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geographical goof popular american news anchor brian williams commits “africa is a country’ sin in broadcast. P3

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eXtra.sharp Thursday, 8.05.2014 | www.x-news.co.ke

SPORT

Ingwe almost losing striker wanga to supersport | P.13

manchester city close to title after scoring 100th goal | P.15

Lethal drinks addicts not scared by death

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Kenya economy has improved, says UN body P5

Fish fall from the Mitumba dealers sky in Sri Lankan to soon get stiff competition village P6

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Bows are the perfect hair accessories P10

NEWS | 3

THURSday, MAY 8, 2014

Addicts not quitting death drinks From Page 1 A pungent smell wafts through the nostrils as you enter Maskini Bar. A dingy, rusty shanty in the heart of Mukuru kwa Njenga slums in Embakasi, it is already overflowing with customers.

Yet its only 1pm.

A few meters away, six people died from a similar shanty after gulping what reports say was alcohol laced with poison.

But the deaths do not scare the revellers for a second.

“This is like my home,” says a tipsy man, who only identifies himself as John. It is 2pm but he is staggering all over, unable to utter a word without stuttering.

The bar usually opens from 9am untill late, and the likes of John have found a home away from their troubles as they seek strength in a drink.

Little surprise that their favourite brew is nicknamed “Strength”.

More than 80 people have died in different parts of the country after consuming dangerous drinks as others fight for survival at home or in hospital wards.

But even as Kenyans hope that the tragedy will be a wake-up call to others, John vows to continue pushing the drink down the throat.

“Why do those who smoke never stop even though they are aware of its dangers?” he poses.

“It is an addiction; once one starts taking the brew, it becomes daily bread,” he says. “Although we know the consequences of imbibing in the drink, we need a ‘pick-me-up’ to get us through the day. It has become a cycle,” says Dr Paul Murithi Muhoro, a psychiatrist at Mathare Hospital.

John, who works as a casual labourer, says the brew is sweeter and cheaper than the mainstream alcohol which is “too expensive.”

“Alcohol that is sold in bars has too much water in it. It is tasteless and has no effect even if you drink a

whole jug. But just a tot of ‘Strength’ can keep you drunk for one week— and it only costs Sh20,” he says.

Dr Muhoro says poverty plays a major part in driving people to illicit brew dens.

Many cannot afford professionally-brewed beer and have to turn to the cheap but lethal options at their disposal to feed the habit.

But it is the dangerous substances like ethanol and embalming chemicals put in the brews that lead to blindness or death.

Ethanol is pure alcohol and it is neurotoxic, which means it can easily damage the central nervous system. About 10ml of ethanol, when drunk raw, can destroy the

optic nerves, leading to permanent blindness. Embalming chemicals are those used in preserving bodies in mortuaries like formaldehyde. If ingested, they stop the functioning of proteins in the body and can drive one to a coma.

Only on Thursday, heads of companies manufacturing the liquor were arrested as the government cracks down on the illicit brewers.

Irene Nyambura, the owner of Maskini bar, has, however, vowed to stay put.

Like her customers, she says it is what that they put in their brews that guarantees them customers on daily basis.

“Some of those things that people claim we put in the brews are false” she says. “Like the use of dirty underwear, used sanitary towels or sewage; I don’t use all that and I doubt if anyone else does.” But she admits to using prescription drugs and ethanol in boosting the potency of her product.

She says her ingredients include sugarcane, which gives the brew a sweet taste, raw maize for sourness to counter the sugary nature of the cane and which makes the brew thick, and water to mix up the ingredients. The mixture is then

boiled in large drums over intense heat. The brewers later cover the boiling pot with a another pot, containing cold water. Once the rising steam hits the base of the cold cover, it drops back into containers floated inside the main pot. Ethanol is added as the last ingredient. The amount of ethanol put in the brew depends on the quantity of the brew. They measure the volumes with an ‘eye’ to establish the required amount.

“I have done this job a long time to know what amount of ethanol is needed,” says Nyambura. “The ethanol is also a preservative because I do not have a refrigerator and I need to keep it fresh.”

On the use of drugs in the brews, she says: “I use all types of drugs; Panadol, Amoxil, Hedex, ARVs, the ones I can get my hands on. But formaldehyde is used especially when transporting the brew to another county because it is a strong preservative that ensures the drink will not go bad along the way.”

John says despite the deaths, he will not stop drinking “Strength”. “I have been drinking it for a long time and it has not affected me. I only drink here where I know it is safe,” he says.

US anchor mixes Kenya with Nigeria It is a popular joke that to a good number of people in the West, Africa is a big country. The joke was given new ground on Tuesday, when anchor Brian Williams of American news channel NBC started the Nightly News broadcast with the story of hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria, saying it “now feels as if the world is aware and responding” to the situation.

However, twice in his introduction to correspondent Ann Curry’s report, Williams said the kidnappings had occurred in Kenya, not Nigeria. Curry’s report correctly identified the location of the kidnappings as Nigeria, which

is located in West Africa, thousands of miles away from Kenya.

Later, the opening intro was corrected with Williams referencing the correct country.

That version is the one currently live on NBC News’ website.

A spokesperson for NBC Nightly News defended the anchor, saying that he corrected it in time.

“Brian realized his error right away, corrected it two minutes later and for all subsequent feeds. He wrote the item in question in the rush before airtime — it was an error borne of haste and he felt terrible about it.”

where in the world?: Brian Williams twice said that the killings by Boko Haram, in Nigeria, happened in Kenya.

Meteorologist warns Kenyans to brace for stormy weather The weatherman is predicting heavy rains in coming days.

In a statement sent to newsrooms, the Meteorological Department sought to allay fears of drought, saying wet weather already being experienced in some parts of coastal region is expected to hit others areas. There have been concerns over the possibility of the rainy

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season that is normally experienced between April and May turning into a dry spell.

Farmers and pastoralists who are used to the cycle are already a worried lot. But the news from the weatherman are as welcome relief.

“Nairobi and other counties east of the Rift Valley and Central highlands will experience cloudy

Publisher: Paul Marshall Commercial Director: Neema Wamai Content Editor: Brian Moseti Finance Director: Fred Bunei

mornings with heavy rains in the afternoons,” Deputy Director of Meteorological Department Stella Aura said in the statement.

The rains are expected to be heavier in the next five days.

Counties in western Kenya, including Kericho, Busia, Nyamira, Migori, Kisii, Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma, Kisumu, Siaya,

Homa Bay and Nandi will receive near-normal rainfall, the department said. Similar patterns are expected in Mombasa, Kwale, Lamu and Kilifi. The forecast also predicts normal rains for West Pokot, Nakuru, Murang’a, Embu, Kirinyaga, Kajiado and Kiambu.The experts advised Kenyans to prepare for disasters that normally accompany

Team: Amos A, Amos K, Beatrice, Chris, Cynthia, Dennis, Dominic, Elisha, Fred, Jane, Kennedy, Kibor, Laban, Lisa, Patrick, Peter, Tamu, Queen, Violet.

rainy seasons.

Many have in the past been washed away by flash floods as others die in landslides across especially the hilly counties. The have also been associated with increased road accidents as highways become slippery and foggy. “People should remain on the watch out during this time,” the statement said.

Sales Force: Nkirote-0720 807 936 Mutunga-0727306 244 Tayo-0722 366 797

Magira-0722 616208 Kitheka-0724 523 787 Nyambura-0722 614 184

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NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014

Woman killed in Ongata Rongai

milk in EXCESS Supply Local dairy processors have an excess stock of milk worth over Sh2 billion, the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) has said.

Following the onset of the long rains, farmers have been producing more milk than processors can handle. According to the KDA, this has forced farmers to contend with lower prices from their buyers.

