Summary of Kenya News for the week ending 22nd October. Generally there is a more positive mood in the country though many areas are still in a serious drought. Hello all, It was announced that the President would go to Kisumu to hold a Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, which was seen to be the start of a charm offensive by Jubilee in Odinga’s main stronghold, but it was put off to a later date as it conflicted with a meeting in Kigali on EAC business affairs. At that meeting he told East Africans not to fear that Kenyans will take over all available jobs, free movement of labour is a good thing for all concerned, and he was strongly supported by Rwanda President Paul Kagame. Last Sunday Eliud Kipchoge won the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, leading Sammy Kitwara and Dickson Chumba who came second and third. Rita Jeptoo won the women’s title for the second time. The “cold war” between the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary is apparently escalating with many Cabinet Secretaries being called to explain issues to Parliamentary Committees, and now the President seems to be at odds with the Chief Justice and the AG insists on the Constitutional separation of powers. The AG considers the CS’s should not go near Parliament at all and the President told the Judiciary to review “controversial orders” which have angered Parliament and the Senate in particular. On his part, the CJ complained of an acute shortage of judges and magistrates, which causes a three year wait for court hearings. On Wednesday the President and the DP summoned the Speaker and the Majority Leader and told them to stop calling the Cabinet Secretaries to Parliament, which appears to have taken effect. The President is said to be considering a Cabinet reshuffle, together with the Principal Secretaries, based on performance reports by the Public Service Commission. Public funding for political parties has earned a windfall of Shs.205 million from the Treasury, the bulk of it to be shared between Jubilee (TNA) with Shs.90 million and ODM with Shs.87.4 million – they can distribute it to their coalition partners. The smaller parties do not benefit much, if at all, as the allocations are based on the number of votes cast for each party in the General Election, although that could be an over-simplification. The fate of five Kenyans transporting miraa who were abducted by al Shabaab last week north of the Tana River was at first unknown but one report put their two stolen Landrovers at Jelib in Jubaland, which is a planned objective for AMISOM in the near future. However, on Monday it was learned that they had been released and were being brought home by the KDF. MPs, Governors and MCAs have joined in common cause against the EACC which warned them all against running fundraisers (harambees) in violation of the Leadership and Integrity Act 2012 and the Public Officers Ethics Act 2003. EACC apparently believes that state officers are being pressurised into subscribing. However, it seems that the EACC is now softening their stand. The well known academic Prof. Ali Mazrui died on Monday in the USA, aged 81. Tributes poured from all over the world as well as from local notables, and there were numerous articles on his life and achievements in the papers. His funeral was to be held on Sunday at Mombasa. The Israeli Ambassador announced the impending resumption of direct flights between Tel Aviv and Nairobi, but he also commented that it is necessary to improve the local road and communications structure. The Tourism Board announced figures showing a downturn of tourist arrivals in Nairobi for the first half of this year, 358,977 compared to 409,130 last year. Mombasa recorded 69,246 as against 91,030 last year. German tourists seem to form the largest number, with many repeating their visits. A new agreement between the EAC and the EU whereby horticultural exports from Kenya will be allowed in free of duty has been greeted with considerable relief, but it will be another three months before it comes into effect. Talks between the teachers’ unions and the TSC have seen a reduction in the teachers’ demands from an increase of 300% to 100%, and discussions resume on 24th October. The teachers again warned of a major strike if they are not satisfied. The EACC, “after over a decade of chasing shadows,” has recommended the prosecution of ten people in the multi-billion shilling Anglo-Leasing scam. No names of accused persons were published but it was thought that among them may be Deepak Kamami, his brother Rashmi Chamanlal and his father Chamanlal Kamami. The DPP has appointed a committee to pursue the case further. The Parliamentary Lands Committee has summoned both Lands CS Charity Ngilu and the National Lands Commission Chairman Mohamed Swazuri to discuss the ongoing row over the 134 acre plot near Karen which was being parcelled out by MPs and others, the ownership of which is disputed. The Police and the EACC are also investigating. The case even drew comment from the President and the DP who said it must follow the rule of law, no matter who is involved. The 140 MW Ol Karia IV geothermal power plant was commissioned by the President on Friday amid more claims that the price of electricity will come down 30% this month and by 50% early next year. Catholic clergy are waging a campaign against a current anti-tetanus vaccination drive, as they believe it causes infertility in women and miscarriages. WHO and the Health Ministry maintain the vaccine is perfectly safe and has been used for 30 years. Just in case – a Chinese contractor is building a specialised isolation block for Ebola patients, if any appear here, at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi. Self-contained, it will provide for 40 beds, a laboratory and all the usual offices and will be ready for use by 31st October. However, there are no other special facilities for Ebola patients anywhere else in the country, and so far none have been seen. The Pound was shown at Shs.143.0717 and the Dollar at Shs.88.9792. The rain at Kilifi has tailed off after the full moon with just a few very brief showers, but a deluge on Friday night in Nairobi caused flash floods and disrupted transport. The mid-month fuel price adjustment reduced Nairobi petrol by Shs.0.75 to Shs.110.89/lt, diesel fell by Shs.1.69 to Shs.100.67/lt and kerosene went down by Shs.0.75 to retail at Shs.80.88/lt. Inflation was put at 6.6% in September, down from 8.36% in August. A speeding sand lorry overturned on the Mai Mahiu road, killing six and injuring eight on board. Pokot bandits ambushed a bus on the Kitale – Lodwar road, killing one passenger and wounding six, among them a policeman. Interpol has published a “wanted” notice for Mombasa businessman Feisal Mohamed for illegal ivory trafficking. The three tons of ivory found in his warehouse in Mombasa recently form the basis of the charges. He is thought to be somewhere on the coast but may have crossed into Somalia. The KWS consider that poachers have dealt a serious blow to their plans to increase the black rhino population from 637 to 750 by 2030, but no recent killings have been recorded. On Wednesday Mandera Governor Ali Roba survived an attack on his convoy from an IED planted on the way to his office. A security man was injured and a vehicle damaged. An IED was spotted nearby the next day and was safely detonated. On Friday evening a CID officer was shot dead by assassins using an AK47 at Liboi near the Somalia border as he left the mosque after prayers. The government in Mogadishu is stopping the lucrative trade in charcoal from Barawa, recently liberated from al Shabaab, which was said to have been funding al Shabaab to the extent of tens of millions of dollars in recent years. The charcoal trade by al Shabaab was banned by the UN some time ago, with little effect, if any, as there is an insatiable demand for it in the middle east.. Insurgents “shelled” an area of Mogadishu where the President was expected to address a meeting, only to damage a cafe and kill 13 people instead, and the next day a Police chief’s car was blown up by a bomb, killing two mechanics working on it. We drive back to Nairobi tomorrow, which is a public holiday for Mashujaa Day – Heroes Day. Weekend papers gave a lot of space to Jomo Kenyatta’s early days in UK and various anti-colonial movements, regarded as heroes. Best regards, xyz
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 04:31:27 +0000
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