201503018 xnews

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

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black tuesday four killed, bodies set ablaze during night attack in Wajir

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empowerment 1,700 Safaricom workers go through e-learning course

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confession huddah admits to doing hard drugs in the past

NEWS

Moi Girls, Lenana qualify for schools hockey cup

Kenyans battered in 2015 Africa Volleyball Club Championships

Serem denies plan to retrench civil servants

T

he Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has allayed fears of retrenchment of public servants even as a nationwide job evaluation for State

workers begins next month.

The exercise, expected to be complete in less than 18 months, will not affect ongoing talks between the Governments and workers unions, SRC chairperson

Sarah Serem said.

“I encourage the ongoing talks to continue, this is part of dialogue and we must encourage a continuous dialogue process,” she said.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with Cabinet Secretaries and other senior Government officials this morning, Serem said the job evaluation exercise will provide clear parameters on the

CELEBRATING THE SAINT WHO DROVE SNAKES OUT OF IRELAND

ongoing talks. “We want to see the value of each job in relation to the salaries we offer because most of our public servants are not even sure of job descriptions,” she said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

P.10

Fashion scoop to st patrick’s GLORy: Irish Ambassador to Kenya Dr Vincent O’Neil (left) and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen toast in honour of St. Patrick, the first patron saint of Ireland. Murkomen, who was the chief guest at the party, is an alumnus of St Patrick’s School, Iten, which was founded

by Irish missionaries.

Ambica Shah of Kapoeta designs has released a fresh collection of earrings, ear cuffs and neck pieces

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

Serem denies plan to retrench civil servants From Page 1 But she insisted that the exercise that is expected to cost more than Sh430 million is not aimed at retrenching workers as critics have been claiming.

“The object of job evaluation is extremely far from the object of losing jobs… it is not synonymous with retrenchment or staff rationalisation. The main purpose is

to value the job,” she said.

The commission has categorised public service in seven clusters to make the exercise easier.

The civil service comprises 18 public institutions, service and regulatory State corporations. It also comprises 55 public institutions, commercial State corporations, research institutions

that include public universities and other institutions of higher learning and constitutional commissions and independent offices. Other workers are in the disciplined forces, county and national governments.

Although the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) says it is not opposed to the exercise, Secretary General Wilson

Sossion said they have reservations on the timing of the exercise.

According to Sossion, job evaluation ought to have been introduced at the end of their ongoing talks for higher pay.

“We condemn the introduction of job evaluation at the tail end of negotiations… we did not take a position to oppose the exercise, but this should have been done

a long time ago.”

Sossion has accused the Government of using the exercise as an excuse to delay a pay increase for teachers who are in court over the matter.

“You don’t need a job evaluation when the consumer price index is at 120 per cent. What you need is response in the changes in the cost of living,” he said.

CS ultimatum to counties in Sh42b equipment row County governments have until May 6, 2015 to sign a deal with the National Government on leasing of medical equipment.

Macharia says any county that will not have signed an agreement with the central government within the stipulated time will lose the facilities.

At least 35 counties have signed the agreement with the national government, Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has revealed.

The leasing that was recently launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta seeks to equip two hospitals in each county. The deal includes provision of x-ray, ultra sound, ICU and dialysis equipment at a cost of Sh42 billion. Macharia’s statement

comes amidst opposition by some county bosses after governors snubbed the launch of the health plan last month.

The governors claim the ministry failed to furnish them with details of the project, given that health is a devolved service.

“We are going to proceed with the leasing contracts without them,” Macharia said.

Meanwhile, a civil society has filed a case at the High Court seeking to stop the project. International Legal Consultancy Group claims the county governments were not consulted in the process. The group wants General Electric and Philips companies to be barred from supplying the machines and earn leasing fees of more than Sh5 billion annually over a period of

seven years as had been agreed with the central government.

Managing Director Miller Ateka has accused the national government of forcing county authorities to sign the deal. Miller claims the national governments is overstepping its mandate.

“Health being a devolved function, there is need for an intergovernmental agreement between the national and the county governments to allow the former to do what it has done.

Such an agreement is provided for in the Constitution under Article 187,” he said.

But Macharia says the first batch of the equipment, including CT scans, will be imported within a month.

ULTIMATUM: President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto inspect medical equipment procured through the Managed Equipment Services (MES) project at State House, Nairobi, in February. County governments have until May 6 to sign a deal with the National Government on leasing of the facilities or lose them.

Sudanese accused of raping minor loses bail The High Court has overturned a decision by a lower court to grant bail to a South Sudanese man accused of defiling a five year-old girl.

Justice Luka Kimaru granted the prosecution’s application after he issued interim orders of stay against grant of bail to Makoy Madhak Deer.

He said the application will be heard today during which he would make an interpretation of his decision.

voxpop....

Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Jacinta Nyamosi told the court the trial magistrate failed to consider material facts when he granted the accused bond.

During her application at the High Court, she submitted that the character, antecedents, association and community ties of the accused person were unknown.

She said the accused was facing a serious charge that is likely to

earn him a maximum sentence upon conviction and was likely to abscond trial is he is released on bail.

“Given the background that the accused is a foreign national with no known place of abode makes him a flight risk,” Nyamosi said. She said the ODPP was disgruntled by orders granted by the Makadara court.

Earlier on Tuesday, Madhak appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Timothy Okello who

freed him on Sh1 million bond with two Kenyan sureties.

Nyamosi had opposed Madhak’s position that the accused was a flight risk. After Okello’s ruling, she appealed to the High Court asking Madhak not to be released on bond.

“We have enough grounds to seek the High Court’s intervention,” she told Capital FM News.

The lower court had ruled that although Madhak was a foreigner, the Constitution has a provision

for all accused persons to be released on bond.

He said Madhak was not a flight risk as he had given details of his residence in Kenya. He said he would surrender his travel papers to ensure he does not travel out of Kenya.

Hearing was set for March 31.

Residents of Nyayo Estate accompanied Joy’s mother to court. Madhik, 32, is accused of defiling the minor on March 3, 2015 at Nyayo Estate in Embakasi.

He pleaded not guilty and applied for bond which was granted.

MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke

What should be done to solve security crisis in North Eastern Kenya?

Andrew Munene, experiential marketer KDF should guard our borders to ensure no militants enter the country.

The Government should take the insecurity more seriously.

Joshua Musyoka, messenger The Government should deport all illegal foreigners from the area to ward off threats. It should also take insecurity in the region more seriously.

Lawrence Mbugua, security officer Those who live in North Eastern should know neighbours so that if a foreigner moves to the area, they can identify the source of the threats.

No deployment of officers is necessary.

Obuya Obuya, 29, businessman The Government should fence off the Kenya and Somalia border to ensure illegal foreigners do not sneak in to carry out attacks.

I think the Government is not serious in securing the country, otherwise they would have done that by now.

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NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

NEWS BRIEFS

CARTOONSPEAK

City MCAs want loan approval reversed The budget committee at the County Assembly of Nairobi is now calling for the reversal of an earlier approval that gave the county government a go-ahead to borrow Sh4 billion from banks to stave off a cash crunch.

