IKO NINI BWANA SEED AUGUST PART TWO

Miss Naomi W. Ndungu is back to Norway after a one month tour in UK. Naomi is a sister of Rosemary Ndungu of CCBC Swahili Service, London. She lives in Oslo, Norway. She left London for Oslo on Sunday 22nd August, 2010 after attending a church service at CCBC Swahili in the morning where they took a photo with her family Rosemary, Sam Ndungu and Comfort Gathoni. Her contact in Norway is nawandu2002@yahoo.co.uk Originally they comes from Githunguri, Kenya.

Mrs Anne Gathoni Chege is now in London, ‘kutafutia watoto wake chakula’

She is the Director / Founder of New Hope Children’s Centre, situated in Uplands, Kenya. Currently, the home reaches over 200 children, 140 residing in the orphanage, while the rest live with their guardians. Anne together with her husband Tiras reside in the orphanage.

1. GRANDMOTHERS VILLAGE. We are now constructing a second village, and expect it to be ready by the end of next month-----photos below. A friend from here in the UK purchased 1.25 acres land, where we allocated 12 families. Like in the previous occasion, we collected people from the roadside and along railway reserve.

2. UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. Our 6 students from Kampala Inter Uni completed, although the actual graduation will take place in Nov 2010. We had 4 who completed last year, and am happy to report that all of them are now employed, PRAISE GOD. Right now, we have another 6, at Nairobi Uni, Kenyatta Uni and Kampala. Another boy, ANDREW has been admitted at Nairobi University study Law----he will be reporting in Sept 2010.

3. COMMUNITY SUNDAY SCHOOL. We started gathering kids from the local community, to attend Sunday School at New Hope. Currently, about 100 kids come, and we do offer them lunch, later. Our aim is to teach them the Word of God, that they may know Him and grow in His Love.

4. COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP. We started Inter-denominational weekly prayers at New Hope. Attendance is 50-60 neighbours. Our aim is to Honour and Worship the ALMIGHTY GOD, at New Hope and beyond.

5. COMPUTER BLOCK AND LIBRARY. Constructed by a Church in the UK. Now looking for donation of computers and books.

6. ANIMAL FARM. To add to our cows, we now have 2 Fish Ponds with lots of fish, rabbits, pigs, sheep. All these are for food at New Hope.

1 CHILD SPONSORSHIP. We have the following who need your help, to enable them procced / start their higher education

- EORGE MBURU. He finished KCSE in 2008. He have been admitted at Kijabe School of Nursing, start in Sept 2010. He may not join, unless somebody helps.

- FELISTAS WANJIRU. A second year student at Makerere University, Uganda. She has missed funds to continue. Currently out of school

- TIRAS KIMANI----did KCSE in 2008, but missed funds to join University. He wants to join and enrol to study Law.

- NATHAN K MBURU----did KCSE in 2008, also missed funds to join Uni. He wants to enrol and study Law.

- ANDREW KAHURA---( photo to follow ). Andrew scored A- in 2008, and has been admitted to study Law at the University of Nairobi.

Anyone wishing to assist, even partially may get in touch with me, through tel 0794 7883505, or email newhopechildren@mail.com . I will avail further details that you may require.

2. REGULAR SUPPORT. You may fill in Standing Order / Direct Debit to our account here in the UK, even £1 per month will accomplish alot at New Hope. Contact me for details please.

Am currently looking for GUESTS-----kindly agree to be one, and get in touch. You don’t have to worry-----the Lord will provide.

I wish THANK everyone who have supported in the the past, in whatever way. The journey has been long and tough, but you walked with us every step on the way. May God richly bless you.

All the above is to THE PRAISE, GLORY, HONOUR of the Almighty God, both now and forever more. AMEN.

While Johannesburg, Miss Margaret Njiiri toured the Arlando Towers to view the Soweto township and for a jump. They left the tour guide down and they climbed with Mr. Fredrick Rukungu who is Mr. Seed's brother living in Johannesburg. On the same lift going up were three middle aged whites all going for the juamp. When the arrived at the top they were all scared of the heights and the all refused to jump except they British girl who made the jump and she encouraged Margaret to follow suit. Since Mr. Seed was not there top him jumping the made the jump but his uncle Fredrick refused as you can see them joke as Margaret made the final jump. The girls jump but all the men refused. They were given a certificate after the jump. Asked whether she jumped again, Margaret replied, "I have to think twice before doing, it is so scaring." The Soweto bungee jump adds a whole new dimension to sightseeing in this famous township. Bridging the gap between adventure and township tourism, it allows visitors to enjoy one of its most famous landmarks like never before. Soweto bungee jumps and swings will have you falling head over heels for this township in no time. The Soweto bungee jump is one of several new Soweto adventure activities now on offer and is one of the most exciting ways to see South Africa's biggest township. Based around the Orlando Towers - part of the old Orlando Power Station and a major Soweto attraction - the new activities are fast changing the way visitors experience the township. For a start, you now have the most awesome view of Soweto from the top of the towers. Then, of course, there's the adrenaline rush; never before have visitors been able to enjoy adventure activities such as these in genuine township settings. A Soweto adventure experience includes the bungee jump, a tower swing (the world's first between 2 cooling towers), an internal tower swing and base jumping, all off the top of the west tower, some 100 metres up. - VIDEO

The Soweto Bungee experience

A guide will meet you at the waiting area and take you to the open-air lift that will elevate you up the outside of the tower to a platform 3m from the top. At this point, you proceed on foot up the floating stairway - suspended in mid air! At the top of the stairway, you will reach the rim of the tower, and from here you pause to view the breath-taking panorama over greater Soweto. From the rim, you step onto the sky-bridge spanning the space between the two towers, rim to rim. You are now around 100m up in the air, as you step out onto the suspension bridge between the two towers. From here our experienced bungee technicians will guide you through the harnessing and safety procedures, in preparation for your jump. You will face the open sky... and jump...... MORE

Two suspects have so far been arrested over Sunday's seizure of 317 pieces of raw elephant ivory weighing 2 tonnes and five rhino horns at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Investigations are continuing over the source and sender and recipient of the illegal cargo, which had been disguised as only avocado fruits. Most of the tusks seem to have been collected from natural deaths of about 150 elephants over the last 20 years with the latest likely to be six months old. None of the tusks had the indelible ink used for marking government held stocks. DNA tests will be conducted to determine the tusks actual origin. The seizure and arrests was a joint operation involving the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Revenue Authority, Lusaka Agreement Task Force, the Kenya Police and the Trans-global Warehouse security personnel. On Saturday, Trans-global warehouse security contacted the KWS JKIA Canine Unit about a suspicious cargo for export destined for Malaysia through Dubai by Emirates airline.The cargo which was falsely declared as containing only fresh avocado fruits was packed in 12 wooden boxes which raised a red flag due to its mode of package, weight and destination. The contraband was packed amongst avocado fruits wrapped in black polythene papers and banana leaves in the wooden boxes. This year, wildlife contraband which has been exported to these destinations has been intercepted in Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong (China). The seizure is so far the largest elephant ivory recovery in Kenya in the recent past which has caused great concern to law enforcers and conservationists. According to KWS records, in 2007, the number of illegally killed elephants stood at 47, in 2008 at 94 while in 2009 they stood at 204, representing sharp increase in poaching. On the other hand, rhino poaching numbers in 2008 stood at five compared to 13 in 2009. Kenya loses about 200-300 elephants every year to natural causes.

Son guilty of killing 100-year-old mother

A son stabbed his 100-year-old mother in the neck then told his brother "I've just gone mad," a court has heard. Michael Fitzgibbon, 62, admitted the manslaughter of Hannah Fitzgibbon at the Old Bailey. She died from a stab wound to her neck at the terraced home they shared in Stepney, east London in February. Fitzgibbon denied murder and the prosecution accepted his manslaughter plea on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The unemployed former black cab driver was initially charged with murder. But prosecutors accepted a plea to the lesser charge after psychiatrists agreed he was suffering depression of "moderate severity" as well as the early stages of Parkinson's disease. Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said: "This is a case in which the defendant stabbed his mother when she was 100 years old. "This occurred at a time when it seems that in fact the defendant's own health was deteriorating at a rather more rapid rate than that of his mother." Mr Aylett said Fitzgibbon's condition was undiagnosed at the time of the killing, although "some of the symptoms were apparent to family and friends". He added: "Neither psychiatrists nor anyone else could think of any rational explanation for why the defendant would have killed his mother other than the one the defendant himself offered in the immediate aftermath. "He told his brother on the telephone, and later police, 'I've just gone mad'." Judge Richard Hone ordered pre-sentence reports to decide on whether to jail Fitzgibbon or take an "exceptional" course of action in giving a supervision order because of the state of his health. He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on 13 September 2010.

Kenya fete on as IIEC publishes results

Nairobi, Kenya, August 23- The Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) has published the final referendum results paving way for the August 27 promulgation of the new Constitution. The publication of the outcome in a special Kenya gazette notice may render two pending court cases challenging the validity of the referendum process and results null and void. The 14-day window for challenging the new law lapsed on Friday about the same time when the two cases were filed. Legal experts say the IIEC could argue it was never served with the application and in law could argue it was unaware such cases existed giving it leeway to publish the final result after the expiry of the period allowed. The High Court was Monday due to hear a case filed b y a voter who is challenging the initial publication of the results saying it was not done according to the law. - CapitalFM

Torrential downpours are expected to hit large areas of the country on Monday night as forecasters warn of flash flooding and lightning strikes. With no prospect of a respite from the wet weather in sight, forecasters issued a series of severe weather warnings predicting heavy rain. Met Office severe weather warnings are in place for north-east England and the Yorkshire and Humber areas from early Monday afternoon until 9pm. Heavy rain was also forecast to hit the Grampian and Central, Tayside and Fife areas of Scotland early Monday evening between 4pm and 9pm. Northern Ireland and western parts of Scotland are already subject to advisories warning of possible strong rainfall. The East Midlands, East Anglia and the East of England were later added to the areas covered by the Met Office's severe weather warnings. Up to 15mm of rain was expected in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire between 4.15pm and 7pm.

Nairobi, Monday 23rd August, 2010 - President Mwai Kibaki has called on all Kenyans remain united as the country prepares to usher in the new constitutional dispensation on Friday when it will be promulgated. The President said that Kenyans should not be sidetracked from the great work ahead, since the new law offers them a chance for national renewal. Speaking during the 32nd anniversary memorial service for the country’s founding President the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta held at the P.C.E.A St. Andrews Church in Nairobi , the Head of State said the best way of thanking Mzee Kenyatta and other founding fathers of the nation is by ensuring that their vision of a great Kenya is realized. “Mzee Jomo left us a great nation and what we are called upon to do is to ensure that we carry on with the work of building it further into greater heights from where he left,” President Kibaki said. He paid glowing tribute to the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, saying that he was a great leader who stood firm on his principles and ideals of making Kenya a country that all wananchi will be proud of. “For the younger generation, who are not aware of the great achievements of Mzee Kenyatta, I would like to encourage you to carefully read the history of Kenya and you will see how great a man he was. Reading our nation’s history is also important to help you understand the dynamics that have shaped our country,” he said. The President observed that even the suffering Mzee Kenyatta underwent when he was detained did not blur his vision of the path Kenya should take in order to become a respectable nation. President Kibaki also commended Mama Ngina Kenyatta, who was present, for her commitment in supporting Mzee Kenyatta’s values and ideals. Speaking on behalf of the Kenyatta family, his son Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru noted that his father would be a proud person if he was alive at this time when the country is ushering in a new constitution. He said: “My father was a man who taught us that the strength of the family lies in the unity of its family members, the same way the strength of a nation is the unity of its citizens". Mr Kenyatta who is also the Finance Minister also paid tribute to President Kibaki for his leadership during the entire period Kenya was involved in searching a new constitutional dispensation. In his sermon, P.C.E.A General Assembly Moderator David Riitho Gathanju called on all Kenyans to play their part in ensuring that the new constitution is fully implemented. He urged Kenyans to involve God in every stage of the implementation process, saying God’s guidance is essential in ensuring that the process is not derailed. Earlier, President Kibaki joined the family of Mzee Kenyatta, led by Mama Ngina Kenyatta, in laying wreaths at the mausoleum of the country’s first President at Parliament Buildings. - CapitalFM

Mrs. Wanjiru Maina (Maish) of Slough, Berks, her daughter and son walks past a Swiss House escorted by a tourist guide as they head to the Swiss mountain where they joined Mr. Seed and Daughter Seed among others to climb the mountain with mountain cars before coming down with with Cable Cars (right photo) last year.

Former President Moi's private secretary Lee Njiru has refuted claims by one of the dailies claiming Mr Moi went into hiding after the death of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. Mr Njiru said when Kenyatta died, Moi, the then Vice-President was in his Kabarak home in Nakuru and not in Baringo, as claimed by a daily newspaper. "It was in Kabarak where the Coast PC at the time, the late Eliud Mahihu, contacted Moi and informed him of Kenyatta’s death. Immediately he received the news, he added, Moi woke up his duty driver and travelled by road to Nakuru Town, about 29km away. "At Nakuru he met and travelled with his bodyguards who were staying in Manyatta and Mau View lodges," he said. Njiru said Moi then immediately left for Nairobi at dawn arriving there before 7am and, therefore, the story about the low flying planes in search of Moi in bushes in Baringo was not only untrue, but also ridiculous. "Enriching facts with such heavy doses of fiction can only be good for a movie and not an authentic record of history," he said. Njiru, who is also the director of Moi’s communication and a former information officer in Kenyatta’s Presidential Press Service, said it was wrong for former Attorney General Charles Njonjo to term him reckless for accusing Kenyatta aides and top advisers of neglecting him during his hour of need. - The Standard.

A Kenyan living in Stockholm, Sweden is vying for a councillor seat in Botkyrka Municipality in the outskirts of Stockholm in September, this year. Mr. Daniel Mwaura Njuguna, a resident of Sweden for almost 20 years is ready to take the bull by it's horns. The Kenyan community in Sweden is very supportive to Mr. Mwaura who is well liked by all especially the Swedes and the foreigners alike. The elections are due on the 19th of September but the postal voting starts on 1st September 2010. Speaking to Mr. Seed on telephone Mr. Mwaura extend his welcome to Mr. Seed in Sweden especially this time. "Kenyans in Sweden are fans of www.mistereed.com sana." Mr. Mwaura who comes from Thika explained. Cllr Kangethe and her son are currently visiting Mr. Njuguna and family and have been treated to a cruise trip on a boat to Finland for two days. Councillor Kangethe had this to say to Mr. Mwaura "YES YOU CAN". Tomorrow Monday 23rd August, 2010 they will visit the Kenyan Ambassador in Stockholm HE Mrs. Purity Muhindi accompanied by Councillor Elizabeth Kangethe. Botkyrka Municipality (Botkyrka kommun) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, not far from the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the town of Tumba. Seen above is Councillor Elizabeth Kangethe (left) and the candidate Mr. Mwaura and on right photo is Councillor Kangethe and her sister Ms. Jane Muthoni Kangethe together with Mr. Mwaura's family and friends.

Nairobi, Sunday 22nd August, 2010 - A section of the family of the former Assistant Minister Gerishon Kirima are now opting for reconciliation with their step mother, to end weeks of a tussle over the family’s Sh750 million property. Maria, the first-born daughter of Kirima’s first wife told reporters on Sunday that: “We now want to sit down for reconciliation with the rest of the family members. We want to sit down and talk as a responsible and organised family.” This was after they forcefully gained access to their father’s property - K & S Mansion - a five-storey building near the Jeevanjee Gardens in Nairobi which was under the management of their step mother Teresia. She was accompanied by her other two sisters and a brother who accused Mrs Teresia of mismanaging the property of “our father.” Soon after, a group of about 20 suspected hirelings arrived at the property and attempted to force their way in to eject a section of the family members who had already taken charge. They chased away guards and attempted to break the door before they were restrained by two Administration Police officers who were present. Later, a truck load of heavily armed Administration Police officers arrived and ordered them to stop the violence. It is then that Ms Maria emerged to address journalists who had been camping outside watching the unfolding drama since morning. “This property belongs to my father, we are tired of these wrangles now and we need to sit and talk as a family, we are reaching out to our step mother, sisters and brothers to come so that we can resolve this issue amicably,” she said. Ms Maria said their efforts to meet their step mother for talks on Saturday were not successful after she allegedly claimed that she was busy. “We wanted them to come and we talk, we want to talk peace but they said they are attending a wedding. They should know that from our side, we are ready for talks,” she said. There was a standoff at the building after Alice, the daughter of Kirima’s third wife arrived and too addressed journalists, vowing not to enter into any kind of reconciliation talks with step sisters and brothers “unless they behave.” “We can not talk peace if there is war, they are not genuine, they only talk peace but they do not demonstrate the same,” she said. “They should know that we are also ready for reconciliation talks only when they stop attacking my mother,” she added. When reached for comment, her mother Mrs Teresia told Capital News that her step daughters were not justified in forcing their way into the building. “They are not justified at all. What they are doing is not right, we are peaceful people we don’t know why they keep provoking us,” she said. Drama pitting the Kirima family started last month when his daughters from the first wife stormed his home in Kitisuru and demanded that he be taken to hospital. After two weeks of unsuccessful attempts, they engaged top government officials and a cabinet minister who helped get Kirima taken to the Nairobi Hospital. Once at the hospital, members of Kirima’s first wife sealed all the entries to the hospital to block Kirima’s third wife Teresia, son and daughters from visiting him. A few days later, Mrs Teresia moved to court where she sought orders to visit her husband but by the time she went to serve the hospital, Kirima had already been flown out to the United Kingdom for treatment. - CapitalFM

Kenya's David Lekuta Rudisha set a new world record of one minute 41.09 seconds in the 800 metres on Sunday at Berlin's Olympic Stadium. His time shaved two hundredths of a second off the previous best mark set by Denmark's Kenyan-born Wilson Kipketer in August 1997. The 21-year-old, world junior champion in the same distance in 2006, was led through the first 400m by pacesetter Sammy Tangui in 48.65sec. "This was my first real attempt to break the world record, I knew I was good, I had trained hard," he said. "Now that I have run that time, I can say I have the ability to improve and go faster." Rudisha then managed to keep up his pace through to the line to break Kipketer's long-standing record, something he had recently been threatening to do so promising has been his form on the track. At a meet in the Belgian city of Heusden-Zolder in July, Rudisha timed 1:41.51, an African record and the fastest time in the world since Kipketer set the previous best 13 years ago.

London, Sunday 22nd August, 2010. Large parts of the country have been told to prepare for a deluge tonight as forecasters issued a severe weather warning for heavy rain and flash flooding. As much as 3 inches (8cm) of rain is predicted across southern England, including East Anglia and the southern Midlands on Sunday night. The rain is forecast to fall quickly and onto saturated ground, raising the likelihood of flash floods. To make matters worse, forecasters have warned of gale force winds with gusts of up to 70mph following close behind. And there's more bad news to come: a week punctuated by showers, and less than bright prospects for the start of the Bank Holiday weekend. Tonight the Met Office warned of widespread travel disruption. 'Heavy rainfall overnight may give 20-30mm of rain quite widely and 50-80mm locally,' said a spokesman. 'This rain will be accompanied by strong, possibly gale force winds. 'The heavy rain could lead to flooding in some areas and cause disruption to outdoor events and transport networks. Britain seems to have waved goodbye to summer, after some searing hot days in May, a balmy June, and a not too bad July. The abrupt end to the fine weather is being blamed on the jet stream, the fast-flowing ribbons of air in the upper atmosphere that move weather systems across the northern hemisphere. For much of the summer, the jet stream that affects Britain was further north than normal, taking the bad weather with it. Now, back in its usual position, it is pushing bands of low pressure across the UK. According to the forecasters, August has not actually been as bad as it may have seemed. 'We've had average rainfall and temperatures a degree or two up so far,' said a spokesman. 'But it is fair to say July and August have been pretty unsettled and nothing like the weather we had in the latter part of May and June.' He said it was difficult to determine whether a new pattern for the British summer was emerging, but said the last three years had provided similarly disappointing weather in July and August. As for the week ahead, it looks set to be dominated by more low pressure - and hence more sunshine and showers. Wednesday looks as if it will be the bright point in the week, with the prospect of more unsettled weather on the horizon for the end of the week.

WEATHER FORECAST

TUESDAY
North: Frequent heavy showers, max 17c (63f)
South: Scattered showers with sunny spells, max 21c (70f)

WEDNESDAY
North: sunny spells with the odd light showers, max 20c (68f)
South: Dry with sunny spells, max 22C (72f)

Music stars gracing the stage for the 15th anniversary of the V Festival, which is being held in The Arena stage at Hylands Park in Chelmsford. UK this weekend as from 21st to 22nd August. 2010.

All the disciplined forces in the country are set for the big day on Friday when the new constitution is scheduled to be promulgated Military Chief Jeremiah Kianga has told journalists they will mount one of the biggest parades ever seen in the country in the recent years. “It will only be comparable to what was mounted on December 12th, 1964, nothing less,” the Chief of General Staff said. And he added that “the day will not only be special for Kenyans but to the history of the military department as well.” A joint parade of the military, police, Administration Police, National Youth Service as well as officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service have been doing rehearsals at the Uhuru Park grounds ahead of Friday’s big event when President Mwai Kibaki is scheduled to promulgate the new law. “We will be making history and we have an important role to play. We will have joint parades,” he said on Sunday when he inspected the rehearsals by members of the disciplined forces. - CapitalFM

An engineer has unveiled the world’s largest barbecue, the 'God-grilla' - a £10,000 monster which can cook seven whole lambs, three pigs or two cows at the same time. Jack Henriques, 31, spent three months welding the bespoke steel grill, dubbed ‘God-grilla’, which is heatproofed to 600ºC (1,112ºF). It weighs two tonnes, measures 5m (16ft) across and requires 14 bags of coal to ignite. The 3.5m (11ft 6in) tall barbecue is so big it can cook 1,000 sausages or 500 burgers at once. Mr Henriques, who runs the Bespoke BBQ Company from his workshop in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, was commissioned by a wedding venue.‘When the barbecue is loaded up to full capacity at least three chefs are needed,’ he said. ‘It does get extremely hot and you often have to cover your face because you are standing just a few feet away from a big wall of flame which can cook a cow. I have never seen or heard of a bigger fixed barbec Size of a cow: Jack Henriques' mega-grill is hoisted on to a lorry

A memorial service was held at the PCEA St. Andrews Church in Nairobi. President Kenyatta died in his sleep at State House Mombasa on the 22nd of August, 1978. Upon his death, the then Vice President, Daniel arap Moi was constitutionally mandated to act as President for 90 days. He became the first Prime Minister of self-governing Kenya on 1st June 1963 and a year later Kenya become a republic with Kenyatta as President. He ruled the country up to his death and was instrumental in the country's struggle against British colonialists. President Mwai Kibaki has called on all Kenyans to prepare to work hard and be united as the country prepares to usher in the new constitutional dispensation. The President said that Kenyans should not be sidetracked from the great work ahead, since the new constitution offered them a chance for national renewal. He appealed to Kenyans to prepare to usher in the dawn of a new era that takes the country forward. Speaking Sunday at the P.C.E.A St. Andrews Church in Nairobi during the 32nd anniversary memorial service for Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, President Kibaki said the best way of thanking Mzee Kenyatta and other founding fathers of the nation is by ensuring that their vision of a great Kenya is realized. "Mzee Jomo left us a great nation and what we are called upon to do is to ensure that we carry on with the work of building it further into greater heights from where he left," President Kibaki said. Paying glowing tribute to the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, President Kibaki recalled that he was a great leader who stood firm on his principles and ideals of making Kenya a country that all wananchi will be proud of. Said the President: "For the younger generation who are not aware of the great achievements of Mzee Kenyatta, I would like to encourage you to careful read the history of Kenya and you will see how great a man he was. Reading our nation's history is also important to help you understand the dynamics that have shaped our country." The Head of State observed that even the suffering he underwent when he was detained did not blur Mzee Kenyatta's vision of the path Kenya should take in order to become a respectable nation.

He recalled that Mzee Kenyatta kept on encouraging all and sundry to embrace virtues that would ensure that the goal was realized. President Kibaki also commended Mama Ngina Kenyatta, who was present, for her commitment in supporting Mzee Kenyatta's values and ideals. Speaking during the occasion, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka noted that were the nation's founding father alive, he would be a proud person at this time when the country is ushering in a new constitution. The Vice-President commended the President Kibaki for leading from the front in ensuring that the Kenya gets a new constitution, saying effectively President Kibaki will become the founding father of the new Kenya once the new constitution is promulgated. Speaking on behalf of the Mzee Kenyatta's family, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta recalled the many relevant lessons for the country's development that the nation's founding father taught. "He was a man who taught that the strength of the family lies in the unity of its family members, the same way the strength of a nation is the unity of its citizens," the Deputy Prime Minister said. The Deputy Prime Minister also paid tribute to President Kibaki for his leadership into the new constitutional dispensation. Delivering the sermon, the Moderator of the P.C.E.A General Assembly, the Right Rev. David Riitho Gathanju called on all Kenyans to play their part in ensuring that that the new constitution is implemented. He urged Kenyans to involved God in every stage of the implementation process, saying God's guidance is essential in ensuring that the process is not derailed. "Let's make God our make God our shepherd and our guidance. That way we will succeed in our endeavours," the P.C.E.A Moderator said. The 32nd anniversary memorial service was also attended by several Cabinet Ministers, Assistant Ministers, Members of Parliament and senior Government officials including the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura. Earlier, President Kibaki joined the family of Mzee Kenyatta, led by Mama Ngina Kenyatta, in laying wreaths at the mausoleum of the country's first President at Parliament buildings. Other dignitaries who laid wreaths were the Chief of General Staff Gen. Jeremiah Kianga, the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Kenneth Marende, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. Tadumi On'koko and the Nairobi Mayor Councillor Geoffrey Majiwa. President Kenyatta died in his sleep at State House Mombasa on the 22nd of August, 1978. Upon his death, the then Vice President, Daniel arap Moi was constitutionally mandated to act as President for 90 days. He became the first Prime Minister of self-governing Kenya on 1st June 1963 and a year later Kenya become a republic with Kenyatta as President. He ruled the country up to his death and was instrumental in the country's struggle against British colonialists. - MORE

Police on Sunday gunned down five men whom they had followed for hours over a carjacking. They were killed near Nairobi's Kasarani sports complex at around 3pm. Police said the men had carjacked Mr Wilfred Kamau at 8pm the previous night, robbed him and took off in his car. They were using the vehicle when police caught up with them. Mr Kamau was called to the scene after the shooting and identified one of those killed. A second victim was found with a Kenya Army identity card, whose authenticity police said they were yet to establish. “It was around 8.30 at night. I was being accompanied by my wife to Waithaka shopping centre to buy medicine when two men appeared and pointed a gun at me,” Mr Kamau said. They took charge of the vehicle and drove to Karinde, where they abandoned the couple after robbing them of an ATM card and Sh25,000. They also took Mr Kamau’s driving licence, which was found in the car after the shooting. Kasarani police boss Leonard Omolo said his officers used tracking technology to find the vehicle. “A tracking gadget was fixed in the car and the company that installed it informed us that the vehicle was around the Ruaraka area. “Its registration number plate had not been changed and so it was easy to identify it,” he said. – Daily Nation.

