenyatta decried the huge and excessive wage bill that has continuously crippled any meaningful economic develop-ment. Thus, austerity measures are necessary to arrest the downward

trend of our economic projections year in year out. The envisaged double digit growth of the economy cannot be realised if a handful of mean-spirited individuals have their thick sticky, fi ngers perma-nently in the till.

MPs in Britain not only earn about Sh700,000 monthly but they pay taxes. And considering that Britain is a developed country with higher cost of living than Kenya, its mean for MPs to complain about Sh500,000 monthly pay and this, for making rhetoric and technical ap-pearances in Parliament. A couple of months back, many of the MPs were desperate fellows unable to make ends meet but all of a sudden, Sh500,000 is peanuts to them.

One of the MPs had the audac-ity to disparage the Salaries and Re-muneration Commission commis-sioners claiming they didn’t measure up to the stature of Justice Cocker who recommended higher pay for MPs. SRC is a creation of Parliament and if it is perceived as useless, its architects are despica-ble.

{Alexander Chagema, Kakamega}

/ READERS’ DIALOGUE Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Only nationalists can end tribalismFormer Prime Minister Raila

Odinga has stated that Kenya would be less tribal, if it adopted a parliamentary system of gover-nance. The statements come against the backdrop of his recent electoral defeat, causing his mo-tives to be questioned.

Does the choice of governance system have any real capacity to end tribalism? I think not. Firstly, let us remember that a parliamen-tary system would still have pro-duced a Jubilee government.

For the Jubilee Coalition cap-tured a substantial majority in both

houses of Parliament. It is therefore unlikely that ethnic “temperatures” would be any cooler, had a parlia-mentary rather than a presidential system brought Jubilee to power.

Rather than make this a gover-nance issue, we ought to call a spade a spade. The problem is not with the system, but with the indi-viduals... with us. After all, tribal-ism is akin to racism. Both are forms of prejudicial thinking that inhabit the mind of the individual. Such thinking deludes us into per-ceiving that which is not.

Yet if we are serious about end-

ing tribalism, we need to address its root cause. Ignorance! Igno-rance about what really ails us as a nation. Ignorance about what we can do as individuals to enhance nationhood. Ignorance about what we are capable of if we truly come together. But more so, ignorance about who profi ts the most from the tribalism agenda.

To end tribalism, we need more nationalists, not more constitu-tional change. Laws cannot regu-late the spirit of a (wo)man who seeks to shirk prejudicial thinking.

{Charles K, Nairobi}

How to write us: Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Letters, P O Box 30080, Nairobi, Kenya or e-mail [email protected] The views expressed on this page are not those of The Standard. The Editor reserves the right to edit the letters. Correspondents should give their names and

address as a sign of good faith, though not necessarily for publication.www.standardmedia.co.ke

YOUR SAY

FeedbackLetter to Agriculture docket nominee

Allow me to address the Cabinet Secretary nominee for Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Mr Felix Kosgey through this column.

Congratulations on your nomination to this important docket. I hope that Parliament and the people of Kenya will

approve your nomination.Kenyans are eagerly wait-

ing you to start implementing agricultural policies which were introduced by William Ruto (now Deputy President).

Mr Ruto, while in Agriculture, did everything possible to improve the living standards of farmers across the country through subsidised fertilisers and increased prices for their produce.

For instance, he put in place measures in sub-sectors such

as sugar, cotton and rice to increase capacity to meet local

consumption and export de-mands as a way of resuscitating ailing economy. Sir, before Ruto was appointed to Agriculture, it is interesting to note that the sector, being the economic mainstay of this country, had performed dismally owing to poor attention by previous governments. We hope that you will follow in Ruto’s footsteps and come up with sound strate-gies on better farming as a step towards economic recovery.

{Joel Onyango, Kericho}

14 per cent wage increase paltry

‘Luckiest’ MP in Parliament

Thank you President Uhuru for raising the minimum wage by 14 per cent. Although this is higher than previous increments, it is still too low considering the economic situation in the country.

You should have increased the same by 30 to 50 per cent if you were really serious about uplifting the liv-ing standards of ordinary Kenyans. That a side, we congratulate you for making a bold step and doing what some former heads of states did not do. I was moved by the statement you made about youths and my most humble prayer is that you imple-ment the manifesto to the letter.

You promised free maternity healthcare in a 100 days. Mr Presi-dent, let me tell you that if you do not follow this to the letter, I do not think anything tangible will be achieved. This is because the same, old people who were managing health facilities are the same ones still in charge.

I am waiting to see how the your Cabinet secretaries will operate and if they will be any different from their predecessors.

{Enos Albert Adoma, Awendo}

My MP is the deputy to Cotu Sec-retary General Francis Atwoli.His name is Mr George Muchai, MP for Kikuyu. He seems to be one of the lucky men around this year. It seems that he will not be required to relin-quish his job at Cotu. I cannot be-grudge him if the law allows him to continue holding his job at Cotu.

My MP also seems to like Presi-dent Uhuru Kenyatta very much, go-ing by the fawning words picked from the Bible that he had for him on Labour Day of this year.

{Githuku Mungai, Mwimuto}

Status is earned, not demanded

Kenyan MPs are demanding monthly pay and hefty car allowanc-es “befi tting their stature”.

They have got it all wrong. First, status is importance or reputation gained by ability or achievement. Status revolves around giving back to the people, nobility and many other honest deeds that distinguishes a person’s good character.

In this category, there may be a handful or even none at all.

If anything, their greed deprives them of “stature”. MPs are there to serve the people they represent and represent their opinions.

I am certain that Kenyans’ do not support the legislators’ pay demands. Their intention to drain our coffers will make life harder for ordinary Ke-nyans.

{Abdulkarim Jamal, Nairobi}

ENTERTAINMENT: GOSSIP/ Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Rihanna ‘Browned’ off!

Rihanna has a face like thunder at a New York basketball game — af-ter boyfriend Chris Brown partied with his ex, writes The Sun.

The Don’t Wake Me Up singer, 24, threw a Hollywood birthday bash on Friday where former fl ame Kar-rueche Tran was on the invite list.

And Rihanna didn’t look too hap-py about being grounded in the Big Apple for her Diamonds Tour while the birthday boy celebrates miles away.

The Bajan beauty wore a domi-natrix style leather dress paired with gladiator sandals and gold chunky jewellery.

She accessorised with a red bag which she matched with her shock-ing red lipstick and toenails.

The serious star couldn’t even crack a smile as a young fan ap-proached her for an autograph dur-ing the game.

Rihanna’s bad boy beau was snapped looking worse for wear as he left his party at The Emerson The-atre with his entourage — which in-cluded Karrueche.

Rapper busted in threesome romp

A celebrate rapper romped with two hookers out-side a Westlands club before getting busted by cops — on Friday night.

The star, who is known for his carefree binge drink-ing character, was rescued by his white girlfriend dur-ing the street drama that saw the twilight girls squeeze Sh20,000 out of his wallet with the two police offi cers leaving with Sh10,000 each. His girlfriend left him af-ter the rescue. The two had been partying at the pop-ular Westlands joint before the rapper excused himself out — for a smoke. The girlfriend then got curious af-ter he failed to return, one hour later, only for her to launch a search and fi nd him negotiating his freedom with two women who claimed to have had a three-some with him.

The drama had attracted police offi cers who were threatening to arrest him for public misconduct.

GOSSIP OF THE WEEK

Mombasa singer launches New Mombasa singing

sensation Audrey launched her new single last weekend during a thrilling show hosted at The Launch in Mombasa.

The new comer who released her tracks Pamparira to months ago was celebrated as she launched yet another hit Mi Amor.

“Being in the coast has been tough because most of the fans here are into bongo music and getting them to accept my music which leans more into trance and pop has been hard but we are getting there,” the singer she told MondayBlues.

Skylux Lounge opensA new state-of-the-art

entertainment joint, Skylux Sports Bar and Lounge has opened in Mombasa. The luxurious spot situated in Mtwapa hosted an array of celebrities and revellers last week with great performances marking its inception. Among the guest invited during the red-carpet celebrity affair included KTN’s Str8Up crew as well as top entertainers from Mombasa and Nairobi.

The joint, a modern day entertainment hub complete with a discotheque, a VIP lounge and sports bar can host up to 2000 guests.

Groove nominees to be unveiled

The annual Groove Awards unveil this year’s nominees tomorrow during a glamour ceremony to be held at the Kenyatta International Confer-ence Centre. The event will feature top gospel singers. The awards have been sponsored by Safaricom.

STEVENS MUENDO} M O N DAY B LU E SThe offi cial showbiz and gossip column • Get It here hot and fi rst.All correspondence may be sent to [email protected]

Shamim: Hell no!

Wyre crowned international

king of reggae Kenya’s dancehall ace Kevin Wyre scooped

the Best New Entertainer award during the International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA) ceremony held in Florida on Saturday.

The Kenyan star beat celebrated interna-tional dancehall kings among them Jamaica’s Chronixx and D Major to become the fi rst African act to score such a feat.

“The competition was quite high and scoring against such prominent stars wasn’t easy. It is a great achievement in my music ca-reer and I give the glory to God as I thank my fans for making me the star I am,” Wyre told MondayBlues yesterday.

“This goes a long way to show that Kenyan music has crossed the borders. Our voice is being heard beyond the continent,” he remarked.

Since the IRAWMA were established back in 1982 — with the intent of honouring, promoting and recognising the contribution of various Reggae and World Music artistes — no other East African star has ever won.

Wyre’s songs among them She Say That, featuring Jamaican star Cecile have become international hits. He is one of the few African stars who have featured in the latest reggae riddims making him the most accepted African reggae singer internationally.

It was a big night for the Kenyan perform-er who also thrilled guest during the presti-gious glamour event held at Coral Spring Centre for the Arts.

Since its last staging in Florida, IRAWMA has traveled to several cities among them Atlanta, New Orleans, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and New York.

Reigning Miss World Kenya crown holder Shamim Nabil has laughed out at claims that veteran Tanzanian artiste Mr Nice could be rooting for a relationship with her. After word went out last Friday that the Kenyan based bongo star was eying for the beauty queen, Shamim termed the claims as “the worst joke I have ever heard”.

“I respect everyone’s feelings and sentiment. But for me to date Mr Nice just sounds like a bad joke. I am not even giving this a thought. Hell no,” she dismissed.

“I used to hear of him when I was pretty small. Nothing personal, but I think we come from different generations,” she added.

/ NATIONAL

of Esther Madudu, a Ugandan mid-wife, for the Nobel Peace Prize 2015.

Her symbolic nomination is to highlight the important role midwives play in saving lives of mothers and their children in Africa.

Esther is an Amref-trained midwife employed by the Government of Uganda.

Her passion for midwifery grew after she watched her grandmother, who was a traditional birth attendant, deliver a mother. She is also a victim after her child died during birth be-cause the only midwife in that facility was attending to another patient.

She resolved to ensure that no mother would have to go through what she did because there was no one to resuscitate her baby while she lay there gasping for breath.

Madudu has worked as a midwife for almost 12 years in a very remote health facility in Soroti, Eastern Uganda. She has had to endure the challenges of working as a midwife in rural areas where there is no water and power.

“Sometimes I am forced to use

Her symbolic nomi-nation is to highlight the important role midwives play

Amref nominates midwife for 2015 Nobel Peace Prize

Ms Esther Madudu shares experiences with midwives at the Kathonz-weni dispensa-ry. Amref has nominated her for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution in midwifery. [PHOTO: MARTIN MUKANGU/STANDARD]

By NAFTAL MAKORI

Triplets born prematurely some 45 days ago in Nyamira District Hospital are out of danger.

Mrs Grace Orwaru of Nyagenke village was rushed to the hospital six weeks ago after she experienced prema-ture labour.

“I underwent C-Section and it was successful but the doctor told me the babies were underweight, as they were born prematurely,” she ex-

plained. The triplets spent at least five weeks in the special care unit (nursery) while their mother was admitted at the maternity ward.

sKILLed deLIveRIesMedics said the two girls

and boy could not have sur-vived if the mother had deliv-ered at home. They encouraged mothers to always deliver at health centres for skilled deliv-eries.

Nursing officer in charge Doris Onsomu said the chil-

dren were fed with a special formula since the mother’s milk was inadequate.

Ms Onsomu, however, ex-pressed fears that Orwaru might not be able to feed the triplets with the special for-mula, thus exposing them to malnourishment. She ap-pealed to well-wishers to sup-port her raise the triplets, who have since reached maturity.

The nursing officer said it was not the first time mothers have delivered triplets at the facility.

Early birth triplets out of danger

By ABIGAeL sUM

In Africa, women die as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth because there are not enough midwives available to take care of them.

More than 80 per cent of these deaths could be taken care of in fa-cilities with basic emergency obstetric care services.

Midwives are equipped with skills intended to prevent any complica-tions that may occur in pregnancy, labour, delivery and post-partum, hence avoiding the risk of maternal deaths.

It is for this reason that African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref) is calling for the nomination

Saving lives


light from my mobile phone to deliver babies when the solar panels and torches do not work,” she said.

She delivers 45 to 50 babies every month in addition to giving prenatal services, among them examination of the mothers, counselling of HIV-pos-itive mothers, nutritional education, and teaching mothers how to prevent transmission of HIV to their chil-dren.

Madudu notes that the workload of a midwife is heavy, but then she says she has no choice but to save the lives of both mother and child.

“Midwives are a neglected lot as people tend to prefer traditional birth attendants rather than walking to a health facility and be examined by midwives,” she said.

seNsITIse peOpLeMidwives, she said, are unique as

they can do more than the traditional birth attendants, nurses and doctors and therefore the need to sensitise people on their role and train more midwives to reduce maternal deaths.

The 32-year-old has toured several countries in Europe advocating for midwifery recognition and spurred a lot of public, government and media attention.

She is the face of the Stand Up for African Mothers campaign launched by Amref, which runs until 2015. The campaign seeks to draw attention to the plight of African mothers and mobilise citizens worldwide to ensure mothers get the basic medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.

Madudu reiterates that as we cel-ebrate the International Day of the Midwife, midwives should be ab-sorbed into the health care system

Nairobi residents join students and staff of Pumwani School of Nursing and Midwifery and Kenyatta Medical Training School in a 10km procession on Saturday to mark the International Day of the Midwife. [PHOTO: ANDREW KI-LONZI/STANDARD]

because without a skilled midwife, anything can hap-pen. She adds even as the Kenyan Government plans to deliver free maternity services, it should increase the number of midwives in health facilities.

“For as long as I have been in midwifery, I have been championing the fight against maternal and child

mortality. My job goes be-yond deliveries. It is about getting the proper informa-tion and services to those that need it most, and ad-vocating for maternal health to be prioritised. We are all alive today because someone gave birth to us. How can we not make that a priority in health care,” she poses.

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard NOTICE /


We want all men and women, including students, to be aware that we are all human beings and end these incidents (of stripping others over indecency)

Group: Women have rights, don’t strip themBy JOB WERU

The African Women’s Develop-ment and Communication Network (FEMNET) is recruiting men to stand up for women under threat of being stripped or harassed for being skimp-ily dressed in public places.

The organisation has scouted for men to champion the rights of women

in risk areas such as bus stops and town streets.

At a workshop that brought to-gether touts, boda boda operators, the media, police and political leaders in Nyeri County, a FEMNET Programme Officer Kennedy Odhiambo said the move was spurred by the increasing cases of touts and members of public

taking upon themselves to adjudge women as indecently dressed and proceeding to strip them as a punish-ment.

The workshop followed an inci-dent at Nyeri Central Bus Station where a young woman was recently stripped for wearing a mini-dress and no underwear.

Team engages men for a campaign against stripping of skimpily-dressed women in public places

Advocacy

The incident has since been con-demned by the No Stripping of Women Campaign, who collaborated with FEMNET in the initiative.

Odhiambo said although stripping was a criminal act and a violation of the victims’ rights that should be pun-ishable by law, it was important there should be community champions to dissuade people from stripping or meting out violence on women on that basis.

“We want all men and women, including students, to be aware that we are all human beings and end these incidents. We regret the trend has been reported in Nyeri, Kisumu, Naivasha and Bomet,” he said.

StRESS factORWambui Ngigi, a student and

member of the No Stripping of Women Campaign, said the act dehumanises the victims as it robs them of their dignity.

“It has become difficult to reach out to victims because most of them lock themselves up after the act as they are traumatised,” Ngigi said.

During a heated debate at the workshop, it emerged that a section of men may be harbouring pent up an-ger that leads them to carry out the acts of violence on women due to stress in their families.

Ms Mercy Kamanu, a law student at the Kenya School of Law, said it was immoral and illegal for anyone to strip a woman claiming they have dressed indecently, adding that the Constitution outlaws discrimination.

“It is also sad men who do not sup-port the stripping do not assist the affected women,” said Martins Ok-walloh from Masculity Institute.

But in response, Mr Kevin Oganga from Dedan Kimathi University in Nyeri accused women of indecent dressing, which provoke men.

By NaNJINIa WaMUSWaTwo Kenyan scientists have

won the Grand Challenges Canada Stars in Global Health Award. The annual award rec-ognises innovators who de-velop ideas to improve health conditions.

The two are Antony Aseta and Doreen Marangu. Aseta is a monitoring and evaluation officer and Marangu a project manager with a Nairobi-based NGO, Africa Harvest.

tISSUE-cUltUREFor over six years, the two

have worked and trained small-scale farmers in Central and Eastern provinces on im-proving crop production such as tissue-culture bananas, sor-ghum and cow peas.

During these engagements they realised farmers, mostly women faced health challenge using firewood, charcoal and leaky stoves in their homes.

“Whenever we went out to the field, most of the farmers would be absent because they are unwell or tending to a sick child. We noticed a common

complaint of bad cough or a chest pain which are symp-toms of an underlying health problem,” says Aseta.

When Canada announced the global health award, Aseta and Marangu wrote a project proposal of initiating afford-able bio digesters aimed at re-ducing health risks that farm-ers faced.

They sent it in November last year and on April 30, Aseta and Marangu got the good news their proposal had won one of 102 new grants.

Each of them won more than Sh8.3 million (100,000 Canadian dollars).

The grant is designed to ad-dress a specific critical barrier which, if removed, would help solve a health problem in the developing world, with a high likelihood of global impact through widespread imple-mentation.

Aseta and Marangu say they will use the grant to develop low-cost bio digesters that uses cow dung in a pilot project which targets just farmers they have been working with.

Kenyan scientists win Canadian global award

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Prison reforms

State to pardon 15,000 inmates to decongest prisons

Team says it targets prisoners serving three or less years to lower population that stands at 51,000

By LINAH BENYAWAThe Government plans to

free about 15,000 inmates across the country to decon-gest prisons. Those targeted for pardon are prisoners serv-ing jail terms of up to a maxi-mum of three years, who will be committed to community service.

The National Coordinator of the National Community Service Order Committee Lawrence Mugambi an-nounced in Mombasa over the weekend prisons were overcrowded and expensive for the Government to main-tain.

“We are planning to reduce the number of inmates by close to 15,000 and put them on community services be-cause the facilities are over-populated, making it difficult for inmates to be rehabilitated

for lack of resources,” said Mugambi.

He was speaking in Mom-basa when the committee met to come up with strate-gies that would control popu-lation in prisons, which they said were costly to the Gov-ernment because they spend close to Sh15 million daily.

Mugambi added that the Ministry of Home Affairs was targeting inmates who have been convicted to three years and below, which he said they expect to save a lot of money that could be channelled to

Lawrence Mugambi (inset), the National Coordinator of the Na-tional Community Service Order Committee, says prisons’ popu-lation is too high for quality service. [PHOTO: KEVIN ODIT/STANDARD]

To comment on this and other stories:[email protected]

other ministries.“We need to create space.

Currently, we have more than 51,000 inmates in all prisons countrywide, which is quite a big number and overwhelm-ing to the Government com-pared to the resources allo-cated. We want to see all prisoners well-rehabilitated in a clean environment with enough bedding and food-stuff,” he explained.

He said not everybody who committed an offense must go to prison, adding that they could be rehabilitated at their homes but while per-forming activities that would benefit the community like maintenance work in schools, unblocking the drainage sys-tems and waterways among other things.

INtEgrAtIoNMugambi also said the

committee also came up with a proposal to amend the Pris-ons Act, which he said had some loop holes that has been a challenge in ensuring the inmates are well-rehabilitat-ed.

“The amendments, we have proposed is determining how the inmates are placed on community services by involving the community be-cause under the current Act, the community is not in-volved hence making it diffi-cult for the inmates to be in-tegrated back to the society,” he added.

Instances When pardon Is granted A pardon is the forgive-ness of a crime and the cancellation of the rel-evant penalty, usually granted by a head of State or by Acts of Parliament or a religious authority. Pardons are granted when individuals have demon-strated reformation or are otherwise considered to be deserving. Pardons are sometimes offered to persons who are wrongfully convicted.However, in this case, the Mugambi committee aims to decongest prisons for improved services.


Warship visit

By PHILIP MWAKIO

The fight against piracy off the Coast of Somalia requires co-opera-tion by the international community, a naval commander of a military alli-ance has said.

Speaking on board the North At-lantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) Operation Ocean Shield command flagship, ITS San Marco, at the port of Mombasa yesterday, Rear Admiral Antonio Natale (commander of the Standing Nato Maritime Group 2) said that cooperation of all stakeholders was vital to winning the real war over piracy.

“Naval presence in the Horn of Africa, which also lies on a vital inter-national sea route, has allowed for drastic reduction of piracy attacks decreasing from 129 in 2011 to only 19 in 2012 with figures coming down in the recent past,” Mr Natale, who was flanked by Italian ambassador to Ke-nya Ms Paolo Imperiale, said.

ITS San Marco has been at Mom-basa port for a week and sailed out to return to its area of operation yester-day. It is expected to conduct sea drills with the Kenya Navy which will be witnessed by a selected group of Kenyan and international journal-ists.

ITS San Marco is deployed along other ships namely USS Halyburton (US Navy), TCG Gocova (Turkey) and HDMS Huitfeldt ( Netherlands) for

Piracy off Somali Coast drops sharplyNato mission commander praises Kenya’s military effort in Somalia and cooperation between navies to end vice

By KIPCHUMBA KEMEI

A group of local investors want National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to allow communi-ties neighbouring Maasai Mara Na-tional Park to construct tourist facili-ties.

They said restrictions the author-ity had imposed on construction of hotels and lodges outside protected areas was hindering locals from in-vesting in the multibillion shilling industry.

“The restriction is hindering local investment. The authority should al-low construction of tourists’ facilities without subjecting us to stringent conditions,” said Leshan Ntutu, a landlord in the western side of the reserve.

They claimed yesterday that there were disturbing reports that the au-thority was working in tandem with foreign investors to deny locals op-portunities to invest in the hotel in-dustry in Mara.

UNDUE DELAySThey accused Nema of undue de-

lays in carrying out the environment impact assessment work that is man-datory before setting up establish-ments. Leshan said the Government-imposed moratorium was meant to control haphazard construction of new tourist facilities inside the park.

“There are many prospective lo-cals who have money to set up hotels, lodges and cultural villages in areas bordering the park and conservation areas but the authority which is now being used as a tool by foreign inves-tors is locking them out of the busi-ness through application of rules that do not affect areas they want to invest in,” he added.

Investors want say in tourism

industry

Rear Admiral Antonio Natale (right) of Nato’s Operation Ocean Shield Mari-time Group 2 chats with Italian Ambassador to Kenya Paola Imperiale after addressing the Press aboard the visiting Italian navy ship ITS San Marco at the port of Mombasa yesterday. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

the Nato Operation Ocean Shield.Natale further said that to date

there were only two merchant vessels and 54 crew in captivity off the So-mali Coast and ashore. The two ves-sels are Naham 3, a fishing vessel from Oman and Albeda, a cargo ship whose country of origin is Malaysia.

OTHER NAVIESHe said their mission could not

have been successful were it not for the cooperation of other navies oper-ating at sea. He further commended the work done by the African Union Mission in Somalia.

“Your very own, the Kenya Defence Force which is part of the Amison unit, has done commendable work in pacifying Somalia and ensuring that normalcy is returned for the Somali people to enjoy normal life just like other people elsewhere where peace prevails,” Natale said.

Ambassador Imperiale said that her Government was committed to ensuring a free Somali and piracy eradicated so as to allow communities to conduct their businesses well and thrive economically.

WHY attacks on sHips are on tHe decline • Naval military presence in the sea lanes off Somali Coast, which is Africa’s lon-gest and the support • Action of the international community in stabilsing war ravaged Somalia which is reeling back to life• The military has been pro-active in wining the hearts of the local populace near So-mali Coast through humani-tarian aid engagements

/ NATIONAL NEWS

MP warns of duplication of projects in devolution

By ROBERT NyASATO

A legislator has expressed concern over the likelihood of duplication of projects under the devolved government structure.

Kitutu Chache South MP Richard Onyonka said unless deliberate efforts are made to clearly demarcate which proj-ects are to be undertaken by which government, there would be loopholes for fleec-ing public funds.

Onyonka said they were waiting to see what areas county governments wanted to use their resources to avoid a scenario where one fund is used to complete a project.

The MP said the public stood to benefit more if coun-ties identified which projects they would fund so that other kitties like the constituency development fund (CDF) would focus on others to im-prove the livelihoods of the majority poor.

“We don’t want to be in a situation where projects are duplicated as it happened in the past because there are many development funds in the grassroots,” he said. On-yonka said devolved govern-ments would handle enormous funds to develop counties which should supplement the success of the CDF kitty.

Onyonka said Parliament may increase the CDF alloca-tion given the tremendous achievements realised since its inception.

In the past, duplication of projects was a common prac-tice among local authorities, the central Government and other development partners leading to pocketing of public funds by some individuals.

We don’t want to be in a situation where projects are duplicated as it happened in the past.

Counties FROM THE

Monday, May 6, 2013

QuickReadKIAMBU: Gang kills guard, injures another

A gang raided Kiambu Municipal Council offices on Friday and killed a watchman before making away with Sh220,000. A second watchman was critically injured and was rushed to Kiambu District Hospital before being transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment. Kiambu County Commissioner Wilson Njega said the watchmen were attacked with blunt objects. The body was discovered by one of their colleagues when they reported to work yesterday morning.

NAROK: Two brothers shot dead by bandits

Two brothers were on Saturday shot dead by bandits who invaded their Manyatta in Naikarra, Narok South District. The bandits are said to have broken into Malike Ole Lepore’s manyatta early in the morning intending to steal his livestock. The commotion, however, attracted the deceased’s attention, before the thugs shot him on the head killing him instantly. Narok OCPD Peterson Maelo said the second victim was killed when he rushed to scene after hearing gunshots.

LAIKIPIA: All set for Mt Kenya ASK show

Preparations for this year’s Mt Kenya Agricultural Society of Kenya show due in two weeks in Nanyuki are complete. Officials said at least 50 exhibitors have confirmed participation in the event that is held at ASK grounds in Nanyuki town. Speaking while on a tour of the show ground, National ASK Deputy Chairman Joseph Gachagua said the number is expected to increase as the event nears. He said Laikipia County government would also have a stand at the event.

KERICHO: Residents decry lack of services

Families evicted from Mau Forest and resettled in Thesalia Thessalia farm in Kericho County have decried lack of essential services in their new residence.Through their spokesman Paul Sang, the 148 families cited leaking tents, lack of schools and other social amenities as some of the challenges they have been grappling since they were relocated. “We are living in deplorable conditions since last November when the state evicted us from our former homes. We need urgent help,” he said.

Leaders resolve to pave way for cane project

Negotiations on to end border row that threatens Sh10 billion plan meant to boost residents’ livelihoods

By OSINDE OBARE

Pokot County

Leaders from Turkana and West Pokot counties are holding talks to resolve a boundary row that threatens to stall Sh10 billion sugarcane proj-ect.

And West Pokot MPs endorsed the ambitious project that could change the fortunes of residents, whose lives have been dependent on pastoral-ism.

Poor development in the area has been blamed on perennial cattle rus-tling, which has further strained rela-tions between the two communities.

But local leaders have kicked off campaigns in search of the elusive peace along the troubled border.

TRIBAL CLASHESThe project planned at the trou-

bled Ombolion area will be funded by the Indian government in conjunc-tion with the Kenya Government through the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA).

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin said they have lined up a series of talks with their Turkana counterparts to come up with a long lasting solution to insecurity and communal clashes at the troubled border.

Kachapin led five West Pokot MPs in endorsing the project, and agreed to hold talks to urgently address the

border conflict.During the meeting at Turwkel,

West Pokot Senator Prof John Lonyn-gapuo blamed boundary row on

stalled development at the border.He said the joint talks would bro-

ker peace between the two communi-ties and unlock the investment po-

By NAFTAL MAKORI

Nyamira County

Grief gripped Ratandi village in Nyamira County after a 40-year-old woman killed her son over a man who spent a night in their home.

The woman, whose husband had died three years ago, is alleged to have picked a quarrel with his 14- year-old son over the man who had visited her on Friday night.

She allegedly hit the son, a Class seven Pupil at Ratandi Primary

School, with a large piece of wood on the back of the head several times and left him lying unconscious on the ground.

The woman is said to have pro-ceeded to entertain her guest and it was until the following day that she, with the help of neighbours, rushed the boy to the nearby Nyamaiya Health Centre where he was pro-nounced dead.

Angry villagers roughed the woman upon learning about her son’s death before area chief Duncan Moriasi and an assistant chief, Liv-

ingstone Momanyi, rescued her. Police officers from Nyamira Po-

lice Station led by OCS David Muange later arrested the suspect.

The body of the boy was taken to Nyamira District Hospital mortu-ary.

MURDER CHARGESNyamira police boss Shadrack

Maithya, who confirmed the inci-dent said Kerubo, who is in custody, would be arraigned in court to an-swer to murder charges.

“The woman was with an un-

known visitor and that is when they started quarrelling with the boy be-fore she beat him,” said Maithya.

Speaking to The Standard chief Moriasi added that the family are reported to have had similar quarrels in the past.

“The woman drinks a lot of alco-hol and always goes home with dif-ferent men. I have been receiving the reports that they always quarrel with the young boy over the issue,” he said. The identity of the man she was accompanied with during the inci-dent is yet to be determined.

Shock as mother kills 14-year-old son

Blogs, archives, reader forums and more: www.standardmedia.co.ke/news

LONg-sTANdINg Feud• In March this year, four herdsmen were killed and scores of others injured on Saturday in retaliatory attacks between Pokot and Turkana pastoralists in the protracted armed conflicts.• Conflict over grazing field boundary dispute along River Kerio be-tween the Pokots and the Turkanas has fueled bloody confrontation and revenge attacks between the two communities.• Following the attacks, a team of senior security personnel and more GSU, Anti-Stock Police Unit (ASPU), regular and Administration Police were deployed to the area to quell conflicts

tential of the area.Issues expected to feature during

the talks are cattle rustling and ban-ditry activities along the common border.

“For how will our people continue to decimate each other because of cattle and boundary disputes? We will sit down with our counterparts from Turkana and iron these problems,” said Lonyangapuo.

MPs present were Samuel Moroto, (Kapenguria), David Pkosing (Pokot South), Philip Rotino (Sigor) and Mark Lumunakol (Kacheliba).

The leaders denounced rustling and banditry, arguing that they were the major hindrance to empower-ment of the pastoralist communities.

The meeting comes three days af-ter suspected Turkana bandits am-bushed and killed a respected Pokot peace elder at Kases near Ombolion.

FRESH TENSION The raiders from Kaptir in Kainuk

division escaped with three goats and the attack has triggered fresh tension along the border.

“My leadership is committed to the peace and will strive hard to gain a sustainable peace to enable our people, who are disadvantaged eco-nomically, prosper,” said Kachapi.

Waters from Turkwel dam will be used to irrigate the sugar cane planta-tion to cover over 25,000 hectares, a project aimed at mitigating commu-nal feuds and transform lives.

The project is part of plans by the Indian Government to assist Kenya increase food production and uplift incomes of rural communities.

During a tour of the North Rift re-cently, Indian High Commissioner Sibabrata Tripathi said his govern-ment was keen to partner with Kenyan counterparts to promote use of mod-ern technology to boost food produc-tion.

/ COUNTY NEWS Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Fish from lake safe,says fisheries officer

80 arrested in swoop at border town

Nine killed, scores injured in accidents

Lucky survivors link mishaps to speeding and overtaking

Road carnage

By STANDARD TEAM

Kisumu/ Meru and Kericho counties

Four people among them three members of a family died when a matatu heading to Kisumu from Bondo tried to

By ANToNy GiToNGA

Nyeri County

The Department of Fisher-ies has assured consumers that fish from Lake Naivasha was safe for consumption.

The department down played reports of mass-fish deaths(pictured) in the fresh water lake saying that the in-cident had been blown out of proportion.

Last week, massive num-bers of tilapia fish died after the fresh water body-Lake Naivasha and the saline Lake Oloidien merged due to the ongoing rains.

The incident caused anxi-ety among stakeholders as experts moved in to investi-gate the problem.

According to Naivasha District Fisheries officer Mathew Ngila, the deaths had occurred on a small section where the two lakes had merged.

He said the deaths had stopped after fresh water di-

By LiBAN GoLichA

Wajir County

At least 80 people were ar-rested in Moyale town during a police crackdown.

The town was deserted as early as 8pm on Thursday night, as police streamed doz-ens of people into Moyale police cells during the opera-tion.

Residents were engulfed in fear, which in turn affected the opening of businesses on Fri-day morning as traders kept away until late in the day.

Moyale deputy OCPD Ju-lius Muchira said at least 80 people were arrested on Thursday night following a police swop.

He said the swoop was a normal police operation, aimed at curbing criminals.the services will go on up to 8pm, but assured operators that consultations with au-thorities are ongoing.

tained minor injuries.Elsewhere, a hit-and-run

driver knocked down an 86-year-old pedestrian along the Meru-Mikinduri road before landing in a ditch.

OCPD Mr Tom Odero said the woman was hit by the ve-hicle as she attempted to cross the road and died on the spot.

The wreck of the vehicle was towed to the Meru police station. “We are investigating what happened and the driver suspected to have caused the accident will be charged in court once arrested,” Mr Odero said.

