20150309 xnews

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

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the search is on police looking for missing kiambu mca, samuel gitau

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best of the best LG G3 declared smartphone of year at Spain Congress

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celebrity chat He has a flair for writing and a funny bone too. Meet the Real G.

NEWS

First Lady posts improved Beyond Zero marathon time

national Amateur team included in opening rounds of KCB golf tour

Civil society fury over MPs’ Dec poll date plot T

he National Civil Society Congress (NCSC) has opposed a Bill, which plans to move the General Election date from August to December 2017. The lobby has termed the move as “ill-advised and motivated

by MPs selfish interests.”

Addressing a news conference on Sunday, the

organisation’s leader Morris Odhiambo criticised MPs, saying they Bill is a devious plan to extend their terms in office.

The group claimed the move will fail as the election date can only be changed through a referendum since it is entrenched in the constitution.

“One of the arguments by the MPs is that if the

elections are held in August 2017, they will not have done their full term of five years yet we know constitutionally there is nothing like that,” he said.

“An election is held on the second Tuesday in August of every fifth year. It doesn’t say they have to run for five years.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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The Big Knot Alice Kanda and Alphonce Okungu got engaged three years ago and on Saturday, they read their vows

P.9

Rooftop fun

The second Rooftop Sundowner happened on Friday and it confirmed that African music has a big audience

P.10

Fashion parade we reject MPs’ plan: National Civil Society Congress leader Morris Odhiambo (centre) has criticised a Bill by MPs which seeks to move the General Election date from August to December, 2017, saying it is a devious plan to extend the legislators’ term in office.

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The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards brought out the best in African and imported fashion

buyer Meet the ome s and pata ey n o m cash

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NEWS MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

NGOs reject MPs’ Dec election date plot From Page 1

The push to push the election date switched to December was initiated by Ugenya MP David Ochieng. It has since received the backing of majority of MPs as majority of House leaders express support for the strategy.

A quick expedition of the Bill is one of the key resolutions the legislators made at a recent retreat in Mombasa.

But the lobby group wants the MPs to respect the constitution and instead focus on development issues.

“To the extent that that is their core argument, the public must be aware they are lying and misinterpreting the constitution. It is very clear that an

election can be done in the first month or in the second month of the fifth year in the election cycle so that argument is null and void and we must treat it with the contempt it deserves,” Odhiambo said.

The group called on MPs to respect the High Court ruling that declared the CDF Act null and void.

“As Civil Society, since 2003, we have held that the CDF is unconstitutional…. it was a slash fund for MPs to manage campaigns at local level. They can tell you they build a classroom and a toilet, what they never tell you is what they have never done. We have also never seen an audit of the fund,” he said.

He reiterated calls for Lands Cabinet

Secretary Charity Ngilu and National Lands Commission chairman Muhammad Swazuri to resign, saying they have failed to implement necessary land reforms.

Odhiambo claimed constant wrangles between the two offices have contributed to the growing number of cartels in the sector. The differences have also resulted in an increase in criminal tactics in settling disputes over property.

Odhiambo called on the two to step aside for more capable people can take over their jobs.

“The Cabinet Secretary in charge of Ministry of Lands and chairman of the National Lands Commission have failed

and must vacate office. These two have failed this country. We are seeing the rising specter of criminality. People are sorting out their land matters on the streets with bullets. It cannot get worse,” he said. “We wish to remind Kenyans that land reforms are one of the key areas of reform under the 2010 constitution.”

He claimed the formulation of the National Land Policy was to facilitate an overhaul of how land matters are governed and administered.

“The constitution emphasizes equality, efficiency, productivity and sustainability in the use of land. Equitable access to land, security of land rights, sustainable and productive management of

land resources, transparent and cost effective administration of land and encouragement of communities to settle land disputes through recognized local community initiatives consistent with the constitution are given prominence,” Odhiambo said.

MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke

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Running for a worthy cause: Thousands turned up for the second edition of the First Lady’s Beyond Zero marathon in Nairobi.

1. The race, which targets to raise funds for the purchase of mobile clinics for counties, attracted Kenyans of all walks of life. Participants at the marathon yesterday.

2. First Lady Margaret Kenyatta sprints to the finish line as President Uhuru Kenyatta leads others in cheering.

3. Deputy President William Ruto during the race.

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voxpop....

Is it becoming increasingly risky to buy land in Kenya, given the high number of conmen?

Benjamin Onyango

Linda Mecha.

It is a 50/50 affair.

There are those who own land and it is easier and more genuine to deal with them. But if you go through agents, the process becomes tricky and prone to corruption.

Leonard Kidwaro It is becoming hard to buy land in Kenya because you might buy a parcel from false agents or dealers. You may finally be forced to return the land because you bought it fraudulently. You have to be careful these days.

Stella Mulandi It depends on the place and people you are working with. If you follow the right channels, you will get a good deal. Entities like Saccos are a good bet to get legitimate land without hassle and fraud.

You might not know who is genuine and who is not. Someone might sell you land which is not rightfully theirs and you end up losing money and time.

This might discourage people from investing in land.

NEWS 3 MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

NEWS BRIEFS

CARTOONSPEAK

Search on for missing Kiambu MCA

Booze can make you beautiful Wine, among other forms of alcohol can make a person appear more beautiful.

‘Beer goggles’ aside, taking wine has been found to make the drinker a bit more attractive by causing their facial muscles to relax, thereby making them appear approachable. It has also been known to cause their pupils to dilate (become large) while making the cheeks of lightskinned people appear ‘rosy’.

However, experts say that for someone to look their best, they need to stick to just one glass.

Any more, and rosy cheeks may turn red, while any relaxed facial muscles will start looking unnatural.

The study was carried out by Bristol University experts, who asked their students to drink different amounts of alcohol, while their sober companions judged

them on appearance.

The researchers photographed their faces three times, once when the subjects were sober, after drinking the equivalent of one glass of wine, and after drinking a second alcoholic drink.

According to the study, the photos taken after one drink were rated as more attractive than the sober photos. After two drinks, students found the sober photo more attractive.

“It suggests that, if it’s true, people are rated as more attractive once they’ve consumed a small amount of alcohol,” the study’s senior researcher, Marcus Munafo, told LiveScience, an organisation that deals in ground-breaking developments in science, space, technology, health, the environment, human culture and history.

Probe links officers with city hit squad Police are now investigating the existence of a hit squad in Nairobi following a spate of executions in recent months, the latest being the killing of a businessman on Forest Road last Thursday.

Detectives are specifically keen on five killings of businessmen under mysterious circumstances in various parts of the city. Administration Police spokesman Masoud Mwinyi has said that a team has been formed to track down the gunmen believed to involve former police officers. “It is not necessarily that every crime that is committed using a fire arm involves an ex-police officer…we have officers who exit the service for one way or the other but they don’t necessarily go to crime,” he said.

“But where we have reason to believe that there are officers who are engaging themselves in crime particularly those who have left the police service.”

He said a database has been developed to track down all officers who exit the police service honourably or dishonour-

ably. “It’s not like we are infringing on their privacy…when you are a service person, the government has invested heavily on you and we would not want you to abuse that investment.”

That way, Mwinyi pointed out that, “when one or two (ex-officers) engage in crime, it will be very easy to pin point them.” In Thursday’s incident, Paul Kariuki Ngugi was shot more than 10 times as he drove on Forest Road in the company of a woman. The woman suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was still unable to speak to the police as investigations continued. Police are probing land deals as a possible link to the execution of the businessman. Mwinyi says they will also increase police presence in strategic places in town as part of security measures following concerns that lack of police presence is to blame for such incidents. An anonymous detective told Capital FM News that already police have mapped out specific areas where these criminal gangs may be operating.

