Iko Nini Bwana Seed?

WHAT UK NEWSPAPERS SAY - EXCHANGE RATE AGAINST THE POUND TODAY IS KSHS. 120.61

KAMEME RADIO IS BACK AGAIN

London Friday 22nd May, 2009. Twenty-five  per cent of babies born in Britain have a foreign parent, it was revealed on Thursday 21st May, 2009. The statistic is further proof that the number of immigrants coming to the UK has rocketed.  It also reveals a gradual increase in the number of children born to immigrant parents over the past five years. In 2001, one in five babies had a foreign-born mother or father. In the 12 months to July 2006 there were 734,000 babies born in Britain. The statistics show that 183,500 of them had at least one foreign parent. An Office for National Statistics (ONS) spokesman said: “That reflects the cumulative effect of immigration over the last 40 years.” He said that there were no details as to whether children born to immigrant parents stayed in Britain. The total number of births in the UK increased by 10 per cent from 2002 to mid-2006. The ONS spokesman said several trends had contributed to the rise, including an increase in the number of births to UK-born mothers and foreign-born women.  Improvements in general fertility had also had an effect. “All the evidence is that the figures will continue,” he said.

Below are some of the comments from the British society about the above story of immigrant babies

TALKING WON'T DO MUCH GOOD ITS TOO LATE

25.08.07, 12:15am

Here we go again, talking, moaning, neither of which will do a bit of good there is no reason why we should accept everything that is detrimental to the indigenous people of this country any longer, our tolerance is fast running out
ACTION is what is needed we need a strong leader to to put up a real fight for this old country, they will have the people behind them, its worth a try rather than wait until we are not prepared to take anymore and the people take to the streets as their only option to protect what is theirs and what many lives have been lost to protect it.

FAILED ASYLUM SEEKERS

24.08.07, 8:43am

take the p deport them they are criminals it has been decide they came here under false pretences, liars, cheats, no respect for our law and this ridiculous government wants to let them stay, NO1 for flip sake past enough it is too bloody much. failed asylum seekers show you have at least a bit of decency and leave by the cheapest means possible.

SHOULD WE NOT HAVE SEEN THIS COMING ?

23.08.07, 11:08pm

Babies on the NHS, family allowances plus other benefits and now we hear that they are considering amnesty for FAILED immigrants as it
would be against their Human Rights to deny them a family life,what a load of rubbish.
We demand our Human Rights to live our way of life in our own country, without being overwhelmed with people that do not belong here.

GENOCIDE

23.08.07, 6:31pm

Britons are being genocided! Vote BNP or face a third world future - it's a stark choice.

ONE IN FOUR BABIES HAS FOREIGN PARENT

23.08.07, 3:02pm

There is only ONE party to blame for Britains Multicultural Problems and we ALL know Who.

One thing however is for sure, the main architect and perpertrator has "cut and run" leaving the rest of us to deal with the consequences.

No wonder Indiginous Brits are Expatriating themselves at an unprecedented rate in order to secure a better life away from Britain and this inept Government and its policies.

CONQUEST BY OTHER MEANS

23.08.07, 11:13am

Native Britons will soon become a minority in their own country thanks to the policies implemented by British treacherous political elite.
It's time to act and support the British National Party, the only party willing to stop this.

LEFT: The Express reports that one in four children in the UK are now born to immigrants. It features a picture of actress Lucy Morgan who was found hanged in Paris. RIGHT: The crisis at Westminster deepens every day with front page revelations in the Daily Telegraph.The crisis at Westminster deepens every day with front page revelations in the Daily Telegraph.

After the horrendous violence that followed Kenya’s flawed general election in 2007, the mediation of Kofi Annan, a former secretary-general of the United Nations, was acclaimed for pushing the two main political parties into a coalition government. This at least stopped the bloodshed. Now, however, the deal is unravelling—fast. At a recent summit feuding government ministers could not even agree on what to discuss in order to find common ground. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) of the prime minister, Raila Odinga, stomped out before the meeting had even begun, accusing President Mwai Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) of blocking the agenda.  Among the foreign diplomats looking on, optimists refer to the squabbling coalition as an “unconsummated marriage”. The less charitable say Kenya does not have a functioning executive at all, just an unholy alliance of fierce rivals. A schedule of constitutional, electoral, judicial, security, land and economic reforms was laid out in the original agreement between the two parties. A domestic tribunal to judge those responsible for the post-election mayhem was supposed to be set up and a truth commission established. Yet more than a year later the ODM and PNU have failed to agree on any of these issues. New corruption scandals, confined to no party, are regularly revealed by Kenya’s papers. With so many senior figures from the main parties co-opted into the government—which has 94 ministers and deputies, each earning over $15,000 a month—Kenya has become almost a one-party state. Ministers constantly squabble over pay, protocol, seniority and even who gets the best rooms at government get-togethers. The churches, NGOs and foreign diplomats are left to play the role of opposition, cajoling and threatening from the sidelines.

The infighting and bickering have also confounded hopes for measures to tackle the causes of the post-election violence, or even the country’s increasing gang violence. For example, Mr Odinga backed calls for the resignation of the soldier turned chief of the police, Major-General Hussein Ali, after he had been heavily criticised by human-rights groups and the UN over the activities of police death-squads. But Mr Kibaki, who appointed Mr Ali, has refused to let him go, despite an agreement to have a civilian head of the police. This week clashes in central Kenya between villagers and gang members of a criminal sect known as the Mungiki, who belong to the Kikuyu group, Kenya’s biggest, left another 40 or so people dead. Parliament reconvened this week. The next elections are not due until 2012, but so grave is the impasse that politicians are already attending to their political futures rather than present troubles. Martha Karua, who resigned as justice minister on April 6th in protest at Mr Kibaki’s decision to appoint judges without consulting her, has said she will run for president. She gives press interviews, addresses crowds and lambasts the government she so recently abandoned as if a national poll were due for next week. Ms Karua is popular because she gives voice to the disgust felt by ordinary Kenyans towards their politicians. Her resignation is seen as a rare display of principle. Unfortunately for Kenya, all that holds the coalition together now is mutual greed and pressure from abroad. Despite everything, foreign donor governments are nonetheless determined that the coalition should not collapse entirely. They believe any government is better than none, fearing yet more violence. Mr Annan may intervene again. Within a few months, unless the domestic courts deal with the matter properly, he promises to hand over to the International Criminal Court the names of ten people considered by a special Kenyan commission to be responsible for the post-election violence. The removal of these figures from Kenya’s politics, and even from the cabinet itself, might give a useful jolt to the country’s dysfunctional political system.

Mary Gachukia of Northampton has lost her sister back home. Well wishers are meeting at their house 51 Stockmead Road Northampton NN3 9TX from 7 pm to 9 pm. You may contact them on 07888734321 or 07903674946 for more details.

Kenya's census to cost Ksh 7.6bn

Written By:Graham Kirwa   , Posted: Thu, May 22, 2009

 

The government will spend 7.6 billion shillings to conduct a national census in August this year. Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya said the census would be conducted in 158 districts and will not consider newly created districts. He said the census would include administrative and political units. Oparanya said 128-thousand personnel would be involved in the exercise that will be conducted between the nights of August 24 and 25. District sub committees will be instituted to ensure that the exercise is free of graft and ensure that only locals from the respective regions are recruited. The minister said after the census a poverty index survey will be done next year which will assist the government in planning and distribution of resources. Oparanya however called on leaders to ensure boundary disputes are resolved before the exercise begins. He said after the census the devolved funds like CDF would be calculated and distributed based on the exact number of people as opposed the situation currently where the distribution is done in line with the 1999 population census.

Meat lovers beware. Half of the meat you buy from Nairobi butcheries is likely to come from uninspected wildlife. These gut-wrenching estimates are based on the rise of illegal game hunting in areas surrounding Nairobi, a phenomenon fuelled by the long drought which has affected areas that supply the city with mutton and beef. The estimates were based on findings from samples collected from 200 butcher shops two years ago which found that 47 per cent of the stock was bush meat. “The situation is much worse today, mainly because of the long drought which has depleted livestock in parts of Ngong, Namanga and Kajiado — the major meat suppliers for Nairobi,” Mr Steve Itela of the Youth for Conservation Group told a symposium in Nairobi on Wednesday. Ms Nancy Kabete of Kenya Wildlife Service said suspect animals that may have found their way into kitchens across the city include zebras, giraffes, wildebeests, antelopes and buffaloes. She said the trend was threatening the survival of some wild species while presenting human beings with the danger of contracting animal diseases. “One of the biggest challenges in fighting the crime is the lenient fines meted out by our courts. For killing an eland that can fetch Sh40,000 in a choice hotel, one is fined less than Sh3,000, which is hardly a deterrent,” she said. Naivasha has previously been the biggest source of game meat in the city, but a manager at the Soysambu Conservancy said this was likely to have changed.  Mr Charles Muthui said traders in the area had diverted their illicit stocks to the numerous IDP camps in the area, and that public education initiatives against consumption of uninspected meat have helped eradicate the vice. - Daily Nation.

Mũkorino Joyous visit in London

Mr. Elly Njuguna Kuria (right) is in London for a visit. During his visit he joined Mr. Seed and his wife Pastor Jane Njiiri (left) for a dinner in a restaurant in Docklands, London. Mr. Njuguna a friend of the Seeds who is a believer of the Akũrino sector in Kenya is on his way from Dallas, USA where he had gone for the graduation of his son Mr. Ezara Kuria Njuguna on 14th May, 2009. During his visit in Dallas he was joined at the ceremony by Mr. Seed who managed to attend several graduation ceremonies on his visit. Eli was a guest of the Professor Solomon Waigwa who is a dean in one of the Texas' university. Professor Waigwa is the most learned man among the Akũrino's sector in Kenya -  Full story coming soon. Mr. Elly Njuguna's is a businessman in Nakuru, Kenya. His contact in UK is 07536201057.

Immigration and asylum statistics released

Home Office, 20 May 2009

A series of immigration statistics covering migration from Eastern Europe, asylum applications, removals and voluntary departures were published by the Home Office today. Work applications from the eight accession countries have fallen to their lowest level since they joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, according to the latest Accession Monitoring Report. In the first three months of 2009 there were 23,000 applications from workers in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic -down from 48,755 in the same period in 2008. The decrease is mainly explained by a drop in Polish applicants, which fell to 12,000 in the first quarter of 2009 from 32,000 in the same period in 2008. The statistics also show that the majority of workers coming from the A8 countries in the twelve months to March 2009 are young - 78 per cent were aged between 18 and 34 -and only eight per cent stated they had dependants living with them in the United Kingdom when they registered. In the same year 84 per cent of those registered were working for more than 35 hours per week. Although applications for jobseekers allowance from A8 nationals rose in Q1 2009, of the 5,561 individuals who made applications, only 1,671 were put forward for further consideration. The Bulgarian and Romanian Accession Statistics show that applications from these two countries have also fallen to the lowest level since they joined the EU in 2007. There were 610 applications for accession worker cards and 6,205 applications for registration certificates in the first quarter of 2009.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'Today's figures show that immigration levels are balancing as more Eastern Europeans are now leaving the United Kingdom to return home. This suggests that increasing prosperity in post Soviet Eastern Europe in the long term can only be beneficial for the United Kingdom.

'In addition there are now, according to independent research, around 1.5 million British people working in other countries in the European Union. Nevertheless, the Government will continue to do everything it can to ensure that migration works for everyone.'

The Control of Immigration Statistics show that between January and March this year 15,840 people who had no right to be here were removed from the country or departed voluntarily. In the same period in 2008 16,760 people were removed or departed voluntarily. These statistics also show that the United Kingdom continues to receive fewer asylum applications per head of the population than many of its European counterparts. Applications for asylum have increased from 6,595 in the first quarter of 2008 to 8,380 in the same period this year, mainly driven by Zimbabwean applications. The number of initial decisions made on asylum applications was up 16 per cent from 4,435 in the first three months of 2008 to 5,145 in the same period this year.

Mr Woolas said:

'Our border has never been stronger. Last year we prevented over 28,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally and the number of illegals found in Kent fell by nearly 90 per cent.

'We are making the United Kingdom a more hostile place for illegal immigrants through our tough civil penalties regime which has seen fines worth a potential £18 million issued to businesses that have employed people with no right to work.

'Our ability to return those who have no right to be here depends on detaining them and successfully repatriating them. That is why we continue to work closely with the police, build new removal detention centres and secure further agreements with key countries to take their nationals back.'

Asylum intake has remained broadly at the same level over the past four years and it is less than a third of the level when it peaked in 2002. At the end of December the Home Office met its target to conclude 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months.

LUO PROVERB

Cham gi wadu.

Eat, share with your kinsmen/others

There is satisfaction, pleasure in sharing.

Singing set to bring a community in Purley, London together

A mum of two who lives in an estate in Purley is determined to bring her neighbours together through a love of music. Lucy Leary grew up in Kenya, where singing played a big part of her life. And now the 32-year-old has decided to reignite her passion by setting up a community choir in the Croftleigh estate. She hopes it will bring young and old together, and would one day love to see the choir hold its own concerts. Lucy told the Advertiser: "There's not a lot for people to do around here, so I've set this up as a community choir. "I was in a choir throughout my childhood, but when I left school I left the choir. "I love singing, singing is in my blood." And she continued: "There are a lot of elderly people here, and there are a lot of young people as well. "This is something that will bring the ages together." Already 10 people have expressed an interest in the choir, which meets every Thursday at Old Lodge Lane Baptist Church. Lucy has been hard at work sending out leaflets promoting the group, which is called the Croftleigh Community Choir. She said: "My target is to get about 40 people. "My hope is that by next year we'll be a proper choir and we'll be doing our own concerts. "I want to do more things for the area." Lucy added that since starting the choir last month, she has already struck up conversations with people who live nearby who she had never spoken to before. The mum, whose children Coli, four, and Chrystal, one, have both shown an interest in singing, said: "I want my children to be musical. It's something I feel like I've lost over the years, and I don't want that to happen to them. "All people need to do is turn up. "We're not charging anything, but are asking for a £1 donation each week to cover the hall hire." - The choir meets at 7pm every Thursday.

It’s barely a week since the eagerly awaited sentencing of Tom Cholmondeley, but for the family of Robert Njoya nothing has changed. In their sleepy Kiungururia Village, a few kilometres from Nakuru town, the widow, Mrs Sarah Njoya, has resumed her daily struggle of providing for her three children. The family’s three-room mud house is not different from any other homestead in the village. Just like most rural households, there are several goats and chickens roaming the compound. When The Standard visited the home yesterday, Sarah had just taken a break from tending to her crops in a nearby farm. "Last year, we did not harvest anything as this area is usually very dry," she said of the farm. Life, according to the 31-year-old, has changed drastically since the fatal shooting of her husband three years ago by Cholmondeley. The scion of Lord Delamere was last week sentenced to eight months in prison for shooting and killing Njoya, a Gilgil mason, in May 2006. Since that shooting, which robbed the family of their sole breadwinner, Sarah says she has been thrust into a new chapter, which she was barely prepared for. "While he used to provide for the family, I have to struggle to eke out a living in whatever possible way," she adds nostalgically.

She rises up early and goes to the Nakuru retail market to sell yams (‘nduma’) to earn a living. The money she makes is barely enough to ensure her family lives a comfortable life. "I buy ‘ndumas’ from fellow villagers and then sell them at the Nakuru retail market," she says. The widow says last year was particularly difficult as farming, which is their mainstay, failed due to the dry spell. "We did not harvest anything and this year we are trying our luck as Kiungururia is usually very dry," she states as she works on the maize farm. When business at the market is bad and the situation becomes unbearable, she turns to casual work at her neighbours. Sarah is at loss over where to get the money to educate the three children. One is sitting the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education this year.  She, however, says her neighbours and friends have been supportive during the trying moments. We found a neighbour, Mr Timothy Nderitu, at the home. He had a mathematics textbook to be used by Njoya’s eldest son, Gidraf Mwangi. "I have been trying everything including borrowing books from neighbours and friends to ensure he passes his exams," she says of her determination to educate the children. The ordinariness of the Njoyas’ life is evident although his shooting captivated local and international media for three years. At lunchtime, a hurriedly prepared meal of ugali and ‘sukuma wiki’ (kales) is all there is for the three children before they dash back to school. They attend the nearby Kiungururia Primary School. The eldest, Mwangi (12), is in Standard Eight, while Michael Kamau (10), is in Standard Four. The last born, John Karigi, who was only five years old when his father’s life was cut short, is in Standard Three. Sarah says unlike many other people, she has no problems with the eight-month sentence handed to Cholmondeley by High Court Judge Muga Apondi.

With gloom descending on her face, Sarah says she has left most of the unanswered questions to God. The widow said though Cholmondeley was found guilty of manslaughter and not murder, she believes the court did its best to dispense justice. She has since forgiven Cholmondeley and is now concentrating on the struggle to feed and educate her three children. "I would not like his family to undergo the pain that I went through when I lost my husband," Sarah adds. She, however, says she is disturbed that some of the children, who were too young to understand what happened to their father, have been pestering her for answers. But she has no ready or available explanations for them on what caused the shooting of their father. The children, she said, get answers from other sources due to the intense media coverage of their father’s death. Sarah says she welcomes any assistance that may be forthcoming from the Delamere family. "What I want is a better life for my children now that their father is dead," she says. In his mitigation through his lawyer Fred Ojiambo, Cholmondeley had indicated that he was willing to assist the deceased family materially and spiritually. "There have been no discussions to that end so far," she says. While sentencing Cholmondeley, Justice Apondi said he imposed the light sentence to allow the accused to reflect on his life and change to an appropriate direction. - The Standard.

LEFT: The Sun says Michael Jackson is set to have surgery on his skin cancer - hours after postponing this first four gigs in Britain. CENTRE: A so-called stealth tax on calls to mobile phones is the lead story in the Daily Express. - RIGHT: Thousands of Pakistanis from Taliban and al Qaeda heartlands have used a loophole in Britain's immigration system to get into the UK, claims The Times.

Nairobi, Wednesday 20th May, 2009. Coast PC Earnest Munyi Wednesday admitted that some police officers were protecting drug barons in Mombasa.  The PC said the fight against drug abuse was being sabotaged by some police officers. He said already six police officers are currently facing disciplinary action and warned that those involved in the drug deals would be dealt with accordingly. The PC was speaking Tuesday at Jumuiya conference in Mombasa during the consultative forum of the coast interfaith council of clerics. Muslims in the province have in the recent past held protests against drugs and accused the police of laxity in dealing with the drug menace.  During the meeting the council alleged  that police were protecting the drug peddlers in the province and threatened to arrest and hand them over to police for further investigations. The council chairman S.Anyenda said they will remain stead fast in ensuring that the drug abuse menace is curbed adding that it will broaden its activities to reach out to the youth.  The meeting turned stormy when the chairman of the Lamu community policing Sheikh Baskut, claimed that  police in the area were directly working with the drug barons whom he accused of destroying court evidence hence letting the culprits off the hook.  He said" so serious is the issue in Lamu that it has adversely affected tourism in the area with lesser visits by tourists for fear of attacks by the drug addicts" The anti-narcotics police unit has however intensified crackdown on drug traffickers .  Three suspects were arrested last Saturday at Mariakani trading center ferrying 382 rolls of bhang. In March police seized an estimated 1,000 kilograms of bhang, the single largest haul to be netted in the province.

MISSING PERSON

A Kenyan man is missing. Mr. Alex Muita of Coventry UK has been missing since Sunday 10th May, 2009. He is the son of Pastor Jane Muiruri (Wamuita) and Pastor Kinuthia of Coventry. If you have any information please contact 07931488336.

The moderator of PCEA 19th General Assembly The Rt. Rev. David Gathanju arrived in the UK today Wednesday 20th May, 2009 where he will be holding several meetings. MORE

Yes Ghana has beaten Kenya by having  the First visit by President Obama to Africa. This says alot about the current crop of leaders who are taking Kenya to nowhere. President Obama by choosing Ghana as his first trip  to Africa demonstrate his lack of confidence to coalition government who have failed to solve Kenya's short term and long term problem. In Ghana corruption is fought at every opportunity. President Obama will only favour good governance and democracy  in Kenya.

ANIMAL SMILE COMPETITION CONTINUES

Dr Ombongi was plucked out of the lecturer hall at the University of Nairobi where he was a history lecturer and many critics argue he has little to do with management and knowledge of the hospitality industry to turn around the tattered institution. Last week, Mr Balala said he saw nothing wrong with appointing a friend because that was the practice now in government. On Monday, Dr Ombongi said he was qualified for the job and would get it “even if it was competitively sourced”. “There should be no question of me being a friend of the anyone since I am a Kenyan who is qualified for this job,” said Dr Ombongi, 40. Mr Balala said he appointed Dr Ombongi in an acting capacity following a report of a task force that recommended radical measures to restore the glory of the institution. Recently, the reappointment of George Muhoho as Kenya Airports Authority managing director brought to the fore the disrespect of government hiring rules.

Procedure Allows 'Blind' Man To Drive Again

Nigel Cook suffered from macular degeneration, a condition that obscured his central vision with a dark fog. He had to hand back his driving licence and quit his job with the police force. But after surgeons implanted two tiny plastic lenses in each of his eyes, he can now see. Although not a cure for the disease, it overcomes the defect on the retina that causes the blind spot. "It has changed my day-to-day life beyond recognition," he told Sky News. "It's so exciting. To be able to do routine things without struggling to work out who it is you are looking at, it's fantastic." Macular degeneration is caused by damage to an area at the back of the eye. Sufferers only have peripheral vision, so cannot see someone's face without looking at them out of the corner of their eye. But the new lenses act together like a telescope, magnifying the image in the eye. So while the dark central blind spot remains the same size, the image of what patients are looking at is bigger, so they can make out details previously hidden from them. Andrew Luff has helped to pioneer the technique at the Optegra Eye Hospital. A quarter of his patients have had a significant improvement to their vision - another half are helped to some degree. He said: "Patients who are struggling to carry out activities of daily living may suddenly find it easier to cook meals or find their way around the house. "I've also had good reports that patients are able to play golf rather better than they could before." But other surgeons are cautious about such a new technique. Not all patients see an improvement to their vision - yet they will have spent £6,000 on the operation, which is currently only available privately. President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists Winfried Amoaku wants more research. "I understand why any patient would want treatment, because their sight is so valuable that they'll do anything to get it back," he said. "But at the same time we as clinicians should be able to prove that the treatment we are giving is beneficial before we roll it out." But Nigel has no doubts about the operation. He has just seen his daughter in a school play - and for the first time saw her performance clearly from the back of the room. To him, that means everything.

Kenyans are among the most economically active and successful of all the immigrant communities in the UK, says a new report.  The Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) says that it estimates 123,600 people who were born in Kenya currently live and work in the UK. The Kenyan expatriate community is the 13th largest in Britain, ahead of Australians, Italians, Canadians and even, surprisingly, the French. But the community, said to be a mixture of African business people, white Kenyans, Kenyan Asians and asylum seekers, is one of the most productive of all immigrant communities to the UK. Kenyans in the UK earn on average £24,500 (Sh3.3 million) a year, behind seven other countries including Americans, Canadians, Australians, South Africans, the French and Ugandans who have an average per capita income of £27,400 (Sh3.7 million). But Kenyans are also the second biggest home owning immigrants in the UK, behind India, with 82 per cent of the community owning a house. They are also among the least likely of all the communities to be claiming benefit from Britain’s social welfare system with only one per cent doing so.  Nearly 80 per cent of all Kenyans living in the UK are employed, with 19 per cent of them self employed. Average hourly pay for Kenyan immigrants is £12.50 (Sh1,704) per hour, among the top 10 earners of all immigrant communities to the UK and just behind Ugandans who earn £13.40 (Sh1,840) an hour.  The detailed study into Britain’s biggest immigrant communities was conducted by the institute to try and dispel some of the myths that have made life difficult for some immigrants in the UK.  The aim of the report was to tackle the fact that there is “very little information on the economic characteristics and contribution of Britain’s immigrants,” said the IPPR. “This is unfortunate because it means that policy-makers do not have the evidence base they need on which to base good policies.

I am back from the Dallas, USA. I enjoyed the trip. I met hundreds of Kenyans in Dallas. It is estimated that there are about 40,000 Kenyans in Dallas and 16 Kenyan churches. The weather here is good and this land of cowboys. I did enjoy better than I did in Washington. I met hundreds of Mr. Seeds fans down there. Back for business as usual. What did you see there Mr. Seed? More information later.

The first chief in Kenya - Chief Karuri of Tuthu, Murang'a Kenya was the first chief in Kenya to send his son to to study abroad - Mr. Daudi Gakure in 1915

Sources says that there are about 300,000 pending murder cases in high court and one case might take up to 8 years to conclude

LUO PROVERB

Chulo kuor ok ber

Revenge brings no luck.

It is advisable to forgive than to revenge.

The curious wildlife and human communities of the remote South Pacific islands. - MORE VIDEO

Profile of Kenyans in the US and What it Means for Kenya

By Kefa M. Otiso, Ph.D.

There is a lot of current national interest in the role of the diaspora in Kenya’s development. In this commentary, I’d like to shed some light on the Kenyan diaspora in the US and how to best to use it and the rest of the diaspora to develop Kenya. The US Census reports that there were 40,680 Kenyan immigrants in the US in 2000. This number is unrealistically low because it is based on sample data that only captures first generation Kenyan immigrants. Nevertheless, this census dataset contains an interesting profile of Kenyans in the US; and has important implications for the country’s development.

Gender and Age Distribution
 
Most Kenyans in the US are men and are in the economically active age groups. Specifically, 54% of the 40,680 Kenyans in the US in 2000 were male while 46% were female. Eighty-seven percent (i.e.,35,345) of them were 15 to 64 years old. Of these, 65% were in the 20 to 44 age bracket. At 32 years, their median age was 3 years lower than that of the general US population.

Income

On average, Kenyans in the US make more money than many African immigrant groups and Americans. Specifically, Kenyans in the US in 2000 had a per capita (personal) income of $28,000 (or nearly Kshs 2 million at current exchange rates). This income was higher than that of all other black African immigrants such as Nigerians ($27,000) and Ghanaians ($23,000) but less than that of the Egyptians ($33,000) and South Africans ($42,000) -- who are mostly white. Moreover, since the per capita income for the general US population was $21,587 in that year, the average Kenyan immigrant earned nearly $6,000 more than the average American. Similarly,the median family income for Kenyans was $55,000 or nearly $5,000 more than the general US population, $2,000 more than Nigerians (the next highest black African immigrant group), nearly equal with Egyptians ($57,000) but much less than the South Africans ($81,000) who topped all African immigrant groups.
 
