Iko Nini Bwana Seed?

WHAT UK NEWSPAPERS SAY

A KENYAN LAW FIRM IN UK - CAPITALfm RADIO fff - KAMEME RADIO IS BACK AGAIN

  LISTEN TO HODSIM RADIO OF BISHOP WARUI  - LONDON

Three pimps negotiate to sell a trafficked woman as a sex slave in Oxford Street. The surveillance photo, captured by an undercover police officer, shows one Albanian gangster handing over £3,000 in cash to two other men outside Selfridges. The woman, a Lithuanian in her mid-twenties, can only stand by and watch the deal taking place. She was being guarded by a man standing a few feet to her left.  She was moments from being sold to work in a brothel where she would have been expected to have sex with up to 25 men in a day, earning her new boss up to £100,000 a year. In this case she was rescued when undercover officers from the Met's Clubs and Vice Unit pounced on the Albanian trafficking gang. Five men were later jailed for a total of 63 years. Scotland Yard released the image today to highlight fears of an increase in the trafficking of women in the three years until the 2012 Olympic Games. Police have set up a specialist unit to tackle trafficking gangs and vice barons in the run-up to the Games. They are visiting eastern European countries to warn girls about the dangers of being tricked into travelling to Britain.

Rescued: the Lithuanian woman would have been forced to have sex with up to 25 men every day by her traffickers. The Albanian gangster who tried to buy her can be seen handing over £3,000 in cash, circled.

The house of the Kenyan widow is half-way through

The Seeds family would like to thank everyone who has contributed in prayers and finance towards the construction of the above house in Nakuru, Kenya. The house belongs to a Kenyan widow who has been homeless for many years. Pastor Jane has just returned from Kenya where she has been overseeing the construction. Many people in UK and US has been sending their donations towards the construction. We need to do the plastering, ceiling and furnishing the house for her. We also need to connect ower and water to the house. Surprising enough the Kenya Power fixed the post behind the house on their way to connect the power somewhere else. The job is half-way done andyou can make your donation towards the project through. You can send your donation to Mr. Seed on 07951220695, through PAYPAL misterseed@hotmail.co.uk OR you can contact the lady overseeing the construction on 0710227033 (she is on M-Pesa), or the widow herself Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru Maina on 0727307672. The Seeds family dream is to construct and furnish the house for this lady. It is our intention to a make a difference to at least one widow in Kenya. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Somalis rally against al-Shabab Islamists and bombing

Al-Shabab are notoriously violent and people rarely speak out against them

Hundreds of Somalis have taken to the streets of Mogadishu to protest against al-Shabab, the group held responsible for a deadly suicide attack last week. Protesters burned the group's flag in what analysts say is an unprecedented show of anger at the militants, who control large parts of the country. Although al-Shabab has been widely blamed for the atrocity, the group has issued a statement denying involvement. Three government ministers were among some 22 people killed in the attack. A suicide bomber disguised as a woman in a veil blew himself up at a graduation ceremony in the capital last Thursday. Most of those killed were medical students. More than 60 people were injured. Protesters marching through Mogadishu on Monday chanted slogans including "down with al-Shabab" and "we don't need violence". The marchers made a stop at Benadir University, where the students killed in the attack had graduated from. Analysts say the march is the first such public protest against al-Shabab in Mogadishu, where the group controls a large amount of territory and tolerates no dissent. "We cannot endure such indiscriminate killing, everybody must say no to violence from now on," one of the protesters, Muhubo Adan Kheyre, told the AFP news agency. Another protester, Yusuf Sahal, said the suicide attack had "sent a clear message to the whole country". "It showed that these violent people will spare nobody, so we have to start confronting them," he said. AFP reported that many of the demonstrators were relatives and friends of those who were killed. Al-Shabab is locked in a battle for control of the country with other militant groups and the forces from the transitional government. While militants control most of the country, the UN-backed government holds sway in only parts of Mogadishu.

MR. SEED MONEY TRANSFER TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Mr. Seed Money Transfer has a major technical problem in Nairobi and we have suspended our Money Transfer system until it is rectified.

A degree is now worth just £2,500 a year (before debt is paid)

The value of a degree has plummeted as more graduates enter the job market, official figures suggested on Monday 7th December, 2009.  Graduates can expect to earn just £100,000 more on average over their lifetimes than workers who quit education after taking their A-levels. Over 40 years that is £2,500 a year. Many with less sought-after degrees will earn significantly less than that. Five years ago, as ministers fought for top-up fee legislation, the Government suggested graduates earned £400,000 more than less-qualified workers. The apparent slump in the value of a degree emerged from a major official review of tuition fees chaired by former BP boss Lord Browne. The estimate, or "graduate earnings premium", could prove crucial in deciding the future of university funding. Lord Browne, who began taking evidence for the review today, said: "Graduates on average earn £100,000 more over their working life net of taxation than an individual whose highest qualification is two or more A-levels." The estimate takes account of tax but not student debt, which typically reaches £23,000. Graduates also currently face a struggle for jobs in the recession. Vice-chancellors are calling for the power to charge up to £7,000 a year, and some for no limit to fees. Lord Browne called for submissions on whether current £3,225-a-year fees were giving universities the money they need while encouraging students from all backgrounds to apply. The inquiry will hold public hearings next year. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said there were many ways to calculate the premium and there was "no evidence" it had reduced.

Bishop Annie Njeri launches her book in London

Bishop Annie Njeri has launched a book in London. The book entitled “THE ART OF STRATEGIC PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL WARFARE” book was launched on Saturday 5th December, 2009 at the Airport Church Revival centre, West London. Bishop Annie Njeri is the president and founder of the Airport Church Revival centre and the Brooks of Life Ministries International based in west London. The Art of Strategic Prayer and Spiritual Warfare is a backbone of successful life and ministry. The Art of Strategic Prayer will teach you various kinds of prayer to equip you to reign as a mighty warrior over the devil and his forces and to walk in absolute victory in every area of your life. The topics covered in this book includes: Prayer of agreement as intercessors, Prayer of commitment, Praying Prophetically God's word, The Art of a Skilful Warrior, Taking Dominion and The Believer and God's Kingdom. If you want to buy the book you can contact Bishop Annie Njeri on 07931703408 or email admin@brooksoflife.org.uk  - VIDEO

Church leaders threaten to reject draft law

The Kenya Christian Constitutional Forum Monday castigated the Committee of Experts for not including their views on the Harmonized Draft Constitution. The Christian forum accused the Committee of Experts of ignoring the views of Christians.  While issuing a joint statement at the Nairobi Pentecostal Church in Nairobi, the forum's Chairman Bishop Gerry Kibarabara, said that in their submissions they were opposed to the inclusion of Kadhis courts, and allowing same sex marriages in the Constitution. Bishop Kibarabara warned that if the Draft is not amended to address the contentious issues they will urge Christians to vote against it in the referendum. He said that the Draft should not legalize abortions since life begins at conception and ends in natural death. "The church is particularly angered by the inclusion of Kadhis courts in the Draft Constitution, allowing foreigners to own land and legalizing same sex unions and partnerships" said the Bishop. He added "We see a sinister motive and we are telling Kenyans to get ready to reject the harmonized Draft if the Kadhi courts are also not expunged from the Draft."

Bishop Kibarabara said the Christian forum supports dual citizenship for indigenous Kenyans whose both parents are indigenous. Elsewhere, Former Chairman of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission Yash Pal Ghai has commended the harmonized draft constitution for embracing the country's dynamic social political nature.  He however said the draft was bulky saying it touched more on principles leaving little room for details.  Ghai was speaking at a forum seeking to establish the implications of the land policy document on the common mwananchi. Judy Kibaki, daughter of President Kibaki, has supported the Harmonized Draft Constitution saying it adequately addresses the plight of orphans, the disabled and the street children. Presenting her views to the Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review, Ms Kibaki said the Bill of Rights in the Harmonized Draft Constitution adequately provides for the rights of children regardless of their background. "The plight of orphans and children with disabilities should be addressed in order for them to enjoy their childhood just like any other child. Their right should be enshrined in the constitution," Judy said. The Draft Constitution provides that all children whether born within or outside wedlock are equal before the law and have equal rights under the Constitution.  It also states that it is the duty of parents, the family, society and the state to nurture, protect and educate children.

Father killed saving son from hyena

The mud and wattle hut stands wobbly, with stones piled to hold together the polythene sheets that serve as its roof. It seems solid enough to keep its dwellers out of harm’s way – at least from the vagaries of nature. But natural elements in Kajiado district include wild animals, which locals have learned to tolerate, in spite of their constant, and at times, threatening menace. - MORE

Tiger Woods ‘used me as sex toy’, claims 8th woman Mindy Lawton
 

An eighth woman has come forward claiming to have had an affair with Tiger Woods, describing him as ‘a selfish, heartless man’.

Cafe waitress Mindy Lawton claimed to have met the golf champion in 2006 and had a year-long affair, meaning he was seeing her while his wife, Elin Nordegren, was pregnant. Ms Lawton said she fell in love with Woods but alleged he was only interested in a physical relationship. ‘Tiger just used me as his sex toy. I thought I meant something to him but all he cared about was lust,’ the 33-year-old told a newspaper. The £5-an-hour waitress – who worked in Perkins diner near Woods’ Florida mansion – claimed she had sex with the golfer on the back seat of his Cadillac in a church car park. He refused to make love in the marital bedroom, she added. The alleged relationship may have overlapped with a reported affair with cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs, 24. The golfing star’s reputation has been left in tatters after a car crash outside his home last month triggered speculation that his wife had discovered he was cheating on her.

SOME CHRISTIAN CONCERNS OVER DRAFT CONSTITUTION

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

  I received this document from a group of Christian leaders in Nairobi today and we do well to play our part in shaping the future of our nation at this time. It is for your reading, reflection and informed action within the time limit set by the Committee of Experts (COE). Clauses relating to Kadhis courts are not contained here but also require your prayerful attention.
  May God guide you to take a stand on these matters. - CLICK HERE FOR THE DOCUMENT

A Kenyan Elected New Chairman for the Commonwealth

Secretariat Staff Association (CSSA) in London, UK.

Mr. Julius Kaberere, born in Kandara, Muranga South, in Kenya was on Friday 4th December, 2009 elected unanimously as the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Secretariat Staff Association (CSSA). In a meeting of all Commonwealth Secretariat staff in London UK, Julius received 72% of all votes casts. The Commonwealth Secretariat, which is the main intergovernmental agency for the Commonwealth has over 350 staff recruited from all 54 member countries. Rwanda was admitted as the 54th Member of the Commonwealth only one week ago, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting attended by HE Hon. Mwai Kibaki, the President of Kenya among many other heads of Government.  For more information on Commonwealth secretariat please visit www.thecommonwealth.org .

In his new role, Julius will guide the CSSA in assisting the Commonwealth Secretary General in the implementation and realisation of the purposes for which the Secretariat was established. He will also represent the interest of all the staff with regard to terms and conditions of service in general policy matters affecting Commonwealth staff at all levels within the organisation. In addition, as the Chairperson of CSSA, Julius will preside over all meetings of the Association, Represent the Association if the need arises on special occasions, to ensure the proper overall running of the Association within the policy as laid down, and to prepare for delivery at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) a report outlining the activities of the Executive Committee during the year and the state of the Association. In his regular role for the Commonwealth Secretariat, Julius an Adviser, Technical Co-operation and Strategic Response, within the Governance and Institutional development Division (GIDD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat. Julius Also manages the Commonwealth Secretariat Disaster management programme. He has twenty (20) years experience in coordinating and managing development programs within national and international organizations specializing in capacity building & strategic planning; program formulation, monitoring & evaluation, child rights programming women and youth development. 

His previous postings included being An Advisor/Programme Coordinator on NGO capacity building project in the Pacific for UK based Voluntary Service Oversee (VSO), Executive Director for Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK), Deputy Director/Heads of Programmes for the Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children (KAACR), MED Officer/Programme Co-coordinator for PLAN International EMBU and Youth Programme Officer in Kenya’s Government Youth Department and Kenya Association of Youth Organisation. Julius has lived and worked in Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom. He has also undertaken programme related activities and travels to nearly 50 countries all over the world, 34 of them prior to joining the Commonwealth Secretariat in January 2004.  Julius is married with four children.

Four reasons why house prices are headed for long-term decline

Last week's upbeat housing news was seized upon by property bulls as a further sign that the market has bottomed. It comes on top of the most recent unemployment figures, which showed that in the three months to September, the country's dole queues shortened slightly.  Employment data is one of the most important indicators of what's likely to happen to property prices. So if British job losses really are levelling out, that could really bolster the market. But the opposite would be very bad news.

1. Unemployment is going to rise for a while yet
And that's the problem - that September job statistic looks like a false dawn. Even Alistair Darling confessed recently that, "unfortunately, unemployment will continue to rise for a while".  With a general election looming next year, he wouldn't have been keen to admit this. But it looks like he's right. Last week a string of companies said they're shedding labour. Steelmaker Corus is slashing 1,700 jobs in Teesside. Defence giant BAE is cutting back its workforce by another 640 as its order book suffers. City law firms could cut as many as another 5,000 employees as demand for business services shrinks. Even the Greater Manchester police force is sacking 300 officers after overspending its budget.  In short, there's plenty more job loss pain to go round. The fewer people in work, the less cash around to buy houses and repay loans.

2. Home loan approvals are still low
The second reason is home loan availability or rather the lack of it. Housebuilder Bellway said last week that it expects half-year sales to be up 10% on last year. But the firm is still worried that potential home buyers can't get their hands on loan finance. Last week's Bank of England figures showed that home loan growth is running at an annualised rate of less than 1%. OK, October saw a modest uptick in home loan approvals. But approvals are still 40% lower than their long-term, pre-credit crunch average. What's more, says Seema Shah at Capital Economics, they're 30% lower than the monthly level which history suggests is required for sustained house price rises.
 
3. Low interest rates won't last
A third reason to be wary is interest rates. Today's record low levels are helping millions of homeowners with their loan repayments for now. But that's unlikely to last for too long.  As we discussed in the magazine last month, (Will the government bond market blow up?), rates are currently being kept down artificially. (If you're not already a subscriber, claim your first three issues free here.) Central banks are printing money and buying government bonds with it. That has pushed down yields on long-term bonds. This can't continue forever. When it stops, rates will rise again.

Special FREE report from MoneyWeek magazine:  When will house prices bottom out - and how will you know?

Why UK property prices are going to fall 50%

When it will be time to get back in and buy up half price property
 
Add this to the double whammy of rising job losses and lending curbs, and UK house prices could suffer a lot more damage. Why's that? Because when house prices were rising sharply, many homebuyers seriously overextended themselves. Their borrowings were much too high as a multiple of their incomes.  The only thing that's keeping them in their homes right now is the temporary reprieve granted by those record low rates. But as Jean-Pierre Husband at credit ratings agency Fitch notes, over two-thirds of UK borrowers are now on floating rate home loans (ones that change as underlying rates change, unlike fixed rates). That compares with under half in August 2008. "Their ability to service existing debt would be adversely affected by any hike in interest rates", he says. In other words, higher loan costs would mean a big rise in borrowers falling behind with their repayments. That in turn would cause a surge in repossessions. And an extra dose of cut-price properties would then hit the market and values, too. So far prices have only fallen by about 13% from their 2007 peak. But Fitch sees that drop extending by at least another 20%.

4. The supply of homes is set to surge

And finally, we come to the last big argument put up by housing bulls that there's a 'lack of supply' which is keeping prices climbing. Clearly, even if there aren't many buyers around, if almost no one's selling, prices must rise.  But that too could be about to change in a big way. And not just because of rising repossessions though that won't help. There's something on the horizon even more worrying for property bulls.  "There are big changes in the offing which could have a significant effect on the property market", says Lorna Bourke on Citywire. "The 'baby boomers' of the 1940s and 1950s are now reaching age 65 and coming up to retirement. Many intend to use their homes to subsidise this by selling up and downsizing".
 

Over 1.3m over-50s plan to cash in on their properties for retirement purposes, says new research from insurer LV=. This implies more than a million properties coming onto the market over the next few years. Many of these will be in upper price brackets where, supposedly, there's currently a shortage. So even if many of the 'downsizers' buy back into the market at cheaper price points, the amount of money about to be extracted from UK housing will be huge.  In a nutshell, this completely blows the 'lack of supply' case right out of the water.  Add this all up, and it's very hard to see how UK house prices can avoid falling into a long, and painful, decline.
 

UK ‘to drop out of top 10 economies’ by 2015

A leading City think tank today predicted that the UK will drop out of the world's top 10 economies by 2015. The Centre for Economics and Business Research said Britain (CEBR), currently the seventh-largest economy in the world, will be overtaken by Brazil, Russia, India and Canada by the middle of the next decade. It said even Australia could pass Britain by 2020. The grim warning came as Chancellor Alistair Darling put the finishing touches to the Pre-Budget Report (PBR) to be published on Wednesday. Business leaders and economists urged the Chancellor not to raise taxes and cut spending too soon for fear of snuffing out the recovery and driving the UK back into recession. The UK was the world's fourth-largest economy in 2005 but was overtaken by China in 2006, France in 2008 and Italy this year. Douglas McWilliams, chief executive of the CEBR, said: “In a decade, the UK could have dropped from being number four in the world to being outside the top 10.” The forecast will not make pleasant reading for the Chancellor ahead of the PBR. Darling will admit that borrowing this year will hit a record £180 billion, or more than 12% of gross domestic product, as tax receipts evaporate and spending soars. He will also repeat Labour's pledge to halve the deficit between 2010-11 and 2013-14 through higher taxes and spending cuts. Among the tax increases being considered are a supertax on bankers' bonuses and a 60% to 70% rate of income tax on those earning over £500,000. Darling will also outline some spending cuts, although he will resist publishing the full details until after the general election.

Within East Africa, Kenyans are renowned for being the worst dressed

Kenya's fashion designers are trying to step into the spotlight and overturn their somewhat dull reputation. Within East Africa, Kenyans are renowned for being the worst dressed. Practical and predictable would be the best description of Kenyans' fashion sensibilities. Jeans, T-shirts and suits - one size too big - make up many a wardrobe, with a colour palette of grey and brown. But now more and more Kenyans are embracing local fashion labels. Designers who have worked, showcased or studied abroad are injecting a badly needed new lease of life to the industry. Their collections are bold, bright and, for Kenya, daring.  "I think we have all decided to come back to our roots, we are using a lot of local materials and promoting a lot from our own country," said Rachel Maithya, who runs the fashion label, ki2. "I'm using a lot of fabric and I'm trying to make it in a modern and very fashionable way, to have also the young people wanting to wear that and want to be seen around with that."

But the industry faces two major obstacles - second-hand clothes markets and cheap Chinese imports. Sunshine boutiques, as the markets are commonly known, are a shopaholic's paradise. Despite offering employment opportunities and choice for the consumer, they pose a major hurdle to the growth of the fashion industry. In the 1980s, the country's textile industry was the leading manufacturing sector. But the government has not helped much in trying to revive the industry. During this year's budget, import duties on second-hand clothes were lowered, making foreign-made clothes even cheaper. In the markets, wooden shacks are draped with a wide array of clothes. Whole outfits can be mixed and matched for less than $10 (£6). Cheap, cheerful and chic. In comparison, a single dress by a designer can cost upwards of $100. Critics of the industry argue that the prices of most outfits being made by the local designers are too expensive, exclusive and lack originality, borrowing heavily from the 'Wests' - Western countries or West Africa. But Kevin Mbugua, the style editor of Adam Magazine, points out that it is impossible for local designers to compete against a sector where an item like a shirt could cost less than $1. Designer John Kaveke boasts 10 years' experience in the industry with his label, Kaveke. He and his fellow designers defend their high prices, placing the blame on the high cost of production, the lack of affordable local produced textiles and the fact that their creations are one-of-a-kind. Though to him, these are secondary issues. He says the key problem facing the fashion industry is the lack of exposure for Kenyan designers.

David Ohingo, a Nairobi resident and creative, agrees: "There isn't enough marketing done to promote local designers. It's too costly for them to employ teams to sell their work. It is expensive for them to get the word out." Most designers sell directly from their workshops. There are only a few who have opened shops but a group of designers have got together and opened a store under a collective label. Names like Sura Zuri, Moo Cow, Kooroo, Rialto designs, Kiko Romeo, Monica Kanari and Spice may not yet make the fashion racks or the pages of international fashion magazines. But they are slowly getting noticed. Writer Judy Munyinyi notes: "The industry is growing, the people who helped start the industry have grown and have become more established and recognised. There is a lot more recognition for Kenyan designers. "A lot more Kenyans are willing to patronise the industry even if not that often. People are willing to invest in Kenyan designs and now can be heard name-dropping at functions." The demise of Kenya Fashion Week four years ago dealt a heavy blow to what had been hailed as a promising industry. But recent events like the Africa Fashion Fair and the Festival for African Fashion and Arts are showcasing Kenyan designers. It seems a heightened sense of national pride and the desire to outwardly display forms of patriotism are forcing the Kenyan fashion industry to finally step out of the shadows.

Zulu king wins South Africa bull-killing case

Animal sacrifice is a vital part of life for many South Africans. A bull-killing ritual can go ahead on Saturday after a court ruled against an animal rights group which tried to have the practice banned in South Africa. The bull is killed during the Ukushwama ritual, an annual thanksgiving event in Kwa-Zulu Natal, in which youngsters kill the animal using their hands. Animal Rights Africa took the Zulu king and the government to court over the manner in which the bull is killed. ARA says it will consult its lawyers on what do next. During his judgement the Pietermaritzburg High Court, Judge Nic van der Reyden said he was satisfied with the evidence of cultural expert Professor Jabulani Mapalala that the ARA's objection to the ritual was based on untrue information and hearsay, reports Sapa news agency.

