London Latest News September 2008
Report reveals arms imports
A Soviet tank on display. A report says Kenya has been importing tanks, submachine guns and automatic rifles without reporting to the UN, in defiance of international agreements. Photo/FILE
Nairobi, Saturday October 4, 2008. A total of 77 tanks and 15 jet fighters were secretly imported by Kenya last year alone, according to official documents. Two rocket launchers and more than 40,000 automatic rifles and machine guns were also brought in, the United Nations says. Yet the government has not reported its arms purchases to the United Nations, as required by international agreements, the Sunday Nation can reveal. Instead, Kenya told the UN it had not imported any arms at all. The purchases are detailed in a report by Ukraine to the United Nations in which it said it had exported the tanks and guns, among other weapons. The jet fighter imports from Jordan are shown in a report published on the internet this week by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute which tracks the international movement of arms. Ukraine’s reports of exports to Kenya were filed by the source country to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, UNROCA. Since 1993 when the register was first compiled, Kenya has been reporting that it made no imports and no exports of arms. The purchases represent a significant rearming of Kenya’s military. As a sovereign nation, Kenya has a right to buy and sell arms. Kenya treats virtually all information about its military as classified, though a lot of information about its strength and armaments can be gleaned from official and academic sources. The report by the Stockholm Institute shows that Ukraine inherited millions of small arms and light weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, ending up with over seven million small arms and light weapons which it has over the years exported to different countries.
Top five importers
The top five importers were the United States, the UK, Libya, Azerbaijan and Georgia, itself previously part of the Soviet Union. “Ukraine has made significant progress in improving transparency and controlling exports in recent years,” wrote Paul Holtom of the institute. According to the latest report released by the Ukrainian government, Kenya imported 40,000 automatic rifles and submachine guns and 405 grenade launchers last year. “Although Kenyan officials made it clear that the 33 T-72 tanks, grenade launchers and ammunition aboard the hijacked Ukrainian ship MV Faina were part of a larger deal under which tanks, artillery and small arms and light weapons were delivered by Ukraine in 2007, these weapons did not appear in Kenya’s recent submission to UNROCA for 2007,” Mr Holtom wrote. Significantly, he pointed out, the report to UNROCA of no imports or exports was made on September 26 this year, the same day that MV Faina was hijacked off the coast of Somalia and just hours before it was expected to dock at the port of Mombasa. The international mechanism for reporting imports and exports of arms and light weapons was established in 1992, the Sunday Nation established, but Kenya has always reported to the UN that it neither imported nor exported small arms and light weapons.
Tundo fastest man in Olepolos
Kirit Rajput, co-driven by Ravi Shoni, power their Subaru Impreza at Oletepesi as a Maasai moran cheers them during the S&L Rally, on Sunday. They finished 11th.
Tundo beat 39 drivers on Sunday to win the KCB S&L Rally, the sixth of the eight rounds Kenya National Rally Championship in Olepolos and Corner Baridi. Tundo was handed the good news on entering the service park at Olepolos after Lee Rose had suffered a tyre puncture in the final leg. Tundo, who was navigated by Tim Jessop in a Subaru Impreza N10, has now opened the championship battle, cutting leader Baldev Chager’s lead to 75 points. Tundo has now amassed 335 points with Chager, who struggled to finish fourth, is on 410 points. Charles Hinga and Michel Puchercos rolled, Susheel Shah’s Subaru Impreza encountered suspension problems, while Anwar Pandya’s car suffered a fuel pump problem. Hinga (95 points) has lost ground at the top of the two-wheel drive to Leonardo Varese (102 points) who won in this category on Sunday.Tundo, who is sponsored by Dalbit Petroleum, was timed at 1:46.07 to clinch the title while OiLibya’s Azar Anwar held on tightly to take the second slot in 1:47.28. Anwar, navigated by Julius Ngigi, started on pole and had the risk of clearing the way for his rivals albeit racing cautiously.Was forced to stopHis second slot finish, his best this season, also see’s him jump to 282 points to retain his fourth slot. The Triton Petroleum crew of Lee Rose and Piers Daykin saw the title slip through their fingers within distance to the finish line.The duo, known for their fast speed, proved the organisers right as they led their Mitsubishi Evo9 car through most of the stages and looked destined for the champagne celebration only to have a puncture. He tried to push on driving another 1km, but was forced to stop and fix it if he was to avoid another early retirement, having faced a similar nightmare in Mogotio and Nanyuki.Rose was timed at 1:47.44, which was 16 seconds slower than Anwar. He, however, retains his third slot with 300 points. Chager was fourth, having survived a scary first stage puncture which left him in 10th as he started the second stage at Kipeto to Corner Baridi.
