201603023 xnews

WEDNESday, MARCH 23, 2016 | www.x254.co

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Merge all youth fund kitties into one to stem corruption, advisory body tells state

NEWS 5

Brussels attack suspects named amid massive manhunt

Cord vows to push on with Okoa Kenya T

he opposition coalition Cord has today vowed to push on with their quest for a referendum to amend various clauses of the constitution despite the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) yesterday declaring the push collapsed after failing to attain the required number of signatures.

The coalition through the Okoa Kenya

movement had in November last year presented 1,633, 577 signatures to the electoral body for verification before the push was turned into a Bill and presented to county assemblies to approve a popular vote.

However, IEBC yesterday announced that only 891, 598 signatures of the 1,633, 577 presented to them were valid..

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Cord co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetangula at the Serena Hotel as they prepared to address journalists today. They announced that the coalition will push on with its Okoa Kenya initiative despite IEBC having declared yesterday that the bid has collapsed.

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

Cord to push on with referendum bid From Page 1 That means the push for the referendum collapsed for failing to achieve the minimum one million signatures required by law.

“Therefore, the commission wishes to declare that the Okoa kenya proposal to amend the constitution initiative has collapsed by operation of the law,” IEBC chairman Isaack Hassan announced in a statement yesterday.

But Cord through its principals Moses Wetangula and Kalonzo Musyoka have today announced that the push will proceed despite the declaration by IEBC. “We shall use legal and extra-legal, judicial and extra-judicial means to achieve out push for a referendum,” Mr Wetangula said at a press conference at the Serena Hotel today.

He criticized IEBC saying the electoral body was used by the government to sabotage the referendum push.

According to the Bungoma senator, the coalition had carried out its own signature verification before presenting them to IEBC and that there is no way such a big number could have been found to be invalid.

“We had employed young graduates to do our own pre-verification process because we are not mad to present fake signatures to IEBC. And so rejection of our signatures is a confirmation that IEBC and Jubilee are Siamese twins,” Wetangula said.

Mr Musyoka said the coalition is now looking at other optios to carry on with their push for a referendum.

“We can still go and verify the signatures with IEBC step by step.

That option is still within our means

Cord co-principal Moses Wetangula addresses the press at the Serena Hotel today during which the coalition announced it will push on with its referendum quest despite IEBC having declared the bid collapsed. Wetangula is flanked by his co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka and senator James Orengo among other leaders.

and we are looking at it,” Musyoka said.

He claimed that IEBC was under pressure from the government to reject the Okoa Kenya push.

According to Musyoka, the government feared the cost of the popular vote and the timing saying

it felt politics would have begun too early.

Mr Musyoka further criticized the poll agency for improper conduct saying it ought not to have released the verdict on Okoa Kenya through the press.

“The best way IEBC could have

released the verdict was not through the media. They should have called us to take us through step by step pointing out to us the failures,” he said.

He said IEBC did not even advertised for the positions of clerks used to

verify the signatures further casting doubt on the credibility of the process.

“We don’t trust the clerks that were tasked with the verification of signatures since their positions were not even advertised,” he added. sam_x254

Help us provide adequate Two Mpeketeni suspects acquitted housing, State appeals to private developers The government has called on private developers to come up with new innovative ways and help it address the challenge of affordable and quality houses across the country.

Principal Secretary for Housing and Urban Development Aidah Munano said shortage of housing units remains a big challenge for the government and asked private developers to chip in and help.

Speaking during the unveiling of Basco Paints of the new Duracoat Silicone range in Nairobi, Ms Munamo urged players in the construction sector to develop innovative products that will help the government meet the housing gap in the country.

“We want the private sector to help us address the challenge of housing especially in our major towns. The demand is high but we cannot be able to meet supply because of the

growing population. We want you to join us in addressing this problem,” Munamo said.

The PS noted that statistics have already predicted growth in numbers in all cities around the country due to Rural –Urban migration and called for preparedness of the sector stakeholders to absorb the numbers.

