December 16- January 6, 2013

Travel & Adventure

County Top
Tourist Sites
PAGE 2

ISSUE No. 001

Monday 16th -22nd December, 2013

MIGORI NEWS

News Feature

Sony Sugar Privatisation

Creates Jitters in The
County
PAGE 7

Ksh 50

20 County Tractors Project to go in line with county water programs.....

To Boost Agriculture

Obado Launch Sh10m

Water Tank Project
STORY ON PAGE 2

Elijah Gambere, county Chief Officer in charge of agriculture

during the launch of two tractors. PHOTO: IAN OCHIENG

By Flemming Maikulla
Migori County government has purchased two New
Holland tractors each worth Sh4.8 million to boost
food production in the county.

According to Elijah Gambere Chief Officer
in charge of agriculture said the two tractors go along
with the countys move to help the farmers boost food
production and economic growth in the Migori County.

Gambere said they want to mechanize agriculture especially in maize and rice production within
the next five years.

He said they chose New Holland tractors
type because they are suitable for soil found in south
Nyanza region and will help farmers prepare their
lands land on time ready for planting season

The Chief Officer revealed that the county
intends to buy twenty tractors within the next five
years to boost the farming in the county known for
rich loamy soil.

Twenty tractors will have been procured by
the end of five years to boost agricultural activities in
the county. he said.

He said interested farmers will hire the tractors at an affordable rate to help them plough their
lands and prepare them at the right time ready for the
planting season starting this year.

The farmers will also hire the tractors at an
affordable rate to help the rice and maize farmers prepare the land at the right time ready for the planting
season starting this year, he added.

He however said they are selling 10 kilograms
of maize and rice seeds at a subsidized price which
aims at boosting food security in the county.

He said the inputs are being accessed from
the county governments which include 50 kg D.A.P
fertilizer to help them in the planting season.

The farmers shall get farm inputs and D.A.P
fertilizer to all the maize and rice farmers in the coun-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Governor Okoth Obado officially launches the Sh10million water tank project that will see over all 40 wards
get atleast two tanks. The project is in line with county water projects. PHOTO: CLINTON OBALLA

December 16- January 6, 2013

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

Water pans to boost fruit,

fish farming in Arid areas
CONTINUED FROMPAGE 1

By Yusufu Tonda and Miller Omega

Migori county Governor Okoth Obado launched
Sh10m water tank programme at the Migori
County stadium on December.

The governor flagged off 30 water
tanks across the county in a project that will see
over 100 tanks distributed in all 40 wards.

By the end of the project all wards will
have received at least two water tanks to help in
rain water harvesting, he said.

The tank will seek to first target
schools and dispensaries across the county
which will be in high need of clean water.

My government is committed to provide clean water to residents which will ensure
improved living standards and a health life, he
said.

The governor said the government
target 10 litres for every person per day in the
county for citizen access to clean and safe water
for drinking, washing, cooking and sanitation.

The county government will add several water pans especially in semi arid regions
of Nyatike, Uriri, Kuria East and Kuria West
sub counties t harness more water, he said,

The governor said that plans are underway to ensure the water pans and build in
the dry spell and stocked with fish fingerlings to
boost fish production.

Ready accessibility of water will go a
long way in boosting growth of real estates and
hospitality industry that need water to thrive,
he said.

George Asiyo, the county director for
water has encouraged residents to share water
harvested the water tanks from institutions to
make it more accessible.

Apart from the water tank programme,
the governor said they are working closely
with partners to carry out a number of water

Governor Okoth Obado flags off a pickup truck with a water tank. The county government is working
closely with the AfDB in a Sh986million water project. PHOTO: YUSUFU TONDA

projects in Isebania, Awendo and Migori

towns.

The Africa Development Bank
(AfDB) and the national government for
sponsoring the Sh986 million water project in the county.

Earlier while visiting the project Obado said project which covers the
whole county said it will help spur development and be able to generate 20,000
cubic metres of water per day which will
offer the county clean and accessible
water that attract investments.

The project is set to serve an

Kuria West, Rongo Shine in 2013

KCPE

Collins Ateka from Kangimba Oasis Academy in Mwingi town scored 434 with his family at their Migori home.
PHOTO: MILLER OMEGA

By Fred Okoth
Kuria West sub county was the surprise winners when the results of the Kenya Certificate of
Primary Education, KCPE was released late last
month by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof.
Jacob Kaimenyi.

The sub county took all the top three
positions in school ranking in the county, with
Bukuria schools in Kehancha town coming top
with a mean grade of 385, followed closely by
Kehancha progressive with mean grade of 384
while Momokoro Academy, also from the same
sub county was third with mean grade of 383
marks.

Rongo Success from Rongo, which also
produced the best student in the entire county
was fourth while Sony Complex from Awendo

Sub County was fifth.

In terms of the countys performance, Migori emerged position 26
nationally with a mean grade of 291
marks. In the former Nyanza province,
the county was ranked position four after
Kisumu, Homa bay and Siaya counties,
beating Kisii and Nyamira who came
home fifth and sixth respectively.

And soon after the release of the
results, it was celebration in Kehancha
town as teachers, parents and pupil of
Kehancha Progressive school marked
through the streets of the town to celebrate the good performance.

Speaking during the celebrations, Reuben Onyango the schools

ultimate population of 200,000 people by

2034.

The project is also set to build 10
ablution blocks and modern water closet
toilets placed strategically within Migori
town and estates.

The project shall sufficiently
supply resident of Migori town and its
outskirts with clean and accessible water
improving their living standards as it will
ensure the health of the people, he said.

He promised that his government
in conjunction with other development
partners will harness other reliable water
head teacher hailed the result and said it
had been achieved through dedication and
hard work by everybody concerned.

We have been able to achieve
this due to our hard work and unity, he
said adding that that was the reason the
school had managed to stay on top for
three years now.

The school which was started in
2003 managed topped the county in both
2011 and 2012 before losing out by a single
mark in the last years exams.

On his part, the schools director
Chacha Nyamohanga said the school was
hoping to recapture the top position this
year to prove that it was the best in the
region.

We are happy of our performance but are keen to go back to the very
top, he said adding that part of the reason
for the good performance was the consistency of the teaching staff with very low
turnover rate.

We have a staff of 26 teachers
who we motivate to offer their best for the
students which has brought the current
success as the school only started as a
nursery school.

And in Rongo, it was more celebration Osano Ryan of Rongo success
Academy was ranked the top performer in
the county, beating thousands of candidates in the process.

Speaking after the results were
announced, a visibly elated Osano who
scored 431 marks said he was very happy
with the performance and was looking
forward to becoming a medical doctor in
future.

I am very pleased with the
results and I want to thank god for having
enabled me to pass so well, he said .

sources for consistent supply of clean

water to other major urban centers in
the county.

The governor was accompanied by the Migori Kuria and Transmara Company (MIKUTRA) Managing
Director, Elias Otieno Ongowa who said
the completion of the project will see
revenue generated from water supply
increase from the current Sh0.4 m to
1.5m in the first year which will ensure
better services.

The project will come in line
with the plan by the county government
to establish fruit processing plants after
starting up fruit tree nurseries in all
eight sub counties.

This will enable farmers to
acquire seedlings cheaply and boost
production and will have a boost by
water fro irrigation of farms.

We need to reduce dependency of the county to get fruits in other
regions and the boost in water will help
in the project especially in semi arid
area, Moses Chamwada, the Executive
Member of Agriculture said.

Chamwada said county water
projects will help boost fish production in the county by opening up new
avenues of fish farming away from Lake
Victoria.

Currently Lake Victoria produces 60 per centage of fish output in the
country in a multi-billion sector which is
set to more than double with the intake
of fish farming in the province.

Simon Munguti the Migori fisheries officer said the county has about
1,500 ponds have been constructed by
individual efforts with ability to produce
2,000 metric tones of fish fillet under
the Economic Stimulus Programme
nationally.

This will increase income per
capita of families since a 300 square
meter space for a pond is able to earn
a farmer ksh 30,000-70,000 which is
higher than any crop and can be earned
through partial harvesting, he said.

