201502010 xnews

TUESday, FEBRUARY 10, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

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disingenuos men pretend to like chilli to appear macho, study

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lost benefits east africa could lose out on falling oil prices

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ACCESS denied amina barred from premiere

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Arrest Muchai killers or else.., demand MPs

M

Ps have given Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery up to Thursday to arrest those behind the assassination of their Kabete colleague, George Muchai or risk unspecified action.

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security issued the 72-hour ultimatum on Monday, demanding that the killers be arrested immediately.

While expressing shock over the elimination of the MP, his driver and two

bodyguards, the MPs led by committee Chairman Asman Kamama said if no information is taken, they will use their power to initiate action on security agencies.

“The Government, the Cabinet Secretary and his team should work round the

clock to ensure within 72 hours we have the criminals in custody – we want to know what happened and why the slow reaction otherwise we have our own powers and we will not hesitate to use them,” Kamama said.

“We are saddened and express our

condolences to families of the victims and we are calling on our security agents, right from CID…. we need answers to the killings because if the perpetrators are not brought to book, all of us will be exposed,” said Kamama.

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Spreading love using pencil art Ivana Basa has perfected the art of pencil drawing and now has a legion of fans.

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ULTIMATUM: MPs Asman Kamama (Tiaty), Ndung’u Githinji (Tetu) and Ken Obura (Kisumu Central) speak outside Parliament yesterday. They said if Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery does not arrest those behind the assassination of Kabete colleague George Muchai, they will take unspecified action.

Fashion scoop x-news.co.ke

It is the season for shorts, big hats and sunglasses. Better get with the program.

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NEWS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

MPs demand Muchai killers’ arrest From Page 1 He accused police of taking too long to respond to the shooting that occurred a few metres from the heavily guarded Nyayo House.

“We must be told why officers guarding Nyayo House did not even respond, were they asleep? They should have responded and dealt with the situation,” he said.

Kamama said his committee will recommend the re-evaluation and re-training of bodyguards for VIPs whom they accused of “sleeping on the job.”

“We need to know why our security guards who were with the MP were not alert. When a vehicle is hit, the first thing the officers should do is cock guns and get out and deal with the situation. That did not happen; they were both killed in cold blood,” he said.

“We want to recommend that all officers who are guarding VIPs undergo refresher courses at Ruiru where VIP protection guards are trained so that they can keep abreast with current trends of crime so that they can adequately take care of their bosses,” he said.

MPs have only one bodyguard, but after the threats Muchai had

received, which he reported to the police, he was given an extra officer.

The committee also raised concern over the fact that three days after the four were killed, CCTV footage which was expected to shed more light on the matter was yet to give concrete information, adding to more queries on whether the cameras and the command centre are functional.

“We need to confirm whether it is working, because we expect those who are manning or controlling and commanding CCTV footage to have advised the Rapid Response Unit and Special Crime Prevention unit to block all major roads in the City… the perpetrators should have been arrested,” said Kamama.

MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke

opulence: An inside view of the Galileo Club in Nairobi’s upmarket Westlands suburb where slain Kabete MP George Muchai had spent an evening with his family. A group of MPs have threatened to take unspecified action if Muchai’s killers are not brought to justice.

Why Kenyans will wait longer for lower pump prices

no change: A petrol attendant adjusts prices at a filling station in Nairobi. A survey by Deloitte East Africa shows consumers in East Africa are not likely to benefit from falling global prices for lack of adequate storage capacity.

voxpop....

Residents in East Africa could fail to fully benefit from the falling global oil prices because their countries lack adequate storage facilities, a survey by Deloitte East Africa shows.

“East African countries’ failure to set up sufficient oil storage facilities will mean the region could miss out on a chance to accumulate cheap stockpiles as is the trend abroad,” the research note argues.

In the past few months, global oil prices have more than halved to stand at just below $50 (Sh 4,568) a barrel for the first time since May 2009.

Motorists in the region have complained that the drop in pump prices is not commensurate with the global movement in crude oil prices.

“The plunge in prices of oil has rekindled the debate whether lower prices are cascading down to drivers such as the cost of electricity (generated from fossil fuels) and if travellers are feeling the benefits. When global prices go up, we usually witness the meteoric increase in prices of petrol and all sectors that depend on petroleum products like manufacturing and transportation,” Senior Tax Manager at Deloitte East Africa Joseph Thogo says.

On the flipside, the note argues, the price slump could slow down ongoing oil exploration projects in the region as firms defer new projects with the expectation of higher prices in future.

He says in the past few months, some firms exploring for oil and gas in Kenya have announced plans to cut budgets or scale down operations due to un-favourable market conditions brought about by declining prices.

“This indicates that the projected timeframe and the viability of some of the envisaged projects in East Africa will have to be reconsidered,” Thogo says.

The global oil price drop has been attributed to reduced demand in many countries caused by dull economic growth and global oversupply. Other contributors include successful fracking that has revolutionised production in US and reduced her dependency on oil imports.

The report says the benefits of lower prices should trickle down to end consumers. It estimates that airlines’ fuel bills, which account for the bulk of operating costs, could drop by up to 13 per cent.

The Government plans to end cash dealings in public offices by July. Do you think this will help check corruption in the offices?

George Karitha

Evelyn Moraa I don’t think so. Some Kenyans will still use other ways to engage in corruption. Some can choose to use mobile cash transfers, land, cars and property to bribe others. The cashless system will not have any effect on the war on corruption.

Johntroon Wasonga No. Corruption is deeply ingrained in our culture. It depends on individuals. If they don’t change the mindset, they will find other ways of manipulating the system. It all begins with an individual.

Bernice Nasambu I think it will reduce instances of corruption but technology will be used for some people to maneuver the cashless systems.

The Government needs to look into that as well to ensure the systems are foolproof.

Yes. There will be lower chances of money laundering.

When Government officers are given money for public use they will be more accountable on its use.

This will help reduce corruption.

NEWS 3 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

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Unite to help us, plead the disabled

Men pretend to like chilli just so as to appear macho, new study claims Men who claim to like chilli are suffering in silence as the spicy condiment wreaks havoc on their fragile tongues. According to the latest research into the peppery seasoning, men who claim to like eating extremely hot chilli are only doing it to prove their masculinity.

Food scientists say these men may be driven by society’s culture of praising macho behaviour.

In the study, which is published in the Food Quality and Preference journal, the researchers asked participants to rate a number of foods on a scale to assess their preference for spiciness.

They were then given a number of liquid samples containing either sugar, quinine, salt or capsaicin, the chemical that gives chilli their heat. The results were compared to a personality test to see whether they actually enjoyed the

The Executive Director Ecumenical Disability Advocates Dr Samuel Kabue has called on the organisations fighting for the plight of the disabled in the country to jointly pursue projects that will bring on board the disabled and help them contribute to the country’s economic and social development. He told NGOs to jointly undertake projects aimed at helping those with disabilities to maximally benefit the target.

taste of a sample or whether they were looking for some sort of validation. The results suggests that many men do not actually enjoy the stinging sensation that accompanies spicy food while women do. It suggests that men may be using the spiciness of food as a way of asserting their dominance over their peers. The findings follow another recent study, which found that men who eat the spiciest foods tend to have higher levels of testosterone. “It is possible that the cultural association of consuming spicy foods with strength and machismo has created a learned social reward for men,” says Nadia Byrnes, a Sensory Evaluation Scientists at Pennsylvania State University and lead author of the study.

She adds: “On the other hand, for women, these social forces are not present.”

Man shot while trying to help robbery victim

KNUT: Teachers’ standoff could go international The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has now threatened to take the current wrangles over North Eastern teachers to the International Labour Centre if the Teachers Service Commission fails to meet their demands.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion says the government is not taking the issue seriously because no action has been taken since the schools were opened a month ago.

“We therefore urge the government to fully integrate the affected teachers in whatever action they have purportedly taken to secure their safety rather than the casual nature of address through the media,” he stated.

“In as much as we appreciate and feel hurt within our hearts, the plight of the children and their education, we also pause for a moment and share the grief, the emotional torture and life uncertainties these teachers and their families go through. It is time we fairly balance these compelling interests.”

He insisted that no teacher will

report to their former schools despite the continued intimidation by the Teachers Service Commission which has threatened to sack them.

TSC had initially given the teachers up to Monday 2, 2015 to return to their workstations in North Eastern or risk being sacked. The commission has since extended that deadline to tomorrow.

The over 800 teachers from Mandera, Wajir and Garissa counties remain adamant not to resume work despite threats by the government to sack them, with Deputy President William Ruto now saying they have a last chance to report to work. But Sossion faulted their employer for “continuously advancing the right of the child to education under Article 53 of the Constitution without giving the premium to the inalienable right of the teacher to life and adequate security and to fair labour practice.” He noted that Northeastern political leadership also declared their stand against the teachers.

A man was shot and seriously wounded as he tried to rescue a woman who was being mugged along Ngong Road, Nairobi. The man had jumped out of a moving matatu to rescue a woman who was being mugged by three men when he was shot in the stomach. Police say a matatu driver was headed for the CBD from Ngong when he witnessed the incident.

He stopped the matatu before one of the passengers jumped out to rescue the victim. Police say it was then that one of the attackers shot the man injuring him seriously before they escaped on foot.

Suspect gunned down in Huruma

STERN TURN: KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion. He has said that the government is not taking teachers seriously because no action has been taken since the schools were reopened a month ago.

A suspected thug was last night shot dead in a robbery incident in Huruma area, Nairobi. The slain suspect was in a group of four and were attacking and mugging locals when an alarm was raised. Police say they responded there and killed one suspect before the others accomplices managed to escape on foot. No arrest has been made so far and efforts to trace the other accomplices are ongoing.

WHAT OTHERS SAID TODAY...

Kenyans have Sh 51bn stashed in Swiss banks: Kenyan has been ranked 58th in global list of countries with the most dollar deposits in Swiss banks, at Shs 51.18 billion ($559.8 million). This is according to a leaked report titled Swiss Leaks, compiled by by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICJ). The report further states that the figure is shared among 742 clients collectively hold 1,093 accounts opened between 1975 and 2006, according to the report. The account linked to Kenya with the highest amount of money...

Not one penny more, Serem tells teachers The Salaries and Remuneration Commission has opposed a raise in teachers’ basic salaries in documents filed in court Monday.

Instead, it supported a recommendation by the Teachers Service Commission that the review of salaries and benefits be shelved until a job evaluation covering the entire public sector is carried out. If the judge hearing the labour dispute between the two teachers’ unions and their employer upholds the SRC proposal, this will mean that P1 teachers will continue to earn a basic salary...

Mystery of Sh 51b stashed abroad by Kenya’s richest : Billionaires in Kenya stashed away Sh51 billion ($559.8 million) in a major international bank based in Switzerland, according to a report by a team of international journalists from 45 countries. Among the accounts of interest is one called “Rockland96”, now closed, linked to wealthy gemstone dealer and Machakos Senator Johnston Muthama, the only Kenyan named in the report. The leaked files, based on the inner workings of HSBC’s private banking arm, relate to accounts holding over Sh9.1 trillion...

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NEWS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Bank could face contempt of court charges in city hotel row

MULTIMILLION-SHILLING PROPERTY: The Nairobi Upperhill Hotel. The hotel owner claims that National Bank of Kenya attempted to auction it.

An investor claims that a bank has attempted to auction his multimillion-shillings-worth investment in Nairobi despite a standing court order which had stopped its disposal.

The National Bank of Kenya will now be fighting a contempt of court suit lodged at the high court for advertising the sale of Nairobi Upper Hill hotel through an agent Garam Investments, before it turns its attention on the principal suit pitting it against city hotelier Mr Geoffrey Wahome Muotia.

A judge issued the injunction barely three days before the advert announcing the sale of the prime commercial property with an estimated monthly income of Sh5.4 million was ran in the press. At the same time, the judge handling the case yesterday extended the order stopping further interference in the property.

In the new suit, Mr Muotia wants the bank punished for defying a court order issued on January 23, 2015 which had restrained it from interfering with the property until a civil case he lodged against the institution in connec-

tion with a credit facility is heard and determined. The investment is located along Mawensi Road in the city’s upmarket Upper Hill area and is estimated to cost nearly Sh1 billion.

Lady justice Farah Amin had restrained the bank and its agents, Garam Investments Auctioneers, from “ advertising for sale, selling, disposing or interfering” with the suit property identified as LR No.209/12544 Upper Hill, Nairobi until the dispute is resolved. The judge had said that the bank be prohibited from listing the property and Mr Muotia and his accounts “adversely” in the Kenya Credit Bureau “or in any way clogging the Plaintiffs access to credit facilities in connection with the pending case..

Mr Muotia’s lawyer claims in the suit paper that there are “ulterior motives” at play and that the move by the bank was not only illegal but aimed at wresting the property out of his client’s hands.

The advert which has been annexed to the suit papers states that bidders will be required to pay “a deposit of Sh5 million in cash before being allowed to bid.”

4,500 officials to oversee Homa Bay by-elections The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has hired 4, 500 poll officials to oversee Thursday’s senatorial by-election in Homa Bay County. Among the officials are presiding officers, their deputies, polling clerks and over 100 local and international observers who will ensure the polls are conducted in a free and fair manner. The commission says all the officials have been trained on their duties and will diligently carry out their duties. “Training of poll officials and briefing of security personnel has been done in readiness for the Feb 12th Homa Bay by-elections,” it announced on twitter. A total of eight candidates are contesting in the mini-poll to replace former senator Otieno Kajwang who died in November last year. Kajwang’s younger brother Moses, former Rangwe MP Philip Okundi, former NSSF managing trustee Fred Rabong’o and 2013 elections loser Hillary Alila are

among those eying the seat. Over the last one month, candidates have criss-crossed the vast lakeside county in hunt for votes while seeking to convince the electorate that they will serve their interests better. However, those campaigns have not been incident-free with cases of violence being reported as well as claims that IEBC hired election officials in a biased manner.

But the electoral body was quick to dismiss those claims warning that they could expose the officials to danger. “Malicious allegations towards election officials may expose them to danger, a clear contravention of Paragraph 6(k) (iv) of the Electoral Code of Conduct.

All poll officials appointed and deployed in the Homa Bay by-election are under oath to discharge their duties diligently,” IEBC Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager Ms Tabitha Mutemi said today.

HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING: New IEBC boss Ezra Chiloba Simiyu addressing the press after he was officially sworn in at the Supreme Court. IEBC has hired 4, 500 poll officials to oversee Thursday’s senatorial by-election in Homa Bay County.

BATTERED: Physically abused Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih in her hospital bed .

hoNg koNg WomAN FoUND gUilTY oF phYSicAllY ABUSiNg iNDoNESiAN mAiD A Hong Kong woman has been found guilty of abusing her Indonesian maid in a high-profile case of mistreatment of domestic workers around the globe.

Law Wan-tung was accused of causing grievous bodily harm, criminal intimidation and failure to pay wages. The maid, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, drew global attention last year when she returned to Indonesia and needed hospital treatment. She

testified in court in December that she was abused by Law for several months before she was sent home.

The case drew intense scrutiny in Hong Kong, where a significant number of families rely on domestic helpers. The city’s residents employ about 300,000 maids from other parts of Asia.

It also resonates with harrowing tales of many Kenyans who have been mistreated by their bosses

in the Middle East. So dire is the mistreatment of domestic workers in Asia that a family had to bury their daughter last week in Mombasa following such an ordeal.

Law was found guilty of 18 out of 20 charges laid against her.

The two charges she was not found guilty of related to her treatment of another maid.

She is due to be sentenced later this month. During the trial the

court heard that Law beat Ms Erwiana with various objects including a mop and a hanger - at one point knocking her unconscious - and deprived her of proper food.

At one point Law shoved a vacuum cleaner tube into Ms Erwiana’s mouth and twisted it, injuring her lips; on another occasion Law punched the maid so hard that her incisor teeth fractured.

xnews | Tuesday, FEBRuary 10, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

MAIN STORY

BUSINESS

CBK EXCHANGE RATES 1 US DOLLAR 1 UK POUND 1 EURO 1 S.A RAND 1 KSH/USH 1 KSH/TSH

MEAN 91.2572 139.2250 103.4039 7.9271 31.2434 19.9826

BUY SELL 91.3794 91.3181 139.4611 139.3431 103.5706 103.4872 7.9433 7.9352 31.3948 31.3191 20.1190 20.0508

Kenya,Tanzania bid for consultant to manage cross-border power line Kenya and Tanzania have invited bids for consultancy services to oversee the construction of a 400 kilovolt power line to connect the two countries.

The project is expected to be completed in 23 months from the contract commencement date as announced in a tender. The deadline for bidding is due February 20 this year. The tender did not indicate the cost of the project.

The project which will be about 510 kilometers, aims to meet the growing demand for electricity and also deepen economic ties between the two countries.

According to Reuters, Kenya is tapping geothermal resources in the Rift Valley as part of its broader ambition to add 5,000 megawatts to its electricity output by 2017.

This will add about 1,664 megawatts to the existing capacity. Recent reports from

the Ministry of Energy indicate that only a third of Kenyans are connected to the national grid and the project is expected to boost production and distribution.

The country also has future plans to add 5,000 km of power lines to the existing 3,800-km network by 2017.

Tanzania plans to double its generation capacity to 3,000 megawatts by next year.

CAPACITY BOOST: Kenya and Tanzania have invited bids for consultancy services to manage a 400 kilovolt power line that will connect the two neighbours.

UserTesting lets you know if website users are satisfied

CHANGE DRIVERS: AmplifyChange, a new CSO advocacy fund will disburse at least 14 million euros in its first two years. The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), part of the Consortium Steering Committee for Amplify Change, supports women’s organisations undertaking reproductive health and rights programmes.

Although many businesses, entrepreneurs, individuals and organisations operate websites, few know how visitors react to their content.

They do not know if customers are satisfied or if people are likely to visit the website more than once.

This is why software developers have come up with a tool dubbed UserTesting.

“UserTesting.com lets you ‘look over the shoulder’ of people in your target audience while they use your website,” says one of the tool’s developers.

It allows people who use it to get in-depth

and immediate feedback from users of their websites.

It also allows people visiting a site to send videos of their experiences and written answers to questions on their experience.

A basic UserTesting package costs less than Sh4,500 a month. The tool allows users to get 6six videos that provide feedback from visitors to their websites and data on how the website is being used, among other features.

The tool is available from ‘usertesting. com’.

AmplifyChange floats Sh36m grant for health rights NGOs AmplifyChange, an international social justice group, has invited organisations, networks and coalitions working in sexual and reproductive health rights to apply for €350,000 (Sh36.6 million) funding.

The grant is intended to contribute to building stronger movements that support sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Deadline for applications is February 23, 2015.

Eligible organisations can receive up to Sh36.6 million to implement project

activities for a minimum two years.

Gamala Luitel, spokesperson for AmplifyChange, says organisations must focus on thematic areas revolving around “gender-based violence, access to reproductive health services, areas that address the causes of unsafe abortion, including the criminalisation of abortion and lack of availability and access to comprehensive abortion care services.”

Applicants for the grant can also focus on sexual health of youth in projects that challenge stigma, discrimination,

CITY PLANS

attitudes and laws undermining human rights.

Applicants must be from Sub Sahara Africa and South Asia. Eligible countries include Kenya, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Angola.

Others are Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, CAR, Chad, Comoros, Congo R, Congo DR, Cote D’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Standard Gauge Railway construction underway The construction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is underway and progress has been steady, China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) officials say.

The construction has created employment opportunities for thousands of Kenyans and is expected to save time and reduce the cost of moving goods within the East African region.

The $3.8 billion (Sh347 billion) railway line will link Kenya to Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan through the port of

Mombasa. China Exim Bank will fund 90 per cent of the project that will cover 480 kilometres from Mombasa to Nairobi.

Experts say the railway line will have a direct impact on the cost of commodities that are transported on the railway line. The SGR is expected to cut time passengers take to travel from Mombasa to Nairobi from the current eight to about four and a half hours.

Meanwhile, freight trains on the line will reduce time taken to move cargo between the two

cities to eight hours.

“Everything has been put in place,” Julius Li, Manager of CRBC Liaison Department, said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Speaking on Saturday, he said the Chinese firm had recruited about 8,000 Kenyans to work at different camp sites along the line.

Plans are underway to hire about 30,000 workers in coming months.

Li said the rates CRBC uses to pay staff salaries are among “the highest in the industry.”

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BUSINESS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

East Africa could lose out on falling oil prices East African countries are unlikely to benefit from falling global oil prices due to inadequate storage facilities, a new research paper has indicated.

The research paper dubbed ‘Falling Oil Prices – Winners and Losers’ was released by Deloitte East Africa.

Senior Tax Manager at Deloitte East Africa, Joseph Thogo, called for lower fuel prices experienced

globally to trickle down to end consumers for the benefit of everybody.

“The plunge in prices of oil has rekindled the debate whether lower prices are cascading down to drivers such as the cost of electricity (generated from fossil fuels) and if travelers are feeling the benefits. When global prices go up, we usually witness the meteoric increase in

prices of petrol and all sectors that depend on petroleum products like manufacturing and transportation,” said Thogo.

Thogo added that the decline could also slow down ongoing oil exploration projects in the region, as firms defer new projects with the expectation of higher prices in future.

“In the past few months some firms exploring for oil and gas in

Kenya have announced plans to cut their budgets or scale down operations, citing unfavorable market conditions brought about by the declining prices of crude oil. In Tanzania some players are rescheduling or scaling down,” said Thogo.

The research paper however stated the aviation industry could experience a drop of about 13 per cent in fuel bills.

WAITING: A fuel pump attendant waiting to serve. A new report by Deloitte says that East African countries are unlikely to benefit from falling global oil prices due to inadequate storage facilities.

EXPORT OPP

WTO subsidiary to give avocado farmers and stakeholders Sh91 m boost Avocado farmers and industry stakeholders are set to benefit from a $1 million (Sh91.4 million) project that will help make improvements to the sector.

