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WHAT UK NEWSPAPERS SAY

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US ambassador Michael Ranneberger faulted the Government on the war on graft, saying it lacked commitment to ending the vice. Reacting to President Kibaki’s speech during the State Opening of Parliament Tuesday, the envoy, however, said Kibaki’s remarks were positive and hoped the Government would show commitment in fighting the vice. "There is a lot of progress in constitutional review, police reforms but almost no action on corruption," said the ambassador. Kibaki’s take on reconciliation, he pointed out, was positive since it focused on unity. Nominated MP Musa Sirma dismissed Kibaki’s speech saying the President has reduced the fight against corruption to personal differences, witch hunting and tribalism. Gichugu MP Martha Karua described the presidential speech as "rich in rhetoric" but empty on action. The former minister said the speech was a ‘public relations’ exercise. Agriculture Minister William Ruto said the speech captured the mood of the country. Mandera Central MP and PSC chairman Abdikadir Mohammed sad he was elated by the commendations by the President to his committee for the work done on constitutional review. Water minister Charity Ngilu accused the Government of doing little to fight graft. Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o also dismissed Kibaki’s assertion that Kenya’s problems do not require foreign intervention or mediation. – The Standard.

 

A Kenyan man given life sentence in London

He is the first Kenyan in UK to be convicted for murder

A man convicted over the death of a Matalan store manager in east London was on police bail at the time of the killing.  Anthony Maina, 20, was found guilty of manslaughter after Jamie Simpson was stabbed during a failed robbery at the Hackney store in March 2008.  Maina, of Canning Town, was bailed after Rizwan Darbar, 17, was stabbed in West Ham during a mobile phone robbery.  He was later convicted of Mr Darbar's murder and jailed for life.  The Old Bailey jury which heard the Matalan case was not told Maina had been arrested shortly after Rizwan's murder in October 2007, but released on police bail due to lack of evidence.  In the ensuing 15 months Maina was involved in Mr Simpson's killing, was caught with a knife, cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin, before finally being charged in January last year with Mr Darbar's murder.  Last August he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years for Rizwan's murder.  Maina will be sentenced in March for the manslaughter of Mr Simpson in the Matalan raid  Kobina Essel, 19, from east London was found guilty of Mr Simpson's murder.  Simeon Jumah, Maina, and 17-year-old Randy Osei-Owusu, who was named on Tuesday after the Judge Martin Stephens lifted reporting restrictions, were convicted of manslaughter.  The judge also lifted a reporting restriction on Maina's criminal history when prosecutors decided not to press for a retrial after jurors were unable to agree on a murder charge against Maina, Jumah, and Osei-Owusu.

Anthony Maina, 19, played a 'critical role' in a plan to steal £30,000 in takings from the store, just five months after he stabbed an A-level student to death for a mobile phone on right is the victim Jamie Simpson who was stabbed during a robbery on Easter weekend in 2008

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Revealed: The Kenyan who killed the manager

was on bail for previous knife murder

Victims: Maina was found guilty of killing shop manager Jamie Simpson (left),  five months after he killed 17-year-old Rizwan Darbar (right)
 

A teenager who took part in a robbery which left a shop manager dead was on bail for murder at the time of the killing, it has been revealed today.  Anthony Maina, 19, played a 'critical role' in a plan to steal £30,000 in takings from the store, just five months after he stabbed an A-level student to death for a mobile phone. He had been arrested in connection with the killing of 17-year-old Rizwan Darbar in October 2007, but police had to bail him because there was not enough evidence to press charges. By March of the following year he had been recruited as a look-out for the Matalan robbery in Hackney, east London, during which popular manager Jamie Simpson, 33, was stabbed to death. Maina was finally charged with Rizwan's murder in January last year and was convicted after a trial. He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum 14-year sentence in July. The teenager was also charged with Mr Simpson's murder in March last year. Mr Simpson was knifed in the back and neck after bravely 'refusing to yield' when he was confronted on the shop floor by 17-year-old Kobina Essel. He had only been working late that night after swapping shifts with a colleague. The gang also included inside man Roy Williams, 31, a Matalan security guard and friend of Mr Simpson. He allowed the three robbers in to the shop just before closing on March 22, 2008, to hide in a staff staircase at the shop in the Kingsland shopping centre, Hackney, before ending his shift. Essel, now 19, has been convicted of murder.  Ringleader Simeon Jumah, 25, Maina, now 20, and Randy Osei-Owusu, 17, were convicted of manslaughter after the jury failed to agree on the murder charge.  

Guilty of killing Mr Simpson: Randy Osei-Owusu (left) and Simeon Jumah (right)

Williams, recruiter Jamal Chambers, 18, and getaway driver Duane Owusu, 20, were cleared of both murder and manslaughter but convicted of conspiracy to rob. Prosecutors today decided not to press for a retrial for Jumah, Maina and Osei-Owusu and asked for the murder charge to be left on file. Judge Martin Stephens QC then lifted the court orders banning reporting of Maina's background and the name of Osei-Owusu. All seven men will be sentenced on March 22 this year. During the trial, jurors heard Williams planned the robbery with his friend Jumah, a father-of-one and former school caretaker and Argos delivery driver. With the help of Chambers, his girlfriend's cousin, they recruited three young robbers and in a series of meetings at Jumah's house Williams gave detailed plans of the shop floor, CCTV coverage and staff movements. The gang picked the Easter weekend, hoping there would be bumper takings in the store's cash office by closing time on Saturday. The day before the robbery several of the gang members went on a recce of the shop before finalising the plans. On Saturday evening, shortly before the store shut, CCTV cameras captured the three robbers slipping in to the shop, hooded and wearing dark clothing. Williams who was patrolling the first floor allowed the robbers to get to the stairwell before telling colleagues the shop was clear of customers.

Kobina Essel, known as 'Aggro', was found guilty of murdering Mr Simpson

He left with a second guard as Mr Simpson cashed up. The robbers hid in the staircase for almost an hour, their shadowy movements caught on camera, while Mr Simpson emptied all the tills on both floors. As he exited the cash office shortly before 8pm, carrying only a set of keys, Essel left his hiding place and approached him on the shop floor. The store's cameras captured the six-second confrontation during which 19-stone Mr Simpson was stabbed three times in the back and neck and left for dead as the robbers fled empty handed through a fire escape. Essel said Jumah had told him to bring his 'ting' for the robbery, so he armed himself with a 10in kitchen knife, which he later discarded and has never been found. Mr Simpson, clutching his neck, tried to raise the alarm with shop assistants who were working nearby. Staff desperately grabbed clothes and towels from shop rails and attempted to staunch the bleeding. Police and ambulances arrived just after 8pm, shortly before a doctor in an air ambulance helicopter, but Mr Simpson's life could not be saved.

From left to right: Inside man Roy Williams, Jammal Chambers and Duane Owusu were all cleared of murder and manslaughter but convicted of conspiracy to rob

The wound to his neck had cut through the jugular and the carotid artery. Mr Simpson, originally from Derby, was only on duty having swapped his shift with colleague Rachel Ryan the day before. Maina was arrested almost a year later after his prints were found in a vehicle used to car-jack the Ford Fiesta used for the gang's getaway. After extensive investigations in to mobile phone records and movements, CCTV and the use of cars, police were able to round up to Matalan gang members. Hidden in a shed in Essel's garden officers found his white hooded top and a JD sports bag that was spattered with Mr Simpson's blood. Following their arrests several of the gang claimed they were not aware that a knife was being carried or would be used. Jumah, of East London; Williams, of North London; Owusu, of East London; Maina, of East London; Chambers, of East London; and Essel and Randy Osei-Owusu, from East London; all denied murder. Williams, Chambers and Owusu also denied conspiracy to rob between December 1 2007 and March 23 2008, but were convicted. Jumah, Essel, Maina and the teenager admitted the charge. Jamie Simpsons parents, Lorna, 54, and Lambert, 57, wept as footage of what the prosecution called a 'tragically one-sided encounter' was shown in court. Mrs Simpson later described the experience as 'tremendously difficult' - and said those responsible for her son's death were 'scum'. Mrs Simpson described the killing of her son as a 'sickening betrayal'. Recalling the moment she was given the news, said: 'It was like my world came to an end.'

Devastated: Jamie Simpson's mother Lorna and his sisters (left to right) Helen, Vanessa and Claire-Marie
 

She added: 'He was my friend as well as my son. I couldn't have asked for a better son. From when he was little he's been my little buddy.' The victim's parents spoke of their belief that many young people had become desensitised to violence and saw life as like a 'video game'. Mr Simpson said: 'Teenagers today play that much games, they look upon life as a joke. They expect when they kill someone they are going to get back up again.' Claire Simpson, the victim's 22-year-old sister, said in a statement that his death was like losing a 'vital organ'. She added: 'What's the point in living when there are people like this in this world that just don't care what consequences their actions have, and behave in such a way that makes you question what kind of society is this? 'Is there even a thread of common decency any more?'

This image shows three of the gang during the raid which killed Mr Simpson. As the robbers wore hooded tops they could not be identified by witnesses or CCTV

'Entirely needless' killing of gang member's first victim

Double killer Anthony Maina's first victim was a popular and kind-hearted teenager whose death tore his family apart. Maina stabbed 17-year-old Rizwan Darbar in the stomach during a mobile phone robbery in October 2007 in West Ham Park, east London. The A-level student had been sitting in the flower garden of the park listening to music on the phone with two friends when he was attacked. Maina was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years at the Old Bailey for the murder which Judge Timothy Pontius described as 'an entirely needless and wholly unjustifiable tragedy'. Aftermath: Police forensic experts arrive at West Ham Park to gather evidence following the murder of Rizwan Darbar in October 2007  Rizwan's brother Tausif Darbar said in a statement read in court: 'My family's world was turned upside down.' Detective Inspector Simon Pickford said: 'Rizwan was a young man with everything to live for.' The court heard that Maina's friend Kirkland Gayle had snatched a phone from a friend of the victim, then urged the knifeman to 'poke' Rizwan so he would not have to give it back. Alan Kent QC, prosecuting, said he did so, 'jabbing the knife at fast speed into the stomach area of Rizwan Darbar'.

Aftermath: Police forensic experts arrive at West Ham Park to gather evidence following the murder of Rizwan Darbar in October 2007

Rizwan told his friends 'I have just been duked' as the attackers ran off. Gayle was jailed for eight years after he was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and robbery. Rizwan was preparing for A-levels when he was killed. He wanted to study accountancy and get a job in the City, and was a volunteer for events held in his area to promote the 2012 Olympics. His brother said: 'Rizwan was your average teenager - he loved his friends, football and music. He was extremely popular among both family and friends due to his great humorous personality. 'He was kind-hearted, generous and gave everybody the time of day. He was very obedient and respected and loved his family and friends tremendously. 'His death came as an immense shock as only a few hours earlier he was sitting at home with his family. 'The news of his death brought pain which no one should never have to suffer. The screams and my parents' faces that night still haunt me today. 'The loss of Rizwan was more painful with the knowledge that someone had taken his precious, promising young life due to their selfish actions. 'By their violent actions, they have torn our family apart.'

The UK government has closed over 2,000 colleges which has been helping foreign students in UK

Esther Arunga host seeks treatment

Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 23 - The family of former TV news anchor Esther Arunga who has dominated news headlines since last week has finally managed to separate her from the controversial Finger of God church, at least for now. Family sources told Capital News that they are “helping Esther get professional counselling to ensure she recovers from the whole episode.” Ms Arunga who was arrested on Saturday morning alongside Finger of God Church leader Joseph Hellon, Quincy Timberlake and five of their members was released early Monday before the rest were arraigned in court. Mr Hellon, Mr Timberlake and the five others denied charges of being members of an illegal society and were freed on a bond of Sh20,000 each apart from Mr Timberlake. The court was urged not to grant Mr Timberlake bail because he had absconded court in another criminal case which was pending before a Makadara court. On Tuesday, a family member told Capital News that Ms Arunga was “at home and is doing quite fine.” “She is undergoing counselling sessions and will be okay, she has no problem at all,” the family source said. Another family member told Capital News that they had resorted “not to allow her back to that church because that is where all these problems started.” Ms Arunga who recently announced she had resigned from KTN as a news anchor to join the now infamous Finger of God Church has dominated local news with bloggers debating if the church she joined was a cult. – CapitalFM

Nearly 50,000 African students enter the UK each year

Nearly 50,000 African students enter the UK each year. But recent changes in immigration rules could see the number of students from the continent shrinking dramatically. The BBC's Julius Mbaluto reports on the impact of these new rules. - CLICK HERE FOR BBC RADIO.

Foreign Students in UK Colleges will be finger printed every time they attend a lesson to make sure they attend.

Oral sex linked to throat cancer.

Scientists looked at tissue samples from patients A virus contracted through oral sex is the cause of some throat cancers, say US scientists. HPV infection was found to be a much stronger risk factor than tobacco or alcohol use, the Johns Hopkins University study of 300 people found.  The New England Journal of Medicine study said the risk was almost nine times higher for people who reported oral sex with more than six partners. But experts said a larger study was needed to confirm the findings. HPV infection is the cause of the majority of cervical cancers, and 80% of sexually active women can expect to have an HPV infection at some point in their lives. It is important for health care providers to know that people without the traditional risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use can nevertheless be at risk of oropharyngeal cancer. The Johns Hopkins study took blood and saliva from 100 men and women newly diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer which affects the throat, tonsils and back of the tongue.  They also asked questions about sex practices and other risk factors for the disease, such as family history. Those who had evidence of prior oral HPV infection had a 32-fold increased risk of throat cancer. HPV16 - one of the most common cancer-causing strains of the virus - was present in the tumours of 72% of cancer patients in the study.
 

Risk factors

There was no added risk for people infected with HPV who also smoked and drank alcohol, suggesting the virus itself is driving the risk of the cancer. Oral sex was said to be the main mode of transmission of HPV but the researchers said mouth-to-mouth transmission, for example through kissing, could not be ruled out. Most HPV infections clear with little or no symptoms but a small percentage of people who acquired high-risk strains may develop a cancer, the researchers added. Study author Dr Gypsyamber D'Souza said: "It is important for health care providers to know that people without the traditional risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use can nevertheless be at risk of oropharyngeal cancer." Co-researcher Dr Maura Gillison said previous research by the team had suggested there was a strong link. But she added: "People should be reassured that oropharyngeal cancer is relatively uncommon and the overwhelming majority of people with an oral HPV infection probably will not get throat cancer." A vaccine which protects against cervical cancer caused by HPV strains 6, 11, 16 and 18, and also against genital warts is available and the researchers said the study provided a rationale for vaccinating both girls and boys. But whether the vaccine would protect against oral HPV infection is not yet known. Dr Julie Sharp, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "There is conflicting evidence about the role of HPV, and this rare type of mouth cancer. "As this was a small study, further research is needed to confirm these observations."  "We know that after age, the main causes of mouth cancer are smoking or chewing tobacco or betel nut, and drinking too much alcohol."

LONG LIVE AFRICA !

This is how hard your leaders are working for you. Photograph taken during the recent African Union Head of States meeting.

Brits Die In Roof Collapse As They Watch TV

A British couple have been killed after a roof collapsed while they were watching TV in Spain. The property's British owner, known as Stewart, was at the back of the house at the time but is believed to have heard a noise coming from the roof. He then reportedly shouted to his wife Caroline, who was cooking, to get out of the property in the city of Rubite, Granada province. She managed to escape and suffered only minor injuries while her husband was treated for shock. Firefighters and police rescue teams dug by hand for half an hour before they reached the bodies. Police said the main cause of the accident was heavy rain that struck the area last week. They said the ground at the back of the 35-year-old house had sunk by a metre because of bad weather. But they also suggested the roof may not have been built properly due to the cross beams. A firefighter said: "We came here as soon as we received the call, and when we arrived there were a few people trying to find the couple trapped in the rubble. ''There was a lot of rubble because all the roof has collapsed. Inside the house was the couple and the owner. "Her husband was in the back, when he heard the noise and ran to call his wife. "She just had time to leave the house. It was a miracle that she is alive. "The old couple were sitting in the same position and they died immediately. The roof has fallen because of the rain."

Kibaki opens parliament with focus on graft

President Mwai Kibaki on Tuesday outlined the Government's legislative agenda during the State opening of the Fourth Session of the Tenth Parliament but affirmed that the country's politics must first promote stability and confidence in the future of the country.  President Kibaki challenged legislators to shun divisive partisan politics and focus on the greater good of the country. The Head of State acknowledged that emerging differences arising amongst leaders must at all times be resolved amicably and with due consideration of the national interests. The President declared that in his long political career spanning almost half a century, the current Session of Parliament had a rare and historic opportunity to bring long-lasting positive change to the country. President Kibaki observed, "Honourable Members, I have confidence that this House is up to the task and that it will fulfill its national duty and secure a memorable place in history." He noted that the August House was reconvening at a particularly important moment when the country was steadily implementing bold reforms and overcoming challenges that have faced the country in the recent past. President Kibaki noted that the current times called for selflessness and dedication to the service of the Kenyan citizens adding that the future of the country depended on the ability of leaders to forge a common vision for national unity, development and cohesion. "It is also a time when we are implementing bold reform measures that will define the future of our country and people. This is, therefore, a critical time that demands our selfless and dedicated service to our people," said the President. He noted, "God bequeathed us a beautiful country with a determined and patriotic people. We should therefore always cherish and protect our nation, as enumerated in our national anthem "Firm may we stand to defend".

Constitution

With regard to the constitution making process, President Kibaki expressed confidence that the country would attain a new Constitutional dispensation after spending two decades in the process adding that the country was currently close to achieving the goal than before. He commended the Parliamentary Select Committee for doing the nation proud and forging consensus during their two of deliberations in Naivasha during their recess. The Head of State also appreciated the progress that has so far been made by the Committee of Experts adding that the country was now awaiting the presentation of a consensus draft constitution to the Parliament in a few weeks time. He affirmed that the Tenth Parliament had a historic opportunity to pass the new Constitution for the republic of Kenya and define the history of the nation. "I, therefore, urge Honourable Members to uphold the spirit shown by the P.S.C. in Naivasha. It is upon this House to maintain a national consensus on the new Constitution, and thus ensure that the people of Kenya will stand united during the referendum to be held later this year," said the President.   

With regard to the economy, the President noted that for the country to enjoy real economic growth and register success in the war against poverty Kenyans must have access to affordable and low interest credit facilities to enhance wealth creation and expansion of employment opportunities. He declared that economic growth and shared prosperity would go along way in creating the much needed opportunities for Kenyan people noting that the country's economy was projected to attain a 4.5 per cent growth rate this year. The President said, "It will be recalled that in 2007 we recorded a G.D.P. growth rate of 7.1 per cent. This was the highest growth rate in three decades. In 2008, due to unfortunate events in our country as well as on the global arena, the economy grew by only 1.7 per cent." The Head of State commended Kenyans for heeding his call for hardwork and increased production leading to improved milk production and assured wananchi of governments' intervention in the industry to ensure farmers reaped maximum benefits. The President directed the ministries of Livestock Production, Special Programmes and Cooperatives Development to incorporate powder milk into the national food security.

Corruption

On corruption, the President assured that the government had intensified the war against the vice and that the momentum will be accelerated to cover all vulnerable sectors. He directed anti-corruption agencies to fast track and conclude pending corruption cases and all inter-corruption agencies to enhance preventive measures. The President affirmed that the grand coalition government has resolved to deal with corruption decisively and called on the august house to work with the government. He declared that in order to win the war against the vice, the law must be applied in an impartial and just manner and at the same time not to politicize or personalize the fight against corruption.  The President said, "The national concern over corruption has been on top of national debate for many years now. We have put in place institutions and enacted laws aimed at eradicating corruption in our country. Corruption undermines government policies and distorts allocation of public resources.  It gives our country a poor image and discourages investments."  He further called on the judiciary to ensure speedy conclusion of corruption related cases in the court process terming it a key pillar in the fight against graft.

The Head of State promised that the government would allocate adequate resources to improve the capacity of national institutions involved in the corruption eradication processes. President Kibaki said, "The public service has been directed to apply the law and regulations firmly and impartially. The government is also consulting with the judiciary into ways of placing a time frame on the period within which a corruption related case should be concluded." With regard to National Cohesion and Integration, the President noted that the country had made substantial progress in managing the country's diversity and a new law that prescribes tough penalties for those promoting hate speech and ethnic tendencies. He particularly challenged urged the legislators to make national cohesion the main agenda for the remaining two sessions of the Tenth Parliament and lead from the front because Kenyans were looking upon them to champion the national unity agenda. President Kibaki observed, "They are looking upon us to leading them as a united and patriotic people of this country. Kenyans should trust the leadership of the country and abandon the temptation to look externally for solutions that can easily be found locally."  Noting that Kenya belongs to all citizens, the President urged Kenyans to uphold the virtues of hard work, caring nation and debating on ideas that uplift the living standards of wananchi.

The Head of State noted that the best panacea to the country's poverty is investment in the education of Kenyan children and to unleash their potential and productive capacities.  The President said, "Let us have mixed delegations of Members of this House reaching out to the people with one message of unity of all Kenyans. Although we come from diverse origins, we are one people. We are one family! Let us strive to ensure every Kenyan is treated with respect and has the opportunity to live a dignified life, wherever they choose to settle. Never, shall we fight one another again." The President commended Parliament for passing important legislative bills during the previous session adding that the laws addressed several policy concerns in the country citing the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, which will go a long way in reducing the emergence of organized crime in our country.  President Kibaki noted that during the new session the government would be tabling a wide range of bills including those which will arise out of the new constitution as well as those touching on law enforcement and administration of justice sectors.

Police reforms

With regard to police reforms, the President noted that the government is responding to concerns raised by Kenyans touching on police reforms by presenting two bills the Independent Policing Oversight Commission Bill and Police Reforms Bill.  He said that the proposed laws are expected to improve police accountability and enhance the public image of the police as servants of the people.  In order to ensure that the Judiciary has the requisite staff to tackle the huge case backlog, the President said that a Judicial Service Bill will be tabled to entrench the independence of the institution as well as to recruit more judges and magistrates for efficient dispensation of justice.

He said, "There should be no reason why at this point of our development, Kenya should not have enough judges and magistrates. Indeed, an efficient and effective judiciary will be the cornerstone of a revived economy as well as creating confidence in the justice system."  In order to step up war against crime, President Kibaki said the government would be tabling amendments to the Witness Protection Act with the aim to establish an autonomous Witness Protection Agency that is capable of effectively protecting any witnesses to corruption, organized crimes and international crimes from reprisals.  The law will also cover witnesses who have crucial information in regard to the post-election violence that rocked our country. The government will also table Election Bill to consolidate all elections laws in the country in order to prevent malpractices in general elections and to provide the procedures for conducting referendums. "In regard to reforms in our electoral system, we are all agreed on the urgent need to put in place a credible and efficient system. This is the best way of ensuring that the public have confidence in the final outcome of our elections," said the Head of State.

Also to be tabled in Parliament is the Local Government Bill, with the principal objective of repealing the current Local Government Act. The bill will provide for a legal framework that will enhance accountable and effective management at the local government level. The bill also provides for the re-organization of local authorities and establishment of metropolitan councils. It will provide for the direct election of mayors and deputy mayors of city and municipal councils. Direct elections will also be held for chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of country councils.  In line with the VISION TWENTY THIRTY which seeks to transform Kenya into a competitive and prosperous middle income economy the government must provide an enabling legal environment to make Kenya more competitive for business and investment. The Government will, therefore, table several business-friendly bills in this Session.  The current outdated Companies Act will be replaced by the proposed Companies Bill.  The bill will seek to amend, and simplify the law relating to companies. The bill will be accompanied by the Partnership bill and the limited liability partnerships bill.  The Government will also table the Insolvency Bill to replace the Bankruptcy Act, and streamline procedures in bankruptcy and insolvency law. The bill will also provide for the rehabilitation of the insolvent debtor, unlike the present situation where insolvency almost always results in liquidation.

Business bills

Other business-related bills that will be tabled during this session include: Kenya Deposit Insurance Bill; The Nairobi Stock Exchange Bill, to review ownership of the exchange; Tourism Bill; National Housing Bill; and Special Economic Zones Bill. The government will also be presenting to Parliament financing approvals for new infrastructure projects and other national investment projects including: Standard gauge railway to Uganda border; Free port at Dongo Kundu; the new transport corridor in Northern Kenya which incorporates the Lamu Port - Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport and Development Corridor. The President noted that the business and economy related bills, policies and projects he outlined are not only important but also critical to reducing poverty and achieving equitable development throughout the country.

Speaker

House Speaker Kenneth Marende called on legislators to approach debate on the draft-harmonized constitution with sober minds to give Kenyans a new constitution that guaranteed their rights. Mr. Marende said any proposed changes in the draft constitution in the floor of the House need be made in a mature manner as name calling over divergent views will only cause acrimony and animosity among Kenyans. The Speaker expressed gratitude to the government for providing financial and technical support in finalizing preparations for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings. On international engagements, Mr Marende said Kenya will in September this year be hosting the 56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Plenary Session in Nairobi. President Kibaki is the presiding Patron of Association. Earlier on arrival at parliament buildings, President Kibaki was received by the Prime Minister Raila Odinga,Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and House Speaker Kenneth Marende among other dignitaries. He inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Kenya Air force.

Man charged with drunk driving horse and lorry simultaneously

A Polish farmer could be facing jail after he caused a road accident by being drunk in charge of a horse and a lorry at the same time.

Things started to go wrong for 62-year-old Leszek Stepien when his truck broke down. Cunningly, he decided to use his horse to tow the vehicle to the garage for repair, while he steered.  Unfortunately, he had drunk so much he couldn't steer straight.   The horse-lorry adventure came to an abrupt end when he managed to steer the lorry into the path of an oncoming  car, then into a roadside railing, tipping the truck over. Somehow, everybody managed to emerge from the crash unscathed. Stepien clambered out of the cab and began yelling at the horse: 'This is all your fault.' Some reports suggest the situation may have been complicated by the horse attempting to put the moves on an attractive mare. 'Luckily the horse wasn't injured, but the owner is facing charges including animal cruelty and drink driving,' said a police officer.

A US woman has been convicted of murdering two of her adopted daughters whose bodies were found in a freezer in her home. Renee Bowman, 44, was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree child abuse. The freezer containing the two bodies was found at her home in Lusby in the US state of Maryland in September 2008 after a third girl escaped. Bowman had already pleaded guilty to abusing the surviving girl, also adopted, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in that case. The girl, now nine and living with new foster parents, testified in the murder trial last week. Bowman showed no emotion as the verdict was read out. Sentencing is scheduled for March 22. Prosecutors said they would ask for life in prison without the possibility of parole. Authorities said the older girls, Jasmine and Minnet, were killed more than three years ago, but they don't know exactly when. Minnet would have been 12, and Jasmine would have turned 11 last week. Bowman moved three times over three years and prosecutors said she took a large freezer containing the children's bodies with her each time she moved. The surviving daughter, clutching a Valentine's Day teddy bear, testified last week against Bowman, whom she called her "ex-mother". When she was seven, the girl was found half-naked and covered in blood after escaping from the Bowman home. Afterward, authorities found the frozen bodies. Bowman continued to receive subsidies for all three children from the District of Columbia, where the girls were adopted. The subsidies are given to parents who adopt special-needs children from foster care.

