A victory of sorts: Are we ready for this?

‘’…… This is a major  victory for the Kenyan team’’, Foreign Affairs cabinet secretary Amina Mohamed announced  on phone after  Mr.Kenyatta  and his Deputy William Ruto got a reprieve from the Assembly of State Parties (ASP) Affirmative nod that they will put an insertion to rule number 134 of the rules of  procedure and evidence. This will see the president and his deputy skip some of their court sessions provided they are represented by say their lawyers or video link. US ambassador to the UN Ms. Samantha Power has also expressed her support towards the decision. According to Amina Mohamed, this is indeed a major victory.

Now with ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s witnesses suddenly not being ready when they are needed in court, many questions are bound to rise as to the fate of the cases which six years down the line, Kenyans are still waiting for justice. The victory as Amina Mohamed cherishes might not be for everyone and that’s for a fact. The place of post poll violence victims therefore will remain uncertain should Bensouda’s case fail to prevail. This raises the big question: is Kenya ready to forget it’s painful past if the cases fail at The Hague?

It strikes as hard as that I know, the confusion that could engulf a  citizens so peaceful they accepted and moved on. A section of Jubilee legislators did not surprise many when recently they practically instructed the president and his deputy not to step at The Hague whatsoever. Supposedly motivated by the crowd psychology and the urge to ‘dare the west’ the senators and members of parliament did dare the courts: right in the presence of the vice president himself. That shouldn’t be news any chance, both the government and the opposition have always-though not clearly at some point-indicated their stand on the cases save for the opposition CORD which recently had to hold a crisis meeting to deliberate on the party stand.

As you scroll through your channels everyday, enjoying an otherwise witty cast in parliament, ask yourself if you are ready to accept and move on should Bensouda fail to rise to the occasion and experience a collapse of the cases. You’ll probably realize that you’ve never thought beyond the ICC or rather less coarse manner, you’ve never imagined that the president and his deputy could somehow have their way in the cases. Whose victory really are we waiting for at the end of this course? Is it time to turn back and retrace our steps?

Contact the writer at     abu.fabian@gmail.com

MAN KILLS MOTHER, SISTER AND WIFE FOR RICHES. IS ILLUMINATY TAKING OVER OUR KENYANS

Is it worth the death of your loved ones? Here is a shocker. Story of a guy who thought wealth was much important than the family Be WARNED the story can cause emotional wreckage.

http://krazygossip.blogspot.com/2013/10/shocking-kenyan-man-who-is-devil.html

Mp's from both cord and jubilee seek deal over international criminal court

According to a local newspaper it seems that both party Mp's are seeking a deal to have the cases of the deputy president and the president suspended.

 "MPs from both coalitions are working on a bi-partisan plan to shore up Kenya’s bid to have International Criminal Court (ICC) cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto suspended."

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000095972&story_title=Kenya-cord-jubilee-mps-seek-deal-over-icc

The Expensive Price to be Paid

President Kenyatta(right) during an ICC hearing a while back

 By Gathoni Mutahi

There have been various debates and talks by the media and the Kenyan people at large on whether the  President should attend the ICC proceedings at the Hague or not. African leaders on Saturday during an AU meeting in Addis Ababa resolved that President Kenyatta should not attend the trial against him at the International Criminal Court as from November 12, 2013.

The reasons that have been laid out for the sudden change of mind by the president and the African Union in general include; refusal by the ICC to cooperate with Kenya and AU in the request for referral, the difficulties and dynamics involved in running an African government without their leaders, and the alleged disregard and disrespect for the sovereignty of African states by the ICC. President Kenyatta went further ahead to state that his government's decisive election should be seen as a categorical rebuke by the people of Kenya of those who wished to interfere with their internal affairs and infringe their sovereignty. So in simple terms us voting in the duo seemed to have implied that we believed in their innocence and consequently rubbished the whole ICC process concerning their cases. Well, perhaps this could be the truth. By voting them in, if they really did win through a fair and free election we unknowingly or knowingly, depending on how you look at it, showed considerable doubt in their involvement in the dreadful 2007 PEV. But we must remember that during the campaign period before the March 2013 general election the president and his deputy did promise to honor the International Court and its mandate on their cases as they claimed they had nothing to hide and that their innocence would soon be proven. Suddenly, that seems to have changed. What the president a while ago termed as a personal challenge has now become an issue to be dicsussed by all African heads of state at extra-ordinary meetings. I personally don't see any reasons as to why the president should not attend his trial at the Hague. The Deputy President will be present in the country during President Kenyatta's absence so there will be no power vacuum unless the DP greatly doubts his ability as a leader to take charge of matters pertaining to the country. That's what a DP is there for anyway, to assist the President in ruling the nation.

 I see no red flag raised here if the President chooses to attend the trial. Kenyans(read the youth) are slowly breaking free of politicians who only want to use them to do malicious acts on their behalf so the two leaders shouldn't be worried of anything unconstitutional and destructive to the peace we are trying to rebuild, happening during the President's absence. The President and his Deputy should honor their commitments to the court proceedings and indeed prove that they have the best interests of the citizens and not just their own selfish agendas. In any case I doubt they'll be convicted judging by the look of things.

South African Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu had some time back criticized Kenya and Sudan for urging African nations to shun the ICC, saying such a move would make the “world a more dangerous place.” And I agree with him totally and according to Ugunja legislator, Opiyo Wandayi,“The AU resolution is an attempt to shield impunity on the continent as it is certainly not in the interest of the African people”

Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)- Ayn Rand

The life of the mystery 'White Widow' Westgate suspect.

