Kenya Insights

Category: Arts & Culture

  • Wajinga Nyinyi: King Kaka To Delete Viral Video Hours After It Premiered

    Wajinga Nyinyi: King Kaka To Delete Viral Video Hours After It Premiered

    Kenyan rapper Kennedy Ombima best known by his stage name King Kaka has announced on Instagram and Twitter pages that the viral poetic piece ‘Wajinga Nyinyi’ is getting taken down from YouTube “until a few things are sorted”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B6DrmsFF107/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    This comes just a few hours after the artist suggested his life was in danger due to the same on Twitter a couple of hours after he released the video which targets high profile politicians who have been mentioned in corruption cases over the years.

    The hit piece received countrywide support from Kenyans with most taking to social media using the hashtags #WajingaNyinyi and #WajingaSisi which have since been trending on Twitter for the better half of the day. The video received endorsements from ctivist Boniface Mwangi, banished politician Miguna Miguna, Film board boss, Ezekiel Mutua and many more

    In the art piece, which became an instant hit on YouTube, amassing 68, 000 views in just eight hours, the 32-year-old musician called out the Kenyan electorate for voting in leaders who are selfish, scandalous, corrupt and highly-deceitful.

    Here is the full video:

    Here are some of the notable tweets on the trending topics.

    https://twitter.com/muthoni_njakwe/status/1205812952147931136?s=20

  • Ringtone: I’ve Not Had Twa Twa In Seven Years

    Ringtone: I’ve Not Had Twa Twa In Seven Years

    Controversial gospel singer Ringtone Apoko who has been in the news for standing with placards in a bid to find himself a ‘God-fearing, hardworking wife’ has now said he has not been involved in any sexual activities in a long while. In a post on facebook the artist told thousands of fans that he’s not had ‘twa twa'(had sex) in over seven years.

    This revelation is meant to drive Ringtone’s belief that marriage is only meant for married couples.

    The Twa Twa sex word was coined by pastor Susan Munene who came under high scrutiny from Ringtone. The Kenyan Gospel Artist publicly criticized Pastor Susan Munene over her Twa Twa remarks. Taking to his Instagram page, Ringtone disagreed with the pastor suggesting that sex is not God’s game but meant for married couples. He also added that the only game designed by God which people enjoy is prayers.

  • FKF Under Auditor-General’s Probe Over Sh244 Million AFCON Funds

    FKF Under Auditor-General’s Probe Over Sh244 Million AFCON Funds

    Football Kenya Federation books have been placed under scrutiny by the Office of the Auditor-General over embezzlement of Sh244 million they received to cater for Harambee Stars’ preparation for this year’s AFCON.

    “FKF gave us their report and we sent it back with questions. We have passed the same report to the Office of the Auditor-General to look at it and give us their opinion on the expenditure figures reflected in the document.”Sports PS Kirimi Kaberia said on Thursday when he appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Sports.

    Last month, Nick Mwendwa led federation accused PS Kaberia creating bad blood between them and the government. They also have accused the PS of having an unresponsive attitude in their requests for funding from the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund.

    Yesterday, on Thursday, the Chairman of the committee Victor Munyaka asked the PS to explain his altercation with FKF over the funds.

    “The report FKF provided had issues with accountability and the auditor is in the process of looking at the documents. I plead with the committee to allow the office to carry out the process so that we can give you factual information. Let’s hold another session and go through FKF issues. Probably away from the cameras and you will realize that there is a law governing the use of the money in the Fund. The accusations were not based on facts,” the PS said.

  • Kenya’s Wanuri Kahiu, Uganda’s Bobi Wine Amongst Top 100 Influential People In The World On Time’s 100 Next

    Kenya’s Wanuri Kahiu, Uganda’s Bobi Wine Amongst Top 100 Influential People In The World On Time’s 100 Next

    The Time Magazine has released the top 100 most influential people in the world and Kenyan Wanuri Kahiu and Uganda’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) have made it on the list.

    Wanuri Kahiu is a Kenyan film director known for the hit-movie Rafiki – a gorgeous romance about two teenage girls falling in love in Nairobi, The film, which was initially banned in Kenya because of its depiction of a same-sex relationship, also made history as the first from that country to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

    Courtesy- Time magazine

    “Wanuri has the vision, wild imagination and depth to deliver—and her films have a knack for casting a spell.” The Time reads.

    Wanuri took to Twitter after she found out and could not hide her joy.

    Ugandan pop star Bobi Wine turned politician spent his career singing about social injustice. In 2017, he ran for, and won a seat in parliament and now the 37-year-old singer, has set his sights higher, announcing in July that he will take on President Yoweri Museveni in the polls. “Eighty percent of our population is under the age of 35,” Wine says. “They deserve a leader who works for the future of Uganda, not for himself.”

    He too took to Twitter to appreciate the recognition.

    https://twitter.com/HEBobiwine/status/1194887330747879424?s=19

     

    The list features influential people from across the globe with a huge focus on the youth. The TIME says they intentionally had no age cap. “A recognition that ascents can begin at any age. The youngest person on this list, for example, is 14-year-old figure-skating phenom Alysa Liu, who recently became the first U.S. woman to land a quadruple Lutz in competition. The oldest is Ayman Odeh, a politician who, at 44, has emerged as a potential kingmaker in Israeli politics.”