Renee Bowman hid the bodies of two children in a freezer (AP)

They came from the four corners of the country and even neighbouring Uganda with one mission — to pray for a miracle. Two pastors in the Kingdom Seekers Fellowship International church were killed in a road accident on Monday last week and the faithful believed that God would resurrect them if they prayed hard enough. Their death in a car that rolled on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, the faithful believed, was the work of the devil and the miracle was to shame the evil one. “Our pastors have been perishing in road accidents and it is time for us to shame the devil, who is behind the tragedies,” Pastor John Kamau William, the church’s general overseer, announced to the congregation outside their church in Nakuru. There was a large congregation of faithful and curious onlookers who were eager to witness the resurrection. Word had gone round the town that a miracle was to happen during the requiem mass for pastors Patrick Wanjohi Wanja and Francis Kamau Ndetei. So, when the caskets carrying the remains of the two were taken to the church, crowds of people milled around to see what would happen. The neutral people in the crowd were amazed by the aggressive and drawn out prayers that the believers engaged in.

Pastors and faithful of Kingdom Seekers Fellowship International pray for the resurrection of pastors Patrick Wanjohi and Francis Ndetei, who died in a road accident last week.

Even a heavy downpour that pounded Nakuru as the prayers went on did not dampen their spirits. In fact, the sudden rains were seen as a sign that the miracle was about to happen. The prayers continued with even more vigour. Scores of pastors surrounded the caskets and cried out to God for more than an hour.  At one point, Pastor Ndetei’s widow, went to the tent where the coffin was placed and shook it as she hysterically pleaded with God to raise her husband. Another worshipper pushed the coffins in an attempt to stir the dead pastors to wake up from their “deep sleep.” Nothing happened. By this time, one could sense doubts creeping into the minds of some of the faithful. To banish any such thoughts, Apostle Steven Bulungi from Uganda chased away the doubting Thomases. He kept on telling the congregation that they were not being “fanatical or emotional” enough. ‘‘You are practising the word of God,” he exhorted them. Nevertheless, the worshippers eventually lost hope. One of the pastors announced: “Some miracles do not happen instantly, as was the case when Jesus cursed the fig tree.” – Daily Nation.

President Mwai Kibaki cancels his UK tour at the last minute

I.W.R.M Moves to their New Building

More than 300 people gathered in the newly purchased Interdenominational World Revival Ministries' (I.W.R.M) Church Building to celebrate its grand official opening on Sunday 7th February 2010. The New Church Building, which is situated on 500 High Street North, Manor Park, E12 6QN, was officially opened by the Senior Pastor, Pastor Boniface Mbugua. The Sanctuary, which is very spacious and beautifully decorated, has a sitting capacity of sitting capacity of over 200 people. What caught the eyes of many was the level of excellence exhibited by every one in the Ministry, from ushers to the preaching. The Senior Pastor, Pastor Boniface Mbugua, in his 'first sermon' in the new Church, shared the vision of the Church and, also, took the opportunity to thank every one for the continuous support they have given to the Ministry. He concluded by saying that, if 'you' are in that area of London, it is worth paying them a visit and see the doings of the Almighty God. MORE PHOTOS

The Conservative Party vowed today to scrap the 14 year long residency rule once they win power

Thousands of illegal immigrants win right to stay in Britain under 'squatters' rights'

Thousands of illegal immigrants have been granted "squatters' rights" to remain in Britain

permanently after proving they have lived here for 14 years, it can be disclosed.

A little-known rule, introduced by Labour in 2003, allows illegal immigrants to claim "indefinite leave to remain" if they manage to live in Britain's black economy for long enough or are failed asylum seekers who manage to avoid deportation. After 14 years they can apply to the Home Office which considers factors such as "compassionate circumstances, strength of connection to the UK and previous criminal record", before deciding whether an illegal immigrant will be allowed to stay. If successful, the immigrant will then be allowed full access to the welfare state and be eligible to apply for a British passport. Since rules changed in April 2003, 7,245 illegals have won the right to live here permanently – more than 1,000 a year on average. It is likely that many paid no income tax during the 14 years they spent in Britain. The Home Office estimated in 2005 that the illegal immigrant population in Britain was between 310,000 and 570,000 but other groups such as Migrationwatch UK, which campaigns against mass immigration, have put the figure far higher. Migrationwatch UK now believes the true number of illegal immigrants could be as high as one million. Damian Green, the shadow immigration minister, said: "What disturbs me most is how many more people will be able to establish this type of squatters' rights to stay in this country. "Rewarding illegal behaviour is always bad, and there ought to be a lot more effort put into stopping people getting to this 14 year level. "One of the reasons why we want to set up a specialist border police force is to prevent people being able to stay here for many years entirely below the radar." Sir Andrew Green, the chairman of Migrationwatch, said: "It is wrong in principle that people who have been undercutting British workers for many years and often paying no tax should be granted full access to our welfare state.

"This is a reward for crime, provided you get away with it for long enough." One immigration law adviser, who declined to be named, said: "I'm surprised this rule still survives, to be honest. "It is an anomaly when compared with the rest of the Government's policy which purports to be getting tough with immigrants who have irregular status." The rules allowing illegal immigrants to claim residence after 14 years were formalised by the Home Office in 2003 but previously existed as a loose concession. The arrangements mirror the legal status of "squatters' rights", formally known as adverse possession, in English and Welsh law. These rules say that anyone who has occupied land or property for 12 years can apply to be registered as owner. A Home Office spokesman said: "Not all applications for indefinite leave to remain through the long residence rule will be granted. "They are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the strength of connection to the UK, previous criminal record and compassionate circumstances, and so on." He added that it was expected that the number of people granted indefinite leave to remain under the rule would fall as asylum claims were dealt with more quickly. Keith Best, an immigration expert and former chairman of the Immigration Advisory Service, said: “This is a sensible and flexible system. "It takes account of individual circumstances, particularly when somebody may have been an overstayer in this country and has not always committed a deliberate act of trying to evade the authorities.” The 14 years which illegal immigrants have to wait before claiming indefinite leave to remain in Britain is only four years longer than the period of time required of lawful immigrants. Those who stay here on a visa or who are granted refugee status only have to wait 10 years before applying for the same concession, if they have been continuously resident in Britain.

LIVE AND WORK IN CANADA......... ANOTHER INITIATIVE

FROM SHILOH AFRIQUE FOUNDATION

On February 16th 2010, Shiloh Afrique Foundation signed a contract with a Canadian firm  providing Immigration and Settlement services.  Shiloh Afrique Foundation referred to as "International Agency" in their agreement shall train caregivers for the Canadian Health Care Market. According to the agreement,  Shiloh Afrique Foundation has been authorized to train & recruit from U.S, Europe and Continental Africa.  Shiloh Afrique Foundation shall also participate in the recruitment for federal skilled workers who wish to  live and work in Canada.  We have a list of professionals they require desperately ie. financial managers, computer and Information Systems, Managers in Health Care, Restaurant, construction, auditors and accountants, Geologists, physicians, occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Nurses, Radiation Techs, Chefs, carpentry trades, electricians, plumbers, steamfitters, welders, heavy-duty equipment mechanis, crane operators, mining and quarrying petroleum and gas chemical processing & doctors. We have engaged a renown immigration attorney in Canada to handle all the applications to facilitate quick processing. If you need more inform, please send in questions to shilohafrique@gmail.com.  We shall be more than glad to serve you or give you the information you might need. 

Divorcing with a TEXT - Cheryl Cole has ended her marriage by TEXT telling her footballer husband Ashley: "Move out. It's over."

A controversial church in Nairobi by name of "Finger of God". This is where the pastor of the said they got the name. The pastor was remained in custody on Monday 22nd February, 2010 together with six others.

Luke 11:20

20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

Fundraising for Haiti at CCBC

A major fundraising is scheduled to take place at Calvary Charismatic Church on Friday 26th February, 2010. The fundraising is for helping the victims of Haiti earthquake. The bishop of the church Bishop Francis Sarpong explained at CCBC Swahili Service that the church is planning to build a house or two for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. "We are travelling with several other church members to Haiti and we plan to build a house or two for the victims. You know African don't bother to help especially in times of disaster. Have you ever heard of a rescue team coming from Africa to go and help. You only hear teams from Britain, America and European countries but not Africa. We Africans must learn how to give." The fundraising will take place on Friday 26th February at the Prayer Temple, 119 East India Dock Road, Poplar, Docklands, London E14 6DE as from 6.00 p.m. You feel you have a burden to help those in Haiti you can come to the fundraising or send your contributions to the CCBC Prayer Temple Secretary on 0207 515 1616.

A KENYAN-BORN CITIZEN DOES NOT LOSE CITIZENSHIP BY ACQUIRING A FOREIGN

CITIZENSHIP OR PASSPORT – THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA HAS NOW RULED

By: Miguna Miguna - Published: Saturday February 13th, 2010

[The writer is Prime Minister’s Adviser, Coalition Affairs and Joint Secretary to the Permanent Committee on the Management of Grand Coalition Affairs. The opinions expressed here are his own.]

Justice L. Kimaru of the High Court of Kenya released a landmark decision on the issue of citizenship on 22 January 2010. That decision puts to rest the odious attacks on me by the Party of National Unity (PNU) and other malicious detractors over the unfounded allegation that I lost my citizenship because I allegedly acquired Canadian citizenship and passport. PNU busybodies went berserk and called on the Prime Minister of Kenya (PM) to fire me purportedly for “working illegally.” They went further and demanded that I be prosecuted for “lying” ( I don’t know where, when and how) about my “status.” PNU and other malicious miscreants knew that I have never lost my citizenship. They also knew that I have never lied about my status; nor have I broken any laws. They know that I have never renounced my Kenyan citizenship and remain a proud and patriotic son of the soil. But they didn’t care. Their intention was to besmirch my reputation. They wanted me to wrestle with them in the mud they had created so that they could smear my reputation with cow dung.

Full-page paid advertisements were published by a section of the print media (Daily Nation and The People) too eager to please their puppet masters. Electronic media was used to scandalize me during prime time news for more than one week. A few misguided individuals reeking with green envy and rancid jealousy went to lunch with the false stories. They perpetuated the falsehoods through fake “letters to the editors,” “opinions,” “cartoons”, “news briefs”, and “news analysis” (Standard; The People; Daily Nation; Sunday Express; The Star; and Weekly Citizen)) of the cow dung they had thrown while pretending to respond to articles I had published in the Star newspaper on important national issues affecting Kenyans. Those were issues of corruption, abuse of power, good governance, constitutional change and an end to impunity.

Other idlers on the Internet took off with the libel and have continued to defame me with the hope that they might distract me from persistently pursuing social-justice issues and performing my functions at the PM’s Office. Some confused, inept, malcontent and clearly ignorant MPs from Nyanza Province joined the fray without knowing or understanding what the issues were.
 

Without exception, the idlers never bothered to respond directly to the issues in my articles. None of them challenged the factual accuracy in my articles. Unfortunately for the malicious, the libelous, the envious and the jealous busy-bodies, Miguna has remained a solid rock, cascading on course (with other committed compatriots) towards the total liberation of Kenya. No amount of malicious filth will prevent that eventuality.

Now the High Court has said: ‘Wait a minute; a Kenyan citizen by birth does not and cannot lose his/her citizenship merely by acquiring a foreign one or passport; he can only do that if or when he renounces his citizenship, and the person advancing the allegation of lose of citizenship has the burden of proof!” That was my position all along. I kept telling the Kenyan media that they were wrong to clutch on straws; that the onus was on PNU and the idlers to prove their allegations by adducing credible evidence. It is now time PNU, the gullible and mendacious Kenyan media and all those miscreants to publicly apologize to me.

This is sweet redemption to me and the ODM fraternity, coming on the heels of another major High Court ruling at Mombasa: the one that relegated the former MP for Matuga, the Lingala bellowing Ali Mwakwere, to political oblivion. I relish the adage about the “wheels of justice grinding slowly;” very true indeed.
 

It all started with an election petition by Mahamud Muhumed Sirat against the MP for Wajir South, Abdulrahman Ali Hassan. Mr. Sirat had sought to nullify the election of Mr. Hassan over allegations of electoral malpractices. Rather than deal squarely with the petition on its merits, Mr. Hassan made an application seeking to have the election petition dismissed with costs on the basis that Mr. Sirat was not a Kenyan citizen. He argued that Mr. Sirat had voluntarily acquired the citizenship of Australia and therefore owed allegiance to the government of Australia. Mr. Hassan further argued that the petitioner, being Australian, was not eligible or ought not to have been registered as a voter in Kenya and could not have qualified to be elected an MP in Kenya. Finally, Mr. Hassan argued that Sirat lacked legal and constitutional capacity to institute or to proceed with the petition.

Along the way, Mr. Hassan recruited gullible immigration officials and an ODM minister to boot who managed to howl Sirat from the sanctity of his home into the State dungeons on mere allegations of a political opponent. Forget about the presumption of innocence. Mr. Hassan vigorously argued that Sirat had no locus standi to file and present an election petition; that even the Court had no jurisdiction to hear the petition. Sirat was supposed to be detained and deported without being heard!
 

In response Sirat argued that Hassan’s application was frivolous, vexatious, incompetent and an abuse of the court process. He stated that the application was only meant to frustrate him from prosecuting the petition. Sirat also asserted that he was a citizen by birth, both his parents being Kenyan. Further, he indicated that he had valid Kenyan national identity card and passport, duly issued by the immigration department. Finally, Sirat denied ever having renounced his Kenyan citizenship in preference for an Australian one. He produced copies of his birth certificate, national identity card and Kenyan passport as evidence of citizenship. Sirat also produced copies of his academic certificates to establish the schools he attended in Kenya.

In his judgment, Kimaru J. stated that Sirat, “by virtue of his birth in Kenya, and the fact that both his parents are citizens of Kenya, is entitled [to] citizenship of Kenya.” The judge stated that section 97(1), (3) and (7) of the Constitution of Kenya does not deprive a Kenyan citizen by birth of his citizenship upon acquiring nationality of another country. He opined that sections 88, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 97 of the Constitution only “prohibited persons of a particular category who are citizens of other countries at the time Kenya attained independence”. Those sections do “not apply to citizens of Kenya who acquired citizenship by virtue of their birth from acquiring citizenship of another country after attaining twenty-one years of age.”

And finally, Judge Kimaru stated what amounts to a judicial left hook clincher: “[E]ven assuming that the petitioner had indeed acquired Australian citizenship, there is nothing in the Constitution that specifically prohibits the petitioner from acquiring such citizenship while at the same time retaining his Kenyan citizenship provided that Australian law allows for its citizens to acquire and have dual nationality.” The only exception is when a person specifically renounces his Kenyan citizenship and acquires citizenship of another country that does not allow dual citizenship. Since Mr. Hassan produced no evidence that Sarit renounced his Kenyan citizenship - and that even if he was able to do that, he would still have to prove that Australia did not accept dual citizenship - the Court concluded that Sarit remains a Kenyan citizen. The judge also ruled that copies of a foreign passport are mere pieces of paper that could have been generated or downloaded in any cyber café. The possession of a Kenyan national identity card and passport, the judge ruled, are prima facie evidence of citizenship. The Court refused Hassan’s invitation to look behind or beyond the national identity card that the petitioner possesses as prima facie evidence of his Kenyan citizenship. Kimaru J. stated that the Court “lacks jurisdiction to invalidate or declare invalid a national identity card”, which have been duly issued.

Did I hear everyone say “Amen?”

With this milestone judgment, Kenyans have hope in the reorientation and reform of our judiciary.

By Miguna Miguna

Divorcing with TEXT - "Move out. It's over."

Betrayed Cheryl Cole has ended her marriage by TEXT — telling love-rat footballer husband Ashley: "Move out. It's over."  She decided to divorce the England soccer star after another affair was exposed on Saturday.  Cole, 29 — shamed after sending filthy texts and snaps to girls he fancied — had been named as a cheat by FIVE women last night.  Heartbroken Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, 26, sent her angry text from Los Angeles early on Sunday.  She will return to the UK this week to officially announce the split to the world. A draft statement on the divorce plan has already been drawn up.  While in LA — where she fled after singing at the Brit awards without her wedding ring — Cheryl has been out on dates with handsome single dancer Derek Hough, 24.

Cheryl and Ashley's £6million house in Surrey

Winter Olympics - Kenyan skier out of Games after illness
 

Kenya's only ski racer, Philip Boit, is back home without participating in his planned last Winter Olympics after falling ill in the United States. The 39-year-old veteran of three Winter Olympics and three World Championships said he had now postponed his retirement from cross-country skiing until next year. "Unfortunately, I failed to make the qualifying times in competitions arranged for me in the United States to qualify for the Games after I fell ill," Boit said from his home in Eldoret on Monday.  "I have now postponed my retirement to February next year after the World Championships in Oslo." Boit carried the Kenyan flag in Nagano (1998), Salt Lake City (2002) and Turin (2006), and had intended to end his skiing career in Vancouver, where he had planned to ski the 15km event and would have been Kenya's sole Games entrant. "I should not have returned home after training in Finland last year," he said. "The changes in weather from minus 19 degrees in Finland to plus 25 in Kenya and then minus three in Washington affected my health. "Had I gone to the United States straight from Finland, I would have made it. The fever that hit me due to changing weather had a toll in my body. I could not move my hands. It is a pity because I was so prepared for the event.  "Friends in Norway have asked me to prepare for the world championships in Oslo, Norway, next year. I have to postpone my retirement until after that," the former middle-distance runner added.  Boit competed in the 1999 ski world championships in Ramsau, Austria, as well as Sapporo, Japan, in 2007 and Liberec, Czech Republic, last year. - Reuters - Monday, 22nd Feb. 2010.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday hinted that he would push for a reshuffle of Orange ministers during his meeting with President Kibaki. Speaking a few hours after arriving from Japan, Mr Odinga said he had the right to instil discipline among ODM Cabinet minister. “Mimi niko na timu yangu na Kibaki ana yake. Pande hii kama moja namna hii...namna hii ...tunamwambia kaa kando (I have my team and Kibaki has his. If there is one on this side whose conduct is questionable, we will tell him to step aside),” he said at a rally in Nairobi's Kibera estate. The PM’s suspension of Agriculture minister William Ruto and Education minister Sam Ongeri on Sunday last week was overturned by the President sparking a stand-off in the grand coalition. Mr Ruto is a deputy party leader in ODM while Prof Ongeri’s party, Kanu, is allied to PNU. While overturning Mr Odinga’s order, President Kibaki said the PM had no powers to discipline Cabinet ministers. The show of power by the President triggered a cold war in the coalition with ODM declaring a crisis in government. Mr Odinga then invited the African Union and chief mediator Kofi Annan to intervene and resolve the crisis. His allies said they would boycott Cabinet meetings until the crisis was resolved. On Sunday, Mr Odinga disagreed with the President about the state of affairs in the coalition and insisted there was a crisis which would be resolved when the two meet later this week. No clear date for the meeting has been set. “I talked with Kibaki and agreed we will sit, talk and solve the dispute. The fire is high and we want to contain it otherwise it will worsen. We want cordial and respectful talks. We want respect from both sides,” he said. “Somebody asked me if there’s a problem and I said yes there is. But a problem always has a solution. There’s a fire and if we don’t stop it will burn”.

Final phase of Tier 4 is launched

Home Office, 22 February 2010

We have today implemented the final phase of the points-based system's student tier. This has resulted in two major changes for Tier 4 sponsors.

Visa letters have become obsolete

From today, all potential Tier 4 students applying to us from inside or outside the UK must use a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) in their application. All applications that do not contain a CAS will fall for refusal. You will need to provide all potential students with a CAS reference number and your sponsor licence number (SLN). You will also need to give them all the information they will need when making their application. This information is sometimes called a 'CAS statement'; it is up to sponsors to decide its format and how to send it to their potential students. A 'CAS statement' may contain:

• student name;
• student date of birth;
• course title;
• course start and end date;
• details of any financial sponsorship/deposits taken;
• documents that should be included as part of an application to prove qualifications;
• CAS number; and
• ATAS certificate (if appropriate).

This additional information will assist our caseworkers and entry clearance officers when making decisions on migrant applications under Tier 4. If a prospective student has a visa letter issued before 22 February 2010, they can no longer use it to apply for a Tier 4 student visa. If you have issued a visa letter to a student who is intending to apply to us, you must replace the visa letter with a CAS. For out-of-country students, the date of application is the date when the application fee is paid - so a prospective student must be in possession of a CAS if they are paying their application fee today or later.

Mandatory reporting on students who have been assigned a CAS

Sponsors now must report via the sponsorship management system (SMS) on students who have used a CAS in an application to us. For further guidance, please see the Sponsor duties - Tier 4 page of our website. Before you can issue CASs to migrants, you must have performed the transition exercise on the SMS. If you have not yet done so, you can find full details on the Transition exercise page of your website.

Today has also seen enhancements to the Tier 4 SMS:

• Users can now create a new CAS from the details of a previous CAS created in a batch.
• The main site study address will be mandatory for the assignment of a CAS.

All changes and updates to the SMS will be reflected in the SMS user guides and policy guidance, which are available on our website. We advise sponsors to visit the website and familiarise themselves with the new functionality. You can find information about the SMS, and the updated SMS user guides, in the SMS guidance section of this website. Revised Tier 4 migrant application forms are also available on the website for applications made from today.
 

KCSE students to register online

The Kenya National Examination Council -KNEC-has embarked on a project to register all Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education- KCSE candidates electronically to make the process efficient and accountable. According to the new guidelines set by the examination body, this year's candidates will be registered online on the KNEC website. The council's Chief Executive Officer Paul Wasanga says schools which do not have internet facilities will be forced to use cyber cafes or government institutions with internet connectivity. He noted that the move is aimed at ensuring all KCSE candidates are registered hence ending perennial cases of non-registration of candidates by some unscrupulous institutions realising it when examination commences. The schools authorities and candidates will now be able to confirm their registration through the KNEC website.

Nairobi City council seeks to identify ghost workers

A headcount exercise to identify ghost workers at the Nairobi city Council commenced Monday with an impressive turn out.  Addressing the press in his office Nairobi town clerk Philip Kisia said the exercise aims at restructuring the council's human resource department to ensure only legitimate workers are on the payroll.  The exercise follows allegations of non council workers drawing salaries monthly.  Kisia expressed confidence that PriceWaterhouseCoopers will come up with a report that will help the council all the loopholes as well as improve service delivery.  He denied claims that the exercise was targeting individuals arguing that those opposed to the head count had something to hide. The local government workers union had called on all unionisable employees to boycott the exercise claiming there was a hidden agenda.  The city council has 11,700 workers taking home a total of 340 million shillings. The exercise which is being carried out by the PriceWaterHouse Coopers and is being funded by World Bank. Last week, mayor Geoffrey Majiwa said the head count will take three weeks but a comprehensive forensic audit is expected to take a year.

Bogus wedding gang 'lynch pin' jailed

Home Office, 18 February 2010

A man described as the 'lynch pin' of an East London sham marriage ring has been jailed for six years, following a two-year investigation by our officers. Ghanaian national Victor Kugbeadzor, aged 29, of Rushcroft Road in Brixton, is known to have organised at least six bogus weddings of British citizens to Ghanaian nationals, including his own. He married 28-year-old Kelly Bellotti at Barking Registry Office in October 2007 in order to get permission to stay in the UK. In reality the marriage was a sham, and Bellotti had been paid £2000 to marry him. Bellotti was arrested at her home address in Ilford in November 2008. She was jailed in October 2009, along with three other British citizens who had also been involved in other marriages organised by Kugbeadzor. Kugbeadzor went on the run for 20 months, but investigations led officers from our criminal and financial investigation (CFI) unit to Broadclyst in Devon, where he was found living under an assumed name. He was arrested on 26 November 2009. On Thursday 11 February Kugbeadzor pleaded guilty to a series of charges, including conspiracy to breach immigration control, deception and Identity Cards Act offences at Croydon Crown Court. He was jailed for six years, and faces deportation at the end of his sentence. Malcolm Bragg, assistant director of the UK Border Agency criminal and financial investigations directorate, said:

'This was a sophisticated and organised plot, and the sentence handed down in this case shows how seriously we and the courts take these kinds of attempts to circumvent the UK's immigration rules.

'My officers and I are determined to track down and stop this kind of abuse, and we hope today's sentences send out a message that anyone who tries to enter into or organise a sham marriage faces arrest, prosecution, and a long time in prison.'

The conviction of Victor Kugbeadzor means that nine people have now been jailed for their parts in the sham marriage ring, with sentences totalling seventeen and a half years. Three Ghanaian beneficiaries of the scam have already been deported. Our investigation into the ring, codenamed 'Operation Probole' has lasted for more than two years. It began after immigration officials raised concerns about the marriage of British citizen Lisa Curtis to Ghanaian Kwabena Boadu. They were both arrested, and documentation was found at her home in Dagenham, including a price list, linking her to numerous other suspect marriages.

London, Monday 22nd February, 2010. Snow is back in UK and more to come. Parts of Britain are under deep blankets of snow - and forecasters are warning that some areas could see up to 15cm (6 inches) more in the coming days. Eastern England, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Wales are already covered and disruption is expected to hit people returning from half-term breaks. Meteorologists say this could be the coldest February for more than a decade. Deep snow is causing problems in South Wales - a contrast with Winter Olympics host city Vancouver, where no more snow is due until mid-week. "It's like Siberia here... big old-fashioned snowflakes are coming down," said beauty therapist Liz Sullivan in the town of Ebbw Vale. "We thought we had seen the end of it. There is always a panic over bread and milk - they have probably sold out by now."

In North Yorkshire 10cm (4 inches) of snow has already settled with more forecast later. Sky News forecaster Sarah Pennock said the cold weather is likely to stay for at least the first half of the week. "We'll see an early return to frost this evening with further icy stretches where surfaces have been left wet overnight," she said. "Central and northern parts will again see isolated patches of freezing fog. "Monday kicks off an unsettled week with patchy rain in the South at first. "This will turn heavier as it marches northwards, turning to snow as it hits the colder air. "We could see 7cm (2.75 inches) of snow across Wales, southwest England, eastern England, the Midlands, London and the southeast." The Met office has issued a warning for a moderate risk of further fresh snow on Wednesday, with up to 15cm (6 inches) in places. If temperatures do not pick up towards the end of the month, it will be the coldest February since 1996, when the average temperature was 2C. But another drop in average temperatures would make the chilliest February since 1986, when the average was 1.2C.

"When you wake up in the morning, don't look at the weather, just thank God for the day." - Pastor Loise Gitahi, CCBC Swahili Service, London

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON MONDAY 22ND FEB. 2010

LEFT: Claims that the Government is planning a pay-as-you-die tax so that the elderly can afford their council tax features on the front of the Express. CENTRE: The Independent reports on a vaccine which some believe could eradicate Aids in as little as 40 years. RIGHT: The Metro reports the murder of corner shop owner Gurmail Singh who was killed for a few sweets in Huddersfield.

