IKO NINI BWANA SEED april FINAL 2010

Notice for holders of expired visas whose travel plans have been disrupted by the volcanic ash

The UK Border Agency would like to reassure travellers who have been unable to leave the UK and whose visas have now expired. We appreciate that this is due to exceptional circumstances beyond your control. Please ensure that you retain proof of planned travel that would have enabled you to leave the UK before your visa expired. Please only contact the agency for further advice in exceptional circumstances. We will update this advice as the situation develops.

The question the airline industry is asking is why did it take six days for the Civil Aviation Authority to change its policy, and what does it know now that it did not know a week ago. Part of the problem faced by the regulator is that there is a limited evidence base with which to make an accurate risk assessment. Such occurrences are rare so the policy seems to have been one of safety first. But as the flight ban wore on, with increasing numbers of passengers stranded and the cost to the airline industry rising, the CAA was forced to reassess its policy. It consulted extensively with jet engine manufacturers and gathered new evidence from test flights through the volcanic ash. This process led the regulator to conclude on Tuesday night that planes would not stall if they flew through low concentrations of the ash, and passengers faced a greater risk by remaining stranded for several days.

Nairobi (Reuters) 20th April, 2010 - Olympic gold medallist Sammy Wanjiru's hopes of defending his London Marathon title have been boosted by the news that race organisers have arranged for a private plane to pick him up from Kenya, he said Tuesday. The move followed air travel restrictions over much of Europe due to volcanic ash after last week's eruption in Iceland, raising fears that elite overseas runners would not be able to compete in Sunday's race. Wanjiru will be joined by several other Kenyan athletes on the specially arranged flight. "I have just done my last morning run in Kenya and am about to start my journey by road to Nairobi where we shall be airlifted to Spain and await further instructions," the 24-year-old told Reuters by telephone from his home in Nyahururu. An aviation source at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport said a Gulfstream jet from Egypt would land at the main Kenyan airport later in the afternoon to fly the athletes to Europe via a stop in Djibouti to pick up more runners. Wanjiru, who also won the last Chicago Marathon, said another jet would pick them up in Spain for the onward leg of the journey to London. "Fatigue may affect us during the race and my agent has indicated to me that he another jet will pick us in Spain. I think travelling by road or train from Spain to London may be too long for us," he said. Other Kenyans expected to accompany Wanjiru on the trip are world marathon champion Abel Kirui, Duncan Kibet and Emmanuel Mutai, with runners from Ethiopia and Eritrea joining the travelling party in Djibouti. "I have trained well and I am ready for the race. We shall run as a team to ensure we deliver the title with my colleagues," Wanjiru added.

London, Wednesday 21st April, 2010. All UK airports have been given the go-ahead to reopen, the Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has said. After six days of disruption due to a cloud of volcanic ash from an Icelandic volcano, airlines can now start a phased return to flight schedules. The decision followed consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority and a reassessment of the risk to aircraft. BAA, which operates many of the UK's airports, said people should contact their airlines before travelling. "Not all flights will operate during the early period of opening, and we will do everything we can to support airlines and get people moving," a spokesman said. Some restrictions will remain on flights in UK airspace, but they will be much less severe than before. Dame Deirdre Hutton, of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said there had been detailed consultation with experts to reassess the tolerance of planes to the ash cloud. The CAA said it was a "situation without precedent" and that decisions had been made based on "thorough gathering of data and analysis".

"The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash," the CAA said."Manufacturers have now agreed increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas." Lord Adonis emphasised that safety remained paramount. He said: "It is essential that we guarantee to the travelling public that the airlines are safe and that planes can safely fly." Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "This solution has been reached as a result of the close working between the government, the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines and the manufacturers, and will allow the thousands of UK citizens stranded abroad to return home to their families. "We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely; as we have said throughout safety is our primary concern," he added. Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: "Labour must immediately commit to a full inquiry into this fiasco, which has caused so much travel misery and billions of pounds of economic damage.

"Six days into the crisis, we're suddenly told that there are actually levels of ash which are compatible with safe flying. The question angry passengers and airlines are already asking is why the government hadn't worked this out before the crisis occurred." After the lifting of the restrictions, the first British Airways flight to touch down from Heathrow was a service already in the air from Vancouver, which landed shortly before 2200 BST. The airline's chief executive Willie Walsh said he was pleased with the decision, but said it would take weeks to get back to normal levels of operation. "We're now at British Airways going to start the difficult task of getting our stranded customers back home but I think this is an airlift that is unprecedented but we will make every effort to get our people back home." He said "lessons can be learned" and added: "There will be plenty of time for a post-mortem of what has happened over the last few days." He said parts of the UK airspace could have been opened several days ago. "My personal belief is that we could have safely continued operating for a period of time. I think there were occasions when the decision to close airspace could have been justified." EasyJet said it planned to resume "some services across the UK and continental Europe from tomorrow morning," but added that the level of disruption meant it would be several days before the schedule returned to normal. Flights have been grounded across the UK and much of Europe since Thursday following the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull. The eruption sent vast amounts of ash into the atmosphere which poses a threat to aircraft jet engines. Despite the lifting of the ban, it will be some time before flights return to normal. The UK Border Agency warned people to expect queues as staff attempt to process large numbers of returning travellers. A spokesman said: "We are manning as many passport desks as possible." In other developments:

An estimated 150,000 Britons were stranded by the six-day shutdown of UK airspace to commercial flights. Anyone concerned about the safety of a British national stranded abroad can call a Foreign Office helpline on 020 7008 0000, or visit its website. Stranded Britons should contact their local embassy, high commission or consulate.

All long haul flights from Heathrow and Gatwick; Short haul cancellations until noon Virgin Atlantic: Normal schedule Thomson: Outbound flights cancelled Easyjet: Limited service Ryanair: No flights until 1300 BST on Thursday; No UK-Ireland flights until 1300 BST on Friday FlyBe: Flights from 1300 BST but some cancellations expected

Cameroonian conjoined twins Pheinbom and Shevoboh were seen as a bad omen when born, but their successful separation by Saudi surgeons has changed their lives - and the faith of some in their village. They were joined at the chest, abdomen and pelvis when born and some of the delivery nurses in Babanki Tungo, a village in north-west Cameroon, were so shocked by the "strange birth" that they ran out of the small clinic. The basic medical services in Babanki Tungo were ill-equipped to care for the girls and, following an internet appeal, the Saudi king agreed to pay for them to be flown to Saudi Arabia for surgery in 2007. The 16-hour operation succeeded in separating the twins and now they each have their own stomach. However, nearly three years on from the surgery, serious physical challenges remain. After the separation, the girls were left with one leg each, and they are now waiting to return to Saudi Arabia to be fitted with artificial limbs and begin the arduous task of learning how to walk. At the moment, they can only crawl. Even so, the twins are playful, talkative and mischievous - typical four-year-old girls, in fact. But when they were born, they were anything but typical.

The UK inflation rate rose sharply to 3.4% in March from 3% the month before, official figures have shown. The rise in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate was greater than analysts had expected. Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, which includes housing costs, also rose sharply to 4.4% in March from 3.7%. The CPI inflation rate is the measure targeted by Bank of England interest-rate setters, while RPI is often used as a benchmark in wage negotiations. Higher petrol prices were an important factor in rising consumer prices, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. Petrol prices have been rising because of the relative strength of the dollar and higher refining costs, as well as the increasing price of oil. The price of oil hit 18-month highs at the start of April. The continuing impact of the rise in VAT, which went back up to 17.5% in January, and the effect of flat gas bills relative to this time last year, when they fell sharply, also contributed to the spike in inflation. The ONS said increasing air fares, especially on European flights, rising food and non-alcoholic drinks prices, and higher clothing and footwear costs also played a part. Offsetting these were falls in the prices of second-hand cars, furniture and household equipment.

Despite the sharp rise in prices, analysts expect the rate of inflation to fall again in the coming months, as weak economic growth and high unemployment dampen price rises. The governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, has said that he expects inflation to fall back towards the target rate of 2% in the coming months. Analysts therefore expect the Bank to keep interest rates low to stimulate growth. "We would not expect the Bank of England to be swayed by short-term movements in commodity prices, so today's figures should not have much bearing on interest rates. We still expect rates to remain on hold for the remainder of this year," said Hetal Mehta, senior economic adviser to the Ernst & Young ITEM Club. UK interest rates have been at the record low of 0.5% for 13 consecutive months. The policy helped to bring the UK economy out of recession in the last quarter of 2009, when it grew by 0.4%. However, if prices continue to rise sharply, the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee may have to raise rates. If the CPI inflation rate remains above 3% in April, Mr King will have to write another letter of explanation to the chancellor.

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A few days after defecting from BNP and joining Christian Party, Pastor James Gitau is now vying for Member of Parliament of Croydon Central Constituency with the Christian Party ticket. What's next Pastor Gitau? - "Ruta kanyau ngûnia"

A body lay undiscovered under a sofa in a sheltered flat in Bristol for nearly 10 years, an inquest has heard. The dead man, Denis Pring, 73, had been living with city council tenant Alan Derrick, who has learning difficulties. The inquest heard Mr Derrick did not want to tell the authorities that Mr Pring had died because he was worried he would be evicted. The coroner recorded an open verdict into Mr Pring's death at the hearing in Flax Bourton, near Bristol. Mr Pring is believed to have died at some point between April and June 1998. The inquest heard that he had been living in the flat unofficially. Mr Derrick, the dead man's friend and drinking partner, had invited him to stay there because he had nowhere else to go. But when he died suddenly, Mr Derrick panicked and worried that he might be evicted. A year after the death, a mobile council warden was called to inspect the flat after complaints of a terrible smell. Sandra Wedlock told the court that she had walked by an overturned sofa at the property in the Bedminster area of the city without noticing the body underneath it. She put the source of the smell that neighbours had complained about down to an overflowing toilet and no further action was taken by the council. Mr Pring's skeleton was finally discovered by council cleaning staff in 2008 after Mr Derrick moved out of the property, the inquest heard. Mr Derrick, who was described by neighbours as 'a vulnerable loner', is believed to be living elsewhere in the area. No criminal charges were brought against him. Residents groups said the case proves there is a need for more live-in wardens to supervise sheltered accommodation. Jon House, Bristol City Council's deputy chief executive, expressed his condolences and 'apologised unreservedly' to Mr Pring's family and the neighbours for the distress they suffered. "I want to acknowledge that a more active intervention nine or 10 years ago, and a healthier dose of common sense, might have stopped Mr Pring laying undiscovered," he said. "Although, as was acknowledged in court, his body was actively concealed by the tenant. "What I think is most important now is that we demonstrate that we have long since learned from this experience. "New protocols have been put in place to support vulnerable people, and large numbers of our staff have been trained accordingly. "Although we'll continue to respect people's right to the quiet enjoyment of their home, where they are vulnerable and cannot cope (and in some cases cause a nuisance or health hazard to their neighbours), we will intervene as necessary to stop things spiralling out of control."

Tourists from UK stranded at the Travellers’ Beach Hotel in Mombasa, on Monday. They could not travel home following the volcanic ash crisis in parts of Europe - The Standard.

London, Tuesday 20th April, 2010. Some flights are taking off in Scotland, where airports have reopened, although there are fears of a new volcanic ash cloud spreading to the UK. The first flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow both headed for Stornaway after 0700 BST - among a handful of domestic flights scheduled from Scotland. Nats said the new ash cloud is causing uncertainty and there was now a worsening situation in some areas. The first international flight due to leave Glasgow has been cancelled. Belfast Airport has said it expects no flights during the morning except those heading for the Isle of Man. Although Scottish airspace is open most of the flights are said to be to destinations elsewhere in Scotland. The first international flight from Glasgow was due to depart at midday going to Reykjavik, in Iceland, but was cancelled before 0800 BST. Schedules are constantly changing and passengers have been advised not travel to the airports until they have checked with their airline or tour operator. At Glasgow, there was only a trickle of passengers checking in at the airport for the Stornoway flight. And some of the check-in desks were manned but there were no queues. A flight from Aberdeen to Newcastle is set to depart at 0825 BST. Flights from Newcastle are expected to head to Aberdeen and the Isle of Man. Nats said it would report again at 0900 BST. It said more airspace over England was expected to become available from 1300 BST although not as far south as London's main airports. In a statement it said: "The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK. "This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working." British Airways has cancelled all short-haul flights on Tuesday but said it hoped to run long-haul flights scheduled to depart after 1600 BST depending on a "full and permanent" opening of airspace.

The first cargo plane left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday evening 19th April 2010 carrying flowers to Europe. The flight has arrived at Amsterdam safely.

European airports start to reopen for flights

A small number of flights have taken off from northern Europe after five days of inactivity caused by the spread of volcanic ash from Iceland. Planes have been taking off from Paris, Madrid and Frankfurt - however many flights remain cancelled. There are hopes that many routes within Europe will be able to resume operations on Tuesday. But UK air traffic officials said a new ash cloud spreading from Iceland cast doubt on plans to reopen UK airspace. The first flights have taken off from Scotland, and the flight ban has been lifted in the north of England. But British Airways says it has cancelled all short-haul flights, after the UK air traffic control body, Nats, warned of more volcanic ash. A spokesman for Belfast airport in Northern Ireland said it hoped to resume flights at 1000 BST (0900 GMT) but will wait for the latest advice from Nats.

EU transport ministers proposed creating a core no-fly area, a limited-service zone and an open-skies area. Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings said his country was "taking a lead" in restarting flights, but warned that further suspensions might prove necessary if the situation worsens. Swiss and northern Italian airspace will reopen from 0600 GMT, and France is opening some air corridors to Paris. But the skies over Germany are due to remain closed until 1200 GMT, with some exceptions. The BBC's Nik Gowing, at Frankfurt airport in Germany, says that several flights have arrived in the last hour from America and elsewhere, and that passengers reported a normal service on board. But he says that out of 100 flights scheduled in the next 12 hours, some 95 have already been cancelled and he says the situation remains very fluid. In Madrid, our correspondent Sarah Rainsford says that passengers have been arriving on time for their flights but have had to queue for several hours at the information desk to find alternative transport if their flights have been cancelled. She says that on Monday dozens of coaches were laid on, taking people to Paris, Brussels, and Geneva - and this will be the case again on Tuesday if European airspace does not open up as expected.

The International Air Transport Association earlier labelled the chaos a mess and an embarrassment for Europe. The body says its losses have soared over $1bn (£650m; 740m euros), since much of Europe's airspace was closed last week because of ash from southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull volcano. The European Union has admitted there were shortcomings in the way the decision to close parts of Europe's airspace was reached. An official with the EU Transport Commission, Helen Kearns, said there was loose coordination in the decision-making process and that, working with the same scientific information, different countries had reached different conclusions. She said, however, that in the future when deciding whether planes should be grounded, there'd be no change in the policy of putting safety first. Experts had earlier said the volcano - which erupted last Wednesday for the second time in a month - was now spewing more steam and less ash. A US official said on Monday a Nato F-16 fighter jet had suffered engine damage after flying through the volcanic ash cloud. In the high temperatures of an engine turbine, ash can turn to molten glass and cripple the engine. Meanwhile, the UK deployed three Royal Navy warships to help pick up stranded passengers from Spain and the Channel ports. In Spain, where all airports were open, the government offered to let Britain and other European countries use its airports as stopovers to get passengers moving again. Airspace in Belgium and Denmark is also due to begin opening from Tuesday morning. But Finland, Poland and Norway have shut their airports again. Airports have already reopened in Austria, Estonia, Hungary and Turkey. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said the bloc's economy would suffer badly if the disruption continued for a long time. "What makes me a little bit afraid is that there is no timer on this volcano," he told news agency Reuters. The shroud of fine mineral dust particles from the volcano has spread from the Arctic Circle in the north to the French Mediterranean coast in the south, and from Spain into Russia.

London, Tuesday 20th April, 2010. A new ash cloud spreading towards the UK is causing uncertainty over plans to reopen some airspace on Tuesday, air traffic control body Nats has said. Earlier, it said the flight ban would be lifted over Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. But Nats said there was now a worsening situation in some areas. The outlook for Northern Ireland is most uncertain. Scottish airports are still expected to reopen from 0700 BST, but Nats said it would report again at 0300. A further update will be made at 0900 BST on Tuesday. Nats said more airspace over England was expected to become available from 1300 BST although not as far south as London's main airports.

In a statement, Nats said: "The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK. "This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working."It said it expected the situation to change overnight, and emphasised it was in regular contact with the Met Office and the UK's safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority. It added: "We are working closely with government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions." In a statement released shortly before Nats', the Met Office said: "Eruptions from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano are weaker than they were at the weekend but eruptions still take ash over 10,000ft at times. "Weather patterns continue to blow areas of ash towards the UK. "As the volcanic activity changes, there may be some clearance of ash at times, over parts of the UK."

The spread of volcanic ash has affected large swathes of Europe for the past five days. The event has caused huge disruption for air travellers, many of whom have embarked on long journeys over land and sea to get home. Gordon Brown said Royal Navy ships would be deployed to bring home some of the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad, including British troops heading home from Afghanistan. The UK government's emergency committee, Cobra, met twice on Monday and plans to meet again on Tuesday. After the second meeting a No 10 spokesman said the committee agreed the government should "continue to do whatever it can" to return stranded Britons to the UK. Earlier, British Airways announced it would try to resume some flights from London airports on Tuesday evening, but in light of the new Nats statement it said it was "reviewing" its schedule. Manchester Airport said it was sticking to plans to open at 0900 BST on Tuesday, but will monitor Nats reports. The EU has now moved to ease air travel curbs with transport ministers saying there would be a core no-fly area, an open-skies area and a third limited-service zone. Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears particles in the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano could cause engines to shut down. Air travellers, due to fly into reopened airspace, are being advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.

Pastor Geoffrey Macharia well known as the mayor is going for a Parliamentary Seat in the UK at the general elections on 6th May, 2010. Mr. Macharia is vying the seat with the Christian Party Candidate for Streatham Borough Constituency. We are inviting Kenyans who live in Streatham and their friends to vote for them on 6th May 2010. Cimucii itiri ukabi. They need your vote as well as support through prayers or physically by helping them to distribute the leaflets. You can contact them through 07877211908 - pastorgeoffrey@hotmail.co.uk

Pastor James Gitau who had surprised many people by joining the BNP Party has defected to Christian Party. Pastor Gitau said that Christian Party summoned him on Saturday 17th April, 2010 and explained to him that the policies of BNP which are not good for a Christian and he changed his mind and now has joined Christian Party. He has asked for forgiveness for those whom he may have caused some embarrassment.

Ms Julliet Makhapila is standing for a council seat in the Islington ward of Tollington in the City of London . She would like to take this opportunity to thank God and the liberal members for giving her this opportunity. She is standing with the Liberal Democrats in Islington Borough (Tollington Ward). She would like to ask Kenyans support in prayers and joining her in action days to support my Parliamentary MP. Please call me on 07960982421 to find out how you can help her. Diversity in UK Communities Mission is to be abundantly positive to social inclusion and equal prospect, provide support, training and education to all in the UK . - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

London, Monday 19th April, 2010. The Royal Navy is to be deployed to help rescue Britons stranded abroad by flight restrictions. With the UK no-fly zone being extended until 1am tomorrow, the Government says three ships could be used to help ferry travellers back home. HMS Ocean will head to the Channel today and HMS Ark Royal will move "later" - with HMS Albion en route to Spain to pick up British soldiers. Madrid may also be used as a hub for stranded tourists. Mr Brown unveiled the measures after a meeting of the Government's emergency response Cobra committee. "I talked to Prime Minister Zapatero and he has offered in principle use of Spanish airports as a hub to bring people back to Britain. "And we are now looking if we can make the arrangements necessary, the transport arrangements that we will support as a government, coach, ferry and train to get people either from Madrid or another Spanish airport back to Britain," the Prime Minister said. With pressure mounting to ease the flight restrictions, Mr Brown said passenger safety was "paramount". Nats said it had been advised by the Met Office that the volcano is "now less active than previously" but the restrictions would remain. The Met Office warned that the risk of volcanic ash heading over the UK will continue until Friday, when the wind direction is expected to change. Germany and Italy have extended flight restrictions until 6pm - Italy this morning briefly reopened its airspace in the north only to shut it a short time later. Denmark said it was opening its airspace above 35,500ft while the Czech Republic said its airspace would be open for 48 hours. The ash cloud is expected to hit the east coast of the US at 6pm and Canada this afternoon. Travel association Abta estimates around 150,000 Britons are stuck abroad. Many of those on holiday over Easter were teachers and pressure is growing on the Government to get them back to the UK.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, whose three sons are stranded in Spain, said he supported the Government's "wholly laudable" efforts to get people home.First Choice and Thomson say they are launching rescue efforts to return 5,000 holidaymakers from the Spanish resorts of Alicante and Malaga, via train and ferries. But pressure is mounting on European governments to ease the restrictions. British Airways, which is losing up to £20m a day during the crisis, said a test flight yesterday suffered no damage and called for the blanket ban to be lifted. However, glass build-up was found in an engine of a Nato F-16 fighter plane, a US official said. The director-general of the airlines' trade body, the International Air Transport Association, described the European response as an "embarrassment" and said the flight ban was not based on "facts". Giovanni Bisignani told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "This is a European embarrassment and it's a European mess. It took five days to organise a conference call with the ministers of transport. "Europeans are still using a system that's based on a theoretical model, instead of taking a decision based on facts and risk assessment. "This decision (to close airspace) has to be based on facts and supported by risk assessment. We need to replace this blanket approach with a practical approach." Jim French, chief executive of Flybe, told Sky News the "blanket methodology" for the ban was incorrect and the Government would need to consider bailout packages for struggling airlines. The IATA says the crisis is costing the industry £130m a day. The fall-out from the travel crisis continues to be felt. A toddler is in a life-threatening condition in hospital after her bone marrow transplant was delayed because of the flight ban. The little girl, who cannot be named, was said to be in an "extremely vulnerable state" as restrictions remained. They have prevented critical treatment arriving from a donor in Canada - her only hope of survival.

Former Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission vice chairperson Betty Murungi has resigned as a commissioner. In her letters Ms Murungi said she was resigning pursuant to Section 16(b) of the TJRC Act, 2008.

Former Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission vice chairperson Betty Murungi has Monday resigned as Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission commissioner. Ms Murungi who had earlier resigned as the Vice Chair of the Commission but elected to remain as a Commissioner handed in her letter to the Office of the President and informed the Chairperson of the Commission Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat. In her letters Ms Murungi said she was resigning pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2008. "I am doing so because my position had become untenable" she said while thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Kenya in the important Commission. In a quick rejoinder Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo said that he was disappointed by the commission and maintains that it should be disbanded. Mutula says the commission has failed Kenyans. Mutula says the government will not put more funds in the commission which has been hit by infighting and misappropriation. Mutula has written the parliament select committee on justice to have the commission disbanded. Last week, eight Commissioners of the TJRC submitted a formal legal petition to the Chief Justice requesting that a tribunal be set up to inquire into whether the Chairperson of the Commission should be removed. A statement from TJRC said the petition has the full support of the ninth Commissioner Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat who chairs the Commission. In their petition, the Commissioners say that allegations have been raised against the Chairperson linking him to human rights violations that are to be investigated by the Commission. "We request that, pursuant to Section 17(2)(a) of the Act, a Tribunal be appointed that will, as set out in Section 17(2)(b) of the Act, inquire into the matter, report on the facts, and recommend to the President, whether or not the chairperson of the Commission should be removed from office," the statement said. Acording to the commissioners the move has been necessitated by allegations of "misbehavior or misconduct" by Kiplagat. The commissioners want the tribunal to specifically look into allegations of:

The commission based their call for the formation of a tribunal on the fact that prior to his appointment, Kiplagat swore an affidavit declaring that he "has not in any way been involved, implicated, linked or associated with human rights violations of any kind or in any matter which is to be investigated under this Act [the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Act of 2008, as amended]." Calls for Kiplagat's resignation have been escalating amid questions of his involvement with the government of former president Daniel Arap Moi under which he was a senior government official. However Kiplagat has declared that he was in no way implicated in human rights violations or any other kind of misdemeanor that would lead to his resignation as chairman of the commission. The commissioners say the allegations should be investigated as to ensure TJRC's partiality, credibility and integrity.

