NAROBI: WHAT THE U.S THINKS OF RAILA AND UHURU

Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) and deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (right) at a past function.Wikileaks has released damning reports on the two as communicated by the US embassy in Kenya and Washington.

Damning reports by Wikileaks have revealed much more on what the United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger thinks of Kenya and its leaders.According to a cable released yesterday on a communicaiton between the Diplomat and White House in the year 2010,Wikileaks alleges that Prime Minister Raila Odinga attempted to suspend former Agriculture Minister William Ruto inorder to divert attention from his family's suspected involvement in the 2 Billion shillings maize scam.

Secret cables that were sent by Rannerberger to Washington reveal that Raila wanted to create confusion when he said that he was suspending Ruto and Education Minister Prof.Sam Ongeri claiming that this was a move that Raila wanted to public debate to focuson the two and not his family's role in the scandal.However the U.S believe that Raila took this action soa as to be seen as fighting corruption but to divert attention on his family's involvement and Raila's knowledge and/or involvement in the scam that have got no solution this far.The cable reveals that the US has enough and credible reports that members of Raila's family had a hand or two in the scam.The cable released by Wikileaks also shows that Raila's leadership is increasingly dissilusioned in the ODM camp and that the party was becoming adirectionless and less united party than before.The Prime Minister have also been perceived as feckless,unable or unwilling to govern effectively and move forward the reform agenda.

On Deputy Prime Minister and  Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta the cables released shows that  if Uhuru decides to follow his pursuit for the presidency,he has several major strenghts which are potentially offset by weaknesses.According to the Diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks,Uhuru is bright,charming,even charismatic and is enormously wealthy and has not had to engage in corruption.Although Uhurus's wealth is the inheritance from his father's corruption,the family still holds a special place in Central Kenya.The cables add that his liabilities are at least as important as his strengths .

The cables claim that Uhuru drinks too much and is not a hardworker anf further allege that Uhuru is linked to the outlawed Mungiki Sect and that coulod be the same reason why Uhuru is assumed to be on the Waki list of suspected perpetrators of the 2007 post-election violence..The report addds that Uhuru's links to the Mungiki make him one of those of the opinion against extra-judicial killings must stop since most of them have been carried out by the police against the Mungiki.Uhuru may see shifting political dynamics as opening the way for a presidential race with the PM.
These damning reports show what the US thinks of our leaders and the truth is upto one's decison.

Kelvin Mwangi,
Nairobi.

NAIROBI: PRESS RELEASE: A call of condemnation

The violence unleashed on the people of Mandera by the foreign insurgents of Ethiopia and Somalia is harrowing, horrific and teeters on execution of a city. Mandera has been turned into a battle field. Isn't this a legitimate territory of a sovereign nation? Why is the government downplaying a crisis that has already claimed several lives, caused hundreds of injuries and displaced thousands of residents?

Eyewitnesses report Ethiopian soldiers and TFG sympathizers Ahlu Suna Waljamaa are using the city as their launching base. The Voice of Nomads (VoN) roundly condemns the government's inaction and its belligerent negligence of a national crisis of seismic proportions. The Government must act now and act decisively.
We call upon the government to stand up for its people and acknowledge the magnitude of this disaster. In normal times, this crisis would capture international headlines. But a series of revolts across the Middle East and North Africa is masking the Mandera humanitarian crisis. However, the magnitude of the violence in Mandera is no less than the glaring images of North Africa crisis we watch on TV. Ironically, the government has airlifted Kenyans from Libya while a portion of its own territory is burning.

Kenyan military must move in to liberate this besieged city immediately so that normalcy can resume, schools can reopen, businesses start operating and the region reclaimed by its legitimate residents.


 
 
Dr. Ali Mohamed
Voice of Nomads

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER STATEMENT ON PEACE ACCORD THIRD ANNIVERSARY

The Peace Accord, whose third anniversary we mark today, was a remarkable act of compromise, the process leading to it an unforgettable offer of help by the international community.

I always knew the decision by President Kibaki and myself to agree to share power was momentous. But its real magnitude struck me when I travelled to Ivory Coast at the beginning of the year to mediate in the election dispute there. I landed in a once prosperous and stable African country, the one-time jewel of the Francophone Africa, now struggling to stand with two presidents, two prime ministers, two Cabinet, two militaries and two "state houses" all running the same country. It struck me how much we can save, and how much we did save by just agreeing to compromise.

We missed the Ivory Coast route and collapse by a whisker in 2008. That is why February 28 will forever remain in our collective memories as the day we made a commitment as a people never to take up arms against fellow citizens again. On this day, we committed to reform our governance and electoral systems to ensure we shall never go to the polls again and come out claiming not to know the winner as a result of incompetence and lack of professionalism on the part of those we trust with managing our elections.
As a nation, we remain indebted to the steadfast and resilient sons and daughters of Africa who stood with us at our hour of need to ensure that Kenya does not collapse. We shall forever be indebted to Dr Kofi Annan, President Jakaya Kikwete, President Benjamin Mkapa and Madam Graca Machel for putting their integrity to severe test in standing up for Kenya.

I pay tribute to our own leaders who, divided along party lines, all the same constituted themselves into negotiating teams and came up with a working document that formed the basis of the Peace Accord. And we shall never forget the role of the European Union and the US in helping our country rediscover itself and find a route out of the chaos and the precipice.

The Accord did save lives. It saved our economy and it gave us a second chance. There have been many false starts in this pioneering experiment of grand coalition government, but that was to be expected. The experiment we were embarking on was new not just to us in Kenya but to the entire Continent of Africa. We embarked on it in the enduring belief that because of the exceptional circumstances our country found itself in, we would improvise as we went a long, hoping that the luck of history would be on our side.
The Accord came with the proviso that we would address both the immediate and long term causes of the violence. We agreed to do everything to blunt the ethnic jealousies and address the economic hungers and inequities that were identified as the root causes of this conflict.

A lot has been achieved; but much is pending. Our economy is up and competitive again. We can say that we emerged out of the chaos, sadder but wiser, and that is why we were able to give ourselves a new constitution last year, after many failed attempts.

We have revamped our agriculture, invested heavily in infrastructure and made serous attempts to address poverty, unemployment and inequality through interventions like the Economic Stimulus Package, Kazi Kwa Vijana and revamped women and youth funds, rural electrification and provision of water to remote and dry parts of the country. We have made significant gains in the war on corruption and impunity, although a lot remains to be done. I am convinced that none of these would have been achieved had we not agreed to compromise and sign the Accord. Instead, we would be fighting today.

Soon after the signing of the document, I toured parts of the country, sometimes in the company of the President. The evidence of destruction and mayhem was everywhere. Hospital beds were occupied by people nursing bullet wounds and deep panga cuts. Mortuaries were teaming with bodies of victims of this violence and families were burying their dead. Everywhere, there was anger, suspicion and distrust.
History shows that civilizations can sometimes be swept by devastating fires, but in the aftermath, a vigorous new growth emerges, industries rise from the rubble and cities and communities rebuild. It has happened here. Trust is returning among communities. But we still have a lot to do to consolidate the peace and trust. In our years of independence, the election violence f 2008 stands as the saddest, the most reckless and the most cruel. It should never have happened and it must not happen again.