The committee now claims that some important information was not provided by the finance department of the county government.

This emerged even as a motion raised by the committee chairman Michael Ogada was not discussed due to lack of quorum.

Ogada argues that the details of the bank to offer the loan and how the county government settled on the bank were not provided by the Kidero-led government.

“The law compels the county government to submit in writing to the County Assembly the terms and conditions for the loan.” he said.

Money makes you mean, says psychology expert Money makes a person more likely to ignore their friends, break the law and act in an arrogant, high-strung manner.

This is according to a social psychologist who ran a number of tests to determine if money does, in fact, make people mean.

Paul Piff from University of California in Berkeley has revealed that money “makes you more attuned to your own interests, your own desires, your own welfare,” Speaking during a recent interview with the BBC, he added that “it isolates you in certain ways from other people psychologically and materially. You prioritise your own needs and your own goals and become less attuned to those around you.” In one experiment, Professor Piff spent an afternoon going back and forth

over a pedestrian crossing.

He found that none of the least expensive cars broke the law, while almost 50 per cent of the most expensive car drivers sped across the pedestrian crossing.

In another recent study, Professor Piff brought in more than 100 pairs of strangers into a lab, and flipped a coin to assigned one of the two to be a rich player in a rigged Monopoly game. Hidden cameras revealed, over the course of 15 minutes, the rich player showing signs of dominance, smacking the board with their piece and talking loudly. The rich players also became offensive toward the others, less sensitive to the plight of the poor players, and more demonstrative of their material success.

FILE PHOTO/CAPITAL FM

X-NEWS, Kenya’s FIRST and largest FREE newspaper and the country’s only EVENING publication, will be dedicating the next one month to providing comprehensive information to our 300,000 daily readers — ambitious Kenyans looking for higher learning opportunities.

We invite your institution to showcase your programmes and enlighten our readers on available opportunities by taking advantage of our one-of-a-kind advertising package throughout the March-April campaign period.

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TERROR: Police are investigating the motive of the attack which comes days after two incidents in Mandera town where seven people have been killed since Friday last week.

Four killed, bodies set ablaze in Wajir Four people were on Tuesday night killed and their bodies set ablaze during a gun attack in Wajir town, the latest in a series of attacks in the Northern part of the country.

The attack occurred at about 8pm at a mobile phone outlet which was also set ablaze, according to police.

Police say the four were shot dead before the shop was locked up and set ablaze, burning their bodies beyond recognition in one of the most barbaric incidents in the country lately. “It is barbaric to say the least,” a senior police officer unauthorised to brief the press said, “why would people kill and burn bodies is one of the issues that remains a puzzle.”

Police are investigating the motive of the attack which comes days after two incidents in Mandera town where seven people were killed since Friday last week. “Apart from

the pursuing the attackers, detectives will also seek to know the motive of this attack,” the officer said, and referred us to the county police headquarters for more information. Elsewhere in Nairobi, three suspected thugs were last night shot dead in two separate robbery attempts in the city. The first shooting happened in Dandora area where a gang of four had earlier raided an electronic shop and stole property. Police say they were alerted of the raid before they responded there and managed to kill two while the rest escaped. Police say they recovered part of the stolen electronics. Another suspect was shot dead in Globe Cinema area in a botched robbery and a knife found on him. Police say his accomplices managed to escape and that they had been attacking and robbing motorists.

WHAT OTHERS SAID TODAY...

MPs in near fight over Sh60m bribe: The meeting of a committee of the National Assembly yesterday turned rowdy as members accused each other over a Sh4 million bribe that was part of a Sh60 million bribe. MPs who sit on the Committee on Agriculture nearly came to blows after allegations were made that the chairman, Adan Noor, had received a bribe from sugar barons to go slow on its report on the sugar crisis in the country. What had started off as a closed-door session of the committee degenerated into shouts and sneers...

Secret of ODM’s win in tough Kajiado race : ODM leader Raila Odinga yesterday taunted the Jubilee Alliance Party for the loss the new political outfit linked to the President suffered at the hands of the Opposition in the Kajiado Central by-election.

Speaking at a thanksgiving rally in Kajiado town, Mr Odinga said ODM’s victory represented the death of the Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP), just two months after it was formed from a union of the governing TNA and URP coalition. He said that with the defeat “everything about it is all dead...

Raila victory lap in Kajiado as Jubilee reflects on defeat: The partying in the Orange Democratic Movement and CORD after their victory in the Kajiado Central parliamentary by-election continued Tuesday as former premier Raila Odinga joined the celebrations. The ODM and CORD leader said the victory of Elijah Memusi Kanchory was proof that the Opposition remained a force to reckon with. “We have come to thank the people of Kajiado for voting for Memusi. We urge you to stand with ODM. This is a big win for the Opposition...

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xnews | Wednesday, MARCH 18, 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 BUY SELL 91.9361 92.1083 92.0222 136.2406 138.5600 136.4003 97.072 97.2778 97.1825 7.4055 7.4245 7.4150 31.7561 31.9243 31.8402 20.0633 20.2097 20.1365

Ministry says power costs to remain low as dry weather rages The cost of electricity is expected to remain low for the next one year despite a dry spell being experienced across the country.

Addressing a forum for Cabinet Secretaries on the ease of doing business, Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said Olkaria geothermal power has injected 280 megawatts into the national grid.

He said heavy fuel oil used in thermal

generators that were secured in April was not used up due to the geothermal generation.

“The fuel cost charge, the single major cost item on the power bills, has reduced by 65 per cent nearly threefold to Sh2.57 per kwh in February down from Sh7.22 per kwh in August last year,” said Chirchir.

He said the Government plans to build low voltage electricity distribution system

across the country to reach counties with low penetration rates.

“The most important barrier to grid connectivity has been the high price of power connection. The low voltage network will see the introduction of a flat rate connection cost which will be lower than the current rate, “he said.

The CS said the low cost will eventually spur economic growth and is a major incentive to the ease of doing business.

NO CHANGE: The Government says power charges are expected to remain low for the next one year despite a dry spell being experienced across the country.

BlackBerry unveils new, secure tablet

E-Class products: Cisco-certified inter-network experts and Safaricom employees Immaculate (left) and Maureen pose with Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.

Secusmart, the company owned by Blackberry, has released a new Secutablet.

The tablet is a product of collaboration between IBM and Samsung and is based on the Samsung Galaxy 10.5. The phone runs on Samsung hardware.

The phone is compatible with Blackberry 10 and incorporates IBM’s app wrapping technology. The gadget provides extra security to sensitive data, making it a must have for the target market; businesses and governments.

“Subject to certification of the Secutablet, German government agencies will have a new way to access Blackberry’s most secure and complete communications network in the world,” said the firm. The tablet is undergoing security certification at the

German Federal Office for Information Security.

Less vigorously protected social media such as Facebook and video platforms, including YouTube, can also be used on the device, Secusmart says.

Dr Hans-Christoph Quelle, the CEO of Secusmart, said: “Security is ingrained in every part of Blackberry’s portfolio, which includes voice and data encryption solutions.”