Later in the day, a hawker died after he fell from a moving bus in Meru town. The de-

ceased had boarded the bus to sell maize to passengers.

Witnesses said the man jumped off the bus and fell, dying on the spot.

hEAD-oN coLLiSioNMeanwhile, two matatu

drivers were killed after their vehicles were involved in a head-on collision at Kapkatun-gor area along the Kericho-Nakuru highway on Friday night

Thirty-nine passengers among them six children were injured in the accident which police attributed to speeding and defiance of traffic rules and regulations. Kericho OCPD Clement Gatogo and Traffic

Base commander Maurice Okul confirmed the accident. Gatogo said one of the matatu drivers died on the spot while the other was pronounced dead on arrival at Kericho Dis-trict Hospital.

Most of the injured passen-gers were rushed to Kericho District Hospital with some being referred to Tenwek Mis-sion Hospital in Bomet County and the Moi Teaching and Re-ferral Hospital for specialised treatment.

By JOHN MAJAU, LAW-RENCE ALURU and BY NIKKO TANUI

The mangled wreck of a pick up truck involved in an accident at Mugundoi area along the Eldoret-Nairobi highway. The pick up was involved was involved in a head on collision with a lorry. [PHOTO: KEVIN TUNOI/STANDARD]

Kirua Mission Hospital, after the vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a road accident at Ntugi market, on the Meru-Nanyuki road.

Buuri deputy OCPD Joel Chebii said the deceased, was travelling from Kirua market to Timau when his car was in-volved in a head-on collision.

“The vehicle which was coming from Nanyuki direc-tion was attempting to over-take another car when it was involved in a head on collision with the deceased’s car,” said the deputy OCPD. Chebii said three other passengers sus-

overtake a motorbike but hit an on-coming car at Ndori Market.

Six others were admitted at the Nyanza Provincial Hospital in Kisumu and three others at Kombewa Sub-District Hospi-tal. Siaya OCPD Stephen Cheteka said the bodies have been taken to Provincial Hos-pital mortuary while the 11 occupants of the matatu were rushed for treatment at Bondo District Hospital.

In another incident, Moses Gatobu, 60, father to Buuri MP Boniface Kinoti Gatobu (Inde-pendent) died on his way to

luted the saline lake adding that fish from Lake Naivasha were safe.

“Fish from Lake Naivasha is safe for consumption and the deaths have stopped as the saline water has been di-luted,” he said.

Ngila dismissed reports of pollution adding that some of the fish were trapped due to shallow water levels and lack of oxygen in Lake Oloidien.

Chairman Central Landing Lucas Auma who said the is-sue had caused unnecessary anxiety among consumers.

Former Naivasha MP John Mututho called for compre-hensive investigations into the deaths.

Reference is made to the advertisements printed in the Newspapers on 15th April, 2013 in relation to the recruitment of a Member of the County Assembly Service Board.

The following candidates applied for the position of a Member of the County Assembly Service Board.

THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY OF KISUMUP.O. BOX 86-40100, KISUMU.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

S/No. Names of Applicants Sex IDNO/Passport No. Qualifications1 Yvonne Akinyi Oiye F 21970597 BSC. (Int. Business Administration)2 Isaac Onyango Nyamori M 20196490 Dip. In Community Development3 Fanuel Otiende Oloko M 10922698 MBA, BBA Finance Option4 Fred O. Olandi M MBA (Strategic Mgt) & HRM, BA (Admin & Economics)5 Kokwaro Paul Lanyo M 0237836 MBA (Strategic Mgt) & HRM, BEd6 Magaret Mboya Jobita F 0306880 BA (Public Administration).7 Beatrice Munyedo Otieno F 4377561 MBA (Business Administration) & BSc.8 George Paul Aluko Omundo M 0284058 BCom (Accounts Option)9 Molent Akinyi Oketch F 11196909 MBA in (HRM) & BEd. 10 Nalo Samuel Opiyo M 3951495 Masters in Religious Studies & BA in Theology 11 Jane Owuor Nyawade F 0259957 Higher Dip. in Human Resource Management12 Aloyce Awuor Achayo M P1 Teacher13 Malachi Otieno M BCom.(Marketing Management)14 Isdora Akinyi Okoro F 20868007 Certificate in Computer Application (CCA)15 Atyang Siala Gervase M 0248809 Diploma in Adult Education16 Kokore Omondi M Bachelor of Law17 Wycliffe Lameck Ochieng’ M 11500190 Masters of Commerce & BA in Commerce18 Kenneth Ochieng’ Otok M 20007176 Certificate in Catering19 Janet Awino Ogot F 21905425 Cert. in Sales & Marketing20 Erasto Saye Agwanda M 14676309 Dip. In Mass Communication21 Henry Odhiambo ketch M 22136701 Dip. In Personnel Management22 Anditi Timothy Bonface M 24142822 Medical Laboratory Technician23 James Ogada Onyany M 2556459 P1 Teacher24 Godfrey Odiwuor Oguma M 25727134 Dip. In Mass Communication25 Aura Nimrod Omollo M BEd.26 Celestine Akinyi Oginga F 27732692 Dip. In Social Work

The Panel on the Selection of the County Assembly Service Board has shortlisted Seven (7) candidates for the position. It is notified for the general information that the Panel will conduct interviews for the following shortlisted candidates on 15th May, 2013 at the Kisumu County Assembly Board Room as shown below:-

SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION OF A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY ASSEMBLY SERVICE BOARD.

S/No. Names of Applicants Sex IDNO/Passport No. Date of Interview Time1 Molent Akinyi Oketch F 11196909 15th May, 2013 09:00 A.M2 Nalo Samuel Opiyo M 3951495 15th May, 2013 09:30 A.M3 Fanuel Otiende Oloko M 10922698 15th May, 2013 10:00 A.M4 Fred O. Olandi M 15th May, 2013 10:30 A.M5 Kokwaro Paul Lanyo M 0237836 15th May, 2013 11:00 A.M6 Magaret Mboya Jobita F 0306880 15th May, 2013 11:30 A.M7 Beatrice Munyedo Otieno F 4377561 15th May, 2013 12:00 P.M

The candidates should bring with them original of the following documents:-1. National ID/Passport.2. Certificate of Good Conduct.3. A letter from the Area Chief confirming residence.4. Clearance Letter from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.5. Clearance Letter from HELB.6. Clearance Letter from the KRA.7. A letter confirming good standing in membership of professional body (if any).

Members of the public are invited to submit any information that has a bearing on the selection of any of the candidates before 13th May, 2013 to the Selection Panel Chairman.

The panel, may invite any member of the public who has submitted such information on any of the candidates to appear before it in person. The submission will be treated with strict confidence.

Mr. Joshua Osewe OchidoChairman, Selection Panel for a Member of County Service BoardDate: Friday, 03rd May, 2013

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard COUNTY NEWS / Page25

By DENNIS ONyANGO

Kisumu County

Kisumu County Govern-ment has allocated Sh100 mil-lion to tackle water hyacinth that has posed a big challenge to fishermen in the region.

However, experts have urged the county government, headed by Governor Jacktone Ranguma to partner with other counties who benefit from the lake to eliminate the problem completely.

Executive director Centre for Research and Technologi-cal Development Professor Wellington Otieno warned that the amount allocated by Kisumu County in its budget estimates might not be enough.

“The task involved is enor-mous and requires a lot of re-sources and energy,” he said.

He urged the Government to find a more sustaining solu-tion to the problem by exploit-ing uses of water hyacinth to benefit the people.

Local leaders have lauded the move, saying it will save

Sh100m allocated to tackle hyacinth

County reps reject governor’s nominees

Association wants bypass built in town

KWS embarks on Sh150m project to boost tourism

Programme involves enhanced patrol and a daily beach clean up exercise

Massive initiative

By JACK NDURI

Homa Bay County

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has planned a Sh150 million project at the expan-sive Lake Victoria basin to spur tourism.

Through the scheme, a six-month pilot program would be carried out that will ensure enhanced patrol, daily beach clean up exercise and reor-ganisation of beach vendors making beaches friendly to tourists.

With the great potential for tourists in Homa Bay County, the newly elected Governor and his Cabinet should strive to make tourism a major in-come earner to help spur eco-nomic growth and create em-ployment opportunities.

According to the Kenya Tourist Board Managing Direc-tor Muriithi Ndegwa, the pro-

By ERIC LUNGAI

Vihiga County

County representatives in Vihiga have threatened to block lists of county executive committee and public service board members citing lack of youth representation.

Speaking to The Standard, the area leaders said that the list showed unacceptable dis-parities saying the whole affair amounted to impunity.

“Out of the over 30 names presented, you cannot tell us that youths of either gender didn’t apply for the posts ad-vertised,” said Abdalla Chogo, representative for Central Maragoli ward.

He said the list is an abuse that underestimates youths in the region because it shows there are no qualified youths to be entrusted with county governance.

“If the County Assembly has several youths, why does the Governor not include even one youth in his steering com-mittees?” he posed.

He added that some of the people who have been put on the list are retirees who left their jobs with undesirable track records and thus bring-ing them into a ‘dream team’ that is supposed to kick start development in the county was not realistic.

“We wanted the Governor to present to us a list of tech-nocrats. We are disappointed with his choices already,” said Chogo, Chief Whip Vihiga County Assembly.

By NICK OLUOCh

Migori County

Matatu Owners Association is now calling on the new lead-ership of Migori County to ur-gently open a bypass within Migori town.

Speaking yesterday, the as-sociation’s Assistant National Treasurer Joshua Kandie said there was need to urgently open up another road to ease up traffic along the main Mig-ori-Isebania highway which also serves as the link between Kenya and Tanzania.

And speaking separately, Chairman of the Migori Trad-ers Association, Joseph Ojwang Ariwi has urged locals to ap-preciate and recognise foreign business partners.

Gift from the community

Founder of Oloontepes Cheongun Secondary School Kang Sung Jing which is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church of South Korea is dorned with traditional Maasai artire during the handing over ceremony of the school to the Government. Hundreds of children from the Maasai communi-ty are set to benefit from the school. [PHOTO: PeTersOn giTHaiga/sTanDarD]

Hyacinth on Lake Victoria. [PHOTO: FiLe/sTanDarD]

gramme aims at restoring the competitive edge of Kenya’s Coastal area as a tourism des-tination while ensuring that marine and beach tourism products are sustained.

Focus on this sector could herald the birth of a new dawn to the Western Tourism Circuit whose potential still remains untapped.

Homa Bay County is strate-gically placed to receive visi-tors and therefore the compel-ling need to invest in the hospitality industry.

Regional tourism from the major East African states of

Uganda and Tanzania could easily be strengthened if Lake Transport was developed and proper accommodation estab-lished along the Lake’s beach-es.

This goes together with a good road network, especially between Mbita and Homa Bay, Mbita-Gwassi-Ndhiwa-Homa Bay, Kendu Bay-Homa Bay some of which have been done or under construction and Kendu Bay-Oyugis and Oyugis-Rodi Kopany roads among others.

Tourism sector - being one of Kenya’s key economic con-tributors - has over the last two years undergone tremendous revolution and achieved im-mense growth in terms of in-come to the exchequer and creation of various opportuni-ties both to tour operators and job seekers.

The sector according to Government reports, contrib-uted Sh74 billion in the year 2010 and turned out to be the main contributor of foreign exchange to the Kenyan econ-omy — at 44 per cent.

Despite travel advisories issued by some countries, the performance of the sector, the Government says, has achieved full growth.

residents who owe their liveli-hood to the lake.

West Kisumu Ward Repre-sentative, Paul Odhiambo said some fishermen had relocated to other regions because of the problem.

“Removal of the harmful weed will enhance fishing and other commercial activities in the lake and its shores,” Odhiambo said.

Mr Ranguma had vowed to implement strict legislation in cooperation with Lake Victo-ria Basin Co-operation and Lake Victoria Environment Management Programme to mechanically remove the harmful weed.

PROJECT DETAILSKWS has set aside a whooping Sh150 Million to steer a six-month pilot program that will ensure enhanced patrol, daily beach clean up exercise and reorganisation of beach vendors making beaches friendly to tour-istsThe programme is simi-lar to one conducted recently at the Kenyan Coast

/ COUNTY NEWS Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Hundreds of girls undergo

rite of passage

Security of forest blocks intensifi ed

Adopt modern ways, farmers told

Governors vow to repossess public land One-month amnesty period is issued for returning all public land

Illegal sale

BY MICHAEL WESONGA

Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo/Marakwet countiesTwo County governments

in the North Rift are repossess-ing grabbed land to facilitate infrastructure development.

Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo/Marakwet governors have an-nounced the plan to seize all stolen property grabbed from former municipal and county councils.

Elgeyo/Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos issued a one-month amnesty to individuals to re-turn illegally acquired public land or have it forcefully taken away from them.

He expressed concern over illegal sale of several plots pre-viously owned by local au-thorities and the government by corrupt offi cials.

“Some corrupt individuals allocated themselves and their cronies public land meant for expansion of urban centres across the county,” said Tol-gos.

He said the county govern-ment would seek to have those who acquired the plots irregu-larly give them up on their own volition but will resort to legal means if they become defi ant.

Tolgos said in Iten town and other urban centres in the area,

By KENAN MIRUKA

Kisii County

Hundreds of girls in Kisii County have graduated after undergoing an alternative rite of passage sponsored by a reli-gious organisation to end Fe-male Genital Mutilation (FGM).

The 150 girls from various parts of the county underwent a one-week training where they were mentored and taken through intensive studies on HIV/Aids, reproductive health, nutrition, patriotism and life skills.

During a colourful ceremo-ny held at Nyatieko Secondary School. Pastor John Macharia of the Turning Point Counsel-ing Solutions called on men in the region to join in the fi ght against FGM.

“To eradicate FGM, we need a collaborative effort and col-lective responsibility in the community,” said the pastor.

Last year, elders in Kisii led by the Abagusii Culture and Development Council publicly declared abandonment of FGM in Kisii.

By BONIFACE GIKANDI

Nyeri County

Security of forest blocks in the Aberdare Ranges has been intensifi ed.

Saw millers have been in-structed to only fell down smarked trees.

Kenya Forest Service has opened Githika block within Gatare forest for harvesting and licensed 22 saw millers, with projection of raising more than Sh23 million.

Murang’a County Forests coordinator Mr J W Gitonga said strict security measures have been put in place to en-sure errant saw millers do not penetrate designated forest blocks for harvesting.

By JAMES MUNYEKI

Nyandarua County

Farmers in Nyandarua and Laikipia counties have been advised to adopt modern methods of farming, including improving traditional agricul-ture through innovations.

It has been observed that farmers can grow healthy foods without depending too much on toxic chemicals and chemi-cal fertilisers by substituting them with natural organic and biological farming systems.

According to regional coor-dinator of Training and Eco-nomic Empowerment Pro-gramme Mr Geoffrey Mwangi Nderitu, there is an alarming increase in the use of toxic chemicals to control pests and

some individuals used their connections in the previous Government to grab land meant for social amenities.

“As a matter of fact, Iten town lacks a sewerage system, a dumpsite and a public cem-etery and we fear the land al-located previously allocated for such facilities might be held by individuals,” he said.

The governor said the sale of the public land had impeded setting up of public utilities, with land having to be sourced from elsewhere to facilitate the same.

“We are reviewing several documents in an attempt to establish how public plots were

diseases on both farm animals and plants that has endan-gered the environment and reduces bio-diversity as well as the health of consumers.

Mwangi noted that soils have become poorer and pests have become resistant to chemicals used hence there is a dire need to shift for safe, chemical free food and a de-mand for organically grown food crops.

The TEEP director observed that it was necessary to bring farmers together through well-organised groups so that they can be able to learn from oth-ers.

He was speaking in Nyahu-ruru during a training work-shop for farmers drawn from Laikipia, Nyandarua, Nyeri and Nakuru counties.

changed to personal property and those found culpable will be prosecuted,” noted Tolgos, who spoke to journalists in his Iten offi ce at the weekend.

Iten Business Community Association chairman Thomas Cheruiyot said the town needs urgent planning and design to boost development and attract investors.

In Uasin Gishu, deputy County Governor Daniel Kip-rotich told The Standard on Saturday that the move to re-possess grabbed land and property was crucial in restruc-turing Eldoret town’s planning and operations.

Mr Kiprotich said the pro-cess would be followed by zon-ing of the various sections of the town according to the na-ture of land for optimum utili-sation.

Kiprotich, however, noted that they were not keen on tak-ing legal action against the perpetrators, but would have the plots surrendered through mutual agreements.

He further put on notice contractors in the town who he said award themselves tenders and fail to deliver service to the citizenry.

“We shall not allow our-selves to be mocked by a group of cartels out to make easy cash at the expense of service delivery. They must know that their days are numbered,” he warned.

The warning came just days after area Governor Jackson Mandago announced the in-terdiction of fi ve council offi -cials during the Labour Day celebrations in an ongoing war against rogue cartels fl eecing the council.

Evelyn Malimo (left) and Sandra Iganza of Kayole Friend’s Church perform a play titled ‘Shackles of Love’ during Nairobi Adults Friends conference at Mombasa Polytechnic. Ten churches par-ticipated in the event. [PHOTO: OMONDI ONYANGO/STANDARD]

‘Shackles of love’

Some corrupt individuals allocated themselves and their cronies public land

AMNESTYDays given within which all public land and prop-erty should be returned

30

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard COUNTY NEWS /

Records show youth groups

shun State loans They claim conditions attached to the Government loans are discouraging

Enterprise fund

By JOSEPH MASHA

Kilifi County

Government records in Ba-hari, Kilifi County show most youth groups have shunned loans advanced by the Youth Enterprise Fund.

Records from the District Youth and Sports offices in Kilifi show that out of Sh4 mil-lion which was allocated to benefit local youth through loans last year, only Sh1.1 mil-lion was loaned out and offi-cials attributed it to ignorance but the youth claim they shun the money due to conditions associated with it.

According to the Kilifi Dis-trict Youth Enterprise Fund officer William Sifa, 22 youth groups applied and were given Sh50,000 loans which cumula-tively amounts to Sh1.1 mil-lion.

Speaking to The Standard

during a visit to Sanya Youth group at Makata in Kikambala Division, which benefited with the Sh50,000 loan, he said Sh2.9 million remains uncol-lected at the offices.

“Bahari District was allo-cated with Sh4 million which was supposed to be loaned to youth in the area last year but up to the end of the year only Sh1.1 million had been taken leaving a balance of Sh2.9 mil-lion,” said Mr Sifa yesterday.

The officer further said a total of 21 youths were awarded individual loans of between Sh25,000 and Sh100,000 through the Government ap-pointed financial intermediar-ies.

LACK OF SECURITYMr Josphat Chilango said

lack of security to acquire the loans was still a challenge to the youth adding that a Sh50,000 loan to start a busi-ness given was too low.

District Youth officer Jo-syline Katunge said ignorance among the youth about the loans was a major obstacle to advancing the loans.

Kilifi County Commissioner Erastus Ekidor challenged the youth to refrain from joining criminal groups and instead form groups.

The National Gender and Equality Commission invites interested bidders for the following tenders:

CATEGORY NO.A GOODSNGEC/G/001/2013-2014 Supply of office stationery, Computer and photocopier accessories & consumablesNGEC/G/002/2013-2014 Supply of computer hardwares; Servers, tablets, laptops ,desktops, ups, printers and photocopiers NGEC/G/003/2013-2014 Supply, delivery, development, installation and maintenance of Computer softwares and systems.NGEC/G/004/2013-2014 Installation and service of network equipment’s and structured cablingNGEC/G/005/2013-2014 Supply of PABX, telephone heads and other telecommunication equipments & accessoriesNGEC/G/006/2013-2014 Supply of office furniture, furnishings ,fittings and equipmentsNGEC/G/007/2013-2014 Supply of Fuel and lubricantsNGEC/G/008/2013-2014 Supply of Motor vehicles Tyres, Batteries and AccessoriesNGEC/G/009/2013-2014 Supply of printed office stationeryNGEC/G/010/2013-2014 Supply of uniforms and related promotional materialsNGEC/G/011/2012-2014 Supply, installation & commissioning of Air conditionersNGEC/G/012/2012-2014 Supply of Airtime scratch cardsNGEC/G/013/2012-2014 Supply of newspapersNGEC/G/014/2012-2014 Supply of fresh cut flowers, plants and maintenance of in-door plantsCATEGORY NO.B ServicesNGEC/S/001/2013-2014 Provision of Air Travel Agency Services-IATA registered onlyNGEC/S/002/2013-2014 Provision of Internet Services and cloud servicesNGEC/S/003/2013-2014 Provision of Insurance Brokage servicesNGEC/S/004/2013-2014 Provision of Hotel, Accommodation and Conference servicesNGEC/S/005/2013-2014 Provision of Security ServicesNGEC/S/006/2013-2014 Provision of office cleaning and fumigation servicesNGEC/S/007/2013-2014 Provision of Office Partitioning, Maintenance, renovations and repairs NGEC/S/008/2013-2014 Provision of asset tagging/coding servicesNGEC/S/009/2013-2014 Design and printing of calendars, diaries, x-mas cards, brochures and promotional materialsNGEC/S/010/2013-2014 Provision of catering servicesNGEC/S/011/2013-2014 Provision of Team Building Consultancy ServicesNGEC/S/012/2013-2014 Provision of event management, branding and interior decor servicesNGEC/S/013/2013-2014 Provision of design, layout and printing of institutional publications servicesNGEC/S/014/2013-2014 Provision of brailing servicesCATEGORY NO.C Repair & MaintenanceNGEC/C/001/2012-2014 Repair and maintenance of Electrical and Plumbing Works.NGEC/C/002/2012-2014 Repair and maintenance of PABX, switchboard and other telecommunication equipmentNGEC/C/003/2012-2014 Repair , maintenance and servicing of motor vehiclesNGEC/C/004/2012-2014 Repair and maintenance of furniture’s & fittingCATEGORY NO.D Annual ContractsNGEC/D/001/2013-2014 Supply and delivery of office utilities (e.g milk,sugar,bottled water, detergents and toiletries)NGEC/D/002/2013-2014 Provision of Courier/Mail delivery services.NGEC/D/003/2013-2014 Provision of Taxi ServicesNGEC/D/004/2013-2014 Repair and maintenance of Printers ,Computers UPS and other ICT related accessoriesNGEC/D/005/2012-2014 Provision of Car Hire Services Nairobi ,Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Mombasa, Kakamega, Garissa & Malindi.

Prequalification of Professional Consultants Database

This will be a continuous database based on professional services that the Commission requires. Applications can be received from Firms, Individual consultants or as a group. The list will be updated quarterly. The categories include:

CATEGORY NO.E Professional Consultants DatabaseNGEC/E/001/2013-2014 Legal Experts in all relevant fieldsNGEC/E/002/2013-2014 Economist with specialization in EqualityNGEC/E/003/2013-2014 Financial Management SpecialistsNGEC/E/004/2013-2014 Social ScientistsNGEC/E/005/2013-2014 ICT specialistsNGEC/E/006/2013-2014 Rapporteurs NGEC/E/007/2013-2014 Facilitators in all relevant FieldsNGEC/E/008/2013-2014 Organizational/Institutional developmentNGEC/E/009/2013-2014 Devolution SpecialistsNGEC/E/010/2013-2014 Gender and Development Experts NGEC/E/011/2013-2014 Human Rights ExpertsNGEC/E/012/2013-2014 Conflict Management and Peace BuildingNGEC/E/013/2013-2014 Communications, Editors, Publication expertsNGEC/E/014/2013-2014 Sign language interpreters NGEC/E/015/2013-2014 Gender and Equality experts in issues of Children, Youth, Persons with Disabilities, Elderly, Women, Minority & Marginalized groupsNGEC/E/016/2013-2014 Data base development, data collection, analysis and installations expertsNGEC/E/017/2013-2014 Translation servicesNGEC/E/018/2013-2014 Provision of professional editing of institutional publications NGEC/E/019/2013-2014 Video coverage, video editing and production of documentaries and infomercials NGEC/E/020/2013-2014 Hansard RecordersNGEC/E/021/2013-2014 Human Resource ExpertsNGEC/E/022/2013-2014 Risk management ExpertsNGEC/E/023/2013-2014 Training & Capacity Building ExpertsNGEC/E/024/2013-2014 Monitoring & Evaluation ExpertsNGEC/E/025/2013-2014 Design and Branding ExpertsNGEC/E/026/2013-2014 Resource mobilization ExpertsNGEC/E/027/2013-2014 Media ExpertsNGEC/E/028/2013-2014 Architectural, Electrical and Mechanical Experts.

Detailed tender documents with further information may be obtained from the National Gender and Equality Commission on 24th Floor, NSSF Building, Block A Eastern Wing upon payment of a non-refundable cash or bankers cheque fee deposit of Ksh.3,500 (Kenya Shillings Three thousand five hundred only)for Prequalification of Goods and Services 2013-2014 and Ksh.2,000 (Kenya Shillings Two thousand only) for Prequalification of Professional Consultants database.

The completed tender documents should be submitted in plain sealed envelopes clearly marked with the tender number and name as indicated above to be deposited in the Tender Box on or before the closing date and addressed to:

The Commission SecretaryNational Gender and Equality Commission

P.O. Box 27512-00506, Nairobi

So as to reach not later than 10.00am on 27th May, 2013.

Opening shall done immediately thereafter in the presence of the respondents and their representatives who choose to attend.

INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION OF SUPPLIERS FOR VARIOUS GOODS, SERVICES AND ANNUAL CONTRACTS 2013-2014/PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS DATABASE

By JAMES ANYANZWA

The Government has sig-naled new resolve to speed up privatisation of public sector entities.

The Privatisation Commis-sion (PC) has embarked on a move that would see fast track sale of state-owned corpora-tions, which have fallen behind schedule.

The Corporation mandated to formulate, manage, and im-plement privatisation Ppo-gramme is seeking to strength-en its human resource capacity.

It is looking for the services of a Transactions Manager to among others ensure timely implementation of transactions assigned and create awareness, publicity and advocacy to gal-vanise support for the privati-sation programme.

In addition the Commission is looking for a Risk and Com-pliance Manager.

The Government’s privatisa-tion process stalled due to poli-tics and wrangles over the com-position of the board.

This left Treasury relying

heavily on net external financ-ing and domestic borrowing to offset budgetary shortfalls.

However, after the parlia-ment approved the list of sev-en appointees to the privatisa-tion commission, the commission’s s immediate task is to fast track all urgent trans-actions.

These include nine trans-actions (five sugar companies, three hotels and Kenya Wine Agencies) already approved by Cabinet.

Uncertainty over proceeds from the sale of state corpora-tions has left Treasury in a fix as technocrats try to fund bal-looning budgetary deficits.

The delay in the privatisa-tion process has also seen con-tracts of Transaction Advisors extended to allow for advisory services during implementa-tion stage.

SUGAR MILLERS Privatisation of ailing sug-

ar millers which was sched-uled to be completed in June 2010 has stalled for more than two years even after receiving cabinet approved in October 2010.

The companies’ line-up for auction include Chemilil, Muhoroni, Miwani, Nzoia and Sony Sugar (Sony Sugar).

Amongst other 26 state firms the Government had lined up for sale include the national fuel distributor Kenya

State seeks to speed up pace of privatisation

Privatisation of ailing sugar millers that was set to be completed in June 2010 has stalled for over two years


By MACHARIA KAMAU

Motor vehicle firm DT Dobie is looking for ap-prentices who will under-go training in motor vehi-cle mechanics.

The programme will take place at the firm’s training school in Nairobi for three years before the company absorbs the trainees.

The firm takes up fresh high school graduates who are then tutored in the workings and repairs of vehicles.

The motor vehicle firm takes ten apprentices ev-ery year. As part of this process it is now calling for applications from young people who have completed their second-

ary education and inter-ested in working in the motor vehicle industry.The firm picks 10 appren-tices from between 500 and 600 applications each year. The ten successful applicants are guaranteed employment upon com-pletion of the apprentice programme.

To arrive at the number

(of 10 apprentices), DT Dobie conducts aptitude tests in general knowl-edge, mental agility and logical reasoning,” said the firm in a statement.

Those who pass are then subjected to an on-line exam administered in Germany.

The trainee programme is partly sponsored by the

company but successful candidates will need to pay what the firm said is an administration fee of Sh50 000 per year.

The programme is con-ducted at the Regional Training School along En-terprise Road in Nairobi’s industrial area.

The students are trained on motor vehicle

mechatronics, whose cur-riculum is a combination of mechanics and elec-tronics courses. Once ad-mitted, each apprentice is assigned a qualified tech-nical mentor.

“The hands on classes take place in the work-shop using actual ma-chines,” said the motor vehicle firm.

By JOHN OYUKE AND AGENCIES

Unemployment in the eu-rozone has surged to a fresh record high, driven by soaring youth joblessness.

New data has shown that European unemployment set a fresh record in March with more than 19 million jobless people -- including one out of four under-25-year-olds.

Official figures from Euro-stat, the statistics office of the European Union showed an extra 62,000 people joining unemployment queues in just four weeks in the eurozone.

The jobless rate in the 17 countries using the euro climbed for the 23rd consecu-tive month -- hitting 12.1 per-cent in March, up from Febru-ary’s 12 per cent.

Greece and Spain recorded the highest unemployment rates in the eurozone, at 27.2 per cent and 26.7 per cent re-

Eurozone unemployment hits new high

DT Dobie hires apprentices from across the country

Pipeline Company (KPC), Na-tional Bank, giant milk proces-sor, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New KCC), and Kenya Meat Commission (KMC),

Others are Consolidated bank, Development bank, Ke-nya Ports Authority (KPA), East Africa Portland Cement Com-pany (EAPCC) and the 11 ho-tels under the Kenya Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) State hotels such Kar-barnet, Golf and Sunset hotels, Mt Elgon Lodge, Kenya Safari Lodge are also on the list.

Last year Treasury sought the approval of the parliament

to write off Sh. 33.78 billion as excess debt representing lia-bilities that are not backed by assets and a further Sh.5.95 billion to strengthen the com-panies’ balance sheets to mod-ernize technology if certain as-sets are considered obsolete.

DEBTS OWED Writing off the debts owed

to the Government and the sugar board would place Nzo-ia, Miwani, Muhoroni, Chemelil and South Nyanza sugar companies in good stead to compete when the Comesa safeguards against cheap im-ports lapse in 2014.

If you are creating a significant number of new jobs, or stuck in finding the right skill set, can’t fill a job, or have a great, new way for Kenyans to find work or employment, please email to address at the top of the page.tell Us

Uncertainty over proceeds from the sale of state corporations has left Treasury in a fix,”

tHe NUMBeR OF stAte FIRMs lINeD

Up FOR sAle

26

[email protected]

Unmployment Rates

12.1%spectively, while Austria, at 4.7 per cent, and Germany, at 5.4 per cent, had the lowest rates.

Youth employment, de-fined as those under 25, hit 3.6 million in the eurozone.

In Greece, 59.1 per cent of under-25s were unemployed as of the end of January, while in Spain, 55.9 per cent were unemployed.

Meanwhile, a separate Eu-rostat data showed that infla-tion has fallen to a three-year low.Consumer prices rose 1.2 per cent to April across the eu-rozone, a marked slowdown from March’s 1.7 per cent rise.

The slowdown was driven by a fall in energy prices.

KenGen Managing Director, Eddy Njoroge at a past function. He is best remembered for shepherding the KenGen IPO in 2006.

BusinessKenya topples China, India as major investor in East Africa

By James anyanzwa

Even as the influence of China and India continues to reverberate across the East African region, it has emerged that Kenya has toppled the Asian powerhouses in terms of in-vestment in the region.

According to TradeMark East Af-rica, the publishers — in collabora-tion with the World Bank — of the Doing Business Report, Kenya is a major a force to reckon with in the region, with investments in the fi-nancial, retail and agro-processing sectors.

real force“Investments from China and In-

dia are picking up quite significantly, but the bulk of the investment in East Africa is still from the United States and Europe,” TradeMark Chief Executive Frank Matsaert told The Standard last week. “However, aside from them, Kenya is the biggest in-vestor ... it is a real force in terms of investment and development.”

The integration of East African countries saw the launch of a com-mon market in July 2010, opening up

India’s largest mobile phone op-erator, Bharti Airtel, has agreed to sell a 5 per cent stake to the Qatar Foundation Endowment (QFE).

The Qatari investment vehicle will acquire new shares in Bharti for $1.26 billion (Sh105.5 billion).

The deal comes as the Indian telecom firm looks to strengthen its finances.

Bharti posted its 13th successive drop in quarterly profit last week, with a near 50 per cent fall in profits compared with a year earlier. It made a net profit of $94.7 million (Sh7.9

billion) during the quarter.Qatar’s first major investment in

a listed Indian company provides Bharti Airtel with much-needed cap-ital.

The company has been hit by fierce competition in its main Indian market, and been dragged down by losses in its African operations, which it bought in 2010 from Ku-wait’s Zain for $9 billion (Sh753.3 bil-lion). It operates in 20 Asian and Af-rican countries and has about 260 million mobile phone customers.

Indian telecom firms more gen-

erally have been struggling with ris-ing costs and narrowing profit mar-gins in recent years.

The QFE is the investment arm of the Qatar Foundation — a non-prof-it organisation wholly-owned by the Qatari royal family.

Rashid Al-Naimi, chief executive of the QFE, said that the investment in Bharti was a long-term one.

He said the deal would give the investment vehicle “exposure to a high-growth sector in key emerging markets”.

