THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke
2
15
N. EASTERN INSECURITY MANDERA CHIEF KIDNAPPED IN THURSDAY MORNING ATTACK BY UNKNOWN GUNMEN
9
so, you REALLY want my job? GEORGE WACHIURI, CEO OPTIVEN, SPEAKS OF THE CHALLENGES HE HAD TO DEAL WITH ON THE WAY UP
NEWS
fans blame hapless nandwa for Shabana’s winless streak
fallen ‘shoes’ Moshoeu hailed as one of South Africa’s greatest
Uhuru suspends EACC bosses Matemu, Keino
P
resident Uhuru Kenyatta has today suspended the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Chairman, Mumo Matemu and his deputy, Irene Keino pending the hearing by a tribunal to probe allegations of
incompetence and abuse of office against them. The announcement came barely hours after MPs voted to have the two kicked out of office and a tribunal be set to investigate their conduct. Parliament’s resolution thus gave
President Kenyatta the green light to crack the whip on the two anticorruption bosses. “His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta has today suspended from the Office of Member and Chairperson, Mr
Mumo Matemu; and from the Office of Member and Vice Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Ms Irene Keino,” State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said in a statement sent to newsrooms
today. The suspension of Mr Matemu and Ms Keino comes at a time EACC is expediting investigations on highranking government officials named in a corruption dossier made public late last month. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
P.8
Sauti Sol’s day
Anyone with a name in Kenya was at K1 on Wednesday night to see Sauti Sol launch their latest hit, Nerea
P.10
Fashion scoop MANDATORY BREAK: EACC Chairman, Mumo Matemu (Right) and his deputy, Irene Keino have been suspended by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
VISION INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONALS (Training & Management Consultants)
/
KIBRA RECRUITMENT DRIVE
Date: 24th & 25th April,2015 Venue: Mchanganyiko CBO Hall- Karanja Road / +254702632712
See what stood out on the red carpet at the TIME 100 gala, honouring the World’s most influential people
ldoret rsity of E e iv n U r es R NOW fo rogramm p a REGISTE m lo te & Dip : D+ Certifica RADE G M U MINIM
E-mail: enquiries@vision.co.ke Website: www.vision.ac.ke
2
NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
Uhuru suspends EACC bosses From Page 1
Five Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and governors are among those who have since been interrogated in the ongoing investigations. President Uhuru Kenyatta, who handed over the “list of shame” to parliament, asked those named to step aside even as he gave the commission 60 days to conduct their probe.
Many will now be asking whether the commission can fully function withouth commissioners. “Suspension of Matemu and Keino in no way hinders the work of EACC which remains constitutionally established and operational,” Mr Esipisu added. He said the two are suspended from undertaking all functions and duties of those offices with immediate effect
pending the outcome of the tribunal, which will be set up in accordance with the law.Once formed, the tribunal will be required to make its recommendations within 30 days. The law provides that the tribunal should be headed by a person who is fit to hold the position of a superior court, two persons qualified to be appointed as High Court judges and one other
STOCK IMAGE
member who is qualified to assess the facts in respect of the particular ground for removal. However, both Mr Matemu and Ms Keino are entitled to half of their salaries and benefits while under suspension. MPs noted that the disharmony and mistrust among commissioners and with the secretariat meant the EACC was dysfunctional and that there must
be a new beginning. Both Matemu and Keino are also accused of incompetence and abuse of office. Their removal was triggered by a petition filed to parliament by Geoffrey Oriaro in March. “The resolution following consideration by the National Assembly is that the petition discloses sufficient grounds for their removal,” the statement added.
Mandera chief kidnapped by gunmen in morning attack
Students at the Kenyatta University entrance.
POLICE DEPLOYED AS STUDENTS VACATE KU OVER ATTACK FEARS Police have been deployed at the Kenyatta University main campus to dispel fears and what authorities have described as “rumours” of an impending terror attack at the institution. Most students yesterday vacated the campus situated along the Thika Superhighway in their droves for fear on the attack happening. They had refused to spend the night at the college hostels with an attack early this month at the Garissa University College where 148 people were killed, still fresh in their minds.
Tens of police officers have already been deployed at the college to beef up security after the “rumours” started. “It was just the normal threats… which are now becoming common but we are not taking it lightly. We have beefed up security and are ready to deal with it,” Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Prof Olive Mugenda said. Police have traced the threats to a letter that was dropped at the college compound saying there would be an attack by AlShabaab militants at the campus.
According to police, the author of the said letter has already been identified and is being traced. An almost similar threat caused a stampede at Nairobi University’s Kikuyu campus leading to the death of one student barely a week ago. A transformer burst at the college leaving in its wake three huge explosions that sent the students scampering for safety at the crack of dawn as they thought terrorists had struck. More than a hundred others sustained injuries.
Gunmen, believed to be AlShabaab members, have hijacked a miraa van and kidnapped a chief in an attack in Arabia, Mandera County. The attack took place early today and security agencies are pursuing them. Officials said the attackers seemed to know the area and the chief well. The chief was headed for Mandera Town when he was ambushed. Meanwhile, five senior detectives have been appointed to investigate the Garissa University College terror attack and the general response to it. The team will be headed by the head of operations at CID headquarters, Mohamed Amin.
The team was appointed by Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet to investigate among others, why the Garissa County Security team failed to stop the terror attack even after they had been given prior intelligence warning. They will be joined by five prosecutors who have been appointed by the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko to assist in the probe. Seven top regional police chiefs have been suspended and Mr Boinnet has named Shadrack Maithya as the new county commander for Garissa while Nicholas Maina was named the new area OCPD. The development came even as a security expert called for the prosecution of the top security
officials. Retired Major Bashir Abdullaih says suspensions over any lapses are not sufficient and says those culpable must face court action. “This will ensure those in such positions take their jobs seriously since in the past there have been suspensions followed by mere transfers to other areas. “Suspension will not be enough…let them be taken to a court of law if found guilty. In this case they will have abetted crime,” “This will show that they are not loyal to the country. It is the high time each and every person feel he has a responsibility.”
Facebook to test new social-caller Id app Social Media Company Facebook will today start testing Hello, a new app that automatically connects with Facebook to help users identify callers, block unwanted calls and search for people and places.
When one gets a call, Hello will show them information about the caller, even if they don’t have that number saved in their phone. The user will, however, only see information that people have already shared with them on Facebook.
From the app, users can block specific numbers and adjust whether they want to automatically block calls from commonly blocked numbers. Blocked calls go straight to voicemail and can be reviewed in the user’s recent calls.
WHAT OTHERS SAID TODAY...
Obama advance team arrives: A mini-Ameri will descend on Kenya when US President Barack Obama visits his father’s homeland. Obama will jet into Kenya in late July for bilateral meetings with President Uhuru Kenyatta. Both men will also attend the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit, an annual conference that connects entrepreneneurs with business leaders, international organisations, and governments, in Nairobi. An advance team preparing for Barrack Obama’s visit will be in the country bu the end of the week...
Graft war crippled as MPs kick out bosses: President Uhuru Kenyatta was last evening given the green light to suspend Ethics and Anti-Corruption commission chairman Mumo Matemu and his deputy, Ms Irene Keino, and set up a tribunal to investigate their conduct. Jubilee Coalition MPs outvoted their Cord counterparts 130-52 to approve the report of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee after more than three hours of debate and one amendment to the report. EACC secretary Halakhe Waqo was, however, spared after Jubilee Coalition...
Court detains terror suspect caught in Uhuru’s residence: Stunning revelations have sprung out of a courtroom that a terror suspect now in extended detention to allow for further investigations was actually arrested at President Uhuru Kenyatta’s residence in Gatundu. In what would shock Kenyans that the President and his family may have been in the sights of the Al Shabaab terror cell, which claimed responsibility for the April 2 attack on Garissa University College that left 148 dead, the court granted a request by police to hold the suspect for another 15 days...
404 ERROR!
NEWS 3 THURSDAY APRIL 23, 2015
NTSA launches campaign to save 3,000 lives annually from road accidents The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the National Road Safety Trust have launched a road safety campaign to reduce road traffic deaths by a third in the next 24 months. The campaign, dubbed “Save 1,000 Lives”, will see the two organisations mobilise the private sector to create specialised programs to support road safety initiatives. Statistics indicate that at least 3,000 lives are lost annually from road traffic accidents in Kenya with close to half being pedestrians. Economically, the country loses Sh45 billion as a result of road accidents. Although 2014 saw a 10 per cent decline in road fatalities recorded, the past three months have seen a nine per cent increase in fatalities, with pedestrians forming the highest number of victims. Francis Meja, Director-General of the NTSA said: “With the support from the private sector, there can be quick results in reversing the trend by providing speed guns, safe crossings for pedestrians and continuous pedestrian education.”
20,000 to be recruited to NYS as 10,000 graduate President Uhuru Kenyatta will today preside over the passing out parade of more than 10,000 recruits at the National Youth Service in Gilgil. The youths have been undergoing various trainings including paramilitary sessions at the college in the past six months. The government plans to deploy them to various parts of the country to help in operations. NYS personnel are currently engaged in the construction of a security wall and trench along the Kenya-Somali border. The service announced its next recruitment drive which begins tomorrow until April 30. The one week enlisting was announced in a paid advert on a local daily with the ministry of devolution assuring that the exercise will be corruption free. “Candidates who plan to participate in the exercise must be Kenyan citizens, aged between 18 and 22 years. They must be medically fit and be ready to offer voluntary service to the Nation in any part of the country,” read the announcement. Once they report to college they
will undergo four months paramilitary training where they will be trained on civic competence and oriented towards strict discipline. NYS was restructured last year in what is aimed at making it a powerful tool for youth empowerment across the country. About 20, 00 youths are expected to be recruited. “Additionally the service is now involved in massive development projects all over the country. This has been of significant consequence in Kibera, Mathere, Mkuru Kwa Njenga, Korogocho and Kiandutu,” it said. NYS says some of the many massive accomplishments so far include construction of ablution blocks, a 3.1 km road, 72 fish tanks, 30 showcase model houses, new sewer lines and a Huduma Centre. Director General Dr.Nelson Githinji has said that the restructuring and rebranding was substantial enough to attract visits from delegations from Ghana and Lesotho to come learn how to implement similar programs in their countries. Moreover, the NYS rebrand
HIGH STEPPING: The NYS service men and women during a previous passing-out parade. President Uhuru Kenyatta will today preside over the passing out parade of more than 10,000 recruits in Gilgil received recognition from the Marketing Society of Kenya, he added. “All these changes and developments only add onto the long list of reasons why any member of the
Kenyan should join NYS. There is no higher honour than that of serving your country, stand up and be counted, join NYS during this phase of recruitment.”NYS stated.
“I urge the youth to come out in large numbers for the April recruitment and join the continuing strides to make this great nation even greater. “Devolution CS Anne Waiguru stated.
• Degree • Diploma • Certificate • Short courses
At Zetech Centre for Virtual Studies, we are committed to giving you a convenient alternative to learning that blends with your daily schedule.
MAY 2015 INTAKE IN PROGRESS E-learning & Distance Learning Benefits
• Large pool of academics programmes to choose from. • Quick access to quality education especially for those with commitments such as work, family or even physical limitations. • Reduced cost of accessing education. • Best learning platform for the older generation. • Actively engages the student in the learning process. • Enhances interaction and networking among students both locally and internationally. • Cost savings in transportation and accommodation.
Zetech University Main Campus P.O.Box 2768 - 00200, Nairobi Mobile: 0728 311 957 / 0712 161 611 WhatsApp: 0706 622 557 Facebook: Zetech University @ZetechUni E-mail: elearning@zetech.ac.ke Website: www.elearning.zetech.ac.ke
FUSION CAPITAL FUNDED PROPERTY PRIME OFFICE COMPLEX FOR SALE (SINGLE BUYER/ YIELD INVESTORS PREFERRED)
FOR SALE
Flamingo Towers
About The Project
Flamingo Towers is a Grade A office development located in Upperhill, Mara Road, next to the Japanese Embassy. It comprises 18 levels; 12 levels of office space and 6 levels of parking Total lettable space of 149,081 sq.ft
Interested buyers are requested to submit an offer letter to the address below Contact us on: Tel:+254 721576697, P.O. Box 47538-00100, Nairobi Email: ckirima@fusiongroupafrica.com ACK Garden House, Ground floor, 1st Ngong Avenue, Off Bishops Road
xnews | THURsday, APRIL 23, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke
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 93.6322 93.8044 93.7183 139.7944 140.1150 139.9547 100.4706 100.7061 100.5883 7.7305 7.7499 7.7402 32.0134 32.1791 32.0963 20.3615 20.5058 20.4336
NEWS BRIEFS
Kenyan environmental activist wins prestigious Goldman prize
AWARD WINNER: Phillis Omido and her son, who suffered lead poisoning as an infant. Omido quit her job with battery smelting plant after she realised its wastes were harming the environment and went on to push for its closure.
Phillis Omido was recognized for her campaign against a battery smelting plant accused of damaging the health of a community in the city of Mombasa. As an employee at the plant, she was inspired to act after her baby son was diagnosed with lead poisoning. The annual Goldman prize highlights the work of community activists and comes with a $175,000 (Sh16.4 million) award. Miss Omido was originally employed by the battery smelting plant in the Mombasa slum settlement of Owino Uhuru to manage its community relations. Her young son became very ill after she had been working at the plant for three months. After tests, doctors discovered that he was suffering from lead poisoning that could have been passed through his mother’s breast milk. Phyllis Omido worked with community members to highlight the issue of the smelting plant Miss Omido quit her job in 2009 and was
encouraged to talk to community members to see if they had suffered any ill effects. “I wondered about the children who lived in the immediate vicinity of the plant,” she told the BBC’s Newsday radio programme. She found that people were complaining of health problems, including miscarriages, still-births and high fevers, and chickens were dying after allegedly drinking water that was infected by lead that was coming from the smelter. Miss Omido then began campaigning for the removal and cleaning-up of the smelting plant but her efforts to talk to the owners were rebuffed. Working alongside people from Owino Uhuru, they wrote letters to all levels of government and went on marches but the campaign was ignored. She was told that she was being a nuisance and the community were being “lazy” and that they should be grateful for the employment the plant was bringing.
Airtel partners with Medanta to provide mobile healthcare Airtel customers can now access quality health advice from doctors through their mobile phones after the telco entered into a partnership with Medanta Africare to launch the mHealth service. The service will enable Airtel subscribers consult with doctors from Medanta Africare and access relevant health care advice by calling 1525 at normal calling rates from their mobile phones. This service will be available daily from 8am to 8pm. Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said the service will provide a faster and more convenient way of accessing health solutions. “Mobile technology remains the most powerful communications platforms. This therefore presents an opportunity for us to offer a service that gives our customers the freedom to access healthcare services from the convenience of their phones wherever they are, giving them more peace of mind knowing that they are now able to reach quality and affordable medical care,” said Youssefi. Medanta Africare CEO Anil Maini said that in order to ensure that the service
delivers accurate medical diagnosis, his company will station well-trained staff members to attend to customer calls and recommend solutions to respective doctors in the hospital, for relevant action to be taken. “This is an innovative and a first of its
kind service in Kenya, to a large section of Kenya’s population, wherein they will be able to access healthcare information on their handsets and also avail home healthcare services provided by Medanta Africare, in the comfort of their homes,” said Maini.
THIS IS HOW IT WORKS: Medanta Africare President and CEO Anil Maini (right) shows Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi how to access mHealth services.
the industry While men remain the largest consumers of beer in the market, there has been an increasing number of female drinkers with high disposable incomes. From as early as 2013, beer brands like Tusker
x-news.co.ke
SHOCKED: Traders during the 2010 Wall Street flash crash.
Trader arrested four years after making Sh3.7 billion in fraudulent stock deal A financial trader has been arrested in the UK after US authorities accused him of contributing to an event dubbed the 2010 Wall Street “flash crash”. The crash refers to a financial crisis that wiped billions of dollars off the value of US shares in minutes more than 4 years ago. It was due, in part, to the actions of Navinder Singh Sarao, a financial trader who made roughly $40 million (Sh3.7 billion) during the crisis. The US Department of Justice now wants UK authorities to hand over Sarao, 36, on charges of wire fraud, commodities fraud and market manipulation among other charges. It is claimed the trader, from West
London, used automated computer programmes to manipulate share prices, the BBC reports. The infamous flash crash saw US markets plunge rapidly, only to then rebound just as quickly, says the BBC. Officials from the UK Justice Department said in a statement that “Sarao’s alleged manipulation earned him significant profits and contributed to a major drop in the US stock market on May 6, 2010”. Based on the US justice system, this kind of fraud cases can involve exorbitant fines reaching up to $5 million (Sh469 million). Sarao also faces at least 5 years in a US prison for each offence
Female drinkers drive growth of Kenya beer market
Lite and Castle Lite were targeted towards female drinkers, research group, Euromonitor International reports. The beer industry has since been growing with beer
sales increasing despite recent restrictions on the selling of alcoholic beverages. KPMG, one of the largest professional services companies in the world, states that the popularity of
beer has been driven by “strong population growth, a growing middle class and a dynamic private sector” “The beer industry in Kenya has taken off in impressive ways, and is promising of even further developments in the coming decade,” says the group. Euromonitor states that beer sales are expected to keep rising because of increasing levels of wealth as well as stiff competition among drink-makers. Though beer remains popular, spirits are the most preferred drinks among low-income consumers. East Africa Breweries Ltd (EABL) previously reported a growth of 67 per cent in the sale of spirits.
6
BUSINESS THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
CITY SCAPE View Park Towers
View Park Towers is located along Uhuru Highway in Nairobi’s Central Business District. Standing more than 67 meters above the ground, the structure was built in collaboration with Harbans Singh Associates, a local architectural firm whose headquarters are located off Langata Road. View Park Towers has 20 Floors. It is famous for its shiny windows, which make up almost half of the building’s wall space. It is also known for its indented structure, which consists of a concave design on one of its sides.
LEAF BY LEAF: Labourers picking tea in a tea farm. Experts in the tea sector say that production is expected to remain low in the coming months due to a dry spell that has negatively affected production.
Tea production to remain low despite favourable cold season Tea production is expected to remain low in the coming months due to a dry spell that has negatively affected production. Kenya Tea Development Agency CEO, Lerionka Tiampati said the cold season in June will not have any positive effect on production as the tea bushes will take a longer time to recover from the prolonged dry spell which was followed by hostile weather patterns. “The month of June usually marks the onset of the cold season ahead of July when farmers
take advantage of the season to prune their tea bushes for increased productivity. We, therefore, cannot expect increased production during this period even with increased rains,” said Tiampati. Tiampati revealed that some factories had scaled down operations due to the persistent dry weather. Auction prices which have been on the rise in January and February 2015 are likely to stabilize in coming months depending on the weather pattern and the volume of tea
produced. He noted that earnings for the year will remain steady with auction prices having remained largely unchanged for the first half of the year while volumes declined in the second half. To improve earnings to farmers, KTDA is currently diversifying to orthodox teas, with Kangaita, Itumbe and Michimikuru in the process of implementing the orthodox production line.
opening of Southern by-pass eases traffic flow within nairobi
INFRA STRUCTURE
SILKY TRACK: A section of the Southern By-pass in Nairobi. Motorists say that opening up of the road has eased traffic flow in the city.
Nairobi motorists have lauded the new traffic measures being undertaken to decongest the city. Motorists using Langata and Mombasa Roads said it was a big reprieve after Nairobi County Government opened the Bunyala and Lusaka roundabouts. “There are no drums now, the road is just okay. Vehicles are moving smoothly and the kind of traffic we have is usual, just a bit of it,” Samuel Maina aka Kadaddy told Capital FM News. According to Kadaddy, the heavy drums used to block sections of the two roundabouts that connect Langata Road and Mombasa Road to Uhuru Highway caused more traffic jams. Matatus drivers also said they were likely to reduce the transport fares, if they will spend less time in traffic. The operators also lauded the government for opening the Southern bypass which is being
used by heavy vehicles to divert vehicles using Mombasa Road. Only heavy vehicles with permits are being allowed to use Mombasa Road via town. However most heavy vehicle drivers said the Southern by-pass was even a better option for them to connect to Nakuru, Naivasha and Kisumu from Mombasa Road without having to pass through town. “Most lorry drivers don’t want to pass through town. The Southern bypass is the best option because they can cross from Mombasa Road go to Langata Road and also connect to Nakuru, Naivasha, Eldoret and Kisumu without having to pass through the city,” Julius Karanja said. On Monday, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero said discussions were ongoing to also relocate upcountry bus stations from the city centre as another of the interventions being implemented to ease traffic in Nairobi.
GET NEWS WE RATE XCLUSIVE! Send the word XNEWS to 21313 To opt out of this subscription sms, send “Stop XNEWS” to 21313. Each Message costs kshs 10
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
ACCESS topstory
Kate Middleton is not yet in labour or in hospital but enthusiastic fans are ahead with celebrations.
WAITING FOR ROYAL BABY NUMBER 2 T
he countdown is on. Baby name bets have already started with ‘Alice’ leading the pack. The fashion police are also wiping their camera lenses eagerly awaiting the birth of Royal Baby number two. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton are expecting their second child and Kate stirred the rumour mill last month when she hinted to wellwishers at a charity fair that she was due any day from mid-April. The royal bundle of Joy will be fourth-in-line to the throne after 21-month-old sibling Prince George. Kate is not yet in labour or in hospital but enthusiastic fans are ahead with celebrations. Outside the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, where Kate and Prince William are expected to have their baby, joyful fans continue trickling in. They have been
Before
looking forward to this birth for long. Some are even predicting the baby’s due date and gender! Others are betting their money on possible names that be will be given to the latest royal member. With placards of sweet messages, baby gifts and balloons, the royal fans promise to stay put until the royal bundle is born. To avoid the frenzy that came along with the birth of William and Kate’s son in July 2013, the media has been barred from the hospital’s private wing until the Duchess goes into labour. But because every media house is scrambling for the scoop, their vehicles are parked not very far from the hospital. All streets neighboring the hospital have been barricaded to pave way for the royal family’s labour entrance. These regulations are in place until April 30. This baby’s arrival is expected to be a low key affair but judging from all the excitement, it will be an equally big deal as
the birth of Prince George. Some are describing the child as the world’s most famous and loved unborn baby. Little Prince George must also be excited or a bit jealous of all the attention his unborn sibling is hogging. Coincidentally, the royal baby will share the same birthday month with its great grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. She turned 89 on April 21 and goes down in UK’s history books as the longest serving monarch. Even though she celebrated her birthday privately in the confines of her Windsor Castle, anyone can bet its loudness would not have outshined the ecstatic anticipation of her great grandchild. So any day from now, the royal baby will finally make its monarchical arrival. And in readiness for that, second time dad, Prince William has taken an unpaid paternity leave until June.
8
ACCESS
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY, APRIL 26th 23, NOVEMBER 2015 2014
YOLO
be careful what you post on the internet
Hot topiCS
ambassada
MinD WHAT YoU PoST online
F
reedom of expression is a fundamental right that should be accorded to everyone around the world. But sometimes there is a limit to the right, and some excesses can land one in hot soup. Social media has provided a platform for people to air their views and speak on any topic. Thus social media has been used as a mobilization and activism tool. A simple post can go viral and become the voice of a revolution. In Kenya, wrong utterances on social media can land you in jail. Recently a prominent politician was taken to court
over hate speech utterances on social media. The said politician was given a warning by the courts would ignore the directive and continue making abhorrent statements. Only when he was threatened to be thrown in court did he tone down his hate speech. Robert Alai is a Kenyan controversial blogger who has been the centre of attention for the longest time. His posts on social media have been known to rub people the wrong way. Granted, Alai is considered to be one of the best when it comes to getting credible information—He appears to be
Sauti Sol fill up K1
informed about everything. But many are the times he has hit a raw nerve and even enede up in jail. Recently, some university students posed as Al-Shabaab terrorists on Facebook and started spreading fear, with rumors that the militant group was going to target major towns and kill everyone in their path. The students were later arrested and charged in court. You may think that what you post on social media is harmless but sometimes it goes beyond its intended purpose and could take on a life of its own.
K1 has never been that full since the inception of Afrobeat Wednesdays. Yesterday, the venue was packed to the rafters with fans and artistes alike, coming out to support Sauti Sol as they officially launched their new song, Nerea. From Actors and actresses, comedians and musicians, K1 was clearly the place to be. Artistes who came through for the event included, Nyota Ndogo, Suzanne Owiyo, Iddi Aziz, Big Pin, Nameless, Obinna, H_art the Band, AY, Jose Chameleone, P-Unit and many more. When Sauti Sol took to the stage with Amos and Josh, the crowd went wild. For a song that was released yesterday it is doing really well as fans sang along to the song word for word. It was indeed been a memorable night.
10-A-Side Rugby touRney And AfteR pARty
hot date
T
aVril femione
he RFUEA grounds on Ngong Road will be the setting for this weekend’s 10-a-side rugby tournament. King Kaka, Avril, Femione and dancer Cheda will be performing after the games. Kaka recently released his album which has been doing really well. Avril is still riding high on her last release featuring Ommy Dimpoz from Tanzania. Femione has been described as the next best femcee to hit the industry. Dancer Cheda wowed people at King Kaka’a launch through his expressive dancing. He was part of the dance group, The Band, which won the Sakata Mashariki contest. Entrance will cost Sh300.
KinG KaKa
The Kenyan Blog Awards will take place on May 2. You just have one week to vote
Visit: http://www.blogawards.co.ke/vote/
Willy Paul and Bahati truce? Yesterday during the Groove Party nominations, Willy Paul and Bahati were brought together and made to resolve their differences. The pair has been feuding for weeks now with no end to their beef in sight. A pastor who was at the Groove party brought the two together and insisted that they reconcile and forgive each other. In front of many different people, the two shook hands and hugged each other saying they had forgiven each other and it was time to move on. How long will this truce last?
ACCESS
THURSDAY, APRIL 23 2015
all round news and updates from universities.
Discharged from the sick Bay
It is that time students at Egerton University and particularly those with amazing talents get to shine and flaunt their God given talents. The Chaguo la Campo (Chaka awards) aims to reward talent in Egerton University. A preChaka event will be held to name the nominees for the various categories and opening the voting lines for their fans and followers to vote for them for an agreed period of time. Those planning to attend the event should book early, because the organisers are only offering advance tickets. Tickets go for Sh 50 and are only available at the students’ centres. No tickets will be sold at the door!
PhiliP Wambua is the neW mmu President
T
careerchat
From onions and cabbages to overall winner of the highly coveted Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies 2014-2015 Awards, there is no stopping George Wachiuri, CEO Optiven Limited.
CAMPUSVIBE egerton’s chaguo la camPo aWards in the offing
Some of the 25 students from UoN Kikuyu campus who were hospitalized after a stampede, following blast of faulty underground electrical cables have been discharged. The 25 were among 167 students who were injured during the commotion. Currently seven students are recuperating at the student clinic popularly known as the sick bay, and 10 are admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital. Those who were critically injured recovering well and are now in stable condition.
he student Governing Council Elections at Multi Media University (MMU) kicked off at 9am yesterday. Anxiety filled the Multimedia campuses as its students dutifully exercised their voting cautiously to avoid any election irregularities. The electorate commission assured the students that elections were going to be free and fair. It also promised that no fishy incidences would occur like the one that happened in the previous 2014 elections. But despite all the cautiousness practiced, there were still a couple of spoilt votes. The students waited with bated breath to know who their next leaders were going to be. Philip Wambua Ketei was the majority’s choice, as he garnered the most votes to become the 2015 Multimedia University President.
9
KIMC: WE DID WELL IN THE FESTIVALS
Students line up to vote. (Inset) Philip Wambua, the winner.
Kenya institute of Mass communication drama students, popularly known as Power House, defended their performance at the 2015 drama festivals. The media school said they had performed well and went ahead to show their trophy cabinet captioned, ‘the cabinet does not look bad at all’ This year, their play and dance did not see the top three but their narrative and choral verse took top positions.
matters real estate What does your job entail? My job as the CEO is to ensure the company’s strategy is implemented. I also guide, inspire and motivate our staff to be pacesetters in socialeconomic transformation and leave the world a better place to live in. How many hours do you work in a day? I approximately work for10 hours a day. What qualifications do you need for your job? In an industry like ours, one needs to be innovative to remain competitive. You have to be a visionary and a motivator. Was this your dream career? Yes, I always wanted to be a top entrepreneur in Africa. I am not there yet, but on my way. How did you start out? I consider myself as a business minded individual from a tender age. I have run many small
businesses especially while in campus to sustain myself. From selling onions, cabbages, taking photographs, renting out magazines to finally starting my own real estate company. You can read more of my past struggles in my book Soaring like an Eagle. What achievements have you had so far? It was an honor being awarded the Overall Winner of Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies and Best in Real Estate 2014 -2015. I was also privileged to be the Entrepreneur of the Year at the University of Nairobi in 1997. Any challenges you have experienced so far? Losing 10 years of my hard earned savings in a bad deal left me devastated and depressed. Dealing with crooks in the industry led me to create a company that prides itself in keeping and delivering its promise to the customers. Does your job interfere with your social life?
Not really. I am able to balance work and leisure. I always have time to take my wife Mary Wachiuri for coffee, on holiday and create time to help my children with their homework. I thank God for my great family. What is the best part of your job? I am always happy when presenting title deeds to our clients and seeing our staff developing financially. It gives me joy when I see Optiven Foundation helping the needy and building houses for the “forgotten senior citizens of Kenya” What is the worst part of your job? When customers are unable to pay their investment and we have to return the funds to them. Any advice for budding entrepreneurs? Always think big, start small and start now. There are numerous opportunities for everyone. So never give up on your dream.
10
ACCESS
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
FASHIONScoop
@time 100 gaLa.
emma Watson Rocking that jumpsuit.
tyRa Banks She’s still got it!
Lindsey vonn We like!
kim kaRdashian Although we love to hate her, she does know how to work the red carpet.
THE MOST INFLUENTIAL RED CARPET
LaveRne Cox Looking elegant and beautiful
On Tuesday night, the world’s most influential people, according to Time Magazine, gathered for the TIME 100 gala at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. The event seeks to celebrate the magazine’s annual list of the most influential people in the world but before it got to the serious business, there was a red carpet. Hollywood stars such as Rihanna, Emma Watson and the couple we love to hate, Kimye all turned up. Floor length dresses and jumpsuits seemed to be a favourite. Rihanna’s pink dress reminded us of the one she wore at the Grammy’s, which was also a disaster! Is her once muchtalked about sense of fashion slowly fading?
TOP
Trending CelebriTy breakups This is perhaps the shocker of the year. The cute power couple recently called it quits just weeks after Justin Bieber was pictured inappropriately grasping Arianna at a performance in Miami. Sources reveal that the two saw the need for separation over trust issues. Is teenage heartthrob Justin to blame for this?
Big sean, arianna grande
Another Hollywood case of young love gone wrong as Miley Cyrus and son of legendary actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Patrick Schwarzenegger ended their bad romance after only five months. A typical case of an off-on relationship has hit off again, with both celebrities not withstanding each other’s fastlane lifestyles.
miLey cyrus and Patrick scHwarzenegger
Rihanna We give this dress a 4/10.
British Formula one racing driver Louis and his long term girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger have hit the rocks once again in what seemed to be an unending on and off relationship. The two have been in each other’s life for seven years. According to the US weekly, the blow in their relationship came from their age gap, with Louis not ready to move as fast as Nicole saw necessary. Considering their six- year age difference, this was probably bound to happen.
Louis HamiLton and nicoLe scHerzinger
PLAY 11 THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
WEATHERFORECAST
DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 The more you loosen your grip on a situation, the more you will gain control of it. Cutting chains to the past is the first step in moving forward toward a goal. You might not realize how much a past situation holds you back until you make the effort to release it. AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 The active and receptive natures of your being are coming together, Aquarius. There’s a balance between these two aspects. You’re able to attract the prosperity and love you desire by the way in which you handle yourself around others. PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 Whether you actively pursue it or sit back and relax, you will receive the love and good fortune you desire. Your creativity is also at a peak during this time. You should take advantage of this energy and actively use your talent to create something beautiful and meaningful.
THURSday 23/04/2015
sunny
24
FRIday 24/04/2015
More sun than clouds
25
25ºC 57%
6:29 am 6:33pm
25ºC 55%
6:29 am 6:33 pm
Sudoku
TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 If there’s something in the love and romance department that you feel you need to act on, this is the day to do it. It’s now or never. Approach all situations in a practical, caring manner. Plow forward with confidence and don’t look back. Indulge in those things that give you pleasure. GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 This doesn’t mean focusing so the person will stop and pay attention to you. It doesn’t mean getting their attention so that you have someone who will listen to you talk. Get someone’s attention because you really want to hear what he or she has to say. CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 It might take an extra few minutes to get out of bed today, Cancer, but it will be worth it when you do. You will find that the more honest you’ve been with people, the more payoffs you will receive. Being dependable and trustworthy are key issues to focus on.
VIRGO Aug 23- Sep 22 There may be subtle messages in people’s words today that you need to attend to, Virgo. Other people could be trying to send you hints in order to push your buttons. Tender, loving messages may be laced with thorns intended to provoke you. Don’t let this action go unnoticed.
MUSTREAD Powder Necklace
— by Nana Ekua Brew- Hammond
Her mother sends her back home to Ghana to school. She wants to protect her daughter from the bad influences of London. To Lila’s mother, this is the best decision to Lila, it is like a punishment. When she gets to Ghana she finds it is an entirely different ball game. It is not like what had been described to her.Over the course of her stay in Ghana, she struggles to fit in. She has a ‘funny’ accent and her classmates consider her as an outsider. But she shows resilience and starts adapting even having friends. Just as she is settling down, she is summoned back to London by her mother to meet her new man and his daughter. Even before she has gotten to know them, she gets the news that she will be moving again to New York to stay with her father, his wife and their children. Will she be able to put in roots some place and call it home?
LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 Don’t keep playing along with the games if you no longer want to repeat the same drama, Libra. By placing yourself in a victim role, you’re opening yourself up to manipulation and control by others. Recognize that you have the power and courage to change. SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 Today is excellent for you, Scorpio. You should be encouraged to take action in any artistic realm. Cook a scrumptious dinner and share it with a loved one. Give your heart a chance to speak and act on what it says. Your feminine and masculine sides are on the same page now. SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 If you don’t have a garden, start one. It’s important for you to get into the Earth today, so roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Feeling a connection with the ground is an important step in manifesting your dreams. Buy some seeds, fertilizer, and a watering can.
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. What I feel like doing when stuck in the jam for hours-BS, Nairobi 2. When an old car overtakes you on the highway-James D. Nairobi 3. When the mechanic charges more than the value of the car-DD
OUR FIREFIGHTERS NEED TO BE WELL-EQUIPPED Fire fighters in Nairobi and across the country at large seem to be lacking in essential equipment and proper training. It is my firm belief that our brave men and women should be equipped with the tools to fight the spread of fire. It is a
25
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 No one said it was going to be easy. Hollywood promotes a fantasyland that can make your life look drab and boring by comparison. Realize that your life can be good and interesting, too reality is even better than the movie version. Today is a good day to prepare for future growth.
LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 You may have gone through a major transformation lately in which you went from being a square peg to a round peg. Other people might still be trying to push you into the square hole. Let people know that it upsets you not to be treated the way you want to be treated.
SATURday
damn shame when we realize that there are no headlines praising the success of our fire fighters. This means that any major fire is too much for them to handle and they can barely save a piece of furniture, much less a person
from a blazing inferno. To address these issues, our government needs to step up its game. We can’t be expected to pay taxes and get nothing in return. I want to be confident in our firefighters’ ability to deal with a threat immediately
it happens. I hope the Nairobi County government has the gall to fix the problem before it turns into a disaster. — Jared Obwoge, Nairobi
12
PLAY
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
CROSSWORD Across 1. Ancient Scot 5. Like some teens’ jeans 10. Clothing tag information 14. Down with the flu, say 15. Slipped up 16. Tucson’s st. 17. Kids 19. Classroom hand-waver’s cry 20. Made mad 21. Big name in photography 22. Details deductions 26. Be a part of, as a play 30. Film crew member 34. Untruthful 35. On and off, e.g., briefly 36. Blood-typing letters 37. Spaced out 39. Non-stick surface 42. Focus 43. Smaller 47. ___ Dame University 48. Cartoon Great Dane 51. Billy and nanny 52. Mork’s comment 54. Performed 57. Corpus ___ (criminal evidence) 62. Lint collector 63. Organized anew 66. Long skirt 67. Baseball team that became the Nationals in 2004 68. Tailpipe emission 69. Board game turn 70. Extreme edge 71. Terse assents
Down 1. ____ fee 2. Religious image 3. Locomotive sound 4. Daly of “Cagney & Lacey” 5. Attack from every angle 6. Like the Chrysler Building 7. Univ. admission test 8. Switz. neighbor 9. Gridiron stats 10. Small stuffed triangular turnover 11. Made mad 12. “Zomething different” from Coors 13. Bk. of the Bible 18. “Old ____” (1989 Jane Fonda film) 21. Plunk opener 23. Treasure hunter’s aid 24. Mischievous one 25. Grated citrus rind 26. Assumed identity 27. Pessimistic sort 28. Italian “I love you” 29. Schubert’s “Fantasia ___ Minor” 31. Sicily neighbor 32. Scuttle, as a mission 33. Time of a Roman month 38. 17th-century actress Nell 40. Overwhelm 41. “To Wong ___...” (start of a movie title) 44. End of some web addresses 45. Ages 46. One who won’t move over 49. It’s enough to prevent a strike 50. “Thriller” follow-up 53. North Carolina river 54. Cash sources 55. Worthless stuff 56. Cab 58. Subject to chance 59. Game with Colonel Mustard 60. Office fill-in 61. Caesar’s bad day 63. Gun the engine 64. Windows program extension 65. Certain season (abbr.)
DAILY WISDOM “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein “The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” — Albert Ellis
“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life — Bill Copeland
running up and down the field and never score.”
— George Eliot
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” — Walt Disney
“What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.”
— Napoleon Hill
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we — Seneca
do not dare that things are difficult.”
“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”
— Eleanor Roosevelt
“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.” “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
— Albert Einstein — Milton Berle
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
—Life’s Little Instruction Book, compiled by H.
Jackson Brown, Jr.
YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS
SPORT 13
Nandwa blamed for Shabana’s winless streak Shabana fans are showing discontent with new club coach James Nandwa, whose tenure at the Gusii based club has seen him fail to record a win in the last five matches. The non-inspiring five matches include two in draws, the latest downfall was at Machakos where they were beaten 2-0 by hosts Nairobi Stima last weekend. The former Tusker, AFC Leopards, Coastal Union and even Harambee Stars coach was appointed early this month with former coach Gilbert Selebwa rumoured to have been unceremoniously dismissed by the club management. Fans are asking question as to why the club that led the league in the first month to the 18-team Football Kenya Federation league, has failed to live to their early season mojo since the appointment of Nandwa. Shabana has tumbled to seventh position in the table after accumulating twelve points from eight matches. “If the club is to return to the long gone glory days,
sanity has to prevail, we need a tested winner to guide the team. I don’t think Nandwa is the right man for the job,” said club diehard fan Richard Obwoge. His sentiments were shared by Geoffrey Miyogo who says the club management need to rethink about their decisions. “We are questioning the manner in which Coach Selebwa left. He didn’t resign as alleged, he was kicked out. We brought in a loser called Nandwa who couldn’t make it at clubs with bigger budgets unlike Shabana. Something is wrong,” said Miyogo. Meanwhile club captain Mark Ongwae is urging fans not to give up on the team saying the team will soon return to the early season good form. “The results have not been going our way, it is disappointing. But the truth is we have been unlucky, the team is playing well. We hope that we will get the win against St. Josephs in our next encounter. We are confident we will rise,” Ongwae said.
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015
HARD LUCK: James Nandwa has not recorded a win with Shabana in five straight matches.
Moshoeu hailed as one of South Africa’s greatest
SPORT BRIEFS
TRANSITION: Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu died of cancer on Tuesday.
Bayern went into Porto return knowing that they had more to lose Bayern Munich Manager Pep Guardiola says their progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League was “about life or death”. The Germans overturned a 3-1 firstleg deficit against Porto, winning 6-1 to advance 7-4 on aggregate. Guardiola’s side scored five goals in a thrilling first half at Allianz Arena. “I know how very important it was,” the 44-year-old ex-Barcelona boss said. “It is about winning just like at Barcelona.” He added: “It’s easy to love my players now. I am the coach of extraordinary players. I didn’t expect such a first half. “We can still play better. We lost the ball here and there and we can improve on that. We had a few problems in the second half. They had only a few chances
in the second half but you should never relax in the Champions League.” Speaking before the game, Guardiola admitted the expectation at the Bundesliga club was to win the Champions League, and not just settle for domestic league and cup glory. Striker Robert Lewandowski scored two and Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng, Thom as Muller and Xabi Alonso also netted as Bayern dominated their Portuguese visitors. Porto barely troubled Bayern in the first half, and Guardiola added: “We played a different game. We knew Porto better after the first game. “Now we have to fight otherwise we will not achieve what we set out to do.”
The passing of John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu has robbed South Africa of one of its greatest footballers. The former Bafana Bafana midfielder, who captained the side on three occasions, lost his battle against stomach cancer on Tuesday at the age of 49. He leaves those who saw him play with indelible memories of his ability, his warm personality and his humility. And he will also be remembered for being the standout performer in the South Africa side that won the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations - their feat remarkable given they had returned only four years after the end of a decades-long international sports ban because of apartheid. He played 73 times for Bafana Bafana and scored eight goals, four of them coming when they lifted the Nations Cup trophy on home soil - their first appearance in the tournament. Perhaps the most important of those goals was the winner he struck in a 2-1 victory over Algeria in a tense quarter-final in front of 80,000 fans at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium. “We were leading 1-0 with about five minutes to go when Algeria equalized. I was looking up at the big clock in the stadium, still battling to deal with the disappointment of conceding so late. When I focused on the game again, I saw that Shoes had
put the ball in the back of the net and had already started celebrating,” recalls Andre Arendse, the team’s goalkeeper. Moshoeu also scored twice in the 3-0 semi-final victory over Ghana, in what is still ranked by many as Bafana’s finest performance since they returning to international football in 1992. Still shaken after hearing the news of his former team-mate’s demise, Arendse recalls how he always loved listening to Moshoeu deliver words of wisdom. “He just made so much sense whenever he spoke that I often told him if he weren’t a footballer he would have been a philosopher!” In his club career he starred for Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa ad for Gencleberligi, Fenerbahce and Bursaspor in a 10-year stay in Turkey. Moshoeu was instrumental in Kaizer Chiefs winning back-to-back league titles in 2004 and 2005 seasons under coach Ted Dumitru. “Shoes was a special, multi-faceted player. He had skill, intelligence and character,” said Dumitru. “Such was his influence in the team that if he wasn’t playing you felt you were playing with five or six players instead of the 11 we had on the pitch. The fact that he was our top goal scorer while playing in midfield when we won the league the first time speaks volumes about his quality as a player.”
Sakho’s season may have just come to an end West Ham and Senegal striker Diafra Sakho may not play again this season because of a thigh injury. The 25-year-old, who has scored 12 goals for the English Premier League club since joining in the summer, limped off against Stoke last weekend. “We think maybe towards the end of the season (he could be back), but maybe not,” said boss Sam Allardyce. “You have to be very careful with a thigh strain, so that he does not suffer a recurrence.” Although Allardyce admitted Sakho’s absence leaves the club “very short in goalscoring options” he insisted he will not rush the player back. “If he is fit, he is fit. We would say 100% fit, and not want to risk him if he was 95%. “We would give him that time to be absolutely certain, which would mean we would have to be at least four or five days training with the rest of the squad before he was available.”
14
SPORT THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 BLOCKED: TheKenya national women’s volleyball team (in black) in action. The team is now eyeing to win All Africa Games gold medal after beating Egypt in Zone 5 qualifiers in Kampala.
Volleyball queens eyeing All Africa Games glory Kenya Women Volleyball team on Tuesday commenced their All Africa Games qualifiers on a winning note after beating Egypt 3-1 in Kampala Uganda. The win against Egypt is Kenya’s first step towards qualifying as the top team from Zone 5 with Egypt having been tipped as the other possible second team to qualify
from the region. The team then made it two wins out of two matches played after a convincing 3-0 (25-19, 25-17 and 25-9) win over Ethiopia on Wednesday in Kampala. Only two teams will qualify from the region for the All Africa Games set for later this year in Congo Brazzaville.
Kenya will play Ethiopia on Wednesday while Egypt take on host nation Uganda. Team captain Janet Wanja has said they target to finish as the best team in Zone 5 during the regional All African Games Qualifiers. “We are physically and mentally prepared
for the task ahead. Egypt has always been a tactical team but we have trained well for the assignment ahead. We played with a lot of composure throughout,” she said. Wanja adds that all the other teams taking part in the competition will not be underrated, “All teams are equally good and we will take each match with the
seriousness it deserves. We want to finish as the top team from this zone and everyone is tuned to the task.” She added. Two teams will qualify from the Zone for the All Africa Games set for later this year.
ATHLETICS BODY wants RITA Jeptoo’s doping ban doubled Athletics’ governing body has asked sport’s highest court to double Rita Jeptoo’s twoyear doping ban. The Kenyan athlete has however filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking to overturn her punishment for failing a drugs test. Jeptoo, 34, became Kenya’s first highprofile athlete to fail a test when she tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in September. Athletics Kenya in January suspended her from all competition until October 2016. CAS has said the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) wants a four-year ban because of “aggravating circumstances”. But Jeptoo, who says she may have been prescribed some banned substances at a local hospital after a road accident, is seeking a delay in the ban’s implementation and hopes to compete in August’s World Championships. Jeptoo, was due to be crowned world Marathon Major (WMM) Champion for the year 2014 but the ceremony was called off soon after news of her failed test. She has won the previous three Boston and two Chicago marathons and also previously won the Stockholm, Paris, Milan and Lisbon marathons.
Still no tickets on sale for Mayweather-Pacquiao fight
ANOTHER THING COMING: Rita Jeptoo during a previous international event. The IAAF has asked sport’s highest court to double Rita Jeptoo’s two-year doping ban.
Promoter Bob Arum is still unable to explain why there are no tickets on general sale for the super-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on 2 May. The MGM Grand holds 16,500 but only about 1,000 tickets are expected to be made available to the wider public. Contracts with the MGM Grand remain unsigned, while tickets are also not on sale for other venues across Las Vegas. Meanwhile, it was announced on Tuesday that Kenny Bayless, who has refereed many contests involving Mayweather and Pacquiao, will be the third man in the ring on fight night. Bayless refereed his first world
title fight in 1994 and is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. The judges will be Burt Clements, Dave Moretti and Glenn Feldman, whose first world-title fights were in 1989, 1981 and 1997 respectively. A representative for Arum, who handles Pacquiao only, said technical issues were to blame for the aborted teleconference. It has been announced that tickets will eventually be on sale for between $1,500 (Sh141,000) and $7,500 (Sh704,000) but those prices have already tripled on the resale market. One broker, Precision Concierge New York, is selling tickets for as much as $87,500 (Sh8.2 million).
Kenya 15s team getting ready for international duty The Kenya 15-a-side national rugby team has intensified their training ahead of next month’s international calendar, which starts with a home test match against Portugal on May 30. 39 players have been selected for preparations, among them new call-ups, KCB’s Collins Wanjala, 22, Mugambi Kithamba and Michael Gitau (Strathmore), Brian Beckham (Total Nondies), Eric Kerre (Impala) and George Nyambua (Kabras Sugar).
The team has been training under deputy coaches Dominique Habimana and Charles Ngovi at Barclays Sports Club, Ruaraka. Head coach Jerome Paarwater is expected in the country on Friday to take charge of the training for the weekend. “We are currently building on the basics like our phases and breakdowns. The team is strong enough with new and old players working out well,” Habimana observed. The first assignment will be the test match against
Portugal. Habimana says they will have to study their videos to know very well the type of opponent they will face. The Kenyan coaches says the higher ranking for Portugal is another aspect that will motivate the team to seek positive results. Players from Nakuru RFC, Kabras Sugar and Western Bulls are working out in Nakuru under Jotham Owili. They will link up with the rest in Nairobi this week ahead of the weekend camp.
men at work: The Kenya team in action at the Rugby World Cup in 2014.
Windies batsman Samuels laughs off English Stokes’ sledging West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has mocked England all-rounder Ben Stokes and his attempts at sledging during the second Test in Grenada. Samuels made an unbeaten 94 as his side finished day one on 188-5. “It’s obvious the English boys don’t learn because whenever they talk to me I continue scoring runs,” said Samuels.” But they keep on talking.” In 2012, Samuels derided James Anderson’s attempts to talk him out while scoring a century at Trent Bridge.
He added: “I guess they can’t help it. I kept on telling him that but I probably have to tell him something different because he’s not listening. “He keeps talking to me but it keeps me motivated and keeps me batting.” Asked if he felt the sledging had been counterproductive, Samuels replied: “It all depends on how the morning goes... Marlon Samuels 150, Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand. It will be very interesting.” England bowler Chris Jordan, who took the wickets of Devon Smith and Jermaine Blackwood after England elected to field first,
saw nothing wrong with Stokes and Samuels facing off. “Stokesy likes to get in a battle and what you saw was two cricketers going at it for their country,” he said. “That kind of stuff makes Stokesy tick. Any time he’s in a battle, all 11 of us are going to back him. “It’s good to see two cricketers going at it without crossing the line. Hopefully see much more of that.” The first Test in Antigua ended in a draw. The third and final Test in Barbados begins on 1 May.
xnews | THURsDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 | www.x-news.co.ke
Volleyball queens eyeing all africa games glory
late chicharito strike sends real through
NO QUARTER GIVEN: Javier Hernández celebrates after scoring Real Madrid’s 88th-minute winner at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to secure a place in the semi-finals at the expense of their local rivals Atlético.
FIND THE KEYWORD IN RED AND SMS IT TO 22333 Barua Muganga RINGTONES: 30 KSHS PER DAY Nipe Nafasi You will receive a sms “2 download. . . ”Go to this Glory to Glory link using GPRS or WAP & download your content. Nanena KENYAN HITS! Adonai KENRAZY Visita, Madtraxx, DNA & Jay A KEN4 Dumbala Remix Zawadi Msaidizi GLORIA MULIRO GM4 Sitalia Tena Fundamentals KT4 KEN WAMARIA Bongo Lala RUFFTONE & GSU RUFF4 Sitalia Tena Mungu Baba Uwepo Wako LIN4 MERCYLINAH Hatarudi Nyuma Milele SHA4 MARION SHAKO Mapenzi Dongo Dongo GERALDINE ODUOR GER4 Solo Ulibeba EN4 EUNICE NJERI Penzi Langu Sobei Cheiso KOS4 EMMY KOSGEI Matokeo Worship You BMF FT MERCY WAIREGI BMF4 Sambaza ALICE KAMANDE KAM4 Born Again Defender DAD4 Lingala Ya Yesu DADDY OWEN MOG4 Fanya Kitendo MOG Tosheka Kereka DK4 Muziki Ni Dawa DK KWENYE BEAT Ningwendete VAN4 Makeke JOAN WAIRIMU Kitanzi LK4 Queen LOISE KIM Ahuirania N.D GITHUKA GAK4 Miss Hizo Ti Mundu BETTY BAYO & MR SEED BET4 Naona Mbali Ndirakurekie SIMON SIM4 Nime Wasamehe JOAN WAIRIMU Kinyukia Kahora VAN4 Hakuna Silaha
p14
Ex: HC4 to 22333
BAHATI DJ LAPOZE JEMMO & DENNO BEN GITHAE HADASSAH PAUL EMMA OMONGE MASSMASILYA LAURENT MUGISHO MR. BISCUIT SIMON KIDUM & JULIANI KIDUM NGANGALITO KIDIS GLORIA MULIRO EKO DYDDA PITSON BEN GITHAE RINGTONE JIMMY GAIT GLORIA M & WILLY P ALA C DENNO SOLOMON MUKUBWA SARAH KIARIE
TIB4 HC4 GON4 GIT4 WT4 JC4 HOB4 HOK4 JAG4 SIM4 DUM4 DUM4 LIT4 PIG4 GM4 KEB4 BOM4 GIT4 RING4 JG4 GM4 ALA4 GON4 SOL4 SK4
This is a subscription service. Cost per message is KSH30. Content Delivered daily. A Joining fee of KSH30 applies. Phone must be WAP/GPRS ENABLED to download ringtones. Errors will be billed. To DEACTIVATE OR UNSUBSCRIBE, SMS STOP followed by the keyword i.e. STOP HC4 to 22333 or *100#. A deactivation fee of KES 30 will be charged unless passive deactivation is requested.Customer Support: 0711035333 or 0734488668 , SUN - FRI, 8:30AM - 6pm, SAT 9am - 5pm. or email: ke@smshelp.info.
Real Madrid’s Javier Hernandez scored an 88th-minute winner to settle a tense Champions League quarter-final against neighbours Atletico in the Bernabeu. The visitors frustrated Real for the majority of the match, but the game opened up when Atletico’s Arda Turan was sent off in the 75th minute. With the game heading for extra-time after the first leg ended 0-0, Cristiano Ronaldo drove forward and squared for Hernandez to slot home. The semi-final draw is on Friday. Real will join fellow La Liga heavyweights Barcelona, plus Germany’s Bayern Munich and
Junior Stars jet out for All Africa Games qualifier in Botswana
Serie A side Juventus, in the final four yet none are likely to provide a sterner test of their attacking mettle than their cross-city rivals. Atletico were well-drilled and extremely difficult to break down, but the tie turned in Real’s favour when Turan was sent off for a second bookable offence - the Turkish midfielder fouling Sergio Ramos. Turan had been assigned to manmark Ronaldo and he did the job to perfection during the time he was on the pitch. With Real shorn of two of their attacking stars - Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema - through injury, they often looked short on ideas up front with Ronaldo struggling to escape Turan’s attentions. As in the first leg, Atletico keeper Jan Oblak made a number of fine
National Under-23 coach Bobby Williamson showed confidence as the Kenya junior team left for Botswana this morning ahead of an All Africa Games qualifier on Saturday against the Young Zebras. Team Manager Simon Mulama on Tuesday said that the team is ready to bring home the best possible result. Botswana coach Pio Paul has placed his faith in the combination of Thatayaone Ramatlapeng and Omaatla Kebatho. “I have introduced Thatayaone (Ramatlapeng) who did not play against Lesotho. Omaatla (Kebatho) reported to camp on Wednesday and I am positive that the combination of the two will put a smile on my face,” said Pio. He said the friendly matches have helped him plan better for Kenya. “I picked out that the boys had a stage fright in our clash against Lesotho, but gained confidence during second half. Our recent practice match against Platinum Stars has also helped in our prepara-
saves - none better than when he denied Hernandez from inside the area - and it was becoming a frustrating night for both Real and their Mexican striker, on loan from Manchester United. However, Turan’s red card energised the Bernabeu and the tie was finally settled by the brilliance of Ronaldo, who now has 50 goals and 19 assists to his name this season. The Portuguese cut inside and unselfishly picked out Hernandez, 26, to tap home his sixth goal of the season. Defeat felt harsh on Atletico, and in particular their welldrilled defence which was again well-marshalled by Diego Godin, but 10-time winners Real had the edge - just like they did in the final against the same opponents last season.
tion,” he said. He said he would like to play teams that put his boys under pressure in order to gauge their reaction. Paul has confidence in his squad ahead of the Saturday encounter and wears a wry and perhaps nostalgic smile when he talks about Kenya. “I played with a lot of Kenyan players at a college in the US. I know Kenyan sides are more physical, with a bit of skill. “Just like other teams that we played, we are optimistic that we will cope with their physical approach. I am ready. It is important that we win the game. “We must score in order to avoid pressure during the second leg in Kenya. I am happy with the mood in the camp and the boys are reacting very well to training. “We have to use home ground advantage because if we don’t beat them here, it’s going to be tough in their backyard,” he said. The return fixture will be played on Saturday, May 9 at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Published By Xtra Publishing Limited, Chancery Building, Valley Road, Nairobi | Printed By The Star, Lion Place, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi.