Things are going haywire for Samuel Gichuru, according to sleuths in contact with Kenya Insights, Gichuru is secretly planning to flee Kenya to avoid extradition to Jersey Island where he is supposed to Face money laundering charges. Samuel Gichuru Robbed Kenya Power and Lighting Company when he was the Managing Director. The crook stashed Billions in the island.For those not in the know, Samuel Gichuru is the father to Former Media Icon Julie Gichuru’s husband Tonny ” Flash ” Gichuru.
It is alleged that part of the money Samuel Gichuru Looted from Kenya power was used to launch the Mcheza failed experiment that the likes of Carol Radul were publicising. Together with Julie Gichuru and some corporate women, Carol Radul have made the huge percentage of deluded youth believe that betting is an economic activity.
Julie Gichuru has been in the recent past, opened as a compromised Journalist hence dealing a considerable blow to her credibility. After doing a scripted interview that aimed at doing PR for Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, Julie was fired from Citizen TV.
Journalist Julie Gichuru and her husband Anthony Gichuru, son to the embattled Samuel Gichuru
That is why we request Kenyans to expose these Nairobi Cartels that are choking our system before the situation gets out of hand. Back to what brought you here.
Samuel Gichuru together with his partner in crime Chris Okemo is to be extradited after a ruling by two high court judges that dismissed their application that was challenging the extradition orders.
The question that many Kenyans are asking is – Why is Samuel Gichuru and his partner crime Chris Okemo still free men? Why is the order demanding that they are to extradited not being affected? Who has been bribed by their dirty money to protect them? Indeed, Kenya is a bandit economy.
We now request the security officials to be extra careful as looters plot to flee the country and leave the country in debts the latest being Former National Bank of Kenya CEO Munir Hassan, who attempted to escape to Dubai but was nailed by Anti-Banking Fraud Unit officers.
In 2008, Nakumatt Chain Stores woke up to a rude shock when their Thika Road unit was brought down with all their goods inside. They lost billions in the demolition exercise. The store stood on the road reserve, and constructors were making way for the Thika Superhighway construction.
In 2013, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) wrote to the National Lands Commission(NLC) to investigate the legality of the section of land where Taj Mall sits. September 2015, NLC in a letter to Ramesh Gorasia, the Taj Mall owner, revoked the title of part of the land on which the mall sits. It had been earmarked for demolition to pave the way for Outering Road expansion.
In an unusual move, Lands ministry quickly revoked the NLC’s directive on the mall’s title deed stating that it can only be revoked by court’s order. This gave Ramesh a reprieve. Taj Mall sits at the roundabout of Outer Ring Road, North Airport Road and Airport South Rd.
With a street value of $5M or Sh.5B, the mall’s owner Gorasia couldn’t stomach the thought of losing this valuable property and threatened to sue the government for compensation were they to effect the demolition order.
Taj Mall owner Ramesh Gorasia speaking to the media
The history of the 3.7acres piece of land where the mall sits goes back to 1991 when Gorasia bought the first phase 1.75 acres and another two acres in 1995, both from Abuja Ltd before joining the two parcels. He bought this land when Former President Moi was still in power and irregularities in lands acquisitions were at an all time high.
From what Kenya Insights gathers, Moi personally facilitated the sale of the property to Gorasia whom you can bet exchanged unknown amounts in return for the favours. The then Lands Commissioner Wilson Gachanja on instructions from Moi issued him with the title deed. The issuance was done in the presence of then deputy principal registrar of titles J M Okungu.
Faced with the horrible possibility that his Sh.5B mall would be brought down, Gorasia went on tears mode lamenting he was having problems even repaying the Pan African mortgage. He claimed Shelter Afrique loan was still withstanding. He also disclosed that he had other loans at Fidelity and Standard Chartered banks and an overdraft facility at Diamond Trust Bank.
However, her sympathy seeking please seemed to have fallen on dead ears, and KURA maintained the order and mall remained marked for demolition. Miraculously, in January earlier this year when the demolition was only weeks to be brought down, a change of tone signalled from the National Lands Commission. NLC Chairman Dr Mohammed Swazuri retracted earlier stand saying the Taj Mall property would remain unscathed.
Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) overhauled everything, the road structure and map was redesigned. In this new fishy development, Taj Mall was left out of the Outering Road expansion plan. Unluckily, bordering Oil Libya in Embakasi, Safeway Supermarket, Jogoo Petrol Station in Outering and Gulf Energy among others, were gazetted for demolition.
Deputy President William Ruto
The question in many people’s minds is how this could have possibly happened given the known pattern of the apparent demolition of earmarked structures on road reserves. Any sharp eye would see or even sense something unusual was cooking beneath the scenes.
Now Kenya Insights can authoritatively reveal that Deputy President William Ruto had a secret hand in saving the Sh.5B structure from being brought down. A highly rated lawyer privy to the details of the deal confided to us that Ruto got into a blurry detailed deal with the Taj Mall proprietor Gorasia.
Even though our source speaking on strict anonymity conditions tactically withheld finer details into the nature of the agreement between the two, he affirms, “they entered into a contract, and you can leave it at that, it was. As a result, KURA was forced to redesign the road. This alone tells you executive influence had to come in. It’s not on a typical day that a road plan is changed for a small building.”
Like most of such alike deals, it is nearly impossible to link him directly as an art of proxy reigns. The DP is not a surprise guest in property and lands turmoils. His Weston Hotel along Langata Road sits on a contested land piece said to be a property of Kenya Airports Authority and was accused of being the unseen face behind the private developers who had plotted to grab a piece of Langata Primary School playing ground to create a parking lot for the suffocated Weston Hotel.
The obsession of Nairobi women to the Naija Men is only comparable to uncontrollable love for Ingokho amongst our Luhya brothers. The notion that the fellas from West are monied and romantic is just but that, a notion. Most of the times, it’s a fallacy, a wet dream
A distressed fan contacted Kenya Insights, a week ago to highlight her monstrosity ordeal she went through the hands of the Naija brodas. These ladies blinded with the fancy lifestyle and hunting instincts for money will go to towering heights just to win the fake it till you make it fellas.
There are Instagram-filtered pictures and then the Oga brodas, and it’s never what it seems like when the reality smacks you in the face. For confidentiality purposes, we shall call her Miss X, she frequents Hornbill, the famous club in Umoja estate, Eastlands part of Nairobi where skimpily dressed ladies flock with the hope of luring a ‘rich’ brother into their honey jar.
Wolves or Mafisi as it’s the referral in the streets, too put up their best acts, dressing, cologne, buying most expensive drinks and what have you. It’s a hunting ground for both species.
On this particular Friday night, Miss X had her lucky day or she thought so and thought to herself ‘I just hit a lotto’ or maybe Pambazuka jackpot, what’s with all these betting companies everywhere like mitumba? Back to the point.
Miss X was treated to the drinks of her choice, expected of ladies who drink Kibao with their friends behind scenes, eat githeri sukuma wiki at home but will swear they only eat pizza, chinekee! So Miss X doesn’t go for the obvious knickers dropper, Guarana, instead, single malt whisky. ‘No problem baby, you can order everything, in fact, you can even take di whole bar and drink it,moni isn’t di problem Nah ” I swear I could hear him say that miles away.
People who were strangers minutes ago were now turned decades lovers, getting high and high, they danced and ground each other as tight as the brake pads in a steeply ground. After the drinks, it’s home, fellas you know the drill right? So the newly met lovers leave the club and yes they’re not catching a cab but hiking on their ride.
Like a cow taken to the butchery, Miss X showered with honey manenoz slides herself into the car with his ‘investment’ going home to seal their contract. Unknown to her, the happy moments were over, and terror awaited her. “It was all good until we got to his house, I was shocked and terrified to death, in his house there were five other heavily built men, they were staying together, being the only woman I felt being in danger.” She narrates to Kenya Insights.
“This one is fine than that one last night broda, we’re gonna have a good evening,” said one of the five men. Contrary to her thoughts that she was only coming to be with the Prince Charming alone, it was a whole pack of wolves plotting to have a piece of her. She attempted to scream but was threatened. They ran a train on her, rather took turns raping her severally.
Numerous alike cases have been heard of, but many of these ladies are too ashamed to speak out instead they die with shame inside as the wolves continue to prowl on unsuspecting preys. They can’t even report to the police for the fear of slut shaming. Kenya Insights has established that this barbarous scheme has been in play for a time now and the most notorious instigators, the West Africa foreigners living in the semi-middle-class estates.