Kenyan to serve three years in US jail for fraud

A Kenyan was jailed for three years in the US for defrauding nuns and religious groups of more than $1 million (Sh76 million).  Edward Bosire, 40, appeared before US District judge Charles Clevert in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday. The charge stated that Bosire, together with his wife Angelina Martin-Mulu, who was sentenced to three and a half years earlier in the month, swindled nuns and religious groups in Wisconsin while masquerading as political refugees from Kenya. Assistant US Attorney Gordon Giampietro told the court the two swindled their victims by falsely claiming to be suffering from malaria and tuberculosis and in need of money to pay medical expenses.  He said through the scam, the defendants made enough money and bought two apartments in Chicago and Bolingbrook, Illinois.  "They lived lavishly and spent the rest of the money at casinos," he told an attentive courtroom. Among the couple’s victims were nuns at the Pewaukee Monastery in Milwaukee, who gave the defendants more than $800,000 (Sh60.8 million). Last March, acting US Attorney Michelle Jacobs announced a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin had returned a three-count indictment. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) charged the defendants based on a year-long investigation. Bosire and his wife are Kenyans who arrived in the US in 1999 and were given political asylum in 2007.  Mid last year, the two pleaded guilty to the charges and agreed to pay close to $1 million in restitution. And in mitigation, Bosire’s attorney Joshua Uller told the court on Friday that although his client had pleaded guilty, he only played a minor role in the fraud, as his wife was the mastermind. According to court records, the couple had met and married in Kenya before coming to the US in 1999.  Documents presented in court indicated the wife had sought asylum in the US due to what she termed as the "fear of female genital mutilation" in Kenya. Before giving his verdict, Judge Clevert said it was unfortunate Bosire and his wife had falsely presented themselves to unsuspecting victims as siblings who had fled political oppression in Africa. The two are likely to face deportation after serving their sentences. - The Standard.

Proverbs 3:5

5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health [1] to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

Nairobi, Sunday 21st February, 2010. Prime Minister Raila Odinga says he is optimistic that the current political deadlock will be resolved very soon.  Raila made this assurance to Kenyans moments after his arrival from Japan but fell short of confirming when he would meet the president to iron out their differences.  The premier however said the Kenyan delegation held successful talks with the Japanese authorities with Japan extending a soft loan of 320 million US dollars for geothermal project and a grant of 55 million US dollars for reforestation and drought responses. Prime minister left for Japan last week, in the wake of a political storm after he suspended ministers William Ruto and Sam Ongeri orders, which the President promptly revoked.  ODM wrote a letter to Kofi Annan asking him to intervene in the crisis even as the party threatened to boycott cabinet meetings.  On Thursday, a wave of optimism swept the country with news that the two principals had spoke on phone and agreed to meet as soon as the PM returns home from Japan. Meanwhile, six members of Parliament have launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Raila Odinga for his failure to fight graft the country. The leaders said that the PM was instead trying to sacrifice some cabinet ministers and senior government officials under the guise of fighting corruption in the government saying this was not only unethical but also misuse of power. Led by Industrialisation Assistant minister Nderitu Mureithi, the leaders called for the premier to step aside if he feels that he was being undermined by the Head of State not comfortable serving. They said noted that the Prime Minister was using scapegoats and hence a prove that he has failed. "We know the Prime Minister has expressed his commitment to fighting corruption in the government but he should lead in the front if he truly means what he says. Otherwise he should not use un-acceptable ways to get lead of officers implicated in corrupt deals". He said. Speaking in Nyahururu town  at a public, the leaders vowed to put the PM on his toes to ensure that he observe the laid down rules in the Kenyan Constitution and in the National Accord. The assistant minister was accompanied by Kigumo M.P Jamleck Kamau, John Mututho (Naivasha), Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa), George Thuo (Njunja) and nominated M.P Sam Nyamwea.

Kenya police arrest Arunga, Hellon

Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 21 - Former television news anchor Esther Arunga and prominent jazz musician Joseph Hellon were arrested early on Sunday by police over their links to a religious grouping described as a cult. Police raided Hellon's house in Gigiri at 2am and arrested the two and other followers of the controversial Finger of God ministry based in Nairobi's Runda estate. The suspects were locked up in various police stations in Nairobi. The renown Jazz Maestro was being held at the Gigiri Police station while Ms Arunga was locked up at the Muthaiga police station until 3pm when she was moved to the CID headquarters on Kiambu road. Eight other members of the church were being held at the Parklands police station but there were reports that all the suspects were to be moved to other police stations. Police officers told Capital News that the former TV anchor and the rest of the members and leaders of the Finger of God Church were being investigated over the activities of the church but did not elaborate further. "Ms Arunga is here at the cells but we can not allow anyone to see her, there are also other suspects being held," a senior police officer told Capital News at the Muthaiga police station.

There were flurry of activities at the station. Ms Arunga's parents were denied access to see their daughter. "This is a delicate issue, we can not discuss about it now. Please give us time," his father pleaded with journalists camped outside the station. Her mother and other members of the family declined to talk to journalists. One of Ms Arunga's relative was seen delivering a package of personal items to the former TV news anchor but she too declined to speak to reporters and instead drove off at high speed towards Thika Road. Another relative also delivered several books to Ms Arunga before she was moved to the CID headquarters. Lawyer Haroun Ndubi who is representing the group told Capital News the suspects were likely to be out on bond later on Sunday. "I have spoken to the investigating officer and he has assured me that the issue that was being investigated is bail able and they are likely to be set free this (Sunday) evening," he said. Mr Ndubi however, protested that the police had violated his client’s rights by raiding their house at 2 am without a warrant. "They (police) went to raid the home in Runda at 2 am without even a warrant, and they arrested Ms Arunga, Mr Hellon and the rest of the people and I have just learnt that among those arrested are two under age girls who are school-going," he added. Mr Ndubi said Ms Arunga, Mr Hellon and the rest of the suspects were being investigated over reports that “they are members of an illegal society. "That is what the investigating officer has indicated to me, but Mr Hellon’s wife and Ms Arunga have assured me that the church is registered," Mr Ndubi said when he left the CID headquarters where the suspects were being interrogated.

Ms Arunga and Finger of God Kenyan chapter leader Mr Hellon held a press conference on Thursday in the company of the preacher's wife and expressed her disappointment over media reports linking her to a 'cult' religious group. Mr Hellon defended his church as a registered church which has been running for more than three years now. "I am the founder of the church and lead pastor and we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Bible," he said. Ms Arunga, who quit her TV job recently to join Mr Hellon's controversial church told journalists that she was not influenced by anyone to join the faith. "I am an adult, I can stay wherever I want, and I choose to stay where I stay. I am almost 30 and living with my parents didn't work for me that well," Ms Arunga said and vowed to take legal action against media houses and reporters who alluded she moved away from her parents out of influence. She spoke alongside Mr Hellon who said they have welcomed Ms Arunga to their home because she is their church member. "There is nothing wrong with me staying with my church, there is nothing wrong absolutely," Mr Hellon said and revealed he had known the former TV queen for long. Though she said it was not public information who she was dating, Ms Arunga admitted she moved to stay with Hellon after breaking out of a relationship with her former fiancée. Saxophonist Hellon on his part said Ms Arunga had been a member of his congregation for quite a while now and that she was even one of the leaders. "Esther is a leader in our church, but before that she was my friend we met at ICC when I went to play my Saxophone during the launch of the church and she was an MC and she liked the doctrines that I preach," he said. - CapitalFM.

In pictures: Madeira floods

Many people were rescued from the torrent but more than 60 have been taken to hospital and on right the flooding and landslides swept away cars and knocked down houses. Phone lines were also affected, forcing rescue services to make appeals over radio stations.

Police kill two, rescue abducted Canadian

Nairobi, Sunday 21st February, 2010. Two suspected abductors were shot dead by police and also rescued a Canadian national who had been held hostage in a Gatundu home for four days. The middle-aged man whose identity police declined to give for security reasons had been abducted from Gigiri in Nairobi on Tuesday after dropping his child off at school before he was traced to a hideout at Kimunyu village of Gatundu South district. A combined police force of security officers from Nairobi and Thika stormed the one-storey mansion and gunned down two of the abductors as four others fled. The hostage was rescued from the scene unharmed. Police recovered an AK47 rifle with 16 rounds of ammunition was recovered during the shootout on Saturday night. Central provincial police officer John M'Mbijiwe who led the rescue mission said the gang was demanding US$131,578 about 10 million Kenyan shillings ransom to release the foreigner who was visiting relatives in the City. Police used tracking devices to locate the Canadian's whereabouts after a four-day search, he said. Mr. M'Mbijiwe said a search has been launched for the escaped suspects who are said to be members of a criminal gang operating from Nairobi that has been hijacking people for ransom. He said police were following certain leads to track down the escapees, adding;  "we are going to ensure that there is no room for such criminals anywhere in the province.". The identity of the slain suspects was not immediately known. The owners of the house from which the Canadian was rescued had reportedly died, but one of the sons was occupying it and it was not clear whether he was around. A woman relative and her children who were staying in a nearby house were told to record a statement with the police. The hostage was taken away by detectives to an unknown destination. The bodies were removed to the City mortuary.

DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION

From left is Mrs. Jane Ngare wife of Kenya High Commissioner in the UK, Immigration attache Mr. Abraham Mwaura, Defence Adviser, Colonel Macharia and Getrude a secretary at the commission. This was on Thursday 18th February, 2010 when the High Commissioner presented his credentials to the Queen.

Huddersfield shopkeeper killed by teenage robbers

A shopkeeper has been killed in a robbery by a gang of teenagers at his store in Huddersfield, Bradford, UK near Manchester. Gurmail Singh, 63, suffered a head injury during the attack at Cowcliffe Convenience Store in Cowcliffe Hill Road, Cowcliffe, on Saturday night. He died at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary in the early hours of the morning. Detectives say the robbers, who were aged in their late teens, fled after a struggle with passers-by who had tried to stop them leaving the shop. "This was a group of six people who heard a commotion at the shop and went to help," a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said. "None of them was injured during the incident." The offenders, who were wearing dark hooded tops and tracksuit bottoms, escaped with a small amount of cash, cigarettes and confectionery, police said. Det Supt David Pervin, who is leading the investigation, said: "Mr Singh was a well-known and popular local businessman who had been in this area many years. "I appeal for anyone with information to contact us as a matter of urgency." Mr Singh was "a family man with two adult sons", police added. A post-mortem examination is due to take place on Monday to determine the exact cause of death.

A lottery winner who repeatedly told his family "I'd have been better off broke" has been found buried five-feet deep under a concrete slab. American Abraham Shakespeare, 47, who scooped $31m (£20m) in 2006, vanished nine months ago, although he was not reported missing until November last year. His friends and family had hoped he was on a beach in the Caribbean, but police found his remains in the woods of a private property near Plant City in Florida. Using heavy equipment, investigators broke up the large concrete slab and for two days they dug up dirt, much of it by hand, and sifted through it. Mr Shakespeare's body was so badly decomposed that detectives had to use fingerprints to identify him. The property where he was found belongs to the boyfriend of a woman named as Shar Krasniqi who befriended Mr Shakespeare in 2007, authorities said. Police believe Mr Shakespeare was murdered, but they do not yet know how he died and have made no arrests. Mr Shakespeare's brother, Robert Brown, said his sibling often wished he had never bought the winning ticket. "'I'd have been better off broke.' He said that to me all the time," Mr Brown said. Before his windfall, Mr Shakespeare was an assistant truck driver who lived with his mother. He was barely literate and had a criminal record. After he struck lucky, he bought a million-dollar home and was said to be extremely generous to others. "He really didn't understand it at all," said Samuel Jones, a friend since childhood. "It was moving so fast. It changed his life in a bad way." Mr Jones said Mr Shakespeare would tell him: "I thought all these people were my friends, but then I realised all they want is just money."

Caught at the Kenya High Commissioner celebrations

Caught at the Kenya High Commission Offices on Thursday 18th February 2010 - on left photo - are from left to right Colonel F.W. Macharia the Defence Adviser at the Kenya High Commission, Wanja Michuki, Principal Counsellor - Trade and Economic Affairs - a daughter of Minister Njoroge Michuku and Immigration Attache Mr. Abraham Mwaura. Right photo is Colonel Macharia and Tesfamicael Gerahtu, Ambassador of the State of Eritrea.

Kenyan leaders to meet next week

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 20- The Office of the Prime Minister Raila Odinga now says there is no scheduled meeting between the Premier and President Mwai Kibaki this Sunday as they had initially indicated. The Premier’s advisor Salim Lone on Saturday said that the meeting would take place early next week. He said it could be Monday or Tuesday. Mr Lone had earlier emphatically announced the Sunday meeting. He had claimed that the meeting was planned by the two Principals when they spoke on phone last Wednesday.  Earlier reports by Capital News indicated that State House had not scheduled any meeting between the two principals as claimed by the PM’s office. Reliable sources said that the Head of State had other prior engagements and that if any talks were to take place, it would be in their formal routine meeting usually held on Wednesdays. The Prime Minister arrives in the country on Sunday from Japan, where he had a series of meetings with Japanese delegates. - CapitalFM

World's most expensive car key

Is this watch the world's most lavish and expensive car key? Buyers of the new Aston Martin Rapide can specify the Jaeger LeCoultre Rapide Transponder as a £22,000 option. Owners can use the amazing timepiece to lock and unlock the five-door supercar by simply touching its face.  If it seems expensive, that's because an incredible amount of work went into squeezing the 'plipper' into the watch.  Firstly, Jaeger's engineers had to reduce the size of the transponder that sends the locking signal to the car so it would fit. Then, they spent 18 months working out how to install the watch's mechanical internals while ensuring its timekeeping isn't affected by the transponder's electrical field. As if owning a Rapide isn't impressive enough, the James Bond-like ability to lock it by pressing your watch face is quite a trick. There are two 'zones' on the sapphire crystal face, one to open the car between 8 and 9 o'clock, and the 'close' section between three and four. There are no buttons required, as the face is a touch-sensitive. The watch is the latest item on an increasingly lavish Aston options list. The Aston Cygnet (a thoroughly re-upholstered and modified Toyota iQ) will offer wealthy owners the chance to leave their 'proper' Aston behind and take a super-exclusive city car to work instead.

TV presenter leaves her family ‘to join church’

One of Kenya’s well-known television presenters is reported to have been estranged from her family and friends and is now living in a church in Runda. The youthful presenter’s friends and a relative on Tuesday said they were afraid she could have gotten herself too deep into a church whose activities they say are suspicious.  The church is said to be run by a man described in entertainment circles as a multi-talented jazz maestro and music teacher. The week-long separation from her friends and relatives has left them worried amid reports that she may have quit her job. Her wedding has also been put on hold. Efforts to contact the jazz artist on Tuesday were unsuccessful as he was said to be unavailable at his Runda residence while calls to his mobile phone and the church’s landline went unanswered. The Nation however managed to reach the presenter on her mobile phone but she said she was fine. According to some former members of the church, about eight more women live in the compound leased to the musician. They claimed that in the last one year, the membership has grown from 25 to 500, making it necessary for the church to move to a more spacious premises in the last one week. Daily Nation.

SEEKING ATTENTION

Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi Ms Esther Arunga and Joseph Hellon announced they will be president and running mate come Kenya 2012 elections. - VIDEO  

Esther Arunga talks to Jeff Koinange of K24

Esther Arunga talks to Jeff Koinange of K24 on the controversial of God ministries - - VIDEO ONE

Part one
http://www.youtube.com/K24TV#p/u/4/OT9SBV5n-mc

Part two
http://www.youtube.com/K24TV#p/u/3/6T2uUOchof0

Part three
http://www.youtube.com/K24TV#p/u/1/CzfXh5hRtZo

Part four
http://www.youtube.com/K24TV#p/u/0/3nVTmXprIXY

Escaped circus zebra caught after police chase

A zebra that escaped from a circus caused chaos on Thursday as it led police on a 40 minute chase along a busy American road. The 12-year-old animal, named Lima, was exercising outside an arena in  downtown Atlanta before an evening show when something spooked him, said a spokeswoman for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The zebra broke away from his trainers and bumped up against a fence, then wriggled through an opening. 'We're not sure what it was that startled him, but we're looking into that,' said the spokewoman, Crystal Drake. Eyewitness Daniel Nance told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'All of a sudden a freaking zebra comes running down the street like a car'   'Five or six police cars were in hot pursuit. And a bunch of officers on foot. But then I got scared, thinking ... what else is loose?' Lima led his trainers and police on a 40-minute chase through downtown to the interstate highway that cuts through the center of the city, covering well over a mile on the way. Police cruisers blocked off all southbound lanes on an interstate and herded the zebra onto an entrance ramp, where his trainer was on hand to capture and soothe him, Drake said.  'He obviously was excited, but he was in good shape,' Drake said. 'His handler calmed him down.'

Everton   3 - 1   Man Utd.

Man U mekûrîra urîrî  ûmûthî - Man U watakura wakiwa kwa kitanda leo

Everton delivered another twist in the Premier League title race as Manchester United followed Chelsea in crashing to defeat at a vibrant Goodison Park.David Moyes' resurgent side came from behind, as they did against Chelsea, to deservedly seal only their second league win in their last 30 meetings with United. Dimitar Berbatov's 16th-minute goal looked to have paved the way for United to turn up the pressure on pacesetters Chelsea at the top of the table - but Everton had other ideas as they took another major scalp to emphasise their recent improvement. Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's thunderous strike pulled Everton level within three minutes of Berbatov's goal and both Louis Saha and the excellent Landon Donovan wasted opportunities to put them ahead but they were not to be denied as they more than matched United after the break. It was Everton's two late substitutes who clinched the three points as Dan Gosling slid in Steven Pienaar's cross with 14 minutes left and Jack Rodwell made it three with a solo effort in the dying seconds. Rodwell's moment of magic illustrated the talent that has made him a reported £30m transfer target for Sir Alex Ferguson - and the United boss saw what he is all about at close quarters. Everton, with Leon Osman the game's outstanding performer, were afforded a standing ovation by their ecstatic supporters at the final whistle - and rightly so after they demonstrated the confidence to match, and better, United in all areas of the pitch. And United States star Donovan, in his short loan spell at Everton, is underlining what a threat he will be to England's ambitions at the World Cup in South Africa this summer. Ferguson will be disappointed United lost the opportunity to make up ground on Chelsea but counterpart Moyes will be elated at his coup of beating both Chelsea and United in successive home league games.

Weird X-ray: 123 cocaine-filled condoms found in smuggler’s stomach

Geneva border guards were stunned when an X-ray revealed 1.7kg of cocaine in a drug mule’s stomach.  It’s certainly a discovery that's hard to swallow. Put end to end, the condoms would stretch out to a length of 18 feet, according to a border official. The Nigerian cocaine courier had swallowed the condoms by coating each one with wax, so they slipped down that bit easier. He was dicing with death every step of the way, though. Even a slightly split condom would have led to a fatal overdose. Border guard spokesman Michel Bachar said: "It was an exceptional find.” The smuggler was part of a gang of four men who tried to evade security at a border checkpoint near Geneva in a French-registered car. Another 1.3kg of cocaine was hidden in the stomachs of the other three men. Talk about having an appetite for crime.

Security concerns over Kenya’s porous borders

When more than 50 illegal Somali immigrants were intercepted by security personnel 80km inside Kenya’s territory fleeing their war torn country, fears were raised. This was followed by the rounding up of more than 800 illegal immigrants by police in major towns and the surrender of more than 2,300 guns in the amnesty announced by the Government. The porous borders have raised concern and equally affected security of communities near them. They have also contributed to the proliferation of illegal arms, kidnappings, drug peddling and human trafficking. Corruption among the police and other Government officials working at the border points has also been pointed out as one of the reasons leading to the influx of illegal immigrants. For the pastoralists in the vast Turkana, Pokot, North Eastern and South Rift regions, the porous border has not only served as an important cross trade link but also proved to be counter productive following external attacks by pastoralists from neighbouring countries.

The border poses different challenges to different regions; in Coast Province, it is drug peddling and human trafficking. Drug peddlers have taken advantage of the porous border to smuggle drugs in and out of the country. In Western and Nyanza, smuggling of contraband goods, bhang and illicit brews thrive through the unmanned areas, which find their way to Nairobi, Mombasa and other urban centres. Numerous illegal entry points in Busia, Bungoma, Migori, Kuria and Teso have led to an increase in the smuggling of illicit brew and bhang, which find their way to many urban centres. A recent incident where a Government vehicle was impounded with a haul of bhang enroute to Nairobi from Migori shows the extent of drug trafficking. Illegal immigrants from the war torn Somalia have taken advantage of the porous borders in North Eastern Province (NEP) to illegally seek asylum in the country and smuggle contraband goods and arms.

In NEP, the vast size of the boundary and the harsh climatic conditions and poor infrastructure pose serious challenge. The vast province has only three border points, at Liboi, Hulugho and Mandera. This has given illegal immigrants an easy entry into the country. The illegal immigrants enter and leave the country at will through unmanned points. At the North Rift and South Rift, pastoralists have taken advantage of the border to acquire arms and engage in cross border cattle rustling activities. Acquisition of arms has led to vicious battles among the Turkana, Samburu and Pokot during cattle rustling, leaving many people dead and others seriously wounded. The situation has been worsened by Government’s reluctance to seal off the borders and illegal entry points (panya routes), aggravating the influx of illegal immigrants and arms. The unmanned borders are also to blame for the heavy losses incurred in revenue as unscrupulous traders prefer panya routes. "Cases of our people being killed or attacked and livestock stolen by bandits from neighbouring countries has been on the rise and it is important the Government protects its citizens and property," said Turkana Central MP Ekwe Ethuro. Ethuro, who is the chairman of the Amani Forum, said the proliferation of the arms is a serious issue in the Horn of Africa and called for governments in the region to tackle the issue with seriousness.

"The porous borders among the neighbouring countries is to blame for the increasing cases of arms and armed conflict over pasture and livestock. The Government should come up with a working formula to wipe up the guns," he said. In some areas, especially the Northern frontier districts, the international borders are not defined and Government security forces are conspicuously absent leading to increasing cases of external aggression or vicious battles. The Turkana County Council Chairman Eliud Kerio explained that leaders from the affected areas have on several occasions petitioned the Government to station the military along the border but that has not been done. "The Ugandan government has a military base at Moroto while South Sudan has positioned their soldiers at Nadapal but the situation is different on the Kenyan side of the border," said Kerio. He says the porous borders had greatly contributed to external attacks and conflict between communities living near the borders. "Proliferation of illegal arms through our porous border reached its peak during instability in our neighbouring countries and the Government should work in collaboration with Uganda, Ethiopia and Sudan to carry out disarmament simultaneously," he says. – Sunday Standard.

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON SUNDAY 21ST FEB. 2010

LEFT: The Express reports on super-size families who are being kept in "council house mansions" at the taxpayers' expense. CENTRE: A new poll for the Sunday Times shows the Tories' lead over Labour has reduced to just six points. RIGHT: A vehement denial by Gordon Brown that he was abusive to member of his staff features on the front of the Independent.

A Kenyan has passed away in Marietta, USA. Ms. Caroline Kanyua Mugo passed away on on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at Northside Hospital following a short illness. She was beloved and devoted mother to Nicholas Mugo, Sheila Mugo, Michael Mugo and Jackie Mugo. Friends and family are meeting for prayers and fellowship as follows: Believers Celebration Center, 1492 Roswell Rd. Marietta, GA 30062, Friday – February 19th at 6:00pm and Saturday - February 20th at 4:00pm. Memorial Service – Kenyan American Community Church (KACC), 71 Elberta Dr. Marietta, GA. 30066, Tel# 770-427-0555 - Sunday - February 21st at 4:00pm. The Mugo Family tremendously appreciates your outpouring of heartfelt condolences and prayers at this difficult time. Your effectual and fervent prayers are kindly requested.  Any contributions can be made to Bank of America account number: 003284529924. Cheques payable to: Jackie Mugo. Contributions can also be mailed to: 2804 Crest Ridge Way, Marietta GA 30060. For more information contact Leroy Gathenji – 678-896-8207, Cege Maina - 678-449-8511
David Githanga – 678-933-4940, Lloyd Nyaga – 770-882-8561, Nicholas Mugo – 678-234-7853 or Margaret Marika – 678-358-8125.

The late Ms. Caroline Kanyua Mugo (left) on right is a photo taken with friends

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Wife of televangelist Benny Hinn files for divorce

Orange, Calif. -- The wife of televangelist Benny Hinn has filed for divorce from the high-profile pastor, whose reputation as an advocate of prosperity gospel has attracted millions of followers and criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups over his lavish lifestyle. Suzanne Hinn filed the papers in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 1, citing irreconcilable differences, after more than 30 years of marriage. The papers note the two separated on Jan. 26 and that Hinn has been living in Dana Point, a wealthy coastal community in southern Orange County. "Pastor Benny Hinn and his immediate family were shocked and saddened to learn of this news without any previous notice," Benny Hinn Ministries said Thursday in a statement. "Although Pastor Hinn has faithfully endeavored to bring healing to their relationship, those efforts failed and were met with the petition for divorce that was filed without notice."  Hinn is one of the best known advocates of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that Christians who are right with God will be rewarded with wealth and health in this lifetime. His TV broadcasts on the Trinity Broadcast Network, a Pentecostal broadcasting juggernaut, and other TV networks are seen by millions of people around the world nearly every day. He travels the globe in his ministry's plane, named Dove One, holding events he calls "Miracle Crusades" that include spiritual healings. Hinn has never fully publicly disclosed how he spends the money he raises, but his vast ministry is believed to be a multimillion-dollar operation. There was no mention of finances in the court filing, which listed three recent Southern California addresses for the family.

This Jan. 11, 2002 picture shows evangelist Benny Hinn during a service at the Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu, Hawaii. His wife, Suzanne Hinn, filed divorce papers in Orange County Superior Court on Feb. 1, 2010 citing irreconcilable differences. The couple has been married for more than 30 years.

Over the years, Hinn has been the target of intense criticism from fellow Christians and watchdog groups who call his teachings false and accuse him of raising money only to enrich himself. He is one of six televangelists under investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley, the Iowa Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, over whether he complied with IRS rules for nonprofits. Hinn has said on his Web site that external auditors ensure his compliance with IRS regulations and that in 2008, 88 percent of the money he collected was spent on ministry. Benny Hinn Ministries is based in Grapevine, Texas, and operates a church and television studio in Aliso Viejo in California's Orange County, according to its Web site. Sorrell Trope, the attorney with the law firm representing Suzanne Hinn, did not return a call for comment. A woman at his office said the firm does not comment on divorce filings without the client's approval. J. Lee Grady, contributing editor of Charisma, a news magazine on the Pentecostal community, said Hinn's divorce is the latest in a string of high-profile ministry divorces and moral failures among the Pentecostal leaders, beginning with Ted Haggard's fall from grace in 2006. Haggard, who is married and has five children, admitted to receiving a massage from a male prostitute and buying drugs from him, but denied allegations he paid the man for sex. Grady said in an e-mail Thursday that Hinn's followers will want an explanation for the divorce because of the high profile the couple had. "It will be devastating to the people who have supported Benny Hinn's evangelistic work around the world," Grady said. "Obviously because their ministry has been very public, they will need to issue a statement to their supporters to explain how this happened," he said.