Police are still searching for a Kiambu Member of County Assembly who is missing since Saturday night. Juja Ward MCA Samuel Gitau Munene is missing and police and the family are yet to know his whereabouts.

His saloon car was found parked outside his residential gate long after he had left home for a nearby bank in the town to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine. Police said the car was found with the lights on and engine running. Munene had apparently left his house on Saturday night for the ATM and left behind his mobile phone. A search was started yesterday but no signs of his whereabouts.

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.

TO BOOK SPACE: CALL: Eric 0722616208 Boniface 0721541406 Micah 0721266099 Willie 0727622516 —or — EMAIL: sales@x-news.co.ke

WHAT OTHERS SAID TODAY...

Jubilee MPs plot to remove Ababu: Barely 10 days after surviving a no-confidence vote, Public Accounts Committee chairman Ababu Namwamba faces another conceeted effort, this time

by Jubilee MPs. The MPs, under the direction of National Majority Leader Adan Duale, have held a flurry of meetings to identify Namwamba’s successor from among his fellow Cord MPs. They want to have Namwamba replaced with Wajir East MP Abass Mohammed (ODM), in what observers see as an attempt by government to gain control of the crucial opposition watchdog...

Ababu risks sacking over Raila secret tape: A group of ODM lawmakers is planning to push out embattled party Secretary-General Ababu Namwamba in the wake of revelations that he secretly recorded a meeting with party leader Raila Odinga. Sources close to the former Prime Minister said the Budalang’i MP’s action had raised questions about loyalty and trust, placing Mr Namwamba’s position as ODM Secretary-General and chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in jeopardy...

How First Lady led top team to the finish line: She improved her personal time in the 21km race by a staggering 28:80 minutes. Flanked by a retune of VIP and security team, the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta braved the scorching sun to finish the race in record time. It was not an easy win, but one born of hard work. As Budha once said, ‘Endurance is one of the most difficult discipline, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.’ It was a victory that came from great will-power, months of training, and, above all great love for Kenyan women and children...

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NEWS MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

How Tanzania thwarted Jihadist’s attempt to join Al-Shabaab ranks Mohammed Emwazi, the man who went on to become “Jihadi John”, was deported from Tanzania for being drunk and abusive, a move that now appears to have thwarted the world’s most dangerous jihadist from joining alShabaab ranks.

Emwazi has claimed he was threatened and interrogated under direct orders from MI5 when he went there in 2009.

But the BBC has been shown a custody record from the time of his arrest.

A Tanzanian police officer who made the revelation said Emwazi had not been allowed into Tanzania because he had “brought chaos to the airport” and “behaved like alcohol was involved”.

Emwazi, who is in his mid-20s and from west London, has been identified as the masked jihadist in several Islamic State videos in which hostages have been beheaded.

Emwazi has said he was a student looking forward to a safari holiday when he flew to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam airport, from the Netherlands, six years ago.

But he said that when he arrived, he was stopped, arrested and accused of wanting to join al-Shabaab. However, one of the

police officers who arrested him has told the BBC’s East Africa correspondent Ed Thomas a different story.

The officer, who wanted his identity protected, said: “He brought chaos to the airport, he was rough and noisy.

“He caused a commotion. He behaved like alcohol was involved.

We couldn’t let him in.”

The officer said Emwazi had been taken to the airport’s cells and left to sober up.

A custody record dated 23 May 2009, and written in Kiswahili, requests that Emwazi and two friends “be detained after they refused to return back to Amsterdam using KLM 569 after being refused entry to the country”.

The document names Emwazi, Ally Adorus and Marcel Schrodel. Adorus, a British citizen, is now a convicted terrorist serving a prison sentence in Ethiopia.

Schrodel is said to have been known to German security services.

Tanzanian authorities deny they received a tip-off from MI5 or any country that Emwazi was planning to travel there in 2009.

Immigration commissioner Abdullah Khamis Abdullah said Emwazi had been drunk and fel-

ICC witness Yebei body to be released after autopsy The government plans to release the body of International Criminal Court witness Meshack Yebei to his family for burial after a post-mortem examination.

The lead investigator into the death, John Kariuki, says they have confirmed that the body found in the vast Tsavo National Park belongs to Yebei but a post-mortem is yet to be done.

“We are still conducting a post-mortem to establish what caused the death of Yebei to assist in the investigation. We will thereafter release the body to the family for burial,” he said.

The family had given the government a three-day ultimatum to release the body to them for burial. “We are consulting with relatives to release the body as

soon as possible. The autopsy report will assist in establishing the cause of death and the autopsy will play vital role in the investigation,” said Kariuki.

He explained that they will carry out proper investigation to apprehend those behind his death assuring the family of full cooperation.

He denied that police have been playing a cover-up into Yebei’s death, who was considered a critical witness at the ICC in the case against Deputy President William Ruto.

Yebei’s body was found at Man Eaters in the Tsavo National Park on December 30.

He was abducted on December 27 last year from Turbo market, in Eldoret.

LOST AND FOUND SLAIN: Fallen ICC witness Meshack Yebei.

Investgators have confirmed that the body found in the Tsavo National Park belongs to Yebei but a post-mortem is yet to be done.

THAT BAD GUY: The masked ISIS militant known as ‘Jihadi John’, who has been pictured in the videos of the beheadings of Western hostages was identified as Mohammed Emwazi. low passengers on his flight had complained about his behaviour.

At the airport, Emwazi had “tried to force his way in”. He added: “He said ‘Give me the permit to the country... you are nothing here, you’re just rubbish’.”

Mr Abdullah said: “We didn’t

get any order or whatever from any country or any organisation to stop Emwazi.” This account of events is in contrast to emails written by Emwazi after his arrest, angry at what he claims was abuse he suffered.

In emails written to campaigners

at advocacy group Cage, he said the trip had transformed his life.

He wrote: “My life changed completely when I went on holiday after graduation at the age of 20 to Tanzania. I had been abused by Tanzanian authorities.”

Emwazi said he had been threat-

ened at gunpoint and was later told to ask the British government why he had been stopped.

Emwazi said this had left him “in shock”. However, the officer who arrested him insisted Emwazi’s account was not true. harmed.

Emwazi was not tortured.”

AlliES lAuNCH BOkO HARAM OffENSivE AS NigERiA DiSMiSSES iSiS AllEgiANCE Forces from Niger and Chad have launched a ground and air offensive against militant group Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria, officials say.

The campaign is said to be targeting militants in Borno state.

It came as Nigerian officials dismissed Boko Haram’s pledge of allegiance to Islamic State as a reaction to military pressure from Nigeria and its allies.

The pledge was posted online on Saturday in an audio message by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.

He called on Muslims everywhere to swear loyalty to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Boko Haram has been fighting an insurgency to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria since 2009, and in recent months the violence has increasingly spilled over into neighbouring states.

Chad, Cameroon and Niger have already been helping Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram. On Friday, the African Union endorsed the creation of a regional force of more than 8,000 troops to combat the group. However, the force’s remit will be limited to securing the Nigerian side of Lake Chad, rather than pushing further into Nigeria. As the latest offensive began early yesterday, a resident and an aid worker

CHARGING ON: Forces from Niger and Chad have launched a ground and air offensive against militant group Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria, officials say.

told AFP news agency there had been heavy arms fire close to Niger’s border with Nigeria. A local radio station said that a convoy of more than 200 vehicles was moving towards the area, and that air strikes had been carried out on Saturday and early on Sunday.

The Nigerian military and troops

from neighbouring states have recently claimed some success in their campaign against Boko Haram, and Nigerian officials said the pledge of allegiance to IS was a sign of weakness Army spokesman Col Sami Usman Kukasheka said the Boko Haram leader was like a “drowning man”. “There

is no surprise that he is craving for support from fellow terrorists across the world,” he told the BBC World Service. “Basically he’s just trying to create panic to create a plea for help that will not even come because very soon we will see to the end of the insurgency in Nigeria.”

xnews | MONday, MARCH 9, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke

BUSINESS

NEWS BRIEFS

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

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

Portland hit by cement price dip

Microsoft warns PC users over hackers out to steal private data

A recent drop in cement prices may be a cause for jubilation for consumers but it has seen East African Portland Cement company sink deeper in losses in the six months to December 2014.

The company has blamed poor performance on a two-month shutdown of its packing units last year. The cement maker reported a net loss of Sh68 million in the period under review, analysts at research group, African Alliance told X News. Total revenue fell by 10 per cent to Sh4.1 billion in the midst of declining cement prices.

The management said the price drop had played a major part in the dismal performance reported in the period.

Hundreds of millions of Windows PC users across the world are vulnerable to digital attacks that may infect devices with viruses. The attackers may also steal private data, Microsoft has confirmed.

The assaults can exploit a recently uncovered flaw in devices Microsoft refers to as “Freak” security weakness. The weaknesses give hackers power to steal information from people surfing the web.

“Freak” was initially believed to only threaten mobile devices and Mac computers, Microsoft Corp had warned.

News of the vulnerability surfaced last week when a group of nine security experts revealed that “Freak” technology could make devices running on Apple Inc’s iOS (i-Operating System) and Mac operating systems, along with Google Inc’s Android browser, vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Microsoft released a security advisory before the weekend, warning customers their PCs were vulnerable to “Freak” vulnerability.

If hackers succeed in exploiting the weakness, they could spy on communications and infect PCs with malicious software, researchers who uncovered the threat said.

The Washington Post said in an earlier report key US sites, including the Whitehouse.gov and fbi.gov were among those vulnerable to attacks. The paper said the US government had secured installations.

Sopa Lodges put smiles on gloomy tourism phase The Africa Travel Show (2015), which ran from March 4- 8, 2015 at Oshwal Centre in Nairobi, was a display of vibrant colours, business opportunities and smiling faces.

The show was Kenya’s largest free travel exhibition and could pass as a favourite destination for those planning annual holidays.

Smart MICE Limited, the tourism sector flagship association for organising meetings, says amidst concerns the sector may have been on a downward trend, exhibitions have been set up to assure Kenya and the world that a steady recovery is around the corner.

Sopa Lodges was among the many players in the sector that graced the expo.

Sopa Director of Operations (East Africa), Ken Ayoti told XNews tourism numbers are likely to improve in the near future.

“There are strategies being put in place to ensure we survive,” he said in an interview.

As many players cut back on costs to survive the crisis, Sopa Lodges has announced the opening of another lodge in Nakuru.

Though the sector suffered the loss of more than 7,000 jobs in the past year, it is still considered a powerhouse in creating jobs. It employs more than 150,000 people directly and will likely hire thousands more in the wake of a recovery.

One of Sopa’s Lodges in Naivasha, just one and a half hours’ drive from Nairobi, is a preferred spot for urban dwellers looking to get away from the friction of city life. The lodges have

CBK EXCHANGE RATES

LG G3 declared smartphone of year at Spain Congress The LG G3 smartphone was named Best Smartphone of the Year at the Mobile World Congress 2015 held in Barcelona.

Its quality, variety of useful features and ease of use nudged judges to declared it the winner.

“Since its launch, LG G3 has been critically acclaimed, carried by over 170 partners across the globe and its success has largely contributed to the 16 percent increase in annual global revenue,” said the GSMA (an association of mobile operators) in its award announcement.

The smartphone has an intuitive user experience with a 5.5inch Quad HD Display and 13-megapixel OIS+ camera with

Laser Auto Focus. It is packed with Smart Keyboard, Gesture for Selfie, Flash for Selfie and Knock Code to offer a simply convenient, simply clever and simply safer user experience.

Their smart watches, LG Watch Urbane and LG Watch Urbane LTE, won nine awards and were named the best smart watch of the year by a number of prominent technology media outlets.

“We are honoured that so many organisations recognised the effort that went into developing the LG G3 and Urbane smart watches,” said Juno Cho, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.

Sopa Lodges Director of Operations Kennedy Ayoti (right) at the Sopa Lodges stand. branch in Maasai Mara, Samburu, Amboseli and one in Tanzania.

“We are optimistic,” Ayoti says. “We are positive tourism in Kenya will not die.”

But Sopa, like other sector players, faces a number of challenges.

“How do you keep your operations running?

How do you retain your people? How do you maintain your standards? Those are the immediate challenges,” says Ayoti.

But this has not slowed progress and has instead made the company even more confident.

“We pride ourselves as solutions providers in the industry. We believe we have what it takes to make any guest feel comfortable. We are a ‘home away from home.

We’ve got beautiful, comfortable accommodations. We’ve got a wide variety of entertainment. All our properties are located at very strategic locations,” says Ayoti.

HIP COMPANION: LG East Africa sales executives Mary Mwangi and Nancy Mbijiwe display its LG G3 during the launch at Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi recently.

BuSINESS DIARY International Education Fair set for Sarit Centre Soko Mjinga

The Sarit Centre will host the Nairobi International Education Fair on March 12 2015 starting 9:00am.

Since its inception in 1999, the fair has become the largest and longest running in East and Central Africa region with a strong brand identity

x-news.co.ke

that identifies itself as Kenya’s leading and most result-oriented education event.

Over the course of 16 years, the fair has evolved into a key first step for students keen on furthering their education in Kenya and abroad. If you plan to attend, visit ‘educationinkenya.com’ for details.

“Following the recent introduction of a new governance structure in Kenya, we have started rolling out Regional Education Fairs in various parts of the country to capture these new business opportunities,” reads a statement from NIEF.

exhibition at Impala Grounds The Impala Grounds along Ngong Road, Nairobi, will host the 2015 ‘Sokomjinga’ Exhibition on March 14, 2015 at 6:00am Sokomjinga is an exhibition of small and micro enterprises run by young people in Nairobi.

It is a platform for networking, market access, corporate linkages, trading and exchanging of ideas.‘Sokomjinga’, a coastal term for informal market, has little or no restriction. Anyone can buy and sell anything they wish.

0Entry costs Sh200.

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BUSINESS MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

Kaduda, Orange’s new entry-level phone Orange Telkom, a telecommunication solutions provider, has launched an entry level dual sim handset, further lowering the entry barriers for first time mobile phone users.

Dubbed as Kaduda, the device is retailing at Sh999 and comes with a 1.3MPcamera, Bluetooth, micro SD slot and is data enabled, making it the most affordable dual SIM handset in the market.

Operators launching affordable entry-level handsets are bound to attract even more entry level subscribers. The latest Communication Authority sector statistics indicated that mobile penetration had reached 80.5% during the period under review. Pre-paid mobile subscriptions also grew by 1.5% to stand at 32 million subscribers.

Vincent Lobry, the company’s CEO said that Kaduda further strengthens the telco’s commitment to providing value and quality to its existing and potential subscribers but more so towards making handsets more accessible and affordable to all.

“With the expansion of our network across the country, during the first quarter of this year, this phone ensures that more Kenyans get to access communication services at an affordable price and enjoy the quality of service that we offer,” said Lobry, adding that customers will also get to experience the tariff options, among them being the company’s flagship Tujuane and Holla, as well as make use of its comprehensive SMS bundle options.

Kaduda will have one of the SIMs locked to Orange, with the second open to other networks.

The phone also comes with long battery life, with the option of activating a Super Battery Mode.

Late February saw the telco announce a partnership with GreenLight Planet (GLP), a US based company that delivers affordable energy to off-grid consumers. The partnership will see to the provision of clean, safe and affordable solar lighting to Kenyan homes, in areas with limited access to electricity, via GLP’s Sun King Lamps brand.

