MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke
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on the hunt we will find muchai’s killers, vows family
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money matters doctors threaten to go on strike over unpaid salaries
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celeb chat lon jon out to popularize East african hip hop
NEWS
Eric Mutuku secures Limuru lead at Barclays Golf Circuit
Champions nairobi Water start handball season with free points
EACC bans VIPs’ overseas accounts A
ll public and State officers are required to close down unapproved bank accounts they operate outside the country by the end of next month. Meanwhile, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has moved to seal loopholes that could lead to another Anglo-leasing-like
scandal. In a directive published in the Kenya Gazette, EACC has ordered that such accounts be closed in accordance with Section 19 of the Leadership and Integrity Act. “It is notified for general information that pursuant to the provisions of section 19 (4) of the Leadership
and Integrity Act, the Commission wishes to notify all State and public officers who are operating bank accounts outside Kenya, without the approval of the commission, that the last day of closure of such unapproved accounts shall be 31st March, 2015,” the notice by EACC chairman Mumo Matemu states. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Ivory Coast lift AFCON 2015 title
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The Big Knot Paul Onyango and Miriam Njambi, working with a modest Sh150,000 budget, got married in a wedding that many will envy.
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Coach wins crappy million
Nondies RFC coach Kanyi Gitonga emerged the winner of the third edition of the Cow Crap contest.
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we rule africa: Ivory Coast defender Kolo Toure celebrates with the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 trophy after his national side beat Ghana in the finals on Sunday night. SEE STORY ON PAGE 16.
Fashion parade x-news.co.ke
The Grammy Awards brought out the best in pop culture.
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NEWS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
EACC bans VIPs’ overseas accounts From Page 1 The Leadership and Integrity Act states that a State officer who fails to declare operation or control of a bank account outside Kenya commits an offence. Such an officer shall, upon conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding Sh5 million, or both. The move comes as it emerged that prosecution of those behind the infamous Anglo-Leasing scam could start by end of the month.
A joint evaluation team that perused files of suspects in the scam have already handed in their report. At least six influential personalities have been implicated in the scam. It is believed that secret overseas bank accounts were used to stash cash stolen in the scandal. Article 76(2) of the Constitution states that a State officer shall not open or continue to operate a bank account outside Kenya without the approval of the commission. But such an officer who has reasonable
grounds for opening or operating a bank account outside Kenya shall apply to the commission for approval to open or operate a bank account. Article 260 defines State officer or public officer to mean the President, Deputy President, Cabinet Secretary, member of a commission, holder of an independent office, Attorney-General, Director of Public Prosecutions, Secretary to the Cabinet and Principal Secretary. Others in the list include the Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, Commander of a service of the Kenya Defence
Forces, Director-General of the National Intelligence Service and the InspectorGeneral of Police. The list also comprises Deputy InspectorGenerals of the National Police Service and any office established and designated as a State office by national legislation. Members of Parliament passed an amendment in 2013 to remove themselves, judges, magistrates and members of county assemblies from the list of designated State officers. The MPs initiated the move to permanently stop the Salaries and
Remuneration Commission from controlling or determining their salaries. SRC holds a constitutional mandate to determine salaries and allowances of all State officers.
MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke
How UK banking giant helped despots stash cash in Swiss accounts British banking giant HSBC for years catered for a motley crew of weapons dealers, tax evaders, tin-pot dictators and celebrities. Using its private Swiss arm, the bank shielded accounts worth more than $100 billion (Sh9 trillion) Papers analysed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) reveal how HSBC used secretive Swiss banking system to conceal identities of accounts holders, and in many cases, help depositors avoid paying tax. ICIJ’s findings are based on data turned over to French authorities by former HSBC worker Hervé Falciani in 2008. The files were later obtained by newspaper Le Monde and shared among other
media outlets. ICIJ said the leaked documents show HSBC “repeatedly reassured clients that it would not disclose details of accounts to national authorities” and even “discussed with clients a range of measures that would ultimately allow clients to avoid paying tax in home countries.” In a statement provided to ICIJ, HSBC said its Swiss private bank has undergone a “radical transformation in recent years.” This includes reforms that will make it more difficult for clients to evade taxes or launder money. “We acknowledge that the compliance culture and standards of due diligence in HSBC’s Swiss private bank, as well as the industry in general, were
significantly lower than they are today,” the statement said. According to ICIJ, HSBC “served those close” to regimes including former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, former Tunisian President Ben Ali and Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Other clients included former and current politicians from Britain, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Kenya and Senegal, among others. HSBC, in its statement, said it has drastically reduced the number of accounts at its Swiss private bank. In 2007, the bank had more than 30,000 accounts. The number has reduced to about 10,000.
WE PROTEST: Demonstrators outside a branch of HSBC, London. The banking giant has been accused of catering for weapons dealers, tax evaders, tin-pot dictators and celebrities.
Egyptian gets 25 years in jail for Nairobi US embassy bombing A court has jailed an Egyptian national who was linked to the 1998 bombing of the US embassy in Nairobi to 25 years in prison. Adel Abdul Bary was charged with conspiring with Al-Qaeda militants in the twin attacks on
voxpop....
US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998 during which 224 people were killed. He had pleaded guilty on three accounts of working for Al-Qaeda and conspiring to kill Americans. At least 12 Americans were killed
in the twin attacks. US Judge Lewis Kaplan read out the sentence for Adel Abdul Bary, 54, on Friday and termed it an “enormously generous plea bargain.” This is because the accused could have faced life in
prison if he went to trial. “This was as serious a crime against American citizens as I can imagine,” said the judge. However, Bary could be out in eight years having served 16 years in both US and British
custody. “You, unlike the victims of the embassy bombings, may look forward to rejoining your family and living out your natural life in freedom,” Judge Kaplan said. A total of 202 Kenyans and
10 Tanzanians died during the attacks which also wounded close to 500 others. Barry revealed to journalists Al-Qaeda responsibility to the attacks even as they warned of more devastating ones.
Do you think CCTV cameras on Nairobi roads serve any meaningful function?
Beatrice Mwangi
James Ng’ang’a No. they are just there for decoration purposes. There are many incidences and accidents which are captured by the cameras but no action is taken. Even with adequate proof, the culprits still go scot free.
Steven Musyoka Yes. There are a lot of crimes which are committed on daily basis in Nairobi. If police witness the goings-on using the cameras, it could help lower the crime rate in the county and make police work easier.
Violet Atieno No. They have never captured anything. If they can operate like supermarkets, we would see the work they are meant to do. We need more proof that they actually work.
No. The cameras are only there by name. If something has happened there is no control over the outcome because we only see events after investigations. This is Kenya. There is no way someone is going to man the control room 24/7.
NEWS 3 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
CARTOONSPEAK
NEWS BRIEFS
Ministry directed to issue fee guidelines
Music will make your kids smarter, experts claim Training to play an instrument as a child can boost a person’s brainpower by as much as 20 per cent in later life, research has found. Researchers say starting before children are fourteen is the best way to ensure that they become smarter later in life. According to a new study led by the Rotman Research Institute (RRI) at Baycrest Health Sciences in Canada, starting formal lessons on a musical instrument before the age of 14 appears to enhance key areas in the brain that support speech recognition. The findings are published in The Journal of Neuroscience. “Musical activities are an engaging form of cognitive brain training and we are now seeing evi-
The ministry of education has been directed to issue new fee guidelines this week, for all public schools to shield parents from exploitative teachers. Deputy President William Ruto issued the directive over the weekend and warned that school heads who have hiked fees in their schools risk being punished. “Action will be taken against public secondary schools disregarding the guidelines and overcharging fees,’ Ruto said.
dence of brain flexibility from musical training, not just in younger brains, but in older brains too,” says Gavin Bidelman, who led the study. Researchers found older adults who had musical training in their youth were 20 per cent faster in identifying speech sounds than their non-musician peers. “In other words,” explains Bidelman, “old musicians’ brains provide a much more detailed, clean and accurate depiction of the speech signal, which is likely why they are much more sensitive and better at understanding speech.” The research team says that in order to get most from this discovery later in life, children should keep up the practise for at least 10 years.