Adapted from the Guardian.
For months, I'd been working quietly on a TV documentary about a missing 29-year-old woman. She was the widow of the July 7 London bomber Germaine Lindsay. Stories about her were mixed, and hard facts were proving elusive. Several weeks before the Nairobi attack, I'd booked to fly into Kenya on 22 September.
By the time I landed, militants had killed dozens of people and held countless others hostage. With the light failing, and police and soldiers roaming the streets, the foreign press corps gathered in a dingy underground car park within sight of the Westgate shopping centre.
I asked the journalists if they'd heard any news about the subject of my film, Samantha Lewthwaite. One told

I played dead to survive- Woman narrates her ordeal at Westgate.

Faith Wambua and her daughter Sy Faith Wambua.

During the Westgate siege in Kenya last month, one of the iconic images showed a mother lying on the floor, protecting her two children. Her name is Faith Wambua. She was in the shopping centre with her nine-year-old daughter Sy and her 21-month-old son Ty when the attack happened.

Faith spent four-and-a-half hours playing dead in the mall while keeping her young children quiet, before they were all finally rescued by a Kenyan policeman, Iyad Adan. She spoke to the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse about her experience that day:

"We walked in looking for the florist. We heard this very loud sound 'bang'. I thought the building was collapsing and the best thing to do is to lie in the open area.

I just told the children: 'Lie down, lie down'. I thought it must just be a normal robbery and within five to six

Raila Odinga- I don't regret saying Kibaki Tosha.

Excerpts of the interview with retired Prime Minister Raila Odinga on his new book Raila Odinga: Flame of Freedom and other wide ranging issues. Raila spoke to The Standard’s Associate Editor MACHUA KOINANGE.
Question: In your own assessment, what do you consider to be your autobiography’s most important contribution to democracy in this country?

ANSWER: I think that any struggle requires a record, because memories basically lapse and there is need for future generations to appreciate the historical journey of the society they live in. This is important to shape the culture and thinking of a people. I found it necessary to chronicle the history of the struggle of the people of Kenya.

Why should Kenyans look out for your book?
The book is from my own perspective an account of what we have gone through, but I have also gone beyond that and put it in context. It’s not just my story but some of it is from other material. I have tried to

Moses Wetangula could be disqualified from by-election.

Fresh from losing the senate seat, Mr. Moses Wetangula could get another hurdle. He could be barred from contesting the senate seat. Mr Wetang’ula faces legal complications arising from Justice Francis Gikonyo’s findings that he had treated voters (offence of corruptly giving a voter or voters money or refreshments before or during an election in order to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate) and which

Why you should take the first job- even if it's not lucrative.

Adapted from Harvard Business Review. 
By Simon C. Young
Like many parents, I am troubled by the growing fixation with careers. We seem to be putting young people on the career treadmill at an earlier and earlier age. Choosing extracurricular activities, internships, and even preschool is increasingly undertaken with a calculating eye towards securing career success.

I held part-time jobs during college. While I did pursue an internship related to my field of study, I also worked as a busboy in a restaurant and as a cleaner in a luxury goods store in order to pay tuition, rent, and other living expenses. Looking back, there is no doubt that the non-professional jobs taught me more.
At the restaurant, working among a highly diverse group — the staff comprised a motley crew of varying

Police deny extra- judicial killing of Muslim cleric.

The police are searching for the killer of a popular Muslim cleric who was gunned down in a car with four other men in the port city of Mombasa late Thursday.  Close associates of Sheikh Ibrahim Omar, who preached at a mosque linked in the past to Somali Islamist militants, told Reuters he was the latest victim in a string of extra-judicial killings of Muslims by Kenyan security forces, an allegation strongly denied by the police.

Church set on fire after Muslim cleric death.

At least one person has been killed after angry crowds protesting the killing of a popular Muslim preacher.

The apparent assassination of Sheikh Ibrahim Omar follows last month's attack on a Nairobi shopping mall claimed by Somalia's al-Shabab group. Associates of Omar said he was the latest victim in a string of extra-judicial killings of Muslims by security forces, an allegation denied by the police.

UN Security Council visit Eastern Africa to discuss ICC.

The U.N. Security Council delegation on Thursday set on a trip that will take them to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia.

Their first stop is the DRC, where the ambassadors will meet in Kinshasa with President Joseph Kabila. Then they will travel to Goma, in eastern Congo, not far from where the Congolese army has clashed repeatedly with rebel group M23.

The last leg of the visit will be to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and with the African Union Peace and Security Council.

The AU plans to hold a summit in Addis on October 10 to discuss the work of the International Criminal

Top Military officers to investigate Westgate looting claims.

More and more Kenyans believe that military soldiers methodically cleaned out the Westgate mall, and that the barrages of gunfire ringing out for days were being directed not at the last of the militants but at safes and padlocks to blast them open. Some business leaders even question whether the Kenyan Army deliberately prolonged the crisis by saying that shooters were still in the building when they were actually dead, to give themselves extra time to steal. 

Witnesses said that the most they saw militants loot was a couple of cans of soda, and shopkeepers cited no instances of panicked shoppers helping themselves to merchandise as they ran for their lives, leading to the widespread conclusion that the security forces must have been involved. 

Even though Kenyans are accustomed to corruption, the evidence of looting amid a national tragedy has

5 Major technology trends in Africa.

The African technology scene is changing, and here are the top five trends for now and in the future.

1. The scope of tech is getting deeper.
There are a number of newer technologies becoming more and more popular over and above the usual technology stacks one comes across. Due to the proliferation of open source hubs, and coding sites like GitHub, it’s now easier than ever to get up and running with something new.