Orange will thus be offering Kaduda as part of a bundled offer with the Sun King Lamp’s three versions: Sh3,899 with the Sun King Mobile, Sh4,699 with the Sun King Pro II and Sh 8,799 with the Sun King Home.

Kaduda is available in all Orange and partner shops countrywide and comes in red, black and white.

thefall

therise

Car and General Car and General (K) Ltd came in as the week’s top gainer, though on very thin traded volumes.

The holding company, whose subsidiaries deal in sales and service of vehicles, motorcycles, laundry equipment, lawn mowers, scooters, agricultural tractors, marine engines and construction equipment, among other services, saw its share price appreciate by 13.83 per cent over the course of the week to close at Sh53.50

up from Sh47.00. After touching a 52 week high of Sh62 in October 2014 following a positive earnings announcements, investors may have seen a softening of the price below the Sh50 mark in recent weeks as an opportunity to buy the counter.

Nation Media Group This week’s position of top losing stock was taken by print, broadcast and digital media conglomerate, Nation Media Group. The company’s share price fell -11.88 per cent to Sh230.00 from Sh261.00 in the final days of trading during the week. The Group’s two television stations NTV and QTV were among four that went off air for 19 days following disagreements with the government regarding

Analysis by Amana Capital info@amanacapital.co.ke

the transition from analogue to digital signal transmission. While the media company may have supported advertising revenues through its digital, print and radio services, concerns remain that the prolonged television switch-off could negatively affect advertising revenues. On a related note, during the week, telecoms firm Safaricom announced that it had applied for a digital broadcasting license.

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

ACCESS celebchat

H

knot

He has been blogging for four years now and Magunga is showing no signs of slowing down. He first started blogging on My Opera, realised it was terrible, moved to Wordpress.com and finally got his domain.

ow would you describe your blog?

Memorable. I write for a lot of reasons. One of them is to tell stories that will leave footprints on the memories of those who read. It would pain me if someone said they found my story boring.

I tell stories that have traction. You will remember my story because it is a reflection of something you went through at some point in life; hurt, loss, joy, drunkenness and sex.

It is also a theatre of stories begging to be told. I have guest writers who post regularly.

Abigail Arunga, Judy Muchiri, Amol Awuor and Beverly Akoyo to mention a few.

Who is Magunga?

Magunga Williams is a half-toothed Langata bachelor. He is a George of all trades. But a hopeful master of one, writing. Chief Goon at The Real G Inc. Arts & Culture correspondent for a local daily. I have loved writing all my life, it is the one constant that has refused to be replaced.

The blog has been nominated in the Best Creative Blog category for the BAKE 2015 Awards. How does that feel?

Worried. Look, Ian Arunga of Dear Doris is a very good friend of mine. Jackson Biko of bikozulu has been a silent mentor of minea person whose writing greatly informed my own. Now we have been pitted against each other. That bothers me a little, it puts our friends in a difficult position to choose.

Other than that, I am excited about it. The competition is stiff. Nobody is giving any quarters. That makes the race fun. I hope to win.

Ian of My Dear Doris likes mentioning you to Doris a lot in his letters. Tell us about that.

As I said before, Ian and I are good friends.

He came through last year and helped me win the Samsung Blogger Challenge, from which I won a 50” Samsung Curve Smart TV. For that, I will forever been grateful.

Also, he is sure I can never try to slice Doris from him. Bro Code and all that jazz.

What is your take on the blogging culture in Kenya?

It is fast growing. Thanks to organizations like BAKE, our voices are being heard. Very

soon, people will migrate from the mainstream media and focus on blogs. No, there will be no switch off. This one will be a migration of interest and attention. The Supreme Court can’t do anything to stop that.

It is also misunderstood. Not all of us are antigovernment protesters, some of us just tell stories. Yet we are all branded as enemies of the state. That is really annoying.

Where do you draw inspiration for your content from?

I draw inspiration from everyday life.

Everything is a story, even a broken tooth.

Out of all the stories you have written, which one is your favourite?

Today I Say Goodbye Properly. I wrote it to commemorate my dad, and I wrote it from the marrow.

It is followed closely by The Real Bachelors of Langata. It is about my neighbourhood, and the hustles of what it means to be a Generation Y bachelor.

Would you do anything different?

No I wouldn’t. That way there would be no mistakes to learn from.

Parting shot?

What are you waiting for, visit my blog, read, comment and vote for it to win BAKE this year. Gini nyaka wakau bwana!

a g n u g a M s m a i l l i W's all about words it

Rabbit and Chameleone collabo Rabbit seems to be conquering East Africa by collaborating with some of its biggest names. The artiste has now collaborated with Jose Chameleone on a new song, which we learnt will be on his new album that is launching at the end of the month. Chameleone and Rabbit have been in talks regarding a collabo since December last year and they finally got down to recording it on Friday when the Ugandan star was in the country.

Rabbit and Chameleone

the big

HOT TOPICS

Comedy meets charity Comedian Obinna Ike Igwee took time out yesterday to chill with children in Kibera.

The comedian was joined by fellow funnyman Owago Nyiro and Kibera’s finest rapper, Octopizzo, among other celebs.

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ACCESS

WEDNESDAY MONDAY, MARCH 26th9, NOVEMBER 2015 2014

FASHIONScoop the BIGKNOT

Alice had been waiting for this moment since November 10, 2012. “I was going through a rough time and the least I expected was a proposal. I cried like crazy and said, yes!”

A

I’m Black FashIon JaY Z Junk mTV quIZ nEW YoRk

WE Fall In loVE BY chancE, WE sTaY In loVE BY choIcE.

lice Kanda was the happiest woman on earth on Saturday as she finally joined her man of eight years in holy matrimony.

It was a bright and sunny morning when people trickled into Parklands Baptist Church for this special occasion. The aisle had a white carpet sprinkled with white and orange rose petals. Walling the aisle were pews decorated with a white netting, teal blue fabric folds and four bouquets of flowers on either side. Orange and white dominated the altar staircase

and gave the whole church a dazzling ambience. The bride and her entourage drove in at 10:00 am.

As it is the norm, the bridal party came in first, dancing to Christina Shusho’s song Napenda. Ladies were in teal blue dresses of their choice while guys were in grey suits, white shirts and orange ties.

Alice, flanked by her best maid, made her way gently to the church entrance draped in a veil, a dazzling mermaid dress with glitzy details and a lovely train all made by Malaika Bridal.

As she stood beneath the teal blue arch at the church doorway, Alphonce could not hold his excitement. Looking comely in his grey suit, white shirt and teal blue tie, he craned his neck just a little a bit to peek at his bride.

Alice had been waiting for this moment since November 10, 2012.

s ’ e c n o h p l A and e c i l A g n i d d e w e n e r se

“I was going through a rough time and the least I expected was a proposal. I cried like crazy and said, yes!” The ceremony was led by Mamlaka Hill Chapel preachers and in front of close friends and family, Alice and Alphonce were united under a solemn vow of everlasting love and togetherness. The two could not contain their happiness as they clung to each other’s hand.

As the church ceremony came to an end, the bride and groom headed out to the beat of Willy Paul and Size 8’s track Tamtam, and boy, did they dance to the beat! While guests left for the reception at St. Mary’s School, the bridal party went for a photo shoot session at the plush Andrews apartments, where groom’s men also changed into teal blue bow ties. As the photo session went on, guests were treated to delicious dishes prepared by

Seraphic Events Management. Food and drink were in plenty. However, hawks scouting the sky were quite a nuisance as they waited to pounce on plates.

As soon as the newlyweds arrived at the reception, eager guests sprung to their feet to welcome them. DJ Johny Celeb did an amazing job at the deck and played the right music for the majorly youthful crowd.

Comedian David the Student took over the mic from MC Abel and tickled the crowd a bit. Then came the cake cutting moment that everybody was waiting for. The newlweds shared their pinacolada blueberry passion cake with all in attendance. The day was definitely worth the Sh800,000 they put into it. The couple headed out to an undisclosed honeymoon location.

XAcces wishes the Okungus a blessed marriage.

9

ACCESS MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

a revIeW of Weekend events.

CENTRESTAGE HOT TOPICS

veve wins at aMCva The 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards went down this weekend In Lagos, Nigeria. Kenyan film Veve won an award in the Best Indigenous LanguageSwahili. The film had been nominated in three categories, Best Art Director, Best Video Editor and Best Indigenous Language- Swahili. Kenya’s Gerald Langiri who was nominated in Best Actor in comedy for his role in Fundimentals lost out to Femi Jacobs.

all girls together

Sexy Habida is set to launch her new song tomorrow at Tribeka while Amani is announcing the return of the queen on Wednesday at Klub house. The two have separately been working on new material and are back to shake the industry.

Amani

Habida

Afro electric music at

The Rooftop Sundowner

T

he second edition of the ‘Rooftop Sundowner’ was held Last Friday at the Pawa 254 rooftop and it was a smashing success.

The unofficial theme of the night was authentically African music with an electronic vibe as each performance stayed on topic and treated the audience to a new type of East African contemporary sound.

On the lineup was the African Jambo Beat band who opened the show to an excited crowd. The band incorporated storytelling in their act and tried to communicate the meaning of each song to the audience. They performed

a number of their well-known songs including Mama Kitendawili cha Maisha, which explored the meaning and purpose of life and Wakariro, a tale of two girls fetching water from a river. Daniel Onyango, the lead singer and nyatiti player for the band, performed in a number of vernacular languages including Luhya, Kikuyu and Dholuo, confirming that preserving our traditional language and identity should be a priority.

The band comprising a saxophonist, tambourine player, a drummer and a bass guitarist, melded traditional African compositions with modern

instrumentation creating a new and fascinating sound. Onyango said that although this was the first time for the band to perform at the Sundowner, they felt right at home on the rooftop and would not mind coming back for a repeat performance. They closed their set with an instrumental, accentuated by the gifted DJ Gregg Tendwa.

Iddi Aziz gave the audience a show to remember, through a mix of East African songs with an emphasis on the Coastal sound everybody knows and loves. He admitted that although he was a trained percussionist, he loved singing too. His set included

an electrifying guitar solo that left the audience wanting more. The crowd then got up on the dance floor to gyrate to his tunes. Iddi Aziz debuted his new song at the event aided by band member Aleki. The performance included an impromptu scat that added a little jazz to the overall performance and giving a new feel to African music.

DJ Tendwa, who is unbelievably talented and deeply passionate about African music closed the show with a 30-minute set exclusively made of East African music. Expressing a true love for African music, he said, “African music is very beautiful and

needs to be preserved and protected.”

Playing a new style of music dubbed Afroeclectic, he kept the crowd entertained for the entire night. He fused East, West and Southern African music in this set. Electronic music also got its chance to shine when the good DJ played an interesting mix of Afrohouse. But what made the performance really stand out was that he did away with conventional house music standards and brought forward new combinations to pop music.

The second Rooftop Sundowner confirmed that African music is gaining new fans and a new following.

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ACCESS MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

FASHIONparade

@ laGos amvca 2015

dakore akande kept it simple and amazing!

Belinda effah might have had many people asking how she left home looking like that.

Genevieve nnaji wowed in this perfect dress.

Toke Makinwa looked stunning!

THE AFRICA MAGIC VIEWERS CHOICE AWARDS 2015 The Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards 2015 took place on Saturday in Lagos, where African stars brought their best looks to the red carpet.

There was a lot of high slits, plunging necklines and boy-chic suits from the ladies borrowing a leaf from their Hollywood counterparts. It was

adrea GiaccaGalia showed off her toned legs in this sheer number.

lyriclab

BEST...

also evident that some outfits were recreated from the Hollywood red carpet best looks in recent months.

Nigerian actress Ini Edo, decided to copy Lupita Nyongo’s famous Golden Globe red gown and she failed miserably! Then there was Tinsel actress Stephanie Coker, who wore a

T

he beautiful R&B singer is a steady flame in Rwanda’s music industry. Mwungeri is done in Kinyarwanda. Her tempo is slower but sure and sounds good.

Knowless is not only popular for her amazing vocals but she is also hailed as one of Rwanda’s sexiest female artistes.

A

Mente Para Mim

ngola’s finest R&B, soul and Kizomba artist Anselmo has the voice of an Angel. In Mente para mim, he goes all soft and sensual accompanied with slight beats.

Although he sings in Portuguese, the official language of Angola, one does not even need to understand the lyrics to move to the beat.

replica of Solange Knowles’ wedding suit, the white jumpsuit with a cape— but at she managed to own the look.

Genevieve Nnaji wore a similar style and design to Rihanna’s Zac Posen dress at the Diamond Ball Event in December 2014 and she pulled it off impressively.

Butera Knowless

Anselmo Ralph

Mwungeri

Temi dollface went for the retro look.

Radio Weasel Wizkid

U

gandan duo Radio and Weasel collaborates with Nigeria’s raspy voiced Wizkid in Nipe Kifunguo. It is a love song that is executed in much different style compared to what we are used to from the three boys. When the video is finally out, this song is going to blast roofs across East and West Africa.

Nipe Kifunguo

PLAY 11 MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

WEATHERFORECAST

DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 The Universe is encouraging you to listen today, Capricorn. This isn’t a day for polemic speeches. It isn’t a day to try to win others over to your point of view. Really listen to what your friends, loved ones, colleagues, and neighbors say with all of your attention and empathy.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 Innovative ideas may have paved the way for you, so your skills and abilities are appreciated now. A new awareness of your objectives has made your own path clearer to you, and you may be ready to make your plans a reality. Don’t be afraid to take the lead if necessary.

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 New and expansive ideas for investing time or funds could make a big difference to your future income. Today you feel especially in control of your life. You should have the power to put your plans in motion. All signs look good for new goals and new enterprises.

m0nday 9/03/2015

sunny

28

26ºC 25%

tuesday 10 /03/2015

More sun than clouds

28 6:40 am 6:47 pm

27ºC 29%

6:39 am 6:47 pm

wednesday

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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 A relationship that may have in the past been based primarily on intellectual interests may take a sudden turn toward romance. If you aren’t careful, Aries, this could turn into an obsession! Relax and enjoy it, but accept your partner as he or she is - warts and all!

Sudoku

TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 If you’ve been feeling under the weather, expect to feel stronger today than you were before, Taurus. Your enthusiasm is up and new ideas are flowing into your brain. Whatever you work on today should really stand out. You will experience a new sense of power and optimism.

GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 Whatever you’re working on could have new meaning for you and others. Your physical energy is driven by your efforts to express yourself, so you might keep working for a long time.

Sex and romance also take a center stage in your priorities, Gemini.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 It’s also possible that someone could move in or out. A visitor could also come to your door with interesting information that could change your life in some way. Whatever happens, don’t expect a peaceful evening at home. There’s likely to be a lot of activity!

LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 You’re a sociable person with a gift for small talk and interesting discussions. It could involve a new discovery, possibly in a foreign land. A friend or relative you haven’t seen for a while could reappear. This is a day full of surprises, Leo, so be prepared for just about anything!

VIRGO Aug 23- Sep 22 This could be an increase in income or involve some kind of windfall. Whichever it is, it’s going to make a difference in your life. You could also discover a hidden talent that you were previously unaware of. It could also set you off on a different life path. Don’t be afraid, Virgo.

MUSTREAD

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 You could be planning a major journey of some kind, Libra. It may be a long vacation or travel to foreign countries, or it could be an intellectual or spiritual journey into new schools of thought. Your mind is sharp now, so you will learn quickly and retain more.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 You’re practical and down to Earth, Scorpio. Today your intuition is more active than usual.

You might receive some powerful messages from the higher planes that open up new doors for you. Don’t ignore them. Think about what’s in them before you accept or reject them.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 If you don’t have a passport, you’d better apply! Friends may be planning a trip abroad and invite you to accompany them. Your sense of adventure should ensure that you won’t say no, but if you’re tempted to for any reason, reconsider! Travel is important to you right now.

INSTAMOMENTS 1

3

2

4

YOURSAY

— by Tendai Huchu

Vimbai is the best hairdresser in Mrs Khumalo’s salon. Her prowess with hair is known widely. Then comes good-looking, smooth-talker Dumisani who wins everybody over with his charm; except Vimbai. Vimbai is determined not to be won over by Dumisani’s charm, but she is powerless against his winsome ways.

When Dumisani needs a place to stay, Vimbai becomes his landlady. The two soon become good friends. When Dumisani asks Vimbai to accompany him to a brother’s wedding, Vimbai does not hesitate. She is shocked to find Dumisani comes from one of the wealthiest families in Harare. His family is welcoming and generous towards Vimbai and soon the friendship between Vimbai and Dumisani deepens. Things change when secrets are exposed.

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

Friday’s winning photo

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

Brand Kenya needs to wake up While global brands have recognized and are using Lupita Nyong’o’s success in marketing their products, Brand Kenya are busy cheering from the sidelines.

Mary Kimonye and her

The Hairdresser of Harare

team need to find a way of getting such greats as Lupita Nyong’o and Edi Gathegi to help in marketing the country.

We have great fashion designers and script writers

down here and it is only until the relevant heads commit to letting the world know about them that the rest of the world will recognize.

— Tabitha Ciano, Nairobi

winning captions

1. Expert movers. We carry everything in one trip-Ben. Mandela, Nrb 2. Just me and my lady, cruising on the highway-Mary, Chika, Nrb 3. It’s a high performance family bike my brother-Oluoch O. Nrb

12

PLAY

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

CROSSWORD Across 1. Exclamations of disgust 5. Vampirelike female monster 10. Fräulein’s upper 14. Nice silk 15. Several Norse kings 16. Renowned clinic 17. Very dark 19. Supplements, with ‘out’ 20. Busts, maybe 21. Sumptuous 22. Take a guess 26. Where “Lost” was found 30. Science of sound 34. Hobbit Baggins 35. Seacrest of “American Idol” 36. Psi preceder 37. In the middle of 39. Morsel 42. Rubidium fluoride, chemically 43. Takes sick leave 47. Words before plume or guerre 48. Unusual 51. Horse relatives 52. Admits an embarrassing error 54. Gets bigger 57. Colorful birds 62. Injure 63. Like some codes 66. “____ Together” (song from “Grease”) 67. Put one over on 68. WKRP’s Jennifer 69. ___ Mawr College 70. Christian’s frocks 71. Caustic cleaners

Down 1. Letter carriers’ grp.

2. ____ alone 3. ____ snag (have a difficulty) 4. Denomination 5. Ring locations 6. Top player 7. Calf ’s cry 8. “Portlandia” network 9. Inquire 10. Folded breakfast food 11. Capital of Azerbaijan 12. Needle holes 13. Word before Hashanah 18. ___ rancheros 21. Half qts.

23. Very cold 24. Bygone bird 25. ‘Travels With My ___’ (Graham Greene novel) 26. “Were you born in ____?”

27. Empty-headed sort 28. “From Here to Eternity” co-star, 1953 29. Not yet scheduled, for short 31. Cold war weapons, for short 32. Reprimand mildly 33. Places to build on 38. Sour 40. Soaking, perhaps 41. Don’ts partner 44. Chats with, online 45. Young Scot 46. Nathan Fillion movie from 2006 49. Sir Isaac and Juice 50. Arg. belongs to it 53. Arteries 54. 41st monogram 55. Sorry sort 56. Wild romp 58. Pen room 59. All but Z? 60. Cat-o’-___-tails 61. Biol. and bot.

63. Explain further 64. Him, to Henri 65. Health ins. choice

DAILY WISDOM “If any of you think you are wise in this age, you should become foolish so that you may become truly wise”

— 1 Cor 3:18

“Have patience because Allah will surely reward your efforts.”

— The Quran 11:115 (Surah Hud)

“We came to enjoy; we are being enjoyed. We came to rule; we are being ruled. We came to work; we are being worked. All the time, we find that. And this comes into every detail of our life.”

—Swami Vivekananda “A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.” — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe “You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.”

—Ken Kesey

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody.” —Herbert Swope “Money can’t buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy.”

— Spike Milligan

FRIDAY’S SOLUTIONS

Sport MONday, MARCH 9, 2015

First Lady posts better Beyond Zero race time First Lady Margaret Kenyatta improved on her last year’s performance during the 21 kilometre Beyond Zero marathon at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

The race marked the climax of her campaign to rescue ailing mothers and their toddlers.

Mrs Kenyatta clocked 3:24.55, an improvement from last year’s 3:53.05 which is attributed to intense training at high altitude areas in Iten this year.

In the elite race, Moses Kosgei and Georgina Jepkurui won the 21km titles to pocket Sh750, 000 prize money.

Kosgei won the men’s race in 01:01.28, about seven seconds ahead of second placed Andrew Kimutai, as Mathew Kisorio, the former track double continental

junior champion (5,000 and 10000m), came in third at 1:01:53.

Mrs Kenyatta finished the race in 3:24.55 down from last year’s 3:55.05.

President Kenyatta was at the finishing line inside Nyayo National Stadium to receive his spouse who was joined in the event by dignitaries led

by Deputy President William Ruto. World and Olympic 3000m steeple chase star Ezekiel Kemboi, former world marathon record holder Catherine Ndereba and former world half marathon champion Lonah Kiplagat lined up alongside Mrs Kenyatta.

Other races that were part of the event included 10 kilometres, a 2 kilometres, a tricycle race and a wheelchair race that attracted

over 15,000 runners.

Samuel Kuria and Eunice Kuria won the wheelchair race as James Magerere and Jane Kerubo won in the tricycle category in an event that seeks to raise funds for the First Lady’s Beyond Zero campaign.

The campaign has delivered 21 fully equipped mobile clinics to 21 counties as part of a larger plan to improve maternal and child health. The event was also used to mark the World Women’s Day. “We are halfway through our journey, as we need to raise additional funds to purchase more clinics so that each of our 47 counties has a mobile clinic to service the healthcare needs of our mothers and children,” Mrs Kenyatta said.

WELL DONE: President Kenyatta hugs First Lady Margaret at the finish line of the 21 km Beyond Zero race at Nyayo stadium, Nairobi, yesterday.

Amateurs slotted in KCB golf tour

National amateur golf team has been included in the opening round draws of the KCB Golf Tour which tees off at Royal Nairobi Golf Club tomorrow.

The top amateurs who were picked in a rigorous Golfer of the Year (GOTY) selection exercise will brush shoulders with top Kenyan professionals.

The event will also feature a three-man team KCB sponsored to the Sunshine Tour in George and Johannesburg last month.

They include Indiza, C J Wangai and David Wakhu who will play at the Royal home course.

The 2015 KCB Golf Tour tees-off on Tuesday with a four round/72 hole pro tournament set to run to March 13. The remaining chunk of amateurs will then play an 18 hole stableford corporate round on Saturday March 14, a programme released on Sunday indicates.

The 2015 KCB Golf Tour culminates in the Grand Finale set for Nyali Golf and Country

Club course on August 8.

Former Kenyan athlete Elisha Kasuku in the company of Dismas Indiza and Charan Thethy will be the first group to tee off from the first tee at 9am.

The first group on the 10th tee also tees off at 9am. It comprises amateur W Odera, Railway’s Ngugi Njuguna and Jacob Okello.

The Royal event carries a Sh1million cash prize which is part of the Sh5.5m KCB has committed for the 2015 tour.

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SPORT MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

Underdogs Kabras stun Nakuru RFC in Kenya Cup semis

RUN OUT: Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka is run out by Michael Clarke of Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Aussies overrun Sri Lanka to reach Cricket WC quarters Bang, bang Maxwell’s silver hammer came down to torment the Sri Lankans. Glenn Maxwell put on one of his biggest shows in front of a packed SCG to enable the hosts to confirm their place in the quarter-finals.

Australia won by 64 runs after a memorable feast of strokeplay, in which Kumar Sangakkara hit his third consecutive hundred of the tournament at a run a ball. Sangakkara was routinely magnificent but even he was overshadowed by Maxwell.

Maxwell’s first one-day international ton, reached off 51 balls, inspired Australia’s total of 376-9 in Sydney.

Sri Lanka fell short in a spirited

run chase despite a third consecutive World Cup century from Kumar Sangakkara and a quickfire 52 from Dinesh Chandimal.

Australia are likely to meet either Ireland or Pakistan in the last eight.

Michael Clarke’s side, who face Scotland in their final Pool A match in Hobart on 14 March, should finish second behind New Zealand in their group, and would therefore meet the team that finishes third in Pool B. Sri Lanka, who lie in third place in the group with six points from their five matches, also face Scotland in their final Pool A match in Hobart on 11 March.

Maxwell hit 10 fours and four sixes in an innings of 102 that combined deft placement with power hitting, as the 26-year-old finally reached three figures in his 45th ODI. He was denied a share of the fastest World Cup century arguably only by his own honesty, after he answered in the negative when asked by umpire Ian Gould whether he had got a touch on a legside glance off Lasith Malinga in the 45th over.

Maxwell bought up his hundred in the next over, off 51 deliveries, one more than it took Ireland batsman Kevin O’Brien to decimate the England attack in Bangalore in 2011. However,

it is the fastest ODI century by an Australian, beating James Faulkner’s 57-ball century against India in 2013.

The Victorian received a bearhug from batting partner Shane Watson, who hit 67 runs in 41 balls on his return to the side after being dropped for the previous match against Afghanistan.

“I didn’t know about the record World Cup century, but I knew about the Australian record because James Faulkner doesn’t shut up about it!” Maxwell said.

Steve Smith (68) and captain Michael Clarke (72) had earlier laid the platform for a huge Australia total with a 134-run stand for the second wicket in

23.1 overs.

Tillakaratne Dilshan set the tone for the Sri Lanka reply by hitting Mitchell Johnson for six consecutive fours off the fifth over, much to the Australia fast bowler’s incredulity, as he and Sangakkara, a batting duo with a combined age of 75, put on 130 for the second wicket.

Sri Lanka were always struggling to keep on top of the rate, particularly after Australia captain Clarke broke a dangerous third-wicket partnership with a direct hit from mid-off to account for Mahela Jayawardene (19) in the 31st over.

Thanks to Kabras Sugar, the ultimate underdogs in Kenya Cup, there will be new winners in Kenya Cup for the first time in three seasons.

The current holders Nakuru RFC were knocked out of the competition by newly promoted Kabras RFC. Playing at the Nakuru Athletics Club, the hosts were beaten 15-12 in a tough duel between the two semi-finalists. In the other semi-final, Kenya Commercial Bank fought hard to secure a 24-21 victory over Strathmore.

Speaking after the tie, Kabras Coach Anthony Ogot claimed they can now dare dream of winning the cup in their first season in the league.

According to Ogot, they have the spirit to win and that is a major component in their push to make history.

“I would like to thank the boys for a spirited performance, the fans for being behind us, the sponsors for supporting us and most importantly, God,” he said. Kabras will now meet KCB in the final.

“I know KCB well and I know they have what it takes to play in big games, but I am confident that we are still able to mount a credible challenge and beat them,” he revealed.

Nakuru will feel hard done by the loss, given that they were the only team playing on hometurf in the semi-finals and they now have to relinquish the crown after three years at the summit. They entered the match as the only unbeaten team in the league and were stark favourites to defend their title. Dominique Habimana, the Nakuru coach was gracious in defeat and said: “The whole game was very tense but what came out in the open is that we lost several chances. However, I am happy for Kabras because they were amazing, they came here to play and all the best to them.”

Kiprotich, Jepkosgei star in Addis junior championships

TOP: Kenyan Kiptoo Anthony wins the gold medal during the 12th African Juniors Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 6, 2015.

Patrick Kiprotich and Stella Jepkosgei produced sterling performances on the final day of the 12th Africa Junior Athletics Championships in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to crown Kenya’s charge with two gold medals as curtains came down on the event yesterday.

Jonah Kipruto and Fredrick Kiptoo clinched silver whilst Ivee Chepkemoi and Daniel Kipkemoi bagged bronze to complete the country’s medal haul in the four-day continental age championships.

Abraham Kibiwott and Anthony Kiptoo brought home the other gold medals as Kenya failed to

improve on her 2013 outing with 12 medals (4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze) against Ethiopia’s 28 (6 gold, 12 silver, 10 bronze) with the distance running traditional rivals placing third and sixth on overall standings.

Kiprotich improved from last year’s 8th World Youth Championships finish in the men’s 800m by clocking 1:50.21 to beat compatriot Kipruto while Ethiopian Temam Tura settled for bronze in 1:51.06. Another Ethiopian Mihret Tefera took bronze in 10:37.25 to deny Kenyan Dorcas Kithome a podium finish after she crossed the line fourth in 10:45.67.

Iveen Chepkemoi women 1500m bronze in 4:26.19 with Ethiopia’s Dawit Biratu winning in 4:15.9, four seconds ahead of compatriot Besu Beko with Eva Cherono finishing just outside the medals (4:29.43).

Home runner Yomif Atomsa outsprinted Kiptoo and Kipkemoi to take the men 5000m honours in 14: 31.03.

Kenya had a poor outing in the sprints with Maureen Nyatichi finishing sixth in the women’s 200m final (24.79) in a race that was dominated by Nigerian Praise Idamadudu (23.76) as Ethiopia’s Tegest Tamangnu won silver (23.84).

SPORT 15 MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2015

National team Harambee Stars failed to progress to the second qualification round of the All Africa Games after being held to a one-all draw by Egypt.

After losing the first leg 3-0 in Cairo last weekend, Kenya failed to sparkle in the return fixture at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos yesterday. The All Africa Games will be held in Congo Brazaville in September.

Kenya needed to win the particular tie by a margin of at least four goals to proceed to the next round.

But a nervous start by the home side saw them concede a penalty which they cancelled on the other end. “We were a bit nervous when the game began and we took time to settle in and that is where the Egyptians capitalised.

But I think we gave in a super performance which we will be proud of despite not qualifying,” Captain Robinson Kamura said after the match. In the 9th minute, Kenya were fortunate not to be a goal down after David Gateri seemed to have poked off the ball when it had already crossed over the line.

Egypt’s Mohamed Ashraf had dinked the ball over a rushing Ian Otieno after a well-executed counter attack but Gateri rushed back and poked the ball off though it appeared to have crossed the line.

The Egyptians protested the decision but the ref would have none of it, and instead awarded a corner.

