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================================ Kenya’s new property kings
At Parklands, an eighth of an acre sells for Sh50 million, while at nearby Eastleigh, a similar piece is going for between Sh20 million and Sh25 million. Rents have also skyrocketed. In congested Eastleigh a two-bedroom flat that went for Sh10,000 two years ago is renting for Sh25,000 a month today. At Nairobi West, a three-bedroom house was renting for Sh25,000 two years ago; today the rent is between Sh30,000 and Sh38,000. Real estate experts and lawyers say that much of the money that has flooded into the market comes from Kenyans, including Kenyan Somalis, living outside the country. And some comes from businesspeople who have fled conflict in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. Many properties in upmarket Nairobi areas including Karen, Upper Hill, Kilimani, Lavington, Westlands and Parklands have changed hands at prices that in the recent past would have been considered outlandish. Investigations by the Sunday Nation have established that the cost of 10 acres at Karen, which had been put on the market for at least Sh4.5 million an acre, was recently raised to Sh6.5 million when a Somali national made inquiries. A Kenyan, who also asked not to be identified, was eyeing a property on Kirichwa Road in Kilimani, Nairobi. The bungalow on a quarter-acre of land had been advertised for Sh25 million. It was eventually sold for Sh35 million. In Nairobi’s Upper Hill area, next to Hill Park Hotel, a prime property recently changed hands and has undergone thorough renovation. It was not possible to determine the cost; the building is now being leased as an office block. In the city centre, two prime plots, one on Loita Street and another next to the Uchumi supermarket near Koinange Street, are also said to have been bought by foreigners. - Sunday Nation.
New figures reveal there are 10 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in the UK, according to The Observer. The Chief Medical Officer is to recommend plans for a minimum price for alcohol, says The Sunday Telegraph. A Kenyan has passed away in the US. The late Thomas Musai Musyoki passed away on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 in Oakland California. Thomas was born in Machakos on 11/18/1965 Mr. Thomas Musyoki is survived by his Mother Mrs. Margaret Kalekye Musyoki, loving wife Esther Waga and his four children; Alvin Musyoki, Bella Musai, Churchill Musai, and Thomas Musai, who are pretty much new in the USA. A fund raising get together has been scheduled for Saturday, March 14, 2009 from 12 noon to 6:00 pm at Mosswood Park in Oakland CA 94609 (Broadway and MacArthur), which is to raise funds to send the body back to Kenya for burial. For those who will not be able to make it in person please send your contributions to Tom's mother Margaret Kalekye Musyoki Account at Wells Fargo Bank Routing Number 121042882. Account Number 7268651879. Also, you can send your contribution using Money Gram or Western Union. Please call the numbers below when you send money so that we can identify where the money is coming from. Thank you in advance. Please lets help our fellow Kenyan in this time of need. Please pass the word around. For questions or directions to the park please call George Odhiambo at (209) 221-5574, Alex Mugambi at (925) 351-4420 or Robert Kihanya at (510) 508-0137. Thomas Musyoki grew up in Machakos, attended Machakos High & Njumbi High schools, worked for KCB and Yellow Cab Taxi. Equity Bank Chief Executive Officer Dr. James Mwangi has been appointed as Chairman of Vision 2030 Delivery Board. Other Members appointed to the Board by President Mwai Kibaki are Eng. John Chemitei, Prof. Agnes Wang'ombe, Prof. Peter Wanyande, Mr. Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, Dr. L. K. Sangale, Mr. Peter Gakunu and Mr. Michael Joseph. The role of the Board is to provide leadership and sustained momentum in the implementation and realization of the goals set under Vision 2030. The Board also includes, Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of Public Service; Permanent Secretaries responsible for: Office of the Prime Minister; Planning, National Development and Vision 2030; Agriculture; Finance; Energy; Roads; Water and Irrigation; Public Service; Information and Communications; Industrialization; Trade: Tourism: Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs; Higher Education Science and Technology; Public Health & Sanitation; Transport; Youth and Sports; Local Government; Foreign Affairs. The Governor of Central Bank and representatives of the Kenya Investment Authority; the National Economic and Social Council and the Capital Markets Authority are also Members of the Board. The vision 2030 Delivery Board will be reporting to a Cabinet Committee chaired by the President with the Prime Minister as an Alternate Chair. BOSTON, Mass- MARCH 13 - A Kenyan passed away in Boston, USA last week. Kenyans in Boston have yet to come together to raise funds to ship the body of a young woman who passed away last week in Lowell, another Kenyan young man was discovered dead in his own apartment in Cambridge MA. According to Bishop Joshua Wambua of Rapture Harvest Mission International, Mr. Arthur Oduma, was found dead by the Cambridge police on Monday, March 9, 2009 with his body badly decomposed. Bishop Wambua was informed about the sad development by Mr. James Njuguna, of the Oasis of Love Fellowship, where Mr. Oduma had attended a Christian fellowship prayer recently. Mr. Oduma is reportedly to have told the fellowship meeting that he was a Luhya from the Teso District in Western Kenya near the Kenyan Uganda border, and that he has been living in Indiana where he attended Notre Dame University before moving to Boston recently. “We need to pray so God visits Kenyans here in Boston and halt the frequent deaths”, said Bishop Wambua. “Nobody seems to know this person around here and the body is with the medical examiner. We ask Kenyans to come together and save the situation”, he added Bishp Wambua and Mr. Njuguna are preparing to visit the Cambridge Police Department today and hope to obtain the dead Kenyan’s cell phone hoping to access a number to call in Kenya and find out the next of kin . Meet Lily of Magical Travel Ltd with "Malipo ya pole pole"
My name is Lily and am Kenyan and heads Magical Travel Ltd. We operate a ticket and travel agency and are based in Reading (Berkshire). We sell Africa as a whole from Airline tickets with all major airlines to Tourism. May I remind Kenyans who have British children that the Minister of tourism has cancelled all Visa payments for children under 16 the Adult Visa Fees have been reduced from $50 to $25. At this hard times of economic melt down we are offering Kenyans with families (Malipo ya pole pole) spread the cost for air fares/hotels. For those of you who would like to explore Mombasa resorts we have very good offers Ranging from £20 all inclusive PPS mean while take advantage of the cheap deals with Virgin flights to Nairobi for £349 RTN including Taxes. Lily above with minister of Tourism in Kenya Hon. Balala on recent visit to London. For more information you can contact me on 07725654983, 01189 440318 or email: sales@magicaltravel.co.uk - CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Hon MP and Assistant Minister for Finance Dr. Oburu Odinga to present awards to Kenyans in UK
Dr. Oburu Odinga and Hon Julius Kiema Kilonzo MP for Mutito Constituency will join other guests from Kenya and UK in recognising outstanding achievement by Kenyans abroad at the Kenya-UK Achievers awards in London next month. Kenyans working abroad are now the country’s biggest source of foreign exchange earnings, topping tourism, horticulture, tea and coffee, as expatriate Kenyans pour funds back home. This year, the estimated one million Kenyans living and working abroad are expected to send home Sh75 billion in remittances to those left at home. That represents a Sh5 billion growth in the Sh70 billion they sent home last year, which moved Diaspora remittances ahead of the tourism industry’s contribution to the country’s balance of payments. With difficulties back home, Kenyans turn to their loved ones abroad to help meet their needs. This is mostly school fees, health fees or setting up income generating projects. However little has been done to recognise the efforts of Kenyans abroad who play a huge role in assisting and addressing these needs and problems. With this kind of money power in view, government officials, policy makers and key private sector stakeholders, are now gathering to examine the role of the Diaspora in Kenya’s development. Many investors and companies are making trips abroad to tap this huge untapped market as those abroad plays a dominant role in the construction and housing sector. However despite the financial power, it’s not a bed of roses for those that live abroad. Life is difficult with most experiencing hardships and the agony of not seeing loved ones for many years. Despite the hardships Kenyans are known to be a resilient people who go to extraordinary lengths to achieve their goals. For those who have met Kenyan’s abroad one will agree they are a team of hard working, patriotic and sincere Kenyans who have overcome many barriers and go through traumatic experiences which include racial and immigration control among many more. Despite these challenges, many have excelled in various disciplines including but not limited to education, business, politics, technology, while others have gone out of their way to assist others through community service. Some Kenyans have top positions in big institutions while others run their own businesses something unheard off just 10 years ago. In all areas of life, reward and recognition is given to outstanding performance and achievement. However, it’s unfortunate that Kenyans abroad receive bad press but it is worthwhile to note that some progressive Kenyans in London have seen the need to motivate their colleagues in recognising their outstanding contribution and achievement. London2gether UK Ltd a Kenyan owned company has been tasked to organise Kenya-UK Achievers awards to be held in April 18th at the Holiday INN Bloomsbury Hotel London. The awards supported by Kenya High Commission and various organisations in UK will honour and recognise hard work, dedication, commitment and extraordinary achievement. Anyone can nominate themselves, an organisation or another individual. The event is open to Kenyans and tickets can be purchased through various outlets or contacting the event organisers through http://www.london2gether.com The stink of corruptionRaymond Bonner applauds a hard-hitting and far-reaching study of bribery in Kenya The Guardian, Saturday 14 March 2009 When tribal mayhem erupted in Kenya following last year's elections, most observers were stunned. Kenya was considered Africa's brighter spot. It held multi-party elections, had a solid economy, had never experienced a dictator like Idi Amin in next-door Uganda or descended into chaos like Somalia to the north. What, then, explained the madness of men with machetes and broken bottles slashing and pummelling men, women and children from other tribes? In a word, corruption. When John Githongo was named anti-corruption tsar in 2002, by Kenya's new president Mwai Kibaki, the country was almost giddy with hope. Kibaki had promised to clean up corruption in a nation where the ordinary citizen paid around 16 bribes a month to the police or some government agency. Githongo was the perfect man for the job, and he attracted bright young idealists like himself to work with him. Government workers began inundating him with evidence of fraud and corruption. There was enough low-hanging rotten fruit to keep his office busy for years. But Githongo knew he had to take on his own tribe, the Kikuyu, if the "it is our turn to eat" mentality was to change. The first president after independence was a Kikuyu, Jomo Kenyatta, and the Kikuyu grew rich. After Kenyatta's death, anti-Kikuyu tribes joined forces and Daniel arap Moi became president. He was a Kalenjin. Kalenjin politicians bought Mercedes, their wives shopped abroad. The Kikuyu, desperate to get to the trough again, persuaded other anti-Kalenjin tribes to join with them, and the Kikuyu Kibaki was elected. Githongo's target was Anglo Leasing and Finance Company Ltd. Registered in Britain, it had 18 contracts with the Kenyan government for the supply of everything from a forensic laboratory to a navy frigate and jeeps: 16% of the government's expenditure in 2003-04 went to Anglo Leasing. The company was no more than a street address in Liverpool. The American ambassador, William Bellamy, said that the amount of money siphoned off was enough to supply every HIV-positive Kenyan with antiretrovirals for 10 years. Michela Wrong, author of the acclaimed book In the Footsteps of Mr Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in the Congo, is an exceptionally talented writer. It is easy to imagine George Clooney turning her account of the risks Githongo took - the way he was tailed by Kenyan intelligence after he fled to Britain; the malicious smear campaign against him at home - into a tale of government malfeasance and a crusade along the lines of Michael Clayton. She compares Kenya's corruption to a huge garbage dump that has grown higher and higher over the years. "Each stratum has a slightly different consistency - the garbage trucks brought mostly plastics and cardboard that week, perhaps, less household waste and more factory refuse - but it all smells identical, letting off vast methane sighs as it settles and shifts." This is one of those rare books that deliver more than the title suggests. It is more than a story about a whistleblower, and more than about Kenya. It could have been written anywhere where corruption is endemic, and Wrong disposes of some general myths. One is the refrain that the president is an honest, upstanding, god-fearing man; he's not corrupt, it's his undisciplined children. "In countries where presidents have done their best to centralise power," Wrong writes, "altering constitutions, winning over the army and emasculating the judiciary, the notion that key decisions can be taken without their approval is laughable." She also drives home this usually overlooked reality: for every corruptee, there is a corruptor. Or: "For every minister trousering a bribe, there had to be a western company ready to pay it." Not just western companies. Indeed, they are constrained by anti-bribery laws, however weakly enforced, while Chinese, Korean and Japanese companies pay huge bribes with impunity. Further, Wrong makes depressingly clear that corruption in the developing world is aided and abetted by donor governments and the World Bank. Reflecting what she calls the bank's "moral myopia", the World Bank director in Kenya, Makhtar Diop, rented his spacious house from President Kibaki. Even when confronted with the full extent of the Anglo Leasing scandal, Diop in effect did nothing. His successor, Colin Bruce, continued to rent from the president and, despite evidence that the polls had been rigged in the 2008 election, assured his bosses in Washington that his landlord was the legitimate president of Kenya. Bruce was promoted to director for strategy and operations in the Africa region. Wrong praises Britain's high commissioner in Kenya, Edward Clay. When his quiet diplomacy with the Kenyan leaders failed, Clay delivered a speech to the British Business Association of Kenya: "We never expected corruption to be vanquished overnight," he said about the transition from Moi to Kibaki. "We hoped it would not be rammed in our faces. But it has ... They may expect we shall not see, or notice, or will forgive them a bit of gluttony, but they can hardly expect us not to care when their gluttony causes them to vomit all over our shoes." The speech had a profound impact - not on the government, but on the Kenyan people. Matatu drivers cheered Clay, policemen waved him through traffic and shoeshine boys joked "Five shillings for shoeshine, 10 for vomit". In general, Githongo's well-documented exposé of the Anglo Leasing corruption was treated with disdain by Kikuyus, who felt he had betrayed his own, and passively accepted by donors. Only the Netherlands froze aid. Clay believed that, by failing to act forcefully, Britain and other donors "had set the worst possible precedent, not only for Africa, but to the recipients of British aid across the globe", Wrong writes. "If the donors were not going to make an example of Kenya over Anglo Leasing, it is hard to see when they would ever get tough." And in that depressing conclusion lies the larger story. • Raymond Bonner lived in Kenya from 1988 to 1993, reporting for the New Yorker and New York Times Taxi driver John Worboys, 51, has been found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting a string of young women during an 18-month campaign. He was an unassuming presence in the front seat, seemingly no different from the thousands of other black cab drivers who ferry workers, tourists and revellers across London. John Worboys claimed to be something of a white knight, rescuing vulnerable women from illegal taxi touts - even if they could not afford the fare. But behind his friendly exterior lay a sinister motive - between October 2006 and February last year, Worboys sedated 12 women, raping one of them, carrying out other sexual assaults on five more and an attempted sexual assault on another. He was cleared of two charges of drugging women. Eighty-five women have told officers he may have targeted them since as far back as 2002, although police fear the total could be much greater. US men 'joined Somali Islamists' US officials say several cases of US citizens of Somali origin returning to their homeland to join the Islamist al-Shabab militia are being investigated. A Senate committee heard most of the young recruits came from Minneapolis city in the US state of Minnesota. Al-Shabab leaders have admitted having links to al-Qaeda but the officials said there was no evidence of Somali-Americans planning to attacks the US. The US state department considers al-Shabab as a terrorist organisation. The radical Islamist guerrilla group now controls much of southern and central Somalia. The group continues to fight even though moderate Islamist Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad has been elected president by parliament. He has said he will introduce Islamic law, or Sharia. Andrew Liepman, deputy director for intelligence at the National Counterterrorism Center, said: "They are going to Somalia to fight for their homeland, not to join al-Qaeda's jihad against the United States, so far."He told the Senate Homeland Security committee al-Qaeda did not have strong organisational links to al-Shabab, despite the group's leaders admitting to links. Somali-American recruits to al-Shabab have included a 27-year-old college student from Minneapolis who blew himself up in Somalia last October. FBI national security official Philip Mudd said: "Some get there and become cannon-fodder. "A lot of them are being put on the front line and some of them, I think, have been killed on the front line, from the United States." Up to 200,000 Somali-Americans live in the US and other population centres for the ethnic group include Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta and Columbus. Analyst Gregory Pirio, who has written a book on Somalia called The African Jihad, told the BBC's Network Africa programme there was "a lot of distress" in Somali-American communities about these recruits. "People came here [to America] in large numbers from Somalia in 1991 when Siad Barre's government fell and there was no central government in Somalia and they came for opportunity," he said. "They came for a better life and this really counters their participation in what is the American Dream and what people think of it."
Al-Shabab is now fighting against an Islamist president London, Friday 13th March, 2009. A team of "rogue traders" based in Mayfair was today blamed for triggering the financial meltdown that led to the global recession. The traders at the London branch of AIG Financial Products, led by veteran American trader Joseph Cassano, accumulated losses of $500billion (£360billion) dealing in worthless "toxic" debts, it was claimed. Their Mayfair office in the heart of London's hedge fund district has been dubbed the "ground zero" of the world economic downturn. An investigation by America's ABC News found that the traders were caught with monumental losses that threatened the entire world banking system when the US housing market collapsed in 2007 and last year. Investigative journalist Peter Koenig told ABC's Good Morning America: "AIG Financial Products was the core, the hottest point of the global financial crisis, it was the epicentre." He said AIG Financial Products "found a crack in the system that was unregulated" and used it to make huge profits during the boom years. The black hole, equivalent to the annual GDPs of Hungary and Denmark put together, has already forced the US government to pour more than $170 billion into AIG, the world's biggest insurers, to keep it afloat. Without it, AIG would have collapsed, threatening the entire global financial system. The fall-out from the losses is thought to have contributed to the collapse in share prices of British banks, which has led to two, Lloyds Banking Group and RBS, having to be largely nationalised.
'Rogue trader': Joseph Cassano led team that ran up $500bn losses The small team, thought to number no more than a few dozen traders, was based at the fifth floor at One Curzon Street, Mayfair's "hedge fund alley," an address that became known within AIG as "the casino in London". The head of the team, Mr Cassano, received $280million (£203million) in salary and bonuses over his eight years in charge until his resignation in March last year. This was equivalent to 30p in every £1 of profit made by the division up to the credit crunch implosion. Mr Cassano, who is 54 today, divided his time between a company town house behind Harrods and his family home in Connecticut. The son of a Brooklyn policeman negotiated a $1million a month consulting contract when he left and is thought to be still living in London. ABC News reported that its investigation found the team had taken huge bets on complex financial instruments called credit default swaps used to insure US mortgages and other debts. Mr Koenig said: "For about a decade it went OK. And then when the US housing market fell out instead they suddenly realised that they had to come up with half a trillion dollars and all they had was a couple of million." The losses are so catastrophic that AIG warned the US Treasury Department last month that without an extra $30 billion of federal support it would collapse. The Serious Fraud Office launched an investigation into AIG's London losses a month ago. Today a spokesman said: "Our investigation is ongoing." AIG was led by Essex-born chief executive Martin Sullivan, who was forced to step down in June last year and received a pay-off of $25.4million (£18.5million) including $322,000 (£234,000) for use of a corporate jet and $153,000 (£111,000) for use of a car and parking. For sale: nagging wife, very high maintenance
A British man fed up with his wife's complaints advertised her for sale -- and got a number of offers. "Nagging Wife. No Tax, No MOT. Very high maintenance -- some rust," wrote Gary Bates, 38, in a small ad in Trade-It, more usually used to buy and sell cars or household goods. Bates, a self-employed builder from Gloucestershire, southwest England, snapped after his wife Donna on got on his nerves while she was watching television and decided to place the ad as a joke. "She was nagging me for doing something small, while she was watching some rubbish on TV. So I just thought I'd put an ad in to get rid of her. "I didn't think anyone would ring up but I've had at least nine or 10 people calling about her. It's gone mad. There was no one I knew -- just people asking, 'Is she still available?'" The couple only married last year, and Bates said his 40-year-old wife -- whom he advertised in the magazine's Free to Collect section, along with some of his fishing tackle -- initially gave him "a bit of an ear-bashing." But he said: "She's seen the funny side of it now though!" Nairobi, Friday 13th March, 2009. The Kenya government has admitted that the economy will decline further owing to the global financial crisis, spelling doom for Kenyans who are already going through tough financial times. Efforts to cushion the country from the global trickle effect seem to have failed. Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta says the government has no option but to cut down on expenditure in a bid to meet the country's obligations. This year's economic growth which was expected to be in the range of 5.8 % has been scaled down to 3% which means things are expected to get worse. The major setbacks for the 2008/2009 economy were listed as the post election violence, the global economic crisis, lack of rains leading to a countrywide drought and the high fuel prices. Kenyatta however says the government is looking at ways of mitigating the effects of the harsh financial situation. The government has already curtailed recruitment in its departments except in the disciplined forces while perks for the top brass have been scaled down. There will be fewer domestic and international travels while infrastructure projects have been postponed until the economy gets back on its feet. However it is relief for parents as treasury assured them Thursday that school funds for free primary education and free tuition in secondary schools would start being disbursed Friday. Permanent Secretary Karega Mutahi had earlier this week indicated that the funds have not been disbursed to schools but had instead been diverted to the famine relief kitty. The move spelt doom for students with claims that some schools had closed down due to lack of funds while others were considering asking the parents to chip in to ensure the smooth running of the institutions. Uhuru says efforts to cushion the country against global recession have failed Activists push for FBI aid in killings probe
Human rights activists Njeri Kabeberi and Davinder Lamba addressed journalists on Thursday. Civil society groups want an independent body to investigate the killings of two NGO activists and a university student last week. The groups said on Thursday that the Federal Bureau of Investigations officers should be part of the team investigating the shooting of Oscar King’ara and John Oulu, both of the Oscar Foundation, and University of Nairobi student Godwin Ogato. US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said FBI officers were yet to be formally asked to join the team. Although a postmortem report on Tuesday seems to exonerate police in the student’s killing, civil society groups said independent bodies should investigate further to preclude a cover-up. “It could be true that the bullet and the gun did not belong to the police, but we still want to know who shot the student,” said Centre for Multi-party Democracy’s Njeri Kabeberi. Ms Kabeberi said despite concerns that foreign investigators had not been of much help in the past, they would lobby for the FBI’s inclusion. - Daily Nation. Swimmer Survives Plunge Down Niagara Falls
A naked swimmer has been rescued after plunging 188-feet down one of the Niagara Falls and attempting to escape rescuers who tried to get him out of the icy water. The unidentified man plummeted down Horseshoe Falls and swam for 30 minutes in the freezing Niagara river while emergency services raced against the clock to save him. Police, firefighters, paramedics and a private helicopter pilot worked for about 45 minutes to save the man. Witnesses said he got into the water above the falls but managed to stay afloat in the lower river, clinging to a log when he could. "If it had gone on a couple of minutes more, he would have sunk beneath the water," said Niagara parks police Sergeant Chris Gallagher. Niagara parks police were called to the river after a tourist saw a man climb over the wall south of Table Rock House. Police believe him to be in his late 30s but know little about him because he was naked and semi-conscious when he was rescued. The man was apparently dressed when he went into the water, but the force of the rushing water may have stripped his clothes off. It is unclear whether it was a stunt or a suicide attempt. "He voluntarily entered the water and refused assistance at the bottom. Whatever conclusion you want to draw from that..." parks police chief Doug Kane said. "The male is fortunate to survive after going over the Falls and remaining in the icy water for about 45 minutes," said Chief Kane. The man was treated for hypothermia and head trauma and is now in hospital in a critical condition.
When pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia surged last year, the world sent its navies to tackle the problem. But now that we are taking the pirates on, does anyone know what to do when we catch them? The Roman law-maker Cicero once dubbed them "enemies of all mankind". And certainly pirates have long posed a major legal problem. It has become even more acute in recent months, following the audacious attack last November on the world's largest supertanker, the Sirius Star, off the coast of Somalia. It is not just a question of headline-grabbing attacks on prestige ships. Vessels from states across the developed and developing world face the threat of piracy from a new generation of pirates, often from failed or failing states. US fury over maize handling delay
Michael Jackson will now play 50 dates at London's O2 arena, continuing his farewell residency well into 2010. The 50-year-old has added new shows throughout the first two months of the year, ending on 24 February. Some 360,000 pre-sale tickets have been sold so far and if all 50 dates sell out, Jackson will have sold a million seats for the run of shows. Organisers say the This Is It tour has become the fastest selling in history, with 33 seats sold each minute. Jackson is said to be "thrilled" by the response. Randy Phillips of promoters AEG Live said: "Not only are these concerts unparalleled, these records will never be broken. "We knew this was show business history, but this is a cultural phenomenon." Climate assessment 'out of date'
The worst-case scenarios on climate change envisaged by the UN are already being realised, say scientists at an international meeting in Copenhagen. In a statement outlining their six key messages to political leaders, they say there is an increasing risk of abrupt or irreversible climate shifts. Even modest temperature rises will affect millions of people, particularly in the developing world, they warn. But most tools needed to cut global carbon dioxide emissions already exist. More than 2,500 researchers and economists attended this meeting designed to update the world on the state of climate research ahead of key political negotiations set for December this year. New data was presented in Copenhagen on sea level rise, which indicated that the best estimates of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made two years ago were woefully out of date. Scientists heard that waters could rise by over a metre across the world with huge impacts for hundreds of millions of people. There was also new information on how the Amazon rainforest would cope with rising temperatures. A UK Meteorological Office study concluded there would be a 75% loss of tree cover if the world warmed by three degrees for a century. The scientists hope that their conclusions will remove any excuses from the political process. Dr Katherine Richardson, who chaired the scientific steering committee that organised the conference, said the research presented added new certainty to the IPCC reports. "We've seen lots more data, we can see where we are, no new surprises, we have a problem." The meeting was also addressed by Lord Stern, the economist, whose landmark review of the economics of climate change published in 2006 highlighted the severe cost to the world of doing nothing. He now says the report underestimated the scale of the risks, and the speed at which the planet is warming. He urged scientists to speak out and tell the politicians what the world would be like if effective measures against global warming were not taken. He said that if the world was to warm by 5C over the next century, there would be dramatic consequences for millions of people. Rising seas would make many areas uninhabitable leading to mass migrations and inevitably sparking violent conflict. "You'd see hundreds of millions people, probably billions of people who would have to move and we know that would cause conflict, so we would see a very extended period of conflict around the world, decades or centuries as hundreds of millions of people move, " said Lord Stern. "So I think it's very important that we understand the magnitude of the risk we are running." He said that a new, effective global deal was desperately needed to avoid these dramatic scenarios - and the current global economic slowdown was in some ways a help. "Action is rather attractive, inaction is inexcusable. It's an opportunity, given that resources will be cheaper now than in the future, now is the time to get the unemployed of Europe working on energy efficiency." Lord Stern's views were echoed by Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "Business as usual is dead - green growth is the answer to both our climate and economic problems. "I hope the whole world will join us and set a two degree goal as an ambition of a climate deal in Copenhagen," said Mr Rasmussen.
Officials at Inter Milan have denied an allegation that the club's manager Jose Mourinho hit a fan in the face after a Champions League tie in Manchester. A fan said that Mr Mourinho punched him as the Portuguese manager left Old Trafford stadium after Inter's defeat by Manchester United on Wednesday. In a statement the Italian club rejected the claim, saying it had been a "very calm post-game experience". Police said a complaint had been made and CCTV footage was being looked at. Madoff admits $50bn fraud scheme
Disgraced US financier Bernard Madoff has been jailed after pleading guilty to all 11 charges surrounding an estimated $50bn (£35bn) fraud. Some of his victims clapped when he was handcuffed and led out of a New York courtroom. He had earlier said he was "deeply sorry and ashamed". The 70-year-old defrauded thousands of investors in a fraud he admitted had been running since the early 1990s. He could receive up to 150 years when he is sentenced in June. "I cannot adequately express how sorry I am for what I have done," Madoff told the court. He said that when he started the fraud, he had hoped it would only be for a limited time. "I realised that my arrest and this day would inevitably come," he said. While Madoff insists he acted alone, attention is now likely to switch to whether others at his company were involved. "A lot of resources are being expended both to find assets and to find anyone else who might be responsible for this fraud," said prosecutor Marc Litt. Prior to having his bail revoked, Madoff had been under house arrest at his luxury Manhattan apartment. Men now dressing like women
For years, wearing the clothes of the opposite sex was a one-way street. Girls could wear trousers and shirts but boys couldn't wear dresses, blouses and stockings – not without a lot of funny looks, anyway. But those days are over, according to male pantyhose supremo Harisnya, who goes by one name only. Mantyhose – what else? – follow hot on the heels of other popular fashion accessories such as guyliner, manbags and manzieres (bras for big boys). 'I like to wear pantyhose – just like many other men – because I like the soft material, the support it gives to my legs and body, and because I find it very practical,' added London-based Harisnya. 'Male pantyhose can be worn for health, sports and fashion. So we aim to show that pantyhose could be a regular clothing item for men.' Not since the days when fictional merry of men pranced around Sherwood Forest, stealing from the rich, have tights been so popular among red-blooded males, according to Harisnya. His website, e-MANcipate.net, is packed with tips with one discussion topic named: 'Is pink pantyhose too femmy for men?' Harisnya said: 'We estimate one in five men has worn some kind of pantyhose in his life and would try it again under right circumstances.' So men – you know who you are – wear your tights with pride. Nairobi, Wednesday 11th March, 2009. Former leader of the outlawed Mungiki sect, Maina Njenga is safe and sound. Deputy Commissioner of prisons George Macgoye says Njenga who is serving a 5 year jail sentence at Naivasha Maximum Prison was well and his family members would be allowed to see him soon. Macgoye said the relatives had been denied a chance to see him in the recent past on security grounds but would soon be allowed to do so. The whereabouts of Njenga have remained a mystery after reports indicated that he had been transferred from Naivasha to Kamiti Maximum Prison. He has been linked to the proscribed Mungiki sect which last week paralysed operations in various parts of the country as they demonstrated in a show of support for a report released by UN rapporteur Prof Philip Alston which blamed police for extra judicial killing of its members. Macgoye who was speaking at Nairobi West prison during a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of two classrooms and a library for formal education for the inmates said Kenya prisons service is committed to reforming inmates in a bid to make them responsible citizens once they complete their sentences. He said prisons will continue partnering with willing organizations to assist inmates gain beneficial skills while serving their terms to enable them become self reliant once they are out.
Prisons director of rehabilitation Mary Khaemba reiterated the prison's commitment to ensure willing inmates can access formal education. The project that is jointly funded by the prisons and Faraja Trust organization will cost one million shillings. Meanwhile a church based organization has come to the aid of two inmates at the Naivasha Maximum Prison who scored impressive A- and B- grades in the just released KCSE exams. Nuru Africa a Kabete based organization agreed to sponsor the inmates in university distance learning programmes. The organization's director Rev Stephen Ndung'u said the two would get full scholarships to enable them achieve their dreams. "I was touched by their story and we shall fund them until they achieve their lifelong dreams," Rev Ndung'u said. The inmates Justin Mabuka and Vincent Cheruyot were all smiles as they accepted the scholarships saying the move would help them attain their dreams. Mabuka who scored A- and is serving seven years for breaking and entering said that his dream of becoming a surgeon was now within reach. "I thank the lord as my family abandoned me in jail but through education, I now see that there is light at the end of the tunnel," he said. Cheruyot who is serving 12 years for defilement thanked the donors adding that his ambition was to study for a Bachelor of Commerce degree. The officer in charge of the prison Mr Patrick Mwenda thanked the organization saying the donation would motivate other inmates. The British Pound drops to its lowest exchanging at KShs. 107.85 against the Kenya Shillings - the lowest of the year
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta photographed at the Pan-African Congress meeting in Manchester, UK, in 1945 Identity Cards for Foreign Nationals Biometric Enrolment Process This pamphlet provides you with information about the UK Border Agency (UKBA) biometric technology and enrolment process for foreign nationals applying for further leave to remain in the UK. The process covers applications by post and premium applications made at the national Public Enquiry Offices (PEO ), from students and those applying on the basis of marriage or partnership and will require applicants to provide their biometrics. What are Biometrics? A persons biometric details are a physical or biological characteristic that are unique to an individual, such as fingerprints and facial image. On making an application in one of the above categories, a facial image will be captured for all applicants including children and 10 fingerprints will be captured for applicants aged 6 or over. Why are applicants under 6 years old not required to give their fingerprints? It is an EU requirement; the law states that everyone aged 6 years or over must provide their fingerprints. Who is involved in the process? At present the process applies to foreign nationals and their dependents, subject to immigration control, who are making applications for further leave to remain as a student or based on marriage, civil partnership or as an unmarried partner under the immigration rules. In the future the process. Why do children under the age of 16 need a ‘responsible adult’ to accompany them? To ensure the child understands the process and is not unduly inhibited or alarmed by the process, as required by the relevant legislation – UK Borders Act 2007. Who is a responsible adult? This is your parent or guardian, or another person aged 18 years of age or over who takes responsibility for you. Why do I need to give my biometrics as part of my application? Providing biometrics helps to protect the identities of genuine applicants. The rollout of cards will make it easier for individuals to prove their identity, immigration status and entitlements in the UK. Individuals will be locked into a single identity which will help UKBA to tackle immigration abuse, child trafficking, reduce illegal working and identity fraud. How long does it take to capture biometrics? The biometric enrolment process will take 5-10 minutes. There will then be a short wait for the comparison with the database(s); the Service Level Agreement with Immigration Fingerprint Bureau will, in most cases, take approximately 30 minutes. What happens if I refuse to supply my biometric data? If a postal applicant fails to book an appointment to provide their biometrics, as notified in the biometric letter, their application will be rejected. If they fail to attend their appointment or refuse to provide their biometrics then their application for leave to remain may be refused will be extended to other types of applications, with vignettes being replaced. If a premium applicant refuses to provide their biometrics then their application for leave to remain may be refused. Why do I need to be fingerprinted again when I gave my biometrics overseas as part of my visa/ entry clearance application? We need to verify that an individual applying in country for further leave to remain is the same person who applied for the visa overseas and who came through the UK Border. What will happen to my biometrics after they have been taken? They will be retained on the existing fingerprint database. Will I be issued with an Identity Card? If you are successfully granted further leave to remain then yes you will receive an identity card. However, the card is not issued on the day of your appointment. It will be sent to you in the post via secure delivery which will take between 3 and 5 days. Will I have to pay additional fees? No, your fee remains the same. Will I be interviewed? If the fingerprint check reveals any questions around your identity, these queries may be resolved through an interview. However, this will not routinely be required. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE ========================================== A budding Kenyan Lawyer in the UK
He is covering an area where very few Africans knows about Mr Seed first came across Ronald Onyango in London, as a young lawyer when he acted for a number of Kenyans and the broad immigrant’s population on Immigration detentions and deportation matters. His determination was evident and the desire to represent the minority against the powerful institutions to remain in the country. We caught up with Mr Onyango and learnt that he had since moved to representing clients against corporations and larger institutions on Personal Injury and Employment Litigation. Ronald’s emphasis now is on empowering his community whom he believes could benefit financially following incidences of their misfortune which are not their fault. He sees Personal Injury and Employment Litigation Claimants as well as Legal Practitioners as areas still largely dominated by the White and Asian Ethnic communities. Ironically, these are areas of law where in most cases the full legal costs will be met by the opponents and the client does not have to pay the Lawyers fees, and hence a question of economic means can hardly be justified. It is this inequality that he seeks to address. Mr Onyango said that ‘in the former years of my legal practice, I tremendously enjoyed the small victories such as restoring my client’s freedom and liberating them from the authorities, getting the individual out of the police cell, immigration detention or even securing that crucial last minute High Court Injunction to frustrate an impending deportation was always good news. This was indeed a very satisfying area of work which enabled me to interact largely with the community. However, over time, necessitated by the need to develop new skills and specialism, I found myself in Insurance and Litigation. It is such knowledge that I propose to disseminate. Data and statistics indicate that Personal Injury or Employment Litigation Claimant’s are rarely from the African or the black community. Indeed a vast majority of my clients in Personal injury Litigation and Employment Litigation have mainly been of White and Asian origin. This type of inequality, a wanting of information in this area of law and the necessity of equal empowerment is what I seek to address over the coming years. It is especially relevant during these tough economic times that Legal fees must not be an impediment in seeking restitution. I believe this will be a timely service and will restore a balance of positions and a sense of justice...” His conviction is that Road Traffic Accidents, Accidents at work or on the streets, Products Liability and Employment disputes including discrimination, victimisation, unfair dismissals, harassments and redundancies are not discriminative by their nature. Therefore, it is likely that a certain section of the community is not appropriately represented in such issues. He believes that his background will eliminate any barriers and provide a reassuring platform for them to come forward for assistance. Even where personal or perceived legal obstacles could the reasons why most of the identified group do not come forward for assistance, it is our resolve to direct and advice them with full confidence. Your immigration status ought not to be a barrier to seek help as he believes he can still competently explore your legal options and advice you appropriately. In nearly all cases he says that he is able to deal with his clients over the phone and through correspondence. This eliminates the inconvenience of travelling to his office. Where it becomes necessary for you to come and see him, he says that his team of lawyers will be receptive and make provisions. He says that “...Our aim is to make the process seamless and as simple as possible causing the least disruptions to our client existing commitments and at no cost to themselves...” I know Mr Onyango on a personal and professional capacity and can describe him as a confident, shrewd, articulate and very dynamic. His CV boasts a solid legal background with a vast exposure that includes two of the largest City UK Law firms. He clearly understands the UK’s legal system and genuinely wants to address the plight of his community. It is reported in a recent survey and Claims Management Report Assessment 2008 by Vaughan Fletcher which has revealed Claims disparity as follows: Claimant Ethnic percentage (%) White – British 81% Asians 6.8% Black (Caribbean) 2.6% Black (Africans) 0.6% Type of Accident Claims Whiplash Compensation, Uninsured & Untraced Drivers, Passengers injured in road accidents in cars or on public transport, Bus Accident Compensation Claims, Motorcycle & Motorbike Accident Compensation Claims, Pedal cyclist accident claims, Child Road Accidents, Passengers injured in road accidents in cars or on public transport, Bus Accident Compensation Claims, Motorcycle & Motorbike Accident Compensation Claims, Pedal cyclist accident claims. Type of Employment Disputes For more information and an informal chat on how and who can advise you on the best course of action, contact: Contact Berkeley Solicitors:Ronald Onyango LLB Hons PGDL, (Berkeley Solicitors - Head of Personal Injury and Litigation Department) Get in touch on our legal helpline: Tel: 0161 371 0011, Mobile: 07737254157 100 – 102 Market Street, Droylsden, Manchester, M43 6DE Or Email: ronnie@claim.co.uk (with your enquiry and someone will get back to you) ========================================== Kenya policeman killed by thug
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 - A police officer was killed in a shoot out outside Kencom House in Nairobi on Wednesday afternoon 11th March, 2009. A suspected gangster, who was among the three thugs that engaged the officers in the shoot out, was also stoned to death by the public. Witnesses told Capital News that the three gangsters had been arrested and were being led away when one of them opened fire and shot an officer in the head. Police said the officer died on his way to hospital. “They were just walking and talking with the officers then I just saw one of them pull out a pistol and shoot at the officer,” a witness, who only identified herself as Mercy, said. The suspected gangsters, who were not immediately handcuffed, fled in different directions as one of them continued shooting in the air. A witness said that one of the gangsters, who was armed, was cornered as he fled. “We caught up with him and stoned him. He had a pistol but it appears it had no ammunition because he did not fire a shot,” another witness narrated. By the time Capital News arrived at the scene, the suspected gangster who had been stoned was still writhing in pain. It took close to 20 minutes before he was loaded onto a police vehicle to be ferried to hospital, but a few minutes later, a police source told Capital News that the man had succumbed to his injuries on the way. Central Divisional Police chief Richard Muguai who led other officers to the scene declined to speak to the press. “Gentlemen, there is nothing we can say, please give us some time,” he said. Elsewhere, the mutilated body of a police officer who went missing from Kayole last week has been found dumped in a forest in Machakos on Wednesday. Police told Capital News that they suspect the officer was tortured before being killed. No suspects have been arrested yet, but police suspect that the outlawed Mungiki sect might be involved. UK Bank begins using 'new' money London, Wednesday 11th March, 2009. The Bank of England has launched its latest attempt to boost the supply of credit and stimulate the UK economy, using £75bn it has, in effect, created. It has bought £2bn of government bonds from financial institutions and funds, in the first of a series of auctions designed to help troubled banks. The aim is to get the Bank's newly created cash out into the wider economy and encourage greater lending. The Bank said last week it would pump £75bn into the economy. Using a reverse auction, the Bank bought just under £2bn of the bonds, known as gilts. The amount of offers the Bank received from commercial banks was about £10.5bn, meaning that financial institutions wanted to sell five times more debt than the Bank had offered to buy. There were no bidders for the non-competitive portion of the auction, where bidders commit to selling the debt to the Bank without setting a price. Analysts said that was most likely due to the unprecedented nature of the auction, with banks unwilling to commit themselves until they have seen whether the competitive potion of the auction was successful. Similar auctions will continue twice weekly. The policy, known as quantitative easing, has never been tried previously in the UK. The hope is that those who sell the government bonds will use the money from the Bank to lend to individuals or companies or invest in business activity. The prices of long-term government bonds, or gilts, have surged 20% over the last few days in anticipation, which has resulted in yields on the benchmark 10-year bond dropping to a record low. The BBC's business editor Robert Peston said the drop in the cost of borrowing appeared to be a "triumph" for the Treasury, which has to sell over £100bn a year of new government debt to finance its budget deficit. "The device of authorising the Bank of England to buy up a huge proportion of these IOUs [the government bonds] has apparently reduced the cost of all that borrowing to an astonishing degree," Mr Peston said. These actions are unprecedented in the Bank's 315-year history, but are now considered necessary as interest rates approach zero and deflation becomes a growing possibility. It has government permission to inject a further £75bn into the economy if it wishes, after slashing interest rates to a record low of 0.5% to boost the UK economy, which has entered a recession. Deflation - or falling prices - is bad for the economy as it encourages consumers to delay spending in the expectation that prices will soon be lower, potentially worsening an economic downturn. The governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, has admitted he does not know how long quantitative easing will take to have an effect but says it will "eventually work". Biometric Enrolment Process (I.Ds for foreign National) POSTAL APPLICATION PROCEDURE
It's 'wacky Wednesday' at the Geneva Motor Show, with some truly bizarre new concept cars on display. The 79th International Motor Show, Palexpo-Geneva started on 5th to 15th March, 2009. - MORE Politicians have been known to give impractical advice in the fight against HIV/Aids, like asking women not to wear biker shorts when retiring to bed, but one now says he has a better solution. "Let us embrace polygamy," was Likoni MP Masoud Mwahima’s advice to women marking the International Women’s Day in his constituency on Sunday. The MP, a former Mombasa mayor, is married to several wives, one of them a university graduate. He advised women to allow and accept polygamy because it would stop men from ‘trespassing’. "This problem (HIV/Aids) would not be there if women allowed their men to marry other women," he said. The legislator went ahead to explain the root cause of venereal diseases and early deaths was due to partners being unfaithful and wandering into ‘foreign territories to sample forbidden fruits’. Last year, an MP from Nyanza claimed the habit by wives of wearing tight boxer shorts to bed turned off their husbands, forcing them to go astray. Mwahima, however, did not talk about the risks partners would be exposed to in case a spouse in a polygamous marriage contracted HIV. - The Standard. The world's first elephant fitted with a prosthetic leg is growing so fast that she has had a larger one made for her. Mosha, now three, was only seven-months-old when she lost her right front leg after stepping on a landmine. Close to death, she was rescued and brought to the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital in Lampang, Thailand, where she got her first prosthetic leg in 2007. Her home in a tropical jungle in the north of the country, near the Cambodian border, is an orphanage for elephants. Her keeper said that before the first leg was fitted she was "depressed, self-conscious and wouldn't socialise". But now the animal is getting more confident and likes to play with the other elephants. Thousands of Thais have been injured and killed due to landmines, with a recent survey estimating there are about 100 new mine casualties each year. But it is the elephants that are the new symbol of the fight against the banned weapons. After Mosha's landmine incident, doctors had feared the worst for her until she had a chance meeting with Dr Therdchai Jivacate, who runs a foundation for human amputees. His organisation has made prosthetic limbs for over 16,000 humans. But it had never fitted an elephant until Mosha's case. Stumbling around on three limbs at the world's first elephant hospital, she refused to mix with other elephants and shunned food. Her keeper Soraida Salwala said: "When Mosha first saw her artificial leg she was scared of it. "But as soon as the doctors put it on and she felt she could put some weight on it she didn't want to let them take it off." The prosthesis, made out of plastic, sawdust and metal, helps her keep her balance and is only removed when she sleeps. "Mosha should live many long, happy elephant years," Ms Soraida added.