On to a ranting phase, it’s inexcusable and with strongest terms possible horrific and perverting acts by these swindlers must be doomed. Ladies need just to take a damn chill pill on this Oga brodas craze, just because one has Naija accent doesn’t replicate to his pockets depths. Most of these guys are shams, faking lifestyles, can’t even afford to pay Sh.20,000 rent so they group and stay in one house, ten people as if it’s a refugee camp.
None of these guys if not 1:10 isolated cases that they live one person in a house, they’re always in packs like PK. It’s known worldwide not just a theory that most of the Nigerian guys engage in fraudulent activities, and they come second in cyber crime after China. You know of the Yahoo boys, sending emails to preys how they have millions of dollars stashed wherever, play along and get conned.
Drugs. Most of them living in Kenya don’t have any formal job but always doing ‘business’, no sugarcoating, most and not all, do dirty business deals.
Many ladies have been duped into their drug selling syndicate, many Kenyan women with the thirst for quick cash have fallen to their traps, facilitating drug peddling, ending up in jail. Most recently a socialite by the name Pesh, who filled the internet with her bare humongous posterior pictures and stash of banknotes, flashy lifestyle, was arrested in Ghana and in jail for drugs trafficking. She was caught, she had been recruited in.
The immoral breed of celebrities so called socialites or glorified prostitutes as some call them are being financed by drugs money according to underworld sources, most of them deal with the syndicate either directly or indirectly. But all these besides the point, ladies put your house in order, Fort Jesus wasn’t built in a day.
Life’s about taking risks but don’t take too much risk in this line. Most of the West Africa guys living in Eastlands are plain broke, keep that in mind, and the rich ones are with their counterparts in Runda. They’re parasitic or romantic as you prefer to call them, will help you unstrap your bra when you get home even wash your lungs to have you at their mercy. The wolves of Umoja and Eastlands advances to their unending preys.
Nairobi, 16th July 2016 – Kenya has started evacuating her nationals from South Sudan following a surge in insecurity and violence in the world’s newest nation.
The announcement was made by Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs PS, Monica Juma.
PS Monica Juma: Government of Kenya begins the evacuation process of Kenya stranded in South Sudan due to skirmishes pic.twitter.com/KotANBH5bd
— ForeignAffairsKenya (@ForeignOfficeKE) July 16, 2016
PS Monica Juma: Kenya Amb to S.Sudan Amb Cleland Leshore is leading the evacuation process in Juba pic.twitter.com/YAEN0xxt5d
— ForeignAffairsKenya (@ForeignOfficeKE) July 16, 2016
Kenya’s evacuation begun on Friday with one 1 plane and at least 100 people making it home. Two more flights are expected to head to Kenya with more people.
There has been growing anger towards the Kenyan Government from all corners for taking too long to act.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has also warned Kenyans against travelling to South Sudan.
PS Monica Juma: Kenyans are advised against non-essential travel to South Sudan until further notice pic.twitter.com/EdTGaiTxIu
— ForeignAffairsKenya (@ForeignOfficeKE) July 16, 2016
CCTV Africa has reported that at least 2 Kenyans have been killed in the violence.
Sudan and Uganda have been evacuating their nationals since Wednesday amidst fears that fighting may intensify between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his Vice President Riek Machar.
The recent security deterioration in South Sudan has been occasioned a conflict between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar last week July 8. At least 300 people, mainly soldiers have been killed in the latest spate of violence.
The freshly ignited war in South Sudan that has seen nearly 500 people dead under a week and hundreds of thousands displaced continue to wreak havoc. Despite President Kiir and his Deputy Machar calling for a ceasefire, the tension is still high in Africa’s youngest country and many live in fear.
Countries have put in place evacuation strategies for their citizens held up in the bullet ridden country. US, UK, China, France, Italy, India and other serious countries who mind the safety of their citizens have sent chartered planes to fly out their trapped citizens to safety. While those governments are doing what they’re rightfully meant to do, protect and ensure safety of its citizens in and out of the country, Kenyan government doesn’t seem to have been moved by the bloodbath taking place in its neighboring country.
Since the gunfight began and news of deaths started coming in as the situation worsened, social media have put heavy pressure on the foreign ministry and the Kenyan embassy in Sudan to issue a statement and its plan on ensuring safety of Kenyan citizens holed up in the warring country. They responded by giving out hotline numbers that should be used by Kenyans trapped in South Sudan to communicate with the embassy to ensure their safety. It would later turn out that the numbers were unreachable.
Kenyan citizens have been left in the cold, feeling betrayed by their own government who doesn’t seem to be doing much to rescue them from the bloody streets of South Sudan. I have been contacted by the association of Kenyans living in South Sudan to highlight on their plight and remain unamused by the flimsy efforts put by the government to save them.
“The embassy is unhelpful, they don’t even have an evacuation plan yet, all they’re saying is they can only facilitate issuance of passports and it ends there.” Says a furious Kenyan in South Sudan on her predicament. “While other countries are bringing in planes to evacuate their people, we’re left here on our own like we don’t have a government back home and we pay taxes. We are mad.” She adds.
Most of the trapped Kenyans have resorted to plot their own exit strategies with a huge number left with no option but to wait for the tension to go down. As at the time of publishing, Uganda had sent its army to go rescue its citizens from South Sudan via road and some Kenyans are hoping to hike a ride back home under the protection of the Ugandan army as that is their only remaining hope.
The Kenyan embassy is flocked with distressed citizens but there is little hope for relief. “Our hands are tied, there’s little we can do but were trying to organize something.” This has become the chorus in the embassy’s corridors. Just the other day, some truck drivers braved through the gunshots to try and come back home but were killed by the forces before they could cross the border.
Travelling back home by road is very risky and Kenyans in South Sudan are left living in full fear. It is not clear for how long our brothers and sisters have to suffer before the government can wake up and do what is expected of them- ensure the security of her citizens.
Health CS, Nicholas Muraguri delivering his speech during ‘Anza Sasa’ campaign launch at Weston Hotel, Nairobi.
The Ministry of Health through the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP) has launched a campaign dubbed “Anza Sasa” to encourage all those who test HIV positive to get ARV treatment regardless of their CD4 Count. In the past, only those with a CD4 count of 500 and below were eligible for treatment.
“ The aim of providing antiretroviral treatment to all people living with HIV is two pronged; first,, it will enable the individual who is on antiretroviral therapy to reduce the level of the virus circulating within their body to an undetectable level and as such reduce further damage to their immune system and improve the body’s ability to fight off infections averting unnecessary illnesses, disabilities and even deaths related to HIV said Dr. Sirengo, Head of the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCOP). Secondly, with an undetectable viral load level, further transmission to people who are uninfected with HIV will be minimized”.
New Guidelines on Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV Infection in Kenya 2016 were also launched to provide guidance on the use of antiretroviral medicines for treating people living with HIV. Kenya currently has 1.5 million people living with HIV and an estimated 900,000 have been receiving treatment.
“As a paradigm shift from previous guidelines, these new guidelines that are in line with international standards and World Health Organization recommendations stipulate that all people living with HIV be put on treatment with the lifesaving antiretroviral medicines”, said Dr.Nduku Kilonzo, NACC. The services will be offered free of charge at all public health facilities providing HIV care and treatment services in Kenya.
Another new shift is that the use of antiretroviral medicines to prevent HIV transmission will particularly be emphasized through the elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV (eMTCT) program where all pregnant women identified to be HIV-infected will be started on antiretroviral medicines immediately upon diagnosis in order to reduce transmission of HIV to the unborn baby. Upon delivery, infants born to a mother who is HIV-infected will be tested for HIV at birth or within two weeks after delivery.
“The infants who are identified to be HIV-infected will be initiated on antiretroviral medicines immediately in order to increase their chances of survival whereas infants who are not infected will be provided with preventive antiretroviral medicines for twelve weeks after birth, this will go a long way in reducing new infections among children, said Cabinet Secretary for health, Dr. Cleaphas Mailu. The breast feeding women will be closely followed up to ensure that they closely adhere to antiretroviral therapy and remain virally suppressed throughout the breastfeeding period in order to prevent HIV transmission to their babies.
Antiretroviral therapy is now also recommended for HIV negative persons to prevent acquisition of HIV and is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis. This intervention will be accessible at specific HIV prevention, care and treatment service delivery settings under close supervision by NASCOP and County Health team and will be available to populations at high risk of acquiring HIV .