    The TIME 100 Next members all have grand ambitions, and they know they may face even greater setbacks. But by and large, “they are driven by hope,” says TIME executive editor Dan Macsai,

  • Controversial Tarimbo Video By Ethic Deleted From YouTube

    Controversial Tarimbo Video By Ethic Deleted From YouTube

    Tarimbo video by the Ethic has finally been removed from YouTube for supposedly violating nudity and sexual content policy.

    The song which was trending top in Kenya for a week had gathered about 800K+ YouTube views before it was deleted. It has attracted harsh criticism over its lyrics that appeared to objectify women and largely interpreted as encouraging sexual assault.

    KFCB CEO Ezekiel Mutua who was amongst the first critics of the video that was fast gaining popularity was also amongst the first to celebrate the deletion. The office is suspected to have spirited the reporting of the video and eventual deletion.

    Taking to his Twitter, the self proclaimed moral god applauded the action and even promised to have Citizen’s TV popular show 10/10 taken off air over explicit content.

  • A Must Read: How Depression Nearly Killed Me

    A Must Read: How Depression Nearly Killed Me

    A lot of you have never understood why i kept my hair.Some of you judged me some loved it some said i was childish.but did you know why i did keep it?

    It was my way of fighting depression,made me feel closer to my kids and gave me strength to fight on.

    See there was a time that life was so unfair to me.cruel and very unpleasant.

    Everything i knew and fancied turned out to be the things that brought me more sorrow tears and sleepless nights.

    I lost my house,my children,my clients my money and worse of my dignity and manhood.

    I made mistakes that costed me everything i built over years of daily struggle.

    I went through hell i was alone abandoned by friends who never wanted to associate with me anymore.

    I had no one to run to but God i cried every night for him to reveal himself in vain.

    My heart was in pieces my body in pain,i contemplated suicide not once not twice but a hundred times.

    I tried driving myself to death but was held back by what i never understood(now i know My Graceful God).

    See many a times we see people smile walk alone talk to us or themselves in broad daylight and just assume they are okay.

    We never bother to check on friends and family just to know how they are.A simple how are you doing can change ones mind from committing suicide.

    To date am grateful to my family and my now wife jessy omwa for the constant prayers and encouragement.

    For almost 6 months i went through a phase that saw me sink deep into depression,my life was a mess,got separated and left a very violent relationship,lost focus of who i was.

    This situations reduced me to a bitter arrogant person letting out my anger on anyone who tried to come close to me.i hated everyone and anything with no reason at all.

    I felt like and valued life less everyday.not being able to access and see my children was the worst pain i couldnt stand.

    Living in a store with only a mattress squeezed between piled up chairs and speakers i kept the faith looking at my children pictures gave me more strength to hold on and fight for them.

    Most people never understood my story or what i went through in this marriage and i was hurshly judged,people talked behind my back and said crazy things.

    They said i abandoned my family and children for another woman,what they don’t know is the hell i went through 8 years with an abusive arrogant and hostile woman.

    I only held on for my children but i couldn’t do it anymore for the fights every night were affecting them i could see the fear in their eyes as she hailed insults to me they would run and hold me tight.

    I wanted so much to hit her hard on the face but my children held me back their cries and fearful eyes killed me and i found myself shading tears not tears of pain from the injuries caused by her but tears i cried for my children.

    My marriage ceased two years before i walked out nothing was working.

    My enemies took advantage and went to my X wife with stories that were false but ment to find some sort of favour with her.

    I find it not necessary to explain myself because it will make no sense to most of you but i find it wise to tell you that:

    1.Men suffer domestic violence not because they cant protect themselves but because we try to be gentlemen who never raise their hands on women but we end up suffering and die in silence.

    2.That men will die behind a plastic smile with a burden so heavy and no one will know because no one cares to know how he is doing.

    3.Men want and wish they could cry to let go all of the pressure inside of them but society always stigmatise them branding them as weak but tell me whats the point in trying to pretend to be strong yet you are dying inside?

    4.Men are family people full of love for their children who they always are denied acess to in trying to prove a point by abusive bitter women.

    5.Before you judge a man or a woman who walked out of their marriage please find out the circumstances that led to that walkout and you will be surprised just how strong they have been all through before their act of courage.

    6.Not many people can and or have the courage to walk out of this abusive relationships for fear of different unknown things so don’t judge the ones who found the courage to say enough is enough and stepped out into the unknown

    See my life today is what it is because i trusted in God because my now wife Jessy Omwa stood by me through the stormy days encouraged me and built
    Me back to who i am today.I owe my life to her

    I MANAGED TO GET BACK ON MY FEET I REBUILT MYSELF AND REALISED THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN HURTING FOR YEARS OVER WHAT SOMEONE DID TO YOU.LET GO AND KNOW PEACE

    I LEARNT TO LET GO AND BE AT PEACE WITH MYSELF.

    See never judge people

    Never take the people in your life for granted.

    Do not hurt and or mistreat the people in your life because you might just be the reason why they take their lives.

    And if you ever find yourself in such situations do not lose faith keep the faith coz God has got your back.