No Sunday talks for Kenyan leaders

Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 19 - Capital News has now ascertained that State House has not scheduled any meeting between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday. Reliable sources told Capital News that the Head of State had other prior engagements, and if any talks were to take place, it will be in the form of a routine meeting that is usually held between the two principals on Wednesdays. There have been several instances when State House has taken issue with an apparent move to control the President’s diary from the PM’s Office at the Treasury. The last time was when the PM said the President would attend the hyped tree planting ceremony in Mau forest last month only for State House to issue a denial. At the time, the Presidential Press Service announced that the President would not attend the tree planting as claimed by the Prime Minister but would instead swear in judges to the constitutional court. Last Sunday, the PM told reporters the suspension of Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Education Minister Sam Ongeri was done after talks with the President only for the Head of State to deny there was such consultations. News of the purported Sunday meeting came from the PM’s office, but there has not been any official communication from State House from the Presidential Press Service which notifies the media of the President’s itinerary. Moments after Mr Odinga asked the two Ministers to step aside, the President contradicted his announcement saying they would remain in office. Since then, there has been a war of words between Mr Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement and Mr Kibaki’s Party of National Unity with some Members of Parliament even going to the extent of calling for elections despite the fact that the country does not having a voters’ register. Members of ODM insisted that the Prime Minister was mandated to ask Mr Ruto and Mr Ongeri to resign while those allied to the President and mainly from the Party of National Unity coalition dismissed Mr Odinga’s move. On Thursday, President Kibaki declared there was no crisis in Kenya despite calls from ODM for the Africa Union and Kofi Annan to step in to resolve an emerging political row. Mr Annan has asked the leaders to resolve whatever differences exist. Reports from the PM’s office also say the President spoke to Mr Odinga who is in Japan on phone. - CapitalFM

The top 10 things that can devalue your home

For a property-obsessed nation with ever-shrinking pension pots, the value of our homes is understandably high on the agenda. That's why - despite the recession and rising unemployment - more than half of UK property owners have made home improvements this year, according to a survey from Halifax. But equally important is retaining the current value of your home. Here are the top 10 most common things that can devalue your home - and how you can avoid them.

1 Anti-social neighbours

According to a survey conducted as part of Halifax Home Insurance's Peace of Mind campaign, one in five (17%) homeowners encountered serious problems with their neighbours during 2009 - the highest number experienced since 1997. The most common complaints were excessive noise (49%), rude or intimidating behaviour (23%), and the 'hijacking' of legal boundaries (20%).  If you're selling your home, the law requires that you disclose anti-social neighbours within the property information questionnaire of the home information pack (HIP). However, it's pretty arbitrary, says Trevor Kent, director of Buckinghamshire-based Trevor Kent & Co Estate Agents. "Firstly the questionnaire has an 'I don't know' option, and secondly, what's a noisy neighbour to one person is a real hoot to another. This means it would be very difficult for a buyer to take up at a later date, although a handful of cases have gone to court." Halifax says that anti-social neighbours can shave up to £31,000 off the price of the average property. So before changing contracts, check your HIP and try to talk to the seller about their relationship with the neighbours. If you've already moved in and find that your neighbours are being a nuisance, first try to talk to them and if it doesn't work complain formally to your local authority. For more tips and advice go to Neighbours from Hell website (nfh.org.uk). Hannah Williams bought her one-bed flat in Peckham, south-east London back in early 2006 for £150,000. But although Hannah, a 36-year-old PR consultant, thought she had landed herself a bargain, the neighbours in the flat immediately below were to make her living experience a nightmare. "I knew the occupants were council tenants with a baby, which I thought would be a good thing as I assumed Southwark Council would be a diligent landlord - but this proved far from the case," she says.

Soon after Hannah moved in the neighbours had two more children: "The noise was incessant - basically consistent with a young family of five living in a one-bed flat," says Hannah. "They need to be re-housed to a bigger property. I've told the council, but I'm being ignored." Worse still was the neighbours' infestation of mice. "About three months after moving in, I pulled up the carpet in my hallway and was greeted by a terrible smell. The council came and identified the smell as mice - but in the flat below. They found two nests under the neighbours' bath, but on the several occasions they tried to treat the problem, they were refused access."  Now with a baby of her own, Hannah moved out of the property in April 2009 and rented it out. "I am now doing everything I can to solve the problems for my tenant, including spending £150 to keep the mice away from my flat." She adds: "I would never break the law by failing to disclose the problem to a potential buyer, which means I have no hope of selling until the tenants are re-housed. This is really my only hope."

2 Illegal home 'improvements'

When making major changes or building onto your home, you must adhere to building regulations and, in many cases, seek planning permission. However, some people don't bother, says Dean Sanderson, managing director of Manchester-based estate agents, Sanderson James. "If a property has had illegal changes made to it, new buyers will have to factor in the cost of rectifying the problem." Visit planningportal.gov.uk to see what is legal - with and without permission.

3 Living on a flood plain

The recent bout of flooding across Cumbria is testament to the changing global climate - something homeowners can do nothing about. "A local authority search will throw up whether a house is situated on a flood plain, so it's not something vendors can mask," explains Charles Smailes, former president of the National Association of Estate Agents. The value that could be washed away from your home will depend on its own particular flooding history as well as measures taken by the local council to prevent it happening again - both of which should be flagged up to potential buyers, he adds. But, at the very least, sellers should brace themselves for a discount equating to the cost of repairs. According to the Association of British Insurers, the average cost of flood damage to homes is between £20,000 and £40,000.

4 Neglecting the outside of your property

Failing to keep up with general maintenance, such as a neat front garden, fresh paintwork, effective guttering to prevent water damage to exterior walls, and clean windows, can wipe up to 5% off the value of your property, according to experts. Yet this so-called 'kerb a appeal' is one of the cheapest measures you can take to retain your home's value, according to Halifax research.

5 A sinister history

While you won't have to legally disclose superstitious gossip about your home or if there's been a death in the house, if it's common knowledge, it's a good idea to be upfront about the issue from the start, thereby building trust with a prospective buyer. Smailes points out, however, that some homes are just unsellable. "For example, if it was still standing, 25 Cromwell Street - the home of Fred and Rose West. You could forget selling a home like that for any price."

6 Semi-permanent bad taste

Bad taste and workmanship can wipe between 5% and 10% off the value of an otherwise perfectly good home. "Stone-cladding on the front of the house can look cheap, while nasty-looking conservatories will also put off new buyers," she says. The same applies to other semi-permanent changes that are not in line with modern tastes, such as timber panelling, textured walls and Artex ceilings.

7 A surprise development

It might be that, soon after you moved into your home, the surrounding environment took a turn for the worse. For example, your garden now sits in the shadow of a mobile phone mast or your front door is just feet away from a busy road. While you can campaign and register objections with the local council, in many cases you will just have to swallow the change - which can significantly devalue your home. If you're buying, don't rely solely on the local authority search, which forms part of the HIP, advises Kent. "What the searches throw up varies. Sometimes a buyer will only be told about outstanding planning permissions within a half kilometre radius of the property, while other searches explore further." In this case, take matters into your own hands by conducting your own personal search. This can be carried out at the local council offices for a small fee if you make an appointment in advance.

8 An increase in crime levels

If your area has seen an increase in crime levels it's not going to bode well for the value of your property. What's more, local crime levels are now very transparent - prospective buyers can use websites such as upmystreet.co.uk - so you can bet your bottom dollar this will be factored into any offer price you receive for your home. Fitting approved locks on doors and windows and installing a working alarm should ease the blow. But most importantly, flag up vigilant neighbours. You could even start a Neighbourhood Watch scheme - which is even more difficult for criminals to negotiate.

9 The dog takes over

An estimated 39% of people in the UK own a dog or a cat and in most cases this will have no effect at all on the value of your home when you come to sell. However, if pets are smelly, intimidating or simply too many in number, it's very off-putting for potential buyers. Even if your furry friend is overlooked, you can expect offers of as much as 5% below the asking price.

10 The nearby school gets a bad ofsted report

After property, good schools must be the UK's most popular obsession. It should come as no surprise then, that the performance results of state schools within the catchment area of your property will have a direct effect on its value. According to the latest report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), buyers will pay an average 8% premium on a home that is located within the catchment area of a so-called 'good school'.  But this works the other way around too and if the local school gets a bad Ofsted report, you can expect the same amount to be wiped off your home's value. RICS spokesperson, Jeremy Leaf, says: "It is quite normal for potential buyers to check the local Ofsted reports before they even read the particulars for their preferred properties."

Five factors that will boost your home's value

• Better transport links: A new Tube or train station, which provides easier access to a city centre, could add thousands to the value of your home

• Perfect neighbours: Vigilant neighbours not only make for a well-kept street but provide extra security for your home - all factors which add value to your own home when coming to sell.

• Good results at the local school: According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a school with a good Ofsted report will add 8% to the value of homes that fall within the catchment area.

• An official accolade: When a city has been given recognition, such as Liverpool's Capital of Culture in 2008, it sees a boost in investment which often translates into inflated house prices.

• A major sporting event: With East London hosting the Olympics in 2012, surrounding properties witnessed a 15% rise in value before the property crash, according to Halifax.

Nairobi, Friday 19th February, 2010. Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki says his country is not in crisis, despite repeated reports of a bitter power struggle among the nation's elite. Mr Kibaki acknowledged there had been a "heated debate" but said Kenyans should not be worried. The president formed a unity government in 2008 with his rival, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to help stop deadly riots sparked by a disputed election. On Sunday, the pair disagreed over the suspension of two ministers. Mr Odinga announced the suspension of the officials, who are suspected of corruption. But Mr Kibaki reversed the decision hours later, throwing the government into chaos and leaving the public confused as to who was running the country. "Over the last few days, there has been heated debate about the cohesion of the Grand Coalition government," Mr Kibaki said in a statement. "In that regard, I wish to assure Kenyans that there is no crisis." Mr Odinga had called on former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to intervene in the power struggle. But in a statement released earlier, Mr Annan made no mention of visiting Kenya and simply called for both sides to resolve their differences. A spokesman for Mr Odinga later said the prime minister and president had spoken over the phone and would meet for talks on Sunday. The country was engulfed in fighting between supporters of the two men after a presidential election in late 2007. Mr Odinga's supporters claimed he had been cheated out of victory by Mr Kibaki. Some 1,300 people died in weeks of violence and tens of thousands were displaced.

Dressing for the occasion

Kenya High Commisioner in the UK HE Ephraim Waweru Ngare and his wife Mrs. Jane Ngare (left) dressed for the occasion minutes before they were escorted to see the Queen and on right Kenya Airways Station Manager Mrs. Mary Nganga (left) caughg charting with Mary Wanjiru a staff at Kenya High Commission. She has worked for the commission for more than 30 years. - ALL PHOTOS HERE

Mysterious disease kills fish in L. Naivasha

Thousands of fish in Lake Naivasha have died in the last two days raising fears among fishermen and locals. Part of the lake has been covered by the decaying fish as a heavy odour filters across the water body that is said to be on its deathbed. All species of fish in the lake have been affected by the mysterious disease with fingers pointing to toxic wastes from flower farms. A visit to the lake by KBC found fishermen collecting the fish from the lake and burying them by the beach as tourists unaware of the incident toured the lake. According to an eco-tour operator David Kilo, they first noticed huge Common Carp fishes floating near the beaches. "We got concerned after finding at least 200 fish floating in a section of the lake all with bloated bodies," He said and attributed the deaths to chemical from flower farms around the lake adding that the problem could get worse in coming days. "Chemical run offs from the farms have been the order of the day and the situation has been made worse by heavy rains that have pounded the area in the last two days," A conservationist Mr Nigel Warren who was once a member of the Lake Naivasha Riparian Association said.Pollution caused by large-scale flower farming has been wrecking havoc on the  Lake which is the only fresh water ecosystem in the eastern. "I resigned from the association in protest and flower farms around the lake have in one way or the other contributed to the current status of the lake," said the former UK soldier. A researcher from Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI) George Morara said that deaths could have been caused by suffocation or pollution. Speaking on phone, Morara said that samples had already been taken to the institute's laboratory and results would be out by Monday next week. "Initial investigations show that the fish died from suffocation as their mouths and gills were open." He added that majority of the dead fish were found in shallow areas which had been covered in siltation following the heavy rains. "There could be depletion of oxygen when the organic matter decomposes causing the deaths of the fish,"  He was quick to add that they did not rule out pollution adding that laboratory results would clear up the issue. In the last couple of months, the lake's  water level and quality have dropped with experts warning that the lake faces an ecological collapse.

A smile for the boss

It was raining as the High Commissioner returned from Buckingham Palace and at hand to welcome him with a smile was Mr. Odieki the accountant at the embassy with other staffs.

WHEN THINGS ARE HOT, COOL IT WITH A CUP OF TEA

David Miliband says Britain is asking for answers from Israel The use of six fake UK passports by the alleged killers of a Hamas commander is an outrage, David Miliband has said.  The foreign secretary vowed to "get to the bottom" of the case in Dubai, as an inquiry got under way.  Dubai's police chief has said he is 99% sure of the involvement of Israeli agents in Mahmoud al-Mabhouh's death, but Israel says there is no proof. Its UK ambassador said he was "unable to add additional information" after he met the UK diplomatic service's head. The international police agency Interpol has issued arrest notices for all 11 suspects, although it admitted their true identities was unclear.  Diplomatic tensions have mounted since the killing at a luxury Dubai hotel last month, which police said allegedly involved European passport holders.  The Irish Republic has called in Israeli ambassador Zion Evrony, and France has also demanded explanations over the use of a false passport.  Mr Miliband said he "hoped and expected" Tel Aviv would co-operate fully with the investigation announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The inquiry will seek to explain how passports bearing the names of six British-Israelis, who are not the men pictured, came to be used. Israel' secret service, Mossad, has been accused of involvement in the killing in Dubai on 20 January. Mr Miliband refused to reveal what was said in the 20-minute meeting between Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor and Sir Peter Ricketts, the head of the UK's diplomatic service. Speaking on the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2, he said: "It's very, very important that we don't make accusations until we know that they're well founded." He added: "Any interference with British passports is an outrage. We take this case extremely seriously - the integrity of our system is critical." Mr Prosor told journalists after his meeting that it is "not the usual way to talk about what happens in those meetings". In Dublin, Israeli ambassador Zion Evrony also insisted he knew nothing about the killing of the Hamas commander. The Ambassador said that he had no information on the matter and would relay the messages he had received to his authorities. British Conservative leader David Cameron called for Israel's ambassador to the UK to be asked "some pretty tough questions". Meanwhile, shadow foreign secretary William Hague has urged the Foreign Office to confirm when it first knew about the fake passport claims. UK diplomats said they had received details of the British passports a few hours before Dubai released details on Monday.

However, Mr Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "entirely possible" the government had been alerted to their use in January.

He later said Israel should issue a "robust statement" ensuring its government would not sanction the cloning of British passports. Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell said any abuse of British passports was an infringement of British sovereignty and the Israeli government should act to end a "raft" of speculation. The BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said if there was proof Israel had used British passports "for some nefarious uses of its Mossad service - as they have in the past with Canadian and New Zealand ones", then relations between the UK and Israel would be "in a crisis". The Serious Organised Crime Agency has confirmed photographs and signatures on the passports used in Dubai do not match those on passports issued by the UK. The men whose names appeared on the passports have dual British and Israeli citizenship. They are Melvyn Adam Mildiner, Paul John Keeley, James Leonard Clarke, Stephen Daniel Hodes, Michael Lawrence Barney and Jonathan Lewis Graham. They all deny involvement in the killing.

The details of the suspects and their passport photos were released by officials in Dubai earlier this week. The Irish government has said passports used by three people believed to have been involved in killing a Hamas member had genuine numbers. However, authorities said while the numbers were legitimate, they did not match records for the names which had been used - Gail Folliard, Evan Dennings and Kevin Daveron. Dublin's Department of Foreign Affairs said officials were urgently trying to contact the three citizens who hold or have held passports with these numbers.

In a statement it said it took "grave exception" to the forgery, which could potentially put at risk the safety of Irish citizens travelling abroad.

France - and reportedly Germany - have raised doubts over the identities of two suspects who used a French and a German passport. France's foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said it was "demanding explanations" from the Israeli embassy in France about the circumstances of the use of a false French passport in the Dubai killing. Reports have suggested the Hamas commander was in Dubai to buy weapons for the Palestinian Islamist movement, Hamas. Two Palestinian suspects were being questioned about the murder. Police said the pair had fled to Jordan after the killing, but were extradited back to Dubai on Sunday.  Officials in Dubai, who have issued arrest warrants, said the team appeared to be a professional hit squad, probably sponsored by a foreign power. "It is 99%, if not 100%, sure that Mossad is standing behind the murder," Dubai police chief General Dahi Khalfan is quoted as saying by an Abu Dhabi-based English-language paper.  The Respect MP George Galloway said assurances from Israel could not be trusted as the "rogue state" had broken its word in the past.

Kenya High Commissioner in the UK presents his credentials to the Queen

The High Commissioner of Kenya in the UK HE Ephraim Waweru Ngare accompanied by his wife Jane presented his Credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  in London on Thursday 18th February, 2010 at 12.45 p.m. The high commissioner was  escorted to Buckingham Palace by two horse carriage.  Four other staff from the embassy accompanied the high commissioner on the horse ride around the streets of London. The first carriage carried the High Commissioner and his wife Jane together with Vice Marshal and the Director of Protocol at Foreign and Commonwealth Office Mr. Simon Martin. The second carriage carried the immigration attaché Mr. Abraham Mwaura, Military Attaché Colonel F.W. Macharia , First Counsellor Mr. Jeremy K. Laibutah and the Deputy High Commissioner Mr.  Addison Chebukaka. A reception followed thereafter at the Kenya High Commission offices.

The Queen horse carriage arrived at the at office of Kenya High Commissioner on 45 Portland Place at about 11.15 a.m. After preparation the Queen horse carriage left for the Birmingham Palace at about 11.30 a.m. The press was given a vehicle by the embassy and we drove behind the carriage. After a joyride through the streets of London the Queen Horse Carriage arrived at Buckingham Palace at about 12.15 where there was tight security including policemen with guns inside the palace (see the photos). No photograph inside the palace. Inside the palace the Queen took about 15 minutes with the Kenya High Commissioner discussing issues about Kenya. The Queen explained to the High Commissioner that she likes Kenya because it was in Kenya in 1952 where she had gone for honeymoon that she became the Queen. She continued to explain that it was a lovely place and she hope that she will get another chance to visit Kenya. Traditionally, the Queen takes only 5 minutes receive the credentials. After presentation, the High Commissioner and the team joined invited guests at the offices of the Kenya High Commission for a reception.  – MORE PHOTOS

"Nasikia Buda huko nyumbani amewaka....Sunday mta Meet"

Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo where they met Kenyans living in the city on February 16, 2010. Photo/PMPS 

The National Council of Churches of Kenya - NCCK has called on the Grand Coalition Government partners to bury their political differences and direct their energy to the reform agenda.  Addressing the press at Ufungamano House in Nairobi   Wednesday, NCCK secretary general Rev. Peter Karanja said rifts in the coalition government would stall the constitution review process.  Rev. Karanja said a new constitution would resolve most of the issues creating disharmony in the government.  He urged the political class to focus on the harmonized draft constitution so as to soberly debate the document when it is tabled.  On the new constitution, he reiterated that the NCCK is against the inclusion of Kadhis courts saying that all religions should be treated equally before the law.  He hailed efforts by Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo for trying to bring Christians and Muslims together to iron out their differences over Kadhis courts and come up with a mutual agreement The Committee of experts on constitutional review is currently fine tuning the revised harmonized draft law which will be handed over to the parliamentary select committee on the constitution on Friday for adoption by parliament.  The experts are considering recommendations by PSC that sought to resolve the contentious issues in the draft key among them the system of governance.

A group of Kenyans in UK  has been issued with a demonstration permit by the Westminster Police. They want to demonstrate against President Mwai Kibaki when he comes to London next week. More later.

Kenya High Commissioner to present his credentials today

The High Commissioner of Kenya in the UK HE Ephraim Waweru Ngare and his wife Jane will be presenting his Credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II  in London on Thursday 18th February, 2010 at 12.45 p.m. The high commissioner will be escorted to Buckingham Palace by two horse carriage.  Four other staff from the embassy will be accompanying the high commissioner on the horse ride. Among those accompanying the high commissioner  is the immigration attaché Mr. Abraham Mwaura, Military Attache , First Counsellor Mr. Jeremy K. Laibutah and the Deputy High Commissioner Mr.  Addison Chebukaka. A reception will follow thereafter at the Kenya High Commission offices and only to the invited guests.

K24 TV joins the que

K24 Television station in Kenya has joined in the que. They are now on www.habari.tv You can watch Jeff Koinange with his exangerated English version. K24 is a part of Kameme. www.habari.tv kingdom is growing day by day. The best bit of the news is KBC Swahili News. I like the swahili presenters.

Former High Commissioner in February 2004

Former High Commissioner of Kenya in the UK HE Joseph Muchemi was the last to present his credentials on 12th February 2004. He is still in London.

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Kenyan couple in Scotland trapped in visa nightmare

Joseph and Christabel Lumbasi with the visa applications.

A Kenyan couple living in Angus, Scotland have become trapped in a heartbreaking visa nightmare which has left their two young sons stranded thousands of miles away in East Africa. This week was to have finally been the start of a new family life together in Scotland for youth worker Joseph Lumbasi and wife Christabel following a trip to their homeland to bring their boys Lance (6) and Leslie (4) to Forfar after years apart. The Lumbasis have built a new life in Tayside in the three years since Joseph arrived in this country to complete a masters degree at St Andrews University, working hard to build up the funds required by the authorities to unlock the door to their dependants. A month ago the devoted couple returned to Western Kenya for an emotional reunion with the youngsters, for what they believed would be the realisation of their dream of a new beginning together.  Instead their visa applications for the boys were blocked, leaving the couple forced to take the heart-wrenching decision to sneak away in the dead of night on a solemn journey back to Scotland. The parting has been so painful that neither parent has been able to bring themself to speak directly to the distraught children, who remain in the care of Christabel’s mother but cannot understand why the promise their parents made has not been fulfilled.

Exhausted emotionally and physically at the weekend after their arrival home in Restenneth Drive, Forfar, Joseph said he and his wife would now try to put aside their dreadful pain to find support for a visa appeal application, which must be lodged within 28 days. The circumstances which have left the family in limbo centre on the amount of money immigration authorities require families to have in their bank account before their dependants can come to live in the UK. Joseph, who completed his studies in 2007, said, “After my studies I applied for Fresh Talent working in Scotland and was given two years to live and work here.” He gained a post with Dundee abuse support charity Izzy’s Promise as a development worker and recently successfully applied for general migrant status, which became effective for three years. Christabel later joined her husband in this country and for the past year and a half has been working in a Fife care home. The couple believed the immigration rules required them to provide proof of a bank account with just over £1800 in it to secure Lance and Leslie’s entry into the UK but the authorities have said the sum must be £4000 —a level which Joseph claims does not apply.

He said, “The visa refusal says the sum in the bank account should be £4000—£1600 for each of the children and £800 for the father —but we believe the rules say that if you have been here for more than 12 months it brings it down and that is why we arranged to go back to collect them because we knew we had proof in our bank account. “We followed the normal procedure of applying for dependants. We had bank statements, marriage certificate, proof of residency and everything we thought we needed and we were so sure it was going to go through. “We went to Kenya to bring the children home here and they are not here. It is terrible for us.” He added, “To everyone we are liars. The Border Agency think we are liars because they do not believe what we told them and our boys say, ‘Why did you lie to us? You said you would be taking us with you’. “We were very excited when we were going home because we knew we would be bringing our boys back. “Friends have been calling us and asking how the boys are and if they are excited to be here and we just have to tell them what has happened.

“We had to hide them when we were leaving because they knew they would start crying. It was very distressing. “We told my mother-in-law early in the night that we would be going so she could take them and we then got on the bus to get to the airport.” Christabel said, “We were confident that 2010 would be the year we would be together. “That is what we had planned and we are not a family now. We got this house to be with our boys. “When we are together we just sit here and we don’t even talk to each other.  “We have nothing to say —the boys are not here and we are so upset. We went home to bring the children home and they are not here.” Christabel has spoken to her mother since the couple arrived back in Scotland but cannot bring herself to talk to her sons on the phone. “I cannot speak to them because I know how upset they will be and I have had to say that their dad has had to go to hospital because he is not well—which is not true but they are so wanting to speak to him too.”The UK Border Agency in Glasgow and the Home Office were unavailable for comment last night but in similar situations have said they do not discuss individual cases. The couple said they would be making contact with their local MP and MSP in an attempt to gain help which may resolve their plight. - Source: The courier

Satellite collar for giraffe in Kenya

A young giraffe in Niger smells his mother’s new satellite collar – one of eight fitted in the last week as part of a project to protect the once-endangered animals. Photo: Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

Government response to Children's Commissioner report on Yarl's Wood

Home Office, 17 February 2010

The government has responded to a progress report by the Children's Commissioner, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, on the detention of children at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre in Bedfordshire.Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said:'Treating children with care and compassion is an absolute priority for the UK Border Agency, and we take the detention of families very seriously. We believe that children should not be separated from their parents. 'We only detain families as a last resort. We always release families where advised it is in their best interests by independent social workers and specialist medical professionals. 'We only detain families when the independent courts conclude they have no right to remain in the UK. We encourage families to return voluntarily, avoiding the need for detention. If they refuse to return, we have no choice but to enforce their removal. 'The changes we have made at Yarl's Wood have been praised by many, including Sir Al, who praised the improvements made over the past few years when giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee in September last year.'

Pictures of the week: Hands in Africa

TOP LEFT: Sumudu Dhanapala's photograph of a Burkinabe car mechanic's "work-stained" hands begins a gallery of hand-themed pictures sent in by BBC News website readers. CENTRE: In Somaliland, Chris Lynch took this shot of a woman's hand decorated with henna and a ring. RIGHT: Margaret Gilligan took her shot in Lamu, Kenya. “My friend and I had tattoos done by the best henna artist on the island," she says.

LEFT DOWN: This picture was taken by Ramune Pranaityte in a village in Mozambique. "A young girl with sad eyes likes to hold her hands on her chest," she says. CENTRE: On a walk through the Togolese countryside near Kpalime, Travis Ferland photographed a man with a grasshopper he had caught… RIGHT: … and another by Travis Ferland taken in neighbouring Benin of some chameleons being sold in a market for use in voodoo.