Blackberry has struggled in the tablet market.. in 2010, it launched the PlayBook tablet that disappointed the market after failing to hit sales targets.

But Blackberry smartphones have enjoyed strong market presence in Germany given its high-end security.

The tablet is likely to cost $2,380 (Sh219, 306).

1,700 Safaricom employees complete e-learning training More than 1,700 Safaricom workers have completed an electronic learning (e-learning) programme that provides individuals with decent education.

Through the E-Class system, the company offers opportunities for those out to learn new things, says a statement from the mobile service provider.

Up to 1,715 Safaricom workers completed 18,760 courses, which is 8,000 more than than figures for 2013 to 2014. “The company is committed to transforming lives of Kenyans and delighting customers with great value, innovative products and services as well as building a responsive customer service we

need the right skills,” says a company spokesperson.

The 2015 Safaricom E-Class graduation brings the number of staff who have completed at least one module in the E-class programme up to 4,500.

“We believe it is important to provide equal opportunities for our employees to gain and improve skills needed for exemplary performance,” said Roy Masamba, Safaricom Director of Resources.

“In the last financial year, the telco launched the Safaricom People Development Programme that helps develop an employee, manager and leader brand,” he said in a recent announcement.

JOB MARKET M-Kopa Solar, the global leader of “pay-as-you-go” energy for off-the-grid customers, plans to hire sales and marketing staff to be known as brand activators.

Applicants have been advised to send updated, detailed CV and a cover letter expressing why they

x-news.co.ke

M Kopa to hire sales staff in fresh employment drive

feel they are the right candidates to ‘careers@m-kopa. com’ with subject: “EV-BA-0115.”

“M-Kopa Solar is looking for Brand Activators to join our fast-growing sales team,” a spokesperson for the group says.

A statement from the solar power service provider says successful candidates will drive sales through their Safaricom Retail Centres’ channel.

“Their objectives will be to help grow our exposure and brand to new emerging customers,” the

statement says.

Qualified candidates will receive what officials term as a competitive package “covering a monthly retainer, airtime allowance, performance bonus and competitive commission’s structure and a career progression map.”

Applications should reach the company by April 31, 2015.

M-Kopa officials say the firm is looking for staff with direct exposure in sales, strong people skills and those able to work independently and deliver results.

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BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

Public service job evaluation to kick off next month The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) will kick off the nationwide job evaluation exercise for all public servants next month.

The exercise is projected to take place in less than 18 months and will cost more than Sh430 million.

According to SRC boss, Sara Serem the exercise will not affect the ongoing talks between the government and various workers unions.

“I encourage the ongoing talks to continue, this is part of dialogue and we must encourage a continuous dialogue process,”she said, adding that the job evaluation exercise will provide clear parameters on the ongoing talks and that it is not aimed at retrenching workers as it has been claimed.

“We want to see the value of each job in relation to the salaries we offer, because currently most of our public servants are not even sure of their job descriptions,” she added.

However, Kenya Ntional Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) have supported the exercise but say it should not interfere with the rights of workers.

Knut Secretary general Wilson Sossion is also condemning the introduction of the job evaluation exercise at the end of the ongoing negotiations saying that the government is using it as an excuse to delay a pay increase to teachers who are currently in court over the matter.

“We condemn the introduction of job evaluation at the tail end of negotiations, we did not take a position to oppose the exercise, but this should have been done a long time ago.” Adding that there is no need of a job evaluation when the consumer price index is at 120 per cent.

Vijanaa Boost Loan from Family Bank

PERFORMNCE EVALUATION: The Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) boss Sara Serem. SRC will kick off the nationwide job evaluation exercise for all public servants next month.

SMART MOVE

Consumer rights agents and tour operators from Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.

The fair will be held as the number of middle class Kenyans continues to rise, going by numbers from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

The Bureau says more people have more money to spend with a majority focusing interests on entertainment.

Those who attend will get an opportunity to find ideal

Given the currently high unemployment rate, which has left half the country’s youth jobless, it has become increasingly difficult for a number of people to get a loan.

Since many smart and young entrepreneurs have a difficult time accessing funds, Family Bank in partnership with the Ministry of Youth affairs, is offering those aged between 18 and 35 years affordable loan products to “boost their upcoming business.”

Through the lender’s Vijanaa Boost Loan service, borrowers can get up to Sh1 million and can clear the loan in flexible monthly repayments of up to 24 months. The service comes with an interest rate of 8 per cent.

The loans, which are accessible through the Youth Development Enterprise Fund, are available to both individuals of as groups.

Family Bank agents say that non-account holders are requested to open a Jenga Bizna Account Those seeking the service must have run their business for at least 3 months prior to loan application and must also demonstrate their ability to pay back the loan.

Available from any Family Bank branch, the service can be accessed by individuals, groups, SACCOs and Companies, though 70 per cent of the group members must be between the ages of 18 and 35.

ARM provides fertiliser that can boost yields 55 pc As details emerge that the leading cause of soil infertility is the use of inefficient fertiliser, new methods have sprung up, promising to help farmers increase their yields by as much as 55 per cent.

This has been achieved through the use of ‘customisable fertiliser’ In most parts in the country, the trend, though successful, is still unheard of among many smallholder farmers.

Statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that Kenya is ranked number two in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of fertiliser consumption after South Africa. In fact, the country uses more than 500,000 metric tons of it annually.

It is behind this turn of events that Athi River Mining (ARM), the manufacturers behind a brand of fertiliser known as Mavuno, have introduced fertiliser customization and blending services to their clients.

According to Lawrence Munene from ARM, the company wanted to support the sector by providing tailor-made solutions to farmers.

In a sector with varied farmers dealing in different crops and utilising different soil types, ARM planned to offer a simple way to manage their

The Sarit Centre’s popular Holidays 2015 Tourism Fair was officially launched yesterday in Nairobi.

The event seeks to link up consumers with holiday packages perfect for the looming school holidays and Easter break.

This year’s five-day fair celebrates the 31st edition of the festival. The event will host 70 exhibitors, including hotels, lodges, airlines, travel

CREDIT POINTER

output.

Munene says that the process of fertiliser blending and customisation is only possible after one invests in soil testing analysis. Soil testing enables one to know the nutritional deficiency and ideal crop for the area.

Depending on the one’s preferences, the service can be done by private soil researcher or sample taken to any nearby KARI institution for an analysis, which costs about Sh1000 per sample collected.

After collection of the soil’s test results, farmers then take the results to ARM to get their fertilizer customisation and blending which will depend on the needs of the soil.

“We have our consultant at the factory then gives free scientific advice to the farmer based on the results,” notes Munene.

According to FAO, fertiliser alone is able to contribute towards 55 per cent of additional food production.

Lawrence Munene can be reached by contacting ARM Cement Ltd by calling 0726 579 222 or sending an e-mail to lawrence.munene@ armafrica.com.

Sarit Centre Tourism expo targets growing middle class

holiday destinations, the event’s organisers say.

Confirmed exhibitors include AA Lodges Co Ltd, Aberdare Safari Hotels Ltd, Adventure Vacation E A Ltd, Bahari Dhow Beach Villas, Bamburi Beach Hotel, Baobab Beach Resort & Spa and Blue Bay Hotels.