    MEN DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH,DO NOT DIE IN SILENCE.SPEAK UP AND SAVE YOURSELF FROM DESTRUCTION

    I THOUGHT THIS WOULD ENCOURAGE SOMEONE.

  • CS Matiangi: Diwali Is Not A Kenyan Public Holiday

    CS Matiangi: Diwali Is Not A Kenyan Public Holiday

    The government through the Cabinet secretary for Interior Fred Matiangi has dissmissed a fake gazette notice that has been doing rounds on social media stating that on Monday, October 28 is a public holiday.

    “Kindly ignore a gazette notice circulating on social media claiming Monday 28th October 2019 to be a public holiday. Monday 28th remains a normal working day,” a statement from the Ministry read.

    Monday Diwali celebration is not a public holiday - CS Fred Matiangi's Ministry of Interior declares
    Monday Diwali celebration is not a public holiday – CS Fred Matiangi’s Ministry of Interior declares

    Diwali is a week-long festival that is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs . It is also known as the festival of lights.

    Here’s a video courtesy of last year’s Diwali ceremony.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Huddah Advises Women To Stop Borrowing Money And Instead Sell Pudesh

    Huddah Advises Women To Stop Borrowing Money And Instead Sell Pudesh

    Huddah Monroe, a Kenyan socialite with massive youth following, amassing over 1.8 million Instagram followers has today urged women to work for their own upkeep.

    In a series of controversial status posts, Huddah advices women to stop borrowing 24-7 and  “Go sell that P**ssy”

    Here is what she had to say;

    What are your thoughts? Leave a comment down below.

     

  • Atheist Leader Harisson Mumia Wants His Quacker Baptism Revoked

    Atheist Leader Harisson Mumia Wants His Quacker Baptism Revoked

    The president of Kenyan non-believers in God, atheist Harrison Mumia, has written to his chilhood church, Friends Quackers, to invalidate his baptism and membership.

    AIK president Harrison Mumia recieving a Bible gift

    In a letter dated 17 October 2019,  Mumia who denounced Christianity in mid 2000s, states that has cut ties with Friends Quakers Church in Kakamega.

    “I would like to formally renounce my baptism and membership in the Quakers Church, Kenya,” Mr Mumia’s says in his letter dated October 17.

    The Atheist leader stated in the letter that the Church baptised him when he was young and without consent. He also demanded for a confirmation letter for his dismissal from Quackers Church.

    “I was baptised at the Quakers Church at Makhokho Secondary School, Kakamega County during my pre-teen years without my consent,” he complains.

    “I want any and all records associated with me at the Quakers Church destroyed. As an atheist, I no longer accept the implications of the rite of baptism.” Mumia added.

    Earlier this Month, Mumia’s father succummed to cancer and on 5th of October, the day his father was being laid to rest in Ikolomani, Kakamega County he said wrote this on his FB page.

    “In an hour, my late dad will be rested! People here think he will go to heaven!”

    The leader of AIK, who had also written to DP Ruto asking for gift bag from what he gives out to Churches. The atheist society is also pushing for the annulment of religious studies in schools.

    “Parents need to stop introducing religion to their children. Allow them to grow up to the age of 18 and let them decide whether they want to be religious or not,” Mr Mumia said in a past media interview.

  • Bankrupt K’ Ogalo Demands Sh4.5 Million From Sponsorless KPL

    Bankrupt K’ Ogalo Demands Sh4.5 Million From Sponsorless KPL

    Kenya’s biggest betting firm Sportpesa that has since closed their operations in Kenya have left a mixture of scars and one of them is pulling out their official partnership with now bankrupt KPL.

    Kenya’s 18 times soccer champions Gor Mahia alias K’ Ogalo are almost if not yet already, just like every KPL team, bankrupt.

    In a move to cover their shame, Kogalo are now demanding sh4.5million prize money after they won last seasons 2018/19, Kenyan Premier League title.

    Sally Bolo, Gor’s treasurer said that KPL’s management is yet to channel the money to Gor’s account five months after they clinched the trophy.

    “The club is going through hard times and it is only good for KPL to pay us our money after winning the league for the third time in a row last season. We won the league when KPL had a sponsor and the current situation of lack of funds should not be used as an excuse to deny us money. Why didn’t they pay us when the funds were available?” posed Bolo.

    On 25th May this year, Gor culminated KPL with superb wins earning them a prize cheque of Sh4.5Million from then sponsors Sportpesa, and a KPL title.

    “In the past they have paid us in reasonable bits and timelines. But it is now five months since last season ended and we have not received even a single cent from them. They should pay us,” asserted Bolo.

    Debt ridden Kenyan soccer Championship demands are coming at a time KPL is crippling and the hopes to manage the league dangling on already broke league clubs.

    KPL are also broke and the management is cooking yet another storm as the mandate of paying KPL, FIFA approved referees has been assigned to participating clubs. According to KPL clubs managers, the football body has ‘promised’ to refund the clubs as soon as the league gets a new Sponsor.

    Gor Mahia is in a thick financial crisis as The market ejected Sportpesa was also the official Jersey sponsor of the reigning champions.

    This comes at a time when KPL fixture have been forced to be rescheduled after cash crunch has forced KPL clubs fail to honor their fixtures.

    KPL’s Chief Executive Jack Oguda has not responded to the looming crisis that is threating the fall of Kenya’s top soccer league.

     

     

  • The ‘Stormzy Effect’ And How It’s Helping Black Students Get Cambridge University Admissions

    The ‘Stormzy Effect’ And How It’s Helping Black Students Get Cambridge University Admissions

    Last year, Stormzy, a Ghanaian born British rapper whose full name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, launched his own scholarship which aims to provide funding for Black needy students desiring to be admitted into Cambridge University.

    For those of you who might not know who Stormzy musically is, he’s originally a Ghanian hit maker and a rapper based in Britain with hit records such as “Vossi Bop” and “Shut Up“.

    Stormzy has a scholarship programme that is currently helping Black students get into one of the most prestigious universities in the world, that has over. Currently the rapper is fully sponsiring 10 black needy scholars and he’s directly involve an other hundreds of successful admissions.

    Stormzy made history in June for by being the first ever black male solo artist to headline the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival. The 2019 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts took place between 26 and 30 June. The three headlining acts were Stormzy, The Killers and The Cure with Kylie Minogue performing in the iconic Legend’s Slot.

    “I was stood arm in arm with so many people up there, I’ve always had a sense of duty in my career. As much as I might be the artist up there, I’ve risen from a community. I’ve been championed by the public and by my people. Every time I’m on stage like that it’s because of so many different people.” Stormzy said about his performance.

    Proud: Stormzy hailed black British stars (GQ / Louie Banks)

    “Often in British culture, there has only been one of two or three black people in the spotlight at one time. But nah, that’s over now. There are so many of us that the world should hear. So when I did that, I was just thinking that I need to let people know that it’s not just myself. It’s not just Stormzy.” The rapper added.

    According to AllHipHop, the rapper has been credited with a 50 percent increase in the admissions of Black students at the top-tier university. The phenomenon has now been dubbed the “Stormzy effect”.

    Last year, statistics showed that Cambridge  University had failed to admit a single Black Brit student at more than one in four of its colleges during 2015 and 2017. The institution has been on the frying pan for that.

    I will not compare what Stormzy is doing to what is really needed in Kenya because it is definitely not the same issue nor a problem at hand. What is really killing Kenyans is the fact that the Country has thousands if not millions of graduate yet unemployed youths.

    Come to think of it, tribalism is like the racism of Kenya which, in the current state, is flavoured with the enormous institiutionalised corruption.

    Dr. Burudi, a Private Military Contractor (PMC) with the KDF told me;

    “This country will always produce millions of educated yet unproductive graduates. Because thats what they learned yet didn’t visualize more than realize it. Kenya has an Education system of generating fools. A system that is teaching employment in a political  environment that is cutting jobs more than it’s, not even creating but, thinking of, more like promising. A ‘you are on your own’ system that uses ‘you will get’ jobs to keep the ‘education system ‘afloat.”

    In school, college or university, everyone has the ability and was/is almost destined to go places or fulfil their goals. Unfortunately suprising for many, in real life, the society if filled with hopeless yet educated generation! Is this indeed a hopeless system we are piping hopeful Kenyans through?

     

     

     

  • Nominated MP David Sankok Gifts His Wife A Car And Dedicates Her A Special Poem

    Nominated MP David Sankok Gifts His Wife A Car And Dedicates Her A Special Poem

    You chose me and rejected rich able-bodied men,
    Choices have consequences,
    Consequences can be positive or negative,

    I can re-write the story again today as I present you this special gift of a car,
    I can remember that day we enjoyed our time at Uhuru Park,
    Money I had none except the Sh5/= in my pocket which was only enough to buy two ice creams,
    I can remember we had not taken lunch that day,
    Not because we were not hungry but because my pockets were empty.
    True money I had none except many dreams and my special gift – sense of humor,

    I could dream and make promises,
    I could tell you in future I will be the greatest of leaders,
    I could tell my love my ambitions and aspirations,
    I told you about the castles in my dreams,
    I told you how I will build a Palace and you believed even though we were still living in my mother’s Manyatta, sleeping on a cowhide as a matteres.

    My love;
    You left your father’s stone house,
    You left two Datsun cars in your father’s compound,
    You left your father’s Chevrolet car,
    You left a Toyota lorry in your father’s compound,
    You left three tractors in your father’s compound,
    You followed a poor disable boy to my homestead with an axe and njora as the biggest machines.

    Remember those days, a beautiful educated lady in Maasai land was a gold, all men young and old working hard to mine.

    Gift.

    My love,
    Maybe in my busy schedule as a politician I forgot to sing the sweet songs and recite the sweet words,
    Sometimes I’m so much engrossed in our business instead of giving you some worthy attention,
    Sometimes I ask much about our children,
    Often I ask much about our cows instead of asking much about you my love,

    Sometimes I feel a jolt in my heart,
    Sometimes I think I’m not singing enough like I did many years ago,
    Sometimes I think I’m not reciting loving words often enough,

    Today everything is all coming back,
    I’m thinking of a sweet beautiful angel who was never ashamed of my broken legs,
    My beautiful innocent Angel who saw ability beyond my disability,
    I’m thinking of my princess who saw me and got a reflection of a Prince in her eyes,

    My love is the most beautiful,
    She is the most fair,
    She is elegant like the gazelles of the Mara plains,
    She is swift and strong to compliment my feable legs,
    She is full of wisdom and care for our children like an eagle would care for her chicks.