Munguti adds that since fish
is not prone to disease and fluctuating
water like drought a farmer is assured to
reaping from his investments.

We Wont Discriminate Migori

Over Voting Pattern- DP Ruto

Migori County Governor Okoth Obado (L) and DP William Ruto (R) share a light moment at Ranen SDA
conference center during the fund rasing drive. PHOTO: YUSUFU TONDA

By Sheck Ayal

Deputy President William Ruto
has moved in to assure Nyanza voters that
the Jubilee government would develop
all parts of Kenya irrespective of tribe or
political affiliation.

Mr Ruto, who was visiting Migori
County for the first time since his election
as the deputy president called on the people to support the Jubilee administration
and sought to allay fears that the region
would be ignored by the Jubilee government.

You have no apologies to make over
the way you voted because that was your
democratic right, he said adding that both
President Uhuru Kenyatta him were determined to change the face of Kenya through a
grand development programme that targets
all counties in the country.

He further urged the regional leaders to ignore party loyalty and cooperate for
development.

Mr Ruto said that President Kenyatta would make an extensive tour of Luo
Nyanza in January to assure residents that

they are part of the government.

We do not want to align our
people on tribal or political affiliations,
to be elected is one part but to deliver on
development is true leadership, he said

The deputy president further
challenged leaders from Nyanza to address problems afflicting the people and
avoid petty politics.

The Deputy President said these
when he presided over a fundraiser in aid
of Ranen Seventh Day Adventist Churchs
media centre and radio station project.

Speaking at the same function,
Migori County Governor Zachary Okoth
Obado pledged that he would continue
cooperating with all elected leaders for the
sake of development in the area.

We have to work together with
everybody if we are to develop the region,
he said adding that the time for politics
was over and what people wanted now
was development.

The governor further called on
the discontinuation of the cases facing Mr
Kenyatta and Mr Ruto in The Hague for
lack of merit.

Let the cases be dropped and the
two be allowed to concentrate in leading
Kenya. Obado added.

His sentiments were shared by
Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno who called on
governors n Cord zones and Luo Nyanza
to work closely with Jubilee government.

We can say that former PM
Raila Oding approves for Jubilee leaders
vist in the region and calls for mutual
cooperation and partnership in case of
development, Otieno said.

He called on Siaya, Homa Bay,
Kisumu and Migori county governments
to work closely with jubilee government.

Fight on Bhang Trade Escalates

CONTINUED FROMPAGE 1
ty to help them in the planting season
and also make the farmers prepare
their land on time, he said.

The farmers will also make the
county be economically viable in the
whole region and also enable the county be secure in food.

The agriculture docket will
come in line with the provision of fruit
seedlings to help in food production
and engage the farmers in horticulture
farming as many of them are subsistence farmers in the county.

The officer went ahead to
allude that the Migori county Governor
Zachary Okoth Obado will soon launch
the project to enable the farmers do a
lot of horticultural farming and also
provide greenhouses to all the boarding
secondary schools in the county.

The Governor will soon
launch the fruit seedlings project in the
county that will make the county have
enough fruit for its citizens. he said.

The initiative was reached
at after the recent market research
showed that the county fruit market
traders import more fruits from other
counties of Nakuru, Nyamira and Kisii.

The docket is also ready to
make more fish ponds to cushion the
farmers and promote more eating of
white meat in the county since the
statistics show that it is nutritious and
affordable to the residents.

The fish ponds shall also
enable the farmers to make the fishing
of fresh water fish in the larger Lake
Victoria less viable and also enable the

Mabera DO Japhet Nyingesa and APs showing the bhang haul nabbed when bikes tried to illegal bring drug from Tanzania. County police police and leaders
have called on intensified patrols to end the drug menance. PHOTO: MANUEL ODENY

By Flemming Maikulla

A week later in January Sh1.6million
bhang was nabbed as it was being transported
Migori county police bosses have intension motorbike to a home in Sori town to be
fied the campaign to end bhang trafficking
packed and sent to Nairobi.
menace in the county and beyond due to the
During the two incidents six people
porous border with the neighboring country were arrested and three motorbikes imTanzania.
pounded.

According to the Nyatike police

The Migori town police station which
boss Richard Mukwate, bhang trade in
is used as holding area for bhang exhibit to be
Migori has to be curbed to avoid youths
used in court also holds Sh50million worth of
from being addicted in drug menace.
the illegal drugs in vaults.

Security officers and leaders in the
We want to assure leaders and
county are afraid that bhang traders have
residents that we are up in arms to help reopted to plant bhang in the county apart
duce bhang trafficking in Nyatike and Migori
from Tanzania where due to laxity of law
county and put local police to task, Governor
and enforcement the crop is grown visibly
Okoth said.
in large scale.

Obado said that Tanzania growers

In December last year police in
boosted by a thought that Kenya offers a
Nyatike managed to get Sh50million bhang ready market have been growing the crop in
grown in seven acres farm at Wath Onger
large scale and use Migori as a conduit area.
area.

He said that even though the
bhang trade is a multi-million shillings
business farmers and middle men are
always paid peanuts with big cats and
barons getting a huge share of the cut.

If we need to end drug trade we
should first work closely with security officers who should tell us who are the drug
barons using Migori county, he said.

The county Government has
pledged to increase border patrol to help
the police curb the drug in the region and
the Tanzania border by providing the
police with more patrol vehicles.

Clement Gatogo, the c ounty
police commandant speaking to the press
at the time the bhang haul seizure said all
senior police officers from the county will
intensify patrols.

The bhang haul has to be de-

MIGORI NEWS

Illegal Firearms to Blame

For Migori Insecurity

By Cyril Odek

Illegal firearms in wrong hands are one of the

main challenges facing authority in Migori
county being one of border counties in Kenya.

These were revealed by Migori County Commissioner Anne Ngetich explaining
that there are same communities though
in different bordering countries who share
things in common and for their own reasons
they interact a lot ending up acquiring weapons too at a cheaper price.

The commissioner said Kuria East
and West regions are the most affected areas
because of rampant cases of cattle rustling
promising that her officers will deal with the
two illegal activities accordingly

Ngetich asked Migori county residents to give information to the authority and
to try to promote Nyumba Kumi initiative
appealing to residents possessing illegal firearms to surrender them to the government
before the law catches up with them.

The government is set to deal will
the illegal fire arms which are being used in
the rampant cases of cattle rustling and insecurity in the county, she said.

She warned parents who still practice Female Genital Circumcision saying their
days are numbered.

Earlier in December, police officers
in Kuria West district arrested circumcisers
and eight other people.

Japhet Nyongesa, the Masaba-Mabera Divisional Officer said apart from
the circumciser they arrested 3 parents while
the rest were found in the homestead.

He said circumcisers and parents
have gone underground for fear of arrest.
stroyed to the limit to make the area more
drug free to make the area more secure and
also make the trade end in the region he
said.

The police boss has also said that
the region has a lot of porous regions in the
whole of the Tanzania that borders the county and the whole of south Nyanza region.

Traffickers are also using the Lake
Victoria to transport the drug making it hard
for the security officer to know who they as
the confuse them of being fishermen in the
lake.

Tanzanian Agnes Boke, 64, admitted
that she plants the drug on the four acre land
in the Mara region which he intercrops with
beans and maize and said that Kenyas region
offer ready market for the drug and it has a
lot of cash.

Bhang has a lot of cash in the ready
market of Kenya and I plant it on my four
acre land as it fetches a lot for me and my
family she admitted to the press.

This comes a few days after the area
police boss intensified the campaign in the
region to flush out bhang traffickers.

The bhang menace has enabled the
youths not to participate in the development
activities making the whole region being
unproductive in the farming sector. he said.

Migori County has had many cases
of drug trafficking in the recent past with the
bhang being transported to major towns in
the country and the culprits being arraigned
in court of law.

The trade intensifies in the county when the drug is harvested in the Mara
region of Tanzania and then dried before it
is transported using tinted vehicles to major
towns of Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and
Nakuru.