Thugs raid Olympic champion's home
The 2008 Beijing Olympics Marathon Gold medallist Samuel Wanjiru's residence in Nyahururu. Photo/FILE
More than 10 heavily armed men are said to have raided the palatial home of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Kamau Wanjiru at Muthaiga Estate in Nyahururu Town and terrorised his family for close to thirty minutes on Friday night. But the Nyandarua North District Commissioner Mr Hassan Farah later refuted claims that the incident had occured. Mr Farah said the gunshots the residents heard on Friday night were fired by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers and Administration Police officers who had been sent to drive 50 elephants back to the forest.
‘These reports about an attack on the athlete’s home are totally unfounded. No one raided the home.’ The DC told the Nation in Nyahururu Town.He added that no report on a robbery had been made to the police in Nyahururu and urged residents to stop manufacturing rumours.The gold medalist was not at home during the said 11 am attack. He had earlier left for Nairobi to grace the Ndakaini marathon, which was held on Friday. The robbers, who were said to be armed with AK 47 rifles, scaled a perimeter fence and then cut an an electric fence surrounding the bungalow. They also dismantled flood lights and used their powerful torches to gain access into the main apartment. They ordered them including the champion's wife Triza Kamau to lie prostrate on the floor, as they intently looked for valuables and cash.
The wife said she switched on the alarm, as the robbers ransacked the well-furnished living room and bedrooms.
"They appeared to admire the medals as they demanded money from us. But, they did not touch them. They were desperate to get money,"Mrs Kamau told the Nation on Friday. As they patrolled in the house, the robbers fired several shots in the air. "When they fired police were quite baffled since they thought the thugs had vanished," she said
They exchanged fire in the darkness for few minutes," added the terrified mother of one daughter. They later learnt that the robbers had left using a four wheel vehicle towards central business district. Nothing was stolen. Nyandarua police chief Charles Wasike said nobody has been arrested in connection with the raid. He said the police were pursuing leads that could leads to arrests.
Muslim leaders want law review suspended
President Kibaki with Supkem chairman Prof Abdulghafur El-Busaidy at a previous function at State House Nairobi. Photo/PPS
Muslim clerics want the Kenya's Constitutional Review process suspended to allow for further evaluation of the Bills proposed by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister. The leaders also want issues leading to the post-election violence and the resettlement of the internally displaced resolved before a referendum is conducted. Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (Supkem) national chairman Prof Abdulghafur El-Busaidy said the Bills prepared by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Ms Martha Karua had serious shortcomings. “Supkem has critically analysed the purpose and intentions and effects of these Bills, especially if they pass into law. Overall, Supkem believes that it will be unwise for the Minister to introduce the Bills in the National Assembly 'as-is’. Supkem appeals for careful reflection on the pertinent matters,” he said in a letter to the Minister. Prof El-Busaidy said the country was still deeply divided and leaders should stop assuming all is well. “People are superficially OK but all this is very temporary until all the issues that led to the chaos triggered by the disputed elections are resolved,” he said. The chairman was speaking in Mombasa at a National Muslim Civic Education Consortium at the Reef Hotel where the Constitution Review plan was discussed. He said the Government must first ensure that there was reconciliation and a prevailing sense of justice to the affected communities during the poll violence. “There will be no reconciliation until justice is done,” he said.
OFFICIAL: THE BRITISH DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE
DESIRABLE: Seaside property sales are on the increase
FALLING property prices have sent Britons rushing to the seaside. Between January and June this year 25,468 householders moved to the coast. Miles Shipside of property website Rightmove.co.uk said: “The market downturn has resulted in a greater availability of houses in picturesque coastal locations. “Previously they got snapped up but now are hanging around for longer and the owners are having to consider lower offers.” The march to the sea is revealed in a study by Royal Mail of more than half a million requests for postal redirection this year. The Home Movers Barometer study found that Kent, “The Garden Of England”, is the most desirable county, with 4,661 moves into the area. London and Surrey had more people moving in – but also had more people moving out. Of the top 10 most desirable places to live in the UK, all but one county enjoys a beautiful coastline yet nine of the 10 least desirable regions are located inland.
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