“It is estimated that the current production of new housing units in urban areas is about 30,000 units annually, representing an 80 percent shortfall. The numbers needs to be increased,” she said.

Kenya’s annual housing deficit is currently estimated at 300,000 units annually.

Ms Munamo said that the government has put in place measures that will help address the bottlenecks hindering development of affordable and adequate housing units. hillary_x254

Mombasa High Court has acquitted two main suspects behind 2014 Mpeketoni terrorist attack where more than 60 people were killed.

High Court judge Martin Muya ruled that Mahadi Swaleh alias Jesus and Dyana Suleiman were not involved in the planning and execution of the killings.

Muya said the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the two who were facing 60 counts of murder were directly involved in the attacks.

“A lot of resources and manpower were utilised in this case which I find to have been poorly investigated. In conclusion I find that this case has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt against the two accused person on all the sixty counts of murder…the accused person are found not guilty of murder and they are acquitted accordingly,” he ruled.

Dyna was accused of ferrying the attackers from Mombasa to Lamu using two Nissan Matatus that he claimed were hijacked by Al Shabaab to carry out the attack while Swaleh

planned eviction non locals with Al Shabaab.

According to the prosecution, the offences were committed during the

period between June 15 and 17, 2014 at Kaisari Village and Mpeketoni Township in Lamu County.

A car that was burnt down during the Mpeketoni attacks. A court has today acquitted two main suspects behind the raids.

NEWS 3 More water woes for Nairobi residents as new law is passed Nairobi residents will continue to experience water shortages following the passing of a new Bill that gives first priority to counties that supply the vital commodity.

The Water Bill, 2016 passed yesterday demands that the ministry of water and county governments that produce water for supply to major cities, deal with their local water demands before supplying it to other counties.

Irrigation and Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa has said that legal issues around the supply of water amongst counties had emerged, hindering the government’s commitment to supply accessible and affordable water to the cities.

“Legal issues are continually emerging in the sharing of resources among counties, water is a major resource.

For instance, the law now demands that we first deal with Murang’a that supplies Nairobi with water,” Wamalwa noted earlier today.

The CS has however assured Nairobi residents that his ministry will address the affected areas in earnest to arrest the problem before it explodes.

“I want to assure all Kenyans especially those in Nairobi that we are engaging with the relevant authorities to sort out their water challenges,” he said.

According to the new law, water management will remain the function of the national government where water services will be a reserve for the county governments.

Wamalwa has also blamed insufficient infrastructure and rapid population growth in the city for the increased water rationing challenge.

Last week, the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) had warned that rationing program may be tightened because of the falling water levels and called for prudent use of the available water. @wilson_x254

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

Another Uber taxi attacked and burnt down in Nairobi

Another Uber taxi was last night burnt in Nairobi’s Riruta area, barely a month after vehicle belonging to the online taxi-service was set ablaze in Kilimani area.

Police say the driver had been lured by a man who posed as a customer before others joined and staged the attacked.

The driver however escaped unhurt.

He told police that he had picked up the man from Yaya Centre only to lure him to Riruta where he was attacked.

The incident follows a similar one that occurred on Muringa Road in Kilimani area last month where an Uber taxi driver was seriously wounded.

Uber taxi operators are embroiled in turf wars with the local taxi associations who have openly demanded that they be pushed out of Nairobi.

The online service providers are seen as relatively cheap and efficient as compared to local traditional operators.

The matter had been taken up by the Interior ministry which advised that the two rivals co-exist in their business.

But it seems the anger from their rivals is yet to subside given the continuing attacks.

Merge all youth funds into one big kitty, State advised The government has been urged to merge all kitties that seek to empower young people and women into one for effective achievement of their purpose.

State Corporation Advisory Council in a recommendation to President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Uwezo Fund, Women Enterprise Fund and the Kenya Industrial Estates Fund should all be collapsed into one kitty.

The Corporation’s Secretary Jane Mugambi yesterday told the Parliamentary Public Investment Committee that merging the Funds would be more beneficial to the youths as opposed to how it is currently which gives a lot of room for corruption.