— BBC

Qatar Foundation buys 5pc stake in Bharti Airtel

Development


QuickStopericsson fetes Kenyan software developersMembers of the two Kenyan teams — Tokelezea and Easy Parking — that came in second and third, respectively, in this year’s Apps for African City Life awards run by Ericsson have been awarded their prizes. The five software developers — two from Tokelezea and three from Easy Parking — were each given an ASUS Transformer Pad tablet. “The rate of IT innovation in Kenya is very commendable. In the 2013 edition of the Ericsson Application Awards, a third of the entries from sub-Saharan Africa were from Kenya,” Ericsson Kenya Managing Director Robert Rudin noted while handing out the prizes. Tokelezea gives users a list of fun things to do, including events to attend, places to go and cinema listings. Easy Parking is intended to inform motorists of available parking spots.

nokia introduces messaging appNokia has introduced the popular LINE messaging app in the Nokia store. The new app is compatible with Nokia Lumia and Asha full touch and dual sim ranges. LINE is a messaging application for smartphones best known for its lovable sticker characters. The app, which is popular in Asia and growing fast in the rest of the world, allows users to send instant messages to friends or groups, and send photos and stickers for free. It also enables users to send messages to friends from a PC to a mobile phone. Commenting on the development, Nokia’s Head of Product Marketing for East Africa King’ori Gitahi said the company was focused on bringing continuous innovation to Asha and providing Nokia consumers with choice.

s sudan to ship Upper nile oil this weekSouth Sudan will ship its first oil from its largest fields in Upper Nile State to export facilities in Sudan on May 10, Sudan’s Oil ministry has said. In March, the neighbours agreed to resume cross-border oil flows. South Sudan had shut down its production of up to 350,000 barrels per day (bpd) in January last year after failing to agree with Sudan over oil fees. The new nation, which seceded in 2011, needs to export its oil through Sudan. Last month, it resumed oil production in Unity State, but damage caused by cross-border skirmishes means the output is only gradually rising.

— reuters

Blogs, archives, reader forums and more:

www.standardmedia.co.ke

TODAY IN

Retail chain Uchumi is among the major Kenyan investors in the East African region. [PHOTO: FILE]

Country’s business owners have invested in financial, retail and agro-processing sectors across the region

At A glAnce• Kenya is a logistical hub

for the East African region. Through its strategic location, it has emerged a key player in regional trade, investment and infrastructure development.

• Its vibrant private sector and skills base have seen it score major points in the global investment market.

• Red tape, corruption, fears of instability and a restrictive labour market threaten to roll back its gains.

trade between the five member states.

Several Kenyan banks — such as Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Eq-uity Bank and Cooperative Bank — have expanded operations across the region, while retail chains Nakumatt and Uchumi are scouting for more opportunities.

Uchumi has a presence in Ugan-da and Tanzania, while Nakumatt has stores in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Matsaert also underscored the

The region is a top destination for dealmakers who are being drawn in by the improved business environ-ment and discovery of commercially viable oil and gas deposits in Ugan-da, Kenya and Tanzania.

Further, business confidence and consumer demand saw inflows from private equity (PE) funds into the re-gion double from 2011 to hit US$475 million (Sh39.76 billion) last year.

A sharp rise is projected in 2013 as perceptions of politic al risk soft-en, according to consultancy firm Deloitte & Touche East Africa.

most confidentKenya secured the largest num-

ber of PE deals in East Africa last year, particularly in the small and medium enterprises sector, with fund executives citing Tanzania and Ethiopia as the other countries in the region they are most confident about.

China’s success in Africa and its recent expansion of operations into the Middle East and Latin America, has led some US lawmakers and business leaders to warn that this is undermining America’s objectives and influence in a region riding high on an oil and gas bonanza.

Reported figures show that oil and coal accounted for 50 per cent of China’s imports from Africa in 2012.

The natural gas boom in the East African region could transform it in-to an energy powerhouse well placed to reach energy-hungry China, Japan and India.

huge investment potential in the in-novation and services industry with-in the East African Community.

Bharti Airtel’s profits have fallen for three years in a row.

tion for expanding business activ-ity, boosting competitiveness, spur-ring growth and ultimately supporting human development.

“Continued improvement of the business environment is important for countries seeking to benefit from greater trade and investment through regional integration,” says report.

According to the report, over the past eight years EAC economies implemented a total of 74 institu-tional or regulatory reforms im-proving the business environment

for local entrepreneurs. But globally, business regulato-

ry practices have been slowly con-verging as economies with initially poor performance narrow the gap with better performers.

Amongst the 50 economies with the biggest improvements since 2005, a third are in Sub-Saharan Af-rica. Within the EAC, Rwanda has narrowed the gap the most fol-lowed by Burundi.

EAC economies have an average ranking on the ease of doing busi-ness of 117(among 185 economies

/ TODAY IN BUSINESS Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

No early end to restrictions on

EAC trade

Trade

Economiesinthetradingblochaveimplementedreformstoboostenvironmentfordoingbusiness

The Kenya-Tanzania border at Namanga. Trade in East Africa is hampered by non-tariff barriers. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

Blocneedstotacklenon-tariffbarrierstoachievethedesiredlevelofintegration,” World Bank’s Doing business report.

By JAMES AnyAnzwA

Businesses in the region will have to wait longer to reap the fruits of free trade, thanks to non-tariff barriers (NTBs).

According to a new report, though East Africa Community (EAC) has improved its business regulatory environment over the years, challenges including non-

By John oyukE

Work is set to start on the con-struction of a long-awaited road to further ease Mombasa Road’s traffic congestion.

The Bachuma Gate-Maji ya Chumvi road is part of the great Northern Corridor that starts at Mombasa, proceeding all the way to the DRC through Uganda.

The planned construction works follows the release of funds by the In-ternational Development Associa-tion (IDA).

Kenya National Highways Au-thority (KeNHA) has invited bids, af-ter getting the approval of the Envi-ronmental Impact Assessment Report by the National Environmen-tal Management Authority (NEMA).

IDA, the World Bank’s conces-sionary lending arm will fund the 55 kilometre road stretch under the multi billion Kenya Transport Sector Support Project (KTSSP).

The actual cost of the works will be known once the tendering pro-cess is completed.

KeNHA Director General, Me-shack Kidenda said the road is a key road segment in East Africa, hence the need to widen it to international standards to further decongest Mom-basa Road

Major works to be undertaken in-clude the replacement of unsuitable material, improvement of sub grade,

cold milling of existing pavement layers, provision of a regulating layer and drainage improvement.

KeNHA will also underwrite the construction of other roadside ame-nities such as service roads, HIV/AIDS mitigation measures, and road safety improvement facilities.

“Although the road is currently in a fair condition, it is prudent to im-prove it in a bid to ensure fast and unhindered movement of transit cargo on the international highway,” Kidenda said.

No major works have been un-dertaken in this section of Momba-sa-Nairobi Highway for the last 15 years.

KTSSP funds are also being util-ised in such projects as the Kisumu-Kakamega-Webuye road, the pro-posed dualling of Athi River to Machakos and several over passes in Nakuru.

The entire KTSSP programme has seen the World Bank commit Sh79.3 billion (US$938 million) in the improvement and upgrading of Kenyan roads.

Last year, the World Bank ap-proved Sh24.3 billion (US$300) mil-lion for reconstruction of Kenya’s major sections of the Northern Cor-ridor.

This was in a bid to improve the business climate in the region and strengthen regional integration of the East African Community.

Work on key Bachuma-Maji ya Chumvi road set to begin

tariff barriers threatens to slow down pace of regional develop-ment.

The World Bank’s Doing Busi-ness in East Africa report (2013) says there are still substantial de-lays in the issuance of certificates of origin.

“Regulations are also not yet ful-ly harmonised and there is no con-sistent application of the agreed-on standards,” said the report launched in Nairobi last week.

The report notes that EAC needs an investment climate that is well suited to scaling up trade and in-vestment.

The report notes that successful regional integration is the founda-

globally).But there is a great varia-tion among them—from Rwanda at 52 in the global ranking to Burundi at 159.

“This wide variation in business regulations is among the issues that the EAC needs to tackle to achieve the desired level of integration,” says report.

EAC economies accounted for two) of the 11 regulatory reforms implemented in Sub-Saharan Afri-ca to make it easier to start a busi-ness.

Within the EAC the process for getting electricity is fastest in Rwan-da where it takes only 30 days, fol-lowed by Uganda where it takes 91 days and Tanzania where it takes 109 days.

Burundi has the slowest process at 188 days.

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

MINISTRY OF NAIROBI METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT

TENDER NOTICEThe Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development invites sealed bids as indicated below:

S/NO

ITEM DESCRIPTION Bid Document Fee (Kshs)

BIDSECURITYKshs.

REGISTRATION STATUS

Closing Date

Pre-tender visit/conference

TENDER NO.MoNMED/08/2012/2013- Equipping and Commissioning of Borehole at Ol Donyo Sabuk, Muka Mukuu in Machakos County

5,000 500,000 Registered as borehole equipping and/or electro-mechanical services category B of the Ministry in charge of water

Tuesday, 28th May, 2013

Muka Mukuu site on 15th May ,2013 at 11.00 am local time

Interested bidders must be registered with relevant bodies.

Proof of registration is mandatory.

Interested bidders may obtain bidding documents from the Supply Chain Management Services at KICC 25th floor, Room No. 2520 during normal working hours upon payment of a non-refundable fee of Kshs. 5,000.00 payable in cash or bankers cheque to, The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development.

The bidding documents contain Terms of reference/instructions to bidders, evaluation criteria and format of submitting the bids.

Completed bid documents are to be enclosed in plain sealed envelopes marked with Tender Name and Reference number and deposited in the tender Box at 25th floor of KICC or to be addressed to:-

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development

P.O Box 30130-00100NAIROBI

So as to be received on or before Tuesday, 28th May, 2013 at 12.00 a.m.

Tenders will be opened immediately thereafter in the presence of the candidates or their representatives who choose to attend at KICC building 24th floor boardroom.

Supply Chain Management ServicesFor: Permanent Secretary

Monday, May 6, 2013/ The Standard

Easing Shopping

TODAY IN BUSINESS /

TRADE

raising initiatives’ geared at environ-mental conservation by encouraging our customers to participate.”

Currently undergoing structural fabrication at Nakumatt Headquar-ters, the NoW store will feature retail amenities such as computerised checkout tills and refrigeration units.

With such amenities, NoW will provide a wide selection of products for sale ranging from camping gear, foodstuffs, first aid kits and beverages to kitchen items such as pots and pans, paper plates among others.

new service dateDuring this year’s Rhino Charge,

Nakumatt will also unveil an express Pre-order service to serve the com-peting teams.

Nakumatt will afford the compet-ing crews this year an opportunity to pre-order their shopping require-ments’ including chilled or frozen items, which will be, transported, di-rectly to the event location. By avail-

Nakumatt stores on

wheels targets outdoor events

By andrew watiLa

Regional retailer, Nakumatt Hold-ings has announced plans to intro-duce a containerised mini retail stores. The outlets will provide shop-ping solutions during key events in remote locations.

The new retail store covering a shopping area of over 200 square feet will be developed and housed in a 20 feet shipping container.

It will be available for rapid de-ployment countrywide.

Brand nameAs part of the firm’s business ex-

pansion plans, the new store will be operated under the ‘Nakumatt on Wheels’ (NoW) brand. It will be, transported to any part of Kenya atop a 12-tonne truck. Speaking in Nairo-bi, when he confirmed the on-going project, Nakumatt Holdings Manag-ing Director Atul Shah, confirmed

The move is part of the retailers expansion drive to tap into festivities with the new marketing tool

By standard reporter Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

remain key African markets for South African tourism, according to statistics released by South Af-rica’s tourism ministry.

The marketing campaigns con-ducted by South African Tourism locally have seen the number of Kenyans travelling to South Africa rise by nine per cent to 32,992 by 31 December 2012 up from 30,279 during similar period in 2011.

Tanzania also recorded a leap in growth to 35,928, a 25 per cent increase over the comparable pe-riod. Uganda also recorded a 7.4 per cent growth to 15,522 visitors over the same period.

“We have seen consistent growth in the Kenyan, Ugandan and Tanzanian markets over the past decade and we thank Kenyans and citizens of other East African

countries for making South Africa their first choice for leisure and business,” said South African Tour-ism Regional Director for Africa and Middle East Phumi Dhlomo.

“To maintain and build on these excellent figures we will con-tinue to focus on driving value for money in our local industry, cen-tre our marketing efforts around our people, and maintain our lead-ership in wildlife and adventure, while at the same time showcasing South Africa’s incredible lifestyle offering.”

tourism piLLarOverall arrivals from Africa

grew by 8.5 per cent to 6.65 million visitors, representing 72 per cent of the total number of tourists who visited the country in 2012.

“Regional Africa remains the pillar of our tourism economy and we are happy to see that arrivals

from the region have maintained the solid growth path we have be-come accustomed to,” said Dhlo-mo.

A total of 9,188,368 internation-al tourists visited South Africa in 2012, 10.2 per cent more than the 8,339,354 tourists who travelled to the country in 2011.

This is more than double the rate of average global tourist growth of about four per cent esti-mated by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation in 2012.

Europe remained the highest source of overseas tourists to South Africa, growing by 9.5 per cent on 2011 figures.

It attracted a total of 1,396,978 tourists to the country last year – more than half the total number of overseas tourists. The UK contin-ues to be the country’s biggest overseas tourism market, with 438,023 UK tourists.

More Kenyans visited S Africa in 2012

that the first, NoW store, will be un-veiled on June 1, during the forth-coming 25th Rhino Charge off road motoring event.

Shah said the stores will be stocked depending on the nature of event and location to further boost retail conve-nience in Kenya. “By introducing NoW, we are keeping up with our mis-sion to provide retail convenience to our Smart shoppers even in remote locations,” Shah said. “NoW will also enable us to support various fund-

By introducing NoW, we are keeping up with our mission to provide retail convenience to our Smart shoppers even in remote locations”

—Nakumatt Holdings Managing Director Atul Shah.

Nakumatt on Wheels will provide arange of products for sale such as camp-ing gear, foodstuff and beverages among others. [PHOTO: FILE/STANDARD]

KigaLi, saturday

Rwanda expects two companies, Commercial Bank of Rwanda (BCR) and the airline RwandAir, to list on the country’s fledgling stock market soon, the head of Rwanda’s Capital Market Authority (CMA) said.

Robert Mathu, executive director of the CMA, said he expected an ini-tial public offering for BCR, in which the Kigali government holds a 20 per-cent stake, this year or in 2014.

Other companies, including in-surance firm Sonarwa, Fina Bank and South Africa’s telecoms company, MTN, were all potentials for listing, he said. “BCR is the one that’s certain-ly close. We also expect RwandAir to come to the market soon,” Mathu told Reuters last Friday.

Rwanda listed its first two Rwan-dan companies, brewer Bralirwa and the country’s biggest bank by assets, Bank of Kigali , in 2011.

Both offerings were heavily over-subscribed. Foreign investors still see the country as a good bet. KCB and the Nation Media Group have cross-listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange. Rwanda’s debut $400 million (Sh33.2 billion) Eurobond recently yielded a 6.875 per cent oversubscription. —Reuters

ing the express Pre-order service for the Rhino Charge, Nakumatt will be hoping to address transport challeng-es for both the participating crews and spectators wishing to purchase perishable and related retail prod-ucts.

“Through the express service, the participating crews will pre-order their retail supplies which will be picked on location at the Nakumatt on Wheels store,” Shah assured.

The commissioning of NoW comes hot on the heels of the Nakumatt Blue Label products launch.

Rwanda eyes more listings on fledgling bourse

THROUGH THE CORPORATE LENS

BUSINESS PICTORIAL Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Mr Rajiv Patel, (centre) Country Manager, Mitsumi Distribution receives the IT Distribution Company of the Year award from Mr Ernest Ndukwe (left), former head of the Nigerian Communication Commission at the 4th Annual Beacon of ICT Awards 2013.

/ TODAY IN BUSINESS

KCB acting Director for Corporate Banking Mr Elijah Mwangi (left) receives the Best Bank in Micro Finance award from Think Business Chief Executive Offi cer Ochieng Oloo (right) during the Think Business Banking Awards gala held at a Nairobi Hotel.

Safaricom Chief Executive Offi cer, Bob Collymore (second left) and Kenya Airways Chief Executive Titus Naikuni (second right) with models during the launch of the “Fly with Bonga Points” service that allows customers to buy tickets using their Safaricom loyalty points.

FROM RIGHT: Kenya National Highways Authority Director-General Meshack Kidenda, General Manager, maintenance, Mr Kenneth Mudulia and Board Member Gilbert Langat inspect a section of the Garissa–Bura Road at Bil-Bil area that was cut off by fl oods. KeNHA has embarked on emergency repair of the roads network in various parts of the country damaged by heavy rains.

Jubilee Insurance Chairman Mr Nizar Juma (left) and Chief Executive Offi cer Mr Patrick Tumbo chat shortly after announcing the Group’s 2012 fi nancial results. The fi rm’s premium revenues rose by 27 per cent to over Sh20 billion. Central Bank Governor Prof Njuguna Ndung’u cuts a cake to launch

National Bank of Kenya’s Shariah compliant National Amanah account. Looking on is the bank’s Managing Director Munir Ahmed.

Transafrica Motors Managing Director Mr Ali Zubedi (left) and the Chief Operating Offi cer Honda Motors (Europe, the Middle and Near East and Africa) Mr Manabu Nishimae at the launch of the Honda Showroom on Mombasa Road, Nairobi.

UAP General Operations Manager Mr Mike Oduor leads staff in planting trees during the fi rm’s afforestation event at Ndaka-ini to boost the water catchment area that serves Nairobi and its environs.

Muthoni Gachecheh of Intra Africa Assurance presents sponsorship cheque for Sh855,000 to Ms Eva Muchemi (left), Executive Director, Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre during the 2013 Annual Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre Golf Tournament held at a Nairobi club recently.

RoundUpDAR ES SALAAM: Tanzanian church blast kills one

A suspected bomb attack on a new Catholic church in the northern Tanzanian town of Arusha killed at least one person and wounded dozens of others, police said. The Vatican’s ambassador to Tanzania, Archbishop Francisco Montecillo Padilla, was attending the official opening of the church when the explosion occurred, but escaped unharmed. If a bomb blast is proven, it will mark an escalation in sectarian tensions in east Africa’s second biggest economy. “Some kind of explosion went off at the church. It is believed to have been a bomb but we don’t know what type of bomb it was,” police spokesperson Advera Senso said. One person was arrested after the blast, which killed a woman and wounded 57 other people, Senso said. A Vatican embassy official said he had been in contact with Padilla. “He is personally fine,” the official said.

CAIRO: Egyptian cabinet to be reshuffled by end of week

The Egyptian cabinet will be reshuffled by the end of the week, a state-run newspaper reported, pointing to a delay in efforts to revamp a government widely criticised for failing to get the economy moving and to conclude a much-needed IMF loan deal. President Mohamed Mursi announced on April 20 he would carry out the reshuffle, generating hope of a more inclusive cabinet that could build political consensus around talks with the International Monetary Fund on a $4.8 billion loan programme. Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said on April 22 the reshuffle would be completed by early last week. A presidential spokesman said on April 24 it would be done “within days”.

TRIPOLI: Libya tense ahead of vote on ex-Gaddafi officials

Libya’s legislative assembly gathered to vote on a law banning officials who worked for Muammar Gaddafi from the new administration, a step that could potentially force out the prime minister and other senior officials. The wording has been wrangled over for months and Sunday’s vote has been prompted by the actions of heavily armed groups who have taken control of two government ministries and say they will not leave until the legislation is passed. “It’s a very unfair and extreme law, but we need to put national interests first in order to solve the crisis,” said Tawfiq Breik, spokesman for the liberal National Forces Alliance bloc.

BERLIN: German soldier killed in Afghanistan

Insurgents in northern Afghanistan have killed a German special forces soldier and wounded a second, the German defense minister said. The fatality marks the first death in combat of a member of Germany’s special forces in Afghanistan. The soldiers were accompanying an Afghan-led military operation on Saturday when insurgents opened fire at a river crossing in Baghlan province, using fire arms and rocket-propelled grenades. The troops called in air support but the special forces soldier was fatally shot later when exploring the airstrike’s damage, Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. — Agencies

‘‘‘

WorldNEWS OF THE

Monday, May 6, 2013

Blogs, archives, reader forums and more:www.standardmedia.co.ke

MOGADISHU, Sunday

A car bomb hit a convoy of cars carrying Qatari officials through the centre of Somalia’s capital Mogadi-shu, killing at least eight Somalis.

The visiting delegation of Qataris, who were travelling in the Somali in-terior minister’s bullet-proof vehicle, were “safe”, a security officer told Re-uters, without going into further de-tail. The minister was not in the car at the time.

No one immediately claimed re-sponsibility for the blast but it bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda-linked reb-els who have kept up a campaign of guerrilla-style attacks since the army and peacekeepers pushed them out of bases in the city.

The blast tore through the busy ‘Kilometre 4’ road junction in the cen-tre of Mogadishu’s commercial and administrative district.

POLITICAL TIESGunfire rang out immediately after

the explosion as the convoy’s security guards fired into the air to disperse onlookers.

Qatar has been forging closer po-litical ties with Somalia in recent years as it seeks to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa region.

“The car bomb targeted delegates from Qatar. They are safe,” Hassan Os-man, a security official, told Reuters, adding that the minister’s car was damaged in the blast.

The chairman of Mogadishu’s Ho-dan district, where the blast occurred,

Attack claimed by Al Shabaab targets group of visiting Qatari officials who survive the terrorist blast

Car bomb rips through Mogadishu convoy, kills 8

Officers stand by the shell of a wrecked car at the scene of a bomb explosion along the ‘Kilometre 4’ road junction, south of the capital Mogadishu. [PHOTO: REUTERS]

told reporters at the scene eight peo-ple had been killed and five wounded, most of them civilians.

Sunday’s bomb was a stark re-minder of two decades of civil strife in a country where the central govern-ment depends heavily on a 17,600-strong African Union peacekeeping force for its survival.

While there has been a significant improvement in the coastal capital since African Union peacekeepers drove the Islamist al Shabaab group out of the city in 2011, the attack showed the relative ease with which the militants can still strike.

Some of Mogadishu’s major roads were closed last week after security of-

ficials received a tip-off about an im-minent attack, but were re-opened on Saturday. The state of Somalia’s secu-rity forces will top the agenda at con-ference in London on May 7. Britain and Somalia are hoping to use the event to drum up more international support at a time when al Shabaab are weakened as a fighting force but can still inflict devastating strikes.

Civil war after the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 left So-malia without effective central gov-ernment and awash with weapons. The turmoil opened the doors for pi-racy to flourish in the Gulf of Aden and deeper into the Indian Ocean.

— Reuters

Gunmen kidnap 12 mine clearance workers in Senegal DAKAR, Sunday

Gunmen suspected of belonging to a Senegalese separatist group ab-ducted 12 employees of a South Afri-can mine clearance company in the West African nation’s restive Casa-mance region, military and civilian officials said on Sunday.

The workers, all Senegalese, were on their way to inspect a mine field that had been cleared of explosives when they were kidnapped on Friday by men believed to be members of the Movement of Democratic Forces of

Casamance (MFDC). “I can confirm that 12 people were

in fact kidnapped by an armed group. These people were working in de-mining (projects),” Senegalese army spokesman Abou Thiam told Reu-ters.

A second military official said the kidnapping took place in the village of Kaylou, about 30 km (18 miles) from the southern region’s main city Zi-guinchor.

A civilian official in Ziguinchor said the team were employed by the South African de-mining firm

Mechem. Company officials could not be reached on Sunday.

“The authorities and police are seeking to contact the MFDC to work towards freeing them,” said the offi-cial, who asked not to be named.

WASTE OF TIMThe 31-year-old separatist rebel-

lion in Casamance is one of Africa’s longest-running insurgencies. Though largely dormant, the conflict remains an unhealed blemish on Senegal’s otherwise enviable reputation as the only country in mainland West Africa

that has not suffered a coup or a civil war since independence.

Various agencies have been work-ing for several years to clear Casa-mance of landmines. However the MFDC warned in March against fur-ther de-mining in the region, claiming any such operations should be agreed within the framework of peace talks.

The MFDC, which launched its bid for independence in 1982, released eight prisoners, most of them Senega-lese soldiers, in December after hold-ing them captive for several months.

— Reuters

COUNTRY PROFILE• Somalia has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991• Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and dis-ease have led to the deaths of up to one million people• Comprised of a former Brit-ish protectorate and an Ital-ian colony, Somalia was cre-ated in 1960 when the two territories merged • Since then its development has been slow. Relations with neighbours have been soured by its territorial claims on So-mali-inhabited areas of Ethio-pia, Kenya and Djibouti

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard / NEWS OF THE WORLD

Israel strikes Syria, rocks Damascus

BEIRUT, SUnday

Israel carried out its second air strike in days on Syria early, a Western intelligence source said, in an attack that shook Damascus with a series of powerful blasts and drove columns of fire into the night sky.

Israel declined comment but Syria accused the Jewish state of striking a military facility just north of the capi-tal - one which its jets had first target-ed three months ago. Iran, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and an arch-enemy for Israel, urged states in the region to resist the Israe-li attack.

People living near the Jamraya base spoke of explosions over several hours in various places near Damas-cus, including a town housing senior officials: “Night turned into day,” one man said.

The Western intelligence source told Reuters the operation hit Iranian-supplied missiles headed for Leba-non’s Hezbollah, a similar target to the two previous strikes this year, which have been defended as justifiable by Israel’s ally the United States:

“In last night’s attack, as in the pre-vious one, what was attacked were stores of Fateh-110 missiles that were in transit from Iran to Hezbollah,” the intelligence source said.

vIdEo fooTagEAn Israeli official had confirmed a

similar raid on Friday. In Lebanon, Hezbollah declined immediate com-ment.

Video footage uploaded onto the Internet by activists showed a series of explosions. One lit up the skyline of Damascus while another sent up a tower of flames and secondary blasts.

Syrian state media accused Israel of attacking in response to Assad’s forces’ recent successes against rebels who, with Western approval, have been trying to topple him for two years.

In 40 years since a war with a Syria then ruled by Assad’s father, Israel has been locked in a cold standoff with Damascus, fought Hezbollah in Leba-non in 2006 and is threatening to at-tack Iran, accusing Tehran of trying to develop nuclear weapons.

But it is wary of instability in Syria, has long viewed Hezbollah as the more immediate threat and has shown little enthusiasm for U.S. and Europe-an calls for Assad’s overthrow.

The raid follows intense debate in the United States over whether the use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops might push President Barack

Obama to intervene more forcefully on the rebel side, but Western powers remain concerned at the presence of anti-Western Islamist fighters among Assad’s opponents.

It was unclear whether Israel sought US approval for the action; in the past, officials have indicated that Israel sees a need only to inform Washington once a mission was un-der way.

At a routine public appearance, Is-raeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan-yahu made no direct reference to the strikes but spoke pointedly of his re-sponsibility to ensure Israel’s future.

He maintained a plan to fly to Chi-na later in the day, suggesting a con-fidence that, as with the raid in Janu-ary, Assad - and Hezbollah - would limit any reprisal. However, an Israeli military source said the army had de-ployed more anti-missile defense sys-tems near the northern borders in re-cent days.

nIgHT of EXPLoSIonS“The sky was red all night. We

didn’t sleep a single second. The ex-plosions started after midnight and continued through the night,” one man told Reuters from Hameh, less than a mile from the Jamraya military research facility.

“There were explosions on all sides of my house,” he added, saying people hid in basements during the events.

Another witness spoke of fire near Qura al-Assad, a town around 5km west of Jamraya where many high-lev-el government officials live. In the center of Damascus, people said their first thought was that there was an earthquake.

Identified by Syrian media as the Jamraya military research center, the target was also hit by Israel in another assault on January 30. Jamraya, on the northern approaches to Damascus, is just 15km from the Lebanese border.

The British-based Syrian Observa-tory for Human Rights said the blasts hit Jamraya as well as a nearby ammu-nition depot.

Other activists said a missile bri-gade and two Republican Guard bat-talions may also have been targeted in the heavily militarized area just north of Damascus.

Jewish state has repeatedly warned it would act if it believes militant groups in the region have received advanced weaponry

A man cries at a site hit by what activists said was a Scud missile in Aleppo’s Ard al-Hamra neighbourhood. Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Syria one of which hit Iranian supplied missiles headead for Hezbollah. [PHOTO: REUTERS]

JoHoR BaRU, SUnday

Malaysians voted in record num-bers in an election that could weaken or even end the rule of the world’s lon-gest-ruling coalition, which faces a stiff challenge from an opposition pledging to clean up politics and end race-based policies.

Led by former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition is aim-ing to build on startling electoral gains in 2008, when the Barisan Nasional, or National Front, ruling coalition lost its customary two-thirds parliamen-tary majority.

The coalition is expected to win, but opinion polls showed a tightening race in recent weeks with Prime Min-

ister Najib Razak struggling to trans-late strong economic growth and a deluge of social handouts into votes.

With counting in its early stages af-ter polls closed at 5pm, Anwar was quick to claim victory for his Pakatan Rakyat, a sign that the opposition is likely to dispute the result if it loses af-ter allegations of voter fraud.

voTER TURnoUT“PR has won,” he wrote on his

Twitter account, urging the ruling party and the country’s Election Com-mission “not to attempt to hijack the results”.

Election officials said voter turn-out in the country of 28 million peo-ple was about 80 per cent, a record

high in what could be the most close-ly contested election in 56 years of rule by the National Front coalition.

“I would like to see some change,” said computer engineer Wardina Shafie, 31, after she cast her vote. “I think the opposition has a good chance of taking government. I only worry about voter fraud.”

Independent news site Malaysia-kini was flooded with stories of sus-pected voter fraud carried out by the ruling coalition. There were witness accounts that “indelible” ink, intro-duced by the government in response to demands for electoral reform, could be washed off voters’ fingers easily, enabling some to cast ballots more than once. — Reuters

Fate of world’s longest-ruling coalition in the balance as Malaysians vote

Reports by activists and state me-dia are difficult to verify in Syria be-cause of restrictions on journalists operating there.

People living in southern Lebanon said they heard frequent sounds of jets overhead and believed they were Israeli.

The streets of central Damascus were almost empty of pedestrians and traffic on Sunday morning, the start of the working week. Only a few shops were open. Checkpoints that have protected the government-controlled zone from rebel attack appeared to have been reinforced with additional men.

Syria’s state television said the strikes were a response to recent mil-itary gains by Assad’s forces against rebels: “The new Israeli attack is an at-tempt to raise the morale of the ter-rorist groups which have been reeling from strikes by our noble army,” it said.

Speaking shortly before Sunday’s attack, President Obama said Israel had a right to act: “The Israelis justifi-ably have to guard against the trans-fer of advanced weaponry to terrorist

organizations like Hezbollah,” he said.

In Israel, a military spokeswoman said of the attack in Syria: “We don’t respond to this kind of report.”

Netanyahu appeared at the dedi-cation of a highway junction in mem-ory of his late father. He made no ref-erence to raids but said his father “taught me that the greatest responsi-bility we have is to ensure Israel’s se-curity and guarantee its future.”

ISLamIST REBELSIsrael has repeatedly made clear it

is prepared to use force to prevent ad-vanced weapons from Syria reaching Hezbollah guerrillas, who fought a 34-day war with Israel seven years ago.

Uzi Rubin, an Israeli missile expert and former defense official said the Fateh-110 missile “is better than the Scud, it has a half-ton warhead”. Iran has said it adapted the missile for an-ti-ship use by installing a guidance system, he added.

With Assad battling the revolt, Is-raelis also worry that Islamist rebels among the majority Sunni Muslim

population could loot his arsenals and eventually hit the Jewish state, ending four decades of relative cross-border calm.

There was no immediate indica-tion of how Syria would respond to Sunday’s attack. After Israel’s January raid, Damascus protested to the Unit-ed Nations and the Syrian ambassa-dor to Lebanon promised a “surprise decision”, but no direct military retal-iation followed.

Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying on Sunday: “The Zi-onist regime’s attack on Syria, which occurred with the U.S.’s green light, revealed the relationship between mercenary terrorists and their sup-porters and the regime occupying Je-rusalem ... The evil actions of the Zi-onist regime can threaten the security of the entire region.”

The uprising against Assad began with street protests that were met with force and grew into a bloody civ-il war in which the United Nations says at least 70,000 people have been killed.

— Reuters

The sky was red all night. We didn’t sleep a single second. The explosions started after midnight and continued through the night

NEWS OF THE WORLD / Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

QuickReadsLONDON: Senior UK lawmaker quizzed over rape, denies allegations

The deputy speaker of Britain’s parliament, Nigel Evans, was arrested at the weekend on suspicion of rape and sexual assault, but said the allegations against him were “completely false”. The 55-year-old member of Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative party was detained over attacks allegedly carried out at his home in Lancashire, northern England between July 2009 and March of this year, police said. After being granted bail, Evans told reporters: “Yesterday I was interviewed by the police concerning two complaints — one of which dates back four years - made by two people who are well known to each other and who until yesterday I had regarded as friends.

LOS ANGELES: Southern California wildfire nearly 60 per cent contained

A fierce wildfire that had threatened 4,000 homes northwest of Los Angeles was nearly 60-per cent contained as favourable

weather conditions helped beat it back, officials said. “We actually have a pretty good marine layer, which is like thick fog on the coast moving inland, cooler temperatures and higher humidity,” Captain Dan Horgon of the Ventura County Fire Department told Reuters. “That coupled with our efforts out there with our firefighters have made the situation quite a bit better,” he said. The Springs Fire in coastal Ventura County has blackened about 28,000 acres of rugged brushland since it started on Thursday. Officials said the blaze was now expected to be fully under control by sometime on Monday.

CAIRO: Egypt’s Christians celebrate Coptic Easter

Pope Tawadros II led his first Easter Mass as head of the ancient Coptic Church in Egypt praying for security and prosperity at the same cathedral that was the site of sectarian clashes weeks earlier. The Orthodox Easter mass, meant to be a celebration that marks the resurrection of Jesus, took place amid increased attacks on churches. Egypt’s Orthodox Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 per cent of the country’s 90 million people, have long complained of discrimination.

KHARTOUM, Sunday

A top tribal leader allied to South Sudan was killed in clashes involving a rival Sudanese tribe in the Abyei re-gion disputed by the African neigh-bours, both sides said, an incident that risks fuelling new tensions in the flashpoint area.

Abyei, straddling the border be-tween Sudan and South Sudan, is claimed by both sides, which fought one of Africa’s longest civil wars.

In March, both countries agreed to resume cross-border oil flows and de-fuse tensions which have plagued them since South Sudan’s secession in 2011 after an independence vote.

