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TUESday, MARCH 1, 2016 | www.x254.co

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half of Nairobi’s waste goes uncollected

governor evans kidero admits the daily collection of refuse is still low despite a slight improvement over the last twelve months

NEWS

leicester manager ranieri tips rivals spurs to lift premier league title

three candidates to battle it out for kenya rugby union’s top job

IEBC pleads for security after voter listing chaos T

he Independent Boundaries and Electoral Commission (IEBC) has appealed to the police to protect its staff carrying out voter registration following clashes that rocked parts of Nairobi yesterday.

One person was seriously injured in Kariobangi North of Embakasi North Constituency when rival groups

fought over a voter registration centre.

One group according to police wanted the centre to be moved to a different location while the other one insisted that it had to remain at Kariobangi Social Hall.

According to Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome, the groups clashed at a meeting that had been called by IEBC officials to address their grievances.

The polls body now says it has launched investigations against people suspected to have caused the violence.

IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba has asked the police to protect its staff over the rising incidents of insecurity.

He expressed concern that the clashes could put the whole exercise of voter registration at risk.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

1,976 new GSU recruits graduate

My life is in danger, Waiguru cries out

President Uhuru Kenyatta salutes when he inspected a guard of honour during the passing out parade for some 1,976 police recruits who have completed nine months of training at the General Service Unit (GSU) Training School in Embakasi, Nairobi today.

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Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has sought protection from the police saying she is fearing for her life.

In a letter to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, Ms Waiguru said statements such as those made by Leader of the Majority in National Assembly Aden Duale against her have put her life in danger.

According to the former minister, accusations levelled against her by some politicians that she is trying to divide the Jubilee coalition have put her physical wellbeing at risk.

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NEWS

IEBC pleads for security as chaos rock city voter listing TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

From Page 1

“The Commission condemns this violence which is endangering the safety of IEBC staff and equipment and putting the entire exercise at risk. We call on the police to act expeditiously and guarantee the security of our staff and protect potential voters from intimidation,” Chiloba said in a statement.

He said IEBC staff carrying out voter registration in Starehe, Mathare, Embakasi North and Ruaraka constituencies have been targeted by incumbent political leaders and aspirants mobilising voters and their supporters to register.

In the scuffles in Kariobangi North, the rival groups also accused each other of ferrying people from other regions to register as voters in the area.

Ruaraka Member of Parliament TJ Kajwang’ while condemning the incident said it’s wrong for people to be paid and transferred in a particular area.

“While it’s not wrong for voters to transfer their registration areas, it’s wrong to actually pay and transport voters from one part of the country to another

An IEBC official takes the biometric data of a voter in the ongoing voter registration exercise. The poll agency has asked police to protect its staff following reports of chaos at some registration centers in Nairobi.

area. That’s unconstitutional,” Kajwang’ said.

Chiloba said the commission is investigating the incidence and will take stern action against perpetrators of violence or any form of interference with the voter registration exercise.

He said the Elections Act allows those who wish to transfer their registration to an electoral area other than the one they are registered to do so.

“The Constitution and Elections Act, 2011, section 5(3) allows a

Kenyan citizen who has attained the age of 18 years and has a valid national identity card or passport to apply and be registered as a voter. The registration is not conditional upon any factors such as place of birth, business or residence. Besides registration of new voters, the mass voter registration is also allowing voters who wish to change their polling stations to do so, as provided in law,” Chiloba said.

However, he said the change can only be done 90 days before an

election and those transferring must physically present to fill the transfer form at the new electoral area they intend to vote.

“Section 7 (1) of the Elections Act allows voters who wish to transfer their registration to an electoral area other than the one they registered. However, voters can only do so ninety days before an election, and must physically fill the transfer form at the new electoral area they intend to vote,” he added. sam_x254

My life is in danger, Waiguru cries out to police From Page 1

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has sought protection from the police saying she is fearing for her life.

In a letter to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet, Ms Waiguru said statements such as those made by Leader of the Majority in National Assembly Aden Duale against her have put her

life in danger.

According to the former minister, accusations levelled against her by some politicians that she is trying to divide the Jubilee coalition have put her physical well-being at risk.

The, “veiled threats,” the politicians have made against her, Waiguru has told Boinnet, followed the publicisation of an affidavit in which

she implicated Deputy President William Ruto’s allies in the theft of Sh791 million from the National Youth Service.

“Upon the issuance of my affidavit, I have received threats including from Duale in which he promised to go on sabbatical ‘to go after Anne Waiguru,” she states in the letter.

It is statements such as this, Waiguru continues

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru walks to Integrity Centre for questioning last week. She has said her life in now in danger following her affidavit in court.

to state, that have made her worried that she may not be accorded due process and that, “trumped up charges,” may be preferred against her in connection with the NYS scam.

Duale has gone on record as saying Waiguru belongs in the Kamiti Maximum Prison after she accused him of trying to cover up fraudulent IFMIS transactions at the NYS. Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen whom she says visited her office in an attempt to block investigations into fraud at the NYS, has also told her to, “carry your own cross.”

Her affidavit also implicates the Deputy President’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet whom she states held over 180 phone conversations with NYS scam suspect Ben Gethi with, “some lasting for hours.”

Waiguru swore her affidavit in response to one sworn against her

by another NYS suspect, Josephine Kabura.

Kabura has accused Waiguru of being the brains behind fraud at the NYS and not a whistleblower as alleged.

“Harakhe talked of plans to issue new road contracts but pointed out that CS Waiguru and Hassan Noor had issued out food and small equipment under restricted tendering and high prices alongside authorising expensive consultancies, a situation that led to money running out,” Kabura states in her affidavit.

In a letter dated February 4, EACC CEO Halakhe Waqo told State House Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua that they had cleared Waiguru of any wrongdoing.

But the said letter, EACC Chairman Philip Kinisu later stated, was in relation to four inquiries different from that of Sh791 million theft.

MORE ON THIS STORY www.capitalfm.co.ke

Kidero calls for new tactics as Nairobi chokes in waste

Up to 1000 metric tons of waste in Nairobi goes uncollected every day, Governor Evans Kidero has admitted.

While addressing a stakeholder seminar on solid waste management in the city at Panafric Hotel today, Dr Kidero said just between 1200 -1400 metric tons of solid waste is collected daily within Nairobi against a generation of 2400 metric tons.

“Our statistics have shown that that daily waste generation stands at about 2400 metric tonnes with a current collection and transportation of between 1200-1400 tons per day,” he told the gathering.

“Aware of the fact that these levels of performance are still paltry and cannot guarantee Nairobians a safe and secure environment as enshrined in our constitution, my government is in the process of putting in place bold mechanisms to address solid waste management chain,” he added.

Although the efforts are nowhere near enough, it is a paltry improvement compared to 12 months ago when the average daily collection stood at about 700-900 metric tons a day.

Kidero’s admission came just a few months after his government had confessed that collecting garbage and disposing it had become a big challenge.

He reiterated that heaps of uncollected garbage in most parts of Nairobi was a result of a drastic increase in the population thus generating more waste.

“By 2030, Nairobi’s population is projected to reach 5.94 million people while the solid waste generation will have hit 3,990 tons per day. The overwhelming statistics would call for innovations in management of the waste,” he noted.

Kidero called on stakeholders to come up with a comprehensive infrastructure that supports the reduction, re-use and recycling of wastes.

“A robust and flexible waste management system for Nairobi cannot be achieved without embracing integrated waste management approach that maximizes the use of resources and technologies, and consideration of all dimensions through the chain,” he said.

The county government has been announcing that they would engage a private developer to put up a waste management plant in Dandora.

This is after the Dandora dumpsite filled up. Plans to have the dumpsite relocated to a new site in Ruai has been put on hold by numerous court injunctions.

The experts warned that the proposed new site would affect the aviation industry since birds attracted to the dumpsite may hinder planes flying to and from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. hillary_x254

NE WS 3 NEWS tuESday, MaRCH 1, 2016

Yellow boxes back in CBD intersections

City Hall has announced the re-introduction of yellow boxes at various junctions in a move Governor Evans Kidero says will help ease traffic in the Central Business District. The yellow box junctions will be placed at intersections notoriously congested such as the intersection on Kenyatta Avenue, Mama Ngina Street, Wabera Street, City Hall way and other crossed junctions. Kidero urged drivers to observe the new rules, warning that those who enter the yellow box intersections illegally will be arrested and prosecuted for obstruction by the county Traffic Marshals.