An HIV-positive man has confessed to injecting his blood into his sleeping wife and infecting her with the virus that can cause Aids, reports have said It is believed the man wanted to give her the disease so she would start having sex with him again, New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times said. Court documents detailed how the man, 35, twice pricked his 33-year-old wife with a sewing needle laced with his infected blood. The husband discovered he was HIV-positive - but his partner and children were not - during health checks imposed on them when the family arrived in New Zealand in 2004. The woman had said she wanted to maintain the relationship for the sake of the children. But she refused to have sex with her husband for fear of contracting the disease. In the documents, the wife described how, in May, 2008, she found a sting-like mark on her left thigh and two days later awoke to a stinging feeling in her leg. She said: "I got up... and I flicked the blankets... I looked at (the husband) and he was wide awake." The wife asked him if he had pricked her and he said, 'No'. But she later found evidence of "blood sprinkles" on their duvet, which she said her husband tried to hide from her. During a routine check-up four months later, doctors revealed she was HIV-positive. The woman confronted her husband, who admitted dipping a needle in his blood and pricking her with it. "All he said (was) he was sorry. He said, 'I used needles on you because I wanted you to be the same as me so that you can live with me and you won't leave me'," she said. The husband has admitted wilfully infecting another with a disease and faces up to 14 years in jail when he is sentenced at Auckland High Court next year.

Don't make promises when you are in JOY. Don't reply when you are SAD.
Don't take decisions when you are ANGRY. Think twice, Act wise. BE happy.

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON MONDAY 7TH DECEMBER, 2009

LEFT: The Independent claims an exclusive, reporting that Britain’s middle classes and the rich are facing the biggest squeeze on their living standards in decades. CENTRE: The Times also focuses on the Chancellor's plans to tax bank bonuses but asks whether he may be breaching human rights. RIGHT: The "super tax" on bank bonuses leads the Daily Mail together with a picture of murder suspect Amanda Knox asking whether Hillary Clinton will fight for her freedom.

A MAASAI PROVERB

Ore oshi pee etadoikio olmotonyi enkop, enkoshoke naitadowuo.

The reason the bird landed on the ground was because of his stomach (hunger).

Newlywed death: Police arrest husband

Police have arrested a husband in connection with the murder of his wife three days after he vanished following the discovery of her body. Vicky Roberts, 25, was strangled and her body was dumped in a garage at their home in Runcorn, Cheshire, on Thursday night. Police issued an appeal to find the whereabouts of her husband Michael Roberts, 26. A Cheshire Police spokeswoman said: "Following police enquiries a 26-year-old man has been arrested in Wrexham and police appeals for Michael Roberts are now cancelled." He is due to be taken back to Cheshire where he will be quizzed by detectives.

"A river does not run straight because there was nobody to advise it." - The Wisdom of Africa, Malawi

Africa bears brunt of climate change

This is Mt Kenya, once the only snow-capped mountain on the equator, but, unlike in the past when it was covered by snow, the effects of global warming have left it bare. Photo/William Oeri. With their rugged glacier summits and heavily forested slopes, Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro stand tall as some of the most impressive land masses in Africa.  But not quite. The famous ice fields on the two mountains are shrinking fast, and could disappear altogether in the next two or three decades, offering dramatic testimony on the devastating effects of global warming.  In Mt Kenya, seven out of the 18 glaciers present 20 years ago have all but disappeared now. And, four of the remaining ones, Lewis, Tyndall, Gregory and Cesar glaciers, have also shrunk by about 60 and 92 per cent of the area they cover. Experts now warn that the ice on Mt Kenya will disappear by 2050 if urgent action is not taken to combat global warming, which is caused in part by carbon emissions by industrial giants like the US and China. The situation is just as bad in Tanzania’s imposing Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. The total area covered by snow has decreased from 12 square kilometres in 1900 to two square kilometres in 2000. Researchers say that the glaciers atop Mt Kilimanjaro have lost 80 per cent of their area over the past century, and despite persisting for over 10,000 years, are likely to disappear completely by 2020. - Daily Nation.

Lemon: Benefits &Uses

Vitamin P in lemon strengthens the blood vessels and prevents internal haemorrhage. It is, therefore, extremely useful in high blood pressure, in which cerebro-vascular accidents commonly occur.

Former Mungiki leader baptised

Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga was Sunday baptised at the Jesus is Alive Ministries sanctuary in Nairobi by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru. He was given the name John. Former Mungiki leader Maina Njenga was Sunday baptised at the Jesus is Alive Ministries sanctuary in Nairobi by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru. He was given the name John. Maina Njenga was on Sunday baptised and given the name John at the Jesus Is Alive Ministries sanctuary in Nairobi. Hundreds of former Mungiki sect members also embraced Christianity during the service.  Bishop Margaret Wanjiru had a busy day ushering converts into the fold. Wearing a T-shirt that read, “Jesus my final answer”, Njenga admonished those who doubted his decision to convert after he was released from prison: “Those who gave me two days should see for themselves. They have been answered. I am going strong.” Thousands of faithful thronged the church on Haile Selassie Avenue.  When he went to the church on the day he was set free, Mr Njenga promised to bring along his followers. This was evident on Sunday as the church registered a huge number of his followers. “Some people want to be baptised together with me. I’m not alone,” Njenga said in remarks preceding his baptism. He said he had accepted Jesus Christ as his personal saviour. – Daily Nation.

"In all circumstances, listen to learn. In all futility, ask to understand" - Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford, gracenjeri77@yahoo.com

A friend of Mr. Seed passes away in London

A Kenyan man has passed away in London. Mr. Kariuki Munyota well known as KIKI passed away in the early hours of this morning (Saturday, 5th December, 2009) at King George George Hospital, Essex, UK. Unconfirmed sources says that he was admitted at the hospital yesterday with chest infections. He is the son of Polly Munyota (well known as Mama Kiki) of Coventry, UK. Brother to Mrs. Jennifer Wangui Kimani and Mr. Samuel Mwangi(all of London). Family and friends are meeting in Coventry at 2 Lambeth Close, Manor Farm, CV2 1JE, Coventry every day as from 6.00 p.m. There will be another venue in London to be confirmed. Kiki is a good friend to the Seeds family. He attended the Seeds wedding in July this year and he insisted to sing at the reception. When asked by Mr. Seed which song he want to sing he replied: "If you are happy and you know it clap your hand..." before finishing and asking Mr. Seed to give high five. More information contact 07931488336.

Meeting in London is taking place at: Jennifer Wangui Kimani and Moses Nduati Kimani house, 22 Alfred Road, Aveley, Essex, RM15 4SU. For more on the London information contact details: 07908348445 Jennifer, 07930418040 Moses, 07903860909, Mumbi or 07903802758 Maureen. Those wishing to help can do so through Abbey bank:  Mrs Jennifer W. Kimani, Abbey bank, Sort code: 090127, Account no: 02352044 Or  Barclays Bank, Sort Code: 204422, Account number: 70871478, Account name: Mrs. J.W. Kimani.

The Seeds sends condolences to Mama Kiki

The Seeds family would like to take this opportunity to send their condolences to Mrs. Polly Wanjiru Munyota (Mama Kiki of Coventry, UK) following the death of his son in London the late Mr. Kariuki Munyota well known as Kiki. All those who knew Kiki will agree that he was a man of clean heart. We will dearly miss him. Kiki rest in peace.

Nairobi, Sunday 6th December, 2009. Kenya on high alert over Al-Shaabab threats.  Internal Security Minister Prof. George Saitoti has assured that the country's security forces are on high alert following threats by Somali's Al-Shaabab militia group. Speaking in Ngong, Saitoti said Kenya was ready to deal with any group intending to violate its borders.  The Minister was reacting to threats by the extremists to invade Kenya over her alleged support for the Somali Federal Transition Government. The hard-line Islamist militia linked to al-Qaeda, has also threatened to launch attacks in Tanzania and Uganda. On Thursday, four Somali ministers were killed in a suicide bomb attack during a graduation ceremony of medical students. Officials said Health Minister Qamar Aden Ali, Education Minister Ahmed Abdulahi Waayeel and Higher Education Minister Ibrahim Hassan Addow were all killed, while Sports Minister Saleban Olad Roble  succumbed to his injuries on Saturday at The Nairobi Aga Khan hospital where he was admitted. Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle said the male bomber had been dressed in women's clothing, "complete with a veil and a female's shoes". At least two journalists were also among the dead but most of those killed were reported to have been students. More than 60 people were injured.  Somalia's President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, has described the attack as a "national disaster". Somalia has had no effective government for almost 20 years.

Is it a city under the sun or under the light?

Nairobi the city under the sun is now turning to be a city under the light

Mungiki Leader Maina Njenga who converted to Christianity was on Sunday baptized by Bishop Margaret Wanjiru of Jesus Is Alive Ministries. Njenga will be known as Brother John.

A diocese in Los Angeles has elected only the second openly gay bishop in the global Anglican Church, reigniting an issue that has caused deep division. Rev Mary Glasspool, from Baltimore, was elected assistant bishop, although she needs a majority of national Episcopal Church heads to back her consecration. The election of the first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, six years ago created a massive rift. Traditionalists have already expressed opposition to the latest election. Conservatives insist the Bible unequivocally outlaws homosexuality whereas liberals believe the Bible should be reinterpreted in the light of contemporary wisdom.

Diane Mills, Namibia: "Schooling for children is not a priority for the Ovahimba people in the north of Namibia. Girls especially are not priority. Children shown were happy to attend the Ovijere Mobile School." RIGHT: To mark Volunteer Day on 5 December, the international development charity VSO ran a photo competition for its volunteers from the UK on the theme Going Places. Here we present a selection, this one is by Agnieszka Kandzia in Mongolia.

A couple in a remote village in Nandi North District is basking in glory after a visit by one of the world’s richest men and philanthropist, Bill Gates. Laban Kipkemoi Talam and his wife Miriam Chepkemei are enjoying celebrity status of sorts after playing host to Gates and officials of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who spent more than two hours in their home. The chairman and founder of world’s leading computer software firm, Microsoft Corporation, chatted up the family, witnessed artificial insemination of their dairy cow, drew water from a bore hole using a manual pulley and was fascinated by the design of the fireplace inside their grass-thatched kitchen. "For the two hours we played host, we did not know who the visitor was until the last minute," Talam and his wife told The Standard on Sunday, on Friday 4th December, 2009. He went on: "I was shocked when I handed him the visitors’ book and he wrote down his name with a green pen." Gates’ was the only entry in Talam’s visitors book that day (December 3).  Talam says the man scribbled ‘A very impressive farm. Great work. Thank you’ and signed it as Bill Gates, Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington, US. The usually sleepy Kipchomber village in Kabiyet, Mosop constituency, has suddenly been thrust to international limelight following the Gates’ discreet tour. Security agents were in a spin on Thursday night after learning that the philanthropist had sneaked in and out. Almost everywhere he went, villagers did not know that the bespectacled man dressed in brown pullovers, a pair of white khaki trouser and a white-stripped long sleeved shirt was one of the most influential men in the world. The only thing villagers found intriguing and intimidating was the state-of-the-art four-wheel-drive vehicle he used, in the company of officials from the East African Dairies Development (EADD).

Mr Laban Talam and his wife Miriam Chepkemei (left) receive Bill Gates at their home in Nandi North and on right Gates signs the visitors’ book. He was Mr Talam’s unexpected guest.

Not informed

Talam, a primary school dropout, said some five foreigners had visited his home on Monday, with EADD officials but had no prior information about the philanthropist’s tour. "I delivered milk to the cooling plant in the morning in readiness to travel for a graduation in Nairobi, but I was informed some visitors might be coming to my home and that I should hang around," Talam said. Talam did not notice Gates being driven into the homestead as other visitors had arrived. "I was in the farm with other foreigners and locals who had arrived an hour earlier when I was called in to welcome a visitor whom I did not recognise," Talam said. The farmer conducted Gates around his farm as he asked about the farmer’s family and their dairy farming. "He also wanted to know my future plans, whether the project was profitable, and if the proceeds could comfortably sustain my family," said the farmer. He spent about 10 minutes at the grass-thatched kitchen as he admired the mud-walled house, the fireplace, and firewood rag. He also entered the bedroom and the hatchery. "We are so elated that such a powerful and rich man came visiting us despite our poverty," said Mrs Talam. The mother of three, who is a Form Two dropout, said, "Gates’ visit has emboldened our resolve to work hard and be role models in the society and be able to help others." The rare visit was a shocker to the whole of Kabiyet village. Ms Beatrice Jerotich, an attendant at Muguri Farmers Stores at the shopping centre said she did not also know it was Gates. He had spent also spent some time at her shop asking about veterinary drugs, animal feeds, and farm inputs.

A good listener

"He was keen to know which of our stock was fast moving," said Jerotich, 24. She adds, "He was cool, inquisitive, patient and a good listener. But his identity was kept secret until he had walked out of the shop." Gates also met Kabiyet Milk Plant manager, Belinda Chepkiyen, and the project’s manager Abraham Rugut. He also met the management committee and asked about their challenges. Talam is a farmer, a registered shareholder and a milk supplier of Kabiyet Dairies Company Limited in Nandi North. He said his involvement with EADD since August, last year, has changed his life and exposed him to rare opportunities such as meeting Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funds EADD, and seeks to transform dairy farming families in rural areas. The project officials told The Standard on Sunday it targets a million farmers in East Africa. In Kenya, the EADD’s four-year pilot programme is being implemented in Bomet, Bureti, Keiyo, Kipkelion, Marakwet, Molo, Nandi North, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot districts. Other areas include Nyandarua and Nyeri in Central Province. Talam is an accredited EADD farm trainer on feeds and feed conservation. -  Sunday Standard.

KIKUYU PROVERB

Kûrî arûme na maiyurîa nda.

Some are males (useful people) and some can only fill the gourds (useless people)

Some good, some bad, as sheep come to the fold.

Kenya airport authority (KAA) signs a $26.7m deal with SITA

On Friday Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) under the Managing Director Mr. George Muhoho (right) signed a ten year agreement amounting to $26.7m with SITA for a complete upgrade of passenger processing at the Kenya's two international gateways, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport Mombasa. This includes the installations of first ever self service check in kiosks like the ones found at Heathrow Airport Terminal five in London. The installation will start in June 2010 next year. SITA was represented by Sam Munda (left)  Sales Director, Sub Sahara Africa.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS EARLY

Christmas is this month where majority of Kenyans drink their heads off. This guy was sleeping on a busy road on the pavement at the middle of Race Course road Nairobi on Saturday 5th December, 2009 very drunk and seems like he had started his Christmas early. Just imagine if he had a sweet dream and rolled once towards the side with no barriers. It could have been fatal since a matatu could easily run over him - yet traffic police who are trained for health and safety just passed him. He later woke up and walked home staggering. Hope he got to his destination safely.  - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, 0710148193  wanjugunak@hotmail.com

Man of God busy preaching in USA and Canada

Apostle Njuguna tells it all: Apostle Joseph Njuguna is clean of heroin, methadone and other drugs, in fact drugs of any kind. "I was in the last weeks of losing my life, I had lost contact with my family, I lost more than 8 friends most dead of heroin over dose, I couldn't walk anywhere without people pointing at me, looking, watching me. I was living in the street's and homeless shelters. My whole life, from getting up to going to sleep, was about finding a way to supply my heroin for the day. Police said I was one of the most prolific offenders in workshop because I had carried out so many burglaries, shoplifting, and theft. Looking back he describes how even store detectives recognised his face. " Apostle Njuguna explains "I couldn't walk down the town centre. The cameras used to watch me. I saw the security guards at the doors speaking into their walkie-talkies "he's coming down the street watch out. My life got that desperate I knew I had to do something. I tried killing my self but God had a particular purpose for my life that I didn't die. I took heroin overdose 3 times in one instant I was 96% dead they used electric shocks to save my life I always say 'I met the love of God before I met the God of love." -  www.manofgod.co.uk - MORE FOR FULL POSTERS

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!!!!

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New Director for Starehe Boys

On Friday 4th December, 2009 Starehe Boys Center got a new Director. Mr Mathew Kithyaka has been appointed through a very tough vetting at the centre. He comes a time the school is facing a few challenges which he feels will be sorted out. He takes over from the former Director Prof Jesse Mugambi who has been recalled back to The University of Nairobi.

Officials from the right, Njenga wa Ragu, Waheed Sheikh, Paul Mugo Principal, Mathew Kithyaka Director, Patrick Waithaka welfare, Joseph Gikubu amd Patrick Obath. CENTRE: Focused on achieving his goals. Mr Mathew Kithyaka, Director Starehe boys. RIGHT: Starehe boys Principal Mr Paul Mugo. - - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, 0710148193  wanjugunak@hotmail.com

Ruto: Why I skipped ODM meeting

Agriculture Minister William Ruto (right), Tourism Minister Najib Balalan and Information Minister Samuel Poghisio join Pokot dancers in a jig during a function at Makutano Stadium in West Pokot District on Saturday 5th December, 2009. Agriculture minister William Ruto skipped the ODM National Executive Council retreat and declared that he will not swallow his ambition for the presidency in 2012. Mr Ruto, who was accompanied by ministers Najib Balala, Samuel Poghisio and nine MPs. said the Kapenguria meeting was as important as that of Mombasa. The Agriculture minister said Mr Balala’s tour as the minister for Tourism in the North Rift tourism circuit was a government function and no one should intimidate them for accompanying him. “The Mombasa ODM National Executive Council meeting is important but the Kapenguria one is more important because we are trying to promote tourism and create employment,” Mr Ruto said. Speaking at Makutano stadium, he said the rally at the stadium was the culmination of Mr Balala’s two-day tour in the area which started from Mogotio in Koibatek and which took him all the way through the Kerio Valley. Mr Ruto said no one should intimidate them into dropping their ambitions, adding that they were leaders in their own right and could serve the country as president. - Sunday Nation.

Mombasa, Saturday 5th December, 2009. Party's retreat to end rift as Balala snubs meeting. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MPs retreat to Mombasa amid internal wrangles threatening to tear the party apart.  Rift Valley MPs allied to the party have been criticising Prime Minister Raila Odinga's over his handling of the conservation of the Mau Forest fuelling internal rifts and differences in the orange party. The party members who will arrive at the coastal town Friday evening will be holding a meeting on Saturday of some of its most important organs, the National Executive Council and the Parliamentary Group in an attempt to a seek common ground on issues dividing them, including the Harmonized Draft Constitution and the Mau evictions.  The retreat will conclude with a public rally at Tononoka Grounds in Mvita constituency on Saturday, to be addressed by the party's bigwigs led by Prime Minister Raila Odinga. However the squabbles seem to be deeply entrenched as Tourism Minister Najib Balala has snubbed the crucial meeting being held in his backyard.  In his place, Kisauni legislator Hassan Joho is leading the ODM brigade a move observers say is aimed at checking Balala's influence at the coast. It is not clear whether other ODM MPs who have been critical of the prime minister's handling of Mau evictions will attend the meeting. Meanwhile, a meeting of parliamentary parties slated for Naivasha in Kenya's Rift Valley Province Saturday to discuss the draft constitution has been rescheduled to Thursday next week.  The meeting has been put off to await the position taken by the Orange Democratic Movement on the draft Saturday during a retreat in Mombasa. On Tuesday, 11 political parties said they had agreed on a common stand on the divisive parts of the constitution such as the powers of the President and Prime Minister and devolution of power. The parties include: DP, Narc-Kenya, Safina, Ford Kenya, UDM, New Ford Kenya, Kaddu, ODM Kenya, PNU among others.

FOAM FIGHT IN SCOTLAND UNIVERSITY

First year students take part in a foam fight in the traditional Raisin Monday celebrations in St Andrews, Scotland and on right The raisins have been replaced with a bottle of wine...

METHALI YA KISWAHILI

Kitanda usicho kilala hujui kunguni wake.

You cannot know the bugs of a bed that you have not lain on

JAMHURI AND NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS IN NOTTINGHAM

Jamhuri and New Year Celebrations programme in Nottingham, UK at Umoja Klub International - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Media reports about UK education providers - UK Border Agency response

Home Office, 04 December 2009

The UK Border Agency has responded to claims in the media that some education providers may be prevented from enrolling foreign students. The claims were made following the publication today of a Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report into Tier 1 of the points-based system. The Tier 1 (Post-study work) route enables migrants to stay and work here after they have completed a course of study at a specified level in the UK. The MAC has recommended that the government should review whether students on some UK education providers' courses should still be able to access the post-study work route - however, it did not suggest that these education providers, or the students taking their courses, are not genuine.

Under Tier 4 of the points-based system, which was launched earlier this year, only those educational establishments that are dedicated to providing quality education and taking responsibility for their students are licensed to sponsor foreign students. Tier 4 ensures that students can feel confident in the quality of the education they will receive in the UK, and minimises the risk of exploitation by 'bogus colleges'. Any education provider that is licensed as a Tier 4 sponsor will be able to continue enrolling foreign students. The government will now consider the MAC's recommendations regarding Tier 1, and will announce whether it accepts them in early 2010. The announcement will be published on this website.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) posts lawyer’s details on the website. Rogue lawyers better be warned, Kenyans will now have access to your bio-data following the launch of the Law Society of Kenya's website that contains details of registered lawyers operating in the country. For the first time members of the public will by the touch of a button, access information on all practicing lawyers including those who have been struck of the register for malpractice. The website will expose names of suspended lawyers and those who have been struck off the membership register due to malpractice. The society's chairman Okong'o Mogeni says that they have beefed up their disciplinary mechanism on lawyers who do not follow ethics.  The reforms at LSK will also ensure apart from getting to know your lawyers status, you can report cases of complaints at the various regional offices to be opened countrywide. The image of Lawyers has over the years acquired a disrepute following cases of malpractices by rogue practitioners who have fleeced members of the public.

