Good People,

We do not want war in Kenya.

Raila with other politicians who borrowed heavily from business men

are all in debt with those who sponsored their election and they dont

know how to pay them back their debts. This includes the Nigerian

business-men in Kenya who mostly were dealing in drugs.

Kenyans have in the past suffered the same predicament in ways and

means. Local families in the villages also had their chickens, goats,

cows, harvested food crops from the farms were forcefully taken by

agents of political lead groups, with peoples local lands, where many

people are already driven out of their lands and the lands auctioned

to the unscrupulous Corporate Special Business Interest.......whom in

one way or the other sponsored elections of these lead politicians.

Show-cases:

For Example; We lost Kwale Titunium to Chinese Canadian Co. during Moi's leadership in this manner and in 2007/8 we lost Migingo in the same

manner to Museveni ......where many people who resisted were shot dead

and many strong young men and women were massacred or planted to die mysteriously to pave way for political special interest. Turkana was

also sold to Israel special interest in the same manner; other areas are the

Isiolo, Marsabit, Tana River, Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Garissa, Garsen etc., that

lost huge number of their community people in such organized, planned and engineered Civil conflicts and many people continue to die in Kenya through such like organized terrorism and thuggery meant to fool peoples

intelligence......leaving people suffering and pushed into further extreme

poverty and homelessness.......it is because, these political agents treat

people's property as their own and they do not care. This is the type of

life in Kenya.......it is why there is civil conflicts with careless killings.

During Kibaki and Raila's rule, we saw Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda mass

entry to Kenya and through pirating busienss, they took the whole of

Eastleigh attached to Eastleigh Air-Base. How can a responsible Government conduct themselves in this manner?

No one having supported the Raila family come out safe. You must be

finished.........even the little you have will be taken away from you.....so

you cannot stand.

Additionally, Chinedu made a story in Kenya. His wife Akinyi made very

strong plea for help that Chinedu is a drug dealer. He invited his other

notorious friends from Nigeria as business men in Kenya to support Raila's

quest for Presidency. Raila promised them heavens from public wealth

and resources. Why cant they be investigated, exposed and convicted

instead of making them look like lordship who committed nothong wrong?

This behaviour was seen very common in many occassions where some

Agents, gangs, thugs and youth boot soldiers that associate to Raila's

political groups go to Luo Businessmen and Women to demand for Big

money saying they were sent by Raila's wife to collect money to support

Raila's political interests. If you are critical, stubborn and do not part with

your money, your life is in danger.

Good people, It is sad, I am speaking from experience, and I am a victim of circumstances. Me and others from the same community in South Nyanza have lost heavily and today, 2,000 families in South Nyanza were given forced eviction from our ancestral community homes, where my fathers home and my home is one such target and my mothers life is in a

very sorry pathetic situation hanging between life and death.

Are we really going to continue to accommodate political leaders who will

continue to hide the truth from the people? Is Kenya still sold-out? Why

did Raila come to USA to complain to Corporate Special Business

Interest about his victory taken away from him? Is he looking for sympathy

to create civil war in Kenya??? Why is he going round bragging that he is

a powerful man??? Did he not get 5 years as Prime Minister enjoying the

50/50 coalition with Kibaki.......did he not make enough money? why did he not use his powers then to deliver to the public and provide the rightful

Constitution from the word go.......is he trying to fool the world that he is

the best?

I said it before and I wiss say it now, Raila got the best chances he had and if he never did any good to Kenyans, he need to retire and resign from

politics.

Consequently, we demand accountability from Kibaki/Raila administration to account for all public land that were sold under-table in exchange for political gains and that all stolen land with LAND GRABS must be returned to the people with immediate effect.

Pushing people to war for selfish interest is unacceptable. People must wake up and stand firm.

If, by any chance, there are political campaign debts that were incurred, that is not our problem, it was done behind peoples back....it is not the problem of Kenyans and Kenyans neck must not be put to pay debts they

did not authorize.........We were never consulted.

Therefore, Kenya must demand for people's right. Kenya is not going to

go to war for the sake of political special business interest that went haywire, that were not sensored by public demand or authorized under

their Public Mandate. Public Interest comes first and we are not going to

allow this type of behaviour. It is unconstitutional and unacceptable.

Raila with his friends must face their political debtors without involving the

public ........ it is because, WE DO NOT WANT WAR.......and THERE IS

NOT GOING TO BE ANY WAR........We shall not tolerate anymore

elements of corruption, graft or impunity.........we demand clean public service delivery without corner corner..........

We demand that Government invervene and conclude LAND GRABBING ISSUES...........We the people, must be paid all damages and loses that

have been incurred and we shall not be quite any more........Like you pay

back your political debtors, we the people must be paid all that we have

lost.........

There is nothing that Kenya Government need to talk with Chinedu.....We

demand that Nigeria release Kenyan ........

It is imperable that Kenya's Ambassador to USA explain and mak public

details of former PM Raila's meeting in the USA. It all amounts to Transparency

and accountability.......being that, the Embassy is a public utility and

which tax-payer is spent to pay workers and maintain expenses for personnel.

And whether former PM Raila's travel to US was authorized by Uhuru and Ruto

Government.......

People demand to know........

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

The Cannibal Warlords of Liberia (Full Length Documentary)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRuSS0iiFyo

Published on Jun 13, 2012

VICE travels to West Africa to rummage through the messy remains of a country ravaged by 14 years of civil war. Despite the United Nation's eventual intervention, most of Liberia's young people continue to live in abject poverty, surrounded by filth, drug addiction, and teenage prostitution. The former child soldiers who were forced into war have been left to fend for themselves, the murderous warlords who once led them in cannibalistic rampages have taken up as so-called community leaders, and new militias are lying in wait for the opportunity to reclaim their country from a government they rightly mistrust.

Hosted by Shane Smith | Originally released in 2009 at http://vice.com

Produced by Andy Capper

Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu reads mischief in his deportation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eaHZEsEWgM8

Published on Jun 4, 2013

For more news visit http://www.ntv.co.ke
Follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ntvkenya
Like our FaceBook page http://www.facebook.com/NtvKenya

The High Court has granted orders requiring deported Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu to appear in court for a hearing of his case on the June 20. Chinedu's family had gone to court seeking orders to have him appear in court as they had accused the state of detaining him and deporting him contrary to court orders staying his deportation. The State has seven days to reply to the application. Chinedu was deported on Monday night alongside six other foreigners who the state had accused of being involved in 'dirty business'. NTV's Sheila Sendeyo reports.

Raila Odinga in Kisumu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIqKkvUYDr8

"Opuk pekne Otenga" Tortoise is heavy for the vulture

the scavenger bird ....is a bragging comment....

why brag is it necessary???.....

then you cry baby......

Published on Jun 4, 2013

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy leader Raila Odinga has called for education services to be devolved to the county level and teachers hired by the state to be contracted to county governments. Speaking in Kisumu, the former prime minister also called on the government to implement free education programmes to the letter, claiming that currently parents have been forced to bear the burden of paying various levies which are beyond many poor parents.