“The Ministry of Health is committed towards the implementation of the recommendations provided in the Guidelines on use of Antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV Infection in Kenya 2016 towards reducing new HIV infections and deaths related with HIV and reaching HIV epidemic control” said Dr. Cleaophas Mailu Cabinet Secretary, Health
Other guidelines and documents that were launched during the same function included Integrated Biological and Behavioral Survey for Key Populations, the Polling Booth Survey 2015, Report, Reaching the Unreached: The Evolution of Kenya’s HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme for Key Population report and a training manual on Responding to Violence against Key Populations to Promote Access to HIV Services
NASCOP’s Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision program also launched Results of Active Adverse events surveillance for PrePex circumcision in Kenya. To prevent occupational exposure to HIV among health workers, a report on Occupational Exposure to Blood/Body Fluids and HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis in Health Care Facilities in Kenya (2011 – 2014) was also launched as well as several handbooks on HIV treatment literacy materials for parents, caregivers, children and adolescents were also launched. And as the country moves towards strengthening quality and efficiency in the health sector, HIV commodity management guidelines were launched.
Politics is as Barack Obama would call it, silly season but in Kenya, its silliest of seasons and it would seem all year(s) long! With 2017 fast approaching all manner of games, trivia, lies and stories are being told to a bemused public. Known agents of Jubilee are standing authoritatively in CoRD press conferences waxing lyrical about political parties, communities and democracy.
This is more than ridiculous.
Ababu’s games that have been known to only but a few over the years, have progressed and now reached their crescendo and presumably climaxed. But who is this Mr Namwamba?
I love Kenyan psychology. Simple tricks are played on the unsuspecting public to hoodwink commoners and emasculate the truth. But the truth is always hiding in plain sight and people have reputations and histories.
The rumor mill in Kenya is seldom wrong, yet purveyors of impunity will lambast truth tellers and dismissively call them ‘rumor mongers’…it’s a technique well tried, tested and perfected by Moi in the KANU years who would dismiss Wangari Maathai (a great woman) as a ‘mad woman’ to the amusement and roaring laughter of wananchi at a public holiday rally.
It is through rumors that we knew Ouko had disappeared. It is through rumors we are aware Ababu was not trustworthy at the University of Nairobi and reportedly did his exams under police escort for his own safety.
During the swearing-in ceremony of early 2008, the entire Kenya was treated to pseudo comedy from a young first time MP swearing allegiance to Raila as the “elected president”, never mind Mwai Kibaki commander-in-chief was in the House, also for swearing in. Most thought “…wow what a loyal junior this one.” I watched carefully, on the face of it quite remarkable and cute but as they say time reveals everything.
The ‘establishment’ elements too have eyes and more ears, and they had taken note of this fellow. It wasn’t long before his name was all over the ‘maize scandal’ and a curious dalliance with Agriculture minister William Ruto keenly noted by all and sundry. But because politicians assume and ‘know’ that Kenyans are foolish, Ababu continued to front the ‘I am more ODM than anyone’ mask and to talk tough and to baptize himself “Generali.” And Raila allowed it.
Tinga wants to be president so bad, and is so under siege from many corners of the establishment that he’s always overwhelmed, outfoxed and in crisis. While knowing Ababu was compromised, he kept playing games with him, feeding him cookies and stroking his ego until ‘Men-in-Black’ happened on his watch. The party had been infiltrated and the take-over had to be stopped, violently and in broad daylight.
Meanwhile, Ababu had been chastised, rebuked and thrown out of the leadership of the Legal Affairs Committee in parliament and no media channel has cared to look carefully at his record and facts. Somehow he weaved his way as an ‘ODM loyalist’ and landed the plum position of chairperson Parliamentary Accounts Committee PAC a most cherished and coveted perch.
Alas, screwed up investigations ensued on sensitive topics (e.g., Hustler Jet and guess who the subject was?!) before Ababu again was bundled out in ignominy on crazy allegations of bribe taking and finger pointing in the same committee but not before going to his party leaders house to brief him on goings-on and while at it taped him secretly!
Recently, social media smoked out Ababu and mainstream media followed suit asking where is the ODM SG? Without breaking a sweat and being the liar he has proven to be the young politician quickly put out that he’s been on paternity leave, has young children and a young wife and all is honky dory.
Except that it’s not! Soon he clarified that he’s been absent because his conscience is so clear about IEBC that he doesn’t accept the unlawful methods of street demonstrations…after which he called the press to assert that he is not a cry baby, before finally declaring that he is frustrated upon realizing that his office has no powers and that the “gun he was given has no bullets!” All this, in a span of 6 weeks.
Kenyans like me are tired.
We are tired of rubbish. We abhor tribal politics and the naked manipulation, upending, blackmail and fallacy that go with it. We are well aware that our childish political culture impoverishes our people. We are tired of a lazy media that chooses to focus on Ababu carrying a mwiko and printing new tee shirts for his villagers than digging into the heart and core of issues.
Theatrics! We are tired of impunity. Of grown men, so scared like little children, unable to muster the courage to walk out of a party (any party) they fundamentally disagree with but choose to sit tight and serve two masters. We are tired of Tumbocracy masquerading as Democracy. Political players don’t care what the political parties act says, they don’t read the constitution they only want chopper rides, bags of money and big 4X4s to dazzle peasants in the constituency.
After almost 10 years, no Kenyan can identify one solid legislation crafted, drafted and advocated by Ababu Namwamba, nor any policy direction he pushed as minister or otherwise. Kenyan politics is about tricks, lies, deception and gimmicks. This must stop. Ababu is so busted. Fare thee well.
The writer is a social commentator and a governance adviser
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Kenya Insights or its Editors. We welcome opinion and views on topical issues. Email:[email protected]
Integrity House, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Nairobi
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has apparently embarked on a cat and mouse games in dealing with the Chickengate probe- the Sh.52M bribery scandal involving National Exams Council and the electoral commission. The EACC Chairman Philip Kinisu in February promised that the investigations into the matter would be concluded in under a month.
On March 18, the EACC boss Halakhe Waqo appearing before a parliamentary committee said that the report was finished, and he would forward the files to DPP Tobiko for the prosecution of those involved by 30th June. As it turned out, this was all a bluff, and the commission seems to have done zero investigations or is sitting on the report.
The scandal involved inflation of ballot papers prices as part of the kickbacks from the UK’s printing firm, Smith and Ouzman Ltd in the heights to 2013 elections. IEBC Chairman Issack Hassan tops the list of Kenyan officials who ‘ate’ the chicken. Others named in the scandal Davis Chirchir, an IEBC Commissioner then (he was rewarded with Energy CS post in Jubilee and was later sacked over graft allegations), James Oswago, Gladys Boss Shollei.
While the Kenyan counterparts are roaming free with no fear, a London court sentenced two directors of the printing company involved in the bribery scandal to jail. UK government even handed over the files and pieces of evidence they used to imprison the bribing US firm to the Kenyan authorities. EACC was tasked to investigate then forward files to the DPP.
Mentioned in the Chickengate scandal. From left: Mr Davis Chirchir, former Energy CS; Paul Wasanga, former KNEC
EACC is yet to do what they were mandated to do. Less can be written home about EACC effectiveness, countable or no prominent graft case that they’ve successfully solved. In the latest budgetary allocations, EACC got Sh. 2B more to their kitty. Kenya loses approximately Sh. 700B annually to corruption and most, if not all of it, is never recovered.
The anti-graft commission has been actively viewed as a pro graft body with critics saying it’s not free from executive control.
In the height of NYS scandal, EACC did ‘investigations’ and gave the then Devolution CS Ann Waiguru a clean bill of health. It later turned out money was lost in NYS and the ‘clean’ Waiguru was named as the mastermind of the nearly a billion-shilling rip off scheme.
Some people jokingly refer to EACC as the clearing commission, a quick refuge for the graft kings.
They rush here for clearance after looting. The legitimacy, reputation and integrity of the anti-graft body is highly questionable and leaves more to desire. The CEO Halakhe has also been named in several scandals with many critics accusing him of being subject to compromise by the corruption cartel.
Why is it taking EACC long to act on the Chickengate scandal, what more do they need when the UK government already made work easier and handed them over the evidence for the prosecution and nailing the suspects.
Ababu and Raila sharing a light moment during an ODM function
By Bel Akinyi
The hypocrisy in the political corridors today in Kenya has gutted me. Someone once said, man made money and money made man mad, and this is absolute genius. Political lightweights are flying all over the ring throwing empty punches into the air, making the utmost yet vain roars.
Jubilee has made it clear that 2017 is going to be about money, they’ve set aside billions, possibly stolen from the public kitty and about or already making it rain. Malnourished politicians are streaming in for brown envelopes. Recently, New Ford Kenya dissolved their party to join Jubilee, an openly money motivated move.