Mugambi said as an advisory Council, they told President Kenyatta that all the funds should be collapsed into one under the name ‘Biashara Fund’ in order to be more effective. “What is happening to the youth fund currently is really disappointing, it is for this reason that we recommended to the President that when these funds are merged and placed under one management, the loss

Aden Keynan

can be avoided,” Mugambi said.

Mugambi and Head of Governance and Management Services Simon Indimuli, yesterday told the Committee that the board erred in investing Sh400 million in Chase Bank without the approval of the Treasury.

“We were shocked that the board can decide to invest Sh400 million in a private bank while thousands of youth are suffering across the country. Ideally the youth fund should not have such an amount invested in a bank it should be given out,” she said.

Members of the committee however blamed the advisory council for their late intervention in the saga.

“You’re supposed to advise the board that is your sole mandate as a constitutional body why did it take you time before you react while public funds were being looted,” asked Funyula MP Paul Otuoma.

Mugambi said most of their correspondences with the Cabinet Secretary were verbal and was not documented anywhere.

“We didn’t sleep on the job, we on most occasions met the CS and advised her over the loss of the youth fund most of it was just verbal and therefore we don’t have any documents to show the committee,” Mugambi said. Committee chairman Aden Keynan took on the former council members, accusing them of reacting late since they had only advised the current CS Sicily Kariuki and not her predecessor Anne Waiguru.

“This problem started when the former CS Waiguru was still in office, but you did nothing its only after the new CS had assumed office that you advised. Where were you all other sam_x254 time?” asked Keynan.

The Interior Ministry is yet to decisively act a report prepared by a committee that was formed to recommend on the way forward following the feuds between the two rival taxi groups.

More on this story at

www.capitalfm.co.ke

END OF THE ROAD: A vehicle belonging to online taxi operator Uber, goes up in flames after an attack in Riruta, Nairobi last night. It is the second time the taxis are targeted in an attck.

PHOTO: Capital FM.

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NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

US front-runners get key Western wins

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton notched convincing victories in Arizona, picking up the biggest prize on Western Tuesday that moved the front-runners ever closer to a general election clash.

The Arizona wins handed enough delegates to Trump and Clinton to help them maintain their leads in the delegate count despite victories from their primary competitors.

Bernie Sanders won morale-boosting Democratic victories in Utah and Idaho while Ted Cruz came out on top in the Utah Republican caucuses.

But the big win for Cruz was meeting the 50 per cent threshold in Utah that hands him all of the state’s 40 delegates. The Texas senator needed a win of that magnitude to avoid falling further behind Trump in the GOP delegate race.

Trump tweeted his thanks to voters in Arizona with its 58 delegates, claiming his victory in the winnertake-all primary was much larger than expected.

The former reality star’s victory kept his momentum rolling despite concerted efforts by prominent conservative groups and top establishment figures like former GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Sen. Lindsey Graham and super PACs run by veteran party operatives to line up support behind Cruz in a late-in-the game effort to halt the billionaire. Trump repeatedly boasts about the failure of millions of dollars in attack aids to wound his campaign, and insists he is on pace to reach the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination.

Clinton said she was “very proud” to have won Arizona and hit Republican candidates who she said were “literally inciting bigotry and violence.” Speaking in Seattle, she

US President Barack Obama addresses the people of Cuba at the El Gran Teatro de Havana, in Havana, Cuba, 22 March 2016. Obama is on an official visit to Cuba from 20 to 22 March 2016, the first US president to visit since Calvin Coolidge 88 years ago.

PHOTO: EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

BRAVING FOR BATTLE: Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump in separate functions. The two could be headed for a General Election face-off after they both notched convincing victories in Arizona and Western.

said the devastating terror attacks in Brussels on Tuesday underscored why America needs a “steady” commander in chief, taking another clear shot at Trump.