--- On Wed, 6/19/13, mohamed warsama <mhmdwarsama@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: mohamed warsama <mhmdwarsama@yahoo.com>
Subject: LEE MAKWINY BLAMES MIDIWO FOR RAILA ODINGA DEFEAT
To: "uchunguzi online" <uchunguzionline@yahoogroups.com>, "changemombasa2012@yahoogroups.com" <changemombasa2012@yahoogroups.com>, "KOL" <kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com>, "progressive-kenyans" <progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com>, "wanakenya@googlegroups.com" <wanakenya@googlegroups.com>, "the last word to kenya" <thelastwordtokenya@yahoogroups.com>, "talkhard@yahoogroups.com" <talkhard@yahoogroups.com>, "NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com" <NigerianWorldForum@yahoogroups.com>, "naijaobserver" <naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com>, "yanarewa@yahoogroups.com" <yanarewa@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 2:45 PM

Lee Makwiny: ODM Must Get The Basics Right

June 18, 2013|Posted in: Opinion

By Lee Makwiny

I have failed to understand this man for a long time now. When he is in parliament, he really delivers. At the party level, most people accuse him of high-handedness. I, personally attribute the failure of Jakom to win the presidency and especially the low voters registration and turnout in Nyanza to his arrogance. It's clear to me how he managed to turn a Siaya issues into an ODM issue, something that came to haunt the party upto the election time. He is someone I admire and at the same time I can't understand. This man Jakoyo Kamidiwo!

ODM as a party lost the elections due to poor strategy, disorganization, dysfunctional secretariats, lack of inspiration, dictatorship by a few individuals, and alienation of party members from management of the party, cronyism among other factors. Every party member agrees that ODM is the single largest party in Kenya. As a matter of fact, it is the single party with the highest number of members in National Assembly, county assembly, women league and youth league. But on the ground, ODM is not the party it used to be. Members have lost hope. There is no direction. No clear guidelines on how its affairs are conducted. For example, nomination to the county assembly turned out to be a family affair. For example, my MP in Nyakach Hon. Aduma wuon Owuor, nominated two relatives. I have also heard rumors that in Gem, the trend is the same. This has not gone down well with majority of party members and he have a disappointed party members.

As a step to correcting the problems that we have been faced with as a party, ODM has embarked on filling the position of Executive Director. Many party members applied to fill this position. I expected ODM to at-least post the names and qualifications of all those who applied, but this has not happen. I have also gathered that at-least ten people have been shortlisted. Unfortunately for many members, nobody knows the criteria used to shortlist the said candidates.

Back to Jakoyo, I have heard rumors from many reliable quarters he handpicked the vetting committee of 7 MP's and is likely to use his influence in parliament on these first time MPs to serve his interest. These interests are what killed our party. I hope the men and women who were picked to the vetting committee will be guided by the long-term interest of the party and not the short-lived personal interest of a few individuals. The following are the members of the vetting committee.

Andrew tobiso, Butere constituency, Chairman.
Junet Mohammed, Suna East constituency.
Timothy Bosire, Kitutu Masaba constituency.
Joshua Aduma, Nyakach constituency.
Florence Mutua, Women rep Busia county.
Joyce Lay, Women rep Taita Taveta.
****there is one from NEP (forgot the name)
Janet Ongera, Nominated Senator, Ex official.

Looking at the list, its very clear something is not right somewhere. Nyanza alone has four members!!Yes, they might be very qualified and equal to the task, but does it serve the interest of Nyanza to have 4 representative in that committee, yet coast, which voted cord mps have none! I understand this is just a vetting committee. They will not really appoint the ED, this will be left to elected party officials. The county chairmen, the MPs, the NEC et al. We must get some basics right.

As I indicated before, I am for Mr. Caeser Asiyo. I believe he has what it takes to move the party forward. When he served as the deputy campaign manager in 2007, he delivered. Two of my very close personal friends Norman Magaya and Nabii Nabwera also applied and I am wishing them luck.

ODM must get the basics right. I also do not understand why there is a hurry to fill the positions of those who left. Some of those post have been vacant for the last four years. We pushed for them to be filled before elections and the forces that want them filled now were the ones that refused. ODM should conduct a complete party election.

This tricks by a few clique who want to appoint their cronies to fill those positions must be resisted by all well-meaning party members.

For ODM to make an impact in 2017, radical changes must be made. The party must be taken back to the members! We must get the basics right.

Lee Makwiny is a blogger and The National Coordinator, ODM Youth 2012 lobby group!

--- On Thu, 6/20/13, Dickens Mitawia <dmitawia@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Dickens Mitawia <dmitawia@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [PK] The National Prayer Breakfast; Personal Reflections
To: "progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com" <progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com>, "kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com" <kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com>, "mulembe" <mulembe@yahoogroups.com>, "vuguvumashinani@yahoogroups.com" <vuguvumashinani@yahoogroups.com>, "Friends of KCDN Group" <friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com>, "ramogi luo" <ramogi@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "Guardian" <letters@guardian.co.uk>, "Jaluo.com" <jaluo@jaluo.com>, "KCA" <kca_main@yahoogroups.com>, "Kenva" <KENVA@yahoogroups.com>, "Kenya Community" <kc-ab@yahoogroups.ca>, "Kenya" <kenya@letsdoitworld.org>, "Kenya Canada" <kenya-can@yahoogroups.com>, "Kenya Club" <kenyaclub@yahoogroups.com>, "Kiss FM Classic FM" <news@kissfm.co.ke>, "Madaraka" <madaraka-kenya@yahoogroups.com>, "MWANYAGETINGE NETWORK" <mwanyagetinge@yahoogroups.com>, "Nation" <editor@nation.co.ke>, "News" <news@1fm.co.ke>, "next_kenya@yahoogroups.com" <next_kenya@yahoogroups.com>, "ntv@nation.co.ke" <ntv@nation.co.ke>, "NYSA" <nysa1@googlegroups.com>
Date: Thursday, June 20, 2013, 8:02 AM

Migosi Sungu,

I associate myself with your thought process and add that I could not have penned it better.

It is Henry Kissinger who famously said;

"...if you don't know where you are going, every road will

get you nowhere".

Mitawia.

From: otieno sungu <sunoti@yahoo.com>
To: "kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com" <kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com>; mulembe <mulembe@yahoogroups.com>; "vuguvumashinani@yahoogroups.com" <vuguvumashinani@yahoogroups.com>; progressive-kenyans <progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com>; Friends of KCDN Group <friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com>; ramogi luo <ramogi@yahoogroups.com>; ramogi luo <ramogi@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: Guardian <letters@guardian.co.uk>; Jaluo.com <jaluo@jaluo.com>; KCA <kca_main@yahoogroups.com>; Kenva <KENVA@yahoogroups.com>; Kenya Community <kc-ab@yahoogroups.ca>; Kenya <kenya@letsdoitworld.org>; Kenya Canada <kenya-can@yahoogroups.com>; Kenya Club <kenyaclub@yahoogroups.com>; Kiss FM Classic FM <news@kissfm.co.ke>; Madaraka <madaraka-kenya@yahoogroups.com>; MWANYAGETINGE NETWORK <mwanyagetinge@yahoogroups.com>; Nation <editor@nation.co.ke>; News <news@1fm.co.ke>; "next_kenya@yahoogroups.com" <next_kenya@yahoogroups.com>; "ntv@nation.co.ke" <ntv@nation.co.ke>; NYSA <nysa1@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 2:26 PM
Subject: [PK] The National Prayer Breakfast; Personal Reflections

Oto,

Have you paid Lee his dues before you produce photos you took in 2007 with Ruto and the ones you took in 2010 with Nyongo?

KIMISHO is going nowhere before you pay Lee however many old photos you produce from your archives.

If KIMISHO cannot pay a paltry Ksh. 14,000/= for services rendered, yet it boasts of over 5000 members which means every member only needs to contribute 2/= to offset this embarrassing debt, then it is simply a PYRAMID SCHEME in the making.It's offices( if it has any) will go the KCDN way, to the auctioneers like in 2006.

Thanks God some of us cannot "manage anything" but we do not leave on other people's sweat, conning our way in life. It is better to hold your dignity and integrity than put food on the table by borrowing, fraud tempered with arrogance and a sense of false achievement. There is no achievement here migosi Oto, KIMISHO just like KCDN will be a cash cow for just 2 people,the signatories of KCDN whom are Oto and his better half, unless that has since changed, and I'd be surprised.

Now, can you pay your debts before you pretend to try to emancipate anybody? You need redemption more than anybody else, but above all, you need a job and a source of earning a living which is not collecting "donations" every year.

You have moved from Nairobi where your taps have run dry and down to Nyanza where naive folks believe you will save them.

First and foremost, pay Lee Ksh. 14,000/= and I will henceforth be convinced KIMISHO is headed somewhere.

"Lipa deni" then we talk of development.

Sungu.

From: odhiambo okecth <komarockswatch@yahoo.com>
To: mulembe <mulembe@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: Guardian <letters@guardian.co.uk>; Jaluo.com <jaluo@jaluo.com>; KCA <kca_main@yahoogroups.com>; Kenva <KENVA@yahoogroups.com>; Kenya Community <kc-ab@yahoogroups.ca>; Kenya <kenya@letsdoitworld.org>; Kenya Canada <kenya-can@yahoogroups.com>; Kenya Club <kenyaclub@yahoogroups.com>; Kiss FM Classic FM <news@kissfm.co.ke>; KOL <kenyaonline@yahoogroups.com>; Madaraka <madaraka-kenya@yahoogroups.com>; MWANYAGETINGE NETWORK <mwanyagetinge@yahoogroups.com>; Nation <editor@nation.co.ke>; News <news@1fm.co.ke>; next_kenya@yahoogroups.com; ntv@nation.co.ke; NYSA <nysa1@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 20, 2013 2:07 PM
Subject: [KOL] The National Prayer Breakfast; Personal Reflections

Dear Friends,

The National Prayer Breakfast was hosted today at the Safari Park Hotel. It was a nice occasion to watch, from the discordant Parliament Choir to the hilarious Personal Reflections of our Deputy President HE Hon William Ruto.

Now, Hon Ruto knows how to connect with the people. He left all of us in stitches with his personal reflections. The most entertaining was when they had to approach the Chief of the Defense Forces that they were going to kneel down as they were being prayed for during their Inauguration! And when they were at State House for their first ever visit upon being declared President and Deputy- an Aide asked them what would happen if they were told that- hold it guys, there was a problem. You are not the guys who won! To when someone asked that- so God still listens to prayers offered by Yego? I loved it all.

Odhiambo T Oketch addresses our Team Members at Huruma in Eldoret. The function was also attended by Hon Ruto as our Guest of Honour, the Eledoret North DC, Eldoret Mayor, Town Clerk and many more Leaders

It made me also decide to have my own Personal Reflections today. I was invited for Tea yesterday at the Senate Lounge by Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong'o- the Senator for Kisumu County. I found him in the company of Sen John Munyes and as we had Tea, we made our Reflections on many issues of National importance. We also discussed Kimisho Sacco Society Ltd, and I am delighted at the insights that meeting gave me. Prof has always been an inspiration for me.

Sen Prof Nyong'o is the brains behind the National Economic Recovery in Kenya. When we all voted for Narc in 2002, President Emilio Mwai Kibaki appointed Prof Nyong'o to the Planning Ministry as the Minister.

He assembled a Team of Technocrats who developed several Blue Chip Economic Recovery Programmes, the Vision 2030, and worked tirelessly to start and steer Kenya to the right Economic path. I know it was never easy, but we needed men made of such steel to make Kenya survive. I have always delighted in a Poem authored by the Sen Prof where he says that the books he read have not made him impotent. I will post that poem for all to read.

Odhiambo T Oketch with Sen Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong'o when he was the Minister for Mediccal Services

I know of one thing- success is never an easy thing. There must be men of straw, charlatans and pollutants, people who get over-awed by successful people. They will not stop criticizing any thing. Yet, they are not able to even manage a simple chicken farming process. Such men and women are part of our society. We meet them daily and they pretend to be friends, yet, at the slightest opportunities, they hurl mud at you.

Our Journey of Hope across Kenya has been such a journey with snares and traps all along. But we have been firm and solid. Attempts have been made to malign us and they have all come a cropper. People have even invaded our Organization, pretended to believe in what we stand for, pretending that they are working for us, and left making all sorts of noise. But it has never bothered us. It has also never affected our resolve.

I have seen it all, where small minds even discussed my Wife and Family in the social media. But I have never stooped that low to discuss their wives. Because I know one thing; small minds will always keep discussing people.

We are now building Kimisho Sacco Society Ltd and I am elated at the response we are getting across the whole World. A Friend in the US has even offered to serve in our Board- as our Board Member for the Diaspora. And he is going to come for our 1st Annual General Meeting. And this is great. But we have also faced the usual small minds- people who cannot initiate anything. They get so over-awed to the extent of trying to always bring down what they are not part of.

And when they do this, they hide under the usual NGO slangs- accountability, credibility, due process, integrity and all such things. I even laughed when someone asked how I was recruited to head Kimisho!

I have one advice for them; they cannot bring us down. Kimisho is a Movement that is going to be the next Big Thing. But I wish them well in all that they are doing.

Lastly, I want to invite each one of us and see what we can do for humanity. Are we only Journeymen and charlatans- men full of envy? Or, are we builders like Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong'o- the Senator for Kisumu?

That is a challenge I want addressed by all God's Bits of Wood.

Odhiambo T Oketch,
Team Leader and Executive Director,
KCDN, KSSL, KICL,
Tel; +254 724 365 557,
Email; kimishodevelopment@gmail.com, komarockswatch@yahoo.com
BlogSpot; http:kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com

Uhuru Kenyatta addresses 11th National prayer gathering

Updated Thursday, June 20th 2013 at 11:55 GMT +3

Nairobi, Kenya: The 11^th National Prayer Breakfast was Thursday morning held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi. While addressing the gathering President Uhuru Kenyatta urged Kenyans to pray for Godâ€™s guidance and intervention in dealing with issues affecting the country.

Here is his verbatim speech:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am indeed very delighted to join other Kenyans in praying for our country.Â Â Let me begin by thanking God for bringing us here this morning to pray together, at my first national prayer breakfast as President.