The project is the brainchild of the International Trade Centre (ITC), a subsidiary organisation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that provides traderelated assistance to countries across the globe.

Promoting the avocado sector in Kenya will generate new export revenue for the country and create employment for its young and dynamic labour force, ITC Director of Market Development, Mr Anders Aeroe has said.

Speaking during a recent briefing at the launch of the project in Nairobi, he explained that it would help local farmer groups through technical and

hands-on training to “assist them in compliance with quality certifications required to export their products.”

“They will be introduced to good agricultural practices including production, pre-and postharvest activities and addressing challenges related to fruit fly infestation,” he added.

The avocado project is currently being effected as part of a group effort with the Horticultural Crops Directorate, the Export Promotion Council of Kenya and the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.

This project, which will run from this month until July 2017. It will see Kenyan exporters learning about export planning, development and implementation, marketing, utilising trade information and quality management.

PRICE DRIVER Banking experts predict slash in lending rates Desperate Kenyans looking for bank loans will soon be able to pay less in terms of interest, a banker has revealed.

Barclays Bank of Kenya Business Banking Director, Humphrey Muturi is foreseeing a continuous reduction in interest rates in the next 12 months after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) lowered the Kenya Banks Reference Rate (KBRR) by 0.6 per cent.

The KBRR is a recently-

introduced system used to help set the rates at which banks and other lenders charge their customers for loans.

Muturi said the lowering of the KBRR to 8.54 per cent from 9.13 per cent will see interest rates lowered.

Speaking earlier this month, he explained that the drop in the KBRR “conveys an immediate benefit to customers.”

Muturi also attributes the

lowering of interest rates to the reduction in global oil prices which will lower the import bills which will result in lower reduction on inflation.

He said lowering of the interest rates will see an increase in investments in the country as it will now be easy to access cheap loans from banks.

Currently commercial banks average lending rates stand at 15.94 percent.

U.K. readying contingency plans on possible Eurozone exit for Greece

CONTINGENCY PLANNING: U.K. Treasury chief George Osborne (R) and Prime Minister David Cameron speak to business leaders in Leeds, England.

The U.K. government is stepping up contingency planning to prepare for a possible Greek exit from the eurozone and the market instability such a move would create, U.K. Treasury chief George Osborne said on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury declined comment on the details of the contingency planning.

The U.K. government has said the standoff between Greece’s new

antiausterity government and the eurozone is increasing the risks to the global and U.K. economy.

“That’s why I’m going tomorrow to the G-20 [Group of 20] to encourage our partners to resolve this crisis. It’s why we’re stepping up the contingency planning here at home,” Mr. Osborne told the BBC in an interview. “We have got to make sure we don’t, at this critical time when Britain is also facing a critical

choice, add to the instability abroad with instability at home.” Mr. Osborne is on Monday heading to Istanbul for talks with other finance officials from the G-20.

Alan Greenspan , former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, said in a separate interview that he believed Greece would eventually leave the eurozone. He told the BBC he couldn’t see who would be willing to put up more loans to bolster the country’s struggling economy.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

ACCESS topstory

fashion

SCOOP

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Entertaining, but not ground-breaking. This is how we would rate the 2015 Grammy Awards

ALL ABOUT THE

GRAMMYS 2015

Madonna

T Nicki Minaj In the past, the Grammys were always an assurance of drama, risqué outfits and controversial wins; everyone still remembers Toni Braxton’s white bandage dress from 2001.

HOT TOPICS

Kanye

he 57th Grammy awards were held on Sunday night at The Staples Center, Los Angeles and it was a decidedly low-key affair.

Celebrities came out decked to the nines and by all appearances everybody brought out their A game. Nicki Minaj’s black Tom Ford gown that left just enough to the imagination attracted a large amount of attention and Rihanna’s gigantic powdery pink gown almost swallowed her up. Lady gaga surprised everyone by showing up looking nothing like the musical gimmick that people know her for. She looked ‘real’ in her metallic Brandon Maxwell gown.

In the past, the Grammys were always an assurance of drama, risqué outfits and controversial wins; everyone still remembers Toni Braxton’s white bandage dress from 2001. This year’s Grammys, although as glamourous as any of the rest, lacked a certain flare that past shows had. As everyone was waiting for a nip-slip and wardrobe malfunctions, the celebs decided they would be on their best behaviour.

Sam Smith was the undisputed king of the Grammy Awards this year. Beating out Taylor Swift’s mass appeal, Ed Sheeran’s soul stirring raw talent and the mammoth that is the Beyoncé machine, bagging multiple award including the covetous Record of the Year.

This was definitely no easy feat especially considering he was relatively unknown in the international charts just a year ago. What

really stood out was his apparent humility that went with winning 4 trophies at the music world’s biggest stage, calling it ‘the best night of his life’ and dedicating his awards to the mysterious individual who broke his heart.

Performances for the night were also very much solemn and an opportunity for musicians to exercise a little bit of activism.

Katy Perry, looked angelic while singing ‘By the Grace of God’ and dedicating it to a survivor of domestic abuse. Mary J Blige and Grammy golden boy Sam Smith performed his moving smash hit ‘Stay with me’ while singer Usher gave a touching tribute to Stevie Wonder. The odd pairing of Paul McCartney, Kanye west and Rihanna did a satisfactory job with their song ‘FourFiveSeconds’ although the song itself did seem to be playing it safe considering the amount of talent the three very different musicians could deliver. Pharrell Williams continued to push the limits of conventional fashion by performing dressed as a bell hop.

His performance was no doubt fun but his outfit has garnered a fair bit of criticism on social media for perpetuating the minstrel character African American artistes have tried to overcome.

Madonna’s innovative performance left everyone amazed out with her occultist overtones, but she was entertaining nonetheless.

The only notable point of controversy at

Lupita Nyong’o spitting Tattu girl’s Lupita2015 Image of mum new jam

Mum 1983

Yesterday, Lupita shared a throwback pic of her mother on social media. In the picture Lupita appears to be the spitting image of her mother 32 years ago.

The Hollywood star captioned it: “Like mother (1983), like daughter (2015) #Ohtobehalfthewomanmymumis!”

tonight

Angela Ndambuki, one third of the one-time hot girl group Tattu will be launching her new song at Tribeka tonight. The song dubbed Ni wewe is a love song for someone special, definitely in line with the season.

the awards was when musician Beck, who also performed on the night, went away with the Album of the Year award, which might arguably be the biggest award of the Grammys. This came as a shock to almost everyone because odds were on Beyoncé walking away with the honour this year. This will go down as another year that the Album of the Year award eludes her.

Which also creates speculation about who exactly chooses these winners and the patriarchal nature of the music industry.

Kanye West brought some comic relief to an otherwise dull night by getting up on stage as Beck was about to make his award speech, hearkening back to 2009 when he did the same thing to Taylor Swift, but this time he played nice and saved the rant for later on E live, where he went on and on about artistry.

It does seem that for Kanye if it isn’t Beyonce then it is no one!

Was the awards show worth watching? A resolute yes! Celebrities used their positions to bring attention to issues that affect us daily.

Although there was talk that the number was supposed to be soul singer Ledisi’s, Beyoncé’s closing ceremony performance was a beautiful tribute to ending police violence in a memorable way.

Though the public, sadly, still has no clear idea who chooses the winners of these awards. The debate rages on and those who want to win next year can get back in to the studio!

Do you want a Valentine’s date with Elani?

Elani is one of the fastest rising band in Kenya today.

The bad has announced that they would like to share V day with a fan. All one has to do is to take part in the daily challenge. The winners will get to go on a date with their favourite Elani member.

