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Urban dwellers in Kenya are slipping deeper into poverty, creating a ‘crime time bomb’, an international aid agency has warned. Oxfam GB says urban poverty in Kenya is so severe the Government, donors and NGO’s cannot afford to ignore the phenomenon anymore. In a new report, Oxfam says more than a third of the country’s urban population live in poverty. The report paints a grim picture of how nearly two million of Nairobi’s population live in slums with limited or no access to water, sanitation, housing, and education and health services. The report, ‘Urban Poverty and Vulnerability in Kenya’ says falling household income, rising prices and poor governance are making life a misery for the poor in Nairobi. "An increasingly disenfranchised and poverty stricken urban class is set to be the country’s defining crisis over the next decade, unless the Government and international donors act urgently," said the head of Oxfam GB, Kenya Philippa Taylor, in Nairobi Thursday. The report says this is linked to rapid urbanisation, warning the trend is likely to increase, unless sufficient measures are put in place. The report faults the Government for ignoring the growing urban crisis and called for more funds to improve their livelihoods.

"Just a few miles away from Parliament and State House, poor families are living in abject poverty, scouring streets for scraps of food and queuing for water they can barely afford. If the Government does not address this crisis it will get worse, said Ms Taylor. She added: "Having enough food to eat and clean, safe water is a basic human right, yet in Nairobi it is increasingly only for the rich minority. Nairobi is one of the most prestigious cities in East Africa, yet it is crumbling before our eyes." The report says a high proportion of the urban poor live in unplanned informal settlements. It says the global economic crisis and the current drought is not making life easy for city dwellers. Oxfam says more urban dwellers are now earning less, but forced to pay more to survive. Because of the rising poverty in the city, the report says, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. As a result of the huge urban inequality, Oxfam says, the struggle to survive has forced some into commit crime and prostitution. "With Kenya still extremely politically volatile following last year elections, the risk of ethnically linked clashes in Nairobi’s slums is exacerbated by the growing resentment over inequality and desperate living conditions," the report adds. - The Standard.

The message below reads: "Mau complex is a matter of life and death, let no one tribalise nor trivialise it! Money and power. Hon. Raila go ahead."

The message is loud and clear how the Mau forest saga is affecting everybody. The Maasai people and many other areas including Lake Nakuru depend on Mau water catchments area. To others the forest are for farming. On right - Kenya is slowly turning into anotheChina with bics without helmet. - Stor and Photo by Karuga wa Njguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

Mrs. Marion Kamau (Mama Kahara of Swahili Service, London) has lost his father back in Kenya through a road accident on Wednesday 9th September, 2009. Her mother passed away a month ago. You can contact her on 07984077663. More information later.

King's supporters riot in Uganda

Kampala, Thursday 10th September, 2009. At least two people have been killed in Uganda's capital, Kampala, in clashes between police and rioting supporters of a traditional king.  Police fired tear gas at the protesters who hurled stones and burned tyres. One report said at least seven people died. The demonstrators protested against the government's attempts to stop the king of Buganda from visiting a region near Kampala where violence was feared. The king has a big influence among the Baganda, Uganda's largest ethnic group. At least two people were killed in Thursday's riots in central Kampala, police and witnesses said. But a photographer working for the Associated Press news agency said he had counted seven bodies, adding that all the victims appeared to be civilians. King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II - who is constitutionally barred from taking part in national politics - had wanted to visit a hostile part of his community to the north-east of Kampala. The issue is so sensitive that ethnic Baganda members of parliament walked out of the legislature on Wednesday. There has also been a long history of tension between the king and central government, particularly over land reform proposals that the Baganda say threaten their community, the BBC's Peter Greste reports. Buganda is one of four ancient kingdoms in Uganda. It was abolished in 1966 but then restored in the 1990s.

Justice minister Mutula Kilonzo found himself on the receiving end in parliament Thursday 10th September, 2009 after some of the documents from the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission tabled Wednesday incriminating some ministers and members of parliament in corruption were expunged from the parliament records for failing admissibility test. Mutula also received a tongue lashing from Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo who was mentioned as one of those implicated in graft as he said he read malice in the minister's move to table the documents.Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu whose name was also mentioned in the report sought an apology from the minister for "casting aspersions on his character". The minister was however dealt a big blow when speaker of the national assembly Kenneth Marende gave parliament a green light to debate a motion by the joint committees of Legal affairs and Delegated Legislation on Ringera's reappointment. The motion is seeking to have the gazette notice announcing the reappointment of justice Ringera and his two assistants annulled saying the president breached the act that created the commission in carrying out the reappointments.

In his ruling Marende said the courts had no capacity to gag parliament which he said was the sole representative of the people of Kenya. He said the plea by Kilonzo that debating the motion would jeopardize the cases pending in the High court. Marende said Kilonzo had not supplied enough evidence that the cases were active adding that the documents tabled were chamber summons which were blank with no dates when involved parties were required for the hearing. He said there was no way parliament by debating the motion would influence the determination of the courts and sway the judgments. The speaker said parliament started debating the matter before the Law Society of Kenya moved to court hence the debate could continue. He said Kilonzo never did much to convince the House that debating the matter could infringe on the court's outcome and hence parliament should continue with the debate. Parliament will now debate the motion seeking to bar Ringera's reappointment a move that has put the executive at crossroad with the legislature. If adopted parliament will have revoked the gazette notice that reappointed justice Ringera and hence he would be in office illegally. If not parliament has another recourse in the order paper for the last four seating in an amendment seeking to delete the budget of the Kenya Anti Corruption commission amounting to 1.3 billion shillings for the supplementary estimates which will render the commission technically incapacitated.

Nairobi, Thursday 10th September, 2009. Rachuonyo South District Commissioner (DC)  Ms Veronica Wambi has died following a fatal road accident near Harambee Market along the Kendu Bay-Katito road. Nyando DC Mr. Isaac Tonui and Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Mr. Partrick Mbarire said the DC died at the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu while undergoing treatment. Mr. Tonui said the official vehicle in which the DC was traveling in lost control after it hit and killed a teenage cyclist, before ramming onto an incoming private vehicle. Five passengers in the private vehicle were seriously injured and rushed to Pap Onditi Sub District Hospital in Nyakach district. Ms Wambi, long serving District Officer and senior District Officer at Nyando District headquarters was three months ago promoted and posted to Rachuonyo South as DC. The DC's driver escaped unhurt.

A colourful wedding took place in London on Saturday 29th August, 2009 between Mr.  Isaac Muniu and Miss Sylvia Mwangi at Holy Innocents Church, 134 Tottenham Lane, Hornsey, London N8 7EL. A reception will followed thereafter at Eastbury Comprehensive School, Hulse Avenue, Barking, Essex, IG11 9UW. - To congratulate them contact 07985324388. On the right photo Isaac says "I do" and on the right hand photo - the couple cutting the cat at the reception as directed by Bishop Vanessa Wanjiku.

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The Organising Committee of Paul Mukiri (Blessed) who was Suddenly Deported to Kenya in June 2009,
 
Cordially Invites all his  Friends, Relatives and Well Wishers,
 
to a HARAMBEE  Ceremony to be held on 3rd October 2009 at

Denmark Arms, 381 Barking Road, East Ham, London, E6 1LA from 6.00pm.
  
The Guests of Honour will be:
 
*PASTOR MUHORO - MK                                 *MAMA SHIKO - ILFORD
 *KK - NOTINGHAM                                           *AUTIE MSOO - LONDON
 *SOLOMON WANJEMA - NORTHAMTON      *ROBERT KING'ANG'A - CROYDON
 *ANN WAMBUI - TEXAS, USA                          *PASTOR MWAURA- LONDON 

Blessed are the Merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7
 
Your Presence, Support, Contribution and Prayers will be Highly Appreciated.
 
RSVP: Mr Alex Kamau -07944701204, Pastor Mwaura - 07723076569 or Pastor Wangaruro -07940105578. 

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End of an era in Kenya's police force

President Mwai Kibaki witnesses the swearing-in of the newly appointed Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere at his Harambee House office, Nairobi.

Areas with lowest crime in Kenya named

Eastern Province is the safest region in Kenya following a 12 per cent crime incidence rate record in the three months preceding July, a report says. The crime rate in this region, according to the Synovate Research Group study, is five per cent below the national average of 17 per cent. Other relatively safe regions are Coast and Western provinces, which recorded a 14 per cent crime incidence rate in the same period. The study identifies Kenya’s most crime-prone regions as Rift Valley and North Eastern provinces, which have a 21 per cent crime incident rate - four per cent above the national average. Central Province follows closely with 20 per cent. Synovate’s findings, released by managing director George Waititu on Wednesday, indicate that Nyanza and Nairobi provinces had a crime rate of 17 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively, during the period. The report says the number of Kenyans who have fallen into the hands of criminals has risen by close to eight per cent since December last year. This led the crime rate in the country to jump to 18 per cent in March, this year, and only reduced by one per cent at the time of the last study in July. Crime in Kenya had reduced to 10 per cent in December 2008 from 21 per cent in March 2003, the study shows. Synovate Research was formerly known as Steadman. Mr Waititu attributed the rise in criminal activities to the emergence of criminal gangs and vigilante groups. He added that the hard economic times, including drought and high food prices, could be pushing Kenyans to crime to earn a livelihood. The research has been conducted every three months since 2003 and involves face-to-face interviews targeting at least 2,000 adults. Most of those polled said they encountered criminals at home and in the night. The researchers say that compared to Tanzania, which has a crime incidence of only three per cent, crime in Kenya is too high. Synovate says the state of insecurity in the country is pushing investors away as they are not ready to invest in the current environment. Business leaders in Kenya placed insecurity as one of the three key challenges facing the economy.

The Daily Express on Thursday 10th September, 2009 welcomes the news that the index of leading UK shares has gone past the 5,000 mark and The Daily Mail leads on the Royal Mail strikes, saying the backlog of post in London alone could run to 20 million items.

The High Court has stopped Agriculture Minister William Ruto from gazetting a license issued to a coffee miller. Central Kenya Coffee Mills Limited will have to wait for the court to hear and determine whether the minister issued the license legally. Justice David Onyancha made the decision in a case in which Mathira Coffee Millers Limited is challenging the document. "It is the view of the court that the applicant, having complied with the requirements of the law under which it wishes to access justice, it should not be denied such access," he said.

After blocking the sewage it bursts into the streets

After blocking the raw sewage to  Nairobi river, other challenges have emerged. It has now gone on top of the bridge. Seems John Gakuo (The Nairobi River Cleaning Co-odinator) has done his job but now is over to Nairobi water and sewage company to sort out the mess and divert it elsewhere before it blocks the bridge completely to pedestrians. Not an easy task though. The filthy sewage stinks and wananchi were caught trying to duck it by crossing the road. Some bus drivers seemed to have come from the moon and splashed the sewage all over. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

UK interest rates remain on hold

London, Thursday 10th September, 2009. The Bank of England has held interest rates at the record low of 0.5% for the sixth consecutive month. It has also said it would continue to pump up to £175bn into the economy - so-called quantitative easing - but that it would not extend the programme. Recent data has suggested that the UK has begun to climb out of recession. But the Bank has warned recovery will be "slow and protracted" and that it will take months for the full impact of its policies to be felt. Most commentators said the decision to leave rates, and the approach to quantitative easing, unchanged was sensible. "If you look at survey data, you see the signs of green shoots, but if you look at hard numbers on the real economy, green shoots are much more difficult to see," said Graeme Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors business group. "There is a clear divergence at present between the rhetoric and reality of recovery. This situation will change, recovery will come, but just as the private sector recession ends, the public sector recession will be only just beginning."  No changes in policy were expected until at least November, said Hetal Mehta, senior economic adviser to the Ernst & Young Item Club. "With the economy still weak and inflation projected to remain well below target for a prolonged period of time, interest rates are not heading up any time soon," she added.

The world will suffer another financial crisis, former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan has told the BBC. "The crisis will happen again but it will be different," he told BBC Two's The Love of Money series. He added that he had predicted the crash would come as a reaction to a long period of prosperity. But while it may take time and be a difficult process, the global economy would eventually "get through it", Mr Greenspan added. "They [financial crises] are all different, but they have one fundamental source," he said. "That is the unquenchable capability of human beings when confronted with long periods of prosperity to presume that it will continue." Speaking a year after the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, which was followed by a worldwide financial crisis and global recession, Mr Greenspan described the behaviour as "human nature". He said the current crisis was triggered by the trade in US sub-prime mortgages - home loans given to people with bad credit histories - but he added that any factor could have been the catalyst. If it were not the problem of these toxic debts "something sooner or later would have emerged", Mr Greenspan said.

Mr Greenspan, who when he ran the US central bank was hailed as a man who could move markets, also warned that the world's financial institutions should have seen the looming crisis. "The bankers knew that they were involved in an under-pricing of risk and that at some point a correction would be made," he said. "I fear too many of them thought they would be able to spot the actual trigger point of the crisis in time to get out." He also warned that Britain, with its globally-focussed economy, would be harder hit than the US by the current recession and collapse in world trade. "Obviously we've both suffered very considerably but ... Britain is more globally oriented as an economy and the dramatic decline in exports globally and trade generally following the collapse of Lehman Brothers had dramatic effects in the financial system of Britain," Mr Greenspan said. "It's going to take a long while for you [Britain] to work your way through this."

In order to prevent the situation arising again financiers and governments should look to clamp down on fraud and increase capital requirements for banks, the former central banker said. Regulations targeting the latter would mean banks would be forced to hold enough money to cover their normal operations and honour withdrawals.  However despite his belief in a brighter future, the former Fed chief did warn that the path to recovery should steer clear of protectionism as applying strict regulations could hamper recent developments that have opened up global trade. "The most recent endeavour to re-regulate is a reaction to the crisis. The extraordinary impact of these global markets is making a lot of financial people feeling they have lost control. "The problem is you cannot have free global trade with highly restrictive, regulated domestic markets." During the interview for BBC Two's The Love of Money series, the former Fed chief said the current economic crisis was a "once in a century type of event", and one that he did not expect to witness. Blamed by some for not doing more to prevent the crisis, Mr Greenspan denied any responsibility for the problems gripping the global economy. "It's human nature, unless somebody can find a way to change human nature, we will have more crises and none of them will look like this because no two crises have anything in common, except human nature."

Bishop Pius Muiru of Kenya coming for a crusade in London - CLICK THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE

Kenyans in Coventry meeting on 20th Sept. 2009

On behalf of Mrs Ann Chege of NEW HOPE CHILDREN'S CENTRE, UPLANDS, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended the meeting on Sunday. It was successful.

We would therefore like to take this opportunity to call for another meeting as we agreed. The meeting will be on Sunday 20/09/09 from 6.00pm at the same venue, St. Lawrence Church Hall, Old Church Road, (T-Juction with Profitt Avenue), Bellgreen, Coventry, CV6 7ED.

The purpose of the meeting is to bring our donations for the fundraising which has been organised in London. Residents of Coventry and the surrounding are thus welcomed. 

For any querries you can reach Baba Njoki on 07957907677, Baba Jimmy on 07723424136 or Baba Sharon (Lenny Kamau)  on 07961624483.

"Let us continue doing good for in due season we shall reap a happy harvest".

BANGALORE, September 7, 2009: Three alleged drug peddlers, including a Kenyan national, have been arrested and narcotics valued at Rs 9 lakh seized from them by City Crime Branch (Women) and Narcotic Drug squads. Police have seized Rs 5.9 lakh cash and a vehicle, used for transporting drugs, from the trio identified as Pappa Jo alias Joseph Auma Achola (39), a Kenyan, Ejaz Salim bin Mohammad Salim (44) and Arol Deepak D’Mello 28) of Bangalore yesterday.  A total of 82 grams of cocaine and 25 grams of hashish valued at Rs nine lakh in the drug market were recovered from the three, police said.  The squads also recovered a German-made shotgun valued at Rs 2.5 lakh from Ejaz Salim. The license of the gun which actually belonged to Salim’s father had not been renewed for the past ten years.  Achola, currently residing in Aguada Beach in South Goa, had come to India in 1999 and did his law degree from the National School of Law, Delhi. He had later moved to Goa and worked in an event management company there from 2003-07. In 2008, he opened a restaurant in Goa and bought cocaine and other narcotic drugs from Nigerian tourists which he inturn sold in Goa and Bangalore.

Wow, look at Caster go now! Gender-row runner gets chance

to show she's all woman in new photoshoot

We are used to seeing her in green and yellow Lycra as she trounces the rest of the pack on the running track. But now the world's fastest 800m female runner Caster Semenya - who caused an international storm after athletics officials questioned her gender - has taken the chance to show she is all woman. The 18-year-old was transformed from 'power girl to glamour girl' in a new photo-shoot for South African glossy magazine YOU.   In make-up, feminine clothes, and with her usually tightly-braided hair loose and styled over her shoulders, Caster's transformation is compelling. And the photographs bring the gender row, which had just faded from international news, roaring back into the foreground. The new-look Caster appears on the cover of the magazine and in a four-page spread inside. She is quoted as saying: 'I'd like to dress up more often and wear dresses but I never get the chance. I'd also like to learn to do my own make-up.' She also claims: 'I've never bought my own clothes - my mum buys them for me. But now that I know what I can look like, I'd like to dress like this more often.' 'I am who I am and I am proud of myself,' she added. Her outfits for the shoot included black leather trousers with a sequined top, a grey knee-length dress worn with a grey cropped jacket, and a black-and-white cocktail dress worn with stilettos.  The magazine - which hit news stands in South Africa on Monday evening - has divided South Africans. Many phoned into radio stations to praise Caster for her new look - while others argued there was no need to 'improve' her. 'It's amazing how, in order to accept her, we have to turn her into our stereotypical image of what a woman should be,' Colleen Lowe Morna of the advocacy group Gender Links said in The Times. Caster herself has remained defiant in the wake of the row following her astonishing run to win the gold medal at the Berlin World Championships last month. 'I see it all as a joke, it doesn't upset me. God made me the way I am and I accept myself,' she said.

The Major General has now become the Postmaster General. A change of guard at vigilance house this afternoon brought the curtain down on six years of major general Mohammed Husein Ali’s reign. Mathew Iteere who has been serving as the GSU commandant now moves to the police headquarters as the new commissioner of police.

The push-and-pull among the three arms of government spilled into Parliament’s debating chambers as ministers and MPs once again fought over the reappointment of Mr Justice Aaron Ringera to the helm of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. Speaker Kenneth Marende will on Thursday 10th September, 2009 rule on whether MPs can discuss a report that has already declared the re-appointment of Justice Ringera and two of his assistants illegal. On a day Mr Ringera’s five-year mandate on his first term ended, the KACC board said it would not give him a new contract until the case challenging his reappointment by President Kibaki is concluded. The law allows Mr Ringera to remain in office for up to three months after expiry of his mandate while a new director is being sought. In court, KACC and the Attorney General made a strong defence of the reappointment.

A recession-hit couple have turned to eBay in an attempt to save their dream wedding. Emily Warr and fiance Stephen Shaw planned every detail of their £11,000 big day and put down money for deposits. But disaster struck when Mr Shaw's construction job was cut to four days a week due to the economic slowdown. The pair realised they could not afford the rest of the payments for their wedding, but faced losing even more cash if they cancelled it. Hoping altruism is still alive among Britain's romantics, they decided to sell stakes in their nuptials online for £10. "Buyers" get a thank you letter, a photo of the big day, a card on their first anniversary plus "that warm feeling inside knowing you are making two people very happy", their page explains. Training manager Ms Warr, 31, said she hopes kind-hearted people will dig into their pockets. "There are only a few true things that matter in life and I think love is one of those things," she told Sky News Online. "We're in a difficult situation but we love each other. Love is what makes the world go round - not money." She added she would be happy to give sponsors a slice of the wedding cake - if they do not mind that it is made entirely of cheese, a nod to Ms Warr's upbringing in Cheddar. The couple are set to tie the knot on February 27, 2010 - five years and one day after they met. Mr Shaw, 28, proposed in 2008. "We did attempt the line of 'it's tradition for the bride's parents to pay' to no avail," he joked. He set up the eBay page out of "sheer hope and desperation," he added. The auction closes on August 23.

Stephen Shaw and fiance Emily Warr set up in the eBay page out of desperation

The Queen has reportedly raised her concerns with Prime Minister Gordon Brown over equipment shortages in Afghanistan, a historian has claimed.  Andrew Roberts told Tatler that the monarch, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales were all worried about alleged sub-standard resources for troops serving in the war-torn country. Mr. Roberts, who once chronicled the modern monarchy in his book The House of Windsor, wrote: "I've now heard the same thing from a minor member of the Royal family, a serving general and a recent ex-Cabinet minister, so I'm certain it's true and worth passing on."

Former London resident dies in Kenya

Mrs. Rose Njeri Kamande has passed away in Kenya. The late Rose is the mother of Jane Costello, Faith Wanjiku and Conso Muthoni all of London. She passed away on Monday 7th September, 2009 at Optic Hospital along Ngong Road after a long illness. She is well known in London as she has been living in London while undergoing kidney treatment at Royal Hospital, Whitechapel. She is the wife of the late Francis Kamande Kagugu of Ichagaki, Maragwa, Muranga, Kenya. Family and friends  are meeting for prayers at 149 Knights Manor Way, Dartford DA1 5SD every day as from 6.00 p.m.  For more information please contact Tel: Jane 07958686611, Faith 07956293763 or Conso 07985664759.

New controls help protect jobs for British workforce

Home Office, 07 September 2009

A raft of new government measures will ensure that resident workers can have every opportunity to fill vacancies before they are offered to workers abroad, the Home Secretary announced today.Following careful consideration, the government has accepted the recommendations made last month by the Migration Advisory Committee to tighten up the rules controlling when skilled workers are allowed to take jobs in the United Kingdom under the government's points-based system. The introduction of the points-based system has radically improved our ability to respond quickly to changing economic circumstances.

Alan Johnson, Home Secretary said:

This will mean that, from next year, all jobs must be advertised to British workers in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks - extended from two weeks - before companies can seek to employ individuals from outside Europe. This will ensure that British workers not only are first in line for jobs but also have more time in which to apply. The government will also extend the qualifying period for all those overseas workers who want to transfer to work at their company's United Kingdom base. This will mean that they will need to have worked for their firm for at least a year - rather than six months as at present - before they can transfer here. Additionally, the minimum salary that will allow an individual to qualify as a skilled worker and be eligible to work in the United Kingdom will rise, from £17,000 to £20,000.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

'The introduction of the points-based system has radically improved our ability to respond quickly to changing economic circumstances. 'We have now accepted all of the committee's recommendations and we will continue to work with them to make sure that we use the flexibility in the points-based system to the best advantage of society and the economy. 'These changes will ensure that businesses can recruit the skilled workers that the economy needs, but not at the expense of British workers, nor as a cheaper alternative to investing in the skills of the existing workforce.' A total of 16 recommendations were put forward by the Migration Advisory Committee, all of which will now be put in place to ensure that the points-based system does more to support United Kingdom workers while continuing to facilitate the trade, travel, and study that benefits the United Kingdom. In reaching this decision, the government has been advised by informative discussions with businesses and key public service organisations. It will continue to work with business to develop a plan for implementing the recommendations.

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Book Launch

‘Writing for Kenya, the Life and Works of Henry Muoria’

Muoria came to the UK in 1952

Tuesday 20th October, 5.30 p.m.

Brunei Suite, SOAS

Henry Muoria was a fascinating figure – a largely self-taughtKenyan thinker and writer, whose Kikuyu and English pamphletsand newspaper Mumenyereri contributed to the intellectualferment of the anti-colonial struggle in the late 1940s and early 1950s. This wonderful book retrieves some of his most significant, but neglected, works and offers them in a scholarly edition, withEnglish translations and excellent editorial annotations.

The pamphlets reproduced here, in Gikuyu and English, contrast hisown originality with the conservatism of Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first President. The contributing editors introduce Muoria's political context, tell how three remarkable women sustained his families' life; and remember him as father. Courageous intellectual, political,and domestic life here intertwine

Published by Brill, 2009

Co-authored by Wangari Muoria-Sal, Bodil Folke Frederiksen,

John Lonsdale and Derek Peterson.

RSVP: cas@soas.ac.uk

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Breakthrough in fight against diabetes

A gene that controls the way the body responds to the hormone insulin has been identified, marking a breakthrough in the fight against diabetes. Scientists believe a variation in the gene's DNA promotes insulin resistance, the primary cause of type 2 diabetes, which affects two million people in the UK. The discovery could lead to new drug treatments that target the genetic fault and prevent the body failing to respond to insulin. The hormone controls the way cells absorb glucose from the blood and use it to generate energy. In type 2 diabetes, insulin often continues to be produced by the pancreas but it cannot be used properly. The new genetic link, the first known to involve insulin resistance, was found after scientists screened the DNA of more than 14,000 people.

Flesh-eating superbug killed father in just four hours as coroner warns of 'new horror'

Britain is facing ‘a new horror’ from a flesh eating superbug which killed a father just within four hours of him arriving in hospital with leg pains. Richard Johnson, 54, had been given painkillers for what doctors thought was arthritis.But when it was realised that he had the infection necrotising fasciitis surgeons amputated his left leg in a bid to save him.They then watched in horror as black areas spread to his abdomen while they were operating, an inquest heard. Mr Johnson, a shop manager from Crediton, Devon, died just a week after he complained of a sore throat. A coroner has urged family doctors to be given more information necrotising fasciitis as a result of the case. The disease, which is becoming more common, is an infection which sweeps through the body, internally and externally, so quickly that it can actually be seen spreading. Mr Johnson had first been prescribed painkillers by his family doctor Jan Shorney. He then developed a pain in his left ankle which Dr Shorney and an out-of-hours doctor believed to be arthritis. His condition deteriorated so quickly that by the time his family rushed him to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital at 3.10 am it was too late to save him. He was rushed straight into the operating theatre where surgeons tried to cut away the diseased tissue but found the infection was spreading too quickly to control. Greater Devon coroner Dr Elizabeth Earland recorded a verdict of natural causes on Mr Johnson, who died at 7.00 am on November 18 last year. A post mortem examination showed he died from septicaemia as a result of the necrotising fasciitis.

She said: ‘My intention is to write to the hospital to confirm the gravity of this case. Information about it is being disseminated and I recommend that is pursued. ‘This is a new horror reaching us and arising in out thoughts and it is important as many GPs are made aware of it as soon as possible and perhaps an early reaction can be stimulated. ‘I do not have any evidence that earlier action would have made a difference in this case. ‘Mr Johnson began to suffer a sore throat in mid November which developed into fulminating necrotising fasciitis.  ‘The family have my deepest sympathies for this tragic loss.’  Family doctor Dr Jan Shorney said Mr Johnson visited her on November 11 with a sore throat and she advised him to take painkillers. He asked for a home visit on November 17, less than 24 hours before he died, and complained of a left ankle which was sore despite having suffered no injury. There was only slight swelling and no redness and his pulse and temperature were normal and she prescribed stronger painkillers and an anti-inflammatory drug. She advised him to go into surgery for a blood test if it did not clear up.  He called 45 minutes later to say the pain was not going away and was told to carry on taking the medicines. He was in so much pain that by 9.30pm his family contacted the out-of-hours service and took him to the walk-in centre at the hospital in Exeter where he was seen by on-call GP Dr Patrick Fingleton.