I support Raila – when the dust and emotion settles he is the right to sack corrupt ministers.

By Macharia wa Gakuru

Before I met Raila in 2003, I thought him as a terrorist, a man who wanted to overthrow the government of Kenya by force. I saw him as a very bad man and being he was a Luo then he was against the Kikuyu as I was made to believe that Luos were against kikuyus. Beside for those who wanted to be very radical in their arguments they compared him to the uncircumcised Philistines in the bible times (we don’t know if he is circumcised – and does it matter)  whose place was in Kamiti Maximum Prison. This mentality might be very much thriving in some members of Kikuyu community and how wrong I was and some still they are. In fact, one person told me if Raila ruled Kenya like Koigi wa Wamere he will never step in Kenya and will shave his hair if Raila is out of the office or dies – whoever dies first – hoping that Raila was to die first before him.

I went to a social gathering the other day in East London and a good friend of mine was a bit drunk. He wanted to tell me his mind while he was sober but being that sometimes, you respect people while you can reason normally.  He told me all he thought about me and my links with Raila in a straight manner. Let us call this friend Ngure Muramati – though it is not his real name. Muramati is Uhuru Kenyatta ‘damu’.

‘Macharia I know you support Raila’ he started

‘Yes I do I think he will make the best president Kenya will have in this decade. He is a leader ’, I replied.

‘Let me tell you I think you are a traitor and someone our tribe (kikuyu) should never trust ‘, he replied with signs of anger and frustration.

As I sipped by coke and he galloped his tusker he continued,

‘I remember very well you said that Kibaki stole leadership from Raila and that you wrote sometime back that Kibaki is out of touch with his people what will you say about Uhuru Kenyatta – what is wrong with  him?’  He asked with a bit of focus.

For a minute, I saw as thought he had sobered up. I knew despite him showing signs of being drunk he was not out of his control or anywhere near. It was just one great opportunity that had risen for him to put me on a spotlight to know what I thought.

‘Kenya does not need a political dynasty. The next president of Kenya should be from any other tribe and in my opinion; Luos have contributed in our country and should lead us. I hate to think we will have another Kikuyu president.’ I replied.

‘That’s why I tell you that you have been paid to speak wrong about us. You are against Kikuyus,’ he bust out and banged the table.

‘No’, I replied

A friend sitting with us – Musau calmed him down ‘there is no fought here Muramati – it’s just a general discussion’

‘Kenya has 43 three tribes or even more. When will we have a Massai president, Luhya, a Digo or a Taita – Somali or even Rendille? Are they not Kenyans?

Don’t they deserve to lead us and even some can make Kenya much more transparent and free of corruption. In my opinion I don’t want to see another Kikuyu president and whilst the concept of democracy is that let the best win I still fell the tribe should support anybody else apart from their own’, I clarified.

The man did not like me for this. He ordered another round of drinks. By then my Nyama choma was ready and I was happy to share with my fellow Kenyans.

Another Kenyan hearing the debate decided to join our table. He had I think also noticed that the roasted meat was on the table.

‘Could I join you?’ he asked politely.

Well why not – Musau invited him as he introduced himself as Ochola.

Ochola was quite fluent in Kikuyu He explained.

My father worked in Nyeri post office and here he married his Kikuyu wife and I was born.

‘My parents are still in Nyeri – that’s where we call home,’ he told us.

He ordered a plate of Nyama Choma

‘I agree with Gakuru’ he said.

Muramati jumped in ‘well of course – you have Raila's blood’ he exclaimed.

‘Of course yes but I also have a Kikuyu mother and I live in UkuyuLand,’ Ocholla added with a bit of frustration in his voice.

‘Raila hate him or love him he is a leader. He is active in every way and he acts on what he says. The other day there were issues of Mau forest – who went out to plant the to plant trees? Raila. Where was Kibaki? Hiding in the statehouse or pretending to be busy. Kenya requires a strong leader and that is what we know’, Ocholla added.

The evening did not end up well each man stood his ground and alcohol taking Muramati’s normal reasoning I decided to excuse myself and leave.

Kenya has many potential leaders be it Kalonzo Musyoka, Mudavadi or Uhuru Kenyatta but none of which world match the energy that Hon Raila  gives our country. Of course I would prefer a very new person with ‘Obama factor’ but we cannot see any. Hon  Muysimi Mutava  looked as though he had credibility but when he got in the parliament he went to sleep or closer still thought of his own stomach.  Tell us who out there will give Kenya a fresh new look? Who has the guts even with nothing in their hands to lead Kenya – is it Sam Ochieng, Jeff Macharia, Cllr Lapini or entrepreneur  Joshua Odongo or our own Mister seed (Peter Kiruthi) who, who? Cannot we organize ourselves and find one among us and we give him or her our total support?

In my own world, I would hate to see another Kikuyu president. It will be so unwise and even in the next twenty years the Central province should give other provinces an opportunity to lead us. We do not need a dynasty in Kenya and we need to share our wealth to balance our people. There are tribes who cannot stand on their own, as they have not had the opportunity that the Central province has had. Central province started at an advantage and will always be advantaged lets give others a change.

Issue of Sacking of Ruto and Professor Ongeri

Kenyans forget very fast. In 2008, Ruto was at the center of the killing in the ethnic cleansing in the rift valley though we have to wait for ICC to prove this theory. Kenyans are very easily fooled. It is said that it is  Uhuru who financed and equipped the Mungiki group to counter the Ruto Rift Valley killing – giving him a big merit among the Kikuyu tribe. How comes that they (Ruto and Uhuru) are sharing the same bed and darling of each other?

Have we just forgotten that its Raila – Ruto factor that caused the same mayhem that we saw in Kenya in 2008 and again they are fronting Ruto a good boy for PNU and Raila pushing his agenda of being the Kenyan president?.

Kibaki – we have known him as being at the center of a corrupt government whose accountability is never questioned enough.  Well not as corrupt as Moi’s rule. Kibaki as a matter of a fact has done something that we can see  but he could do a better .  We also know you are corrupt in your own way and you will never jail your very own ‘boys’ – ‘kanda cia moko’ likes of Saitoti, Kiraitu Murungi, Murungaru and others. Equally the same will be said for Raila. Behind the scenes I guess that someone has refused to honor the dirty deal. They pocketed the whole money and do not want to pay their masters – this story is still unfolding – wait.

Kenyans we know the facts that all these political devils – Raila, Kibaki, Kalonzo, Ruto Mudavadi or even Kenyatta are not enemies. They are very good business friends. Don’t we hear that  Railas son Federal and Jimmy Kibaki’s son are making huge profits in selling Kenyans oil?. They cannot let their dads fight – no way. We are all fooled.

Kenyans don’t be fooled. All these guys are playing the political game. There is new alignment being formed but whatever the alignment Raila Odinga is my man. He is the cleverest and sort of better nationalist than all the others. He wants to match Obama on the international scene and with this I think he will strive to do a good Job. He want to prove skeptics wrong that after all those years of struggle he had only good intentions to lead Kenya and as they say Luo’s are very good managers.

In my mind and when all the dust is settled Raila is right on the issue of planting trees on Mau escarpments, trying to remove all the squatters and the big fish out of the largest Kenya water catchments area which Kibaki boycotted.  He is also spot on to sacking Ruto and Prof Ongeri. General Kiguoya – Mwai Kibaki should have supported both moves and it’s a shame he returned corrupt ministers in government at expense of the common mwananchi. Looking forward to President Raila Odinga in 2012.

Former Kenyan athletics champion dies in crash

The country’s athletics fraternity was on Wednesday 17th February 2010 thrown into mourning after the death of David Lelei in a road accident on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.  Mr Lelei died on the spot after his vehicle collided with a trailer on Mbaruk Bridge, a black spot near Shiners Boys High School.  The former 800 metres and 1,500 metres world champion was travelling to Nakuru with former world 10,000 metres champion Moses Tanui, who survived the crash but suffered serious leg and chest injuries.  Mr Tanui was taken to the nearby St Mary’s Hospital before being transferred to Nairobi Hospital for specialised treatment. Doctors told the Nation that Mr Tanui was out of danger.  Witnesses said that the impact of the accident was such that the athletes’ Toyota Raum car split into two. Nakuru Police commander Johnstone Ipara said the body was taken to Nakuru Municipal mortuary.  “It is too early to speculate the cause of the accident because this area is a known black spot and has claimed lives of several people,” he said.  Mr Lelei was born on May 10, 1971. In 2007 he attempted to run for the Eldoret South parliamentary seat on an Orange Democratic Movement ticket but lost at the nomination stage to the eventual winner Peris Simam.  He was also the chairman of Athletics Kenya (AK)’s Wareng District branch and last officiated on February 7 during the Discovery cross country race and half marathon race in the area. His former coach, Mr David Leting, described him as great athlete and master organiser who helped his village.

Footballer given four red cards in a game

A footballer who got red-carded four times in one match has been banned for two years. Ricky Broadley of Mountain Rangers received the cards in the course of a Caernarfon district league cup match against Penrhyndeudraeth. The 29-year-old was sent off for stamping on an opponent in the course of a 64th minute brawl on the pitch as his side trailed 2-0. He went on to receive further red cards for first arguing with the referee, then throwing water over him, and finally confronting him angrily in the clubhouse following the match. Broadley, a former Bangor City striker, was also hit with a £75 fine by the North Wales Coast FA. It is not the first time he has been in hot water with footballing authorities: Broadley has previously been banned for life from playing Sunday League football, and he was lucky to escape the same sanction this time around. The player - who had received one red and three yellow cards in his previous 10 matches with Mountain Rangers - claimed he had been punched and put in a headlock before the stamping incident. His club had already confirmed that he will not be playing for them again. Referee John Owen sent off three other players during the match, which finished 3-0 to Penrhyndeudraeth.

Is Raila sleepwalking to political oblivion?

By Alex Kamau Kamotho.

When Raila left the NARC government and orchestrated a successful no vote against the referendum, he set in motion a national euphoria that would turn critical in his near triumphal in the disputed 2007 elections. That he was kingmaker in 2002 led to his perceived status as being powerfully at par with Kibaki.

I admire and respect Raila’s tenacity - his enduring campaign for reform and fight against graft. This now sadly confronts him with a tragic quagmire. Unfortunately and to his bitter realization, his political rise may have reached its zenith-and the nadir is beckoning.

Why do I say this? First the coalition government which he is second in command has failed. Many believed their messiah was Raila. Today as Kenyans witness corrupt scandals and ODM luminaries perceived as culpable, Raila stands accused. Unlike 2007 when he stood on high moral ground and claimed things were wrong because he wasn’t in government, he is the de-facto deputy.

Secondly, that Raila has fallen out with two of the pentagon should trouble him as each represents a strategic voting block. Tragically and in spite of warnings, Raila failed to tame Hon Ruto- a ruthless Machiavellian of no equivalent. Raila was happy to unleash Ruto on his enemies but is now paying heavily in kind.

Is Raila so gullible and easily hoodwinked by euphoria to miss the important details? First he was duped by Moi-remember NDP? Then twice by Kibaki (MOU) and the National accord which greatly favours PNU.Were he to walk away today, Kibaki would reconstitute government without the ODM. With the bounty that goes with ministerial office, there are many takers- overwhelmingly Raila’s enemies who would delight in his political demise.

The unfortunate tragedy of history is that good people don’t win at crucial moments-and Raila’s enemies understand this better than he.

Each of the pentagon individuals’ hold ambitions beyond being Raila’s subordinate-and crucially only self preservation binds them to Raila. Would Musalia Mudavadi for example turn down the premiership were an eventuality to make this a possibility. Asking MPs to resign especially those from Rift valley, Coast or Western would mean losing MPs-further weakening his already precarious position.

Significantly most of Raila’s political associates such as Ngilu, Balala, Nyongo, Orengo, and Joe Nyaga don’t necessarily support him because they believe in anything he represents- but because of what he is able to help them achieve at a particular point in time. The latter three would not be MPs outside ODM- all have at some point been on Raila’s opposite spectrum. If Mudavadi is made PM- and Ruto a deputy PM -Raila’s fate will be sealed. This possibility must not be ignored.

Raila should realize that as many people as support him- so exist others who viciously disagree and dislike him. Many of those who voted for Raila did so because he revolted against a gluttonous government they disliked. As JJ Kamotho once said of Matiba’s Ford Asili, in some Kenyan regions, a dog as ODM candidate would have been elected!

Thirdly while Kenyans supported the coalition government- and tolerated a cabinet of 40, they expected genuine change. The person they looked to deliver was not Kibaki-he represented the status quo they were opposed to. He has failed dismally on this count.

Feted by world powers especially Britain as a new start in Kenya’s governance, Raila now seems unable to confront the ills that bedevil Kenya. He was hoodwinked into basking in the glory of support - and incarcerated by his ego-failed to recognize the severity of the expectations bestowed on and expected of him by his supporters. The day of reckoning is nearing with every corruption revelation about this scandalous government whose activities he supposedly oversees.

That some of his closet allies are today in the spotlight over theft of maize-which impoverished ODM supporters paid dearly for has acted to confirm what many quietly feared-that besides propaganda and a desire to get power at any cost, ODM was merely an egocentric talk shop of chronically power hungry malcontents.  Savvy politicians avoid over promising during electioneering period. This is the cardinal sin Raila committed. It’s almost inconceivable he will deliver a tenth of the promises he made in 2007. Kibera remains Kibera. With the tough economic climate hitting hardest his core supporters, Raila is on the wrong side of history. I will say without fear of contradiction that come 2012 the most bitter Kenyans -largely owing to poverty will be those who almost to a man voted ODM.

Fourthly there is a powerful feeling that the older generation has dreadfully failed Kenya. At sixty five, Raila would not claim to be youthful-he may belong to a past no longer relevant. By 2012 Raila’s international supporters such as Britain’s Gordon Brown will most certainly be out of office. A new generation of younger and shrewder leaders will be in-charge. The possibility that American foreign policy dictum would sway in Raila’s favour is a mirage. The world’s political landscape will be different and the desire to do deals with a sixty plus political activist will ill fit with the challenges of then.

If the coalition survives to 2012, Raila will and with great mortification realise that populist politicians are waning in appeal and what Kenyans need is leadership that delivers bread and butter to the many; which he has been unable to deliver in opposition or in government. Come then there will be new political alignments determined to block his ascendancy to the presidency.

Raila’s support for anything foreign from a UN army to restore peace, a foreigner as chair of the electoral commission, to the FBI have shown a man prone to grave judgment that one wonders what faith he has in the Kenyans he so desperately want to lead.

He may wish to learn a lesson from John Howard- once a popular Australian prime minister who lost both his parliamentary seat and prime ministerial position in 2008 -when his views were no longer relevant to the Australian voter.

I am a nondescript Kenyan. Raila or his aides need not heed my counsel; however these may form part of the appendices they will use in writing his political obituary. Hopefully, I will be available to offer my political condolences.

The writer is a lecturer in the United Kingdom.

akkamotho@yahoo.co.uk

PM vows hit squad passports probe

Gordon Brown has promised a full investigation into the use of faked British passports by the assassins of a Hamas commander. Passports in the names of six British Israelis were among 11 European identity papers revealed by Dubai police hunting the hit squad that allegedly killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month. The Foreign Office announced it has summoned the Israeli ambassador to a meeting on Thursday to discuss the the links to Israel and the fact a number of the British nationals are affected. Some of the individuals concerned reacted with horror to the use of their identities and denied any involvement in the operation. Mr Brown said: "We have got to carry out a full investigation into this. The British passport is an important document that has got to be held with care." A Whitehall source said the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) was helping with the passport element of the Dubai-led investigation but "various bits of government" were involved. But, with fingers being pointed at Israel, the Prime Minister insisted the full facts had to be gathered before the Government issued any further statements on the matter. Israel's foreign minister said there was no evidence to link Mossad but refused to issue any formal denial in line with a "policy of ambiguity" on security matters. The Labour chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Mike Gapes, said the case raised a "big concern" and backed the summoning of the ambassador if the UK suspected Israel. Shadow foreign secretary William Hague questioned whether the Government proposed to take the matter up with Tel Aviv in a letter to Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

The truth behind elephant brainpower

Elephants can be alarmed when they hear the Maasai speaking

Are elephants so smart that they can spot the difference when they hear people speaking different languages? Armed with a giant loudspeaker in the back of a land rover, it is a possibility that researchers have been exploring on the plains of Amboseli National Park in Kenya.  They have also been trying to see if elephants can count lions and figure out the age of other elephants. Elephants do not have good eyesight but their sense of hearing is acute. It is much more sensitive than ours. The same is true for their sophisticated sense of smell. The scientists on the research team have been playing sounds or laying down scents which elephants would encounter in nature, but doing so in clever ways that reveal elephant knowledge and thought processes. Dick Byrne, Professor of Evolutionary Psychology at St Andrew's University has studied the cognitive abilities of primates and has been carrying out the experiments with elephants at Amboseli, using different scents to probe mental skills.

He said: "They've proved to have abilities which have only been found elsewhere in the great apes and humans. "We are a bit limited by how little we know about elephants, but the odd glimmers we get seem to be rather remarkable." One of the team's findings has been the elephants' ability to recognise many other individual elephants from the sound of their call. Karen McComb, an animal psychologist at the University of Sussex, UK, carried out a sound playback study designed to discover how many other elephants a single elephant might recognise from the sound of their calls. The specific call in question was a long, deep rumble known as the contact rumble. An elephant makes it to say, "I'm here. Where are you?". The low frequency message can be heard by other elephants several kilometres away. The contact call was played to numerous elephant family groups. It was calculated that elephant matriarchs were able to learn the identity of at least 100 other individual elephants by voice. Dr McComb's Sussex colleague, Graeme Shannon said it was akin to putting 100 people behind a wall in the far distance, getting each one to shout something and asking someone to identify each person correctly. There is also evidence from a study with animals in zoos in Japan that elephants have considerable numerical skills. Elephants have proved adept at recognising the difference between two quantities of objects as they were placed into buckets.

It is a test which has also been done with a range of primates, including human children. According to Professor Byrne, elephants outperformed all those other species. "Their abilities didn't seem to be limited in quite the same way as monkeys, apes and children would be. "Most of us would find it much easier to discriminate two from one than from five and six... "But these effects didn't show up with the elephants. They are just as good at telling five from six as one from two." The latest playback experiment by the Sussex team has been designed to see if Amboseli'selephants can discriminate between different human languages. The elephants commonly encounter speakers of three different human tongues as they move in and out of the national park's boundaries. There are the semi-nomadic cattle herders of the Maasai ethnic group, who speak a language called Maa.

The animals also travel through land farmed by the Kamba people, who have their own language, and they hear English, which is spoken by the majority of tourists.  Detecting whether they can tell languages apart depends on whether the elephants exhibit defensive or perhaps aggressive behaviour.  According to Graeme Shannon, the animals are most likely to be alarmed when they hear the Maasai speaking.  Amboseli's elephants and Maasai community are wary of each other. Sometimes elephants will kill Maasai cattle and, very occasionally, people. When this happens, young Maasai warriors will go out and spear an elephant to death in retaliation.  Least threatening to the animals are the English-speaking tourists who just want to watch and take photos.  The Sussex team have only just begun to play recordings of these different languages to the animals so it is too early to tell if elephants can tell the difference.  However Dr Shannon recalls an incident when his assistant, Katito Sayialel, a Maasai who speaks Maa, was talking to the elephants.  Katito said: "They were nervous, raising their heads."  Yet when she spoke in Swahili they calmed down, relaxed and continued feeding.  Dr Shannon said that as a scientist, he was a little cautious about saying it was definitely a response by the elephants but "there seemed to be something going on there".

Hoteliers’ disregard of law puts Mara ecosystem at risk

A research published in the ‘British Journal of Zoology’ says Masai Mara is now losing its animal variety, especially giraffes, warthogs and impala. This has been blamed on increased human settlement and the mushrooming of hotels and lodges.  Kenya’s tourism industry has been placed under a global spotlight over the many hotels operating illegally in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. An inter-ministerial audit indicates the government is losing millions of dollars in unpaid taxes because many hotels operating in the reserve are not licensed, and a good number of them are a threat to the fragile ecosystem. An audit in five government ministries and a similar number of national agencies concluded that, of the 108 units in the Greater Mara Ecosystem with almost 4,000 beds, only 29 per cent are in business legally. Yet, although the report was completed and presented to the government in March last year, little has been done about it. After losing patience, the UK Federation of Tour Operators, a member of the influential International Federation of Tour Operators, wrote to the minister for Tourism Mr Najib Balala two weeks ago demanding to get a list of establishments operating illegally in the Mara. The letter, written by Nikki White of the federation, reads in part: “You will appreciate this matter has caused our members concern, and they need information to be able to anticipate any potential business implications. I trust, therefore, that you will treat this matter as urgent.” However, by Monday this week, the minister had not responded to the letter. The federation of tour operators and its members are the point of contact for almost all tourism activities in Europe, and any negative advisory about Kenya abroad could leave a major dent on the local tourism sector.

British authorities are investigating how six British nationals apparently had their identities stolen by suspected Mossad agents to cover their tracks on a mission to assassinate a top Hamas leader in Dubai. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that the identities in the British passports used by six members of the 11-strong hit squad were those of real British passport holders. “We are aware that the holders of six British passports have been named in this case,” said a spokesman said. “We believe the passports used were fraudulent and have begun our own investigation.”  Authorities are investigating the possibility that British passport details were copied from the originals by immigration staff while the holders were travelling. While the names, passport numbers and dates of birth on the fraudulent passports matched the originals, the photographs and signatures were different. British officials refused to speculate on the real identity of the assassins today but speculation has mounted that the killing was the work of the Israeli spy agency, Mossad. Dubai police have said they cannot rule out Israeli involvement. If that proves the case, it could mark the beginning of a new diplomatic row with Israel following the most recent spat over British courts issuing arrest warrants for Israeli ministers. Mossad has used forged and stolen passports of several friendly countries to carry out hits in the past, including the bungled assassination attempt on the Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, in 1997, when forged Canadian passports were used. In 2004, New Zealand suspended diplomatic relations with Israel after jailing two Israeli agents for possessing fake New Zealand passports. In 1987, Britain formally protested to Israeli over the use of forged British passports and received assurances it would not happen again. One of the British passport holders named in the Dubai is Mervyn Adam Mildiner, a British Jew who emigrated to Israel in 2001. He was stunned to awake today to find his name plastered across Israeli newspapers and televisions screens as one of the alleged assassins with an Interpol arrest warrant in his name.

The European Union has shown its righteous wrath by stripping Greece of its vote at a crucial meeting next month, the worst humiliation ever suffered by an EU member state.

Beauty is like a flower

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela (L) sits beside her ex-husband, South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela (C), and his wife Graca Machel (R) at the gallery during the opening of Parliament in Cape Town February 11, 2010. Photo/REUTERS 

Doctors leave foot-long surgical tool inside woman

It took five months for a Czech woman to discover the reason for her abdominal pain - when it was revealed that doctors had left a foot-long medical tool inside her abdomen. Doctors at a clinic in the southeastern Czech town of Ivancice discovered their colleagues had forgotten to remove a spatula-like surgical instrument from the woman following gynecological surgery in September. Top regional official Michal Hasek apologized Zdenka Kopeckova, 66, and said Monday that the region, which is in charge of the clinic, plans to compensate her. Clinic head Jaromir Hrubes blamed 'a series of individual failures' and said four employees had been punished. CT24 news television reported that the woman, who complained repeatedly to her doctors about the pain, plans to sue.

Kenyan skier Boit suffers Winter Games heartbreak

Vancouver - Kenyan Nordic skier Philip Boit, who had been hoping to mark his retirement with a third Winter Olympic appearance, will now set his sights on a possible world championship swansong instead. "It was very important for me [to compete in Vancouver] as this was the last Olympics for me," 38-year-old Boit told AFP after trying to appeal against an International Ski Federation (FIS) decision to set a minimum qualifying standard. The FIS had set the minimum standard at a generous 500 or less points. But the 15km cross-country sprint race, the most accessible race to National Olympic Committees, has long been thought to attract a "raw" field of athletes and in the run-up to Vancouver the standard was tightened, only allowing entrants with a maximum 300 FIS points. Boit, following a harrowing series of qualifying attempts compromised by broken poles, drastic acclimatization, lengthy travel and illness, managed to bring his FIS point rating down from 526 to 302. The National Olympic Committee Kenya (NOC-K) made an appeal on his behalf to the FIS and International Olympic Committee (IOC). Francis Paul, Secretary General of NOC-K said: "It is very sad but sometimes this is the way of the Games."

FIS rules allow them to potentially draw athletes who have fallen outside of the qualifying standard when the quota of 310 athletes has not been met. Aided by the support of donations from friends and family in Kenya and the United States, Boit made it to Vancouver while his appeal was deliberated. Boit, a former distance runner, has always stood out in Nordic skiing. Opting not to leave his family, he trains using roller-skis on dirt terrain in the 25 degree heat of his hometown of Eldoret most of the year. When possible, he has trained in the Northern Finnish province of Lapland.  However, visa restrictions limited his training time and forced him to take make frequent expensive flights back to Kenya to renew.  "I might be the only one in Nordic skiing who is always having to get visas to go to areas of training," said Boit.  Since he began skiing Boit has filled five passports with visas he has used to train.  For a man who earns his livelihood as a farmer meeting the expense has been difficult to bear.  "Everything is financial so it has been very difficult for me," says Boit. "Last year I sold five of my cows to help raise money for my training in Finland."

TOURING KENYA: TODAY IS LAKE TURKANA

The largest and most northern of the Rift Valley lakes, Lake Turkana covers an area of 7,500 sq km. The lake itself is surrounded by barren volcanic lava beds with little to no vegetation. Until 2 million years ago this great body of water was a freshwater lake fed from the north by the Oma River in Ethiopia. Today, Turkana has no outlet and the water is highly alkaline and barely drinkable. Despite the harsh climate, several tribal groups have adjusted the desert heat including the Turkana, Rendille, Gabra, and El Molo.  Loyangalani is a remote settlement on the shores of the lake populated by Turkana tribespeople. The whole area is part of Mount Kulal Biosphere Reserve set up by UNESCO to study arid lands. In 1967, Richard Leakey discovered the Koobi Fora fossil site on Lake Turkana. This area is protected now as an important prehistoric research site as it lies within the Sibiloi National Park. – MORE

Freak Out - Blobfish v Crabzilla

We all love a good weird picture - but which is the strangest of the strange? Each week, we'll put two of our favourite bizarre images to a public vote in a tournament to find the weirdest picture in the world. Two pictures enter - only one will leave... It was something of a walkover in last week's contest, with the ocean's saddest little gelatinous lump, the Blobfish, completely trouncing the smoking snake in the public's affections. That marks the second week of triumph for the Blobfish, which means the poor little chap is gradually working his way toward a place the coveted Freak Out Hall Of Fame. As such, we have decided to illustrate his progress on our hi-tech, no-expense-spared Hall Of Fame graphic:

Courts overhaul planned to help juries baffled by judges

Two thirds of jurors do not understand what judges tell them about the law when they retire to consider their verdicts, according to a ground-breaking study into the secrets of the jury room. The findings will trigger an overhaul of the courts. The investigation found that jurors frequently used the internet to read about trials on which they were sitting, risking miscarriages of justice. In 2008, juries in three Crown Court trials had to be discharged because they used the internet inappropriately.