8

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26th NOVEMBER 10, 2015 2014

ARTWORLD

the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.

OUR R00TS

The cut according to the Abagusii

Using pencils to spread

W

hile most people would unleash the latest weapons in their arsenal to create awareness on a topic, Ivana Basa would rather go soft and peaceful in her choice of artillery. The pencil is her weapon of choice to spread her message of love and self-expression.

As a pencil and charcoal artist, she quietly sits down at a corner minding her own business. She would pass as an ordinary Joe, just whiling away time, but in the real sense she is usually taking in her environment. Her eyes stealthily comb her environs as she picks up even the most subtle detail in the surrounding.

To her, it is the little details that count. Her strong observation skills and attention to detail come in handy in getting the most out of the environment. She transfers what she sees and hears onto

paper in a magical way, a fete she has been able to master with years of practice. Pencil and charcoal based drawings are delicate and require upmost concentration to come up with.

There is no room for mistakes.

She started drawing at a tender age and like fine wine, her skills seem to be getting better by the day.

“I was raised in a family which understands and appreciates art. My parents recognized my skills and began harnessing and nurturing them by enrolling me for art classes.

I was keen to learn all I could and worked under the guidance of various artists in my hometown in Serbia,” said Ivana.

Ivana loves to create art which imparts deep imprints on her clients leaving them yearning for more. While some of her art does not land on the collectors walls, if

lOve

they make it to an exhibition or carry a for sale sticker, they fly off her gifted hands.

“Sometimes my aim is not to sell every piece. Such pieces are priceless as some are too personal and intimate,” she said.

Her passion for art has seen her traverse the globe to display her pieces in numerous exhibitions alongside upcoming and established artists. Although she has never been in Kenya physically, she has caused quite a stir in the country’s art industry.

She has a mutual relationship with a number of local artists who look up to her and get inspiration from her drawings. She also draws some inspiration from the country’s rich culture.

“I have made many Kenyan friends through social media and would really love to visit the country.

There is something vibrant

and authentic about Kenyan art and so far I have a few pieces in my collection. There are some Kenyan artists who collect my pieces which is an exemplary illustration of the universal language of art which transcends all boundaries,” beams Ivana. She is currently liaising with a group of local artists to strengthen the ties between Europe and Africa through art.

“I am literally in love with Kenyan art. We are organizing an exhibition which will feature both Kenyan and European artists to provide a platform to share and exchange ideas,” said Ivana.

If and when the planned exhibition will ever materialize is unknown. One thing is certain though, if it does happen, the country should brace itself for an explosion of beautiful artwork.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been around for centuries in some of the communities in Kenya.

For ages, FGM had been considered a rite of passage for young girls.

Once they went under the knife, they became women, they were no longer girls. In the Abagusii community, FGM was revered and celebrated.

When one is being circumcised, they are woken up bright and early in the morning by women singing and chanting. During the ceremony, the girl’s mother is not supposed to be present. Reason being, when they hear the cries for help of their daughter, they will want to help and alleviate the pain their child is going through. While the women were singing at the top of their voices, FGM was performed on the scared young girl and the noise from the singing drowned out her screams of anguish. The community practiced FGM type one which involved partial or total removal of the clitoris. It was considered a taboo if one was not circumcised.

In the Abagusii community, a woman who was not circumcised was considered unclean because the clitoris made them sexually active. They also believed that FGM brought on respect among the girls.

It was also difficult for a girl who was ‘unclean’ to get married. She would fetch a lower bride price than the one who has been circumcised. So a negotiation bench mark for the bride price was always the circumcision status of the girl.

As time went by, younger and younger girls were put under the knife because it was believed that they could cope better than the adults, they are easier to convince and heal faster.

Today FGM is still there even though the government banned the practice. NGO’s and human rights groups are constantly being seen working towards eradicating FGM.

artshock

High Heel Art by Haris Jusovic Haris Jusovic is a graphic designer and visual artist from Sarajevo, Bosnia. He has captured the art community by storm with his representation of everyday objects as high heels.

Combining fantasy and

reality, the artist is able to stretch and open the mind of his audience through his art. The illustrations are Jusovic’s way of showing how an industry can be influenced by the environment and civilization. The artist has won countless wards while in college for his numerous projects. The inspiration of the heel art comes from chairs and their overall structure.

9

ACCESS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

GrowinG up and GrowinG toGether as a couple is imperative for the survival of any relationship.

aboutLove

are you bored in

Hot toPICS

your relationship?

T

his is a valid question that many couples at one time or another might have to face. What differentiates the outcome is how one couple deals with it as compared to another.

There are no hidden truths that will probably come to light in this article because the thing about boredom is that it tends to fester.

Growing up and growing together as a couple is imperative for the survival of any relationship.

That is the tried and tested truth but time and distance can do a damage to a relationship especially if it is a long term one.

Routine is usually established to maintain order and efficiency but the words ‘order’ and ‘efficiency’ are not necessarily words anyone wants to hear right next to the word ‘relationship’. Routine could be a major cause of boredom as everything about the relationship becomes predictable and monotonous. Which is quite a challenge to young people especially who require a lot of stimulation.

After the infatuation has died down all you are left with is the bare facts. This might lead to some revelations that you truly did not know who your partner is and others about the nature of your relationship. When two people met each other the initial feeling can be quite overwhelming and overpowering, but that feeling never enough to sustain an entire relationship. This could even

make both partners feel like they are trapped in a relationship they had no true desire to be in to begin with.

Sex can be a maker or a deal breaker in relationships and could play a bigger role in the death of one more times than not. In a perfect world everyone would have happy, healthy, not to mention interesting sex lives but that is not always the case. This could be another facet where the routine issue arises, doing the same thing every day, lack of spontaneity and lack of openness can cause a rift between two people.

If you one day wake up and happen to realize you have no idea and no interest in the person you are tied to it could mean you have grown bored in your relationship. Growing apart has very many signs; picturing yourself single when you are already with someone, not going the extra mile to make each other happy or even constantly reminiscing about past lovers are all indications something has gone off its intended course.

This being Valentine’s week, love is in the air and there should be no reason for anyone in an otherwise fulfilling relationship to feel like they have grown weary in their situation. Doing simple things can be done to get your relationship back on the right track.

Without proper communication a relationship is effectively

doomed and so just by increasing the number of interactions a couple has could help bring them closer.

Although jobs can be high pressure and demanding finding time for each other to do something special together is crucial. Couples sometimes lose track of the things that brought them together in the first place.

Taking time off for coupletime is not only a bonding experience but can be a lot of fun.

One thing that couples also forget is to take time DSTV left nothing to chance when they officially for themselves.

Giving launched Maisha Superstars at the Aqua lounge in each other the space to be Westlands. The show will air on Maisha Magic every themselves and maintain their Monday at 8pm. Nameless who is one of the mentors individuality means that each for the show was a no show at the premier but Rabbit partner can explore who they and Eric Wainaina were in attendance. The organisers are while exploring who their also announced that the rookies will be kept a secret partner is and who they want to until the fourth episode. be.

This Valentine’s Day, try to reconnect.

maisha superstar officially on

Routine could be a major cause of boredom as everything about the relationship becomes predictable and monotonous.

asK dr X

amina denied entry to her own gig!

T

here was an awkward moment at the Maisha Supersta r premier when Amina, the hos t of the show was denied entry to the venue because her name wa s not on the guest list. The pre senter was in shock as she was told she could not be let in.