It is said that prayer is to the soul what food is to the body.Â This is indeed true.Â Â On a personal level, I am convinced that there is nothing more valuable than praying to God, for prayer unites us with our Creator.

This National Prayer Breakfast is unique as it is the first one in our Jubilee year.Â As we celebrate our Jubilee anniversary this year, let us profess that it will be our year of restoration, renewal and repentance in the spirit of the Biblical year of Jubilee.

As Kenyans, let us also join hands to ensure that this year marks a new beginning for our people and country; a new beginning of peace and prosperity and a new beginning of hope and opportunity for all our people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As most of you will recall, last year during the campaigns, Kenyans, other political leaders and I congregated at Uhuru Park grounds to pray to God for peaceful elections. And He granted us that favour; a favour that indeed made our country proud.Â And so, today, as we gather to pray for our country, let us express our gratitude to God for the peaceful elections we held and for the smooth transition thereafter.

Indeed, this is an opportune time for us to reflect on and thank God for the abundant blessings He has showered upon us as individuals and as a nation.

As we come before the Almighty God in prayer, I call upon Kenyans to seek forgiveness and repent for our wrong doing. Let us also forgive one another and pray for reconciliation and healing in our country.Â I urge Kenyans to remember that we are all equal in the eyes of God, and we must forge ahead as one, united people.

Let us, therefore, pray to God to help us work together to build a united, prosperous and God fearing nation which we can all be proud to call our home.Â I encourage us all to stand up against those vices and forces that divide us and focus more on issues that will unite us.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On this occasion, I appeal to Kenyans to pray for Godâ€™s guidance and intervention in addressing the critical challenges we are facing today.

Firstly, our country is in great need of honest, selfless and visionary leadership.

We must all remember that we are implementing the new Constitution, and especially the devolved system of government.Â We have not travelled this road before and we must seek Godâ€™s guidance in walking this uncharted terrain.

I call upon Kenyans to pray for all leaders to embrace the spirit of constructive dialogue and a genuine commitment to selflessly seek solutions to the challenges involved in implementing our new constitutional order.

I urge leaders not to politicize challenges facing the implementation of the new order and instead provide practical solutions that will help us succeed and improve the lives of our people.

Secondly, I call upon Kenyans to pray for peace and security in our country.Â In recent times, we have been faced with security challenges which remain a matter of great concern to my Government.Â I would like to assure all Kenyans that we are determined to deal with any internal and external threats to our peace and security.Â However, as we endeavor to deal with these challenges, let us also remember the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 127 that â€œexcept the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.â€

Thirdly, let us all pray to God for our daily bread, for the adequate sustenance of each and every one of us.Â There are many of our people who live below the poverty line and others who are unemployed and have no secure means of earning a livelihood.Â As Christians, we have a duty to these people.

The Government has a duty too, and as Government we are indeed committed to transforming our country into a middle income economy where all our people can enjoy high standards of living. As we pursue this long term goal, I assure Kenyans that my Government is taking all possible measures to reduce the cost of living and ensure basic necessities are affordable to all Kenyans.

I call upon all leaders at the national and county levels to focus on practical ways of improving the lives of our people and especially addressing the plight of the needy and vulnerable members of our country.

Let us pray for and focus on helping the unemployed youth, those living in poverty and all vulnerable members of our society especially on issues of access to food and shelter, education and healthcare as well as farm inputs and affordable energy.

Finally, let us pray for Godâ€™s guidance in balancing the competing demands in our economy.Â I appeal to all Kenyans not to lose sight of the big picture in the course of championing individual and group interests.

We must remember that our sectoral demands as counties, as interest groups, as trade unions and so on, have a direct bearing and impact on other sectors and on our country as a whole.

Let us carefully assess the effects of our demands on other sectors of national endeavor and on the overall growth prospects of our economy.Â In the true Christian love, let us reflect on the wellbeing of one another; let us be one anotherâ€™s keeper.

As we seek to share the national cake, let us also give serious thought to new ideas of baking a larger cake at both the national and county levels.

As I conclude, I wish to commend the organizers of this yearâ€™s National Prayer Breakfast for bringing together people from diverse religious affiliations in prayer.Â Â This is a good illustration of how we can set apart our diversity and move forward as a nation.Â It is my hope that it shall be replicated in all our other undertakings.

I thank you and God bless you all.

Kenya: Raila's Visit to the U.S. Is Critical for Kenya

By Timothy Kaberia, 17 June 2013

opinion

On Tuesday, June 18, 2013 former Prime Minister Raila Odinga will address scholars and international policy enthusiasts in Washington, DC at an event organized by the Woodrow Wilson Center. This visit confirms Raila's declaration that losing the Presidential race opened a window of opportunity for him to engage at a different level on behalf of Kenyans.

The former Prime Minister is slated to discuss the past 50 years, highlighting both achievements and challenges on the African continent. He will also share his vision for Africa over the next 50 years, with a particular focus on Africa's future engagements with China and the United States.

Mr. Odinga's visit to Washington, D.C is critical for various reasons. First, it comes at a time when the African Union has taken a hardline stance against the International Criminal Court and by extension the West. A few weeks ago African heads of state met in Addis Ababa and threatened to pull out of the ICC if the court did not return the cases facing President Kenyatta and William Ruto back to Kenya. Botswana dissented but the ICC seems to have caved in to the demand; albeit indirectly. Mr. Odinga immediately dismissed the position taken by the African heads of state and is expected to reiterate his position in Washington.

Secondly, Odinga's trip is critical because it comes just days before US President Barack Obama visits South Africa, Senegal and Kenya's neighbor to the South, Tanzania. Whether Mr. Odinga will be feted by the White House remains unclear but if that happens, then it would have some serious implications on the US-Kenya relations. If Odinga visits the White House or holds meetings with top administration officials then Washington will be sending a clear message that Odinga's opinion is still very relevant in official Washington and the West as a whole.

Third, Odinga's lecture resonates with recent US positions. According to the US deputy national security advisor Ben Rhodes, Obama's trip to Africa is very important to America. Mr. Rhodes states "You've got some of the fastest growing economies in Africa. You've got a massively growing youth population. You've got key security and counterterrorism issues that we work on with African countries" adding that if President Obama "overlooks" the continent, the US would be "ceding" leadership. Considering the importance the US attaches to this trip and the fact that Obama has "snubbed" Kenya for a second time, it will be interesting to hear what Mr. Odinga has to say in relation to Africa-US relations.

Odinga is scheduled to share his vision for Africa over the next 50 years, with a particular focus on Africa's future engagements with China and the United States. The role of China in Africa cannot be overemphasized. The US is determined to wrest part of China's throttlehold of Africa and its resources. America is competing aggressively for trade opportunities on top of maintaining its competitive edge; the export of democracy and governance.

Fourth, barely three weeks ago, US Secretary of State John Kerry attended the 50th anniversary of the African Union in Ethiopia and noted that six of the world's fastest growing economies are in Africa and that Africa's opportunities call for "vigilance" by all. That Mr. Odinga is expected to highlight Africa's engagement with China and the US over the next 50 years cannot be ignored. Odinga has a rare opportunity to turn both Kerry's and Rhodes' words into an advantage for Kenya and Africa by emphasizing true partnerships that are mutually beneficial.