Elephant Amputee Gets A Leg Up In The World Eleven killed in Alabama shooting spree A gunman in the southern state of Alabama killed at least ten people in a shooting rampage before turning the gun fatally on himself, local authorities and state police said. Police have not released the name of the shooter nor have they said what the motive for the Tuesday killings may have been. Authorities began to uncover the grisly aftermath of the gunman's rage late Tuesday afternoon, when four adults and a child were found shot dead inside a residence in the town of Samson, the Alabama Department of Public Safety said in a statement. The victims included the wife of a Geneva County sheriff's deputy and a year-old child, according to local news reports. Another young child is reportedly hospitalized with gunshot injuries. The shooter moved on to a second home and shot and killed another adult, then a third home and killed another adult, police said. "It is believed the gunman left that location, travelling on Alabama route 52 where he shot at a state trooper's vehicle, striking the vehicle seven times and slightly wounding the trooper due to broken glass," it said. The shooter pulled over on the road at Samson Pipe and Supply where he shot and killed a person, then shot dead yet another victim at a service station. Sirens wailing, police chased the shooter to Reliable Metal Products, a local business located just north of the city of Geneva that makes parts for heating and air condition units, "where he fired an estimated 30-round burst. "One bullet grazed the Geneva Police chief, who was saved from serious injury by his bullet-proof vest," the DPS statement read. "The subject entered the business. Within minutes, shots were heard from within Reliable Metal, and law enforcement officers found him dead from what are believed to be self-inflicted gunshots." Local television WEAR 3 News reported that the shooter had worked in the past at Reliable Metal, though it was unclear when or if he had been fired or laid off. "This is a very complicated investigation that is unfolding," the Alabama DPS said. Late Tuesday police also linked a fire at a Samson home to the shooter. One adult died in the blaze. Much of the downtown area of Sampson, population 2,000, was cordoned off overnight as several police agencies investigated the shootings. Police trooper Kevin Cook, spokesman for Alabama state troopers, told reporters the gunman used a semi-automatic weapon, but gave no further details. Alabama Bureau of Investigation officials told reporters they were conducting investigations at six crime scenes, including the home that was set ablaze.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11 - The Kenya Anti Corruption Commission (KACC) has defended itself against allegations that it was failing in the anti graft war by forwarding cases with insufficient evidence to the Attorney General (AG). Director Aaron Ringera instead blamed the AG’s office on Wednesday for doing less to support their efforts in the war against corruption. “There is absolutely no file we have ever forwarded to the Attorney General of which we were not convinced that we had sufficient evidence,” Justice Ringera said adding that all cases were keenly observed by a panel of lawyers to authenticate the evidence before being forwarded. The KACC Director insisted that his investigators had been gathering sufficient evidence for the prosecution of graft related cases but the AG's office had failed to take action. The political alliance debate between Agriculture Minister William Ruto and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta went a notch higher with Ruto hosting 15 MPs from Rift Valley and Central provinces during a peace meeting for IDPs in Burnt Forest town, Uasin Gishu District. The meeting, at which all the speakers called for the forging of the alliance, came a day after we reported an assistant minister’s revelation that an Ruto-Uhuru political alliance was in the offing. Early yesterday Ruto called The Standard offices and vehemently refuted the claims that were first made by his Assistant Minister Kareke Mbiuki. He disowned the proposed political alliance, dismissing "those peddling the propaganda as merchants of confusion." "I do not believe in this kind of scheme. Those making such remarks are just playing to the gallery," said Ruto. - MORE London, Wednesday 11th March, 2009. The UK Border Agency's contact centres - the immigration enquiry bureau, the nationality contact centre and the sponsorship and employers' helpline - are experiencing some IT problems today and may not be able to answer your query. We are working to resolve the problems as soon as possible, and in the meantime we are sorry for any inconvenience caused. Nairobi, Tuesday 10th March, 2009. University of Nairobi students are currently holding protests against the killing of the their colleague. The students marched from the University grounds from Kenyatta Avenue through Uhuru Highway and into Uhuru Park where they were addressed by their student leaders. After the meeting they proceeding to Vigilance House where they demanded the resignation of attorney general Amos Wako and Police Commissioner Hussein Ali. The students also marched through Haile Salle highway where they persuaded the Kenya poly students to join them.
University students blocked motorists along Nairobi's Uhuru highway on Tuesday in protest over the recent killing of their colleague. The university student was shot dead during protests last week, after two human rights activists were executed by unknown gun men. University students marched along the streets of Nairobi on Tuesday in protest over the recent killing of their colleague. - Daily Nation. The Kahigas (stone) family in Nottingham, UK has lost their brother back in Kenya the Godfrey Macua Ndungu in Kenya on Monday 9th March, 2009. He was the youngest son of the late Keshia Wairimu Ndungu of Githunguri. He was husband to Nyambura macua, dad to Keshia Wairimu Macua. Brother to Paul Kimiri Ndungu, Alice Wanjiru Ndungu, Late Jospine Njeri Njuguna, Stephen Kahiga (Stone) UK, Catherine Wacera,and twin to Roise Wangari Giciri. Uncle to Martin Ndungu Wanjiru, Kienjeku Kimiri , Wairimu Kimiri, Njoki Kimiri, Eric Mungai Njuguna, Jonathan Giciri, Kevin Ndungu Kahiga, And hope Keshia Kahiga. Your prayers and support will be highly appreciated. Family and friends are meeting in UK at 21 Beverley square NG3 3PL Nottingham. For more information please call 07944982765 or 07903355622.
President Mwai Kibaki with H.E Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia who called on him at his Harambee House office, Nairobi. The newly elected Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has been urged to reach out to all groups so as to include them in his government. President Mwai Kibaki noted that the future development and the peace and security of Somalia would only come about when the people of the country agreed to place their personal differences aside. The President assured the Somali President that Kenya will continue supporting peace efforts in Somalia and called for the operationalization of the Joint Commission of Cooperation between the two countries launched in March 2008. The Head of State made the remarks on Monday at a meeting with the Somali President who paid him a courtesy call at his Harambee House office. A 29-year-old married Kenyan man is on run in Reading, UK. Police are hunting for the man who is said to have impregnated an under-age Kenyan girl of 15 years. The girl is now being escorted to school by police as the girl had been threatened by the man if she reviews the secrets. There has been tensions within the community in the area because of this case as many Kenyans protested about the issue. More later.
Joyce Muturi, a gospel musicians in London has released another album. The album is on its final touches and will be out soon. A born again and a member of Jesus Restoration Centre (JRC) in West London Joyce has been singing ever since she was a child. She produced her first album last month entitle "araramia mihaka". It was her late mother who realised that she had a talent in singing and encouraged her to utilise it. She performed very well known at a conference in London last month where Bishop JB Masinde was the guests speaker (above photo). You can listen and buy her album online on www.voiceofjoy.co.uk Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has defended the controversial appointment of his wife, Janet, to the cabinet during a reshuffle three weeks ago. He told the BBC he had made her minister of the troubled region of Karamoja because no other members of his government wanted to work there. The appointment has led to renewed accusations of nepotism in Uganda. The president's son and brother are among members of his family who already hold senior official positions. The first lady was appointed Karamoja affairs minister in a 17 February cabinet reshuffle. "Maybe she can help me in this area where… the elite don't want to go," Mr Museveni, who was in London for Commonwealth Day celebrations, told the BBC's Network Africa programme. "Once I appointed a minister and he said: 'No, no, that [Karamoja] is too backward, I don't want to go there." Mr Museveni denied nepotism, telling the BBC he had initially been "totally against" his wife going into politics. But he said supporters had lobbied for the first lady to stand as MP for the south-western seat of Ruhama in 2006. "I said: 'No. I don't want my wife to be involved'. So I had to relent and the lady went and stood and she got the biggest majority in the whole country," Mr Museveni said. Mr Museveni has been in power since 1987. A constitutional limit of two presidential terms was overturned to let him seek re-election in 2006.
LEFT: The Independent carries a picture of one of the dead soldiers but leads on a story of a nation divided by the recession. It compares young, affluent households to struggling pensioners. RIGHT: A UN report accusing the UK of concealing human rights abuses is the focus of The Guardian's top story. It carries a picture of a chimp at the centre of new research into behaviour. The war on corruption in Kenya is far from over. In fact, graft seems to be getting out of hand and Kenyans are blaming the Grand Coalition Government for tolerating the vice, according to a new report. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga are on the receiving end with 76 per cent of those polled saying the war on corruption is being impeded by the leaders’ lack of will power to end graft. A national corruption opinion poll released yesterday by Transparency International – Kenya (TI), indicates that about eight of every 10 Kenyans believe that although Kibaki and Raila have the requisite power and ability, they lack the will to tackle the vice. "The entire State has been captured to a certain extent by corrupt interests. Nearly every institution of governance and service delivery is working in the interest of a small group of people who profit from it," said Job Ogonda, Executive Director, Transparency International–Kenya. The poll also reveals that Parliament ranks highly as one of the public institutions that respondents view as contributing most to the failure of the anti-graft war. Coming shortly after reports of massive graft in maize and oil sectors, the survey sought to establish whether Kenyans have confidence in the coalition’s intention to tackle corruption. Many felt the Government was not sincere. Kenyans also blame Parliament for failing in the war against corruption, hence they would like to see more conclusive prosecutions of individuals implicated in mega scandals. - The Standard. A 23-year-old Kenyan woman caught with 1.46 kg of heroin in India
Bangalore, March 9, 2009: Customs officials at the Bengaluru International Airport, India today arrested a 23-year-old Kenyan woman and seized 1.46 kg of heroin valued at Rs five crore in the international market from her possession. Customs official M Srinivas told presspersons that Njoki Susan, a resident of Nairobi in Kenya, was trying to fly to Shanghai via Bangkok on Thai Airways flight ''TG 326''. The narcotic was concealed in her hand bag. ''We acted on a prior information about the transport of the narcotic and waited till the luggage of the woman was booked in her name and nabbed her just before she boarded the flight,'' he said. This was the third heroin seizure made by the officials in the city this year. In a biggest haul last month, the officials had seized five kg of heroin from a couple and a foreigner, who were trying to send the narcotic through courier to a foreign country. Later, she was remanded to custody by the NDPS court in the city. Kenya Book of Records successful launching in UK
Kenya Book of Record final launching was done on Friday 6th March, 2009 at the Kenya High Commission offices in London. The ceremony was well attended by a large number of Kenyans and was officiated by the 2nd Secretary in the commission. On left is Mr. Kondia Wachira the author of the book presenting a copy to Mr. Tipis (far left) the 2nd secretary at the high commission and on the right photo from right is Mr. Sam Ochieng, Mr. Wachira and KMDJ Chairman Mr. Ngethe Mbiyu. Over 200 books were sold in the UK through FairICT the official promoters. Kenya Book of Records is an amazing compilation of positive facts about Kenyans, by Kenyans, for Kenyans, and the world. The book offers a well thought out summary of Kenya’s history, culture, heritage and record breaking achievements of its people over the years. This book not only deserves a feting tribute, but a place in Kenya’s literature achievement as a book that inspired both present and future generations of Kenyans to come. You can buy the book online at www.kenyabookofrecords.com Nairobi, Monday 9th March, 2009. Forty people suspected to be members of the outlawed Mungiki sect were Monday arraigned in Makadara court, Nairobi and charged with taking an illegal oath. The forty appeared before Makadara Principal Magistrate Elizabeth Ominde and denied the charge before they were released on bonds of 50 thousand shillings each and similar sureties with an option of cash bails of 30 thousand shillings each. The 40 were arrested following a raid at a house under construction in Dandora estate on Sunday allegedly during an oathing ceremony. Police intelligence sources indicated that the group had gathered to strategize on a planned demonstration over the whereabouts of the sect's spiritual leader Maina Njenga. Maina is said to have been transferred from Naivasha prison to an unknown location, a fact that has unsettled the nerves of the outlawed sect members. The operation coordinated by the BuruBuru police boss Kipkemoi Rop also netted an assortment of the sect paraphernalia. The arrests come amid renewed mungiki sect activities with Thursdays' demonstration by the sect members paralyzing transport and businesses in several parts of the country. Meanwhile at the chief magistrate' courts in Nairobi Josmaria Waiganjo Ngige and James Thuo Wakabu denied trafficking 480 kilogram of bhang with an estimated street value of 960 000 shillings. The two are accused of trafficking the drug on March 6 2009 at Kajiado town in Rift Valley. They are alleged to have been transporting the drug in a private vehicle when they were nabbed. They were remanded at the Central police station as investigations continue. At the same time a case in which former KCB managing director Terry Davidson is charged with irregular trading at the NSE failed to take off because the trial magistrate was not in court. Davidson has denied irregularly trading with Uchumi Supermarket shares. The case now proceeds for a full hearing tomorrow. In December last year the Attorney General appointed a Special prosecutor to try the case where the former CEO has denied charges of insider trading. Davidson was charged with using insider information to instruct Suntra Investment Bank to acquire for him 664,899 Uchumi shares on December 2, 2005.
Police in Nairobi are holding forty suspected mungiki adherents following a raid at a house under construction in Dandora estate on Sunday. The suspects were arrested allegedly during an oathing ceremony. Why Raila is a frustrated man
Poor public ratings of the grand coalition government and his inability to hire or fire public officials are two of the most frustrating issues Prime Minister Raila Odinga has on his political plate a year after the national accord was signed. Although it was not entirely unexpected, nobody imagined the government would show signs of strain just a year after the coalition Cabinet was sworn in. On the day Education minister Sam Ongeri was releasing the results of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination (KCSE), the ODM top brass was concerned with something else. After reviewing events of the past year they came out of a stock-taking meeting with guns blazing. Trouble started soon after the naming of the Cabinet early last year. ODM had expected President Kibaki to invite the PM so that, together, they would appoint permanent secretaries and diplomats. The statement that most likely indicates Mr Odinga’s level of frustration came in the form of a salvo he directed at Government Spokesperson Alfred Mutua. “I wish to state to the people of Kenya that Dr Mutua does not speak for the grand coalition government,” he said. “He alone knows who he speaks for.” - Daily Nation. When a dark intruder smashed through his bedroom window and repeatedly bounced on his bed, Beat Ettlin at first was relieved to discover it was a kangaroo. "My initial thought when I was half awake was, 'It's a lunatic ninja coming through the window,"' the 42-year-old said. "It seems about as likely as a kangaroo breaking in." But his relief was short-lived. As Ettlin cowered beneath the sheets with his wife and 9-year-old daughter, the frantic kangaroo bounded into the bedroom of his 10-year-old son Leighton Beman, who screamed, "There's a 'roo in my room!" "I thought, 'This can be really dangerous for the whole family now,"' Ettlin said. The ordeal played out over a few minutes in the family's house in Garran, an upmarket suburb in the leafy national capital of Canberra. Ettlin, a chef originally from the Swiss city of Stans, said he jumped the 90lb (40kg) marsupial from behind and pinned it to the floor - while still in his underpants. He grabbed it in a headlock and wrestled the trashing and bleeding intruder into a hallway, toward the front door. He used a single, fumbling hand to open the front door and shoved the kangaroo into the night. The kangaroo, which Ettlin said was around his height, 5ft 9ins (176cm), left claw gouges in the wooden frame of the master bed and a trail of blood through the house. The animal was cut when it came crashing through the bedroom window. Ettlin, who had scratch marks on his leg and buttocks and was left wearing only his shredded underpants, described himself as "lucky." The kangaroo vanished into a nearby forest from where it likely came. Wildlife authorities confirmed Monday they had received a phone call saying an injured kangaroo had entered the caller's home and left. Greg Baxter, a Queensland University lecturer on Australian native animals, said kangaroos rarely invade homes but have done so in the past when panicked. "It is very unusual, but when kangaroos become panicked, they lose all sense of caution and just fly for where they think they can get away," Baxter said. Eastern gray kangaroos are common around Canberra's forested urban fringe. They are so numerous at one defense department site in the city that officials want to cull hundreds of the animals to stop them ruining the habitat.
An Australian man fights off a 90-pound kangaroo after it burst through his bedroom window and rampaged around his house. Kenya Government runs out of cash for free school
Ruto breaks ranks with ODM
Agriculture Minister and ODM deputy leader William Ruto has broken ranks with his party and told off its disgruntled MPs to shape up or ship out. Ruto said this even as it emerged that a new political alliance between himself and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta could be in the offing. Ruto led Rift Valley MPs in roundly condemning their party’s demand that the power sharing accord for the grand coalition be renegotiated. Speaking at a fundraising at Chematich Secondary School in Cherangany on Sunday, Ruto challenged "dissatisfied ODM MPs" to quit the Grand Coalition Government. - MORE ============================================ Whatever it takes, don’t miss UK-Kenya Achievers Award 2009 Guess what? UK-Kenya achievers’ Award management really want you to come on board their ship before it takes off. They value you so much that they reduced the price from £48 to ONLY £40. This last price cut is live and kicking by popular demand. Get running for your ticket before they run out.
The management has also decided to give you a sneak preview of the venue before the day. Have a look at this! Would you really like to miss? Or what were you thinking? Je, huoni vile hii Hoteli ni poa? If you enjoy what you see, then awards will be given on 18th April 2009. Now imagine seating on this table and as your nominees celebrate with you, sizzling sounds and wow, delicious aroma hits you. Well, it’s not just about that but you never know whom you might meet there. Your destiny link might be coming. So don’t miss it. For the latest click www.london2gether.com and see all the latest nominees. Remember, cut off point for nominations is 15th march 2009- this year my emphasis. ============================================ Ann Wafula joins charity runners
British Paralympian, Anne Wafula-Strike is interviewed by BBC Essex's Ian Wyatt just before starting the Comic Relief Mile in Chelmsford's Central Park. Runners line-up at the start for the Comic Relief Mile in Chelmsford on Sunday, 8, March 2009 and on right Anne Wafula-Strike gets ready to start the runners in Chelmsford's Central Park. Over 700 people took part with plenty of families raising money for Comic Relief. Over 700 people took part in the Comic Relief Mile and raised thousands of pounds for the charity. Comic Relief and Red Nose Day 2009 take place next Friday, 13, March. FBI to assist in probing Kingara's murder Written By:PMPS , Posted: Mon, Mar 09, 2009 The government has enlisted the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to unravel the recent killing of two members of the Oscar Foundation. Prime Minister Raila Odinga told a press conference at his office that two FBI agents will work with the local police to offer expertise in seeking the circumstances under which the slain human rights met their deaths. He said he had written a letter instructing the internal security Minister Prof George Saitoti to incorporate the two detectives into the probe team amid public skepticism and speculations that the police were involved in the murders. "The United states has agreed to our request for an independent agency to unearth the mystery behind the killings since the state was put on the spot and subjected to a credibility test over the alleged extra judicial killings" Odinga said. He asked members of the public with information pertaining to the alleged police involvement over the killing of the Oscar Foundation director Kamau Kingara to forward it to the relevant authorities. The civil rights activist together with his communications and advocacy director Paul Oulu were shot dead Thursday evening along the city's Mamlaka road by unknown gunmen in an incident that sparked unrest among University of Nairobi students. In the ensuing confrontation, a student was shot dead and three police officers have so far been questioned in connection with the shooting. Odinga was speaking after receiving a petition from members of civil society groups who presented to him a memorandum addressed to him and President Mwai Kibaki calling for the sacking of senior government officials under whose dockets the alleged atrocities were committed. Odinga said the government was committed to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution. Odinga petitioned the vice chancellors of various public universities not to victimize students who plan to hold demonstrations Tuesday over the shooting of their colleague allegedly by police. "We have to uphold the freedoms of expression, assembly, and association which were also entrenched by the IPPG reform that also saw the public order act repealed. Let me inform Kenyans that we are not about to restrict or stifle these right," he said. Among those present was the Vice chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights Hassan Omar, Muthoni Wanyeki of the Kenya Human Right Commission and the executive Director of the Centre for Multi Party Democracy Njeri Kabeberi. Big boy manoeuvred dangerously
Five Chinese ships have manoeuvred dangerously close to an unarmed US navy surveillance vessel in the South China Sea, the US government says. US officials said the incident on Sunday came after days of "increasingly aggressive" acts by Chinese ships. These violated international law on respecting other users of the seas, a Pentagon spokesman said. As Beijing kept silent, the US made a formal complaint to China's military attache at the Pentagon. The incident happened as the USNS Impeccable was on routine operations in international waters 75 miles (120km) south of Hainan island, a US statement said. The ships "aggressively manoeuvred" around the Impeccable "in an apparent co-ordinated effort to harass the US ocean surveillance ship while it was conducting routine operations in international waters", according to the Pentagon. Impeccable is designed specifically to detect underwater threats such as submarines for the US navy.