I want to meet my daddy

Dear Dr X, When I was a toddler, I couldn’t understand why I didn’t have a father. But when I was 10 years old, my mother addressed the issue. He left her when she was pregnant with me and married another woman. She tried to reach out after I was born but he was still cold. So she gave up on him and raised me by herself. My mom has

struggled to give me more than I need. She is my strength and joy but a part of me feels so empty. A void that my dad left and can never be filled. That is why I want to meet him and hear his side of the story. How do I do this without hurting my mother? —Anita.

Dear Anita,

Every child deserves to be with both parents in

their lives. But it is very unfortunate not all children get this precious moment either because death robs them this joy or like in your case, parents walk out on them. Your father definitely owes you answers but you cannot seek them behind your mother’s back.

Just as she opened up to you about him, approach her politely and lay out your desire.

Chances are she knows

Send your agonising queries to drx@x-news.co.ke

how to contact your father.

However, she may not second your quest in efforts to save you a heart break. Because no one can guarantee finding your father will give you all that you are looking for.

Her fear that you may face rejection again could trigger overprotectiveness which will lead to a disagreement.

But if she gives it a nod, you should prepare for anything

from your dad. This is a very delicate issue whose end result will affect you in many ways. Be sure you really want to delve into this and involve your mother in every step.

Should things turn ugly, you can at least still count on her support. If things turn out to be better, you would need her to understand that too.

Good luck.

Dr X.

10

ACCESS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

FASHIONScoop

IT IS THE SEASON FOR SHORT dRESSES, BIG HATS ANd SUNGLASSES, WE SUGGEST YOU GET IN WITH THE PROGRAM IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREAdY — THESE GIRLS @FHT GOT THE MEM0

The sunglasses bring the outfit to life

Krupa Patel debbie

Payal Radia

And that is how to dress for the weather!

A flowing dress is just perfect for the occasion

The hat stole the show

Shivani Radia

Nancy Wansato

We like!

Simple and gorgeous

Fashion dictates that we mix and match outfits but she nailed it!

Pinky Ghelani Susan Wong You cannot go wrong with the cowboy hat

dorothy Angelick

Sylvia Njoki

Coloured prints have never look so beautiful

Anne Kiguta

WOW!

Sharon Mundia

filmlab

The Boy Next door BEST...

Rating: PG 13 Time: 2hr 1 min Cast: Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer, Gillian Jacobs Genre: Drama

With a great cast, the movie manages to hit the point home in regards to race and relationships.

A grandfather finds himself bereaved after his wife dies. He is left to take care of his grand-daughter. He is drawn in to a custody battle over his granddaughter when he paternal grandmother goes to court. The little girl is put between two fighting families who love her immensely.

Our rating: H H

Our rating: H H H Rating: R Time: 1hr 31 min Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, & Ian Nelson Genre: Mystery & Suspense

Black or White

This movie is badly directed and even worse it was badly edited. Some projects are not worth pursuing for an actor.

The movie gets a major thumbs down not really worth the watch.

A forbidden attraction goes too far. A newly divorced woman falls hopelessly in love with a young man who recently just moved in across the street. The innocent love affair quickly turns psychotic.

Jupiter Ascending The special effects and cinematography is on point but the characters do not gel well together leaving a gap.

Jupiter Jones is the caretaker and is now being targeted by the ruthless son of a different planet. The planet needs a new heir and all signs point to Jupiter so she travels from earth to the planet in the company of a warrior to end the evil son’s tyrant rule.

Our rating: H H H Rating: PG 13 Time: 2hr 7 min Cast: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean Genre: Action & Adventure

PLAY 11 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

WEATHERFORECAST

DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 Ignore those people who try to provoke you. Don’t get involved in conflicts that could degenerate into fights. Go somewhere to be alone. Reenergize by really listening to your desires, feelings, and instincts. Why not spend the afternoon in a museum, for example?

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 However, when you think you’re being determined but you’re actually being obstinate, you may want to listen to the people around you. They don’t tell you to calm down because they’re jealous of you but because they care about you. They may not know that you hate to lose.

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 You aren’t the first one to have to deal with old issues that probably aren’t as shameful as you think. You don’t have to be proud of them. You can’t keep hiding them from yourself. This could cause more problems than dealing with them once and for all.

TUESday 10/02/2015

sunny

28

26ºC 33%

WEDNEsday 11/02/2015

More sun than clouds

29 6:42 am 6:52 pm

27ºC 26%

6:42 am 6:52 pm

THURSday

29

Fill in the blanks with the numbers 1-9. every row, column and 3x3 box must contain all nine digits with no repeated number.

Friday’s Solution

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 It scares you when life seems like it’s slipping through your fingers and you can’t slow it down.

But it isn’t life that’s playing tricks on you. You aren’t seeing things as clearly as you should be.

You feel a little left out, but don’t worry. You’re just out of energy.

Sudoku

TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 When you were younger, your humanity and generosity seemed limitless. You felt very involved in the world and what was going wrong with it. Today you may remember these great dreams. It may be time to make some of those dreams come true.

GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 Today you can no longer stand the thought of all those children living in misery, victims of war or other atrocities. And this becomes especially painful when you take a look at the happy children full of joy around you. You may think that it’s time for you to do something about it.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 The period you’re in right now is bringing you closer to social issues or humanitarian causes and pushing you to think about what you can do for people less fortunate. You can help develop a new strategy as far as human relations are concerned.

LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 Unfortunately, Leo, this may be a period of conflict and tension in your family life, especially where siblings are concerned. Don’t you think it’s time to deal with these problems once and for all? It would be nice to build a new relationship with them.

VIRGO Aug 23- Sep 22 Things are going well as you reap the rewards of important past decisions you made. The obstacles that tended to get in your way are history now. Your family is happy and healthy.

Your success is encouraging you to make plans for the future.

MUSTREAD

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 You need to be more spontaneous, Libra, and stop trying to organize other people’s lives. You will see that it isn’t so hard to just let things happen. You’re a slave to routine. You need to take a big bite out of life and put your trust in chance for a while. Listen to them.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 You’re a hard worker, Scorpio, and you expect the same from the people around you. Today you may want to take a look at your personal and work relationships. Demanding person that you are, you may be concerned about the quality of your friendships.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 Watch for any errors in orientation or strategic mistakes, Sagittarius. You may be having some communication problems with almost everyone today. You feel like whatever you say falls on deaf ears and that no one really wants to listen to you. Don’t get frustrated.

INSTAMOMENTS 1

3

2

4

YOURSAY

Kintu Kidda of Buddu Province, in Buganda Kingdom, sets out on a journey to the capital to pledge allegiance to the new Kabaka. He travels with an entourage of men, among whom is his adoptive son Kalema.

Kalema is trying his luck in the capital as his real father had requested. On their way to the city, Kintu, in a feat of anger, strikes Kintu on the head and kills him. After returning home, Kintu cannot bring himself to tell Ntwire, Kalema’s father, what actually transpired. Ntwire utters out a curse that puts Kintu’s household in suffering that spans generations. The current generation cannot explain the spate of misfortunes and mental illnesses that are plaguing the family until they make the link with what transpired generations ago.

Vote for winning pick of today’s top three instamoments (below) by sending an email with the picture number to: play@x-news.com

Friday’s winning photo

Send a caption for the photo above with your name and location to: play@x-news.co.ke .The winning caption gets published on this page.

Govt should reveal Muchai’s killers The Government always comes out to declare that no stone will be left unturned in investigations pertaining to deaths of high-profile individuals.