Rains to start next week: Weatherman

Most parts of the country will start experiencing rainfall from next week, the weatherman has said.

Western and Central regions will start receiving long rains from next week until June while the Eastern parts of the country will experience depressed rainfall in March until May, it added. Director of Meteorological Department James Kongoti, however, said most parts of the Eastern region is generally expected to remain dry this month and will only start receiving rainfall from next month.

“The distribution of March to May long rain both in time and space is likely to be generally poor over most parts of the country. This will be more so over the eastern sector and in particular the arid and Semi-arid lands,” he said.

Kongoti warned that during the heavy rainfall expected from next week, diseases such as cholera may emerge and health authorities have been put on alert to be on the lookout and equip hospitals with necessary drugs to

‘No imminent threat’ at Kenya airports: KAA Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has denied reports of an imminent al-Shabaab militants planned attack on Kenyan airports.

KAA acting managing director Yatich Kangugo said there is no credible information of an imminent threat against local airports after a leaked memo warned of possible suicide attacks by al-Shabaab militants.

He said the leaked memo contained unverified information and was prematurely released. The document warned that airports in Nairobi and Mombasa were among those being targeted by Somali militants.

“In respect to this particular information, my office has acted. Unfortunately, the information was released prematurely without due verification by the threat assessment experts from the National Aviation Security Committee and other security agencies,” he said adding that disciplinary action would be taken against the person responsible for the leak.

Kangugo said security officers at the airports are always alert and allayed fears that an attack could be staged at the important installations “KAA is aware of the prevailing global terrorism threat by among others, al-Shabaab,” he said, adding that they will not hesitate to act against any intelligence reports however frivolous they are. Only a week ago, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet put his officers on red alert over al-Shabaab threats in the country. @peter_x254

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deal with such situations.

Flash floods are also likely to occur especially in Western, the Coastal strip and some parts of Central Kenya.

Kongoti said this may lead to transport problems and warned motorists and pedestrians to take care. Municipalities located in Western, Central and Coastal regions where good rainfall is expected have been advised to open up drainage systems early enough so as to avoid water accumulation due to surface run off that leads to flash flooding.

“Lightning strikes may still occur in Western especially in Kisii and Kakamega Counties.

Isolated cases of flooding in places like Bundalang’i and Kano areas of Western as well as landslides in susceptible areas of Rift Valley are also likely to occur,” added Kongoti.

He urged the National Disaster Operations Centre to be on standby in order to mitigate any negative impacts that may arise. @sam_x254

STAY DRY: From next week , most parts of the country will start experiencing rainfall from next week, the weatherman has said.

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NEWS TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

New app to see through eye impairments

Patients suffering from eye impairments can now access eye examination easily and affordably through their smartphones.

The smartphone app dubbed ‘Portable Eye Examination Kit’ (PEEK) will also empower eye health practitioners to diagnose eye diseases and provide specialized treatment.

The new kit will facilitate screening and treating various eye impairments such as acuity, retinal imaging and colour vision which are the most common eye challenges in the country.

Speaking during the launch of the app yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu, termed the innovation a “milestone in the health sector in the country that will help address significant health sight challenges,” adding that more than 80 per cent of visual impairments are avoidable with low cost effective interventions.

Mailu said that the kit will play a pivotal role in bridging the glaring gaps in the infrastructure, workforce and equipment required to deliver quality sight preservation and restoration.

“PEEK will bridge the huge gap in our equipment and workforce in addressing eyesight health care provision in the country,” said Dr. Mailu. The technology will be

Government to train 400 ICT graduates

EYE APP: Dr Hillary Rono with Francis Musymi illustrates how to screen eye sight related problems using a new mobile application during its launch at Kilimani Primary School in Nairobi yesterday.

deployed in different phases in the next three years targeting areas that are worst hit especially in vast North Eastern region.

“The programme will kick start in counties that have recorded high number of patients with eyesight challenges such as Wajir,

The government has kicked off the recruitment of fresh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) graduate trainees, who will go through intense training to manage ICT systems in state agencies and ministries. About 400 graduates of ICT-related courses will undergo one-year specialised training under the second phase of the Presidential Digi-Talent Programme run by the ICT Authority of Kenya (ICTA).

ICTA acting chief executive Robert Mugo in statement said the internship programme is aimed at offering successful participants an opportunity to understand the government, its organisation and government services to the citizens. “The Presidential

Garrissa and Mandera,” he added.

Health researcher and ophthalmologist Dr. Hillary Rono said 90 per cent of eye impairments recorded in the country are associated with poor living conditions.

“Blindness and other major visual

Digital Talent Programme is in line with the country’s Vision 2030, the Jubilee Manifesto and the National ICT Master Plan developed by the ICT Authority to offer an opportunity for all trainees to understand government operations,” said Mugo.

The programme includes training in software, soft skills, mentoring and placement in a private or public sector firm. The training came after an internal audit on government systems last year showed massive cybersecurity issues as well as lack of skilled labour to adopt to the fast growing ICT sector.

ICT Authority strategic and technical adviser Matunda Nyanchama said a considerable number of the graduates, who will be accorded on-the-job

impairments problems are mostly recorded in low income areas where the challenge becomes a consequence and a factor leading to poverty,” he said.

Dr Bastawrous, who is a Clinical Lecturer and ophthalmologist at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) said the kit was a boost to many eye care practitioners around the globe as it will enable increase their expertise.

“Eye care workers in hospitals and charities worldwide and one of the greatest challenges they face is getting expertise and diagnostic tools to remote locations we hope Peek will support their efforts to alleviate unnecessary sight loss,” said Bastawrous.

PEEK consists of smartphone apps and an adapter, which can be used by health workers anywhere in the world to test eyes easily and affordably in the community.

From the beginning, Peek was designed in collaboration with healthcare workers in Kenya and the United Kingdom (UK) to ensure that it works where it’s needed, not just in a lab.

Experts term it as easy to use and integrates into existing systems, complementing the amazing work that is already happening, not replacing it. @wilson_x254

training, stand the chance of being engaged in government departments to help enhance service provision. The programme targets recent university IT graduates who have attained first Class or second Class upper second division degree and have been out of school for less than two years.

Trainees are expected to come up with innovations meant to enhance public ICT offerings and improve service delivery during the training. The programme also requires the trainees to interact with experienced mentors for career guidance. The training will build technical capacity for the government and enrich the country’s public IT systems. The authority has so far trained 100 graduates, who are

now awaiting graduation from the Kenya School of Government and a presidential award and certificate before joining the government as management trainees.

President Uhuru Kenyatta in February last year gave a directive to begin intense training for graduates in ICT. Interested applicants who meet the criteria should apply through www. digitalent.go.ke. The applications opened on February 28 and will close on March 14. According to Presidential Digital Talent chairman Wambugu Muchemi and also a partner at PwC, the programme will constitute a stipend for the students, laptop and a mentor. @wilson_x254

Top stories from X News global partners Inside Clinton Team’s inflation Isis kills eight Dutch Plan to Defeat Trump On its second day, Syria’s Eurozone negative: Prices across members for ‘desertion’: in November: In the days ceasefire is looking turns the eurozone fell back into deflation in wobbly: The day after a proposed The Islamic State has killed eight Dutch members whom it accused of trying to desert, activists have said. “Daesh [Isis] executed eight Dutch fighters on Friday in Maadan, Raqqa province, after accusing them of attempting desertion and mutiny,” said Abu Mohammad, a member of the citizen journalist group Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), via Twitter on Monday. RBSS has been documenting the group’s abuses in its de facto capital in northern Syria since April 2014. The Twitter group said tension between 75 Dutch jihadis – some of them of Moroccan origin – and Isis intelligence operatives from Iraq hadreached a new height over the past month.

www.theguardian.com

after Donald J. Trump vanquished his Republican rivals in South Carolina and Nevada, prominent Democrats supporting Hillary Clinton arranged a series of meetings and conference calls to tackle a question many never thought they would ask: How do we defeat Mr. Trump in a general election? Several Democrats argued that Mrs. Clinton, should she be her party’s nominee, would easily beat Mr. Trump. They were confident that his incendiary remarks about immigrants, women and Muslims would make him unacceptable to many Americans. They had faith that the growing electoral power of black, Hispanic and female voters would deliver a Clinton landslide. www.nytimes.com

“cessation of hostilities” came into effect at midnight on the night of February 26th, relative calm prevailed over most of Syria. On Saturday Aleppo, of late the most ferocious battleground as the regime and its allies have sought to clear out the rebels, was eerily quiet. A day later, however, the truce is looking more wobbly, amid accusations of violations.