One income measure that Kenyans fared poorly on is retirement income. At average income of $11,000 in retirement income, Kenyans were at par with Ghanaians but significantly less well of than Nigerians ($15,000), Egyptians ($19,000), and South Africans ($30,000). Although this low retirement income could be due to their relatively recent arrival in the United States, it might also be due to their low level of savings or investment in US retirement programs. It is also noteworthy that Kenyan men made nearly $10,000 more than their women counterparts in 2000. Overall,although Kenyans in the US generally make far more money than their brethren in Kenya, they also spend more because the cost of living in the US is very high.
 
Educational attainment,Employment and Vehicle Ownership

Most of the Kenyans in the US are well educated and have very good English language skills. Nearly 52% of Kenyans in the US in 2000 had a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 28% for the general US population. And of the Kenyans with at least an undergraduate degree, 23% had a masters or professional degree (e.g., medical degrees). The only other African immigrant groups with more people with undergraduate degrees or higher in 2000 were South Africans (55%), Nigerians (59%), and Egyptians (60%). Although the US has significantly tightened its immigration laws since the September 2001 terrorist attacks,one of the ironic silver linings of this is that the new laws have made it harder for nonimmigrant Kenyans to drop out of school. As a result, many more Kenyans are staying in school and graduating at even more impressive rates.
 
The 2010 US census is likely to show a significant increase in the number of Kenyans in the US with undergraduate degrees or higher. The high educational attainment of Kenyans in the US is also due to the fact that Kenya has since the 1993-94 academic year (i.e., September 1993 – May 1994) led other African countries in the number of students in American colleges and universities. All things being equal, one would expect more populated countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia and Egypt to have more students than Kenya.

Because of their high educational qualifications, English language skills, and good work ethic, many of the Kenyans in the US are professionals working as educators, managers, business proprietors, clerks and health care attendants. According to the 2000 census, most of them are employed in the educational, medical (non-hospital), and miscellaneous business sectors of the economy. Their relatively high incomes have helped them (together with Nigerians, Egyptians, and South Africans) to rise to the top of other African immigrant groups in the US in the rate of personal vehicle ownership. Contrary to the widespread belief in Kenya, Kenyans in the US cannot do without reliable personal vehicles if they hope to go to school and make ends meet. This is because American cities are some of the most spread out in the world and have a generally poor public transport system. For example, the City of Houston, Texas, has an area of more than 600 square miles (1,600 km²) -- slightly more than twice the size of Nairobi City.

Home ownership

Most Kenyans in the US are renters rather than homeowners. In 2000, slightly over one-third of Kenyans in the US owned their homes while the rest were renters. According to census data, Egyptians and South Africans were the only African immigrant groups with more homeowners than renters. At a median home value of $180,000, Kenyan homes in the US in 2000 were, on average, worth $30,000 more than those of other black African immigrant groups including Ghanaians ($149,000) and Nigerians ($148,000). The median value of Kenyan homes was similar to that of the mostly “white” Moroccans ($180,000) but less than that of Egyptians ($210,000) and South Africans ($249,000) that are also mostly “white”. Given the 2000 to 2006 US real estate boom, it is reasonable to assume that a higher proportion of Kenyans in the US now own homes with even higher median home values.

This is a remarkable achievement considering the fact that most Kenyans (77%) migrated to the US between 1986 and 2000, long after the other African groups, especially Nigerians, Moroccans, and Egyptians, had started immigrating to the US in large numbers. In fact, 43% of the Kenyans in the US immigrated between 1996 and 2000 in pursuit of higher educational training and better economic prospects. Many others left for political reasons. Moreover, the period after 1986 has witnessed many US immigration law changes that have benefited many Kenyans. For example, between 1996 and 2005, 10,000 Kenyans immigrated to the US under the diversity lottery program while close to 2,700 skilled Kenyans did so using work visas. Nevertheless, only 25% of Kenyans in the US in 2000 were naturalized US citizens; making this one of the lowest naturalization levels of any major African immigrant groups in the US. Although the naturalization level of Kenyans in the US has increased since the September 2001 terrorist attacks, it is unlikely to be as high as that of Nigerians for instance. Hopefully, this high level of enduring loyalty to Kenya would reassure those sections of the Kenyan government that have been slow to enact dual-citizenship legislation.

Family matters

Fifty-three percent (or 19,040) of the 36,015 Kenyans aged 15 years and over in 2000 were married with children under 18 years of age. The rest were unmarried, divorced, separated or widowed. Prior to the introduction of the US diversity lottery in the mid-1990s, most Kenyans in the US were unmarried. But because the lottery enables winners to immigrate with their families, more Kenyans are now married than single.

Where in the US do they live?

Over eighty percent of the Kenyans in the US in 2000 were and still live in the states of Texas, California, New York, and New Jersey. The first three states are also some of America’s most populated and economically prosperous. In general, most Kenyans in America live in large cities like Houston (Texas), Los Angeles (California) and Atlanta (Georgia) because such cities tend to have many fellow Kenyans, colleges and universities, and job opportunities. Moreover, Houston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta are in a warm climate similar to that in most parts Kenya.

Development Lessons for Kenya and the Diaspora

The foregoing profile of Kenyans in the US has many implications for Kenya and its and its diaspora’s development. To start with, the 40,680 Kenyans captured by the 2000 US census had a combined income of slightly over $1 billion >or about Kshs 79 billion at current exchange rates. If you add the Kenyans who were not counted by the census plus the thousands that live in Canada, Europe, other African countries, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand; the substantial economic power of the global Kenyan diaspora becomes clear. This is why the diaspora has been able to remit or send back to Kenya an estimated Kshs 50 – 70 billion annually in each of the last few years. If this income were productively invested, it could go a long way in transforming Kenya into a real “African Lion”.

Unfortunately, much of the money that is sent back home is often put to unproductive uses such as buying food, consumer goods, and repaying family debts. Some of it is also used to pay for family and friends’ healthcare and education costs. As important as these needs are, they tend to be consumption- rather than production-oriented. The government can do a lot to help convert more of our diaspora remittances into productive investments by delivering more basic services e.g., healthcare to the country’s population. One also hopes that government officials will not seize on the beneficial economic impact of the diaspora’s remittances to fleece the country through scams like Goldenburg and Anglo leasing.

The government must also realize that remittances are neither a reliable nor long term source of foreign exchange because they tend to be highest among first generation immigrants and decline with substantially as the remitters spend more time abroad. Moreover, the remittances can only last as long as the economies of the US and other rich countries prosper or as long as these countries choose to permit such money transfers. In the event of a serious economic downturn in the more developed countries, their governments could choose to restrict the amount of money that can be remitted. They can also restrict remittances it they get to a level where they become an unacceptable economic drain on these countries.
 
This scary scenario is no idle speculation as sections of the US population have begun to call for a 10 -15% tax on immigrant remittances in order to plug holes in the social service budgets of local governments in southern border-states like Texas. Meanwhile, tougher immigration laws are already making it difficult for Kenyans to immigrate to the US and other rich countries thereby limiting the future pool of remitters. Given all this, Kenya should use its current remittance windfall to foster its long term economic growth. Kenyans in the diaspora should also help fellow Kenyans to keep the government honest otherwise their indirect taxes (i.e., remittances) could backfire and promote repressive governments that could ultimately cost the diaspora an arm and a leg by undermining the economic growth of their dependants. In the 1980s and 1990s, for example, diaspora remittances helped the KANU regime to maintain reasonable foreign currency reserves that not only helped in defy local and international pressure for reform, but also helped it to stay in power longer than would have been possible. And even when the regime’s reckless social and economic policies ultimately forced the diaspora to worker harder or borrow money to help cushion family and friends from the negative effects of its policies, the regime still benefited indirectly from the increased remittances because they somewhat depressed citizen demands for public services and greater political openness and accountability. Additionally, the diaspora had to endure the psychological pain of constantly agonizing over the wellbeing of family and friends in Kenya, not to mention the loss of time and money that could have been used more productively. Should the diaspora read this as an argument to stop supporting family and friends in Kenya? No. Rather, this is a call for members of the diaspora to be vigilant and to help promote responsible government in Kenya, failing which their hard earned remittances will do precious little for the Kenya in the long term.

It is also important for the government and the Kenyan diaspora to realize that diaspora investments can, in some cases, undermine the country’s social cohesion and economic development. As evidence from other parts of the world shows, immigrant investments in assets like land, can inflate its cost and make it unaffordable to those who really need it for survival. Besides, if the diaspora fails to use assets like land productively, this can undermine important national priorities such as food self sufficiency. Remittances from the diaspora can also worsen regional and local income inequalities and contribute to problems like crime. Areas with many people in the diaspora can also develop a “migration culture” that makes those left behind to prefer migration over local economic opportunities. This can undermine local economic development since most people will never be able to go overseas and must use locally available resources and opportunities to improve themselves socially and financially. Without awareness of the negative effects of remittances, the government will not be able to develop measures to minimize these effects. On its part, the diaspora should endeavor to minimize investments that hurt rather than help local communities. Examples of beneficial projects include micro-enterprises such as small agricultural processing plants that can enable family and friends in Kenya to be financially independent.

Given the high educational and professional achievements of Kenyans in the US (and most likely elsewhere in the Diaspora), it is difficult to understand why the government scarcely uses them as consultants in their respective areas of expertise. If government must use consultants from overseas, then it is advisable to make greater use consultants from the diaspora because they would not only save government tones of money, but would also use their native knowledge of Kenya to produce more socially relevant development projects that will take Kenya further than the white elephants that litter the countryside.

As the development role of the diaspora grows, members of this community should endeavor to avoid wasteful investments such as ostentatious rural retirement homes that they are unlikely to use. Granted that our culture puts a premium on such investments, they need not be palaces when modest/functional houses will suffice. As many urban Kenyans and members of the diaspora, are increasingly finding out, the journey “back home” to retirement is often in a casket. With such poor odds of actually getting to enjoy the rural palace, it is unwise for the diaspora to squander its hard earned cash on “dead capital” projects as rural palaces. Instead, the money spent on these showy projects should be productively invested in small businesses, urban rental houses, and the stock market. These investments can not only yield beneficial returns for individual members of the diaspora, but can also generate an income that can more sustainably support family and friends in Kenya besides growing the country’s “live capital” or capital that can be used to generate more capital. It is interesting to note that one key characteristic of poor countries like Kenya is their high ratio of dead to live capital while more prosperous countries like the US have the opposite condition. Hopefully, Kenyans in the diaspora will help to change some of the country’s outdated but expensive cultural practices such as the need for rural palaces.

To be more effective in aiding Kenya’s development, members of the diaspora should not neglect their financial well being in their new home countries. As noted earlier, Kenyans in the US had some of the lowest retirement incomes in 2000. Whereas one hopes that things are better now, it doesn’t take much analysis to see that it is the Kenyans that have succeeded in the US elsewhere that are in the best position to help Kenya. To borrow a leave from Christ, you need to remove the log in your eye before trying to remove the speck in another person’s eye. Moreover since many members of the diaspora are raising children abroad, they should seriously consider the educational and financial future of these children lest they underachieve and join the underclass in their new home countries. This the more reason for members of the diaspora to put their money in instruments like stocks or urban houses that can aid Kenya’s development now and still be used to finance the kids’ education later on in life. Besides, stocks and other easily convertible instruments can be passed on as inheritances to the next generation. In contrast, the rural palaces that members of the diaspora seldom spend a night in will in the future be of little or no value to their “American” or “British” kids.
 
A quick word of advice for our Kenyan sisters in the US and elsewhere in diaspora: prepare yourself financially for the very real possibility of spending the rest of your life without a husband, whether by design, divorce, sickness or death. Since lower educational levels are a major reason why Kenyan women in the US earn less than their male counterparts, female members of the diaspora should try to improve your educational qualifications in spite of the heavy domestic responsibilities that they often shoulder. Even happily married women need to invest in themselves for purposes of personal fulfillment, supplementing family incomes, or even being the primary bread winners of their families.

Finally, although Kenya continues to benefit from its large US diaspora, it is important to remember that this benefit derives, in part, from the ability of the US to attract talented individuals from allover the world and to provide them with conditions that allow them to maximize their individual potential. Kenya should similarly aspire to make the most of its citizens’ potential at home. It is not wise for any individual or country to rely on the charity of others. Isn’t there a Swahili proverb that says “Mtegemea cha nduguye hufa maskini” (Whoever depends on another dies poor)? My hope is that this proverb will not come true of Kenya. It need not be. Fortunately, Kenya seems to be waking up.

The writer is an associate professor of urban and economic Geography at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, US, and can be reached at oyomose at hotmail dot com

The most expensive food in the world - Caviar

Caviar is an expensive delicacy consisting of the unfertilized eggs (roe) of sturgeon brined with a salt solution. Classic caviar comes primarily from Iran or Russia, harvested by commercial fishermen working in the Caspian Sea. A specific species of sturgeon called beluga provide what many consider to be the best caviar in the world. A female sturgeon's roe supply may constitute as much as 25% of her total body weight. Considering that mature sturgeons can weigh 300 pounds, each one can provide a substantial amount of caviar over a lifetime. In recent years, however, a combination of natural and man-made problems have seriously threatened the future of Caspian Sea caviar harvesting. Beluga sturgeon populations have been declining at an alarming rate. Other species of sturgeon and fish have become increasingly popular alternatives to Russian and Iranian caviar.

'Prepare for a heatwave' UK told

People need to make sure they have a fair weather friend they can call on for aid in the event of a heatwave this summer, officials have advised. The Department of Health's Heatwave Plan urges everyone to be aware of the health risks faced by elderly friends and relatives during a hot spell. It says homeowners can stay cool by painting their houses white and planting shrubs for shade. Forecasters say it is still too early to say if this summer will be hot. Other tips include identifying the coolest room in the house. For the very young and older people or those with serious illnesses, heat can be dangerous. In particular, it can make heart and respiratory problems worse. In extreme cases, excess heat can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal. The Met Office says it is too early to tell whether it will be a very hot summer this year, but the signs so far are that it will be warmer than our last two summers and conditions could well trigger its heatwave warning system. In London, this would mean daytime temperatures had exceeded 32C and night-time temperatures were over 18C degrees. In the North West, it would be 30C and 15C, respectively. Wayne Elliott, Head of Health Forecasting at the Met Office, said: "Summer is nearly with us and it's a good time to prepare for the high temperatures that we can experience in this country."

Ugandan security officials caused a stir on yet another Kenyan island when they arrested 20 fishermen for alleged trespass. The fishermen from Ringiti Island in Suba District were held yesterday morning as they fished in Lake Victoria. Ringiti is about 5km from the Uganda border and 50km from the disputed Migingo Island. Nyanza PC Paul Olando confirmed the arrests, but said the Kenyans were later released though the Ugandan policemen and revenue officers took the away their catches. "The fishermen were arrested for allegedly crossing into the Ugandan waters, but they have now been released," he said. Fishermen on the island said their colleagues were detained in the waters for more than eight hours, causing tension on the island. Meanwhile, the East African Community has urged journalists from the region to refrain from making alarming statements over the Migingo Island dispute. EAC Secretary-General Juma Mwapachu warned that continued reports on the island threatened EAC unity. "The sensitive media reports on Migingo Island will only serve to undermine the work of the Joint Technical Survey Team commissioned by the top leadership of the two countries," Mr Mwapachu said. He appealed to journalists from the region to hold their emotions in reporting the dispute. The technical committee was appointed by the two governments to survey and mark the boundaries on Lake Victoria. - The Standard.

Nairobi, Kenya, May 19 - The public have been warned to be wary of people posing as police officers, particularly in Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru. In the past week alone, up to ten cases of people conned or abducted by people posing as security agents complete with police uniforms and guns have been reported in the three towns. On Monday night, three men who tried to ‘arrest’ a motorist for an unspecified crime were attacked on Moi Avenue in Nairobi and two of them killed. “They were beaten to death but one was lucky to have escaped and we are looking for him,” Central divisional Police chief Tito Kilonzi said. “Whoever is doing this out there should know that their days are numbered. But the public should be warned and scrutinise these people before they follow their instructions,” he added. Nairobi Provincial Police chief Njue Njagi said the group was operating a cartel which targets people they suspect to be carrying huge sums of money or those they easily coerce to withdraw money from their own accounts. “The two stoned last night (Monday) are a clear example of (the gangs’) activities. They carry pocket phones to harass motorists and even pedestrians,” he said. In the Monday night incident, the men reportedly approached a motorist who had just parked his car outside Union Towers and tried to force him back, saying he was under arrest.
 

Sensing danger, the motorist became violent and the commotion attracted taxi drivers and by-standers who intervened and challenged the three men to identify themselves. “That is when they produced what looked like pocket radios similar to those used by the police and insisted they were officers. But they were panicking and that is when we told them to produce their identity cards,” a taxi driver who requested to remain anonymous said. “One of them immediately fled, leaving the two who were then beaten up by the public. When police arrived, they were already dead,” he added. A street preacher who tried to pray for the souls of the two criminals escaped death narrowly when he condemned their killers. “He can not purport to pray for criminals here, let him go or we do to him what we did to these two thugs masquerading as police officers,” one of the by-standers shouted. On Friday, four men said to be part of the gang were arrested as they sped off on Processional Way in Nairobi moments after they robbed a man who had just withdrawn money from a bank on Muindi Mbingu Street. The four suspects were driving a vehicle police said had been stolen when they saw a police vehicle behind them and thought they were being trailed. “That is when the driver lost control of it and swerved, attracting the attention of our officers who were able to arrest them. The robbery victim was also in the vehicle and narrated what had happened,” the Nairobi Central police chief said. “We recovered jungle uniform, pocket radios and a toy pistol,” he added.

Visa letters: important information for students

Home Office, 15 May 2009

Foreign nationals who want to study in the United Kingdom under tier 4 of the points-based system are being reminded to check their visa letter before they apply to the UK Border Agency. If you are applying under tier 4, please make sure that the visa letter issued to you by your approved education provider contains all of the required information as described in the tier 4 guidance. If you send us an application with a visa letter that does not contain all the required information, we will refuse your application. It is your responsibility to make sure that the information you send with your application is correct and complete. If your visa letter does not contain the required information, please contact your approved education provider.

"Gandhi was right: if we all live by 'an eye for an eye' the whole world will be blind. The only way out is forgiveness." - Sidney and Suzanne Simon - Forgiveness: How To Make Peace With Your Past And Get On With Your Life

Commons Speaker in UK Michael Martin will resign

Commons Speaker Michael Martin will resign over the MPs' expenses scandal this afternoon. He will make an announcement at 2:30pm when he opens the Parliamentary session. Mr Martin is still due to meet party leaders to discuss reform of MPs' expenses at 4:30pm. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was for the Speaker to tell the Commons what his intentions are. It is only fair to wait until he says that," he said. "It is not for the Prime Minister to tell the Speaker what to do. "The Speaker will make his own statement and I will comment on what he has said after he has made his statement." The Speaker has been under pressure over the issue since last year when he fought, in court, to keep MPs' expenses claims secret. When the details were released by the Telegraph, he angered MPs by appearing more concerned with finding out how they were leaked than with their contents. On Monday,  Tory MP Douglas Carswell tabled a motion of no confidence in Mr Martin but the Speaker refused to allow MPs to ask questions about it.Commons Speaker Michael Martin will resign over the MPs' expenses scandal this afternoon. He will make an announcement at 2:30pm when he opens the Parliamentary session. Mr Martin is still due to meet party leaders to discuss reform of MPs' expenses at 4:30pm. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was for the Speaker to tell the Commons what his intentions are. It is only fair to wait until he says that," he said. "It is not for the Prime Minister to tell the Speaker what to do. "The Speaker will make his own statement and I will comment on what he has said after he has made his statement." The Speaker has been under pressure over the issue since last year when he fought, in court, to keep MPs' expenses claims secret. When the details were released by the Telegraph, he angered MPs by appearing more concerned with finding out how they were leaked than with their contents. On Monday,  Tory MP Douglas Carswell tabled a motion of no confidence in Mr Martin but the Speaker refused to allow MPs to ask questions about it.

A teenager was caught trying to rob a store with a banana

A teenager was caught trying to rob a store with a banana - then ate the makeshift weapon to destroy the evidence. Sadly for John Szwalla he was unable to swallow the skin which was duly photographed by police in North Carolina, America. The 17-year-old was taken to the county jail and charged with attempted armed robbery. The bizarre drama began when Szwalla entered the 109 Biz Center in Winston-Salem with a banana under his shirt. The hapless thief told staff in the internet cafe he had a gun and demanded cash, according to local reports. Owner Bobby Ray Mabe said he and a customer jumped on to Szwalla, pinning him into a chair before deputies arrived. But while they waited for police, Mabe says the teen stuffed the banana into his mouth and swallowed it. When deputies arrived they took pictures of the banana peel instead. Forsyth County Sheriff's office spokesman Major Brad Stanley said police joked about charging Szwalla with destroying evidence. "If he had had a gun he would've shot me," Mabe said. "But he had a banana," he added. Szwalla faces a charge of attempted armed robbery. Jail officials said he does not have an lawyer.

Tough new regulations for immigration advisers

Home Office, 14 May 2009

Tougher new rules to tackle rogue immigration advisers are to be launched by the Government, the Home Office announced. The proposals would give greater powers to the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) to tackle unscrupulous as well as untrained and unqualified advisers. Poor advice can cause distress to individuals, delay hearings, and slow down casework and decision making. The measures announced today are set out in the 'Oversight of the Immigration Advisers Sector Consultation', giving users and stakeholders an opportunity to give their views on how immigration advisers can be better regulated. It is the OISC's role to ensure that those giving immigration advice are qualified. It currently regulates over 1,600 organisations and around 4,000 individuals.

As part of a toughening up of the system, the consultation proposals include:

• tightening restrictions on individuals who have provided immigration advice illegally so they cannot own or participate in an immigration advice business;
• strengthening the rights of the OISC to access and inspect immigration advisers; and
• issuing businesses with 'yellow card' warnings to say that their practices are not up to scratch. These would act as notice to improve standards and set out any changes required.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

'The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner plays a crucial role in making sure that people are getting the right advice on immigration matters and tackling those advisers that play the system and offer false hope.

'Any abuse of our immigration laws will not be tolerated. Attempts to frustrate the system cost the taxpayer money and make it more difficult for people who genuinely need our protection.

'Those responsible will be investigated and prosecuted. The OISC has already undertaken over 75 successful prosecutions, but we need to help them to take tough action earlier.'

Since its creation in 2001 the OISC has driven up standards across the immigration advice sector. It has received over 3,500 complaints about advisers - it has successfully prosecuted 77 organisations and individuals, issued 67 formal cautions. The courts have issued nearly £60,000 in fines and compensation, and awarded around £45,000 in court costs.

Suzanne McCarthy, Immigration Services Commissioner, said:

'The OISC has already created a successful regulatory system and raised the standard of immigration advice available. If these proposals are implemented it will allow the OISC to give greater protection to individuals from unscrupulous advisers and protect the immigration system from abuse. Good immigration is in everyone's interest. Bad advice ruins lives.'

These improvements to the regulation of immigration advisers follow the reforms, announced last week, to the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal. The Tribunal reforms will mean a faster, more efficient system that will save the taxpayer money, speed up the removal of those who are found not to need our protection while integrating genuine asylum seekers quicker. These changes will help to improve public confidence in the immigration system and are part of the biggest shake-up to the immigration system for a generation. This also includes fingerprint visas and ID cards for foreign nationals that lock people to one identity, and our high-tech electronic border controls that check people against police, immigration and customs watch-lists and will cover even more passenger journeys by the end of this year.

KIYUYU AGE GROUP

1961 -Rika ria munyongoro - Millipede

UK Border Agency response

Home Office, 14 May 2009

The UK Border Agency has responded to a newspaper article about illiegal immigrants travelling from Greece to the United Kingdom via the Republic of Ireland, which was published.

A UK Border Agency spokesperson said:

'We are working closely with the Republic of Ireland to tackle illegal immigration and through the use of the latest hi-tech border technology, joint sea and port operations and the continued exchange of intelligence.

'Together we intend to continue strengthening our common travel area, and already we're both introducing electronic border systems to allow us to count people in and out of the country, and check people against watch-lists.

'We welcome the ongoing activities that our French colleagues are undertaking to fight against the trafficking of illegal immigrants.

'The United Kingdom policy is to not sign up to the Schengen Agreement. Free movement is only rightly available to legal entrants. Weakening our controls will only play into the hands of the traffickers who profit from human misery and suffering.

'We have made it clear that those trying to cheat our system will not be tolerated, which is why last year UK Border Agency staff worked tirelessly at our French and Belgium controls - stopping more than 28,000 attempts to cross the Channel illegally.'

A second Labour MP allegedly claimed thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money for interest on a non-existent mortgage. David Chaytor admitted claiming £13,000 in interest payments for a mortgage that had already been repaid, said The Daily Telegraph. The MP for Bury North told the paper he had made an "unforgivable error" in continuing to submit £1,175 monthly bills for months after the loan was paid off.

The Late David Nganga

Further to our earlier message in connection with the emergency fundraising in aid of David ng'ang'a, sister Mary's son, It is with humble acceptance of God's will that we announce the promotion to glory of David at Nairobi Hospital  on Friday 15-05-2009 at 11.50 am- Kenyan time. As at the time he went to be with the Lord, David's hospital bill had reached KHS, 2,720,237.00. The late David Ng'ang'a was son to Mary Mugure of Nottingham (U.K.) and late Francis Warui Ng'ang'a, he was brother to Peter Njenga of Nairobi and nephew to Joseph Njenga of Harlow, Essex (U.K.) among others. Friends and family are meeting daily for prayers and finacial support at sister  Mary Mugure's house no. 45 Oakview, Radford, Norton Street, Nottingham. NG7 3NA
 

We also wish to confirm the Fundraising will take place on 24-05-2009 as earlier arranged. Your generous contribution will be greatly appreciated. You may deposit your contribution to Barclays Bank account no. 00465070 sort code 20-92-54 Ac. name J. Njoroge. For more information 07985248737 (Mary) 07832389025 (Njoroge) 07846491181 ( Mrs Chege). 07846822430 (Mama Mitchell).

A gang of bogus police officers is on the loose, “arresting” unsuspecting people and robbing them of cash. The gangsters hang around banks in Nairobi in a bid to spot customers who make big withdrawals, whom they follow. The victims are later seized and driven away. They end up being robbed of the cash. The victims are also roughed up, beaten and dumped in secluded spots from the city. Central division police boss Tito Kilonzi said the new crime trend had escalated in the city centre, prompting police to increase surveillance around banks.