But they were unable to decide on the ownership of Abyei, which is in-habited by the Dinka tribe allied to South Sudan and the Misseriya, an Ar-ab tribe following Sudan.

Kuwal Deng Mayok, the top Dinka leader in Abyei, was killed by mem-bers of the Misseriya, another Dinka leader told Reuters, asking not to be named.

“The Misseriya targeted him after he had held a meeting in Abyei town with Misseriya leaders,” he said. “The Misseriya opened fire on his convoy and killed him and another person.”

SHOOTING INCIDENTA Misseriya official, Saddiq Babu

Nimr, confirmed the death of Mayok but blamed it on a shooting incident with Ethiopian UN peacekeepers, which administer Abyei.

“A group of Misseriya asked his convoy travelling with eight cars from the Ethiopians to stop to talk to them but the Ethiopians refused to do so,” he said.

He added that one Ethiopian had then open fire and killed one Misser-iya after he had readied his gun, trig-gering a shooting during which May-ok had been killed.

No more details were available, and the Ethiopian peacekeepers, the UN’s Interim Security Force for Abyei, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Abyei was meant to have like South Sudan an independence referendum but both sides have been unable to agree who should participate.

— Reuters

Tribal leader killed in Sudan’s

Abyei region

DHAKA, Sunday

The wife of a Bangladeshi garment worker who was killed when a build-ing collapsed filed a murder com-plaint against the building’s owner on Sunday as the death toll from the country’s worst industrial disaster climbed to 610.

Murder complaints were also filed against the owner of one of the gar-ment factories inside the building and a municipal engineer in the suburb of the capital, Dhaka, where the factory was located.

The owner of the Rana Plaza build-ing, Mohammed Sohel Rana, was ar-rested after a four-day hunt as he ap-peared to be trying to flee across the border to India.

He is one of nine people being held in connection with the April 24 disaster, which the government has blamed on the building’s faulty, illegal construction.

DECOMpOSING bODIESRana and the others in police cus-

tody could face the death penalty if found guilty of murder or mass man-slaughter.

None of the accused has com-mented publicly on the accusation that they were to blame.

Hundreds of relatives again gath-ered at the site of the disaster on Sun-day, some holding up photographs of family members. A teenage girl broke down in tears after she recognised the body of her mother by her dress, after she was brought from the ruins.

Rescue workers have found it in-creasingly difficult to identify decom-posing bodies and are using ID cards found on them or even their mobile phones to do so.

Rana appeared in court on Mon-

Bangladesh building owner faces murder complaint over collapse

The government has blamed the owners and builders of the eight-storey complex for using shoddy building materials

day last week dressed in a helmet and bullet-proof jacket, in front of a crowd of protesters demanding he be hanged. He is a local leader of the rul-ing Awami League’s youth front.

The woman who lodged the mur-der case against Rana said her hus-band had been forced to go to work in his factory in the building despite huge cracks appearing in the walls a day before it collapsed, a lawyer said.

knowledge of the report told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The disaster, believed to have been triggered when the generators were started up during a blackout, put the spotlight on Western retailers who use the impoverished South Asian nation as a source of cheap goods.

About 4 million people work in Bangladesh’s garment industry, mak-ing it the world’s second-largest ap-parel exporter after China. Some earn as little as $38 a month, conditions Pope Francis has compared to “slave labour”. Mohammad Atiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Associ-ation, told Reuters the Pope did not know the full picture and his group would send a letter to the Vatican de-scribing conditions in Bangladeshi factories. — Reuters

“If they are found guilty of these killings they will get the highest pun-ishment - capital punishment,” said Abdul Huq, a lawyer working at the court where the cases were lodged.

The government has blamed the owners and builders of the eight-sto-rey complex for using shoddy build-ing materials, including substandard rods, bricks and cement, and not ob-taining the necessary clearances.

pOOR CONTRUCTIONThe poor construction meant the

building was unable to support the generators running inside, the Export Promotion Bureau, a wing of the Commerce Ministry, said in a report.

The bureau has recommended paying compensation to the victims’ families and inspecting the safety of other factories, a senior official with

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion present Mohammed Sohel Rana to the media after his arrest in Jessore, in Dha-ka, in this file picture taken April 28. [PHOTO: REUTERS]

If they are found guilty of these killings they will get the highest punishment - capital punishment — lawyer Abdul Huq

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incurred or suffered as a result of the reader’s acceptance or offer to

accept an invitation contained in any advertisement published in the

THE STANDARD.

PERSONAL NOTICESA11/PERSONAL

SWIMMING pool chemicals Best prices√ chlorine 5kg Astral 90% 1500HTHRSA 1300 China 65% 1000 super touch 1L 1044 water clear 5L @ 522 phminus 5L 580 phplus 5L @ 522 magic cube 870√ pool test kit @ 1392 refills pair @ 696

w a t e r w a y s @ k e n y a w e b . c o m 0722519153w w w.w at e r w ay s a f r i c a .co m wellness+ swimming pool services & equipment+ Saunas steams fountains & jacuzzis√ Premium ASTRAL pool equipment SPAIN√ Budget EMAUX pool equipment CHINA√ Budget SHOWERMATE shower pumps UK√ premium Brass MONSOON shower pumps √ Top Quality UK Booster pumps STUART√ Germany OASE PUMPen fountain Equip√ Finland HELO sauna steam

generators√ USA HOT SPRING spas for Hydrotherapy√ USA PROZONE purifiers or saltchlor√ Spain FIRST quality pool mosaic tile√ Ecofriendly pool blue colour LEDS√ Danish Hydro Air Jacuzzi fittings√ Swiss fafco pool Solar panels√ Aquatherm RSA pool Heat pumps√ [email protected] 0733-511438

A13/SECURITY

WE track,investigate 0788404275

A22/NOTICES

ACCOMMODATIONE1/WHERE TO STAY

KENYA COMFORT Smart Hotel Suites!√ Rooms Suites & Apts with Kitchens√ Discounted weekly & monthly rates√ 24 Hour Restaurant + parking + pool√ Ideal choice Relaxation & business√ Renovated Bathrooms new TVs & lifts!√ Nice Conference rooms & packages√ from $50ppt 0737111111/0733608867.

KENYA COMFORT Smart City Hotel!!√ Choice of 95 rooms singles – Quads√ Superior with AC/Free Minibar/Tea√ In-laws in town? Friends in town?√ Just relaxation? Conference/Tea?√ Conference Packages & room hires√ 24hr Good food + nicebar + free wifi√ City 0737-777777 0722/733-608866 ++ sales @ kenyacomfort.com

Karibu

MOTOR VEHICLES ACCESSORIES & CAR HIRE

H2/FOR SALE – PRIVATE

EXPATRIATE leaving M/Benz C220, silver, 2.1m o.n.o. v/clean. 0721-767394.

T/CARINA SI, 02, KBF. 0725-659408.

H11/EXHAUST SYSTEMS

SETLAK galvanised exhaust, 2 yrs written guarantee fitted as-u-have drinks. 552265, 0722-527924.

SILENTFLOW. H/duty. Any car. 554620.

POSITIONS WANTEDJ4/DOMESTIC

10 H/GIRLS wanted daily. 0720-673202.

COMMERCIALK3/BUSINESS OFFERS

RESIDENTIAL & BUSINESS PROPERTIES

L1/PROPERTIES FOR SALE

3BD apartment, Riara Rd. 0712-417304.

ACE REALTORS LTD. 0722-338835/0722-307857/4450220 www.acerealtorsltd.com

ACE: Greenfield, 5br corner t/hse, 7m.

ACE: Kileleshwa, 3br aptment, m/e, 17.3m.

ACE: Lavington, 5br t/hse, s/p, gen, 45m.

ACE: Runda, 5br residence, 0.5a, 60m.

ACE: Westlands, 3br apt, m/e, s/pool, 16.5m.


CLASSIFIEDS: PROPERTIES FOR SALE / TO LET / Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

AVAIL ABLE In Na irob i D i s c P l o u g h s M F A n d Dama Brands 2 Disc Ksh 130,000/= 3 D i sc Ksh 150,000/= Ksh 4 D isc Ksh 200,000/= 5 Disc Ksh 250,000/= Nardi Brand L/Duty Ksh 250,000/= H/D 280,000/= 3 Disc P l o u g h B a l d e n B r a n d 3 Disc Ksh 300,000/= Cell Phone 0716555095. Noman Tractor And Farm Equipments Limited.

MAIZE SHELLERS Available In Nairobi Brand New Maize Sheller Capacity 2 Ton Per Hour. Pto Driven Ksh 250,000/= Stationery Type Pto Driven With Wheels/Puller Ksh 300,000 Movable Type Pto/Diesel Engine 8Hp With Wheels/Puller Ksh 400,000/= Movable Type 0716555095 Noman Tractor And Farm Equipments Ltd

L/CRUISER, BRAND NEW, p /u p , 4 2 0 0 c c , 2 f u e l tanks, 2 tyre, 2 spare, 2 jack, manual, green. Also available used L/Cruiser P ick Up and Hardtop. 0725-786110.

AVAILABLE In Nairobi R idgers 3 Furrow Ksh 100,000/=,4 Furrow Ksh 120,000/= 5 Furrow Ksh 140,000/= And 7 Furrow Ksh 160,000/= 0716555095.

ELDORET plot hse. 0721-216865 Dan.

EQUITY ESTATES: 4445074/5, 0722-715492. Lavington, beauti-ful 7brms large mansion, s/pool, many extras.

JAMU, 3br msnt, sq, prkx2, 12.5m. 0721-235646.

JEA: Lavi, 4br hse, ¾ acs on sewer, 90m. 0722-749799.

JEA: South B, 2/3br new flats, 7m-8m. 0722-749799.

KAREN 5beds one acre. 0722-389818.

KILELESHWA new 2/3br apt, penth-ses 13m. 0725-903010, 4451131/2.

KILIMANI, 0.75 & 1acre. 0722-819938.

KITSURU, new 5br + sq, 50m. 0736-407459.

LAVI, new t/hses, 4-5br, ens, sq, 29-35m. 0733-413725.

MLANGO Kubwa, 8rooms hse, 3m. 0733-740081.

NYAYO Embakasi, flat Phase 1. Call owner Tel. 0733-724210.

PROPERTY sale www.edlongroup.com

SOUTH C, Mugoya, 4br maiso, 18m. 0716-163467.

w w w.w i n d s o r h o m e s . c o . k e 4447444.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Bellcrest Court apt South B, Sore Rd, 2 & 3br, m/ens, Ksh 8m & Ksh 9.5m. 0723-313831, 4447444.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Kitisuru Terraces, townhouse Kitisuru, Ki-rawa Rd, 4br with dsq, Ksh 40m. 0724-435864.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Lenana Gardens apt opp Ngong Rd, 2br, m/ens, gym, lift, s/pool, Ksh 7.5m. 0724-435864.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Westlands Pride apt Westlands, Waiyaki Way, 2 & 3br, m/ens, gym, lift, s/pool, club house, Ksh 12.5m & Ksh 14.5m. 0725-384503.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Bellcrest Gardens apt, Kileleshwa, Githun-guri Road, 3br + dsq, m/ens, gym, s/pool, lift, Kshs 16.5m. 0724-435864, 0710-124667.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Bradford Valley apt Nairobi West, 2br, m/ens, electric fence, Ksh 8.5m. 0724-435864.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Duchess Park apt Lavington, Hatheru Rd, 3br & 5br duplex + dsq, all ens, s/pool, gym, lift, fireplace, generator, club house, Kshs 25m & Kshs 38m. 0724-435864, 4447444.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Duke Gar-dens apt South C, 2br, m/ens, ample parking, perimeter wall, Kshs 8.5m. 4447444.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Malibu Court apt Madaraka, 3br, m/ens, gym, lift, s/pool, Ksh 11.5m. 0724-435864, 4447444.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Runda Royal apt Kiambu Rd, 2 & 3br, m/ens, gym, s/pool, lift, Kshs 9m & Kshs 11m. 0724-435864.

WINDSORHOMES LTD. Telagen Gar-dens apt Lavington, Hatheru Rd, 3br + dsq, m/ens, s/pool, gym, lift, bore-hole, Kshs 17m-20m. 0724-435864, 4447444.

L4/PROPERTIES TO LET

3BR, Kilimani, flat, 67k. 0722-899288.

5B/R, Waiyaki Way, 1 ac, show rm. 0721-621078.

ACE REALTORS LTD . 0722-338835/0722-307835/4450220 www.acerealtorsltd.com

ACE: Kileleshwa, 3br apartment, m/e, 68k.

ACE: Riverside, 5br t/hse, garden, 350k.

ACE: Runda, 5br residence, 0.5a, 270k.

ACE: Westlands, 3br apartment, m/e, 75k.

EQUITY ESTATES: 4445074/5, 0722-715492. Muthaiga, executive resd 4b/rms, large entertainment areas, elegant fittings & fixtures, dollar based.

FEDHA Estate, single 4500 KShs, one br KShs 8000. Tel. 0732-000944.

JEA: Mbs Rd, 3br hse, m/ens, 30k. 0722-749799.

JEA: South B, 2/3br flats, new, 35-45k. 0722-749799.

JEA: W/land, Sports Rd, 4br vct mais, 110k. 0722-749799.

KILE, Lavi, 4-6br d/storeys, 3sqs, garden, 300-450k. 2714288.

KILI, Lavi, 4 & 5br t/hse, sq, cpd, 90-200k. 0733-413725.

KILI, Lavi, office space, 4 & 6br, 200-350k. 0716-163467.

KITISURU, 6brm hse 300k. 0722-603284.

L/KABETE, clean vacant s/room, 6k. 0722-297773.

LAVI, Kili, 3 & 4br apt, ens, s/p, sq, 70-140k. 0716-163467.

RIVERSIDE, 4bds, 1 acre. 0722-819938.

STATE Hse Rd, 3br apt. 0770-281469.

TIGONI, 4br, d/storey, sq, s/pool, club hse, gated community. 0723-560455.

WAIYAKI Way, 4br maiso, cpd, sq, 90k. 0716-163467.

L7/WANTED TO BUY

BUYER 1ac Kileleshwa, 2ac Karen shopping centre area, 20ac M/sa Rd before Machakos junction, Run-da 1/2ac, 5ac Thika Rd before Ruiru bypass, no agent. 2213022, 0736-363282, 0701-340967.

L9/PLOTS/LAND FOR SALE

½ ACRE, Ridgeways, r/soil. 0722-899288.

½ ACRE, Sp. Valley. Call 0733-450420.

¼ AC plot, Ruai Mangongeini, 350k. 0756-908194.

80x40 Thika Mangongeini, 350k. 0722-297773.

EQUITY ESTATES: 4445074/5, 0722-715492. Lavington, 1.2 acres, Riverside 0.8 acres, Sigona, 4.6 acres comer.

KAREN, ½-1-2-5ac plots. 0727-288098.

KONZA City, 2 acres prime plot, of-fers. 0724-588842.

WAGA: W/lands Rd, 0.4 ac, 250m, cash buyer. 0701-340967, 2213022, 0736-363282.

WAGA: 1/8ac Kangundo Rd, Kanta-fu, 260,000.

WAGA: 10 acres Namanga Rd Kisaju, 50m.

WAGA: 10ac, Mlolongo, 4km in-side, 85m.

WAGA: 150 acres Athi River, Ksh 1m per/ac.

WAGA: 200ac Kajiado/Kipeto, 700,000 per/ac.

WAGA: 20ac, M/sa Rd, 400m.

WAGA: 2ac touching Nkr Rd, 80m.

WAGA: 5ac, Karen, 150m, 2nd row.

WAGA: 8ac, Old Airport Rd, 600m.

WAGA: Kangundo Rd, 10ac behind Hurlingham butchery, 6.5m.

WAGA: Msa Rd, 2nd row, 2 ½ ac, 120m.

WAGA: Muthithi Rd, ¾ ac, 500m, c/buyer.

WAGA: Parklands, 3rd row, 0.4 ac, 140m.

FOR SALE & WANTEDF14/BUILDING MATERIALS

FOR Value Added Slates,Mazeras Call 0722-941437,0721-940690.

MACHINE Cut Coral blocks Ksh.33/= Exc of Transport, Kilifi call 0728-581 066,0726821 876

SALE of 2 & 3 inches Casua-r ina t rees ,K i l i f i C a l l 0722 292708,0726774487

COASTPERSONAL NOTICES

A22/NOTICES

RESIDENTIAL & BUSINESS PROPERTIES


BOMBOLULU-Behind Bella Plaza 4b/r double storey building. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291/0719697569.

MTITO ANDEI-90acres. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291/0719697569.

M T W A P A - J u m b a R u i n s -severa l 1 /8acre p lo t . Pe l -ly 0724209497/0727249291. NYALI Links Rd-1/2 acre plot. Pel-ly 0724209497/0727249291/0719697569.

NYALI-Greenwood Drive-1 acre plot second row from the beach. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291/2223193.

SHANZU-Saga-1/4 acre plot. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291/0719697569.

L5/ PROPERTIES TO LET

BAMBURI-Bustani Estate-4b/r mais. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291.

B A M B U R I - M w e m b e l e g e -z a - 3 b / r a p a r t . P e l l y 0724209497/0727249291.

B A M B U R I - M w e m b e l e g e -z a - 4 b / r m a i s . P e l l y 0724209497/0719697569.

CHAANI-several spacious shops. Pelly 0724209497/0727249291/2223193.

NYALI-5b/r furnished house. Pelly 0724209497/0719697569/2223193.

L9/PLOTS/LAND FOR SALE

MTWAPA plots several 1/8 of an acre at av attracting price of 1,050,000/= finance can be arranged. Contact 0721215673 or 0722411447.

L10/PREMISES/OFFICES TO LET

GANJONI office apartment available 0721593868.

L11/PREMISES FOR SALE

FULLY furnished forex bureau prem-ises for sale at Tuskys mall Mtwapa 0711777177.


L10/PREMISES/OFFICES TO LET

GODOWNS 6-10,000 sf Msa Rd,0722204686

FeverPitchMonday, May 6, 2013

7 Pages of sizzling Sports coverage!

STANDARD Blogs, archives, reader

forums and more: www.standardmedia.

co.ke/feverpitch

FeverBriefs

CRICKET: Bravo leads West Indies at C TrophyAll-rounder Dwayne Bravo has replaced Darren Sammy as West Indies’ one-day international captain and will lead the team in next month’s Champions Trophy in England. Sammy, who led the Caribbean team to the World Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka last year, would continue to captain the test and T20 teams, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said in a statement yesterday. “Our results in tests and T20s have been showing consistent improvement and Sammy deserves kudos for the work he has done in moulding the team in these formats,” Clyde Butts said. —Reports by Reuters

GOLF: Mickelson, Watney share leadPhil Mickelson and Nick Watney survived some late-round misadventures to emerge from Saturday’s third round tied for the lead in the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mickelson topped the leaderboard for most of the day and Watney took his turn alone in fi rst place during the fi nal stretch before both players fell back with double-bogeys to head into Sunday’s fi nal round knotted at eight-under-par 208. Watney shot a one-under 71 and Mickelson a 73. Fellow-American George McNeil bogeyed the 18th to fall out of a three-way tie for the lead.

HORSE RACING: Orb wins Kentucky DerbyOrb, ridden by Joel Rosario and prepared by homebred trainer Shug McGaughey, won the 139th Kentucky Derby at a wet and muddy Churchill Downs on Saturday. After settling near the rear of the fi eld in the sloppy conditions, Orb steadily worked his way into contention, then pinned back his ears and sprinted to the front at the iconic Twin Spires and kicked clear to win the $2 million, 1-1/4 mile classic. Golden Soul, a long shot who enjoyed a trouble free journey along the rails, fi nished gamely to grab second while Revolutionary was third in the 19-horse fi eld.

World Boxing Council champion Floyd

Mayweather in action during his fi ght against Robert Guerrero at the

MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. [PHOTO:AFP]

LAS VEGAS

Floyd Mayweather showed little sign of ring-rust after a year out of the sport as he used sublime defense and a steady parade of right hands to dominate fellow American Robert Guerrero and retain his WBC welter-weight championship on Saturday.

One day short of 12 months since his last bout, Mayweather, who also spent two months in jail in 2012 for a domestic abuse offence, landed an astonishing 60 percent of his power punches en route to a unani-mous 12-round decision.

All three judges scored the fi ght 117-111 in favour of the undefeated Mayweather, who admitted that a damaged hand had prevented him from ending the fi ght early.

“I really was looking for a knockout, but I hurt my right hand,” he revealed. “After that, I just had to box smart.

“Robert Guerrero was a tough warrior. He was trying to press the attack. But I got really good work in the gym and I felt com-fortable in the ring. My defense was on point.”

After an opening two rounds in which the southpaw Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KOs) had some success, Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs) seemed to slip into his comfort zone from the third.

Although the challenger’s game plan seemed to be to back Mayweather to the ropes with his jab and then land punches

to the body, the champion repeatedly slipped under his opponent’s left, landed one or more right hands and moved out of danger.

After being hit with several rights in the third, Guerrero appeared more hesitant to commit to his attack, giving Mayweather yet more time to slip in and out of range and land his key punches.

“I thought Floyd did an excellent job to-night,” said the 36-year-old’s father and trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.

“There was nothing he couldn’t do in there tonight. I told him to steal it with the right hand. That was a punch (Guerrero) couldn’t see and wasn’t expecting each time he threw it.”

By the eighth round, Mayweather was stepping up his assault, landing right hands with greater force and mixing in left hooks as he opened up a cut over a clearly hurt Guerrero’s left eye.

At that stage, it appeared that May-weather would stop Guerrero inside the dis-tance and although he continued to paint his opponent with right hands and left hooks, the champion remained content to focus on coasting toward the fi nish.

“Floyd was tricky with his punches,” Guerrero said in a post-fi ght interview. “He’s a great fi ghter. He’s slick and he’s quick. He’s better than I thought. He was defi nitely on his game tonight.” —Reuters

Mayweather cruises to points win on return

NO RING RUST

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard FEVERPITCH/

‘‘FastTrackRUGBY: Federation urged to change rules Kenya Rugby Union has been urged to change rules governing Bamburi Rugby Series to allow group leaders play their semi fi nal matches at their backyards. Ndovu coach Dominique Habimana said although the rule favours Uganda teams, it should be reviewed to allow teams have an equal chance. “Although the union wants to encourage participation of foreign teams, it should also have in mind the home-based players who form bulk of those taking part in the tournament,” said Habimana.—Ben Ahenda

VOLLEYBALL: Nigerian teams clinch double Nigeria men and women clinched the gold medals of the 2013 CAVB Beach Volleyball Cup for African zone one, two and three held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. The men competition featured six countries that were divided into two pools each of three teams. Nigeria’s pairing of Abdul Azeez / Sam overcame Togo’s Agbegninou / Apezoumon 2-0 (21-18, 21-14). Tunisia claimed the bronze medal after the duo of Korbi/ Arfaoui beat Sierra Leone’s Samura / Bangura 2-0 (21-18, 21-11). The women competition showed fi ve teams. Nigeria achieved the full record 4-0 before winning the fi nal against Sierra Leone 2-0 (21-16, 21-19).

FOOTBALL: Kings rule Labour Day tournament

Victoria Kings played their hearts out to beat Olopito 2-1 during Labour Day Cup fi nal played at Narok stadium. The winners opened the scoring in the 15th minute through Henry Kiprop after wonderful move involving him with Mohammed Noor. After the break, a rejuvenated Victoria Kings, cheered by home fans piled more pressure that resulted into the winning goal via Henry Kiprop who was named man-of-the-match. Kiprop converted a free kick to add more misery to Olopito. The match was attended by FKF Narok branch chairman Joseph ole Sadera. — Oscar Pilipili

National U-17 team step up training ahead of qualifi ers By OSCAR PILIPILI

The National under-19 cricketers have intensifi ed training ahead of the ICC Af-rica World Cup Qualifi ers scheduled for May 24-29 in Kampala, Uganda.

The team is due to play a build-up match today at Ru-araka where national selec-tors will be able to assess the players before naming the fi -nal team.

Head coach Joseph Ang-ara said the players were ea-gerly looking forward to the tournament and promised a good showing during the one-week event.

“We have been working very hard since we started the training. We are confi -dent that we can perform

well and we will be going all out from the fi rst ball,” he said.

Kenya has not qualifi ed to the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup since 2002 and Angara believes that this edition of qualifi ers provides a chance for the boys to cre-ate history.

“We have been talking about qualifying and we know it would be a bit of his-tory if we did. The aim is to take it one game at a time, plan and execute the plans,” he said.

“We believe we have a re-ally good chance of qualify-ing if all goes according to the plan. Things will fall into place,” he added.

The players in the team were drawn from last year’s

Nairobi under-18 league and the National under-17 re-gional tournament that was held in Nakuru last Decem-ber.

Angara said their training programme has encoun-tered various challenges in-cluding bad weather.

He said the current heavy rains have forced them to postpone training at times due to unplayable pitches.

HOME TESTSFurther afi eld, Gautam

Gambir and Yuvraj Singh have been dropped from the India one-day squad for the Champions Trophy.

Dinesh Karthik earns a recall after a gap of almost three years, and Umesh Ya-dav returns from injury, re-

ports Cricinfo.Shikhar Dhawan, who

grabbed the headlines dur-ing the home Tests against Australia and has done well in the India Premier League since recovering from a hand injury, has made the fi nal team of 15.

All-rounder Irfan Pathan, seamer Vinay Kumar and batsman M Vijay also make a comeback.

Apart from Gambhir and Yuvraj, four other players who were part of the squad for India’s previous one-day assignment, the home ODIs against England in January, miss out: batsmen Chetesh-war Pujara — who is injured — and Ajinkya Rahane, and fast bowlers Ashok Dinda and Shami Ahmed.A past action.

CHELANG’AT SHINES...as confusion spoils men’s party at Kericho Marathon

By ERICK OCHIENG’and NIKO TANUI

Alice Chelang’at overcame stiff opposition to win the fourth edition of the Kericho International Marathon.

Chelangat, who clocked 2:51.07, was awarded Sh1.5 million for her feat in the women’s category where she fl oored both elite and up-coming athletes from a cross the country.

“I have competed in many marathons abroad but this year I decided to give Kericho Marathon. I am glad that I won. I will now shift focus on the forthcoming World Championships,” said the 2006 World Cross Country sil-ver medalist.

Chelang’at, a veteran run-ner who has won the Milan Rock and Roll and Nairobi and Florence marathons, pledged to defend the Ker-icho International Marathon title next season.

Debutant Elizabeth Chepngeno emerged second in 3:06.39 to take home Sh500,000. Chepngeno said she will continue to step up her training at Kapcherop camp in Marakwet a head of the Kass Marathon, which she is looking forward to par-ticipating in this year. Rose-line David clocked 3:12.46 to emerge third and pocket Sh250,000.

NO ATHLETE AWARDED Confusion marked the

men’s category that saw no athlete awarded. Some ath-letes had covered 42km while some had run 52km after be-ing misled by the guides. Ath-letics Kenya (AK) chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said his offi ce will deliberate on the matter and will come up with a deci-sion on how to give awards to

the category by Wednesday.Those who clocked their

best in the men’s 42km race are Gilbert Kiptum (2:45.10), Abraham Kirui (2:47.22) and Leonard Langat (2:49.35).

DEFEND TITLEWorld Cross Country

champion Emily Chebet clocked 30:00.8 to defend the women’s 10km title for the third time in a row, a feat which earned her Sh30,000. Pascalia Chepkorir got Sh15,000 after coming sec-ond after clocking 30:02.5, followed by Emmy Chepkirui in 30:04.7. She took home Sh10,000.

“The course was wet, muddy and slippery,” said Chebet, who is looking for-ward to taking part in several road races in India and USA before competing at the na-tional trials where she hopes to secure a slot for the World Championships in Moscow later this year.

Chebet, 25, christened ‘Kericho Express’ told Fever-Pitch she left participating in the Diamond League races in 2003 due to lack of success.

Josephat Bett, who is also looking forward for a world championships slot in the 10,000m, won the men’s 10km.

Bett, who trains in Timbo-roa, clocked 28:58.1 while Boniface Kongin came sec-ond in 29:00.8 followed by Leonard Kipkoech in 29:06.2.

About 700 athletes took part in the Kericho Mara-thon, which was fl agged off by Kiplagat and Kenya Tea Board Director Cecily Kariu-ki.

Kiplagat said AK would set up a permanent committee to handle all the local road races.

Alice Chelangat after winning the Kericho Interna-tional Marathon

on Saturday. [PHOT0: ERICK

OCHIENG’/STANDARD]

Monday, May 6, 2013 / The StandardFEVERPITCH /

MAIDEN VICTORY By MAARUFU MOHAMED

A rare birdie sank at the last par four-18th hole in the back nine was enough to steer Qambar Somji into vic-tory during the Labour Day cum Mini Masters Golf tour-nament at the Mombasa Sea-link course.

Playing off handicap 11, Somji posted a total of 38 sta-ble ford points, beating a team of 120 golfers to emerge the overall winner and regis-ter his fi rst major win of the season.

“This is a great opening for me and I hope to maintain the tempo in the next events and hope fully cut my handi-cap to play in the up coming Coast Open,” said Somji.

The Club’s former Chair-man Johnstone Wamunyu, playing off handicap 15, had a count back score of 36 points for the runner up slot after tying on the same points with handicap 10 Joseph Olu-och who fi nished third.

At Vet Lab, handicap six Njani Nderitu posted 39 points to win the Club Nite event that attracted 146 golf-ers last Wednesday.

Handicap nine David Si-tuma was second on 38 points, a point ahead of hand-icap four James Peter Nyabu-to who came third.

COUNT BACK SCORE The Kambasome Golf

Tournament played Railways Club on Saturday saw handi-cap 13 J Mugo post 38 points to emerge the overall winner.

Handicap 13 RN Maina was second on a count back score on 37 points, tying on points with handicap 15 DG Muchungu who was third.

At Kiambu Golf course, handicap 18 GG Ng’anga emerged the overall winner of the Friends of Captain golf tournament on 42 points, while handicap 22 Daniel Ka-mau and F/M Njoroge fol-

lowed in that order on a count back score of 39 points each.

SAME POINTSAt Muthaiga Golf course

handicap 12 Pius Ang’asa posted 41 points to win the Club Nite event on Wednes-day. Handicap 10 W Kangan-gi came second on a count back score of 38 points after tying on the same points with handicap nine Maurice K’anjenjo who was third .

Handicap 22 Mutinda Mu-tuku beat a team of 135 golf-ers on a two way count back score of 39 points to emerge the overall winner of the Club Nite event at the Royal Golf Course.

He had tied on points with handicap 16 Sophie Njenga and handicap 14 D Mwamati who fi nished second and third respectively.

At Karen, Clive Davis post-ed eight over 78 gross to emerge the gross winner of the Liaison Risk & Financial Services-sponsored May Mug and Ladies Medal Number six tournament on Saturday.

Wanjira Kireri was the sil-ver winner on 70 nett, while Nas Kiengo was the bronze winner on 71 nett.

Emmanuel Agengo was the A Division winner on 71 nett, Habil Olaka won the B division on 70 nett and the C Division was won by Edward Mwakio on 68 nett.

At Golf Park, handicap 23 Mark Misumi was the winner on 63 nett (86-23) of the Min-imaster event played on Fri-day. Handicap 26 Ali Hussein was second on 66 nett (92-26) followed by handicap 18 Ken Mbogori on 70 nett (88-18).

The par 71 Nyali Golf and Country Club handicap Agil Is-Haq emerged the winner of the Club Nite event on Thurs-day on 66 nett (78-12). Hand-icap 33 Raphi De Silva came second. Handicap 16 Reaz Al-ibhai fi nished third on 73 nett (89-16).

Qambar Somji putts during Mini Masters tournament at Mombasa Golf Club. [PHOTO:MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

Ndovu trample Mamba at Bamburi Super Series By BS MULAVI

The Ndovu franchise

kicked off their Bamburi Rug-by Super Series campaign with an emphatic 67-3 victory over Mamba at the Nakuru Athletics Club.

Speaking to FeverPitch af-ter the victory, Ndovu coach Dominique Habimana praised the efforts put in by the team and lauded the great start.

“Our boys were great and showed great experience,” he said. Habimana, who also praised the opposition, hint-ed their game was not upto expected standards.

Ndovu, which is com-prised of Kenya Cup champi-ons Nakuru RFC, Eldoret and Kitale teams, was tipped to be one of the teams to look out for in the tournament, given that most players would be from Nakuru hence they would not have any blending issues as other franchises who would have several players from different clubs, all com-peting for places.

“Blending as a team was never going to be a problem for us,” he said. “It’s not be-cause that majority of our players are from Nakuru, but it’s because we have a rela-tively young squad who do

not have big egos,” he ex-plained.

“It’s the big egos that are diffi cult to manage in a team and it’s the big players who have issues playing with oth-ers, but that is not a problem, we are facing as the Ndovu franchise,” he added.

PLAYING WELL “In fact we have quite a

number of players from El-doret and Kitale and they have gotten into the team and played really well,” he said.

“Our fl y-half Allan Odiyo is from Kitale and he is only 19 years old, straight from school. He is playing so well,

I can safely say if he continues like this, his future is looking pretty bright,” Habimana added.

Habimana also had a word for some of the more sea-soned players whom he says played a vital role in their start to the tournament.

“Jiles Littlewood and Sam-my Warui were exceptional for the team and you could see their experience in the game, from the way they played and led from the front, he told FeverPitch.

“We now wait for Kenge-wa, who we hope we can reg-ister our second straight vic-tory over,” he concluded. Bamburi Super Series action.