Sh240m US fraud planned from Kenya. A ring of fraudsters operating from Kenya are behind the attempted theft of millions of dollars from US government agencies for which three Kenyans were jailed in America. An American judge found that they conspired to steal millions of dollars from US government agencies in five states. They were helped by the three Kenyans living in America to execute the scheme which involved phony companies claiming compensation from the US government for fictitious services. And on Thursday, a US judge sentenced two Kenyans to a total of nearly 10 years in prison for roles in the fraud. US Judge John Copenhaver Jnr handed down a six-year term to Robert Otiso, 36, and a three-year, 10-month sentence to Paramena Shikanda, 35, for their roles in a scam that sought to dupe US officials in five states into paying Kenyan fraudsters a total of at least $3.3 million ( about Sh240 million)owed to legitimate businesses. A third Kenyan, Collins Masese, 21, was sentenced to the nine months he has already spent in jail in connection with the scam. Masese also faces possible deportation to Kenya, as do the other Kenyans once they complete their sentences. "Virtually all the shots were called from Kenya, with elaborate instructions and falsified documents to enable the conspiracy at every turn," the judge said, according to a report by the Associated Press. An attorney for Shikanda tried at the sentencing hearing in the state of West Virginia to depict the previously convicted Kenyans as pawns in a scheme engineered from Kenya. "All of these people, all of them, were merely servants of the puppet masters in Kenya who manipulated them from the safety of Kenya," said defence lawyer Gary Collias, the AP reported. The scam initially involved only one Kenyan living in the United States: Angella Chegge-Kraszeski, 34, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy last year. The Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette reported that she had travelled to Kenya in late 2008, where she was recruited by a man she knew as Jimmy Ojwang. Using a photo taken while she was in Kenya, “Ojwang” provided Chegge-Kraszeski with a fake South African passport. Chegge-Kraszeski then incorporated three companies in the state of North Carolina with names nearly identical to those of businesses that did provide services to US state governments, the Charleston Gazette said.

· Shots were called from Kenya, with elaborate instructions and falsified documents, says report

· Kenyans convicted in the case were not the authors of the scam, the court was told

With Otiso's help, she set up bank accounts for the fake corporations. The scammers then tried to trick officials in West Virginia, Massachusetts, Kansas, Florida and Ohio into routing payments into those accounts. At Thursday's hearing, the Charleston Gazette reported, a US prosecuting attorney presented a copy of an e-mail from Chegge-Kraszeski's handler in Kenya with “WELL DONE GUYS” typed in the subject line. The message was sent after a payment for $919,916 was made into a fake account Chegge-Kraszeski and Otiso had established. Chegge-Kraszeski said in court that the Kenyans convicted in the case were not the authors of the scam. "There was no leader among us," she said, according to the West Virginia paper's account. "They [in Kenya] told us what to do." Overall, more than three-quarters of a million dollars wound up in Kenya. Additional funds scammed in the case were frozen by suspicious US bank officials before the money could be sent to Kenya. Shikanda told the judge on Thursday that his family in Kenya has been harassed by people believing, wrongly, that they're harbouring the loot, the AP reported. Masese's father, Thomas Masese, said after the sentencing that the same was true for their relatives in Kenya, the AP added. "They don't have the money," the elder Masese, who lives in the state of Minnesota, told the AP. "These are poor kids." Judge Copenhaver seemed to accept that the convicted Kenyans would be unable to repay money stolen in the case. But the judge added that the scam could not have succeeded without the participation of the Kenyans in the United States. "You were an enabler, and an important one," Judge Copenhaver told Otiso, the AP reported. Two other Kenyans—Michael Ochenge, 33, and Albert Gunga, 30, both living in the state of Minnesota—have pleaded guilty in the scam and are scheduled to be sentenced on August 26. – Daily Nation.

A Kenyan tour operator in South Africa Mr. Samuel Karari Rugo was the referee between wrestling Margaret Njiiri (Daughter Seed) and baby Lion as Margaret lost first round. On right Samuel drives through the escarpments of South Africa with Margaret as they heard to the lake for a motorboat sport.

As well as visiting Kenyan tourist sites in Kenya from abroad, it is also advisable you make a round trip to South African during your booking. You will note that the difference is so small that it always worth paying. The difference in some seasons might be less than £100. You drop for some days in Kenya on your way then flying for several days to South Africa for a tour and come back to Kenya for several other days before flying out back abroad. You don't have to worry who is going to guide you for a tour in South Africa. Kenyans are everywhere. We have Mr. Samuel Karari Mugo of Nguyo Safaris. He resides in Johannesburg but can take anywhere in South Africa. He is a friend to Mr. Seed's younger brother in Johannesburg and he is the one who took Daughter Seed around when she was in South Africa in the month of July 2010 (see photos). Samuel guide you to travel to all parts of South Africa and their packages range from wildlife to city life and anything in between. What more, you can customize your package to suit your safari needs. For more information please contact: Nguyo Safaris, No 2 The Vines Mimosa Road, Primrose Johannesburg South Africa 1401. Tel: South Africa +2773 814 3663, Tel: (Kenya) +254 727 341 426, Fax +2711 252 7708, Website www.nguyosafaris.co.za - rugosam@mweb.co.za, Email info@nguyosafaris.co.za

Kenyan popular gospel singer Mr. Ben Githae joined the Seeds family on 17th July, 2010 at the official opening of the Nakuru Widow Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru. He bought a gas cooker for the lady and after presenting several numbers at the ceremony, Mr. Githae assembled the cooker and showed her how to operate it. Seen above is a friend of Mr. Githae Mr. Thiya fixing the cooker. Which song did he sing as he presented the cooker - CLICK HERE

Can't find your house keys? They're probably stuck to Londoner Brenda Allison - who claims that she has a powerful personal magnetic field that makes metal objects stick to her skin. Strangely, this even applies to non-magnetic objects. Not only does the 50-year-old accounts manager from Holloway, North London, say that metal items including coins, keys and even tin lids attach themselves to her, she also claims that she inadvertently sets off car alarms, blows light bulbs and interferes with TV signals. Or maybe she's just got rather sticky skin. She says that she's been aware of her powers since nursery school, when she started affecting electrical equipment - but it wasn't until earlier this year that she discovered metal object would stick to her. The novelty has long since worn off, apparently, with Allison saying that her 'magnetism' now mostly being an embarrassment. She is far from the first person to claim human magnetism - many others have claimed to have similar powers, often supporting much larger metal objects than Brenda does. Most famous are the Tenkaev family in Russia, where the supposed powers stretching across three generations, with grandfather Leonid Tenkaev reportedly able to lift 23kg objects with his chest. There was even a conference devoted to human magnets in 1990. The Superfields conference in Bulgaria attracted 300 allegedly magnetic people - although the 'powers' don't actually seem to have anything to do with magnetism, as non-metal objects are often held as well. This applies equally to Miss Allison, of course - despite her claims that her stickyness is down to her body generating an unusually strong electromagnetic field, most of the coins she has stuck to her in the above picture aren't magnetic. (Only the copper-plated steel 2p coin would stick to a real magnet; the copper-nickel alloys of the other coins wouldn't.) One of the earliest human magnets, a young girl from Georgia, USA named Lulu Hearst, gained fame for her feats of magnetism in the late 19th century - but eventually admitted that it was all achieved with simple trickery. Miss Allison says that doctors have advised her that her 'magnetism' may be due to stress.

It's been a little while since our last two-headed cow. Fortunately, one's just been born in Serbia. Farmer Radomir Timotijevic refused to listen to vets who advised him that he should put down the calf, after it was born with two heads on his farm in Sopocani, Serbia. And now, more than a month after its birth, the calf is still doing well. 'I would never let the poor thing suffer but it seems to be enjoying itself,' Radomir said. 'I hand fed him with a bottle and now he recognises my voice and follows me everywhere.' 'He is like a pet to me - and I could never send him to the slaughterhouse now,' Radomir added. Else where on right, a cow has given birth to a two-headed calf in Egypt, prompting the farmer to describe the birth as a 'divine miracle'. Farmer Sobhy el-Ganzoury said on Saturday that it took two hours and a lot of pulling to deliver the two-headed calf. El-Ganzoury said that a vet had told him that the calf, which was born this week, is now in stable condition and is expected to survive. Its two heads are divided centrally, meaning that it has two completes sets of eyes and two mouths. He said he intends to keep the animal as a reminder that 'God is able to do anything.' Despite surviving the difficult birth, the calf still can't stand up because of its heavy heads and that fact that its legs were weakened by the difficult birth. It is being fed her mother's milk with a baby bottle until it gains strength.

Man at the centre on night Jomo died

Mahihu did not tell me the President had died,” recalls Mr Wambugu, now 58. “He just asked me to connect him to Hinga.” Mr Bernard Hinga was then the Commissioner of Police. Wambugu connected Eliud Mahihu and Hinga by way of radio telephone. “As soon as they finished talking,” says Wambugu, “Hinga called me and ordered me to make a police plane available for him to travel to Mombasa immediately.” There was no problem with that, the inspector told his Commissioner, except that “Sir, Wilson Airport does not operate at night.” “You do what it takes,” the boss thundered. “I am on my way and I will be at Wilson Airport at exactly 4am.” Even before he could call the duty pilot, Wambugu got another call from Mahihu. This time he wanted to speak to Mr James Kanyotu, the Special Branch chief. He connected them. And as soon as Kanyotu finished speaking to Mahihu, he called Wambugu and ordered him to arrange for him to fly to Mombasa immediately. - FULL STORY

Three weeks after the start of the floods in Pakistan, a fifth of the country is under water. More international aid is now reaching the country - but the world's media finds it hard to stop talking about terrorism. Many Pakistanis who have not been directly affected by the floods ask each other this question: Is it a punishment from Allah? Or is He just testing our faith?

A Sussex seaside town Church of England vicar was found guilty of taking part in the biggest fake wedding scam Britain has ever seen, the Daily Mail reports. The middle aged Reverend Alex Brown abused his position to marry 360 illegal immigrants to complete strangers. Armed with a marriage certificate, the immigrants were then able to hoodwink the Home Office into giving them a visa to stay in Britain as a ’spouse’, with access to education, healthcare and benefits. Ninety couples were registered as living in one road and 52 in another. There were several brides and grooms from the same house, and one husband-to-be went under the name of ‘Felix Spaceman’. Brown, 61, protested his innocence, but he was convicted with a Nigerian immigration solicitor – whose clients paid up to £15,000 for a dodgy wedding – and a Ukrainian who supplied hard-up Eastern Europeans willing to marry for £3,000 cash. Michael Adelasoye, 50, a qualified immigration lawyer, found Africans who were desperate to stay in the UK after outstaying their visas. Vladymyr Buchak, 33, who lived illegally under a false Estonian name, recruited the stooge brides and grooms from Hastings’s Eastern European community. Some couples wed several times. Ten of the brides and grooms received police cautions, but the majority were never traced and are presumably still living here. The three defendants denied conspiracy to breach immigration laws, but they were found guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court after a seven week trial.

Brown, who is openly gay, also became the only vicar in 800 years to be convicted of failing to read out the banns – asking the congregation if they knew of ‘any just cause or impediment’ why two people may not marry. Judge Richard Hayward adjourned sentencing to September 6 but warned the three, who all live in St Leonards, he was considering jail. He told them: ‘You have been convicted on very clear evidence of a serious offence.’ Adelasoye and Brown were released on conditional bail, and Buchak was remanded in custody. The vicar walked from court without a word, but Adelasoye, who is a pastor of the Ark of Hope church in St Leonards, protested: ‘I don’t think it’s a fair verdict. God looks after the righteous.’ Later, the Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings, the Venerable Philip Jones, said he was ’shocked and saddened’ by Brown’s betrayal. He said: ‘We are particularly sorry for those who have been deceived and hurt by his actions. The church and the community are faced with a betrayal of trust on the part of Father Brown, who was a very trusted figure.’ He promised that churches would be more vigilant to fraud in the future, and said the Church of St Peter and St Paul was unlikely to be used for worship again after Brown’s tarnished tenure. Brown’s motivation remains unclear. Police believe the respected priest threw away his career, his reputation and potentially his freedom to feather a nest for his retirement. But although they found £5,000 in cash at his home, this was not nearly as much as they would have expected if Brown’s sole desire was to make money, rather than to help immigrants. The case, which police believe was part of an international multi-million pound scam, has once again exposed the lax regulations that have led to a booming racket in sham marriages over recent years. Numerous attempts to curb the thousands of fake unions every year have been stymied by EU and human rights laws. A total of 529 suspect marriages were reported to the Home Office in the 11 months to December last year – a rise of 54 per cent on 2008 levels. Detective Inspector Andy Cummins, of the UK Border Agency, said: ‘This was the biggest operation of its kind we have come across, and the only one we know about where the vicar was entirely complicit.

‘As we investigated, we were all shocked as the scale of it emerged. The nearer he got to his retirement date, the more weddings he was doing.’ Immigration minister Damian Green said: ‘Britain is no longer a soft touch. We now have specialist teams of immigration and police officers working day in, day out, to tackle and prosecute people who commit this form of organised criminality. ‘We are determined to create a hostile environment which makes it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK and put untold pressures on our public services.’ Suspected sham marriages have increased by more than 50 per cent since the Law Lords ruled against tough Home Office marriage regulations on ‘human rights’ grounds. And the Church of England is being targeted as a soft touch by immigration gangs because register offices have grown wise to their tricks. Additionally, until recently, vicars were not legally required to make the same checks as registrars. After the Daily Mail exposed the shocking extent of the bogus marriage racket in 2004, new rules were brought in to combat the menace. Non-EU nationals were told they must apply for Home Office approval before being allowed to marry an EU citizen. As a result, the rate plummeted from an estimated 3,578 fake weddings in 2004 to just 282 in 200. But churches were exempt from the new rules. And then, in 2008, Law Lords said these rules breached human rights and could deny genuine couples the chance to marry. So now the rules have been scrapped for churches and register offices alike and last year, the number of illegal immigrants staging sham ceremonies to stay in the country was back up to 500, and rising. Illegal immigrants have been finding it easier to hoodwink churches. Often all that is needed to get past the flimsy interview process with a vicar is proof of identity and documentation showing a link to the parish. The gangsters simply supply forged documents. In contrast, Roman Catholic churches carry out a strict screening process in which the couple must prove their devotion to each other and to the church.

Thirty-two years after the death of Kenya’s founding President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, his long-serving Attorney General has for the first time disclosed the agony government officials went through before settling on burying the Head of State at Parliament Buildings. Mr Charles Njonjo, who served as Kenya’s first Attorney General for the 15 years Kenyatta was president, disclosed that some of the options were to bury Kenyatta at his Gatundu home or even in Mombasa where he had died in his sleep. - MORE

Nairobi, Saturday 21st August, 2010. The Government will soon lift the partial commercial logging ban placed 20 years ago to pave way for profitable management of forest through timber harvesting, Forestry and Wildlife minister Noah Wekesa has said. In a speech read on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry Mohamed Wamwachai during graduation ceremony at Londiani Forestry College on Friday, Dr. Wekesa said the lifting had been discussed by the cabinet and multiple stakeholders and would soon be put to effect. He noted that, though well intended the ban had been an invisible driver of illegal logging by placing the value on timber very highly resulting in attractive returns for the illegally obtained forests products especially timber. Due to the partial ban, 95,000 acres of over-mature forest industrial plantation valued at over KSh 36 billion are undergoing value deterioration due to heart rot and windfalls. At the same time, there are approximately 45,000 acres of forest plantations between ages 10 - 22 due for commercial thinning with potential to generate KSh. 3.5 billion. He said through the Kenya Forestry Service the ministry had generated plantations logging plans and would soon complete an inventory that would establish the extent of forest plantations in Kenya.

He said his Ministry through the Kenya Forest Service has generated plantation logging plans, and is soon going to complete an inventory that will establish with precision the extent of forest plantations in Kenya. Currently the forest plantation estate is 312,500 acres that comprises 6% of the gazetted forests. Shortage of timber in the market has led to over-cutting of private forests and wood-lots, trees that are meant for soil and water conservation on farm lands. Dr. Wekesa added that when the ban is lifted, allocation of harvesting areas would be through the provisions of the public procurement Act and Disposal Act 2005 and thus will provide competitive bidding while at the same time establishing a reserve price. He said the bidding process would be transparent, open and profitable to the neighboring communities and business enterprises adding that the KFS would also gain additional revenue to implement its mandate through the recruitment of staff to facilitate the process. He stated that the ministry would also improve forest infrastructure to enable surveillance adding that the funds obtained through plantation harvesting would also aid in boosting the forest planting backlog. Wekesa noted that there was need of enhanced management and sustainable utilization of forests cover, supply of forest goods and services as well as promotion of forestry microenterprise. This he said would be achieved through increased stakeholders' goodwill and rolling out initiative s to include communities that live next to forests in forest management. Kenya Forest Service Board Chairman Professor Richard Musangi said that logging ban had hindered the KFS from realizing even greater returns of up to Ksh. 3 billion per annum.

Robinson Mukhwana met Nathan Mutei three weeks ago, with no idea that his newest friend was a man with a fishy past and on the run from Tanzanian authorities. To him, Mutei simply represented a path to an unexplored world of richness in a foreign country. The thought of what he could do with all the money he would earn as a truck turn boy in Tanzania almost seemed obscene, for Mr Mukhwana, who until his sojourn in Tanzania was a watchman, is not used to the comforts that money brings. “I thought he was a friend concerned about my future,” he said on Sunday. Indeed, Mutei was concerned, but not about the well-being of his newly acquired friend. If all went according to plan, he would be a millionaire in less than a week. All he needed to do was establish contact with a Tanzanian juju man. He had held several informal jobs in various Tanzanian towns and this was not hard to do. Interviews by Sunday Nation detail his journey to hell and back. While still in Kitale, Mr Mutei managed to activate a contact in Mwanza. The initial deal was for Mr Mutei to supply this juju man with bones from an albino’s grave. His client gave him two options: the Tanzanian could come to Kenya for the bones and pay Sh1 million or Mr Mutei could transport the bones to their rendezvous in Mwanza and earn Sh4 million. But a problem presented itself; how was he to move the bones across the border with an existing criminal record? It was in his second plan that Mr Mukhwana was to play a starring role. “A week after we met, he started telling me that his boss in Tanzania was looking for two more workers,” said Mr Mukhwana.

So he packed his bags and accompanied his new-found friend to Tanzania. “On Wednesday August 11 we left Kitale. During the journey, he was updating his boss on our progress,” says Mr Mukhwana. These ‘updates’ were in fact negotiations for the best possible price for him. They spent the night at Isebania and the border police briefly detained Mr Mutei on Thursday morning. “There was an arrest warrant out for him in Tanzania. He had conned someone of Sh20,000,” said Mr Mukhwana. They proceeded on to Mwanza and checked into a hotel, where Mutei’s boss was to come and meet them the following day. In his haste to leave the country, Mutei had failed to mention to his client that he had not come with bones but instead had a human being with him. This complicated matters. The price shot up, and the logistics of transporting the “goods” changed. The intended client backed down, but promised to bring another interested party to the table. He called on Saturday morning and a price of Sh20 million was agreed on. Mutei was to deliver Mr Mukhwana. Unknown to him, the other client was actually a Tanzanian police mole and a trap was set. In the afternoon, Mutei left the hotel to meet with his client and called Mr Mukhwana and ordered him to walk to a nearby petrol station where they were to meet their new employer. Hotel staff persuaded him to stay behind and asked Mutei to return there for further negotiations. Once he set foot in the room, Mutei was arrested. He is now serving the first week of his jail term in Mwanza, Tanzania. – Sunday Nation.

Build Self Discipline

Don’t wait for other people to impose discipline on you. Start early. Create your own discipline. Although it sounds a

little bit harsh, self discipline is a facilitator for many things in your life. It’s hard to get but great to have.

91 per cent of Kenyans are satisfied with the outcome of the August 4 referendum results according to the latest opinion poll by Infotrak Harris. The poll says the overwhelming endorsement of the new constitution has put an end to the clamor for a new constitution that has lasted some 20 odd years. Infotrak Research Director, Angella Ambitho says the survey while indicating the overwhelming support of the results in Rift Valley province, the gusto with which Kenyans voted at the referendum is waning among Kenyans in Coast and Central Province since they thought the implementation would be almost immediately. The support is however varied among males and females although women who were thought to be inclined to have voted with the Church, now feel that the Church is the one that lost in the NO vote. Ambitho says from the recent survey Kenyans have also started looking at how the political players in the country are re-aligning themselves ahead of forthcoming 2012 General Elections, strategizing to fill up the various elective posts as created under the new law including the President, deputy President, Senators, Members of Parliament and County Governors. The new constitution is coming up with a pure presidential and devolved system of governance. In the survey that covered 1200 respondents which is representative of the 19 million Kenyan adult population shows that nearly half of adult Kenyans at 46 per cent wish to see Raila Odinga become President after 2012 General Elections. "13 per cent and 10 per cent of Kenyans wish to see Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon. William Ruto as the President respectively." Three in every 10 Kenyans think Uhuru Kenyatta is the most suited candidate to become the country's deputy president after the 2010 General Election. Kalonzo Musyoka (18%), Musalia Mudavadi (18%) and William Ruto (13%) are the other politicians seen as suitable potential running mates.

Mrs. Ann Gathoni Chege of New Hope Orphan Children's Hope is in London. Mrs. Chege arrived in UK on Friday 20th August, 2010 where she will be for the next one month. The lady with a golden heart as she was once referred to by the Barclays Bank of Kenya is the patron of orphans home with over 140 children in Uplands, Limuru, Kiambu, Kenya. Feeding and educating these children without a regular donor is quite a challenge. Several children has already finished university in Kenya and Uganda. She is in UK to source for funds for the home. If you know someone or organisation that can be able to help the children you can contact her through her contact. She is intending to have a fundraising towards the home next month and more information will follow. Her contact in the UK is 07947883505 or newhopechildren@mail.com - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

A Kenyan has passed away in USA. Born in Kenya, the late Rose Mwanzia resided in Chicago briefly before moving to Reno where she resided till her untimely death on August 13th of 2010. She is survived by her mother, Ida Mwanzia, five brothers, two sisters and one late sister. She leaves behind many nieces and nephews who adored her dearly. Rose was a manager at McDonald's Restaurants Corp for many years before joining Charter Communications and worked her way up to a sales supervisor. She loved people, reading and was a dedicated and loyal worker. She was and will for ever be loved by many in Reno and around the world. Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life at the Mountain View Mortuary on Friday the 20th of August 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. Below is account information for Wells Fargo and PNC account information for those that would like to assist in the funeral expenses. For those in the East coast, that would like to contribute toward Roses funeral arrangements you can either send funds to PNC bank, Routing number 031000053 Acc# 8611804506. Name on the account: Elizabeth Mwanzia-alleyne or in PA friends may deposit money in the following account: Wells Fargo: Aba/routing number 121000248 , Acc #2247734607. Name Elizabeth Mwanzia-alleyne and Agatha Mutua.

Safaricom shares at the Nairobi Stock Exchange fell five per cent to close the day at an average of Sh5.40 on Friday, as competitors drastically slashed calling rates. At one point, the share touched a low of Sh5.20 with investors panicking over the impact on Safaricom’s revenues.

UK Government abolish certificate of approval for marriage or civil partnership

The UK government announced its intention to abolish the ‘certificate of approval’ scheme last month. A Remedial Order under the Human Rights Act 1998 has been laid in Parliament to achieve this aim. The UK Border Agency issued the following announcement: At present, any migrant who is already in the UK and is subject to immigration control must apply for a certificate of approval before they can get married or register a civil partnership in this country (unless they are getting married within the Anglican Church). The government is now seeking to remedy the declaration by the UK courts that the scheme is incompatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (read with Article 12). Additionally, changes made following rulings from the courts have weakened the scheme, and it is no longer an effective method of preventing sham marriage. Do I still need to apply for a certificate of approval if I want to get married or register a civil partnership? Yes, if you are subject to immigration control. The certificate of approval scheme remains in operation until the Remedial Order comes into force. Applicants will need to follow the current process until further notice.

We expect the scheme to end in late 2010 or early 2011, subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. We do not know how long it will take for the process of parliamentary scrutiny to be completed. When we know the exact date for the abolition of the scheme, we will announce it on this website. Can I still apply for a repayment of my certificate of approval fee? Yes. Since 31 July 2009, migrants who applied for a certificate of approval between 2005 and 2009 have been able to apply for their fee to be repaid. They must show that paying the fee caused them real financial hardship at the time of payment. The formal repayment scheme comes to an end on 31 July 2010. This date has been advertised since the start of the repayment scheme. All requests for repayment received by 31 July 2010 will be processed under the terms of the scheme. After 31 July 2010, any enquiries about the repayment of the fee should be addressed to:

UK Border Agency,
COA Repayment Scheme,
NCC1,
Lunar House (9th floor),
40 Wellesley Road,
Croydon
CR9 2BY

When the scheme is abolished, will I still need to give notice of my marriage or civil partnership in a designated register office? Yes. The requirement to give notice in a designated register office is not affected by the proposed abolition of the certificate of approval scheme. The requirement will remain in force when the scheme is abolished. Source: UK Border Agency.

Friends and family gathered at the all saints cathedral in Nairobi for a memorial service for the late Mburu Kirieini, son of Jeremiah Kirieini the former Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet and Muringo Kiereini, Former Chief Nursing Officer of Kenya. 37 year old Mburu Kiereini who passed away on the 13th of August this year was described as a man of integrity, industrious and a great sports fan. - VIDEO

Nairobi, Friday 20th August, 2010. The price war in the mobile telephony sector took a new twist Friday as service provider Yu lowered its calling rates. Under the new rates Yu subscribers can call other networks at 5 cents per second and send SMS to other subscribers within the network at 50 cents per text message. The move comes two days after Zain lowered its calling rates to three shillings to all networks, a move which did not go down well with its major rival Safaricom though it is in line with a Communication Commission of Kenya's (CCK) directive that mobile service providers lower their calling rates by 50%. Safaricom says Zain should have issued a seven day notice before taking the step. On the other hand, Zain accused Safaricom of jamming its calls to the network, a claim the latter denied, blaming the failure by Zain subscribers to complete their calls on Zain's systems. Under the new rates launched Friday by Yu, subscribers can also make calls to 5 friends or family at 2 cents per second. "Our strategy is to be the best value provider for telecom services in Kenya and we stand by it. The lowering of interconnect charges by the CCK is a welcome move and we have made the decision to pass this benefit to our subscribers by lowering our calling and short message service (SMS) charges", said Atul Chaturvedi, ETKL, Country Manager.

Yu subscribers can now call for 5 cents per second across all networks and 2 cents per minute to five friends

Yu customers can also enjoy data bundles of unlimited daily and monthly offers of Ksh 99 and Ksh 999 respectively. The price of a Yu modem is Ksh 1,799. The war in the mobile telephony sector may ultimately be of benefit to Kenyans who have been paying relatively higher prices than other subscribers in the region. Zain which was recently bought by India's Bharti Airtel seems to be betting on the model that people talk more when calls are cheap, an ideology employed to capture the Indian market which the company hopes to introduce to Africa. What this means is that Bharti aims at long term profits than short term returns. On the other hand Safaricom works on a strategy known as clubbing where since it enjoys the largest market share, it makes it cheaper for its customers within the network to call while call rates to other networks remain high. For its mobile money transfer M-PESA, Safaricom charges 25 shillings to its registered users while non registered subscribers are charged 75 shillings. The eyes are now on Safaricom to see whether they will swallow the bait and lower calling charges or remain adamant at the risk of losing customers.

TrippleEM is a new Kenyan Food Joint Operating from Roman Way 93 Tomlinson Avenue Luton LU4 0QL. We are open every Saturday from 6pm to 3am and Sunday (family day) from 2pm till late. We specialize in Nyama Choma, Fish, Mukimo, Ugali, Kachumbari and in addition; kids menu.

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Get down to some fantastic local Kenya music, Old & New Skool as you quench your thirst with a cold TUSKER.

For more information contact Joe 07960609644 or Tash 07946303093

Dont hear about it. Be about it. Have A Rib As You Dance To The Beat!!