Kiplagat has been mentioned in Ndung'u Report as a recipient of illegally or irregularly acquired land between 12 December 1963 and 28 February 2008. The report says Kiplagat was irregularly allocated property in Nairobi's Lavington and Kileleshwa areas, as well as 100 acres of land in Uasin Gishu district. He was also under scrutiny following the murder of Robert Ouko who was then foreign affairs minister while Kiplagat was at the time the permanent secretary in the ministry. Following Ouko's murder, Kiplagat appeared as a witness in four inquiries into the matter and the Parliamentary Select Committee on the killing recommended that he be investigated. Regarding the Wagallah Massacre, Kiplagat has been mentioned as having been involved. According to the commissioners Kiplagat participated in a meeting called by the District Security Committee of Wajir District, in Wajir a few days before the security operation that later became known as the Wagalla massacre. The committee in its mandate is expected to among other issues look into these three matters and thus feels its credibility would be compromised if Kiplagat continues chairing the commission.

"Under the TJRC Act, a Commissioner may be removed for, among other things, "misbehavior or misconduct," the commissioners say. Their petition asks the Chief Justice to determine whether the Chairperson in swearing to an affidavit that he was not associated with human rights violations of any kind or in any matter which is to be investigated under the [TJRC] Act and his denial of the same has committed an act that qualifies as misbehavior or misconduct. In addition, the petition asks whether those same allegations, if proven true warranted Kiplagat's removal as his continuing as commissioner might create an appearance of partiality or otherwise harm the credibility or integrity of the Commission. On Monday the Commissioners wrote to the Minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs Mutula Kilonzo requesting that a Tribunal be established to inquire into allegations that have been raised against Ambassador Kiplagat. And on Thursday Kilonzo warned that the whole team risked being sent home as its integrity has been dented following their handling of the crisis. The team which has been in office for one year is yet to start its work following the controversy over Kiplagat's appointment as the chair. The Parliamentary Select committee on Administration of Justice and Legal Affairs will meet next week to deliberate on the crisis dogging the commission.

The mandate of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission it to inquire into human rights violations including those committed by the state, groups or individuals. It includes but is not limited to politically motivated violence, assassinations, community displacements, settlements and evictions. It will also inquire into major economic crimes, in particular grand corruption, historical land injustices and the illegal and irregular acquisition of land especially as these relate to conflict or violence, between 12th December 1963 to February 2008. The Commission will receive statements from victims, witnesses, communities, interest groups, persons directly or indirectly involved in events or any other group or individual; undertake investigations and research; hold hearings and engage in activities as it determines to advance national or community reconciliation.Parliament enacted the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Act 2008 in October 2008 and it came to force on 9th March 2009. The Commissioners who were appointed by President Mwai Kibaki on 22nd July 2009 are: Amb. Bethuel Kiplagat, Tecla Namachanja Wanjala, Kaari Betty Murungi, Gertrude Chawatama from Zambia, Amb Berhanu Dinka from Ethiopia, Ahmed Sheikh Farah, Tom Ojienda, Margaret Shava and Prof. Ronald Slye from USA.

Gordon Brown today sent three Royal Navy ships on the biggest civilian rescue operation in recent history to bring home Britons stranded abroad by the Icelandic volcano. The Prime Minister said the Navy's flagship Ark Royal and its biggest warship, HMS Ocean, would be used to ferry travellers across the Channel. HMS Albion, which is being used to collect 200 soldiers stranded in Spain as they return from Afghanistan, could also pick up holidaymakers. Madrid airport is expected to become a temporary hub for British passengers unable to return directly to the UK from the USA, Africa and Asia. The Government will lay on free coaches and trains to bring them through France to the Channel. Today's announcement from Downing Street followed a meeting of the Cabinet's Cobra emergency committee. An estimated 150,000 Britons are stranded abroad, with a flight ban over the UK and much of Europe now in its fifth day because of the danger to jet engines posed by clouds of volcanic ash. It comes as: Hundreds of London schools were without teachers and pupils stranded abroad. Fewer than 9,000 of the 28,000 flights in Europe were expected to fly today. The cost to the London economy was estimated at £50 million, with British Airways alone said to be losing between £15 million to £20 million a day. The flight ban over the England was extended until 1am tomorrow.

Thousands of Kenyans going to or passing through Dubai (United Arab Emirates) will need a degree certificate to get a visa into the Arab country. A degree certificate “or higher” is required for one to enter the UAE, otherwise, without the Visa, you will not enter and won’t leave, but will be detained at the airport. The rules were effected last Monday, just four days after the UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah Al Nahyan met both President Kibaki and his Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetang’ula in Nairobi. Kenya and UAE then signed a memorandum to open doors for the oil-rich Arab state to set up a mission in Kenya. But even before the ink dried on the agreement, the UAE slapped the new regulation barring Kenyans without Bachelors degree from entering Dubai -- the busiest aviation hub in the Middle East. This means that the 369 Kenyans in Iraq, the 36 in Afghanistan and the 36,000 others who live and work in Dubai, will not dare leave unless they have visa approval. That is besides the thousands of traders who make daily trips to the international trade hub in the middle East. The exact reasons for the new move are unknown but the chairman of Parliament’s departmental committee on Foreign Relations and Defence, Mr Aden Keynan, said it was as a result deportation of UAE nationals touring the country. “It is unfair for the Dubai government to punish all Kenyans over this misunderstanding,” Mr Keynan said. “Mr Wetang’ula and his team must be proactive in their dealings with such crucial trade partners so that such hitches do not occur.” Speaking to the Nation on Sunday, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said Mr Wetang’ula will be travelling to the UAE within the week to address the simmering diplomatic tiff. Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Thuita Mwangi and Dr Mutua said the move had not been officially communicated. A US firm operating in Iraq has warned its Kenyan employees who were due to return home for a two-week break that should they leave their station, “there’s no guarantee that the employee will have a Dubai visa approved for their return.” The firm, Kellog Brown & Root Proprietary Data, employs hundreds of Kenyans as mechanics and electricians in Army bases in Iraq. According to correspondence seen by the Nation between the company and the Kenyan Mission in Abu Dhabi, no Kenyan without a Dubai visa will be allowed to transit through the airport. However, Dr Mutua insists, Abu Dhabi reserves the right to change its visa regulations “but the minister will find out what the real problem on this situation is.” The Kenyan mission in Abu Dhabi is exploring ways to get those Kenyans without visas to transit via Dubai into other countries in the Middle East. The mission plans to write letters asking the UAE authorities to grant permission for inter-terminal transfers. Even if they get past the hitch and board their connecting flights, if it is determined that they have no visas, the plane may not be allowed to leave Dubai. The use of letters from the Kenyan mission is a huge gamble given that the mission insists “it is unknown at this time if this will work.” The employers of many Kenyans in Iraq and Afghanistan are now looking at Kuwait as a transit point. - Daily Nation.

Thousands of flights across Europe remain grounded for a fourth straight day, as a huge swathe of European airspace was shut because of dangerous ash from an Icelandic volcano and on right in contrast, train stations - like this one in Rome - were packed with stranded airline passengers.

Restrictions on flights across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until at least 7pm tomorrow, air traffic control company Nats has said. Earlier the Government indicated the Royal Navy could be used to ferry passengers back to Britain. The move came after an 85-minute meeting of ministers at 10 Downing Street following another day of chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland. A spokesman for the National Air Traffic Service (Nats) said: "Based on the latest information from the Met Office, Nats advises the current restrictions across UK controlled airspace remain in place until at least 7pm on Monday 19 April." Ministers said everything was being done to try to help the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad by the UK flights ban.This included the possibility of sending Royal Navy vessels to collect passengers, Security Minister Lord West, a former First Sea Lord, revealed. "We clearly have a reasonable lift capacity within the Royal Navy for lifting people," he said. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson added: "We need to look at every single logistical option for getting our people back home. "And we've got to look at commercial as well as Royal Navy amphibious capacity to help us in this task."

The small country that has grounded aeroplanes in Europe - Icereland -Where is it located. Who lives there.

A sparsely-populated North Atlantic island, Iceland is famous for its hot springs, geysers and active volcanoes. Lava fields cover much of the land and hot water is pumped from under the ground to supply much of the country's heating. Iceland became an independent republic in 1944 and went on to become one of the world's most prosperous economies. However, the collapse of the banking system in 2008 exposed that prosperity as having been built on a dangerously vulnerable economic model. - FULL STORY

A UK man is going for a world record breaking. A Sussex carpenter is hoping to break a world record by spending nearly four months in a room with some of the world's most venomous snakes. David Jones, 44, from Crawley, will carry out his 121-day challenge in Johannesburg on April 24. His room-mates will include deadly puff adders, snouted cobras, boomslangs and green and black mambas. He told Five News' Jason Farrell why he's decided to take the risk. He said: "I wanted to challenge myself, and I also wanted to raise some money for charity." The current world record is held by South African Martin Smith, aka Mad Martin, who spent 113 days sharing a room with poisonous snakes. However, Mr Smith was a qualified snake handler, while Mr Jones is an enthusiast - although he insists he is aware of the dangers. "There are wild animals. They're unpredictable and of course they do bite, and they bite with serious consequences."

K24 TV in Kenya has become the first Kenyan TV to go online. It is the sister company to Kameme Radio - CLICK HERE FOR THE TV

A letter from a first-class passenger on board the Titanic has fetched £55,000 at auction - a record price for a piece of written correspondence from the ship. The piece was penned by Adolphe Saalfeld, on three sides of stationery from the doomed vessel, to his "wifey", Gertrude, still home in Britain. His words give a rare glimpse into day-to-day life on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, which sank on April 15, 1912 with the loss of 1,517 lives after hitting an iceberg. The letter was one of 350 lots of White Star Line memorabilia sold yesterday by auctioneer Henry Aldridge and Son, in Devizes, Wiltshire. The letter, composed five days before the disaster, was sold to an unidentified museum in Britain, which has yet to formally announce its purchase. Explaining the appeal of the artefact, Andrew Aldridge said: "The content is superb. It gives a real first person perspective of what life was like onboard, through the eyes of a first-class passenger, right down to the food, the size of the cabin and the decoration." While other letters exist, this is the best example of its kind due to the depth of its detail, he explained.

Simon Reeve continues his epic journey around the world following the tropic of Cancer, the northern border of the tropics region. This episode takes Simon through Bangladesh and on a perilous covert journey into Burma, where western journalists are banned. In Bangladesh, Simon sails down the mighty Padma River and visits fishermen who use trained otters to drive fish into their nets. Further on he sees the river banks crumbling before his eyes - increased river erosion is thought to be caused by global climate change - and in the capital Dhaka he meets some of the millions of child workers. From North East India, Simon treks through jungles and across rivers into Burma to meet the Chin people - an ethnic group who are brutalised and oppressed by the Burmese government. After travelling around the tropic of Capricorn and the equator, this series completes Simon's trilogy of journeys exploring the amazing tropics region with his toughest, longest, most ambitious challenge yet. - FULL STORY

London, Sunday 18th April, 2010. The UK is experiencing its fourth day as a virtual no-fly zone due to volcanic ash drifting from Iceland, leaving thousands of Britons stranded. Flight restrictions have been extended until at least 0700 BST on Monday and forecasters say the ash cloud could remain over the UK for many more days. Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said he wanted flights to resume as soon as possible but safety came first. He added: "The forecast for tomorrow is not encouraging." Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears that particles in the ash cloud generated by the volcanic eruption could cause engines to shut down.Lord Adonis said further test flights would take place in the UK to help understand the extent of the impact of the ash cloud. He said: "I wish to establish, as a matter of urgency, whether some safe flight paths can be identified and opened up to flights within the area affected by ash," Lord Adonis also said "urgent discussions" were taking place between European and international agencies to ease the chaos. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned airlines would lose at least £130m a day in revenues during the disruption. Dutch airline KLM and German airline Lufthansa have carried out test flights in their countries' airspace to see if it is safe for planes to fly. KLM, which is inspecting test plane engines for possible damage with a view to restarting operations, said its aircraft had been able to fly at normal operating altitude of 13km (8 miles) over Dutch skies and no problems had been reported."We have found nothing unusual, neither during the flight, nor during the first inspection on the ground," said KLM chief executive Peter Hartman, who took part in his airline's test.

Meanwhile, Brian Flynn, head of operations at Eurocontrol, the organisation in charge of air safety in Europe, denied aviation authorities were being over cautious. He said: "The accepted methodology that we have in Europe - the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation - are the guidelines that we are using, and that is that any risk of an aircraft penetrating an area that could have volcanic ash in it could have extreme safety consequences." Mr Flynn said the "over-riding objective of protecting the travelling public" meant exceptional measures had to be taken. Lufthansa said it flew 10 planes from Frankfurt to Munich at heights of up to 8km (5 miles). Air France is to conduct a test flight over south-western France later on Sunday. BBC business editor Robert Peston said the disruption risked becoming a "major business and economic disaster". He said a number of European airlines were facing financial difficulties.Our correspondent said: "If [the disruption] goes on many days longer, a number of European airlines will run into financial difficulties and may need bailing out by governments - or so I am told by senior airline figures." Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence is considering plans to fly troops wounded in Afghanistan to coalition partner countries such as Germany for treatment if UK airspace remains closed. Under normal circumstances they would be flown home and treated at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The disruption has affected hundreds of thousands of travellers since Wednesday, when the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano began erupting. Cassandra Williams, who had been expecting to start her new job as a head teacher in Norfolk on Monday, is stuck in Hong Kong. She said: "There are lots of children meant to be taking GCSEs and A-levels and they are very worried about when they might be able to fly to get home." Karen Abbott, from Southampton, is stuck in Singapore with her husband and daughter, who has diabetes and is insulin-dependent. She said the family's medication stock was running out. Anyone concerned about the safety of a British national stranded abroad can call a Foreign Office helpline on 020 7008 0000, or visit its website at www.fco.gov.uk. Stranded Britons should contact their local embassy, high commission or consulate. In other developments:

• British Airways cancelled all long and short-haul flights in and out of the UK on Monday

• TV presenter Dan Snow is using five rigid inflatable boats to help people stranded in France by carrying them from Calais to Dover throughout Sunday

• The impact is likely to exceed the airspace shutdown after the 11 September 2001 attacks, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation

• P&O ferry crossings between Portsmouth and Bilbao are fully booked until Wednesday, as are those from Hull to Zeebrugge and Rotterdam over the weekend

• The Prince of Wales and Foreign Secretary David Miliband cancelled their journey to the funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski

• Royal Mail said international mail due to leave or enter the UK was likely to be delayed. Mail to much of the US was being routed via southern Europe.

Tibetan residents sit on a hillside to observe a mass cremation for victims of Wednesday's earthquake in Yushu County, northwest China's Qinghai province.

Airspace closed: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

Partial closures: Italy (northern airspace closed until Monday) Norway (limited flights in north) Spain (northern airports closed)

Kenya's flower industry has been badly hit by the cancellation of flights across Europe because of the ash cloud caused by a volcano in Iceland. The head of the Kenya Flower Council told the BBC it was costing growers between $1.5m and $2m a day. She said about 500 tonnes of flowers were currently being kept in cool storage at Nairobi's airport. Flowers are the East African country's biggest export earner, accounting for about 20% of all exports. Flower trucks arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday morning were being turned away. "On the flower farms we have to continue harvesting the flowers," Kenya Flower Council chief executive Jane Ngige told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

Bishop Warui and his wife Rev. Catherine Warui (right) during their conference on Saturday 10th April, 2010 where Bishop Muiru was the guest speaker. On right is the HODSIM Church choir - MORE

Most flights in the UK will remain grounded until early Monday as ash from a volcano in Iceland continues to drift. Many countries and airlines have grounded fleets amid fears that the ash - a mixture of glass, sand and rock particles - could be catastrophic to aircraft.

I've been stranded in Madrid since Thursday. We were given new flights but these have since been cancelled. Now we've been told that we cannot get a flight until 26 April at the earliest. We are desperately trying to do something but all trains are fully booked and car hire companies are now charging 1,000 euros (£880) when normally it cost 30 euros (£26). We even tried to group together to hire a coach but there weren't any free. Although Easyjet has been really good, they're only going to pay for our hotel until Wednesday. Other people in the hotel are not so lucky and are waiting to find out where they stand. There is a lot of tension at the hotel and although the hoteliers are very sympathetic, the knock-on effect in their own country is causing them a lot of hassle - our hotel manager's eight-year-old son was stranded in Valencia as all the trains back to Madrid had been booked up. The hotel staff are getting very frustrated - not only dealing with angry customers, but also having to turn anyway new, genuine guests.

My son is stuck with a school party in Shanghai, China. There are forty 15 to 16 year olds with four teachers there. They were due to fly back Thursday but have been informed by a business class passenger on the same BA flight they will not be flying before Monday 26 April at the earliest. We have already looked to see if my son can get back overland and there is a train service from Beijing via Moscow, Copenhagen and Eurostar but it takes 10-12 days....he may have to do this sooner or later. BA say they will pay for one more night and after that they're on their own. We're not getting a lot of information from the school in Twickenham, but the head teacher is meeting the parents of all the children stuck in China on Monday. The school opens tomorrow so I guess she's got a bit of a nightmare on her hands. I'm in regular touch with our son - he's run up a £250 mobile phone bill. The LEA has provided additional funding for teachers.

My name is Shiyana Eliyas and I am a Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry at Charles Clifford Dental Hospital in Sheffield. I have lived in the UK for 20 years or so and have been visiting my family in Sri Lanka where I am now stranded. Under any other circumstance it would be a pleasure to spend a little more time with my family but my work commitments in the UK are hugely disrupted and this worries me. Sri Lankan airlines have not contacted me with any information and I have had to repeatedly call to find out the little information they are giving. I have received the majority of information from the BBC website. The airline has made no arrangements for getting the stranded passengers home except for listing them for future scheduled flights. They appear to be reluctant to put additional flights on and the existing scheduled flights are full. I had initially been listed for the 29th April - which is unacceptable. All my patients are to be cancelled indefinitely from Monday onward and due to booking capacity they are unlikely to be seen for treatment until the end of May or early June. I also have teaching commitments and a conference which I will unlikely be refunded for. This is the chaos caused to one person. I can only imagine the effects on others and the huge economical cost of this natural disaster.

I'm part of a five-piece folk band trying get back to Scotland. We were due to fly home on Friday morning, but the flight out of Copenhagen was cancelled. SAS have now cancelled all their flights until Monday and cannot rebook us until Thursday 22nd at the earliest, nearly a week after our original flight. We've been haemorrhaging money in hotels, so we investigated renting a van to drive back in, but this morning we were quoted £2,000 for a day and a half to drive to Dunkirk. Thankfully the hotel is still charging us musician-friendly rates, but we don't know how long the generosity will last. Now we're looking into buying a couple of second hand cars to drive home in. We'll be lucky if we break even from the tour in the end.

We've had a fantastic holiday for two weeks here in Goa, but now it's time to go home. What's disturbing us is that we've had no contact from our tour operator since all this began. I rang the resort manager here because we hadn't even seen the rep. Will we have to leave our hotel? Will the operator provide anywhere else for us? My wife and I are in our 40s so we are prepared for when things go wrong, but there are lots of younger people out here who will have spent all their money and won't know what to do.

European airlines are continuing to run test flights to assess possible damage to jet engines caused by the volcanic ash cloud that has grounded services. The flights come as some observers start questioning if regulators may have over-stated the safety threat. KLM, whose Saturday test went without incident, is running another eight, and Air France is also taking to the skies. The tests come as most of Europe's air space was paralysed for a fourth day on Sunday. But the test flights on Saturday by Dutch airline KLM and Germany's Lufthansa to assess the impact of the ash on jet engines offered some hope.

Islamist militants al-Shabab have banned teachers using bells to signal the end of class in the town of Jowhar, 90km (56 miles) north of Mogadishu. Al-Shabab said the bells sounded too much like Christian church bells. This comes after last week's order by the Hizbul-Islam group that radios stop playing music because it is un-Islamic. A teacher told the BBC's correspondent in Somalia that handclaps were now being used instead of bells to bring classes to an end. The end of classes is also marked by teachers beating on tables and doors, reports the Associated Press news agency. In the past, Islamist militants have banned watching films and football, as well as musical mobile phone ring-tones, says the BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in Mogadishu. They have also carried out amputations and lashings for theft and stonings for adultery. Last week, al-Shabab closed down BBC radio relay stations in five cities in southern Somalia, including Mogadishu. Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991 and the Islamist militants control large parts of its territory. The transitional government - backed by African Union troops and UN funds - controls only a small part of the capital, Mogadishu.

London, Saturday 17th April, 2010. Restrictions on UK airspace due to the threat posed to planes by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland have been extended until 0100 BST on Sunday 18th April, 2010. Air traffic control body Nats said the ash cloud is "moving around and changing shape". Nats added that some domestic flights may be able to take off from Scotland and Northern Ireland if the cloud "moves sufficiently". Officials warn that European airspace could be disrupted for several days. Restrictions had been lifted in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Friday evening but were reapplied overnight. Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been stranded in the UK and abroad by flight cancellations. Nats said it was "most unlikely" that many flights would operate on Saturday and anyone hoping to travel should contact their airline before travelling to the airport. A further update from Nats is expected at about 1500 BST. Airport operator BAA said people hoping to fly "should remain in touch with their airlines". "We appreciate the continued patience of passengers at this difficult time and will provide updates as often as possible," it said. Restrictions on flights in the UK have been in place since 1200 BST on Thursday because of fears particles in the ash from the volcanic eruption in Iceland could shut down plane engines. Air travel across Europe has been severely affected, with a range of countries from Belgium to Switzerland completely closing their airspace, while others like Austria, Germany and Poland have enforced partial closures. In an earlier statement, Nats had said: "Current forecasts show that the situation is worsening throughout Saturday. "We are continuing to look for windows of opportunity to handle individual flights in UK-controlled airspace."

Hundreds of thousands of passengers in Europe and around the world have been affected by disruptions caused by ash clouds from the continuing volcanic eruption in Iceland and on right the huge cloud of volcanic ash spread further across Europe on Friday, causing Europe's largest air traffic shutdown since WWII.

Manchester and Liverpool airports had been offered a six-hour window - between 0400 BST and 1000 BST - in which to operate some flights, but the changing conditions meant that was later revoked. BAA said passengers due to fly should not go to its airports - Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow - but contact their airline for re-ticketing information. BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller said: "As the weekend goes on there is a risk that prevailing winds will keep volcanic ash in the air above parts of the UK, and may even bring it back to those parts from which it has cleared.". European air traffic control organisation Eurocontrol said about 60% of flights within Europe had been grounded on Friday, representing about 17,000 services. More than half of the normal 300 trans-Atlantic flights had also been cancelled and it warned of "significant disruption" of European air traffic on Saturday. The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (Canso), a global association of air traffic control companies, said the knock-on effect of the cancellations so far would probably disrupt European airspace for several days. "Traffic will have to be reorganised and rerouted and flights re-planned, all on a dynamic and quite unpredictable basis," it said in a statement. In other developments:

Experts say the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud could jam aircraft engines, as has happened in previous incidents of planes flying into plumes of volcanic ash. The last eruption of the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano system that is creating the problems was on 20 March, when a 0.5km-long fissure opened up on the eastern side of the glacier at the Fimmvoerduhals Pass. The eruption prior to that started in 1821 and continued intermittently for more than a year.

A customs officer plays with his dog on the empty baggage conveyor belt at the deserted terminal at Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Paris and on right Air traffic control body Nats extended its restrictions on UK airspace until at least 0100BST on Sunday 18th April, 2010

Airspace closed: Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK

Partial closures: France (northern airspace, with Paris airports closed until 1200 GMT Saturday) Italy (northern airspace closed until 1200 GMT Saturday) Lithuania (air traffic control leaving decision to fly to individual companies) Norway (limited flights in north) Poland Serbia Sweden (limited flights in far north)

Six security staff and a police officer were hurt in an operation to remove 60 detainees from an immigration unit in Cambridgeshire following a disturbance. Trouble broke out at the Oakington removal centre after a 40-year-old Kenyan detainee died on Thursday morning. A police negotiator was called in to talk with detainees before officers removed what the Home Office described as "ringleaders" on Friday night. The injuries to the seven officers were described as "minor". The detainees removed from the centre are being transferred to prisons. A Home Office spokesperson said: "An incident at Oakington Immigration Removal Centre involving approximately 60 detainees has been resolved. "A number of ringleaders have been removed from Oakington. "Staff at Oakington worked with the National Offender Management Service and the police to manage the situation." The death of the man on Thursday is not being treated as suspicious, but a Home Office spokesman said he believed detainees had used the death "as a way of protesting, trying to get their point of view across". Oakington is run by the UK Border Agency.

British Airways has cancelled all short haul flights until at least Monday morning, Sky sources say, as restrictions on flights in and out of the UK remain in place until at least 1am.

Airlines will lose at least $200m (£130m) per day in revenues as a result of the volcanic ash-linked disruption, the industry's governing body has said.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said its members would also lose further money as a result of expensive contingency plans. Meanwhile accountants KPMG said it expected UK flights alone to cost airlines in excess of £200m per day. All UK flights in England and Wales were grounded on Friday. Those airspace restrictions will remain in place until at least 0700 BST on Saturday, and widespread restrictions are now in place across Europe.