Finally, whether or not Mr. Odinga is treated like an African statesman and chaperoned by the Kenya embassy in Washington or left to figure his way around is beside the point. The Woodrow Wilson Center is one of the most influential international policy think tanks in Washington, DC. Mr. Odinga's invitation to Washington just before Obama's trip to Africa is a clear indication that he still has a lot of thump internationally, particularly in the West. It is this kind of clout that will solidify Raila's legacy and create opportunities for Kenya if properly exploited.

Both Mr. Odinga and the Kenya government have a tough balancing act ahead of them. The foreign ministry must accord Mr. Odinga the respect befitting an elder statesman during this visit. Mr. Odinga, on the other hand must be careful not to engage in unnecessary Kenya and African Union bashing. Like its competitors, all the United States cares for right now is an opportunity to partake of the African pie. This is not only an opportunity for Mr. Odinga to speak his mind but for Kenya to seize America's forceful entry into African trade.

Timothy Kaberia comments on African politics from Washington, DC

State rules out talks with Anthony Chinedu

Updated Wednesday, June 19th 2013 at 20:51 GMT +3

By Lonah Kibet

The Government has ruled out negotiating with deported Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu on his return to Nairobi as a condition for release of Kenyans held in Lagos, Nigeria.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet secretary Amina Mohammed said the Government will, however, intensify ongoing diplomatic talks with Nigerian authorities.

â€œWe need time to talk with Nigerian government before we make any comments on the issue. We need to ensure that the consultations are not interfered with by the comments we will make,â€ said Mohammed.

She was speaking yesterday during a breakfast meeting in Nairobi with European Union heads. Mohammed dispelled the notion that Kenya is moving away from its traditional partners in Europe.

Seven Government officials and five-airline crew of a private jet hired to deport ten foreigners, including five Nigerians, among them Chinedu, are stuck in the West African nation. The 12 have been detained for almost two weeks at Murtala Muhammed International Airport as Nigerian authorities claim Chinedu was not procedurally deported.

Yesterday, Mohammed revealed she had made contact with Nigeria but refused to divulge information on the level of engagement.

Address matter

She said providing more details on the saga may jeopardise consultations and thus affect the progress of ensuring Kenyans and the jet are released.

â€œThere are a lot of bilateral consultations between the two governments to see how the issue can be resolved. I canâ€™t give you more information as it will complicate issues under consultation,â€ she said.

When pressed to explain further on the negotiations, Mohammed asked journalists to give the ministry time to address the matter.

The detained Government officials are Barasa Okosa, Kariuki Ngugi, Mungathia Muriira, Pardala Dipason, Kivuva Muthama, Andrew Kambi and Mutinda Kakindu.

The airline crew include Captain Tim Kavingo, flight engineer Alaka Ochiengâ€™ and flight attendants George Kamau and Ismail Adan and a swede national first officer Rokshanker Masoud.

From: jalkani@yahoo.com

Sent: Wednesday, 19 June 2013 22:12 PM

To: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com

Reply To: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: [PK] Is this true?

Raila should get into this because he is the true President of Kenya. You know when gets a job with forged papers soon the company realizes that the person cannot perform his duties that is what is happening now. Rigging an election and managing a nation are two different things. Do you think if I relocate to Canada I get a private jet to deport me back to Kenya?

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

--- On Wed, 6/19/13, Maurice Oduor <mauricejoduor@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Maurice Oduor <mauricejoduor@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PK] Is this true?
To: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com
Date: Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 2:51 PM

Jalkani,

Why should Amolo get into this? Isn't that why we pay ambassadors? Ambassadors should be the chief negotiators in situations such as this one. Then we have the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs if the Ambassador fails or needs back-up. The Foreign Affairs Secretary is the country's chief diplomat. Then we have the President and VP if all else fails.

What do they need Amolo for? Are they admitting that the entire government has no enigma or gravitas required to find a solution here?

Courage

On Wed, Jun 19, 2013 at 2:42 PM, <jalkani@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hahahaha that is digital for you. No brains at all. Treasury asking for more money to cater for his travels and the Government asking him to help where they have failed and yet he is not a VIP cannot use VIP lounge. That is what Kenyans get when they replaced brains with processors in the name of digital Lord help Kenya.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

From: tomoreje@gmail.com

Sender: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com

Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:41:16 -0700 (PDT)

To: progressive-kenyans<progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com>

ReplyTo: progressive-kenyans@googlegroups.com

Subject: [PK] Is this true?

UHURU GOVERNMENT SAID TO BE COURTING RAILA TO END CHINEDU ROW

Top officials in Uhuru's government are said to be considering using the 'international goodwill' of the people's president, former PM Raila Odinga to secure release of Kenyan government officials still being detained by the controversial Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu.

A highly placed source conversant with issue claims the talks had collapsed between Nairobi and Abuja as Chinedu is said to come from an untouchable political dynasty akin to that of president Kenyatta Himself! The source says the government had made 'preliminary contact' with Mr Odinga through an aide whom we cannot name due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Chinedu is also said to have given the authorities in Abuja valid documents of businesses he was allegedly running with senior Kenyan government officials, some whom he accuses to be the force behind his deportation.

However, the fear in the government is that engaging Odinga would give Chinedu an opportunity he does not deserve to spill the beans which has the potential of 'putting our people' in shame.

Matters in the security apparatus of the country has also been made worse with the appointment of Ole Lenku as Interior cabinet secretary and the much publicized supremacy wars between police Inspector General David Kimaiyo and Johnstone Kavulundi,the Chairman of Police Oversight Authority.

Those in the government comfortable with roping Mr Odinga in says his international stature allows him to 'intervene' in such cases.

"That's what statesmen do. . .solve diplomatic crises with the potential to strain relations between countries," said the source on condition of anonymity.

In a swift rejoinder, however, Odinga's supporters demanded the government first acknowledges that it was Odinga who secured the British government to compensate and also 'apologize' to the MAU MAU war veterans, many of them elderly poor Kikuyu men.

"It is wishful thinking that any legal mind in Africa could win that case, so we were a bit shocked when we saw busybodies claiming they led to that outcome," a former cabinet minister now senator said. He added it was a shame even the 'old men' did not show gratitude.

"He did a lot to them, but the word 'thank you' is not in their language," said another who did not wish to be mentioned citing his close links with the CORD leader.

Both Foreign Affairs cabinet Secretary and her counterpart in the Interior are said to have been 'clueless' about the whole operation thus are embarrassed to give government position which they secretly claim may not be the 'official' government position.

Lesson in 'African pride': Kenya kicks out Nigerians and all hell breaks loose

By CHARLES ONYANGO-OBBO cobbo@ke,nationmedia.com & twitter:cobbo3
Posted Wednesday, June 19 2013 at 19:00

Even by Africa's very high standards for the bizarre, the saga over Kenya's deportation two weeks ago of controversial Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu takes the biscuit.

The Nigerian authorities have said Chinedu, two other Nigerians with whom he was deported, the crew of the chartered plane — which includes a Swedish pilot — used to take the Nigerian trio back home, can only leave if they take the deportees back with them to Kenya.