Somji sinks rare birdie to Labour Day tourney glory

‘‘FastTrackMOI STADIUM: Facelift to be completed soon Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma has promised Gor Mahia that he will ensure Kisumu’s Moi Stadium, that is under renovation, is completed to enable them use the facility as their second home ground. “My administration understands that there is a need of urgency for the stadium to be completed to enable your team and others use the facility as their home ground,” he said. In February, suspended Nyanza NEC Offi cial Tom Alila and Sophocles Sophocleous, a contractor engineer with Greenfi elds Sports Turf System said laying of the artifi cial turf would be complete by May. —Philip Orwa

GOLF: Kenya fi nish sixth in Africa Junior event The Kenya Junior golf team fi nished sixth during the just concluded 2013 all Africa Junior Golf Championships at the Le Touessrok course, Cerfs Island, Mauritius. The team comprising Adel Balala, Mathews Wahome, Daniel Nduva and Kush Medirata shot a round total of 735 gross in the three rounds event that attracted 12 countries. In the Individual results Balala tied with Wahome (pictured) on 327 gross for the 14th place, Nduva was 27th on 343 gross, while Mediratta was 28th on 344 gross. South Africa retained the trophy for the 15th consecutive year with their team of Tristen Strydom, Thriston Lawrence, Jason Froneman, Llewellyn Van posting 657 gross. —Maarufu Mohamed

COUNTY LEAGUE: Super Rangers extend good run Super Rangers continued with their winning ways when they drubbed Bamburi Beach 2-1 in a Mombasa County league match at Tononoka ground. Bamburi were fi rst to score in the 10th minute through Shaibu Randu. Rangers pulled one back one minute later through Alexander Sanga and went up to score the winning goal in the 14th minute through Jacob Musyoki. In another match Miritini Stars beat Mombasa Hamlets 1-0 in the Mombasa District division one match played at Miritini primary ground. —Ernest Ndunda

FEVERPITCH / Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

DIVISION ONE: Mahakama hit Talanta Mahakama FC thrashed Newly promoted Division One side, Talanta FC at the weekend. Talanta lost to Mahakama 4-0 thanks to Duncan Owiti who scored all the goals with all assists coming from the right full back Fredrick Otieno. Owiti scored after six minutes into the match added another in the 30th minute added salt to Talanta’s injury two minutes to the breather and netted his last and winner in the 60th minute of the match to give his team a deserved win.

FastTrackFOOTBALL: Vapour extend good run Vapour continued their smooth run in the Football Kenya Federation Nairobi Provincial encounter with a 4-1 thrashing to Makarios FC. In another encounter over the weekend, JMJ Academy registered a 2-1 win over University of Nairobi while Witworth won 3-1 against Uprising. Kenyatta Hospital humiliated Pumwani FC 2-1 with Tena United recording a 2-1 against Emmandale. Nairobi Water forced a barren draw against Dandora Youth. Mbotela Kamaliza settled for a one-all draw against Kiwi FC in another fixture.

COUNTY LEAGUE: Zetech clip Green Eagles’ wings Zetech College registered a 4-2 win over Green Eagles in the Football Kenya Federation Nairobi County league. In another encounter, Kibera GMF continued with their winning ways after they edged Gachui Black Boots 1-0. Utawala Youth thrashed Kariobangi All Stars 5-1, while Umeme settled for a one-all draw against Huruma Youth. Glory Outreach Assembly registered a 2-1 win over Buruburu Sports with Kayole Youth forcing a 1-1 draw against Asec Huruma Youth. Komarock Rangers drew 2-2 against Indomitable. —Reports by Rebecca Gichana

Navigators’ tussle

Drama looms as Jessop, Soni and Ngigi scheme for KNRC top honours in Voi

Anish Chouhan in action in Athi River Rally. [PHOTO: SAMUEL NYAKONDO/STANDARD]

Njogu, Shah set up all-Kenyan finalBy ERNEST NDUNDA

Kenya is assured the boys under 12 title after two local juniors powered their way to the final of the ITF/Cat Afri-can Tennis circuit at the Mom-basa Sports Club.

However, the finals of the second leg of the continental ranking tournament were not played following heavy rains.

Tournament referee Eli Madegwa said that the finals are likely to be played today.

In boys’ under 12 singles, Albert Njogu, who was elimi-nated in the semi-finals of the first leg at the same venue, fi-nally made it to the final.

Njogu applied all skills he had to dismiss stubborn Ra-naivo Toky of Madagascar 6-2, 6-2. The win was a sweet re-venge for Njogu who lost to

the same player 6-2, 6-4 in the first leg.

The final would be a Ke-nyan affair after Keean Shah silenced another Kenyan Em-manuel Jeva 6-2, 6-0 to book an a final date with Njogu.

In girls’ under 12 singles, Esther Wahome was to play Madagascar’s Ravoniandro Fitia in one of the semi-final encounters. The two players had met in the semi-finals of the first leg where Fitia emerged victorious with a 6-1, 6-2 win.

The other semi-final was for Kenya’s Produce Theuri and Rakotoriana of Madagas-car.

However, in both boys and girls’ under-14 singles, Ke-nyan players were bundled out of the tournament by Bu-rundian and Tanzanian play-

ers.In boys’ under-14 category,

top seeded Nedim Abdallah, who won in the first leg, was bundled out at the semi-final stage after he was beaten by third seeded and Tanzanian Mnenard Frenk 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.

In the other semi-final, Tanzania’s Sulle Omari edged out Jonathan Mugisha from Burundi 6-3, 6-1 to qualify for the final where he will play Frenk in an all-Tanzanian fi-nal affair.

In girls’ under 14, Nahima-na Sada from Burundi beat Kenya’s Tonia Kubai 6-1, 6-1 to book a final ticket where she was to play her country mate Niyonkuru Aisha.

Aisha silenced Kenya’s Tate-Harte 6-2, 6-3 in the oth-er semi-final on her way to the final.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Anas-tasia Pavlyuchenkova warmed up for the French Open by winning her first claycourt ti-tle with a 7-5 6-2 win over Spanish fourth seed Carla Su-arez Navarro in the Portugal Open final on Saturday.

Pavlyuchenkova’s decision to hire five-times grand slam champion Martina Hingis as a coach paid dividends as she completely outplayed her op-ponent in the second set to win her fifth career title. Her previous four successes were all achieved on hard courts.

The Russian third seed won seven games in a row midway through the match and kept up the momentum to condemn Suarez Navarro to a fifth final defeat in as many attempts. —Additional report by Reuters.Tarte-Harte Abigael in action.

By FEVERPITCH REPORTER

Despite massive attention on drivers’ championship, the tussle for navigators’ points in this Saturday’s KCB Mobi Bank Voi Rally.

Fans will be looking out for more drama as the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) enters its third round in Voi.

For KNRC Navigator leader Ravi Soni, this is an important championship tussle as its the first time he has found himself in a position to challenge for the co-drivers’ honours after joining Baldev Chager at the start of the season.

“It’s a long season, new car (EVOX) and that is more of a challenge at this point. Fortu-nately, I am very comfortable with Chager and things can only get better in the car. Our main

focus will be consistency and reliability of the car. We need to be sensible and approach the rest of the events in a calculated manner. Usually that means flat-out with no risk,” said Ravi who is navigating series drivers’ leader Chager for the third oc-casion in his career.

Soni leads the champion-ship with 140 points followed by Azar Anwar’s navigator Ju-lius Ngigi on 90 points while Carl Tundo’s partner Tim Jessop is third on 80 points.

Jessop and Tundo had a good run in Nyeri where they won their first event of the sea-son, erasing fears of their retire-ment in Kajiado.

“We are going out for a win in Voi, but we must get points also, so we will play the strate-gic plan that we have in place. Our pace is good at the moment and the other teams are finding it hard to keep up the steady but fast pace we have. In mud, there absolutely no real challenges. I want another championship win under my belt which will bring it to five. I must be near-ing a record,” said Jessop who is happy for their new sponsor Menengai Oil.

SEE NO REACTION Surprisingly, for Soni, it feels

comfortable with Chager on the driving seat.

“There are no hairy mo-ments and when a driver reacts to the note you call, you don’t feel scared at all. It’s when you call a note and see no reaction that things get scary,” contin-ued Soni.

Ngigi is hoping that Azar’s consistency pays off and so will be Ian Duncan’s partner Amaar Slatch.

The event is being organised by East African Safari Rally (EASR) and co-sponsored by iWay-Africa, ICEA Lion Group and ALS.

Also expected to give the champions a stiff opposition are a group of youngsters led by Quentin Mitchell and the Hors-

ey siblings-Peter and Alex.Notable absentee is the

double 1999 and 2010 Cham-pion Alastair Cavenagh who has announced that he will be skipping the Voi tour.

Cavenagh will be away com-peting in a gruelling Iron Man competition (swim 1.9km, cycle 90km plus half marathon com-bined) to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis in Mallorca, Spain.

“It is a shame that I will miss yet another round of the Cham-pionship,” said Cavenagh who missed the first round due to injury.

Chager leads the KNRC 2013 series with 140 points ahead of Anwar and Tundo who have so far garnered 90 and 80 points respectively.

Six national titles and mul-tiple victories have established Duncan as the most successful driver among frontrunners.

KNRC NAVIGATORS STANDINGS1. Ravi Soni (Kabras Racing) 1402. Julius Ngigi (Oilibya Racing) 903. Tim Jessop (Menengai Oil) 804. Amaar Slatch (National Oil) 605. Robin D. (Oilibya Racing) 50

/ FEVERPITCH Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

FastTrack

CAF: Azam dumped out of Confederation CupTanzanian ice cream company club Azam had two players red carded and missed a penalty as they crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup this weekend. Azam lost a fiery last-16 second leg 2-1 at FAR Rabat of Morocco to exit the second-tier competition by the same aggregate score having been held 0-0 in Dar es Salaam two weeks ago. After achieving better results on the road in previous rounds, England-born Azam coach Stewart Hall was confident of success at Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in the Moroccan capital. — AFP

ATHLETICS: Limo eyes AK Central Rift postAthletics Kenya elections will move to a decisive stage when regions and other affiliates across the country go to polls tomorrow. New office bearers will take up office as the country prepares for the World Championships in Moscow, Russia in August. In the Central Rift, created from North Rift, changes are in the air after County polls held last Tuesday.Helsinki 5,000 metres World Champion Benjamin Limo is vying for the secretary post while businessman Abraham Mutai is eyeing the chairman’s post in the region that has produced some top runners.

—Joseph Ngure

ANGOLA: Mba debut goal can’t save Rangers Africa Cup of Nations star Sunday Mba could not save Nigerian club Enugu Rangers from CAF Champions League elimination this weekend.Enugu lost 3-1 at Recreativo Libolo of Angola in a last-16 second leg after a goalless first encounter and instead of a place in the lucrative group phase, dropped to the second-tier Confederation Cup. Midfielder Mba was a revelation of the Cup of Nations in South Africa, scoring the winning goals in the final against Burkina Faso and the shock quarterfinals win over Ivory Coast. But a transfer wrangle between Warri Wolves and Enugu prevented him playing for his new club.

By GilBert Wandera and ernest ndunda

Nairobi City Stars contin-ued with their dominance over giants AFC Leopards af-ter winning yesterday’s Ke-nyan Premier League (KPL) match 2-1 at City Stadium.

It was however, a better score line for Leopards who lost to the same side 3-0 last season in their first leg en-counter.

It was Leopards who went ahead first yesterday with a Jonas Nahimana seventh minute goal after he jumped to head home a well execut-ed corner kick by Paul Were.

But City Stars fought back and went into the break leading 2-1 after George Mwangi scored at the stroke of half time.

But just like with the first goal scored by Joel Sebuliba in the 42nd minute of the match,Leopard’sdefenders will once again take the flack for a shoddy job.

On the way to scoring the goal. Jimmy Bagaye was al-lowed free access into the Leopards den and he re-leased Bruno Sserenkuma whose attempt was punched into George Mwangi’s feet and he made no mistake tapping home the opener for the winners.

The first goal by City Stars was equally a mistake by the Leopards defence. Abbas Ki-walaby’s half clearence fell on the feet of Sebuliba who made no mistake and thumped home the winner.

take BlameLeopards should blame

themselves for not scoring more goals in the first half.They lost at least three clear chances all falling on Allan Wanga.

First Mike Barasa picked him out with a neat pass and his attempt to score with a back-heel went awafully wrong in the 17th minute.

Then after the half hour mark he missed again after

shooting straight into the hands of City Stars goal-keeper. His third miss was in the 40th minute as he opted for power strike instead of precision after Were had done the donkey work.

Time is ticking away for AFC Leopards coach Luc Ey-mael, who promised to turn around the fortunes of the club in a month’s time.

Appointed last month to replace Tom Olaba, Eymael looked on as his side failed in their hunt for maximum points. This makes his work hard as Leopards are seed-ing ground to its rivals.

Barren draWIn Mombasa, Bandari

battled to a barren draw with Mathare United at the Mbaraki Sports Club.

Signs of the match being cancelled were evident due to the heavy rains, which have been pouring in Mom-basa for the past four days thus making the playing sur-face wet.

However, the match ref-eree and both team officials made consultations and agreed the match should go on to avoid the visiting team Mathare United incurring extra expenses.

There was little to be of-fered by both teams, as they could not play carpet foot-ball due to the poor state of the pitch. Both teams missed several scoring chances af-ter defenders opted to play and clear the ball from the backline.

Mathare’s defenders Edg-er Ochieng and Kevin Ochieng stood firm at the backline while Bandari’s Ali Bhai and Victor Majid were the kept the opponent’s de-fenders on toes.

Mathare benched Vin-cent Odongo, Meshack Ka-rani and Gabriel Nduru for Daniel Mwaura, Godian Mumina and Hillary Otieno while Bandari rested Hamisi Ali and David Naftalis for Shaban Kenga and Fredrick Ojwang.

Bandari draw with Mathare United on soggy pitch

StarS tame LeopardS

Nairobi City Stars’ Bruno Sserunkuma (standing) celebrates his goal against AFC Leopards with Joel Sebuliba. Nairobi City Stars beat AFC Leopards 2-1. [PHOTO: STAFFORD ONDEGO/STANDARD]

kenya stun France, scotland to reach Bowl final By Bs mulaVi

Kenya Sevens rugby team put aside their first day de-mons to bounce back to form in the penultimate leg of the International Rugby Board Sevens circuit in Glasgow, Scotland.

Head Coach Mike Friday and his troops put aside their three losses on the first day to get back to winning ways in the Bowl competition of the tournament. Kenya reversed their lackluster performance on the first day with a con-

vincing 22-7 victory over France in Bowl quarters.

Even though both teams looked even matched in the early exchanges of the game it was Kenya who got a chance to score the first try through Nakuru Flanker Oscar Ouma in the third minute of the game, much to the delight of the roaring large Kenyan crowd.

Ouma’s try was followed by Kenya Harlequin sensation Willy Ambaka’s effort, which greatly shifted the game to Ke-nya’s favour. The second half

kicked off on poor note with France getting one try back, but not before Captain An-drew Amonde retaliated with a third tried for the team.

Oscar Ouma who started the scoring, felt it was only right if he was to be the one to finish and he rightfully scored the fourth try for Kenya to seal a semi-final spot against hosts Scotland.

Similar to their first game Kenya scored first, through Felix Ayange, to signal their intent of taking maximum points from the Bowl compe-

tition. Even though Amonde had a quiet first day, he was having none of that yesterday scoring the second try of the game.

Kenya looked firmly in control and Felix Ayange scored his second try in the game to have the game go to the break at 19-0. Three spaced tries from the hosts took them to 19 points but they were not enough as a try from Willy Ambaka helped Kenya beat Scotland 24-19. Kenya was to meet Australia in the Bowl fi-nals. Collins Injera sprints for the

try-line in Glasgow.

FEVERPITCH / Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Bayern Munich’s midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri and Dortmund de-fender Marcel Schmelzer vie for the ball during their Bundesliga match in Dortmund. [PHOTO: AFP]

FastTrack

PARIS: Marseille win to delay PSG’s title party Marseille beat Bastia 2-1 in the French league on Saturday to postpone Paris Saint-Germain’s title celebrations for at least another week. With three rounds left and a six-point lead on Marseille, PSG cannot clinch the title this weekend but it has a vastly superior goal difference to Marseille. PSG hosts Valenciennes on Sunday. Marseille has almost mathematically secured second spot. It is seven points ahead of third-placed Lyon which travels to Nancy on Sunday. “We tried to score and to play, and we were rewarded. We played quite a complete match today,” Marseille coach Elie Baup said.

MILAN: Fiorentina lose 1-0 to Roma in Serie A Fiorentina’s Champions League hopes diminished as a late goal meant it lost 1-0 at home to Roma in the Serie A on Saturday, in a match where it hit the woodwork twice. Former Fiorentina striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo headed in a corner in stoppage time. The result left Fiorentina one point behind AC Milan in the race for third place and the final Champions League spot. “It’s a bitter defeat, we were playing for a very important third place,” said Fiorentina manager Vincenzo Montella, who used to play and coach Roma. — AP

MADRID: Ronaldo nets twice as Real stun RayoCristiano Ronaldo headed in two goals to help Real Madrid beat Rayo Valladolid 4-3 in the Spanish league on Saturday, but the entertaining win was overshadowed by growing dissatisfaction with coach Jose Mourinho for criticizing the club. Madrid’s ninth straight home win in league play denied Barcelona the chance to clinch the league title this weekend.Madrid reduced Barcelona’s lead to eight points. Elsewhere, third-place Atletico Madrid booked its spot in next season’s Champions League with a 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.

— AP

Berlin

Tempers flared as Borus-sia Dortmund and Bayern Munich drew 1-1 on Satur-day in a Bundesliga match which was anything but a friendly warm-up for the Champions League final be-tween the two sides in three weeks time.

Bayern, who had won their last 14 Bundesliga matches, had five players

booked and fullback Rafinha sent off in a surprisingly feisty encounter which saw their goalkeeper Manuel Neuer save a Robert Lewan-dowski penalty.

With Bayern already hav-ing won the title and Dort-mund guaranteed a Champi-ons League place next season, there had been fears that the match would be a damp squib as the teams spared themselves for Wem-

bley.Controversy erupted on

the hour when Jerome Boateng was judged to have handled the ball as he tried to block a Nuri Sahin shot and a penalty was awarded amid angry Bayern protests.

Lewandowski’s shot was saved by Neuer, but the match boiled over again a few minutes later when Rafinha, who had just been booked, elbowed Jakub Blaszczykowski as they tus-sled for the ball.

The Brazilian was sent off for a second bookable of-fence, causing more Bayern protests as the players angri-

ly surrounded the referee, and Rafinha poked his finger in Blaszczykowski’s face be-fore leaving the pitch.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp remonstrated with Rafinha, which in turn caused an angry reaction from Bayern’s sporting direc-tor Matthias Sammer.

There were further niggly exchanges, and Bayern sub-stitute Emre Can was booked for a rugby-tackle on Julian Schieber.

“It’s normal for these things to happen,” Klopp told Sky on the touchline. “People were talking about a friendly but once the game

gets underway, it’s different. It was a tough battle, situa-tions arise, these things hap-pen.”

“I told Rafinha that he should stay away from Jakub, Sammer then told me that I should not talk to the play-ers. Then I said that Rafinha poked him in the face.”

Borussia Dortmund made five changes to the team which started the Champi-ons League semi-final tie at Real Madrid on Tuesday and Bayern seven to the side which faced Barcelona on Wednesday and won 3-0. Dortmund went ahead in the eleventh minute. — Reuters

Bayern have five booked, one sent off in Bundesliga

German fireworks

everton’s euro hopes fade after liverpool draw

Seamus Coleman (left) challenges Jose Enrique.

ond season in a row.Liverpool’s best chance

saw a goal-bound effort from man-of-the-match Steven Gerrard cleared by Everton defender Sylvain Distin, who had a goal contentiously dis-allowed at the other end.

It meant Liverpool stal-wart Jamie Carragher failed to finish on the winning side in his 30th and final Mersey-side derby, while Everton are still without an away win in this fixture since 1999.

The draw left Everton somewhat marooned in sixth

place in the table, five points above their neighbours and five points below the Euro-pean qualifying positions with two games to play.

Liverpool were unchanged from the side that routed Newcastle United 6-0 last weekend, but Everton were first to threaten, with Mar-ouane Fellaini prodding the ball narrowly wide from a Leighton Baines free-kick in the 17th minute.

At the other end, Liver-pool striker Daniel Sturridge failed to hit the target with a couple of pot-shots, while Phil Jagielka produced a pair

of impeccably timed blocks to thwart Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho.

Liverpool had the better of the second half, Tim How-ard saving from Sturridge and Distin clearing off the line from Gerrard, although Distin also had a header ruled out by referee Michael Oliver for a foul that was far from evident.

David Moyes’ team has been a more consistent force this season and Liverpool lacked a cutting edge throughout, missing Uruguay striker Luis Suarez who served the second match of

his 10-game ban for biting an opponent.

The challenges were typi-cally feisty — Marouane Fel-laini infuriated Liverpool’s players because of his raised elbows in aerial collisions — but it remains one of the friendliest of the big rivalries off the pitch.

Before kickoff, Liverpool fans in the Kop end held up red and blue cards to form a “Thanks” mosaic, in an ex-pression of their gratitude for Everton’s solidarity in the wake of the Hillsborough di-saster that killed 96 Liverpool fans in 1989. — Agencies

Continued From P44

FEVERPITCHMonday, May 6, 2013

STANDARDTHE

www.standardmedia.co.ke

Chelang’at cruises to victory at the Kericho International marathon, P.39Chelang’at cruises to victory at the Kericho International marathon, Chelang’at cruises to victory at the Kericho International marathon, Chelang’at cruises to victory at the Kericho International marathon, Chelang’at cruises to victory at the Kericho International marathon, P.39P.39Boxer Mayweather secures win on return to the ring, P.38

7 Pages of Sizzling Sport coverage!

Published and printed at The Standard Group Centre, Mombasa Road Nairobi - Kenya, by The Standard Group, P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi 00100, Kenya. Switch Board Tel. 3222111. Fax: 322027, 2229218, 2218965. News Desk Tel: 3222200, Fax: 0719012027. [email protected] MOMBASA: Tel: 2230884, 2230897, 2228204, 2228098. Fax: 2230814. NAKURU: Tel: 2214289, 2212914. Fax: 2217348. KISUMU: Tel: 2022820, 2021866. Fax: 2023451. ELDORET: 2030482,

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Download free QR Readers from the web and scan this QR (Quick Response) code with your smart phone for pictures, videos and more stories.

NELSPRUITEverton’s hopes of playing European football next season receded

after they drew 0-0 at city rivals Liverpool on Sunday.Everton, who have only won one of their last 13 Premier League

Merseyside derbies, were aggrieved after Sylvain Distin’s headed goal from a corner early in the second half was ruled out for a push.

David Moyes’s side remain sixth on 60 points, fi ve behind Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. Everton have just two games remaining and have slim hopes of securing the Europa League place for the side fi nishing fi fth in the Premier League.

However, Everton will draw strength from the fact that they remain on course to fi nish above Liverpool in the Premier League for the sec-

Draw in Merseyside derby as ‘The Toffees’ European dream dwindle

CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

Published and printed at The Standard Group Centre, Mombasa Road Nairobi - Kenya, by The Standard Group, P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi 00100, Kenya. Switch Board Tel. 3222111. Fax: 322027, 2229218, 2218965. News Desk Tel: 3222200, Published and printed at The Standard Group Centre, Mombasa Road Nairobi - Kenya, by The Standard Group, P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi 00100, Kenya. Switch Board Tel. 3222111. Fax: 322027, 2229218, 2218965. News Desk Tel: 3222200, Fax: 0719012027. [email protected] MOMBASA: Tel: 2230884, 2230897, 2228204, 2228098. Fax: 2230814. NAKURU: Tel: 2214289, 2212914. Fax: 2217348. KISUMU: Tel: 2022820, 2021866. Fax: 2023451. ELDORET: 2030482,

2060292, 2060760 Fax: 2033438. NYERI: Tel: 2030068, 2030740. E-mail: [email protected] CIRCULATION: Tel: 3222701/03. Registered at the G.P.O as a newspaper.

NELSPRUITEverton’s hopes of playing European football next season receded

after they drew 0-0 at city rivals Liverpool on Sunday.Everton, who have only won one of their last 13 Premier League

Merseyside derbies, were aggrieved after Sylvain Distin’s headed goal from a corner early in the second half was ruled out for a push.

David Moyes’s side remain sixth on 60 points, fi ve behind Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. Everton have just two games remaining and have slim hopes of securing the Europa League place for the side fi nishing fi fth in the Premier League.

However, Everton will draw strength from the fact that they remain on course to fi nish above Liverpool in the Premier League for the sec-

Draw in Merseyside derby as ‘The Toffees’ European dream dwindle

CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

EVERTON HOPES FADE

Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson (centre) is challenged by Everton’s Marouane Fellaini during their English Premier League match at Anfi eld in Liverpool. [PHOTO: REUTERS]

FeverBriefsSPAIN: Mallorca stay in bottom place with draw Last-place Mallorca was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Levante on Sunday, hurting its chances of avoiding relegation in the Spanish league. Mallorca started strongly and striker Tomer Hemed gave the hosts the lead in the seventh minute with his 10th goal of the season.But a defensive lapse let Robert Acquafresca head in the equalizer three minutes before halftime. The draw left Mallorca two points from safety with four games to play. Levante, which is being investigated for match-fi xing in a recent loss to Deportivo La Coruna, stayed without a win in fi ve rounds.

HOLAND: Ajax clinch Dutch championshipAjax has won its third straight Dutch league championship in style, trouncing Willem II Tilburg 5-0 on goals from fi ve different players. It is Ajax’s 32nd Eredivisie title and guarantees the Amsterdam club a spot in Champions League next season. Kolbeinn Sigthorsson headed in the fi rst goal in the 12th minute, and when Christian Eriksen scored the second before halftime, fans began to celebrate in the stands, singing “stand for the champion.” The onslaught continued in the second half. — AP

MondayKick Off Your Week

The Perfect Way To

Pullout Section B Monday, May 6, 2013

MondaySTANDARD

with the

Oyunga Pala: Time to beat the swag out of dating,P4

Beautiful con women on the prowl

They are thieves masquerading as chips fungas, P8

PRETTYconWoMEnon ThE PRoWl

/ CRAZY MONDAY Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

LIFE IS A CIRCUSIs the Internet a curse or a blessing?Magunga Williams laughs off the idea that the Inter-net and new technology are meant to save time and generally improve our lives. Page 5

POLITICALLY INCORRECTAfricans locked their potential a long time agoPeter Wanyonyi looks at why other continents seem to do better than Africa.

Page 7

CHAUVINISTThings women do that drive men up the wall

Nikko Tanui analyses a few things women do that get men totally peeved. Page 10

WACKYLEAKSMark Mutahi reports a nutty tale of an adult who was fi nally arrested after severally impersonating a teenager. Page 11

UGANDAN AFFAIRSUgandan’s creative ways of spreading wealth Grace Nakato chides Ugan-dans and their creative ways of lowering poverty levels. Page 14

In 1 Minute...myturn

Group Chief Editor: John Bundotich Managing Editor: Kipkoech Tanui

Magazines Coordinator/Revise Editor: Dorcas Muga-Odumbe Editor: Ted Malanda Sub-Editor: Tony Malesi

Writers: Peter Wanyonyi, Anil Bakari, Ferdinand Mwongela, Shirley Genga, Nikko Tanui, Oyunga Pala and Mark Mutahi ≠≠

Creative Direction : Peter Gichui Manager Print Creative : Dan Weloba Creative Designer: Liz Wanjiku

Photography: Tabitha Otwori, Boniface Okendo, Martin MukanguIllustration: Kennedy Kaburu, Michael Munene

E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke

All correspondence to Crazy Monday is assumed to be intended for publication. Crazy Monday accepts no responsibility for unsolicited

manuscripts, artworks or photographs. All rights on publication remain with the publisher

quick read

Tony Malesi

P 10

Flashing out peddlers — Turn to page 6

Page 13 : WOMAN LIVES WITH HUSBAND AND LOVER

www.standardmedia.co.keJOIN US ONLINE AT

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QuotesAn intellectual is a person who’s found one thing that’s more interesting than sex.Aldous Huxley

The most interesting information comes from children, for they tell all they know and then stop.Mark Twain

Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough.Don Marquis

Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking.Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A GIRLFRIEND’S STRICT CODE OF CONDUCT

SOMEONE TELL THESE THUGSCriminals terrorising villagers in Western Kenya need to be told, and in no uncertain terms, that they are pushing their luck a bit too far by attacking helpless people and beating them senseless in the name of ‘passing a message to authorities’. It’s only a matter of time, and the long arm of the law will catch up with them.

MEET MALESI

Common courtesy dictates that I introduce myself after lurking behind the scenes for a while. How about I do it differently — by regaling you with a tale about myself? It might interest you to learn that my fi rst job, while in

Form Two, was a ‘consultant’ — in love letter writing (of course, at a fee)! Given, most brothers were handicapped in expressing themselves romantically — brethren, blowing own vuvuzela was (and still is) not easy — and thus my services came in handy.

You see, back in the day, whenever girls visited our school for academic symposia, a boy, under the infl uence of rogue hormones, would spot a devastatingly beautiful girl, salivate, approach her, acquaint himself with her, whine a bit about the weather, and in the process, pick her address. A few days later, he would then hire my briefcase consultancy fi rm to jot an award-winning love letter, on his behalf, requesting the pretty thing for a relationship!

I would lace it with honey-coated lyrics, decorations, ‘threaten’ the girl with big vocabulary and throw in a few Latin words — for special effect, you know. Considering this was long before cologne, toothpaste and the so-called ‘swag’ were discovered, all she probably remembered about the lad was, eh, the fetid that wafted from his unbrushed teeth, foul body odour and the strange shape of his nose!

Thus, the lyrics in the missive were to be so powerful, to not only weaken her knees and melt her heart, but also convince her he was the real deal, after sliced bread. Anything short of that, and many who never enlisted my services can attest, never got a reply!

And if he insistently persisted by ‘disturbing’ her, the girl rewarded his effort by assembling a vetting board comprising of no nonsense girls. They scrutinised and analysed the content, and kaboom! Dropped him a missile — one hell of a poison letter. And enclosed in it all those he had sent with grammar corrected, ‘t’s crossed, ‘i’s dotted and awarded zero out of 40 — in red!

Since then, I fell in love with writing and editing. So when my ‘running-mate’ (or is he a coalition partner?) Ted Malanda told me he was going on leave to rest his tired bones, I welcomed his duties with open arms.

He, however, didn’t fi le his column. And the following day midmorning when I called, he was already in Mumias. I chose not to bother him because before he even fi nished saying ‘Mumias’, I envisioned his tired frame already in an embarrassingly tiny pair of shorts (those that, if your mother-in-law bumped into you in, you get fi ned several goats or bags of millet — pronto — at least where I come from — for indecent exposure!) perched on a three legged stool outside his hut, sunning himself like a lizard as he sipped from a steamy mug of fermented porridge. (Oops! Did I just poke fun at my boss? I hope I still have my job upon his return)

However, that does not mean this magazine would have gone to press with an empty page fi ve. A pleasant surprise awaits you, check it out. Enjoy the magazine, it’s a seriously laughing matter.

Your sayConcerning last weeks main feature, I didn’t quite understand the writer, so it is okay for women to be clean and tidy but not men? I keep my place clean, and as I have lovely carpets, shoes come off at the door. I wear slippers around the house and I always warn guests in advance that shoes come off at the door. What is wrong with that? Mark

What is wrong with changing bed sheets that have seen hell the whole night? I hope the writer is not a dirty woman!Urlike

What the heck! I agree with the writer. Very true. A man should create an opportunity for his woman to pamper him otherwise ,a woman will feel useless at a man’s place.Jessy201080

CRAZY MONDAY / Page 3Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

odds&endsodds&ends

How Chemistry teacher ruined my intellectual dream

Police, youth fi ght over bribe

“After the tout dropped the money for the police to pick, the youth grabbed it”

By ERIC LUNGAI

There was a ticklish inci-dent along Kisumu-Kaka-mega Road, when a pot-bellied traffi c policeman unsuccessfully scrambled

— rather frantically — with a youth over Sh100 note bribe that had been dropped for him by a matatu tout.

CHAGRIN

The overloaded vehicle was headed to Kisumu before the of-fi cer fl agged it down at a check point. Upon slowing down, the tout beckoned the offi cer and released a folded note — for him — through the window and it fell

by the roadside. The beefy cop rushed to pick the note (blown away by wind) — as it is always routine. Unfortunately, the youth who was passing nearby, picked it up much to the chagrin and fury of the offi cer.

RAGE

“I was very broke, then money is dropped just near my feet...I couldn’t leave it just because it was meant for the cop,” the youth heartily told Crazy Monday.

The offi cer’s rage attracted a sizeable crowd of onlookers that came to see why he was com-plaining, only to learn he was tus-sling with the young man to give him back ‘his’ money.

The road, that usually has a few people, quickly became busy . The offi cer and his colleagues hid in one of the corners where they could not be seen easily.

The young man defended himself saying he had not seen the note come from the offi cer’s pocket as it had dropped from the vehicle that had then sped away.

“The money came from the matatu and not the offi cer’s pock-et. How can he say it is his mon-

ey?” said the furious youth. Seeing that the boy had be-

come diffi cult to deal with, the cop gave up and got back on duty — fl agging down the other ve-hicles, perhaps with the hope of recovering what he had lost.

The people at the scene could not leave without castigating the corrupt traffi c offi cer, and his col-leagues who they accused of ex-torting money from matatus that ply the route.

“These offi cers have never cared about the welfare of matatu operators nor the safety of com-muters, all they think about are their stomachs and nothing else.

GIGGLED

How can he let an overloaded matatu go past the road block, just because he has been bribed with Sh100, and shamelessly tus-sle with a youth over it?” one irate woman exclaimed.

Once the dust had settled, an-gry onlookers, who had mulled the incident began trickling away, one by one, as they amusedly gig-gled away.

“Young men, time is not on our side, we will assume that this thing was successful… ”

By TONY MALESI

While walking down the street the other day, I saw my for chemistry teacher. This is the man who sin-gle-highhandedly ruined

my chances of getting into a serious profession in this country, by giving me-and I believe a host of many oth-er hustlers, an extremely poor foun-dation in Chemistry.

Seeing him painful reminded me of one fact which will infuriate – be-yond human endurance, most hard working parents who paid our fees back then: We never ever not only fi nished but also successfully carried out a Chemistry experiment!

FRUGAL

They were either incomplete or we ended up with the wrong results, and to either of the two scenarios, the teacher always had this irritating way of summing it up: “ we will assume that this thing was successful!” His Achilles heel was that he was always time barred and overly frugal with reagents!