KDB Managing Directo, Machira Gichohi said that the dairy processors were struggling to offload the milk stock, which they had converted into powder and “long life” brands.

This , he explained, has led to a high supply in the market and lowered

Police have launched investigations into death of a woman in Ongata Rongai. The woman, whose name is yet to be made public, is said to have been robbed and killed at about 10pm Wednesday night as she left her place of work place for her house.

Police say no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

Along Jogoo Road, gunmen robbed Olesereni Hotel workers as they were being dropped home.

Police are also investigating the cause of a fire at the Aquinas High School in Buruburu that burnt several mattresses.

No one was injured. Buruburu OCPD Richard Kerich said they suspect arson.

buying prices.

“Current production, together with the last year boost, has caused the prices to decline,” said Gichohi.

He noted that farmers would continue to experience low prices for their produce, mainly because dairy processors had boosted their milk stocks in November and December last year after reports by the Metrological Department indicated the country would experience a dry period especially in the early part of the year.

The country has, instead, experienst bursts of rainfall, a factor which has led farmers to produce more milk .

Traditional staple foods getting less nutritious Your staple food could be coming less nutritious by the day, researchers have warned.

New findings suggest that some grains and legumes will become significantly less nutritious this century following the rise in levels of carbon dioxide.

This is bad news for farmers and consumers in developing countries, where food security is already a big issue.

Eight institutions drawn from Australia, Israel, Japan and United States contributed to the analysis whose findings were reported in the Nature journal.

The researchers looked at multiple varieties of wheat, rice, field peas, soybeans, maize, and sorghum grown in fields with atmospheric carbon dioxide levels like those expected in the middle of this century.

The concentrations are approaching 400 parts per million, and are expected to rise to 550 ppm by 2050.

The researchers simulated high carbon dioxide levels in open-air fields using a system called Free Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE), which pumps out, monitors, and adjusts ground-level atmospheric carbon dioxide to simulate future conditions.

In this study, all other growing conditions (sunlight, soil, water, temperature) were the same for plants grown at high carbon dioxide and those used as controls.

The experiments revealed that the nutritional quality of a number of the world’s most important crop plants dropped in response to elevated carbon dioxide.

The study contributed “tenfold more data regarding both the zinc and iron content of the edible portions of crops grown under FACE conditions than available from previous studies,” a report of the study says.

“When we take all of the FACE experiments we’ve got

staple: Research shows that cereals like maize and rice are becoming less nuitritious.

around the world, we see that an awful lot of our key crops have lower concentrations of zinc and iron in them (at high CO2),” said Andrew Leakey who authored the study.

The University of Illinois plant biology and Institute for Genomic Biology professor added that zinc and iron deficiency is a big global health problem already for at least 2 billion people. The two went

down significantly in wheat, rice, field peas, and soybeans.

Wheat and rice also saw notable declines in protein content at higher carbon dioxide.

Nutrients in sorghum and

maize however remained relatively stable because the two crops use a type of photosynthesis, called C4, which already concentrates carbon dioxide in their leaves, Leakey said.

Traffic Cop attacks and leaves driver nursing serious injuries Traffic was brought to stand still along the busy Race Course road today morning after a driver and a traffic cop exchanged blows leaving the driver bleeding profusely.

The driver of a bus belonging to the Embassava sacco was seriously injured after the cop

descended on him with blows and kicks leaving him lying on the ground helplessly.

According to those who witnessed the incident, the traffic cop was seen chasing the bus, which plies Jogoo Road using his motorbike and caught up with it at a traffic jam near

St Peter’s Cleverly Primary School. He stopped and tried to snatch a way a key of the bus from the ignition—a violation of traffic rules.

On seeing that, the driver pushed him away prompting an exchange of blows. The cop overpowered the driver,

pulled him out of the bus and wrestled him to the ground.

Furious members of the public barred the policeman from running away with some demanding that he explains the class law he was enforcing.

“Officer which law have you used to in this case? The law

says clearly you should not beat the offender but instead arrest him or her,” said one person from the crowd.

On his side, the cop defended himself arguing he was exercising self-defense.

“Who am I to allow somebody hit me just like that. I

also feel pain and that is why I fought back,” said the cop.

It took the intervention of other traffic police officers to calm the situation.

The driver was rushed to hospital for treatment accompanied by policeman who arrested him.

NEWS | 5

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014

Living standards in Kenya getting better A survey conducted by the UN Development Programme and the Government says living standards among Kenyans have improved.

In its latest human development analysis, the UN agency says Kenya’s Human Development Index (HDI) has improved from 0.509 in 2012 to 0.522 in 2013.

The development means Kenya’s HDI is above the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 0.475.

Of the 47 counties, in the country, 20 have HDI estimates above the national average.

Nairobi leads list with 0.641.

Kajiado is second with HDI 0.591, while Mombasa, with an HDI of 0.548, is third.

Living standards are poorest in Turkana County, which has a HDI of 0.24.

The survey supports another by the Commission for Revenue Allocation, which also listed the northern county as the poorest and most marginalised.

Turkana was allocated the biggest share of the County Equalisation Fund (Sh385.6 million) of the Sh3.4 billion

Ministry to push for registration of engineers Fresh engineering graduates will soon be registered to deal with scarcity of the professionals. Infrastructure Principal Secretary John Musonik said about 700 engineers graduate annually but take five to eight years to register.

Under the Engineers Act, a degree holder, diploma or its equivalent from a university, college or school of engineering or other institutions recognised by the Engineers Board of Kenya is eligible for registration. They must be citizens or permanent residents of Kenya. Out of the 5,000 engineers in the country, only 1400 are registered. Mr Julius Riungu, head of Institute of Engineers of Kenya, said there is a 40 per cent shortage of the personnel across the country.

cheek by jowl: upgraded residential houses (background) in kibera, Nairobi, are surrounded by shanties that are occupied by slum dwellers. A uN study says kenyans are enjoying higher literacy levels and life expectancy.

set aside for the programme.

HDI is tool used by the UN to measure a country’s socio-economic progress and uses indicators such as life expectancy, per capita and literacy levels.

The findings are contained in

the Kenya National Human Development Report (KNHDR) 2013 and were launched by UN Resident Coordinator Nardos Bekele Thomas and Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru on Tuesday.

The report, however, warns that challenges may erode gains made if not adequately addressed.

To be noted is the fact that poverty is still widespread among Kenyan households which exposes them to food

insecurity and malnutrition.

Lack of access to better healthcare services and education especially in northern parts of the country is another serious challenge.

3 teachers among 80 victims of killer drinks

Three teachers are among the more than 80 people who died after taking alcoholic drinks said to have been laced with lethal chemicals.

The teachers from Sembeni, Yolomuni Monguni primary schools, all in Kitui County, are said to be among 16 revellers who died after taking the brews, Ikutha police chief Paul Korir said.

At least 80 people were confirmed dead as another 181 were taken ill across six counties after taking the brews.

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia (above) on Thursday said samples have shown that some of the liquor taken by victims contained 100 per cent methanol.

“The brewers use methanol to make it more potent based on how victims behave,” Chief Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor added.

20 ‘FGM prosecutors’ sent to counties The government has deployed 20 prosecutors across the country to help in the war against the Female Genital Mutilation.

The prosecutors who were appointed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Keriako Tobiko, are part of the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board based in counties. Anti-FGM board chairperson Linah Kilimo who made the revelations on Thursday in Elgeyo Marakwet County said chiefs and their assistants will be used to wage war on the banned practice. She said eliminating the vice will start from the grassroots where they also hope to educate the Kenyans on the dangers of the rite.