Kenya among 20 most corrupt countries Kenya is among the 20 most corrupt countries in the world the national corruption opinion poll shows. The poll released yesterday by Transparency International–Kenya also indicates that Kenya is ranked at the same level with several failed states and those emerging from civil wars. "Kenya’s rating is poor and we are among the most corrupt countries. Kenya is also rated closely with failed states like the Democratic Republic of Congo and those emerging from war like Liberia," said Mwangi Kibathi, a programme officer at TI-Kenya. TI chairperson Huguette Labelle said Kenya’s performance on fighting graft sits at 2.1 out of ten. "While there have been notable gains in economic growth, persistent poverty in Kenya, one of Africa’s biggest economies — remains a major challenge as inequality continues to erode trust," she said. Ms Labelle said poor public resource management, lack of accountability and general weaknesses in institutions impede Vision 2030. "For any development plan to be realised, strong and transparent leadership is required. Transparency is crucial. Information on decisions taken should be available to the public," she said. She said Kenya needs strong institutions of governance with independence and capability to exercise their mandate. "Anti-corruption plays a significant role in sustaining economic growth. People invest in countries with stability, peace and strong institutions. The justice system must also work," she said. She urged the Government to speed up constitutional reform, which she said is the foundation for strong institutions. "From the survey, it is clear that Kenyans strongly support constitutional reforms. We look forward to Kenya establishing a constitutional order that allows for separation of powers, accountability, good financial management and independent institutions," Labelle said. While acknowledging that Kenya is not the only country plagued by corruption, Labelle said levels of graft and the consequent increase in the level of poverty was of great concern. Fading confidence She said increased corruption erodes the electorates’ trust in leadership. Recently, the media have reported on maize and oil scandals, which have been said to cost the public more than Sh10 billion. - The Standard.
Chicken lays bowling-pin shaped egg. An animal lover has found her chickens are game for anything after one laid an egg resembling a tenpin bowling pin. Natalie Wiltshire said the bizarre creation was laid by one of her 20 chickens and reckons it is one of a kind. 'I've done a bit of research and there's nothing to suggest you should ever get eggs in this shape,' said the 43-year-old. The mother of three found it last week and was initially tempted to sell it on eBay. 'I don't know how much it would fetch but I remember a cornflake shaped like Jesus that sold for quite a lot of money so you never know,' added the yoga teacher from Willoughby, Northamptonshire, UK Islamist insurgents controlling southern Somalia have accused Kenyan troops of crossing into their territory and warned the east African nation to stop troop movements along their common border. "Kenya has been making false allegations of facing danger from the border and that is a great danger to the region's security and stability," the Islamists said. "We believe that they intend to destroy the Islamic administration implemented in Somalia," said al Shabaab, a hardline Islamist group opposed to a new moderate president. The group has been angry at Kenya since it helped capture Islamists trying to flee Ethiopian and Somali government troops in early 2007. Kenya closed the 1 200km border after the Ethiopians chased the Islamic Courts Union from Mogadishu early in 2007, but the flow of refugees increased despite the closure. Africa is a long way from the eye of the global financial storm. But there are early signs of the international economic winds doing damage to the continent. Many African countries have seen a real revival of economic growth in the last decade. Those gains could be in danger. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is certainly worried, and along with President Kikwete of Tanzania, has convened a conference on the problem in Dar-es-Salaam, to run from Tuesday to Wednesday. Less than a year ago, the IMF's forecast for sub-Saharan Africa was economic growth of 6.7% in 2009. Its most recent projection is sharply lower, between 3% and 3.5%. That translates into very weak growth in output per person, which is a rough measure of average living standards. Political supremacy war in Central Province went a notch higher at the weekend with 15 MPs throwing their weight behind Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. And in a bare-knuckle rejoinder, Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua said Kenyans would not be easily hoodwinked. "I don’t think Kenyans will be enticed to build dynasties," she said adding, "Every individual must be judged by his track record." Speaking in Githunguri, Kiambu, Ms Karua added, "I expect to be judged by Kenyans, not 220 MPs in Parliament." The MPs meeting in Gatundu South told Karua to go slow, saying the region’s bloc vote was Uhuru’s. "Let everybody know that Uhuru is the undisputed leader of Central Kenya," said Kamukunji’s Simeon Mbugua. The leaders were speaking at Kimunyu Secondary School during a fundraiser. The move by the MPs will certainly pit Uhuru against Karua. "Others moving around saying they want to be President are day dreamers," said Mr Mbugua. Juja MP George Thuo set the ball rolling, saying Uhuru was politically mature and tested. Mr Thuo said time was ripe for the community’s political leadership to speak in one voice. Uhuru, who accepted the endorsement, however, said the political leadership needed to focus on issues affecting Kenyans. "We have problems facing the nation which need our attention," he said. The MPs, mainly drawn from PNU, said there would be no renegotiation of the National Accord and urged ODM leaders to quit the coalition if they were dissatisfied. Kigumo MP Jamleck Kamau said ODM was given an equal number of positions as PNU and should stop lying to Kenyans they got a raw deal. "They know that most positions given to ODM in the power-sharing deal went to one region," said Mr Kamau. Uhuru dismissed the Geneva meeting called by Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, saying it was a waste of taxpayers’ money. "Annan should instead come to Kenya and meet us here," said Uhuru. On the killings of the Oscar Foundation officials, Uhuru told leaders not to politicise the murders and called for speedy investigation. - The Standard Some sources says that they are intending to abolish NATURALISATION in the UK by the end of the year or early next year. "Jipange". The United Kingdom Border Agency also withdrew DP5/96, a concession which has also been referred to as the seven year child concession, as of 9 December 2008.’
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, standing here in a car in Khartoum, has been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million are displaced in Darfur.The UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million are displaced in Darfur.The UN estimates that 300,000 people have died and 2.7 million are displaced in Darfur. A pastor has been killed and other people hurt in a shooting at a church in the US state of Illinois, according to state police. The gunman walked into a service at the First Baptist Church in Maryville and exchanged words with the pastor before shooting, officer Ralph Timmins said. His gun then jammed and the man pulled out a knife and began stabbing himself with it, Mr Timmins said. The suspected attacker is said to be in custody and receiving treatment. Mr Timmins said the man had walked down the aisle during an early morning service on Sunday and had shot Pastor Fred Winters once. Mr Winters died in a nearby hospital of a gunshot wound to the chest. Two members of the congregation were injured while trying to subdue the man after he produced the knife, Mr Timmins said. Maryville is about 20 miles (30km) north-east of St Louis, in neighbouring Missouri. A Kenyan boy, 19 was on Friday charged with Murder in London. A second man has been charged with the murder of a shop manager killed during a robbery in east London. Jamie Simpson, 33, was stabbed in the neck as he cashed up at the Matalan store in Kingsland Shopping Centre, Hackney, on March 22 last year. Duane Owusu, 19, of no fixed abode, was charged by police after he was arrested on Saturday 7th March, 2009. On Friday 6th March, Anthony Maina, also 19, was charged with murder and conspiracy to rob. The Met Police said they had arrested another 19-year-old this afternoon in connection with the murder. He is currently in custody at an east London police station. Owusu will appear alongside Maina at Thames Magistrates' Court on Monday 9th March, 2009. Earlier Simeon Jumah, 24, and Roy Williams, 30, were remanded in custody during a short hearing at Highbury Magistrates' Court in north London. The pair have been charged with conspiracy to rob in connection with the murder. The case was adjourned to London's Old Bailey on June 12. A 17-year-old arrested last night remains in custody at a north London police station. Seven other people arrested in connection with the incident since May last year have been released on bail.
Mr Simpson was killed after the store closed for the day Suppose one or more of 210 parliamentary seats fall vacant before the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) is properly constituted? Or the Nzamba Kitonga-led committee of experts on constitutional review concludes duty and paves way for a referendum — what happens? Such an eventuality is real and a host of legislators and members of the civil society fear it could plunge the country into a dreadful political quagmire. "That would pose very legitimate concerns as it would lead to a scramble to quickly put together an electoral team. If it involves replacing the office of President, then naming an electoral body in the emerging contest would be a dynamite to handle," warns Ababu Namwamba, deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Constitutional Review. The Budalang’i MP regrets the delay in constituting the IIEC makes the management of politics "a very delicate and tricky affair". Says he: "The impediments are more political than logistical. However, I am confident before the end of the month we shall have an electoral body. We cannot afford any further delay." But even after the IIEC is constituted, the tasks ahead are enormous and the country could still slide into a major crisis if the presidency falls vacant. - Sunday Standard Thatched House reopening in weeks
Thatched House the Kenyan most popular joint in London is reopening in a few weeks time. The refurbishment of the pub in Barking, Essex started a week ago and it is expected to take six weeks. That means it might not be ready for Easter Holiday which comes up on 10th of April, 2009. The pub was burned down by a Kenyan who was a caretaker at the place. He took a flight to Kenya the same day he started the fire. The construction of the pub had been delayed because of the asbestos materials in the building which required a specialist to remove. Sources say that the man from Gachii, Kiambu said to have started was seen giving testimony in a church in Kenya explaining that he has been a preacher in UK. The patrons (right) of Thatched House has been frustrated by the delay of the refurbishment by the insurance. Mr Kamanga returns Home
Mr Anderson Kamanga on the(lef) and being blessed and wished well by Pastor (Mrs) Ann Maluki of Jesus Celebration Ministry in Luto,(right) Mr. Anderson Kamanga, who fell sick while in UK has returned home in Kenya. Mr Kamanga fell sick last year, 2008 in UK and was diagnosed with cancer. He was admitted at Newcastle Hospital and later he was transferred to Luton & Dunstable Hospital in Luton. But the Hospital Management told him that they could not continue treating him as he was not qualified for free medical treatment in UK. MORE Dutch leave messages on God phone An art exhibition opening in the Netherlands will allow people to call a telephone number designated for God - but they will have to leave a message. Dubbed God's Hotline, it aims to focus attention on changes to the ways Dutch people perceive religion. Dutch artist Johan van der Dong chose a mobile phone number to show that God was available anywhere and anytime, Radio Netherlands reported. Critics say the project mocks those with religious beliefs. Forming part of an art installation in the town of Groningen, the voicemail message says: "This is the voice of God, I am not able to speak to you at the moment, but please leave a message." Although the hotline is officially launched on Saturday, the phone number has been active for the past week, with 1,000 messages left on the answerphone. But the messages are to remain confidential and will not form part of the art project. Van der Dong told Radio Netherlands: "I'm not a pastor, I'm an artist and I won't listen to the messages. "It's a secret between the Lord and the people who are calling." Exhibition spokeswoman Susanna Groot said there was no intention to offend anyone. "In earlier times you would go to a church to say a prayer and now [this is an] opportunity to just make a phone call and say your prayer in a modern way." Instead, the aim is to provoke debate about the priorities of modern life. The phone line will remain open for the next six months.
The mobile number will be available for six months
What message would you leave for God?An art exhibition in the Netherlands will allow people to leave a message on a telephone number designated for God. What would you like to say? Dubbed God's Hotline, it aims to focus attention on changes to the ways Dutch people perceive religion. Dutch artist Johan van der Dong chose a mobile phone number to show that God was available anywhere and anytime, Radio Netherlands reported. Critics say the project mocks those with religious beliefs. Exhibition spokeswoman Susanna Groot said there was no intention to offend anyone. Do you have a special message to leave on the phone? Does the art project mock religious beliefs? Is it a good way to get people involved in art, or religion?
Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Saturday tore into the country’s security agencies over extrajudicial killings and said acts of impunity must be brought to an end and the rule of law restored. Mr Odinga spoke a day after the US Embassy in Nairobi offered help in investigating the latest killings – those of Oscar Foundation director Oscar King’ara and official Paul Oulu. And the matter threatened to throw the struggling grand coalition government into a fresh crisis over the strong positions taken by cabinet ministers. The Prime Minister, one of the two principals in the coalition, has twice this week lashed out at the same government he serves and half of whose Cabinet members belong to his ODM party. Mr Odinga appears to be growing frustrated with the government he helped form a year ago and this week asked for a renegotiation of the deal that brought his ODM and President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity together. - Sunday Nation. Kenya entered the second year of tumultuous reign of the Grand Coalition Government last week, with a fear hardly acknowledged in public, especially by politicians. It is anchored onto the fear of the unknown. Behind the scenes it is acknowledged as a political time bomb the country is literally sitting on. It is the prospect of the National Accord dying because of a vacancy in the president’s office and the execution of the unaltered constitutional requirement that the Vice-President (currently Mr Kalonzo Musyoka) will take over for 90 days. "If there is no Vice-President, or if the Vice-President considers he is for any reason unable to discharge the functions of the Office of President, by such Minister as may be appointed by the Cabinet," states article 2(b). The silence on the place of the PM, who constitutionally appoints half the Cabinet ministers who can’t be fired by the president without his written consent, as well as the polarised nature of the coalition, could compound matters. Without a polls body, voters’ register, new constitution to correct the anomalies of the 2007 chaotic elections, and a legal agreement on how to handle suspected perpetuators of the bloody post-election violence, Kenya stares at an uncertain and dreadful future. - MORE
Names of a record 16,629 students selected to join public universities this year were released on Friday. These are the students who sat the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2007 but have only just been admitted to the universities because of a backlog in admissions. The names released on Friday by the universities’ Joint Admissions Board reveal that male entrants will be twice as many as the female entrants – notwithstanding the affirmative action of slightly lower entry grades for women. The admissions board, a committee of vice chancellors of public universities charged with the annual selection of students joining their institutions, released the list at the end of their final session in Nairobi yesterday. The minimum grade for one to join the public universities in Kenya is a “C+” grade, but with the number of students passing with grades “A” and “B” rising, the mark is placed higher. - Sunday Nation. Don’t expect much from Coalition, warns Moi
Former President Moi (right) chats with Kimilili MP Simiyu Eseli at the Friends School, Kamusinga, Saturday. Moi was the chief guest during the school’s annual general meeting. Former President Moi has told Kenyans not to expect much from the Grand Coalition. Moi said the partners in the coalition were fighting each other instead of fulfilling their election pledges. "Don’t expect anything from a coalition government anywhere in Africa," he said, alluding to the shaky coalition in Zimbabwe between President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Moi said ODM and PNU had put work aside to watch each other’s move. His sentiments were echoed by MPs Simiyu Eseli (Kimilili) and Eugene Wamalwa (Saboti). Wamalwa said there was rampant corruption in the Government, to the disappointment of Kenyans. "During Moi’s time people stole with one hand, but officials of the Grand Coalition Government are stealing with both hands," said Wamalwa. He accused the Government of not fighting corruption. Eseli said Kenyans were tired of wrangles in the Government over power sharing deal. "If it were possible, we would hand over power to Moi for just two years to bring back sanity in this Government," said Eseli. Wamalwa said the Government had not supplied fertilizer in the North Rift region even with the onset of rains. "Instead of helping farmers this planting season, they are busy fighting about the power sharing deal. The Government has forgotten about the ordinary man. What the ordinary man is undergoing appears to be none of its business," he added. The leaders spoke on Saturday at Friends School, Kamusinga, in Kimilili, during the institution’s annual general meeting. The school used the occasion to celebrate its excellent performance in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination. It emerged top in Western Province with 23 students scoring A and 78 A-. Moi urged the students to embrace good habits if they are to succeed in life. "It is important to note that academic brilliance is nothing if you do not have good character," he added. He told students not to indulge in activities that could ruin their lives. - Sunday Standard. Spanish police have arrested a 66-year-old Chilean who tried to smuggle drugs into Barcelona with a cast made of cocaine fitted on a truly broken leg. The man also had cocaine hidden in six beer cans that had been emptied, packed with drugs and resealed, and inside the legs of two small folding stools, police said. Altogether, he was carrying about 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of the drug, police said. The man was arrested Wednesday at Barcelona's El Prat airport after arriving from Santiago, Chile. His left shin was broken, and investigators do not rule out the possibility that the injury was inflicted intentionally so he could smuggle with the cocaine cast. Spain is a major European gateway for cocaine from Latin America and airport officials pay especially close attention to passengers on flights from Peru, Colombia and Chile, police spokesman Jose Antonio Nin said. Nin said he knew of cases in which smugglers had concealed cocaine underneath casts but this was the first time officials had seen a cast made entirely of compressed cocaine. It weighed about a kilogram (2.2 pounds), he said. Police detected the drug by spraying the cast with a chemical that turns bright blue when it comes in contact with cocaine, Nin said. The man was taken to a hospital after the cast was removed. Drug smuggler wore cast made of cocaine
The taxpayer is taking a controlling share of 65% in Lloyds Banking Group, up from the previous 43%. The government has said new lending from Lloyds will jump to £28bn in the next two years, dwarfing similar figures from Northern Rock and RBS. The taxpayer will also insure toxic loans worth £260bn ($367bn). The group had to turn to the government for help following its takeover of HBOS, which recently reported an annual loss of nearly £11bn ($15.5bn). BBC business correspondent Joe Lynam said: "[The government] is absolutely imposing its writ on the banks that it now controls. Environment Minister John Michuki has defended President Kibaki's apparent decision to snub an invitation by former UN Secretary General Koffi Annan to a meeting that was also to be attended by Prime Minister Raila Odinga and other government officials in Geneva, Swistzerland at the end of this month. Speaking at Kiawambogo in his Kangema constituency during the burial ceremony of the late Wallace Gikonyo Saturday, Michuki said the grand coalition peace broker had no right to summon the Head of State to attend a meeting in Geneva. He said that Kenya was a sovereign state with a President who deserved respect adding that any meeting with regard to the National Accord of the grand coalition government should be convened in Kenya. Michuki wondered where the media got information that Annan had summoned the President and Prime Minister saying they should desist from peddling rumours that were in bad taste to the National Accord. The minister aslo described Muite as an idler who was bent on rumour mongering that attracted cheap populism and asked him to preoccupy himself with meaningful issues now that he was out of parliament. He said that he was busy serving the nation to and did not have time to preoccupy himself with unfounded hearsay peddled by the former Kabete MP. Michuki challenged the media, which he said was giving Muite unwarranted publicity, to analyze the statement that he made to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Security regarding the Standard raid if they wanted the truth to be known. He said that at no point did he, in his statement to the PSC , mention the Head of State and his family regarding the Standard group raid. Michuki said that as the then Internal Security minister, he had the mandate to take action on matters affecting the state security and that is why the Standard Group was raided. He wondered why Muite was commenting on the Standard raid yet Ramadhan Kajembe, who chaired the committee, has never overtly implicated President Kibaki on the raid. The minister said media practitioners should exercise patriotism and respect the government an desist from carrying reports that were bent on ruining the institution. The late Gikonyo who was a Nairobi businessman died at the age of 76 and has left behind a widow, eight children, 22 grand children and several great grand children.
Environment Minister John Michuki The UK TV and Radio stations has been broadcasting the embarrassing news about the Kenyan president and his wife bringing the family affairs to the TV. It has been an embarrassing week for Kenyan men in UK and elsewhere. Mr. Seed has not been spared either. He entered an office of a French Accountant in London to pick up his cheque and he was greeted: "Come in Mr. Seed, what is wrong with you Kenyan men why are Kenyan women dragging you like this. I hope I will not see you with your wife talking about your family affairs in the TV." the accountant concluded. - CLICK HERE FOR THE REFERRED VIDEO CLIP
A tiger and a dolphin size each other up at a theme park in the US, with just a pane of glass separating them from an almighty animal smackdown. Meet Maverick the dolphin and Akaasha the Bengal tiger, who are now firm friends after their tete-a-tete at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California. Staff at the park were taking Akaasha, a six-month-old female tiger cub, on her daily walk around when she found Mavrick, a 14-month-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. Kenya and the European Union have signed an agreement facilitating the transfer to Kenya of suspected Somali pirates detained as part of the EU's Atalanta anti-piracy naval mission. The agreement was signed in Nairobi on Friday by Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula and the Czech ambassador to Kenya, Margita Fuchsova, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. "By enabling EUNAVFOR to bring pirates to justice, this agreement will enhance the deterrence effect of the operation," the EU naval mission in Somalia said in a statement. "This is an important framework agreement on the transfer to Kenya of suspected pirates detained as part of Operation Atalante," one of the diplomats who negotiated the agreement told AFP. "It includes guarantees on the rights of the detainees... Kenya is the only coastal country that has agreed to such a deal so far," the diplomat added. Under the agreement, Kenya accepts to take suspected pirates detained by EU navies patrolling Somalia's waters and prosecute them in Kenyan courts. Some countries involved in anti-piracy naval operations had been reluctant to transfer pirates back to Somalia, arguing there were insufficient guarantees that due process would be followed. Dozens of suspected Somalia pirates are being held in Kenya and several have already been brought to courts in the port city of Mombasa. In the latest such case, seven suspected pirates captured by the US navy during a botched attack against the MV Polaris last month were charged with piracy on Friday by Mombasa chief magistrate Catherine Mwangi. Attacks by pirates on the hundreds of foreign vessels sailing one of the world's busiest trade routes through the Gulf of Aden each month have recently decreased, due to rough seas and increased navy patrols. The EU naval mission -- launched in December 2008 -- currently includes Greece, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany but Sweden, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway are also expected to contribute.
Under the agreement, Kenya accepts to take suspected pirates detained by EU navies patrolling Somalia's waters and prosecute them in Kenyan courts A 7-foot-long, 30lb octopus called Truman surprised aquarium workers when he managed to squeeze into a box little bigger than a milk crate. Truman squeezed into the clear, acrylic box while trying to snag his lunch at the New England Aquarium in Boston. Aquarium workers often place food inside locked boxes for the intelligent animals to crack open. It's what the aquarium calls an 'enrichment activity,' but it didn't go as planned Thursday. In this case, crabs were locked in a smaller box inside the bigger box, which is 14 inches square. However, the impatient Truman bypassed the locks and squeezed his body through a 2-inch hole in the exterior box. He spent about 30 minutes inside before slithering out, delighting staff and guests who witnessed the spectacle. He never did get the smaller box open.