WASHING RAM FOR THE FESTIVAL

Senegalese boys are seen washing rams shortly after sunrise on Saturday, in preparation for the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival in Dakar's Yoff neighbourhood. RIGHT: A rainbow glows over and above Soweto's Soccer City Stadium on Monday. It is here that the opening match and the final of the 2010 World Cup will be played.

Women behind Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods came under fresh pressure today to “tell the truth” about his mysterious car crash. Fellow US golfer John Daly said the 33-year-old should end the speculation over the accident outside his Florida home. His comments came as Woods pulled out of his own golf tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, due to start this week. Daly said: “The thing that Tiger needs to look at is, whatever happened, just tell the truth.”  He added that by putting a stop to rumours, Woods could weather the storm a lot faster than if he remains silent. “He'll get over this. The family will get over it. They'll move on,” he said. In a statement on his website, Woods said: “I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week.” The golfer struck a fire hydrant and then careered into a tree as he drove out of his driveway in the early hours of Friday morning after an alleged row with his wife Elin. He suffered cuts to his face and blacked out.

LEFT: Pleading for his marriage: Tiger Woods has had counselling sessions with his wife in an attempt to stop her walking out. CENTRE: Rumours: Tiger Woods with his wife Elin Nordegren. RIGHT: Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren at the Open Championship in 2001

LEFT: Rachel Uchitel is said to have met on a secret date in Melbourne. CENTRE: Jaimee Grubbs claims to have had 20 sexual encounters during a 31-month fling with Woods. RIGHT: Kalika Moquin is the latest name to emerge.

Migration Advisory Committee endorses immigration

routes for highly skilled migrants

04 December 2009

The independent Migration Advisory Committee has completed its review of Tier 1 of the government's points-based system. Earlier this year, the government asked the MAC to consider whether the criteria for Tier 1 should be changed in 2010/11 to reflect changing economic circumstances. The MAC's report, published today, says that Tier 1 is generally operating well, but also recommends some changes.

Regarding the Tier 1 (General) route for highly skilled workers, the MAC's recommendations include:

• the salary multipliers, which are used to convert previous earnings outside the UK into a UK equivalent, should be rapidly and thoroughly reviewed;
• migrants with a bachelor's degree but no master's degree should be allowed to come to the UK under Tier 1 (General), if their previous earnings are high enough;
• professional qualifications (in law and accountancy, for example) should be considered as equal to a master's degree;
• the pay thresholds should be substantially increased, with no points for previous annual earnings below £24,000;
• migrants with previous annual earnings of at least £150,000 should not need to meet the educational qualification requirements;
• applicants should receive points for their age if they are 39 or under; and
• successful applicants should initially be allowed to come to the UK for two years, rather than three as at present, with a three-year extension later if they are in highly skilled employment.

The MAC says the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route - for migrants who want to work in the UK after completing a course of study here - should continue, as it brings economic benefits to the UK. But it recommends that the government should consider whether all courses and all institutions should continue to be treated the same. For more information about the MAC, and to download a copy of the report, see the Migration Advisory Committee section of this website.

In response to the report, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'The MAC has delivered a robust and thorough report, and the government will consider it carefully over the coming weeks. 'The points-based system is a powerful and flexible tool which means that businesses can recruit the skilled foreign workers that the economy needs, but not at the expense of British workers, nor as a cheaper alternative to investing in the skills of the existing workforce. 'Our own research shows that more than eight in ten people who have used Tier 1 of the points-based system were satisfied with the process.'

The government will announce whether it accepts the recommendations in early 2010. The announcement will be published on this website.

PM protests Muthaura directive to civil servants

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has protested a move by the Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura to directly involve senior civil servants in the debate on constitution review. In a letter to the Grand Coalition Management Committee, Raila says civil servants should not be compelled to present their views on the Harmonised Draft Constitution. "I advise you take immediate action to prevent public servants from being compelled to present their views on the Harmonised Draft Constitution," Raila’s letter says in part. The offices of the Prime Minister and that of the President are also at variance over a meeting of the committee tasked to manage the affairs of the Grand Coalition called by Mr Muthaura today to reportedly get its approval on a bid to amend the Act to extend the public debate period.  In the letter seen by The Standard on Saturday, Raila emphasised the committee should particularly direct Muthaura not to force civil servants to present views.  "In my view, Mr Muthaura’s letter amounts to invitation to those senior public servants to participate in divisive political engagement," Raila warned. The PM was referring to Muthaura’s letter on December 2 to all permanent secretaries directing them to give views on the draft constitution. According to the letter, Muthaura met the PSs on December 1 at his Harambee House office where it was resolved they examine the draft constitution and give proposals in line with Vision 2030. - The Standard.

Conservationists at Congo's Virunga National Park are celebrating the successful relocation of their two baby orphan gorillas, Ndeze and Ndakasi, from captivity to a sanctuary in the wild. The gorillas' mothers were slaughtered by rebels in 2007.

Obese air passenger in economy seat has picture taken

The picture, posted on an aviation blog, was reportedly taken by a flight attendant to illustrate to airline managers the difficulty of dealing with passengers who cannot fit into seats. It is unclear if the man was aware his picture was being taken or whether the flight, on US carrier American Airlines, took off with the passenger spilling out of his seat

NCCK PRESS RELEASE

Here is the NCCK Press Statement Released on Thursday 3rd December, 2009 in Nairobi that you will do well to consider. It is informative and helps you engage better with some of the contentious issues at hand. - CLICK HERE

A Kenyan held as a slave in Germany

Karlsruhe, Germany - German authorities have freed a 24-year-old Kenyan man who was held slave-style at a German riding stables and was forced to hide if the police came snooping. Authorities in the southern city of Karlsruhe said the man worked seven days a week, doing menial work nine and a half hours daily for monthly pay of just 200 euros (300 dollars), which is barely one third of what Germans on welfare receive.  He arrived in Germany on an "au pair" visa in March.  The operator of the dude ranch somewhere in Baden-Wuerttemberg state is expected to face exploitation and fraud charges.  Members of a local Christian parish are accommodating the Kenyan, who complained at the church and the local authority about his work, prompting German customs agents to arrive and free him.  Customs officials said the employer withheld the man's passport, told him to hide in a horse trailer if police came past and claimed the Kenyan would be deported if he complained to authorities.

Ocampo’s ICC secret dossier

Details of what Luis Moreno-Ocampo presented to the three judges hearing Kenya’s case at The Hague can today be revealed. He says he believes the violence was planned well before the elections and fanned by politicians. In a 41-page document, the International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor gives reasons why key suspects in the Waki Commission’s ‘secret envelope’ should be brought to account. Mr Moreno-Ocampo’s dossier shows that he has names of persons and groups that were involved, places of alleged commission of crimes and the time they were committed. The report is the clearest indication yet that the ICC prosecutor has a watertight case against the three suspects he is zeroing in on. He says the report will be provided to lawyers defending the suspects, legal representatives of the victims and legal representatives of the applicants. Details of the report came to light on a day the Chief Mediator Kofi Annan met Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Nairobi and advised that the Government seeks to set up a local mechanism to try suspects of the violence that almost brought Kenya to its knees. - FULL STORY

Nairobi, Thursday 3rd December, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki returned home Thursday morning from Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago where he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). During the meeting, the Commonwealth leaders passed several key resolutions, among them the affirmation of their commitment to the Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan and backed plans for the immediate launch of the Copenhagen Fund. The meeting was also of special significance to the East African Region as Rwanda was admitted as the 54th member of the Commonwealth having fulfilled the criteria and procedures agreed on during the 2007 Commonwealth meeting in Kampala, Uganda. Other issues discussed during the meeting included the world economic situation, the living standards of Commonwealth citizens and progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in Least Developed Countries. The leaders emphasized the importance of promoting sustainable development with regard to environment, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and human resource development. On food security, the leaders underscored the need for increased investment in sustainable agriculture and rural development as a way of boosting agricultural production. On health, the Commonwealth Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to attaining the health related MDGs.

Kenya has continued to successfully implement the MDGs in all sectors having made significant progress in education and health sectors. In education, the Free Primary Education Programme which was implemented by President Kibaki immediately he came to office has accorded many school-age children the opportunity to receive education. Similarly, the subsidized secondary school fees have tremendously improved the transition rate at the two levels of education. With regard to health, the Government has established an immunization Programme which is free to all children under five years. Through this initiative, Kenya has managed to raise the coverage of immunization to almost 80 percent while almost 70 percent of children aged five years and below sleep under mosquito nets distributed free of charge by the Government. The Government is also providing free anti-retroviral drugs to patients and has established a large number of Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Centres throughout the country to provide free services. The plane carrying President Kibaki and his entourage touched down at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before 7.00 a.m. and he was warmly received by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Internal Security Minister Prof. George Saitoti, the Chief of General Staff Gen. Jeremiah Kianga and the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura among other senior Government officials. At the airport, the President inspected a colourful guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Kenya Army before he was entertained by choirs and groups of cultural dancers.

Lemon: Benefits, Uses

The body is well cleansed if lemon-juice mixed with cold water and honey is taken on an empty stomach early in the morning. Warm water may be used occasionally to get relieved of constipation.

W----rite your sad times in Sand; Write your Good times in Stone.

Former Masinga MP Kiluta dies

Nairobi, Thursday 3rd December, 2009. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has sent a message of condolences to the family, friends and relatives following the death of former Masinga MP, the late Col (Rtd) Ronald Kiluta who passed away Wednesday night in a road accident along Langata road.  Speaking at the Lee Funeral Home, Nairobi where he joined other mourners in viewing the body of the late Kiluta, Mr. Musyoka said he had learnt of the death with deep shock and sorrow. The Vice President said the late Kiluta will be remembered as a fearless leader who worked tirelessly for Masinga constituents and the then ruling party, Kanu. Mr. Musyoka said he was privileged to work with the deceased closely when he was a parliamentarian adding that his death was a big blow to him personally, and the entire nation. He assured the bereaved family that he shares their grief during this difficult period of mourning and asked the family to look upon God for strength and fortitude.  Mr. Musyoka was received at the funeral Home by family members led by the widow, Josephine.

Nairobi, Thursday 3rd December, 2009. A blast at a graduation ceremony in the Somali capital Mogadishu has killed at least 18 people, including three government ministers. Officials say the blast was caused by a suicide bomber, during a graduation ceremony for 43 students from the local Banadir University. Witnesses said the attack appeared to have targeted government officials. Five government ministers were reported to have been in the hotel. Health Minister Qamar Aden Ali, Education Minister Ahmed Abdulahi Waayeel and Higher Education Minister Ibrahim Hassan Addow were all reported to have been killed. Two journalists were also among the dead. Islamists are fighting the UN-backed government, which controls small pockets of territory in the country. The Shamo hotel is often used by the few foreigners - aid workers, journalists and diplomats - who still visit Mogadishu. It is in one of the small parts of the city controlled by the government, just 1km from a base of the African Union peacekeeping force, Amisom, in Somalia. Security was light inside the ceremony; the ministers' bodyguards were all waiting outside the meeting hall, our correspondent says. No-one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The acting head of Amisom, Wafula Wamunyini, condemned the attack, saying it had been "intended to intimidate and blackmail" the UN-backed government. "We want to ensure everyone we are going to continue with our mission. We are going to continue providing our services," he told the AFP news agency.

'In Prosperity Our Friends Know Us. In Adversity We Know Our Friends.'

IN LIFE, IT IS SURVIVAL FOR THE FITTEST

Wild breast crossing Mara River in Maasai Mara as they return back to Tanzania - only the strong that makes it

Fake websites shut down by police

More than 1,200 websites that claim to sell cut-price designer goods have been shut down in the biggest police operation of its kind in the UK. The 1,219 sites, which advertise brands including Ugg boots, Tiffany jewellery and Links of London, were removed by the Metropolitan Police. Customers who buy from the sites either receive nothing, counterfeit goods, or have their credit card details stolen. Criminal gangs in Asia are believed to make millions of pounds from the fraud. Officers from the Met's central e-crime unit, working with the body responsible for domain names in the UK, Nominet, removed the websites, which included Australiaugg4shop.co.uk, hotlinksshop.co.uk and etiffany-shop.co.uk In the past 12 months, complaints about fake Ugg boots have tripled and customs officers have seized more than 20,000 pairs. More than 400 of the removed sites were  thought to be advertising the boots.

Oil tanker causes panic in Mombasa

Mombasa, Thursday 3rd December, 2009. There was panic at the Mombassa port Thursday morning as a Monrovian flagged oil tanker started sinking. The vessel, MV VOGE TRUST, which is docked at the Mbaraki wharf, started tilting dangerously on its side to the dismay of the crew and port workers.  Emergency crews and the Kenya navy have been at the scene frantically trying to find ways of saving the vessel. The ship was headed for the Kipevu Oil Terminal -KOT- to deposit oil. The tragedy poses an environmental disaster should the oil cargo leak into the ocean. Rapid response by the Kenya Navy and Kenya Ports Authority  averted an ecological disaster after stabilising an oil tanker that started listing dangerously at the Mombasa port. The 6.30am incident sent the Port of Mombasa into a state of panic after the Monrovian flagged vessel started listing at the Mbaraki wharf. Port Police boss Ayubu Gitonga told Capital News that the ship had been safely secured and had began discharging its cargo at the port. “There is no cause for alarm. The ship has already been secured and has already gone to the berth to discharge the fuel it was carrying,” Mr Gitonga said.  “Right now it is out of danger, there is no cause for alarm there has been no spillage and no injuries,” he added. He said the police are looking into what might have caused the incident. Mr Gitonga said the ship which was heading for the Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT) began drifting at sea after it experienced technical difficulties.

Three things in life that are never certain
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Navy retrieves 3 bodies from dam

Nairobi, Thursday 3rd December, 2009. The search for the bodies of the boat tragedy at Chinga dam in Nyeri yielded fruits Thursday morning with recovery of bodies of three victims.  The bodies were retrieved after the search by the Mombasa based Kenya navy divers.  One more body is yet to be recovered from the deep waters to complete the search.  Meanwhile activities at the recreational dam have been put to halt as the search continues.   The recovery has eased the anxiety of friends and relatives of the victims who have been camping at the dam since the tragedy struck on Wednesday. The four were among a group of mourners that had attended a friend's burial and they were on their way home when the tragedy struck. Chinga dam has been over the years a point of recreation for the locals. According to Raphael Muthigani a survivor of the tragedy, the group had decided to enjoy a boat ride before proceeding with their journey back home. "We boarded the boat seven of us despite caution from our friends that it was overloaded and was leaking" said the survivor. The driver of the Matatu they had hired also perished while Raphael and his colleague were rescued by a diver who was among the mourners "I managed to save two of them but for the others I was not successful" said the diver identified as Kariuki. Speaking at the scene, Central PC Kiplimo Rugut ordered all activities in the dam that is famous for boating and fishing stopped until appropriate safety measures were put in place.

Lemon skins are useless? think again!

Lemon skin can help a woman become beautiful, from head to toe. For example, skin whitening, slimming, reducing black spots, whitening teeth, giving them a good body shape along with beautiful hair and last but not least, remove wrinkles. However, besides all this, what other great uses does lemon have?

No man knows less than the man who knows it all.

A Kenyan has passed away in US. Miss Rhoda Maina passed away in Marietta, Atlanta Georgia on December 1, 2009. Rhoda was 26 years old, daughter to Ken and Rachel Maina of Dunwoody,  GA. She was suffering from autoimmune diseases known as Lupus/Scleroderma which caused her body to attack itself, targeting her digestive system. As per her wishes, her family will be accompanying her to Kenya on December 14, 2009 to lay her to rest. Because of the huge financial requirement, her family is now calling on relatives, friends and people of good will to support them in meeting these expenses. A memorial and fundraising event will take place on  Christ Harvester’s Church Int’l, Marietta, GA,  (CHMI – Apostle Karanja’s Church), 4341 Dallas Hwy, Marietta, GA 30064 on Sunday, December 06, 2009, as  from 2.00 p.m. Family and friends will be meeting daily at the Maina's home from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. at 113 Summer Crossing, Atlanta GA 30350. However, there will be a prayer service today December 2, 2009 and Friday December 4, 2009 at Christ Harvester's Church from 6:30pm to 9:00pm. You can make your donation through Ken Maina, Wachovia Bank, Atlanta GA, Account number:  1010258758504, Routing number: 061000227 or donations can be dropped off at anytime at the Maina's home.  For more information ccontact: Michael Karuu (404-395-6906), Leah Kamau (678-576-1416) or Ciru Mwangi (303-931-8381), Ken Maina (678-862-3140).

The late Miss Rhoda Maina

The above lady has passed away in Marietta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA of a disease called lupus. It is not a well known disease.

What is lupus?

So few have heard of it, yet worldwide it's seen as more common than leukaemia, multiple sclerosis & muscular dystrophy. Over 30,000 people have the disease in the UK of whom 90% are female. Men & young children can also be affected by lupus. The ratio of women to men(who are affected) being 9:1.  Lupus is an autoimmune disease, a type of self-allergy, whereby the patient's immune system creates antibodies which instead of protecting the body from bacteria & viruses attack the person's own body tissues. This causes symptoms of extreme fatigue, joint pain, muscle aches, anaemia, general malaise, & can result in the destruction of vital organs. It is a disease with many manifestations, & each person's profile or list of symptoms is different. Lupus can mimic other diseases, such as multiple sclerosis & rheumatoid arthritis, making it difficult to diagnose. Currently there is no single test that can definitely say whether a person has lupus or not. Only by comprehensive examination and consideration of symptoms and their history can a diagnosis be achieved. - FULL INFORMATION

Former High Commissioner in London HE Joseph Muchemi had a lunch with President Mwai Kibaki in a London hotel on Wednesday 2nd December, 2009 before the president left for airport.

We received this document from a group of Christian leaders in Nairobi today and we do well to play our part in shaping the future of our nation at this time. It is for your reading, reflection and informed action within the time limit set by the Committee of Experts (COE). Clauses relating to Kadhis courts are not contained here but also require your prayerful attention. - Church Leader -  CLICK HERE FOR THE ARTICLE

'Miracles' and claims of baby-snatching - why

is the Deya Ministry thriving in London?

When the news that Paul Otieno was being held on suspicion of killing his three-year-old son reached Archbishop Gilbert Deya's ministry last week, the congregation was shocked. Otieno, 31, is a pivotal player in the ministry, running its successful global television channel.  He is also the adopted son of the Kenyan Archbishop infamous for claiming he is able to make infertile women conceive through the power of his prayer. Gilbert Deya, 57, who has five children of his own, had brought up Otieno - actually his nephew - as his own son since his brother Wilson died when Otieno was a young boy.  Otieno, who came to the UK as an 18-year-old in 1996, is currently under police guard in hospital after his son, also called Wilson, was found stabbed to death last Monday at the family flat on the Lynton estate, Bermondsey. Otieno's wife Jackline sustained a knife wound to the neck, although their 17-month-old daughter was unharmed. Otieno suffered stab wounds to the neck, chest and stomach and remains seriously ill. The incident has left the church reeling, not least because it shines an unwelcome spotlight on the Deya Ministry, behind which lies an extraordinary story of fantasy, alleged fraud and child trafficking. Set in the heart of south London, it is a tale which involves players now under investigation by the police in both Nairobi and London. It is still unclear what happened at Otieno's flat last week, although there are rumours of marital tension. - FULL STORY

In happier times: Paul Otieno, his wife Jackline and their son Wilson, who was stabbed to death last week and on right influential connections: Gilbert Deya, centre, is introduced to the Queen and Prince Philip during the Queen’s 2002 Golden Jubilee

"You must give us a baby boy or else you go "

Culture can be cruel, as Dorcas Jebet, (centre) a pupil at Kapkei Primary School in Eldoret East District, her sister Naomi Jepchirchir (right) and their mother Eunice Tarus found out. Their houses were burnt down by relatives who accused Mrs Tarus of failure to give birth to a boy. A woman who gives birth to only daughters is as good as a barren one. That is what Mrs Eunice Kipkemoi Jerono Tarus and her family were told as her matrimonial home was destroyed by her in-laws. They want her family to leave because there is no son to inherit whatever was left behind by Mrs Tarus’s husband, Thomas Koskei Tarus. Science has however proved that the gender of a child a woman gives birth to is determined by the man, not the woman. Mrs Tarus talked to the Nation next to what was left of her three houses after they were burnt and pulled down.  - FULL STORY

Obama kin’s misery over illegal US stay

A Kenyan aunt of US President Barack Obama has told of her anguish at the possibility of some people using her immigration status to attack the American first family. Ms Zeituni Onyango buried her face in her hands and sobbed as she described her anguish over no longer having contact with Mr Obama and his family after the revelation she had been living illegally for years in the United States in public housing. Ms Onyango told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that she is troubled that her immigration woes have made her a political liability to her nephew. Ms Onyango, the half-sister of Mr Obama’s father, who is deceased, said that she has exiled herself from the family after attending Mr Obama’s inauguration because she didn’t want to become fodder for his foes.  Mr Obama and his family have not reached out to her either, she said. - MORE

HUKO KENYA, HAKUNA MATATA

Huko Kenya hakuna matata, wanasiasa ndio wenye matata

Nairobi, Wednesday 2nd December, 2009. Pastors and traders moved to court Wednesday to challenge the new law regulating noise and excessive vibrations. The petitioners want the High Court to grant them temporary orders halting the operationalization of the environment management and coordination act pending the hearing and determination of the petition. The new laws on noise pollution were published in a special issue of the Kenya Gazette supplement number 61 dated 22nd of May this year and came into effect less than two weeks ago. They are also seeking orders to restrain the police from arresting and interfering with their operations. The applicants among them musicians argue that the Minister for Environment has no statutory powers to create criminal offences through subsidiary legislation. They allege that police are enforcing the regulations unlawfully and that they have no gadgets to measure noise levels nor are they qualified to do so.  Through lawyer Kibe Mungai, they argued that the said rules seek to prohibit activities such as hawking, street preaching among others. According to the new regulations, hooting, shouting and playing loud music that can be heard beyond 30 meters will now attract a fine of 350-thousand shillings or 18 months jail term. The new law requires anyone intending to use loud sound equipment to obtain a license at a fee of 2,000 shillings. It also prohibits loud noise and vibrations that annoy, disturb or endanger comfort. National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) Director General Muusya Mwinzi said the regulations are geared towards protecting human health and the environment.

A LUO PROVERB

Ondieg thuru chami weyi.

A hyena from your home doesn't devour you completely.

A relative may have mercy on you even if you at fault.

Blood is thicker than water.

Politics destroyed the Mau and will restore it. Observers are stating that it took political decisions to destroy the Mau Forest and that it will take political decisions to fix the country's largest water catchments area. - VIDEO

President Mwai Kibaki is leaves London tonight (Wednesday 2nd December, 2009) arriving in Nairobi on Thursday morning.

NAMELESS to perform at the “Kenyans4Kenya – Najivunia

Kua Mkenya 2009 Forum Dinner on 12th December, in

London UK.

Nameless, a leading Kenyan artist is to perform at Jamuhuri day dinner after “Najivunia Kua Mkenya 2009 Forum”, being held in London UK on Saturday 12th December, 2009 as part of Kenya Diaspora Jamuhuri Celebrations. Dinner and shows starts at 7.00pm.

"There are two kinds of people in the world, those who have got names and those who are nameless."

The dinner takes place at the Harrow Leisure Centre Assembly Hall, Christchurch Avenue, London HA3 5EB. (The nearest underground is Harrow & Wealdstone Station or Harrow on the Hill).

Tickets prices are Adults £40 and Child £20.

For more information on how to register for the event kindly visit www.kenyans4kenya.co.ke

(website to be live by Thursday 5th December, 2009).

Hurry to ensure you get your name on the list as there are limited spaces.

A KIKUYU PROVERB

Cira wa mûciî ndumagîrio kîharo

Home affairs are not to be carried on in the public square.

Do not wash dirty linen in public.

Miss East Africa Schengen 2009

Miss East Africa Schengen: Miss Burundi Bella Daniella Nzigamiye who is currently living in Sweden becomes Miss East Africa Schengen 2009 in a spectacular show which took place in The City of Rotterdam – Holland last weekend. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

4 mourners drown Chinga Dam in Nyeri

Nairobi, Wednesday 2nd December, 2009. A boat ride turned tragic in Nyeri when four mourners including an Assistant Chief drowned in Chinga dam in Othaya, Nyeri south District. The four were among a group of mourners that had attended a friend's burial and they were on their way home when the tragedy struck. Chinga dam has been over the years a point of recreation for the locals. According to Raphael Muthigani a survivor of the tragedy, the group had decided to enjoy a boat ride before proceeding with their journey back home, but little did they know their death was just  a few minutes away. "We boarded the boat seven of us despite caution from our friends that it was overloaded and was leaking"  said the survivor. The driver of the Matatu they had hired also perished while Raphael and his colleague were rescued by a diver who was among the mourners "I managed to save two of them but for the others I was not successful" said the diver identified as Kariuki.  Speaking at the scene, Central PC Kiplimo Rugut ordered all activities in the dam that is famous for boating and fishing stopped until appropriate safety measures were put in place. Families of the victims have now pitched tent at the dam awaiting a rescue team from Mombasa to retrieve the bodies.

Joyce Muturi launching her DVD on Saturday 19th December, 2009 in London - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

“Kenyans4Kenya – Najivunia Kua Mkenya 2009

Forum”, 12th December, in London UK.

www.kenyans4kenya.co.ke

A major forum for Kenyans living in the UK and Europe “Najivunia Kua Mkenya 2009 Forum”, is to be held in London UK on Saturday 12th December, 2009 as part of Kenya Diaspora Jamuhuri Celebrations. The Forum will take place at the Harrow Leisure Centre Assembly Hall, Christchurch Avenue, London HA3 5EB. (The nearest underground is Harrow & Wealdstone Station or Harrow on the Hill).

The Forum is organized by kenyans4kenya, a network of Kenyans interested in stable and prosperous motherland, with the support of the Kenyan High Commission in London and other partner organizations.

The main aim of this new and exciting initiative is to provide a forum for Kenyans living in the United Kingdom and Europe to provide their inputs into the harmonized draft constitution of Kenya.

Written by the Committee of Experts, the draft constitution has a clause on dual nationality that will greatly help Kenyans in the Diaspora re-connect with their motherland. The meeting will also be used to mobilise Kenyans for greater investment in their home country. 

For more information on how to register for the event kindly visit www.kenyans4kenya.co.ke

(website to be live by Thursday 5th December, 2009).

Hurry to ensure you get your name on the list as there are limited spaces.

Now waitress claims she had an affair with Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods was today at the centre of another scandal after a cocktail waitress alleged she had a two-year affair with him. Jaimee Grubbs said the golf star told her his wife had found out about their fling just three days before his mystery crash. The 24-year-old claimed he ordered her to delete her name from her voicemail because she would be calling her after going through her husband's phone. The allegations come after four days of speculation surrounding Woods' accident outside his Florida home in the early hours of Friday morning. Celebrity news blog TMZ.com claimed the 33-year-old sportsman had rowed with his wife, Elin Nordegren, 29, moments before the crash, about his alleged affair with New York socialite Rachel Uchitel. The website alleges it was Ms Nordegren — not the car accident — who caused the injuries Woods suffered to his face.

The fresh claims, on top of the controversy surrounding the accident, are damaging to the clean-living reputation of the world's richest athlete who has until now avoided the scandal and pitfalls that often dog sports stars living in the media glare. Miss Grubbs, from San Diego, California, said Woods left a message on her phone saying: “Hey, it's Tiger. I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone. My wife went through my phone and may be calling you. So, if you can, please take your name off that.” She said the message was left on the day reports about his alleged affair with Miss Uchitel, 34, surfaced in the National Enquirer magazine. Miss Grubbs' claims, reported in US Weekly magazine, come after Woods was found guilty of careless driving. He will escape criminal prosecution but could face a £98 fine and four points on his license. Since the crash, in which Woods' car hit a fire hydrant before ramming into a tree, the golfer has cancelled a number of meetings with police to discuss how it happened. He has however, denied his wife had anything to do with his injuries. But the speculation over the accident continued after it emerged police found no blood inside his crashed SUV. According to Miss Grubbs, she received 300 texts and had around 20 sexual encounters with Woods. She said she first met him at a Las Vegas nightclub in 2007. “He told me just last month, Quietly and secretly we will always be together'”, she said. “I loved how we got along. But I knew, in the back of my mind, there could never be just us.”

Did you know, 1st BNP Leader went to Jail for Assulting JOMO KENYATTA in 1964?

(c) The Greater Britain Movement (GBM) (1964-67).

The GBM was formed by John Tyndall and Martin Webster in August 1964. It seems to have been a shadowy movement, and probably never raised its membership beyond a couple of hundreds. Nonetheless its ideology gives the impression of better elucidation than the sterile creed of the NSM, for Tyndall was, and is, not an unintelligent character. The Greater Britain Movement drew on a wide range of neo-fascist thinking, much in the character of the BNP. (34) However personality-differences, and Tyndalls too recent association with neo-nazism, precluded any early union with the other neo-fascist parties.

The GBM did assume an activist method of political action. Prior to the formal inauguration of their party, both Tyndall and Webster were arrested for events concerning an assault on Jomo Kenyatta; the former was jailed. (35) Tyndall persisted with holding rallies, one of which in Dalston in October 1965 caused seventeen arrests. (36) Early in 1966, Tyndall and some of his followers were charged with possession of illegal firearms, damaging thereby damaging the GBMs credibility with other rightists. (37).

It may be possible the GBM came to be envisaged as a transitional stage in the organised evolution of the Right, for in March 1965 Tyndall instructed his followers to liaise with other "patriotic organisations"---except the NSM. (38) By March 1966 Tyndall argued: ...we must do everything we can to bring together the tragically splintered forces of the National-Right. It may mean snubs. It may mean continued frustrations. It may even mean total failure. But somewhere, some time, an example must be made. (39). - MORE

Constitutional Debate continues countrywide

The Committee of Experts on Constitutional Review has released the harmonized Draft Constitution. Kenya are invited to debate and make submissions on the draft for 30days following the release of the  harmonized draft after which their views will be Considered
>>Harmonized Draft Constitution Pdf Version.

>>Harmonized Draft Constitution html Version.

>>Kielelezo Patanifu cha Katiba ya Kenya.

l

MPs snub Imanyara's bill again

Nairobi, Wednesday 2nd December, 2009. Debate on the Constitution of Kenya [amendment] bill 2009 seeking to establish a local tribunal to try suspected perpetrators of post election violence was Wednesday interrupted again for lack of quorum. Temporary speaker Margaret Kamar was informed of the quorum hitch when the mover of the bill Imenti Central MP Gitobu Imanyara was responding. Imanyara said the culture of impunity would come to an end one day despite his efforts being frustrated. Contributing to the bill, Gichugu Member of Parliament Martha Karua accused the executive of failing to support the bill despite promising to establish a local  judicial mechanism to try post poll chaos suspects. Karua told legislators opposed to the bill to tolerate debate on it and contribute by stating why they want the culture of impunity to prevail. Karua said the conduct of the Executive and some MPs towards the Bill confirmed that there lacked political will to end impunity. Medical Services Minister Anyang Nyong'o said the International Criminal Court cannot handle everything and therefore it is imperative for the country to put in place an institution of high standards to deliver justice to the victims.  He recalled the events of post election violence citing an incident where passengers were forced out of a matatu and hacked to death. Voting on the bill did not take place because MPs snubbed the debate. The bill requires 145 MPs to pass it.

Hawk-eyed watch on Kenya as Annan jets in yet again

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan jets into the country today and is expected to deliver yet another audit on the performance of the coalition Government he helped form. Dr Annan will meet with President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and diplomats to review the progress made, especially on Agenda Item 4, which entails comprehensive institutional and legal reforms — including a new constitution. He arrives at a time when the coalition Government is facing incessant fights over Mau Forest evictions, with a section of MPs proposing a vote of no confidence in the PM over his handling of the matter.  The PM has, however, received backing from some unlikely quarters. Yesterday, Agriculture Minister William Ruto, whose allies have been associated with the Motion, distanced himself from calls to censure the PM, saying: "It was premature, uncalled for and diversionary politics directed at the high office of the PM he would not support." The timing is also critical as the trip comes in the middle of debate on the Harmonised Draft Constitution released by the Committee of Experts on November 17. Annan is expected to meet the Serena Committee members: Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, ministers Mutula Kilonzo (Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs), Sam Ongeri (Education), James Orengo (Lands), William Ruto (Agriculture), Sally Kosgey (Higher Education) and Moses Wetang’ula (Foreign Affairs). He will be around till December 8 when he is expected to issue his verdict on the progress made since October.

Nairobi, Tuesday 1st December, 2009. The high court on Tuesday failed to grant orders sought by Stephen Kamau, a son of former Starehe MP Gerishon Kirima who wanted to manage his father's estate. Kamau further wanted the estate, estimated to be worth Sh750 million, managed by a law firm of Mohammed Muigai. Kamau argued that  his father can not manage his property since he is mentally unfit claims denied by the former MP and Minister.  Justice Kalpana Rawal said Kamau, failed to provide enough evidence to support his case. The Judge also ruled that 78-year-old Kirima had shown to the court that he was capable of carrying out his duties, contrary to the allegation by the son. In his petition, Kamau had proposed that his sister Jane Gathoni, his father's wife Teresia Wairimu and himself be appointed guardians of his father's estate. Elsewhere, the High Court barred reporters from covering proceedings of an election petition against Kirinyaga Central MP Ngata Kariuki. This is the third time journalists have been locked out of chambers 22 belonging Judge Jean Gacheche. The file was however referred to the Chief Justice to appoint another Judge after Jean Gacheche disqualified himself from hearing the matter saying the lawyer representing Karaba was his teacher. Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru has for the third time denied the video clips in which she was captured making remarks that the Starehe Parliamentary election was rigged. In her defense, Wanjiru who is also the housing Assistant Minister said the footage did not show whether the rigging remarks were in reference to presidential, parliamentary or civic elections in Starehe.

"KQ stop flying high with asylum seekers"

Kenya Airways staff at the World Travel Market in Excel, London during the tourism exhibition in November, 2009. Many Kenyans in UK has been protesting of late that Kenya Airways has been flying Kenyan Asylum Seekers back to Kenya. One visitor protested at the exhition "stop flying high with asylum seekers".

Cabinet reshuffle on the way in Kenya as many misbehaves while the President was away in the Commonwealth Meeting in Trinidad& Tobago.

A police Residential block to be demolished

A residential block for police officers whose construction has just been completed at the Central Police Station in Nairobi has now been earmarked for demolition to pave way for expansion of Thika road. Construction of the three-storey building located at the junction of Moi Avenue, Slip Road and University Way began in 2005 and is in its final stages.  The houses are yet to be occupied. A senior police officer who asked to remain anonymous told Capital News the building would be demolished because it stands on a part of the land earmarked for the expansion of Thika road which has been underway for several months now. The expansion involves part of University Way, Slip Road, Kirinyaga Road, and Forest Road all the way to Thika Road where vehicles have been diverted to pave way for a super eight-lane highway which has been projected to be ready by the end of next year. “It is just a matter of time before it is brought down.  Consultations have been going on at very high levels and an agreement has been reached, there is even some payment made,” the source said. - CapitalFM

Dubai shares crash again as fears over crisis spread

London, Tuesday 1st December, 2009. Shares crashed again across the Middle East today as the Dubai debt crisis sparked growing concerns about the future of Britain's former P&O ports division. The Dubai government's DP World business bought P&O's ports business, which includes stakes in the container operations at Southampton and Tilbury docks, in a controversial deal in 2006. The takeover included the vast tract of land on the Thames near Thurrock in Essex which will become the huge London Gateway deep sea container port. While it subsequently floated shares in DP World on the Dubai stock market, the govenrment remains DP World's main backer through its troubled Dubai World holding company. That has led to concerns that the ports operation, whose European division is based in London's Victoria, could be affected. Shares in DP World extended the previous session's 15% crash today by falling a further 15% in early trading, making it one of the region's biggest fallers. While that early tumble was later partially reversed, the stock remained sharply down. Analysts at UBS issued a damning report on the business, adding to the pressure to sell its shares. Citing the uncertainty surrounding Dubai World, UBS slashed its recommendation on the stock from “buy” to “neutral” and chopped back its target for the share price from 65 cents to just 40 cents. Dubai World has signalled that it will not part with DP World, although investors fear it may be left with little choice but to order at least parts of it to be offloaded as part of the restructuring of the parent company.

In a statement issued to the local stock market late last night and repeated this morning, Dubai World said its proposed restructuring would not include DP World or the British P&O Ferries division. Meanwhile, a senior government official sparked further concerns about the state of the country's finances as he said Dubai World should ask lenders for at least a year's delay in repaying its debt, rather than the six-month delay demand which last week triggered the crisis. Dahi Khalfan, who chairs the emirate's 2010 budget committee, then went on to blame foreign media for the crisis, saying: “You will see that the economy will regain its lustre without being affected by this unjust and completely not objective campaign.” The Dubai market fell a further 7% after even sharper falls earlier, while Qatar fell 9%. Those falls came despite Dubai World saying it was looking to delay repayments on less than half of its $59 billion (£35.7 billion) obligations. “That reduces some of the panic that has built up over the past few days,” said Nick Chamie, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets. The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa, issued a statement through the state news agency backing Dubai's leadership, saying the Dubai leader Sheikh Mohammed “faces every morning challenges”. Overall, he said, the UAE economy was in a good condition, he said. The Dubai leader also acts as the UAE's vice president, prime minister and defence minister. The £3.9 billion takeover of P&O Ports was controversial as the US government barred American dockyards because of fears over Arab influence.

President Mwai Kibaki arrived in London on Monday 1st December, 2009 from the Commonwealth meeting in Trinidad& Tobago. The president plane touched down at Heathrow Airport at 10.00 a.m. where he was met by the Kenya High Commissioner in the UK HE Ngare and the Kenya High Commission staff. After arrival he was driven direct to his hotel in Central London. More later.

House of Divine Solution International Ministry in London conference this weekend as from 4th to 6th December, 2009. Hosted by Bishop Joseph Warui - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Kshs. 1 million monthly salary for Maina Njenga

Mungiki founder Maina Njenga revealed on Sunday 29th November, 2009 that he has been receiving Sh1 million monthly from proceeds of his sect’s activities. It was the first time he has confessed to the benefits he has been receiving from the criminal sect whose disbandment he announced a month ago. He said: “it took me a lot of time to make the decision of turning my members into Christianity. Looking at the Sh1 million I have been receiving as a monthly salary.” “Therefore, when I say the sect no longer exists, I mean it. It is not a joke because already most of my former members have equally confessed and quit criminal activities. We are now Christians,” he said when he attended the Sunday Service at the Jesus Is Alive Ministries (JIAM) church on Haille Sellasie Avenue in Nairobi. Mr Njenga did not however, state the total amount of money the sect has been generating on a monthly or annual basis. He did not also state the source of the revenues collected by his five million-plus members. - VIDEO - CapitalFM

KENYA VICTORIOUS AT THE IMO COUNCIL ELECTION

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

Kenya has been re elected Council member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in category ‘C’ at the election which took place  at the on-going 26th Regular Session of the IMO General Assembly at its  Corporate Headquarters in London held on Friday 27th November, 2009. Kenya was elected with 110 votes.  The Council of IMO is made up of 40 member countries in three categories. There are ten countries in category ‘A’, another ten in category ‘B’ and twenty countries in category ‘C’. Each Council member irrespective of the category has only one vote when certain decisions require voting.

The IMO Council is the executive organ of IMO which among other very important responsibilities decides who becomes the Secretary General of IMO. The Council also approves the budget of the organisation. Members States struggle to become Council members so as to be in a position to contribute and influence important policies at the IMO.

The new Council members in their various categories are as follows:

Category ‘A’- China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Republic of Korea, Panama, United Kingdom and United States.

Category ‘B’- Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

Category ‘C’- Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.

The newly elected 40 Member Council members will serve the organisation for the next two years. The next Council election is scheduled for about the same period in 2011.

Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has arrived in London for a series of meetings with influential associations within the House of Commons. The meetings which will feature discussions on the ongoing reforms in Kenya including the delivery of a new constitution will also involve representatives of the conservative party. The VP is expected to hold discussions with the commonwealth parliamentary members at their offices at Westminister Hall, House of Commons. Mr. Musyoka will meet the powerful committee of East Africa Association to lobby for support within the House of Commons for Kenya's developmental and reform agenda.  He is expected to hold discussions with Mr. Nigel Evans representative of the conservatives Party, where they are expected to discuss party politics. In his meetings with the commonwealth parliamentary association members led by their secretary general Dr. William Shija; the VP will discuss the role of the association in deepening democratic practice within the commonwealth. Members of the Africa all party group within the British House of Commons will also have the opportunity to be briefed by the VP on the reform initiatives gathering pace in Kenya. "We are here to engage the leadership both in government and the House of Commons and to exchange on issues of mutual importance to our countries," he said on arrival in London.

BEAUTY BELONGS TO NATURE

With all the knowledge man has acquired, he cannot match nature's beauty

Boy, Four, Mauled To Death By Dog

A four-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a dog. The incident happened at a house in Wavertree, Liverpool, in the early hours of this morning. The child suffered serious injuries and died at the scene, Merseyside Police said. A 63-year-old woman, who is believed to have been injured as she separated the dog from the child, was taken to hospital for treatment. Dog handlers and armed response officers arrived at the house to find the "agitated" dog in the front garden. Chief Superintendent Steve Ashley said the dog had to be "destroyed". "When officers arrived at the address the dog was in an agitated state in the front garden of the property and was deemed to be a danger to the public," he said. "As a result we were left with no other option but to have the animal destroyed quickly and humanely." Police are now trying to identify the type of dog involved. A full investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the boy's death.

Why did Kibaki's son Jimmy donate money to the harambee for Mau while his father the President has agreed with Raila about the Mau squatters?

Commonwealth leaders agree to admit Rwanda

Commonwealth leaders who are holding their biennial summit in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, have agreed to admit Rwanda as the 54th member of the organization. President Mwai Kibaki, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania were among leaders of the Commonwealth who deliberated on Rwanda's application for joining the commonwealth. Rwanda expressed its desire to join the Commonwealth last year and got an overwhelming support from the sister countries of East Africa; namely Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. A former African colony of Germany and then Belgium, Rwanda is the second country after Mozambique without a British colonial past or any constitutional link to Britain to be admitted to the Commonwealth. During the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting in Uganda in the year 2007, leaders of the organization reviewed the recommendations of the committee on Commonwealth membership and agreed on a process which needs to be fulfilled before the admission. Following the decision, the Government of Rwanda conveyed its interest in joining the Commonwealth in January 2008. The move to admit Rwanda to commonwealth boosts the East African Community opportunities in economic, political and cultural ties and especially considering that the Community signed the Protocol on the Establishment of the East African Community Common Market this month.