To the point at hand, it’s laughable and embarrassing, insulting to natural intelligence when a once thought to be brilliant politician turned bluff of century Ababu Namwamba, deprecates and rubbish off Raila political prowess.
First, Ababu’s approach is cliché, and he’s using a script that has been used by many; get in Raila circle, stick around like a leech, gain political mileage, start rebelling, cook an excuse to bolt out, call Raila names. I mean you couldn’t shock us with anything distinctive?
Ababu has been running up and down calling Raila names, saying how undemocratic and undermining he’s been to him. Now Ababu sit down your four eyes and let me school you and jog your memory. Ababu is who he is in political scale because of Raila, and he can deny it as much as a grown person refusing ever suckling his mother’s breast.
Ababu in Statehouse when he led a group of MPs from Western to hold talks with President Uhuru and DP Ruto
We all remember the controversial swearing in where defiant Ababu declined to pay allegiance to Kibaki instead he did on Raila, and that’s when he caught the nation’s attention and when his political star in the national sky went on.
In the coalition government, Raila awarded Ababu with a ministerial post, but the man with the mouthful of Ingokho now will deny that. Ababu was awarded a lucrative committee in Parliament PAC, courtesy of Raila and he was swimming in oil, he’s said to have been paid off in millions to throw under the bus, PAC report on Ruto’s hustler’s jet that cost taxpayers millions. Ababu has enjoyed political privileges courtesy of Raila he can’t deny that.
Despite revolt from insiders and many party supporters, Raila gave Ababu a chance and was delivered ODM’s top most authoritative position and was named the Secretary General. And yet this man still grieves of having been played in ODM. I asked this before, and I’ll ask again, did Ababu want Raila to give him his lungs to feel content.
On a fair note, it’s okay if a young man as Ababu has bigger political ambitions. However, it’s more significant to play smart as in politics isn’t any standard game. Respect the rules of power, don’t punch a wall and expect the wall to get hurt.
Raila leads Ababu in the good old days
Pursue your ambitions Ababu, but don’t insult people who nurtured you, respect is paramount, in Africa, and the young are bound to respect the elders. It wouldn’t hurt or make you less of a man if you only said “Mr Odinga, I’m thankful for the time I’ve been with you, I’ve learnt a lot, and I think we no longer share identical political agendas, and it’s time for me to move on to the next phase of my political career.” It wouldn’t harm you Ababu.
By Bel Akinyi is a Political Science student at Melbourne University, Australia.
Twitter: @BelAkinyii
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Kenya Insights or its Editors. We welcome opinion and views on topical issues. Email:[email protected]
Protestors in Nairobi, chanting anti judicial killings slogans following murder of lawyer Willie Kimani
Lawyer Willie Kimani together with his client Josephat Mwedwa and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri were laid to rest eventually on Saturday. Hundreds of mourners gathered to give the three heroic send off in their rural homes.
Leaders from different divisions; LSK, political, administration and civil society all had one common message, bring to an end extra judicial killings which claimed the lives of the three. The brutal murder of Willie and his company not only grabbed headlines of local media outlets but international spaces.
From Civil unions to international media terminals, the gory news caught the world in consternation even as US extrajudicial killings maimed the world. In a peculiarity mannerism, Kenyans have a tendency of forgetting things as soon as they relegate from the trending topics list.
Great scholars say insanity is the art of doing the same thing over and over and expecting to see a change. The cycle has been entirely predictable, extrajudicial executions by police are committed, in this case, a prominent case as the rest get shoved off, a public outrage sparked, the topic trends on all the key social and mainstream media platforms.
Anti Extra Judicial killings Protestors in Nairobi streets. (Photo: Getty)
Leaders drawn from across the board come out to reprobate the heinous acts, victims of brutality buried, and the hype goes with it as well. Life gets back to normal as soon as the graves are covered.
Loudmouthed MP, Moses Kuria knowing the distinctiveness of Kenyans, is on account calling for the assassination of CORD leader Raila. He went further to say, Raila’s supporters would riot for few weeks, the police would shoot dead a good number in the name of maintaining peace and before we know it, life would be back to normal.
Kuria wasn’t wrong, Kenyans have a slight recollection, we have knee-jerk reactions and forget at light speed. Now that Willie has been buried, and the calls for the stop to extrajudicial killings rented the air, where do we go next. From my point of view, we have at disposal several arbitrations to curb this menace that has steadily been robbing the country the best of its brains.
Western Financiers
The police force largely depends on foreign aid in financing their operations, US, UK, Sweden, France just to mention a few are some of the key financiers of the now killer branded force. The foreign powers gratify themselves in training, equipping and financing the force at large.
Unless the extra-judicial killings are part of their maiming agenda, the financing countries must use their powers at stake to push for the alignment of the police. Use veto powers to quash the lethal force to submission. I leave it at a comfortable point that UK, US, France and the rest have the rest to cut off, review or continue facilitating a clearly brutalising force. Their stand will and won’t be overlooked given the stakes they hold.
Police reforms
The new constitution came with the Independence Police Oversight Authority with the sole focus on streamlining the force and furnishing its face. However, the fruits are yet to materialise. Civil societies, political and interested party leaders must bury their faces in this course to ensure the transformation of the police from its perceived image to an acceptable one. Ethics, adherence to core values and respect for natural laws should be guiding lines in this agenda.
Lawyers carry the casket bearing the body of slain colleague Willie Kimani during his funeral service
A reformed police force, streamlined with discipline will go a long way in dealing with extrajudicial killings. According to reports, a reward of as little as Sh.2,000 an equivalent of $20 is given to officers who kill criminals. The unpropitious aspect here is, you’re either a perceived or real criminal. A disciplined, well-paid officer, will pause for a moment before pulling the trigger for a mere Sh.2,000.
Unfortunately, in Kenya, you stand a higher chance of raising your rank in the force given the number of criminals real or perceived that you’ve fallen. This lethal loophole is a motivational factor for rogue officers to pull the trigger continuously with the final thought of rising the tube.
Reforms should extend to the dismissal of all top security organs from Inspector General of the police, CID director all the way down in cleansing the police force. Boinnet, Muhoro and company, who have been overseeing the recent infinite illegal killings.
Disbanding the Killer unit
Brand Fire lawyer, Abdulahi Ahmednassir, recently pricked the inflated balloon exposing a relatively obvious fact that DCI’s led unit harbours the killer unit.
Dreaded Serious crimes prevention unit, flying squad under the unsmiling DCI Ndegwa Muhoro should have deeper scrutiny. Most illegal killings have been attributed to these units. Lawyers, leaders and all relevant bodies must lock in their focus in this space to ensure the ‘promotion to glory’ elements are disbanded as a measure in killing the unit and eventually the extra-judicial killings. Failure to this, the noises will reign and so will the unit, insanity.
Executive stand
When the prominent businessman Jacob was earlier in the year assassinated in what many points at the executives’ wing involvement and most recently, Willie’s murder, one thing has been common, the deafening silence from the executive.
Their silence can easily be read as a stamping signal to the extra-judicial killings. President Uhuru and Jubilee government, swore an oath to protect, uphold the constitution of Kenya and above all ensure the safety of all citizens.
DCI Muhoro, Head of Flying Squad John Kariuki when they appeared before the court
Throughout the fatal incidences, their voices are hardly audible, silence throwing many into the speculative mode. The leaders must come out of their shells to condemn these killings and Kenyans to take them into action. As top most organs in the hierarchy, they must be responsible and pull the relevant strings in dealing with this menace, and silence will only be read as an endorsement.
Tribunal Inquiries
Every time, a prominent execution takes place a tribunal is formed with negative results to show at the end. Devotion must be shown, and past enquiries reports should be made public as research basis and historical files preservation.
A general Tribune to discuss the bigger problem, extra-judicial killings, let’s look into the causes and come up with perfect solutions out, name and shame the rogue elements in the state involved in this.
As Kenyans head to the next general elections, all danger pausing aspects must be dealt with, and not a single angle left hanging given possible repercussions.
To appease the spirits of our brothers and sisters in history from JM, Mboya, Ouko, Wagalla to the Mavoko three and everyone else, who’ve been brutally murdered by hit squads, we must not relent on justice course. It must not be business as usual and wait for the poachers to pounce on their next catch for us to wake from the repose.
John Odullah, a lawyer from Karachuonyo n Homabay County, met and struck a rapport with Mr Hans Frederick Dydensborg- the president of Global Medical Aid and an advocate for the Danish Supreme Court, in 2014. Mr Hans was in the country for a conference.
Being a Kenyan of goodwill, Odullah asked Mr Hans if he could make a donation of medical equipment to his home county, to which Mr Hans obliged. Mr Odullah contacted his friend, Kisumu Central MP Ken Obura to be the consignee for the container Mr Hans was going to ship in.