    I wish to sing today like I did many years ago,
    I wish to jump with my one strong leg again to praise my love,
    I wish to throw away my crutches to create room that enables me to hug and lift you up but my disability won’t allow,
    I know no present is precious and of value compared to the great love you have for me,

    Kindly receive this present of a car from the bottom of my heart,
    It will assist you run the errands,
    It will assist you take our kids to school,
    It will assist you in the farm,
    It will greatly assist you in our family business,

    I love you my dear wife Hellen Seyianoi Sankok,

    Remember our special outing in Uhuru Park we envied those who would take lunch in special hotels,
    I kept the imagination of the hotels I could not afford to attend those days,
    Today we have our own hotel(OSIM Country Lodge) which was my dream that is now a reality,

    Today is a special day,
    Today I present you a sentimental present just like the ice cream in Uhuru park,
    Though there is a big difference in monetary value,
    The special ice cream of our youth and this gift of a car are the same,
    Just like the ice cream it is a special gift down from a loving heart,
    The price of a gift doesn’t matter, what matters is the love attached to it,

    I present you this gift in remembrance of the sweet days of our sweet ice cream,
    I know you will smile,
    The same smile I saw when you took the ice cream from my hand,

    I know I will see that special glow in your eyes as you receive the keys of your own car,
    A special gift from a loving husband to an equally a loving wife and a caring mother.

  • Three-year Limit For Newly-Weds To Separate Or Divorce Lifted

    Three-year Limit For Newly-Weds To Separate Or Divorce Lifted

    Couples married through the civil process – conducted at the Attorney General’s offices or before the county commissioner’s offices – can now file for divorce at any time. Justice Reuben Nyakundi yesterday declared section 66 (1) of the Marriage Act that barred such couples from divorcing within the three years unconstitutional.

    “Corollary to the above is the fact that by imposing the three-year limitation, the impugned Section had the effect of forcefully keeping parties in a situation they no longer wished to be part of,” the judge ruled. Previously, the law only allowed couples in civil unions to file for divorce after three years of trial and error.

    The judge further faulted MPigs for not carrying out public participation before passing the outrageous law he claimed was an affront to human dignity by subjecting Kenyans to confinement in failed marriages for three years.

    With more and more kenyans opting for the subtle civil process, lawyer Tukero ole Kina filed the case arguing that those married under Christian, Muslim and Hindu religions had no three-year limitation. The Mps had allegedly passed the law to protect young marriages by restricting parties from moving in and out while the marriage is stabilising.

    In recent years prenuptial agreements have also gained official recognition in Kenya, marriages which for a long time in the country have been seen as mandatory rites of passage may now have room for a little wiggling and not life long uncorrectable decisions. Divorce would earlier risk your life’s worth, but with new laws put in place, Kenyans can rest easy.

    In a survey titled “Study on Youth of Kenya” Young Kenyans believed “marriage should be for life, leaving no window for divorce,” however, with times changing,  the majority of young people who get married with a lot of fanfare and end up in unhappy unions can now leave those unions at any time.

  • Thieves Walk Away With Ksh180M Gold Toilet From England’s Blenheim Palace

    Thieves Walk Away With Ksh180M Gold Toilet From England’s Blenheim Palace

    Related imageOn Saturday, thieves made away with a Ksh 180 million toilet that was set and installed in a wood-paneled room at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, in the United Kingdom.

    Police Officers were called to reports of a burglary at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, where the loo – valued at £1.8m – was on display as part of a contemporary art exhibition, just before 5 am on Saturday.

    “The piece of art that has been stolen is a high-value toilet made out of gold that was on display at the palace. The artwork has not been recovered at this time, but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice.” DI Jess Milne of Thames Valley Police said.

    The artist who made a solid gold toilet reportedly worth £1.8m has denied orchestrating its theft in a Banksy-style prank.

    Here is the 18-carat working toilet  Image result for toilet stolen

    The Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, who created the sculpture entitled America and who has a track record of playing mischievous stunts, told international media that he wishes the theft was a prank.

    “Who’s so stupid to steal a toilet? America was 1% for the 99%, and I hope it still is. I want to be positive and think the robbery is a kind of Robin Hood-inspired action.” He said.

    Cattelan, 58, is understood to have attended a reception party at the 18th-century Oxfordshire estate on Friday, marking his first UK solo exhibition in two decades. The sculpture was the centerpiece of his new show, which opened on Thursday.

    Thames Valley Police believe a gang of thieves using at least two vehicles were responsible for the theft and a 66-year-old man arrested on Saturday remains in police custody.

    Last year, onlookers at a Sotheby’s auction were stunned when, just after it had sold for more than £1m, the canvas began to pass through a shredder installed in the frame. That stunt was said to have made the piece more valuable.

    In Amsterdam in 1996, Cattelan previously stole the whole show of another artist at a nearby gallery and tried to pass off the exhibition as his own work.