2. Developers want to get onto the Cloud
More and more technologists are realising that running massive local infrastructure is inefficient, so they’re turning to cloud based services which allow them to provision on an “as needed” basis, with monthly billing.

3. Mobile money and ecommerce is growing
It seems pretty clear from any major African country you visit outside of South Africa that mobile money is going to be a part of everyday life sooner or later. So far, Mo De seem to be the best examples of innovation

Mukuru slum dwellers to sue for land ownership.

Strolling through the dirty red lanes of Mukuru, a sprawling informal settlement in Nairobi's industrialised south east, Dorice Bosibori Moseti, 31, stops and points to a small cluster of toilets, which she says she won't use after dark for fear of rape or violence.

"We have to go in the bushes near our homes and we are still very afraid," she says. "Living in Mukuru is difficult for women."

Moseti, who has lived in Mukuru for 12 years, is part of a small group of female residents who are planning legal action on behalf of the slum's estimated 400,000 inhabitants in an attempt to take ownership of the land

ICC wants Walter Barasa arrested for 'witness bribing'

Adapted from the BBC.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for a Kenyan journalist suspected of offering bribes to prosecution witnesses in the trial of Deputy President William Ruto.

There were reasonable grounds to believe that Walter Osapiri Barasa was "corruptly influencing" or trying to influence witnesses, a judge ruled.
This is the first time the ICC has issued such an arrest warrant.
Mr Barasa, 41, told the BBC he was ready to prove his innocence.
He told the Reuters news agency that police had so far not tried to detain him.
"I have not gotten in touch with any witnesses or anybody having any intention of asking them or bribing them to pull out of the case," he said, Reuters reports.

Kenyatta- Kenya to stay in Somalia.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of Kenya pulling its troops out of Somalia due to the Westgate attack. He said that Kenya has an international obligation to keep Somalia safe from Al-shabaab. The President maintained that if Somalia would have fixed its own affairs, Kenya would not have entered into the country in the first place. Kenya hosts the largest refugee camp in the world- Daadab

Did Kenyan Soldiers Loot Westgate Mall?

Adapted from National Public Radio.
More than a week after the Westgate attack, President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to set up a commission to look into lapses in intelligence and security. At least 67 people died in the four-day siege, which ended with dozens still unaccounted for.

Days after the attack, a man who manages a clothing store in the Westgate Mall sorts through damaged shoes, shirts and ties. He's visibly shaken from his trip back into the place he escaped under gunfire. Much of the damaged clothing is from bullet holes.

"These are all waste now," he says. "Even it if it is small hole, it is waste." He says there's no insurance for a terrorist attack, and some of the most expensive suits and shoes are missing.

Will Raila Odinga's memoirs reveal everything?

In Western countries, it is fashionable for retired politicians to release autobiographies, or memoirs, after their time in office. Many of them have juicy details of the inner corridors of power. With Raila Odinga's memoirs, Walk to freedom, will we witness the same revelations. In the past memoirs and autobiographies form the political elite have largely been a dress up. Simeon Nyachae, Njenga Karume, Kalonzo Musyoka and

Gambia follows Zimbabwe, and pulls out of commonwealth.

Gambia has followed Zimbabwe and pulled out of the commonwealth. The country has long been at the loggerheads with the UK. The current President, yahya Jammeh, assumed power in 1994 through a military coup,and critics have accused him of repressing freedoms. In 2012, he ordered the shooting of 9 prisoners. Gambia is among the lowest countries in observing human rights, and is also among the poorest countries in

Jerome Corsi blames Obama for Westgate attack.

A US commentator, Jerome Corsi, Insists the Kenyan Terrorist Attack Was Orchestrated by President Obama. In an article published in the Huffington Post, he linked the Somali terrorist network al-shabaab, to alqaeda, and insisted that the whole al qaeda was run by the US government. Mr. Corsi, fanatical right wing supporter, was deported from Kenya in 2007, for a book that he sought to publish' The Obama deception,

Cord blames Jubilee for Wetangula's lose in election petition.

Cord has blamed the Jubilee side of the coalition for the the annulling of his election. Mr. Wetangula will now have to face off with Musikari Kombo, after the later had alleged that the Bungoma senate election was not free and fair. Mr. Wetangula is the senior most politician from Western province in the cord party, and it

US government facing shutdown.

The US government is facing shutdown, after the house of representatives failed to agree on the budget. More than 700,000 workers may be sent on permanent leave, as well as putting to a halt several government programs. The budget strand-off comes barely weeks after the Obama healthcare plan, popularly known as

After the Westgate dust settles, who was responsible for communication?

The dust on the Westgate attack is settling, but many people are asking many hard questions. For one, the mixed messages from the security organs, and from state officials proved to be conflicting. Many times, Interior minister Joseph Ole Lenku read from a different script from what the Inspector general, David Kimaiyo read. Defense secretary Rachael Omamo was almost invisible, much as she has been for much of the time that she has been the defense secretary. Up to now, the number of hostages at the Westgate mall

The Westgate saga- Tribute to our security forces.

Last Wednesday morning saw a horde of men troop back to their homes(from God knows where) after a largely extended weekend,thanks to the hostage situation at the westgate. They were met by quite apprehensive wives who demanded a detailed journal narrative of where their men had been.Well,your guess is as good as mine;these were 'former hostages' ,only blame one Joseph ole Lenku for not considering them in the hostages rollcall.I mean,if mattresess could explode then definitely missing out one or two hostages in your count is pardonable; a rational mind could reason.That's mattress theory for you,according to ole Lenku,cabinet secretary for Interior(design?) . Then came Wajir,and kenyans quickly tuned in their t.v sets..,listening,watching,waiting..,not for the number of casualties nor for the whereabouts of the attackers,but for the relieving assurance that there were really no blasts but indeed camels had been found to be playing a farting game.This news never came. Finally,al-shabaab killed around 70 people (R.i.p) while our own K.D.F blew up their hideout with 70 people still unaccounted for. We are ONE_ndering.