You see, he was too mean and the quantity of reagents he scooped dur-ing experiments spoke it all. I once overheard a naughty backbenchers, albeit under his breath, inaudibly chide him. “One would be forgiven for thinking that the money used to purchase the reagents and specimen

was deducted from his salary!” He was so mean and I even suspect if he was to run for any offi ce in the just concluded election, he would have not wasted money printing post-ers, but instead banked on word of mouth!

That he was a brilliant chap was not in question. He was an intellectu-al, its just that he didn’t have proper communication skills; speaking too fast and hardly audible.

BURETTE

Much as he introduced us to some nice sounding terminologies, some of which (and I confess) I only came to know their correct spelling long after I cleared school, they are all useless. I mean, I have never been faced with a situation in life, for instance, in gen-eral conversation in which-just for the sake of even sounding intelligent, I could incorporate them. Anyone who has ever been confronted with a situation in life in which he used words like pipette, Bunsen burner, and burette please step forward!

You see, this teacher wasted half of the double lesson setting up appa-ratus and equipment for an experi-ment. And just after we had launched into it, and things start reacting, the timekeeper would ring the bell, marking end of the lesson. Mind you, that was when we had just started re-cording the observations and before we could see the fi nal results.

Just then, you would hear the teacher, “young men, time is not on our side, we will assume that this thing was successful…the fl ame will turn blue, some whitish residue will collect at the bottom of the beaker, blah blah…ok?” And funny enough, we, very tired, bored and amid yawns would respond sheepishly, in fact, in unison, “yes”!

SHEEPISHLY

The lesson always ended in that fashion. But sadly, the examiner al-ways set exams from that tail end of the experiment, which we never saw anyway. And you expected me to

pass? Ha! You can dream.Were it not for such poor foun-

dation in chemistry, I would not be wasting time cracking stale and dry jokes or doing social commentary in newspapers. Instead, I would be some serious chap squinting my eyes into a microscope and mixing chem-icals somewhere in industrial area. Or better yet, other than my silly ‘one plus one equals eleven’ discov-ery that was rubbished, I would have perhaps discovered the cure for HIV/AIDS. Or better still, bagged a Nobel in chemistry! Who knows!


thesecrazykenyans/OYUNGA PALA fiNds the hUmAN iN the keNYAN

“It is no wonder that the constant drone of lonely women in Nairobi is about the lack of good men”

There is a TV show on KTN known as Tujuane. The re-ality TV concept is based on a blind date theme, set

in a restaurant where odd couples are paired up in the desperate hope that their chemistry will ignite after a single date under the full glare of camera. I have not watched enough shows to give a balanced critique, but the three shows I caught, while channel surfing, left a sinking feel-ing.

chivalry

The show was painful to watch, mostly because the three brothers I caught on the dock, seemed awfully at loss at how to play ‘the man’ on a date. They came across as nervous and inept in the field of modern dat-ing rituals or emasculated.

The show draws a lot of feed-back on social media and what most of the men get is pity, mostly from older guys who can empathise with frustration of finding acceptance in the eyes of a desirable woman.

Despite the loud noises generat-ed over the diva tendencies of some the women cast, the sad picture painted is that the average young man is totally at loss in the modern dating scene. Most seem to be play-ing outside their league, desperately trying to craft a champagne experi-ence on a beer budget. Many are try-ing to find love in spaces where they do not belong.

The desperation to be seen as masculine is evident in the flawed swag concept. When a man has swag, which in my opinion is a mishmash of fashion trend slavery, money to flash and a car that turns heads, only then can he stand a chance of find a partner worthy of his efforts.

The poster child of this imagery is rapper Prezzo. Young women still expect men to be rich romantics, displaying a brand of chivalry that is now epitomised by Latino soap op-

era male heroes. The recurring mes-sage of popular media is that when a woman is not happy, it is the man’s fault.

fantasy

It is no wonder that the constant drone of lonely women in Nairobi is about the lack of good men. The sad fact is that TV programming is emas-culating men at a rapid rate. Look at the training, modern day masculini-ty is scripted to Western ideals of lov-

Time to beat the swag out of datinging bliss that were discredited a de-cade ago. The TV with its revolving cast of successful handsome heroes has created an impossible standard. This is the flip side of the female Cinderella fantasy where beauty is the ticket to happiness.

girdled

And you really can’t blame a young man growing up in these times for his lack of woman-pleas-ing skills. Parents, desperate to ap-pear modern, threw away tradition-al values with the bath water and nurtured boys in the image of the TV good man.

The good man is emotional se-cure, gainfully employed and sexu-ally competent. There was no prep talk of lives after the white wedding, the pressure of kids, fading looks and middle-aged spreads. As a result, we have a pretty confused bunch of young people on TV shows who think their lack of swag is the one barrier to a fulfilling relationship.

Swag is the girdled cage of un-fulfilled masculinity and no matter how many trappings you amass, there will always be more success-ful men out there to reinforce your insecurity. Accept your flaws young knight. That is what makes you real and there are plenty of women out there who dig that.

Police under attackthe lion man of mbooni

One of my most lasting im-ages of the late Mutula Ki-lonzo, is one of him feeding

his big cats. Men keep lions for either majestic grandeur as depicted by the last Ethiopian em-peror Haile Selassie or for altruistic conservation purposes.

Kilonzo’s devotion to his lions re-minds me of the late George Adam-son, the man who literally walked with lions. George Adamson dedi-cated his life to nurturing orphaned cubs and returning them to the wild.

The story of Elsa captured in the world acclaimed nature documen-tary Born Free, brought the plight of the lions to global attention. George Adamson was trying to stop the in-evitable process of sending lions to zoos abroad to ensure their survival.

As early as the mid 80s, Adamson had raised the red flag on the de-clining number of big cats. Wildlife experts claim they are under 2,000 lions left in Kenya, and their popu-

lation is under eminent threat from the loss of their natural habitat to farmlands, urbanisation and reck-lessness of illegal hunters.

Mr Kilonzo is one of the few in-digenous Kenyans of means who has walked the talk as far conserva-tion goes, and I hope his legacy as conversationalist will inspire others to keep our lions running wild and free for next generation.

Tosh Gitonga’s riveting mov-ie Nairobi Half Life is a de-piction of a young Kenyan hustler trying to survive in Nairobi’s mean streets.

That image of desperate youth turn-ing to crime to find relevance has been playing out in the news more frequently in surreal fashion. But in both urban and rural spaces, some of the regular victims of crime are the police.

The police force in Kenya is under attack, and they appear hopelessly inept at protecting themselves. Ever since the Baragoi massacre where 42 officers were slain, the police body count keeps rising. The credibility of the police force is so low that in places likes Kisumu, we watched in amazement as rowdy mobs held a police station under siege. At the Coast, panga wielding villains regu-larly pounce on armed personnel.

When it comes to investigations, no one even bothers with the official police report. The crime reporters enjoy more credibility. What does Dennis Onsarigo have to say? Wait for Mohammed Ali’s sensational scoops in Jicho Pevu, or switch to

Twitter and track the notorious Rob-ert Alai’s latest conspiracy theory.

We are back to the situation where the police are the last people to call when in trouble, because they would not show up. And if they ever arrived, it would be a trigger-happy bunch spraying bullets regularly mistaking the victim for a suspect.

The special crime units are more like death squads. They do not be-lieve in the court process and a Ke-nyan car chase always ends in the

death of the armed suspect who returned fire.

In this vacuum, gangs have taken over because they run the neighbourhoods and those who pay for protection survive. Ironically, I continue to marvel at the ruthless efficiency of the police force when it comes to protecting political inter-est, clobbering dissent and intimi-dating unarmed protestors.


life’sacircus

By MAGUNGA WILLIAMS

The other day, a woman told me that the In-ternet and technology were created to save

time. I remember laughing so hard until she felt insulted.

Seriously, if there is anything the Internet has made me be-come; is lazy. I am not only talk-ing about the copy-paste tradi-tion that has replaced hard work and academic industry, uh-uh. We have become lazy even in hu-man interaction. Before we be-gan fussing over the number of friends and followers we had on Facebook and Twitter, it used to be about the face to face interac-tion. Then came the social media craze and fear of being the only analogue person left in the world, we all got absorbed into the fad of virtual existence.

HICCUPS

The result was that we take pride in having more than 500 friends on Facebook, half of whom you do not even know, have never met, and the only thing you have in common is the mutual friends that you, unfortu-nately, also met online.

Twitteratti big wigs thump their chest to show off the num-ber of followers they have on Twitter, then fancy themselves as the messiahs of our time. So woe unto you who have 100 follow-ers, for you will have to kiss the high kings’ rings. The lords of all creation and the bringers of rain. Give way, you peasants of meagre followers.

What’s more is that technol-ogy has made us too inaccessible, lately. More than once, I have tried holding a decent conversa-

“Technology has made us inaccessible, people ignore each other and chat strangers online”

tion with someone who is swiping her touch screen Techno handset. The common excuse, being that she is a woman, she can multi-task. So she will be on live chat with some guy having network connection hiccups in Rongai, as you go on and on talking to your-self. That is even disrespectful to say the least, but I cannot raise the matter up without sounding like a nagging housewife.

It so happens, therefore, that there are six guys in a room, ear-phones plugged in Gangnam style, punching dutifully on the

keys of their phones. The room is hushed, yet these guys are chat-ting. Either online or through un-limited text messages.

TECHNOLOGY

I think Internet is a drug that young people have become ad-dicted to and that makes devices to replace the physical. We have failed to deal with the face to face engagements, and so we let Inter-net and technology fi ll the spaces that real men are supposed to oc-cupy.

So, the old fashion mode of

Most peeps think Coast is a cool word for Mombasa, never mind the fact that Mombasa constitutes just a section of the entire coastal strip. And

the way they add a suffi x ‘o’ to ‘coast’ just to sound hip. So yeah, I was at coast-o this past weekend, and being there at this time of the year makes me put things into perspective.

YUPPIES

I think there is a way the odieros (whites) add jazz to the city of Mombasa during the festive season — a jazz that cannot be felt by a guy from bara (up-country) like me. For some reason, the landmark tasks of the city no longer ex-cite my sensibilities like they do when I

Is the Internet a curse or a blessing?

The dodgy Mombasa nightlife see a couple of white yuppies taking photos of them.

However, there is something that never changes throughout the year; the Mombasa nightlife. The ethos of the coastal revellers withstand all seasons. It is amazing the way wom-en change from ninja-like hijabs to skimpy fl ashy dresses. At some point, I thought they use their bodies to cover their dresses.

After hanging around the joints in Nairobi at night, I thought I had had enough of teasing girls freezing their thighs in order to suit the needs of men. Mombasa takes revelling to a completely different level. Walking around Casablanca in itself is a sin. It’s a parade of thighs shining bright

like neon lights, begging for your at-tention. And like shoes, they come in all colours, shapes and sizes, just the way you like it.

WRIGGLE

These ladies can spot a man from bara miles away. They crowd around you, buzzing prices, others touching you in places the good Lord reserved for ‘the one’. I felt molested, defi led, in fact. Nobody can really tell where those hands had been — and there they were, wiping remnants of what smelled like STDs on my skin. Fur-thermore, I have always heard of the tales about the whispers of jini (ge-nie) disguised as women who steal your soul, and maroon their victims

in the depths of the ocean. In their defence, however, these

are not jinis. At least they did not look the part to me. These are business people trading their wares for worthy consideration on the basis of willing buyer willing seller. They will wriggle their posterior around you and rub the soft contours of their bodies on you, and then slip their hands inside your jacket and make away with your wallet. That is the time you will realise there is no harsher city for broke men than coast-o’

Editor’s note: Ted Malanda has taken a short break and will be back in a fortnight.

asking for a number has been taken over by “give me your names and I shall do a Facebook search for you”. We no longer ask for addresses, rather ask for Twit-ter handles.

So you understand why I laughed at my woman friend when she said the Internet saves time. Perhaps that was the origi-nal cause, and the person who came up with it had his heart in the right place. But now, it has become a red pill that we cannot just live without.


politicallyincorrect / A skewed look at the political scene

MPs should stop mocking Kenyans

By PETER WANYONYI

It hasn’t taken long, no sooner have our new MPs been sworn in, than they have begun to find ways of paying themselves more money. The last Parliament was

one of the most corrupt and self-in-terested ever. But, set up against the current crop, it seems the former Par-liament were mere school kids.

Kenyans got tired of seeing MPs arrogating and allocating themselves an importance and priority far re-moved from the country’s welfare. Some of those worthies had taken to raising their salaries practically every Tuesday, awarding themselves grants every Thursday, and being idiots for the rest of the week.

So we put in place the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC)

to keep the MPs’ greed in check. We even reduced the salaries of MPs. We shouldn’t have bothered.

Our new MPs have already brow-beat the SRC into giving them Sh5 million each, ostensibly to buy new cars. The SRC caved in too early, and is paying the price; the MPs want the whole body scrapped, and the responsibility for raising their pay returned to Parliament. It’s like mak-ing a pack of hyenas the custodians of a herd of goats, and still expecting the welfare of the goats to be para-mount.

Even worse, people who should know better are supporting the MPs. Cotu boss Francis Atwoli incredibly thinks the MPs are right.

The question is do we really need these MPs?

After cops realising that patience, other than just being a girl’s name, is a mere waste of time, they could not wait for peddlers to surrender themselves. They went for them. [PHOTOs: COLLINs KWEYU/ sTaNdard]

Flashing out peddlers

Police must act on media exposes


politicallyincorrectp

un

chli

ne Shoot poachers to save our elephants

The President has named his Cabinet, which should come as a relief after the near-paralysis that had descended

on operations in, otherwise, important bits of government. This was after a long wait, fi rst the elections, then the provisional results, then the inevitable petitions, and fi nally the Supreme Court ruling.

As has been mentioned virtually ev-erywhere else, most of the country needs attention. And nowhere is more urgent than the wildlife sector. We are running out of elephants. The poor pachyderms are getting shot for their ivory in every direction one can look, and the situation is getting worse. Last year, offi cial fi gures

were that poachers slaughtered 384 el-ephants in Kenya. In 2011, the number was 289. This year is barely a third of the way through, and at least 80 elephants have already been cut down.

DEAD

The brazenness with which our el-ephants are being cut down is partially owed to the ridiculous penalties the law imposes on those caught smuggling ivory. The Wildlife Act sets punishment for the most serious wildlife crimes at a mere Sh40,000, and a jail term of up to ten years. This is nothing, given how lu-crative the ivory smuggling business is. Look, one kilogramme of ivory fetches more than Sh200,000 in the Asian mar-

kets to which most of it is destined.Every successful prosecution of an

ivory smuggler is, in fact, a failure for the elephants whose tusks he was caught with are already dead. Anyway, most smugglers simply buy their way out of court. The Kenya Wildlife Service needs to, once again, get tough with poach-ers. There is no need wasting money prosecuting those caught red-handed. Ruthless action against poachers must be revived and poachers caught in the act should simply be shot dead. It is a wonderful deterrent, and it even saves us time and money.

By PETER WANYONYI

Africa always seems to have the worst of ev-erything. From the breed of humans on the continent — Afri-

cans are likely the most bru-tal, most unthinking of people where savagery is concerned — to the fauna we have. But villag-ers will tell you that the gods do not play favourites, so in their infi nite wisdom, they granted every continent pretty much the same as other continents — minerals, people, animals, the like.

GAZELLE

The African, however, slept on the job. Providence gave the Europeans and the Asians a horse of some sort. The Indians even had elephants thrown in by the gods, just for good mea-sure. Africa got the lot, we were given the strongest and largest land mammal — the elephant — plus a whole host of goodies to go with it. That is, cow-like animals to eat and milk, from wildebeest to buffalo, several goat-like species to roast on our open savannahs — wags con-tend that gazelle bones are so soft that after a session on the grill you’d never notice them while chewing. And, of course, a few varieties of horses, all of them striped, which we called Zebra.

“Unlike Asians and Europeans who tamed their horses, Africa didn’t”

As villagers will tell you, the European and the Asian tamed the horses that their gods had given them, and turned them into vehicles of conquest.

CRAGGY

The Indians even managed to tame the elephant. With horses to ride, horizons in Europe and Asia

It has been a rough old year, and it looks like getting worse. The famed lion-tamer of Makueni, Mutula Kilonzo, passed away rather suddenly last week. This column sends belated condolences to the family of the late senator. He wasn’t always on the right side of history, but he knew what he wanted and he let everyone know it. Fire-eating lawyers of that sort do not happen by every other week, and it is with sadness that we will remember his contributions to the building of Kenya’s political and legal landscape. One of the few lawyers we will miss.

After cops realising that patience, other than just being a girl’s name, is a mere waste of time, they could not wait for peddlers to surrender themselves. They went for them. [PHOTOS: COLLINS KWEYU/ STANDARD]

Africans locked their potential a long time ago

opened up. Distances that would have taken the best African mara-thoners months to cover were nothing to the mounted hordes of Europe and Asia.

With the horse tamed, the wheel was soon invented, and ideas could spread like wildfi re across the vast steppes of Asia and over the craggy peaks of Eu-

rope. So melded were horse and rider that when the Greeks fi rst saw horses being ridden by invad-ing Asian armies, they assumed the horse and its rider to be the same animal, and so was born the legend of the centaur.

But the African never domesti-cated his horse, the Zebra. And so when Europe stumbled upon us 200 years ago, we were barely out of the Stone Age. A few decades of colonisation followed, but mzun-gu ultimately left to go back to Europe, leaving us to return to our rather backward tribal ways.

PESKY

In these, you trust no one other than a tribesman. And if you are a leader, this means the prized po-sitions in the economy inevitably go to your tribesmen.

These lucky souls, not being tied to any performance criteria, then proceed to help the lead-ers loot the organisations under them. This is the natural path fol-lowed by anyone who owes his or her job to being born in the right tribe or family. And while this happens, a wave of tribal envy washes over the other tribes in the land, all of whom vow to re-move the ruling tribe from power so that it becomes, in turn, their turn to eat.

While this happens, services — electricity, water, health, name it — go undelivered — all because of that pesky beast, the Zebra.

/ CRAZY MONDAY Monday, May 6, 2013 / The StandardPage 8 / CRAZY MONDAY

thisstrangeworld

Twice, Dennis Nzioka has lost valuable electronics from his house under cir-cumstances that gener-ated more laughter than

pity from his peers. He regularly picks pretty women from clubs and takes them home after a long night of partying.

The 28-year-old, who is an ICT expert with a media outlet, subscribes to the culture of Chips Funga (Nairobi’s

version of one night stands) and with that, he has occasionally paid a huge price for his carnal pursuits.

Dennis is not the fi rst — and certainly won’t be the last, to take home a perfect female stranger from a club, only to wake up in the morning to a virtually empty house. These incidents, which are widespread, largely go unreported given the shame that such lustful tendencies bring.

And every weekend, brings to light another horrendous tale

for the revelers; and a couple of

m e n

Cases have been reported of sly women who ensnare fl ashy-looking male revelers by charming them with killer smiles, before posing as fair game and just when victims think they have landed an easy lay, they wake up the following morning robbed proper, writes SILAS NYANCHWANI

go through this unpalatable experience.

It all begins when, for instance, a young man, mostly working or with access to some quick disposable income, turns up in a club on a Friday night to drink, dance and if lucky, get a woman to take home for a one night stand.

HUMBLE

In the club he sees a beautiful woman, who looks deceptively humble and he offers her drinks after being invited with a smile. And after a lengthy night of dancing and sharing drinks, they both become drunk and establish a good rapport — they agree to go home for a no-strings-attached-fl ing.

The man is after satiating his wild carnal desires fueled by the alcohol and the spontaneity of meeting a willing female, and the woman is out to relieve him of all his valuables.

By the time the man wakes up the following morning with the mother of all hang-overs, he is rudely ushered to the reality of not just the missing woman, but his expensive electronics, too.

“It is commonplace, especially in the Eastlands,” says *Paul Ngure, who has been a victim in the recent past. “Who do you turn to when you encounter such? The police? Nooo…”the soft-spoken researcher cries.

Another victim, Emmanuel once met two women in a club in Donholm and offered them drinks. They became buddies and visited him twice, and offered to buy him drinks the weekend that followed. Unbeknown to him, they were contriving one hell of a scheme. They bought him lots of drinks and apparently, in their previous visits, they had established some good rapport with the watchman and a few neighbours.

Emmanuel has never exactly known what happened, but electronic goods worth Sh70,000

conning their way

strange

conning their way conning their way Women in clubs

to riches

CRAZY MONDAY / Page 9Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard CRAZY MONDAY / Page 9

thisstrangeworlddisappeared in that particular night while he was drunkenly asleep, happy with the generosity of the women.

“It is no longer news. They target men who are seemingly loaded and fl aunting fl ashy gadgets such as sophisticated phones and jewellery, and are eager to impress,” explains Emmanuel.

Young impressionable bachelors, with lots of money to blow, who are in the habit of regularly picking women from nightclubs for overnight fl ings

have reason to worry. A good number of these swanky men

have fallen victims of spiking and automatically losing a lot of fancy items.

Allegedly, when these women’s plan go well, they even empty victims bank accounts, thanks to their smooth way of talking that extracts bank account pin numbers from gullible men.

FLASHY

“These women are making a living by stealing from men who drink irresponsibly and

are readily gadgets of ostentation in a bid to prove they are, indeed, men of means,” says Catherine Wanjiru, a Sociology student at the University of Nairobi.

“It is easier to steal from a man as a woman than it is for a fellow man. Men are less suspicious of women, especially if they

look beautiful and ready to be

taken home,” explains Catherine who believes the women are driven by desire for fl ashy lifestyles as well for

basic survival in these days of high infl ation.”

Alcohol has increasingly become more of a bane than a boon to socialites. Alcohol consumption — currently soaring, especially among the younger generation, has greatly contributed to many other horrible incidents.

But the case of young women stealing from bachelors takes the biscuit. For starters, it is initially impossible to think of the innocent woman as a potential thief. Some emphasise their humility by claiming

to be working, but earning very little, thus

compelling men to burn money on them.

Others claim to be naïve university students prompting men to drop and lower their guard, and even leave drinks unguarded for a bathroom break. It is during such times they spike the drinks.

ACROBATICS

These women are always in twos or threes — to properly execute their plan. But sometimes they are part of a bigger ring that even involves men. The role of the woman is to lure the victim into a wrong corner before a gang of strong men lurking in the dark robs them. For example, she can announce that she wants to go home and pleads to be escorted at such ungodly hour, never mind her stage will have to be an abandoned backstreet.

Alternatively, they can exaggerate their level of drunkenness to lure the man into taking her home. Woe unto the man if he lives in an easily accessible apartment with inadequate security for his house will be swept clean. After they are done with

horizontal acrobatics and the man is fast asleep, she will wake up, sedate him with a numbing spray and pack whatever she can and disappear. Isn’t it reason enough for men to be wary of a woman with bags big enough to fi t a sheep and a lamb?

In some elaborate plans, plasma TVs and really cumbersome gadgets have also been stolen in the most inexplicable ways. Unaccompanied men are, especially vulnerable.

CONSEQUENCES

“I don’t just pick any woman. I fi rst gauge instinctively on the alcohol consumption of the woman and the mannerisms, before I can even engage her in a discussion. There are good women in the club, of course. It is a question of knowing where to party. Some joints in certain streets should be avoided,” explains Joe Akim an artist who is a regular reveler.

“It is embarrassing to wake up in Uthiru with only your boxers as it has happened to many men around Nairobi,” offers Joe sarcastically.

It all boils down to how far we can trust strangers around us. Living in the era of social media, many young people can readily hawk their safety to strangers, according to Bernard Moseti. He further blames it on the impatience that nowadays affl icts young men, especially in urban centres.

“They shun hard work. Even in courtship, they want shortcuts. The young women also want quick riches. Hence, the unfolding scenario you are talking about. But shortcuts have consequences and that is what the victims of such tragedies and the women ought to learn.

“They target men who are seemingly loaded and fl aunting fl ashy gadgets such as sophisticated phones and jewellery, and are eager to impress.”


Cupid’s arrow

How I wish women gave men a break! You see, women have the knack of pissing off men some-

times, for no good reason at all. For crying out loud, its 2013 and some behaviours have to be dropped.

To begin with, nagging has to stop. Nothing pisses a man off like a woman who can’t let a man relax around the house in peace. Another thing is gossiping. Some women can’t just keep quiet — as soon as a man arrives home; she begins bothering him with un-necessary details of this and that.

Simply put, no man wants a woman who loves to meddle in other people’s business. There-

fore, for instance, even if the next-door neighbour sleeps around, leave her alone, no one appoint-ed you the neighbourhood moral police.

No man wants to share a bed with a woman dressed like a clown. Therefore, if for instance you only dress to kill during the day, but put on an ugly T-shirt, heavy woolen socks and stock-ing as headwear at bedtime, don’t look further for the reason why your man hardly touches you.

SEX LIFE

And in case your sex life is dead; you probably killed it with the way you dress. Do away with the funny bedtime outfi ts and in-

vest in sexier clad. Or better still, you can go to bed in your birth-day suit, most men like it.

In the event your man says or does something that might not please you, the last thing he wants is to be yelled at like a child. There are better ways to correct such — privately.

Lastly, most men hate public display of affection. Therefore, don’t try to kick a ruckus because your man is not too eager to, for instance, kiss, hold hands and do other ‘teenage’ stuff in public.

Dear sister, most men have re-ally tried to accommodate some of your bad habits, but you just don’t seem to be changing. I, thus, felt it’s a high time I reiterated.

Page 10 / CRAZY MONDAY

chauvinist/WITH NIKKO TANUI

feminist/WITH SHIRLEY GENGA

[email protected]

SHARE YOUR LOVE LIFE AND SECRETS

Did you know that ....

• It took seven million dollars to build the Titanic and 200 million to make a fi lm about it.

• The pupil of the eye expands as much as 45 percent when a person looks at something pleasing.

• It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

• The record for the most weddings is held by King Mogul of Siam, who had 9000 weddings and 9000 wives.

• Natural pearls melt in vinegar.

• It takes a drop of ocean water more than 1,000 years to circulate around the world.

• The longest name in the Bible is Mahershalalbaz.

He cheated on his ex with me My boyfriend used to cheat on his ex-

fi ancée with me, before he fi nally left her for me. He had dated his ex for fi ve years before they broke up two months ago. He keeps her pictures and still talks with her, a lot, over the phone. I feel as if I can never be better than her. I love him, yet I fi nd it hard to trust him. What should I do?

Milka, Nairobi?

Dr CupidThe truth is that a man who can be

stolen today will be stolen tomorrow. Just date single men please!

My son is not my husband’s child

My husband and I have been married for a year and we have a son, but he is not the father. We got married after I became pregnant, but at the time, I was seeing my ex. My husband is becoming suspicious because my son does not resemble him in any way. I am not sure what to do as I love my husband and do not want to lose him. How do I fi x this?

Stella, Nakuru

Dr CupidIf you love your husband as you claim,

then you will tell him the truth. Yes, it will hurt him and he may leave you, but this is the risk you took when you cheated.

My girlfriend and I have been dating for a year now. When we started dating, we spent every moment together but of late, she is always too busy to answer my texts or to meet up. I never get to see her at all even during the weekend. She is too busy with work and school during the week, and over the weekend her girlfriends and family take fi rst priority. I am hurt by this. Should I stay and put up with her, or should I just fi nd someone who has time for me?

Samuel, Nairobi

Dr CupidMy dear this relationship ended the

moment she became too busy for you.

My boyfriend has refused to pay back my money

My boyfriend of a year borrowed Sh70,000 from me last December. He

claimed he had an emergency and that he would pay me back in January. We both

work, but he has a better job. The money was part of my school fees as I am back in school doing my Masters. To date, he has

not paid back and whenever I bring up the subject, he gets mad. He says he loves me but refuses to pay me back, what do I do?

Diana, Nairobi.

Dr CupidNever ever lend a man you are dating

money; chances are he will never pay you back. Ditch the loser, a good man always pays his debts.

What drives your man up the wall

These days the modern Nairobi man seems to believe that when he gets a girlfriend, he is also getting a free laun-dry woman, a cook, a cleaner and a home manager all rolled up in one.

Who is to blame for this outrageous misconception about the role of a girlfriend? Sadly, it’s us women, who are to blame, especially those who believe being a girlfriend is somehow the same as being a wife.

I for one do not understand why any woman would be in such a hurry to play the role of a wife before her time. If I have to hear one of my friends say they are going over to their boyfriend’s place to do laundry like it is some-

thing to be proud of, I just might have to pinch myself. Come on ladies! Yes being a wife means that you get a public declaration of love and commitment. You also get to put on that

enviable white dress, and you get to be the centre of attention for that one special day. But make no mistakes about it becoming a wife is not all fun and games, it comes with very many personal and domestic responsibilities.

As such, there are certain benefi ts a man receives when he gets a wife. Wifely benefi ts include everything from a home cooked meal, to a clean and warm home, to freshly ironed clothes.

And make no qualms about it, wifely duties are not easy, in fact, they can best be described as a “labour” of love literally. And as matter of principle should be saved up for that one special man whom a woman chooses to marry.

Thus, wifely duties should not be downplayed and given to any Tom, Dick and Harry who fancies himself as a boyfriend.

Any wise woman knows that when she is a girlfriend, there are certain things that do not fall within her docket, and as such she should never ever cross into wife territory.

Being a girlfriend is all about the glitz and the glamour of love. The girlfriend stage is meant to be a fun and fl irty experience for every woman.

It is that time when a man is meant to work his butt off to convince a woman to be his one and only. As a result, the role of a girlfriend comes with so many perks. You get all the fun stuff; you get to be wined, dined

and the best part is the fact that men are well behaved at this stage, as most try to hide their bad behaviours. Fun… right? That is why I am very perplexed at the reason why some women today are so eager to get on wifely

responsibilities, without so much as a thought about the power they are giving out. We as women need to learn to enjoy every stage of a relationship and not to cross over and trespass into territory

that does not concern us. The courtship period is made specifi cally for a woman to be wooed and not the other way

T hese days, the modern Nairobi man seems to believe that when he gets a girlfriend, he is also get-

ting a free laundry woman, a cook, a cleaner and a home manager all rolled up in one.

Who is to blame for this out-rageous misconception about the role of a girlfriend? Sadly, it’s us women, who are to blame, espe-cially those who believe being a girlfriend is, somehow, the same as being a wife.

WIFE

I, for one, do not understand why any woman would be in such a hurry to play the role of a wife before her time. If I have to hear one of my friends say they are go-ing over to their boyfriend’s place to do laundry like it is something to be proud of, I just might have to pinch myself. Come on ladies!

Yes being a wife means that you get a public declaration of love and commitment. You also get to put on that enviable white dress, and you get to be the centre of attention for that one special day.

But make no mistake about it; becoming a wife is not all fun and games, it comes with many personal and domestic responsi-bilities.

As such, there are certain ben-

to be wined, dined and the best part is the fact that men are well behaved at this stage, as most try to hide their bad behaviours.

Fun… right? That is why I am very perplexed at the reason why some women, today, are so eager to get on wifely responsibilities, without so much as a thought about the power they are giving out.

efi ts a man receives when he gets a wife. Wifely benefi ts include everything from a home cooked meal, to a clean and warm home, to freshly ironed clothes.

And make no qualms about it, wifely duties are not easy, in fact, they can best be described as a “labour” of love literally. And, as matter of principle, should be saved up for that one special man whom a woman chooses to marry.

TERRITORY

Thus, wifely duties should not be down-played and given to any Tom, Dick and Harry who fancies himself as a boyfriend.

Any wise woman knows that when she is a girlfriend, there are certain things that do not fall within her docket, and as such, she should never ever cross into wife territory.

Being a girlfriend is all about the glitz and the glamour of love. The girlfriend stage is meant to be a fun and fl irty experience for every woman.

PERKS

It is that time when a man is meant to work his butt off to con-vince a woman to be his one and only. As a result, the role of a girl-friend comes with many perks. You get all the fun stuff; you get

A girlfriend’s strict code of conduct

We, as women, need to learn to enjoy every stage of a relationship and not to cross over and trespass into territory that does not con-cern us. The courtship period is made specifi cally for a woman to be wooed and not the other way round.

I feel neglected by my girlfriend


wackyleaks/WITH MARK MUTAHI

bulletin/WITH FERDINAND MWONGELA

Male adult accused of impersonating teenagers

Keep it up Kidero. This is from the heart of an adopted Nairobi-an, driven to the city,

formerly in the sun, by a need to make a living, or more likely to run away from spending days bent over in some dusty patch trying to coax something to grow.

But this man Kidero must be doing something right. The other day, I nearly took off when motor-ists stopped at a red light despite lack of traffi c on the other end. I, at fi rst, thought hawkers had started a stone throwing fest and the motorists were only saving their windscreens.

It took yours truly a while to realise they were actually merely obeying traffi c lights. Even then, I of course, crossed cautiously with one eye on the road and the other on the drivers, you never know with Nairobi drivers.

I do not know what Kidero’s

Revellers at a city pub were thoroughly entertained and left in stitches when police arrested an adult man for

impersonating a teenager.Acting on a tip off from members

of the public, the police trailed the suspect to a pub where he was caught red-handed engaging in some of the teenage behaviour he had been ac-cused of exhibiting — sending mes-sages endlessly on his smartphone when adults were talking to him. The only difference was that in his case, the adults he was talking to were not his parents, but his drinking mates.

Speaking to journalists, the sus-pect’s wife promised to reveal more damning evidence that showed her husband was actually a teen impos-tor. This included the fact that the man was always seeking his mother’s permission like a little boy, before making any small decision. Also, like every hot-headed teenager, the man always ran away from home — every weekend!

DADDY

“My children’s defi nition of the weekend is those two days that daddy can’t be found at home,” his long-suf-fering wife explained adding that her husband would disappear on Friday mornings and appear on Monday mornings.

She also added that she was a vic-tim of the man’s teen-like smartphone habits. “We can never have a decent conversation with him because he

is always on his smartphone even in the bedroom,” the wife confessed. “I actually miss the good old days of rotary phones when he would come home and rest his legs on the table as he read the newspaper. Now his four-inch screen gets all his attention. This wifi hotspot thingie is a troublespot!”