Immediately the drug is dried it
is transported past the region in the towns
of Mombasa, Nairobi and the North Rift
region, said one police officer.

During the end of last year drug
business intensifies in the county as the
police nab a lot of the drug in worth a lot of
money.

The drugs are often packed into
small bags or placed in coffins to evade polce
road blocks as theyre tranposrted in tinted
vehicles hired in Nairobi.

December 16- January 6, 2013

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

Opinion & Analysis

MIGORI NEWS

Opinion & Analysis

Picture Of The Week

Letter Of The Week

Lets Work Together To

Move Migori Forward

With Elections Over, County MPs Need to Work with Gov. Obado
By Matiko Bohoko

South Africans place flowers at a statue of former President Nelson Mandel in Sandton district of Johannesburg City. PHOTO: AP

Village Polys Hold Key to Industrial Growth

By Maneno Mwikwabe

Thimlich Oinga:

Devolution

As the dispensation of devolution is taking root i

would like remind the Governor Okoth Obado to
look at ways of refurnishing the famous cultural
site Thimlich Ohinga which will automatically
attracts more local tourist and even international
to visitors to our county. Migori is very rich in
terms of sceneries and natural resources, If we
achieved all these the people especially from
Nyatike will never cry again.

Devolution is a pipe dream in our county

because of disjointed leadership and cheap
political squabbles, let our leaders stand
up and start working beyond party lines
and affiliations. We will play politics at the
expense of development for the next five
years.
Migori residents must stand up and dance
to the development tune and not politics.

Ondiek Joseph Otieno, Ndiwa

Ward- Nyatike

The Editor welcomes

comments and opinion
from county residents.
To write Letters to The
Editor email us on
migorines@gmail.com

Fred Okoth, Central Kanyamkago- Uriri

Migori Voices

Are you satisfied with county

government performance?
Compiled by Sheck Ayal

Top Comment:

Group Editorial Director: Hon Maneno Mwikwabe

Managing Editor: Fred Okoth
Administration Editor, Chief Sub Editor: Miller Omega
Writers: Atieno Otieno,
Flemming Maikula,
Cyril Odek,
Odhiambo Opundo,
Sheck Ayal
Clinton Oballa

Migori News is published in Migori town, Migori

County along police line. PO BOX 195-40400, SunaMigori

JUNE AKINYI. Accountant, Uriri Sub-county

KEN OPASSY. Businessman, Suna East Sub-County

YES: With the help of

the county government we
have acquired first medical
school which has helped
our children to acquire
medical skills closer home.
On the other hand many
youth groups will access
Uwezo funds which is
helping them improve
their lives.

NO: We are still experi-

encing alot of insecurity

within the major towns in
the county, besides that
all the major towns in this
county such as Migori,Isebania and Awendo are not
having bypasses to ease
traffic congestion.Lastly virtually all the major towns in
the county are in dark.

DICKSON OKOTH,
Newspaper Vendor. Rongo
Sub-County.

YES: The county government has opened new roads

which will help ease congestion
and boost trade in the County an example of these is the
Migori- Masara road. With the
purchase of new tractors and
vehicles Migori shows commitment towards service delivery
to her people,and its my believe
that with all the pilot projects
which have been initiated, we
are on the right track. Lets give
them a chance to and space to
work.

SAMUEL OCHIENG,
Cobbler. Rongo Sub-County

MARKTONE ORONGO, Driver. Rongo

NO:

NO: We have eight

The county government have increased

levies and doubled rates on
business permits, they are
equally taxing people living
with disabilities despite
the constitution of Kenya exempting them from
taxation. Besides tenderer
payment is taking long
creating bad blood between
them and their contractors.

sub-counties in Migori
and major offices are still
based in headquarters
denying many people
services due to transport
cost. On the other hand
towns are dirty garbages
are still being dumped all
over and yet people were
given tenders of cleaning
the towns.

December 16- January 6, 2013

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

County Features

Are Boda Boda Rides

a Death Trap?
By Odhiambo Opundo

s the county government of

Migori is trying to improve
road infrastructure, over 10
people died, 26 seriously injured
while 15 got slight injuries last year
due to accidents associated with
boda boda business.

According to Migori county
commander of police clement
gatogo, boda boda business claims
the lives of energetic gentlemen
and ladies due to accidents due to
negligence by the passengers and
the motorcycle riders; the rate that
he fears is on the increase.

There is an increasing
trend in boda boda deaths as the
operators are still young and do
not know the basics of road safety
Gatogo said.

In the recent fatal accident,
four people died on the spot in Uriri
sub- county when the motor bike
they were riding on had a head on
collision.

In other similar situations,
many young men in the county have
been maimed with majority getting
lamed leaving them with permanent
disability.
The police commander says that
the current accidents are caused
by careless riding by the boda boda
riders who ignore and pretend to
be on hurry thereby causing fatal
accidents.

He says that the boda boda
operators jostle for space between
heavy vehicles including trucks
while riding in a busy road making them be squeezed or crushed
a problem that he attributes to the
major towns in the county.

He insists that ignorance
of the traffic rules and guidelines is
also a factor that has lead to many
accidents especially in Kenyan.

He says that both the passengers fail to wear helmet and that
they accept to be overloaded on a
motor bike.

The police boss laments
that most of the riders are overwhelmed by bravado while they are
on the motorbike thereby making
them not to be bothered about their
life safety.

in fact some boda boda
operators ride as though they need
wings to fly, I wonder why these
young men over speed while the
destinations are immobile the
police commander wonders.

Despite the county crying
foul over the continuous accidents,
last year there emerged killing of
boda boda operators at night an
inhuman practice that is a riddle yet
to be answered.

According to a long serving
boda boda operator from suna east
sub county Jacob Okoth Jalango,
there is fear that the riders are killed
and robbed of their motor bikes and
later taken to the lakesides where
the motor is removed to be used in
the boats for fishing purposes.

He adds that due to the
motor bikes being taken to the lake
side, the police and even the public
fail to recover them back.

While reacting to the menace, the county police chief said that
the problem of boda boda killings
can only be averted by the riders
themselves saying that the police
had warned boda boda operations
beyond 9pm adding that the riders
failed to adhere to.

He also defends the patrol
police of any blames as they had informed the boda boda operators to
take the identification numbers of
the strange passengers they carry at
night and leave to their colleagues
at the stage to end the shrivel but
this has not been observed by the
boda boda operators.

Carrying passengers
without satisfying who they are for
personal safety is negligence on own
security he said

He advises the riders to
redefine the reasons why they have
ventured into the business in order
to see the it benefit them in future
and to avoid exposing themselves to
life threatening situations.

If all the grievances emanating from the boda boda sector
shall have been solved, then the
dream of the county government of
starting 10 km access road per ward
shall be of great benefits to the public and those interested in venturing
into the business.

A police patrol from Migori Police station arrives at a scene in Migori town where a suspect was lynched by angry residents. More cars
will increase response time. PHOTO: CLINTON OBALLA

By Flemming Maikulla,

igori county Government with the aid of the

Jubilee Government has
teamed up together to enhance
security in the county by providing more police patrol vehicles in
all the eight sub counties of the
cosmopolitan county.

According to the Deputy
president William Ruto, the Government will provide the county
with more patrol vehicles in the
eight sub counties in order to
enhance security of the residents
and attract more investors.

The deputy president was
speaking during a fundraising in
aid of the Ranen SDA communication and media center where he
pledge to help the county Government enhance security of its
citizens in the region.

He said this will help
boost devlopment by attracting
investors from both the local community and the other counties.

The Jubilee Government
has the mandate to offer security
to all its citizens regardless of
their political affiliations and will
provide two patrol vehicles in each
of the eight sub county. he said.

This is to ensure that the
county that borders Tanzania to
the south and also has the disputed Migingo Island on the fresh
water Lake Victoria is secure and
can attract investment opportunities.

The county Government

through the Governor also went

ahead to allude that the security
of all the residents of the county
shall be enhanced and will also
provide patrol vehicles in the sub
counties to help the police restore
peace and order in the whole region that boasts of more resources
that are yet to be exploited.