Russia, whose foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, hammered out the deal with John Kerry, the American secretary of state, on February 22nd, grounded its aircraft as agreed on February 27th. But it resumed air strikes on February 28th. www.economist.com

February, an unwelcome development that analysts say will all but ensure further monetary stimulus from the European Central Bank next week.

Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistics bureau, said on Monday that prices fell by 0.2 per cent in the year to February, marking the first negative figure for prices since September.

Economists had expected a flat reading, following inflation of 0.3 per cent in the year to January, but the decline in energy costs weighed more than expected. Most of the drop was down to the renewed slide in the price of oil, which has fallen more than 40 per cent over the past 12 months. www.ft.com

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NEWS 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

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BUSINESS TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

French police clash with migrants Clashes broke out as demolition teams dismantled huts in part of a migrant camp known as the Jungle in the French port of Calais.

Riot police fired tear gas after migrants began throwing boulders inside the camp. At least 12 shacks were set ablaze, reports say.

The demolition teams appeared to leave inhabited huts intact as they move through the camp’s southern sector.

The government plans to relocate migrants to reception centres.

Those living in the camp, mainly from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa, hope to cross the

Channel, often using people traffickers to try to enter illegally.

They fear the changes mean they will be forced to give their fingerprints and claim asylum in France, dashing their dreams of reaching the UK. The authorities believe some 1,000 migrants will be affected by the eviction plan while aid agencies say the number of people living there is much higher.

Clashes continued on Monday evening as groups of migrants fanned out across scrubland towards the motorway heading to the port of Calais, reports the BBC’s

Anna Holligan at the camp.

French media say about 150 people, some wielding iron bars, climbed onto the road to block vehicles.

Riot police pushed them back into the camp. Earlier water cannon were also used to extinguish a fire in the shacks at the camp.

About 100 homes were dismantled on Monday, with demolition teams expected to return the next morning, our correspondent says.

At least four people, including activists from the UK-based No Borders group, were arrested during the unrest, police say.

Earlier Good Chance, a theatre

group which works in the camp, said police were preventing volunteers from entering the camp.

“No volunteers access,” it said in a tweet. “People removed from houses. Police blocking entry. This is what they call a ‘soft demolition’.”

French officials say public areas in the camp such as places of worship or schools will not be affected and describe the clearance as a “humanitarian operation”.

Conditions in the southern sector are squalid and the camp’s sprawling presence has become a controversial issue in both France and the UK.

Officials say migrants can either move into converted containers in the northern sector of the camp, where there is room for 1,500 people, move to similar accommodation centres elsewhere in France or claim asylum in France.

But many residents are reluctant to leave the Calais area.

Afghan migrant Hayat Sirat told AP news agency: “Going to Britain... is what people here want. So destroying part of the jungle is not the solution.”

Zika virus now linked to paralysis syndrome New research gives the first evidence that Zika virus might cause a severe neurological disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The study was carried out using blood samples from 42 patients who became ill in a previous outbreak.

The Lancet authors say they developed the neurological problems around six days after Zika infection.

Leading scientists described the study as “compelling”.

Zika was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in early February.

The virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, has caused alarm in central and south America because of its suspected links to under-developed brains in babies - a condition called microcephaly.

But experts have also questioned whether Zika might be linked to another medical condition as well.

Guillain-Barré syndrome leads to muscle weakness and, in severe cases, breathing

problems requiring intensive care.

It is a rare response to infection, which sees the immune system attacking peripheral nerves.

Researchers analysed the blood of patients who developed the disorder during a Zika outbreak in French Polynesia in the Pacific two years ago.

From this work, they predict there could be one case of Guillain-Barré among every 4,000 people falling ill with Zika. The lead author Professor Arnaud Fontanet, from the Institut Pasteur in Paris, said: “These patients tended to deteriorate more rapidly than we usually see with Guillain-Barré.

“But once they were over the acute phase of the illness, their recovery tended to be better.”

None of the 42 patients died but some still needed help walking, several months after they became ill.

The researchers say countries with Zika should prepare for extra cases of the nerve disorder.

Buhari orders probe as hundreds are killed in Nigeria clashes Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into communal clashes, which have left hundreds dead in central Benue state. Mr Buhari expressed “deep shock” at the past week’s violence between herdsmen from the Fulani ethnic group and local farmers, an official statement said.

Several thousand people have been displaced, according to local media.

Benue has a history of violent attacks and reprisals between semi-nomadic herdsmen

and farmers. The clashes are often linked to cattle raiding.

Mr Buhari called for unity among Nigerians, saying: “There should not be any reason why Nigerians of any group or tongue cannot now reside with one another.”

Different groups of Fulani militants killed a total of more than 1,200 people in 2014, meaning that if taken together they would be the world’s fourth deadliest militant group, according to the most recent Global Terrorism Index.

xnews | Tuesday, MARCH 1, 2016 | www.x254.co

BUSINESS

Reprieve for consumers as cost of living improves It was a reprieve for consumers in February as the country’s rate of inflation fell to 6.84 per cent going below government’s initial estimate of 7.5 per cent.

February’s rate is the lowest since October last year, when it stood at 6.72 per cent, the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has said.

In its latest report, KNBS revealed that between January and February 2016, the average cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks decreased by 0.43 per cent. This resulted from notable decreases in prices of key food items which slightly outweighed the increases.

Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics index continued to remain higher than in the same month of 2015 mainly due to higher Excise Duty levied on beer, cigarettes and other products within the division as from December 2015.

“Over the same review period, Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels’ Index, decreased by 1.81 per cent,” the bureau said.

The main contributors to the decline were decreases in prices of kerosene and cooking gas.

However, electricity costs remained the same as in January

The latest report by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics revealed that between January and February 2016, the average cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks decreased by 0.43 per cent.

2016.

During the review period, the Transport Index decreased by 1.62 per cent in February 2016 compared to the previous month mainly due to reduced costs of petrol and diesel.

The statistics office reports that these numbers were generated using data collected during the second and third weeks of the

Ruaka tipped as Nairobi’s best real estate destination

A research has named Ruaka, which is located in the outskirts of Nairobi, as the most lucrative investment destination in the region. The research further indicates that house prices and rental rates have increased at an annual rate of 6.8 and 15.5 per cent respectively over the last six months. Investors who own apartments in Ruaka town will have an annual return of 22.1 per cent, according to the new research by Cytonn Investments.

According to the report, a three-bedroom apartment has the highest price appreciation at 17.9 per cent compared to 14.7 per cent and 15.7 per cent for one and two-bedroom apartments respectively.

“Two-bedroom apartments have the highest yields at 5.45 percent as compared to 1 and 2 bedroomed apartments at 4.6 percent and 5.2 percent respectively. They are thus the best option for investors seeking to let their property in the area,” the report states. Onebedroom apartments have the highest price per square metre at Sh93,090 as compared to two and three bedroom apartments at Sh91, 307 and Sh84, 214 respectively.

Ruaka Town has the highest uptake of housing units among Nairobi’s Satellite towns according to the report. The research indicates that Ruaka’s uptake is at 93 per cent compared to an average of 73 per cent for the other satellite towns. Demand for housing has led to an increase in land and property prices in areas around Nairobi Metropolitan Region.

“Land in Ruaka is priced at Sh100 million per acre and this is relatively expensive in comparison to other satellite towns such as Ngong, Athi River and Ruiru. Prime land with frontage to tarmac road is scarce in the town resulting to an increase in linear developments along Limuru road towards Ndenderu,” the report states. Ruaka’s population is a mix of both local middle income earners as well as foreign residents.

Kevin_x254

month under review. The prices were obtained from selected retail outlets in 25 data collection zones located in Nairobi and 13 other urban centres.

In terms of national average retail prices, the cost of 1kg of Irish potatoes has risen from Sh46 in 2015 to Sh72 this year. Meanwhile a kg of onions has risen from Sh95 in 2015 to Sh136 this year.