We will track down Muchai assassins, vows nephew
CRIME SCENE: An AFP photo of the crime scene where Kabete MP George Muchai was shot dead. His nephew Nicky Njuguna has vowed to track down gunmen who killed the legislator over the weekend.
Slain Kabete MP George Muchai’s nephew Nicky Njuguna has vowed to track down gunmen who killed the legislator over the weekend. Njuguna said the assassins must be people who had trailed the MP for a better part of Friday before gunning him down on the wee hours of Saturday morning. “Those people knew his movement the whole day and then from dinner they knew this is the most opportune time. They will run but they will not hide, that I swear,” he said. “We are good people at what we do, we will get them,” added the former police officer turned private investigator. Njuguna who is also the interim chair of the Kenya Police Union told reporters yesterday that they will investigate the matter to the end. His remarks came even as MPs piled pressure on the government demanding that the masked executioners who shot
dead Muchai alongside his two bodyguards and his driver be immediately arrested. The legislators led by Kiambu County Senator Kimani Wamatangi asked the government to do a thorough investigation into the killing, saying it would be easy to get the murderers as the scene of the crime is under the surveillance of CCTV cameras. Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a and Othaya MP Mary Wambui demanded the Inspector General of Police makes public action he took after Muchai recorded a statement claiming he had been threatened several times. “If honourable Muchai recorded a statement with the police stating that his life was in danger, and nothing was taken seriously clearly someone is sleeping on his job,” Ms Ng’ang’a said. The MPs were speaking at Muchai’s residence in Kamulu, when they went to condole with the family.
Girl,8, drowns in city hotel swimming pool An eight year-old girl drowned at a swimming pool in Garden Estate, Nairobi over the weekend. Irene Kasiva was with her friends and relatives at the swimming pool at Oak Place Hotel for an afternoon session on Saturday when the incident happened. Police say she was detected by her colleagues after she failed to respond at about 6.30 pm. She was later attended to by pool attendants before being rushed to Getrude Children Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Wine can help you burn fat, study shows Drinking red grape juice or wine in moderation could improve the health of overweight people by helping them burn fat better, a new study indicates. The findings of the new study coauthored by an Oregon State University researcher suggest that consuming dark-colored grapes, whether eating them or drinking juice or wine, might help people better manage obesity and related metabolic disorders such as fatty liver.
WHAT OTHERS SAID TODAY...
Cameras did not record killings: CCTV cameras on Kenyatta Avenue did not capture the car witnesses said was used by the gunmen who shot Kabete MP George Muchai dead on Saturday. Investigators handling the case say the camers, situated only a few metres away, did not even capture Muchai’s own car or the shooting incident itself. because both were outside the devices’ field of vision. The cameras however captured a blue Nissan Wingroad car and two other cars passing shortly after the MP, his driver and two bodyguards were short dead at 3.25 am on Saturday...
Camera reveals clues on city killing of MP: Investigations into the fatal shooting of Kabete MP George Muchai and his three aides were on Sunday focused on two areas after CCTV footage showed that the masked gunman who killed them drove away in a white Mercedes Benz with Ugandan registration plates, contrary to earlier reports that the getaway car was a Toyota Probox. The vehicle, as seen in the footage, sped down Kenyatta Avenue towards Moi Avenue shortly after the shooting which occurred at 3am on Saturday...
Questions arise over George Muchai’s killing: Police have revealed that the car used by the killer of Kabete MP George Muchai, his two bodyguards and a driver bore Ugandan registration plates even as more questions emerge over the murder. They announced this after reviewing CCTV (closed circuit television) camera recordings of the crime scene on Nairobi’s Kenyatta Avenue and a nightclub in the city where the MP and his family were said to have spent the better part of Friday night and part of Saturday morning...
Police now bank on CCTV to unravel Muchai death: Police yesterday embarked on piecing together information and analysing images that might help throw a lead on the gangland-style assassination of Kabete MP George Muchai, his driver and two bodyguards. The task, according to initial indicators might be challenging even as CCTV footage analysed by investigators provided some leads, including the execution and the gateway car in which the hit men escaped...
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neWs MondAy, feBrUAry 9, 2015
Somalia criticises US bank’s move to halt remittance services
BE KIND: Somalia Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke. He has called on the US government to reconsider the move by a US bank to close accounts of US to Somalia money transfer companies.
Somalia has criticised a move by a US bank to close accounts of Us to Somalia money transfer companies, warning it could create a dangerous black market. Merchants Bank of California handles about 80 percent of money transfers - remittances from the US to Somalia, worth about $200m (Sh18 billion) annually. The bank however announced on Thursday that it had to withdraw its services due to new money-laundering regulations. Regulators are concerned that money is being funnelled to extremists but the Somali government has warned that suspending legal transfer services may give rise to a new unregulated black market in cash transfers that could make it easier to channel money to militant groups. Somalia Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke said he had called on the US government to reconsider the move. “I have personally spoken to the US government on this pressing issue and repeated my calls to US banks to reconsider
Doctors threaten going on strike over unpaid salaries A doctors’ union has given an ultimatum to 25 counties to remit salaries for their members by end of day today failure to which they will down their tools immediately. The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union said some counties have failed to pay their members their dues and if the dues are not cleared by the end of the day to day, they will call for industrial action. The union’s Secretary General Ouma Oluga blamed the county governments for crippling the medical fraternity. He says half of the counties have failed to pay medical staff for a while now. “We want to issue a strike notice beginning this Tuesday if respective counties fail pay their sala-
ries by Monday evening,” he said over the weekend. Nairobi, Siaya, Murang’a, Taita-Taveta, Homa Bay, Lamu, Tana River, Machakos, Busia and Bungoma were listed among the 25 yet to pay their medical workers. Dr Oluga said the union had furnished the respective counties with their grievances. The union has also threatened to declare Lamu County a hostile employer after a number of doctors from the county resigned over insecurity, lack of risk allowance and empty promises by their employer. He says the union might advise its members not to apply for the county’s jobs at a time when some of its members have refused to report to work in the North Eastern parts of the country.
UNPAID: Public-sector doctors on strike in December 2011 when they were demanding more pay and better equipment. They have threatened to strike if 25 county governments don’t clear their unpaid salaries by the end of the day today.
their decision,” he told AFP. His government also expressed concern that the move would jeopardise stability in Somalia and the welfare of millions of Somalis who depend on financial assistance from abroad. Total annual remittances to Somalia are estimated at $1.6 billion (Sh14 billion). Nicholas Kay, the United Nations special representative for Somalia, said the remittances were a survival mechanism for Somali families. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a federal regulator, told the US bank last year that it found its anti-money laundering procedures inadequate. In the US, bank directors are responsible for ensuring all the funds they handle are used for legitimate purposes. The OCC ordered the Merchants Bank to determine more exactly the destination of the funds it was wiring. But in a letter to its clients last month, officials from the bank said they could not meet the regulators’ requirements and would have to close their money wiring service according to reports in the US media.
WE’RE ALL ABOUT GOOD GRADES: Prof. Imbuga (right) interacts with a section of the PAUSTI students. She challenged the students to prioritise learning and research and move the grand African narrative forward.
JKUAT enrolls second groUp of pAn AfricAn vArsiTy sTUdenTs The second cohort of graduate students of the Pan African University (PAU) have been admitted to the JKUAT based Institute of Basic Sciences Technology and Innovation (PAUSTI). The students on full scholarship by the African Union and drawn from over 20 countries in Africa, will undertake masters and doctorate studies in mathematics, biotechnology, engineering and molecular biology. In her welcoming remarks on Friday, JKUAT Vice Chancellor Mabel Imbuga challenged the students to prioritise learning and research and move the grand African narrative forward. She noted that there remains urgent need to find lasting solutions to various sector problems on the continent including health, engineering, finance, education and
agriculture. The scholarship, she added, was a window for the students to deploy their innovation and energy towards Africa’s good. James Kiburi who represented Education PS, Belio Kipsang said, the government of Kenya is proud of the progress PAUSTI has made in equipping students with competencies, skills and attitude necessary for socio-economic transformation of the continent. The government, Kiburi opined, was committed to support the continental university through the East African hub. PAUSTI Director, Prof. Gabriel Magoma urged the students to take advantage of the large network of academic and professional partners to hone their academic acumen in preparation for challenges and opportunities awaiting them in different parts of Africa.