World's strongest beer created - and it's 41%!

BrewDog claimed today to have snatched the world's strongest beer title from its German rivals - with a 41% volume ale called Sink The Bismarck! It said its new creation "takes beer to a whole new level". The launch of the record-strength IPA comes weeks after German brewer Schorschbrau appeared to take the strongest beer title with its 40 per cent strength Schorschbock. BrewDog, of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, said its newly unveiled Sink The Bismarck! costs £40 for a 330ml bottle and will only be sold via its website. The company said the beer, which is stronger than whisky and vodka, should be consumed in spirit-sized measures. Managing director James Watt said: "In true BrewDog fashion we've torn up convention, blurred distinctions and pushed brewing to its limits with this audacious amplified ale." The firm drew criticism from industry watchdog the Portman Group last year when it unveiled a 32% beer, Tactical Nuclear Penguin. It has also faced claims that its 18.2% Tokyo beer promoted excess. But Mr Watt said today that the brewery was doing all it could to promote a "new and responsible approach" to beer drinking. He said: "We want the public to learn to understand, appreciate and respect beer. "At BrewDog we want to highlight a different approach to beer - one which focuses on quality ingredients and craftsmanship, and not marketing budgets and volume sales and binge consumption. "As a company, responsible consumption and better education about beer is ingrained in all we do." He added that it was "ignorant" to assume beer cannot be enjoyed responsibly like a spirit or a glass of fine wine.

Pic'n'mix 'chocolate' insects to be given to kids

A trip to Chessington World of Adventures is about to become even more stomach churning for kids, because the Surrey theme park is offering kids real creepy crawly snacks to chew on. The bizarre goodies will be on offer in traditional pink and white paper bags as a trial on Friday, and will include chocolate ant wafer biscuits, cheese and bacon flavoured crickets and chocolate covered larvae. They will be handed out free of charge in a new Asian-themed area of the park that opens in March. It’s certainly a courageous move, because the theme park already contains enough things to make kids’ feel queasy as it is, such as the 45mph rollercoaster Dragon’s Fury. However, General Manager David Smith is confident that their new insecty pic’n’mix will be a hit. He said: ''I have tried the sample snacks and I think if you can exercise mind over matter you will find that they are actually quite tasty. ''I think I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! has uncovered a secret desire in many of us to try eating insects, so now is your chance. ''If you are one of many parents who have found themselves pouncing on a child as the worm they discovered in the back garden is about to disappear into their mouth, maybe this new line of ethically sourced insect fare administered in a controlled environment is just what you need.''  Still, we think it would be wise of them to order in a few extra sick bags, just in case.

Have a look at this website and it is interesting to see what some people own in Kenya – CLICK HERE

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON WEDNESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2010

LEFT: Doctors have discovered new secrets linked to the ageing process according to the Daily Express. CENTRE: The Guardian leads on the Dubai assassination and features a picture of triple Brits winners Lady Gaga. RIGHT: The Britons caught up in the Dubai assassination story are the focus of the Daily Mail's front page.

Rift valley Mps call for the PM to resign

Supremacy battle is now brewing in ODM with MPs allied to the alleged suspended agriculture minister William Ruto saying there is no crisis in the country to warrant the invitation of Koffi Annan by a section of the party.  This comes as a section of MP allied to Prime Minister Raila Odinga say the party was in the process of identifying an MP to replace Ruto in the agriculture ministry. The party's MPs allied to the alleged suspended agriculture minister want  the prime minister to step aside since he too is culpable in the maize scandal and stop crying to foreigners master whenever faced by a problem. They termed Raila move to suspend Ruto wanting since his office too was ranked high and hence he should take the political responsibility than playing holier. They said the national accord does not in any way give the premier the power to fire ministers and commended the president for quashing Raila's directive. And while the pot steams hot Nyanza ODM MP's seems to have sealed Ruto's fate and are now claiming to have identified Ruto's successor at the ministry of Agriculture. They claim Raila is Kibaki's equal partner in the coalition arrangement.

Brit Awards 2010: Lady Gaga leads the red carpet parade in towering pompadour wig

She was the first to arrive - and certainly left a lasting impression. But onlookers were left stunned and unsure of what to make of Lady Gaga's entrance at the Brit Awards. The singer appeared on the red carpet sporting a white tiered dress with a white pompadour wig that would make even Amy Winehouse's beehive appear tame. And while Gaga left more to the imagination than usual, the towering ensemble was arguably, even by her standards, one of her most bizarre fashion choices ever.

US urges principals to unite

As the Grand Coalition government partners continue to trade accusations over the National Accord, the US government wants them to bury their differences and move forward the reform agenda.  Addressing the press in Nairobi Tuesday, US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said if the bickering does not stop it would derail the reform agenda.  Ranneberger said the coalition government has made commendable gains in bringing reforms but called on President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to work together for the sake of Kenyans. The US envoy supported the suspension of top government officials adversely mentioned in corruption.  Elsewhere, Forestry and Wildlife Minister Dr. Noah Wekesa says the two principals should consult on every issue at hand as that is the practice in coalition governed countries worldwide.

Challenger - Crabzilla

It's a battle of the denizens of the deep this week, as Blobfish's grip on the title is threatened by 'Crabzilla' - a monster Japanese spider crab from the depths of the Pacific, who has recently taken up residence at Birmingham's National Sea Life Centre, where he is busy giving visitors the screaming heebie-jeebies. We are reassured that Crabzilla is not actually a threat, however, on the grounds that a) he isn't aggressive, and b) he's

The crisis in the Grand Coalition Government escalated on Tuesday after Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ODM declared a boycott of Cabinet meetings until the rift is resolved. The decision was taken during the party’s joint Parliamentary Group and National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Tuesday.

ODM secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o (left) speaks at Orange House on Tuesday in support of party leader Raila Odinga’s move to suspend Cabinet ministers Sam Ongeri (Education) and William Ruto (Agriculture). He is with deputy vice chairman Ramadhan Kajembe. Photo/PHOEBE OKALL  

The meeting, chaired by national vice-chairman Ramadhan Kajembe and secretary general Anyang’ Nyong’o also dwelt on disciplinary measures to be taken against its members who do not toe the official party position.

ODM divided

ODM is itself divided with two ministers, William Ruto of Agriculture and Najib Balala of Tourism quick to say they would defy the boycott.

Calls for ODM ministers to boycott Cabinet meetings had first been voiced by Lands minister James Orengo at a press conference at his office.

Mr Orengo, who later joined his colleagues at the NEC/PG meeting, had announced that ODM ministers would only attend Cabinet meetings once the rift between their party and President Kibaki’s PNU was resolved. But in a swift rejoinder, Mr Ruto and Mr Balala vowed to defy the directive and accused the party’s leadership of dictatorship. “They should stop running the affairs of the party as if it were their own,” the Agriculture minister said, “ODM is bigger than individuals”.  Mr Balala accused some leaders in ODM of running the party like a one-man show. “This is the dictatorial thing that some of us in the party are opposed to, because they don’t consult anybody. If they want us to pull together, they must learn to consult senior members like us who belong to the pentagon,” he said.

The stand taken by the two is likely to put them on a collision course with the party leadership after Tuesday’s meeting called upon ODM national chairman Henry Kosgey to convene a retreat so that members could discuss ways of disciplining those who do not toe the line. “We have asked the party’s chairman Henry Kosgey to convene a retreat so that we can discuss ways of enforcing discipline in the party,” Prof Nyong’o said. Enforce discipline Asked what action the party would take against ministers who defied the resolution to boycott Cabinet meetings, Prof Nyong’o shot back: “That is why we are calling for a retreat to discuss ways of enforcing discipline in the party.” The party meeting did not state whether the boycott would extend to skipping ministerial duties and functions or would be limited to missing Cabinet meetings. The meeting, attended by more than 20 MPs, including four Cabinet ministers and several assistant ministers backed Mr Odinga’s decision to suspend Mr Ruto and his Education counterpart Sam Ongeri over corruption allegations. The MPs accused President Kibaki of failing to deal with corruption allegations facing his ministers, while praising the PM for his bold anti-graft crusade. “The disagreement between the President and the Prime Minister is not about power, it is a fight against corruption, we call upon the President to deal with all acts of corruption decisively instead of sabotaging the Prime Minister’s bold actions,” Prof Nyong’o added. Others at the meeting included Cabinet ministers Joseph Nyaga and Dalmas Otieno.

Also present was the party’s national treasurer Omingo Magara who has been previously linked to the Ruto camp. Prof Nyong’o, who is the Medical Services minister, revealed that ODM had written to chief mediator Kofi Annan prior to Mr Odinga’s announcement suspending the two ministers. “ODM wrote a letter to African Union on eighth of this month because we foresaw trouble ahead, and like a boil, it boiled over,” said Prof Nyong’o. Mr Balala expressed shock that he was with Mr Orengo Tuesday morning, yet the Lands minister never informed him of the afternoon announcement.  “I was with Orengo this (Tuesday) morning, sat next to him, but he never mentioned a thing! I will not buy that.”  On Sunday ODM leader Mr Odinga suspended party deputy leader Mr Ruto from his Cabinet position for 90 days alongside Prof Ongeri, who is from the PNU wing of the coalition, to pave the way for investigations into the maize and education scandals. But the defiant ministers said Mr Odinga was not their “appointing authority”, and asked him to instead step aside because he chaired the Cabinet committee that approved the procurement of the grains illegally. However, Mr Orengo on Tuesday exonerated Mr Odinga of any wrongdoing in the procurement of subsidised maize, as the chairman of a Cabinet committee that approved the importation. “Mr Odinga chairs all committees of Cabinet except that of security,” he said “if that is the allegation then, the entire Cabinet is responsible for the sleaze and fraud.” The PricewaterhouseCoopers report on the maize scandal, says the country lost Sh2 billion in the deal.

London, Tuesday 16th February, 2010. The UK inflation rate rose to 3.5% in January 2010- the fastest annual pace for 14 months - from 2.9% the month before, official figures have shown.  Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation was driven up by VAT returning to 17.5% and higher petrol prices.  Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation which includes housing costs, rose up to 3.7% in January, up from 2.4%.  Bank of England governor Mervyn King has had to write a letter of explanation to the chancellor.  A letter from the bank's governor is required if inflation is more than one percentage point above or below the government's 2% target.  In it, the governor said the inflation rise was "temporary".  Mr Darling responded, saying the inflation outlook was "subject to some uncertainty" as the world emerges from the "deepest downturn in modern times".  The CPI inflation rate is the measure targeted by the Bank of England's interest-rate setters, while the RPI rate is often used as a benchmark in wage negotiations.  And January's VAT rise was the biggest factor raising the CPI to 3.5%, according to the Office for National Statistics.  The government had reduced VAT to 15% for the previous 13 months, to try to boost consumer spending.   Higher fuel and transport costs also pushed the CPI up, and last month's cold weather increased some vegetable prices, with the cost of cauliflowers rising by the highest amount since 1996.  The Bank of England had warned inflation could rise to 3.5% this year but predicts it will fall back below the 2% target later in 2010. This is because the economy remains relatively weak as it continues to recover from the recession that ended in the last quarter of 2009.

Explanation: Mervyn King must tell Alistair Darling why inflation has topped targets

Most economists expect the Bank to hold off from raising interest rates to try to bring inflation back down sooner. UK interest rates have been at the record low level of 0.5% for 11 consecutive months, as the Bank seeks to aid the economic recovery. However, earlier this month the Bank decided against further quantitative easing (QE), the policy designed to stimulate growth in the UK economy. Under QE, the Bank has pumped £200bn of new money into the economy by buying assets such as government bonds, as a way to boost lending by commercial banks. A number of analysts said concerns about the current high rate of inflation was likely a factor in the Bank choosing not to extend QE. However, former monetary policy committee member Professor David Blanchflower told the BBC that a spell of higher inflation would benefit the UK economy, suggesting that 4% would be a "pretty good starting point". "You would actually end up inflating some of the debt away, but also if we get into a position where house prices were to fall further we are going to have a large number of people in negative equity, and if you have a few years of inflation that actually will deal with that problem." Higher inflation would help to keep interest rates low, he added. However, the combination of higher prices and lower rates is seen as punishing those who have put money aside, as the value of their savings is eroded while the returns they make on them declines.

A British man married to a Kenyan passes away in UK

The late Michael Cave (right): and his wife Agnes Cave from Kenya

A British man married to a Kenyan has passed away in Grays, Essex, UK. It is with much sorrow and regret that we announce the sudden and untimely death of Michael B. Cave which occurred on Sunday 14th February, 2010 in Grays, Essex, UK. The late  Mike who is married to a Kenyan Mrs. Agnes Cave was a great father and brother, loving and caring husband and much loved member of the community. He is survived by his wife Agnes Cave, Sons; Richard, Simon, Owen and Kevin. Family and friends are meeting for prayers, support and funeral arrangements at 6pm-10pm starting Tuesday 16th February, 2010 at the address: Grays Baptist Church, Orsett Road, Grays. RM17 5HH.  For further information contact: Godfrey Gichuki on 07853389428, Pastor Karanja on 07903157894 and Agnes Cave on 07746997828.

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1964 - Rika rîa Jamhuri - Republic

One in four women over 35 'never have sex'

More than one in four British women aged 35 and over "never" have sex, a poll revealed today. A total of 28% of women said they never make love, with the figure being highest in Scotland (38%). Meanwhile, 32% of women in the Midlands said they have sex on a weekly basis. Among those having sex, women without children said they had more orgasms, with 41% saying they orgasm most of the time. The figure dropped to 12% of women with one child and 14% of those with two. Most women said the daily grind of the office had an impact on their sex lives, with 67% of those working part time saying they had orgasms most or all of the time compared with 55% of women working full time. The survey was released by Sky Real Lives to mark the launch of its new series, The Secret Guide To Women's Health. It found most women admit to violent mood swings at certain times of the month, with 35% of those aged 35 to 44 saying they felt violent tendencies towards themselves or someone else during their period.

When asked about their concerns about the menopause, 28% of women aged 35 and over said they fear losing their memory and 26% are scared of losing their sex drive. The poll of 745 women also found that 42% of those aged 35 to 64 have sought medical help for depression or are thinking about doing so. Barbara Gibbon, head of Sky Real Lives, said: "Women's health has never been such a hot topic. "The survey results indicate that there are issues that are just not being talked about and women are suffering in silence - PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and its mental impact being just one case in point. "As a channel dedicated to women, we feel that looking into every aspect of health and delivering key information to our audience is incredibly important - knowledge really is power." The Secret Guide To Women's Health is presented by Coleen Nolan and a team of medical experts. It will tackle a different issue in each episode, ranging from menopause and incontinence to sexual health and eating disorders. Nolan said: "There are so many women suffering from health problems they don't want to seek help for because they think it's embarrassing. "This research and the new show will provide a platform to discuss any problems which they can't talk about with friends."

Sikh will be first non-white in far-right BNP

An Indian-born Sikh pensioner is hoping to become the first non-white member of the far-right British National Party (BNP) because he wants to fight Islamic extremism, he said on Monday. Rajinder Singh, 78, is joining the BNP -- whose policies include stopping immigration -- after the party voted Sunday to change its constitution to admit ethnic minorities for the first time, following a court ruling. Singh, a retired teacher, was born in West Punjab and left India in 1967. He said he had seen the "potential of Islam", witnessing extensive violence after partition in 1947, and wanted to "save" Britain by working to prevent similar scenes here. "Islam is global, it has zero loyalty to Britain," he said. "The BNP are sons of soil and they are standing up for their soil. I wish we had a counterpart of the BNP in India in 1946." He said he had adopted the "British way of life" but denied he had renounced Sikh values. "Some Sikhs say 'You are not a Sikh', but I have core Sikh values," he added. "Britain is changing, it's not the Britain I came to when I came in. The British people are worried, and the BNP is the expression of their worry". Singh also praised BNP leader Nick Griffin for "taking on the whole storm of lefties" who wanted to encourage multiculturalism. The BNP says it expects Singh to become an official member Tuesday, while Griffin has said he expects a "trickle, rather than a flood" of applications from ethnic minorities. The party has no MPs in the House of Commons but two of its representatives sit in the European Parliament and it has dozens of local councillors around England.

Pensioners resident in Britain when they turn

60 receive funds to help them in the cold months

Taxpayers sent 14 million pounds in the form of a government winter fuel payment to tens of thousands of their retired compatriots in other European countries last year, a newspaper said on Tuesday.  The annual payment for British pensioners to help them in the cold months is handed to retirees resident here when they turn 60. It continues to be paid to them even if they later leave for warmer EU destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Greece, said The Times. Under European Union law, Britain cannot discriminate against its citizens who live elsewhere in the bloc. The number of people receiving the fuel allowance in EU countries outside Britain hit a record 63,740 last year, said the paper, citing official figures. Payments to British expatriates living in other European Union countries rose to 14 million pounds in 2008-2009, said the paper. This compares to 9.5 million pounds the previous year.

Kenya Govt to destroy bad maize Friday 19th Feb.

Over 31,000 bags of maize contaminated with the killer aflatoxin chemical will be destroyed on Friday.  The bad maize is part of the consignment imported from South Africa last year. Public Health Minister Beth Mugo says the 300 million kilograms of maize were lying at the Embu National Cereals and Produce depot following a court case that has finally been thrown out.  Mugo demanded thorough investigations to establish the Kenyan agent of the South African company that sold the contaminated maize to the country. Another consignment is being held at the National Cereals and Produce Board depot in Eldoret until a case barring the government from destroying it is determined. Currently, the government is handling the maize scandal that has seen eight senior government officials among them four permanent secretaries suspended.

UK bank Barclays reports profits up 92% to £11.6bn

Banking giant Barclays has seen its full-year profits increase by 92% to £11.6bn ($18.2bn) in 2009.  The figure was boosted by the sale of its BGI fund management arm to US firm BlackRock last year.  Stripping this out, profits fell 13% to £5.3bn with £2.5bn from its Barclays Capital investment banking arm.  The bank, which did not take any direct state help during the financial crisis, also saw the level of its total bonus payouts rise to £2.7bn.  It will pay £1.5bn in bonuses for 2009 and a further £1.2bn to be paid over three years. Some 22,000 investment banking staff are receiving £191,000 each on average in salary and bonuses - of which £95,000 is discretionary bonus.  But the bank said that chief executive John Varley and president Bob Diamond had turned down bonuses for the second consecutive year, given "intense public interest and concern" about bankers' pay.  The large profits enjoyed by bankers have prompted widespread public anger because the banking sector was widely perceived to have taken dangerous risks which led to the global recession.

Ruto, 6 PNU MPs tell off PM

Nairobi, Tuesday 16th February, 2010. Agriculture Minister William Ruto Monday accused Prime Minister Raila Odinga of double standards in the war against corruption.  Addressing the press in Nairobi, Ruto claimed that Raila wanted to sacrifice him and shield corrupt officers in his office.  He further claimed that the PM is the one who pushed for a censure motion against him last year when the maize scandal came up.  He alleged that Raila was using other people to fight him politically. Elsewhere, a section of Members of Parliament from Central Kenya say Prime Minister Raila Odinga overstepped his mandate by suspending Agriculture minister William Ruto and his Education counterpart Samuel Ongeri.  The MPs maintained that the constitution mandates only the President to appoint and sack ministers.  Speaking at Parliament buildings, the MPs led by cabinet minister Beth Mugo accused the PM of playing populist politics for political mileage.  Instead they called Raila to himself take the lead and step aside since he chaired the committee that  handled the importation of maize. "Let the PM take responsibility for the maize scandal and resign. We support the President's  position and the fight  against graft which should be done within the constitution and the laws of Kenya" said the MPs. They also want the then Minister of Finance John Michuki and then Trade Minister Amos Kimunya suspended over the scandal. They are now calling on the Premier to adhere to the rule of law and stop playing politics in the fight against corruption.

London bus driver suspended after 'stopping bus and beating up pedestrian’

Ndagatuîra ûngî mata – hatatupia mwengine mate

A bus driver has been suspended after he allegedly assaulted a pedestrian in front of hundreds of onlookers. The pedestrian was seen talking to the driver and then allegedly spitting at him through the front side window after the No 149 bus stopped near Monument Tube station at about 11.40am on Sunday.  Witnesses said the driver then got off the bus and attacked the man. He allegedly hit the pedestrian repeatedly and kicked him in the groin when he was on the ground — before being stopped by members of the public.  Transport chiefs said the bus had stopped in King William Street as it was heading towards London Bridge.  A passenger on another bus, Charlotte Urwin, 29, said: “The driver grabbed the man from behind and started hitting him. He went to the ground and the driver started kicking him. Everybody on the top deck was saying Oh my God'.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has called on ministers whose ministries have been linked to corruption to resign. The commission Chair Florence Jaoko said evidence showed there was widespread corruption in ministries apart from the Agriculture, Special Programmes and Education. "As a commission that deals on issues directly affecting wananchi, we are perturbed by what has happened in the past two days in Government and how corruption is dealt with," said Jaoko. Vice-Chairman Hassan Omar asked the Government to investigate and prosecute those behind corruption scandals. "Ministers have to know what happens in their ministries. PSs are technocrats who give advice, but ministers should take political responsibility even if they have not stolen any money," said Mr Omar. Jaoko said contradicting statements from President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga on corruption had caused a lot of tension. She spoke a day after Raila suspended two ministers for the loss of millions of shillings in ministries under their watch, only for Kibaki to revoke the suspension hours later. "The kind of intrigues being played by the two principals does not auger well for the country coming out of post-election violence," said Jaoko. Omar said the coalition had no specific guidelines for Kibaki and Raila regarding consultations and their responsibilities. "The fact that there is lack of clarity in the coalition does not mean that either principal can just sit as things go wrong," he said.  Added Omar: "Reports had indicated that there was corruption in the two ministries and a decision had to be taken from either principals as the executive authority." He said although the Prime Minister should have consulted the President, he was right on suspending Mr William Ruto and Prof Sam Ongeri. – The Standard

Ruth Gichuki in serious car accident in Maryland, USA

Ruth Gichuki, the daughter of Mzee Francis Gichuki of Accokeek Maryland was involved in a serious car accident on Friday February 5th 2010.She was travelling to Laurel on I- 95 North, when her car was hit from the back, forced to spin and turned around. The car was then hit head-on by another car, thrown to another car and rolled over several times before coming to a stop in the middle of the busy I-95. Ruth’s daughter,31/2 years old Grace Ayo was thrown out of the car when it was rolling over to the middle of the highway but by the grace of God, cars stopped before running over her. A total of 5 cars were involved in the accident which caused a major traffic jam that lasted for several hours. Grace Ayo was taken to Children’s Hospital in Washington DC while Ruth was taken to University of Maryland Shock and Trauma center in Baltimore.  According to her sister Mary Gachuki, Ruth fractured her femur and pelvis bones. Doctors have done surgery on all the fractures and she is waiting healing while undergoing rehab at the shock and trauma center. The baby miraculously was not injured and was discharged few days later after all the test came back negative. She did not even have bruises which was a shock to many people who saw the pile up and the damage to all the cars involved. For those who would like to visit Ruth, she is in University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.5th Floor, T5 Room 16.You can also contact Mary Gachuki, Ruth’s sister at 240 988 5218. – Source: diasporamessenger.com

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON TUESDAY 16TH FEBRUARY, 2010

LEFT: Credit cards are charging the highest interest rates for 12 years, according to the front page lead in the Independent. CENTRE: According to the Express a family is claiming benefits of £100,000 and living in a £2m house. RIGHT: The Telegraph also features the story of extortionate credit card rates, some of which are as high as 46%.

DO YOU KNOW? Eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph.

Belgium train crash photos

Aerial view of the scene where two trains crashed head-on in Buizingen, near Halle killing at least 25 people and on right an Aerial view of the scene where two trains crashed head-on in Buizingen, near Halle February

GatorBike: the alligator motorbike that helps to save pets

When it comes to spreading the message about conserving wildlife, we’re more used to protesters chaining themselves to trees or digging tunnels in front of road-builders. But one charity fundraiser decided instead to spread an entire alligator skin over a custom-built gas-guzzling chopper motorbike – and sell 1,000 raffle tickets at a snappy £75 each. Jim Jablon, owner of the Wildlife Rehab centre in Hernando, Florida, devised the GatorBike to raise funds for the charity, which rescues neglected or abused exotic pets. The 120mph reptilian ride features the skin and skull of an alligator culled and donated by state officials. ‘I thought, “Why not put it to good use?”’ said the 45-year-old. The skin is detachable but the head is fixed perm-anently into the handlebars and has the speedometer implanted into the back of the skull. And the prize draw is set to be just as quirky as the toothy two-wheeler itself – with the winning ticket to be plucked from a pool full of alligators by a 22-year-old model. ‘It’s not dangerous,’ said Mr Jablon. ‘We’re not going to tie a chicken to her or anything.’

A reptile dysfunction: Its maker didn’t want the skin to go to waste – but this £50,000, 3m (10ft) chromed-out beast is the fastest road kill on record – and it could be yours for just £75... and on right Gator-aid: Mr Jablon’s animal rehab centre has rescued dozens of exotic pets, including this albino Burmese python named Arctic

Gloucestershire £56m EuroMillions winners revealed

A couple who scooped Britain's biggest ever lottery win have told how they plan to buy a new house and travel the world. The winners of £56m in the EuroMillions lottery have been named as Nigel Page, 43, and his partner Justine Laycock, 41, from Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The couple, who both plan to give up work, came forward to claim their prize on Saturday. The total £112m jackpot was split with another ticket, bought in Spain. Talking about the win at a press conference in Bath, Ms Laycock said: "It would be lovely to get a five or six bedroom house with a pool and lots of space but we really enjoy the area we live in now so we won't move far. "We'd also like to buy somewhere abroad where we can go on holiday but it'll have to be in the school holidays." Cars are also near the top of their wish-list, they said. Mr Page, who runs a property maintenance business, currently drives a white van and was due to make the last payment on it next month. He now plans to swap it for a Range Rover Sport or a BMW X5. He said he recently started playing the game online and had already won £55 in last Wednesday's Lotto draw. He said: "I'd already checked my National Lottery account and had seen I'd won £55 on Lotto when I decided to buy two Lucky Dips for the big EuroMillions jackpot on Friday. "I didn't think about it again until Saturday morning when I was watching the news with my daughter and saw that there was one UK winner who shared the jackpot with a ticket in Spain. "I remember even joking it might be me. "I logged on to my account and saw the Lotto win for£55 in my account and just below it was the £56mEuroMillions prize. I started shaking and couldn't speak.