    He said at the time the theft was a survival tactic after being given only two weeks to produce work for his exhibit, saying I took the path of least resistance. It was the quickest and easiest thing to do,” according to media sources.

    Initial reports had said the golden toilet was worth an estimated £1m, but Blenheim Palace’s chief executive, Dominic Hare, said it has been valued at about $6m (£4.8m).

    The sculpture hit the headlines last year after it was offered to the US president, Donald Trump, by the chief curator of the Guggenheim in New York, its former home. The golden toilet had proved popular at the Fifth Avenue museum and had been described by critics as a pointed satire against the excesses of wealth.

    “Whatever you eat, a two-hundred-dollar lunch or a two-dollar hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise,” Cattelan said jokingly.

  • Governor Awiti In Hot Soup Over Stalled Sh360 Million Homa Bay Stadium Project

    Governor Awiti In Hot Soup Over Stalled Sh360 Million Homa Bay Stadium Project

    In 2014, HomaBay County set aside a budget of sh200 million to construct a much-hyped ultra-modern 9,000-capacity Homa Bay Stadium that, was supposed to be build from scratch. 5 years ago, After a groundbreaking ceremony, the only thing to show for the project a dormant dirt-stinging, iron sheet fenced area filled with craters created by excavation machines.

    According to the Homa Bay County’s executive for sports, Fredrick Odero, in the financial year 2014-2015 the devolved unit set aside Sh200m for the project that would occupy about 4.5 acres. Another Sh160m was allocated for the stadium construction this financial year.

    The retired Auditor General Edward Ouko in January released a report revealing that one of the contractors was paid despite not completing work contracted to do. The contractor, Manjano Enterprises Limited, was to build a perimeter wall and related works for the stadium at a cost of Sh28million.

    However, the firm was paid Sh5million but failed to complete the work, and in fact, they moved away from the site.

    “The contractor had erected columns (pillars) covering half of the stadium’s perimeter only but thereafter abandoned the site,” indicated the report.

    The construction works resumed on July 5 this year with authorities in the region saying that the project will now be finalized in the next one and a half years.

    “We hope that work on this facility that resumed about two months ago and is estimated to take one and half years to complete will proceed well amid the teething problems raised by National Environment Management Authority (Nema). We are determined to ensure that work on this project is not interfered with or delayed,” said Odero.

    Our background checks revealed that the project had been initially stopped by NEMA for failing to meet the set standards and comply with the regulations set by the environment management agency.

    The main contractor, Six-Eleven Energy Limited, has only carried out site clearance, construction of office store and demolition of the existing structures. Even the iron sheet perimeter wall is half complete.

    According to the county officials, the stadium will be oval-shaped with two wings – north and south. Each wing has a 2,000 capacity stand alongside a VIP pavilion with a capacity of 3,000, terrace with 2,000 people. The playing surface was to have an artificial carpet.

    Other features are an eight lanes tartan track, modern changing rooms and underground offices. However, no artistic impression or the project blueprint of the sports structure is available for perusal raising a red flag.

    In their defense, the Homa Bay county government has however announced that it will only concentrate on the main stadium before considering constructing the other facilities. Odero hinted that they will seek financial help from the private sector and the national government after completion of phase one which will involve putting up of the main pavilion and the artificial turf.

    “We will finalize phase one and later use it as a display to ask for assistance from potential well-wishers as the funds we have are not enough. We will not start any other project until this one has been finalized. However, we have long term plans to construct three other sports facilities at the sub-county level,” said the county’s director for sports Francis Guma.

    The region comprises eight sub-counties which have been clustered into three regions where other stadiums will be constructed according to Guma.

    “By 2022, we hope we will be able to improve the other three facilities which I cannot refer to as stadiums but medium-size sub-county sports facilities,” he said.

    No sports facility in Homa Bay meets the minimum requirement laid down the Kenyan Premier League to host its fixtures.

    Construction work at Homa Bay Stadium remains the key pillar not only to the development but also supporting and uplifting the sports culture in the lakeside county that majority of the youths suffer in absolute poverty.

  • Donkeys Population In Kenya Has Gone Down By Half In The last Ten Years And Here’s Why

    Donkeys Population In Kenya Has Gone Down By Half In The last Ten Years And Here’s Why

    China interests in Kenya has seen an increase in demand for donkey meat for local consumption and skin for export to China a move that is now causing a sharp decline in the animals in Kenya.

    According to Animal rights activists, the overgrown demand to feed the billion population of Chinese could soon make donkey extinct in Kenya where they play a vital role as beasts of burden mostly in rural areas.

    Since 2014, four abattoirs have been set up in Kenya to meet demand. The meat is considered a delicacy in China and the skins are processed to create ejiao, a traditional remedy used to treat everything from anaemia to dizziness. However, according to a recent report by the African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW), the slaughterhouses are operating at below half their capacity.

    The report, which was written earlier this year estimates that donkey numbers in Kenya have fallen by as much as half over the past ten years, from 1.8 million animals in 2009 to about 900,000 today.

    ANAW chief operations director Kahindi Lekalhaile warns that abattoirs are making the trade unsustainable by slaughtering too many animals. Donkeys are slow to reproduce, with a gestation period of 11-14 months.