Miss Nathalie S. Mawo from Cameroon who has been admitted into the MSc. Civil Engineering programme applauded the initiative to implement PAU, saying that it will enhance the capacity of African professionals. She believes that time has come for African women to rise up to the occasion and that the scholarship will prepare her to be part of the team that shall transform Africa. PAU was established by a decision of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in 2010, to foster targeted training in areas with immense potentials for technical, social and economic progress of the continent. It is implemented through a network of excellent universities in Africa where institutes focusing on various thematic areas are domiciled.
xnews | MONday, FEBRuary 9, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke
NEWS BRIEFS
BUSINESS
CBK EXCHANGE RATES 1 US DOLLAR 1 UK POUND 1 EURO 1 S.A RAND 1 KSH/USH 1 KSH/TSH
MEAN BUY SELL 91.4839 91.6228 91.5533 138.6428 138.8644 138.7536 103.3422 103.5150 103.4286 7.8770 7.8944 7.8857 31.1822 31.3389 31.2605 19.5148 19.6537 19.5843
Geopoll to support small holder farmers in East, West Africa Ghana power crisis ‘hurting’ gold production
Sulemanu Koney, Ghana Chief Executive of the Chamber of Mines, says ongoing electric power crises in Ghana, which has seen long cuts on nearly daily basis, will hurt gold production if it is prolonged. Gold is one of the West African state’s main revenue earners but the sector has been affected by a fall in global prices. The government says it is taking steps to correct the situation by the end of the year. The country has been unable to provide enough power due to poor electric system that desperately needs upgrade.Addressing a meeting, Koney said power from the national grid constitutes 25 to 30 per cent of mining production costs. “For companies which are already marginal, it’ll mean they are just being pushed out of business. Survival becomes the name of the game,” he said.
Small holder farmers in East and West Africa will receive support from GeoPoll, an international mobile surveying platform. GeoPoll has partnered with Control Union, a global network of inspection operations and dedicated laboratories, to create cost effective data collection methods in emerging markets. The organisations plan to use mobile surveys to educate smallholder farmers in emerging economies. The goal is to reach one million farmers by 2020 via SMS and voice messaging. Speaking earlier this month, Johan Maris, (inset) Managing Director of Control Union said: “GeoPoll’s team and platform provides us practical tools to connect with rural farming communities to educate, certify and link them to a global marketplace.”
HSBC helped wealthy customers evade tax
going digital: The Government is expected to phase out all cash payments for services in public offices within six months to enhance efficiency.
Cash dealings in Govt offices to end in July The Government is expected to phase out all cash payments for services in the next six months to enhance efficiency. Addressing the launching ceremony of the Online Transactional Mining Cadastre Portal at the Ministry of Mining, Deputy President William Ruto said going digital is long overdue and urged Kenyans to embrace the move. “As opposed to what has happened over the years where the only mode of pay-
ment for Government services has been cash, we want to make it possible in the next six months for one to pay through M-Pesa, credit cards in every conceivable way on the digital platform,” said Ruto. Ruto said digitisation of payments in all Government offices will also make Government to enhance revenue collection by 30 per cent and reduce corruption in public service.
Wealthy clients of UK’s biggest bank, HSBC, were helped to evade tax by accountants, reports have revealed. More than 100,000 accounts from HSBC’s private bank in Switzerland that were leaked by a whistle-blower indicate that bankers helped clients evade tax and offered them deals to help evaders stay ahead of the law. The offshore accounts were used to hide cash from tax authorities so that they can deliberately hide money to evade tax. The data was assessed by the French authorities who concluded that in 2013, 99.8 per cent of their citizens, who were clients of the bank were avoiding tax. On the client list there are also, 7,000 British
citizens. The bank admitted that individuals took advantage of bank secrecy to hold undeclared accounts but said it has now fundamentally changed. They have overhauled private banking business and has reduced the number of Swiss accounts by 70 per cent since 2007. The HM Revenue and Customs sector have said £135million (Sh18.8 billion) in tax, interest and penalties have been paid by those who hid assets in Switzerland. HSBC faces criminal investigations in US, France, Belgium and Argentina but not in UK where it is based. The bank said it is co-operating with relevant authorities.
Ruto said the Government plans to mobilise all ministries to ensure the success of the project. “It’s not necessary to queue at the Attorney General’s Chambers to pay for business name or queue to get rates clearance for your piece of land, or to pay for a certificate of good conduct. It should be possible for us to have all these payment applications online,” the DP said.
BuSINESS DIARY You’re H (F)ired!!! networking at iHub iHub Research has invited interested parties and individuals for this year’s first ‘NRBuzz: YOU’RE H(F) IRED!!’ event on February 12 at iHub. The event will take place on the 4th Floor of Bishop Magua building along Ngong Road. NRBuzz, short for “Nairobi Research Buzz”, is a monthly iHub research series that unites stakeholders in tech sector for discussions and collaboration. The event will run between 5.30pm and 7.00 pm. The event will help answer questions like “How does one get hired and not fired? How does one hire well and in so doing, avoid firing? How is working for a start-up different, and what kind of talent are startups looking for?”
“iHub Research is keen to share what has worked and not worked in hiring within tech start-up ecosystem through our first NRBuzz session of 2015,” says a statement from the group. iHub Research will host two start-ups, share on experiences in talent acquisition, techniques used, challenges encountered and lessons learnt. An open session will follow with questions from participants. “We will end with a quick-fire rapid session where those seeking talent get to interact with those seeking to be hired in a ‘speed-dating’ set-up,” says the group.
Nairobi wine expo at TRM The Nairobi Wine Expo has invited wine enthusiasts to attend their latest affair. The two-day event will be held from February 14-15 2015 at Thika Road Mall (TRM) in Nairobi (pictured). This event will showcase wine and has invited guests to sample some of the best brands the food and beverage industry offers. Those attending will have a chance to network with some of the players in the sector. These include Wambui Mugo, General Manager, Goshen Farm Hotel, and Narinder Rehal, MD Electroways Ltd. Exhibitors will showcase products and services and feature facilities such as wine lounges and wine sampling.
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NEWS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 , 2015
App helps famers dodge middlemen A mobile phone revolution is redefining how small holder farmers buy and sell their produce. The initiative is also shielding them from the unscrupulous middlemen who fix prices for their own benefit. Using their mobile phones, these farmers receive market price information from different markets, allowing them to compare and target the ripe time to move their produce. This has also meant that farmers can time when the supply of certain commodities is scarce and cash in on the scarcity to sell their produce, thereby earning a decent income. This is a departure from the past where the farmers would flood the same produce, creating an overabundance resulting in poor prices. Paul Karui, a maize and wheat grower in Nakuru, is one such farmer. This season, the farmer harvested 50 bags of maize and 10 bags of wheat from his five acre plot. He, however, is not walking around markets to look for the best deal. He is doing all this on his mobile phone in the comfort of his farm. He simply sends a text message to a particular mobile phone number, which brings him the maximum and minimum prices in his region. The farmer is among hundreds of others in the region who have embraced technology to earn better prices from their produce, which includes rice, sorghum, wheat, maize and beans. Karui says: “I check the prices every week to know whether they are going up or down or if they are stagnant. I checked two days ago and saw that a 90kg bag of maize was going for Sh1500. It has appreciated but this is too low, I cannot sell now.” To use the mobile phone software known as RATIN (Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network), one composes a text message specifying his location and the crop he wants to know the price. “In my case I normally write ‘Nakuru, Maize’ and send the message to a number that I have saved in my mobile phone. It costs me Sh2, which is the normal price of an SMS,” says Karui, who has been using the program for the past eight months. Lydia Kipchirchir, another farmer who has been using the program, said it has eased the agony she used to go through looking for better market prices for which to sell her produce.
therise
CIC Insurance
CIC Insurance, a Kenya-based Insurance company, was last week’s winner with 9.5 per cent price increase from Sh10 to Sh10.95 per share. The company suffered losses from medical service providers. It had to revamp its medical insurance division in order to curb the growing number of cases fraud cases. In 2013, the company also saw its costs grow faster than its revenues with investment income
Kakuzi
rising by 7 per cent to Sh1.7 billion while claims increased by 30 per cent to Sh6 billion and operating costs rose by 20 per cent to Sh2.4 billion. In terms of profitability, pretax profits stayed pretty much at the same level by rising from Sh1.65 billion in 2012 to Sh1.67 billion in 2013.