Kenya bread price skyrockets

Volatility in the global wheat sector has pushed Kenyans consumers to the edge as the price of bread continues to skyrocket. Bread is the main breakfast meal for a majority of Kenyans but as matters stand now, this might not be for long. The hens might just be coming home to roost and soon, bread may be out of reach of many Kenyans. Early in the week, the International Food Research Policy Institute (IFPRI) raised concerns that drought and wildfires in Russia, which is the largest suppliers of wheat in the world could have a spiral effect on the production of the cereal globally and sending out a warning that the prices of wheat based products could assume an upward trend. In his 2010/2011 Budget proposal to parliament in June, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta proposed the lowering of duty on imported wheat from 35 percent to 10 percent, to conform with what is charged by member states of the East African Community. This was also in anticipation of a shortfall in wheat stocks in the country. But even as the government took the measure, the ministry of agriculture projected a bumper harvest of wheat by farmers in Narok. The Ministry projected that farmers in the region could harvest close to 27 bags of 90 kilos each per acre during the season, compared to 10 bags realised previously. Kenya has close to 100,000 hectares under wheat cultivation producing 30 per cent of its annual requirement and importing the rest mostly from Egypt and Mauritius under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) to meet its shortfall. Official figures indicate that Kenya had the second highest wheat import bill after Tanzania, which received about 813,000 tonnes. Whereas the consumers lauded the move by the minister to lower duty on wheat that could have led to lower cost of bread and other wheat products, this has been short lived as the last three days have seen the price of bread shoot up by three shillings for a 400 grams loaf. The debilitating drought and wildfires in Russia, the main producer of wheat and a ban on wheat exports by Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin are the latest developments in the global market that have complicated matters further. Russia took the move following unanticipated lower output in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Canada. Russia produces about eight per cent of the global wheat supply. The International Food Policy Research Institute estimates the projected loss of crop at 1.6 per cent of the global wheat supply. Researchers at IFPRI have been examining the issue to determine if there is in fact cause for serious concern. Their analysis indicates that price volatility has been within the normal range, future prices reflect normal market adjustments, and global wheat supplies are secure but the rising cost of bread in the country could serve to disabuse this notion.

It is called the power of the WORD. I mean the power of the Word of God. From stealing from one shop to another in early 1990s in London, from one drug to another the man is now going from Continent to Continent. Last month of July he was in USA, Canada and South America. Now he is Maasailand, Kenya with several crusades in Kenya before coming back to UK in October for a crusade and off to Italy for a crusade on 3rd of December. Last weekend he held a very successful crusade in Maasailand where he donated foodstuffs to the community after distributing the word to them. Pastor Joseph Njuguna Chege well known as Man of God from Nottingham, UK..... a man on the move. More later. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

London, Friday 20th August, 2010. People dependent on drugs and alcohol who refuse treatment could have their welfare benefits withdrawn under plans being considered by the Home Office. The idea is in a consultation paper on the government's drug strategy for England, Wales and Scotland. The proposals also suggest that addicts on benefits should not be required to seek work while receiving treatment. Some experts have suggested that withdrawing benefits could lead addicts into crime and prostitution. The Labour government intended to carry out pilot schemes this year to get drug users into work. Under the plans, addicts who failed to attend a treatment awareness programme would lose welfare benefits.

However, in May the Social Security Advisory Committee - an independent statutory body - said withdrawing benefits from drug users would lead them into crime and prostitution. The coalition government scrapped the pilot programme - but the Home Office has now revived the idea. It asks for views on whether there should be some form of "financial benefit sanction" for claimants who do not take action to address their drug or alcohol dependency. Martin Barnes, chief executive of charity DrugScope, said he "seriously questioned" whether linking benefit sanctions to a requirement to undergo medical treatment was fair and effective. He told the BBC's Radio 4's Today programme there was no evidence that such an approach would for work for a "particularly vulnerable and marginalised group". "Also, we have to bear in mind that under the principles that are enshrined in the NHS Constitution, medical intervention should be therapeutic, consensual, confidential - and I just don't see that's compatible with using the benefits system to require people to undergo a complex form of drug treatment intervention," he added.

Simon Antrobus, chief executive of Addaction, said getting more people into drug treatment was "always a good thing, but attempting to force them into that process by taking away their benefits would be a mistake". "The people Addaction help will tell you how coming off drugs is extremely difficult, and how deciding to access treatment took them a very long time. "Remove financial stability during that time, and you can severely damage someone's chances of beating an addiction. More likely, you could increase their chances of turning to crime to find an alternative income," he said. A Home Office spokesperson said the government would "carefully consider" responses, but it was "determined to prevent drug use and strengthen enforcement against supply". "That's why we are asking experts for their views on a range of issues including whether we should strengthen the link between benefits, and drug and alcohol use, so that users are strongly encouraged to address their dependency," he said. The Home Office has also confirmed plans to give ministers the power to ban new substance for a year until they have been properly assessed in a bid to combat so-called "legal highs". Minister for Crime Prevention James Brokenshire said: "The drugs market is changing and we need to adapt current laws to allow us to act more quickly. "The temporary ban allows us to act straight away to stop new substances gaining a foothold in the market and help us tackle unscrupulous drug dealers trying to get round the law by peddling dangerous chemicals to young people."

It was time for baptism at Interdenominational World Revival Ministries (IWRM) church in East London on Sunday 15th August, 2010 when several worshippers were joined by family and friends for their baptism. The ceremony took place at Memorial Baptist Church, 395 Barking Road as from 7.00 p.m. The ceremony was conducted by the pastors of that church Pastor Boniface Mbugua and Pastor Peter Wangaruro. After baptism the candidates were given a certificate. Seen above on right is Mr. Richard Kangethe making his final smile before he is emerged into water by Pastor Boniface (red) and Pastor Peter on right. On the right photo the candidates posing together with their pastors after being presented with their certificates. If you have been baptised in water and you would like to be baptised please call pastor Boniface on 07826854898 or visit http://www.iwrm.co.uk

The case in which a Kenyan voter is seeking to have the promulgation of the new constitution postponed failed to kick off Friday 20th August, 2010 after the Attorney General and the Interim Independent Electoral Commission told the court that they were not ready to proceed with the matter. Mary Ariviza who was a church agent at Muthangari Polling Station on Thursday filed a case seeking to stop the promulgation of the new constitution. She wants the much awaited for ceremony be put on claiming the publication of the results of the referendum in the Kenya gazette on August 6 was not done according to the law. According to Ariviza , the notice purports to be a certificate of results of the referendum yet it does not conform to the schedule of referendum regulations. Kenyans overwhelmingly voted for the new law on August 4 and it will be promulgated on August 27 by the President at a public function at Uhuru Park.

The war of words between Kenya's largest mobile operators escalated Thursday with Safaricom rubbishing claims that it was jamming calls coming from the Zain network. Safaricom says Zain should blame itself for not upgrading its systems before cutting its call rates on Wednesday. Zain had complained to the Communication Commission of Kenya alleging that Safaricom was jamming calls from Zain to its network. Zain asked the regulator to stop Safaricom from "abusing dominance" by offering only limited capacity for cross network calls coming from its network.CCK director general Charles Njoroge confirmed that the regulator had received complains from Zain Kenya and the commission was looking into the matter.In a statement to newsrooms Safaricom alleged that under the current agreement between the two operators they are supposed to notify each other about any impending capacity increase seven days beforehand. The statement says Zain notified Safaricom about the impending capacity increase only on Wednesday night leaving Safaricom at a loss. On Wednesday Zain slashed its off-net calls by fifty percent resulting to a huge volume of traffic on other networks especially Safaricom.

Place of Worship: Victoria Road Congregational Church, Northampton Cyril Street NN1 5ED. Cyril Street can be approached from Billing Road Next to Northampton General Hospital A&E dept. The Church is between Victoria Road and Cyril Street and the entrance is on Cyril Street, Off Billing Road.

You are welcome to worship with us every Sunday, it is for Freedom that Christ died for us all.

Family and friends of Pastor Ann Wanjiru Kiruthi well known as Mama Kiruthi joined hands together on Sunday 15th August, 2010 in London to celebrate her 64th birthday. Mama Kiruthi who lives adjacent to West Ham Football Stadium took time to thank God for giving her all these years with a clean bill of body health. She is seen above cutting her 64th birthday. She is the one who made the statement below in a wedding on Saturday.

"Riu gûtirî Ndiboci (divorce), mûtumia tene aroigaga atî ndaramaka tondû nî ekûheo nyûmba na gachai nî thirikari ya Cameroun (Cameron), rîu mûndû nîarûmie mûthuri wake tondo gachai nî karathira na kwî-ikaria no hinya wîna twana." - Pastor Ann Kiruthi well known as Mama Kiruthi speaking in a wedding in London on Saturday 14th August, 2010. MEANING: "No divorce this time in UK, take care of husband because previously the ladies used not to care about their husbands but now things have changed. No more social benefits in this government of Cameroun (Cameron). Take care of your husbands because now it will be very difficult to bring up the children alone."

Mobile phone users are set for a tariff cut bonanza as rival mobile service providers seek to undercut each other to gain market share. Essar Telecom’s Yu has rained on Zain’s parade by matching its new Sh3 per minute tariff on cross-network calls. Subscribers on Essar’s yu network can now call other networks at five cents per second, which adds up to Sh3 per minute in real terms. They will also enjoy SMS at 50 cents only. This leaves Safaricom and Orange Telkom as the most expensive service providers when it comes to cross-network calls. But even as Essar was plotting yu’s fightback, the rivalry between Kenya’s two biggest mobile services firms took an ugly turn, with Zain accusing its main competitor Safaricom of sabotage. Zain alleges the market leader is frustrating Zain subscribers making calls to the Safaricom network, and has filed a complaint with the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK). On Wednesday, Zain launched a battle to win over Safaricom subscribers by introducing the lowest call tariffs by any player to rival networks. In a strongly worded statement, Zain referred to its rival as a "monopoly" and claimed its dominance of the retail and voice market should be probed. CCK confirmed it had received the complaints, which it was investigating, and would issue a statement later. But Safaricom, which did not take kindly to the accusation, said the problems experienced by Zain subscribers trying to access its network were due to Zain’s failure to observe industry procedures operators adhere to when increasing their inter-connect capacity. It accused Zain of employing ambush tactics and termed the allegations "premature". Outgoing Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph referred to the inter-connect pact between the two firms that dates back to the days Zain was known as KenCell. "The inter-connect agreement provides for a minimum notice period of seven working days before a request for increased capacity can be effected. Zain’s formal request was received by us last night (Wednesday) and we were in the process of processing it alongside other capacity requests received on the day," he said. "We are quite surprised by the claims made by Zain that we are trying to stifle the delivery of their traffic to our network. These claims are quite insincere," added Joseph. Zain’s Managing Director Rene Meza sought CCK’s intervention, saying its subscribers were experiencing congestion and call set up issues only when they called Safaricom, and not other networks. But Joseph said: "Under the agreement, the inter-connect pipe belongs to them. They should have upgraded it long before yesterday to accommodate their changed tariff plan."

These city residents turned up at a Zain Customer Centre to buy SIM cards following tariff cuts.

In its hard-hitting complaint to CCK, Meza reckoned that because Safaricom has been offering limited capacity for cross network calls from the Zain network, it resulted in congestion for Zain to Safaricom calls. The firm said traffic on its network rose after it cut cross-network calling rates, but Safaricom failed to increase capacity to accommodate incoming calls from Zain’s network, despite an earlier request. "We have received the complaint this morning from the operator (Zain) and we will investigate to determine the facts before acting accordingly... We, however, understand that there could be challenges when the patterns of traffic is changing," said CCK Director General Charles Njoroge. The accusation signals an impending battle among players in the mobile telephony business, with pricing wars already in motion after the Bharti Airtel-owned operator cut call tariffs to other networks by 50 per cent on Wednesday. The battle for market share entered a fresh chapter after Zain fired a fresh salvo by boosting incentives to its call charges. Zain introduced larger incentives on calls within its network, and across rival networks besides its SMS service, hoping to prove that a strategy of aggressive discounting can deliver higher market share and bigger profits. The firm slashed cross-network call tariffs to Sh3 from Sh6 and other players are expected to follow suit, after CCK brought down interconnection rates to Sh2.21 from 4.42. Meza alleged its subscribers started experiencing network problems almost immediately, because Safaricom delayed the capacity increase request to accommodate the incremental traffic coming after the launch of the new offer in the market. Zain said it had earlier anticipated increase in traffic to other networks prior to the launch of its new price offering, but had not received any commitment from Safaricom. "We requested Safaricom to reconfigure the points of interconnection to accommodate increased traffic going from Zain to Safaricom." "We simply requested for a swap out of some circuits from the Safaricom to Zain link, to the Zain to Safaricom link. In our experience such a request can be accommodated in a matter of minutes and at no cost. Much to our surprise, we could not get a commitment as to when the configuration would take place." The firm further accused Safaricom of being anti competitive saying it had employed its market leadership position to stifle other operators from competing effectively. It further called on CCK to invoke laws and declare Safaricom a dominant operator in order to check against anti-competition tendencies. - The Standard.

Hundreds of people have died in northwestern Pakistan after floods triggered by monsoon rains swept through the region. More than a million people have been affected and thousands forced to flee their homes as bloated rivers washed away villages and triggered devastating landslides. Rescue operations are under way to save the stranded, but submerged roads and destroyed infrastructure are proving to be major obstacles. Al Jazeera's Sohail Rahman reports from Islamabad, Pakistan's capital.

The sodium and chloride in table salt are physically bonded in such a way that our digestive system and our liver cannot break them down. Thus our bodies cannot access the sodium or the chlorine. The body’s only option is to attempt to eliminate the unusable substance. The portion that is excreted exits the body as sodium chloride, which is evidence that the body does not break down and use this compound. When we take in more of any substance than the body can eliminate, it has to store the substance. When salt can’t be excreted, it is deposited in the body, causing the cells to contract and discharge their vital fluids. With the fluids goes all the vital components that the cell needs, including other minerals. This results in dehydration of the cells, hardening of the tissues, degeneration of the organs, and even cancer.

The senior pastor of St Steven's Church in Lowell (MA) USA , Rev Samuel Ngige Kimohu and his wife Mrs Margaret Ngige held their 26th wedding anniversary on 31st July 2010 in Lowell. Avery colourful and well attended wedding especially by members of the clergy. Rev and Mrs Kimohu have three children Mary, Kelvin and Veronica . Mary has just finished her nursing degree while the rest are working hard in the colleges. They were all in the bridal team. Asked to comment Bishop Muya who was in attendance said .This is a good example especially at times when most of the marriages are at stake. Rev Kimohu is walking the walk and talking the talk as he leads from the front concluded the Bishop. - MORE PHOTOS

Two nine-year-olds have become the youngest twins to achieve A grades in advanced A-level maths. State school-educated Peter and Paula Imafidon (Nigerian), who live in east London, triumphed in the exam, usually sat by the most capable 17 and 18 year olds. After receiving his results, Peter voiced his disappointment at not getting an A* grade. He said: "I scored full marks during the practice exams. I guess it's the last few questions that let me down." Paula said: "I am very happy with the grade because I thought my calculator was broken at the beginning of the paper. "I managed to use my head until it started working again." Paula says she hopes to become a maths teacher. But the number Peter is aiming for is 10 - he wants to become prime minister and take up residence in Downing Street. Father Chris said: "There is a genius in every child, no matter the postcode. "It does not matter the social class or background - every child will perform to their best ability and talent if given the right environment."

One in 12 A-level exams (8%) has been awarded the new A* grade as pupils scored another record-breaking year of results. Some 27% of entries gained an A or A* and the overall pass rate rose for the 28th year, amid a record battle for university places. This is the most competitive year for university admissions for a decade, Ucas says. Some 660,000 students have applied to university. In 2009 just 482,000 students got places. More places are on offer this year, but the numbers are capped and universities face fines for over-recruiting. The pass rate for A-levels rose for the 28th year in a row, with 97.6% of entries gaining an E or above, up from 97.5% in 2009. Hundreds of thousands of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are getting the results of their A-levels and AS-levels. The A* was introduced this year to stretch the brightest students and help universities differentiate between the best candidates. To get one, a student has to score an A overall, plus at least 90% in each paper in the second year of the course. Research from exams regulator Ofqual had predicted that 7% of students would get an A*. Candidates from comprehensive schools, which are responsible for 43% of A-level entries, gained 30% of the A* grades awarded. Further education and sixth-form colleges, which enter 30% of candidates, saw students receive a fifth (20%) of A*s awarded.

The highest percentage of A*s was awarded in further maths at 29.9%. The lowest was in media, film and TV studies at 1.8%. Across the subjects, science has seen a resurgence this year with biology entries up 4.3%, chemistry up 3.7% and physics up by 5.2%. The numbers taking maths continued to rise with an extra 4,526 entries, and an extra 1,209 for further maths. But modern foreign language entries continue to fall, with the numbers entering for French down 3.4% and German down 3.8%. Going against the trend is Spanish, which has seen a 4% increase. The results show that traditional subjects remain firm favourites with students, with English, maths, biology and history - as well as psychology - the most popular choices this year. But despite record successes, many candidates face disappointment over university places. Applications this year are already up by 12% on last year's record level, with the numbers bolstered by those re-applying after not securing a place last year. Many universities have warned that they will have far fewer, if any, places available through "clearing" than usual. Universities minister David Willetts said there were 18,000 courses with places available in clearing this year. Last year almost 48,000 students found places through this system, which matches available university places to students who did not get the grades they needed for their first choices. University admissions service Ucas says competition for places is intense. Chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "Thousands of applicants whose places have been confirmed today deserve congratulations for this achievement in perhaps the most competitive year for HE admissions in the last 10 years." She said the body had now processed all A-level results and that more than 8,000 more students had been placed on courses in the UK than at the same time last year. A record 379,411 applicants had already been accepted into university or college. But another 180,00 students (26.8% of total applicants) are eligible for clearing, Ucas says. This is because they either have not got the grades they needed for their chosen courses, had no offers to start with or applied late. At this point last year, about 135,000 were in this position - 22.2% of the total applicants.

National Union of Students president Aaron Porter said: "With youth unemployment pushing one million, savage education funding cuts and arbitrary limits on places, the government is at risk of imposing poverty of opportunity on a generation of young people facing a very uncertain future."Universities Minister David Willetts congratulated students on their results and said that those who did not get the offer of a university place had other good options."It is a very exciting time for all those who receive their results today and I congratulate everyone on their hard work and hope they got the results they need to fulfil their aspirations. "There are more university places than ever before and already 380,000 applicants have got confirmed places at university. For those who have sadly not done as well they hoped, there are places available in clearing. "Of course, university is not the only route into well-paid and fulfilling work. That is why we are also investing so much in Further Education and 50,000 extra high-quality apprenticeships." Scottish students received the results of their Highers and Standard Grade exams earlier this month. The overall pass rate for Highers was up slightly - to 74.6% - creating a new record. A small number of students in Scotland opt to study A-levels. Half of Scotland's universities have already said their courses are full.

In pictures: Pakistan's flood crisis

The UN says at least 1,600 Pakistani people have died and nearly 14 million have been affected by the "worst monsoon-related floods in living memory", which have engulfed entire towns. It has launched an appeal for $459m (£290m) of emergency aid.

There has been a lot of talk lately about salt, even among rawfood gurus. It seems everyone is promoting one “healthy salt” or another—Miracle Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, and Himalayan Crystal Salt, to name a few. Unfortunately, I don’t see anyone telling the truth about salt. Rather, they regurgitate the “facts” from the company’s marketing literature, in spite of copious scientific research to the contrary.

Let’s begin by delving into some facts about regular table salt, or sodium chloride. Then we’ll investigate just how different these “healthy salts” really are. No doubt you’ve heard that salt is essential for life. Actually, what our bodies need are the two components of table salt—sodium and chloride. First we need to distinguish chlorine from chloride. And which one does the body need? www.ionichs.com/research/chlorine-chloride.pdf: states “chloride is absolutely essential to the survival of cells in the human body and to human health in general. This is not the case with chlorine, which at certain levels can lead to serious health problems. AND, according to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, chloride is essential in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance, and is a necessary component of gastric juice. (NAS, page 257)”

Sodium stabilizes water balance in our bodies, plays an intricate role in nervous system function, and is a component of several chemicals in our bodies, such as our gastric juices. Natural sodium occurs in many vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, and especially celery.

Chloride helps heart function, is of key importance in maintaining the body’s acid-alkaline balance, and aids in digestion and elimination. Chloride is found in the same three items, lettuce, tomatoes and celery. Though it is not bound with sodium.

Unfortunately, table salt contains ingredients other than sodium and chlorine—aluminum, for one. Two of the most common anticaking agents used in salt production are sodium alumino-silicate and alumino-calcium silicate. Aluminum is a toxic metal that has been linked to Alzheimer's disease and in any case has no place in a healthy diet.

When we take in more of any substance than the body can eliminate, it has to store the substance. When salt can’t be excreted, it is deposited in the body, causing the cells to contract and discharge their vital fluids. With the fluids goes all the vital components that the cell needs, including other minerals. This results in dehydration of the cells, hardening of the tissues, degeneration of the organs, and even cancer.

The Bad News
Historically, salt was used as a food preservative and an embalming agent. It is well known that salt kills bacteria that eat food. Unfortunately, in the same way, salt destroys the body’s cells as well. Those who live in snowy regions know that salting the roads to melt the snow corrodes metals. The chloride in salt has an affinity for hydrogen ions, making corrosive, carcinogenic hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid is used in the stomach but, when HCL is made outside of the digestive system it can eat away at everything it touches. Salt will tie to hydrogen ion out side of the stomach.

In a December 2002 article entitled in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , we see how salt creates urinary nitrogen and calcium loss and erodes muscle and bone. The July 2003 issue of Acupuncture Today states, “Salt induced chloride acidosis has been found to cause irritability, hyperactivity and insomnia…”. This means that the body is stimulated and irritated by poisons. “Excessive salt consumption is associated with stomach cancer, and chloride acid reflux into the esophagus initiates esophageal cancer. Systemic acidity is probably carcinogenic in other tissues.” A January 7, 2004 report of the National Cancer Center Research Institute at Kashiwa, Japan entitled “Salt and Stomach Cancer” again confirms this, stating that salt elevates—even doubles—the incidence of stomach cancer.

The Nei Jing, an ancient Chinese medical text, states, “too much salty taste can weaken the bones and cause contracture and atrophy of the muscles, as well as stagnate the heart qi.” Other maladies associated with salt consumption include premenstrual syndrome, gout, and psychological disorders.

Salt affects the arteries, compressing them and elevating blood pressure (American Society of Hypertension study, “Salt Reduction and Hypertension,” F. Sacks, Harvard University. May, 2000.) Hypertension is involved in heart attacks and strokes, otherwise known as cardiovascular disease, the number one terminal disease in Western civilization. Even back in 1977, the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human needs recommended reduction of salt intake for the average American.

Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says in Federal Regulations, section 101.74, part 3 “Sodium intakes exceed recommended levels in almost every group in the United States. One of the major public health recommendations relative to high blood pressure is to decrease consumption of salt. On a population-wide basis, we see again and again, reducing the average blood pressure reduces mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke.

In the August, 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association, the article “Using Diet to Lower Your Blood Pressure” recommended not only putting the salt shaker away but eating more fruits and vegetables. I agree with Dr. Kotchen, the article’s author, on this.

What's Natural About It?
Like cigarette smoke, we know that eating salt damages our bodies. Yet most of us still consume it. Similarly, at some level all Americans have to know that they’re deluding themselves when they imagine that a high-fat diet doesn’t hurt…yet thousands have jumped on the Atkins train. Are we addicted or what?

As is the case with many poisons that enter into our bodies, salt does not kill us right away. But we become addicted to salt, which lowers our defenses so that we not only endure the detrimental addictive substance but we come to demand more and more of it.

Animals in nature do not consume salt; domestic cows and other animals are taught to eat it. Humans are the only primates who eat salt. The question arises about salt licks, as Dr. Shelton speaks in his book The Art and Science of Nutrition, that domestic animals are fed salt to increase water weight and that wild animals do not flock to sources of salt.

It is said that salt is in our blood. Well, yes…it is. But it has existed in human blood only since we started eating it—some 8,000 years ago, according to historians. 8,000 years is a relatively short time in human history; for 99% of the time humans have inhabited the planet, we thrived without salt. And, our intake of salt has doubled in the last 50 years. Anthropology has found no sodium-chloride deposits in early bones of human remains, though you can find it in most anyone of western civilization today. Once humans began cooking food and discarding the water in which they cooked it—along with most of its minerals and nutrients—we were left craving minerals. Table salt can be a quick mineral replacement. But the question is, does it add up?

People say that salt makes food taste better. In truth, salt irritates our taste buds, actually killing many cells on the tongue. The effect is much like burning or scraping some skin off our hands in pursuit of a more sensitive touch. On the Oregon State University Student Health Services Web site, we find this quote: “Unlike the sweet sensation we are born to appreciate, salt sensation is acquired. Only through ‘practice’ consuming salty foods do people develop a taste for it.” Others claim that salt aids digestion. In reality, salt inhibits absorption through intestinal membranes. Albuminuria, a presence of protein in the urine, occurs when all of the components of blood are expeditiously possessed by the kidneys, taking out needed nutrients in the blood with the poisons. This disturbs water balance in the body causing dehydration, causing low gastric juices which affect digestion.

Imagine placing salt in an open wound (no, I do not suggest doing this) it will burn. Though some promoters of salt will tell you that it helps to heal the wound, we find that it actually pushes the body to heal the wound faster because there is a poison as well as a wound. Poisons in a laceration only causes more scaring, due to the rushed work the body has to do to secure that contaminates stay out.

The more salt we consume, the more we destroy and deteriorate our cells. In edema, the circulatory system keeps more fluid with the blood to keep the salt in the blood away from the cells. Diabetics who lower their salt intake also have lower glucose readings and need less insulin (Diabetes, March 2001).

In ancient Japan, the Samurai committed hari-kari to eliminate dishonor. Many of us have read how they stabbed themselves with a knife in this ritual suicide. There were other ways; one of them was a long and agonizing death, for those with the greatest dishonor. It was to take a sack of sea salt, just less than a pound, and a small amount of water, around a liter, and to consume both as quickly as possible. The result was destruction of the body from the inside, as well as dehydration. Death was not instantaneous, but by the next morning it was sure. Navy and maritime personnel all over the world are told not to drink sea water if they survive a shipwreck and are left without drinking water, because drinking sea water causes death by dehydration.

So here it is, salt is a deadly poison and not something your body can use. Even small amounts do some damage to your cells and can be stored in the body, making the body more toxic each time you consume salt. Salt is not a food, even in small amounts. This also applies to everything else we consume, poisons affect our bodies and when we get more in then what we can get rid of, it will accumulate and do more damage.

Organic Versus Inorganic Minerals
Minerals (like sodium) are best taken in plant form. In fact it is the only source of minerals our body can truly use. Plant-derived minerals are termed “organic” minerals, whereas the minerals in dirt are called “inorganic.” Many differences exist between these two kinds of minerals. real issue is which kinds of minerals the body can absorb and use, some tout colloidal minerals, others talk about ionic minerals, mostly it is just something to sell you on a product.

Many factors contribute to proper absorption and utilization of minerals. Three important ones are organic acids, phytochelatins, and metallothioneins fundamental elements found in plants with minerals, but not in powders. Colloidal liquids sold in stores also lack some of the plant materials that you need for optimum absorption and utilization. Perhaps most important, minerals in dirt can have larger molecules than do those same minerals found in plants. Our cells absorb minerals of a smaller molecular size much more easily. Here are three resources on the topic of mineral bioavailability: * Biochemical Society Transactions, “Bioavailability of Dietary Minerals,” 1996. * Bioavailability: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Interactions, EPA/600/A-94/199. J.L. Hamelink, P.F. Landrum, H.L. Bergman, and W.H. Benson, Editors. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Pp. 5-22.

* Biorecovery 1, (81–126), “Terrestrial Higher Plants Which Hyperaccumulate Metallic Elements—A Review of Their Distribution, Ecology and Phytochemistry.” Baker, A. J. M., and Brooks, R. R. (1989).

