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millionaire police with no bank withdrawals vetting panel queries the officer’s source of income with millions lying in three accounts unwithdrawn for close to two decades

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NEWS

confederation undecided on model for 2018 volleyball team selection

why sportpesa premier league kick-off could be delayed

JSC verdict on Tunoi postponed to Friday

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Governors mull Court opinion on roads role

Members of the Judicial Service Commission committee investigating bribery claims against Justice Tunoi when they briefed journalists on the progress of their work on Monday. The committee has today announced that it will make public its findings on Friday and not today as it had earlier said.

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The Council of Governors (COG) has threatened to move to the Supreme Court to seek a constitutional interpretation on the transfer of road function.

COG has accused the National government of denying the devolved units the management of the roads and the funds allocated to it.

Speaking during the stakeholders meeting convened by the Senate Committee on Roads and Transport, the Council’s committee on Roads chair John Mruttu said the council notes with concern that in spite of the High Court ruling that declared the immediate transfer of county roads to counties, the Transition Authority has dragged its feet on the same.

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

State rolls out plan to manufacture Morphine

Cancer patients are set to benefit from a plan by the government to start manufacturing morphine, a crucial painkiller for cancer patients as the country seeks to boost its capacity to handle the killer disease.

Speaking on Tuesday in Nairobi, Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA) executive director Dr. Zipporah Ali said local production of painkiller will reduce by up to 50 per cent the cost of cancer treatment in the country.

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has been identified as the central access and production point of morphine beginning May, to run for the next three years.

“We will be starting with 47 kilogrammes of morphine powder which will be reconstituted into a solution to be enough for the next three years,” said Dr. Ali She added: “We expect the morphine to be produced at KNH will address about 70 per cent of the terminal cancer cases in the country,” said Dr Ali. Ali said through a public private partnership, the Danish International Development Agency (Danida) has already procured the powder at a cost of Sh185, 000 per kilo translating to

Governors mull Supreme Court move on road row From Page 1

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopas Mailu at Kenyatta National Hospital yesterday.

The government will begin manufacturing cancer painkiller, Morphine in May.

about Sh8.7 million.

Other partners include the Kenyan government and the America Cancer Society which will offer equipment.

The pain management drug produced locally will be distributed by the Kenya Medical Supply Agency (Kemsa) to all the public, private and mission hospitals across the country.

“The medication will also be made available to all the hospices in Kenya,” added Dr Ali. A Human Rights Watch report (2010) showed that morphine, which is relatively cheap and easy to administer, was available in only

seven of Kenya’s approximately 250 public hospitals where only medical doctors were allowed to administer it.

The Health ministry has in the past been blamed over policies that restricted production of medicine in the country which would offer access to inexpensive painkiller medicine and offer in palliative care services.

According to statics from the KNH cancer alone kills 76 Kenyans daily.

Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopas Mailu said the government was committed to offer cheap treatment to chronic diseases such as cancer.

“TA has violated the Constitution by re-classifying, gazetting and transferring the roads function to the National government,” he said.

The move, he said comes despite consultation between COG and TA, which made it clear that roads be transferred according to senate recommendations” Mruttu, who is also the Governor of Taita Taveta County said counties had appealed to the Senate to transfer the management of county roads, to the devolved units in vain.

He said the county chiefs wondered why the National government and its agencies continue to violate the law by constructing and performing maintenance and repair works on the county roads.

“We continue to see a violation of our Constitution by the National government agencies because they continue to receive levies on outdoor advertising which is a county function,” he said.

The National government and the counties have been at loggerheads, with the former agitating for immediate transfer of the road function and its funds, but the latter has delayed the matter.

Just last month, COG chairman Peter Munya opposed the extension of TA term, saying it had failed on its mandate.

According to the Constitution, all roads classified as class C roads fall under the county roads, but National government through TA and Roads ministry have classified these roads as national trunk roads with a view of taking them.

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Justice Tunoi to know fate on Friday

Kidero urges youth to register as voters

Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi will have to wait until Friday to know whether he has a case to answer following allegations that he received a Sh200 million bribe to influence the outcome of a case.

A special committee of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that was formed to look into the matter was due to give its verdict today, but has instead postponed the announcement to Friday.

The Committee chairperson Margaret Kobia had on Monday announced that they would declare their findings today.

However, she told journalists that they have asked for two more days to conclude the investigations.

Justice Tunoi is accused of receiving a Sh200 million bribe from Nairobi governor Evans Kidero to influence the outcome of an election petition against the latter in 2013.

The accusations prompted JSC to constitute a six-member team to look into the claims.

The team was to present its findings today before the JSC could decide whether or not the accused had a question to answer.

If yes, it would recommend to President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a

Nairobi Governor Dr Evans Kidero has urged the youth to register as voter in large numbers ahead of the 2017 General Elections.

The governor who was speaking during the unveiling of the new mortuary and incinerator at Mbagathi Level 4 Hospital called on the young to register in order to exercise their democratic right to elect leaders who will steer the development agenda of the country.

“It is the young people of this nation that will help steer the development agenda of this country if they register as voters and elect development conscious leaders,” said Kidero.

He also urged the youth working under the National Youth service (NYS) programme to heed the call by the newly -appointed NYS director to have their biometric data registered in order to receive their stalled payments.

“Those who worked under

tribunal to investigate the conduct of the judge.

Already, the JSC committee has heard from those adversely mentioned in the affidavit by Geoffrey Kiplagat.

They include Justice Tunoi, who appeared before the committee on Monday and Dr Kidero who was questioned yesterday.

Also questioned was lawyer Katwa Kigen who is also adversely mentioned by the petitioner.

All of them have denied any knowledge of the accusations with Dr Kidero threatening to sue anyone linking him with the bribery scandal.

“I will sue those linking me to these allegations once the committee finishes its work,” Kidero told journalists after appearing before the team.

“I don’t know Justice Tunoi, and personally I have never met him. I have only seen him from a distant mostly on TV like other Kenyans do,” he added.

In his defence when he appeared before the committee on Monday, Justice Tunoi questioned the character of the accuser, saying the allegations against him are pegged on succession politics in Supreme Court peter_x254 positions.

the NYS programme should allow their biometric data to be collected so that they can be fully paid all their dues,” urged the governor.

He dismissed allegations reportedly in a section of the media that the exercise to collect the biometric data was politically driven as a bait to rig the 2017 elections.

“NYS is a natural resource to provide a livelihood for our young people. Let us not politicise matters that are to benefit us,” he said.

The refurbished morgue received news 112 coolers and new specialised machine to perform post mortem. 11 technicians were also employed.

The governor said that plans to upgrade the hospital to a Level 5 status were in top gear where the facility will receive more ambulances, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Renal units by the end of the next financial year.

The county executive member for Health DR.

Mugo said that plans to harmonise salaries and promote medical staff in the county were underway in order to address the stalemate between them and the county government.

“We are finalising plans to address the issues of salaries harmonisation and promotions,” said Mugo.

The maternity wing received 120 beds that will help handle the growing number of deliveries that have had stretched the facility.

Mugo argued that improving the facility would go a long way to ease the congestion at the KNH at a time it has been overstretched by thousands of patients drawn across the country. He reiterated that he was committed to ensure that Nairobi residents got quality health care services as one of the basic need as evidenced by the broad spectrum of patients who seek medical services on a daily basis. wilson_x254

NEWS 3 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Millionaire cop with no bank withdrawals A senior police officer was on yesterday tasked to explain his source of income and why he had never made withdrawals from three bank accounts with millions of shillings since 1999.

During a vetting session for the officer, the National Police Service Commission chairman Johnstone Kavuludi was particularly interested to know how Joshua Aseto has been surviving with no withdrawals from his bank accounts yet he had financial obligations as a family man and father of three.

The Senior Superintendent of Police who had been dismissed after a vetting session last year was appearing for fresh vetting following his appeal for a review of that decision.

Aseto, a diabetic who has undergone an amputation on his left leg, was hard pressed to explain his source of income and why for number years he has not been withdrawing cash from his three accounts despite being a father of three.

One of the accounts has Sh1.4 million which has not seen a withdrawal since 1999, the second account has Sh3.3 million while the third account has Sh409, 000. “You were

removed from the service because of being unable to convincingly explain to the vetting panel the source of your income which was accumulating in your accounts and secondly you were not able to tell us how you were able to afford the daily expenses without withdrawing any money from your accounts,” the Commission Chairperson Johnstone Kavuludi explained.

Drama ensued even before the officer clarified the contentious issues after his lawyer Abbas Esmail sought to know in what nature his client was being questioned.

The lawyer had an acrimonious session with the vetting panel that forced Kavuludi to switch off his Hansard microphone insisting that exercise was administrative and only required the individual police officer.

What I’m seeking for is whether this is a vetting review which is governed under regulation 33 of the National Police Vetting regulations or it’s a re-vetting of the applicant?” the lawyer had enquired.

“It raises several issues; the discriminatory manner the commission is treating officers of a certain rank.”

Kavuludi in a quick rejoinder said,

Senior Supretendent of Police Joshua Aseto responds to questions from the vetting panel yesterday. he was hard pressed to expalin the source of some Sh5 million in his three bank accounts.

“I’m afraid, counsel, that we will not allow you to answer professional questions for the police officer.”

With the drama over, the officer was asked to defend his case for the commission to determine whether he will be re-admitted to the police service.