Kakuzi, a listed agribusiness company, dealing with manufacture and marketing of tea, growing, packing and marketing of avocados and livestock farming, was last week’s loser with a 4.44 per cent stock price decrease from Sh225 to Sh215. Kakuzi largely gets its revenues from avocado farming (two-thirds of its sales) followed by tea. From December 2012 to December 2013, Kakuzi
Analysis by Amana Capital info@amanacapital.co.ke
thefall
sales decreased by 11.5 per cent to Sh1.3 billion. During the same period, the company’s net profit fell 60 per cent to Sh165 million compared to Sh408 million the previous year. Kakuzi plans to venture into the large-scale growing of sorghum, targeting breweries in East Africa, since it has become a favorite raw material for them.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
ACCESS celebchat
the big knot
Born in Kenya and raised in South Africa, Lon Jon is diverse. He has a simple mission: To make East Africa stand out in hip-hop and rap.
FACTFILE:
REAL NAME: John Friendrich AGE: 28 RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Taken HIT SONGS: Grown& Sexy, Run the City, Gibberish
Who is Lon Jon? I am a recording and performing Hip Hop artiste, who loves pushing the envelope. I am also an open minded, hardworking person who likes to experiment with my personality reflecting it more in my music. Why the name Lon Jon? Well, I got the name from my friends when I was younger seeing as I was the tallest in the group, plus my first name is John. Mix that with a fascination with pirates: Long John Silver, i took it and added my own flavour Lon Jon the Captain. How would you describe your music? It’s influenced by American hip-hop because that’s where it started but with an African doing the story telling. A young African man experiencing life, my stories, dreams, fantasies, feelings all translated into different records. I rap in English, that way everybody can understand what I am trying to put across and experimenting with the sound too. Tell us about Grown and Sexy Well, it’s about a young man struggling with himself because he is falling in love, trying to figure out if he should listen to his heart or reason. Her qualities attract him to her. ‘Grown’ means she is mature mentally, independent, focused and knows what she wants. ‘Sexy’ —she is a woman who is in
touch and aware of her sexuality. It’s a beautiful, mellow song and Amina added a different vibe to it with her amazing voice. One of your songs was featured on the movie Soul Boy. How was that for you? The song was Dirty Laundry by the Teichmann brothers featuring Abbas, Kimya and myself. That was the first time I had to rap on a techno-house beat and it was a great experience for me as an artiste. My mind was opened to different sounds and the song being featured in the movie gave me an opportunity to travel overseas and perform. I am now not afraid to experiment and not confined to a box when it comes to music. Where do you draw inspiration for your music from? From people I look up to, situations I have been through or know of, emotions and feelings. I basically tap into where the beat carries me and try turning that into music. Who do you look up to in the music industry? Locally I look up to Abbas and Juliani. Internationally, Jay Z for his business sense in the music industry and how he has remained relevant through the different generations, musically Fabolous, Dom Kennedy,Big K.R.I.T, Nipsey and Hussle. What are some of the challenges you faced when starting out? Finances were an issue. Getting money to pay for the recording sessions was not easy. I also did not really understand
how to construct a song, I just knew I wanted to rap. Getting avenues to put out the music so people could hear it and meeting the right people was also a challenge. Which artistes have you worked with and which ones would you like to work with? I have worked with Tumi, from South Africa, Amina and Abbas. I have new projects on the way with really big artistes locally and internationally, a couple of upcoming artistes. I would really love to work with Jaguar, Sarkodie and Sauti Sol In five years, where will Lon Jon be? A house hold name, with business ventures musically and a big brand that is recognizable. Plus my Seven Seas foundation will be up and running.
Lon John’s mission GrAmmy 2015 WiNNErS The Grammy Awards 2015 went down yesterday night and here are some of the night’s biggest winners. Sam Smith and Beyoncé were one of the biggest winners with each bagging four and three Grammy trophies respectively. Record of the Year Sam Smith – “Stay With Me Song of the Year Sam Smith - “Stay With Me Album of the Year Beck - Morning Phase Best New Artist Sam Smith
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: A Great Big World With Christina Aguilera - “Say Something” Best Pop Solo Performance Pharrell Williams - “Happy” Best Pop Vocal Album Sam Smith - In The Lonely Hour Best Rock Album Beck - Morning Phase Best Rock Song Paramore - “Ain’t It Fun” Best Rap Performance Kendrick Lamar - “I” Best Rap/Song Collaboration Eminem Featuring Rihanna “The Monster”
Best Rap Song Kendrick Lamar - “I” Best Rap Album Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP2 Best R&B Performance Beyoncé Featuring Jay Z – “Drunk In Love” Best R&B Song Beyoncé Featuring Jay Z “Drunk In Love” Best Music Video Pharrell Williams - “Happy” Best World Music Album Angelique Kidjo - Eve
Happy Birthday Anita Nderu! Capital FM News presenter and former NTV Teen Republik co-host, Anita Nderu celebrates her birthday today. The news presenter has been the darling of many since her show hosting days. X Access wishes her Happy Birthday and many returns on this day.
HOT TOPICS
The return of Lady Bee
Lady Bee, who used to be secular artiste up until she got saved, has released a new song. The song is called Pokea Sifa and has a mellow and soft beat to it. The video is by J Blessing.
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ACCESS
WEDNESDAY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26th NOVEMBER 9, 2015 2014
FASHIONScoop the BIGKNOT
I’m Black FashIon JaY Z Junk ThE BEsT ThInG To holD on To In lIFE Is mTV quIZ nEW YoRk Each oThER.
PAUL AND MIRIAM’S SIMPLE WEDDING T
he saying weddings bring people together” rings true for this warm couple. In early 2013, while at a wedding planning committee, Paul Onyango and Miriam Njambi met. One thing led to another and the two started dating in August of that year. Paul chose July 11, 2014 as the day he would ask Miriam to marry him. He took her out to dinner and slid a note to Miriam’s side of the table. It was simply printed ‘Will you Marry Me’ and underneath it was a magnificent engagement ring. “I was elated and emotional. I shed tears and said a big yes,’’ said a smiling Miriam.Their wedding day dawned early on December 6, 2014. Unlike other weddings, the couple
did not have a wedding party. They only had a best couple. “We just wanted a simple wedding with no hustle and we wanted our friends to enjoy themselves,’’ said Miriam. For Miriam and Paul, theirs was as simple as they come. They rode the simple wagon and had a jolly good time while at it. It was an afternoon wedding held at All Nations Gospel Church. Before the bride walked in towards her anxiously waiting husband to be, a group of their friends came in dancing, catching everybody unawares. The group danced all the way to the altar and made the mood in the church more relaxed and jovial. Waiting at the altar was Miriam’s
knight in shining armor dressed in a stripped shirt, black khaki pants and black boots. Yes, the groom was in a stripped shirt at his wedding, but he looked dapper. As Miriam was walked down the aisle by her parents, the joy on her face was real and tangible. You could literally reach out and touch the joy spread across her face as she was walked towards Paul. Paul too was beaming at Miriam who was in a white A-line dress with intricate lace appliqués on the dress and sleeves. She looked a mighty sight with dangling diamante earrings and gold shoes for accessories. Miriam had her gown tailor-made at Kenyatta market. She liked it because it had a vintage look and feel to it.
The theme colours for their wedding were pink, white and purple. The church was decorated with pink and white drapes with flowers hung at the end of each pew. “Our theme was not quite definite. “I would say it was a variation of different aspects because we are both adventurous and like being unique as long as it is not against our faith,” said Miriam. By 3pm, Paul and Miriam had been declared man and wife and people proceeded to the reception at the same venue. The dancing that went on at the celebration of their wedding, even Kanda Bongoman had nothing on the crowd at this wedding. The food was
sumptuous and abundant in supply and so was the laughter which the MC kept serving in large doses. The cake was a four tier fruit cake with cup cakes. The cake was a mouthful of heaven and stars all rolled into one. With a budget of Sh150,000, the couple put up a wonderful party for their family and friends. “We had a simple celebration of our love and it was beautiful,’’ said Miriam. “It feels awesome to be married. We are learning new things about each other daily as we take on new challenges and set good foundations for our marriage, for days to come,” said the couple. The couple spent a few days at a city hotel for their honeymoon.