"I just kept looking at it on in the screen in front of me but I couldn't say a word." Mr Page then woke his partner of eight years who was still asleep. She said: "I knew something was up as Nigel never wakes me up on a Saturday morning and he looked so worried. "All he said was, 'I need you urgently, I need to show you something'. "I thought something awful had happened but he took me to the computer. There it was on the screen. "His hands were shaking so much he couldn't pick up the phone so I called the lottery line and they confirmed it was true." It is the fourth time in three months that a British winner has scooped more than £25m in the EuroMillions draw. In November, Les Scadding, 53, and wife Samantha Peachey-Scadding, 38, from Caerleon, south Wales, won £45.5m. A further £45.5m was won in the same draw by a syndicate of seven IT workers at Hewlett Packard in Liverpool. Then in January, four family members from Dorking in Surrey won £26.1m. Across Europe, the record EuroMillions win is £113m by a single ticket-holder from Spain in May last year. EuroMillions is played in nine countries - the UK, France, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Irish Republic, Portugal and Switzerland.

Man jailed for trying to sell his own sister

Home Office, 11 February 2010

Four people, including a man who tried to sell his own sister, have been jailed for a total of nine years for their part in a sham marriage scam. At an earlier hearing, 22-year-old Michael Wright from Swindon admitted trying to sell his own sister, who had learning difficulties, into a marriage with a Chinese immigrant. Wright was arrested by our officers from the South East region immigration crime team on 20 August 2009 as he arrived with his sister at Reading register office for the 'ceremony' with would-be groom Ligang Qiao, 29. Li Fan, 33, and her boyfriend Bing Liu, 30, were arrested at their home on Erleigh Road in Reading on the same day, as part of an operation led by Thames Valley Police officers seconded to us. Wright had met the other three members of the gang when they all worked at the same Berkshire burger bar. In 2008, he married Fan in another sham marriage, for which he was paid £4,000. He then plotted with the other three to allow Qiao to marry his sister in exchange for £8,000, in an attempt to aid Qiao's application to stay in the UK once his visa ran out.

Their plan was foiled when a registrar raised doubts about the proposed wedding and reported it to us. At a hearing in November, Wright pleaded guilty to two counts of assisting unlawful entry into the UK and two counts of perjury, while Ligang Qiao admitted two counts of perjury. Li Fan also admitted two counts of perjury and obtaining leave to remain in the UK by deception, while Bing Liu pleaded guilty to attempting to assist illegal immigration into the UK. Wright was jailed for four years, while Qiao was given a 15-month sentence. Fan and Liu received 18 months and two years respectively. The three Chinese nationals were also recommended for deportation at the end of their sentences.

Detective Inspector Andy Cummins of the UK Border Agency's London and South East region immigration crime team said: 'This was a despicable crime. Michael Wright attempted to exploit a member of his own family for his own financial gain. His motive was purely greed. 'The other members of the gang also sought to take advantage of a vulnerable woman for their own benefit. 'The sentences handed down today show how seriously we, and the courts, take these kinds of attempts to undermine our immigration laws. 'My officers and I are determined to track down and stop this kind of abuse, and we hope today's sentences send out a message that anyone who tries to enter into or organise a sham marriage faces arrest, prosecution and a long time in prison. 'Foreign nationals who commit this type of crime will also face deportation.' All allegations regarding any type of sham marriage - including marriage for cash, bigamy and marriage to relatives - are investigated. Where evidence can be obtained, appropriate action is taken.

UK Border Agency area director Gareth Redmond said:

'I'm pleased with today's sentences, and it shows once again the success the UK Border Agency is having in stopping this sort of abuse. 'We now have specialist teams of immigration officers and police working side by side to investigate and prosecute these kinds of cases. 'This case shows there are now heavy penalties for those who try and abuse the marriage route.'

ODM wants Annan back

The Orange Party on Monday called for the return of mediator Kofi Annan as the crisis in the coalition government entered its second day. Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi accused President Kibaki of breaking the law by quashing Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s suspension of two ministers whose dockets have been embroiled in corruption claims. Mr Mudavadi said his party would formally invite Mr Annan to step in and save the coalition from collapse. But Deputy ODM leader William Ruto dismissed talk of a crisis as “a figment” of Mr Odinga’s imagination and said Mr Annan should find something useful to do. On Sunday, Mr Odinga suspended Mr Ruto and Education minister Sam Ongeri for three months to clear the way for investigations. But hours later, the President quashed the suspension and said the Prime Minister had acted illegally. And in a quick rejoinder, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula criticised ODM for seeking external solutions to Kenyan problems. ‘‘Kenyans should be given an opportunity to focus on matters of importance to the nation and their future livelihood, including the ongoing reforms,’’ said Mr Wetang’ula. The minister said there was no crisis.

Here is a list of the 10 biggest winners:

1. Nigel Page, 43, and his partner, Justine Laycock, 41, who live near Cirencester, in Gloucestershire, became Britain's biggest-ever winners when they scooped a prize of £56 million today. The pair shared Friday's overall EuroMillions jackpot of £113 million with one other ticket which was bought in Spain.

2. Les and Sam Scadding from Newport, South Wales, and a syndicate of seven Liverpudlian call-centre workers shared a staggering £91 million in November last year. Mr Scadding, who said he was lucky to be alive after beating cancer, was £68 overdrawn on the day he bought his ticket. The unemployed mechanic had been out of work since the previous Christmas. Meanwhile, the Liverpool syndicate - dubbed the "Magnificent Seven" - each banked £6.5 million. The group, all employed by Hewlett Packard to carry out IT work at a BT office, only started playing the Lottery together four months before their win.

3. Lottery officials had to appeal for Glaswegian Angela Kelly to come forward after she scooped more than £35 million. The Post Office worker had left her winning EuroMillions ticket in her handbag for three days before checking the numbers.

4. Someone scooped £26.5 million in August 2007 but the winner opted to avoid publicity.

5. A family of builders, the Sturts, from Dorking in Surrey, banked £26.1 million just last month. Taxi driver George Sturt, 75, believed the win was a gift from his late wife who died from breast cancer just six months before their windfall. He vowed the Sturt family would not give up their jobs, following their luck.

6. Brian Caswell, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, won just short of £25 million last June. The 74-year-old, a retired export manager, insisted he would not let the money change his life but said he would buy a flash car and go to Rio. The pensioner, who scooped half the jackpot on the EuroMillions draw, said he and wife Joan, 72, would not move far from their modest home.

7. In 1995, double glazing businessman Mark Gardiner popped the champagne corks after sharing a record £22.5 million jackpot with business partner Paul Maddison. But before the glasses were filled, Mr Gardiner's estranged wife was reportedly demanding half his share of the cash. The two friends, from Hastings in East Sussex, spent more than £20 a week on National Lottery tickets, picking numbers at random in their office. They only discovered their luck when Mr Gardiner went to the local bowling green to play a match and realised he had not checked the week's numbers.

8. Camelot had to launch an appeal for cancer patient Iris Jeffrey, 58, to come forward and collect her cheque for £20.1 million in 2004. Just months after being diagnosed with the illness, the Belfast housewife hit the jackpot. Her win went unclaimed for three weeks until the mother of two spotted the appeal on the news and dug out her ticket. She immediately pledged to splash out on family and friends, with a new washing machine her only luxury.

9. The Benson Family thought their luck was in when they landed £20 million in 1995 but while they were out collecting their winnings, thieves broke into their home on the Boothferry Estate, in Hull, and stole jewellery of great sentimental value. Terry Benson, an electrician, later appealed to the burglars to return the stolen items which included a pearl necklace he had bought his wife Brenda on their 30th wedding anniversary. Some of the stolen property was later recovered following the plea for information.

10. A group of butchers scooped a cool £20 million in September 2000.

Kenya President Mwai Kibaki 'overstepped powers'

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has accused the president of overstepping his powers, in an increasingly bitter row over corruption allegations.

Over the weekend, Mr Odinga suspended two ministers accused of embezzlement only for President Mwai Kibaki to reverse his decision. Mr Odinga told the BBC that Mr Kibaki did not have the power to overrule him. The BBC's Will Ross in Nairobi says many Kenyans have been left wondering who is in charge of the country. He says people fear that the wrangling will end any hope of winning the fight against corruption, and many Kenyans have lost faith in all politicians. Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga - bitter political rivals - joined together in a unity government to end violence that swept the nation after the 2007 election. But now, both men have accused each other of overstepping their constitutional remit. "The legal provisions on which the prime minister acted, do not confer him the authority to cause a minister to vacate his or her office," the president's office said in a statement. But Mr Odinga told the BBC's Network Africa programme he had not sacked the ministers, he had merely suspended them - which he was entitled to do. "I think that what I've done actually has been within my constitutional powers, and that the president does not have the powers to countermand what I have done," he said. The two ministers at the centre of the spat - Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Education Minister Samuel Ongeri - both turned up for work on Monday and say only the president has the power to discipline them.  A recent audit into a maize scandal revealed that $26m (£16.5m) had gone missing. And more than $1m was stolen in an education scam. Mr Odinga said there was enough evidence implicating the two ministers for an investigation, so they should be suspended.

The late Mrs. Mary Gathara-James memorial service will be on Friday 19th February and the burial takes place on Wednesday 24th February 2010 - see below. She was Beloved Wife of Tony James, and Beloved Mother of Annabell Nyambura passed away after a short illness on Tuesday 2nd of February 2010 in the Royal Berkshire hospital, Reading, UK. She is ddaughter of Hannah Nyambura Gathara. It is quite surprising that Nyambura was born also on the 2nd of February 1967 in Karia, Kiambu. Those who knew her and wish to console or visit the family are welcome to do so, and should Contact Tony on 01189867586 or 07725592045. The funeral has yet to be finalized as people may be attending from Kenya as she is expected to be buried in UK. Mary was a proud member of the Kenyan Golfing Society of Europe, and this picture was taken after she won a recent event. Sources says she passed away due to pneumonia.

The late Mrs. Mary Gathara-James

‘Friends and family will be meeting for a Memorial Service. This will take place from  18:30 till 21:00 on Friday the 19th of February.

The address is as below –

South Reading Youth & Community Centre
252-260 Northumberland Avenue
Reading
Berkshire

RG2 7QA

Please call the master of ceremonies for details, Andrew Makori on 07834047829

The funeral will take place on the 24th of February at 14:15 at

Easthampstead Park Cemetery and Crematorium,

South Road,

Nine Mile Ride,

Wokingham,

RG40 3DW

Cemetery Tel – 01344420314’

Nairobi, Monday 15th February, 2010. Agriculture Minister William Ruto and his Education counterpart Sam Ongeri reported to work as usual a day after President Mwai Kibaki revoked their suspension by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.  Ruto, who spoke to reporters outside Kilimo House, said the Constitution provided that he reports to work and dispenses his duties as minister for Agriculture. Prof Ongeri however declined to speak to journalists. The ministers were suspended by the PM for three months to allow for investigations into the Maize and Free Primary Education scandals.  Several hours later, President Kibaki lifted the suspension saying that the PM who never consulted him did not have powers to sack them.  On Sunday, both Ruto and Prof Ongeri defied the PM and vowed to remain in office until they get communication from the appointing authority.  According to a statement from State House, the Head of State on Sunday evening said the PM had no powers to sack a minister.  "The legal provisions on which the Prime Minister acted do not confer him the authority to cause a minister to vacate his or her office" said the President. He added " according to section 16 (3a) of the constitution, the office of a minister can only become vacant if the President so directs". He said the two ministers should remain in office. He however clarified that that the position should not be interpreted in any way as undermining the ongoing war against graft. President Kibaki said the war against graft will be successfully fought when done in accordance with the constitution and due process of the law.

“The world is going upside down, how can a young man of 25 years marry his grandmother of 56 years.  At his prime age of 50, the woman will be 75 years. This is not acceptable. They cannot have children. God have mercy.” – Muiruri, London

Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga popularity shoots up

It is called politics. As Charles Njonjo once said – it is a dirty game. But at the end of it all there are winners and losers. This time Raila is on the scoring card. The common man popularity in Raila is growing.  Raila popularity started a few months ago when he took the bull by the horns in the Mau Forest issue.  A survey which was done a week ago to test Raila popularity in Central Province showed that Raila popular in Central Province has grown high with the survey giving Raila 17 per cent and Uhuru Kenyatta 15 percent (The survey was done in Kenya by Synovate (formerly Steadman Group) - CLICK FOR THE LINK. To test Raila popularity with the common man in Kenya Mr. Seed took time to call three villages in three district in Kenya today Monday 15th February 2010 to hear what the common man in the village has to say about the Kibaki vs. Raila cabinet saga: I phoned a person in Subukia, Nakuru and this was the man said: “Kibaki is a joker, how can he protect this corrupt ministers, these ministers were not being sacking, they only being asked to step aside for three months. I am in support for Raila and it seems if he is given a chance, he can deliver.” The man concluded. I spoke to another man in Busia town near the Kenya Uganda border, Mr. Mucheru,  and he had this to say: “Mr. Seed this is called Kenya politics, this people are playing about with our minds, how can all this people including the ministers be accused of corruption and they are still in office. I don’t know what Kibaki is all about but I think we are losing, I am a supporter of PNU but I don’t see us surviving, I might move on to support Raila” Mr. Mucheru stated laughing... Lastly I called a village in Murang’a and the man said: “Last night the youth watching TV in local hotel were protesting against Kibaki. How can he support his corrupt people?  Raila is right, they should all be sacked. If elections are called today, I would vote for Raila.” The man concluded. Raila could have acted within the law or not but the common man seem to be on his side.  As all the eyes goes to 2012 elections we cannot ignore the fact Raila is big player in the game.

Twenty Feared Dead In Rush Hour Train Smash

At least 20 people are feared dead after two trains collided head-on in snowy conditions on the outskirts of Brussels.  The accident happened just outside the station at Buizingen, nine miles southwest of the Belgian capital, at around 8.30am. Several carriages turned onto their side. One train was apparently heading from Quievrain to Liege and the other from Leuven to Braine-le-Comte. Reports said 20 people were killed and a large number injured but no official figures were immediately available. "The most recent information we have is that 20 people died," the mayor of Buizingen Dirk Pieters said on Belgian radio. He said he had got the information from emergency services at the scene. Kristien Berckmans, a Belgian railways spokeswoman, said earlier: "There was considerable damage and several people were injured." Some of those hurt were apparently taken to hospital while others were treated at a nearby sports complex.  The crash brought down overhead power cables, severely disrupting train services. Among those affected was the high-speed line between Brussels and Paris.

Lemon: Benefits & Uses

Whiten discolored chopping boards with lemon juice. It will also work on yellowed ivory handles

It was a special Valentine’s Day for Paul Muli, 25, who tied the knot to multi-millionaire real estate tycoon Ruth Wanjiru, 31 years his senior. The couple formalised their three-year relationship in a lavish ceremony in Rock City Hotel in the presence of 250 invited guests, including Wanjiru’s son, 34 and daughter, 23. They wedded on the poolside surrounded by lush gardens.  "I love my new husband very much and I am so happy that God has answered my prayers after waiting for so long," gushed the bride. She planted a generous kiss on Mr Muli’s cheeks as guests broke into spontaneous applause. Muli appeared in high spirits as he said "I do" to the love of his heart. "This is the best Valentine’s Day I have celebrated and I am just on top of the world to have Ruth by my side. I love her so much," said Muli. Interestingly, Wanjiru’s daughter, Sarah, was one of the bridesmaids and even took several photos with the couple. She appeared happy. "I am also very happy for my mom now has a husband to comfort and keep her company. I think they make a very nice couple," she said. Muli’s mother, Hellen, approved her son’s move, saying she believed the couple was sincerely in love. "The age difference between the two doesn’t matter. I have faith that they will live together," she said. The bridegroom runs several businesses in Nairobi, including a printing firm as well as an agency to recruit models for television advertising. The wedding ceremony was conducted in line with Kikuyu customs, after which an official from the Attorney General’s Chambers conducted the official wedding and issued a certificate to the couple. Asked about their honeymoon plans, Muli remained silent, saying he wanted to keep it as surprise to his new wife. – The Standard.

Paul, 25, and Ruth Muli, 56, during their wedding at the Rock City Hotel in Nairobi, on Sunday. - CLICK FOR VIDEO HERE

BNP votes to ditch whites-only membership rule

The British National Party has voted to scrap its whites-only membership rules after an extraordinary general meeting.  Members who had gathered in Essex voted to amend the party's constitution to let black and Asian people join.  The BNP had been threatened with a possible court injunction over its whites-only membership policy by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.  The party must now go back to court in March when a judge will decide if the new rules meet race relation laws.  It is thought the BNP has removed references to "indigenous British" people, paving the way for black and Asian people to be admitted to the party for the first time.  But a BNP spokesman said he could not comment on the precise wording of the new rules until they had been seen by Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) lawyers. Anti-fascist group Searchlight said the membership rule change was "a meaningless gesture", adding that "no-one seriously believes that thousands of black and Asian Britons will now be queuing up to join Nick Griffin's party".  A spokesman for the group said: "The BNP are as racist and extremist as ever."  BNP leader Nick Griffin told the BBC News Channel: "We had to do it (change the constitution) for legal reasons. Many of our members think it's a good thing.

"A lot of people said we should have done it some time ago but that's really by the by.  "Our problem with this is a government funded, taxpayer-funded quango telling people who they can and can't associate with, [which] is a fundamental outrage.  "Nevertheless, we recognise legal reality, so we have done it and now, for one thing, they can't call us racist any more."  Mr Griffin also defended the forcible expulsion of a newspaper journalist from Sunday's meeting, saying the paper had previously written "lies" about the BNP.  The expulsion took place before the result of the vote was announced as Times journalist Dominic Kennedy was bundled out of the venue by BNP security guards.  Mr Kennedy said he had been invited to the meeting by party officials, but on arrival had been confronted by senior BNP member Richard Barnbrook, who is also a London Assembly member.  Mr Kennedy told the BBC News website "A number of BNP security people shoved me out of the room. I was hit in the back and had my nose grabbed." He said he had not been hurt in the incident.

Marriage on the rocks as young educated wives wear the pants

Contrary to popular belief, experts say love alone is not enough to see young couples walk arm and arm into their twilight years. Young, empowered wives are taking up more masculine roles, leaving their husbands’ egos battered. One in every seven married couples between 25 and 35 may end up in divorce, experts say.  Some attribute this gloomy prospect to the extinction of the alpha male, while others blame the increasingly independent Kenyan woman. Others cite the neglect of cultural traditions. But family lawyers, marriage counsellors, separated spouses, clergy and sociologists agree on this: Marriage is hard work and, contrary to popular belief, love alone is not enough to see young couples walk arm and arm into their twilight years. Take Ben Kihara and Catherine Wanjiku. They met at a friend’s wedding and hit it off immediately. On the surface, they looked like every other young Kenyan couple eager to embrace life and spend the rest of their days together.

From the church steps on their wedding day, they seemed to share a common destiny. So, before family and friends, they vowed that only death would part them. But after nine years, two children and a number of unfulfilled promises, they could not wait and called it quits. Experts say the separation rate among Kenyan couples continues to rise, but today’s divorces are much younger. Last year, 569 divorce cases were filed in Nairobi alone on grounds varying from adultery to cruelty.  In 2005, the figure was 458. Data from the Milimani Commercial Court, which handles divorce cases for marriages conducted in churches in Nairobi, shows that 387 divorce cases were filed last year. In addition, the High Court Registry recorded 182 divorce cases from civil marriages conducted at the Attorney-General’s chambers over the same period.

 “The differences were too many. We couldn’t even stay together for the children,” said Ms Wanjiku, a practising lawyer in the city.  As a result, the duo, both 32, came to an understanding that works for them outside the courts and marriage. Ms Wanjiku spends eekdays with the boys since her apartment is closer to their school. Mr Kihara, a hair dresser, has them on weekends and public holidays. Despite the fact that the two have remained close friends and occasionally get together for old time’s sake, they believe they are irreconcilable. Mr Kihara says the mother of his children was not according him the respect he deserved as the man of the house. “She couldn’t trust me to make any important decision. When she sought my opinion, she had already made her mind up on the course of action she thought fit, even when she was clearly wrong,” he said.

 SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON MONDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2010

The Telegraph reports on Government plans to force drinks companies to put health warnings on wine, beer and spirit bottles  and on right The Mail reports on the couple who won Britain's biggest ever lottery prize.

Defiant ministers dismiss suspension

Agriculture Minister William Ruto and his Education counterpart Sam Ongeri have dismissed their suspension. The ministers said Prime Minister Raila Odinga has no authority to suspend them. Mr Ruto said it was only the President who was the appointing authority. "I have not received any communication from the appointing authority. Therefore I will continue to discharge my duties as the Minister for Agriculture until I receive such communication," he said. Speaking at Wilson Airport, the minister said he would only resign if the PM also stepped aside to allow for investigation.  Ruto insisted he is not culpable in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report on maize to warrant his suspension.  He accused Raila of playing political theatrics and asked him to depoliticise the war on corruption. Ruto told Raila to stop finger pointing because he was the chairman of the sub-committee that allowed the sale of the National Cereal and Produce Board maize. He said he had learned of the suspension through an SMS and journalists.

He said a Cabinet sub-committee agreed the sale of maize, even as he blamed the ministry of Special Programmes, which administrates the Strategic Grain Reserve. Assistant Minister Jebii Kilimo and MP Ekwe Ethuro also told Raila to resign. And PNU claimed Raila was only looking for an excuse to quit the Government. "Whilst he is free to walk out and prepare for what he knows best, his claims of frustration will fall flat on his face now that we know the maize scandal was authored from his office," said PNU Spokesman Moses Kuria said in a statement. Mr Kuria said Raila lacked powers to sack any minister and his action was aimed at creating a confrontation with the Head of State. Separately, ODM Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o hailed the move, and accused PNU of slowing the war on corruption. "The PM has constitutional powers to hire and fire all ODM ministers and he has rightly done so. We have to make a choice between abetting graft and fighting it," said Prof Nyong’o. He warned PNU rivals not to underestimate the powers of the National Accord and said the PM only needed concurrence from the President. Raila’s Adviser on Coalition Affairs Miguna Miguna added: "Prime Minister Raila Odinga has the mandate to hire and fire. A minister cannot nominate or appoint themselves, but they are under the supervision of the PM."  - The Standard.

Kibaki revokes ministers suspension

Written By: PPS, Posted: Sun, Feb 14, 2010

President Mwai Kibaki has revoked the suspension of ministers William Ruto and Sam Ongeri by Prime Minister Raila Odinga.  Kibaki denied reports by the PM that he had consulted him on the matter. According to a statement from State House, the Head of State said the PM had no powers to sack a minister.

" The legal provisions on which the Prime Minister acted do not confer him the authority to cause a minister to vacate his or her office" said the President. He added " according to section 16 (3a)  of the constitution, the office of a minister can only become vacant if the President so directs".

He said the two ministers should remain in office. He however clarified that that the position should not be interpreted in anyway as undermining the ongoing war against graft. President Kibaki said the war against graft will be successfully fought when done in accordance with the constitution and due process of the law.

Pres. Kibaki's statement on PM suspension order

Written By: PPS, Posted: Sun, Feb 14, 2010

The basis of appointment, suspension and removal of a Minister under the Coalition Government as per the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya , the National Accord and Reconciliation Act and the Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of the Coalition government is full consultation and concurrence between the President and the Prime Minister.

There has been no consultation between H.E. the President and the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister on the suspension of Hon. William Ruto, Minister for Agriculture and Hon. Prof. Sam Ongeri, Minister for Education, as announced by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister today at a Press Conference.

Furthermore, the legal provisions on which the Prime Minister acted, do NOT confer him the authority to cause a minister to vacate his or her office.

According to Section 16 (3)a of the Constitution, the Office of a Minister can only become vacant if the President so directs.

In addition,

Section 4 (5) of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act clearly states: "The removal of any minister nominated by a political party of the coalition shall be made only after prior consultation and concurrence in writing with the leader of the party."

Therefore constitutionally, the two ministers remain in office.

This position should not be interpreted in any way as undermining the ongoing war against corruption. 

The war against corruption will be successfully fought when we do so in accordance with the constitution and the due process of law.

 February 14, 2010

2 Kenyan soldiers killed at Sudan border

Written By: Margaret Kalekkye/Millicent Awour, Posted: Sun, Feb 14, 2010

Two Kenyan soldiers were Sunday morning killed at Nadapal along the Kenyan-Sudan border in an ambush on a military convoy.  Military spokesman Bogita Ongeri  said six other soldiers  were injured during the attack by unknown gunmen.

The injured were airlifted to the Forces Memorial Hospital in Nairobi for treatment. The cause of the attack is yet to be established. Security forces including the military, administration police and General Service Unit officers have been deployed to the area to beef up security along the border where The Kenya Army and administration police have both set up their bases.

This is not the first time the soldiers have been attacked by Sudanese Toposa militia. Last year October, the government denied reports that 16 soldiers had been killed during an attack on their barracks in Nadapal. The Toposa who are based near Sudan-Kenya border, have been living and grazing their animals on the Kenyan side of the border. They are opposed to the establishment of a Kenyan border position in the area.

PM suspends Ruto and Ongeri

Raila and Kibaki seem to be having big difference

Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday suspended Ministers William Ruto and Sam Ongeri for three months over the Maize and Free Primary Education scandals respectively. Addressing a press conference, the PM said he was exercising the authority vested on him in section 15(a) of the Constitution and under section 4 (1) of the National Accord Act which confers on him the authority to supervise the execution of the functions and affairs of the government, including ministries. Raila said the move was prompted by the PriceWaterHouseCoopers forensic audit report on the maize scandal and the report of the Internal Auditor General on the Free Primary Education.  He said the reports laid credible foundations for the two ministers to be investigated.  " In order for the government to conduct independent investigations, it is important that the two ministers step aside" he added He further directed the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC), CID and  Inspectorate of State Corporation to review the two reports and make recommendations on those that should be prosecuted. When asked if President Mwai Kibaki was in agreement with his decision, the PM said consultations had been made within the government.

The ministers suspension come a day after President Mwai Kibaki directed government officials mentioned in the maize audit report and missing Education funds to step down to pave way for independent investigations.  In a statement issued from State House Nairobi on Saturday, President Kibaki said the officials should vacate office for three months to allow for independent and accurate investigations.  The Head of State said the Permanent Secretaries in the ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Romano Kiome, Special Programmes ministry, Ali Mohamed and PS in the Prime Minister's office, Dr. Mohammed Isahakia should step down.  Others are PS in the ministry of Education Prof. Karega Mutahi, Administrative Secretary in the Prime Minister's office, Caroli Omondi, Managing Director of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Gideon Misoi, NCPB's Marketing manager, Mr Boit and NCPB General manager, Mr Langat,  who was earlier interdicted.

Ruto and Ongeri - Kibaki nullifies Suspensions

Below is the full statement by the PM

In exercise of the authority vested in the Prime Minister in accordance with the provisions of Section 15 (a) of the Constitution, and Section 4 (1) of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act, which confer on me also the authority to supervise the execution of the functions and affairs of the government, including ministries,  I am hereby suspending with immediate effect the following ministers for a period of three months:

Hon. William Ruto, Minister of Agriculture.
Hon. Samuel Ongeri. Minister of Education.