However, we have never

Kintu — Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

really seen the products of the investigations. We are left wondering just how many more stones must be turned before we can start believing the Government.

Kabete MP George

Muchai was murdered and we expect the Government to quickly move all stones that need to turn and tell us who killed him.

— ­ Patricia Kamau, Nairobi

winning captions

1. Poor sheep, James Ngoira, Nairobi 2. Just slaughter them, if protecting them is this pointless, Muki, Nrb 3. Next they will poison the sheep for protection of humans-RT, Nrb

12

PLAY

TUESDAY, FEBUARY 10, 2015

CROSSWORD Across 1. Yipping littermates 5. Basic math.

10. Trails off 14. Foster a felon 15. A lot, to Luís 16. Recommend publicly 17. Blushing 19. Prefix with scope or logical 20. Verdi aria 21. Feature of Granny Smiths 23. Actress-writer Chase 26. “Gone With the Wind” family 27. Buckle 32. “___ Wiedersehen” (German goodbye) 33. New Age pianist 34. Razor-wielding philosopher 38. Boxing match results 40. Nag’s outburst 42. The Platters player 43. Lemon peels, e.g.

45. Playwright ___ Fugard 47. Sandy’s remark 48. Vent one’s anger 51. Preserve in a way 54. Former frosh 55. Haberdashery pins 58. Icelandic coin 62. One-fourth of MIV 63. Describing certain wearing apparel 66. Football game division 67. Songstress Gorme 68. Word after blue, green or brown 69. Sailor’s shout 70. Administered medicine to 71. G.O.P.’s opposition

Down 1. Reduce, as expenses 2. Opposite of unter, in German 3. Kind of cure 4. Reception problem 5. Grp. pledged to “do no harm” 6. Cause friction 7. Noted rapper/actor 8. “Take___Train” 9. 30 Souped-up wheels 10. Tribal ruler 11. May be a Bronx cheerleader 12. Anatomical sac 13. German sculptor and wood carver Veit 18. Huffish 22. Van Gogh’s brother 24. Group investigated in “Mississippi Burning” 25. Virgil’s wanderer 27. Good last name for a veterinarian 28. Cook in the microwave 29. Space opera crafts 30. Build a bloc 31. Hotel stays 35. Giuseppe’s good-bye 36. Curly coif 37. Peeve 39. Layer 41. Hearty laugh 44. Room in una casa 46. One suffering from Hansen’s disease 49. Hit with force 50. Like dove, love and glove, e.g.

51. ___ Sketch: drawing toy 52. After Jonah 53. Mario’s “handsome” 56. Fight stopper 57. Caesar and Vicious, e.g.

59. Funnywoman Martha 60. Bibliography word 61. Dark wines 64. Eli anagram 65. Voluminous ref. work

DAILY WISDOM “Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.”

—Ecclesiastes 4:13 “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life-think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, and this is the way great spiritual giants are produced. Others are mere talking machines.”

— Swami Vivekananda “He (Muhammad peace be upon him) also said: “I enjoin you to be truthful, for truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man may continue to tell the truth and endeavour to be truthful until he is recorded with Allaah as a speaker of truth. And beware of lying, for lying leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to Hell. A man may continue to tell lies and endeavour to tell lies, until he is recorded with Allaah as a liar.”

— al-Bukhaari (5743) and Muslim (2607).

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

—Buddha “Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.”

— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

— Francis of Assisi

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

Sport TUESday, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Moi, Pangani in schools’ league roaring start Moi Nairobi and Pangani started their 2015 campaign on resounding note as the secondary schools hockey league got underway over the weekend at Moi Girls grounds.

Debutant Ngara Girls lost the opening clash to Pangani and former Nairobi champions Hillcrest. Hannah Wasidiwa scored a brace as defending champions Moi Girls beat Loreto Msongari 5-0.

Wasidiwa says they target to defend the title. “Starting the campaign with victory is one way of reaffirming our desire to defend the title….it’s a long way to go but we have to keep our eyes on the prize,” she said.

Sarah Bahati, Casandra Dacha and Mercy Cherono completed a goals fest with one goal each for Amai Olubai side.

Earlier, Bahati scored twice to lead Moi Girls to a 3-0 win over Parklands Arya as Cherono

ROARING START: Mt Laverna (above) have dominated the Nairobi Secondary Schools Sports Association girls’ hockey league. Moi Nairobi and Pangani started the 2015 campaign on roaring note after winning their opening ties over the weekend at Moi Girls grounds. moved her goal tally of the day to two with the third.

Hillcrest scored a record 13 goals in three matches.

Kianda, who suffered 7-0 thrashing, were their first casualty before beating Ngara and Kenya High with an identical 3-0 margin. Hailey Gitau scored a brace as Hillcrest dominated

play against a disorganised Kianda. Megan McLeon, Marina Rozanski, Kirsty McLeon, Noa Ohana and Maryanne Mudavadi scored a goal each Kitsy Mclean showed her scoring prowess in the second match when she sounded the board twice against Kenya High.

Megan Mclean added a third.

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14

SPORT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Sachania to unveil red hot Fiat Punto S2000 Safaricom Soya Winner of Sportsman with a disability 2014 trophy Nikhil Sachania is planning to unveil his Fiat Grande Punto S2000 ahead of the 2015 Kenya National Rally Championships season opener in Kisumu.

His machine will increase the number of S2000s in Kenya to 4 cars. Currently Alastair Cavenagh and his former Dalbit Petroleum teammate Carl “Flash” Tundo are running the Malaysia’s Proton

Neo Satria S2000 while Tigoni based Quentin Mitchell is anticipating to drive his Scoda Fabia S2000 for the second time in Kisumu.

The youngest driver last year Karan Patel, who won both the KNRC Division 3 and ‘S’ Class championship in his first year of racing is upgrading from the ex-Baldev Chager Subaru GC8 to a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. “To drive a

car that was previously driven by Baldev Chager felt special last year. I knew I had big shoes to fill but I feel I have what it takes to climb to the top with a faster car. The GC8 is said to be a good car to start rallying with and it has taught me a lot so far. I keep improving on my driving skills each time I start a

stage,” said Karan.

Defending KNRC champion Baldev ‘Boldy’ Chager and his Kabras Sugar team-mates Onkar Rai and Tejveer Rai had earlier announced they have no immediate plans to join the S2000 euphoria and clarified that they will be sticking with EVOXs.

DUST SPUR: A Fiat Grande Punto S2000 in a past KCB rally edition. Safaricom Soya Winner of Sportsman with a disability 2014 trophy Nikhil Sachania is planning to unveil his Punto S2000 ahead of the 2015 KNRC season opener in Kisumu.

Woakes stars as England cruise to warm-up victory over West Indies England beat West Indies by nine wickets in their first World Cup warm-up match in Sydney.

West Indies won the toss but lost both Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo first ball in Chris Woakes’s opening over to leave them 1-2, and they struggled to 35-4.

Lendl Simmons (45) top scored but only three of his team-mates reached double figures as they were skittled for 122 with seamer Woakes claiming 5-19.

Moeen Ali hit 46 as England cruised to victory with 27.1 overs to spare.

Although England took the opportunity to rest front-line pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad,

their remaining bowlers found easy pickings against a disappointing Windies batting line-up. After Woakes combined with keeper Jos Buttler to remove Gayle and Bravo off successive deliveries, he nearly had three in three as Marlon Samuels came within a whisker of edging the hat-trick ball - although the unofficial nature of these warm-up matches, with all 15 World Cup squad players able to take part, would have denied him a one-day international hat-trick. England take on Pakistan at the same venue on Wednesday in their second and final warm-up match before the tournament begins.

QUICK REFLEXES: Jonathan Carter of West Indies and England’s James Tredwell during their first World Cup warm-up match in Sydney, Australia.

Bubka to challenge Sebastian Coe for IAAF presidency Ukrainian Sergey Bubka will challenge fellow Olympic champion Sebastian Coe for the presidency of the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Bubka, a former pole vaulter, won an Olympic gold in 1988 as well as six consecutive world championship titles.

The 51-year-old, who also set 35 world records, wants to replace Lamine Diack when he steps down in August.

Bubka, who is head of his country’s Olympic Committee, said he wanted to build on the work of Diack, adding: “We also need to provide greater grassroots support to inspire the next

generation of athletes.

“We need to better engage with young people and build new audiences; and we need to ensure protection of clean sport.”

THE OTHER MAN: Ukrainian Sergey Bubka. He will challengecandidates fellow Olympic Potential for champion Coemust for the IAAFSebastian presidency the presidency ofwith the IAAF. register

by May, the

SPORT 15 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Ivory Coast Afcon victory elates Drogba Didier Drogba showed his human side when he joined the celebration of his country’s achievement of winning the African cup of Nations at Equatorial Guinea Sunday night.

The Cote d’ Ivoire legend (inset) and former captain had led the team to two other finals in Egypt 2006 and GabonEquatorial Guinea 2012 when they lost on both occasions on penalties to Egypt and Zambia respectively.

He watched from the comfort of his home in London as his compatriots battled through another gruelling finals that also ended goal-less and the nerve racking penalty shootout that ensued once again.

It was pure agony turned to ecstasy as Drogba posted a video on his Instagram account showing the moment when Copa Barry’s last kick sealed the victory, and he jumped for joy alongside his family.

who’s tougher? A Nakumatt player vies for the ball with a Thika United rival in a friendly tie in Nairobi.

Nakumatt secretary Albert Wesonga has hailed his side’s 2-2 draw against Zambia’s Power Dynamo at the weekend.

Nakumatt boss hails draw against Dynamo Nakumatt secretary Albert Wesonga has hailed the team’s efforts after the newly promoted side settled for 2-2 draw with visiting Zambian side Power Dynamo at the weekend.

The newly-promoted Kenya Premier League side who are preparing for

a KPL debut season settled for a draw against a side that thumped champions Gor Mahia 3-0 last week.

Nakumatt lost 1-0 to last year’s runners-up Sofapaka last week.

The tactician says his players understand that the stakes are high in

United cracked Hammers with long balls, says Allardyce West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says Manchester United resorted to “thump it forward and see” tactics to salvage a point at Upton Park.

United trailed to Cheikhou Kouyate’s sublime volley before Daley Blind levelled in the 93rd minute.

“We couldn’t cope with long balls Manchester United kept putting in the box,” said Allardyce.

“It was just thump it forward and see what they could get. In the end, it paid off for them.”

United manager Louis van Gaal insisted the tactics were necessary after a lacklustre first half from his side left him “disappointed” and “frustrated”.

“I cannot say I am very happy with the point, because I’m very disappointed about the poor first half and we can do much better,” the Dutchman said.

“We need the guts to play football along the floor. That we have done in the second half.”

United finished the game with 10 men when Luke Shaw was sent off in the closing minutes after being booked for a second time for a foul on Stewart Downing.

“It was tactically not so smart of Shaw,” said Van Gaal. “I think the referee could give him a yellow card, but he doesn’t touch him.”

United would have moved to within three points of second-placed Manchester City with a win.

“It is a missed chance,” said Van Gaal, who host Burnley on Wednesday.

top flight football.

“Considering we were playing against one of the top clubs in Zambia, the turnout was good and I believe we have a bright future,” said Wesonga.

“This goes to show the team is ready to play in top flight league and we are

looking forward to the start of the season,” he said.

Wesonga said their recent training camp in Naivasha had benefited the players who are ready for the challenges of top-flight football.

IN CLOUD NINE: Ivory Coast skipper Yaya Toure celebrates a goal with a teammate at the just ended Africa Cup of Nations. Toure described winning the CAN cup as “unbelievable” after the Elephants beat Ghana in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Toure salutes Ivory Coast after Cup glory Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure described winning the Africa Cup of Nations as “unbelievable” after the Elephants beat Ghana in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry scored the decisive spot-kick to seal a 9-8 win on penalties after Sunday’s final had ended goalless after extra time.

Toure, who won the Premier League with City last season, said: “When you win with your club, it’s quite amazing.

“With your country, it’s unbelievable.”

Ivory Coast’s only other Africa Cup of Nations success was in 1992, when they also played Ghana

in the final and beat them on penalties.

That year, Ivory Coast triumphed 11-10 after a goalless draw, but Barry’s heroics prevented as many spot kicks being needed this time.

With the shoot-out in sudden death, Barry first saved Ghana keeper Brimah Razak’s effort before firing in the winner at Estadio de Bata in Equatorial Guinea.

It cemented a historic achievement for Herve Renard, who became the first coach to win two Africa Cup of Nations with different countries, following Zambia’s success in 2012.

“Without the manager we would have won nothing,”

Ivory Coast captain Toure said. “He made things difficult for me. He told me if I didn’t run he’d kick me out. He’s fantastic.”

Defeat for Ghana coach Avram Grant revived memories of the 2008 Champions League final when his Chelsea side lost 6-5 on penalties to Manchester United. John Terry then slipped and hit the post when he struck the ball.

“We did practise penalties on the day before the match, but it is not the same as when you take them in front of spectators.

“Both sides had 11 kicks which meant it went down to the goalkeepers.”

xnews | tuesday, february 10, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

TOURE SALUTES TEAM MATES AFTER CUP GLORYread p15

S TA R - L I N G : Raheem Sterling in action last season. The Reds forward is set to put pen to paper on an ‘incredible’ deal. Brendan Rodgers however has warned Sterling’s agent that Liverpool will not be held to ransom over the new deal.

Sterling’s ‘incredible’ offer Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling has been offered an “incredible” new contract, but will not get “too much too young”, according to manager Brendan Rodgers.

The 20-year-old’s current deal runs until 2017, but a new contract has been on the table for more than a month.

This comes as Liverpool host Tottenham

at Anfield tonight in what is a vital clash in the race for the Premier League’s top four. Brendan Rodgers’ side have found their form in recent weeks and are now just five points away from the Champions League places after a run of eight games without defeat - the longest current unbeaten run in the division.

Liverpool, who can move to within a

point of Spurs with victory, were held to a goalless draw against rivals Everton last time out but will be confident of getting back to winnings ways, having lost just one of their last 20 home league games against Tottenham.

However, Spurs, who beat Arsenal 2-1 at the weekend thanks to a Harry Kane double, are behind only Liverpool in the

form guide over the last six games and boast an impressive away record so far this season.

Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva is set for a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury which means he will miss the game.

However, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho have recovered from knocks picked up at the weekend.

Adam Lallana has also returned to the squad after missing Saturday’s Merseyside derby while striker Daniel Sturridge is edging closer to his first start after two substitute appearances since returning from a long lay-off.

Pochettino has a full squad to choose from and Nacer Chadli could be recalled to the starting line-up.

published By Xtra Publishing Limited, Chancery Building, Valley Road, Nairobi | printed By The Star, Lion Place, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi.