TUesday, nOVeMBeR 1, 2016 | www.x254.cO
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LOBBIES NOW WANT PRESIDENT TO RESIGN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS SAY MR KENYATTA HAS SHOWN HELPLESSNESS IN FIGHTING GRAFT AND SHOULD QUIT. PUBLIC MARCH ORGANISED FOR THURSDAY
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NEWS
STRIKER WILFRED BONY END STOKE SCORING DROUGHT WITH A BRACE AGAINST SWANSEA
WENGER TARGETING TOP SPOT IN GROUP A AS RIVALS PSG HOST BASEL IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
NYS firms registered after getting tenders Alarm raised as 800,000 HIV/AIDS patients now left staring at death
At least 800,000 people living with HIV/ AIDS are facing a higher risk of death as a shortage of Anti-Retroviral drugs and nutritional supplements begins to bite. Out of the 1.5 million Kenyans living with the virus, at least 500 000 are not enrolled on ARV treatment due to a variety of reasons, with the other 200, 000 said to be in a stable condition. But according to the National Empowerment Network for people living with HIV, a majority of those infected with the virus and who rely on the government supplements to suppress its development have missed the crucial supplements for more than a year, a situation that could lead to a high death toll if not addressed in time. NEPHAK executive director Nelson Otwoma said today that the shortage was a creation of the government as monies budgeted for the same had been swindled in the alleged Afya House scandal.
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CJ MEETS WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION: From left to right: Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, Cord co-Principal Kalonzo Musyoka, Chief Justice David Maraga, Cord leader Raila Odinga, his co-principal Moses Wetangula, Siaya senator James Orengo and Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi when the CJ met with the opposition leaders at the Supreme Court today. During the courtesy call, the leaders asked the CJ to fast-track judicial reforms and facilitate accessibility to justice to all Kenyans.
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Over 800,000 HIV/AIDS patients staring death TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2016
From Page 1 Mr Otwoma said that the trend could reverse all gains made towards the fight against the scourge, adding that the 423000 deaths averted in the last two years would resurface given the current situation. “We are concerned about the misappropriation of monies at Afya House at a time our people are on the verge of death. Most of them have not accessed ARV and supplements in months because somebody swindled the money,” Otwoma said. The lobby also questioned why the national government had not devolved the function to the county authorities arguing it was a scheme by the Jubilee administration to swindle the monies allocated for such programs. According to Nephak, the ministry of health refunded close to Sh1.6 billion to the Global Alliance for AIDS Vaccines despite a cry from civil societies and county governments for the funds. “Together with the county governments we urged for the release of the funds which was denied only to learn that the money had been refunded to GAVA,” he added. They now want a speedy investigation and an overhaul of the ministry with immediate effect. “The money we are talking about here is enough to put all Kenyans living with HIV on ART for four years without
National Empowerment Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya (NEPHAK) Executive Director Nelson Otuoma when he addresses a press conference at a Nairobi Hotel earlier today. PHOTO: G. Ikunda/X-News
donor support,” said Otwoma. Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu has however dismissed the alleged Sh5.3 billion under his ministry. His PS Nicholas Muraguri placed the monies under investigation at Sh3 billion and not the alleged Sh5 billion. “There is no figure of Sh5 billion that correlates with the audit queries raised by the internal auditor,” said the PS, adding that all the issues raised by the audit had been fully addressed,
and that budgetary reallocations had been approved by the Treasury and Parliament. “Notwithstanding our concerns about the process and the quality of the report, the auditor has not identified any fraud or misappropriation of funds,” Mr Muraguri said in the statement that sought to give a detailed, official version of the events that unfolded at his ministry. @wilson_x254
Lobby groups now want Uhuru to quit over failure to end graft Tens of human rights lobby groups led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) are now demanding the immediate resignation of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy for alleged complacency in dealing with ‘increased’ looting of public resources. The groups claim the President’s admission of helplessness, inability to act and the failure by different state agencies to deal firmly with the theft of public resources is a clear indication of defeat to the executive. While addressing the press today at the Panafric Hotel, KHRC deputy executive director Davis Malombe said the executive has failed to show any political goodwill in the fight against graft which has now left Kenya at the mercies of cartels. He says that the civil societies will sustain action beginning Thursday where they will stage a demonstration to State House to demand action from the Head of State. On their list of demand will be the tax compliance certificates of all elected leaders, their declaration of wealth and all business they own or are shareholders. They are now appealing to all Kenyans to join them to detest the acts of plunder and blatant theft of their taxes. Their plea comes in the wake of an alleged Sh5 billion scandal unearthed at Afya House that has led to an uproar by the citizenry. “We want the President to resign immediately as he has terribly failed us,” Malombe demanded. He added: “We are staging a demonstration on
Thursday from freedom Corner to Statehouse with a demand list to the executive.” Activist Bonface Mwangi said that President Uhuru Kenyatta has earned himself a self-entitlement leading to his inability to steer the country out of corruption. According to Mwangi the country has lost close to Sh680 billion, a third of the country’s budget, to bandits in the economy. “Current reports show that we have lost a third of our budget to this corrupt individuals. I want to assure Kenyans things will not be the same again from Thursday,” he said. Mega scams including the NYS scandal, Chikengate, land grabbing, flawed tendering of the SGR and the recent Afya House scandal remain unresolved. During the State House summit last month, President Uhuru Kenyatta said he had done all he can do and instead passed the blame to independent institutions which he accused of failure in their roles. “It is in response to the President’s admission of helplessness and inability to act that we the civil society will be marching to direct him,” added Mwangi. But the lobbies singled out the EACC as the weakest point in the fight which they now want overhauled. “EACC has failed to independently execute its mandate rendering it as a friendly environment for the corrupt. It always sanitizes the corrupt,” Mwangi said. Other civil society groups present included Transparency International, Bunge la Wananchi among others. @wilson_x254
NE WS 3 NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
57 recruits nabbed with fake KDF letters
More than 57 youths were to be charged in Eldoret today after presenting fake letters of appointment to join the military. The suspects had joined other military recruits hoping to make their way into the training school unaware that the letters they were holding were not genuine. Upon interrogation, it was discovered that they had purchased fake appointments letters between 250,000 and 350,000 shillings. The military had warned Kenyans interested to join the military against engaging in corrupt activities by falling prey to conmen who were selling fake letters of appointment. Eldoret West Director of Criminal Investigations (DCIO) Ali Samatar said they are working with the military to identify the cartel behind the racket which is believed to also involve military officials. “The group comprises men and women from across the country and it was detected that their calling letters had anomalies and had not been genuinely issued by the State Department for Defence. We are liaising with the military officers to establish the source of their letters,” the Eldoret West CID boss said. In this case, if the 57 suspects purchased the appointment letters at a cost of Sh350,000, it means the cartels made away with about Sh19.9 million.
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Chaos rock Maseno University following killing of a student Learning was disrupted at Maseno University early today as students engaged police in running battles over the death of their colleague. One student of the university was reportedly killed by a villager last night. And today, some students stormed lecture halls and ejected lecturers who had reported to work as they protested the killing. The irate students also blocked the KisumuBusia road, prompting police to restrict movement in Maseno Township. Gunshots were heard in the university premises as police lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the students chanting war songs. Chaos broke out last night following reports that a student had been killed by a villager. The students later stormed Mabungo Village and engaged villagers in battles to retaliate the death of the third-year student. A villager was killed in the ensuing chaos. “What happened yesterday was a reaction by students aggrieved by the death of their colleague. A villager died in the process,” Maseno University Director of Communications Owen Mc’Onyango told journalists. He said the university had asked police to investigate the people behind the death of the villager. “Since it was dark in the night, it would be difficult to ascertain whether the villager was killed by students or people who took advantage of the situation,” he said. Kisumu County Commissioner Mohammed Maalim condemned the students’ behavior and said they had sent reinforcement to contain the situation.
Ministry of Health says audit figures grossly exaggerated The Ministry of Health says the audit figures on the alleged misappropriation of the Sh5 billion are grossly exaggerated. In its final audit report, the Ministry points out that the wrong methodology was used and that no queries correlates to the monies allegedly lost. “The overview of our reply to the Audit Queries is that there was gross exaggeration of the figures involved; as well as application of inappropriate methodology. There is no figure of Sh5 billion that correlates with the audit queries raised by the Internal Auditor,” a statement from the Ministry stated. According to the report, the total amount of resources that are subject of the Interim Audit Report is 3 billion which was spent in accordance with the law and for the intended purposes. “We also note with concern that the Interim Financial Audit Report was not put through the standard internal processes that any interim audit report must go through. The same was made public even before the specific audit queries had been discussed and responses and reconciliations provided,” it stated. It pointed out that the figure of Sh5 billion is not accurate and indicated that it is misleading.
Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu. The ministry now says audit figures in the alleged Sh5.3 billion scandal were exeggerated. PHOTO: CAPITAL FM
“As the enclosed Comprehensive Response and Reconciliation shows; the Ministry has provided complete responses and reconciliations of every financial Audit Query raised by the Internal Auditor. We are confident that the findings of the Office of the Auditor General will put this matter to a rest.” Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu had dismissed claims that firms named in the scandal were favoured, following revelations that some were owned by individuals related to the President. Mailu stated that all Kenyans have
a right to transact business with the government unless there is direct conflict of interest as clearly stipulated by law. He was responding to questions from reporters that some of the companies-some associated with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s relatives or close friends were favoured in getting lucrative contracts at the Ministry of Health which is has come under sharp focus since last week. Some of the companies include Sundales International Limited whose Managing Director Kathleen Kihanya admitted receiving Sh41
million for a supplies contract. Mailu, who addressed the second press conference since the matter came to the public domain, said he will appoint an independent auditor to re-look at all contracts at the ministry in the 2015/16 financial year. Deputy President William Ruto, who spoke at a public function separately, has also defended President Kenyatta’s sister saying she had every right to transact business with the government. MORE ON THIS @ www.capitalfm.co.ke
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NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
Revealed: Companies in NYS saga won tenders before they were registered Over 20 companies that won tenders with the National Youth Service and which were involved in the controversial Sh791 million deals were not registered, fresh details indicate. The firms owned by chief suspect in the theft of millions at the youth agency Josephine Kabura, were registered after they had won the tenders. The revelations were made by Ms Kabura herself when she finally appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts which is investigation the theft of funds at NYS. She said that out of the 20 companies that won tenders worth millions of shillings at NYS, only five were registered by the time they started doing business with NYS in 2014. “I’m the sole proprietor of the 20 companies. By the time of starting to do business with NYS, only five were registered. The rest were registered in the course of doing business,” Kabura told the MPs. She said the companies were registered with the help of former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru whom she referred to as a friend. Kabura said she met Waiguru in 2012 and the former CS introduced her to business within NYS. She told the committee that she started doing business with NYS in 2014 when she started supplying IT materials. “I started by supplying IT materials then moved to other goods within NYS upon introduction by Waiguru,” she said. Among the companies that did business with NYS and owned solely by Ms Kabura are Learning Gate, Benchmark, Extra Matrix, Ambition Learning, Inspired Training, Smart Board, Classic Technology, Critical Mass Electrical, Form Home Buildings, Bright Thinking Traders among others. Kabura also revealed that all her companies were not pre-qualified to do business with the government. They were collectively paid a total of Sh1.3 billion from the Sh1.8 billion looted from NYS. She told the committee she only presented a profile of the companies to the ministry of
NYS chief suspect Josephine Kabura when she appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts today. She said she owned more than 20 of the companies that did business with NYS .
devolution and planning and she later received a call from an unnamed person from the procurement department calling her for business. It also emerged that Kabura would meet senior officials at NYS every Sunday where they discussed upcoming business at NYS and thereafter she would receive Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) to supply goods at NYS. “The tenders were not advertised. I was just called and given the LPOs and also informed of the upcoming businesses,” Kabura stated. Ms Kabura however appeared guarded with information and was dodging most of the
critical questions raised by the members of the committee. Herdodgy answers drew the wrath of the MPs with chairman and Rarieda lawmaker Nicholas Gumbo threatening to declare her a hostile witness if she failed to answer the questions satisfactorily. Kabura had refused to say exactly how she knew Waiguru saying she has no relationship with the former CS. “Why are we treating this witness softly? Posed Suba’s John Mbadi. She must know that she is not special and must answer all questions we have raised,” Mr Mbadi demanded. His sentiments
were echoed by Mbalambala MP Abdikadir Aden who told Kabura to expressly tell the committee where she has taken the money she looted from NYS. “Stop lying to this committee and tell us where the money you looted from NYS is,” Aden said. When asked to explain how she with Sh101 million in the space of two days from one company’s account, Ms Kabura said: “The Sh52m was carried using bags. I used 3 bags which I carried one by one before transporting to the quarry.” @sam_x254
17 pupils miss KCPE after head teacher failed to register them
Candidate sit for their KCPE examinations at a school in Bungoma. KCPE began today and will end on Thursday.
Seventeen Class 8 pupils woke up to a rude shock Tuesday morning when they were told they are not registered to sit for this year’s KCPE examinations. Nine of the pupils are from High Cue Primary School and others are from Utu Wema based in Lunga Lunga, Nairobi. Those interviewed said they paid the requisite registration fees and were assured that they will sit the examinations. The school’s head teacher was arrested after the parents and teachers camped at the school demanding answers. In Nyeri, there was panic at the King’ong’o Primary School after teachers withdrew clipboards and geometrical sets as per the new guidelines set by the Education Ministry, before the procedure was
explained to them. The Ministry of Education says the examination is generally progressing well across the country despite the few hitches reported. Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i is in Kisumu as part of his region’s tour to monitor the progress of the examinations. More than 900,000 candidates are sitting the exams which began today morning. The three-day national examinations is being be undertaken amid tight security measures introduced to curb cheating which has been rampant in recent years. The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has assured that there are no leakages for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary
Education and the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations. KNEC chairman George Magoha has since warned that stern action will be taken against anyone found selling or buying fake examination papers. 952,472 candidates are expected to write the examinations with the new rules coming in place following years of malpractices that threatened the quality of education in the country. 26,308 centres have been secured across the country for the exams and among the 952,472 candidates, 473,719 are girls and 478,753 boys. All schools were closed on Friday, October 28th 2016, to pave way for the nationwide start of the exams with all teachers not participating in the exams told to keep off.
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NEWS 5
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
Morning newspaper summaries State points out gaps in audit Health bosses fight Afya House now gives itself report: The government yesterday defended corruption charges: The Ministry clean bill of health: The amount itself in the multi-billion shilling HealthGate affair, rejected the Health ministry’s interim audit and said everything tendered and paid for has been delivered. It said the Sh5.2 billion figure widely reported as suspect spending was greatly exaggerated and emphasised there was no inappropriate spending or procurement. The affair, also known as Mafya House, has been a public relations nightmare for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his reelection strategists.
of Health last evening defended itself from accusations of wrongdoing and released a detailed response to the leaked internal audit that was the basis of reports that Sh5 billion had been spent badly or lost in the course of spending its budgetary allocations. In an unsigned 15-page response issued through its communication office, the ministry also disputed the figure under scrutiny, saying that the audit focused on how Sh3.1 billion was spent.
of money subjected to an audit at the Ministry of Health was Sh3.1 billion, not Sh5 billion, Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri has said. In a statement sent from his office late last evening, he termed the quoted figure of Sh5 billion “a gross exaggeration and misleading”. “There is no figure of Sh5 billion that correlates with the audit queries raised by the internal auditor,” said the PS, adding that all the issues raised by the audit had been fully addressed, and that budgetary reallocations had been approved by Treasury and Parliament.
KCPE exam starts today, Magufuli and Uhuru in Ababu, Mwahima among as ministry secures test deal to build roads: Tanzania ODM MPs one step to losing Kenya have agreed on a time line to start seats: ODM has sealed the fate of a rebel materials: November is the exclusive and the construction of two link roads meant to
Muraguri letter to Rotich that sought removal of auditor: Health principal secretary
Nicholas Muraguri attempted to remove the ministry’s internal auditor “for constantly producing qualified audit reports on the ministry’s spending”, documents show. Dr Muraguri, in a July 12 letter seen by the Business Daily, asked the Treasury secretary, Henry Rotich, to transfer the internal auditor because his reports were reportedly causing trouble with donors over the huge funds that the ministry handles every year.
World Bank says Kenya’s debt racing to danger zone: Kenya is building a potentially
governor and seven legislators who are now set to lose their seats. The party’s National Governing Council (NGC) unanimously ratified recommendations that the leaders be expelled from the party for publicly supporting the newlyformed Jubilee Party. Former ODM Secretary General and Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, who recently launched Labour Party, is among the leaders kicked out by the Raila Odinga-led party.
dangerous mountain of debt that could in the long run expose the economy to systemic risks, the World Bank has warned in a newly-released report. The World Bank warns in the report that while Kenya’s public debt remains sustainable, the margin for further debt accumulation is narrowing at an uncomfortably rapid pace and exposing the country to potentially difficult times ahead.
ODM expels 10, creates 11 campuses ordered shut Former CJ Majid Cockar room for by-elections: ODM over quality: The government has passes on: Retired Chief Justice Abdul
Shock of Master’s degree holders teaching PhD classes: Running unapproved degree
examination month and 952,445 KCPE exam candidates are sitting for the assessment from today to Thursday. Some 577,079 KCSE exam candidates will face the test from November 7-30. After last year’s unprecedented leakage and cheating, Education CS Fred Matiang’i has assured Kenyans of stringent measures to restore credibility. Head teachers will be exam centre managers in the 26,308 KCPE centres countrywide.
yesterday expelled nine elected and one nominated leaders, creating room for byelections across the country, as the party urged Kenyans to initiate change for future generations. The report was unanimously adopted by the National Executive Committee meeting at Orange House on Sunday. Those expelled include Governor Salim Mvurya (Kwale), Joash Maangi (Deputy Governor, Kisii), Steven Kariuki (Mathare MP), Isaac Mwaura (Nominated) and Zainab Chidzuga (Kwale woman representative).
improve the movement of goods and people between the two countries. The deal is the major decoration on the meeting between Presidents John Magufuli and Uhuru Kenyatta, in Nairobi, whose joint address to journalists was made in Kiswahili. The agreement means that the two countries will now proceed to discuss the final details that will see the Africa Development Bank finance the construction.
ordered the closure of 11 campuses in three public universities for offering sub-standard education. The campuses in Kisii, Kabarak and Laikipia universities were found to be operating with acute teaching staff shortages and offering programmes that have not been approved by the regulator. Others are housed in buildings that are not conducive for learning, according to the investigation by a committee of the University of Nairobi’s two former vice-chancellors and a dean of the School of Law.
Majid Cockar died yesterday morning and was laid to rest in the afternoon at the Kariokor Muslim cemetery. Justice Cockar died aged 93 at his home in Westlands, Nairobi in what family members described as old age-related complications. At a brief service attended by close family friends and Chief Justice David Maraga, Cockar was eulogised as a diligent and committed judge. CJ Maraga described Cockar as a “beacon of motivation for many in the bar and the bench”. He said Justice Cockar will be remembered for his exemplary commitment.
courses, lack of teaching staff and operating near noisy bus terminus are part of the rot in public universities revealed by an advisory committee. The committee, whose members include former University of Nairobi vicechancellors Prof George Magoha and Prof Crispus Kiamba said that universities have little regard for the regulator—the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kisii University was among the centres found to be running unapproved degree courses.
Top stories from X News global partners Clinton camp blasts Trump’s Tax Dodge Stretched Wall Street: No Trumps!: FBI director over ‘jaw- Law ‘Beyond Recognition’: TRADITION suggests that Wall Street should the Republican Party. America’s dropping’ double Donald J. Trump proudly acknowledges he favour conservatives usually back low taxes, free trade not pay a dime in federal income taxes for and a reduction in regulation. But the 2016 standard: The Clinton campaign did years on end. He insists he merely exploited tax
blasted FBI director James Comey for “jawdropping” double standards on Monday after claims that he had sought to withhold evidence of Russian support for Donald Trump for fear of influencing next week’s US election. In a sharp escalation of their unprecedented war of words with federal law enforcement authorities, Clinton’s key aides contrasted this apparent caution with Comey’s controversial decision to release new details of its investigation into Clinton’s private email server to lawmakers on Friday. “It is impossible to view this as anything less than a blatant double standard,” her campaign manager Robby Mook told reporters. www.theguardian.com
loopholes legally available to any billionaire — loopholes he says Hillary Clinton failed to close during her years in the United States Senate. “Why didn’t she ever try to change those laws so I couldn’t use them?” Mr. Trump asked.But newly obtained documents show that in the early 1990s, as he scrambled to stave off financial ruin, Mr. Trump avoided reporting millions of dollars in taxable income by using a tax avoidance maneuver so legally dubious his own lawyers advised him that the IRS would most likely declare it improper if he were audited. Thanks to this one maneuver, later outlawed by Congress, Mr. Trump potentially escaped paying tens of millions of dollars in federal personal income taxes. www.nytimes.com
election seems to be an exception. A Bank of America Merrill Lynch poll of fund managers in October found that a Republican victory was seen as one of the biggest risks facing financial markets, along with the disintegration of the EU. A study by Justin Wolfers of the University of Michigan and Eric Zitzewitz of Dartmouth College found that in the wake of the first debate, there was a six-percentage-point rise in the probability of a Hillary Clinton victory on betting markets. In reaction, stockmarkets rose, and gold and Treasury bonds fell. “Financial markets expect a generally healthier domestic and international economy under a President Clinton than under a President Trump,” the authors concluded. www.economist.com
FBI chief said to oppose US statement blaming Russia for hacks: FBI director
James Comey argued against the US government issuing a public statement earlier this month that accused Russia of launching computer hacks “intended to interfere with the US election process” because it was too close to the November 8 voting, according to a government official. “The timing” was Comey’s concern, the official said, referring to the October 7 joint statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security. Word of the internal government debate comes with Mr Comey under fire for notifying Congress 11 days in advance of Election Day that new emails related to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private server had been discovered.
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NEWS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 , 2016
US Election 2016: Hillary Clinton camp blast FBI ‘double standards’ over email The Clinton campaign has blasted FBI Director James Comey for “blatant double standards” over the new inquiry into Hillary Clinton’s email use. The comments came after US media reports that Mr Comey had urged against publicly accusing Russia of interfering in the US election, including alleged email hacking. Mr Comey’s concern about releasing the information was due to the proximity to the election, reports say. The FBI declined to comment to the BBC. The statement that Mr Comey reportedly declined to sign off on was released by the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on 7 October. “The US intelligence community is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of emails from US persons and institutions, including from US political organisations... these thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process,” it said. Mr Comey agreed with the statement but was against making it public before the election, according to US media. There have been allegations that Russian hackers have targeted the Democrats in an effort to skew the election in favour of Donald Trump. “It is impossible to view this as anything less than a blatant double standard,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said. He also called on Mr Comey to “immediately explain this incongruence and apply the same standard to Donald Trump’s associates as he has applied to Hillary Clinton’s.” Mr Comey has faced a fierce backlash for announcing on Friday, just 11 days before the presidential election, that the FBI is investigating new emails that may be linked to its probe into Mrs Clinton’s private email server. It emerged in March 2015 that Mrs Clinton had been breaking federal rules by operating a private email server while she was secretary of state from 2009-13. Her lawyers combed through the server and provided the State Department with 30,000 work-related emails, but her campaign deleted another 33,000 messages, saying they were personal in nature. Mr Comey concluded in July that Mrs Clinton
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters during a campaign event at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA, last week. PHOTO: BRIAN BLANCO/EPA
had been “extremely careless” in handling classified information, but there were no grounds for any charges. But on Friday, he told Congress he had learned of fresh emails which might be “pertinent” to its previous inquiry and renewed the FBI probe. The latest emails were found in a separate investigation into allegations that former congressman Anthony Weiner sent illicit text messages to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. Mr Weiner is married to one of Mrs Clinton’s closest aides, Huma Abedin. The FBI has reportedly obtained a warrant to search the cache of emails belonging to Ms Abedin, which are believed to have been found
on her estranged husband’s laptop. There are reportedly 650,000 emails to search through on the laptop, but it is unclear who sent or received the emails or what they were about. On Monday, Mr Trump said the FBI was going to find a “motherlode” of missing emails and he hoped the Democratic candidate’s 33,000 deleted messages could now be recovered. Mrs Clinton later told a rally she had nothing to hide. Mr Comey and Attorney General Loretta Lynch have said they are working quickly to sift through the newly discovered emails. Earlier, a spokesman for President Barack Obama said the president did not suspect Mr Comey of
trying to secretly influence the election through his announcement on Friday of the inquiry and the White House would neither defend nor criticise the FBI decision. Josh Earnest said Mr Comey was “a man of integrity, a man of character, a man of principle and he has a very difficult job”. Democrats have angrily demanded that the embattled Mr Comey rapidly make public what the agency knows about the new email trove. On Sunday, Democratic leader in the US Senate Harry Reid accused Mr Comey of violating an act which bars officials from influencing an election by revealing the bureau was investigating emails possibly linked to Mrs Clinton.
Surrender or be killed, IS jihadists told
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider
al-Abadi. PHOTO/EPA
The prime minister of Iraq has urged the Islamic State group to surrender as government troops close in on its last urban stronghold in the country, Mosul. Haider al-Abadi appeared on state TV wearing combat fatigues and said: “They have no choice. Either they surrender or they die.” Iraqi special forces are now about 1km away from Mosul’s eastern edge and preparing to enter. Units of the army are meanwhile advancing from the south. Using another name for IS, Mr
al-Abadi said: “We will close in on Daesh from all angles and God willing we will cut the snake’s head. They will have no way out and no way to escape.” Mr al-Abadi is the commanderin-chief of the Iraqi armed forces. The BBC’s Ian Pannell, who is travelling with Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) troops, says there was some resistance to their advance on Monday. He said IS car bombs targeted the convoy. Units of the Iraqi military recaptured some villages to the
east, north and south of Mosul on Monday, according to the army. It is unclear when the final offensive on Mosul will begin, and resistance from IS in the city has intensified. About 50,000 Iraqi security forces personnel, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, Sunni Arab tribesmen and Shia militiamen are involved in the offensive, which began more than two weeks ago, to drive IS militants out of their last major urban stronghold in the country. Mosul fell to the jihadists in June
2014 and their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, chose a mosque in the city as a place to proclaim the establishment of a “caliphate”. Before the offensive began on 17 October, there were believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 militants remaining in Mosul, along with up to 1.5 million civilians. More than 17,700 residents have fled so far and, according to the UN’s worst-case scenario, as many as 700,000 others could follow suit.
xnews | TUESday, NOVEMBER 1, 2016 | www.x254.co
BUSINESS
CBK EXCHANGE RATES
Rising food prices push up inflation by 6.47pc, says KNBS Kenya’s year-on-year inflation edged up 6.47 per cent in October, from 6.34 per cent last month, driven mostly by food prices, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has said. The Bureau said in a statement that on a month-on-month basis, the inflation was at 0.62 per cent, compared with September’s 0.34 per cent. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising and, consequently, the purchasing power of currency is falling. The Central Bank attempt to limit inflation and avoid deflation in order to keep the economy running smoothly. Food and non-alcoholic drinks’ inflation was up 0.96 per cent monthon-month. While releasing the Consumer Price Indices (CPI) and rates of inflation for October, 2016, the Statistics office noted that the CPI for Food & NonAlcoholic Beverages jumped 11.03 per cent since the same period last year. The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food and medical care. It is calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket of goods and averaging them. During the period under review, the CPI for Alcoholic Beverages, Tobacco & Narcotics rose 14.13 per cent while the CPI for Clothing & Footwear jumped
1 US DOLLAR 1 UK POUND 1 EURO 1 S.A RAND 1 KSH/USH 1 KSH/TSH
Pickers at work on a tea plantation on the outskirts of Kiambu. 4.17 per cent. On the other hand, the CPI for Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels fell by 0.04 per cent. The CPI for Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance rose 3.23 per cent, the CPI for Health rose by 3.34 per cent, the
Kenya Revenue Authority intercepts Sh267m worth of fake euros at JKIA The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has intercepted fake currency worth over Sh267 million in bundles of euros at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The money, which was concealed in trouser linings, was being ferried from Nairobi to Dubai by Norwegian businessman, Abdi Osman and his Sudanese counterpart, Mohamed Hassan Eltahir El Hassan. The two, who are now in police custody, had the money packed in two suitcases concealed in trouser linings. “The money was seized on Thursday (27th October) at around 10.30 p.m, at Gate 7 JKIA during our shift operations, following intelligence that the two were suspects,” said Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, Mr Julius Musyoki, “They were in 25 bundles of average 178 notes of 500 Euro bills.” The passengers were travelling to Dubai aboard EK722 to UAE and according to the flight itinerary, they were to come back to Nairobi on Monday October 31, 2016 then proceed to Mogadishu, Somalia on Wednesday November 2, 2016. The exhibits
CPI for Transport edged up by a meagre 0.36 per cent while the Consumer Price Index for Communication went up by 1,81 per cent. Meanwhile, the CPI for education rose 4.07 per cent while the CPI for Recreation & Culture jumped 4.34
are currently being held at the customs warehouse awaiting issuance of seizure notice and subsequent handover to the police for investigations. The Kenya Revenue Authority has tightened the noose on masterminds of illegal cargo at all border points countrywide. The Authority is keen to ensure that Kenya is not used as a dumping ground for counterfeit goods. In July, the Authority said it would review tax incentives before the 2016/17 fiscal year as the commission seeks to seal existing loop holes within its network. At the time, the commission said that the KRA was still experiencing huge losses in revenue collection. “The tax exemptions on the Export Processing Zones have not translated to anything meaningful. We have seen firms who have been given these incentives for a certain period transform their business into other institutions to avoid paying taxes,” KRA Deputy Commissioner Strategy Innovation and Risk Management, Maurice Ojee said. @kevin_x254
per cent, indicating that the country’s middle class is still on the rise. The prices were obtained from selected retail outlets in 25 data collection zones which are located in Nairobi and in 13 other urban centers. @Dennis_x254
MEAN 101.4586 123.8961 111.1267 7.3870 34.1027 21.5064
BUY SELL 101.3600 101.5572 123.4661 124.7361 111.0067 111.2467 7.3758 7.3982 34.0202 34.1851 21.4362 21.5766
Kenya Power posts Sh12 billion pre-tax profit as electricity sales grow 3.6pc
Electricity transmission and distribution company, Kenya Power has posted a pre-tax profit of Sh12 billion for the year ended June 30, 2016. During the period under review, electricity sales grew by 3.6 per cent from 7.130 million units in the previous year to 7.385 million units in the period under review. The Company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ben Chumo, said that the level of profitability has been achieved as a result of the sustained favourable business environment. The company’s power purchase cost excluding fuel cost and foreign exchange increased by Sh6.9 billion to Sh 51.4 billion due to increase in energy charges resulting from growth in unit purchases. However, the fuel cost decreased by Sh13 billion to Sh12.7 billion due to increased reliance on geothermal and hydro sources during the year. The Company has been undertaking a countrywide network upgrade and expansion during the year, resulting into an 18.3 per cent increment in transmission and distribution expenditure to Sh28.7 billion. “The Company has started to realize gains from heavy investments made in the years to grow and sustain business as evidenced by an expanded footprint across the country, improved customer experience and growth in asset base, besides enhanced reliability and quality of power supply,” said Dr Chumo. @kevin_x254
Centum increases stake in Longhorn to 60pc, continues regional expansion Financial services group, Centum Investment Company has endorsed a strategic plan by Longhorn Publishers in its first AGM since it took a majority stake in the firm through a Rights Issue completed in April this year. Centum has increased its stake in Longhorn Publishers Limited to 60.20 per cent, a move geared towards strengthening the publishers’ continued expansion into regional growth markets. Longhorn’s Managing Director Simon Ngigi said during the AGM attended by over 250 shareholders on Friday that one of the key investment decision made from the proceeds of the Rights Issue was the acquisition of a 92 per cent shareholding in LawAfrica Publishing Limited, a purchase that gives Longhorn Publishers an automatic leadership position in the East African legal publishing industry. On his part, the group’s Chairman,
F.T. Nyammo said the publisher seeks to strengthen its position in the region in line with its expansion plans. “The Directors are of the view the Longhorn Publishers will benefit from the synergies of the two businesses, not only in Kenya, but within the region where Longhorn Publishers and LawAfrica both have subsidiaries,” Nyammo explained. Among areas that the publishing house will focus on include the digital arena where Longhorn has launched digital products and an e-learning platforms for what it calls digital learners in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, South Sudan and Ethiopia. During the AGM, Centum also agreed to defer the divestment of the Funzi Road property given the cyclical softening of the local real estate market as the country heads into an election year. The meeting further resolved that Longhorn’s expansion plan will continue with provisions
being made for renting office space in line with the plan. Speaking after the meeting, Ngigi reiterated the company’s commitment to its pan-African business model as a key pillar for its future growth. “We are a pan-African business and will continue to maximize returns from existing opportunities, and actively seek new ventures in new markets that will secure our future growth,” asserted Ngigi. “Centum buying into this business is saying we have full, total, undisputed commitment to the management team of Longhorn, we believe in their strategy plan but more importantly we will support them in whatever plans they are going for as far as product, geographical diversification and enhancing human capital,” said Centum’s Brian Kiai, who reiterated the investment company’s dedication to Longhorn Publishers and its current strategy.
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BUSINESS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
AWSB addresses crisis ahead of Sasumua M The Athi Water Services Board (AWSB) has reiterated its commitment to address a water scarcity crisis that has been plaguing the country ahead of this year’s edition of the Sasumua Dam Half Marathon. AWSB, one of the eight Water Boards under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, was created to bring about efficiency, economy and sustainability in the provision of water and sewerage services in Kenya. Through the Marathon, AWSB, along with other stakeholders, aims to create awareness in regard to water conservation. Hundreds of runners are expected to convene in Kinangop, Nyandarua County on Friday to mark the fourth edition of the event. “Kenya is ranked as a water scarce country and as a nation we need to invite investment and encourage sustainable innovation towards utilization of this precious and rare commodity,” said Eng. Malaquen Milgo, Chief Executive Officer of the Athi Water Services Board. Eng. Milgo was speaking ahead of the upcoming Marathon. The AWSB chief highlighted the country’s Water Supply Masterplan and the Northern Water Collector Tunnel aimed at mitigating water scarcity. The Water Supply Masterplan addresses the short, medium and long-term development needs for the City and Satellite towns, and further defines a priority strategy to meet the 2017 water demand. “With the evident threat of depletion in our natural water resources which has
resulted in intense scarcity compared to other East African countries, we are at the forefront in cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability through our partners, staff and respective stakeholders in order to co-create a secure future and protect this precious resource. As an institution, we are committed towards increasing its availability and ensuring access of safe water to all our consumers and citizens. At this age of global warming and inconsistent weather patterns we cannot afford to resist innovation,” Eng. Milgo added. Sasumua Dam is one of the Athi Water Services Board’s (AWSB’s) assets. It boasts a storage capacity of 15.9 million cubic meters and contributes approximately 12 per cent of Nairobi’s water supply. The dam is located on the Sasumua stream, tributary of Chania near Njabini Township on the South end of the Aberdare Mountains. The dam and treatment works are owned by Athi Water Services Board and operated by Nairobi City Water & Sewerage Company (NCWSC), which has been appointed by the Board to provide water and sewerage services to the residents of Nairobi. Sasumua also houses a treatment plant composed of three phases. Phase 1 of the treatment works was commissioned in 1956 to treat 18,000m3/day of raw water, followed by stages 2 and 3 in 1961 and 1968 respectively. The combined stages were designed to treat a total of 63,500 cubic meters a day. @Dennis_x254
Runners take off during a past edition of the Marathon. The AWSB aims to create awareness with regard
TransCentury Board appoints new CEO following debt restructuring drive The Board of TransCentury Limited has announced the appointment of Mr. Nganga Njiinu as the firm’s new Chief Executive Officer. Njiinu has been serving in an acting capacity and led the just-concluded fund raising and debt restructuring for the Company. Since joining TCL in 2008, Mr. Njiinu has held various roles in corporate finance, portfolio management, business development as well as originating and developing opportunities in the infrastructure space. Prior to joining TCL, Mr. Njiinu worked for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the USA for seven years, where he was involved in strategy, financial planning and analysis as well as evaluation and integration of acquisitions. Njiinu’s appointment comes just after the company reported a 2015 loss of Sh2.4 billion in May due in part to East Africa’s currency depreciations and the impact of lower copper prices on its cable business. TransCentury which invests in infrastructure projects, raised Sh2 billion from Kuramo Capital Management , a U.S.-based company in March this year
to help settle a convertible bond. The financing was to be used to complement other funding options to be used for the debt payment and infrastructure projects, the company said in a past statement. TransCentury, which started out as an investment club for wealthy Kenyans, has a pipeline of infrastructure projects worth billions of shillings. The company is also involved in the construction of a 35-megawatt geothermal power plant and owns 68.4 per cent of East African Cables Ltd., a Nairobi-based engineering company. Mr. Njiinu holds an MBA in Finance and Investment Management from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas and a Bachelor of Science in International Business from United States International University. He is also a CFA charter holder. “The Board is confident that the company has both the leadership and experience to build on its existing strengths whilst devising new strategies to ensure sustained growth of the business,” TransCentury said in a statement. @Dennis_x254
Mr. Nganga Njiinu, the firm’s new Chief Executive Officer
Country’s eco remains vuln despite solid Kenya’s economy remains vulnerable to potential risks, which if materialize could derail growth momentum. This is according to an analysis by World Bank experts released less than a day ago. The data, which is the latest report on the country’s growth prospects, indicates that Kenya’s economy is currently on track but could veer off road if left unchecked. “To sustain Kenya’s growth momentum over the medium term, it will be important to manage risks that may arise such as a subdued global economy, volatility in global financial markets, and domestic shocks such as adverse weather conditions,” noted Jane Kiringai, Senior Economist and Lead Author of the World Bank’s Kenya Economic Update (KEU) released in Nairobi yesterday. “Rebuilding fiscal buffers will provide the necessary policy space to mitigate such potential shocks,” she added. These development come at a time when Kenya’s GDP growth has been termed as solid with the country’s economy
Marathon
BUSINESS 9
Samsung Digital Village to serve remote communities Samsung Electronics Africa has partnered with UNESCO in Tanzania to launch a multi-disciplinary programme that aims to provide and advance innovative community development strategies in health, education and socio-cultural and economic development. The project, which is part of Samsung’s Corporate Citizenship strategy, will provide access to innovative healthcare and educational needs of the Maasai community in Ololosokwan, Ngorongoro District bordering the UNESCO World Heritage site and the world famous Serengeti ecosystem. Launched on Saturday, October 29, 2016, the Digital Village consists of a Samsung SolarPowered Internet School, a Samsung SolarPowered Health Centre, a Solar-Powered Admin Centre, Solar Power Generator and a Solar Powered Tele-medicine Centre. The multi-donor event also marked the launch of a radio station, Loliondo FM, and the Community Art Space (CAS), a centre for the Maasai culture and crafts. The Solar-Powered Internet School is built in a 12-metre repurposed container that can accommodate up to 24 learners, and is fitted with solar panels that power the equipment. An interactive whiteboard, Samsung Galaxy note PCs, a printer and fans to cool the container are also provided to aid both the teacher and learners. The Solar Powered Health Centre will provide a variety of eye, ear, blood, dental and preand post-natal screening and treatments. A ‘Mother and Child’ centre will specifically provide medical services to mothers and their
to water conservation.
onomy nerable d GDP growth projected to grow at 5.9 per cent in 2016 up from 5.6 per cent in 2015. The special focus of the 14th edition of the KEU has called for reforms to improve Kenya’s system of Public Investment Management (PIM), which has systemic weaknesses, reflected in low execution and cost escalation of infrastructure projects. “There is potential for Kenya to enhance growth prospects beyond the prevailing levels by increasing the productivity of public investments,” said Jens Kromann Kristensen, Lead Public Sector Specialist and co-author of the report. “Public investment in a range of infrastructure projects is generating strong returns, but the weak execution of some others holds back what could be an even greater catalytic impact of public investment on economic growth.” The KEU was prepared by the World Bank Group in consultation with the Kenya Economic Roundtable. @Dennis_x254
babies. “When people are healthy and educated, they can become active participants in the economy. Our partnership with UNESCO in this instance is notable in that we are fulfilling both of these needs with the Internet School and the Health Centre,” said Ms. Patricia King’ori, Head of Marketing at Samsung Electronics East Africa. Ms. Zulmira Rodrigues, Head of Office for UNESCO Tanzania said: “The programme is specifically designed to benefit the remote communities of Tanzania that often lack access to even basic social services and struggle to attain cultural and environmental sustainability. It will be a platform for holistic community development for UNESCO sectors, government and other development partners.” “We appreciate the technology that has been brought to this village by Samsung. This technology will help the community, especially the women and children as they are the most vulnerable,” Mr. Mrisho Gambo, Regional Commissioner of Arusha Region said at the launch event. A number of strategic development plans, including Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025 plan, recognises that ICT is central to the country’s competitive social and economic transformation. “These plans prioritise improved living standards, high-quality education and healthcare, decent work and better economic opportunities for citizens through public-private partnerships and through nurturing the skills and knowledge of the people.,” added Ms. Kingori. kevin_x254
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
USAID gives Kenyan health entrepreneurs Sh500m to support local communities
The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) U.S. Global Development Lab will provide $5 million (Sh507.8 million) in funding to ‘Living Goods’, an organisation building local networks of health entrepreneurs who provide their communities with quality, low-cost healthcare. Funded through the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program, the award will help expand Living Goods’ community health service in Kenya. USAID Kenya will support Living Goods’ expansion strategy, and help it leverage existing USAID health programming. World Health Organization (WHO) data reveals that Kenya has a critical shortage of healthcare workers, with 13 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 10,000 citizens. Only 60 per cent of births are attended by skilled personnel. Community health workers play an essential role in strengthening health systems and connecting families to lifesaving health services and education. Inspired by direct sales models, Living Goods’ Community Health Promoters (CHPs) provide door-to-door healthcare to households; a recent study shows Living Goods’ CHPs are reducing deaths among children under the age of five by 27 per cent. They also make healthcare products and education readily available to those in need, for an average of 50 cents per treatment, while earning an income from product sales. This model also aims to create sustainable livelihoods for the CHPs who are financially incentivized to meet household demand for healthcare services. “We are proud to support Living Goods’ game-changing model that empowers health entrepreneurs while delivering affordable, quality, community-based healthcare to the communities that need it the most,” said Ann Mei Chang, USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of the U.S. Global Development Lab.
Taxes, permits still plague entrepreneurs as government eases cost of doing business Taxes, permits and property registration are among the top concerns for investors, entrepreneurs and would-be business owners looking to establish an enterprise in Kenya. A recent report dubbed ‘Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All’ says that though Kenya has made headway in easing the hurdles entrepreneurs face when setting up a business, there is still much more room for improvement. The report records a total of five reforms for Kenya during the past year, the most ever recorded by the country since the inception of the report. And Kenya implemented the second highest number of reforms carried out in the past year by a Sub-Saharan African economy, with only Niger having implemented more. Ranked 92, compared to 113 in the previous year, Kenya is now among the top 5 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa where it is easiest to do business. And this improvement in the ranking is largely due to the implementation of reforms to ease the process of doing business. “Although Kenya has made
Although Kenya has made improvements in recent years, challenges remain, such as in dealing with construction permits, registering property, paying taxes or getting electricity. improvements in recent years, challenges remain, such as in Dealing with Construction Permits, Registering Property, Paying Taxes or Getting Electricity,” argues the research. “For instance, it takes 61 days to complete a property transfer in Kenya, whereas it takes on average 51 days
globally. Moreover, business in Nairobi endured over 3 hours of outages on weekly basis in 2015- totaling around 163 hours of outages in one year alone,” states the report. This year’s Doing Business report includes, for the first time, a gender dimension in three indicators: Starting
a Business, Registering Property and Enforcing Contracts. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 13 economies require additional legal hurdles for women entrepreneurs. The report finds that the region has room for improvement in these new areas.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
ACCESS 12
ACCORDING TO REPORTS RHODA IS SAID TO HAVE POSTED THE NUDE PHOTO OF HERSELF WITH A MAN BELIEVED TO BE HER ‘MPANGO WA KANDO’
After the photo was posted suspended County Assembly Dan Chitwa added some flames to the fire with a strangely worded “itakuletea njaa” and said Rhoda should hit the undo button.
RHODA
DAN CHITWA
Warning! Watch what you post on a group chat
W
e truly do live in the Internet age. Rhoda
once-innocuous and probably socially obscure Vihiga nominated Member of County Assembly had a brush with internet fame, but not the good kind. WhatsApp groups have come with a multitude of many times irksome. Spam, admission into a stating the impending shutdown of the app and explicit material are just some of the things that
@kevin_x254
ariah Carey and James Packer never got married, but their break-slash-breakup is feeling and sounding like an ugly divorce with Mariah demanding a 50 million dollar settlement fee. A report yesterday had the two in the middle of contentious settlement talks involving money, a mansion and claims that another woman and another man are involved, though not in the ways you might imagine. The diva and the billionaire hit it off in Aspen in 2014 and got engaged in January, with a $10-million, 35-carat diamond ring marking the occasion. Mariah is demanding that James continue to pay out the remainder of their Calabasas, California, rental home together,” the source says. “Additionally, Mariah is also demanding that James take care of her next move in real estate as part of negotiations.”
HOT TOPICS
M
factors together.
njaa” and said Rhoda should hit the undo
where WhatsApp is involved. Although government work can be dreary and largely uneventful last week things changed for a Vihiga County WhatsApp group. According to reports Rhoda is said to have posted the nude photo of herself with a man believed to be her ‘Mpango wa Kando’ on the Vihiga County
mortifying to Omufumu and the comment was
man was not only shocking to the group but once news broke, shocking to the community. Omufumu is reportedly an upstanding member
nominated MCA Maureen Ambasa asked her female counterparts to meet on Monday to form a committee that will look into the matter. Central Maragoli MCA Abdallah Chogo urged fellow ward reps to move with speed and establish what happened. @christinen_x254
mother is already married to another man and also bears the distinction of being a church the news broke. An unnamed source said this in defense of the MCA, “Someone
demands $50 million from Packer as part of split settlement
messed around with her phone. She is a church leader who cannot post such things on social media. She is married and she has grown up children.’’ Which is great but still does not explain why she had a photograph on her phone
to sack Omufumu from her post and for ‘letting the entire community down.’ leaders are put at a higher standing than the
T
anzanian beauty Hamisa Mobetto who has in the recent past made headlines after sparking an online beef with Madale first lady Zari Hassan The Boss lady has now denied being Zari’s rival. Miss Hamisa, in a radio interview alleged that she and Zari have never been friends and that it would be incorrect to say they have been enemies or rivals at some point. The beauty who features in the ‘Salome’ video remix had been rumored to be having an affair with Diamond who promptly denied the allegations.
Instagram account dubbed
Hamisa Mobetto
now claims Zari Hassan is not her rival
sparks reunion rumors
A
NEW Instagram account of Destiny’s Child has left social media users speculating that a reunion of the 90s-00s music group is imminent. The R&B group is responsible for launching Beyonce to superstardom. However, in the recent past Kelly Rowland has quashed rumors of a Destiny’s Child reunion, and it’s going to take us a while to survive this news. “It hasn’t been something that we’ve talked about at all,” Rowland said. “We’ve just been enjoying each other, whether it’s been about our music, whether it’s been about motherhood or our personal lives. That’s what it’s really been about. That’s been the most beautiful part.”
11
ACCESS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
TO BE HONEST I’M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP.
Dear Wilson,
Dea
r
RELAT I
Watercolour
EDUC VS ATION
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take the internet by storm attoos have never been more mainstream than they currently are. Everybody seems to have tattoos inked on their skin. The internet has made spreading ideas and coming up with new ones a cinch. One of the newest trends to hit the market are watercolour tattoos. These Instagram-worthy creations are usually stunning, intricate and artistically complicated. Usually taking inspiration from existing watercolour paintings, tattoos created with this image in mind are made to resemble hand drawn paintings with an aim of making them look as realistic as possible. It would be worth noting that watercolor tattoos tend to look more vivid on lighter skin tones. Considering the feathery texture that the tattoo is supposed to achieve they appear much brighter on a paler slate. As with all tattoos the issue of age is a concern. Which is exactly where watercolour tattoos fall short. With boldlined tattoos blurring occurs as time goes by not to mention fading and a smudged appearance start to take form. With watercolour tattoos, mainly because of their already indistinct borders, they tend to bleed more readily than other kinds of tattoos. But much of this is down to speculation as the tattoos have only been in vogue for a few years. According to tattoo blog Graphic Ward, ‘Watercolor tattoos can and should use high contrast and a black base. That way if some of the colors begin to fade, there is still a skeleton to the piece and it will still read well as it ages.’ So if you are in the market for some ink this is a great way to stand out. @chrstine_x254
T
he dreaded Friend Zone, the bane of every lovelorn person’s existence. The tragic thing about being friendzoned is that it can strike anyone regardless of gender, although it is usually painted as a boys-only syndrome. The Friend Zone brings your hopes up and then dashes them as soon as you realize you might be on one person’s hook but they might not be hanging on to your every word. The secret to navigating around the Friend Zone is simple and we have it covered for you.
Make your intentions known
Although you might need some time to get acquainted with the person and know if they have the potential to be your partner, do not wait too long. The other person might also get the idea that you are not interested in them in a romantic way and the Friend Zone might take root. If you truly see a future with somebody then act fast, your feelings might only grow deeper the longer you wait and the deeper you will fall into the Friend Zone.
Maintain the mystery
You feelings might have you around your ‘friend’ more than you might expect but keeping some distance might actually help your situation. They do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and mystery tends to be very attractive. Having a constant presence might actually make you seem too available and subsequently vaguely unattractive. Some distance might help your potential mate develop a
If you feel that she is the right girl for you then you can hold on but if you feel like stepping out in the new place you are going to then you might just have to break it to her. It’s better to say it early than to wait around while she nurtures some hope for the future knowing full well that nothing will come out of it. Do the right thing and do whatever feels the most natural to you. The both of you sound still young and there is always other fish in the sea for either of you. Ask if you can remain friends because you are not leaving each other on bad terms. Good luck.
-Dr X
@christine_x254
better picture of the type of person you are and how he/she perceives you.
Get out and enjoy life
Not to say that the Friend Zone will have you in a funk but the more you go out the more you’ll realize that it’s not that bad. Meet other members of the opposite sex, who knows what it might spark in your ‘friend’. Jealousy is actually a great motivator so some harmless flirting with other people might be just the juice you need.
Make a move
There’s no need sitting in a corner and feeling sorry for yourself over an opportunity you could miss because of fear. The worst that might happen is getting turned down but if you keep your feelings to yourself then you might never know what will come out of the relationship. It will also cut the process of second guessing and analyzing the situation short. So instead of driving yourself crazy just make a move. @christine_x254
ways to get out of the
Send your agonising queries to christine@x254.co
12
ACCESS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
WHAT TO WEAR TO THE ALTAR
CAROLINA HERRERA gothic appeal.
MARCHESA netted lace.
LELA ROSE bohemian appeal.
, is as the wedding month ecember, also known -be -to des bri ny ay and ma only a few weeks aw to ir minds over what are close to losing the
BRANDON MAXWELL Satin and Chiffon.
wear to the altar. tional away from the conven w Ho about stepping sometfor go loon gowns and pure white, puffy bal ? que ing millennial and uni erimentng gown trend is exp The emerging weddi give ich wh all ts, fi gths and ing with colors, len who dares to be de bri the on k loo a memorable ng dresses these designer weddi different. Check out for some inspiration:
VALENTINO patterned sheer.
Our rating: ★ ★ ★ HACKSAW RIDGE is the extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. He was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon, as he believed that while the war was justified, killing was nevertheless wrong.
Our rating: ★ ★ ★
@mercy_x254
BEST
@mercy_x254
RATING: PG GENRE: Animation CAST: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani RUNTIME: 100 minutes
RATING: R GENRE Action & Adventure CAST: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving RUNTIME: 139 minutes
From the genius creators of SHREK, comes TROLLS. The movie stars Anna Kendrick as Poppy, the optimistic leader of the Trolls, and her polar opposite, Branch, played by Justin Timberlake. Together, this unlikely pair of Trolls must embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond the only world they’ve ever known.
Our rating: ★ ★ ★
RATING: PG-13 GENRE: Science Fiction & Fantasy CAST: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, RUNTIME: 130 minutes
DOCTOR STRANGE
A disgraced former surgeon named Stephen Strange becomes a powerful sorcerer under the tutelage of a mystic known as the Ancient One. Will he reclaim his medical glory?
CLASSIFIED 13
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
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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. Yesterday’s Solution
SUDOKU
TUESDAY 01/11/2016
14
SPORT TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
I feel important at Man Utd: Mata
Stoke City’s Wilfred Bony shoots to score against Swansea during their Premier league clash at the Britannia stadium last night. The double was the first time the Ivory Coast international scored for his new club sincxe signing from manchester City in the summer. PHOTO: COURTESY
Bony ends scoring drought with a brace for Stoke against Swansea Wilfred Bony scored his first goal for Stoke City as his new club registered their third successive Premier League victory against former employers Swansea who are still winless since the opening day of the season. Bony struck first before Wayne Routledge headed the visitors level in a frenetic first half that saw the hosts hit the post three times. The volume of Stoke chances eventually told as visiting defender Alfie Mawson turned Ramadan Sobhi’s shot into his own net, and Bony then nodded in a third after Joe Allen’s shot was saved. Mark Hughes’ side are now up to 12th in the Premier League table while Swansea, despite some initial signs of improvement, remain second from bottom and five points from safety. It was a galling evening for the visitors, who had the chance to resign their former midfielder Allen from Liverpool in the summer. Instead it is with Stoke he is enjoying the most prolific season of his career, his two assists on this occasion adding to the four goals he had scored
in his previous four appearances for the club. A fifth match unbeaten represents an impressive transformation from Stoke, whose dismal start to the season had left them at the foot of the table after five games. One thing missing from Stoke’s revival until the encounter was a goal for Bony, so there was a sense of fate to the way the striker on loan from Manchester City put the Potters ahead against his former club. “Wilfried Bony - it was always likely to happen. It was written in the stars tonight and it happens so often. He and Joe Allen have been excellent since they came here,” manager Mark Hughes said. Another former Swan, midfielder Allen, provided the assist with a halfvolley from a half-cleared corner - an example of the visitors’ ragged defending that was symptomatic of a frantic start to the game. Bob Bradley’s side were overrun by their dominant opponents, for whom Charlie Adam twice hit the post with shots outside the penalty area.
Marko Arnautovic did the same after rounding Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, but the visitors’ narrow escapes merely felt like delaying the inevitable. Stoke’s pressure was unrelenting and, after substitute Ramadan wriggled past Swansea’s hesitant defenders and forced Mawson into an own goal, it was left to Bony to nod in from close range after more good work from Allen to seal victory and score against Swansea for a second successive season. Allen’s performance saw him provide two assists in a Premier League game for the first time, while Bony scored for the first time since Boxing Day, having gone 23 games for club and country without a goal. “Joe Allen is an outstanding footballer. He has that knack of anticipating where the ball is going to land and that is why I have pushed him further forwards,” Hughes said. Swansea’s slump of nine matches without victory is their worst since their 2011 promotion to the Premier League.
There were hints of improvement in Bradley’s first two games in charge, a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal and a goalless draw at home to Watford. He will also have been encouraged by his team’s initially spirited response to the torrential Stoke pressure - but Swansea’s defects remain. They were porous in defence and weak in midfield, where Ki Sungyueng and Leroy Fer offered precious little resistance against their vibrant opponents. Lone striker Fernando Llorente led the line willingly enough but he and substitute Borja Baston were starved of service - characteristically for a Swansea team with just nine goals from 10 Premier League games this season. “We had some good stretches but, overall, we lack confidence and in key moments we were second best. There is no easy solution to getting confidence back. When you are going through a bad stretch you have to have belief,” Bradley said.
Juan Mata says he “feels important” at Manchester United only months after reports suggested his career at Old Trafford was over following the arrival of manager Jose Mourinho in the summer. The 28-year-old Spain midfielder was made captain by the Portuguese for Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to Burnley. Mata had been sold to United by Chelsea when they were both at the London club. “Too many stories were created,” said Mata. “I’m the one that knows what is going on and nothing was going on.” Mata has made 13 appearances and scored three goals for United this season. He only made 18 appearances in all competitions, including the Champions League, during the first half of the 2013-14 campaign before he was sold to Old Trafford. When asked whether he felt like an important part of the squad, he said: “I do feel that. “Since I came to United there have been ups and downs but I always felt like an important player under every manager and I am feeling important right now. But I have not had any conversations with Mourinho like they say I had.” And on his relationship with the United boss, Mata added: “I said it before and I say it again, it is a professional relationship. That is it. “That is why I said so many things were written about him coming with me at the club and what was going to happen. But in my mind I had it clear. “Your friends and family want to know what is going on but I always told them the same. I am the one that knows what is going on and nothing was going on.”
13
Number of appearances Mata has made for United so far this season.
SPORT 15
Wenger targets top spot in Ludo clash TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is keen on winning their Champions league tie against Ludogorest Razgrad tonight and occupy top spot in Group A ahead of French giants PSG. Wenger’s side beat the Bulgarian club 6-0 at the Emirates in London two weeks ago and the manager hopes another win should put them in proper stead to top the group. Arsenal and Paris St-Germain both have seven points at the top of Group A - Ludogorets and Basel have one point. “It’s our prime target to win the group,” said Wenger, whose team are second in the Premier League. “We have a home game with PSG to come so we have a good opportunity.” Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin will miss the game at the Ludogorets Arena. Walcott, Cazorla and Monreal each missed the Premier League win at Sunderland on Saturday through injury but Bellerin played the full match. Striker Olivier Giroud and midfielder Aaron Ramsey came on as substitutes in that match and could start.
Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger speaks during a press conference at Vassil Levski Stadium in Sofia, Bulgaria, yesterday. Arsenal FC face PFC Ludogorets Razgrad in the UEFA Champions League Group A soccer match tonight in Sofia. PHOTO: VASSIL DONEV/EPA
Midfielder Granit Xhaka, who was banned domestically, is also available. The Gunners follow tonight’s match with a top-flight game against north London rival’s Tottenham on Sunday. They then face Manchester United and
Bournemouth in the league as well as Southampton in the EFL Cup plus the fixture against PSG during a packed November. “We have some very important games in front of us,” added Wenger.
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“But we need to continue to do what we’ve done until now by just focusing on the next game. We have to try to win on Tuesday night and then we have Tottenham at home on Sunday. “We’ve had difficult Novembers in
previous seasons, but we’ve also had positive ones in our history too. The most important thing is to not live in the past, we have to live with the team we have at the moment. “Our destiny lies in the minds of the players, how strong our focus is and how hungry we are. We need to be like that in every single game, starting on Tuesday.” France striker Giroud has returned after being hampered by a toe injury and faces a battle to regain a regular starting place because of the form of Alexis Sanchez. However, the 30-year-old scored two goals at the Stadium of Light on Saturday and could make his first start this season for Arsenal on Tuesday. “I’m just concentrating on what I have to do on the pitch. My time will come,” said Giroud, who was sent off in Arsenal’s opening Champions League game against Paris St-Germain. “Obviously I’d prefer to be on the pitch, but I came back late from the Euros. I was not fit enough to play first and then, unfortunately, after I had an annoying injury I needed to take my time to come back as soon as possible.”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016
I FEEL VERY IMPORTANT AT MANCHESTER UNITED, SAYS MIDFIELDER JUAN MATA
Schweinsteiger rejoins United first team training
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orld Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger has returned to training with Manchester United’s first team. The 32-year-old midfielder had trained alone or with the club’s under-23s since Jose Mourinho was appointed United boss in the summer. The former Germany captain Schweinsteiger last played for the Red Devils in March, when Louis van Gaal was manager. He said in August he had “no personal problems” with Mourinho, and United will be his last club in Europe. “It’s great to see him back,” said United left-back Luke Shaw. “We found out the news a couple of days ago. He’s a big influence in the dressing room and obviously on the pitch, especially for the young players like myself.” It is unclear whether Mourinho will now consider Schweinsteiger for first-team action. He was named in United’s Premier League squad for this season, but left out of their Europa League squad which means he cannot feature against Fernebahce on Thursday. But with Ander Herrera banned, Schweinsteiger is an option for United’s Premier League trip to Swansea on Sunday.
INSIDE Wenger targeting top finish in Group A
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Bony ends Stoke scoring drought
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Aguero to start in Pep’s Barca revenge plot
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anchester City lynch man Sergio Aguero is expected to start for the Premier League side in the Champions League tonight as coach Pep Guardiola seeks to revenge their 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the same competition two weeks ago. The Spanish manager who has also coached the Catalan giants already told his charges to treat the encounter like a final. City lost the away leg 4-0 in Spain and are second in Group C, one point in front of Borussia Monchengladbach. City striker Sergio Aguero is expected to start on Tuesday and right-back Pablo Zabaleta could be available. “We dropped two points against Celtic, so we have to recover those points,” Guardiola said. “It’s not a final for them, it is a final for us,” he added. Aguero started the game at the Nou Camp on the bench but, following two goals in a win over West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday, is expected to start. “We have to be focused for 90 minutes, knowing they are going to provoke mistakes because of the quality they have,” added Guardiola. “But we had a few chances in the first game and have to keep going in that sense and try to finish better than we did in Barcelona. “We will try. I have never entered a match thinking we can’t win but we have to play almost perfectly.” City have lost all five of their previous games against Barcelona and had a player sent off in four of those matches, with keeper Claudio Bravo being shown a red card the last time out. Bravo will be replaced by Willy Caballero in goal tonight. “It’s always difficult against Barcelona 11 v 11. When it’s 10 v 11, it’s almost impossible,” added the Spaniard. “Former City manager Manuel Pellegrini lived that, sometimes [the red cards were] unfair, last time it was from a mistake. “But at that level it’s impossible to achieve your targets if you don’t keep your discipline. It’s football. Football is a game of mistakes.” Barcelona are without injured captain Andres Iniesta and defenders Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Aleix Vidal and Jeremy Mathieu, who was sent off in their first meeting. Midfielder Arda Turan has recovered from injury and is fit to play. Brazil Under-21 defender Marlon has had to get a later flight to Manchester after forgetting his passport. Barca boss Luis Enrique said: “It will be an encounter of identical philosophies, similar to what we saw at Camp Nou. “We will have to put in a big effort - be effective with and without the ball. The key will be to limit their thinking time, so that they do not have time in possession. We aim to keep the pressure high and try to make City attack as little as possible. “I am sure that Guardiola knows the key to making things difficult for us. “In three months at City he has managed to make his team identifiable which is certain to grow. Every month that passes, the immediate future of Manchester City is promising,” Enrique who played alongside Guardiola during their time in Barcelona added.
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero during a past match for the club. he is expected to start against Barcelona in the Champions Leagie tonight. PHOTO: EPA
Pep Guardiola Luis Enrique
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