Though the prices of produce – including carrots and tomatoes – has fallen over the past one month, the cost of many perishable goods is roughly 30 per cent higher now than in 2015. The government has already unveiled plans to stem inflation as consumers are forced to adjust their budgets and control their spending.

Dennis_x254

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

MEAN 101.6971 141.5575 111.4753 6.3568 32.9705 21.5051

BUY SELL 101.5972 101.7971 141.3961 141.7189 111.3506 111.6000 6.3485 6.3652 32.8890 33.0521 21.4348 21.5754

State urged to support income alleviate poverty ahead of forum

The World Bank has urged the government to support the group’s goals to end extreme poverty by 2030 and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable manner.

The global lender, which today officially launched its annual ‘World Bank Group Fragility, Conflict and Violence Forum 2016’, has urged policy makers, stakeholders and governments in developing countries such as Kenya to spur development.

This year’s event, which will run until March 3, will see more than 100 partners and 600 participants gather together over three days to focus on one of the toughest challenges of the past few years.

The forum seeks to push forward the sustainable development agenda at a time when the globe is affected by fragility, conflict and violence.

“We are greatly encouraged by the strong commitment of the broad spectrum of partners involved in organizing the event – governments, aid agencies, civil society, private sector, and research institutions among others – for this is a challenge that no single organization can solve on its own,” said report from the World Bank Group.

“At the World Bank Group, addressing this challenge is essential to achieving our twin goals, to end extreme poverty by 2030 and promote shared prosperity in a sustainable manner,” the group added.

Dennis_x254

Fintech in pact with Broadridge to boost efficiency in cash transaction

Fintech Limited has partnered with Broadridge, a leading global financial solutions provider, to offer transaction data reconciliation services.

Dubbed; Proactive Reconciliation, the solution automates reconciliation from multiple data silos to drive operational efficiency across a broad spectrum of business areas.

The service offers a multi-asset solution for cash, securities, derivatives, finance, insurance and reference data reconciliation to enable firms gain a consolidated, unified view across all types of transactions.

It also monitors, validates, enriches and matches transaction data from the earliest point in the trade cycle to final settlement.

Fintech Group’s General Manager Tony Mbugua said that the partnership was timely especially with the increased demand for solutions that offer operational efficiency and better risk management for the rising online transaction volumes.

“Fintech seeks to offer solutions that leverage technology to achieve operational excellence hence with this partnership, our clients will be able to

make the correct risk management and operational decisions,” he said.

With this solution, Fintech clients will experience continual growth through the provision of an enterprise reconciliation platform that increases the efficiency and effectiveness of reconciliation processes across the organisation. In addition, they will benefit from improved match rates and central access points across different types of transactions.

Broadridge’s Director of Business Development in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Jerome Z. Hoffman said

more firms are seeking centralised reconciliation services to manage the transactional data held in different silos which can potentially cause settlement losses, trading errors and reputational damage.

“With the increase in regulatory pressures, financial services firms are recognising the value of deploying enterprise reconciliation solutions to enhance transparency and operational control while enabling significant improvements in risk management and cost efficiency,” he concluded. enock_x254

With the increase in regulatory pressures, financial services firms are recognising the value of deploying enterprise reconciliation solutions to enhance transparency.

8

BUSINESS

Overpopulation blamed for lack of jobs TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

Overpopulation is driving up the rate of unemployment among Kenyan youth, a new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed.

In 2009, roughly 14 per cent of young Kenyans under the age of 25 were unemployed. Recent World Bank statistics now confirm that the unemployment rate has since risen to 17 per cent as of 2015.

According to IMF data, unemployment in developing countries such as Kenya stems from rapid population growth, increasing longevity of an aging population and urbanisation, which brings the benefits of large markets for both labour and goods and services, but also the pressures of environment degradation. It has emerged that Kenya’s older population has little incentive to

retire, causing white collar workers to retain their positions for decades thereby leaving no room for younger generations.

This is due in part to limited and inefficient retirement policies.

According to Harvard professor David Bloom, whose works have been published by the IMF, none of these problems are insurmountable.

“But they will require, among other things, reforms of retirement policy, global immigration policies, better techniques for dealing with population growth, and further improvements in child survival and treatment of chronic disease,” says the report.

IMF economists Benedict Clements, Kamil Dybczak, and Mauricio Soto argue that unless preventive steps are taken, spending on retirement and health

care as a percent of GDP could rise to unmanageable levels by the middle of the century or even sooner.

The economists argue that increasing the role of women in the workforce could offset some of the problems of aging and declining populations. They explain how Africa, where the population is still growing, could reap economic benefits if it manages its growing working population.

Economists Mikael Juselius, of the Bank of Finland, and Előd Takáts, of the Bank for International Settlements, find that the greater the share of young and old in the population, the higher the rate of inflation. They argue that the growing proportion of older individuals will boost inflation by 3 percentage points within 40 years.

Dennis_x254

Dow Agro Sciences moves to make country’s flower sector blossom Flower farmers in Kenya are set to benefit from a new insecticide that promises to kill three of the most harmful flower pests in the country while elevating the horticulture sector to new heights.

Dubbed ‘Closer 240SC’, the new insecticide was introduced into the market

by Dow Agro Sciences during a conference that saw regulators in the flower sector convene in Naivasha to discuss the challenges currently facing the industry.

The three pests, common in flowers have been cited by horticulture industry stakeholders as a potential cause of losses to both flower farmers and the economy, if found in consignments normally imported to the EU countries.

Small holder farmers have lauded the introduction of the new drug citing it as a key development to driving the horticulture sector.

The launch comes following the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) report, identified the need for regulators and development partners to support small scale flower growers to enhance their export capability.

KFC’s Chief Executive Officer, Jane Ngige termed this support as “expected to creditably demonstrate commitment for responsible production of flowers in Kenya”.

For Kenya to enhance horticulture sector’s productivity and sustainability, there need

to have thorough research and development, use of technology and innovation The forum also cited poor pest control mechanics, the accumulation and delay in paying VAT refunds, fluctuation of foreign currencies and the high cost of doing business in Kenya as more key challenges in the sector. Furthermore, climate change, with the rains being experienced more frequently recently, has also led to low production. Closer 240SC has already been introduced in markets abroad and locally piloted, with farmers terming it as a ‘promising’ product due to its affordability and efficacy.

Ms. Jane Ngige noted that the horticulture industry in Kenya is still struggling with pest pressures.

“The launch of Closer240SC is indeed timely for the industry as growers continue to struggle with pest pressures. It is gratifying to note that the new quality product is dealing with some of the difficult and stubborn pests to manage and keep our production managers awake all night,” said Ngige, adding that the product can be integrated in IPM programs which is imperative in meeting the stringent market requirements on safety, environment protection and sustainability, amongst others. After a period of rapid growth between the year 2000 and 2010, flower exports rose from 40,000 to 120,000 tonnes. enock_x254

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

ACCESS topstory

fashionscoop

11

After neArly 30 yeArs in the business And 22 yeArs After his first OscAr nOminAtiOn, leOnArdO di cApriO’s effOrts were finAlly recOgnized And the wOrld rOAred.

poor

leo

T

Leo

o many of us when we think of Leonardo Di Caprio our first inkling of him conjures up this baby faced, haplessly love struck, underdog everybody was rooting for on the Titanic. He might have died at the end of that movie but it was obvious, and not just by the sheer sentimentality of the story of the Titanic, he was going places.

After flying low on the radar and being typecast as generic pretty boy in string of roles that most of us can only vaguely recall à la 2000s The Beach, Di Caprio made a surprising and searing burst onto the scene with 2002s Gangs of New York.

In the movie he plays an Irish immigrant and criminal Amsterdam Vallon who is also seeking revenge for the murder of his father. Although most of the props went to Daniel Day-Lewis for legitimately transforming into the absolutely insane antagonist William Cutting, it had now become apparent that Leonardo was not afraid to get raw or real and could hold his own against one of the most lauded actors of our time.

It seemed that Dicaprio had finally hit his stride because what

no more

followed was a series of commercial and critical successes that elevated him to the stratospheric heights that he has reached today. 2004 brought The Aviator and his second nomination, in a biopic playing reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes. The award eventually went to Jamie Foxx in the magnum opus of his career, Ray. A couple of years later and Blood Diamond was released. Now what was so stunning about this movie was that it touched on a subject that did not receive enough attention from ‘Western’ media.