I remain extremely confident that if the constitution we endorsed last year is implemented and respected, it will deal with most of the issues that took us to war. I commit to explore all avenues to sustain the spirit of compromise that gave birth to this government. That spirit is critical to the implementation of the constitution. That constitution remains our best hope against another war.

R.T HON. RAILA ODINGA
PRIME MINISTER

NAIROBI: IS KIBAKI GOVERNMENT THE WORST EXECUTOR?

Gichugu MP Martha Karua has accused President Kibaki’s administration of carrying out more extrajudicial killings than the Moi regime.These allegations were swiftly dismissed by the government saying that her claims were only political. Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the government was not going to "get caught up in the political drama".
Ms Karua, a former minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, said that when President Kibaki took over in 2002 there was hope that extrajudicial killings would be an issue of the past, but that has not been the case. "There have been more deaths, extrajudicial killings, under the Kibaki government than there ever were in the Moi regime," she said.Ms Karua was speaking on Thursday at the opening of the East African Human Rights Defenders conference in Nairobi.
The two-day meeting will see human rights defenders from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi exchange their experiences and come up with strategies for strengthening their campaigns.
The former Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister who resigned for frustration allegations,admitted that in 2007 her office was aware of such deaths and was investigating them even as the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) tried to point them out. "They presented a report of 500 cases of extrajudicial killings," she said. "I thought they were exaggerating but after a closer look and listening more, I realised that there were more than documented."
KNCHR’s vice-chairperson Hassan Omar Hassan said they had identified a "systematic failure" of the government to protect its people from extrajudicial killings, therefore implicating itself.He accused Dr Mutua of having information regarding the 2009 killing of human rights activists Kamau King’ara and Paul Oulo.
He claimed that the two were shot down by the police along State House road. "How did he know that they were receiving money to fund unlawful groups?" Mr Hassan asked.Ms Karua said when pressure regarding the killings mounted, she spoke out in Parliament. Indeed, in November 2009 she sought to know the security situation in the country following the allegations of a police squad set up to kill suspected members of the outlawed Mungiki sect.
These are serious allegations that bring into limelight the human rights violations in Kenya as well as the push for civil societies to have a fair and just Kenya.The government especially the police force has mostly came into the limelight for excessive use of force,misuse of firearms and general gross violation of human rights.The governemnt needs over 85 Billion Kshs to bring reforms adn sanity into the police force among other bodies accussed of human rights abuse in Kenya.

Kelvin Mwangi,
Nairobi.
Additional Reporting from GOOGLE.

NAIROBI: PRESS RELEASE : EMERGING LEADERS SUMMIT

World Youth Alliance Africa will host the 2nd  EMERGING LEADERS SUMMIT National Youth gathering on the 26th February, 2011 starting 10 am at Ufungamano House, Nairobi. The theme of this year’s summit is Uniting Kenyan youth on good governance and Development.

Distinguished speakers PLO Lumumba, John Githongo and Samuel Kimeu of Transparency International among representatives from the political parties will grace the occasion.

We are inviting your media house to join over 400 youths from across the country in debating about the lack of good governance, extreme poverty, corruption, hunger and wars which continue to violate the dignity of masses.

The summit aims to inspire and equip a generation of leaders with knowledge on these issues to make them responsible stewards in effecting change in their communities

Please find attached background information about our organization for your perusal and use.

We look forward to hosting you.

 Adhyambo Odera
Communications Coordinator
World Youth Alliance – Africa
Telephone number 2508626
Mobile phone 0722 758465
Gate 374, Kiambere Road, Upper Hill,

Opp. The Oginga Odinga Foundation, Nairobi

OrHezbon Mogambi
Regional Director of Operation
hezbon@wya.net


--
Hezbon Mogambi
Regional Director Of Operations
World Youth Alliance-Africa
P.O Box 24021,00100
Tel: 254.250 86 26
Nairobi,Kenya.

INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT & SOLIDARITY

　


Adhyambo.wyaa@gmail.com
For more information please contact:

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA AT COUNTRY BUS STATION

                                                      Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Prime Minister Raila Odinga will this morning meet Matatu and long distance public transport operators at the Machakos Country Bus Station.
The PM will arrive at the venue at 11 am. The meeting follows a request by the operators to meet government officials.

DENNIS ONYANGO
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

NAIROBI: AFTER THE WITHDRAWALS,WHAT NEXT?

President Kibaki's withdrawal of the list of nominees for key constitutional offices caught most in the political class in both parties of the coalition and outside and many Kenyans by off guard when he stated that he had withdrawn the nominees to the posts of the Attorney General,Chief Justice,Director of Public Prosecutions and the Controller of Budget.

The reasons for this may be depicted from the president's speech.Public interest was one,the country's welfare was the other and to give room for further consulrtaions could be annother reason why the president decided to withdraw the controversial appointments that had held the country to a political stalemate for almost a month.Prime Minister Raila Odinga was later to hold a conference where his speech can be said to be a congraturatory one on the part of the president and said that this was a sign that Kibaki had seen the light and left the advise of his advisors whom raila says were tyhe ones misleading the president and that they were oppossed to change and reforms in the country.

President Kibaki said that new appointments to the position of the Chief Justice would be done by the judicial Service Commision while those of the DPP and the Controller of Budget be done by the Public Service Commission a comment that broufght out Raila's comments when he said that the PSC is not reformed to be at per with the new constitution and that it was not in a position to handle the appointments.Bearing in mind that the PSC is the same commission that selected the commisioners of the Constitutional Implementation Commission which were supported by Raila himself as being fair,the question arises,What does the Prime Minister want?

The appointment of the Attorney General who is suppossed to be in office by the end of August will be handled by the two coalition partners but the ODM and its allies say that there is still time and that the other three appointments should be done first.This may not be a wise decision but is supported by many including the AG himself who testified against the president saying that Kibaki had breached the new law.Wako is alleged to be supporting the ODM on the basis that it is not fair he be replaced before his term ends.

What next after the withdrawals?The question remains.Politicians go back to the drawing board to come up with better strategies on how and whom they would like appointed to the post of the new AG.Kenyans and Kenya must move on, the country must tyo get to a stand still as was witnessed during the appointments stalemate where even the tourism industry stagnated and the stock exchange was at a stop.The Kenyan currency also witnessed a depreciation against major currencies and tension was high as the ODM party was said to be planning to call for a snap election within three months.

The keyword is KENYA MUST MOVE ON regardless of the political situation in the country and all Kenyans of goodwill must get this right and fast.

Kelvin Mwangi,

Nairobi.

STATEMENT ON KENYA’S MOBILE TELEPHONY SECTOR: TRENDS AND PROSPECTS

                                             Prime Minister Raila Odinga

I did undertake last week to address, more comprehensively this week, various issues around mobile telephony Sector. I also informed the House of a planned meeting with all mobile phone operators to discuss trends in, and prospects for the Sector.