But the Pharaohs would get the goal they needed in the 16th minute from the penalty spot after Abdelmonem Soliman was brought down in the box by Vincent Omumbo.

The skipper sent Otieno the wrong way to put the aggregate score at 4-0.

They should have made it 2-0 after 21 minutes.

Hussein Ragab’s effort from two yards out from Abdelrahman Mohamed’s low cross being saved by Otieno.

On the opposite end, Kenya launched a quick counter attack which resulted in the equaliser. The Egyptian keeper brought down Michael Olunga and Omumbo stepped up to level the scores.

Seven minutes to the break, Egypt almost got a second but Mahmoud Hassan’s shot hit the crossbar.

Pharaohs blow Stars’ junior team All Africa Games dream

EYE ON THE BALL: A Harambee Stars player fights for the ball with an Egyptian opponent during an All Africa Games qualification tie at Machakos Stadium on Sunday.

Rampant Barca bang 6 to go top Lionel Messi scored his 24th hat-trick of his La Liga career as Barcelona claimed top spot in the league table.

Barca took full advantage of Real Madrid’s fall to Athletic Bilbao with Luis Suarez also scoring twice.

Suarez fired the hosts ahead before Gerard Pique forced in the second. Messi then netted three in 12 minutes.

He scored a twice-taken penalty, tapped

in the fourth and added a classy fifth before Suarez wrapped it up after an Alberto Bueno penalty for Rayo.

Both sides finished with 10 men as Román Triguero collected a second yellow card for pulling down Suarez, conceding the penalty that allowed Messi to make it 3-0.

Barca defender Dani Alves was then dismissed 10 minutes from the end for trip-

FORCED IN: Barcelona midfielder Gerald Pique forced in the second goal for the roaring Barcelona side’s 6-0 win against Rayo.

ping Bueno as he went through on goal.

The Rayo striker took the penalty himself to move to 13 La Liga goals for season.

Messi has scored 30 league goals, the same total as his Real rival Cristiano Ronaldo, whose tally of 23 La Liga hattricks now trails Messi by one.

The 27-year-old Argentine also holds the record as the most prolific hat-trick scorer in Spanish football. His 32 in all competitions eclipses the total he previously shared with Telmo Zarra, who played most of his football for Athletic Bilbao from 1940-55.

Messi racked up his latest record figures despite an anonymous first-half performance. Mid-table Rayo goalkeeper Cristian Alvarez produced an inspired performance to limit the damage.

Suarez opened the deluge with a 12th goal of the season after five minutes, steering the ball home from Xavi Hernandez’s fine pass.

But after Pique had made it 2-0 early in the second half, following up after an Alves header had hit a post, Messi took over.

After his initial spot-kick was saved, the Argentina international was given a second opportunity because of encroachment into the penalty area and drilled the ball home.

His second was a tap-in after a Suarez shot was saved by Alvarez. A trademark shimmy took him round the Rayo goalkeeper to give him his 41st goal of the season in all competitions.

Barcelona meet Real at the Nou Camp on March 22.

Atletico hope of La Liga title defence evaporates Atletico Madrid’s chances of retaining the La Liga title suffered a blow as they were held at home by Valencia to slip seven points behind new leaders Barcelona.

Koke fired Atletico into a first-half lead as Diego Simeone’s side chased a sixth straight home league win.

Valencia equalised through Shkodran Mustafi’s 78th-minute header before defender Javi Fuego was sent off.

The visitors held on to stay a point behind Atletico in fourth place.

Despite missing suspended Antoine Griezmann, who has scored 17 times this season, Simeone started with 20goal top scorer Mario Mandzukic on the bench.

Former Chelsea and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was the sole hit-man despite failure to score in La Liga since

returning to the Vicente Calderon on loan from AC Milan in January.

Torres, 30, gave no shortage of effort without seriously threatening to break his duck before being replaced by Mandzukic after an hour.

But he did play a part in Koke’s goal, heading down a free-kick for Tiago Mendes to lay the ball off for the Spain international to thump a right-footed shot into the bottom corner from 16 yards.

Atletico should have doubled their lead 20 minutes from time when Tiago volleyed against the bar from close range after Diego Godin had headed a corner back across the face of goal.

But that miss proved costly when Mustafi headed in after a long-range free-kick had come back off the crossbar.

Kaka snatches late goal to deny New York City win New York City’s first Major League Soccer match ended in a draw as 62,510 fans saw Kaka snatch a late equaliser for Orlando City at Citrus Bowl.

The former AC Milan playmaker scored with a deflected free-kick in the 91st minute, after Mix Diskerud put the away side ahead with their first ever goal.

Orlando were reduced to 10 men when defender Aurelien Collin saw red.

But New York had to settle for a frustrating point, with striker David Villa unable to score.

Former Barcelona man Villa will be

joined in New York by Frank Lampard, now at Manchester City, at the end of the Premier League season.

Lampard signed for New York after being released by Chelsea last June but then joined City on a short-term deal.

In January, New York City fans said they were outraged by Lampard’s decision to extend his stay with the Premier League champions, who agreed a partnership with baseball giants the New York Yankees to form New York City in 2013.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, 34, will join LA Galaxy when his contract at Anfield expires this summer.

xnews |MOnDAY, MARCH 9, 2015 | www.x-news.CO.ke

CRICKET WC: AUSTRALIA BEAT SRI LANKA TO REACH QUARTERS

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Anfield stalemate Battling Rovers force FA Cup replay against Liverpool Long after the final whistle sounded and the majority of Anfield had emptied, 6,000 Blackburn Rovers fans chanted “One Jack Walker” in honour of the benefactor behind their Premier League title win at Liverpool 20 years ago. The celebration was shaped by the past but given fresh voice by the present as Gary Bowyer’s Championship team nullified Liverpool to earn a shot at Wembley on their own terms at Ewood Park.

The Blackburn manager marked the goalless stalemate with a polite wave to the directors’ box, where the travelling contingent were all air-punches and hugs in the front row after watching a resolute display frustrate the in-form team in the Premier League. Blackburn’s post-match reactions were more captivating than the quarter-final that preceded them and, as Bolton Wanderers discovered in the fourth round,

a draw at Anfield does not equate to mission accomplished against Brendan Rodgers’ incisive team. This was a moment to savour for a historic club that had been exposed to ridicule in the years before Bowyer restored stability and sanity to Ewood but one which remains under a transfer embargo.

Rudy Gestede led the Rovers line with towering intent, Lee Williamson and Corry Evans denied Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana et al any space to threaten while their backline was marshalled superbly by Matthew Kilgallon and Alex Baptiste.

It often required 10 men behind the ball to keep Liverpool out of harm’s way but it took a superb save from Simon Mignolet to prevent Baptiste scoring the all-important breakthrough. Rodgers bemoaned one or two close penalty calls but had no complaints over the merits of the replay. The first instalment of what the Liverpool manager hopes will be a trophy-winning dynasty continues to be a complication. Liver-

JAMMED: Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling is held off by Craig Conway of Blackburn. pool lacked their customary speed and sharpness with and without possession and could not build momentum even after the intensity of their performance increased in the second half. An inviting draw for Rodgers’ men held no guarantee of Wembley and Liverpool must have realised a long, awkward afternoon was in store the moment they lost Martin Skrtel to a worrying head injury after two minutes. Gestede was a big, troublesome problem throughout and his first impression involved catching the Liverpool defender in the face with a flailing arm as they challenged for a high ball, although it was Skrtel’s head-first landing that caused the damage. There were worrying scenes as he lay on the pitch for eight minutes, attended by 10 medical staff, before being carried off strapped to a spinal board.

Thankfully Skrtel defiantly raised two tattooed arms as he was taken away and his withdrawal was confirmed as a precaution against possible concussion rather than serious injury.

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