Conflict diamonds have been used to finance civil wars in African countries and have caused enough internal strife that it’s shocking this movie hadn’t been made sooner. And still he didn’t win that year either and a pattern had begun to form.

Leonardo Di Caprio would act in a monster of a movie, receive every award on the circuit; BAFTAs, Golden Globe Awards, Critics Choice Awards but Oscar gold was still not yet in his grasp. In another twist of events it seemed for almost every movie he received an Academy Award nomination for, the director of the movie or a supporting actor would win an award while he was left waiting …hoping.

sauit sol’s chimano trashes Gods of egypt Willis Chimano of Sauit Sol took to his social pages to trash the Gods Of Egypt, a film apparently that has been termed as the biggest flop to begin the year. The film spearheaded by Lions Gate is said to be doing badly on the screens. However, Chimano’s concern was that it’s too white and that having non-Africans depict African culture is not ethical at all.

y HOT TOPICS

When 2010 rolled in Inception was hard at work; it was challenging, it was complex, it was a lot of movie to swallow but it was incredibly original in the land where prequels and sequels, spinoffs and reboots are all the rage. For that he didn’t even get nominated. By this time the name Leonardo Di Caprio had become a meme. For someone who had never missed a beat for over 10 years, he had been whittled down to a punch line.

The Academy Award for Best Actor is arguably the most competitive honours to receive during Oscar night. After all, the success of an entire movie sometimes hinges on the choice of leading man which seems to be a delicate balance between intimidating and accessible. And although the Golden Age of Hollywood has long past Di Caprio seems to be one of the few actors who still, in the Information Age has been able to keep enough of himself to himself that he exudes old school elegance. He’s a true star. Whether he’s being photographed on a beach frolicking with some supermodel

AliciA

or casually, with all the grace in the world, inserting the desperate need for environmental conservation into his acceptance speech, he’s a star. So Sunday 28th 2016 will go down in history as the day when 5-time unlucky Leo bested his hard luck in style with an awe-inspiring standing ovation. The internet had no other choice but to explode because ‘Poor Leo’ wasn’t all that poor anymore and even his fellow thespians showed him a world of support; Twitter might has well have crashed when the announcement was made.

Although The Wolf of Wall Steet was one gigantic cocaine-fuelled fever dream and the decadently maniacal Calvin Candie in 2012s Django Unchained probably made a bigger impact on the audience than Hugh Glass did in The Revenant, (granted the stories of eating raw liver and sleeping in animal carcases is still undeniably impressive) at this point, it’s just great that he finally won! @duncan_x254

Morris the street boy is now in the corridors of power Morriss Mwenda the street boy whose video went viral on the internet expressing his need to have an opportunity is now interning at the Supreme Court. Morris moved social media into a tail spin of thought, including Caroline Mutoko who shared the video of the 15 year old literary begging for opportunity.

Yesterday, the boy met Chief Justice Willy Mutunga where he was given a constitution and his school fee paid to achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer.

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ART&CULTURE

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY 26th NOVEMBER 222015 2014 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER MARCH 1, 2016

aboutLove

If you’ve been In a commItted relatIonshIp for any length of tIme, you know that fIghtIng Is part of the deal. here, are ten rules that ensure your blows hIt above the belt.

THE LUHYA SONGS FOR ALL SEASONS

T

OUR ROOTS

10

he Luhya had many songs for people of all ages and both sexes for all occasions.

There were songs for young people; for girls only and for boys only. There were songs for women and others for men. The songs were further subdivided to fit specific occasions. For instance, weddings - to be sung before, during and after the wedding. There were funeral songs, circumcision songs, and songs for birth of twins.

There were also special songs for beer parties, as well as for the special dancing festival called omwimo - separate ones for men and for women.

The songs differed slightly from place to place, both in instrumentation words and lyrics.

There can be no song without instruments and here they were many and varied; there is the drum both large ingoma , and small isikuti . The latter is still a favourite in many parts of Luhya land for the lively dance it makes possible. Then there is the harp obukhana and the flute and a kind of lyre eshiriri; there is the litungu which is second only to isikuti in popularity. Then of course, the horn, and also the indongooli, among the most important musical instruments. You can never get it wrong with a Luhya song!

FiGHTiNG FAiR

F

ight early, fight often The idea is to get what’s bugging you off your chest when it first bugs you, rather than saving up hurts and slights for some giant blowup every six months or so. It’s about being clear and forthright.

Use “I” statements You’ve heard that “I” statements are the way to go: not “You always spend too much money!”, but “I get nervous about our financial situation when you spend without telling me.”

No biting The “no biting” rule doesn’t just apply to literal chomping or other forms of physical abuse. No biting means no name-calling, and no making derogatory insults about your partner’s character.

No third parties Complaining to friends and family about your partner’s slights only “muddies the issues and leaves bad feelings,” .

Focus!

If an argument comes up, “stop doing whatever else you’re doing. That means no texting, watching TV, etc. until a resolution is met. Also, try to deal solely with the issue at hand, without bringing in other problems (you can have those fights later!).

Take a break If either or both of you are getting super-heated, just say, “I need a break,” and separate for long enough to really cool down. But don’t use cooldowns to retreat completely from the fight; you have to promise to come back to it later

I need some explanation to what happened in my most recent relationship. We really hit it off and before long, we really felt like were really meant for each other. In a couple instances he mentioned a future together and though I understand that these are not promises, many times, I at least took these utterances to heart that he really loved me that much. Then my boyfriend suddenly changed.

I guess I just don’t understand how a relationship can falter SO quickly…

—Jade

Dear Jade,

Skip the silent treatment Surprise: Turning a cold shoulder accomplishes nothing. You may think you’re avoiding conflict, but you’re only making things worse, creating something else to fight about.

Agree to disagree sometimes You’ll never resolve every argument, so sometimes it’s best to give in for the sake of your relationship. The idea is to respectfully agree that there are things you’ll never see eye-to-eye on.

No blaming The aim of a fair fight is for both of you to take responsibility and work together to solve a problem.

No below-the-belt remarks In the heat of battle, it can be tempting to say the things you know will twist the knife in further. Hold your tongue.

ask dr X

MY bOYFRiENd SUddENLY CHANGEd Dear Dr X,

iN A COMMiTTEd RELATiONSHiP

There are usually unstated emotional issues that are below the surface which contribute to these kinds of fights — in fact, which make up the majority of the energy of the fight. Without really exploring with the person himself what was under the blowout, it is impossible to resolve or even figure out. When blowups first occur in a relatively new relationship — and the great honeymoon phase of love seems to end — it becomes a choice point for couples.

Fights and conflicts can eventually ruin a relationship, no matter how much love is there. Love is not enough. It’s dangerous

to keep reacting. Sooner or later, things get said or done out of anger that can never be taken back. However, there is an important opportunity when couples are suffering from conflicts, but they still have enough love to want to work things out.. All couples have about the same amount of issues to deal with. Learn some new communication tools that will support you to keep your love positive and I would suggest that you sit down together and make an agreement to learn new communication skills that will help you better resolve conflicts.

Dr X.

Send your agonising queries to adhyambo@x254.co

ARTSHOCK WALLS ANd FLOORS ART

C

ement on walls and floors are boring to look at. Be it at a reception, at home or in a hospital. Conservatively, wood paint and pictures are used to bring to life the dullness of cement. Suzan Drummen has proved that more can be done to better the visuals of a wall. She uses crystals, optical glass and precious stones on walls to bring about sparkling and intricate patterns.

Art installations that result is a dazzling array of beautiful textures and vivid colors all done by hand.

ACCESS TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

11

FASHIONscoop

@2016 Oscar awards wOrst dressed

WhAT WErE ThEy Thinking?

T

he Oscars are the crème of red carpets and although most of those who show up strut their stuff in splendid outfits, there is always a bunch of celebrities suffering serious fashion disasters and this year, Cate Blanchett led the lot with her ‘too busy’ blue dress, alongside Heidi Klum in her purpink mesh dress.

The disaster didn’t end with Heidi, check out the rest who made it to the Oscars fashion hall of shame. @mercy_x254

Whoopi Goldberg: Definitely not the girl with a Dragon tattoo.