Obura agreed to this and used his NGO (Ken Obura Foundation) to bring it into the country. Being a charitable organisation, they thought it wouldn’t attract huge tax rates. When the shipment docked in Obura’s name, port authorities demanded up to Sh.7M for clearance.
The amount was too huge for the MP so they asked the county government of Homabay to chip in and help. The county government later backed off leaving off the charity project in limbo.
Gutted with impediments and constant demands for money, Mr Hans recently flew in the country to try and get the container cleared. His efforts to get in touch with the consignee, Mr Obura, bore no fruits as the legislator embarked on cat and mouse games. He lied that he was out of the country but was seen in Parliament buildings on the same day.
Well-wishers loading medical equipment as donations destined for Africa
On deeper investigations, Mr Hans realised that the said Ken Obura Foundation only exists on paper with no physical address. Obura, according to the frustrated donor, was plotting with port officials to buy time for the container to be declared late for clearance and put up for auction. He would then swing in, buy it at a reduced value and then sell the consignment to the counties at the market price.
Items in the container included endoscopy devices, a fundus camera, two x-ray developers, 363 disinfection scopes, eight washing and disinfection machines, a dexa scanner, 30 microscopes, a paraplegic laboratory and 120 infusion single and triple pumps.
Homabay County and it’s neighbours are faced with high HIV/AIDS prevalence, not to mention water-borne diseases and other infections. Add that up with the averagely low income of the residents, and the medical donation would have gone a long way in improving the health and livelihood of the residents, but greed and personal interest have gotten in the way.
For 19 months, the container with medical equipment donation valued at Sh.30M meant for poor Kenyans who are unable to afford quality healthcare lay at the Mombasa port.
Corrupt officials at Mombasa port demanded that Mr Hans pay a Sh.2M bribe to have the container cleared, but he wouldn’t oblige. He turned to Mombasa county to pay the clearance fee and take ownership of the donation, but they too declined the offer.
Defeated and frustrated, Mr Hans redirected the shipment back to Denmark. That’s how Homabay County residents lost out on a Sh30M medical donation.
From Left Kidero, Speaker Muturi and Wetangula share a platform during a functiuon
In politics, they say a day is like a century and that there are no permanent enemies, interests dictate nature of relationships in this game. Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba, who at one point in life stated his DNA is ODM/Raila that nothing other than death would change that finally resigned from the party’s top leadership organ as the Secretary General.
The youthful politician had been tipped to dump the party, kept a distance from all key events the party sketched in recent times from much hyped Saba Saba rally last year to anti-IEBC demos last months. According to the political corridors, the fashionista legislator had gone to bed with the new Mr money bags in town, DP Ruto and it was only a matter of time before he could bolt out to join him in shadows.
The two have a relationship that dates back to campus days when Ababu a then student leader at the University of Nairobi struck a deal with DP Ruto. Those privies to their relationship mumble that he supplied him with merchandise, in this case, rule out drugs and fill in the blanks. Back to the matter at hand, there has been credible dismay that CORD top organs could disintegrate in the run-up to general elections.
Governor Evans Kidero
Musyoka is resolute to be on the ballot, by all means, Raila there’s no debate about it, he’s a taking his last shot at the presidency. Wetangula on the other side according to my sleuths, is financially guillotined to run a presidential campaign to the end and feels his current stature in politics doesn’t rightfully allow him to stick to a lesser luxurious Senatorial seat.
According to my highly placed and impeccable sources in the political shells, the Bungoma litigant cum politician is scheming on taking the lucrative Nairobi gubernatorial seat currently held by ODM’s highly maintained figure, Kidero.
A very close confidant to Wetangula and his circles is telling me, the CORD co-principal is more than determined to topple Kidero. “The plot is at an advanced stage, Kidero must take a backseat, and we’re more than prepared and confident we will get the seat, and Raila must give us his blessings.” Says the mole.
The senator from information reaching me has petitioned the Cord leader, Raila Odinga to sacrifice the incumbent in his favour. This is coming at a time when Raila’s support base in Western is undergoing surgery. His close defendant Namwamba together with Otuoma latest leaders to show discontent and shifting loyalty from him and party. Wetangula could be using this as a blackmail strategy on Raila as a bargaining tool to stay in CORD.
Wetangula and DP Ruto sharing a light moment
As a crafty strategy, Wetangula has been getting close underneath with Kidero’s inner circles. “His friendship with the governor has miraculously, tightened in the past few months, funny he doesn’t have any idea Weta is salivating for his seat.” A source at city hall confides in me.
Wetangula’s entrance into the Nairobi highly contested seat now adds to the array of gun tooting candidates, Senator Mike Sonko, MP Dennis Waweru, Nominated MP Johnson Sakaja, Miguna Miguna and Margret Wanjiru, who’ve both publicly shown their interest in the seat.
Jubilee has vowed to take over the position from ODM in the coming elections in what DP Ruto described as ‘by all all means, through crook and hook’. Weta’s entrance and demands to have Kidero out introduce a new pressure within the already pressurised coalition.
Obviously, Kidero, who’s amongst biggest financiers of the ODM party, wouldn’t be naturally easy with the thought of relegation.
Whether Kidero is aware of Weta’s sungura schemes or not is but a guess, what he does with the information that he now has at determines his way forward as he gathers his strength to retain the seat of everyone’s envy.
A stressed fan of my investigation pieces approached me with what is not shocking since I’ve heard such cries before. Because of security reasons and on her request, her identity shall remain anonymous. The names used in this article are fictitious with the story continuing as it was narrated.
Marion works with Qatar Airways as an air hostess and lives in a Gulf city where she mostly spends most of her times on land notwithstanding the fact that nearly all her time she’s afloat the air.
With her career catching up and the pay smiling on the other side, she thought wise to make savings back home. After consolidation, she chose on Barclays bank as the right prospect to use given its worldwide presence, and since she’s a trot, that would present a better option.
Two weeks ago, she flew back to Kenya, opened a savings account with Barclays made a deposit of over a million bob. Considering her investment was in better hands, she continued with her work, flew to the US almost immediately after opening the account.
Unfortunately, while in the US, she was mugged and lost her purse plus her phones too. Being precautious, she almost immediately called Barclays Bank back home as a security measure on her account. Travelled back to her residential Gulf country where she renewed her line she was initially using.
This was when the cat and mouse games with the staff in Nairobi started. Marion originally opened the account with her Kenyan phone number linked to it, and now that she wasn’t in a position to access that line which went along with her stolen items, she filed to have contact number changed to her present’s.
She intended to access the money in her account, and the only way of doing this was by activating internet banking. A pin is supposed to be sent to her number to activate the system. Before this could happen, the staff were to send her forms via email to fill for the internet banking system to be activated.
Concealed to her, a fleecing scheme was in its primary stages with the communication spark. Instead of promptly, sending the forms, they bought time and only sent them to her days later and this when she discovered the shock of her life.
Someone had fraudulently accessed her account and withdrew Sh.600,000 in an unexplainable transfer. Faced with the bitter reality and shocking discovery, she called the bank to inquire how this possibly happened while herself hadn’t made any transfer transaction. As usual, they told her to give them time as the fraud unit worked to establish how this could’ve happened.
From my investigations, there are minimal incidences that this could’ve happened, and all pointers take the directions at an insider plot at the bank. When Marion lost her items, she didn’t have her Barclays ATM card in it. In fact, she’s yet to collect the card from the bank. This rules out cybercrime instance by stealing bank details by blackhat criminals.
She was yet to activate internet banking service so there were nearly zero percent chances of effecting internet transactions by fraudsters or herself unless the bank had activated this service without her consent. Which in that case is criminal.
As she would later come to realise, the transaction was enabled via mobile banking, a service that again she hadn’t subscribed for. The only person who activates this, the bank. A basic explanation here, someone inside the bank enabled this services, accessed her account, transferred the cash without her knowledge.
The bank would’ve locked down her account the moment she called to inform them of her items lost and asking to switch contact numbers. They took a time to send her the internet banking activation emails in what now looks like a strategy to buy time for them to cook ways of accessing her account and making the illegal transfers.
The bank insists, they’re investigating the matter, but these developments expose what could be a bigger scandal going on within the bank. You can bet this isn’t an isolated case and that the staff could be actively involved in this fraud plot. If this amount is anything to go by then billions could be lost to rogue bankers schemes annually.