Saturday's Newspaper Front Pages

The Daily Mail begins with a woman set to be the oldest mum in the UK. Labour backbencher David Chaytor admits claiming £13,000 in interest payments on a mortgage he had repaid, The Daily Telegraph reveals. Banks offering near zero interest rates but asking for 90-days notice before money is removed are to be investigated, is the FT's top story.

A Kenyan embassy employee in Washington has been ordered deported in a row over missing funds. Mr Douglas Ndede is at the centre of an investigation into the disappearance of $2.5 million (Sh200 million) from the embassy cash. However, Kenyans living in the US have accused ambassador Peter Rateng Ogego of using Mr Ndede as a sacrificial lamb and demanded Mr Ogego be recalled. Mr Ndede’s visa expired the moment he lost the embassy job and he has no diplomatic immunity.  n a letter distributed on the Internet, Ms Judy Miriga, Kenyans in Diaspora spokesperson, says: “We give the minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr (Moses) Wetang’ula, and Kenya’s Coalition Government four days to remove Ogego, failing which we will evict him from office on Tuesday next week.’’

The number of loans handed out for house purchases in the UK rose sharply in March, lenders say. Some 31,000 mortgages were granted by lenders, up 29% on February but still 33% down compared with March 2008, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) said. The increase was in line with data showing more applications for home loans had been approved by lenders. But the CML warned the position was still tough for those unable to put down a significant deposit.

A descendant of Kenya's most famous white settlers has been sentenced to eight months in prison for the manslaughter of a black man on his vast estate. The case has inflamed old tensions over land, race and privilege in the east African nation. Thomas Cholmondeley was convicted of manslaughter last week over the 2006 shooting of 37-year-old Robert Njoya. Manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in Kenya. The killing of Mr Njoya was the second time in just over a year Cholmondeley had fatally shot a black man.

METHALI ZA KISWAHILI

Kipendacho moyo ni dawa. What the heart desires is medicine to it.

Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was let off the hook in the Sh10.7 billion Supplementary Estimates discrepancy amid accusations that senior officials in the ministry could have sabotaged him. Parliament also recommended a forensic audit of the last four Budgets, to see how far such discrepancies may have gone, saying the process seems to have flaws that could be exploited by saboteurs. Uhuru was equally taken to task by MPs who said he must take political responsibility for the bungled estimates he presented to the House last week. Though he was spared possible censure, the MPs demanded that Uhuru cracks the whip on officials responsible for the errors that he had laid before the House. Recommendations by a joint parliamentary committee said some Treasury officials admitted that there could have been human interference in the system, leading to the discrepancies.

You are all invited to Mama Miriam's fundraising on 16/05/2009 & 17/05/2009 at 13 medusa Road, London S.E 6 4JW near  to Lewisham hospital. Buses : 36 from Victoria station, 47 form London bridge, Contact Alice -07831216809, Dr Thompson 07956619995, Nelson  07943996624 Overland trains to Lewisham or Catford. from either London bridge or Charing Cross. For distance well wishers your contribution will be appreciated either by pay pal (www.mamamiriamwere.org)or  Barclays bank Mrs ABW THOMPSON: Sort code -208014. Account: -20916501 CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Former Internal Security Minister GG Kariuki has been charged with incitement to violence. Mr Kariuki surrendered to police in Mombasa and denied the charge before Principal Magistrate Lillian Mutende. His lawyer Evans Monari asked the Mombasa court to release him on bond since he was a law-abiding citizen who travelled to Mombasa from Laikipia after he saw a warrant of arrest against him in the Press.

Thursday's Newspaper Front Pages

A charity said to be a front for the militant group linked to the Mumbai terror attacks is helping hundreds of refugees flee Pakistan's war on the Taliban despite being outlawed six months ago, according to The Independent. The Daily Telegraph continues its revelations about MPs' expenses, saying that former Labour minister Elliot Morley claimed more than £16,000 for a mortgage which had already been paid off. . Rape victims will be asked why they feel they are being failed by the criminal justice system amid concern over plummeting conviction rates, reports The Times.

A fresh diplomatic row broke out between Kenya and Uganda on Tuesday 13/5/09 after President Museveni claimed that the disputed Migingo Island “may be in Kenya, but its waters are in Uganda”. The Kenya government reacted swiftly and angrily, terming the Ugandan leader’s remarks as “arrogant, unintelligent and callous”. Foreign Affairs assistant minister Richard Onyonka said he was shocked to hear the “negative tribal language” President Museveni used against a community of a friendly country and asked him to spare Kenya such diplomatic spats. “Our work has not been easy and for President Museveni to deal such a blow to efforts aimed at resolving the dispute, shows disregard for intelligence and good neighbourliness,” he said.

Mr. J.W. Kimani Mutembei ( popularly known as J.J of Nottingham) lost his mother on the 11/5/09. Please contact him on Tel: 07931758742. For financial support you can use HSBC, Account name: J.Kuria Account 01511815 Sort code: 400630.

A senior Washington official on Tuesday 13/5/09 said the US government feared for the stability of Kenya’s Coalition, and asked President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to move to implement the National Accord. Mr Johnnie Carson, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, expressed the concerns during discussions with Mr Odinga on Tuesday. He was accompanied by Ms Michelle D. Gavin, a special assistant to President Barack Obama and senior director for African Affairs at the White House. However, Mr Odinga assured the officials that the coalition was putting in place institutions that would deliver in critical areas like constitutional, judicial and police reforms in about a year.

METHALI ZA KISWAHILI

Kufa kwa mdomo,mate hutawanyika.

When the head of the family dies,that family breaks up.

A man is due to appear in court charged with animal welfare offences after his dog was found to be dangerously overweight. Taz, a five-year-old border collie, was taken into the care of Brighton and Hove City Council after his owner, Ronald West, of Donald Hall Road, Brighton, ignored repeated orders to improve his diet. West will appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on charges under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

"It takes one person to forgive, it takes two people to be reunited."

Lewis B. Smedes - The Art of Forgiving: When You Need To Forgive And Don't Know How

Wednesday's Newspaper Front Pages

LEFT: The Independent claims that Conservative leader David Cameron gave his party members an ultimatum - pay it back or face the sack. MIDDLE: The Daily Mail reports that Mr Cameron has barred all Conservative MPs from making claims for furniture, food and household goods. RIGHT: The Guardian tells how a whirlwind swept through Westminster as the main political parties ordered their MPs to pay back excessive expenses and promised to end the worst abuses of the system immediately

A sharp easing in the numbers of people being thrown out of work by the economic downturn further boosted hopes today that the worst of the recession may be soon be over. Unemployment jumped again last month, with jobless numbers based on those claiming benefits climbing by a further 57,000, to just over 1.5 million. But the pace of increase in the jobless count was down on recent months, reinforcing growing optimism that the recession may be bottoming out and recovery beginning to take hold.

The funeral of Ms Angela Njeri Wachira of Deptford, South London will be on 16/05/09 the church will be St. Nicholas' church, Deptford Green, SE8  3DQ - CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP at 10AM, there after follows the burial at Grove park cemetery, Marvels Lane, SE12   9PU.  CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP.

THE LATE MS ANGELA NJERI WACHIRA

Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday appeared before a joint House committee to explain a Sh9.2 billion error in the Supplementary Budget. Mr Kenyatta was questioned by members of the House committees on Finance and that of the Budget at 5.50pm at Continental Building, which houses MPs offices. He was accompanied by his permanent secretary Joseph Kinyua. The joint committees are on Tuesday expected to table in the House a preliminary report on the discrepancy as had been ordered last week by Speaker Kenneth Marende. Letters summoning Mr Kenyatta and Mr Kinyua had stated that they were required at 5pm, but the delay was caused by the late arrival of members of the Budget committee, who were attending a pre-budget analysis meeting in Naivasha. Daily Nation

The sentencing of a white Kenyan aristocrat convicted last week of the manslaughter of a poacher on his estate has been postponed until Thursday. Justice Muga Apondi gave no reason for the delay at the High Court in Nairobi in sentencing Thomas Cholmondeley. The judge had cut the murder charge to manslaughter as he said Cholmondeley did not show malice aforethought in the shooting of Robert Njoya in 2006.

LEFT: The Telegraph reveals yet more MPs' expenses, this time concentrating on high-earning Tories who have spent taxpayers' money on everything from manure to swimming pools and moats. MIDDLE: High street shops have enjoyed their biggest boost in three years as the economy shows signs of recovery, says the Daily Express. RIGHT: The Financial Times reports that the president of the European Central Bank says the global economic downturn may have bottomed out and some large economies are already looking forward to growth.

Veterans of Kenya's independence struggle are launching a compensation claim against the UK for alleged atrocities by the British army. Lawyers for Mau Mau veterans said they had documented 40 cases of torture - including castration - sexual abuse and unlawful detention. A spokesman for the veterans said in Nairobi they were confident of success. The UK government has said the claim is invalid because of the time that had lapsed since the alleged abuses. Five elderly Kenyans - three men and two women - detained during the 1950s insurgency are the lead claimants in the reparations case to be lodged at the High Court in London on 23 June.

Emergency fund raising

David Nganga

The organizing committee, family  and friends  of Mary Mugure (Nottingham) are inviting you for an emergency fund raising (Harambee) in aid of her son David Nganga , who is at Nairobi hospital intensive care unit. David is 17 years old and a student at St Pius seminary in Meru, he is suffering from thrombotic syndrome (blood infection) and has been in ICU since 2/5/09. As of today (11/5/09) David's hospital bill stands at KSHS 1,780,000.00. (Over one million, seven hundred and eighty Thousand shillings) For his treatment to continue David requires about Ksh 230, 000 per day. He also requires blood transfusion almost on daily basis since he was admitted in I C U. We would like to thank all our friends and families in Kenya who are currently donating blood to safe David's life. The fundraising event will take place on Sunday 24th May 2009 at Sycamore Millennium Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, St Ann’s, Nottingham, NG3 4NB, as from 4.00pm. For your generous contributions please deposit to Barclays bank, s/c 20-92-54 a/c 00465070 account name J Njoroge. For more details and information please contact 07985248737 (Mary) 07832389025 (Mr. Njoroge) 07846491181 (Mrs Chege).

Over the past six years, the Government has spent a lot of resources wooing Kenyans in the Diaspora to invest back home. And the move has borne fruits. Money transfers from the Diaspora now stand at Sh78 billion, an amount that has shot up from about Sh59 billion in 2005.  Contributions from Diaspora, according to the World Bank, are the leading source of foreign exchange surpassing horticulture and tourism industries. But, not all Kenyans abroad are contented with what is happening to their investments back home. At the moment, some are in ownership tussles with the Government. In Kiambu West District, about seven such investors could lose over Sh150million they have invested in residential houses. And they are blaming the Government for their plight. They claim corrupt Ministry of Lands officials colluded with agents to sell them public land. The investors, who are either studying or working in the US and Britain, bought land at Ruaka shopping centre through agents about nine years ago. They were issued with title deeds approved by the district lands registrar. They went on to invest millions of shillings in posh residential flats. But things turned nasty late last year when surveyors from the Ministry of Public Works informed them that their houses were resting on land that had been earmarked for a link road that will join Limuru Road with the northern by-pass.  The ministry later issued a notice directing them to pull down the houses. They want the ministry to take blame for the saga and rescind the decision to evict them. The ministry has refused. They fear their investments will go down the drain.  They even petitioned President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and former Finance Minister Amos Kimunya to honour their word and save them from losing their hard-earned cash in vain invest at home.

"The three have been coming to the US to persuade us to invest back home. They assured us that all our investments will be protected and guarded as much as they safeguard that of any other foreign investor," says Steve Mwangi, a 30 year-old nurse working in the US. His house worth Sh15 million is among those earmarked for demolition.  It stands next to that of Steve Kibunga, a 34-year-old nurse also living in the US. Mwangi says they feel betrayed because they followed procedure in buying land – identifying suitable plot, registering and acquiring a title deed. He wonders why the Government is dilly dallying in handling an issue likely to undermine investor confidence. "It is unfortunate that top Government officials traverse the world seeking investors, but cannot listen to us once we have put the money back home. Are there no laws that protect us?" asks Phillip Gitonga, another affected Kenyan living in the US. "Government officials should be held responsible and accountable if they knowingly misled us into buying property," he says.  Mr James Kimani, a truck driver in the US, says he spent a fortune to construct a flat on a piece of land he legally acquired 10 years ago.  And with the flat also earmarked for demolition, Kimani has vowed to stay in Kenya until justice is done. He says he used his house as security to get Sh5 million loan from a local bank. 

But once it was revealed that the title deed had double ownership, the bank asked him to withdraw the title deed and he surrendered another house.  "This is the last thing I could have imagined happening to me. I wish the Government knew the sacrifice Kenyans make to make money out there," he says. The Ministry of Roads is, however, adamant there will be no recourse for the owners if the houses are on public land. "We have surveyors at the ministry and those aggrieved should consult them to find whether the houses are on public land. If they are on public land, then the owners have no option but to vacate.  "If it is not public land, then they will be let to continue with their projects," says Mr Korir Cheruiyot, a public relations officer at the ministry. The saga follows Government warnings that a cartel has been operating from the Ministry of Lands headquarters at Ardhi House. Lands Minister James Orengo recently said several senior staffers in the ministry are being investigated for allegedly taking part in the issuance of fake land title deeds, which could have been used to defraud an unsuspecting public of millions of shillings. Orengo said hundreds of fake title deeds and land documents are being held as genuine documents.  He cited the Central Registry at Ardhi House, Eldoret, Thika, Kisumu, Kitale, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Nakuru and Kwale registries as the most affected by the racket. To illustrate the problem, Orengo narrated how a private developer, waving a title deed laid claim to land on which the ministry wanted to build a new lands office in Eldoret.  Orengo warned a crackdown on "land criminals and career fraudsters" is under way countrywide, saying a probe has been launched on officers suspected to be part of the scheme.  - Sunday Standard.

ANIMAL SMILES COMPETITION CONTINUES

KIKUYU PROVERB

Mwihiti na mwana no utamuri

Its only a childless  person who can swear about his children

Labour's popularity has slumped to its lowest level since polling began amid a series of scandals and renewed speculation over Gordon Brown's leadership. Research for the Mail on Sunday found the party's support had dropped three points over the past month to just 23% - even lower than when Michael Foot was at the helm in the 1980s. The fall gives the Tories a massive 22% advantage, enough for a landslide victory if repeated at a general election.

METHALI ZA KISWAHILI

Ikiwa hujui kufa,tazama kaburi.

If you don't know death look at the grave.

Kenyan farmers hang tools as rains fail

Charles Wafula, farmer in Eldoret, at his farm where his maize crop is withering due to inadequate rainfall. Hunger pangs are likely to bite harder as weather experts predict low crop yields due to poor rains this season. Uncertainty has gripped farmers in the country, who are grappling with an irregular rainfall pattern, even as several million people continue to face starvation. Meteorological Services director Joseph Mukabana recently announced that the end of rains in most parts of the country between the second and third weeks of May would spell doom to farmers. In the North Rift region, which is the country’s grain basket, farmers have abandoned planting for fear of losses.  “We are likely to experience low harvests this season due to the ongoing sporadic rainfall,” said Joshua Kosgei, a maize farmer in Moiben, Uasin Gishu. In other areas in the country, crops have begun withering due to lack of rain. An agricultural official, Joseph Lang’at,, said the erratic rains have resulted in low germination of maize planted in February and March especially in Nandi North and South districts.  According to the annual agricultural report, 86,028 hectares is under maize in the larger Uasin Gishu district this season. With adequate rain, this would yield more than 4.6 million bags. The harvest may, however, not be realised due to the low rainfall. - Sunday Nation.

Immingrant 'hid passport in pants'

An illegal immigrant attempted to enter Britain while hiding his real passport in his underpants, border officers said. The Albanian man, 35, attempted to use a fake passport and a visa which belonged to a woman in his home country. A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "There are a range of background checks we carry out on people coming to the UK, and we examine travel documents for signs that they might be forged or stolen. We are determined to stop would-be immigration offenders. "There are proper channels for people who want to apply to work in the UK legally - those who don't play by the rules are sent home." He was stopped after arriving at Birmingham Airport on a flight from Frankfurt on April 27.

"UK MPs now popular as swine flu"- News of the World, London

Nairobi, Sunday 10th May, 2009. Ghost investors behind Safaricom IPO refunds riddle. Hundreds of thousands of unsuccessful applicants for last year’s Safaricom IPO have yet to be refunded their money more than one year since the sale was concluded. The Sunday Nation has learnt that a whopping Sh200 million had yet to be given back to the investors — allowing the receiving bank to earn millions of shillings in interest income. Those familiar with how the capital markets work attribute the Safaricom IPO refunds saga partly to ghost investors who have disappeared into thin air, leaving behind heaps of uncollected cheques, most of which have now gone stale. According to the receiving bank of the IPO — Citibank NA — a total of 7,500 cheques have so far not been collected. But in a conversation with the Sunday Nation, Citibank’s Ms Joyce-Ann Wainaina, sought to downplay the severity of the mess, arguing that the bank’s performance in processing share refunds was much better than previous IPOs. Safaricom’s was the largest IPO ever at the Nairobi Stock Exchange. Investors went for the Safaricom IPO in droves causing an unprecedented oversubscription, and leaving behind a monumental share refunds problem. In total, the IPO attracted 866,574 applicants. More than half of these were first-time investors in the stock market. The share refund process started as far back as June 9, 2008. Last week, Citibank pledged that all stale cheques would be replaced.

Although capital markets regulations stipulate the interest income earned on IPO proceeds must go to the Capital Markets Compensation Fund, it is silent on how proceeds from interest income on refunds is to be treated.  The Sunday Nation has also learnt that the Treasury and the Capital Markets Authority have intervened and offered to facilitate meetings between Citibank and the Association of Stockbrokers of Kenya to find a way out of the mess. Opinion is divided on the cause of the problem. So far, capital market pundits attribute the problem to three factors. First, that delays have occurred because of too many cases where shares were allocated to wrong accounts. This caused too many transactions to be reversed, making the process of reconciliation difficult. Secondly, that since a substantial proportion of the cheques were of the value of below Sh10, 000 — the owners, especially those who live in far-flung areas of rural Kenya — are finding it expensive to travel all the way to Nairobi to collect the small amounts. The third body of opinion see the riddle as a reflection of the games of deception which the stockbrokers play with IPOs. According to this view, the Safaricom IPO refunds riddle has merely brought to the fore the irregularities which some of the stock-broking firms engaged in when applications for the Safaricom IPO were being processed.  - Sunday Nation.

Currently there are more Europeans going out of UK than those coming in

Thousands of parading armed services

MOSCOW, May 9 (UPI) -- Thousands of parading armed services members shared Moscow's Red Square with sophisticated weaponry Saturday to mark Victory Day, Russian officials said. It was the country's 64th annual Victory Day parade, which observes the date of the final surrender of Nazi Germany to the U.S.S.R. in 1945, marking the end of World War II. Some 9,000 soldiers and sailors accompanied 103 tracked and wheeled military vehicles and 69 aircraft and helicopters in the parade, RIA Novosti reported. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attended the parade, praising the country's war veterans and telling them he would produce "a peaceful future" for the country, telling the crowd, "Any aggression against our citizens will be met with an adequate response, and the future of Russia will be peaceful. The parade began when honor guard servicemen paraded the flag of the Russian Federation and the Victory Flag in front of the parade lines, Itar-TASS reported. Medvedev officially began the Victory Day observances Friday with the laying of a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Moscow, the news service said.

UK is the most populated country in Europe

"With a little time, and a little more insight, we begin to see both ourselves and our enemies in humbler profiles. We are not really as innocent as we felt when we were first hurt. And we do not usually have a gigantic monster to forgive; we have a weak, needy, and somewhat stupid human being. When you see your enemy and yourself in the weakness and silliness of the humanity you share, you will make the miracle of forgiving a little easier." Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

LEFT: The Sunday Express claims that despite the allegations, MPs have voted themselves an extra £16m in expenses this year. CENTRE: The Sunday Times claims that Gordon Brown is heading for an election wipe-out in the Local Elections next month. RIGHT: The People has details of a Cabinet Minister's alleged mileage expenses scam.

London, Saturday 9th May, 2009. The Army is nearing full strength for the first time in a generation as the recession is prompting thousands of young people to sign up. Recruitment rose by 14 per cent in the six months to March 31 compared with a year earlier. It is expected to reach full strength in 2011 after years in which it struggled to win recruits. There are also fewer people leaving. The number who quit the Armed Forces in 2008 dropped by 8.3 per cent year on year as fear of competing in a shrinking civilian jobs market persuaded more to stay on. The figures come despite a rising death toll in Afghanistan where four more British Service personnel, including one Gurkha, were killed on Thursday, the deadliest day in almost a year. Recruitment officers said that, far from deterring the young, the chance of deployment to the front line was an incentive for those keen for a slice of the action. They also noted that many army jobs, such as plumbers and barbers, had nothing to do with combat. Hitting the full strength target of 101,790 soldiers will help to ease pressure on troops in the field, many of whom have endured multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. There is currently a deficit of about 2,550. An overhaul of recruiting techniques, including internet and television campaigns, and a softening of public opinion towards the Armed Forces after the unpopular war in Iraq are also helping to boost numbers.  Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Meldon, who heads recruitment in London, said: “All of a sudden in January all of these people started to come into the offices. We noticed about a 20-25 per cent increase over the same week the previous year. That was probably down to people not having the opportunities out there in the economy.” David Hollas, commander of recruitment in the East of England, said: “It made us very busy over Christmas. Unfortunately many who showed an interest were unsuitable: either too lazy, too unfit or with a bad attitude.” He expects another spike in recruits this summer as students finish GCSEs, A levels or vocational qualifications. Major-General Gerald Berragan, head of recruitment, played down the idea that the recession was forcing people to become soldiers as a last resort, pointing out that the military was not a short-term commitment. But he said the slump was making the Army a more attractive option. “We should be able to attract better people and that is what we need,” he added.

What the UK paper says on Saturday 9th May, 2009

LEFT: The Guardian reports concerns from the Bank of England that the UK’s banking system is heading for a third wave of crisis that could snuff out fragile signs of recovery in the economy. CENTRE: The Daily Telegraph features the second raft of MPs' expenses claims under the headline The Ministers And The Money. RIGHT: The Times runs with a story about thousands of credit-crunch hit Britons joining the army to avoid the recession.

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Grandmother Marks 99 Birthdays On Wrong Day

A great-great-grandmother celebrating her 100th birthday has discovered she has been marking the occasion on the wrong day her entire life.  Emily Donoghue from South Wales believed she was born on May 3, 1909, until this week when her son found out that she was actually born two days later. The family uncovered the mistake after they were made to provide a copy of Mrs Donoghue's birth certificate to ensure she received a congratulatory telegram from the Queen. John Donoghue, 78, said: "We couldn't make it out because she'd insisted it was the third and we took her word for it. "Nobody bothered to look for the birth certificate until we had to send it off." "We told her 'You've had your way all these years, you've got to start listening to us now'. We said 'You will have to celebrate your 100th on the fifth'. "So what we did was take her for tea on the third, and on the fifth they had a party at the nursing home with a cake saying 'Congratulations Emily 100 today'. "She had a lovely day, all the family went." Mr Donoghue said his mother was the youngest of nine children and was the only one still living. She was born in Newport but followed her childhood sweetheart Jack Donoghue to London when she was 16 years old. They married and returned to South Wales a few years later. The couple have three sons and a daughter, followed by nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

NEW INVENTION IN KENYA - TOILET COMPLAIN IS NOW OVER

Nairobi, Friday 8th May, 2009. A man on Friday sued the controversial G10 women group for calling for a 7 day sex boycott to force leaders in the coalition government to bury their political differences. James Kimondo told the court that he was denied his conjugal rights following the just ended sex ban organized by the women activists. Kimondo who is seeking damages claims the proponents of the boycott had interfered with his happy marriage. Through his lawyer Wanjohi Gichuhi, he says his wife Teresia Wanjiku denied him his conjugal rights resulting to mental anguish, stress, backaches and lack of concentration and sleep. He therefore wants the court to order the G10 group to pay him general damages. The Kenyan women caucus dubbed the G10 representing various women organizations caused an uproar in the country over their sex ban call to compel leaders in the coalition government to end political wrangling. Separately, the High court on Friday ordered police to allow suspected Mungiki sect leader John Maina Njenga access to legal representation and family visitation. Justice Mohamed Warsame allowed Maina's lawyers Paul Muite and Kibe Mungai who agreed with state Counsel James Warui to visit him at the CID headquarters where he is being held. Maina was released by the High Court on the 28th of April but police re-arrested him within moments of his release. A police statement said they had re-arrested the mungiki leader in connection with the Karatina killings that left 28 people dead.  Maina will now be arraigned in court on Wednesday 13th of May.

Hapa Kenya hakuna matata. Have a look at this video of Kenya. First lessons for baby Simon in the land of hakuna matata - VIDEO

A Kenyan lady has passed away in the UK. Mrs. Jerioth Wangeci Karuga who is her 40s passed at Rotherham General Hospital, Rotherham, UK on Friday 8th May, 2009. Family and friends are meeting for prayers and arrangements at 84 Woodside Walk, SG1 4QZ. More information to follow.

50% of men over 50 suffer an enlarged prostate

50% of men over 50 suffer an enlarged prostate. In the western world it is a sad fact of life that, statistically, women outlive men. Men are more likely than women to smoke, drink and eat too much and to be less well informed about health issues.  Many of these problems can be relieved by sensible, straightforward changes to lifestyle – avoiding fried foods and refined sugar, limiting alcohol and coffee/tea and increasing exercise and healthy foods. One ailment which is not so easily prevented is prostate enlargement. Such problems are very common and are increasingly prevalent in men over 50. Once malignancy has been ruled out, the oil of the Saw Palmetto fruit provides an effective natural remedy. - MORE

"Success in life largely depends on how you handle your failures." - The Wisdom of Africa, Malawi

Woman who kept mom's body and benefits charged

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida woman has been indicted for keeping her dead mother's body in a bedroom for six years while collecting more than $200,000 in pension benefits, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday. Penelope Sharon Jordan of Sebastian, Florida, was charged by a federal grand jury last week with Social Security fraud and theft, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami said. Police found the decaying body of her mother, Timmie Jordan, on a bed in a spare bedroom at the mother's home in late March, when they were called to investigate a report of nuisance cats. Penelope Jordan told police her mother had died in 2003. The indictment alleged Jordan concealed her mother's death in order to receive both her U.S. Social Security benefits and her military survivor's benefit. Jordan collected $61,415 from Social Security and $176,461 from the military pension during the six years, prosecutors said. She could face up to 15 years in prison. Local media reported that the 61-year-old woman told police her mother died of old age and she kept the remains because she couldn't afford burial expenses. An autopsy found no signs of foul play. According to a local paper, police found many cats on Jordan's property but she denied they were hers.