Mother of two stabbed to death after putting up

banners announcing her 'divorce party'
 

A mother of two was killed as she prepared for a party to celebrate her divorce. The body of Katrina Jones, 34, was found with stab wounds on Friday afternoon in her home after police received reports of a domestic disturbance. Neighbours watched as her ex-husband Brian Jones, 63, was led crying from the house in handcuffs. Earlier that day Miss Jones had put banners reading 'Divorce Party' in the windows of the house in Marske, near Middlesbrough. Neighbours said the nine-year marriage had run into trouble last year and Mrs Jones, a housewife, filed for divorce this February. The couple had an 11-year-old son, while Mrs Jones also had an 18-year-old son from a previous relationship who does not live with the family. Neighbours said it was the third marriage for bodybuilding nightclub bouncer Mr Jones. They claimed he had a flat elsewhere but had moved in with an elderly neighbour next door to his former wife.

Pictures BioFashion Show 2009

A model sports a spectacular headdress made entirely from natural materials and on right Pedro Alvarez was inspired to design this floral creation

Many children whose parents are awaiting deportation from the UK are being held in immigration detention centres for too long, MPs have said. The home affairs select committee said it was "not acceptable" that some were being detained for up to two months. Chairman Keith Vaz said the children had "done nothing wrong" and should only ever be held as "a last resort". The government said treating children with "care and compassion" was a priority for the UK Border Agency. The committee's report says that nearly 1,000 children a year are detained in the UK while they and their families await removal from the country. On average, they spend more than a fortnight in detention, although periods of up to 61 days are not uncommon, it says. Earlier this year, children's commissioner for England Sir Al Aynsley-Green said the practice of holding children in detention should be ended altogether. Keith Vaz: "We felt the detention of children was really a last resort". Mr Vaz referred to Yarl's Wood detention centre, in Bedfordshire, in particular, which has been heavily criticised in the past. He said that despite some recent improvements, such as a purpose-built school, it remained "essentially a prison" and "no place for a child". The committee said it was difficult to justify detaining families when they were very unlikely to abscond and in future the UK Border Agency should consider other alternatives such as electronic tagging. "It is not acceptable that we are detaining so many children for such long periods of time - these children have done nothing wrong, they should not be being punished," Mr Vaz said.

"It must always be absolutely the last resort to keep a child detained for any length of time." Katherine Hill, from the Children's Society, said children should be kept in the community and there was "little chance" of them absconding if they were registered with doctors and schools. "There are examples from abroad where this has worked very effectively - and actually the number of successful returns is far higher at the end of the day," she said. The committee also called for reform of the asylum legal process and pointed out that 90% of appeals against deportation were never heard. "The system must be cleaned up so that those who have been refused settlement in the UK are deported as soon as possible and only detained as a last resort," Mr Vaz said. Local authorities must also do more to protect the wellbeing of detained children, he added. Immigration minister Phil Woolas said: "When the independent courts find a family has no need for protection, we expect them to return home rather than putting in frivolous appeals that clog the legal system. "We prefer families return home under their own steam - enforced removals are very much a last resort." Amanda Shah, from Bail for Immigration Detainees, a charity which helps represent families in Yarl's Wood, said the report's recommendations did not go far enough. "In particular, we disagree with the committee's acceptance of the detention of children for short periods of time, particularly as research released last month showed that even relatively brief periods of time spent in immigration detention can damage a child's mental and physical health."

"I am from Kenya Bwana Minister, only that I have lived in London for the last 20 years"

Mr. Chege Kihiko of Kenya High Commission in London charting with Hon. Mwakwere, minister for Transport and Communication at the IMO Dinner held at the Royal Horseguard Hotel, London on Thursday 26th November, 2009 and on right if Mr. JJ Shiundu of IMO and Wanjiru of Kenya High Commission (in red next to Shiundu).

Mount Everest to host Nepal cabinet meeting

Nepal is to hold a cabinet meeting on Mount Everest to highlight the threat global warming poses to glaciers. On 4 December prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and those politicians physically fit enough will ascend 17,192ft (5,250m) to base camp. In October the Maldives held a cabinet meeting underwater to warn of the effect of rising sea levels. This meeting, to be held before the Copenhagen climate conference, aims to highlight Himalayan glacier melt. With ice in the region melting at a rapid rate, lakes have been formed which could flood nearby villages. Melted ice and snow also makes mountaineering routes more hazardous. At such a high altitude health is a major concern, so a team of doctors will accompany the politicians. They will fly to Everest's only airstrip, Lukla. Doctors will make a final health assessment before a helicopter takes the cabinet to base camp, at the foot of Everest. Once there they will hold a brief outdoor meeting. Mount Everest is the highest point on earth, with a summit 29,035 ft (8,850 m) above sea level.

President Mwai Kibaki is received by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during a dinner she hosted for the Heads of Government at Regency ballroom, Hyatt Hotel in Trinidad and Tobago. The president will arrive in London on Tuesday 1st December, 2009.

Most Kenyans, about 56 per cent according to Government statistics are  living in the poverty bracket and many of them, about 70 per cent, in urban areas living in slums, companies have woken up to the reality that this is a lucrative market to introduce low denomination scratch cards by Safaricom

Do you know that the Queen is a supporter of Arsenal Club?

Hindu sacrifice of 250,000 animals begins

Cheers and protests as thousands of buffalo are decapitated at start of festival in Nepal honouring Hindu goddess Gadhimai
 

The world's biggest animal sacrifice began in Nepal today with the killing of the first of more than 250,000 animals as part of a Hindu festival in the village of Bariyapur, near the border with India. The event, which happens every five years, began with the decapitation of thousands of buffalo, killed in honour of Gadhimai, a Hindu goddess of power. With up to a million worshippers on the roads near the festival grounds, this year's fair seems more popular than ever, despite vocal protests from animals rights groups who have called for it to be banned. "It is the traditional way, " explained 45-year old Manoj Shah, a Nepali driver who has been attending the event since he was six, "If we want anything, and we come here with an offering to the goddess, within five years all our dreams will be fulfilled." . Crowds thronged the roads and camped out in the open, wrapped in blankets against the cool mist. The festivities included a ferris wheel, fortune-telling robots and stalls broadcasting music and offering tea and sugary snacks. As dawn broke, the fair officially opened with the sacrifice of two rats, two pigeons, a pig, a lamb and a rooster in the main temple, to cheers of "Long live Gadhimai" from spectators pushing against each other for a better view.

In the main event, 250 appointed residents with traditional kukri knives began their task of decapitating more than 10,000 buffalo in a dusty enclosure guarded by high walls and armed police. Frightened calves galloped around in vain as the men, wearing red bandanas and armbands, pursued them and chopped off their heads. Banned from entering the animal pen, hundreds of visitors scrambled up the three-metre walls to catch a glimpse of the carnage. The dead beasts will be sold to companies who will profit from the sale of the meat, bones and hide. Organisers will funnel the proceeds into development of the area, including the temple upkeep. On the eve of the event, protesters made a final plea to organisers by cracking open coconuts in a nearby temple as a symbolic sacrifice. "It is cruel and inhumane. We've always been a superstitious country, but I don't think sacrifice has to be part of the Hindu religion," said the protest organiser, Pramada Shah. The campaign has the support of the French actor Brigitte Bardot, who has petitioned the Nepalese prime minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, about the issue. But the government, which donated £36,500 to the event, has shown no sign of discontinuing the centuries-old tradition. An attempt by the previous government to cut the budget for animal sacrifice provoked street protests. Chandan Dev Chaudhary, a Hindu priest, said he was pleased with the festival's high turnout and insisted tradition had to be kept. "The goddess needs blood," he said. "Then that person can make his wishes come true."

Snow at last in UK

Snow and plunging temperatures could throw recovery efforts in flood-ravaged Cumbria into chaos, forecasters have warned. Temperatures across Britain are set to plunge as low as -5C (23F) over the next two days before Northern England and Scotland is hit by a potential blanket of snow. The warning comes after the Environment Agency issued 20 flood warnings when heavy rain caused flash floods in parts of England, including Devon where water levels rose as high as four feet. John Hutchinson, forecaster for MeteoGroup UK, the weather arm of the Press Association, said the main threats for the days ahead were low temperatures before a wet weather front arrives from the Atlantic. He said: "The heavy bursts of rain were dying away tonight but a cold weather front across the UK will see temperatures as low as -5C tomorrow. It will be unpleasant in parts."

Pictures BioFashion Show 2009

A model shows off an eco-friendly design by designer Nataly Jojoa at the Biofashon Show in Cali, Colombia and on right another green fashion creation from Nataly Jojoa

Swiss voters back ban on minarets

Swiss voters have supported a referendum proposal to ban the building of minarets, official results show. More than 57% of voters and 22 out of 26 cantons - or provinces - voted in favour of the ban. The proposal had been put forward by the Swiss People's Party, (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which says minarets are a sign of Islamisation. The government opposed the ban, saying it would harm Switzerland's image, particularly in the Muslim world. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, in Bern, says the surprise result is very bad news for the Swiss government which also fears unrest among the Muslim community. Our correspondent says voters worried about rising immigration - and with it the rise of Islam - have ignored the government's advice. "The Federal Council (government) respects this decision. Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted," said the government in a statement, quoted by the AFP news agency.

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON MONDAY 30TH NOVEMBER, 2009

LEFT: Another cancer related story in The Daily Express, leads with a study that claims mushrooms can shrink tumours. CENTRE: It will soon be the norm for children to be raised by relations other than their parents as the nuclear family model is "irretrievably broken", according to The Daily Telegraph. RIGHT: The Daily Mirror leads with Tiger Woods' mysterious car crash near his home and the golf star's apparent refusal to speak to police about the incident.

No turning back - Raila

Raila Odinga: ‘I am ready to go and bake mandazi with my people in Kibera if conserving Mau will kill my political career’ Prime minister Raila Odinga sustained his counter-attack on Agriculture minister William Ruto and Rift Valley Province MPs as signs of a furious gathering storm became clearer on Kenya’s political skyline. The storm revolves around a plot by Rift MPs to enter into a pact with MPs from President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s ODM-Kenya and Deputy Prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta’s Kanu to humiliate Raila in Parliament through a censure motion.  Answering the political group instrumental in his sterling performance in 2007 elections, and with whom he is falling out with over Mau Forest evictions, the PM said there was no going back on the Mau issue.

Rodent Rock? No, It's Hamster Jazz

These rodent rockers are planning to make a splash when they star in a new drink advert.

A Kenyan has passed away in North Carolina, USA. The deceased is Mr. Irungu Muturi Muhoro of Charlotte, North Carolina U.S.A. Husband to Faith Irungu, beloved dad to Muhoro Irungu, Njoki Irungu, and Kabugi Irungu. He was the son to the Late Rt. Rev Muhoro Kareri and Esther Gachoki Muhoro. He courageously fought the illness with great support from his family and friends. Our brother will be laid to rest on Saturday the 5th of Dec 2009 at the Concord cemetery in North Carolina. A major funds drive is anticipated to be held on Sunday 29th November, 2009 at the Back Creek Presybetarian Church in Charlotte from 2.00pm. Detailed information to follow. Those outside the United States and would want to help support the family can do so through account addressed to Moses Wanyoike or Faith Irungu  Bank of America, Acct. 237018610365 Routing# 053000196 or deposit money on Pay-pal account to Faithirungu@yahoo.com. More later.

The late Irungu Muturi Muhoro of Charlotte, North Carolina

METHALI YA KISWAHILI

Kila chombo kwa wimblile.

Every vessel has its own waves

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." - Osman Haider

The cost of the wedding alone was over KShs. 6 million. The wedding between Paul Muchene Kinuthia and Cecilia daughter of former Kanu Secretary general Hon. J.J. Kamotho. The wedding was held at St Austins church inside St Mary's boys on Saturday 21st November, 2009. A bull was slaughter and grilled with the latest technology ever witnessed in recent times by J's Grill. It was an Ox grilling machine that was imported from Germany. Speaking to the owner Jacqueline Anampiu, she said she got the idea when she visited Germany over summer time and got them doing the grilling. Asked  about how much it was to hire it she said. “it only cost Kshs. 40,000 and for the machine and labour plus additional KShs. 200 per kilo is charged of the cooked bull.” At this wedding the bull was five hundred kilos and took about 9 hrs for it to be well done. The machine is then towed using a Range rover.

A grill machine that grills the whole bull

J's grill owned by Jacqueline Anampiu brought The OX grilling machine that grilled a whole bull without the head. Machine imported from Germany and uses both gas and electricity. On right the couple showing their guests how it is done "merî na kuna" - two steps and third one do it half as you dance.

A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

Police kill 3 carjackers in Langata, Nairobi. Three suspected gangsters were shot dead Saturday 28th November, 2009 while another escaped with gun shot wounds along Lang'ata road.  Police caught up with the suspects after the vehicle they had hijacked got involved in an accident.  Police had been trailing the suspects for a while in the vehicle they had hijacked and on realization that they were being followed, a chase ensued and their car hit an electricity pole.  The robbers then tried to board a pickup but police opened fire on them killing the three on the spot while one managed to escape with bullet wounds. The driver of the pickup was however injured during the crossfire and was rushed to hospital. Residents urged police to increase patrols to curb an upsurge of crime in the area.

Jesus Christ died for me, And now I live for Him; To Heaven He ascended, my place to prepare.

During their IMO Dinner at the Royal Horseguard Hotel in London on Thursday 26th November, 2009 evening, a Zairean Band lady picked one delegate to dance with her. The wife of the delegate was so happy to see her husband trying to pick up with the dance and she commented: "This is the happiest time of my life, I would not have imagined my husband on the floor.". On right is Mr. Peter Thuo Director of Shipping in Kenya (left), Mr. Baraza and on right is Deputy High Commissioner in London Mr. Addison Chebukaka.

It is now possible for individuals to buy prefabricated houses through bank mortgage facilities or loans from co-operative societies. The development follows the launch of first prefab housing scheme with insurance cover in Nairobi. The move gives a leeway to financial institutions to offer mortgage against prefabricated houses under an arrangement that brings together Afrohomes — a venture capital firm, National Co-operative Housing Union, Co-operative Insurance Company (CIC) and Kenya Commercial Bank’s mortgage subsidiary, Savings and Loan (S&L). Speaking at the groundbreaking for the project in Mlolongo, Co-operatives Assistant Minister Linah Kilimo said wide-scale adoption of prefabricated technology would help reduce housing costs and ease the shortage in housing units. "Only through such technologies can we ensure that Kenyans live in their own houses," said Ms Kilimo. The houses are built using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) already in use in the US and the Middle East to construct houses. This technology reduces by up to 20 per cent the cost of putting up a house compared to the conventional brick and mortar.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) construction in progress

Homeowners will also save on time because it takes just days to assemble the slabs once the housing plan has been approved. The panels — usually thinner than the ordinary blocks — are made using SIP technology, which is already certified by Kenya Bureau of Standards. Fibre cement boards are put under high pressure bonding process that allows them to withstand winds with speed of over 110 meters per second. "The new technology allows buyers to choose from a variety of housing designs according to their personal tastes while using a technology that substantially cuts down the cost of housing," said Tony Gichuru, a director with Afrohomes. Under the scheme, members of the National Co-operative Housing Union will secure loans to buy houses the same way one applies for a loan from a Sacco by raising a certain number of guarantors. But the scheme is also open to non-members who can secure loans from KCB’s S&L mortgage firm to purchase the houses in an arrangement made possible by the CIC’s insurance cover to the houses. Previously, financiers were reluctant to offer loans against prefabs due to lack of insurance cover and quality warranties. "This breakthrough adds to the growing number of appropriate building technologies that have been introduced in the country to increase affordable homes to Kenyans," said Francis Kamande, the chairman of the Co-operative Housing Union. The project will see the construction of 300 housing units on Mombasa Road at just over a Sh1 billion and later replicated countrywide. This is the first time such a scheme is being developed in Sub-Saharan Africa. - The Standard.

A HOUSE IS READY IN TWO WEEKS

CLICK HERE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION DEMONSTRATION

Kenya God re-elected to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council elections on Friday 27th November, 2009. Kenya more votes than Australia, Belgium, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia and Thailand who were also elected. - What is IMO? - CLICK HERE

At IMO Dinner in Royal Horseguard Hotel

Caught at the IMO dinner on Thursday 26th November, 2009 is the assistant Minister for Transport Hon. John Mwau charting with friends and on right photo is Mr. David Kuria MD of Pinnacle Projects and Mr. James Mulewa the Managind Director of Kenya Ports Authority on right

PM warns Parliament against interference

A KIKUYU PROVERB

Mwambi nacio tiwe mûrigîa nacio

He that begins, is not he that finishes

Judge not of men or things at first sight

Meet the man who renovated Nairobi toilets

Like Moses in the Bible who was asked by God what "are you holding in your hands", the same happened to Mr. Tom Makale in 1996. After obtaining a degree from the University, he searched for a job in the streets of Nairobi without success. With two children and a wife to feed, Mr. Makale had come to the end of the road. As a good Christian, he went onto his knees and prayed to God that he has  given up everything including his degree and whatever God would direct him to do. he would do. One night in his dream he got a message to start the work of cleaning Nairobi city council toilets. This was the worst job in the world due to the condition of the toilets themselves whereby you would find human waste even before entering the toilets. Keeping it as a secret to his family, he decided to approach the council officials to give him the job of cleaning the toilets. The officials thought that the man was crazy due to the conditions of the toilets. As Tom explains, his biggest problem was not to clean the toilets but his biggest problem was how to tell it to his wife. He was given the job and he did it for a month without telling his family but the wife noticed that their financial situation was improving.

At last Tom decided to let the cat of the sack. One evening he asked his wife: "Sweetheart, how would you feel if at all you know that your husband is a toilet cleaner?". The wife replied that she does not mind provided that he enjoys it and he brings a plate of food on the table. From that day Tom had a breakthrough. He took over all the other toilets in the city knocking some of them down and rebuilding them again. Today he has employed more than 60 employees and he is continuing  expanding his business outside the city. Today Tom is a tycoon and everyone using the toilets in Nairobi has to pay KShs. 5. While speaking during the launching of Pastor Anthony Kimani Kang'ong'a's book in London on Saturday 21st November, Tom advised the young people and everyone else to make use of the small talents that God has given  them to expand their dreams. "It is not a matter of how much education you have, it is a matter of pursuing your dreams." Tom explained. His contact in the UK is 07536391178 or his email tommakale@yahoo.com

Pastor Kimani launches his book

Dagenham, Essex. The title of the book is THE MOVE OF GOD FROM EAST AFRICA- The Revival That Impacted the Whole World. Family and friends attended the ceremony which was officiated by a Nairobi businessman Mr. Tom Makale the Managing Director of Alika Systems Ltd. Nairobi. Seen on the photo above is from right Mr. Tom Makale, Mrs. Kimani, Pastor Kimani and and Amos. To order the book you can contact  07536391178 or  rantony2002@hotmail.com - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

A MAASAI PROVERB

Erisio inikiakini o iniaki kewan.

The things brought to you are equal to the things you bring yourself

Witch Children in Nigeria

In 2008 a Bafta and Emmy Award-winning Dispatches told the story of how children in Africa's Niger Delta were being denounced by Christian pastors as witches and wizards and then killed, tortured or abandoned by their own families.  The film, which prompted international outrage against a practice conducted in the name of Jesus, forced the Nigerian authorities and the UN to act.  Child rights legislation came into force making it illegal to brand children as witches and some pastors were arrested. Financial support also poured in to assist a small British charity (Stepping Stones Nigeria) providing the only safe refuge for hundreds of youngsters attacked after claims that they were possessed by the Devil. - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

IN A COUNTRY WHERE THERE ARE NO BANKS

Money dealers do business out in the open of Hargeisa’s central market in the self-declared republic of Somaliland - exchanging most currencies for Somaliland shillings.

Deep under the Antarctic ice, a rare, colourful burst of starfish and 3m-long monster worms has been filmed by a BBC camera crew. Filmed in time-lapse, the extraordinary swarm of deep-sea creatures gathers to feed in a frenzy on the body of a seal, which had sunk to the ocean floor. Such a bounty of food may only occur once every ten years in the ice-cold waters of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The images were taken by divers filming for the natural history series Life. Descending through a hole cut in the ice, cameramen Doug Allan and Hugh Miller set up a time-lapse camera on the ocean floor. - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country." - Osman Haider

Africa in pictures: 21-27 November 2009

On Saturday, a market trader in Lagos holds up giant snails, which are added to soups and stews and considered a delicacy by many Nigerians. RIGHT: A baboon attempts to open the door of a car at Cape Point in South Africa on Tuesday. Two baboons are pictured on the same day having made a successful bid.

Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Mutula Kilonzo Thursday 26th November, 2009 released a timetable for completion of the ongoing constitutional review process. While giving a progress report on the review process in Parliament, Mutula said the Committee of Experts has so far issued over 1 million copies of the harmonized constitution draft adding an additional 4 million copies would be distributed by next week.  The Minister said the law review process is on schedule saying after the 30 days set aside for Kenyans to give their views, the Committee of Experts will then have 21 days to consult among themselves until January 7th next year. Thereafter they will present the draft to the Parliamentary Select Committee for deliberation for 21 days until 28th January next year.  After the revisions by the PSC, the revised draft accompanied by a report on the same by CoE will be debated by parliament for 7 days.  The house will be expected to amend the draft and subsequently return it back to the Committee of Experts, Reference Groups and the Parliamentary Select Committee to build consensus.  After consensus is reached by all interest groups the draft will for the second time be presented to parliament on 7th April next year after which it will be handed to the Attorney General before being subjected to a referendum after 60 days. Meanwhile, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka says the government will assist the families of the nine Kamiti inmates who died following a Cholera outbreak at the facility with funeral arrangements. While issuing a ministerial statement in parliament, Kalonzo said measures have been put in place in the prisons countrywide to curb spread of the disease. He said the Ministry of Home Affairs will be seeking more funding from Treasury to expand and modernize the country's correctional institutions. The VP however said six of those who died were suffering from other ailments including HIV/AIDS and Malaria. He said no new infections had been reported as the situation had been contained. Six inmates are admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital and another at the prison.