I am pleased to report to the House that I did have a meeting yesterday with all mobile phone operators together with all Government Departments concerned with the Sector. The meeting established a Task Force that will deal with the following seven (7) issues and report back in two weeks:

　
　

· The Glidepath for Call Termination Charges;

· Universal Access Fund;

· Mobile Number Portability;

· Infrastructure Vandalism including Fibre Cuts;

· Money Transfer platform outside the Banking System;

· Spectrum/Frequency Charges; and

· Sharing of Infrastructure Facilities.

I will address these issues in some depth later in this Statement.

Mobile telephony has removed the barriers of time and distance to commercial activities. Access to affordable communication has enabled millions of Kenyans create real wealth in their businesses. This has been made possible by increasing affordability of mobile telephony services. The average call tariff was Kshs.17 per minute in 2002. Today it is Kshs.3. The cost of a handset in 1997 stood at a high of Kshs.150,000/-. Today it is as low as Kshs.1,000/-. In 2000, airtime usage charge stood at Kshs.60 per minute. Today, it is between Kshs.1 to Kshs.3. These factors have increased the adoption of mobile telephone technology by a greater majority of our people. Mobile penetration has grown from fifteen

thousand (15,000) users in 1999 to twenty-four million (24 million) users in 2011, with national penetration now standing at 60%.

Let me turn to the issue of "price wars" amongst the four operators. In doing so, allow me to first distinguish between market segments that are regulated by market forces of supply and demand and those that by their dysfunctional nature, have to be regulated by a Regulator. A market segment is competitive if innovation and efficiency is a function of supply and demand supported by multiple players. However, in a market that exhibit natural monopoly tendencies or market failures (lack of competition) such as the wholesale mobile call termination market, incentive regulation by the Regulator remains the only viable tool to eliminate barriers to competition.

　

In the mobile telephony sector, termination is a monopoly market. The calling party pays the network of the receiving party for using the infrastructure of the latter. For example, a Safaricom subscriber calling a Yu subscriber will pay the latter a termination charge for using Yu’s infrastructure. The price to be paid is not determined by market forces of supply and demand, but is set by the

operators. If not regulated, this scenario leads to monopoly rates and market distortion by a dominant operator. Termination charges are payable for using another operator’s infrastructure. Termination charges are not payable in respect of calls made within one network. If termination charges are high, subscribers find it expensive to call outside their network. The incentive to join another network is also limited. Competition is therefore curtailed.

The communications Commission of Kenya (CCK), after a participatory expert study, developed a glide path for the gradual reduction of termination charges from KShs.4.42 in 2009 to Kshs.2.21 in 2010, then to Kshs.1.44 in 2011, Kshs.1.15 in 2012 and Kshs.0.99 in 2013.

How has the industry performed since the 50% reduction of the interconnection rates in September 2010? I table a "Quarterly Sector Statistics Report" by CCK published in January 2011 which illustrates the following in respect of the fourth quarter of 2010 after the reduction:

　

There were 1.9 million new mobile subscriptions, representing a

· growth of 9.5%, the highest growth recorded over the last three quarters of 2010;

· Mobile tariffs have continued to decline with pre-paid subscribers being charged an average of Kshs.2.65 for on-net calls per minute against Kshs.2.50 for post-paid subscribers. This is 33.4% reduction for pre-paid subscribers and 55.5% for post-paid subscribers;

· Voice Traffic across mobile networks increased from 187 million minutes to 405 million minutes;

· Roaming-out voice traffic increased from 19.8 million minutes to 24.3 million minutes while Roaming-in voice traffic increased from 4.49 million minutes to 7.47 million minutes; and

· The number of internet/data subscription grew from 3.09 million to 3.2 million.

　

The conclusion is that the reduced inter-connection fees have triggered a reduction in the call tariffs. This has in

turn increased accessibility to mobile telephony by more Kenyans.

As I said last week, VAT and Excise Tax collections on airtime have declined with the reduced tariffs. However, this is compensated by other macro-economic variables such as enhanced access and affordability of communication services to the poor, reduction in inflation, reduction in the cost of doing business and increased attractiveness to the other business such as BPOs.

Global industry trends show that calling prices tend to decrease as the volume of data exchange increases. Revenues in the mobile telephony sector tend to decline from voice and increases from data and value addition services as a market matures. Kenya is no exception.

The case of Sri Lanka was raised in the House last week.

　

Sri Lanka is a country with a population of 20 million and a subscriber base of 16.3 million or a penetration rate of about 81%. The mobile operators in Sri Lanka are five; namely; Mobitel, Etisalat, Airtel Lanka, Hutch and Dialog Axiata. In a country where penetration is so high

(compared to Kenya at 60%) driving penetration is not one of the Regulator’s key focus.

In Sri Lanka, there was no paid mobile termination regime, where revenues were kept by the originating network. (Sender Keeps All). With no mobile termination payment in place there was no compensation for operators for calls terminated in their network by others.

In light of the above, operators threatened to stop interconnection, hence the Sri Lankan Regulator intervened and introduced paid mobile termination regime and a floor on retail prices. The scenario is very different in Kenya which has been having a paid interconnection regime for a very long period. Operators get paid for interconnect fees for all calls terminated on their network by other operators.

Another issue regarding outsourcing of customer care services by Safaricom was raised last week. Safaricom has invested heavily in its own call centre with 1,200 employees. Its competitors on the other hand have outsourced their customer care services to KenCall (a Kenyan company), Horizon (a Kenyan company), and

Spanco (an Indian company but setting up a branch in Kenya). It is clear that outsourcing will not necessarily lead to job losses as the call centres are in Kenya and the employees are Kenyan.

Let me now turn to the future of the Sector. On April 1, 2011, mobile number portability will be launched in Kenya. This will allow customers to freely change networks without changing numbers. The Task Force will advise on the reasonable mobile number portability charge as well as the off-air period to be allowed to effect such portability.  

As regards mobile money transfer services, each operator currently operates its own unique platform with an independent settlement mechanism, all outside the banking system. The Task Force will recommend how mobile banking platforms can be integrated to allow for inter-operator transactions and networking with the banking system. However, this must not undermine the speed and the low cost by which consumers are able to liquidate the e-value on their mobile handsets.

Presently, mobile operators largely own and operate independent infrastructure assets such as towers. Sharing of such infrastructure facilities will reduce the cost of providing service to the consumers and translate in low tariffs. The Task Force will make recommendations in this respect.

Spectrum charges are presently set by CCK at the point of entry. The Government has been steadily reducing spectrum charges. The Government is considering basing such charges on a revenue sharing formula.

The Task Force will also review the proportionality of the 0.5% charge on annual gross turnover of each operator for the Universal Access Fund. How to make the management of the Fund more inclusive, transparent and accountable will be explored.