The High Court has certified urgent a case seeking to stop the August 27 promulgation of new Constitution arguing the results were not published as per the law. The court case was filed by a polling agent seeking to block plans to bring into effect the new law, saying the referendum results were not published in accordance with the law. Ms Mary Ariviza who describes herself as a representative of church at both Muthangari and Westlands polling stations in the August 4 referendum is also seeking an order to nullify a gazette notice dated August 6, in which the results were published. And why? She says this particular gazette notice purports to be a certificate of results of referendum yet it does not conform to Schedule 2 of the referendum regulations. The provisions in the said schedule of the Constitution of Kenya Review regulations demand that the final referendum results be gazetted. The final result certificate ought to indicate in figures the total number of votes cast in support of the constitution, those cast against the constitution and it should be signed by the chairman of Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC). The certificate should also indicate whether or not the new Constitution has been ratified. According to Ms Ariviza, the notice that IIEC published is not valid as it did not give the results of referendum in the format provided for by law. Ms Ariviza filed her case before the High Court even though there is a special court mandated to hear matters relating to the constitution review process and the referendum. She asked the court to consider the urgency of the case and waive the requirement to give notice to registrar before filing her case. And after hearing her arguments High Court Judge Mr Justice Aggrey Muchelule certified the case as urgent and directed her to serve her suit papers on both the IIEC and the Attorney-General Amos Wako who have been sued as respondents. The judge further directed that the case comes up for hearing on Friday morning. - Daily Nation.

In a rare occurrence farmers in Gatimu village in Ol-Joro-Orok division, Cntral Province are counting losses after their crops were covered by a blanket of snow following heavy rains accompanied by hailstones. The rain that pounded the area Wednesday evening left a trail of destruction in its wake in the incident residents described as bizarre near the Lake Ol-Borosat forest in Nyandarua West district. The rain accompanied by a strong whirlwind and thunderstorms forced residents to flee their homes which were also covered by the snow. Several hectares of land are now covered by some 6 inches of ice which has destroyed crops. A resident Mr. Charles Gakobo is among those counting losses after his wheat crop was totally destroyed. "I have actually lost about 50 acres of wheat as a result of the rains. So far I have spent about half a million shillings for production and I don't know whether I will be able to recover even a fraction of the loss", he said. The farmers are now calling on the government to look for ways of cushioning against the loss. They say they need new seeds for re-planting even as they blame the meteorological department for failing to warn them over such an eventuality. This is the second time the area is experiencing such an occurrence after snow destroyed crops and property in nearby Gathanji area in September 2008. Kenya lies in the tropics which makes the occurence of snow something of a novelty except at the peak of Mount Kenya where its presence continues to attract tourists to the area to witness the strange occurrence.

Do you know that flamingos live in Lake Nakuru but does not breed from there. They breed in Lake Natron in Tanzania, Lake Elementaita near Gilgil and Lake Bogoria in Nakuru. On left is Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria. - VIDEO

London, Wednesday 18th August, 2010. Two 11-year-old boys have been given a three year supervision order for the attempted rape of an eight-year-old girl in a west London park. The girl was taken to hospital with stomach pains in October after telling her mother she was raped near her home. The boys, who were both 10 at the time and cannot be named, were each found guilty of two counts of attempted rape after an Old Bailey trial in May. The pair, who had denied all charges, were cleared of raping the girl. Defence barristers had said the boys had just been naughty or had been playing a game like doctors and nurses. Sentencing them, Mr Justice Saunders said he rejected this claim. He told them: "I do not accept that what happened was a game but I do accept that you did not realise how serious what you were doing was." Passing down the supervision order, the judge said that to impose any sort of custodial sentence would be "counter-productive" and not in the best interests of the boys. He added both boys would be ordered to sign the sex offenders register for two-and-a-half years. Their mothers, who were both given 12 month parenting orders, will be required to notify the authorities of their sons' whereabouts Speaking about the victim, the judge said: "Everyone will sympathise with her for what she has gone through. "Not only what happened to her as the victim of these offences, but also to have to give evidence about them. "I hope that she will be given all the help that she undoubtedly deserves to get over her experiences." During the trial, jurors heard how the boys had lured the girl into some flats, then took her into a stairwell, a lift and a bin shed before continuing their assault in a field. The girl, who gave evidence via videolink, said the pair threw her scooter into a bush and refused to retrieve it unless she did what they told her. The way the case was handled was later criticised by some commentators who called for changes in the way children are dealt with in criminal courts. Judge Mr Justice Saunders appeared to address commentators who argued the case should never have come to court, saying: "Can I urge everybody to remember that hindsight is a wonderful thing and what might seem perfectly obvious in retrospect may have appeared less obvious at the time." Maggie Atkinson, children's commissioner for England, said: "The judge has recognised the two boys were very young and sentenced them accordingly. "Children who do wrong must be made to face up to their actions in ways that are appropriate to their age and the severity of their crime."

Zain Kenya has surprised the market and thrown a major challenge to mobile phone services leader Safaricom by drastically slashing call charges for its subscribers to other networks. Bharti Airtel, which now owns Zain, appears keen on breaking the company’s history of tame marketing, and is using the reduction of inter-connectivity rates by the Communications Commission of Kenya to take Safaricom head-on, with the boldest advertising and predatory pricing ever seen in the local industry. Zain yesterday slashed tariffs on all calls by its prepaid and post-paid Subscribers to other networks to Sh3 per minute, and SMS to Sh1, mocking Safaricom’s slogan "the better option". A line in the adverts, written in Safaricom’s corporate colours, reads: "Going green is not always the better option," and "Going green is not always a great idea." Other players charge between Sh2.50 and Sh5 for SMS services. "The tariff is not an offer, but a value proposition, which will make mobile services affordable," said Rene Meza, Zain Kenya managing director. "We are leveraging on the economies of scale offered by our new shareholders to offer quality service to our customers," said Meza. Many Kenyans greeted the news with surprise and joy, and there were long queues at Zain shops in the city centre to confirm the changes. However, observers questioned whether the new rates were sustainable, and said profits across the industry would definitely take a beating.

The Zain move anticipated the unveiling by the Communications Commission of Kenya of new interconnection rates. And it is a bolder face of Zain; the company is keen to end its early association with the more moneyed corporate class — when it was known as KenCell. That history has been its Achilles heel for far too long. But now, with an aggressive owner in charge, the firm is placing all its cards on the table. According to Zain, the new offer is not a promotion, but permanent. Outgoing Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph had in the past said the company would not engage in price wars with the competition, because they were "unsustainable." Subscribers will now be watching to see what Safaricom, Kenya’s richest and most innovative company, does to counter the threat. They will also be hoping that Telkom and yu follow Zain’s lead, rather than wait for Safaricom’s reaction to its main rival. That would signal a tariff reduction bonanza that could chip away at Safaricom’s call Revenues. Bharti Airtel, the fifth largest telecommunications firm in the world, recently bought Zain and will be spending Sh24 billion in the next 18 months to re-position itself as a key player in the local scene. The move by Zain followed Monday’s announcement by Communications Commission of Kenya of new interconnection charges, which have been reduced to Sh2.12 from Sh4.72 effective September 1. The reduction is in line with recommendations of a UK-based consultancy firm, Analysys Mason—hired by CCK—which proposed gradual reduction of the rates and eventual scrapping off of the fees by 2014. In 2007, the fees stood at Sh6.4, in 2008 at Sh5.6 and Sh4.72 last year. High interconnection fees have in the past been blamed for expensive across-network calls, as it does not make economic sense to lower call charges below the interconnection fee.

The development officially places Zain ahead of Safaricom, yu (the network owned by Essar Telecom Kenya) and Orange Telkom as the cheapest mobile services provider in the country. Zain’s move is the latest in a continuum of price wars that started late last year, after Essar’s yu brand announced a Sh6 per minute flat voice charge across all networks. The decision by yu, which targets the mass market, has seen its subscriber numbers pass Orange Telkom in a matter of months despite Yu being the last to enter the Kenyan market. Currently, Orange in its ‘Niaje’ tariff charges Sh4 on calls made within its network and Sh8 to other networks. Safaricom has an intelligent billing system dubbed Supa Ongea, which calculates call charges based on the location, time and how busy the network is, before charging. It is now the most expensive network to call from or to other networks, despite having reduced its charges for calls to other networks to Sh12. Experts say Zain’s decision to lower its call rates is just the tip of an impending bruising battle for market share. "It is going to be a long, bruising battle for market share, especially with the rules on competition, number portability and infrastructure sharing coming into place," said Meza. And with the scaling upwards of its investment plans for Kenya, Zain intends to invest in a superior 3-G network, and 500,000 cell sites to ensure 90 per cent country coverage by year’s end. In addition, Zain will invest in re-engineering its distribution channels by doubling its outlets within the same time span. "We are going for the market leader position, especially now that we have a shareholder with whom we are in sync with," he said. - The Standard. - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

A colourful wedding took place on Saturday 14th August, 2010 between Michael Wanjiru of Essex (son of Mama Wambugu of Dagenham) and Juliet Saituru of Essex, UK. The wedding ceremony took place at CCBC Swahili Church in Barking IG11 7TR and a reception followed thereafter at Eastbury Comprehensive School, Hulse Avenue, Barking IG11 9UW. You can congratulate them through - Michael on 07852291534 or Juliet on 07970161745 or Mama Wambugu on 07983772410. Email - julietsaituru45@hotmail.com - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

Accept Your Friends Mistakes

Maybe you got hurt by somebody. Happens. Just accept it and deal with it. People are making mistakes and if you can accept that for yourself, accept it for your friends too. In the end, all you need from them is their love.

17th July 2010 was a big day for both the Seeds family and the Nakuru Widow. Family and friends joined the Seeds family and Mrs. Catherine Kairu of Nottingham, UK who donated the plot to usher the Nakuru widow into her house in Pipeline, Nakuru, Kenya. It was "ndia na mahoya" - eating and praying as the guests - invited and uninvited streamed into the venue as early as 9.00 a.m. in order to secure a space at the compound. Young and old joined the ceremony which turned out to be a celebrations. After completing the house for the widow in June 2010 the Seeds family asked the lady to enter the house but she refused and explained that she will never enter the house until she is ushered in by the Seeds family. Family and friends helped us to furnish the house and the widowed lady was ushered in on 17th July 2010 where over 10 Kenyans living in the UK attended the ceremony. The guests of honour who officially opened the house was Mr. Douglas Karanja the Rift Valley AP Commandant who was the first person to contribute two lorries of sand to kick start the project on 28th September, last year. Among other guests at the ceremony was Mr. Ben Githae a popular gospel singer who brought a gas cooker to the lady, Mr. Seed and his wife Pastor Jane together with their daughter Margaret, Mr. Seed brothers and sisters, Mr. Seed mum and Uncles and Aunts. Miss Catherine Kairu from Nottingham and a team from Elburgon Church lead by Bishop Muya's wife. The widow gave a speech which made several guests to cry explaining that she has never been to the shop to buy her clothing for the last 18 years. More photos and story later.

Nguyai Family in US are need of your help after both the wife and the husband has been diagnosed with cancer. They need borne marrow and there no family member who is matching it. They need your help financially and even to give them born marrow. You can contact them through Mr. Kariuki Kimungu 001-6033209858 - VIDEO

Kenya’s Ambassador to US, Mr Elkanah Odembo presents his credentials to US President Barack Obama. Mr Odembo replaces, Mr Peter Ogego. Photo/COURTESY

US President Barack Obama has said Kenya plays an important role in the region and, therefore, its success both politically and economically is of utmost importance to the US. "Given Kenya’s importance in the region, its democracy and prosperity are of special concern to the US," he said. President Obama said the US has been supportive and frank about its concerns over the last two years, as Kenya worked toward implementing fundamental reforms necessary to put its democracy and future prosperity on a firmer footing. "The peaceful and credible August 4 national referendum was a historic landmark in that effort. On behalf of the American people, I congratulate the Kenyan Government, the Interim Independent Electoral Commission and Kenyans on their new Constitution. The US remains your committed friend and partner as you work to build on this important foundation," he said. Obama made these remarks when he received the new Kenyan ambassador to the US, Elkanah Odembo in the Oval Office at the White House, on Tuesday 17th August, 2010 Obama told Odembo: "I look forward to working with you to deepen the already close relations between our countries." Mr Odembo takes over from Rateng Oginga Ogego. Obama said Kenya and the US share a long history of friendship and partnership based on common values and mutual interests. Recalling his roots in Kenya, Obama said: "My deep personal connection to Kenya makes today’s ceremony especially meaningful to me." Speaking to The Standard in his office in Washington, DC soon after the ceremony, Odembo said: "The goodwill towards Kenya is overwhelming, and I’m going to exploit this to increase tourism and investment in Kenya. I feel privileged to be here at this particular time in our long relationship between the two countries." - The Standard.

The feuding between siblings of former Starehe MP and real estate magnate Gerishon Kirima has the ingredients of a soap opera. It is a story of distrust and betrayal that pits brother against brother and sister against sister. At the centre of it all is a Sh750 million real estate empire that 13 brothers and sisters are fighting over, together with their mothers and other close relations. And, even as Mr Kirima is being treated thousands of kilometres away in England, the story refuses to go away, with each fresh day unfolding a twist and turn. The stand-off is now said to have sucked in senior government officials — a Cabinet minister and a permanent secretary — who are said to be close to some parties. The simmering drama started last year, with two of Mr Kirima’s sons, Wanjau Kirima and Steve Kirima seeking different court orders. Wanjau was the first to go to court seeking to collect rent from property run by his father’s firm, Kirima and Sons Ltd, in which he said he was a shareholder. And as the case progressed he sought to withdraw the case, but his attempts to meet his father to settle the case out of court was allegedly thwarted by what he claimed to be third parties. The matter is now is expected to be heard in October. Steve was the second seek orders for his father to be examined by a doctor to confirm he was mentally fit to run the family estate. He alleged that his father was suffering from “senile dementia” and should not be solely in charge of family businesses. The case was however, dismissed. But the matter came to a head recently when a section of Mr Kirima’s children said they had been denied access to him.

They camped outside Mr Kirima’s Kitsuru residence overnight, then gained access to their father after what was said to be intervention from government officials. The old man was later whisked away to Nairobi Hospital following claims that he was ailing without medical attention; he was admitted before being flown abroad under controversial circumstances. This is said to have happened despite Mrs Teresia Kirima, the third wife, securing court orders demanding that she and her doctors be allowed access to him. On Wednesday, Mrs Alice Kirima, a daughter of Teresia, said she did not understand how her father left without his passport.“We have not been given a medical report about our father’s condition before being flown out and how he is now,” she said. Alice denied allegations her mother denied the other siblings access to her father, saying it was Mr Kirima demanded that his children who sued him had to withdraw the case first. The differences took a twist yesterday when Teresia, went to court seeking to control Mr Kirima’s multi-million estate. Teresiah feared “lives may be lost in property struggle and damage caused on her husband’s estate unless court intervenes.” On Tuesday, Mr Kirima’s children, mostly from the first and second wives went to the offices of Kirima and Sons Ltd, the firm managing his estate, demanding to be allowed access to the company’s book of accounts. Three of Mr Kirima’s children, Margaret, Stephen and Irene have recorded statements with police. The suit has been urgent and hearing set for August 24. On Wednesday Mr Kirima’s first born, Ms Maria Njeri Kirima, on claims that a minister intervened in the matter, said: “It is not true, they are just looking for sympathy and to divert attention.” Maria said she did not anything about the passport issue. On the medical report she said it was between a doctor and a patient. – Daily Nation

Prime Minister Raila Odinga flew out Tuesday night for a break in Italy as he recovers from an operation last month to relieve pressure on his brain. His office said late on Tuesday that the PM who has been busy since the last day of the referendum campaigns will return before the August 27 promulgation of a new constitution. The premier was advised by doctors to slow his pace of work as he convalesces. "The prime minister leaves the country later tonight for a brief holiday outside the country for a few days rest. The PM will be in Italy for about a week," Dennis Onyango, the prime minister's spokesman, said in a statement. Odinga's illness forced him to break off campaigning for the new law, which Kenyans endorsed in a peaceful referendum on August 4. On Monday, Odinga hosted a lavish cocktail party at his home to celebrate the "yes" vote where he dismissed alliance talks. He asked the political leadership in the country to stop the debate on 2012 succession to give the nation a chance to anchor the approved constitution

A court in Tanzania has sentenced a Kenyan accused of trying to sell an albino to 17 years in jail and a fine of more than Sh3million on Wednesday 18th August, 2010. The court sentenced Nathan Mutei after he pleaded guilty to human trafficking. In litigation, he pleaded for court lenience saying he was the sole bread winner of his family. Police said they arrested Mutei in a sting operation as he tried to sell an albino fellow Kenyan for the equivalent of more than 33 million shillings. Albino body parts are prized in parts of Africa, with witch-doctors claiming they have special powers. The albino, Robinson Mkwama, is being escorted home to Kenya with a police guard, the BBC's Eric Nampesya reports from Tanzania. Mutei, 28, was arrested just outside the town of Mwanza. In the sting operation, which was announced on Tuesday, police pretended to be businessmen buying albino body parts. The regional police commander, Simon Siro, told the BBC that Mr Mutei had tricked Mr Mkwama, 20, into believing he would secure a job in Tanzania as a lorry driver's assistant. In Tanzania, the body parts of people living with albinism are used by witch-doctors for potions which they tell clients will help make them rich or healthy. Dozens of albinos have been killed, and the killings have spread to neighbouring Burundi. Tanzanian authorities have promised to crack down on albino traffickers, and several people have been sentenced to death in connection with killings.

A court in Tanzania has sentenced a Kenyan accused of trying to sell an albino man to 17 years in jail and a fine of more than Sh3million. Nathan Mutei pleaded guilty to human trafficking. Albino body parts are prized in parts of Africa, with witch-doctors claiming they have special powers.

The government Wednesday suffered yet another litigation setback after the East Africa Court of Justice awarded over 160 million shillings to two cabinet ministers and nine others following a successful petition. In the case, Medical Services minister Anyang' Nyong'o and Labor Minister John Munyes had sued the government over its failure to nominate them to the East African Legislative Assembly in 2006. In a landmark judgment, the court has ordered the government, through Attorney-General Amos Wako to pay 2 million dollars an amount equivalent to 160 million shillings to the ministers and nine other politicians. In 2006, ministers Nyong'o, Munyes and nine other leaders drawn from various political parties under the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) had filed an application challenging the nomination of Kenyan representatives to East African Assembly. In its ruling, the court declared that the Kenyan National Assembly contravened the law by nominating the members instead of electing them. Through Mutula and Company Advocates, the applicants demanded 440 million shillings as legal costs but their claim was slashed, with the court awarding them 160 million shillings. This is the third time the government has been ordered to pay a colossal amount of money for litigation. Earlier this year, a court awarded lawyer Ken Kiplagat 600 million shillings for representing the government at the International Court while Nyayo torture victims were awarded 36 million shillings. This is the first time since its inception nine years ago, the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) is conducting its proceedings in Kenya.

Tarantula (spider) legs, fried worms and ants were on the menu today as housemates - unpredictably - chose to eat them for lunch. The shopping task this week required housemates to do the unexpected. And Bob Righter gave housemates the option to either eat an omelette using Bombay mix, baked beans and cheese - a recipe from the Don't Come Dine With Me task - or a dish of their choice sprinkled with bugs. The housemates decided to choose the insect-filled option. Dave, the nominated chef, decided to cook egg and beans on toast with barbecue-flavoured giant ants, fried worms, Thai green curry crickets and oven-baked tarantulas on top. Sam joked to Dave: "Waiter, there is an ant in my food!" Mario said: "I like insects so this task isn't too bad for me. I've always wanted to try eating insects." And Dave said: "It was a lot better than Rachel's omelette, that's for sure." Sam joked: "At least now when I'm stranded in the Columbian rainforest I know which type of ant to eat." Corin and Josie were less than impressed though.

Older people will have to wait at least six years longer to receive winter fuel payments, under government plans to cut the welfare bill. The Daily Telegraph has learnt that ministers have resolved to increase the qualifying age for the annual payment from 60 to at least 66. Talks are under way about an even bigger rise. The basic winter fuel payment, made to more than 12 million people, will also be cut by £50 for new recipients and £100 for the oldest. It would be the first major restriction in a universal benefit under the Coalition, and could open the door to more dramatic announcements, with cuts to child benefit also under discussion. The move comes despite a pre-election promise from David Cameron to safeguard benefits for the elderly, including winter fuel payments. Earlier this month, the Government published plans to raise the state pension age for women to 66 by 2019. Although there is no formal link between the retirement age and fuel payments, Whitehall sources confirmed that eligibility would follow the pension age upwards. Liberal Democrat ministers, led by Nick Clegg, are pushing for the qualifying age to go even higher. Some suggest that, ultimately, only those aged 75 and over should receive winter fuel payments. That would bring the benefit in line with free television licences. Last winter, any household with someone aged 60 or more received a £250 winter fuel payment. For those over 80, it rose to £400. Those rates were increased by Gordon Brown in 2008, by £50 and £100 respectively.

Mr Brown’s “bonus” cost the Treasury an extra £600million, and pushed the total cost of winter fuel payments to £2.7billion last year. Treasury spending plans for this year are based on an assumption that the £600million top-up is scrapped. Critics of the payments say they are unfair because well-off pensioners receive the same as the poorest. Whitehall talks are focused on how to cut the cost without breaking promises on winter fuel payments. During the general election campaign, Mr Cameron said that the payments, along with free eye tests and bus passes for older people, would stay in place under a Conservative government. In a televised leaders’ debate in Bristol, he promised: “We will keep the free television licence, we will keep the pension credit, we’ll keep the winter fuel allowance, we’ll keep the free bus pass.” By contrast, the Lib Dems campaigned on a promise to increase the qualifying age immediately. As a compromise, the Coalition agreement promised that those benefits would be “protected” but did not give any specific details of what that meant. The ambiguity in the commitment led some ministers to propose raising the qualifying age for free bus passes to save money. George Osborne, the Chancellor, said that the Coalition’s welfare cuts would be “progressive”. “We are engaged as a Government in a collective effort to get this right to both make savings to the welfare bill and to create a simpler, fairer welfare system that, above all, gets people into work,” he told BBC Radio 4. At a question-and-answer session in the City of London later in the day, he repeatedly refused to rule out curbing entitlements to universal benefits. Ministers have ruled out means-testing child benefit, but officials believe that it could be cut by reducing payments for second and subsequent children, or lowering the age when payments stop. Government sources said last night that “all options are on the table”. “We have to make some very unpleasant decisions, but we have to make sure they are done in the fairest possible way,” a source said.

Police in Tanzania say they have arrested a Kenyan national who was attempting to sell an albino man. The arrest was made in a sting operation as police pretended to be businessmen buying albino body parts. Police say they struck a deal equivalent to more than $250,000 (£159,000) for the 20-year-old man. Albino body parts are prized in parts of Africa, with witchdoctors claiming they have special powers. The Tanzanian government has promised to take action. According to the Tanzanian police a 28-year-old Kenyan man, Nathan Mutei, was arrested just outside the town of Mwanza as he attempted to sell an albino man. The regional police commander, Simon Siro, told the BBC that Mr Mutei had tricked a fellow Kenyan into believing he would secure a job in Tanzania as a truck driver's assistant. But the police said Mr Mutei had secretly tried to find businessmen willing to buy 20-year-old Robinson Mkwama. The police commander said they had posed as potential buyers in order to make the arrest. Mr Mutei is due in court on Wednesday accused of human trafficking. In Tanzania, the body parts of people living with albinism are used by witchdoctors for potions which they tell clients will help make them rich or healthy. Over the last three years more than 50 albino adults and children have been killed. The Tanzanian government promised to take action, and there have been some court cases. But justice is slow. So far, just seven men have been given death sentences.

Kenyan gospel singer from Nottingha, UK Ms Rachel Njeri is in USA. Rachel arrived in USA last month where she has been visiting and performing in different churches across USA. She started her performance in Dallas, Texas, last month and now she is in Atlanta Georgia. Last Sunday 15th August, 2010 she performed at KACC Church of Pastor GG (photo above). She is now heading to Boston, Lowell before going to Kansas. Her contact in USA is 001-2147789297 and email - rachel728@hotmail

The dispute in the family of ailing tycoon Gerishon Kirima on Tuesday shifted to scrutiny of his companies’ accounts. The children of the former Starehe MP stormed his office at K&S Building on Moktar Daddah Street, demanding to see financial records of one of their father’s firms. This resulted in two of them, Mr Steve Kamau and Ms Margaret Kirima, being arrested for causing disturbance and being locked up at the Central Police Station. The station boss, Mr Paul Kariuki, accused them of causing disturbance in public. “The complainant is the State, through the Kenya Police,” he said. This comes a day after Mr Kirima was flown to the United Kingdom for specialised treatment. Led by Ms Maria Njeri Kirima, the children claimed they had come with government auditors to scrutinise the books of accounts of Kirima and Sons Limited. However, another daughter, Ms Alice Njeri, accused her stepsisters of being insincere. “They have all along been saying it is about my father’s health yet they are now breaking into the office; this is about property,” she said. Ms Njeri said there should be a meeting between the respective lawyers on how to solve the issue amicably. – Daily Nation

Nairobi, Kenya, Aug 17 - Cabinet Minister William Ruto and all No camp ministers have been left out of a 16 member Cabinet sub-committee to spearhead the implementation of the new Constitution. Among those named to the committee after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday were President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka. Others will be deputy Prime Ministers Uhuru Kenyatta, Musalia Mudavadi, Constitutional Affairs Minister Mutula Kilonzo and Attorney General Amos Wako. Other Members of the Committee include Cabinet Ministers Sally Kosgei, Beth Mugo, Kiraitu Murungi, Prof Anyang Nyong’o, Esther Murugi, Charity Ngilu, James Orengo, Prof George Saitoti and Moses Wetangula. The Cabinet also adopted the proposed action plan on implementation of the new Constitution. It was agreed that the implementation dates set out in the Constitution should be strictly honoured and adhered to. “It was resolved that the lead ministries charged with initiating of the bills should commence work immediately,” a statement from State House said. A technical committee was also established to review the budget implications and to facilitate approval by the relevant committee of the Cabinet. The committee shall consist the Head of the Civil Service, Solicitor General and PSs in the Ministries of Finance and Justice. The Cabinet further approved a New Planned Power Generation Capacity Program which includes; Songoro Hydropower, Tana Hydropower, Ngong Wind power, Early Geothermal power, Kindaruma upgrade project and Olkaria 1 and 4 projects. The Cabinet gave the go-ahead to forward for Parliamentary endorsement the establishment of an escrow guarantee fund for semi-concessional loans for external borrowing by KenGen and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company from EIB and KFW to finance the additional power generation. The Cabinet also approved for submission to Parliament of semi-concessional borrowing for the Kenya Power and Lighting Company. - CapitalFM

A colourful Garden wedding took place on Saturday the 11th of June 2010 in Kenya at Blossoms Garden, Karen between Edwin Karanja of Coventry UK and Joyce Wanjiru of Nairobi Kenya. A reception with style followed thereafter at the same venue. The groom is the Son of Mr and Mrs Wanjohi of Coventry also know as Mama Karanja or Wajimmy. The weeding was well attended from guests from UK as well as from Kenya. Both the bridegroom Mr. Edwin Karanja and his parents Mr. & Mrs. Wanjohi lives in Coventry, UK. - MORE FOR PHOTOS

Accept Your Mistakes

You’re human. We, humans, are making mistakes. Accept what you did wrong and try to do better next time. No need to punish yourself forever. In fact, accepting your mistakes is the only way to make them disappear.

An occasional chocolate treat can help prevent heart failure in older women, research suggests. One or two servings of good-quality chocolate a week reduced the risk of middle-aged and elderly women developing the condition by almost a third, a study found. Scientists looked at the association between chocolate and heart failure in almost 32,000 Swedish women aged 48 to 83. Moderate chocolate consumption significantly reduced heart failure risk, but the protective effect lessened as more or less was eaten. One or two 19 to 30 gram servings a week led to a 32% risk reduction. This fell to 26% when one to three servings a month were eaten, while one serving a day or more showed no benefit. A typical chocolate bar weighs around 100 grams, but the amount of healthy cocoa solids it contains varies greatly. Dark chocolate can contain as much as 75% cocoa while standard milk chocolate may have 20% or less. Antioxidant plant compounds called flavonoids in cocoa are believed to protect against heart disease and high blood pressure. The study authors pointed out that chocolate eaten in Sweden tends to have a high cocoa content. Although 90% of chocolate consumed in the country is milk chocolate, it consists of around 30% cocoa solids. The lack of benefit from eating chocolate every day was probably due to the extra number of calories consumed, said the researchers. This in turn could lead to increased weight and higher blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart failure. The research was carried out by the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in Boston, US.