Others are Zanzibar Bonfire Adventures and Diani Reef Beach Resort & Spa. Entry is free.

An exhibitor at Sarit Centre Expo.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

ACCESS topstory

10 FASHION SCOOP

What really happens to celebrities When they get rich and famous?

FROM GRACE TO GRASS:

M

oney, cars, mansions, shopping sprees, globetrotting… you name it.

Sports and entertainment celebrities have tasted all these at one point of their lives. Some of these celebrities have been endorsed by major corporations, signed million shilling deals.

While they are still at the prime of their celebrity status, they take on risky investments, extravagant spending, drug addictions, tax evasion et cetera thinking they are demi gods who will forever be rich and famous.

Then the worst happens, they find themselves penniless. The entourages and groupies they used to splurge money on disappear into thin air. The big companies that endorsed them find younger and fresher talent to sign. The once fat bank statements now send cold chills and they cannot bear to look at them.

It suddenly becomes hard to maintain their previous lavish lifestyles and they have to rely on their friends, family or wellwishers for sustenance. While some of them bounce back after such a traumatizing period of their lives, others are not so lucky and they end up selling their assets to survive the hard times, falling into depression or worse still, committing suicide.

Stories of celebrities who earned millions and later ended up broke is nothing new. Take for instance MC Hammer, the music sensation, who rocked the airwaves in the 80s and 90’s with hits such as Can’t touch this. After living the high life, splurging over 12 million dollars on a house, a 300 personal entourage and helicopters, the musician ended up filing for bankruptcy.

Closer home, we have the former iron lady, Conjestina Achieng? She was the pride of the country and won

many titles, sharing the stage with international heavy weights. But the praises soon turned to ridicule and she remains a forgotten hero. Other riches to rags celebrities include Suleiman Bilali, Maurice Odumbe and lately, Benson Makau aka Mzee Ojwang’.

The Mzee Ojwang’ situation prompted Kenyans to start a deep conversation on and off line.

What really happens to celebrities when they get rich and famous? Is it just by accident that they end up losing their hard earned money or is it sheer arrogance and vanity on their part?

Many feel that it is pitiable and humiliating to see such people ask for assistance from the Government and wellwishers after squandering a lot of money. A section of Kenyans feel these celebrities should have thought about their future while they were busy partying and buying unnecessary things.

Celebrities need to get a few things deeply ingrained into their minds. Experience is really never the best teacher. They should strive to learn from the mistakes of others so as not to repeat them.

The moment they hit celebrity status, even before buying that mansion, designer clothes and expensive jewelry, they should research and hire a professional finance manager. This will go a long way in helping them manage their newfound fortune.

They should realize that they will not be celebrities for eternity and hence should have a plan B in case anything goes wrong. They should not solely rely on their celebrity status as a source of income. Other side hustles will help them when they become too old for the screens or sports.

Finally the celebrities should take up financial literacy courses, which will help them manage their wealth personally and avoid overspending or getting conned.

It is quite unfortunate to see the once glorious celebrities begging or living in deplorable conditions. They should be the ones lifting the economy and lending a helping hand to the less fortunate in society and not the other way around.

WHY CAN'T KENYAN

CELEBS ESCAPE

THE FALL?

MC Hammer

Julianna calls out social media users Yesterday, we woke up to news of the passing of Jose Chameleone’s brother, AK47.

Pictures started surfacing online of the body of the deceased and was shared widely by social media users. Julianna Kanyamozi called out people sharing the photos to stop and consider the dignity of the deceased and the family’s feelings. She said she knew how it feels going through the loss of a loved one and that the family needs to grieve in peace.

HOT TOPIC

Julianna

Mzee Ojwang

Huddah admits to doing drugs

Socialite Huddah Monroe used to do hard drugs. Huddah admitted this in a long post on Instagram saying she used to do drugs in 2011 but quit and has been sober for four years. She also revealed that before she joined Big Brother in 2013, she lost a lot of weight because she was anorexic and weighed 43Kg! This caused her to get low blood pressure. She recently started going to the gym and is working to get her appetite back, noting that she is a poor eater.

Conjestina

8

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY 26th WEDNESDAY, MARCH NOVEMBER 18, 2015 2014

HOME& LIVING

Keeping the space around the bed neat can be a challenge but it always pays off.

DIY

simple ways to organis

bedroom b

edrooms are considered the inner sanctum of the home. Unfortunately, many a times the room is subjected to neglect. A fair amount of tender loving care should be taken when trying to organize a room. Following some quick tips fixing up your room will be easy and what’s more it will look great.

The messiest points in a room happen to be the closet, the bed and any drawers.

Organising a closet can be done in multiple ways. It could be by colour, by item type or by size.

Putting similarly coloured clothing items and shoes together could

The beddings and bed spread should be clean and colours should be chosen according to your liking.

make use of those old

HOME IMPROVEMENT

OLD TYRES d

o you happen to have a bunch of tyres lying around? And you say you don’t have any use for them anymore?

Reclamation is the catchword when it comes to exploiting used items such as old tyres. Reclaim these rubber rings and turn them into original pieces of furniture for your home or garden. Even flower pots can be created from simple tyres.

You can clean two tyres thoroughly, allow them to dry, then coat with a paint primer. Stack the tyres on top of one another, using an epoxy adhesive to keep them together. Apply layers of bright acrylic paint to

match your existing decor.

Add plywood and fabric to the top to make an ottoman.

Alternately, top with glass or wood to create a unique side table. Add a second set of two tyres to make a base for a coffee table.

Use them to make quick raised beds for growing vegetables or flowers, either singly or stacked up on top of each other for growing root vegetables and flowers.

A sheet of semi-rigid plastic or wood across the bottom one will suffice as a base if you want to move them around. Colour them in different colours and you’ll obtain a lot of pots for your flowers or a rainbow in the garden!

be eye-catching. Invest in storage boxes where folded clothes and shoes can be kept and removed without a fuss.

They could be clear or labelled on the outside to know what is being kept on the inside. Only hang up the clothes that need to be hanged such as coats, dresses and dress shirts.

Keeping the space around the bed neat can be a challenge but it pays off.

The beddings should be clean and colours should be chosen according to your liking. If a theme is selected the rest of the room should follow that same theme to keep things streamlined. Choosing

white has make thin crisp. Use drawer sp that event such as bo other docu Arrange y closet or in spaces by bed sets in access.

Container desk draw keep item hair and b trash bin i in a variet and every

t

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

“creating awareness on ways in which people can prevent disease is a strong motivation for the blog.

HEALTH &FITNESS

The Health Kenya blog

se your

always been a way to ngs classy and looking e a desk with adequate pace to declutter items tually end up on the bed ooks, electronics and uments. your beddings in the n under bed storage y putting matching n pillowcases for easy

5

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Tabitha Mwangi is the brain behind the educative healthkenya.co.ke blog, which has been nominated for the BAKE Awards 2015. Besides blogging, Tabitha is a lecturer at Pwani University’s Department of Biomedical Sciences and a freelance science journalist.