IS THE DANGER REALLY OUT?

After 4-day terror of the Westgate Mall detectives discovered a huge underground tunnel that the terrorists might have escaped through an underground tunnel. The tunnel is said to be running several meters to the neighbouring Nakumatt Ukay Mall and is used for sewerage. The detectives claim that the terrorists might have escaped through the tunnel and left their explosives behind of which have been heard even after KDF had secured the Mall.

twitter @khamishamis

Judiciary on the spot over corruption.

The judiciary is once again on the spot over corruption, with secret email exchanges between the Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga, and the judges being released to the public. Not too long ago, Gladys Boss Shollei was suspended briefly for what the Judicial service commission called 'improper tendering and procurement procedures'. However, she alleged that the JSC was on a witchhunt, and specifically mentioned that she was not in good terms with the commission's chairman, Ahmednasir Abdullahi.

The Aftermath-Moving On

With the end of the dreadful westgate mall siege, we can only thank God and those involved in countering the attack that it is finally over. However there are numerous unanswered questions still lingering in our heads. Like what really happened in there? Did any hostages survive? How did those militia men really meet their death? What caused the three floors of the mall to cave in?

I think the government should clear the air of all the rumors going around of what really happened in there and just be honest with us. This habit of cases and sagas that always go unanswered to the common mwananchi should not be condoned. Transparency and free flow of information is needed for an effective government.  And even if they don't want to tell us I think they owe it to the families of those who were in there to tell them what really happened to their loved ones. The truth might be hard to bare but it's necessary for full closure so that they can be able to move on with their lives.

We must however remember all those who lost their lives owing to the attack, the KDF soldiers, the innocent litter kids and  the adults and give them their deserved honor. To those who've lost family and friends I can only encourage you and tell you that their souls are somewhere peaceful and in a happy place. They are probably smiling down at us. Whatever afflictions they went through were only on their flesh but their spirit and souls remained untouched.

Kenyan media criticised over coverage of Westgate Attack.

The Kenyan media has been called into question over the coverage of the West Gate attack, with many saying that there should be more training on the reporting of crisis and war situations. The Nation media CEO, Linus Gitahi, had to apologize for the front cover of the Sunday Nation which showed a horrific picture, while some of the live coverage by many TV stations endangered the lives of both the hostages as

African economies to grow by 5 percent- Report.

African economies are expected to grow by 5.3 percent, according to a new report by the World Bank. The West and Central African countries are expected to register the highest growth rates. According to many official estimates, six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. However, the growth has not yielded much job growth, resulting what many economists call a 'jobless growth'.

West African President claims ICC has a place in Africa.

Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaoré has said that ICC has a place in Africa, even as the continent plans on severing ties with the International criminal court. The president was speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, whose main focus was the war in Syria. African countries have threatened to pull

Speaker directs police to offer more security for parliament.

After the Westgate shooting incident, the national assembly speaker, Justoin Muturi, has directed the police to offer more security to parliament. This comes in the wake of yet another grenade attack in Wajir that has left one person dead. The cabinet, under President Uhuru Kenyatta, will be meeting shortly to discuss the worsening security situation in the country.

US building intelligence system in Malindi- MP

An MP has sensationally claimed that the US and other Western powers are building intelligence systems in Malindi. The project is disguised as a communication assistance for Kenya, but is in effect a surveillance system for US authorities. The legislator, Emuhaya MP Wycliffe Otichilo, claimed that the Department of Defence had misled the public on the true intentions of the project.

Westgate shooting likely to prolong ICC trials.

President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the nation, and had called for a show of unity even as the country puts the Westgate shooting behind it. Here's how the Westgate shooting is likely to affect you:

1. ICC trials.
The ICC trials will likely take longer, as the President and Deputy President will likely ask for a longer time to help deal with the security situation in the country.

2. Tourism.
Fewer tourists will come into the country, as some countries have already issued a travel advisory. The

A Mobile app for Kenyan laws developed.

Ilab Africa, in conjunction with Strathmore University Law school, has developed a mobile app for Kenyan laws. One can monitor the length of cases, as well as the date of cases. All the necessary judicial documents will also be contained in the app. The app was facilitated by a grant of Kshs. 36 million from Samsung, spread over three years.

ICC Prosecutor offers to help bring Westgate attackers to book.

ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, has offered to help in bringing the perpetrators of the Westgate shooting to book. The ICC prosecutor, who is determined to bring the the perpetrators of Kenya's 2007 post election violence to book, says that the crimes committed fall within the mandate of the ICC. The ICC judges have granted Deputy President William Ruto a one week break, while President Uhuru Kenyatta has applied that

Meet the Kenyan who wants to build the next Google.

Craft Silicon is not like any company in Kenya. Its CEO is Kamal Budhabalti, a youngish 30 something Kenyan of Indian descent. The company has operations in Kenya, India, and the famed Silicon Valley- right in the middle of where Facebook, Google, and Yahoo are. The young man's first job was an 18,000 a month data entry job at a bank, a job which he had been told of while still in India. When he had about the job, he hopped into the next Kenya Airways flight to Kenya. However, a few months into the job, his employer found that he was doing a side hustle job and immediately fired him and sent him on the next flight

JKUAT University to launch business incubation centre.