Pedigree grooming: Pampered dogs – and lookalike owners – get ready for Crufts' opening. The four-day event at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre will be broadcast live on the internet for the first time. Kenya Gov't to reimburse pyramid schemes victimsWritten By:Agencies , Posted: Fri, Mar 06, 2009 The government will facilitate reimbursement of 10 billions of shillings lost through pyramid schemes. The chairman of the task force on pyramid schemes constituted a month ago by the government Francis Nyenze said they were now undertaking investigations to establish the number of pyramid schemes in existence and the kind of money involved. Nyenze said after its investigations the task force will recommend and formulate a way to refund back the money to the investors who lost millions of shillings in the dubious schemes. He made the remarks in Embu when he chaired a charged public hearing where many of the investors including the low income earners who had put their money into the schemes tearfully narrated how the pyramid schemes robbed them of their hard earned money. He said the task force will come up with a report in three months time and urged those who lost money to present documents of the transactions to their nearest district cooperative offices for onward transmission to the task force in Nairobi. Nyenze however cautioned the public against presenting their original documents to a private initiative which he said was working with the proprietors of the failed schemes to defeat the government's efforts of arresting those who may have been involved in the con game "You must preserve the original copies of receipts which we will use as documentary proof of the contracts" Mr. Nyenze said. He said Kenya National Initiatives had no mandate to handle the issue and cautioned the public against paying any money to the body for they could be duped once again. The initiative has been to Nyeri, Meru, and Karatina and was demanding payments of Ksh 2000 alleging they would facilitate the recovery of money lost in the schemes. Investors in Kirinyaga, Embu, and Mbeere lost over Ksh 300 million in the failed schemes. DECI alone had over three thousand members in Embu and went down with over 200 million shillings belonging to investors. Others which operated in the district included Family in Need Organization (FINO), CLIP and Business Kenya. Nyenze said the task force has contacted the Central Bank of Kenya to trace the frozen accounts from various financial institutions that operated with the schemes. The over two thousand people who turned up for the public hearing recommended those involved be arrested and their properties auctioned to recover the money stolen from them. The Italian government is set to build one of the longest bridges in the world to link Sicily to the mainland. Duncan Kennedy reports from Rome. - VIDEO
The Independent has a special report on a British team who are set to drill through Antarctic ice in search of evidence of ancient life forms and on right the Daily Express reports on an alleged benefits scam, in which a mother and daughter bought houses and luxury cars with the cash they pocketed unfairly. Police launch investigations into activist's killing
Written By:Nicholas Kigondu , Posted: Fri, Mar 06, 2009 Police were Friday trying to piece together facts to unravel the controversial murder of the Oscar Foundation director Kamau King'ara. Police commissioner Hussein Ali says they are exploring various options to establish the motive behind the incident. This comes amid calls by human right groups for an independent inquiry into the killings. The civil right activist together with his communications and advocacy director Paul Oulu were shot dead Thursday evening along the city's Mamlaka road by unknown gunmen in an incident that sparked unrest among University of Nairobi students. Ali says the police force has instituted investigations to establish whether the murders could have been a set up by criminal gangs that aim to portray the image of the police in bad light. Ali also directed the arrest of three police officers who used live bullets during a confrontation with university students which left one of them dead. The guns the officers were using have since been confiscated and are being subjected to ballistic tests to isolate the one used in the murder. The killing came at the end of a day when the outlawed Mungiki sect re-asserted itself with widespread protests, paralyzing transport and shutting down businesses in some towns. UN special rapporteur on extra judicial killings Phillip Alston called for an independent investigation into the murder of Kinga'ra. In a statement Alston said that it was inevitable under the circumstances that suspicion would fall on the police in relation to the killings. Police Commissioner Major General Hussein Ali directed the arrest of three police officers involved in a confrontation with UON students in which one student die.
Alston released a report last week which implicated security officers in extra-judicial killings, a report which the Mungiki purported to support. Kingara's foundation was accused of funding Mungiki's activities as he was seen to be a sympathizer with the gang. More condemnation to the killing came from Prime Minister Raila Odinga who called for the establishment of an independent agency to carry out investigations into the murder. US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger insisted on credible investigations into the killings and pledged assistance in bringing those responsible for the murders to justice. The UN special rapporteur's call also reverberated among human rights groups with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights supporting the opening of an inquest. Alston, who carried out a fact-finding mission on police extra judicial killings last month, had in his report termed the killings as systematic, widespread, and carefully planned and called for the resignation of Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and Attorney General Amos Wako. However, the police commissioner Friday dismissed the report as inaccurate saying it was hurriedly prepared. He said the report has acted to sanitize outlawed outfits operating in the country and threatened to name organizations with close associations with criminal gangs and vowed that police will enforce the rule of law as mandated. Kingara was killed as he left a meeting at Ufungamano house. Eyewitnesses said four vehicles blocked the car he and his colleague were in before two people stepped out of one of them and sprayed his car with bullets. Students reportedly removed Kingara's body from the scene of crime to their Halls, prompting a confrontation between the students and police officers deployed to retrieve it. One student died at Kenyatta National Hospital from bullet injuries sustained during the confrontation.
The celebrities have raised nearly £1.4m for charity. Comic Relief's nine celebrity climbers have reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain. The first members of the group, including Girls Aloud's Cheryl Cole and presenter Fearne Cotton, scaled the 19,300ft (5,900m) peak as dawn broke. The Comic Relief blog said: "At the summit, God knows how." The remainder of the group, including Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles and pop star Alesha Dixon reached the summit later. The stars have raised nearly £1.4m. GMTV host Ben Shephard and performer Denise Van Outen, along with Cole and Cotton, formed the first group to conquer the mountain. The blog said: "Ben, Fearne, Denise and Cheryl make it just as the sun comes up. Amazing." Weird Fact of the Week (that you probably didn't know)Friday, February 27: The idea of making people pay to use public toilets was introduced by the Roman emperor Vespasian, who instituted a 'urine tax' on public conveniences as a way of raising funds following a civil war. Thursday, February 26: Susami Bay in Japan has an unusual feature: an underwater post box. Despite being submerged under 10 metres of water, the post box is used by divers, and is emptied daily by local post office staff. It was installed in 1999. Tuesday, February 24: Film trailers are so called because, when they were first introduced, they came at the end of the main film reel, rather than the 25 minutes of sitting round before the film starts we're subjected to now. Monday, February 23: The first person to go over the Niagara Falls in a barrel was a 63-year-old ex-schoolteacher called Annie Edson Taylor, who - seeking fame and fortune - attempted the stunt in a custom-made barrel on October 24, 1901. She survived, became briefly famous, but never made her fortune. Friday, February 20: The earliest recipe for beer dates back 4,000 years - a Sumerian tablet from the nineteenth century BC records 'The Hymn To Ninkasi', a prayer to the goddess of beer in the form of a recipe for the drink. Beer beer beer. Thursday, February 19: With a claimed 175million users, more than 1 in 40 people in the world are now on Facebook. If Facebook was a country, its population would be the 6th biggest in the world (between Brazil and Pakistan). And it would be a very odd country. Wednesday, February 18: Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome (ACHOO syndrome) is a common genetic condition that makes people sneeze when suddenly exposed to bright light. It also has a non-silly name, the photic sneeze reflex. But we prefer the silly one. Tuesday, February 17: The deepest hole ever dug is the Kola Superdeep Borehole in northern Russia - which extends 40,226 feet (over 7.6miles) below the surface. It was created by the USSR to investigate the continental crust - drilling only stopped after 24 years because it was getting too hot. Monday, February 16: Anton's syndrome is a rare condition in which a blind person doesn't realise they are blind. They usually insist they can see perfectly well, and make up excuses for why they make errors - such as blaming the quality of light in the room, or saying they're a bit tired. Thursday, February 12: The year before John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln (who was born 200 years ago today), his brother, Edwin Booth, saved the life of Lincoln's son Robert when he fell onto a railway line. Tuesday, February 10: On February 10, 1355 rioting broke out in Oxford between the scholars of the University and the townspeople - started by an argument over the quality of wine in a local tavern, during which 'saucy' words were spoken. Almost 100 people died in the ensuing fighting. Monday, February 09: In 1933, psychologist Clarence Leuba tried to prove that laughing when tickled wasn't something that humans do naturally, by ordering his family to keep a straight face when tickling his infant son. He even wore a mask with a blank expression on it while tickling his son. It didn't work. Friday, February 06: The Niagara Falls ran dry on March 29, 1848, after an ice dam further up the Niagara River blocked the flow of water from Lake Erie. People were able to walk along the river bed for a day before the ice broke. Thursday, February 05: In 1962, an epidemic of laughing broke out in Tanganyika (now Tanzania). Starting among a group of schoolgirls, the laughter spread rapidly, eventually infecting neighbouring villages and forcing schools to close. It lasted for at least six months. Wednesday, February 04: The largest snowflake ever recorded measured an amazing 38cm across, and fell on Fort Keogh in Montana on 28 January, 1887. A local rancher described the snowflakes as 'larger than milk pans.' Tuesday, February 03: The world's largest snowperson was constructed in Bethel, Maine, in February 2008. Standing over 122 feet tall, the creation was named Olympia SnowWoman, in honour of Maine's senior senator Olympia Snowe. She had skis for eyelashes. Monday, February 02: Today is Groundhog Day in North America, in which a furry rodent's shadow attempts to predict the weather. You'll be astonished to learn that an examination by the US National Climatic Data Center of Punxsutawney Phil's historical weather-prediction record suggests that this method has an accuracy of only 39%. Friday, January 30: William Willett invented daylight saving in 1907 because he was sick of having his golf round cut short by darkness. It turns out he is also the great-great grandfather of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Thursday, January 29: A beer flood hit London in 1814 after a giant vat burst. More than 1million litres of booze spilled from a brewery in Tottenham Court Road, killing nine people – including one from alcohol poisoning. Wednesday, January 28: Mary Ward was a pioneering Irish scientist - at a time when women were largely barred from the sciences - who is unfortunately remembered as the first person to ever die in a motor vehicle accident. She fell under the wheels of an experimental steam carriage in 1869. Tuesday, January 27: The largest living organism in the world, going by weight, is probably a colony of 47,000 Quaking Aspen trees in Utah, all growing from a single root. It weighs an estimated 6,000 tonnes, and has been nicknamed 'Pando' (Latin for 'I spread'). Monday, January 26: The Chinese New Year causes the largest mass movement of people on the planet - over two billion journeys are undertaken as people travel to celebrate with their families. Gong hei fat choi! Friday, January 23: Barry Fitzgerald is the only actor to have earned Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for the same role, in 1944's Going My Way (he won the Best Supporting award). The Academy subsequently changed the rules to stop it happening again. Thursday, January 22: Barack Obama may be the 44th president of the USA, but he's only the 43rd man to hold the job. That's because Grover Cleveland gets counted twice, having won non-consecutive elections. You may have noticed that Obama totally messed this fact up in his speech on Tuesday... Wednesday, January 21: High-heeled shoes were originally invented in the early 1500s for soldiers, to stop their feet slipping out of the stirrups while they were on horseback. They quickly became fashionable, for both men and women, in the French court. Tuesday, January 20: The inauguration of Andrew Johnson as Abraham Lincoln's vice-president in 1865 was marred slightly by the fact that Johnson was incredibly drunk and slurred his oaths. He'd been downing whiskey in an effort to treat typhoid fever (that was his excuse, anyway.) Monday, January 19: Casu marzu is a Sardinian cheese (officially banned, although still available) that contains live maggots, which give it its unique falvour. When eating the cheese, it is advisable to shield your eyes with your hand, as the maggots can jump into your eyes. Thursday, March 5: The crow's nest of a ship is so called because, in the early days of seafaring, crows were kept atop the mast as a navigational tool in case of bad weather - the sea-hating birds would always head straight for land. Wednesday, March 4: In 'The Descent Of Man', Charles Darwin described monkeys with hangovers after drinking beer left out by trappers: 'On the following morning they were very cross and dismal; they held their aching heads with both hands, and wore a most pitiable expression.' Tuesday, March 3: If you took all the approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels out of a human body and laid them end-to-end, they would stretch around the world twice. And you would probably be arrested. Monday, March 2: Napoleon Bonaparte's wedding night ran into some trouble when, as he and his wife Josephine tried to consummate their marriage, Josephine's dog bit him hard on the leg. Apparently the animal was unhappy at having a new person sharing the bed. Nairobi, Friday 6th March, 2009. The government is in the process of reviewing the death penalty and address the plight of over 4000 prisoners on the death row. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said his office was in consultation with the Attorney General and Office of the President to come up with way forward. He said this may mean considering abolishing the death penalty ahead of the constitution review. Though Kenya has not officially abolished the death penalty and the sentence is still being handed down, the sentence is hardly ever carried out and sometimes inmates on the death row end up spending the rest of their lives in prisons. The last prisoner to hanged in the country was Hezekiah Ochuka in 1986 for his role in the aborted 1982 coup. "Some African countries like Rwanda have already abolished the death penalty, we may go in that direction if there is consensus", he said. The Vice President was speaking Thursday when he unveiled four new tractors worth Ksh 16 million and other supplies meant for the penal institutions. Mr. Musyoka said the government has set aside funds under the Authority to Incur Expenditure fund totaling Ksh. 110 million for the construction of staff houses under the Rapid Results Initiative Programme. Thi he said would alleviate the staff housing problem in the department. He noted that the ministry has also released Ksh. 38.9 million for the construction of modern sanitary facilities to replace the indecent bucket toilet system still in use in 39 prisons in the country. The Vice President said the ministry was looking for private partnership in order to assist in the improvement of both housing and hygienic conditions in prisons. The Vice President challenged the Provincial Prisons Commanders to ensure that the funds allocated to officers were utilized well for the intended purpose adding that theft of the funds will not be tolerated. The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President and Home Affairs, Dr. Ludeki Chweya said the purchase of the tractors was a first step to revitalize Prison Enterprises and enable the institutions be self sufficient in food while the surplus could be sold to boost the department's revolving fund. A millionaire behaving badly
London, Friday 6th March, 2009. Amy Winehouse's return to Britain has been struck by a new legal storm after police charged her for allegedly punching an autograph hunter at a charity ball. The singer is now due to appear in court later this month in connection with the complaint dating back to last summer. The charge comes after she reportedly missed at least one appointment to attend a West End police station in connection with the claims. Winehouse allegedly lashed out when a woman at the end of summer ball at Berkeley Square approached her to take a photograph. Today her spokesman said: Spokesperson statement:'Amy voluntarily attended a police station. She was questioned by appointment in relation to an accusation made after the Berkeley Ball last year. 'She was charged with common assault and will attend a court hearing in the coming weeks.' The star reportedly obliged to take the picture but is then accused of punching the woman on the arm and on the cheek shortly after the posing. The 25-year-old, wearing white hot pants and a black vest, was performing at the £700 ticket event. She is also accused of spitting at Pippa Middleton, the sister Prince William's girlfriend Kate.
THE ASSASSINATION OF TWO LEADING CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENDERS The statement by Kenya Civil Society on the assassination earlier tonight (05.03.09) of Kingara Kamau and Mr. John Paul Oulu both of Oscar Foundation a leading human rights organization in Kenya.
"If you have no peace inside you, you can never find it outside you." - Message Board contributor Artist re-creates woodland scenes on his own skull
If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to have a tree growing out of your hair, Levi van Veluw is the man to ask. The 23-year-old artist has made a career out of turning his head into works of art. He has used tree bark to turn his skull into a forest and pebbles, carpet, and yoghurt have been brought into play for other weird and wonderful creations. He said he uses his body rather than a canvas because it is 'always available' and is a 'very direct way' to express his ideas. His art 'reinterprets the traditional landscape painting, removing plots of grass, clusters of trees, babbling brooks from their intimate two-dimensional formats and transposing them on to the three-dimensional contours of my face,' he added. Some of his 'self-portraits' take up to 11 hours to complete and he admits some of the materials he uses are 'not enjoyable' to have on his skin. Some critics describe the Dutch artist's work as 'creepy and horrible' but others think he is a creative genius. His work has been displayed across Europe, China and the US, earning him a number of gongs including the Photographer of the Year Award at the IPA International Photo Awards in the US. A new photographic series shows van Veluw covering his head with strokes of light-generating foil so that no facial features are apparent, only the shape of his head. NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 5 - Oscar Foundation Director Kamau King’ara has been shot dead on Mamlaka road, near the University of Nairobi. Mr Kingara's, whose Foundation is a human rights group that organised Thursday's mass protests, was shot dead at about 6.30pm alongside another man, as they drove towards the city centre. Rioting students briefly blocked police from taking the body to the mortuary and motorists on that road were told to tread carefully. Shortly before his death, Mr Kingara had had an exclusive interview with Capital Newsbeat, where he said he had no regrets over the transport hitch experienced due to the protests. Mr King’ara admitted that he had mobilised the families of more than 1,000 suspected Mungiki sect members allegedly killed by the police, to participate in the protests.
Oscar Foundation Executive Director Kamau King’ara and Programmes Co-ordinator Paul Oulu were killed at about 7.30pm as they drove on State House Road in Nairobi.
Muite declines to apologise to First Family
Former Kabete MP Paul Muite has instructed Mr Gitobu Imanyara to act as his lawyer in the event the first family sues him. And Muite dared the family and Environment Minister John Michuki to take him to court. "I will not apologise for stating the truth. The President should instead issue a statement why the Government vandalised Standard and KTN equipment," Muite said. Speaking at Parliament Buildings yesterday, the Imenti Central MP said he had sent a letter to President Kibaki, through a courier, who was turned back at the gates of State House. "They delivered the letter to the President’s offices at Harambee House," Imanyara said. A copy of the letter in possession of The Standard reads in part, "I respectfully write to you pursuant to instructions received from my above client (Muite) in connection with pronouncements made by your Excellency at a Press conference at State House." The letter goes ahead to state that Muite’s subject of concern had nothing to do with the first family, but to address the issue of the Standard and KTN raid. Imanyara said the issue remains a matter of public interest. Also of concern to Muite is the fact that the Commissioner of Police flanked President Kibaki. Imanyara says at no particular time at the news conference did President Kibaki answer Muite’s point, namely, according to Imanyara, ‘The reason for the raid on KTN and the Standard’, which he says the President ought to have dealt with. Last Tuesday, a furious President Kibaki in company of the First Lady called a Press conference to react to Muite’s remarks and threatened to sue him. Imanyara said Muite’s comments were lifted from a Parliamentary Report, laid on the table of the National Assembly on September 27, 2007, hence making it a public document. - The Standard. "Nationals of over 100 countries - three-quarters of the world's population - must apply for a six-month visitor visa if they want to come to the UK. Our visa checks now require everyone to be fingerprinted, locking them to one identity, and checked against government watch-lists. They are then screened and counted in and out of the UK using the UK Border Agency's e-Borders system." - A UK Border Agency spokesman Miraa for a church offering
Father Joseph Muchunku receives miraa bundles offered by Christians at St Francis of Assize Catholic Church in Kimururu, Meru. The bundles are then sold to faithful. St Francis of Assize Catholic Church in Kamiruru near Maua, Meru, is a buzz with activity. It is Sunday morning and Christians make a procession to give offerings at the altar. They bring beans, maize, money ... anything that will help the church raise funds for its running. And some, walking steadily in the procession, are clutching bundles of miraa, wrapped in banana leaves.. Song and dance. Amid dancing by a children’s choir in brightly coloured red and white uniforms, they hand over the fresh, green bundles to Father Stephen Muchunku. He solemnly receives the stimulant herbs with both hands and places them at the altar. He then conducts a Christian ritual to bless the offering. - The Standard NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 5 - Assessors in the trial of Naivasha rancher Tom Cholmondeley have ruled that he is not guilty for the murder of stonemason Robert Njoya. Linet Boyani and Raphael Chege said eye witnesses did not see Cholmondeley shoot the deceased but only heard gunshots. “According to our assessment we have formed an opinion that the accused is not guilty of murder,” said the assessors, adding that it was extremely difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the rifle that killed Mr Njoya was Mr Cholmondeley's. Mr Njoya was killed at the expansive Soysambu ranch in the larger Delamere estate on May 10, 2006. The verdict of the assessors is however not binding to the court, and Justice Muga Apondi will deliver his own ruling on April 30. The assessors said they had cleared Mr Cholmondeley because there was no sufficient proof that the rifle which inflicted the fatal injuries on Mr Njoya belonged to the suspect. “It is difficult to establish beyond reasonable doubt that the killer rifle belongs to the accused,” the assessors said. Mr Cholmondeley had accompanied rally driver Carl Tundo who is also his friend to check on a suitable site within the ranch where Tundo intended to construct a house when they stumbled on Mr Njoya in a group of poachers.