ACCESS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 , 2015
a revIeW of Weekend events.
THE BEST OF COUTURE BY MAGGY
Fashion designer Margret Wangare (pictured) launched her first ever collection on Saturday evening in an event dubbed Couture By Maggy . The invite-only event demanded a black and red dress code. Wangare launched four collections, the first one being, a Day-to-night collection that came complete with handbags. It highlighted the office look to the cocktail party look. Second was the Nairobi night collection, this one was designed for the ultimate party people. It featured thigh-high boots, leather pants, tops and mini-skirts. The Exclusive valentine collection for his and hers, featured tailored suits, three piece and two piece cuts for the men and stunning evening dresses for the women. The last collection was the Red carpet style that featured just couture. From high slit dresses to dress trains, this was the favourite collection for the audience.
CENTRESTAGE
Cow Crap million remains in the Nondescript family Nondies Coach Kanyi Gitonga was the winner of the 2015 Cow Crap contest held on Saturday February 7 at the Jamhuri Show ground. The Cow Crap contest is an annual raffle aimed at raising money for the Nondescripts Rugby Football Club. The contest is a form of cow patty bingo, where a number of boxes (3000 in this case) are marked onto an enclosed field and a cow is allowed to freely roam around it. The person into whose box the cow relieves itself (craps) wins a million shillings. As explained by the head judge, if the patty fell between two boxes, the judges would weigh the portions, by hand, and the heaviest would win. To decide the plot in which the cow would start, a young girl was blindfolded, spinned around for some time and when she was dizzy to the judges’ liking, she was directed to point at a square on a map of the field containing all 3000 plots. She pointed at box 1035 Amani, the chosen cow, sauntered into the grid at 3.12pm accompanied by her handler, and immediately
released a gush of green excrement. The judges called this a false-start and she was led out of the fenced parcel to make a new entry. Five minutes later, she was in the right box, and the wait started. The day’s MC, Capital FM’s Joe Muchiri, correctly noted that it was extremely awkward that hundreds eyes were fixed on a cow’s rear. At 3.30pm, Amani, who had by now made two laps around the pitch, raised her tail and the crowd went silent, breaths held. It turned out to be a false alarm because she only passed urine. A collective sigh of relief was heaved by the people who had plots in the grid, one of which was selling at Sh2000. Muchiri consulted a veterinary doctor friend of his (from Kisii) and he confirmed that regardless of the circumstances, a cow mustfor lack of an appropriate word-crap in 45 minutes. The joke being traded around, as the wait continued, was that cows from Kisii and those from Karen (like Amani) don’t play by the same rules.
But it turns out, the good doctor was right, because at 4:02pm, exactly 45 minutes after the contest started, Amani released a nice, green wash covering a number of boxes, but clearly starting inside plot number 2952, coach Gitonga’s box. Kanyi, who was not present on the grounds, as he had taken his team to a match, was informed of the win on phone. It is suspected that he may have done a couple of cart-wheels because he immediately went quiet, only to come back to the phone a couple of seconds later,
unconvincingly trying to sound composed. Amani must have felt used because after the announcement was made all attention shifted from her. She, however, received a great round of applause as her handler led her away-to get milked or something. Like all events worth their name, the Cow Crap contest had an after-party, which was held at the Nondies club house, where patrons talked world rugby late into the evening. Among the notable faces at the event was 2003 Big Brother Africa
Wine, Chocolate and Cheese T
HATS AND SUNDRESSES AT THE FASHION HIGH TEA
T
he hats and sundresses were out on Saturday as the who-is-who in the Kenyan fashion gathered at the Zen Garden for the 5th edition of Fashion HighTea. The fashion show started at 5pm. First on the runway was Suave fashion house, impressing with their contemporary Indian designs, then came Boutique Mahali bringing on the runway the popular Africanchic designs. Divabag were next and as the name suggests, they were all about handbags; from slings, to purses to even
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classy laptop bags. Simply Classics Africa brought something unique with their country girl look with brown and black being their theme colours. Lalesso also impressed with designs all made from the fabric leso; from dresses, trousers, tops, shorts and skirts. Needle Point was next with afro-chic designs then came Vaishali Sarees from India showcasing Indian contemporary designs. Drop of a Hat were all about hats as they took to the runway, which seemed just right given the weather
and occasion. Njema Helena were also part of the runway with their colourful afro-chic designs that that have since become their trademark. Koki Designs wowed the audience with their stunningly beautiful couture designs. Shenu Hooda was the last on the runway and her collection lived up to expectations. Her collection kept to her trademark that is Indian-chic designs but it was her use of an older –out of the ordinarymodel that highlighted the diversity of her designs. The MCee of the day was Fareed Khimani.
he inaugural Wine, Chocolate and Cheese Festival held last Saturday attracted an eclectic and refined crowd at the Westhouse Hotel. The three-day event included sampling of wines and cheeses from South Africa, Moldova, France and home grown products. Chocolate and other sweet treats were availed by local chocolatiers Beacon and Sweet Art Creations, whose handmade chocolate collection proved to be a big hit with the crowd. Two chocolate fountains, flowing with exquisite imported Danish chocolate were an ‘all-you-can-eat’ affair. Guests were given leeway to dip whichever food products were available into the chocolate and get creative with flavors. Free candy and cookies was the cherry on top for everyone with a sweet tooth. Cheese lovers were treated to mild and spicy and young to aged cheeses supplied by Baraka Farmhouse. Their friendly and intuitive service was appreciated by visitors. For the main event, guests indulged in an array of wines. Rigogolo, which has won a number of international awards was a standout. Serving muscat, sauvignon, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon all the way from Moldova and offering people an education on wine, including quality and how to pair food with wine. Founder Vladimir Prosin stated, “Wine is a drink for all tastes because of its variety and
representative Alex Holi, who was accompanied by a pursedog, either named Ronnie or Romney-We couldn’t tell which because of his heavy accent, worsened by a couple of beers. We also found it impolite to ask a burly man, with a deep voice, to spell out the name of his clutch bag dog. Oh yes-There was also another guy in a green t-shirt with graphics screaming ‘I love my wife’. Whether he was put up to it, or he was trying to cover for something he did, only his pals from Nondies can tell us.
Festival
through the festival I hope Kenyans will realize how versatile it is.” Nancy Gathinji also helped in this endeavour by showing proper pouring, drinking and storing technique. Le Decanter’s attractive packaging and accessible wines drew quite a crowd and testers ran empty faster than most people expected. Guests chilled out at a lounging area while the Kipawa Music group kept people entertained with easy-listening tunes. Singer Karen Lucas also made a notable cameo at the festival which was an unexpected and welcome treat.
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ACCESS
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
FASHIONparade
@GRAMMY AWARDS 2015.
ASHANTI
NICKI MINAJ KIM K
BEYONCE
Name
RIHANNA RITA ORA
GRAMMY AWARDS FASHION
lyriclab
The 57th Grammy Awards took place on Sunday night in Los Angeles, California. The skinfest on the red carpet continued as some major ladies with thigh high slits made an appearance. Zendaya Coleman showed some style maturity with her choice of a striped satin vintage Vivienne Westwood gown. Taylor Swift bared both legs in a bright blue satin Zuhair Murad gown with a bustle in the back,
BEST...
Juliana Kanyomozi In her distinctive and beautiful voice, Juliana passionately highlights the unwavering strength of a woman in times of joy, trials and tribulations. Perhaps, the conception of this song was inspired by her own will to press on even after losing her only child last year. She could not have made a better come back. She just struck a single chord and airwaves already filled listeners with awe.
Woman
ZENDAYA
and Paris Hilton made an appearance in a sparkling silver gown by Yousef al-Jasmi. Plunging necklines were the talking point as BeyoncĂŠ, Ashanti and Kim K smiled for the cameras. Rita Ora went for the metallic shimmer dress while Rihanna on the other hand went for the bulging pink ball gown dress and were almost twinsies with Blue Ivy!