"Give another what he cannot find anywhere else and he will keep returning." - 101 Wisdom Keys, Mike Murdock

"If we say that monsters [people who do terrible evil] are beyond forgiving, we give them a power they should never have...they are given the power to keep their evil alive in the hearts of those who suffered most. We give them power to condemn their victims to live forever with the hurting memory of their painful pasts. We give the monsters the last word." - Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

President Kibaki leaves for Zuma's inauguration

Nairobi, Friday 8th May, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki on Friday left the country for Pretoria, South Africa to attend Saturday's inauguration ceremony of the South African President-Elect his Excellency Jacob Zuma.  The plane carrying President Kibaki and his delegation departed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly before 12 pm.  At the airport to see-off the president was Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, several cabinet ministers, the Chief of General Staff Jeremieh Kianga and the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura among others. Meanwhile, the stage is set for the African National Congress (ANC) leader  swearing in ceremony to be attended by over 25  heads of state. Zuma becomes the country's fourth democratically elected President. The theme of this year's inauguration is "Together celebrating a vibrant democracy and building a better life for all". The President-Elect would take an oath of office in the presence of heads of state and government, including invited guests, presided over by the Chief Justice and head of the Constitutional Court, Pius Langa. It is not known in which languages Zuma will take the oaths. In 2004, Mbeki said his in English, Afrikaans and Setswana.

"The majority wins but it takes the minority to lead." Sanity, Grace Njeri, Oxford

A diner at a restaurant in upstate New York claims to have got an unwanted extra with his broccoli - a severed snake head.  Jack Pendleton told The Times Union newspaper in Albany that he was at the T.G.I. Friday's restaurant in the town of Clifton Park on Sunday when he spotted something gray mixed in with his vegetables. He realized it was a snake head the size of his thumb, with part of the spine still attached. Pendleton says he snapped a photo with his phone camera and called the waiter over. However, in a surprising break with tradition, he says he has no plans to sue. A spokeswoman for the restaurant chain says they are investigating the alleged snake head. It wasn't immediately apparent what kind of snake it was. In a happy ending, Pendleton and his girlfriend weren't charged for their meals.

UK MPs Expenses scandal: Police called in to investigate

Police were this afternoon asked to investigate the leaking of MPs' expenses as public anger mounted over the extravagant claims.  The news that Commons authorities have asked the police to move in came as Cabinet ministers shamed by their expenses claims united to put the blame on other people . The Prime Minister, whose claims included cleaning services organised by his brother, said “the system” was at fault. Lord Mandelson accused the press of smearing politicians while Hazel Blears, who listed three different addresses as her second home in the space of a year, said it was all approved by Commons officials. Among thousands of expenses receipts obtained by the Daily Telegraph was the revelation that Justice Secretary Jack Straw over-claimed for his council tax and mortgage bills before realising his mistake and paying back the money. Other claims from MPs included one for horse manure at £10 a bag and another for a 45p packet of Maltesers. Former anti-sleaze MP Martin Bell called for resignations. “I would have thought that Hazel Blears should resign,” he said. “To claim public money against three homes in one year is beyond carelessness.”  Communities Secretary Ms Blears was among several Cabinet ministers who switched around the address they declare to be their “second home” in a way that allowed them to claim for refurbishments of more than one home. Other revelations from the leaked Commons files include:

?Gordon Brown paid his brother Andrew £6,577 over 26 months for “cleaning services”, with the Prime Minister's bill passed to the taxpayer. Andrew Brown threatened to call the police today when the Standard asked him about the arrangement.

?The Prime Minister said his London flat was his second home for years, but in 2006 switched to listing his Scottish home as a second home, allowing him to claim for redecoration and furniture.

?Justice Secretary Jack Straw has repaid more than £1,500 after charging the taxpayer double the council tax he had paid.

?Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott claimed for thousands of pounds of food a year and for lavatory repairs twice.

The records also reveal episodes where MPs bullied Commons officials into approving claims that were initially deemed to be against the rules, such as for children's furnishings.  No 10 said Mr Brown had “full confidence” in his Cabinet colleagues but would not be drawn into using the word “integrity”.  Challenged about his claims, the Prime Minister said: “The system doesn't work. I've said it doesn't work, it's got to be changed. We voted for change and that change has got to come quickly.” With Westminster in panic, senior MPs moved to bring forward the publication of an “official version” of the receipts, originally due in July. This version will have many details withheld, including addresses, names and suppliers — ostensibly for security reasons. What horrified them was the prospect of scandals dripping out over weeks rather than their own plan, which was to put out everything on one day, as MPs slipped away for their summer holidays. 

METHALI ZA KISWAHILI

Kikulacho ki nguoni mwako.

That which eats you up is in your clothing.

The Commons authorities were today taking legal advice on getting an injunction to stop further unauthorised revelations.  Mr Bell, the former TV journalist who won a seat in the Commons on an anti-corruption ticket in 1997, said: “If any one of these people worked for a private company or corporation and did this sort of thing they would be out on their ear and probably facing criminal charges.” Ms Blears told reporters in her Salford constituency: “I have only ever had one small, one-bedroom flat in London. I live here in Salford, but to be an MP, I have to have somewhere to live in London.” But when challenged about why she repeatedly changed the designated place for her second home, she walked away. Tory leader David Cameron admitted the public were angry about abuses but stopped short of criticising individual MPs. He said: “Everyone has to explain why they've claimed what they've claimed. They have got to explain whether it is within the rules and if it is outside the rules then it has be looked at.” He called for the system of allowances to be reformed. Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg said the revelations made politicians look “ridiculous at best, corrupt at worst”. He added: “I accept that the whole system is in disrepute.”

Immigration appeals: Fair decisions, faster justice

Home Office, Friday 8th May, 2009.

This consultation has now closed. The consultation responses we received and the government's response to the consultation can be found below.

1. Immigration appeals: fair decision, faster justice - consultation paper (411K opens in a new window)
2. Immigration appeals: fair decision, faster justice - consultation response (228K opens in a new window)
3. Consultation responses - organisations (762K opens in a new window)
4. Consultation responses - individuals (205K opens in a new window)

Snake wine

Customs officials uncovered a drink with a bit of a bite - snake wine. Officers in Miami conducting a routine inspection seized a cobra and other poisonous snakes bottled in alcohol and believed to be "snake wine." The bizarre beverage was inside an express mail package from Thailand. The drink is popular in south east Asia. The entire snake is submerged in the alcohol, often with insects or other animals such as turtles. The snakes, preferably venomous, are not usually preserved for their meat, but to have the snake poison dissolved in the liquor, which is then used for medicinal purposes, customs officials said. The unusual cocktail has been handed over to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A spokesman said the beverage was stopped by customs because importing cobras into the United States is illegal because they are an endangered species. "It is wildlife that was not declared," said Eddie McKissick, a spokesman. "The issue is that this species of snake is protected by the convention on international trade in endangered species. It applies to live and dead animals."

"Through kindness... through mutual understanding and through mutual respect we will get peace, we will get happiness, and we will get genuine satisfaction." - The Little Book of Wisdom, by Dalai Lama

Kenya Attorney General and Chief Justice could start earning double their current basic pay if Parliament approves new proposals released on Friday. From Sh531,650 a month, the AG’s new basic pay could shoot up to nearly Sh1 million a month, exclusive of allowances. And when allowances are added at current rate, the AG and CJ will take home Sh1.7 million per month after serving in their posts for at least 10 years.

A serving Permanent Secretary in Kenya has been charged with corruption and abuse of office. Tourism PS Rebecca Mwikali Nabutola was arraigned before a corruption court in Nairobi facing five counts of conspiring to defraud the ministry of more than Sh8 million, abusing her office and violating procurement law. The alleged offences were in relation to a tourism promotion campaign organised by the Tourism Ministry at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in 2008. Ms Nabutola, one of the longest-serving top civil servants, said she went to court after learning of the intended prosecution through text messages circulated in public yesterday. And after denying the charges before Nairobi Senior Principal Magistrate Cecilia Githua, the PS, accompanied by her bodyguards, was ushered to the High Court basement cells to await processing of her cash bail. Charged alongside Nabutola were former Kenya Tourism Board’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Achieng’ Ong’ong’a, a KTB board member Duncan Muriuki Kaguuru and his private company Maniago Safaris Limited. The five were jointly accused of conspiring to defraud KTB of Sh8,925,444 intended for tourism promotion and marketing. Nabutola was accused of abusing her office by improperly appointing Maniago Safaris to co-ordinate transport for permanent secretaries to the game reserve in October and instructing the Catering and Tourism Development Levy Trustees (CTDL) to make the payments. Other charges stated that she failed to comply with the law on procurement by ordering the payment of Sh400,000 to the company yet the services had not been legally procured. Dr Ong’ong’a faced five counts of abusing his office by illegally sourcing the services of the company, making payments for unrendered services and unlawfully authorising payments to a Mr Muriuki. Muriuki and company were accused of acquiring a conflicting private interest in the contract, receiving the money, pretending it was for tourism promotion. All the offences were allegedly committed between June and December 2008 at Utalii House, the ministry headquarters.  The Standard was the first to run the story in February. - The Standard.

Lord Delamere’s kin Tom Cholmondeley is found guilty of manslaughter in the death of stonemason Robert Njoya. Judge Apondi’s verdict comes two months after court assessors cleared Mr Cholmondeley of the murder charge against him.

Police in Kenya have dismissed media reports depicting an increase of crime in the city. Addressing a press conference, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe, dismissed the reports alluding that the police were incapable of assuring citizens of their security. He assured that investigations for all reported cases are ongoing and that a list of names and photographs of suspected criminals will be released to the public on Saturday. Kiraithe was reacting to reports appearing in a local daily of high profile killings in the city. Kiraithe defended his officers saying they were probing the murders adding that the suspects would soon be prosecuted. The recent murder incidents in the city have caused fear and panic among the citizens. Meanwhile, Kiraithe is urging the media to observe responsible reporting. Citing the Karatina Mungiki massacre, Kiraithe called on the media to desist from criminalizing innocent people through creation of erroneous reports.

Man caught with 14 birds in his trousers

A traveller was caught with 14 live birds strapped to his legs under his trousers, customs officials said today.  US customs agents at Los Angeles International Airport discovered the birds under Sony Dong's trousers. According to a Department of Justice officers searched Dong, 46, and 'found bird feathers and droppings on his socks, as well as birds' tail feathers visible under his pants.'  The subsequent search 'discovered 14 live birds attached to two flat pieces of cloth that were wrapped around his calves'.

Nairobi, Friday 8th May, 2009. President Mwai Kibaki on Thursday appointed a nine member team to constitute the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) that was passed by Parliament last week.  In a special gazette notice dated May 7, 2009, President Kibaki appointed Ahmed Isaack Hassan as the Chairperson, while Douglas Mwashigadi, Tiyah Galgalo, Hamara Ibrahim Adan, Kennedy Nyaudi, Dr Yusuf Nzibo, Winfred Waceke Guchu, Davis Chirchir and Abiud Wasike were appointed as members of the interim commission. IIEC has replaced the disbanded Electoral Commission of Kenya, which was led by Samuel Kivuitu, and is expected to compile new voters' registers. The new team was expected to serve for two years is expected to come up with a new voters' register and enforce major changes that will restore Kenyans' confidence in the electoral process. The new team includes revised names of the chairperson and two members to replace those rejected by Parliament on February 18 on grounds of credibility. The House rejected the nomination of lawyer Cecil Miller for the position of chairperson and two nominees Mr Suleiman Buko and Capt (Rtd.) Charles Masinde after MPs argued that nominees to the electoral body must be persons of ‘high moral character and integrity.'

Top 5 bizarre x-rays

The five strangest things swallowed by man, woman and animal

LEFT: Ring-swallowing thief put on toilet watch. One lovelorn man who tried to steal a £1,750 engagement ring by swallowing it was caught after police ran a metal detector over his stomach, x-rayed him, and eventually proved their case by mounting a three-day vigil outside his cell while nature took its course and the ring 'emerged'. RIGHT: Hungover Chris Foster, 18, had no memory of swallowing this 5cm key in a drunken bid to avoid being taken home – until his friends and the NHS helped him piece together the events of the night before.

LEFT: These amazing X-rays show how a man arrived with a tap and 16 inches of pipework stuck in his eye at a hospital's casualty unit, after slipping in the bath. But the terrified patient was forced to pull the tap out himself - because surgeons took three hours to send for a plumber to get it out... RIGHT: It's a medical mystery that surgeons never got to the bottom of - how a woman patient ended up with a can of hairspray up her backside. Still, the x-rays were very amusing.

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Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has made a grovelling apology after being pictured outside a nightclub with his trousers falling down, hours after the club's Champions League defeat to Manchester United. The Denmark international was photographed leaving a London nightclub at 4.00am after playing in the 3-1 defeat at home to United which ended the Gunners hopes of winning a trophy this season. 'I love this club and was so disappointed to lose against Manchester United last night,' Bendtner said in a statement on the Arsenal website.

German police say an elderly man was so annoyed at hearing the same serenade over and over that he called authorities to report his neighbors - only to discover the culprit was a musical greeting card on his own windowsill. Police said Tuesday the 82-year-old from Goslar in central Germany told officers he was sick of the music, which would come at irregular intervals and at all hours. Upon further investigation, police found the musical greeting card on his windowsill, where occasional breezes opened the card just enough to play an irritating tune.

London, Wednesday 6th May, 2009. Growing numbers of British couples are going to India to pay surrogate mothers to have their children, the Evening Standard reveals today. One father from Ilford told how he and his wife had spent 13 years trying to have a baby, before succeeding through a surrogate mother in Mumbai at a cost of £50,000. The sperm was donated by Bobby Bains, who is a Sikh, and the eggs by a Hindu woman while the surrogate mother who carried his daughter Daisy for nine months is Muslim. "She is a little Miss India. She unites all of India," said Mr Bains, 45. "It took a Sikh, a Hindu and a Muslim to bring her into the world." The Indian surrogacy industry has become a multi-million-pound business and has prompted calls for it to be regulated.  There is a mounting ethical debate over paying Indian women to carry babies for couples from abroad.  Mr Bains and his wife Nikki, 44, who are trying for a second surrogate child, said that on a recent trip Mr Bains was shown a seventh-floor flat which housed 12 pregnant surrogate mothers.  Each mother is paid between £2,500 and £3,500 for carrying a child - equivalent to as much as 10 years' wages for some of the women on the clinic's books. One report suggests Indian women with fairer skin and higher IQs can charge more for donating eggs, fertilised in a test tube and then implanted in the surrogate mother. Mr Bains said: "There are hundreds of clinics doing this in India. A clinic in Gujarat has 50 pregnancies. There is one baby born every week. Fifty girls are staying in surrogate houses. In one flat I went to there were pregnant women sitting around watching daytime Indian soaps.” The babies born in the Indian clinics also face being effectively stateless and parents can have long battles to get British passports for their children.  Mr Bains and his wife brought Daisy back to the UK in October after three months of legal wrangles.

Booming business: surrogate mothers at a clinic in India, which is an increasingly popular destination for childless British couples

Mr Bains has now set up a website to help other childless couples and says he typically receives one email a day from couples trying to navigate their way through India's surrogate mother industry.  He estimates that more than half the inquiries are from Europeans and about one third, or 100 a year, are from the UK. Of those about 90 per cent are Caucasians. Last week, Mr Bains returned from India where he introduced a German couple to the Rotunda clinic in Mumbai, where Daisy was conceived. The Standard is aware of a London couple who in the past few weeks have also had twins at another clinic in Anand in Gujarat province. The father, who is still in India awaiting documentation to bring his twins home, declined to talk about his experiences when contacted by the Standard. The couple are thought to be currently staying in Jaipur, awaiting the necessary immigration papers to bring the babies back to the UK. The Indian surrogacy boom effectively began in 2004 when Rhadha Patel, then aged 46, gave birth to surrogate twins for her daughter Lata Nagla, who also lives in Ilford.  Mrs Nagla's eggs were fertilised by her husband's sperm in a test tube and then implanted in her mother's womb. The case, first highlighted by the Evening Standard, received worldwide attention and put the Akanksha clinic in Anand into the spotlight. It is estimated that about 50 pregnant surrogate mothers are being looked after by the clinic at any one time. The clinic charges around £15,000 for each surrogate baby born while it costs about £4,000 for each failed attempt. In all about 140 surrogate mothers give birth through the clinic each year. Another clinic in Delhi arranged about 50 surrogate births last year — about half to Western couples. Mr Bains claimed the price for a surrogate baby had doubled since 2005 when he and his wife first started trying — having given up hope of having a child in the UK because of a shortage of surrogate mothers. He added: “I always say to people this is going to cost you everything. That is the first thing people want to know: how much.” Dr Gautam Allapadia, a fertility specialist at the Rotunda clinic, said: “The costs are substantially less than they would spend in developed countries like the US and the UK.  “There is no paperwork involved, the couples don't have to go through any lawyers, it's a clean issue, and there is no litigation.” Vandana Sharma, chairwoman of the Women Protection League, said in a recent interview: “We are very concerned about the health of women who become surrogates.  “This is exploitation and I totally condemn surrogacy.”

Bishop Samuel Muya is in USA. The bishop and his friend Mr. Eli Njuguna Kuria from Nakuru, Kenya (above) had a stopover at Heathrow Airport on their way to US. The bishop will be preaching in the US for the next one month. The Bishop and Mr. Kuria will be attending a graduation ceremony of Mr. Kuria's son Ezara Kuria in Dallas, Texas on 14th May, 2008 where Mr. Seed is also joining them next week. Mr. Seed will be in Dallas for a week as from 12th May, 2009. More information about Bishop Muya's programme in the US will be updated here. His contact in the US is 2547441904 or samuelmuya2003@yahoo.com.

A speed camera boss whose company is responsible for dishing out millions of pounds of speeding fines a year got a taste of his own medicine today as he was banned for six months for speeding 100mph on a 70mph dual carriageway.  Tom Riall, a chief executive of Serco, was caught by a police patrol car in Newmarket, Suffolk. He was clocked at 102.92mph in a blue Volvo on the eastbound section of the A14 just before 1pm on January 4. Riall, 49, of Ufton Nervet, near Reading, was banned from driving for six months by magistrates in Sudbury after having six points added to his licence for the offence.

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ID card scheme to launch in Manchester

Ministers are set to confirm that residents there can voluntarily sign up for the controversial scheme. Anyone who wants an ID card or biometric passport will go to their local post office or pharmacy to have their fingerprints read and stored along with a face scan. The card will cost £30 and the shops could charge another £30 to collect the data, which will be stored on a Government database. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is meeting Post Office managers and pharmacy trade groups to discuss the plans. "The companies interested in working with us to deliver the service will play a key role in ensuring the public can apply for an ID card or passport simply and easily," she said. "While private companies will clearly benefit from the increased footfall from offering this service, their customers will benefit from being able to quickly provide their biometrics while they are out doing the shopping. "With an identity card, people will be able to prove their identity quickly and conveniently while helping to protect themselves against identity fraud. "ID cards will deliver real benefits to everyone, including increased protection against criminals, illegal immigrants and terrorists." She added: "Our next steps will be for other cities to follow Manchester's lead before full national coverage from 2012. "This phased approach will ensure that card coverage occurs hand in hand with the development of supporting technology such as chip and pin readers." Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling called for the scheme to be scrapped. He said: "The Government is split down the middle on ID cards but it looks as if Jacqui Smith is carrying on regardless. "Piloting the scheme in one city is nonsensical and will only serve as a tax on the people of Manchester. "They should abandon this farce and scrap the whole scheme."

LEFT: The Daily Telegraph claims people in Britain will be expected to work until they are 70 years old in order to bring public debt under control. CENTRE: Thousands of students could be awarded GCSE and A-Level grades without sitting exams, The Times claims, under plans to cope with further school closures forced by swine flu. RIGHT: The pound's bounce back in value against the US dollar is the lead for the Daily Express.

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." – Pauline, Alaska, USA

"I do baptize you...."

Pastor David Owuor comes across as one of the more colourful and esoteric voices in Kenya’s growing legion of fire-and-brimstone evangelical preachers. His long dreadlocked beard lends him instant recognition, but there can be nothing that more vividly marks his acceptance into the mainstream than his new standing as the preacher who baptised Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Having made a career out of constant predictions of earthquakes, Pastor Owuor now has the keys to the corridors of power where his prescriptions to avert doomsday might find sympathetic ears. Indeed soon after immersing Mr Odinga in water, the preacher announced he would be convening a meeting between himself, the PM and President Kibaki to plan a national day of repentance. Mr Odinga concurred: “Very soon, the President and I are going to announce the specific date on national repentance in which I will ask all people to observe a day of repentance in seeking God’s intervention and direction,” he said. - Daily Nation.

METHALI ZA KISWAHILI

Akiba haiozi

A reserve will not decay

Rally driver survives 115mph crash

A rally driver emerged with just a black eye after a 115mph crash so horrendous it tore off his helmet and pushed his arms and legs out of the window. Amateur driver Darren Pool was caught out by a gust of wind as his Talbot Sunbeam went over a jump. The car flipped five times before coming to a rest 140m (450ft) from the track.Mr Pool, 35, and co-driver Chris Beer, 37, were airlifted to hospital but escaped with just minor injuries from Sunday's crash at the RDP Welsh Rally Epynt. 'It felt like we were in a tumble dryer,' said Mr Pool, of Exeter, Devon. 'We had just been congratulating each other on how well we'd done on the first stage when it happened,' said Mr Beer.

Female archer kills elephant for a bet

A female hunter has killed an elephant with a bow and arrow for a bet. Boasting, Teressa Groenewald-Hagerman, wrote on a blog: "I shot the elephant at 12 yards with one arrow. "It was shot near dark. We went back the next day and found him. I was in the middle of 37 elephants when I took my shot. This was my first bow kill and first woman to take an ele with a bow."  The 39-year-old was challenged by a male friend who said women could never draw such a heavy bow.  Pictures of a smiling Groenewald-Hagerman with her "kill" have been posted on the internet.  Groenewald-Hagerman, from Kansas, wrote in a blog about her trip to Zimbabwe, where she killed the elephant: "A man by the name of Larry, who is a videographer for Orion Multi Media, bet me I couldn't shoot a buffalo or elephant with a bow. "He indicated only one or two women had completed the buffalo with a bow and no woman had ever taken an elephant with a bow. Of course, I couldn't turn down the challenge." Boasting of the evening when she shot the animal, she said: "I made a commitment not to enjoy any wine or desert until I accomplished my goal. I couldn't wait to get my elephant."  She has received praise from other hunters who hail her as the first ever woman to kill an elephant with a bow and arrow. One blogger on texasbowhunter.com described her as: "Stunning looking, and a avid hunter." Another admiring blogger called BO-N-ARO wrote: "12 yards!!! I bet they had a great blood trail because of the low entry!! She had to have been shooting UP!"

Nairobi, Kenya, May 5 - Four suspected cases of swine flu, which had been reported in Kenya have turned out to be negative, according to Public Health Minister Beth Mugo. The Minister, who on Monday toured the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), said her Ministry remained on high alert over the virus which originated in Mexico and has spread to several countries. “Kenya has enhanced the surveillance for influenza at the 26 sites around the country in the last one week. Four cases have been investigated and none tested positive for influenza A (H1N1),” Mrs Mugo said. Twenty-one countries around the world have tested positive cases of swine flu. By early Monday, the number of cases worldwide stood at 985, with 26 deaths. Twenty-five deaths were reported in Mexico - the epicentre of the outbreak with 590 cases. The United States has reported 226 cases in 30 states, including one death - a Mexican toddler who was visiting relatives in the US. She said that the government had sensitised and trained health workers at all the international airports on screening and testing of travellers from countries where outbreaks had been confirmed. “Sensitisation of health workers in public and private health institutions on the disease identification and collection of appropriate samples for testing from suspected cases has been stepped up,” the Minister said.

She also revealed that health institutions and points of entry within high risk areas had been supplied with protective equipment and sampling kits. Mrs Mugo said all people travelling from affected areas were being checked, while advising Kenyans to maintain high standards of hygiene as a measure to prevent the disease. She urged Kenyans to cover their noses and mouths while coughing and sneezing and make sure to wash their hands after. She also said pork and pork products should be well cooked. “It is the personal responsibility of every Kenyans to prevent infection with Influenza A (H1N1). There is currently no vaccine available to protect against the flu,” she said. To further ensure that Kenya is in control of the disease, she said her Ministry had formed a Central Response Committee that was holding daily to assess the situation globally. She said should the numbers of people coming from the affected countries increase, the Ministry will despatch a team to assist the airport personnel. One of the nurses at the airport told Capital News: “The good thing is that people are very cooperative and willing to be screened, we are working in shifts and so far we are able to screen all those from Europe, America and any other affected countries.” Mrs Mugo said that there was no cause for alarm, though she urged people to be keen to notice of any flu-like symptoms and seek medial attention. So far only South Africa has had a confirmed case of swine flu in the African continent.
 

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1960 - Rika ria KANU - Kanu Party was founded

LEFT: The Express runs with a story about a new male contraceptive jab which experts say is as effective as the female pill.  CENTRE: The Mail tells the story of fatal mistakes allegedly made by an exhausted stand-in doctor. RIGHT: Private landlords face new laws in reforms covered on the front page of the Times.

Reliable sources reviews that over 50 Kenyans in the UK received their Indefinite Leave to Remain last week. This is the group which had applied for legacy cases and include both married and single people - if you have not done so - you better ask your solicitor to do so

Some people have been given a black cheque to kill our country Kenya. (See below).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnTVyfMCw6o&feature=related
 

16 PEOPLE BANNED FROM ENTERING BRITAIN

London, Tuesday 5th May, 2009. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she decided to make public the names so others could better understand what sort of behaviour Britain was not prepared to tolerate. The list includes hate preachers, anti-gay protesters and a far-right US talk show host. "I think it's important that people understand the sorts of values and sorts of standards that we have here, the fact that it's a privilege to come and the sort of things that mean you won't be welcome in this country," said Ms Smith. "Coming to this country is a privilege. If you can't live by the rules that we live by, the standards and the values that we live by, we should exclude you from this country and, what's more, now we will make public those people that we have excluded. "We are publishing the names of 16 of those that we have excluded since October. We are telling people who they are and why it is we don't want them in this country." The list of the 16 "least wanted" includes radio talk show host Michael Savage, real name Michael Weiner. "This is someone who has fallen into the category of fomenting hatred, of such extreme views and expressing them in such a way that it is actually likely to cause inter-community tension or even violence if that person were allowed into the country," said Ms Smith. Also named are American Baptist pastor Fred Waldron Phelps Snr and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper, who have picketed the funerals of Aids victims and claimed the deaths of US soldiers are a punishment for US tolerance of homosexuality. Hamas MP Yunis al-Astal, Jewish extremist Mike Guzovsky, former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Stephen Donald Black and neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe are also on the list released. Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky, the former leaders of a violent Russian skinhead gang which committed 20 racially motivated murders, are also banned from coming to Britain. Both are currently in prison. Making up the rest of the 16 are preachers Wadgy Abd el-Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim, Abdullah Qadri al-Ahdal, Safwat Hijazi and Amir Siddique, Muslim activist Abdul Ali Musa (previously Clarence Reams), murderer and Hezbollah terrorist Samir al-Quntar and Kashmiri terror group leader Nasr Javed.

ANIMAL SMILE COMPETITION CONTINUES

A foreign doctor in UK who flew in to provide out-of-hours GP care is at the centre of a police and NHS inquiry into the deaths of two patients in one day.Daniel Ubani was working his first-ever shift in Britain after travelling from Germany to improve his 'earning capabilities'. Exhausted after only three hours' sleep, he killed 70-year-old kidney patient David Gray by injecting him with ten times the maximum recommended dose of morphine. On Monday  the Daily Mail learned that, hours later, an 86-year-old woman died of a heart attack after being given medication by the Nigerian-born doctor. Despite the inquiries, however, it seems unlikely that Ubani will face British justice. He has already admitted Mr Gray's manslaughter before a German court and received a suspended sentence, meaning he cannot be tried again under the double jeopardy rule.

Adhabu ya kaburi aijua maiti

The  touture of the grave is only known by the corpse

"When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look the evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us, and only then do we forgive it." - Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

Vigilantes hand over Mungiki suspects to police

Suspected Mungiki sect members being trooped to the Karatina Police Station. Residents of Kagochi Village in Nyeri have decided not to resort to lynching of suspects.

Villagers in Nyeri East District have arrested six suspected Mungiki sect members and handed them over to police. The suspects, all in their late teens, were flushed out of their houses in Kagochi area and frogmarched to Karatina Police Station, where they were held for questioning. Residents in the area have formed vigilante groups to round up suspected Mungiki members accused of maiming residents by forcing them to join the sect. The sect is also accused of forcing businessmen and farmers in the area to pay illegal taxes. Following condemnation by the authorities that they should not solve a crime by committing another, the residents have decided to observe the law by handing over arrested suspects to the police instead of lynching them. Attempts to eliminate members of the outlawed sect from Kirinyaga District by lynching them turned bloody last month after sect members struck Gathaithi Village in Karatina, killing 29 villagers in a mission to avenge the killing of 14 members of the sect by the vigilantes. Residents on Sunday told the Nation how they have been suffering in the hands of suspected Mungiki members who, they said, are now forcibly recruiting new members. Mr Daniel Mwai, 32, lost his left arm to suspected Mungiki members in Kanjuiri Village two weeks ago after he declined their directive to join the sect. “They forced me to drink some blood but I refused. They later accosted me and cut off my arm,” he said. Mr Mwai said the attackers, among them his younger brother, were aiming for his neck, but he used the arm to defend himself. He said he was attacked by eight suspects, six of whom were arrested by villagers and handed over to the police. The remaining two, including his brother, are still at large. Another resident, 32-year-old Robert Muriuki, was injured on the leg and right arm by youths who demanded that he pays Sh250 for every truck-load of cabbage delivered to the market.  When he declined, several youths raided his house and beat him up with metal bars. Residents have vowed to work together with the police to identify and flush out suspected Mungiki members and ensure that peace returns to the area. Last week, the 29 villagers killed by suspected Mungiki sect members were laid to rest at various villages in Kirinyaga and Nyeri East districts. Security has been beefed up, with a heavy presence of the GSU and a specially trained unit of the Administration Police combing the area.

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Kenya receives draft KQ crash report

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 5 – Kenya has finally received a draft report of investigations into the Kenya Airways plane crash that occurred in Douala, Cameroon in 2007. Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere said in a statement on Monday that the Cameroon government circulated the draft report on April 17, in accordance with rules of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). “We have been allowed sixty days within which to file our comments. This is the normal practice established by ICAO for consultation before compilation of a final report,” Mr Mwakwere said in a statement. The parties to the investigation, he said, were Cameroon, Kenya and the USA which was the State of aircraft design and manufacture. America will also be required to peruse the draft report and make their comments. “I have consequently recalled the investigation team to study the report and come up with necessary comments,” said the Minister. Cameroon is then expected to compile the final report and release it. Flight KQ 507 crashed in a mangrove swamp shortly after take off from Douala Airport, Cameroon on May 5, 2007, killing all 114 persons on board. The ill-fated plane carried 105 passengers from 26 different nations as well as nine Kenyan crew. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered from the accident site and sent to Canada for readout and analysis in June. “The investigators undertook additional research including reconstructive simulator exercises and tests. Supplementary investigations were undertaken at the facilities of Kenya Airways and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Mwakwere said. He said the probe took 18 months to complete.

Jailed Karen Matthews: 'I miss sex, shopping and coffee'...

but there's no mention of her seven children
 

The mother of Shannon Matthews has revealed what she misses most since being jailed for her daughter's kidnap, with sex at the top of the list.  In an interview from inside prison, where she is serving an eight year sentence for kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice, the mother-of-seven fails to mention Shannon or her six other children.  Instead, her focus appears to be on the home comforts she is having to live without during her incarceration for keeping Shannon prisoner for almost a month in a bid to make money.  Asked what she missed most, she told the Daily Mirror: 'Sex, shopping and drinking coffee with her neighbour.' The 33-year-old also still denies her role in the plot to kidnap Shannon, then nine, and hide her away as the possible reward for her safe return mounted up. She insisted she was 'framed' by her accomplice, Michael Donovan, who kept the schoolgirl imprisoned in his dingy flat for 24 days. From inside Peterborough Prison, Matthews claimed she had cut all ties with former partner Craig Meehan, 23, who was convicted of possessing child pornography during the search for Shannon.

Licence to let will hit all private landlords

All private landlords would have to be registered before letting residential property under government plans to curb abuses in the growing rental market, The Times has learnt. Easy access to buy-to-let mortgages over the past decade has meant that the number of private landlords has risen to about one million in England and Wales, and ministers are worried that a growing number of unscrupulous landlords are exploiting tenants. Anyone letting a residential property would have to pay about £50 to register with a national body. This would include developers, buy-to-let investors and the growing ranks of “accidental landlords” who cannot sell their homes and have been forced to let them out instead. Registered landlords would have to comply with certain standards and those who fail to carry out repairs or who intimidate tenants could be struck off. If that happened, all their tenants would have to move out, although this would not happen overnight, Whitehall sources suggested. The reforms are to be outlined in a Green Paper within ten days. The Government intends for the system to be operated with a “light touch” to improve standards and root out rogue landlords, but the bureaucracy could drive out small buy-to-let investors.

Simon Gordon, of the National Landlords Association, said: “We can see the thinking behind this but we need to see the details and be reassured that this is not simply a mechanism for tougher regulations.” In Scotland, private landlords are already required to register to let properties. The scheme was brought in after a series of scandals about multiple occupancy. In the first year only 15 per cent of landlords registered, but tougher legislation has since been introduced. Landlords who fail to register can face criminal proceedings and have a notice served on their properties stating that tenants do not have to pay rent. Although details of how the scheme would work in England and Wales are still being negotiated, one option is that each landlord would be given a licence number that would appear on all documents related to the letting. This could make it easier for the Inland Revenue to identify tax evaders. The administrative costs are expected to be covered by the licence fee. The system would be monitored by an independent body to adjudicate complaints made by tenants. If these complaints were upheld the landlord could lose his or her letting licence. Under one option being considered, the Government might set up a “social letting agent” to place affected tenants in more suitable privately rented accommodation.

Landlords would be able to appeal against the body’s decision, but if they lost it could be years before they are allowed to rent out property again.About 2.6 million properties are now let out on the private rental market and ministers are worried about a growing number of rogue landlords. According to a report by Julie Rugg, who is senior research Fellow at the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York, up to 50 per cent of all privately rented accommodation are thought to be below the Government’s decent homes standard, with some landlords failing to comply with gas and fire regulations and allowing properties to fall into disrepair. Common problems include broken doors and furniture, rising damp, leaking roofs and sinks, peeling paintwork and inches of grime. Tenants’ complaints are often ignored and can result in intimidation or even eviction. Margaret Beckett, the housing minister, will propose a statutory regulator for letting agents. Many agents have no professional credentials and can exploit vulnerable tenants by offering them shoddy accommodation. The Association of Residential Letting Agents is to propose a voluntary licensing system today, but this is likely to be overtaken by Mrs Beckett’s proposals for mandatory regulation.

The measures, which need primary legislation and will first go out to consultation, are in response to the Rugg report, which called for regulation. “Some landlords simply do not consider letting to be an activity that requires regulation, and other landlords — a very small proportion — wilfully act illegally,” it said. The Government is not expected to back Ms Rugg’s call for tax relief for substantial landlord repairs, such as new roofs, windows and floors, or changes to stamp duty to help developeres buying several properties. The regulation of private landlords coincides with a government plan to boost the private rental market by underwriting a proportion of the rent.The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has invited large investors, including insurance firms and overseas companies, to support a fund to build thousands more homes for rental. The fund, which would need hundreds of millions of pounds, would help stalled developments and kickstart the construction industry. Ministers are negotiating an incentive for big investors. The current proposal is for the HCA to underwrite any rent in unfilled properties or apartments for the first two or three years. Housing associations are also being encouraged to invest in rental accommodation. Local authorities are desperate to find places for the 4.5 million people waiting for council homes.

KIKUYU PROVERB

Kinya kiri itina nikio ki-igaga

A good man can live anywhere

Nairobi, Monday 4th May, 2009. Uganda can not jeopardize the integration of East Africa by going to war with Kenya over the disputed Migingo border island on Lake Victoria, a top Ugandan government official has said. Eriya Kategaya, first deputy prime minister and minister of East African affairs told reporters that there are many options Uganda can take to resolve the ownership of the island instead of going to war. "We can not go to war over that rock, if we do not agree, we have international arbitration," he said while briefing reporters on the progress of establishing the East African Common Market bringing together Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. He said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and his Kenyan counterpart Mwai Kibaki last week agreed that a joint border survey be carried out within two months. "We hope that when this survey comes out, this nonsense about Migingo will end," Kategaya said. Meanwhile, Fred Opolot, a Ugandan government spokesman said in in an interview on Monday that the survey process which was scheduled to start last week has been suspended. He said the process will start after a committee of Ugandan ministers meets on Monday to discuss findings of a technical team which recently returned from Britain where it had gone to study old colonial maps. The findings by the technical team will help determine the location of the island. The two countries have agreed to obtain the colonial maps so as to resolve the border dispute. Opolot said the outcome of the meeting would determine whether the demarcation exercise would continue.

Supporting their own as she graduates

It was a joyous moments for the Kangethe's family as they came from far and wind and gathered in London to support one of their own when graduating. The old timer Kenyan celebrity as they call him - Mzee Kangethe and his wife joined their children and grandchildren in one their daughter home in Dagenham for a graduation party. Some of the family members has flown from Kenya and USA. Richard Kangethe (LEFT PHOTO - holding his aunt Elizabeth Kangethe host in blue. RIGHT PHOTO: A team from Kenya -  from right to left: Mr. Karanja and his wife together with his mother-in-law.

"It does not matter how slowly you walk, just as long as you don't stop." - Wisdom of Africa, Ghana

Watch out! Bank fraudsters on the prowl in Kenya

Nairobi, Monday 4th May, 2009. Reported cases of investors accusing their stockbrokers of selling their shares illegally have been so rampant that some prefer to hold their investment in paper certificates instead of the electronic central depository system. Unknown to many investors, the share scam is only a tip of the iceberg of the massive fraud that has rocked the financial services sector. Working in cohoots with dishonest stock dealers, fraudsters forge identity documents to place sale orders and open bank accounts, which are used to cash cheques of illegally sold shares. The fraudsters can cause further injury by withdrawing cash from bank accounts by using assumed identity documents — which pass as genuine. In a recent case, one bank nearly lost Sh100 million after a ‘customer’ attempted to withdraw the cash. Suspicion of a teller was aroused when he learnt that the cash had just been wired into the account the previous day.Although the ‘client’ was arrested by police, investigations are still going on to uncover how the cash was deposited. This is an example of how fraudsters manipulate the banking system. In some cases, innocent bank customers have been caught in the mire of fraudsters’ activities only to end up in court to prove their innocence. Bank officials admit that cases involving fraud or fraud attempts are on the increase. "Banks now employ more security officers and auditors to assist detect, investigate and minimise fraud," says Mr John Wanyela, executive director-Kenya Bankers Association (KBA).

Indeed, almost every other day cases are reported of fraudsters trying to steal from automated teller machines, forging signatures or altering information on a cheque, opening false accounts or devising new schemes to defraud a bank or its customers. As banks roll out Internet and mobile banking products, only a username and password stands between customers’ money and fraudsters. Wanyela adds that nature of fraud within banks keep evolving, presenting significant challenges to law enforcement agencies and bank staff. He cites the ease with which national identity cards (ID) are forged and subsequently used to open bank accounts as the main entry point of fraudsters into the banking system. Although commercial banks have internal controls to safeguard against fraud, they are still ill equipped when it comes to differentiating between a forged and genuine ID. Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) requires that a bank undertake a KYC analysis on each of its customers. KYC is the acronym for Know Your Customer, which in turn refers to the obligation of a financial institution to know who it is dealing with. However, circulation of forged ID cards has made KYC limited in its ability to lock out criminals from the banking system. "We need something that cannot be easily duplicated, such as a fingerprint-based integrated ID system, which also contains other details such as birth certificate, passport, land ownership, residence and workplace," says Wanyela.Their other entry point is through use of forged ID cards to open central depository (CD) accounts, which they use to defraud stockbrokerage firms — exposing stocks investors to high risk.

The ability of banks to fight fraud has further been crippled by absence of anti-money laundering legislation, still stuck at the formative stages between Treasury, the Attorney General’s office and Parliament. Currently, suspected cases of bank fraud or money laundering are dealt with as any other criminal case, under the Penal code. This considered insufficient by players in the financial sector. This is because, unlike in the past, banking fraud has evolved from forged cheques to sophisticated electronic fraud. It is only in recent years that courts have begun to admit electronic records as evidence. "Fraudsters are smart and well informed. But how knowledgeable are the police, magistrates or prosecutors? asks Wanyela.  Although bank fraud keeps changing and cannot be eliminated, there are ways in which it can be minimised. "Customers expose themselves to scams by not destroying ATM receipts," says Wanyela. It is from this receipt that personal identification numbers, account numbers and other vital details can be derived and used by fraudsters to gain access to one’s bank account. "It is important to know one’s account balance and then destroy your ATM receipt to remove all trace of the activity," says Wanyela. Although banks undertake to put their staff through a rigorous recruitment process during hiring, some get involved in fraud incidences. "Fraud cases involving bank staff is the worst and most difficult crime to fight," says a bank manager, who requested anonymity. A number of bank workers are facing fraud charges, most of them accused of working with outsiders to steal from the bank. Communication between a bank and its clients is also key in minimising cases of fraud. But commercial banks are afraid to share information on their experience for fear of negative publicity. This denial hampers efforts to deal with the menace.  - The Standard.

A third school has been ordered to close after a 14-year-old pupil became the latest UK victim of swine flu. The girl, from Barnet in north London, was confirmed as having the bug as nine new UK cases of swine flu were confirmed, taking the total to 27. Her independent girls' school, South Hampstead High School, posted a letter to parents on its website saying the year-nine student was "at home and well" and that the school will be closed until at least Thursday.

Nairobi, Monday 4th May, 2009. Kenya President Kibaki has appointed Mr Mutula Kilonzo as minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs in a mini-cabinet reshuffle. He has also named Mr Njeru Githae the new minister for Nairobi Metropolitan Development. Mr Lewis Nguyai has also been appointed Assistant minister for Local Government. The new appointments were done after consultations with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a statement from Kibaki office said. Mr Kilonzo, a former Nairobi Metropolitan Development minister is a key ally of Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and a vocal supporter of the President. He replaces Ms Martha Karua, who quit government after saying she found it difficult to drive reforms under her docket. Mr Githae, the Ndia MP, has been elevated to Cabinet and belongs to Ms Karua's Narc-Kenya party. Kikuyu MP Lewis Nguyai’s, who has replaced Mr Githae, appointment could be seen as meant to further eclipse politician Paul Muite, who he defeated in the last General Election. Mr Muite has rubbed the First Family the wrong way over his remarks on the infamous Standard Group raid of 2006. The two coalition partners also consulted on the issue of Leader of Government Business in Parliament and Chairmanship of the House Business Committee. The two held consultations in the Office of the President at Harambee House. It is the first time President and the PM are meeting following a deadlock in Parliament over the two key positions.

Hon. Mutula Kilonzo now minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs in a mini-cabinet reshuffle

The biggest gospel concert in UK takes place on Monday 4th May, 2009 at Wembley Arena, Wembley. The concert will include Kirk Franklin Live in concert with Mary Mary, Ce Ce Winans, Martha Munizzi. Other on the concert are Ce Ce Winans, vocals, Martha Munizzi, vocals, Ann Nesby, vocals, Coko SWV, vocals, Dave Hollister, vocals, Kelly Price, vocals, Smokey Norful, vocals and Chevelle Franklin, vocals. The world’s leading gospel singers will be performing at the New Wembley Arena this summer to launch the prestigious Oraclez World Gospel Festival and Awards 09. With performances by the world's leading Grammy award winning Gospel Artists. This event is a must for anyone who has been comforted, inspired and empowered by these accomplished and highly talented performers. Hosted by Coko & Dave P (Choice fm) and backed by The Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, this historical and thrilling performance which should not be missed in anyone's lifetime. The tickets are going for £35, £45, £55, £65 - Tickets available from 0844 815 0815. - MORE

WISDOM OF MAASAI

Meetai olnen eleji

There is no wise man who cannot be deceived.

The Maasai have a story of one old man who told another that they should beat their wives. The first only beat the hide of a cow while the other nearly beat his wife to death.

LEFT: The News of The World claims a new private jet for the foreign secretary could cost £250,000 to fly to the US and back. RIGHT: The Independent on Sunday reveals Google could have a competitor in a new, smarter search engine.

A Ghanaian man who was imprisoned in Libya eight years ago for distributing Christian material has been freed. Ghana's Vice-President John Dramani Mahama secured Daniel Baidoo's release, during an official visit to Libya. Mr Baidoo was originally sentenced to 25 years in prison after picking up a parcel containing Biblical tracts in Arabic from a post office. It is against Libyan law to try to convert Muslims, however the US says this is rarely enforced.  Mr Baidoo said he had ordered the documents from a Christian organisation in the US, reported the Ghana News Agency.

Daredevil Survives 200ft Plunge

A base jumper in Australia is lucky to be alive after his parachute failed and he plummeted 200ft. The man in his late 20s only suffered injuries to his feet and ankles when he leapt from the EJ Whitten Bridge in the southern city of Melbourne. The daredevil was taken to hospital and was reportedly in a stable condition. "He's a very lucky man," ambulance spokesman Ray Rowe said. "It could have been just so much worse." Local reports said the man told paramedics he was an experienced basejumper and "knew what he was doing''. Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper reported that a friend of the jumper who was at the scene - but did not wish to be named - shrugged off the extreme act. "It was just a hard landing,'' the paper quoted him as saying. Basejumping - in which enthusiasts plunge from buildings and other fixed structures, using a parachute to land - is banned in many places.

Will Africa join broadband revolution?

A way may be emerging for East African countries to circumvent the mess in telecommunications in the region - and it is rising out of the sea. From having no undersea cable links to the rest of the world, East Africa is now poised to have three. As a result, many businesses are investing in finger-sized underwater fibre-optic cables that will open doors to the rest of the world. It could not come too soon. Currently, many African countries rely heavily on satellite connections for internet and telephone calls. Developed countries in Europe, North America and Asia embraced fibre-optic technology several years ago, and now boast over 500 cables. But the developing world is far behind; Bangladesh - with a population of over 150 million people - has three fibre-optic cables, while the whole of Africa has just 10. The privately funded Seacom cable - which is expected to be fully operational by June - will be the first to launch, followed by the East African Marine Cable System (EASSy) - which is being funded by the private-sector arm of the World Bank as well as by regional telecommunications companies.  It is expected to be ready in time for the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa. The third cable being laid is The East African Marine System (Teams). It is being spearheaded by the Kenyan government as a response to the EASSy cable, and what it sees as terms in that project that are too favourable to South Africa.

All in all, these projects mean that within the next year the Kenyan port of Mombasa, among others on the east coast, will be well connected to economic hot-spots in the Middle East as well as South Africa, India and Europe. But Africa has been here before. South Africa is currently connected to Europe and Spain through a single fibre-optic cable, the South Atlantic 3/West Africa Submarine Cable (SAT-3/Safe), that runs up West Africa. But capacity here has been insufficient to offer fast broadband - in fact, it is 10 times slower than Seacom is supposed to offer.  Also, the ownership structure of the SAT-3/Safe cable has resulted in a few telecommunication companies monopolising its benefits - which keeps prices high and so out of reach of many. While other cables are in the pipeline for West Africa, East Africa is a blank canvas. Much like a rural town disconnected from a railway line, the region has never had intra-African or international cable connections before. As a result, it has been reliant on satellite connection. Fibre-optic cables seem a much better proposition. They are cheaper than satellites and transform signals into light, and so can transmit over long distances at high speeds. This means not only that broadband will be much more easily available at a cheaper cost - bringing with it access to telephone services , film and audio downloads - but that online services such as mobile banking can grow. In preparation for the launch of Seacom, major internet service providers in Kenya have already rolled out cables along the country's highways, which will link inland stations to the coastline cables.

So how much of a difference will this all make to the average consumer in Kenya? While for the past several years it has been possible to use the internet to make long-distance telephone calls in Kenya, the costs and the speeds of connection have not met many people's expectations. Kenyan entrepreneurs like Sammy Macharia - who owns an internet cafe in Nairobi - have high hopes that business-operating costs will come down once Seacom is working - potentially from $250 (£170) to $100 (£68) per month for an internet service provider subscription. However Mr Macharia is concerned that the market is regulated by the "invisible hand" of the government. "The prices might go down, but the industry is regulated by the government, which can easily determine the market prices," he says. "They have promised cheaper bandwidth, so we are waiting." Security is another concern. Experts warn that the project is prone to risks from even subtle changes in the light travelling through the fibre-optic cables - making them especially vulnerable to vandals. "Systems security can no longer be about e-mail protection, network anti-malicious software and an odd denial of service protection," says Bernard Ajwang, a Kenyan expert based at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom. And some analysts say that the three competing cables due to land shortly may actually create an over-supply of bandwidth in the East African market. Very few Kenyan households even have an internet connection and not many own a personal computer - indeed, there are just three million internet users in the whole country, out of a total population of close on 40 million. The statistics for the rest of Africa tell a similar story - of the 945 million people living on the continent, just 54 million use the internet. For all the talk of opening up access to broadband, this could end up being one big white elephant.

KIKUYU PROVERB

Nyumba nyinyi iciraga utuku

A small family holds their meetings at night

Somali pirates seize Greek ship

A Greek-owned ship with a Ukrainian crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates south-west of the Seychelles, a seafarers' group says. It came hours after a Portuguese warship thwarted an attack on a Norwegian vessel in the Gulf of Aden. The warship, part of a Nato patrol, destroyed explosives its crew found when they captured the pirates. Somali pirates have also told news agencies they seized a Ukrainian ship in the Indian Ocean late on Friday. Reuters news agency quoted a pirate the vessel was carrying industrial equipment including white cars with the United Nations logo. UN officials could not confirm the claim, says the BBC's East Africa correspondent Peter Greste, but pirates in the past have disrupted UN aid work by seizing ships loaded with emergency food supplies. Saturday's attack on the Greek ship, the MV Ariana, took place about 250 nautical miles (460km) from the Indian Ocean islands. The vessel, said to be carrying 35,000 tons of soya, was sailing from the Middle East to Brazil, said Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers Assistance Programme.  It is owned by a Greek company and managed by Seven Seas Maritime in London.

"The rule is: we cannot really forgive ourselves unless we look at the failure in our past and call it by its right name." - Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

President Kibaki is under intense pressure to break his silence and show direction following the precedent-setting quashing of a presidential appointment by Speaker of National Assembly. Speaker Kenneth Marende, on Tuesday, quashed Kibaki’s appointment of Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka as Leader of Government Business in Parliament, a move that has split legal and political opinion about its legality and constitutionality. Much as Kibaki desperately tries to pepper over his frosty relationship with Prime Minister Raila Odinga, his supporters now feel he should put his foot down over what they perceive as bullying and provocation by his coalition partner. Marende’s overturning of Kibaki’s appointment comes at a time of frosty relations between the President and PM and the President’s corner is depleted of political sharpshooters. A Cabinet meeting scheduled for last Thursday was called off abruptly after, sources say, the PM made himself unavailable. Sources say this was a payback for similar cancellation of a scheduled Cabinet meeting by Kibaki the previous week, reportedly without consulting the PM.  Rather than attend a Cabinet meeting, the PM went to Kericho to preside over opening of a private college, during which he repeated the claim Kibaki did not accord him the requisite respect. "Respect is a two-way process, you show respect and in return you are respected," the PM said. On April 5, Raila described Kibaki’s leadership style as jua kali (unrefined and pedestrian). - MORE

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1922 - Rika ria manoti - Money notes introduced in Kenya

An invention that could change the internet for ever

Revolutionary new web software could put giants such as Google in the shade when it comes out later this month. Andrew Johnson reports. The biggest internet revolution for a generation will be unveiled this month with the launch of software that will understand questions and give specific, tailored answers in a way that the web has never managed before. The new system, Wolfram Alpha, showcased at Harvard University in the US last week, takes the first step towards what many consider to be the internet's Holy Grail – a global store of information that understands and responds to ordinary language in the same way a person does. Although the system is still new, it has already produced massive interest and excitement among technology pundits and internet watchers.  Computer experts believe the new search engine will be an evolutionary leap in the development of the internet. Nova Spivack, an internet and computer expert, said that Wolfram Alpha could prove just as important as Google. "It is really impressive and significant," he wrote. "In fact it may be as important for the web (and the world) as Google, but for a different purpose.  Tom Simpson, of the blog Convergenceofeverything.com, said: "What are the wider implications exactly? A new paradigm for using computers and the web? Probably. Emerging artificial intelligence and a step towards a self-organising internet? Possibly... I think this could be big."

Wolfram Alpha will not only give a straight answer to questions such as "how high is Mount Everest?", but it will also produce a neat page of related information – all properly sourced – such as geographical location and nearby towns, and other mountains, complete with graphs and charts.  The real innovation, however, is in its ability to work things out "on the fly", according to its British inventor, Dr Stephen Wolfram. If you ask it to compare the height of Mount Everest to the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, it will tell you. Or ask what the weather was like in London on the day John F Kennedy was assassinated, it will cross-check and provide the answer. Ask it about D sharp major, it will play the scale. Type in "10 flips for four heads" and it will guess that you need to know the probability of coin-tossing. If you want to know when the next solar eclipse over Chicago is, or the exact current location of the International Space Station, it can work it out. Dr Wolfram, an award-winning physicist who is based in America, added that the information is "curated", meaning it is assessed first by experts. This means that the weaknesses of sites such as Wikipedia, where doubts are cast on the information because anyone can contribute, are taken out. It is based on his best-selling Mathematica software, a standard tool for scientists, engineers and academics for crunching complex maths. "I've wanted to make the knowledge we've accumulated in our civilisation computable," he said last week. "I was not sure it was possible. I'm a little surprised it worked out so well." Dr Wolfram, 49, who was educated at Eton and had completed his PhD in particle physics by the time he was 20, added that the launch of Wolfram Alpha later this month would be just the beginning of the project. "It will understand what you are talking about," he said. "We are just at the beginning. I think we've got a reasonable start on 90 per cent of the shelves in a typical reference library."

The engine, which will be free to use, works by drawing on the knowledge on the internet, as well as private databases. Dr Wolfram said he expected that about 1,000 people would be needed to keep its databases updated with the latest discoveries and information.  He also added that he would not go down the road of storing information on ordinary people, although he was aware that others might use the technology to do so. Wolfram Alpha has been designed with professionals and academics in mind, so its grasp of popular culture is, at the moment, comparatively poor. The term "50 Cent" caused "absolute horror" in tests, for example, because it confused a discussion on currency with the American rap artist. For this reason alone it is unlikely to provide an immediate threat to Google, which is working on a similar type of search engine, a version of which it launched last week. "We have a certain amount of popular culture information," Dr Wolfram said. "In some senses popular culture information is much more shallowly computable, so we can find out who's related to who and how tall people are. I fully expect we will have lots of popular culture information. There are linguistic horrors because if you put in books and music a lot of the names clash with other concepts."n He added that to help with that Wolfram Alpha would be using Wikipedia's popularity index to decide what users were likely to be interested in. With Google now one of the world's top brands, worth $100bn, Wolfram Alpha has the potential to become one of the biggest names on the planet. Dr Wolfram, however, did not rule out working with Google in the future, as well as Wikipedia. "We're working to partner with all possible organisations that make sense," he said. "Search, narrative, news are complementary to what we have. Hopefully there will be some great synergies."

What the experts say

"For those of us tired of hundreds of pages of results that do not really have a lot to do with what we are trying to find out, Wolfram Alpha may be what we have been waiting for."

Michael W Jones, Tech.blorge.com

"If it is not gobbled up by one of the industry superpowers, his company may well grow to become one of them in a small number of years, with most of us setting our default browser to be Wolfram Alpha."

Doug Lenat, Semanticuniverse.com. "It's like plugging into an electric brain."  Matt Marshall, Venturebeat.com

"This is like a Holy Grail... the ability to look inside data sources that can't easily be crawled and provide answers from them."

Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of searchengineland.com

Worldwide network: A brief history of the internet

1969 The internet is created by the US Department of Defense with the networking of computers at UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute.

1979 The British Post Office uses the technology to create the first international computer networks.

1980 Bill Gates's deal to put a Microsoft Operating System on IBM's computers paves the way for almost universal computer ownership.

1984 Apple launches the first successful 'modern' computer interface using graphics to represent files and folders, drop-down menus and, crucially, mouse control.

1989 Tim Berners-Lee creates the world wide web – using browsers, pages and links to make communication on the internet simple.

1996 Google begins as a research project at Stanford University. The company is formally founded two years later by Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

2009 Dr Stephen Wolfram launches Wolfram Alpha.

A Kenyan has passed away in the UK. Ms Angela Njeri Wachira of Deptford, South London passed away on Thursday 30th April, 2009 at Lewisham Hospital, London. Daughter of Mr.  Timothy Wachira Nduru and Isabella Wairimu Nduru. Mother to Emanuel Nduru. Sister to Mrs. Teresa Butler of Kent, UK, Thomas Nduru London, Chrisatus Maina Nduru London, Francis Macharia Nduru, Germany, Joseph Gwandaru Nduru, Kenya Jane Wambui Nduru. Sister-in-law to Margret Mugure Kenya, Pouline Nyambura, Germany Peter Butler. Aunti to Shenell Butler, Timothy Butler UK, Quicy, Melisa, Nichola, Rebbeca Germany. Elizabeth, Teresa Wambere, Mathew and Marthiers Family and friends are meeting for prayers and funeral arrangements at 17 Woodcote House, Prince Street, Deptford SE8  3LQ. You can send your donations through Halifax Bank, Sort Code 110228  A/C 00717883, Account name: T. Butler. For more information please contact 07944541084 or  07939381171.

The late Ms Angela Njeri Wachira

Protests against the rising cost of living, job losses, low pay and failed leadership came to the boil on Friday when frustrated workers disrupted the presidential Labour Day address delivered by Labour minister John Munyes. They expressed their frustrations despite being awarded an 18 per cent pay increase for the lowest paid workers in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu bringing their pay to Sh6,130 a month. The entire top leadership of President Kibaki, Vice- President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga gave the celebrations a miss. President Kibaki and Mr Odinga were in Nairobi while Mr Musyoka was said to be in his Mwingi North constituency.  The workers heckled, threw stones and generally interrupted the official speech forcing the minister to skip some sections and eventually abandon his address. And as the ceremony drew to the end, the workers staged a walkout while government officials scrambled to have the National Anthem played to signal its closure. Some workers also threw stones at the dais where VIPs sat. Religious and civil society groups have recently taken the government to task over the rising cost of living, insecurity and hunger. The National Council of Churches of Kenya describes President Kibaki’s leadership as moribund and Mr Odinga’s as ineffective. Recent opinion polls also showed most Kenyans were dissatisfied with the government. These public grievances were on Friday expressed in constant heckling in which the crowd shouted “Unga (maize flour)!”, “Stima (electricity)!”, “maisha ngumu (Life is too hard)!” and “Migingo!”, the latter in reference to Kenya’s diplomatic approach to the dispute with Uganda over a Lake Victoria island of that name nominally controlled by Kampala.  The main celebrations at Uhuru Park in Nairobi started on a low note before Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary-general Francis Atwoli worked up the crowd by raising concern over ills facing the nation and urged them to be patient as Mr Munyes had “good news” for them. However, Mr Munyes, who was the chief guest, was jeered when he stood up to speak and announced that he had been sent by President Kibaki to deliver his message. - MORE

Lucy Muthoni Kibaki profile

Lucy Muthoni Kibaki is the wife of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, making her the First Lady of Kenya. She was born in Mukurwe-ini in 1940 to the Rev. John Kagai and Rose Nyachomba, in the Mount Kenya. She was trained as a teacher, and rose up to the post of principal in a teacher-training college in Kiambu. - MORE

[1]

Brit breaks keep-up world record

A British man set a new world record by continuously keeping up a football for 24 hours at an event in London. Dan Magness, 25, completed an estimated 250,000 touches of the ball to break the record inside a large transparent plastic cube in the piazza of Covent Garden. Magness, of Milton Keynes, said after breaking the record: "I feel on top of the world right now. There were times during the night when I started to wonder if I could pull it off, but I managed to dig deep and keep going. I have just fulfilled a lifetime ambition and it feels great, but I'm definitely ready for my bed now." Former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool defender John Scales, ambassador for PlayStation Freestylers who supported the event, said: "You can not under estimate what an unbelievable achievement this is by Dan. To have the stamina is one thing, but for him to be able to concentrate over such a long period of time is what makes this World Record such a mind-blowing feat." Magness, who completed an intensive six-week training programme leading up to the event, added: "I really hope the record will help inspire a new generation to get involved with freestyle football."

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1955 - Rika ria Therenda - Surrender

Workers march in May Day rallies

Written By:BBC   , Posted: Fri, May 01, 2009
 

Labour unions in dozens of countries around the world are using traditional May Day marches to protest over the handling of the global economic crisis. In central Istanbul, Turkish police fired water cannon to disperse several hundred demonstrators. Overnight, German youths clashed with police in the capital Berlin. Some 300 rallies are planned across France, which has already seen strikes from university academics, hospital staff and fishermen among others. Marches have been held in several Asian nations, including Cambodia, Japan and the Philippines. "Workers are reiterating their demand that the government should find a way to stop mass layoffs of workers and it should provide decent jobs, not short-lived jobs, not jobs for three months," Leody de Guzman, of the Union of Filipino Workers, said. The country's eight main unions have urged people to come out and protest in their third such day of action this year. Violence erupted in Istanbul as hundreds of stone-throwing protesters tried to pass through police checkpoints into a main city square. Police, attempting to disperse the crowds using water cannon, made several arrests. In Berlin, demonstrators clashed with police. Bottles and stones were thrown at police, passing cars and trams, and rubbish bins were set alight. It began when some 200 protesters began chanting anti-capitalism slogans after a street party ended in the early hours. Twenty-nine police were injured, and at least 12 people were arrested. Violence has been a feature of past May Days in Germany. Some 5,000 police are set to be deployed in Berlin. Major marches are also planned in Spain, Italy, Russia and Cuba.

On a mission to kill....AIDS

An angry Lagos women is on an evil mission: To infect as many men as possible with the dreaded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Sandra (surname withheld) told Saturday Sun that she embarked on the deadly mission three years ago after a bitter experience in the hands of armed robbers. According to her, she has become, more or less, a nymphomania, sleeping with men in the bid to spread HIV, mainly, and to eke out a living.
 

Going by her account, Sandra may have had sex with 4,640 men, including two soldiers who brutally raped her and some other girls recently when they (soldiers) invaded Tarkwa Bay, a Lagos Island, where she lives and plies her trade. Tarkwa Bay is a notorious haven for flesh hawkers, drug peddlers and sundry criminals.
 

The 21-year-old indigene of Warri, Delta State, told Saturday Sun that she decided to spread HIV because she wanted to pay men back in their coin. Explaining that she hates men with passion, she claimed that she was raped at gunpoint at 17, adding that she contracted the disease as a result of the assault.
 

Indeed, Sandra story is one that will shock even the coldest of hearts.
She said: In 2006, I got admission into the Delta State University, Abraka to study Banking and Finance. I was barely 17 years old then. Then I travelled to Asaba, our state capital to inform my elder and only sibling because we are just two children that my parents had. And my father had died when I was a kid. Naturally, my brother was very happy when I told him that I had secured admission into the university. We were very close and he had promised to be there always for me.

But two days after I arrived, my brothers station, the worst happened. My brother, Collins, died in a motor accident. When I got to know about it, I was devastated. In fact, for me life had come to an abrupt end. Another tragedy befell me on my way home to tell my poor mother. Our bus was hijacked by five armed men. They took the vehicle into the bush, robbed us and raped the women. I was one of those the bastards raped. At that time, I was still a virgin. I had not known a man.

It was a very ugly experience and it made me wonder what a cruel world we live in. It was so horrible. I passed out during the gruesome rape. I had pleaded with them, but they wouldnt let go. Before the attacks, I was already in sorrow and tears. It was the worst thing that could happen to anyone and it made me form an opinion about men.

Sandra said that she was so ashamed of herself, after the assault, that she couldnt bring herself to tell anyone what happened, not even her mother. Meanwhile, her ambition of going to a higher institution was put on hold, following her brothers death. Secondly, she discovered she was pregnant from the rape. Devastated and without a choice, the traumatized girl had to tell her mother eventually. By then the pregnancy was about four months old.

She continued: I had to abort the unwanted pregnancy after about 15 weeks. It was not a particularly difficult decision to take because there was no way I could keep such a bastard. I would have hated the baby so much. In fact, if it were a boy, I would have snuffed life out of him one day. So, I aborted the nonsense.

After the abortion, I did some other tests to be sure that I would still be reproductive. One of the tests revealed that I had been infected with HIV by the men who raped me. In a nutshell, my life collapsed at that stage.  She said that life became meaningless after the discovery, hence when one of her friends asked Sandra to go with her to Lagos to become a commercial sex worker she did not hesitate. Ever since, she has been having unprotected sex with men for a fee. For her, there are two gains from this line of business: To make money and infect men with HIV.

She said: For about three years now, I have been distributing the stuff and it makes me really happy. Men are evil; they deserve no mercy. To hell with the men of this world.  On her modus operandi, the beautiful but street-wise-girl said that most of her customers actually pay more to sleep with her without condoms.
 

She said: When any of my customers wants to have sex with me without using condoms, I usually protest. Then we will strike a bargain and we will do it. He wont know that he is buying his death with his own money.
However, there are many who will never have sex without using condoms. But I have a way of dealing with them. When I am having sex with such men, I usually shake my buttocks vigorously so as to burst the condom, and if the condom bursts and the man is carried away, he wont bother about fixing another condom.

She said that one of her best moments was when two soldiers raped her recently when they raided Tarkwa Bay. According to her, when the soldiers were raping me, I was shedding tears of joy because such men do not deserve to live. The only thing I regret is that they stole my money and handsets.  She disclosed that since she became a prostitute three years ago, she has been sleeping with an average of four men on a daily basis.  Would she settle down with a man eventually? Sandra said that marriage is not in her dictionary at present. She said that she can only talk of marriage when she has forgiven men. Until then, any man that comes her way is an enemy.

ANIMAL SMILING COMPETITION CONTINUES

The World's Billionaires 2009

THE RICHLIST

Slumping billionaires: financial crisis slashes ranks of world's super rich

Bill Gates, the richest man in the world. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

The amount of money controlled by the elite group has plummeted from $4.4tn to $2.4tn. In Britain, the number of billionaires has dropped from 35 to 25 as figures such as Carphone Warehouse's Charles Dunstone and Sports Division's Tom Hunter slip off the list. "The global economy has been battered by a financial hurricane which has brought devastating damage," said Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine. "It's no surprise that billionaires are being battered along with everybody else." Bankers, financiers and fund managers are among the biggest losers. The former Citigroup boss Sandy Weill and the AIG insurance tycoon Hank Greenberg are out of the club, having seen their nest eggs go rotten as once mighty financial companies suffer vast losses. One German billionaire, Adolf Merkle, threw himself under a train in January as his wealth dwindled. Donald Trump's fortune is estimated to have fallen by half, hit by a contraction in the US property market while Facebook's founder, Mark Zuckerberg, is no longer judged a billionaire as the credit crunch means his social networking website is less saleable.

Tycoons from developing countries have been particularly badly affected. One of India's richest men, Anil Ambani, has lost $31.9bn as shares in his Reliance empire plunge, while the steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal has seen his fortune shrink by $25bn to $19.3bn. Among Russians, the Chelsea football club owner, Roman Abramovich, has suffered a $3bn fall in his net value to $8.5bn while Oleg Deripaska, once Russia's richest man, saw his fortune collapse from $28bn to $3.5bn after saddling himself with too much debt. Even those at the top of the list are suffering. Buffett, the so-called Sage of Omaha who was the world's richest man last year, has seen his net worth slump by $25bn to $37bn after a dismal year for his Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway empire. He has been overtaken by Gates, who held up only marginally better as his fortune dropped by $19bn to $40bn after a slowdown in trading at Microsoft.

Few tears will be shed for some of the bankers and speculators whose involvement in financial "innovation" on Wall Street and in the City is widely blamed for contributing to the global credit crunch. "Some of them may have got their just desserts," said Forbes, although he cautioned that others were genuine wealth creators. "These people, most of them, are entrepreneurs - they started their own businesses. They're both creators of capital and employers of capital. They make it possible for people to get ahead and to realise their ambitions." In Britain, the Duke of Westminster remains top of the pile with $11bn followed by the property magnates David and Simon Reuben. The owner of Top Shop and Bhs, Sir Philip Green, ranks third in the UK and 105th globally with $4.8bn. But British wealth was badly affected by the sharp decline in the value of sterling. Among those who can no longer call themselves dollar billionaires are the Daily Mail chief, Viscount Rothermere, and the City money broker Michael Spencer.

Experts said that a shrinkage at the top does not necessarily mean inequality has narrowed. Heidi Shierholz, a specialist in inequality at the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, said: "This is nothing to cheer about. It's a symptom of a huge economic crisis which is hitting everybody - it's not just happening to billionaires." A minority of shrewd billionaires have succeeded in prospering despite the tumultuous conditions. New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, saw his wealth swell from $11.5bn to $16bn after buying back a portion of his financial information empire. The Hedge fund manager John Paulson prospered by betting against sub-prime mortgages.  Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour, who owns Manchester City football club, is a new entrant to the billionaires' club. A less illustrious admission to the ranks of the super-rich is Joaquín Guzmán - a Mexican drug trafficker known as El Chapo, who is wanted by the US government with a bounty on his head of $5m.

Asylum Day jargon buster

Confusion reigns over many terms used to describe the asylum system and in debates over how well or not it works.  Use the guide below to find out what discretionary leave is, why the phrase illegal immigrant is officially meaningless and why the 1951 Convention is so important.  Either scroll down the page, arranged alphabetically, or use the links below to go direct to the explanation. Within each explanation, definitions for terms in bold can be found elsewhere on the page.

Asylum seeker

Often confused with illegal immigrant or refugee. Generally taken to mean someone who has fled persecution and applied for protection in another country, but use of the term varies around the world.  In UK law, it is defined as someone who has made a formal claim for asylum within the UK and whose claim is being processed.  The United Nations says asylum seekers are people who move across borders in search of protection, but who may not fulfil the strict definition of a refugee laid down by the 1951 Convention, to which the UK is a signatory.  The UN also describes an asylum seeker as someone "who has applied for protection as a refugee and is awaiting the determination of his or her status".

Deportation order

Mainly issued when an asylum claim and subsequent appeal have been rejected.  Anyone subject to a deportation order is required to leave the UK, and can be detained until they are removed. It also prohibits them from re-entering the country for as long as it is in force and invalidates any leave to enter or remain in the UK granted before the order is made or while it is in force.  A deportation order can also be made when the Home Secretary "deems the person's deportation to be conducive to the public good", or where a court has recommended it.

Discretionary leave

A grant of limited leave applied for one of a defined number of reasons. For example, in the case of an unaccompanied asylum seeking child for whom adequate reception arrangements in their country are not available.  Lasts for three years, it can then be extended or permission can be sought to settle permanently.  Alongside humanitarian protection, it replaced exceptional leave to remain in April 2003.

Dispersal scheme

System by which asylum seekers are housed outside London and the south-east, which the government says have accommodated more than their fair share.  Destitute asylum seekers are offered accommodation on a no-choice basis in houses, flats or hostels provided by local councils or private landlords.

Humanitarian protection

A grant of limited leave to stay in the UK for someone refused asylum but who can "demonstrate they have protection needs" - such as risk of the death penalty, unlawful killing and torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.  Lasts for three years, it can then be extended or permission can be sought to settle permanently.  Alongside discretionary leave, it replaced exceptional leave to remain in April 2003.

Illegal immigrant

Although a term widely used by the media and public, officially it does not exist. It is not defined anywhere in UK law and is not used as a category by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.  The closest official term is "illegal entrant", which mainly covers people allowed into the UK after deceiving an immigration officer (for example, by lying about the reason for their stay or using false documents), people entering in breach of a deportation order and people entering by clandestine means (for example by hiding themselves in freight lorries).  The 1951 Convention states that countries should not impose penalties on individuals coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom is threatened just because they have gained entry illegally.

Immigrant

An all-encompassing term usually taken to mean someone who leaves their native land and goes to another country as a permanent resident (as distinct from a holidaymaker, for example).

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Department of the Home Office responsible for immigration control at the UK's borders and for assessing asylum applications.

Indefinite leave to remain

Technical term for the permission an asylum seeker needs to be given to settle in the UK permanently.

Economic migrant

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the term migrant refers to someone who makes a conscious, voluntary choice to leave their country of origin. If and when they want to return, they can do so with no obstruction (or worse) from the government of the country to which they are returning.  An economic migrant is someone who leaves their country to seek a more prosperous way of life.

Exceptional leave to remain

A discretionary status now scrapped and replaced by humanitarian protection and discretionary leave. It was granted for various reasons to unsuccessful asylum seekers, mostly on compassionate or humanitarian grounds. The Home Office says its replacements will be applied "more sparingly".

Overstayer

A person who stays in the UK for longer than the period of time they have been granted. If caught, they can be served with a deportation order.

Reception centre

The Immigration and Nationality Department runs a centre at Oakington, near Cambridge, to hold asylum claimants newly arrived in the UK and their families. It "fast-tracks" claims where possible, normally within seven to 10 days.  If an asylum seeker's claim has been turned down, they are held further in another facility or moved under the dispersal scheme while an appeal is processed.

Refugee

In the UK, the term is used to describe someone who has successfully applied for asylum and been granted indefinite leave to remain.  Internationally the term has huge significance as it forms the benchmark of the 1951 convention, in which article one defines a refugee as: "A person who is outside his/ her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/ her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/ herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution."

Safe third country rule

Asylum claims may be refused if the applicant can be returned to a safe "third country".

For example, a country through which an applicant passed en route to the UK. The third country would then consider the merits of the applicant's claim.

Separately to the third country list, there are 24 countries the UK considers to be generally safe. If nationals from these countries apply for asylum and are refused, they are only allowed to appeal against the decision once they have left the UK.

Those countries are:

• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hungary
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Malta
• Poland
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Albania
• Bulgaria
• Jamaica
• Macedonia
• Moldova
• Romania
• Serbia + Montenegro
• Brazil
• Ecuador
• Bolivia
• South Africa
• Ukraine
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh

1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

A key international legal document, now with 143 signatories, that defines who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligations of states. Drawn up by a special UN conference, a significant provision stipulates that refugees should not be returned to a country where he or she fears persecution.

April 24, 2009: If you’re the envious type, then you have several opportunities to exercise your emotion if you come across Lawrence Mbugua’s resume.  Take your pick. If you’re still slaving over your postgraduate degree (or always on the verge of registering for one), then the fact that Lawrence earned his PhD at the age of 28 may just do it for you.  If you’re a football fan, especially if you root for Arsenal, then you’re welcome to begrudge his role in the building of Ashburton Grove (better known to you as the Emirates Stadium —the new home of the Gunners). If your gig is real estate, then Lawrence’s role in the Kenyan Property Exhibition in London may be what galls you.  If it has not hit you yet, Lawrence is one of those rare creatures – a polymath who excels at everything he touches. This statement has the element of hyperbole in it, but a closer look at what Lawrence has been able to achieve will justify the statement. Mbugua currently works for CAPITA, the largest Business Process Outsourcing company in the UK. (It may surprise some, but there are many BPO companies in the West, many of which are thriving.

As corporations adopt the twin mantras of leanness and core competencies, there are numerous opportunities for companies to take up the services that these companies excise from their operations. And the opportunities are not just going to companies in China, India and Kenya. Many outsourcing opportunities are staying right at home). Dr Mbugua is a Principal Consultant at CAPITA, responsible for providing project and programme management support to clients with large scale or difficult projects. And large scale is what some of these projects can be, when one considers that CAPITA had a turnover of £2.4 billion in 2008. He’s currently working on the 2011 UK census, which the British Government has outsourced to CAPITA. Before that, Mbugua had a similar role at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he also led a team in the project and programme management practice — a team that was involved in providing strategic advice and support on major transformational initiatives.

In simple terms, it meant advising on any project from a local council on its capital expenditure programme, to advising on the relocation of a government body from the capital city of London, while ensuring that all systems (IT, HR and knowledge management) were kept in place and that the move was seamless. This may seem a far cry from Lawrence’s humble roots of Eastlands (his mtaa of Mbotela) and original training at the University of Nairobi (UoN), from where he graduated with a degree in Building Economics and Management.  He enrolled at UoN from the Starehe Boys’ Centre, which is undoubtedly Kenya’s most admired secondary school institution. For him, being in construction and project management was a natural fit. He says: “I enjoy seeing ideas germinate into reality.  I find the whole process of discussing ideas, then planning how to make them real and then actually making things happens very exciting and this keeps me driven from project to project.” The grounding in Building Economics was followed up by a Masters’ degree in Property Investment and Development, quickly followed by a PhD in Strategic Business Performance Measurement.
 
What the dry rendering above has failed to mention is that, from the day he matriculated from Starehe, all through his two years of waiting to get into university and through his university education, Lawrence held a series of jobs that displayed, not just the breadth of his curiosity, but the skills that he was busy acquiring.  In short order, he was an Accounts Clerk at Raymond’s (remember it — the woollen suits that were a central part of every Kenyan man’s wardrobe?); a Junior Investment Analyst at the then Dyer and Blair Stockbrokers; and was part of the team that setup the Kenya Agricultural Commodities Exchange. This grounding in both academia and the working world has stood him in good stead throughout his career, although it led him to be a tad impatient with life. After his PhD, he lived the true academic life, but quickly tired of it. “I started off as an academic, published a few papers and lectured at a University in UK, but soon felt that it was too early for me to stick to lecturing as I was only 28 then.’

This impatience is what led Lawrence to a career that included work in both the public and private sectors in the United Kingdom. There have been useful lessons learned from each, and these are lessons that can be easily applied to Kenya. He says: ‘I have worked in both public and private sector organisations. Whilst working for Islington Council, I was involved in the building of the Emirates Stadium (by Arsenal FC) and was amazed at how local authorities are able to maximise the positive impact of development for the benefit of their local communities. For instance, Arsenal FC not only built the stadium but also invested in the local community by contributing to the upgrade of the tube (underground rail) station, building affordable housing and to local safety schemes, such as street lighting. I think there are plenty of opportunities for Kenyan developers to invest in local transport schemes, affordable housing and the like’.

The question always arises about whether Kenya is better served with its professionals outside the country getting skills and experience, or being at home and building the country from within.  It is a quandary that exercises Lawrence’s mind: “On one hand, I enjoy what I do and I feel I still have a lot to learn from the UK, but on the other hand, I feel that there is so much that I can contribute to Kenya if I came back.’ What he has decided to do, instead of wringing his hands in fair imitation of an indecisive Hamlet, is to act. He has set up an organisation called N4P – short for NETWORKING4PROFESSIONALS.COM, which seeks to search out and connect like minds. The organisation has already had significant successes. The Kenyan Property Exhibition in London, first held in 2007 and now an annual event, has grown in two short years to being one that attracted 15 exhibitors and well over 600 investors.

Bright path

More recently, in collaboration with Realken International, they facilitated an Invest in Africa Awards ceremony in Nairobi (www.Investin-Africa.com), where they recognised companies that are positively engaging with the diaspora. Mbugua is still fairly young — well below 40, and his skills and energies are burning a bright path through the UK’s public and private sectors.  (That he is still in the UK is something of a wonder to him. When I experienced my first winter in UK, I was ready to return. However, I decided to stick it out for a while and am still here after 12 years ). He wants to make sure that his efforts have an impact on both his temporary home in the UK and in Kenya. - Source-Business Daily Africa.

Nairobi, Friday 1st May, 2009. Hundreds of mourners Thursday thronged Ndiriri Primary School grounds in Ndia constituency, Kirinyaga West district for a mass funeral service for twelve victims of last week's Karatina massacre. A sorrowful mood engulfed the ground as the twelve white coated caskets with crosses inscribed with the names of the victims were lined up on wooden benches among religious leaders, dignitaries' and the mourners. The victims were all relatively young people born between 1970 and 1991 except Francis Wachira who was born in 1964. President Mwai Kibaki sent a message of condolences to families which was read by Gender, Children and Social Development minister Esther Murugi. In his message, Kibaki urged leaders to explore avenues of creating employment for the youth to discourage idleness and emphasized on the need for community policing in curbing crime. He asked the provincial administration to use all intelligence gathered to thwart such incidents in future. Murugi on her part blamed parents, religious leaders and teachers for failing to shape the youth into responsible adults adding that there was need to accord the youth a conducive environment for them to develop. "We have a duty to find a permanent solution to the problems affecting the youth in the country," she said. Speaking during the service, Saboti MP Eugene Wamalwa called for a comprehensive youth policy that will address the problems facing young people in the country. He said that the problems bedeviling the youth in Central Province were not unique to the area was spread across the nation. Assistant minister for local government Njeru Githae who is also the area MP led mourners in declaring a total war on drugs and illicit liquor.  Gichugu MP Martha Karua said there was need for consultation between leaders, the youth and parents to find a permanent solution to the youth problem in the region. The former Justice Minister warned against tagging names to criminals noting that every individual should be treated according to his/her actions. The 12 were among 29 people killed by suspected members of the Mungiki sect who were ostensibly on a revenge mission after their members were killed by vigilantes.

Marion Shako the Kenya gospel singer concluded her tour in the UK on Sunday 26th April, 2009 at CCBC Swahili Service in London. She took the service to a storm with her popular numbers where everyone in the church took to the stage. The whole service was for praise and worship. The congregation joined her to the platform as they could easily follow her beat. Together with the Marion was another Kenyan gospel musician Faith Kithele who also took her share leading praise and worship at the service. Marion email wyalima@yahoo.com and  for Faith Kithele is faithkithele@yahoo.com - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

"You can forgive someone almost anything. But you cannot tolerate everything...We don't have to tolerate what people do just because we forgive them for doing it. Forgiving heals us personally. To tolerate everything only hurts us all in the long run." - Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

Raila’s son linked to maize scam

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s name has been sucked into the controversy over a Sh3.6 billion maize scam and a parliamentary committee has recommended that his son, associates and personal assistant be investigated over the deal. The PM was not absolved of blame either, with the report alleging that the Cabinet’s Sub-Committee on Food Security that Raila chairs altered the tender specification to allow the highest bidder instead of the lowest. The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources further recommends the sacking of Agriculture and Special Programmes Permanent Secretaries as well as the managing director of National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Gideon Misoi to pave way for investigations. The committee further recommends that the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) investigate maize import procurement process and establish the role played by the firms awarded contracts, particularly the link to importers and to establish whether they were registered in Kenya. The Cabinet Sub-committee on Food Security, which the PM chaired, was singled out for investigation as it allegedly influenced the companies that tendered for imports. Others on the committee are the ministers for Finance, Special Programmes, Water and Agriculture. The report, tabled by committee chairman and Naivasha MP John Mututho, says the sacking of the two PSs and NCPB chief should be speeded up to "allow investigation and subsequent criminal and/or civil proceedings against them as pertains the maize scam". The 77-page report, Report on Food Security Status and the Maize Shortage in the Country, and dated April 2009, further recommends that all Government agencies involved in the importation of maize — NCPB, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Public Health Inspectorate and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service — be streamlined and appropriate measures put in place on the way they handle safety and quality of maize.

Tabled after Parliament approved Sh8.5 billion to import maize as part of the Sh26 billion budget on Wednesday, the report calls on the Ministry of Special Programmes to boost the capacity of the Strategic Grain Reserve Stores (SGRS) from three million to ten million bags. And to further cushion the country from food insecurity, the committee recommends that the SGRS diversifies the grains it stores and to make cash equivalent of 5 million 90kg bags at any one time. On the release orders given by various ministries, individuals and agencies to NCPB, the report recommends further investigation to ascertain the release orders of 3.4 million bags between December, 2007 and October, 2008. According to evidence adduced, the report says the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Food Security should be investigated on its role in maize importation. "It is this same committee that made resolutions which led to very exaggerated import prices and the taxpayer must have lost Sh3.6 billion," the report says. It further calls for enhanced management of the emergency grain reserve and proposes the inclusion of PSs in the ministries of Livestock, Public Health and Co-operative Development. Currently, the membership of SGR includes PSs in the ministries of Agriculture, Special Programmes and Finance. Expressing distrust with the Government over the distribution of relief food, the committee recommends that the Kenya Red Cross manage the process. This is what donors have been insisting. "The Government should stop distribution of famine relief, through the Provincial Administration, with immediate effect and distribute the same through the Kenya Red Cross or WFP; and just ensure a supervisory role," says the report.

The committee also calls for the destruction of 6,254 metric tonnes of condemned maize lying at the port of Mombasa.  It appeals to KACC to investigate claims of fraud and loss of public funds in the importation of GMO maize as directed by Agriculture PS Romano Kiome. "The maize being held at the Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd should be destroyed by Kenya Bureau of Standards in public and in the presence of the parliamentary committee and all relevant Government agencies," the report says. The committee summoned key Government officials, including Agriculture Minister William Ruto, and recommends that Mombasa Maize Millers be investigated for "hoarding in excess of 500,000 bags at the height of famine", allegedly causing a maize shortage. The ten-member committee received evidence from Mr Ruto, Dr Naomi Shaban (Special Programmes minister) and the managing director of NCPB. Others grilled were managing directors of Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya Plant Health and Inspectorate Service (Kephis), Kenya Ports Authority and the chief executive officer of Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd as well as individuals. The committee heard that maize flour prices increased suddenly because millers transferred the cost of maize to consumers. They bought a bag of maize at Sh2,300 instead of Sh1,700. It is estimated that the country would have about eight million bags of maize held by farmers, traders, millers and NCPB, the report says. The report also recommends investigation of maize millers to find out if they get high profits (104 per cent in maize and 214 per cent in wheat) at the expense of consumer prices. - The Standard.

Let us take a different direction now - make use of the article below:

Dear Mr Seed,  

Thanks for your promise to convey this Message of Good News to all Readers of www.misterseed.com website and others.  

Yes, as I was saying I need your help so that we can help our fellow Kenyans who live in the UK and who have hesitated to take out Life or Critical Illness Insurance covers for fear that they might lose their money and therefore their protection should they leave the UK anytime after taking out the cover.  

They don't need to worry anymore because they will be covered even if they decide to leave the UK at anytime after taking out the cover. That is their Life / Critical Insurance will hold good wherever they relocate to.

  Secondly, the Covers are cheap. From as little as £10 a month ( about 30p a day!!! ) one can get a cover. In other words the covers are Tailor-Made to suit every individual's pocket.

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7,000 prostitutes in Nairobi every night

An ongoing census on the number of female and male prostitutes in the country indicates there are more than 7,000 of them in Nairobi’s Central Business District every night. Through the recently launched Wacha Mpango wa Kando programme, the Ministry of Public Health is identifying prostitution hotspots and providing them with services and products to curb HIV. Through the National Aids and STDs Control Programme, universities of Nairobi and Manitoba in Canada, the ministry has opened a clinic in River Road where prostitutes are screened, treated and counselled at no cost. So far, the River Road clinic has screened about 6,000 prostitutes for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and about 30 per cent tested HIV positive. “We found HIV prevalence levels among prostitutes to be at 34 per cent, almost four times the national average of 7.1 per cent,” says Nascop head Dr Nicholas Muraguri. An interesting finding was that among the prostitutes visiting the clinic, 60 per cent either have a steady boyfriend or a husband who are not aware of their partner’s activities.  In such cases, the couple is highly unlikely to use a condom. Earlier, Public Health minister Beth Mugo said more clinics will be opened at prostitution hotspots on highways. Dr Muraguri said the clinics will operate mostly at night in the hope that the prostitutes will find this to be convenient. Male prostitution also appears to be on the rise as shown by a two-year study in Kisumu that said out of the 485 men who had sex with other men, 80 per cent were married or in a serious relationship. The study, in collaboration with Liverpool VCT, found that 75 per cent of men prostitutes did so to provide for their families. - Daily Nation.

Pitt Rivers Museum Luo Visual History

LEFT: A group of Luo men and women, probably photographed at a market in Nyanza. Luo body scarification decoration (ngo'ol) and personal body adornment (skin aprons, bead necklaces, armlets and anklets) of the period are all in evidence. Also visible here is the traditional use of cowrie shells (gaagi) on leather belts and headbands. The women seem to be on the way to a market with grain pots (agulu) and baskets (adita) on their heads. In some cases a coil (tach) made from papyrus reed or grass is used to balance the pot on the head. RIGHT: This is an elaborately dressed Luo man riding a well-trained ox (rwath). He is dressed as one who is attending a funeral, but the background context looks like a large organized display or show, with a line of schoolchildren watching some activity. The headdress is unusually large and probably constructed from a large leather or basket shape covered in plumes of ostritch feather (kondo udo). The distinctively shaped Luo shield (okumba) behind him with geometric designs is probably made from ox or even buffalo hide. The man is decorated with ochre on the legs (and probably face also). The mans ankle is adorned with a wound metal anklet and jingles (gara). This kind of gear is usually adorned by energetic middle-aged men who after a burial engage in the funeral ritual called tero buru (driving away death). -  [Gilbert Oteyo 21/04/2005]

Three new confirmed cases of swine flu have been diagnosed in the UK, bringing the total number to eight, the Department of Health has said.  Two of the cases are in London and one in Newcastle. All are said to be responding well to treatment.  Earlier, the government's chief medical adviser warned Britain will see "many, many more cases" of swine flu, although he said most people would recover.  In total, 230 possible flu cases are being investigated in the UK.

Horror as car ploughs into royal parade killing five

Five people were killed when a speeding car ploughed into a parade that included Queen Beatrix and the Dutch royal family. The accident, which happened on the national Queen's Day holiday today, injured 13 people - including some sent flying through the air - although no royals were hurt. The incident in the city of Apeldoorn appeared to be deliberate, with television footage showing the damaged car continuing to be driven at high speed after hitting the crowd, until it crashed into a stone monument.  Princess Maxima, wife of heir Willem-Alexander, looked on in horror after the black car drove through a crowd and rammed into the monument in the centre of the city, about 90km (56 miles) east of Amsterdam.  In a television statement, Queen Beatrix later said: "What started as a beautiful day has ended in terrible drama, wich has shocked us deeply."  Prosecutor Ludo Goossens said the incident appeared to be deliberate, but not an act of terrorism.

The government cancelled remaining official activities on the annual holiday, which citizens traditionally spend drinking, eating and buying used belongings along streets and canals.  Apeldoorn mayor Fred de Graaf said: "The scare and the images that the family has seen are reason to break off the official programme."  Journalist Peter von de Vorst told RTL television that the bizarre incident was like watching a horrible movie.  He said: "It was a really nice day. Then you hear a bang. Everyone looks up and you see people indeed flying through the air.  "This must be a joke or a strange prank. Then suddenly panic, and you realise that something really terrible has happened."  It was not clear how the car managed to enter the parade area, which police had sealed off hours before.  Police officers removed a 38-year-old man from the vehicle and put him into an ambulance. He was taken to hospital, where he was being treated under police supervision.  Other officers gave medical aid to spectators before they were taken to hospital.  Eight of the 13 injured were in serious condition.  Shortly after the incident, investigators and a sniffer dog examined the car for explosives, then sawed off the roof of the car for a closer inspection.

Cornwall Gets Nasty Over Devon's Pasty Prize

A row has erupted in the south west after a pie maker in Devon, UK was given the prize for Britain's best Cornish pasty. The decision prompted anger among bakers in Cornwall, who said that firms from the neighbouring county should be barred from entering the competition. An appeal to disqualify the winners, Chunk of Devon, failed. Some Cornish bakers are now threatening to boycott next year's ceremony. Chunk was given the top prize at the inaugural British Pie Awards ceremony last week. Matthew O'Callaghan, the chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, who organised the competition, admitted that to have been eligible, pasties should have been made in Cornwall. "There was supposed to be a disclaimer on the application form which stated all entrants to the Cornish Pasty competition must come from Cornwall," he said. "It wasn't done and I have to admit it was an administrative cock-up." Mr O'Callaghan said that while Chunk would keep its award because there had been an "honest mistake", next year the rules would be made much clearer.

The judges praised the Chunk pasty's taste, appearance, texture, size, pastry and local ingredients. But, traditionalists say that to be worthy of the name, a Cornish pasty must have been made on the correct side of the River Tamar. Ann Muller, of the Lizard Pasty Shop, said: "Why do they want to call their pasties Cornish? They're happy to call their cream teas Devonshire and we've got Cornish cream teas. "Let them put their pasties into a competition but call it a Devonshire pasty. Don't forget where the border is." Managing Director of Chunk, Simon Bryon-Edmond, defended his firm's right to the title, and accused Cornish rivals of complacency. "It seems the Cornish may have got a bit podgy round the waist when it comes to pasty-making and have been relaxing and rather resting on their laurels," Mr Bryon-Edmond said. "We were the underdogs in the competition but we know our pasty is a winner. "All of our ingredients are free range and locally sourced, and there are no additives whatsoever. We also use butter rather than margarine. "We like everything to be as natural as possible. The recipe is no great secret. We use the best ingredients and the best herbs and spices." Debate over the origins of the pasty has long raged between the two counties. In 2006 Todd Gray, a historian, discovered a shopping list written in Devon in 1510 which referred to ingredients to make pasties. However, Les Merton, the author of the Official Encyclopedia of the Cornish Pasty, argued that cave drawings show that pasties, wrapped in leaves rather than pastry, were eaten in Cornwall as early as 8,000BC.

BACK TO THE ROOTS

Traditional 3-legged Luo Elder Stool at the White

KIKUYU PROVERB

Gutiri gitaturagia kingi

Everything created on this earth is relevant to each other

Mzee Kangethe and his wife are in London. The couple arrived in the UK last week for the graduation of their daughter. Mzee Kangethe is one of the Kenyan celebrities having acted in a film in 1948. The title of the film was "Kangethe Thoma" which was being used to promote the education in Kenya. In the film Mzee Kangethe was acting as a young school boy ready to travel abroad to study and after studying, he was to come back to help his family. Mzee Kangethe is looking for the film in the British archives and if you know how he can be able to trace it you can contact him on 07943439132. He comes from Kwa Maiko, Kiambu, Kenya.

London, Thursday 30th April, 2009. A British school was shut today after a 12-year-old pupil tested positive for the swine flu virus. The girl was on the same flight from Mexico as Scottish honeymoon couple Iain and Dawn Askham who were confirmed as having the H1N1 strain on Monday. Anxious parents collected their children from Paignton Community College this afternoon. One said: “The girl that's ill is in Year 7. All the Year 7s were running around like maniacs shouting, Cover your mouths'.”Health Secretary Alan Johnson said: “The little girl is doing fine.” He said the anti-viral drug Tamiflu had been given to 230 pupils in her year. The 1,900-pupil school will be closed for seven days. The Health Protection Agency in Devon said the girl had been in close contact with 50 pupils and others.A woman aged 42 from Redditch and a 22-year-old man from Barnet, north London, have also been confirmed as having the disease, bringing the British total to five. Tests are being carried out on 78 people in Britain. Gordon Brown said all those affected had recently been in Mexico where the outbreak began. Mr Brown said Britain was taking “the preparations that are necessary” to try to prevent the spread of the disease. He told the Commons: “We have decided to build up stocks of anti-virals from 35 million to 50million. We are ordering a great deal more face masks.” Checks at airports are being tightened.  A 23-month-old boy was confirmed today as the first victim to die in the US. The Egyptian government is slaughtering all pigs in an effort to prevent the virus spreading.

KIKUYU PROVERB

Kieha ni ukia

Sadness ends to poverty

Getting ready for a major fundraising

The organising committee of Interdemonational World Revival Ministries, London are busy during their final touches as they await for their big fundraising event on Saturday 2nd May, 2009. The church is having the fundraising to buy their own church building in London. They have invited many guests from far and wide. The committee met on Wednesday 29th April, 2009 for the final touches as they await for the day. All the arrangements are complete and the event will take place at Royal Regency, 501 High Street North, Manor Park, London E12 6TH as from 6.00 p.m. - CLICK HERE FOR MORE

KIKUYU AGE GROUP

1968 - Rika ria Taiti

Age of Tight Dress

======================================================

THATCHED HOUSE IN LONDON REOPENING ON FRIDAY 1ST MAY 2009

Thatched House is reopening for business on Friday 1st May, 2009 as from 11.00 a.m.

A free drink for the first 50 customers.

RIPPLE ROAD, BARKING, ESSEX, IG11 9PG

TELEPHONE. 0208 5912721.

PK. 07960323586. ZAK. 07958 300 132,. BEN. 07787 925 818.

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Brutus The Grizzly Bear Is The Best Man

A wildlife sanctuary owner in America has told of his decision to chose a very unusual friend to be 'best man' at his wedding. Casey Anderson rescued grizzly bear Brutus from being put down at an overpopulated wildlike park. He was so taken by his new companion that he built a sanctuary in Montana where Brutus could "grow up being a bear". Anderson now runs the Montana Grizzly Sanctuary and takes in other rescued bears. But Brutus is the main attraction. He is used as an assistant to teach park visitors about grizzly bears and conservation. And the friendly bear has even appeared on TV and in films. One such role - in the film Pretty Ugly People - was responsible for Anderson meeting his wife Missi Pyle. Brutus became such a part of Anderson's life that he decided to have the animal as his best man at his wedding. He did not walk down the aisle with the pair but did happily pose for wedding photos, eat wedding cake and entertain the other guests. Anderson admits he feels he owes a lot to his relationship with Brutus. "I know that I have saved Brutus' life, but he saved mine too," he explains. "He gave me purpose, and the inspiration to try and make a difference in the world."

* For more information see www.channel.nationalgeographic.com

"When a chick ignores its mother's warning, the eagle grasps it for a meal." - Wisdom of Africa, Nigeria

Kenya Parliament approved the Sh26 billion mini-budget to allow the Government deliver services in the next two months even as MPs attacked luxurious allocations. MPs sanctioned withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of Sh16,355,411,140 and Sh9,895,900,650 for recurrent and development expenditure to sustain Government operations until June’s budget. Even then, Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta revealed the Government was still faced with a Sh38 billion gap in its financing plan, adding Treasury hoped to plug it through domestic borrowing. But MPs questioned the rationale of Government borrowing, including allocations they considered extravagant and unnecessary, in light of the global cash-crunch. Nambale MP Chris Okemo took issue with about Sh800 million set aside for refurbishment of buildings for embassies. Okemo, who is also the chairman of the Finance Committee, said prudent financial management dictated that the supplementary budget caters for ‘unforeseen’ expenditures. Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo wondered why crucial development projects should face cutbacks while State House received an additional Sh120 million for hospitality. Mr Kilonzo singled out Sh400 million allocated for pending bills, saying such provisions were not a priority and were subject to corruption. "There are better emergencies to cater for," Kilonzo said. - The Standard.

FREE COOKING CLASSES

East African Community Welfare Association, London will be starting the next FREE COOKERY and FOOD & HYGIENE courses on the 11th of May, 2009 at  Adult College  Barking from 18.00hrs-21:00hrs.  Only few places remaining.  If you are interested do call Mrs Ndegwa on 07506695851 or Mr Kuria (Josda) on 07508018091 to book yourself in.

Kenyan women hit men with sex ban

The wives of the Kenyan president and PM have been asked to join in

Women's activist groups in Kenya have slapped their partners with a week-long sex ban in protest over the infighting plaguing the national unity government. The Women's Development Organisation coalition said they would also pay prostitutes to join their strike. The campaigners are asking the wives of the Kenyan president and the prime minister to join in the embargo. They say they want to avoid a repeat of the violence which convulsed the country after the late-2007 elections. Relations between Kenya's coalition partners, led by President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, have become increasingly acrimonious.  Now the dispute has moved to the nation's bedrooms. Patricia Nyaundi, executive director of the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida), one of the organisations in the campaign, said they hoped the seven-day sex ban would force the squabbling rivals to make up. She said the campaign would start from her bedroom and that emissaries had been sent to the two leaders' wives, Ida Odinga and Lucy Kibaki, urging them to join in and lead from the front. "Even commercial sex workers should join in the campaign which is so vital to the country," Mrs Nyaundi told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme. "Great decisions are made during pillow talk, so we are asking the two ladies at that intimate moment to ask their husbands: 'Darling can you do something for Kenya?'" But the BBC's Anne Waithera in Nairobi says the campaign is likely to meet stiff resistance from some men. Our correspondent says some would argue that Kenyan men cannot even abstain for two days. The campaign is being backed by several other lobby groups, including the Caucus for Women's Leadership and Maendeleo ya Wanawake - a nationwide network of women's groups in rural Kenya. Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga agreed to share power last year to end post-election violence, which had left some 1,500 people dead and forced 300,000 from their homes. But the deal has soured with the premier's party claiming he has been sidelined and protesting over everything from electoral reform to the lack of a toilet for Mr Odinga during one recent official visit.

After a very entertaining start to the East African Tour Solo International Associates has patnnerd with kikati Events to bring for the first time ever Kenyan superstar RedSan to south London's Jasmins Club in Tooting Broadway featuring the 'Nakudata' Ugandan duo Radio & Weasle  this Bank Holiday Saturday 2nd April, 2009.

Bye bye Mama Kamau

We regret to announce the death of Esther Wambui Mwirigi on Sunday 26th April, 2009 in Kenya. Wife of Mr. George Mwirigi Kamau of Kangari Bookshop, Kangari, Kigumo, Muranga. Daughter of John Maina of Mathaithi, Githumu. Mother to Kamau George of  Nairobi, John Maina (Nairobi), Miss Monicah Wanjiku (Kangari), Rachel Njeri (Nairobi), Lydia Waitherero (Nairobi), Mr. Daniel Mwarangu Mwirigi (Milton Keynes, UK) and Peter Kimani (Nairobi). The husband of the late Esther is a first cousin to Mr. Seed.  Family and friends are meeting in Nairobi and in Kangari, Kenya. The body is at Githumu Mortuary and the burial takes place on Saturday 2nd May, 2009 at Kangari Village. Many of Njiiri's High School former students know her because they have been shopping at her shop. For more information please contact 07951220695 or in Kenya 0722715590.

"...Forgiving is not having to understand. Understanding may come later, in fragments, an insight here and a glimpse there, after forgiving." - Lewis B. Smedes - Forgive & Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don't Deserve

London, Wednesday 29th April, 2009. Three more cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Britain, the Prime Minister has revealed, including a 12-year-old girl. The school the girl attends, Paignton Community and Sports College, in Paignton, Devon, has been shut for a week and all pupils in her year have been given antiviral drugs. Mr Brown told MPs that the other new cases were adults, from Birmingham and London. All three had recently travelled to Mexico, had mild symptoms and were responding well to treatment, he said. Mr Brown said: "I believe we are taking the preparations that are necessary and the precautions to prevent further incidents of the disease in this country. "I can confirm that we have enhanced airport checks and that we are advising people not to travel to Mexico unless necessary. "We have decided to build up stocks of anti-viral drugs and we are ordering a great deal more face masks (for health staff) and we'll be sending out public information to all citizens of the country. "By Tuesday next week there'll be an information leaflet available for every family.

"The World Health Organisation says we are one of the best prepared countries, we intend to keep it that way and do everything in our power to make sure people are safe from this worldwide problem." Meanwhile, the first batch of test results on 23 patients in Scotland suspected of having swine flu have proved negative. Seven people who had been in close contact with Mexico honeymooners Iain and Dawn Askham have been given the all clear. The Askhams became the first British swine flu victims when they were confirmed to be suffering from the virus on Monday. The newlyweds are being treated in isolation at Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, Lanarkshire. Sky's Scotland correspondent James Matthews said:"That has to be good news. If the tests had been positive it would have suggested the virus was spreading rapidly."  Nine people who had been in close contact with them have had tests, along with another 14 people with travel links to Mexico or affected parts of the US who have shown mild flu symptoms. Health Secretary Alan Johnson briefed the Prime Minister on the latest developments before another meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee, Downing Street said.

Migration Advisory publishes its latest

recommended shortage occupations lists

Home Office, 29 April 2009

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) today published the first review of the shortage occupation lists for skilled workers coming to the United Kingdom from outside the European Economic Area. In the United Kingdom labour market, vacancy levels have fallen and unemployment and redundancies have risen sharply. The MAC has responded to the current economic climate by suspending quantity surveyors and managers in construction from the shortage occupation lists. The MAC has recommended a number of other key changes:
 

• only social workers for children and families are kept on the list; all other social workers should be removed;
• the skill threshold is changed for care assistants and chefs;
• the following jobs are added to the list: orchestral musicians, visual effects and computer animation technicians and contemporary dancers; and
• there are additions and removals within some job titles in the healthcare profession.

In announcing the publication of its recommendations the Chair of the Committee, Professor David Metcalf, said:

"The points-based system, including the shortage occupation list, has to operate for the benefit of United Kingdom workers, especially given the current economic climate.

"These latest recommendations take account of the impact of the worldwide recession on the United Kingdom. We have looked critically at the evidence regarding the occupations under review and made recommendations which balance the needs of the UK workforce against those of employers.

"It is important to note that some shortages of skilled labour will still exist in a recession. This can be where there is a long-term structural shortage of skilled workers, where workers provide key public services, or in areas such as culture where the United Kingdom needs to maintain global leadership."

The MAC is also starting an urgent review of all of the other occupations currently on the lists, to be completed in autumn 2009. It is estimated that the jobs and occupations on the MAC's recommended United Kingdom list employ approximately 530'000 people, or around two per cent of the workforce. This figure relates to the number of people (immigrants and non-immigrants) currently working in these occupations and job titles. The shortage occupation list has three stringent tests: the occupation in question must be sufficiently skilled, there must be a shortage of workers and it must be sensible to fill this shortage with workers from outside the European Economic Area. All recommendations made by the MAC are evidence-based and a wide variety of stakeholders are consulted. The MAC will continue to take evidence on all occupations and is open to discussion with interested parties about any aspect of its work. The Government will announce in due course whether it accepts the Committee's recommendations.

Kenya braced for swine flu threat

Nairobi, Kenya, Apr 29 - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it has enough stock of drugs that could be used in reducing the severity of the fast spreading swine fever that has so far killed more than 150 people in Mexico. WHO Disease Prevention Control Programme Officer Dr Joyce Onsongo said on Wednesday that there was an international emergency stock of three million tablets for distribution in any country that reports an outbreak. Speaking after the opening of a sensitisation meeting on International Health Regulations, Ms Onsongo said Kenya had already taken some stock just in case of any cases. “We have some anti virals, but I must say that these are really not cure drugs, they reduce the severity of the disease so they can be given to people who already got the symptoms to reduce the severity. But it does not serve as a cure; as you know viruses really have no cure,” she stated. Public Health Minister Beth Mugo emphasised the need for Kenyans to observe personal hygiene to prevent an outbreak of the swine fever, which is a human to human viral infection.

“Through our close collaboration with WHO and other partners, we have been able to initiate cross border surveillance and institute control measures,” Mrs Mugo said. Currently there is no vaccine available to protect against swine flu, which was first reported in Mexico and is spreading fast to other parts of the world. According to the International health body it would take six months to produce a prevention vaccine. On Tuesday, the Kenyan government assured that it had scaled up surveillance at all entry points to ensure the swine flu virus stayed out of the country. The Public Health Minister said that medical personnel would diligently screen passengers travelling into the country for signs of infection, adding that 26 influenza sentinel surveillance sites had been upgraded to detect any occurrence of illnesses related to the virus. The swine flu is believed to be caused by a mutated H5N1 strain virus subtype, which also causes bird flu. The new form contains DNA sequences from human and avian influenza viruses, as well as from other strains of swine influenza. The infection progresses rapidly. In those most severely affected in the Mexican outbreak, potentially fatal respiratory problems developed after less than a week of coughing, aches and fever. In Mexico, the death rate is unusually high among those who develop respiratory distress.

THE ANIMAL SMILE COMPETITION CONTINUES

Arusha-Namanga-Athi-River road construction launched

Written By: PPS   , Posted: Nairobi, Wed, Apr 29, 2009

President Mwai Kibaki and Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania Tuesday inaugurated the Arusha- Namanga-Athi River road construction work. The project costing US dollars 156 million is being funded through concessionary loans from the African development bank and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JICA) and Governments of Kenya and Tanzania. The occasion was also witnessed by Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi. Speaking during the officiating ceremony at Lengijave, Arusha President Kibaki said the launch of the road marks an important milestone in efforts to improve the physical connectivity of East African Community (EAC) partner states. President Kibaki noted that once completed, the modernization works on the road will have a positive impact on trade, tourism, agriculture and industrial promotion. "We look forward not only to the expeditious completion of the works we are launching today but also to the rapid implementation of other regional infrastructure projects," said President Kibaki. He therefore underscored the need for the East African Community (EAC) partner states to upgrade and modernize sections of the existing roads and railways network as well as extend the network to other sections within the region. President Kibaki said," Indeed, I am encouraged to note that in tandem with the modernization of the Arusha-Namanga-Athi River road, the African Development Bank is already supporting feasibility studies and detailed design for the Arusha - Moshi - Holili - Taveta - Mwatate - Voi road and the Mombasa - Lunga Lunga - Horohoro - ­Tanga roads".

Pointing out that poor road and rail infrastructure as well as delays at ports and border points have continued to constrain the movement of people and goods across national boundaries. President Kibaki said that the state of infrastructure has a direct contribution to the cost of doing business and competitiveness of firms regionally and internationally.  He added that the EAC Partner states have undertaken several joint projects to address the poor state of infrastructure in air, road and rail transport as well as port and telecommunications.  Noting that access to financial resources remains one of the greatest challenge in developing the requisite infrastructure in the region, President Kibaki said," This challenge is particularly acute at this time when development aid resources have come under severe strain on account of the current global economic crisis".  He therefore said it was imperative that the EAC Governments explore other means of raising financial resources for infrastructure development saying there is need to develop and implement a clear framework of facilitating private sector participation in infrastructure development either on its own or in partnership with governments.  The Head of state thanked development partners especially, JICA, the African Development Bank and the Chinese contractors for their various roles in undertaking this project. Other Speakers were the host President Jakaya Kikwete and the current East African Community (EAC) Summit Chairman President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, EAC Secretary General Juma Mwapachu, President of African Development Bank Group (ADB) Dr. Donald Kaberuka and Ambassador of Japan to Tanzania representing the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) H.E Hiroshi Najkagawa.

In his address President Jakaya Kikwete called for review of the EAC roadwork rehabilitation programme with a view to including Burundi and Rwanda. President Kibaki is accompanied by the Minister for East African Community Mr. Amason Kingi, Minister for Roads Franklin Bett, Assistant Minister Wilfred Machange, Permanent Secretaries, Thuita Mwangi, David Nalo, Dr. (Eng). Cyrus Njiru, Eng. Abdulrazaq Aden Ali and Dr. Edward Sambili. On Wednesday, the President will attend the 10TH Summit of the East African Heads of State in Arusha. Meanwhile, Kibaki Tuesday night held bilateral talks with  Kagame of Rwanda who paid him a courtesy call at his Presidential Villa, at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge. During the meeting, President Kagame informed President Kibaki that trade between the two countries has improved tremendous following the removal of visa requirements between the sister states. President Kagame expressed his desire to continue facilitating and encouraging free movement of goods and services, cross border investment and speedy implementation of mutual agreements. On his part, President Mwai Kibaki reiterated his Government commitments to providing a conducive environment to enable wananchi from the two countries harness the full potential of their cooperation. The President expressed satisfaction with the implementation of bilateral agreements signed between the two countries during his last year's state visit to Rwanda. Present were Minister for East African Community Amason Kingi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Thuita Mwangi and Kenya's High Commissioner to Tanzania Mutinda Mutiso among other senior Government officials from both countries.

Olympic champion Samuel Wanjiru held his nerve to win the men's London Marathon in a new course record time. Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya set a course record of two hours five minutes 10 seconds in the men's London marathon after breaking away from the lead group 29 km into the 42.195-km race. Kenyan athletes continue to dominate the event.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8019227.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8019390.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8019139.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8019372.stm

A new soft drink made from cow's urine may be launched in India by a hard line Hindu group known for their opposition of Western food imports. The manufacturers say small quantities of the liquid produced by Hinduism's revered holy cows is being mixed with products such as aloe vera and gooseberry to fight diseases. An officer in charge of the manufacturing unit in Kanpur said the product will be sold nationwide and that it will beat other soft drinks. - VIDEO

Thousands of people run the London marathon to raise money for charity, but some go the extra mile by dressing up for the occasion. Snow White turned out to raise money for Asthma UK and Wonderwoman put in a heroic effort for Countess Mountbatten Hospice. Elsewhere, Stig was supporting Chase and the Starlight Children's Foundation had its own superstar on the course. SEE BELOW:

A colourful church ceremony took place in Coventry, UK on Saturday 25th April, 2009 where Pastor Jane Muiruri well known as Wamuita was ordained as a church minister. The ceremony which took place at Meredith Road Baptist Church in Coventry was officiated by Rev. Peter Wangaruro of Jubilee Family Ministries. The well attended ceremony started at about 2.00 p.m. and concluded without dressing the ordained minister because Arch Bishop Hackman of TAPAC who was suppose to officiate flew to Israel to attend an urgent meeting. The dressing ceremony will take place at a later date. Pastor Jane was escorted to the alter by her husband Pastor Muiruri. The preacher Rev. Wangaruro preached from the Book of John 11:4-11 and again from Mathew 16:23. He explained that many people have missed their blessing in life because of waiting for tomorrow and the tomorrow that never come. "Many people here have the spirit of Kumamiriria (slowness). Many have been marking time for the last ten years. Wake up with your vision. Those of you who have been wanting to go back to school to further your education - go back to school. stop working and go back to school - it's time. I have changed my mentality - I can leave the UK anytime if God directs me to do so." Rev. Wangaruro explained. He continued that many people have remained an egg that never hatches because they don't want to leave their comfort zones. "At one time in life you have to leave some friends - those friends are full of discouragements. I know some people here in Coventry have been spreading rumours that the ordination has been postponed. Learn to talk good about other people." the preacher concluded.

Left photo Pastor Jane Muiruri with her husband Pastor Muiruri with the officiating minister Rev. Wangaruro and on right Rev. Wangaruro anointing Pastor Jane to a church minister - CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

Je, huu ni ungwana Bwana Mbegu?

"A large number of young Kenyan men in Kenya and in the UK have turned to eating miraa (khat) refusing to work so as to catch up with the habit. Some travel from far to fetch the plant in London with some going to the extent of losing their family because the wife cannot cope up with the habit"

ODM has no legal merit for Raila to take over top Parliament job

Listening to MPs debate who should be the Leader of Government Business in the House on Thursday was embarrassing. It was equally shocking that some MPs are incapable of comprehending the laws and Standing Orders they themselves made. It is true the 2007 elections were bungled. It is also true Kenyan politicians led by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga were essentially compelled by the international community to enter into an accord. It is also true the two competing parties, PNU and ODM, sent negotiators, who arrived at an agreement reduced into the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008 and The Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Act 2008. These introduced Section 15A, which provides that inter alia: There shall be a Prime Minister of the Government of Kenya. Section 3(1) of The National Accord and Reconciliation Act states: There shall be a Prime Minister of the Government of Kenya and two Deputy Prime Ministers, who shall be appointed by the President in accordance with this section. A proper and honest reading of the law as negotiated clearly shows the position of the President, as Head of State and Government did not change. It may be true the parties’ intended otherwise but the law remains, which is an indictment of the negotiators, particularly the ODM team.

The Constitution provides at Section 23 that: (1) The executive authority of the Government of Kenya shall vest in the President and, subject to this Constitution, may be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him; (2) Nothing in this section shall prevent Parliament from conferring functions on persons or authorities other than the President. Conversely, the Accord Act Section 4 spells out as follows: (1) The Prime Minister; (a) shall have authority to co-ordinate and supervise the execution of the functions and affairs of the Government, including those of Ministries; (b) may assign any of the co-ordination responsibilities of his office to the Deputy Prime Ministers, as well as one of them to deputise for him; (c) shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the President or under any written law. The upshot of the above is that under Kenya’s hybrid system of government, the President is the Head of Government and its leader. The problem currently pre-occupying Parliament only arises because traditionally the President does not attend Parliament except on State openings. That is why he designates a minister, who is his principal assistant by virtue of Section 15 (3) of the Constitution to be the Leader of Government Business in the House. In light of the law, the argument that the PM should be the Leader of Government Business has no merit. The only instant when the PM or any other minister may be Leader of Government Business is when designated by the President in accordance with the amended Standing Orders. What is clear is that there is a subtext to the debate, which is but a red herring. The truth is ODM realises it had a bad deal. In its mind, which is unsupported by the law, there is an institution of co-presidency. - The writer is an advocate of the High Court. - Sunday Standard.

The ordination of Pastor Jane Muiruri (Wamuita) in Convetry, UK on Saturday 25th April, 2009 was well attended - after the ceremony her two sisters - Mumbi (left) and Njeri (right) could not hind their joy as they congratulated her.

Towards a Strong United Independent Church Movement in the UK
By Bishop Francis Waihenya
Introduction
 
It would be an understatement to say that the religious map of the world has changed and that the map of Christianity has also changed with it. This has resulted in the centre of gravity of the Church moving from the Northern Hemisphere to the South Hemisphere. The fact that most of the fastest growing Churches in the UK are those lead by Africans in the Diaspora is neither by chance nor by coincidence.

We, the Christian leaders from the South who are ministering to communities in the North, therefore have this not-to-be-missed opportunity to make our unity in Christ visible in our day-to-day commitment to mission.

Our people in the South present us with a challenge because they are trapped in poverty, a complicated social issue involving all areas of life - physical, personal, social, spiritual and cultural.
 
Ministering in Unity
 
Ministering in unity should not therefore be regarded as an option but as a possibility in so far as we continue proclaiming Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and presenting the gospel in its entirety. We need to be clear that the communities where we are located here in the UK and elsewhere needs Jesus Christ and we should come together in unity of mission to declare that truth.

The Independent Churches derive their unity from faithfulness to the Word of God and The Great Commission. We affirm with The Lausanne Covenant that “the visible unity of the church in the truth is the will of God and that Evangelism is also an invitation to unity, since unity strengthens our witness, just as disunity is a denial of our gospel of reconciliation".

I am therefore personally convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that the issues of church unity and effective church leadership are critically important to the future survival of the Kenyan Independent Churches here in the UK.

Organizational Instability
It is common knowledge that in the last couple of years; the Kenyan Churches in the UK have passed through a period of organizational instability, internal strife, and disunity among church leadership and members.

As is often the case, some of the many reasons that have contributed to this instability may include lack of integrity and honesty, lack of Church administrative and management skills, lack of fellowship amongst leaders and lack of organized representative administrative bodies that would bring the Churches and or ministers together.
Whatever the issues, it has become evident that, as a Christian church, we need to restore unity and governance befitting a body of Christ. It is therefore essential that the leadership of the Kenyan Independent Churches in the UK work on finding a solution that would lead to healing this disunity that continues to tear the body of Christ apart by working in isolation.

Church Leadership
Quality of our Church leadership will be evidenced in acts of unity and in Christian conduct that is exemplified by honesty, kindness, and in setting others higher than ourselves. This is the message we need to share with each other as we pursue the need for the Kenyan Churches in the UK to unite and work together as a one body.

I have reason to believe that the Kenyan Church leaders in the UK are aware of the fact that the things that went wrong and robbed us of our unity which in return has taken away our ability to address issues that face us and the people we serve can only be addressed and fully resolved by ourselves.

Leadership integrity and restoration of trust in dealing with each other should be considered as critically important and as one of our top priorities as we all walk together the path of healing towards this unity of the body of Christ.

Ministering Holistically
Our continued service to the Kenyan community in the UK and the regions beyond should be seen by the effective presence of the church in her involvement in a holistic ministry that addresses spiritual, physical and social needs of her members including and not limited to humanitarian and development activities.

Even as we boldly proclaim the good news, wherever possible, in church and in public halls, on radio and television, and in the open air, because it is God's power for salvation and we are under obligation to make it known, the Church should also be actively involved in social outreach.

Confronted with Luke's emphasis that the gospel is good news for the poor, we need to ask ourselves what this means to the majority of the population who are destitute, suffering or oppressed. We have been constantly reminded that the law, the prophets, the wisdom books, the teaching and ministry of Jesus, all stress God's concern for the materially poor and our consequent duty as a Church to defend and care for them.

Proclamation of God's Kingdom
 
The proclamation of God's kingdom demands the prophetic denunciation of all that is incompatible with it. Among the evils we should deplore are:
·         Destructive violence like one that we witnessed in Kenya in 2008
·         Political corruption which affected our Church leaders in Kenya in the last general elections
·         All forms of exploitation of people and of the earth’s resources following our failure to remain faithful stewards of creation
·         The undermining of the family unit which forms the nuclear of the Church  
·         Demand for abortion, drug trafficking, and the abuse of human rights.

In our concern for the poor as Church leaders, we should both feel increasingly distressed by the burden of debt our people have been subjected to by the politicians who are left to decide for themselves the salaries, allowances and expenses they need to be paid from the taxes of the poor in total disregard of the taxpayers.

  We are the Image of God
We have a responsibility as a Church to ensure that the Good News we preach also address the structures and systems of this world so that they are aligned to operate within our Creator’s requirements.

It is this practical alignment that will progressively release the people we serve from their systemic problems of poverty, lack and oppression. We should be outraged by the inhuman conditions in which we as Church leaders and the people we serve continue to live despite bearing God's image as we do.

Our Mission is Incarnation
 
Our commitment to social action is therefore recognition that the biblical gospel has inescapable social implications. True mission should always be incarnational in that it necessitates entering humbly into other people's worlds, identifying with their social reality, their sorrow and suffering, and their struggles for justice against oppressive powers which cannot be done without personal sacrifices by Church leaders like you and me.

As Church leaders, we should repent that the narrowness of our concerns and vision has often kept us from proclaiming the lordship of Jesus Christ over all of life, private and public, local and global and determine to obey his command to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33).

The Great Commission
It is a pity that many of us today still interpret the Great Commission (Matt. 28.20) in the version of an exclusive mission of preaching, converting and teaching. According to John Stott, “It is not just that the commission includes the duty to teach converts everything Jesus had previously commanded (Matthew 28.20); but, social responsibility is among the things which Jesus commanded.

We should not only see the consequences of the commission but we must understand the actual commission itself to include social as well as evangelistic responsibility, unless we are to be guilty of distorting the words of Jesus” (John Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975], 23).

While the Bible gives us a comprehensive understanding of health, Shalom connects evangelism to development and provides the key to understanding holistic mission. To be in Christ is to be in shalom. Holistic mission therefore is the outworking of what we are individually and corporately in Christ.
 
Conclusion
In conclusion, I call upon Kenyan Christian leaders in the UK to seriously consider starting a Ministers and Leaders Forums in your respective regions to address the inability of our churches to speak with one voice about the issues affecting us and the people we are called to serve and to address the problems of co-operation between our independent churches.

Since God has called us to be part of a communion, part of a Kenyan community, it is not an option to reclaim the unity Christ has given us, and since the heart of the gospel is that we are better together than disunited, organization of such leaders’ forums and meetings are critically important.
 
My fellow ministers and community leaders, we are called to unite and support one another, to be a community and a communion and to go together for the long haul for the sake of the peace and reconciliation of our people.

We thank God for the leaders who have such forums like The Oxford Pastors’ Forum which I had the grace to be one of the facilitators of its formation before its launch on 21st February 2009.

For those leaders who are planning these forums in various regions in the UK take courage and let us learn from one another by accommodating each other’s suggestions and giving the Holy Spirit a chance because the unity of the church will be a work of the Spirit, or it will not be at all.

I humbly welcome constructive comments and suggestions through e-mail or telephone contacts at the bottom of this page
 
Stay blessed
 
Bishop Francis Waihenya
4 Nicholson Road
Oxford OX3 0HW
Tel.: +44 7906 979 262 (Mobile)
Tel:. +44 1865 243 460 (Hse)
 bishopwaihenya@yahoo.co.uk

GSU to hunt down sect members

The government has sent in GSU officers to Kirinyaga West and Nyeri East districts to hunt down members of the outlawed Mungiki sect. Heavily armed officers arrived in the area on Friday night and are camping at the Kerugoya and Karatina police stations. They are patrolling Kerugoya town, neighbouring villages and the Mt Kenya Forest to flush out Mungiki members suspected of having killed 29 people in Gathaithi village in Nyeri East, which neighbours Kirinyaga. The officers are also expected to try to halt the wave of revenge killings in Kirinyaga West district where a vigilante group hacked to death a widow, Jane Nyaruia, and burnt down her house, accusing her of funding Mungiki activities. - MORE

Nairobi, Saturday 25th April, 2009. Bishop Eliud Wabukhala has been elected as the new archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK).  The Archbishop-elect, formerly of Bungoma diocese was elected in a ceremony that lasted over five hours at the All Saints Cathedral.  He won on a simple majority, after they all failed to garner the mandatory two thirds of the votes.  He beat three other contestants including Joseph Wasonga of Maseno West diocese, Samson Mwaluda of Taita Taveta diocese and Stephen Kewasis of Kitale diocese.  Speaking to the press after his election, an elated Wabukhala expressed gratitude to the church for the peaceful transition. "I would like to thank the Anglican (church) and particularly the electoral college, for the peaceful election they have carried out, and for maintaining the integrity of the church," he told reporters . He says he is ready to take the baton from where his predecessor, Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi left, noting that the challenges are indeed opportunities . "We know there are challenges to do with building bridges among our community, reconciling people and healing. We shall continue with where he has left. Our aim is to ensure the gospel is preached and taught, and possibly med to make people live it in this country" He added The election was conducted by the provincial chancellor assisted by other chancellors. These are lawyers working as advocates, but who offer to work in the church. The election of an Archbishop is carried out by the electoral college , which consists of 17 members from the All saints cathedral and five members from each of the remaining 29 dioceses.  The ACK has 30 dioceses.  The All Saints Cathedral is given priority because besides electing the Archbishop, they are also electing the bishop who doubles the two posts. The ceremony was preceded by a consecration service, to pray for the nominees. The service was attended by members of the electoral college as well as interested observers.  Wabukhala takes over from Nzimbi who retires on 30th June 2009, after having served for seven years.  Nzimbi formally retires after attaining the mandatory 65 years. Wabukhala will assume office on July 1st, but will be enthroned on 5th July at the All Saints Cathedral.

The 58 year old Wabukala who has been serving as the Bungoma Bishop

The chief moderator is about to say "I do"

The chief moderator of this website is getting married. Mr. Jackson Karanja Njiiri, 29 is marrying  Miss Sharon Njeri Thiong'o. Their wedding takes place in London on 11th July, 2009 and there will be a pre-wedding on Saturday 6th June 2009 at Memorial Baptist Church Hall, 395 Barking Road, London E13 8AL. Jackson is the first born of  Mr. Seed and Pastor Jane Njiiri. The young couple live and work in Nottingham. The family flew to Kenya last month to see the parents of Sharon who are expected to attend the wedding. Several guests are coming from Kenya and USA to grace the occasion.

Major Health Fears Over Mexico's Deadly Flu

Emergency steps have been taken to contain a deadly new strain of flu that has killed over 60 people in Mexico and spread north to the United States. More than 1,000 others are reported to have been infected by the swine flu virus. At least eight people have been infected by the worrisome new virus in Texas and California, though there have been no deaths in the US. Mexican authorities have closed schools and other public buildings, suspended public events and begun a vaccination campaign in an attempt to contain the outbreak. Mexican health minister Jose Angel Cordova confirmed 20 deaths from swine flu and said authorities were probing another 40 who had died with flu symptoms. The flu combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before. "We are very, very concerned," World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesman Thomas Abraham said. "We have what appears to be a novel virus and it has spread from human to human... It's all hands on deck at the moment." The head of the WHO, Margaret Chan, has cut short a visit to Washington and returned to the agency's Geneva headquarters to oversee the handling of the outbreak. The UN health agency says lab tests have confirmed 12 of the Mexican cases are identical to a swine flu virus detected in the US. It is convening an expert panel to decide whether to raise the pandemic alert level. Mexican authorities have urged people to avoid hospitals unless they had a medical emergency. They also said the public should avoid customary greetings such as shaking hands or kissing cheeks. At Mexico City's international airport, passengers were questioned to try to prevent anyone with flu symptoms from boarding aircraft and spreading the disease. Residents of the capital donned surgical masks and authorities ordered the most sweeping shutdown of public gathering places in a quarter century.

A fundraising for Elizabeth Kihoro in London

She came to the UK for a leg replacement in year 2000. Kenyans in the UK helped her to get a new leg replacement and she went back to Kenya in 2001. Elizabeth Kihoro from Nakuru lost her right leg in a road accident in Kenya in 1997 ten years after loosing her husband. She was supposed to come back for the leg service after 5 years but due to lack of finances, she was not able to come back until March this year. She has now reported to the doctor and the cost has gone too high. Initially she did not want to bother people but the cost has gone beyond her expectations. We need to help her. A fundraising has been organised for her on Sunday 10th May, 2009 at Memorial Baptist Church, 395 Barking Road, London E13 8AL as from 5.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. We need to help the widow so that she can go back to her family in Kenya. Her contact in the UK is 07529322036. For more information please contact 07908670324 or 07951220695.

First albino buffalo spotted at Hellsgate

Written By:AFP   , Posted: Fri, Apr 25, 2009
 

Rangers in Kenya's Hellsgate National Park have spotted an albino buffalo, the first of its kind ever recorded in the country, park officials said Friday. "This is the first time that an albino buffalo has been found in our parks and it's a great day for nature and animals lovers," said Nelly Palmeris, senior warden at Hellsgate. The three-month-old calf, spotted within a large herd, has a very light brown coat, and is easily distinguished from other buffalos. Its lighter colour will make it a more noticeable target for predators, park officials said. The cultural stigma against albinos, both animal and human, among the Maasai pastoralists that live near the park could also create a threat. "The African community and especially Maasais associate albinos with bad omens," Palmeris said. "We are just coming from a bad drought and the Maasai might associate the famine with this buffalo and kill it." She added that rangers have enhanced security around the herd to ensure the Maasai do not attack the unique mammal. The calf was not spotted for months after its birth because its herd was largely confined to obscure, shaded areas to mitigate against recent drought conditions. While the rare sighting is a first for Kenya, albino buffaloes have been spotted in several other countries.

Rangers in Kenya's Hellsgate National Park have spotted an albino buffalo, the first of its kind ever recorded in Kenya. The three-month-old calf, spotted within a large herd, has a very light brown coat, and is easily distinguished from other buffalos.

"We won the election and because of loss of lives due to the post-election violence we agreed to share the loaf. This is an indication that I was not hungry for power because I could have not agreed to negotiate. We have been gentle for long and this should not be misconstrued," he said. Raila said in Tanzania, Uganda, UK and Germany, the Prime Minister was the Leader of Government Business in Parliament and wondered why Kenya wanted to adopt a different position.

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