“I do believe I am the most ready of anybody running to take this job,” Clinton said. Sanders’ Utah and Idaho wins and an expected strong

performance by the Vermont senator in a trio of caucuses in Washington State, Alaska and Hawaii on Saturday will bolster his campaign’s insistence that he is right to stay in the race.

“When we began this campaign we were considered a fringe candidacy,” Sanders said on Tuesday night San Diego, his voice hoarse from months

on the campaign trail. “Well, 10 months later we have now won 10 primaries and caucuses. Unless I am very much mistaken, we are going to win a couple more tonight.”

By the end of the night, Clinton had 1,711 delegates, including 1,229 pledged delegates and 482 super delegates. Sanders has 939 delegates,

including 912 pledged delegates and 27 superdelegates.

A total of 2,383 delegates is needed to clinch the nomination.

On the Republican side, Trump leads with 741 delegates. Cruz has 461 and Kasich has 145. peter_x254

Obama invokes ‘future of hope’ for Cuba US President Barack Obama has invoked “a future of hope” for Cuba in an unprecedented live TV address delivered from the Grand Theatre in Havana.

Mr Obama said he had come to Cuba “to bury the last remnants of the Cold War” after decades of conflict.

He told Cuban President Raul Castro that he did not need to fear a threat from the US nor from “the voice of the Cuban people”.

Mr Obama is the first sitting president to visit Cuba in 88 years.

In his keynote speech on the last day of his three-day visit to Communist-run Cuba, Mr Obama said it was time for the United States and Cuba to leave the past behind and make a “journey as friends and as neighbours and as family, together” towards a brighter future.

He urged Cubans to “leave the ideological battles of the past behind” and to define themselves not through their opposition to the US but just as Cubans.

“For all the politics, people are people and Cubans are Cubans,” he said.

He said the time had come for US policy towards Cuba to change because it had not worked and was outmoded, a remnant of the

Cold War. He also called for the lifting of the 54-year old US trade embargo against Cuba, a remark which was met by loud applause.

The embargo remains one of the main sticking points in US-Cuban relations but can only be lifted by the US Congress.

He insisted that the United States would respect the two nations’ differences and would not attempt to impose changes on the communistrun island.

But he also said he believed that citizens should be free to speak their mind without fear and to choose their government in free elections.

He said it was no secret that the Cuban and US governments disagreed on many issues.

Mr Obama acknowledged that there were “flaws in the American system: economic inequality, the death penalty and racial discrimination”.

He said those were just a few samples and that Raul Castro had “a much longer list” of US shortcomings and had reminded President Obama of many of them.

“But open debate is what allows us to get better,” he said. “Democracy is the way to solve these problems,” he added.

NEWS 5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

Brussels attackers identified as manhunt gets underway Two suicide bombers who attacked the international airport in Brussels have been named by Belgian media as the brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui.

The RTBF broadcaster said the pair were known to police. A third man pictured with them at the airport is still being sought.

Twin explosions at the airport and another at a metro station on Tuesday left about 34 dead and 250 wounded.

Belgium is observing three days of national mourning.

RTBF said the brothers were known to police and had criminal records.

The broadcaster said that Khalid elBakraoui had used a false name to rent the flat in the Forest area of the Belgian capital where police killed a gunman in a shootout last week.

It was during that raid that police found a fingerprint of Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris terror attacks of 13 November.

He was arrested in a raid last Friday.

At the same time, identification of victims of the attack have begun.

Adelma Marina Tapia Ruiz was moments away from boarding a plane to New York, where she and her family were looking forward to reuniting for Easter.

Her husband and 3-year-old girls had just stepped away from the boarding area at Brussels’ international airport when an explosion ripped the family apart, Peruvian state media said.

Ruiz, a Peruvian national living in Brussels, was killed in the blast, the Andina news agency reported. Her husband and daughters escaped serious injury.

The 36-year-old mother was one of at least 30 people killed in attacks at

French President Francois Hollande (center), flanked by French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (left) pays his respects with Belgium Ambassador to France Vincent Mertens de Wilmars at the Belgium embassy in Paris, France yesterday.