She wrote her first blog post in June 2013 after attending the 8th World Conference of Science Journalists in Helsinki only to discover that there was not a single mention of an African science blogger. She took the challenge and started the blog right outside the conference hall.

According to Tabitha, blogging is something she enjoys doing as it helps her avail information to people more so on what happens around them, what affects their health and how they can protect themselves from harmful exposure.

“Creating awareness on ways in which people can prevent disease is a strong motivation for the blog. Knowledge also protects you from exploitation by quacks, I also aim to challenge those in public health to re-think the way we handle our own health issues. Africa needs to face its own problems and find solutions to them, “she said.

She writes with the hope that the blog will be accessible to anyone that can read young and old alike by keeping it simple but informative. However, like any other blogger she has also faced a lot of challenges.

“I am able to generate content but have poor marketing skills, time is also a big constraint. I have a full time job at the University and three little children and so tend to do most of my writing at night. At times there are too many scripts from students to attend to and the blog bears the brunt.”

Tabitha is excited to be nominated among the best health bloggers and hopes to get a lot of votes.

WORKOUT

fitness benefits of

y

squats

ou have probably heard people telling you to avoid including squats in your workouts routine. Naysayers claim that it will harm your knees and ruin your posture. Perhaps you heard that rumor from your high school physical exercise teacher or gym partner who swore against squatting as a form of exercise to meet your fitness goals. Current research has debunked these rumors and revealed that squats indeed are a good form of exercise.

Before including squats into your workout routine, it is important to first learn the proper technique of squatting so as to reap maximum benefits. Below are reasons why you should be getting your squat on.

Toned butt: This is for the ladies.

Fancy that well-toned, round behind which will keep head turning as you pass by? Get down and sweaty with squats which not only firm up your derriere but give it a nice lift as well without straining your back.

Flexibility: While performing this exercise, the ankles, knees and hips

are all utilized hence increasing their flexibility. Caution should however be practiced so as to avoid any injury.

You will soon notice less straining while performing activities which require you to squat.

Strengthen muscle and back: This is probably one of the best exercises to work your thigh, quads, and hamstring muscles all at the same time. If you incorporate dumb bells into the workout you will get those flabby arms toned up.

Improved posture: If performed correctly, squats have the potential of improving your posture as well as build better balance. This is because the back is usually kept straight and shoulders back during the squat.

Burn more fat: The more muscle you gain the faster and more calories you burn. Squats help you gain more muscle hence it is a given fact that fat will nowhere near your fitness vocabulary.

Keep increasing the difficulty level and sets of squats you perform during your workout to get that toned body you have always been dreaming of.

9

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ACCESS

WEDNESDAY 7th WEDNESDAY, MARCH JANUARY 18, 2015 2015

FASHIONScoop

Talk of oozing sophistication from your ears. It is long and flowy and makes your ears stand out.

AmbicA ShAh deSignS.

Now this is what we mean by a statement neck piece. It is bound to steal the show at any occasion.

Ear cuffs are on fashion and this is one unique and hip pair that we so love!

ROYALTY

REDIFINED A

mbica Shah of Kapoeta designs is no doubt one of the best jewellery designers in the country.

Her latest collection, Tribal Fusion ‘15, comprises earrings, ear cuffs and neck pieces that bring out the African royalty in delightful beauty.

Unlike other designers, who use the same old materials, Ambica recycles molted colourful feathers to design her collections for the different accessories.

Her style is unique mostly flattering different styles from classy chic to bohemian.

She incorporated the professionalism of model Mersie Ayenat and photographer Radek Janicki of Radek Art Photo to bring out the poise of her designs.

Here is a look at some of the designs that have impressed us so much.

Who says ears cannot be fashionable too? This ear cuff will complement your hair and outfit.

Go for a colourful neck piece that will definitely leave heads turning in amazement when you walk by.

HOT TOPICS

AFROBEAT TONIGHT AT K1

I

Octopizzo

t is Wednesday you know it is!

Get down to K1 tonight and experience a night of pure East African music courtesy of the Mseto crew. Tonight, Octopizzo will be launching his new song and video and will be flanked by a bevy of artistes.

XAccess will be on location.

See you there!

Jaya, Lady Jaydee collabo

BBA winner Idris in town

B

ig Brother hotshot winner Idris is in town. The Tanzanian native is here for his Africa Tour with Nairobi being his first stop. He is set to make an appearance at Skyluxx Lounge on Thursday alongside Tanzanian artiste, Ommy Dimpoz. After Idris landed in town yesterday, he wasted no time meeting up with his former Big Brother housemate Melvin Alusa, the pair were snapped out eating. Welcome to Nairobi Idris.

Jaydee

S

Idris

inger Jaya Awinja who launched her career with the song, Wewe Ndiwe is back with a new song. The song, Sasa features Tanzaninan songstress, Lady Jaydee.

It talks about dealing with the now and not putting things off till tomorrow. The video which is done

by Enos Olik is of great quality and both singers have found a wonderful way to gel their voices together and bring out a good tune.

Jaya

PLAY 11 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

WEATHERFORECAST

DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 Learning is apt to be your primary concern today, Capricorn, probably metaphysics, philosophy, history, or some other division of the humanities. You might spend a lot of time in libraries or bookstores or perhaps attend a lecture or workshop. Take copious notes and enjoy your day.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 These people may not be close friends when you meet up with them, but by the end of the day some of them certainly could be. You share a lot of interests with these people, you think along the same lines, and you enjoy each other’s company. You will definitely see them again.

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 Today you might concentrate on some very close work, Pisces, perhaps a drawing or painting, sewing, jewelry making, or creating a new recipe. You may take longer to do this than you normally do, probably because there are a lot of details involved.

WEDNESday 18/03/2015

sunny

28

27ºC 40%

THURsday 19/03/2015

28 6:38 am 6:44pm

27ºC 35%

FRIday

More sun than clouds

6:37 am 6:44 pm

28

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

Yesterday’s Solution

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 This morning, Aries, you could see nothing but piles of papers that you have no use for. You might go through them like a house afire, wanting to clear out as much clutter as you can. This is always good. A cluttered house parallels a cluttered mind.

Sudoku

TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 A study of a philosophical or metaphysical concept or perhaps an ancient or foreign culture could take up a lot of your time today, Taurus. Your mind is especially sharp and penetrating now, so you should notice more, learn more quickly, and retain more of what you read.

GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 You will have a lot of fun, blow off steam, and feel pleasantly exhausted when it’s over. Go for it! The only problem is one member of your household might not be up for too much noise. Try to make certain everyone keeps their voices down and don’t play any loud music.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 A long phone conversation could take place between you and a romantic partner, Cancer.

You could discuss philosophy, current events, the weather, and your opinions. Nonetheless, you will learn a lot about your feelings that will enable you to understand each other better.

LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 Creative work could require more focus and concentration than usual today, Leo. You might need to do some in-depth research, intricate detail work, or another type of intense process that could strain your eyes and overstimulate your mind. Take breaks.