London Saturday 17th April, 2010. Britons have been urged to not go outside if ash from Iceland's volcanic eruption starts to reach ground level..The influential World Health Organisation (WHO) said the ash could be dangerous because if anyone breathed in the particles it could reach their lungs and result in respiratory problems. Asthma sufferers and those suffering from respiratory diseases would be particulalry at risk. It has gone as far as recommending the wearing of a mask for anyone who has to go outside. A spokesman for WHO said: "We are very concerned about it." He added WHO were still trying to gather more information on the exact health risks associated with the ash cloud. WHO said there was no set concentration threshold that the ash cloud must have to make it a health risk. "Any particular matter that is deposited (and) breathed into the lungs is dangerous to people," said the spokesman. "It depends on how the particles are suspended in the cloud and their density. We don't know that yet." But health officials in the UK appeared to play down the concerns, saying a 'small fraction of Icelandic volcanic plume' would fall to ground level in Britain tonight and tomorrow morning. European weather experts said the ash cloud was spreading southwards over Europe and eastwards into Russia at the speed of a slow moving car.

View of the sunset near London City Airport, as an ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano grounded all but emergency flights above Britain, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and on right an Aer Lingus flight from New York lands at Dublin airport as the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) reopened the airport along with those at Shannon and Cork. 16/04/2010.

Travel chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud is set to continue well into Saturday - but stranded passengers have been given a glimmer of hope that restrictions could be eased. Air traffic control company Nats said airports in Manchester and Liverpool, plus those further north, might be available for six hours between 4am and 10am on Saturday. The company said other areas would face flight restrictions until at least 1pm. "The volcanic ash cloud continues to affect UK airspace," said a Nats spokesman. "Following the latest update from the Met Office, Nats advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK-controlled airspace will remain until at least 1pm tomorrow. "There are currently no airspace restrictions in Scotland, Northern Ireland and in an area over the North Sea that includes the Shetlands and Orkney Isles. "Manchester, Liverpool and all airports North of those may be available from 4am to 10am for departures to and arrivals from the north and west, subject to individual co-ordination." But the company stressed the situation was "continually changing" and said: "These arrangements do not mean that all flights will operate. Anyone hoping to travel today or tomorrow should contact their airline before going to the airport." In a statement on its website, BA said all flights in and out of London on Saturday would be cancelled. Budget carrier Ryanair said it had halted all scheduled flights to and from the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, northern France, northern Germany, Poland and the Baltic States until 1pm on Monday.

This is actually 101-year-old Chinese grandmother Zhang Ruifang's second appearance in Freak Out - she first featured a month ago, when she was defeated by the unstoppable force that was Giant George, the world's biggest dog. But now she's back - a new series of photos have shown her ever-growing horn, plus its smaller companion horn that's growing on the other side of her head. Moreover, she's now decided that she quite likes her horns - saying: 'At first it was a nuisance sleeping and so on, but now I get people visiting me all the time bringing me food and gifts and asking to take my picture.' In fact, she's so fond of her horns that she's refused offers from doctors to remove them.

We Antony Macharia & Rose Muigai ( of Martyns & Rose Solicitors ) would like to express our appreciation and gratitude for your support in giving us Comfort, Peace, Love and above all your Prayers during our most trying moments of our life after the death of our beloved Brother Martin Macharia Muigai on 10th March 2010.

Your prayers, regular visits, Messages of Condolences, contributions, material and other support during the funeral arrangements and burial on 20th March 2010, were highly appreciated and honored.

We would love to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to each and everyone who assisted us in many ways, individually and collectively. We humbly request you to kindly accept this message, as an expression of our profound appreciation for your love, as words are not enough to express our gratitude.

Although we may not have mentioned you by name, we would like you to know that we hold you dear to our hearts for everything you did and continue to do. Kindly accept our heartfelt gratitude.

Above all we thank the Almighty God who gave us Martin and gave us an opportunity to live with him and gave us the gift of many memories.

The Kenyan Boys choir are coming for a UK tour in the month of April, 2010. They will be visiting several UK cities to present their beautiful performances. You can join them to see the talents from Kenya. You can book in advance. Visit www.kenyanboyschoir.com then Click on the names and dates on the Tour Box below to ensure you don’t miss the Kenyan Boys Choir's remarkable 2010 tour.

London, Friday 16th April, 2010. Flights restrictions in the UK caused by a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano will remain in place until at least 1am on Saturday 17th April, 2010. Some air travel in Northern Ireland and the Western Isles of Scotland to and from Glasgow and Prestwick will be allowed until 1900, the National Air Traffic Service has said. Five flights have taken off from Glasgow, including one to Canada. But only 11,000 flights will operate in European Airspace today instead of the usual 28,000. Describing the situation as "dynamic and subject to change", Nats said it would be reviewing the latest weather information at around 1pm today. A further announcement about flights will be made at about 2.30pm. Nats added: "We continue to work closely with airports, airlines and the rest of Europe to understand and mitigate the implications of the volcanic eruption." Airspace in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands is closed but Norway and Sweden has opened. The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have also shut their airspace due to a cloud of ash spreading. Poland is shutting most of its airspace. It is unclear if the disrupted air traffic will affect Sunday's state funeral in Krakow for late President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, Maria, who died in a place crash in Russia last weekend. The ash cloud turned northern Europe into a no-fly zone on Thursday and left hundreds of thousands of air passengers stranded. A leading volcano expert said the ash could present intermittent problems to air traffic for six months, if the eruption continued. Sky's US correspondent Greg Milam is in Iceland and said authorities were watching the wind direction to see where the ash would move to next. Even if the disruption, which has also affected transatlantic flights, is short lived, the financial impact on airlines could be significant, a consultant said. The International Air Transport Association had said only days ago that airlines were slowly coming out of recession. The volcano began erupting on Wednesday for the second time in a month from below the Eyjafjallajokull glacier. It hurled a plume of ash about four to seven miles into the atmosphere, and this spread southeast overnight. Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverised rock that can damage engines and airframes. An Icelandic volcanologist said on Thursday that the eruption was intensifying. A spokesman at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, said 840 out of 1,250 flights on Thursday were affected, disrupting about 180,000 passengers. More than 120,000 other passengers were affected at Gatwick, Stansted and Glasgow airports. An Air Transport Association of America spokesman said its member carriers had halted more than 100 flights between the United States and Britain on Thursday.

Ms Julliet Makhapila is standing for a council seat in the Islington of Tollington in the city of London. She would like to take this opportunity to thank God and the liberal members for giving her this opportunity. She is standing with the Liberal Party in Islington Borough (Tolling Ward). She would like to ask Kenyans support in prayers and joining her in action days to support my Parliamentary MP. Please call me on 07960982421 to find out how you can help her. Our Mission is to be abundantly positive to social inclusion and equal prospect, provide support, training and education to all in the UK. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

A Nakuru resident living in the UK Mr. Mbugua Thambiri visited the Nakuru widow who the Seeds family is helping to put up a shelter in Nakuru. Mr. Thambiri had escorted Mr. Clive Njoroge the son of the late Ruth Waruguru Kagwa to the burial of his mother back in Kenya last month. Mr. Thambiri visited the lady at the site where he contributed a toilet and cements worth more than KShs. 10,000. He took these photos at the scene. On left is is the lady with her son and Mr. Kibe and on right is Mr. Thambiri and the widowed lady Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru Maina. The fundraising to help her buy the furniture and connect power and water in the premises takes place on Saturday 17th April, 2010 at Memorial Baptist Church, 395 Barking Road, London E13 8AS as from 6.00 p.m. If you would like to be a part of her blessing please contact Mr. Seed on 07951220695 or misterseed@hotmail.co.uk - MORE

Former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda is set to claim a major victory after a vote recount at Milimani Commercial Court gave him in insurmountable lead against the current MP Margaret Wanjiru. In the recount that concluded Friday, Kamanda garnered 49,306 votes against Wanjiru's 34,831 an indication that Wanjiru's days in parliament could be numbered. Kamanda moved to court immediately after the results were announced seeking a redress claiming the whole election process was riddled with irregularities. And thus the recount process begun in February 25 after he won an appeal seeking the scrutiny of all votes cast in the election. The figure arrived at by Friday contradicts the results announced by the ECK which gave Bishop Wanjiru who vied on an Orange Democratic Movement ticket victory saying she had beaten Kamanda of the Party of National Unity by 895 votes. The court will now hear final submissions from both parties before giving its final verdict. But as things stand Wanjiru's days in parliament appear numbered with Kamanda believing that justice will be in his favour.

The Catholic Church in Kenya has finally made a stand on the proposed draft constitution, rejecting it over the contentious issues of abortion and Kadhi courts. The Church Friday said it would advise Kenyans to reject the draft constitution unless Article 26(4) on abortion is completely deleted. Catholic Bishops who were meeting for their ordinary episcopal conference meeting in St. Mary's Pastoral Centre in Nakuru said since there is no sufficient time to achieve consensus on the contentious issues, the president should issue an executive order in agreement with the Prime Minister to delete the clause 4 of article 26 of the draft constitution which according to the church permits abortion. The clause the Church is objecting to states: "Abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment or the life or the health of the mother is in danger or permitted by any other written law." The church now joins other Christian groups which have vowed to mobilize their followers to shoot down the draft constitution in the referendum unless the government withdraws the clauses on abortion and the Kadhi courts. In statement titled "Stand up for Life," the clergy said the paragraph was ambiguous and leaves room for different intepretations. The statement read by John Cardinal Njue who is also the chairman of the Kenya Episcopal conference said there was still ample time to resolve the contentious issues hence the argument put forward by certain politicians that the process has reached a point of no return does not hold. The prelates said the church is expected to do all that is possible to defend the right to life of both the mother and the unborn child who is defenceless. They said the unborn child and the mother have equal rights to life and the physician should always do all that is necessary to preserve both their lives. According to the Bishops article 26(4) is a moral issues and not a political issues and challenged the two principals President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to provide the necessary leadership by ensuring that the contentious issues especially those concerning life are ironed out before the draft is put forward for referendum.

On the Kadhi courts the Bishops said the draft constitution establishes the courts as part of the Kenyans judiciary hence giving one religion special treatment. They said the issue on Kadhi courts should not be seen to be an issue between Christian versus Muslims but rather as a matter of equality for all before the state.They observed that the Kadhi courts as they are in the current constitution is an anomaly which should not be allowed in the draft constitution. Adding that all people regardless of their faith, race or profession should be equal before the law. They said the Kadhi courts can be addressed under Acts of parliament just like all other religious groups such as Hindus or Christians. The Episcopal conference which is the supreme decision making body of the Church in Kenya said no group should be given special priveledge to negotiate to be treated differently by having their issues enshrined in the constitution noting that by doing so the constitution will be going against the fundamental principle of all are equal before the law. The church leaders however, assured their faithful that they are still open to dialogue with the government with a view of ensuring that the country arrives at consensus on the draft constitution before it is put to a referendum later this year.

A Kenyan has passed away in UK. Mr. Eliud Nguli Nyenze passed away at Oakington detention camp near Cambridge, UK on Wednesday 14th April, 2010. Sources say it is thought to have had a heart attack, had asked for Panadol repeatedly and was seen "crawling around the floor in pain" before he died. The source claimed the man's pleas for help were refused by staff at the centre. Kenya Embassy in London is looking for the next of kin of this person who comes from Kabati, Kitui District, If you know this family please contact Kenya High Commission in London on 02076362371. Reports of disturbance at Oakington near Cambridge after allegations that man was left to die from heart attack. An investigation has been launched into the death of a detainee at an immigration removal centre amid allegations he died despite repeated pleas for a doctor and painkillers. The death of the man, who is believed to have been a 40-year-old Kenyan, prompted protests from other detainees at the Oakington centre near Cambridge. Police in protective clothing were sent to the centre following a "disturbance" this morning, but no one was hurt. A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said: "At about 3.55am there was a sudden death at the centre – a 40-year-old man, a detainee. Investigations are ongoing … but we are not treating it as suspicious." One source told the Guardian that the man, who is thought to have had a heart attack, had asked for Panadol repeatedly and was seen "crawling around the floor in pain" before he died. The source claimed the man's pleas for help were refused by staff at the centre, which is run by the private security company G4S for the UK Border Agency. Dashty Jamal, general secretary of the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees, told the Guardian he had spoken to detainees and had also been told the man died of a heart attack: "He was asking for a doctor. It's very hard to get a doctor there. He had a heart attack and he died." G4S has refused to comment tonight. A border agency spokesman said the death was being investigated by the police. Caroline Slocock, chief executive of the Refugee and Migrant Justice group, called for an "urgent and immediate" inquiry. "Whenever something like this happens in a removal centre it is crucial that the other detainees are reassured at the earliest opportunity," she said. "We call for an urgent and immediate enquiry into the circumstances that led to this tragic event." Dr Frank Arnold, the clinical director of the Medical Justice Network, called for the immediate closure of Oakington and other similar facilities. "Our volunteer doctors have found that the harm being caused by immigration removal centres is so widespread that the only solution is to close them down," he said. "Medical Justice agrees with HM Inspector of Prisons that healthcare at immigration removal centres be transferred to the NHS. In some cases we have convinced the detention centre to take the detainee to hospital. "The majority of detainees we sent volunteer doctors in to see have been released and many have gone on to be granted leave to remain in the UK, begging the question why they were ever detained in the first place."

The Immigration Reception Centre in Oakington in Cambridgeshire, where an inmate died on Wednesday 14th April, 2010

"Wakenya ni watu wa taabu sana" - President Mwai Kibaki speaking in Meru, Kenya on Friday 16th April, 2010

Nairobi, Kenya, Apri16 - Government Chief Whip George Thuo has lost his Juja Parliamentary seat after the High Court nullified his election over massive irregularities. Justice Luka Kimaru delivered the blow in his ruling on Friday morning, in which he blamed the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya’s returning officer of abdicating his statutory duties when he failed to ensure that the candidate signed the forms 16A and 17A. He ruled that a by-election be held and asked the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) to ensure a free and fair exercise. Poll loser William Kabogo had filed the election petition, claiming it was flawed. Mr Thuo won the seat by 52,321 votes against Mr Kabogo's 32,987 during the election in 2007. He becomes the fourth MP in the 10th Parliament to lose his parliamentary seat through an election petition. The others are Chirau Ali Mwakwere (Matuga), James Magara (South Mugirango) and Joel Onyancha (Bomachoge). - CapitalFM.

KENYANS LIVING ABROAD CAN SEND AIRTIME BACK HOME WITH NEW MOBILE TOP-UP SERVICE FROM ZAIN

Kenyans living abroad can now take advantage of a new mobile phone service to buy airtime for their family and friends back in Kenya. Launched recently by African operator Zain, the new International Airtime Transfer Service is secure, quick and easy to use and can be accessed online via www.globaltopup.zain.com.

Using the service is simple. Just log on and follow the step-by-step menus to top-up specified mobile phones, with defined airtime values ranging from 1500 to 3500 KES (approximately $20 USD to $50 USD / equivalent value for £12 GBP to £30 GBP).

Over 18 million Kenyans have access to a mobile phone – more than 50% of the population. Gifting airtime not only lets them stay in touch for longer but also gives access to many new mobile services which are driving change for good - including education, trade, commerce and even religious programmes.

The airtime sending facility is available from the following sending countries: UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America.

The Church and Constitution

The Church is called to be the light and salt of the world. The church is the arm that God uses to demonstrate his will on earth. God is the father of all humanity the king of all kings. He has good plan for all his children as long as they will listen and obey his word. The scripture tells us that righteousness exalteth a nation but sin is a reproach to every people. (Proverbs 14;34) Further still we are told that if we remove the wicked from before the presence of the king then his kingdom shall be established in righteousness.(Prov. 25:5) We must be on the lookout not to be influenced by proponents of such skewed policies which fail to honour God or respect the humanity in all its forms.

The church has an active role in the governance of a nation. It is naïve for any politician to think that the church can be excluded from the leadership of a nation. The church ought to be relevant and actively involved in the governance and leadership of God’s people through:

a) Giving guidance and insight to the leadership. It must provide the yard stick of love, morality and truthfulness.

b) Refusing to embrace unrealistic policies that only increase lawlessness and weakens social structure and breaks the family fabric.

In the current constitution review there are many amendments that needed to be resolved before the embracing it as a dossier that can save Kenya from the current one. The parliament’s failure to amend the draft and then suggest that they will amend it after it is voted in beats any logic that genuine leadership can present to the nation. Why should Kenyans be in a hurry to pass a wrong and misleading constitution and then assume that amending will be easily done thereafter? Is it not reasonable not to eat poison rather than eat poison and then try going to the hospital. Or which one is easier, to evade falling into a deep pit or to fall in to the pit and then shout for help? This does not in any means reflect my dislike of having a change but is a reflection of a desire for a constitution for all Kenyans. The new constitution should not increase hatred between tribes, or support losing of our cultural heritage and values that different tribes have upheld for centuries. We should not seek to copy America or the west for we a sovereign nation. I will comment about two of the issues that are contentiously being debated. These are abortion and kadhi courts among other imbalances and injustices for the common Kenyan

Have we forgotten the sixth commandment? In case you have it says, “Thou shall not murder/kill”. Also have we chosen to ignore the fact that the life of an adult is equally as important as the life of a child?

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:13-16

In legalising abortion there will likely be the following consequences which we are not ready to handle and seem not to consider that:

1) Automatically there will be increased sexual activities among the young people.

2) There will be an increased rate of STIs and HIV infection since there this will increase the rate of premarital sex.

3) There will also be an increased break down of moral standards that different cultures have sustained for centuries.

4) There will be an increased demand on health facilities to care for the culprits. This means increased financial demand also on the culprit things that will height social strains.

5) There will be increased deaths among the youths as they try abortion in order to remain smart.

6) There will also be increased problems in schools as much absenteeism will result from complications associated.

7) This is a great sin which will increase guiltiness and conflict in our homes, schools, churches and streets.

Countries like UK and US which blindly we want to copy have their family fabric in taters because of moral degradation whose sting is their secular view of life. It beats logic why MPs would like to pass a faulty law; this is a great betrayal of the Kenyan citizens who expects a practical constitution.

Is there any weapon of mass destruction as ferocious and dangerous as this act which kills children and all their potentials? Life is hallowed and is God given. No committee, parliament, religion or personality has right of life. The life of an adult is equally as important as the life of a child.

Kadhi Courts

There should be no argument of this clause since Kenya is not a Islamic country unless there is a hidden proposal to make it. Giving one religion a preference and support at the expense of the others is being undemocratic no matter how hard the politicians would like to appear democratic. Secondly we have the crown courts that ensure justice to all citizens irrespective of their religion. Every religion has its own practice and procedures through which members who fail to meet their religious expectations are judged. The same members of different religions should be guided by the Kenyan law since they are citizens. It is against the spirit of national unity for the government to favour the propagation of a minority faith at the expense of the majority faith or other faiths.

o The members of parliament must look ahead and cease from being selfish. They are elected to take the interest of the common Kenyan at heart but not their own interests.

o Do not create a religious war within the state of Kenya as it is in Nigeria. Kadhi courts will certainly bring a divide among the Kenyans, a thing that threatens stability and cohesiveness of the peace loving Kenyans.

o Kenyans must not be happy for just a change in constitution. A change from a pan to the fire should not be welcome despite the need for change. Why should we move from a moving car to an immobilised scrap? A change is not good enough if it creates deeper problems that will take another century to amend.

o The MPs, trade unionists, church leaders and other public influencers should know that the world expect them to present Kenya to the world as a mature democracy, where oppression to the citizen is non existence and where policies allowed are for the good of the common Kenyans.

o The government should without reservation cancel licensing the brewing of strange and un standardised brews. When all our young people are dead or rendered unfruitful through sugar coated poison, what will become of our nation? Are we not in the verge of wiping the central province male population through government brews?

o Kenya should learn from the west where morals have been eroded and understand the challenges that different institutions are going through allowing such policies. Kenya has no mechanism to handle the repercussions that will follow such policies.

London, Thursday, 15th April, 2010. All London airports have been closed after a massive cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland drifted into UK airspace. The airport closures follow the shutting of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Newcastle airports. Thousands of flights across the UK have been cancelled. British Airways has cancelled all domestic flights to all domestic airports. An internal BA memo obtained by Sky News advises pilots: "The safety of our customers, crew and aircraft is of paramount importance and will not be compromised." Officials said more airports could close completely as the ash drifts over the UK. Airports are urging travellers to contact their airlines to check whether their journeys are affected. London airports will be closed from 12pm. Eighty flights have been cancelled at Birmingham. A spokesman from National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said: "The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a forecast that the ash cloud from the volcanic eruption in Iceland will track over Europe tonight. "NATS is working with Eurocontrol and our colleagues in Europe's other air navigation service providers to take the appropriate action to ensure safety in accordance with international aviation policy." NATS has the authority to close airpsace around airports - which it has so far done in Scotland - and will consider other airports as the day goes on.

A BAA spokesperson said: "Due to airspace restrictions, in accordance with international regulations as a result of the on-going volcanic activity in Iceland, we anticipate that all flights in and out of Heathrow and Stansted airports will be suspended." Manchester Airport said flights would be cancelled and delayed between 7am and 1pm. Sky's Enda Brady, reporting from Heathrow, said: "I've been told that there won't be any good news coming out of the airport today." Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable cancelled campaign visits to Dunfermline and Edinburgh due to the Scottish airport closures. Passengers told Sky about massive disruptions to their plans. One said: "I'm due to get married in Essex tomorrow and my family were flying in from Belfast. That's not going to happen now." Another said he had been sent home from Manchester airport and told to ring Monarch for more information but it was impossible to get through. The volcanic eruption was the second in Iceland in less than a month. The heat from it is so fierce it melted part of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, sparking huge floods. Weather experts also said the ash could take a number of days to disperse. Dr Matthew Roberts, from the Iceland Meteorological Office, told Sky News he believed that there were unlikely to be any more explosions. He said that the fine ash particles being blown across Europe should only "pose minimal health hazards" to people in the UK. The volcanic ash jams machinery on planes and there have been many instances of damage to jet aircraft in the past. After the Galunggung volcanic event in 1982, a British Airways Boeing 747 flew through an ash cloud that fouled all 4 engines, stopping them. The plane descended from 36,000 feet (11,000m) to 12,000 feet (3,700m) before the crew could manage to restart the engines. Sky weather presenter Lucy Verasamy said: "The ash cloud from Iceland represents a risk to aircraft since it can damage engines. "But in this instance it won't affect the weather - although massive and prolonged eruptions can cause a cooling of the climate."

The Icelandic eruption - airport officials say the ash represents a very serious risk to aircraft

Airline passengers are facing massive disruption across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 1800BST amid fears of engine damage. Airports operator BAA confirmed all flights at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick would be suspended from midday. And in Scotland, authorities have already shut all their airports. The restrictions, in accordance with international civil aviation policy, were imposed after the Met Office warned ash could clog engines. Passengers were advised to contact their carriers prior to travel.

Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud would be sufficient to jam aircraft engines. Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports were shut as Nats said it was restricting flights "in accordance with international civil aviation policy". The ash cloud disrupted all flights to and from Manchester with a similar picture at Newcastle airport where all arrivals were cancelled and all outbound flights either cancelled or subject to indefinite delay. Liverpool's John Lennon airport suspended all flights until at least 1300BST. British Airways said it had cancelled all domestic flights for the whole of Thursday, which affected flights at London's Gatwick, Heathrow and City airports. The company said it would refund its passengers or offer the option of rebooking. Budget airline Ryanair said no flights were operating to or from the UK on Thursday and it expected cancellations and delays on Friday. Birmingham airport warned of severe disruption with about 90% of flights cancelled, and there were problems reported at East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Cardiff and Bristol. Most flights were suspended at Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport, with some in and out of Dublin airport also hit. A Nats spokesman said: "The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre has issued a forecast that the ash cloud from the volcanic eruption in Iceland will track over Europe tonight. "Nats is working with Eurocontrol and our colleagues in Europe's other air navigation service providers to take the appropriate action to ensure safety in accordance with international aviation policy."