A mother whose 22-month-old daughter died in a house fire after being left alone has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years. Michelle Brown, 37, of Oxford Street, Hillfields, Coventry, was convicted of causing or allowing the girl's death and perverting the course of justice. Jodie Ann Brown died of smoke inhalation after an electrical fire broke out at her home on 15 July. Her mother was known to social services, Coventry Crown Court heard. She was sentenced to six years in prison for causing or allowing her daughter's death and 18 months for perverting the course of justice. The sentences are to run consecutively. A man has been arrested after armed police were called to a security alert at a factory. Police negotiators attended the scene at Alfred Knight metal works in St Helens, Merseyside, amid reports that a man was inside in possession of a suspect package. Merseyside Police said the 28-year-old arrested will now be questioned by detectives. Superintendent Peter Edge said: "Merseyside Police can confirm a 28-year-old man believed to originate from central Africa was arrested after making threats at a St Helens company. "He was also believed to be in possession of a suspicious package. "No-one has been injured during the incident and the site will remain cordoned off until a search of the premises has been completed." A major security operation had earlier swung into action at the factory, leading to the evacuation of the site and nearby houses. Roads in the area were closed and motorists were advised to stay away. Student appointments made at a public enquiry office on or after 31 MarchHome Office, 04 March 2009 On the 31 March 2009, UK Border Agency will introduce Tier 4 (Students) of the points-based system. Any appointments on or after 31 March will be considered under Tier 4; the existing student route will be closed. From 31 March 2009, applicants will complete a new Tier 4 form and new criteria will apply. We will accept student applications made using the correct Tier 4 application form and guidance only. We have already published a draft version of the Tier 4 guidance to allow sponsors and students to better understand the policy before go live. The final version of the form and guidance will be published on this website in advance of 31 March 2009. When the final versions of the forms and guidance are available on this website we will contact all customers with an appointment at the PEO on or after 31 March (if we hold an accurate mobile telephone number). A 32-year-old man has survived with minor injuries after being hit by a flat-bed truck that was rammed by a train in Turkey. CCTV footage shows Cem Tokac disappear under the wheels of the truck as it collides with the train. Mr Tokac has said he remembers nothing of the incident and that life is 'beautiful'. - CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO London, Thursday 5th March, 2009. The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 0.5% - a fresh all-time low - as it continues efforts to try to revive the struggling economy. Interest rates have now been reduced six times since October, and the latest half a percentage point cut from January's 0.1% had been expected. Business groups have attacked the recent cuts, saying they have done little to encourage banks to lend more. Others argue that they are unfairly hurting the returns of savers. Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economist, said the continuing rate cuts were "becoming less and less effective as a means of stimulating the economy". "Though this latest cut will help support business and consumer confidence, it is unlikely to have a dramatic impact on the cost or availability of credit," he said. March snowfall in UK
London, Thursday 5th March, 2009. Heavy snowfall and icy conditions have swept across southern and western parts of England. Residents of Bournemouth in Dorset woke up to see snow had settled on the beach and the scene outside Lesley Burt's house in West Lulworth, Dorset. She said she was considering not venturing out to work. Nairobi, Thursday 5th March, 2009. Security personnel have restored calm in Nairobi City and its environs after an early disruption of public transport by suspected members of the outlawed Mungiki sect on Thursday.. The sect members last week threatened to launch a protest in support of a report on extra-judicial killings released by the UN Special Rapporteur Prof. Phillip Alston. About 200 suspected members of the sect raided Kitengela Town at around 2 a.m. and lit tyres along the Kajiado - Namanga Road, threatening to burn any public transport vehicles that defied their order to cease operations. But police moved swiftly to contain the situation, with a contingent of anti-riot police and administration police officers being deployed to disperse the group. Public transport was paralyzed for hours before the operators resumed their businesses. Traffic along the Waiyaki Way and Limuru Highway was also disrupted. Most of the public service vehicles withdrew their services for fear of reprisals from members of sect, a move that left hundreds of commuters stranded at various stop points along the road. A spot check by Kenya News Agency indicated that at Rungiri and Muthiga, eight trucks blocked the road after they were abandoned by drivers when suspected members of the sect confiscated their keys. Other commuters spent long hours on the road as they waited for police to clear the road and re-direct traffic to safer roads. Traffic police redirected vehicles at Uthiru to the dual carriage way serving vehicles coming from Limuru.
Police also cleared stones used to block the road at Gitaru next to Kikuyu. The protest comes in the wake of a report by a UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings Prof Philip Alston that implicated the security forces in extra-judicial killings of suspects including Mungiki adherants. An NGO, OSCAR Foundation in a statement circulated through the internet said it had data of people who had disappeared and those killed. It demanded that the government implement recommendations of the report. On Wednesday, the government banned the planned demonstrations and assured wananchi that all security measures had been put in place to ensure they are not terrorized by sect members. Elsewhere in Banana, Kayole and Komarock, public transport was disrupted amid allegations that Mungiki sect members were protesting against extra-judicial killings reported in a recent report released by UN Special Rapporteur Prof. Phillip Alston. In Thika shops were closed down after hearsay that Mungiki members were spotted. Tension remained high and many matatus were withdrawn from the road following allegations of Mungiki strike. Elsewhere, security officers in Embu town were on high alert following distribution of leaflets inciting the youth to stage a demonstration against alleged extra judicial killings by police. Embu West District Commissioner (DC) Mr. Maalim Mohamed said the leaflets believed to have taken to the town by matatu operators from Nairobi and distributed by the Oscar Foundation were requesting the youth to assemble in Embu town for the demonstration.. He cautioned the youth against attending the unlawful meeting saying the government will not allow the demonstrations to go on.
Stranded commuters at Khoja Stage in Nairobi for matatus plying to Kiambu in Central Province on March 5, 2009. The planned outlawed Mungiki sect protests paralysed transport operations in several parts of the country. Nairobi, Thursday 5th March, 2009. Two suspected outlawed Mungiki sect members were lynched on Thursday in Thika in Central Province. Irate villagers cornered the two at Kiganjo village and beat them senseless before setting the bodies ablaze. Police said they were part of an extortion gang that was harassing motorists and traders. And, tension is still high there and in several parts of Nairobi and Central Province after the planned Mungiki sect protests paralysed transport operations Hundreds of commuters were stranded in the morning in various parts of Nairobi and Central Province as matatus withdrew their services over the protests. Traffic along the Waiyaki Way and Limuru Highway was disrupted following the protest by members of the outlawed Mungiki sect who were supporting the UN report on extra-judicial killings. Other areas affected include Kawangware and Naivasha road to the west of the city and Kayole, Kitengela to the east. Banana, Gachie, Dagoretti, and Kikuyu areas on the outskirts of the city and Nyahururu and Nyeri in Central Province were also affected Most of the public service vehicles withdrew their services for fear of reprisals from members of sect On Wednesday, Kenya Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua said the proscribed sect planned to disrupt public transport by holding illegal demonstrations with the support of some NGOs.Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Prof Philip Alston, released a report accusing the police of forming special squads that killed suspects with impunity. He recommended that police commissioner Hussein Ali be sacked and Attorney-General Amos Wako steps down to pave the way for investigations. In the city's Industrial Area, police said suspected Mungiki sect adherents forced the drivers of three trucks on Likoni Road to abandon their trailers and then parked them across the road to block transport in the busy area. Embakasi OCPD David Bunei said the group of about five youths struck at around 8.30 a.m. but transport in other areas within the division was going on well. When the Nation got to the area near Pembe Flour Mills at 9.00a.m., only the driver of one truck could be found as the rest had disappeared. Police were diverting trucks driving towards the Kenya Pipeline Company depot to other routes. Motorcycle taxis in the area enjoyed brisk business as matatus kept off the route linking the Industrial Area and the Mukuru Sinai and Lunga Lunga informal settlements to the city centre. According to Patrick Mutua, a resident of the area who also runs business selling charcoal, matatu owners in the area had been warned to keep their vehicles off the road or face reprisals from the sect members. “I did not receive a warning myself but business has been fine. I only wish I had woken up earlier to take advantage of this,” said one motorbike taxi (boda boda) operator. Commuters on the route were forced to walk to Jogoo Road to get alternative means to get to the city or industries along the road.
In Umoja, Komarock, Kayole, Donholm, Mutindwa and Pipeline estates, few matatus took to the streets in the morning as their owners were afraid of attacks from the Mungiki sect members. Nation correspondent Casper Waithaka in Kitengela area says hundreds of residents have been stranded since early morning as suspected Mungiki adherents barricaded roads and lit bonfires According to residents there, the incidents occurred as early as 5am but police were on high alert. Matatu owners operating in the area pulled out their vehicles in fear that the Mungiki followers who were protesting in support of the report by the UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston, would destroy them. In Kikuyu, the suspected Mungiki sect followers blocked the main road there from Nairobi using a trailer. In Dagoretti, there is heavy police presence. The police have thrown teargas canisters at youths who had grouped there earlier in the morning. A Nation correspondent there says there are still fires on the roads that were lit by the suspected Mungiki protesters. Unlike in the past where suspected Mungiki adherents stage open, brazen demonstrations, Thursday's happenings appear to be hit and run incidents, where, for example, they light fires, barricade roads and then disappear, having made their presence be felt. In some City Estates where matatus had stopped operations, residents said police on patrol were not armed as is usually the case. - Daily Nation.
More than 1,000 British tourists on a world cruise have been targeted by suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia. The terrified holidaymakers were made to sit below deck as the 43,000-tonne Balmoral zig-zagged to get away from the attackers. The alarm was raised when two small craft travelling at 20 knots followed the 218m-long vessel in notorious seas, dubbed the Gates of Hell. A spokeswoman for tour operator Fred Olsen told Sky News Online: "Balmoral encountered suspicious activity by two small craft, closing at high speed. "The ship's master requested passengers to assemble in safe havens as part of a pre-planned safety procedure. "Aggressive manoeuvring was implemented and contact was made with the EU Coalition Task Force (which patrols the Gulf of Aden in an effort to combat piracy)." She denied reports that shots were fired at the vessel. Officers sent up distress flares to alert Royal Navy and US warships searching for Somali pirates in the area. The company has since taken the Balmoral, formerly the Norwegian Crown, off its website ship locator. The City Council of Nairobi has finally repossessed the city estates whose management had been taken over by the National Housing Corporation-NHC over debts arrears. Madaraka estate was however sold to recover outstanding debts. The city council also received a refund of 181.4 million shillings in excess from the sale of the estate. Speaking while handing over the cheque, NHC board chairman Bosire Ogero said the council does not owe the corporation any debt and they can now work as partners. Nairobi mayor Geoffrey Majiwa applauded the move saying it will help improve the council's revenue collection and ease the confusion on the tenants over ownership. The estates handed back to the city council include Kariokor flats, Huruma flats, Kariobangi South, Buruburu and Jamhuri flats. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir announced on Thursday that 10 foreign aid agencies had been expelled, in his first public response to the International Criminal Court's call for his arrest on war crimes charges. The arrest warrant issued on Wednesday for atrocities in Sudan's western Darfur region is the first against a sitting head of state by the Hague-based ICC. "We will act as a responsible government," Bashir told a meeting of top politicians and cabinet members in response to the arrest warrant, while adding that Sudan would act decisively against anyone threatening stability. "We have expelled 10 foreign organisations ... after monitoring activities that act in contradiction to all regulation and laws," he said.
LEFT: A spate of Bernard Madoff-style scams threatens to bring misery to thousands of UK investors, according to The Independent CENTRE: ITV is to ditch some of the nation's favourite programmes, including Wire In The Blood and Sharpe, while axing 600 jobs, reports the Daily Express. RIGHT: Jade Goody has said a final farewell to her closest family as her cancer battle reached a critical stage, according to the Daily Star Prime Minister Raila Odinga has been asked to give his land at the Coast to the landless. Squatters in Malindi’s Chembe-Kibabamche Settlement Scheme have urged Raila to surrender seven acres he owns there. They also called on other senior Government officials who own land in Malindi and other parts of Coast Province to donate it to squatters. The squatters, led by Malindi politician Nixon Charo Mramba, urged Raila to "display his statesmanship and surrender the land for the resettlement of squatters, the main reason the scheme Government set up the scheme in the 1970s". Last week, four suspects, including former Malindi Mayor Fredrick Kazungu Diwani and retired District Lands Registrar Elizabeth Thoya, were charged with forging a title deed for the Prime Minister’s land. "While we do not want to comment on the court case, we would like the Prime Minister to donate the land to the landless," said Mr Mramba. He said senior people in Government own land in the scheme and other places along the coastal strip, and they should surrender it. "We want leaders who will address the plight of the downtrodden," said Mramba. Meanwhile, Malindi DC Arthur Mugira has declared war on squatters who invade and allocate themselves private land. He said the Provincial Administration and the police would crack down on invaders and prosecute them. - The Standard. Jerusalem, Thursday 5th March, 2009. The driver of a construction vehicle in Jerusalem has been shot by police and another driver after he rammed a police car and an empty bus. Details of the incident are still coming in but it appears to echo two attacks by Palestinians on the streets of Jerusalem in July 2008. Israeli police are calling the incident in Malah, a terrorist attack. Tensions are currently very high between Israelis and Palestinians after Israel's military offensive in Gaza. The authorities said a Palestinian rammed into a bus and police car, wounding two officers before being shot by an officer who was inside the police vehicle by a passing taxi driver. The driver - who has not been identified - was initially reported as having been shot dead although later reports said he was critically wounded. On 2 July 2008, a Palestinian killed three Israelis and wounded 45 more when he rammed the front-end loader he was driving into buses and cars in Jaffa Street, before being shot dead. Three weeks later 16 people were wounded in a similar incident, and the attacker also killed. Suicide bomb attacks by militants from the West Bank have been greatly reduced after reaching a peak in the early 2000s. Recent attacks appear to have been launched mostly by enraged individuals from mainly-Arab East Jerusalem. Tumbling financial and property markets pushed insurance group Aviva to a full-year deficit as losses on investments more than outweighed an increase in revenues from new policy holders. Investors were not pleased, pushing shares in Aviva down 28 per cent or 80½p to 204¾p in mid-morning trading, even though the company kept its full-year dividend steady and expressed confidence that its wide geographic and sectoral spread between fund management, life and general insurance businesses would allow it to weather further disruption in the global economy. For the year ending in December, Aviva made a pre-tax loss of £2.4bn, compared with a profit of £1.8bn the year before. Gross written premiums – the revenues taken from all policyholders – rose 17 per cent to £36.2bn. The solvency surplus – a measure of the company’s ability to withstand losses beyond those currently envisaged– was £2bn at year-end. The loss per share was 36.8p compared to earnings per share of 48.5p in 2008. The final dividend of 19.91p was 6 per cent lower than the 21.1p paid at the end of 2007, but due to a higher interim pay-out this year, the full-year dividend of 33p is the same as last year. But analysts raised concerns that the decision by Aviva to pay a dividend may put a strain on the group’s capital reserves. John Githongo's book is being launched in London on Monday 9th March, 2009 at the Brunei Suite, SOAS, Russell Square , London WC1H 0XG as from 6.00 p.m. The book entitled "ITS OUR TURN TO EAT" is the story of a Kenyan Whistleblower by Michela Wrong. Several speakers will be speaking at the launching among them Michela Wrong - Author, Journalist, Sir Edward Clay - Former UK High Commissioner to Kenya, Lillian Cherotich - Oxford University and Charlotte Njeru - Freelance journalist. When John Githongo, Kenya s anticorruption czar, appeared one cold February morning on the doorstep of Michela Wrongs London flat, it was clear something had gone awry in a country regarded until then as one of Africa s few success stories. Johns tale, which has all the elements of a political thriller, is the story of how a brave man came to make a lonely decision with huge ramifications.
Singer Jay Kay's £1 million Ferrari was smashed up this morning following an alleged row at a hotel in an upmarket seaside resort. The incident happened in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, in the early hours. Police sources confirmed that a 21-year-old chef had been arrested and was being held in custody. The Jamiroquai frontman, who is famed for his love of fast cars, described the incident as "disappointing". "It's disappointing - that's all I'll say," he said. "It says something about the British psyche." He also joked: "It's probably the first incident in Aldeburgh for about 60 years." The singer had spent the night at the seafront Brudenell Hotel and was seen drinking in the bar yesterday evening. Sources said the alleged vandalism took place after an earlier row involving the singer. 7 year child concession rule in UK abolished The SEVEN YEARS CHILDREN RULE in the UK was withdrawn by the Immigration Minister last and kept secret until last month. (See below). Previously children born or comes from abroad and stays for a period of SEVEN years before the age of age are given Leave to Remain. This is no longer the case. UK immigration drops ‘7 year child concession’Published by Gareth McConnell on December 11th, 2008 in UK immigration ‘The United Kingdom Border Agency is withdrawing DP5/96, a concession which has also been referred to as the seven year child concession, as of 9 December 2008.’ - Phil Woolas, Minister for Borders and Immigration. As many people already know DP5/96 protected the rights of children born and/ or living in the UK continuously for at least 7 years. It meant the child and parents could not be deported to the parents original country, as in most cases, it would be a traumatic and unfamiliar experience. Effective immediately is the decision not to support visa applications relying on a DP5/96. Is this a good or bad decision? Removals will still be able to be challenged under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act which takes into consideration the decisions in the cases of Beoku-Betts (FC) (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department. The withdrawal of 5/96 is due to changes in UK immigration rules and the Human Rights Act 1998, which appear to have superceded the rules of 5/96. Children who have spent less than seven years in the UK might now have a case to argue as long as strong, documented evidence is produced to support an application. Are you affected by the seven year child concession? Were you relying on 5/96 for your indefinite leave to remain? Do you have children born in the UK younger than 7? The Immigration Minister has announced that DP5/96 is withdrawn as of 9 December 2008. From now on applicants will not be able to rely on it in support of new applications or to resist new enforcement action, however if there are outstanding applications relying on it they may still get the benefit of it.... Home office Policies
Nairobi, Wednesday 4th March, 2009. ODM's threat to pull out of the coalition government has elicited mixed reactions. On Tuesday ODM threatened to walk out of the coalition government, perhaps as a sign that all is not well within the coalition government. The party also wants a renegotiation of the national accord, arguing that as matters stand now there is no real power sharing. However Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula has dismissed calls to renegotiate the accord and told ODM to focus on strengthening the coalition. Wetangula urged ODM to take up the matter within the confines of the top leadership in the coalition rather than playing to the gallery. Separately, ODM- Kenya through its Secretary General Mutula Kilonzo has dared the party to walk out of the coalition accusing it of resorting to diversionary tactics to cover corruption scandals. ODM's threat comes barely a week after the coalition government marked its first anniversary since the signing of the National Peace and reconciliation accord ending the violence that followed the disputed 2007 presidential elections. On Tuesday, ODM's main partner in the coalition PNU stated categorically that there would be no renegotiation of the deal.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan's president on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. However, the court stopped short of accusing Omar al-Bashir, who denies the charges, of committing genocide. Reports say Sudan's capital, Khartoum, was tense as people awaited the decision, with fears of unrest. The UN estimates some 300,000 people have died and millions been displaced in six years of conflict in the region. ITV in UK has confirmed it is axing 600 jobs and selling its Friends Reunited social networking website. The company, which has been hit by a fall in advertising, said it planned efficiency savings of £155 million this year, rising to £175 million in 2010 and £245 million in 2011. Nairobi, Wednesday 4th March, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki and First Lady Mama Lucy Kibaki have warned that they will sue anybody bent on spreading malicious rumours about the First Family. Referring to untruthful remarks attributed to former MP Paul Muite regarding the first family, President Kibaki categorically stated that contrary to the lies peddled by the former legislator which were aired by a section of the media, he has only one wife, Mama Lucy Kibaki, who all Kenyans know. The President also said that he has four children -Judy Wanjiku, Jimmy Kibaki, David Kagai and Tony Githinji. "After listening to some statements aired by a section of the media yesterday, I want to warn that anyone bent on peddling malicious rumours about my family will see me in court. You know and everybody knows that I am married and that I only have one wife, Lucy," President Kibaki said. In this regard, the Head of State urged members of the public and the media not to listen to lies from malicious people about the first family. President Kibaki also took issue with the media for publicizing lies, saying they should always endeavour to uphold the truth by verifying facts to guard against feeding the public with falsehoods. On her part, the First Lady said it was not fair for the media to continue misrepresenting facts about the First Family even after they have been furnished with the truth.
Kibaki furious over Muite claims - CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO Jacko arrives for '£150m return' in London
Michael Jackson has arrived in London, fuelling rumours he wants to reclaim his throne as the King of Pop. The singer arrived by private jet in the afternoon, as speculation reached fever pitch that he would unveil a reported series of live shows in Britain which could net him £150million. The 50-year-old's camp said he would greet the world's media – and a few die-hard fans – at the O2 Arena in London tomorrow to deliver his eagerly awaited announcement. The fallen star is expected to reveal he will play a 30-date residency at the venue this summer. Insiders say the Smooth Criminal is aiming to rebuild his depleted fortune and could get £5million for each night's show. Jackson ruled the pop world in the 1980s with albums such as Bad and Thriller but in recent years he has become more reclusive and eccentric. There have also been concerns for his health. The singer has spent time living outside the US – and given up his famous Neverland ranch– since his acquittal on child molestation charges in the country in 2005. He last visited London for the World Music Awards in 2006. Jackson's arrival yesterday came without the usual fanatical hysteria that accompanies one of his visits. Still, fans who cannot wait to catch a glimpse of their controversial hero will undoubtedly start to amass at the plush hotel The Lanesborough in central London, where he checked in.
LEFT: The terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan dominates the front page of The Independent.CENTRE: The Daily Telegraph devotes its front page lead to a story saying that Gordon Brown is refusing to apologise for the recession. RIGHT: The Daily Express says Barack Obama has declared that the US 'loves' Britain. ODM demands renegotiation of National Accord, backs Alston reportODM kicked a fresh storm over the power sharing deal with PNU, demanding renegotiation of the National Accord. In its initial statement on the first anniversary of power sharing, Prime Minister Raila Odinga summoned his top brass officials to a three-hour meeting before they announced new demands. The National Executive Committee meeting at Orange House delivered its verdict on the political union, saying "the Grand Coalition has fallen short of implementing the National Accord in letter and spirit, thereby short-changing our party in appointments". Party Secretary-General Anyang’ Nyong’o read the statement on behalf of the party: "We were given a raw deal in appointments to civil service, public corporations, and the security services and undermining power sharing in several respects." The National Accord, therefore, needs to be renegotiated. "There is no need in staying in a marriage where conjugal rights are denied arbitrarily and ODM forced to abstain," Nyong’o told The Standard in an interview. Deputy party leaders Musalia Mudavadi and William Ruto, chairman Henry Kosgei, Assistant ministers Aden Duale, Margaret Wanjiru, Omingo Magara, Josephat Nanok, Ramadhan Kajembe and MPs Chris Okemo, Raphael Letimalo, and David Were attended the meeting. The power-sharing deal was signed on February 28, last year, and agreed on a 50-50 real power sharing of slots in the Government. Prof Nyong’o said the Government continued to operate under the authoritarian presidency, in which ODM was not consulted in appointments. "We have abandoned the National Accord and we continue to operate as if there was none," Nyong’o, who was flanked by Mr Kosgei, said. "We expect the joint meeting to review the coalition under former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the end of March." ODM backed UN Special Rapporteur Philip Alston’s report on extrajudicial killings, and said Attorney General Amos Wako and Police Commissioner Maj Gen Ali Hussein should resign. "There must be effective reforms in Police Force to stop such killings. The party is committed to fighting corruption, negative ethnicity and impunity," Nyong’o said. - The Standard.