More than £42,000 in cash has been seized from a British man as he was leaving the UK through Birmingham International Airport. UK Border Agency officers at the airport discovered the money when the man, who was about to board a flight to Bangkok via Dubai, was stopped and searched on 28 July. The cash, which consisted of sterling notes, was found by detector dog Zippy in the man's jacket and trouser pockets. When questioned, the man could not provide a reasonable explanation for carrying such a large amount. Anyone leaving the UK with more than £1,000 in cash must provide evidence for the source and intended use of the money, or it may be detained. The money was detained under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and will only be returned if the man can prove to a court that it came from a legitimate source. At Solihull Magistrates Court on 30 July, the UK Border Agency was granted a further detention of the cash for four months while the investigation continues. Dawn Cartwright, senior investigating officer in the agency's criminal and financial investigations team, said:

'UK Border Agency officers are working hard at all our ports to prevent drugs, contraband or the potential proceeds of crime from entering or leaving the UK. 'Where we suspect that cash may be linked with criminal activity, we have the power to seize it, and it will only be handed back if it is later proved to be legitimate.'

Aging is an enemy. It saps our strength and ability to enjoy life, cripples us, and eventually kills us. Tens of millions die from age-related conditions each and every year. Comparatively few people know that degenerative aging can be modestly slowed with diet and lifestyle choices, as is the case for many medical conditions. Comparatively few people are aware of serious scientific efforts, presently underway, aimed at understanding and intervening in the aging process - in order to one day reverse its effects. One day, scientists will find a way to defeat aging. We would like this breakthough to happen while we are still alive and in good health to benefit from it. How will we achieve this goal? Read on to find out. The body is a complex, resilient machine. Unlike our cars, however, we can't replace it when it breaks down. Given that, it's scandalous that most people know more about the long-term care of a car than they do about the long-term care of the human body. Fortunately, it's neither difficult nor expensive to use diet and lifestyle to live a longer life.

Three people have been arrested for working illegally following a UK Border Agency raid on a beauty salon in Slough. Acting on intelligence, officers went to Sam's Hair and Beauty Studio on Chalvey Road on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 August. They checked staff records and questioned employees to ensure they had the right to work in the UK. An 18-year-old male Iraqi failed asylum seeker was arrested, as were two women aged 26 and 40 from India and Pakistan who had both overstayed their visas. The Iraqi and Indian both remain in detention pending their removal from the UK, while the Pakistani woman was granted immigration bail while our officers seek to get travel documents so that she can be deported. The salon owners now face a fine of up to £30,000 for employing the three illegal workers, unless they can prove that they carried out the correct checks on their employees' right to work. Rob Allen, assistant director of the UK Border Agency's Berkshire local immigration team, said:

'This is the latest in a series of operations targeting Berkshire businesses suspected of employing illegal workers. More are planned. 'Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work 'We are happy to work with businesses to ensure that the right pre-employment checks are carried out, but those intent on operating outside the law should be warned that they will be found and they will be punished.'

Humor is infectious. The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. In addition to the domino effect of joy and amusement, laughter also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. Humor and laughter strengthen your immune system, boost your energy, diminish pain, and protect you from the damaging effects of stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use. - MORE

A section of Kalenjin MPs are accusing Prime Minister Raila Odinga of scheming to divide the Rift Valley communities through Cabinet appointments. Speaking at Parliament Buildings, MPs Charles Keter, Julius Kones and Joshua Kutuny claimed that Monday's mini cabinet reshuffle was a deliberate move by the Prime Minister to punish party members who opposed the new constitution. The legislators said that those who opposed the new constitution should not be victimized since they were exercising their democratic rights. In the reshuffle, Prof Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East) who supported the new law was appointed Assistant Minister for Environment replacing Mr Jackson Kiptanui (Keiyo South) whose fate remains unknown. Kiptanui was in the 'No' team. The MPs said it was obvious that Cabinet changes have affected ODM MPs who have been seen as uncooperative. Keter accused Raila of systematically edging out defiant MPs from ministerial positions as well as the civil service. Kones said" Its ironical for the PM to claim he is a democrat yet he practices the opposite". The MPs challenged the PM to come out in the open and state his agenda. "We have witnessed a lot of exit of our people from the civil service. Let the Prime Minister come out and tell us if this is the way to reward us " said Keter. The PM and Ruto are considered political rivals over their open differences regarding various national issues including the new constitution which Ruto campaigned for its rejection. Ruto influenced the Rift Valley vote.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is to donate the profits from his memoirs to a sports centre for injured soldiers. A spokesman said Mr Blair would hand over the reported £4m advance payment plus all royalties to honour "their courage and sacrifice". The Royal British Legion will receive the money after the book, A Journey, is published next month. But Peter Brierley, whose son Lance Corporal Shaun Brierley was killed in Iraq, called the gift "blood money". The money is believed to be the biggest single donation ever received by the Legion, and will go towards the £25m Battle Back Challenge Centre, due to open in summer 2012. A spokesman for the former prime minister said: "In making this decision, Tony Blair recognises the courage and sacrifice the armed forces demonstrate day in, day out. "As prime minister he witnessed that for himself in Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Kosovo. This is his way of honouring their courage and sacrifice." He said that after consulting with numerous people, there was "one project consistently highlighted: The Royal British Legion's Battle Back Challenge Centre". The spokesman added: "As Tony Blair said to the House of Commons on his last day in office: 'I believe that they [the Armed Forces] are fighting for the security of this country and the wider world against people who would destroy our way of life. But whatever view people take of my decisions, I think that there is only one view to take of them: they are the bravest and the best.'" Chris Simpkins, director general of the Royal British Legion, said: "Mr Blair's generosity is much appreciated and will help us to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of hundreds of injured personnel." He said he had been "shocked" and "pleasantly surprised" by news of the donation, adding that an "intermediary" for Mr Blair had contacted him about it only last week and had not initially revealed the identity of the would-be benefactor. Mr Simpkins said the centre would not be named after Mr Blair and stressed that the Legion was a "strictly apolitical" organisation, but was "very happy to receive donations from private individuals" including, in this case, a former politician. Simon Brown, 31, a former corporal from Morley, West Yorkshire, was shot in the head in 2006 while in Iraq. He said it "did not matter" where the funding for the new centre came from. He added: "Tony Blair didn't have to give the money over, he could have just banked it. It if helps ease his conscience then why not?" Anti-war campaigners reacted with scepticism to the donation, with the Stop the War Coalition saying "no proportion of his massive and ill-gotten fortune can buy him innocence or forgiveness" for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And Mr Brierley, whose son was killed in Iraq 2003, told the BBC News Channel: "This gift, or donation, is an absolutely fantastic thing, but it doesn't alter my aim that one day we will see Tony Blair in court for the crimes he committed."

While in Kenya, I visited several developers in Nairobi and Nakuru. I visited house developers in Kileleshwa, Haringham, Riara Road, Kawangware, Umoja, Embakassi, Donholm Estates and Lavington. The best for value houses I have seen on all are the houses at Springfield Park, Donholm. A new estate coming up in 16.5 acres which is a South Africa concept 180 maisonettes. The houses consists of three phases each phase containing 60 houses. Phase one and two to be completed by 2011 and phase three top be completed by 2012. A 3 minute drive from Outer Ring Road, the development consists of Type A 4, Type B and Type C. Type A is a massive 180 sqm. 4 bedroom Executive Maisonettes all ensuite with servant quarters going for KShs. 10.5 million, Type B - 170 sqm. 3 bedroom Executive Maisonettes with Masters ensuite, with servant quarters going for KShs. 9 million. Type C - 160 sqm. 2 bedroom with masters ensuite with a servant quarter. going for KShs. 8.5 million. The prices are introductory prices for phase one expected to rise for phase II and III. Cabro paved parking and walkway with 5 parkings for type A, 3 parkings for type B and C.

All facilities are in the estate. Commuting should't be a dilemma as access to the estate is through Outering Road. There is a wide range of social and recreational amenities nearby i.e. schools, hospitals, churches, supermarkets and petrol stations. A police station will be in place soon to enhance it's security. They have simplified the ladder for the beginners to start with 10 per cent deposit which should be increased to 30 per cent before the completion of the houses which takes about a year. The show houses are ready and about 40 more are almost complete. The estate is 10 minutes drive to airport and 10 minutes drive to city centre. Among the facilities in the estate is a swimming pool, a shopping mall, IT centre and a restaurant among others. You can book the houses or send someone to view through the secretary - Nancy 0728776655 or Mr. Siro Mosiona on 0722834706 or email Email: sales@springfieldparkestate.com. More contact us Site Office - Donholm: P.O. Box 66321-008-8000, Nairobi, Kenya. Email: sales@springfieldparkestate.com. Tel: +254-(0)20 807 97 93/807 65 95/807 65 65 or Cell: +254-(0)700 467 010/(0)722 427 455. - For more information please contact their website www.springfieldparkestate.com or CLICK HEREhttp://springfieldparkestate.com/index.html

Backyard view for nyama choma with a bacony on top and a beautiful shower cubicle.

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes." - Mahatma Gandhi - Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

The saga involving former MP Gerishon Kirima’s family has taken a new twist after it emerged that old man has been taken out of the country. The new revelation that he has been taken to the United Kingdom for specialised treatment was made in court on Monday when a case by his wife Teresia Wairimu came up for hearing. "Kirima is out of the country, out of the court's jurisdiction and we want the matter adjourned to a later date," said advocate David Oyatta, who is representing Mrs Wairimu. Following this development the court was forced to adjourn the case. Mrs Wairimu, the former MP's third wife, went to court on August 13 after she was denied access to her husband who was then admitted to Nairobi Hospital. According to her suit papers, her husband was bundled up in a government ambulance without her permission and taken to hospital where he was admitted. She went to the hospital to see him but was denied entry into the ward. Administration Police officers posted at the ward barred her claiming to be under instructions, she says. The Kirima family battle started first in court when his sons filed cases seeking to be given permission to manage his vast estate valued at Sh750 million. And since then the family has been fighting in the public glare, if not in court at their father’s home in Nairobi.

At some point the children of the politician broke the gate to their father’s home to gain access to him. The plot got complicated after the third wife was arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigations Department where, she says, a number of offences were levelled against her. In a sworn affidavit tabled in court, she says, the CID officers told her she is alleged to have assaulted one of her step sons namely Stephen Kirima. She also learnt that the officers were investigating allegations of her being involved in grand theft of her husband’s property. The woman told the court that there were allegations that she hired services of a Tanzanian witch doctor to give her charm to administer on her husband among other things. After staying at the CID headquarters for over eight hours and recording four statements, she was released on police bail, the court papers indicate. From Kirima’s home the drama moved to Nairobi Hospital before the matter went to court once again. The hospital said the former politician is no longer in its care as it discharged him on Sunday. The parties in the case have to wait until to September 21 for the court to decide the next steps. – Daily Nation.

Matuga MP Chirau Ali Mwakwere is back to cabinet following a mini reshuffle on Monday 16th August, 2010. Six ministers have been moved and two assistant ministers appointed in the changes announced by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.Mwakwere is now the Minister for Trade taking over from Amos Kimunya. Kimunya has been confirmed Transport Minister, a position he held in an acting capacity after Mwakwere lost his parliamentary seat in an election petition but later recaptured. Dr Naomi Shaaban has been moved to the Gender ministry swapping places with Esther Murugi who takes over the Special programmes docket. Prof Hellen Sambili has been posted to East African Community ministry previously held by Amason Jeffah Kingi who has been appointed Minister for Fisheries Development. Paul Nyongesa Otuoma has been taken to the Youth and Sports Ministry from the Fisheries Development ministry. The two Principals also appointed two assistant ministers. Prof Margaret Kamar (Eldoret East) is the new assistant minister for Environment. The new Bomachoge legislator Simon Ongari is the new trade assistant minister filling the position that was left vacant by Omingo Magara who lost in a by election. Kibaki in a statement from his Presidential Press Service said the changes take effect immediately

Pastor Peters L. R. Favours is a renowned marriage and family counsellor from Nigeria. He is the head of Glorious Family Health Link International Ministries. He and His wife will be in London from this Friday 20th Aug to Sunday 22nd to facilitate Family Rebuild Annual conference. The conference will be at IWRM Church, 500 High Street North, Manor Park, E12 6QN. Times: 6.30pm- 10.00pm. You are cordially welcome to attend for the sake of your marriage and family. Please invite your friends that they may also share these uncommon blessings.

"As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it." - Mahatma Gandhi - Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

Tourism minister Najib Balala was on Monday night admitted in hospital after collapsing in his office following breathing complications. A doctor at Nairobi Hospital, who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said the minister underwent a minor nasal surgery. He said the minister was operated for turbinate hypertrophy, a condition caused by the enlargement of the turbinates -- the small structures within the nose that cleanse and humidify air as it passes through nostrils into the lungs. However, his family said the operation had been scheduled earlier and the minister did not collapse.

PNU councilors from City Council of Nairobi want Sunday's disputed elections nullified. The civic leaders claim that the council did not conduct elections for chairpersons but on the mode of voting to be used to select the key committee leaders. Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has however moved to assure the aggrieved civic leaders that law and laid down procedures will be followed in resolving the committee elections. Mudavadi promised the councillors that once the report on the election is forwarded to him, he would act accordingly. The local government minister further urged councillors to demonstrate maturity in their elections by shunning chaos and party politics. The PNU councillors are threatening to take action if the elections are not nullified. The elections of the chairpersons ended in disarray on Sunday amid claims of rigging and electoral malpractices. Trouble started after mayor Geoffrey Majiwa claimed the ODM party had grabbed all the seats after garnering 47 votes beating the rival PNU by only one vote. Outraged by the outcome the PNU group dismissed the elections as a sham accusing the mayor of being partisan and doctoring the results in favour of his own party ODM. The PNU councilors said whereas they wanted the voting done by secret ballot, the mayor went ahead and conducted the exercise by acclamation. The PNU side led by councillor Mutunga Mutungi insisted that no election had taken place and accused the Mayor of flouting the Local Government Act.

A woman has died and 114 passengers were injured when a plane crashed after being struck by lightning in the Caribbean. The Airline Aires plane broke into three on impact when it went down short of the runway on San Andres island.. The island's governor Pedro Gallardo said it was a "miracle" that only one person was killed. Colonel Gustavo Barrero, of the Colombia Air Force, said the Boeing 737 was travelling from Bogota with 121 passengers and six crew on board when it landed in the middle of an "intense electrical storm". He said the injured were taken to local hospitals on the island, which lies about 120 miles east of the Nicaraguan coast. "The captain of the airliner (pilot) told us it was struck by lighting. "We are inspecting the remains of the plane to try to establish what the damages were and what caused the accident," said Donald Tascon, deputy director of Colombia's aeronautics authority. The island's airport was closed as an investigation was launched. The dead passenger was named locally as Amar Fernandez de Barretos, 68. Paramedics told El Tiempo newspaper she suffered a heart attack just after the crash. Around 100 passengers were taken to Amor de Patria Hospital on the island. Hospital director Dr Robert Sanchez said he was amazed only four of them suffered major injuries. "It's incredible. For the dimension (of the accident), there should be more," he added. A spokesman for Airline Aires said the passengers included eight US citizens and four Brazilians. Their identities have not been released. Passenger jets are hit by lightning every 1,000 flight hours - on average twice a year, according to research by the French National Office for Aerospace Study and Research (Onera). Airline expert Francois Grangier said the strikes rarely result in crashes. "In my career as a pilot I often experienced lightning as did all of my colleagues," he said. "It's something which is often impressive, it makes a lot of noise in the aircraft and usually electrical power fails. "But it's just as if it happens at home: the fuses jump, you put them back and everything works."

London, Monday 16th August, 2010. Talks aimed at halting strike action that could close six British airports and ruin hundreds of thousands of holidays are underway. BAA workers voted last week to stage walkouts that would hit Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports. It means Scotland would be disproportionately affected, with disruption at its three major airports threatening to effectively ground the country's air traffic. No dates have yet been announced, but action could take place over the bank holiday weekend, causing maximum disruption to travellers. The talks between BAA and the Unite union are taking place at an undisclosed location, under the auspices of mediating service Acas. BAA said it hoped to "quickly conclude an agreement, in the interests of the travelling public, our airlines and our staff". "We want a settlement and we will be doing our best," he said. But the meeting comes on the same day Unite members will gather to discuss strike tactics. The union has to give seven days' notice before a strike is announced. Aviation expert Ian Taylor said that Unite had in the past tended to avoid bank holidays, and said he expected union representatives to decide on limited strike action. "A lot will depend on how tough BAA thinks it can be in the circumstances," he told Sky News. Security staff, engineers, and firefighters voted to down tools over a 1.5% pay offer Unite described as "measly". BAA says the offer is sensible in the current economic climate and following a year of massive losses for the travel industry because of the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.

During her visit to South Africa last month (July 2010) Miss Margaret Njiiri (Daughter Seed) visited several tourist sites among them a crocodale park where Margaret was quick to grab a crocodale and on right at the entrance of the park posing with Mr. Seed's brother Mr. Fredrick Rukung (centre) who lives in Johannesburg with his fiancé (right).

Seven countries participated in the 20th Maralal International Camel Derby race with the country's marketing agency Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) announcing a major marketing strategy to open up the northern tourism circuit to both domestic and international tourists. KTB managing director Muriithi Ndegwa said the annual event has gained international recognition registering participants from 16 countries in the past years. Under the theme Peace for Tourism and Environmental Conservation, the three-event attracted participants from across the country as well as those from US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, India, Ghana, France. "The international activity has raised the profile of not just the three Samburu districts but Kenya as a whole as a tourism destination," Ndegwa said. He said apart from the conventional tourism, sports activities such as athletics, rugby and golf have showcased Kenya as a tourism destination and expressed optimism that initiatives such as the camel derby would go a long way in boosting the industry. He said KTB would now focus on various marketing strategies including on-line, print and electronic media and other social interactive platforms to raise the profile of the annual event. The region has several tourism products including wildlife and cultural activities and stakeholders including the Samburu County Council, Kenya Wildlife Services and the Kenya Forest Service and the local community are now laying the groundwork for a re-launch of the circuit with the introduction of more diversified products. Internal Security Assistant Minister who is also the area MP, Simon Lesirma said security has been beefed up within the tourism circuit to ensure the safety of the tourists. "We will not compromise on issues of security because this can either scare or attract tourists to this northern circuit. I call upon the community to cooperate in all efforts aimed at further boosting security in the region," he said.

German singer Nadja Benaissa has admitted having unprotected sex with several men without warning them she was HIV-positive, during the opening of her trial in Darmstadt. She faces a charge of grievous bodily harm for allegedly infecting one man and has also been charged with attempted bodily harm for allegedly having sex with two other men who were not infected. If convicted, Ms Benaissa faces a prison sentence ranging from six months to 10 years. - VIDEO

A bear cub in Florida, which had a plastic jar stuck on its head for at least 10 days, has now been freed. The cub, affectionately nicknamed "Jarhead", got its head stuck in the container while rooting through rubbish around the town of Weirsdale. The cub was days away from death as he had not been able to eat or drink, biologists who rescued the bear said. They sedated the mother bear before grabbing the cub, pinning his ears back and prising off the container. Residents began calling the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at the end of July to report sightings of the bear cub with his head stuck in a jar. The cub, his mother and two siblings regularly foraged in the bins around Weirsdale. Biologists set traps in different areas, but the wary bears kept clear. After eight days of sightings, two days went by without any reports of the bear family, and the scientists feared the cub could have starved to death. But on Friday, the bears returned. The FWC team, including a specialist bear-response agent, went to the scene. They shot the mother with a tranquiliser dart before wrestling Jarhead to the ground long enough to get the plastic container off his head. "But the tough little bear lived up to its US Marine moniker and did not give up without a fight," the FWC said on its website. The scientists then placed the sleeping mother in a trap, where the three cubs eventually joined her. After a day under observation in the trap, the bear family were released and have not been seen since - a result the FWC describes as "good news indeed". "Although the story appears to have a happy ending, it truly illustrates one of the worst things that can happen when wildlife gets into garbage," the FWC said.

A mistake by Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina allowed Arsenal to salvage a draw against a Reds side who had Joe Cole sent off on his Premier League debut. Cole was red-carded for a lunge on Laurent Koscielny before David Ngog's driven shot put Liverpool ahead. The lead lasted until the last minute when Marouane Chamakh diverted a cross against the post and Reina spilled the rebound into his own net. Koscielny was then sent off for a second bookable offence in injury-time. The late drama capped a frantic finish to the game, with Reina the unlikely culprit as victory eluded a Liverpool side who had resolutely held Arsenal at bay. Reina had produced two key earlier saves to help maintain Liverpool's lead as the Reds had defended with discipline and determination to neutralise Arsenal after Cole had received the first red card of his career.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka with Assistant Minister for Agriculture Kareke Mbiuki at Shouguang High-Tech Agriculture Demonstration Cente in Shouguang, China. The VP is attending the China –Africa Agricultural Forum. [PHOTOS: VPPS] - 15th August. 2010.

An air passenger whose oversized luggage sparked a four-letter tirade by a flight attendant could be fined up to $25,000 (£16,000), according to reports. The unidentified passenger became embroiled in a spat with air steward Steven Slater, 38, during a flight from Pittsburgh to New York on Monday. Upon landing the woman started collecting belongings from an overhead bin despite being told by Slater to remain seated. When Slater tried to intervene, the door of the overhead bin hit his head and the row erupted. Federal regulations state that "no person may assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with a crew member in the performance of the crew member's duties aboard an aircraft", the New York Post reported. Slater's lawyer said he was simply trying to make the woman check the larger of her two suitcases when he was hit. The incident so incensed Slater that he used the plane's PA system to demand an apology, but instead was cursed at by the passenger. He then was reported to have said on the intercom: "To the passenger who called me a mother ******, **** you." He then snatched a bottle of beer from the galley before activating the inflatable evacuation slide and jumping on it. Once on the ground, Slater ran to his car parked at the airport and sped home. Shortly after his dramatic escape, police arrived at his home in Queens to arrest him. The veteran steward has been charged with second-degree criminal mischief, first-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree criminal trespass. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in jail. He was allowed to leave a detention centre in New York after posting $2,500 (£1,600) bail. Appearing before Queens Criminal Court, Slater did not speak during the bail hearing, but a written statement from him was read out in court. "For those of you who had dignity and respect for the last 20 years, it's been a great ride," it said. Slater's meltdown has made him a cult hero on the internet. He has consistently ranked as one of the most popular topics on Twitter and a string of pages on Facebook have been set up in tribute to him. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 7.

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song." - Chinese Proverb

"My step mother Teresia Wairimu is now married to a Tanzanian witchdoctor and they have several joint properties together which has been transferred from our family (Kirima's family) assets. We have all the evidence about this. One of our houses in Fedha Estate, plot no..... here we have an evidence from a Money Agent in Nairobi showing that she has been sending over KShs. 100,000 per day to the witchdoctor in Tanzania for the last three years. It is unbelievable......." - Bishop Ann Kirima - Citizen TV News, 7.00 p.m. Saturday 14th August, 2010.

“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.” - Chinese Proverb

Caught by Mr. Seed's camera somewhere in London. Who are they and what are they doing? More later.

New York, Saturday 14th August, 2010. Four people have been shot dead and four injured outside a restaurant in Buffalo, New York state, US police say. A wedding reception was taking place at the restaurant, but it is unclear whether anyone from the party was involved, police said.b Three people died at the scene, and a fourth in hospital, they said. Police are trying to determine if there was more than one person shooting in the incident early on Saturday morning. Police had earlier said seven people had been shot. At the time of the shootings, a large private party was being held at the City Grill restaurant on Main St, a police statement said. Police were trying to determine if something happened inside during the party that led to the shootings. The dead were two men and two women. The four others who were wounded were all men, one of whom was believed to have suffered very serious injuries. A fight at the restaurant spilled into the street where multiple shots were fired, local television station WKBW quoted police as saying. At least 50 emergency vehicles were sent to the scene to respond to the incident, which was reported at 0230 local time (0730 GMT), WKBW reported. As many as 100 people were attending a formal party at the restaurant, Buffalo police spokesman Michael DeGeorge is quoted as saying. Tommy Dates, 35, of Buffalo, said he was in the restaurant's bar with friends when he noticed members of a party leaving the restaurant, but rushing back inside a few minutes later. "A lot of people were real upset, just trying to get out of the way," he is quoted as saying by AP. "Nobody knows where anything was coming from. Everyone was in a panic."

Shock decision against Council worker sacked for mentioning God

Article Published: 11th August 2010

There is widespread shock following the news that Duke Amachree has lost his case, having been sacked for mentioning God in the workplace. An employment tribunal has ruled that it was reasonable for Wandsworth Council, UK to dismiss Duke, after he was sacked for gross misconduct for suggesting to a client with an incurable illness not to give up hope and to try putting her faith in God. The tribunal also found that the Council had not discriminated against Mr Amachree on the basis of his religion. In addition, the tribunal took the view that Duke had breached confidentiality by publicising his case. The decision has come as a huge surprise to Duke and to his legal team. Duke, a father of two and committed Christian, had worked for Wandsworth Council for 18 years and had an unblemished record. Yet, as a result of the comments he made in one 45 minute housing interview, he was subject to 6 months of investigations and three interviews with the Council. His solicitor was even told by the Council that saying God bless to a client would require an investigation if the client complained.

Gross misconduct usually covers such behaviour as violence in the workplace, theft or other such serious conduct. Yet the client herself expressly stated that she did not want Duke to be dismissed for what he had said and Duke had never been told that such small talk in a housing interview was prohibited. The Council have always accepted that Dukes motivation in speaking to the client was purely one of compassion. Duke, backed by the Christian Legal Centre, took his case to the tribunal where it was argued that the Councils decision to dismiss him was grossly disproportionate and unfair, and that they had discriminated against him on the basis of his religion. Despite the evidence that was presented to the tribunal, they decided that the Councils response was reasonable. Duke and his legal team intend to appeal the decision. Andrea Minichiello Williams, founder and director of the Christian Legal Centre said We are stunned that the tribunal failed to recognise the draconian way in which Mr Amachree was treated and we are dismayed that they found that Mr Amachree had not been discriminated against on the grounds of his faith. This decision will send yet more shock waves through the Christian community when they realise that a couple of comments encouraging faith in God can lead to a person being dismissed for gross misconduct. Mr Amachree said I am devastated by the outcome. This is a sad day for Christians who simply want to live out their faith in the workplace without fear. But my heartfelt thanks goes to the Christian Legal Centre and those who have stood by me from the beginning and I know they will continue to support me.

I write to invite you and your readers to this year’s Eagles’ Gathering Christian Centre’s annual ‘Living Word’ Conference with this year’s theme ‘BREAKTHROUGH 2010’ which will run from 20th-22th August, 2010 and will be held at the All Saints Primary School, 116 Oakleigh Road North, Whetstone, London. N20 9EZ. The Special Guest Speakers, Pastors Wade and Carla Porter of Living Faith International flow mightily in the Apostolic and Prophetic anointing. Special Guest Speaker, Rev Roy Leith, a wonderful teacher of the Word, flies in from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Special Guests, Pastor & Mrs Maxwell Aruwa also fly in from Germany. Make your plans early to be in attendance too!

Afterwards, Dr. Stan & Jemi Wangenye, together with Eagles’ Gathering Christian Centre, will host a sumptuous ‘Elegant Night’ Dinner on Sunday 22nd August at 6:30pm. (Professional Photo shoot opportunity: 5:30-6:30) The setting will be the fabulous West Lodge Park Hotel, Ferny Hill, Cockfosters Road, Hadley Wood, Herts. EN4 0PY (satnav EN4 0PZ) Tel: 020 8216 3900. The hotel, a former hunting Lodge for the aristocracy, sits on 35 acres of land, has an exotic arboretum with over 800 different species of trees, boasts excellently manicured lawns and it’s own private helipad. The Dinner will be graced by Dr. Stan’s Apostolic Authority, Pastors Wade and Carla Porter of Living Faith International, Pastors Roy & Daphne Leith, Mr. Seed & Pastor Jane Njiiri, a host of invited Pastors and Ministers, and a cross section of elegantly clad members of the body of Christ! (Suggested dress code for the dinner: Black tie).