The European air safety body, Eurocontrol, said the cloud of ash had reached 55,000ft and was expected to move through northern UK and Scotland by 1300BST. Brian Flynn, assistant head of operations of its central flow management unit, told the BBC: "As it moves toward the Netherlands and Belgium it will dissipate and lose intensity, like any weather phenomenon. But we don't know what the extent of it will be."Further south, five easyJet flights due to depart from Stansted airport in Essex were cancelled, along with all northbound flights from Southampton and Newquay airports. Bournemouth airport grounded a flight to Dublin but said all other departures were on schedule. Met Office forecaster Philip Avery said the ash could take several days to clear. He said: "It is showing up on imagery at the moment, extending down as far as the Faroes but it looks as though the wind will drag it a good deal further south. "Nats has good cause to be very cautious about this because in about 1982 a British Airways jumbo had the unnerving experience of having all four engines shut down as it flew through a plume of volcanic ash." There was a nearly identical incident on 15 December 1989 when KLM Flight 867, a B747-400 from Amsterdam to Anchorage, Alaska, flew into the plume of the erupting Mount Redoubt, causing all four engines to fail. Once the flight cleared the ash cloud, the crew was able to restart each engine and then make a safe landing at Anchorage, but the aircraft was substantially damaged. A BAA spokesman said: "Passengers intending to fly today are asked to contact their airline for further information and should expect disruption in the coming hours. The Royal Air Force has confirmed it will maintain its search and rescue operations. A spokesman said: "We will continue to provide full search and rescue cover, however we will consider all requests we get on a case by case basis. "The ash is mainly affecting the air traffic control radar but we can fly in cloud and reduced visibility. The eruption under a glacier in the Eyjafjallajoekull area of Iceland is the second in the country in less than a month. A Nats spokesperson said the volcano was still erupting.

"Mûndû mûhoro no ûrîa ûtenda thiritû yararîa mamaara-mamaaraga, kana arîa aganu, arîhanaga ta mûtî mûhande rûî-inî, ûtomaga na ûciaraga kîmera gîakinya"

Rachel Njeri from the city of Robin Hood and Beth Githae took to the platform together at IWRM Music Extravaganza in London on 4th April while Anita and friends on right could not hide their joy

South African farm worker on trial for the murder of white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche acted in self-defence, his lawyer claims. Puna Moroko, lawyer for one of two suspects, told reporters that his client had been throttled and threatened before the murder. He also withdrew an earlier claim that at least one of the men was sexually assaulted by the far-right leader. The case, which has attracted worldwide attention, will resume next month. Large crowds gathered at the court in Ventersdorp, including supporters of Mr Terreblanche's Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) as well as a group of black workers who were dancing and singing. Police formed a barricade outside the building but proceedings passed without incident. Speaking to reporters outside court, the lawyer for 28-year old Chris Mahlangu said his client had been assaulted by Mr Terreblanche. Mr Terreblanche "throttled him and said 'I'll kill you because my cattle are missing'," he said."Then he said he stopped working and started sleeping at a nearby farm until he [Terreblanche] sent one black guy... to plead with him to come back." Mr Terreblanche's body was found on 3 April after he was beaten to death. The murder was initially claimed to be linked to a wage dispute. But police have now said they are investigating other causes amid reports that those accused acted in self-defence. Despite previous assertions, Mr Moroko meanwhile dropped the claim that Mr Terreblanche tried to have sex with his client. But he said he could only comment on his own client and could not speak for the other 15-year-old defendant, who is represented by a different lawyer. Mr Terreblanche was leader of the AWB, a white supremacist group, and believed that whites and blacks should be kept apart. AWB secretary general Andre Visagie has dismissed the claims. "It is clearly that they hunt for a motive for the murder which they can't find and they are trying out everything now, including an effort to make Mr Terreblanche to look bad in any possible way," he said. The 15-year old has declined bail and is staying in a police safe-house. A bail application for Mr Mahlangu has been postponed until 10 May.

About 3,000 people gathered in the South African town of Ventersdorp to commemorate the life of white supremacist leader Eugene Terreblanche and on right mourners performed Nazi-style salutes after the ceremony.

A Kenyan man, 23, has been killed in USA. The late Theophilus K. Muia was killed when fighting on Tuesday 4th April, 2010 in Illinois. Police have a murder suspect in custody, after a fight outside the Rockford Rescue Mission. Fabian Hernandez is accused of both murder and battery in the Tuesday attack. On Tuesday, 4th April, 2010 , shortly before 2:00 p.m. Patrol Officers from the Rockford Police Dept. responded to the Rockford Rescue Mission, 715 W. State St., in reference to a physical altercation between two residents. When they arrived, Officers located the 23-year-old victim, Theophilus K. Muia, lying outside in a grassy area adjacent to the building. Muia was unresponsive and was transported to a local hospital by Rockford Fire Dept. Ambulance, where he was treated for life-threatening injuries. Officers also located the second subject involved in the fight, Fabian Hernandez, at the scene. Detectives from the Rockford Police Dept. conducted a follow-up investigation into the fight. As a result, Hernandez was arrested and charged with Aggravated Battery. On 04/07/10 Theophilus Muia died as a result of his injuries he received during the fight. The Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the investigation and upgraded the charges against Hernandez to First Degree Murder. Hernandez is currently being held in the Winnebago County Jail without bond.

The Kingdom Church (Bishop Climate Ministries), Invites you all to the Double Double Conference where the anointed man of God Bishop Pius Muiru from Kenya will be ministering from Friday 16th April to Sunday18th @ 7.30pm Friday and Saturday and 11am and 2pm on Sunday. Come and experience the presence of God, receive the double portion of the anointing and your life will never be the same again.

Venue:

The Kingdom Church, Kelvin House,
Worsley Bridge Road, Lower Sydenham,
London, SE26 5BS

About Bishop PIUS MUIRU.

He has one of the largest churches in Kenya, he holds monthly crusades in Nairobi attracting an excess of 250,000 people in one meeting!
His ministry emphasis is therefore on Salvation, Prayer, a strong personal relationship with God and to declare the authenticity of God's Word with Power mixed with grace. He is an excellent teacher of the Word of God, a man filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. He is endowed with the prophetic gift of the Spirit of God. His ministry is characterised with,miracles,word of knowledge, healing, deliverance and signs and wonders.He is a man of Prayer, charisma, integrity and the fear of the Lord.

PROGRAM
* Friday 16th April 2010 - 7.30pm
* Saturday 17th April 2010 - 7.30pm
* Sunday 18th April 2010 - 11am & 2pm

For further information please Contact 02086985244, 07930411793 and 07930411338.

President Mwai cuts the tape to officially open the upgraded lanet-Nakuru-Njoro turnoff road in Nakuru. Looking on are Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Roads Minister Franklin Bett and Minister Prof. George Saitioti.

WHEN I ARRIVED IN THE U.K IN THE LATE NINETIES I CAME TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS A FAR RIGHT PARTY CALLED BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY. I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH A RACIST ASSOCIATION IN THE LAND BECAUSE UNITED KINGDOM IS ONE OF THE PIONEER DEMOCRACIES WHICH EMBRACES ALL RACES IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT ANY FORM OF DISCRIMINATION.

I DID SERIOUS HOMEWORK TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THAT ALLEGATION WAS TRUE AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS TRUE. THE PARTY WAS NOT ACCEPTING MEMBERS FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

I DID SOME SERIOUS CAMPAIGN TO HAVE THE PARTY OPEN UP MEMBERSHIP TO ALL RACES AND ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY AMBITION CAME TO PASS AND THE PARTY STARTED ALLOWING ALL RACES TO BECOME MEMBERS.

THE OLD B.N.P COMPRISED OF WHITE MEMBERSHIP ONLY DIED AND A NEW B.N.P ALLOWING ALL RACES TO BECOME MEMBERS WAS BORN.

AS THIS WAS A PART OF MY SWEAT, I DECIDED TO BECOME A MEMBER BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:-

ii) B.N.P. IS THE ONLY PARTY WHICH FRANKLY CONDEMNS THE TEACHING/PROPOSED TEACHING OF SODOMY TO OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS.

iii) B.N.P. IS THE ONLY PARTY WHICH SERIOUSLY WANTS TO REVIVE THE DECENT BRITISH CULTURE IN RELATIONS TO:-

(g) ABHORS OUR CHILDREN'S ABORTIONS WITHOUT PARENTS CONSENT ETC. ETC. THERE IS A GREAT CHANGE IN THE PARTY AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING ALL RACES TO JOIN.. THE FORMER FEAR THAT THE NEW B.N.P. WILL:-

(a) CHASE AWAY ALL FOREIGNERS IS A LIE AND NOT TRUE, IT IS TRUE THAT THE OLD B.N.P. POLICY WAS TO SEND ALL BLACK BRITISH CITIZENS BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL COUNTIES. THE NEW B.N.P. EMBRACES ALL RACES FROM THE MINORITIES. THEY DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY MORE FEAR.

(b) THE PARTY IS HAPPY TO HAVE BRITISH CITIZENS FROM MINORITIES, TO HAVE ANY JOB SO LONG AS THEY QUALIFY FOR IT ETC.

WHAT B.N.P DOES NOT WANT IS SEEING FOREIGNERS COMING TO U.K AND BEING GIVEN HOUSES/FLATS BYPASSING THE ORIGINAL BRITISH CITIZENS SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE FLATS/HOUSES FOR YEARS.

I WAS GIVEN A PLATFORM TO PREACH AGAINST THE SINS OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH ( HOMOSEXUALITY, AND I REALLY HIT THE ABOMINATION HARD! ) WHEN B.N.P WILL FORM THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE ONE OF THESE FINE DAYS IT WILL BE IN THE GOVERNMENT, ALL THOSE EVIL LAWS E.G. HOMOSEXUALITY WILL GO. THEY WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE BOOKS OF STATUTES OF THE GREAT BRITAIN!

I HAVE BEEN ADVISING THE PARTY ON THE BEST WAY TO SUCCEED AND I WANT YOU TO ASSURE ALL OUR PEOPLE AND THE REST OF THE MINORITIES THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED TO THEIR ORIGINAL COUNTRIES.

WHAT THE PARTY WANTS IS A CONTROLLED IMMIGRATION WHICH ALL PARTIES VIZ. LABOUR, CONSERVATIVE INCLUDING THE LIBERALS HAVE FAILED TO MANAGE FOR YEARS.

AS I TOLD YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO ARRANGE FOR YOU AN INTERVIEW WITH CHAIRMAN GRIFFIN SO THAT YOU CAN ASK ALL THE QUERIES YOU MAY HAVE AND ENLIGHTEN ALL OUR PEOPLE INCLUDING THE REST OF THE MINORITIES ON THE PARTY'S TRUTH.

PRAY FOR THE CHAIRMAN NICK AND ALL THE PARTY MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE MAKING POSITIVE POLICIES BENEFICIAL TO ORIGINS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE ALL OTHER BRITISH CITIZENS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.

UNLESS WE JOIN ALL PARTIES IN ALL CAPACITIES, WE SHALL NOT BE INFORMED OF WHAT GOES ON IN THOSE ASSOCIATIONS. IT IS A SHAME THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD SIT BACK AND LET HEATHENS MAKE LAWS SOME WHICH RUIN OUR FAITH (E.G. HOMOSEXUALITY).

I THEREFORE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO JOIN US BECAUSE THE PARTY IS GROWING FAST AND WILL ONE OF THESE FINE DAYS BE IN 10 DOWNING STREET.

WHEN YOU MAKE FRIENDSHIP WITH A STRONG MAN, WHEN THAT POWERFUL MAN COMES TO POWER, HE WILL NOT REPATRIATE YOU BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY. HE WILL BE YOUR FRIEND SO THE EARLIER YOU MAKE FRIENDSHIP WITH THE PARTY, THE BETTER! NICK LIKES LISTENING AND IS WAITING FOR YOU. COME AND ASK HIM ALL QUESTIONS WHICH MAY BE DISTURBING YOU.

IF YOU LOOK AT MY PICTURE AT DAGENHAM INTERNATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT YOU WILL NOTICE IS THE NAME OF JESUS APPEARING CLEARLY ON MY RED 'JESUS SCARVE'.

JESUS WAS EVANGELIZED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN THAT MEETING. CONTINUE SPREADING THE GOOD WORD EVERY TIME EVERYWHERE!

Many immigrants in the UK have received their status through the labour government and the immigrants have no choice but to support the Labour Party. If the former Kenya President Daniel arap Moi lived in UK he would now be singing the song "Labour ni Baba na Mama". In the year 2010 alone over 1,000 Kenyans have received legal status in the UK. This include singles as well as families. Labour have done a lot of us Kenyans in the UK and we have no choice but to support those who support us. Can we all join hands together this time and support Labour Party. You can vote during this election on May 6th 2010 with or without status as all Commonwealth countries citizens are allowed to vote in the UK. There are several Kenyans vying for various council seats in UK - let us support them - let us support our own. Your vote matters. There are many Kenyans who says they don't care to vote. This is the group that are living in the 20th century. We are in the 21st century where we have our children in this country and the politics of this country will affect our children. Think wisely and vote. We are here to stay - if not our children are here to stay. Stop that mentality of saying that you are going tomorrow. Yes, you might be going tomorrow but make a change before you go tomorrow. I was working with a 27-year-old man in 1995 whose father moved to the UK in 1955. The boy was born here in the UK in 1958. When I explained to this man that I am here in the UK for few years then go back to Kenya. The boy told me: "Never tell me again that you are going back home - this is nothing new to me - my father came to the UK in 1955. I was born in 1958. Ever since I was born my father talks of him going back to the Caribbean every day - every week and every year. The man is still here in the UK. He is still going." Voters registration is still open until 20th April 2010 where the election takes place on 6th May, 2010. Voting also helps those without papers in the UK . It would be one way of proving that you are living and participating in community affairs in the UK - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN UK

On behalf of members and Kenyans in UK, Kenya Movement for Democracy and justice appeal to all Kenyans in UK to vote wisely in the forthcoming British elections. Particularly we appeal for rationality and refrain from ignorant, which can result to undermining democracy and achieved liberties in UK. All eligible voters must be resilient to positively promote Kenya community and in the same time add value in enhancing democracy to our host country.

Looking back to the history of Kenyans migration in UK allot have been achieved through Labour government. Crimes and anti-social behaviour have been reduced quite significantly. Number of Kenyans allowed staying in UK increased by 60% unlike 90’s when conservatives were in power.

Unreservedly I appeal to Kenyans of goodwill not to join or vote for BNP (British National Party), joining the fascist party is not only dismaying or undemocratic but a tragedy to the future of British politics and our Children’s future.

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of disorders that impairs mental functioning. (Dementialiterally means loss of mentation, or thinking.) At the moment, Alzheimer's is progressive and irreversible. Abnormal changes in the brain worsen over time, eventually interfering with many aspects of brain function. Memory loss is one of the earliest symptoms, along with a gradual decline of other intellectual and thinking abilities, called cognitive functions, and changes in personality or behaviour. - MORE

Three-person IVF 'may prevent inherited disease'

Embryos containing DNA from a man and two women have been created by scientists at Newcastle University. They say their research, published in the journal Nature, has the potential to help mothers with rare genetic disorders have healthy children. The aim is to prevent damaged DNA in mitochondria - the "batteries" which power the cell - from being passed on by the mother. IVF clinics are not currently permitted to carry out the procedure. Around one in 200 children is born each year with mutations in the mitochondrial DNA. In most cases this causes only mild disease, sometimes without symptoms. But around one in 6,500 children is born with mitochondrial disease, which can cause serious and often fatal conditions, including muscular weakness, blindness and heart failure. The scientists have developed a technique which would potentially allow them to replace defective mitochondria during IVF. The research, funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, used newly fertilised eggs left over from IVF treatment. The nuclei from the father's sperm and the mother's egg, which contain the parents' DNA, were removed, leaving behind the faulty mitochondria. The nuclei were put into another egg from which the nucleus had been removed, but which retained its mitochondria. This new embryo contained the genes from both parents plus a tiny amount of mitochondrial DNA from the donor egg. "What we've done is like changing the battery on a laptop," said lead author Professor Doug Turnbull. "The energy supply now works properly, but none of the information on the hard drive has been changed. "A child born using this method would have correctly functioning mitochondria, but in every other respect would get all their genetic information from their father and mother."

The Newcastle team created a total of 80 embryos. These were cultured for up to eight days in the laboratory under the terms of a licence granted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The team is planning further studies to check the safety and efficiency of the procedure. The law currently prevents the technique being used in fertility treatment. A licence to carry out the study was refused on two occasions before being granted five years ago. Ethics expert, Dr Donald Bruce, former director of the Society, Religion and Technology Project of the Church of Scotland, said the research raised important ethical issues as well as potential risks. He said: "If the Newcastle results are taken forward to medical application, they need to be applied under very strict controls, and only where serious disease is otherwise likely to result." The work raised several ethical problems, he explained, including safety risks, children with DNA from two mothers, and making genetic changes to unborn children. The Newcastle team say that the DNA from the second woman would be only a few genes, compared with at least 23,000 genes inherited from a parent. But although the genetic changes produced by the technique would be small, they would be permanent and passed on down the generations. Sharon Bernardi, aged 44, from Sunderland, inherited mitochondrial disease from her mother. The condition has claimed the lives of six of her children, all of them dying within a few days of birth. Her only surviving child, Edward, who is 20, suffers from a serious mitochondrial disease and needs constant care. Sharon said: "It was devastating to lose my children, and this happened again and again. I feel lucky to have Edward, but he has very serious health problems as a result of the faulty DNA. "It will be too late for me but it would be amazing if scientists can prevent this in the future so that others don't have to go through what I did."

The UK launch for Apple's iPad tablet computer has been delayed by a month because of high demand in the US, the company has said. More than 500,000 iPads were delivered in its first week of sale in America and Apple has admitted its surprise at the demand, which it expects will outstrip supply for the next few weeks. An Apple statement said: "Demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad." The UK was expecting to receive its first shipment of iPad's by the end of April. However, eager consumers desperate to get their hands on Apple's device now face another month of waiting. The iPad's UK price has not been announced but Apple promised to make it known on May 10, the day pre-orders open. The statement continued: "We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason - the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far."

Nokia Research Centre Africa has partnered with the University of Nairobi -UoN- to set up a modern software research and sub-contracting laboratory. The multi-disciplinary laboratory, to be based at the university's School of Computing and Informatics at the Chiromo Campus off Riverside Drive, will enable the university to undertake sub-contracting work and training on project management on ICT issues. Already, 16 work stations have been established within the university with support from Nokia.They will be used for software development by the university community, including students and the local software development community.In addition, a User experience (UX) unit has also been set up alongside the labs to undertake research in this area. And apart from developing project management and sub-contracting skills, the lab will give students a real life work experience and ultimately promote multi- disciplinary research within the institution. The launch of the laboratory comes in the wake of major developments in the ICT sector in the country, with an increase in mobile phone and internet penetration, increased awareness and access to software products all buttressed by the arrival of the submarine fibre optic cables. This partnership comes at a time of great digital promise to the country, with the government announcing it's commitment to building crucial internet and digital infrastructure to enable access to faster, efficient, and affordable connections to Kenyans. "This ground breaking project comes at a time of great digital promise in Kenya and in the region. Nokia Research Africa will continue to partner with the universities to offer viable solutions to local ICT challenges and to increase access to mobility," said Ms Mokeira Masita-Mwangi, Sociologist, NRC- Africa.

Ms Masita-Mwangi said Nokia would support local developers and innovators to develop locally relevant ICT solutions meant to uplift the standards of living of the people, adding that communication was a key plank in empowering the young population in Africa, whilst contributing a lot to the Gross Domestic product of the government In early 2006, MIT and Nokia launched a trial initiative called EPROM in East Africa to develop a mobile phone programming curriculum that equips computer science students with the skills to design mobile phone applications specifically for the needs of people in the developing world. While starting originally at the University of Nairobi, the EPROM faculty expanded to 12 Computer Science departments across Sub-Saharan Africa. Some universities are incorporating the EPROM curriculum into new Masters degree programs, while others are focusing these materials on their incoming undergraduate computer science students. This continued growth has led to hundreds of mobile phone applications developed specifically for the African market. Several of these student projects have gathered international media attention, while others are being formed into start-up ventures based in Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Kampala, Kigali and beyond. Dr Peter Wagacha -The Team Leader, University of Nairobi, School of Computing and Informatics said: "Kenya is on the precipice of an ICT revolution, with rapid mobile telephony growth and the innumerable opportunities offered by the arrival of the fibre optic cable. Research institutions need to position themselves to reap from this opportunity," He said the partnership between the University of Nairobi, a training and research institution, and Nokia, a global telecommunications leader, had come in at the opportune time when major developments in ICT were taking place in the country and the region. Mr Wagacha said the two institutions had developed a flexible training programme on project management and sub-contracting, targeting ICT practitioners and ICT professionals. He said the new computer lab would come in hardy for the large pool of computer science and IT graduates, IT practitioners and professionals in the country who lacked access to well equipped laboratories to do research work. "The challenge is for software developers to come up with locally relevant solutions given that there is a large market for innovative software products" Mr Wagacha said local developers were startups that are better placed and equipped to fully respond to the needs of the multitude of cultures and localities in Africa.

8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

So far almost a dozen African countries including Burkina Faso, Mali and South Africa allow their citizens living abroad to cast their votes. And Ghana and Morocco are in the process of giving their expats the same rights. I strongly believe that every Kenyan citizen has the right to vote, however the electoral system has serious challenges organizing elections locally. Why doesn't the electoral system channel its effort into improving the conduct of local elections. Kenya must give its nationals living abroad their right to vote. With E-Registration and E-Voting, it’s possible. - Capt. Steve N. KINUTHIA

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 14 - The government has now initiated the process of disbanding the troubled Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC). Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs Minister Mutula Kilonzo, under whose docket the TJRC falls, said on Wednesday that he had asked the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs to work on modalities of disbanding the Commission. “I have actually requested the Parliamentary Committee to consider and recommend methods by which we can disband them so that they can go home. We have enough Kenyans who can do TJRC work, don’t you think so?” he asked.

The woes surrounding the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission chairman Bethuel Kiplagat Tuesday 13th April, 2010 took on a different twist after he reneged on an agreement with his fellow commissioners to step aside to allow investigations into allegations levelled against him. Kiplagat insisted that he will stay on as chair despite claims by his fellow commissioners that he had agreed in a signed letter to Justice and constitutional affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo that he would steps aside to pave way for investigations in order to redeem the commission's image.m A press statement dated Tuesday and issued by the TJRC at a press conference stated that the TJRC chairman had agreed to step aside to allow for the constitution of a tribunal of inquiry into allegations against him. This statement was however refuted by the chair at the same press conference, when he insisted that he would not step aside. According to the commissioners, the chairman had agreed to step aside in a letter addressed to justice minister and signed by all commissioners, to request the setting up of a tribunal by the chief justice, to look into allegations of illegal acquisition of land, the assassination of Robert Ouko and the Wagalla Massacre which Kiplagat is alleged to have been part of. The letter which bears Kiplagat's signature and is dated yesterday reads in part, ‘With that aim in mind, our chairman has graciously agreed to step aside temporarily until the tribunal process has reached its conclusion. But even as the commission seemed to be divided on how to deal with the matter of their embattled chair, Justice assistant minister William Cheptumo told parliament that the government will not be involved in resolving the TJRC impasse. Cheptumo said allegations leveled against Kiplagat do not warrant the setting of a tribunal to investigate his conduct. According to TJRC Act, the chair can only be removed from the office through recommendations of a tribunal to be headed by a judge and two members who must have served as high court judges, and if a tribunal is set up, the' President can suspend the chair awaiting recommendations from the tribunal. TJRC is facing severe credibility crisis that has culminated in the resignation of its vice chair Betty Murungi.

Truth Justice and Reconcilliation Commission (TJRC) Chairman Bethuel Kiplagat during the press conference Tuesday at Delta House Nairobi. The Commission agreed for a tribunal of inquiry into allegation against its Chairman Bethuel Kiplagat. - Daily Nation.

"Many young men in Kenyans today has become alcoholic, most of them have divorced because they sleep under the bed because they cannot make to the bed." - Kameme Radio presenter

If you you happen to talk about British National Party (BNP) in UK when black and ethnic minorities are there, you would see their turn different. If he or she was laughing, you would see him or her stopping. This is because the policies of this party. Nobody would have thought that a Kenyan would be a member of this kind of a party. This is why Pastor James Gitau joining of the BNP has generated a lot of talk and anger within Kenyans and black ethnic minorities in the UK. Many did not believe their TV sets when they saw him on TV campaigning for BNP. What has as added salt in an injury on this issue is that the BNP stand was outside the house of Kenyan lady candidate for Labour Ms Elizabeth Kangethe who is standing for a council seat. She could see Pastor James Gitau campaigning for BNP from her house. This was within the ward of Parsloe where she is a candidate.