No butts: it's an £80 penalty if you drop them in the City of London

City workers will be hit with on-the-spot fines for dropping cigarette butts as part of a campaign to clean up the Square Mile. Officials from the City of London have been clearing up more than 7,000 butts a day in the area in recent weeks. From Monday 30th November, 2009, 10 patrolling officers will begin issuing £80 fixed penalty notices after the cost of cleaning up cigarette butts soared. Environmental enforcement officers have so far issued 30,000 "red cards" to smokers warning they could be fined up to £2,500 if they are prosecuted. They have also been working with banks' human resources departments to issue the warnings via email.  The cards, which include a small portable ashtray so people do not drop butts, also include details of a quitting help service set up by the City and Hackney Primary Care Trust. The fixed penalty notices will be reduced to £60 if paid within 10 days.

Call Kenya from a BT line

Mobile 8p/min:  0871 402 0159

Landline 5p/min:  0844 880 0819

Introducing new Ujanja Gold

A new service to track laptops anywhere in the world was today unveiled in Kenya. Dubbed UJANJA GOLD, the laptop tracking service will utilize a small undetectable software agent, enabling the computer to report its location to a confidential and secure monitoring centre each day it connects to the internet. East Africa Data Handlers LTD the creators of Ujanja laptop tracking solution have partnered with APA Insurance Limited to provide an All Risk Insurance cover for the laptops that have been installed with the asset tracker, the product enhanced called UJANJA GOLD. In order to use the service, laptop users will need to purchase an activation code which will be retailing at Kshs7,500 inclusive of the insurance cover, an annual fee and can be purchased and installed at any of the appointed Ujanja distributors. In conclusion, Ashok Shah, the CEO of APA Insurance assured the public that genuine claims made for loss and damage of laptops will be paid promptly ensuring that the owner does not undergo further duress. The Ujanja Mobile tracking software is currently used in over 7 countries in Africa. George Njoroge MD East African Data handlers Ltd can be reached on 0722435163/0725050728.Web www.datarecovery.co.ke

Actors and chefs among investors set to lose millions in Dubai crisis

London, Friday 27th November, 2009. A glittering line up of Britain's best known restaurateurs stand to lose out in the £50billion Dubai debt crash. The emirate's extraordinary economic boom - which now lies in tatters - had attracted some of the biggest names in the industry in recent years. Among those who have opened expensive restaurants in Dubai are Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes, Marco Pierre White and Giorgio Locatelli. Other said to be looking at locations include Alan Yau and the Wolseley's Chris Corbin and Jeremy King. Most have launched in partnership with hotels, so their personal financial exposure will be limited, but it is another setback for an industry that has stampeded into the Arab state. Many high-profile Britons, including footballers David Beckham and Michael Owen, as well as Hollywood stars such as Brad Pitt have invested in Dubai properties that are almost certain to have lost much of their value. The fallout from the announcement that major state-owned company Dubai World can no longer meet its debt repayment commitments continued to send shock waves through the financial markets today. In London a jittery FTSE-100 plummeted more than 50 points in early trading on fears that British banks could be exposed to bad debts in Dubai, before recovering most of the lost ground.  By lunchtime the blue-chip index stood down only 9 points at 5185 ahead of the opening of the Dow Jones index in New York. Gordon Brown sought to reassure investors and voters about the scale of the impact on the British economy during his trip to a summit meeting of Commonwealth leaders. He said: "While it is a setback I think we will find it is not on the scale of previous problems we have dealt with. I think global recovery has depended on monetary action and fiscal stimulus."

City commentators said the impact of the debt announcement by Dubai World was a reminder that the credit crunch is far from over but it was unlikely to derail the world economic recovery. Howard Wheeldon, analysts at brokers BGC Partners, said: "A crisis yes and certainly not one that can be ignored but neither is it one that global financial markets should overreact to.  "In my view, and despite the scale of the Dubai debt, this is not a repeat of the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the Russian debt default crisis in 1998 or the crisis in Argentina that emerged in 1999." However, the huge British ex-pat community, which is estimated to have peaked at 100,000, and the thousands of British businesses that have invested in Dubai since 2000, face an uncertain future. A roll-call of familiar retail names have opened in Dubai in recent years including Asprey, Burberry, De Beers, Jo Malone, La Senza, Crabtree & Evelyn and Diesel. The vast hotel industry is also expected to be heavily hit, including Sol Kerzner's spectacular five star Atlantis at the Palm development. The hotel opened last year with a £12million launch party - said to be the most costly in history - with guests including Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan. Industry analysts said hotel chains would be forced to slash room rates to fill the tens of thousands of bedrooms that have been built in the past five years. One industry analyst said: "I expect to see prices come down and to see even more aggressive marketing from Dubai. "They had already been working on getting slightly more mainstream hotels into the market in any case and flight prices were falling. That pool of the rich and famous that they were targeting has got smaller.  "We could see them fall more into line with China, which is more of a mid-market destination."

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has a heart condition, his spokesman has said, after he flew to Saudi Arabia on Monday for medical treatment. Mr Yar'Adua has acute pericarditis, or inflammation of the lining around the heart, his spokesman told the BBC. He said the president, 58, was responding well to treatment. Officials earlier denied rumours that the president was seriously ill. Mr Yar'Adua has had a chronic kidney condition for at least 10 years. He has been unable to perform a number of official duties because of recurring health problems.

London, Friday 27th November, 2009. Dubai in deep water as ripples from debt crisis spread. Fears of a dangerous new phase in the economic crisis swept around the globe yesterday as traders responded to the shock announcement that a debt-laden Dubai state corporation was unable to meet its interest bill.  Shares plunged, weak currencies were battered and more than £14 billion was wiped from the value of British banks on fears that they would be left nursing new losses.  Nervous traders transferred the focus of their anxieties from the risk of companies failing to the risk of nation states defaulting. Investors owed money by Mexico, Russia and Greece saw the price of insuring themselves against default rocket.  Although the scale of Dubai’s debts is comparatively modest at $80 billion (£48 billion), the uncertainty spooked the markets, with no one sure who its creditors are. Several banks rushed out statements to reassure investors that their exposure was small.  The FTSE 100 plunged by 171 points to 5,194 — its biggest one-day fall in eight months in one of the most jittery days in the financial markets since the depths of the banking crisis.  The Treasury, the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority were monitoring events closely and are demanding figures from UK banks on their loan exposures to Dubai.  According to a senior government official, Dubai’s crisis is regarded as modest and manageable for Britain, but there were growing fears that Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich neighbouring emirate that has in the past given rescue loans, would leave Dubai to its fate.  Dubai World, the state-owned corporation that began the panic on Wednesday by demanding a standstill on its interest payments, worsened the mood when it postponed a teleconference for its bond holders, saying the phone lines were overwhelmed.

Gerard Lyons, chief economist with Standard Chartered, said: “The market reaction shows how vulnerable some economies are to the aftermath of the debt binge. This highlights how fragile confidence is.”  The Eid al-Adha religious holiday in the Middle East, and the closure of financial markets in the United States for Thanksgiving, exacerbated the sense of uncertainty in markets that were open for business.  A computer crash at the London Stock Exchange, which by coincidence is 21 per cent owned by the Dubai Government, left dealers unable to trade for three and a half hours.  Shares in HSBC slumped by 5 per cent, wiping £6.2 billion from its value. According to the United Arab Emirates Banks Association, HSBC has £11 billion of loans outstanding to the UAE, of which Dubai is one of seven emirates. HSBC declined to comment.  More than £2.6 billion was slashed from the value of Barclays, while Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland, both partly owned by the taxpayer, saw their values fall by £1.7 billion and £1.5 billion respectively.  One analyst said that the fears were overdone because Abu Dhabi would eventually come to the rescue to save the UAE from embarrassment. Dubai World has liabilities of £36 billion, about three quarters of Dubai’s total state debt. Its subsidiary Nakheel built The Palm Islands development, but the property bubble in the emirate burst a year ago, leaving buildings unfinished, debts unpaid and paper fortunes erased.

Vote for Kenya at the IMO

The Kenya government hosted a reception of honour of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Thursday 26th November, 2009 at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in Central London. The minister for transport Hon. Chirau Ali Mwakwere delivered a speech where he urged IMO members to vote for Kenya during their elections on Friday 27th November, 2009 in London. Kenya is seeking for a seat at the elections. Hon. Mwakwere and his PS Dr. Cyrus Njiru seen welcoming the guests at the hotel and on right a Zairian Band entertaining the guests at the hotel.

A Kenyan man has passed away in Dallas, USA. Mr. Peter Njoroge Kariuki passed away at Parklands Hospital yesterday morning (November 24th, 2009). He started feeling unwell in April of 2009. He battled with the demon of breast cancer that eventually spread to the spinal and lungs. He is survived by his wife Alice Mburu Njoroge in Dallas, sons; Ken Njoroge (London), Joshua Njoroge in Dallas, Augustine Njoroge (Richardson High School), Daughters; Njambi W. Njoroge in Dallas and Monica Wanjiru Njoroge in Dallas, his mother, six sisters, three brothers, several nephews and nieces in Kenya. He gave his life to Christ on August 22nd 2009. To God is all the Glory. People are meeting every evening from 6.30pm at 5426 Meadow Creek Drive, Apt. 2007, Dallas, TX 75248. There will be a major funds drive on Saturday (November 29th, 2009) at Neema Gospel Church at exactly 6.00pm. For those who might not be able to come in person are requested to make their donations to Joshua Njoroge - Bank of America Account number 4880 2560 6810 Routing Number 111000025. In the meantime please contact any of the following people for more information. Neema Gospel Church Phone 903-461-3242, Alex Ndirangu Karundu Phone 469-438-8388, Maina Kaigi Phone 469-831-9190, Agnes Warutere Phone 469-685-6960, Njambi Njoroge Phone 469-363-7294, Joshua Njoroge phone 972-900-7909, Professor Gaciri 214-909-5589 and Pastor Jackson Kingori (Neema Gospel Church) Phone 469-682-8879. - Source: diasporamessenger.com

The late Peter Njoroge Kariuki

PLO Lumumba advices youth: Integrity values - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

FUNDRAISING FOR A HEALTH CENTRE IN KENYA

Gatundu Empowerment Project cordially invites you to the Building Fundraising Project of Ngorongo Health Centre in London on Sunday 6th December, 2009 as from 3.00 p.m. MORE

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER, 2009

LEFT: The Independent leads with an NHS investigation into the Basildon and Thurrock Hospitals Trust, saying poor standards of care could have led to the unnecessary deaths of 400 patients. CENTRE: The Financial Times reports on the international implications of Dubai's spectacular debt problems. RIGHT: The Times also leads with Dubai and fears of a dangerous new phase in the world's economic crisis.

A KENYAN GOING FOR A COUNCILLOR IN DAGENHAM, EAST LONDON ON 2010

  Ms Elizabeth Kangethe

ELIZABETH KANGETHE FOR PARSLOES WARD SEAT 2010, DAGENHAM WITH LABOUR

I'm a Kenyan born living in London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in East London. I am contesting for a council seat in Parsloes ward on a labour party ticket. There is a lot of work to be done in order to capture this seat. I need you help. People need to register as voters and then on the actual polling day we should come out and vote. At the moment the fight is against the BNP who are racist and they are openly preaching hatred and racial division. I need your support and especially from the Parsloes ward residents and the surrounding areas in Barking and Dagenham. You can support me in so many ways like distributing leaflets, door knocking, and making contacts with all the people you may know who live in this ward. I believe that together we can capture this seat. There's no limit to how high we can go and how much we can accomplish. It is time for change. Professionally I am a teacher and a former headmistress of Githunguri Girls. If you would like to assist in any way or give ideas please get in touch on ewkangethe@hotmail.com or call 07958612632.

YES WE CAN

2012 Presidential candidates list builds up

11 Candidates has already declared interest in 2012 presidential elections. By 2012 the list will be over 20. Those who have declared the interest include:

1) Hon. Raila Odinga

2) Hon. Kalonzo

3) Hon. Martha Karua

4) Prof. Wajackoyah

5) Hon. Marende

6) Hon. Eugene Wamalwa

7) Hon. Wetungula

8) Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta

9) Hon. Bifwoli Wakoli

10) Hon. Moses Mudavadi

11) Hon. Ruto

Luis Moreno-Ocampo kept his promise of presenting Kenya’s case at The Hague

Luis Moreno-Ocampo kept his promise of presenting Kenya’s case at The Hague. The International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor’s message soon after that was clear: "The world is watching Kenya and this court (ICC). We have a challenge and we cannot fail. We will not fail." Mr Moreno-Ocampo made the presentation at 1.31pm Kenyan time and, thereafter, held a press briefing at The Hague to give an overview of his presentation.  The event was attended by international media and Kenyan officials, including the Deputy Public Prosecutor Keriako Tobiko.  Journalists from Nairobi listened to Ocampo’s media address through a video link at the United Nations headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi. According to his reports about 1,220 people were killed, 3,300 injured, more than 300,000 displaced and thousands of deaths went unreported. He avers that the alleged crimes "were widespread and systematic". - The Standard.

Steamy clock tower couple's outdoor sex display thrills crowds

There is a time and a place for a couple to engage in steamy sex. And this was neither. As the hands on the famous Sydney clock in this photo show, this frisky couple's antics took place in the middle of the afternoon. It may not be the most romantic of places for an intimate clinch, but never knock those Australians for sheer courage and determination when it comes to getting jiggy. Situated on a balcony just beneath Sydney's historic clock tower, opposite a busy shopping centre, the spectacle soon drew an interested crowd. 'Everyone in the area started to look up and point, laugh and grin,' said a bystander who took pictures of the al fresco lovers. 'From the looks of it, the couple seemed to know they could be seen and seemed completely unfazed.' So far, the identities of the pair remain unknown, although newspapers in Australia have urged them to come forward and show themselves. With their clothes on, of course.

Prof. George L Wajackoyah for 2012 President

The first Diaspora presidential candidate Prof. George L Wajackoyah talks to Luvei Times about his intentions to succeed retiring President Mwai Kibaki as the fourth president of Republic of Kenya. From a destitute in the street of Nairobi, to police inspector to a practicing lawyer and currently a professor of law in the US, it’s been a long journey for Prof. Wajackoyah. He went into hiding fearing for his life in Kenya, after he led investigation in disappearance and subsequent murder of the late Dr. Robert Ouko, a former minister for foreign affairs in former president Moi’s government. Following is the full text of the interview with Luvei Times reporter.  Luvei Times: We understand that you have interests in gunning for presidential elections come 2012; tell us more about yourself. Answer: My name is George Luchiri Wajackoyah. Son of Titus Olilo Luchiri and Melenia Makokha Angengo. I am a professor of law at American Heritage University in Southern California. I am also the vice-president of My HubNet Corporation, a company based in Rancho Cucamonga in California. My website is: www.glw4president.com.

Caught red handed chasing a lady in blue jeans with a panga at Race Course roundabout on Wednesday 25th November, 2009 .Traffic police arrested the man and handed him to police in patrol. Good spirit of utumishi kwa wote and on right  Wananchi crying for his blood, The lady in blue jeans and black top facing them could have been killed in broad day light. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, 0710148193  wanjugunak@hotmail.com

Why property prices will not be coming down soon in Kneya

Working as a professional in real estate and experiencing the ever-increasing property prices, I am always puzzled when I read of property prices coming down.  Following the boom six years ago, there was much talk of the bubble bursting and eventually it did — in Europe, America and across many Asian countries. This brought down many businesses. Kenya’s market, however, has remained unshaken. Today, signs clearly indicate the shadow of recession is edging further away from our market, which encapsulates the intricate web of real estate development. Energy is the key resource to every conceivable production. Demand for energy worldwide exceeds supply hence its high costs affects inputs like steel, transportation, cement, paint, sanitary ware and even the two-inch nails and screws for cupboards. Though cement uses 90 per cent local materials, it consumes large amounts of electricity during manufacturing, which makes it expensive.

Blackouts and the ever-increasing tariffs aggravate the already compounding crisis to manufacturers. I highly doubt if production companies can operate at full load 24 hours a day. Tariff concessions should be encouraged for production companies that operate at night. Unless the government finds a magical solution to the energy crisis that will influence the private sector to reduce costs by 50 per cent, then reduction in property prices will continue being elusive. Not every developer has vast capital resources to solely fund a project. Many, therefore, opt for bank loans. Developers intending to sell their properties are given a shorter repayment duration at slightly lower interest rates than long-term mortgage rates. Similarly, most developers give discounts to cash buyers.  Nonetheless, it will still be a long time before rates come down to eight per cent where most experts believe interest should be pegged at. Even if interest rates were to drop to five per cent, a rush for mortgage facilities plus the resultant high demand for properties would eventually push prices up. Cost of land is one of the main reasons why property development is expensive. For instance, an acre in Westlands can fetch upto Sh150 million. Further, limitations that include sewer and city bylaws, together with additional costs such as raw materials, labour and licenses push overall costs of construction upwards. —The writer is a marketer with Brooks Estate Agents Ltd.

A well knitted sisal sack with a message 'Kingdom of heaven is reigning even on earth 'This was on Race Course road. On right wonders on Race Course road. A motorbike on a mkokoteni. Could  this be the new motorbike rescue unit. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, 0710148193  wanjugunak@hotmail.com

CUSTOM HOMES HOLDINGS LIMITED

200 Plots (1 acre each) for sale in Ruai - Embakasi

One (1) Acres @ KShs. 950,000 until 15th November. Price increase to KShs. 1.4 million from 16thNovember, 2009 with 10% discount

Plots and houses with approved plan for sale in Ruai - Embakasi, Kenya.

The construction is controlled with Runda type of construction in mind.

Features: The land  is ideally located in a hub of economic activity, just 11 km from Jomo Kenyatta Airport and close to the new site of Wilson Airport and the new highway - the Eastern Bypass.  (15 minutes drive from airport through new Eastern Bypass).  

The Estate will benefit from social amenities which include:

• 3 commercial centres (Malls)

• Anglican University

• Hotel

• Hospital

• Primary school

• Police post,

• Own power station - enabling piped gas and electricity (Western Style).

• Communal park.  

The land consists of 1,600 acres but only 200 (one acre) plots are being sold.  The remainder is being developed by a UK developer for a CITY within CITY town. Nairobi Metropolitan City has been extended to Machakos and that means the land will be in the city centre in a few years time.

To reserve your plot, a deposit of KShs. 100,000 is payable with balance to be completed within 6 months. Conveyance fee is KShs. 20,000 to be paid at the offices of Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates while presenting your receipt.

To safeguard the interest of the Kenyans in the Diaspora and to avoid the land scandals, a reportable lawyer, Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates have been appointed.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LAWYER - NYIHA, MUKOMA & CO. ADVOCATES TO SEE THAT EVERYONE GETS HIS OR HER TITLE DEEDS AFTER COMPLETING THE PAYMENTS:

WHERE TO PAY -  KENYA, UK OR USA

GBP ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN UK

Intermediary Bank Name: CITIBANK N.A,

CITIBANK HOUSE, 336 STRAND, LONDON, WC2R 1HB - ENGLAND.             

Swift:                                      CITIGB2L

Sort Code:                             18-50-08

GBP A/C No:                         10280984

Account with Institution:  Chase Bank (K) Ltd.

P.O Box 28987, Nairobi

                                                WABERA STREET.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

Beneficiary Name:                               Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

Beneficiary Account:                          3384055               

US DOLLARS ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN THE USA

INTERMEDIARY BANK:   CITIBANK N.A,

                                                111 WALL STREET 19TH FLOOR ZONE 1,

                                                NEW YORK, NY 10043.                          

SWIFT:                                                   CITIUS33

ABA No:                                                 021000089

USD A/C NO:                                        36157333

ACCOUNT WITH INSTITUTION:        CHASE BANK (K) LTD.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

BENEFICIARY NAME:             Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT:    3384039               

For Kenya Shillings Deposits - THOSE IN KENYA

                                                                Chase Bank

Swift Code:              

Bank & Branch Code          :               030

Branch                                    :               001

Branch Name                        :               City Square

Account Name                      :               Nyiha, Mukoma & Company Advocates

A/c  Number                           :               0003384004

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR RECEIPT AND SELECTING YOUR PLOT:

Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates, 3rd Floor, Old Mutual Building, Kimathi Street

P.O Box 28491 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya, Tel: +254-020-249247/8

Fax: +254-020-249373, email: jnyiha@nyihamukoma.com

VIEWING THE LAND:

There is a free transport to view the land on TUESDAYS, THURSDAY AND SATURDAYS

To book an appointment to view the land contact 0722720436.

UK CONTACTS

Maggy Thuku - 07536497907 - email thukumeg@yahoo.co.uk

or

Mr. Seed on 07951220695 - email - misterseed@hotmail.co.uk

The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission Advisory Board Thursday 26th November, 2009 nominated renowned lawyer PLO Lumumba to replace Aaron Ringera as Kenya's anti-graft boss. The board also picked another prominent lawyer Pravin Bowry as Assistant Director, Legal Services and Jane Onsongo an Associate Professor of Education and Deputy Director Research at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) as Preventive Services Assistant Director. The three names will be forwarded to Parliament for debate before they are referred to President Kibaki for appointment. The nominations come two months after Justice Aaron Ringera bowed to public pressure and resigned in September following his controversial re-appointment by President Mwai Kibaki. Announcing the appointments, KACC chairman said the recruitment process was thorough and highly competitive. Omogeni said they received 197 applications for the three vacancies, but considered only eight for each post.  "The vacancies were announced early October and throughout the recruitment process, the board was guided by law and its commitment to be impartial and independent," said Omogeni.  "We were also driven by the pressing need to recruit Kenyans of high integrity and competency who have the experience, courage and determination to fight the war against corruption and restore confidence of the nation in our quest to fight corruption," he added.