The county Government
will buy eight patrol speed vehicles and supply them to all the sub
counties to help the police beef up
security and enhance peace co-existence among the communities
that live in the rural areas of the
county. he said.

The Governor also asked
the Constituency Development
Funds committee and the area
members of parliament to produce one patrol car from the kitty
that will go a long way to ensure
that the county has maximum
security at all costs.

The CDF committees in
the entire sub counties should
come in and offer the county one
patrol car from the kitty that will
ensure security is well enhanced
and the people live at peace.he
said.

The initiative by the two
sets of the county and the national
Government come a mid the rising
insecurity situations in the Kuria
East sub county that experiences a lot of cases involving cattle
rustling, grievous harm and civil
unrest .

The cases have been compounded by police from the area

Sand Mining, Youth Employer

having a few patrol vehicles to

help them bring the culprits
to book and arraign them in
court as some of them sneak
to the neighboring Tanzania to
hide.

The county boasts of
more resources among them
Gold in Nyatike and Suna
West, Tobacco that planted
in nearly all the sub counties
with Kuria West and East
leading the pack, fresh water
lake fish that comes from the
Lake Victoria and the cattle
that is exported from the
county to other counties of
Nairobi,Kiambu and Uasin
Gishu.

The resources are
so many and if the security
situation is not enhanced the
county will lag behind and all
the potential investors will
avoid it and make the resources be unexploited and leave
the county undeveloped.

If the security
situation in the county is not
enhanced many investors will
avoid it and the resources will
be unexploited he said.

He urged the residents to support the county
leadership and make it easy
for the county to make it
possible to deliver services to
them diligently and efficiently
for the benefit of all.

activity is done in three

phases: roval from the
fishing as a source of income river water, loading it in
By Clinton Oballa
lorries and offloading.
and employment sector.

Unknown to many
and mining, a major

Sand mining is mapeople
these
stages are ofyouth employment
jorly done by most of the
ten done by three different
activity in the county
people staying around the
done along river banks and
river banks but as a source of people.
We have minlake is key in ending insecu- income it has attracted differ-
ers who are skilled in
rity.
ent people have come from
dredging sand from rivers

Being the main prod- far.
successfully amd dont to
uct for building, the industry
Kennedy Okinyi, a
though not fully regulated
sand miner from Lichota area loading and offloading, he
joins gold mining, farming,
along in River Migori says the says.

News Feature

County To Provide More Patrol Vehicles

to Enhance Security

A boda boda rider transporting seven passengers, the bikes have turned into a new death trap.
PHOTO: MILLER OMEGA

MIGORI NEWS

(L) The South Nyanza Sugar Compnay entrace along Migori-Kisii highway while cane hauling tractors line up waiting to deliver sugarcane to the compnay for processing. According to the national government privatisation process may kick off next month. PHOTOS: MILLER OMEGA

Sony Sugar Privatisation Creates

Jitters in The County
By Orinda Ouso

Sony, likewise to the other four factories,

be taken over by County Governments
he Government has finally confirmed
first, and gradually sold to farmers in the
its plans to privatise five sugar milling
later days.
factory in the country this year, although

Deputy President William Ruto,
it is still holding onto the exact date for the sale
when presiding over a funds raiser funcof the plants.
tion in Rongo within Migori county re
The program to sell shares in Chemelil,
cently, said the National Government was
Nzoia, Sony, Miwani and Muhoroni to the pubexploring ways of how the milling plants
lic would have been finalized by 2007 but the
could be sold to the County Governments,
process got stagnated at cabinet level thereby
which have the financial muscles to ensure
generating a lot of anxiety in the sugar Industry
the plants remains under managements
in the country.
that are indigenous to farmers.

Currently, the bet is that when the

When all shall have been indiplanned landmark sale - to attract billions of
cating that farmers have the spirit and
shillings - will finally hit the road any time this
financial capability to own Sony, then the
year, it will be the zenith for what has been an
Migori County Government will have no
unprecedented snow-balling of market anticipaobligation to continue running the plant
tion.
but to sell it immediately to farmers, said

Such has been the excitement generRuto.
ated by Kenyas largest ever Initial Public Offer

Like Rutos opinion, two Migori
(IPO), especially among retail investors, most of
members of parliament have also prayed
whom, for this case, will be sugar cane farmers.
that the company be managed first by the

Most of the hopefuls- virgin investors
county Government and later handed over
who will be punting money in banks for the first
to farmers.
time, are expected to run helter-skelter clutch
Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo and
ing copies of their national identity cards and
his Suna West counterpart Joseph Ndiege
two passport size photos, as if their very lives
however vilified the state for going too
depend on it.
far in the privatization process without

Im sure, when the bell will be rung for
involving farmers who are the major
the privatization of the factories, the response
stakeholders at the factory.
will be fantastic, even overwhelming and bor
Addressing hundreds of farmers
dering on euphoria, says Ezra Okoth Olodi, the
recently during a Migori County farmers
National chairman of Kenya National Sugarcane
stakeholders forum at Migori County
Farmers Union(KENSFU).
stadium, the two legislators threatened
In any case, one of the aims of the state divestito mobilise all farmers in their respective
ture programme is to populate the factories with
areas and elsewhere to reject the plan
ordinary Kenyans.
in case the Government implemented it

But all these anecdotes about excitewithout seeking their views first.
ments and rush to own the milling plants aside,

We are reminding the Govone major question now preoccupying the lips
ernment that we have no obligation to
of farmers and other stakeholders in the sugar
endorse a proposal passed by some
industry is; who is best suited to buy the lined
Government officials without seeking our
up factories?
participation on how best it can be imple
To those farmers and stakeholders
mented, warned Kopiyo.
trading with South Nyanza Sugar Company,

He said Sony was the only factory
Sony, the plant should be left in the hands of
farmers from the region were depending
local farmers, who claim are ready to own it at
on for their income and cannot therefore
all costs.
be sold in a haphazard manner that would

Analysts are however doubtful of Sony
snatch from them the opportunity to fend
farmers capability to buy the factory owing to
for their families.
the huge amount of money calculated at over

He said the Government must
Sh2 billion required.
first put a good structure that will bring

Already there have been suggestions
on board farmers and offer them a fair
from both experts and political leaders that
opportunity to own the factory.

We dont want to run into a situation that

will deny the farmers an opportunity to buy
the factory and leave it in the hands of investors who may not have a lifespan interest
on the plant, said Mr. Ndiege.

However, he told farmers to be
ready to buy Sony at an opportune time
when measures agreeable by all are floated
by the state.

You must be prepared from today
to buy shares in the factory when the right
time comes, said Ndiege, and advised them
to form cooperative societies and investment firms to enable them buy the plant
easily.

Whatever happens, the resultant
scenario will be fairly predictable: whether
in the hands of Migori County Government
or Farmers, Sonys new management will
have to work extra ordinary to make it viable.

For those already on the long
beeline aiming to claim a piece of Sony, one
word of the wise is apt: that they must be
ready to slog it out for the long haul.

Experts say the fate of the Awendo
- based company and that of local farmers
are intrinsically tied at the umbilical cord.
Without one the other cannot survive.

For this reason, the new owners of
the Sony will have to come up with a more
pro-active, adaptive and creative management and board of directors to make the
factory afloat in whatever harsh market that
will plunge on its way soon after buying it.

It must be to their knowledge
always that Sony sells a product whose sales
can only be limited by its own productivity,
says Thomas Gumbo, a former civil servant
who served as an agricultural extension
officer for over thirty years.

Now a famous sugar cane grower
in Uriri sub-county, Mr. Gumbo says the
future earnings from buying Sony certainly
look good, but quickly adds that this is certainly not an investment for those seeking
to save money for short-term family use,
like paying school fees for that promising
KCPE candidate.

In tandem, buyers must avoid using short-term loans like overdraft to fund
what is essentially a long-term investment,
he warns.