On current demographic trends, we, the native British people, will be an ethnic minority in our own country within sixty years. To ensure that this does not happen, and that the British people retain their homeland and identity, we call for an immediate halt to all further immigration, the immediate deportation of criminal and illegal immigrants, and the introduction of a system of voluntary resettlement whereby those immigrants who are legally here will be afforded the opportunity to return to their lands of ethnic origin assisted by a generous financial incentives both for individuals and for the countries in question. We will abolish the ‘positive discrimination’ schemes that have made white Britons second-class citizens. We will also clamp down on the flood of ‘asylum seekers’, all of whom are either bogus or can find refuge much nearer their home countries.

Reverend James Gitau, right, a supporter of the British National Party (BNP) holds a flag during a campaign tour of the party's leader in Dagenham Heathway in east London, Saturday April 10, 2010. Reverend Gitau, of the United Holy Church moved to UK from Kenya in 1997. Britain goes to the polls in a general election on May 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

Pastor Gitau is the former manager with KENATCO Mombasa before joining business and later coming to the UK. Originally he comes from Kiambaa, Kiambu, Kenya. He is well known in the church circles because he is the first to shout in most of the crusades in London. You would always hear him saying "Glory" playing his manyanga with a beautiful dancing style the King David style. Many others knows him by his dressing. He dresses with several coloured clothes with long coat on top. My mother asked me last year when he saw him: "Mr. Seed, who is that man in the church? Which one, I asked, "Glory" - the man who shouts glory in the church. Why does he dress like that?" she asked. When asked why he dresses like that Pastor Gitau explained that the coat he wears is a coat of many colours.

Many people have called Mr. Seed when they see the photos of Pastor James Gitau in a UK newspapers - Daily Telegraph campaigning with BNP boss in Dagenham on Saturday 10th April, 2010. Many did not believe their eyes and had to call to confirm.

Griffin gets into his car and we drive to Dagenham Broadway, where the BNP has erected its stall. We pass the BNP music bus, pulled over by the police for playing loud music. Griffin gets out and glad-hands; he seems to adore it. Reverend Robert West, the BNP candidate in Lincoln, shouts, "It is not racist to love your country!" as Pastor James Gitau, a black BNP supporter, stands next to him. Every time the Rev Mr West shouts a slogan, Gitau shouts, "Hallelujah!" A young black girl stares on, astonished. A second black woman strides up to the black preacher, and berates him. "Why are you holding this?" she shouts. "You are a black man. You should be ashamed." In response, Gitau waves his flag. Outside Tesco's, Griffin finds some punters. "We are about putting British people first," he tells a spotty boy on a skateboard. "It's not about being white." Now some lads in England shirts arrive, holding pints of lager. "Are you going to do the job for us, Nick?" they ask. "I'm going to try," he replies. They man-hug and Griffin walks into a betting shop, to put £20 on himself to win this seat. "I got 4/1," he says, happily. So far, it is a street party, not a political party. Then, quickly, it turns dark. A group of black women confront Griffin. "Do you see us as equals?" asks one. He pauses. "Yes, you are equal," he says. "Do you want us to get out of the country?" asks another black woman. "No, we just think the country is full," he replies. "These are my children," says a third, "and we work hard." Griffin is trying to smile, but there are just too many black women shouting at him for his comfort. The grin melts and, seemingly as one, the BNP high command gets into their cars and drive off. They had stayed for only 20 minutes.

Q: I understand you joined the BNP Party at their campaign in Dagenham on Saturday. I have seen the story in the Daily Telegraph and some of your pictures with Mr. Nick Griffin.

A: Yes, I joined BNP a few months ago when they announced that the party is now open to all. I registered and I paid £60. The annual membership is £20 and life membership is £600. I paid the membership for three years.

Q: Why did you decide to join this party and you know how bad their policies are especially with immigrants?

A: I have joined this party with a mission. I am there to learn more about them. You cannot be able to learn about somebody when you are outside.

A: Oh yes, they gave me a VIP treatment. When I arrived at the venue they did not recognise me and they confronted me. When I produced my membership card they took me to the high table and Mr. Giffin introduced me to Reverend Robert West, the BNP candidate in Lincoln who took care of me.

A: You know Mr. Seed, if you want to learn somebody, the best way is to come near the person. I have joined this party to learn more about them. I would be able to know what they think about immigrants and other concerned issues.

A: It is not a bad party after all. They are supporters of Christian faith. They don't support homosexuality and again they don't support the spread of Islam in UK

A: Mr. Nick Griffins was very clear on his policy with immigration. He said that they support all British citizens - black and white but what they don't like is the government allowing everyone to come live here freely. The house is full.

Q: Don't you think that other Kenyans and Africans will find as if you are betraying them?

A: No. I am on a mission. Mr. Griffins is a good man talking to and hear for yourself. If you want me to make an appointment for you Mr. Seed to see I will be happy to do that.

A: Oh yes, you are a joker Mr. Seed. You know me very well. I only want our people to join different parties so that they can more.

Q: Yes, I am a church leader. I lived in Kisumu for many years and I speak Luo fluently. I am on a mission - I do connect ODM and PNU - we are all brothers.

Leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin (R) shakes the hand of Pastor James Gitau, a new recruit to the BNP, in the car park of a pub, during election campaigning, in Barking, east London April 10, 2010.

Nick Griffin, center, the leader of the British National Party and a member of the European Parliament, escorted by a member of his security detail in military fatigues, left, is being confronted by a local resident, name not given, during a campaign tour in Dagenham Heathway in east London, Saturday April 10, 2010. Britain goes to the polls in a general election on May 6, 2010.

General Election 2010: One dark day with the BNP in Dagenham

Tanya Gold follows Nick Griffin, BNP leader, on the campaign trail against Margaret Hodge. And though his cronies are on hand, he doesn't get an easy ride

It is hot in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham. It feels like the first day of summer. And, in a park opposite Becontree tube station, BNP activists are gathering for their day of action. There are maybe 100 of them. Some are suited and booted, and some are in "Anglo-Saxon" T-shirts and tattoos, the very archetype of ex-National Front. Heartbreakingly, there are children here. As I stand, watching them muster, a small boy comes up to me. Where, he asks, can he get a BNP poster? Nick Griffin is standing here against Margaret Hodge, the Labour Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (majority: 8,883). It is a stunt. But it is possible that Barking and Dagenham could soon have a BNP-controlled council. It is now the second largest party at local level with 15 seats and they aim to take absolute control; along with Stoke, this borough is the centre of BNP hopes. The BNP wants to reinforce its gains of 2009, when it took two seats in the European parliament and two county council seats. The anti-fascist organisation Searchlight is worried enough to have a permanent HQ here.

Before the muster, I spend an hour with Margaret Hodge, as she walks the empty streets. She is brisk and bossy. "Come back later," says one man, dragged out of bed, when Hodge wants to register him to vote. "No," she replies, "Let's do it now." Hodge was born to Jewish parents and her maiden name is Oppenheimer. "He [Griffin] called me 'a Jew' a few years ago," she says. "I have been canvassing for 40 years, but this is the most important election I have ever fought." A few minutes later, a black woman answers the door, holding a baby. Yes, she is voting Labour, she says. No, she won't put a poster in her window. "I am scared," she says. I go to the Cherry Tree pub to wait for Griffin, who is giving a press conference. The drinkers come out to talk. They are all ex-Labour, now BNP. "It's housing, schools, hospitals and jobs, not colour," says one man. "I believed in Old Labour but not New Labour. They have failed in this borough." "People have had enough," says a woman. "We are being pushed to the back of the queue. My son couldn't get into the school of his choice. He has no chance of a council house." "You don't appreciate that our facilities are getting swamped," says another man. "If we vote BNP, people might start listening to us. Because we have been abandoned by our government." I begin to sympathise with their grievances, because they are right – no council housing has been built here for 30 years. The rise of the BNP is one of Labour's greatest failures. But then comes the racist bile. "Go into a supermarket," says another man, "it's full of immigrants. Why?" Griffin arrives at the Cherry Tree to give his set-piece speech in the car park. He has a driver/bodyguard dressed as a soldier. He is not a soldier. He is wearing the uniform, he says, "to show solidarity" with the troops in Afghanistan. This does not surprise me. There are plenty of fantasists and oddballs in the BNP leadership.

One parliamentary candidate told me his wife woke him up in bed because he was screaming: "I want to shoot myself in the head." Another informs me that homosexuality "is an abomination. Buggerers will not inherit the earth." We watch the new Griffin facing the cameras, polite, concerned, reasonable, a patriot. He denies he incites racism, "No, it is the Labour Party who have taken us into a racist war in Afghanistan." He claims his policies – "Voluntary resettlement" of legal immigrants, instant deportation of all others, withdrawal from the EU – "are what the British people want to hear." Where is the man who, just a few months ago, called mixed-race children "a tragedy?" The man who joined the National Front at 14? Griffin gets into his car and we drive to Dagenham Broadway, where the BNP has erected its stall. We pass the BNP music bus, pulled over by the police for playing loud music. Griffin gets out and glad-hands; he seems to adore it. Reverend Robert West, the BNP candidate in Lincoln, shouts, "It is not racist to love your country!" as Pastor James Gitau, a black BNP supporter, stands next to him. Every time the Rev Mr West shouts a slogan, Gitau shouts, "Hallelujah!" A young black girl stares on, astonished. A second black woman strides up to the black preacher, and berates him. "Why are you holding this?" she shouts. "You are a black man. You should be ashamed." In response, Gitau waves his flag. Outside Tesco's, Griffin finds some punters. "We are about putting British people first," he tells a spotty boy on a skateboard. "It's not about being white." Now some lads in England shirts arrive, holding pints of lager. "Are you going to do the job for us, Nick?" they ask. "I'm going to try," he replies. They man-hug and Griffin walks into a betting shop, to put £20 on himself to win this seat. "I got 4/1," he says, happily. So far, it is a street party, not a political party. Then, quickly, it turns dark. A group of black women confront Griffin. "Do you see us as equals?" asks one. He pauses. "Yes, you are equal," he says. "Do you want us to get out of the country?" asks another black woman. "No, we just think the country is full," he replies. "These are my children," says a third, "and we work hard." Griffin is trying to smile, but there are just too many black women shouting at him for his comfort. The grin melts and, seemingly as one, the BNP high command gets into their cars and drive off. They had stayed for only 20 minutes.

Griffin has, I learn, gone back to the Cherry Tree pub, where there is due to be a debate between all the parliamentary candidates in a private room. It is closed to all press and supporters except for Sky News, who will be broadcasting it. I arrive to find the gates to the car park locked, and a woman from Sky arguing with a Hodge employee. Margaret, he says, doesn't want to go into a BNP pub. But if she wants to debate, she must, "because no other venue would have Griffin". This is the mood in Barking and Dagenham. I find Hodge a few doors away, outside her campaign headquarters, a brown, bare church. She is trying to find the Tory candidate's telephone number, so they can both pull out of the debate. "That pub is BNP," she says, looking disgusted, "I don't want to walk through it." Having spent the day with them, I understand. With the BNP, menace is never far away, no matter how much they try to distance themselves from their fascist roots. They are, above all, a party of angry men. “Margaret, it will be fine,” says her employee, “We’ll drive in.” Hodge squares her shoulders, gets into the car, and drives off. As I walk away, a black Labour supporter comes out of her house and waves at me. I tell her what the BNP supporters say – that they have been abandoned and that only the BNP understands their woes. “The BNP councillors,” she says, “are nowhere to be seen here. They have the majority in this ward. What have they done?” She pauses. “The damage they will do [if they win the council],” she says, “to house prices, to investment, to race relations. The area will be tarnished for 20 years. It is not for me but for the children we are bringing up. We want them to learn to live together. I am old and I can shrug my shoulders. But the children…” - Daily Telegraph.

A significant number of people have applied for asylum in the UK and they were turned down for various reasons. Appeals were lodged and were also unsuccessful. Applications for fresh claims have since been made in some cases and they have really taken long to be decided. A few fortunate applicants have had positive decisions made pursuant to fresh claims and some have had their applications refused. Many applicants still awaiting decisions in their fresh claims could be familiar with letters from the UK Border Agency to the effect that: Your client’s case is among the backlog of older cases, which the UK Border Agency is currently working to conclude … Your client’s immigration status and entitlements will remain unchanged until such time as the UK border agency has considered the case … the back-log shall be decided by 2011 … In essence, the applicant is not allowed to take up employment until a positive decision is made. It is the waiting which is painful, particularly if it has taken a number of years whilst a person is in limbo: no work and no freedom to bring family from home. In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal has ruled that asylum seekers, even those who have made fresh claims for asylum, are entitled to work if they have waited for at least one year after making their applications.What that means is one must be allowed to work if a year has elapsed since he lodged his further submissions and no decision has been taken on them. He does not have to wait for the Secretary of State to decide whether those further submissions constitute a “fresh claim”. The Court of Appeal has had to combine three cases to deal with the right to work by asylum seekers. In the case of R (ZO (Somalia), MM (Burma) and DT ( Eritrea ), v SSHD the Court of Appeal decided that a person who makes further submissions after the refusal of his asylum claim and the exhaustion of his appeal rights is still an asylum seeker for the purposes of the EU Reception Directive. What that means is one must be allowed to work if a year has elapsed since he lodged his further submissions and no decision has been taken on them. He does not have to wait for the Secretary of State to decide whether those further submissions constitute a “fresh claim”. The three appellants had all made unsuccessful asylum claims and their appeals had been dismissed. They then made further submissions or fresh applications for asylum (DT’s in 2004, in the cases of ZO and MM in 2005) which applications they argued were fresh claims, but had never been decided. Instead the Home Office regarded them as “legacy cases”, and they joined the backlog awaiting determination by the case Resolution Directorate, which is not expected to be cleared until the middle of 2011. Priority is being given to first time applications. Proceedings were brought to the court not only based on the delay but also because the applicants had been refused permission to work. The case was decided in favour of the three applicants after the Reception Directive 2003/9/EC was interpreted by the court of appeal. The EU directive clearly states that:

1. Member States shall determine a period of time, starting from the date on which an application for asylum was lodged during which an applicant shall not have access to the labour market.

2. If a decision at first instance has not been taken within one year of the presentation of an application for asylum and this delay is not attributed to the applicant, member States shall decide the conditions for granting access to the labour market for the applicant.

3. Access to the labour market shall not be withdrawn during appeals procedures, where an appeal against a negative decision in regular procedure has suspensive effect, until such time as a negative decision on the appeal is notified.

The issue which was before the court was whether a person whose asylum claim has been determined in-country against him or her, and who makes a subsequent claim for asylum in-country, come within the ambit of the above cited European Union “Reception Directive” and thus able to enjoy the benefits thereof such as access to the labour market. The court decided that a person making a subsequent application for asylum does fall within the Reception directive outlined above. Thus if a person has made a subsequent claim for asylum within the ambit of the Reception Directive, then the Secretary of State for the Home Department is obliged to grant permission to work, in accordance with Rule 360 of the Immigration Rules, if a decision at first instance has not been taken within one year of the presentation of a subsequent application for asylum (fresh asylum claim), and this delay cannot be attributed to the applicant. The directive applies to all third country nationals and stateless persons who make an asylum application at the border or in the territory of a member State. The principle established by the court of appeal, that failed asylum seekers who make a further application should be given permission to work if their application is undecided after a year, potentially affects many asylum seekers who by now qualify for the right to work on application. This position has remained unclear for some time and the Court of Appeal has shed more light on how to proceed in such cases.

Vitalis Madanhi is the principal solicitor with Bake & Co Solicitors. He can be contacted on vmadanhi@bakesolicitors.co.uk, Tel: 0121 616 5025, Mob: 07947866649 or visit Bake & Co Solicitors’ website at www.bakesolicitors.co.uk

Last month, we wrote about the most expensive streets to buy a property, with one street in particular in London where And while it's fun to gawp at such astronomically priced properties, they are well out of reach for 99% of us. Instead, we need to shop around for a bargain, to find a property that meets our needs without breaking our budgets. Thankfully Mouseprice.com has now put together research on the other end of the market, those bargain-basement properties which look an absolute steal. So let's take a look at the streets where buying a home costs little more than a top of the line car – and what you get for your money.

If you want a bargain, then the cheapest street to buy a home in England or Wales is Fernhill in the Welsh region of Mountain Ash, where the average property costs just £28,600 . That's only a little above the UK's average wage, so represents a seriously cheap deal. The street also topped this poll last year, though the value of homes there has actually increased over the past year from £24,640. So what do you get for your money? I'm a big fan of Upmystreet.com , a site which gives you full details on all sorts of things from crime to council tax on any selected street, so it's a great resource for checking out just why property prices will be so low on Fernhill. The first thing to consider is the location itself - the street is a bit of a trek from Cardiff, the capital city, at around 20 miles, while the M4 is also a fair distance away. The crime figures are also interesting – while violent crimes are marginally up on the national average, the area of Rhondda where the street is found has a noticeably higher rate of car thefts than the rest of Wales, which cannot help. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Mouseprice.com report does reinforce that, on house prices at least, there is a pronounced North/South divide. In the top 20 most affordable streets to buy a property, not a single one is found in London, the South East or the South West. Instead the list is dominated by the North East and North West with the two regions accounting for 15 of the 20 steets. Indeed, of the top ten, it's only Fernhill which is not found in these regions.

So let's have a look at exactly which streets are the cheapest to buy in England and Wales:

According to the report, the most affordable postcode in which to purchase a property is TS6, a part of Teeside which includes Middlesbrough, which accounts for five of the cheapest seven streets, and six of the top 20 overall. According to Upmystreet.com, this is an area dominated by pensioners living in council accommodation, with more than 40% over the age of 60. Of those of working age, unemployment is high while household income levels are among the lowest in the country. The properties are small in this area, typically one or two bedroom, which doesn't exactly help their value either. On the plus side, crime levels are generally lower than the average for the rest of England.

So how does the average cost of a property in the northern regions compare with those in the south? The table below outlines the average value of the ten cheapest streets in each region, and reinforces the North/South divide (though worth noting is the fact that the South East has jumped from 7th last year to 5th this time around).

One interesting fact is that the recovery of the housing market has seen the average valuations increase in each of the regions. Those rises have taken the average price of properties in the capital above £100,000 – previously they came to £99,740. Even if you are going for a serious budget option, you will still be shelling out six figures if you want to buy in the London area.

What's clear from looking at these streets in a bit of detail is that while the properties are exceptionally cheap, relatively speaking, there are reasons for the low prices, from poor work prospects to insufficient transport links to high crime levels. All factors which you should be looking into before buying any property, whether it will be your residence or a buy-to-let investment.

It is easy to have the odour of fish on your hand. Soap would not help much. However, rubbing lemon skin on your hand would do the trick. Not only that, it will also make your skin smooth.

Christina Jordan examines 10 places where rent has gone through the roof, 10 places where rents are falling the most, and the top 15 buy-to-let mortgage deals. Somebody needs to tell the rental market that Britain is only just on the road to recovery and that growth is supposed to be slow and sustained. Because in some parts of the country, the private rented sector is enjoying a mini boom, with rental income being boosted by over 11% in the last year alone. That’s according to flatsharing website spareroom.co.uk, which says that room rental costs, and their movement in the last 12 months, vary drastically depending on where you live. Those flatsharing in Sunderland will have been thrilled to have seen average monthly house and flatsharing rents drop by a massive 13.5% in the last year, for example. While private renters in Stroke are not so lucky, having faced rent hikes of 11.3% in the last year.

The runners and riders

Second only to Stoke in the rising rents league is Telford in Shropshire, where room rents increased by 10.8% in the last 12 months. Below are the 10 towns and cities to have seen the largest rises, noting the current monthly rent compared to last year’s figure.

Sharp rises

What’s interesting about this list is that half of the top 10 towns are in the North of England, where average monthly room rents increased by 1.5% over the past 12 months. And there are no towns or cities from the south of England - average monthly room rents in the region rose by just 0.6% in the past year. So rents are rising fastest in the North right? Well, what is even more interesting is that when you look at the 10 towns and cities to have seen the biggest falls in monthly room rents, that table is also dominated by the North. If anything the North is seeing more volatility in rents, while rental income is more stable in many parts of the South.

Falling fast

Kenyans in Migingo Island in Lake Victoria have a reason to smile after a two-year dispute with Uganda over ownership of the island. Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula announced that the dispute between the two neighbours had been resolved. "Ugandan authorities have declared officially they have no claim over the Island," he said. International border surveyors also agree. "Migingo is within Kenya’s borders," asserted Mr John Donaldson, a research associate at the UK-based International Boundaries Research Unit. Migingo has about 3,000 residents, majority of them Kenyan. The Ugandan government had claimed the island is in its territorial waters and that it was illegal for Kenyans to fish around it. The territorial row burst into the open with the eviction of some 400 Kenyan fishermen from the island, for apparently refusing to part with Sh50, 000 annual operation fee demanded by the Ugandan authorities. "In a time of regional integration and free market protocol where we have abolished visa and work permits, it will be improper to still quarrel over the tiny island," Mr Wetang’ula said. The minister said it was shameful for the two nations to engage in a dispute, which could have been resolved amicably without creating enmity. "For the future strength of business ties and friendship, we firmly advocate for peaceful co-existence with our neighbours especially Uganda, which has been a major partner," he added. The Minister who spoke at a Kakamega hotel said Kenyans living in the Island are also registering as voters. "Our brothers and sisters in Migingo are participating in the voter registration exercise and should not fear any external interference," he said. Wetang’ula said all mechanisms have been put in place to ensure only Kenyans are registered. Kenyans in the island had expressed fears they would not be able to register as voters since there was no Kenyan government presence there. Local police had pulled out of Migingo after Ugandan military invaded it and hoisted their national flag, which was later removed after protests by Kenya. - The Standard.

Nairobi, Kenya, April 12 – Starehe Member of Parliament Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has raised a red flag over some ballot boxes in the on going vote recount. Bishop Wanjiru who is trailing former MP Maina Kamanda with over 11,000 votes told the court on Monday that 35 boxes were missing vital documents. Through lawyer Chacha Odera, Bishop Wanjiru wants the court to note that 35 boxes cannot be traced in any of the polling stations within Starehe constituency. Mr Odera said that in some instances contents of the ballot boxes differed from stations indicated in the window inside the ballot boxes. He added that forms 16A affixed on top of the ballot boxes did not tally with contents inside the same ballot boxes. Mr Odera who is representing Bishop Wanjiru in the recount hall said in an affidavit that he has on several occasions asked the Interim Independent Electoral Commission officials to produce the schedule of distribution of strategic materials in respect of Starehe constituency during the 2007 general elections. The schedule shows the details of serial numbers of ballot boxers, ballot papers and serials, which assist in identifying the polling stations of each box. “I have been asking for it without success. It is necessary for the schedule to be provided before the recount is completed,” said Mr Odera. The Starehe vote recount is in its final stretch with less than forty boxes remaining to be counted. The recount team covers an average of seven boxes a day.

Bishop Margaret Wanjiru has raised a red flag over some ballot boxes in the on going vote recoun

The scrutiny began on February 26. High Court Deputy Registrar Stephen Riechi presides over the exercise. Presiding Judge Justice Kihara Kariuki directed the returning officer during the elections Manasseh Mugasia to swear an affidavit explaining whether he received the schedule. The returning officer was directed that if he was given the schedule he should file it in court. Justice Kihara further directed that similarly an officer from IIEC should swear an affidavit in reply to Bishop Wanjiru's application and explain the efforts the Commission is making to produce the schedule. He directed all parties to appear in court on Tuesday. Justice Kihara declined to stop the vote recount and directed that the exercise should continue pending the determination of Bishop Wanjiru's appeal. Maina Kamanda who claims that he won with over 46,000 votes is challenging the election of Bishop Wanjiru as the MP for Starehe. Meanwhile, Kamkunji parliamentary loser Ahmed Ibrahim has asked the High Court to verify whether all election documents used during the last general election are inside ballot boxes handed over to a court official pending the hearing of an election petition he has filed against the sitting legislator Simon Mbugua. The petitioner through lawyer Owino Opondo on Monday asked justice Kalpana Rawal to direct that the boxes be opened before the hearing of the petition commences arguing that an inventory produced by the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) was not satisfactory. Mr Opondo is claiming that crucial documents among them forms 16 and 17 As were not preserved after the parliamentary elections. However Mr Mbugua through lawyer Kibe Mungai asked the court to reject the application arguing their case would be prejudiced. Mr Mungai explained that some of the documents in question touch on merits of his client’s case against the petitioner. He also argued that Mr Ibrahim has not laid any evidential basis upon which the court should direct the ballot boxes be opened. The advocate said that all the election documents were delivered to the High Court deputy registrar on February 15 this year.

Killing two birds with one stone - Mrs. Stella Wanyoike wife of Pastor Mike Wanyoike of IWRM caught at the music extravaganza on 4th April 2010 in London where Ben Githae was the guest artist as she holders her son as well as joining the dance. On right is team who came with M45, M1, M11, A406 before arriving with A118 all the way from Coventry - from left is Mrs. Gaturu, Mr. Gichuki and Mr. Gakuru

Living in UK, USA, Russia, Australia, South Africa, Europe or elsewhere in the Diaspora - give us your opinion.

I am compiling opinions of Kenyans in the Diaspora about the Kenya Draft Constitution currently being discussed in Kenya. Give us your opinion and explain in a paragraph or two. NOT A PAGE as we want to give as many people a chance to air their views. At the end of it all we will publish this opinions in a page in this website and then pass this opinions to the Constitutional Committee of Experts in Nairobi. Send your opinion to misterseed@hotmail.co.uk.

Ivory, python, leopard skins confiscated

Kenyan police have arrested three men for possessing ivory and the skins of protected animals. Police official Phomas Atuti says the three Kenyans were arrested in the capital of Nairobi on Monday after a tip-off. They were trying to sell a small amount of ivory and the skins of three python, a leopard and three civet cats. Kenya recently has pushed African countries to step up enforcement against animal poaching, particularly poachers who target elephants for their ivory tusks. African ivory is often sent to China and Japan, where demand for ivory is high.

Parliament has embarked on investigation to establish how 240,000 metric tonnes (about three million bags) of genetically modified maize was secretly imported into the country. The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture camped at the Mombasa Port on Monday to try to unravel details on the importation of such maize believed to have been consumed by Kenyans and planted by unsuspecting farmers across the country. The MPs said they were concerned that the maize was likely to have been consumed by Kenyans before proper research to ascertain its effects on their health. Committee chairman and Naivasha MP John Mututho said reports indicated genetically modified maize has been imported in large quantities especially from South Africa and allowed to be discharged by Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs). Mr Mututho said Parliament mandated them to urgently establish its source and extent of distribution. Committee members John Pesa (Migori), Kazungu Kambi (Kaloleni), Benson Mbai (Masinga) and Victor Munyaka (Machakos Town) accompanied the chairman. They questioned Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (Kephis), Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd (GBHL) and Kebs officials at the port. "Some countries have allowed small quantities of the maize for research, but we wonder why Kenya allowed in huge quantities before research," said Mututho. Most of the suspect maize was imported in consignments of 40,000 metric tonnes, Mututho noted. The Naivasha MP said the country was being guarded from GMO materials adding that even the research station at Makindu has been secured to prevent the crop from contaminating others. Dr Munyaka said it was possible poor farmers planted GMO seeds from the relief food since it was still unclear where the 240,000 metric tonnes went. The committee explained it wanted to establish who issued permits to Luis Dryfus and Monsanto to import the maize. - The Standard.

Bishop Samuel Muya of Talents Revival Church in Elburgon woke up on Monday morning 12th April, 2010 to find all the church equipments worth thousands of Kenya shillings stolen. The equipment are kept in a very secure store in the church with a steel door which is locked from inside. The most surprising about this theft is that the store was opened with a key without any breakage. The stolen equipments include power generators, several speakers, amplifiers, mixers, studio masters and recorders among others. The police suspect it could be an inside job. Speaking to the Bishop through the phone from Elburgon the Bishop said he was very touched by this theft because he has spent a lot of time and money in UK to shop for these equipments while most of the equipments had been donated by people in the UK. He explained that he is waiting upon God to show the way out. His contact in Kenya is 0725492076 - email - samuelmuya2003@yahoo.com

We are inviting you and your family to a networking dinner on 1st May 2010 starting at 6 p.m. at

Tooting Golf Club. Ticket cost 10 pounds. Please contact us on 07932770824 or 07576745638.

All Monies Raised through ticket sales will be donated to children shelter in Mombasa.

A Kenyan woman’s hoped that conditions the country would improve did not justify her delay in filing a petition for asylum, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. Court proceedings of the case Mutuku vs Holder released on Monday 12th April, 2010 found that the Kenyan’s claims for asylum in the USA were not strong enough to grant her permission to live in the US. The panel affirmed the denial of Ellinah Mutuku’s asylum claim, but concluded that an immigration judge’s finding that conditions in Kenya had improved was not supported by substantial evidence. Mutuku claimed that she was an organizer and supporter of the Democratic Party (DP), a leading opposition party to KANU, which ruled the country since independence. In August 1992, Mutuku claimed, a band of armed men came looking for her, burned down her home and beat her sister. The men allegedly told Mutuku’s mother they would kill Mutuku if she did not stop her political activities. Mutuku said she also received three phone calls threatening to “come for [her] head” if she continued to pursue her activism and was nearly run over by truck driven by a KANU party activist. She subsequently fled Kenya and arrived in the United States on a visitor visa. After her visa expired, the Immigration and Naturalization Service initiated removal proceedings. Mutuku then applied for asylum, withholding of removal and relief under Convention Against Torture, claiming that she had been persecuted on the basis of her political opinion in Kenya and would likely be persecuted or tortured if she were to return.

An immigration judge denied each of her claims in February 2004, finding that Mutuku was ineligible for asylum because her application was barred by the one-year statute of limitations, that she was not credible, and that she did not have a well-founded fear of future persecution because conditions in Kenya were no longer hostile towards members of the Democratic Party. He based his finding of changed country conditions on the fact that Mwai Kibaki, leader of the Democratic Party, had been elected president of Kenya in 2002. The immigration judge also relied on a declaration in the State Department’s 2002 Human Rights Country Report for Kenya that the country “is a republic dominated by a strong presidency.” Based on the adverse credibility determination and changed country conditions, the judge denied Mutuku withholding of removal. He further concluded she was ineligible for CAT relief because the Democratic Party was in power in Kenya.

The Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed the immigration judge’s decision in a per curiam decision, and Judge Harry Pregerson, writing for the appellate court, agreed that Mutuku’s application for asylum was barred by the one-year statute of limitations. However, Pregerson said the immigration judge’s adverse credibility finding “was premised on a clearly erroneous factual finding.” Mutuku had testified that she had almost been run over by a truck driven by a KANU supporter, but the immigration judge found her not credible because she had not mentioned this event in her asylum application. “The immigration judge was clearly incorrect” because Mutuku’s application did describe the incident, Pregerson said, and her testimony should have been deemed credible. As for the immigration judge’s findings on changed country conditions, Pregerson emphasized that the 2002 report was based on the period from Jan. 1, 2002, through Dec. 31, 2002, so it covered only one day after Kibaki’s swearing-in, and only four days after his electoral victory. Thus, Pregerson opined, the report’s statement that Kenya was a republic with a strong presidency was “too thin a reed on which to deny Mutuku withholding of removal.”

The judge said the report, when considered in its entirety, confirmed that abuses by security forces, particularly the police, were common in Kenya, and that political activists like Mutuku were routinely targeted by police for harassment, arbitrary arrest, excessive force, rape, abuse, and extrajudicial killing. Pregerson also noted that the document detailed violent clashes between KANU supporters and opponents, and reports that political parties used young followers to harass opposition supporters. “Nothing in the 2002 Country Report indicated that conditions for political opponents of [KANU] had improved, or that [KANU] members were no longer able to persecute Democratic Party members,” the jurist concluded. But while the evidence of changed country conditions did not support the denial of withholding of removal, Pregerson said, the record did not compel a finding that Mutuku would likely be tortured if she were to return to Kenya and she was not entitled to CAT relief. Joined by Judges Betty B. Fletcher and Susan P. Graber, Pregerson ordered the case remanded for the BIA to decide whether Mutuku’s testimony, if believed, established past persecution for purposes of withholding of removal.

Kenyan Makau wins Rotterdam marathon

ROTTERDAM (Netherlands): Patrick Makau led a Kenyan one-two-three in the Rotterdam marathon on Sunday 11th April, 2010. The 25-year-old completed the course in 2hr 4min 47sec, 7sec ahead of Geoffrey Mutai, with Vincent Kipruto in third a further 19sec adrift. The trio, accompanied for much of the race by Ethiopian Feysa Lelisa, was on track to breaking Haile Gebrsselassie's world record of 2:03.59 before fading at the last. Ethiopian Aberu Kebede won the women's race in 2:25.29 ahead of American Magdalena Lewy Boulet, with Chinese favourite Xiaolin Zhu in third.

Results

Men

1. Patrick Makau (KEN) 2hr 04min 47sec, 2. Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 2:04.54, 3. Vincent Kipruto (KEN) 2:05.13

Women

1. Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:25.29, 2. Magdalena Lewy Boulet (USA) 2:26.22, 3. Xiaolin Zhu (CHN) 2:29.42

Patrick Makau and Atsede Bayisa posted the world's fastest marathon times of the year for men and women when winning in Rotterdam and Paris respectively. In only his third outing over the distance, Kenya's Makau won in two hours four minutes 47 seconds in Holland, which was the world's fifth fastest time ever. He won after pulling away from the strong challenge of fellow countrymen Geoffrey Mutai, who also clocked a lifetime best of 2hrs 4mins 5secs, and Vincent Kipruto, who ran 2:05:15 in third. Ethiopian Aberu Kebede took the women's title in 2:25:29 from Magdalena Lewy-Boulet of the United States (2:26:22) and China's pre-race favourite Zhu Xiaolin (2:29:42).

Bayisa successful

Meanwhile, Ethiopia's Bayisa ran the fastest women's time in the world this year when successfully defending her Paris marathon title. The 22-year-old posted a personal best and course record time of two hours 22 minutes 04 seconds to finish well clear of France's Christelle Daunay, who lowered the national record to 2:24:22, while Ethiopia's Tsegaye Tirfi was third in 2:24:51. Ethiopia's Tadesse Tola took the men's crown in a lifetime best of 2:06:41 as he beat the Kenyan pair of Alfred Kering and Wilson Kipsang, who were separated by just two seconds in a close finish.

On Sunday 11th April 2010 in distant Mwingi of former Kitui District hosted the biggest party the country has seen since the inauguration of the 10th Parliament in 2008. Area MP, Vice-president Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, the second longest serving among the current lot of legislators in the august house, hosted the good and great of Kenya politics in what will qualify as the strongest statement in the Kibaki Succession. One does not need to look further than the fact that President Mwai Kibaki himself was in attendance in the colourful rally at Musila stadium that brought the entire Eastern Province to Mwingi. Notably, Kalonzo’s nemesis for the country’s top political job Prime Minister Raila Odinga was missing. In Kibaki’s tow was Uhuru Kenyatta, the man slowly assuming the mantle as Central Kenya’s political top-gun, something that cannot be ruled out at any time. From vote-rich Meru, was Kiraitu Murungi, the energy minister and the man currently calling shots in the region, whose votes titled the 2007 presidential votes the Kibaki way.

From media reports, those who were in attendance proposed that Kibaki endorses Musyoka for the big job. However, Kibaki and Musyoka played down the appeals during their speeches, noting that it was too early to make that decision, since the holder of the post was sitting there and doing the right job. This, among the analysts in the country and abroad, was in itself a statement on where the president’s heart on the matter lies. There are many reasons that Kibaki, or any other person in the PNU team should thank Musyoka. It is his decision to accept the vice-presidential position that killed off the rebellion that was gaining heat by the day threatening president Kibaki’s second term in office. Musyoka’s decision to accept the position saw the entire Eastern Kenya bloc join hands with Central Kenya and part of Rift Valley to give Kibaki the momentum that he required to govern the country. Now, it is payback time and the folks in Central have very little to do, but to thank Kalonzo for the brave decision that he took to support Kibaki. IN that single decision, he put his own reputation on the line and it has been evident from the manner in which he has been barracked by the Raila-friendly media and even open defiance from those connected to Water Minister Charity Ngilu.

While Kalonzo remains the most popular in Ukambani, the same region that gave retired President Moi the fifth 25% of the national provinces that he needed to run Kenya, it goes without saying that he has managed to repel all opposition that have arisen. In his own ways, he has managed to cut John Harun Mwau, the PICK candidate now associated with Raila Odinga to size, silenced neophytes Wavinya Ndeti and Charles Kilonzo, and even thrown Kiema Kilonzo into a state of indecision. In the long run, quietly said, he has managed to create the feeling that is usually associated with Moi’s grip in Rift Valley under Kanu, and the same as Raila Odinga commands in Luo Nyanza. Soon, he will occupy the Leader of Government Business post, cementing a position that he will or can use to create the momentum he so requires in the coming two years. While he will struggle to get the support of Rift Valley Province against William Ruto, he has a mountain to climb in an electoral environment that will be dominated by Raila and Uhuru Kenyatta. Uhuru Kenyatta? Yes, he has always showered Kalonzo with the praise he requires and they have asked him, and actually given him the open doors to Central Kenya. In actual sense, Kalonzo has had the doors to Central Kenya and Kikuyu dominated regions of Rift Valley swung open for the last two years and it is him to make his case and win their hearts. If Uhuru Kenyatta stands, which he can still do, he can finish at the top, if he will be able to command the province to vote for him as a bloc, the same way Mwai Kibaki did in 1997 and 2007. But, with Kibaki resigning, and what seems as a not-so-distant past, his own father Jomo (Mutongoria Njamba) was president, he has odds going against him.

If he stands, and as popular opinion has it that he is in an alliance with William Ruto, he can still win, though, chances remain distant. At the same time, Raila Odinga still has his problems with the Kikuyu vote. They allege that his comments during the 2005 Referendum and in the run-up to the 2007 General Elections led to the bloodbath that visited Kikuyu tribe across the country. They further allege that even after the macabre attack in Eldoret where tens were burnt in a church, Raila refused to condemn the killings and chose to pursue a theory that was either not accepted or they did not buy. They also take into account the final rally at the Nyayo National stadium where the ODM leaders spoke to their communities in their vernacular languages, in what PNU high command say was targeted at their communities around the country. They also view him as one person against them, having rocked the Kibaki administration in 2003 and later in February this year. Also recently, he was quoted in a vernacular station as having asked the Kalenjin community not to accept anything from people they fought against. Those are theories and will have to be addressed elsewhere. So long as the IDPs and now the Mau Forest evictees remain in the tents around the country, Raila’s appeal to the Kikuyu and Kalenjin remains as low as it can be. For starters, Kalonzo Musyoka remains the man to beat. If Embu, Meru and the larger Eastern Province give ‘one of their own’ the backing, then he will be home and dry.

Many a time, people wonder why Prime Minister Raila Odinga makes some statements. They are his personal statements and he is expected to live by them. Today (Monday) he described those agitating for the NO vote at the referendum in such a bad language that I feel should not have been used at all. I am sorry that he said the words, but using NAFIK to describe his opponents while they were just expressing their own opinion and their communities’ fears. Sorry!

Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa, who helped lead Zimbabwe to majority rule, has died. He was 84. The bishop died April 8 in his home in Borrowdale, a suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe. He had been battling cancer. Muzorewa was a trailblazer as one of the first African United Methodist bishops, and he emerged as a national leader during his country’s struggle toward full independence. “He made a great contribution to Zimbabwe,” said retired Bishop Herbert Skeete of Riverdale, N.Y., who worked with Muzorewa. Muzorewa “was one of the 20th century’s great champions for the liberation of people in Africa, especially his homeland of Zimbabwe,” said Thomas Kemper, top staff executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. “His struggle to loose the chains of colonialism distinguishes him in a special way,” Kemper said. “He served both the church and his emerging nation with a sense of purpose and determination at a time of transition and uncertainty.” Retired Bishop Emilio DeCarvalho of Luanda, Angola, remembered Muzorewa as an advocate for ministry in Africa. “He worked very hard with the other bishops for the strengthening of The United Methodist Church in Africa. We are deeply sorry for his loss. The church in Africa will miss him very much, and in Zimbabwe in particular,” DeCarvalho said.

Ethiopia's Alene Reta arrives at the finish line with a four-legged friend to win the Santiago Marathon in Chile's capital city. The dog was a stray that appeared during the last few metres of the race. [ROBERTO CANDIA/AP]

The Kenya Interim Electoral Election Commission (IIEC) Monday kicked off electronic registration of voters in 18 selected constituencies across the country. Prime Minister Raila Odinga launched the drive at Old Olympic Primary School in his Kibera constituency which is one of the pilot constituencies for the exercise. Other constituencies earmarked for the launch are Kamukunji, Mvita, Malindi, Dujis, Wajir East, Isiolo South, Imenti Central, Mbooni, Nyeri Town, Kikuyu, Eldoret North, Nakuru Town, Ainamoi, Ikolomani, Webuye, Kisumu Town West and Bonchari. A special camera and thumb print reader will be required to carry out the registration, which will uniquely identify a person and thus eliminate cases of cheating. The 10-day exercise targets over 1.8 million voters in over 1400 registration centres in the pilot constituencies. IIEC launched a voters registration drive last month ahead of the planned referendum on the draft constitution. The IIEC aims at registering 18 million voters before the expiry of the stipulated 45 days. Upon completion of the exercise the new registers will take place of those created by the moribund Electoral Commission of Kenya which was disbanded in 2008 following the disputed results of the 2007 general elections.

"6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place."

Bishop Pius Muiru is in UK for several gospel crusades. He kicked off his first conference on Saturday 10th April, 2010 at HODSIM Ministries of Bishop Joseph Warui in Brixton, South East London. The man of God reading came from the book of Act 12: 12. The preacher explained that Satan will not succeed on his mission to you if you wait upon the Lord and if the brethren around you keep on praying for you. He continued to say that the Devil is a lier and God will see you through your difficulties. The bishop is having several other conferences in UK. For more information contact 07939889508 - MORE

Before the Seeds family started constructing the house for the Widowed woman in Nakuru, there was no electricity around. The nearest electric post was three kilometres from this areas. It is not until the day they finished roofing the house that the following day the Kenya Power and Lighting elected a post behind the house of this widow. One extra post from the house, they fixed the transfer and the projects terminates from there. The neighbours had this to say: "Truly this is a Godly woman. We did know where to start by at last the power is here." The house is now ready for occupation. The lady has nothing to move in with. She is currently living in a slum 12 kilometres from Nakuru town. Wiring costs KShs. 35,000 and the cost of bring the power into her house is Kshs. 42,000. We are inviting well-wishers for a fundraising in aid of furnishing a house for a Nakuru Widow which we have just finished building for her. Date: Saturday 17th April 2010. Venue: Memorial Baptist Church, 395 Barking Road, E13 8AL as from 6.00 p.m. Mr. Seed and family. On right photo the electric post elected behind the house and on right the next posts where it ends. MORE

A Turkish cargo vessel seized three days ago has been abandoned by Somali pirates, leaving all 25 crew unharmed, Turkish officials say. The Yasin C came under attack on Wednesday off the Kenyan coast as it headed toward its destination, Mombasa. The crew locked themselves in the engine room and did not emerge until they knew they were safe. The US navy has meanwhile clashed with suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden after they fired on a navy vessel. Six suspected pirates were captured after the clash. A spokesman for Bergen Shipping, which operates Yasin C, said the 22,353-tonne vessel had been safely retrieved. "The ship's captain gave the good news that the pirates had abandoned the ship," Fatih Kabal told Turkey's state-run news agency Anatolian. It was not clear why the Yasin C was abandoned. However observers say pirates have been known to abandon a vessel if they believe it has no ransom value, or if it develops mechanical problems or is short on fuel. In recent years, pirates have seized dozens of ships in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden and recently expanded the reach of their attacks.

Mrs. Joyce Njoki Warui is in London. She is the mother of Bishop Joseph Warui of HODSIM Ministry in South East Africa. She has come to visit her children who lives here in the UK. She comes from Nduthi-ini village in Gatundu. Mrs. Warui has an advice to those living abroad. "Give your flowers to your parents when they are alive so that they can see, appreciate and bless you. If you take to them at the grave, they will not be able to see nor appreciate." Mrs. Warui concluded. Her contact is 07939889508.

"You always take your car for check-up (MOT) but you never take your body to the doctor for check-up. That means you take your car more serious than your body. It is your most important asset in your life. You always leave it until it falls apart. Be wise and take care of your body." - Dr. Betty Gikonyo, Nairobi.

Kenya Gospel Musician Mr. Ben Githae was the guest artist at the CCBC Swahili Church in Barking, East London on Sunday 11th April 2010. Githae who arrived at the church before 9.00 a.m. performed his best songs at the church to the excitment of his funs who turned up in large numbers. Later he went for an African Buffet at DAK Restaurant where he was joined a number of Kenyans among them Pastor of Swahili Church Pastor Thuku and Mr. Seed. Later in the evening he went for Kigocho in Coventry. Githae is in London this week. His contact is 07553676185. Taking to the congregation at the service the singer explained that people should not take being in London for granted. It is the doing of the Lord. "I do have a high regard for London. I have gone to South Africa and America but my main desire was to come to London. When I was young in my village in Gatundu, my grandmother used to wake me early in the morning about 5.00 a.m. when an aeroplane was flying over our house - Ukîra Githae, ndege ya gutwara iria London nîyahîtuka - wake up the aeroplane taking milk to London is passing. We have very high regards for you people. Don't waste your time in this country - follow and pursue your dreams." - Githae concluded as he caught with this song - CLICK HERE FOR ONE OF THE SONG SONGS HE PRESENTED

A first-class thief in Poland pulled off a series of raids by climbing into large parcels and posted himself to businesses - then climbing out and burgling them at night. Stanislaw Muchy, 39, would then make his getaway by sealing both himself and the loot in another box addressed to his Warsaw home. His scheme came to an end after he fell out with an accomplice, whose job was to deliver him to courier firms, who contacted police to spill the beans on the scheme. After being tipped off, police said: ‘We arranged a special delivery of our own.’ By which we assume they mean that they arrested him.

Kenyans in Dallas, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts were treated to thrilling Easter weekend performances by the King of Mugithi, Mike Rua who is on his first tour of the US. Houston, Texas received the Kenyan artiste the weekend after on April 9th. The popular one man guitarist who jetted into the United States last week performed his first show at the United Banquet Hall in Dallas, Texas to a throng of excited fans. The show was organized by Ol’ School Divas. Additional entertainment was provided by a Kansas City based disk jockey DJ Myke. Rua surprised the holiday revelers when he delivered a non-stop performance for close to 6 hours while all along standing in the company of his guitar. “Did you realise he performed for six hours non-stop?” exclaimed Dallas based Mercy Wandia who hails from Thika. “That was remarkable and he couldn’t have done it any better.” With a variety of tunes which included Zilizopendwa, Genge and Lingala music, the musician enticed the crowd to sing along which they heartily obliged. The highly awaited show certainly lived to its billing and Kenyans in attendance who included those from Oklahoma, Alabama and other neighbouring states could not have been more appreciative. “This was a welcome change from our usual entertainment,” said Sam Ndande, who is from Kirinyaga and a resident of Dallas. “It feels just like home.” With little time to rest, Rua departed for Worcester, Massachusetts which is 45 miles west of Boston where he delivered another exciting performance at the Venue Night Club on Saturday night in an event organised by Walapit and Nai Entertainment. Rua performed at the Swiss Royale in Houston on April 9th in an event organized by Burudika Entertainment. His performances in other cities are as follows:

LABOUR’S open-door policy on immigration is leading to English becoming a second language in schools across Britain, figures revealed on Sunday, 11th April, 2010. Since 1997, the number of schools in which more than 50 per cent of pupils have English as their second language has almost doubled. Critics said the figures reflected the “splintering of society” as a result of the UK’s inefficient border controls under Labour. Pupils with English as their first language now find themselves in the minority in more than 1,500 schools across the country. And the huge rise in foreign- speaking pupils is placing growing strain on already stretched council education services. The shocking figures, released under a Freedom of Information request, show that in 1997 there were 866 schools in England where more than 50 per cent of pupils spoke a foreign language as their mother tongue. However, by 2009 this figure had rocketed to 1,545 schools, a rise of 78 per cent during the time that Labour has been in power. Sir Andrew Green, of MigrationWatch UK, said: “These figures are unmistakable evidence that, in some parts of England, mass immigration is splintering our society. The only solution is to get immigration down to manageable proportions.” Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: “Since 1997, Labour’s open-door immigration policy has seen the largest rise in immigration in our history. In 1997 net migration – the number of people who come to settle here, minus the number who leave – was 48,000. In 2008 it was 163,000. “A Conservative government will reduce immigration to tens of thousands a year, instead of the hundreds of thousands a year under Labour.” He added: “This also underlines the need for the Conservative policy to expect anyone coming to the UK to get married to be able to speak English.” The statistics, released by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, reveal there are now 1,284 primary schools, 210 secondary schools and 51 special schools where more than half the pupils come from a non- English speaking background. Around one in seven youngsters in primary schools, almost 500,000, do not have English as their first language. In secondary schools the figure stands at 364,000, just over one in 10. John Paul, from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said teachers needed more financial support. He said: “Ideally, if you have one child in a class, you would like to know they are getting an hour a week with a second language expert to give them the opportunity to ask questions about the things they don’t understand.” Figures show that London, frequently the arrival point for immigrants, has seen the largest increases, with 369,170 pupils now foreign speakers. In Newham, east London, the number of primary schools with more than 50 per cent non-English native speakers has risen from 18 to 60, and the number of secondary schools from seven to 13. At Nelson Primary, in Newham, three-quarters of pupils are now not native English speakers and some 56 different languages are spoken. And the problems are replicated elsewhere. Birmingham now has 116 schools where more than 50 per cent of pupils speak English as a second language. In Bradford the figure is 60, in Leicester 34, Manchester 33, Lancashire 30 and Kirklees 30. In the south, Luton has 21 schools, Slough 18, and Peterborough 10. Many towns and cities are struggling to cope with the influx of foreigners. In Peterborough, some 10,000 eastern European immigrants have arrived in the last six years, putting huge strain on education and social housing. Last night no one at the Department for Children, Schools and Families was available for comment. - Daily Express.