Be sure to attend this glorious Conference and Elegant Dinner! Conference admission is FREE! However, Dinner requires registration. Call 079 0822 5336 to RSVP your Elegant Dinner Seats. Places are limited and will be filled on first come, first reserved basis only. So, call today and book your Elegant Dinner seat. Registration will close when we reach capacity. Eagles’ Gathering Christian Centre holds services at All Saints Primary School, 116 Oakleigh Road North, Whetstone, London. N20 9EZ every Sunday @ 11am. For more information, please visit www.eaglesgatheringcc.org.uk or email admin@eaglesgatheringcc.org.uk. For more photos, please visit Dr. Stan’s Facebook page and add him as your friend. His id is Dr. Stan Wangenye. You can also contact 07908225336.

As Kenyans overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution, two key items were under focus by Kenyans across the Diaspora namely dual citizenship and voting rights for those residing abroad. But for Kenyans in the US, a debate is raging as to whether holding US citizenship as well as Kenyan citizenship would violate US law. A Kenyan citizen can apply to be a US citizen if he or she has been a permanent resident for five years or if a Kenyan citizen has been a permanent resident for three years, having been married to and living with the same US citizen for at least three years and the spouse has been a US citizen for the last three years. Under current US laws, when taking up US citizenship, one is required to state under oath that they have renounced their old citizenship and any activities or conduct that contradicts this pledge could lead one to lose their newly acquired US citizenship. On the application form for US citizenship through naturalisation, a statement under the “oath of allegiance” section required to be signed by all applicants reads “…I hereby declare on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.” - MORE

A colourful wedding took place on 24th July, 2010 in Kenya between Mr. George Mwirigi Kamau and Miss Nyambura Mwangi. The wedding took place at Kangari Bible Fellowship Church, Kangari, Kigumo, Murang'a. Mr. Kamau who is a cousin to Mr. Seed is a businessman in Nairobi and in Kangari where he owns a Bookshop among other businesses. The bride is a teacher in Kasarani Primary School, Nairobi. The wedding was well attended and among the guests at the wedding was Mr. Seed and family. The bride comes from Kirere Village, Muranga. The bridegroom is the father of Pastor Daniel Mwarangu Mwirigi of Northampton, UK. The father remarried after the first wife passed away. The ceremony started in the morning with a high note at the residence of the bride's father in Kirere where tens of cars were escorted by 12 motor bikes. Before the residents realised what was happening their first thought was that the president was around. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. Peter Kamau Mburu. - CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PHOTOS

Underground Train Rolls Away Without Driver

The engineering train on the Northern line was allowed to roll from Archway to Warren Street station. The incident, which happened around 6.45am, is now being investigated by London Underground (LU) and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Transport for London (TfL) said an engineering train involved in maintenance work became defective as it approached Archway, travelling southbound on the High Barnet branch. Engineers began to move the faulty carriage northbound by coupling it to an out of service train. "For reasons that are now under investigation, the engineering train became detached from the out of service Northern line train and began to move southbound," a statement read. The runaway train went through six stops on its 13-minute journey, before coming to a stop at Warren Street. Underground staff took the decision to let the train run towards Charing Cross and diverted passenger services off the affected branch. The workers' actions minimised the safety risk to customers and other Tube employees, according to LU director Richard Parry. "Safety is our top priority, and we have of course launched an immediate and thorough investigation into this incident to establish the cause," he said. A driverless train ran for almost four miles on the London Underground this morning, it has been confirmed.

If you have not been in Nairobi of late, you need someone to escort you through the city. If you are dropped at Thika Road at Pangani as you head to Muthaiga Police Station, you would not know where you are. All the buildings in Pangani left hand side including the Petrol Stations are all gone. This is to give way for the 12 lane Thika Road Motorway or if you like it the Super Highway. It will be of its kind in East and Central Africa. Gone are several houses on Muthaiga Estate on left hand side as you climb the hill towards Muthaiga roundabout. The KShs. 26 billion project has seen properties along the highway all the way to Murang'a rocketing the prices to the skies. It is estimated that a journey from Nairobi to Thika will be taking about 20 minutes. That means it will be faster to the city centre from Thika than from Donholm, Umoja, Kangemi, Kawangware or even Langata itself. Entering the city from Pangani will be 4 major roads - one passing forest road all the way to Museum connecting Waiyaki Way, then Murang'a Road through Globe Cinema through Central Police Station where several police buildings has been demolished then joining Uhuru Highway. The third road joins Park Road, through Nagara with a new bridge across nyayo market to T-room. The fourth road from Pangani through Pangani Police Station, Kariokor connecting Haile Selassie Road. A plot at Kasarani area near Safari Park was going for KShs. 1.3 million at the beginning of the year is now going for KShs. 5 million. First photo taken at Muthaiga and the second photo also taken at Muthaika Roundabout on Sunday 8th August, 2010 by Mr. Seed.

A super highway to Thika Construction of a highway to Thika started late November following the signing of three contracts with Chinese construction firms. The contracts were signed by the Permanent Secretary Eng M S M Kamau and representatives of the three firms, Messrs China Wu Yi Company for Lot 1 costing Shs 8.03 billion, Messrs Sinohydro Corporation for Lot 2 costing Sh 8.69 billion and Messrs Shengli Engineering Construction (Group) Co Ltd for Lot 3 costing Sh 9.44 billion. The construction period is 30 months. The highway will be funded by the

Lot 1 starts at Kenyatta Avenue and has an 8-lane bridge over Globe Cinema roundabout, a grade separated interchange at Pangani and up to Muthaiga roundabout.

Lot 2 starts with a grade separated junction at Muthaiga. With an 8-lane dual carriageway to Kenyatta University and with grade separated junctions at Outer Ring Road, Kasarani, Githurai and Eastern bypass junction.

Lot 3 from Kenyatta University to Thika will have three lanes each side and a grade separated junction at Ruiru. The construction of the first 50.4 km modern highway in East and Central Africa would open a new chapter in the construction of roads. The highway will have all the T-junctions done away with and extra features such as flyovers, under-passes, interchanges, pedestrian grade separators, cross drainage systems and modern street lighting introduced. The minister said his ministry would work with that of the Nairobi Metropolitan Development to re-plan roads in the city to ensure parking yards are outside the central business district. He said that plans to expand major roads across the country were underway and warned wananchi against building on the road reserves. The Government was also planning a major expansion of the Outer Ring Road which connects the Mombasa Road to the Thika Road. He said once the proposed city bypasses covering 110 km are built, access to the city centre would be easier. Funds for the construction of the Northern, Southern and Eastern bypasses have been set aside. He said the European Community and the African Development Bank are among the main donors. The Consultant for the Thika Road is Construction Engineering Services of India in conjunction with local consultant Apec.

Two people have appeared in court in connection with a suspected sham marriage in Streatham. The pair were arrested by our officers from the London immigration crime team as they arrived for a ceremony at the Church of St Peters in Leigham Court Road, Streatham, on the afternoon of Saturday 7 August. The bride, a 19-year-old Nigerian woman, was arrested on suspicion of perjury and an offence under the Identity Cards Act 2006. The groom, a 22-year-old Czech male, was arrested on suspicion of assisting unlawful immigration. Both were charged and appeared before Camberwell Magistrates on Monday 9 August, where they were remanded in custody until their next hearing on 11 October at Inner London Crown Court. Tony Erne, deputy director, UK Border Agency said:

'We are working closely with churches and registrars to identify suspect sham marriages, and where we believe a wedding may not be genuine we will take action.'

The operation was part of planned nationwide action by the UK Border Agency to tackle illegal working, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised immigration crime.

Kenyan parliamentary seats declared vacant

In a Kenya Gazette notice published Friday, National Assembly speaker Kenneth Marende has issued the writs for Starehe and Wajir South constituencies. This follows high court rulings last month in favour of election petitions filed against the incumbent members of parliament. Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru lost her seat on July 30th after Justice Kihara Kariuki ruled that she was not validly elected as the poll was marred by massive tampering of election material. However, Justice Kihara declined to grant prayers by the petitioner Maina Kamanda who had requested the court to declare him the validly elected Starehe MP to avoid a by-election. Mid last month, Wajir South MP Abdirahman Ali Hassan's election was nullified with Justice Luka Kimaru criticising officials of the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya officials for transferring two polling stations only 24 hours before the election therefore confusing voters. Hassan had won the seat on a KANU ticket and the petition was filed by the then ODM candidate Mohamed Sirat. The Interim Independent Electoral Commission has already set September 20th as the date for by-elections in Juja and Makadara constituencies. The seats also fell vacant in a string of election petitions filed against sitting MPs over election irregularities.

The UK Border Agency is today welcoming 37 Bhutanese refugees into the UK. The move follows the agreement under the Gateway Protection Programme for the UK to take 750 refugees from a number of different locations in 2010-11. This includes an eventual total of 100 Bhutanese refugees who have been living in Nepalese refugee camps since 1992 or 1993, with no prospect of local integration in Nepal or repatriation to Bhutan. It is the first time that the UK has resettled Bhutanese refugees. The UK Border Agency sent a resettlement mission team to Nepal in May to interview refugees. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has also assessed the refugees' needs and the most appropriate country for their resettlement. So far, 32,000 Bhutanese refugees have left the camps for eight Western countries, with most going to the USA. The Gateway Protection Programme is operated by the UK Border Agency in partnership with UNHCR. The programme is a legal route for particularly vulnerable refugees to reach safety without being driven into the hands of people traffickers, and shows the UK's commitment to providing a safe haven for people escaping torture or death. Our Gateway Protection Programme page contains more information. The UK has resettled 2,690 refugees since the programme began in 2004, including Liberian refugees from Sierra Leone, Congolese refugees from Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda, and Iraqi refugees from Jordan.

Nairobi, Friday 13th August, 2010. ODM MPs who opposed the new constitution say they have no apologies to make. This comes a day after ODM parliamentary group meeting announced that the party will be taking unspecified disciplinary action against members who were in the NO camp. Addressing a press conference at parliament buildings Friday, Chepalungu MP Isaac Ruto said the legislators were exercising their democratic right and will not be intimidated by threats from the party. Ruto said the MPs will continue to marshal support from the house to push for amendments on various contentious issues. On Thursday, ODM Secretary General Anyang' Nyong'o said that Higher Education Minister William Ruto who led the NO campaigns will not be included in the parliamentary constitutional implementation committee for defying the party's policy to support the new constitution. MPs Joshua Kutuny, Charles Keter also campaigned against the new law. Without giving details, Nyong'o said that the meeting initiated the process of disciplining members who go against the party ideals. Ruto and his Chepalungu counterpart, Mr Isaac Ruto, are members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the constitution, which oversaw the writing of the constitution.

The German economy grew by 2.2% in the three months to the end of June, its fastest quarterly growth in more than 20 years, official figures show. "Such quarter-on-quarter growth has never been recorded before in reunified Germany," the national statistics office, Destatis, said. The main reason for the higher-than-expected growth was strong exports, helped by a weaker euro. The eurozone economy grew by 1% during the quarter. This compares with growth of 0.2% in the first three months of the year, the area's official statistics agency, Eurostat, said. Not since the Berlin Wall divided the country has Germany seen growth of 2.2% in a single three-month period. The German statistics agency says the numbers can partly be explained by a sustained period of export growth, as Germany's immense manufacturing sector begins to recover the markets it lost in 2009. But the most surprising element of the numbers is an apparent contribution from the German consumer. They have traditionally been very cautious in their spending habits, but appear in 2010 to have finally opened their wallets with gusto. France's figure of 0.6% growth in the period from April to June is also significantly better than economists had expected, raising hopes that Europe may be emerging from the gloom of the last three months, a period when many contemplated the end of the euro currency as rioters took to the streets of Athens. The French economy grew by 0.6% in the second quarter, also up from 0.2%, while the Spanish economy grew by 0.2%, compared with 0.1% in the previous three months. The pace of growth in the Italian economy remained the same, at 0.4%. Greece, however, saw its economy shrink by 1.5% during the quarter. The country's government has instigated a series of far-reaching austerity measures recently, designed to reduce its high budget deficit. All the second quarter figures are initial estimates and could be revised up or down in the coming months. The eurozone quarterly GDP figures show that the economic recovery in Europe gained pace between April and June. The UK has also reported higher-than-expected growth of 1.1% for the period. In the US, however, second quarter growth was 0.6%, down from 0.9% between January and March, raising questions about the strength of the recovery in the world's biggest economy. "Second quarter GDP data for the eurozone's major economies suggest that the region performed very well, both by its own and international standards," said Jennifer McKeown at Capital Economics. "This would be the strongest in three-and-a-half years and mean that, unusually, growth in the eurozone outpaced that in the US." However, along with other analysts, she highlighted concerns about the strength of the recovery in "peripheral economies", such as Greece and Spain.

Mrs. Virginia Nyambura Kanyugi is in London. Mrs. Kanyugi well known as "Mwenda Andû" because of their famous matatus fleets from Kangari to Nairobi. She is the wife of the late Samson Kanyugi of Kangari. Mrs. Kanyugi who is a tea farmer in Kangari has comes to visit her family in UK - Mercy and Esther who lives in London and Manchester respectively. Early this year, she was asked by her children when she will be visiting them in UK Mr. Kanyugi replied: "I am waiting for Mr. Seed to escort me when he comes to Kenya." Her home is a throw of a stone from Njiiri's High School which is Mr. Seed's village. Asked by Mr. Seed during their day flight from Nairobi to London whom she voted for during the constitutional referendum in Kenya Mrs. Kanyugi explained that voting is a secret weapon but her dictionary has more yes than nos. Her contact in UK is 07904760578.

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende on Friday 13th August, 2010 opposed a move by ODM to exclude its MPs who opposed the new law from the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee. Marende said all MPs have a right to be included in any committee. "All MPs have a right to be included in any committee, but I'll wait for the political parties to forward the names of their nominees to the oversight committee," Mr Marende said . The speaker who was speaking after inaugurating a meeting of the 56 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference to be held in the country next month. He said the implementation committee of the new constitution should be formed within 30 days after promulgation. Marende said that he expected to get a committee from the 223 MPs whom he said have a right to be in any committee regardless of whether they supported passing of the constitution of not. "My work is just to wait for names of nominees from parliamentarians and I cannot judge on what decision are made by parties", he said. Marende who is the Chairperson of CPA Kenya chapter called on politicians to ensure that they give Kenyans what they desire by avoiding side shows and mediocrity. He appealed to party leaders to consult each other in the spirit of coalition and ensure that implementation of the constitution process is peaceful, and follows the right procedure. Attorney General Amos Wako shoulders the biggest responsibility in ensuring that the 49 Bills needed to anchor the new law are prepared without errors and in time, and presented to Parliament for legislation.The Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee will take over from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitution that steered the review process up to the referendum stage. The time-line for entrenching the new legislations stretches from one to five years, but the first batch of laws will be done in the first three years. Some of the laws to be passed within one year include that on citizenship, which regulates how a person can become a citizen and controls entry into and residence in Kenya, status of permanent residents, and voluntary renunciation of citizenship. Others are the establishment of the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, legislation on elections, establishment of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, legislation on legislation on political parties, and regulations on vacation of office of an MP. Also to be enacted within one year are laws on the Judiciary to establish system of courts, and to regulate the election of speakers of county assemblies. Other legislation includes those on public finance, Contingencies Fund, and loan guarantees by national government.

A Kenyan has passed away in Georgia, USA. The late Mr. Martin Njau Kahia of Acworth Georgia passed on at Kennestone Hospital after a short illness on Saturday, August 7, 2010. He was the son the late Moses Kahia Nguro & Peninah Mwihaki Kahia of Ndumberi, Kenya. He was a spouse to Faith Ngotho of Acworth, Georgia, brother to Hannah Wanjiku Karanja (K.K. Promote), Lois Njoki Kariuki (Wakimotho-Ndumberi), Peter Nguro (Wynee-Ndumberi), Rachael Kahia (U.K.), Gideon Kahia (Giddy), Lucy Kahia (Murishi), Ev. Hilda Kahia (Mercy Ministries Outreach) all of Texas. He was father to Kelvin Kahia Njau of Kirigiti Prime Academy, and uncle to many. Friends and well wishers are meeting daily at his residence in Acworth, Georgia. There will be prayers at his residence on the following days: Sunday, August 8, 2010 from 7-9 p.m., Wednesday, August 11, 2010 from 7-9 p.m. and on Friday, August 13, 2010 from 7-9 p.m. There will be a memorial service at Kenyan American Community Church (KACC) on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 4:00p.m.

The wake will take place at West Cobb Funeral Home on Monday, August 16, 2010 at 6:00p.m. Venues: Martin's Residence: 5652 Hillcrest Dr. Acworth, GA, 30102, KACC: 771 Elberta Dr. Marietta, GA, 30066. West Cobb: 2480 Macland Rd. Marietta, GA, 30064. DALLAS TX: There will be prayers everyday from Tuesday August 10th at Giddy’s Residence 3972 Holly Hill Dr. Grand Prairie, TX 75052. There will be a memorial service and fundraising at Empowerment Christian Center (ECC) 12879 Josey Lane, suite 130 Farmers Branch, TX 75234 on Saturday August 14, 2010 at 4 p.m. Your Prayers, Presence and Financial support will be greatly appreciated. More information please contact: Giddy (Texas): 214-394-2954, Ev. Hilda (Texas): 214-293-9444, Lucy Kahian (Texas):214-403-6643. Faith Ngotho (GA): 404-966-2450, Ndogo Uiru (GA): 404-510-6283, Erastus Wambugu (GA): 678-314-2689, Virginia Miringu (GA): 770-815-5525, Mama Brian (GA): 678-314-2695 or Njeri Mungai (GA): 404-435-6534.

Following the final farewell to our beloved Mrs. Benadeta Wayua Hatim Dawood on 06/08/2010, we the Hatim’s family would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to everyone who participated in one way or another either through prayers, word of sympathy and material provisions in making the funeral service of our beloved Mrs Hatim a memorable one.

In particular we would like to thank Pastor Boyd, Bishop Anne, Pastor Simon, Pastor Naomi and all other ministers and countless individuals who committed their invaluable time and resources in the preparation and making the funeral of our beloved Mrs Hatim a success.

Three is a crowd ... Mswati and Queen Nothando Dube (left) and love rat Ndumiso Mamba (right)

THESE amazing pictures show the moment Swaziland’s former Justice Minister Ndumiso Mamba was caught by state security agents holed up in a hotel room with King Mswati III’s 12th wife, Queen Nothando Dube. Mamba appeared to have sensed approaching danger before dozens of security agents stormed the Royal Villas, a luxury hotel owned by the polygamous 42-year-old King about 10km west of his Lozitha Palace. In a desperate attempt to make himself disappear, Mamba – wearing a brown suit -- burrowed into the base of a bed and slid in. The red-faced childhood friend of the King was ordered out, head first, by the security agents who are believed to have been investigating his sex trysts with the 12th of the King’s 14 wives. Mamba was immediately arrested and faces the odd-sounding charge of “trespassing into another man’s home”. He is expected to be finally exiled from Swaziland.

Rumbled ... Ndumiso Mamba emerges from base of bed and on right Caught napping ... Mamba is ordered out of his not-so-clever hide-out

It has been claimed that Dube wore an elaborate disguise so she could enjoy clandestine meetings with Mamba, who is married. The queen is said to have dressed in military fatigues to leave the royal palace without arousing suspicion. A palace source was quoted by the South African Press Association as saying: "For many months, the inkhosikati [queen] would dress in an army uniform whenever the king was not around. "She allegedly got into her room and changed into her uniform and walked straight to the gate and no one bothered to ask where was this soldier going. In no time a car was there to pick the ‘officer’ up and whisked her to Royal Villas.” But the risky liaison soon attracted the attention of Mswati’s agents who made their move while he was out of the country in Taiwan. The affair has caused huge embarrassment to Africa's last absolute monarchy after failed attempts to prevent it leaking into the public domain. Swazi newspapers are tightly censored and the Times of Swaziland reported only: "Mamba resigned following certain allegations circulating in the country and internationally.”

In the kingdom of Swaziland, subjects must ensure they do not dishonour their monarch. That rule goes for King Mswati III’s 13 wives as well. And, despite shunning monogamy himself, he was in no mood to tolerate claims that his 12th spouse may have also enjoyed sharing her love with more than one partner. He was unhappier yet when the man said to be having an affair with his beauty queen bride Mswati Nothando Dube was none other than his own Justice Minister and friend Ndumiso Mamba. So, after engineering a sting operation and allegedly catching the two in bed, his 22-year-old wife has now been placed under house arrest while her Mamba is in jail, having been forced to resign. Of course, the king’s 1.2 million subjects have not been made aware of this salacious story by the country’s press. The Times of Swaziland helpfully told its readers “Mamba resigned following certain allegations circulating in the country and internationally.” Journalists there have been told to focus on the honorary degree awarded to the monarch during his visit to Taiwan this week.

However, this has not stopped reporters from neighbouring South Africa exposing the scandal. If convicted of the rather odd-sounding charge of ‘trespassing into another man’s home’, married Mamba, who was once a close friend of the king, could be executed. While Dube, a mother of two who got engaged at 16 after taking part in the annual pageant of thousands of topless Swazi virgins, could be banished from the kingdom. The two were arrested at the Royal Villas hotel in a town near Mbabane, the country capital. The hotel is said to be owned by the king. As is the custom in the tribal state, the monarch’s mother, who shares his power and is known as the Indlovukazi, or Great She-Elephant, sent a delegation to Mamba’s village to press charges. Political commentators said the alleged affair was “common knowledge”, although a friend of the queen has now told South African Times newspaper that she is "not happy", and wanted to "dismiss the allegations as false”. Dube first caught the king's eye at the annual Reed Dance six years ago. Inkhosikati LaDube, as she became known, bore him a daughter within a year and a son soon afterwards.

A Kenyan has passed away in Boston. Mr Elam Mburu of Rironi Location. The 68 years old has been ailing within the past six months. Friends and Family request support to cover funeral expenses. In Boston, contact: Kamaru 617-445-7305.
Lea Mburu 206-335-0168.
Douglas Mbatia 1.978-208-7760

Kenya declares August 27 a public holiday

The government has declared Friday August 27 a public holiday to give Kenyans time to witness the promulgation of the new Constitution. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said on Thursday that the government was organizing an elaborate ceremony to mark the ushering in of the new law and urged Kenyans to join in the historic celebrations.

Pastor Joseph Njuguna Chege well known as Man of God of Nottingham, UK left UK for Kenya on Wednesday 11th August, 2010 where he will be holding several conferences. Pastor Njuguna explained "To God alone be the Praise. Kenya your next online Naivasha with Bishop Pallangyo Jeremiah 13, 14, 15,Aug Rongai with Bishop Nderitu 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 August 2010 with Bishop Kitonga Redeemed Gospel Church Inc 24, 25, 26, 27, 29th August 2010 NPC Valley rd 3rd September 2010 10:30 am, and Kiambu 3, 4, 5th September with Bishop Peter Gachara REDEEMED GOSPEL CHURCH KIAMBU. All are welcome!"

Some of the cattle cloned to boost food production in the US have been created from the cells of dead animals, according to a US cloning company. Farmers say it is being done because it is only possible to tell that the animal's meat is of exceptionally high quality by inspecting its carcass. US scientists are using a variety of techniques to assess which animals have exceptional qualities. These attributes include meat quality, productivity or longevity. These exceptional animals are cloned to be used as breeding stock, with the aim of raising the quality of herds on beef, dairy and pig farms in the US. The head of the leading US animal cloning company has said that European farmers will fall behind the rest of the world unless they are allowed to use such techniques to improve the productivity of their livestock. The aim of livestock cloning is to clone the best animals to produce the best beef. But some cattle farmers believe it is impossible to pick the best quality animals until their meat has been properly analysed. That is why there are cloned bulls here that have been produced from the cells taken from the carcasses of dead animals. Brady Hicks of the JR Simplot company in Idaho said his organisation was among many that had tried out the technique successfully.

Foreign leaders to attend Kenya’s ‘rebirth’

Nairobi, Friday, August 13, 2010. Foreign leaders have been invited to grace the promulgation of the new laws by President Kibaki. August 27 has also been declared a public hpliday to allow Kenyans attend the ceremony. "The event will be held at Uhuru Park, Nairobi and will be marked with pomp, larger than regular holidays," said Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua. Speaking during his weekly press briefing, Dr Mutua said plans for the historic event were in top gear. He, however, did not divulge names of country leaders invited to the event to usher in a new constitution for the country. "We will let you know who has been invited once plans are complete," Mutua said. He added: "To ensure the whole country participates in the event, representatives from all provinces will take part in the function." No amendments

The Government spokesman said security measures were in place to ensure all Kenyans and invited guests would be safe. Mutua, however, ruled out possibilities of immediate amendments to the document as proposed by a section of the Church and politicians from the team that opposed it. "There is no clause that allows for amendments before the document is promulgated by the President. Those who want amendments should be patient. It will be amended at the right time," he said.

Swedish driver gets £650,000 speeding fine

A Swedish man has been handed a £650,000 speeding fine - believed to be the world's largest ever - while driving Switzerland.

Traffic police pulled the 37-year-old driver over on the A12 highway between Bern and Lausanne, when he was seen travelling at two and half times the speed limit in his £140,000 Mercedes-Benz SLS. The speed limit on Switzerland's motorways is 74.5mph (120km/h). The Mercedes-Benz SLS supercar in which the Swedish driver was caught is capable of a 197mph maximum speed.

Prosecutors claim that he was caught driving at 186mph, the fastest anyone has ever been clocked for speeding in Switzerland. He avoided being snapped by numerous speed traps as he was travelling at speeds in excess of 125mph, which is too fast for the cameras to function correctly. The driver, who has not been named, claimed that the car had recently been fitted with a new speedometer, which was faulty. Swiss speeding fines are calculated using a formula taking earnings into account leaving the man facing the highest possible penalty of 300 days worth of £2,166 daily fines - £650,000 in total. Traffic police on the scene claimed that he needed over half a kilometre of road to stop the car.

A Massachusetts man who was rushed to hospital with a collapsed lung came home with an unusual diagnosis: a pea plant was growing in his lung. Ron Sveden had been battling emphysema for months when his condition deteriorated. He was steeling himself for a cancer diagnosis when X-rays revealed the growth in his lung. Doctors believe that Mr Sveden ate the pea at some point, but it "went down the wrong way" and sprouted. "One of the first meals I had in the hospital after the surgery had peas for the vegetable. I laughed to myself and ate them," Mr Sveden told a local Boston TV reporter. Mr Sveden said the plant was about half an inch (1.25cm) in size. "Whether this would have gone full-term and I'd be working for the Jolly Green Giant, I don't know. I think the thing that finally dawned on me is that it wasn't the cancer," Mr Sveden said. He is currently recovering at home with his wife Nancy, who joked that God must have a sense of humour.

Can the humble pea grow in lungs? Doctors look at x-rays. The diagnosis for Ron Sveden, 75, was devastating. X-rays showed a dark mass in the lung of the emphysema-sufferer and doctors concluded it could be a tumor.

Pastor/Dr. Ann Kabundi (left) of Wolverhampton and her sister Mrs. Rose Kabega (Kabundi) (right) of Perfleet, Essex has lost their mother Mrs. Margaret Njeri Kabundi (centre) back in Kenya. The late Mrs. Margaret Njeri Kabundi of Kihingo Village, Ndumberi, Kiambu passed away on Wednesday 11th August, 2010. She is the wife of the late Steven Kabundi Mwenda who passed away in London last year on 18th August, 2009 while visiting their children with his wife. Surprisingly the husband passed away in London on 18th August, 2009 at 3.00 a.m. while the mother passed yesterday - a year later on 11th August, 2010 at 3.00 a.m. Family and friends are meeting for prayers and arrangements in Purfleet, Essex and in Wolverhampton. In Purfleet the meeting takes place at Rose Kabege's house, 32 Marine Court, Centurion Way, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1ZU. Tel: 07817906487 or 01708865112. In Wolverhampton the meeting takes place at 8 Maxwell Road, Al. Saints, Wolverhampton, WV2 1DP. Tel: 07765997058 or 01902681930. A thanks giving ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday 15th August, 2010at Rose Kabege's house, 32 Marine Court, Centurion Way, Purfleet, Essex, RM19 1ZU as from 4.00 p.m. Tel: 07817906487 or 01708865112. A memorial services is scheduled for a later date. The family is going to Kenya on Wednesday 18th August, 2010.

President Mwai Kibaki has sent a congratulatory message to President Paul Kagame

Nairobi, Thursday 12th August, 2010. President Mwai Kibaki has sent a congratulatory message to President Paul Kagame of Rwanda following his decisive victory in the just concluded general elections. In his message, President Kibaki noted that the victory of President Kagame was a sign of improved democracy in the East Africa region. On the behalf of the people and the Government of Kenya, President Kibaki wished the people of Rwanda peace and goodwill as they settle down to continue developing their country. Meanwhile, several people have been wounded in a grenade attack in the Rwandan capital, witnesses and officials say. The blast in Kigali came just two days after President Paul Kagame was re-elected in a landslide win. The explosion injured seven people, including two children, AFP news agency quoted a police spokesman as saying. The spokesman, Eric Kayiranga, said the attack happened at rush-hour on Wednesday evening, near the city's main bus station. It was not immediately clear who had carried out the attack. "I saw a grenade [rolling] past and then I felt myself falling down," said witness Michael Mugisha, who was being treated in hospital. "People were running. There were so many people." There were several grenade attacks in Kigali earlier this year amid rising political tension ahead of this week's presidential election. No-one claimed responsibility for the attacks. Mr Kagame has led Rwanda since hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the 1994 genocide. He won 93% of the votes in Monday's poll, the electoral commission said. Observers from the Commonwealth, which Rwanda joined last year, said the campaign was marked by "a lack of critical opposition voices". Mr Kagame's critics accuse him of suppressing opposition and undermining democracy.

The Kenya ministry of foreign affairs wants the government to reconsider a directive by the finance ministry slashing the visa fee for tourists by half to promote tourism in the country following negative publicity occasioned by the 2008 post election violence. Minister for foreign affairs Moses Wetangula moving his ministry's budget estimates sought to have parliament‘s backing to withdraw from the exchequer an initial 3.76 billion shillings for its recurrent expenditure. He pointed out that the directive was starving the ministry of funding and called for the formulation of solid policies to determine the visa fees. The chairman of the committee of defense and foreign relations Aden Kenyan expressed similar sentiments and called for a review of the directive. He however urged for better coordination among the ministries of foreign affairs, finance, East African Community, trade and tourism to guide such decisions in the future. He said the government should move with speed to put into place a comprehensive policy on the acquisition and disposing of foreign embassies to ensure they are done in a transparent manner to save the taxpayer from losses accruing from such transactions. There has been an uproar over the manner in which the government acquired a piece of land in Tokyo, Japan with members saying the price was inflated while the plot was situated in a low end market area. Legislators who supported the motion however expressed concern over the diversion of funds to refurbishment of embassies whereas the employees working at the mission were living in poor conditions. The ministry of foreign affairs is seeking to have parliament approve a budget of 7.13 billion shillings towards recurrent expenditure to be used for paying salaries and allowances as well as rent of missions abroad. For its development budget for the year 2010/2011 it is seeking 516 million shillings to be used for maintenance of chanceries and residences abroad. Wetangula called for additional funding saying fluctuation in foreign exchange remains an impediment that the government needs to take into consideration when disbursing funds to the ministry. At the same time parliament also approved an initial funding to the ministry of East African Community to the tune of 513, 493 000 as its expenditure budget. Moving the vote the minister said the ministry was in the process of implementing the necessary legislation that will see the operationalization of the East African Common Market Protocol which came into effect on July 1.

During Miss Margaret Njiiri (Daughter Seed) visit to South Africa last month, she toured a lion park where she took time to play with young lions. More later.

As the Kirima family saga in Kenya continues, a family sources claims that Mzee Kirima had been assigned a salary of KShs. 7 million a month as a way of helping some family members transfer some assets away from the family

A couple who were jailed for trafficking immigrants to work in their Worthing care homes look set to lose almost half a million pounds of their ill-gotten gains. Shamila and Anbanaden Chellapermal of Queens Gate, London, were each found guilty of human trafficking and knowingly employing illegal workers and sentenced to two years in prison. The investigation started after information was received that a Mauritian woman working at a nursing home in Worthing was being exploited. The case was then picked up by the UK Border Agency's South East immigration crime team. Their enquiries revealed that three women and a man had been recruited by an employment agency in Mauritius and brought to the UK by the Chellapermals. They were then forced to work for up to 90 hours a week for only £450 a month, were not allowed to leave the homes unescorted, and were even prevented from seeing doctors. The Mauritian-born couple were charged in 2008 and eventually convicted in June 2009 following a three week trial at Chichester Crown Court. Following their convictions, financial investigators from Sussex Police worked to identify money and property earned by the couple. £450,000 was confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Inner London Crown Court. They will also have to pay £25,000 costs. Detective Inspector Andy Cummins of the UK Border Agency's South East immigration crime team said:

'The Chellapermals cruelly took advantage of their victims, forcing them into a modern form of slavery, working horrendously long hours for very little money.

'At the same time the couple were personally reaping very significant financial rewards. They also blatantly flouted the UK's immigration laws.

'Through obtaining this conviction and this order we've shown how committed the UK Border Agency and Sussex Police are to stopping criminals like this, and preventing them from profiting from their crimes.'

The United Nations says at least 1,600 people have died and nearly 14 million have been affected by the "worst monsoon-related floods in living memory", which have engulfed entire towns. It has launched an appeal for $459m of emergency aid.

The UK's economic recovery is likely to continue but the overall outlook is weaker than three months ago, the Bank of England has said. The Bank's governor Mervyn King downgraded his growth prediction and said inflation would fall less quickly than previously thought. In May, the Bank of England (BoE) said it expected the economy to grow by 3.4% in the coming year, but it has now revised the figure to about 2.5%. Mr King added that he expected the inflation rate to remain above the 2% target for longer - until the end of 2011 - as the VAT hike comes into force from January. But he rebutted suggestions that the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had been over-confident in its predictions. "A year ago, a lot of people were saying we were being too optimistic, but output has actually been stronger," he said. Nevertheless, the governor said the impact of the financial crisis would fade only gradually, and that the UK should expect a "choppy recovery". "It will take many years before bank balance sheets and fiscal positions return to anything like normal," he said. Household disposal incomes would be squeezed as a result of the deficit-tackling measures, the BoE said in its report. But when asked how much more the Government's Emergency Budget and deficit reduction plan would affect the revised forecasts in growth, Mr King replied "not much". Commenting on the figures, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) voiced doubt over the forecast and said conditions were still very difficult for firms. David Kern, BCC chief economist, said: "The report's growth projections, although slightly lower than in May, are still too optimistic. "They do not yet acknowledge the full impact of the deficit-reduction measures taken in the Emergency Budget. "The unpleasant combination of weaker growth and higher inflation can only be dealt with by making it possible for the wealth-creating private sector to rebalance the economy and drive a lasting recovery." The governor admitted lending terms to business had worsened significantly since the financial crisis began, but he refused to blame the banks. He said: "Banks are not being awkward or bloody minded in their attitude, they are facing higher costs of funding... it is not a question of blaming people, this is a direct consequence of the financial crisis that occurred." The BoE's downward growth revision comes after recent surveys showed a sharp slowdown in high street sales, falling house prices and consumer confidence at its lowest for more than a year. The FTSE fell following the release of the report, with banks the hardest hit on indications that interest rates would remain low for a long time to come.

The saga surrounding the family of former Starehe MP Gerishon Kirima deepened Wednesday, when some of his children broke into his Kitisuru home in Nairobi and took over the property. The children then brought in a pastor to "cleanse" the compound, saying it was infested with satanic spirits. By then, Kirima was in hospital and his third wife of 40 years Teresia Wairimu was away. The children chased away guards, who have been guarding the posh compound and installed theirs, saying they were in charge. Wairimu arrived minutes later, accompanied by two of her children and a host of hired youths, and drove into the compound without any resistance. She took journalists round the house, showing them the broken doors, and saying her life was in danger. Wairimu complained that she had been denied access to her husband at the Nairobi Hospital since Sunday, and wondered why the children took such an action. "I have tried to involve police, but they have refused to help. I fear there is going to be violence in this compound. For now, I am not safe," she said. As she spoke to journalists, Francis Musili of Around the Globe Church was in deep prayers outside the house with three daughters of Kirima.

Apostle Musili said he had been invited there by the children to help in chasing away bad spirits, which had allegedly been brought there by witchdoctors, a claim Wairimu refuted. Wairimu said she would move to court to seek protection because police had refused to help her. Said she: "It is because the judges are on vacation that I have been unable to get help from the courts for now. I will definitely go back to the courts if the children insist on staying here."

Kirima’s daughter Bishop Gathoni said they would withdraw court cases now that they had accessed the house. "My dad has been suffering in the hands of bad people, and now that we have him, we intend to withdraw the case pending before court," she said. But Wairimu said she had a doctor, who checked on her husband for the last 15 years, and that their allegations that he was sick were baseless. Mr Kirima was whisked from his home to the hospital on Sunday, after the children stormed into the compound with a Government ambulance. They took him away against Wairimu’s wish. She had been living with Kirima at the Kitisuru house. The children had been camping at the home, demanding that their father be taken to hospital, as he was ill and needed medical attention. They say their father has diabetes, prostate cancer and poor eyesight. The family has been embroiled in a tussle over property, which is estimated to be worth more than Sh750 million, with rent collected monthly nearing Sh20 million. Mr Wanjau Kirima had gone to court asking to be enjoined in the management of the property, saying some third party forces were taking advantage of their father. – The Standard.

From floods in Pakistan to droughts in Russia, "extreme and very unusual" weather across the world is bringing death and misery to millions of people. 2010 is already being branded as the year the weather went berserk.

Countries across the world are scrambling to donate aid supplies to the 14 million people affected by the flooding.

There is growing concern that supplies of clean drinking water could become contaminated and the National Meteorological Centre is reporting more heavy rain, with up to three inches forecast for Friday. Rivers have also swollen in central Europe with hundreds of people evacuated across Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. In contrast Russia is suffering from an extreme heatwave that has caused a toxic smog across the country.

Africa's Sahel region is also suffering from severe drought and millions of lives are at risk. According to meteorologists monitoring the atmosphere in the northern hemisphere, unusual holding patterns in the jet stream are to blame for the extreme weather in Pakistan and Russia. Sky News' weather presenter Lucy Verasamy said: "Extreme weather in one place will have a knock on effect elsewhere. "High pressure in Russia means low pressure elsewhere as all the systems are interconnected." Experts point the finger of blame towards climate change but say it cannot be proved conclusively. "This weather is very unusual but there are always extremes every year," said Professor Andrew Watson from the University of East Anglia. "We can never say that weather in a single year is unequivocal evidence of climate change, if you get many years of extreme weather then that can point to climate change." The UK has not fared too badly but Professor Watson says we did suffer the coldest winter for 30 years, while globally January to March was the warmest since records began. He predicts more extreme weather across the world "not every year but in the extreme years, the weather will be much more extreme".

"Age is nothing but a number Mr. Seed" - that was Pouline Munyota's (Mama Kiki) from Coventry, UK words as they were declared husband and wife at their Wedding in Nairobi on Saturday 31st July, 2010. The ceremony took place at Gracious Gardens in Harlingham. Caught on right is Mrs. Rose Claw (right) and Miss Patricia Muchunu (second right) from UK.

Nairobi, Wednesday 11th August, 2010. One person was shot on the hand when anti-riot police officers fired in the air to disperse demonstrating tenants at Nakuru's Flamingo estate who were protesting evictions from their council houses over non-payment of Ksh 175 million in rent arrears. Two municipal council askaris who were part of the eviction squad escaped death narrowly after the angry tenants stoned the lorry they were using for the exercise and roughed them up before they were rescued by the anti-riot police officers who were called to quell the fracas after the askaris were overpowered by the tenants. Kimathi and Flamingo estates which were the most affected by the evictions became no-go zones Tuesday morning after the rowdy tenants barricaded the Nakuru-Langalanga-Lake Nakuru Park roads with burning tyres to express their anger before engaging the police in running battles for hours. The protests spiralled over to Nakuru town's Kanu street with a few youths harassing motorists and matatus plying the routes. The tenants were protesting the decision by the Nakuru Municipal Council to evict them from their houses claiming that there has been an ownership dispute in the affected estates between the council and the National Housing Corporation which made most of the tenants fail to pay rent. They also accused the town clerk of harassing them and of being inaccessible and mismanaging the council affairs by irregularly increasing rents without consulting them. The municipal clerk Sheikh Abdullahi however defended the council's action saying only those who had not paid the arrears were being evicted contrary to claims that all the tenants were being forced out. He said the tenants had been given a three-month notice to settle the five year rent arrears amounting to Ksh 175 million during a stakeholders meeting on April 30 this year after the ownership dispute between them and National Housing Corporation was resolved after the council surrendered Kabachia and Ngei estates to the corporation. Abdullahi remained adamant that those who have not cleared their rent arrears would be evicted as the council followed the right procedures through issuing a public notice in the press.

Higher education minister William Ruto was on Tuesday 10th August, 2010 put on the spot over the allocation of scholarship awards from foreign countries to various constituencies. Ruto said currently there are over 326 scholarships awarded by over 12 foreign countries from both Europe and Asia. However Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo accused the ministry of failing to award the scholarships on merit claiming that they have become a preserve of ministers. According to the minister, however, North Eastern province has been awarded 43 beneficiaries, 51 to Eastern, 40 to Western and 38 to Coast and 21 to Nairobi. Members however requested the speaker to allow the minister to bring a comprehensive answer to the house detailing the allocation of the scholarships per constituency, the criteria and merits used to award the scholarships. The minister is expected to provide an answer to the question next Wednesday.

"It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

British scientists have revealed details of a new test which could diagnose autism in children in just 15 minutes. More than 500,000 people in Britain have the developmental disorder. At the moment, diagnosis can be time-consuming, expensive and delay children from receiving the right help and support. The new technique uses a form of brain scan. In trials on adults, it has already proved to be 90% accurate. The method is far quicker than conventional ways of identifying autism, and up to 20 times more cost effective. In two years' time, it could start to revolutionise how psychiatrists diagnose the disorder. This is currently done by observing behavioural traits using a number of tests. The process can take a whole day, involve an entire team of clinicians, and cost as much as £2,000. The brain scans take a matter of minutes and cost between £100 and £200. Although it is likely to be used as an extra diagnostic tool at first, in time the technique could replace observational assessments completely, the researchers believe. The new test has been developed by scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. It involves taking pictures of the brain with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner like those in hospitals.

The scans are reconstructed into 3D images and analysed by computer software programmed to spot hallmarks of autism in the structure of different brain areas. Five key parameters are assessed including levels of folding and volume, some of which directly relate to autistic symptoms. For instance, changes in the volume of the basal ganglia, which regulates movement, may result in repetitive behaviour. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name given to a range of conditions caused by abnormalities in brain development. Sufferers are affected in different ways, but share an inability to communicate, form social relationships, and empathise. They may demonstrate repetitive use of words or movements. Children as young as six months can exhibit signs of autism, and the disorder is also known to run in families. Dr Christine Ecker, a leading member of the Institute of Psychiatry team, said: "The value of this rapid and accurate tool to diagnose ASD is immense. "We now look forward to testing if our methods can also help children." The structural signatures of autism were even more pronounced in youngsters than they were in adults, she said. "If it works in adults we think it will work even better in children," Dr Ecker added.

Kenya's new constitution is set to be promulgated on August 27. The new law was ratified last week after Kenyans overwhelmingly voted in its support in a referendum. A statement from the Presidential Press Service says the move is in compliance with the Constitution of Kenya Review Act 2008 and the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act. The ceremony will be held at Nairobi's Uhuru Park and is open to members of the public. Meanwhile Parliament re-opens Tuesday with a heavy schedule ahead of the legislators of jump starting the process that will operationalise the new constitution. Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo is already preparing four bills to kick start the process for approval by cabinet. These include the Commission on Implementation of the Constitutional Bill, the Elections Bill, the Judiciary Service Bill and the Supreme Court Bill. Kilonzo says he expects parliament to pass the bills within the next three months adding that the 14-day period set before the promulgation was meant to solve any dissatisfaction regarding the new law. Kilonzo however insists that civic education would not cease as Kenyans should be involved in the implementation process. House speaker Kenneth Marende has given an assurance that parliament was ready to play its role.

Chief Justice Evan Gicheru says judicial reforms are critical in ensuring access to justice, timeliness in case disposal and safeguarding the quality of justice.Justice Gicheru said provision of user friendly court buildings, ease of access to information, ease of online access to court services and transparency in the court processes, were also critical components in a reformed judiciary. Gicheru said the launch of a website to provide better access to information on the courts and their services, daily updated cause lists of the court proceedings, making enquiries and giving customers feedback, are some of the reforms that have began. Justice Gicheru said works were currently ongoing to lay out a Local Area network (LAN), which is critical in facilitating the management of cases by the usage of emerging technologies to enhance the efficiency of the litigation process and the administration of justice, in its various aspects. He said construction of new court buildings in Malindi, Kisumu, Busia, Nyeri, Naivasha, Kerugoya, Migori, Butere, Kehancha, and Gatundu was also underway. There are also plans to expand mobile court to places like Dadaab, Kakuma, Loitoktok, Lokitaung, Lokichar, Wamba, Mpeketoni, and open new court stations like Marimati, Mutomo, mariakani and Garsen, he added. "Direct banking of fees and deposits in all high court stations are soon to be extended to all court stations", he said, adding that this is expected to eventually cover all monies collected by the judiciary including fines and forfeitures.

Justice Gicheru was speaking at the ongoing annual judges retreat in Mombasa, where he also stressed the importance of judicial independence. The theme for the conference was, ' strengthening judicial integrity and working together for efficient service delivery". "An independent judiciary does not mean that judicial decisions and judges should not be subjected to critical review or are above reproach, or a rallying cry to protect only members of the judiciary, but is just as important to each one of us", he said. According to Justice Gicheru, judicial independence protects the system that judges believe in and took oath to uphold. At the same time, Justice Gicheru said the judiciary was in the process of implementing some of the recommendations by a taskforce on judicial reforms chaired by Justice William Ouko, in order to actualize a better and efficient judicial system for the country. They include the restoration of public confidence in the judiciary, effective administration of justice, addressing judicial corruption and ensure integrity. The judges refted remarks in a section of the media that they were ready to resign rather than be vetted spelt out in the new constitution. Judge William Ouko who is also the chairman of the task force on judicial reforms said the judges would accept the vetting process as recommended as there was nothing new in the process. Ouko said they have written a report to recommend that the judiciary have an increment in their budget from the 0.5% they usually work with to 2.5% as this will enable them deliver services more efficiently.

A jobless family of 11 on £42,000-a-year benefits in UK caused outrage on Tuesday 10th August, 2010 after they were given a new seven-bedroom house worth £300,000. In a shocking example of “benefits Britain,” scroungers Kevin and Sharron Bishop rake in £3,500 of taxpayers’ cash every month for themselves and their nine children. Stunned neighbours saw them carting their belongings – said to include prized parrots – out of their four-bedrom home to a bigger one just yards down the road. Their latest property is two council houses knocked through to create a seven-bedroom haven at a cost to taxpayers of around £50,000. Neighbours on the estate in Yeovil, Somerset, branded the couple “work-shy scroungers”. They alleged some of the children had terrorised the neighbourhood. One, who did not want to be named, said: “They’ve been spending benefit money on luxury parrots – some cost as much as £800. “They are scroungers. All the money they get and spend is taxpayers’ money. They are fit enough to work but they just don’t want to.” Another neighbour added: “They have been given a new double house which is infuriating. Neither one of the couple has done a decent day’s work in their lives.” The Bishops’ £42,000 annual payout – around twice the average national income – is made up of income support, tax credits, housing benefit and council tax benefit. On Friday, they moved all their belongings – including flat screen TVs, sofas, armchairs, beanbags and DVDs – to their new home. It comes with two reasonably-sized back gardens and a range of new electrical goods. Chain-smoking former taxi driver Mr Bishop, who is in his 40s, objected to the public outcry. He said: “I don’t want to hear any more about this or I’ll phone the police for harassment.”

Science photographer Steve Gschmeissner has put everyday bugs under the microscope to provide these extreme close-ups of the creepy crawlies that can almost certainly be found in your home. American cockroach: It might be magnified a million times but the common cockroach doesn't get any prettier. This nocturnal creepy crawlie inhabits warm places. On right a Cat flea: One of the world's most common fleas, they bite and feed on people, but can only breed on cats. They have a life cycle of just 30 days.

Kenyans likes socialising with each other whenever they are abroad. Have a look at this videos of Kenyans in USA. - VIDEO

Bishop Muya wound up his US tour on Sunday 8th August 2010 in a well attended and yet very powerful Sunday service in Lowell, USA. The Bishop was Speaking in one of the fastest growing Pentecostal church in Lowell, CHRIST IS THE ANSWER CHURCH the vision God has given to Rev John and Joan Wachira who had invited the Bishop. The Bishop spoke on the importance of a father. God is our father by the virtue of creating us, then we have our biological fathers and spiritual fathers. Fathers connect us with our blessings, the world is in a mess because fathers have been kicked out of the house either physically or through disrespect and therefore majority of the children today have no one to speak a blessing to them. He told the mothers that their off springs future lie in the blessings of their fathers. Like wise Christians who have not identified their spiritual fathers have no one to connect them to their blessings. They have overlooked them, disregarded them and disrespected them. The Bishop had a stopover in London on Tuesday 10th August, 2010 and will be leaving on British Airways morning flight at 10.30 a.m. to Nairobi on Wednesday 11th August, 2010. He will be visiting the UK in November this year. Bishop Muya’s contact is samuelmuya2003@yahoo.com

Near disaster: A gust of wind tilts this A310's wing towards the runway as it comes into land in Lajes in the Azores in Portugal. This is the terrifying moment a gust of wind tilts a passenger plane's wings towards a runway - and inches away from disaster. More than 140 people were on board the A310 as it hit the tarmac while its pilots battled against stormy weather in Lajes in the Azores. Plane spotter Paulo Santos has travelled the world photographing every type of aircraft. But he said nothing could have prepared him as he snapped the astonishing moment the A310 battled against the wind. Mr Santos said: 'When I heard that he was cleared to land and after hearing the air traffic controllers announce severe turbulence and almost 45 knots of cross winds, I got my camera from the car, and climbed the wall. 'I saw the airplane do some crazy manoeuvres until it got close to the ground, and it was then that they caught some huge wind shear, getting the airplane in the position you see in the picture. 'The pilots struggled to keep the aircraft in one piece, and they finally managed to do it safely. 'The aircraft landed and slowed down until they entered the taxiway. I just felt that something was on their side. It could have been so much worse.' None of the passengers and crew on board the SATA International internal flight from Lisbon was injured.

London, Tuesday 10th August, 2010. House prices in UK fall as demand weakens. Property professionals saw house prices fall for the first time in a year last month and expect further declines as demand weakens, according to new research. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said 8 per cent more of its members reported a fall than a rise in property prices in July - the first time the survey indicated a fall since July 2009. Rics said the fall came as supply outstripped demand, with a decrease in buyer numbers for the second month in a row while more sellers flooded on to the market. Its July survey also indicated prices were likely to decline further, with the worst reading for expectations since last spring. Rics said 28 per cent more surveyors forecast prices to fall over the coming months, up from 6 per cent in June. But the report suggests the market will remain buoyant as 8 per cent more surveyors said they expected the number of sales to rise rather than fall.

Greetings from the Republic of Kenya well known by Kenyans abroad as JAMU where I have been visiting for the last one and half weeks. I arrived back in UK yesterday 9th August, 2010 in the evening. I have travelled widely in Kenya where I have visited and met with hundreds of businessmen and property developers. We also took time to hand over the house we have been constructing for a widow in Nakuru on 17th July, 2010. Accompanying me was my wife and my daughter. My daughter also took time to visit South Africa after paying £50 extra on her ticket above what we paid our tickets to Kenya which is quick an eye opener. We also attended several weddings including two for Kenyans living in UK. I also visited several house developers in Nakuru and Nairobi with good price offers. Among the most exciting is a new estates coming up - a South African designed houses in a 16.5 acres in Donholm Estates with a very good terms of payments. Thika Road Motorway or Superhighway in on its advance stage which has promoted the properties from Nairobi to Murang'a to sky rocket. All photos and information coming up soon. - Mr. Seed, London.

Asked by Mr. Seed at the wedding how she was catching up with the wedding on Saturday 31st July, the jovial bride (Poly) explained to Mr. Seed on a light touch: "Gûtirî ngware nini mahuria-inî". The wedding took place in a hotel near State House Nairobi. Poline Munyota (Wakiki) lives in Coventry, UK. More than 10 Kenyans living in UK attended the ceremony. More photos and story later.

On account of the contentious issues, errors, fundamental omissions and disagreeable articles, the new constitution is not the basic law I fought for. I am glad I voted no. Though Tom Mboya had argued against the wisdom of defining “independence” to people in order not to lose support from the poorest of society that the Kenyatta government would betray, independence was greeted with far more euphoria than the so-called national rebirth through the new constitution. Though the elite had reasons to celebrate independence, soon, ordinary people were groaning. Notwithstanding, many refused to ask why and those who did were booed, dismissed, shunted aside, detained and assassinated. After the so-called Narc revolution, ordinary people fared no better though blinded by ethnic politics to this reality.

In the referendum, many voted against the new constitution because they wanted a better contract between them and rulers. Now that it’s through, Kenyans will repeat errors committed at independence and after the Narc revolution at their own peril. The voters were right to trust the victors with a new constitution and an MoU to amend it after passage. The bilateral talks should commence forthwith. It will be in bad taste for Prime Minister Raila Odinga to renege on this MoU, the way President Kibaki reneged on the one with him. The drivers of the new constitution must also prove that counties drawn on ethnic lines are not majimbo and how the new law will preserve Kenya as one nation without waging war against negative ethnicity in counties, to protect ethnic minorities from discrimination by ruling ethnic majorities.

How will historical land injustices be redressed against land-grabbers without encouraging ethnic communities to pursue the restoration of ancestral lands taken from them by British colonialists but are today settled upon by people from other communities? Were these Kenyans not assured at independence that they could, with legality and propriety, buy or be given land anywhere in Kenya without fear of future eviction? The implementation of the new constitution must answer these questions or we shall have departed from the rule of law to vanquish impunity. The minister in charge of constitution-writing, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, has said there will be no dialogue over amendments to the constitution, validating fears that the document is not amendable. But the new constitution must stabilise the country politically and not plunge it into a bottomless pit of moral decadence. Nor should the arrogance of leaders be allowed to turn people against the new constitution. How can we say we now have a constitution of freedom when it authorises detention without trial, albeit during states of emergency or war?

How can victims of detention like Mr Odinga reintroduce this monster into our constitution and politics? Disappointingly, the new constitution has no problems with our kind of capitalism that generates more poverty than wealth and more corruption than development. How then will the poverty of our capitalism, if not substituted with social democracy, deliver the nation from destitution and guarantee Kenyans their economic and social rights of food, housing, health-care and education? Though I wish Kenyans good luck with the new constitution, I cannot help fearing the day when soon, they will be groaning under the burden of increased salaries of MPs, Senators and Governors and high taxes from both national and county governments. Once, Israelis asked Samuel to give them a king. Samuel warned them that such a king would take their sons and them serve with his chariots... He would take their daughters to be his perfumers, cooks and bakers... He would take the best of their fields and vineyards and give them to his attendants... He would take a tenth of their grain and give it to his officials... He would take a tenth of their flocks and make them slaves. When that day came, Samuel warned, they would cry and God would not listen. But they refused to listen, saying: No! We want a king over us. Is history repeating itself in Kenya with the new constitution? God forbid! – Daily Nation.