I am taking this action because two recent investigations, the forensic audit by PwC on the maize scandal, and the Report of the Internal Auditor General on Free Primary Education, have laid credible foundations for the two ministers to be investigated. In addition, in order for the government to conduct fair, independent and comprehensive investigations which would result in gathering evidence to determine if any individuals need to be prosecuted in these two scandals , it is important that Hon. Ruto and Hon Ongeri step aside.   I am also directing KACC, the CID and the Inspectorate of State Corporations to jointly pursue this matter further.  This team should review the above two reports, as well as the reports on the maize scandal by KACC, the Inspectorate of State Corporations, and the CID, with a view to recommending those cases which should be prosecuted.

'Messiah Who Enslaved Women' Faces Charges

An Israeli man is to appear in court charged with enslaving at least 17 women in a harem he controlled like a cult. Goel Ratzon is the first man in Israel's history to be prosecuted for enslavement. He also faces charges of rape and incest. The 60-year-old lived in a nondescript house in Tel Aviv with his concubines, fathering more than 30 children with them. Like a cult leader he controlled every aspect of the women's lives with a list of rules that enforced total obedience. But they appear to have worshipped him in return, tending to his every whim.  Some bore tattoos with his image, with inscriptions calling him their Messiah. But his defence lawyer Gabai Mendleman told Sky News he insists he has done nothing illegal.

"They chose to come back to me every day, to live with me. No-one forced them to. That's what my client says," he said. Police and prosecutors say he is guilty of two decades of abuse. Israel's police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Sky News: "He's accused of causing physical bodily harm to the women and the children, holding them in terms of slavery as well as unfortunately sexual misconduct to the women and children over a long period of time." Police believe Ratzon had incestuous sex with his own daughters, fathering more children with them. Those who know Ratzon say he has a chilling, hypnotic hold over his women and others who come too close to him. Private investigator Asher Weitzman sent female agents into the family, only to have one of them almost fall under Ratzon's spell. "What he did was he grabbed her face, in a nice way, not a rough way and he said look into my eyes," he said.  "She looked into his eyes and she says that from that moment she felt like she was losing control." Mr Weitzman and the Israeli media reported Ratzon to the police a decade ago, but it has taken that long for authorities to investigate him and bring him to court.

Nairobi, Saturday 13th February, 2010. Two top aides in Prime Minister Raila Odinga's office on Saturday 13th February, 2010 stepped aside to pave way for investigations into the maize scandal.  Permamnet secretary Mohammed Isahakia and  Administrative Secretary Caroli Omondi said they had temporarily stepped aside from their positions to give the PM a free hand to deal decisively with the issue.  In a statement faxed to newsrooms,  Caroli said "my stepping aside is necessary so as to give the PM a free hand to deal decisively with this important issue". Caroli who was the first to quit urged Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and other officials mentioned in the PWC forensic audit report to take responsibility.  He however stated that the report had given documentary proof that he acted on the authority of the cabinet.  "I have taken this decision notwithstanding the fact that PwC having seen the relevant documentary proof have confirmed that I acted on the authority of the cabinet". He said Isahakia who stepped aside moments later said he was doing so to facilitate due process of law in respect of the audit report. "I wish to inform the public at large that I have decided to temporarily step aside from my position as the PS until the maize saga is resolved" said the PS in a statement.  Caroli and Isahakia  were  adversely mentioned in the PWC report, which exposed  the fraudulent sale of maize worth over two billion shillings.  The two including Prime Minister Raila Odinga are expected to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture sometime next week.

Mr Caroli Omondi during the presentation of the maize scandal report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Nairobi on February 11, 2010.

Pharmacy Direct Kenya is a new on line pharmacy for Kenya.

Pharmacy Direct Kenya is a new on line pharmacy for Kenya. It is promising to revolutionise the way Kenyans at home and abroad buy their medicines. Of particular interest to the Kenyans in the diaspora is the ability to buy medicines for family and friends back in Kenya without sending money to Kenya. The website is www.pharmacydirectkenya.com  and it has a comprehensive drug database that is expanding every day. The pharmacy services are led by professional pharmacists registered in both UK and Kenya. The physical Pharmacy from where dispensing is done is located in Nairobi. They also provide a delivery service to most of Kenya. Orders for drugs can be placed via the website, by sending an email  to info@pharmacydirectkenya.com  or by calling (+447932801969 in the UK, +254722519082 in Kenya). A valid prescription is required when ordering Prescription Only Medicines (POMs). For those in Kenya requiring seeing a doctor, we have partnered with top consultants in Nairobi for a quick referral system. Those who have used the website are already giving rave reviews.

A KIKUYU PROVERB

Mûkûrû, gaya, ûnyonie mûgaire.

Old man, divide and teach me how to divide.

This proverb shows how the Kikuyu respected old people, to whom was left the distribution of meat, beer, etc. At all gatherings .

Old age is honourable.

Cut working week to 21 hours, urges think tank

The working week should be cut to 21 hours to help boost the economy and improve quality of life, a left-wing think tank has said. The New Economics Foundation claimed in a report the reduction in hours would help to ease unemployment and overwork. The think tank said people were working longer hours now than 30 years ago even though unemployment was at 2.5 million. The foundation admitted people would earn less, but said they would have more time to carry out worthy tasks. They would have better scope to look after children or other dependents, there would be more opportunity for civic duties, and older people could even delay retirement, it said. Anna Coote, co-author of the 21 Hours report, said: "So many of us live to work, work to earn, and earn to consume, and our consumption habits are squandering the earth's natural resources.

Everyone takes his position at Back to God Ministry

It was serious business at Back to God Ministry in Crystal Palace, South London on Sunday 7th February, 2010 at the church service when we arrived to see everyone taking his position. A pastor was busy with the drums and the Senior Pastor Jessie Nderitu  (left) was busy playing guitar and Master Caleb Muchiri (right) was busy with keyboard. “What is happening here,” I asked  and the reply was “show them how to do it when they are young and they will never come out of it.” The service was good – good music and the preaching was also good. After a lovely dance in the church the senior pastor commented: “We come here for spiritual gym.” Preaching was delivered by Pastor Gabriel Ngunyi who explained that in life, you have three enemies: Satan is enemy number one, your body is enemy number two and the world is enemy number three. He quoted his reading from Genesis 3:1, Job 1:9 and Rev. 12.12.  He concluded his preaching by saying that in UK the world has taught the family that the husband should submit to the wife but in that ministry wives always submit to their husbands as the word of God says.

“That which often absorbs your strength is your worst enemy at bay.” – Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford – gracenjeri77@yahoo.com

A MAASAI PROVERB

Ore pe inturraa minyi o nutunyi metii ilmanati likimirrta, nikipik enoki nimilo atum enkisho.

If you cast away your father and mother and there is no enemy chasing you, they will curse you and you will never get wealth.

Thomas Mochu Mbugua in London has lost his father back in Kenya on Thursday 11th February, 2010. Father to Thomas Mochu Mbugua (London) and Catherine Njeri Mbugua (Boston). Father in law to Patrick Efunwa (Ireland) and Lina Wambui Mochu (London). He was granddad to six grand children. Family and friends are meeting for prayers and support at 34 Scott House, Queens Road West, Plaistow London E13 0RU. Those wishing to give us your support can do so through Halifax bank. Account no.00012904   Sort Code 111235   Account Name Mr. T. M.  MBUGUA. For more information please contact Tom.  07984632944.

London, Friday 12th February, 2010. A ticket-holder has won the UK's biggest-ever lottery prize - scooping a massive £56 million. The win surpassed the £91 million paid out in November last year which was shared between two UK tickets. The winning ticket shares the overall jackpot of £113 million with one other which was bought in Spain. A National Lottery spokesman said: "This is fantastic news - we're absolutely delighted to have such a massive UK win, which shared tonight's mega jackpot with a player in Spain. "This is the biggest win since Les and Sam Scadding and the Magnificent Seven syndicate each won £45.5m in November 2009.  "Subject to validation the prize could be paid out when the banks are open on Monday." The lucky numbers are - 05, 45, 01, 38 and 18. The Lucky Star numbers are 6 and 4.

“A butterfly thinks itself a bird because it can fly.” – Wisdom of Africa, Sierra Leone

Photos of the week

LEFT: Meanwhile in London, Ghana's high commissioner to the UK was observing royal protocol on Tuesday as he handed his credentials to the Queen as the New Kenya High Commissioner prepares to present his on Thursday 18th February, 2010.

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1952 – Rika rîa Warûrûngana.

A LUO PROVERB

Lak chogo kata meru ema otho kidek nyiero.

Teeth is bone and knows no sorrow even when your mother is dead you can still laugh at something amusing.

There is always something to leave for even after a great personal loss.

HARUSI YA WASENGE WAWILI HUKO MOMBASA

You could not afford to laugh watching KBC TV News at www.habari.tv on Friday evening when the two broadcasters made a big joke about the proposed gay wedding in Mombasa on Friday. They started the evening news by saying: “Harusi, harusi, harusi... wapi huko.... Mtwapa Mombasa, ni nani wanaoa... Wanasenge wawili...” It is a big issue in Mombasa.

Mob attacks gay ‘wedding’ party

Mtwapa police boss K.K.Mutegi rescues a man from an angry mob on Friday after they attempted to attack him claiming he was gay.

Kenya’s would-be first gay wedding was violently stopped by protesting youths and police on Friday at Mtwapa near Mombasa, hours before it was due to take place. Police intervened as dozens of Christian and Muslim youth stormed the apartment where three men — including the gay couple — had been putting up, intent on flushing them out to stop the wedding. They arrested five suspected homosexuals, including two who were rescued from youths baying for their blood but the local police chief later said no charges would be preferred. “I sent Mtwapa OCS to rescue them from angry residents baying for their blood because they were trying to conduct that marriage between men,” said Kilifi police chief Grace Kakai.  The wedding between two men had been scheduled to take place at a private villa. But the protesting youth, banded together under the banner of the so-called Operation Gays Out, were not done yet. They went to the Kenya Medical Research Institute at Mtwapa claiming the institute was harbouring yet another gay man.  The local station commander and a contingent of police officers calmed the angry youth who were preparing to storm the institute. Guards at Kemri refused to open the gate, fearing for their lives.

Women who were among protesting locals, yelled at the top of their voices and called for an operation to flush out lesbians also claimed to be living among locals. “God created men to provide sexual pleasure to us (women). What will happen now that they have turned to each other? Who will marry our daughters,” shouted a woman. A frightened Kemri employee told reporters that the centre was conducting an international science research project but she declined to elaborate. “This is international research project but wait for “This is international research project but wait for the head of the project to give you more information,” she said. Religious leaders said the project should be terminated. The research centre was opened by Dr Seth Berkley, President of International Aids Vaccine Centre on 27 March 2007. Sheikh Hussein Ali, the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Kikambala region coordinator and National Council of Churches of Kenya, Kilifi district representative Bishop Laurence Chai led Operation Gays Out. The two clerics declared having successfully stopped the homosexual nuptials that they said was announced to take place in the town 20 days ago. “We thank God for saving this town from being turned to Sodom and Gomorrah of this era as we may have been on the verge of being doomed,” said Bishop Chai. – Dail

It is interesting to note that there hundreds of Kenyans living in Venezuela, South American who are funs of www.misterseed.com

Gay wedding here? No way, vow preachers

Bishop Lawrence Chai of Free Apostolic Churches of Kenya (left) and Sheikh Ali Hussein of Masjid Answar Sunna Mosque, Mtwapa, speak to journalists on Thursday. The leaders of the two faiths were united in their vow not allow homosexual unions to be conducted in the region. – Daily Nation.

HIV-positive German pop star charged: prosecutors

German prosecutors said Friday they have charged a member of all-female pop group No Angels with causing bodily harm for failing to inform sexual partners that she was HIV positive.  Nadja Benaissa, 27, had sex on five occasions between 2000 and 2004 with three people and did not tell them she was infected, even though she had known since 1999, according to the charge sheet. "She was well aware that any unprotected sexual contact can lead to the virus being passed on," prosecutors in the town of Darmstadt near Frankfurt said.** One of the three had since been confirmed as being infected with the HIV virus, which causes AIDS, prosecutors added.No Angels shot to fame in 2000 thanks to a television talent show and had a string of hits in central Europe before splitting up in 2003. They reformed in 2007 and competed in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing 23rd.

Man, 76, charged with smuggling cocaine

A pensioner has been charged with smuggling cocaine into Britain, the UK Border Agency said today.  Derek Orton, 76, was arrested yesterday when he arrived at Heathrow airport after flying in from Nairobi, Kenya. Two kilos (4.4lb) of cocaine, with a street value of around £80,000, was found in baggage, officers said. Orton, who was born in Essex but now lives in Kampala, Uganda, was later charged with attempting to import a Class A drug.  Peter Avery, assistant director of the UK Border Agency's criminal and financial investigation team, said: "UK Border Agency officers are determined to stop Class A drugs reaching our streets. "We would urge anyone with information about drug smuggling to call our Smuggling Hotline on 0800 59 5000." Orton is due to appear before Uxbridge Magistrates' Court, north London, today.

Running away from a death town - Mogadishu

Thousands of Somalis were fleeing the capital Mogadishu, taking everything they own, as rumours spread that a major battle between the government and insurgents was imminent.

£1m cannabis plants found growing in bank

More than £1 million-worth of cannabis has been found growing in an historic bank. Some 2,000 plants were found in the makeshift cannabis factory in Bedminster, Bristol, on Wednesday. The haul at the disused bank building in East Street is among the largest in the history of Avon and Somerset Police. Around 60 bags of soil and 150 lights and transformers were also found in the "sophisticated set-up". Two men aged 29 and 30 have been arrested on suspicion of production of a controlled drug and are in police custody helping officers with their inquiries. Sergeant Jon Bane said: "This is a large-scale sophisticated set up capable of producing many thousands of plants. This operation should send a strong message that drugs will not be tolerated in Avon and Somerset. "I would urge the communities to continue to help us by reporting any information they have. I assure you that it will be met with a positive police response." Officers were acting upon information obtained by the Metropolitan Police Service.

Unidentified Foreign Object (UFO) in Bristol

UFO sceptic has close encounter with 'alien' on bowling  green. The truth is out there – somewhere between the crazy golf and bowling green, to be precise. A drawing by Roy Shaw of the UFO he saw in Exmouth, Devon. He said it was about 100ft long, with flashing lights. He was at a loss to explain it. A UFO sceptic was left terrified and running away so quickly he twisted his ankle, after seeing a mysterious craft and an otherworldly figure in Exmouth’s aptly-named Phear Park. Retired engineer Roy Shaw was taking a night-time stroll with his dog, Sydney, when the close encounter happened. He said: ‘The object was round, about 30ft in diameter and 100ft long, with blue and red flashing lights on its perimeter. ‘It appeared to land at the top end of the park by the bowling green. My dog started to growl when what I can only describe as a white shape came towards us. Hello Spaceboy: Roy’s picture of the ‘white shape’ that approached him. ‘It was about 4ft high and seemed to be translucent and moved very slowly towards us. I was transfixed because it made a droning noise, which sounded like “my, my”.’ Devon UFO expert Nigel Wright said: ‘This is a close encounter of the third kind – encountering an occupant of a UFO in close proximity to the craft. This is a really important sighting.'Mr Shaw said he remained a sceptic and was at a loss to explain Saturday’s incident.

World Press Photo Winners

LEFT: This picture by photographer Paul Nicklen, Canada, National Geographic, won 1st prize Nature Stories and was shot in South Georgia, Antartica. CENTRE: Malick SidibÈ, a The New York Times Magazine photographer based in Mali, won the first prize in the Arts and Entertainment Singles category for this picture titled "Fashion portfolio: Prints and the Revolution", in Mali. RIGHT: Stefano De Luigi, a VII Network for Le Monde Magazine photographer based in Italy, won the second prize in the Contemporary Issues Singles category for this picture of a giraffe killed by drought, in northeast Kenya shot in September 2009.

Chip and pin fraud danger revealed

A team of computer researchers say they have uncovered flaws in the Chip and Pin system which are being exploited by fraudsters to use stolen cards.  The group from the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory found that criminals can insert a "wedge" between the stolen card and terminal, tricking it into believing the pin has been correctly verified, when in fact any pin can be used for the transaction to go through. The card meanwhile thinks it was authorised by signature. Dr Steven Murdoch said: "We have tested this attack against cards issued by most major UK banks. All have been found to be vulnerable." The discovery is likely to place some question marks over the existing Chip and Pin design and its security. Victims of this type of fraud may encounter problems obtaining refunds from their banks as the receipt produced states "Verified by Pin". Professor Ross Anderson said: "Over the past five years, thousands of cardholders have had stolen Chip and Pin cards used by criminals. The banks often tell customers that their pin was used and so it's their fault. "Yet we've shown that it's easy to use a card without knowing the pin - and the receipt will say the transaction was 'Verified by Pin' even though it wasn't." "This is not just a failure of bank technology. It's a failure of bank regulation. The ombudsman supported the banks and the regulators have refused to do anything. They were just too eager to believe the banks."

Socially charged works by Kenyan-born artist to be exhibited at AGO

The Kenyan-born, New York-based artist Wangechi Mutu is known for socially charged works that explore female and cultural identity.  Her first solo exhibition at a major North American museum will be staged at the Art Gallery of Ontario from Feb. 24 to May 23.  Wangechi Mutu is a phenomenal artist who is pushing boundaries, raising awareness and making a statement with her art.  Her ability to take any medium and make it into something that people will look at in awe has brought her great accolades from some of the harshest art critics in the world.  She was Born in Nairobi in 1972, moved to New York in the mid-'90s and received an MFA in sculpture from Yale University in 2000. Her work is in the permanent collections of New York's Museum of Modern Art, L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art and other institutions. - Source-canoe.ca

Marriage in UK is in crisis as weddings hit record low since record began. Fewer people are getting married than at any time since 1862, figures revealed on Thursday 11th February, 2010. A total of 232,990 couples tied the knot in 2008, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed. That is down from 235,370 in 2007 and the lowest total since 1895. The marriage rate, which is calculated by the number of marriages per head of population, fell to its lowest level since records began in 1862, the ONS said. In 2008 there were 21.8 men marrying per 1,000 unmarried adult men, down from 22.4 in 2007, and 19.6 women marrying per 1,000 unmarried women over 16, down from 20.2 in 2007. In 2008 there were 21.8 men marrying per 1,000 unmarried adult men, down from 22.4 in 2007, and 19.6 women marrying per 1,000 unmarried women over 16, down from 20.2 in 2007. The figures, which cover England and Wales, are likely to spark further debate about the decline of marriage. Since 1981 the number of marriages conducted every year has fallen by a third. Resolution, a group of family lawyers, said the legal benefits of marriage should be extended to unmarried cohabiting couples. Vice chairman David Allison said: "A smaller percentage of people got married in 2008 than in any year since records began and at the same time the number of couples living together outside of marriage is on the increase.

"Yet the majority of people don't understand that living together does not give them any financial protection should the relationship end, which leaves countless people vulnerable to financial hardship if their relationship breaks down." A Church of England spokesman said: "Couples today see marriage as being the crown of their relationship, something to wait for, rather than a gateway to adulthood as it used to be. "We have found that marriage is regarded as a serious commitment and something people aspire to, even those already living together. "Making a positive public decision to a committed, life-long relationship changes behaviour - especially for men. "We have found that men coming for weddings are as interested in their relationship and the quality of it as in the day itself. "While the share of religious weddings has gone down, the share of Church of England weddings has remained stable at 24%. "Many churches are inviting parishioners to celebrate marriage on Sunday at special services using new liturgy for Valentine's Day."

Kibaki Honors Five Kenyans in Diaspora

President Mwai Kibaki has awarded five Kenyans in the U.S various honors for their outstanding and selfless contributions to the community welfare and leadership during the year of 2009. This good news was relayed by the Kenyan Ambassador to the United States, H.E.  Peter N.R.O. Ogego. Speaking to KEN, Ambassador Ogego congratulated the distinguished honorees:  Dr. Mwangi Wachira, Pastor David Karanja, Rev Dr. Penny Ruth Njoroge, Ms. Elizabeth Mungai, and Mr. Joseph Wambia for their great accomplishments. He asked Kenyans in Diaspora to join them in celebrating their well deserved awards. “I am happy to see the Government of Kenya recognizes the contribution the Diaspora is giving to society”, said Ogego. The President honored the five by conferring upon them various individual Presidential awards for the exemplary contribution they have made to the country during the 46th Independence (Jamhuri) Day Celebration on December 12, 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya. The five join other honorees like Dr. Benson Karanja, President of Beulah Heights University and Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Baptist Church, both of Atlanta GA., who were bestowed the Head of State's Commendation (H.S.C.) Award in 2008 for their work in Kenya.

This year, Dr. Mwangi Wachira was presented with one of Kenya’s highest awards – the Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW). A well accomplished former World Bank employee, he has played a major role in promoting the Diaspora and was the official representative of the Kenyans in the U.S at the Biennial ambassadors conference in Nairobi last year. Dr. Wachira is also a key advisor to the Kenyan Government in Nairobi on international matters. He was a former speech writer for first president of Kenya, the Late Jomo Kenyatta before joining the World Bank.  An Investment Advisor, Mr. Joseph Wambia joined the honorees being awarded the Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) award. A former World Bank employee too, he has worked on a high level and off the radar to advice and promote Kenya in Washing DC. Wambia has played key roles in negotiation with IMF, World Bank and other major potential investors in Kenya.  He has used his experience and network to advise among others the Kenyan Embassy on how to navigate the tricky and sometimes murky waters that are Washington DC politics with his unlimited resources. Wambia has been a resource center for many Kenyans in Diaspora and is credited with the realization of many tangible results.

He has been feature on high profile business network like CNBC on matters of investment in Africa and runs Wambia Capital, one of the largest and most respected investment and risk advisory firms focusing on Africa. It is among the few independent Pan-Africa Investment firms to be founded and managed by Africans in the United States. Another Kenyan to receive the Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) award is Apostle David Karanja of Christ Harvesters Ministries International (CHMI). Apostle Karanja told KEN that he was called by the ambassador to give him the good news. A well accomplished leader in his own right, Karanja has spearheaded a successful project to assist thousands of Kenyan pastors in rural Kenya by providing bicycles for their transport. His outreach ministry has taken him to promote the good news around the world including Europe and Kenya. Karanja is the leader and the visionary of Christ Harvesters Ministries International which he started in 2004 with only 7 members, including his family. Under his leadership the ministry has grown to over 1000 members in a span of 4 years. The church moved from a mobile home to owning a 12 acre property worth $ 4 million on Dallas Highway in Marietta, Georgia.

Rev. Dr. Penny Ruth Njoroge, a Clinical Crisis Chaplain of Alabama also received Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) award. When KEN caught up with her at St Vicent hospital where she works, Dr. Njoroge was glad to learn of the honor. “This is good news. I was not aware of this until you called me. I had actually just finished helping a family that lost their relative a few minutes ago when you called. I feel like I am in two worlds right now”, She said.  Rev. Ruth Njoroge is the founding President of the Kenya Community Welfare Association of Alabama that has helped unite Kenyans in the south state.  She is also credited with mentoring the children, teens, college students and young adults, helping them achieve their goals and realze their dreams. Among her accomplishments are that she is honoured  in “Who’s Who Black in Birmingham” AL, Fellow at American Institute of Stress, 100 Professional\Business Men & Women of Distinction 2009, Founder Member “Birmingham Institute of Biblical Studies University. She has dedicated most of her time to community service both to the Kenyans and the local Birmingham communities. Through her connection, she has helped open doors to many Kenyans academically and professionally.

On the list too was Ms. Elizabeth Mungai of Atlanta Georgia. She received the coveted Head of State’s Commendation (HSC) award for her outstanding work in the community, helping the less fortunate during times of crisis. Known as the “lady with a big heart”, she is known to coordinate and organize fundraisers for the sick Kenyans in hospital and for the burial of those who have lost their loved ones. She has used her resources and network both here in United States and Kenya to resolve issues for fellow Kenyans during their time of need. Her undiscriminating service to all has earned her a good name.  Among her highlights is the role she played in helping rehabilitate Jeremy Kuria, an orphan who witnessed his family killing by yet to be identified assassin. 46 year old Jane Kuria (Jeremy’s Mother) and his two sisters, 19-year-old Isabela and 16-year-old Annabelle were found beaten to death by unknown intruders. Jeremy was also beaten and left for the dead when the police arrived at the scene.  Speaking to KEN from Nairobi, Elizabeth said that she was honored to receive the award. “I feel so honored that the president has noticed our efforts” she said adding; “I just extend a helping hand because it is the right thing to do”. The award ceremony date is yet to be established and may take place at the Kenyan Embassy or at a location to be announced later.

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY, 2010

LEFT: A British woman being held by Somali pirates has told how she narrowly escaped being raped by one of her captors, reports the Daily Mail. CENTRE: The Daily Mirror leads on the death of McQueen, saying the 40-year-old was overcome with grief after his mother passed away earlier this month. RIGHT: The EU's pledge to stand by Greece fell short of what investors were hoping for and raised fears of renewed selling in financial markets, according to the Financial Times.

Sio nchi ya maziwa na asali –Canan - ni nchi ya Kenya

Listening to Citizen TV News on www.habari.tv on Thursday evening 11th February 2010, I could not avoid a smile after the news broadcaster explained with such a nice voice na Kiswahili sanifu: “Hii sio nchi ya agano katika Bibilia – Canan – nchi ya maziwa na asali – mbali ni nchi ya Kenya upanda wa Ol Kalou ambapo maziwa lita 10,000 ilimwagwa leo asubuhi.”  The broadcaster was commenting when she was viewing a river of milk down the drainage after KCC refused to buy the milk.

Metro leads on the comments of housing minister John Healey, who said that for thousands of people who face losing their homes it might be "the best thing" for them.

HOME OFFICE

Charging for Immigration and Nationality Services 2010-11

The Minister of State for Borders and Immigration and Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Mr. Phil Woolas): On 20 January 2010, I laid the regulations that set fees for immigration and nationality services that are above the normal administrative cost of providing the service. I am today laying regulations for fees that are set at or below the cost of processing. The Government reviews the fees on a regular basis and makes appropriate changes as necessary. These fees are set out in regulations and are subject to the Negative procedure. The fees contained in these regulations are set at or below the administrative cost of an application or process in line with the Government’s charging model. By charging below the administrative cost of delivery on the application types referred to in this instrument, the UK Border Agency is able to support wider Government objectives, particularly where it is believed that a cost recovery fee would be so high as to damage international competitiveness in this area (e.g. for short term visit visa applications, Tier 5 Temporary Work applications). To help enable this, the UK Border Agency sets fees for other application types above the cost of delivery. For transparency, I have included the estimated unit cost for each route, so that it is clear the degree to which certain routes are set at or below cost.

IKO NINI BWANA SEED ARCHIVE

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IKO NINI BWANA SEED ARCHIVE