PROFILES

PLO LUMUMBA

Dr Lumumba commonly known as PLO is a candid advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Tanzania. He is a holder of Bachelors' and Master's Degrees in Law from the University of Nairobi, and a Doctorate of Law from the University of Gent in Belgium. He has taught law at the University of Nairobi for 17 years and practiced as an advocate for the last 23 years. Dr Lumumba was the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) between 2001 and 2005.The distinguished lawyer who contested and lost the Kamukunji Parliamentary seat in 2007, has widely published and is a prolific speaker on anti-corruption issues in the country.

PRAVIN BOWRY : Assistant Director, Legal Services

A prominent lawyer and advocate for 38 years. He is an accomplished expert in criminal and civil law with experience in court procedures and rules of evidence, both of which are critical in getting convictions in the many corruption cases filed in court over time. He is a graduate of the Kenya School of Law and an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda.

Prof JANE KERUBO ONSONGO: Preventive Services Assistant Director.

Prof Onsongo is an Associate Professor of Education and Deputy Director Research at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). She holds a PhD in Higher and Further Education from University College London. She also holds an MA in Women and Higher Education from the same university. She also has a MEd in Education Communication and Technology and a BEd in History and Religious Education from Kenyatta University.

Justice Aaron Ringera bowed to public pressure and resigned in September following his controversial re-appointment by President Mwai Kibaki. - VIDEO OF PLO LUMUMBA

Dr PLO Lumumba fit to lead Kenya, his oratory skill can only be compared with that of the late TJ Mboya?  The New Millenium provided the best opportunity for Kenya, one important choice; to make Kenya a truly democratic and modern prosperous society. But instead, the country never seized the positive goodwill of transformation.  Our political class went far flung only dreaming backwards thus returning Kenya back to the stone age era and to the dogs. I think the latter genuinely describes where our politics are at the hour. So, the likes of John Githogo are not in vogue in Kenya of today. - MORE

Immigration and asylum statistics released

Home Office, 26 November 2009

I

Immigration statistics covering quarter three of 2009 have been released by the Home Office today. This range of statistics covers asylum applications, total removals for those illegally in the United Kingdom and migration from Eastern Europe for the period July to September of this year. Net-migration is falling, showing that migrants come to the UK for short periods of time, work, contribute to the economy and then return home. Phil Woolas, Border and Immigration Minister. Figures show that applications for asylum have dropped to 5,055 for the third quarter of 2009 - a 24 per cent reduction compared to the same quarter in 2008. Decisions on asylum cases have also risen 38 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2008 with the grant rate for asylum falling to 12 per cent. In December 2008 the UK Border Agency met it's target of concluding 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months. Applications from Eastern Europeans to work in the United Kingdom under the worker registration scheme have stabilised at 29,085, compared to 41,265 during the same period last year and 28,060 in quarter two 2009. The Office for National Statistics figures published earlier today also show that net-migration fell to 163,000 in 2008, from 233,000 in 2007, the lowest level since the eight accession countries joined the European Union in 2004. The Office for National Statistics figures also show that of those coming to the United Kingdom in 2008, 14 per cent, 85,000, were British citizens returning to live in Britain. This was more than any other individual nationality. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'Net-migration is falling, showing that migrants come to the UK for short periods of time, work, contribute to the economy and then return home.  'Our new flexible points-based system gives us greater control over those coming to work or study from outside Europe, ensuring that only those that Britain need can come. 'Our border has never been stronger, as illustrated by the fall in asylum applications and the record numbers we are stopping at Calais. 'We are making the UK a more hostile place for illegal immigrants by issuing foreign nationals with ID cards, checking those who apply for visas against watch lists and fining those who employ illegal workers.'

Zimbabwe: Women Kidnap, Rape Teenager in Church

Three sex-starved women kidnapped an 18-year-old man in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe on November 17, with one of the women raping the young lad in a cathedral. The man’s employer sent him on an errand to Makoni shopping center. As he entered the parking lot around 3 p.m., a Toyota Corolla suddenly pulled beside him.  Three women got out, snatched him from his vehicle and tossed him into their car. The three women drove him to Harare’s Roman Catholic Cathedral where they locked him in a room. At around 8 p.m., one of the women returned and forced the man to have sex with her, sources say. Afterwards, it is alleged the daring woman phoned the wife of the man’s employer and told her that the victim was safe and they should not worry about his whereabouts. The following morning at around 7 a.m., the three women forced the young man into their vehicle and drove to the Machipisa shopping center where they dumped him. The man made a report at Machipisa Police Station. No arrests had been made and police were hunting for the suspects. Police spokesperson Inspector James Sabau, confirmed the incident and said investigations were in progress.

ONE MAN LIVING IN A SMALL ISLAND IN NORTHERN OF UK

"Forvik Island" is the name which has been given to Forewick Holm by Stuart Hill. Around mid June 2008 Hill claimed to have "recently" become the owner of the small (approx total area 1 hectare/approx 2.5 acres) and previously rather insignificant, relatively unknown islet. He elaborated on this around mid July, by stating that the islet had been donated to him by someone who wished to support his campaign on Shetland's legal and constitutional position. It is situated at 60° 19' 7.47" N, 1° 39' 49.29" W, in the Sound of Papa a short distance off the south-east coast of Papa Stour, which itself is a small island off the coast of the west Mainland of Shetland. Satellite imagery showing the islet's location relative to the U.K, Western Europe and Scandinavia can be viewed here. The name is first known to have been used on June 18th 2008 when Mr Hill's intention to declare "Forvik Island", or "Forvik" for short, a dependent territory was made public. The Declaration of Dependency was subsequently made on June 21st 2008. - MORE

Introducing fingerprint checks at the UK border

Home Office, 25 November 2009

From 30 November 2009, the UK Border Agency is introducing fingerprint checks at the border for passengers with biometric UK visas, entry clearances and identity cards for foreign nationals (ICFNs). On arrival in the United Kingdom, these passengers will have their fingerprints scanned at border control in addition to the normal checks that take place. These will then be checked against the fingerprints the passenger gave with their application. The purpose of these checks is to verify that the individual entering the United Kingdom is the same person who gave their biometrics when they applied for their visa, entry clearance or ICFN. Using fingerprints enables us to do this with greater certainty. For more information about the new fingerprint check process, see the entering the United Kingdom section of this website.

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

Father of knifed boy ‘is adopted son of Arch Bishop Deya’

The man suspected of the murder of his three-year-old son in south London is a relative of “miracle baby” preacher Gilbert Deya, it was claimed. Paul Otieno, 31, who is under police guard in a hospital bed, is also known as Paul Deya, the adopted son of the self-styled Archbishop Deya who is wanted in Kenya on child-stealing charges. He was adapted by Arch Bishop Deya after the death of Deya's brother. The father of two is suspected of stabbing his son to death before turning the knife on himself. Wilson Otieno was pronounced dead at the family's first-floor flat on the Lynton Estate, Southwark. Neighbours dialled 999 after hearing an argument at about 6pm on Monday. Mr Otieno's wife, Jackline, 28, who had her throat cut in the attack, reportedly phoned emergency services and screamed: “Come quick, he's killing our baby.” Mrs Otieno had reportedly threatened to leave her husband. She was also taken to hospital and has been discharged. The couple's 17-month-old daughter was unharmed. A church worker at the Gilbert Deya Ministries in Peckham said Mr Otieno was related to the preacher. Patricia Shittu, 39, said: “He used to come here every day. His wife worked in the church office as an administrator. They are a nice family.”

 Mr Otieno was pictured with Deya in a family photograph. Sources in Kenya told the Standard he was Deya's nephew but was brought up as his son. Otieno is believed to be his middle name. Mr Otieno ran a video editing business with his wife but the sources said he also worked for the Deya Broadcasting Network, the TV network which broadcasts his uncle's sermons. Police sources confirmed that they were investigating links between Mr Otieno and Deya, who is fighting extradition to Kenya where he is accused of abducting children aged between 22 months and four and a half years. He claims he has given 22 “miracle babies” to infertile women in his evangelical church in Kenya. One case involved an African couple in Haringey. The woman, who was not pregnant, went to Kenya and returned with a baby born, she said, through divine intervention. DNA testing showed that the boy could not have been their son. Mr Otieno's brother Daniel, who lives in Midlothian, said: “I am his brother but I am not going to comment further. I just want the police to do their work. The whole family is grieving. It is a very sad time for all of us.”

The wedding of the year in Kenya

The cost of the day was over Kshs. 6 million

Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, 0710148193  wanjugunak@hotmail.com

 Cecilia being escorted by her parents Mr. & Mrs. JJ Kamotho - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

The wedding between Paul Muchene Kinuthia and Cecilia daughter of former Kanu Secretary general Hon. J.J. Kamotho. The wedding was held at St Austins church inside St Mary's boys on Saturday 21st November, 2009. The sermon was led by FR  Moses K. Kago.The best couple were Joseph Theuri and Susan Theuri. The MC of the whole even was Mogaka an actor with Vitimbi group. The Matron of honour was Agnes Gakungu. Under police escort were over 7 Range rovers sports most of them black. Over twenty Mercedes were behind the convoy. There were several security bouncers who kept a watchful eye in church and on the way and reception.

The tents looks like a small village at the reception where they hosted more than 4,000 guests and comedians from all walks of life
 
Many people attended, two tents were erected outside the church with big screens to avoid some guests missing out on what was going on in the church. Over 4,000 guests attended the wedding where they were all fed with mineral water by Loita Springs water Ltd packed with over 10,000 bottles. The water bottles were labelled with Paul's and Cecilia’s photo which surprised many with this expensive venture. Kids were also taken care of with about four bouncy castles, a food point full of chips and assorted crisps as well as soft drinks. Food was not an issue. There were over ten food service stations where you could get anything of your choice.
 
The company Interconsumer had goodies for all the visitors and all the ladies were give assorted nice and lovely body lotion as well nice and lovely petroleum jelly. Verseva and Verman sport perfumes were also given for free only for those waited until the cutting of the cake. At the entrance there was a tent that was selling the couple’s products. The sale and marketing manager Mr George Ngigi together with The customer service manager Esther Kilonzi were at the tent making sure all the products were available as well as monitoring the smooth running of guests at the entrance.

The biggest wedding cake and mineral water with the couple's photo

A bull was slaughter and grilled with the latest technology ever witnessed in recent times by J's Grill. It was an Ox grilling machine that was imported from Germany. Speaking to the owner Jacqueline Anampiu, she said she got the idea when she visited Germany over summer time and got them doing the grilling. Asked  about how much it was to hire it she said. “it only cost forty thousand for the machine and labour plus additional two hundred shillings per kilo is charged of the cooked bull.” At this wedding the bull was five hundred kilos and took about 9 hrs for it to be well done. The machine is then towed using a Range rover.

At the reception there were TV screens because you could not see the front due to the distance and the number of the guests at the venue. Speaking to one of the officials, he said the wedding was costing 6 million shillings on the day and no doubt it was worth it. After the wedding the bridal party together with friends headed to Jockey club at Ngong Race Course for mugithi and more refreshments. Spotted guests included Hon Beth Mugo, former Naivasha MP Jane Kihara and Kinangop MP Hon David Ngugi. This year has been the best for Paul Muchene Kinuthia. Other achievements in the year has been that his company Interconsumer Products Ltd joined club 101 after having a turnover of over 2 billion a year.  He has launched new products in the market namely Versman and Verseva which is said to have hit the market as the cheapest and affordable perfume for wananchi, He also become a Warrior at the Marketing Society of Kenya event and now he has joined the club of the married. How better can it get for Paul. For security reasons they refused to reveal where they were headed for their honeymoon. CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS
 

The remarkable mountain life of a family of ibex is filmed by a BBC natural history cameraman.  Jamie Macpherson filmed the behaviour taking place in a gorge in the Israeli desert.  The ibex negotiate sheer cliffs to reach their food, even standing on the branches of a tree to browse leaves.  The sequence will be broadcast as part of the BBC natural history series Life. - CLICK VIDO BELOW.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8367000/8367161.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8366000/8366830.stm

High tech border control success

Home Office, 23 November 2009

Nearly one million passengers have used the latest face scanning technology at Britain's airports, the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson announced. Facial recognition technology speeds up the passage of legitimate travellers through immigration control, allowing UK Border Agency officers to focus on high risk travellers and goods Alan Johnson, Home Secretary. He confirmed the figure while visiting the state-of-the-art facial recognition gates at Gatwick Airport's North Terminal. More than 950,000 passengers have used the secure self-service gates which scan biometric details and then check them against a range of watch lists before allowing the passengers to enter the country. The facial recognition gates offer legitimate passengers the choice between queuing at traditional, staffed passport controls and using the self-service gates. More than 50,000 passengers have used the gates at Gatwick since their introduction in August 2009. The gates take seconds to scan each passenger's face against the digital photo recorded in their passport. If there is a match, the e-passport gates open, to allow the traveller across the border. The gates are staffed by UK Border Agency officers who examine any passengers rejected by the gate, as well as making manual checks where appropriate. The technology has already proved popular and successful at Birmingham, Manchester, Stansted, Cardiff and Bristol Airports. Speaking on his visit, Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

'Facial recognition technology speeds up the passage of legitimate travellers through immigration control, allowing UK Border Agency officers to focus on high risk travellers and goods. Our investment in the latest technology, which I have seen here today at Gatwick, means we continue to be at the forefront of border security. 'We have also introduced fingerprint visas, checking those wanting to enter the UK against immigration and crime databases, and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals. In addition, the e-Borders system allows the UK Border Agency to count people in and out of the country and target terrorist suspects, criminals and would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK.'

Facial recognition is just one of many technologies at use within Gatwick Airport to secure the border. Other technology includes Cyclamen, which detects radiation in cargo at the border and Braun Conpass, a full body scanner which enables the UK Border Agency to see if a passenger is carrying illegal weapons or drugs on their person. Since January this year, technology used in customs checks at ports has helped in the seizure of illegal drugs worth over £157 million. On his visit, the Home Secretary met frontline UK Border Agency staff, as well as detection dogs responsible for stopping smuggled goods such as drugs, cash and endangered species. Since January this year, UK border Agency officers working at United Kingdom ports and airports have seized in excess of 447 million smuggled cigarettes - representing a potential loss of more than £87 million in tax revenue and illegal drugs worth over £212 million. Andy Flower, managing director for London Gatwick Airport, said:

'The introduction of the e-Passport system at London Gatwick Airport will provide a more efficient process for passengers entering the country. 'The Home Office has enhanced the use of technology which will help speed people through immigration controls, whilst keeping our borders safe and secure.'

Where is Trinidad and Tobago?

Country profile: Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is one of the wealthiest countries in the Caribbean, thanks to its large reserves of oil and gas, the exploitation of which dominates its economy. Inhabited mostly by people of African and Indian descent, the two-island state enjoys a per capita income well above the average for Latin America. Natural gas - much of it exported to the US - is expected to overtake oil as its main source of revenue. Dependence on oil has made the republic a hostage to world crude prices, whose fall during the 1980s and early 1990s led to the build-up of a large foreign debt, widespread unemployment and labour unrest.  As with other nations in the region, Trinidad and Tobago - a major trans-shipment point for cocaine - has become ridden with drug and gang-related violence. This has clogged up the courts and has fuelled a high murder rate and much of the corruption that is reputedly endemic in the police. It also threatens the tourism industry. 

• Full name: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
• Population: 1.4 million (UN, 2009)
• Capital: Port of Spain
• Area: 5,128 sq km (1,980 sq miles)
• Major language: English
• Major religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam
• Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 73 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 Trinidad and Tobago dollar = 100 cents
• Main exports: Petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, chemicals
• GNI per capita: US $16,540 (World Bank, 2008)
• Internet domain: .tt
• International dialling code: +1868

Speech by Mr. Munga at the Commonwealth Youth Forum - CHOGM 2009‏

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SPEECH

Mr. Peter K. Munga, the Chairman of Equity Bank in Kenya was a guest speaker  Tuesday 24th November, at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Trinidad and Tobago Islands, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to be attended by all the heads of state in 53 Member countries of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Youth Forum at CHOGM, taking place in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from 21 - 27 November, 2009 brings together young people from the Commonwealth nations to discuss issues of contemporary importance. The inaugural Commonwealth Youth Forum was hosted by the government of the United Kingdom in Edinburgh, 1997. At this forum a strong foundation was built to ensure that the Commonwealth Youth Forum became an institutional part of the Common Heads of Government Meeting (CGOGM). Subsequent Commonwealth Youth Forums have been held alongside CHOGM gatherings in Durban, South Africa in November 1999; Gold Coast, Australia in October, 2001; Abuja, Nigeria in 2003; Malta in November 2005; and Entebbe, Uganda in 2007.
 
These fora enabled young people to identify their own agendas and prioritize issues of importance to youth. The CYF provides an independent platform for representatives of the Commonwealth member countries to consider the Youth agenda at the same time as CHOGM. Each CYF addresses young people's concerns and builds on the work of the previous forum. The CYF works to formulate a statement of recommendations, communiqué action plans which are shared with Heads of Government and disseminated Commonwealth-wide. This forum will be a dynamic exploration of youth's strength and effectiveness in shaping the world. Recommendations from the 7th Commonwealth Youth Forum will be presented to the Commonwealth Heads of Government on Friday 27th November, 2009. - CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SPEECH

Ocampo set to comment on Kenya violence

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court will make an announcement this week on Kenya's post-election violence, following his preliminary investigation, his office said on Tuesday.  "The prosecutor of the ICC, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, will hold a press conference ... on Thursday, 26 November," his office said in a media advisory. "The Prosecutor will make an announcement related to the situation in Kenya," it added, without giving further detail -- weeks after Nairobi insisted on a "local solution". Moreno-Ocampo has already said he would ask the judges of the ICC by December 1 for permission to launch a full, official investigation into the deadly violence that followed the disputed elections of December 27, 2007. He has been conducting a preliminary probe since last year. Some 1,500 people were killed and another 300,000 displaced in a matter of weeks after presidential polls in which opponents accused President Mwai Kibaki of voter fraud. The prosecutor has stated that he has a strong case against the key instigators of the violence, and that he wants to pursue those "most responsible". The ICC has already assigned three judges to consider the prosecutor's pending request. The Kenyan government has yet to act on the recommendation of its own year-old inquiry that a special tribunal be set up. Earlier this month, Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said that Nairobi will help the ICC to probe election violence, but that it was committed to a "local solution."

Changes give British workers more opportunities to apply for jobs

Home Office, 24 November 2009

From 14 December 2009, the resident labour market test for Tier 2 of the points-based system will be extended to four weeks for all jobs, the Government announced today. This will replace the current requirement to advertise jobs for two weeks, or one week for jobs where the salary is £40,000 or more.

We've always said that we would run our immigration system for the benefit of the UK and that is why the Prime Minister announced that we will extend the amount of time employers must advertise jobs in Jobcentre Plus, before they can bring in a worker from outside Europe. Phil Woolas, Borders and Immigration Minister

This change was proposed by the independent Migration Advisory Committee in their Tier 2 report which was published on 19 August. The Government accepted the committee's recommendations in full on 7 September. The Prime Minister announced on 12 November that the extended resident labour market test would be introduced this autumn, so as to better support United Kingdom workers looking for skilled jobs as we come out of the economic downturn. This change will apply to advertising campaigns that start on or after 14 December. Employers that have already run advertisements will not need to re-advertise to meet the new requirement. To provide flexibility to employers, the four weeks will not need to run continuously. This will mean that employers will be able to advertise skilled jobs for shorter periods initially, for example for two weeks. This ensures that where resident workers are available, they can quickly be recruited to skilled jobs. Where there are no suitable resident workers available, the resident labour market must be tested for a further two weeks, making four weeks in total, before employers can appoint a migrant worker. Borders and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'We've always said that we would run our immigration system for the benefit of the UK and that is why the Prime Minister announced that we will extend the amount of time employers must advertise jobs in Jobcentre Plus, before they can bring in a worker from outside Europe.  'This change will give United Kingdom workers an even better chance and more time to apply for skilled vacancies that might otherwise go to migrant workers. It will ensure that businesses can recruit the skilled foreign workers that the economy needs, but not at the expense of British workers, nor as a cheaper alternative to investing in the skills of the existing workforce.'

Updated guidance for Tier 2 sponsors will be published on this website on 14 December. The other changes to Tier 2 recommended by the Migration Advisory Committee will be implemented in spring 2010.

Sweet is the dream, divinely sweet, when absent souls in fancy meet - Osman Haider

The Kenya government shall not compensate illegal squatters in the Mau and reserves the right to prosecute such settlers for degradation of the environment, Forestry Minister Noah Wekesa has said. In his ministerial statement presented to parliament Wednesday, Wekesa reiterated that the government has no obligation to compensate illegal settlers in forest land. At another forum, a section of MPs led by Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri came in to defend the Prime Minister's stand on the Mau evictions. They termed critics of the Prime Minister on Mau reclamation as individuals only after their selfish interests and not the good of the country. These MPs wonder why there were no protests in previous evictions of settlers from other forests around the country. Narok North MP William Ole Ntimama says some leaders are even offering bribes to the Mau evictees to convince them not to return to their land.