Of concern, therefore, is that Sony
management is preparing to exchange

hands at a time when the sugar industry

is bracing for a stiff market competition
from other COMESA member counties.
For many years, Kenya has enjoyed
COMESA safeguards that have protected
local players from competition.

Sadly enough, the safeguards are
now coming to an end February this year,
opening up the market for other countries within the trading block producing
sugar. The move is obviously going to
impact negatively on Sony performance,
even as it strives to remain afloat in the
market.

But while Sony will have to
contend with stiff competition, consumers will be savouring a sweet experience
in reduced pricing of sugar. Currently,
a kilogramme of sugar retails at Sh120
from local factories, but when cheap
sugar will finally start getting their way
into the country, the prices will obviously
nosedive to the relief of the consumer.

However, with its long list of
capital projects in new generation service
delivery and expansion of sugar cane
plantation, Sony on its part is likely to
jump the huddles posed by COMESA
countries to plough much of the profits it
makes into the business for its survival.

Some of these great projects,
which the company is already implementing and must be sustained in the
years to come after privatization of the
plant, include what has been dubbed
Mwangaza 2013, a pillar to move the
company from old-fashioned service
delivery to networking with all its stakeholders.

The digitally enhanced programme is aimed at improving efficiency, effectiveness and the quality of the
companys overall functional processes
and services to its internal and external
customers.

Acting Sony Managing Director
Jane Odhiambo praises the initiative
which she describes as a step geared
towards offering World class services in a
modern way.

We envision that by the end of
full implementation of the project, it will
among other benefits, enable customers
to get convenient access to information
using the internet from anywhere and
also be able to access key business content through a rich, unified and personalised user environment, she said.

Odhiambo says Mwangaza will
change the companys processes from
manual to a modern computerised system that will promote operational excellence by streamlining business processes,
enhancing service levels and managing
inbound and outbound logistics.

December 16- January 6, 2013

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

History & Culture

The Seven Dances of Kuria

Community

Kuria girls dance at Kehancha town to welcome Ida Odinga when she was hsoted yin the area by county
Women Representative Dennitah Ghati during the campaign period. PHOTO: MILLER OMEGA

By Wicks Nyakwana

high profile social functions like installation of elders, marriage of elders and any
veryone who has ever attended a Kuria serious event involving senior men and
women in the community.
traditional dance will note something
The name embegete or egetomo
unique. Almost all start with the highest
key possible and maintain the same tempo to was derived from a special drum that is
hollow and strapped with a cow hide on
climax.
This is different
the top. It is the most prominent instrufrom many other Kenyan traditional dances
ment in the dance hence the name.
that reserve the high keys for the climax.

Verge of extinction Egetomo

The Kuria from Migori County are
was
originally
a shorter version of the
regarded as one of the minority groups of
embegete, but is most likely nowadays to
Western Kenya,.
be a round bucket or tin covered on both

These Bantu speakers are famed for
sides.
about seven traditional dances.
It is stood upright and played on

Just like many African communities,
the topside only.
music and dance make perfect accompani
It bears close semblance to the
ments for almost every traditional ceremony
Itesos
atenusu.
The drum is cord braced
and rite of passage. That is why the Kuria
and is warmed over open fire to tune it.
would have various dances designated for

According to Chacha Nyamodifferent traditional rituals.
hanga, 85, embegete is on the verge of

Embegete or Egetomo is just one of
extinction.
the dances besides Isururu, ukuhurania (cirThe last time I witnessed it
cumcision dance), ibirandi dance, isubo dance
being
played
was about 40 years ago and
(staged to celebrate news of pregnancy), indusince then it has disappeared from our
ru and imitiamburi (platform dance). Unforcultural performances, says Marwa.
tunately, such dances are so rare nowadays.

Embegete is a very sacred dance

It is interesting how these dances
that is staged by elders only.
were named. Most of the names are from the
When the drummer of embegete starts
musical instruments that accompany them.
the beat, even the lame among the elder
Embegete was performed during

A kuria dancer plays the flute to enteratian guest at a function in Grabo County Dream Hotel in Migori
town. PHOTO: MILLER OMEGA

ly will struggle to rise to the occasion, remarks Chacha.

Though other members of
the community might argue that embegete was open for even young boys
and girls, Chacha says it was highly
esteemed and only meant for elders.

No young people were
allowed to participate in the dance.

However, given the changing times, today young men and
women would not hesitate to join in.

But this was never allowed
during the days of yore when embegete was what we believed it was,
says Chacha.

It is a silent dance played
without any lyrics.
The drums do the talking, he reveals.

The swaying of the head,
juggling of the feet, rhythmic twist
of the waist and well-choreographed
turns make the dance lively and
entertaining.

At a change of the tune of
drums, the dancers lock arms on
their chests as they hop in circles.

The moves and choreography were very unique that only those
specially trained would do it perfectly.

Embegete dance was also
commonly performed at an elders
wedding, and sometimes on other
occasions during installation of new
elders and even during appeasing of
ancestors.

The dress code of participants was the same as for ibirandi
dance, which is another dance
graced by percussive gourds (ibirandi) from which the dance got its
name.

Elderly women donning
animal skins like chinkobo worn by
Gusii traditional dancers would be
glittering with copious amounts of
oil smeared all over their bodies.

Inviting beats Decorations
of beads round their necks make
them beautiful to behold. Their
long earlobes are also adorned with
home-made ear-rings.

Men wore nothing except
long robes tied around their waists.
John Chacha, 45 remembers the
last time he saw the embegete being
played was in 1978 when the then
President Daniel Moi visited the
Kuria immediately after his installation as Kenyas second head of state.

It was a once in a lifetime
opportunity to see how the elders
danced, says Chacha.

Just a single beat is enough
call to all those who know the intricacies of the dance to join in.

Children stood amazed by
the way old women and men shook
their heads, shoulders and legs
rhythmically to the beat of the magical drum.

As various cultures continue to lose their identities, Kuria
community stands out as one of the
communities whose cultural artifacts
like the famous embegete drums
and other musical instruments are
stories of the past only found in
museums.

Travel & Adventure

Motoring

Basics Of Car Care,

Maintenance Tips

By Sheck Ayal

car is an important personal investment, but

owning one, whether new or used car, takes
a lot of hard work.

Used cars majorly need extra attention as
they are more difficult and more expensive to maintain than new ones.

Regular maintenance routine extends the
life of your car and keeps your cars performance
at its peak. It will also save you a lot of money in
repair

Here are ten basic car care and maintenance tips to follow.
1. Drive with care

Do not accelerate your engine during startup as this quickly adds to the wear of the cars engine. Accelerate slowly when you begin your drive.
Shift to neutral at red lights to give the engine some
time to rest. Be considerate and you will be rewarded with longer time between repairs.
2. Wash your car at least once a week

Washing your car, vacuumiing the interior
which keeps it clean, shiny and free from corrosion.
Vacuum your car interior thoroughly and wipe the
lenses on the dashboard with a soft damp cloth.
Take your mats out and brush or hose them down.
3. Wax your car too
Waxing your car regularly protects you cars paint
job by slowing oxidation and by creating a barrier
against bird droppings and pollution. It also makes
the car look good by adding extra shine.
4. Park in the shade Parking your car in the
shade
prevents interior damage by UV rays and protects
your cars paint job. If a shaded area is not available, use a car shade to minimise the suns impact.

Motor boats used by tourists to explore Lake Victoria moored at Mbita View Point hotel in Homa Bay
county. Migori has a huge potential in tourism sector. PHOTO: FRED OKOTH

County Top Tourist Sites

County Tourism Sector Has Potential Sites To Boost Internal

Revenue
like the current one continuously sought
By Fred Okoth

esidents and visitors to Migori

County can access a wide range
of tourist attractions as well as
recreation centres where they cans spend
their free time as well as use for family
day outs.

These facilities, all not more than
two hours from the County headquarters
can all be easily be accessed and provide
services as good as those found in other
more illustrious venues across the country. They include:

Thim Lich Ohinga.

This is perhaps the most known and most

intriguing of all the tourists attraction
destinations in the county.