Benefit fraud in UK: Credit firms to check claimant spending

Credit rating firms are set for a bigger role in tackling benefit fraud and overpayments which David Cameron says costs £5.2bn a year. One firm, Experian, said it was in talks with ministers over a deal which could see it paid a 'bounty' for any cheats it uncovers. Credit rating firms monitor people's spending patterns on household bills and credit card spending. The PM says he also plans tougher penalties and more convictions. Experian said it already had a contract to look into new housing benefit claimants, in a deal agreed by the previous government. It expects the annual saving to be £17m. It added that it could undertake a wider commitment which could see it examining claims for other benefits across the UK. The company says it could save £1bn if "simple cost-effective and proven fraud prevention techniques" were used across the public sector.

Ahead of Mr Cameron's speech, Work and Pensions Minister Chris Grayling said credit agencies held "extensive data" which could be used to cut benefit fraud. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The whole point is that we are introducing, across a number of government activities, payment by results..."Government should pay people - outside organisations - when they get the job done." Mr Grayling added: "Why should government not use the same tools that are available to independent organisations?" He rejected fears over the civil liberties of claimants, saying that only credit rating firms which worked "within the rules" would be considered for contracts.

HM Revenue and Customs, which administers tax credits and child benefits, says £2.1bn was lost to fraud or error - either by claimants or officials - in 2008-9. The National Audit Office says that, of benefits administered by the Department for Work and Pensions, £3.2bn was overpaid as a result of fraud or errors - although it also says a further £1.3bn was underpaid. The prime minister said £1.5bn was lost every year to benefit fraud and had to be tackled.

Writing in the Manchester Evening News, he said: "At a time when we're having to take such difficult decisions about how to cut back without damaging the things that matter the most, we should strain every sinew to cut error, waste and fraud in our welfare system. "Welfare and tax credit fraud and error costs the taxpayer £5.2bn a year. That's the cost of more than 200 secondary schools or over 150,000 nurses. "It's absolutely outrageous and we can not stand for it." A simplified benefits system being developed by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith would help reduce the £1.6bn annual bill for administrative errors, he said. Mr Cameron has previously said that reducing benefit fraud and error would be the "first and deepest" cut in public spending.

Shadow minister for welfare reform Lord Knight said the "bigger issue in taxpayers' money being lost in benefits is unemployment" .

For Labour Lord Knight, shadow minister for welfare reform, said Labour had outlined plans for wider sharing of data and fraud prevention earlier this year, saying: "The Labour government halved welfare fraud over the past decade and it's right that this should remain a priority." He said coalition policies would lead to higher unemployment, pushing up benefit bills by more than the hoped for savings from the anti-fraud push. Max Wind-Cowie, of the think-tank Demos, said the government should focus more on preventing mistakes in benefit payments than in correcting errors: "It is expensive for individuals and families living in poverty who, through no fault of their own, are asked to pay back large sums of money."

Analysis

Cracking down on benefit cheats is one of the hardy perennials of modern politics. Almost all governments promise to do it - and earn themselves glowing headlines in the process. But actually recouping money fraudulently claimed is much harder than simply talking tough about it. In part this is because of the sheer complexity of the system; in part because there are so many claimants. Nearly 5m people are on out of work benefits. Critics also point out that the actual level of fraud is comparatively small. Only about 1% of all benefits are fraudulently claimed. Indeed more money is lost through administrative error than benefit fraud. The only real way to significantly reduce the benefits bill is to get people back into work. The difficulty, as most experts in this field agree, is that in the short term this actually costs money rather than saves it.

On yer bike! The Mayor of London takes a ride around the velodrome at the Olympic Park in London after launching an appeal for 78,000 volunteers - 8,000 of them 'ambassadors'. The cycling star said after his trial ride he thought the velodrone was one of the best-designed in the world and the atmosphere during the Olympics would be tremendous.

Clearing 2010: 'Full' universities turn

away record number of students

All courses full at Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Warwick nine days before A-level results, Guardian poll finds

Clearing will be 'even briefer and tighter than last year'. Several universities, including Warwick, have announced their courses are already full nine days before A-level results arrive Record numbers of A-level students are being turned away from the country's leading universities, it emerged today, as institutions declared themselves full more than a week before the clearing system, which allocates last-minute places, opens. A Guardian poll of 38 universities reveals that increasing demand for degree courses – up 11.6% this year – intensified by the recession and a cut in available places means that nine days ahead of A-level results, even some of the brightest teenagers in the country, predicted to achieve more than 90% in their exams, are failing to secure a university place. Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Warwick already have no places left on any of their courses. The London School of Economics and St Andrews said they would have to turn down students who narrowly missed the offers they received from other universities. Oxford and Cambridge, in line with previous years, will have no places left. Last year almost 48,000 students found a university place through clearing – when institutions that have spare spaces match-make students who have not made their offers for other universities or apply late.

The purpose of it is to bring to your attention the plight of one of our visiting mothers, and to passionately and humbly appeal to you to financially stand in the gap in the spirit of collectivism (harambee); the building block of our identity as Kenyans. Imagine being struck by a terrible misfortune thousands of miles away from your home. Imagine being incapacitated oceans away from your family, your friends, and from your support system. Imagine not being able to walk unsupported. For Ms. Muringa, theres not much left to imagine, this has been her existence since May 28th 2010.

Ms. Salome Muringa came to the USA 5 months ago to visit with her daughter Caroline Nyagaki (also known as Mama Zach) and family in Everett/Seattle, Washington state . She was taken ill shortly thereafter and was diagnosed with cervical cancer leading to an abdominal surgery on May 28th 2010. Since then, she has been bedridden in Everett unable to walk or to perform the simple everyday tasks. She has accrued thousands of dollars in medical bills on top of the daily monetary requirements for medicine and medical supplies. Shes a mother, our parents peer, and a fellow Kenyan. Lets come together and bless Ms. Muringa, lets show her the Kenyan love. For thats what we do.

A fundraiser towards her medical bill, medical supplies and daily sustenance has been scheduled for Saturday, August 14, 2010 4 pm at the All Saints Lutheran Church, 27225 Military Rd. S Auburn , WA 98001 . A Bank of America Account # 44953164 ( under the name-Carol Nyagaki) has been set up for the convenience of those that may not be able to attend.

In case of questions or comments please dont hesitate to contact
Sheilah Mbatai @ 206 913 3944,
Peter Muthiora @425-750-6440 or
Caroline Nyagaki@ 425-346-1266.

Ministry of Justice faces £2bn cuts sparking fears for 15,000 jobs in UK

Senior civil servants told bulk of savings will need to be made in the next 12-24 months

Justice secretary Ken Clarke is said to be one of the first Whitehall ministers to agree on a spending reduction with the Treasury. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images The Ministry of Justice is to make a £2bn cut in its £9bn annual budget, senior officials have been told today, raising union fears that the jobs of 15,000 of the department's 80,000 staff could be at risk. Ann Beasley, the MoJ's director-general of finance, informed senior civil servants this morning of the scale of savings expected by the Treasury and warned them that the bulk will have to be made within the first 12 to 24 months and will inevitably involve job losses. "It will also mean there will have to be less of us," says Beasley in a letter sent to senior civil service grades today. "Over £4bn of the department's current budget is spent on staff costs and we cannot streamline the organisation to work effectively and efficiently without considering staff numbers." It has been widely leaked that the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, has been among the first Whitehall department ministers to agree a spending reduction target with the Treasury. While all departments have been asked to model 25% and 40% savings, it appears that the MoJ, which runs the courts and prisons in England and Wales, is among the first to agree what the actual scale of the share of the cuts will be. The Public and Commercial Services Union said the MoJ letter was the first indication of the scale of savings to be demanded by the coalition government and implied job cuts on an unprecedented scale. The Whitehall union said more than £4bn of the MoJ's £9bn budget was fixed for legal aid and for the running costs of prisons and so cuts on this scale could not be delivered without closing prisons or bringing courts to a standstill. "We also fear almost 15,000 of the MoJ's 80,000 staff could be at risk of losing their jobs," said a PCS spokesman.

Three quarters of employers 'require 2:1 degree'

Intense competition for graduate jobs means that more than three quarters of employers require at least a 2:1 degree grade, a survey suggests. The Association of Graduate Recruiters says there are more graduates chasing fewer jobs - with vacancies down by 7%. Applications have soared, with an average of 69 people chasing each graduate job. In response, 78% of employers are now filtering out applicants who have not achieved a 2:1 degree. About two thirds of students achieve either a first class degree or a 2:1 - so this means the remaining third, who will still have passed their exams and paid their tuition fees, will not even be considered by these employers. "While this approach does aid the sifting process it can rule out promising candidates with the right work skills unnecessarily," says the AGR's chief executive, Carl Gilleard. "We are encouraging our members to look beyond the degree classification when narrowing down the field of candidates to manageable proportions." The most recent figures - for 2008-09 - show that 64% of students achieved either a first class or upper second degree. But there are substantial differences within this average. For instance, men are less likely than women to achieve these higher grades and part-time students are less likely to do so than full-time ones.

When these factors are combined, less than half of male part-time students achieve a 2:1 - with this survey suggesting that many will now struggle in the jobs market. Degree classification was more widely used as a selection criterion than relevant work experience (34%) or degree subject (33%) or going to a particular university (7%). This annual survey provides a snapshot of the graduate jobs market, based on the experiences of almost 200 leading employers. It shows that a growing number of graduates are competing for a shrinking number of vacancies. This has been intensified by graduates from last year still looking for jobs and adding to the pressure on vacancies. This was the second year of falls in graduate vacancies - and the average number of applicants per vacancy has risen from 49 to 69. Starting salaries remain at £25,000. This AGR survey, carried out twice a year, concludes that the recovery is "going to be slower than previously thought".

This is the third survey of the graduate jobs market in a week - and taken together they show uncertainty over whether there is a fragile recovery or a continuing decline. The AGR survey suggests that opportunities for university leavers are getting worse. The current average of 69 applicants for a job contrasts with only 28 in 2006. But last week, another survey of the graduate jobs market, from High Fliers, found a mixed picture - with a resurgence in vacancies in banking and finance and a decline in vacancies in the public sector. At the weekend, research from the Higher Education Policy Institute showed that graduate unemployment had risen from 11.1% to 14% - but that it was male graduates in particular who were failing to find jobs. Such concerns about a tough graduate jobs market comes as a review considers whether universities should be allowed to charge higher tuition fees. Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, warned that spending cuts could cause even greater difficulties for university leavers. "We are concerned that the savage cuts to the public sector will create further unemployment, and will make the lives of graduates tougher in an already difficult jobs market," he said. David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Skills, said: "The job market remains challenging for new graduates, as it does for others. But a degree is still a good investment in the long term, and graduates have a key role to play in helping Britain out of the recession."

Graduate unemployment rate rises 25%, think tank says

Unemployment among recent graduates has risen significantly, with men worse affected than women, a think tank says. The Higher Education Policy Institute said unemployment among graduates aged under 24 rose by 25% from 11.1% in December 2008 to 14% in December 2009. It said at the end of 2009 17.2% of male graduates were out of work compared with 11.2% of women. However, the independent think tank said that men still earned more on average once in work. The institute's report comes a day after a research body warned graduate unemployment could hit record levels as a result of planned public spending cuts. The Higher Education Careers Service said that because so many college leavers join the public sector, they were especially vulnerable to cuts. Further investigation. To compile its report, the institute analysed the most recent data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency and the Office of National Statistics.

The report suggested discrimination in the workplace and the different subject or career choices made by men and women as reasons for the difference in their earnings - with male graduates receiving 50% more money on average when first employed and 30% more after three years. This inequality in pay levels among young graduates has persisted despite women generally performing better than men at university, it said. The institute said this anomaly needed further investigation. The report said that 44% of graduate jobs were held by men, with this lower employment rate being attributed to less male participation in higher education, and their poorer overall performance at university compared with women. Drawing on data from a separate survey on the destination of university leavers in 2007 and 2008, the institute nevertheless suggested a more mixed picture with regard to other graduate experiences. It said that male and female graduates enjoyed similar levels of job satisfaction upon entering the workplace and that they tended to gain jobs of comparable quality. The report - Male and Female Participation and Progression in Higher Education: Further Analysis - also found that women's participation in higher education rose further than men's between 1994 and 2005 - from 29% to 32% for men and from 35% to 40% for women.

Landmarks reduced to outlines in thick pollution and visibility down to 50 metres in some areas

A woman wears a mask in central Moscow to protect herself from smog caused by fires outside the city. Photograph: Mikhail Voskresensky/Reuters

A thick acrid smog enveloped Moscow today as scores of fires blazed and peat bogs smouldered outside the city.

Emergency officials said they were beginning to tame the fires which have spread across western and central Russia, but the capital woke to its worst bout of pollution yet after smog that dispersed yesterday returned with a vengeance.

Famous landmarks like the Ostankino television tower and St Basil's cathedral were reduced to outlines and the sun was a pale yellow orb. Visibility was down to 50 metres in some areas as coils of pungent smoke threaded into apartment buildings, offices and metro stations. Dozens of flights were cancelled at Domodedovo and Vnukovo airports in the south of the city.

Doctors advised Muscovites to stay home as the Department of Nature Protection and Environmental Management warned that carbon monoxide in the air was at five times acceptable levels. Many of those who did venture out wore masks or clutched handkerchiefs to their faces. "It's unbearable, God knows what it's doing to our health," said Yulia Novikova, 25, who was hurrying home with groceries in Frunzenskaya district near the Moscow river. "I was just reading about the Great Smog of London in 1952. This looks a lot worse." Vladimir Stepanov of the National Crisis Management Centre said fires were abating in the Urals and in the Volga region, but the situation remained tense around Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. "Firefighters and rescuers did not let the fires approach populated areas," he said. "Not a single person has died over the past 24 hours." The wildfires have so far claimed 50 lives and left more than 3,000 people homeless, prompting criticism of the official response to the crisis. Earlier this week the prime minister, Vladimir Putin, promised he would personally monitor the reconstruction of destroyed homes via video images beamed to his home. State television showed the cameras being installed at building sites today. Government officials said they could not have anticipated the heatwave that provoked the fires, the hottest in 140 years.

The temperature in Moscow was above 36C all week. But critics have blamed complacent officials for ignoring warnings of blazes near villages. United Russia, the pro-Kremlin party which dominates parliament, has boasted of sending volunteers to help extinguish the fires. But that claim was thrown into doubt yesterday when the party was accused of doctoring a photograph placed on its website. A sharp-eyed blogger noticed that the picture showing volunteers apparently wrestling with a piece of timber in a smoky wood had been created in 2008 and altered in Photoshop last Saturday. The smoke, he claimed, had been added for effect. United Russia immediately removed the picture but did not respond to requests for comment.

Breast cancer rates are more than four times higher in

the UK than in Eastern Africa, new figures show.

Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, with 46,000 new cases each year

Some 87.9 per 100,000 British women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, compared to just 19.3 women per 100,000 in Eastern Africa. The statistics come from the World Health Organisation's global database of disease prevalence. Eastern Africa includes countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) said some of the difference is because British doctors are better at diagnosing and recording cases. However, it warned that British lifestyles - including a rise in obesity and excessive drinking - were contributing to high rates of breast cancer at home. Research has shown that around four out of 10 cases in British women could be prevented if women kept their weight down, drank less and exercised more. Women in Eastern Africa consume much less alcohol than British women and obesity is far less common.

Commonwealth leaders meeting in Trinidad have agreed to admit Rwanda into the grouping dominated by former British colonies.

The African nation and former Belgian colony becomes the 54th member of the Commonwealth which is marking 60 years since it was founded in the wake of the end of the British empire. Kamalesh Sharma, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth broke the news to Rwanda's leader. "It was a particular pleasure for me to call President Kagame and be the first to congratulate him. "It was 2am… but he assured me hadn't gone to sleep and he was delighted to receive this news. "That shows the vibrancy of this organisation that people want to join it." In another coup for Rwanda, which is still scarred by the 1994 genocide in which 800,000 people were massacred, French officials announced that Paris is restoring diplomatic ties with Kigali which were cut in 2006.

After Mozambique which joined 14 years ago, Rwanda is only the second country with no ties to Britain's colonial past and no constitutional links to London to be admitted to the Commonwealth. The move came after French President Nicolas Sarkozy became the first French leader to address the Commonwealth, as part of a push to forge a joint stand on climate change. Ties between the two countries have been strained since the 1994 genocide, in which 800,000 people died after Kigali alleged French forces trained extremist Hutu militia that carried out the killings. Paris has repeatedly denied the charge. Rwanda, a central African nation of 10 million people, gained independence from Belgium in 1962, and in recent years has moved closer to the English-speaking world. It borders both Uganda and Tanzania which are Commonwealth members, and adopted English as an official language in 2008 alongside French and Kinyarwanda. In a separate development, Sri Lanka has lost its bid to host the next CHOGM meeting after members, particularly Britain, raised objections over the treatment of its Tamil minority. Australia will now host the 2011 meeting.

DAVID Cameron (left) declared war on benefits cheats yesterday and on the right is the Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith

The fraudsters who cost hard-working taxpayers £5billion a year were a “luxury we can no longer afford” he said. The Prime Minister’s hard-hitting message came as figures revealed that more than £400million a year in benefits is handed to drug addicts and alcoholics who claim their addiction prevents them getting jobs. Nearly 90,000 of them are being paid incapacity benefit every week. In the past 10 years £3.8billion in taxpayers’ money has been paid to them. Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act list 46,080 alcoholics and 41,230 registered drug abusers on full benefits. This total is almost double the number of addicts who were living off the state when Labour came to power in 1997. The Prime Minister vowed to stamp out serial welfare offenders who clobber Britain’s hard-pressed taxpayers for billions of pounds every year. He warned that urgent action needed to be taken as the Government pressed ahead with its squeeze on public spending to reduce the country’s record £154billion budget deficit. Mr Cameron has specifically turned his sights on benefits cheats. Fraud and error in the tax credit system costs £2.1billion each year – or almost £1 in every £10 paid out – while dishonestly claimed benefits now total £3.1billion a year. The startling figures are a slap in the face to the millions of honest Britons who have to pay the bill. Mr Cameron signalled his personal backing for welfare reforms being drawn up by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith despite apparent Treasury concerns over the up-front costs. The massive annual cost of fraud and error was “the one area of ingrained waste that outranks all others,” Mr Cameron said. “Many see it as a fact of British life that we have no hope of defeating. I passionately disagree. “Simply shrugging our shoulders at benefit fraud is a luxury we can no longer afford, which is why Iain Duncan Smith is working on the radical steps we can take to deal with it. “Even with reform, the truth is there will be some things that we genuinely value that will have to go because of the legacy we have been left. I don’t like that any more than anyone else, but this is the reality of the situation we’re in and it’s the duty of this Government to face up to it. “I can best describe our approach as like the methodical turn-around of a failing business. “When a company is failing – when spending is rising, sales are falling and debt is mounting – you need someone to come in with energy, ideas and vision and take a series of logical steps.”

He said it was also necessary to stop spending that was “acceptable in the good times, unaffordable in the bad times”. Tax credits for better-off families were like company cars, he said. “They’re appreciated by all, but if you’re suffering losses for the third quarter in a row you’ve got to drop them.” On drug and alcohol addiction, Daily Express columnist and former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe said Britain needed to tackle root causes of abuse. She said: “We need to ask ourselves why so many addicts are on benefits. One reason is that under Labour the police lost the war on drugs.” Further figures show workshy Britain has more than 264,000 homes where nobody has ever worked. Some contain three generations who have never had a job. Employment minister Chris Grayling said it was “a staggering number”. He said: “We have to tackle this now and make sure no one is ever left behind again.” Matthew Sinclair, of campaign group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “There isn’t any real financial incentive to work. Drastic changes are needed to make it worthwhile for people to work once the economic upturn begins. “These households make up some of the millions who have just been cast aside on benefits with no meaningful attempt made to help them.” Last week the Daily Express revealed how 100,000 households rake in more in benefits than the average national wage of £23,422. The Government has pledged to reform the rules so that no one is worse off by coming off benefits for a job.

Nairobi, Monday, 9th August 2010. New constitution cannot be amended immediately-Orengo. Those questing to have the new constitution amended soon should be ready for a long battle. Lands MinisterJames Orengo has said amendments to the new constitution cannot be made immediately. Mr Orengo said the new laws must first be effected before any changes are made to it. “Those who believe the amendments can be made immediately are misled,”said the Ugenya MP. He said Parliament has no powers to amend the new constitution, adding that for the amendments to be made all Kenyans must be involved. “If the amendments are to be on the new document it has to be taken to the people,” said Orengo during a fundraiser in aid of Ogande Girls Secondary in Homa bay, on Saturday. He said the Government would continue with the civic education of thenew laws so that all Kenyan are well-versed with the contents of the document. He said the civic education would also make it easier for the implementation of the document. “We want Kenyans to know what is in the constitution so that the implementation is hassle-free,” said Orengo. On Wednesday, the new laws were passed by strong 67 per cent, in a an exercise hailed as a milestone in the democratic process of the country.

UK Couple Murdered In 'Honour Killing'

UK, Sunday August 08, 2010. A couple from Birmingham have been murdered in Pakistan in a suspected "honour killing".

They have been named as Gul Wazir and his wife Bagum. They had reportedly travelled to the country to resolve a dispute over a wedding and were gunned down in the village of Salehana in the remote Nowshera province. Mr Wazir is understood to have worked as a taxi driver in Birmingham and lived in the Alum Rock area of the city. West Midlands Police confirmed the deaths, adding that a murder inquiry is being carried out by the Pakistan authorities. The couple have been buried already and the Foreign Office is providing consular assistance to the family. Read more...

What's causing your headache?

Everyone knows that alcohol and colds can give you a headache, but what else can act as a trigger? We reveal five surprising triggers which may be behind your headache.

Teeth grinding

If you suffer from morning headaches, your teeth might be to blame! People who grind or clench their teeth - known as bruxism - are three times more likely to suffer headaches than the rest of us. As most grinding takes place while you are asleep, you may not be aware you are doing it. Constantly grinding your teeth can cause the facial and neck muscles to tense, making a headache more likely. Other tell-tale signs of teeth grinding include jaw pain in the morning, facial and neck pain, worn away tooth enamel and sensitive teeth caused by roots being exposed as the gum recedes. If you think teeth grinding may be your headache trigger, then see your dentist as soon as you can. They can supply you with a mouth guard which can help to save your teeth and ease the headache.

The week-end lie in

People working flat out Monday to Friday may find themselves with a pounding headache come late Saturday morning.

This can happen when stress hormones circulating in the blood drop when the body suddenly goes into relaxation mode. This causes a rapid release of neurotransmitters, the brain's chemical messengers which cause the blood vessels to constrict and dilate, leading to a headache. So try to fit in some kind of relaxation or exercise into your busy schedule during the week rather than waiting for the weekend. And limit your sleep to no more than eight hours. Too much sleep is also linked to headaches.

Your computer

Poor posture can cause the muscles of your upper back, neck and shoulders to tense, which increases your chances of getting a headache. Sitting in a slouched position for hours at a time or sitting with your head jutted forward should be avoided.

Looking at a computer screen means the eyes have to focus at short distances, which requires the most effort by our eye muscles, and can cause eyestrain as well as headache. So take regular breaks from working at the computer and move around. Adjust your compute screen so that it's 20 to 30 inches away from your eyes and positioned at eye level. Avoid glare by making sure there is no direct sunlight on the computer screen. Try to use a headset rather than a phone when sitting at a computer. Cradling a phone between your head and shoulder will only increase muscle strain on your neck and shoulder muscles.

Your perfume

Perfumes are designed to stimulate the brain. When exposed to the air, perfume evaporates and the chemicals within activate nerve cells in the nose, which send signals to the brain. Unfortunately for some sensitive souls, these signals are strong enough to cause headache and migraines. Household cleaners, fragrance air fresheners, soaps and shampoos can all have the same effect.

Ensure that your home and place of work are well ventilated, with a good supply of fresh air to help minimise your exposure to the offending fragrance. Make a point of letting work colleagues know how fragrances affect you, especially if they're the type who like to "splash it all over!" One remedy claims that you can fight smells with smells - apply a small drop of peppermint oil to your forehead - a study suggested that this can work as well as painkillers for a smell induced headache.

Painkillers

Tense, nervous headache? Are you reaching for painkillers? Perhaps you should stop and think again, because taking pain medication too often can itself trigger headaches. Around one in ten people are thought to suffer from "rebound" headaches caused by taking too many over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, codeine and paracetamol. Typically, rebound headaches happen after taking painkillers a few times a week for long periods of time. During this period, the headaches usually become more frequent and more painkillers are taken to deal with them and so a cycle is established. If this sounds like you, then see your GP. They will advise you on how to come off the painkillers if necessary. Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, you should not take painkillers for headaches more than twice a week or two days in a row. Always should always go to your GP if you feel you need to regularly use OTC medicines. You could have an underlying health condition, so it's best to get it checked out.

GREEDY banks were last night accused of robbing millions of families by charging them extortionate fees to access their money while on holiday.

Consumer watchdogs hit out at the hidden charges for using cash machines abroad which in some cases can add up to £100 to the bill for a family’s summer break. A senior MP pledged to raise the matter in Parliament to try to drive down the charges which are adding yet more money to the High Street banks’ freshly filled coffers. Last week fat cat bankers were spotted celebrating a return to profits by drinking champagne and frolicking with scantily clad burlesque dancers at a lavish party in the City of London. James Daley, money editor for Which? magazine, said yesterday: “Enough is enough. The banks are trying to squeeze as much money out of holidaymakers as possible and it has to stop. It’s not justifiable.” All major banks add a foreign exchange, or load fee, to their debit card transactions and in most cases to their credit card sales. Many British holidaymakers, however, prefer to make regular money withdrawals from cash machines abroad rather than walk around foreign streets with large bundles of notes. What some fail to realise is that each time they use an ATM abroad they are charged a withdrawal fee on top of the load fee. The Sunday Express has calculated how much the banks would charge a family for taking out £200 a total of 10 times during a fortnight’s holiday. Barclays, Co-op, HSBC, NatWest, RBS and Smile would charge £95 while Lloyds would charge £89.80. Alliance and Leicester and Santander, recently merged, would charge £85 as would First Direct while Halifax would charge £70. MORE

The house construction now remains roofing and plastering and this will make a difference to Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru Maina (right) - a mother of six

It all started in a fellowship in London several years ago. A visiting preacher from Nakuru, Kenya was preaching in a Kenyan family house in London where they had lost their parent in Kenya. As the preacher was preaching she narrated the meaning of the word "poverty". "You people, you don't know what poverty is. When I talk about poverty you might not exactly understand but I can narrate what poverty is all about with an example of a widowed lady who was left by the husband with 6 children. The children do not go to school and the family is like nomads. They have been evicted from their rented houses for more than 9 times. They rent house, at the end of the month they cannot afford to pay the rent hence they are evicted. You are evicted until you don't know which estate you belong." the preacher explained. After the fellowship Pastor Jane Njiiri, the wife of Mr. Seed, enquired from the preacher about the woman and her where abouts. She contacted the lady and immediately she started to educate her children. It has been all along the desire of Pastor Njiiri and her family to build a home for this poor widow to make a difference in her life. Whenever Mr. Seed's family are in Kenya they always contact the lady who always join them in their family tour and she has become like a part of their family.

If you would like to help her in any way please contact her through Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru Maina on 0727307672 - FULL STORY

You can donate whatever you like AND the Seeds family will buy whatever will not be donated.

(10) KPLC Power connection from main (KShs. 42,000) we have done all the wiring)

Whatever someone is touched to donate is highly welcomed. The Bible says in Proverbs 19: 17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Kesom Freight International Limited are pleased to announce the opening of their OWN office in Bristol.

This office can offer a full Freight forwarding service, including Imports, Exports by air & sea worldwide plus receiving & handling of cargo for our KENYAN consolidation service