Redistribution is prohibited

The Big Interview, P.2

Exclusive: Why I want to

meet Uhuru — Kalonzo
The glue that binds? ‘My brother President
Uhuru Kenyatta, and I am calling him ‘President’
in quotes because he has the instruments of
power at the moment, and my brother Raila
Odinga, time has come for us to sit and talk this
one out,’ he says.

Sunday Where the

Standard
living and
dead shove
for space
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 No. 622 standardmedia.co.ke KSh60/00 TSh1,700/00 USh2,700/00 >> Feature, Page 3

Shock, panic after

National, P.12

Cabinet overhaul
aronlangat8@gmail.com

How abrasive ‘I wish to state

CS Matiang’i State House that I am
retaining the
thunderbolt.
lost out on Disbelief hits
following persons
in my Cabinet and
curriculum Cabinet
shall re-assign
them accordingly
their duties in
Roll-out delay.
Whereas minister was
Secretaries accordance with
determined to proceed, despite belated Article 152 (5)a.’

assurance that
— President Kenyatta
professionals in the when he unveiled a
education sector said partial Cabinet on
doing so was suicidal. they are still in Friday.

office until told

INSIDE TODAY otherwise, as ‘Listen, let me tell you. The
Government does not fire
Principal
SUNDAY
THE SUNDAY STANDARD: 7 JANUARY - 13 JANUARY 2018

people, it omits their names

Secretaries panic from the list of appointees. I
am sure you have seen that in
Not
for
sale
over whether or the past. So if your colleagues
have been formally informed
not they will that they have been retained,
what is left for the rest who are
survive Uhuru’s also sitting in the Cabinet?’
axe. Pages 4, 5, – A source close to State House familiar with the

6, 7 and 8
changes, who declined to be named, told
The Cabinet changes as reported by our sister publication
‘Sunday Standard’ yesterday.
Love lessons ‘Saturday Standard’ yesterday. [File, Standard]

from divorcees
Everything they would change about their lost love
Redistribution is prohibited
2 National Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
National, P.12
How abrasive Matiang’i lost out
on new curriculum
Government officials who spoke
firmly against the rushed
implementation were either
intimidated or sacked.
Special Report, P.10
How corruption blocks
enforcement of traffic laws
Public Service Vehicle (PSV)
operators and other motorists claim
they get away with mandatory
inspection of vehicles after parting
with bribes.
Week in Review, P.20
Governors who spent the most
to run their offices
Controller of Budget report reveals
that the governors’ offices of
Laikipia, Nairobi and Lamu counties
were the most expensive to run last
year.
Business, P.30
Economy: Is the
worst of 2017 slowdown over?
The first week of the new year has
been sweet melodies for most
investors.
Sports, P.42
Why Kenyan clubs should stop
relying on one sponsor
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards need
to follow examples of top clubs such
as Al Ahly of Egypt.
Leave us alone   The Wiper leader asks diplomats and the church to stand aside as the three look for home-grown solutions
Kalonzo: I
want to
have a chat
with Uhuru
He is categorical that
the much-fancied
swearing-in of himself
and his co-principal
Raila Odinga must be
the last resort.
BBy Nzau Musau
nmusau@standardmedia.co.ke
NASA co-principal and Wip-
er leader Kalonzo Musyoka
urgently wants to meet Presi-
dent Uhuru Kenyatta and his
co-principal Raila Odinga on
face-to-face talks to resolve the
political crisis in the aftermath
of the 2017 election.
In his first candid interview
since he jetted back to the
country from Germany two
weeks ago, Kalonzo said he
cannot sit pretty and watch the
country spiral into an abyss
when he knows he can play a
decisive role on the impasse.
Reflective but unflinching
and with Kitui Senator Enoch
Wambua by his side on the
lush lawns of his Karen home,
Kalonzo laid out the terms for
what he described as “struc-
tured dialogue” to the Sunday
Standard team.
He said his long day and
night sojourns in grumpy
Europe weather had afforded
him a sober reflective advan-
tage over his colleagues in the
coalition and rivals in Jubilee.
He was categorical that the
much-fancied swearing-in of
himself and his co-principal
Raila Odinga must be the last
resort.
“My brother President Uhu-
ru Kenyatta, and I am calling
him ‘president’ in quotes
because he has the instru-
ments of power at the moment,
and my brother Raila Odinga,
time has come for us to sit and
talk this one out,” he said.
Below our interview setting
was the famed gazebo where
Uhuru snookered him on his
bid to succeed retired Presi-
dent Mwai Kibaki after serving
him loyally as the Vice Presi-
dent for five years. Occasion-
ally, he flashed his eyes across
the gazebo and dug in further.
“If they – Uhuru and Raila –
“We have made it absolutely clear that
this is not about a nusu mkate kind of a
thing. It’s much more serious than this. It’s
unfortunate that when I made the offer they
did not respond. They were busy chewing.”
cannot come together, I hope
they will allow me to bring
them together so that they can
look at each other in the face.
These are people who have
worked together in the past,”
Kalonzo said, describing him-
self as the “glue” that can bind
them.
The talks, he said, should
entail constitutional reforms
to restructure governance
institutions, strengthen devo-
lution, guarantees to a more
cohesive country and the
thorny subject of electoral jus-
tice. They should neither
involve diplomats nor the
church.
“The diplomats must have
the presence of mind to appre-
ciate that Kenyans need home-
grown solutions to political
challenges we face today. They
aronlangat8@gmail.com
cannot begin to posture as the
champions of dialogue to
resolve a crisis they partici-
pated in brewing. Western
envoys must in particular first
apologise to Kenyans for
according the elections credi-
bility long before the electoral
body itself did,” Senator Wam-
bua interjected.
Hurting from inside
Kalonzo said the two “stolen
elections” had weighed on
him, his supporters and the
country. He said although he
presents a bold face, he has
been hurting from inside and
carrying the weight of “politi-
cal injustice.”
“That ought to be the prior-
ity, electoral justice! There is
no point of participating in an
election with a pre-determined
outcome. Everything that I
have said can be discussed if
we meet,” he said while
describing his offer as “one
without prejudice”.
The Wiper leader revealed
that his NASA brethren are
equally receptive of his pro-
posed set of rules of engage-
ment with Jubilee leadership
but he was the most ideal per-
son to make the proposal for a
particular reason.
“We are in a first-among-
equals kind of situation in
NASA. Our unity is paramount.
Wiper leader Kalonzo
Musyoka during the
interview with the Sunday
Standard at his residence in
Nairobi yesterday. [Elvis
Ogina.Standard]
What he wants
addressed
Constitutional
conference to discuss
grievances
Review of constitu-
tion to reorganize
executive
Electoral reforms to
insulate elections
against fraud
Re-jigging of
devolution to serve
Kenyans better
Swearing-in of
opposition leaders last
resort
Reform of institutions
like police and judiciary
Focus on healing and
reconciliation across the
country
The only positive credential I
have is that I was away and
they were not,” he said.
He refused to be drawn into
discussions on the half-Cabi-
net appointments and what
this means to his proposal for
talks. He described them as a
purely Jubilee affair which
cannot draw any meaningful
inferences relating to NASA
grievances.
“We have made it absolutely
clear that this is not about a
nusu mkate kind of a thing. It’s
much more serious than this.
It’s unfortunate that when I
made the offer they did not
respond. They were busy
chewing,” he said.
Striking an insightful pose
as breezes from palms on the
sides pounded on him, he
punched further: “If I do not
get a word in the next few days,
I may walk to the President
myself and I hope this time
round the media will come
along.”
“And then do what?” I
posed. And he retorted, with a
flair of finality, “And then
demand answers… because
this is not about me. It has
never been!”
He engaged us on a long-
winded lecture of the Birming-
ham disturbances of the
1960’s, drawing their relevance
to the present Kenyan situa-
tion. Waxing philosophical, he
unfurled four ingredients to
the fight for basic political
rights and declared them ripe
in Kenya.
Direct action
“The first is the acknowledg-
ment of an intolerable situa-
tion in Kenya. That is not in
doubt. The second is the need
for negotiations, we say we are
ready. If that does not work, we
move to self-purification stage
where non-violent approaches
will pick. The last is direct
action but I do not wish we get
there,” he said.
Kalonzo said the talks can
take the form of the 2008 ones
and dropped the name of for-
mer Tanzanian President
Jakaya Kikwete, crediting him
with setting the right tempo
then.
We pointed out to him the
curious case of the closed Ken-
yan political system where bit-
ter rivals in public are friends
in private and referring to the
2013 gazebo experience, asked
him why he couldn’t ring up
the President himself.
“Oh you have read my book,
if only that gazebo could
speak!” he sighed, then added:
“I have no enmity whatsoever
or with anybody. I can ring him
up today or tomorrow, but no…
tomorrow we are in Kakame-
ga,” he said.
Clad in brown leather jacket,
checked shirt and khaki trou-
sers, he seemed to enjoy the
weather he had missed for
three months when he was
tending to his ailing wife in
Germany.
“It’s painful to be away. The
weather was oppressive...
snowy and in a place where
nobody knows you. It was
however nice as I was able to
run around in the streets when
I could without anybody stop-
ping me. I missed my country,
I missed my people but we
thank God we are back and
she’s doing well,” he said.
Before our interview start-
ed, he found us chatting in the
gazebo with his aides and
briefly stole away Senator
Wambua. It turned out they
left for an errand to a chemist
shop to the benefit of his wife.
“She’s getting better, and
thanks to prayers and support
of everyone,” he said.
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
DISTURBED SOULS?   The families were moved to the cemetery 30 years ago
Where living, the dead shove for space
Residents inspect some of the graves in the cemetery. Below: A family home in the cemetery. Some
families have been relocated by area MP to land bought by the CDF. [Joseph Muchiri, Standard]
Uncomfortable alliance
of villagers and corpses
as part of families living
on cemetery land are
finally relocated.
By Joseph Muchiri
jmuchiri@standardmedia.co.ke
For 30 years, some 75 land-
less families in Mbeere South
Sub-county, Meru County, have
uncomfortably lived among
the dead, sharing all their inti-
mate moments with beings
long transcended into another
world.
Driven there by desperation,
the families that have called
Karuku Cemetery home now
reveal their harrowing tales of
life next to the dead.
They recount waking up to
the sight of tombstones and
the smell of freshly dug up soil
from new graves every morn-
ing, once in a while stumbling
Killer canines
Dogs maul drunken man to death 
A 38-year-old man was mauled
to death by vicious dogs after
straying into a private compound
in Baraka estate in the outskirts
of Kericho town on Friday night.
Kericho East OCPD Justus
Kitetu said the man is believed to
have been tipsy when he strayed
into the compound and into the
jaws of the three mongrels.  essary documents from the vet-
“The owner of the dogs had
unchained them at  11pm when
the stranger strayed into the
compound around midnight,”
said Kitetu.  disemboweled and bit open the
The dogs owner allegedly did
not hear any commotion during
the deadly attack.  Kitetu.  moved to Kericho district hospi-
“The owner says he was sur-
prised at dawn to find the bloody
body in his compound,” said
over skeletons and corpses in
various stages of decay during
the mundane acts of daily life
like digging pit latrines or
wells.
“The fact that our children
see the crosses daily and even
play with them may have some
psychological impact on them.
It haunts them,” says Monicah
Njeri who has lived at the cem-
etery for many years.
“The fact that our
children see the
crosses daily and
even play with
them may have
aronlangat8@gmail.com
some psychological
impact on them. It
haunts them.”
Monicah Njeri
According to the OCPD, the
deceased had earlier been spot-
ted in a local bub drinking with
National 3
aspirants for various political
seats would promise them that
once in office they would resettle
them in a new place, but that did
not happen.
Majority of the residents are
orphans, widows and very poor
families with no other place to
call home.
But this year started on a high
note for them. Area MP Geoffrey
King’ang’i gave a number of
families an eighth of an acre
each, courtesy of the Constitu-
Karuku Cemetery village in Mbeere South where landless ency Development Fund (CDF).
families have lived among the graves since 1985 when they Presenting the land, the MP
were evicted from Makutano Junction. [Joseph Muchiri, Standard] said previous attempts to reset-
tle the villagers had failed after
the land earmarked for the pur-
pose and acquired at a cost of
Sh2 million was grabbed by
politically connected individu-
als.
Not all of them were moved
though, a section remains in the
cemetery. Their dalliance with
Her fears are shared by Judy both worlds will go on for a
Wachira, a mother of six, who while longer as more funds are
blamed her partial blindness sought to purchase additional
on the graves, saying she was land for them.
disturbed every time she saw a
corpse that had been uninten- at Makutano was occupied by children play with crosses for
S
tionally exhumed. some politicians,” says Irungu. toys, and forge an unnatural ease Read more about this
story at
“Some fresh graves are shal- The years after that saw them with their surroundings.
standardmedia.co.ke
low and heavy downpour digs grow their families and see their Njeri says every election year,
out the corpses. It troubles us
a lot,” says Wachira.
Sospeter Irungu, the village
chairman, says the village has
often been visited by the spir-
its of the dead in the still of the
night, disturbing the villagers’
sleep.
The three-decade-old vil-
lage was not purposefully set
up among the dead.
“We were among the first
people to settle and develop
the Makutano Junction mar-
ket. Government officials relo-
cated us, ‘temporarily’ to
Karuku cemetery to pave way
for land surveying. We realised
we were duped after our land
friends. Kitetu said they had
launched investigations to deter-
mine whether the dog owner has
a permit and had vaccinated the
dogs against rabies. 
“We have opened an inquest
into the death to determine
whether the dogs had been vac-
cinated and if the owner has nec-
erinary department,” said Kitetu. 
The inquest will determine the
fate of the dogs’ owner. 
According to locals, the dogs
victim’s head during the attack.
The body of the deceased was
tal mortuary. 
[Nikko Tanui]
Redistribution is prohibited

4 Special report
newlook cabinet
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Appointments
What next?   Many of the sacked Cabinet Secretaries hopeful that the President plans to move them to other dockets as focus shifts

Governors
welcome
Cabinet
Fear and anxiety grip top
President Kenyatta’s in my Cabinet and shall re- tution.”

changes shock partial Cabinet

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s
mini Cabinet has elicited mixed
reactions from a section of lead-
ers.
The Council of Governors com-
mended President Kenyatta for
considering former governors
and an ex-senator to be part of his
new administration, even as
some faulted lack of regional and
gender balance in the appoint-
ments.
Council chairman Josphat
Nanok said with the appoint-
ments, the President has demon-
strated his commitment to sup-
port devolution. “The council
wishes to congratulate the Presi-
dent for appointing pioneer gov-
ernors Ukur Yattani, Kinuthia
Mbugua and former senator John
Munyes to his Cabinet,” said
Nanok.
He said the nomination of Yat-
tani and Munyes for Cabinet Sec-
retary posts and Mbugua as State
House Comptroller is a clear indi-
cation of the goodwill for devolu-
tion.
“The leaders are champions of
devolution and their appoint-
ment will deepen the relationship
between national and county
governments,” said Nanok.
In Nakuru, the appointment of
the former Governor Mbugua
elicited mixed reactions. “This is
a substantial appointment that
will be greatly appreciated by the
people of Nakuru whom he previ-
ously served,” said Governor Lee
Kinyanjui.
But NASA leadership insisted
that the President lacked the
mandate to govern, especially
after he dropped 13 men and
women he had worked with.
National Assembly Minority
Leader and ODM chairman John
Mbadi faulted the President’s re-
organisation, saying his move
means his team did not perform.
“He has sacked 13 and retained
only six; how can he convince
Kenyans that he can deliver on
his campaign pledges?” he asked.
Public Service Commission
chair Prof Margaret Kobia also
announcement on Friday
caught many by surprise,
leaving two-thirds of
Cabinet Secretaries, PSs
and parastatal chiefs
unsure of their fate
BBy Mwaniki Munuhe and
Roselyn Obala
newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke
Shock and confusion gripped
Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) as
anxiety amongst Principals Sec-
retaries (PSs) mutated into
panic after it emerged President
Kenyatta could have lost confi-
dence in more than three quar-
ters of his Cabinet.
President Kenyatta’s decision
to fire 13 CSs painted an image of
pending blood bath for PS’s and
parastatal chiefs as he moves to
form a government that he
hopes will deliver on his legacy
aspirations.
Some ministers and their
aides have hitherto rejected the
idea that an axe had fallen on
them. Speaking in unobtrusive
tones, they insist there is still a
chance for survival because the
entire Cabinet is yet to be consti-
tuted.
“The President has not sacked
me, he only mentioned a few col-
leagues he hopes to retain in
their dockets and appointed a
few others. Until the whole pro-
cess is completed, you can’t say
I have been sacked. I could be
moved to another docket you
know,” said a sitting Cabinet
Secretary who was not among
the retained six.
On Friday, President Kenyatta
nominated three new CSs and
retained six.
“I wish to state that I am
retaining the following persons
Cracking the whip...
assign them accordingly their
duties in accordance with Arti-
cle 152 (5) (A) and these are
Henry Rotich (Treasury), Najib
Balala (Tourism), James Macha-
ria (Transport), Fred Matiang’i
(Interior and education (acting),
Charles Keter (Energy) and
Joseph Mucheru (ICT),” the
President said on Friday.
Yesterday, in what many
interpreted as a public relations
and emotional management
gimmick, State House Spokes-
person Manoah Esipisu sent a
statement to media houses say-
ing all CSs are still in office until
the process of forming a new
Cabinet is completed.
Manoah’s statement seemed
to suggest that no CS has so far
been sacked.
“This is to clarify that the
Cabinet Secretaries currently in
office remain so, as instructed in
a memorandum from the Head
of Public Service in December,
until otherwise advised,” stated
Esipisu in a statement yesterday.
He continued: “In the coming
days, the President will com-
plete the task of assembling the
team of office, guided by merit,
integrity, commitment to ser-
vice and in terms of the Consti-
“This is to clarify
that the Cabinet
Secretaries currently
in office remain so,
as instructed in a
memorandum from
the Head of Public
Service in December,
until otherwise
advice,”
Manoah Esipisu, State House
Spokesperson
But in what paints a picture of
advisors in darkness, two highly
placed sources within State
House who refused to be named
because of the sensitivity of the
matter gave two opposing
views, effectively creating the
impression that President Keny-
atta is keeping his moves tightly
guarded.
“Listen, let me tell you. Gov-
ernment does not fire people, it
omits their names from the list
of the appointees. I am sure you
have seen that in the past. So if
your colleagues have been for-
mally informed that they have
been retained, what is left for
the rest who are also sitting in
Cabinet?” posed one source.
Make a comeback
This view was however sharp-
ly contradicted by another aronlangat8@gmail.com
source from within Government
who maintained that some of
the CSs -- among them Eugene
Wamalwa, Amina Mohammed,
Mwangi Kiunjuri and Dan
Kazungu -- though not men-
tioned by the President on Fri-
day, had done well and may Dropped
make a comeback. Amina Mohamed:
“The position is that Cabinet Foreign Affairs
will most likely be expanded. Sicily Karuiki: Public
The six CSs the President men- Service, Youth and Gender
tioned yesterday will retain their Mwangi Kiunjuri:
dockets except for Matiang’i, Devolution
who moves to Interior. This Dan Kazungu: Mining
Hassan Wario: Sports
doesn’t mean that those whose
names the President didn’t men- Jacob Kaimenyi: Lands
tion have been sacked. It means Willy Bett: Agriculture
Raychelle Omamo:
that some like Amina, Eugene,
Defence
Adan Mohammed, Kiunjuri and preferred appointees, with
Kazungu will come back but may
Eugene Wamalwa: even their closest aides being
not necessarily occupy the same
Water
Judy Wakhungu: kept in the dark.
dockets they currently occupy. Environment Indeed, it is understood
In other words, only six minis- that some of the high-ranking
ters know their portfolio,” he
Adan Mohammed:
officials who happened to be
Industrialisation
said Phyllis Kandie: Labour at State House moments
President Kenyatta and Depu- Cleopa Mailu: Health before the President made
ty President William Ruto have the announcement had no
maintained a tight grip on their idea Cabinet would form part

The drama, style and mystery that surround

wondered why the President had
not named any female leader.
“The President is a strong sup-
porter of women issues. I hope
more than a third of Cabinet
appointees will be women. I am
sure there are women who meet
the standards,” she said.
A section of Kajiado leaders
lauded President Kenyatta for
nominating their son into the
Cabinet.  ence.
Led by Kajiado Governor
Joseph ole Lenku, the leaders
said the nomination of the imme-
diate former Director of Public
Prosecution Keriako Tobiko is a
big honour to the Maasai commu-
nity.
[Roselyn Obala, Kennedy
Gachuhi, Mercy Kahenda and Dan-
iel Psirmoi]  regime that Kenyans took an
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s
Friday partial Cabinet announce-
ment has once again exposed the
drama, style and mystery that
surround appointments and
sackings of State officers in suc-
cessive regimes since independ-
Each of the past Presidents --
from Mzee Jomo Kenyatta,
through Daniel arap Moi to Mwai
Kibaki and now Uhuru -- the man-
ner of hiring and firing have fol-
lowed an interesting pattern,
with each wielding his own pecu-
liar style.
It was during President Moi’s
interesting look at the manner in
which State officers were hired or
replaced.
A shrewd political schemer,
President Moi always caught the
nation by surprise. He never
called press conferences to
announce changes in his Cabinet.
They were made over the state
radio and television.
Moi made the reshuffles when
Kenyans least expected them.
Those best tipped to get appoint-
ments never got them. Most
Cabinet changes were announced
during the KBC 1 O’clock news.
President Moi was full of sur-
prises. He fired those who
Kenya’s second President
Daniel arap Moi.
thought they were closest to him
without any warning. A former
Cabinet Minister, the late William
Odongo Omamo once told this
writer how he was sacked over
the radio as he drove to Nairobi
from his Bondo home.
“We had just passed Kericho
and we heard on KBC’s 1 O’clock
bulletin that the President had
made a reshuffle. I was among
those dropped,” said Dr Omamo.
“I was shocked since I thought
I was one of the best performing
ministers. As was the rule with
government vehicles, my driver
told me he was to pack the State
car at the nearest police station
since I was no-longer a minis-
ter.”
A story is also told of a one
time powerful Secretary to
the Cabinet who helped pre-
pare a list of ministers to be
sacked, only for him to hear
his name on radio alongside
those dismissed.
As he dutifully worked on
the list, he had no idea that
the President was also send-
ing him home.
Tom Mboya, a Maseno Uni-
versity political scientist, says
he knows a minister who tried
to reach State House on phone
after being sacked, but in
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
to next appointments and other key State jobs
State officers
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto in a past meeting. The President is expected to
name more individuals to his new Cabinet next week. [File, Standard]
of his statement to the media.
They believed it was going to
be a statement related to
reforms in the education sec-
tor.
The President has also
hiring and firing in government
vain.
“After being sacked, the State
House orderlies made sure you
never have access to the Presi-
dent,” says Mboya.
President Kibaki’s regime had
little drama except in 2005
when he surprisingly sacked the
entire Cabinet after Kenyans
rejected his bid for a new consti-
tution.
When he reconstituted the
Cabinet one week later, minis-
ters and assistant ministers
who had opposed the new laws
were left out.  his own style in executing the
Those appointed to replace
them like the late Ndhiwa MP
shown a major departure from
the past where loyalty, regional
balance and friendship was
rewarded. It is no longer easy to
predict the remaining list of
appointees.
Orwa Ojode declined the appoint-
ments.
After the 2007-08 post-elec-
tion violence that led to the for-
mation of a coalition govern-
ment, President Kibaki lost the
freewill to reshuffle the Cabinet
as he had  to consult Raila, who
had been appointed  Prime Min-
ister. In 2010, he reshuffled the
Cabinet but only after consulting
Raila.
In the Friday changes that left
Kenyans asking many questions,
President Kenyatta also exhibited
changes.
By reappointing only six Cabi-
Similarly, there was other sur-
prise appointment of Rift Valley
Regional commissioner Wany-
ama Musiambo to deputise
Joseph Kinyua as Head of Public
Service, putting to rest specula-
net Secretaries, he left 13 other
wallowing in confusion. Some of
the names he left out included
those perceived to be close to
him. He said the complete list of
the Cabinet Secretaries and Prin-
cipal Secretaries would be
announced later.
In his analysis, Dr Mboya says
the Kenyatta and Moi regimes
had huge differences with that of
Kibaki and Uhuru.
“Moi’s appointments revolved
around surprises and loyalty. His
appointments were meant to
consolidate power. Kibaki insti-
tuted some modicum of profes-
sionalism,” says Mboya.
newlook cabinet
tions over the position of the
latter eyed by Principal Secre-
taries Joseph Njoroge (Energy),
Karanja Kibicho (Interior) and
Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs).
Many expected Amina, Kiun-
juri, Wamalwa and Kazungu to
be retained, some of whom had
declared interest in gubernato-
rial contest in last year’s elec-
tions but were advised to keep
off by Mr Kenyatta. Kiunjuri and
Wamalwa are fairly strong poli-
ticians in their respective Laiki-
pia and Bungoma counties and
played key roles in Kenyatta’s
re-election campaign.
Normal day
Their fate remains unclear so
far.
It was indeed a Cabinet
announcement of its kind  whose
content was only known to the
President’s secretary, DP Ruto
and the President himself.
Like any normal day, the unex-
pected national address at
3.30pm Kenyan time on Friday
by the President started with his
pet subject, education and
throwing everyone off balance
only to transform into a momen-
tous announcement of nine men
he has identified to work with to
deliver on his Jubilee agenda.
The fate of the 13 CSs who
didn’t get a mention by the Pres-
ident is still controversial.
Sources however say that while
some seem to have performed in
the dockets, there exist dirty ele-
ments in their files as assessed
by security agencies.
It is however argued that the
fresh appointments expected
next time could include some of
the current CSs. In sum, the
President has sent everyone on
a fishing expedition even as he
continues to re-organise and
form his Government to spear-
head his agenda for the next five
years.
He adds: “Unlike, the senior
Kenyatta and Moi, Kibaki and
Uhuru had to consult  before
making appointments or sack-
ings. Kibaki had to consult Raila
while Uhuru has to consult his
deputy William Ruto.”
He says President Uhuru bor-
rowed some of his leadership
styles from Moi. Mboya believes
Uhuru was unable to name his full
Cabinet at once because he was
under siege from interested par-
ties.
President Kenyatta, like Kibaki
before him, has provisions of the
new constitution to adhere to.
[John Oywa]
Special report 5
Final announcement
Gender parity,
regional balance
to determine next
appointments
On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta dropped 13 Cabinet Secre-
taries, setting the ball rolling on his second and final term in office.
Now, Uhuru comes face-to-face with the task of constituting
another team that many believe will be a Cabinet briefed to execute
a legacy that has threatened to run away from him on several occa-
sions during his maiden term.
But as he decides on the men and women who will help him see
out this vision for the country, he will grapple with several realities
on the ground, key of which are regional balance and gender parity,
components that pundits say were largely lacking in the just dis-
banded group.
Several seemingly well performing ministers were seemingly
sacrificed at the altar of these two home truths that have been the
source of constant opposition bashing and agitation from lobbyists
respectively. Now, he is caught between rewarding loyalists, appeas-
ing his political strongholds for their support and reaching out to
regions that did not vote for him. It will be a delicate balancing act
to calm or set unease in Uhuru’s final term.
The Western region overwhelmingly voted for NASA leader Raila
Odinga in the August 8 presidential election that was nullified by
the Supreme Court and a majority of residents heeded his call to
boycott the repeat election.
In spite of this, Uhuru still had his
men traversing the region, drum-
ming up support for him and swim-
ming against the tide. Notable
names among this group are former
Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba,
whose dalliance with the ruling
party led to his losing the golden egg
that was his seat. But will the nudg-
ing from Cabinet of Judi Wakhungu
and Eugene Wamalwa provide a
crack through which he can get to
the goose that laid the golden egg?
As Ababu hopes for reward, so too
is former Funyula MP Paul Otuoma
who after losing the Busia guberna-
torial race as an independent swiftly
switched support to Jubilee. Otuoma will be hoping to be a benefi-
ciary of an all inclusive rainbow cabinet that has all the different
hues of the country represented.
Gender equality
aronlangat8@gmail.com
The exit of Omamo could also provide wiggling room from pur-
veyors of the coast from Nyanza, a region that has almost to the man
been loyal to Opposition leader Raila. But as President of the whole
country, Uhuru will have to be seen to have the region’s best interest
at heart while making his final announcements.
Raphael Tuju, James Rege and Edward Owallo are some of the
names slipping out of the lips of those purporting to be in the know.
But as he looks for knights to defend and advance his realm,
Uhuru has been presented with a chance to make things right by
ensuring that at least one third of his Cabinet is composed of wom-
en. His first Cabinet failed dismally at this, with the country’s High
Court setting a precedence late last year by giving Parliament a
deadline to ensure that the two thirds gender representation was
enforced or face disbandment.
Uhuru’s first Cabinet adhered to this legal requirement with six
of his initial 18 ministers being women. However, only four of them
survived an anti-corruption purge and the Cabinet remained skewed
ever since. Only one of two female seats left vacant by the purge was
taken up by a woman.
Kenya’s 2010 constitution guarantees women a third of seats in
Cabinet, but the country’s male-dominated Parliament has repeat-
edly frustrated efforts to pass legislation needed to enact the quota.
Women vying for office in Kenya frequently face violence and
intimidation in a country where women in politics are frowned
upon. They also often lack the political clout, money and influence
to bulldoze their way or effectively lobby for seats within Cabinet
as their male counterparts do.
Kenya has East Africa’s lowest representation of women in Parlia-
ment at 19 per cent, compared to 61 per cent in Rwanda and 38 per
cent in Ethiopia, the Geneva-based International Parliamentary
Union says. The numbers get worse when it comes to positions cen-
tral to power such as Cabinet. Heading to the polls, Uhuru’s Cabinet
had 19 ministers, only five of whom were women.
[Daniel Wesangula]
Redistribution is prohibited
6 National
newlook cabinet
Shinning star
Professionalism, hard work pay off for Waita
The fastest rising man in Gov-
ernment circles in the last two
years is perhaps Nzioka Waita.
When President Uhuru Keny-
atta yesterday nominated Waita,
42, as Chief of Staff and Head of
the Presidential Delivery Unit, he
was rewarding hard work, disci-
pline and professionalism.
It was a resounding vote of
confidence in a man who only two
Security
‘Old hand’
picked to
replace
Joel Kitili
The appointment of Edward
Njoroge Mbugua as the acting
Deputy Inspector General of
Police in charge of the Police Ser-
vice confirms the confidence
President Uhuru Kenyatta has in
him.
He replaces Joel Kitili who also
served as head of Presidential
Escort at one time. That he is
being replaced by Mr Mbugua
who is approaching retirement
age, speaks volumes of the Head
of State’s decison.
The new acting DIG is above 55
years and was to retire had it not
been for the new appointment.
The appointment of acting DCI
Director General George Kinoti,
DIG in charge of Administration
Police Noor Gabow and Mbugua’s
show the President’s attempt to
revamp management of security
in the country.
Mbugua has been described by
those who have worked with him
as a quiet and hard working man.
The former Eastern deputy
Provincial Police Officer also
worked as the Mombasa County
Commander.
“He listens and accepts advice
from all and is always interested
in others people’s opinion,” a col-
league said of Mbugua.
His appointment is expected to
trigger major changes of person-
nel within the Kenya Police Ser-
vice to reflect national balance.
Insiders reveal that Kitili was
replaced to stop alleged favorit-
ism of one community.
On the day he was replaced, he
had attended the inauguration of
Fundisho Police station at the
Kenya Police College, a week
before the pass out parade and
appointed a senior officer as the
deputy commandant of the col-
lege and another from the same
community as the OCS Fundisho
police station to the chagrin of
staff.
Shortly after the announce-
ment, he received information of
his replacement and instructions
to proceed to the Public Service
Commission for redeployment.
[Dominic Wabala]
years ago featured at the bottom
of Safaricom’s list of “directors
and senior leaders.” He was the
director of corporate affairs.
Ever since the UK-trained law-
yer got into public service on
April 2015, his star has been shin-
ing. President Kenyatta first
picked him as the head of Presi-
dential Delivery Unit. Two years
into his appointment he rose to
ACHIEVEMENTS  He headed the Africa desk in New York and stopped the routine weekend robberies at KCB Sarit Centre branch
No-nonsense cop expected
to transform AP operations
He has worked to
establish working police
services in troubled
locations around the
world.
BBy Dominic Wabala
newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke
As he takes over as the act-
ing Deputy Inspector General
(DIG) of Police in charge of
Administration Police, Noor
Yaarow Gabow becomes the
first Kenya Police Service offic-
er to head AP.
The former Senior Assistant
Inspector General of Police’s
appointment will thaw the
relationship between the regu-
lar police and AP who often
clash owing to their different
mandate and training.
Gabow takes over from Sam-
uel Arachi who served in the
defunct provincial administra-
tion in various capacities
before rising to DIG.
The former administrator
seemed to enjoy good relation-
ship with senior officials in the
Office of the President even as
he attempted to detach AP
from the OP bureaucracy.  supposedly been stolen.
A graduate of the UK based
International Academy
Going gets tough
Technocrats fail to sparkle in the game of politicians
When Uhuru Kenyatta and
William Ruto won the presiden-
cy in 2013, one of their first pub-
lic announcements was that they
would largely appoint a Cabinet
of technocrats.
In their first line-up, the only
politicians appointed were Kitui
Governor Charity Ngilu in Lands
and Najib Balala in Mining. Later
in 2015, Devolution CS Mwangi
Kiunjuri, Dan Kazungu of Min-
ing, Charles Keter of Energy and
Water’s Eugene Wamalwa
become the deputy to Head of
Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
And on Friday, the little-known
man from the private sector, was
handed the full mandate to medi-
ate between the staff at State
House and the President. Waita
will work behind the scenes to
mediate disputes, before they are
brought to the President.
He will coordinate the Presi-
Bramsh of the National Police
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Improvement, Gabow is
expected to transform AP into
a more professional outfit.
The senior officer who has
worked to establish working
police services in troubled
locations around the world will
definitely seek to transform
the AP.
“Gabow is a good officer
whose ideas and direction are
likely to transform AP if he
does not encounter resistance
because he comes from a sister
service,” a senior officer who
has worked with him said yes-
terday.  that it would be renewed.
Gabow, who holds a Crimi-
nology degree has come a long
way from 1991 when he joined
KPS as a cadet before rising
through the ranks.
He served as Officer Com-
manding Parklands police sta-
tion where he stopped the rou-
tine weekend robberies at the
Kenya Commercial Bank Sarit
Centre branch in Nairobi.
Concerned by the bank rob-
beries Gabow and his officers
locked up bank staff after one
such incident and recovered
millions of shillings that had
A guard had confessed to
snatching the money bag from
joined.
But most of the technocrats
appear not to have learned the
first rule of the game - that there
are no rules. Some failed to cul-
tivate political patronage which
had landed them there in the
first place.
Some also failed to deliver, or
were deemed by the general
public to have failed.
Phyllis Kandie, the former
East African Affairs, was moved
to the Labour Ministry in the
dent’s official meetings, ensure
smooth functioning of the Presi-
dent’s office, manage, reporting,
performance and delivery by the
Cabinet and key Parastatals of the
Big Four Agenda.
Although he is said to be easily
accessible, he does not tolerate
nonsense. He is ruthless when it
comes to dealing with perfor-
mance-related issues.
Acting Deputy Inspector General of police in charge of Administra-
tion Police Noor Gabow.
the fleeing robbers and threw
it into the bank shortly before
police arrived but the manag-
ers insisted that the thugs had
fled with the loot.
The robberies stopped after
midterm reshuffle. Just like in
her earlier ministry, she has
remained largely out of the lime-
light even as the country has
been engrossed in a series of
workers’ strikes.
Embarrassing
His Sports colleague Hassan
Wario also did not endear him-
self to many. The embarrassing
Rio de Janeiro Olympic fiasco
will take long to forget. Maybe
he is not to blame, but the prom-
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
It is said that he personally led
performance contract negotia-
tions with every Cabinet Secre-
tary and Principal Secretary.
Waita is said to have deep ties
with key individuals in the
national administration and
security dockets, channels he has
used to keep tabs on critical pro-
jects of interest to the President.
[Dominic Omondi]
three of the suspects were pur-
sued and killed in a coffee plan-
tation in Ruaka.
From then on Gabow’s star
shone taking him to deputy
OCPD Gigiri and later OCPD.
ise never came to pass.
Foreign Affairs CS Amina
Mohamed was seen as a darling
of the Jubilee government, and
in fact takes credit for the diplo-
matic lobbying that helped the
Uhuruto cases at the Interna-
tional Criminal Court. But her
goose may have been cooked
when she lost contention for the
African Union chairmanship.
Adan Mohamed, former
renowned banker who has been
the Industrialisation and Enter-
Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita
He proceeded to the UN
where he spent five years first
in a UN Mission in Sierra Leone
and Bosnia before proceeding
to New York to head the Africa
desk.
He returned to work at Vigi-
lance House in the Planning
department before he was in
September 2017 redeployed as
the Commandant Kenya Police
College, Kiganjo where he
served until his appointment
on Friday.
Arachi’s five year tenure at
the helm of AP had come to an
end and there had been hopes
Under his watch, the AP lost
highest number of officers to
bandit attacks while the
infighting between regular
police and AP heightened in
the sharing of transport, and
housing resources and in the
awarding of ranks.  
Arachi at one time lived at
the Coast where he led an
operation to rout out terrorists
after the Mpeketoni attacks in
which many people died.
Arachi’s predecessor and
now State House Comptroller
Kinuthia Mbugua spearheaded
strategic papers that trans-
formed the AP into a profes-
sional service. 
prise Development CS, may have
over seen new investments but
has remained largely behind the
scenes with little or no political
value. The same could be said of
Prof Judi Wakhungu of Environ-
ment and Natural Resources.
Others facing the same fate
are Jacob Kaimenyi of
Lands, Sicily Kariuki of Gender
and Youth Affairs and former
Kenya Seed Company boss Willy
Bett who head the Agriculture
docket. [Wainaina Ndung’u]
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
BOLD MOVE   He once resigned in a huff after he was transferred from CID headquarters to Migori by former police boss Hussein Ali
New DCI boss is a hands-on
man who led hunt for thugs
He is expected to boost
morale and inject
professionalism in the
department 
BBy Dominic Wabala
newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke
The newly appointed acting
Directorate of Criminal Inves-
tigation (DCI) boss George
Kinoti is expected to make
major changes in operations of
the department.
He replaces Muhoro Nde-
gwa whose non-renewable six
year term was to end in Febru-
ary.
“He is more of an operations
man than an office individual
and we believe he will return
the DCI back to its former glory
when the likes of Francis Sang
were in charge. He under-
stands the operations of DCI
because he has worked within
for a long time,” a senior DCI
officer who has worked with
Mr Kinoti said yesterday. Kino-
ti comes in a time when the DCI
has been under scrutiny for
not effectively investigating
and successfully prosecuting
cases.
Mr Muhoro and lawyer
Ahmednasir Abdullahi have
had run-ins over the way
investigations were being con-
ducted into the Tatu City saga.
At one time, the out going
DCI boss had instructed all
investigation officers to sub-
mit land case files to the head-
quarters to be handled only by
a team from the Land Fraud
Unit.
Kinoti is expected to
improve morale and profes-
sionalism in the DCI.
Unlike Muhoro who was
plucked from the Loresho Sen-
ior Police Training College,
Kinoti is a known hands-on
detective who has battled
highway robbers in Kisumu,
Busia, Migori, Isebania among
others before being rede-
ployed to Nairobi as Personal
Assistant to former Director of
Criminal Investigations
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Joseph Kamau.
Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet (right) and acting
Directorate of Criminal Investigation boss George Kinoti at a past
press conference. [File, Standard]
Having worked as a PA to the
Director of CID, Kinoti is
expected to improve the wel-
fare of officers. He came into
the lime light when he led a
team of elite detectives under
the call sign Kanga Squad
which ruthlessly dealt with
criminals who had terrorised
Nairobians.
In 2004, Kinoti led detec-
tives in investigating and final-
newlook cabinet
ly prosecuting the three guards
implicated in the August 11th
and 12th 2004 attack at Nor-
folk Apartments on author
Ngugi Wa Thiongo and his wife
Njeri.
The Ngugis were robbed of a
laptop, a wedding band, three
gold rings and Sh 34,000 dur-
ing the incident in which Njeri
was also sexually abused.
The three suspects namely
Elias Sikuku Wanjala, Peter
Mutati Wafula and Richard
Kayago Maeti were convicted
in 2006 and sentenced to
death.  community.
Kinoti will be remembered
for writing his resignation let-
ter in a huff and attaching a
cheque to it after he was trans-
ferred from CID headquarters
to Migori in what appeared to
be retribution by former Com-
missioner of Police Moham-
med Hussein Ali.
However, Kinoti was
recalled and redeployed to be
in charge of Complaints Sec-
tion.
National 7
New line up
MPs hail
Uhuru on
Cabinet
Kisii leaders have praised Pres-
ident Uhuru Kenyatta for retain-
ing Dr Fred Matiang’i in the
Cabinet.
In the new Cabinet line-up
released on Friday, Matiang’i will
serve as Interior Cabinet Secre-
tary and act as Education CS.
Kitutu Chache South MP
Richard Onyonka, South Mugi-
rango MP Silvanus Osoro, for-
mer Kisii Senator Chris Obure,
former South Mugirango MP
James Magara and Chitago
Borabu MCA Andrew Kimonge
termed the appointment as a
great honour to the Abagusii
The leaders who spoke to the
Sunday Standard yesterday said
that they supported the Presi-
dent’s decision.
“I appreciate the gesture by the
President to have our brother
Matiang’i who has performed
well in the Education Ministry
retained and moved to the Inte-
rior Ministry where he is also
going to perform well,” said Mr
Onyonka. He called on the CS to
carry out reforms in the Police
Service. [Edwin Nyarangi]
Redistribution is prohibited
8 Special report
newlook CABINET
Approval seal    From bursting cartels to lighting up thatched huts, these men have earned their seats at the high table
President’s chosen six and the
dragons they slayed for Jubilee
Out of a Cabinet of 19,
only six men made it
through to round two.
But what did they
differently do to
command such trust
from the appointing
authority?
BBy DANIEL PSIRMOI
dPsirmoi@standardmedia.co.ke
And then they were six.
Six individuals who did
enough to earn enough trust
from the President and get
another chance to serve by his
side while the rest of their col-
leagues fell by the roadside,
losing trust and belief from
their boss.
Individual performance as
well as regional and political
representation seemed to have
largely influenced the decision
by President Uhuru Kenyatta
to retain six men, the only sur-
viving individuals from his
first Cabinet.
No-nonsense
Those who survived Friday’s
onslaught and will continue
serving in the Cabinet include
Fred Matiang’i (Interior),
Charles Keter (Energy), Najib
Balala (Tourism), Henry Rotich
(Treasury), Joe Mucheru (ICT)
and James Macharia (Trans-
port).
Since his appointment to the
Cabinet, the no-nonsense
Matiang’i has hit the news
headlines as the go-to guy for
War on corruption
Uhuru hints at overhaul of anti-graft team
The firing of Directorate of
Criminal Investigations (DCI)
chief Ndegwa Muhoro and the
appointment of the Director of
Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keri-
ako Tobiko to a Cabinet position
has been interpreted by some as
State House’s loss of patience in
the fight against graft.
After spending half of his first
term under pressure from the
public for doing too little to fight
corruption and spiraling crime,
it appears President Uhuru Ken-
yatta finally had it on Friday and
took matters into his own hands.
Apart from Muhoro and
Tobiko, the President also re-
asserted his power in the secu-
rity forces by not only removing
two Deputy Inspector Generals
but also overlooking those next
in line to make new appoint-
ments in the police.
Those overlooked include
Principal Deputy Inspector Gen-
eral King’ori Mwangi and Fred
James Macharia: Charles Keter:
Transport Energy
the powers that be. His stint in
Cabinet has seen him tackle
task after task in his in-tray
with little public complaint.
The performance oriented
man has stepped on many toes
and has often been looked at as
rubbing many the wrong way.
He bulldozed the digital migra-
tion and is credited with burst-
ing cartels within the educa-
tion sector. In him, Uhuru
might have his very own Bwa-
na Dawa. A man who gets in
with a specific brief and exe-
“Individual
performance as
well as regional
and political
representation
seemed to have
largely influenced
the decision by
President Kenyatta
to retain six men.”
Mwei. Also overlooked was GSU
Commandant Stephen Chelimo,
who also serves in the rank of
Senior Deputy IG. Instead, Uhuru
brought in the head of his secu-
rity Edward Mbugua and Kenya
Police Training College Com-
mandant Noor Gabow to assist
IG Joseph Boinnet.
In essence, the President over-
hauled the leadership of Kenya’s
criminal justice and prosecution
system with one stroke of the
pen. Leaders from the Maasai
community hailed the move to
appoint Tobiko.
“He (Tobiko) is well suited to
work in government. He is a long
serving senior government offic-
er,” Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole
Lenku said.
Muhoro and Tobiko were the
engine in the fight against cor-
ruption and serious crimes but
were for the better part of their
terms engaged in turf wars.
Muhoro, whose tenure has been
Najib Balala:
Tourism
cutes it to the letter. Matiang’i
is fast becoming the adminis-
tration’s Poster Boy.
Former Kericho Senator
Charles Keter made it back too.
Under him, another flagship,
albeit chequered Jubilee pro-
ject, the Last Mile Connectivi-
ty, was delivered. The project
has seen the poor connected to
the national grid for minimum
of Sh15,000.
During his tenure, Keter has
been a constant feature on the
side of President Kenyatta and
his Deputy William Ruto as
they light up thatched home-
steads in rural Kenya.
The beginning of Uhuru
aronlangat8@gmail.com
years seemed to play Najib
Balala out of position. The
man, plucked from certain
obscurity after losing out on
the Mombasa senatorial seat
in 2013, was momentarily
appointed as Mining Cabinet
Secretary. As Mining CS, he
oversaw the drafting and pass-
ing of the Mining Bill 2014 that
Former DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro, EACC’s Halakhe Waqo and former
DPP Keriako Tobiko during in a past meeting. [File, Standard]
dogged by controversy, has also
been accused on several occa-
sions of standing in the way of
justice, not to mention his rank
contest with former Deputy
Inspector General Grace Kaindi.
Kaindi was moved from the
Fred Matiang’i:
Interior
sought to ensure equity in
sharing of mineral resources.
Eventually, he was moved to
the Tourism docket, taking to
it like fish to water. Or rather,
like a bird to the skies follow-
ing his skydiving antics. Balala
has played to his strengths
within the industry. His con-
nections from previous stints
in the same ministry have
served him well as he at times
looks like a one man revolu-
tionary waging war against
dwindling tourist numbers.
Youth wave
The Uhuru government has
rode the youth wave ever since
the idea of a coalition between
the President and his deput-
ywas conceived. Key among
their pledges to their youthful
voters was the growth of, and
the adaption of ICT in the day-
to-day running of the govern-
ment. Thus the appointment of
the former Google country
manager Joe Mucheru to head
position when it became appar-
ent the formation of the DCI as a
separate entity in the command
structure of the police and the
merging of the Administration
Police (AP) and regular police
was not working as it ought to
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Joe Mucheru:
ICT
this docket. Mucheru spear-
headed the Digital Literacy
Programme and has seam-
lessly integrated his ministry
with others such as Education.  could trigger President Uhuru
James Macharia has over-
seen the delivery of the gov-
ernment’s most expensive,
debt-financed project, the
Standard Gauge Railway
(SGR). This was one of the few
mega government projects
that have actually been fin-
ished ahead of schedule. If
retained in the Transport
docket, he will again be
charged with overseeing the
completion of the second leg of
the project.
Rotich, previously worked
closely with President Keny-
atta when he was the Minister
of Finance during retired Pres-
ident Mwai Kibaki’s adminis-
tration.
These six men now have the
President’s seal of approval. It
will either embolden them or
get into their heads.
have been.
Nairobi lawyer Ahmednasir
Abdullahi, who has had a run in
with Muhoro, could not hide his
excitement on the move by the
President.
“Uhuru cleans the rot, corrup-
tion and thuggery at CID direc-
torate. Mr President 2018 is a
year to clean Kenya,” he said in a
series of tweets.
National Super Alliance
(NASA) leaning lawyer Nelson
Havi, however, had a different
opinion. “The National Assem-
bly has the perfect opportunity
of ending impunity and corrup-
tion by rejecting the appoint-
ment of Keriako Tobiko as a
Cabinet Secretary and consign-
ing him to oblivion, now that he
has resigned as DPP,” he said.
Tobiko and Muhoro had been
accused by the Opposition of
standing in the way of the fight
against corruption.  Kibaki served the longest (1969–
[Vincent Achuka]
Finance
CS Rotich
defies
Treasury
‘ghosts’
He has retained the plum job.
Neither the Eurobond ghosts nor
the never ending debt debate
Kenyatta to drop National Treas-
ury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rot-
ich from the Cabinet.
While the fate of 13 other men
and women he has worked with
in Kenyatta’s Cabinet hang in bal-
ance, Mr Rotich is free to wake up
on Monday and set the wheels of
economy in motion.
His tenure in office has had the
good, the bad and the ugly side.
But at least, unlike his predeces-
sor in the Finance docket Njeru
Githae, the soft spoken CS spared
Kenyans from “rats-can-be-a-
delicacy-too,” moment. However,
that has meant living on bor-
rowed means.
During Rotich’s stay in office,
Jubilee has come under sharp
focus on the debt level. But he has
stayed put -- always downplaying
the fear that debt levels were hit-
ting dangerous zones.
“I think one of these days we
should organise for an outing on
debt. I will be glad to answer all
your concerns,” he told the press.
Data from the Central Bank of
Kenya (CBK) shows that the gov-
ernment closed last year with
domestic debt at Sh2.22 trillion.
High level trade meetings --
the Global Entrepreneurship
Summit (2015), Tokyo Interna-
tional Conference of Africa’s
Development (2016), sixth Tokyo
International Conference and
10th WTO Ministerial Conference
-- offered him a good opportunity
to sell Kenya to foreign investors.
And even when the President
defied Rotich’s position and that
of CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge
on interest rates, the CS exer-
cised caution while commenting
on the matter.
Rotich is set to overtake his
boss, Kenyatta, on the number of
years a minister has stayed at the
Treasury. He heads into his fifth
year which will see him match
Musalia Mudavadi (1993–1997).
The President served from 2009-
2012.
And if he retains his job till
2022, he will beat the tenure of
Arthur Magugu who served from
1981 to 1988. Former President
1981). [Patrick Alushula]
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Special report 9
No let up   Opposition leaders hold closed-door meeting apparently to lay final touches on the meeting
Raila insists on oath amid
confusion on rally’s venue
Western regional police
commander Moses
Ombati says NASA had
not notified police on
the People’s Assembly
meeting planned for
today.
BBy Sunday Standard Team
iodanga@standardmedia.co.ke
National Super Alliance
(NASA) leader Raila Odinga
has insisted he will take oath of
office, even as it remained
unclear where the inaugural
People’s Assembly meeting
will be held today.
By yesterday, Kakamega
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya
was said to have joined Raila
and other NASA leaders in
Kisumu to put final touches on
the planned meeting.
“They are meeting today
(yesterday) in Kisumu for final
preparations but the venue is
yet to be confirmed,” said the
county head of communica-
tions, Dickson Rayori.
Oparanya could not be
reached for comment but a
check in Kakamega showed no
preparations were being made
for the meeting.
Notify area OCS
Western regional police
commander Moses Ombati
said the law requires anyone
intending to hold such a meet-
ing to notify area OCS.
“I am not sure whether they
have complied with the law but
I should be able to confirm to
you that later,” he said.  could lead to loss of
Local NASA politicians how-
ever said the meeting would go
on as planned.
Speaking to journalists yes-
terday, some businessmen in
Kakamega town said they were
fearing that chaos could erupt
during the meeting and dis-
rupt businesses like was the
Cattle rustling
Six people killed in heavy gunfight at border
Tension is high in Kerio Valley
following the killing of six people
in two bandit attacks on Friday.
A dozen others sustained gun-
shot wounds.
Although security officials put
the number of those killed at
five, hundreds of residents have
fled the border point of Elgeyo
Marakwet and West Pokot coun-
ties at Chesegon in fear of more
attacks and schools in the area
might be closed.
Fierce gunfire lasted until Fri-
day night, with suspicions
abound that the attacks were
Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi, NASA leader Raila Odinga and Busia Senator Amos Wako during the
burial of Prof Callestous Juma of Harvard University at his Budalang’i rural home yesterday. [Chrispen Sechere, Standard]
case with NASA protests dur-
ing the elections. “We are
afraid of pandemonium that
could lead to loss of lives and
property in this town. We urge
NASA leaders to shelve their
plan and focus on uniting Ken-
yans,” said trader Moses
Muchesia.
On Friday night, Raila
held  closed-door talks with
“We are afraid of
pandemonium that
lives and property
in this town. We
urge NASA leaders
to shelve their plan
and focus on uniting
Kenyans.”
Trader Moses Muchesia
carried out meticulously with
sophisticated coordination.
Residents said the raiders divid-
ed themselves into three groups
and attacked with precision
within a short time.
At around midday, heavily
armed suspected Marakwet
raiders in military fatigue
crossed to West Pokot border
and attacked Cheptulel location,
killing four herders before driv-
ing away an estimated 400 ani-
mals.
And in swift retaliation, Pokot
raiders, with the aim of recover-
area governors and MPs at the
Grand Royal Swiss Hotel in
Kisumu in what was said to be
a meeting to finalise the grand
plan to establish the People’s
Assembly and swear in the
opposition chief by end of the
month.
Raila’s security detail
stopped journalists from film-
ing or taking photos of the
leaders at the hotel.
This happened as leaders
streamed into the hotel one by
one. It was Nyamira Governor
John Nyagarama who arrived
first among the governors. He
then joined East African Legis-
lative Assembly member Obu-
ru Oginga who had had already
arrived at the meeting.
By sunset, several leaders
and technocrats had arrived at
the hotel.
It is through the People’s
Assembly that Raila hopes to
ing the stolen cows, attacked
Kapkobil village near Tot trading
centre, killing two people and
injuring four others. They how-
ever did not take any animal.
Accosted
“At about 6pm, the Marakwet
youth drove the cows away
towards Marakwet but were
accosted by a group of attackers
from Baringo County.
“We suspect that the West
Pokot herders sought for rein-
forcement from their Baringo
counterparts,” said Marakwet
aronlangat8@gmail.com
NASA co-principal Musalia
rise to power even after Presi-
dent Uhuru Kenyatta was
sworn into office. Raila and his
deputy Kalonzo Musyoka has
scheduled meetings with del-
egates from 23 counties in the
lead-up to the swearing-in cer-
emony.
Speaking during the burial
of renowned Kenyan scholar
Prof Calestous Juma at Bumina
village in Budalang’i yesterday,
the Opposition chief told sup-
porters to prepare to soldier
on until they “reach Canaan”.
People’s president
He said Kenyans are the
ones piling pressure on him to
accept to be sworn-in as the
people’s president.
“I am telling Kenyans that
our journey to Canaan is on
course and we shall reach
there whether they like it or
not,” he said.
East Assistant County Commis-
sioner Wilson Tangus.
Pokot Central Deputy County
Commissioner Geoffrey Kithinji
said: “The raiders ambushed
herders while grazing their live-
stock at Chesegon village along
the border and indiscriminately
shot at them. Several animals
were killed in the heavy gun-
fight.”
Mr Kithinji said security offic-
ers have been deployed along
the border to help in the recov-
ery of the stolen livestock, which
were taken to Marakwet East
Mudavadi said the alliance
would continue pushing for
electoral justice. Ford Kenya
leader Moses Wetang’ula said
the country was broke and
Controller of Budget Agnes
Odhiambo was now control-
ling a “ghost budget”.
Wetang’ula said NASA
would not allow the idea of
“accept and move on” any-
more. “We shall continue
pushing for electoral justice so
that Kenyans can walk togeth-
er as a people,” he said.
Busia Woman Rep Florence
Mutua, MPs Ayub Savula
(Lugari), Sakwa Bunyasi (Nam-
bale), Otiende Amollo (Rarie-
da), Geoffrey Osotsi (nomi-
nated) and Vihiga Senator
George Khaniri said Prof Juma
deserved state recognition.
[Ignatius Odanga and John
Shilitsa and Kepher Otieno]
Sub-county. Sigor MP Peter
Lochakapong condemned the
attack and asked security teams
to intensify patrols along the
border.
He urged peace committee
members to ensure the animals
are recovered and handed to the
owners.
“We don’t want this vice to
continue along the border since
we recently opened Chesegon
market to help unite the two
communities,” he said.
[Fred Kibor and Issreel Shanzu]
Transition
Catholic
faithful
mourn
bishop
The Catholic church is mourn-
ing the sudden death of Bishop Rt
Rev Emanuel Barbara (pictured
below) of Malindi Diocese in his
sleep last Friday.
News of Bishop Barbara’s
death, who had served in the dio-
cese for about six years reached
the church later in the morning
after he failed to turn up for
morning prayers.
At the St Anthony of Padova
Cathedral church in Malindi
there was a sombre mood as
priests and church members
tried to come to terms with the
sudden departure of their leader.
Both the church and national
flags were raised half way in hon-
our of the late bishop.
Archbishop Martin Kivuva of
the Roman Catholic Archdiocese
of Mombasa said immediately
after receiving news of the death
he called a doctor who confirmed
that indeed the bishop was gone.
He led the church in a mass for
the late bishop that evening
and eulogised him as a dedicated
church leader.
“My sincere condolences to
you all for the loss of our brother,
bishop and friend Emmanuel,’’ he
said.
The archbishop told the church
that he spoke with the departed
last a few days ago, on the eve of
the new year. “I wished him a
happy 2018, the news of his death
is a shock to me,’’ he said.
He said the bishop had not
long ago travelled oversees to
seek specialised medical care,
not knowing that he would soon
go to be with the Lord.
Archbishop Kivuva told the
faithful to be prepared always as
“God can call anyone anytime”.
He said the date and place of the
bishop’s burial will be announced
after the church leadership
makes a decision.
He noted that Kenya has lost
hundreds of lives in road acci-
dents, prompting transport
authorities to ban night travel
and that wananchi should exer-
cise care when using roads.
[Nehemiah Okwemba]
Redistribution is prohibited
10 Special report
LAXITY  NTSA has since gone slow on banning transport Saccos whose vehicles cause accidents, a move that was expected to ensure operators are cautious on the roads
No let up in
bloodbath as
graft blocks
enforcement of
traffic laws
Operators claim they get
away with mandatory
inspection of vehicles
after parting with bribes
By Vincent Achuka
vachuka@standardmedia.co.ke
A traffic police officer was
transferred to Mandera after
stopping a public service vehi-
cle plying the Nairobi-Ongata
Rongai route at the height of a
crack-down on matatus after a
number of them were involved
in accidents.
During a confrontation with
the crew of the matatu owned
by the personal assistant of a
top government official, one of
them slapped the officer before
driving off. Meanwhile, negotia-
tions were ongoing between the
government and Ongata Line
Sacco officials which had been
banned then before it was let
back on the road.
Since then the National
Transport and Safety Authority
(NTSA) went slow on blanket
ban on Saccos. The event
though unrelated to the recent
surge of road carnage, is an
example of how corruption,
politics and lack of enforcement
of laws contribute to deaths on
Kenyan roads.
The results of such politick-
ing with people’s lives is why
PSVs are allowed to break laws
at will as unserviced, unroad-
worthy as well as those carry-
ing excess passengers are
allowed on the roads some on
routes they are not supposed to
ply without question.
The New Year’s Eve accident
at Migaa-Salgaa which killed 38
people after a bus heading to
Nairobi rammed a trailer is just
one of the consequences of how
greed has stood in the way of
enforcing traffic laws.
Survivors of the accident
which involved a bus belonging
to Nairobi Bus Company that
was travelling from Busia said
the vehicle had a problem with
the brakes but was speeding. It
had even been stopped by traf-
fic police officers just five min-
utes before the accident
occurred.
“The bus appeared to have a
problem from the start of the
journey and we thought the
officers who had stopped us
will prevent it from continuing
with the journey but we were
allowed to go,” one of the survi-
vors said from a hospital bed.
As expected the NTSA vowed
to bring sanity back on the
roads while banning night trav-
el for PSVs. Coming at a period
when children are going back to
school, the ripple effects have
been enormous.
On Wednesday night, the
Kenya Red Cross had to step in
and ferry 39 students who were
stranded in Kisumu to Siaya
and Busia after the buses they
were travelling in were ground-
ed in the Lake side town after
being caught up by the time-
lines of the ban.
The National Parents Asso-
ciation chair Nicholas Maiyo
has asked the government to
come up with other ways of
enhancing safety.
“You don’t have to punish
children for mistakes commit-
ted by lack of enforcement of
laws. Yes we care about safety
but there are other ways to do
this,” he says.
Road safety initiatives
Operators are also up in arms
and have demanded for the lift-
ing of the ban.
“That is stooping too low
even for NTSA which already
has a bad record in terms of
safety. There is nowhere in this
world where night travel has
been banned,” Dickson Mbu-
gua, the chair Matatu Welfare
Association (MWA) says.
NTSA is adamant there will
be no rolling back, especially in
the short term.
“It is not in our interest to
curtail businesses but safety is
paramount. And this is not
guess work, it is supported by
data which shows 67 percent of
the fatal accidents happen at
night,” says NTSA director gen-
eral Francis Meja.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
GRIM STATISTICS
Year 2005 2006
Number of vehicles 749,680 819,443 896,573
2007 2008
1,009,438
2009
1, 165,395
2010
1,417,539
Fatalities 2,533 2,715 2,921 3,149 4,032 3,045
“What we are doing is equiv-
alent to when someone is
bleeding. You first stop the
bleeding then look for the real
problem so even if the ban is
lifted it won’t happen in the
short term,” he says. VEHICLES INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS
But as stakeholders engage
in blame game it is becoming Others
clear that it in the current con- Motor Cycle
ditions it is impossible to
inspire attitude change within Unknown
2% 18%
Kenya’s transport system. This
is despite the millions of shil-
lings being poured into road 7%
safety initiatives each year.
Audited accounts from the
Auditor General shows NTSA Commercial
makes billion of shillings each vehicle
aronlangat8@gmail.com
16%
year. Out of this Sh300 million
is from the Ministry of Trans-
port and Sh800 million from
the Kenya Revenue Authority.
However since inception in
2012 the number of fatalities
per year has largely remained
the same.  The final tally for last
year is yet to be released but in
2016 2,945 people died. The PSV
previous year 3,057 people lost Private
their lives on Kenyan roads and
in 2014 2,907 people died.  And 42% 15%
on the year that NTSA was
formed 3,141 people had died.
“The truth is we can do bet-
ter if all players do their roles.
Road safety is a shared respon-
sibility,” says Meja.
“You also need to put into
account that we have more
vehicles on the road now; about distance of not less than 1.7 this is just a formality. Officials at like Kawangare the ‘owners’ first
3 million while NTSA has only metres, emergency doors of a the MVI allegedly ask for bribes operate the vehicle for a number
170 officers,” he says. height of 120mm and 457mm in to let vehicles pass the inspec- of days to ‘test it’ before handing
The web of corruption in the width. tion. it back to the investor.
public transport sector begins They should also have a leg- Brokers too camp outside the Every Sacco management col-
at the point where one joins the room of not less than 660mm, fire MVI offices along Lunga Lunga lects money from each vehicle
industry. The Kenya Bureau of extinguishers, produce engine road in Nairobi where for a fee which is in turn handed over as
Standards (KBS) in 2014 came noise of less than 90 decibels, you are given some of the protection fees to the police. The
up with KS 372 building stand- have first aid kits and their win- required appliances necessary to bleeding of money doesn’t stop
ards that were supposed to dows should have two parts: A pass the inspection like fire extin- there. At all terminuses PSVs pay
regulate how the bodies of PSV section that slides and another guishers and first aid kits. money to touts who help in solic-
vehicles should be constructed that doesn’t – the upper rectan- “It is a cycle. That is how things iting for passengers.
to enhance safety. The body of gular part of the window. The are done here. It is not like they Then there is a ‘squad’ which in
the bus in the Salgaa accident lower part should be fixed. are being done in the darkness,” street lingo means drivers or con-
was ripped apart. All vehicle sketches should be an officer from the authority said. ductors who are not employed by
Among the requirements submitted to NTSA for approval Before getting on the road, the owner of the vehicle but
which were implemented in before assembly begins. And vehicle owners first pay opera- demand to be allowed to operate
May last year is having anti before a vehicle is allowed on the tion fees necessary to join a Sac- it for a short distance and get
rolling bars which help distrib- road, it has to go through the co, then pay route fees to cartels paid. And with owners setting
ute impact in case of an acci- Motor Vehicle Inspection (MVI) who ‘own’ the routes. Joining a daily targets to their crew, it
dent. All PSV vehicles are also unit for approval. However, the Sacco could be anything between means the vehicles have to be
required to have a floor-to-roof Sunday Standard has established Sh50,000 to Sh200,000. In routes driven recklessly in order for eve-
Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard Special report 11