Hollande visited the embassy after Brussels was hit by multiple bomb blasts during a terror attack, earlier in the day.

PHOTO/THIBAULT CAMUS/EPA

the airport and at a Brussels metro station. Another 230 people are wounded.

“We were fearing terrorist attacks,” Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said. “And that has now happened.”

The first two blasts took place in the airport, killing at least 10 people.

Authorities believe at least one explosion was a suicide bombing.

Jef Versele was in the airport’s departure hall when bombs exploded.

“You cannot believe it; you cannot believe it,” he said. “It was so insane.

Not in my backyard.”

The second blast inside the airport blew out windows, created a lot of smoke and caused parts of the ceiling to fall, he added.

“People were on the floor,” Versele said, estimating he saw 50 to 60 who were thrown to the ground and didn’t seem to be able to walk.

“It’s horrible; Belgium doesn’t deserve this,” said Alphonse Lyoura, a baggage handler at the airport.

About an hour later, another explosion took place at the subway station, killing at least 20 people.

The blasts paralyzed the city, shutting down transport and leaving residents terrified of more attacks.

Officials declared three days of national mourning beginning Wednesday. But as the country grieves, the hunt for those responsible is just beginning.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the carnage, but authorities said it’s too soon to say for sure whether the terror group was behind the coordinated attacks.

At least 30 people were killed and another 230 wounded.

Terror could shut fans out of Euro 2016 A senior European football official has warned that an ongoing terror threat could disrupt the upcoming UEFA Euro 2016 competition -even forcing matches to be played behind closed doors.

Speaking in the wake of Tuesday’s deadly attacks in Brussels, UEFA VicePresident Giancarlo Abete told an Italian radio station that football authorities “can’t exclude the possibility of playing behind closed doors as we cannot exclude terrorism.”

The attacks come with the memory of November’s attack in Paris still fresh in many people’s minds. Those attacks caused one death and several injuries outside the Stade de France during a France-Germany match, among other targets.

The Stade de France is the venue for the final of the quadrennial tournament and is scheduled for July 10.

Sporting events have previously been targets for terrorists. In April 2013 two bombs exploded on a crowded street near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 140 others.

Prior to Abete’s comments, European football’s governing body released a statement, subsequently tweeted by a BBC journalist, reaffirming its “commitment in placing safety and security at the center of its organizational plans for Euro 2016.”

Top stories from X News global partners

Belgium suicide bombers Strikes Claimed by ISIS The Brussels attacks Manhunt for suspected named: The Belgian state broadcaster Shut Brussels and Shake show that Islamic Brussels bomber: A RTBF is reporting that two of the European Security: Bombs State is still growing in manhunt was under way on Tuesday suspected terrorist suicide-bombers at packed with nails terrorized Brussels on for a suspected Isis bomber after coBrussels airport were Khalid and Ibrahim Tuesday in the deadliest assault on the ambition and capability: ordinated attacks in Brussels killed at el-Bakraoui. The Belgian el-Bakraoui brothers were well-known to the police as longstanding criminals in the Belgian capital and more recently it emerged they had clear links to November’s Paris attacks.

The el-Bakraoui brothers are from Brussels and have a long history in organised crime in Belgium. They were among the suspects on the run and being hunted by Belgian police since the police raids of recent days.

Their connection to the Paris attacks and to recent police raids in Brussels, in which some suspects escaped from police, is a very significant development.

www.theguardian.com

European heartland since the Islamic State’s attacks on Paris four months ago, hitting the airport and subway system in coordinated strikes that were also claimed by the militant extremist group.

The bombings paralyzed Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union and NATO, prompted international travel warnings to avoid Belgium and reverberated across the Atlantic to the United States, where New York and other major cities raised terrorism threat levels.

Anxieties intensified about the inability to prevent mass killings at relatively unprotected places. www.nytimes.com

Belgium’s satisfaction at finding Salah Abdeslam, the man believed to have been the Islamic State (IS) logistics chief behind the Paris terror attacks, which took the lives of 130 people four months ago, was always likely to be fleeting. That it had taken so long to track Mr Abdeslam down was worrying. That he was found staying in the apartment of a friend’s mother in Molenbeek, the district of Brussels that is probably home to the highest concentration of jihadist sympathisers in Europe, is an indication of chronic intelligence failure on the part of Belgian’s State Security Service and the police.

www.economist.com

least 30 people, injured hundreds of others and brought a terrorist atrocity to a European city for the second time in four months. Two explosions ripped through the check-in area at Brussels’ Zaventem airport, north-east of the EU’s capital and a few miles from Nato’s headquarters shortly before 8am. A third device at the airport failed to detonate and was later dismantled by police. Then a little more than an hour after the initial attacks, another blast ripped through a metro carriage at Maalbeek station close to EU offices, killing at least 20 people.

www.ft.com

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xnews | WEDNesday, MARCH 23, 2016 | www.x254.co

BUSINESS

President Uhuru’s trips good for economy, says Mohamed Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has defended President Uhuru Kenyatta’s frequent trips and engagement saying they have been beneficial to the country’s economic growth.

“High-level engagement and visibility of the President is a central pillar of Kenya’s Foreign Policy as the country strives to entrench its leadership as an economic power in the region as well as achieve global competitiveness,” said Mohamed.

Responding to critics who allege that the President was travelling out of the country too many times, the CS said the visits are facilitated through her Ministry and are useful to the country.

“These efforts have borne positive results. FDI inflows into Kenya have risen from Sh 60.7 billion ($ 597 million) in 2012/2013 to Sh96 billion ($ 944 million) in 2015 resulting in the creation of jobs and wealth,” said CS Amina.

“Good and well executed diplomacy cannot be without high-level visits, since like in any normal relationship, one-on-one engagement has more impact unlike any other form,” she told the University of Nairobi students this morning at the University’s MultiPurpose Hall.

“Diplomacy is conducted through face-to-face engagements

and meetings. Kenya is a very important country in the Southern Hemisphere being the only capital in developing world to host a United Nations office,” said Mohamed.

She said Kenya was deliberately focusing on economic diplomacy which involves paying greater attention to the promotion of trade, investment and tourism.

It has also involved facilitating investment flows into Kenya, particularly into key sectors such as energy, agriculture, ICT,

infrastructural development and the hospitality industry. It has involved improving access to foreign markets for Kenya’s traders and investors.

CS Mohamed said the country has made remarkable progress in our agenda of economic diplomacy through negotiating and signing a wide range of trade and investments agreements with various countries across the globe.

She said, in order to make impact in the global arena and to take care of its interests, engagement

by government seen through, state visits is mandatory especially for a country like Kenya with unique global status.

Amina said her ministry strategies of executing the Foreign Policy include strengthening bilateral relations with traditional and emerging geo-strategic partners; boosting our Foreign Policy agenda in Africa; enhancing security sector partnerships; and growing Diaspora capacity to support national development. enock_x254

Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed addresses a past function. She has defended President Uhuru’s foreign trips, saying they are good for the country’s economy.

Boost as Fidelity Bank gets Sh1.9bn expansion funding Regional lender Fidelity Commercial Bank has received Sh1.9 billion from global asset manager, Duet Private Equity for regional expansion and to shore up the bank’s core capital.

Fidelity Bank says the deal will see the bank’s capital base grow to over Sh3.8 billion.

This new capital injection, which is subject to regulatory approval, will be made through The Duet East African Financial Holdings Ltd Fund, which is part of the UK-based Duet Group.

The deal will allow the bank engage in larger transactions as wells as increase the customer base, the bank’s Executive Director, Sultan Khimji said in a statement.

“Duet’s investment in the form of growth capital is very significant for Fidelity Bank in its transformation to a mid-tier bank.

None of the Bank’s existing shareholders are exiting as we are all very confident about the bank’s future,” added Khimji.