JKUAT University will launch an incubation centre, and will partner with leading companies in the technology and innovation fields, the university announced yesterday. The Incubation centre, under the title UniBrain, will see the institution aim to nurture new businesses. JKUAT is know as a leader in the technology, agriculture and innovation fields, and launching an incubation centre is the next step for the university's mission to be a world class university. However, other universities, have already launched an incubation centre. Kenyatta

US Sectretary for Africa Affairs bursts out at ICC

US Secretary of state for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, has busted out at ICC for continuing the Kenyan cases, saying that the cases could reduce the legitimacy for the international court. Jendayi Frazer has often been critical of the ICC, and has differed with Jonnie Carson, who has often been adamant that the Kenyan

Ngugi wa Thiong'o does not deserve a Nobel Prize- Scholar claims.

Literary giant Taban Lo Liyong sensationally claimed on a local daily that the Nobel prize should not be awarded to Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Ngugi wa Thiong'o is among the hot favorites that have been favored to win the Nobel Literature Prize this year. According to Taban Lo Liyong, the Nobel prize would better be awarded to Jua kali artisans than to Ngugi. He says that he has only enjoyed Ngugi's two novels, The River

Siaya Governor race- Who will win between William Oduol and Cornel Rasanga?

The Siaya Governor by election is almost here, and the race is likely to be tight. According to an earlier poll which was commissioned by ODM, William Oduol was leading. However, ODM maintained that this was on the individual basis of the candidates, without taking into account the party machinery mechanism. CORD hopes to use the party machinery to lock in the win for Rasanga, whose election was nullified by the high

KNUT chiefs in fight for Secretary General Position.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers- KNUT, is embroiled in a leadership battle that could ruin the once strong body. Secretary General Mudzo Nzili is battling it out with chairman Wilson Sossion, who was vocal during the teachers strike, that failed to yield a substantial salary increase for the teachers. The union has

ICC Prosectuor in long battle as Uhuru applies for postponement of hearings.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has applied for a postponement of his hearings from the November date, as he seeks to attend to the security situation in the country. The judges have already granted Mr. Ruto a one week adjournment, to allow him to travel to Kenya and help contain the security situation in the country. If indicted,

IDPs in Trans- Nzoia claim a share of the 400,000 kitty.

IDPS in Trans- Nzoia in the weekend camped at the local stadium, as they too claim a share of the Kshs. 400,000 that was handed to IDPs two weeks ago. The IDPs are from the 1992, 1997, and the 2007 election and tribal clashes. Some are also IDPs who were evicted from their farms in the Mount Elgon land clashes. The government has made a commitment to shut down all the IDP camps, and have them buy land

WestGate Mall Shoot out- Obama calls Uhuru.

US President Barack Obama yesterday called President Uhuru Kenyatta to send his message of condolences to the Kenyan people, who have had to bear the tragic situations of the West Gate Mall shoot out. Obama reinforced that America was a friend of Kenya in these difficult times. So far, the death toll at the

WestGate Mall Shoot out- Foreign evoys offer condolences.

Over a dozen countries have offered condolences following the West Gate Mall shoot out on Saturday. The African envoys, in a state House briefing, called on the African countries to be with Kenya as it 'undergoes this difficult period.' Other world leaders such as David Cameron, US secretary of State John Kerry, and the European Union also sent their condolences to the Kenyan people.

West Gate Shoot out- Ruto asks for ICC adjournemnt.

Deputy President William Ruto, through his lawyers, has asked for an adjournment to come and attend to the emergent security situation in the country. Mr. Ruto's lawyer, Karim Khan, says that Mr. ERuto has a constitutional duty to come to Kenya and attend to the West gate situation. Joshua Sang's lawyer, Katwa Kigen, has meanwhile maintained that his client is ready to continue with the cases.

West Gate Hostages- Kenyans show strength of unity.

Even with all the political bickering of every day, Kenyans put aside their differences as they contributed in kind and in deeds to help the victims of the West Gate Mall shooting. many Kenyans sent money through MPESA and Airtel Money, thousands donated blood, others food and drinks, while still many others

West Gate Mall Hostages- Neighbouring countries beef up security.

Following the shoot out at the West gate Mall in Westlands, several neighboring countries have beefed up their own security. The West gate Mall is a frequent hanging place for Western expatriates, and rich Kenyans, who enjoy the serene environment in the area, and the ample shopping and relaxing place. The mall hosts the Nakumatt supermarket, several restaurants and cafes, jewellery and beauty shops, electronics

President Kenyatta to skip UN meeting.

President  Uhuru Kenyatta will skip the high level UN meeting, a first for a sitting Kenyan President since independence. This is due to the power vacuum such an absence would have created. The president will be represented by Amb. Amina Abdalla in the UN meeting. Just last, week, the President missed another high level meeting in Brussels, which was meant to discuss the future of Somalia. Deputy President William Ruto is

Gatundu residents protest at high cost of living.

Perhaps in a show of just how much the VAT has impacted on Kenyans, President Kenyatta's own former constituents, Gatundu, protested at the increasing living costs. They protested of the increased cost of animal feeds, plus the other dairy and animal input products. The House Majority leader, Adan Duale says

AU to petition ICC for withdrawal from Rome Statute.

The African Union has petitioned the ICC for some of the Kenyan Cases to be tried locally, the cases are beginning to have an impact on the running of government affairs in the country. The Kenyan government, through the government spokesman Manoa Esipisu, says that the ICC needs to recalibrate its position in

Adan Duale: We shall relook at VAT.

