Looming crisis at refugee camp expected at end of the tunnel

By Shadrack Mbaka;

A wedge had earlier been driven between the government of Kenya and International aid organizations on matters of addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in northern Kenya, where thousands of Somali refugees have pitched camp to escape war and drought in their lawless country.

Dadaab refugee camp is currently the world’s biggest refugee complex, Humanitarian workers and officials including the UNHCR boss, António Guterres have described the situation as ‘hell on earth’ and warned that hundreds of malnourished children could die in the coming weeks.

This comes at a time when the Government of Kenya was reluctant to open a new camp for the refugees coming into the country in droves. As much as I agree with the Kenyan government citations that allowing more refugees was indeed a security risk, it would really” look bad” if we turn the refugees away.

According to the latest statistics about 21 children have died of malnutrition and other diseases at the camp since June this year. On Sunday, a Somali refugee who had just given birth died together with her baby as aidworkers battled to save their lives.

Humanitarian workers and nearby hospitals have been  teeming with children and adults as more refugees who had walked for several weeks through the bandit-infested Somali hinterland queued for admission into the camps while others were dying on the way.

There has been tales of children and relatives collapsing and dying on the way as they braved scorching sun and hunger to reach Dadaab, some 150km from Garrisa town, which has hosted Somali refugees for the past 20 years.

It is only hopeful that the government’s directive through the Prime Minister that the Kenya – Somalia boarder at Liboi be opened as well as overseeing the building of a new camp to settle the refugees would come to pass.

This is an international crisis and the situation is worsening each day at sunrise and at sunset. It is also common knowledge that the influx of more refugees is steadily rising and is not expected to decrease any time soon. Let the world join forces to help men, women and children from the claws of drought in Somalia.

Want to substitute your MP? Build a proper Technical Bench

By Shadrack Mbaka
Am not surprised when Opinion polls continue to show that many Kenyans are unhappy with their MPs and would take the slightest opportunity they get to make their feelings known to their leaders.
The current crops of politicians are showing poor performance in the respective constituencies in Kenya, but definitely this does not apply to all MPs, this is because there are MPs who have upheld the “covenant” between him or herself and the people.

It’s however obvious to acknowledge the fact that it’s not enough to replace the incumbent with a newcomer in the political arena. If circumstances call for a replacement, it must be understood that he must be an upper cut that the incumbent. 

Kenya has reached a point where we need better and qualified leaders who have the ability and technical knowhow of transforming this nation. As the elections draw near, many will come claiming to be the peoples ‘key”.

The days of electing MPs because of their financial muscles are long gone and it is therefore important for Kenyans to force their elected leaders to set their bench marks or face the judges who are the people.
The former generations of MPs were pros in dishing out cash and putting up ghost projects while doing their campaigns and no sooner than they are elected, the projects come on a sudden halt. Definitely this is the time that the voter is forgotten. If we are going to make a difference in the near future we must treat anyone offering materialistic goodies with suspicion and wisdom.
 
Another way that some of our politicians would go for ,so as to seek re-election is to grasp mileage from presidential candidates. Interested parties to the presidential succession should also know that imposing a candidate on the people went along side the old constitution. He may choose the kind of politicians he or she would like to work with, but the most important political decisions will be made by the voter.
And anyone touting age as their qualification may have nothing else to show for it. Those who punctuate every word with tribe are only trying to use you for personal gain.

Most examination bodies have a marking scheme for the exams they offer and according to me electing your MP is no different. Choose your leader on the basis of ; selflessness, hardworking, good management ability, brilliant , consistent and focused. This way we will be contributing to building a better Kenya.

Nairobi

Striker Carlos Tevez wants to leave Manchester City

City boss Roberto Mancini wanted to keep Tevez at Eastlands

Carlos Tevez has said he wants to leave Manchester City for family reasons.

The Argentina captain helped City finish third in the Premier League last season and qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
The 27-year-old, who joined City from rivals Manchester United in 2009, stated he cannot continue to live in the north west without his daughters.
"I need to be closer to them and to spend more time with them," Tevez said in a statement.
"Living without my children in Manchester has been incredibly challenging for me. Everything I do, I do for my daughters.
"I need them to be happy because my life is about them now. I need to be in a place where they can adapt.
"I hope that the people understand the difficult circumstances I have been living under the past 12 months, in regards to my family."

TEVEZ SAGA TIMELINE

Continue reading the main story

• 12 December 2010 - Tevez says he is going to leave Man City
• 20 December 2010 - Withdraws transfer request and commits future to club
• 16 May 2011 - Says he will only stay at club if solution found to "family issues"
• 8 June 2011 - Tevez says he will never return to "small and wet" Manchester
• 4 July - Confirms he is going to leave Manchester City

Tevez, who signed a five-year contract with City upon his £25.5m move from Old Trafford, thanked the club's hierarchy for their support and asked for fans to empathise with his personal predicament.
"It is with great regret that I have to inform Manchester City of my wish to leave the club," added Tevez, who is currently on international duty with hosts Argentina in the Copa America.
"I would like to state that I have great respect for the club, its supporters and the owner, Sheikh Mansoor, who has been nothing other than respectful to me.
"I hope that most of the City fans will understand that I have given them my all on the pitch and that my dedication to the City cause has been 100% on the pitch.
"I hope I have done my bit to help City continue their progress towards their ambition to be champions of England and to advance in the Champions League.
"I have no doubt that the players and management of City will achieve great success in the future."

CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER PHIL McNULTY ON TEVEZ SAGA

Continue reading the main story "When he withdrew his first transfer request he was warned by City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak that they would choose the timing and manner of his departure. And they will not be selling their finest player on the cheap.
"City will instantly shrink the market by demanding around £40m for Tevez and any potential purchasers will also have to cope with a wage packet that is believed to be in excess of £200,000 a week.
"This reduces his options to an elite group such as Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid and they have yet to show serious interest."

Tevez made an immediate impact at Eastlands, scoring 29 goals in 42 appearances in his first season as City missed out on a place in the Champions League, finishing fifth in the Premier League.
The former Boca Juniors star was given the added responsibility of the captain's armband by City manager Roberto Mancini last season, a moved which proved inspirational as Tevez netted 24 goals in 44 appearances, propelling the club to third in the Premier League as well as securing their place in Europe's top club competition.
Tevez also lifted the FA Cup after a 1-0 victory over Stoke at Wembley in May, City's first trophy in 35 years.
However, his relationship with Mancini had already been fractured when he submitted a transfer request at Eastlands in December last year, which was later withdrawn.
Tevez's estranged partner could not settle in Manchester and returned to Argentina with their two daughters Katie and Florencia, but a move to Spain or Italy could persuade his family to return to Europe.
Italian club Inter Milan told BBC Sport they will not attempt to sign Tevez because of his wage demands.

Kenya's Chief Justice Joins Twitter and Facebook

Kenya’s new Chief Justice, Dr. Willy Mutunga has joined Twitter and Facebook social sites respectively. The new CJ got one of the biggest welcome any famous person has ever gotten while having a first time on the social networking site.

 It might also not be that the Kenyans on Twitter would like just to follow him but maybe the expectation out there is so high. You could see from the comments directed at the new CJ’s twitter handle that many were looking for justice on stalled cases.

The new CJ also announced his presence on Facebook. Within one hour of joining Twitter, the new Cj’s account has gained more than 1,100 and it is still counting. Going through the new Cj’s followers, you will realise that there are a good number of them who are also new on Twitter.

There are also CNN, Reuters and some Aljazeera journalists as well.
CJ Willy Mutunga’s appointment has been controversial with some religious and political leaders seeing him as immoral considering that he wears studs on his left ear. He has also been suspected to be gay with church leaders questioning his family values. He later said that he is not gay at the last parliamentary committee’s grilling.