Velma Nanyama Mukhongo, 17, of Kenya High School carries a hen she received as a gift from her aunt Damaris Wabwire (right) after she emerged the top girl nationally in the 2008 Kenya Certificate of Secondary School examinations. The results also showed a drop in performance in 15 major subjects. - Daily Nation Book predicts worse poll violence Kenya’s lack of national identity means that its future elections could become more violent, a new book to be published in the United Kingdom on Thursday says. The book, Wars, Guns and Voters, examines sub-Saharan African countries that have had difficulty adjusting to political pluralism. The book, dedicated to Kenyan anti-corruption campaigner John Githongo, says Kenya cannot move forward while ethnic politics dominate debate. Ethnic politics “contaminate” election campaigns, Collier writes. Collier, a highly regarded economist and expert on developing countries’ economies, says ethnic politics prevents corruption being tackled seriously. “Public services are systematically worse as a result of ethnic diversity,” he writes. He also comments on attempts to tackle corruption, particularly Githongo’s efforts to expose those on the take. “Githongo’s devastatingly detailed revelations became world news. But instead of triggering a general clean-up, the long term response of the regime was to circle the wagons and disgraced ministers have been reappointed.” Collier criticises successive leaders for failure to build a Kenyan identity and contrasts this with Tanzania’s success. He also says that Kenyans cannot afford to continue with politics as usual, pointing at the huge economic damage. “In the years leading up to the (2007) election, the Kenyan economy had been doing rather well: its fastest growth for more than two decades. Nor had the benefits of growth been confined to the Kikuyu. Even the Luo recognised that they had become better off. “(Yet) 98 per cent of the Luo voted for Odinga. With this sort of voting behaviour, there is little incentive for a president to provide national public goods: he might as well favour his own.” He says most Kenyans “no longer regard the country as a functioning democracy,” and this could leave the country trapped in a cycle of poll violence. - Daily Nation
Jade Goody's battle with cancer has reached a new level after it was revealed the disease has spread to her brain. The 27-year-old Big Brother star is currently at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London as doctors fight to relieve some of her agonizing pain with more surgery. The cancer, which was originally discovered in her cervix, then spread to her liver, groin and bowel but now that her brain in affected, the pain is set to worsen severely. Despite the rapid increase of the disease throughout her body, her life expectancy is still predicted to be weeks away, not necessarily sooner, doctors said. Her spokesman Max Clifford told The Sun: "We are all hoping and praying that this will be a success", referring to her latest surgical procedure on Monday night. The side effects of cancer in the brain can cause headaches, fits, nausea and vomiting but the star is fighting to stay positive throughout her ordeal. If her latest surgery is successful she will be able to reduce her drug intake and start eating more, Max Clifford said. Jade's husband Jack Tweed is unable to be with his new wife as he spent Monday at Epping Magistrates Court in Essex to face his assault charges. The Pwani University College in Kilifi town has been closed indefinitely. The decision to close the campus was arrived at Tuesday afternoon after a six-hour closed door crisis board meeting presided over by the college's Principal, Professor Mohamed Rajab. Prof Rajab told journalists after emerging from the meeting that the board had resolved to close the campus until further notice to ease the tension that has been building between the students and boda boda (motorcycle taxis) operators in the town. Prof Rajab who was flanked by campus administrator Juma Mwachihi said that reopening date would be communicated to the students later. The students destroyed five motorcycles on Saturday night after a confrontation between them and the boda boda operators in the town. Trouble is said to have started when a female student allegedly refused to pay charges for a boda boda that she had hired to commute to the campus from the town centre. Boda boda operators backed by hawkers and members of the public on an apparent revenge mission reportedly gathered outside the gates of the campus on Sunday morning and beat up any student who ventured out of the institution. The tension and the fighting have paralysed learning at the institution as the students and the rowdy operators engaged int pitched battles. Due to the tension, students who reside outside the campus could not access the institution while those who live within the campus could not venture out. Meanwhile students of Egerton University's Njoro Campus went on the rampage Monday night protesting over persistent power blackouts at the institution. The students ran amok destroying property worth Ksh 7 million. Nakuru OCPD Daniet Kimeu said that the students smashed windows and pelted buildings in the institution with stones. Kimeu said that the disturbances lasted almost three hours and the students only calmed down after police intervened. The students demanded that the university installs a power generator to cushion them against persistent power blackouts. The university Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Ken Ramani said the power blackout was caused by over loading in the students' hostels. Ramani said that the university was doing everything possible to restore power to the hostels. He said that the university requires Ksh 4 million to replace the electric system in the affected hostels. On Tuesday the University's Senate was locked in a meeting to decide on the course of action.
United Nations staff hold hands in solidarity at their headquarters in Gigiri. They protested the replacement of Anna Tibaijuka as head of United Nations Nairobi office and on right Leader of the UN Nairobi Staff Union, Rhoda Atana addresses journalists after a demonstration by UN staff at their headquarters in Gigiri on Tuesday.- Daily Nation The polar regions possess a harsh but enticing beauty that has drawn generations of explorers – sometimes to their deaths. But, from today, the public can see online an 'unparalleled' image archive for which those such as Capt Robert Scott paid a high price. The 20,000 images range from strangely-shaped ice caverns to intimate portraits of Capt Scott working at his desk. It also includes images of rival Sir Ernest Shackleton, as well as more modern efforts – such as a pair of frozen jeans, taken on a trip led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The digitised archive, called Final Freeze, was created using negatives, daguerreotypes and lantern slides held by the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University. Putting the images online allowed the institute to reach a wider audience and protect the most fragile items form being lost forever, said its keeper Heather Lane. The 'unparalleled record' could be used to study everything from photography and nutrition to global warming, said Alistair Dunning at JISC, which helped with the digitisation. See more images at www.freezeframe.ac.uk
A different world: Griffith Taylor and Charles Wright are overshadowed by a vast, frozen cavern, with ship Terra Nova in the distance, January 5, 1911 Pictures: PA London, Wednesday 4th March, 2009. The FTSE 100 has continued its slide, ending the day at a new six-year low. The index registered a further fall of 3%, adding to Monday's 5.3% collapse as financial stocks came under more pressure. It slid below the 3600 mark to close at 3512.1, a fall of 113.7 points (3.14%) on the day. The fragile confidence of the market was underlined after a brief early morning rally for the banks soon fizzled out. Asian-facing bank Standard Chartered enjoyed gains of more than 10% at one stage, following annual results which surpassed most troubled rivals in the sector. Part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group shed 8%, Royal Bank of Scotland fell 4% and Barclays lost 7%. HSBCenjoyed an early bounce after a 19% fall yesterday over its plans for a £12.5bn UK record rights issue, but the stock was downgraded by analysts and finished virtually unchanged. The FTSE registered its lowest close since the 3287 recorded at the outbreak of war in Iraq at the end of March 2003. If this level is breached, the index will be at lows not seen since 1995. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones closed down 37.27 points, or 0.55%, to end at 6726.02. Markets in France and Germany were marginally down today after joining in yesteday's turmoil. Investors in America were hit yesterday after the Dow closed below 7,000 - at 6,763 - for the first time since 1997. The slumps on either side of the Atlantic followed a double whammy of figures from American insurer AIG and HSBC bank. Overnight, most Asian markets felt the strain of the slumps in America and Britain. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 50.43 points, or 0.69%, to close at 7,229.72. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed at -2.3%, while Shanghai's key index was off 1.02%. David Buik of BGC Partners, pointed out that the FTSE 100 is now lower than when Tony Blair won the 1997 general election. "What a waste of a decade that was," he said.
Farmers save diesel on a market run by pushing their corn-laden tractor. Instead of making two trips, they spent three hours hauling it uphill to Shijiazhuang. One had to stand on the front to keep the wheels down. 'They wasted half a day saving half a litre of diesel,' said one trader. Nairobi, Tuesday 3rd March, 2009. The results of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) is out. The performance has declined compared to last year. While releasing last years KCSE results, Education Minister Prof. Sam Ongeri said performance improved in Mathematics and other compulsory subjects. Ongeri said the qualifications of C+ and above plus the overall mean grade declined to 817 compared to 1157 in 2007 and 1167 in 2006. He attributes the decline on post election violence that displaced students and teachers in 2008. He said due to that, there was congestion in many schools across the country and that there was loss of learning freedom. He further attributes the poor performance in schools to unrest and school closures that interrupted the students learning. The minister recommended good discipline to be embraced in the schools. He said, irregularities at all times dropped to 1419 from 1875 in 2007 saying candidates planned and collected cash to buy examination papers facilitating the cheating. He said 159 mobile phones were collected more than 50 in 2007 adding that the cases were in court. He further said some candidates smuggled pre-prepared notes while others paid cash for others to sit the exams on their behalf. Meanwhile, the boys aggregate was higher with 54 percent against 46 percent for girls. Prof. Ongeri however said the number of girls in central province were higher with 51 percent against the boys at 49 percent.
Education minister Sam Ongeri (left), his assistant Ayiecho Olweny (centre) and PS Karega Mutahi during the announcement of the 2008 KCSE results at the Kenya Institute of Education in Nairobi on Tuesday. Maugo Nyauma Mark of Alliance Boys was named as the overall top student and Kenya High School's Mukhongo Nanyama Velma the top girl at position four overall. - Daily Nation He said gender disparities persist in most provinces with North Eastern Province recording the highest with 74 percent boys and 26 per cent girls. Nyanza follows suit with only 61 per cent for boys and 39 percent for girls. Prof. Ongeri said there was need for strategies to reduce gender gaps. He said the number of handicapped candidates increased to 344 last year compared to 250 in 2007. He said in 2008, 18 candidates sat for exams in prison while 80 sat for exams in hospital adding that no candidate was left unregistered.Over 304,829 candidates sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) exam.At the same time, Ongeri says transition rates continue to rise since 2003. The Number of students in form one in public secondary schools is 445,872, indicating a 64 percent increase compared to 2006 when only 57 % transited to Secondary Schools. Ongeri says the Ministry might just achieve its intended transition target of 70 percent by 2010 if the trend continues. He said that affordable free day secondary education implemented in January 2008 saw the growth in number of secondary schools from 4071 in 2003 to 6566 this year.A Major challenge in the ministry is that as the number of candidates continues to grow annually they cannot all be absorbed hence the need to expand secondary schools every year.Prof. Ongeri urged private partners to intervene and open more schools to enhance enrolment. He further said the government is considering offering an alternative curricular to cover the shortfall. Other strategies include introduction of distance learning, e- learning and digitalization of primary and secondary curricular. Grants will also be issued in schools to help improve infrastructure. Male students top 2008 KCSE examinationWritten By:Westley Ruto , Posted: Tue, Mar 03, 2009 Maugo Nyaoma Mark is the top student in the 2008 Kenya Certificate Secondary Examination -KCSE- with an aggregate of 87.267 points. Nyaosi Bugei Omote is second with 87.262. Patel Kush Nikhil is the third best student. Overall the performance of girls compared to boys is very poor. Out of the ten top candidates overall there is only one female candidate Mukhongo Nanyama Velma at number four with an aggregate of 87.17. The rest in order of performance are Ogaro Denver Mosigisi, Bosire Eric Omingo, Taabu Okinyi Robert, Bernard Larpei Tabarua, Kimani Morris Wabacha and Ondigo John Asango . The top 10 female students are Mukhongo Nanyama Velma, Manju Rose Sebastian, Wambua Ndunge, Obayo Antonina Zebby, Muiru Ruth Wanjiru, Irungu Wanjiru, King'oo Faith Kalekye, Cherop Christine, Owira Quinn Patricia and Obasi Kwamboka Maritha. The top positions in Nyanza and North Eastern provinces were dominated by male candidates with not a single girl appearing in the top 10. In Nyanza Province only nine girls made it to the top 100 students while in North Eastern Province only 11 girls made the top 100 list. However, in Eastern Province girls are topping taking the first three positions. Girls also took 51 positions out of the top 100 in the province. Students score poorly in varsity entry exams Students score poorly in varsity entry exams Results of last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations have been released by the Ministry of Education. Maugo Nyauma Mark of Alliance Boys is the overall top student. Kenya High's Mukhongo Nanyama Velma is top girl at position four overall, and the only one in the top ten category. For the first time, schools’ performance has not been ranked. The results have been posted on the Kenya National Examination Council's website www.examscouncil.or.ke. Announcing the results on Tuesday, Education Minister Prof Sam Ongeri expressed concern over the general decline in performance. He attributed this to last year's post-election violence and the subsequent students' unrest that hit many schools in the country. "Peace is an expensive commodity," the minister said "..it creates a conducive environment for students to do well." He said performance was affected by the many schools that were razed to the ground during the post-election violence and the displacement of students during the crisis. He however, said that the Government had made sure all the displaced students had been registered for the exams. Prof Ongeri said cases of irregularities had reduced from the previous year's 1879 to 1419 cases. He added that most of the irregularities involved the use of mobile phones in examination rooms, which is banned. The minister said it was sad that some teachers assisted students to acquire mobile phones for use in the examinations. The 2008 KCSE examinations were the first to be conducted under the free secondary education system.Overall Top 10 Positions of Candidates
London, Tuesday 3rd March, 2009. Share prices tumbled across the globe on Monday amid mounting fears over the financial health of banks and a spate of dividend cuts. Investors scrambled for the relative safety of government bonds and the US dollar. A sharp sell-off in London pushed the FTSE 100 index to a six-year low, and to its lowest level in 14 years in dollar terms. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell below 7,000 for the first time in 12 years. The slump followed dramatic overnight falls in Asian stocks. Lena Komileva, head of G7 market economics at Tullett Prebon, said a “flight to liquidity” from stocks and corporate credit and into government bonds was being driven by renewed banking sector jitters. These fears had compounded concerns about a deepening global recession. The FTSE 100 closed down 5.33 per cent, or 204.26 points, at 3,625.83, its lowest since March 2003. It has declined 18.2 per cent since the start of the year. Monday’s sell-off followed news of HSBC’s decision to raise £12.5bn in a deeply discounted share sale, to cut its dividend, and to pull out of US consumer lending. Banks led the share price falls. HSBC dropped almost 19 per cent. Lloyds Banking Group fell more than 15 per cent and Standard Chartered was down almost 12 per cent.
In the US, American International Group, the troubled global insurance conglomerate reported a $61.7bn (£44bn) fourth quarter loss, the largest in US corporate history. Citigroup was hardest hit among US banks, dropping more than 17 per cent, while French bank BNP dropped 9.3 per cent, BBVA of Spain was also 9.3 per cent lower and Deutsche Bank fell 5.1 per cent. It has been a dismal start to 2009 for global stock markets. The MSCI World index of 23 developed-country equity markets has suffered its worst start to a year – down 22 per cent – since it was created in 1970. Investors took fright at the tally of blue-chip companies cutting dividends. After last week’s decision by General Electric to cut its pay-out, HSBC on Monday cut sharply its dividend, while PNC Financial and International Paper in the US also reduced pay-outs. US investors are facing the worst year for dividend cuts since 1938, Standard & Poor’s has forecast. The sell-off came despite US manufacturing data in the closely watched ISM survey that were not as weak as expected. The survey showed a second consecutive improvement in manufacturing, prompting some analysts to suggest December might have marked a low point. Other figures showed that US consumers increased their spending for the first time in seven months in January. But Michelle Meyer, at Barclays Capital in New York, said: “Consumers are still struggling with a rapid deterioration in the labour market, distressed capital markets and a deepening housing recession.” Oil took the brunt of fears over the world economy, falling more than $4 to as low as $40.12. Gold also lost ground. But the dollar gained as it benefited from its status as the world’s reserve currency, with the trade-weighted dollar index rising to a three-year high. Government bond prices rose strongly, but remained below their mid-December peaks. The UK Home Offices figures shows that there about 130,000 Kenyans in the UK. Mr. Seed put the figure much high. The 130,000 figure is for those legally registered in the UK and half of this includes the Asians and Somalians who has been travelling to the UK with the Kenyans passport long before the Kenyans. I would imagine over 50,000 others Kenyans who are not registered. A Kenyan girl student has died in India. Police said that Evelyn Mumbi Karumba (23) from Kenya, who was studying 5th year medicine in the college, stayed with her friends at a house in Alagapuram colony. She was studying in a private medical college and died in a private hospital on Sunday 1st March, 2009 after she reportedly fell sick suddenly in her house. It is said that on Saturday night she developed nausea and started vomiting blood. The Kenyan High Commission was informed, which in turn conveyed the news of the death to the girl’s parents. Mr. Seed is currently writing a book about his grandfather Senior Chief Njiiri wa Karanja. The book covers his family tree describing that the original name of Chief Njiiri was Muchiri. When he moved to Maasailand as a young boy of 25 years in 1890 and the Maasai people could not be able to pronounce the name Muchiri - instead they pronounced it as "Njiiri" henceforth the name changed to Njiiri. While at the Maasailand his learned their culture and skills. The book covers his family - how he managed his 42 wives, the servants, Mau Mau and the British government. How well connected he was - dignitaries visited him in his house including the Queen of England, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and the former British governor Sir Evelyn Baring. The book covers how he managed to get land his which covers over 5,000 acres. Also covered in the book is how he educated his children - one day in 1965, 27 of his children left Kenya to study abroad - three of which has never gone back. Who are the 42 women? How many children and their names? Do the grandchildren know each other? As a young man he was sent by his father to go and collect the famous Kikuyu prophet "Mugo wa Kibiro". The prophet started it by prophesying to the young Njiiri at 15 years. What did he prophesied to him? We are gathering the information and photos. Anyone with a suggestion can send it to misterseed@yahoo.co.uk
The current Queen of England visiting Senior Chief Njiiri wa Karanja in his homestead at Kinyona Village, Muranga, Kenya in the early 50s and Sir Evelyn Baring former Kenya Governor is seen in the middle and on right is Senior Chief Njiiri whom Njiiri's High School is named - he donated 60 acres of the land where school stands today AIG enters record books with $61.7 billion 4th-quarter loss
NEW YORK (Reuters) - American International Group Inc reported a $61.7 billion fourth-quarter loss on Monday, the largest quarterly loss in U.S. corporate history, after a revised rescue plan from the U.S. government. The massive loss, equal to $22.95 a share, is the company's fifth consecutive quarterly loss, bringing the total loss over that period to in excess of $100 billion. Investment losses, writedowns and restructuring charges were the largest drivers of AIG's fourth-quarter loss, more than wiping out operating profits posted by its insurance subsidiaries. AIG, the recipient of $150 billion in taxpayer aid last year, on Sunday reached a deal that revises its government bailout to give the company more financial flexibility, and head off rating cuts that could have triggered crippling collateral calls and termination clauses in policyholder contracts.
An Indonesian known as Tree Man because he was covered in branch-like warts appears to be winning his battle against the rare skin condition. The latest picture of Sun Zhongjian shows him in a rather suggestive pose, showing off his new body. He had previously been covered by warts which were caused by a rare skin condition. He has been confined to a bed for two years after the illness caused wood-like lumps to grow on his hands, legs and feet. He is being treated at a hospital in Beijing, China. After makin an initial recovery and losing many of his warts last year, things took a turn for the worse in December when it emerged that they had grown back. In this latest picture, only some traces of the condition are visible on his hands. The US economy shrank at an annual rate of 6.2% in the last three months of 2008 official figures show, a far sharper fall than previously reported. Plunging exports and the biggest fall in consumer spending in 28 years dragged the annualised figure down from an earlier estimate of 3.8%. The decline was much worse than analysts had expected, sending US stocks spiralling lower. In 2008 as a whole, the economy grew by 1.1%, the slowest pace since 2001. The blue-chip Dow Jones industrial average dropped 119.15 points, or 1.66%, to 7,062.93. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 2.36% to 735.09 - a 12-year low. Guinea-Bissau president shot dead
Renegade soldiers have shot dead the president of Guinea-Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira, hours after a bomb blast took the life of his rival, the armed forces chief of the fragile West African nation. reports say. Luis Sanca, security adviser to Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr., confirmed the president's death but gave no details. "President Vieira was killed by the army as he tried to flee his house which was being attacked by a group of soldiers close to the chief of staff Tagme Na Waie, early this morning," the military spokesman, Zamora Induta, told AFP. Induta added that the president was "one of the main people responsible for the death of Tagme." Vieira was trying to escape when he was "taken down by bullets fired by these soldiers," he said. Gunfire was heard for several hours around Guinea-Bissau's presidential palace, hours after a bomb blast killed the fragile West African nation's armed forces chief. It was not immediately clear whether a coup was under way, and the capital, Bissau, was tense but calm. HSBC unveils record £12.5bn rights issue HSBC on Monday 2nd March, 2009 launched the largest traditional rights issue in UK corporate history to raise more than £12.5bn as it outlined plans to close its struggling US consumer lending business. The new shares are to be offered to existing shareholders on five-for-12 basis priced at 254p, a discount of nearly 50 per cent compared with Friday’s closing price of 491¼p. The shares, which had been suspended in Hong Kong ahead of the announcement, fell nearly 11 per cent in morning trading to 440¾p in London trading. The news came as HSBC confirmed it was closing its US consumer finance business and shutting nearly 800 branches. It will take a $265m restructuring charge against the closure, but this would lead to $700m of annual savings. The move would result in the loss of 6,100 jobs. Stephen Green, chairman of HSBC, expressed regret for buying the business in 2003 for $14bn. “With the benefit of hindsight, this is an acquisition we wish we had not undertaken,” Mr Green said in a statement on Monday. He also said the banking industry had “done many things wrong”. HSBC had “not always been perfect” but would be at the centre of rebuilding trust in financial institutions. He said Mike Geoghegan, chief executive, Douglas Flint, finance director, and Stuart Gulliver, head of global banking and markets, would refuse any cash bonus for 2008, while no share awards would be made either. Mr Green had previously said he would not take cash bonuses, only share-based ones. Mr Flint defended the decision to buy Household bank six years ago. “In 2003, neither we nor anyone foresaw recession or depression in the US six years forward.” Now, he said, “we’re playing the ball from where it lies.” Mr Flint said it would take five to seven years to run off the existing US lending business. HSBC will retain the credit card business in the US, which has a balance sheet of about $50bn out of the total balance sheet of the consumer finance business of $147bn. The business, branded in the US under the HFC and Beneficial names, had already stopped writing new mortgages and auto finance business, but still had been originating some home equity deals. However, Mr Flint said that with house prices in the US falling, there was no equity left in people’s homes to provide the raw material for new business. The bank’s results for 2008 showed a pre-tax profit of $19.9bn, down 18 per cent on 2007, before a goodwill write-off of $10.6bn relating to the US business, leaving a pre-tax profit of $9.3bn. The bank warned of another difficult year ahead. The bank said it made a profit in each of its regions except for North America, where it recorded a loss of $15.5bn including the goodwill write-down. There were strong performances from the bank’s emerging markets operations. Pre-tax profits from mainland China rose 25 per cent to $1.6bn while those from India were up 26 per cent to $555m. Profits from the Middle East rose 34 per cent to $1.7bn. Loan impairment charges and credit risk provisions totalled $24.9bn up by $7.7bn from the 2007 level. Mr Flint said the rights issue would increase the bank’s capital strength, positioning it both to withstand the turbulent year ahead allowing it to take advantage of opportunities “for stronger capitalised banks to increase market share” further out. The issue will have to be approved by shareholders at a general meeting, but the new capital would raise the bank’s capital ratios by 150 basis points, strengthening the core equity tier one ratio to 8.5 per cent, and the tier one ratio – a measure of balance sheet strength – to 9.8 per cent.