Aseto has served the police service for 20 years, living with diabetis for 16 years and would often require

Taxi drivers threaten to paralyse City transport in row with Uber Taxi drivers have threatened to paralyse traffic in Nairobi if the government fails to kick rival Uber out of business in seven days.

Kenya Taxi Cab Association Spokesman Mwangi Mubia said “there is no other way…

Uber must get out of our business.”

The taxi drivers, who have been accused of attacking Uber drivers appeared to turn the tables, saying they are the victims of the said attacks. “They cannot accuse us of attacking them. It is they who have been attacking us while trying to get us out of business,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.

The row stems from claims that Uber is undercharging customers to eject other taxis out of business. They spoke even as police prepared to arraign two suspects arrested on Tuesday after allegedly attacking an Uber driver whose vehicle was damaged in Kileleshwa. Several other similar incidents had been reported since last week. “We are peaceful people, doing genuine business, we do not attack people, but on this one we are very clear, Uber must go,” said Mubia.

“What Uber is doing is not any different with what we are planning to do; we are soon rolling out a digital platform that will benefit our

customers.” “We have told our members to park their vehicles at strategic locations and all over town to block roads if Uber is not sent away in a week’s time,” he said. The statement was issued a day after the government warned that action will be taken against anyone found interfering with the business of their rivals.

“Business rivalry should never be settled through attacks and intimidation but rather through established legal mechanism of resolving disputes,” Mwenda Njoka, Spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.

“Police have launched investigations into the cause and nature of these attacks and will ensure those behind the attacks will face the full wrath of the law.”

Uber spokesperson Samantha Allenberg on Monday told Capital FM News that they had been engaging various taxi associations since last year, in a bid to resolve contentious issues.

“We are working with all relevant stakeholders in Nairobi to resolve this as a matter of urgency. We hope tourists, business travellers and residents alike can enjoy a safe, affordable, hassle-free time travelling whenever they choose to get around Nairobi,” she said.

“Uber is all about keeping Nairobi moving – connecting people to safe, reliable and flexible transport at the tap of a button.”

Police headquarters has confirmed that they are investigating “numerous complaints” over the matter.

“The complaints we have received include people registering in their system and requesting a taxi then when the Uber taxi arrives they attack him,” he said, but did not give statistics of the number of cases reported, or dwell into specific cases,” Charles Owino, Spokesman for the Kenya Police said.

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medical attention, but even with this, he did not withdraw his cash.

In his defence, he said the money was deposited in a fixed account, “and it was also earning some interest.”

He went on to explain that “In 2005, from my salary I had saved Sh1.6 million because I wanted to plan my future.”

The amount has earned interest, “and has reached Sh2 million. It is

in a fixed account.” He has also not withdrawn any money from his salary account since 20th November 2014 to date.

To defend his ‘saving’ culture, Aseto, a father of three told the commissioners, “I do not know of any extravagant life. When I need food, my wife normally sends me food… fish and flour.”

He told the commission that he is on diet due to his medical condition.

“I have been living alone with my simple, thin, lean and mean life,” he said. Aseto is among 37 officers who are to undergo fresh vetting after they appealed last year’s decision to sack them.

They were among 62 officers sacked after they failed to meet the set threshold on competence and suitability.

Kavuludi said the officers will be vetted afresh with more attention being accorded to specific areas they feel could have been misconstrued.

Ten of those officers were invited for fresh vetting on Tuesday in an exercise that will run until Friday.

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

NEWS BRIEF

US state Georgia executes oldest death row inmate The US state of Georgia has executed its oldest death row inmate, a 72-year-old man.

Brandon Astor Jones was sentenced to the death penalty 36 years ago, after being convicted of killing a shop manager during a robbery.

His execution was delayed by several hours after his lawyers filed a last-minute appeal with the Supreme Court.

Georgia has executed about 60 people since 1976, and has dozens of people on death row.

Jones was given a lethal injection in the early hours of Wednesday at a prison in Jackson, after accepting a final prayer.

He and another man, Van Roosevelt Solomon, were both convicted of the killing of store manager Roger Tackett during a robbery in 1979.

Solomon was executed in 1985.

Jones’s supporters argued that he had denied shooting Mr Tackett, and that the court had not considered evidence of mental illness and sexual abuse as a child.

In a statement issued before his execution, the Death Penalty Information Center said Jones was “two weeks short of his 73rd birthday” and that his case “raises questions of proportionality and discriminatory application of the death penalty”.

A federal judge had overturned Jones’s death sentence in 1989, saying that the jurors had improperly brought a Bible into the deliberation room, which could have influenced their decision.

Jones was re-sentenced to death in 1997.

Zika ‘transmitted by sexual contact’, virus spreads to US

Zika has been sexually transmitted in Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. It is the first known case of the virus being locally acquired in the continental United States in the current outbreak.

The case, announced by Dallas County health officials, involved a patient who had sex with someone who had recently returned from Venezuela infected with the mosquito-borne virus.

In a statement to CNN, the CDC said it confirmed the test results showing Zika present in the blood of a “nontraveler in the continental United States.” They stressed that there was no risk to a developing fetus in this instance.

Based on that, the CDC says it will soon provide guidance on sexual transmission, with a “focus on the male sexual partners of women who are or who may be pregnant.”

“There have been isolated cases of spread through blood transfusion or sexual contact and that’s not very surprising. The virus is in the blood for about a week.

How long it would remain in the semen is something that needs to be studied and we’re working on that now,” CDC director Tom Frieden told CNN. He added that studies on sexual transmission are not easy studies to do, but the CDC is continuing to explore that avenue of transmission. “What we know is the vast majority of spread is going to be from mosquitoes,” Frieden added. “The bottom line is mosquitoes are the real culprit here.” The CDC said it will provide more guidance as more information on sexual transmission is learned, but in the meantime, “Sexual partners

ALert: A mosquito species that carries the Zika virus. US authorities yesterday announced the first known case of the virus saying it has been sexually transmitted in texas.

can protect each other by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually transmitted infections.

People who have Zika virus infection can protect others by preventing additional mosquito bites.” Before this case, there have been only two documented cases linking Zika to sex. During the 2013 Zika outbreak in French Polynesia, semen and urine samples from a 44-year-old Tahitian man tested positive for Zika even when blood samples did not. Five years before that, in 2008, a Colorado microbiologist named Brian Foy contracted Zika after travel to Senegal; his wife came down with the disease a few days later even though she had not left northern Colorado and was not exposed to any mosquitoes

carrying the virus.

In addition, the CDC said there have been documented cases of virus transmission during labor, blood transfusion and laboratory exposure. While Zika has been found in breast milk, it’s not yet confirmed it can be passed to a baby through nursing.

Zika is prompting worldwide concern because of an alarming connection to a neurological birth disorder and the rapid spread of the virus across the globe.

The Zika virus, transmitted by the aggressive Aedes aegypti mosquito, has now spread to at least 24 countries. The WHO estimates 3 million to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next year. The Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against travel to those areas; health officials in several of those countries are telling female citizens to avoid becoming pregnant, in some cases for up to two years.

The virus is linked to an alarming spike in babies born with abnormally small heads -- a condition called microcephaly -in Brazil and French Polynesia.

Reports of a serious neurological condition, called GuillainBarre Syndrome, that can lead to paralysis, have also risen in areas where the virus has been reported. Health officials have specifically seen clusters of this in El Salvador, Brazil and French Polynesia, according to WHO’s Dr. Bruce Aylward.

US election 2016: White House race moves to New Hampshire

On the cAmpAign trAiL: Bernie Sanders waves to the crowd in Keene, new hampshire PHOTO/ EPA

Republicans and Democrats vying for their party’s ticket for November’s US presidential election have been arriving in New Hampshire ahead of the next vote.

Monday’s caucuses in Iowa were won by Senator Ted Cruz for the Republicans and Hillary Clinton for the Democrats Mr Cruz prevailed despite trailing in opinion polls while Mrs Clinton beat Senator Bernie Sanders by just 0.2%.

New Hampshire is seen as a quite different challenge for the parties.

The state’s more moderate and less religious electorate may prove a tougher nut for Mr Cruz to crack in the primaries it is due to hold on 9 February.

Donald Trump, long the frontrunner in the Republican contest, is expected to do much better than in Iowa, which held the nation’s first vote.

On the Democrat side, Mr Sanders is seen as having a home advantage in New Hampshire over Mrs Clinton, being a senator of the neighbouring state of Vermont. Even before Mrs Clinton’s narrow victory was announced officially, Mr Sanders was up early aboard a flatbed lorry, being greeted by supporters in the New Hampshire town of Bow. Telling the crowd that his campaign had “astounded the world” in Iowa, he promised it would “astound the world again” in New Hampshire.

In the same state, Ms Clinton declared victory, saying she is “so proud [she is] coming to New Hampshire after winning Iowa”. “I’ve won and I’ve lost there, and it’s a lot better to win,” she said in reference to her loss in the state in 2008. Final results show Mrs Clinton took 49.8% in Iowa to Mr Sanders’ 49.6% - a difference of just 0.2%.

On the cAmpAign trAiL: hillary clinton waves to the crowd at Winnacunnet high School in hampton, new hampshire.

PHOTO/EPA

NEWS 5

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Morning newspaper summaries Ahmednasir wanted Uhuru, Ruto to be given Ahmednasir faces off Nairobi law firm Kaplan Sh25m for case – Kidero: Sh5bn in June Budget: with Kidero in Tunoi & Strattton entangled in Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero says The President and Deputy President’s probe: The investigation into the NYS funds theft probe: lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi has linked offices will be allocated Sh3 billion him to Judiciary bribery allegations because he refused to pay him a fee note of Sh25 million. He said the lawyer harbours a grudge against him after he refused to hire him as his advocate in the 2014 election petition. “My case was so strong that he offered to represent me.