The man’s drinking mates, who will act as witnesses in the case, also revealed they had begun suspecting their friend was ageing backwards,

especially with regard to his smart-phone usage.

“He had the annoying habit of inviting us for drinks only for him to spend the whole time staring at his smartphone typing away!” claimed one of his friends. “You can’t even talk about football with him, he is always on the phone.”

His ‘boys’, as he is fond of calling them, also revealed that there was an-other behaviour he had demonstrat-

ed that made them question his age. The ‘boys’ claim that when he was not on his phone and maybe driving, he would turn up the volume of the music in his car and rev very hard, es-pecially whenever he would be driv-ing past beautiful women.

GOSSIP

Interestingly, when he was pre-sented in court the following day, the suspect got into more trouble with the woman magistrate after he displayed more teenage behaviour in the full glare of the law — blowing gum while being addressed by the judicial offi cer. Just like teenagers do when speaking to their parents and teachers!

Besides sagging his trousers and displaying his innerwear, other hab-its that gave the man away as a teen impostor, was his social media activi-ty, which showed evidence of juvenile behaviour. He would insult everyone and use Internet and SMS acronyms excessively.

It is also said that at his place of work, the man was fond of borrowing colleagues’ newspapers only to end up reading the gossip and entertain-ment pages like any celebrity-crazed teenager. This is unlike those in his age group, who would dive to the obituary pages fi rst since at their age, they are closer to the cemetery than to hippest club in town.

Kudos Kidero... now the street childrenmen are up to, but whatever it is, it’s working. Now only if the city godfather can do something about those children who beg along Moi Avenue, quite a few on Muindi Mbingu Street now, too. Believe me, the experience of some urchin clinging to your coat tail trying to coax some coins out of you and whining ‘uncle’ is quite something.

DAMSEL

Now I can’t even wear my cheap suits in Nairobi streets. I think it gives the false impres-sion of success, in addition to giving the children extra coattails to cling to. Every time I wear my shiny nylon suits I get extra atten-tion, usually there is a woman, I guess a mother, picking out tar-gets and pointing the kids in their direction. Heck, you can even walk with a woman you are try-ing to impress by your side. They

have learnt quite fast that the fast-est way to a man’s pocket is when he is trying to convince some damsel that he owns a few cows somewhere and a Pizza is no big deal — despite the fact that the poor chap is probably spending the last coin in his name.

BEGGING

So Mr Kidero sir, a few men-acing glances towards these chil-dren might help. I am still not sure whether they go to school despite this free primary educa-tion business, or the begging is part of their homework.

But do not be harsh sir, once in a while, tell your chaps to allow me to drop a chewing gum every now and then, try putting used chewing gum in your pocket, cheap suit or not, then get back to me.


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Stories on this page are compiled from Internet sources thismadworld

Compiled by Tony Malesi

jokes

A Zimbabwean woman in love with two men came up with an unusual solution by getting both to move in with her, Daily Mir-

ror reported. Maria Vogel, 33, originally from Bulawayo, now shares the family home in Barking, London, with her chil-dren Laura, 16, and Amy, 12 and the two men in her life Paul Butzki and Peter Gru-man. Maria, was 15 when she met Paul in school and she fell pregnant with Laura two years later.

The couple got married before they had their second daughter, Amy, but the relationship hit a rocky patch in 2006. Ma-ria told the Daily Mirror: “Paul was out of work for six months, and it put a strain on our relationship. The stress led to less sex and we grew apart. Although we carried on with life – cooking, cleaning, looking after the children, we’d lost our intimacy. The relationship was more brother and sister than a couple.”

Around the same time, a new man-ager, Peter, started at Maria’s workplace.

“Someone introduced me to Peter and when we smiled at one another, I could feel the chemistry straight away,” she says. “Until that moment, I’d been happily married for 13 years to my child-hood sweetheart, and had never thought about being with another man.”

instant attraction

Peter, who was also married at the time, recalls the same instant attraction. “It was like a bolt from the blue... love at first sight,” he says.

Soon the pair was meeting secretly. “We’d meet at the local pub for lunch,” says Maria. “One day, he put a hand on my leg and my whole body began trem-bling with desire. I knew it was wrong but soon we were sleeping together.”

Their affair carried on for a year be-fore Paul stumbled on messages between them on Maria’s phone. She managed to

crazymixWoman declared legally

dead turns up after eleven years

A US woman who disappeared under mysterious circumstances and was declared legally dead, has turned herself in after living homeless for eleven years.

The woman, now aged 54 and suffering from health difficulties, had approached police for different reasons. After crosschecking her details, it became clear that the person in question was a mother of two, who had been missing since 2002.

She was last seen dropping off her children at school when she disappeared without explanation.

She apparently underwent some kind of mental breakdown, befriending a group of homeless people and deciding, on a whim, to join them on a hitchhiking excursion down to Florida.

Woman who lives with husband and loverIf four out of five people suffer from diarrhoea, does that mean that one enjoys it?

***Ninety-nine per cent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

***Crime doesn’t pay…Does that mean my job is a crime?

***The longest sentence known to man: “I do.”!

*** Algebra: A weapon of math destruction.

***Do you ever notice that when you’re driving, anyone going slower than you is an idiot and everyone driving faster than you is a maniac?

***Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate!

***If you lend someone Sh50, and never see that person again; it was probably worth it!

***We live in a society where pizza gets to your house before the police.

***If God is watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.

***A French fry walks into the bar and says to the bartender, “Hey , could I get a beer please?” The bartender looks at him shaking his head and say, “No, we don’t serve food here.”

***Waiter: I’ve stewed liver, boiled tongue and frog’s leg.

***Customer: Don’t tell me your problems. Give the damn menu card.

***Politicians and diapers have one thing in common. They should both be changed regularly, and for the same reason.

***Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then misapplying the wrong remedies.

***Even crime wouldn’t pay if the government ran it.

***To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above your principles.

***Stop repeat offenders — don’t re-elect them!

***Don’t steal. The government hates competition!

convince him they were just friends. But a few months later, her lover left his wife and moved from Luton, Beds, to be closer to Maria in Barking. But in 2010, Maria says she could no longer cope with the secrecy. “So I confessed my affair to Paul, and moved out to stay with Peter.”

Paul and the children were devas-tated. He says: “I was just shocked and heartbroken. I couldn’t believe Maria had left me.” Over the next few months, Paul and Maria took turns to have the chil-dren. “I felt bad about tearing the family apart,” says Maria. “So after work, I’d go and clean and cook for Paul and the kids then go home to Peter.”

friendship

So when the two men struck up an extraordinary friendship last year, Maria — tired of to-ing and fro-ing between her husband and lover — came up with the

perfect solution... and moved Peter into the family home with Paul.

Incredibly, the men agree. Paul, a rail-way assessor, says: “Peter is a great guy. When Maria first had the affair with him, I was heartbroken. But as I got to know him, I realised we have so much in com-mon. We both adore fishing, and he’s like a surrogate dad to the kids.” Peter sleeps on the sofa, while Paul has a room up-stairs. Maria shares a bedroom with her eldest daughter. She says: “The three of us never share a bed. Although I have a sexual relationship with each man, that side is kept very private.

“If Paul is out, then Peter and I might make love, and vice-versa. But both men turn a blind eye and we never discuss it with one another.”

The ‘family’ is now in the process of buying a larger house to accommodate them all.

Five-year-old boy fatally shoots two-year-old sister In an incident that might spark the gun-law debate in the USA, a five-year old boy accidentally shot and killed his two-year-old sister in rural southern Kentucky with a rifle he had received last year.

Police said the boy shot his sister with a 22-calibre rifle just moments after his mother stepped out onto the porch.

Their mother claims she had been gone for “no more than three minutes” when the incident transpired. The girl was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The boy had received the rifle as a gift. It was usually kept in a corner of the house, and no one realised a shell had been left inside.

State police said the shooting occurred when the boy was “playing” with the rifle.

Mother forces 14-year-old daughter into sperm

inseminationA mother who persuaded her adopted teenage daughter to become pregnant by artificial insemination, because she wanted a baby for herself, has been jailed for five years in Britain.

Previously ,secret court documents showed that the daughter, a virgin, was made to inseminate herself alone in her bedroom seven times over a two-year period starting in 2008 when she was 14. She used syringes of semen bought online by the mother from a sperm bank in Denmark.

She eventually became pregnant at 16 and gave birth at 17. The extraordinary circumstances of her pregnancy came to light after midwives became suspicious of the mother because she was trying to prevent her daughter from bonding with the new baby.

/ CRAZY MONDAY Monday, May 6, 2013 / The StandardPage 14 / CRAZY MONDAY

GRACE NAKATO / ugandanaffairs

diasporadiary/ wiTh SOPhiA BARAKA

Prayer request, in church, for Robert the dog

I am sure people were sur-prised that many of us this side of the EAC are not liv-ing below the poverty line,

even after they witnessed our president dish out about Sh8.3 million in cold hard cash, in-stead of a cheque that is likely to bounce. We have fewer poor people because when we eat, we eat creatively and at all levels.

Take the case of Kyambogo University, which has lost about Sh11.7B in a school fees scam dating back almost a decade. The students had their own side business of forging documents such as receipts and examina-tion cards, thus enabling their colleagues to live on campus il-legally and even sit for examina-tions.

fake receipts

There is even a cook who was found with about Sh4 mil-lion in his bank account, yet his pay slip indicates he earns about Sh16,000 a month. One of the detectives on the case said their preliminary investigations had shown this suspect was some-times assigned the role of office attendant, and he had been issu-ing fake cash receipts to students and pocketing the cash.

Police also suspect that tu-ition fees for students could have been siphoned through a fraud-

I have met lots of people in this part of the world who do not believe in God. They call themselves,

‘atheists’. I have also met those who believe in God. They call themselves, ‘believers’. I have in-deed met quite a few people who believe in dogs. Perhaps, for lack of a better word, I will call them ‘doggists’.

Last Sunday, we prayed for a dog — a sick dog and dying dog. I attended a Protestant church close to my house. And that is where I met a dog. This dog, Robert, who was pretty ill, had accompanied its owner, Mrs Ro-berta, a devoted Christian.

Roberta wore a green flowing flowery dress while Robert had a green, short dog’s dress. The dog

there was the ailing Robert in church, quietly sniffing at every-one and everything the pastor said. He sniffed at the Bibles and never barked during hymns.

And then the most bizarre of moments arrived. When the pas-

tor called upon believers who needed special prayers to walk to the altar. There was Roberta and her dog lining up at the altar with everyone else. As the pastor laid his hand on the sick, I watched in horror as he laid hands on the dog and prayed that he be cured of high blood pressure and dia-betes.

veterinary hospital

Robert’s pressure had soared high and he also had a pain-ful swelling on his left leg. He was due for surgery at the local veterinary hospital behind the church.

“Dear God,” the pastor yelled. “Please send your holy spirit upon this dog and protect Robert during his surgery on Tuesday,

Oh loving Jehovah! And when you finally heal him, Lord, we shall give you thanks and praise. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!”

And so we prayed for a dog. I wondered though. Back home, a dog is an ‘it’. And we do not pray for ‘its’ or carry them to church for special prayers no matter how much we love them.

faith

I could not help but giggle in church. Believers in God and dogs glared at me with disap-proving looks and I heard pas-tor give a lecture on men of little faith. Yes, here in Obamaland, people believe in gods and dogs. And who am I to judge them. Do you?

sat silently in church and never barked throughout the service. He stood up when everyone got up to sing hymns, and sat down when people knelt or sat down. This dog, Robert, seemed very prayerful, indeed.

sniffed

To give credit where it is due, American dogs are well disci-plined and do not just bark for the sake of it. They live with people in the houses, and this, of course, demands for great disci-pline. Silence is one great art of discipline. I have lived in several neighbourhoods, yet rarely have I heard a dog bark.

American dogs don’t bark. They sniff. This keeps them from disturbing the neighbours. So

ulent bank account in the scam, allegedly involving some univer-sity officials. To keep the country solvent, our politicians do not give out freebies to the ‘haves’; these are a special reserve for voters. You may have heard of one MP who has been arrested in India for attempting to extort about Sh1.6B from some Indian firm seeking mining rights in Uganda. The MP was the bounc-er to the businessman who had come to collect his cash from the Indian defaulters, only for them to run to the police and cry wolf! Diplomatic immunity is yet to come to the rescue, and parlia-ment is debating the matter and seeking to save face.

showbiz

To ‘live above the poverty line’ may, sometimes, call for outra-geous expenditure. Ask singer Redsan and any other person who attended the Badilisha Concert the other week. Cha-meleon, a Ugandan musician of international repute, set a new standard in showbiz. Forget the helicopters that are now the most common means of trans-port; he made history in Uganda by appearing on stage in a Nasa procured space suit.

He figured earth has plenty of oxygen and did not order the oxygen tank to go with it; so he

“A cook was found with Sh4 million on his bank account, yet he earns Sh16,000 monthly.”

“Dear God, please send your holy spirit upon this dog and protect him during his surgery”

had to take the helmet off after waving to the crowd to avoid suffocation. He, however, forgot that lack of gravity on the moon means that the suits are weight-ed down.

Prancing around on stage in a 20kg piece of clothing was not easy, and the space suit soon turned into a broiler suit. Luckily, he is thin or he would have been

Ugandans’ creative ways of spreading wealth

sweltering just from walking to the microphone. Maybe ganja has affected his brain, because he almost asphyxiated when he forgot the instructions on how to remove it, when he couldn’t take the heat any more.

society

Lastly, to ensure the country remains solvent, the government seeks to reduce the number of people consuming resources by passing a law limiting number of children per family to four. How to enforce this in a society where even some women have more than one husband, will be inter-esting to watch.


Campusrover/ with Bill Odunga

wemen/ with tOny masikOnde

“Whoever lied to Kenyan women that an intimate r e l a t i o n s h i p

should only take them to the al-tar and to the bank; and that if it takes them to the kitchen and to bed, then they should say no to slavery, did them a huge disser-vice. As far as I am concerned, if you can’t cook and you are pa-thetic in bed, I have no business ‘wifing’. I also refuse to pay for substandard ‘services’”.

This was a post uploaded on one of the social networking sites by Brayo, he of a certain insur-ance firm. These are the guys who sell you a product that has your death factored in.

I knew Brayo was having ‘in-ternal turmoil’, read flirting with the idea of breaking his relation-ship with his long-time partner Paula. Their relationship has gone from bad to worse in the last couple of years for just one thing.

getting married

Paula’s friends from college have been getting married one after the other. From the band of happy go girls that ruled enter-tainment spots, all the girls have been ‘wifed’.

Despite being single, Paula now has to calibrate her social habits alongside married women. ‘Well… what is wrong with that?’ one may ask. There is absolutely no hanky panky in that. But the problem is, every time she goes for those coffee dates with her pals, they talk about children and

stuff married women would ordi-narily focus on.

This now leaves Paula feeling like an orphan. Brayo had noticed that every time she is with the girls, she comes home brooding like an annoyed peacock.

On the eve of Labour Day, Pau-

Brayo in trouble as girlfriend seeks baby, marriage

Sankara shocks mum with choice of course

la went out with the ‘girls’…that is what they still insist on calling themselves.

Brayo, as usual, was catching pints at Nairobi West with the boys. Then the phone call came at around 11am. On the other end was Paula sobbing uncontrolla-

bly. “Sweetie, what is the prob-

lem?” asked Brayo thinking that her menstrual cramps had gotten the better of her.

“How long shall I wait, Brian? How long? Huh?” Brayo’s phone is one of those cheap oriental imports, so the entire table could overhear the discussion.

“Baby, we are winding up; as I told you I was meeting a poten-tial client,” Brayo attempted to placate her.

“You can even talk to Tony

“Despite being single, Paula now has to calibrate her social habits alongside married women”

W hen our parents say that we could become anything, they meant you

could be the President, engineer, lawyer or doctor. However, they never meant that you could be-come a poet, dancer or photogra-pher. In their minds, they spend immoral monies to send you to schools with yellow school buses, so that you can make it big. What they do not realize is that their idea of making it big is totally dif-ferent from what ours are.

I remember in high school nobody asked us what we re-ally wanted. Most often than not, campus students who enrol

for courses simply because their high school grades qualified them to, quickly realize that they will have to spend the rest of their lives behind a desk; nursing a job that only becomes relevant after four weeks. Work becomes a drag, and regret soon finds a new best friend.

inconsolable

Sankara, a friend of mine, was at pains trying to convince his mother that he was quitting med school to practice photography. After four years of dissecting the entrails of unclaimed corpses in what brags to be the best univer-sity south of the Sahara and north

of the Great Limpopo, Sankara decided that inhaling formalin was not part of his bucket list.

The single mother was dev-astated, inconsolable. A family meeting was immediately con-vened to prevail upon him to re-consider his choice, but Sankara stuck to his guns. He would rather hang a camera around his neck than a stethoscope. Furthermore, he had formalized his leave from

“He was quitting Med School to practise photography”

the university, and moved in with a friend offered to host him until he finds his bearing.

sacriFice

Many a time, as students we come to a forked path that re-quires us to make a choice when the utilities of what we love and what parents love cannot coexist. And on most occasions we choose the latter, out of fear. Fear of the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Fear of our folks’ reaction. All that school fees to take us to med school is not just loose change. We at least owe them that much for their sacrifice. But what’s the opportunity cost? Campus is the

place we choose what we want to be. Our parents or high school teachers probably think that be-ing a poet or dancer is too de-meaning.

Sankara’s mum thinks of the 50 bob that she pays the local photographer on Christmas and shudders at thinking of such mea-gre money for her son. Her heart is in the right place- but wait till she sees the shot Sankara took at the peak of Ngong Hills. She will rue the day she cast him to cavort with dead bodies.

he is here, shall I give him the phone?” “No! You are such an idiot Brian.”

Now that got us startled. “What have I done now? I had mentioned to you that I will have a late evening,” Brayo attempted to defend himself.

“That is not the issue,” came a curt reply.

mUmbled

“Do you think my life is one long DVD movie you can keep posing at every opportunity?”

Brayo can be daft indeed. By this time, he had not put two and two together. He had the temer-ity of asking, “What is it now, honey?” That question elicited another round of weeping from the other end.

“I want a baby!” Brayo’s eyes widened up; you would have thought someone had thrusted a hot crow bar in a very bad place in his body. “Can’t you see that you moron,” the admonishing continued.

Realising that Brayo was ill-prepared to handle the situation, I offered to broker peace reached for the phone.

“Can’t you advise your friend if indeed you are a true friend or you are only friends when it comes to drinking?” Paula asked me.

“I will talk to him,” I mumbled. “I promise…” Then she hang up.

The next thing I saw was that update on Brayo’s social page.


brokenmirror

By Mercy Oyaya

A youthful man in Lucky-Summer Estate, Nairobi got the shock of his life after he was given a witchdoc-

tor’s phone number by a woman he claimed to have fallen in love with.

The man claims that while on his way home after work, he met a beautiful woman whom he thought would make a good girl-friend. He made a move and ex-pressed his intention.

Thank goodness the woman, who looked obedient and loving, never gave him an opportunity to know what was going on in her mind. He broke ice with her and minutes later. a tete-a-tete en-sued. He requested her to lend him an ear and some time. It be-gan drizzling and he requested they get into a nearby restaurant and get to know each other more.

sOda and chips

While in the restaurant, the man says he treated the woman with utmost respect since he saw her as the perfect woman he had been looking for all his life. After enjoying soda and chips, he walked the woman out to see her off, and in the process, he re-quested for her contact.

Looking all kind and nice, she accepted to give him her phone number. Coincidentally, on the adjacent wall where the man was standing, was a poster advertising

Daktari wa mapenzi, kazi, ndoa na biashara (A witchdoctor who offers solutions for love, unem-ployment, marriage and business success) from which she picked a

Cunning woman gives man witchdoctor’s phone number

“When he called, a husky voice welcomed him for strange services ”

lieving he may have dialled the wrong number, he tried again only to hear the same voice.

He, however, never gave up, he consoled himself that the strange, deep and husky voice could have been the woman’s father and, therefore, saw no need to disre-spect the old man by asking about his daughter. He thus, postponed making the call to the following day.

saMe vOice

In his attempt to call the next day, he heard the same voice but this time he was being welcome for services. He introduced him-self to the man and asked him if he knew the woman in question.

To his surprise, the old man an-swered by claiming, “kijana najua shida yako, na niko na suluhisho, unatafuta mapenzi (I know your problem young man and I have the solution to it, it is love you are looking for, right)?” bellowed the witchdoctor. He further invited him to his office for a solution.

At first, the man thought it was a joke but as the conversa-tion continued, he realised the man was serious. The witchdoc-tor also confirmed to him that he made the right call and it was not a wrong number as he had earlier claimed.

It was then that he knew the woman had given him a witch-doctor’s number. He disconnected the phone unceremoniously and regretted meeting the woman.

number and gave to the smitten man.

Realising the man would at-tempt calling, she told him her cell phone had no power ,and she had switched it off and left it at home charging. Luckily for her, the man was convinced and promised to call at night.

The man says that when he made an attempt to call, a strange male voice received his call. Be-

By niKKO TanUi

In an attempt to make her husband’s genitals use-less during his amorous escapades, a woman from Kapsuser Trading Centre

in Kericho County bit it off. According to a source at the

trading centre, a few kilometers from Kericho town, the woman had a few days earlier been tipped off that her husband, a local tea picker, had a clandestine affair with another woman in the area.

cOncUBine

After doing her investigations, she found the allegations to be true. The woman is said to have been disturbed by the unfortu-nate finding that she decided the storm the concubine’s house to

confront her for ‘stealing’ the fa-ther of her children.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as she had expected.

“A fierce fist fight ensued and the woman was sent back to her house reeling in pain after she was overpowered by the concubine and given a beat down of her life,” the source said.

The dUel

After losing the duel, the woman in question is said to have retired to her house to plot her next course of action. An oppor-tunity presented itself a fortnight ago when her husband returned home drunk and slipped into bed and snored a way.

In the middle of the night, she allegedly slipped off her husband’s

trouser and bit his privates leaving them hanging precariously.

The man wailed uncontrol-lably but unfortunately, his woes were compounded by the fact that the very night, it was raining cats and dogs, hence his distress calls went unheard by the neighbours.

TreaTMenT

“In the morning, neighbours only woke up to see the man walking about labouriously and in pain. After enquiring what the matter was, the man painfully di-vulged what had befallen him at night,” the source said.

Local chief, Wilson Cheruiyot was alerted of the incident and he quickly organised for the man to be taken to Kericho District Hos-pital for treatment and possible

Woman bites off husband’s privatesre-attachment of his organ.

Meanwhile, fellow villagers, quarrelled his wife for perpetrat-ing such a heinous act upon her husband. They mocked her and frog-marched her to a local police station for possible prosecution.

The incident left locals won-dering how sharp the woman’s teeth are, as many of them couldn’t fathom how she managed to bite the organ. The woman is current-ly in police custody waiting to be arraigned in court.

COFFEE BREAK: MORE PUZZLES, BRAIN TEASERS AND GAMES INSIDEFirst bird fl u case in Kenya’s Ri� Valley PAGE 6XTRAMonday, May 6, 2013

THE

Kenya’s Bold Newspaper

As the demand for housing grows,builders are taking the easy way out, putting the lives of urban residents at risk PAGES 2-4

When developers take short cuts

Kenya’s fi rst cloned calf offers hope PAGE 7

Phone that bends with the message

PAGE 5

Greedy MPs face the fl ak

PAGE 12

2 THE STANDARD XTRA

The Standard / Monday, May 6, 2013

By JEKONIA OTIENO

In a span of just seven days, two buildings under construction collapsed — one in the Baba Dogo area

of Nairobi, and another in Mwembe Tayari, Mombasa. Thankfully, there were no deaths this time, even though more than 20 people were listed as among the injured.

In the eyes of Government chief architect Cosmas Maweu, local authorities bear the greatest responsibility for these accidents. But the malaise is much deeper, as it is not just local authorities that have been unable to cope with the growing list of construction projects that need supervision. In the last ten years, the construction boom has outstripped the capacity of professional consultants such as archi-tects, structural engineers and other experts to compe-tently supervise major development projects.

And if a government target to construct 150,000 housing units annually is met, the capacity of these experts will come under more severe strain.

Reports from the Ministry of Housing suggest that only 30,000 units have been constructed annually in recent years, resulting in a shortfall of 120,000 units. It is

this massive shortfall that has led to rushed construc-tion projects.

It is estimated that 60 per cent of the urban population live in slums, and to provide better housing, massive housing projects have been undertaken by the govern-ment to upgrade the livelihoods of urban residents. At the same time, private developers have been encouraged to construct houses that they can o� er for sale or rent out to a rising number of the urban middle-

Developers in the fi ring line

It is mandatory that both the design and supervision are done by professionals. The services of architects, structural engineers, electrical engineers and quantity surveyors are essential.

— The e chairman of Architectural Association of Kenya, Waweru Gathecha

As the demand for housing grows, developers begin to take shortcuts, putting the lives of urban residents at great risk

class. Developers have been quick to cash in on an indus-try that has registered a growth rate of 400 per cent in just one decade — from Sh38 billion to Sh190 billion.

It is this lure for easy money that has made short-cuts look quite attractive. The chairman of Architectur-al Association of Kenya, Waweru Gathecha, says few developers bother to hire professional consultants.

“It is mandatory that both the design and supervision are done by professionals. The services of architects, structural engineers, electri-cal engineers and quantity

surveyors are essential,” says Gathecha.

These basic requirements may exist on paper, but the reality on the ground is that about 60 per cent of build-ings have been put up through the untutored e� orts of quacks, one expert says. An o� cial of the Board of Registration of Architects and Quantity Surveyors (BORAQS) says developers are struggling to meet the growing demand for homes that has increased by 26 per cent between 1999 and 2009.

The biggest growth has been in Nairobi, but rather

than expand the Kenyan capital outwards, it has been expanded upwards, even when the infrastructure has not been correspondingly adjusted to accommodate the population growth.

The result has been catastrophic loss of life and destruction when buildings collapse. BORAQS puts the amount of money lost though such collapses at Sh1.4 billion. BORAQS’s Gideon Mulyungi says that between 1996 and 2011, 24 buildings had collapsed, claiming 41 lives.

The problem has been compounded by the inade-

FACTFILE

In October, 2009, a building under construction in Kiambu collapsed killing one person.

June 2011 saw two buildings under construction collapse in Embakasi and Langata killing four people and injuring six respectively.

April 2012, a building collapsed inBungoma killing three people. A month later a building crumbled in Mlolongo killing six people. That very year four people died in Luanda, Emuhaya, after a building they were constructing collapsed.

In January this year, seven people died when a building collapsed in Kisumu.

Last month, a building sank in Westlands killing one person.

Another crumbled in Baba Dogo injuring 19.

3THE STANDARD XTRA

Monday, May 6, 2013 The Standard

as more buildings collapse

By JEKONIA OTIENO

Three-year-old Collins Kipkemoi is lucky to be alive after surviving a fall

from the fourth floor of a residential building along Jogoo Road, Nairobi, recently.

Despite having survived, the boy has to live with trauma and physical injury from the fall.

Kipkemoi was playing on the third floor balcony when some children on the upper floor gave him a rope and asked him to dangle on it as they hauled him up.

The children lifting him up let go of the rope just as he was about to reach the balco-ny of the fourth floor and Kipkemoi hurtled down four floors.

The fall resulted into a fractured skull and perfora-tions in the lung. Due to the fall, some blood drained into

500,000Deposit The amount of deposit that injured boy’s father was asked to pay at the hospital

the brain. When Kipkemoi’s father,

John Kipkoross, received a call while on his way to Nakuru about the fall, it was like his world was falling apart.

“The first caller told me that the boy had fallen from the third floor while the second one told me it was the fourth floor,” says Kipkoross.

In his mind, he knew the boy would not live because of

the height of the fall. Kipkemoi was rushed to

a hospital in Eastleigh, his condition critical. His father, however, gave order that he be transferred to a better equipped hospital so his son could get better treatment.

Kipkoross says: “The kind of reception we got at the second hospital is worth commending because once the ambulance got there, a team of practitioners was mobilised to save the boy and on that I must commend them.”

However, problems start-ed before the boy was to be taken to the ICU. Kipkoross was asked how he would pay the bill to which he said he was covered by the national health insurer.

But the hospital rejected

quate number of professionals —by 2011, there were only 1,353 architects and 711 quantity surveyors.

By 2012, this figure had been revised to about 1,500 registered architects, 1,000 quantity surveyors and more than 3,000 engineers, former AAK chairman Steven Oundo says.

And even though there have been whispers of some malpractices, only 28 archi-tects and 15 surveyors had been suspended by 2011. Mulyungi says only 20 archi-tects and eight surveyors have been deregistered since 1963.

The reluctance to disci-pline professionals may appear justifiable on account of such shortages. The train-ing process in university is not just expensive, it is also quite elaborate. It takes five years to train one architect in an approved university. The trainee must then undergo two years of practical experi-ence under a registered architect.

Quantity surveyors require to undergo three years of training at university after which the trainee must work under a registered quantity surveyor for two years. These years of service are designed to instil the highest level of professionalism.

The answer to this short-age of professionals could lie in training more people.

Dr Eric Aligula of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analy-sis (Kippra), says universities should increase their intake of planners, architects, land economists and engineers to address the shortage of

skilled professionals in the building and construction industry.

“How long this shortage goes on depends on the action we take. We need to increase the numbers and improve the quality of such professionals,” he says, noting that institutions of higher learning may have to lower qualifications for admission for courses as architecture, building economics and land econom-ics in the short run to help plug the gap.

“If skills are not enough and we need more manpow-er, we may need some trade-offs,” he said, urging the University of Nairobi, which trains most of these professionals to increase its uptake.

Collins Kowuor of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) says that the University of Nairobi and the Technical University (formerly Kenya Polytechnic) have agreed to increase their intakes. The University of Nairobi, for instance, has been churning out an average of 30 land econo-mists and another 30 building economists every year.

He says other institutions such as the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Insti-tute of Survey and Mapping as well as Kimathi University have also introduced courses like construction manage-ment, among others.

The ISK is also planning to train low cadre professionals such as caretakers, plumbers and field staff in case of valuation projects. CONTINUED TO PAGE 4

LEFT: Scaffolding could save many workers from danger. ABOVE AND RIGHT: A collapsed building in Nairobi.

Close call: Boy’s narrow escape highlights dangers residents exposed to

Residents exposed to danger

4 THE STANDARD XTRA


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

THREEAdmission period The number of days the injured lad spent at the Intensive Care Unit

this insurer.“I was told the hospital

did not accept some of the insurers underwriting covers for civil servants, so I was told to find a way in which I would pay the bill,” says Kipkoross.

The hospital then asked him to transfer the child to another hospital but Kipko-ross refused and was made to sign a commitment that he would pay Sh500,000 within a week.

Despite the injuries, the boy spent only three days in the ICU then left the hospi-tal for home.

Despite having survived, the boy’s fall raises perti-nent questions concerning the national health insur-ance scheme for civil servants; emergency

responses in case of accidents and safety of children in buildings as well as what children watch on television.

Kipkoross is convinced that the children who gave Kipke-moi the rope to dangle on must have been influenced by daredevil TV stunts that they sought to emulate.

He advises parents to be careful about what their children watch. A construction site where a building collapsed in Nairobi.

Find all these and other exciting stories inside GAMEYETU on this SATURDAY’S EDITIONSATURDAY’S EDITION

Plus your favourite Pang’ang’a: the blunder that cost Mario Balotelli the love of his girlfriend

Decisions naked Barcelona must make after Bayern Munich reminded that football is made in Germany

Kenya’s fi rst man to win London Marathon in 1989 in 2:09.03, now wants Kenyan men’s marathoners to cut down on the number of races but why when it is all about money?

And money man Floyd Mayweather unbeaten boxing record under serious scrutiny this Saturday

>

>

>

>

What makes Liverpool’s cannibal striker Luis Suarez behave like an animal?

5THE STANDARD EXTRA


You can remotely control computers, phones by just moving your handsA team from US fi rm Thalmic Labs has developed an armband that lets one use the electrical activity of body muscles to wirelessly control a computer, phone, and other digital technologies.

The band, which is called Myo, can “feel” the intent of one’s legs, neck or hands. It uses Bluetooth technology to communicate with the device it is paired with, and works on both Mac OS and Windows.

“Using groundbreaking technology, MYO is able to measure electrical activity in your muscles instantly. The result is a seamless way to interact with computers, and a truly magical sense of control,” the fi rm says.

It starts shipping next year at a cost of $149, or Sh12,665.

Smartphone changes shape to alert users Researchers at Canada’s Queen’s University have developed a smartphone that changes shape whenever one has an incoming call, message or email.

Dubbed the MorePhone, the smartphone can curl its entire body up or just one corner or two for a message or email. The corners can curl repeatedly to indicate urgency.

The phone’s screen is a thin, fl exible, display.

It has special that can contract and bend based on electronic signals and are able to reform to the device’s original shape.

The phone lets users choose specifi c movement confi gurations based on the caller or type of message.

New app sends earthquake warningsA new app called Crowdshake replaces expensive early warning systems with just a network of phones by warning others of looming danger when a user starts shaking. It sends warnings to

others to fi nd shelter quickly.

An earthquake early warning system for developing countries, Crowdshake is a project of a new earthquake monitoring system, Community Seismic Network. The team has been distributing stand-alone, wallet-sized seismometers to volunteers to get a look at how earthquakes travel.

Earthquakes are some of the deadliest natural disasters. It is estimated that around 500,000 earthquakes occur each year, which are detectable with current instrumentation.

They can cause tsunamis, fi res, fl oods, avalanches, landslides and deaths.

A new Twitter app for Google Glass will allow users to tweet with their eyes. Google Glass is a wearable computer developed by the US tech giant.

Last week, a man tweeted a picture of a lemon tree through Google Glass. Uploaded via “Twitter for Glass,” it has since been deleted, but a screenshot of the tweet made rounds online.

What this means is that other users of Google Glass, which lets people perform functions by simply tapping the glasses’ frames or through eye movement, will soon be able to tweet with their eyes.