Finally, the law is being reviewed to institute stiffer penalties including custodial punishment for persons found guilty of infrastructure vandalism such as theft of copper wires and cutting of cables. The Kenya Police have been sensitized on the problem.

Local Authorities who grant way leaves have been instructed to ensure the security of the cables.

 Rt. Hon. Raila A. Odinga, EGH, MP

PRIME MINISTER

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

　

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR NAIROBI AND WESTERN TOUR

                                                        Prime Minister Raila Odinga


Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga is this Friday 25th February, 2011, scheduled to visit the Country bus Station popularly Machakos Bus Stop along Landhies Road in Nairobi on an inspection tour.

On Saturday 26th February, 2011, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address a major Public Rally at Muliro Gardens in Kakamega Town of Kakamega County which is expected to start at 1:00pm

Earlier on Saturday, the PM will attend the burial of Mr. Hudson Isagi, the ODM Vice Chairman, Sabatia Branch in Vihiga County starting at 10:00am

theafricanvoices Team
Nairobi

NAIROBI: THINK BEYOND THE UPRISINGS

                                     theafricanvoices Founder-Abdirahman Mohamed Ali

The uprisings that the world is experiencing is not worthy at all at one point, in my opinion, people should understand and think beyond the box. The fact is that what makes news does not translate on what is happening on the ground.
Whatever happens in any country has a rallying power behind it or someone who takes responsibility of all the chaos or mess that we see today particularly in the Arab nation. Every one of us hates violence but let us discuss the truth of all these chaos.
Opinion leaders and great political and social analysts and spectators will definitely agree with me that all these evil actions were organized chaos and not a revolution. Citizens of a country will never bring a country into a standstill and leave women, children, aged people to suffer in their homes, while the so called pro-democracy protestors take to the streets with the intention of looting and destroying properties and much more of the beauty of their country.
Political reforms, social freedom, freedom of press and a parliament representing all citizens instead of the federal council representing only the monarchs of a multitude of sovereign union states, all these are never achieved by use of force, causing destruction and scaring locals nor by trying to emulate violence that has occurred in other states.undertook several condemnations and endorsed what his administration called "freedom agenda" and this brought the issue of ‘freedom’ into focus but blurred the distinction between democracy promotion and forceful regime change. How do we distinguish reforms from revolution? Our youths have continuously been misused to do things that they don’t understand and those that do not benefit neither them nor their families but benefit the political class at the long run and. How do we differentiate between a genuine revolution and a corrupt revolution?
Former US president George Bush once undertook several condemnations and endorsed what his administration called "freedom agenda" has brought the issue into focus but blurred the distinction between democracy promotion and forceful regime change. How do we distinguish reforms from revolution? Our youth have been misused to do things that they don’t understand. How do we differentiate between a genuine revolution and a corrupt revolution?
By following very keenly the recent uprising that happened in Egypt, Tunisia and other parts of the Arabic region, can the people who cause their own president to leave power bring a structural change and a real democracy? How long will it take the reforms that some activist are demanding be put into full implementation? How much will it cost them to put what they plan on paper to reality? Are they ready to pay the price?
It is always said that transitional periods are not smooth as many wanted to be, but it is complicated and messy, we find misunderstandings, disagreements and threats characterizing the transitional period. In my view without people taking to the streets and causing the country to a standstill they can demand a constitutional reform that will help the process of transfer of power to a democratically elected civilian government.
Well, I am not saying that the monarchies, kings and other regime that hold power for long are all saints, but they do mistakes such repression, corruption, low accountability, a surprisingly narrow base of support and fast-rising inequality. The argument is how to change the law that governs the country. Changing the regime is not the way forward to bring real democracy. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, we must be the change that we would like to see in the world

The most difficult situation in any country can go through are times of political turmoil and civil unrest throughout the country, one of the worrying thing is that a sectarian civil war has threatened to the stability of a nation. Sectarian has divided and torn apart the unity of a country, unfortunately, people feel their political identity is tied to their community rather than to the country in general and this makes some citizens not represented in the ruling class feel left out.
The protestors have always achieved their goal half way but they never accomplish what they want through destruction and mayhem. Their greater investment in the broader political arena had real benefits: they cultivated new skills, reached new parts of the public, developed broad agendas, and interacted with international actors but all the youth have been misadvised and misguided to doing things that brings no plus to their poor lives.
The West might have a hand in these uprising directly or indirectly, perhaps they might have indicated significant discomfort on some regime that seems to be defiant to their political, social and economical interest in the region. Some super-powers nations were hesitant and stayed away from to directly support the ongoing unrest in some countries. Time has come we realize that they have developed their own countries and it’s our turn to work on our own development that can never be achieved through constant political wrangles and mayhem.
There is a total confusion of why the uprisings are occurring, what we hear from the media are just speculations from the actors on both sides, but thinking beyond the uprising need a sharp reflection on what is really fueling the protests and a solution found soonest possible.
　

Abdirahman Mohamed Ali

 Theafricanvoices founder

NAIROBI: AFTER THE UPRISING IN ARAB WORLD, COULD AMERICA BE NEXT?

                      Watching Kenya Founder, Boniface Manyala

Events taking place in Tunisia and Egypt recently and rapidly catching fire in Libya signify a changing world where the citizens are taking back power that is traditionally exercised by the executive.

These events, dramatic as they are signify a "wind of change" blowing from "Arab Africa" and quickly transcending boarders to neighboring countries-particularly Yemen, Bahrain and Jordan.

The massive number of banner-waving protesters that we saw on our television sets epitomized an emerging trend among Africans to revolt against dictatorial regimes decreed by rulers who have no slightest respect for the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights. It is such events that put a smile on the faces of leaders in the west.

Here home we will recall that not long ago, President Mwai Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Government Spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua criticized Ambassador Michael Ranneberger and other envoys for "dishing out money to youths in the country on the pretext of empowering them to take over leadership."

President Kibaki, in cautiously guarded language, said the government was aware of "three, four or five" people going around the country distributing money and inciting Kenyans. "We have seen them. They are visitors and when they leave, you will remain with nothing,"

The Prime Minister was also in the news calling on Ambassador Michael Ranneberger to stop his political activities among the youth while Government Spokesman Dr.Alfred Mutua accused an unnamed foreign government of paying the youth to topple the government.

The general feeling, we must admit, across the world is that the West is keen on regime change in Africa transversely. But this sort of "popular" widespread "democratic" uprising is scary. It is not just bad for Africa but for such countries as United Kingdom and the United States of America as well and should be discouraged.

Let’s face it, the kind of uprising witnessed in Tunisia and Egypt could as well happen to the US. Perhaps you ask how? But look, did we not notice how similar the grievances of the people in Egypt and Tunisia are to those of people in New Orleans for instance?

Are they any different from the suffering of the orphaned and underprivileged children in Pennsylvania?
As was the case in the two countries-Tunisia and Egypt- where men and women, young and old gathered in the cities to push the countries’ leadership to surrender, with their dripping tears and oozing blood, so could be the case in the USA.