He said in soundings with shareholders, there had been a positive reaction to the structure of the rights issue, a traditional “plain vanilla” deal offering full pre-emption rights to shareholders which is being fully underwritten by Goldman Sachs International, JP Morgan and others. Other banks like Citigroup and Royal Bank of Scotland have had to rely on governments or sizeable new investors to raise capital, diluting existing shareholders. HSBC also promised to continue to pay cash dividends, unlike many of its competitors, although at a lower rate. It set the final quarterly dividend for 2008 at 10 cents a share, to give a total for the year of 64 cents, down 29 per cent in dollar terms, or 15 per cent in sterling. Mr Flint said in 2009 the bank aimed to pay the first three quarterly dividends at 8 cents a share, and to decide on the fourth in the light of performance and capital needs at the end of the year. Looking ahead, Mr Green said he expected economies in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America would be affected by the global downturn but would continue to outperform those of western countries. Unemployment would rise in the US and UK, and housing markets would continue to decline. He warned that “global growth depends on the US recovery”. The bank had, however, got off to a good start with its performance in January exceeding its expectations, especially in its global banking and markets division. Nokia is investigating reports of problems with its touchscreen 5800 phone in the US, just days after the mobile was launched. The device has been removed from sale at two flagship stores in the US. The problem is with connections to US 3G networks, BBC News has learned. A spokeswoman for Nokia told BBC News: "A small number of devices are not connecting with 3G networks and we are looking through that right now." She said the phone continued to be sold in "certain network areas". At the New York and Chicago flagship stores only the European version of the Nokia 5800 is on sale. Sales agents at the New York store are telling customers the phone has a "little issue" and they are "not being sold at all while the problems are looked into". Rescuers used jet skis, backhoes and human muscle to save dozens of whales and dolphins stranded on a beach in southern Australia on Monday, officials and news reports said. The 194 pilot whales and half a dozen bottlenose dolphins became stranded on Naracoopa Beach on Tasmania state's King Island on Sunday evening - the fourth beaching incident in recent months in Tasmania. Strandings happen periodically in Tasmania as whales go by during their migration to and from Antarctic waters, but scientists do not know why it happens. It is unusual, however, for whales and dolphins to get stranded together. Chris Arthur, of Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service, said 54 whales and seven dolphins were still alive when the rescue effort began. By late Monday, 48 animals had been returned to the sea by officials and more than 100 King Island residents who had volunteered to help. Backhoes dug trenches in the sand that allowed water to get close to the whales, as volunteers doused them with water and draped wet fabric over them to keep them cool. Groups of volunteers used stretchers to lug dolphins into the shallows, and other officials used small boats and a jet ski to pull whales out to sea. Rescuers were hopeful they would stay away from the shore. "It's too early to say yet but it's been a very, very positive day," Shelley Davison, a Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. It was not clear why the animals had beached on the island, halfway between Tasmania and mainland Australia. The Examiner, a Tasmanian newspaper, reported that the animals were caught by a very low tide. In January, 45 sperm whales died after becoming stranded on a remote Tasmanian sandbar, even though rescuers worked for days to keep them cool and wet as they tried to move them back to the open water. Last November, 150 long-finned pilot whales died after beaching on a rocky coastline in Tasmania. A week earlier, rescuers saved 11 pilot whales among a pod of 60 that had beached on the island state.
Rescuers used jet skis, backhoes and human muscle to save dozens of whales and dolphins stranded on a beach in southern Australia on Monday, officials and news reports said. The 194 pilot whales and half a dozen bottlenose dolphins became stranded on Naracoopa Beach on Tasmania RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - In any endurance event, an unprepared athlete is in danger of hitting "the wall" -- a point when the muscles weaken, the spirit droops, and the distant finish line seems to be playing a cruel joke. For me, under the harsh glare of TV cameras and thousands of spectators, that point came about halfway along Rio de Janeiro's hallowed Sambadrome strip on my debut Carnival parade. Sweat was pouring from under my pink peacock of a hat, which felt like it had a death grip on my head. My initially lively jig had deteriorated into a kind of lumbering two-step that owed more to my clubbing days than to the handful of Samba lessons I have taken since arriving in Brazil 10 months ago. London, Monday 2nd March, 2009. Mortgage lending dived by more than 60% during January to just one 10th of its level 12 months ago, figures show. The Bank of England said net mortgage lending, which strips out redemptions and repayments, was £690 million during the month, down from £1.79 billion in December. It is the second lowest monthly total recorded by the Bank since it began to keep statistics in this format in April 1993, and represents a steep dive from the £6.91 billion lent in January last year. Total mortgage advances slumped to £13.64 billion in January, a level last seen in July 2001. But the number of mortgages approved for house purchase remained steady at 31,000, in line with both the previous month's figure and the recent six-month average. Estate agents have reported a pick-up in interest during recent weeks as steep interest rate cuts and house price falls tempt potential buyers back into the market. But this interest has yet to translate into higher sales and, even if consumers are now more willing to buy a property, they are still likely to struggle to get the mortgage they need. The number of people remortgaging continued to fall during January, dropping to 34,000 - less than half the 72,000 who switched home loans in October. The steep drop in remortgage numbers is likely to have been caused by lower interest rates making it cheaper for many people to remain on their lenders' standard variable rate, which they revert to at the end of a deal, rather than take out a new mortgage. House price falls of more than 20% will also have eroded the level of equity many people have in their property, making it difficult for them to switch provider or qualify for the best rates. Electric cars for hire on London streets
Mayor of London Boris Johnson is planning an electric car hire scheme for London in which users pick up a battery-powered vehicle in one part of the city and drop it off in another. The Mayor said today he wanted to make London a "world leader" in the promotion of the environmentally-friendly vehicles. He added: "At this stage it is important to ensure we fully understand the potential market for electric vehicles in London so that we can trigger a demand for this type of technology. My goal is for London to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe." The plan mirrors a Paris scheme which will be in place by the end of the year. The "Autolib" car programme, modelled on a highly successful bicycle-hire scheme, will see 4,000 electric cars sited across the French capital and its suburbs which drivers will be able to use at any time. The brainchild of its Socialist mayor, Bertrand Delanoë, it will see some 700 pick-up points established across the city, with 200 underground. Mr Delanoë has described the scheme as "a system of individual journeys that are completely clean". The cars will be released using a credit card, or with a pre-ordered subscription card. Mr Johnson has also announced plans to bring in 6,000 bicycles to the capital by next year to be run in a similar way to the Paris bicycle hire scheme. The Mayor has already pledged extra funding for a network of car recharging points in Westminster and has et up a forum aimed at increasing the number of electric cars. Sales of electric cars are currently small. One of the biggest problems for the scheme will be installing electric charging points, which cost £3,000 each. Currently Westminster council has 60 charging points - 12 on the street and 48 points in car parks. However, for a London-wide blueprint experts say hundreds of charging bays would be needed. In a Commons written answer, transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick said a total of 4,929 new battery-powered vehicles had been registered since 2004, and a total of 1,322 battery-powered cars took to the UK's roads last year, down from 1,374 in 2007. Commenting on the plan for London, Caroline Watson, of the Energy Saving Trust, said: "This is a brilliant idea and exactly the kind of innovative leadership we need. Electric vehicles are a new, and relatively untested technology, so this would be a great way for people to test the technology. It may even be that for many Londoners, a car hire scheme which is easy to use is all they need." In Paris, prices of €200-€250 a month are being suggested to drive up to 60 miles a day. Mr Delanoë has already doubled the projected number of cars from 2,000 to 4,000 and expanded the target area beyond the ring road. The electric cars are expected to be no bigger than Smart cars. Mr Delanoë said: "There will be a computerised system which allows you as soon as you collect the car to announce where you'll drop it off, so there will be a parking space available." One target group is young couples with children who occasionally need a car to shop or travel but cannot afford to run their own. Tourists would also enjoy the freedom of having a car available without having to worry about it when not in use. But Green party councillors in Paris warned that encouraging the public to use any type of car, instead of giving incentives to stick to bikes and public transport, was a bad move. Denis Baupin, a Green party deputy mayor said: "If this scheme encourages people to pick up these cars every day, using them to go into work and back instead of using bikes or the metro, crowding roads and changing habits, that's a problem." At the first meeting of the London Electric Vehicle Partnership late last year, representatives of the motor and energy industries and London boroughs agreed a plan to sharply increase the use of electric cars in the city. A job will be lost ‘every 25 seconds’ in UK recession. About 320,000 jobs look set to be lost in the next three months as the recession hits home, experts warn. If the cull continued at the same rate for the rest of the year unemployment would hit 3.06million – equating to a job lost every 25 seconds. The cuts would come from all sectors of business, from services to manufacturing, and among both large and small firms, business adviser BDO Stoy Hayward predicted. 'Businesses are taking swift and decisive action to tackle the challenges of the recession,' its report said. The jobless total in Britain now stands at 1.97million. Despite the cull, part-time workers rose by 33,000 in the three months to December last year, BDO Stoy Hayward's report added. In a glimmer of hope, the report indicates its optimism index, which predicts business confidence for the next two quarters, rose slightly in February compared with January. Meanwhile, the Engineering Employers' Federation warned more than 140,000 manufacturing posts would be lost this year. The EEF predicted the sector would shrink by 8.6 per cent this year, the worst decline since the recession of the 1980s. And the British Retail Consortium painted a bleak picture for the high street, estimating 140,000 premises would be empty by the end of 2009. It wants lower rents and a freeze on business rates. Business director Jane Milne said: 'Urgent action is needed. Boarded-up shops help no one.' 130,000 Kenyans live in Britain Kenyans are now among the top 12 nationalities born overseas but now resident in Britain, according to latest UK government statistics. Kenyans make up nearly 130,000 of the UK’s 6.5 million people who were born overseas, ahead of EU countries like France (124,000), Italy (112,000) and Spain (75,000). Only two African countries – South Africa with 203,000 residents and Nigeria with 139,000 residents – have more people living in the UK, although all three African countries are dwarfed by UK residents who were born in India (619,000), who make up 10 per cent of the total. The statistics also show that net immigration to the UK outstrips those leaving by 237,000. Now, of the total UK population, one person in nine is born overseas.
A businessman who lost his phone on a beach was stunned when it was returned after being found inside a fish. Andrew Chettle was green around the gills when he realised he had left his valuable phone on the beach. He was left casting around for a new mobile but just a week later his girlfriend's phone rang and it was fisherman Glen Kerley who said he had found the phone in a 25lb cod. When Chettle was told his phone had been found in the cod he thought he was being told a whopper. But while out shopping his girlfriend Rita Smith said: "Your old mobile number is calling my phone." Chettle told The Sun he thought the whole thing was a bit fishy but was convinced when Kerley told him he found it when gutting the cod. It seems fish and computer chips are a perfect match. Some major book shops in Nairobi are refusing to stock Githongo's book
A new book about exiled Kenyan corruption whistleblower John Githongo is considered so potentially explosive that some major book shops in Nairobi are refusing to stock it. Author Michela Wrong's expose looks set to cause further embarrassment to Kenya's public servants amid public anger at continued allegations of high-level corruption. The title - It's Our Turn to Eat - may evoke thoughts of sitting down to lunch or dinner for most readers around the world. But in Kenya, this simple phrase is filled with sinister meaning that symbolises the rot crippling the East African country. For years Kenyans have referred to corruption by the euphemism "eating". In the past, Kenya's resources were known as the "national cake", to be shared among its citizens by the government. Political power was seen as an opportunity, even duty, to "eat" as much of the national cake as they could, and share with those closest to them. Perhaps this was the inspiration for the phrase that would later grace the cover of a book about Mr Githongo, the man who tried to stop the "eating" going on at the very top table. Mr Githongo is described by Wrong as "a remarkable man who did something quite astounding". A former adviser to President Mwai Kibaki, Mr Githongo fled to the UK in 2005 claiming that his life was in danger after accusing top government officials of "massive looting". A former journalist and the founding director of Transparency International-Kenya, Mr Githongo had earned himself a stellar reputation in the fight against corruption. When he was appointed, many in the country believed he was the only man who could fight the deadly scourge. Instead, he faced decisions with huge personal consequences. And he was called a traitor and coward by the officials who had put him in that awkward position in the first place.
One cold February morning, Mr Githongo turned up on the UK doorstep of Wrong, whom he had met while she was working as a foreign correspondent in Kenya, In the days that followed, Wrong writes that she too was afraid, amid reports the Kenyan government had launched a manhunt for Mr Githongo in Kenya and in Britain. "I was aware that he had left Kenya for a reason. He didn't just turn up just like that. I assumed that the reason was because he was afraid for his life," she says. But she adds Mr Githongo played his cards close to his chest, as he contemplated what to do. When he finally went public, the revelations of the man who formerly had the president's ear sent shockwaves through Kenya. "He had all his ducks lined up. He had his information in order - he wanted people to believe him and the better organised his evidence was going to be, the more likely that was," says Wrong. While those in power wished they could quickly discredit and dismiss his claims, audio recordings of government officials urging Mr Githongo to "go slow" in his investigations forced Kenyans, and the world, to listen. It was a very turbulent time for Mr Githongo, and for Kenya, as several cabinet ministers were sacked pending investigations. But the government "investigations" turned to naught, the sacked ministers were quickly reinstated and corruption allegations continued to rock the country. Years later, with the publication of the book, his allegations remain a sore spot for the government. Mr Githongo still lives in the UK, and while he has stated that this is because of professional commitments, there is still an element of fear to the whole affair.
President Mwai Kibaki came to power promising to end corruption Nothing perhaps better illustrates this than the disclosure by some major book stores in Nairobi that they will not be stocking the book. "We've decided not to stock it because it's too political. It's too hot to handle," one store owner says. "We don't want any legal action so we've decided to stay away from it." "We don't have it because of government controversy. It can bring problems, you never know with this government," says another book store owner. But in this day and age, readers will not find it difficult to lay their hands on a copy of the book. Already the country's top-selling newspaper, Daily Nation, has published portions of the book and this is sure to whet readers' appetites. Mr Githongo says he no longer lives in fear although he continues to be cautious. In the last year, he has made several trips back to his home country. "Last year's election violence changed this country," he says. "I thought about it in the UK and decided that even if I am afraid for my life, my brothers, my family fled from their homes. "So I cannot say that I am in more danger than my fellow Kenyans." His revelations and refusal to turn a blind eye came at great personal cost, but he adds: "Right now, all of Kenya is in danger." This may be one of the reasons why he agreed to reveal what he knew in the potentially-explosive book, published this month in the UK. "The purpose of the book is to expose how corruption is destroying the country. If the country is developing the way it is supposed to, there must a be a situation where it can be said that it is time for every one to eat," he says. The violent aftermath of the disputed 2007 elections seems to have been an important turning-point for Mr Githongo.
After those polls, he said: "What makes corruption in Kenya a poison that damages politics is tribalism and the inequitable distribution of wealth. "When these two are combined with corruption, politics is so poisoned that it results in the sort of violence we witnessed." Some 1,500 people were killed as the election dispute ignited deep-seated rivalries, largely over access to economic resources such as land. The rival political leaders formed a power-sharing government to end the dispute but allegations of high-level corruption have continued. Mr Githongo seems to want to use his status to give voice to public outrage. But there are some in Kenya who think that he should fade gracefully from the spotlight. Many feel that Mr Githongo and It's Our Turn to Eat have nothing to add as most of the information surrounding the various scandals is already public knowledge. But there is no ignoring Mr Githongo's strong convictions of right and wrong and his hard-won reputation for integrity. "Individuals can make a big difference," says Wrong. "There have been a series of corruption scandals this year so you can't say that he changed the system. "But he caused huge embarrassment [to the government] and he put his mark down in history and he also showed other Kenyans that you don't just have to go along with the system." In this way, Mr Githongo might become a compelling role model for Kenyans who are increasingly getting fed up with the entrenched and crippling culture of official corruption. "There will be many other John Githongos, there are already many other John Githongos in Kenya. He's not the only one," the author says. Those who wish to follow his example are likely to find the book of most value, and certainly not the Kenyan politicians who will once again find themselves in the spotlight.
LEFT: The Times reports that Western leaders have been warned that five million jobs could be lost in the “new” European Union countries of the East unless radical action is taken to bail them out. CENTRE: The Daily Mail claims that new regulations will mean that single women having IVF will be able to name anyone they like as their baby’s father on the birth certificate. RIGHT: The Scotsman reports that hotel occupancy rates in Scotland have slumped further than anywhere else in the UK during the economic downturn. "One who said "I know everything" built a house without a door" - The Wisdom of Africa, Ghana The top ranked ministry in this year’s Kenya government list
The top ranked ministry in this year’s government list of best performers is Provincial Administration and Internal Security. Also performing well, in third place, is the Ministry of Information and Communications, just behind the Public Service Commission that was ranked second in the government list of top ministries and parastatals. The rankings, expected to be made public by President Kibaki on Tuesday, are likely to run into controversy because they conflict with public perceptions. The Security ministry, which is ranked “very good” with a score of 1.96 out of a possible “excellent” grading of 1.00, is the docket responsible for the police, now accused of executing suspects. The Ministry of Information and Communications authored and pushed for the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Act, a law opposed by the media and civil society because it undermined freedom of the press. The ratings raise serious questions about the criteria used to rank the ministries, since the exercise is expected to reflect the ability of departments to serve the public effectively. According to the report, performance contracts are supposed to “stem the erosion of public confidence in government and its institutions, by fulfilling the heightened expectations (of the public) in regard to attaining better performance standards in service delivery”. Each ministry, through its permanent secretary, negotiates its own contract, often without public participation. Ministries and departments are assessed on what they promise to achieve, rather than what the public expects of them. This explains why the findings of the latest report are not in tune with public opinion. - Daily Nation. America's trillion dollar question
The US economy has suffered a sharp nosedive. Plunging exports and the biggest fall in consumer spending in 28 years has meant that the decline was much worse than analysts had expected. Kevin Connolly in the US looks at why we are now talking trillions as well as billions. In the world of American government, the trillion is the new billion. There was a time when only astro-physicists and accountants practising in Zimbabwe had any use for a word which means a million millions. Barack Obama is not the only extraordinary phenomenon to rise to prominence in this country in the last year or so - the trillion is right up with him. Suddenly it is popping up in newspaper headlines with extraordinary frequency, even though it is surely a number so far beyond our everyday conceptual grasp that it conveys practically nothing. America's budget deficit for example - the amount by which what the government spends exceeds what it earns - is now $1.75tn, and its national debt - the total of those deficits accumulating from year to year - is nudging $11tn. If it helps to view it as a figure then here is America's annual budget deficit as it stands now: $1,750,000,000,000. And the national debt: $11,000,000,000,000. Does that help? No, I rather thought it would not. You get more of a feel for the scale when you consider that the digital national debt counter near Times Square in New York ran out of space when the number crossed the $10tn mark. They were only able to keep spelling out figures electronically by replacing the dollar sign at the front with an extra number. And yet the trillion is only one of a number of startling, incomprehensible numbers to make their way into the headlines since the start of this recession. Take Mr Obama's stimulus package for example, which ended up at $787bn (or just over three-quarters of a trillion if you prefer). You have probably heard by now the calculation that that is the equivalent of spending $1m a day every day starting from the birth of Christ and going on through the present day. Slightly more accessibly, it is also regarded, in real terms, as one of the most expensive projects ever undertaken by the American government. Only fighting and paying for World War II cost more. Vietnam came close but putting a man on the moon was a bargain in relative terms at about a third of the price of the stimulus programme. That is even more startling when you consider that the bailout for troubled banks (that is troubled in its modern sense of "greedy and incompetent") is only going to come in very slightly cheaper, at perhaps $750bn. The creation of the new reserve fund to pay for health care reform in Mr Obama's first budget will cost a further $634bn. And yet it is not very long ago that the word billion began creeping into the lexicon of everyday politics. In the past it was mostly regarded as a loose, non-specific way of conveying a sense of scale bordering on the fantastical - as in "a billion stars in the heavens". The speed of that verbal inflation is staggering. Most of us still use the word millionaire to describe someone of enormous wealth, but it has actually been around since the mid-19th century in its current form and once conjured an image of someone with limitless spending power. Today it is a little less special. There are thought to be around 10 million millionaires in the world and we use the word billionaire to convey the idea of limitless plenty instead - there are only just over a thousand of them, and maybe even fewer than that after the global collapse of values of the last year |