But the Sh25 million he demanded in fees upfront was too steep and I already had a competent defence team,” said Kidero.

and Sh2 billion respectively when the National Treasury presents its Sh1.79 trillion Budget in June. Even though both State House and the Office of the Deputy President fall under the Presidency, this will be the second time since 2013 that the two offices will be allocated separate votes. In the last three budgets, their vote was lumped together under the allocation for the Presidency. In this financial year .

Justice Tunoi bribery claims took a new turn yesterday when the Nairobi Governor engaged in a slanging match with top lawyer. Evans Kidero took on the controversial Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi, dismissing him for what he termed as smear campaign for linking him to the Sh200 million bribery claims. Kidero said he had never given a bribe, denied ever meeting Tunoi.

Nairobi law firm Kaplan & Stratton has been entangled in the multi-million National Youth Service scandal after police blocked its bank accounts over suspicion that it had handled part of the stolen funds. The Banking Fraud Investigation Unit (BFIU) obtained a court order barring the law firm from transacting any business on an account it holds at Barclays Bank.

among CMC boss Kibe runs Rocky start in race to Breast cancer: Journalist Inflation rich over guard: CMC Motors Group succeed Obama: The race to brave fight against Nairobi’s Ltd director Joel Kibe rammed into a succeed US President Barack Obama has hits illness rare in men: John households security barrier in Runda on Monday started in earnest, with the first ballots Karume had everything going for him 17-month high: The January night, killing a guard and injuring being cast in party primaries in the state in 2015. Married to his childhood another. Kibe lost control of his Range Rover and swept away a one-foot radius bollard, brought down three smaller others, knocking down a sentry box where he severely injured two guards. The thick bollard was pushed 10 metres from its point and rolled over the dead guard before the car ran over him.

of Iowa. In the votes cast on Monday, Democrat Hillary Clinton battled into a virtual tie with rival Bernie Sanders in the race for the party ticket. Mr Ted Cruz felled long-time Republican frontrunner Donald Trump to win the State for the Grand Old Party Obama, will be leaving the White House in February.

sweetheart Grace Wamboi, The Standard journalist divided his time between work and his 13-year old son and one-year-old daughter. At 31 years, he looked and felt as healthy as could be. However, he had noticed a lump on his chest but did not give it much thought since there was no pain.

inflation rate rose to a 17-month high among the rich Nairobi households as families grappled with rising school fees and entertainment costs. Official data shows that inflation for the upper income group rose from 4.83 per cent in December to 5.44 per cent last month — the highest rate since August 2014.

Karua for ‘Cord Nairobi Banks warned against Police defy court order Treasury invested senator’ candidate 2017: lending to counties: and shut Joho port Sh262m in Stanlib Cord is finalising a political deal with Narc Commercial banks and other financial firms: Armed police yesterday defied I-Reit: The Treasury invested an Kenya leader Martha Karua that could institutions have been instructed to see her become the coalition’s Nairobi senator candidate next year. Sources close to opposition chief Raila Odinga told the Star that Karua could also be named the coalition’s spokesperson, citing her vast political experience, legal grounding and eloquence. The former Gichugu MP ran for president in the March 4, 2013 election but was vanquished by the Jubilee machine.

start recovering loans they advanced to counties without being guaranteed by the national government. The National Treasury, in its Budget Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2016/17, says it is alarmed that counties, in total disregard to the law, are borrowing money domestically without the national government’s guarantee and approval by Parliament.

a court order and stormed two container freight stations (CFSs) associated with Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. The police commander leading the operation cited ‘orders from above’ as he cordoned off the area. The High Court had on Monday issued an order suspending a blockade imposed by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) last Friday. Police ordered all KRA staff off the premises.

estimated Sh262 million of taxpayers’ cash in the real estate investment trust (I-Reit) listed on the NSE by Stanlib in December, regulatory filings have shown. The investment in the privatelyowned real estate company was made at a time when the Treasury has emphasised the need to divest from State-owned firms terming them a drain on the ex-chequer.

Top stories from X News global partners Britain accuses Russia of Rivals Look to New The $20-billion hole in Yahoo cuts jobs and trying to carve out mini- Hampshire for a Shot Africa’s largest economy: explores sale options: corrupts. So too does a resourceYahoo will lay off 15 per cent of its state for Assad in Syria: at Breaking Donald Power rich economy, like Nigeria’s, where easy workforce, the group said on Tuesday, as Britain has said Russia could be trying to Trump’s Stride: Emboldened access to oil revenues opens the door it announced it would explore strategic carve out an Alawite mini-state in Syria for its ally President Bashar al-Assad by bombing his opponents instead of fighting Islamic State militants. Russia and Britain have been engaged in a war of words after British foreign secretary Philip Hammond said on Monday that he believed President Vladimir Putin was worsening the Syrian civil war by bombing opponents of Isis. Hammond dismissed Russian criticism that he was spreading “dangerous disinformation”, saying there was a limit to how long Russia could pose as a promoter of the peace process. www.theguardian.com

by Donald Trump’s defeat in the Iowa caucuses, conservative leaders and rival candidates for the Republican presidential nomination began to challenge him aggressively in New Hampshire on Tuesday, aiming to cut into his wide lead here and perhaps even to embarrass him by denying him victory in a second consecutive state. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, having prevailed in Iowa, teased Mr. Trump for having attacked him bitterly on the way to an embarrassing loss. Jeb Bush released a commercial in which he called Mr. Trump a man of “deep insecurity and weakness.” www.nytimes.com

to palm-greasing. Of 168 countries surveyed by Transparency International, an anti-corruption group Germany, in its annual Corruption Perception Index, Nigeria ranks 32nd from the bottom. Whistleblowers sometimes try to estimate how much cash has gone missing from Nigeria’s public purse. In 2014 a respected former central-bank governor lost his job after claiming that $20 billion had been stolen. But this captures only a small share of the damage done by corruption.

alternatives that could include a sale of its core internet business amid pressure from investors. The cost-cutting plan and sweeping strategic review marks Yahoo’s first direct admission that it might consider selling itself and comes as Marissa Mayer, chief executive, seeks to placate activist investors. The board pledged to “engage on qualified strategic proposals” for its operating businesses, even as it continued with work on a reverse spin-off of its $25bn stake in Alibaba, the Chinese ecommerce group.

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BUSINESS

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

IMF’s warning on commodity prices amid economic volatility The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned Kenya, among other Sub-Saharan countries, over the impact of commodity price shocks on their fragile financial sectors as the global economy remains volatile.

In a research dubbed the IMF Working Paper, it has emerged that Kenya and her neighbours need to brace for tough months ahead as consumers, exporters, investors and stakeholders will bear the brunt of the forthcoming financial crises.

The IMF’s ‘Working Paper’, investigates the impact of commodity price shocks on financial sector fragility. Using a large sample of 71 commodity exporters among emerging and developing economies, it shows that negative shocks to commodity prices tend to weaken the financial sector, with larger shocks having more pronounced impacts.

“More specifically, negative commodity price shocks are associated with higher nonperforming loans, bank costs and banking crises, while they reduce bank profits, liquidity, and provisions to nonperforming loans,” said the Paper, which was prepared

by IMF financial analysts, Tidiane Kinda, Montfort Mlachila, and Rasmané Ouedraogo.

The trio has asserted that these adverse effects tend to occur in countries with poor quality of governance, weak fiscal space, as well as those that do not have a sovereign wealth fund, do not implement macro-prudential policies and do not have a diversified export base. These findings are robust to a battery of robustness checks.

The recent decline in commodity prices, especially for oil, has once again revived interest in their economic impact. These developments come at a time when Kenya is currently making plans to export its own oil, despite the global downturn in fuel prices.

Most commodities prices have declined by about 50 per cent between mid-2014 and mid2015, leading to significant losses in export earnings for commodity exporters.

Experts, including the World Bank had earlier warned that the current market for oil is less than stellar and Kenya could wait years before it reaps the reward of its oil wells. Adverse commodity price shocks can also contribute to financial fragility through various channels.

First, says the paper, they can lead to a decline in commodity prices in commoditydependent countries results in reduced export income, which could adversely impact economic activity and governments’ ability to meet their debt obligations, thereby potentially weakening banks’ balance sheets.

Second, a surge in bank withdrawals following

a drop in commodity prices may significantly reduce banks’ liquidity and potentially lead to a liquidity mismatch.

“Third, a decline in commodity prices can reduce commodity exporters’ fiscal performance (by lowering revenue), which in turn may push government to adjust their budgets to accommodate revenue shortfalls,” said the research.

Adverse commodity price shocks impact the financial sector in all regions and income groups even if the impact varies across groups.

Sub-Saharan African countries for instance, experienced an increase in non-performing loans (NPLs) and banking crises, and a drop in return on equity (ROE) over the last few months.

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An IMF report shows Kenya and her neighbours need to brace for tough months ahead as consumers, exporters, investors and stakeholders will bear the brunt of the forthcoming financial crises.

MEAN 102.2880 146.4103 111.3356 6.3667 34.3365 21.3613

BUY SELL 102.1889 102.3871 146.2461 146.5744 111.2072 111.4639 6.3596 6.3739 33.8376 34.8355 21.2918 21.4039

Sh1.5 trillion needed for universal water access, says CS The country requires Sh1.5 trillion in order to ensure that every Kenyan has access to water by the year 2030, Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has said.