Over the past few days we watched the cries of men and women and children, thousands of them, what we didn’t ask is whether their cries echo in the rest of Europe.

Have we not heard same cries as those in the US society? Did we not hear them say they were demanding reforms to make their governments more effective, more responsive, and more open?

Again let’s face it, contrary to what their corporatized mass media tells us, a majority of Americans want a publicly-managed health care system that provides affordable coverage to everyone.

And we know also that a majority of Americans want a rapid end to continuing occupations of and war against the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

And as we watched Tunisia did we not see that that country has young professionals, middle class, educated people complaining bitterly about a lack of opportunity? Is it any different in the USA?

It could be a little disturbing how well those pictures mirror the US situation. But look, the gap between the rich and the poor is wider in the USA as well.

Now the question one should ask is, Is America so democratic and free that scenes such as those witnessed in Tunisia and Egypt and not even possible in that country?


By Boniface Manyala
Nairobi-based Journalist
Editor: watchingkenya.blogspot.comFebruary 23, 2011

NAIROBI: STATEMENT BY H.E. HON. MWAI KIBAKI, C.G.H., M.P., PRESIDENT AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE DEFENSE FORCES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA TO MOVE FORWARD THE CONSTITUTION IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS,KICC,22ND FEBRUARY, 2011

Fellow Kenyans, we are aware of the discussions which have taken place in Parliament and the country in general on the matter of the nominations to fill Constitutional Offices of Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Controller of Budget.
Following extensive consultations with a large section of Members of Parliament in order to ensure that national interest remains paramount, I reiterate that both the Legal and Justice Committee of Parliament as well as the Committee on Finance and Trade concluded that I have acted within my constitutional mandate in the execution of the nominations.

However, considering the importance of the office of the Chief Justice as the head of the Judicial Arm of the Government, I have considered all the concerns expressed in regard to this nomination and I have concluded that it is beneficial that the nomination to fill this office, during the transition period, is also done through the Judicial Service Commission.

In regard to the nomination of the Attorney General, I have invited the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister for further consultations. Furthermore I have also decided that the positions of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Controller of Budget should be advertised through the Public Service Commission.
This will enable us to move forward the implementation process of the Constitution.

I appeal to all Kenyans to remain united as we forge ahead with implementation of the Constitution.

Thank you and God Bless our Nation

NAIROBI: STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER ON DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COUNTRY

I want to begin by paying tribute to President Mwai Kibaki for his courage and wisdom in withdrawing the controversial nominations. I know all Kenyans are pleased that wise counsel has prevailed and a divisive issue has been settled within the requirements of the Constitution. The President’s agreement to seek a consensus-driven process for nominations as enunciated in the Constitution is another victory for cooperation as the only way to achieve the promise that our new Constitution offers.

The strengths and successes of the Constitution continue to be displayed to Kenyans every day. We have seen that the new Constitution and its nascent institutions are so clear in their mandates and that they are fully capable of resolving such crises. Indeed, all of us who believed that this was a truly people-empowering Constitution have been vindicated by the manner in which so many of these institutions have begun to exhibit a level of independence never before seen in our history.

The way has now been paved for the close cooperation that lies at the heart of the Constitution, which includes the National Accord, as the way to achieve the far-reaching reforms that the Coalition Government was established to deliver. The reform project will never go asunder as long as we follow the power-sharing criteria of good faith, constant consultation and a willingness to compromise as stipulated in the Accord and in the National Values.

On the way forward on the nominations, we are conscious that the current public service Commission has not been reconstituted in the context of the New Constitution.

As such, the interviews for the positions of Director of Public Prosecutions and the Controller of the Budget, should be conducted by competent panels of renowned experts in the concerned fields, with the Public Service Commission providing the Secretarial Services. This procedure should also apply to other constitutional positions in the public service as well.


RT. HON. RAILA. A. ODINGA, EGH, MP,
PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA
22.02.2011

NAIROBI: PRESIDENT KIBAKI AND PRIME MINISTER RAILA EXPECTED TO MEET THIS EVENING

President Kibaki and the Prime Minister Raila Odinga are also expected to meet this evening at around 5:30pm.

The two principals will discuss the wayforward for the nomination process including issues of gender and regional representation.

theafricanvoices is monitoring the outcome of that meeting later in the evening.

theafricanvoices Team
Nairobi

NAIROBI: Prime Minister Raila Odinga Expected to address the Nation

                                           Prime Minister Raila Odinga


Prime Minister Raila Odinga expected to address the Media from his office.

Earlier President Kibaki addressed the Nation on the same issue the Prime Minister is going to address.

 The president called for further consultation.


theafricanvoices will bring you the latest.

BREAKIN NEWS: PRESIDENT KIBAKI ON NOMINATIONS

                                 His Excellency the President Hon. Mwai Kibaki

President Kibaki has withdrawn his nominations to four constitutional offices


thearicanvoices Team
Nairobi

NAIROBI: PRESIDENT KIBAKI CHAIRING A PNU PARLIAMENTARY GROUP MEETING

President Kibaki is currently chairing a Party of National Unity affiliates Parliamentary group meeting at KICC.

theafricanvoices will keep you updated the outcome, please keep right here.

Thanks

theafricanvoices Team
Nairobi

NAIROBI: THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR LIVESTOCK EMERGENCY INTERVENTION

The country is experiencing severe drought resulting from the la-Nina weather phenomena which led to reduced short rains from the October 2010 - Dec 2010 rains season. The Ministry of Livestock Development has been allocated Kshs 1.127 Billion by the Treasury for emergency interventions to mitigate the effects of the drought. The interventions to be implemented are emergency livestock off-take, provision of emergency Livestock Feeds, and livestock disease control. The interventions are complementary efforts being undertaken by other Ministries and Agencies.

　

The most affected counties by the current drought include; Garissa, Marsabit, Isiolo, Tana River, Tharaka, Wajir, Mandera, W/Pokot, Samburu, Baringo, Kajiado, Makueni, Kwale, Kilifi and Turkana. Deaths of livestock have been reported in several counties such as Marsabit, Turkana, and parts of Pokot by January 2011.

　

Massive migration of livestock in search of pastures and water has been reported in various districts. Livestock deaths mainly as a result of lack of water in dry grazing areas have also been reported. The situation is compounded by disease outbreaks of Foot Mouth Disease and other infectious diseases which are necessitating restrictions in official livestock movements and market activities (quarantines). Food access to pastoralists has been affected due reduced income from sale of livestock. The livestock at risk are estimated at 1.6 million cattle, 2.8 million goats, 1.6 million sheep and 400,000 camels.

　

The ministry has identified Kenya Meat Commission (KMC), Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), and the district livestock officers through the District Steering Groups (DSGs) to implement the emergency livestock off take. AFC was selected based on its capacity to handle farmers’ funds and also the good management experience it has had with the past livestock off-take funds.