Transport chaos

‘We need to build proper

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 systems that will stand
1,616,745

3,302
1,789,789 2,011,972 2,210,907

3,141 3,218 2,907

2,458,731

3,057
2,701,523

2,945
the test of time’
In the wake of a sudden surge in accidents
which caused deaths of at least 250 in one
month alone, the NTSA has been under fire over
failure to manage the situation. It has also been
accused of reacting in a knee-jerk manner that
does not provide long-term solutions. Vincent
Achuka interviewed Francis Meja, the NTSA
Director General.

Why does NTSA resort to knee-jerk reac-

tions whenever a road accident occurs?
It is not true and I will give you examples. The
body construction standards, new driving
school curriculum and Highway Code. Are these
knee-jerk? Sometimes circumstances dictate
aronlangat8@gmail.com
the direction we take. When we act, we are
accused and when we don’t take action we are
still accused.

Do you think banning night travel by PSVs

will reduce road carnage?
Although we are keen on facilitating people
to conduct business, safety is paramount. Our
analysis is clear, 67 per cent of accidents happen
at night. It is equivalent to someone bleeding.
First you stop the bleeding then look for the real
problem.

But there was a similar ban before. What

informed the decision to lift it?
Yes, there was but I think some of the opera-
tors started abusing the guidelines that were
put in place leading to the lifting of the ban. And
if we were to lift this ban, one of the proposals
is real-time monitoring of speed so that if some- National Transport and Safety Authority Director
Police officers and rescue workers at the scene of an accident that involved 13 vehicles at Sachangwan on one tampers with his gadget we know immedi- General Francis Meja. [File, Standard]
Nakuru - Eldoret highway on December 12, 2017. [File, Standard] ately.

Why buses and not trucks when all of them

ryone to get their share.
“Every Sacco has targets to
meet in order to operate. No one
wants to talk about this because
if you do, your vehicles will
immediately be targeted,” an offi-
cial from a matatu Sacco told us.
“A number of the vehicles you
see on the road have never gone
for inspection. Sacco chairmen
get the stickers for them. This is
not a secret,” said the official.
An accident investigation
report for a matatus plying the
Ongata Rongai route registration
number KCG 784M that rolled on
Langata road last year killing four
people shows it had been cleared
by NTSA just two days before the
accident.
It had been given an all clear
despite details of its speed gover-
nor showing that it was being
used by three other vehicles. The
gadget did not have the required
data. Speed limiters were
launched to have data storage
capabilities. This should enable
the Authority to identify if the
gadget has ever been tampered
with and the number of times a
vehicle has been driven above
speed limit during annual inspec-
tion. So far this has remained a
myth.
“In the current arrangement
you have no mechanism to know
when they tamper with gadgets.
These drivers have switches
which they switch on when they
see officers,” Meja the director
general NTSA defends the
authority.
When NTSA was formed in
2012 its central role was road
safety. With time however the
Authority took over nine func-
tions from the Kenya Revenue
Authority (KRA).
The roles are issuing duplicate
logbooks and driving licences,
transferring motor vehicle own-
ership, licensing of motor vehicle
dealers, besides issuing permits
to drivers and conductors. Other
functions are issuing motor vehi-
cles copy of records and licensing
of driving schools and instruc-
tors.
But while the roles of NTSA
and KRA in road safety were
clearly sorted by the National
Transport and Safety Authority
“The bus appeared
to have a problem
from the start of
the journey and we
thought the officers
who had stopped us
will prevent it from
continuing with the
journey but we were
allowed to go,” Survivor
of accident
Act of 2012, the new body in
charge of road safety found itself
on a collision course with the
Traffic Police department over a
duplicity of functions.
“NTSA should just concentrate
on compliance because when you
go out there for enforcement and
you fall short because of your
numbers people start blaming
you,” he says.
“Remember we only have 170
officers for the entire country and
when people start throwing
blames you ask yourself how this
small number can man over 3
million vehicles,” he argues.
But while bribery and lack of
professionalism has always been
blamed for the accidents efforts
to professionalise transport and
increase safety have all failed.
One such venture that failed
was the introduction of the cash-
less payment system for PSVs.
The idea which NTSA had pro-
jected would eliminate corrup-
tion from the roads by taking
money away from operators fell
flat on its face less after it was
launched in February 2015.
The idea was to disrupt the
cartels that exist in the public
transport sector since operators
would not have money on them.
Removing cash from the system
was also supposed to reduce the
demand for bribes hence improve
the levels of safety on the roads.
are equally to blame for road carnage?
The risk factor in buses is higher because by
their nature they carry passengers. One more
life is important in this country and we can’t take
any more risks.
You talk about tampering with speed limit-
ers like it is something new. In my under-
standing, all PSVs go for inspection every year
and those gadgets store data. Why can’t you
use this data to punish errant drivers?
In the current arrangement, you have no
mechanism to know when they tamper with
gadgets. These drivers have switches which they
switch on when they see officers.
Why has the number of fatalities remained
largely the same since the inception of NTSA
three years ago?
We are not doing well but the fact is in the last
three years, we have seen a drop in fatalities.
Also consider that we have more vehicles on the
roads now. Even in 2017 we had a decline if 1.6
per cent before the festive season. The truth is,
we can do better if all players perform their
roles. Road safety is a shared responsibility.
For example, you don’t need an authority to
tell you to service your vehicle. Even passengers,
when you see a driver speeding, you have the
power to stop him because we cannot have an
officer at every place.
Does the overlapping of NTSA roles with
the police affect operations?
The only reason we went into enforcement is
because we felt that it has a direct effect on the
number of accidents. However, we are starting
to realise that is not the direction we should have
taken. In my opinion, NTSA should concentrate
on compliance. We only have 170 officers and
when you see people blaming us, I ask myself
how this small number can man over 3 million
vehicles.
But in recent years, NTSA has been taking
up more roles from the other agencies instead
of concentrating on road safety. Are you bit-
ing more than you can chew?
That is what it looks like but ideally we have
only been taking up our roles as prescribed by
the Act. We cannot abandon our mandate.
Why have efforts to professionalise the
transport sector and boost safety failed? A
good example is the cashless fare payment
system which would have eliminated bribery
whose ripple effect is deaths.
I am still convinced that the cash lite system
was the best way to go. The problem is vehicle
owners set targets for their crew which they
struggle to meet then pocket the rest of the
money.
Then there were vested interests by compa-
nies that wanted to make money out of the idea.
These two contributed to the failure of what was
an otherwise good idea.
The late Transport Minister John Michuki
showed that it is possible to bring sanity on
our roads. Why has it been difficult to bring
back Kenya’s road safety recorded under
Michuki?
The question is why it was not sustained after
he left the ministry. What we need to do is to
build systems that will outlive the person who is
implementing them. The surest way is behaviour
change. We should spend more effort on teach-
ing drivers on how to change their behaviour
rather than punishing them when they do wrong.
But NTSA has a budget for this. Why are we
not seeing this being implemented instead of
the laws you are coming up with every day?
Yes we do have a budget but is it adequate? No
Redistribution is prohibited
12 National Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Reality check    Ministry ignored concerns of curriculum developer and teachers unions that all players were not ready
How abrasive Matiang’i
lost out on new curriculum
Government officials who
spoke firmly against the
rushed implementation,
citing yawning
unpreparedness were either
intimidated or sacked
BBy Sunday Standard Team
newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke
The failed national roll out of the
new curriculum has left acting Edu-
cation Cabinet Secretary Fred
Matiang’i with egg on his face as it
emerged he ignored stakeholders’
advice.
Sunday Standard has established
that Dr Matiang’i had been advised
on many occasions that the process
was being rushed and that little pro-
gress had been made technically to
make it tenable within the timelines
he had stipulated.
But the CS was determined to
have the plan rolled out. He insisted
on full implementation, noting that
the country was ready for the new
competency based curriculum, and
that the change was for the good of
Kenyan children.
aronlangat8@gmail.com
But even with the plan to kick off brought to the ministry’s attention
the programme well in place, it
emerged that the textbooks to be
used for full implementation of the
curriculum were not ready.
It also became clear that teachers,
a critical group of stakeholders,
were ill prepared, and that parents
were not well appraised on the
changes even as time ticked towards
the January roll-out.
Unprepared teachers
With less than a week to schools
opening, book publishers were not
yet ready and even unsuccessfully
asked for more time to print books
meant for Class One to three under
the new curriculum.
The last batch of teachers were
trained last month, just a few weeks
to the schools opening as teachers
– the implementers – advised that
they were not well trained for the
critical process. Yet the ministry
maintained that the new curriculum
implementation was on course even
as teachers unions asked for more
stakeholder engagement.
Findings of the Kenya Institute of
Curriculum Development (KICD)
mid-term was in fact elaborate that
teachers were generally not pre-
pared for the national roll out. This
concern was on many occasions
“Kenyans are in panic
mood weeks to the
launch of the new
curriculum. This calls
for your office to
play a pivotal role
in ensuring that the
Kenyan child gets a
good curriculum,”
Wilson Sossion, Knut boss
Acting Education CS Fred Matiang’i, KICD boss Sarah Ruto (left), Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion and
Education PS Belio Kipsang during a meeting on Wednesday. [File, Standard]
whenever there was a meeting
regarding the new curriculum.
Sources familiar with the process
said the findings had not improved
much by the end of piloting that
took place across 470 schools. A
total of 32,079 children across 375
schools participated in the pilot
study that also targeted pre-prima-
ry children and those in primary
grade one and two.
The teachers surveyed said the
new curriculum requires longer
time to plan for lessons and that ref-
erence materials were insufficient.
Sunday Standard has learnt that
some government officials who
spoke firmly against the rushed
implementation of the process cit-
ing yawning unpreparedness were
either intimidated or sacked.
Such voices were clear that the
launch of the new curriculum as
scheduled then would collapse and
the process embarrass the state.
Some officers at KICD became vic-
tims in the process.
Hit by the reality, pushed to the
wall and left with no option,
Matiang’i invited officials of then
two teachers unions to a meeting to
seek support before announcing the
launch had aborted.
President Kenyatta, sources said,
acting on the advice of the Educa-
tion minister, had promised the
country that the new curriculum
would take off on Jan 1.
It is also understood that Kenya
National Union of Teachers (Knut)
Secretary General Wilson Sossion
made it clear to Matiang’i that
should the ministry proceed with
the launch, he would go to court to
stop it. In its comprehensive letter
dated December 19 to Matiang’i,
Knut raised several grounds that
informed postponement of the
Key issues that
pushed roll out
Lack of a Sessional Paper
and Curriculum Policy to
guide reform process
Inadequate involvement
of Kenyan expertise and
stakeholders in the reform
process
Ill prepared teachers
Rushed development of
textbooks 
Unsatisfactory piloting
process
national roll out.Among them was
lack of a Sessional Paper and Cur-
riculum Policy to guide the reform
process and the inadequate involve-
ment of Kenyan expertise and stake-
holders in the reform process.
“You must have noticed that Ken-
yans are in panic mood weeks to the
launch of the new curriculum. This
calls for your office to play a pivotal
role in ensuring that the Kenyan
child gets a good curriculum,” reads
the letter signed by Sossion.
Strike threats
The shocking unpreparedness,
fear of a protracted court process,
looming teachers strike and fierce
disagreements among process by
the key implementers may have
informed the pushing forward of the
national roll out. Speaking after
chairing the Curriculum Reform
National Steering Committee meet-
ing early this week at KICD,
Matiang’i still maintained that the
process was still on course.
“Contrary to what some may have
thought, we are on track and all
activities will be executed on sched-
ule in readiness of full implementa-
tion of the curriculum,” he said.
The report on competency-based
curriculum presented to the steer-
ing committee seems to correct the
missteps overlooked by the reform
process and even widens stakehold-
er engagement to include county
governments. The planned national
roll-out has now been pushed to
next year, effectively changing the
timelines as envisaged earlier.
Another 12 months have been set
aside for piloting of the new cur-
riculum across all public and pri-
mary schools, targeting pre-prima-
ry one and two and grade one and
two.
Insiders say the postponement is
seen as a step to save face in a bun-
gled process that embarrassed the
head of state after persistent prom-
ise to Kenyans.
Details show that the actual roll
out will take place  next year  and  University VC Laban Ayiro, whose appointment has
will  be  opened  up to grade four.
This year, only a selected grade
three classes will take part in the
piloting. The roadmap also reveals
that the Sessional paper and Cur-
riculum Policy will now be prepared
and competed by March this year.
MPs will be briefed on curriculum
reforms by March as county govern-
ments get appraised on pre-primary
education during the same period of
time. The proposed new curriculum
will be evaluated by June and a
national conference on whether the
national roll-out will take place or
not is scheduled by September.
Production of printed copies and
distribution to schools will now pro-
ceed till January 26. Teacher train-
ing will be a continuous process
from January to December and the
Kenya National Examination Coun-
cil (Knec) will be required to devel-
op an assessment framework.
Probe
University VC
asks minister
to stop ‘plot’
to sack him
Embattled Masinde Muliro University of Science
and Technology (MMUST) vice chancellor has
reached out to acting Education CS Fred Matiang’i
to save him as he fights to save his job from a council
keen on kicking him out.
Correspondence between Fredrick Otieno and Dr
Matiang’i seen by Sunday Standard shows a vice
chancellor in distress. He has labelled the probe
against him as a witch hunt and is calling for the
intervention of the CS to keep him in office.
In a letter sent to Matiang’i on November 10, the
Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had
called for the suspension of Prof Otieno as investiga-
tions into alleged graft practices concluded. But
instead, the CS ordered the university to convene a
meeting with the VC and EACC to agree on a timeline
for the investigations, conclusions and the steps to
follow.
Prof Otieno, in a follow-up letter on the matter,
accused the council chairman Jeremy Bundi of delib-
erately being cagey on the identity of the EACC
detectives investigating the matter after they insist-
ed a meeting to discuss his conduct was to be held
outside the campus.
“There was no proper communication between
the university and the commission on the said meet-
ing and we relied on the chairman’s direct phone
calls,” he says of the disciplinary meeting.
“When it
became appar-
ent that there “The allegations
was an extreme against me are
delay from the
commission, at false and continue
around midday to remain mere
the council was allegations for
informed by the
chair that the as long as the
a n o n y m o u s commission is unable
officers from to provide proof when
EACC we
expected were
called upon.”
not comfortable
with meeting the full council and they preferred only
a few select members to meet them outside the insti-
tution,” he said, adding that he was ordered out of
the room and the meeting proceeded in his absence.
“I was called back into the meeting two hours
later when it was communicated that I would be sus-
pended or sent on one month’s leave,” he said.
Otieno contended that the manner in which the
meeting was handled confirmed that he was being
unfairly targeted, citing the case of embattled Moi
also been challenged by local leaders.
“It is in the public domain that there is a trend
towards such machinations in our country gravely
interfering with academic freedom. The allegations
against me are false and continue to remain mere
allegations for as long as the commission is unable
to provide proof when called upon,” he said.
Moreover, he is challenging the decision to sus-
pend him, insisting that it was unlawful since he was
not accorded an opportunity to witness or be part of
the proceedings of such a critical meeting.
He insists the EACC has no power to order or
direct for his suspension and pointed a finger at the
university council, which he said was being subordi-
nate to the position of merely implementing their
directive to have me suspended from office.
“The decision was not unanimous since two mem-
bers strongly opposed the move and noted the
unfairness in the way the whole matter was han-
dled,” he said, noting that even the legal officer was
locked out of the meeting.
In response, Matiangi has urged the VC to meet
with the EACC so as to ensure a speedy conclusion
of the matter.
[Allan Mungai]
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard National 13
Keeping up with film maker  His approach was like that of a boy who stumbles upon a guava
Mutua: Illusionist
with penchant for
the camera
When the Machakos
juggernaut started to fall
apart, he blamed his
imaginary and real
enemies. But even then
the governor saw
opportunity for drama.
BBy Daniel Wesangula
dwesangula@standardmedia.co.ke
Machakos Governor Alfred
Mutua has the uncanny gift of
bending facts to suit political
weather. Throughout his public
life, he has worked hard to be
the best illusionist south of the
Sahara.
Keeping up appearances
seems to be the mantra underly-
ing his colourful life.
At his prime as government
spokesperson, his many super-
fluous press briefings seemed
more of an opportunity for the
film maker to see himself in
front of the cameras than for the
public to know and understand
their government.
On one particular day, Mutua
appeared in front of the camer-
as, face shiny as usual, wry
smile and went on a tirade of
denials that left the country
shocked.
The date was July 28, 2011.
Kenya had, for the umpteenth
time, found herself in the
embrace of a devastating
drought. Lives were lost. Aid
appeals had been launched.
Whole communities faced the
threat of being wiped out.
Then from behind the podi-
um, his favourite place in the
world, Mutua looked the world
in the eye and said the govern-
ment had not received any
reports of any Kenyan dying
from hunger.
In Brief
Kisumu.  Concern over
Bilharzia outbreak  bowel. That is when a person falls
Health officials have raised an
alarm over rising cases of
Bilharzia in Nyando. More than
120 people have been diagnosed
with the disease in the last two
weeks at Nyando Sub-County
Hospital alone, said John Alwar of
the Centre for Research
Excellence in Health Systems
Strengthening. “The number of
“The government is however
aware that we have Somali refu-
gees who have died because of
starvation. Some arrived in the
country too malnourished and
could not survive,” he said.
But the theatre of the absurd
from the self-confessed thespi-
an was to properly unfold once
he was elected governor of
Machakos County. Mutua,
aware of the power of the media
in shaping perceptions, hit the
ground running and went on an
unparalleled journey of
razzmatazz.
Machakos, the place to be,
became the preferred launch
pad of virtually every conceiv-
able project. For a moment, a
very brief moment, city dwell-
ers seriously thought about
moving to this up and coming
county with a governor that
seemed to have it all together.
Petro-dollars
First there was the multi-bil-
lion shilling industrial park. The
hook was the promise of free
land. The line was the subsi-
dised taxes and the sinker was
an elaborate ceremony
announcing this grand venture
to the world broadcast on live
television.
Machakos had investors from
the Emirates lining up to pump
their petro-dollars into the
county. Today, the intended site
lies fallow with no hint of devel-
opment.
The antics were just starting
though. With investors taking
the bait, Mutua next went for
the hearts and souls of women
of the county.
For decades, water has been
scarce in this great county that
was historically meant to be
Kenya’s seat of power. Again, in
cases reported per week in
different health facilities is
worrying,” said Prof Alwar. Bilhar-
zia infection spreads quickly in
the flood prone area. Residents
get infected when they come in
contact with contaminated water
while paddling, swimming or
washing. “The worms move
through the blood to the liver and
sick,” said Alwar.
Lack of pit latrines aids the
disease spread. County Director
of Health Dr Dickson Onyango
said Sh15 million will be used in
tackling and prevention of
Bilharzia in the area. A mass
deworming programme targeting
351,173 residents is ongo-
ing. [Mactilda Mbenywe]
This man Mutua
Born in 1970.
Went to Dagoretti High School and the US and
Australia for his undergraduate and post graduate
The first Kenyan official spokesperson and Public
Communication Secretary
During his tenure as government spokesperson, he
dabbled in film and publishing, producing low rate
action television series and running a lifestyle
magazine.​
his do it big or go home mantra,
Mutua once more in the full
glare of cameras, pledged to
supply every household with
piped water.
A flurry of announcements
about sinking of numerous
boreholes and digging of water
pans throughout the county was
to follow.
Six years after the promise,
residents are still looking out of
their windows to see their gov-
ernor ride into their home-
steads in a convoy of sleek vehi-
cles and deliver the promise.
Instead, while launching his
re-election bid at Bomas of Ken-
ya, the Maendeleo Chap Chap
honcho was spotted kicking jer-
rycans shouting to all within ear
shot that there was no place in
modern Kenya for such medie-
val contraptions. He insisted
that people of Machakos have
no use for them as every home
had piped water.
Mutua is a modern man, well
aronlangat8@gmail.com
versed with modern technology.
One morning he woke up and
pitied his people who were still
using hoes to tease out produce
from their farms. This made him
sad. But more importantly
angry. So angry that he decided
to purchase dozens of tractors
Samburu. Allocate
funds for children
rescue, county told  registering new charitable
The rising number of street
children in Samburu County is
raising concern amid the caveat
placed by the government on
registration of new charitable
children institutions. The County
Children Co-ordinator Jane Kabiro
is now asking the county
government to develop a children
protection unit. Ms Kabiro also
wants the county assembly to
allocate funds for children related
cases. “We rescue children from
early marriages and FGM but we
have nowhere to take them,” she
said. The fate of more than 500
orphans and vulnerable children
for the people.
“We have purchased 40
tractors that will plough
farms free of charge. We will
increase the number to 120,”
he said.
Mutua’s approach to respon-
sibilities of his office was like
that of a hungry herds boy who,
while looking after his father’s
goats, suddenly stumbles upon
an unguarded guava planta-
tion.
Momentarily
fo rge tt i n g
that he will
have to deal
with the unpleasant day-after
consequences of the guava
seeds exiting his body.
More drama
When the Machakos jugger-
naut started to fall apart, the
man, naturally, blamed his
imaginary and real enemies. But
even in the blame, Mutua saw
opportunity for drama.
One hot mid-morning in
August 2015, Mutua had invited
leaders from Ukambani to
Machakos People’s park, anoth-
er of his projects. It was clear
when he approached the micro-
phone to address his peers that
his heart was heavy with bur-
living in 11 different institutions in
the county hangs in the balance
den.
He started to talk in a mix of
English and Kamba. Midway
through, his voice started to fal-
ter. And as suddenly as the
storm that comes down from
Mua Hills, the man burst out
into loud sobs. The leaders were
shocked.
He then went on a tear fuelled
plea accusing top ranking politi-
cians from Ukambani of gang-
ing up to destabilise him politi-
cally. The emotion forced the
governor to briefly stop his
speech as Kitui South MP
Rachael Nyamai and her Kilome
counterpart Regina Ndambuki
as their licences are yet to be
renewed. The Department of
Children Services, has stopped
institutions or renew registra-
tion. “Three institutions are
seeking registration while eight
are already due for renewal. We
are not registering or renewing
their registrations,” said Ka-
biro. The department, she said,
is facing challenges on where to
place rescued children. Kabiro said
adoption and kinship should be
encouraged among the Samburu.
The number of street children in
Maralal town has risen tremen-
dously as institutions are said not
to be admitting more. All the 11
institutions in Samburu are
privately owned. [Martin Njiru]
plantation
inter-
vened
to console him by giv-
ing him handkerchiefs to wipe
his tears as the crowd watched
in confusion.
The tears have not slowed the
good governor one bit. Just last
month, he was at it again.
This time playing
Santa Claus
while promis-
ing free higher
education
scholarships to
all of his resi-
dents.
And what would the new year
be without some Santa drama.
In the same week, the doctor
launched a road repair technol-
ogy which applies bitumen and
tarmac on 10 kilometres of road
surface in 10 minutes. He was
also photographed outracing
the machine while timing it.
Sympathetic blogs recorded
this coup de grace as another
‘first for the county,’ maintain-
ing his streak of illusions.
His relationship with infra-
structure projects has been
complicated. But Mutua has
never shied off from publicly
updating their status. 
Mombasa. Illegal
schools put on
notice
Education officials have
warned private schools
operating illegally to register
with the ministry or face
closure. Syvester Wauye, the
Changamwe Sub-county
Quality Assurance and
Standards officer, said all
unregistered private primary
and secondary schools in the
county will be closed. “Some
of these illegal schools use
unscrupulous ways to run
their businesses against the
provisions of the Education
Act,” Wauye said.
[Ernest Ndunda]
Redistribution is prohibited

14 Editorial SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard

Sunday
Standard
The Standard is printed and published by the proprietors, Ag Chief Executive Officer, Orlando Lyomu
THE STANDARD GROUP Editorial Director, Joseph Odindo
Managing Editor, John Bundotich
Newsdesk: 322211 Fax: 2213108 Email: oped@standardmedia.co.ke
Registered at the GPO as a newspaper

Editorials
Manipulative, extractive
Get the Cabinet right for Kenya to leadership clips citizens
strike desired growth trajectory wings and ability to fly
When the cage was opened the

P
resident Uhuru Kenyatta’s part announcement of
his new Cabinet is a breath of fresh air after a sti-
fling, stale political season. The Head of State
Many should use this opportunity to hit the reset button in a
country crying out for a new beginning after a bruising
Kenyans and prolonged electioneering period.
hope
The next names he announces to the nation should
that the espouse values of togetherness, peace and brotherhood
chosen few as envisioned in our national anthem. His first term has
will help been a mixed bag of fortunes and rarely in life do people
drive the get opportunities, such as the one he has got, for do-
overs.
President’s
We strongly urge the President to get his Cabinet
should help build a self-sufficient country that looks
eagerly to the future rather than timidly and fearfully.
This way, the country he inherited from his predeces-
sor Mwai Kibaki will once again have reason to smile
and reason to be optimistic.
Currently, majority of Kenyans feel like the odds have
been highly stacked against them. And that nobody
apart from their God is looking out for them. A properly
constituted, well-balanced Cabinet free of long-known
political wheeler-dealers will go a long way into planting
a hint of a smile on Kenyans’ faces.
Many Kenyans hope that the chosen few will help
drive the President’s vision of a corruption-free, healthi-
parrot at first refused to leave. Rev-
Kethi erend Price then grabbed the parrot
Kilonzo and forcibly threw it to the trees. A
few days later the parrot crawls
back to the homestead. It could not
fly. It could not find a new home. It
could not find food on its own.
Though independent it remained
dependent on its new and cruel for-
eign master. 
Its status post-independence was
far worse off than it was during its
life in a cage.  The parrot went to

vision of a right this time. Being his last term, he has no place play-
corruption
ing politics with the positions at his disposal.
free Kenya. Instead, he should use his power as enshrined in the
Constitution by nominating individuals who will help
him further his dream for a great Kenya. The new team
W aronlangat8@gmail.com
er and more financially stable Kenya. Go forth, Mr Presi-
hen the Price family
dent! Make your last Cabinet count for something. Get
the right people in the right ministries. No pressure moved from the USA to a
though, a mere 45 million Kenyans depend on you for a village called Kilanga in
the Democratic Republic of Congo
fresh start.
they found a parrot named Methu-
selah in their home. The parrot was
kept in a tall metal cage well above
the ground and out of reach of pred-
ators like killer ants and snakes.
The previous caretaker of the
parrot was Brother Fowles. Rever-
end Price was taking over the lead-
ership of the only church in the vil-
lage from Brother Fowles whose
contract was terminated because he
married a village woman.
Unlike Brother Fowles, Reverend
Price made no effort to understand
the Congolese, their environment,
culture, economic activities and
their traditional governance sys-
tem. He openly ridiculed their prac-
tices, insulted the dressing of the
women, condemned polygamy and
disrespected the traditional chief. In
one of his misinformed efforts to
evangelise and change Kilanga, Rev-
erend Price set Methuselah, the par-
rot, free from his cage.
Methuselah, like the Price Family,
is a fictional character in the “Poi-
sonwood Bible,” an international
best seller work of fiction authored
by Barbara Kingsolver. The parrot
symbolises the Democratic Repub-
lic of Congo as seen through the
eyes of Orleanna Price, the Rever-
end’s wife, and her four daughters.
Orleanna and the four girls arrive in
the African village when Congo is
under the colonial authority of Bel-
gium.  Methuselah’s symbolism easily
The parrot is released from its
cage by Reverend Price in the same
period that Congo gains its inde-
pendence from Belgium. After inde-
pendence, Congo’s founding Presi-
live in the latrine. It depended on
insects that crawled on the ground
and food handed over to it by the 4
young girls for its sustenance. Ulti-
mately Methuselah was eaten alive
as it could not use its wings to fly to
safety when the village was
attacked by killer ants.
The author bemoans a nation
“The author bemoans
a nation blessed with
natural resources
but exploited and
laid to waste first
by colonialists and
then by local leaders
acting under the
influence of foreign
powers. She bemoans
leadership swimming
in wealth financed by
taxes ”
blessed with natural resources but
exploited and laid to waste first by
colonialists and then by local lead-
ers acting under the influence of
foreign powers. She bemoans lead-
ership swimming in wealth financed
by taxes and resources forcibly
extracted from destitute citizens.
She bemoans citizens arrested and
imprisoned, and others killed for
attempting to free the country from
toxic leadership.
fits into Kenya’s story. Independ-
ence, the introduction of the multi-
party political system, the ouster of
Kanu, and the Rainbow government
all failed the nation leaving its citi-
zens yearning for more. 

State should do more for cotton farmers

dent, Patrice Lumumba, is assassi-
nated by Joseph Mobutu with the The potential of the 2010 Consti-
assistance of the USA, because he is tution today stands in stark con-
of socialist leaning. Joseph Mobutu trast to a fractured, angry and

C
otton farming was once a lifeline for thousands of
families in Kenya, but the ailing sector is today on
its death-bed. There have been several attempts to
resuscitate it but to no avail, yet what hurts the sector
most is not difficult to cure. Low prices and expensive pes-
ticides have made cotton farming prohibitive. More than
half of cotton ginneries are silent, and the few operating
do so half-heartedly. Memories of the good old days and
the lack of alternative economic activity are perhaps the
only motivating factors for the few remaining farmers. Yet
cotton farming has great potential. It can re-awaken the
country’s manufacturing sector and put thousands of
young people in gainful employment.
Most farmers will tell you that things started going bad
in the early 1990s when the State stopped baby-sitting
state corporations, through what came to be known as
structural adjustment programmes.
Farmers were left on their own. Majority cannot afford
extension services and pesticides, critical for quality cot-
ton harvest. It is in this regard that the government should
stop paying lip service to the industry’s revival. Cotton
farmers should be financed, so as to compete with others
abroad, such as India’s, who are heavily subsidised. The
government should also expedite introduction of BT Cot-
ton seed that is not prone to attack by pests.
Ultimately, we must address the issue of second-hand
clothes that have flooded our market. It is either we
revamp our own textile industry, by manufacturing our
own garments from own cotton, or we continue importing
mitumba and end up employing only a few people.
through decades vandalises the
nation robbing it and its people
Majority blind. The USA turned a blind eye
can’t because it benefited from the coun-
afford try’s natural resources.
The failed independent state of
services Congo is symbolised by the release
of an
of the parrot by Reverend Price. The
extension parrot had been caged for years.
officer and The muscles of its wings had atro-
pesticides. phied because of lack of flying. The
parrot aped and spoke the language
of its masters that it had learnt over
the years.  finclegal@hotmail.com
depressed nation. The only remain-
ing unifying symbol in Kenya is the
tongue. Communities cloister to
protect only those who share a simi-
lar language. 
An exploitative, manipulative and
extractive leadership modeled on
that of the colonialists continues to
clip Kenya’s wings and its ability to
fly.
- Kethi D Kilonzo, is an Advocate of
the High Court of Kenya.
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
Epic shift will
restore sanity
on our roads
W
hen a City
Gathenya Shuttle bus
Njaramba overturned in
the Nairobi CBD early
this week, the late Trans-
port minister John
Michuki must have
turned with rage in his
final resting place. He
must have been furious
that chaos still reign in
the transport sector.
Lives are being lost in a
scale that should not only attract stern action from the
Government,  but heads must also roll. The impunity
displayed on our roads is symptomatic of the lethargy
in our authorities. Ideally, the Government has blood
on its hands now that nearly 200 lives were lost in
December alone. These victims were breadwinners for
their families and young promising people whose con-
tribution to nation-building has been needlessly end-
ed.
Now that Transport Cabinet Secretary James Mach-
aria has been retained, he must oversee an epic shift in
the passenger transport sector to restore sanity on our
roads. He must have that fire in the belly and face the
cabal of killers masquerading as matatu owners or
operators. It must not be business as usual for him, the
Government and Kenyans themselves. When the
famous Michuki Rules were introduced, many Kenyans
backed them and even walked to work, until all the
Passenger Service Vehicles (PSVs) complied.
Not many people believed that matatus could have
safety belts, working speed governors and carry only
seated passengers. Within a few weeks, all PSVs had all
these specs and the crew were smartly dressed. Order
and absence of shouting at bus stages was a relief to
millions of Kenyans who depend on PSVs for trans-
port. Today, we are worse than before Michuki laid
down the rules. The retrogression from order and dis-
cipline has been phenomenal.
Can Mr Macharia rally the required goodwill? Does
he have the mettle to change the sector and assure
Kenyans of their safety on the roads? Does he have the
vision and the drive? Can he inspire the mighty and
the lowly towards restoring sanity on our roads? Obvi-
ously, he will need political goodwill all the way from
the Head of State to the common man on the street.
For far too long, public transport has been dominat-
ed by cartels that have low regard for human life. Profit
is their motivating factor. Any charlatan who can raise
a few hundred thousands of shillings can buy any con-
traption and put it on the road as a PSV. The owner
then looks for anyone who can hold the steering wheel
and another who can menacingly demand bus fare and
the venture gets started. That is how Kenya has left
millions of Kenyans at the mercy of PSVs. It is as unfor-
tunate as it can get. That is why you need to say a little
prayer every time you board a matatu.
With the unequivocal backing from the Head of
State, Macharia must dismantle the cartels in the PSV
sector. The Head of State will no longer need political
support from disorganised groupings such as the
matatu owners and operators and they must toe the
line. For a start, all buses must be built properly with
all safety concerns taken care of. The idea of forming
Saccos was a step in the right direction and it must
now be made better. They must be made fewer with
strict rules of engagement. Those that flout traffic
rules must be punished heavily.
Macharia and the Saccos should also explore ways
of having a workable cashless system of paying fares.
This was mooted in the past and it is time to imple-
ment it. This will curb the rush among PSV crew to
make more money while disregarding traffic rules.
Eventually, the crew will be salaried employees in a
well-structured system. It has been done in countries
such as Rwanda and it can be replicated here.  or at least pretend to do so.
Finally, we must review all our road designs includ-
ing bumps, markings, rails and lighting. Do they
enhance road safety? Do they facilitate faster move-
ment? Still, the National Transport and Safety Author-
ity (NTSA) must be disbanded if it cannot get out of its
deep slumber. Erecting a few targeted road blocks at
night to administer acloblow is not the only thing Ken-
yans crave from NTSA.
-The writer is Revise Editor at The Standard, Weekend
Editions. gnjaramba@standardmedia.co.ke
Irungu
Houghton
S
eventy years ago, world lead-
ers gathered in Paris to
declare never again to the
violent atrocities seen in Nazi Ger-
many. Facing their own gulags, sub-
jects of the British Empire met to
make a similar declaration in Nairo-
bi. Under the leadership of the Ken-
ya African Union, they called for an
end to the white settler colonialism.
They also demanded their right to
vote, politically participate and to
be free from discrimination and
persecution. As the world cele-
brates the 70th anniversary of the
signing of the United Nations Uni-
versal Declaration of Human
Rights, it is clear both conversa-
tions transformed the world and
Kenya.
Attending 83-year-old Roseline
Kahumbu’s funeral this week, I was
struck by the relationship between
global events and the lives and
choices individuals make. Born into
a rural English family in the 1930s,
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT  The electoral season was rendered as a contest of tribes as supporters rallied behind leaders
We must free ourselves from
the divisive “political tribe”
Makau
Mutua
A
nno Domini 2017 was
annus horribilis – the year
from hell.  It’s a year I
would like to forget. But that’s
impossible because 2017 is now
part of our zeitgeist. We shouldn’t
forget history, even if we could.
That’s because history is always
our best teacher. Today, I will focus
on what we learnt in 2017 so that
we can stop digging since we are in
a hole – more like a cavern. But
before I do so, let me remind eve-
ryone that each one of us “owns”
herself, or himself. No one – abso-
lutely no one – owns you. Not your
mom or dad, your spouse, tribe, or
the state – nada. Think for yourself,
My crystal ball took a sabbatical
in 2017. But I have brought it back
from recess. But before I propheti-
cally peer into it, let me tell you
what 2017 taught us. First, we
learnt in 2017 that we hate each
other. There’s no doubt that Ken-
yans hate each other with a deep
venom. This hatred isn’t concre-
tised to a particular person. It’s an
Let’s safeguard gains in human rights
she married the London based Ken-
yan student John Kahumbu three
years before Kenya’s Independence.
The interracial couple and their chil-
dren faced racism both in Britain and
upon their return, in Kenya. “Roz”
consistently made independent and
radical choices that startled most of
her peers for the next fifty years of
her life.
Like many of her generation who
have recently departed or now in
their sunset years like the late union-
ist J D Akumu and artist Terry Hirst
or writer Amma Ata Aidoo and activ-
ist Zarina Patel, they crossed huge
geographical and cultural borders to
raise their families and transform
Kenya and Africa. They felt and act-
ed on the impulse that some rules
needed to be intentionally broken
for society to breathe. Their lives
leave us important lessons. Lives
forged in uncertainty and risk tell
the best stories. Also, that in the
presence of injustice and discrimina-
tion, cohesive, compassionate and
caring societies have always been
created by rebels.  with establishing new national min-
The lives they wanted are now
enshrined in the Universal Declara-
tion of Human Rights, Chapter Four
and the Bill of Rights of our Consti-
tution. This year marks a global cele-
bration and reflection of our pro-
gress. Rising global levels of extrem-
aronlangat8@gmail.com
abstract hate directed at identity.
The Kikuyu “hate” the Luo and vice
versa. Most Kenyan ethnic groups
“hate” the duopoly of the Kikuyu
and the Kalenjin. But when this
hate is concretized and particular-
ised, the hater realises that she
doesn’t hate the particular Kamba,
Luhya, Kisii, or Somali person. In
fact, all Kenyans have friends
across tribes.
Many Kenyans have married, or
date, across the tribal divide. Take
me for example.  I have in-laws and
blood relatives across many eth-
nicities, even countries. I am not
unique. Yet, we “hate” those of
“the other” tribe. We need to inter-
rogate this hate.  We learnt in 2017
that this hate isn’t individualised –
it’s politicised, engineered, and
manufactured “hate.” The worst
manifestation of this hate was dur-
ing the 2017 electoral season. The
elections were rendered as a con-
test of tribes. If Jubilee’s duo of
Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto
won the election, then the Kikuyu
and the Kalenjin would be the
“winners.” Likewise, if NASA’s
Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka
won, the Kikuyu and Kalenjin
would be the “losers.”
As it turned out, Kenyatta and
Ruto “won” and with them the
Kikuyu and the Kalenjin. Similarly,
the larger coalition of ethnic
groups in NASA – anchored by the
Kamba, Luo, Kisii, Luhya, and vir-
tually the entire coastal Bantu –
“lost.” These two ethnic blocs are
now locked in a deep “tribal”
ism, hate-speech, neglect and vio-
lence may suggest that the Declara-
tion is no longer relevant. To think
this, would be to overlook even very
recent achievements. Populations
are eating better, poverty levels are
dropping and the gender gap is nar-
rowing. The right to health inched
closer with new vaccines for cholera
and decreases in deaths caused by
Aids, cancer, diarrhea and respirato-
ry diseases in 2017.  tration is a recipe for another five
As Kenyans, we have come so far it
would take an astrologist to measure
the cosmic distance we have covered
since 1948. That our country has
become more open, active and free
did not happen by chance. Independ-
ence movements, countless civic
organisations like the Green Belt
Movement, Kituo cha Sheria, Fida
and Kenyan Human Rights Commis-
sion as well as new institutions like
the Kenya National Commission on
Human Rights and the National Gay
and Lesbian Human Rights Commis-
sion have blazed the way.
As the Jubilee regime grapples
istries this week, it could expand a
page from the Ministry of Justice
and Constitutional Affairs under the
previous Narc Government. The new
Cabinet needs to be more delibera-
tive and intentional how it wants to
collaborate with womens’ organisa-
hatred. The NASA side is deeply
aggrieved while that of Jubilee is
gloating, if nervously. We need to
deconstruct this ethnic “hate.”
British colonial rule either invent-
ed tribes, or manufactured tribal
hatred in a divide-and-conquer
strategy. Within tribes, they
deployed Lord Lugard’s tactic of
indirect rule pitting brother
against sister. Rather than disman-
tle the norms and structures of
this psychosis, the Kenyan post-
colonial state has instead deep-
ened them.
The second thing we learnt in
2017 is that Kenya is a nation of
fools. The political class fooled
Kenyans not once, but serially and
repeatedly. And every time, Ken-
yans took the bait and swallowed
the damn thing whole. They say
fool me once, shame on you; but
fool me twice, shame on me. This is
a painful conclusion for me to
reach because I am a Kenyaphile.
But I am handsomely paid to think,
and would be a fool if I didn’t. The
political class treats Kenyans like
herds of cattle. And like herds of
cattle, Kenyans are willingly driven
to drink from the river of hate.
Look at social media – the stupidi-
ty and foolishness there defy
description.
Third, Kenyans love their “lead-
ers” more than they love them-
selves. Look around – widespread
hunger, a murderous police force,
insatiable looting of the public
purse, the most pathetic infra-
structure, a rotten heath system, a
Opinion 15
tions, trade unions, NGOs, commu-
nity and ward associations and
opposition parties.
Jubilee must accelerate public
participation standards and assign
it a core ministry. As our neigh-
bouring Ethiopia discovered this
week, a more open and responsive
state has always been a more resil-
ient way of governing. Leaving this
as a blind spot in the new adminis-
years of unproductive fire-fighting
by reactive hardliners.
Housing, food, health and jobs
are also core economic and social
rights. Framing them as only pillars
and mega-projects sucks from them
their real promise to us as a coun-
try. The Cabinet needs to go beyond
media sound-bites, demonstrate
clear strategies for eliminating cor-
ruption and how these mega-pro-
jects will benefit people not just pri-
vate business.  
There is much we can be thankful
for since that global meeting in
1948. It doesn’t matter whether we
are personally affected by human
rights, dignity and unjust violations
or not. We all owe it to Rosaline
Kahumbu, her sunset generation
and those making the same choices
today to continue this cause. 
- Mr Houghton writes in a personal
capacity. @irunguhoughton
joke of an educational system – the
list of man-made national disas-
ters stretches from Lake Victoria
to the Indian Ocean. But Kenyans
viciously defend this political
class. Every time I criticise Jubilee,
a ton of bricks is aimed at my head
by the Kikuyu and Kalenjin. Many
of those attacking me can’t even
write a coherent sentence in Eng-
lish. Most are dirt poor. But they
will defend to the death their
“leaders.” This false consciousness
– the pedagogy of the oppressed –
is our bane. Kenyans are politically
deformed and ideologically stunt-
ed.
Finally, let me gaze into my crys-
tal ball. Only the people can free
themselves from what the late Bob
Marley dubbed mental slavery. But
the people must first free them-
selves from their “leaders.” That
won’t happen unless Kenyans
unshackle themselves from the
“political tribe.” That’s why I’ve
always refused to politically iden-
tify myself with the Kamba. I
refuse to be a Kamba for political
purposes. My crystal ball tells me
we can free Kenya if you join me.
- Prof Makau Mutua is SUNY Dis-
tinguished Professor at SUNY Buf-
falo Law School and Chair of
KHRC.  @makaumutua
S
Read more about this
story at
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Redistribution is prohibited
16 Opinion Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Support
Parliament’s
bid to fight
misrule
Godfrey
Osotsi
F
irst, allow me to wish all Kenyans a happy
and prosperous 2018 hoping that the year
will offer us a wide range of opportunities to
progress as a nation and realise our potential. This
year we should press the agenda of: “Justice be our
shield and defender” as powerfully prescribed in
our national anthem. The need to mainstream this
agenda has never been as important as it is now
due to the sorry state of our nationhood brought
about by governance, integration and rule of law
challenges. All Kenyans are called to join hands in
confronting challenges that have returned the
country to the brink once more.
As a member of the National Assembly and a
patriot, I am concerned about the sorry state of
affairs. That is why I joined Parliament’s imple-
mentation committee which is meant to pursue,
review all decisions of the House and push for fol-
low up and full implementation of all decisions,
resolutions and laws passed by the august House.
This time around Parliament is eager to shed off
the unfortunate tag of a “mere talking shop” that
has been erroneously smeared on it mainly due to
failure by relevant organs of the state to act on
some of its key resolutions and edicts.
Part of the problems afflicting this country like
social, political and ethnic conflicts emanate from
circumvention of constitutional provisions, and
by-passing resolutions of Parliament and other
critical arms of the government. It is my hope that
this important House committee, where I have
been elected Vice-Chairman, will be fully support-
ed by the public and other governance stakehold-
ers as we embark on this course.
To start with, most of our top political and eth-
nic challenges are direct results of the Executive
failing to implement key guiding principles of the
Constitution and statutes passed by Parliament.
The bad governance practices that have sharply
divided the country including election rigging,
skewed hiring of senior state officials, deliberate
imbalances in staffing in public departments, trib-
alism in the Executive among others are ills that if
we push for strict adherence to the laws and reso-
lutions of the House touching on these vices we
will end the raging bitterness in the country.
Going alongside these are failure by government
to implement key reports like the Justice Johann
Kriegler report on Electoral Reforms, the Truth
Justice and Reconciliation Committee report.
I am sure we will also focus on resolutions by
other House committees which over the years
have investigated serious cases of fraud. Unfortu-
nately most of their recommendations have not
been implemented at all while those indicted have
been merely suspended, transferred or even pro-
moted to the chagrin of Kenyans.
Matters from Parliament that have been
neglected are many. Pushing for their handling
won’t be a walk in the pack. But we will strive to
engage everybody to give this committee the nec-
essary teeth to bite. I therefore see 2018 opening a
new chapter in the pursuit of Justice and fairness,
two national principles around which our decades
old political gerrymandering around them has
caused us pain and regrets. It will be important for
wananchi to support us and protect the constitu-
tional provisions anchoring this project.
- The writer is a Nominated MP
Kamau
Wairuri
W
elcome to 2018, a year
that promises as much as
it frightens. Our political
inclinations notwithstanding, we all
hope this year will be better than
2017. However, much unlike other
years, the optimism that greets a
new year is this time tempered by
grim realities that continue to
plague us ranging from the seem-
ingly unending crisis of road acci-
dents, political uncertainty and eco-
nomic difficulties.
As the beginning of President
Kenyatta’s legacy term, the year
nonetheless presents an important
point in history on which many key
issues that will shape the next five
years will be anchored. I want to
highlight the five key issues that I
believe will shape our reality in the
coming five years.
Constitutional Review
The question of how soon is too
NEW BEGINNINGS   We should not allow the baggage of yesterday to contaminate the blessings of tomorrow
Let’s strive to make amends
in our language and attitudes
David
Oginde
O
ne of the greatest bless-
ings of a New Year is the
opportunity it affords
every one of us for a fresh start.
Indeed, many look to the begin-
ning of a new year to make reso-
lutions on matters they want to
change or accomplish. And, is it
not great that God in His divine
wisdom did not give us one long
stretch of life? Imagine if your
whole life was one single mara-
thon of, say, even just fifty years
non-stop. How tiring that would
be. But thank God, our lives come
in manageable pieces. One sec-
ond gives way to another, until
they form a minute. A minute
hands over to another in a dili-
gent determination to make an
hour. The hours struggle slowly
into a day, and the days circle
seven times into a week. And so,
the cycle goes until the months
complete their twelve-lap race,
handing it over to the year. Then
it starts all over again.
What is amazing is that, each
What will dominate Uhuru’s legacy
soon to review our 2010 Constitu-
tion has lingered in many a head for
a while. The failed Okoa Kenya ref-
erendum attempt by the opposition
presented a harbinger of things to
come while the highly dramatic
2017 electoral period has provided
evidence – and an entry point for
the reforms conversation to begin.
Of course, it seems the interests of
those in government and the oppo-
sition are different but ultimately,
they will coincide on the structure
of government, the governance
aspect that anchors elite consensus.
The focus of the conversation will
be on increasing the size of the
executive to make negotiations easi-
er, especially as 2022 dynamics gain
shape.
National Census
Every ten years, Kenya conducts a
national census. The next one is
scheduled to be conducted in 2019
and once again, the trope that ‘Ken-
yans just can’t count’ is likely to
make it to national discourse again.
Many will recall that the release of
the 2009 census report was delayed
as the growth of some populations
was queried. Following the highly
intense 2017 electoral period, the
census is likely to be a politically
sensitive issue. Most notably
of these transitions in time,
affords every one of us an oppor-
tunity to stop, review, and restart
our lives if need be. Thus, a split-
second pause in a conversation
can make the difference between
destroying or building a relation-
ship. A one-minute gap in time
could seal or break a business
deal. Likewise, a one-hour break
from your desk could be all you
need to rejuvenate your body and
refresh your mind for a more pro-
ductive work session. Not to
mention the blessed routine of a
monthly pay check for the sala-
ried.
Apart from the benefits of
these time capsules, it is said that
routines of time are also a great
booster to creativity. Belle Beth
Cooper, an iOS developer, advises
that, rather than sitting around
waiting for inspiration to show
up, successful creative people use
routines to wrangle their creative
skills. They get up at the same
time, and in most cases sit at
“But, what a blessed
surprise it was to
see how Dr Fred
Matiang’i handled
the high octane
bash by the teaching
fraternity against
the roll out of
the new education
curriculum in
schools”
because it has significant implica-
tions on allocation of resources and
the shape of political boundaries.
Constituency Boundaries
Review
We will be due to review constitu-
ency boundaries in 2020/2021
before heading to the 2022 election.
The intensity of the debate of
boundaries review is expected to be
more intense – by orders of magni-
tude - than what we experienced in
2010. While the previous bounda-
ries review effort, conducted by the
Ligale-led Interim Boundaries
Review Commission was political,
there seems to have been a consen-
sus by the political class to protect
small constituencies created during
the Kanu era. Many of these will be
more difficult to defend this time
around. As such, Kenya’s political
map is likely to shift significantly.
What’s more? The responsibility for
boundaries review now falls with
the IEBC whose credibility has been
put to test by the 2017 polls drama.
The Big Four
President Kenyatta’s deliberate
choice to focus on the Big Four
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Agenda – Healthcare, Food Security,
Housing and Manufacturing – indi-
cates that his regime has over the
five years gained knowledge about
their desk or stand in their studio
at the same time every day.
Thus, according to Belle, rou-
tines of time offer the brain
opportunities for creativity with-
out being taxed. And God has giv-
en us many routines of time –
seconds, minutes, days…years –
to release our creative juices
afresh each time! This means if I
did not like what happened yes-
terday, I can go to bed with the
prospect that tomorrow will be a
better day. If last month was ter-
rible, I have another chance this
month to try again. If I hit my fin-
ger a second ago, I immediately
become creative in my hammer
handling skills, and should not hit
it again the next second! It’s the
blessing of a “second” chance.
As Kenyans, if there is an area
that all of us should endeavor to
make some amends, it is in our
language and attitudes. The epi-
thets we and our leaders throw at
each other in public – waah! It is
even worse in the social media.
With a shoot to kill intent, elec-
tronic arrows and digital missiles
are hurled at anybody who dares
express their minds on any issue,
no matter how trivial. Though
this has been hailed in some
quarters as freedom of expres-
sion, such foul language and toxic
attitudes can only serve to cor-
rode our national fabric.
It is a known fact that language
and attitudes are key ingredients
for culture formation. If we there-
fore persistently and consistently
governance that seems obvious to
observers and completely invisible
to the leaders. The trick, as I have
argued before here, is to focus on a
few things. It is better to succeed at
a few things than to have attempted
many things. As the third Medium
Term Plan is launched later this
year, the shape it takes will signal
whether there is indeed a commit-
ment to the Big Four.
Political Alliances
Finally, the two major political
alliances are likely to see major rea-
lignments. Excluding Mwai Kibaki
who has since retired, Kenyan poli-
tics have revolved around five men:
Uhuru Kenyatta, William Ruto, Raila
Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka and
Musalia Mudavadi since 2007. With
the certain exit of Kenyatta and
probable exit of Raila (he could still
run) in 2022, the top tier narrows to
three. It is unlikely that Jubilee and
NASA will last in their present form.
Further, there are leaders putting
up a fight to gain a seat at the top
including governors serving their
final term. This will be something to
watch.
- The writer is a PhD Candidate in
African Studies at the University of
Edinburgh.
Kamau.wairuri@outlook.com
use and tolerate negativity, we
will soon become a nation of
insolents. When children grow up
in such a culturally toxic environ-
ment, their spirits and attitudes
will be so distorted as to make
them less than human. The con-
sequences can be dire.
But, what a blessed surprise it
was to see how Dr Fred Matiangi
handled the high octane bash by
the teaching fraternity against
the roll out of the new education
curriculum in schools. After a
roundtable stakeholder conver-
sation, the fire breathing Knut
boss, Wilson Sossion, became the
greatest ally and advocate for the
programme – a live testament to
what face-to-face conversations
can do.
That is why as the new year
rolls out, it must stir in us hope
and excitement for a new begin-
ning. No matter what the previ-
ous year may have offered, a new
dawn is upon us with marvelous
opportunities to do things differ-
ently. We therefore cannot allow
the baggage of yesterday to con-
taminate the blessings of tomor-
row. Instead, let us lay aside eve-
ry weight, and the sin which so
easily entangles, and let us run
with patience the race set before
us through this annual routine of
time – the New Year.
- The writer is the Presiding Bish-
op of Christ is the Answer Minis-
tries (CITAM).
doginde@gmail.com
 Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
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Quotes on new year
Quality   The economy benefits from a thriving education sector
Melody Beattie: The new year
Move to roll out the new
stands before us, like a chapter in
a book, waiting to be written. We
can help write that story by
education system welcome
setting goals.
Melody Beattie: Make New
Year’s goals. Dig within and
discover what you would like to The move by the Ministry of Educa-
have happen in your life this year. tion to change tack in the implementation  aronlangat8@gmail.com
This helps you do your part. It is of the new education system from a ‘big
bang’ to a ‘phased’ approach is much wel-
come by various stakeholders in the edu-
cation sector. Staggering the implementa-
tion of the new curriculum should address
concerns that all stakeholders in the
industry were not fully prepared. The
phased approach will also allow adequate
preparation in terms of funding, tools
acquisition and most importantly, acquisi-
tion of appropriate skills by teachers. The
education sector has the highest concen-
tration of stakeholders from millions
an affirmation that you are of students, teachers and parents/guardi-
interested in fully living life in the ans to end users/sponsors such as employ-
year to come. ers and the government. It is correct to
state that sectors such as economic, agri-
Kiana Tom: My personal goals culture and health are the biggest benefi-
ciaries of a healthy and thriving education
are to be happy, healthy and to
be surrounded by loved ones. sector. Education has the longest and
highest impact on our lives influencing
Ruben Studdard: I am not in careers, livelihood, knowledge and even
the best shape, but I want to determining how creative we are in solv-
prove to myself I can do ing our problems. However, it is unfortu-
something that seems insur- nate when important education issues
mountable and inspire others by such as free education, text book supplies,
showing them no matter where staff deployment and even exam manage-
they are in their fitness goals, ment become  emotive, delicate and politi-
they can do it, too. cal issues when they should be intricately
woven into the system. It is important that
the teachers unions rally support to the
new system to ease its implementation;
Events in history without support of teachers, the new will
be a hard nut to crack. Given the high con-
January  7 centration of stakeholders also means that
the Ministry of Education should expect to
754: Pope Stefanus II arrives face high resistance to change. For exam-
in Ponthion                                                              ple, the implementation of the new exam
format that has seen reduction in exam
1325: Afonso IV succeeds irregularities was not met with applause
Dionysius as King of Portugal                                            but uproar and criticism. The ministry
should embark on giving timely informa-
1558: Calais, last English tion and assurances on the system roll out
possession in France, retaken by to allay any fears and resistance to change.
French                             Education issues require continuous
engagement and issues cannot be changed
1566: Antonio “Michele” through simply pressing a button. One of
Ghislieri is elected Pope Pius V                                        the advantages of rolling out the new cur-
riculum in stages is not only to allow
1579: England signs an stakeholders to understand how the pro-
offensive & defensive alliance posed system works but also to be psycho-
with Netherlands                    logically prepared. The decision to expand
and extend the piloting stage will also ena-
1584: Last day of the Julian ble the education sector mandarins to
calendar in Bohemia & Holy anticipate and overcome challenges that
Roman empire                   may arise in the new system. The fact that
the current 8-4-4 system will run parallel
1598: Boris Godunov seizes to the new curriculum does not mean that
Russian throne on death of issues relating to 8-4-4 take a back seat.
Feodor I                            The government should continue to
improve on the remaining segments of the
1601: Robert, Earl of Essex, system so that by the time it is fully
leads revolt in London against phased out in 2026, there are no differenc-
Queen Elizabeth            es in quality between students taught
under the new curriculum and the old sys-
tem.  Joe Musyoki, Kitengela
Enlighten parents on
their school roles
1608: Fire destroys James-
town, Virginia                                                                                               social impact report of the pro-
Comment online Send an SMS
www.standardmedia.co 20260
Last week, parents of St Anne’s Kalu-
ni Secondary School in Ikolomani stormed
the school to demand urgent removal of
the school principal.  The disappointed and
enraged parents were decrying the
school’s poor performance in the just end-
ed KCSE exams, and attributed poor man-
agement to it. That parents can walk to a
school with the intention of administering
the law by themselves is a primitive and
retrogressive way of handling educational
performance gaps and challenges. Angry
parents manhandling school administra-
tion offer no solution to tackling loopholes
but just cause further strife for teachers
and remaining students.
The move, which is becoming part of a
blame game in the education sector if not
carefully managed will demotivate and
create bad blood with the teaching frater-
nity and disrupt learning process in subse-
quent years in a number of schools if not
put into check. I urge parents to strictly
adhere to the rule of law  and beware that
success in education encompasses team-
work by all stakeholders; including heads
of staff, parents, support staff and disci-
plined and attentive learners. Push-
ing school heads out of school is definitely
not the way to go - then again there must
be other ways to handle under-performing
teachers and their heads. That said, par-
ents should encourage and support their
school-going children, both at home and in
school as this is critical to their performan
ce.
Parents play a vital role in their young
one’s education and providing a support-
ive environment is one of them. A growing
body of research shows that building
effective partnerships between parents,
families and schools to support children’s
learning leads to improved learning. Par-
ents should be enlightened on their role
and forward all their educational griev-
ances to area education officials for amica-
ble solutions.  Yabesh Onwong’a, Via
Email
Reader’s dialogue 17
Dialogue
Send a tweet Comment on FB
@standardkenya www. facebook.com/standardmedia
Letters.
Isolate cane development from
politics of privatisation
Stakeholders in the sugar
sector have their eyes
focused on privatisation,  which
is slated for August 2018. The
Directorate has been releasing
statistics  which show a massive
drop in production but does not
come up with remedial meas-
ures. The song about reinstate-
ment of Sugar Development
Levy is losing melody. What
happens if the Levy is not
restored? County Governments
must come up with alternatives
- after all this was not money
generated by Treasury but a
pool built by farmers and mill-
ers. You cannot talk of moderni-
sation and expansion without
addressing cane availability;
SGR: Compensate Kedong
residents to avert crisis
The second phase of the
Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is
snaking  its way towards Naiva-
sha. This is commendable only
that there is a looming crisis. On
this second leg, unlike the first
one, there seems to be no com-
pensation extended to land
owners. The pastoralist commu-
nity in Kedong Ranch and
Namuncha are the most affect-
ed. Residents are surprised to
see Chinese folks doing rounds
in the area and cutting through
their land without any compen-
sation. Community/stakeholder
engagement here has been
pathetic. Kenya Railways must
take note that the community is
displeased by the casual manner
in which they are being treated.
The iron rail is disrupting liveli-
hoods. Villages have been dis-
connected; dust engulfs homes,
access roads and pathways
blocked and pits dug by the rail-
way constructors pose grave
danger to people and livestock.
Just last year a boy was electro-
cuted by wires laid by the rail-
way constructors. The commu-
nity is also in the dark in rela-
tion to the environmental and
ject. But as we can clearly see,
otherwise, it equates to placing
the cart before the horse. This is
an industry where inaction or
acts of omission and commis-
sion may innocently be viewed
as oversight while in essence
they are artificially and intri-
cately engineered to favour
importation cartels. The woes of
sugar millers and farmers is old
news. Nearly every year they
face recurrent problems and
this has been the case for dec-
ades. Messing up the sugar sec-
tor for purposes of gaining eco-
nomic rent by the untouchables,
the high and mighty is an act of
economic sabotage since it
affects thousands of people.
David Okello, Kisumu
the impact is negative.
We need the National Land
Commission and Kenya Rail-
ways to set the record straight
in relation to the Kedong Ranch
and the compensation to locals.
When Ketraco traversed here
with transmission pylons, locals
were compensated. KenGen also
resettled and compensated the
same community living in Olka-
ria on the same land. Locals
were involved; how come those
afflicted by the SGR we are being
ignored. That is not right.
Historically, Kedong has been
associated with conflict even
during the colonial times, we do
not want a repetition of the
same due to some misunder-
standing. Who is eating the
money meant to compensate
the Maasai community in
Kedong Ranch? Where is justice
for the pastoralist? It is until
when the social, cultural, envi-
ronmental and economic con-
cerns of this community are
addressed in regard to SGR that
justice will be seen to have been
done, otherwise we shall be cre-
ating another group of internal-
ly displaced persons. 
Raphael ole Kerenke
Redistribution is prohibited
18 National
Njoki
Kaigai
THE SIREN
Hail ‘mboch’
the real boss
T
he events of last week are
proof that the holiday season
is truly behind us. Cabinet
reshuffles, increased power bills, ris-
ing maize prices and the return of
traffic jams are stark reminders that
now we start the tough business of
getting through 2018.
However, the starkest of reminder
has been felt on the domestic level
and has been caused by the most
unlikely person - Auntie. Auntie is
the now commonly used name for
employees previously known as
house girl, mboch, housies and house
manager.
The family unit has changed dra-
matically – families have become
smaller, more nuclear and nowadays
both parents go out and work to
bring home sufficient bacon to keep
the family running. Since couples
have to work harder and longer, it is
only natural that they outsource the
function of home-care. Enter Auntie:
the person who steps in to fill the gap
created by demands of modernity.
Finding the right Auntie is often a
long process fraught with tears, tan-
trums and drama. There are so many
things to look out for and avoid,
including habits such as stubborn-
ness, attractiveness that may cause
the man of the house to err, klepto-
mania, child abuse - the list is end-
less. Happiness in most households
is only achieved when the right
Auntie is found; one able to organise
the house and manage the children
so that the overworked parents can
bring home the bacon.
For this reason, most employers
develop meltdowns every December
when Aunties head upcountry to
make merry with their folks and
friends. You see, over time most
employers (especially the women)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
develop a dislike and aversion to tions or in closing the deal, they are hotel buffets because they cannot resume their working and social
their households, its chores and its completely clueless in managing the fathom the thought of cleaning after lives. Many of them want Auntie
duties as they cede all power and feeding habits and homework themselves. Others resort to booze to back so that they are free to visit the
control to Auntie. demands of their tots. Many employ- calm their nerves because their usual- salon and have gossip sessions with
Most women acknowledge that ers can navigate the daily demands of ly well-behaved tots become impossi- the girls.
though they are proficient in putting traffic jams, but they cannot find a ble to live with brats in the absence of In many instances, the return
together killer PowerPoint presenta- pair of lost socks or shoes in their own Auntie. does not go as planned as various
homes - since all power and depend- Many employers will not say it forces get in the way. Let us start
ency rests with Auntie. In fact, it is loudly but they usually await the with the natural forces of love and
painful to say this but Auntie is often return of Auntie with bated breath as lust, which cause many “Aunties” to
the real boss in most households they offer silent prayers that she will opt to labour for love not for wages.
today. not fail to return. They usually count In December, you also have numer-
down the hours and minutes, so that ous hostile takeovers where other
Real boss they can hand over their houses and potential employers lie in wait with
Many families have developed dif- their children, and so that they can promises of better salaries and liv-
ferent ways to cope with this depend- ing conditions.
ency in December. Some resort to dial In some instances, Aunties take
"Many employers usually
a delivery, living on fast food because
they are clueless on how to make food
advantage of their employer’s des-
peration to make outrageous
await the return of
on the expensive stoves they them- demands for cash before they can
selves purchased. Auntie with bated breath make the return trip.
as they offer silent
Others run away from their homes, Then of course you have govern-
preferring to live in hotels and put up
aronlangat8@gmail.com ment declarations such as the recent
prayers that she will not
with the monotonous and predictable ban on night travel, causing havoc
fail to return..." since most Aunties have been forced
to delay their return for a couple of
days.  The government should apol-
ogise to women of this country for
HOW TO MAKE SURE ‘AUNTIE’ COMES BACK causing social chaos and disruption
to return of Aunty’s plan. A special
Aunties will always - so cut Auntie some slack. temptation to beg her to place in hell is reserved for those
behave in unexpected -          Learn to turn a blind forfeit her off day so that you Aunties who give no indication that
ways, but here are a eye.  Yes sometimes Aunties can get more rest and they will not be returning to their
few tips to ensure she can be very irritating and relaxation. Failure to respect place of employment and then go
comes back: annoying - but do not spend this is a leading cause of completely incommunicado when
-          If you have small all your time in quarrelsome failure to return. the day of return is nigh.
children and they love Auntie encounters with them - for -          Remember Auntie is Incidences of “failure to return”
you are advised to overlook come January she might human - It does not matter cause total mayhem and chaos every
certain sins and crimes. “ exact her revenge and fail to how powerful you are in the start of the year. Many employers
Auntie” might like talking too return. office, since Auntie can run find themselves helpless as they
much, she might eat too -          Respect Auntie’s off your house and children seek ways to juggle their jobs with
much, she might be untidy day - Make sure that Auntie better than you - then treat having to go through the unplanned
but if she is good with the has an off day at least once a her with some respect. Pay long and painful search for yet
kids all her other sins must be week, where she can go let off her well, treat her well and another Auntie who will hold the
forgiven.  Taking care of kids steam with her friends and learn how to pick your battles house together for a while or at best
even your own is hard work her man. Avoid the with her. till the next December.  
njokikaigai1@gmail.com
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard National 19
EXPENSIVE AFFAIR  Products from some countries are first exported to Europe before being exported to Africa
Security fears cloud plan
for an open-border policy
The new international arrivals unit at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Visitors to the country are received at the airport or border points of
the country. [File, Standard]
Experts say although the
policy will promote trade, it
risks exposing the country
to external threats
BBy Michira Moses
mmichira@standardmedia.co.ke
It will take longer to implement a
presidential directive to open bor-
ders to visitors from continental
Africa.
It is also unclear when regula-
tions to guide the entry of visitors
will be implemented.
President Uhuru Kenyatta made
the declaration on his swearing in
on November 28.
Director of Immigration Joseph
Kihalangwa said there was a lot of
work to be done before visitors start
getting visas on arrival.
“It is still a subject of discussion,
but we are waiting for guidance,”
Maj Gen (Rtd) Kihalangwa.
He added that the pronounce-
ment by the Head of State was a
declaration of intent, but adminis-
trative decisions will be made
before unrestricted access can be
granted to visitors.
Top on the list of concerns arising
from the directive was safety since
the country would in effect have set
itself up as an easy target for attack.
Kihalangwa said such fears are
informing the ongoing discussions.
“Today, I am directing that any
African wishing to visit Kenya will
be eligible to receive a visa at the
port of entry,” said the President in
his acceptance speech, adding that
the effectiveness of the directive
would not be pegged to reciprocity.
He appeared to have been throw-
ing a punch at Tanzania which has
failed to reciprocate on concessions
made by Kenya, in allowing free
trade among the East African coun-
tries.
“…to our brothers and sisters in
the East African Community, you
are our closest friends; our fate and
yours is joined at the hip; our trou-
bles and triumphs are yours, and
yours are ours. I will work with you,
my brothers, the leaders of the East
African Community, to bring a
renewed energy and optimism to
our union,” he said.
Kenyatta won praise for the dec-
laration which many thought would
take effect immediately.
Deportation
But the uncertainty facing the
possible execution puts a damper on
what would be a huge initiative to
promote the free movement of
goods and people in Africa.  divisions in Africa risked the mutu-
President Kenyatta’s move gives
fresh impetus to the Pan-Africanism
dream that has remained elusive
since the regime of his father.
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and other
founding presidents across the con-
tinent such as the late Libya leader
Muammar Gaddafi tried unsuccess-
fully to implement the open borders
policy to promote trade.
Presently, products from differ-
ent countries are first exported to
Europe or Asia before being re-
exported to Africa.
In the current arrangement, trav-
el from Kenya to many West African
destinations, for instance, is cheap-
er when routed outside the conti-
nent.
Consequently, competitiveness in
“The pronouncement by
the Head of State was a
declaration of intent,
but administrative
decisions will be made
before unrestricted
access can be granted
to visitors,” Director of
Immigration Joseph Kihalangwa
doing business within the continent
is poor.
Kenyatta said the free movement
of people in Africa was a corner-
stone of Pan-African brotherhood
and fraternity.
“The freer we are to travel and
live with one another, the more inte-
grated and appreciative of our
diversity we will become,” Kenyatta
said. He cautioned that the political
al security of the different countries.
Mandera North MP Bashir Abdul-
lahi is a big supporter for the open
borders policy.
However, the MP -- who is also a
security analyst -- has huge reserva-
tions about the directive as this
risks exposing the country to exter-
nal threats.
Maj (rtd) Bashir told Saturday
Standard that the open border pol-
icy was good for trade but a signifi-
cant burden for security.
“The directive will put a lot of
pressure on our security systems
and personnel,” he said.
Vetting of prospective visitors in
their home countries before travel
means those considered dangerous
would be barred from boarding a
plane or alternative modes of trans-
port.
“Persons who would naturally
not be cleared from their home
countries to come to Kenya will
show up at our borders especially
airports and then granted visas,”
said Bashir.
His other fear is the cost implica-
tions on the country when unwant-
ed visitors are supposed to be
deported.
“What happens if you find some
people not suitable to get visa at the
entry point? Return them? At
whose cost?” he posed.
Several countries require visitors
to have a return ticket to cut costs in
case of deportation.
Political turmoil in Somalia hasaronlangat8@gmail.com
bred dangerous militants, including
the al-Shabaab, which has staged
several attacks on Kenyan soil
including at the Westgate Shopping
Mall and more recently, at the Garis-
sa University college.  organisation,” she said.
Somalis already form the big-
gest portion of the refugees in
Kenya, many living in the country
illegally. Many have been assimi-
lated into the community and are
living as naturalised citizens, albe-
it illegally.
Kenyatta has already ordered the
closure of the Africa’s largest refu-
gee camp, Dadaab, in Garissa. Hun-
dreds of the refugees are evacuated
weekly from the camp following the
formal declaration about closure,
amid objection from the interna-
tional community.
It is unclear what the directive on
open borders would be for such peo-
ple, specifically, as it would mean
they would be welcome back being
Africans.
Hope
Foreigners
upbeat over
president’s
directive
When heavily armed rebels attacked Bunyakiri in
the Democratic Republic of Congo, she managed to
escape with other villagers.
Not knowing where to go, Christine Kamina (not
her real name) carried a bottle of water and few
clothes in a small bag.
“My parents had gone to the farm and I was
alone in the house when I heard screams and gun
shots from a nearby home. I just knew the rebels
had arrived to attack us,” she says amid sobs.
The villagers walked for more than 300km as
they sought refuge in the nearby bushes, with
hopes of reaching peaceful areas.
She was in a group of 30 people who finally
crossed the border and entered Nyungwe forest in
Rwanda, where they survived on wild fruits and
leaves.
Few days later, they found their way to Katuna
along the Rwanda-Uganda border where a Kenyan
truck driver agreed to ferry them into the country.
“Three of us agreed to board the truck and
before reaching the Busia boarder, we had to
alight and pass through no-man’s land as the driv-
er waited for us on the other side,” she added.
They came all the way to Mlolongo in Machakos
County and the driver handed them over to a
woman she only identified as Njeri.
At Njeri’s home, the four women were forced by
their host to
e n ga ge in
prostitution to “Three of us agreed
put food on to board the truck
the table.
“We used to and before reaching
go to clubs at the Busia boarder, we
night a n d had to alight and pass
whatever
money we col- through no-man’s land
lected from as the driver waited
clients, Njeri for us on the other
took 50 per
cent and the
side,”
driver who
saved us 30
per cent,” she said.
They did this for two years before they aban-
doned the trade after they met a Congolese in
Kitengela town, who took them in.
It was not long before, a couple came to their
house with documents to enable them register as
urban refugees.
Casual jobs
“We get assistance from the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees but it is not
enough because we have to share something small
with the people who helped us register with the
This has forced a number of them to engage in
casual jobs such as riding boda bodas, selling
fruits and washing clothes for people at a fee.
They welcomed the directive to open the border
by President Uhuru Kenyatta but raised fears that
this would see them arrested as DRC does not
belong to the East African Community.
Recently, a magistrate released a Ugandan who
was charged with being in the country illegally.
Kevin Wanyakala, who had visited his sister
who is married to a Kenyan, was arrested in Liko-
ni at 10pm. He had left his passport in the house
when police accosted him.
Interior Ministry’s spokesman Mwenda Njoka
said visitors from neighbouring countries will
have to follow the laid down procedures before
being allowed into the country.
“Their identifications must be taken at the point
of entry for security purposes,” he said.  
[Evelyne Kwamboka]
Redistribution is prohibited

20 WeekJuly
in 16,
review Week in review 25

Week in
Sunday, 2017 The Standard SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard

Deputy President William Ruto’s wife, Rachael, and

severalTharaka
religiousNithi Governor
leaders Muthomipoliticians
have cautioned Njuki has
against denied claims by
perpetuating nurses’
tribal unionand
animosity that his
divisive

Review
politicscounty
duringgovernment is oneperiod.
the electioneering of those that that
Noting have
not honoured
the elections will come the return-to-work
and go, Mrs Ruto andformula
the and
collective
spiritual bargainingpoliticians
leaders challenged agreement to(CBA)
conduct
peaceful campaigns. “Elections will come andNational
signed in November, last year. Kenya go but
Kenya Union of Nurses
will remain. (KNUN)
Politicians Secretary
should General
not divide Kenyans
on theSeth Panyako
grounds on Thursday
of campaigns. blamed
We have 13 county
to remain
governments for delaying payments. But Mr
together as a nation irrespective of tribe and party
Njuki said he had paid all the nurses their
affiliation,” said the DP’s wife. She made the remarks at
four-month arrears out of the five months
Moi Stadium
that theyin Voi
hadtown, Taita-Taveta
not been paid byCounty
his during
and interdenominational
predecessor. He said prayer service
service andorganized
uniform by
local religious
allowances leaders
hadinalso
conjunction with Tuombeni
been settled.
Kenya Committee.[RENSON
[Dickson Mwiti] MNYAMWEZI] Politics, Opinion, analyses & Special Reports

REPORT   The governors’ offices of Laikipia, Nairobi City and Lamu counties were the most expensive to run last year
In Brief FUNDING   Alliance banks on supporters to raise Sh450 million to roll out the adopt-a-polling station programme
In Brief

Trans Nzoia. Governor, NASA picks foreign expert Turkana

39%

to guard against rigging

Mombasa. Awiti seeks
senator pledge unity
Governor billboards
help in row
Patrick Khaemba,
Senator Michael Mbitocandidate
A gubernatorial and has
Speaker
appealed Joshua Werunga
to the nationalhave
struck a politicaltodeal
government aimed atthose
investigate
pushing
behind forthe
a common
destruction economic
of his
agenda
their
for thematerials
campaign
diffbeing
after
county despite
erent political
erected. affi
barely hours
liations.
Hezron Awiti
Sh2,277m
Opposition seeks
Sh5,068m Sh400m Sh622m Sh650m“Kenyans like Kakamega
Governor Joshua Irungu Governor Evans Kidero Governor Isa Timamy Governor Cyprian Awiti Governor Patrick Khaemba
Khaemba
Kenya,
was elected
of the Vibrant on FordParty
Democratic volunteers
Laikipia
to monitor
County poling Nairobi County Lamu County Homa Bay County
Ghanaians did want
Trans Nzoia County
47%
sayswhile
he is Mbito
incurringandhugeWerunga
losses.
areHe
fromhasthe Jubilee
called on theParty and they
government
votes in 44,000 to ensure a free
stations in the country credible, transparent

Governors who spent

have
tohad a frostythe
apprehend relationship.
culprits.
During the swearing
Speaking
executive
at Buxton
members,
in of
in 10
Mvita BBy Kepher Otieno elections that is
theKhaemba,
Constituency,
Mbito
alsoand Werunga
lamented that
Nyali MP has
agreed to put
his posters
kotieno@standardmedia.co.ke reflective of the will
Vihiga
aside
weretheir political
being torn or diffdefaced.
erences “Let
and With only 22 days to the 74% of people. This is why
work
measbea told
teamwhy for Iprosperity. the adopt-a-polling-

most to run offices

am not allowed August 8 elections, the NASA is
“Political
to putdisputes among leaders
up my campaign materials racing against time to imple- Kisumu
station strategy is
arein
denying
the streetsthe electorate
of Mombasa,” desired
he ment its Sh450 million adopt-a- 81%
services.
said. He Letstated
us dialogue
that the and polling station programme — critical to safeguard
discuss issueswere
billboards affecting
erectedtheafter
county one of its strategies against HomayourBay votes,’’ Nana Busia
such as poverty,”
following saiddown
the laid Mbito. proce- Jubilee. 73%
Khaemba urged leaders
dures. [Patrick Beja] to The opposition alliance has Nyamira
champion a common economic Tharaka
already flown Nithi
in aspentGhanaianSh2.7 The analysis is limited to recurrent with the rest of the country, especially
expenditure because this is what is in the furthest points in terms of what 73%
agenda. [Osinde Obare] billion last
technocrat behind year. However, from
the “adopt-a- self not just to vote and to ensure
polling station” strategy
this amount Sh2.2in his was
billion used to run operations and is a good they actually needed. Most expensive county vote
all your eligible neighbours
Trans Nzoia. I’m not a country,
spentNana Busia, and is now
as recurrent measure for which is the most expen- So when devolution came, county
executive as well, but also ensure that your
expendure
traitor, saBys Wamalwa recruiting and training 220,000 sive county government. governments were seen as better do everything possible to ensure
expenditure by its county
polling agents who will be
executive.
Laikipia and Nairobi were followed placed at ensuring the national (Sh billion)
the transparent counting and
deployed in all the 44,000 poll- by Homa Bay and Trans Nzoia counties, resources benefited as many people as tallying of votes in your polling
Busia. Bright boy seeks ing station spread across the which spent 11 per cent of their total possible at the grassroots.
expenditure on the offices of their gov- One way of doing this was to ensure County station.” Total Percentage
help to join Form One By PaulNASA
country. Wafula plans to send five
aronlangat8@gmail.com Nominated Senator Dr Oburu
(ShtheB) funds
on executive
pwafula@standardmedia.co.ke
volunteers per polling station. ernors. as much money as possible is chan- Odinga said drive
The NASA presidential candi- Kisumu County and Tana River came nelled towards development expendi- 1. Tharakawould
–Nithi raise2.7 money   to 81% pay
date,TheRaila governors’
Oginga believesofficesthe of Laikipia, fifth and sixth, respectively, after their ture and this required that counties put agents and polls officials.  He
Nairobi City and
adopt-a-polling Lamu
station counties were
strategy governors spent 10 per cent of their as little money as possible in adminis- 2. Kisumu 6.8
thanked guests for turning out in
81%
the
will most
help expensive
prevent to run
electoral last year,
mal- an
Ghanaian totalBusia
Nana expenditure
is creditedon running
with emploBying their tration to release
the adopt-a-polling thestrategBy
station rest of the funds
in his countrBy’s3. Lamu large numbers 1.9 to support79% the
analysisathas
practices shown.
polling stations and presidentialoffi ces.
elections last Byear won bBy the then opposition to do service delivery.
candidate Nana Akufo Ado. [Courtesy] 4. Vihiga campaign3.7 strategy. “This is74%not
boostData
voter from
turn the offiincefriendly
out of the Controller Other top spending offices of gover- From the data analysis, the office of conning, it is real,” he said.
Water and Irrigation Cabinet of Budget shows the three counties
counties. nors include Samburu (nine sharedperelectoral
cent), transition
the governor simi- of Turkana
ing others emerged
regardless as of 5. Taita/Taveta
ethnic Present3.3 at the function were74%
Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has spent
Mr Busia,the biggest
total expenditures
proportions
credited with of theirThe plan Kirinyaga (eight per cent) and Bomet
larities, and that the
is why least
he spenderdifferences,
had after onlytreating
one perothers with Nyanza
6. Uasin Gishu NASA
5.5 presidential cam-
73%
dismissed accusations by NASA employing the samerunning strategy their gover- (seven per cent), which completed
accepted the to come centand of its
helptotaldignity,
expenditure
empathy wentand compas- paign secretariat coordinators
principals
A boy whoMusaliaexcelledMudavadi
in last and nors’Ghana’s
during office. presidential elec- NASAlist of the top 10 most expensive
is recruiting NASA.  offi
“We ces towards
will heavily funding recurrent
borrow sion and expenditure 7.
the ability to earn the Kiambu 10.8
Oburu Odinga, Bob Madanji, 73%
year’s KCPE
Moses exam has that
Wetang’ula appealedhe is afor tionsThe last breakdown
year won by for Nanarecurrent 220,000of governors.
polling agents to for thehegovernor’s
from the Ghana success,” said. office.ofThe
respect second
others. 8. Homa Bay Woman Representative
5.7 Gladys
73%
financial
traitorsupport to enable
to the Western him
commu- expenditure—money
Akufo Ado, met seniorused NASA to pay sala- One of the main arguments
guard the votes for devo-like Ghanaians
“Kenyans best county didis Nyeri (two
“I wantpertocent), fol-for the rest
say that Wanga and Kisumu Deputy Gov-
joinnity.
secondary
Speaking school.
whenGodwin
he donated a ries in in
officials theKisumu
governor’son Friday 
office, buy tea, 
Alliance plans to send
lution was that Nairobi had want lost
totouch
ensure a lowed by Kakamega
free credible, (threeRaila
of Africa, per cent) 9. Nyamira
is a man of fine 4.5
ernor and  Nyanza regional 73%
Owino from
school bus Siribo, Butula
to Kijana Wamalwa entertain
night at a fund guests anddinner
raising carryto five volunteers per polling
out county transparent elections and Mombasa
that is (four per cent).
sterling Makueni,
mission 10. Kajiado
and vision. In 5
adopt-a-polling station 72%
coordi-
Constituency, scored 362School
Memorial Secondary marksinat administration
support functions, among oth-
the initiative. station “County Treasuries reflective of the will Uasin Gishu, Kericho,
of people. IvoryMandera,
Coast someKilifilocals referred nator Ruth Odinga.
 
The adopt-a-polling
Lubanga
Milimani,Primary
the CS School.
said itHe was wrong ers,
He isshows
expected thattoLaikipia
train theCounty
poll spent should
station team also develop
has appoint-
This isand and Murang’a complete
why the adopt-a-polling- to him atthe list of 10
a function I attended on Others present were MPs Fred
expects totwo
joinleaders
MusingutoHigh Sh2.2abillion,
strategyrepresenting 48 per cent least spenders ondemocracy
the officesas ofagover- An analysis of(Nyando),
official spending
Seme MPdata
ed all theimplement strategies toyour votes,’’
for the brand him agents, the opposition regional
station strategy is critical to virus that cannot Outa James
School in Kakamega
a traitor because he County but in
is serving of thebelieve
leaders total expenditure
will safeguard on county safeguard nors.Busia said be conquered,” he said. for the financial
Nyikal, year 2016/17
Mathews by the
Owili and a
duethe
to lack
Cabinet of school
yet the fees
samemaypeople
lose administration.
their votes against any ‘possible counties
mobilise local revenue
coordinators in the 47
He described Raila as an Afri- Raila is upbeat about Sunday host ofshows
the Standard the executives
local leaders and busi-
theserved
slot and in have
otherhis dreams of
governments. Thisatmade
rigging’ Laikipia
the polling County, under
stations. collection,
In NByanza the adopt-a- whilecan the Most expensive
Pillar who despite being a adopt-a-polling station strategy of these devolved
nessmen.governments gob-
the
The leadership
Ghananianof took former theGovernor But to get the full picture of the most bled up the biggest proportion of their
becoming
“Mudavadi
Owino
an engineer
firstinsat
served theKCPE
dimmed.
and Wetang’ula
in 2016
regimes and
of retired Joshua
guests at the Irungu, the through
funds drive top spenderfar National
polling station
inrecruited
team has Treasury
so should expensive
Kenyan was enjoying
and wide African and
massive
county to
global sup-
and is urging
governments,
volunteer and
NASA
alljoin
supporters
the the revenues
initia- on
The  Sunday
recurrent
lished that the
Standard
expenditure
estab-
in
adopt-a-polling
passed, however
presidents Moiheand could notand
Kibaki joinI theterms of the sharestation
adopt-a-polling of recurrent
sys- expend- comply with the CRA
30,000 people
more than
2016 stoodrecurrent
port having firm as expenditure
an tive. “Ifor
callthe
uponcounty whatofleft them
all Kenyans stationwith
teamthehas
least propor- all
appointed
secondary
wonder school
why they dueare
toagainst
lack of me iture
tem, as a it
saying fraction
workedoffor itsPresi-
total expendi-
The team Disbursement
has also Schedule in executives
ardent champion of human has to be factored
goodwill in.
yearning tions funding
for change the new projects.
regional coordinators in 47
ture in and
2016/17. If all the expenditure by county exec- The datacounties
from thewho office of the Con-
fees. “I am in
serving yearning
president to join
Uhuru’s dent Ado would also work in appointed the disbursement
countBy of
rights the
and good governance.
utives iswas
collated,
and supporting
Tharaka
our liberation
Nithi, troller
will be superin-
secondary schoolsaid
government,” but Wamalwa.
my motherHe Kenya The office
if well of the governor of Nairobi
implemented. coordinators, sub countBy Busia told Kenyans that it movement to do their part and of Budget
tended shows
by BusiaTharaka Nithi
as the National
cannot afford
clarified to he
that paywas
thenotfees,” he
opposed City, which
“It will help was under Drpeo-
in mobilising Evans Kideroand wardequitable
coordinators who share revenue
up to them to thinkKisumuand make andtheLamuvolunteer
counties became
at theirthe under Samuel
local polling Ragwa and Kisumu
Coordinator.
said.
toLubanga
the quest Primary School by the
for presidency pleattothe
vote time, came second
and watching against will work raised
after spend- with Busianationally.” right and informed most expensive
choices of tostations,”
run last year, having
he said under Jack Ranguma
on his official Some former eachand
had 81 perleg-
current
headteacher Redemptor
Luhya. “Mudavadi and Mutibo
Wetangula ingrigging,”
vote Sh5 billion, he representing
said. Busia 20 per the leaders who spent the biggestFacebook
had demon- share of page.
their reve- cent of their total expenditure
islators runningwill
and party officials
Controller of Budget’s report nues
described
served in Owino as a regimes
previous humble and I cent that
noted of its Kenya
total expenditure
and Ghanalast year. strated self-respect andon their executives.
respect- He added: “Take it uponoperationsyour- for their executive,
coordinate which
the programme.
hardworking
wonder why boy.
they are against me
[Ignatius
serving in Odanga]
Jubilee,” he said.
 Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard Week in review 21

Most expensive offices of the Governor (Sh million) Budget execution

Most expensive offices of the Governor Least expensive offices of the Governor
Govenors office/
Admin
As a percentage of
total expenditure
Govenors office
/Admin
As a percentage of
total expenditure
Five counties broke
public finance law,
1. Laikipia 2,277 48% 1. Murang’a 200 3%
2. Nairobi City 5,068 20% 2. Kilifi 301 3%

new report shows

3. Lamu 400 20% 3. Mandera 295 3%
4. Homa Bay 622 11% 4. Kericho 155 3%
5. Trans Nzoia 650 11% 5. Uasin Gishu 148 3%
6. Kisumu 664 10% 6. Makueni 230 3% Five counties broke the public
finance law by spending the money
7. Tana River 344 10% 7. Mombasa 221 2% they collected at source instead of first
8. Samburu 364 9% 8. Kakamega 182 2% depositing it in an account, which can
only be accessed after authorisation.
9. Kirinyaga 357 8% 9. Nyeri 86 2% The Controller of Budget in her
Turkana 163 1% report lists Nairobi City, which spent
10. Bomet 359 7%
more money than it received as the big-
gest casualty at 160 per cent, Kilifi at
110.3 per cent, Mombasa at 104.1 per
Least expensive county cent, Wajir at 101.8 and Nandi at 101.2
County Executive executive expendure per cent.
Expendure (Sh billion) “These counties spent more than the
Percentage of total expenditure aronlangat8@gmail.com funds authorised for withdrawal by the
spent on executive COB and may be attributed to spending
Mandera County Total Percentage of locally generated revenue at source
37% (Sh B) on executive contrary to Section 109 of the PFM Act
1. Mandera 10.1 37% 2012,” reads the report.
Marsabit This suggests that the counties
47% 2. Turkana 11.1 39% decided to bypass the bureaucracy
3. Marsabit 6.1 47% associated with approvals meant to cre-
ate some level of safeguards and
4. Wajir 8.2 47% instead spend the money they collected
5. Kakamega 10.8 47% without depositing it in an authorised
account as required by law.
Wajir 6. Makueni 8.9 48% Counties often blamed the national
47% 7. Kilifi 10.1 48% government for slow disbursement of
funds and this may have contributed to Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho
Uasin Gishu 8. Tana River 3.5 49% them breaking the law. It is not yet clear
73% 9. Murang’a 6.4 55% what action will be taken against them.
10. Kwale 5.8 55% The national equitable share of rev- cent and 103.5 per cent, respectively.
enue to county governments was Conversely, counties that recorded
Sh280.3 billion. Although the National the lowest proportion of local revenue
which will define their spending habits. Treasury had disbursed the full alloca- against annual targets were Kisii at 37.5
Tharaka –Nithi One of the biggest contributors to tion by the end of the financial year, per cent, Wajir at 33 per cent, Garissa at
81% the high recurrent expenditures is their Sh25.55 billion was disbursed on June 23.4 per cent and Mandera at 21 per
Murang’a inability to control their wage bills. 30, 2017, which was the last day of the cent.
55% The county executive mainly year. Counties that had the highest
Kiambu involves the office of the governor, amount of funds released for opera-
73% Tana River their ministers and employees work- Funding constraints tions were Nairobi City at Sh15.54 bil-
49% Lamu ing in various departments. “This, therefore, implied that some lion, Turkana at Sh12.8 billion and
79% Controller of Budget Agnes planned activities in FY 2016/17 could Kiambu at Sh11.35 billion.
Odhiambo identifies high expendi- not be implemented due to funding Those that received the lowest
Makueni ture on personnel emoluments, constraints,” the report notes. The amounts were Tharaka Nithi at Sh3.56
48% under-performance in revenue collec- delay in disbursements could explain billion, Isiolo at Sh3.51 billion and Lamu
Kajiado tion, failure by the National Treasury why some counties spent what they col- at Sh2.95 billion.
72% Taita/ to disburse the equitable share as some lected at source, but in so doing ended The best counties that used up most
Taveta that of the hindering effective budget exe- up breaking the law. of the money received or what is known
74% Kilifi h a d cution by county governments. On the contrary, the counties that as absorption rates were Wajir at 95 per
includes the 48% the big- had the least percentages of expendi- cent, Garissa at 94.1 per cent and Isiolo
office of the gov- gest cumu- Pending bills ture to funds released included; Tana at 92.5 per cent.
ernor and the county l a t i v e Ms Odhiambo also raises an alarm River at 78.8 per cent, Tharaka Nithi at
ministers. expenditure over the high levels of pending bills, 77.9 per cent, and Lamu at 67.5 per cent. Lowest absorption rates
To put it into per- used a lesser which stood at Sh35.84 billion as at the The Controller of Budget says despite Conversely, Nakuru, Tharaka Nithi
spective, Tharaka Nithi share of their end of the financial year, IFMIS connec- some counties spending more than and Lamu counties recorded the lowest
spent Sh2.7 billion last year. total expendi- tivity challenges that caused delays in what was approved; there was also a overall absorption rates at 70.7 per
From this amount Sh2.2 billion Kwale ture as a percent- processing of financial transactions drop in local revenue collection by the cent, 70 per cent, and 62.1 per cent,
was spent as recurrent expenditure. 55% age of their reve- and late submission of financial reports counties, which hurt service delivery. respectively.
This left it with just Sh500 million nues on running its by county treasuries that had affected During the reporting period, the Counties always make fancy budgets
being shared by the County Assembly executive, despite hav- budget implementation. counties collected Sh32.52 billion, rep- every year. Though budgets are good at
and development projects. ing the biggest wage bill. The Controller of Budget recom- resenting 56.4 per cent of the annual measuring the intention and the pri-
These were followed by Lamu Coun- On the flipside, Mandera was the mended that the County Public Service target of Sh57.66 billion, and a decrease orities of a government, unless imple-
ty, which spent 79 per cent of all its most efficient county after spending Boards (CPSB) ensure the wage bill of 7.1 per cent from Sh35.02 billion real- mented, they only remain mere plans
total expenditure last year on recurrent only 37 per cent of its expenditure on does not exceed 35 per cent of their ised in 2015/16, the report says. on paper.
expenditure by the county executive. its county executive, leaving it with the total revenue. “Low local revenue performance The best measure of performance is
The fourth most expensive county to biggest share of its revenues to fund “County Treasuries should also implied that some planned activities therefore how the counties eventually
run was Vihiga which spent 74 per cent new projects. develop and implement strategies to could not be implemented due to insuf- execute these plans and this is meas-
of its total expenditure to pay running The second cheapest county to run mobilise local revenue collection, while ficient funding,” it says. ured through the absorption rates.
bills by its executives. was Turkana (39 per cent), followed by the National Treasury should comply Nairobi City County generated the The highest absorption rates of
There are at least 13 counties where Marsabit, Wajir and Kakamega which with the CRA 2016 Disbursement highest amount of local revenue at development expenditure were
executives used up at least Sh7 of every each allocated about 47 per cent of Schedule in the disbursement of the Sh10.93 billion, followed by Mombasa reported by Machakos, Wajir, Bomet
Sh10 spent. their total expenditure on their county equitable share revenue raised nation- and Kiambu at Sh3.17 billion and Sh2.03 and Isiolo at 99.1 per cent, 90.1 per cent,
The other counties that made it to executive. The other counties that did ally,” the report says. billion, respectively. 89.3 per cent, and 88.6 per cent,
the top 10 list of the most expensive to well in terms of allocating less amounts “Further, County Governments The counties that generated the low- respectively.
run included Uasin Gishu, Kiambu, to fund their county executives include should ensure effective management of est amount were Wajir, Mandera and Counties with the lowest rates were;
Homa Bay, Nyamira and Kajiado, all of Makueni (48 per cent), Kilifi (48 per pending bills by aligning procurement Tana River at Sh75.91 million, Sh.55.84 Lamu, Nakuru, Nairobi City and Taita
whom spent between 72 per cent and cent), Tana River 49 per cent and plans to cash flow plans and the IFMIS million and Sh27.42 million, respec- Taveta at 38.3 per cent, 35.1 per cent,
73 per cent of their money on recurrent Murang’a (55 per cent). Directorate should address IFMIS con- tively. 33.4 per cent, and 28.6 per cent,
expenditure for executive dockets. The new county governments are nectivity challenges experienced by Analysis of local revenue as a propor- respectively. Absorption rate is
Ironically, counties such as Nairobi now preparing their first budgets, most counties in FY 2016/17.” tion of the annual revenue target indi- computed as a percentage of total
cates that Marsabit and Turkana coun- expenditure to the Approved Budget.
ties surpassed their targets at 107.3 per [Paul Wafula]
Redistribution is prohibited
22 Week in review Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Send off  The late Calestous Juma’s funeral was attended by a number of dignitaries
(From left) Prof Calestous Juma’s widow Aliston, their son Erick and relatives at his burial in Budalang’i, Busia yesterday. (Below)
Scholars carry the casket of the fallen professor, on Friday. [Chrispen Sechere, Standard]
Accolades pour as
renowned scholar
Juma is laid to rest
Speakers
described the late
professor as an
international icon with
a reputation.
BBy Ignatius Odanga
iodanga@standardmedia.co.ke
The late Harvard Univer-
sity scholar Prof Calestous
Juma was laid to rest yester-
day at his ancestral home in
Bumina village in a ceremony
that was attended by aca-
demia.
The funeral was also
attended by a number of dig-
nitaries from within and
without the country. The
family complied with Juma’s
final resting place to face the
west since he enjoyed watch-
ing the sunset.
Intellectual powerhouse
He had constructed his
house strategically on the
shores of Lake Victoria to
enable him see the sunset
whenever he was in the vil-
lage.
Speakers poured special
tributes to the late Professor
of Science and Technology,
describing him as an interna-
tional icon of repute.
He was lauded for building
an intellectual powerhouse
drawing from vast network
of thinkers with most from
academic institutions and
research arms of govern-
ment.
Juma founded the African
Centre for Technology Stud-
ies in Nairobi in 1998. Profes-
sor John Ouma Mugabe,
Juma’s student for 27 years
hailed the late professor for
his mastery in the world of
innovation, science and tech-
nology. He said Juma used to
train students and not teach.
Juma’s only surviving Sis-
ter, Rosylidah Juma
described her brother as a
friend. She recalled how the
two used to text each other
even when her brother was
sick.
Though professor wished
his funeral not to be politi-
cised, politicians who graced
the occasion had a thing or
two to say that touched on
politics.
National Super Alliance
leader Raila Odinga and his
two core principals Musalia
Mudavadi and Moses
Wetang’ula attended the
burial.
Former Cabinet secretar-
ies Judy Wakhungu and Ami-
na Mohamed represented the
Government, and the former
read President Uhuru Keny-
atta’s message of condolence.
Busia Senator Amos Wako
said Juma was an ambitious
and industrious man who
always aimed at achieving
something in life.
He said the fact that the
late professor attended pri-
mary and secondary schools
in the village did not deter
him from becoming a star. He
said the death of Juma
should be a wakeup call to
leaders to work together.  his night in Kisumu. “He was
“He was a top professor at
a top university; let us emu-
late Juma’s example and
unite because he advocated
for peace and unity,” Wako
said.
Area MP Raphael Wanjala
said there was need for the
late professor’s agenda to be
implemented.   ied in December.
Juma was in the village for
the last time in August last
year to see his mother Clem-
ent Juma who was ailing.
The journey to the village
was cut short for a day over
violence that had erupted in
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Kisumu following the August
8 Election.
Because of the unrest,
Wanjala said professor spent
dropped at home around
6:30am by a vehicle his
friend Munra Patel offered,”
Wanjala said.
He spent two days in Bun-
yala before he left for Amer-
ica and promised to return
soon. His mother Clement
Juma later died and was bur-
Under strict doctor’s
instructions, the professor
could not travel to attend the
funeral since he was receiv-
ing medication. The late pro-
fessor is survived by his wife
Alison and son Erick.
Development of the
Juma library, innovation
to keep his legacy alive
Ben Sihanya
P
rof Calestous Juma (or CJ as
we used to call him) is one of
few men and women who
happen on this earth or in one’s life
and leave it fundamentally and pos-
itively transformed. Prof Juma who
was buried yesterday in Bunyala,
Busia County, leaves a rich legacy in
Kenya, Africa and the world, and a
decent family of his wife Mrs Alison
Field-Juma, son Eric Kwada Field
Juma, and his sister. I first met Prof
Juma in late 1989 after my first year
at the University of Nairobi Law
School. I became the Prof Andrew
Frieldland intern on getting a letter
of introduction by our then consti-
tutional law lecturer, Prof JB
Ojwang, the Board Member and
Dean of Scholars at the African Cen-
tre for Technology (ACTS). I needed
to keep busy, especially with
research, and to maintain my then
recently widowed mother and
orphaned and siblings. A honorari-
um of Sh1,000 per month was great
then. I worked at ACTS even after
graduating and kept in touch even
when he taught at the Havard Ken-
nedy School.
Prof Juma influenced at least six
fields: Innovation and intellectual
property, public policy analysis,
constitutional politics and govern-
ance, science in diplomacy, environ-
mental and natural resources gov-
ernance, and education, training,
research and mentoring. I focus on
the first three, partly because a lot
has been said about the fields.
First, Prof Juma introduced most
of us to innovation and intellectual
property. Of course he led in main-
streaming innovation in law, gov-
ernment policy, in academia, and
public discourse in Kenya and Afri-
ca. He led us in drafting the policy
document and the Bill under the
leadership of then Attorney General
Amos Wako, Registrar Joseph
King’arui and Director of the
National Council on Technology.
The Kenyan and African debate
on innovation and intellectual prop-
erty has influenced most sectors of
the economy as well as academic
disciplines including (neo) classical
economic which had only recog-
nised four factors of production:
land, labour, capital and entrepre-
neurship. And Prof Juma has
worked with regional and continen-
tal organsiations, as well as heads of
state to integrate science, technolo-
gy and innovation into trade,
investment, and international rela-
tions or diplomacy.
Second, before 1989, public policy
discourse was referred to in an ad
hoc are anecdotal and occasional
manner in Government and as an
afterthought (or as “policy implica-
tions”) in academic, operational,
business and related research. Of
course the Institutes for Develop-
ment Studies in Kenya and Africa
conducted  some policy research.
But the entry point was (neo classi-
cal) economics. Hence interdiscipli-
narity was required as Prof Juma
and Prof Norman Clarke taught.
Two major examples here became
the Industrial Property Act 1989,
and the review of the relevant land
policy and law that would follow in
the post 1999 period. These benefit-
ed from work at ACTS under Prof
Juma, Prof HWO Okoth-Ogendo and
other scholars and policy analysts.
Happily, some of the needed
research had been addressed in
Juma’s magnum opus, The Gene
Hunters: Biotechnology and the
Scramble for Seeds (1986). I was a
policy research assistant as ACTS
researchers insightfully reviewed
the numerous statutes, common
law rules, and public policy docu-
ments to establish meaning, points
of convergence and divergence, as
well as reform initiatives with sup-
port from the Ford Foundation, and
the Swedish International Develop-
ment Agence (Sida), among others.
Third, Prof Calestous Juma con-
tributed to constitutional politics
and governance directly and indi-
rectly through the five or so other
fields mentioned above. Prof Juma
clarified that policy research had
the potential of being non-partisan
or neutral. But that effective policy
research must take into account the
(political) interests of the key
implementers and beneficiaries.
That policy research could be posi-
tively impactful and rewarding to
all concerned. But there were also
risks and challenges especially
associated with the interests of gate
keepers. These informed one of the
key lasting legacies of Prof Juma.
Prof Juma also moderated debates
on political or constitutional gov-
ernance between the radicals (liber-
als?) and conservatives. Some of
the work is in at least two treasure
troves from Prof Juma’s pen: Inno-
vation and its Enemies: Why Some
People Resist New Technologies and
the New Harvest  (2015).
Prof Juma’s work at ACTS, at the
Secretariat of the Convention on
Biodiversity and at the Havard Ken-
nedy School was immensely sup-
ported by his wife Mrs Alison Filed-
Juma whom he married in 1987, and
lately by their son Eric Juma, too.
Many will continue to celebrate Prof
Juma’s life and legacy. He drafted a
memoir partly on his deathbed and
sent to some of us in December 2017
to send comments in the summer of
2018.
I happily learnt from Eric Juma
that he had edited Innovation and
its Enemiesthe same way he is edit-
ing Prof Juma’s memoirs tentatively
entitled The University Drop-in….in:
A Memoir.. So we hope and pray for
some continuity in the development
of the Juma library and movement
in innovation, public policy analysis
and (institutional) governance. We
are “burying” your bones but will
keep your “word.” Fare thee well,
Prof Claesous Juma; innovator, poli-
cy analyst, Kenyanist, Africanist,
public intellectual, mentor and role
model par excellence.
Prof Sihanya is a scholar and an
advocate 
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Week in review 23
Bleak future?   First SGR freight train left Mombasa on Monday for Embakasi container terminal
President Uhuru Kenyatta flags off the first Standard Guage Railway (SGR) line cargo train loaded with 99 containers at the Port of
Mombasa on May 30, 2017. [File, Standard]
Fears of trade, job loss
as SGR takes on cargo
Experts and
economists say many
logistics units in
Mombasa, like the
container freight
stations, will be
affected, but add they
can re-invent
themselves to remain
in business.
BBy Benard Sanga
bsanga@standardmedia.co.ke
On Monday, the first Stand-
ard Gauge Railway (SGR)
freight hurtled its way from
Mombasa with hundreds of
containers and in its midst
stoking fears among freight
business agents.
Mombasa Governor Hassan
Joho says the SGR freight
trains, the Naivasha dry port
and Embakasi inland contain-
er depot (ICD) would affect
the multi-billion shilling con-
tainer freight station business
in Mombasa.
He says the projects would
lead to either relocation of
logistics and transport busi-
ness to Nairobi or Naivasha or
a complete shutdown, leading
to massive job losses at the
port city.
Joho says the construction
of the Naivasha dry port and
expansion of Embakasi ICD
was Jubilee regime’s plan to
weaken Mombasa’s economy
and status as the region’s
logistics hub.
The national Government,
however, says the aggressive
infrastructure expansion is
aimed at reducing logistics
costs along the northern cor-
ridor and boosting value addi-
tion of Kenyan exports.
Logistics experts and econ-
omists continue to debate on
economic effects of the mega
projects, but concur that many
logistics units in Mombasa,
like the container freight sta-
tions, will be affected.
“The CFS business in Mom-
basa will be worst hit by these
projects but they can re-invent
themselves,” says Meshack
Kipturgo, Siginon Group Man-
aging Director.
He says the freight station
operators in Mombasa will
have to either diversify or the
stations be turned into value
addition or transshipment
centres if they want to remain
afloat.
Ideal place
“It is also true that most
clearing services will find Nai-
robi an ideal place to set their
shop because over 40 per cent
of the cargo will be evacuated
to Embakasi by the SGR,” says
Kipturgo.
According to the SGR
financing agreements seen by
the Sunday Standard, the
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA)
is obligated to allocate 40 per
cent of its total container
throughput to the SGR.
The KPA now says the
Embakasi ICD will act as a one-
stop centre for the clearance
of cargo destined for Rwanda,
Uganda, Burundi and South
Sudan.
Other logistics experts say
establishing industrial parks
upcountry will create an addi-
tional transport cost for Ken-
yan goods and make them
non-competitive at the global
market.
According to economist
David Ndii, the shift of the
logistics and port services
from Mombasa to Nairobi and
Naivasha will lead to a drop in
the county’s revenue.
“It does not make sense
when we move port services
away from the port. It will ulti-
mately increase the cost of
trade,” says Dr Ndii, who is
also an Opposition’s strate-
gist.
“We made the same mis-
take with the establishment of
Export Processing Zones
(EPZ) in Nairobi and Thika and
we were not able to compete
with Bangladesh and India.”
He said disturbing a com-
plex logistic system in Mom-
basa, which has worked for
decades, will have adverse
effects on the economy.
Other than the road haulage
sector, clearing, forwarding
and warehousing service pro-
viders in Mombasa also fear
they may lose out in business
or be forced to relocate to Nai-
robi.
Kenya Transport Associa-
tion (KTA) statistics indicate
that there are over 1,600
trucks operating along the
northern corridor, which
transport over 95 per cent of
cargo passing through Mom-
basa.
“It does not make
sense when we move
port services away
from the port. It
will ultimately
increase the cost of
trade.”
Economist David Ndii
Some road haulage firms,
like the Bayusuf Transporters,
have recently scaled down
their investment, with some
either selling off their trucks
or investing in the real estate
industry.
Mombasa-based Sanghani
Transporters says it has
decided to invest in the min-
ing industry to generate cargo
for its fleet in the light of the
SGR project.
Logistical challenges
“We started the iron ore
mining in Taita Taveta to cre-
ate cargo for our transport
section,” says RK Sanghani,
aronlangat8@gmail.com
the firm’s Managing Director.
On Monday, the first SGR
freight train left Mombasa for
the newly refurbished
Embakasi inland container
terminal in Nairobi with a
total of 102 containers.
The container freight sta-
tion concept was started in
2000 to address logistical
challenges in Mombasa Port
due to lack of enough space.
With the construction of
the second container terminal
and revitalising the use of its
inland container deports, 21
container freight station oper-
ators in Mombasa fear they
could be rendered irrelevant.
“We have done a study and
identified many ways we can
still remain afloat,” says Dan-
iel Nzeki, the chief executive
officer of Container Freight
Station Association of Kenya.
He says some freight sta-
tions would become value
addition centres but
expressed confidence that
with projected increase in
cargo throughput at the port
they will still be in business.
Territorial war
Kenya risks heavy
penalty in border
row with Somalia
Kenya could be forced to compensate Somalia over oil exploration
on a disputed sea area if the neighbouring country wins a case being
adjudicated at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The case lodged by Somalia on August 28, 2014 is set to gain full
steam after Kenya lost preliminary objections last year. The govern-
ment was then required to file a substantive response to the main case
in December last year.
And although Kenya, through the Office of the Attorney General Githu
Muigai, complied with the orders by December 22nd, officials have
remained tight-lipped on the content and nature of the defence they
gave.
“Unfortunately, it is neither procedural nor possible to release docu-
ments in custody of the ICJ. These are confidential documents. It is only
the ICJ that can give these documents and this would only be with the
concurrence of the other party (Somalia),” an official at the AG office
wrote to the Sunday Standard.
The Attorney General who put up a spirited fight inside the ICJ court-
room last year but lost, did not respond to our inquiries. His fate in the
wake of Friday’s Cabinet purge remains unknown.
In the secretive defense known in court parlance as a “memorial,”
Kenya is understood, to have insisted on its boundary with Somalia
being along a parallel of lati-
tude as was decreed in the
presidential proclamation of Oil exploration
1979.
It is also rooting on a second Block L-13 is the closest on
Presidential Proclamation in the shores of Somali and Kenya.
2005 as well as its submission Zarara Oil & Gas Limited, a
to the United Nations Commis- subsidiary of Midway Resources
sion on the Limits of the Conti- International has been on the
site since 2011 and by 2013 had
nental Shelf (UNCLCS) in 2009.
completed 6,262 line kms of
“Kenya asserts that all her gravity-magnetic data across
activities including naval the block.
patrols, fishery activities,
Block L-5 straddles the
marine and scientific research equidistant line. Three
as well as oil and gas explora- companies contracted by the
tion are within the maritime Kenyan government have
boundary established by Kenya operated in the block since July
and recognised and respected 2000 and include Star
by both parties since 1979,” a Petroleum, Dana Petroleum,
statement from AG’s office said. Woodside Petroleum, Anadarko
In the memorial, Kenya is Kenya Corporation and Total
also insisting on a negotiated S.A of France.
solution.At stake in the case are Total SA also operated Block
seven oil blocks awarded to for- L-22 since 2012 undertaking 2D
eign companies on concession and 3D seismic survey and sea
basis. Kenya has since claimed core drilling operations. Blocks
L-21, L-23 and L-24 were
exploratory activities in the
operated by Italian company
area have been suspended as a
Eni SPA while Block 26 was
sign of good faith but Somali operated by Norwegian
insists this is not enough: company Statoil when it pulled
“Adjudge and declare that out after Somali complained
Kenya, by its conduct in the dis- Joint venture of Jordanian
puted area, has violated its Oil company Edgo and Qatar
international obligations to First Investment Bank calling
respect the sovereignty, and itself Lamu Oil & Gas Limited
sovereign rights and jurisdic- took over the block in July 2012
tion of Somalia, and is respon- but relinquished its license in
sible under international law to 2013 due to “the technical
make full reparation to Soma- difficulties of drilling in [the
lia,” Somalia says in its claims. block’s] very deep water”
In the past, maritime experts
have warned that Kenya could
lose the main case if past rulings of the court were anything to go by.
Their arguments are based on the fact that the method adopted by
Kenya to claim the maritime border -- parallel of latitude -- is seldom
relied on by the court as compared to Somalia’s equidistant line
approach.
Last year, Prof Musili Wambua, a maritime law expert said the only
way Kenya can avoid losing is by demonstrating existence of “very
strong circumstances which warrant a departure from the equidistant
line advocated by Somalia.”
“It is only in Nicaragua v Honduras that the ICJ departed from the
principle of equidistant special circumstances principle/rule and
applied bisector method because equidistant could not produce equi-
table outcome,” Wambua said.
In its preliminary objections, Kenya had argued that a 2009 Memo-
randum of Understanding with Somalia acknowledging a dispute and
vowing not to challenge each other’s claims pending process of regis-
tering borders removed the matter from ICJ scope.
On top of the reparations, Somalia also wants Kenya to hand it over
all seismic data acquired in areas that are disputed “and to repair in full
all damage that has been suffered by Somalia. [Nzau Musau]
Redistribution is prohibited

24 Week in review Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Corridors of justice

Reprieve for governor in academic papers suit

The High Court in Malindi has
dismissed a petition challenging
the academic qualifications of
Tana River Governor Dhadho
Godhana.
Lady Justice Asenath Ongeri,
while delivering the ruling on Fri-
day, said the petitioner Mohamed
Hatu had failed to prove beyond
reasonable doubt that the aca-
demic certificates of Governor
Godana were forged.
The court found that through
the Commission for University
Education (CUE), the degree
Dhadho acquired from the Image
Development Study Centre Uni-
versity in Ireland was valid in
Kenya and the originating coun-
try.
The judge also relied on evi-
dence of the second respondent,
Tana River Returning Officer
Mohamed Raka who said that
Godhana had presented to him a
degree certificate from Kirange
Development Study centre and a
letter from the CUE confirming
that the degree was genuine and
he was eligible to vie for the
gubernatorial office.
“I find that the interested party
has clarified the issue that
although the degree do not equal
to a similar degree offered in
Kenya as per the standards set by
the University Standards and
Guidelines of 2014, the qualifica-
tion was still recognized as a
degree in Ireland and thus dully
recognized in Kenya by conven-
tion as envisaged in article 2(6) of
the constitution of Kenya,” ruled
Lady Justice Ongeri. [Nehemiah Tana River County Governor
Okwembah] Dhadho Godhana

Wrangles   In his absence, Senator Outa and Speaker Oloo have accused Deputy Governor Owili of mismanaging Kisumu County
In Brief

Nyong’o tells political rivals

Uasin Gishu. Millers
told not to hike prices
National Assembly Agriculture
Committee Chairperson Silas
Tiren has hit out at millers for
raising maize flour prices, terming
them as unfair and aimed at
taxing poor Kenyans. The Moiben
MP said it was unfortunate that
the millers were out to gain
profits at the expense of
wananchi, yet they still had
subsidised maize in their stores.
“We expected that the subsi-
dised maize would last until
February. It is unfortunate that
the millers are taking advantage
of Kenyans, raising the prices to
almost double yet they still have
and some are still taking the
subsidised maize,” said the
legislator. He urged the millers to
first exhaust the subsidised
maize. [Joan Letting]
 Homa Bay. Fire injures
two, razes property
Two people were injured and
property worth millions of
shillings destroyed when a fire
broke out in Homa Bay town
yesterday. Elvin Atieno, 21, and her
one-year-old daughter sustained
burns and were rushed to Homa
Bay County Referral Hospital. The
fire burnt down 15 business
premises after efforts by
residents to put it out failed. A
trader, Sophie Achieng’, said the
fire razed her goods worth Sh2
million. “The fire burnt my entire
store of goods comprising
furniture equipment and other
items. The incident has caused
more trouble in my family after
injuring my daughter and
grandchild,” said Achieng’. MCAs
Joan Ogada of Kojwach ward,
Michael Nyang’i (Kochia) and
Charles Awino (Gem East)
promised to create legislation
that will cushion the residents
against losses caused by fire.
[James Omoro]
not to celebrate his illness
Prof Nyong’o opens up
on his hip bone surgery
in the US and says he is
is free of prostate
cancer he was
diagnosed with in 2010.
BBy John Oywa
joywa@standardmedia.co.ke
Kisumu Governor Anyang’
Nyong’o has expressed anger
aronlangat8@gmail.com
at political detractors he said
were wishing him death as he
recovers from a surgery to
replace his hip bone.
Prof Nyong’o yesterday said
he was recovering well after an
operation at a San Francisco
hospital in the United States
but described those he accused
of celebrating his illness as
“heartless busy bodies”.
“While some godforsaken
individuals are writing my
obituary at home, I feel quite
good about myself though I
miss home very much,” Prof
Nyong’o said in a long emo-
tional opinion piece published
in a local daily yesterday.
“At times, this can be
extremely annoying and upset-
ting, especially when political
busybodies reduce the impor-
tant matter of one’s health to
platform discourse, carried out
for pure self-aggrandisement,
in words that are insincere,
dishonest, callous and abso-
lutely uncivilised.”
Return home
Nyong’o said the experience
and the rumours had made
him know his enemies and
friends.
His absence from office since
mid-December has sparked
political speculation among
his colleagues, resulting in a
fall-out among top officials in
the county government.
This follows claims some of
them were celebrating his ill-
ness.
Yesterday, Prof Nyong’o
came out to confirm he has
been indeed unwell but said he
had recovered and was prepar-
ing to return home to continue
with his work.
His confirmation is expected
to bring to rest speculation
that has hit Kisumu County
over his health.
During his absence, a war of
words broke out between his
Deputy Mathews Owili, Sena-
tor Fred Outa and County
Assembly Speaker Onyango
Oloo. The Speaker and the
Senator accused Dr Owilli of
mismanaging the county in
Nyong’o’s  absence, a claim the
deputy governor denied.
In a statement, Nyong’o
detailed why he sought medi-
cal help in the US and regretted
that some people had tuned
this into political gossip.
Hip replacement surgery
He said he had injured his
hip bone in an accident on
Kiambu Road in Nairobi in
November 2016 but did not
seek proper medication due to
the campaigns.
The governor said doctors
who examined him in Nairobi
early this year after he started
developing complications
noticed a crack at the top of his
hip bone and recommended
further specialised medica-
tion.
“For almost a year, due to
the constraints of the cam-
paigns and election calendar, I
have been surviving on pain-
killers, which have been regu-
larly prescribed by my pain
management doctor,” Prof
Nyong’o said.
“Many may have observed
me limping from time to time
as we struggled for the better-
ment of our county and coun-
try.
“Without going into much
detail, I have all along been
waiting for an opportune
moment for the hip replace-
ment surgery as the last solu-
tion to my problem.“
He added: “My doctors have
always told me that it is not a
very complicated surgery. In
many ways, it is more like
repair work in a garage. The
Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o at a past function. [File, Standard]
whole operation took 90 min-
utes.”
Nyong’o also used the
opportunity to assure the peo-
ple of Kisumu that he is now
healed of the prostrate cancer
he was diagnosed with in 2010.
He said that in July 2010,
while he was Minister for Med-
ical Services, he was diagnosed
with prostate cancer and he
sought treatment in San Fran-
cisco, US..
“I was encouraged by the
support I got from Kenyans,
especially men who knew so
little about prostate cancer. I
thank God that I can now safe-
ly say that beast was success-
fully laid to rest,” the governor
said.
Prof Nyong’o, who last week
won an election petition filed
by his predecessor Jack
Ranguma, dispelled rumours
he was still sick and could stay
in the US longer than antici-
pated.
“At times, this
can be extremely
annoying and
upsetting,
especially
when political
busybodies reduce
the important
matter of one’s
health to platform
discourse, carried
out for pure self-
aggrandisement,
in words that
are insincere,
dishonest, callous
and absolutely
uncivilised.”
Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o
“I am already recovering
from a 90-minute surgery a
week ago, which saw the hip-
bone getting replaced with an
artificial one,” he said.
“Currently, I am on outpa-
tient care involving nursing
care, physiotherapy, occupa-
tional therapy and weekly vis-
its to the doctor.”
In an apparent stab at those
discussing his health, Nyong’o
said: “Some of us who are
workaholics need to remind
ourselves that we are mere
human beings, mortal and sus-
ceptible to all the dangers of
poor health.”
He said it was National
Super Alliance (NASA) leader
leader Raila Odinga who
advised him not to hurry com-
ing back until he was sure all is
well.
“I can now appreciate that
advice. This was a major sur-
gery, not as simple as I thought.
There have been very trying
times, but my wife Dorothy has
always been there to give me
the support and encourage-
ment I need,” he said.
Redistribution is prohibited

Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Week in review 25

Tussle
Murder most foul   Assailant doused house with petrol and locked door from outside

Court
stops
hiring of
KMA boss
The High Court in Mombasa
has suspended the ongoing
recruitment of the new Director
General of the Kenya Maritime
Agency (KMA).
Justice Erick Ogola issued the
orders to halt the exercise aimed
at filling the post which fell
vacant in 2015 when Nancy Kari-
githu was appointed Maritime
and Shipping Affairs PS. The
order was issued on Friday after
a Mombasa based civil society,
Commission for Human Rights
and Justice (CHRJ), made an
application questioning the pro-
cedure.
Justice Ogola said the decision
to advertise for the post and
shortlisting was done in a hurry
without public participation as
stipulated in the Constitution.    mood that had enveloped
“The leave is granted to oper-
ate as a stay of the said intended
interview of the shortlisted per-
sons for the post of the Director
General pending hearing and
determination of the suit,” he
ordered.
According to court documents,
the bone of contention is the
composition of the KMA board,
which the petitioner says is
improper. “The board is not prop-
erly constituted as its chairman,
Malimu Digore, had resigned to
contest the Matuga parliamen-
We need answers, kin say as
inquest opens into 5 deaths
Probe fails to link
woman to killing of
family in house fire on
the Eve of Christmas 
BBy Mark Oloo
moloo@standardmedia.co.ke
Six family members shared
dinner after a day well spent.
Three hours later, five lay died.  wanted to achieve,” says a
An assailant doused Damian
Ochuodho’s house with petrol,
locked the door from outside
and set it ablaze, killing the five
in cold blood.  Ochuodho had spent his last
The murder of Mr Ochuod-
ho, his wife Lencer Aoko and
their three children aged seven
months, 4 years and 13 years,
abruptly ended the festive
Okumbo village in Kamgund-
ho, Migori County, on Decem-
ber 24, 2017.  ited the homestead, Achieng
Relatives say the man mar-
ried Aoko four years ago after
the death of her husband.
Emmanuel Wasonga, a
neighbour who was among the
first to arrive at the scene, just
after 2am, recovered charred
remains of the three children.
Ochuodho and his wife suc-
cumbed shortly after being
rescued from the burning
house.  Form Two student, who cheat-
Emmanuel Wasonga (left) and Jennifer Agola sift through items recovered from a house that was set
ablaze killing five family members in Okumbo village, Migori County. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]
on who was behind the attack.  minute decision to spend the
“Just why did someone do
this to my family?” asks the
probe.  The inquest means the
kin will have to wait longer to
know the truth and eventually
find closure.
Ochuodho’s inconsolable
first wife, Jane Achieng, says
the loss may be difficult to fill
even after justice prevails.
“All we want is to know the
truth. We want to know who
did this and what he or she
crestfallen Achieng who urges
well-wishers to support her.
But the long wait could make
her pain even greater.
day at his tobacco farm, and
even though there had been
domestic squabbles between
him and Akinyi (his second
wife), there was no indication
anyone would have wanted
him dead. 
When Sunday Standard vis-
had just returned from a burial
aronlangat8@gmail.com committee meeting.
Bishop Samuel Mark of
Maranatha Faith Assembly
church was offering prayers at
the home. 
“It’s time to be together in
prayer,” the bishop said, hold-
answers.  ing Ochuodho’s portrait. 
night at a neigh- Ochuodho, a livestock trad- The five family members
bour’s home. er, had two other wives, one of were set to be buried tomor-
He is des- whom was arrested in connec- row but area chief Samuel

2016
Year seat fell vacant after
former director was appointed
Principal Secretary
tary seat,” states CHRJ Executive
Director Julius Ogogoh.
Digore’s replacement is yet to
be named. According to Ogogoh,
the time given between the
advertisement and date of short-
listing for the interview was too
short to enable public participa-
tion.
“The advertisement was done
by the chairman, finance and
human resources committee,
instead of the board chairman or
the legal officer of the corpora-
tion,” states the petition.
Cosmas Cherop has been serv-
ing as Director General (DG) since
Mrs Karigithu left.
KMA has tried to recruit the
new DG four times from the time
the postion became vacant, but
the process has been halted each
time due to competing interests
in the maritime sector.
Among those that had been
shortlisted for the post are
Cherop, the authority’s head of
commercial shipping John Omin-
go, former Kenya Ferry Services
(KFS) Managing Director Musa
Hassan Musa, Eunice Wahuni,
Maritime Consultant Stanley
Ndenge Chai and Julius Segera.
The interviews for the short-
listed candidates was scheduled
to take place tomorrow.
[Benard Sanga]  seven women to be State
“Whoever set the house ed death after he made a last- perate for tion with the attack. However, Onjiko told the Press burial
ablaze also bolted the door Benta Akinyi was this week arrangements had been put on
from outside,” said Mr Wason- released on a free bond after hold awaiting communication
ga. “Everything is in order so police failed to link her to the from Governor Okoth Obado’s
The act, locals say, was far. We urge well-wishers incident.  office.
deliberate and calculated.  “We couldn’t find anything “Everything is in order so
At the home, the burnt to support this family. This linking her to the attack. An far. We urge well-wishers to
house stands desolate, and tragedy is of a magnitude inquest file has been opened support this family. This trag-
heaps of seared household never witnessed in this and will be handed to edy is of a magnitude never
items are tucked in a shrub the courts soon,” witnessed in this area. We will
outside the compound to keep area. We will continue Migori County continue working with the
away the smell of death.   working with the county police command- county government to ensure
The couple’s 14-year-old government to ensure er Joseph we support this cause to the
son, who survived the attack, Nthenge said
is shattered and so are other
we support this cause when asked
end,” Mr Onjiko told Sunday
Standard. 
relatives. Their pain is that two to the end,” Chief Samuel about the pro- - Additional reporting by Caleb
weeks on, there’s still no word Onjiko gress of the Kingwara
Crime
Seven in trafficking case re-arrested
Police in Mombasa have witnesses in a case they testify in the case against cates they do not obey
re-arrested seven Indian have charged the owner of the club owners who were court orders,” said Ombeta.
women from a club in Nyali a popular club in Nyali for charged on Friday. The suspects pleaded not
hours after they were human trafficking. The women were work- guilty before Senior Princi-
released by the Shanzu Law Shama Club owners ing as patrons at the afflu- pal Magistrate Diana Moch-
Courts for lack of evidence. Zubeir Javaid Deen and ent Shama Club located in ache but were detained
They were released by Shama Javaid Deen were the suburbs of Nyali. until Tuesday when the rul-
senior principal magistrate charged on Friday with two Yesterday, Ombeta pro- ing will be made on wheth-
Diana Mochache on Thurs- charges of trafficking, tested the re-arrest, term- er they will be freed on
day after their lawyer Cliff recruiting and harbouring ing it “infringement of the bond. 
Ombeta opposed an appli- three Indian nationals with right of my client” since Senior State Prosecutor
cation by the police to the purpose of exploitation they never agreed to be Jamii Yamina filed a stay
detain them for four days. by use of deception, threats State witnesses. before High Court Judge
The suspects had been in and coercion. “It is unlawful for the Justice Eric Ogolla who
detention for five days According to police, the police to hold my clients in directed the women be Some of the detained Indians at the Shanzu Law
pending police investiga- women were held by Wit- police custody for five days. placed under witness cus- Courts in Mombasa, when they were detained over
tion. The State wants the ness Protection Unit offic- The police acted with impu- tody. claims of child trafficking last Friday. [Kelvin Karani,
ers and are scheduled to nity and the re-arrest indi- [Joackim Bwana] Standard]
Redistribution is prohibited
26 Week in review Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Food reserves
Farmers
sell maize
to raise
fees
Government delays in paying
for maize delivered to the Nation-
al Cereals and Produce Board
(NCPB) has prompted some
farmers to sell their surplus to
raise school fees.
Some parents who rely on
maize farming as their sole
source of income yesterday said
they have been forced to sell what
they had reserved for domestic
use to enable them shop and pay
fees for their children as schools
opened for first term.
They sell to traders at low rates
of between Sh2,200 and Sh2,300
per 90kg bag. The NCPB offers
Sh3,200 per bag.
The farmers said they supplied
their produce to NCPB depots
after the government pledged
prompt payment but they have
been disappointed by the delays.
They said some of them delivered
their produce to the depots as
early as December 4, 2017 but are
yet to be paid.
“The government promised to
pay us within 24 hours of deliv-
ery. I supplied 150 bags of maize
on December 17 with the hope of
receiving payment before schools
open. To date, I have not been
paid,” said Joel Momoen, a farm-
er in Kaptagat, Uasin Gishu Coun-
ty.
Momoen said he has no option
Sh2,200
 Amount the farmers are
selling a 90kg bag of maize to
traders while the NCPB offers
Sh3,200 per bag.
but to sell stocks he had stored
for food so that his children can
go to school.
“The government is releasing
the payments in bits, paying only
for one or two-day supplies. They
should clear our payments as
promised,” he said.
Jeremiah Kosgei, a maize trad-
er, said they have bought stocks
from desperate farmers.
“We buy produce at Sh2,300
per 90kg bag, which we in turn
sell to local millers at Sh2,450.
Farmers have turned up in large
numbers because they want
ready cash and we assist them,”
said Kosgei, who buy maize from
farmers in Eldoret town.
Wilson Tuwei, another maize
farmer, said his plans of stocking
surplus have been interrupted
because he has been forced to sell
more for immediate cash.
“I have delivered 100 bags to
the NCPB and I am still waiting
for payment,” he said.
An official at NCPB who did not
want to be named, said the gov-
ernment had by yesterday
released Sh395 million to be paid
out to farmers.
The source said the amount
would pay for supplies of five to
10 days from December 4.
[Titus Too]
Entrepreneurship
Billionaire threatens to ditch dirty Malindi
Italian billionaire Flavio Bria-
tore has threatened to withdraw
his investments in Malindi town
owing to poor business environ-
ment in Kenya.
 Briatore, who owns the Bil-
lionaire Resort and the Lion in
the Sun Beach Resort, said
Malindi town had become too
dirty to attract and retain inves-
tors and tourists.
“Investors cannot put their
money on a stinking and filthy
town whose roads are full of pot-
holes,” he said on Thursday.
His investments in Malindi
run into billions of shillings.
Stuck  Hospital bill has hit Sh4 million and keeps growing
Young graduate confined to
hospital a year after accident
IT expert was hit my a
vehicle and rushed to
hospital, hurt and
unconscious.
BBy Nikko Tanui
ntanui@standardmedia.co.ke
For the last 385 days,
26-year-old Moses Karonei,
has spent his days tossing and
turning in pain in a hospital
bed.
Karonei was involved in a
road accident near Kipsitet
trading centre along the Keri-
cho-Kisumu Road on Decem-
ber 15, 2016.
The Information Communi-
cation and Technology (ICT)
graduate from Mt Kenya Uni-
versity was rushed to Siloam
Hospital in Kericho and has not
left the hospital since.
His only glimpse of the out-
side world is through the tiny
window in Ward 9, which over-
looks a tiny flower garden.
Evade pothole
Karonei, who comes from
Tindiret Constituency in Nandi
County recalls that it was
about 5.30pm and that he was
on his way home from
Muhoroni Sugar, where he
worked in the Information
Technology Department when
he was knocked down by a
speeding saloon car.
The vehicle swerved to his
side in an attempt to evade a
pothole on the section of the
road to the lakeside city,
Kisumu but the damage had
been done.
“Though I flashed the lights
to the lady driver to warn her
about the uneven road, she
nonetheless swung to my lane
and knocked me down. The
accident happened so fast, I
did not have time to react to
save myself. I was brought to
 He however said he was not in
a hurry to leave and that he will
stay around for a decade before
pulling out if the business envi-
ronment does not change for the
better.
  “For the last seven years, I
have not seen any improvement
of potholed roads and garbage
clearing. Investors are no longer
interested in Malindi and now
prefer Nairobi,” he said.
  The billionaire said he is
hopeful President Uhuru Keny-
atta’s administration will put in
measures to boost tourism.
 “Malindi is a darling town for
the hospital unconscious,” he
says.
Dr Patson Kubuta, a resident
doctor at the hospital, says
Karonei was immediately tak-
en to the theatre for extensive
reconstructive surgery, which
lasted for 13 hours.
“The patient had extensive
tissue loss especially from the
left elbow and the lower back,
multiple deep lacerations on
the head and face among other
injuries,” he says.
The doctor adds that the
past one year has seen Karonei
taken to theatre for multiple
surgical debridement due to
multiple tissue necrosis and
has been undergoing daily
wound cleaning and dressing.
Karonei has also been on
antibiotics and analgesics, and
has to attend physiotherapy
sessions.
“Cervical spine X-ray and CT
scans showed a burst fracture
of the C-5 with a spinal com-
pression of the same segment,
leading to paralysis of both
upper and lower limbs.
Now he is unable to walk and
has a wrist drop of the left
hand,” says Dr Kubuta.
The doctor adds that the
“Cervical spine
X-ray and CT scans
showed a burst
fracture of the
C-5 with a spinal
compression of
the same segment,
leading to paralysis
of both upper and
lower limbs. Now
he is unable to walk
and has a wrist drop
of the left hand,”
Dr Patson Kubuta
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Moses Karonei at his hospital bed at Siloam Hospital, Kericho.
[Nikko Tanui, Standard]
young patient requires treat-
ment for plastic and recon-
structive surgery, as well as a
motorised wheel chair with
specifications for spinal recon-
struction.
But the situation currently
many European tourists and has
a strong historical bond with
Italy. It was once named the
cleanest town in Africa,” he said.
  Briatore singled out the
expansion of Malindi Airport as
one of the key issues turning for-
eign investors away from the
area.
 The Italian has had a change
in heart and now says he will not
sell Lion in the Sun as he had
declared last month.
He also defended his move to
build a wall at the beach to pro-
tect Billionaire Beach Resort
from sea erosion and questioned
looks grim for Karonei, since
the hospital bill for his more
than 12 months stay at the hos-
pital has hit Sh4 million.
Multiple fundraisers organ-
ised by Karonei’s parents, rela-
tives, friends and well-wishers
the criticism levelled at him
when other hotels in the area
had built sea walls.
 “In most developed countries,
the government builds walls at
the sea to protect investments.
Sand has now accumulated on
the wall here at Billionaires and
it will become a beautiful sandy
beach,” he said.
The Billionaire Resort has 24
luxury suits owned by various
international celebrities. It
charges at least Sh100,000 a
night.
 
[Nehemiah Okwembah]
have not raised even half of the
amount owed to the private
hospital.
“I come from a humble back-
ground. My father has even put
on sale a portion of the family
land but he is yet to get a buyer.
I did not celebrate Christmas
because of the health problems
bedeviling me,” he tells Sunday
Standard when we visited him.
“I heard people had fun but
the past two Christmases have
found me stuck in this hospital.
I am in pain and under heavy
sedatives,” says Karonei. 
The accident victim says
positive thinking is what has
kept him going during his hos-
pitalisation.
Pursue degree
“I dream that one day I will
walk out of this bed healed and
pursue a masters degree in
Information, Communication
and Technology, so that I can
get a better job and offset the
huge debts my parents have
incurred since my treatment
started.
I would also like to get mar-
ried and get children as any
other man my age would do,”
he says.
But for now Karonei is lost in
pain and an uncertain future,
not knowing when his family
will have enough money to pay
his growing hospital bill.
He even dares to hope that a
well wisher will come forward
to help foot his medical bill.
“As I look through my hospi-
tal window and see happy peo-
ple walking by, I pray that one
day I will get healed and live
life just like them,” he says.
Well-wishers can send their
donations to Paybill Number:
909359. Account name: Moses
Karonei. Or Kenya Commercial
Bank (KCB) Account No:
1148496769.
Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard 27

aronlangat8@gmail.com

Kawangware Primary School, Nairobi County

Kawangware Primary School, is a public school located in Kawangware area, in Nairobi.
The Headmistress is Madam Milliam Kelonge, who is deputized by Madam Rebecca Magare.
The school began in 1959 and has currently 264 candidates in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education
Examination. The BOM Chairperson is Madam Beatrice Mulatia. The top candidate last year (2017) was Monica Wanjiru
who scored 401 marks and was admitted to Moi Girls Isinya.

NiE Class Lesson: Ms. Annie Gitau – Newspapers in Education (NiE)

Manager conducts a lesson during the NiE Launch at the school.

NiE Cheque Signing: Mr. Moses Mwangi (left) signs the NiE Cheque,
assisted by Ms. Annie Gitau - Newspapers in Education (NiE) Manager,
Standard Group.

NiE Cheque handover: Mr. Moses Mwangi Mukami (right) presents the NiE cheque to Madam Milliam Kelonye – Head-teacher, Kawangware Primary
School, Nairobi (left), while Ms. Annie Gitau – Newspapers in Education (NiE) Manager, Standard Group looks on (center).
Mr. Moses Mwangi, the President of MLife Foundation, is the schools sponsor for the NiE Program in 2018. He is an alumnus of the school.
MLife Board Members: MLife Foundation Board members and the
Kawangware Primary Headmistress, with the NiE cheque after
presentation. They are from right; Headmistress Milliam Kelonye,
Mr. Moses Mwangi, Madam Kamaria Ventura and Madam Carol Jean
McCrary.

Launch Team: The Standard Team led by Mr. Zachary Otiende (third
right), the MLife Foundation Team, together with Madam Kelonye
(right) and Teacher Grace (second left) during the launch.
Redistribution is prohibited

28 Coffee Break Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Coffee Break Puzzles

Hidato SUDOKU
Find the path, solve the puzzle
Complete the grid so that numbers 1-132 connect
horizontally, vertically or diagonally:

Last week’s solution Last week’s solution

aronlangat8@gmail.com

7 little words
WONDERWORLD large
Redistribution is prohibited

Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Coffee Break 29

CROSSWORD
1 2 3 4 5
M A O B B
1 2 3 4 5
Across Down 6
D A M P E N
7 8
D I
9
R E C T O R
6 Package (6) 1 Person who determines the 10
C R G D O
11
A O

6 7 8 9 8 The capital of the U.S. State of course of a ship or a plane (9) C A S A B L A N C A R A K E

V C E E D D O
Hawaii (8) 2 Mercury, Mars or Saturn (6) 12
V I C T O R
13
S H E R I F F
10 Illnesses (8) 3 Pursuing (7) T I S N O
11 Dally, loiter, tarry (6) 4 See 15 Across.
14 15 16 17
L Y N C H E D T S E L I O T
10 11 18

12 Shakespeare’s Prince of 5 Slumber, doze (5) 19

A X H
20
O P
R E L A P S E S I G H T S
Denmark (6) 7 Drawbacks, handicaps, E C L A C I I
13 Push, prod (5) obstacles (13)
21 22
A R I A O L D P O S S U M S
12 13
15 (& 19 Across & 4 Down & 14 9 The most junior (non- 23
E T I B
24
U T I
F A L S E T T O R E S I S T
14
Down) Proverb that suggests it commissioned) officer (5,8)
D S Y S M
is difficult to instruct the elderly 14 See 15 Across.
15 16 17 (3,4,5,2,3,3,3,6) 16 Instance of two vehicles
17 Disregarded (7) narrowly avoiding a collision (4,4) Last week’s
solution
18
19 See 15 Across. 18 Care for; hold dear (7)
19 20 20 Second-in-command (6) 20 As thrown in athletics (6)
22 Correct, rectify (6) 21 Number of tiles each player Across: 6 Dampen, 8 Director,
21 23 Hold back (8) starts with in a game of Scrabble 10 Casablanca, 11 Rake, 12 Victor,
24 Continues steadfastly (8) (5) 13 Sheriff, 14 Lynched, 16 T s eliot,
22 23 19 Relapse, 20 Sights, 21 Aria, 22
25 Dissimilar (6) Oldpossums, 23 Falsetto, 24 Resist.
Down: 1 Macavity, 2 Angler, 3 Oddness,
4 Broadens, 5 Bookof, 7 Practicalcats,
24 25 9 Cardiologists, 15 Exploits, 17
Optimism, 18 Headboy, 19 Reread, 20
Scours.

aronlangat8@gmail.com

Horoscope
Scorpio – Oct 23 - Nov21
There is a sense of urgency
about you as if you know
that time is running out
and you had better get serious about
your aims and ambitions. In fact, you
have got a lot more time than you
appreciate but if you make a start
now there will be less to do later on.
Sagittarius Nov. 22-Dec
If others want to fight,
or hurl insults over trivial
issues, let them. Whatever
disputes or disagreements
come your way this week refuse to
get involved. Once you are drawn
into one argument you will be drawn
into several, so stay aloof right from
the start.
Capricorn – Dec 22-Jan
19 With so much positive
planetary activity affecting
your birth sign this week
you are likely to be of the opinion that
nothing can go wrong and even if it
does you will know how to fix it. That
Pisces – Feb. 19 - Mar 20
You are liable to offend
someone this week and
you may not care a bit.
In fact, you might think it
is time that certain people faced
up to reality, even if your idea of
reality differs radically from theirs.
Just make sure you don’t create
resentment among those who
should be friends.
Aries – Mar 21 - Apr 19
Push yourself that little bit
harder this week. Attempt
something you would not
dare to at any other time. There is
no guarantee of success but your
solar chart indicates that something
positive will come from your efforts,
even if it is not quite what you are
expecting.
Taurus – Apr 20 - May 20
If you find yourself clashing
with someone you live or
work with this week – and
by the look of your chart you will
codeword
Cancer – Jun 22-Jul 22
It would appear that you
are on a collision course
with someone whose
egoistic, elitist attitude
rubs you up the wrong way. You
should find it easy to change
direction but if you are going to cast
doubts on their abilities make sure
you have the evidence to back it up.
Leo – Jul 23 - Aug 22
There will be an explosive
mixture of emotions in
the air this week and all it
will take to set it alight is the wrong
word at the wrong time to the wrong
person – and that is easily done. If
you do get involved in a quarrel don’t
try to win. Just look for a compromise
solution.
Virgo – Aug 23 - Sep 22
There is no telling where
you will end up this week –
maybe hundreds of miles
from where you started.
Even if it does not bother you all that
Last week’s answers

may be true but why take the risk?
Focus on creativity rather than cash,
principles rather than possessions
and you will make some remarkable
discoveries.
Aquarius – Jan 20-Feb
18 This could be a tricky
week for you as you
challenge someone in
authority. Being the stubborn person
youare there is not much chance of
you backing down but as there is not
much chance of you winning either
the prognosis is not a happy one.
How about a tactical retreat?
– don’t hold back: get rid ofevery
negative thought and emotion that
is clogging up your system. The
devastation may be immense but
You will feel better for it.
Gemini – May 21 - Jun 21
This may be a week of
frenzied activity. Or it may
be a week when you take
one look at the pile of work
in front of you and give up before
you start. The good news is that
the harder you work the more your
energy levels will increase. You may
even start to enjoy it.
much, your nearest and dearest
are not so laid-back, so pick up the Using All the letters of the Alphabet, fill in the grid. To help you, there
phone and let them know where you are three crossword-style clues:
are – if you know, that is.
Top:Passage to enter mob culture. (7)
Libra – Sep 23 - Oct 22 Middle line: Support teams, even those at the bottom (9)
You can win or lose a lot of Bottom line: We met punk looking terribly untidy!a (7)
money this week, or you can
throw in the hand you have
To start you off, here is one of the letters.
been dealt and never know
what might have been. It is not for an by Rosy Russell
astrologer to advise you – the choice
is yours alone. The planets suggest
the odds are roughly 50-50. Now it is
up to you.
sallybrompton.com
Redistribution is prohibited
30 Weekend Business
Bullish plan. The Trump administration has proposed a controversial plan to open up
protected areas in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans for offshore drilling. The five-year
plan expands drilling to most of the US outer continental shelf, including California and
Maine, where drilling has been blocked for decades. Environmentalists called it a
“shameful giveaway” to the oil industry. The move fulfils US President Donald Trump’s
Business
promise to boost domestic oil and natural gas production. [BBC]
COTTON. NOSTALGIC FARMERS PIN REVIVAL HOPES ON STATE SUPPORT. P. 33
Guru
Veteran
investor
Mobius set
to retire
Veteran investor Mark Mobius, the
bald-headed market guru who
became one of the most recognised
authorities on money-making oppor-
tunities in Africa, Asia, Eastern
Europe and Latin America, plans to
retire from Franklin Templeton
Investments after three decades at
the firm.
The company announced his
retirement, effective January 31.
After accepting a job offer from
money manager John Templeton in
1987, Mobius headed one of the first
emerging-market equity fund avail-
able to US customers. With a long-
time base in Singapore, he travelled
about 250 days a year in a Gulfstream
IV private jet, visiting factories and
distributors in remote corners of the
globe to identify investment oppor-
tunities.
“There is no single individual who
is more synonymous with emerging-
markets investing than Mark Mobi-
us,”  Templeton Chairman and CEO
Greg Johnson  said in a statement
Friday.
Market movements
Mobius, 81, who said he kept most
of his own money in Templeton
funds, made prescient calls on major
market movements. He correctly pre-
dicted the start of a bull market that
began in 2009, snapped up bargains
during the Asian financial crisis after
Thailand floated its currency in 1997,
and bought Russian stocks as panic
selling took hold in Russia in 1998.
He was also one of the first institu-
tional investors to identify Africa as a
promising frontier market, setting up
the Templeton Africa Fund in 2012.
“My idea of a bargain is, by the way,
not very complicated,” he wrote in
“Passport to Profits,” his 1999 book. “I
buy stocks in companies with good
growth potential over a five-year
period.”
Born in Hempstead, New York to a
German father and Puerto Rican
mother, Mobius grew up on Long
Island speaking German and Spanish
at home. In 1955, he won a scholarship
to study at Boston University and
worked as a pianist at a nightclub to
help pay for his tuition.
He graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in fine arts and a master’s in
communications before completing a
doctorate in economics and political
science at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. [Bloomberg]
MARKETS  Opened 2018 with key indicators blinking green
Economy: Is the
worst of 2017
slowdown over?
From investors’ wealth at
NSE to purchasing
confidence and back to
the money market, the
first week of 2018 has
been sweet melodies for
most players.
By Dominic Omondi and Patrick
Alushula
dakure@standardmedia.co.ke,
palushula@standardmedia.co.ke
Kenya’s economy is showing
signs of coming through the
worst of its 2017 slowdown as
markets ushered in 2018.
The attack on the economy in
the third quarter of last year had
slowed growth to its slowest in
five years.
Unlike the beginning of 2017
when the country ushered in the
New Year with almost all the eco-
nomic indicators blinking red, it
was poles apart in 2018.  from the previous week’s aver-
From the investors’ wealth on
Nairobi Securities Exchange
(NSE) to purchasing confidence
and back to the money market,
the first week of the New Year
has been sweet melodies for
most players.
It is a well-deserved reprieve
for the business community who
for the better part of 2017 took a
back seat under as dangerous
political ammunitions were
thrown around.  September 2017.
On the Nairobi bourse, despite
starting the first two days of
trading on a losing streak, the
market recovered to build on
gains made in 2017.
Week on week turnover stood
at Sh1.8 billion on a volume of 62
million shares, up from Sh873
million on 38 million shares post-
ed on the last week of 2017. In the
process, market capitalisation, a
measure of the value of all shares
traded, rose by Sh44.3 billion to
close at Sh2.57 trillion.
Investors will be following this
keenly given that in 2017, their
paper wealth expanded by 32 per
aronlangat8@gmail.com
cent from Sh1.9 trillion in 2016
to Sh2.51 trillion.
During the first week of trad-
ing, all the three indices closed
in green. The NSE 20 share
Index was up 1.47 points to
stand at 3713.41 as All Share
Index (NASI) closed 1.73 per
cent higher to close at 174.17.
Safaricom commanded 47.57
per cent of the week’s traded
value.
In the money market, activity
in the inter-bank market
increased during the week end-
ing January 3, 2018, as trading
picked up, after the long festive
season.
According to the Central
Bank of Kenya (CBK), the vol-
umes traded increased to an
average Sh21.4 billion from
Sh13.7 billion in the previous
week.
Despite the number of deals
increasing to an average of 45
age of 40, banks loaned each
other at average rate of 7.13 per
cent. In the previous week,
28.9%
 Expansion in
current accout
deficit to
Sh145.4b
between July and
103.44
 Kenya shilling
exchange rate
against dollar on
Thursday, as
quoted by CBK.
Sh2.57tr
 Nairobi
Securities
Exchange market
capitalisation for
the first week of
2018.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
On Twitter:
@ElonMuskNewsOrg
It’s okay to have all your eggs
in one basket, as long as you
control what happens to that
basket.
interbank rate was averaging
7.63 per cent. In fact, on
Wednesday, the rate was 6.62
per cent.
The Kenya shilling exchange
rate returned mixed perfor-
mance against major interna-
tional currencies in the week
ending January 4, 2018 weighed
down by dollar demand to cover
imports. However, against East
African currencies, CBK said it
remained largely stable.
“It depreciated marginally
against the US dollar due to
increased demand from the
energy sector,” CBK said in its
weekly bulletin.
Under pressure
However, it might come
under pressure in the coming
week due to increased demand
for dollars by manufacturers, oil
and food importers. Having
closed the year at Sh103.23
60 PMI READINGS FOR
against the dollar, it has depre- 50
ciated marginally. On Thursday,
CBK quoted it at 103.44. 40
However, the weakening of
the shilling was not as profound 30
as in the beginning of last year.
Fears that the shilling might
come under pressure following
an increase in the price of crude
20
10
oil in the global markets are not
unfounded.
0
In the third quarter of 2017
Kenyans paid more for food and
ry ry ril
t
petroleum imports as earnings
ua ua ch ay ne ly us
n br ar Ap M Ju Ju g
from exports fell behind. Au
Ja Fe M p
According to data from the Se
Kenya National Bureau of Sta-
tistics (KNBS), the high import
bill worsened the country’s cur-
rent account deficit - or a situa-
tion where the value of the
goods and services the country Nonetheless, the country’s one of the key determinants
imports exceeded the value of gross foreign reserves are of the size of import bill, may
the goods and services it
exports.
Current account deficit
still impressive at $7.081 bil-
lion translating to import
cover of 4.74 months. This is
be a potential threat.  Brent
crude oil has topped $68
(Sh7,008) a barrel for the first
expanded by 28.9 per cent to an improvement by $18 mil- time since 2015. Locally oil
Sh145.4 billion between July lion from the previous week prices have been rising to
and September, 2017, compared that closed the year. reflect this upward trend in
to Sh112.8  billion in the same However, rising global oil global crude prices.
period the previous year. prices and oil import being Moreover, businesses
 Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard Weekend Business 31

New band

Angola to ditch dollar currency peg as forex crunch bites

Angola is poised to become the
latest emerging nation to aban-
don its currency peg as it seeks to
rescue an economy still reeling
from the oil-price crash four
years ago.
The southern African nation,
an OPEC member, said this week
it would let the kwanza trade
within a new band. The rate at
which it’s been fixed against the
dollar since April 2016 “does not
reflect the truth,” according to
Jose Massano, who became cen-
tral bank governor in late Octo-
ber.
It joins a long list of commod-
ity exporters - from Russia to
Egypt, Kazakhstan, Nigeria and
Uzbekistan - that have floated or
devalued currencies in a bid to
end crippling shortages of for-
eign exchange and revive eco-
nomic growth.
“It was a long time coming,”
said Kaan Nazli, a strategist at
Neuberger Berman Europe in The
Hague, which manages almost
$300 billion (Sh30 trillion),
including Angolan Eurobonds.
Bolster finances
The move underlines just how
forcibly President Joao Lourenco
is trying to bolster his nation’s
finances three months after he
replaced Jose Eduardo dos San-
tos, who ruled the former Portu-
guese colony for almost four dec-
ades.
In addition to appointing Mas-
sano, Lourenco has replaced the
heads of the state oil  and dia-
mond companies, and started
opening up the telecommunica-
tions sector to more competition.
Angola, which relies on oil for
more than 90 per cent of exports,
kept a tight grip on its currency
as the commodity slid. While the
kwanza has already weakened 40
per cent to 166 per dollar since
mid-2014, analysts say it is still
too strong. [Bloomberg]

aronlangat8@gmail.com and September 2017 was dis-

heartening.
The gross domestic product,
the total value of goods and ser-
vices produced in a given period
of time, slowed to a five-year low
between July and September last
year as electioneering affected
the economy.
The economy grew at 4.4 per
cent in the third quarter com-
pared to 5.6 per cent registered in
a similar period in 2016. The last
time the growth slowed down to
such levels was in the third quar-
ter of 2012, when the country
recorded a 4.4 per cent growth.
Although interest rate has been
fixed at 14 per cent since Septem-
ber 2016 when Banking (Amend-
ment) Act 2016 capped the rate

8
charged on loans by lenders,
uptake of credit has not been
impressive.

1
Primary concern
Johnson Nderi, corporate
finance manager at ABC Capital,

0
says that as much as most busi-
ness persons are upbeat, working
capital is not readily available to
most of them.

2017
ings below 50.0.
“Growth was underpinned by
expansions in output, new
orders, stocks of purchases and
r r employment, thereby reversing
r er be be
be tob e m m the recent downward trend,”
em c v ce read the survey which relies on
pt O No De data compiled from monthly
replies to questionnaires sent to
purchasing executives in approx-
imately 400 private sector com-
panies.
In October, after the Supreme
Court had annulled President
moved into the New Year with a Uhuru Kenyatta’s win in the
bullish sentiment. Stanbic August presidential elections,
Bank’s Purchasing managers the index plunged to an all-time
index (PMI), a widely accepted low of 34.4 as the political situa-
barometer for the health of pri- tion in the country deteriorated.
vate sector, crossed the 50 But in what is a signal of good
threshold in December 2017 things to come, the index has
signaling expansion, after eight since been on an upward trajec-
month of contraction- or read- tory following a marked increase
2
in new orders for the first time
in five months.
December 2017 also saw the
sharpest increase in output
since September 2016.
New export orders also rose
for the first time in five months
amid reports of greater interna-
tional demand for Kenyan prod-
ucts, said the survey.
Greater output
And with greater output
requirements, employers were
forced to expand their payroll,
albeit not in a big way.
“The Stanbic PMI rose above
the 50 level mark for the first
time since April as the private
sector began to benefit from
political stability,” said Stanbic
Bank’s regional economist for
east Africa, Jibran Qureishi.
“Growth was
underpinned by
expansions in
output, new orders,
stocks of purchases
and employment,
thereby reversing
the recent downward
trend.”
He was optimistic that
growth would recover in 2018
supported by agriculture and
tourism, with resumption in
public spending adding ‘much-
needed stimulus” into the econ-
omy.
“Business conditions
improved for the first time in
eight months amid reports of
greater political stability.
Growth was underpinned by
expansions in output, new
orders, stocks of purchases, and
employment, thereby reversing
the recent downward trend,”
read the survey.
“In response to greater out-
put requirements (and subse-
quent capacity pressures), firms
increased their payroll numbers
during December,” said the sur-
vey by Stanbic.
But the authors of the survey
were quick to note that “the rate
of jobs growth was only mar-
ginal”.
However, it will be interesting
to see whether this confidence
will translate into faster eco-
nomic growth in the fourth
quarter of 2017 and hence 2017
too. GDP growth between July
“From a macro-economic per-
spective, that is a primary con-
cern,” said Nderi.
Mr Nderi is keen on seeing how
President Kenyatta’s Big Four
plan will be implemented. Under
the Big four plan, the President
intends to concentrate on ensur-
ing food security for the country,
revamping manufacturing and
thus creating more jobs, ensuring
universal access to healthcare and
development of low-cost houses
for the poor.
Mr Nderi said most CEOS will
be watching to see how the Gov-
ernment will implement these
ambitious programmes. However,
he said that he was skeptical as
there are no concrete plans to
ensure that these plans are exe-
cuted. Manufacturing, for exam-
ple, he said, needs a lot of savings.
“Unfortunately, I have not seen
any policy that pushes savings,”
he said.
He was, however, optimistic
that the threat of politics was
somehow behind us.
Year-on-year inflation also
dropped to a 55-month low of 4.4
per cent in December, 2017 from a
five-year high of 11.7 in May as
prices of food came down.
A stable inflationary rate
means investors can plan for the
future without fearing for erosion
of their wealth by a rising cost of
prices.
Redistribution is prohibited
32 Weekend Business Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Tourists   Most facilities had occupancy of at least 85pc during the holiday period
Safari lodges in
northern circuit
record increased
season bookings
Region’s game parks
host rare wildlife species
including Grevy zebra,
reticulated giraffe and
Somali ostrich.
BBy Ali Abdi
aali@standardmedia.co.ke
Game lodges in the northern
tourism circuit of Isiolo, Samb-
uru and Meru recorded impres-
sive bookings of visitors during
the high peak of the December
holidays.
Among the safari lodges that
recorded occupancy of between
60 and 85 per cent were Sarova
Shaba in Isiolo and Lewa Downs
Wildlife Conservancy in Meru.
At Lewa that manages Lewa
Downs, Ill-Ngwesi and Borana
Conservancy, Group Chief Oper-
ations Officer Tuqa Jirmo said
the facilities recorded “excep-
tional visitation” throughout
last year at about 60 per cent
compared to the previous four
years.
Dr Jirmo said the three facili-
ties, due to the brand’s global
fame for its association with the
British Royal family and the
60%
 Proportion of visitors at
Sarova Shaba lodge who were
Kenyan residents.
annual Safaricom Lewa Mara-
Marine conservation
Watamu villagers recycle plastic to save sea turtle from tummy ache
Kai, a three-year-old green sea
turtle, was released back into the
turquoise waters of the Indian
Ocean off Kenya’s coast last
month.
She had been hospitalised
after her guts were blocked with
white plastic bags she swallowed,
mistaking them for jellyfish, and
tiny plastic pieces entangled in
the sea grass she eats.
In a bid to clean up Kai’s envi-
ronment, the villagers of Wata-
mu, who depend on fishing and
tourism, joined hands in 2016
with an entrepreneur and a local
ocean conservation charity to
thon, often receives a good
number of visitors throughout
the year.
‘‘Lewa has over the years
become the preferred destina-
tion of both residents and non-
resident tourists and this is
because of our attractions and
improved marketing locally and
abroad,’’ he said.
Lewa Downs has 103 beds
while Ill-Ngwesi and Borana
have guest houses. The trio also
has a number of campsites.
Rhino sanctuary
Lewa is also home to rhinos,
the second sanctuary to have
the animals along with the Ken-
ya Wildlife Service-managed
Meru National Park that has
two lodges - Mulika and Leop-
ards Rocks - which also had
good bookings last month and
into the first week of this year.
‘‘We have the big five, an
annual marathon every June
sponsored by Safaricom,
diverse mix of culture of the
local pastoralists, eco-tourism
and nature safari walk that
makes Lewa a preferred desti-
nation,’’ said Jirmo.
At Sarova Shaba, located
within Shaba National Reserve
that shot to fame following the
shooting of the Born Free mov-
ie, the lodge recorded 85 per
cent bookings between Decem-
ber 22 and New Year.
The film revolved around the
life of George and Joy Adamson
recycle plastic waste from two
marine national parks in eastern
Kenya.
In Malindi town, 20 kilometres
from Watamu and 115km north of
Mombasa, Sam Ngaruiya, 59, is
turning plastic waste collected
from beaches into green con-
struction materials.
They include six-foot fencing
poles used by schools and farms,
road signs, paving, roof tiles and
recycled plastic containers slow-
ly gaining traction among local
people.
“These recycled plastic prod-
ucts can last 200 years,” said
Ngaruiya.
who reared the lioness Elsa and
her cubs in the wilderness.
Shaba continued to be the
Hollywood of Kenya where
movies such as To Walk with
Lions, Out of Africa and CBS
blockbuster TV series Survivor
Africa were shot.
The facility has 185 rooms, a
presidential suite baptised Born
Free and two mini-presidential
suites.
‘‘Majority of our visitors, at
“Lewa has over
the years become
the preferred
destination of both
residents and non-
resident tourists and
this is because of
our attractions and
improved marketing
locally and abroad.”
Lewa Downs Group Chief
Operations Officer Tuqa Jirmo
about 60 per cent are residents
(Kenyans), and the bookings
especially in the month of
December were very impres-
sive,’’ said lodge manager Jos-
phat Ngali.
The Samburu Simba lodge
located within Buffalo Springs
National Reserve and managed
by Isiolo County Government
The negative aspect of plastic
waste – that it does not deterio-
rate or decompose for hundreds
of years - becomes a positive
when converted into construc-
tion materials, he added.
Hit hardest
According to the Kenya
National Bureau of Statistics, the
tourism industry suffered from
2011 to 2015, with coastal marine
parks hit the hardest. Visitors to
Kilifi County’s Watamu marine
park fell by 35 per cent, while that
in Malindi saw about 40 per cent
fewer.
The Government attributes the
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Tourists encounter a cheetah at Lewa Downs Wildlife Conservancy in Meru County. Lewa also manages
Ill-Ngewesi and Borana conservancies which posted 100 per cent bookings last December and over 50 per
cent occupancy last year compared to the last four years. [Ali Abdi, Standard]
had its 90 rooms fully booked
throughout the holiday season.
‘‘Last month, we had more
visitors than we could accom-
modate. We had to relocate
some visitors to neighbouring
lodges in Isiolo and Samburu as
we share the same ecosystem,’’
said the facility’s manager, John
Kalo.
Statistics from Ashnil Samb-
uru, also within Buffalo Springs
game park, were not immedi-
ately available but sources said
it also recorded a high number
of visitors over the holiday peri-
od.
Buffalo Springs and Shaba are
known for five rare species only
found in the northern circuit -
drop to security concerns caused
by attacks linked to Islamist
groups.
Ben Kithiy, a 24-year-old cur-
rency changer in Watamu who
makes a living from European
and American tourists visiting
the fine white sand beaches to
snorkel, water ski and windsurf,
can think of another reason.
“Floating plastic pieces stick-
ing to the body when you are
swimming in these waters makes
for a very unpleasant experi-
ence,” he said. Even local children
who come to clean up the beach-
es don’t want to swim for that
reason, he added.
Grevy zebra, reticulated giraffe,
Beisa Oryx, Somali ostrich and
gerenuk.
Isiolo Governor Mohammed
Abdi Kuti said his administra-
tion will come up with a tourism
board that will streamline the
management of its three game
parks that also include Bisanadi
at Kinna in Garba-Tula District.
Contract management
His predecessor, Godana
Doyo had toyed with the idea of
getting into contract manage-
ment with a South African firm,
African Parks, where the parks’
management would be run on
the model of Akagera National
Park in Rwanda.
“Floating plastic
pieces sticking to
the body when you
are swimming in
these waters makes
for a very unpleasant
experience.”
Currency changer Ben Kithiy
Every year, between 4.8 mil-
lion and 12.7 million tonnes of
plastic are dumped in the world’s
oceans, depending on river flood-
ing, costing some $8 billion
Dr Kuti, however, said the
plan would not benefit the coun-
ty and the residents, adding that
the proposed board would be
able to do the same work with-
out sharing profit with external
firms.
He pledged to inject more
money into parks each year to
address their woes.
Isiolo County Tourism Execu-
tive Tiyah Galgalo said the min-
istry will develop and secure the
parks.
‘‘We will recruit more game
rangers and the check influx of
armed herders, develop infra-
structure and undertake aggres-
sive marketing both locally and
abroad,’’ she said.
(Sh800 billion), according to a
2017 report from UN Environ-
ment.
Kithiy found five foul-smelling
dead turtles on his local beach in
Blue Lagoon Bay last year. Sev-
eral others were floating inertly
in shallow waters after eating
plastic, and would likely have
starved to death, he said.
Casper Van De Geer, who man-
ages the Watamu Turtle Watch
conservation programme in
Malindi, said that of the 30 to 80
turtles brought in for rehabilita-
tion each year, 15 per cent are
harmed by plastic.
[Reuters]
Redistribution is prohibited

Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Weekend Business 33

Subsidy cut
Challenges   Poor quality inputs, extension services and prices hamper revival

Nostalgic cotton farmers
pin hopes on State support
Only four ginneries are in
production out of a
component of 22 factories
countrywide.
BBy Dominic Omondi
dakure@standardmedia.co.ke
Few crops have been able fight off the
earth-baking sun in parts of former
Eastern region.
One of them, however, has been defi-
ant. Cotton. You can spot it sticking up
boldly from the sandy soils of Makueni
County. And in Meru County, the soft,
fluffy staple fibre beautifully bursts out
of a boll.
The cotton industry can easily be the
stem on which President Uhuru Keny-
atta builds one of his Big Four plans -
reviving the manufacturing sector and
employing millions of jobless youth.
Yet, large tracts of land in the parts
of the country with a favourable envi-
ronment for growing cotton remain
uncultivated. And the few who have
grown the drought-resistant plant,
which does well at low altitude and can
survive on meagre rainfall, are not a
proud a lot.     the seed, also went silent. And the ones
After a series of interviews with
farmers in the arid and semi-arid parts
of Kitui, Makueni, Meru and Embu, you
realise many of the old men and women
still stuck in the trade are simply nos-
talgic.
Somehow they are hopeful that
things will miraculously revert back to
the good old days when income from
cotton helped them buy cows and edu-
cate their children.
But generally, costly inputs such as
pesticides eat into their earnings, leav-
ing them with nothing. Moreover, the
price they get paid by ginneries is not
good.
Most of the farmers in Kitui feel
exploited by middlemen who go round
buying it at a low-price from farmers
and selling it at a high price to the mills.
An official from Fibre Crops Directo-
rate, which manages cotton and sisal,
told The Standard that there is a feeling
that farmers need to benefit from the
whole value chain, and not just lint and
seed.   The price of one loaf of bread
Things started going badly in the cot-
ton sector in the early 1990s when the
State stopped supporting certain ven-
tures, in what came to be known as
structural adjustment programmes
(SAPs). Cotton is one of the sectors that
was left unattended, and thousands of
farmers left the trade.
Farmers in Kitui said almost half of
them in the region dropped out of cul-
tivating cotton, citing poor prices and
extension services, and expensive
labour.
Joseph Maweu, a farmer in Makueni,
said he left the trade after doing a cost-
benefit analysis. He says the cost of
inputs has really gone up and they are
being exploited by middlemen.
“Pesticide is a problem,” said Nelson
Muturi, a cotton farmer in Embu. “If the
Government can help us with loans, we
can get some very good yields.”  Jamhuri Day celebrations in Nairobi,
Ginneries, where farmers sell their
cotton for separation of the lint from
operating are not utilising their full
capacity.
Currently, there are only four opera-
tional ginneries in the country at Mak-
ueni, Kitui, Meru and Salawa, out of an
establishment of 22 factories.
There are talks underway between
the national government, county gov-
ernments and other value chain players
to revive Mpeketoni, Malindi and Nyan-
za ginneries.
President Kenyatta, during the 2017
“Pesticide is a problem.
If the Government can
help us with loans, we
can get some very good
yields.”
Nelson Muturi, a cotton farmer in Embu
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Paul Korim at his farm in Salawa, Baringo County. He is one of the few remaining
cotton farmers in Kerio Valley.[Kipsang Joseph, Standard]
said the Government will support fram-
ers to grow cotton and ensure the same
is bought locally.
As part of his ambitious plan to
address his four key agenda, he said the
entire textile industry will receive ade-
quate support from the Government
and development partners among
other value chain players to guarantee
farmers improved earnings.
The big four plan seeks to enhance
manufacturing, food security, afforda-
ble housing and health care for all.  poor quality and high trash content in
“Under the big four plan, we will sup-
port farmers to plant cotton, which we
guarantee to buy. We have revived
Rivatex EA Ltd, our premier textile
manufacturer, and we will give incen-
tives to investors to build more modern
ginneries and textile manufacturing
plants,” said Uhuru.  a medium term plan is being imple-
The Fibre directorate is planning to
introduce BT Cotton Seed, which is not
easily devastated by the American boll-
worm.
The market for cotton, right from the
ginners to the spinners is lucrative.
Spinners still have to go outside looking
for lint.
“The Kenyan textile industry faces an
inadequate supply of locally produced
cotton, and that which is available is of
poor quality,” said World Bank in a
report on the country’s textile industry.
“This means the majority of export-
quality fabric manufactured in Kenya is
made from imported fibres due to the
local lint. The implication is that the
textile sector in Kenya has to choose
between the high cost of imported
material and the low-quality of local
fibre,” added the report.
Fibre Crops Directorate Interim
Head Anthony Muriithi confirmed that
mented, focusing largely on increasing
production and quality.
Bread
prices in
Sudan
double
Bread prices in Sudan have
doubled, the country’s Bakeries
Union said on Friday, a few days
after the government eliminated
subsidies under its 2018 budget.
rose from 0.5 Sudanese pounds to
1 pound, the union said, after the
prices of wheat flour rose.
The country’s biggest opposi-
tion party called for peaceful pro-
tests against the new budget, and
crowds gathered outside baker-
ies in Khartoum, expressing frus-
tration against the government’s
move.
“The new prices will make us
starve to death,” Fatima Ahmed,
a housewife said while buying
bread. “The government doesn’t
care about us. Our conditions are
harsh ...We won’t be able to
endure more.”
Sudan’s government has begun
a series of economic reforms in
line with International Monetary
Fund recommendations aimed at
putting the country’s ailing econ-
omy back on track.
State Minister for Finance
Magdi Hassan Yaseen told Reu-
ters late last month that the com-
petition between companies
importing wheat would prevent
such an increase in the prices.
The government would buy
locally produced wheat at
“encouraging prices”, he said.
The country devalued its cur-
rency, the pound, to 18 per US
dollar, more than double its pre-
vious peg of 6.7 pounds to the dol-
lar. [Reuters]

Oil

Opec sticks to output reduction schedule despite current high prices

Opec deepened compliance
with an oil supply-cutting deal in
December due to a further
decline in Venezuelan output and
extra cuts by Gulf exporters, a
Reuters survey found, showing
strong commitment to the deal
despite higher prices.
Adherence to the curbs rose to
128 per cent from 125 per cent in
November, the survey found. The
United Arab Emirates for the first
time since the deal took effect in
January 2017 pumped below its
Opec target, joining Saudi Arabia
and Kuwait.
The Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries is reducing
output by about 1.2 million bar-
rels per day (bpd) as part of a deal
with Russia and other non-Opec
producers. The pact will run until
the end of 2018.
Oil hit its highest since May
2015 last week, supported by fall-
ing inventories, strong demand
and high Opec compliance. Many
producers, still suffering from a
2014 price collapse, are enjoying
the rally and the extra revenues.
“We are all pleased about it,”
one official in an Opec country
said of the early 2018 price rise.
The survey shows no sign of
producers boosting output to
cash in on higher prices or to
replace the decline in Venezuela,
where output is dropping amid
an economic crisis.
In the past, waning compliance
as oil prices rallied has reduced
the effectiveness of Opec accords.
Top exporter Saudi Arabia
trimmed output by 60,000 bpd,
according to sources in the sur-
vey who cited stable to lower
exports and lower refinery pro-
cessing, putting supply further
below the kingdom’s Opec target.
Starved of funds
Production in Venezuela,
where the oil industry is starved
of funds due to a cash crunch, has
fallen further below its Opec tar-
get, the survey found. Both
exports and refinery operations
were lower in December.
The UAE, the incoming Opec
president, has cut production fur-
ther and delivered its highest
adherence yet, according to Reu-
ters surveys. The UAE was a lag-
gard on compliance for most of
2017, compared to peers like
Saudi Arabia.
“The UAE has the Opec presi-
dency this year and they feel they
should try to do better,” said an
industry source, who has dis-
cussed the issue with Opec offi-
cials.
Among countries with higher
output, the biggest rise came
from Nigeria, whose exports in
December were set to reach a
21-month high, although actual
shipments fell short of that level.
[Reuters]
Redistribution is prohibited
34 Weekend Business
BAD ECONOMICS   Though there was no voting by hoi polloi, the factors of production were under-utilised
With a wobbling capitalism, will
While Marx predicted
that capitalism would
collapse under its own
contradictions, we do
not have enough
contradictions to bring it
down.
By By XN Iraki
xniraki@gmail.com
As usual at the start of a new
year, it is the season of change.
But sometimes, the change we
hope for, the ideals we crave,
never come to be. We instead
get very different outcomes. Let
us go back a bit into history.
A hundred years ago, Russia
went through a revolution that
brought to an end its monarchy,
which had lasted for about 10
centuries. The revolution was
the culmination of Karl Marx
and Fredrich Engels dream, that
one day communism would
replace capitalism. In their near
utopian dream, workers would
own the means of production,
then owned mostly by the upper
class from nobles to monarchy.  the utopian dream, which lasted
It was a very enticing dream,
with statements like “workers
have nothing to lose except
aronlangat8@gmail.com
70
 Yearsthat Karl Marx and
Frederick Engels dream of
communism lasted.
1948
The year that George Orwell
published the book, “1984”, a
satire on communism.
1991
 When Mikhail Gorbachev
opened up the Soviet Union and
the communist state crumbled.
their chains”. Like all other revo-
lutions and counter revolutions,
few knew what was coming.  the best use. The profit motive
Vladimir Lenin and Josef Sta-
lin after him failed to actualise
for another 70 years. The work-
ers’ ownership was an illusion.
Instead, the party leaders owned
and controlled everything,
including the thinking. As a
Form One student, I recall read-
ing a newspaper in my school
library called “Moscow Echo”. It
was a stale publication, even for
a young mind.
The control over citizens’
thoughts was the worst part of
communism, which was sati-
rised by George Orwell’s book,
oddly titled “1984”. It was a
reversal of 48, the year it was
published. Those schooled in the
former Soviet Union still bear
the hallmarks of that subjuga-
tion of the thought process to
this day.
The linchpin of communism
was bad economics not politics,
contrary to popular belief.
Though there was no voting by
hoi polloi, the factors of produc-
tion were under-utilised, which
planted the seeds of commu-
nism’s end.
Land was owned by the state,
meaning that it was never put to
was never there. No wonder
famines were common.  allow Adam Smith’s reasoning.
Capital was never put to the
best use. Who got loans? Labour
was never used optimumly, with
the state deciding what you
would study and where you
would work.
The worst casualty of commu-
nism was entrepreneurship.
Creativity and innovation, the
hallmarks of capitalism and
entrepreneurship, were cur-
tailed.  Ever wondered why
Google was founded by a Rus-
sian immigrant?
Invisble hand
Surprisingly, communism
came to Russia in 1917, about 142
years after publication of Adams
Smith’s “The Wealth of Nations”,
a copy of which I bought last
week for Sh1,000 in a supermar-
ket in Nakuru just before Christ-
mas. In it, Smith saw the invisi-
ble hand of the market as the
catalyst of economic growth.
Communism called for the vis-
ible hand of the government -
read communist party. Why did
this happen? Had Engels and
Marx not read Smith’s work?  churning of leaders, Mikhail Gor-
I am not sure if they read, but
the socio-economic circum-
stances of that time did not
The French Revolution had
made Europe ripe for change.
Like any other change, citizens
and intellectuals romanticised it,
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
longed for the golden age. Marx
and Engels were the intellectual
leaders, their writing mimicking
religion.
In addition, the excesses of
monarchies made Russian soci-
ety yearn for change.  When
Marx and Engels suggested,
“A  spectre  is haunting Europe
— the spectre of communism”,
they were probably serious.
The “Manifesto of the Com-
munist Party” by the two schol-
ars published in February 1848
makes an interesting read, just
for curiosity.
The Russian monarchy was
overthrown in 1917 but Vladimir
Lenin did not last long after
fathering the revolution. By
1924, he was dead. Joseph Stalin
took over till 1953. There was
then Nikita Khrushchev, leader
from 1953-1964, then Leonid
Brezhnev from 1964-1982.  What will balance the excesses
And finally, after some rapid
bachev took over from 1985 to
1991. He opened up the Soviet
Union; and we found the hollow-
ness.  going on strike in UK for 11
Unable to handle change, the
Soviet Union collapsed. We
found the Union was held
together by force and terror.
Remember the gulags? In the
same way colonialism held its
empires by force and fear. After
the fall of the Soviet Union, we
suddenly heard of Uzbeks,
Chechens, Tartars and other
nationalities, some which were
Muslims. For 70 years till 1991,
Marx’s dream held, but we real-
ised it was a nightmare holding
15 republics together. 
Today, the dream remains in
North Korea and China. The Chi-
nese dream has been tempered
by Adams Smith’s invisible hand.
China quickly realised that eco-
nomics can be the best linchpin
of communism - they have let
capitalism thrive. One wonders
what Marx would say about
China if he woke up.
Balance excesses
Will communism ever return?
of capitalism, which Donald
Trump rode on to win power in
the US? Unions have been weak-
ened in most Western democra-
cies. Remember the miners
months during Margaret
Thatcher’s reign? Recall Ronald
Reagan sacking air traffic con-
trollers? 
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
communism return?
Did communism stop the
excesses of capitalism? Maybe.
Today, voters might tame the
excesses of capitalism as Trump
showed. My only concern is how
many voters are enlightened
enough to stand up against
excesses of capitalism without
being co-opted.  We still hear echoes of both, some say
While Marx predicted that
capitalism would collapse under
its own contradictions, we do not
have enough contradictions to
bring it down. The truth seems to
be that capitalism will save itself
by self corrections. Who thought
Trump would become the presi-
“The worst casualty
of communism was
entrepreneurship.
Creativity and
innovation, the
hallmarks of
capitalism and
entrepreneurship,
were curtailed. Ever
wondered why Google
was founded by a
Russian immigrant?”
DID COLONIALISM MIMIC COMMUNISM?
For 68 years, Kenya was under
colonial rule, much shorter than
India’s 300 years or Angola’s
500 years. When uhuru came in
1963, our leaders exalted
freedom and end of colonial yoke
creating an impression that
colonialism was just about
political power. But it was not.
The lynchpin of colonialism was
economics.  quality of life.
 Why did it take 45 years for Kenya to come
up with Vision 2030, our economic
blueprint which has now been
overshadowed by political jostling for
power? In you check the 2010 constitution;
the word president appears 339 times. The
word economic appears only 26 times. The
word wealth only appears as part of
commonwealth. We still have not come to
terms with economic reality.
 Our leaders focus more about political
power, not economic power. Just listen to
their speeches. God bless Dr. Wahome
Gakuru’s soul for his role in developing
Vision 2030.
The colonial powers focused on economic
power. Land was the biggest economic
issue. And why not? By the time Britain
was colonizing Kenya, they knew the value
of land, and how to exploit it to get the
highest return. They had done that in other
colonies for hundreds of years. Remember
the plantations in America?  The colonial
land pieces were huge, most over 1000
acres to ensure economies of scale.  After 1
million acre settlement, after uhuru, the
economies of scale ended leading to
subsistence farming.  No wonder, young
men want to be farmers only if they have
no choice.   Smart technology installed like
Capital as easily available through Land
and Agricultural Bank of Kenya whose
functions were taken by Agricultural
Finance Corporation, AFC in 1969. Do we
have any agricultural bank in Kenya that
caters exclusively for farmers?
dent? romanticism, will save capital-
Other countervailing forces ism. After all, the excesses of
to the excesses of capitalism communism are still too fresh
include civil society, laws and in our minds to attract enough
regulations, religion and our adherents. Capitalism, though
conscience. Why else do the moderated, will be with us for
very affluent start foundations some time to come. Its longev-
to help the disadvantaged?
Hard reality, more than
ity will be aided by its ally
democracy, whatever its form.
An old
colonial
house in
the
Kenya’s
central
highlands.
Just like
colonial-
ism,
commu-
nism held
people
together
by force
and terror.
[XN Iraki]
Cheap labour made plantations and other
activities profitable.  Plantation owners
went a step a further by ensuring the
labourers got free food and had no reason
not to be productive. How many firms
today give their workers free food?
 At times, the plantation and farm owners
went too far in reducing the cost. One
former worker in a settler’s farm told me
how parents with kids were preferred
employees. Their children provided cheap
labour particularly in tasks like picking
pyrethrum.
Entrepreneurship got little attention;
everything was imported and exported to
mother country. The command system
also ensured there was not much time for
creativity and innovation.  Looking at how
colonial period utilized the factors of
production we find some parallelism with
communism. Vast majority were excluded
from land owner; that planted the seeds of
Mau Mau.
Who got the loans from Land and
Agricultural bank?  Was it used in the most
productive way or sector?
The key similarity between colonialism in
Kenya and communism is that both lasted
for about 70 years, an interesting
coincidence. Each ended because of its
own contradictions.  , they took care of
minorities not vast majority.  Was
KANUism a variant of communism?
through trade negotiations and economic
systems that favour the former colonial
power.  Some countries still romanticize
communism like North Korea, and Cuba to
some extent.
Some of our politicians echo communism
or its variants; listen to their speeches or
read their manifestos.
Both colonialism and communism were
driven by idealism that could not stand the
test of time. One hopes the next
generation will learn from both
experiments and make this small planet a
better home for all of us. [XN Iraki]
In another 100 years, we
shall celebrate the triumph of
capitalism with a human face,
popular in Scandinavia, rather
than its replacement.
Or do you have a better
alternative?
Weekend Business 35
Cutting edge
How smart tech
seeks to improve
services for urban
neighbourhoods
In the picturesque Barcelona
district of El Born, residents can
get a better night’s sleep nowa-
days because garbage trucks pass
only when bins in the street are
full, thanks to high-tech sensors
that detect when they need to be
emptied.
Meanwhile, a few streets away,
magnetic sensors under the road
surface allow drivers to find out
in advance if a parking space is
free - saving them time and cut-
ting back on vehicle emissions.
Other high-technology solu-
tions for street lamps, traffic
lights and parking meters have
been deployed in Spain’s second-
largest city in recent years.
One theatre is even decked
with a smart vertical garden on
its outer wall, which collects its
aronlangat8@gmail.com
own rainwater via a solar-pow-
ered system on the roof.
As one of Europe’s richest cit-
ies, most of Barcelona’s inhabit-
ants already have good access to
municipal services and a high
But in poorer parts of the
world, urban experts say efforts
to improve cities with cutting-
edge technology can run into
challenges, particularly when
applied in slums.
“A 24-hour smart water meter
can only be possible if you’re con-
nected to the water system in the
first place,” said Ayona Datta, a
reader in urban futures at King’s
College London.
More efficient
In developing countries, tech-
nology may be introduced across
a city to make transport or water
services more efficient, but will
likely only work in its richer are-
as, she added.
The idea of giving the same
thing to everyone in both middle-
class and low-income neighbour-
hoods can be problematic, she
said.
“IT companies will sell (smart
technology) as a package without
any kind of customisation at a
grassroots level,” she said.
this is “giving the icing on the
cake to people who are already
connected”, Datta told the Thom-
son Reuters Foundation.
In many cases, those who lack
access to electricity or the Inter-
net cannot benefit from high-tech
infrastructure, she added.
“You really need to engage
with the social context (and)
social issues first,” she empha-
sised.
In India, dozens of smart cities
are planned as the Asian nation
seeks ways of coping with rapid
growth in its urban population.
By 2050, India will have an
additional 300 million urban
residents, according to UN-Habi-
tat, the agency that deals with
cities.
But one high-profile “smart
city” strategy for Dholera, in
Gujarat state, has sparked oppo-
sition.
It involves a new 920-km
metropolis on the edge of the
ancient port city, set to run most-
ly on solar power and intended to
become a global manufacturing
hub.
Critics say it will displace sub-
sistence farmers, is at risk of
inundation due to being built on
a floodplain, and will cost more
than planned.
“A lot of smart city projects are
real estate projects,” said Nancy
Odendaal, an associate professor
of urban planning at the Univer-
sity of Cape Town.
“On the African continent this
becomes particularly poignant as
it is seen as the last frontier for
property speculation and devel-
opment,” she added.
Top-down projects
In most of Africa, smart cities
tend to be “top-down” projects to
create satellite cities, like Konza
Technopolis in Kenya and Eko
Atlantic City in Nigeria, Odendaal
noted.
Dubbed “Africa’s Dubai”, Eko
Atlantic is being built on Victoria
Island next to Lagos.
Developers say it will become
a new financial headquarters for
Nigeria as well as solving chronic
housing shortages in Lagos.
Detractors argue that shiny
urban centres like Eko Atlantic
are designed for a wealthy elite,
and do nothing to help poor com-
munities living on their doorstep.
Elsewhere, smart city strate-
gies have received a mixed recep-
tion.
Rwanda’s capital Kigali was
praised for becoming one of the
first cities in Africa to roll out free
wireless internet in some areas in
2013.
However, it has also been criti-
cised for building new housing
ordinary Rwandese cannot
afford.
In South Africa’s Cape Town,
some people see smart city pro-
jects as an excuse for gentrifica-
tion - “just another way of turn-
ing old neighbourhoods into
swish, consumer zones”, said
Odendaal.
Some of the most effective
schemes are those that harness
technology but are not marketed
by governments as “smart”, she
said.
They include Map Kibera,
which began as a free, open digi-
tal map of Africa’s largest slum in
the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. It has
grown into an interactive project
pinpointing local services and
providing information about
security in Kibera. [Reuters]
Redistribution is prohibited

36 Africa
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Bissau. Eighteen people were killed and another 14 injured in the small west African state of Guinea-
Bissau late Friday when a minibus collided with a truck, police and hospital sources said. One witness On Twitter:
said the truck appeared to have been speeding when the driver lost control and collided head-on with @22mosalah
the minibus near Bissauzinho, around 15 kilometres  from the capital Bissau. Sources said the bus had One of many
been overloaded and that at least 10 of the injured were in a serious condition. Both drivers were killed dreams came true last

Africa
and the minibus was totally crushed, an AFP correspondent at the scene said. [AFP] night... Thank you every-

Business: board locks out public and media in currency tender case. P. 33

Terror fight. Sources dispute the group’s number of nine casualties saying only five troops died even as 30 more are missing
In Brief

Boko Haram claims it killed

Cairo. Clashes after
detainee dies at police
station
Clashes erupted between
Egyptian protesters and policemen
yesterday outside a Cairo police
station over the death of a young
man in custody, security sources
said. The protesters torched 10
cars including three police vehicles,
they said. Nine people were injured
and 40 people arrested in the
overnight clashes in Cairo’s Moqat-
tam District which saw some
protesters throw petrol bombs as
police responded with tear gas and
bird shot, they said. [AFP]  The Islamic State faction of
Harare. Mugabe allies
charged with corruption
Two former Zimbabwean
cabinet ministers who served
under ex-president Robert Mugabe
have been charged with corrup-
tion, their lawyers said yesterday,
the latest sign of a crackdown on
officials loyal to Mugabe. Mugabe,
93, stood down in November after
37 years in power following a de
facto military coup, making way for
his former deputy Emmerson
Mnangagwa to take over. When
the military seized power they
arrested key allies of Mugabe and
his wife, Grace, who was vying with
Mnangagwa to succeed her
husband. [Reuters]
Nigerian soldiers in ambush
The ISIS jihadist faction
said in an online
statement it had
orchestrated the raid on
army barracks in the
town of Kanamma.
BBy AFP
Kano
Boko Haram has said it was
responsible for a late Decem-
ber attack on Nigerian army
barracks, claiming it killed
nine soldiers and took military
equipment.  whether they were captured
The jihadist faction said in
an online statement published
by the Islamic State’s West
Africa Province that it had
orchestrated the raid on army
barracks in the town of Kan-
amma in northeast Yobe State,
according to the SITE Intelli-
gence group, which monitors
jihadist activity.  during the attack or
Boko Haram has long been
divided, but in 2016 it suffered
a major split when the Islamic
State group recognised Abu
Mus’ab al-Barnawi, the son of
dead Boko Haram founder
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Muhammad Yusuf, as leader.
The jihadists carried out a
bloody raid on the Kanamma
barracks, located near the
Unrest
Niger border, triggering a gun
battle that needed air force
support, according to AFP
sources. 
The sources said five sol-
diers had lost their lives,
instead of the nine claimed by
Boko Haram, but added that 30
troops are still missing after
the battle. 
“We lost five men in this
attack and 30 remain missing,”
a military officer on Wednes-
day told AFP on the condition
of anonymity.
“It is not known yet whether
they fled during the attack or
by the terrorists,” added the
same source.
The Kanamma raid took
“It is not known yet
whether they fled
A screengrab taken in July 2014 from a video released by the Boko Haram and obtained by AFP shows
the leader of the Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau (centre).
whether they were
captured by the the holiday season last month, borders and usually targets don’t join the Islamist move-
despite Nigerian President Nigerian forces.  ment. 
terrorists.” Muhammadu Buhari saying in Meanwhile, longtime leader The Boko Haram insurgency
Source his New Year’s address that the Abubakar Shekau operates has killed over 20,000 people
country has “beaten” the from his Sambisa forest and displaced some 2.6 million
jihadists.  stronghold along the Came- since 2009, triggering a dire
place amid a barrage of almost The IS-affiliated Boko Har- roon border and is responsible humanitarian crisis in the Lake
daily Boko Haram attacks, kid- am faction is particularly for unrelenting suicide bomb- Chad region. 
nappings and bombings over active on the Chad and Niger ings targeting civilians who

UN to investigate DR Congo attack

Khartoum. Sudan shuts
border with Eritrea
Sudan has shut its eastern
border with Eritrea, days after
Khartoum declared an emergency
in the neighbouring state of
Kasala. “The governor of Kasala
issued a decree to close all border
crossings with Eritrea from the
night of January 5,” the official
SUNA news agency reported. It did
not explain why the border was
closed but said the decision
comes after President Omar
al-Bashir declared on December
30 a state of emergency in Kasala
and in North Kordofan state for six
months. [AFP]
The United Nations has set up
a special investigation of the
attack that killed 15 UN peace-
keepers in the Democratic
Republic of Congo last month
and wounded 43 others.
The December 7 attack in the
Beni territory of North Kivu
Province was one of the worst to
target UN peacekeepers in
recent history in the DRC.
UN Secretary-General Anto-
nio Guterres appointed Dmitry
Titov, a Russian national who
has worked in UN peacekeeping
to lead the special investigation
that will also look into other
attacks against peacekeepers in
that area, a UN statement said.
“This special investigation
will include a focus on the 7
December attack in Semuliki, in
which 15 Tanzanian peacekeep-
ers were killed, 43 wounded and
one remains missing,” it said.
The United Nations has said
the ambush of the peacekeeping
base was carried out by suspect-
ed ADF rebels, a shadowy group
dominated by hardline Ugandan
Muslims that is one of several
armed groups active in the
North Kivu region.
UN investigators will examine
the circumstances surrounding
the attacks, evaluate the
response of the UN peacekeep-
ers and make recommendations
on how to prevent such violence,
the UN said.
Two military officers from
Tanzania will take part in the
investigation that will travel to
the DR Congo later this month
and to countries in the region.
The attack was the bloodiest
against MONUSCO, the UN force
deployed in the DR Congo since
1999, and the worst against a UN
force since the death of 24 Paki-
stani peacekeepers in Somalia in
June 1993.
DR Congo’s huge eastern
region has long been wracked by
violence, but fighting between
government soldiers and militia
groups, as well as inter-ethnic
clashes, has increased in 2017.
[AFP] Antonio Guterres [AFP]
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
DESIRE  The one thing all Zimbabweans yearn for this year is an economic revival
Zimbabwe hopes
to rise from the
ashes in 2018
In our series of letters
from Africa, journalist-
turned-barrister Brian
Hungwe looks at what is
in store for
Zimbabweans in 2018
following the resignation
of 93-year-old Robert
Mugabe in November
after 37 years in power.
By BBC
Harare
A year ago, no Zimbabwean
would have predicted the
tumultuous events that led to
Mugabe’s political demise and
the elevation of his sacked dep-
uty Emmerson Mnangagwa to
the presidency.
Whatever the circumstances
that ushered Mnangagwa into
office, the one thing all Zimba-
bweans yearn for this year is an
economic revival.
There is a biting cash crisis,
with long queues at banks.
With elections due in August,
the new president has seven
months to demonstrate that he
is no Robert Mugabe.
His predecessor was accused
of squandering opportunities -
it was, according to some, a
period of misrule that allowed
the economy to be run into the
ground.
But to win the elections,
Mnangagwa has to fix the econ-
omy. And he knows it.
Wooing the diaspora
Last month, he went to South
Africa, the region’s economic
People and soldiers celebrate after the resignation of Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe on
November 21, 2017 in Harare. [AFP]
powerhouse, to woo back inves-
tors frightened off by Mugabe’s
indigenisation laws that
required that 51 per cent of
companies be in the hands of
black Zimbabweans.
Mnangagwa’s government
has softened the legislation -
and it now only applies to dia-
mond and platinum companies.
The packed gathering in
aronlangat8@gmail.com
South Africa was also attended
by those who fled Zimbabwe’s
economic crisis over the last
two decades - it is estimated
that more than three million
Zimbabweans now live in the
diaspora.
Mnangagwa wants them to
come home and invest - and
assured them that the economy
was his number one concern.
Insiders talk of an economic
miracle in the offing, returning
the country torn by political
strife to the envy of the region
- after decades of international
isolation.
There is a projection the
economy will grow by more
than 4.5 per cent this year.
While Mugabe adopted a
“Look East” policy, after being
spurned by the West, Mnan-
gagwa is keen to show he is not
taking sides.
He does not seem to mind
the colour of the cat as long as
it catches mice.
Sources say he has strong
Chinese backing to revive the
country and improving rela-
tions with the UK, the country’s
former colonial power.
In his inauguration speech,
Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans
should not remain hostages of
Wounded
economy
 There is a biting cash
crisis, with long queues at
banks.
 Mnangagwa’s
government has softened
the legislation - and it
now only applies to
diamond and platinum
companies.
 To win elections
scheduled for August this
year, Mnangagwa has to
fix the economy. And he
knows it.
 Last month, he went
to South Africa, the
region’s economic power,
to woo back investors,
frightened off by
Mugabe’s indigenisation
laws that required that 51
per cent of companies be
in the hands of black
Zimbabweans.
 Mnangagwa’s
government has softened
the legislation - and it
now only applies to
diamond and platinum
companies.
their past.
“Let us hum- b l y
appeal to all of us that we let
bygones be bygones, readily
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa. [AFP]
embracing each other in
defining a new destiny of our
beloved Zimbabwe.”
It was an admission that
Mugabe’s policies had dam-
aged the country and implied
the new leader intended to
do things differently -
despite the fact that he had
been part of the old system.
Yet the statistics are stark.
Some estimates put Zim-
babwe’s rate of unemploy-
ment at 95 per cent - most
people eke a living in the
informal economy.
The country’s manufac-
turing sector has shrunk by
at least 50 per cent, accord-
ing to the Confederation of
Zimbabwe Industries.
There are also no signifi-
cant revenue inflows, and
import and export dispari-
ties are huge.
Rampant corruption has
also corroded the fabric of
society, leaving many dispir-
ited.
Mnangagwa said he would
act - and many arrests have
taken place. This has given
some people hope.
However, “the crocodile”,
as Mnangagwa is affection-
ately known because of the
unit he fought in during the
liberation war, will have to
tame himself to keep these
hopes alive.
He cannot afford to
“Mugabenise” Zimbabwe
again if he wants to win pop-
ular support in elections due
before the end of August,
though sceptics suggest the
ruling Zanu-PF party - given
its now open backing from
the military - could simply
return to its strong-arm tac-
tics to remain in power.
Either way, the year ahead
looks rocky for the Opposi-
tion.
Weak and divided, it is
unclear whether it will unite
behind one candidate to
challenge Mnangagwa.
The new president insists
that it will not be business as
usual in 2018 - on the politi-
cal or economic front.
He wakes up early for
work and spends weekends
in the office - in contrast to
his 93-year-old predecessor,
who was often pictured nap-
ping on the job.
The indications so far are
that “the crocodile” does
mean business. And business
is what matters.
Africa 37
Identity crisis
Confusion
after Egypt
star wins
CAF award
A discussion is taking place on
social media over whether an Egyp-
tian football player should have been
named the African Player of the Year
2017.
Egyptian-born Mohammed Salah,
25, was awarded the title in Accra,
Ghana, on 4 January by the Confed-
eration of African Football (CAF) after
a public vote. In what appears to have
started as a joke, some football fans
on social media questioned Salah’s
win because they believe Egypt is not
an African country.
Another Twitter user posted: “Afri-
can football is sooo corrupt man Salah
is not even African he’s Egyptian.”
It seems that the question over
Salah’s entry in the competition
began as a joke by Twitter user @
ClinicalFirmino on 2 January during
a conversation with Liverpool fan @
redinrandbur. Later @ClinicalFirmi-
no who did not wish to be identified
confirmed the Twitter conversation
was a prank.
“I already know Salah is African. It
was a joke. Stop DMing me pictures of
maps. Thanks,” he posted.
On Arabic Twitter, Mohamed Salah
had generated more than 25,000
tweets by Friday morning. Egyptians
were also tweeting under the Arabic
hashtag #CAF and the English
hashtag #CAFAwards2017.
Dismay at confusion
While much of Arab Twitter cele-
brated Salah’s award, calling him the
pride of Egypt, some Twitter users
continued to be baffled by the win
while others expressed their dismay
at the confusion.
Although Egypt sits in the north of
the African continent it is considered
by many to be a Middle Eastern coun-
try, partly because the main spoken
language there is Egyptian Arabic, the
main religion is Islam and it is a mem-
ber of the Arab League.
In 2012, Al Arabiya news reported
that many Egyptians they inter-
viewed for a feature on identity
classed themselves mostly as Arabs,
Muslims, descendants of the Phar-
aohs or a combination of all three, but
not African.
Perhaps the confusion is com-
pounded by the country’s geographi-
cal location, sitting in Africa but sur-
rounded by countries located on the
southern and eastern seashore of the
Mediterranean, such as Morocco,
Algeria and Tunisia, which despite
their north African location are
regarded by many as Arab. [BBC]
Mohamed Salah after winning the
African Player of the Year award. [AP]
Redistribution is prohibited
38 World Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Clinton Foundation investigated by Justice Department. The US Justice Department
has opened a new inquiry into the Clinton family’s non-profit organisation, the Clinton
Foundation, US media report. The Attorney General and FBI will reportedly investigate
claims Hillary Clinton engaged in so-called “pay-to-play” politics for donations. Mrs
Clinton’s spokesman on Friday labelled the inquiry a “sham”. He said Attorney General Jeff
World
Sessions was doing President Trump’s bidding to distract from the Russia probe. [BBC]
Sponsorship: why Kenyans clubs should stop relying on one sponsor p. 42
In Brief
Washington. Twitter
says it won’t block
world leaders
Twitter has announced that it
would not block the accounts of
world leaders even if their
statements are “controversial,”
citing a need to promote a “public
conversation” on political issues.
The Friday announcement came
just days after a tweet from
President Donald Trump hinting
at the use of US nuclear weapons
Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia approves new
search for airliner
Malaysia’s government said
yesterday that it has approved a
new attempt to find the
wreckage of Malaysia Airlines
Flight 370, nearly four years after
the plane’s disappearance
sparked one of aviation’s biggest
mysteries. The US-based
company Ocean Infinity
dispatched a search vessel this
past week to look in the southern
Indian Ocean for debris from the
plane, which disappeared March
8, 2014, on a flight from Kuala
Lumpur to Beijing with 227
passengers and 12 crew
members. [AP]
Riyadh. 11 princes
arrested for protesting
Saudi police have arrested 11
princes for protesting at the
ruling palace in Riyadh and
refusing to leave. The princes
yesterday protested over the
decision of the Saudi King
Dubai. Iran stages
pro-government rallies
Thousands of government
supporters staged rallies in Iran
for a fourth day, in a backlash
against widespread protests the
clerical establishment has
blamed on the country’s enemies.
Yesterday’s show of support
came a day after Iran’s foreign
minister said a United Nations
Security Council meeting called
by the US to discuss the protests
had proved a “blunder” by the
administration of US President
Donald Trump. State television
sparked criticism that the social
network was allowing threats of
violence. “Twitter is here to serve
and help advance the global,
public conversation. Elected
world leaders play a critical role
because of their outsized impact
on our society,” the California firm
said. “Blocking a world leader
from Twitter or removing their
controversial tweets would hide
important information people
should be able to see and debate.
It would also not silence that
leader, but it would certainly
hamper necessary discussion
around their words and actions.”
Twitter made no specific
reference to Trump or his tweet
saying he has a “nuclear button”
which is “bigger and more
powerful” than that of North
Korea’s. [AFP]
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to
stop the government from paying
power and water bills of princes
and their demands for compen-
sation for the execution of a
prince last year who was
convicted in a murder case. They
were referred to prison pending
trial. [Xinhua]
showed rallies in cities including
Amol, Semnan and Shadegan
waving Iranian flags and chanting
“Death to America”, “Death to
Israel” and “Death to Britain”.
More than a week of unrest has
seen 22 people die and more than
1,000 arrested, according to
Iranian officials, in the biggest
anti-government protests for
nearly a decade. Unrest spread to
more than 80 cities and rural
towns as thousands of young and
working class Iranians voiced
anger at graft, unemployment
and a deepening gap between
rich and poor. [Reuters]
Disappointed  President Trump has called book author Wolff a total loser
Trump book
row casts
shadow on
summit
Trump tweeted he was
mentally fit and that he
was “a very stable
genius”.
BBy BBC
Washington
Donald Trump has contin-
ued attacking critics over a
tell-all book, Fire and Fury as
his party gathers for a key
meeting to thrash out their
priorities for 2018.
A retreat at Camp David
will focus heavily on a strate-
gy before crucial congres-
sional elections in November.
Michael Wolff’s book raises
concerns over Trump’s mental
health. The president called
Wolff a “total loser”.
Trump tweeted he was
mentally fit, adding that he
was a “genius....and a very sta-
ble genius at that”.
Unfinished business
The Camp David summit
begins two weeks before the
end of Trump’s first year in
Diplomacy
Seoul offers high-level delegation for N Korea talks
South Korea has proposed a
five-member delegation led by a
government minister to rare
talks with North Korea next
week, the Unification Ministry
in Seoul said yesterday.
The offer came a day after the
two Koreas agreed to hold their
first official dialogue in more
than two years to discuss the
North’s participation in next
month’s Winter Olympics in
South Korea.
aronlangat8@gmail.com
What the book
says:
White House
employees believed
Trump’s “mental powers
were slipping”
The Trump team was
shocked and horrified by
his election win
His wife, Melania,
was in tears of sadness
on election night -
though she has denied
this
The president’s son
Donald Jr engaged in
“treasonous” behaviour,
according to former
Trump aide Steve
Bannon (claims denied
by the Trumps)
office. It will seek to tie up
unfinished business by Repub-
licans, who have rallied
around Trump during the
release of Wolff’s book, Fire
and Fury: Inside the Trump
White House.
The tentative rapprochement
comes after the North’s leader
Kim Jong-Un warned in his New
Year speech that he had a nucle-
ar button on his desk, but also
said Pyongyang could send a
team to the Pyeongchang Win-
ter Olympics.
Seoul responded with an offer
of talks and earlier this week the
hotline between the neighbours
was restored after being sus-
pended for almost two years.
A copy of the book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House”
sits on display at a bookstore in Washington, DC on Friday. 5[AFP]
“We have a lot of things to
work on, a lot of things to
accomplish,” Trump said as he
left for the Maryland retreat.
Those issues are reported
to include: money. Specifically,
how legislators can agree on
funding the federal govern-
ment for the current fiscal
year. If they do not do so
before January 19, there is a
risk of a government shut-
down.
Different Republicans have
different priorities: for exam-
ple, Paul Ryan, the Speaker of
the House, is keen to address
a reform of welfare pro-
grammes.
On the other hand, Trump
The ministry said yesterday
that the South had suggested
Unification Minister Cho
Myung-Gyon lead the delega-
tion to the meeting in the truce
village of Panmunjom on Tues-
day.
Four officials
He would be accompanied by
four other officials, including
two vice ministers - one of
whom is in charge of sports - the
On Twitter:
@pattonoswalt
I don’t know if Trump will
be gone by the end of the
year but I 100% do know we
will have a Gorilla Channel.
and Mitch McConnell, the
Senate Majority Leader, will
push for funding to rebuild
infrastructure, Reuters news
agency reports.
Meanwhile, the Depart-
ment of Homeland Security
was widely reported on Friday
to have asked for $18 billion to
complete a section of Mr
Trump’s much-vaunted bor-
der wall with Mexico - though
it is unclear if this will be dis-
cussed in the latest round of
budget talks.
Fire and Fury went on sale
early on Friday, days ahead of
its scheduled release, despite
the president’s attempts to
block its publication.
South said as the two Koreas
discussed the size and forma-
tion of delegations by fax.
“We have been informed from
the North’s side that there will
not be any response today,” a
unification ministry official was
quoted as saying by Yonhap
news agency.
Kim said in his New Year
speech that his country wished
success for the Olympics, to be
held from February 9-25. [AFP]
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Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Sports 41
Athletics. James Dasaolu and Ashleigh Nelson have withdrawn from Team England’s
Commonwealth Games squad. Two-time European champion Dasaolu, 30, is Britain’s second
fastest man over 100m and had been entered to compete in the 100m and 4x100m relay. [BBC]
Sports
BOXING: NICK OKOTH BOXES HIS WAY TO CLUB GAMES. p44
In Brief
Cricket. Williamson act
sinks Pakistan
Kane Williamson may have
been New Zealand’s hero in their
Golf. Star Johnson puts
leaders on short leash
Dustin Johnson offered a reminder
that he is still the world number one as
he moved within one stroke of
second-round leaders Marc Leishman
and Brian Harman at the Sentry
Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on
Friday. Johnson recovered from a slow
start to run up seven birdies for a
five-under-par 68 on the Kapalua
Plantation course on the island of Maui.
[AFP]
Rugby. Grant help Bath
to end bad run
Bath halted a run of three
successive Premiership defeats
with a comfortable bonus-point
victory at Worcester on Friday.
The 46-25 win provided just the
lift fifth-placed Bath needed
before resuming their European
Caroline Wozniacki in action during a past match. [AFP]
Tennis. Wozniacki
survives scare in semis
Top seed Caroline Wozniacki
survived an early scare to join
Julia Goerges in the Auckland
Classic final after an exhausting
duel yesterday involving the
quarter and semi-finals. While
second-seed Goerges progressed
dominant win over Pakistan in the
opening one-day international in
Wellington yesterday, but he said it
was not a game for heroics.
“You’re always thinking about the
role you need to play and the
situation of the game, and it
certainly didn’t require something
silly,” Williamson said after New
Zealand beat the Champions
Trophy holders by 61 runs under
the Duckworth-Lewis system.
[AFP]
Champions Cup quarter-final
quest against Recreation Ground
visitors the Scarlets next Friday.
Flankers Paul Grant and Matt
Garvey scored tries either side of
half-time, before England back
Anthony Watson’s try 15 minutes
into the second period put
11th-placed Worcester away.
[AFP]
comfortably, winning both her
matches in straight sets,
Wozniacki found herself a set
down in her quarter-final against
19-year-old American Sofia Kenin.
But she regrouped to beat Kenin
4-6, 6-2, 6-4 then overcame
another patchy start to beat
Sachia Vickery 6-4, 6-4 in the
semis. “I’m exhausted,” Wozniacki
said.[AFP] 
NBA.  Smart’s 18 points on eight-of-13 shooting lead the hosts to glory
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Celtics pull away late in
win over Timberwolves
It was a hard-fought
contest that included
15 lead changes
BBy AFP
sports@standardmedia.co.ke
Marcus Smart and Terry
Rozier combined for 32 points
as Boston’s reserves keyed the
Celtics’ 91-84  NBA  victory
over the Minnesota Timber-
wolves on Friday.
In a hard-fought contest
that included 15 lead changes,
the Eastern Conference-lead-
ing Celtics finally turned the
tide late in the third quarter to
post their fifth straight win.
Boston had missed 12 of
their first 14 shots of the third
and were down 55-48 with
less than five minutes left in
the period.
But they made eight of their
next 11 shots, closing out the
third on a 17-7 scoring run.
The Celtics withstood a
25-point, 23-rebound perfor-
mance from Minnesota star
Karl-Anthony Towns.
Smart’s 18 points on eight-
of-13 shooting led the Celtics
and Rozier added 14 off the
bench as Boston’s reserves
out-scored Minnesota’s 42-20.
Star guard Kyrie Irving led
Boston’s starters with 16
points and also pulled down
nine rebounds and eight
assists.
Irving’s finger-roll layup
with 1.6 seconds left in the
third pushed the Celtics’
advantage to 66-62 and they
wouldn’t surrender the lead in
the final quarter.
“Tonight was one of those
games where every last one of
us from the starters to the
guys coming in off the bench
were ready,” Smart said.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens
“To win a game
like that against a
really good team
when you can’t make
a shot - that’s a
good thing.”
Brad Stevens
was pleased to see his team
hang on despite their offen-
sive struggles.
The Toronto Raptors used a
big third quarter - including
On Twitter:
@BBC
Manchester City cap-
tain Vincent Kompany
has urged Premier
League football clubs to
cut ticket prices for fans.
Boston Celtics guard
Marcus Smart (right) in
action against Bucks
forward Giannis
Antetokounmpo. [AFP] 
20 points from Jonas Valan-
ciunas - to beat the Milwaukee
Bucks for the second time in
five days, 129-110.
Valanciunas, benched in the
second quarter after finding
himself in quick foul trouble
and failing to score in the first,
responded in the third, when
the Raptors out-scored the
Bucks 43-19.
“He was masterful as far as
getting position, using his size
and strength in the paint and
just doing a good job of
rebounding the ball, old
school, going to get the ball,
rebounding, putting it back
and getting and-ones,” Rap-
tors coach Dwane Casey said
of Valanciunas, who was just
two points off Kyle Lowry’s
club record for points in a
quarter.
Redistribution is prohibited

42 Sports SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard

SPONSORSHIP  Gor Mahia and AFC leopards need to follow examples of top clubs like Al Ahly of Egypt

Why Kenyan AFC Leopards Aziz

Okaka shields
Chemelil Sugar’s
Apolo Otieno during a

clubs should
KPL match at
Kasarani last
November. [Jonah
Onyango, Standard]

stop relying
on one sponsor
Teams across the world
have sponsors divided
into various categories
and don’t have to beg for
tickets when flying out.
By Kimathi Kamau
sports@standardmedia.co.ke
How did it come to this?
That is the question many
football fans have been asking
since Tuesday when Gor Mahia
FC and AFC Leopards
announced they were consider-
ing withdrawing from the CAF
Champions League and Confed-
erations Cup.
It was hardly the New Year
message their proud support-
ers expected, coming after a
year when the emblematic
teams returned to the apex of
local football with Gor winning
the Kenyan Premier League as
Leopards lifted the GOtv Shield.
This followed the termina-
tion of their sponsorship with
betting firm SportPesa after the
gaming firm pulled the plug on
all local partnerships earlier in
the week.
Debate has raged on main-
stream and social media with
some accusing the betting
giants of holding the teams and
other local sporting entities/
individuals who benefited from
their partnership to ransom.
SportPesa took the drastic
action after the Government
failed to backtrack on the
implementation of the 35 per
cent tax proposal on gaming
and lottery businesses effective
January 1.
Others have turned on Gor
and Leopards, the grand old
institutions of Kenyan football,
for putting all their eggs in the
SportPesa basket, leaving them
ruthlessly exposed in the event
their sponsor took such
extreme measures.
“We are few weeks away
from kick off of our continental
matches in the 2018 CAF Cham-
pions League which starts in
February.
“Traversing the continent to
honour our fixtures is an expen-
sive affair which Gor Mahia can-
not afford on its own. These
matches are a source of pride
Sponsorship
breakdown
 Real Madrid have nine
global partners, 12 regional
sponsors and 10 others for
their basketball team.
 Barcelona have Nike and
Rakuten as main partners,
six premium partners, nine
official partners, 26 regional
partners.
 Al Ahly of Egypt signed a
Sh3.09b deal with Saudi
Arabian company Sela in
2015.
 Orlando Pirates of South
Africa enjoy sponsorship
from Vodafone, Black Label
beer, Adidas, Ford, EA Sport
among others.
aronlangat8@gmail.com
for the nation as participa-
tion in the tournament
raises Kenya’s profile as a
sporting nation,” Gor
chairman, Ambrose Rachi-
er said in a statement after
the club was informed of
SportPesa’s withdrawal.
“Our gate collections are
not enough to cater for that
expense and also pay players
and the technical bench, we are
in dilemma. This is tantamount
to killing football in the country.
No Kenyan club is going to suc-
cessfully stay in the 2018 KPL,”
Rachier said.
“We have no sponsors right
now. We are going to withdraw
from CAF assignments. We are
urging other like-minded corpo-
rates to emulate SportPesa and
support community clubs
in Kenya. I don’t know
how we will pay the 10
international players
we have signed ahead
of the season,” his Leop-
ards counterpart, Dan Mule
decried.
Simply put, the best support-
ed Kenyan football clubs who
share 28 league and 20 domestic
cups between them cannot
afford to take their pride of place
among fellow African giants
after SportPesa pulled the spon-
sorship rug from under their
feet.
If that does not qualify to be a
national disaster, then it can be
termed the crying shame of a
nation and the best illustration
of the skewed nature of Kenyan
sport.
Officially described as an
‘industry’, in reality Kenyan
sport is nothing more than a
token tool of social mobilisation
put on the backburner by suc-
cessive regimes.
Unfortunately, Gor and Leop-
ards have over the years been
used as a footstool to political
office, wealthy benefactors
coming in to bankroll their
activities only to abandon
the teams when their ambitions
are realised.
Alfred Sambu, Cyrus Jirongo,
Musalia Mudavadi, Rachel
Shebesh, George Aladwa and
Alex Ole Magelo are some
examples of local politicians
who have been officials of Leop-
ards.
Opposition chief and club
patron, Raila Amolo Odinga, the
late Joab Omino whose idea of
turning Gor into a private lim-
ited company was shot down
and Homa Bay Governor, Cypri-
an Awiti are among politicians
with ties to K’Ogalo.
Kenyan corporate apathy to
sport is however, the biggest
factor that has stalled the
growth of Gor and Leopards
into powerful brands.
It is an open secret that most
Kenyan companies deem sport
as a Corporate Social Responsi-
bility function, not a revenue
tool.
That explains why for exam-
ple, the annual Kenyan Open
golf event attracts over 70 local
sponsors despite being an event
for the privileged few.
No Kenyan has ever won the
Open and its impact on the
growth of local golf is negligible
at most, but that has never
stopped companies falling over
each other to put up their ban-
ners in an exercise seen as an
effort to please the hordes of
CEOs who patronise the
four-day event.
Since football is the most
popular sport in the country,
one would expect Gor and Leop-
ards to have sponsors queuing
up to plant their masts but this
is not the case because as a
product, Kenyan football has
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
Gor Mahia players training at
Camp Toyoyo on Friday in
Sportpesa branded kits
despite the betting firm
having cancelled its sponsor-
ship. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
Gor Mahia
goalkeeper
Shaban Odhonji
training at
Camp Toyoyo on
Friday. [Jonah
Onyango, Standard]
little commercial appeal.
Derelict stadiums, low spend-
ing power of supporters, inci-
dents of violence, political
undertones and the fact that the
Government pays little regard to
sport have combined to turn Gor
and Leopards into beggars.
Until SportPesa changed the
laws of the local game, the most
a local team had ever announced
in sponsorship was the Sh30m
deal Bamburi Cement signed
with Sofapaka in 2012. Even
then, that amount is pocket
change for a team like Manches-
ter United for example.
Through the years, Gor and
Leopards have hired marketing
firms to approach potential
sponsors but each time, their
efforts were rebuffed until a
company that was founded a few
years ago -- in 2014 -- came into
Barcelona players celebrate a goal during a past LaLiga match . Barcelona is one of the clubs that have a
number of sponsors supporting them apart from shirt sponsors Rakuten. [AFP]
the picture. As recently as 2015,
Gor were in danger of missing
out on the 2015 Cecafa Club
Championships before a few
wealthy benefactors got togeth-
er and saved the club at the 11th
hour, then the team went on to
lose in the final against Azam FC
of Tanzania.
The previous year, lack of
“A one-way air tickets costs Sh3.5m,
accommodation Sh3m and we will need Sh10m
for one match, to and from and we cannot
sustain that budget.”
Gor Mahia chairman, Ambrose Rachier on CAF Champions League
aronlangat8@gmail.com
funds saw Leopards almost miss
their trip to South Africa to play
SuperSport United in a Confed-
erations Cup clash, with delays
in securing visas before the team
went on to lose 2-4 on aggre-
gate. On both occasions, corpo-
rate sponsors were nowhere to
be seen.
The picture is totally different
elsewhere. Sample this, record
English Premier League win-
ners, United have sponsors
divided into categories of glob-
al partners, regional partners,
media and telecommunications
partners and financial partners.
Their official website, www.
manutd.com lists global part-
ners as Adidas (official kit sup-
plier), insurance heavyweights
AON (principal partner), Chev-
rolet (principal partner/shirt
sponsor), 20th Century Fox
(official feature film partner),
Aeroflot (official carrier) and
AlladinStreet.com (official
online marketer).
Others are Apollo Tyres,
Sports 43
Casirello del Diablo (wine part-
ner), Columbia (outdoor appar-
el), Deezer (music partner), DHL
(logistics partner), EA Sports
(video gaming), Gulf Oil Interna-
tional (lubricant and fuel retail),
HCL (digital transportation),
Kansai Paint (paint for crying out
loud), Marathonbet (betting
partner) and Milly (official mat-
tress). Tag Heuer (watch), Uber,
Toshiba Medical Systems, Yan-
mar, Swissquote (forex) and New
Era (headwear) complete the
global partnership roster for the
Red Devils.
So, it is not unusual to see
ManU team travel on Aeroflot,
get picked from the airport by
Sh3.09bill
 The value of sponsorship deal
that Egypt’s Al Ahly signed with
a Saudi Arabia firm in 2015.
Uber, sip bottles of Casirello
after a victory, don Tag Heuer
watches, drive Chevrolet cars to
training or send packages home
through DHL, a pampered exist-
ence that is a gazillion years
away from their Gor and Leop-
ards counterparts.
Spanish LaLiga champions,
Real Madrid CF have listed three
main sponsors, Emirates Air-
lines, Adidas and Cepsa, nine
global partners, 12 regional
sponsors and 10 others for their
basketball team. Barcelona have
Nike and Rakuten as main part-
ners, six premium partners, nine
official partners, 26 regional
partners, two other sports main
partners for their basketball
team and Serveto as the official
section partner.
Like Gor and Leopards who
have been with SportPesa, Real
and Barca share German
automakers, Audi as global part-
ners.
In Africa, Al Ahly, the most
supported club on the continent
with over six million registered
fans, shattered the Egyptian
record when they inked a $30m
(EGP 250m/Sh3.09b) sponsor-
ship deal with Saudi Arabia’s
Sela Trading Company in 2015.
Sela beat off competition from Al
Ahram Advertising Agency who
previously sponsored the team
and Al Ahly can count on Voda-
fone, Shell Egypt, Huawei,
Juhayna (dairy firm), Egyptian
Steel, Domino Pizza, Coca-Cola,
Societe Arabe Internationale de
Banque (bankers) and Nestle
Pure Life (water).
From England to Spain
through Egypt, it is clear from
examples above that all success-
ful football teams have a robust
commercial and marketing func-
tion that guarantees their exist-
ence as business, not just sport-
ing entities.
That local clubs and federa-
tions have only one sponsor is a
crying shame -- and they can
only blame themselves for not
treating their clubs as brands
and failing to market them. As a
matter of fact, it is foolhardy to
blame a sponsor for withdraw-
ing, and fans should take their
officials to task for not living in
modern sporting times.
Redistribution is prohibited
44 Sports Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Boxing  Association official says they are keen on young boxers
Okoth boxes his way to Club Games
Kenya Defence Forces
boxer beats Mwanzia of
Githurai 44 Soweto. 
BBy Ben Ahenda
sports@standardmedia.co.ke
Africa lightweight champion
Nick Okoth of Kenya Defence
Forces is headed to the Com-
monwealth Games for the third
consecutive time after he
defeated John Mwanzia of
Githurai 44 Soweto in the Com-
monwealth Games selection
bout at Kaloleni Social Hall on
Friday night.
The continental champion
who won a gold at the Africa
Boxing Championships in Con-
go Brazzaville to earn him a
ticket the World Boxing Cham-
pionships in Hamburg, Germa-
ny last year, was no match for
his opponent when the referee
stopped the contest in the sec-
ond round to save Mwanzia
from further punishment.
Okoth was set to square it out
with Ethan Maina of Kenya
Police in the finals last evening
after the policeman had earlier
dismissed Anthony Ngugi of
Kenya Prisons.
Some of the
results  order to don the national team
Light flyweight
(49kg);-Matayo Keya of
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Kenyatta national Hospital
walloped Nichodemus
Kinuthia of Githurai 44
Soweto 3-0.
Flyweight (52kg);-Ali
Mohammed of Kongowea
dismissed Brian Agina of
Coast Combined 2-1 while
Simon Mulinge of KDF
dispatched Charles
Macharia of Dallas
Muthurwa.
Bantamweight(56kg);-
Benson Gicharu of Kenya
Police won against Hamza
Saidi of Coast Combined
on RSC second round while
Isaac Meja of KDF received
a walkover on Martin
Oduor of Police.
Boxing Association of Kenya
Vice President Albert Matito
said they are more focused on
picking a young, but talented
side that could win medals at
the big games, which will act as
Nick Okoth (right) and Kennedy Onyango in action during a past All Africa Games boxing elimination bout
in Nairobi. [FILE]
a yardstick to the 2020 Tokyo
Olympic Games.
“We are serious in picking a
formidable young side that can
deliver medals at the games
than depend on experienced
players who have outlived their
usefulness,” said Matito.
Matito said that the federa-
tion has set its eyes on the
Tokyo Olympics and hence the
need to have young boxers who
can win medals in Gold Coast,
Australia.
“That does not mean experi-
enced boxers will be left out of
the Commonwealth Games, but
they must prove themselves in
colours,” he said.
The 2010 Commonwealth
Games bantamweight silver
medalist Benson Njangiru Gich-
aru was set to take on Isaac
Meja of KDF in a mouthwatering
final match in the bantam-
weight category after both box-
ers dispatched their opponents
in a two-match-face-off-two-
day competition.
Meja who was a thorn in
Gicharu’s flesh last season in
league assignments rolled to the
finals without throwing a jab
after policeman Martin Oduor
failed to climb up the ring while
Gicharu had dismissed Hamza
Saidi of Coast Combined.
In the light flyweight, Matayo
Keya of Kenyatta National Hos-
pital saw-off Nichodemus
Kinuthia of Githurai 44 Soweto.
In the super heavyweight,
David Njuguna of Police beat
George Owiti of Prisons 2-1 and
was set to take on Fred Ramogi
of KDF.
Ramogi defeated Njuguna in
all league matches last season.
Redistribution is prohibited
Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Sports 45
Football  Sports PS promises Nyayo Stadium will be ready in good time
Clubs feel
pinch as
renovation
continues
Gor Mahia and AFC
Leopards forced to
look for alternative
venues for continental
assignments.
BBy Gilbert Wandera
gwandera@standardmedia.co.ke
With delays in the comple-
tion of repairs at Nyayo Sta-
dium imminent, Kenyan clubs
will find it even more expen-
sive to take part in this year’s
continental tournaments.
This comes even as Gor
Mahia and AFC Leopards
have already lost their shirt
sponsorships after betting
firm SportPesa pulled out
owing to a 35 per cent tax
imposed on them.
During a tour of  Nyayo Sta-
dium  on Friday, it was
revealed that the facility will
be ready in April.
This means that Gor Mahia
and AFC Leopards will have
to get alternative venues for
their continental assign-
ments as well as Kenyan Pre-
mier League (KPL) fixtures.
Gor Mahia Chief Executive
Lodvick Aduda confirmed
yesterday that the team has
settled on Machakos Stadi-
um.
“Only Machakos and Buk-
hungu stadiums have been
approved by the Confedera-
tion of African Football (CAF)
for continental matches and
to cut travelling expenses we
have settled on the former.
“However, even playing
here will affect the attend-
ance hence the gate collec-
Sh45 mil
 Amount of money set
aside for the renovation
of  Nyayo Stadium.
1983
The year Nyayo Stadium
was built
30,000
 The capacity of  Nyayo
Stadium
tions which now remains our
biggest income after the loss
of SportPesa,” he said.
Gor Mahia will represent
the country in the Champions
League this season after
emerging league winners last
year.
On his part, AFC Leopards
chairman Dan Mulee con-
firmed the club has settled on
Bukhungu Stadium for their
Confederations Cup matches.
Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts PS Kirimi Kaberia (left)
is taken round by constructor Chandresh Babariya during an
inspection tour of the renovation work Nyayo Stadium on Friday.
[Jonah Onyango, Standard]
But this could end up to be
a very expensive venture as
aronlangat8@gmail.com
the club will be required to fly
their opponents and match
officials to Kakamega.
Sports Principal Secretary
Kirimi Kaberia said the delay
in completing works at Nyayo
Stadium was caused by poor
weather and the long elec-
tioneering period.
“I am impressed with the
work done so far. It has
been    confirmed to me that
the parking lot will be ready
by the end of this month. Gen-
erally, the stadium will be
ready by the end of March
and should host its first
match in the first week of
April.
“There were delays in Sep-
tember as you are aware it
was a period of showers
which slowed the momentum
of the job. The electioneering
period also slowed the human
labour as the contractor
could not get enough man
power,” he said.
Laxmi International, the
company that was awarded
the contract to refurbish the
facility said they have dou-
bled their efforts to ensure it
is completed as promised.
Polo
Samurai
edge out
Royal Salute 
Defending champions, Samurai,
edged Royal Salute 5-4 to keep their
hopes of retaining the annual Davis Cup
alive at the Nairobi Polo Club in Jam-
huri yesterday.
Hiromi Nzomo was the star of the
see-saw match with a hat-trick. She
was successfully assisted to the goals
by her father Raphael and teammates
Kevin Tanui and Magda Jurkowiecka.
Royal Salute, led by national team
captain Rowena Stichbury, was the first
to find the opponents back-line in the
second minute of the opening chukka.
The goal was scored by Stitchbury
who grabbed a lose midfield pass,
paced with it then slotted it from an
acute left angle which was out of reach
for her challengers.
Nzomo replied for Samurai a minute
later with similar skillful work that
involved both power and intensity.
Nzomo missed another open chance in
the eighth minute after her shot went
wide.
Samurai were punished a minute
later by Dom Grammaticus who con-
verted a left cross to make it 2-1 for
Royal Salute before the sides proceeded
for a break.
Samurai rose to the occasion in the
second chukka, equalizing immediately
on resumption through Raphael who
tapped in a midfield pass from
Jurkowiecka to make it 2-2. [Standard
Sports]
Redistribution is prohibited
46 Sports
FA CUP  Mourinho full of praise of England youngster as Man U triumph
Lingard
shines for
United
Lukaku also back from injury as
Red Devils beat Derby.
By AFP
sports@standardmedia.co.ke
Jesse Lingard’s latest wonder strike and aronlangat8@gmail.com
substitute Romelu Lukaku’s late effort
secured Manchester United a 2-0 victory
over Championship high-fliers Derby in the
third round of the FA Cup on Friday.
Both attempts, which came in the final
six minutes, were worthy of a highlights
package in the first FA Cup tie involving
Premier League giants United in 13 years
not to be televised live.
United had lost just one of their previous
35 FA Cup games against lower-league
sides but were heading for a replay until
In Brief
Serie A. Simeone foils Inter
with last-gasp equaliser
Inter Milan’s frustrating Serie A run
continued on Friday when they were held
to a 1-1 draw at Fiorentina by a last-gasp
equaliser from Giovanni Simeone. Inter
went ahead in the 55th minute with a goal
from their leading scorer Mauro Icardi, his
18th in Serie A this season, only for
Simeone, son of Atletico Madrid coach
Diego, to snatch a deserved point for
Fiorentina in the 90th minute. Inter remain
third on 42 points. [Reuters]
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
one-time Rams loanee Lingard, with his
eighth goal in 10 games, smashed home a
swerving volley, with Lukaku then adding
a second having broken from the halfway
line.
“I was feeling that we were close to scor-
ing and we never stopped trying,” said
United boss Jose Mourinho, who said the
Friday’s FA Cup results
 Liverpool 2  Everton 1
 Man Utd 2 Derby 0
Championship was approaching Premier
League quality.
“But when you get past 80 minutes and
the goal hasn’t come, you fear the second
match. But the team kept trying so I knew
Transfer. Tevez returns to Boca
Juniors for third spell
Carlos Tevez has rejoined his first side Boca
Juniors after ending his spell with Chinese club
Shanghai Shenhua, the Argentine club said on
Friday. Tevez, who will turn 34 next month, met
with coach Guillermo
Barros Schelotto and
immediately began
pre-season training at
the Los Cardales
complex. “Tevez has
come home!” the club
said. “Today he joined up
with Guillermo’s squad
at Cardales and he is
training with his team
mates.” The club did not
give details of his
contract. [Reuters]
Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard
celebrates his goal against Derby in an FA
Cup tie on Friday. [AP]
the goal could arrive.
“It was a great shot by Jesse Lingard in
the top corner, he’s in a moment of confi-
dence where things go well for him. He’s a
good professional and a fantastic kid in the
dressing room.”
Last month’s League Cup exit and a
15-point deficit to Manchester City in the
Premier League had placed extra impor-
tance on this competition, and that was
evident with the strong line-up Mourinho
deployed.
Lingard, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rash-
ford could all have scored inside an enter-
taining 19 minutes that suggested the tel-
evision executives might have been wrong
to snub the match.
Derby were encouraged by a couple of
runs from former United youngster Tom
Lawrence, while Marcus Olsson forced Ser-
gio Romero to tip his header over.
EPL. Chelsea complete signing of
Everton midfielder Barkley
Ross Barkley has completed his widely
anticipated move from Everton to Chelsea, the
reigning Premier League Champions an-
nounced on Friday. The 24-year-old England
midfielder has signed a five-and-a-half-year
contract and will wear the No 8 shirt. “I’m
overwhelmed, I’m looking forward to it and I’m
really excited to get started,” said Barkley.”To
be given a fresh start at a new club like
Chelsea, it’s unbelievable for me.” [AFP]
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
FA CUP  Liverpool boss happy with new signing as Coutinho set for Barca move
Klopp praises Van Dijk
Dutchman scores winner
as Reds beat Everton in
Merseyside showdown.
By AFP
sports@standardmedia.co.ke
Liverpool manager Jurgen
Klopp believes Virgil van Dijk
will get even better after he
scored the winning goal against
Everton in a “fairytale” Mersey-
side derby debut.
Van Dijk headed home six
minutes from full-time to give
Liverpool a 2-1 victory in their
FA Cup third-round tie with the
Toffees after Gylfi Sigurdsson
had cancelled out James Mil-
ner’s opener from the penalty
spot.
The Dutchman became the
most expensive defender in the
world when he joined Liverpool
from Southampton for £75 mil-
lion this month and Klopp could
not be happier with his contri-
bution in his first match for the
Reds.
“Fairy tale in a world with not
a lot of fairy tales anymore, so I
think something like that is
quite special,” said the Liver-
pool boss.
“It was a difficult decision to
make to be honest because, to
be 100 percent honest, the first
plan was not to start him but
then Dejan Lovren and Ragnar
Klavan played a lot of games in
the last few weeks, so I changed
my mind .
“It was a big fight, it was not
brilliant football, it was not the
most beauty -- it was how cup
games should be. It is not about
who is the better side, who can
do this or that. Things like this
can happen sometimes, but it is
pretty rare.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona and
Liverpool have agreed a deal in
principle for Philippe Coutinho
to move to the Spanish giants
for 120 million euros with add-
ons worth another 40 million
euros, a report said yesterday.
Barcelona-based Sport news-
paper said Coutinho would join
Barca this month on a deal for
five seasons, although it said
the details of the deal were still
to be finalised.
“The club reached a deal in
principle yesterday evening
with Liverpool on the final
amount of the deal,” Sport
reported.
Another newspaper, Mundo
Deportivo, said Liverpool were
Sports 47
demanding 160 million euros
for 25-year-old Coutinho, but
that the sum would be made up
of the transfer fee and other aronlangat8@gmail.com
“variables”.
Coutinho’s departure would
be a blow to Liverpool as he is
just rounding into top form,
scoring six goals in the last
seven games of 2017.
Crucially though,
acquiring the playmaker
would allow Barcelona to
move on from the bitter
experience of losing
his Brazil teammate
Neymar last sum-
mer to Qatar-
backed Paris
Saint-Ger-
main for
a world
record
222 mil-
l i o n
euros.
More Merseyside
derby success for
Liverpool
 Liverpool are now unbeaten in
16 matches against Everton (won
eight, drew eight) - their longest
ever unbeaten run against them.
 Everton were unbeaten in their
first seven matches under
Allardyce (won four, drew three)
but they have lost their past three,
scoring just two goals in their past
Coutin- five matches.
ho’s age is  Milner has scored 11 of his 13
also highly penalties for Liverpool - though he
attractive to had failed to score with his
Barca, whose previous two efforts before Friday.
three main  Milner has scored three goals in
stars, Lionel his past two FA Cup third-round
Messi, Luis matches, also scoring twice for
Suarez and Manchester City against Sheffield
Andres Iniesta Wednesday in January 2015.
are all in their  All four of Sigurdsson’s goals
thirties. Iniesta, at against Liverpool have been
33, has shown scored at Anfield, with two in the
FA Cup (also for Reading in January
signs of fatigue this
2010).
season.
Another report Liverpool manager
 The Reds have not lost a
Merseyside derby in which they
said Coutinho was set Juergen Klopp have scored first since December
to arrive in Barcelona congratulates 1992.
later yesterday and winning goal scorer  This was the 24th meeting
could be a spectator at Virgil van Dijk after between these sides in the FA Cup,
Barcelona’s game the final whistle in making it the most-played fixture
against Levante at the the FA Cup tie on in the competition’s history.
Camp Nou today. Friday. [AP] [Courtesy BBC Online]
Redistribution is prohibited

48 Sports
Sponsorship. Why Kenyan clubs need to learn from others on finances, P.42-43 Standard
Sunday
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard

Sports
January 7, 2018

FA CUP. KLOPP SAYS THERE IS MORE TO COME FROM VAN DIRK AFTER WIN OVER EVERTON, P.47

EPL  Manchester United manager escalates feud with Italian with ‘match-fixing’ jibe

Mourinho hits back at Conte

Chelsea boss seemed to
suggest Portuguese was
suffering from ‘dementia’.
By AFP
sports@standardmedia.coke
Jose Mourinho intensified his
war of words with Chelsea man-
ager Antonio Conte in bizarre
fashion after his team’s FA Cup
victory over Derby on Friday,
apparently referencing a match-
fixing scandal in Italy.
The Manchester United man-
ager was responding to com-
ments made by Conte earlier in
the day in which he appeared to
make disparaging statements
about Mourinho.
The Italian was even inter-
preted as suggesting that the
United manager may be suffer-
ing from “dementia” after Mour-aronlangat8@gmail.com
inho had made a reference, 24
hours earlier, to his own behav-
iour and the fact that he no long-
er acts “like a clown”.
Initially, Mourinho appeared
to be backing Conte following
the furore caused by his words
on Thursday — only then to
make the reference to match-
fixing. “I was asked about my
passion and, you know, I was
speaking about myself and then
the question to the Chelsea man-
ager was that I said he behaved
like a clown,” said Mourinho.
“Probably the journalist want-
ed to say that but didn’t have the
courage so he said ‘Mourinho
said you behaved like a clown’.
“I don’t blame the Chelsea
manager at all and I understand
his reaction. I was speaking
about myself, saying I don’t need
to behave like a clown to show
passion.”
Mourinho referred to his man-
agerial antics earlier in his career
and said he had not lost his pas-
sion.
“I celebrated goals running
50m, I celebrated goals sliding
on my knees, celebrations jump-
ing in the crowd.
“I’m not free of that, especially
if we score a winning goal in a
specific moment I am not free to
have an out-of-control reaction.
“What I was trying to say that
I behave bad a few times and this
moment I control myself better.
It doesn’t mean my passion is not
the same. So wrong question and
obviously a strong answer and I
don’t blame.” The United boss
then changed tack and refer-
enced match-fixing.
“What has never happened to
me and will never happen is to be
suspended for match-fixing.
That never happened to me and
it will never happen.”
The surprising reference to
“match-fixing” drew a follow-up
question as to whether it was
directly aimed at Conte.
The Chelsea boss was acquit-
ted of sporting fraud charges in
2016.
Prosecutors had requested a
six-month suspended sentence
following accusations he failed
to report episodes of match-fix-
ing while in charge at Serie B side
Siena in 2011.
The former Italy manager —
who has always denied any
wrongdoing — served a four-
month ban in relation to the
affair in 2012.
But when mention was made
of the accusations against Conte,
Mourinho said: “Did he? Not
me.”
Mourinho’s reference to that
controversy was just the latest
twist in a verbal spat between
the managers.

Best of enemies — a history of confrontation

 19 October 2017: Conte says
Mourinho needs to “look at
himself” and stop talking
about his former side.
 29 July 2017: Conte says
that he must avoid “a
Mourinho season” as the
Chelsea manager champions attempt to defend
Antonio Conte. their Premier League title.
[Reuters]
 14 March 2017: Mourinho
tells Chelsea fans “I’m still
number one” after being
heckled during his side’s FA
Cup loss at Stamford Bridge.
 12 February 2017: Conte
says he does not like Mour-
inho’s “joking” after the
Manchester United boss said
Chelsea cannot be caught
because they are a “defensive
team”.
 23 October 2016: Conte
says he was “not mocking
anyone” after appearing to
antagonise Mourinho in Manchester United manager
Manchester United’s 4-0 Jose Mourinho. [AFP]
defeat. [BBC Online]

Football and politics

Wenger compares Liberia President-elect Weah’s life to film script

Arsene Wenger has compared the life of George
Weah to a film script following his former player’s
election as president of Liberia.
Weah, who played for Monaco, Paris Saint-Ger-
main and AC Milan during a glittering career, last
week secured a stunning run-off victory in the West
African country’s first democratic transfer of power
in decades.
Idolised in Liberia as “Mister George”, Weah, 51,
is to be sworn in on January 22, replacing Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf, who in 2006 took the helm of the
nation first founded for freed US slaves.
Arsenal boss Wenger has been invited to Weah’s
inauguration but expects to be too busy to attend –
the date falls two days before the second leg of Arse-
nal’s League Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Wenger signed Weah in 1988 when he was man-
ager of Monaco, guiding his career for the next four
years, and views the 1995 Fifa World Player of the
Year as a shining example to the rest of the game.
“I have been invited by George to come to the day
where he will be president. I believe I will be busy.
Maybe if I’m suspended I’ll have time to go,” Wenger
joked.
Although he was handed a three-game touchline
ban on Friday for his conduct after Arsenal’s draw
at West Brom, Wenger will be back pitch-side by
mid-January.
“What’s important is when you look at his life, and
I think the life of this guy is a real film, it’s unbeliev-
able. You can make a fantastic film.
“I remember when I saw him for the first time in
Monaco, coming in a bit lost, not knowing anybody,
not being rated by anybody as a player and after, in
1995, becoming the best player in the world.
“Now he’s president of his country – it’s an unbe-
lievable story. But it’s down to the fact that one thing
that was common in George’s attitude is being
strong mentally, absolutely unbelievably convinced
that he has a mission.” [AFP]
Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY
THE SUNDAY STANDARD: 7 JANUARY - 13 JANUARY 2018

aronlangat8@gmail.com
Not
for
sale

Love lessons
from divorcees
Everything they would change about their lost love

10 16 17
MANUAL CHILD ON DRUGS? HARD TALK
BEING A MAN GET THEM CLEAN AND THE ART OF GETTING
IN 2018 MAKE IT STICK MORE DONE
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aronlangat8@gmail.com

1
dard
Stan
y The
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craz

EEK
UR W
F YO
KICK OF
Y TO
2017 T WA
, AP
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MON
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ONDAY
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Jump-start your week with hilarious
stories that will lift your Monday blues
only in the standard on Monday.

Every Monday local gu

sa
Most ntic love i ubs
l
ys be f

TO
a
rom ept and ica s
For Feedback Email: crazymonday@standardmedia.co.ke
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conc iquely Afr he
to un ge ways t s
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2 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018
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UPFRONT

When truth is truly

SUNDAY
stanger than fiction

E
mmett Till was a black 14- year-old

11 12
strapping lad from Chicago, USA. It was
holiday time and he wanted to visit his Where the sky
relatives in Mississippi. He was excited about
it and couldn’t wait to explore the town. As meets the sea
BACK FROM THE BRINK TAKE THE
he left home, he was warned not to look at
white people in their faces and to generally How a can of soda TRIP
stay away from them. This was in 1955, when
racial tensions were high in America. One day, changed the course
as he was hanging around a convenience
store with his cousins, cracking jokes and
of my life
having a jolly good time, Emmett decided to
walk into the store to buy some gum. It is said
that he saw a young white woman, Carolyn
Bryant, and clearly besotted, whistled at her
in appreciation, and went on his way. Several
nights later, two white men (the woman’s
husband and his brother), broke into Emmett’s
uncle’s home, armed to the teeth and dragged
the teenager from the bed where he was
deep asleep. His body was found three days aronlangat8@gmail.com
later floating in the river, battered beyond
recognition.
The men were found innocent of all charges

14
by an all-white jury sparking outrage in the
country. This incident was a chief precursor
of the American Civil Rights Movement. A
movement that later led to equal racial rights in
My battle with
America. HEALTH epilepsy
This is a sad story but one that set in motion
several historic milestones. But do you want to
know the most bizarre part of the story?
Several years later, Carolyn Bryant, now an
old woman, after more than half a century,
admitted to making up most of the testimony.
She had claimed that Emmett had grabbed her
and verbally threatened her. She now stated
that it was untrue and she couldn’t remember
if he even whistled at all.
Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

13
Have a reflective week.

A man on
MY STORY a mission

REGULARS
Shopper’s Paradise 4 Eat, Play, Live 13
Beauty 5 Health 14
Main Story 6 City Hawk 15
Young Mother 8 Interview 16
Fatherhood.101 9 Hard Talk 17
Feature 10 The Way It Goes 18
Take The Trip 12 Sunday Kitchen 19

SUNDAY
Published by: The Standard Group Ltd | Managing Editor: John Bundotich | Revise Editor: Gathenya Njaramba | Editor: Judith Mwobobia | jmwobobia@standardmedia.co.ke
Manager Print Creative: Dan Weloba | Graphic Designer: Millie Wachira | Writers: Pauline Muindi, Tania Ngima, Josaya Wasonga, Essete Amlak, Harold Ayodo, Caroline Okello, Mandi
Sarro, Ruth Lubembe, Jacqueline Mahugu, Esther Muchene, Charles Chanchori, Thorn Mulli.
Email: sundaymagazine@standardmedia.co.ke | Website: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/mag

THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018 | 3

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SHOPPER’S PARADISE with Adam Mawiyoo

THE BLOGGER
VOLKANO LAPTOP BAG
aronlangat8@gmail.com KC1430BOA -
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This two-compartment overindulgences, this exercise
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sufficient storage space to The bike is suited for beginners who want to lose weight,
accommodate your laptop tone up, and burn calories. The exercise bike includes a
and related accessories monitor that scans time, speed, distance, and calories.
such as charging cables, It also has an adjustable manual tension dial for varied
documents, resistance, height adjustable padded saddle, and wide
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and other

In
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has ultra-thin spreaders that give you a bath experience
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Women with more than two

descriptions that evoke a myriad
of emotions as you see the world

children age faster

through his eyes.
You will probably laugh, cry, nod in

A
study carried out at Bath
University showed that
women with three and
more children aged much faster
than those with two or one. The
scientists claim that pregnancy,
breastfeeding and childcare
increased oxidative stress on one’s
body thus prematurely aging it.
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4 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018

Redistribution is prohibited

BEAUTY with Pauline Muindi

W
hen most of us think of pampering
ourselves, lying on a lounge chair at
a spa with a drink in hand as we let a
nourishing face mask sink seep into our skin isn’t
far from the picture. Since the time immemorial,
face masks have been a staple in pampering all
skin types.
However, that doesn’t mean that face masks
should only be reserved for special occasions.
In fact, you should make a weekly face mask an
integral part of your beauty regimen.
If you don’t know which mask to go for, this
guide tailored for every skin type, should come in
handy.
For mature skin
We all want to stay forever young, right?
Unfortunately, we can’t entirely stop the
ravages of time on skin. However, you can give
your skin a fighting chance with the right face
For sensitive skin
Does your skin breakout with most
aronlangat8@gmail.com
new products that you try? Then it is
and worn-out appearance that adds years
understandable why you might be reluctant
to give face masks a try. Skin that is easily
irritated by products can make you leery of
putting anything on your skin. Even beauty
products labelled ‘for sensitive skin’ are not
100 per cent guaranteed to keep your skin
from breaking out.
Read the label carefully and make sure
you choose a mask specially designed for
sensitive skins. Avoid masks containing
salicylic acid, alpha hydroxyl acids,
alcohol, benzoyl peroxide parabens,
sulphates, or fragrance. Through a process
of elimination, you might figure out which
ingredients irritate your skin most.
Go for chemical-free clay masks or DIY
solutions with soothing ingredients like aloe
vera, yoghurt, honey, and avocado.
For dull skin
Dull, dry skin skin can give you a lifeless
to your face. To breathe life back into your
dull complexion and have a radiant, glowing
complexion, you have to try exfoliation
masks.
Look out for antioxidant, exfoliant,
and emollient elements to help
stimulate blood circulation, slough off
dead skin cells, and promote skin cell
regeneration. Masks with vitamins A,
C, E and B5 will greatly improve and
brighten your complexion.
For DIY fans, try masks containing
honey, coconut oil, papaya, yogurt, and
oatmeal. For store-bought solutions,
you will find that peel-off masks rather
than wash-off masks work better for
brightening your complexion.

The right face

mask ingredients.
For mature skin, go for masks specially
formulated with anti-aging and antioxidant
ingredients. If your skin tends to be dry, choose
one with emollient properties; if it tends to look

mask for your

tired, choose one with firming ingredients.
The right mask will boost your skin’s moisture
content, helping to reduce fine lines caused by
dehydration, weather and ageing.

skin type
If you love DIY, try facial masks with rice
milk, cucumber and aloe vera, avocado and
wheatgrass, apple and chia, coconut
oil and honey.
Oily and acne prone skin
Does your skin get greasy and shiny? Do you struggle with pimples and
acne from the oiliness? An added disadvantage with oily skin is that your
makeup might start to run and smudge by midday, especially in hot weather.
A clay-based mask is the best choice for you. Clay masks are super
absorbent and help unclog pores by drawing out impurities that cause
breakouts. You will get best results with masks containing kaolin,
benonite, dead sea mud, and French, red, or Indian clays.
Other ingredients to look out for include zinc- which helps
reduce inflammation, and sulphur- which fights off acne.
Also go for soothing and nourishing ingredients like aloe vera
and sea algae.
Mix the clay with a little water or milk, slather it on, wait for
the recommended time lapse and gently wash off.
For dry
skin
Just like having oily skin, dry
skin can lead to skin woes such as acne.
Additionally, it can lead to premature aging
(wrinkling), and a dry and ashy complexion.
Makeup on dry skin can also leave you feeling itchy
and looking flaky.
 With this skin type, the goal is not to reduce oil, but
to add moisture. Go for face masks which are high
in moisturising and nourishing ingredients such
as hyaluronic acid, coconut oil, avocado, and
Vitamin E. These ingredients will give dry skin
a much-needed splash of moisture. Some
hydrating face masks might be based
on yellow, white, or green clay.

FITNESS
5 RULES OF CORE ENGAGEMENT steep areas. When
you run fast up a
seconds and repeat four times. Do this
in three sets in one training session.
hilly terrain, you If you live near a hill, sprint up and jog

A
flabby belly is the bane of most
people’s existence, men and
women alike. The reason why
many wake up one hour earlier to pound
the pavement or hit the gym. The
reason why ‘miracle’ pills are popped
and uncomfortable corsets are worn.
 There are FIVE rules to observe as
you work towards getting that lean
tummy you always wanted. Rules that
will get you that flat tum faster than you
think.
1.      Practice the uddiyana bandha
when working out. This is a principle
borrowed from yoga where you gently
pull your belly in towards your spine as
you exhale. Do this when doing your
planks and sit-ups. This activates
your deepest ab have to incorporate leisurely downhill.
muscles, the transverse arm movement
abdominis. And as you for more support. 5.    Do planks. Not enough can be
go about your everyday This makes your said about the benefits of planks
activities, hold your belly in. core work harder. to your abs. They target the major
Practice doing that often to abdominal muscles (rectus and
strengthen and tighten your transverse abdominis) and the
core. erector spinae, a back muscle.
Side planks are even more
2.      Lift heavier. Using 1 effective as they also work your
kg weights won’t do much obliques ( the muscles on your
for your core. Do bicep side that you need to work
curls with 4 kg weights to rid the love handles).
and you will feel your 4.    Do Hold your abs tight for
abs automatically sprints. maximum effect.
contract to steady Instead of doing 100 sit-ups at home  Bonus tip: According to a recent
your body. in your bid to burn that belly fat, try research, 50 minutes is the ultimate
sprinting. Channel your inner Usain length of a workout session. It is just the
3.   Vary your running terrain. When Bolt. Gather as much momentum as right time to improve fitness, build your
charting your running range, include a few possible for 20 seconds, rest for 20 muscle and torch the fat.

THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018 | 5

Redistribution is prohibited
FEATURE
Love lessons
from divorcees
Our ancestors once said that when you see your friend’s head being
shaven, know that you are next in line. Divorces are on the rise in Kenya.
Four divorcees share their experiences with KURIA WANJIRU
I SHOULD HAVE SPENT
MORE TIME WITH HER
Robert Burale, 41, emcee,
mentor and motivational
speaker
The whirlwind romance…
I met my ex-wife at a Gospel con-
cert in 2012. She has the voice of an
angel.
 We courted for five months and
then got married in the same year.
Everybody said we were rushing it
but we were in love, in hindsight,
we should have listened.  We dated,
courted, paid dowry and got mar-
ried all within five months. Her par-
6 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018
aronlangat8@gmail.com
ents were okay.
It broke down so fast…
I wish I had communicated better
with her, listened to her. I also wish
I spent more time with her. It’s not
that I was travelling or working a
lot but sometimes you can be in the
same room as someone else but you
are not really spending time togeth-
er. There was also outside influence
from friends.
Nobody gets into marriage want-
ing it to fail. Mine failed after one
year, two days! It was painful and
depressing. I tried to hide it for a
while. For four months, I was still
putting on my ring. It was hard to
pretend because I was a preacher.
There was no infidelity in our
marriage, but we should have culti-
vated our friendship more because
this is what holds a marriage
together. We should have been
friends first.
No regrets…
I married a great woman. We
didn’t get a child together. Today, I
have no regrets.
If you asked me that two or three
months after my marriage col-
lapsed, I’d have said it differently
because there was a lot of anger and
depression. People ask us why I
teach about marriage and mine
failed. But you see, I’m in a good
position to tell men what not to do
in marriage if you want it to stand.
There are many counselors with
qualifications but there’s nothing as
good as the experience. Would I
marry again? I do not have the
grace to be single. It can get lonely
because you do not have anyone to
share life with. But, the greatest
impediment to an already divorced
person dating or marrying again is
the fear of making a mistake. But
I’m praying about it.   
i AM DONE WITH
MARRIAGE
Margaret Wambui, 56, a steward
The dream family…
  We met in 1985 in Nairobi. I was
working as a steward while he was an
accountant.
We had our first child in 1987 but we
started living together in 1989. We were
later blessed with twins in 1995. He quit
his job to go into self-employment and
I supported his dreams. We were the
dream family.
Until it wasn’t…
The new financial pressure caused so
many cracks. There was some infidelity
and so much mistrust.
Should have known better…
We should have had better commu-
nication between us instead of playing
down bad behaviour. The moment we
developed problems, we should have
talked about it and resolved the issues.
Any relationship is defined by how well
people communicate. If one person
slips up, talk about it immediately
before it’s too late. If you carry the mis-
takes forward, they’ll pile up and you
won’t know where to begin from; it’ll be
too late then. I now know that people
do not really change their true nature. 
Lessons learnt…
I now know that I won’t get into
another relationship again. I am done
with marriage too.
I have learnt that you can live with
someone and not really know who they
are. Couples should take time to learn
about each other. Also, one should also
not leave the burden of raising children
to one spouse. If a person is having
financial trouble, that is a problem that
can be solved by both parties. All cou-
ples need to do is sit down, talk it over
and try to find a solution. Trust is also
vital if a marriage is to survive.
Redistribution is prohibited

RISING NUMBER OF
DIVORCES aronlangat8@gmail.com
Records from the CAN YOU DIVORCE PROOF YOUR
Milimani Law Courts
reveal a gradual MARRIAGE?
increase in divorce
cases between 2001 BY CHRIS HART and distance needn’t mark
the end of a relationship, but

D
and 2015 alone.
ivorce proofing your they often do. So you end up
In 2001, a total of
marriage is mostly about divorced, separated, or living
101 divorce cases
being aware of the risks in lonely, parallel lives in the same
were filed at Milimani
your particular case. home.
Courts. The number
rose to 115 in 2002 Argue right
Watch for the risks
and then 206 cases in Can anything be done to
NEXT TIME, I WILL BE A with my wife were still so bad. There Because relationships fall
2003. escape this spiral? It helps to
BETTER PROVIDER was so much hurt between us that I into a pattern right from the
The following years make a deliberate effort to
Robinson Kimani, 54, a moved towns to get away from all of moment you meet. So for
2004, 2005, 2007 and calm yourself. To listen or speak
businessman and carpenter it.  example, if your new date gets
2008 recorded 296, without being defensive. To
drunk your very first time out
295, 357 and 369 Regrets? let your spouse know that you
We were happy… together, then alcohol’s going to
cases respectively. I do not regret marrying her at all, understand them and are trying
I was 26, she was 23. We courted for be a problem throughout your
Between 2010 and and she bore me three children that to see the problem from their
12 years and eventually had a Church relationship.
2015, a total of 1,246 I’m really proud of. I don’t habour any point of view.
wedding in 1990. Later in the same
were filed. ill will towards my ex-wife. I have The way you argue Soften tense times with
year, we were blessed with our first
child. I was happy, we were happy. moved on and I hope she does too. The way couples quarrel is phrases such as ‘Yes, I see’
God has provided me with peace of another strong clue. or ‘Go on,’ and by making
Until we weren’t… mind. That’s not to say that you comments about what’s
The cracks began when our first shouldn’t argue. You should! happening, like ‘That hurt my
born died in 1994. This was after an What I will do better next time
Arguments are inevitable feelings.’ Remind your partner
accident with hot water that led to If I marry again, I’ll ensure that I’ll
between two intelligent, that you admire and love them
serious scalds all over his body. It was provide for my family to the best of
independently minded people. despite the row.
devastating but we held on and were my ability because to my knowledge,
So all couples fall out, over Turn complaints into wishes.
blessed with three other children – most of our problems emanated from
all the usual subjects. And Be precise, so that your partner
two girls and a boy. Despite life seem- the financial difficulties that we faced.
it doesn’t matter whether knows exactly what you want
ing OK on the surface, our child’s Our primary roles as men are to pro-
you’re volatile and passionate, them to do. Talk about how
death lingered unspoken.  We were vide for and protect our families. All
calm, or rarely confront your what they do affects you, rather
also facing financial problems and men should strive to play these roles
differences. Even couples who than criticising them. Stick to
pretty soon, we had nothing to say to diligently and without fail. Last year I
really fight often have long and the point, and don’t bring up
each other. It just fell apart. won Sh 1,000,000 through Lotto, and
happy relationships. old sores. Skillful couples say
besides investing in real estate, I have
And the house broke… Instead, failing relationships things like: ‘I’m worried about
been able to pay fees for my daughter
She left in 2000 with the children. follow a very specific downward such and such, so can we
and stared a business for my son.
I was left alone. Later, I got my chil- path. So if you see any signs of discuss it sometime? Because
When I meet the right woman, I will
dren back. At this point, relations these developing, then you’re saying ‘You’ is criticising and
marry again.
[Photos: Kuria Wanjiru] heading towards the divorce controlling, while ‘I’ reveals your
courts. own feelings and encourages
The first step is criticism. your partner to listen and
Maybe you’ve been understand.
complaining about something, Ask instead of demanding.
IF HE WAS MARRIED marriage. And having a blended
and it gradually becomes Successful couples listen,
BEFORE, HE WON’T BE family didn’t help matters as some-
criticism. “We don’t go out acknowledge and are
TRULY YOURS times children don’t accept the new
as much as I’d like” becomes sympathetic: ‘I understand
Nancy Wairimu, 50, spouse. I felt really hurt when he
“You never take me anywhere.” how you feel...’ Maybe an
businesswoman, remarried but such is life.  
Before long, instead of affectionate touch that says
Regrets… attacking their behaviour, that you care and are trying
Love a second time around to understand your partner’s
The fact that we never argued or you’re blaming their personality
I met my ex-husband in 1986 in feelings. Work hard to find a
fought before the unfortunate inci- or character.
Kiambu and we dated for two solution that suits both of you.
dent in 1999 meant that we never got And as your fights become
years.   We moved in together in And then continually provide
to really know each other. Couples more frequent and personal,
1988. We didn’t do a church wedding positive feedback to encourage
that fight and not sweep thing under one of you is going to start
but I didn’t mind. He had separated each other to stick with it:
the rug are often closer and know all feeling insulted.
from his first wife. The union had ‘Thanks for your help...’.
the sides of their partner.  Could I That marks the second step
produced four children. I also had a What’s more, if you ask
have sought better solutions to our towards divorce.
daughter from a previous relation- the happiest couples what
problems? I would drag him to the Criticism becomes
ship. Together, we had three chil- for work…fast. I started selling sec- works, they always say it’s
local chief and even to our parents to contempt. Name-calling,
dren. Our marriage was happy, and ond hand clothes and then went commitment. Not love or luck.
seek solutions to our problems, but mockery. Rolling your eyes,
we were so in sync that people back into farming, something that Hard work and loyalty. And that
we couldn’t own up to our mistakes. curling your lip. You quickly
assumed we were siblings. He was in was so difficult because of my muti- they like each other’s company,
It is however water under the bridge forget your partner’s good
construction work while I was a lated hands. I worked hard and edu- share interests and values, and
now. My arms have now fully recov- points. Even why you fell in love
farmer. Life was great” cated my children. I did relatively have an intimate knowledge
ered. I can work for myself. And I’m in the first place.
well and bought land in Kinangop to never getting married again!   It’s easy to feel critical at of each other’s habits and
The turning point…
continue farming. times, and only human to feel preferences.
In 1999, thieves broke into our
While I held on to hope that we Lessons the hard way… contempt now and then. But Because it’s not arguments
home. They attacked me using
would find our way back to a happy I learnt that men never fully settle they’re ominous warning signs. that ends relationships. It’s loss
machetes and damaged my arms. No
marriage, my husband remarried, a into a second marriage since they Soon you’re being defensive. of commitment. So successful
other member of my family was
fact made possible since we weren’t constantly think of their first fami- And then, exhausted and couples accept that there will
hurt. My problems began then. I was
formally married.   lies. If a man has broken up or left overwhelmed, one partner be conflicts, but then deal with
a wife who couldn’t work; I had to
depend on others to do the most another family to be with you, you stops responding to the other’s them constructively, without
The hurts and aches… are in a hopeless union. He will
mundane of tasks. My husband took My marriage lasted for 26 years. accusations at all. Disapproval criticism or contempt.
my new reality harder than I thought always compare you to his first love
There was a lot of betrayal in my especially when you err.
and withdrew from me. I had to look

THE
THE STANDARD
STANDARD ONON SUNDAY
SUNDAY | 7 MONTH
| XX JANUARY 7
2018 || X
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Redistribution is prohibited

Young mother with Judith Mwobobia

Let them ‘fight’ their small battles

“ Comb your doll’s hair and leave me alone.
Muuuuum, Tati is disturbing me.”

“ I am not. I want  it  to look like Shimmer

and Shine’s hair, ( Shimmer and Shine are
cartoon characters with silky hair).
I scoured  I was itching to ask Tati to get off Nimo.
the But I remembered the parenting coach said
I should ignore in some cases.
internet And soon enough, Tati was in tears. Her
for sister had grabbed the comb and thrown it
away.
solutions I rinsed the pans and moved on to the
on handling pots. And after five minutes there was
children’s silence.
fights. And DAY 2
I found Tati wakes up and finds Nimo watching
one that something on Jim jam. She picks up the
remote.
suggested
that I let Tati: I want Baby TV ( she starts pressing the
them fight buttons thus disrupting the transmission).
aronlangat8@gmail.com it out Nimo: ( Irritated) Stop it Tati. I will tell mum.

Tati: I want Baby TV ( starts sobbing)

N
imo is a month shy of six years and
her younger sister Tati is almost
three. Most times, they are the best
of friends, hugging it out to the Barney song
and other times they are fighting. If it is not
a  brawl over a toy, they are inventing new
ways of annoying the heck out of one
another.
The arguments will be loud and distract-
ing, and often, there will be tears from one
of them, and wailing as the other ‘reports’
the other to me. While I have given count-
less lectures on sisterhood and dialogue, I
have realised that I cannot possibly reason
with the younger one, whose idea of wrong
and right is still very unformed.
And having the unfortunate role of the
referee, I have unsuccessfully tried to be as
fair as I can.  Most times,  I have let the
younger one have her way for peace’s sake
as I do not want to deal with the screeching
wails when I rule in favour of Nimo.
During the recent festivities, when their
nanny was away and I was working from
home, I refereed one too many fights and it
all came to a head when Nimo asked why I
always let Tati get her way. That I wasn’t fair
at all and it didn’t matter that Tati was
younger if she was wrong. Smart girl, and I
couldn’t argue with her logic.
And so, like any modern mum stumped
by a parenting challenge, I scoured the
internet for solutions on handling children’s
fights. And I found one that suggested that
I let them fight it out. That it builds self reli-
ance and  conflict resolution skills. Sounded
easy enough.
DAY 1
“ Tati, leave my hair alone.”
There goes another episode, I thought to
myself as I continued scrubbing my pans.
“ I am just combing it,” whines Tati.
Nimo: Here, play with my doll house (She
retrieves her prized toys and hands them to
Tati).
I beam proudly. They just learnt the art
of negotiation.
It was a learning moment for me too.
That sometimes I should let them fight their
own battles. And they are both learning how
to manage their squabbles.
Sometimes there are tears, but they are
becoming less frequent. I now realise that if
we had just fought more with our siblings
without parental interference, the world
may have been a more peaceful place.

papa & I
Duncan Ndegwa ‘Nasty Bull’,  an
artist and businessman, with his
children Bianca, 8, Ryan 4, and
Collymore 3.
How has parenting changed you?
I have become a more responsible
man and every morning, I wake up
motivated to work harder because it’s
my duty to give them the best in life.
What are you afraid of?
We live in the digital age and I am
always praying to God for the kids to
grow up with good morals since there
is a lot of explicit content that kids
may come across online even if you
decide to have them stay indoors.
What are some of the lessons you
would like to teach them?
Everything about music and
business, so that when I am old and
wrinkly, I will have a generation to take
over and carry on with what I’m doing.
May the Lord make my dream come
true and answer my prayers.
How do you spend time together?
We love going on road trips and
when I am home I am forced to do
what they love which is, playing
games and watching cartoons. When
you find me on the carpet with my
big belly, I am no different from them.
They jump on my belly like a bouncing
castle.
If your children were old enough
what advice would you give
them?
To live one day at a time and never
to rush into things.
As a father what are some of the
lessons you have learnt?
At some point in life I thought
that being the man of the house, my
orders were final. But that isn’t so. A
number of times I have had to cancel
plans with my boys because of the
little ones and when I don’t it become
a big issue.  I can’t win when the three
gang up with their mum.

8 | THE STANDARD on SUNDAY | 7 January 2018

Redistribution is prohibited

FATHERHOOD.101 with Josaya Wasonga

Her nightmare,
my childhood
nightmare
L
ate last year, Pudd’ng had a nightmare.
She climbed out of her bed and came to
our bedroom. She was shaken. We
prayed about it and she went back to bed.
Me? I did not take it just like any other
nightmare. It was too real to be just another
nightmare. I knew someone who had lived this
nightmare. Someone who is close and connect-
ed to me.
I believe that God speaks to us in our dreams
of the night; not to scare us, but to prepare us.
Nightmare in Gem
In 1986, my father was shot at point blank
range by our neighbour in our rural village in
Gem. The shooter mistook my father and oth-
ers for thugs who had raided his home.
The case dragged on in court because the
shooter, who had influence and affluence,
insisted that my father was among the gang
that raided his home. This was in an effort to
evade justice and not bear responsibility for
his near-fatal action.
Eventually, justice prevailed. But my father
forgave the man, whose late father had been
my late grandfather’s farmhand.   ing of a dream is not inside a manual, but
Dream defender   TOLD US THAT SHE HAD
As a father, one of our roles is to nurture my
child’s hopes and dreams. Even if I do not
understand what they are all about, I am sup-
posed to treat them with the seriousness they
deserve, not belittle or deride them.  
That is what Jacob, Joseph’s father, did
when his cocky son told his family about his
dream whose gist was that, essentially, his
family would serve him. After Jacob rebuked
his son, he thought deeply about. He reflect-
ed about it.  I believe that this is what I am
supposed to do. To defend my child’s dream
– secretly or publicly – even if the dream
seems like a nightmare.   
Dream-interpretation
There are self-proclaimed “dream interpret-
ers” who are of the opinion that dreams’ inter-
pretation follow a similar pattern. That, for
instance, any dream about running means the
same thing; because running is the common
motif. They have what you may call a dream
interpretation manual.
I am of a different school of thought. I believe that dreams are deeply personal inter- thing happened to dad?” Tenderoni asked.
actions with the divine. Which means that the Pudd’ng had just told us that she had a
interpretations are different and personal, nightmare that I was shot, and I was bleeding
although there may seem to have a common profusely.  Tenderoni can sometimes be para-
thread running through them.   Which is why, noid and superstitious. If she hears a cat
when I dream or have a nightmare, I do not go meowing, she will literally lose her religion.
to a manual to look up its meaning. I search at She will bind and lose the innocent feline in the
what it is personally saying to me. The mean- name of Jesus, when the poor thing may only
be purring for some good old fashioned pet-
PUDD’NG HAD JUST inside the man.    ting.
With that in mind, I did not tell Tenderoni
Nightmare in Donholm that I did the math. I did not tell her that, at the
A NIGHTMARE THAT I “That same thing happened to my father,” I time when Pudd’ng had this dream, I was the
WAS SHOT, AND I WAS remarked to Tenderoni after Pudd’ng went exact age my father was when he was shot.  
back to sleep after we prayed.   (Psst. I hope Tenderoni never reads the pre-
BLEEDING PROFUSELY “What does that mean saying that the same vious paragraph).

SUNDAY LAW aronlangat8@gmail.com

HOW CAN I STOP HIM FROM LEGALLY HAVING A SECOND WIFE?
BY HAROLD AYODO

We married under Kikuyu customary law but my husband has lately been unless at the time of the conversion,
hinting about marrying a second wife. I am disturbed by his intentions as I the husband has only one wife. A
know that life will never be the same again for my babies too. We have also declaration to convert must be
invested in property and the Nairobi Securities Exchange during our 12-year made in the presence of a marriage
marriage. I know that a customary marriage is potentially polygamous but I
officer, written and signed in person
want to protect our union and my property. What can I do to prevent him
from legally marrying another wife?
by each spouse. The marriage officer
shall then transmit a copy of the
Shiro, Kiambu declaration to the registrar before
he/she takes the original certificate
that registered the potentially

Y
our husband can legally
marry a second wife
without seeking your
permission unless your marriage
is converted from a potentially
polygamous to a monogamous
marriage. According to Section
Eight of the Marriage Act, a polygamous marriage and issues
marriage may be converted another after registering the
if each spouse voluntarily marriage as monogamous.
declares their intent to convert Harold Ayodo is a practising
it. However, a polygamous advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
marriage may not be converted He is also an employee of the Law
to a monogamous marriage Society of Kenya.

THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018 | 9

Redistribution is prohibited
MAN UAL with Ted Malanda
Being a
man in 2018
I
found my father sitting on a
hospital bed, speech slurred,
hearing partially gone, and the
left side of his body limp. He had
He was surrounded by family –
nephews and nieces, siblings, cous-
ins – who nodded effusively to
everything he said with that fake
optimism that Africans extend to
those they believe are dying. The
enormity of his illness struck me
like a thunderbolt, and for the first
time in decades, I felt like a child
who’s all alone in a big house on a
dark, rainy night.
I leaned back in the shadows,
looking curiously at this man who
had been my father for 48 years. At
83, he is a pale shadow of the man
who spent the better part of his life
battling adversity and I knew with-
out a shadow of doubt that he
would beat this stroke nonsense
because if ever there was a male
being who understands what it
means to be a man, he is it.
start, here are 10 lessons I have
learnt from him, his wife, and other
elders, that could help those who
desire to be better men this year.
1. Some insults must be
borne
aronlangat8@gmail.com
It is Mario Puzo who said it is the
nature of life that every so often,
someone will insult you. Bosses,
girlfriends, neighbours, touts, fel-
low motorists will try to make you
feel small. Even the village madman
will call you incompetent, stupid,
vain, proud, a coward and so forth.
Weak men get stung and react with
fury. But it is a measure of manli-
ness to breathe in, shut up, sit back
and watch the BS expressionlessly.
Remember, many are the men who
made a career out of insulting Mwai
Kibaki. He kept mum, and became
Kenya’s first commander-in-chief to
order the Kenya Defence Forces into
battle on foreign land. He is now
happily retired while the small fel-
lows who insulted him are still
scratching their empty heads.
2. Women are not stupid
My mother (God rest her
soul) once said, “Son, if you don’t
want your woman to sit on you, the
first thing you must appreciate is
10 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY |
that women are not stupid.” Many
men I know assume that the women
they live with are daft, but the real-
ity is that barmaids, house helps,
mistresses, wives…are all brilliant,
and cunning and smarter than the
next man. The smartest of them are
those who have mastered the art of
looking foolish and allowing you to
walk all over them and strut around
like a peacock. But the reality is that
women plan and organise better,
stretch a shilling more than men
ever will, save more and know when
their men have cash and when they
are lying and cheating on them.
Appreciating this will save you from
getting cheated on, dumped,
robbed, or murdered. Or all four of
them.
3. Competition never hurt
Most men think a woman
who is dating is a no go. The foolish
ones go as far as imagining that a
woman who is dating more than
one man is a whore. Bollocks! A
woman who is dating is the perfect
catch because she has been vetted,
tried and tested. We live in a Dar-
winian world and if a lovely lass is
dating a loser, you have a moral
duty to wrest her from him and
walk her down the aisle. On the con-
trary, a girl who is dating several
men is neither a hooker nor a wom-
an with loose morals. She is simply
a gem that men find irresistible. The
manly thing to do is walk in, swat
those quislings away and turn her
into the mother of your children.
And while you are at it, visit her
folks and pay bride price. There is
nothing more irresponsible and dis-
respectful than an African man who
lives with someone’s daughter for
years without leading goats to her
4. Drinking beer on credit is
nonsense
I think this is just about the most
ridiculous thing a man can do.
Booze is a good thing, but at the end
of the day, it is money flushed down
the urinal. To, therefore, drink (dai-
ly) on credit is an insult to man-
hood. Fellow men can’t be borrow-
ing money to invest while you are
dangling your skinny legs on a bar-
stool boozing on credit and damag-
ing your liver.
7 J A N U A R Y 2018
IF A LOVELY LASS
IS DATING A
LOSER, YOU HAVE
A MORAL DUTY TO
WREST HER FROM
HIM AND WALK
HER DOWN THE
AISLE
The only thing that compares in
foolishness is buying a car for a mis-
tress or paying her rent (when your
mother lives in a mud hut). We are
working flat out to empower wom-
en, provide them with equal oppor-
tunities, and feeding, clothing and
housing an educated and able bod-
ied woman is not one how to do it.
If you must have a mistress (with
whom you will share with at least
two other men who are having
unprotected sex with her), get one
who adds value to your life, not one
who drains your resources away on
the basis of a weekly, 3-minute
romp.
5.
An idle wife is a devil’s
workshop
There are insecure men who
think if a woman has a career of her
own, she will grow horns or that she
will be seduced by men. So they
force the wife to quit employment
so that she can focus on the family.
The good ones (meaning those who
are loaded) provide a monthly
wage. But the mean ones feel
important when the wife has to beg
for cash for practically everything
does your woman do the whole
day? While you are interacting with
workmates, solving knotty prob-
lems, learning, travelling, your
woman is interacting with house-
helps, security guards and fellow
bored housewives. Get your woman
out of the house this year, man!
6. Take care of your s**t
First and foremost, there is
nothing like an accidental pregnan-
cy. Sheath it, boy. In case one tad-
pole sneaks through that 1 per cent
window, don’t turn your child into
a stray oat. Feed it, cloth it, educate
it and pay the hospital bills. Most
important, remember intelligence
among children is handed over by
their mothers so whatever you do,
however dry the spell, don’t get
intimate with a woman you
wouldn’t trust to birth you a nice,
clever baby.
Children are lovely things, too,
but they are expensive and compli-
cated when born out of wedlock.
Now, you sire kids out of wedlock
when you start sleeping away from
home because you have a “girl-
friend”. With a girlfriend, you have
protected sex the first two weeks,
then you fling the rubber away.
What I am saying is that it is stupid
to have a girlfriend when you are a
the hustle, and drama that will
ensue when you knock her up. That
energy is best used in becoming a
better dad and husband and shoot-
ing booze with male friends. I know.
7. A man worth his salt must
get fired at least once in his life. Of
course there those who deserve the
sack – incompetent, thief, rude, vio-
lent, absent, sex pest, etc. But half
the time, you will get fired because
your employer is broke. How you
survive depends on the kind of man
you are. First, never love your
employer, instead, love what you
do. Second, have a skill. A college
certificate is good, but employers
don’t look for you because you have
“papers”; they hunt you down
because you have skills. Third, each
time you report to work, know it
could be your last day in formal
employment, so read a good book
every day, network, save, have a
side hustle, and don’t spend all your
cash on booze and clothes.
8. Don’t whine on social
media
A man, an African man, is by
nature inscrutable. He sits under
the shade of a tree like an emperor,
even when he is a pauper. He
assumes the appearance of a sage
even when there is nothing between
his ears. So hold your fire. Don’t
make needless enemies by fighting
strangers on social media. Politics
is good, but that shouldn’t be what
defines your waking day. If you get
dumped, chin up, walk to a bar and
flatten a crate of beer like a man
then stagger into the rain (or bath-
room) and cry your guts out. What-
ever you do, never ever weep on
9. Hang out with your dad
Dads can be extremely
annoying. They are condescending
know-it-alls, and half the time, they
treated us, and our mothers, badly
when we were growing up. But they
are the only dads we have and we
can only become better fathers and
husbands by hanging out with them
and listening to their stories. As
incredible as it may sound, they
may be illiterate or drunken sods
but they are good sounding boards
for most of the problems we face
because they have been there and
done that. Take good care of them,
suit them up and keep an eye on
their lovely wives as well.
10.
Don’t try too hard
There is nothing more
irritating than a lazy, good-for-
nothing bum – you know, the sort
with a string of hungry, snotty
nosed hungry children scattered all
over the village. Hard work is a won-
derful thing. But that’s no excuse to
work too hard. Sleep and eat well,
fool around when you can, make
love (nicely), avoid fighting in pubs
over women and football and don’t
take it too hard on yourself when
you fail. Remember you will never
Redistribution is prohibited
BACK FROM THE BRINK
aronlangat8@gmail.com
graduation and committed to Mathari Mental Hospital. BY KURIA WANJIRU
How a can of soda changed
the course of my life
A
young man walks into the shop with a
confident gait. The man behind the
chunk of cotton wool, applies some ointment
and presses it against the young man’s left
hand. It is then I notice that the young man has
a missing finger. As the balm is applied to the
wound on his hand, he doesn’t wince or contort
his face in pain, but rather continues bubbling
about something in his native tongue.
The man is a former drug addict whose con-
tinual drug use led to mental problems. His
grene induced by the continued use of metallic
bangle that would enable him to locate veins
where he would inject heroin into his system.
“The remaining part became severely infect-
ed but we have stopped the infection from
gua is the jewellery shop owner, a man who has
dedicated his life and resources to helping the
less fortunate in the community.
Very soon, others come in, all looking for
assistance from him. And he graciously helps
and directs a few others to have lunch or tea at
the nearby food kiosks.
Timothy is not uncomfortable helping peo-
ple with mental disorders – he has been doing
it since 2007.
“For almost 15 years, I lived with a mental
disorder myself.”
Destined for greatness
Born 47 years ago in Cheragany, Kitale, Tim-
othy was a bright young boy who excelled in his
studies. And his grandfather, sensing that he
could do great if he lived with him, away from
the numerous responsibilities at home, chose
to adopt him. And flourish he did.
After High School, he was admitted to study
medicine at Moi University, and before he could
join, a benefactor sponsored Timothy and 35
other bright Kenyans to study nursing in Mos-
cow State University in Russia. This was in
1988. With his grandfather’s blessing, he left for
studies.
Avoid alcohol and women
In Russia, Timothy heeded to his grandfa-
ther’s advice. He had been warned to steer clear
of alcohol and women. Unfortunately, some of
his fellow Kenyans didn’t!
stabbed to death by various Russian women.
They especially loved the black men but they
had a very jealous streak.If they sensed you
were in love with someone else or you were
cheating on them, they’d kill you. No action was
In 1992, Timothy and some of the others
were flown to Sierra Leone for attachment. This
is when the country was being ravaged by a
Civil war. Some Kenyan troops had also been
deployed there. They class worked as assistants
to the medical personnel stationed there. After
six months, the attachment period was over
and they flew back to Russia, ready to graduate.
That is when things went awry.
When hell broke loose
“While at a party before graduation, some-
one brought me a Pepsi. I didn’t drink any alco-
hol because I didn’t want to disappoint my
grandfather, who had already died. The can was
already open when I received it. I drank the
soda and the next thing I remember, I was in
Mathari Hospital. One moment I’m with friends
in Russia at a party before graduation; the next
instance, I’m in Kenya at a mental institution. I
was totally confused and traumatised!”
Timothy can’t recall how long he was in
Mathari. But he had gotten into a psychotic
state. One that prompted the authorities to put
him back on a flight home.
ly concoction of petrol and drugs like heroin
and cocaine. That could have triggered his neu-
rosis,” explains Dr Costa Ntundu, Timothy’s
friend and a practicing psychotherapist.
Does he wonder who did it?
“Since I was partying with my fellow stu-
“I was dirty and unkempt but the residents
of Wangige treated me well. I would sleep in a
bush and carry luggage and goods for sale in the
market. My family didn’t bother to know where
On the mend
He soon got a job as a porter, to earn a few
coins that would set him on a proper course.
Timothy’s turnaround came in 2006 when Dr
Costa found him.
phone had been given to someone else after he
had taken it there for charging. Everybody had
ran away because they all knew he was mental-
ly unstable. I calmed him down and he learned
to trust me.”
chotherapy services for free until he recovered.
And that is when Timothy moved into a one-
roomed house and opened a jewelry store.
ing the heavy loads on my back had induced
paralysis. I walked using crutches for eight
months. But I recovered and married a girl who
later left me.”
Business was doing fine and he remarried in
2013. The marriage didn’t work out but it led to
the birth of their daughter.
dents, it must have been one of them. One who with mental disabilities are my family now. I
was jealous of my good grades. I have forgiven feel comfortable around them because I know
the person though. I can’t live in the past, it is the pain of being abandoned by your own fam-
too dark and painful,” he says. ily. I feed, clothe and treat their injuries and
After being discharged from Mathari, Timo- wounds because no one else will. It’s good
because I have a medical background. I do this
was taken home to his family. He was still not out of love because I have been through a lot.
his old self, and perhaps perturbed by his state Apart from proceeds from this shop, I also get
of mind, his family resorted to restraining him plenty of support from the people in Wangige.”
with chains. When I asked him why he didn’t go back to
school to take up nursing again after recover-
He finally found himself in Wangige town. ing, he said that he cannot dare do it because
the painful memories will come back to haunt
In 2014, Timothy found and registered
Rewind 254 Social Challenges, a community
based organisation to aid people living with
mental disorders. Made up of 23 active mem-
bers, it operates in Kabete Sub-County and its
ABOUT 10 OF MY FELLOW environs. It has been helping people recover
from mental conditions. At the moment, he’s
KENYANS WERE STABBED handling 53 cases.
TO DEATH BY VARIOUS Like him, six have fully recovered. “I take the
patients to Mathari Hospital and refer others
RUSSIAN WOMEN. THEY to Kamili Organisation, an NGO based in Nairo-
ESPECIALLY LOVED THE bi. They have been helping us a lot!”
BLACK MEN BUT THEY “I dream of the day fully equipped, support
and recovery public centres for people living
HAD A VERY JEALOUS with mental disabilities will be built in Kiambu
STREAK
T HSTANDARD
THE E S T A N DAON
R DSUNDAY
O N S U|N DAY |X X
7 JM
AONN
U TAH
R YX 2X0X1X8 || X7
Redistribution is prohibited
TAKE THE TRIP with Tony Mochama
Where
meets
W
hen the Jambo plane dips left, and a
passenger first catches the sight of
the emerald-turquoise colour of the
Indian Ocean as it laps into the sandy white
beaches of Watamu, it feels like an afternoon
aero-plane dream.
Then you land, turn right, and as your Probox
cab rolls down the road – with a KDF checkpoint
for a ‘stop and search’ (for local and
international tourist safety) – reality returns.
Here are the historic Gede Ruins, the ghost
town built in the 15th century, eerie and
hauntingly pretty, especially when visited in the
late afternoon. Also, there is a snake park, a
marine park as well as bird watchers’ paradise,
all within the Watamu area, for visitors.
We ourselves are guests at the Lily Palm
Resort, almost right at the end of the Gede-
Watamu road, flanked to the left by all sorts of
seaside resorts that our Probox driver Bakari
assured us were ‘fully booked from mid-
December to early January.’
Even if Baby Jesus had chosen to be born
here, at this time of year, Joseph and Mary still
wouldn’t have found room – at least not at a
Watamu seaside resort.
Lily Palms, slightly off-road, turns out to be a
white gate in a wall that opens up to a circular
vista of a lounge, with a large pool in the middle
surrounded by idyllic apartment-like suites.
Paul Matete, the front office manager, shows
us to an exotic looking receptionist (mohawk,
lithe of movement, who later tells me she is a
‘daughter of the lake, now by the sea’) who
checks our reservations, then checks our bags
in.
The rooms at Lily Palm are large, air-
conditioned, with en-suite bathroom and a large
bed covered with roses and mosquito-net
surround system. As a writer, I’m happy about
their chair-and-writing table.
Jonathan Mulunzu, catering and
management man, then leads us under a
bougainvillea alcove corridor to the sea-facing
12 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018
1
COSTS
aronlangat8@gmail.com Depending 3
on the season
2
and the suite, rates
will vary between
1 The view from the pool 2
Sh 8000 and Sh
The writer ready to set sail . 3 15,000 per
Greenery lends a tranquil feel night. anecdotes that make him seem
to the resort. 4 Rolando, Louis like a character from film.
and Canestrini. PHOTOS: VALERIE “I buy this hotel from my friend
THULNER Louis in 1993 when it was only a 12-room
property, Aquarius!”Rolando says in an heavily
accented speech. He tells us it was a ‘deathbed
deal,’ as Louis was terminal in a hospital in
Verona.
“Yet the day Louis getta news that cheque go
4 through, and money in the account, he make full
recovery,” Canestrini says, “and, look! Here he
is with us today, quarter a century after die!”
EVEN IF BABY JESUS Louis nods ruefully, an old saggy sock with a
side of the Lily Palms, where a Maasai troupe is cheerfully resigned air in shorts and open shirt.
HAD CHOSEN TO preparing for evening entertainment. The “It’s all true!”
BE BORN HERE, AT resort has a lounge singer, and Udinese-born Before dinner, we go out for a sunset aperitif
THIS TIME OF YEAR, Carlos and his animation team for afternoon at the beach, beautifully set up on tables by a
guest entertainment. guy called Mario, a local lad, with his cousin
JOSEPH AND MARY There is an upper floor dining area, run by the Albano, with whom they run a seaside shack
STILL WOULDN’T very pleasant and hospitable Jennifer, under a just next to Lily Palms, complete with a deejay
HAVE FOUND ROOM large makuti roof. But it is the bar area above set.
the sea that we go to, to meet the proprietor of There are drinks and music, and the seaside
– AT LEAST NOT AT the Lily Palm, Rolando Canestrini. breeze as the light fades from the ocean, and the
A WATAMU SEASIDE He has wavy white hair and eyes the colour palms of this lily-lovely resort wave ‘ciao ciao’
RESORT of this turquoise ocean, with a seaman’s tan and to the day. The next morning, we’ll go early
Italian accent, complete with a series of morning sailing and fishing with a chap.
Redistribution is prohibited
my story
He doesn’t have a death wish, just a deep need to make the world a better place. Mutunga Komu shares his
experience in the then Ebola-ridden Liberia with Pauline Muindi
A man on a
mission
I
n 2014, when he saw an advert
in the newspaper for medical
volunteers to Ebola-stricken
Liberia, Mutunga Komu
immediately wanted to be one of
them. A clinical officer who had
previously been to Iraq for a 2-year
mission, he knew what the
responsibility entailed. And he was
ready.
“I’m always happy when serving
humanity. Of course, just like every-
one else, I was scared of Ebola. But
being scared like that motivated my
desire to contribute what I could
towards fighting the disease out-
break. That is why I took the oppor-
tunity,” he says.
When I meet Komu, he’s in a rush
to clear his records in the University
of Nairobi, where he’s graduating
with a Master’s degree in a few
days. He’s patient, accommodating,
and charming.
He applied, passed a series of
interviews, and was selected to join
the Kenyan volunteer team for Libe-
ria. He was one of 171 medical pro-
fessionals the country, through
African Union, sent to Liberia to
fight Ebola outbreak in Liberia and
Sierra Leone in 2015.
“Before we left, we were given
crash courses on Ebola prevention
and control by Centre of Disease
Control (CDC) and World Health
Organisation (WHO). The volunteer
group included demiologists, public
health officers, clinical officers,
nurses, and mortuary attendants,”
he explains.
Healing Ebola
On 9th January 2015, he was on a
flight to Liberia.
“Being in that environment at the
height of the outbreak was scary,
even for health experts like me.
Because Ebola is spread through
coming into contact with infected
bodily fluids, we kept a strict
no-touch code of conduct. We
couldn’t even shake hands with
each other. To be safe, you have to
assume that everyone else has Ebo-
la,” he recalls.
Komu was placed in the public
health surveillance team. “We had
two-week training by WHO, after
which I was appointed to go to a
remote county called Margibi. It
was one of the worst hit by the out-
break. The county is known for its
rubber plantations.”
The team by African Union was
working together with WHO, Save
the Children, UNICEF, Liberia’s Min-
istry of Health among other organ-
isations.
“One of our roles was making
sure that everybody in the county
was screened for Ebola. We intro-
duced roadblocks, had contacts in
the villages to inform us as soon as
someone had symptoms, taught the
public on Ebola prevention and con-
trol, and followed up on everyone
an infected person had come into
contact with,” Komu says.
At the time, any person exhibit-
ing fever symptoms was treated as
an Ebola infection.
aronlangat8@gmail.com
“When such a case was reported,
we went there in our protective
gear. We would take the patient’s
temperature before placing them in
a comprehensive care centre for
more tests. If blood tests were pos-
itive for Ebola, we would take the
patient to an Ebola treatment cen-
tre where he would be treated
symptomatically. In case of death,
the body was taken by a special
team for burial,” he explains.
Within three months of their
presence in Margibi, the infection
rate had dropped drastically.
“We had only one case in the Ebo-
We were
fortunate
that none
of us were
infected
with ebola
by the end of
the mission
la treatment centre in the third
month. Then we waited for 42 days
and with no new case reported, we
declared the county Ebola-free.
There was only one case reported
much later, when an Ebola survivor
infected someone through sexual
contact. That’s because the Ebola
virus can live in the semen for as
long as 90 days after a patient is
declared healed.” he expounds.
With their mission successfully
complete the team came back
home.
“We came back with our heads
Mutunga receiving a Head of State
Commendation Award [Courtesy]
held high. We had played no small given the award but I represented
part in eradicating Ebola from Libe- the team by receiving mine directly
ria. Liberians were so grateful,” he from the President during the
says. December   12, 2015 Jamhuri Day
celebrations. It was such a great
Appreciation
honour.”
On arrival, the team of
Was he worried about being
volunteers was invited
infected while in Liberia? “Yes. But
to State House, Nairo-
we were very strict about handling
bi and later each was
patients and interacting with each
given a Head of State
other. We were fortunate that none
Commendation
of us were infected by the end of the
Award.
mission,” he says.
“ W e
What about his family, did they
w e r e
worry for him? I prod.
each  “I courted my wife since we were
in high school. We had a long-dis-
tance relationship while I was in
Iraq for two years as a clinical
officer. So she was well aware of
my work and the risks involved.
Although it wasn’t easy for her,
she supported my decision.”
Would he go for a similar
mission again?
“Yes. Given the opportunity, I
would be honoured to serve in
such a situation again. Right
now I’m working as a clinical
officer for Nairobi County. I’m
graduating from the University
of Nairobi with a Master of Sci-
ence degree in Medical Statis-
tics, and next year, I’ll graduate
from another Master of Science
in Public Health programme
from JKUAT and KEMRI. My
intention is to apply the knowl-
edge and skills I have acquired for
public health concerns,” he added.
THE STANDARD on SUNDAY | 7 January 2018 | 13
Redistribution is prohibited
HEALTH
My battle with
epilepsy
It has been a long journey for Winfred Wanja.
One fraught with blindness and disability.
She shares her experience with JOSEPH
aronlangat8@gmail.com
MUCHIRI
I
had a normal childhood until my
final years at Kangaru Primary
School in Embu County when I
started experiencing occasional
splitting headaches. I would
sometimes faint. That was the start of
my battle with epilepsy; a condition
that has seen me to hell and back,
literally. I have faced every kind of
stigma you can imagine. I have been
shunned by people that I expected to
stand with me during my troubles.
The period preceding the confirma-
tion was not easy. By the time I was in
Form Three at Nguviu Girls’ in 1998, the
condition had worsened and I would
frequently collapse and lose conscious-
ness. I was known as “the girl that
falls”.
Initially, it was thought that I had
cerebral malaria because during the
seizures, I would utter incoherent
words, something I would not recall on
coming to.
I became a running joke in high
school. Whenever I had a seizure and
fell down, people would put objects in
my mouth to prevent me from biting
my tongue. In the process, I lost some
teeth. Despite my struggles, I sat my
KCSE and scored a C-.
The debilitating stroke
Things turned worse when I suffered
a stroke and I was paralysed on one
side of my body. I also lost my eyesight
and voice. I was admitted to Embu Lev-
el Five Hospital for nearly two years.
The community interpreted my sick-
ness to mean that I was bewitched.
Random solutions, such as buying
shoes for my grandmother, were pro-
posed.
Other weird suggestions were that I
should have sex with a chicken or feast
on dog meat to get cured!
My dear father exhausted his sav-
ings on my treatment and though visi-
bly stressed, he never gave up on me.
The expensive scans and tests yielded
nothing and my condition persisted,
troubling me every single day and
night.
Other claims were that I had HIV, or
how else could all those tests not show
anything? The verdict was that my
death was imminent.
14 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018
This was not just a sick conclusion,
my family went ahead and bought rice
for preparation during my burial cere-
mony. My father saved up some more
and took me for a third MRI scan
and a diagnosis was finally made.
That I had TB of the brain which
had affected my nerves, causing
epilepsy.  I was taken in for a sur-
gery and I got my sight back. I still
couldn’t walk and my attempts
would amount to a stagger.
The community was back with
their tall tales; that I was a drunk-
ard. I ignored them and continued
to religiously take my medi-
cine. Later on, my voice
came back  and seizures
abated, though the
headaches persisted. 
Seeing that my health
had improved, my father
enrolled me to Jomo Kenyat-
ta University of Agriculture
and Technology (JKUAT) for a
course in information tech-
nology. The seizures affected
my study as I was unable to
handle the practical aspects.
Consequently, an academic
advisor advised me to
change the course. I
switched to  a diploma in com-
munity development and social
work. I finished the course but to
date have not been issued with
the certificate due to fee balances.
My father who financed my studies
died hence the fee balance. I con-
WHEN I REALISE AN ATTACK IS
IMMINENT, I JUST SIT DOWN AND
LET IT PASS. WHENEVER I TRAVEL,
I ENSURE THAT MY MONEY IS IN
MPESA SO THAT I WON’T LOSE IT
WHEN I AM DISORIENTED
sider myself well schooled
and able to work in a variety
of workplaces, but there are
employers who on learning
about my situation, refuse to
give me work.
Management
I now live with my mother and
two sons in Embu. I spend Sh 500
monthly on drugs. This is a lot for a
single mother of two with no reliable
EPILEPSY
E
pilepsy is a neurological
disorder caused by
genetics or brain injury. It
is incurable but can be managed
by medicine, surgery or proper
diet. It causes increased brain
activity triggering recurrent
seizures.  My appeal to the government is to
In Kenya, epilepsy often
goes undiagnosed leading to
deterioration in patients health. A
study shows that it mostly begins
in childhood and quick diagnosis
can prevent a decline in quality of
life.
source of income. The drugs are not
without side effects as one gets drowsy
or develops a big appetite. I still get
seizures but now they are less violent.
I also now have proper bowel control
when they happen. I have learnt to con-
trol the attacks. Situations like menses
and stress can trigger seizures. When-
ever I am on my menses, I ensure that
I get adequate rest. To avoid stress, I
eat well, drink plenty of water and try
to have sufficient sleep. When I realise
an attack is imminent, I just sit down
and let it pass. Sometimes they  last for
three minutes. And whenever I travel,
I ensure that my money is in Mpesa so
that I won’t lose it when I am disorient-
ed.
 My advice to epileptic people is that
they should take their medicine as pre-
scribed and trust in God. They should
not hide their condition from people.
Also, understand your triggers and
avoid them.
make National Hospital Insurance
Fund accessible for epileptic people as
they need drugs to function every day.
They should also be provided with
drugs at no cost as is the case of anti
retro viral drugs for HIV positive
patients. It is my hope that more clinics
will open up to increase proximity of
access to medication.
Redistribution is prohibited
CITY HAWK
WITH CHARLES CHANCHORI
aronlangat8@gmail.com
I will be a better brother this year
Dear Ezra,
U
ntil recently, whenever I wrote
about you, I referred to you as
‘my elder brother Ezra.’ But
now I know I am supposed to write, ‘my
older brother Ezra.’ I just thought you
should know.
You are probably wondering why I
am writing you this letter since the last
time we spoke we agreed that we were
cutting ties completely. I don’t think we
agreed because as I remember it, you
did all the talking and I did all the listen-
ing and nodding without really contrib-
uting to the conversation.
Before I proceed, I hope that you get
to open this letter and read it and think
of me. I hope you don’t see that it is
from me and crumple it into a ball and
toss it into the dustbin or use it as toilet
paper or do whatever it is that you pris-
oners do with crumpled pieces of paper.
I wouldn’t have written to you but
Jen made me. I should probably tell you
that I married Jen and that we have a
daughter. Her name is Evelyn and we
named her after mum. I think she would
be very proud of that. I also work as a
taxi driver with Jen’s father’s company.
In case you are wondering how that is
working out for me, it is too early to tell.
How did you spend your holidays? I
keep imagining that you and your fel-
low prisoners sung in a choir at chil-
dren’s homes, or slashed the grass
around courtrooms and government
buildings. But my favorite thought is
that you spent the day under a tree
reading a book that you enjoyed and
made you think of us; Me and mum.
I guess I am writing to tell you that
Jen wants us to visit. I spent the holi-
days with her and her family and she
kept wondering what my family is like.
I should probably let you know that I
don’t like talking about you. It is not
that I am not proud of you or anything,
it is just that whenever I tell people that
my big brother is serving time in Naiva-
sha Prison, they look at me funny.
Sometimes, the funny looks they give
me mean that they suddenly find me
interesting in the way that a strange
disease is interesting to a doctor. Some-
times, the looks mean that they are
scared of me. They seem to think that
suddenly because I am related to some-
one who is serving time at a maximum
security prison, I pose a threat to their
security. As if I will break into their
houses and steal their bling, and drive
WHENEVER I TELL
PEOPLE THAT MY
BIG BROTHER IS
SERVING TIME IN
NAIVASHA PRISON,
THEY LOOK AT ME
FUNNY
their nice cars out of their huge parking
lots and negatively influence their chil-
dren. In a way, I think I am also a prison-
er just for being your brother.
I wonder what they would do if they
also found out that mum is a mental
patient.
I guess I also want to see you. Over
the holidays, Jen and I had a drink after
which my tongue got a little loose. I told
her how sorry I feel about not being
THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018 | 15
able to see you as much as I should and
she told me that you are my family too.
And that you never give up on family. So
I am writing to you hoping that you’ll let
us come see you.
I should warn you though; Evelyn
cries all the time. She is a little wailer
with lungs of steel. But you’ll like her.
You are an uncle now. On New Year’s
Eve, I had a conversation with one of my
passengers and he told me that not fall-
ing in love with another man’s woman
would make him a better man in 2018. I
know that that’s an obvious thing to say,
but it didn’t seem so obvious to him.
Reminded me of a book I read once that
dictated that one of the ways in which
to be happy is by trying not to kill other
people.
Being more available to you brother
will make me a better man in 2018.
Best,
Charlie.
PS: One beautiful evening on my way
from school I collected a 50 cent coin
and kept it hoping it would develop
some sentimental value to me. It never
did. I don’t know the significance of that.
Just thought you should know.
Redistribution is prohibited
INTERVIEW
Help your child get clean from
substance abuse
Whether your child is on drugs or
alcohol, there are certain things
you can do to help them overcome
it. Douglas Nyandoro, an addiction
counsellor at Turning Point
Counseling Solutions speaks to
JACQUELINE MAHUGU.
1. Approach it with the right
perspective
There are four major perspectives through
which parents view addiction: either that it is
a social problem (“It is a problem society
aronlangat8@gmail.com
should deal with. I do not have anything to do
with that.”), or that it is just bad behaviour or
a crime, especially if it involves illegal sub-
stances, or that it is a moral problem - that the
addicted person has been sinning, and if they
repent the addiction will be sorted out. The
fourth and correct perspective that psycholo-
gists approach it from and that you should
approach it from is that it is disease, which
means it requires treatment. How you view
your child’s addiction will be crucial to you
helping them overcome it.
2. Get out of denial
Accept that your child has an addic-
tion and that it is a chronic disease that is
cunning, powerful and out of your depth. The
sooner you can get out of denial and under-
stand that your child has a problem, the soon-
er you can get the necessary helpd.
3. Recognise the signs
Want to know if your child is addicted
and needs help? Ask yourself the following.
1. Do you feel that your child needs to cut
down on whatever they are using? If you
feel that your child is overindulging, that
is a sign of a problem.
2. If someone talks about the thing that the
child is addicted to, do they get provoked?
3. Do they throw a tantrum when it is taken
away? When the child does not use what-
ever they are addicted to, are there signs
of withdrawal such as irritability, reckless-
ness, crying, tantrums or nagging?
4. Do you think your child feels bad about
what they are doing?
4. Heal their pain
Your child’s addiction is a sign that
there is something they are trying to escape.
It means that there is an intolerable reality
underlying the addiction and the child does
not have the coping skills and their addiction
is their escape. You need to find out why the
child is addicted.  Chances are that there is
neglect, parental conflict, a dysfunctional
16 | THE STANDARD on SUNDAY | 7 January 2018
background, abuse - there could be endless
reasons. The addiction is just an umbrella for
other things going wrong that need to be
identified and solutions found, so that you do
not just treat the symptoms, but the root
cause. If you do not deal with the root issue,
the addiction will keep recurring.
5. Seek a professional
Once you have identified the root
cause, seek effective treatment from a profes-
sional that meets the needs of that particular
addiction. See a child psychologist, psychia-
trist or counsellor who will do the initial
assessment to determine what the real prob-
lem is and they can deal with it or refer you to
the appropriate professional so that the child
can have the right intervention after under-
standing what the underlying problem is. All
addictions are unique to an individual, and
the detailed initial clinical assessment will
develop an individualised care plan for the
child. The clinical assessment also deter-
mines whether there is really an addiction or
it is just dependence or abuse of freedom. You
will likely find the professionals in the mental
health departments of big institutions like
Level 4 or 5 hospitals, counselling centers or
in a private practice. You can also search on
the internet.
Your child’s
addiction is a
sign that there is
something they
are trying to
escape
6. Tough love
Most parents hate subjecting their
children to pain and discomfort, but pain and
discomfort are necessary to overcome
addiction. You cannot negotiate with an
addict. Some privileges have to be withdrawn,
which will cause discomfort. Changing
behaviour is difficult for many people and
with addiction, hardship and pain is the way
to recovery, and you as a parent are the
primary person to impose that pain and
discomfort so that the behaviour can change.
If you can’t do it, you are referred to as an
enabler. You are enabling the addiction. Stop
being part of the problem and become part of
the solution.
7. Know the signs of a relapse
Once a child has gotten help and their
behaviour is changing, you will be able to
observe their behaviour on a continuum. This
means for example that for the last two
weeks, this child has not been using that
substance or behaving that way, and there has
been consistent improvement. If in say
another week the child goes back to their old
behaviour, that is a relapse. You need to
monitor and know if a relapse has happened
and manage it. Also learn what the triggers
are.  For example, if it is conflict in the home,
then avoid conflict, if it is festivities, avoid
them. Addiction does not have a cure, it is
only managed and this is by eliminating the
triggers that bring memories and create a
desire for the vice. Do this until they develop
the self control to manage the addiction
themselves.
8. Pursue a lifestyle change
 Identify the primary people that the
child interacts with, which include the school,
the church or other institution. Ensure that
the people who surround the child are
supporting the child in achieving their
recovery goals by rewarding and encouraging
them not to engage in the behaviour. A new
lifestyle should come into place with the
family, the child and friends that ensures that
the addiction is not supported.
9. Help them in their spirituality
Spirituality is key in healing any
addiction, a fact that has been acknowledged
in the last 10 years in the field of psychiatry.
Other than psychotherapy, when there is a
component of spirituality involved, chances
of a successful therapy outcome are higher.
When there is an aspect of spirituality
involved, the recovery rates are about 70 to
80 percent while without spirituality, the
recovery rates are 40 to 50 percent. From a
psychological perspective, spirituality does
not mean religion. It can involve religion, but
spirituality is just a matter of programming
and nurturing the child to be positive and
creative, which all have a value-adding aspect
to recovery from addiction.
Redistribution is prohibited
hard talk with Tania Ngima
The year of getting
more done
 While we have read countless productivity hacks, what are the key things to
get the most done at work?
T
ony Robbins is a renowned
entrepreneur, best-selling author
and a leadership psychology coach
who has worked with Presidents, world
class athletes and heads of multinational
corporations. Tony has founded and
invested in 31 businesses. How does he get
stuff done?
Granted, the ability of one person to have
such a high level of productivity and focus
is nothing short of impressive. But how
does that compare to those of us who
struggle with one role and while doing it
still feel like we are less than effective?
Focus and career advancement
If you are like the leaders surveyed and
consider that ‘enhanced focus’ would be
valuable for your career or business,
how or where do you start
from? Tons of research
shows that there is a posi-
tive correlation between a
high level of focus and career
achievement. And while we are
all different with respect to how and
when we best focus, the research also finds
a few similarities.
1.    Find your ‘it’ moment?
Are you aware of when you are most pro-
ductive and when you struggle with com-
plex tasks, or even with just paying atten-
tion to more than five minutes at a time?
The stats show that our attention peaks are
8am for about 2 hours, and 7 to 10 pm. 1 to
4pm show up as the worst times of the day
for focusing, reflecting the afternoon
slump.
Understanding your pattern allows you
to schedule the most important or complex
tasks for when your attention span is less
likely to wonder, with more routine or
active ones when your focus is weaker.  and can be trained. Even better, it retains
referrals do not
automatically
happen - be brave
enough to make
a clear ask
Cal Newport, Professor at Georgetown
and renowned author of ‘Deep Work’ talks
about being in a state of ‘flow’ - when we
are so engrossed in our work that our focus
in it is 100 per cent and literally distraction
free. When is your state of ‘flow’?
2.    Hard tasks first
You know that
task you would
rather not work on now
and want to push it to the
last item because it is
daunting? Don’t. Psy-
chologically speaking,
dealing with the harder
stuff gives you a sense of
achievement and gets you
fired up to tackle the list.
3.    Switch off
distractions
When you need to get
something done, put your
phone on silent mode and pur-
pose not to spare a glance at it
until you are done with it. Or
if putting away the phone
is impossible, decide to
only check the messages and emails after a
block of time, say 20 minutes have lapsed.
Tip: Disable your phone notifications for
a quiet work time.
4.    No lyrics
While some people swear by having
background music as you work, music with
lyrics is not good for your productivity. Try
instrumental music, white noise or music
in a language you do not understand.   it may be that most of us are expected to start work
5.    Coach your focus
It is said that the brain is like a muscle
this training meaning you can make small,
consistent steps to get better and better
and enhance focus. So once you master the
art of concentrating on a task and not get-
ting sidetracked, you are on your way to
being a true master of your time.
THE STANDARD on SUNDAY | 7 January 2018 | 17
DOES BEING AN EARLY
RISER MEAN YOU ARE
MORE SUCCESSFUL?
aronlangat8@gmail.com
S
till think the morning people sound more like
CEO material? Don’t set your alarm for 5am
just yet. As it turns out, overhauling your sleep
times may not have much effect.
“If people are left to their naturally preferred
times, they feel much better. They say that
they are much more productive. The mental
capacity they have is much broader,” says Oxford
University biologist Katharina Wulff, who studies
chronobiology and sleep. On the other hand, she
says, pushing people too far out of their natural
preference can be harmful. When they wake
early, for example, night owls are still producing
melatonin. “Then you disrupt it and push the body
to be in the daytime mode. That can have lots of
negative physiological consequences,” Wulff says,
like a different sensitivity to insulin and glucose –
which can cause weight gain. 
In our rush to figure out the ‘secrets’ of success,
we tend to forget a couple of things. First, not all
high achievers are early risers, and not all early risers
are successful. But more importantly, in a phrase
beloved by academics everywhere, correlation
isn’t causation. In other words, it’s not clear that
waking up early itself provides the benefit. Instead,
or school by 8 or 9am. If you’re a morning person,
a combination of biological changes, from your
hormones to body temperature, will get you up
and at ‘em way ahead of your night owl peers. That
means people who enjoy rising early will be more
aligned with their workday and likely to achieve
more. For a night owl waking at 7am, her body still
thinks she’s asleep and is acting accordingly, so
she’s groggy for much longer than a morning person
who wakes up at the same time. Researchers also
point out that because evening types often have to
function when their bodies don’t want to, it makes
sense that they may have worse moods or lower
life satisfaction. It may also mean that they’ve had
to figure out how to be more innovative and cut
corners – which may encourage their creativity and
cognitive skills.
Adapted from bbc.com
Redistribution is prohibited
THE WAY IT GOES with Ruth Lubembe
Oh how parenting
has changed
A
fter months of searching, I finally
found a phone cover for our
youngest. The only problem (hers,
not mine) was that she didn’t like the way it
looked. To my eyes, there was nothing wrong
with it, plus it was perfect for the job. And so
I insisted she take it or else…
This is where I was coming from – the girl
greatly enjoys photography and takes some
pretty amazing pictures of sunsets, skylines
and other natural features. She also loves to
photograph her favourite subject – herself.
Whenever we go anywhere, she begs her sib-
lings to take photos of her as she poses in
ways that make it seem like she wasn’t pos-
ing at all.
So for her last birthday we decided to
invest in a phone with a good camera to help
her practise her photography because who
knows where that might lead? But there
were no covers available at the time hence
the search because we wanted to make sure
the phone was protected. Alas, before we
could find one, the young lady dropped the
phone and what we had feared happened –
the screen cracked and the gadget died, less
than a month after it was bought!
It took a lot of restraint on my part not to
belabour the point that it had taken months
to plan and budget for the phone, which had
now been rendered useless in a matter of
seconds. I figured that the fact that she was
now phone-less was punish- ment
enough for her
carelessness.
A n d Thinking over the incident later, I won-
because
18 | THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018
aronlangat8@gmail.com
THESE SHOES WERE
SO TOUGH THAT
NO AMOUNT OF
DRAGGING THEM
THROUGH MUD OR
RAIN PUDDLES COULD
DO THEM ANY HARM
there was no budget for repairing a broken
screen, she would just have to wait.
We were able to repair the phone several
months later and when I handed it to her, I
stated to her that she had no choice but to
accept the first available cover we could find,
regardless of whether it was yellow with
green dots and purple stripes because I was
NOT going to repair her phone a second
time. We finally found one that was very
decent (according to me) and I paid the cash-
ier and asked the shop attendant to fit it on
the phone while our youngest was still mak-
ing faces at it. I reminded her that she had
no voice in this matter and we left the shop.
Negotiations
dered when we had become so accommo-
dating of the young ones’ preferences. The
hubby and I grew up in a time when there
was little variety and whatever parents
said was law. If they bought something,
children learned to like it because they had
no choice. Take, for instance, school shoes.
Everyone went to the same shoe shop and
bought the same shoes. Nothing wrong
with that except that the shoes were not
very attractive. Granted, they were very
durable (they were built like tractors),
which was why our parents chose them in
the first place, but they still looked like
blocks of leather.
Of indestructible shoes
These shoes were more of a problem for
girls than boys because girls like to have a
variety of pretty things. If you had feet that
grew slowly, then you were stuck with the
same shoes for several terms since the only
reason you got new ones was because you
had outgrown the current ones. Eventually,
desperate for a new pair of shoes (the
design would be modified every so often),
some people would try to damage them – in
vain. These shoes were so tough that no
amount of dragging them through mud or
rain puddles could do them any harm.
Eventually, they would be thrown away and
the story at home would be that they got
lost or stolen. Then you crossed your fin-
gers that the result would be a new pair of
shoes – it wasn’t automatic.
For those of us who were born after sev-
eral siblings, new stuff was rare. As long as
my older sisters had outgrown anything
and it was still in (relatively) usable
condition, it became mine. And if
I wanted a new one for reasons
besides growing out of it, I
had to have a very convinc-
ing story.
Times have surely
changed going by how
much our youngest manag-
es to get away with. It
doesn’t help that the hubby
dotes on her, and she knows
it! No wonder she prefers to
shop for school shoes
with him – she only
needs to make a
face at any shoes
he picks and
before he knows
it, he’s been
dragged into
another shop
where the shoes
are invariably
pricier. But there
are things she
won’t get past
me, like refusing
to use the new
phone cover.
EASY LIKE SUNDAY
WITH ESTHER MUCHENE
BANDY THE GAUPER
Sunday is the day…
I make sure I visit the Lord’s house together
with my family and in the afternoon we get back
home and rest.
Once I am up…
I jog for 10 minutes on my way to the gym where
I have a two-hour workout.
If I could replace Sunday with any other day
it would be…
A Saturday. Because most of my gigs are on
Saturday which is payday and I’m sure everyone
loves a pay day.
What I love most about Sundays…
It’s an easy day and everyone is relaxed at
home. There is not much movement.
What I don’t like about Sundays would be…
Having to wake up early because there is a
church near my house. It’s very annoying when
they blast the loud speakers they bought from
China at 4 a.m.
Rules I break on Sunday?
Sometimes I go out with friends for a drink and I
end up spending the day in the club.
That one thing I have always wanted to do
but haven’t done is…
Going to a children’s home with some gifts and
spending time with them just to make them feel
loved.
Sunday activities include...
Relaxing,  watching movies and playing video
games.
Sunday tracks?
Gospel, classic and of course some hip-hop.
Bandy the Guaper is a rapper, fashion designer
and stylist.
HEARD My two-year-old son singing my
latest song called Shukush which is
currently trending on YouTube.
READ Ben Carson’s book Gifted Hands.
He is one of the most celebrated
surgeons in the world. He teaches
me that I should never give up in life
because every time I fail you learn
something new. Great men learn
through failing.
SAW A yellow jeep with gold spinners
owned by one of my customers. I
even had to take a photo with it.
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY KITCHEN
Food
storage
101
BBC GOOD FOOD
Where should we store
different foods in the
fridge?
A
good rule to follow is to ensure raw and
ready-to-eat foods are stored separate-
ly from one another. Raw meat and poul-
try should be stored covered on the bottom
shelf of the fridge as this will prevent raw meat
juices from spilling on to foods below. This bot-
tom shelf offers the necessary protection as it
is often made of solid glass, preventing any
spills from seeping down on to other foods.
It should also be the coldest part of the
fridge which is highly effective for storing
meat in. Ready-to-eat foods such as and poultry in sealed
cheese and cooked meats can be stored containers.
on the top shelves. Some of the modern
style fridges include a number of differ- vegetables before
ent trays and we recommend that you
check to see what the manufacturer’s guide
advises.
How should we store food in the fridge?
It all depends on the food type or particu-
lar product. If you’ve opened something and are
unable to seal it back up in its original packag-
ing (for example, cooked ham) you should cov-
er it in cling film or transfer it to an airtight
container. Raw meats can be stored in their
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Little
tips
Store raw meat
Wash fruits and
storage
original packaging on the
bottom shelf of the fridge. If
they’re not in their original pack-
aging, keep them in a drip-proof bowl or con-
tainer and cover. It’s also important to
ensure cooked foods, including leftovers,
are covered. Store unopened cans in the
cupboard as this will give you more room
in the fridge. If your fridge isn’t cluttered,
cold air will circulate around your fridge
more effectively.
RECIPE with Miss Mandi
LAMB & THYME MEATBALLS
What you need:
1/2 kg lamb mince
1 tbsp. mince garlic
1/2 tbsp. mince ginger
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. freshly chopped
thyme
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsps of breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Worcester sauce(
alternatively use soy sauce)
Method
1. Pre-heat oven as you prepare
the ingredients. In bowl add ground
beef, garlic, ginger, thyme, black
pepper, paprika, worcester sauce,
salt and a tbsp. of breadcrumbs.
2. Mix everything well and start
moulding them. 3. Once done,
place on a baking sheet and bake
under the broiler for 18 minutes in
a 170 degree oven. Once ready, let
them cool and serve.
THE STANDARD ON SUNDAY | 7 JANUARY 2018 | 19
NUTRITION
FOODS TO RESET
YOUR SYSTEM
WITH FAITH KARIUKI BIONGO
A
te too much during the
festivities? The following
foods and drinks can help
ease the bloating and lack of energy
and give you a better start of the day.
1. Fruit smoothies
Smoothies are delicious, packed
with nutrients and are much easier to
digest. Due to their texture, nutrients
in smoothies are absorbed faster
into the body leaving you feeling
lighter and full of energy.
2.
Bananas
People tend to eat a lot of
salty foods during festivities which
cause an imbalance of sodium and
potassium levels in the blood. Low
levels of potassium leave you feeling
weak, shaky and often with  raised
blood pressure. Ripe bananas are
a good source of potassium, which
helps boost potassium levels.
Bananas are also very gentle on the
stomach making them an effective
energy booster.
3. Ginger and peppermint tea
Ginger and peppermint are
antispasmodic and help relax the
muscles in your digestive tract which
helps alleviate nausea, gas and
bloating.
4. Water melon
If alcohol was on the menu,
water melon helps you hydrate and
restore vitamins and minerals that
may have been lost. Watermelon is
also a good source of fibre to aid in
digestion.
5. Yoghurt
Yoghurt comes in handy after
a day of indulging in sugary and salty
foods. Foods that contain too much
salt and sugar can upset the bacteria
balance in your digestive tract which
can cause digestive health problems
like indigestion and bloating.
Yoghurts that contain probiotics can
promote growth of good bacteria in
your gut for good digestive health.
Redistribution is prohibited

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 GenNext
Redistribution is prohibited

SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard Generation next 1

FOR THE YOUNG AND GROWING

Sunday,January 7, 2017 Pullout Section B

Standard
The

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Life of a game app

SNAP SHOT , P3

BACK COVER: HOW TO MAKE A FISH

Redistribution is prohibited

2 Generation next SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard

Editorial What’s Up?

Monkey business...

M
onkeys are mammals and they
are also primates.
A primate is a group of ani-
mals that includes humans, apes and
Quiz
monkeys. Time!
Time to set There are 264 species of monkeys.

those goals!
The difference between apes and
monkeys is that apes have no tails
while monkeys do.
They

A
Although monkeys are smart animals, apes
week has are smarter. often carry
passed since their young
More species of monkeys live in Brazil ones on their
the year began. than in any other country. backs or
Some of you still have around their
Most monkeys are arboreal, meaning they
the Chrsitmas Tree and spend most of their time in trees. However, necks.
decorations hanging in some monkeys live on the ground. Monkeys are consid-
the living room at home A group of monkeys is called a troop, ered adults at the age of
and the thought of taking them down is depressing. But it is tribe or a mission. five years.
aronlangat8@gmail.com
time to face the reality because the festivities and play time They eat fruits, flowers,
Monkeys communicate with each other
are over and it is time for some serious business. Some of you through a variety of sounds, facial expres- seeds, leaves, nuts, small insects, eggs;
have already started attending school while some will start sions and body language. some species eat small animals.
this week. Have you come up with any New Year resolutions? Like humans, monkeys have fingers and
Spider monkeys swing from tree branch
Yes, I know many of you are scratching your heads on this to tree branch. All other monkey species hence their own set of fingerprints.
one, but one is never too young to set some goals for them- run across the branches. Monkeys can carry diseases such as
selves. You could resolve to be a better person, to help more hepatitis, tuberculosis and simian her-
Monkeys like to play and cuddle with their
at home and at school. Do not wait for others to offer that babies. pes.
helping hand; volunteer more and you will see how good you
WINNIE MAKENA
will feel about yourself. Follow your study table even as you
leave time for a little play. Above all, strive to be kind to your
family, friends and even animals.
Anne Mukei

A PHRASE A WEEK: Pulling someone’s leg means to tease someone, usually by

lying jokingly. Although pulling someone’s leg is all in good fun nowadays, it originally re-
ferred to the way in which thieves tripped their victims to rob them. WINNIE MAKENA

Gen Next is published by: The Standard Group Ltd. Editorial Director: Joseph Odindo; Managing Editor: John Bundotich; Editor: Rose Kwamboka;Ag Editor: Anne Mukei
Contributors: Agnes Mwandawiro, George Olwalo, Geoffrey Odhiambo, Ndubi Mose, Winnie Makena and Sheila Kimani; Manager, Print Creative: Dan Weloba; Creative
Find us on Designer: Alice Ariri ; Illustration: Bella Kilonzo, Erick Ngammau, Harrison Muriuki, Bill Okutoi and James Kamawira; E-mail: GenerationNext@standardmedia.co.ke; Website:
standardmedia.co.ke/mag All correspondence to Generation Next is assumed to be intended for publication. Generation Next accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts,
artworks or photographs. All rights on publication remain with the publisher.
Redistribution is prohibited
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2018 The Standard
Adventure
Time
The life of a game app
M
aronlangat8@gmail.com
y life as a game app
varies so much. I can
find myself at the darkest cor-
ners to the most exciting places.
This is just an example of any
given ordinary day.
The other day, at one o’clock in
the morning, I received a call and
had to wake up. I looked into the
darkness of the night only lit up
by the stare of a teenage girl. Her
eyes were deep but filled with no
emotions, except loneliness. I
BY WILFRED MBUVI felt like a friend helping someone
Age: 13 through a tough time by offering
all the amusement I could. Never
School: Precious
once did a smile play on her
Academy, Mombasa
beautiful face as she played with
Class : Seven me.
Ambition: Computer Later that day after a depressing
Engineer morning I hoped for better
Hobbies: Computer things. Just before noon some-
games, football and one tapped my icon and I stirred
writing awake to see a great view from
the top of a cliff. I was being
played by the edge of the Rift
Valley and could not believe my
luck as I looked down over the
sight far below where the trees
and animals looked as small as
pixels. The boy who was playing
me focused his attention at the
view and held me tightly with his
Oh, My Word!
“Shhh, let us lis-
ten to the news on
our new home the-
atre!” Collins Nde-
gwa, 13, Meru
Come up with a funny or creative
caption for the photo on the side for a
chance to get published. Submit it to
ohmywordsunday@gmail.com. Include
your name and age.
Snapshot Story
right hand, but I did not mind.
The boy’s grin was huge as he
stared over the edge and
watched the beautiful sight. The
screen turned off and I patiently
awaited my next user.
I was soon aroused by the roar of
an engine and the loud noises
around me. It then occurred to
me that I was in a car. At first I
was rattled and shaken but then
it all settled down. I gladly looked
out of the opening at the blue
sky and fluffy clouds passing by.
The young girl that was playing
with me peered through the
window curiously every now and
Generation next 3
worthwhile is the joy and smiles I
put on people’s faces and the plac-
es I have been to during my time on
the app store. As a game app those
experiences should be treasured as
one day every app will gradually fall
to the back corners of the app store
never to be clicked on again. For
now I can enjoy seeing people’s lives
every time they tap my icon to play
with me.
Compiled by Eric M Wainaina
then, pinpointing different landmarks
along the way. After hours of passing
time, the view from the window
changed; from a blue sky to pitch
black. However, as the sky had grown
If you are 13 years old and
darker the buzz of excitement had
below, write a creative story
grown larger as the journey was
of about 500 words based
coming to a close and their destina-
on the photo above. Submit
tion came into view. As the car
it to mysnapshotstory@
slowed down and stopped the girl
gmail.com for a chance to
had a silent giggle and her body
get published. Include your
shook as excitement passed through
name, age, photo, school,
her. I heard her ask if they had finally
class, ambition and hobbies.
arrived. She sighed with happiness.
Add a phone number to be
Once again the screen was turned
contacted on.
off and I rested in silence.
The thing that makes my existence
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK: Tears from a Lonely Heart
AUTHOR: Israel Yohana
Mzee Gobore is a man of good humour. His
people are noted for hospitality and respectabil-
ity. As an African, he treats neighbours and visi-
tors well. He is in his sunset years and he is of the
conviction that love, good neighbouliness and
hard work are virtues that contribute to an indi-
vidual’s success in life.
Like most of his contemporaries, Mzee
Gobore gives his children the freedom to play,
make friendships and visit their peers in the
neighbourhood. This unhindered freedom how-
ever turns unpleasant when one day two of Gob-
ore’s daughters leave home to visit a friend but
fail to return home. This is uncharacteristic of the teenage girls. Usually,
they would go out and come back at an appropriate time. Convinced
that something is amiss, the old man sets on a lonely search to find his
daughters’ whereabouts but he gains no insight as to where they are.
Determined to find the girls, he organises a big search party but this too
proves futile. Restless and eager to find the girls, the relentless father vis-
its Profesa Kulakula, a self-styled magician to know more about his
daughters. Will the witch doctor be helpful to the distraught father?
- GEORGE OLWALO
Redistribution is prohibited
4 Generation next Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard
Feature
Nurturing talent
Y
oung people from every corner of the
country trooped for a talent expedition of
a kind at the Kenyatta University dubbed
Soft Talent Festival.
Dressed in all kinds of colourful costumes they
performed plays, music, dance and elocution
that left no doubt that talent is rich among the
youthful Kenyan populace.
A group of thespians from Kenya Assemblies of
God in Nakuru wowed with their play Bafu Chafu
by Abesh Rodgers depicting a highly contested
student leadership.
The cast of Paul Warui, Charity Wanjiku, Diana
Nkatha, Samson Tai, Rose Otengo, Naim Abdi
were in their element rendering a well rehearsed
production full of entertainment.
It is also at this Harambee Hall that Nashon
Otieno from Kayole One left the audience asking
for more with his scintillating mime.
Pulling off the most challenging forms of theatre,
the 14-year-old actor left no doubt that he had
mastered his act with perfect timing, flexible tor-
so and a malleable face to manipulate the audi-
ence. His mime depicts a pupil who because of
laziness is prone to coming late to school. On
Teen Talk
Students’ inspection is used as
a measure to avert disaster.
GEOFFREY ODHIAMBO asked St Lukes
aronlangat8@gmail.com
Kimilili Boys High school stu-
dents whether it is necessary.
Sakiti Michael, 13
Inspection is very necessary in our
schools because it helps prevent entry
of unwanted materials and
substances. We are used to regular
inspections.
Every season youngsters wow
audiences with their extremely Victor Simiyu, 13
entertaining and informative
performances. George orido has Inspection of students is necessary,
some reviews. when they are in school. Teachers and
staff are responsible for our safety
this day the new administration is strict and he and should ensure that we are out of
cannot bear the prospects of facing punishment danger through regular inspections.
upon arrival. So, he decides to malinger in town
meeting bad influence who introduce him to
drugs and alcohol. High on substance, he goes to
school daring the principal to punish him; he col-
lapses before making good his threat. He is
rushed to hospital and finds an opportunity to
reform.
KAG from Meru representing Mt Kenya region Cedrick Odhiambo, 13
impressed with their song presented in prayers
to God to have them realise a good harvest. Inspection of students may be a
Suswa from Narok presented a Maasai folk song security measure but the truth is
praying for the rains and for protection from that it interferes with someone’s
unseen enemies. privacy and cause embarrassment.
Their melodies and powerful soloists with those
costumes made them credible people who were
on their knees to seek for God’s providence and
grace.
The very young ones from age five sang and
danced to hearty playing games that reminded
all and sundry where we all started.
“The arts are a powerful media of self-expres-
sion, communication, beauty and empower- Richard Shikuku, 13
ment in our dynamic society,” said the Compas-
sion International Kenya Country Director Joel Inspection is the best way to ensure
Macharia at the fete in its second year. items that are not needed in school do
Speaking at the end of the event, one of the not end up there. It is important for
adjudicators Dr Henry Namsyule Wanjala of school authorities to periodically do a
Kenyatta University praised the improved stand- random inspection on students.
ards of the fete, saying the future for young peo-
ple is bright.
Redistribution is prohibited

Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Generation next 5

Style Lab
I need
that!
Casual
Throw on your
favourite sweater
and pair it with
Sporty shorts to show off
For a sporty vibe, your legs and slip
go for black pants, a on a pair of black
white tee and layer flats to draw the
up with a bomber outfit together.
jacket.

aronlangat8@gmail.com

Chic
This look
effortlessly
merges comfort
and style. Finish it
off by sneaking in
a pair of coloured
Darling Prince lace up brogues.

Stockists:
Monochromatic
Mr Price & Bossini
Garden City. BRENDA ONONO
Models: Adrianna
shows you how to pair
Anna Hawi, five the one hue clothing
Shoot Location :
in your wardrobe to Elegant
Nairobi CBD create some really You could go simple
cool and easy style with this shade of
Photos: Jenipher grey dress paired
Wachie, Standard
choices.
with gladiator
sandals.
Redistribution is prohibited

6 Generation next Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Hide and seek

aronlangat8@gmail.com

Find 8 pairs of scissors in the library

Redistribution is prohibited

Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard Generation next 7

aronlangat8@gmail.com
Redistribution is prohibited

8 Generation next Sunday, January 7, 2018 The Standard

Babu
P. 7

Procedure
Art Attack with Brenda Onono
1. Make a square from your rectangular

How to make a fish

paper (make a diagonal fold from one
corner of the paper and trim the excess
part).
2. Hold
your aronlangat8@gmail.com
paper
like a
diamond
and fold the two ends towards the centre
line.
3. Open up the paper and fold along the
centre line. Snip off one end of the paper
and cut frills along the edge of the centre
line.

4. Stick the two side flaps together,

leaving a hollow space between them. Your
fish should now have a base.

Materials needed:
Paper
5.Draw in eyes, stick beads or sequins. Glue stick
Scissors
Ruler