A Luo word loosely translated
into a frightening dense forest and a fort,
has for sometimes now elicited just as
much interest as curiosity from adventurers, archaeologists, and architectures
alike.

It is made up of stone walls ranging from a meter to about four and a half
meters, this structures not only epitomes
the art of architecture in the olden days,
but also has got a near perfect combination of the cat: beauty, strength and

to secure his habitat.

And in this case, they almost
managed to be secure from all forms of
adversity Silas explains about the giant
self-imposing stone structures which was
built in the 15th century but still with
the ability to send our best architectures
scratching their heads for explanations
on how it was made.

Thim lich has always been a
source of different researches, none yet
to come up with the exact explanation of
how the ancient man, always rebuffed for
his perceived backwardness; could have
come up with a near perfect art.

The art used to join the rocks
to form the protective but intimidating
wall surrounding the scene is incredible,
made more even better by the fact that it
has stayed like this for over four hundred
years.

The entrances are very short,
less than a meter tall to ensure that by
the time the enemy got inside, he was
less stable as he was still bending.

The guards who were by this
time waiting in a slightly raised place
would then easily overpower him.

Thim Lich Ohinga is about hundred and forty meters in diameter, quite

at the sand beaches, just two hours from

Migori town.

Having stayed unutilised for years,
the beaches have over the past two years
witnessed renewed interest as hoteliers
scramble for them as demand for beach
hotels in the region continue to grow.

Already, there are several magnificent beach hotels within the county,
among them Lake Victoria Beach Resort
and Supernova hotels in Sori town as well
as the Matoso Sea lodge and Restaurant in
Mihuru bay.

According to Jared Wigina, the
Director of Lake Victoria Beach Resort,
it is strange that people from the region
have for years preferred to go and holiday
in Mombasa without realising that they are
leaving a similar destination at home.

Our people have to realise that
they can enjoy their holiday on the beach
without having to cover over a thousand
kilometres to get it in Mombasa, he says.

He adds that just across the border into Mwanza town in Tanzania, a number of beach hotels are always fully booked
and a
large number of the clients are residents of
the county.

To give the visitor the wholesome
feeling of being in the coast, the hotel owners have also ensured that coconut trees are
planted along the beaches giving a perfect
creation of the coastal region.

Beaches surrounding Lake Victoria
Beach Resort and other beach hotels today
are covered in Coconut trees with strong
breeze from the lake giving the visitors a
perfect coastal feel.

The results have also seen several foreigners crossing over to spend their
weekend and holidays within the hotels
with Lake Victoria Beach Resort frequented
by Ugandans and Tanzanians businessmen
who prefer it because if its serenity.

We have been used to Kenyans
crossing over to Mwanza in Tanzania for
their holidays and so this is a new one,
Wigina says adding that the trend is expected to continue as more hotels are put up
within the beaches in the region.

He however says lack of better
roads especially from the major towns
into the beaches has somewhat been a
hindrance to the hoteliers as it limits the
number of clients who can make it to the
hotels.

Masai Mara, Mara Serengeti

and Ruma National Parks.
Although not within the county, the three

5. Change engine oil and filter regularly

Many car owners manual today recommend increasing the interval between oil and filter changes
to help flush out abrasive dirt and metal particles
out of the engine, thus prolonging its life. On the
other hand old filters contain build up of oil and
dirt particles that will otherwise remain and mix
with the new, clean oil.
6. Take care of your tyres
Check your tyre pressure at regular intervals and
keep them inflated to the recommended pressure
specified in your user manual. Check out for uneven wear and condition of shock absorbers.
7. Change spark plugs
Many manufacturers recommend changing spark
plugs every 50,000 km. This ensures good fuel
mileage and high engine performance.
9. Maintain your car battery
Regularly check your car battery to extend its life.
Start by keeping your battery terminals clean.
to be replaced.
10. Select a reliable car insurer
No matter how careful you are, accidents or damages are inevitable. In this case, you need to have a
car insurer you can trust. Also choose a car insurer
who replace damaged parts only with original manufacturers parts

(L) The entrance of Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological site in Nyatike Consttuency and (R) a lake side cottage at Lake Victoria Beach Resort in Sori town. PHOTOS: FRED OKOTH

balance.

Situated about an hours journey
by road from Migori town, deep into the
west of the country towards the shores of
Lake Victoria at Sori, this historical site
has almost striking resemblance to the
ruins of the great Zimbabwe in southern
Africa.

According to Silas Nyagwethi, a
curator at the fort, the fort is the countys
version of the great Fort Jesus, a structure
which attests to how the earlier man, just

a large home. Inside, there are four forts

going by the names of Kochieng, Kakuku,
Kokech and Koluoch combine to make
the Thim Lich Ohinga.

The sandy beaches of Lake

Victoria

Migori County also happens to border

the biggest fresh water Lake in the world:
Lake Victoria. This means that both residents and visitors alike can spend time

national parks can easily be accessed from

the county. Ruma in Homa Bay county can be
accessed through Sori in Nyatike while Masai
Mara can be accessed through Kuria West
district.

It is also possible to witness the great
wild beast migration from Masai Mara to
Mara Serengeti across the River Mara just a
few kilometres from the county.

MIGORI NEWS

Infrastructure Boost,
C13 tarmac To Boost
Tourism

Hotel Pre-Mara in Kehancha town. PHOTO: FRED

OKOTH

By Miller Omega

he boost in infrastructure development

by the county government especially
the laying down of C13 tarmac is set to
positively impact on tourism.

The boost will change Migori tourism attraction centers and revive hotel business to cater for foreign and local tourists.

The new road which will connect
Migori from Lake Victoria at Muhuru Bay
through headquarters, Kehancha and in Nairobi will ease transport.

It will help increase potential of
Migori which lies centrally as the conduit to
tourists heading to Ruma, Maasai Mara and
Serengeti National parks in the region.

Tourists often travel through the
county to these destinations without stopping for sites and hotels here, these change
of infrastructure may boost their stay, Jack
Otieno, a hotel manager said.

These plus the county government
taking root after devolution is good news to
help revive the hotel industry.

This will open up prime property
land and hotels which are rated at third to
five star along the highway and lake Victoria
basin.

Among hotels to benefit from this
Pre-Mara Hotel in Kehancha town owned by
Senator Wilfred Machage is currently operating below capacity.

The hotel which was constructed to
attract tourists heading to Maasai Mara and
Serengeti National parks has been laying in
disuse.

During his campaign Machage said
the county has a huge tourism potential
which saw him built the hotel.

I chose to invest in hotel business in
the county and not outside home because is
believe we can have a boost in the industry,
he said.

Investors have been banking on
the new infrastructure if the number of new
hotels springing up in the county is anything
to go by.

This will give residents experience
of high end destinations without travelling
outside the county for them.

The trend has seen hotels coming
up along the beech like Supanova and Lake
Victoria Beach Resort which will boost the
county ratings.

Jared Wigina the Director of Lake
Victoria Beach Resort at Sori beach said he
bought the five acre land in piece of land
in Sori back in 2002 and build the hotel by
August 2011 with major returns.

I have been hitting full booking of
space and most clients are locals which has
shown the huge potential in tourism, Wagina said.

Wagina said that the hotel receives
business people and tourists from Uganda
and Tanzania a trend he believes will continue as more hotels are put up within the
beaches in the region.

He said they will get a major boost
with infrastructure development and tarmac
of the road which will trap tourists across the
lake in Mwanza and Entebbe towns where
hotels are always fully booked.

10

December 16- January 6, 2013

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

County Entertainment

e is one of the best known

Ohangla musicians in the
country and has been invited
to perform in performed across the
world among them Germany and the
United States of America.

But, unlike many of his
contemporaries, John Okinyi Ngoge
or as he popularly known among his
adoring fans Osogo Winyo had remained humble and easy going, even
as his music career has continued to
soar.

I believe in being humble
and treating everybody with respect,
Osogo says during interview with
Migori News after accepting to spare
some
time for the interview.

Osogo says his music career
started in his Primary school days
where he used to play Orutu as he
took part in the music festivals where
he represented the school.

This continued when he
joined a Secondary school in Migori
town

However, when he reached
form 2, he was unable to continue
with his education as he was unable
to pay his school fees, forcing him to
drop out of school.

As most young men, he then
opted to travel to Nairobi to try and
secure employment and stayed in
Kayole estate where he did menial
jobs as he struggled to make ends
meet.

As a young musician he
collaborated with different artist like
Nelson Andiego, Joel Angutha in the

same line of Ohangla songs.

He later joined others like Kalamindi,
Migingo orutu system,which eventually
changed its name and became what is
today known as the Ohangla boys band.

And that was the start of the long
and exciting journey which has seen him
glob trot, sell thousands of albums, rub
shoulder with the mighty and become a
household name in the country.

I started this journey 15 years ago
and so far am reaching the climax of my
career, he said adding that his main aim
was to try and be in the same level with his
age mates.
And he is one of the first people to admit
that his success and that of his songs had
even surprised him.

Osogo also tells that the climax
of his time as a musician was in 2003 in
Kisumu in Railas home coming where
fans crowded the show and where he was
among the musicians who got the opportunity to perform live for the guests.

That was one the best day of my
music career to date, he says adding that
the reception his songs got will stick to his
memory for the rest of his life.

Another memorable performance
he remembers is the first Safaricom live
where the fans went crazy through his new
hit the wan ji ariyo which he says was
also a memorable day for him.

Have got many hitting songs but
some have been quite good and encouraging, my song release have been ironical
as most of them hit a year later after the
release. Added Mr. Osogo

So far he has achieved most of his
dreams songs like, Mela Nyakodongo in
2004, Agengo in 2006, Wan Ji Ariyo
in 2007, and lastly Duoge Dala amongst
other many songs.

Youthful MCA on a mission to

empower youths

Elija Juma standing next to his recovered bike while in the background is Migori OCPD Alfred Makoma
(gesturing) and Migori Police Station OCS John Waswa (in cap) last month . PHOTO: MILLER OMEGA
The first Miss Tourism Migori County Elizabeth Otieno poses after being crowned winner PHOTO: Miller Omega

And now, Osogo has set his sight on
retiring within the next three years and coming
back to his other passion, which is farming.

I love music but I just want to do it
for the next three years then I come back home
and enjoy farming for the rest of my time. He
said.

And unknown to many people, Osogo
winyo is also a strong Christian who do his
normal services in the Legio Maria church and
tells people that knowing God is the source of
life.

God is my greatest inspiration and I
believe it is God who has made me achieve all
that I have managed, he says.

He adds that he has always strived to
ensure that he lives according to the ways of

Makajully sets to emulate his parents

By Miller Omega

orn in a music family, Makajully

started strumming his parents guitar
as a child who grew up with music on
the table, but insists he started taking music
seriously as a career three years ago.

The son of the late benga musician
Prince Jully who passed away in 1997 and
Princess Jully, the budding musician said he
misses his late father.

I was still in primary when it happened and i miss him dearly. Sometimes I
dream that one day he would come back and
well meet again he explains.

He started his career with Young40s
as his stage name but ended up taking Makajully which translated from dholuo simply
means son of Jully

Though he carries his parents passion and determination as a musician he insists he is his own man as he builds his career
in contemporary music away from Benga and
Ohangla, his parents trade mark.

This passion has seen him complete
his album under the label Dalana Entertainment which also enlists other musicians,
dancers and DJs in doing gigs and promotions.

11

County Profile

I Will Retire From Music

After 3 Years for FarmingOsogo Winyo
By Clinton Oballa

MIGORI NEWS

God.

He further describes his moments and
tells how life is for a Christian who works in
the music industry.

People dont know me and my life
as a musician because they feel I cannot be a
Christian or am just a normal person. he said.

During his song production Osogo
said it takes place in three different categories
beginning with introduction, body and the
climax just like a normal written genre.

And he advices youths and young musicians to work hard and not to allow anything
discourage them if they are to achieve their
goals in life.

The album Love Portion contains ten
songs which generally covers the theme of love
and life with inspiration drawn from society.

It has the song Bleeding Love and
Winyo ma Wendo which he sings in Dholuo,
English and Kiswahili as it talks about a new
girl in a village who turns mens head.

The key song is Kazana which is
done in a mix of fast paced Bongo and Indian
Bhangra beats featuring Jeffy Weezy and Dante Boi, and we did together as ORB Republik
crew, he said.

The single was launched at Resort
Club in Migori town and has seen the artist
having shows in Kitale, Nakuru and Kericho.

It has given me a mild recognition
and i know with further marketing ill soon
move nationally Makajully says.

My biggest achievement is that I
dont play vulgar music which resonates with
both young and old where i get airplay in both
contemporary and vernacular radio stations in
the West region Makajully.

The buddung musician says starting
his entertainment label is a big step for his
career.

As a child Makajully recalls that their
mother made sure they didnt touch a guitar
with his Omondi Jully before they finished
education.

But now after school she is first my
role model as a musician and a big muscle in
my music by offering me her full support he
says

By Fred Okoth

hen john Kennedy Omondis

name was gazzeted as the Youths
representative at the Migori
County Assembly on 17th July 2013 and
subsequently sworn in on 2nd august the
same year, it marked a major milestone for
a man who had spent most of his young life
fighting for the youths.

I saw it as an opportunity to serve
the youths at an even higher level, the
ever unassuming Omondi said during the
interview shortly after he was sworn in at
the Migori County Assembly.

Born back in 1987 at Rakwaro
village in Rongo, Migori County, Omondi

attended his Primary school at Rakwaro

Primary school, sitting for his Kenya certificate of Primary Education, KCPE in the
year 2000.

He then proceeded to Kwa Mixed
Secondary school, also within the county
in 2001 and sat for his Kenya Certificate of
secondary Education, KCSE exams in the
year 2004.

And it is here where he stated
horning his leadership abilities, starting as
a class prefect before being appointed as
the school Head boy in his final year in the
school.

In 2005, Omondi, having developed interest in media and journalism,
joined Mombasa Polytechnic in Mombasa

where he undertook his Diploma in Media

studies, which he completed in 2006 and
got a mean grade of B plain, just narrowly missing adminsion to the University
through the Joint Admission Board, JAB.

He ten set out tarmacking and after
several months of tarmacking, ended up at
Kaluworks Limited in Mombasa where was
employed as the personnel assistant until
the year 2009.

All this time, I was hoping that
I could get the opportunity to go back to
school and advance in my studies, he says
adding that he therefore kept looking for
any opportunity which could come his way
even as he was working.

He did not have to wait for long.
In 2008, he learnt that Rongo MP Dalmas
Otieno had launched a program which was
taking students who had attained University but had not managed to afford the school
fees back to school.

He then travelled back home and
applied to join the program, getting admission but was asked to wait for one year
as the first butch of students were being
admitted.

One year to me was nothing so I
readily accepted to wait, he says and so,
in 2009, he started his Bachelor Degree in
Business and Economics at Moi University, and undertook the course at the Rongo
Campus.

And even here, his leadership and
organizational abilities were ever evident,
first being elected as the Class Representative in 2009, then as chairman of the School
of Business in 2010 and finally being elected as the Chairman of the Rongo University
Students Governing Council, RUSCO in
2011.

And according to Omondi, what
made him be elected to those leadership positions, and especially the chairman of the
student governing council was his ability
to listen to students and provide solutions
whenever there were problems.
Students had a feeling that they could

always trust on me to represent them well,

he said adding he was also able to handle
the University administration with respect
and understanding hence there was never a
major stalemate between the students and
the administration.

He finally graduated on 29th
November 2013 and has since enrolled for
a Masters of Science in Public Relations at
the same university.

At the assembly, Omondi has already come out as an eloquent debater and
a string defender of the youths.

He sits in three committees, Early
Childhood Committee, Labour and Social
Welfare Comitee, and Privileged Committee
where his work is to ensure that the interest
of youths is taken into consideration whenever any bills are being debated on the floor
of the house.