Ms Kilimo, who launched an anti-FGM campaign in the area, said Kenyans will also be sensitised and educated on the dangers of the rite. The campaigns

crude killers: some of the crude weapons used by FGM surgeons. The government has deployed 20 special prosecutors across the country to fast-track cases involving the illegal practice.

will also educate ordinary Kenyans on the position of the law on the rite. FGM was banned in Kenya in 2001. A law passed in 2011 made it illegal to promote or facilitate FGM or utter derogatory

remarks against a woman who has not undergone the practice. Offenders of the law may be jailed, fined or both. An estimated 50 per cent of Kenyan women are thought to have undergone

circumcision. In areas such as Marakwet, Baringo, Pokot, Kajiado and Embu, the figure is estimated to be higher.

Although it is against the law to practice or conduct FGM, some communities

argue that it is their way of life and have done it for decades. The United Nations considers FGM a human rights violation because of the physical and psychological impact it has on women.

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NEWS

THURSDAY, MAY 8 2014

Fish fall from the sky in Sri Lankan village It rained fish in a village in Sri Lanka and while the residents were shocked by the unusual showers of small fish, they were not complaining.

The edible fish fell during a storm and are believed to have been lifted out of a river during a strong wind.

Villagers in the district of Chilaw said they heard heavy drops on their tin

roofs and found scores of fish with a total weight of 50Kgs. It is not the first such incident in Sri Lanka. In 2012, a case of ‘prawn rain’ was recorded in the south. Scientists say fish rain’ usually occurs when swirling winds over relatively shallow water develops into waterspouts and sucks in almost anything in the water including fish,

eels and even frogs. The marine life can be carried long distances by buffeting clouds even when the waterspout stops spinning. Villagers say that the ‘fish rain’ fell on Monday with the creatures falling on the village fields, roads, and roofs.

Some of the fish - each three to five inches (5-8cm) in length - were still

alive. This is the third time this has happened in Sri Lanka, but not from the same area.

In addition to the reported “prawn rain” of 2012 in the south, there was a yellow and red ‘meteor rain’ the same year - a weather development that is reportedly still being investigated by US and British scientists.

globalview AP

What others said today...

Buying death at Shs 20 a tot: The death toll from the illicit liquor across multiple counties hit 80, as police arrested at least three suspects linked to the killer brew and struggled to establish its source. Police believe the three suspects arrested in Limuru, Nairobi, Machakos respectively are behind the manufacture and distribution of the drink nicknamed ‘wings’...

Revealed: Poison that killed 76 brew victims: Seventy six Kenyans are believed to be dead and another 18 admitted to hospital after taking an industrial chemical, menthol. After testing some samples of the drinks that have devastated six counties, government scientists discovered that a sample from Makueni was 100 per cent methanol...

Names from Uhuru probe on Anglo Leasing scam: In March 2006 Uhuru Kenyatta, now president but then Accounts Committee chairman, presented a report in Parliament naming the individuals allegedly behind the Anglo Leasing scandal. Other than individuals linked to the companies that received the contracts the PAC report referred to various local individuals. During the PAC investigations, former Governance and Ethics Secretary John Githongo named Jimmy Wanjingi...

Voters queue at a polling station as South African elections got underway on Wednesday. In provinces like Marikana, residents reported waiting on line for more than four hours. This was the first national election since the death of liberation hero Nelson Mandela.

Study says doctors most trusted by Kenyans Kenyans trust doctors most and politicians the least, a study has said.

Global Study on Trust in Professionals, 2014 rated 30 professionals andestablished that 87 per cent of Kenyans trust doctors and nurses.

Teachers and farmers closely trailed the healthcare

practitioners with both recording a tie of 84 per cent trust by Kenyans. Politicians, including the executive, parliament, and county leaders were rated by Kenyans as the least trustworthy lot, scoring a low of 16 per cent.

Insurance company agents slipped into the cluster of

politicians for insufficient information on their products and services among citizens.

Athletes and businessmen scored 76 per cent, an approval rating equivalent to that given to TV hosts.

Journalists scored 71 per cent on the trustworthiness scale while the clergy were rated

58 per cent. The judiciary received 50 per cent nod as trust in lawyers was recorded at 42 per cent.

The police and other civil servants received 40 per cent in the survey, which sampled 28, 000 respondents between September and November 2013 by Germany-based

marketing research firm, GfK Verein. It sampled views in Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Asia and the Pacific regions with similar results reflected across the countries under study.

Africa was represented by Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria in the study.

Why Jubilee MPs want Mutunga out: A section of Jubilee coalition MPs want chief Justice Willy Mutunga forced out of office over an alleged damning report by the Auditor General’s office detailing massive irregularities in utilisation of funds at the judiciary. The members of the coalition claimed Dr. Mutunga should take personal responsibility over the alleged rot at the judiciary and Judicial Service Commission.

BUSiness | 7 THURSday, MAY 8, 2014

newsbriefs

Kenyans to gain from Bitcoin’s emerging success

BETTER PRODUCT: Zuku plans to more than double its internet speeds for home users. The provider currently provides 20Mbps and intends to step up its pipeline to offer 50Mbps.

Home users set to get faster Internet speeds Wananchi Group, the company that owns pay TV and Internet service provider Zuku, has announced plans to increase internet speed for home users.

The move will see Zuku offer speeds of up to 50 megabytes per second (Mbps), up from its current 20Mbps.

The Zuku upgrade will be piloted to 100 customers in Runda, Spring Valley and Karen, and will be deployed on the company’s latest high-capacity fibre optic net-

work technology—with full roll out expected by August.

“The 50Mbps, speeds will allow our internet users to enjoy seamless data, voice and video, services which are classified as imperative towards the economic development of the country using ICT,” Richard Alden, Wananchi Group’s CEO said in a press statement.

A report from the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) has found that 58 per cent of Kenyans cannot af-

theindustry

ford to go online. Following the arrival of undersea Internet cables, local providers have reduced their subscription prices by up to 90 per cent. However, the cost of connectivity is still too high for a majority of Kenyans.

While Wananchi has promised to improve the quality of its services, its prices do not match the world standards set by the South Korea, a country that boasts the fastest, cheapest broadband in the world. In South Korea,

the average connection fee is $26 (Sh2,260) a month. Zuku charges about Sh3,000 a month for a basic household connection.

Kenya has close to 1.4 million users connected to broadband internet, with Wananchi Group having signed about 44,254 users.

Internet service provider, Liquid Telecoms boasts 15,290 users while Access Kenya has11,360 and Telkom Kenya holds the remaining 11,279.

at work: A second-hand clothes retailer at his stall in a Nairobi market.

The industry is expected to face stiff competition from the formal textile sector.

Mitumba dealers face stiff rivalry from formal sector The second-hand clothes industry, popularly known as mitumba, faces fierce rivalry from the formal textile sector in coming months, the Ministry of Industrialisation has said.

The industry has a supply chain that spreads across the country.

Major wholesalers buy bales of clothes in Mombasa, says Kiva, a business research group with operations in

over 60 countries, including Kenya.

They later transport the clothes by truck to Gikomba market, in Nairobi, the centre of wholesale mitumba business in Kenya.

Small-scale vendors make between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000 a month, a recent report dubbed ‘Textiles in Africa’ revealed.

Some vendors make up to Sh200,000 a month,

depending on their rank in the supply chain.

Some government bodies that support the industry would also like to see textile products prosper in the market.

“We do not condemn secondhand clothes. All we want is to see a level playing field for local players and importers,” said Cotton Development Authority Chief Executive Officer Anthony Muriithi.

In light of the challenges, the government plans to spend about Sh1.8 billion to revive an industry that has found it hard to compete with mitumba. The move is expected to generate 500,000 jobs in the textile industry.