Dr Willy Mutunga’s foray onto the social media to engage with the citizens is such a boost to the online community. Though there were doubts on the authenticity of the account, we did confirm from one of his close friends who says that it is the CJ himself who has joined Twitter.

On the main photo, the CJ can be spotted with an iPad on the table. The CJ is said to be one of the most tech savvy individuals out there. What do you think of the new CJ joining Twitter?

LOVE BITE

 By Aquinas Nyakundi

Why is it that most ladies claim they have been misused when guys dump them? Is it any way supposed to be called dumping?
I believe, in a relationship, each contributes equally. When a lady is taken out, the bill is squarely laid on the gentleman, and when it comes to sharing the bed, the lady comes out claiming she has been UTILIZED.

It is high time you realize that there is no utility of the female counterpart rather a mindset that when in a relationship, the man is the one who take precedence in driving the relationship.
Ladies, wake up and realize that some of your colleagues have started relationships and they are running them. That is why men nowadays are dumped but they always defend themselves in the open while in the closed they are crying.

A lady ought to be treated well but the man too ought to be treated well. Marriage is a major task and it is through a relationship that you get to realize who actually you want to settle down with.
If you have never fought in your relationship of get angry with one another, think twice before you get into marriage.

The lady who takes rice with a toothpick when you take her out might actually take half a goat alone when you marry her. It is called surety of custody.

On a lighter note:
Adult male and female rats leave drops of pee everywhere to advertise their sexual availability. Pee contains a lot of information about the rat who made it! It's like a personal resumé. It tells another rat one's species, sex, age, social status, reproductive status, and individual.


The following urine marks say the following about the rat that left it behind:

Hot, healthy adult alpha male rat seeks any female rat. I'm a high testosterone, high fecundity guy! Let me father your offspring! (pee is two days old)

Beta male rat seeks any female rat. I've lost a lot of fights recently, so my testosterone is kinda low, and I have a tapeworm, but I'd still loooove to meet you! (pee is five days old)

Sexy female rat seeks handsome, experienced, dominant male to sire next litter. I'm gonna be in heat tomorrow, so hurry! (pee is fifteen minutes old)

FIRE DESTROYS STUDENT PROPERTY AT KERERI GIRLS

By Aquinas Nyakundi and Shadrack Mbaka

 

Student property worth thousands of shillings reduced to ashes when fire razed the upper block of a form one dormitory on Sunday evening at Kereri Girls High School in Kisii central.

 

The fire that started at 8pm paralyzed the evening preps at the institution as students rushed to rescue their property but the inferno overpowered them.

 

The fire brigade from G4S and the Municipal Council who arrived an hour later battled with the fire with the help of villagers, which they managed to contain three hours later.

There were no casualties in the incident as students were still in class for their preps apart from less than ten unconscious students rushed to hospital following the aftershock of the incident.

 

 

 

Speaking to Craze Utility  and Nairobi Matters at the scene, the Director of Jomo Kenyatta University Kisii campus, Professor John Memba Ochora, who is also a parent at the school hailed the emergence response saying both public hospital and private ambulances rushed to the scene.

Professor Ochora described the dormitory structure as incompetently designed as it could be hard to carry out an evacuation exercise incase students happened to be caught up in the inferno.

He added that access to emergence exits be made easy to facilitate rescue operations in case of such incidences.

 

The congested dormitory houses more than 160 students with cubes carrying up to 30 students some of whom sleep on triple decker beds.

Valentine Kerubo, a student in form 1E said all her property were destroyed in the fire and the uniform she was wearing and a few books in class was what was left.

 

Parents who arrived in the institution to check on their children protested against a proposal by the BOG to have only form one students of other forms continue with studies, as the incident did not affect them.

The Principal was not available for comment, as she was attending a Principals seminar at the coast.

The cause of the fire was yet to be established by the time of going to press.