I have great responsibility to
represent the youths of this great county at
the assembly and I have to ensure that I do
my best, he says adding that under the Education Committee, they are in the process
of creating the Ward Development Fund,
WDF, a body similar to CDF and which is
aimed at ensuring that 10% of all the revenues collected from the county goes to the
ward level to help in projects like bursary.

We are hoping that every ward
will get 2 million shillings in bursary each
year, he says adding that this will help
people like him who might not manage to
get their education without the bursaries.

He further says that he has also
partnered with other leaders from East
Kamagambo to start up an education Trust
to help needy but bright students access
education.

And his parting shot to the youths
is that they have to be optimistic and always
try to pursue their goals despite the challenges they might be facing.

Nothing can beat determination
and where there is a will, there is always a
way, he says while adding that youths must
take the initiative and not wait for people
from elsewhere to come and help them.

 12

MIGORI NEWS December 16- January 6, 2013

County
Sports

Sony FC Ready For

New Season

Sony Sugar coach Zedekiah Otieno (right) with his striker Moses Arita during a
Tusker Premier league match against Tusker at Nyayo National Stadium

By Fred Okoth

ocal Tusker Premier League side

Sony Sugar FC has started preparations for the new season, expected
to kick off in March this year.

Already, the club has embarked
on massive recruitment exercise, both to
replace the players who have since left
for other clubs as well as to strengthen
some key departments which it felt were
not strong enough last season.

The preparations have been
however dampened by the news that the
club had lost its best players, goalkeeper
Wycliffe Kasayawho has left the Awendo
based club to link up with the Nairobi
based AFC Leopards with leading striker
Moses Arita has also moved over to Thika United FC.

And following the departure
of the two, the club has moved fast to

ensure that they are not missed by snapping up goalkeeper Lucas Indeche from
Thika United to replace Kasaya.

The club has also signed Victor
Omondi from Chemelil Sugar FC as
well as Evans Wandera from Sofapaka to
boost its midfield as well as former Gor
Mahia striker Duncan Owiti who was
with KCB and who will be expected to
produce goals.

And while former Harambee
stars coach Zedekiah Otieno, Zico is
expected to continue as the clubs head
coach, the club has brought in former national team goalkeeper Charles
Omondi,(Korea) who will work both as
an assistant head coach as well as the
clubs goalkeeping coach.

Speaking from the clubs training ground in Awendo, Sonys chairman
Christopher Odero said he was sure the

Rift Valley Athletes Shine

Rongo Races

Hon Thomas Maneno, the county Education, Culture and Sports executive addressing athletes at the
AK marathon. PHOTO: IAN OCHIENG

By Ian Ochieng

enis Morenge from Kuria West

sub County sailed into a comfortable 31:58:08 win to take
the Migori County Atheletics Kenya in
the 6km junior men race held at Rongo
Primary School on 17th January.

Clement Maurice from Kanyasrega Secondary School emerged second

with 33:28:45 while Denis Abuga from

Rongo came third with 34:48:47 in the
only race dominated by county athletes.

In 12Km Senior Men category
Samoei Kipkorir a Migori TTC students
dominated the marathon by clocking
34:58:68 ahead of his college mate
Solomon Maranga 36:27:62 while Alfred
Owenga from Kamagambo TTC finished

club will compete well this season as

opposed to last season when they barely
escaped relegation.

We are not going to be involved
in relegation fight again, he said adding
that the newly signed players, together
with the players who have been at the
club should form a formidable team this
season.
He further said the club was in the
process acquiring two Ugandan midfielders whom he said will enable the club
to compete with the best teams in the
country and said they had set themselves
a target of top three in the league.

At the same time, the club has
maintained faith in majority of its young
players, with the likes of Ben Baraza, Victor Ochieng and veteran striker Marwa
Chamberi expected to play a key role this
season as the club aims to win its second
league title after their only win in 2005.

He further announced that
the club will later this month travel to
neighbouring Tanzania where they are
expected to play three friendly games in
readiness for the kick-off of the season,
expected to start in March.

We want to ensure that the
team get the best preparation before the
kick-off, he said adding that the team
had learnt from last season when they
started the league poorly and never managed to pick up until at the very end.

And following the signings, fans
of the Awendo based club have expressed
confidence in the team and said they
were sure the team will have a successful
campaign this season.

Led by their secretary Lucas
Otieno, the fans have hailed the new
signings and asked all fans from the
region to support the team to ensure that
they do well in the league.

We are fully behind Zico and
his team and we know he will take the
team back to where it belongs, he said
adding that the technical team could only
work best when they had the support of
everybody at the club.

third at 37:27:47.

The dominance was also visible
in the 8km senior women category where
Migori TTC students swept the board
clean led by Josephine Wamunyus
20:31:69 win followed by Marlin Chelangat 21:21:86 and Carolyne Langat at
21:39:89.

The same trend was repeated
in the 6km junior women category when
Asenath Zablon clocked 23:39:09, Naomi Maranga came second with 24:28:29
while MaryAnne Maturi came third at
26:19:94.

During the race the county government gave the winners cash token to
help boost their morale ahead of regional
games which are to be held in Nyamira
County in 30th February which will see
the representatives also battle it out with
Kisii county athletes.

Migori county has a huge untapped potential in the athletics and the
show should have been done from grassroots as we believe we can find talent in
Kuria and Nyatike regions, Hon Thomas
Maneno, the county Education, Culture
and Sports executive said.

Maneno said that the organizers
didnt seek support from the county to
ensure more athletics are represented.

In the race we only had athletes
from Rongo and colleges which isnt
representative of the county, he said.

Sports Roundup

AK Should Distribute Agent

Money- County

Denis Morenge from Kuria West gestures as he crosses the

finishing line to win 6km junior men AK race. PHOTO:
IAN OCHIENG

By Miller Omega
The Migori county government has challenged
Athletics Kenya to distribute agent fees across the
country to help boost the sports.

Thomas Maneno, the county executive for
Education, Sports and Culture said that all foreign
agents in the country always pay a fee which when
used can boost trade.

Agents money should tickle down to
boost talents especially in Migori, he said.

South Nyanza has a huge potential for
athletes and AK should take the lead in developing
these talents especially among the youth by bringing more funds in the region, he said.

Maneno called on AK chair Isaiah
Kiplagat to work with counties closely to help
boost the sports as the department has been devolved.

He said his department will organize
numerous athletes events to help boost talents
especially in Kuria and Nyatike region which he
said has a huge potential.

The last AK event in Rongo wasnt representative as only college and athletes from Rongo
participated, he said.

He said they will also upgrade training
camps for sports and will upgrade fields to national level.

Samba Boys FC Lifts Nyatike Annual

Sports Festival Champions.
By Clinton Oballa
Lone goal from Wicklife Nyainda in the 34th
minute proved enough to ensure that Samba boys
FC overcame Nyatike FC to emerged champions at
Nyatike annual sports festival.

Samba boys completely dominated the
final minutes and missed several scoring chances
before Nyainda capitalised on a defensive lapse
from Nyatike to slot the ball.

Migori County governor Okoth Obado
graced the games which were held at Maiga stadium and promised his government will go a long
way in boosting the sport in the county.

In the third place playoff, defending
champions Maiga FC lost by a solitary goal to Oula
FC when Calvince Omondis second half strike left
their goalkeeper Fred Otieno duped for him to tap
into an empty net.

In other games Lichogo clinched the netball trophy after beating Maiga A 7-6 and this saw
Maiga teams dominate as Maiga B also took position three following a 6-5 win over Matoso. Maiga
ladies also clinched the women football tittle.

In the individual awards, Calvince Omondi from Oula FC was named the best player of the
tournament, Irene Paul the top scorer with 5 goals
while Charles Njonjo was the best referee and
Matoso FC being the most disciplined team of the
tournament.

The event was also attended by first lady
Helen Obado, Sports minister Thomas Maneno

Migori News is published in Migori town, Migori County along police line. PO BOX 195-40400, Suna- Migori