    According to Joseph Ng’ethe, a water vendor who relies on his donkey to make a living, an animal can be sold for 15,000 to 25,000 Kenyan shillings (US$145-242), up from 6,000-8,000 shillings (US$58-78) four years ago. Male donkeys tend to fetch a higher price as do animals from areas near highways and towns.

    There is now a shortage of breeding males and an increase in thefts. Ng’ethe notes that in his area, 60 kilometres southwest of the capital Nairobi, there’s a new case of donkey theft each week.

    “During the day, we used to leave our donkeys alone in the fields to roam and graze freely, but not anymore. The risk of them being stolen is too high.” Ng’ethe said.

    Everyone who has grown or let’s say toured the Kenyan remote regions, donkeys play an even more vital role in everyday life. According to conservationist Noor Ali, donkeys are everything in the arid north where he’s based. With few roads, they are relied on to transport supplies such as food, water, firewood, and yes, even medicines.


    Delivering water in Kenya’s rift valley Photo courtesy.

    The popularity of ejiao in China has grown with the country’s prosperity. Marketing of healthy lifestyles has helped Dong-E-E-Jiao, the country’s largest producer, to increase the cost of ejiao products 20 times since 2005. Meanwhile, China’s donkey population has fallen rapidly, from 9.4 million in 1996 to 1.2 million in 2018 and who knows how many are remaining now.

    “As donkeys are no longer an important part of China’s agriculture sector, the domestic supply of donkeys could not meet the demand of the ejia industry anymore,” Qin Yufeng, chief executive officer of Dong-E-E-Jiao, said in 2017.

    Kenya’s newest donkey abattoir is located in Machakos county to the southeast of Nairobi. It was set up late last year by Chinese multinational the Fuhai Group. Manager Patrick Kithyoko says the operation slaughters about 500 to 700 animals a day, well below its maximum capacity of 1,000.

    Kithyoko says the abattoir pays well for the animals it slaughters but with fewer available, it has yet to stockpile enough skins and meat to make exporting to China cost-effective.

    “We hope to attain the right tonnage to be able to ship out products by December,” he said.

    The Fuhai abattoir joins three others in Kenya, all competing for a limited number of animals. With donkeys in such high demand, a thriving cross-border trade has developed. Kithyoko sources animals from across East Africa. Noor Ali corroborates, reporting that donkeys are a new addition to livestock on sale at the busy Sololo market on the border with Ethiopia.

    donkey numbers in Kenya have fallen by as much as half over the past ten years
    Source: Unpublished report by the African Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW)

    According to a recent report by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)-Asia, the animals are squeezed into trucks without food and water for journeys that can take up to two days. Many of them die en route, and the poor conditions continue in the holding pens before slaughter.

    “There are virtually no laws against the abuse of animals in farms or slaughterhouses in Kenya, so none of the violence captured in our video footage is punishable from a legal standpoint,” says Nirali Shah, PETA-Asia’s special projects coordinator.

    The ANAW report also supported these findings, which accuses all four of Kenya’s abattoirs of failure to comply with international animal welfare standards, including those set by the World Trade Organisation and the World Organisation for Animal Health.

    According to Nina Odongo, acting head of the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, some of the cruel practices include the slaughter of pregnant donkeys.

    Odongo says the Kenyan authorities should not have licensed the abattoirs without first setting up a breeding programme to meet demand and conducting a feasibility study into the industry’s sustainability.

    “Studies have shown that communities benefit more when they keep their animals. We are therefore advocating for policy reform to curtail this trade.” ANAW’s Kahindi Lekalhaile said

    Shah points out that 12 other African countries have closed Chinese-funded abattoirs and developed policies to control the export of donkey skins to China. She said  PETA has also written to the Ministry of Agriculture demanding they follow suit with immediate action to ban all Kenyan donkey slaughterhouses.

    “The reality is that there are more effective alternatives to ejiao, such as modern drugs and herbal medicines, that don’t require animals to be killed,” she says. “Most people have no idea that donkeys are suffering so terribly or what this cruel industry is all about.”

    Nicholas Ayore, deputy director of the Directorate of Veterinary Services says that licensed abattoirs are closely monitored to ensure they adhere to acceptable standards for handling and slaughter. He denies that donkey numbers are declining as a result of the trade.

    “A ban on the trade would not be something as simple as the activists are assuming. It would have to be guided by a policy paper after research showing that donkey populations [were] on the decline,” he says.

  • Ezekiel Mutua Bans Public Playing Of Tetema And Wamlambez Terming Them Pure Pornography

    Ezekiel Mutua Bans Public Playing Of Tetema And Wamlambez Terming Them Pure Pornography

    CEO Of Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) Dr. Ezekiel Mutua has banned playing Kenya’s favorite Gengetone Wamlambez and Diamond feature with Rayvanny Tetema outside clubs.

    According to Mutua, KFCB has banned the songs because “The lyrics are dirty and not suitable for public consumption, especially children.”

    He, however, has admitted that the songs are already coded in the listener’s heads making it totally difficult to permanently ban them from existence so is their circulation.

    Here’s what Dr. Mutua posted on his verified Twitter account.