The bank must come out and weed out the criminal elements in the desks, crippling many people’s incomes, unless, its party to the larger syndicate. Marion is patiently waiting for answers, as she waits the fraudsters could be preying on another victim. Are you a victim of this same scheme or any fraudulent deals going on at any local bank? Email me ([email protected]) I will investigate the matter and expose the evil elements.
What solutions have the greatest potential for increasing food security? Asamoh believes critical responses to food security challenges around the world include honouring comparative advantage by growing crops well suited to local conditions, enabling open markets, supporting smallholder farmers, fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors, encouraging investment, harmonising food safety standards and reforming biofuels mandates. While focusing on long-term solutions is crucial for achieving food security, providing aid during emergency food shortages is critical as well.
Increasing production and access to food
The world will always raise the most food the most economically and in the most environmentally responsible way when farmers plant the right crops for their local climate and soils using the right technology, then trade with others for the benefit of all. If every country set a goal of food self-sufficiency, the world would have much less food. Open markets increase food security by ensuring food surpluses can reach areas of deficit. Governments need to support open markets through a fair, transparent and rules-based trading system. Trade helps create jobs, supports local economies, helps raise living standards and contributes to a more food secure global population.
To increase food security, the world needs farmers at every level of production to be successful. Providing support to smallholder farmers is essential to helping them fulfil their expanding role in feeding the hungry and fighting malnutrition. First, smallholder farmers need training in agricultural best practices and access to inputs, credit, storage and technology to increase their productivity in a sustainable way, which raises their own living standards and produces surpluses to help nourish others. Second, farmers need some form of revenue certainty. Smallholder farmers often are forced to sell at harvest when they are cash flow destitute and have limited access to real credit. Selling at depressed prices creates a cycle of discouraging further production in future years.
Farmers in developing countries need reliable markets into which to sell their crops each season and an adequate price to compensate them for their efforts and provide incentive to continue production the following year. Third, farmers need access to crop insurance and other risk management tools so they can rebound from crop failures or other growing season fluctuations. And fourth, farmers must be able to own their land and pledge it as collateral if they are expected to reinvest and raise their productivity over time.
Improvements in African agriculture will be necessary to feed the world’s growing population. Roughly 60 percent of the world’s potential cropland is in Africa, and much of that land has adequate sun, water and soil for rain-fed crop production. Despite its vast potential, Africa has the lowest agricultural productivity in the world and must import much of the food and agricultural products its people need. Increasing Africa’s agricultural production – including closing the productivity gap by supporting smallholder farmers and bringing suitable lands into production – will be essential for achieving food security across Africa and around the world.
Business-ladies selling farm products in the local market
Technology advances have increased the efficiency of the global food system, giving more people access to a wider range of safe, nutritious foods at a relatively low cost. Genetic improvements, such as drought resistance, and optimisation of inputs, such as fertiliser, help farmers improve yields while reducing waste and environmental impact. Science and technology are vital to producing more safe, affordable and nutritious food in an environmentally conscious way. High-yield agriculture allows farmers to grow more food so less land needs to be converted for production. Small- and large-scale farmers using a variety of production practices will be needed to feed a growing world.
Food Security Solutions
Farmers benefit from cooperation between the public and private sectors, enabling them to grow more food sustainably and making that food accessible to others. Civil society, governments, academia and the private sector must work together toward solutions, such as training farmers in sustainable practices, helping them invest cooperatively in storage and other infrastructure, and facilitating harvest loans.
Greater investment in agriculture by the public and private sectors also is necessary to increase global food production. A boost in funding and attention in the following key areas is needed: transportation, distribution, storage and energy infrastructure; agricultural research and development; agricultural science, extension, education and the promotion of best practices; and governance around legal and business structures to encourage private sector investment.
Focusing on the role of women farmers also is critical to achieving food security. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), women account for nearly half – 43 percent – of the world’s farmers, although their contribution to the agricultural labour force can be much higher – more than 60 percent in some countries. Yet women farmers face more severe constraints than men in accessing productive resources, markets and services. Closing the gender gap in agriculture would produce significant gains for society by increasing agricultural productivity, reducing poverty and hunger and promoting economic growth. Aid for agricultural development programs needs to more closely match the significant role women play in agricultural production.
Locals in Turkana taking away relief food from an NGO
Removing barriers
Ensuring the safety of food as it is produced and transported also is critical to achieving greater food security. To move food efficiently from where it is produced to where it is needed, predictable, science-based global food safety standards are necessary to manage risk, provide transparency and ensure accountability. Harmonising standards can help address the problem of food waste and correct the lapses, failures and gaps in food safety systems that prevent food from being safely consumed.
Reform of biofuels mandates also is necessary to help improve food security. Demand for biofuels has spurred investment in agriculture, but mandated use of biofuels creates inelastic demand and increased volatility in the food system. To help balance food, animal feed and biofuel uses of agricultural feedstocks, government policy needs to include waivers or other trigger mechanisms to lift biofuels mandates in times of stress, so that the market can direct short crops to those sectors where they are most needed.
Improving nutrition
Malnutrition imposes health, social and economic burdens on individuals, communities, businesses and governments. Increasing collaboration by the public, private and nonprofit sectors is needed to ensure people receive adequate nutrition. The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network and Global Nutrition for Growth Compact are helping focus attention and action to improve nutrition. Undernutrition increasingly co-exists with obesity, which is rising in every part of the world. Nutrition solutions are needed that improve diet and health for people across the food security spectrum, including hunger and overconsumption.
Providing emergency food aid
In cases of emergency food shortages – due to weather-related production shortfalls, natural disasters, political instability or conflict – or where markets work counter to food security for a period of time, mechanisms and programs for consumers and farmers are needed to support food security. Consumers can often be helped through income safety nets that tackle basic poverty, or more focused initiatives such as food banks and other emergency feeding programs, school feeding programs, or food voucher systems that can ensure that people have enough to eat. Farmers can be helped through crop insurance and programs that guarantee inputs for the following year. In times of dire emergency, support is needed for the World Food Programme to have flexibility in acquiring emergency food supplies.
By Reinhard Asamoh, a University of Nairobi trained Economist with interest in governance.
This article expresses the author’s opinion only. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Kenya Insights or its Editors. We welcome opinion and views on topical issues. Email: [email protected]
Eid al-Fitr is a day of feasting, charity, and prayer as Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadhan fasting and the return a more normal daily crap uptake.
From carefully choreographed mix of various practices and specific such as what to eat for breakfast and even how to walk to prayer. Here’s 9 Eid traditions you might not have known before or you might be doing them but you have never realized it.
Fasting is prohibited
For Eid al-Fitr, fasting is strictly prohibited. To ensure that the fast in broken in earnest, a small, usually sweet breakfast is eaten at the beginning of the holiday after the obligatory pre-sunrise prayer.
Deep clean, clad in “Sunday best”, but again no show-offs
The holy day requires a deep clean! Before the obligatory breakfast, observant Muslims pray the important Salaat ul-Eid (special Eid prayers), they must clean their teeth, shower, and put on their best clothes and perfume. The importance here is not to show off to other humans, but rather to be as prepared as possible to pray before God.
Prayer without call
Those who lie near a Mosque might be familiar with the “Adhan” or “Mwandhini” (call to prayer) that is sounded five times a day. Strangely, on Eid al-Fitr, you will hear no Adhan before the outdoor holiday prayer begins.
This prayer without a call happens only twice a year – once on Eid al-Fitr and once on Eid al-Adha (the second holiest holiday in Islam).
Mandatory Outdoor Prayers
Regular Islam prayers are usually done in the home or mosques, but the Eid prayer differ greatly in that they must be performed outdoor in a wide, open area. I am not sure of the reason to this.
So, on Eid, expect to see large gatherings of Muslims in parks and squares to meet this mandatory condition.
To and from Eid prayer on foot and no repeating routes
Interestingly enough, it appears that there are even rules on one makes their way to Eid prayer. During this day, It is mandatory to go to and from Eid prayer on foot (I am not sure if I have seen the absolute part of this), and it is even recommended that believers take a different route home so as to abstain from retracing their steps on the return trip!
No speaking during Prayer & Sermon
The Eid prayer has two parts: the actual prayer and then a sermon by a Sheikh immediately afterwards. It is customary (and obligatory!) that no one speaks during this period. Only Islamic greetings and phrases may be uttered during this sacred time, with talking only being permissible once Muslims have vacated the prayer area. Maybe this is the time when I should go see my Muslim brothers and Sisters get a chance to shut up!
Charity and philanthropy
One of the most crucial parts of Eid is giving charity, and time is set aside to gather donations for the needy. In some countries like Saudi Arabia, Muslims might anonymously leave food or money with members of their community who are known to be less-fortunate. These, and other such traditions have become integral parts of the Eid celebrations.