VIRGO Aug 23- Sep 22 Some young visitors may come to your home today, Virgo. You could unexpectedly find yourself called upon to entertain them. You don’t usually like to be the center of attention, but on this occasion you might enjoy it. You could direct some games or tell a story or two.

MUSTREAD Song For The Night —

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 Some long-overdue rewards for that work might come your way today. This should definitely prove a very pleasant and welcome surprise. It could have your mind reeling for a while. Come back down to Earth and then go out and celebrate!

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 A strange conversation could take place with someone you don’t know well, Sagittarius. He or she could be an acquaintance from work or someone who’s just arrived from far away. The talk could outline new career possibilities that you’ve never considered but find appealing.

INSTAMOMENTS 1

3

2

4

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

YOURSAY

winning captions

Yesterday’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.

1. When you get home and are very thirsty-Jacob Mark, Nairobi 2. Why some people get banned at parties-Nairobian 3. The first drink on a night out, always goes down like this-JH, Nrb

Our teaching, examination systems are totally disjointed I concur with Sarah Muthama, a Murang’a TTC teacher trainer, who in her article entitled: Schooling, a slaughter house for our children’s dreams argued that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KCID) and Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) are too disjointed and read from different scripts.

by Chris Abani

My Luck, a 15 year-old child soldier, wakes up on the battlefield with the dead all around him. He starts walking in the confidence that he will catch up with his platoon. He is voiceless. As part of a land-mine clearing platoon, he had vocal chords cut. They were silenced to keep them from screaming as they were blown up and not distract other minesweepers.

My Luck became a soldier when he was 12 years old after witnessing the deaths of his parents. He has become adept at finding and sweeping mines and keeping the platoon safe. He has to return to his platoon and see Ijeoma, the love of his life. But he is not sure he will find his platoon.

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 Today you might receive intense telepathic communications from someone you don’t know very well, Libra. This might be symptomatic of strong ESP abilities, or it might be that this person is sending out distress signals to everyone he or she knows.

While KCID stresses on the acquisition of practical and applicable knowledge; KNEC is too theoretical and exam oriented.

Teachers are always caught in between and do not know whose mandate to accomplish especially as exams approach.

The entire 8:4:4 system is a total mess since it is too cumbersome, rigid, learner

unfriendly and biased. The ongoing piece meal reforms are not likely to salvage it.

The system rewards crammers instead of observant, critical thinkers and selfmotivated students.

— Alfred Mosoti

12

PLAY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

CROSSWORD Across 1. Fortes 8. Blood designation 13. Watching carefully 14. Columbus citizens 16. Gave the silent treatment 17. Flemish Baroque artist Sir Anthony 18. Didn’t react to 19. Los ___ Unidos 20. General Robert ____ 21. Brit. med. syst.

22. Kennel call 23. Third-winningest active baseball manager 25. Hindu deity 27. Beefeater (abbr.)

28. Removing, as a jar lid 31. Lith., formerly 32. Musical performance 33. Nintendo system 36. Undecided 40. Author Rule or Packer 41. Some toll rds.

42. Down off a duck 44. Sylvester, to Tweety 45. 502, to Flavius 46. Woodstock musician Shankar 47. Mask feature 49. Unenlightened sort 52. Diet 53. ___ speak louder...

54. Solemn 55. Search (through) 56. Euphemistic oaths 57. Dead Sea ascetics

Down 1. Bathroom fixture 2. African-American poet Maya 3. One of Paul Revere’s signals 4. Gretna Green couple 5. Opposite of bianca 6. ___ chic 7. Norms, briefly 8. Dyes 9. “Star Wars” guru 10. Notable end-of-the-week events, for some 11. Concert extras 12. Orders 14. Hand protectors, of a sort 15. Rosh ___ 24. Neutral color 25. He’s gonna get it?

26. Quick as ___ 29. Lizards, e.g.

30. Joy 33. Diluted 34. Twelve months from now 35. Acura model, once 37. Deejay’s shift 38. Ezra Pound, by birth 39. Payback 43. Helps with the dishes 45. Stadium enclosures 48. Small clue 49. Rabbit relative 50. Old French coins 51. Places to get some quick bread

DAILY WISDOM “The consequences of an act affect the probability of its occurring again.”

— B. F. Skinner “Every person has free choice. Free to obey or disobey the Natural Laws. Your choice determines the consequences.

Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.”

— Alfred A. Montapert “Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices.”

— Alfred A. Montapert “Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, selfdiscipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of — Dalai Lama consequences.”

“Everybody, sooner or later, sits down to a banquet of consequences.”

– Robert Louis Stevenson “There are in nature neither rewards nor punishments — there are consequences.”

— Robert G. Ingersoll “Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.”

— Norman Cousins “You can do anything in this world if you are prepared to take the consequences.”

— W. Somerset Maugham “The world is not looking for servants, there are plenty of these, but for masters, men who form their purposes and then carry them out, let the consequences be what they may.”

— Woodrow Wilson

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS

SPORT 13 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

Moi Girls, Lenana qualify for schools hockey cup finals Moi Nairobi Girls and Lenana won the Nairobi Secondary Schools Sports Association hockey finals at City Park Stadium at the weekend.

In the playoffs, Mt Laverna and Upper Hill finished third. The girl’s finals were a close tie before Moi Nairobi Girls were edged out

by Hillcrest 3-2. The Metropolitan finals will decide the region’s representatives to the national games.

Sarah Hassan, Hannah Wasidwa and Mercy Cherono scored a goal each for the champions as Kirsty McLean replied with two goals for Hillcrest. Mt Laverna finished third without breaking a sweat against Buru Buru Girls who did not honour their tie.

On Saturday, Sarah Achungo scored a goal for Moi Nairobi

Girls against Buru Buru Girls to reach the final. In the other semis, Ivy Gitonga and Megan McLean scored one goal each for Hillcrest Secondary against Mt Laverna.

The quarter finals were played on Friday. Moi Nairobi Girls beat St. Georges’ 7-0 as Wasidwa and Hassan scored three goals each before Jeria Onserio added one. Buru Buru denied Pangani a semi-final place after Christine Wairimu scored the only goal that locked out the City girls.

Hillcrest were 2-0 winners over Parklands Arya. Sara Svensson and Marina Rozanski scored one goal each. Ngara Girls were defeated by Mt Laverna 2-0, with Elizabeth Karungari the scorer.

Sarah Achungo from Moi Nairobi Girls emerged as the top scorer with 10 goals. Mt. Laverna’s

Elizabeth Karungari had eight; Wasidwa (Moi Nairobi Girls) six; Hailey Gitau (Hillcrest Secondary) six and Mercy Mboya (Mt. Laverna) five.

In the boy’s finals, Lenana beat Nairobi School 5-1. Eric Mburu and Brian Simiyu scored two goals each while Brian Chemonges added one. Joseph Nyaguti replied for Nairobi.

Upper Hill beat Parklands 1-0 scored by Caleb Abuga.

Nairobi needed a golden goal to beat Ribeiro Parklands 2-1 in the semi-finals. The two teams were tied 1-1 after regulation time.

Joseph Muasa scored for Nairobi and Martin Mzera for Parklands.

In other semi-finals, Lenana beat Upper Hill 5-0 scored by Mburu, Keith Karanja, Simiyu, Sammy Karanja and Earnest Macharia.

humbled: Kenya’s representatives to the men’s Africa Volleyball Championships GSU (pictured facing camera) and Prisons finished 13th and 12th respectively in the tournament.

Kenyans battered in Africa tourney Kenya’s representatives to the 2015 men’s Africa Volleyball Club Championships Kenya Prisons and GSU finished 12th and 13th respectively.

Prisons lost final rankings match against Libya’s Swehli 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 16-25, 25-21, 15-7) to finish 12th.

GSU won 3-1 (25-22, 26-24, 21-25, 25-22) over Espoir of DR Congo.

No Kenyan player made it to the list of top individual honours dominated by North African teams.

Ahly’s Ahmed Kotb was named Most Valuable Player after his contribution played a key role in his team’s title claim.

Ahly beat Esperance of Tunisia 3-1 in the finals to win their 11th title in history.

14

SPORT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 HERCULEAN: Novak Djokovic during his match against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Djokovic and fourth-seeded Andy Murray each had to contend with different degrees of adversity before they advanced to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray tested in wins World number one Novak Djokovic and fourth-seeded Andy Murray each had to contend with different degrees of adversity before they advanced to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open.

Djokovic, the top seed in the elite ATP Masters 1000 event, was broken twice in his opening set against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas before advancing 7-5 6-3 in an evening match lasting just under an hour and a half. “I managed to play the right shot at the right time in the important moments,” said Djokovic, who is bidding for a fourth title at Indian Wells. “And I managed to

sneak through in straight sets.” Indian Wells Masters draw and results Scottish world number four Murray recovered from a surprising second-set lapse during the searing heat of the afternoon at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to beat German Phillipp Kohlschreiber 6-1 3-6 6-1. However, Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer made an early exit, ousted 7-5 6-4 by Australian Bernard Tomic in the third round. Djokovic won a topsy-turvy opening set that featured five service breaks. The Serb failed to hold in the first game before breaking back in the sixth and eighth,

Omwela returns as KRU chair in stormy AGM Once again it will be Richard Omwela at the helm of Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) after he was re-elected chairman for a twoyear term after defeating acting boss Gabriel Ouko in a stormy Annual General Meeting held at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds yesterday evening.

Omwela who returns at the Union after losing the seat to Mwangi Muthee in 2011, garnered 25 votes against Ouko’s 18.

Paula Lanco collected 28 votes to retain his director seat alongside Rajinder Sembi, (34 votes), Oscar Mango (31 votes) and Ian Mugambi (28 votes).

“I’m taking a new challenge and walking in a situation that is very delicate. I’ve been in the board before but honestly I didn’t want to come back because I thought I had done my part but given the indecency in the game, I was requested by many affiliates to come and bring sanity.

In all, 45 delegates from 28 clubs and two directors (chairman and his vice) participated in the secret ballot that was presided over by National Olympic CommitteeKenya Assistant Secretary General, James Chacha while Regis-

trar for Sports; Rose Wasike and Sports Commissioner, Gordon Oluoch were observers.

The biggest loser was Director of Media and Communications Kadiega Ogutu who received seven votes to join Rugby Patron Ian Nduati (25 votes) and Sylvia Kamau (18 votes) on missing out on director slots.

However, there was drama moments after the returning officer took charge when Spartans RFC delegate, Nils Achayo protested over the barring of 12 Nationwide League clubs from voting on grounds that they had either not paid affiliation fee or did not submit delegates’ names on time.

The AGM took place under tight security of four armed police officers, two at the main entrance and equal number at the event after High Court judge Alfred Mabeya, declined to grant the Sasha Mutai faction injunction to stop the meeting.

All officials who elected at February’s Special General Meeting where Sasha Mutao was voted chair including vice chairman Gerald Chege and Secretary General, Jack Okoth did not attend the AGM.

but was surprisingly broken again in the ninth when serving for the set at 5-3. Though Ramos-Vinolas fought back to level at 5-5, Djokovic held to love before breaking the Spanish lefthander again in the 12th, the set ending after 49 minutes when his opponent netted a backhand. The second set went with serve until a protracted eighth game which the Serb won when Ramos-Vinolas blasted a low forehand wide, then served out to love in the ninth to seal victory.

Djokovic will next face big-serving American John Isner, who powered

past South African Kevin Anderson 7-6(6) 6-2. “He’s one of the best servers in the history of the game,” said the Serb. “I expect a very tough match.”

Murray appeared in total control after breezing through the opening set in just 25 minutes, but was broken after a marathon eighth game in the second as Kohlschreiber levelled the contest. It was then back to business in the third for Murray as he broke the German’s serve in the second and fourth games before sealing victory in a little under two hours when his opponent hit a forehand wide. “Towards the end of

the second set there were a lot of long games and he was creating a lot of opportunities,” Murray said. “The game where I got broken, I played a few poor shots as well. He capitalised on that.

But apart from that, I thought I played a good match against a tough opponent who plays well in these conditions.” In other matches, fifth-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori fought back to beat Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco 6-7(6) 6-1 6-4 while Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis scraped past Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-2 5-7 7-6(5).

Rally heads to Mount Kenya region For the umpteenth time the 63rd edition of the KCB Safari Rally will be flagged off at the courtyard of KICC under the watchful gaze of founding father of the Nation Mzee Jomo Kenyatta on Easter Friday.

With the rally expected to traverse Mount Kenya region, several crews will be charging to rack-up the most prestigious rally-sport title on the land. This year’s edition of KCB Safari Rally hasn’t just reverted to its traditional Easter holidays date, it rekindles nostalgic memories of days a mere mention of names like Joginder Singh, Shekhar Mehta and Vic Preston Jnr. heightened the pulse-rate of countless fans

countrywide. There’s a fabulous fight in prospect in the newly introduced Premier Class with Finland ace and Kisumu Rally winner Tapio Laukkanen ready to rumble against Kenya’s racing legends Baldev Chager, Ian Duncan and Carl Tundo.

While defending KNRC champion Chager hopes to attain a hat-trick of Safari wins, Carl “The Jackal” or “Flash” will be pushing his Proton Neo Satria S2000 to equal Shekhar Mehta’s unprecedented five wins. The only difference though is that Shekhar won his five events when Safari counted towards the World Rally

Championship (WRC). Flash, on the other hand, won four Safaris when it counted towards the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).

This year the Safari will not be a round the ARC but a normal KNRC spectacle designed to restore nostalgic Easter weekends when a mere mention of legendary names like Juha Kankkunen heightened the pulse-rate of countless enthusiasts across the African region.

Tapio, a former British/Finnish rally champion is an international driver and will drive a Subaru Impreza GVB13 under the MRT Racing banner.

EVO POWER: Driver Baldev Singh Chager and co-driver Ravi Soni in their Mitsubishi Evo X car during a previous championship. The 63rd edition of the KCB Safari Rally is expected to traverse Mount Kenya region.