Liz Hernandez: The bottom was all right but the top was terrible.

Cate Blanchett: the embellishments were a big no-no.

Sandy Powell: Enough with the David Bowie tributes already!

Heidi Klum: Awkward cleavage cut, weird flowers, ugly sleeve.

Amy Poehler: Is she the new Batman?

BEST Rating: Unrated Genre: Mystery and suspense Cast:Sarah Bolger, Joshua Rush, Carly Adams Runtime: 1hr 20 min

EmEliE

A

s their parents head out for a date in the city, the three young Thompson children immediately take to their new babysitter who seems like a dream come true: she’s sweet, fun, and lets them do things that break all of their parents’ Our rating: H H H

rules. But as Anna’s interactions with them take on a more sinister tone, the kids realize that their caretaker may not be who she claims to be. How can you put an end to horror after you’ve already let it in?

T

he metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. It’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together. But when rookie officer Judy Hopps arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fasttalking, scam-artist fox to solve the mystery.

zooTopiA

filmlab

Our rating: H H H Rating: PG Genre: Animation, comedy Cast: Giniffer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba Runtime: 1hr 48 min

london hAs fAllEn

T

he sequel to the worldwide smash hit “Olympus Has Fallen.” The story begins in London, where the British Prime Minister has passed away under mysterious circumstances.

His funeral is a must-attend event for leaders of the western world. How-

ever, what starts out as Rating: R the most protected event Genre: Action on earth turns into a dead- Cast: Gerald Butler, ly plot to kill the world’s Aaron Eckhart, and most powerful leaders, Morgan Freeman devastate every known Runtime: 1hr 40 landmark in the British Min capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future.

Our rating: H H H

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WEATHERFORECAST

DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 You get it in your head that this is the day for putting your house in order, and you set about singlehandedly doing it. That’s way too much cleaning and organizing for one person to do. Bribe your partner or kids, play some loud music, and all of you will finish the tasks in no time.

AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 There are places to go, people to see, and you can’t seem to get out of the house. Your responsibilities are at home now, and the situation won’t change for a while. You can, however, plan some mini-vacations without too much effort. That might be just the thing to lift your spirits.

TUESday 01/3/2016

sunny

More sun than clouds

27

26

26ºC 53%

WEDNEsday 02/3/2016

6:41 am 6:49pm

26ºC 41%

6:41am 6:49pm

THURsday

26

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

Yesterday’s Solution

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 If your head is screaming and your blood feels like molasses, you know that too much of a good thing can make you feel rotten! Much as you feel driven to get out of bed and get on with your chores, there’s no point, Pisces. You’d be better off resting. You’ll be your old self by afternoon.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 With today’s planetary configuration, you feel especially vested in making your home look its best.

Rather than scrubbing floors and dusting furniture, why not invest in a few inexpensive items that will perk the place up a bit? A few area rugs and scatter pillows could make a big difference!

Sudoku

12

TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 You can’t blame anyone but yourself for your crashing headache and queasy stomach. Try not to take your bad mood out on the family. Just ask them to close the curtains and shut the door. You will emerge in the early afternoon feeling a bit wobbly but definitely on the mend.

GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 You’ve experienced in the past how your determination to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth can cause hurt feelings. You will still be able to get your point across, with the added bonus that your audience will still be speaking to you once you’ve done so.

FIND THE KEYWORD IN RED AND SMS IT TO 22333

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 Even then, your friends are likely to walk past the sign and ask what’s for dinner. It’s one of those days. People want to congregate and they want to do it at your house. Order your favorite comfort food and enjoy the chaos!

RINGTONES: 30 KSHS PER DAY Nipe Nafasi You will receive a sms “2 download. . . ”Go to this Glory to Glory link using GPRS or WAP & download your content.

LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 You could host an impromptu social event as neighbors stop by to bring news of changes in the area. You have energy to spare right now, so you’re perfectly able to accommodate your guests.

But don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sep 21 You can expect to run a lot of errands today, Virgo, even though you would probably prefer to stay at home. You have obligations to fulfill for friends and family, and you can’t bear to let them down. Try to get everything done as quickly as possible so that you’ll still have the afternoon free for yourself.

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 Enjoy your day outdoors, but take care not to push too hard. If you strain muscles today, it could be weeks before you’re fully healed. If you pace yourself and take plenty of water breaks, then you’ll enjoy the day with no repercussions.

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 Although this is something you’ve wanted for a long time, you may hesitate to accept immediately.

Could it be because your self-confidence is rather low right now, Scorpio? Don’t let that stop you! This feeling is only temporary, while the opportunity could develop into something lasting.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 You’d be better off helping her strategize ways to earn more money. Much as you like to help the underdog, a temporary approach often does more harm than good. A quick loan won’t help your friend’s fundamental problem of compulsive spending.

Barua Muganga

KENYAN HITS! Dumbala Remix Msaidizi Fundamentals Mungu Baba Uwepo Wako Milele Dongo Dongo Ulibeba Sobei Cheiso Worship You Sambaza Defender Tosheka Kereka Ningwendete Queen Ahuirania Ti Mundu Ndirakurekie

KENRAZY Visita, Madtraxx, DNA & Jay A

GLORIA MULIRO KEN WAMARIA RUFFTONE & GSU MERCYLINAH MARION SHAKO GERALDINE ODUOR EUNICE NJERI EMMY KOSGEI BMF FT MERCY WAIREGI ALICE KAMANDE DADDY OWEN MOG DK KWENYE BEAT JOAN WAIRIMU LOISE KIM N.D GITHUKA BETTY BAYO & MR SEED SIMON

KEN4 GM4 KT4 RUFF4 LIN4 SHA4 GER4 EN4 KOS4 BMF4 KAM4 DAD4 MOG4 DK4 VAN4 LK4 GAK4 BET4 SIM4

Kinyukia Kahora

JOAN WAIRIMU

VAN4

Nanena Adonai Zawadi Sitalia Tena Bongo Lala Sitalia Tena Hatarudi Nyuma Mapenzi Solo Penzi Langu Matokeo Born Again Lingala Ya Yesu Fanya Kitendo Muziki Ni Dawa Makeke Kitanzi Miss Hizo Naona Mbali Nime Wasamehe Hakuna Silaha

Ex: HC4 to 22333

BAHATI DJ LAPOZE JEMMO & DENNO BEN GITHAE HADASSAH PAUL EMMA OMONGE MASSMASILYA LAURENT MUGISHO MR. BISCUIT SIMON KIDUM & JULIANI KIDUM NGANGALITO KIDIS GLORIA MULIRO EKO DYDDA PITSON BEN GITHAE RINGTONE JIMMY GAIT GLORIA M & WILLY P ALA C DENNO SOLOMON MUKUBWA SARAH KIARIE

TIB4 HC4 GON4 GIT4 WT4 JC4 HOB4 HOK4 JAG4 SIM4 DUM4 DUM4 LIT4 PIG4 GM4 KEB4 BOM4 GIT4 RING4 JG4 GM4 ALA4 GON4 SOL4 SK4

This is a subscription service. Cost per message is KSH30. Content Delivered daily. A Joining fee of KSH30 applies.

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PLAY 13 TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

CROSSWORD Across 1. Hospital-food quality 8. Emulate the Pied Piper 13. Winnipeg’s province 14. Slurred over, as a syllable 16. Math functions are performed on these 17. Chiquita product 18. Blazer parts 19. Comedian Henny 21. “Für ____” (Beethoven piece) 22. “I’m going out for ____” 23. Mariner rescue gp.

24. Alphabet string 25. “The shoe ___ the other foot” 26. Time for a shower 27. Closet larvae repellent 30. Resident’s suffix 31. Elysiums 33. Gymnast Cathy 35. AB followers 36. Cobra killer 40. New worker 42. Common prefix for Ocean Spray drinks 43. Never, in German 46. Basic building block

47. Boxer Max 48. Magnesium relatives 50. Lagos native 52. Sensitive 53. Applied, as house paint 54. Strong dislike 56. Bait the hook 57. Illness treated with insulin 58. Religious offshoots 59. Boxed in Down 1. Flamethrower fuel 2. Head of a bowling group 3. Dreadfully dull 4. “____ of Two Cities” 5. Male issue 6. Schedule abbr.

7. Undemanding work 8. Correct the defects in 9. Flair 10. Place a call to 11. Tracy/Hepburn comedy 12. Perseverance 13. Spy 15. What some do with a carrot?

20. The final Mrs. Charlie Chaplin 22. Fireplace residue 25. “Make ____!” (Star Trek order) 26. Baba and MacGraw

28. “This one’s ____!”

29. Hubbard of Dianetics 31. Issues 32. Act beneath one’s position 34. Brainy bunch 35. Probability 37. Sports org.

38. It may contain tear gas 39. Rower’s tool 41. Anti-poison aid 44. Agitate 45. Resounded 47. Waits 48. “The Greek” of film 49. Some dict. listngs 51. “Angle” prefix 52. Audio brand from Japan 55. Car ID

Sunday’s answers

YOURSAY Leaders perfect deceit as graft destroys nation The war on graft is far from over. Politics and name calling has taken centre stage in the new season of affidavits, those implicated allegedly have sumptuous meals with Ethics and Anti-corruption (EACC) detectives before a PR press conferences is called to tell Kenyans the number of hours the suspects have been grilled.

The corrupt publicly disown and deny having met one another turning the anti-graft war into a game of musical chairs.

Embattled former Devolution CS MS Anne Waiguru who is at the heart of NYS scandal has exposed the level of corruption in the country.

Cogently, the two sides of the ruling Jubilee coalition (TNA and URP) are up in arms against each other following claims that Leader of Majority in Parliament Aden Duale and Senator Kipchumba Murkomen were linked to the

scam.

Cord leaders are behaving like vultures waiting for Jubilee to roast ahead of the next polls.

Leaders mentioned in impropriety now hide behind tribe and political parties.

Duale (URP) with no major tribal backing, after being mentioned in Waiguru’s sworn affidavit, called a press conference at which he trashed the allegations and chose to politicise the matter.

Some legislators drawn from the TNA wing saw the deception and called on their besieged colleagues to stop politicising the matter and respond to the accusations against them as individuals.

No doubt, corruption is killing Kenya’s future. It distorts the country’s economic map, denies a quarter million youth job opportunities each year. It is largely blamed for the dip in the projected economic growth rate from

the projected 7 per cent to just 5 per cent in 2016.

Posturing on both sides of the political divide does little to unify a country in need of sound leadership. Empty rhetoric and grandstanding in the face of rampant will only tear the country further.

Investors are fleeing, unemployment is on the strut, slowing down growth and isolating the country internationally.

No wonder Kenya was recently ranked the third most corrupt country globally by audit firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC).

That is a distinction we can do without.

With elections only 18 months away and political temperatures already high, the economy will take a further dip as leaders indulge their selfish needs in pursuit of votes.

— Nderitu, Donholm

Katana should resign, join Jubilee officially Mombasa Deputy Governor Hazel Katana move to campaign for Jubilee in the Malindi by-election is the height of disloyalty. Just to remind Katana that she was nominated by ODM party courtesy of Governor Hassan Joho the same way Deputy President William Ruto was nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta to be his running mate and if you pay attention to Ruto he always promotes Jubilee. It is therefore untenable to directly or indirectly engage in Jubilee Malindi affairs before relinquishing your position. It is like giant company Nike promoting rival firm Adidas merchandise.

Apple owner Steve Jobs cannot attend Samsung

launch meetings unless they have officially struck a deal. You were nominated by ODM from 2013 – 2017. If you are unhappy in ODM and with your boss and want to join the rival camp that’s fine, its politics however you should respectfully step down/resign and join Jubilee.

ODM through the governor is your employer.

They have every right to demand loyalty from you otherwise resign and seek fresh mandate in 2017. You should be thankful to ODM and Joho simply because they gave you a job. Don’t politicise and act like you are the victim. You are not loyal to your employer thus sacking you is justifiable. — Edwin Ombati

NEWS JOB OPPORTUNITy X News, Kenya’s first and largest circulation free newspaper and Kenya’s only Cannes award winner needs brilliant, passionate, young staff to help us win more awards and achieve new firsts.

INTERN JouRNalIsTs Reporting to the various desk editors, the ideal candidate must demonstrate a passion for news and unbiased approach to its reportage.

Key responsibilities • To seek out and investigate breaking stories.

• To produce concise and accurate copy according to our house style and to strict deadlines.

• To create and upload news content to digital platforms.

• To online report or real-time blog ‘live’ stories.

• To build contacts in order to maintain a flow of news • To attend press conferences and events that generate stories • To work closely with the news team, photographers and editors; If you fit this description and you want to be part of the most innovative media house in the region, send us your application and a detailed CV to hr@x-news.co.ke with the subject INTERN Note: If you have worked at one of the old fashioned media houses, you will need to impress us that you have the capacity to shape a new tomorrow rather cling to yesteryears.

X News is an equal opportunity employer. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Send your letters to news@X254.co | Letters will be edited for summary and clarity

14

SPORT TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

SPORTS BRIEFS Five Ethiopian athletes under probed for doping

Shooter Gulraaj Singh Sehmi and colleagues during a past training.

Kenya shooting team has left the country for Thailand to take part in Rio Olympic qualifiers.

Up to nine runners from Ethiopia including five of them “top athletes”, are under investigation for doping. The country’s Anti-Doping Agency is now grappling with the hard tusks of testing the Athletes in a race against time with World Anti-Doping Agency come knocking on their door with a possible warning for a possible ban. Ethiopia’s antidoping agency general secretary Solomon Meaza was quote on the Guardian saying they are investigating the five athletes he described as high-profile after they returned “suspicious” results in doping tests. This is after IAAF requested the contacts of the unnamed four ‘suspects’ to open investigation. He says IAAF has requested contact details for the other four and the world body is investigating them.

The Ethiopian cases will be another blow to the sport following major scandals in in Russia and Kenya which has also been put under notice in the build-up to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

250 athletes to feature in Deaflympic games Kenya will field seven disciplines during the Africa Deaf Games set for April 1826 in Nairobi.The Kenya contingent of 250 athletes and 100 officials will compete in athletics, football, volleyball, basketball five-aside futsal, badminton, handball and table tennis.The country requires Sh94 million to successfully host the inaugural continental games which is projected to attract at least 16 of the 22 affiliate member countries of the Confederation of Africa Deaf Sports. Team Kenya alone need about Sh40 miilion to take part in the event.

Mali, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Libya, Swaziland, Liberia, Zambia, Gambia and host Kenya have so far confirmed their participation. The games also face the challenge of suitable venue with only Moi Sports Centre, Kasarani so far confirmed as the hosting venue though there are plans to secure other surrounding venues and Nyayo National Stadium.

IAAF to lay super-fast track ahead of 2017 WC The IAAF World Championships London 2017 will have a new super-fast track from the one used in London 2012 Games. The Olympic track is being replaced with a new, super-fast surface, laid in time for the two global events taking place at the former Olympic Stadium. The first of those, the IPC World Championships, will be held in exactly 500 days’ time, from 15-23 July 2017. The IAAF World Championships will be held from 5-13 August. ShakesDrayton, the 2013 European indoor 400m champion, Perri Shakes-Drayton and Paralympic champion Richard Whitehead who won gold in the T42 200m at the Paralympic Games, were invited to remove the final pieces of the Olympic Stadium track – including the finish line where Usain Bolt celebrated his victory in the men’s 100m final at the London Olympic Games. The new track will be laid in late spring in time for a range of events this summer including the IAAF Diamond League meeting in July.

Father, son in Thailand for Olympic shooting berth A team of three shooters left the country on Sunday for Thailand to take part in Shooting Sports Federation World Cupcum-Olympic qualifier beginning March 1.

Kenya short-bore team led by team captain Gurupreet Dhanjul, reigning Africa Champion Gulraaj Sehmi and his father Satiender Sehmi seek to surpass the Olympics qualifying points of 615 in Thailand.

Africa will only have one slot, but the Kenyan team is highly tipped to grab the opportunity in a game of precision, endurance and concentration when they compete with some of the best shooters in the world.

“This is an individual sport but it feels good to compete for the Olympic slot with my father.

I think where he has reached, he would want me to beat him than him beating me,” said Sahni who boast of five years of shooting

experience after dropping Hockey for the gun.