Forgive, Forget & start on a clean slate
Eid is a time of spiritual rejuvenation, and that carries over to the earthly lives as well.
One is encouraged to forgive trespasses, and let go of grudges that have built up over the past year. Additionally, begin anew with new faces – it is common for even complete strangers to greet one another, wishing them a blessed Eid.
Time to munch Sweets
After the prayer, Muslims visit relatives to feast and exchange gifts with children. During this period sweets are customary. It’s a joyous time for anyone with a sweet tooth!
I believe you had a fabulous Eid. Now back to normal life.
The cheap tilapia imported from China being sold in Kisumu
The news of cheap tilapia fish sold in Kisumu and environs has in the past days been the topic of debate. Being a delicacy of the lake community, a smart but rather conniving businessman saw the opportunity to import fish from China.
There has been a steady decline in fish supply in the region with fishermen citing a decrease in fish population in Lake Victoria. Fish population in Africa’s biggest freshwater lake has been the downfall in the recent times due to some reasons. With the supply being unable to meet the demand for fish, businessmen resorted to importing tilapia from China.
The most shocking part is the imported fish is way cheaper than the local ones. Tilapia, locally known as Ngege, goes at a market price of Ksh.300 while the Chinese tilapia is just a mere Sh.30, a 100% reduction in price. The fish is transported and kept frozen in boxes where they’re sold and distributed to different market zones. Local leaders have come out saying this is a sabotage of the local economy in which fishing is the primary economic pillar. But that’s not even the worst.
A fish farm in China
In a random research conducted by Kenya Insights, we’ve established that the cheap tilapia being sold to the locals come with dangerous repercussions with them. Most of the fish being sold are bred and fed on raw sewage as a way of cutting costs and contaminated with microbes like salmonella.
Fish farming is a thriving venture in China. However, there are set fish feeds that the government allows farmers to use, but most farmers do not adhere to this standards. In several disgusting videos we viewed on the internet of fish rearing, farmers opt for raw sewage to feed the fish claiming the government-recommended manure is too expensive.
Demand for fish imports from China continues to go up worldwide with US alone consuming over 30% of seafood from China. Feeding the fish with faeces isn’t even half of it, the tilapia are frozen before package, and the ice used in this process is also made from sewage water according to a Bloomberg report in 2012.
Given the health risks posed to the farmers themselves, they’re adding chemicals like illegal and powerful pesticides and antibiotics to fight off and calm down stressed fish to the fish feed and water to counter bacterial and fungal infections.
A common anti-bacteria they use is nitrofuran which was banned in animal husbandry in China itself, USA, and Europe as lab tests proved that it caused cancer in rats.
A fishmonger sets up her merchandise at the famous fish retail market in Kisumu, Oile.
As the poisoned and faeces bred tilapia continue to fill plates given its economic reprieve, consumers must look forward to a future of unexplainable illnesses. The pandemic isn’t closed to Kisumu alone, given the market pyramid in Kenya, there’s a high probability this Cheap China tilapia has gotten its way to most parts of the country including the leading cities as Nairobi, Nakuru and Mombasa.
In our next piece, we will expose and explain the persons behind this health risk venture in Kisumu. Next time you order for that tilapia, you might want to ask the seller kama ni ya China
Kenya’s leading telecom, Safaricom is yet again on the receiving end for declining to avail crucial data that would help the investigators in Lawyer Willie Kimani’s murder probe. The Law Society of Kenya, faced with non-corporation and impediments from the telecommunication giant, has made an application at High Court to compel Safaricom to release information relevant to the investigations.
LSK had requested the company to give communication data from calls and text messages for Willie, Josephat and Joseph. In a quick rejoinder, Safaricom said that they are unable to retrieve text messages since they’re not stored me their database. This, as it sounds, a big lie, calls and messages including mobile money transfers records are stored in a database as a requirement.
Willie Kimani and company were kidnapped on the 23rd of June and allegedly held in a container (which has since been torched by unknown persons) inside Syokimau Police station. LSK requested for Safaricom to use forensic data analyses techniques to get all phone numbers that were active around the container between 12pm-4pm when it is believed the three were held inside the container.
This would be a significant breakthrough in identifying the numbers and registered details of people who held the murdered captives before taking them away for butchering. Calls that were going and incoming around the container where the three were being held could be a major opening.
Anti Extra Judicial killings Protestors in Nairobi streets. (Photo: Getty)
They were probably held at the spot shortly awaiting communication from someone or persons, and the call logs will determine the who and who. For the truth to be known entirely, Safaricom must, therefore, come out clean.
In justification, Safaricom is saying they risk losing their operations licence if they released such details to third parties, that’s the LSK. The information Safaricom is withholding could be used to nail the suspects further if the data could tie them to the location.
Also, communication details where JosephatMwendwa was always getting death threats together with Willie. Delaying to release this information is obstructing justice as Kenyans sweat day in to bring to an end the legion of extra-judicial killings.
Willie’s case is not isolation, and Safaricom is on record having refused to cooperate and release call logs for blogger Bogonko Bosire, who went missing years back and is yet to be traced up to now. During ICC cases, the prosecution too accused Safaricom of non-corporation and vehemently refusing to corporate with the court and release M-Pesa statements for President Uhuru, who was charged with being a financier to the Mungiki Sect.
Ironically, the telco says its contravention of policies to release such data to a third party, yet it’s public knowledge that at times they corporate with the police to use their database in trailing down criminals. In investigations, there’s no minor evidence, and every loophole is a big breakthrough. Safaricom should corporate with the courts and investigators principally on public interest cases like this of extrajudicial killings.
Singer Madonna Ciccone (L) poses for a photograph with Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta as she receives a “Beyond Zero” campaign technical report at State House in Nairobi, Kenya, July 4, 2016
By Nickolas Olambo
Western media has always painted Africa as a battlefield, weak, corrupt, backwards and leaving so many people unaware that the nations in Africa have functioning governments, with modernised cities, schools, hospitals, normality, thriving businesses, intelligent and capable human beings. Rwanda, for example, has been reported as war tonne when it’s one of the top growing economies in Africa.
They report only negative stories which in fact are even in their home countries just to provide their celebrities with a cause to make more money despite their careers hitting ‘menopause’. It’s senseless to reduce Africa to a mere notion of good versus evil and create a suggestion that only outsiders carry the key to solutions.
Who benefits from these celebrity activists? One may ask and it’s clear these fame beings hire expensive PR experts to sell their convictions as Daniel Drezner would tell you in “When foreign policy goes glam”, engaging in humanitarian causes clearly benefits the Clooneys, Jolie’s and Damons of the world. It provides them with access to new outlets – political talk shows or international forums – and helps polish their personal brands.
Madonna, for instance, was in Kenya, Kibera slums over the weekend reportedly to see how she could improve the lives of the residents. She is also said to have been reduced to tears when she heard a man narrate how his five-year-old daughter was raped by the neighbour. Everybody knows Madonna has championed projects in Malawi to adopt babies in the end but similar PR stunts by Western celebrities such as crying, Salma Hayek breastfeeding a baby in Sierra Leone and Angelina Jolie travelling to Iraq is annoying.
These are lame PR stunts people are used to. In 2013 members of British Pop Group, One Direction was filmed with toddlers at a hospital in Ghana, the aim of such a clip is to encourage people to donate. And true to the stereotypes before it was aired, UK papers had released images of the group in tears sitting next to sick African kids. Africa is tired of these pictures, but celebrities don’t seem to realise.
Their PR experts are doing a good job, and they have realised that Kenya is a place to be, take photos and beg for mercy. This works well because the current regime is that which enjoys taking ‘selfies’ then count and smile about the many likes they get on social media. The over glorified ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’ by the first lady Margret Kenyatta is a great initiative, and no one can deny that.
Madonna should instead identify something else to tackle not expressing her ‘willingness’ to partner with Beyond Zero Initiative to redeem her diminishing fame and image.
This celebrity adopter is full of controversies not good for Beyond Zero. It has been alleged that the children she adopted from Malawi are not orphans, sidestepping the right procedure to complete the adoption process and using her status and wealth on authorities.
Not long ago she also caused controversy when she posted a picture of her ‘white son’ Rocco and captioned it with the N word. She did that despite having two adopted black children. Apologies or no apologies, that was reckless and casting doubts if she will add any value to ‘Beyond Zero Campaign’.
There are so many good projects that in fact can’t meet their goals due to insufficient funding. Beyond Zero is not one of them so what would Madonna be there for? In fact, her pledge to work with the First Lady’s initiative comes only a few days after Melinda Gates, the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expressed similar interest to partner with the Beyond Zero initiative, to ensure access to quality health for Kenyan women and children.