He examined the swollen ankle and saw no breaks in the skin. He diagnosed arthritis and prescribed oral morphine.  He believed the earlier painkillers had not worked because the patient was also suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting. He said he was shocked to hear of Mr Johnson’s death and had met the consultant microbiologist at the hospital Dr Marina Morgan to learn more about necrotising fasciitis. He said: ‘I have been a doctor for 12 years and a GP for five or six years and I have seen a lot of painful ankles and lots of cases of diarrhoea and vomiting but I had never seen a case of necrotising fasciitis.’  Mr Johnson’s condition deteriorated so quickly that his family took him back to the accident and emergency department of the same hospital five and a half hours later. Consultant plastic surgeon Dr Andrew Watts said he carried out the amputation above the knee but feared it was too late to stop the spread of the disease. He said: ‘It was clear he was very sick. There was widespread mottling of the abdomen and chest and to some extent the right leg. ‘I discovered he had died at approximately 7.00 am. Unfortunately the outcome is what had been predicted from shortly after he was admitted.’

An aircraft carrying 37 pirates was on Sunday still being held at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport under heavy guard as high-level negotiations continued. The pirates are said to have been released by the Seychelles Government before their Kenyan contact made arrangements and paid the aircraft company to fly them through JKIA on their way to Mogadishu. President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga had been informed about the aircraft and its human cargo and were said to be in negotiations with both the Seychelles and Somali governments. The Kenyan Government was said to be navigating the diplomatic minefield on the implications of allowing the pirates into the country, which is perceived by the international community to be helping in the fight against piracy and terrorism. Police remained tight-lipped about the saga despite heavy presence of General Service Unit (GSU) officers at the JKIA.  

The Nation has established that the 40-seater Dash-8 aircraft arrived at JKIA from the Seychelles on Saturday night and was immediately surrounded by police officers.  The passengers and crew of three were not allowed to disembark. The crew comprises pilot Jimmy Owino; a Mr Anil, the first officer; and flight attendant Lorraine Nyaboke. The aircraft, which belongs to a local company, was hooked onto a ground power unit for its lighting, air conditioning and toilet system so that the occupants use its facilities and not have the excuse to disembark. According to sources in the aviation industry privy to the incident, the owners of the aircraft had been hired by a person in Kenya who told them that the passengers had been cleared by both the Kenyan and Seychelles governments to fly from Seychelles International Airport in Victoria city on Mahe Island. They were scheduled to disembark from the plane and enter Nairobi from where they would have either sneaked back into Somalia or remained in the country to enjoy their ill-gotten riches. The aircraft was, however, intercepted and the passengers detained after it was established that it had no clearance and neither had any been arranged between Kenya and Seychelles or Kenya and Somalia. By late Sunday afternoon, the aircraft was being guarded at a secluded location of the JKIA near the military barracks. - Daily Nation.

High speed train right on track

Presumed dead, found alive 50 years later.  There was drama and an outpouring of emotion in a small village in Baringo Central District of the type that unfolds in Marianne Caldwell’s book Gone Without a Trace.  But, unlike in the book, a true story where the author’s lost mother was never found alive, relatives of a Baringo Central woman, who disappeared 50 years ago, were shocked and excited to learn she was alive and well. For half a century, when her relatives presumed her dead, Teriki Tamurei lived about 200km from her ancestral home, where most of her relatives live. - MORE

Kenya Airways (KQ) on Friday 4th September, 2009 flew into Gaborone, Botswana, in what is being viewed as a major challenge to rival South African Airways (SAA). The long-awaited flight is expected to hugely eat into SAA Nairobi-Johannesburg route, as passengers flying to Botswana opt for the shorter and cheaper route. KQ is now flying thrice a week to Sir Seretse Khama International Airport — making a round trip from Nairobi through Gaborone, then flying back to Nairobi with a brief stopover at Harare. It becomes the only other airline, besides SAA, to land in the sleepy airport. Air Botswana, which used to fly to Nairobi in the 1990s, has smaller aircrafts specialising in the South African routes. Customers will pay at least $200 (about Sh15,000) less for flying directly to Gaborone. “Almost everyone I meet has asked me why no one thought about making this move,” said an excited Botswana ambassador to Kenya, Charles Mogotsi, during the departure of the flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.  The rich southern Africa country is trying to diversify its economy — heavily reliant on minerals — and tourism is an obvious option. Starting an alternative route that does not pass through South Africa is important in accessing tourism and even commercial resources afforded by the KQ Asian, African and European networks. “This is new cooperation between Kenya and Botswana. It will reduce dependence on the Johannesburg route,” said Botswana Tourism Board marketing manager, Joe Motse.  - Daily Nation.

A new study suggests taxpayers face a £1bn bill to provide school places for children born in a looming immigrant baby boom, the Daily Express reports on Monday 7th September, 2009 and on right The Times says the Home Secretary has released a man regarded as one of Britain's most dangerous terror suspects from virtual house arrest to avoid disclosing secret evidence against him.

Terrorists had planned to hit 3 targets in Nairobi during Hilary Clinton visit in Nairobi last month - FULL STORY

Woman Tells Of Life Without Record Fingernails

A great-grandmother whose 34-inch fingernails snapped off in a car crash has revealed that the accident left her feeling like she had lost part of her identity. However, 68-year-old Lee Redmond, of Salt Lake City, Utah, admitted it had become much easier to get around since she was robbed of her record-breaking assets. Ms Redmond had been growing her nails for 30 years at the time of the crash in February, and they had reached a combined length of 28ft 4in (8.65 metres). Speaking publicly for the first time since the crash, she said: "Losing my fingernails has been the most dramatic thing that's happened in my life. "I think it was my grandson that said, 'Grandma, they are like your baby; you've taken care of them for 30 years and lost them in a second'. "The thing that bothered me with losing the fingernails was that it becomes your identity and I felt like I'd lost part of that." "Yet I would always say when people would make comments about my fingernails, you know there's more to me than my fingernails." I always did everything with them, but now it's so much easier to do things. The weight is so different. In fact my hands seem to fly with the weight gone. Ms Redmond currently has 11.5cm (4.5in) of nails and said she has no intention of growing them back to their full former glory. "People ask if I'm going to grow them again and I say, no, it was a once time thing," she said. "It took me 30 years to grow them and to get them to that length and they became the world record, and I probably won't live for 30 more years. "I always did everything with them, but now it's so much easier to do things. The weight is so different. In fact my hands seem to fly with the weight gone." Ms Redmond spoke about her fingernail trauma to coincide with the launch of the 2010 edition of Guinness World Records. She appears in the book alongside the male holder of the longest fingernail title, fellow American Melvin Boothe.

Israeli ministers back Netanyahu stance on settlements

• Ruling coalition backs plan to approve new construction

• PM wins 'strategic delay ' deal to appease rightwingers

The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, appears to have won the backing of his ruling coalition for a watered-down agreement over settlement building as part of a US effort to restart Middle East peace talks. Despite criticism from Washington, Netanyahu is expected shortly to approve the construction of hundreds of new homes in settlements in the occupied West Bank in a last-minute move ahead of the suspension. During the Israeli pause, work will in fact continue on these buildings and 2,500 others where Israel says construction has already started. Several influential cabinet ministers backed Netanyahu, with Eli Yishai, a deputy prime minister and head of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, saying what Israel was offering was no more than a "strategic delay" and that settlement building would continue in future. The transport minister, Yisrael Katz, from Netanyahu's own Likud party, said the move was "well-conceived". The prime minister had spent the weekend trying to win the support of Likud and other key politicians, although it was not discussed in today's cabinet meeting. The US hopes later this month to convince Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, to start the first peace talks in more than a year. At first the Obama administration had insisted Israel stop all settlement activity, including so-called "natural growth", in line with Israel's commitments under the 2003 roadmap to peace.

Nairobi, Sunday 6th September, 2009. Three people have died while ten others are admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital following a cholera outbreak in Dandora. Health officials in Dandora have confirmed cases of cholera after a three-month chronic water shortage in the area.  The residents say they have had to use contaminated water following water shortage in the area that has seen many residents contend with buying water from local vendors.  However, a section of the population cannot afford to buy water and have been fetching water from a sewer.  In a bid to contain the spread of the disease, area MP Ferdinand Waititu has installed a water tank in the area to serve the worst affected section.  Health officials from Kenyatta National hospital also visited the area and conducted free check-ups on residents exhibiting cholera-like symptoms.  They have also urged the residents to boil water before drinking. Public Health Minister Beth Mugo has already warned of a looming cholera outbreak in Nairobi due to the current acute water shortage.  Mugo in June sent out a countrywide alert warning people to maintain high standards of hygiene as a preventive measure. The minister said Nairobi residents were being forced to compromise on sanitation standards due to lack of water. The city is experiencing water rationing expected to last utill the end of this year following poor rainfall that has resulted to the declining water levels at Ndakaini dam threatening water supply in the Nairobi.

Public Health Minister Beth Mugo has already warned of a looming cholera outbreak in Nairobi due to the current acute water shortage.

The UK economy should bounce back next year but the risk of a relapse remains high, a business group has warned. The British Chambers of Commerce expects the economy to grow 1.1% in 2010, almost double its previous forecast of 0.6% made in June. It says unemployment will peak at just above 3 million, fewer than the 3.2 million forecast previously. However, it said that sustaining the recovery would prove challenging given the UK's debt burden. "The upturn in the economy has probably already started and we could see a relatively strong bounce-back in the next few quarters," said chief economist David Kern. "But sustaining the recovery will be very challenging and the risks of relapse are high," he added. The group expects the UK economy to shrink by 4.3% this year, more than its June forecast of 3.8%. This was because the decline in economic activity in the first six months of the year was much worse than it expected. It said that the current recession was much worse than the recession of the early 1990s but is not quite as severe as the recession in the early 1980s. The BCC said that overly indebted consumers, high unemployment, a fragile banking sector and the need to slash government borrowing could dampen the pace of recovery.

The UK economy should bounce back next year but the risk of a relapse remains high, a business group has warned. The British Chambers of Commerce expects the economy to grow 1.1% in 2010, almost double its previous forecast of 0.6% made in June. It says unemployment will peak at just above 3 million, fewer than the 3.2 million forecast previously. However, it said that sustaining the recovery would prove challenging given the UK's debt burden. "The upturn in the economy has probably already started and we could see a relatively strong bounce-back in the next few quarters," said chief economist David Kern. "But sustaining the recovery will be very challenging and the risks of relapse are high," he added. The group expects the UK economy to shrink by 4.3% this year, more than its June forecast of 3.8%. This was because the decline in economic activity in the first six months of the year was much worse than it expected. It said that the current recession was much worse than the recession of the early 1990s but is not quite as severe as the recession in the early 1980s. The BCC said that overly indebted consumers, high unemployment, a fragile banking sector and the need to slash government borrowing could dampen the pace of recovery.

Friends and family of Michael Jackson have paid their last respects to the singer known as the King of Pop at a funeral ceremony outside Los Angeles. The 31-car Jackson family funeral procession drives up the hill at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park and on right Hurricane Jimena lashed Mexico's Baja California peninsula with rains and winds, forcing residents and tourists to take refuge. Jimena weakened to a category two storm after earlier nearing a potentially devastating category five.

Nairobi, Kenya, Sunday, September 2009  - Anxiety has gripped Police headquarters, triggering a series of secret meetings amongst senior police officers following reports that the government would implement the interim report by the Task Force on Police Reforms which wants many of them sacked. Informed sources say Police Commissioner Mohammed Hussein Ali and other senior officers have been holding strategy meetings and lobbying since Monday and are in fact making frantic efforts to secure an appointment with President Mwai Kibaki to present their case. The police chief and all his Assistant Commissioners are reportedly worried that they may lose their jobs if the government implemented the interim report presented to the President last week by Justice (Rtd) Philip Ransley. “There have been meetings running late into the night since Monday. Senior officers have been meeting both at Vigilance and various other places including people’s residences,” a source privy to the latest state of affairs at Vigilance House told Capital News. The latest remarks by Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Migori seem to have worsened the situation after he declared at a public rally that the report would be implemented by end of this month. “I think they thought it was a joke initially, they are beginning to see the sense and reality of what is in the report and are now running up and down,” another source said. Multiple interviews with senior police officers holding the rank of those targeted for the imminent sacking revealed the magnitude of the bitterness in many of them with the task force report. “It is certainly a shoddy report, recommending that ACPs be sacked is a big joke.

There will be a crisis if we were to go home. I am not sure they knew what they meant because we are the driving force in the police,” one of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) based at Police headquarters said. Some officers however, concede that there is need to review the appointment of ACPs and other officers above that rank because many of them were appointed unprocedurally or were just rewarded for various reasons. “Many of them do not deserve the positions they hold. There are those who have jumped ranks more than three folds in a span of less than three years which is against the Force Standing Orders (FSO),” one of the senior officers interviewed by Capital News said. Curiously, most of the ACPs are supportive of the recommendation to have Maj Gen Ali replaced but are opposed to their own sacking. “We have been doing our work the way it is supposed to be done. It is him (Ali) who has messed up the force. In effect he should be replaced and a commissioner appointed from amongst ourselves. It is ridiculous to have an outsider leading a law enforcement agency. Ali is a military officer and has failed to lead the police,” a disgruntled ACP opposed to Maj Gen Ali’s leadership said. It is understood that some of the top police officers have held a series of secret meetings with key government officials and politicians sympathetic to Maj Gen Ali and are trying to influence them to advice the President against implementing the report.

One such meeting is reported to have taken place a week ago involving a senior police officer who spent over two hours at a posh residence of an influential and high ranking ODM politician and government official. Details of the meeting are scanty but at this point in time, it can not pass as a normal meeting at a time when there is firestorm at Vigilance House where senior police officers are struggling to retain their jobs. And even as the officers intensified their secret meetings, Capital News has learnt that some key officials who have previously served in the security agencies or in other government departments have been lobbying to take over police leadership at Vigilance House. And there are those who are being profiled as potential candidates in the new police leadership while some have already submitted their CVs and testimonials. “Some names have been fronted but none of them has been settled upon,” another source at the Office of the President said. “Interviews will start very soon but they are likely to be done in secret because of the sensitivity of the matter.” Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director Dr Julius Kipng’etich, former Director of Police Operations David Kimaiyo and former CID Director Joseph Kamau are among probable candidates for Police Commissioner, according to sources both at Harambee and Vigilance Houses. On Monday, Prime Minister Raila Odinga was quoted in a section of local newspapers saying that the report will be implemented within the course of this month to restore confidence amongst the public. The report calls for, among other things, urgent change of leadership at the top level and all officers holding the rank of Assistant Commissioner or Commandant in both the regular and Administration Police. - CapitalFM

A fierce fire on Saturday 5th September, 2009 gutted down more than 400 houses in Faza Island within the newly created Lamu East district, leaving at least 1000 families homeless. The Kenya Red Cross said a man and a child sustained minor burns in the midday fire that destroyed several businesses.  Majority of the affected families are camping at the beaches after their homes were destroyed by the inferno. Efforts to put out the fire whose cause is yet to be established were hampered by the strong sea winds and lack of a fire engine in the district.   KRCS in a statement said 2 woodwork workshops, video shops and small businesses were razed down.  KRCS secretary general Abbas Gullet addressing the press in Nairobi said they had supplied the victims with 600 blankets, 600 collapsible jerricans 300 tarpaulines, 180 kitchen sets, 600 bar soaps and clothing. He at the same time appealed for food and humanitarian aid from well wishers to help the villagers. An emergency team including the Navy and health personnel is on the ground to contain the spread of the fire  that was still raging by Saturday evening following the strong winds. Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka speaking in Mombasa soon after the fire disaster assured the affected families of government's support. "While I send my sympathies to the residents whose observance of Ramadhan was disrupted by the fire disaster, I wish to assure them we are doing everything possible to put out the fire", Mr. Musyoka said. He made the remarks when he addressed members of the public at the New Magongo Market during an inspection tour of the on-going reconstruction of the facility which was gutted down in 2007. Faza Island is in Rasini location at the far East of the Lamu archipelago and it takes two hours to reach it using a speed boat and four hours with a normal passenger boat.

The government has said it aims to halve the UK's spending deficit over the next four years. Treasury minister Liam Byrne told the BBC it was possible to do this while managing to "protect public services". He said economic stimulus measures would continue next year but the focus would switch to paying off the debt. But the Conservatives said the government's argument was based on "hope" of the recession ending and the UK had live "within its means". In April's Budget, Chancellor Alistair Darling forecast that public borrowing this year would reach £175bn.

Family’s agony as kin killed in U.S.  When Mr George Onyango left Kenya for America four years ago, he did not know that delinquent teenagers would not only kill his dream but also take his life. His Kenyan family, which he left behind to pursue his dream, is now struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. The killing has rendered his two children orphans. Mr Onyango, who was killed by two teenagers in the US last week. Mr Onyango, 43, was an overnight counsellor at Yucaipa, a home for delinquent youths in California. He was attacked by two youths under his care with a steam iron and a wooden rod after he denied them permission to leave the place.  The two youths tied him up and left him brain-damaged and paralysed, according to The Press-Enterprise, a local newspaper quoting police.  According to his elder brother, Mr Kennedy Omondi, Mr Onyango won a US green card, leading to his move to America in 2006. But a few months after the family settled in Yucaipa, his wife, Beatrice, fell ill and died, leaving him a widower and a single father of two boys, now aged 11 and 13 years. After the death of his wife, Mr Onyango turned his energies to caring for his sons and working part-time as a counsellor at night at a home for troubled youths. During the day he took courses for the California State Bar examination. “This has left the family devastated. Nobody expected this to happen so soon after he lost his wife. We are yet to come to terms with the terrible news,” Mr Omondi told the Saturday Nation. Ten days ago, according to US law enforcement officials, two youths beat Mr Onyango unconscious at the home after he refused to give one of them a pass to leave the place. On Saturday, he was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where he later died of the injuries he sustained.

Mr George Onyango’s wife, the late Betty, and their sons, David (left) and Abraham and Mr Onyango, who was killed by two teenagers in the US last week.

The two youths charged with the killing - Carlos Dubose, 17, of Oakland, and Davion Whitmore, 16, of Long Beach - probably have no idea that not one life but many were shattered by their crime. For Mr Onyango’s two children and family back in Kenya, their atrocious act defies comprehension. “We cannot understand why he had to die such a cruel death,” said Mr Omondi. After the attack, the assailants, who now face murder charges, fled in Onyango’s car. Police officers chased them up to Fontana, where they crashed and were captured. Before the fateful day, Mr Omondi spoke with his brother on Friday and chatted a lot about their local church in Central Asembo, Rarieda District.  “He asked how the local church was doing. We didn’t chat about other things,” said Mr Omondi. Mr Onyango was a member of the Kenyan American Association and sat on the council and constitutional committee of the Kingdom Inter-denominational Community Church in San Bernardino.  Mr Onyango was to graduate with a Masters degree in law in December. Before he left Kenya, he had been a high school teacher and also had earned a law degree. “He didn’t plan to stay long in America, preferring to work for not more than five years before returning home. All this is lost,” said Mr Omondi.  The family plans to airlift the body and the children but is facing financial challenges.  Mr Omondi estimates that they need about Sh1.5 million to send one member to the US and bring the body. The savage beating of Mr Onyango brought into the spotlight once again the practice in California and other states of sending youth offenders from elsewhere to live in unsuspecting neighbourhoods. People are angry with the authorities who continue to house juvenile offenders from other parts of the state. Media reports suggest that state authorities won’t talk specifically about the youths accused of the assault. But placing them away from their home counties didn’t keep them away from bad influences. - Daily Nation.

Spotted at Race Course road Nairobi.

Seems with their animals dying they are making special delivery in the Capital. No doubt they were to deliver somewhere not knowing about the City bylaws which could have made them spend the weekend behind bars. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

Zambia First Lady in Kenya for holiday

Zambian First Lady Thandiwe Banda is in Malindi for a three-day holiday.  The charter carrying Thandiwe, wife to Zambia‘s fourth president Rupiah Banda jetted into Malindi Airport on Wednesday. The First Lady was from the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and will be staying at the luxurious Hemingway Hotel. However, efforts by journalists to interview or take pictures of Thandiwe were futile. Coast PC Ernest Munyi directed Malindi DC, Arthur Mugira, not to allow journalists to interview the First Lady saying she was on a private visit.

Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou has experienced heavy rain over the last few days. A guard at a second hand car lot was left stranded in a truck after water rose suddenly, immersing the rest of the vehicles. More than 10 inches (25cm) of rainfall in 12 hours has turned the streets of Ouagadougou into fast-flowing rivers. The dusty city is usually bustling with mopeds and traffic. Burkina Faso is used to heavy seasonal rainfall but this is the worst flooding in 50 years. An estimated 109,000 people have been left homeless.

Calm down officer, he had threatened to smash the windscreen.

Resisting arrest can end up with malicious damage but the passenger agreed to open the door for the officer. Matatu drivers fear traffic police than The Law. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya protests at US criticism

The government has issued a protest to the US Embassy over a statement the Embassy issued regarding the reappointment of Justice Aaron Ringera as the director of the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission. In a statement faxed to newsroom, the Foreign affairs ministry terms the action to be in bad taste adding that the embassy has no right of questioning the decision made by the president. "The ministry considers it objectionable, in bad taste and an affront to the Head of Ste to whom it accredited that the Embassy, should question the action of the president re-appointing Justice Ringera as the Director of KACC." It said. The ministry also maintains that the president acted within the law since the act does not spell out any procedure for reappointments. "The power of appointment to any public office vests in the president...Justice Ringera's appointment for a second final term is therefore within the law. The ministry urges the US Embassy to desist from offering unsolicited, unwarranted and misplaced advice on the running affairs of the country."

Justice and constitutional affairs minister and government spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua have since voiced their displeasure over the remarks. On Thursday, US Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger said Ringera didn't deserve the reappointment due to his poor performance record at the helm of the KACC over the last five years "Even the manner in which the re-appointment was made it clearly raises many questions," said a statement from its Nairobi Embassy on Thursday. Ranneberger claimed the re-appointment by President Mwai Kibaki compromises the commitment of the reform agenda in the country. He argued that by by-passing the Advisory Board and Parliament, contrary to the law, the action encourages the culture of impunity which the government needs to urgently address.  "As a good friend of Kenya, we are deeply concerned that the reappointment was clearly made without proper consultation," he said, adding, "The KACC Advisory Board has the responsibility to make recommendations for candidates for Director and Assistant Directors to Parliament, which vets and approves those candidates, and sends the names of approved candidates to the President for him to appoint." The American Ambassador said that the negative public reaction towards his reappointment is an indication that Kenyans no longer have confidence in Ringera.  The ambassador said that the move undermined government's efforts to fight corruption and end impunity and called for the process to be reviewed. On Monday the President through a gazette notice re-appointed Justice Ringera for another five years.

Newly appointed Nairobi Provincial Commissioner Njoroge Ndirangu addresses the media after an induction retreat for senior area deputy provincial commissioners at the Kenya School of Monetary Studies on Thursday. - Daily Nation.

Should Google be the world's librarian?

Google is in the middle of a project to digitise the world's books to create a vast online library. Do think it is a good idea? The US Department of Justice has begun an investigation into the Google Books Programme. If permission is given to go ahead, Google will be able to digitise old and new books without fear of prosecution for copyright infringement. In return Google would create a Book Rights Registry where authors and publishers could register works and be compensated. Critics say such a library controlled by a single company and small group of publishers would inevitably lead to higher prices and subpar services. Do you think Google Books would open up access for everyone or just the technically literate? Are you an author or publisher – does the project treat you fairly? How should the mass digitisation of books be best managed?

The battle over Google's effort to digitise the world's books and create a vast online library has intensified. Authors have until Friday to opt out of the $125m settlement the search giant made with authors and publishers. The date for comments to the New York court overseeing the class action suit was extended from Friday to Tuesday, after the filing system went down. As time ticks away, supporters and critics have been manning both sides of the debate to win the public case. The settlement reached last October stemmed from a 2005 legal suit that Google faced for scanning out-of-print works without explicit permission from rights holders. If approved by a judge, Google would create a Book Rights Registry where authors and publishers could register works and be compensated. Ahead of Friday's opt-out for authors, Google lined up a number of professors, students and civil rights activists who support the deal. "We see access to knowledge as a civil right," Wade Henderson, president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, told reporters in a conference call. "Information enables individuals to learn, to create and to pursue their dreams. Access to knowledge defines the meaning of equal opportunity in a democratic society," said Mr Henderson.

Aid worker Isla Gilmore snapped this in Tanzania. The goat race is an annual charity event, she said. "The goats don't really run - they have to be pushed."

The medical and dentist board officials Thursday 3rd September, 2009 cracked the whip on quacks purporting to be medical practitioners.  The officials arrested two men who are said to have been working as doctors in local private hospitals using forged certificates and accreditations.  One man was arrested after the hospital management raised complaints over his incompetence having prescribed wrong medicine to patients for the last three months. The board's Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yumbya said the man had presented to his employer forged certificates from the University of Nairobi and the board.  Addressing members of the press, Yumbya said he led board members to the health facility after getting reports that the man had sought employment as a doctor through forged papers.  Records showed that the registration number of one of the forged papers belonged to a Dr Simon Mungu and was awarded in 1986, while the suspect claimed to have been registered as a doctor in 1997.  He had also purportedly been awarded with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, upper second class honours, by the University of Nairobi whereas such degrees are not classified.  Yumbya said the man will be charged in court on several counts including practising as a doctor without being registered and forging documents.  He said cases of persons impersonating medics were rampant and warned healthcare facilities to verify with the relevant authorities any medical certificates presented to them by would-be employees.  The hospital's Director, Father Gonzalo Maria, said the man had worked at the facility for two-and-a-half months and that he was the first to be hired as a doctor.  The board members also ordered the vetting of two other employees, one serving as a laboratory technician and the other as a nurse. Another suspect was also arrested as he tried his luck at the Nairobi hospital where he had gone for an interview.

These pears have gone baby-shaped

Things aren't going pear-shaped for the humble fruit - they are going baby-shaped. Britain could soon see the arrival of pears from China which have been shaped to look like youngsters. Farmer Gao Xianzhang spent six years perfecting his idea, which involves growing each fruit for a certain amount of time inside individual moulds. Despite costing £5 each, people in his home village of Hexia, in northern China's Hebei province, have been snapping up the unusual fruit. He said: 'People seem to think they are cute or lucky and will buy them as soon as they're off the tree.' He has cropped 10,000 of the pears this season and is planning to export them to Britain and the rest of Europe. Luckily for Mr Gao, he should have no problem getting his irregular shaped fruit past EU officials. In July, wonky shaped fruit and vegetables such as curvy cucumbers and knobbly carrots returned to supermarket shelves thanks to the abolition of EU rules on the size and shape of 36 types of fruit and veg. For 20 years, EU-wide marketing standards encouraged only the finest-looking produce to reach shops.