    In April this year, Mutua also banned ‘Takataka’ a song by Alvin aka Alvindo.

    The KFCB CEO described the song as obscene with degrading lyrics that advocate for violence against women by equating them to trash.

    “Moving forward, the song should not be performed live or broadcast anywhere within the Republic of Kenya. No DJ should play the song either on a broadcast station or in entertainment joints,” read the statement in part,” said Mutua. 

  • Chipukeezy Cancels Show With Ebru TV After They Demanded Removal Of Kartelo

    Chipukeezy Cancels Show With Ebru TV After They Demanded Removal Of Kartelo

    Comedian Vincent Muasya aka Chipukeezy has opted out of his contract to host his show (The chipukeezy show) on Ebru Tv  in a statement released on multiple social media sites late monday.

    Chipukeezy has exited Ebru TV after he was continuously requested to drop his co-host and fellow comedian, Kartelo from his show.

    Kartelo and chipukeezy performing

    In an Instagram post Kartelo has also come out and stated how the station worked to see him out of the platform from day one claiming he was too ghetto “our station walianza maneno Mara oooh show imeanza kuwa na ughetto, Mara oooh kartelo ata atolewe hiyo show ati wazazi hawashiki lugha yake.” The post reads. “Every Monday kwa gate akukukosa Vurugu. Our audience were treated badly.. Our guests pia.”

    Vincent claims the network has worked tirelessly to frustrate his efforts to work with the youth. In an email sent to him, Ebru TV say they are a bit concerned that the show has become a bit Ghetto because of the many Youths (Upcoming Musicians and Comedians) on the show.

    “My Passion, Desire and Vision is to LIFT the Youth of this Country. I feel like God has offered me an opportunity to create a platform for these Young people who are mostly from the slams and majorly disadvantaged.” Vincent said in an Instagram post.

    The email had requested Chipukeezy to shift to interviews with  more politicians and Corporate Executives.”Our Executives are actually living their dreams. On the other hand I feel like most talented youths are without hope and opportunity and unless someone holds their hands their Future is mostly uncertain.” Vincent who is a director in the board of the National Authority for the Campaign Against alcohol Drug Abuse (NACADA) stated.

    The comedian has however promised to continue his show on a different platform.

  • Ronaldo Paid Off His Rape Accuser With ShSh38M

    Ronaldo Paid Off His Rape Accuser With ShSh38M

    The legal team of Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted for the first time that the Juventus start paid a woman who accused him of rape €375,000 ( ksh 38million) to settle the allegations made against him in 2009.

    Kathryn Mayorga filed a lawsuit in a state court last year in an effort to have the settlement invalidated on condition that Ronaldo and his legal team took advantage of her fragile emotional state, having accused him of sexually assaulting her after they met on a night out in Las Vegas.

    The Juventus forward denied the allegations and no criminal charges have been filed after Las Vegas prosecutors decided they cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Ronaldo’s lawyers have claimed that the pair had consensual sex on June 2009, and have accused Ms. Mayorga of attempting to extort the Portuguese footballer. Ms. Mayorga’s legal team refiled the lawsuit in federal court asking for the same invalidation, which seeks monetary damages of at least Ksh 16M (£165,000).

    Ronaldo’s lawyers on Friday stated that the court should acknowledge the €375,000 payment that was made to Ms. Mayorga, they said the payment was to maintain the confidentiality of their dispute. Ronaldo is arguing that Nevada’s statutes of limitations and the signed confidentiality agreement should annul her claims and that she failed to present sufficient evidence on the claim that she lacked the mental capacity to agree to the terms regarding her emotional state in the weeks after the alleged incident.

    Ronaldo had, earlier this month, lost a bid for dismissal or complete secrecy. Lawyer Larissa Drohobyczer, representing Ms Mayorga, said she was satisfied with US District Judge Jennifer Dorsey’s ruling in Las Vegas on 2 August.

    The media efforts to get a response from Peter Christiansen the lawyer representing the Juventus and Portugal player were fruitless after the lawyer declined to comment.

    “The cat is already out of the bag about Mayorga’s allegations” and the settlement.  I’m not satisfied that Ronaldo’s interest in holding Mayorga to her agreement is enough to justify sealing the entire record in this case. The documents themselves and direct quotes from any of them will remain sealed,” Judge Dorsey said

     

     

  • Men Are Trash: Kenyan Women Narrates The Mess Men Have Taken Them Through

    Men Are Trash: Kenyan Women Narrates The Mess Men Have Taken Them Through

    Gabriela Cattuzzo, a woman video game streamer in Brazil, has been dropped by a sponsor for tweeting “men are trash” after she was sexually harassed.

    It started with a tweet of Cattuzzo’s on June 21 that has since been deleted. According to the gaming news site Kotaku, Cattuzzo tweeted a photo of herself on a mechanical bull to which a male user replied, “you can ride me if you want.”

    And the same wave has gained viral momentum and is now trending worldwide with Facebook users pushing it even further.

    Kenyan women took to Facebook to share out their grievances and reasons as to why they believe all men are trash. Here is how ladies are, rather have decided that the Male version of Humans are trash even if they all were given birth by rather developed in wombs of women

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