Chinedu is talking big, saying things like the chartered plane is now his, and that unless the Kenya Government compensates him the money he has lost, it will not return.

He is wrong if he thinks any of this is about him. It is about how Nigeria sees itself in Africa and the world.

It is Africa's most populous nation at 150 million, and has produced some of the most world renowned Africans — Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, name it.

It has some of Africa's most educated people. In a few years, it will overtake South Africa to become Africa's largest economy.

Though its international image has been tarred by its rank corruption, its 419 fraudsters, and more recently, by extremist violence at home, Nigeria still expects to be treated with respect.

In fact, precisely because of those negatives, it has become more sensitive to what it considers national humiliation.

And no country in Africa is as unafraid to retaliate in these matters as Nigeria is (I guess followed by Rwanda and Ethiopia, in that order).

Last year South Africa deported 125 Nigerians for allegedly possessing fake yellow fever certificates.

A few hours later, a South African Airlines flight landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Nigeria promptly bundled the 28 South Africans who were on board back to Johannesburg.

In one incident alone in May last year, it deported 45 Chinese for allegedly being involved in "economic scavenging" (only the Nigerians would come up with a crime like that).

And what is that? Engaging in petty trade.

It is understandable why Nigeria would want to be taken seriously. Kenya's economy is smaller than that of Lagos.

By the end of this year, Lagos will surpass Cairo as Africa's largest city. It has nearly 120 million mobile phone subscribers, almost the entire population of East Africa.

A friend who deals in mobile phones tells me he went into a shop in Dubai to buy about 50 phones, when a Nigerian dealer entered.

He was kicked out, and the shop put up a "Closed" sign. The Nigerian had ordered "all" the phones on display and in the shop's stores.

Last year, the BBC reported, Nigerians almost single-handedly saved London's High Street retailers.

They plunked hundreds of millions of Pounds on everything from clothing to perfumes, with the average Nigerian shopper spending $700 per transaction.

With property prices still reeling from the global financial crisis, the Nigerians rode to the rescue. In just the first half of 2012, they splashed more than $50 million on property in Dubai.

But there is more. Being among the most authentically African people, Nigerians do actually believe in this "African pride" thing, and often are puzzled that other Africans find them loud and insufferable.

Increasingly, some African countries are beginning to figure out that dealing with the pride issue is the best way to reach into a Nigerian's wallet.

Nigerians gripe that it is difficult to get transit visas at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when en route to or from places like Dubai when they arrive on those Kenya Airways (KQ) flights to Nigeria.

Rwanda, which is hoping to grow RwandaAir's business by stealing some West African traffic from KQ, decided to remove pre-departure visa requirements for all Africans.

The Nigerian press has several reports of Nigerian travellers praising Rwanda for its spirit of African brotherhood in recent months. Word has it that RwandaAir's flights to Dubai are overflowing with Nigerians.

Nigeria, though, must still do its part. It needs to spend its diplomatic capital fighting for the "right" type of Nigerian. Kenyans, and indeed, the world, must rightly wonder whether a chap like Chinedu is worth all the trouble.

Seven officials held in Lagos over Chinedu

By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA gmayaka@ke.nationmedia.com AND AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, June 16 2013 at 23:30

In Summary

In a dramatic turn of events, the officials accompanying the Nigerians have not been allowed to leave the country

Seven government officials and five airline crew have been detained in Nigeria for two weeks after they travelled to the country to deport Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu and two of his compatriots.

The officials from different government departments including foreign affairs, immigration and police, left Nairobi for Lagos in a chartered aeroplane on June 3 escorting the controversial businessman and two other Nigerians, Christopher Nnanyelu and Oluwatosin Adebiyi. The three had been declared prohibited immigrants in Kenya.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the officials have not been allowed to leave Nigeria. They said authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos were holding them and their chartered East African Safari Express plane.

According to them, Nigerian authorities have insisted the Kenyans will not be allowed to fly out without the three men Kenya kicked out on drug trafficking claims.

Speaking to the Daily Nation from Nigeria on

Sunday, one of the officials, who requested anonymity, said that attempts by the Kenyan embassy to secure their release had been unsuccessful.

Escorted deportees

Those stuck in Nigeria include Captain Tim Kavingo and his colleagues, flight engineer Alaka Ochieng' and flight attendants George Kamau and Ismail Adan.

First officer Rokshanker Masoud, a Swede, is also affected.

The government officials who escorted the deportees were Mr Barasa Okosa, Mr Kariuki Ngugi, Mr Mungathia Muriira, Mr Pardala Dipason, Mr Kivuva Muthama, Mr Andrew Kambi and Mr Mutinda Kakindu.

A Nigerian journalist confirmed to the Nation that the aircraft was being held at the airport's cargo air wing. The airline's office in Nairobi did not return our calls on Sunday.

Sources indicated that the government of Sweden had already contacted its embassy in Nigeria to secure the release of the flight officer.

"We are stranded here. The airport commander has instructed that we cannot return to Nairobi without the deportees," said the official who called the Nation from his hotel room.

The airport commander had blocked attempts by the East Africa Safari Express management to fly its crew back to Nairobi on a Kenya Airways flight. On Sunday evening, Foreign Affairs ministry's Head of Communication Beatrice Kung'u admitted that several Kenyans, who accompanied the Nigerians deported 10 days ago, were still being held in Lagos.

But she could not discuss the circumstances under which the Nigerian authorities were detaining them.

"We are addressing the issue," she said, but added that only the Immigration authorities could discuss the details.

Principal Secretary in the Interior ministry Mutea Iringo on Sunday said he was yet to receive information on the plight of the crew, but said he would check with the police.

They lost contact with the deportees after they arrived in Nigeria, the PS, under whose ministry Immigration falls, said.

Officials held in Nigeria had travel approval, says Amina

PHOTO | WILLIAM OERI Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed with EU Head of Delegation to Kenya Lodewijk Briet on June 19, 2013 at Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi. Ms Mohammed said officials detained in Lagos had genuine travel papers. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, June 19 2013 at 23:30

In Summary

Cabinet Secretary rules out contacting tycoon Chinedu over standoff, says talks going on with Nigerian authorities
Chinedu on Monday claimed he would not let the officials travel back unless the Kenyan government compensated him for his investments

The Kenya government insists its officials held in Lagos after deporting a Nigerian suspected of drug trafficking had the necessary documentation to enter the West African nation.

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed told journalists on Wednesday that the officials who deported Mr Anthony Chinedu and two other Nigerians had genuine travel approval.

"They had everything they needed to go to Nigeria; even had clearance to land," she said after meeting European Union diplomats in Nairobi. "It is their (Nigerians) country, and we are in consultations. Actually, it is not that they are in detention, they are in a hotel. They just can't be allowed to leave," Ms Mohammed added.

The Cabinet Secretary said she had no idea why they were being held.

The Kenyans and a Swedish pilot — five crew and seven security and immigration officials — were assigned to deport three Nigerians considered by the government as drug peddlers. They flew with the three to Lagos but were refused to leave.

According to deportation orders signed by Attorney-General Githu Muigai on June 3, the officials were to escort Chinedu, Christopher Nnanyelu and Oluwatosin Adebiyi via chartered flight.