Sudan is holding its first elections since the end of the 21-year north-south civil war which saw some four million people flee their homes - one of the biggest and most protracted displacements of people from conflict in recent times.About two million have returned to their homes in the south since the 2005 peace deal. The BBC's Lucy Fleming visited the village of Mathiang Dit in the province of Northern Bahr al-Ghazal, where more than half the population is made up of returnees. Since the 2005 deal which ended the conflict, people have been returning to their homes from across Sudan, as well as neighbouring countries. They have used a variety of different methods - foot, trucks and planes.

Polish president killed in plane crash. Polish President Lech Kaczynski and scores of other people were killed Saturday when the president's plane crashed on landing in the western Russian city of Smolensk, officials said. The Smolensk regional governor, Sergei Antufiev, said the plane clipped treetops as it approached to land at an airport outside Smolensk and crashed, breaking into several pieces. Russian television broadcast live footage showing the plane's wreckage scattered in a forest with parts of it still on fire. Russian news agencies reported there were at least 80 people aboard the plane -- some reports said there were as many as 132 people on board -- and Antufiev said no one had survived. "It clipped the tops of the trees, crashed down and broke into pieces," the governor of the Smolensk region, Sergei Antufiev, told Russia-24 television news network by telephone from Smolensk. The television pictures showed the plane broken into many pieces, including engines and a huge chunk of the plane's vertical stabilizer caked in mud, strewn over a large area in forest that was blanketed with fog. Firefighters were dousing water on portions of the plane that were still ablaze while groups of security personnel in camouflage uniforms and clusters of investigators in civilian clothes inspected the wreckage. The Russian foreign ministry told Interfax news agency that the plane had crashed in heavy fog. Officials in Warsaw confirmed that Kaczynski was aboard the plane that crashed and Russian television broadcast video shot earlier Saturday of the president and his wife boarding the plane in Warsaw. Polish foreign ministry spokesman Piotr Pszkowski said that the army chief of staff and Deputy Foreign Minsiter Andrzej Kremer were also on board the plane. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev immediately appointed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the head of a commission to investigate the crash and sent Russia's emergency situations minister, Sergei Shoigu, to the site. The aircraft crashed a few hundred metres short of the runway at the Severny airport outside Smolensk, ITAR-TASS news agency reported, quoting rescuers at the site. The flight data recorders of the plane had not yet been located but experts were on the scene and the search for them was under way, ITAR-TASS said. Kaczynski, the identical twin brother of former prime minister Jaroslaw, was on his way to attend commemorative ceremonies at the forest of Katyn in western Russia where 22,000 Poles were killed by Soviet troops 70 years ago. The crash of his plane occurred three days after Putin and his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, together attended a memorial for the victims of the massacre at Katyn. The Putin-Tusk meeting there was seen as a huge symbolic advance in Russia's often thorny relations with Poland.

The late Polish President Lech Kaczynski (left) and on right with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

The Somali Islamist movement al-Shabab has banned the BBC and closed down transmitters broadcasting the Somali language service inside the country. Al-Shabab accused the BBC of fighting against Islam and supporting the transitional federal government, which the rebels are fighting to overthrow. The group said the BBC had been broadcasting the agenda of crusaders and colonialists against Muslims. The BBC said it was strictly impartial and spoke to all sides in the conflict. The BBC has been broadcasting its services in Somali, Arabic and English across the country on a series of FM frequencies for at least a decade, and surveys suggest it is one of the most widely listened-to news services in Somalia.

Gospel Musician Ben Githae will be performing at CCBC Swahili Service on Sunday 11th April, 2010 at 9.00 a.m. The venue is Greatfield Temple, King Edward Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 7TR as from 9.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. He will be having lunch (African Buffet) at DAKS Restaurant, 14-16 St. Georges St. Forest Gate E7 8HN as from 1.00 p.m. Speaking to Mr. Seed on Saturday the patron of the restaurant Mr. Joseph Kuria Gatonye extended his welcome to the Kenyan Gospel Singer and continued to say he will do his best as a chef to give the best service. Asked what is the in the menu, Kuria explained that there will be Nyama Choma, Matoke, Githeri, Ugali, Sweet potatoes, etc. Later on Sunday evening Githae will performing at Kigocho in Coventry. For more information please contact - CCBC Church 07958041745, Mr. Ben Githae's 07553676185 - email bengithae09@yahoo.com, DAKS Restaurant Joe on 07508018091 and for Kigocho in Conventry in the evening 07931488336.

Pastor Ben Maingi from Nairobi will be Ministering at Eagles' Gathering Christian Centre on Sunday 11th April 2010. Join us for an Anointed time of Ministry! - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Labour Action Team kicked off their election campaign in Barking and Dagenham on Saturday 10th April, 2010. One of the local council candidates in the Ward of Parsloes is Ms Elizabeth Wanjiru Kange'ethe - posing on left with the area MP Margaret Hodge. The constitency is the heartland of the BNP and the labour candidates need to do alot to stop the BNP taking the seats there. BNP is the party that believe that UK is for the whites and all the immigrants should go back to their country. Several Kenyans joined the campaign team and helped Elizabeth to distribute the labour leaflets in the area. You can be of help to Elizabeth in one way other the other - prayers, action or financially. Call her to see where can help on 07958612632.

"You can't measure a snake until it's dead" - The Wisdom of Africa, Sierra Leone

This week comes to an end with a highly charged political atmosphere in the country, just as Prime Minister Raila Odinga started what is being said in many areas as the launch of the Yes campaign ahead of the Constitution Referendum in July. Rankled by defiance from his own political party trying to derail his march to the presidency, unwanted in other parts of the country, frustrated by others who do not trust him, Raila finds himself, ever the isolated man, despite his populist charisma that every politician in the world admires. However, the most notable of the theatrics of the PM is the decision to start the campaign in a region known to be the bedrock, if not the birthplace of agriculture minister William Samoei Ruto, his once trusted general during the 2007 Presidential Elections. Tragedy of triumph, the verdict is out there and depending on which side one is, there is enough room to interpret and make personalised decisions. I will pick on the tragedy, that has become PM Raila Odinga in his latest move to consolidate the support of some of the communities that either voted for him or those were perceived to be against him. A journey through the acrimonious stalemate between Raila and Ruto, something that has invited most of Kalenjin country to Ruto’s side reveals that there are salient issues that the PM should have handled maturely, with respect, even when unpopular, but within the decorum of dialogue. On paper, the relationship, forced on Ruto by his tribe in Rift Valley, did not last past the second month of joining President Mwai Kibaki’s government. Immediately after the government was formed, Ruto joined hands with Uhuru Kenyatta, the finance minister and deputy prime minister.

It did cause ripples in government and immediately, Raila lost the constituency that he was sure of after his Luo nation. For starters, the self-belief in the staunch Raila supporters in cabinet and outside wished it away, riding on the crest of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) wave and the popularity that they enjoyed. They wished that the popularity at election time would galvanise the party as it strode to 2012 when president Kibaki is expected to retire by constitution. But through the 24 months, so much has happened that joining them will be a further waste of time and by any standards, worsen an already diminishing prospect. To many people, the hyped visit by president Kibaki to Raila’s home in Bondo District might have come and gone, but, it is one that could have ignited the current situation. The public did not even digest the visit and benefits before the full-blown war was started. It was a week that ODM high command and their supporters spent millions of shillings praising Kibaki as one they can trust to deliver the Kikuyu vote that Raila so needs in his 2012 Election wishes.

It was said in some circles that Kibaki was expected to make a public proclamation supporting Raila, something that the Mt Kenya region was going to support in their millions. It was further said that Kibaki would make the announcement and urge the community to give Raila support s one to protect their community ‘interests’. It was not possible that Kibaki would say that. Not with Kalonzo Musyoka’s party and personal intervention that kept him in power. A day after the Bondo lunch, Ruto brought together leaders from Rift Valley in their first meeting that sent a strong message to the rest of the party. Basing their arguements on the speech made by Raila in Sondu Miriu two days before, the leaders accused Raila of betraying their tribe. The rest, as they say, is history. Much has happened since then, including the pronouncement by Raila that he is cleaning retired president Moi’s vomit. Later, there was that trip to Chepalungu in Isaac Ruto’s home turf. Thereafter, there was that trip to Mombasa and Kisii before it, where Raila was on record saying that they will throw all ‘takataka’ (filth) into the sea. It was becoming too much for him and the frustration was really evident as they offered to show him contempt never seen before. Open defiance, lack of respect, lack of fear and the open pronouncements that the Kalenjins made him what he is. In basic terms, the frustrations were getting out of hand.

Come December, at the height of the Mau Forest reclamation process, Raila told a group of leaders from his Kibera constituency that Isaac Ruto had grabbed land belonging to his constituents and he sent them to Mau in the process, thus his opposition to the process. On the same day, he announced that former powerful PS in Moi government Zakayo Cheruyiot had ‘grabbed’ a large chunk of land and that William Ruto was mentioned adversely in a previous report, only for him to deny the same. About a week later, the Kalenjin MPs defiantly ignored his Mau tree planting date, staying away and visiting a neighbouring district. The frustration was such that exactly the same time, Ruto and a clutch of ODM MPs were on ‘government duty’ while heir party leader was in their province, a province that was more ODM than Raila’s. Helplessness on the PM’s part went a step further and the opportunity to strike arose when the Free Primary Education (PFE) scandal came to the fore. In a bid to tackle Ruto, he used the maize scandal as a reason to lump him with education minister Sam Ongeri in the suspension that never was, before the humiliation in the hands of the president and revamped PNU strategists, who beat their ODM counterparts ahead of the match. At the Naivasha Constitution talks, the PNU upstaged their coalition partners to squash the PM provision, the parliamentary system of government and virtually most of what ODM went to the talks with.

In all these, there is one aspect of the scenario that points to the poor delivery that Raila, either by mistake of design has continued to invite the brickbats that have made his position as the country’s top politician look vulnerable. At the height of the suspension rumpus, it came to the public domain that he actually has no powers, and that ODM might have been duped in signing the 2008 NARA Accord, something that has worsened his grip in his party and even nationally. Many supporters of Raila Odinga might not accept the reality, by it is open that he neither commands the support that will guarantee him the country’s fourth president position. At the moment, Raila only commands the Luo vote, something that he does by right, while he is not able to count entirely on the Kisii or Kuria votes. Part of the Western Province Luhya vote (part) that will sympathise with him through Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi is also his for the taking. The other part of the Luhya is now circulating around Eugene Wamalwa as he tries to revamp Ford Kenya, adding the headache to Raila. Central Kenya or the Kikuyu vote is out of reach at the moment and there should be no illusions as being said that he has a comfortable lead. As long as the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) remain in the camps, then getting that vote will not be possible.

On the other hand, the Kikuyu will not forget that he destabilised the government in 2003 and nearly did so when his decision to suspend the two ministers was overturned. To be honest, it is Ruto’s defiance and problems with Raila, his party boss that has kept the government going through to this moment, and if there is anyone to thank is the agriculture minister. Eastern Kenya will be another region that he will struggle to net, but with the working relationship between the Kikuyu, Meru, Embu and now Kamba, the best is for his to rethink his strategy. The other regions in the country will be shared, and either at equal or less figures (forget the polls). With Rift Valley out of his count, Raila will struggle even to maintain the Western Kenya portion, that will always go any way. Finally, the popular mantra that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will nab some of the ODM ministers gets worse as the day draws. To arrest a Rift Valley MP over the clashes yet they were fighting for the election of Raila ‘No Raila, No Peace’. On the other side, arrest a Central Kenya politician for coming to the aid of their own after your supporters attacked them, you are a joke!

A youth team ready to perform at Neema Gospel Church in Dallas, USA as their Senior Pastor King'ori gives them the last hint - MORE

A US Soldier originally from Kenyan killed in NC, USA. Captain Kwame Waikenda was shot and killed in his apartment in Morehead, North Carolina. Kwame had just returned from his second tour of Iraq and he was gearing up for a tour of Afghanistan. Everyone that knows Kwame can attest to his brilliance, very big heart and composed nature. Kwame, you will be missed and loved by everyone that you left in this world. There will be an Irish wake in NC in Captain Kwame's memory. Details to be released by organizers soon. (Photos courtesy: Erika Young and Suzanne Gitata).

At least 20 witnesses said to be holding crucial evidence on hate crimes committed during the post-election violence have been placed under protection. Many have been flown out of Kenya for their safety while others are being protected in safe houses in various parts of the country, a civil society official involved in the international witness protection initiative disclosed on Friday.They include seven people thought to have crucial evidence that could nail the masterminds of two of the worst atrocities committed in the Rift Valley during the violence, the official, who did not wish to be named to avoid compromising his trust, said. The scheme under which the witnesses have been placed is managed by the civil society and international agencies and is not the one operated by the government. On Friday, the International Criminal Court team that is in the country on an assessment mission reportedly is said to have told human rights lobbyists that it would use ICC’s own Witness Protection Programme to secure the safety of those who will give evidence. The team is here to prepare the ground for a visit next month by ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo which is expected to pave the way for the opening of formal investigations into the murderous violence that followed the declaration of Mr Mwai Kibaki president in a close contest with rival Raila Odinga in December 2007. Some 1,133 men, women and children were killed and 650,000 driven out of their homes in the violence. - Daily Nation

"Evil is devil. The person who loves evil loves the devil." - Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford

Nairobi, Kenya, Friday 9th April, 2010 -Police in Kiambu have launched investigations into the killing of Kikuyu Member of Parliament's driver. The driver, James Osoro, was shot dead by unknown assailants as he went home after dropping a body guard to the MP. It is said that the body guard on hearing the gunshots attempted to shoot at the gunmen but they fled. According to the Kiambu police boss, Samuel Mukindia, the driver was accosted at around 2.30 a.m at King'eero area in Kikuyu. He said that the driver died on arrival at the hospital where he was rushed. Mukindia added that the motive of the killing has not been established. However the area MP Linus Nguyai could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile Police in Kiambu district are in the trails of a middle aged man who killed his two children in cold blood on Wednesday at Gachoire village. The man is said to have picked the two juveniles from a house in Gachoire village where they have been living with their mother before committing the heinous crime. The children are aged 3 and 5 years.

The Widowed woman house in Nakuru, Kenya is almost complete. The Seeds family with the support of friends has been constructing this house since September, 2009. We came to know about this lady and her six children through a preacher visiting London who was describing about poverty and she gave the woman as an illustration of how bad poverty can be. (see more at the end of this story). The Seeds family lives in London and sometimes they tend to think like Londoners forgetting that the lady they are trying to help is from a very poor background. We cannot move her to another level within a day. Due to her background the lady is not exposed. She only sees people constructing houses but she has never been involved nor worked at a construction site. We decided to involve her right from day one by giving her about KShs. 2,000 every week to help her to cook for the workers. This would make her feel that the project belongs to her and she would be prepared psychologically. It was not until they started fixing the window panes that she explained that she has never known in her life that they use mud (putty) to fix them. When the construction is almost over we discovered that the lady had never used flashing toilet and it would not be comfortable to her to use right from day one. We have decided to construct two toilets and two bathrooms outside. She has never used a shower. Again she has never used charcoal and gas in her cooking - this has forced us to construct a separate kitchen for her so that she can be using firewood before familiarising herself with the gas and charcoal. On the final leg we have now discovered that she has no household goods. We have to buy everything new for her. We are calling family, friends and well wishers to donate whatever they wish. We are meeting in April, 2010. We want to buy for her furniture, beds, sofas, utensils etc. We will be meeting on Saturday 17th April 2010 at Memorial Baptist Church Hall (Small Hall), 395 Barking Road, London E13 8AL as from 6.00 p.m. We also need to connect electricity (power) for her which is one post away costing about KShs. 42,000 and connecting piped water which costs about KShs. 12,000. Those wishing to donate any item for the lady can do so through Mr. Seed 07951220695, misterseed@hotmail.co.uk, Pay Pal - misterseed@hotmail.co.uk or you can contact the person overseeing the construction on 0722342559 or the widow herself Mrs. Lucy Wanjiru Maina on 0727307672 - both of them are on M-Pesa. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Bishop Pius Muiru arrived in London on Friday morning 9th April, 2010 for a weekend crusade in South London. He is a host of Bishop Joseph Njuguna Warui of HODSIM ministry in UK. He will be hosted by Bishop Warui on the LIVE interactive show on sky digital 582 HODSIM TV early Saturday morning 10th Saturday 10th April, 2010 as from 3.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m. GOOD Morning Hodsim TV which runs daily on wonderful TV 3.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m. Do you want to ask Bishop Muiru any question live on air, prayer request or greet him or get a copy of his new book. Call tomorrow morning at 3.00am -4.00am on the Live show. Bishop Muiru will release a prophetic word on the show. In the evening he will be at solution centre 219-223 Coldhabourlane SW9 8RU from 500pm for direction call 07940748585 or 07940031952 then on Sunday 11th April he will minister at the same place from 10am. Bishop Muiru Live on TV this morning (10th April) live show call and talk to him from 300am -4.00am channel 582 sky digital wonderful - hosted by Bishop Warui.

LESSONS OF LIFE: "Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about." - - Regina Brett, 90 years old

ARRESTED: Fabian Hernandez 36-years-old Rockford, IL
CHARGES: First Degree Murder / Aggravated Battery
BOND: None

The charges against Fabian Hernandez are merely accusations and not evidence of his guilt. As with defendants in all criminal cases he is considered innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The leader of a far right paramilitary group stormed out of a live TV debate amid continuing tension following the murder of Eugene Terreblanche Secretary General of the AWB Andre Visagie was appearing on the ETV television show Africa 360, when he stood up and appeared to threaten Lebohang Pheko, director of policy of a campaign group. ETV anchor Chris Maroleng intervened before Visagie called his own security man onto the set. Visagie claims he was not being given the chance to answer accusations made against him. Tensions are continuing to run high in South Africa following the killing of white supremacist and former AWB leader Eugene Terreblanche.

The funeral of the South African far right leader, Eugene Terre'Blanche, was taking place today encircled by tight security, amid fears of renewed racial tensions. Terre'Blanche's coffin was carried into the church in Ventersdorp, the small town in North-West province where he was born in 1941, draped in the red, black and white Nazi-like flag of his Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) movement. Two men wearing the group's military-style uniform stood at each end. Around 500 people inside the church sang the apartheid-era national anthem, Die Stem, or The Call. Hundreds more stood or sat outside, listening to the service on speakers. Terre'Blanche, 69, was found dead at his farm just outside the town on Sunday. He was allegedly beaten to death, with some reports suggesting there had been a dispute over pay with farm employees. Earlier this week a 28-year-old man and a boy of 15 appeared in court charged with murdering Terre'Blanche, along with offences including housebreaking and attempted robbery. Police and army units were posted around Ventersdorp today to prevent any clashes between AWB supporters and local black people, with helicopters hovering above. The South African trade union federation, Cosatu, is holding a mass meeting elsewhere in the town, the BBC reported. The death has not as yet prompted widespread violence, although the suspects' first court appearance brought heated, race-based confrontations outside the magistrates building in Ventersdorp. Terre'Blanche supporters and some other white groups have sought to blame an ANC official, Julius Malema, for provoking the attack by singing an apartheid-era song at rallies that includes the lyrics "shoot the farmer". The ANC has rejected that link, but accepts that the song and the debate around it was polarising society and has instructed members to stop using it. Terre'Blanche, with his bulky figure, white beard and fondness for attending rallies on horseback, became an international symbol of extreme-right opposition to the dismantling of apartheid in the early 1990s. He had been in relative obscurity since his release from prison in 2004 after a sentence for beating a black man nearly to death.

Supporters of Eugene Terre'Blanche carry his coffin in Ventersdorp, South Africa. Photograph: Schalk van Zuydam/AP

"it is not treasonable to oppose the draft". - Francis ole Kaparo, Former National Assembly Speaker.

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

ANC Youth League president Julius Malema called a BBC reporter a "bastard" before the journalist left a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg. The verbal sparring took place while Malema was speaking to the media on Thursday about his recent trip to Zimbabwe to study the effects of "nationalisation" in that country. Malema hailed Zimbabwe's land reform policy as "courageous and militant". "Land reform in Zimbabwe has been very successful," he said, adding that the controversial programme was a "very correct method".

South African Leader Kicks Journalist Out For Being A White Supremacist! - VIDEO

The International Criminal Court has started laying the groundwork for investigation into crimes against humanity committed in Kenya between 2005 and 2008. According to sources that briefed The Standard, the plane carrying The Hague team touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Thursday morning 8th April, 2010, but did not reveal the number of officers. The activities of the team remained a closely guarded secret. Sources said they have scheduled meetings with individuals and institutions critical to their work. "The team will conduct preliminary analysis of the Kenyan situation, identify and profile key suspects and victims ahead of Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s arrival," a source said. They are also to ensure security of witnesses, among other duties. Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo said the Government has no choice but to work closely with the ICC team since she was a signatory to the Rome Statute. Among the incidents to be investigated are 3,600 cases, which were allegedly mishandled by the police. "Denying the ICC any information is criminal, giving misleading information is against the Statute and Kenya is not ready to be marked as a hostile member," said the minister. The team is expected to meet Mutula, AG Amos Wako, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere, and a host of civil society organisations, which has been instrumental in visits to The Hague and advocated for witness protection. Ocampo is scheduled to fly in early next month. Other crimes to be examined are murder, rape and financing and organising of the post-election violence in which more than 1,200 people were killed and an estimated 350,000 displaced. The team is also expected to pile evidence against the key perpetrators. East Africa Law Society Secretary General James Mwamu urged the Government to provide all details related to the violence. "The Government must show its commitment to the work of the ICC by making all need details available," said Mr Mwamu. - The Standard.

The Wakikuyu believe that Gikuyu and Mumbi were created by God at a time nobody knew when. It is believed that God created Gikuyu and Mumbi and put them at Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga. During the course of time they were blessed with nine daughters ‘kenda muiyuru’ (according to Kikuyu customs ‘kenda muiyuu means ten’) and no boys. These daughters were Wanjeri, Wangari, Wambui, Wairimu, Wanjiru, Wanjiku, Waithira, Wangui, Wangeci and Wamuyu. As there were no boys whose names would be the base of Kikuyu clans, the girls names became the base and up to today Kikuyu clans are known by the nine names of the daughters of Gikuyu and Mumbi.

Prisoner breaks out of jail, steals cigarettes, then goes back

A prisoner has been sentenced to 20 years more jail after he broke out of prison, stole 14 packs of cigarettes, then returned to jail. Prosecutors said that Harry Jackson, 26, escaped from his cell at the Camden County Jail in southern Georgia last year - and initially headed for the exercise yard to pick up some illicit cigarettes he had expected would be thrown over a fence, the Florida Times-Union newspaper reports. They say that when the contraband wasn't there, Jackson instead climbed over the fence, and made a beeline for a nearby convenience store, where he broke a window and grabbed 14 cigarette packs. He then headed back to jail - only to be arrested upon his return. Jackson pleaded guilty to burglary and escape charges on Monday. Prosecutors say he had been jailed on charges including driving with a suspended license.