Irene Ntale
Macky 2 ft. Feza These former Big Brother housemates have collaborated wonderful multilingual track. Macky 2, the deep vocalized Zambian rapper and Tanzania’s Feza have teamed up to let the world know that minding their own lives has paid off. But do they have the skills to cause ripples across the continent?
Gyobera
Living my Life
Gyobera bagged the Best Zouk song in the recently held Hipipo Music Awards in Uganda. Irene has a very unique voice that is going to fly her to top spots on music charts. The Ugandan beauty is bound to shake ground with her sultry singing. She is also a good performer.
PLAY 11 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2015
WEATHERFORECAST
DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 You’re feeling motivated again to get down and tackle the work that’s waiting for you. If you have time to make some calls, don’t be afraid to look for new prospects, because today promises some very beneficial partnerships in your professional or even spiritual life. AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 It may be difficult to get people to listen to you at the moment, Aquarius. The people around you may even be annoyed at hearing all of your new ideas. You won’t get anywhere unless you’re cleverer about getting your ideas across. Be subtle and you will have more success. PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 The planetary aspects are encouraging you to be a little more disciplined in your lifestyle. Don’t overwork, don’t drink too much coffee, and try to eat lighter meals. Anything you do for yourself today could have very quick, healthy effects.
m0nday 9/02/2015
sunny
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27ºC 29%
tuesday 10 /02/2015
More sun than clouds
28 6:42 am 6:52 pm
26ºC 35%
6:42 am 6:52 pm
Sudoku
TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 Don’t hesitate to padlock your refrigerator and avoid your favorite stores, Taurus. You need to exert a bit more self-control as far as eating or spending is concerned if you want to get back into shape physically and mentally. Have you been overdoing it a little lately? GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 If you’ve been dissatisfied with some aspect of your career over the last few months, don’t wait any longer to do something about it. Things aren’t going to get better all by themselves.This would be a perfect day to ask for a raise if you feel you deserve one. CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 What meticulousness, Cancer! You may feel a sudden, urgent need to take a close look at your financial situation, wardrobe, cupboards, or car. List the things you need to do in order to fix them over the next few days. You’re going to spend your day taking inventory in your life.
VIRGO Aug 23- Sep 22 So you should take the initiative and propose something you and your friends could do together. Be creative and think of something unusual, perhaps an outdoor activity like horseback riding, hiking, or an outing to an amusement park.
MUSTREAD
LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 It’s up to you to motivate people to get going and have fun together. Show them your enthusiasm for life. Anyone would be extremely lucky to cross your path today. Your world is full of joy, creativity, and laughter. You’re a real inspiration to the people around you. SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 If you can’t feed your artistic tendencies in the work you do, today is a good day to create a better balance and make your days more satisfying. Art isn’t just for artists, Scorpio. All you have to do is take the initiative to create something and you will see just how good it feels. SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 Regardless of your gender, why not show a bit more virility in your relationships and actions? If you’re dominated by your emotions, the day could be extremely trying for you. Protect yourself from your anxieties by talking things over with a friend or someone else close to you.
INSTAMOMENTS 1
3
2
4
Friday’s winning photo
YOURSAY
Matatu owners can strike all they want until they learn to respect Kenyans (Matatu owners issue strike threat, Friday, February 6, 2015). These matatus are the kings of impunity
Radiance of Tomorrow – by Ishmael Beah
Two long-time friends Benjamin and Bockarie return to hometown Imperi in Sierra Leone after the civil war. They are back to a village in shambles. The ground is covered in bones of children and adults. More villagers return home to ruins that were once their home. . Benjamin and Bockarie try to rebuild the community by taking up former posts as teachers. But the process of rebuilding is not easy: There is scarcity of food, murders, robbery, rape and retaliation are a common hindrance to their efforts. A foreign mining company is not also making things easier; they have invaded Imperi to mine the precious minerals and in the process has contaminated the village’s water supply, burning people up and digging up graveyards. Anybody who speaks against the company’s actions is quickly taken care of. Will the people of Imperi rise up from the ashes? Will they rebuild and leave the past behind?
Vote for winning pick of today’s top three instamoments (below) by sending an email with the picture number to: play@x-news.com
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.
That Matatu owners issued a strike notice for alleged harassment by police is laughable
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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 This is what the planets are trying to tell you. You need to relax, to let yourself be taken care of, and close your eyes and dream. Leave the daily tasks behind. You need peace and quiet. Lie down and release all your worries. You don’t need to act and you don’t need to react. Just relax.
LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 You may be courting your lover today, Leo. Whether you’re in a relationship or starting one, you’re in the mood to seduce your partner with a touch of sophistication. It’s time to add to your natural charm - a seductive new scent, attractive outfit, or new haircut.
wednesday
and harassment on our roads. Let them strike and see who loses. I support any moves by the government
to ensure that the PSV industry, which is full of rogue operators is well tamed.
winning captions
1. I didn’t call your outfit lame Mr Officer-Jacob Muli, Nairobi 2. I would have used my gun, but this will hurt your dignity more-HJ 3. So that’s how officers keep their boots sparkling -Dennis B. Nrb
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PLAY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
CROSSWORD Across 1. “Hallelujah! I’m __-” 5. What Butler didn’t give 10. Electrical safeguard 14. Epiphany threesome 15. Safari hat 16. Bartok and Peron 17. Menu 19. Former Congressman Gingrich 20. Helen’s cloud-kissed city 21. Caucus selection 23. Music from India 26. Lariats 27. What the devout have 32. PC screen: Abbr. 33. Slap the cuffs on 34. Old Toyota 38. Dizzy, for one 40. Mother of Isaac 42. “___Three Lives” 43. Us magazine cover subject 45. Actresses Hatcher and Garr 47. Uppercase aitch lookalike 48. The Senate, e.g. 51. “Jurassic Park” menace 54. Spanish greeting 55. How some fried eggs are cooked 58. Damascus’ nation 62. One-named singer/model filmed by Andy Warhol 63. Portrayer of the “SNL” Ladies’ Man 66. Harry ___, Columbia Pictures co-founder 67. Dana of “MacGyver” 68. Dilbert coworker 69. Bills not found in ATMs 70. 32-card games 71. Wants
Down 1. Prefix with dextrous 2. Get-out-of-jail money 3. ___ fruit (large tangelo) 4. Noble’s address 5. Arm of the Treasury Dept. 6. Rock music’s ___ Leppard 7. City in Rumania 8. Stable mom 9. Dark, metallic alloys 10. Wind and water, in Chinese 11. Eye layers 12. Took care of 13. Adlai’s running mate, 1956 18. Winner’s walkway 22. Beanery sign 24. Wildebeests 25. Paternally related 27. Letters of electrical flexibility 28. Fonda role in “Klute” 29. Slanted type: Abbr. 30. 42 Kiln attendant 31. “Thy hand, great ___! lets the curtain fall”: Pope 35. West Point freshman 36. Anagram for tree 37. Month in Israel 39. Hydrogen’s lack, normally 41. Ritz lookalike 44. Charitable fraternity: Abbr. 46. Spicy sauce... or dance 49. Babbles 50. International call for help 51. Company that makes the Pocket Fisherman 52. Mirage ou Concorde 53. ____ Melba 56. Fiber from a cocoon 57. “Village People” hit 59. Soared 60. Victor’s excited cry 61. Poses questions 64. Shower accessory 65. Critical hosp. areas
DAILY WISDOM “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” — Proverbs 13:4 “Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.” — Islam “No foolish talk now, but actual work.”
—Swami Vivekananda
“You are beautiful, but learn to work, for you cannot eat your beauty.” — Congolese Proverb “Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.” — Sam Ewing “Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.” — Peter Drucker “There is no substitute for hard work.”
— Thomas A. Edison
I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life’s problems. — James Cash Penney “Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard work.”