The government is being reforced to relook at the VAT bill, as its effects continue to be felt by the common mwananchi. In most places, milk now retails at Kshs. 65, a price which many ordinary Kenyans can hardly afford. The KRA has insisted that it has not raised taxes on most essential commodities, and alleges that the

Government to close down fake colleges.

The government will close down fake colleges, as the number of graduates continues to increase unabated. Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, the education cabinet secretary, said at the Chuka University graduation ceremony. Employers have lamented on the declining quality of college and university education, as unscrupulous businessmen flood the education sector and offer fake courses. The number of Kenyan universities has

Top five counties of the future.

In case you think Nairobi is set to be the richest county in the next few years, then you are mistaken. Here are the top five counties of the future.

1. Turkana.
Oil + water + Wind+ Land makes Turkana be among Kenya's leading counties, and in the next 10 to 20 years, you should expect to see more people emigrating to Turkana.

2. Nairobi.
Nairobi being the country's capital, one would expect it to feature highly on the list.

Why Speaker Justin Muturi should abandon his hardline stand in house.

Speaker Justin Muturi comes across as firm, but even though he was elected the speaker of the national assembly courtesy of Jubilee, he has not approached the house business as a neutral. Increasingly, CORD members feel that he unfairly targets them, and the recent suspension of Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo is a case in point.

True, Jakoyo Midiwo erred in some ways, but the conduct of the speaker has left Cord members feeling victimized. The moment Justin Muturi was elected speaker, he should have left party politics aside, and adopted a bi-partisan approach. When Kenneth Marende became speaker, he immediately abandoned ODM politics, and even made many rulings against ODM. The same could be said of the speaker before him, Francis Ole Kaparo.

If Muturi continues in the same direction, he is likely to see more rebellion from Cord

Is Jakoyo Midiwo the successor to Raila Odinga's Nyanza base?

The Deputy House Minority leader- Jakoyo Midiwo, rattled many Jubilee members the wrong way when he called them 'thieves'. In fact, he believes that 70 percent of Kenyans believe that the elections were stolen. The Gem MP can be quite vocal, especially on issues he considers passionate. The conviction in his voice, the clarity of his ideas, and the cogent arguments he made during the anti-ICC debate have made some to

ICC Witness likely to open old wounds in Rift Valley.

The witness number 536 has opened many old wounds, especially between the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities living in Rift valley. That they found a way to reconcile with each other is no mean feat. That they even voted for the same party was something that caught many political scientists totally off guard. However, the fragile peace in the Rift valley will likely be tested by the chilling tales of the Kiambaa church burning. The church burning reminds one of the Rwandan genocide, or the Jewish camps in Nazi Germany. That the suspect, Stephen Chamalan, was set free by the High court in Nakuru, speaks of the long road that the Kenyan Judiciary will have to walk before we can handle the serious crimes against humanity.

Why Ruto and Sang accuse Kenyan NGOs.

It is true that ICC Prosectuor Faotou Bensouda inherited a lot of mess from Loius Moreno Ocampo, whom many anti-ICC Kenyans accuse of carrying out shoddy investigations, and relying on NGOs. Here is why Ruto and Sang defense teams are not happy with the Kenyan NGOs:

-The Waki list was prepared from NGO reports, with little or no input from the ground, and the victims.

-Most NGOs receive funds from Western governments making them pander to the whims of Western governments.

- Some NGOs, specifically, the Open Society for East Africa- OSEA- associated with billionaire financier, George Soros, have been linked with regime changes in the world, such as the Eastern Europe, and the Orange revolution in Ukraine in 2004. To anti- ICC supporters, such international political foundations may

3 Things Cord must do to take on Jubilee.

Cord is planning a retreat in which it seeks to strategize on a better way to act as the opposition. Many believe that Cord has lacked leadership, and is currently without a sense of direction. Specifically, there are three issues that Cord must deal with firmly:

1. The place of Raila Odinga in the party. Should Raila Odinga be actively involved in politics. Should he retire or provide inspiration. Should he groom another person to take on the mantle of opposition politics?

2. How to integrate youthful leaders into the party. It is clear that a group around Raila, namely James Orengo, Prof. Anyang Nyong'o, and others wouldn't want to let in younger leaders into the party. The young leaders are thought to be restless, and challenging established party authority. In some Cord support bases, Raila's word has been law, and anyone that goes against it usually faces political oblivion. Will some courageous young leaders agree to take the battle to the old guard?

3. Taking on Jubilee- Jubilee is in charge of the government, and it will be a tough job for Cord to hang on to its members, especially as the government will routinely dangle the carrot before the opposition members. It will be even harder to make Cord members to read from the same script. Even more worrying, up to now, Cord doesn't have a shadow cabinet, which makes it difficult to take on Jubilee.

In sum however, the biggest question will be; " What is the future of Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka in the party?Can they provide effective leadership when they are outside the government, parliament, and any meaningful national political position?

How Raila Handlers blundered on the ICC Cases.

There are many ways in which former Prime Minister Raila Odinga blundered in the handling of the ICC cases

- By assuming that the ICC would lock Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto out of the Presidency, which made them assume that the Statehouse was Raila's for the taking.

-Assuming that the Kalenjin and the Kikuyu voting blocks would never vote together.

-Failing to support Ruto in his ICC cases, and losing the entire Kalenjin voting bloc in the process.

-Openly voicing support for the ICC, making Raila seem a pro- Western candidate, and a puppet for the West, while Jubilee campaigned on 'African solidairity' and urged voters to come out in large numbers and vote against neo- colonialism. .

Why the Africa Criminal Court can't replace the ICC.

The Africa Union- AU- wrote to the ICC recently requesting that the cases against President Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto be referred back to Kenya, or for their trials to wait until they are through with their terms in office. The African body also requested that the trials continue without the two being present, as they need to perform their constitutional duties.

The ICC has never really found a friend in Africa- or at least among the Continent's leaders. They accuse the ICC of only targeting African leaders, and attempting to introduce neocolonialism through the back door. In fact, some even go further to allege that the court functions as a regime change agent, and can prop up

Water in Turkana to last 70 years.

Underground water has been discovered in Lotikipi in Turkana. The water is 200 billion cubic meters in volume, enough to power the whole country for at least 70 years. The water aquifer is more than the combined water reservoirs in Kenya. Water experts also note that the water could be self replenishing if harnessed in the correct manner, as it is drawn from mountains. In January 2012, oil was struck in Turkana, whose production is expected to begin in the next three to four years time. W8ind is also a major resource in the region, and a wind renewable energy company- Blue Seas technologies, is set to start harnessing wind power in the region. Geology experts have estimated that the northern Kenya region, through to Somalia, to Tanzania and Mozambique is likely sitting on huge hydrocarbon deposits such as gas, which if exploited could see the region become the next energy frontier.

Currently, Turkana is one of the least developed places in Kenya, and suffers from perennial droughts and famine. According to the new constitution, a county must get at least a percentage of revenues which are drawn from the resources exploited within the county. If all the resources are harnessed meaningfully, the region could move from being an under resourced poor county, to being the richest in the country, and hopefully also lift thousands of locals' lives out of poverty.

Joshua Sang to ICC- Don't criminalise Kalenjin culture.

Joshua Arap Sang's defense against ICC began yesterday, where he said that the ICC should not criminalize the Kalenjin culture. Circumcision, marriage and initiation were part of the community's culture for generations, and shouldn't be criminalized.

-He also argued that:

- He is a christian who believes in peace.

-His cousin and nieces have married kikuyus , and he wouldn't have incited his community against the kikuyus since they were part of his extended family.

-He transmitted messages of peace immediately after the Kiambaa church burning. He used most of the time

William Ruto- A look at His Journey to The Hague.

Many describe William Ruto as a self made man, rising from the normal village life to the pinnacle of Kenya's political power, and just a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Here is a look at his journey to the Hague.

1987- Admitted to Study Bachelor of Science Botany, at the University of Nairobi.

1989- Christian Union leader at UON. Goes to perform a christian choir at State House and meets former President Daniel Arap Moi, who would become his political mentor.

1992- Joins the Youth for Kanu, YK 92, one of only a handful of young leaders who would be charged with

How ICC will shape Jubilee's Agenda.

No doubt, the ICC issue will affect the Jubilee governemnt policies in many ways. Here are some ways that your life will be affected as a result of the ICC cases:

1. A shift to the East, specifically to China, and other emerging BRIC countries like India and Brazil as Jubilee sees the ICC cases as an interference in Kenyan affairs by Western countries.

2. Increased prices of milk, bread, and basic goods as the government turns to more borrowing following

50 MPs to Hague- Who will pay for them.

50 MPs will accompany Deputy President William Ruto to The ICC cases at The Hague. But who will pay for them? Do they all need to be at The Hague?

Typical Expenses for Those Traveling to the Hague.
Air tickets to and Fro- Kshs.     500,000
Accomodation-            Kshs. 1, 000, 000
Other Expenses            Kshs.     500,000
Total Expenses  Per MP           Kshs.   2,000,000

2,000,000 x50 = 100,000,000

A cool 100 million for the trip to The Hague.

Uhuru's is an Assertive President- Here's Why.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was on one of his assertive forms when he told the International Criminal Court -ICC, to its face that there was no way both he and Ruto could be at The Hague at the same time, as it would create a power vacuum. And true, the ICC agreed to shift its trial dates for the two. One African politics scholar describes the various leadership styles of Kenyan leaders. ( Past and Present).

Jomo Kenyatta- Royal
Moi- Autocrat
Kibaki- Technocrat/ Bureaucrat
Uhuru- Leader
Raila- Politician

Why many Kenyans have refused to ‘Accept and Move on.’

On Thursday, Cord’s Jakoyo Midiwo rubbed Jubilee MPs the wrong way. He refused to apologize for the 'thieves' comment he had made in the anti-ICC debate. He said that 70% of Kenyans believe they have been robbed of elections. He was asked to withdraw the remarks by the House Speaker, Justin Muturi, but he refused. Although he may have exaggerated the number of Kenyans who have refused to ‘accept and move on’, his rage shows that there is clearly a great number of Kenyans who still believe that for the second time, Cord’s leader, Raila odinga, was robbed of victory.

According to IEBC, Uhuru Kenyatta was validly elected with a percentage of 50.07 %, or just 4,000 votes more than the votes needed to cross the 50 percent mark. Mr. Odinga protested the results at the Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court upheld Kenyatta’s victory. The Cord team then protested that the Judiciary had been compromised. Supporters of Odinga allege that there is no way that he would have won in six ‘former provinces’ but still have lost the election. According to Mutahi Ngunyi however, there was simply no

Uwezo Fund- Kshs. 6 billion to riches or poverty?

President Uhuru Kenyatta finally made good his promise to unveil the Kshs.6 billion Uwezo fund- a fund for youth and women to launch businesses. The 6 billion was previously earmarked for the second round of elections. The maximum amount to be awarded will be Kshs. 500, 000 per group. A group will have at least ten members, and be registered with the relevant ministry.

The Uwezo fund takes from similar initiatives such as the Youth and Women’s funds, which have had mixed results. But is the Kshs. 6 billion really enough to lift millions of youth and women out of poverty, and into acceptable standards of living? The amount being disbursed to the youth isn’t the issue, but rather the quality and caliber of the successful applicants. Studies have shown that the success of a business enterprise has

ICC- Is it only for African leaders?

The ICC has been accused of only targeting African leaders. But is this really true? Below are some leaders who have been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.

1. President Uhuru Kenyatta- Kenya
2. Deputy President William Ruto- Kenya
3. Joshua Arap Sang’- Kenya
4. Joseph Kony- Uganda- Status- Fugitive.
5. Okot Odhiambo- Uganda- Status- Fugitive.
6. Thomas Lubanga- DR Congo- Sentenced to 14 years in jail.
7. Bosco Ntagamba- Rwanda- Status in ICC Pre- trial chambers.

How will ICC shape the Jubilee agenda.

No matter how you looked at the 2013 elections, the fact is that the elections were all about one thing- a referendum on ICC. The Jubilee camp galvanized their support bases that a vote for them will be a vote against ICC. In fact, some argue that the ICC was a blessing in disguise as without it, the President and the Deputy President would never have united in the first place.

Much of the post election violence in 2007/08 took place in the Rift Valley between supporters of William Ruto- then an ODM member, and supporters of Mwai Kibaki- a voting block that was inherited by President Uhuru Kenyatta. They successfully campaigned that the ICC was an agent of the West, and their rallying call was sovereignty and a rejection of neocolonialism, and in true fashion, President Uhuru Kenyatta headed to China last month to sign over 400 billion shillings in contracts, in what analysts term as a snub to

What Kenya pulling out of the ICC means.

The National Assembly on Thursday voted to have Kenya removed from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court- ICC. This means that future cases will not be prosecuted at The Hague, although the current charges against President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto will still go on. What will this mean for Kenya?

1. Stability, Healing, and Reconciliation.

Since the two communities- Kikuyu and Kalenjin- who were adversaries in the 2007 elections have since reconciled, the ICC process comes as a thorn in the flesh. It reignites old wounds. What happens if one of them is convicted, or if both are convicted? Although Kenya definitely has a definite power structure in the constitution, symbolically, the president is the symbol of national unity. His absence will cause jitters, never mind if he has put in place effective governance structures while he is at The Hague.  

2. Sovereignty.

The rallying call of the Jubilee campaigns was sovereignty, and fighting for African dignity. They argued that the ICC court was out to destabilize Africa; and is a court that is being used by the West to finish off African

IS IT A RELIGIOUS WAR

The recent Mombasa riots bring up about more questions than expected. The attack on the Salvation Army church is the second after the one that happened last time. Many christians are really upset about it. Some muslims condemn the act some claim they are being targeted.

Kenya Power Seems to Have Failed Us Terribly

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed the apparent letdown from Kenya Power since the year began. There hasn't been a single day I have missed a complaint from someone on social media on the frequent power outages. The company seems to have failed us significantly this year. Businesses have been  reporting losses and destruction of electrical appliances due to the intermittent power supply throughout the country. Although  Kenya Power blames the increased outages in Nairobi largely on ongoing fibre optic projects in various parts of the city that causes damages to the underground electricity cables and exposes them to vandalism I believe that through proper and efficient management at the company these problems can be curbed or at least reduced.

The government should also look into liberalizing power distribution in the country and break the monopoly which has been enjoyed by the company for over 50 years. This would reduce vandalism of electric cables since most of it is done by informal distributors of electricity who use the cables to provide power illegally to their customers. Most of their customers are people living in informal settlements who prefer the services of these alternative distributors because they are cheaper and they don't experience as much power shortages. In fact, the basis that they are able to benefit from these informal distributors' services is the reason we experience power shortages.

 The power outages and surges are to say the least inconveniencing and annoying. It makes you realize that indeed we are a third-world country. It is even embarrassing to tell someone you live in the city yet you haven't had power in your household for three days or so and you've clearly paid your electric bill. The move to liberalize the power distribution would improve efficiency, encourage competition, and reduce the high cost of power which has scared away investors and hampered efforts to make Kenya an industrialized country and create jobs for youths. Proper management of the operations at the company should also be put in place to ensure efficient and transparent functioning of things.

References: www.standardmedia.co.ke
                     www.capitalfm.co.ke

Who remains in charge as the ICC cases go on?

Trials for Deputy President William Ruto and former Radio Journalist Joshua Arap Sang are set to start. The trials for President Uhuru Kenyatta are set to start in November. Who will remain in charge in case the two leaders are at The Hague at the same time? Doesn't the ICC create even more instability by indicting both leaders at almost the same time? What will happen if either or all of the two leaders is convicted?

Quest for Luhya Unity- Will it be achieved?

Traditionally, the Luhya have never voted as a block, and Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga have been touring Western Province of late as they seek to get the region firmly under their belt. Traditionally, the the Luhya is made up of about 18 sub-tribes, which makes it even harder for them to unite. For example, the Bukusu and the Maragoli would not see eye to eye, except in the last elections when Eugene Wamalwa and Musalia Mudavadi teamed up together, but it was too late as Raila had taken up the region under his mantle. The region is also largely apathetic to voting, which makes it even harder for one to solidly rely on it to deliver the much needed victory in elections. With fewer cabinet appointments from the region, and even fewer appointments in public service, the leaders from the region are having a rethink as to approach the 2017 elections as a united block. Will they succeed?