Margaret Obura is angry and at the verge of despair one month after her daughter died in Dubai mysteriously. saying her family was taken round and round by the ministry officials who never wanted to mention the disease their daughter suffered from. And finally after a week the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said she died from AIDS. - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

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Police in Kiambu are holding a 32-year old man who has allegedly been sexually assaulting his three children. Joseph Maina is said to have committed the heinous act on his two daughters and a son aged between one and three years for some time now. The seven year old girl opened up to the mother after she developed complications and could not take it any more. The five year old boy had earlier told the mother of how, their father would take them to another woman who is alleged to be his girlfriend who abused him sexually in the full view of his father who would also take turns with his sisters. - VIDEO

Mrs. Jane Wangari Muiruri (left), Pastor Mike, Mrs. Mbugua, Pastor Boniface Mbugua of IWRM, Pastor Peter Kamau and his wife and Ben Gathae far right with a blue suit

Less than 30 per cent of registered voters in Kenya have enrolled with the Interim Independent Electoral Commission of Kenya (IIEC) since the new voter registration exercise kicked off on March 22. It ends on May 5. With referendum fever catching up with majority of the public, The Standard today reveals the status of the voter registration exercise. So far, a total of 3,915,026 voters have registered translating to 27 per cent of the 14 million that were registered by December 2007. South Rift region is leading in terms of percentage covered in different regions with 42 per cent of the 794,212 voters registered previously enrolling anew. The North Rift part of the Rift Valley Province has the poorest record so far with only 10 per cent of the over 1.2 million registering afresh.

Changes to the Immigration Rules came into force yesterday, affecting migrant students and educational providers which sponsor them under Tier 4 of the points-based system. The Immigration Rules now encompass changes from the Tier 4 review, including the rules governing the new Highly Trusted sponsor licence. Only sponsors who hold a Highly Trusted sponsor licence can now offer the following courses, known as 'restricted courses', to Tier 4 (General) students:

Education providers who hold a standard Tier 4 sponsor licence can only offer courses at or above NQF level 4 or equivalent. And they cannot offer courses that include work placements unless those courses are degree-level courses or foundation degrees. (A foundation degree is a programme of study which leads to a qualification awarded at a minimum of level 5 on the revised National Qualifications Framework by an English higher education institution with degree-awarding powers, or awarded on a directly equivalent basis in the devolved administrations. In Scotland, a Higher National Diploma at Level 8 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework is equivalent to a foundation degree.) If a student is studying a restricted course at an institution that does not hold a Highly Trusted sponsor licence, they can continue to study at that institution until they complete their course of study or their permission to stay under Tier 4 expires, whichever is sooner. If a student wants to extend their stay to complete their studies on an affected course, they must do so at an institution that holds a Highly Trusted sponsor licence. More information is available in the sections for Tier 4 (General) students and sponsors.

Transitional arrangements for education providers

Publicly funded institutions that were deemed to hold a Highly Trusted sponsor licence on 6 April 2010 are now listed as 'Highly Trusted' on the Tier 4 register of sponsors, pending their application for a Highly Trusted sponsor licence. If they do not apply by 30 June 2010, they will lose this status and will be unable to access the Highly Trusted sponsor benefits from 1 July 2010. If you know that your institution will not need or want to apply for a HIHgly trusted Sponsor licence, please inform us by writing to HTSLicenceEvidence@UKBA.gsi.gov.uk.

If your institution did not qualify for automatic inclusion as a Highly Trusted sponsor and is currently an A-rated sponsor, you may want to apply for a Highly Trusted sponsor licence. If you make this application by 30 April 2010, you can continue to offer restricted courses until 30 June 2010 or the date when your application is decided, whichever is sooner. If you do not apply for a Highly Trusted sponsor licence by 30 April 2010, you will not be able to offer restricted courses to Tier 4 (General) students after 1 May 2010.

Sudan is famous for its elaborate weddings - and women like to decorate their hands and feet with henna for the festivities. Henna artist Sanna Awad Abdullah, who works at Diva Beauty Salon in Khartoum, tells the BBC about the importance of henna in Sudanese culture - VIDEO

A church might ban garden weddings because they are a threat to the traditional Christian ceremony. Reverend David Gathanju, the moderator of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), said marriages should be held inside the church. Current trends have seen many couples asking clerics to conduct marriage ceremonies outside the church. However, PCEA is questioning this practice. According to the church, couples who chose garden weddings were going against tradition. Some couples hold the ceremony in the church grounds while others chose other venues, including hotels, recreation gardens, and even the beach and national parks. “The law provides for holding of marriages in dedicated buildings and at specific hours. The ceremony is presided over by ordained ministers,” Rev Gathanju said in a brief to delegates attending the church’s top decision making organ — the General Assembly — at Tumutumu parish near Karatina. - Daily Nation.

Today the Immigration Rules relating to marriage visas have changed for serving members of the armed forces. We are lowering the marriage visa age to 18 for serving members of the armed forces and their partners. This recognises the partners' role in supporting those on the front line, and reflects the unique circumstances in which the armed forces operate. With effect from 6 April 2010, we have lowered the minimum age at which a person may be granted permission to come to or stay in the UK (also known as 'leave to enter or remain') as the spouse, civil partner, fiancé(e), proposed civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner of a serving member of HM Forces. The minimum age, which was 21 years, is now 18 years. The age at which a serving member of HM Forces can sponsor a marriage visa application is also reduced from 21 to 18. This change applies only to serving members of the armed forces and their partners. The marriage visa age remains unchanged at 21 for all other British or settled sponsors and their partners.

Malaria is still ranked the major killer disease in Kenya with pregnant women and children bearing the brunt. The Public Health ministry provides LLINS to pregnant women and children less than one year old. According to Dr. Willis Akhwale Public Health department of disease prevention and control head, the trend is even more worrying as malaria causing parasite continues to show resistance to drugs and insecticides. Speaking Thursday during the launch of Malaria Prevention month, Akwale said there is need to scale up malaria preventive measures. \ He called for partnership with all stakeholders to achieve vision 2017 of a malaria free Kenya. Dr. A Akhwale also said the government will next week roll out an indoor residual spraying campaign in Rift Valley and Nyanza provinces to prevent a probable malaria outbreak. He said over one million households in 33 epidemic prone districts will be targeted during the exercise. Dr. Akhwale said the ministry hopes to achieve a nationwide coverage of at least two LLINS per household. Rachuonyo, Migori and Nyando districts will also be sprayed as they border malaria-prone areas. First-line treatment malaria drugs will also be available at retail outlets from June in a bid to address the current disease burden in the country. Kenya is a beneficiary of subsidy under the ‘Affordable medicines for malaria initiative.' that will see the cost of drugs reduce from 500 shillings to 30 shillings. According to the department head, currently over 12 million treatment doses of ACT's (Artemesinin Based Combination Therapies) are being distributed in all public health facilities countrywide. Elsewhere, the National Coordinating Agency for Population and Development-NCAPD has kicked off a campaign to create awareness of family planning among Kenyans to avert poverty. The NCAPD Chief Executive Officer Boniface Koyugi says the current population growth rate which stands at 3 percent is not commensurate with the economy growth rate which stands at 1.7 percent hence a strain. Research indicates that family planning improves the health of women and decreases the rate of poverty. By stabilizing the population growth rate, Kenya stands a chance of attaining her vision 2030 goals and the millennium development goals of reduction in maternal deaths

Over one million households in 33 epidemic prone districts will be targeted during the exercise

98% OF JOBS GO TO IMMIGRANTS

Gordon Brown’s attempt to silence election debate on Labour’s immigration record was shattered last night. Official figures revealed that more than nine out 10 of the 1.7 million jobs added to the economy since 1997 have gone to workers from overseas. They also showed that nearly 300,000 fewer British-born workers were employed in the private sector than when Labour came to power. The figures provoked renewed fury over the Government’s open-door policy just weeks before polling day. Critics seized on them as devastating proof of the complete failure of the Prime Minister’s pledge to provide “British jobs for British workers”. Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “This is the final proof that Gordon Brown was misleading the public. “He has left British workers in a worse position than when Labour took office 13 years ago.” Last month, Mr Brown warned that critics of Labour’s immigration policy were appealing to the “worst instincts of nationalism and xenophobia” – comments that were seen as an attempt to neutralise the controversial issue, which many voters see as the Government’s worst policy failure. Earlier this year, Mr Brown claimed credit for creating more than two million jobs. “If we had said 12 years ago there would be, even after a global recession, 2.5 million more jobs than in 1997 nobody would have believed us,” he said in a speech in Glasgow. But figures from the Office National for Statistics Labour Force Survey, disclosed to the Spectator magazine yesterday, showed those who had benefited were almost entirely migrants. They showed that 1.7 million jobs had been added to the economy since 1997 once workers over retirement age were excluded. Of those, 1.6 million had been taken by immigrants. The huge proportion – 92 per cent – is even bigger than previously thought.

British-born workers in private sector jobs fell from 19,020,000 in 1997 to 18,732,000 while over the same period the number of immigrant workers doubled to nearly three million. Anger over Labour’s immigration record erupted at the final Prime Minister’s Questions session in the Commons before the General Election. From the Tory benches, Mr Green asked the Prime Minister: “You once notoriously promised British jobs for British workers. “Can you confirm that the latest official figures produced this morning show that the number of UK-born private sector workers is several hundred thousand lower today than it was in 1997?” Mr Brown angrily claimed that putting a limit on immigration would do “great damage to British business”. He added: “Net migration to this country has been falling as a result of actions that we have been taking. “It has fallen in the last three years, and it is falling because there are more people here getting the jobs that are available. “The Conservative Party should think twice about their policy of quotas on migration, because the very businesses they are quoting want to be able to bring people to this country to do the jobs that are necessary.” Foreign Secretary David Miliband was also accused of using misleading figures yesterday. In a BBC radio interview, he claimed that half the 160,000 people who came into the country last year were British people returning. But the population think-tank Migrationwatch pointed out: “He was referring to net immigration for 2008, which was 163,000, but none of them was British. “Of the total of 590,000 who arrived in 2008 only about one in seven was British.” Migrationwatch chairman Sir Andrew Green, said: “If Cabinet Ministers cannot get the facts right, how can they possibly have an effective immigration policy?”

Pre-Wedding Goat Eating Party with Entertainment for Maggy Thuku and Dave Kihara Irungu on 1st May 2010 at Grovehill Community Centre, Henry Wells Square, Hemel Hempstead, HERTS, HP2 6BJ. TIME - From 4.00 pm - 11.30 p.m. (Please come early if you can) as time is restricted. For more information please contact David on 07920197416 - email - kiharadi@aol.com or Maggy at thukumeg@yahoo.co.uk - Tel: 07533212035.

Nairobi, Kenya, April 8 - A meeting between President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and church leaders to discuss their opposition to the draft Constitution ended in a stalemate on Thursday. One of the clergymen at the negotiations which started in the morning into the early part of Thursday afternoon told reporters that the two sides could not reach any agreements and instead decided to form a smaller committee to seek consensus. He was however pulled away by his fellow clerics and asked to stop giving any information to the media. Earlier, the Secretary General of the National Council of Churches of Kenya Cannon Peter Karanja told journalists that there was hope and that the two sides would meet again to continue with the talks. “We have commenced some meaningful dialogue; we have explored several possibilities of unlocking the deadlock.

Kenyan diplomatic missions abroad are heavily overstaffed with some carrying twice their capacity, according to findings by a parliamentary committee. According to a report tabled before the House by the parliamentary committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, the total authorised staff capacity in Kenya’s 52 missions abroad should be 355. But current figures indicate that the current situation in these missions is to the tune of 827 staff. Favourite destination missions are London, New York, Washington and Moscow, which are said to fetch attractive salary packages. The London mission has 44 staff against a capacity of 22, New York 28 against a capacity of 9, Moscow 22 against an authorised capacity of 15, and Washington 35 against 23. Interestingly, some missions have had vacancies for a long time and are yet to be filled. They include the missions in Japan, Rwanda, Israel, Brazil and Libya, among others. The committee proposes to introduce a Bill that will require Parliament to have a say in the appointment of foreign envoys to head Kenyan missions abroad. Its chairman Aden Keynan (Wajir West, Kanu) said Wednesday the Bill to be dubbed the Diplomatic Service Bill will help fight cronyism and ethnicity, which he said, represent the face of diplomatic appointments. “Appointments should be subjected to parliamentary vetting and rules and regulations should be designed to guide this,” Mr Keynan said. Further, the committee recommends review of the foreign policy establishing missions to ensure that missions are only maintained for the purpose of promoting economic prosperity across the borders. “We need to rebrand our image and this cannot be done with a tradition of using diplomatic missions to assist our relatives and friends get jobs because it trivialises the essence of having them,” he said. The committee says the government should close down some of the missions as they don’t serve their main purpose of maintaining and promoting economic ties. “If we can’t post envoys to these missions let us then just close them and stop these politics,” said the chairman. He was moving debate on a report filed by the committee following a tour of the missions in London and Turkey. The team also visited Ireland. The purpose of the tour was evaluating and reviewing the performance of the missions abroad, according to the chairman. The mission in London was found to have several irregularities among them mismanagement and defiance of recall orders by staff posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the committee, the image of the High Commission in London is soiled and dented because of the reputation and character of some of the staff. The committee wants the Efficiency Monitoring Unit to investigate, among others, the circumstances under which some of the officers posted to the mission defied instructions from the Parent Ministry and continued to stay there even after their term had ended and had been recalled. - Daily Nation.

I.W.R.M would like to thank everyone who attended our Easter Convention. The Easter Convention was very successful with people coming from all walks of Life. We would like to thank the ministers who included Rev Samuel Gakuo from Deliverance Churches of Kenya who ministered on the topics SPIRITUAL BLACKOUT and JESUS LOVED JUDAS AND CALLED HIM FRIEND, Pastor Peter Kamau of Emmanuel Celebration Centre Slough ministered on KNOWING TIMES AND SEASONS and OPPORTUNITIES and Pastor Michael Wanyoike Ndungu of I.W.R.M ministered on THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB. Many people were in shock when a trumpet was blown to check out if they would be ready at the coming of Jesus. Miss Wangechi gave her life to Christ. The event was crowned by a gospel extravaganza with the main artist Ben Githae from Kenya who amazed the congregation. Mr Ben Githae is a talented artist who is highly sought after in Kenya for his voice. Other artists included Revival Choir, Revival Youth, Frank, London African Gospel Choir, Rachael Njeri, Army of God, Soldiers of Christ, Sandra and Diana and Mary Mutungi. The newly acquired premises was fully parked and guests had to stand along the walls, at the middle and virtually on any space available. One of the guests said " I.W.R.M is doing a good job of giving artists a platform to reach out and keeping the church lively at the same time. We need to have this gospel extravaganzas many times in the year. CDs of the event are on sale and the DVDs will be out shortly. To order a DVD or CD of the event, please call 07984410236 or visit IWRM. - ALL PHOTOS

Rachel Njeri message was loud and clear - "Raiharaihia kîoneki gîaku" - prolong your vision - MORE PHOTOS

House prices in UK rebounded in March after suffering their first fall in eight months in February, figures showed today. The average cost of a home rose by 1.1 per cent during March to stand at £168,521, according to Halifax. But experts warned another dip could be just around the corner - caused by next month's General Election. Catherine Penman, head of research at property consultancy Carter Jonas said: "March is historically a buoyant month for the housing market with spring just around the corner, so it's no surprise to see prices rising again after a slight lull in February. "However, with a General Election less than a month away, we are likely to see prices suppressed in April when we would normally expect to see a flurry of activity post Easter. "The property market is in a kind of limbo at present and we do not expect a clear trend to emerge until after the General Election when the true state of the public finances is laid bare and a clear strategy presented." Prices fell 1.6 per cent in February as bleak winter weather at the beginning of the year and the return of a lower £125,000 stamp duty threshold dampened demand. Halifax said there were signs that the rate of house price increases could be slowing. Taken together the first three months of the year were 0.6 per cent higher than the last quarter of 2009, well below the previous 3.6 per cent quarterly increase. Halifax housing economist Martin Ellis said: “There are signs that an increase in the number of properties available for sale is beginning to reduce the imbalance between supply and demand. “This should help to contain the upward pressure on house prices.” Commentators have also said that February’s falls could be down to a wider slowing in the market, as well as the one-off factors of the weather and stamp duty levels. Figures from the Bank of England last month showed that the number of mortgages approved for house purchase dropped for the third consecutive month during February to a nine-month low, suggesting activity in the housing market continues to be subdued. Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight, said the large house prices rises experienced since last year “are out of kilter with the overall economic fundamentals”. “The Halifax data reinforces our suspicion that house prices will be erratic in 2010, and we still suspect that prices may very well be no better than flat over the year,” he said. “Admittedly, it remains to be seen how much support to housing market activity and prices comes from the Government bringing in a stamp duty holiday for the next two years for first-time buyers on all properties costing up to £250,000.” Halifax said house prices in the three months to March were up 5.2% on the same period last year, the largest annual increase since December 2007. Halifax also said prices are 9.1 per cent above their lowest point in April last year. But the group said despite the recovery, property sales are still around only half the level seen in the second half of 2007.

In 1946, impatient with the pace of change proposed by KAU, and angered by the shooting of demonstrators in Nairobi, a group of former Kikuyu solders formed the 'Forty Group' and started organising violent opposition to the white settlers. They joined other groups and began robbing shops and raiding fire-arms, imposing oaths and eventually executing as traitors those who were not ready to follow their fight for freedom. Women became directly involved in 1948, when workers at Olenguruone agricultural settlement scheme went on strike: the women refused to participate in terracing the land to prevent erosion unless they first received title to it. Supported by the nascent labour unions, the colonial response was the by now familiar repression.
The resulting ad hoc organisation called itself the Land Freedom Army (LFA), whose violent resistance to colonial rule was to become better known in the world as the Mau Mau Uprising. - FULL STORY

A couple who bought a suitcase from a second-hand shop in Australia found they had picked up more of a bargain than they thought - 100,000 Australian dollars. The money - worth about £60,000 - represented the life savings of an elderly couple from Beaconsfield, Melbourne, and the cash was sewn into the lining of the suitcase. However, the wife did not know her husband had hidden it there and gave the case to a local Salvation Army shop. When her husband discovered what had happened, he rushed to the shop to try to retrieve it. But it was too late. The case had been sold. The suitcase was eventually traced to a couple - a woman in her 30s and a man in his 40s - who had bought it using a debit card. The money had been removed from the case and put into a number of newly opened bank accounts, police say. Most of it has been recovered, although some remains undetected. The couple who bought the suitcase have seen their luck change - they have been charged with theft by finding.

Mysterious bald 'yeti' creature puzzles locals in China

This bizarre-looking creature has been dubbed 'the oriental yeti', and has reportedly baffled locals after being found in woodlands in central China - but what is it really?

The hairless creature was trapped by hunters in Sichuan province after locals reported spotting what they thought was a bear. Hunter Lu Chin said: 'It looks a bit like a bear but it doesn't have any fur and it has a tail like a kangaroo.' 'It also does not sound like a bear - it has a voice more like a cat and it is calling all the time - perhaps it is looking for the rest of its kind or maybe it's the last one? 'There are local legends of a bear that used to be a man and some people think that’s what we caught,' he added. Local animal experts have sent the mystery animal on to scientists in Beijing, who will perform DNA tests on it to determine its species. However, noted cryptozoologist Loren Coleman - an expert in investigating claims of mythical or otherwise unexplained beasts - suggests the answer is probably quite mundane. He says on his Cryptomundo blog that it's almost certainly a civet suffering from mange (a disease that causes baldness). Specifically, he suspects it's either an Asian palm or common civet, or a masked or Himalayan palm civet. Pictures of these civets certainly do look plausibly like the animal above, but with fur.

Ryanair intends to charge passengers £1 or a euro to use on-board lavatories which will be coin operated. The airline then plans to cut the number of lavatories on planes from three to one between 189 passengers to get in more seats. The move, first floated last year, will not happen this summer. However, an increase in the charge for checked-in luggage will be brought in then. The Irish no-frills carrier has raised its per-bag fee from £15 to £20 for bookings in July and August. The charge will return to £15 per checked-in bags from September. Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said: “We are determined to incentivise passengers to travel light this summer. “Over 70 per cent of all Ryanair passengers will be unaffected by these changes because they travel with no checked-in bags.”

A decision to disband the homicide unit of the police force has resulted in an increase in unresolved murder cases, especially in Nairobi. Unlike cases of kidnapping, which Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere has instructed the Special Crime Prevention Unit and Flying Squad to investigate, murder cases have been assigned to general officers whose duties also include street patrols and other crimes docket. “A homicide squad was attached to CID offices at all police stations to investigate murder, suicide or sudden death cases within the stations’ jurisdictions. However, the unit was abolished in early 2004,” an officer who sought anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the press revealed.

On the eve of Good Friday, a Form Four student at Forthsmith Secondary School was brutally murdered in what police suspect was a ritual killing near a church in Kabete’s Ndumbuini area. The student, who had been playing the piano at the church, did not return when he went out to answer a call of nature. His body was later found with his eyes gouged, the tongue cut off and minus private parts. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the murder. In Kiambu, police are still baffled by the killing of retired pilot Peter Dreinert, his wife Angelica Muhel and their two dogs on Easter Saturday. The bodies of the couple were found in the sitting room of their house on Ithanji Road in Tigoni at 3am. And on Monday, residents of Riruta Satellite demonstrated against the rape and killing of a businesswoman whose body was dumped near a police post. The woman’s naked body was found by residents at about 6am with bruises on the neck. She had left her house to go to her shop at about 5am when she met her assailants. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the murder. Angry residents stormed the Riruta Satellite police post, demanding the sacking of area police boss Joseph Kilonzo, whom they accused of inaction despite the rape and murder of five local women in the last two months. The recent rape and murder of a cleaner at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) headquarters in Nairobi is yet another case that has left police investigators puzzled. Although more than 15 people have recorded statements since the decomposing body was discovered two weeks ago, nobody has been arrested for the murder.

Ms Rachel Aoko Okello’s body was found in a bathroom at the NSSF headquarters 10 days after she was reported missing. She had been raped and her mouth stuffed with paper. Her handbag, which was found in her locker, contained semen-stained underwear. She went missing on March 16 after her supervisor sent her to an ATM to withdraw Sh2,000. Detectives took samples to the Government Chemist and a postmortem examination has also been conducted. On January 20 this year, businessman Alphard Bwire, the proprietor of Hass Biomedics Limited, was murdered by gunmen who forced their way into his Bul Bul home near Karen moments after he drove in. And like in the other killings, nobody has been arrested or arraigned in court in connection with the crime, which security experts believe was carried out by gunmen for hire as they did not take anything from their victim.

A day later, on January 21, Mrs Helen Kithaka, head of Christ Sanctuary Ministry in Mlolongo, Athi River, was kidnapped together with her husband from their Siwawa home by four men posing as police officers. The kidnappers initially asked the couple to accompany them to Embakasi Police Station to record statements in connection with an accident in which their vehicle was involved. The gangsters, who later identified themselves as Mungiki sect members, dumped Mr David Kithaka near Mua Hills and drove off with Mrs Kithaka. Her body was later found at the spot where her husband had been dumped. Two-and-a-half months later, police are not yet to make any headway in the case. Another unresolved murder is that of United States International University lecturer Prof Naomi Nancy Njeri, whose mutilated body was found in a pool of blood next to her Mercedes Benz on the Embakasi/Ruiru (Eastern) bypass on Saturday, February 20, 2010.

The murderers are believed to have dragged Prof Njeri from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s side and bludgeoned her to death with blunt objects. She died of excessive bleeding. Except for her mobile phone, the killers left other valuables in the car. Police investigating the case said there were signs of a struggle at the scene where the lecturer was murdered. Her husband, a lecturer at Kenyatta University who was reportedly seen with her earlier in the day, was briefly detained at Ruiru police station and released. An inquest was ordered to be carried out into the death of the 56-year-old mother of three, a former Maendeleo Ya Wanawake national assistant treasurer. Police constable Martin Kengala’s murder by four gunmen who waylaid him on his way to Kayole police station in Nairobi’s Eastlands does not seem to have stirred his colleagues into action. The constable had just alighted from a matatu (public minivan)at the Mihang’o stage in Kayole on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 when the gunmen, who had been trailing the matatu in a white car, sprayed him with bullets and took off without taking anything from him. Although police insinuated that he had been murdered because of investigations he was conducting against outlawed Mungiki sect members, no one has been arrested. On the same day, a cashier at a supermarket in Embakasi’s Pipeline Estate was shot dead by robbers who raided the shop and stole money and mobile phones from customers and workers.

The gangsters disappeared into the sprawling Mukuru slums and have not been traced. A security expert, retired Capt Simiyu Werunga, warns that unresolved murders encourage criminals to become more daring. He says the murders are an indication of the breakdown of law and order and failed policing systems. As much as they are trying, it is evident that police are incapable of assuring citizen of their security. They are few in number in relation to the population but still misdirect their meagre resources to insignificant duties,” Mr Werunga says. “There is need for a major reassessment of our national security. There is need for major reforms in the security sector,” he says. According to the security consultant, this state of affairs cries out for the implementation of police reforms that include improvement of equipment and a new policing system. “Although community policing was introduced in an effort to complement the work of the police force, they have frustrated it and failed to involve the community in policing strategies,” the security expert says.

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