The Kenya delegation will be all out in the game of mirage and wind to try and qualify for the next Olympic set for August in Rio with a .22 high (5.6 mm) calibre rifle.

“It will depend on the condition we are going to face over there, but I don’t think it will challenges us at all,” a confident Gulraaj told X-Sport during his last local competition over the weekend.

Gulraj, who represented Kenya in the last Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland missed the Olympics qualification mark by a single point in the Africa Championship and is that perfect shot that he’s going for in Thailand in the 60 shot competition.

His will be boosted by presence of his father and Dhanjal, known as GD in the target line and a high calibre singe shot Rifle in

search of the Olympics squad especially after making it past the 60 shot elimination round before topping the continental competition in Cairo, Egypt late last.

The minimum qualifying point in Thailand will be 615 points. In his Africa triumph, Gulraj, a civilian, shot a massive 614 points to win the country’s first ever gold in a shooting competition.

Satiender who was a Rally Navigator before turning to the ageless sport, is the most experienced local shooter in the squad having represented Kenya in the world championship, Commonwealth Games from late 70s in both short-bore and longs.

He has also taken part in the Bisley’s competitions in the United Kingdom besides representing Kenya in the 1992celona Olympic.

Three candidates to battle it out for KRU SG post Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 16 to fill the position of Secretary General Eddie Omondi who quit over unending wrangles.

Three candidates have so far announced their intention to fill the void.

The post fell vacant after Omondi resigned from the Union in the heat if of the drama that characterised the Ngong Road-based secretariat for the better part of last year.

Former Kenya Sevens team manager Steve

Sewe, Impala Saracens Chairman Gangla Oduor and KCB’s Sadik Makii are some of the candidates who have expressed their interest in the post.

Sewe has served at the rugby secretariat for four years.

“If anyone has been named in any of these inquiry reports he should step aside with immediate effect. Innocence can’t be hidden and people should clear their names then come back for the next election,” Sewe was quoted on RagaHouse.com

Implementation of the KRU’s constitution to comply with the 2013 Sports Act is something Sewe has been championing for while urging the development of Rugby posts from Nairobi to the other parts of the country.

“Sponsorship is a process and the Rugby Union must lay good strategies as well as give the potential Sponsors confidence to come on board,” added the man with his sight on the 2019 Women’s World Cup as he looks to start with Age Grade and performances centres when elected.

Ranieri tips Spurs to win league after 55-year wait Tottenham are the English Premier League title favourites, according to Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri.

Spurs, who are two points behind leaders Leicester with 11 games remaining, have not been top since the first week of the 2009-10 season.

But ex-Chelsea boss Ranieri, whose side host West Brom tonight believes the Londoners can end their 55-year wait for a top-flight title. “Tottenham are strong in every situation,” said the Italian.

Spurs could go top with a win at West Ham tomorrow, should the Foxes slip up against West Brom.

Arsenal are three points adrift of their London rivals in third, with Manchester City another four points back in fourth, albeit with a game in hand.

Ranieri believes his side’s exploits this

season have allowed Tottenham to avoid the usual attention generated by a title challenge.

“Everyone is speaking about Leicester but nobody about Tottenham,” he said.

“Tottenham, in my opinion, are favourites. When they defend and when they attack, they know what they want.

“We are the surprise, that is fantastic, a good energy, but if we are realistic the real competitors are Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.”

Ranieri may be reluctant to speak about his side’s title hopes, but West Brom counterpart Tony Pulis is hoping the Foxes can hold off their rivals.

“The divide between the big clubs and everyone else is enormous. It would give everyone hope. You want to see the underdog do well,” he was quoted

on the BBC. “It would be a wonderful achievement. I hope they see it through.”

Pulis believes Leicester winning the title, a year after fighting relegation, would eclipse the achievements of Brian Clough with Nottingham Forest in 1978.

Clough took Forest to their first - and only domestic league title a year after winning promotion to the top flight, and later won two European Cups.

“It’ll be a little bit like Forest, with Cloughie when he took them up in the 70s. It’d be that big,” said Pulis.

“But it was different then - the divide then wasn’t as great as the divide is now between those who’ve got it and those who haven’t got it. “The Premier League wasn’t in place, so you’d most probably put this in front of that.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Nacer Chadli celebrates after scoring against Swansea during the English Premier League soccer on Sunday. Spurs came from a goal down to win 2-1. PHoTO: EPA

Norwich, Chelsea clash in midweek tie Defending champions Chelsea will resume their title defence in one of the five English Premier League matches on the card tonight.

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink has turned things around once again at Stamford Bridge after a disastrous start to the season under Jose Mourinho, remaining unbeaten domestically since taking over in late December.

But with a lot of stake at hand in their match against Norwich, the Blues manager will not welcome John Terry back for Chelsea’s clash at Carrow Road That record looked to be in severe jeopardy at the weekend as the Blues trailed Southampton with 15 minutes remaining, but they dug deep once again to turn things around at St Mary’s and snatch all three points. That was the first time Chelsea who struggled in the beginning of the season had come back

from behind to win a match this season.

Norwich is equally hungry for the first win in eight match but the Blues would want to bridge their 11 points gap with leaders Leicester City even as the top four finish seems to be out of their target.

Manchester City who has a game in hand occupies the fourth place though their next match with Liverpool tomorrow is expected to be full of drama. League leaders Leicester will be without influential midfielder N’Golo Kante when they host Wes Brom Albion tonight.

Kante, who is nursing minor hamstring problem will be replaced by Andy King while right-back Danny Simpson is available after suspension.

Chris Brunt’s knee injury is still being assessed, and will miss West Brom’s trip to Leicester. Jonny Evans could return from a hamstring injury, but James Morrison remains out with a similar issue.

This match, though will is expected to be hard for both sides, those but Leicester poses a threat to the title with only 11 matches to go. The surprise leaders are sitting pretty top with two points ahead of Tottenham and five adrift of third placed Arsenal. Spurs will be in action tomorrow and should West Brom burst the Foxes bubble, then a win for Spurs over West Ham will take them a point top. While Claudio Ranieri, Leicester manager has quashed talks that his side are title favourites, his comments that Tottenham may lift this year title are hard to believe considering that the chasing pack still have some tough fixtures coming up. Leicester were on the verge of dropping two vital points last weekend, a result which would have them knocked off the top tafter Spurswin over Swansea City on Sunday.

SPORT 15 TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

tuesday, MaRCH 1, 2016 | www.x254.Co

LECEISTER CITY BOSS CLAUDIO RANIERI TIPS TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS TO WIN EPL TITLE

p15

Obiri to win Silver after Aregawi ban

K

enya’s Hellen Obiri’s 2013 World Championship Bronze medal in the women’s 1500m will be elevated to Silver if Swedish and reigning world championship Abeba Aregawi B sample returns positive. Aregawi, who beat Obiri to the Bronze and American Jenny Simpson to Silver at the world games has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. Obiri, the world indoor and Africa champion who prior to the Bronze had tumbled twice in the final posted 4:03.86 behind the American, who will be elevated to a Gold medal. Faith Chepng’etich, who finished fifth in the night at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow will now move to fourth in the new world order. Aregawi, who won gold at the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow when she ran 4:02.67 in the 1,500-metre, has asked for her B-Sample to be taken after failing an out-of-competition test con-

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri celebrates after taking the third place in the women’s 1,500m final at the 14th IAAF World Championships at Luzhniki stadium, Moscow in 2013.

The Bronze will be elevated to Silver should Swedish Abeba Aregawi (inset) be stripped of Silver over doing.

PHOTP: EPA/SERGEI ILNITSKY

ducted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

That historic victory by Aregawi denied Simpson’s second consecutive Gold medal in the 1,500 metres at the World Championships.

There is no suggestion Aregawi’s performance in that race is under scrutiny.

“The IAAF and the Swedish Athletics Federation confirmed having received a laboratory report indicating the presence of a prohibited substance in a urine sample of the athlete Aregawi collected out-of-competition by the IAAF,” read a statement from IAAF. If Obiri wins the silver she will become the second Kenyan to have benefited from IAAF ban on a cheat after Asbel Kiprop who was awarded the Olympics Gold medal (1500m men) at the 2008 Summer Olympics after the original winner, Rashid Ramzi, tested @elvince_x254 positive for doping.

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