Google Glass retails for $1,500, which is about Sh127,000.

Ebay introduces offl ine shopping via giant touch screenEbay, an online marketplace has partnered with Kate Spade Saturday, a US retailer, for its life-size virtual shop front.

The giant touchscreen store will be out this year in a move the fi rm says is part of its strategies to bring it closer to consumers by creating o� ine purchasing options to shoppers.

The digital store window will allow shoppers to buy by clicking on the popping items on the screen, letting them enter their payment details and pick their items.

Compiled by Sam Wakoba www.techmoran.com

TECH WORLD

‘Smallest movie’ is made with atoms IBM has made a movie named A Boy And His Atom from a special microscope that weighs about two tons and enlarges atoms 100 million times. The one-minute video shows individual carbon

monoxide molecules arranged in such away that they take the fi gure of a boy dancing and throwing a ball. Andreas Heinrich, IBM’s principal scientist for the project, said: “This movie is a fun way to share the atomic-scale world. The reason we made this was not to convey a scientifi c message directly, but to engage with students, to prompt them to ask

questions.”

Intel headlamp eliminates rain dropsUS chip maker Intel has made a car headlamp that “eliminates” rain drops or snow from a driver’s view. The technology tracks individual drops, and the lamp avoids shining its beam on them. This way, the driver cannot see the rain drops, eliminating obstruction during storms. The concept has been demonstrated in laboratories, and eliminates between 70 and 80 per cent of the drops. This improves visibility and can save lives by avoiding accidents.

App lets users tweet with their eyes

THE STANDARD XTRA6

FIRST PERSON

Avian fl u found in wild water birds in R. Valley

Our Sunday school teacher was a pious lady. And when we bombard her with questions and overwhelmed her, she would dismiss us

with “there is a reason for everything”. It was not until I was lying in a hospital bed several years later that her words echoed as the doctor explained to me why I had to undergo surgery. A� er a work-related injury, I had refused to visit the hospital as recom-mended and decided to nurse my wounds at home. It was until the next day that my wife pointed out that I had not passed urine. I brushed her concerns aside as I did not see it as a big deal. As it turns out, there is a reason for everything and that is how I found myself in the hospital with the doctor explain-ing my upcoming surgery. Urinary retention was a more serious condition than I thought with a whole list of differential diagnosis.

Symptoms: Usually painless and occurs over a period of time. Has overfl ow incontinence or dripping of urine

because of too much urine. Retained volume usually more than 500ml.

Causes: Narrow meatus for passage of urine which one is

born with. Abnormal area of narrowing due to trauma or

foreign body. Polyps which are benign overgrowths which could

be causing obstruction. Prostate, urethral or penile cancer. Incomplete opening of the bladder neck and

hence less urine is passed out. Following surgery.

Failure of the muscle responsible for the process of emptying the bladder.

Multiple sclerosis. Spinal bifi da which is a spinal condition children

are born with Spinal trauma that could affect the nerves

supplying the urinary system and this could involve a prolapsed disc

Cerebral tumour that could affect transmission of information to and from the urinary system.

Dementia/parkinsonism Pathological conditions brought about by diabe-

tes. Urethral trauma. Drugs or alcohol.

—Compiled by Diana Wangari

Diagnosing chronic urinary retention

consuming trapping and sampling of wild birds.

“This study presents the results of a low-cost wild bird surveillance system for avian fl u which does not involve capturing of the birds only requiring collecting of their feaces,” says the research.

Kenya, the study says, is most vulnerable to bird fl u outbreaks because it is an important fl yway for migrato-

The virus detected in Kenya, H5N1, is a variant of the one circulating in China, H7N9 and the former could change or mutate to acquire fatal status.

The military researchers had acquired samples from the shores of lakes in the Rift Valley and outskirts of Nairo-bi. Specifi c sites included lakes Baringo, Bogoria, Nakuru, Elementaita, Naiva-sha, Oloiden and Dandora sewage ponds near Nairobi.

Twelve of the 516 samples, which is 2.3 per cent were found to contain the virus H5N1 while two of the samples were positive for another subtype known as H4N6. The test did not fi nd the strain that is circulating in China yet.

The team had identifi ed and followed fl ocks of birds collecting any freshly deposit-ed feaces and taking them to highly advanced laboratories for testing.

While at the same time the study, presented in Biomed Central, confi rms that Kenyans are at risk of bird fl u outbreaks, the researchers say they have developed a screening technology that is easier to use in poor countries.

Current surveillance for the bird fl u virus in Kenya involves expensive and time

By GATONYE GATHURA

Disease-causing viruses similar to a strain that has killed 23 and

infected 126 people in China since February has been found in wild water birds in the Rift Valley.

So far the China virus known as H7N9 and causing what is called bird or avian fl u is being transmitted only to humans from chickens but it is feared it could acquire the capacity to pass from one person to another. If that occurred, it could spread worldwide with serious results.

Now several strains of the bird fl u viruses have been found in migratory birds in Kenya. One of such known as H5N1 is the same which killed a four-year-old boy in Vietnam about three weeks ago.

The World Health Organisa-tion indicates that by Friday some 628 cases and 374 deaths from the bird fl u virus H5N1 had been reported from all over the world since 2001. No case of the disease or death has been reported in Kenya but in Africa, Egypt has reported 62 deaths and Nigeria one.

Last week the US Army Medical Research Unit-Kenya reported what it says is the fi rst case of the bird fl u virus in wild or any bird in the country.

Health.info

Inmates moved for fear of lung diseaseAs many as 3,000 prison inmates in central California are at risk of contracting a potentially lethal lung disease and may, therefore, need to be moved to other facilities, a court in the US ruled. This is among latest efforts aiming at stemming cases of valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis, at two prisons where the disease contributed to the deaths of nearly three dozen inmates between 2006 and 2011. The pneumonia-like illness manifests through coughs, fever, chest pains and muscle aches.

Numbers in the study

H5N1 killed a four-year-old boy in Vietnam three weeks ago.

4

374

The fl u has claimed 374 people worldwide since 2001.

The number of people infected by the virus over the same period.628In Egypt, 62 people have died as result of the fl u while it has claimed one in Nigeria.

62

516

The bird fl u has killed 23 people in China and infected 126.

23

Out of 516 samples from Kenyan lakes, 12 tested positive to H5N1.

ry birds from Asia and Europe. Today there is a signifi cant travel between Kenya and China because of increasing trading activities.

Experts fear that while the disease is currently only being passed from birds to humans, it is changing rapid-ly and could start passing directly from person to person, raising the risk of a pandemic.

Passive smoking bad for teen girls The University of Western Australia researchers have found out that when teenage girls are exposed to second-hand smoke at home, they tend to have lower levels of the ‘good’ form of cholesterol that reduces the risk of heart disease. More than 1,000 adolescents born between 1989 and 1992 from Perth, Australia, were subjects of the study. Lead researcher Dr Chi Le-Ha, told journalists that the study found 17-year-old girls raised in households where passive smoking occurred were more likely to experience declines in good cholesterol levels.

New insulin drug launched in the USThe world’s biggest insulin producer, Norvodisk of Denmark, launched its new insulin drug in the United States. However, the launch was dealt a major blow when the US Food and Drug Administration refused to approve the drug, called Tresiba. The body however asked for extra tests to assess potential heart risks. — By Gardy Chacha


Migratory birds such as fl amingoes in the Rift Valley have been found with avian fl u. The fl u is transmitted from chickens to humans.

HEALTH

OUTBREAK

PHARMACEUTICALS

THE STANDARD EXTRA 7

HEALTH

Kenya’s first cloned calf offers hope to farmers

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (OMS) are concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck. They are especially crucial when there is a major violent disaster like the US embassy bombing in Nairobi in 1998. One requires qualification in both medicine and dentistry.OMS doctors can then move on to specialise in other areas such as:

Head and neck cancers Orthognathic surgery, or correction

of jaws Craniofacial surgery, or treatment of

the skull Cleft lip and palate surgery Dentoalveolar surgery, or treatment

of teeth and salivary glandsKenya has 22 oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

This is about one surgeon for 1.77 million patients. This results in over-burdened surgeons and inadequate service .An international network of medical professional called Health Volunteers Overseas this year started a training programme for 11 OMS in Kenya.This is a partnership between the School of Dental Sciences at the University of Nairobi and the PCEA

Kikuyu Mission Hospital, which is expected to ease the pressure on the existing specialists.This students are currently enrolled in four-year master of science programme at the School of Dental Sciences.

Some of the top OMS in Kenya:

1. Dr Radol Owino

2. Dr Koech Kennedy Jerry 3. Dr Onyango John Fredrick4. Dr Kahugu Eric5. Dr Mumenya Robinson6. Dr Devani Paresh7. Dr Mark Chindia8. Dr Meshak Onguti9. Dr Tessema Getachew

— Gathura Gatonye

Maxillofacial surgeons’ role in corrective procedures

By BERNARD MUTHUKA

Tumaini, the Kiswahili word for hope, is Kenya’s first

cloned calf and promises to help in fighting sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cows.

Cloned eight-months ago, Tumaini is doing well at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi.

Dr Steve Kemp, a visiting molecular geneticist at the institute who participated in the cloning, is excited at the prospects the calf offers scientists in studying diseas-es.

He is particularly interest-ed in studying how and why some animal genes make them resistance to certain diseases. Some of these diseases fall under the category known as zoonotics, meaning they can be trans-mitted from animals to people.

Out of about 1,400 disease-causing organisms that are known to infect humans, about 60 per cent are zoonot-ic.

One of these organisms, which one gets from the bite of the tsetse fly, can cause one sleepless nights. Symptoms include anxiety, fever, drowsiness during the day and insomnia at night as well as swollen lymph nodes.

These are the symptoms of sleeping sickness, which is transmitted to humans

through interaction with infected cattle. In cattle the diseases is known as trypanosomiasis or nagana.

“We have successfully cloned a male calf from the Boran and it’s healthy. The next step is to develop a new Boran clone modified with a gene that naturally confers resistance to the disease,” says Kemp.

Scientists have for years struggled to find a solution for nagana, which is estimat-ed to cost livestock farmers in Africa close to $20 million (Sh1.7b) annually in losses. Sleeping sickness afflicts an estimated 30,000 Africans each year.

Mutations in the parasite, drug resistance and reluc-tance by drug companies to spend resources on research

and development for the disease have hampered the quest for a long-term solution.

However, recent research has shown that some people, as well as baboons are naturally resistant to infec-tion.

It is to the baboon that Steve Kemp and his colleagues at ILRI turned to see how that resistance can be transferred to cattle.

As part of ILRI’s other approaches to fight trypano-somiasis, the institute is reporting success in the early stages towards developing disease-resistant cattle. This early stage involved copying the baboon gene (known as ApoL1) and transferring it to a Boran cow.

top docs


Carbon monoxide is an odour-less, colourless and poisonous gas.

Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, it can kill a person before he or she realises it is in the surroundings. .

At low exposure it causes headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue.

It is produced when cooking gas, kerosene, car fuel or wood fail to burn completelyPoisonous amounts of the gas can accumulate because of:

Poor installation of energy appli-ances

Poor maintenance or failure of appliances

Fuel is not burned completely Poorly ventilated rooms

When high level of carbon monoxide is inhaled it bids to the red blood cells.Such cells will not take up enough oxygen. This can lead to death.

Some common symptoms include:

A headache. Nausea and dizziness. Feeling tired and confused

Abdominal pains and vomiting Shortness of breath. Drowsiness An irregular heart rate Seizures

How to keep safe: The flame in your gas appliances

should be blue, possibly with flecks of orange

Do not store items in, on or around a gas appliance that might obstruct airflow.

Check for signs of soot build up around the appliance

Clean regularly around the burner compartment, to prevent a buildup of dust and lint.

Do not leave a car running in a garage, even if the garage door is open.

Never use kerosene stoves indoors without proper ventilation.

Treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning requires emergency servic-es. In case one suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, one is advised to:

Move the patient away from the source of the gas

Switch off any burning appliances such as stoves

Rush the patient to the nearest emergency centre or hospital

— Gatonye Gathura

NATURAL DANGER

Carbon monoxide

Tumaini, Kenya’s first cloned calf.

8 THE STANDARD XTRA


9 THE STANDARD XTRA


5:00 Password Repeat6:00 NTV This Morning8:30 Backstage9:00 La Tormenta 10:00 The 24th Governing Council - UN Habitat11:30 Ripley’s Believe It Or Not 12:00 Rhythm City 12:30 Scandal 1:00 NTV at 11:30 Movie: Are We Done Yet?3:00 Password4:00 NTV at 44:15 Password Reloaded5:00 The Beat6:00 Don’t Mess with an Angel7:00 NTV Jioni7:30 Maid In Manhattan 8:30 Comedy Club9:00 NTV Tonight10:00 Movie: Lady Of The Lake 11:00 NTV Late Night11:15 Focus On Africa

4:30 BBC4:55 Morning Prayer5:00 Aerobics5:30 Damka 8:00 Good Morning Kenya9:00 Parliament Live11:00 Daytime Movie11:00 KBC Lunch Time News1:30 Moving the Masses1:30 Grapevine2:30 Parliarment Live4:30 Spider Riders5:00 Club 16:00 Spiders7:00 Darubini Live7:30 Road to success8:05 The Platform Live9:00 Channnel 1 News9:45 National Cohesion Live10:30 Bold & Beautiful 11:30 You are the one12:00 Club 1

12:45 BBC

4.00 CNN5.00 PRAIZE6.00 ALFAIRI9.00 BONGO MOVIE11.05 PRAIZE 12.30 IN LAWS13.00 K24 NEWSCUT13.30 BUSINESS SHOW 14.00 NAIJASINEMA16.00 CHIMBUKO LA ALASIRI16.10 MDUNDO 17.05 THE LOOP18.00 LADY OF THE ROSE19.00 K24 SAA MOJA19.35 GARAGE MATATA20.05 WATCH OVER ME21.00 K24 EVENING EDITION21.50 MAISHA22.45 NU’SOUL12.00 LATE NIGHT RPT 1.00 CNN

KTN

6:00 Sunrise Live9:00 Mid Morning Show 10:30 El Clon RPT11.20 Untamed Beauties RPT12:00 Living With Fran12:30 How I Met Your Mother1:00 News Desk1:30 Football Review2:00 Afri-screen4.00 Mbiu ya KTN4.10 KTN Kidz

4.30 Iz Vipi Mashariki5:30 Untamed Beauties6:30 KTN LEO7:30 Ajabu8.00 Lies That Bind9.00 KTN Prime9.50 Mariana and Scarlett10.30 Spin Cycle12.00 Late Night News12.15 CNN

TRAVEL CHANNEL07:00 Globe Trekker08:00 People Of The Sea09:00 Departures10:00 Globe Trekker11:00 Hotel Impossible12:00 Bizarre Foods America01:00 The Food Truck02:00 International House Hunters02:30 Destination Weddings03:00 Inside Luxury Travel With Varun Sharma04:00 Globe Trekker05:00 Hotel Impossible06:00 International House Hunters06:30 Destination Weddings07:00 Globe Trekker08:00 People Of The Sea09:00 Bert The Conqueror

PICK OF THE DAY

A former elite agent (Jason Statham) encounters and rescues a twelve year-old Chinese girl who’s been ab-ducted by the Triads. Armed with a safe-cracking com-bination, they fi nd themselves in the middle of a stand off between Triads, the Russian Mafi a and high level corrupt New York City politicians and police..................................................................................................SATURDAY’S TRIVIA:Pirates

TV GUIDEToday’s Schedule

NUMEDIA– WESTGATESCREEN I “CROODS 3D” At 10.40am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm., “OZ 3D” (PG) At 6.20pm, 8.50pm,SCREENII“OLYMPUSHASFALLEN”(PG)At 12.00pm,2.15pm,4.30pm,6.50pm, 9.10pm.SCREEN III “SHOOTOUT AT WADALA” (TBA) At 11.30am, 2.30pm, 5.30pm., 8.30pm SCREEN IV “IRON MAN 3D” (PG) At 11.00 am, 1.30pm, 4.00pm, 6.30pm, 9.00pm. SCREEN V “BEAUTIFUL CREATURES ” (16) At 11.10am, 1.20pm, 3.40pm, “CHASHME BUDDOR” At 6.00pm, 8.40pm.SCREEN VI “THE LAST STAND” (16) At 11.00am, 1.10pm, 4.10pm, “TRANCE” (18) At 3.20pm, 5.20pm, 7.20pm, 9.20pm.

FOX CINEPLEX SARIT CENTRE,WESTLANDSSCREEN I THE CROODS IN 2D (G/E) At 11.30am, 2.00pm, OZ: THE GREAT & THE POWERFUL IN 2D (PG) At 4.00pm., OLYPMUS HAS FALLEN (TBA) At 6.15pm, ET THI DAAYAN (TBA) At 8.50pmSCREEN II JOE RETALIATION IN 3D (TBA) At 11.30am, 2.00pm, 4.00pm, 6.10pm., OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN (TBA) At 8.45pm.

STARFLIX– VILLAGESCREEN I“IRON MAN 3” At 10.30am, 1.15pm, 4.00pm, 6.45pm, 9.30pm.SCREEN II “OZ THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL At 11.15pm, 1.45pm, “IDENTITY THIEF” At 6.15pm “TRANCE” 4.15pm, 8.30pm.SCREEN III “GI JOE: RETALIATION” At 11.30,4.30pm. “OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN” At 2.00pm, 6.40pm, 8.50pmSCREEN IV“OBLIVION” At 11.00am, 1.30pm, 4.00pm, 6.30pm, 9.15pm.

DStv Highlights

Cinema GuideSTARFLIX– PRESTIGESCREENI “OZ THE GREAT AND THE POWERFUL” At 2.00pm. “GI JOE: RETALIATION At 11.40am, 4.30pm., “OBLIVION” At 6.40pm, 9.00pm.SCREENII “ OBLIVION” At 1.45pm, . “IRON MAN 3” At 11.15am, 4.15pm, 6.45pm, 9.15pm

NYALI CINEMAX–MOMBASASCREEN I IRON MAN 3-3D At 6.30pm, OBLIVION At 6.45pm, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN At 9.15pm, SHOOTOUT AT WADALA At 9.15pm

TV Quiz

09:30 Insane Coaster Wars10:30 Bert The Conqueror11:00 Globe Trekker

00:00 Inside Luxury Travel With Varun Sharma

Nairobi 102.7 • Nyeri 105.7 • Meru 105.1 • Nakuru 104.5

• Kisumu 105.3 • Mombasa 105.1

7.30PM

4:00AM: Kumekucha

6:00 AM: Maisha Asubuhi

10:00 AM: Staarabika 1:00PM: Upeo wa Radio Maisha 1:30PM: Iz Vipi

4:00PM: Mishe Mishe

7:00PM: Upeo wa Radio Maisha 8:00PM: Skika Sasa

9:00PM: Maji Makuu

12:00AM: Hakuna Kulala

THE STANDARD XTRA10Monday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

Using all the letters of the alphabet, fi ll in the grid. To help you, there are three cryptic cross-word-style clues:

Top line: No fashionable ox is found to be harmful. (7)Middle line: Try Gaul if looking for thrift. (9)Bottom line: I make the off-loader fatter. (7)

To start you off, here is one of the letters.

By Rosy Russell

All rows, columns and 3 by 3 grids (defi ned by bold lines ) have the numbers 1 to 9 ap-

pearing only once.

Some of the numbers have been entered. Complete the whole table by inserting the

correct numbers.

Libra(Sept 24 - Oct 23) You will be able to complete an ongoing project in the workplace that results in recognition and cheerful-ness. There is not only a desire for outside activities but also plenty of opportunities to be outside today.

Virgo(Aug 23 - Sept 23) Positive energies are stirring with regard to your ca-reer or life path. Success depends on your own ambi-tion which seems strong at this time. You gain atten-tion through your quick action and mental keenness.

Sagittarius (Nov 23 - Dec 21)You can improve just about all areas of your life this month. Today you can proceed with high hopes and raised aspirations. Energies are working in your fa-vor throughout the end of the month.

Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 22)Good things are attracted to you. Your experiences will be out of the ordinary today and you will likely feel more generous than usual. Great opportunities may emerge in work or in spiritual affairs.

Gemini(May 21 - June 21)A close relationship is likely to be riding an emo-tional whirlwind today--keep your perspective. In the workplace, there is an urge to change the way you do some daily business.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 20)Finances, purchases, investments and credit in par-ticular could stand some clear thinking. Getting in over your head can happen before you know it, so keep an eye on the bottom line.

Capricorn(Dec 22 - Jan 20)Communication levels are elevated and important in-formation can be exchanged. New business opportu-nities open up for you. Don’t hesitate or you will miss the boat. Make your intentions clear.

Leo(July 23 - Aug 22)This workday is a good one to get the routine busi-ness completed quickly. A sustained effort makes al-most any task run well. The continued thinking that comes from seeing a fantastic photograph this last weekend is still stirring in your memories.

Cancer(June 22 - July 22)Decisive action is the main order of business--if you are working. Fate sends opportunity your way if you listen to your instincts and give your natural sense of curiosity a free rein. Travel, as well as further educa-tion, can help uncover some of the answers.

(Jan 21 - Feb 19)Fresh insight comes to you through broadcasting, publishing or advertising that will give you a whole new perspective. Educational projects require much study and may involve travel.

(April 21 - May 20) This could be a time for real breakthroughs in the idea department. You are in top form when it comes to mental activity. Being on the go and keeping a fi nger to the winds of change make you feel in touch. Learning and communicating satisfy your lust for knowledge.

Taurus

PUZZLING

Horoscopes

Codeword Puzzle

Sudoku

Saturday’s solution

Aquarius

Courtesy: dailyhoroscopes.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

RM K I D N G T Z O Q

S Y B C P V F W J

U

SATURDAY’S SOLUTIONS

LU

A

H

E

X

DIFFICULTThe letters have a distinct value between 0 to 9. The to-tals vertically and horizontally have been given. Solve all the values.

© NO 4876

NO 4875

C C B E 21

H A G F 24

A J H D 17

25 18 25 16

G F D B 22

SATURDAY’S SOLUTIONS A B C D E F G H J

9 8 7 5 4 1 2 6 3

Pisces(Feb 20 - Mar 20)You have your own ideas about health techniques, religious and philosophical beliefs. However, your ideas could be in a fl ux of change and you may fi nd yourself musing over these subjects often.

THE STANDARD XTRA 11Monday, May 6, 2013 / The StandardMonday, May 6, 2013 / The Standard

ACROSS3 Measures for the control of pests

(5)8 As a serf, he had a fortune (5)10 It’s horn is crumpled, out of line

(5)11 In favour of returning at mid-

April (3)12 Lay low and fool around with a

redhead! (5)13 Like a formal photo of a police-

man? (7)15 It’s inserted jointly (5)18 It’s needed in a mobile career

(3)19 Live somewhere in Herts, but

with caution (6)21 Storeplace where the sweeper-

out gets love and a kiss (7)22 The fictional captain takes it to

be a habit (4)23 Being French, I embrace one girl

at a time (4)24 Car crossing the track? (7)26 Sad in an old-fashioned way

(6)29 It only looks like clear water

(3)31 Sunny little chap with a warm

heart (5)32 Vessel or military vehicle on a

road (7)34 Is generous with breaks (5)35 Incomplete moniker (3)36 Telly character, you may re-

member (5)37 The head of staff talks too much

of difficulties (5)38 Parts with some horses for

about £50 (5)

ACROSS: 1, Hoots 6, St-ash 9, Willowy 10, Sleep 11, Arena 12, Nacre 13, Ca-st out 15, Mrs. 17, Only 18, Oh yeah? 19, See-dy 20, Prints 22, Sean 24, Sin 25, Alberta 26, Gravy 27, Sh-

O-ot 28, Stool 29, Rec-it-al 30, Aster 31, Me-wedDOWN: 2, Oil can 3, Twenty 4, Si-p 5, Float 6, Swarthy 7, Tyre 8, Senora 12, Nudes 13,

Corps(-e) 14, Slain 15, Me-ter 16, Shona 18, Oddly 19, Starter 21, Riches 22, Settle 23, At-home 25, Av-o-id 26, (Kensington) Go-re 28, SAM

SATURdAy’S CRyPTIC SolUTIonS

Across3 Staff of life (5)8 Disparage (5)10 Sag (5)11 Throw in a high arc (3)12 Vulgar (5)13 Readable (7)15 Afterwards (5)18 Neckwear item (3)19 Demure (6)21 Facts and figures (7)22 Jetty (4)23 Mock (4)24 Evil (7)26 Short fall of rain (6)29 Slope downwards (3)

31 Hotel for motorists (5)32 Aquatic bird (7)34 Cinder (5)35 Summit (3)36 Shoot from cover (5)37 Iron, say (5)38 Begin (5)Down1 Riotous brawl (5)2 Referee (7)4 Uncommon (4)5 Confuses (6)6 Great fear (5)7 Celestial body (5)9 Toothed wheel (3)12 Mrs Mop (7)

14 Piece (3)16 Domesticates (5)17 Brings up (5)19 Defame (7)20 Muscular contraction

(5)21 Warehouse (5)23 Planet (7)24 Protection for the

head (6)25 Lubricant (3)27 Pursue relentlessly (5)28 Sheds tears (5)30 Asian country (5)32 Fruit (4)33 Crib (3)

ACROSS: 1, Flags 6, Speak 9, Risotto 10, Colon 11, Relay 12, Greet 13, Beastly 15, Hum 17, Once 18, Impose 19, Coins 20, Bedlam 22, Feta 24, SAS 25, General 26, Recur 27, Floor 28, Filly 29, Lampoon 30, Ashes 31, PearlDOWN: 2, Loosen 3, Grouse 4, Sin 5, Sorry 6, Streams 7, Poet 8, Abacus 12, Gloom 13, Bombs 14, Acids 15, Hover 16, Metal 18, Inter 19, Cameras 21, Eagles 22, Feline 23, Tailor 25, Guppy 26, Role 28, Fop

DOWN1 Daniel scattered feed around for

the duck (5)2 Kind of pipe from the centre of

the ear (7)4 Notified when the bell rang, we

hear (4)5 Part extemporised, cleverly,

just for now (3,3)6 Mousy woman? (5)7 Due to get a figurehead in

wrought iron (2,3)9 Nominally getting louder on

turning red (3)12 Rod’s joint, perhaps? (7)14 What the Inland Revenue vol-

unteers to figure for you (3)16 Man turning up at an ancient

city in Belgium (5)17 Not even possibly right (5)19 Where to buy a bit of booze for

an artist (7)20 If you want a Strad, the game¹s

up (5)21 A growing boy with taste (5)23 He gave ear to military histo-

ry (7)24 Crash into the school head on

a tricycle (6)25 It’s a fine point on a drawing,

perhaps (3)27 One holding up a chopper? (5)28 Hangs out around the space

centre getting stories (5)30 Grounds, for instance, accept-

ed by doctors (5)32 Spill the beans (4)33 Also known as a palindrome

(3)

puzzling

Easy Puzzle

Cryptic Puzzle

ThoughtTodayFor they con-quer who be-lieve they can.

-John Dryden

SATURdAy’S EASy SolUTIonS

12 THE STANDARD XTRA


Power of social media in

campaigns

The now famous narrator Daniel Owira, the Form Two student at Highway Secondary School in

Nairobi whose narrative Otonglo Time left many in stitches at the recent National Drama Festival and later his misery in one of the city’s slums moved many to tears. Fortunately, artiste Jaguar and President Uhuru Kenyatta have come to his rescue and he will have his school fees to university taken care of.

One thing that impressed me about Owira is his assertion that social media is powerful. While performing before the President, he requested the Head of State to tweet him some time—the presi-dent is one of the most active politicians using new media for interaction.

Something notable is the way social media fraternity took to Twitter and Facebook to start a campaign to assist the talented Owira. His contact address for fi nancial assistance went viral as Kenyans online o� ered to assist while reminding each other of their sacred responsibility to the aid of a needy Kenyan.

This push for the boy’s help bore fruits and it is a clear indica-tion that Kenyans can use social media for common good to allevi-ate su� erings of fellow countrymen. Let’s continue with the same spirit and shame naysay-ers who think that only hatred

@Questionnier

@Bonifacemwangi

@Standardkenya

@Ukenyatta

Inspirational Tweet:@Persdevquotes: Being busy is a form of laziness - lazy thinking and indiscriminate action. — Tim Ferriss

— S o u r c e t r e n d m a p s , b i t l y

Top of the tweets

Kenyans continue to share their

frustrations with MPs after their

formal presentation of a motion

seeking the disbandment of

the Salaries and Renumeration

Commission’

@Onesii69: It seems we have to rid ourselves of every corrupt

career politician in Parliament, Senate and counties.

@Lizadundo1: What is wrong with this country and its people?...

You were told to accept and move on, so why are you ranting

about our MPs?

@Ahmednasirlaw: The MPs didn’t change. We elected them.

Choices have consequences. We haven’t seen anything yet!

@Juliegichuru: When it comes to money, MPs speak with such

passion, would that they would do the same on national matters.

We must learn to vote wisely!

@Terryannechebet: Lowest paid Government employee is

receives Sh8,000 (+14 per cent) per month while an MP is paid

Sh532,500— this is 70 times more and they are complaining!

@Shebahirst: MPs are acting like they didn’t read any of those folk

tales involving the hyenas. . . we voted like we didn’t read them

either!

@Bonifacemwangi: If MPs have a problem with their working

terms, let them resign and we can vote afresh. We say No to

parliamentary dictatorship!

@Sokoanalyst: If MPs fought for policies for development, job

creation, security, as they are fi ghting for their salaries, Kenya

would be a developed country.

@Michellekmorgan: Kenyan MPS are a special breed of greedy

self engrossed state leeches. Are we as a Kenyans going to sit

back and let their gluttony go unchallenged?

@Thekhrc -It is misleading to argue that the new MPs should be

paid as the old ones; after all, it is still a new government.

Kenyans on twitter poked fun at

themselves by coming up with a witty

and creative questions trend (#Geog)

with equally hilarious answers!

Q: State three problems facing commercial poultry farming in

Kenya (3 marks). A: @Gishuvski: People from Kakamega.

Q: Name two exotic breeds of cattle reared in commercial ranches

in Kenya (2 marks).

A: @Crazynairobian: MPs and senators.

Q: What lesson can Rotterdam port borrow from Mombasa port

(4 marks).

A: @G4gitonga: How to fi t cats into jerricans.

Q: Name two exotic breeds of cattle reared in commercial ranches

in Kenya (2 marks).

A: MPs and senators

Q: What measure should Kenya take in order to attract more

tourists (2 marks).

A: @Archermshale: Ban weaves.

Q: Give two factors that have led to the growth of Thika as an

industrial town (4 marks).

A: MKU and their students.

Top of the tWEETERS

kenya's space: bloggers association

According to their

site, Bloggers Association of Kenya

(Bake) is a body that promotes content

creation on the web in Kenya. It repre-

sents a group of content creators who

are of Kenyan origin, descent or are

based in Kenya. Membership is open for

all Kenyan bloggers, online publishers

and people who have online creative

work.

If you are a blogger who wants to

syndicate your content, network with

fellow content creators or even get le-

gal and communal representation from

the body, then joining the association is

a good idea.

Members also stand to benefi t from

exposure, backlinks and page ranks.

Perhaps what has made Bake stand

out is its effort to recognise bloggers

who pen pieces consistently, have con-

tent that displays fl air, innovativeness

and creativity through special

annual awards.

The inaugural Bake Blog Awards

started last year and Bake

accepted entries of blogs from

different predefi ned categories.

This year’s awards, the second

Bake Blog Awards 2013, event

took place May 4 in Nairobi.

Bake also organises regular

technical workshops to sensitise

members on various emerging

trends on blogging. Being an open

association, one would want to know

whether they are duly registered, the

o� ce bearers or whether they have a

secretariat.

There is no mention of the same on

their website. Others argue that the

association is elitist, putting claims

that it’s made up of popular bloggers

at the expense of others. Claims we

cannot independently ascertain. All in

all, it’s a great initiative.updates.

@Koinangejeff: Good morning, tweeps. I wanted to once again say a thank you to all who voted for me as the Best Individual Tweep in the @Bake_ke awards.

@Whiteafri-can: Judging the Kenya Blog Awards and I never realised how good food blogs we have in this country.

Essje Berb Kinyua: They should have been ordered to

teach our engineering students for free during those 15

years. . . just a thought.

Joseph Gicheha: The materials were, however, stolen

from the police and, therefore, we are not safe from their

intentions.

Micah Otenge: They should fi ght western nations one-

on-one not through frustrating our efforts towards

developing our nation.

Lawson Benjamin: Gosh, those targets would have still

killed innocent Kenyans plus destroy the economy. I am

thankful they were stopped in their tracks?

Clell Gresham: If these cowards are not stopped, they will

not stop killing innocent people.

Juma Mohammad: The evidence must have been

incontrovertible

Collince Ndombi: Let them be thrown in the cells and the

key thrown away for good!

The court has found two Iranian men, Ahmed Mohammed

and Sayed Mansour, guilty of plotting to attack Western

targets within Kenyan territory.

TRENDING

— Kenny Kaburu

— Kenny Kaburu

trends on blogging. Being an open

www.bloggers.or.ke

President Uhuru Kenyatta have come to his rescue and he will have his school fees to university taken care of.

One thing that impressed me about Owira is his assertion that social media is powerful. While performing before the President, he requested the Head of State to tweet him some time—the presi-dent is one of the most active politicians using new media for interaction.

Something notable is the way social media fraternity took to Twitter and Facebook to start a campaign to assist the talented

TNairobi whose narrative Timerecent National Drama Festival and later his misery in one of the city’s slums moved many to tears. Fortunately, artiste Jaguar and President Uhuru Kenyatta have

and later his misery in one of the city’s slums moved many to tears. Fortunately, artiste Jaguar and President Uhuru Kenyatta have

TOPVIDEO

CELEBRITY STATUS: Daniel Owira of Otonglo Time’s ‘back to

school’ Naivas TV commercial has been trending since Friday.

The Standard May 6th 2013

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Transcript of The Standard May 6th 2013