Girl In Heels Dies After Slipping Under Train in UK

Tributes have been paid to a schoolgirl who died after slipping in her high heels and falling under a train while waving goodbye to her friends. Megan Moore had just got off the train and was running alongside it, tapping on the window, when the accident happened on Saturday night 21st November, 2009. Shocked witnesses described how she suddenly fell through the gap between the platform and the train at Angmering Station near Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Emergency services were called, but the 16-year-old Angmering School pupil was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old, who did not want to be named, said he saw his friend fall. "She got off the train and started running and then she just suddenly slipped," he told The Argus. "She was wearing high heels and she fell in the gap between the train and the platform. I don't know for what reason she was running. "At one point she was literally in front of me and then seconds later she was on the track. "Everyone had their head in their hands. Everyone was crying and screaming. Her best mate was just screaming. It was horrific. She was utterly distraught." Megan's friends and family have left flowers at the station, and more than 1,500 people have joined a Facebook RIP group set up in tribute to her. One message, from Anna Gillingham, said: "Rest in peace lovely, you will be deeply missed. You were always so happy but at least now you can rest up in heaven." Another described her as "one of the kindest people ever". Her school said in a statement: "We have been informed of the tragedy and staff and students are supporting each other at this difficult time." A British Transport Police spokesman said: "The incident was reported to police at 11.57pm and is being treated as non-suspicious. "It appears that the girl was running alongside the train, tapping on the window as it left the platform, when she slipped between the platform and the train, which was the 2217 London Victoria-to-Bognor Regis service. "The train performed an emergency stop and halted still partly in the platform."

The annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage has begun in Saudi Arabia, with officials saying they expect lower numbers mainly because of fears about swine flu.

Over 33 million worldwide infected with AIDS 

An estimated 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with the AIDS virus, according to a report issued on Tuesday 24th November, 2009  in Shanghai by the World Health Organisation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). That figure is up from 33 million in 2007. However, the report said more people were living longer due to the availability of HIV drugs. "The number of AIDS-related deaths has declined by over 10 percent over the past five years as more people gained access to life-saving treatment," it added. In sub-Saharan Africa, where the scourge of AIDS is most keenly felt, there were 400,000 fewer infections in 2008, or down 15 percent compared to 2001. New HIV infections declined by nearly 25 percent in East Asia and 10 percent in south and southeast Asia within the same time frame. UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said the declines were due partly to HIV prevention programmes but he said more needed to be done.

"The findings also show that prevention programming is often off the mark and that if we do a better job of getting resources and programmes to where they will make most impact, quicker progress can be made and more lives saved," he said. The data were contained in the 2009 AIDS epidemic update, which revealed that HIV played a significant factor in deaths to women during childbirth. Using South African data, about 50,000 maternal deaths were associated with HIV in 2008. "AIDS isolation must end ... half of all maternal deaths in Botswana and South Africa are due to HIV," said Sidibe. The report said the face of the AIDS epidemic was changing and that prevention efforts were not keeping pace with the shift. HIV transmission in Asia in the past was mainly through prostitution and injecting drug use, but now, it is increasingly affecting heterosexual couples. While it was confined mainly to injecting drug users in the past in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the disease is now spreading to sex partners of people who inject drugs.

Kangaroo Slashes Drowning Dog's Owner

A kangaroo slashed an Australian man's abdomen and face as he tried to stop the bouncing beast from drowning his dog. Chris Rickard, 49, said he was walking his blue heeler Rocky on Sunday morning when they surprised a sleeping kangaroo in Arthur's Creek, north east of Melbourne. The dog chased the animal into a pond, but it then turned and pinned the pet underwater. When Mr Rickard tried to pull his dog free, the kangaroo turned on him. Lashing out with its powerful hind legs, the marsupial tore a deep gash into his abdomen and across his face. "I thought I might take a hit or two dragging the dog out from under his grip, but I didn't expect him to actually attack me," Mr Rickard told The Herald Sun newspaper. "I was stuck having to hold onto the dog with both hands, because it was half drowned and, I couldn't really see anything because the kangaroo just ripped into me. "It was a shock at the start because it was a kangaroo, about 5ft high. They don't go around killing people. "Then, all of a sudden, I realised the first hit (he) gave me opened up a wide gash above my eye and blinded me." Mr Rickard said the onslaught left him "flailing away underwater, carrying a dog with a kangaroo ripping into me". "All I could do was just keep pushing for the bank and he was trying to push me under the water," he continued. The wounded man said he ended the battle by elbowing the beast in the throat. Kangaroos rarely attack humans, but will fight if they feel threatened.

The blue-footed booby lays blue eggs. And work by Dr Judith Morales from Vigo University, Spain, reveals that the more intense this blue colour, the more evenly parents share the responsibility of incubating. This suggests that egg colour is linked to the "reproductive quality" of the parent birds. RIGHT: Award-winning photographer Sam Rowley, aged 15, has been taking pictures of the deer in London’s Richmond park for the past five years.

Jane Kariuki's Killer Gets 29 Years in Seattle Sentence

A man who fatally stabbed his Kenyan girlfriend, Jane Kariuki, last year while both were riding in a car on Interstate 5 in Seattle was sentenced this morning to 29 years in prison. Christel David Murphy, 43, pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder in the October 2008 slaying of his longtime girlfriend, Jane Kariuki, 42. The two were riding in a car driven by another man on Oct. 16, 2008. Ms Kariuki was seated in the front passenger seat and Murphy was in the back seat. Ms Kariuki died after Murphy reached forward, put her in a neck hold and stabbed her 31 times, cutting her neck, face and chest, according to (Seattle) court documents. The driver of the car pulled over and called 911 while Murphy got out of the vehicle, threw the knife on the ground, lit a cigarette and calmly sat down on the guardrail to wait for police, according to court documents. Murphy and Ms Kariuki had a troubled relationship. Murphy pled guilty to fourth-degree assault against Ms Kariuki in July 2007. He was also charged with third degree-assault and harassment for a March 2006 incident after he hit Ms Karuiki in the head, threatened to kill her with a knife and cut her hand with a glass shard. Murphy was sentenced to 60 days in jail three years ago that third-degree domestic-violence  against Ms Kariuki when he cut her with broken glass and threatened to kill her with knives. Seattle police said Ms Kariuki had told Murphy earlier to move out of the Kent residence they shared. Murphy has a criminal history that includes a conviction for manslaughter in North Carolina and several convictions for assault and domestic-violence assault in Washington, according to court records. At least two no-contact orders had been issued in an attempt to protect Ms Kariuki from Murphy; but in 2007 Kariuki successfully petitioned the court to lift the order of protection issued earlier.

Tesco in £1m cycles payment blunder

Britain's biggest retailer is taking legal action after mistakenly paying almost £1 million for six bicycles which should have cost less than £1,000, sources said. Tesco is seeking restitution of the overpaid monies following the error by its finance team. The supermarket chain should have paid Universal Cycles, a subsidiary of Sports Direct which is controlled by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, £984 for six Muddy Fox Suspension Bikes but paid £984,000 instead. Universal, an Essex-based company majority-owned by Sports Direct, has paid back £863,000 but Tesco claims it is holding on to more than £121,000 in outstanding funds, sources said. It has launched legal action at the High Court to recover the remaining money, legal costs and a further £1,783 - the sum the retailer claims it is owed in interest at 8% a year. The error was made on August 13 and Universal was asked to repay it 15 days later. Universal then repaid some of the funds on September 29, but £121,412 is outstanding, sources said.

'Jetman' Rescued After Ditching Into The Sea

The pilot known as the "Jetman" has been rescued from the sea after coming up short in his attempt to fly between two continents. Yves Rossy was hoping to become the first person to make an intercontinental flight with a jet pack by flying across waters from Morocco to Spain. The Swiss airline pilot leapt into the sky from an aircraft flying at 6,500ft. With the wing he invented strapped to his back, Rossy's attempt started well with cameras following him as he soared through the air. But he disappeared from view and it became unclear whether he was continuing his record bid deep in cloud or if he had been forced to bail out. Some 14 minutes into what should have been a 15-minute flight, cameras showed Rossy's wing lying face down in the Atlantic Ocean. As the rescue helicopter flew in it was unclear if the daredevil had survived. Then, a wave came from the team signalling he was alive and well. Stuart Sterzel, CEO of sponsor Webtel Mobi, said: "He is fine and as a standard operating procedure, he is on his way to a hospital in the south of Spain." Mr Sterzel said Rossy will speak in a press conference later tonight at 5.45pm. Rossy has flown across the English channel between Calais and Dover but this was his first attempt at an intercontinental flight. His team has said that he will give it another go. When flying, Rossy looks like a comic-book hero with the contraption propelling him at a speed of more than 180mph.

JOHN Girichi Ministries

Cordially Invite ALL MEN for a MEN SEMINAR with a theme:
Where there is no wise guidance, the people fall,
but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverb 11:14
come! And discover your position in Creation - @ 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Venue: Apollo Hotel, Training Centre Room Three
247-266 Hagley Road (after Broad Street) Birmingham
B16 9RA (800 Metres from Ring Road) - NB: Please confirm your coming
by Email to Bishop John Gichiri - Email:vrcgichiri@yahoo.co.uk or Call 07782336492

Dr. Abel Kinyoru has published a book

For Deputy High Commission in the UK Dr. Abel Kenyoru has published a book. The book entitled  "Kenya's Foreign Service and Export Trade Promotion" will be launched in London soon.  The book has developed an interesting informative investigation of a contemporary issue in the field of international studies. The expansion of the influence and the direct efforts put forth by Foreign Service agencies to increase trade and overall economic activities for their respective countries is underscored. The globalised market place of the 21st century necessitates increased attention to trade and economic activities between countries. The research provides an appropriate mixture of theory and practical information as it pertains to the subject area of export promotion in Kenya. The combination of primary and secondary data adds to the credibility and utility of research. The research results are analyzed in a simple narrative fashion through a number of professionally developed colorful charts, tables and graphs. Specific Kenyan export activities are discussed along with activities of several other countries. Export Promotion policies vis a vis import substitution policies are discussed. Challenges facing Kenya in the export promotion efforts are examined and discussed with recommendations on how they should be addressed.

The book examines the nature of Kenya's Foreign Service in export trade promotion and the structure of Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The research indicates that Kenya has not kept pace with changes in international trade activities. However, the establishment of Foreign Service Institute is commended as an excellent idea. Decentralization of powers from Ministry Headquarters to Missions is suggested as a means to reduce bureaucratic delays and missed opportunities abroad. The book renders fact-based conclusions that are supported by primary and secondary data. Further, they are supported by bibliography that is extensive and germane to the topic area.  The book is recommended for Foreign Service Officers, institutions of higher learning dealing with contemporary issues of International Relations, International Economics, Export trade promotion Agencies, business communities and general public.

About The Author

Dr. Abel Kenyoru is an experienced Government Economist and Diplomat for 28 years. He retired in December 2007 as a Chief Economist/Deputy High Commissioner in London.  He received his BA Honours degree in Economics from Aligarh Muslim University in India in 1980 and was employed as an Assistant Economist with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in 1981. In 1982 he was offered Government scholarship through USID under Semi Arid and Arid Lands Programme in Kenya to study for a Masters Degree in United States of America at Vanderbilt University. He graduated with an MA in Economics in 1984 and worked as a District Development Officer in Baringo Kajiado and Kiambu Districts. In 1992 he was promoted to be Provincial Planning Officer, Rift Valley Province before he was transferred to Ministry of Planning and National Development in 1997. He worked in several Ministries including Attorney General's Office, Finance and Planning and Foreign Affairs. In 2005 he was posted to Kenya High Commission, London as a Deputy to the High Commissioner.

In addition to his Masters Degree in Economics he has an MA in Diplomatic Studies from the Diplomatic Academy of London, University of Westminster and a PhD in International Studies and Diplomacy from Washington International University. He has attended Management and Professional Courses in Kenya Institute of Administration, Bradford University (UK) and National Defense College of Kenya (NDC). He was born in 1953 and received his primary education at Sameta, Buyonge and Kebere Primary Schools. He joined Gesusu Secondary School in 1970 and then transferred to Kabarnet High School in the following year. He sat for his 'O' levels in 1973 and 'A' levels in 1975.  He has published articles in Kenya newspapers and National Defense College Journal. - Those who may need a hard copy of Dr. Kinyoru’s book can contact him at 07946475680 in London, 0722711006 Kenya or at akenyoru@yahoo.com

London, Tuesday 24th November, 2009. Sad news for a Kenyan family in London. A four-year-old boy was stabbed to death by his father at their home in Southwark last night. The man's wife had her throat slashed but their 17-month-old girl was left unharmed in the horrific attack. The husband is understood to have stabbed himself repeatedly and was seriously ill in hospital. The woman, 28, was not seriously hurt. She and her daughter were taken to hospital and released. The 31-year-old father is under guard at a south London hospital. His 28-year-old wife suffered a stab wound to the neck but has been discharged. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the man, whose condition is described as "serious", remains under guard in hospital. The couple were named locally as Paul Deya and Jacqueline Otieno and their four-year-old son as Wilson. Paul Deya is a son of brother of Arch Bishop Deya. Scotland Yard said police were called to the flat in Lynton Road on the Lynton Estate, Bermondsey, at 6.15pm. The investigation was being carried out by the Child Abuse Command. A spokesman said: "We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this." Witnesses told how scores of police cars raced to the scene. Rita Dixon, 71, said she knew the family: "They were a lovely family. Happy-go-lucky, and such a nice couple. "I was in my flat yesterday when all of a sudden police came from nowhere. I saw the father coming out on a stretcher.

"They had to stop halfway down the stairs to resuscitate him. The mother was in an ambulance holding the baby." Detectives are investigating reports that Mrs Otieno had asked her husband for a separation before he launched the attack. Police are not believed to have been called to the family's flat before. Forensic science teams were today carrying out investigations at the flat.  Mark O'Connor, 42, who runs nearby pub The Finish, said paramedics carried an unconscious, naked man from the flat before spending 40 minutes trying to revive him in the street. He said: "I could see a black man being moved down the stairs. He was naked and I could see a neck wound and various other wounds. It was quite gruesome. He was bleeding very, very badly." Mrs Dixon's daughter Joan, 39, said she heard screaming just before police were called. She added: "Everyone thought they were happy. How could a person do that to a child? It is diabolical." Ms Dixon said the family had moved onto the estate 18 months ago. Simon Hughes, Lib-Dem MP for the area, who lives a short distance away, said: "There will be huge shock and horror throughout the community." Incidents of children being killed are rare. Last year there were six cases of children below the age of 12 being killed in London, only two were stabbed.

Forensic investigators cover up the outside of the flat.

President Mwai Kibaki arrives in London on Wednesday morning 25th November, 2009 with Kenya Airways on transit to attend this year's Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) in  Trinidad and Tobago.  He will be passing London again his way back to Kenya on Tuesday 1st December, 2009 where he will spend a night before flying back to Kenya.

Kibaki to attend Commonwealth meeting

President Mwai Kibaki will Tuesday night, leave the country for Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago to attend this year's Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM). The Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states consulting and cooperating in the common interests of their people in the promotion of international understanding. This year's meeting is of special significance to member countries as it comes at a time when the association is marking 60 years of existence as a common entity.  It is also important to East Africa because the meeting is expected to deliberate on Rwanda's application to join the Commonwealth as the 54th member state. Nearly two billion people now live in the Commonwealth. Half of that population is under 25. It is with this in mind that the theme of this year's meeting is "The Commonwealth at 60 -serving a new generation". The role of sports in youth development is expected to feature prominently during talks among the Heads of State and government. This year's meeting will also focus on equity, sustainability and partnership in the development of Commonwealth nations. The official opening and cultural ceremony will take place on Friday November 27th. Heads of State and government will then hold a series of formal and informal sessions during the period of the meeting.  The plane carrying the President and his entourage is expected to depart Jomo Kenyatta International airport shortly before midnight. President Kibaki is expected back in the country later next week.

Beauties from Kenya

A Maasai girl (left) and a Turkana woman (right)

Barely a month after a young Kenyan collapsed and died at Kennesaw State University, the Kenyan community in Atlanta, USA is grieving once again after another young Kenyan lost his life following a head-on collision accident which occurred a few miles from Hartsfield International Airport, South of the City of Atlanta. Samuel Kisaka Mwawasi passed away on Saturday afternoon 21st November, 2009 at Grady Memorial Hospital where he had been taken after the Friday night grisly accident. He is the son of pastor Donald Mwawasi of Believers Celebration Church in Marietta, Georgia. Samuel, 28, was driving home from meeting his friends when the accident happened on Old National Hwy in college park, Georgia at around 4am. He was taken to Grady Memorial hospital in a critical condition and it took a while before the authorities could get hold of the family. According to KEN sources, the parents got there but could not see him as a team of ten doctors were working endlessly to contain the profuse internal bleeding. However, at around 3 pm, he succumbed to his injuries and passed on. There will be prayers on Wednesday November 25th at 6:30PM at Believers Celebration Center, where Pastor Mwawasi ministers, 1492 Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA. 30062.

 The late Samuel Kisaka Mwawasi

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 28th at 4:00PM at Kenyan American Community Church, (KACC) 771 Elberta drive, Marietta, GA. 30066. Funeral arrangements will be communicated later. Your Prayers, Presence and Financial support will be greatly appreciated. For more information Pastor K.K. Kiroko 678-656-8446, Apostle Zephaniah Muturi 678-200-5989, Dr. Robert Ndonga 770-899-3313, Pastor James Maina 678-365-1156.

CUSTOM HOMES HOLDINGS LIMITED

200 Plots (1 acre each) for sale in Ruai - Embakasi

One (1) Acres @ KShs. 950,000 until 15th November. Price increase to KShs. 1.4 million from 16thNovember, 2009 with 10% discount

Plots and houses with approved plan for sale in Ruai - Embakasi, Kenya.

The construction is controlled with Runda type of construction in mind.

Features: The land  is ideally located in a hub of economic activity, just 11 km from Jomo Kenyatta Airport and close to the new site of Wilson Airport and the new highway - the Eastern Bypass.  (15 minutes drive from airport through new Eastern Bypass).  

The Estate will benefit from social amenities which include:

• 3 commercial centres (Malls)

• Anglican University

• Hotel

• Hospital

• Primary school

• Police post,

• Own power station - enabling piped gas and electricity (Western Style).

• Communal park.  

The land consists of 1,600 acres but only 200 (one acre) plots are being sold.  The remainder is being developed by a UK developer for a CITY within CITY town. Nairobi Metropolitan City has been extended to Machakos and that means the land will be in the city centre in a few years time.

To reserve your plot, a deposit of KShs. 100,000 is payable with balance to be completed within 6 months. Conveyance fee is KShs. 20,000 to be paid at the offices of Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates while presenting your receipt.

To safeguard the interest of the Kenyans in the Diaspora and to avoid the land scandals, a reportable lawyer, Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates have been appointed.

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR LAWYER - NYIHA, MUKOMA & CO. ADVOCATES TO SEE THAT EVERYONE GETS HIS OR HER TITLE DEEDS AFTER COMPLETING THE PAYMENTS:

WHERE TO PAY -  KENYA, UK OR USA

GBP ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN UK

Intermediary Bank Name: CITIBANK N.A,

CITIBANK HOUSE, 336 STRAND, LONDON, WC2R 1HB - ENGLAND.             

Swift:                                      CITIGB2L

Sort Code:                             18-50-08

GBP A/C No:                         10280984

Account with Institution:  Chase Bank (K) Ltd.

P.O Box 28987, Nairobi

                                                WABERA STREET.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

Beneficiary Name:                               Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

Beneficiary Account:                          3384055               

US DOLLARS ACCOUNT DETAILS - THOSE IN THE USA

INTERMEDIARY BANK:   CITIBANK N.A,

                                                111 WALL STREET 19TH FLOOR ZONE 1,

                                                NEW YORK, NY 10043.                          

SWIFT:                                                   CITIUS33

ABA No:                                                 021000089

USD A/C NO:                                        36157333

ACCOUNT WITH INSTITUTION:        CHASE BANK (K) LTD.

A/C WITH INSTITUTION SWIFT CODE:            CKENKENA

BENEFICIARY NAME:             Nyiha Mukoma and Co Advocates   

BENEFICIARY ACCOUNT:    3384039               

For Kenya Shillings Deposits - THOSE IN KENYA

                                                                Chase Bank

Swift Code:              

Bank & Branch Code          :               030

Branch                                    :               001

Branch Name                        :               City Square

Account Name                      :               Nyiha, Mukoma & Company Advocates

A/c  Number                           :               0003384004

WHERE TO TAKE YOUR RECEIPT AND SELECTING YOUR PLOT:

Nyiha, Mukoma & Co. Advocates, 3rd Floor, Old Mutual Building, Kimathi Street

P.O Box 28491 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya, Tel: +254-020-249247/8

Fax: +254-020-249373, email: jnyiha@nyihamukoma.com

VIEWING THE LAND:

There is a free transport to view the land on TUESDAYS, THURSDAY AND SATURDAYS

To book an appointment to view the land contact 0722720436.

UK CONTACTS

Maggy Thuku - 07536497907 - email thukumeg@yahoo.co.uk

or

Mr. Seed on 07951220695 - email - misterseed@hotmail.co.uk

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IKO NINI BWANA SEED ARCHIVE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? NOVEMBER 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? NOVEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? OCTOBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? SEPTEMBER 2009 PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? SEPTEMBER 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? AUGUST 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NIN BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? MAY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - MARCH 2009

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - THREE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009 - ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009  - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER, 2008 ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER TWO, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - NOVEMBER ONE, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - OCTOBER, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - SEPTEMBER 2008