This amounts to an annual budget of Sh100 billion.

According to a 2014 report by the Joint Monitoring Program, access to safe water supplies throughout Kenya stood at 59 per cent while access to improved sanitation was at 32 per cent.

The report adds that the country still has an unmet need in rural and urban areas for both water and sanitation.

Under the Sustainable Development Goal No.6 adopted in the United Nations Assembly in September, 2015, it is projected that every country will have achieved universal access to water and sanitation to all by 2030.

“In order to address the deficit the government has decided to explore other financing options where the private sector will play a key role in the sector development. These financing options will include commercial financing and Public Private Partnerships (PPP). In future we plan to have some of the viable water service providers float bonds in the Nairobi Stock Exchange to raise funds for utility capital development,” Wamalwa said.

He was speaking on Tuesday during the Third Water, Electricity and Power Expo.

The affair has attracted more than 4,000 guests from over ten African countries.

The three-day event seeks to showcase latest technologies in the utilities industry, build awareness about products and services within the sectors, knowledge sharing as well as Business-to-Business opportunities for Kenyan entrepreneurs to make more valuable business contacts.

National Bank MD lauds Treasury Nairobi Hospital moves to hire nurses in latest recruitment drive move on Shariah compliant bond The Nairobi Hospital, a leading health care institution in East Africa, has announced plans to hire nurses as part of its latest recruitment drive. Qualified candidates have been invited to apply. The deadline for applications is February 10, 2016.

The medical institution is looking for people to fill in the position of Staff Nurse.

Successful candidates will be tasked with reporting to the respective Charge Nurse, assessing, planning and implementing agreed individual care plans and evaluating effectiveness of the care given, as well as applying the standard and procedures of nursing care and implementing agreed individual care plans

to provide quality nursing care. Those applying must have at least two years’ post qualification bedsides nursing experience.

The hospital is also looking for candidates to fill in the position of Senior Staff Nurse.

Successful candidates will be responsible for assessing, planning and implementing agreed individual care plans and evaluating the effectiveness of care given to patients as well as applying the standard and procedures of nursing care and implementing agreed individual care plans to provide quality nursing care.

Potential recruits must have four years’ post qualification bedsides nursing experience.

Finally, the hospital is also

looking for candidates to fill in the position of Senior Nurse. Successful recruits will be tasked with providing leadership to the assigned teams and shifts, supervising as well as assessing, planning and implementing agreed individual care plans and evaluating the effectiveness of care given. They will also be responsible for applying the standard and procedures of nursing care and implementing agreed individual care plans to provide quality nursing care. Those applying for this post must have six years’ post qualification bedside nursing experience, at least 2 of which must be at a supervisory level.

Application cant be sent to recruitment@nbihosp.org.

National Bank of Kenya has lauded a move by the government to tap into Shariah compliant financing instruments following the announcement of plans to launch the first ever Sukuk bond in the country.

Managing Director Munir Sheikh Ahmed has termed the announcement as a “historic feat that will further catalyse economy”, saying both the Islamic population and the nascent Islamic finance industry in Kenya would tremendously benefit from the state action.

Many investors from the Islamic faith in the country and around the world have not been able to participate in domestic borrowing efforts by Kenya’s Treasury and in such other bonds such as the Eurobond due to religious restrictions.

“A sizeable portion of Kenya and the world population profess the Islam faith and this move, therefore, further deepens their participation and financial inclusion,” the

MD said.

Munir expects a spillover effect to benefit non-muslim institutions and individuals with the interest sharing concept that results to less systemic risks in Shariah compliant financing already growing in popularity.

Government debut into Shariah Compliant financing will further attract development of technical capacity in the country resulting to growth of other instruments of Islamic finance.

National Bank had last week partnered with global events company Awal to bring to Nairobi the first International Islamic Finance Conference for Africa, an occasion which Kenya’s Treasury Cabinet Secretary Mr. Henry Rotich used to outline the government’s plans for the Sukuk bond.

Rotich told delegates at the conference that Kenya had ambitions to become an enock_x254 Islamic finance hub.

BUSINESS 7

Kenya up beat ahead of trade summit WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Kenya is set to host the 14th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIV) in the coming months, positioning the country as a hub for both development and innovation.

UNCTAD XIV was originally set to be held in Lima, Peru in March 2016, but in early September, the Government of Peru informed UNCTAD that it could no longer host the conference due to the latest negative forecasts for the El Niño weather event. Following this announcement, other members of the group of Latin American countries (GRULAC) expressed an interest in hosting the quadrennial conference, but none could formalise an offer.

According to the United Nations,

the host of UNCTAD conferences usually alternates between Africa, Asia and the Pacific region, and the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Without an alternative proposal from GRULAC, the membership agreed to allow countries in other regions to make an offer. Kenya previously hosted UNCTAD IV held in May 1976. The last two conferences were held in Ghana for Africa in 2008 and in Qatar for Asia and the Pacific region in 2012.

Kenya has been lauded as one of the leading trade and investment destinations in Africa and has embarked on a number of similar meetings in the past.

Stephen Karau (pictured), Ambassador and Permanent

Davis & Shirtliff pact with L’Oréal to reduce water wastage Global cosmetics giant L’Oréal has partnered with leading water and energy solutions provider Davis and Shirtliff to reduce its environmental impact and water consumption through the installation of a water treatment plant in its Nairobi production facility.

The brief given to Davis & Shirtliff by L’Oreal was to ensure the availability of clean water at all times while mitigating against water shortages through the smart recycling of waste water via a Dayliff waste water treatment plant.

Water aid estimates that 16 million Kenyans still lack access to safe and clean water while over 10,000 children die annually from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.

“There is enormous need for water treatment in the region because of the fact that most of the sources of water are contaminated. The water that is available to the Kenyan market, is not safe to be used as it is, it requires treatment.

Being a key player in the water industry, we have to be the leaders in providing the different technologies to meet our customer demands,” said water treatment manager Joy Busolo.

The technologies in use include sand and activated carbon filtration, cartridge filtration, chemical dosage, ultra violet disinfection, reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration. All these solutions are locally assembled making it easily available, serviceable and affordable for the market.

“We have solutions for any source of water, be it surface water from rivers, lakes, dams

or rain, underground water from boreholes and shallow wells as well as sea water. We also have solutions for treating waste water to make it good enough to recycle or send it back to the environment,” he said. Davis & Shirtliff recently installed a water treatment plant at L’Oréal’s East Africa factory on Mombasa Road in a move to meet the company’s carbon and water footprint targets, designed to contribute to Kenya’s transition to a low carbon economy.

“The water treatment plant, which was installed between September and October 2015, is designed to allow for future expansion driven by the need to address water challenges,” said Mr Alec Davis, CEO, Davis& Shirtliff.

Davis reiterated the need for companies to invest in installing water treatment solutions noting that it is good for business.

“Water Treatment solutions ensure that industrial equipment is protected from harmful elements that could damage it and also ensures that industrial processes are provided with water that meets their standards for productions,” he said.

The partnership aims at reducing overall water use by recycling process water while ensuring the water used for production meets the manufacturing parameters for L’Oréal products. L’Oréal East Africa’s Environment Health Safety and Engineering Manager John Wachira said the initiative has been driven

by L’Oréal’s new sustainability commitment for 2020 to sustainable development and to sharing beauty with all. enock_x254

Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said in an earlier address that the conference will be “an opportunity to move beyond business as usual and forge a strong global partnership to accelerate the implementation of the global development agenda”.

Kenya offered to host the UNCTAD

XIV, including the World Investment Forum and the civil society events, in Nairobi in July 2016 at a monthly consultation meeting between the President of the Trade and Development Board, Ambassador Alberto Pedro D’Alotto, and UNCTAD member States on 17 November 2015.

The offer was unanimously endorsed by the member States. Preparations for the upcoming event have already begun. Industry, Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed said that the country will be ready to host the week-long conference.

The affair, which will be held in Nairobi between July 17 and July 22, will bring together Heads of

State, ministers and other players to discuss global trade and economic development.

“We have officially kicked off preparations for The 14th UNCTAD which will be held in Nairobi. We want to assure Kenyans that we will be ready to accommodate the seven thousand expected visitors comfortably,” Mohamed confirmed.

“We are also working to remove barriers that make investors shy away from investing in the country.

Barriers include high interest rates for both local, foreign investors and lack of adequate information on where to invest in and high cost of manufacturing locally among other challenges,” he added.

Dennis_x254

8

BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Chinese airlines to ban unruly passengers after Nairobi entry Air China, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines, Spring Air and China Southern Airlines have said they will share the details of unruly passengers and ban them just months after the latter launched flights to Nairobi.

China is forecast to become the world’s biggest passenger market by 2034 but long delays have accompanied growth, prompting some passengers to take matters into their own hands. BBC reports.

“We have come up with our own list already. It includes those who beat up our staff, refuse to get on the plane or block the exit,” said Zhang Wuan, Spring Air’s marketing chief.

China Southern Airlines launched flights to Nairobi early last year in a move that sparked competition for Kenya’s flagship carrier Kenya Airways, which launched flights to Guangzhou in 2013.

The Chinese airline flies the Guangzhou-Nairobi route three times a week.

Going forward, the five Chinese airlines are set to blacklist unruly passengers amid increasing rowdy behaviour as the country’s air travel market grows.

Last year, authorities in Thailand detained about 30 Chinese tourists who vented their frustration after their flight was delayed for more than 10 hours by singing the Chinese national anthem and refusing to board the aircraft.

In July, operations were suspended at an airport in eastern China after a man set fire to curtains and newspapers in the first class cabin of a plane.

In 2014, an Air Asia flight to Nanjing was forced to return to Bangkok when a passenger hurled scalding noodles over a flight attendant after being told she could not sit next to the people she was travelling with. The China National Tourism Administration said the incident had “badly damaged the overall image of the Chinese people”.

Kenya-Netherlands agreement to boost agriculture sector Kenya’s agriculture sector is set to increase its output with the country’s planned collaboration with the Netherlands’ government.

The sector, which currently contributes 15 per cent to the country’s GDP, will partner with the Netherlands as opposed to forming a donorrecipient agreement.

The two economies, which have enjoyed mutual beneficial cooperation in the past, have resolved to move away from aid development and focus on trade.

“As the Dutch embassy, we have taken a decision that the country, as a lower middle income country, is not best served by handouts; we feel that our relationship with Kenyans should be more mature to move from being a donor recipient to a trading partner,” said MelleLeenstra, Food and Security Development Adviser, Netherlands Embassy.

“We are trying to improve Kenya’s horticulture sector in three thematic areas. We want to help with food safety through correct use of pesticides, reduction of post-harvest losses and also help small to medium farmers to gain access to markets,” he said.

Leenstra said the Dutch spend about €5 million annually in the Kenya’s agriculture sector and hoped that through this investment the two economies would build sustained relations and create deeper impact, adding that the two countries were combining trade and development to ensure interests of both parties are met.

Kiringai Kamau, adviser to Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, said the movement from aid to trade meant stopping development support through concessions and rather doing inter-

trade between the two countries.

“The Dutch government has been supporting the Kenyan government through aid; they want to move that to ensure it supports the country through trade. Dutch enterprises will be supported and facilitated by their country,” he said, adding that the Kenyan government was committed to making sure that doing business in Kenya is smooth.

Kenya’s central location in East Africa has been attractive to Dutch investors over time. In 2011 the volume of trade (total imports and exports) between Kenya and the Netherlands was more than €852 million, up from €700 million in 2010. Important Dutch export products are services, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment and engines while major imports from Kenya are horticultural products, flowers, tobacco and raw materials.

The Netherlands is the third export market for Kenya.

Dutch private investment in horticulture has led to the emergence of a large competitive horticultural industry (flowers and vegetable production) which contributes to more than 14 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In recent years, there is growing Dutch investment outside the traditional horticultural sector, e.g., renewable energy, water and sanitation, infrastructure, logistics, ICT, and financial services.

Stefan Engels, Team Leader at Hortimpact, said partners within the agricultural sector were doing their part. He therefore called on the government to create an enabling environment. “The government can do a lot in creating an environment that allows easy investment and business,” he said.

Kevin_x254

Kenya’s central location in East Africa has been attractive to Dutch investors over time. In 2011 the volume of trade (total imports and exports) between Kenya and the Netherlands was more than €852 million, up from €700 million in 2010.

Zika stink forces carmaker Tata to change new vehicle’s name Indian car maker Tata Motors has said it will rename its forthcoming Zica hatchback after the similarly-named Zika virus sparked a global health emergency.

The firm said that “as a socially responsible company”, it had decided to rebrand the vehicle.

The car will go on show at a motor show in Delhi on Wednesday under its old name, but Tata will announce a new name after a few weeks.

The Zika virus has now reached more than 20 countries and territories.

The World Health Organisation declared on Monday that it posed an international health emergency requiring a united

response.

The infection has been linked to cases of microcephaly, in which babies are born with underdeveloped brains.

Currently, there is no vaccine or medication to stop Zika. The only way to avoid catching it is to avoid getting bitten by the Aedes mosquitoes that transmit the infection.

Tata intended to name its vehicle Zica, short for Zippy Car, but has now decided that the name is too close to that of the virus.

Until now, Tata Motors has been best known for its budget Nano cars, although it also owns the Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

ACCESS top story

FASHION SCOOP

11

Creatives to steer ‘Kura moja’ Campaign for Youthful and peaCeful eleCtions The campaig n seeks to eng age the youth to register and vote in a peaceful ma nner with the tag line ‘Your Vote Y our Choice.

l u f h t u o Of y I

Peaceful Elections

nspired by the MTV sponsored, “Rock The Vote” campaign and the recent peaceful Tanzanian elections, a peaceful campaign dubbed #KuraMoja led by creatives to encourage Kenyan youth to get registered to vote, ahead of 2017 elections, is on the go. #KuraMoja will plug into community based projects, meet with community leaders and similar organizations, with an aim to encourage creative exploration of universal themes relevant to youth and first time voter registration/youth voter turnout.

The #KuraMoja Campaign will kick off in unique and adventurous style—in the East African Soul Train (E.A.S.T.).

Setting off on February 5th from the Rift Valley Railways, this train will be ‘moving through space & time’. The E.A.S.T will see off its passengers on their creative adventure to Mombasa, continuing on to Kilifi for a creative round table to review the creative projects initiated on the train.

The campaign seeks to engage the youth in voting and voting in a peaceful manner with the tagline ‘Your Vote Your Choice’.

In order to fulfill their mission, the campaign spearheaded by what’s Good Studios will host 18 session of creative dialogue. The dialogue are seeking to host issue based dialogues to try and dislodge a mind sent based on political rhetoric that is less useful. To engage the youth and public’s interest in a better nation, #KuraMoja Campaign will additionally utilise creative platforms to highlight

a variety of topics like education, employment, housing, transportation, health, human rights, wildlife and environmental conservation that affect the youth in their day to day lives. E.A.S.T. Collective co-founder Geraldin Hepp will be working in collaboration with the Creatives Garage and other artists to explore on artists’ expression and what East Africa’s creative sector looking in and outside into other regions and globally.

A variety of creative spaces co-hosted by the creative hubs of Nairobi around Kenya will act as #KuraMoja hubs.

From artists to musicians, poets, writers, radio hosts, fashion designers, fashion collaborators and more; activities at these hubs will include DJs, art projects and live performances. Entry and access to this will be free because #KuraMoja encourages youth to meet and get mentorship from key players in African arts and culture scene and Kenya’s entertainment industry.

Among the locations will be the Ihub where technology will be discussed, at the Goethe institute where Governance will take center stage and Yummy’s garden where food security will be tackled. Apart from the locations, a peace campaign on a creative train will see artistes interact with creatives in order to foster a strengthened message. @duncan_x254 @kevin_x254

10

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Green tea is known to boost metabolic performance that means more calories burnt and hence more weiGht shed

HEALTH &FITNESS

BenefiTs of dRinking gReen Tea

W

WORKOUT

hether for weight loss or simply keeping fit, many swear by green tea that is mainly praised for its anti oxidant properties. Here are the top common benefits of adding green tea to your daily fluid intake: General health Many of the bioactive compounds in green tea find their way into the green tea end product because of shortened refining period.

The most important of these compounds are polyphenols which lessen the amounts of free

What not to eat if you want a six pack

radicals in the body, attributed to cell damage and a myriad other diseases.

WeiGht loSS Green tea is known to boost metabolic performance that means more calories burnt and hence more weight shed. reduCinG riSk of CanCer One of the pre disposing factors of cancer is uncontrolled cell growth which green tea can help keep in check thanks to its numerous antioxidant properties.

HOME IMPROVEMENT Tiles made out of travertine usually have tiny openings on their surface

ResToRing The sheen on

TRaveRTine Tiles

T

oday, many homeowners and construction stylists prefer having travertine tiles on kitchen as well as bathroom floors and surfaces. This is mainly because travertine is a naturally coarse material, and tiles made of travertine reduce the risk of accidents that result from slipping on wet surfaces. Here is how to revamp the look of travertine tiles: Sealing Tiles made out of travertine usually have tiny openings on their surface (due to the porosity of travertine) and therefore offer space for dust, water and other particles to settle and accumulate over time. This dirt

spaces?

Refined grains

In other words avoid anything that is ‘white’ such as white bread, white cereals and white pastries. Substitute these with whole meal grains that are packed with fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Red and processed meat

Apart from posing numerous adverse health effects, red and processed meats have extra calories from fat deposits within the meat.

Soda, regular or sugar free

The process of manufacturing soft drinks involves a lot of ingredients which are not important to your body and which are eventually converted and stored as fats.

When thirsty, opt for pure water or healthy tea.

can be tedious to remove once it has gathered in the small pores on the tiles. The best way to prevent this is by purchasing travertine tiles that have been modified to be impenetrable.

These types of travertine tiles have all the small holes on the surface jammed mostly with synthetic material, leaving no room for dirt accumulation. Sealing also simplifies the cleaning process since one does not have to struggle to reach inside the small pores on the tiles.

Cover the tiles If you do not have time for daily cleaning, you can cover the tiles

TuRning a dooR maT inTo a Wall hanging

I

f you have an old doormat that doesn’t look so good on the doorstep anymore, you can easily revamp and recycle it into a wall hanging. All you need apart from the doormat is stencil and a cutting item such as a razorblade or scissors.

Begin by laying out the mat on a flat surface then place the custom made stencil on top. Using your marker pen, outline the patterns on the stencil then revamp the mat by either painting or cutting out along the patterns.

Easy and convenient.

with a carpet to prevent dirt from reaching the tile surface. The carpet will trap dust and water, effectively protecting the tiles.