— Horace
“The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.” — Vince Lombardi
FRIDAY’S SOLUTIONS
Sport MONday, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
Sevens squad off to US with fresh faith Kenya Sevens, who moved to 12 from 14 position in world rankings, are looking to maintain consistency when they land in Las Vegas today. But the Felix Ochieng-led side expects a tougher outing in the next five legs where the top four teams qualify for the next Olympic Games in Rio at the end of the 2014/2015 World Rugby HSBC World Sevens Series. Vice-captain Collins Injera warned his side that easy teams
in the circuit no longer exist. He said some of the returning players need a competitive atmosphere to test their mental strength. In Las Vegas, Kenya has been drawn against England which reached the finals in Wellington, Argentina and Canada. Before going to Wellington, Ochieng pledged no quick fix, saying his plan is to reach the top 10. Andrew Amonde, the Captain, said the team had
started well by reaching the quarter finals in Wellington. “We’re ticking the boxes as we rebuild.” Amonde said some of the high points in Wellington were the attitude and character of players. Series Standings: South Africa 76, New Zealand 69, Fiji 64, Australia 58, England 56, Argentina 47, Scotland 42, US 36, Samoa 31, Wales 30, France 27, Kenya 21, Portugal 18, Canada 17, Japan 4.
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DATE DATE 1. 07.02.15
TIME TIME 18:00
GAME GAME ATL. MADRID vs R. MADRID
11 2.97
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22 2.16
2. 07.02.15
18:00
LEICESTER vs CRYSTAL PALACE
2.23
3.09
2.88
SMS 2.67format: 3.02 VERONA vs TORINO Game ID#Your pick#Bet amount EVERTON vs LIVERPOOL e.g: 1234#1#100 2.79 3.19 to 79079 HAMBURG vs HANNOVER Send 2.22 3.12
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20:00 79
4. 07.02.15
20:30 1 34#
5. 07.02.15
20:30
6. 07.02.15
22:00
LEVANTE vs MALAGA
2.98
2.98
2.22
7. 08.02.15
0:00
RE. SOCIEDAD vs CELTA VIGO
2.17
3.13
8. 08.02.15
14:00
CORDOBA vs ALMERIA
2.12
790
12 00 #1
2.98
4.withdraw
3.19
15:00 9 BURNLEY vs WEST BROM. 2.46 2.96 7 SMS format: 790 10. 08.02.15 17:05 95 NEWCASTLE vs STOKE CITY 2.16 3.07 w#amount#your sportpesa pin
2.66
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1.87
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WEST HAM vs MAN. UTD ESPANYOL vs VALENCIA LYON vs PSG
tougher outing: The Felix Ochieng-led side expects a tougher going into the remaining five legs where the top four teams qualify for the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Champs Nakuru, KCB maintain unbeaten run the score line but Captain Brian Nyikuli was of different view. “It’s not an excuse because all players trained together in off-season.” KCB captain Philip Wamae refused to dwell on his team’s chances of winning the title. “We still have a hurdle to complete before celebrating. We had to build momentum in the first half to hit them hard in the second. “We have maintained discipline, humility and hard work which have brought us this far.” Strathmore’s Nyikuli said
individual errors cost them victory after the second loss of the season. “We never took our chances. We tried to pull back in second half but it was not easy.” Kenya Cup results: Catholic Monks 0 Resolution Impala Saracens 54, Blak Blad 3 Total Nondies 20, KCB 38 Pan Africa Strathmore Leos 17, Mean Machine 10 Western Bulls 27, Top Fry Nakuru 41 Kenya Harlequin 10, Kabras Sugar 7 Homeboyz 5, Mombasa Sports Club 0 Mwamba 50.
2.87 2.93
w#2 ** #**
Champions Top Fry Nakuru and Kenya Commercial Bank are in contention for the top spot after posting impressive results from Saturday’s action in the Kenya Cup league. The two extended the joint lead at the top with bonus point wins over rivals. Nakuru won 41-10 at home over Kenya Harlequin, while KCB overpowered Strathmore Leos 38-17 at Ruaraka. The absence of five key players for Strathmore contributed to
2.23
0755 079 079 0709 079 079
3.02
2.73
3.09
2.33
3.20
2.95
2.13
14
SPORT MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015 NEW CHAMPION: With 41 points, Mutuku is the winner of the Limuru Country Club leg of the Barclays Golf Circuit
Eric Mutuku seals Limuru lead at Barclays Golf Circuit Eric Mutuku playing off handicap 22 returned an impressive score of 41 points while lady winner Kezie Kihara off handicap 25 returned a score of 39 points to represent Limuru Golf and Country Club at the 2014/2015 Barclays Golf Circuit Grand Finale in March at the Karen Country Club. Other qualifiers from the 12th leg of the ongoing circuit held at Limuru Golf and Country Club include Rodrick Munuhe (20), Eliud Wakae Gathu (12) Steve
Wanguru (21) Kezie Kihara (25) and Safaricom Chairman Nicholas Nganga (19). Over 200 players signed up to participate at the tournament with an eye on clinching a slot at the upcoming Barclays Kenya Open scheduled for 7th-12th April 2015. The Limuru Golf Club Captain Mr. Sam Ndung’u was optimistic that Limuru will be well represented at the Kenya Open. “Tournaments like the Barclays Golf
Circuit have provided a perfect platform for our golfers to practice more ahead of this year’s Barclays Kenya Open, and I believe we shall be well represented this time,” said Mr. Ndung’u. So far, 72 more players drawn from golf clubs from Nakuru, Machakos, Kitale, Nyanza, Sigona, Nanyuki, Thika, Nyali, Eldoret, Vet Lab, Karen and Royal Nairobi have qualified to participate in the Circuit’s Grand Finale to be held at the Karen Country Club on 28th March.
The Kenya team to participate at the Barclays Kenya Open will be named at the Finale. The challenge, however, is for the country’s golfing best to increase their chances of winning in the Kenya Open. Barclays Bank has invested over Sh85 million since 2012 to boost the profile of the sport in Kenya. The financial-services provider aims to reach over 2,800 youth in a bid to hone their golfing talent. “One thing that has stood out throughout the 2014/2015 Circuit is the increased
Joyce attacks ICC over cut in World Cup teams Ireland batsman Ed Joyce has launched a strongly-worded attack on the International Cricket Council (ICC) for reducing the number of teams allowed to play at future World Cups. Fourteen teams will be competing in this year’s World Cup but that is to be cut to 10 when the competition is staged in England in 2019. Ireland begin the 2015 Cup against the West Indies on 16 February with Joyce warning it could be their last. “We are very disappointed that it is [to be] a 10team World Cup,” he said. “We seem to be the only sport that has a World Cup that is contracting rather than expanding.” The 10 teams for the 2019 competition will be made up of the top eight in the ICC rankings plus two teams from qualifying event to be held in Bangladesh in 2018 Joyce commented: “I hate to say it, but this could be our last World Cup because it is going to be very difficult to get into that top eight and, with the qualifying tournament in Bangladesh, they are going to have a home advantage. The 2015 World Cup, being staged in Australia and New Zealand, starts on Saturday.
number of youth taking interest in golf. We have reached over 1,500 of them through the Circuit, and their participation has made it much more exciting. We believe that this sustained effort can push the number and quality of professional golfers in Kenya,” said Zahid Mustafa, Barclays Bank Consumer Banking Director. Barclays is sponsoring the Barclays Kenya Open for the fifth year running and has helped raise the country’s global golfing profile.
Champions Water start season with walkover
Defending Women Handball Champions Nairobi Water (pictured in previous action below) were handed a walk over after their opponents Mount Kenya University failed to show up for their match at the Nyayo National Stadium outdoor court over the weekend. St. Paul’s University ladies earned free points too after Kenyatta University failed to show up for the match. Only the men’s matches were played and new boys Boomerang started their campaign with a bang after seeing off Multimedia University 35-18 in a thrilling match. KHF Fixture secretary Charles Omondi said: “There was some confusion because the Universities League was kicking off at the same time with ours and maybe St Pauls and Mount Kenya decided to play there. But, we had communicated to all the teams early enough for planning and therefore there was no reason for them to miss the matches.”
OFF BAT: Ed Joyce in action for Ireland. He has launched a strongly-worded attack on the ICC for reducing the number of teams allowed to play at future World Cups.