“This will discourage the rapid growth of mitumba, which is dumping goods in the country,” said the ministry’s Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

The Bitcoin trade will in coming weeks create conduits through which Kenyans can access money transfers from abroad, a local company, BitPesa, has announced.

Addressing a forum at the Startup Garage in Nairobi, BitPesa said the country is almost a week away from making major steps in accessing Bitcoins.

The virtual currency will allow access to foreign currency, easing access to cash for the more than 326 million African nonaccount holders.

Sending money from the

diaspora will be cheaper and easier via the digital cash platform.

To send money from say the United States to Kenya via the BitPesa platform, a user is required to buy Bitcoins in dollars.

The sender then forwards the Bitcoins to BitPesa, who in turn sell them at the current exchange rate in Kenyan Shillings, take their commission and give the recipient the balance.

“The transaction process should take five minutes at most,” Elizabeth Rossiello, Bitpesa CEO.

Dry spell signalling low maize harvests Maize harvest may fall short by 5.8million bags if current drought persists into the weekend, the Ministry of Agriculture has warned.

The Director of Agriculture Crop Management Dr. Johnson Irungu says many fields in Rift Valley will be affected by the dry spell. Lack of rain is expected to cause to a major drop in production for the national main grain basket.

Farmers planted grain after the Meteorological Department predicted above normal rains in March and April.

The rains have not yet fallen.

The drop is likely to fuel inflation in maize prices as the government moves to import to curb shortages.

Irungu says if the rains fall, weeding and immediate topdressing will guarantee the agricultural sector the production of 29 million bags this year.

Amazon allows shoppers to buy using tweets Online retailer Amazon has partnered with Twitter to allow users add products to their digital shopping baskets through a special hashtag.

Customers can shop whenever they see an item they like referenced on Twitter with an Amazon page link that includes the tag “#AmazonBasket” (UK) and “#AmazonCart” (US). A reply to the tweet will automatically add the item to the shopping basket on the retailer’s site.

Users will still need to go to Amazon for payment and completion of the purchase.

“Once your account is enabled, you can add

millions of Amazon products to your cart without leaving a Twitter feed,” said a statement from Amazon.

The move will give Amazon access of up to 255 million potential customers from Twitter users.

Closer home, Kenyan shoppers are free to buy goods online through platforms like Jumia, an online marketplace that sells a range of retail goods.

A number of retailers also have Facebook pages with a wide range of products on display.

It is expected that more local online shops will soon spring up.

8|

BUSINESS

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014

MF batteries now in great demand

There is a rapidly growing demand for maintenance free (MF) vehicle batteries compared with the use of the traditional lead acid batteries, manufacturing company, Chloride Exide Kenya reports. The Company has noticed an increasing interest in long life batteries, which last between seven and eight years.

“We have been importing

MF batteries for several years to meet the growing preference for them,” said Tim Jessop, the General Manager of Chloride Exide.

“Users are happy to fit MF batteries because they eliminate the need for topping up with distilled water. It is a case of fit and forget.”

While the standard lead acid batteries for an 1800 cc Saloon vehicle cost Sh6,902, the MF models cost slightly

more, standing at Sh7,540.

The firm’s sister company, Associated Battery Manufacturers (AMB), has invested $5million (Sh425million) on an expansion programme that will enable the company produce MF batteries.

“We have started production, which will be followed by field and laboratory tests before rolling out the batteries to the country and

East Africa market,” ABM Managing Director Guy Jack said.

He noted that while the conventional lead acid batteries remain popular with motorists, MF batteries are gaining ground because they eliminate the need to top up the cells.

ABM will continue producing Chloride Exide lead acid batteries for those consumers who prefer them.

business101

Plan for your retirement, invest in a pension plan We all are going to get older and we will eventually stop working. When that day comes, you will need some money to get you through your golden years. Have you made any plans for your retirement?

The new NSSF rules will soon take effect starting June 1, 2014 and all employees will see an increase in their pension deduction. Their salaries will be reduced as more money is fed into the NSSF plan, because the rates are set to increase from the current maximum contribution of Sh400 a month.

Under the new rates, the employee and employer will each contribute six per cent of the worker’s gross pay to NSSF. But NSSF is not the only

institution offering ‘investment for retirement’ arrangements.

Companies such as Amana Capital, offer pension plans that offer better returns on claims.

A personal pension plan is an investment policy designed to either offer a lump sum payment, or a monthly income after retirement to members.

This means that a member contributes to the plan, the money is invested, and a fund is built up.

The amount of pension payable when the member retires depends on what he or she was saving during his or her working years and the interest that was earned when the money was invested.

infrastructure

Congested Eastlands roads to get upgrade

LOVED PRODUCT: The increasing demand for Maintenance Free batteries has inspired Chloride exide to invest in a production company in Kenya.

buckstop

A stretch of road running from Eastlands through Nakumatt Embakasi to Donholm is scheduled for an upgrade, according to plans by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

The move is part of a planned upgrade for Nairobi’s Outer Ring Road, which will connect the Thika Super Highway to Mombasa Road.

“We are building Outering Ring road from the GSU headquarters to Taj Mall in Embakasi,” Nairobi County boss, Dr. Evans Kidero said.

The Governor explained that the upgrade will put an end to traffic jams in areas where a 10-minute journey can last for hours. Most of the

road should be completed by 2016, says the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

The World Bank has already given Sh1.2 billion for the project while the African Development Bank (ADB) has given Sh200 million to fund the local rapid road and rail system.

Kidero said out of the Sh2 billion set aside by the county government for road maintenance, some would be used for the Outer Ring Road project.

The road will have six lanes, providing ample space for hundreds of thousands of motorists, who access the road almost everyday.

Business thriving on women’s love for shoes Kevin Kariuki makes a living out of selling women’s shoes from his stall in Fedha, Embakasi. He is definitely on to a good thing here. After all, don’t women just love owning shoes?

His shoes range from Sh400 to KSh500.

On a good day, he can make more than Sh2, 000 but sometimes business is bad and he goes home with nothing.

Kariuki says he gets his stock from

Uganda. “I normally buy stock worth between Sh10, 000 Sh20, 000. From that, I am guaranteed that I will make double what I invested,” Kariuki said.

He says it takes close to a month to exhaust his stock, at which point he makes another trip to Uganda to replenish it.

“The stock can be over even in two weeks if sales are good. Sometimes

I sell the shoes on wholesale, which means I make 50 per cent profit, instead of the usual 100 percent—but it is still good money.”

As an additional service it, he takes special orders from customers. “Some customers may want a particular shoe and I make a point of sourcing it for them when I travel to Uganda.”

GOODS: Kariuki earns great margins from women’s shoes, which he imports from Uganda.

PLAY | 9

forecast

THURSday, MAY 8, 2014

capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19

HOROSCOPES

Your indecisiveness may plague you, Capricorn. This is one of those times when you feel as if one second of hesitation will cost you dearly. Yet you take a while to process and internalize things before you’re ready to act on them.

aquarius Jan 20 - Feb

Vote for your winning pick of today’s top three insta moments (below) by sending an email with the picture number to news@x-news.co.ke 1

2

3

You’re now in a terrific position to make a significant move in your life, Aquarius. With a great deal of physical energy coupled with incredibly high self-esteem, you have what it takes to make a major push toward larger goals.

pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20

You might feel as if you can’t access your physical energy now, Pisces. You may experience frustration when you try to engage in a sport. You don’t feel as if things are clicking into place as easily as they should.

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

s y’ to dapho r e st ing e Y nn i w

Your physical vitality should be quite strong, Aries, and you’re encouraged by greater self-confidence. At the same time, however, someone seems to be trying to ruffle your feathers by being selfish and disrespectful of your space.

ng s i n n in tio W p ca

taurus Apr 20 - May 20

Things could be moving more quickly than makes you comfortable right now, Taurus. You may feel as if your own needs and agenda are getting lost in the fury bubbling around you.

The secret key to add to your toolbox is the ability to go with the flow.

gemini May 21 - Jun 21

Your physical strength is topnotch, Gemini. Now is a terrific time to join a sports team or start a company soccer program. Others will respect your leadership abilities. Your glow as a self-confident, constructive being is radiating positive energy. This combination of forces is extremely powerful.

1. Send a caption for the photo above to news@x-news. co.ke. The winning caption gets published on this page.

sudoku

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul 1. High waist redifined-Princess Njer Mwai, Nyayo Estate.

2. My dad told me never to sag- Paulina Makau, Kenyatta Market.

3. Swag taken several notches higher-Bakari Musa, Nairobi.

Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeated.

easy

yoursay

Let’s talk real issues One Linda Akello wore a tight skirt and the whole country was talking. Even senior police officials were all over the medial talking moral issues.

Now, 80 people have died in unfortunate circumstances, and our leaders are quiet. You media guys need to find them and make them talk.

— Bramwel Moriasi, Ngong Rd

medium

Everything is for sale Is it just me or are people around Nairobi suddenly selling land?. Visit any area on the outskirts of the city and you will be greeted by numerous ‘For Sale’ signs.

But living in a country, where the number of conmen is increasing by the day, I hope those making purchases are extremely vigilant.

— Edwin Rutto, Kitengela

complex

cancer Jun 22 - Jul 22

You may feel indecisive, insecure, and stuck in the middle of a difficult situation, Cancer. Your energy could be drawn in one direction while your self-confidence is pulled in another.

This dilemma has to do with your inability to integrate different aspects of your life that you try to keep separate.

leo Jul 23 - Aug 22

Communication with others should be very effective, Leo, and your social calendar will be full. You’re feeling good about yourself, thanks to a boost in confidence that reminds you that you can do anything. You have the ability to juggle many things at once and the physical endurance to keep up a quick pace.

virgo Aug 23 -Sep 22

Relating to people may be difficult for you, since you get the feeling that others don’t see things as deeply or emotionally as you, Virgo. Perhaps you feel everyone is shallow, making them luckier in one sense yet deprived in another.

libra Sep 23 - Oct 22

You have a great deal of physical energy, Libra. At times, you may feel as if you have an endless wellspring of power. You’re at a climactic point in your yearly cycle, when things are coming to a dramatic apex.

scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21

Finding the comfort point may be difficult for you, Scorpio. You might feel as if you aren’t connecting with your ideals or goals. Even though you try to put things into motion, they don’t really pan out the way you’d like.

sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21

Your upbeat, lively nature is fueled by the fast-paced energy at hand. You have a great deal of physical strength available to you, Sagittarius, and you can make tremendous strides in your yearly goals with very minimal effort.

greatread

— by Deborah Rodriguez

The book is based on five women who try to navigate life in the harsh Afghan territory. Sunny is a 38-eight-year-old confident American who follows her heart and man to Afghanistan where she opens a coffee shop. Yazmina, a young secretly pregnant widow who was kidnapped from her home in the mountains, is to be sold off to prostitution to pay off an uncle’s debts. Isabel is a British journalist who wants to make a difference in the world and travels to Kabul hoping to find an earth shattering story. Instead,

she finds heart-breaking ones.

Candace is an American who left a rich husband for an Afghan prince who is her junior.

The book is a page turner that is bound to keep you glued to paragraph after paragraph.

Outstanding Kenyan blogs rewarded With the blogosphere getting larger and larger, Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) launched awards to celebrate the most influential.

This year’s edition happened last weekend at a Nairobi Hotel.

1,000 submissions were made this year, compared to 500 accepted in 2013.

Nominated blogs were put up on the BAKE website for fans to vote for the

best.

Creative blog of the year winner of 2013, Biko Zulu took home the same award for his blog Bikozulu.co.ke. He also bagged the top-most award of the night, the Best Kenyan Blog of the Year.

The Best Sports blog award was a tie between Futaa.com and Michezoafrika. com.

Ben and Gathoni Kiruthi took home the

award for best photography blog ahead of Mutua Matheka, whose blog has won twice consecutively, by 1,006 votes.

Sharon Mundia’s thisisess.com seized the Best Fashion blog award, beating Nancie Mwai’s Fashion Notebook, which had topped the category twice in the past.

Wendywahito.com, a food blog, received the Best New Blog accolade.

10 |

TRENDING

THURSday, may 8, 2014

Accesorise your hair with hair bows

Hilary Clinton, in speech at Yale University in 2001, famously remarked: “The important thing I have to say is that hair matters. Pay attention to your hair because everyone else will.”

This statement is true , for most women, who will spare no expense to get their hair done beautifully.

The pull back, side sweep accessories: Hair bows can turn any hairstyle into a ‘head-turner’. and pony tail are among some of the most popular hair styles in Kenya. That

fashionquirk

is aside from also weaves, braids, and wigs, which are used to protect natural hair, at the same time giving wearers distinct looks. All these hairstyles and more can be made colourful and trendy with just a simple hair bow.

A hair bow is a simple yet fashionable hair accessory that oozes sophistication and class.

It draws attention to beautifully styled hair, which every

woman wants and adores.

It can be used on long hair or short and the bow can either be a clip on or wrap around.

Hair bows come in various colours, patterns, and sizes.

They are perfect for any occasion. Here are ways to kick the boring out of hair styles by adding a hair bow.

1. Up High When wearing a pony tail put a bow on it. It can be at the bottom of the pony tail or at the top. Choose

whatever size and colour, whatever will complete the outfit worn.

2. Down Low This is an effortless look. Just wrap the hair in a high bun then add a clip-on bow to the bottom. Your hair will definitely stand out.

3. To the side This look is perfect with short hair. A band bow pulled to either side will look beautiful or a clip-on to just the side will look beautiful.

Getting permanent elf ears is now a fashion fad The Elf (also known as ‘pointy ears’) is among the latest in queer fashion fads.

Believe it or not, there is a section of young people out there, who would like to look like the elf characters from Lord of the Rings and Avatar movies. And they will not stop at clip-ons. They spend over $600 (Sh52,230) to get elf ears, through an operation carried out by a body modification artist.

The surgical procedure involves slicing the top cartilage of the ear and sewing the two edges together, forming a point at the top. The stitches

showtime

stay in for a few weeks to allow the skin to fuse resulting in elven ears.

The procedure is extremely painful because it is done without anaesthesia. Body modification artists are traditionally not accredited surgeons or doctors and are, therefore, not allowed to administer any pain medication or anaesthesia.

Sculpting the cartilage is dangerous-it may result in major deformities of the ear and the ‘patient’ stands the risk of getting an infection.

The Elf is also a difficult procedure to reverse and recent attempts have not resulted in full reconstructions.

freakish: Elf ears are all the rage in the world of extreme body modification. The pointy ears are made by slicing a triangular bit from the topmost part of the ear and sewing the edges together.

Katungulu going places with her African-inspired designs

Katungulu Mwendwa, is one of the most prominent fashion designers in the country.

She has been a fashion sensation ever since she won the 2007 M-Net reality show, Catwalk Kenya. Her latest fashion collection, Autumn Winter 2013/14, was showcased late year at the Priory Centre in Nairobi.

The collection, dubbed ‘Dinka Translation’, was inspired by the traditional fashion sense of a tribe in Sudan.

Katungulu started designing in 2012, with her first collection, ‘Sandstorm the Journey of a challenged Nomad’, headlining her first catwalk show.

A year later, she showcased her collections at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, one of the world’s premier fashion meets.

Her designs are African-inspired, edgy and contemporary, with modern cuts.

Her favourite fabrics, she says, are silk, cotton, wool “or any other with natural fibre.”

Miss Karun, a former member of teen band Camp Mulla, is one of the Kenya stylish: Some of the pieces from Katungulu Mwenda’s collections. The pieces can be bought celebrities that Katungulu dresses. from Lisa’s Shop at the Muthaiga Centre.

fakerush

How to spot a fake iPhone

1. External features The iPhone is identifiable by its distinct hardware features. It has a “sleep/wake” button on the top-right corner, and a “home” button centred beneath the screen. It has a ringer switch, volume buttons on the upper-left side, and the Apple logo imprinted on the back. If any of these are missing or present in a different location, it is likely a fake.

2. Serial Number Each iPhone has a serial number. The number can be verified by looking it up on the Apple database. If the inquiry gets the reply: “We’re sorry, but this serial number is not valid.

Please check your information and try again,” it is likely a fake.

3. Syncing If it is unable to connect to iTunes or is not recognized by iTunes it could be a fake. But first ensure that the iTunes and iOS software you are using are up to date. An iPhone that does not connect to iTunes or the app store after the two software are updated, is either fake or damaged.

4. Applications Genuine iPhone arrive with built in Apple-branded apps, which cannot be removed.

Some of these are: Compass, Music and Photo apps.

CAREER | 11

wantmyjob?

THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014

coursesin...

Kevin Otiende is a 24-year-old TV planning editor and producer at CCTV Kenya.

He recently spoke to XNeWs about his job.

TV planning editor and producer XN: What does being a planning editor and producer entail?

KO: A planning editor is the eyes and ears of the media house. I have to know what events and incidences are happening locally and around the world. I then determine which ones are given priority and make appropriate arrangements for them to be covered and aired. I also have to make contacts with newsmakers.

XN: How many hours do you work in a Day? KO: While my office hours are eight a day, news does not only happen in those hours. So anywhere and everywhere I go, I have to be alert and know everything.

XN: How much do you earn?

KO: I earn enough to sustain and grow me. I am yet to be told of any Kenyan who directly answered this question.

XN: What qualifications do you need to be a planning editor?

KO: You need to have a degree in journalism, of course, have the ability to detect and

NGOs do charity work, but pay best online

modern learner: e-libraries allow students to search for books in digital format.

predict newsworthy stories, and have a wide network of contacts.

Was being an editor your dream job?

Yes, because I wanted to work in a capacity that highlights the problems of society, finding out what challenges people are facing and trying to find ways of helping them.

XN: Does your job interfere with your social life?

KO: Sometimes. This is especially because on some occasions, I have report to work during odd hours.

However, I enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people. This has expanded my knowledge of issues in Kenya and Africa. In future, I hope to use this to inform my decisions.

XN: What is the best part of your job?

KO: The travelling part, of course. I get to eat new foods.

XN: What is the worst part of your job?

KO: I have no immediate grievances.

XN: Advice for upcoming editors and producers?

It is a very competitive market we are in. So, you have to be at the top of your game if you are to get ahead. You must never give up in whatever you do and you should take failures as strengths in your next assignments. Never let your spirit get crushed.

Non-Governmental Organisations paid the highest salaries to staff in 2013 compared with other sectors.

The pay figures reflect a significant increase from for previous years.

The Economic Survey 2014, shows that NGOs paid Sh206,452 to each employee last year compared with Sh202,000 in 2008 and Sh194,000 in 2012.

The government was found to be paying lower salaries.

Insurance companies and financial institutions such as banks paid better salaries than in the public sector.

A worker in financial sector earned Sh115, 481 per month in 2013 while their government counterparts earned Sh103,929.

Within the period, a human resource worker in the pri-

Study Civil Engineering and build world marvels Civil engineering is the science behind all constructions that have shaped the world.

Skyscrapers, roads, highways, tunnels, airports, water in our taps and bridges all have a civil engineers behind their development.

Course Category: BSc. Civil Engineering duration: Five years College: University of Nairobi Specialisations: structural engineering transportation and highway engineering water resource and waste engineering admission requirements: The minimum grade for admission is set by the Kenya University and Colleges

Central Placement Service according to performance in the respective year.

Self-sponsored students must attain a minimum C + (plus) with C+ plus in maths, physics, chemistry, biology or geography, art and design, metal work, among other subjects.

It will cost a self-sponsored student Sh903, 500 for the five years.

One can be employed in companies in companies involved in the construction of roads and highways, bridges, railways and stations and water.

One can also be get a position in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.

WorKInG For more: red Cross staff collect blood during a recent blood donation drive. a recent study showed that nGo’s like red Cross, pay their staff the best salaries.

vate sector earned Sh93,325 per month while professionals in public service received an average of Sh64,470.

But county governments, commissioners and para-

statals, where the government has more than half of shares, had equally high rewards.

County government workers were paid an average of Sh40,000 while their para-

statal counterparts received Sh89,869 over the period.

Private business employees earned Sh38,974 while civil servants got Sh47,146 a month.

Michigan University offering the best e-degrees Central Michigan University (CUM) was ranked the best institution in the world in the provision of online degrees.

The institution takes the lead due to its technological facilities and a human resource base that is geared towards quality.

A US News and World Report 2014 said the institution was ahead of others because of increased interaction among students and the insti-

tution at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

According to Eric Brooks and Robert Morse of U.S. News, several factors were taken into consideration when determining the annual rankings.

Student engagement weighs 40 percent, faculty credentials and training weigh 20 percent and student services, peer reputation weighs 20 percent and technology weigh 20

percent “Quality bachelor’s programs promote participation in courses, allowing students opportunities to readily interact with their instructors and fellow classmates as is possible in a campus-based setting,” Brooks and Morse stated on usnews.com. “In turn, instructors not only are accessible and responsive, but they also are tasked with helping to create an experi-

ence rewarding enough for students to stay enrolled and complete their degrees in a reasonable amount of time.”

The CUM website says a robust social media is an integral link between students and others, tutors and supportive staff such as librarians. Their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts provide avenues for academic discourse among students, colleagues and tutors.

12 |

FUN

THURSday, may 8, 2014

filmmenu

What’s in the cinemas Start the week’s descent with these refreshing movies at various screens across the capital city, Nairob.

Theatres 2 iMax, Fox Cineplex, Century Kaanchi: The Unbreakable (2014, India) A story of the inner power of a woman who represents millions of suppressed youth against injustice in the country. It is also the story of an innocent rural beauty and her fight against power.

Fox Cineplex Sarit : 9:05pm

Non-Stop (2014, USA) An air marshal springs into action during a transatlantic flight after receiving a series of text messages that put his fellow passengers at risk unless the airline transfers $150 million into an off-shore account.

Fox Cineplex Sarit: 7pm Century Cinema: 7:30pm, 9. 40pm

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014, USA) Peter Parker runs the gauntlet as the mysterious company Oscorp sends up a slew of supervillains against him, impacting on his life.

Fox Cineplex Sarit: 6.55pm, 9.30 pm Century Cinemax: 7pm, 9. 40pm Imax 6:20, 9:10pm

The Other Woman (2014, USA) After discovering her boyfriend is married, Carly soon meets the wife he’s been cheating on.

And when yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on the three-timing SOB.

Enjoy Babu Wairimu’s acting in ‘Ni Sisi’ film Kenyan actor Joseph Babu Wairimu, who starred in globally-celebrated movie Nairobi Half Life recently took a leading role in a new film Ni Sisi, and his performance has earned him great acclaim.

Ni Sisi is a film that examines the Kenyan identity, which many seem to have neglected, youth empowerment and lifestyle, forgiveness and personal accountability for keeping peace.

Wairimu plays Jabali, the charming young protagonist and narrator. He introduces us to his sleepy community in a nondescript peri-urban Kenyan village. There are no fences, the young people interact like they were siblings, and the three neighbourhood matriarchs — all from diverse ethnicities and religions — raise each other’s children like they were their own. This colorful group of people eagerly awaits the arrival of their niece Roxana, who suffered through the violence of 2008 and recently lost her mother to suicide.

Roxana, played by Jacky Vike (who made an appearance as a foulmouthed prostitute in Nairobi Half Life), quickly catches the lustful eye of shopkeeper Mzito (Peter King), who is also vying for the local MP

unification: Babu Wairimu (Center) with actress Krysteen Savane (left) and Jacky Vike in the the film Ni Sisi, which advocates for peace and unity among Kenyans.

seat in an upcoming election.

With the help of his manipulative wife (Krysteen Savane), Mzito orchestrates a simple, and all-too-familiar plan: intimidate the competition, sow dissension among the formerly oblivious people, stir imaginary fears between them, bankroll a conflict, then stand back

and let the community destroy itself. It’s left to the younger, streetwise protagonists to turn things around. The story is familiar, almost predictable at first, but the events will unexpectedly turn, and then turn again in twists that don’t spiral out of control thanks to great direction and storytelling.

killerdancemoves The Lamba Dance

Century Cinemax: 7.10 pm, 9. 40pm

the hitlist

drinkingcorner Chili mango bloody Mary

Spice up your weekend with a chili bloody mango cocktail. It is traditional, classy and it will sure give you a buzz.

Ingredients: Quarter glass of vodka, one mango, lemon, one tea spoon of chili powder, ¼ spoon of sea salt and cayenne pepper powder.

Century Cinemax: 7.20 pm, 9. 40pm

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014, USA) Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.

The film’s main aim is to remind Kenyans that individuals that have the power to say no to tribalism, rumours and corruption and that it takes a personal initiative to shun evil.

It is is set to be screened on Wednesday 21 May at the Purdy Arms Restaurant, in Karen.

Step1

Step2

Step3

Start with your feet apar, hold your arms to the side, and alternately swing back and forth, left and right.

Lean to one side and shuffle your hands front and back, while holding them in front of your chest.

Arch your back. Lift one hand to touch your face and swing the other on your side while gyrating your hips.

Preparation: 1. Peel the mango and spin it in a high-speed blender with juice from the lemon and vodka.

2. Take a glass and deep the rim of in a mixture of chili, salt and cayenne pepper powder.

3. Add ice cubes in the glass and pour in the blended mixture.

4. Enjoy.

Kasarani

Upperhill

CBD

Industrial Area

Native Bar &Grill

Shebeen Bar

Serena Hotel

Choices Pub

Evolution Party by Smirnoff

Project Shame Karaoke hosted by Martin Kariuki.

Whiskey and Jazz Thurs- Thursday Nite Live day featuring Nina Ogot

East African Evolution party

Admission: Free Time: 8pm onwards

Admission: Free Time: 7pm onwards

Admission: Free Time: 7pm onwards

Admission: Free Time: 8pm onwards

Admission: Free Time: 8pm-11pm

CBD

Club Sylk

THURSday, MAY 8, 2014

Sport Federer father to second set of twins Roger Federer has defied the odds to become a father of twins for the second time in less than five years.

The tennis champion and wife Mirka have described the birth of new twins Leo and Lenny earlier in the week as ‘a miracle’.

The Swiss tennis ace broke the news on his Twitter account hours after he announced he was pulling out of the Madrid Masters to be with the wife: “Mirka and I are so incredibly happy to share that Leo and Lenny were born this evening! #TwinsAgain#Miracle.”

The two boys were born almost five years after the arrival of twin sisters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva in July 2009.

The birth led to a flurry of good-natured jokes about future doubles champions.

Bookmakers have even offered odds of 100-1 for the sisters to emulate their father by teaming up to win Wimbledon.

Federer is not the first famous sportsman to have twins – Basketballer Michael Jordan and football star Abedi Pele did as well. Two sets is however a rarity.

what the­­____is going on?

Harambee Stars assistant coach James Nandwa fired by coach Amrouche, reinstated by FKF President Nyamweya P.15

Ingwe could soon lose main man to SA team South African club SuperSport is ready to offer huge sums of cash for AFC Leopards striker Allan Wanga.

Talks between the player and club are reportedly at final stages, with Leopards standing to reap Sh3.2million from the deal.

AFC Leopards Organising Secretary Timothy Lilumbi fell short of saying the player might be on his way down south soon.

“It’s not a done deal yet, but I can confirm that the matter is being discussed and the talks are at a heightened level.

Many other clubs have also approached us for the player’s signature, among them ElMereikh of Sudan. So it is a matter of who offers the best deal,” said Lilumbi “El-Mereikh of Sudan have approached us and we can only accept what is good for the club and the player,” he said.

standing out: Allan Wanga (No.14) in a past league match, against KCB. The impressive striker has attracted the interest of a number of teams across, but South African side Supersport United leading the fray for his signature.

Kemboi upbeat ahead of Doha meet

going for medals: Ezekiel Kemboi celebrating a past victory. The runner is confident that he will do well in the IAAF Diamond League, in Doha. The Olympic champion says he has prepared well and that he is ready to impress.

3000m steeplechase Olympic and world champion Ezekiel Kemboi is confident with his form ahead of Thursday’s IAAF Diamond League in Doha, in Qatar.

Kemboi says he is keen on competing again in his water and hurdles speciality that will mark the start of the 14-meeting IAAF Diamond League series.

“I am feeling in great shape going to Doha and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to a good start. My preps have gone on smoothly and it is time to do what I love most,” he said.

Doha will, however, miss the Olympic

and World 800m record holder David Rudisha, who pulled out due to a calf strain he sustained in training last week.

Other Kenyans expected to grace Doha include former Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop, former Olympic champion Birmin Kiprop Kipruto (3000m steeplechase) and Janeth Jepkosgei (1500m).

Reigning 800m world champion, Eunice Jepkoech Sum, and world championships 5000m silver medallist Mercy Cherono will also compete in the event.

14 |

SPORT

THURSDAY, mAY 8, 2014

Lloyd Kim ready for Samba beat The countdown to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil has hit top gear and the fever is catching up with all football fanatics. Just over one month remains before everyone’s attention shifts to the most watched sports in the world set to kick off on Thursday, June 12 at the Arena de Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to watch the 64 matches live across 12 cities in Brazil, while four billion people will be glued to their TV screens, or following live online feeds.

Copa Coca-Cola star, Lloyd Kim, will be among the few lucky Kenyans, and indeed Africans,

year, I didn’t imagine I could go beyond the borders but here I am now,traveling to Brazil for the World Cup— a dream for every young player,” he said.

While in Brazil, Kim and his colleagues from 50 countries will be treated to the Brazilian way of football and will participate in games like futsal, capoeira (acrobatics football), beach football and volleyball among others.

They will also visit some iconic museums that epitomize the rich culture of Brazilian football.

They will also get a chance to meet top past and present Brazilian superstars like Bebeto and five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year Marta Viera da Silva.

Youth Olympics hopefuls to battle each other for positions in ‘Team Kenya’

origi out of Stars’ Can game Kenyan international goalkeeper Arnold Origi will not be available when Harambee Stars begin their qualifying campaign for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations against the Comoros next week.

The experienced keeper, who turns up for Lillestrom in the Norwegian first division, has engagements with his club at that same period, hence his absence.

“It is sad that Origi will not be available. We wrote to his club, who in turn responded that it cannot be possible to have him at that particular period of time,” Harambee’s head Coach Adel Amrouche said.

Amrouche’s second choice keeper, Duncan Ochieng’, is also out injured and that leaves Bandari’s Wilson Obungu, Jerim Onyango (Gor Mahia) and Wycliffe Kasaya (AFC Leopards) in contention for a starting berth.

Kenyan play hosts to the islanders on May 18 in the second round preliminary fixture before travelling to Island nation for the return leg scheduled on May 31.

who will join the party in Brazil.

The 15-year-old Kim earned his ticket to Brazil courtesy of his starring display during last year’s edition of the Under-15 football tournament.

The teenage, who started playing football at five, captained his team to their maiden title last year. He was among the tournament’s best players.

Kim, a pupil at the St. Joseph’s Primary School in Nairobi, will join more than 130 players drawn from across the world in a one-week camp that will culminate with the boys watching live the opening ceremony and the match between Brazil and Croatia.

“This is a lifetime opportunity for me. When I joined Copa last

brazil bound: lloydd Kim shows his juggling skills.

The player won a trip to brazil after impressing in the u-15 football tournament in 2013.

Trials for places in the Kenya athletics team to the Youth Olympics will be held at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.

The Youth Olympics will be held in Gaborone, Botswana from May 22- 31.

Athletics Kenya (AK) are expecting a strong lineup of runners to turn up for the one day championships.

AK vice president David Okeyo says selection will be based on merit.

“Based on the start list, there is no doubt the best runners will be selected

to represent the country.

We are looking forward to the one day event,” said Okeyo.

Among those to compete is World Youth champion 2,000m steeplechase champion, Roseline Chepngetich and Africa junior cross country silver medallist, Andrew Lorot.

Lorot, fresh from winning the national secondary schools cross country title in Mombasa, will be competing in the 3,000m steeplechase alongside Davis Kiplagat, who was

second in the school games in Mombasa.

Others include Lilian Kasait, the 2013 World Youth Champion, who will battle it out with Loise Chemning, a finalist in the African Cross Country championships, held Kampala in March.

Kenya will send a team of 167 sportsmen and women from 17 sports disciplines to Botswana, and will have a two-week residential camp from May 5 to May 17.

iCC anti-corruption unit set for review to counter new threats The International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption unit (ACSU) will be reviewed by the big three cricket nations – India, Australia and England. The body will now report to the three nations rather than the chief executive of the ICC.

This comes after an ICC meeting in Dubai commissioned a formal review of the functions and functionality of the ACSU. The report will be compiled by a four-man team made up of representatives of India, England and Australia

and the ICC chief executive David Richardson. Terms of reference for the review, and its timeline to return findings, are still being finalised.

While the proposal is understood to have been met with mixed

response by representatives of several nations, the review of the workings of the ACSU was encouraged by the widely-held view that corruption in cricket has changed shape considerably since the unit was set up.

SPORT| 15

Nandwa fired then ‘unfired’ On Wednesday, a day after the national team Harambee Stars reported to camp, head Coach Adel Amrouche announced that his assistant James Nandwa had been fired after reportedly absconding duty.

“The truth is I have not seen him in a long time and he has not even come to the camp. We have made the decision to move on without him,” said the coach.

“We have a crucial match and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations which we have to qualify for.

In doing so, we need a united front,” he said.

However, in a rejoinder, Football Kenya Federation President Sam Nyamweya said the sacking of Nandwa is illegal and cannot

be done by the coach.

“As the federation, we have not given the go ahead to sack anyone from the technical bench, and as far as we are concerned Nandwa continues serving as the assistant coach,” said Nyamweya.

“This are employees of the federation and can only be relieved off their duties by us.”

The Stars are preparing for the Africa Cup of nations qualifying match against Comoros on May 18 in Nairobi.

The return leg is set for May 31.

Nandwa, who was last month sacked as AFC Leopards coach due to

THURSday, MAY 8, 2014

poor performance, has had a long affair with the national team. He was the acting coach in 2012, when the team reached the finals of the regional Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Uganda, a fete that endeared acclaim to Kenyan fans.

CONFUSED?: Harambee Stars’ assistant Coach James Nandwa was fired by head Coach Adel Amrouche. Minutes later, the decision was denounced by Football Kenya Federation President ,Sam Nyamweya, who said Amrouche was outstepping his yard.

thetimeline

Frank Gallagher@sickolia Arsenal are those guys who buy drinks for the chic for the whole night then Man City come in at 5 am and go home with her.

Brendan Rodgers working on new deal with Liverpool While Liverpool’s defeat by Chelsea and a draw at Crystal Palace derailed their title bid, Brendan Rodgers’ long-term future has been secured following talks with owners, Fenway Sports Group.

Although a deal is yet to be signed, it is understood that the contract in principle has been agreed between the two parties, which will keep Rodgers on Merseyside until at least 2018.

Rodgers has exceeded expectations.

He was tasked with

taking the club back into the Champions League and at the start of the season set a target of 76 points to do that.

Liverpool have for most of this season been in the title chase, but are on the verge of disappointingly losing it to Manchester City.

With an extra Sh2.4b in Champions League cash going into his summer transfer kitty, Rodgers will not be short of financial support to make any improvements he may deem necessary.

Football Funnys@FootballFunnys Days spent at the top of the league this season: Arsenal – 128, Chelsea – 64, Liverpool – 59, Man City – 11

Ninja Samurai@verbstract Man Utd fans are so caught up with Liverpool that they’ve forgotten Man City is now the big team in England leave alone Manchester.

Tom Webb@Tom_Webb98 Gerrard has won more trophies during his career then Man City have in 45 years. Don’t think he’ll be arsed about City chanting about him.

Charismatic Enigma@edkabasa Even if Manchester City draw,they’ll still win the league.

Man City enter history books with 100+ goals The fourth goal by Manchester City in their 4-0 win over Aston Villa Wednesday was their fourth of the season, making them the second team in history to record over 100 goals in a single season.

They need four goals to overtake the 103 scored by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea team in the 2009-10 season.

The 100th goal was scored

by Yaya Toure, who rattled the net on the bank breaker: Manchester City’s Yaya Toure celebrates scoring against Aston Villa in their 4-0 win. The goal was City’s 100th of the season.

third minute of time added on at the end of regulation play. Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic scored the other goals of the match, putting City on the brink of winning the Premier League title.

Dzeko scored a brace in a match that saw all goals come in the second half.

Speaking after the match, City head Coach Pellegrini was quick to hail a performance that ensures City will need just a point against West Ham to win the title, barring a huge swing in goal difference.

“The team was not only very patient, we played very well,” Pellegrini said.

“We pressed well, had possession of the ball. We tried to move the ball as fast as we can and created two or three chances.

“I was absolutely sure if we continued to play the same way we would find the space to score a goal.

“Now we can talk about the title. We must win the last game against West Ham.”

Raikkone will come good, insist Ferrari Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen has been totally outperformed so far by Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso, struggling both in qualifying and in race trim.

However, Ferrari has backed Raikkonen to show his “class” and

recover from a dismal start to the season, while they praised Alonso’s “scavenging” qualities in securing the team’s sole podium in the first four races.

“Kimi is working extremely well with the team, collaborating with

his engineers, with the other car across the garage, helping us to drive this car forwards,” Ferrari’s technical director, James Allison told the official Ferrari website.

“He has class written all over him and we know that within a very

short space of time, we will also be seeing the results on the track.”

Ferrari have already parted ways with Stefano Domenicali, who was replaced as team principal by Marco Mattiacci, a Formula One novice.

Allison was effusive in his praise for Alonso, who dragged his uncompetitive Ferrari to third in Shanghai. “We are very fortunate here at Ferrari to have two such good drivers, two drivers with an impeccable pedigree,” Allison said.

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