　

To undertake this activity a total of Ksh 819 million will be allocated. KMC will be allocated ksh 192 million of which Ksh 92 million shall be a grant and ksh 100 million a government soft loan to the institution. AFC will be allocated a total of Ksh 427 Million for livestock off take through loans to livestock traders and ranchers. The DSGs will use Ksh 200 Million for livestock off - take. It is expected that at least 48,400 heads of cattle will be purchased through the DSGs, AFC and KMC.

　

The drought occasions massive livestock movement from the drought affected areas to areas perceived to be relatively better. This poses a great risk of livestock disease outbreak. In addition, livestock moving from lowland areas into highland areas get exposed to heavy parasite challenges, pneumonia and tick-borne diseases. A total of KShs 101.55 Million will be used for disease control activities.

As part of the mitigation measures my ministry through the Department of Veterinary Services has so far conducted vaccination of 2,224,000 heads of livestock against various diseases. Disease surveillance and sensitization of pastoralist to off-take before the livestock body condition deteriorates further are on-going.

　

　In funding drought mitigation sh.485 million have been reallocated for interventions in livestock health, livestock feeds and Livestock off-take.

The most common livestock diseases reported include sheep and goat pox, CCPP, CBPP PPR, Mange, Camel pox Trypanosomoses, anthrax and FMD. Due to weakened animal immunity as a result of long distance trekking of the livestock, helminthosis has affected most livestock. Several counties imposed quarantine as away to control the various disease outbreaks and this affected trade in livestock.

　

i). 1.2 million animals have been vaccinated since October 2010 to contain disease outbreaks occasioned by increased livestock movements. The vaccinations are continuing in all parts of the country. Meanwhile more vaccines are being acquired.

　

ii Disease surveillance has been undertaken for various diseases in various counties. Surveillance was conducted for PPR, CBPP, and Foot and mouth diseases.

　

iii). PATTEC a programme in my ministry has embarked on activities in the 　control of Tse tse flies in　 a bid to open up more grazing areas for livestock to feed by reducing the threat of trypanosomiasis infection which is a killer disease.

As a drought coping strategy animals are moved to areas relatively better in pasture and water, a portion of livestock is usually left behind with the sedentary family members. Relief hay and other feed supplements will be distributed to maintain the breeding herds that remain with the pastoralists. The distribution will be based on the severity of the drought in various districts and the livestock population affected to achieve equity. A total of KShs 130 Million will be used for this intervention.

The ministry is in the process of acquiring supplementary feeds for animals left behind to feed family members left behind during migration of families with their livestock occasioned by the drought. 66 Districts will benefit from this intervention

　

Field stations are to be facilitated immediately to monitor and supervise procurement of livestock, distribution of feeds, drugs and vaccines and monitoring the progression of the drought and the mitigation situation. Ministry officials from the office of the Directors of Livestock production, Director of Veterinary Services, the Provincial Directors and my office will be facilitated to make regular monitoring of the progress and the implementation situation at the districts. All these activities must be coordinated at the District level by the District Steering Groups (DSGs) to ensure the interventions are well targeted and the available resources properly accounted for to benefit of the needy.

　

The ministry plans to off-take livestock from 66 worst affected districts which will be used by the District steering groups (DSG) as livestock food relief.

　Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) has bought 2,225 animals and processed corn-beef since the drought started. Orders for 400 cattle have been given to traders in Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera. More orders will be processed for traders from various districts.

KMC is using traders to purchase the livestock from farmers so that the market prices will not be destabilized. It has been reported that the Garissa market did not have any livestock presented as the pastoralists complained of lack of water for animals when being transported (trekked) to the market. There are fears that the animals will die enroute to the market. KMC has been allocated 100 million soft loan cash from treasury to support this activity. 　

　AFC is processing loans for 75 ranchers to the tune of 150million. A further 300 million is awaited from the Treasury through the Ministry of Livestock Development to enhance processing of loans to Ranchers and traders to finance Livestock off take activities in twenty two (22) Counties comprised of Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, West Pokot, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Samburu,, Kajiado, Tana River, Tharaka Nithi, Kwale, Kilifi, Narok, Machakos, Taita Taveta, Laikipia, Mwingi, Kitui, Makueni, Turkana.

Source: Ministry of Livestock Development

theafrican Team

NAIROBI: Statement issued by Mr. Kofi Annan, Chairman of the African Union Panel of Eminent African Personalities.

 Chairman of the African Union Panel of Eminent African personalities Mr. Kofi Annan

Mr. Kofi Annan, Chairman of the African Union Panel of Eminent African Personalities, has been following with keen interest, developments concerning the judicial nominations and that of the Controller of Budget, submitted to the National Assembly by the President of the Republic of Kenya.

He also noted the comments of the various stakeholders in Kenya as the National Assembly deliberated on the nominations and the intense debate they generated in the country, as well as the wise ruling of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

Mr. Annan has sent personal letters to the two principals appealing to them to come together in a show of unity on the nominations and reduce the political temperature, especially in the National Assembly. "Kenya turned a new page on 27 August 2010 and the momentum generated must not be allowed to dissipate. Much is at stake.

 I appeal to you to remember the needs and aspirations of the people for a prosperous and stable Kenya".

Neha Sanghrajka
Liaison Officer - Political Office
Panel of Eminent African Personalities
Nairobi, Kenya

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA MEDIA BRIEFING

                                               Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Prime Minister Raila Odinga will make a Statement to the Nation at 4 PM today, February 22, 2011 at his office.

The Subject of his statement will be the nomination to constitutional offices.

theafricanvoices Team are on standby to keep our followers up to date from Prime Minister's office.

theafricanvoices Team
Nairobi

NAIROBI: ORANGE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP MEETING

The Orange Democratic Movement-ODM is scheduled to hold a crucial Parliamentary Group meeting tomorrow Tuesday 22nd February, 2011 to discuss pertinent matters of National Interest.

The Party Leader, Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga-EGH MP and Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya will chair this important meeting to be held at Orange House; the Party Headquarters.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11.00.am.  

theafricanvoices will update you the outcome of the meeting. Keep it right here.

theafricanvoices Team

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA MEDIA BRIEFING ON KENYA-FRANCE CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE

                                         Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga


Prime Minister Rt. Hon Raila Odinga will hold a joint media briefing with H.E Nathalie Kosciuksko-Morizet, the France Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transportation and Housing on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 10 am at the offices of the Prime Minister. The media should be set and seated by 9:45 am at the auditorium on the 7th floor of the OPM.

The two leaders will brief the media on the the Franco-Kenyan initiative on access to clean energy for all in the most climate vulnerable countries, especially in Africa.
This initiative aims to create a common framework to mobilize financing of generation, transmission, and connectivity of clean energy to the countries most vulnerable to climate change, including those in Africa.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister will tomorrow open the Green Economy Event at the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum in Gigiri at 10 am.

thefricanvoices Team

NAIROBI: Judicial nominations were constitutional, says President Kibaki

President Mwai Kibaki during a press briefing on the nomination of Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecution and Director of Budget outside his Harambee House office, Nairobi.

President Mwai Kibaki today affirmed that the judicial nominations he made three weeks ago for approval by Parliament were done within the law.

The President noted that the relevant parliamentary departmental committees in their reports returned a verdict that he and the Prime Minister acted constitutionally in making the nominations.

Addressing a press conference outside Harambee House, the Head of State said the position taken by the Speaker of National Assembly regarding the constitutionality of the nominations had ignored the principal of separation of powers by the three arms of the government.

The President said under the principals of separation of powers, Parliament made laws while the interpretation of the Constitution ought to have been left to the Judiciary.
Quoting from reports by the Departmental Committees on Justice and Legal Affairs and that of Finance, Planning and Trade, President Kibaki emphasized that none of the two committees returned a verdict that the nomination process was unconstitutional.

"I wish to inform my fellow Kenyans that in duly nominating persons to be considered by the National Assembly for appointment to the positions of the Chief Justice, Attorney general, Director of Public Prosecutions and Controller of Budget, l acted within my Constitutional mandate," said the President.

In this regard, the Head of State reassured Kenyans that, as President, he will at all times act in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of Kenya adding that fidelity in the rule of law is of utmost importance in the smooth running of the country’s affairs.

President Kibaki said the Government will conti
nue with other aspects of Constitution implementation while awaiting the verdict of the Constitutional Court on the nominations
The President, once again, expressed his determination to lead the country into the new phase of implementing the new constitution, assuring Kenyans that the country’s Constitution that they overwhelmingly passed will come into fruitation.

"Just as l led you my fellow Kenyans into realization of the new Constitution, am determined to lead you into the new phase of implementing the new Constitution. This Phrase holds great promise in our life as a nation and individuals," said President Kibaki.

"l understand that there are those who urge that it is not enough to simply follow the provisions of the Constitution", quipped the head of State.

The President underscored the need for all Kenyans to be guided by the Constitution and the ordinary law as enacted so as to ensure the smooth running of the country.

Source: Presidential Press Service

NAIROBI: Prime Minister Raila Odinga on nominations issue

Statement Attributable to Salim Lone, an adviser to the Prime Minister, on the nominations 18.02.2011

The PM wishes to point out that when he met President Kibaki on Monday last week on the nominations, they agreed to abide by the outcome of the Parliamentary process then underway. This was subsequently confirmed by the Presidential Press Service report, which indicated that "the two principals agreed to respect the ongoing Parliamentary process and its outcome."

The Speaker's ruling therefore speaks for itself.

Salim Lone
Advisor to the Prime Minister

NAIROBI: BREAKING NEWS: PRESIDENT KIBAKI REACTS

President Kibaki has called a news conference this afternoon to declare that the nominations were lawful and constituional.
Kibaki says he acted constitutionally on the nominations of  Mr Justice Alnashir Visram to be Chief Justice, Prof Githu Muigai (Attorney General), lawyer Kioko Kilukumi (Director of Public Prosecutions) and William Kirwa as Controller of Budget.
 Theafricanvoices will update you as events unfolds.

NAIROBI: UGANDA DECIDES DESTINY

                      Editor, The African Tribune Blog  Shadrack Mbaka,
Ugandan voters started pouring into the country’s polling stations today, to participate in the national elections that are widely the expected to give Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s president for the past 25 years, another term in office.So far the elections are going on smoothly with no major incidents reported. There were however, complaints of some polling stations opening up late, and one international observer has reported suspicious activities near a military base where ballot boxes full of votes were discovered before the official opening time that had been scheduled for 7 a.m.

Voting in the West Nile where thousands had turned up to cast their votes, some have learn t that their names are missing on the register while others were shocked to learn that some people had already voted on their behalf. This has already been reported and the Uganda’s electoral body is investigating the matter.
President Museveni, a former rebel who seized power in 1986 has managed to cultivate the notion of being the father of the modern Uganda and being the only leader who lifted the land-locked country from the shackles of civil war in the early 70s and 80s.

Museveni is facing stiff completion from his former personal doctor, Kizza Besigye who enjoys support among the urban Ugandan voters. The polls are expected today evening, with the preliminary results expected over the weekend.

Shadrack Mbaka,
Editor, The African Tribune Blog

UGANDA'S DECISION TIME

FDC's presidential candidate and head of opposition (left)and Incubent president Yoweri Museveni (right) who are the main rivals for Uganda's top job.

Ugandans go to the polls today to decide their leadership fate on whether to extend President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's rule to be a three decade or whether to give his former personal physician Dr.Kizza Besigye a chance at the top office.The two face each other in their third fight for supremacy all in which Museveni has ousted Besigye.Besigye has vowed that this will be the last time against Museveni if he doesnt get him out of office.
The FDC/IPC's candidate have warned that violence will arise should Museveni steal the election.The Ugandan Electoral Commission has promised a free and fair exercise with an equal ground for all players.However questions arise on the credibility of this commission as all the commissioners were appointed by Museveni (commonly known as M7) and is the same commission that oversaw the contentious 2006 elections that were marred by vote rigging allegations.
Besigye's worry that the elections might be rigged and warned that Uganda will go the Egyptian way a statement that incubent president Museveni who took over power by overthrowing Idi Amin in1986 downplayed and dared them them to do so and find themselves in jails.Uganda is a no-politics gossip zone and according to a recent opinion poll six in every ten Ugandans cannot speak freely on politics especially if M7is involved.
Ugandans would wish for change but are worried that Museveni has everything at his disposal including the electoral body and trhe security foces who have been deployed to different parts of the Pearl of Africa in the wake of violence prediction.Both candidates are promising Ugandans different heavens.Besigye promises Ugandans rural electrification and improved infrastructure while Museveni boasts on eceonomic stability and power generation.
Politics in Uganda seems to be a one man's say,M7 who is ranked as the seventh longest serving prseident in Africa and who might have the last laugh if the recent opinion polls are anything to buy as he takes 60%,followed by Besigye with 34% while the other five presidential contenders share the remainder of the pie.
As Ugandans decide,The African Voices urges them to be calm and peaceful during and after the whole exercise and accept the results as they come, and not to go to its past which was characterized by constant violence,civil war and political instability but focus much more on the development of their countyr.

Kelvin Mwangi,
Nairobi.



ASMARA: PRESIDENT OMAR AL-BESHIR VISITS ASMARA

President Isaias Afwerki welcomes President Omar Al-Besitr on arrival at the Asmara  
International Airport

 The President of Sudan, Field Marshal Omar Hassan Al- Beshir conducted a one-day working visit in Eritrea. President Isaias Afwerki accorded him official welcome on arrival at the Asmara International Airport.

In a meeting at the State Palace, the two leaders held discussion focusing on bilateral relations, enhancing mutual cooperation and regional as well as international issues of mutual interest.　

In briefings they gave to local and international media outlets following the meeting, Presidents Isaias and Omar Al-Beshir pointed out that their discussion was a continuation of the regular consultations and exchanging of views between the two countries and leaders.

Noting the historical Eritrean-Sudanese ties, President Omar Al-Beshir elaborated that the two leaders reached understanding to deepen the long-standing bilateral relations and cooperation, in addition to conducting exchange of views on the objective situation and developments in the region in general and Sudan in particular.

The Sudanese President further explained that in view of the exemplary relations between Eritrea and Sudan, both leaders exchanged information regarding the very sensitive stage Sudan is currently undergoing and other regional issues. President Omar Al-Beshir also indicated that the two leaders reached understanding on the need for joint work programs.　

President Isaias on his part underlined that though there exists mutual political will on both sides to reinforce bilateral cooperation in line with the prevailing Eritrea-Sudanese strategic ties, the work accomplished over the past five years is not that satisfactory. Such effort should be stepped up in the future, he added.　

President Omar Al-Beshir left for home in the afternoon hours concluding his working visit.


Source: Ministry of Information-Eritrea

CIVIL SOCIETY URGED TO BE PATIENT WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REFORMS

NAIROBI: PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO PEOPLE OF TANZANIA

                        OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

REPUBLIC OF KENYA

 

On my behalf and that of the people of Kenya, I wish to convey my message of sympathy to the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania following the accidental explosion at the Gongola Mboto military base which has left up to 30 people dead.

This is a difficult moment for the people and the government of Tanzania. We understand the magnitude of the destruction and the relocation of people that has taken place.

 I wish to congratulate the Government of Tanzania for the speed and efficiency with which it has handled the tragedy so far. I note with appreciation that police sent out a text message to residents of the area affected by the explosion urging them to remain calm.

 I also note with appreciation the collaboration between the police and mobile phone service providers who teamed and sent messages to subscribers advising those who had lost relatives while fleeing to congregate at the National Stadium near the city centre to find them.
This ability to combine use of technology with the traditional African human touch at moments like this is highly commendable.

While we mourn the death and loss of property, we stand with the people of Tanzania and commend them and their Government for the calm and quick response to the tragedy.


RAILA A ODINGA., EGH, MP, PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA.
18.02.2011

NAIROBI: BREAKING NEWS: There was no sufficient consultation between the two principals

                                     National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende has ruled that the nominations announced of four Kenyans to top State jobs were unconstitutional.
In a ruling on Thursday 17th February, 2011 Mr Marende said President Kibaki did not follow the spirit and the letter of the constitution in nominating Mr Justice Alnashir Visram to be Chief Justice, Prof Githu Muigai (Attorney General), lawyer Kioko Kilukumi (Director of Public Prosecutions) and William Kirwa as Controller of Budget.
The speaker said that the president did not carry consultations as it required in the National Accord.
Now the President and the Prime Minsiter will go back to the drawing board and come up with a new list that is constitutional.

theafricanvoice Team

NAIROBI: So lizard delivered “news of death” and twins are “bad omen?”

Myths and Truths

As we travel through life’s journey, the lesson we learn is that not most of the things we believed in are realities. Human beings as we know them seek to understand their surroundings and will usually interpret life by that surrounding. Life provides us with reality-truths- and then there are myths which seem actual conundrums and yet they are not.

Society has very many myths that assume a familiarity with the well known certainty. Such myths are then accepted as reality as they are said to convey "truth." Consider the following:

The Genesis of death

Myth: You have certainly heard some stories about how death came to the world. That the supreme god meant for humans to be immortal, but through an unlucky mistake, they received death instead of eternal life.

Some stories say god told a cautious chameleon to carry the news of eternal life to earth, but a faster lizard with news of death arrived first. While the Mende people of Sierra Leone for instance say that a toad with the message "Death has come" overtook a dog with the message "Life has come" because the dog stopped to eat along the way. Hence bad news is said to have reached humans fast.

Truth: According to biblical teachings, human beings pay for their sins through death. This is captured in the book of Romans 6:23 which states, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Twins are a bad omen

Myth: in most African societies, many people regard twins as special, almost sacred, beings. Twins are a representation of duality—the tension or balance between paired or opposing forces—that is basic to life.

But some information I stumbled on recently made my hair stand on its end. It’s about the Malagasy people of Madagascar, astonishingly, the Malagasy people consider twins as taboo. They have a cultural superstition called fady which dictates that twins bring bad luck.

"Bad luck?" You sure must be asking. Yes, and it is such bad luck that families who are "unfortunately" feted with twins would have to get rid of one or both of them. In the event that the family refuses to do that, they are ostracized by their community.

I begin to hear you say, "These people are wicked!" And I sure share the same thinking. I am thinking: I want to keep my twins (that is if I am blessed with any) far, distant away from Madagascar.

The country is however implementing new efforts to change such backward beliefs. There’s a proposed legislation to give more powers to officials to intervene on behalf of parents and children to keep twins together in the same family.

Truth: Truth is, twins are not bad omen-they don’t bring bad luck- twins occur when two eggs are released and two separate sperms fertilize them. These are fraternal twins. Identical twins on the other hand occur when one egg is fertilized by one sperm, and during the zygote stage, the egg splits into two separate embryos therefore leading to two children who are the identical copy of each other. The same exact chromosome match. In the Malagasy case, I think somebody is finally waking up from a deep slumber.

Origin of elephants

Myth: There’s a myth among the Kamba that tells us how elephants originated. A poor man heard of lvonya-Ngia, (He that feeds the Poor.) He decided to take a long journey to find him.

On arrival, he saw uncounted cattle and sheep and Ivonya-Ngia, who received the poor man kindly, understood his need and ordered his men to give him a hundred sheep and a hundred cows.

The poor man declined saying he needed no charity. "I want the secret of how to become rich," he said. Ivonya-Ngia then gave him a flask of ointment saying: "Rub this on your wife's pointed teeth in her upper jaw, wait until they have grown, then sell them."

The poor man did as was told; he promised his wife that they would become wealthy. After some weeks, the canine teeth began to grow and when they had grown into tusks as long as his arm the man persuaded his wife to let him pull them out. He took them to the market and sold them for a flock of goats.

The wife's canine teeth had grown again few weeks later, now even longer than the previous pair, but she would not let her husband near them and near her body which became bigger and heavier, her skin thick and grey.

At last she snapped out of the door and into the forest, where she lived from then on. She gave birth to her son, who was also an elephant. Her husband visited her in the forest, but she would not be persuaded to come back and there she raised her children, all elephants. The Kamba believed that was the origin of elephants and hence the reason why elephants are as intelligent as humans.

Truth: The elephant is the world’s largest animal and is said to have evolved from an even bigger prehistoric mammoth which appeared millions of years ago. The mammoth is said to have roamed in great heard over Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The oldest mammoth bones were discovered in India about four million years old. It became extinct at the end of the Ice age, and its only descendants-the elephant as we know them today-settled in Africa and southern Asia. But this is the evolution story. And of course you know the creation story in Genesis 1:1-2:3, on the sixth day, "God created the animals to fill the earth. He also created man and woman (Adam


Boniface Manyala

Editor Watching Kenya

http://watchingkenya.blogspot.com/