But on arrival, Nigerian airport authorities held the officials' aircraft and blocked them from leaving unless they travelled back with the deportees. The officials were only removed from the airport when the Kenyan High Commission in Abuja intervened.

The three Nigerians reportedly vanished upon arrival.

Mr Chinedu on Monday claimed he would not let the officials travel back unless the Kenyan government compensated him for his investments.

On Wednesday Ms Mohammed insisted Kenya was talking with no one apart from the legitimate Nigerian government authorities. "There is a duly-elected federal government of Nigeria that we are negotiating with. It is only the media that is talking to Mr Chinedu," she noted.

Chinedu now demands pay for officials' release

Deported Nigerian Anthony Chinedu on Monday demanded full payment of his investments in Kenya before seven officials and a plane held at a Lagos airport are released. PHOTO/FILE NATION MEDIA GROUP

By AGGREY MUTAMBO amutambo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, June 17 2013 at 23:30

In Summary

Nigerian says he wants full payment for his investments in Kenya
Seven officials and five airline crew held in Lagos

Deported Nigerian Anthony Chinedu on Monday demanded full payment of his investments in Kenya before seven officials and a plane held at a Lagos airport are released.

New details are emerging on how Kenyan officials who accompanied Mr Chinedu and two other Nigerians deported two weeks ago spent the night in their aircraft because they were not allowed to leave.

Mr Chinedu, speaking to the Nation on phone from Leki Beach, Lagos, claimed: "I am the official of the government of Nigeria. The aircraft is now mine, it is waiting for me at the airport," he said, adding: "All I want is my money, and without these guys being detained here, I won't get my money. But you can rest assured they are safe, they are eating well."

The Kenyans and a Swedish pilot — five crew and seven security and immigration officials — flew with the three Nigerians kicked out on drug trafficking claims to Lagos, but were not allowed to leave.

On Monday, one of the detained officials claimed they slept in the aircraft and ate spoilt

food because they were considered illegal entrants. They contacted the High Commission when they realised the issue was getting out of hand.

"We were only allowed out in the evening the next day because embassy (Kenyan High Commission) officials had come in," one of the officials said.

When contacted, an official at the Nigerian High Commission in Kenya said the group was currently staying at the Park View Astoria Hotel in the Ikoyi suburb of Lagos.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said the matter was being handled, but declined to give more details.

Her Internal Coordination counterpart, Mr Joseph ole Lenku, under whose docket Immigration lies, said: These are delicate negotiations between the two countries. Until something comes out of it, we cannot give you the details. However, the government is doing everything it can."

Nigeria: We Face Harassment in Kenya Because of Raila Odinga - - Nigerians

20 June 2013

Nigerian businessmen in Kenya say the current wave of deportation and harassment of Nigerians in that country is because the Nigerian community in Kenya is believed to have supported Raila Odinga during the March elections.

A further wave of deportations of Nigerians has followed the expulsion of drug dealer Anthony Chinedu and two other Nigerians early this month. A Nigerian businessman based in Nairobi claimed that about 40 Nigerians have been forced to leave Kenya.

The businessman, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said the situation deteriorated after President Uhuru Kenyatta publicly directed security agencies to deport drug suspects.

"So if my wife does not like me and we have a dispute over property, or a disagreement with a business partner, what will stop them from calling the police and saying I am a drug dealer and I am deported without due process?," asked the businessman.

He said the ongoing deportation of Nigerians was illegal as there is inadequate evidence against them. He claimed that legitimate Nigerian businessmen are being pressurised to accept one way air tickets back to Nigeria.

In Nigeria, the deportations have caused fury in the media. Newspapers have called for Kenyans in the hospitality industry to be deported, for Kenyan tea to be boycotted, and a Kenya Airways plane to be impounded to compensate for the property left behind by the deportees.

One deportee who identified himself as Joe told journalists that he was picked up in Nairobi and told to choose either to die slowly in custody or to quietly be deported.

"I asked them what they meant by going home silently and they said they would just buy a normal air ticket for me, so I could return to Nigeria like other normal travellers, and I chose the latter," he said.

"Till now, I don't know what offence I committed that warranted this inhuman treatment. Their security agents just go on the streets of Kenya, picking up anyone they identify as a Nigerian and tag him a drug dealer. I was doing my legitimate business in that country. I did not sell, take or keep drugs, and nobody has ever seen me with any narcotic substance. They picked me up on Monday June 3, and detained me till Thursday, before bundling about ten of us into the plane. We were not allowed to take even a pin," said another deportee, Paul Owoseni.

The Nigerian High Commission in Nairobi has declined to issue a statement on the incidents.

"For Nigerians resident in Kenya, these are the worst of times. Their plight could be compared to the era of slave trade when able-bodied Africans could not tell what the next minute held for them because human traffickers could pick them up the next minute.

Checks revealed that in recent times, Nigerians have become victims of undeserved humiliation and deportation in Kenya.

Nigerians are also accused of not paying taxes and abusing Kenyan women whom they are married to. There are an estimated 4,000 Nigerian businessmen in Kenya. They mainly deal in motor vehicle spare parts on Kirinyaga road, cosmetics, electronic goods, real estate and second hand clothes across Nairobi.

"This harassment and deportation of Nigerians is taking a xenophobic form," the Nigerian businessman said. "I recently got an SMS from my former employee threatening me with deportation."

Nigerian businessman Antony Chinedu was deported by immigration officers in early June after police insisted that he is a drug baron.

Chinedu had been charged with possessing narcotics paraphernalia including 10g of drugs and weighing scales. He was escorted to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on June 3 by police and immigration officers and forced onto charter jet 5Y-SAX.

The jet has now been detained at the cargo wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for two weeks, together with the seven Kenyan officials who accompanied the Nigerians. The jet allegedly entered Nigerian airspace in a manner that was "not properly and officially documented."

Nigeria has justified detaining the plane and seven Kenyan officials by Kenya's failure to secure Nigeria's prior agreement to accept Chinedu back as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Neither the owner of the plane is known nor who is paying for the private plane parking fee.

Top staff at ex-PM's office left, says Duale

Majority Leader Adan Duale said 23 senior officials, who served under former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, have left the Deputy President's office since he took office last April. PHOTO/FILE NATION MEDIA GROUP

By NATION REPORTER
Posted Tuesday, June 18 2013 at 20:36

In Summary

"The terms of service of some officers in the former PM's office expired as per the engagement with that office. When the Deputy President took office, he requested the Public Service Commission for an extension of their contracts. The PSC on June 5 extended their contracts to June 30, but they chose to leave," Mr Duale said.

Twenty-three senior officials, who served under former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, have left the Deputy President's office since he took office last April.

The officers ran down their tenures and refused to renew them even after the DP, Mr William Ruto, offered new contracts, Parliament was told Tuesday.

According to the Leader of Majority Adan Duale, most of them went out to pursue personal interests after their contracts with the defunct office of the Prime Minister came to an end.

Mr Duale said in parliament that only three officers had been recruited by Mr Ruto to replace those who left. They are Marianne Kitany, chief of staff, Mr Reuben Maiyo, the private secretary and Mr David Mugonyi, secretary of communication.

"The terms of service of some officers in the former PM's office expired as per the engagement with that office. When the Deputy President took office, he requested the Public Service Commission for an extension of their contracts. The PSC on June 5 extended their contracts to June 30, but they chose to leave," Mr Duale said.

The officers had left before Mr Ruto took office on April 11, he said.

Chose to quit

The request for the extension was made by the former PS in the PM office Mohammed Isahakia. The officers who chose to quit include Caroli Omondi, who was Mr Odinga's Private Secretary, Dennis Onyango (Deputy Communication Secretary) and Jane Wangui (Youth Advisor).

A further 294 officers who worked for Mr Odinga have been retained and continue to serve Mr Ruto.

"It is therefore not true that the office carried out massive transfers of the staff at the former Prime Minister's office. On the contrary, it is the office of the Deputy President that requested the Public Service Commission to extend their contracts," the Majority Leader said.

Suna East MP Mohammed Junet (ODM) had requested the government to supply Parliament with the list of persons he said had been moved from the DP's office.

A generation of youth on the brink and the difficult choices they make

Updated Wednesday, June 19th 2013 at 23:09 GMT +3

By Standard Team

investigationdesk@standardmedia.co.ke

Kenya: He graduated four years ago with big dreams, holding out with pride his crisp university graduation certificate.

But the young graduate's wait for a job soon stretched into months and then years.

Back in the Nairobi slums where all his friends were doing well from crime, his reluctance to be a gangster faded slowly. Tim, not his real name, started small, he says, stealing small items and selling them.

He calls it hustling, in the slum slang. Before he knew it, he had been sucked into armed robbery where guns were involved.

Tim, a father of three, is only one of the more desperate faces of millions of a frustrated generation of Kenya's youth who have found it impossible to find jobs even after attaining university education.

New jobs

Today, The Standard can reveal that many of them have turned to crime, drugs and even prostitution to make ends meet.

Even as the country's unemployment threatens to stir an all-out social crisis, the government has watched helplessly, unable to devise measures that would encourage job creation and match the annual demand for 500,000 jobs.

The economy created just a paltry 64,900 new jobs last year, according to official government data. Nearly a million people join the labour market every year. Industrialists blame the government for failure to stimulate fresh investment in manufacturing to generate new jobs.

Consequently, millions of brilliant young minds have been set up for a life of failure at best or at worst death. Poor families that have sacrificed everything goats, cows, land and education loans â€" to see their now jobless young adults through school can't understand why their children are unable to find work. Now years of not finding a job is turning families into distress.

Tim's family for instance, hoped that their son would one day get a good job that would enable them move out of one of the city's most dangerous settlements Korogocho slums. A decade later it is dawning on them that life on the fast lane for Tim might never happen. Neither his wife nor his family knows his dark secret.

Tim graduated with an economics degree from the University of Nairobi four years ago. He was just short of a first class degree. Instead of a plum position that would utilise his knowledge with a financial institution earning a hefty salary, he turned out to be one of the victims of Kenya bulging unemployment factory.

He has stolen and robbed violently from many. And he claims to have killed at least six victims and badly injured many more in his life as a thug. But he recognises his days are numbered.

My deeds haunt me but that is the only way I can live and feed my family, says Tim who spoke to us from a nondescript location, armed with a Ceska pistol concealed by a slightly oversize jacket.

Nightmare

He agreed to talk to us only after persistent requests to tell his dark story, once shared in part in a KTN story. It included confirming our reporters identity, that we were not undercover police and that we were genuinely concerned about exposing the spiraling unemployment nightmare in Kenya.

Before turning to violent crime, Tim says, he had applied for more than 100 jobs in different companies and was shortlisted for interviews on a few, four to be exact. He has never been lucky. In the three years he has been living dangerously in the murky crime world, more than 20 of his accomplices have fallen to police gunfire. His chest bears the scars of battle from gunshot wounds.

Tim's biggest fear is that he won't be so lucky the next time. That he will fall prey to a hail of gunfire before he has lifted himself from crime and properly utilised his knowledge learnt from studying great economists like John Maynard Keynes or Paul Krugman.

Early this year, Tim watched as four of his accomplices were gunned in an exchange of gunfire with the police as they attempted to break into a house in Kayole.

Tim and another accomplice escaped with gunshot wounds.

The epiphany of his demise under a hail of gunfire haunts him every night he tucks in his three children to bed a girl and two boys. He realises it is only a matter of time before the police catch up with him.

This is the only life I know of, but it was never my wish to kill but you have to fight back, says Tim in an interview conducted under strict conditions and privacy to protect his identity.

At university, he toyed with the thoughts of working as a bank teller. Now, he robs customers leaving or entering banks. Late last month, Tim and his gang had just waylaid a victim who had just made a deposit. But their plan went horribly wrong. One accomplice was shot, and succumbed to the injuries last week.

Gun-toting robber

Statistically, a fresh graduate would have 2 per cent chance of getting the job they have applied for. Poor employment creation policies have ensured that Kenya imports most of its needs, including eggs that can be produced at home, which in essence translates into exporting the jobs.

The result is soaring unemployment rates and the associated disillusionment, pushing some of the youth into deadly lifestyles.

But Tim is not the only one with broken dreams who has succumbed to crime. The ringleader of their crime gang has an MBA.

A gun-toting robber is a far cry from the lawyer Tim dreamt of becoming. Would he give up his life of crime for the straight and narrow? He shakes his head. I am irreparable.

He is too deep in crime to get out, he says.

Gang of thieves terrorize several villages in Nambale District

Written by Frankline Bwire
2012-03-16 15:50:00
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Nambale residents stare in shock after a gang of six raided various homesteads and wounded more than five individuals, before stealing commodities of unknown value. Below, a panga that was used by the gand when it raided several homes in three villages in Nambale district.[Photo/Frankline Bwire]

A six man gang invaded several villages in Nambale district, Busia County where they hacked and wounded more than five people before escaping with unknown number of assorted goods and money.

Confirming the incident, Busia deputy OCPD Francis Nguli said the six gangsters armed with pangas and rungus managed to rob two laptops, seven mobile phones and Sh 50,000, leaving some of the residents with serious injuries.

"The attackers went to Exodus, Okatekok, and Maduna villages where they attacked several residents of the area at around 8 and 9pm," he said, speaking to journalists in Busia.

Nguli said that among those affected was a woman with her two sons and a German national, a resident of the area who during the incident was seriously injured following deep cuts sustained on the head.

The deputy OCPD said they have launched investigations over the incident to ensure the involved individuals are arrested to face the criminal charges, adding that the motive of the attack has not yet been established.

"We have taken an immediate measure by combing the area and we will not relent on the issue until those involved are apprehended," said Nguli.

Speaking to West FM, Mr Dismass Okware a victim of the incident said the criminals stormed his homestead, claiming to be searching for some stolen cattle in the name of being police officers from the Nambale patrol base.

Okware who is a businessman, who sells cattle, revealed that during the incident, the six man gang hit him with a panga on the ear before parting away with sh 4,000 and his wife's mobile phone.

"Among the six men, two had police uniforms and a toy pistol which they used to scare us when they came at our home," he said, remarks that the Busia deputy OCPD said will form the basis of their investigations over the incident.