Remember that the carpet needs to be cleaned regularly too, or else the trapped dirt will penetrate the carpet and reach the tiles.

Contract an expert cleaner Specialized cleaning services should be obtained once in a while for maximized maintenance of your tiles.

The expert cleaners have equipment and cleansers that may not be easily available in stores, and these will contribute to a better preservation of your travertine tiles.

11

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY OCTOBER 28, 3, 2016 2015

FASHIONScoop

SPRING 2016 tReNdS

Go Bold in Off-theShoulder Styles.

A Boxy Jacket Plays with Proportion and Oozes Attitude

Toughen Up in an Ultramodern Moto-Inspired Coat.

When Mixing Prints and Colors, Embrace the Eclectic.

Tiered Tonal Ruffles Offer a Cool Romanticism.

THE NEW SHAPES OF SPRING 2016 T

he evolution of fashion has hit spring designs, and with daytime dresses and lace-up flats calling, we’re left with a bit of a dilemma: to wear them and freeze or to leave them be and wait for the sun to show up.

The answer? Neither. If our favorite street style stars have shown us anything, it’s that where there’s a will — and a bit of creative dressing — there’s a way. Here is how you can start wearing all your seasonal favorites now. Take that, weird transitional weather.

From clean lines in luxe fabrics, to evening ensembles with a sporty twist... @kevin_x254

Yemi Alade Shooting Video With Sauti Sol The Nigerian Afro Pop singer Yemi Alade is in Nairobi currently shooting a video with Sauti Sol. Alade who came into the lime light after shooting the Peak Talent Sho in 2009 is scheduled to complete their shoot mid this week and later fly out of the country.

The video is set to be unleashed later this year.

blinky

HOT TOPICS

Blinky no politics please

yemi alade

Blinky Bill of Just a Band is not a fan of politics. Blinky revealed his displeasure with politics due to the nature of Kenyan politicians and their

mixed ideologies.

Blinky was was expressing himself during the launch of Kura Moja campaign set to be rolled out nationwide soon.

Timmy T Dat Timmy T Dat who just recently unleashed a new single Usinikazie, is married to music.

Timmy speaking to access noted that he needs to build his career before venturing into marriage because marriage require extra commitment.

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WEATHERFORECAST WEATHERFORECAST

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 Perhaps a check you’ve beenperiod expecting hasn’t on time, or going maybethrough the bank haschanges. made a This is quite a transformative for you, andarrived your body may be many computer regarding youran account.

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AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 A could temporary setback regardaround to youryou career feeling a bit Whether disoriented now,it It feel like a warwith is raging and might all youhave wantyou is for it to stop. youright realize Aquarius. of some might and be involved.

Yourdo own determination, or not, youModern do haveequipment a part to play in thiskind situation you certainly have the power toefficiency, affect the and practical abilities should it taken care of in actions no time.and step up to the plate. outcome of this quarrel.

Takehave responsibility for your PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 Be prepared!

Some equipment with which work might suddenly go out of order it could There is a powerful force that seems to beyou working against you today, Pisces, butand realize thattake you a while getpower it fixed. temporary separation from aUse romantic partnertocould also be disappointing. do havetothe to Aproduce a positive outcome. this conflict find balance in an unstable You may and havetry a not lot of formuch whichwith youyour havesuperiors. little immediate outlet. Take a long walk. situation tophysical rock theenergy boat too ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 Dreams meditation mayurge havetobrought spiritualmanner, insights and revelations youa You mayorfeel a sudden act outupinsome a physical you shouldfordoyou, it, and but in may have promptly forgotten them uponand coming of your dream meditative constructive way. Get out of the house take out a walk or jog by aorlake or river. state.

Open This yourcould mind provethe very frustrating you! Try writing them down even ifon you onlylife. remember snatches. from cage it’s beenforsitting in and get some perspective your

TUESday WEDNESDAY 26/1/2016 3/2/2016

SUNNy SUNNY

MoRE MoRESUN SUNTHaN THANcloUdS CLoUDS

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26 25

26ºc 25ºC 48% 45%

WEdNESday THURSDAY 27/1/2016 4/2/2016

6:40 6:41aM AM 6:50pM 6:51pM

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Fill in blanks withwith the the Fillthe in the blanks numbers 1-9.1-9. every row,row, column numbers every andcolumn 3x3 boxand must contain all 3x3 box must ninecontain digits with no repeated all nine digits with no number. repeated number.

Yesterday’s Solution Yesterday’s Solution

TAURUS Apr TAURUS Apr 20 20 -- May May 20 20 It hasn’t, Taurus; it’s just delayed.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much youit can do but Equipment You’ve got a tremendous amount of power at your disposal, so use wisely.

Youwait. can accomplish you use on theand job make could go out of whack today, necessitating calling a repairman.

This could a great deal extremely positive transformations in yourinlife.

Your physical vitalityset is your work back and make you a bit Try toactive. find something else to do! especially strongsome and your sex life may beantsy. especially GEMINI May GEMINI May 21 21 -- Jun Jun 21 21 Todaymind you’re likely to bethis feeling especially sexy, and desirous of a romantic encounter, Your is bouncing way and that aspassionate, if you’re watching a ball in a tennis match. Things may Gemini.

You might even have hot could date scheduled.

However, don’t be bandwagon. surprised if itLook has before to be be changing rapidly around you.aYou feel like it’s time to jump on the postponed for reasons beyond the control of either you or your partner. you leap, and go with the flow.

CANCER Jun CANCER Jun 22 22 -- Jul Jul 21 21 She could have other on news could comethat’s as a causing shock to them you. Atocrisis on the jobyour mightpoint make Realize that yousome can draw thethat same energy act and state of it necessary for you or your partner spend most of athe today from home andtofamily. view for the record.

Sometimes it’s to necessary to be bittime rough andaway outspoken in order bring This could frustrating, if you have to cancel your plans. Hang in there! peace and be balance to an particularly unstable situation.

LEO Jul LEO Jul 2323- Aug Aug 22 22 Overwork nerve could have you Leo, feeling a little under the weather it might Today is aand great daystrain for transformation, and yourbitactions have deepertoday, than and usual inner be a good Be idea for you to take some rest. If you at least try today. to takePeople things meaning. careful where you aim time youralone arrow,tobecause thecan’t tip ofdoit that, has extra sting easy. Some unexpected in your community have your tongues wagging. might be rubbing you thechanges wrong way, making you feelmight like you’re a potneighbors’ of water on a hot plate.

VIRGO Aug VIRGO Aug 23-Sep 23-Sep 21 21 A creative project kind may require largerthe expenditure of money, other resources Open yourself upoftosome the world, Virgo, andashow people around youtime, that or you have a great than deal you originally thought, and this could have youYou’ll wondering if you’ll ablelife to continue with it.

It might take more to offer than you’ve been revealing. find that yourbedaily will improve tremendously a little corner cutting on your part, Virgo, but you should be able to complete it as planned. when you communicate your needs.

LIBRA Sep LIBRA Sep 23 23 -- Oct Oct 22 22 You might have visitors, Libra, or and evenwhat’s a hot wrong, date scheduled for tonight, but by mid-afternoon you Ultimately, you know what’s right so don’t compromise yourself or your sense of might be feeling too open tired to through withonit and wondering if you should cancel.

Have to coffee and pride.

Keep an eye to go what is going in your circle, but don’t feel like you need chime in snacks at home instead of going out, and get the snacks from the store! with a certain course of action that doesn’t ring true with your inner self.

SCORPIO Oct SCORPIO Oct 23 23 -- Nov Nov 21 21 Deliveries youupmay be expecting beindelayed or today, held up.

Today You’re you might learn something Pick yourself by your bootstrapscould and go for the kill Scorpio. in a terrific position to shocking about a neighbor or relative, and gossip might Any spread rapidly through your community. make some strong and lasting impressions on others. sortvery of group work is especially favored.

This could have you reeling even though it might be exaggerated.

There’s a powerful boost behind your actions, so be careful where you aim your weapons.

SAGITTARIUS Nov SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 23 -- Dec Dec 21 21 Someemotional good but nature surprising a group which youSagittarius, may be affiliated could come Your maynews seemabout revved up for with action today, although it could beyour that way don’t today,know Sagittarius.

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PLAY

13

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

CROSSWORD Across 1. July’s birthstone 5. A biblical name for God 10. “See you later!”

14. “The Black ____” (Disney sci-fi film) 15. White of “Wheel” fame 16. Nautical call 17. Relatives of ostriches 18. Cremate 20. On one’s ____ (alert) 21. Gibbon species 22. Orbs 23. Alpine lass 25. Sweetie, in Swindon 26. “There was no other option...”

28. Epitomized 33. Part of DJIA 34. ____ Haute, Indiana 36. Red Sea peninsula 37. Meander 39. Province 41. List of actors 42. Stomach contents 44. 652, once 46. North African hat 47. Snow hazard 49. ___ public 51. They, in French 52. Reacts to yeast 53. ____ Fitzgerald 57. Serb. neighbor

58. 1954 sci-fi classic 61. Rebel 63. Greasy 64. Pretzel topper 65. Washer cycle 66. Baseball’s Hideo ___ 67. Sharp image producer 68. Nobelist Arafat 69. Stuck-up sort Down 1. Subj. for Aristotle 2. Man of Milan 3. Elvis beach film 4. Replied affirmatively 5. Bad guy 6. The Pineapple Island 7. Augmentation (abbr.)

8. Singer DiFranco 9. Disconnect 10. Poi ingredient 11. Moby Dick mariner 12. Carry along 13. Enthusiastic votes 19. Tupelo’s favorite son 24. Cousin on “The Addams Family” 25. Geologist Sir Charles 26. “That’s where ___ the line!”

27. Bootleg liquor 28. Stretch 29. Fan ___ (lit. genre) 30. Somehow 31. Softener

32. Airheaded 35. John Updike’s “Rabbit ___” 38. Denver clock setting (abbr.)

40. Prime ____ 43. Look after 45. Apple’s mobile platform 48. Uproar 50. “Grand” range 52. Martini & ___ 53. Angle 54. Oodle 55. Mare’s offspring 56. “As seen ___ !”

57. Outlaws 59. Googly-eyed Muppet 60. “Butt out!”

62. ___ Fail (Irish coronation stone)

Yesterday’s answers

YOURSAY Do not withdraw from ICC, propose robust reforms It is disturbing that African countries have mulled to collectively withdraw from the Rome statute, the underlying treaty that establishes the International Criminal Court (ICC).

With that kind of a debate, hard and fundamental questions are provoked: why did they sign the treaty? Have we achieved our intended goals? Must all countries withdraw collectively?

Agreeably, the Hague-based court has its own defects and questionable practices both in its conduct and independence of its organs, but its drawbacks cannot supersede the heap of challenges facing our own judicial systems.

There have been valid arguments that the ICC has not been even-handed enough in application of justice and the fact that there is no chance that individuals from powerful member states which fund the body, especially in Europe, can face trial at the court.

Further, the fact that important players on the international scene such as the US, Russia, India and China are not signatories to the Rome Statute is unimaginable considering it leaves a large proportion of the global population uncovered by the court.

Coming back home, Deputy President William Ruto and his co accused Joshua Sang are still fighting a spirited battle to get off the jaws of

the court. According to the two accused, they have no case to answer because their cases are built on lies and propaganda.

African leaders, who do not respect the rule of law and want to cling on to power at the behest of their own selfish interest, are in the forefront to pursue this agenda of withdrawing from the Rome statute.

Giving the example of the 2007/08 postelection violence in Kenya, tribal clashes that have hit South Sudan, unending war in DR Congo and the humanitarian crisis in Burundi, it is an indisputable fact that Africans disproportionately bear the brunt of crimes perpetrated by their leaders, including mass murder and displacement.

Noting the above, the solution is not for African states to pull out of the ICC, but rather for them to press for internal changes to make it better.

The leaders should ask themselves a fundamental question; what would happen in the case of a ruthless dictator noting our compromised security and judicial systems?

Africa should not bolt out but rather advocate prudent internal reforms to make its application of justice more even-handed and its prosecutorial team more efficient and effective.

— Nderitu, Donholm

Attack on Uber taxi operators anti-growth Kenyans must stand up against anarchy. A new cool taxi service in town dubbed ‘Uber’ is under threat by cartels in the taxi business.

The mobile trip request service allows taxi owners to leverage on technology to extend their reach but the old-fashioned taxi operators who have been overcharging

and inconveniencing us want to hear none of it. The old taxi operators are now attacking ‘uber’ and ‘easy taxi’ (also a mobile taxi booking front) taxi drivers smashing their vehicles and manhandling their passengers.

These barbaric acts must be condemned in the strongest way possible and the hooligans

masquerading as ‘taxi operators’ brought to book.

The ‘uber’ taxi operators are increasingly fearing for their lives, but one thing remains; we must embrace technology to achieve Vision 2030 and competition is healthy and must be given a chance!

— Juliet Olago – South B

Kenyans have no faith Tunoi investigation team Who are these Judicial Service Commission and from which planet are they to probe Justice Philip Tunoi over the alleged Sh200 million bribery saga? Are these not the very judges and magistrates whose ‘election to the Judicial Service Commission had been compromised’ according to Chief Justice Willy Mutunga? The accusations and counter-accusation are a clear indication that our court system is doing badly. Tunoi has accused

Mutunga of the mess in the Judiciary, saying he has failed to control succession wars in the legal arm of the government while Mutunga on the other extreme, accuses the Judiciary, of which he is the head, of high level of corruption, yet he expects Kenyans to accept the outcome of the Tunoi’s probe. Nonsense.

It’s even surprising to hear Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale accusing Mutunga and his Supreme Court

hirelings of graft, forgetting that the National Assembly has implicated in various scandals. Even the legitimacy of the government is under scrutiny, Jubilee is a government born out of the Supreme Court verdict in 2013. Duale should know that if Jubilee government, which is but a by-product of faulty and corrupt Supreme Court’ decision, is corrupt, it would be naïve at this points to talk of corruption.

— Phabian Jr-Orobi

Is dictatorship the way to realise development?

More than 50 years under democratic government and we are still struggling with the issues our forefathers were fighting.

Almost no country has transitioned to a developed country in Africa.

Japan was able to carry out the Meiji Restoration because a strong central government was able to force the reforms through against the will of everyone.

Singapore was able to develop into a major financial centre from an underdeveloped country ruled by organised crime because it is a de facto single party state under the

PAP that can implement changes without worrying about public opinion.

South Korea and Taiwan both progressed because of authoritarian leaders focused on development.

China and Vietnam are both rapidly developing a middle class because of their authoritarian, interventionist governments that can promote growth regardless of popular support.

If Kenya can develop through dictatorship, then we will be the happier for it.

Conversely, I cannot think of any country that has transitioned from the Third

Send your letters to news@254.co| Letters will be edited for summary and clarity

to the First World under democracy.

Democracies like India and Pakistan are still undeveloped.

Can anyone show me evidence that democracies are not less successful at development than dictatorships or that the authoritarianism and decisiveness of dictatorships is not necessary for a country to develop?

For how long will we say that we are a democratic nation, yet we still depend on foreign support? Is democracy the solution to our future?

— Kibet Bernard, Nairobi

14

SPORT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

SPORTS BRIEFS Lagat to hang spikes after summer games

Kenyan-born US national Bernard Lagat will hang up his spikes after close to two decade of a successful career on the track.

His career which can be traced back to 1998 while running in the America Collegiate games include thirteen medals in World Championships and Olympics including five gold medals. “After the summer of 2016, I don’t plan to retire, but my track career will be over completely,” said Lagat.

“I have to be honest to myself; I’ll be nearly 42 by then so I’ll be very happy to run,” he said. Lagata, 41 who holds Kenya record in 1500m outdoors (the second best 1500 m of all time) before acquiring American Passport in 2005 has also taken part in 15 global championships over the past 16 years. He has taken 13 medals from those championships, five of them gold, but he is not yet finished. “I want to compete in Portland at my last World Indoors,” said Lagat.

Look into ‘mechanical doping’, UCI warned

Britain’s two-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome said he warned authorities about ‘mechanical doping’ and wants more stringent bike checks. The bicycle ridden by teenager Femke van den Driessche in Saturday’s cyclo-cross World Championships was allegedly found to contain a hidden motor. The Belgian said she “would not cheat”. Froome said: “It’s a concern I’ve had, something I brought up with the UCI. It would be my advice that the UCI starts checking bikes more regularly.” UCI president Brian Cookson said it was “absolutely clear” there had been a “technological fraud” during Saturday’s under-23 race and Froome believes the governing body is “taking the threat seriously”. The Briton, who is preparing for the Herald Sun Tour in Victoria, made his physiological data public in December in an attempt to quash speculation about his performances.

“Knowing that I have nothing to hide, I went and did the tests and made the data public and I’m happy how that went,” he added.

League kick-off could be delayed as team file suit SportsPesa Premier League may not kick off on February 13 as planned after FKF-PL side Ligi Ndogo sought court order seeking the delay until ‘abandoned’ lower-tier league matches are ‘completed’.

The first ball that will signal the start of the 2016 Kenya’s top tier League now lies with Sports Disputes Tribunal which is expected to give direction next week on the same.

Ligi Ndogo want the Tribunal to order the replay of the remaining three matches of the FKF-PL matches.

This follows the confusion that rose after some clubs abided by the decision by the governing council to postpone matches before FKF gave walk-over against those teams that did not honour their fixtures.

Ligi Ndogo, which ‘finished’ 12th after the ‘end of the season’ in the second tier FKF-PL had moved to court challenging the decision by

FKF to go against the resolution passed by the clubs during the governing council meeting that also okayed the postponement of the matches.

Ken Ochieng, who is the owner, director, CEO and coach of Zoo Kericho argued in his submission during the full hearing of the case that his club was robbed of a chance to move to the top-tier league as a result of FKF decision.

Zoo Kericho finished third despite “boycotting” the three fixtures and Ochieng argues that the club stands a higher chance of finishing “even top and get promoted if we can complete the fixtures.”

“There was a binding MoU by all clubs to honour the decision of the Governing Council stopping the league, but Posta Rangers went against that decision when they turned around and played their league matches. This was a decision of conmanship,” argued Ochieng, who will benefit greatly should the Tribunal orders for the

completion of the league which was stopped with three matches to go.

Zoo Kericho will greatly benefit from ruling and may get promoted to the SportsPesa Premier League, but will have to collect all the available 12 points and pray that any or both the top two teams, Posta Rangers and Kakamega Homeboys drop a point.

Ken Ombati appearing for FKF and Posts Rangers argued in his submission that the Governing Council has no powers to suspend the league further arguing that it’s only his client (FKF), which is mandated by Fifa to run all football activities in Kenya.

“They (Council) have no power at all, real or imaginary. The said Governing Council is a product of FKF whose decision is binding,” submitted Ombati.

“My son cannot report against me,” added Ombati with a thump in the chest.

Ezekiel Munywa, appearing for

Home Boys argued that “there is no sufficient time” for clubs to go back and complete the FKF-PL. “As we speak, the 2016 KPL fixtures are out and if this court rules in favour of the plaintiff we will find ourselves behind schedule because these fixtures are prepared with the International calendar in mind and even that of other leagues, but more importantly the National team,” But Ochieng argued that with only three rounds of matches left to be played, “it will require only three weeks to complete the fixtures.”

“I want the court to give direction on whether a decision of the highest organ (The Governing Council) was followed and if not then stop the commencement of the KPL league until the completion of the FKF-PL,» added Ochieng.

This, now leaves the commencement of the KPL league in limbo. @elvince_x254

Kenya’s Lioness ranked second best in Africa Kenya Lionesses are ranked second in Africa and 30th in the world in the inaugural world women’s ranking released

by International Rugby early in the week.

South Africa is the highest ranked African country, slotting in at 12th while Uganda are ranked 39th in the world and third in Africa. Meanwhile, United States International University –Africa (USI-A) will host the first round of the 2016 Kenya Rugby Union’s Women’s League will go on this weekend, Sunday, February 7 A total of six teams will be in action, led by defending champions Mwamba, KCB, Kenya Harlequin, Top Fry Nakuru, USIU and Blak Blad. The league will then take a two week break before resuming February 21 at the RFUEA Grounds.

The further rounds is set for March at the Railway Club while Kenyatta University and Nakuru Athletics Club will the other round between on March 20 and 27 respectively.

Defending champion Gor Mahia new players when they were unveiled at the club’s office at Nyayo National Stadium yesterday. The league kick-off slated for February 6 could be delayed due to a case filed before the Sports Dispute Tribunal seeking to delay the kick-off

CAVB yet to adopt World games qualification process Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) is yet to settle on the model to be used to select teams for 2018 World Championship after the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) gave them a go-ahead to decide preferred method.

FIVB Sports Events Council gave each continent to choose which model of qualification to go with, but CAVB is yet to make a decision whether to hold

fresh qualifiers or use the Africa Nations Championship which will be held a year before.

The world games will take place in Japan (women) and Italy and Bulgaria (men) respectively.

“Each Continental Confederation will be responsible for their own qualification process and the Confederations will inform the FIVB on their agreed system by April 1, 2016,” read a communique from FIVB.

The qualifiers will be played between May 15 next year and October 15, 2017.

The drawing of lots for the World games will take place by December 2017 using the FIVB World Ranking as of September 30, 2017.

World champions USA (women) and Poland (men) are automatically qualified and are joined by the host counties Japan (women) and Italy and Bulgaria (men) in not having to participate

in the qualification process.

A proposal for the competition formula will be made to the FIVB Board of Administration meeting in April however the Sports Events Council did confirm the whether they will use the same formula for men and women’s competition Kenya women lost in the final to Tunisia last year at Kasarani while the men’s were knocked out at the group stages in the games held in Egypt.

SPORT 15 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

We’ll not back down on Ingwe deal: Sportpesa Sportpesa betting firm could be the biggest beneficiary of the confusion in AFC Leopards Sponsorship deal after Sports Dispute Tribunal dismissed another deal by rival firm Betway.

The tribunal nullified the January 27 deal between Mathew Opwora-led factions with Betway after it emerges that the other faction led by Dan Mule had signed another deal with SportPesa on January 26.

The two factions are part of the AFC Leopards Interim Management Committee (IMC) that was appointed last December by the same tribunal to among other things collectively source for sponsorship.

But they secretly negotiated the two sponsorship without the knowledge of the chief arbitrator, John Ohaga who is also the chairman of the Tribunal technically making the two deals null

and void.

Ohaga directed the two potential sponsors for a round table renegotiation with the aim of pick the best deal between them.

But according to impeccable sources at Sportpesa which is understood to have given the best offer of Sh30m annually with an increment of 10 per cent every year for the next five year is not ready to share sponsorship with their direct rivals.

A close source familiar with the ongoing at the biggest local sports betting company who spoke to X-News on condition of anonymity said it “will take more than words to convince us to drop or even accept other terms.” The Betway deal is understood to be Sh30 million for the next three years.

“It is clear that the IMC failed to agree and for that reason it is the directive

of the tribunal that there is no binding contract between AFC Leopard and any other corporate entity,” ruled Ohaga.

“We will invite the potential sponsors back on the negotiation table to try and convince them to agree failure to which the tribunal will sit down and decide on the best deal for the club,” he added.

It has since emerged that the two betting firms that are scrambling for the Kenyan market also signed a similar deal with Gor Mahia.

Betway, who claims to have penned a deal with K’Ogalo, has threatened to move to court after Gor announced yesterday that they have entered into a marriage with Sportpesa. The deal which is understood to be in a region of Sh250 million for the next five years is expected to be unveiled next week. @elvince_x254

AFC Leopard leadership wrangles now threaten to scuttle a new sponsorship deal that could have ended the clubs unending financial woes. Warring faction have signed sponsorship deal with betting firms Sportpesa and Betway leading to more chaos.

Neymar faces Tax Fraud charges ANOTHER Barcelona player has been charged with Tax fraud.

Prosecutors in Brazil are recommending the persecution of Neymar over four counts of fraud in relation to a tax case prior to his transfer to Barcelona in 2013.

Neymar adds to the ever growing list of Barcelona players including Leonel Messi and Javier Mascherano who have both been charged with tax evasion.

It is alleged that companies were set up as fronts for the striker to pay a lower rate of tax. Officials in Brazil say the allegations against the Barcelona striker cover a seven-year period from 2006.

The allegations are separate from a case heard in Spain on Tuesday.

Neymar appeared in Madrid court

in connection with fraud allegations surrounding his transfer. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The case in Brazil relates to the time when Neymar was still in Brazil and his income came from Brazilian sources.

Government prosecutors, who are recommending his prosecution on four charges of fraud, claim that companies were set up as fronts, and money that should have been taxed at the rate of a private individual was channelled into these companies and subjected to a lower rate.

The prosecutors are reported by the AFP news agency to have also framed fraud charges against Neymar’s father Neymar da Silva Santos, Barcelona

President Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell.

Barcelona said it paid Sh6.3 billion for Neymar in 2013, but investigators say the fee was closer to more than Sh10 billion and the club concealed part of the deal.

Neymar spent an hour and a half before a Spanish judge on Tuesday.

The Spanish case was brought by Brazilian third-party investment fund DIS, which owned 40 per cent of the Brazilian player’s sports rights.

DIS alleges it was financially harmed by the transfer when it received Sh7.6 billion of Santos’s Sh1.9 billion fee and argues it was deprived of its full share.

wednesday, february 3, 2016 | www.x254.co

Neymar faces brazil tax fraud iNvestigatioNs

p15

Manchester United players (left) celebrate Martial’s goal against Stoke last night. RIGHT, Leicester City duo of Riyad Marez and Jamie Vardy celebrate the latter’s second goal against Liverpool.

PHOTOS/EPA

Leicester surges on

Jamie Vardy scored twice to maintain Leicester City’s stay atop the Premier League table on a night that saw title challengers Arsenal drop points.

The Premier League top scorer opened the scoring with a brilliant 25-yard strike that could as well be the goal of the season.

He connected with Riyad Mahrez’s long ball and beat Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who had moved ahead of his line.

The striker then doubled his side’s advantage when he turned home Shinji Okazaki’s deflected shot from close range to help Leicester

overcome Jurgen Klopp’s side and take his own goal tally to 18.

Manchester City responded to news of manager Manuel Pellegrini’s summer departure with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light while Arsenal were held to a barren draw by Southampton.

Pellegrini, who will be replaced by Pep Guardiola, saw Sergio Aguero gather a deflected cross to coolly finish with the outside of his foot.

Sunderland rallied, debutant Lamine Kone heading wide and Billy Jones hit the post just before the break. Jones forced a Joe Hart

save late on as City - sluggish on the night - held on.

In Norwich, Harry Kane scored twice to help Tottenham keep up the chase at the top with an easy 3-0 win over the Canaries.

The win moved them to third place above Arsenal on goal difference.

Both teams have 45 points. Dele Alli tapped in inside the first two minutes after Christian Eriksen’s low shot had been blocked.

Kane then stroked in the second from the spot after Alli, who came off with an illness at half-time, was fouled in trying to follow up Kane’s saved shot.

He then fired his second of the night from 15 yards after Eriksen had dispossessed Martin Olsson.

Norwich could find themselves in the bottom three on Wednesday if Newcastle defeat Everton.

Manchester United kept in contention for a top-four finish and gave manager Louis van Gaal a rare night of relaxation as Stoke City were outclassed at Old Trafford. Van Gaal and his players were jeered after defeat by Southampton in their previous home game - but it was a sharp contrast last night as United won at a canter.

Jesse Lingard headed in Cameron

Borthwick-Jackson’s cross after 14 minutes to end a shocking sequence of 11 matches without a first-half goal at home stretching over a period of eight hours 40 minutes. Martial scored the goal his performance merited with a fine curled finish shortly after before setting up the third for Wayne Rooney from close range eight minutes after the break to give United a deserving three goals and three points even though they never moved a place up in the standing.

@elvince_x254

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