SPORT 15 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015
K’Ogalo whipped by Thika Utd in friendly Champions Gor Mahia suffered their third friendly defeat in three weeks after falling 1-2 to Thika United at City Stadium on Sunday. Dennis Odhiambo put Thika ahead from the penalty spot but K’Ogalo drew level through Jerry Santo’s freekick. Raymond Ochieng won it for Thika. Gor had lost 3-0 to Power Dynamos of Zambia a week ago. K’Ogalo are preparing to face Madagascar champions CNaPS in preliminary match of CAF Champions League in Nairobi on Saturday. They
had earlier lost 2-0 to Bandari in another friendly. Thika provided a good test for Gor Mahia and coach Frank Nuttall admitted he was lacking a finisher. “We played well but could not score because we are not complete upfront. “We need to sharpen our striking force .... with champions league starting next week, there is need to sharpen,” he said. Gor lost striker Dan Sserunkuma to Simba of Tanzania and are struggling for a replacement.
STRING OF LOSSES: Gor went down 2-1 in a friendly tie against Thika United at the City Stadium on Saturday. K’Ogalo has in past weeks lost to Power Dynamos of Zambia and Bandari of Mombasa in other build-up ties.
Messi guides Barca to bang 5 against Bilbao
FOR DEAR LIVES: Al-Ahly players run off the pitch in Port Said after violence broke out between Al-Masry and Al-Ahly supporters. Egyptian authorities have indefinitely suspended football league matches after the clashes at a stadium in Cairo left at least 22 people dead.
Egypt suspends football league after deadly clashes Egyptian authorities have indefinitely suspended football league matches after clashes at a stadium in Cairo left at least 22 dead. Fans were crushed after police fired tear gas at Zamalek’s supporters as they tried to force their way in for a tie against city rivals ENPPI. The fans blamed the authorities for opening only a single gate. An arrest warrant has been issued against leaders of Zamalek supporters group, the White Knights.
The last time the league was suspended was in 2012 after 74 fans died in rioting at a game in Port Said. At least 20 people were also injured in Cairo on Sunday at the Air Defense Stadium, witnesses say. At the stadium, piles of shoes left behind by the dead and wounded were a testament to the stampede. Zamalek fans claim the violence started after authorities opened just one barbed wire gate to let them in. There has been a history of animosity be-
tween security forces and hard-core fans, many of whom were involved in the 2011 revolution and there are fears of more clashes in days ahead. Hard-core Egyptian fans are often deeply politicised and played a role in the overthrow of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Many people believe police in Port Said stood by in revenge for the fans’ role in anti-Mubarak unrest. Police deny the accusation.
Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to move within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid after winning a breathless encounter at Athletic Bilbao. Messi’s deflected free-kick and a precise finish from Luis Suarez put Barca in control. Athletic’s Mikel Rico scored after halftime, before Oscar De Marcos’s own goal and Neymar put Barca 4-1 up. Striker Aritz Aduriz hit a fourth goal in seven minutes for 4-2 before Pedro tapped in a late fifth. After opening the scoring, Argentina captain Messi turned provider to help create each of Barcelona’s other four goals. Neymar could have added a sixth but shot straight at Athletic keeper Gorka
Iraizoz as Barca showed little mercy on a home side reduced to 10 men for the final 15 minutes. Athletic defender Xabier Etxeita was sent off for a crude challenge on former Liverpool forward Suarez. But even with 11 men, the home side did not look capable of preventing a comfortable win for the visitors. Barca were accused of being in “crisis” a month ago after speculation over Messi’s future. Defending champions Atletico Madrid, who are third, blew open the title race with a 4-0 home win against Real in Saturday’s Madrid derby. Elsewhere, Valencia moved up fourth with a 2-1 victory at Espanyol, leapfrogging Sevilla who lost 2-1 at Getafe.
Roma whip Cagliari to close gap on Juventus Roma narrowed the gap with Serie A leaders Juventus to seven points with a hard-earned win at Cagliari. Adem Ljajic’s finish from Daniele Verde’s dink put Roma ahead beforea half-time. Debutant Verde was also involved in Roma’s second, crossing for Leandro Paredes to fire home from just outside the box. Paul-Jose M’Poku headed a consolation for Cagliari, who lost for the first time at home under Gianfranco Zola. Victory for Roma ended a run of
four straight draws and they are now unbeaten in 12 league games. After Ljajic opened the scoring in the 37th minute, the hosts missed a number of chances to equalise. Duje Cop spurned the best of those when he shot over from 15 yards with only Morgan De Sanctis to beat. Paredes put Roma out of reach five minutes from the end before M’Poku’s late header reduced arrears with virtually the last touch of the game. Napoli strengthened their grip on third place with a comfortable 3-1 home win over Udinese.
xnews |MOnDAY, FeBRUARY 9, 2015 | www.x-news.cO.ke
irish bAtsmAN jOyCE AttACks iCC OvEr Cut iN wOrld Cup tEAms pg14
Elephants clinch AFCON glory
HISTORY REPEAT: Ivory Coast players celebrating their victory after beating Ghana 9-8 on penalties. The victory gave the Ivorians their second title, in a repeat of the 1992 final when they won won 11-10 on penalties also after a goalless draw.
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Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry saved and scored the crucial spotkicks that handed Ivory Coast a dramatic 9-8 penalty shootout win over Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Barry, who appeared to cramp up during the shootout, denied fellow keeper Brimah Razak - one of five efforts missed - before slotting in the winner. Victory gave the Ivorians their second title, in a repeat of the 1992 final. That year, Ivory Coast won 11-10 on penalties also after a goalless draw. They will be delighted to have emulated the feat having gone close twice since - in 2006 and 2012 on the latter occasion losing to Zambia, who were then coached by current Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard. In contrast, Ghana coach Avram Grant has now suffered defeats on penalties in two major finals. It had looked like the Black Stars might end their 33-year wait for a fifth Cup of Nations title when Ivory Coast missed their first two spot-kicks - Manchester City’s new signing Wilfried Bony hitting
the crossbar and substitute Junior Tallo dragging wide with his first touch of the game. But Afriyie Acquah and Frank Acheampong failed with their efforts for Ghana and the sides were back on level terms. After every outfield player had taken his turn, Barry - who had annoyed some of the Ghana players by going down with cramp - brilliantly saved keeper Razak’s effort. He then kept his composure to slot home before being mobbed by his team-mates. Defeat was perhaps a little harsh on Ghana, who had the better of the chances in the scoreless 120 minutes that preceded the shootout and twice hit the woodwork. Christian Atsu was unlucky to see a superb 25-yard shot come back off the keeper’s left-hand post, while Andre Ayew struck the outside of the other upright from a tight angle. But there there was a sense of inevitability throughout the match that it would go the distance as neither team appeared to be prepared to take the risks that might bring a victory.
lAtE bliNd strikE AgAiNst wEst hAm rEsCuEs pOiNt FOr misFiriNg uNitEd Daley Blind rescued a point for Manchester United with a 93rd-minute equaliser after Cheikhou Kouyate’s sublime volley put West Ham ahead. Kouyate juggled the ball twice, swivelled, and volleyed in, after Mark Noble’s free-kick dropped in his path. United looked to be running out of time when Blind volleyed home from 16 yards after Angel Di Maria’s cross. The visitors finished with 10 men after defender Luke Shaw sent off for a second yellow card. West Ham, who remain eighth in the table, have not beaten United since 2007 and they will feel they allowed a great opportunity to end that run slip.
The Hammers were on top from the early stages - hustling in defence and attacking with pace. In contrast, United lacked creativity and were too easily dispossessed at Upton Park before Blind’s dramatic late comeback stretched their unbeaten Premier League away record to seven games. David De Gea rescued the visitors three times in the opening half an hour, twice keeping out Enner Valencia - one a 25-yard drive and the other an acrobatic close range volley - before James Tomkins was denied by the Spaniard’s right foot. United omitted Juan Mata yet their
midfield struggled to carve out chances. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce credited his players for yet another good performance though he said it was unfair not to collect all points. “We have to give the players credit for how well they defended as well as how well they played in possession, which was almost the perfect performance. “It’s not a result we deserved or wanted, but we’re back to a level that we know we can play at. “It was just a great shame we conceded a goal as late as we did, which wasn’t the normal goal you concede against Manchester United
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BLINDING V O L L E Y : Daley Blind (L) celebrates after scoring a late equaliser in the 92nd minute to salvage a point for the Red Devils at Upton Park against West Ham.