Kenyan Group in USA - African High Flyers America's Got Talent - VIDEO

Joice Muturi arrives from Kenya with a new album

Joyce Muturi is back in London with a new DVD entitled WANANJITA MAINGI. She spent her summer holiday ministering to churches in Kenya and working tremendously on her Album. Joyce had an opportunity to minister alongside other prominent gospel singers in various churches. She had also being an encouragement to those who are blossoming in gospel music. Joyce is launching this Album soon. She will announce the launching date in due course. The Album consist of 10 encouraging songs. The DVDs are also available in Kenya at: Julia Lucy's Music Studio, Photocopy Music Store, Duruma Road, Opposite Coast Bus Offices, Nairobi. Her contact  info@voiceofjoy.co.uk - A TASTE OF THE VIDEO.

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TO ALL PASTORS AND MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

It is indeed a great privilege to invite and welcome you into our midst for our youth conference starting September 18th to September 20th 2009 at 524 High Street North, Manor Park, London E12 6QN. The Theme of our conference being "ARISE AND SHINE." On the first day Friday 18th at 7pm, we will be speaking to the youth on SEXUAL TRAPS AND SOUL TIES. On the second day we will have two sessions, the first one running from 10am-5pm.This will be a CAREERS OPEN DAY, where we have invited guest speakers from a wide range of professions and prominent businessmen. e.g policemen, engineers, dentists, doctors, nurses, accountants, teachers etc.

This is to enlighten our youth on career choices and development and motivate them to know that it is possible to achieve their goals in this country. The second session will run from 6pm-9.30pm,the topic being HATING SIN. The conference reaches its climax on Sunday 20th when we have the morning session running from 10am-2pm and the topic will be MONEY MATTERS. This will be crowned by a gospel extravaganza in the evening at 6pm-9.30pm. Please encourage all the youth to attend this life changing conference and their lives will never be the same again.

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Rude sms costs woman Sh30,000

Esther Mwende Chele, 46, in court Wednesday. She pleaded guilty to sending an offensive text message.  A woman will part with Sh30,000 for sending a text that cost her less than Sh5 or go to jail for three months. The senior officer at the Nairobi City Council’s Education Department insulted a man by degrading his private parts. Esther Mwende Chele, 46, shed tears as Senior Principal Magistrate Stellah Muketi passed the verdict. She was charged that between February 18 and August, by means of Safaricom telecommunication system, she sent an offensive message to Mr Stephen Ngumbau Kithuka, belittling his private parts. She pleaded guilty and the court ordered her to pay a fine of Sh30,000 or be sentenced to jail for three months. In mitigation, the woman, who claimed she was a widow, told the court the man tried luring her to bed but she declined and instead offered him spiritual nourishment. Ms Mwende said the man owed her more than Sh20,000 and was out to frustrate her because she declined his advances. However, the facts of the case as presented in court were that the woman’s daughter wanted to rent the man’s servants quarter three years ago and they met for tea over it. Mwende is said to have made advances at the man but he declined. She resorted to harassing him with telephone calls and finally the SMS. - The Standard.

Prophet David Edward Owuor (left) hands over surrendered weapons to Njoro's administration police inspector Peter Kuta (centre) and John Langat of the Kenya Police on Saturday. The weapons were surrendered at Kings Outreach Church in Njoro where the prophet was meeting church pastors and ushers.

Dangerous driving by KPLC staff

This could not escape the lenses at 6.00 pm between General Motors and Libra house interchange. Three workmen were being carried dangerously at the front of the drivers carriage sitting on temporary pieces of wood. The irony of it is they were KPLC staff who should know better the dangers they were exposing themselves to on a highway. BMK ltd has similar cranes and only carry the driver in the carriage and no staff hanging anyhow. Am not sure whether they were provided with alternative transport and declined or there was no transport at all and had to get home anyway. This should be discouraged at all cost. The crane then diverted towards industrial area may be to the Donholm depot I would guess. This message should get to Walter Kagucia, KPLC Nairobi South Engineer for action before disaster strikes. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya. 03/09/09

US rejects Ringera's re-appointment

The American Government has expressed displeasure with the re-appointment of Justice Aaron Ringera as Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC).   United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger said on Thursday that his government was deeply concerned about the unilateral reappointment of Ringera. "The reappointment, and the manner in which it was done, raise profoundly troubling questions, particularly given the poor record of performance of the KACC over the past five years" said Renneberger in statement. He said the re-appointment of the anti-graft boss showed lack of government's commitment to end the culture of impunity through decisive steps to fight corruption and to implement key reforms.  He added "The very negative public reaction to the reappointment shows how little confidence the Kenyan people have in the KACC". He said the US was concerned that the reappointment was apparently made without proper consultation noting that the KACC Advisory Board has the responsibility to make recommendations for candidates for Director and Assistant Directors to the Parliament. "The board is the one which vets and approves those candidates, and sends the names of approved candidates to the President for him to appoint" the ambassador noted. He urged the government to re-examine Justice Ringera's reappointment in accordance with appropriate procedures and through a process of broad consultation. 

The envoy reiterated United States support to the country's fundamental reforms as agreed in the National Accord of 2008. Meanwhile, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission advisory board chairman Okong'o Omogeni has come out strongly to defend the board against allegations that it held a secret meeting with Ringera on Wednesday. Omogeni says there was nothing sinister about the lunch meeting held at a city hotel saying that they were just keeping with the tradition of sharing a meal with the director after a board meeting. The chairman and some members of the board were caught on camera at a city hotel but left in a haste when they saw journalists. Addressing a press conference on Thursday Omogeni accused the media of misleading the public. The Wednesday lunch meeting came shortly after the board held a press conference where they resolved that Justice Ringera and his assistants Fatuma Sichale and Smokin Wanjala would continue to serve until the controversy surrounding their reappointment is resolved. On Tuesday, Omogeni termed  the re-appointments as illegal. The board has written to President Mwai Kibaki seeking audience with him to discuss the matter.

The Daily Mirror on Friday 4th Sept. describes the brothers as "vicious young thugs" and says the father of one of their young victims said of the pair: "I want them hanged." and The Daily Express warns that the era of cheap flights could soon be over, with budget airlines being forced to quit the UK because of soaring taxes.

The threat of the fighting in Somalia spilling over into Kenya continues to build up as militias extend tentacles into North Eastern Province. Al Shabaab is reaching across the border for sympathisers and recruits, the chaos in Somalia is spilling over, fuelling a climate of suspicion in Kenya’s remote northeastern region. - MORE

Competition forces Nokia into computer manufacturing

The giant handset manufacturer finally launched its first mini-laptop on Wednesday in Stuttgart Germany, marking the foray into the personal computer segment. Nokia president and CEO, Live webcast, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said Nokia has had to diversify its products to survive the increasingly volatile industry. "We consider our service based applications critical for our future. It is a huge chance for us...with global recession, competition that has seen phones move to most remote parts of the world, change is no longer optional," he said. Speaking in Stuttgart during the Nokia World 2009 Fair, he said Nokia has so far distributed 1.1 billion devices with 55 million active users of Nokia mobile phone applications like Nokia Ovi music store and email services wand. At Sh61,525 (575 Euros), the laptop, called Nokia Booklet 3G runs Microsoft Windows 7, sports a 10-inch screen and weighs 1.25 kilogrammes. That puts it squarely in the notebook category pioneered by AsusTek Inc, and copied by virtually every notebook manufacturer since. The Booklet 3G features a hot swappable SIM slot, and is bundled with a 3G mobile broadband service. Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, said with an inbuilt 3G, wi-fi and bluetooth, the gadget can keep you connected almost anywhere. "Technology needs to mould itself to the benefit of users. Windows 7 premium delivers an improved PC performance to the Nokia booklet 3G" said Vanjoki.

Foreign diplomats in Kenya have no business commenting on the reappointment of Justice Aaron Ringera as the head of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. They should, therefore, “shut up” and steer clear of the internal affairs of the country, Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo said on Thursday. Speaking at the weekly Press briefing held by Government Spokesman Alfred Mutua at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Mr Kilonzo said foreign diplomats “have no responsibility or business interpreting the law for us”. Moments earlier, US envoy Michael Ranneberger had said the US was deeply concerned by Ringera’s reappointment, and that the manner in which it was done raised “profoundly troubling questions, particularly given the poor record of performance of the KACC over the past five years”. At the briefing, Mr Kilonzo accused an unnamed group of persons of plotting to kill the commission by reviving the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority.

A businessman who appeared on Channel 4 series Secret Millionaire has reportedly been declared bankrupt. Self-made millionaire Chek Whyte, who gave away thousands of pounds on the programme, is believed to owe £30m and had been attempting to make arrangements to continue traiding while paying off his debts, reports the BBC. Manchester law firm Pannone LLP, acting on behalf of creditor Halls Furnishings Ltd, said: "As has been reported, Mr Whyte had put forward proposals for an individual voluntary arrangement which were withdrawn and therefore, as no further proposals were put to creditors, the court made the bankruptcy order. "Mr Whyte's exposure on TV has portrayed him as an altruistic individual but sadly his business dealings have left him owing suppliers tens of thousands of pounds and these businesses have to take steps to recover monies owed to them." The property developer made his fortune from renovating dilapidated buildings including Colwick Hall and Clifton Hall in Nottingham. Whyte told the BBC in July: "I will do my utmost to get them paid, that is my only goal. I'm going to work for the next so many years... five years, to get everybody paid. If I can get them paid in the short-term rather than the long-term it's better for everybody."

Clad in grey khaki trousers, a blue windbreaker and matching cap, the hefty man edged closer to Olivia and scratched the back of her ears. Olivia sniffed his jacket briefly before ambling heavily across the concrete floor to the furthest corner of her shed to lie down, not interested in the big man or his visitors. “Madam, we are not in a good mood today, are we?” the big man called out after her. Olivia did not respond. She can’t talk. Olivia is a resident of Amboni Farm in Mweiga, just outside Nyeri town. She is a prized cow, the product of years of meticulous breeding. The big man is former powerful minister Chris Murungaru whose other love outside politics is cattle breeding and dairy farming. Dr Murungaru the cattleman is hardly known outside local and international research stations. - MORE

Former boxer Chris Eubank spends £30,000 on new teeth to get rid of trademark lisp

Former world champion boxer Chris Eubank is spending thousands of pounds on a new set of teeth - and hopes they will help rid him of his trademark lisp. Eubank, 42, has seen leading dentist Barry Buckley to have the work carried out, including closing the gap between his two front teeth to improve the aesthetic nature of his smile. Dr Buckley, of Clane General Hospital, County Kildare, said today a trial version of the 'full cosmetic' makeover on the ex-boxer's teeth had already led to an improvement in his lisp. 'The purpose of the treatment was to improve the aesthetic nature of Chris's smile,' said Dr Buckley. 'If, as an added benefit, we can also improve his lisp, then so be it. 'We have put a trial version of the smile in Chris's mouth. When Chris is happy with the result, we will finish it in real porcelain made in California.' The dental work being carried out on Eubank, who starred in Celebrity Big Brother in 2001, is reportedly due to set him back around £30,000. Eubank told reporters: 'I'm here to see the best dentist in Ireland and the UK. Before long nobody will be able to accuse me of having a lisp.'His lisp was played on when he appeared as a guest presenter on Top of Pops and announced during the countdown to Number 1: 'At six, Cecilia, by Suggs.'

Mutula defends Kibaki, Ringera

The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Mutula Kilonzo Thursday 3rd September, 2009 criticized those challenging Justice Aaron Ringera's re-appointment as the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. Mutula in a joint press conference with government spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua maintained the President Kibaki acted within the law in re-appointing Ringera together with his two assistants.He clarified that parliament did not provide for re-vetting of KACC top officials during reappointments. "Under the Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Act, no procedure is set out for reappointment" Mutula statedHe added " while appointment deals with fresh recruits, re-appointment deals with serving officers. There is therefore no need for vetting officers in terms of their suitability as is expected of new officers".Presenting two reports by the former KACC advisory board officials who commended Ringera and his team,  Mutula dismissed allegations that justice Ringera was incompetent. Mutula also took issue with  the international community for meddling in the internal affairs of the country.  The American government had earlier expressed displeasure with the re-appointment of Justice Aaron Ringera.

United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger said his government was deeply concerned about the unilateral reappointment of Ringera.Mutula cited corruption cases investigated by KACC which included more than 8 ministers, 16 mps, 8 permanent secretaries and 58 Chief Executives. "As a nation, we must move away from the culture of mob justice whereby individuals holding public office are ridiculed,  vilified ,condemned and hounded out of office without due process or any substantiation or evidence of the allegations" Mutula urged Elsewhere,  there was heated debate in parliament on Ringera's reappointment. A section of legislators are pushing for the newly constituted committee on delegated legislation to investigate the legality of his appointment and recommend whether it should be revoked or not.  The debate began when chepalungu member of parliament Isaac Ruto sought a ruling from the speaker to allow the committee on delegated legislation intervene and investigate the legality surrounding the reappointment of the anti graft czar. The government side maintained the executive did not contravene any law read malice into the affair accusing legislators of witch-hunting. The speaker in his ruling however pointed out it was not within his mandate to direct the house committee to carry out its role, adding if they felt it was within their mandate they should proceed and carry out investigations. At the same time parliament failed to debate the appropriation bill that was seeking to have an amendment that would have seen the Kenya anti corruption commission denied 1.3 billion shillings. This was after it registered a lack of quorum. 

The high rate of girls dropping out of a school in Kericho due to unwanted pregnancies has baffled education officials and stakeholders. The revelation at Marinyn Secondary School in James Finlay Tea estates emerged yesterday during a District Education Board (DEB) meeting chaired by Kericho DC Samuel Njora. Mr Njora said out of the 25 girls who joined Form One this year, 24 left the school after getting pregnant. The administrator observed the girls were forced to walk for long distances to and from school through tea plantations and bushes, which exposed them to sexual relationships. "It is shocking. The current population of girls at the school stands at 20. Most of the top girls have dropped out after their colleagues and tea workers impregnated them," he said. Energy Assistant Minister Charles Keter, Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat and local District Education Officer Francis Munyeke among others, attended the meeting, which was held at Kericho DC’s boardroom. "A representative from James Finlays, who attended the meeting, confirmed there was a problem at the school and that the organisation was doing something to correct the situation," the DC told The Standard. Njora said the school should provide transport for the girls from their homes to the learning institution.

He said girls were exposed to dangerous conditions as they enter into relationships with boys and tea workers on their way to school. Mr Keter in whose constituency the school is situated, said the institution had been neglected, adding that it lacked proper sanitary facilities and classrooms were dilapidated. "We are working out modalities with DEB and other stakeholders to convert the institution to a public school so that we can pump in funds from the Constituency Development Fund to improve its state," he said. Speaking after the meeting, the MP said he was organising a major fundraiser to be attended by all MPs from Rift Valley Province to raise funds for new classrooms and toilets for the girls. Keter noted the school has four old and dilapidated classrooms and a few toilets constructed with iron sheets. He observed that the learning environment was not conducive for the girls. Girl child education remains an elusive dream in the country. Many girls are lured by men to irresponsible sexual relationships that lead to unwanted pregnancies. The girls in turn drop out to begin a life of motherhood. Others face cultural setbacks like the consequences of female circumcision, childhood marriage engagements, domestic labour, disease and poverty. There has been debate on whether sex education should be introduced in schools to curb unwanted pregnancies and STDs. - The Standard.

Medical mystery as boy cries tears of blood

A teenager in America has left doctors baffled with a mysterious medical condition that sees him regularly crying tears of blood.15-year-old Calvino Inman says that the bleeding happens at least three times a day, with little warning. He told local news station WATE: 'Sometimes, I can feel it coming up, like a tear. I feel my eyes watering. Sometimes, it will burn as it comes out.' The bleeding can last for just a few minutes, or sometimes up to an hour. Despite several visits to specialist doctors, Calvino's illness still hasn't been diagnosed. However, since his story was first reported in America last week, one doctor who specialises in cases of bloody tears has come forward to offer his help in diagnosing the ailment. 'In the common medical practice it's a relatively rare symptom to have and so we see a number of people who have other exams and they're difficult to diagnose and so that's usually why they're sent to us,' said Dr. James Fleming, of the Hamilton Eye Institute in Memphis. Inman's family, in Rockwood, Tennessee, are now sending his medical records to Fleming in the hope that his bleeding eyes might finally be cured. Inman has endured taunts because of his condition. 'I've been called possessed by almost all of my friends,' he said. 'I guess I'm used to it now. At first, it kind of hurt my feelings.'

KIKUYU PROVERB

Kumenya muno ni kumenyuka

Knowing too much is like being ignorant

Too much breaks the bag.

Giant cow maze appears in field

There's nothing especially unexpected about finding a cow in a field. Fields, after all, are where cows generally live.  But finding a cow that's actually made out of a field… that's a little more uncommon. Still, that's what you'll find in this German field, located in the Marienfelde area south-west of Berlin. The corn and hemp of the field has been cut into the shape of a giant cow-shaped labyrinth, allowing careless ramblers the opportunity to get lost inside a massive representation of the bovine digestive system. The cow-labyrinth was created by Germany's Federal Institute of Risk Assessment - a government body dedicated to examining the dangers posed by products in everyday life, from foods to cosmetics - in order to raise awareness of healthy eating and the potential dangers from harmful substances in food - as well as to explain the digestion process in the stomach of a cow. Exactly how it achieves these rather diverse goals is not, at the time of writing, entirely apparent - although we must admit that a few hours spent trying to find your way out of an enormous cow's gastrointestinal tract made out of hemp would probably concentrate your mind on cow digestion issues fairly well.

The first week of October marks the end of the ongoing power rationing. But the bad news is,  consumers will have to foot higher bills since more money will be required to fuel the emergency thermoelectric plants being installed. The Kenya Power and lighting Company says by the end of this month 140 megawatts of power will be injected in the national grid under the power emergency plan. KPLC managing director Joseph Njoroge made the announcement on Wednesday when he toured independent power producer Aggreko at the Embakasi sub-station allayed fears that the situation was getting out of control. He however said the power tariffs would go up due to over reliance on thermal based power production mostly diesel powered generators due to the cost of fuel. The energy crisis was caused by the persistent drought in the country that resulted in the closure of Masinga dam in July, the country's main water reservoir. The country that largely relies on hydroelectric plants for 90% of its power generation has continued to record low rainfall, but the government has been faulted for poor planning and bureaucracy which have made private investment almost impossible. The government in August released a nation wide power rationing programme that has adversely affected the economy.

"A vocation is more rich than riches" - Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford - gracenjeri77@yahoo.com

'Out Of Control' Wildfires Blaze Near LA

Two firemen have been killed by the enormous wildfires which are spreading near Los Angeles in California  and on right smoke rises near the La Canada Flintridge area of LA. Around 3,000 homes were evacuated on the north-eastern edge of the city.

Police in Kenya are pursuing vital information on the circumstances under which a plane in Laikipia West district was shot at by unknown people as it took off from a private runaway. Area police boss Paul Kariuki said intensive investigations had been launched to ascertain what really took place and apprehend the attackers. During the Sunday afternoon incident the light aircraft was shot at by unknown people as it was taking off from Laikipia Nature Conservancy which is privately owned. The pilot, Jamie Vernon had just dropped off the conservancy owner, Kuki Gallman and was taking off when the attackers started firing at the plane. Vernon however managed to fly away in the plane belonging to Tropic Air Company and landed safely at Nanyuki air strip with a bullet still lodged in the propeller. Gallman claimed the attackers were herders who were illegally grazing their cattle at the conservancy. Kariuki said no report was made at his office or any other police station within the district after the incident occurred and he only learnt about it from his seniors in Nairobi.

Missing python found in cupboard

A Cumbrian couple whose 3ft python went missing a month ago were shocked to discover the pet hiding in a kitchen cupboard. Murray and Amanda McNab assumed 10 month-old Sid fled their home in Upperby by squeezing through a gap in its tank and an open window. A search nearby was carried out and neighbours warned not to touch the brown and gold royal python. But Sid was found safe and well in the cupboard on Tuesday. The couple were so distressed at Sid's disappearance that they bought another python in the hope this would tempt him back. They had also warned neighbours that, although the snake was not poisonous, it could bite if it felt threatened. Mrs McNab said they were delighted to find Sid still in the house and plan to keep their new addition, who has been christened Pedro. She said: "We had all been up to Scotland for the bank holiday to visit my mother. "When we came back my son went into the kitchen to make us a cup of coffee. "When he opened the cutlery drawer we found some skin that Sid had shed. It didn't take us long after that to find him in one of the cupboards." The couple believe Sid had spent the past month living in wall cavities. She added: "We missed him so much, we're just delighted to have him back."

Mrs. Anne Chege of New Hope Orphans Children's Home in Kenya is

meeting Kenyans in Coventry on Sunday 6th Sept. 2009

"On behalf of Mrs Ann Chege of NEW HOPE CHILDREN'S CENTRE, the Kenyan Community in Coventry and the surrounding areas are invited to come and meet up with Mrs Ann Chege this coming sunday 06/09/09 from 6.00pm at St. Lawrence Church Hall, Old Church Road, (T-Juction with Profitt Avenue), Longford, Coventry, CV6 7ED.

  Among other things, Mrs Chege will introduce herself to those who are not familiar with her, plus she will outline her on-going project.

  We would like everyone to come prepared to contribute in ideas on how we can help her worthy cause back in Kenya, and what Coventry can be capable of doing before her major fundraising in London on 27/09/09, or before her departure back to Kenya.

  Mrs Chege will also be attending church at the same venue that morning and she will be given a chance by Rev. Mike Cleveland to introduce herself.  

For any querries you can reach Ann Chege on 07947883505 or you may call baba sharon (Lenny Kamau)  on 07961624483, whilst Mrs Chege is in Coventry".

"Let us continue doing good for in due season we shall reap a happy harvest".

Michael Jackson's death certificate has been amended to reflect his cause of death as homicide. The document has been changed to specify that his death was caused by "injection by another". Investigators had concluded that a powerful concoction of prescription drugs killed the pop star. The coroner's further homicide verdict increases the chances of criminal charges being brought against Jackson's doctors.

Deadly earthquake hits Indonesia

At least 15 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck near the Indonesian island of Java. Dozens of properties collapsed in the city of Tasikmalaya on the west of the island and thousands of people have been evacuated, officials said. The magnitude 7.0 quake also damaged buildings in the university city of Bandung, also close to the epicentre. In the capital, Jakarta, 200km (120 miles) north, hundreds fled into the streets from offices and shops. One eyewitness, who gave his name as Jonathan, told the BBC News website he was on the 28th floor of an office block in Jakarta when the quake struck. "I went into the meeting room and took shelter under the table. It went on for about a minute I think - scary."It was like being in a boat on rough water, the building swaying from side to side. The doors were flapping, books fell off piles," he said. And in Bandung an eyewitness told reporters: "We were all studying and the building we were in started shaking for a few minutes and the ceiling fell." Some people were killed in a rock slide on the southern coast, according to reports, while others died when buildings collapsed in the district of Cianjur, in Tasikmalaya and in the town of Sukabumi. Officials said dozens more people were injured, including at least 27 in Jakarta. Medical teams have been dispatched to Tasikmalaya, nearest the epicentre, where the damaged properties included the mayor's home and a mosque. Hundreds of people took shelter in a military base in the city, fearing aftershocks. The epicentre was offshore, about 115km (70 miles) south-west of Tasikmalaya, at a depth of about 50km.The quake was felt 500km away in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, and on the resort island of Bali. The US Geological Survey lowered its magnitude reading from 7.4 to 7.0 and local tsunami warnings issued soon after the quake were later withdrawn. Seismologists recorded a slight rise in the sea level at Pelabuhan Ratu off the west of the island, indicating there had been a small tsunami. In December 2004, an earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people around Asia. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most active areas for earthquakes and volcanic activity in the world.

On the morning of Monday, July 10, Mr George Kibe, a driver with Muthaiti Coffee Estate in Thika District, prepared for what he expected to be a seamless routine. Together with a colleague, Peter Maina, they picked 150 bags of coffee from the estate’s stores near Juja town and headed for Socfinaf Coffee Mills in Gatundu, where they were to deliver the produce. They were to first pass through a nearby police post to pick up armed police escorts. However, a few hundred metres from the stores, a grey saloon car emerged from ahead and blocked the narrow road from the coffee estate. Suddenly, two men jumped off the car, brandishing guns. Each dashed to either side of the truck’s cabin and ordered Kibe and Maina out.  "They asked us whether we knew what they were pointing at us and then bundled us into the car," Kibe recalled last week. "We were sandwiched between two abductors who ordered us to close our eyes as they bound our hands with our shoestrings. I could feel them untie my shoe laces." Shaken and silently praying for their safety, the two were driven away at a high speed and abandoned three hours later at Kirwara in neighbouring Gatanga District.

At the time, they did not know what happened to their truck. They were to learn later that three of the hijackers were gunned down near Ruiru town along Kiganjo-Ruiru road after suspicious employees, who had witnesses the abduction, alerted the police. Thika police officer in charge of operations, Mr Charles Rotich said three other suspects managed to flee, but they injured three members of public as they escaped. The incident is one among several occurring lately in the area, involving coffee theft that has left farmers in Murang’a, Thika, Kiambu and Gatundu puzzled over the new crime style. Many coffee factories which had always delivered their produce without security are now seeking police escorts for their coffee following the incidents that rekindle memories of the "black gold" smuggling days at Chepkube, across the Kenya-Uganda border in the 1970s. Then, heroic tales were told of how "The black gold of Chepkube" was carried across the border by dare-devil smugglers who made millions out of the produce that fetched good prices on the international market then. That was three decades ago, but interviews with coffee dealers, farmers and factory managers last week indicated the good prices are back, the reason behind the new wave of coffee theft. The criminals are targeting coffee in transit as well as in the stores. While stolen bags of coffee have been recovered in some cases, others have disappeared into thin air. - The Standard.

Climate activists staged a series of “rambling” protests through London on Tuesday 1st September, 2009. Two main groups of up to 100 people targeted banks and companies across the city. At one point a group of 12 people super-glued their hands to the floor in the foyer at the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in Bishopsgate. Around 100 more people demonstrated outside.  Later protesters moved to Victoria where they invaded the offices of the PR company Edelman, whose clients include E.on which owns the coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent. Some stripped naked and held up a banner while others occupied the roof of the building. Activists dressed as construction workers used stepladders, locks and superglue to form a blockade at the RBS building at around 8am. Some protestors stripped naked and held up a banner while others occupied the roof of the building and Demonstrators occupy lobby and entrance in building connected to Eon.

Agriculture minister William Ruto curiously met President Kibaki’s son Jimmy just hours today’s Orange Democratic Movement’s rescue and face-saving talks. Away from the glare of cameras, and inside the exquisite Zen Garden Restaurant in Nairobi’s Spring Valley area, Ruto held discussions with Jimmy on Sunday night.

Muhammad Ali visits Irish ancestral home

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali strikes a familiar pose during a visit to his ancestral home in Ennis, Ireland, today. The three-time world heavyweight champion, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, was made the first honorary freeman of the town. His great-grandfather, Abe Grady, emigrated from Ennis to the US in the 1860s and married a freed slave.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga looked at his Orange Democratic Movement MPs with a straight face and apologised to those on whose toes he may have stepped. He, however, told the party’s long-awaited National Executive and Parliamentary Group meeting that conservation of Mau Forest Complex, which has rocked the party, was his national duty. He explained it was neither a Luo nor Kalenjin affair as its destruction portended danger to all communities. Agriculture Minister William Ruto, whose shadow wars with Raila have shaken ODM and even provoked threats of mass defection of Rift MPs, dropped the hard-talk he has displayed lately. He instead repeated his demand Mau settlers must be evicted in a human manner but after being compensated, and that he supported a united ODM. Ruto was said to have remained unusually quiet during the discussions. The meeting called to discuss the differences between Raila and Ruto, and by extension Rift Valley MPs who argue he had betrayed their constituents after becoming PM, was devoid of the acrimony that was anticipated could implode when the ODM MPs came under one roof.  - MORE

Dancers perform during the Notting Hill Carnival in West London as thousands of revellers descended on the second and final day of the Carnival on Monday 31st August, 2009. Young dancers parade along the route on the first day of Notting Hill Carnival.

Govt drafts new construction laws

The Kenya government will soon put in place new laws regarding construction of buildings. The draft bill was presented to the stakeholders in the building and construction industry by the Minister for Housing Soita Shitanda.  The collapse of several buildings under construction in various parts of the country, leading to loss of lives has been attributed to lack of proper building laws. The trend has also seen the mushrooming of unplanned buildings with reports indicating that 30% of Kenya's urban centers are not planned. This the ministry of housing attributes to an outdated building code adopted in 1969, compounded by lack of effective enforcement mechanisms. It is this code that the government hopes to do away with by introducing the new draft bill. The Draft proposes a new regime that will have the power to:

• Harmonize and integrate individual physical plans with national master physical plan

• Approve all building designs and plans

• Co-ordinate inspections and maintenance of all buildings for safety formulate national, regional and local physical development plans

• Disseminate information to the public on building requirements

• Advice the government all aspects of planning and building development operations

• Regulate and oversee the construction of all building works.

The draft bill hopes to address the current flaws with constructors now required to observe professionalism by involving an accredited checker before embarking on any construction.  The bill also proposes that buildings meet specific needs to cater for disabled people and ensure that the primary function for which the building was designed is observed. The bill also proposes one body to regulate issues in the building industry, which Shitanda said would incorporate members from various industries and ministries so that there is no conflict of roles.  According to the minister, current construction laws are contained in 103 statutes which contradict each other, making the implementation difficult and subject to manipulation. Shitanda also cites the entrance of unqualified people into the industry, bureaucracy, corruption, unequal application of the law as among the challenges posed by the existing code. Thus he says there is an urgent need for a review of code in order to re-engineer the industry through incorporation of best practices and appropriate technologies to revolutionise the industry. "The proposed draft Planning and Building Bill will consolidate, amend and provide the law relating to planning, design, construction and maintenance of buildings and associated works," Shitanda said. The minister says under the new bill, constructors will also be required to take safety measures during the process of demolition. The ministry will now embark on collecting views and comments from the stakeholders after which the draft will be submitted to parliament for debate and enactment.

Killed over her Facebook status

A spurned lover stabbed and strangled his partner to death because she changed her Facebook status to single, a court heard today. Brian Lewis was said to be irritated by the amount of time his partner, mother-of-four Hayley Jones, spent on the social networking site. And when she changed her status from 'married' to 'single', he flew into a rage, allegedly telling fellow drinkers in a social club: 'If I can't have her, then no f***er else will because I will kill her first.' Days later, Lewis, 31, was said to have strangled her and stabbed her as she slept on the settee. He then fled the scene, leaving her children, aged three to ten, to discover her body. The couple were childhood sweethearts and, although they had never married, regarded themselves as husband and wife, the court heard. Cracks began to appear in their relationship because of financial problems after Lewis lost his job and when she started working as a care assistant, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Miss Jones, 26, was also introduced to Facebook and the couple argued about how long she spent online making new friends. Prosecutor Mark Evans said: 'Hayley started to expand her social life and was spending a lot of time on inter­net sites, in particular, Facebook. 'She was quite secretive about this, preventing Lewis from using the site and turning the computer off. It is quite clear this rankled with him.' On March 2, she changed her status on the site to 'single' and told him the relationship was over. Ten days later, Lewis dialled 999 and told police he had killed her. The children might have tried to rev­ive their mother when they found her body on the settee, the court heard. Tests showed Miss Jones had been strangled. She was stabbed in the chest through two sleeping bags but the wound would not have been fatal. Lewis, of Phillipstown, New Tredegar, south Wales, gave himself up, telling pol­ice he was trimming his fingernails with a knife when a row broke out with Miss Jones. He denies murder and the trial continues.

In pictures: Celebrating Gaddafi

Libya has started a week of massive celebrations to mark 40 years since the coup that brought Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to power. Jets flew over Tripoli, ahead of a military parade featuring soldiers from many African countries. Hundreds of performers showcased Libya's history in drama and music, with a fireworks show due afterwards. Several African and Arab leaders are attending the celebrations, but Western leaders have decided to stay away. This follows a political storm over the release from a Scottish prison of Libyan Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, the only man jailed for the Lockerbie bombing.

Kenya MPs refuse to go on recess

The Kenya backbenchers in parliament Tuesday 1st September, 2009 put up a spirited effort and stopped the house from adjourning for six week. The move was ignited by Garsen MP Danson Mungatana who claimed there were matters still pending in the House that needed to be urgently dispensed off before MPs go on recess. Mungatana said there was no hurry in going for a holiday yet issues like the reappointment of Justice Aron Ringera as Kenya Anti Corruption Commission director that needed to be discussed. Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo's attempt to have the House extend its seating until all 13 motions that were slated for debate including the motion of adjournment discussed were quashed by the backbenchers who claimed they would not agree to be used as rubber stamps to the machinations of the executive. And to prove their displeasure the backbenchers forced Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo to eat humble pie and have a motion that sought to have parliament endorse three names forwarded by the Chief Justice to the political parties tribunal referred to the departmental committee on administration of Justice.  The MPs claimed it would be unfair for the House to tear into the credibility, integrity and character of the three in the eyes of the public, saying that would end up traumatizing the individuals. The Chief Justice through Kilonzo wanted parliament to endorse the names of Sankala Ole Kentai, Chacha Odera and Jessie Mutura as members of the political parties dispute tribunal. The Tribunal would be tasked with handling political parties disputes and instill party discipline. The motion was later amended to have the committee scrutinize the three names before parliament can debate their appointment.

Top 2 weird sporting events

Competitors in the ring at the World Gravy Wrestling Championship. With the World Gravy Wrestling Championships having just taken place - an event which saw 16 men and eight women grapple in front of a judging panel in 2,000 litres of out-of-date gravy - we take a look at six of the most bizarre sporting events that happen every year...With several events throughout the year in the tiny, boggy mid-Wales town of Llanwrtyd Wells, bog snorkelling draws competitors from far and wide. Exactly why they come from far and wide to spend their time swimming (and, in the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon, cycling) through muddy water in silly costumes is not entirely clear. This year, the event's creator - 74-year-old Gorden Green - finally donned a snorkel himself and took the plunge.

UK teenage girls 'worst drunks'

Young teenagers in the UK are more likely to get drunk than anywhere else in the industrial world, shows an international survey. Girls in particular have pushed up this level of drunkenness in the UK, says a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Among 15-year-olds, girls are more likely to have been drunk than boys. But the report also says young people in the UK are materially well-off and enjoy a "high quality of school life". The report, Doing Better for Children, compares the well-being of young people living in the leading industrial economies.

Thousands of passengers stranded as budget airline goes bankruptcy

Thousands of passengers have been stranded across Europe as a budget airline cancelled all flights after filing for bankruptcy. Slovakia-based SkyEurope said it regretted that it was not able to repatriate its clients and warned that it "may not be possible" to reimburse those who had booked directly with the carrier. However, customers who paid by credit card and those who purchased packages should be able to get their money back according to the UK travel organisation Abta. Frances Tuke, from Abta, said: "We are still trying to find out just how many Britons are caught up in this. "Airline collapses such as this highlight the need for a reform of the regulatory system regarding refunds." SkyEurope chartered flights out of Luton and Manchester airports, providing routes to Prague in the Czech Republic and to Poprad, Kosice and Bratislava in Slovakia. After the cancellations, low-fare carriers Ryanair and EasyJet as well as Austrian competitors FlyNiki und Austrian Airlines offered special fares to fly stranded passengers home. The low-cost company had already cancelled some flights before going into administration - including services from Paris and Bratislava. SkyEurope had failed to generate a profit since it was founded in 2001, making a loss of £53m in 2008.

Kenya, Tharaka, Kenya, August 31 - Fifteen parents have been arrested in Tharaka South District for attempting to have their daughters circumcised. Tunyai District Officer Robert Kimosop on Monday said more arrests would follow and any parent found carrying out the outlawed cut would be prosecuted. The news comes even as 600 schoolgirls were rescued before they underwent Female Genital Mutilation in Meru and went through an alternative rite of passage facilitated by the Catholic Diocese of Meru. Majority of the girls, drawn mainly from Igembe North and South, Maara and Tharaka South districts said their families intended to have them circumcised over the just concluded August holidays. Meru Diocese social development coordinator Joseph Eruaki said the girls took part in seminars that ensured they embraced their cultural identity without violating their basic human rights. Mr Eruaki said the church extensively consulted respected elders’ council, parents and other stakeholders to assist in identifying valid cultural aspects to be imparted to the youth during trainings.  He said the alternative rite of passage project does not aim at changing the Meru culture but enhances values that promote human dignity.  The girls were trained in topics like adverse effects of FGM, their human rights, HIV/Aids prevention and control, relationships with the opposite sex, and positive and negative traditional practices. During the training the graduands narrated their ordeals before they came to the workshop, with one claiming that she had to escape from her grandparents’ home after she learnt of their plans to have her secretly circumcised and spent the night in the bush. Speaking in Meru at the weekend, Gender Minister Esther Murugi said out of the 42 tribes in the country, only five did not practice FGM.

A LUO PROVERB

Kik ikwiny ng'ama tek.

Don't provoke a strong person.

Keep within your limits.

WHAT SOME OF THE UK'S PAPERS SAY ON TUESDAY 1ST SEPT. 2009

LEFT: A series of icebergs in Greenland's Sermilik fjord are melting at a far faster rate than any climate models have predicted, the Guardian reports. CENTRE: Industry experts say household energy bills should be around £170 per year lower than their current prices, but firms have not passed on drops in wholesale fuel costs, according to the Daily Express. RIGHT: The Government is predicting demand for electricity from homes and businesses will exceed supply from the national grid within eight years, leading to widespread power cuts, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Kenya Airways will temporarily suspend daily flights to Kisumu effective September 7, 2009. In a statement, KQ said the move was meant to pave way for the ongoing repairs and renovation of the Kisumu Airport runway by the Kenya Airports Authority. The repairs are expected to be completed by the end of November 2009. "The length of the Kisumu runway will become much shorter during the repair and renovation period. Therefore the Embraer E170 jets which ply on this route will not be able to take-off and land during this time," Kenya Airways Commercial Director, Mohan Chandra said.  "The runaway repairs are expected to improve the operations of the Kisumu Airport. Our aircrafts are not able to take full loads on the short runway," he added.  Chandra said the airline will resume operations once renovations are complete. The airline flies to Kisumu twice every day. Kisumu Airport is the third busiest airport in the country after the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the Nairobi Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

Teenager stabbed as 750,000 enjoy Notting Hill Carnival, London

Keeping the beat: drummers in the procession, which started earlier in the day to clear the streets before nightfall. Nearly 750,000 revellers enjoyed the Notting Hill Carnival at the weekend. Police described the event as “remarkably peaceful”, with fewer people injured or arrested than last year, despite a 15-year-old boy being stabbed in a mass fight last night. The teenager was found collapsed in Monmouth Road, off Westbourne Grove, with wounds to the leg, chest and stomach. He was in a serious but stable condition in hospital today. The attack was one of a handful of outbreaks of violence after the parade last night, though none was on the scale of last year's rioting which saw dozens of people and police injured. A brawl during an after-carnival party at the Elbow Rooms in Westbourne Grove ended in two men being injured, one suffering facial wounds from broken glass. Police also arrested a group of 38 youths suspected of plotting trouble and held them until the carnival ended. Earlier a surprise performance by singer Ms Dynamite was cancelled because of safety fears. Hot weather brought an estimated 500,000 people out yesterday, adults' day, and a further 220,000 took part in the children's event on Sunday. The processions and floats had been asked to start earlier in an effort to clear the streets by nightfall to prevent trouble.

"Jealousy gives way to hatred. Hating people is hard work, and it kills everything good in life." - Pastor JJ Gitahi was Dorcas, Nairobi, Kenya

Facebook banned for council staff

A council is to ban Facebook on its computers after it was revealed staff spent on average 400 hours on the site every month. Portsmouth City Council said it has decided to change its policy and block access to the social networking site. But the council added the figures only equated to each of its 4,500 staff, who have access to computers, spending about six minutes a month on the site. The Taxpayers' Alliance said the move would stop the "waste of public cash". Mark Wallace, from the group, added: "It is sad that it has reached a point where councils need to ban staff from Facebook. "But people are employed to work hard for the taxpayer and this is clearly a waste of public money."

Prices Rise At Pumps As Tax Hikes Kick In

The price of petrol in UK has risen by 2p a litre in the first of a series of tax increases between now and the end of the year which will primarily hit the middle classes.Most were announced in the Budget but delayed until the latter part of 2009 as the Chancellor attempted to help people through the downturn. According to Adrian Tink, motoring strategist for the RAC, the increase in fuel duty is deeply unfair not only because drivers frequently see price hikes at the pumps but because they are penalised twice.He said: "Motorists have to pay a flat rate of fuel duty and VAT, so, as the Chancellor put up fuel duty at the last Budget it cancelled out the reduction in VAT from 17.5% to 15% - drivers never saw the benefit."And VAT is set to rise too. On January 1, 2010, that temporary reduction to 15% will be reversed.The British Retail Consortium estimates that every time VAT is altered it costs retailers £90m.They complain that with the increase happening during sale time at the end of a challenging year, it is a drain on businesses who have to reallocate staff and reprice goods.The threshold at which stamp duty kicks in will also decrease at the start of 2010.The Budget temporarily raised the point at which 1% of any house purchase price must be paid to the government from £125,000 to £175,000, but it will revert to its previous level on January 1.Slough estate agent James Robinson said that £50,000 difference was enough to stimulate the market."It's a big mistake to bring the stamp duty threshold back down to £125,000 just when the market is finding its feet," he argued."It's hard enough for people to scrape together a deposit without having to find just under £2,000 on top of that."Sellers were being careful to market their homes under the threshold to sell them quickly - now they'll be left in limbo."The beginning of November will see air passengers hit too.

Police welcome: a woman dances with a policeman at The Notting Hill Carnival and on right - Fun for the kids: a girl in a costume carries a Grenadian flag during the Notting Hill Carnival Children's Day.

The Kenya national population and housing census exercise 2009 comes to a close Monday 31st August, 2009 at 10pm local time with 98% of the 12 million households countrywide having been enumerated so far. However, in some districts in North Eastern, Upper Rift Valley and Upper Eastern province, the enumerators have until tomorrow (Tuesday) to complete the exercise. Officials behind the population exercise have dispelled fears of data manipulation adding that preliminary results of the population count is expected to be made public by December. The weeklong exercise kicked off on the night of 24th August. Most provinces have registered a high percentage of the households covered with Nairobi at 99%, central province 99%, 97% rift valley, Nyanza 99%, coast 97%, western 97%, 94% for North Eastern and Easter registering 98%. The exercise has however been extended by one day in some districts in North Eastern, Upper Rift Valley and Upper Eastern provinces due to difficulties of mobility, terrain and drought. Officials are also expected to carry out a post enumeration survey to counter check any errors realized during the data compilation process. Preliminary results are expected to be released by December. Those who will not have been counted by Monday night can call hotline numbers. 020 2529192, or 0737 073309 or 0712 827056 or contact the nearest local provincial administration. Payment of the enumerators is expected to be remitted upon completion of the exercise.

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1956 - Rika ria Cheni - Demarcation

MOT machine arrives in Nairobi

Newly acquired 'MOT' machine as known in UK has arrived in Kenya to fight carbon emitted to the atmosphere by cars in Kenya. The police are waiting for an act to be passed in Parliament for them to start a crackdown from next year. They hope to have one equipped truck in every Province. To kick start the event they started by testing Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police Lawrece Mwandime's car, His new merc failed to pass the test. On right Senior Deputy commissioner of Police Lawrence Mwadime's receiving a certificate of failure after his vehicle failed MOT. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi - 31/08/09.

Ringera reappointed as KACC director

President Mwai Kibaki has reappointed Justice (rtd) Aaron Ringera as the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC). In a gazette notice President Kibaki appointed Justice Ringera to serve for a period of five years with effect from 8th September 2009. Also reappointed in the gazette notice are Mrs. Fatuma Sichale and Mr Smokin Wanjala. Mrs. Sichale will continue serving as the assistant Director Legal Services while Mr Wanjala remains the Assistant Director Preventive Services. Both appointments will be for a period of four years and take effect from 8th September 2009.

Audio slideshow: Kenya's drought

Land that was once pasture is turning to desert, tens of thousands of animals have died, and the UN has warned that nearly four million people need help. Reporter Mike Thomson has visited the area around Garissa in northeastern Kenya, to meet the animal herders trying to survive the country's worst drought for a decade. - VIDEO

Two firemen killed in fight to save LA

Two firemen have died fighting wildfires which threaten to engulf parts of Los Angeles.  The pair were forced off a road and rolled down the side of a mountain when their vehicle was overrun by fast-moving flames.  They were helping to protect some of the 12,000 homes endangered by the blazes in the mountains and suburbs north of the city. Residents, some of whom have already been burnt by the fires, have been told to flee or face death. 'There were three people that got critically injured because they did not listen,' said California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Two of those victims had tried to seek refuge by getting in a hot tub.

Mama Wangechi officially known as Mrs. Frank and others calls her Mary Mukurino of Beckton London has lost his mother back in Kenya. Family and friends are meeting for prayers and arrangements at 69 Renfrew Close, Beckton, London E6 5PQ. For more information please contact 079030435484 or 07733784822.

 At Glenn Mathews 4 x 4 show‏ in Nairobi

Yes, they even went on stairs. What a show? Glenn Mathews runs a performance driving school for 4 wheel drives and also specializes of defensive driving skills among others. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi - 31/08/09.

Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura resumes his duties on Tuesday after a two-month absence due to illness. Amb Muthaura who has been recuperating after heart surgery, said last week he was well and ready to return to work. Last week, Meru council of elders (Njuri Ncheke) who visited him at his Ongata Rongai home told off critics who claim Muthaura was sick and not fit to work. "Those who have been saying things about my office are free to do so since Kenya is a democratic country," said Muthaura. He was flown to South Africa on July 1 for treatment after he developed heart complications.

Car left high and dry by excavation

A silver Chrysler sits stranded on its own 18m (60ft) mini-mountain after its owner refused to abandon his cliffside home to make way for a government building project. The car was left high and dry when builders simply excavated around Qu Liming's home and car in Liulin, northern China. 'I tried to climb up but fell all the way down – the police said it was all my own fault for being big-headed,' said Mr Qu.

The Kenya government would soon introduce the use of smart cards in all public service vehicles to streamline the transport sector. Nairobi Metropolitan Development Minister Njeru Githae said the introduction of a cashless system in the sector would curb corruption witnessed in the sector and offer efficient services. He said the current system has made it impossible for the government to streamline the sector since cases of bribery between matatu touts, police and local authority askaris continue to be on the rise. Githae said the government is shopping for potential investors to undertake the project.  Speaking at Baricho in his Ndia constituency, the minister singled out transport as a big challenge in realizing the metropolitan dream. "The technical committee comprising officials from the metropolitan development ministry, ministry of transport, the city council of Nairobi and the Nairobi Central Business District Association is working on modalities of streamlining the sector in the city" said Githae. The committee, he said would study past reports on the issue and come up with a workable way of decongesting the city's central business district.  This, he said would have a ripple effect on other parts of the country which have been adversely affected by the heavy traffic experienced in the city. Githae took issue with the City Council of Nairobi for hurriedly stopping public service vehicles from entering the CBD saying the move was not practical. He said the council contravened the recommendations of a technical committee looking into the matter adding that private vehicles should be barred from entering the CBD. "People should be asked to leave their vehicles at home and use public service vehicles to reduce traffic in the CBD," he said. The government, he said would push to have buses with a capacity of 60 passengers or more to operate in the CBD to solve the problem. He added that Harambee Avenue , Tom Mboya Street , Kirinyaga road and River road would be one way to pave way for the buses to pick and drop passengers in the CBD. He refuted claims that there was conflict between his ministry and the council adding that a metropolitan bill which would give  his ministry powers to restore the city's lost glory would be tabled in parliament soon.  Once passed, he said the ministry would oversee security, water, transport and also manage solid waste. Meanwhile, matatu crew on route 15 and 33 have Monday blocked Mombasa road near Nyayo stadium allegedly to protest new terminus rules.

Notting Hill Carnival 2009

Hundreds of thousands of revellers party on the streets of west London for the Notting Hill Carnival. On Children's Sunday, dancers, artists and groups. Notting Hill Carnival has been taking place in London, on the last weekend in August, every year since 1964. Notting Hill Carnival was initiated by London's immigration population from the Caribbean, particularly from Trinidad. Back in the 1950s and 60s, these black immigrants were facing harsh racism: limited job opportunities and poor housing conditions were the norm. They decided to create a festival in the style so synonymous with the Caribbean, to bring people together after the race riots of the 1950's. What began as a small party now has up to two million revelers every August Bank Holiday weekend. They changed people's opinion of the Notting Hill area of west London – what was once considered dangerous and vulgar but is now one of the most fashionable districts in London.

Will This Man Be Russia's Barack Obama?

A Russian Man Aims to Overcome Widespread Rascism in a Bid to Become District Chief

Moscow, August 29 (RIA Novosti) - A 37-year-old watermelon seller from Guinea-Bissau aiming to become Russia's first black elected official has competition from a builder of Ghanaian descent, Russian media said on Monday. In July, media reports labeled Joachim Crima "The Volgograd Obama" after he announced his intention to run in the Srednyaya Akhtuba District election in south Russia's Volgograd Region. A spokesman for Moscow Region-born Filipp Kondratyev, whose absent father is from Ghana and whose mother is Russian, denied that he had been put forward as a candidate in the district to take votes away from Crima, the Trud newspaper said. Kondratyev registered last week for the polls, due to be held on October 11. Crima, whose campaign slogan declares he is ready to "toil day and night like a negro," has attracted worldwide media attention. Joachim Crima's campaign billboard pictures the African immigrant in a white shirt and tie with his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, photoshopped smiling in front of a winding blue river with the message "Vasily Crima – New District Chief." Except for the Cyrillic lettering, it could be a campaign poster from almost anywhere with a black population.  Crima – who has adopted the Russian name Vasily Ivanovich – is running for a district seat on the Municipal Council in the southern Volgograd region where he grows and sells fruits and vegetables, mostly watermelons. A black person has never held office in Russia and very few have ever run.  He has been nicknamed "Volgograd Obama," though the only thing that Crima, 37, and President Obama appear to have in common is African heritage.

Crima is hesitant to compare himself to America's new president though he admires Obama for "showing the world what black people could do. He made the dream of Martin Luther King real." "I want to make the lives of people who I consider my compatriots better. I am ready to work from morning until evening to resolve their problems," he told Russian news service Ria Novisti. "In other words, I am ready to toil like a Negro." The cringe-inducing phrase is an all-too-common expression in Russia that Crima has adopted as his campaign slogan to convey his work ethic to potential constituents. "If you call yourself a Negro it means you don't care if other people call you that," Crima told ABC News, explaining that he doesn't find the term offensive. "Racism is everywhere, in some places more than others. It will disappear sooner or later." Russian society is notoriously racist. Beatings of immigrants are a regular occurrence. In the first six months of 2009, 36 people were killed in xenophobic attacks while 171 have been injured in Russia, according to the SOVA human rights group. In a 2008 poll by the Levada Center, a Moscow-based think-tank, 57 percent of respondents agreed with the phrase "Russia for Russians."

Licensing of the first credit bureau by the Central Bank of Kenya sets the stage for financial institutions to share history on loan payment habits of customers. The information will enable customers who pay loans promptly negotiate for lower lending rates but isolate serial defaulters. The development comes after CBK last week awarded the first licence to Nairobi-based Credit Reference Bureau-Africa (CRB-Africa), that operates in 12 African countries. Licensing of CRB-Africa is the not only the first step towards opening up sharing of credit information among financial institutions, but also opens a new chapter in the way loans are structured and priced in the country. In a bid to show its commitment to opening up access to credit, CBK also announced, it would issue two more licences — to Metropol East Africa and South Africa’s Compuscan — after due diligence assessment is carried out on the ability of the two institutions in gathering credit information.  A credit reference bureau collects information on borrowing and paying habits of institutions or individuals, and supplies it to financial institutions they intend to borrow from. Such information is used to assess customer creditworthiness and ability to repay a loan based on records on previous habits with other institutions. The information is essential in determining the level of interest rate to charge a borrower based on their credit history. When all the credit agencies are fully operational in the next few months, they will open up credit opportunities for more individuals and institutions, especially small businesses. - The Standard.

LEFT: The Independent leads on the story of a man who had his ears and nose cut off by the Taliban after he voted in this month's elections. CENTRE: Meanwhile, the Telegraph warns that people who take an aspirin a day as an insurance policy against heart attacks could be doing themselves more harm than good. RIGHT: The Guardian claims that hundreds of children are being held unnecessarily in immigration detention centres, along with their families. - Monday 31st August, 2009.

It is a bank holiday today (Monday 31st August, 2009) here in the UK

A UK Home Office report disclosed that 470 children entered detention facilities in the first half of 2009. According to the Guardian, many came from trouble-spots including Zimbabwe, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Democratic Republic of Congo. The figures are thought to be the first to be published regarding children in detention centres, following lobbying by campaigners. They showed that almost a third of children had been kept for more than 28 days, meaning they must have been authorised by a Government minister. And, out of 225 children released from detention in the second quarter of 2009, only 100 were removed from the UK - suggesting they had been locked up unnecessarily. Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England, told The Guardian: "If they were allowed to stay at the end of their release, why did they have to go through the detention process in the first place?" Lisa Nandy, policy adviser at The Children's Society, said: "The Home Office has taken a step in the right direction by releasing this statistical information, as, unbelievably, proper data on the number of children entering and leaving immigration detention has until now not been officially released. "These children have therefore been hidden in an inhumane system which holds them without time limit in prison-like conditions. "The statistics do however reveal the scandalous extent of the detention of children for immigration purposes, and confirm our deep concerns about the way children are being detained."

Bull Runner Gored To Death In Pamplona

The festival was made famous by Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises and on right a Spanish bullfighter Manuel Jesus "El Cid" is gored by a bull at the Plaza de Toros.

The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

1.5 million people take to the streets at the Notting Hill Carnival

More than 200,000 people ignored the gloomy weather as Europe's biggest street carnival burst into life in a blaze of colour. Giant Popeye puppets and chocolate-smeared dancers joined scores of costumed masquerade artists as the streets of Notting Hill were transformed. Police, who had made several arrests in the week building up to the event, said celebrations had got off to a peaceful start in west London. Only 39 arrests were made, mostly drug-related, compared to 108 on the first day last year. Nine people were taken to hospital, with one man fighting for his life after suffering a cardiac arrest. Chris Boothman, the carnival chief, added that security was at its best ever after the event secured its biggest budget in years thanks to a new sponsorship deal. He said: "We have worked really hard with police and we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will be okay. "We have had more money this year than we have in the last five. I think the result today is a good one." Sarah Manners, 29, from Brixton, took part in the parade with her seven-year-old daughter, Shamira. Ms Manners said: "There has been a little bit of drizzle but the vibe here as is as good as ever. It's nice to be here with my daughter for the first time." A change to this year's event saw processions begin earlier than normal, with police saying there will be a major security operation around the event. Officers were manning a series of security rings to target known troublemakers and flush out anyone carrying guns or knives. More than 150 people were sent letters telling them to stay away and 16 suspects were arrested in the run-up to the event. Chief Inspector Jo Edwards, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Our job is to make sure we do all we can to keep the thousands of people who go as safe as can be. "Given the huge number of people who take part in Carnival, crime rates are low, and our policing style last year made sure that less people were a victim of crime. "We will be working with the full support of the organisers and the community to ensure that success continues this year." Officers have also carried out regular stop and search operations to disrupt gang activity, in areas where there is intelligence that gangs may attend the carnival.

This year's Notting Hill Carnival is expected to see about 1.5 million people take to the streets in west London.  The event is Europe's biggest street party and performers spend months creating their costumes and rehearsing dance routines.

House prices in England and Wales rose by 1.7% in July compared with June - the biggest monthly leap in value since July 2004, the Land Registry said. Every region recorded a monthly rise in prices, with the average home valued at £155,885, the analysis found. But prices were still 11.7% lower in July than they were in the same month a year earlier and sales were also down. The annual drop in prices was sharpest in the North East of England but at its most shallow in Wales. The Land Registry, which records all completed property sales in England and Wales, is widely regarded as producing one of the most authoritative house price reports, although it does lag behind data from lenders. It compares the price of properties sold now with the price paid when they were sold previously. However, repossessions and property transfers following a divorce are excluded from the sample. The annual fall in prices eased in July compared with June, when the year-on-year drop stood at 13.8%. This was at the lowest level in July since October last year. The recovery in the housing market has been revealed in a series of surveys in recent months, including the Nationwide building society's index which is based on mortgage data, which this week revealed prices had risen by 1.6% in August compared with July. This has proved to be bad news for tenants, who have seen rent levels rise again as former "reluctant landlords" put their homes back on the market.

However, the number of transactions remains relatively low, with some experts suggesting rising prices could stall if there is a surge of properties coming back onto the market. There were an average of 35,848 sales per month between February and May this year, compared with 61,743 in the same period a year earlier. The housing market slump was more acute for the owners of flats and terraced homes, as revealed in the latest figures. The Land Registry said that the value of terraced properties fell by 12.9% and flats dropped by 12.7% in July compared with the same month a year earlier. This compared with an 11.3% fall for semi-detached homes and just a 10.2% drop for detached houses. On a national and regional level, the biggest month-on-month rise in property values came in Wales, where prices rose by 3.1% in July compared with June. At the other end of the scale, prices rose by 0.9% during the same period in Yorkshire and the Humber. The Land Registry analysis is one of the very few reports that maps out house prices changes at a local level. It found that in the 12 months to July, prices fell the least in Ceredigion (down 8.4%) - where the average price was £161,279 - and fell the steepest in Luton (down 22.5%) - where the average home cost £118,195. Those buying and selling some of the most expensive homes in England and Wales were not immune to the slump in activity in the housing market at the turn of the year, the figures also reveal. The biggest drop in sales in the year to May - the latest figures available - came among properties in the £1.5m to £2m bracket. Some 38 were sold in this price range in May compared with 88 in May 2008, a fall of 57%. The number of homes sold at more than £1m in the same period fell from 453 to 242, a drop of 47%. Meanwhile, more of the cheapest homes were being sold. Sales of homes which cost less than £50,000 rose by 50% from 508 in May 2008 to 760 a year later.

Graduating in style

It was a day to remember for the young ones as they graduated at Calvary Nursery School in Barking, Essex on Thursday 27th August, 2009. It was a pre-school Awards Ceremony which was held at Greatfields Day Nursery School a  nursery run by Calvary Charismatic Baptist Church in London. The nursery with 40 children was voted the best nursery in the area this year and the waiting list is big. Truly they lived to their standard by graduating with style - graduation gowns.. Eight of the children graduated to join Primary School in September 2009. On left photo the graduating students on graduation train and on right Miss Joy Sarpong, daughter of Bishop Francis Sarpong walks away after receiving her graduation pack from her father who presented the awards.

London boy, 7, celebrates GCSE success

Jude Alli, who attends a state school in Elephant and Castle, celebrates passing his maths GCSE after sitting the exam at the age of six. A seven-year-old boy from London who was one of the youngest pupils to sit a GCSE exam this year was celebrating today after passing his maths paper. Jude Alli, who took the exam at the age of six, and says he finds the subject “easy”, achieved a D grade in the paper. The youngster, of Old Kent Road said he was “very excited” to sit the exam and that he was “just trying to learn and learn and learn.” His mother said she knew her son would be a bright boy when he started walking at seven months and talking when he was little more than a year old. Joy Alli, who also has a four-year-old daughter Desiree, said: "I didn't think he was too young to sit the exam. - MORE

Top-scoring twins are delighted by their identical exam results

Two sets of twins celebrated a double success in their GCSEs on Wednesday 26th August, 2009 as they joined thousands of London pupils receiving their exams results. Identical twins Hannah and Olivia Singh and Emily and Fiona Walport picked up 24 A* grades between them. “I'm so happy,” said Hannah, 16. Olivia, who also attends Putney High School, said: “It's weird but we usually do get exactly the same marks.” The pair, from Southfields, achieved seven A* and three A grades each. “We work separately,” said Olivia. “I write my notes, she reads, and for different subjects we do different things.” Both girls will stay on at the independent girls' school for A-levels.

All is well that ends well for dad framed in killing

Before he was arrested and charged with an offence that saw him spend close to four years in remand, the former police reservist, photojournalist and publicity officer at a tourist hotel in Mombasa had everything to live for. But Mr Titus Musau, a former Nation Media Group employee, who was eventually acquitted by High Court judge Joseph Sergon for lack of evidence, said he would never forget the evening that completely ruined his life.  - MORE

A group of tourists from United Kingdom visit the shrine of Lord Baden Powell in Nyeri, central Kenya on Friday. Lord Baden Powell was the founder of the scouting movement. - Daily Nation.

The Ministry of Lands has stopped personal searches to curb fraudulent land dealings and fake titles. The Ministry's Assistant Chief Lands Registrar, Mrs. Elizabeth Gicheha said Friday 28th August, 2009 that only official searches will be done for those looking for information on particular pieces of land. Mrs. Gicheha said that all title numbers were issued by the Principal Registrar of Titles and that a Register containing the land reference and file number was also maintained. "Any title issued outside the Register will be treated as null and void", she said. In a memo from the Ministry's Deputy Director Public Communications offices said computerization of land records at the Ministry had made it easier to determine the authenticity of fake Titles.  Mrs Gicheha who spelt out a raft of measures to curb illegal dealing said the Registry at Nairobi had been closed to members of the public who were now served at the counters to ensure security of records. "All land transfer documents must bear passport coloured photographs, PIN and ID numbers of the transferor to minimize fraud" she stated. She confirmed that the strong room at Nairobi had been rearranged and that some missing and duplicated land records had been traced.Regarding fake deed plans used to process new titles, she added that all plans for new grants and subdivisions must be verified and confirmed by the Director of Survey before registration. "We have stopped the influx of fake leases brought to the Lands Registry by outsiders. All leases prepared at the headquarters but registered in the District Registries are now collected from the Chief Land Registrar's office by the Registrars or sent by Securicor", she said.  She noted that in cases where the Green cards are missing, the Ministry first confirms the ownership of that land, and then gazettes the loss of the card for two weeks before the Chief Land Registrar authorizes the opening of a new card to ensure only genuine Green cards are replaced.

Sandwich competition

Father of two, Mark Northeast creates 'sandwich sculptures' in the shape of animals and musical instruments. Here is his take on the crocodile, complete with cucumber chunk jaw and on right this ham sandwich caterpillar has an annoying habit of staring at its owner

Police officer kills colleague over woman

A regular police officer attached to Kiembeni police patrol unit in Mombasa shot dead his colleague following an argument over a female friend. The officer who committed the offense on Thursday night is said to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Eye witnesses say the policeman had earlier harassed residents threatening to kill them. They said the officer caught up with the deceased and after a brief quarrel over a woman opened fire and shot his colleague twice in the chest killing him on the spot.  Kiembeni residents are now living in fear following the shocking incident. They further called for the immediate reshuffle of the officers attached to the unit claiming that their lives were in danger.   The slain officer was described by the residents as friendly. Efforts to get a comment from the Coast Provincial police boss were futile but unconfirmed reports indicate that the officer was arrested and is being held at a Mombasa police station. Elsewhere, there was panic at a tourist lodge owned by the Kenyatta family in Taveta district after a game ranger shot dead a woman believed to be his girlfriend. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) ranger fatally attacked the woman who was until her tragic death, an accountant at the splendid Voyager Hotel in the sprawling Tsavo West National Park. Police said the ranger stormed the facility and killed the woman on Thursday midnight after a quarrel. Police linked the accountant's murder to a love triangle. Taita-Taveta police boss Herbert Khaemba confirmed the incident and said the ranger had been apprehended in connection with the incident.

Nairobi, Kenya, August 22 (UPI) -- Angry East Africans say they blame their governments, and not Mother Nature, for the suffering they are enduring in the current drought. Even as water taps are running dry in Nairobi and low water levels are forcing power cuts and soaring food prices, Kenyans are turning their anger not on the weather but on politicians whom they say have chronically mismanaged the country, making the natural disaster much worse, The Washington Post reported Saturday. "It's the government's fault," Mike Ouma Sewe, 42, told the newspaper. The Post said Sewe owns a garage that has been hit hard by spotty electricity outages.  "They must see this coming every few years, but they do nothing," he said. "Now they're talking about wind farming and conservation. They should have done all of that a long time ago." "In the good days, I do typing for college students, copy handouts and provide Internet services," added Kalkidan Belay, who works in a shop in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. "Now I barely pay rent because I can only work three days a week."

Mr. Anderson Kamanga who was in Dunstable Hospital in Luton, UK before going back Kenya early this year  passed away in a Nakuru Hospital on Wednesday 26th August, 2009.

"IT IS THE IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE BRING BABY BOOM IN UK"

LEFT: Britain's population has risen above 61 million for the first time due to a baby boom among immigrant families, according to the Daily Express. CENTRE: The Daily Telegraph leads with the same story, reporting that immigrant mothers accounted for more than half the increase in births last year. RIGHT: For the first time in a decade, an excess of births over deaths played a bigger part than immigration in driving population growth, claims the Daily Mail.

MAASAI PROVERBS

Tarrush olnejep, ejo pooki toki.

The tongue is not straight, it will say anything.

(i.e. It is difficult to keep secrets.)

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Barking

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Population growth at 47-year high

The UK population grew by 408,000 in 2008 - the biggest increase for almost 50 years, according to the Office for National Statistics. The total number of people passed 61m for the first time, with changes in birth and death rates now a bigger cause of growth than immigration. The numbers of people arriving minus those leaving actually fell by 44%. Minister Phil Woolas said migrants were coming for short periods, contributing to the economy and then going home. The UK population grew more in 2008 than at any time since 1962, when it rose by 484,000. Latest ONS figures also show:

• There are now a record 1.3 million people aged over 85, making up 2% of the total
• There were 791,000 babies born in 2008, an increase of 33,000 on 2007
• Half of that increase were to women born overseas, but living in the UK
• The population is now growing by 0.7% a year, more than double the rate in the 1990s and three times the level of the 1980s.

Overall, 118,000 more people arrived in the UK than left in 2008 - the lowest level since EU enlargement. Mr Woolas said this fall in net migration was proof that "only those that Britain needs can come" into the country."Britain's borders are stronger than ever before. Our border controls in northern France are stopping record numbers of migrants reaching our shores - 28,000 in 2008," he said. "The British people can be confident that immigration is under control." But opposition parties disagreed. The Liberal Democrats called the immigration system "shambolic," saying the true number of new arrivals could be much higher because of "the continuing lack of control over our borders". Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said: "This puts added pressure on housing and transport, and shows that there is still no proper control over immigration numbers." Campaign group MigrationWatch UK also dismissed Mr Woolas' claims. "It is the usual government spin to claim these numbers as a success for immigration policy despite the fact that foreign immigration is virtually unchanged at about half a million a year," chairman Sir Andrew Green told the BBC.

 "What has really happened is that EU citizens have voted with their feet - the number leaving has doubled in the face of the deep recession in Britain." Sir Andrew also said the government's points-based system to control non-EU immigration had so far "had very little effect". Tim Finch from the left-leaning think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research, said migration tended to work in cycles. "It is now declining sharply - almost certainly because of a combination of the economic downturn, the short term nature of much migration from new EU countries, and the impact of stronger controls put in place by the government," he said. "There has been a lot of irresponsible scaremongering about immigration in recent years which was based on the false assumption that high migration was inevitable for years to come." But Labour MP Frank Field and Tory Nicholas Soames, members the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, issued a joint statement saying the fall in net migration may well be temporary. "Even at the present level of immigration, we are still on target for the UK's population to exceed 70 million within 25 years," they said. "There are no laurels to rest on. The need for firm measures on immigration is unchanged. The public clearly understand this." Donna Covey from the Refugee Council said the government had to keep the door open to genuine asylum seekers. "We must make sure that the focus on strengthening Britain's borders does not prevent people fleeing for their lives from getting to safety here in the UK," she said.

KIKUYU PROVERBS

Mumeni ungi amurutaga mbaki iniuru

He who despises another steals even the snuff from his nose; i.e. has no respect for him.

India intercepts Air France plane

India scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to intercept an Air France passenger plane after it failed to identify itself correctly, the Indian air force says. The Bangkok-bound flight from Paris had entered Indian airspace from Pakistan. The pilot had used the wrong Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) code, which allows ground radars to differentiate between friendly and enemy aircraft. The MiG was told to "break off and return to base" when the correct code was given, an air force official said. Flight Lt Priya Joshi also told the AFP news agency that a report had been filed with India's civil aviation authorities over the incident. The Air France Airbus-343 had entered India above Amritsar, in the north-west of the country, early on Thursday morning. The Indian air force has stepped up security along the border with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 170 people.

2009 Tomatina food fight

A girl plays with tomato pulp during the annual Tomatina tomato fight fiesta in the village of Bunol, near Valencia, Spain, on August 26, 2009 and Bunol's town hall estimated more than 40,000 people took part, some from as far away as Japan and Australia.

Immigration and asylum statistics released

Home Office, 27 August 2009

Annual immigration statistics for 2008 and quarterly immigration figures for April to June 2009, covering migration from Eastern Europe, asylum applications and removals and voluntary departures, were published by the Home Office today. The figures show that work applications from the eight accession countries have continued to fall in 2009. In the second quarter of this year there were 26,150 applications from workers in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic - down from 46,070 in the same period in 2008. The number of Bulgarian and Romanians applying for accession worker cards also continues to fall. There were 580 applications in the second quarter of 2009, a fall of 43 per cent, compared to the same quarter in 2008. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) published figures earlier today that show net-migration fell to 118,000 in 2008, from 209,000 in 2007, the lowest since the eight accession countries joined the EU in 2004. In the first half of 2009, 30,435 people illegally in the United Kingdom were removed or voluntarily departed from the country, including 2,550 foreign prisoners. The latest figures also confirm that a total 67,980 people were removed or voluntarily departed in 2008. Individuals seeking asylum in the United Kingdom has remained broadly at the same level over the past four years. It is less than a third of the level when it peaked in 2002. Applications for asylum in the second quarter of 2009 were 6,045 compared with 5,830 in quarter two 2008. The Home Office is now concluding 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'The fall in net-migration is further proof that migrants come to the UK for short periods of time, work, contribute to the economy and then return home. Our new flexible points based system gives us greater control on those coming to work or study from outside Europe, ensuring that only those that Britain need can come. 'Britain's borders are stronger than ever before. Our border controls in northern France are stopping record numbers of migrants reaching our shores - 28,000 in 2008. 'We are rolling out ID cards to foreign nationals, we have introduced civil penalties for those employing illegal workers and from the end of next year our electronic border system will monitor 95 per cent of journeys in and out of the UK. 'The British people can be confident that immigration is under control.'

"Defiance is the biggest weapon of the weak." - The Wisdom of Africa, Tunisia

UK population 'will be top in EU'

The UK population is set to become the largest in the European Union, according to a report. It is expected to increase from its current figure of 61 million to almost 77 million in 2060 - a rise of 25%. This would make it the largest population in the EU, ahead of the projections for France (72 million) and Germany (71 million). The EU's statistical office Eurostat also predicts the EU population will be 506m in 2060, up from 495m in 2008. It is expected to peak at 521m in 2035 but then decline. The report predicts the average age of the EU population will rise, due to "persistently low fertility and an increasing number of survivors to higher ages". The proportion of the population aged 65 or above in the UK is projected to reach 24.7% in 2060, from 16.1% in 2008. The number of Britons aged 80 or above is expected to reach 9% in 2060, compared with the current figure of 4.5%. If the projection is correct, 42.1% of the UK's population would be above retirement age - that proportion is currently 24.3%.

GCSE grades have reached another record level - with more than one in five exams (21.6%) being awarded an A* or A. More than half a million teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been receiving their results. Grades have risen almost continually since 1988 and this year more than two in three (67.1%) were between an A* and a C. Girls continue to get more A*s and As than boys. Fewer teenagers are taking modern languages but sciences are up. Nearly one in four GCSE entries from girls (24.4%) were awarded an A or A*, compared with 18.7% of those of boys. This is a slight widening of the gap between girls and boys at the highest grades. But, if you look at grades A* to C generally, boys slightly narrowed the gap with girls. Performance by candidates in English GCSES fell slightly at grades A* to C, but for maths it rose - especially among boys. This improvement by boys is being put down to the end of coursework in the subject. Languages continued their steady decline, with data from the exam boards showing fewer people taking French (down 6.6% on last year) and German (down 4.2%), but single sciences are gaining in popularity.

"Expecting the best attracts the best and expecting the worst attracts the worst." - Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford, gracenjeri77@yahoo.com

2m Brits going abroad for Bank Holiday

A late-booking surge has meant that as many as 1.9 million Britons will head abroad over the Bank Holiday weekend. Those left at home face busy roads - with many music festivals taking place - and disrupted rail services due to engineering works. Forecasters predict a mixture of sunshine and showers and windy conditions tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Travel organisation Abta said tomorrow will be the busiest day for those flying overseas. Over the weekend more than 420,000 are jetting off from Heathrow airport. Around 245,000 will fly from Gatwick airport, with 147,000 leaving from Stansted and more than 72,000 from Luton. Around 145,000 will leave over the weekend from Manchester airport, 21,000 from Leeds Bradford, approximately 37,500 from Newcastle, 11,750 from Southampton, 70,000 from Birmingham and 50,000 from Nottingham East Midlands. In Scotland, 120,000 will be flying out from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports. In addition, around 70,000 will use the Channel Tunnel high-speed train company Eurostar for trips to the continent, with the landmark 100 millionth passenger due to travel from London to Paris tomorrow morning. A further 500,000 people will be heading abroad by ferry or on Eurotunnel services.

Missing girl 'found 18 years on'

A woman who walked into a US police station claiming she was kidnapped 18 years ago is likely to be telling the truth, police in California say. DNA tests were being carried out, local police said, with officers almost certain that the results would back up the woman's story. Jaycee Lee Dugard disappeared in 1991, aged 11, from outside her Lake Tahoe home, apparently taken by two people. Two people are now said to have been taken into custody, US reports say. Police in California are due to hold a news conference later on Thursday, at which it is widely expected that they will formally confirm that Ms Dugard is alive and well. Lt Les Lovell of the sheriff's department at El Dorado, California, said a woman walked into a local police station and announced that she was Jaycee Lee Dugard.

"Some habits are copied from the Western movie stars. These habits would shock your ancestors if they were to come back to life." - Pastor JJ Gitahi, Kenya

Shot death boy hit on rifle range

A five-year-old boy who died after being shot by an air rifle was caught in the crossfire from a makeshift shooting range, it has emerged. Jonathon Cooke, of Ealing, west London, died after being hit in the head by a pellet at the house of a family friend in Fovant, near Tisbury in Wiltshire. Police say they believe his death on Monday was "a tragic accident". Jonathon, known as Joe, was taken by air ambulance to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, but died soon afterwards. It is believed the youngster had been playing in the garden of the house with his mother, Emma, and two brothers when the accident happened. The temporary range, which police say was supervised at all times, had reportedly been set up for the older children and adults to use.

Chicken-legged house is clucking ridiculous

Russian carpenter Vasily Kozin has created his fairytale shed - literally.Inspired by the wooden house on chicken legs that Russia's legendary witch character Baba Yaga lived in, Kozin decided to see if he could build a similar hut. The weird house now stands on a plinth outside the village of Ulyanovka, where the carpenter lives (but he lives in a normal house).

White maize in now available in UK. The farm growing the white maize is located in Enfield, North London. They have moved to another level where they have opened a shop instead of going to the farm. Mwanaka Fresh Farm Foods is the brainchild of David Wilfred Mwanaka, an award winning writer and journalist. Born in Zimbabwe, David grew up eating white maize. When he came to Britain in the early 1990's David was surprised to know that white maize was not grown or even known about. He missed eating white maize so much that he thought of growing the crop himself. David then started carrying out trials, growing white maize. After six years, David was confident he could grow white maize commercially in Britain. From such simple beginnings, helped by his wife Brenda and their three children Jonathan, Ruth and Miriam, the family now successfully grows white maize on a farm just outside London. As from 2007 David came up with another new product in the UK. That is White Sweetcorn. White sweetcorn is so popular as an alternative to yellow sweetcorn.  Children love it and would advise you to put it on your list of 5 a Day health eating  For that reason it quickly found its way into shelves of chain store like Sainsbury’s and UK top stores like Harrods and Selfridges. They  have opened a butchery at our farm shop. You can now come and buy top quality beef cuts at cheap price, boerewors sausages, game (pheasants, partridges), lamb, pork, goat meat, fish, etc. Opening times: Monday to Saturday - 10:30 to 17:30 Sunday - 10:30 to 17:00. Their contacts  - Shop: 01992 765668 - Mobile: 07708 572914 or 07859 813238 Email: info@mwanakafreshfarmfoods.com

The white maize from the farm in North London

A Kenyan has passed away in the UK. Mr. Naftali Thairu Njuguna passed away in his house in Southend, UK on Wednesday 26th of August 2009 after a long illness. He is husband to the late Mary Wanjiku Thairu of Nairobi and Julia Cathrine Thairu of Southend, UK.  Son to the late Mr and Mrs. Samson Njuguna Watoro of Naivasha. Brother to the late Honourable James Keffa Wagara, Tabitha, Hariet, the late Hellen, Norman, the late Roxana, Sammy, Wacuka, Grace, Herina, Abigael and the late Jeremiah. Father to the late Samson Njuguna of Naivasha, Gabriel Njuguna of Riruta Satellite, Nelly Wanjiru and Carol Wairimu . Survived by Robert Kamau Thairu (kamaa) of wood-green london, Andrew Malalika of Arusha Tanzania, Katie Willmore, Faith Njeri , Robert Ngigi  , Catherine Wanjiku all of Kenya. Grand Father to Davina Wanjiku, Shane Thairu, Elizabeth Wambui, Tristine Wanjiku, Sinita Kamonji, Shanice Kamonji, Nicole Wambui, Silvia Kijala, Catherine Wanjiku, Stella Njeri, Martin Thairu, Helen Malalika and Queen Malalika. Uncle to Miriam, Margaret, Hellen and Sanni Wagara’s. Jackline and Mercy Methu’s. Lucy and Bettie Tabitha’s all of London. Prayers and Meetings will be held every evening at the late Naftali’residence at: 30 Cecil Court, Jones Close, Essex, SS2 6PG. Prayers in London for those who knew the late Naftali and other family members will also be held at Margaret Wagara’s 376 St Ann’s Roads, Tottenham, N15 3ST.

The late Naftali Thairu Njuguna

The Somali enclave of Eastleigh in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is now a recruiting and financial centre for hardliner Islamists fighting in neighbouring Somalia. The streets of Eastleigh, a Somali enclave of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, are crowded and dirty. Sewage and rotting garbage flow through gullies. Police are virtually nonexistent; restaurants are locked, even when open, for safety reasons; and guns are readily available for sale at the market. - MORE

A team of Kenyan singers - New East Africa Sound are on tour in Europe. They will be visiting London shotly. In London, they will be performing on Friday 4th September at Africa Centre in Covent Garden from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. Tickets cost £20.00 for adults, and £15.00 for students. Tickets can be bought in advance from DJ Dubwise (aka Frank Ambeyi) at 0788639558 or at the entrance. Advance booking is recommended because the hall takes only 300 people. They will then perform the next day at Club Afrique in east London from 10:00pm till 5:00am in the morning. There will be a £10.00 charge at the entrance. - CLICK HERE FOR POSTER

My trusty steed is a wild rhino

He may not be the ideal partner for a star-spangled rodeo but Dennis, a wild white rhino, is perfect for a ride through the plains of Africa. Despite being a ferociously territorial animal, the two-tonne beast has forged a strong bond with James Ndlolvu and allows the game warden to ride on his back. Badly wounded by a dominant bull in 2000, Dennis was nursed back to health by the 32-year-old and the unlikely duo now regularly explore the Moholoholo reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Reserve manager Colin Patrick said he 'couldn't believe his ears' when Mr Ndlolvu told him years ago he planned to ride the 12-year-old beast. 'I thought Dennis would end up killing him – this is a wild rhino, a very dangerous animal, very territorial, very powerful,' he said. 'But James has been riding Dennis for four or five years now and is up to the point where he can even steer where he walks by leaning left and right.' Mr Patrick said he can be as destructive as his comic book namesake. 'Dennis has turned out to be quite a menace,' he said. 'He often breaks into the reserve centre and trashes the place. 'He also likes to tag cars and buildings with his horns. Its like rhino graffiti.'

Nairobi, Wednesday 26th August, 2009. Climate experts warn of heavy rainfall in Kenya. The Greater Horn of Africa sub-region is set for heavy rainfall as a result of the predicted El Nino weather phenomenon. A report released at the 24th Climate Outlook Forum indicates that temperatures in the equatorial pacific have been rising by about one degree Celsius above the normal temperatures. This signifies what the meteorologists call a basin-wide El Nino. The effects of this weather event will see the Inter Governmental Authority on Development - Igad region countries receiving heavy rainfall. According to the forecast the equatorial western and eastern parts of the Greater Horn of Africa - GHA this is Western Kenya, Uganda and Southern part of Southern Sudan will receive heavy rainfall. This will be the same for North Eastern parts of Kenya, parts of Coast province and Somalia. The Rift Valley areas of Kenya, Northern Tanzania and Central Sudan are expected to receive near normal rainfall. The experts at a two days workshop that brought together Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda and hosts Kenya predicted sufficient rainfall for a region that has suffered rainfall deficit for many successive seasons.

The experts also called for mitigation measures to address malaria epidemic in the endemic areas.

They however warn that the predicted above normal rainfall over some parts of the region may not have immediate positive impacts. Experts from the water resources management urged for measures aimed at harvesting the excess water as a result of the expected deluge. The agriculture and food security sector representatives who attended the workshop called for policy measures to maximise food production to ameliorate the current food deficit that has seen high inflation rates on account of high food prices associated with the food shortage for the region with over 120 million population. On the downside, the experts from the health sectors warned of yellow fever outbreaks in the perennially arid and semi arid - Asals regions when the heavy rains set in beginning next month. The malaria experts also called for mitigation measures to address epidemics in the endemic areas. There is also the fear that flooding could displace large populations in some of the regions as rivers burst their banks. The climate experts are urging policy planners to maximise utilization of the expected heavy rainfall.

Mzee Mbugua Muriithi and his wife Mrs. Mbugua (right) are in London. The couple arrived in London last week to see their son and family who are members of CCBC Swahili Service, Barking. They come from Chura, Kabete, Kiambu. They are the parents of Mrs. Jane Somba (centre in red). Their contact while in the UK is 07949921344.

Things falling apart

Do you know that Nairobi is now acting as the capital city of SIX countries. Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. Uganda and Tanzania exchange rates are determined from Nairobi. This has pushed the prices of properties in Nairobi to an exaggerated values. Somalian's with their pirate money has worsened the situation. They have now finished buying Eastleigh, the rich Somalians has not invaded South C where a 4-bedroom houses has rocketed from KShs. 5 million two years ago to KShs. 20 million of we are talking. The pirate team are buying properties in the city centre. Last week they bought Tusker House along Ronald Ngara from Hon. Njenga wa Karume. Several have now bought buildings in Koinange Street where they are targeting. The Kenya government just sits down and watch things going the wrong direction. We have no problem for genuine Kenyan Somalians buying property in Nairobi as they are Kenyans but we are against Somalias from Somalia destroying their country and join in to buying property in Kenya pushing the prices so high that an ordinary Kenyan cannot be able to buy. The Kenya government should borrow a leaf from Dubai government. You cannot buy a property without 50 per cent share  with a local resident. This is how it worked  during Kenyatta's time. Do you know that you cannot give birth in Dubai if you are not a resident - you have to travel back to your own country to give birth. We welcome investors but not investors to finish the common man. The Somalian who have bought Tusker house has increased the prices of the 230 stalls from KShs. 11,500 to Kshs. 23,000 last week. How do you expect a common man to hand such an increase at this difficult times. Something need to be done before things fall apart as Chinua Achebe once said.

SOME OF THE UK NEWSPAPERS ON WEDNESDAY 26TH AUGUST, 2009

LEFT: The Daily Mail claims 4,000 mothers have been forced to give birth in hospital corridors, lifts and toilets because of bed shortages. RIGHT: The Financial Times reports on the White House issuing a warning about the levels of US debt. RIGHT: The Daily Express has the scandal of the two million people who have apparently never worked in their lives.

The Football Association is to investigate the violence that marred the Carling Cup clash between West Ham and Millwall at Upton Park on Tuesday 25th August, 2009. One man was stabbed as fans clashed outside the ground, while there were also three pitch invasions. "We absolutely condemn all of the disorder that has occurred at Upton Park," said an FA spokesperson. "We will be working with all parties, the police and clubs, to establish the facts surrounding these events." The FA also confirmed that it expected any fan identified as being involved in the violence to be banned for life and stated: "They have no place in our game." FA director of communications Adrian Bevington told BBC Radio 5 live it was too early to say if the clubs would face sanctions. He said: "We have to understand exactly what measures were put in place last night. "I'm not going to condemn West Ham or Millwall football clubs for any of their actions - certainly not at this stage, because we don't know exactly what's been put in place. "And we know there have been huge efforts on the parts of all our clubs to try to eradicate the problems and we've had a history of success on that."However, we have to make sure that the individuals concerned face such tough actions that they can't go to football again. "We all want a big atmosphere at matches - that's part of football, part of the passion. "However, we also want to make sure it's a safe environment to watch games and we've just spent the best part of 20 years working towards that." - VIDEO

Libya has the largest petroleum deposits in Africa. Petrol in Libya is cheaper than water. One litre of water is equivalent to three litres of petrol.

Dressing for a change

Here is proof that poodle owners regard their pets as little more than guinea pigs - or indeed camels, buffalo and even horses. Welcome to the world of creative grooming, in which owners compete to colour and shear their poodle into the most extraordinary forms. In the space of about two hours, they can convert their pets into anything from another animal to film characters such as Pirates Of The Caribbean hero Jack Sparrow. 'The transformation they go through is simply spectacular. There's no other word for it. It's amazing what they can do in so little time,' said photographer Ren Netherland, who has snapped the bizarre creations at shows across the US for ten years. Mr Netherland, 48, is convinced the dogs love the affection lavished on them by their - almost exclusively female - owners. 'All the attention that gets bestowed upon them must be nice for them,' said the snapper from Florida. The owners certainly don't do it for the money. First prize nets about £600, just enough for a little pampering.

"What is the bottom fact about this South African world champion athlete Caster Semenya whether she is a man and not a woman?" - "To me I would describe her as a beautiful African woman competing with other women." - A Sheffield professor in gender issues.

At Kariakor market the new allocated matatu bus top for all matatus from Thika road, only 3 matatus were there today showing enforcement was not done. At bus station was different, the matatus had been chased off and City Hoppa buses were in the station. This is a good indicator that those assigned here did their job. At Railway station, there was a showcase of the new smartbus which are said to be carrying passengers in the city centre from Kariokor, Westlands etc to town. The buses use a smart card which you need to swipe for the gate to open on entry and swipe on leaving for it to charge you to your destination. That means it has a calculator connected to know the distance you have covered while in the bus. Amazing technology we have here. The buses got very nice seats and comfortable. They are 53 seater buses an only 15 are operating in town right now. Surely Nairobians will suffer since 15 buses will do very little Kenya tuko mbele sana. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya - 25/08/09.

Do you know? - 90% of the Libya  is desert land.

Moderation in drinking is very good. Knowing your limit is knowing yourself. And self-knowledge is a handy weapon.

The UK government has published new measures that could see people who illegally download films and music cut off from the net. The amendment to the Digital Britain report would see regulator Ofcom given greater powers to tackle pirates. The technical measures are likely to include suspending the net accounts of "hardcore copyright pirates". It is believed that Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has intervened personally to beef up the policy. The Digital Britain report, published in June, gave Ofcom until 2012 to consider whether technical measures to catch pirates were necessary.

Men and the machines.

Motor sport is very entertaining but can be very dangerous. This was at Athi River. Notable was Kanyali no. 37 driving his orange and green beast wearing tractor tyres and went through all terrain without a hitch. Many had difficulties and got stuck on one muddy section and had to be towed away by a hired tractor. Landrovers had a hard time as well. Children had their sport also riding on their quid bikes on rough terrain. The main event is scheduled to be held here later this year. Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya - 25/08/09.

Pop star Michael Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anaesthetic propofol in his body when he died, coroner's office documents show. The findings were contained in a previously sealed search warrant which has been made public in Texas. The singer died in June from a cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles. Police have interviewed his doctor, but he has not been named as a suspect. There are reports that the coroner has concluded Jackson's death was homicide. The reports, carried by the Associated Press news agency quoting unnamed police sources, have not been confirmed.

Mr. and Mrs. Kuria from Cork, Republic of Ireland were among the visitors at the CCBC Swahili Service in London on Sunday 23rd August, 2009. They were accompanied by their two sons Alvin and Ian. After the service the couple joined the worshipers for the refreshments at the church grounds. They were excited to see a large number of Kenyans worshipping in Swahili and they had this to say: "It is a good day for us for we have seen Mr. Seed in person -  we only see him on the website." Their contact is kuriajohn@hotmail.com

That is what alcohol can reduce a human being to. For 'njoohi ni njohi.' It binds the mind and people have no brain of their own.

30 Mungiki suspects held ahead of census

Some 30 suspected Mungiki members were arrested ahead of the census on Monday night. The suspects were arrested on Sunday night, taking an oath at Kahuho River in Central Province. On Tuesday, Central PC Kiplimo Rugut said the suspects were arrested as police beefed up security. They were part of more than 200 others who had converged in a cave in Githiga for the ceremony. Police had been put on alert after the sect threatened to disrupt the ongoing census. A section of Mungiki leaders had opposed the exercise, saying it is against their culture.  Witnesses said the sect followers may have driven to the cave at dawn and began the ceremony unnoticed. The police struck shortly before noon as the followers prepared to leave. Kiambu deputy OCPD Samuel Mukinda said some managed to escape when the officers arrived. "Some have escaped, but we are pursuing them," he said. The Provincial Security Committee toured various Mungiki hotspots, including Mathira, where 30 residents were hacked to death last April in a Mungiki revenge attack. Mr Rugut, who led the team, said 19 platoons of GSU and the Rapid Deployment Unit have been deployed. "The officers are instructed to deal firmly with people likely to interfere with the national exercise," he said. - The Standard.

The number of mortgages in UK approved for house purchases by the major High Street banks has risen to a 17-month high, figures show. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) said approvals in July stood at 38,181, a rise of 7.4% compared with June and 77% higher than a year ago. The data suggests the rise in activity and prices could stretch into autumn. However, the BBA warned that new lending was below seasonal expectations despite greater demand from borrowers.

Veteran US Senator Edward Kennedy is dead

Veteran US Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of former President John F Kennedy, has died at 77, after a long battle with a brain tumour. Senator Kennedy had been a dominant force in liberal US politics for almost half a century. Photo by Reuters

Veteran US Senator Edward Kennedy, the brother of former President John F Kennedy, has died at 77, after a long battle with a brain tumour. He became a Democratic Massachusetts senator in 1962, replacing his brother when he resigned to become president, and was re-elected seven times. Senator Kennedy was a dominant force in US politics for almost 50 years. President Barack Obama, of whom he was an active supporter, said he was "heartbroken" to hear of his death. "An important chapter in our history has come to an end," he said. "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time." Senator Kennedy had championed issues such as education and healthcare, central to Mr Obama's first term. In 2006, Time magazine named him as one of America's "Ten Best Senators" saying that he had "amassed a titanic record of legislation affecting the lives of virtually every man, woman and child in the country".

The BBC's Richard Lister in Washington says Senator Kennedy, known affectionately as Teddy, will be remembered as one of the most effective and popular legislators in American history. Our correspondent says he was also skilled at forging alliances across party lines: pushing an education initiative with President George W Bush, and immigration reform with Republican John McCain. But he was a fierce critic of the Bush administration, in particular over Iraq and the prisoner abuse scandal. He will also be remembered as a staunch supporter of Irish Republicanism - at one time calling for British troops to leave Northern Ireland - although he was later involved in the peace process leading to the Good Friday Agreement. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid said the Kennedy family and the Senate had "together lost our patriarch". "The liberal lion's mighty roar may now fall silent, but his dream shall never die," he said. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that Senator Kennedy would be "mourned not just in America but in every continent". "Even facing illness and death, he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life's work. I am proud to have counted him as a friend."

Nairobi, August 26 - Security has been tightened in Ogembo area in Bomachoge constituency following an arson attack at the offices of the Interim Independent Electoral Commission on Tuesday night. Gucha District Elections Coordinator James Moseti was quick to give assurance that the by-elections set for Thursday would go on as scheduled, as the materials destroyed were those used in the 2007 presidential poll. Mr Moseti said that the ballot papers for the by-elections were all safe.

POLICE COUPLE  IN UK TO MARRY ON 999

Plymouth bobby Miss Felton, 30, proposed to the 29-year-old MoD police officer last year, a leap year.  'It wasn't until a friend said "you do realise the date?" that we saw the significance of 9/9/9 and thought it was a great idea,' she said. We guess they couldn't have chosen any other date. Police officers Jacqueline Felton and Michael Aldred are to mark the 999 number when they tie the knot on September 9, 2009.

Cuts on non-essential expenditures in Kenya has realised Sh9 billion, which the government intends to use to feed the up to 10 million Kenyans facing starvation. The funds will go towards importing maize and other foodstuffs as well as supplying water to the country’s arid areas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta said on Monday. “However, the challenge is daunting and our budgetary resources are not adequate to meet the challenge,” the minister said. Mr Kenyatta, who did not elaborate on the expenditure areas affected, was speaking at his Treasury Building office after signing a Sh587 million grant for food aid with the Japanese ambassador to Kenya, Mr Shigeo Iwatani. The drought currently facing the country has reduced food, electricity and water production, forcing the government to launch a Sh24 billion emergency plan to deal with the crises. The plan projects that the country’s crop production will be severely hit with maize harvest dropping to 20 million bags against an annual consumption of 33 million bags. Speaking during the ceremony, Mr Iwatani said the Japanese government, which also gave the country Sh1.1 billion in March this year, will support projects aimed at ensuring the country’s food security. - Daily Nation.

Matatus now clear away from Kencom area

Due to the fact that the matatus in Nairobi moved from the main bus station roads to Railways station, the roads were very busy. This is the jam they  are trying to put to an end but seems they have a long way to go.  At Kencom stage things have now changed. Only 3 buses of each from City Hoppa, KBS and Double M .That means each company has been allocated only three parking and the rest will remain parked at the bus station to called in need arises. This will ease the endless traffic which was at this stage day in day out. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya - 24/08/09.

A Kenyan Man Charged With Having Sex With Minor in US
   
Monday, August 10, 2009; 5:21 p.m.

A Fairfax County man was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old Montgomery County girl after meeting her online, Fairfax police said. Police allege that Stephann Kamau, 23, of the 8300 block of Luce Court, had been chatting with the girl on MySpace for about a week before she agreed to meet him in person. On July 28, police say, he drove from his home in the Newington area, picked up the girl at her house about 2 a.m., and took her back to his house for sex.  The girl's mother woke up, realized her daughter was missing and called Montgomery police, Fairfax Officer Tawny Wright said. Later that morning, according to police, Kamau returned the girl home. On August 5, Fairfax police arrested Kamau and charged him with carnal knowledge of a child between 13 and 15 years old and use of a communication device to solicit a minor. - The Washington Post.

Kenya Governor's flag (1895-1963)

The flag of British East Africa is the national banner of the Empire, bearing upon the intersection of the crosses a red lion, rampant, or aggressively walking forward on his hind legs...encircled by a wreath. No explanation why British East Africa doesn't follow the badge-ensign model

Harvard University Announcement:
 
Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only ten percent of the students in elite higher education come from families in the lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution."  If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans! To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website

A pint of example is worth a gallon of advice

New Hope Orphans Centre in Kenya - Updates

Mrs. Anne Chege and her daughter Catherine Njeri in London on Sunday 23rd August, 2009

- Her contact while in the UK is 07947883505 or email: newhopechildren@mail.com

1. NEW HOPE CENTRE-Uplands, Kenya.

 Home is run by Mr & Mrs Chege, both retired bankers. They both live inside the Orphanage as volunteers, assisted by 12 staff. The current population is 140 children, 90 girls and 50 boys. We have additional 60 external children, who we assist with School Fees, and sometimes food. They live with their relatives. The children attend different schools in the local community, some in High School, Primary and Nursery School. We have a few who stay at home, as they have not attained the school going age.

At New Hope, we now have electricity, and running water from our bore-hole, PRAISE GOD.

The photo of New Hope.

2. HIGHER LEARNING.

  Three girls have already completed University, courtesy CALVARY CHARISMATIC BAPTIST CHURCH.

The 3 are currently working.

We have now 11 at University, three of whom are sponsored by CALVARY CHURCH.

3. OUTREACH MINISTRY

  Every Saturday, we give food to the hungry neighbours, mostly very old people. We supply maize flour, sometimes with cooking fat, salt, soap---etc. The quantity depends on availability of funds. We manage to reach 50 families only, although the number has drastically increased. I have been forced to turn some away empty handed------a very painful experience.

Occasionally, we give clothes when available.

Photo of such families---- WANGUI came from Nyeri, with starving kids. She wanted to abandon them somewhere----we asked her to stay with us.

4. GRANDMOTHERS' VILLAGE ( Valerie's Village).

Last year, we purchased 1 acre plot for grandmothers, where we constructed 12 houses.

The grannies were from the roadside, or along the railway live, where they had been given notices of eviction. In front of each house, an empty portion of land, where they use for farming, or their grand children can put up houses. We gave them completely, for their generations----downwards until the return of the Lord.

Each house has 3 rooms, a separate kitchen, and a water tank for harvesting rain water.

They entered the new houses on 28th Feb 2009, with prayers from many local churches. One granny commented------'This is our Canaan, the Promised Land----I now believe I will see the New Jerusalem---'

Photos of old houses, and new house..

5. OUR NEEDS AND PROJECTS.

  (a). General. You may help us in general for our upkeep. Everything has been very expensive, especially food.

 (b). Sponsor kids in High School, either at New Hope or external. Day School Fees, £100 per year, boarding £ 250 per year payable in 3 instalments.

  (c). Sponsor University Students, £ 1000 per year, payable twice. Partial sponsorship is welcome.

        Photos to follow.

  (d). Support a starving family. Monthly £10 will support a family for 1 month.

  (e). We have found 1.25acres land, for Kshs 1million. We intend to settle 15 homeless families in 2010. Kindly contribute towards this fund.

      You can also fund construction of 1 house---either partial or whole.

SEEKING FOR SPONSORSHIP

1. Dennis Muchiri-----a total orphan without both parents. He comes from MPEKETONI in Mombasa. Denis was admitted to Kenyatta University in 2008, for teaching course, but lacked money to go. He has been at home ever since, waiting upon God. Kindly help, partially or whole. I have his admission papers, and other details.

2. Sharon Wacera----a total orphan who lives with her grandfather. She is in Form 2, in Loreto Sec School, Kiambu. Grandpa is experiencing difficulties in payments. Kindly help.

3. Yvonne Nyambura and Melvin Waweru, brother and sister, both from Eldoret where they suffered tribal clashes violence. Their dad died, their mum is jobless, and has been unable to take them to Uni. Kindly assist.

THANKS.

Special tribute to everyone who have helped us at New Hope, in any way. Even those who ever prayed for us, am truly grateful. Could be, your prayers upheld me----on that day when I felt discouraged, when I felt weak and unable to pray, when my soul was so downcast-----your prayers upheld me. Kindly continue.

To you all, this is your portion;

'BLESSED IS HE WHO HAS REGARD FOR THE WEAK, THE LORD DELIVERS HIM IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. THE LORD WILL PROTECT HIM AND PRESERVE HIS LIFE, HE WILL BLESS HIM IN THE LAND AND NOT SURRENDER HIM TO THE DESIRES OF HIS FOES. THE LORD WILL SUSTAIN HIM IN HIS SICK BED

AND RESTORE HIM FROM HIS BED OF ILLNESS.' Psalms 41;1-3

                                 and

' THOSE WHO SAW IN TEARS WILL REAP IN SONGS OF JOY, HE WHO GOES OUT WEEPING CARRYING SEEDS TO SOW, WILL RETURN WITH SONGS OF JOY,  CARRYING SHEAVES WITH HIM' Psalms 126;5-6.

PHOTOS FOR SOME KIDS AT NEW HOPE;

- twins MBUGUA AND KARANJA, 4 yrs old, total orphans----their sister Lillian, who had left school, to take care of the twins.

Lillian is now in School, class 6.

- Our girls' foot-ball team.

- David and his sister Beatrice.

Lastly, whatever is happening at New Hope in as little at the 'drop of water' in the ocean. There is so much to be done----the journey is long.

May the name of the Lord be Glorified. I urge you all to forget me or my husband and family, as we are only vessels used by God, to accomplish His purposes. Honour and thank God, and pray that He will touch more people----the journey is long.

I invite you to a fundraising on Sunday, Sept 27th, August, 2009 at MANOR PARK COMMUNITY CENTRE, 524 HIGH STREET NORTH, LONDON. E12  6QN AS FROM 6.00 P.M. Tel 0208 514 0903.

- David and his sister Beatrice.

BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS.

If you help, our UK bank details; BARCLAYS BANK, sort code 20 92 60, acc no 20984698, name Anne Gathoni Chege.

You may also contribute through our UK Charity representatives,  HAND IN HAND, 3c The Granaries, Reeds Farm Estate, Roxwell Road, CHELMSFORD. CM1 3ST. website; www.hihand.org , email; info@hihand.org. Tel 01245 421177.

Even a small donation will make a huge difference at New Hope----that's how we have arrived where we are today.

My UK Tel 0794 7883505, until end of Sept.

In His service.

Anne Chege.

  (f). Support another children's home who we assist, FOUNTAIN OF LIFE SUPPORT PROGRAMME, JUJA, and Grace Children's Home in Kagwe, Lari Uplands.

I invite everyone coming to Kenya, to visit us, my Tel 0720 240585. We shall facilitate your arrival, once you are in Kenya.

FOR MORE INFO, KINDLY VISIT OUR WEBSITE, www.newhopechildrenscentre.org

The Government has reintroduced the controversial shamba system (non-residential forest farming) in the Aberdare Forest to save the water tower. Kenya Forest Service says 573 hectares of Geta Forest would be used under the Plantation Establishment Livelihood Improvement Scheme (Pelis), a variant of the shamba system criticised by conservationists. KFS deputy head in charge of Central Highland Conservancy Elizabeth Wambugu said guidelines are in place on the areas to be cultivated and the type of crops to be planted. "This will help increase survival rates of the seedlings and improve quality at the natural forest," she said. Ms Wambugu said only 18 per cent would be under cultivation, and allayed fears the Pelis project was a threat to the forest. She said illegal exploitation of forest products posed the biggest threat to conservation. With reports that half of the rivers flowing from the forest had dried up, Wambugu said a draft management plan to conserve North Kinangop Forest has been formulated.

The Daily Express on Tuesday 25th August, 2009 claims British scientists have found a way of stopping cancer tumours from growing and on right The Daily Mail carries a story about foreign GPs commuting to Britain to work in the NHS.

ATM 'speaks' in Cockney rhyming slang

You may not 'Adam and Eve it' but a cash machine operator has introduced Cockney rhyming slang to a number of its cash machines in east London. People using the Bank Machine ATMs can opt to have their prompts and options given to them in rhyming slang. Customers will be asked to enter their Huckleberry Finn, rather than their Pin, and will have to select how much sausage and mash they want. Those who want to take out £10 will ask for a speckled hen, while the machine may inform users that it is contacting their rattle and tank, rather than bank. The rhyming slang prompts are available from five ATMs in east London for three months from today. Ron Delnevo, managing director of Bank Machine, said: "We wanted to introduce something fun and of local interest to our London machines. "Whilst we expect some residents will visit the machine to just have a butcher's (look), most will be genuinely pleased as this is the first time a financial services provider will have recognised the Cockney language in such a manner." The ATMs displaying prompts in Cockney are all free to use, although the majority of group's cash machines typically charge a £1.50 fee.

Pomp as the world’s oldest pupil is buried

The world’s oldest pupil, Stephen Kimani Maruge, 89, was on Monday buried, 10 days after succumbing to cancer. Though a cloud of grief briefly hung over Arashi farm in Subukia, Nakuru North District, it was soon dispersed by the legacy left by Mr Maruge, who entered the Guinness World of Records for enrolling in primary school at 84. “He shall be remembered as an icon of inspiration,” said a eulogy, aptly summing up the feelings of mourners. And leaders were generous in their praise, with President Kibaki saying he was “the champion of free primary education.” Maruge came to the limelight in 2003 when he joined Standard One at Eldoret’s Kapkenduiywo Primary School after the new Narc Government introduced free primary schooling.  He immediately became a darling of the media. - Daily Nation.

Home Office, 21 August 2009. International crackdown on identity fraud. A new fingerprint sharing deal with Canada and Australia will boost the fight against identity fraud, the Home Office announced, Under the new data sharing agreement, the United Kingdom will be able to swap fingerprint information on foreign criminals and asylum seekers with these two countries - making it easier than ever to flag up those migrants who try to hide their past from authorities, while ensuring personal information continues to be protected. This groundbreaking agreement has been developed by the members of the Five Country Conference, which is a forum for cooperation on measures to improve immigration controls and border security. The USA will be joining the agreement shortly, and New Zealand is considering legislation to join in the near future. Each country will have the same ability to check fingerprints, and for the first year of the agreement each country will be able to share 3,000 sets of fingerprints with partner countries - this number will rise as the deal rolls out. The collaboration will make it easier to detect those people with previous criminal histories in other countries, as well as speed up removals and establish previously unknown identities. UK Border Agency deputy chief executive Jonathan Sedgwick said:

'We already have one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way. 'We are continuing to expand our watch-lists, work more closely with foreign Governments to share information, and speed up the redocumentation of those being removed. 'This new agreement will help us identify and remove individuals whose identities were previously unknown but also improve public safety through better detection of lawbreakers and those coming to the UK for no good.' These checks are complementary to the ones we already undertake with our European partners, and trials of the data sharing agreement have already reaped results, with individuals' identities being revealed through the exchange and checking of fingerprints. In one such case, an individual claiming asylum in the United Kingdom as a Somali was found to have previously been fingerprinted on arrival in the USA while travelling on an Australian passport. Australia subsequently confirmed that the individual was an Australian citizen wanted for rape. This resulted in his deportation to Australia, where he faced court proceedings and is now serving a jail sentence. The protection of personal information is important to all the countries involved in this project and the specific measures that are being employed to protect privacy include:

• ensuring that all fingerprints remain anonymous and cannot be linked to an individual unless a match is detected between countries;
• destroying fingerprints once a match has been completed with no fingerprint database being compiled; and
• using encryption and other security tools to protect files that are shared.
•  

You can download a privacy impact assessment report, setting out how the arrangement will operate, from the right side of this page.

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1959 - Rika ria Ngeithia thayu - Peace greetings

The wedding of the year in Nairobi

Miss Mary Adhiambo (Bride) and Mr. George Wadegu (Groom) from Nyanza but live in Nairobi left many Kenyans speechless in the streets of Nairobi on Saturday 22nd August, 2009. Escorted by two horses, they were riding on Camels at Kariakor market. This is very rare in Nairobi. Not even the August showers could stop them do their thing. They were later joined at ST. Polycarp ACK church at Mlango Kubwa (Juja road Estate) by Rev. Peterson Kithaka Francis. This is one of a kind I have seen in Nairobi City. Sources told us they decided to use horses and Camels cause they are rare in Western Kenya. I could not prove it though. That's why 'najivunia kuwa Mkenya' - All photos by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya.

Great Kenyan ideas for a wedding. Final picture.                       

The last photo when Mary Adhiambo and George Wadegu got joined together as husband and wife.

LUO PROVERB

Ibuth ka Iwang'ni/ilal ka lwang'ni.

You are as greedy as a fly or as indiscriminating on what you eat as a fly.

Rude saying referring to a glutton, or to a badly behaved person with no self-respect who lacks table manners.

A Kenyan among three charged with forgery

(Springfield, MO) -- Three people from Texas are charged with forging phoney travellers checks and trying to pass them at local businesses. Springfield Police say the scam came to light last Thursday, when the three tried to pass a forged American Express travel check at Chedder's Restaurant. Investigators say the three had tried to pass checks at other local businesses as well. Police confiscated forged checks totalling more than $14,000, along with fake IDs and items used to make forged checks. Lawanna N. Everage, 18, of Dallas, TX, Evelyn Haley, 30, of Arlington, TX and Ronald Ngure, 35, of Balch Springs, TX were all charged with forgery in Greene County Circuit Court.

KIKUYU PROVERB

Mubatari ndaconokaga

He who is in necessity does not feel ashamed (to ask for help).

Kibaki leads Kenyans in marking Kenyatta's 31st anniversary

President Mwai Kibaki on Saturday 22nd August, 2009 led the nation in commemorating the 31st anniversary of the death of the founding father of the nation Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. President Kibaki joined Mzee Kenyatta's family led by the widow Mama Ngina Kenyatta in laying a wreath at the mausoleum of the late President at Parliament buildings before attending a memorial service at the Holy Family Minor Basilica. Others who laid wreaths were the Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende and the chief of General staff Jeremiah Kianga and Nairobi Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa.  The anniversary service was conducted by Bishop Anthony Muheria of the Catholic diocese of Kitui.  In his sermons based on Isaiah 30: 19-21, Psalms 23,Romans 5: 1-5 and Matthews 25: 31-46, Bishop Muheria exhorted Christians to seek God's forgiveness and strength to fulfill the vision of the founders of this nation who sacrificed and struggled to make the country a better place for all Kenyans. He challenged Christians to be the light and salt of the earth during their life as their deeds reflected the will of God towards mankind. The Bishop urged all leaders to always seek God's guidance in whatever they do to add value to lives of Kenyans and the Country's posterity. Bishop Muheria also led prayers for the President, Government, the nation and Mzee Kenyatta's soul. At the mausoleum, dignitaries who also included the Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Cabinet Minister Beth Mugo and Nairobi Mayor Geoffrey Majiwa observed two minutes silence in remembrance of the founding father of the Nation.

President Mwai Kibaki is introduced to grandchildren of the late Father of the Nation Mzee Jomo Kenyatta by Mama Ngina Kenyatta on arrival at Mausoleum of the late President at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi.

"Constant forgetfulness is a sign of lost vigour and vitality" - Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford - gracenjeri77@yahoo.com

A female pilot died in UK when her Edge E40 light aircraft crashed at Silverstone Circuit, police have said. The 40-year-old Californian woman, who was the only person on board the aircraft, was pronounced dead at the scene, Thames Valley Police said. There were no other injuries, a force spokeswoman added. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is investigating. Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said the crash happened in the south-west coroner of the racing circuit, in Buckinghamshire. Police said the aircraft had been taking part in an acrobatic show when it came down on the circuit. The spokeswoman said: "Thames Valley Police is currently at the scene of an aircraft crash at Silverstone, Dadford Road, Buckingham. "Police were notified at 12.12pm that a single aircraft taking part in an acrobatic show at Silverstone had come down on the circuit. "The pilot, an American woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. "No one else was injured in the incident. Investigators from the Civil Aviation Authority are on their way to the scene to begin their investigation."

Kirui makes it three gold for Kenya

Berlin, August 22 - Abel Kirui led compatriot Emmanuel Mutai to a 1-2 finish as Kenya once again demonstrated its prowess in road running at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Saturday 22nd August, 2009. The 27 year old led from the halfway mark to win gold in a new championship record of 2:06:54 as Kenya displayed brilliant team tactics to successfully defend the title won by Luke Kibet in Osaka in 2007. "I was overjoyed with emotion. You know as I approached the finish line I could not believe it was happening. It is great for me to win in these championships because this is my first time to win gold and represent Kenya,” said Kirui. Mutai who was also making his debut in a Kenyan vest clinched an impressive silver. - CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL MARATHON VIDEO
 

President Mwai Kibaki launches the construction of the Northern and Eastern by-passes which are expected to ease congestion within Nairobi city.

Al Shabaab worries US military

The United States African Command (AFRICOM) says it is increasingly concerned by the  terror threats being issued to East African nations by the Al Shabaab network. US AFRICOM Commander Gen William Ward said his government will intensify surveillance on the Somali based radical group and others allied to the Al Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden. “The threats are also in the Sahel with what goes on there with the Al Qaeda. But threats are more than just from those groups as well because there are other linkages that could be there,” he said citing other challenges that weigh in such as drug trafficking. Addressing a press conference at the US Embassy in Nairobi, Gen Ward said AFRICOM is “paying attention to terrorism and terror threats…to prevent them from having an ability to create sanctuary to operate without being checked and doing that in ways that…causes the counterterrorism efforts to be successful.” Gen Ward’s visit to the continent which kicked off on Friday is part US efforts to coordinate and improve activities in support of military relations with African countries and organisations. Though he commended Kenya for its efforts in maintaining security and fighting terrorism in the region, Gen Ward said a lot more needed to be done.

Just to remind you again. This is the same spot a matatu from Chania  Sacco smashed the Nairobi river barriers killing a man from Kinyona in Murang'a a fortnight ago. This car went through the gap after the previous accident. This time no one was killed but this proves how dangerous this road is after recent roads re-carpeting. The driver was not injured. Luckily KKV (kazi kwa vijana) youth were in the area and one offered his gumboots to help this nice looking man after he refused to be carried by one of the area mechanics for a fee. He did not seem bothered as much but after wearing the dirty gumboots he walked slowly and was helped off to the main land. He should be grateful that Nairobi river has just been cleaned. Something need to  be done on this road between Kamukunji police and Race Course roundabout to stop the boy racers. What is not clear is whether the owner of the gumboots asked for a Kitu kidogo. - Photos and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya. - Photos and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi - 22/08/09.

Changes to our policy on judicial review challenges

Home Office, 20 July 2009

The UK Border Agency is changing its published policy on judicial review challenges in cases where we are seeking to remove people from the United Kingdom. The changes to the policy will come into effect on 3 August 2009. We are making these changes as part of our drive to establish a swift end-to-end process for concluding asylum cases and deporting foreign national prisoners. Any decision that the UK Border Agency makes can be challenged in the courts under the process known as 'judicial review', if it is believed that the decision was made unlawfully or irrationally or was otherwise flawed. Immigration cases should not reach the stage of judicial review until they have been through the entire appeals system. The change to our policy covers situations where a person's case has been finally determined and they have exhausted all statutory rights of appeal. If they then issue a claim for a judicial review up to three months after their statutory appeal was concluded, our current policy is normally to suspend their removal. Under the new policy, we will normally proceed with the removal, although we will still defer removal in appropriate cases. In addition, we are extending our current policy on people who issue a claim for judicial review up to three months after a judge has refused permission on a previous judicial review application. This revised policy, which came into effect on 30 January 2009, currently applies only to cases where people have been detained. From 3 August it will be extended to include non-detained cases. These changes in policy will only affect those cases where the claimant has raised nothing new (having lodged the same or virtually identical grounds) to the material that was previously considered or that could reasonably have been raised previously during the statutory appeal. We will inform any individuals affected by the new policy, and their representatives, that we intend to proceed with removal and that they will therefore need to obtain an injunction in order to prevent their removal.

It is very sad that these children have to learn in such conditions. The question is can we copy the western culture and become sponsors to some of the children. Hard Lessons - Learning in very unforgiving conditions (Kibera, Mitumba Slums). - VIDEO

Nairobi, Saturday 22nd August, 2009. The rift in ODM appeared to widen as party leader Raila Odinga and one of his deputies William Ruto held parallel rallies within a radius of 5km in Gucha. While Raila campaigned for the party’s candidate in the Bomachoge by-election, Mr Simon Ogari, Ruto led 14 MPs in discussing succession politics, the Mau forest and the Imanyara Bill on a local tribunal to try post election violence suspects at a funds drive in South Mugirango constituency. And the MPs who accompanied Ruto to ODM treasurer Omingo Magara’s South Mugirango base hinted at a new political alliance ahead of the 2012 elections. Magara introduced officials of a little known party — People’s Development Party (PDP) — and told his guests to take them seriously. "This party should be watched keenly because it reflects the future," he said as he introduced the chairman, Mr Momanyi Bogonko. Magara asked Abagusii MPs to forge political alliances. "It’s time for new political alliances. Kisii leaders should find ways of getting to the table. Kalonzo Musyoka had less than 20 MPs and he is now the Vice-President," he said. He added: "From today, we will form new alliances regardless of party affiliations." Ruto accused Imanyara of being used by certain individuals to take Kenyans in circles over the post-election violence trials.

"We are wasting time over trivial issues. MPs had agreed that the matter be taken to The Hague. The Waki envelope is already opened and there is no need campaigning for a local tribunal," he added. Contrary to expectations, Raila and Ruto did not team up at either function. Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat almost let the cat out of the bag when he said: "Those who love politics are in Bomachoge. Those who love development are in South Mugurango." Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lesonet accused the party leadership of failing to unite members. "If ODM has failed to manage a national party, can it be expected to manage a country?" he asked. Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba also hinted at a new a alliance, saying: "When you see this impressive constellation of leaders, know something is a foot." Curiously, even the head of the ODM Secretariat, Ms Janet Ongera, did not join her party leader in Bomachoge and instead attended Magara’s funds drive. But unruffled by the events in South Mugirango, Raila braved the dust and hot sun to campaign for the ODM candidate.  He said the party could not afford to lose Bomachoge and Shinyalu parliamentary seats. "We need these seats to boost our numbers in Parliament and we need your help," he told a rally.  He said the Government would deliver services faster to the people. Among MPs present was Education minister Sam Ongeri, Assistant Minister Cecily Mbarire and Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi. The function was at the same spot where Ruto, Magara and other ODM leaders were attacked by armed PNU youths in 2007 as they campaigned. - The Standard.

Kissing a giraffe is not all that bad as this tourist demonstrates and on right a nyama choma kitchen at Carnivore Restaurant

It is now official. Internal Security minister George Saitoti bought 100 acres of public land for a paltry Sh138,450. Prof Saitoti acquired the land in the Zea Settlement Scheme in Trans Nzoia in 1994 when he was minister for Finance and Planning, ADC chief executive William Kirwa said yesterday.  This settles the query of who the G.K. Saitoti appearing in a list of beneficiaries of ADC land tabled in Parliament is. “We have confirmed that the G.K. Saitoti is George Saitoti... who at one time was the minister for Finance,” Mr Kirwa told the Saturday Nation. At the same time, the ADC boss cleared Agriculture minister William Ruto from the land allocation. He said documents in his office showed that the William Ruto whose name was tabled in Parliament was a different person.  “We have a Mr William Ruto from Kitale. In 2004 he lost some of his documents and he wrote asking that we give him the details. And all indications are that this is not William Ruto the minister.” At least 59,000 acres belonging to the Agriculture Development Corporation was allocated at throwaway prices. - Daily Nation.

The letter written to the Kenya immigration department by the Canadian diplomat in Nairobi disowning the Canadian lady - CLICK HERE

A city where law is not applicable

If you have ever been arrested by the Nairobi city askaris, then you know what am talking about here. This newly acquired Kamukunji Division garbage truck could not escape the lenses doing the unthinkable. An illegal turn!. Is a high time he gets stopped before killing innocent Kenyans. - Photo by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya. 21/08/09.

Cornels Akello Onyango was dazed when a beautiful young brown woman menacingly approached him brandishing a razor blade. “Get ready to be circumcised,” she barked as she walked towards him. For him, the fact that the threat was coming from a woman was a shock in itself. The look on her face left no doubt that she was capable of carrying out the threat. Onyango, stark naked, frightened and his mind in a turmoil, was in front of a group of about 10 stone-faced men. - FULL STORY

The Express urges Britons to cheer up citing a list of reasons to be happy including rising house prices and renewed hope in the Ashes cricket match and on right a picture illustrating England's progress in the Ashes match is emblazoned on the front of The Independent together with the Lockerbie bomber story.

President Mwai Kibaki will Friday 21st August, 2009 officially inaugurate the Eastern and Northern by-passes at the junction of Kangundo and Ruai roads. The Kshs 8.5 billion by-passes are expected to greatly help in the reduction of traffic jams in the city.  During the occasion the President is also expected to outline other measures the government is taking to deal with the management of traffic in Nairobi, including the missing link roads.  During his last visit to Beijing, President Kibaki secured funding for the by-passes from the Government of the Peoples' Republic of China.  The by-passes are part of the government's ambitious infrastructure development programme aimed at making Kenya the regional economic hub.    Last week the Head of State inaugurated the Maji-ya-Chumvi-Miritini road, a key section of the critical Northern Corridor.   The President is expected at Embakasi at 11.00 a.m. On arrival the President will be received by the Minister for Roads Hon Franklin Bett and other senior Government officials. On Saturday President Kibaki will lead the nation in marking the 31st Anniversary of the death of the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

Kesom Freight International Ltd. Opens a branch in East London

The leading forwarding and clearing company from London to Kenya – Kesom Freight International Ltd has opened a branch in East London.  The new office is located at 380 Ripple Road, Barking IG11 9RS a through away of a stone from Thatched House.  During their launching ceremony on Saturday 8th August, 2009 the company hosted a nyama choma party at the venue. They have offices in UK, Dubai and soon they are opening an office in China. They accept goods as from 10 kgs to Kenya from UK and clears with goods with Kenya Customs and you collect your goods in Eastleigh, Nairobi. For more information please contact 020 8507 9093 or 07930508058.

A farmer has been stung to death by a swarm of wasps in East Yorkshire, his family have confirmed. Mark Evison, 47, had been cutting grass as he cleared a ditch in Ellerker, near South Cave, on Sunday evening when he disturbed a wasps' nest. Relatives said he had died after suffering a severe allergic reaction. East Riding of Yorkshire Council's pest control team said nearby residents had been informed of the nest's location and it had been sealed off. Official figures show there were four deaths in England and Wales in 2007 due to contact with hornets, wasps or bees.

Sport's biggest debate: Is Caster Semenya a man or a woman?

South African gold medal winner Caster Semenya is at the centre of a 'gender bender' mystery after doubts about her sex. The runner powered to victory in the 800 metres World Championships final last night in a time of 1min 55.45secs, more than a second quicker than her previous best and the fastest time in the world this year. Earlier, the IAAF revealed they have been investigating Semenya's gender after her breakthrough performance when winning the African junior championship title at the end of July. The 18-year-old South African ran a stunning world leading time for the year of one minute 56.72 seconds, striking almost four seconds from her previous best. IAAF communications director Nick Davies, revealing they cannot prevent her competing, said: "The situation today is that we don't have any conclusive evidence that she not be allowed to run, so it would be totally wrong to take a decision such as to withdraw an athlete from the field. "It is a medical issue, it's not an issue of cheating. "Again it is stressed in a general sense, we have to be sensitive to this, this is a health issue, this is a human individual who was born as a woman, has grown all her life as a woman and is now in a position where this is being questioned. "There is a need of course to make sure the rules are followed and the rules are very clear that women should compete in women's competitions, so yes of course, we're taking it absolutely seriously. "But we're also doing that in a rigorous, fair-minded way." "We have to wait until the process is completed however long it takes. "I believe it will be a matter of weeks rather than months, but that is speculation."

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End of Summer Youth BBQ Bash!

You are invited to End of Summer Youth Barbecue Bash on Saturday 5th September, 2009. Free food, nyama choma and music. Lots of other entertainments as from 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Venue: South London, Spa Hill Allotments, London SE19 3TU. For more information please contact 07903984578.

Scramble for university places

London, Friday 21st August, 2009. Teenagers who failed to get their first choices for university are rushing to find courses amid a squeeze on places. More than 5,000 students have found a place through the UK's "clearing" system since A-level results came out. There is a shortage of places this year after a surge in applications and a decision to cap growth in places. The university admissions service Ucas said hits to its website were 50% up on last year after teenagers received their A-level results. It is thought there were about 22,000 places available through clearing, so nearly a quarter of them have gone. Data just released by Ucas says nearly 142,000 people are eligible for clearing. The body says since 0600 on Thursday, more than 970,570 students have logged onto its website to see if they have a university place confirmed or to find alternatives. Calls to its helpline were close to 15,000 by the end of the day. Applications to UK universities are up more than 10% on last year. This is due to a bulge in the population (there are more 18-year-olds this year), the drive to get more young people into higher education and the effects of the recession in encouraging both young and old to go to university. The Westminster government earlier this year put a 10,000 cap on the expansion of places for this autumn, though later offered funding for 13,000 more places as numbers of applicants surged. However, not all universities took up this offer because places were not fully funded. The rising pass rate at A-level has also, over a longer term, made more young people eligible for university. This year the overall pass rate for A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland rose to the record level of 97.5%, adding to the clamour for places. Students in Scotland, who received the results of their Highers earlier this month, had a head start on clearing. The pass rate for Highers also rose - by 0.8 percentage point to 74.2%.

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The matatu's and buses were not on strike this morning. They had to drop their passengers at Kariokor Market, Nairobi due to traffic police operation. I wonder if they achieve anything! – Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi - 20/08/09.

A move by the Government to upgrade Kibera slums has suffered a major setback.  The High Court on Thursday 20th August, 2009 issued conservatory orders stopping the Government from demolishing structures of those living in Kibera’s Soweto East area.  The relocation of residents was to start today in an exercise where President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were to attend. Lady Justice Abida Ali-Aroni said the orders would remain in force until August 28 when the case is set to be heard inter parties. "The conservatory order is issued up to August 28 restraining the respondents from demolishing houses of petitioners in Zone A Soweto East," she ruled. Aroni’s ruling arose out of an application by 84 people living in Kibera. They say if the Government has to upgrade the houses as it has proclaimed under the Slum Upgrading Programme, adequate compensation has to be put in place. On August 14, the Government gave residents a month to vacate from Soweto East in an area classified as Zone A. - The Standard.

"Can you seal that sewage?" - Hon. Michuki

We all got ideas but this one hit rock bottom. The reason being that KKV were trying to block the sewage from going to Nairobi River. They never achieved their goal but is my hope someone somewhere will show them the source of the sewage where it could be easier to block it from and divert it to the main line. 'I could be wrong though'.Now they are writing back to Michuki - "we have blocked the sewage". – Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi - 20/08/09.

A record-breaking number of A-level entries for England

London, Thursday 20th August, 2009. A record-breaking number of A-level entries for England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been awarded A grades. More than one in four entries - 26.7% - got the top grade, up from 25.9% last year and the overall pass rate rose to 97.5%, up 0.3 percentage points. The improvement in grades - for the 27th year in a row - will add to the pressure on university places. There are there are 60,000 more applicants for university places in the UK than this time last year. That is a 10% rise on last year. Hundreds of thousands of teenagers are getting the results of their A and AS-level exams. Scottish students have already received the results of their Highers and Standard Grade exams - which showed a slight rise in standards achieved. The A-level results have been released by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), the body which represents the exam boards. They show that more than three quarters of entries (75.1%) were awarded at least a C grade. In Northern Ireland, more than one in three entries (34.5%) was given an A grade - a slight fall on last year, while in Wales 24.1% of entries got the top grade. The figures reveal that girls continue to outshine boys generally at A-level, but that the gap between them at the top grade is narrowing. The percentage of entries from boys which were awarded an A is 25.6% this year, compared with 27.6% of entries from girls. The results show traditional subjects remain the most popular at A-level, with English and maths the top choices.

There were an extra 7,882 entries for maths this year, and an extra 1,382 entries for further maths. There was also an increase in the number of entries for chemistry and physics, but a fall in the number taking biology. Fewer people took French and German this year. There were 552 fewer entries for A-level French - a fall of 3.7% - and a 7.7% drop in those taking German. Jim Sinclair, director of the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: "These are excellent results. They are the outcome of hard work of students and teachers, who deserve to be congratulated. "It is particularly good to report improved uptake and outcomes for mathematics and science." Figures presented by the JCQ at a media briefing show the proportion of top A-level grades awarded to independent schools is increasing. About 50% of entries from the independent sector were given A grades, the exam boards said. This compared with about 40% of entries from selective state schools and about 22% of those from other state schools.

Clearing pressure

In response to the surge in applications to UK universities, the Westminster government recently announced partial funding for 10,000 extra places in "priority" subjects - predominantly sciences, engineering, technology and maths. There have been rises in numbers applying to most of these subjects, with the exception of chemistry. Those who do not achieve the grades needed for their degree offers can use the "clearing" system to search for an alternative available university place, but the pressure on places means fewer students will find a course this way this year. It is thought about 22,000 places will be available by this route - about half the number allocated through clearing last year. Oxford and Cambridge saw record applications for the next academic year - around 15,000 people applied for the 3,000 or so places on offer at each institution. Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group of leading universities, told the Today programme on BBC Radio Four universities were facing pressure for places. "We are turning away candidates with not just three As but four As," she said. However, she added, universities strove to look at the whole candidate, not just their grades, and A-levels, although not perfect, were "on the whole, fit for purpose".

The Conservatives said ministers were to blame for the thousands of students who may miss out on a university place. Shadow education spokesman David Willetts said: "First, they cut the number of extra university places, then they told universities they could offer some new places after all but only on an unfunded basis, which many of them could not accept. "Now, they are still threatening the university sector with fines for over-recruitment. This is a recipe for disaster." Democrat spokesperson for universities, Stephen Williams, said students applying to study arts subjects would not benefit from the extra places announced. "The irony is that while a record number of students are likely to get the top grades, more young people than ever are going to be disappointed as they fail to get a place at university." Schools Minister Iain Wright said the government had expanded university education. "This is a day for celebration, not cynicism. "The entrance into university is always a competitive process. We've provided more resources, we've provided more money, which contrasts to the Conservatives point of view, which wouldn't provide a single additional place for university students. "There are 10,000 additional places in addition to the massive investment in higher education that we've provided over the last decade. I would say to students, don't give up hope, there is options available there."

More £5 notes for cash machines

A High Street bank in UK says it is stocking more £5 notes in cash machines in a pilot scheme to boost their numbers.  HSBC said that 100 of its cash machines in the Midlands and south west of England were being stocked with more fivers in a Bank of England trial.  While all UK cash machines must have the capacity to hold all denominations of notes, demand and efficiency means most only give out £10 and £20 notes. Latest figures show that £1.3bn worth of fivers are in circulation in the UK.

Crisis fears on university places

Fifty thousand more people have applied for university places in the UK this year, increasing fears that many will not get on a degree course. Figures just released by the admissions body Ucas show applications are up by 9.7% on this time last year. The Conservatives accuse the government of "sleepwalking into a crisis", as more young people try to avoid the recession by studying. Ministers say they are committed to expanding opportunities for the young. The new figures show that so far 592,312 people have applied to start undergraduate courses this autumn - compared with 540,108 at this time last year (up 9.7%).

Among those living in England, the figure rose by 10.1% (from 390,358 to 429,734). The Ucas figures are a snapshot of the picture of university applications, but do suggest an upward trend. The last figures released, in February, showed an 8% increase in applications year on year. In times of recession, university and college applications generally rise. The biggest increase was in applications from young people in European Union countries outside the UK . This figure rose by 15.4% across all age groups, with the largest increase among those aged 20 and under (17.9%). Earlier this year the Westminster government placed a cap of 10,000 on the number of extra student places it would fund this year, reduced from 15,000 because of a funding squeeze.

The Conservatives' spokesman on universities and skills, David Willetts, said: "Ministers are sleepwalking into a crisis in university applications. "Yesterday, [Higher Education Minister] David Lammy told the House of Commons there was nothing to worry about and the Prime Minister keeps telling us he is offering more opportunities to young people. "But today we have the hard evidence to show that tens of thousands of people who hoped to go on to higher education this year face a brick wall. "Young people are becoming the biggest victims of this recession. The number of young people not in education, employment or training is already at record levels and now we are on course to have a record number of young people refused a university place."

'Graduates needed'

There are reports that the government is working on a rescue plan, but officials are not commenting on that. The government has a target to get 50% of young people experiencing higher education. Higher Education Minister David Lammy said: "This government is committed to expanding opportunities for young people and supporting them through the recession. "The UK will need more graduates to win the highly skilled jobs of the future so it is encouraging to see that so many young people want to go to university. "There are record numbers of students currently in higher education - 300,000 more than in 1997. And this year we expect that there will be 40,000 more accepted applicants than just three years ago.  "Students who get the grades to meet their offer will secure a place at university this summer, but we will continue to work with the sector to support those who do not and to manage increased demand."

The National Union of Students (NUS) welcomed the rise in applications but said an urgent expansion of places was needed. NUS president Wes Streeting said: "Unless there is an urgent expansion of places, universities will be unable to meet this demand. We are therefore calling on the government to take immediate action to increase student numbers for the coming year. "Applicants of all ages are clearly making the correct assessment that it is better to invest now in their education and training." Liberal Democrats' spokesman Stephen Williams said: "Record numbers of youngsters will be disappointed this summer when they get their grades and still can't get a place at university, particularly as ministers have botched the funding for the additional places they promised to offer. "It is little wonder that so many school leavers want to carry on studying since, despite announcement after announcement promising them help, the government has left the vast majority facing a choice between that and the Jobcentre." The rise in applications comes as employers that recruit graduates are taking fewer this year. Meanwhile almost eight out of 10 secondary school pupils aim to go to university, a survey suggests. Research for the Sutton Trust found 77% of those aged 11 to 16 thought it likely they would go on to higher education, up from 72% in 2008.

Awesome Bolt breaks 200m record

Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt claimed yet another world record as he recorded a stunning victory in the 200m final at the World Championships. Bolt set a time of 19.19 seconds to demolish the previous record of 19.30 he set in winning Olympic gold last summer in Beijing. The 22-year-old finished well clear of the field, with silver medallist Alonso Edward finishing in 19.81. Wallace Spearmon of the United States took bronze.

Higher and Standard Grade pass rates for Scottish pupils have reached record levels, the Scottish Qualifications Authority has confirmed. Nearly 160,000 school pupils across Scotland have been receiving their examination results. The numbers receiving the highest grades also went up. Universities Scotland said those with good grades would get a higher education place even though competition was likely to be steeper this year. Nearly 30,000 students have been receiving their grades by e-mail or text message. Certificates are being sent to 159,901 pupils this year, up from 158,627 in 2008. The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said the pass rate for those sitting Highers rose 0.8 percentage point to 74.2%. For Standard Grade pupils, 98.5% received a pass, up from 98% in 2008.

Was this man given a long rope to hang?

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is juggling three balls in the air and if he lets one fall, he could be political minced-meat for his rivals in the 2012 presidential election. He could be the proverbial politician who was given rope to hang himself and did not disappoint. - MORE

Candle use linked to cancer risk

Candle-lit dinners may be romantic, but researchers are warning they could be harmful to health. South Carolina State University experts analysed the fumes released by burning candles in lab tests. They found paraffin wax candles gave off harmful fumes linked to lung cancer and asthma - but admitted it would take many years' use to risk health. UK experts said smoking, obesity and alcohol were much more important in terms of cancer development. And even the researchers admitted occasional candle use was not something people should worry about too much.

A Kenyan lady has passed away in the UK. The late Mrs. Jacinta Ndaisi Mutinda passed away in a Liverpool Hospital on Monday 16th August, 2009 after a short illness. She was the loving wife to Ben Kiilu (St. Helens, Merseyside), sister to George Musyoki (London), Regina Muia and Mary Kamonthe (Australia),  Samuel Muia and Patrick Muia (Kenya) and the late Bernard Muia. Family and friends are meeting for prayers to offer support and consolation at this difficult time at 301 Mount Pleasant Avenue, St. Helens, WA9 2PU or 133 Farley Road, Catford, London, SE6 2AF. If you are not able to make it and wish to offer financial financial support, please use the bank account at Lloyds, Account No. 31491360, Sort Code 77-14-02, in the name of Mr. Benjamin M Kiilu. For more information contact Ben Kiilu - 0782 332 8465 or George Musyoki - 07747624298.

The late Mrs. Jacinta Ndaisi Mutinda

Mobile service provider Safaricom is considering share consolidation following shareholder complaints of meagre dividends. Safaricom chief executive Michael Joseph said the company is awaiting the outcome of a proposal it forwarded to its board to allow it contract a financial advisor to guide the process. We proposed to the board to give us a go ahead to reduce shares," said Mr Joseph during the firm’s first Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday 19th August, 2009. In the just concluded financial year, Safaricom — which registered more than Sh10 billion in profits — declared a Sh4 billion dividend to about 800, 000 shareholders translating to ten cents a share.

KPLC Staff caught stealing their employer

Mulika Mwizi is a KPLC slogan to help curb electricity theft in Kenya. A visit at Muthaiga Police station made my mind spin a little bit. Is a KPLC lorry full of stolen cables and very expensive transformers. Apparently it has been at the station for months. On getting a bit nosy, it was revealed to me by one officer who declined to be named that it was ended KPLC staff caught with the load. So someone had 'MULIKAD' them. Should we change the slogan to something else now that we know 'Nyani haoni k.......' I suggest TUNJIMULIKE!!!!!! - Story and Photoes by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi

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APPRECIATION

THE LATE MISS TABITHA WANJIRU NJENGA aka MICHELLE

"My family and I wish to thank you all most sincerely for your support through prayers, spiritually, morally, financially and for attending the funeral service for my daughter Tabitha Michelle NJENGA in a big way.  I was deeply touched by your love, commitment and participation.   As I cannot be able to thank you all individually I pray that you accept my appreciation through this medium.    I continue to experience your support every day and my Anchor Holds Firmly in Christ Jesus who will help me  go through this STORM of life.
  
 To the youth and Shiro's most dear friends I convey my deepest thanks from the bottom of my heart.  I know you have lost one of yours but you all will be with her in spirits.  Her work on earth was done and she finished the race successfully to be with her Creator.
  
 God bless you all in a Mighty Way and may He continue to overflow your cups with love and joy."
  
 Mrs Elizabeth Njenga & Family.

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Student visas - provision for students with

International Baccalaureate qualifications

Home Office, 19 August 2009

It has come to our attention that students relying on International Baccalaureate qualifications awarded on 5 July 2009 will not be issued with a paper transcript giving their results, and will not receive their award certificates in time to apply for United Kingdom university courses starting in September this year. To enable these students to apply under Tier 4 of the points-based system, we have made urgent provision for students relying on an International Baccalaureate qualification. Where a sponsor has assessed a student on the basis of an International Baccalaureate award awarded on 5 July 2009, it must clearly explain in the student's confirmation of acceptance for studies/visa letter that it has confirmed the student's results using either the UCAS or International Baccalaureate Office online checking systems. If the Tier 4 sponsor has already issued the student's confirmation of acceptance for studies/visa letter, it must provide the student with a separate letter explaining that it has confirmed the student's results using either the UCAS or International Baccalaureate Office online checking systems. The student must include this letter with their Tier 4 application. When a student applies for their Tier 4 visa, they will need to provide a printout of their results from the UCAS or International Baccalaureate Office online checking service. Full details of the actions that students must take are included in a new addendum (Annex A) to the Tier 4 migrant guidance, which you can download from the right side of this page.

LEFT: As A-level results are due to be published, The Guardian estimates 50,000 students will miss out on university places. CENTRE: The Independent also looks at exam results, saying there is expected to be a rise in the number of A grades achieved. RIGHT: The Sun claims Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray will be charged with the singer's manslaughter in the next few days.

The little boy stares at the ceiling then at his rotting feet, which lie lifeless as though abandoned by their owner. He does not know the hour, but he knows this is the day doctors at Malindi District Hospital are coming to end his pain. Well, sort of. - MORE

The California woman who gave birth to octuplets in USA

The California woman who gave birth to octuplets in January looks set to cash in on her nickname as the last of her eight babies comes home from the hospital.  Nadya Suleman apparently wants to trademark the name "Octomom" which has dominated headlines in the US for nearly three months. According to reports, the 33-year-old filed two applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office on April 10. The applications said the divorced, unemployed mother of 14 wants to put the Octomom name on TV shows, clothing and nappies. Speaking to radaronline.com at home with her babies, she said: "The reason I chose to do that is because I heard someone else did that in another state, Texas I think. "I have no idea why someone who has no association or even knows me would take that name. I never invented that name - everyone else did." She went on: "I was thrust into all of this without my awareness and without my willingness and now I feel almost like I have no choice but to do what I can to support the kids. "People in society labelled me that so I may as well take advantage of that to the benefit of my kids." The octuplets' birth on January 26 was initially heralded as a medical miracle but the public's fascination with Ms Suleman quickly soured as details of her life emerged. She was living with her other children at her parents' home and on government assistance when she became pregnant with the octuplets through in-vitro fertilisation. Ms Suleman also told radaronline.com she would consider making a documentary series following the octuplets until they are 18. "It would be a documentary style where they would just monitor and assess their growth and development from, like, this stage until they are maybe 18. I think that would be fascinating."

Diplomat's tour of duty in Nairobi 'is over'

Canada, Wednesday 19th August, 2009. The Canadian diplomat who officially disowned Suaad Hagi Mohamud as an "imposter" has been recalled from Kenya. Liliane Khadour has "concluded" her posting, a consular official at the Canadian High Commission said yesterday from the capital, Nairobi. "Her tour of duty is over," he said, explaining that Foreign Affairs employees rotate posts every two or three years, and Khadour had been in Nairobi for two. "I am not very sure where she went."  Although she owns a condominium apartment there with her partner, Jason Joyce, the two are staying at a downtown hotel. Both had been working at the commission in Nairobi as first secretaries. When reached by cellphone yesterday, Joyce hung up almost immediately. Neither answered the phone in their hotel room or returned messages. The Canada Border Services Agency has opened an internal investigation into the handling of Mohamud's case. The Somali-born Canadian citizen, an employee of an Etobicoke courier company, had been visiting her mother in Nairobi when she ran into trouble. On May 21, a Kenyan employee of KLM airlines challenged Mohamud's passport photo at the Nairobi departure gate as she was trying to board a flight home to Toronto and her 12-year-old son, she has said. Canadian consular officials interviewed her at the airport on May 22 and sided against her. On May 25, Mohamud appealed to the high commission to take her fingerprints. And on May 28, Khadour sent a letter to Kenyan authorities that sealed Mohamud's fate.  "Please be advised that we have carried out conclusive investigations including an interview," Khadour wrote, signing herself vice-consul, first secretary (consular). "

And (we) have confirmed that the person brought to the Canadian High Commission on suspicion of being an imposter is not the rightful holder of the aforementioned passport. "The Canadian High Commission is releasing the passport to your office for the purposes of prosecution," Khadour wrote to Michael Ojwang, director of Kenyan immigration services. The letter alleged Mohamud was carrying a passport not her own and was in Kenya illegally. These are serious charges that could have led to a Kenyan prison sentence or deportation to her native Somalia. Mohamud was arrested and held for eight days in a women's prison before friends were able to post her bail. But, it turns out, there was no conclusive Canadian investigation. Mohamud was no imposter.  And although it took her three months and a DNA test to prove her identity to Canadian consular officials and two federal departments, Mohamud was in fact the rightful holder of the Canadian passport she was carrying. Last Friday, after conclusive DNA results, the Kenyans dropped all charges against the 31-year-old single mother and the next day she returned to her son, Mohamed Hussein, and a hero's welcome at Pearson International Airport. Since then, she has been undergoing tests for a persistent cough and weight loss, symptoms that have nagged her since her eight-day stay in Nairobi's Langata Women's Prison in June.  Chest x-rays have ruled out any serious lung illness such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, her lawyer Raoul Boulakia has said. "She's extremely relieved to be in Canada and to be with her son," he said yesterday. Legal proceedings have begun in federal court to obtain Mohamud's disputed passport and case file, Boulakia said, adding the case is expected to be heard next month. Asked whether his client plans to sue, Boulakia said: "I'd like to see her get compensation. She deserves it ... but I'd rather see her not go to court."

Peter King, HSK trustee, organised a six-month unsupported bicycle rally to East Africa to raise awareness and funds for a school-building charity. It seems perverse that the most difficult and testing challenges often start life merely as innocent suggestions, made in conditions at the polar extreme to those of the adventure itself. In my case, I was sipping beer and listening to a discussion between the other trustees of the small Kenyan-focussed charity I had recently joined. I was struck by how competent they were and, desperate to find a niche, hit on a brainwave: that I would choose an activity that no one else would even want to try! The resulting statement – that I was thinking of cycling to Kenya – was said with blithe abandon. But damn them for remembering it in the morning. - MORE

Burnley   1 - 0   Man Utd

The 20,872-strong Turf Moor crowd salute their side's first top-flight win in 33 years

Burnley marked the return of top-flight football to Turf Moor after 33 years with a memorable win against Premier League champions Manchester United. Robbie Blake's explosive first-half volley crowned a night of high emotion as Burnley mixed passion with their trademark passing style to inflict defeat on Sir Alex Ferguson's side. Burnley keeper Brian Jensen matched Blake for heroics, saving Michael Carrick's penalty just before half-time and standing firm in the face of a predictable late siege from the champions. Owen Coyle's Premier League newcomers had a tough introduction to life back in the top tier with an opening day defeat at Stoke City - but they demonstrated that they were swift learners by matching Manchester United in all areas and providing the moments of inspiration to claim a deserved victory.

In pictures: Portraits of Darfur

Talk of hardship and poverty in Africa. Here drought is the order of the year and water and firewood is as rare as food. The boys have never seen a river - things we take for granted

These are images of a gang of youths who set a woman teacher's hair on fire with a lighter in an unprovoked attack on a train. CCTV cameras captured the moment the Swedish tourist was set alight on the service from Hastings to Charing Cross. The woman, who was on a school trip, was walking through the carriage when one of the youths held out a lighter and touched her hair. She only realised she was on fire when her students started screaming and she was able to pat out the flames. British Transport Police Inspector Gary Ancell, who is leading the inquiry, said the woman escaped injury but was "extremely distressed".  He said: "The victim was walking through the carriage at around 6.30pm when a youth held out a lighter as she passed. Her hair immediately caught alight and she only realised what had happened when she walked towards her students and saw them screaming and pointing to her hair. She was then able to pat the fire out."  He said police are searching for four youths, two of whom were thrown off the train by a conductor who found them hiding in a lavatory.

The Parliamentary Finance Committee is opposed to Government plans to buy a stake in the currency printing firm, De la Rue Currency and Security Print Ltd.  Committee chairman Chris Okemo told Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta in Parliament they are not convinced "that is the way to go" and wondered why Government was eager to buy into a multinational it has been doing business with. Okemo urged the Government to shelve the deal because De la Rue, which has maintained a stranglehold over currency printing contracts, is still subject of a Parliamentary inquiry and the report is yet to be tabled in the House. Further, the committee is concerned that the Government intends to acquire equity in the private company yet the firm’s equipment "is not capable of producing new generation currency notes," according to a report prepared by the committee. De la Rue signed a three-year contract with the Central Bank in May last year to print 1.7 billion new bank notes at a cost of Sh3.9 billion ($51.2 million) but they are yet to deliver although part of the payment had been made. Mr Okemo told the House during scrutiny of the Treasury’s Sh43 billion budget that what the Government was doing was curious and opposite of its own privatisation policy. "We will, however, engage the minister on the way forward," the Nambale MP said.

Lucrative venture

The Government is reportedly in secret negotiations with De La Rue to buy 25 per cent stake in the company in a deal the Cabinet is said to have recently sanctioned after passing a paper tabled by the Treasury.  It is feared the deal could further tighten De La Rue’s dominance of the lucrative venture since it is bound to lock out competition by other players in future currency contracts.  Joint ventures with European multinationals and of the type the Government is contemplating with De La Rue were popular in Kenya and many African countries in the 1960s and 1970s. But they ceased to be in vogue after Kenya adopted the policy of privatisation and when it became apparent such arrangements merely served the interest of private contractors by allowing them to secure privileges from the State, gaining unfair advantage. At the same time, Isiolo South MP Abdul Bahari urged the Treasury to abolish a directive that prompted ministries to engage in rush procurements to beat a deadline at the end of the financial year. Bahari said the spending spree by ministries so that they spend funds allocated to them lest they are returned to Treasury meant Government did not get value for money. He, however, lauded the minister for cracking the whip on Capital Markets Authority to ensure the financial markets regulator effectively discharges its duties. - The Standard.

"Nimekuja kutafutia watoto wangu chakula"

Mrs. Ann Chege of New Hope Orphans Home in Kenya is in London. Mrs. Chege arrived in London on Tuesday 18th August, 2009. She will be in the UK for the next one month looking for funds to feed her 120 orphans children in her care. With the current drought and economical difficulties in Kenya, the mother of 120 needs to do more to feed her children. Feeding, educating and housing 120 children is not easy at this time. Some of the children are now in the University, secondary school, primary school and some have not yet gone to school. Talking to Mr. Seed on her arrival in London Mrs. Chege had this to say jokingly: "Nimekuja kutafutia watoto wangu chakula. Wambie Wakenya hapa UK wanipatie chakula nipelekee watoto wangu." Her contact while in the UK is 07947883505 or email: newhopechildren@mail.com - For more information please visit www.newhopechildrenscentre.org

Lucky to be alive

His 40th day arrived this afternoon behind OTC downtown Nairobi. Robbers on a mission shot at the police on Gwassi road. One of the officers was hit on the leg. A member of the public who was on delivery was also caught by a stray bullet and got injured on the nose. One of the robbers was shot several times and died instantly. The motive of where they intended to rob was not clear. However he is known by Kamukunji police as ''Jicho Moja'. He was said to be a known criminal. The area is known to be very safe. Nowadays is very hard to get away with anything in Nairobi. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday 18th August, 2009.

Suspected crime cash is seized at Birmingham airport

Home, Office, 18 August 2009

Officers from the UK Border Agency at Birmingham International Airport have seized £92,000 in cash believed to be the proceeds of crime. Seven separate seizures, ranging from £8,500 to £28,000, were made over a two-week period as eight men and one woman of various nationalities tried to take the cash out of the United Kingdom. The seizures were made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Following court orders, the money is being held for three months while HM Revenue & Customs officers carry out investigations into the seizures. It will be confiscated and returned to the public purse if it is shown to be associated with criminal activity.

Adrian Farley, assistant director of criminal investigation for HM Revenue & Customs, said:

'Cash is only seized if there are reasonable grounds to suspect it is the proceeds of, or is intended for use in, illegal activities. The Proceeds of Crime Act was specifically designed to take the profit out of crime, making it harder for money to be laundered and depriving criminals of their illicit wealth. It is a vital element of our criminal investigation strategy.'

At about 5.00pm on Mombasa road heading to JKIA,A small pickup from Libra house interchange was hit from behind by a matatu limping off the pick up load cabin. It's load was all over the place. The cabin hit the rear of the bus leaving it with a big dent. The matatu however stopped a distance away. No one was injured from all the three vehicles involved but seemed like the pickup never took the acceleration lane first. - Photo and story by Karuga wa Njuguna, Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday 18th August, 2009.

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, wanted to pump more money into the UK economy this month but was outvoted by fellow policymakers. Minutes of the bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on 6 August reveal that Mr King wanted £75bn rather than the £50bn that was injected. Two fellow committee members also voted for a bigger cash injection. The decision to pump £50bn came as a surprise, and was already twice the £25bn that the market expected. The bank originally set aside £150bn for this policy, but the decision to inject an extra £50bn took the total to £175bn. The governor, backed by Tim Besley and David Miles, voted instead for a £75bn expansion. They argued that too little stimulation would mean inflation remaining below its target of 2% for "a sustained period of time... and might harm public confidence in the recovery, causing it to falter". They added that if £75bn proved to be too much, they could reverse the policy, by selling assets, and increase interest rates.

The Independent says "scores" of state schools are ditching the teaching of traditional subjects at A-level in order to boost academic results and on right NHS negligence payouts have risen by 22% in a year to £807m, reports the Metro, which cites "ambulance chaser lawyers" as the cause for the sharp rise.

NHS negligence payouts have risen by 22% in a year to £807m, reports the Metro, which cites "ambulance chaser lawyers" as the cause for the sharp rise and on right The Independent says "scores" of state schools are ditching the teaching of traditional subjects at A-level in order to boost academic results. 'Ambulance chaser' lawyers in UK have pushed NHS payouts for negligence up 22 per cent in a year to a record £807million, it has emerged. There were 8,885 clinical and non-clinical claims brought against the service in 2008/09 – a rise of more than a fifth on the previous year. The £807million would pay for 25,000 heart transplants, 150,000 hip replacements or build five small hospitals. Susie Squire, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'While it is important that cases of medical malpractice are dealt with, too much of this money will inevitably in the hands of ambulance chasers. Every penny that goes to the compensation culture could be going into health care.' While only one in 25 of the 8,885 cases went to court, the service's costs to deal with payouts and legal fees has risen by more than £200million in just two years. The NHS spent £613million in compensation payouts in 2006/07 and £661million in 2007/08. Its total budget for 2008/09 was £94billion. The National Health Service Litigation Authority, which detailed the payouts in its annual report today, said: 'The costs claimed by claimant lawyers continue to be significantly higher than those incurred on our behalf by our panel defence solicitors. This remains a very significant concern.' Shadow health minister Mark Simmonds said the government should have backed its proposals when the NHS Redress Bill was debated three years ago. They would have allowed more cases to be resolved without litigation, he added. Nigel Edwards of the NHS Confederation, which covers the service's organisations, said: 'The NHS has got much better at dealing with these cases but there is much more to do, starting with making sure these things never happen in the first place.'

Kibaki, Raila come face to face with starvation reality

Prime Minister Raila Odinga (in cap) and President Kibaki (behind the PM) distribute food in Marsabit on Tuesday. They reassured wananchi that all resources would be used to ensure that nobody starved. More than 500,000 children in Kenya have been pushed out of school, largely by the biting food shortage, according to a new report. The number of out-of-school children stands at two million, up from 1.5 million, says a group of local non-profit organisations engaged in education. In a report obtained on Tuesday, the Elimu Yetu Coalition said the rise in drop-out rates posed a major threat to the free learning programme. The introduction of the programme in 2003 saw a rise in enrolment from 5.9 million pupils to 8.3 million last year. Worst affected are children in urban slums and arid and semi-arid lands. The findings come less than a month after the government announced it would allow over 2.5 million children in famine-hit areas to remain in schools during the August holidays to be fed under the School Feeding Programme. On right photo Mrs Anna Apodo is a study in hunger and resilience in Kamenya, Rangwe constituency.- Daily Nation.

A Bed That Makes Itself

Here's a must have bed for all those that never have time to make their beds in the mornings. This might look like a normal bed, but it does have the added bonus that you do not actually have to make it. With just the push of a button this machine neatens up your bed, pulling the duvet up and straightening it out. The only negative is that by the time it has finished you might have already fallen asleep again!

US prosecutors have charged a man with stealing data relating to 130 million credit and debit cards. Officials say it is the biggest case of identity theft in American history. They say Albert Gonzalez, 28, and two un-named Russian co-conspirators hacked into the payment systems of retailers, including the 7-Eleven chain. Prosecutors say they aimed to sell the data on. If convicted, Mr Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in jail for wire fraud and five years for conspiracy. He would also have to pay a fine of $250,000 (£150,000) for each of the two charges. Mr Gonzalez used a technique known as an "SQL injection attack" to access the databases and steal information, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) said. Edward Wilding, a fraud investigator, told the BBC that this method was "a pretty standard way" for fraudsters to try to access personal data. It "exploits any vulnerability in a firewall and inserts a code to gather information," he explained. However, he added that this case probably "involved extremely well researched, especially configured codes, not standard attack codes downloaded from the internet".

Mr Wilding said that chip-and-pin did provide some protection against SQL attacks, but there was little consumers could do to protect themselves against this kind of fraud. "The real vulnerability, I suspect, is internet and telephone transactions. But this is a failure in the configuration of [corporate] firewalls," he said. Mr Gonzales' corporate victims included Heartland Payment Systems - a card payment processor - convenience store 7-Eleven and Hannaford Brothers, a supermarket chain, the DoJ said. According to the indictment, the group researched the credit and debit card systems used by their victims, attacked their networks and sent the data to computer servers they operated in California, Illinois, Latvia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. The data could then be sold on, enabling others to make fraudulent purchases, it said. Mr Gonzalez, who had once been an informant for the US Secret Service helping to track hackers, is already in custody on separate charges of hacking into the computer systems of a national restaurant chain and eight major retailers, including TJ Maxx, involving the theft of data related to 40 million credit cards. Mr Gonzales is scheduled to go on trial for these charges in 2010. This latest case will raise fresh concerns about the security of credit and debit cards used in the United States, the BBC's Greg Wood reports.

A Kenya lady passed away in a Liverpool Hospital, UK on Monday 16th August, 2009. More information later.

Lawless Kenya! As usual we are waiting for many more to die before we act. Only a few hv licenses. Who will force them wear crash helmets as required by the law? Hon Makwere clean up this mess! - Photo by Karuga wa Njuguna

UK inflation rate stays at 1.8%

A key measure of inflation in the UK has unexpectedly remained at 1.8%. Economists had expected the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to decline to 1.5% in July. The Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation measure, which includes mortgage interest payments, also unexpectedly rose to -1.4%, from -1.6%. The RPI rate has fallen sharply over the past year as the Bank of England slashed interest rates to a record low amid a recession. The figures suggest that inflationary pressures on the economy may be easing. Prices of recreational devices, such as computer games, DVDs and CDs, rose the most in the month, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There was also upward pressure from furniture prices because of less aggressive discounting in the July sales. The chief downward impact on prices came from food and non-alcoholic drink prices. The drop to 1.8% in June was the first time in two years that CPI rate - the government's preferred measure of inflation - fell below the Bank of England's 2% target rate. The Bank aims to keep inflation at 2% to maintain price stability and more broadly, economic stability. The RPI in June fell to its lowest since the records started in 1948, according to the Office for National Statistics. Among other things, the RPI should mean lower season ticket prices for trains next year. Annual rail fare rises are pegged to the RPI figure in July of the prior year, plus 1%. Last July, the RPI was 5%, meaning that rail prices this year rose by 6%.

Kenya at risk of losing lions

Kenya Wildlife Service has warned that Kenya might lose all its lion population in the next 20 years. KWS says if the current rate of decline continues unabated, and unless urgent and decisive measures are taken the lions could be extinct in just two decades. In a statement, KWS says the national lion population has been reducing by an average of 100 per year for the last seven years due to a combination of factors, including human wildlife conflict, destruction of habitats due to the increase in human population that encroaches on its habitat, climate change and disease. The population of lions is said to have dropped from an estimated 2749 in the year 2002 through 2,280 in 2004 to the current 2000 individuals. To reverse this disturbing trend, Kenya Wildlife Service has taken a number of measures including monitoring lion movements, creating public awareness and drafting of a comprehensive national lion conservation and management strategy which is set for launching next month. The new strategy will guide efforts geared towards conserving lions in the long-term and prescribes actions that need to be taken by various stakeholders coordinated by KWS to reverse the declining national population. Lions have a special place in Kenyans' livelihood and conservation efforts. Other than being the symbol for national strength, they are among the Big Five, a major attraction for tourists to Kenya. "The trend of lion population decline is disturbing and every effort needs to be made to ensure that Kenya either stabilizes its population at the current population of 2000 lions or increases the numbers to an ecologically acceptable level" said Paul Udoto the Corporate Communications Manager at KWS.

A scenery from the land of "Hakuna matata"

London, Tuesday 18th August, 2009. Students starting university this autumn could graduate with debts of up to £23,500, it has been warned. The average undergraduate will rack up debts of £5,000 in each year of study, while others will borrow far more to pay for necessities such as tuition fees and living expenses. And experts warned the recession and rising tuition fees would further increase the level of debt next year. With over £23,000 of debt and graduate employment opportunities at an all-time low, we find it astonishing universities continue to demand ever higher fees,' said Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students. 'We are in danger of condemning an entire generation to a lifetime of debt.' Last year, the estimated maximum debt for university-leavers was £17,500 – or an average of £4,500 a year. But as fees rise to £3,225 a year and the recession continues to bite, both figures have jumped dramatically. Of this year's £5,000-a-year figure, 78 per cent will be owed to the Student Loans Company, ten per cent to banks, eight per cent to parents and two per cent to credit card companies. University guide Push.co.uk, which compiled the study, questioned whether students could now be asked to 'stump up any more towards their education'.

CHINA: How does he do that? A monk tries out some kung fu moves at the Shaolin Temple on the Songshan Mountain in Dengfeng, Henan Province.

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IKO NINI BWANA SEED ARCHIVE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? AUGUST 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JULY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NIN BWANA SEED? JUNE 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? MAY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? APRIL 2009 - PART TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - MARCH 2009

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - PART ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? FEBRUARY 2009 - THREE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009 - ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - JANUARY 2009  - TWO

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER, 2008 ONE

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - DECEMBER TWO, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - NOVEMBER ONE, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - OCTOBER, 2008

IKO NINI BWANA SEED? - SEPTEMBER 2008