To quote Journalist Andrew Mwenda ‘all too often, these campaigns are not about the welfare of the people they claim to be helping but act as a platform for celebrities to promote their brand to their audiences at home by exhibiting their humanity’. Madonna’s ‘Beyond Zero campaign photos’ are all over social media when she also visited Maasai Mara, why not post those pictures too for the world to see?
Most Western celebrities travel to Africa with twisted schemes other than what they publicly drive. Some are genuine in their courses but majority insincere. They rush to give ‘aid’ to ‘dying’ Africa to gain humanitarianism points and for their fans to see them as saviours or sort of. It’s all about improving their ratings and getting new Hollywood characters or awards and shoot up their sales.
Now thanks to Madonna half of the world now have a rough idea of how Kenya looks like, dirty with open running sewage. All these because of the selective pictures she flooded on her social media pages of Kibera slums, a micro fraction of Kenya to billions of her fans all over the world.
Akon with president Uhuru when he paid him a visit at Statehouse
Another celebrity whose project can only be heard in Kenya but not seen is Akon. The singer has turned into ‘a state house rat’; you can bump into him anywhere within the premises any day. His Akon Lighting Africa Project has nothing to show in the region when he is busy taking selfies with the head of state just to appear to be doing something yet he failed to turn up for shows when he was in his prime citing fake tickets and rogue promoters as his reasons. Africa has work to do, and its position should not be used to seek sympathy.
There’re more beauty and natural resources that Kenya holds than dirty pictures from Kibera, and we don’t disown that Slum is an issue, even New York, World’s top city is faced with this menace. If you’re genuine in highlighting African accounts, give the world a 3D view, don’t show the shadow and keep off the light side. Kenya or Africa is not and shouldn’t be a space for career flopping celebrities to rush in to salvage their dwindling ratings. Africa has more to offer than Poverty stricken pictures.
DCI Muhoro, Head of Flying Squad John Kariuki when they appeared before the court on Tuesday
The murder of lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwendwa and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri by suspected police officers has in the past days clutched not only local headlines but also international attention. Human rights bodies led by the supreme UN have come out in full gear to condemn the brutal murder of the three.
In a quick progress, four officers suspected to have been behind the killings have been held behind bars for days now as investigations continue. The officers suspected of carrying out the killings are Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Chebulet, Leonard Maina Mwangi and Silvia Wanjiku.
According to autopsy results, the victims were painfully tortured before being killed. Uniformly, they were hit with blunt objects with the most impact to their heads and chest. According to the report, lawyer Willie’s testicles were crushed, showing extreme pain they endured in their last moments.
Traditionally, such high-profile executions are expected of the elite unit of police like the flying squad. However, the killing of the three is being blamed on the perceived inferior Administration Police, which brings to focus a new face of the AP. The Parliamentary Security Committee is envisioning disbanding the unit and merging it with the Kenya Police following constant complaints on their rogue inclinations.
When the news of Fredrick Leliman’s arrest reached Mlolongo residents, they went in a celebratory mood. According to a resident talking to me on anonymity conditions, the officer known by the nickname Maasai, is a dreaded figure in the locality. The officer, according to my source, is known for ruthless eliminations. “He is ruthless and fears no one, and he kills at will. He has killed so many young men here, and nobody dares to raise a voice. If you try, he comes for you.”
Another credible source tells me the dreaded officer in the month of June alone has executed over 25 young men in Mlolongo area where he is stationed. Most of these men are either suspected criminals or in some cases feigned. A good number of complaints about him are being processed according to my source at IPOA.
Leliman’s latest victim is a woman currently nursing gunshot wounds at Kenyatta National Hospital. She, in a company of another woman who unfortunately succumbed, were passersby and witnessed an execution. The trigger happy Maasai pulled the trigger on the women.
The three suspects operate as a team, according to reports, with their female counterpart Silvia Wanjiku being their designated driver in any of their operations. They are stationed in the same camp.
The suspected officers; Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Chebulet, Leonard Maina Mwangi and Silvia Wanjiku appeared at the Milimani Law courts on Monday
If these signs are anything to go by, then the suspects hold crucial information on extra-judicial killings which would easily implicate their seniors. In most extra-judicial executions, a source who requested anonymity for security reasons, tells me that junior officers must get the green light from the top brass before carrying out a killing.
With FBI now handling the case, the senior officers who issued out instructions for the executions and had dirt on their hands must be very scared. Being a devil’s market, to protect themselves and avoid falling into FBI net, one can get to the detained officers to silence them before they spill any bean.
If the FBI investigations focus on the larger dragnet of extrajudicial killings, then the suspects are technically witnesses who are crucial to the investigations, and we know what happens to witnesses in this country.
Extra-judicial killings have robbed the country of great people and if the lawyer’s case is going to be the breaking point then let it be, let mountains shake and the Eskimos sweat if that’s what it will take. Keep these officers safe, and they’re the asset to the prosecution which needs to do excellent investigations and unravel the mystery murders and let Willie Kimani and his compatriots be the last victims of rogue officers.
On the 23rd of June, Human Rights advocate Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwendwa and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri disappeared after Kimani and Mwendwa had attended court in Mavoko over police brutality on Mwendwa, who had been shot by police earlier. Having received many threats on his life, Kimani braved to assist his client in the case.
The last that it was heard, Kimani had dropped a ‘we’re in danger’ note to be delivered to his wife, whose number he had written on the note. A boda boda operator allegedly picked the note near Syokimau police container and reached the wife via phone. The boda boda operator and the note remains the only relevant links to the story
Immediately the news hit the airwaves, and pressure started pilling coming from both the civil society and lawyers’ association in which Kimani was a member, the Flying Squad, which is widely suspected of engaging in extrajudicial killings, in the past took up the case. This move doesn’t seem to have gone well with the US envoy.
FBI Agents
The Flying Squad has been checking phone records and looking at footage from roadside surveillance cameras to identify where the three might have been taken. Human rights activists predicted that several officers, including the one connected to the first shooting, would soon be arrested.
The International Justice Mission, the American legal aid group that employed Mr Kimani and had been representing Mr Mwenda in his court cases, is a well-connected Christian organisation. Within hours of the three men vanishing, the American Embassy in Nairobi received several messages from Washington asking diplomats to look into the case.
US envoy, Godec unitedly with other foreign diplomats in Kenya piled pressure on the state to speed up investigations and that no loophole should be left untouched. In the meantime, FBI agents stationed in Kenya had hit the ground running and led the investigations and search for the missing three persons. An extra troop of detectives were sent from Washington to join their colleagues.
DCI Muhoro when he appeared before the court on Tuesday
The US government funds the police in millions of dollars of security assistance to Kenya each year, including training and equipment to police officers.
One American official, talking to New York Times, said the Kenyan police clearly still had problems and that continued cooperation would be influenced by how much improvement the Kenyans make.
An estimated sixty people were killed by the police in the month of June alone, with the numbers going up instead of reducing, according to several NGO reports. UN has also added their voice to the worrying rate of extra-judicial killings in the country. They’ve called upon the government to ensure perpetrators are brought to book.
Noticeably, the West hasn’t been as vocal on extrajudicial killings until the latest event. According to sleuths in Statehouse speaking to Kenya Insights, the pressure is like never before. White House is stopping at nothing and committed to seeing those involved brought to books.
The suspected officers; Fredrick Leliman, Stephen Chebulet, Leonard Maina Mwangi and Silvia Wanjiku appeared at the Milimani Law courts on Monday
As a consequence, the Director of Criminal Investigations amongst other senior officers were forced to appear before a Nairobi court to give sureties that other extra-judicial killers will be arrested. Many contributors have pointed fingers at Muhoro’s department as being responsible for such killings. The Law Society is calling for his resignation together with the Police Inspector General Joseph Boinnet.
The US government and Western community are so determined to pursue the course. FBI agents are leading the investigations and a comprehensive report tying Mavoko three killers and the killer unit expected to be available in a fortnight.
A fourth suspect, an AP was arrested on Monday now making the number of officers arrested to be four. Prosecution applied for the speedy start to the case of the murdered and appointed four prosecutors to guide investigations.
One wonders if the outstanding efforts to unravel the murderers of the three would have happened without Western intervention and more specifically the US. Ironically, when the DCI Muhoro appeared before the court on Tuesday to answer on the extra-judicial killings, he was with a purple ribbon. The ribbon is tagged on activists and lawyers to signify their support for the unlawful killings by the police.