SPORT 15

KPL Tusker Premier League resumes after High Court order The 2015 Tusker Kenyan Premier League is back after a three-week suspension following a High Court decision to throw out an injunction filed by Football Kenya Federation.

Justice Lady Justice Roselyne Aburili quashed High Court orders issued issued by Justice Mbogholi Msagha on February 23 after an application by FKF. “I struck out application filed by FKF for abatement because there was no applicant persona party capable and with the legal capacity to initiate and prosecute the said application.

“The prayer of striking out the entire suit for want of jurisdiction of the court to hear the dispute on account of FIFA and FKF statutes is declined and the suit is sustained,” Aburili read in part of her ruling.

Kenyan Premier League CEO Jack Oguda said fans and players were the winners in the ruling.

“This is kind of ruling that protects sports and you can see the fans are ready to watch KPL. The Judge has made a good ruling so we will start the league as soon as possible and settle the issue out of court,” said Oguda.

FKF said they were studying the verdict with a view to taking the next move in the ongoing supremacy battle over the composition and running of top flight soccer.

“Football Kenya Federation hereby, following today’s ruling by Lady Justice Roselyn Aburili, wishes to confirm that we have received the direction taken by the Court on the matter between FKF and Kenyan Premier League Limited. KPL immediately announced resumption of televised fixtures with title holders Gor Mahia clashing with Bandari on Thursday to get their delayed programme off again.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015

Ex-Dutch coach to manage Sunderland after Poyet sack Sunderland have appointed Dick Advocaat as their new manager until the end of the season.

The former Netherlands coach takes over a day after the sacking of Gus Poyet who leaves the Black Cats a point above the EPL relegation zone.

“We have one aim only now - to climb the table - and everyone is fully focused on the task ahead of us,” said Sunderland chairman Ellis Short.

Advocaat, 67, said: “I can’t wait to get started.”

Poyet was sacked after a run of just one victory in 12 league games. The run leaves Sunderland 17th in the log.

They were thrashed 4-0 at home by relegation rivals Aston Villa in Poyet’s last game. Advocaat’s reign will get under way with a game at West Ham on Saturday.

“Sunderland is a big club and I look forward to the challenge ahead,” said the Dutchman. “We must now concentrate on Saturday as a

priority.”

Advocaat has been out of work since resigning as Serbia coach in November.

His previous clubs include Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Zenit St Petersburg. The Dutchman has also managed six national teams, including Belgium and South Korea.

Advocaat has won domestic league titles in Netherlands, Scotland and Russia.

“Dick has an incredible CV and vast experience of managing at the very highest level,” said Short.

Zeljko Petrovic will be Advocaat’s first team coach, while former Swansea and England Under-20 goalkeeping coach, Adrian Tucker will also be part of his backroom staff.

Sunderland academy coach Paul Bracewell said he “will also support the head coach and his backroom team for the final nine games of the season”.

Reading, Arsenal to clash in FA semi-final

FKF ACTION RESUMES: Gor Mahia midfielder Baba Kizito controls the ball under pressure from Thika United’s Wycliffe Opondo during a KPL Tusker Premier League match last year at City Stadium, Nairobi. The 2015 League is back after the High Court dismissed an injunction filed by Football Kenya Federation.

Bradford’s FA fairy-tale came to an end as Reading sealed their first Cup semi-final appearance for 88 years.

A Hal Robson-Kanu header and deflected Garath McCleary shot in the opening nine minutes set the Championship side on the way to a sixth-round replay win.

Bradford’s Filipe Morais was sent off for a high challenge after 63 minutes as Jamie Mackie scored Reading’s third shortly after with a neat low finish.

The Royals will face FA Cup holders Arsenal at Wembley on April 18 or 19.

Reading took control from the first

whistle, nine days after the sides battled out a 0-0 stalemate at Valley Parade.

Robson-Kanu rose to score with a near-post header from McCleary’s sixth-minute corner.

The impressive McCleary doubled the lead three minutes later with Phil Parkinson’s side still attempting to regroup.

League One Bradford retained hope of a second-half comeback after recovering from two goals down in round four to beat Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in one of the competition’s greatest shocks.

City midfielder still dreams of Barca upset city dreamers? Manchester City midfielder David Silva believes the team has necessary quality to overturn a 2-1 home fall to Barcelona when the two teams meet for Wednesday’s return leg clash at Nou Camp.

Midfielder David Silva believes Manchester City have the quality to overturn a 2-1 deficit when they face Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Two first-half strikes from Luis Suarez saw the Catalan giants claim a valuable victory at the Etihad Stadium. But Sergio Aguero’s late goal gives the Citizens a fighting chance of progressing in the second leg at Nou Camp.

But Manuel Pellegrini’s men were lucky to see Lionel Messi’s injury-time spot-kick saved by Joe Hart. A 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened Burnley at the weekend means the English champions head to the volatile Nou Camp struggling for form. But Silva, pointing to Schalke’s shock win over Real Madrid last week, is confident the Citizens have it in them to pull off an upset.

He believes lack of pressure on City players will work in their favour.

“Everybody wrote Schalke off before they played Real Madrid but they won 4-3 and could have scored again which would have put them through – nobody predicted that,” the Spain international said.

“Not many thought PSG could beat Chelsea, especially with only 10 men for so long, so I know that everything can happen, not only in the Champions League but in every game.

“Everyone is expecting Barca to go through but hopefully we can give a strong performance and we don’t have any kind of pressure on us because we are behind and playing away.’

xnews | weDnesDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 | www.x-news.Co.ke

DaviD Silva believeS MancheSter city have nothing to loSe in barcelona tonight.

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BUTTONED UP: Arsenal’s striker Olivier Giroud reacts during the match. Arsenal failed to make the Champions League last eight for the fifth straight season despite beating Monaco 2-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

gallant gunners crash out of Ucl

Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 for a fifth straight season despite beating Monaco in the second leg round of 16 tie.

The Gunners needed to score three goals without a reply from the hosts to progress to the last eight, having suffered a 3-1 defeat at home in the first leg.

The 2-0 final score proved bittersweet as it was not enough to sail them through, as they crashed out on away goals.

Arsene Wenger’s men came into the match with a lot of spirit, and eventually they went ahead through Olivier Giroud’s close-range finish. Danny Welbeck was a live-wire up front and nearly doubled the lead before half time. But despite Aaron Ramsey coming off the bench to score late on, with Giroud going close again, Monaco held on. It was a heartbreaking end

to Arsenal’s European campaign as they came agonisingly close to scoring the third away goal they needed to progress. Giroud almost tucked in at the back post from a free-kick but perhaps he was guilty in putting off the better-placed Sanchez. Arsene Wenger’s side were vastly improved in all areas of the pitch from the defeat at Emirates Stadium last month and they ensured that a very defensive Monaco conceded their first Champions League goals at the Stade Louis II this season.

In the end, Arsenal were left frustrated and with a sense of Déjà vu as this was almost the same case in their two-legged defeat

by Bayern Munich two years ago. This, though, will be harder to swallow. Monaco now join holders Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Porto and Atletico Madrid in Friday’s draw.

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