Kenyan Porous Boarders likely to court More Insecurity

Shadrack Mbaka

Kenyan Porous Boarders likely to court More Insecurity

 Insecurity cases being witnessed in the country for the past few years desires quick action, there is little doubt that our borders are somehow porous and this makes Kenya a vulnerable prey for neighboring militia groups and even terrorists. 

The death of the Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, came as a sigh of relief to many people across the world thanks to the US navy seals and the Obama administration.It is all interesting to note that the US was securing its boarders, that prompted them to go for Osama Bin Laden, miles away from their territory.

Kenyan boarders remain porous and the government remains reluctant to secure its boarders. It is unfortunate that the government would just watch as the Merrile and Topasa Militia groups from neighboring countries would enter into Kenya on free will kill,maim and steal livestock and walk out through our boarder points that are said to be under a 24-hour surveillance.

I believe in the spirit of the East African Community and the close diplomatic ties connecting the five countries, but it is ammusing at the way President Kibaki would declare on  Madaraka that the islands of Migingo and Ugingo belong to KENYA only  for Uganda to send their police to the islands a few days later,What would you call this? Bullying?

Many questions have been raised about how Al-Qaeda managed to launch their attacks in Kenya and then disappeared without a trace.This begs the question, how could there be an Al-Qaeda recruiter serving in the Kenyan army fail to be noticed by our security forces with all the intelligence resources at their disposal?

Security Lapse?

In another incident, the Al-shabab militia raided Mandera, North East of Kenya, a long Kenya-Somali border, and abducted a government officer and two missionary nuns.

The above incidents and others, like the grenade attacks on Uhuru Park Nairobi last year, the numerous narcotic consignments being impounded far away from the border, and the firearms impounded in Narok town near Kenya-Tanzania border, are a clear indication of porous borders that makes Kenya an easy target for terrorists.

Is there a security lapse along the borders of Kenya? And are we safe?

Insecurity has gigantically negative implications on both the country’s political and economical fronts.

In a bid to make the country and the citizens secure, the government may do well to consider reinforcing the security at key entry points and also use modern technology in detecting firearms, illegal immigrants and narcotics. But as far as I am concerned we are not out of the woods yet on matters of national security.

Youthful leaders have grand plans for NEP

By BONFACE ONGERI


As next year's General Election draws nearer by the day, North Eastern Province politics, which for over four decades had been dominated by clanism, is set for major transformation following increased participation by elitist youthful leaders.

In the past, ethnic homogeneity has been the cause of bitter albeit simmering clan competition right from the constituency level to the national level, instead of engendering a common political front, as one would expect.
This time round, however, all indications are that political Old Guard in the region are set for a bruising battle with the young turks come next year’s poll, following an intense political interest by the youth in the various elective positions created under the new Constitution.

The trend was first set in the 2007 General Election when seven out of the 11 elected MPs in the region were youthful, among them the chairman of the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, Mandera Central’s Abdikadir Mohammed.

Youthful leaders in the region claim the Somali community had for a long time tethered its fate and aspirations on clan-based politics, poor leadership and social apathy, which had made the region lag behind in development.

Succession politics
"We have stagnated with politics of succession as the rest of the country made progress in politics, education and infrastructure. We have been spectators as the rest of the country progressed and this can change through youthful leadership," said Ahmednadhir Omar Sheikh, who has declared interest in the Garissa governor’s seat.
Mr Omar explained that political leaders in the region have for a long time been viewed as ‘demigods’.

"For so long the youth have been disenfranchised. Since Independence, we have laboured under corrupt and clan-based politics. We have underperformed in education, agriculture and business and we want to put a stop to all these through active participation in leadership," added Omar.

The Mayor of Garissa, Mohamed Gabow Kharbat, says youth in the region were now taking an active role in politics like has never been witnessed before.
"We have the determination and commitment. Young people have discovered that the power lies with people and have come out strongly to take active roles in leadership," says the youthful mayor, who is aged 28.

In the region, youthful leaders elected into political positions are being viewed as a yardstick to determine whether they can deliver better than the older generation of leaders. At a recent workshop for the province’s councillors, youthful councillors said they joined civic politics after realising there was need to inject youthful and literate leadership in the running of the local authorities.

"Initially we thought it as demeaning to vie for the positions and dismissed the seats as reserved for the illiterate in the society, but this has changed," Khalif Omar Bullow, the Kulaley Ward Councillor says.
The youth, however, still face numerous challenges ranging from lack of financial resources to wrestle leadership from the Old Guard.

Some residents say certain youth elected into leadership roles have failed to meet expectations.
"They had the opportunity to prove to the skeptics that they were up to the challenge but some have been a big disappointment and embarrassment to the youth fraternity," Khalif Abdi Farah, the coordinator of Northern Forum for Democracy said.

Questionable wealth
Khalif explains the difference between the old guard and the youth was that the elderly leaders were easily accessible and selfless, but the youth were selfish and poor managers.
"Some of the youthful leaders are already under probe for misuse of funds while others have accumulated questionable wealth and are living beyond their paltry pay," Khalif added. 

Northern Development Minister Mohamed Elmi said while the youth are welcome to assume leadership positions, the definition of who qualifies to be called a youth matters.
"The Constitution has defined youth and those contesting in that category need to meet the requirement and expectations of the people.

Mr Elmi and Ijara MP Yusuf Haji are the only two ministers from the region, but both of them are viewed to belong to the old guard.
ODM-Kenya Nominated MP Mohammed Affey says more youth should be encouraged to take up leadership positions. "The future belongs to them especially professionals. They have energy and vigour, which could be lacking in some of the old guard," says Affey, who became Wajir South MP at 27.

BLAST IN NAIROBI...

A man is reported to have died and more than 36 others are fighting for their lives in various hospitals in Nairobi after an explosion near a petrol station in downtown Nairobi on Sunday.

The impact blasted two 20-ft containers full of second-hand auto parts metres away and flung vehicles across the street.

The scene of the explosion was a condemned building which, because of the street slope, was like the basement of Kirinyaga Road Shell Petrol Station.

The building reeked of petrol, possibly suggesting leaking underground tanks. The explosion set fire to the fuel pumps at the station, which was quickly put out by the fire department.

One man died at Guru Nanak Hospital where he had been rushed for treatment for multiple injuries, according to Nairobi Provincial Police boss Anthony Kibuchi.

Ballistic experts were still combing the scene to establish its cause. There were conflicting reports with some eyewitnesses claiming the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder, while others said it was a missile.

The district has one of the biggest concentrations of illegal immigrants in the city. One apartment block was packed with Pakistani immigrants.

Police and rescue officials said 36 people were being treated at Kenyatta National Hospital, MP Shah Hospital, Nairobi Hospital, Guru Nanak and Park Road Nursing Home.

Of those injured, five were in serious condition on Sunday. (IN PICTURES: Nairobi blast)

Among those injured was Ayaan Altaf, aged just one and half months, who sustained cuts on the head from broken glass.

Several others suffered burns to the face and head, fractures and cuts from the broken glass and metal.

A doctor at Kenyatta where most of the injured were taken said most of them had sustained second degree burns and tissue injuries.

Second-hand car part dealers lost property in the blast. At least ten vehicles, including five saloon cars, were extensively damaged.

The explosion occurred near Grogan Garage on lower Kirinyaga Road between Kirinyaga Road Shell Petrol Station and Shabir Centre, a six-floor residential block.

Some of the injured were tenants of the building, which was also damaged. Glass windows were shattered in most of the nearby buildings.

Eyewitnesses, describing the power of the explosion, said it lifted shipping containers and cars in the air and slammed them onto the pavement across the street. Prime Minister Raila Odinga has promised speedy investigations into the real cause of the blast.