The mid-tier retail bank is looking to expand beyond the 14 branches predominantly located in Nairobi and

Mombasa to 28 branches spread across East Africa by 2018.

“The deal with Duet Group brings us closer to our stated objective of growing to a mid-tier category bank and listing on the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) in the future,” said Khimji.

Duet Group Co-Founder and chief executive Henry Gabay said Fidelity Bank gives Duet a perfect platform to invest in the Kenyan banking sector, which he described as innovative and competitive, though fragmented and ready for consolidation.

“We have been looking at Kenya for some time now and we see the Kenyan banking sector as an opportunity which will require growth capital as well as numerous consolidation opportunities in the sector. Fidelity Bank is a reputable, well-managed institution with an experienced team whom we are looking forward to working with. They have a robust financial technology platform and an aggressive expansion plan which we are looking to support both organically and by acquisition,” said Gabay.

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

MEAN 101.4863 145.9858 114.1781 6.6570 33.2558 21.5399

BUY SELL 101.3867 101.5859 145.8244 145.1472 114.0533 114.3028 6.6494 6.6646 33.1739 33.3377 21.4695 21.6103

KBA now launch leadership, innovation awards The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), the umbrella body of the banking industry, has launched the Sustainable Finance Catalyst Awards for banks that demonstrate leadership and innovation.

Members of the KBA are eligible to submit entries for the Catalyst award. Non-KBA banks or financial institutions, including development finance institutions, microfinance banks and government agencies, may submit an entry that was undertaken in partnership with a KBA member bank or separately with a KBA affiliate/ partner (including IFC/World Bank, DEG, FMO, UNEP, African Development Bank, Kenya Association of Manufacturers).

The Award was set up by KBA to recognise banks that drive sustainability by embedding it in their core business operation strategy and governance structures.

It also will highlight and celebrate the role of the firm, in driving innovative and sustainable business decisions that create long-term value for clients.

The Award categories include Best Practice in Sustainable Finance, Sustainability Through Policy & Governance, Client Case Study – Financing Micro, Small & MediumSized Companies, Client Case Study – Financing Commercial Clients andBank Case Study – Bank Operations & Policy.

Entries will be accepted until July 30.

Thereafter shortlisting of nominees and judging site visits will take place in August.

The winners will be announced and the awards presented in September 2016 at the Sustainable Finance Catalyst Awards event, which will be held in Nairobi. kevin_x254

Local NGOs promoting culture to get Sh10m grant from UNESCO The United Nations Educational, scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will offer up to Sh10 million in funding to NGOs and non-profit private or public bodies whose activities contribute to the promotion of culture and artistic creation.

The Organisation has invited applicants for its International Fund for the Promotion of Culture 2016.

The resources of the International Fund for the Promotion of Culture are intended to promote cultures as sources of knowledge, meanings, values and identity.

The Fund will support groups that promote the role of culture for sustainable development as well as artistic creativity in all its forms, while respecting freedom of expression.

The amount of assistance required is between $20,000 (Sh2 million) and $100,000 (Sh10.1 million) and covers no more than 80 per cent of the total project budget, Reena Pandey, a spokesperson on behalf of the group has said. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2016.

UNESCO has played an integral part in supporting the preservation of Kenyan culture through initiatives aimed at safeguarding traditional performing arts launched in 2008. The group also spearheaded a drive dubbed “Photographic documentation of intangible heritage in Kenya” between 2010 and 2011.

Pandey said the potential beneficiaries of the Fund shall be public bodies with specific responsibility for the promotion of culture and artistic

creation and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and nonprofit private bodies whose objectives are in conformity with those of the Fund and whose activities contribute to the promotion of culture and artistic creation. Beneficiaries will also include individuals, particularly artists and creators.

Applicants are advised to visit “en.unesco.org” for details.

“Priority shall be given, as far as possible, to requests from or benefiting countries on the latest DAC List of Official Development Assistance Recipients,” Pandey said in a statement released just hours ago.

Priority is also given to projects submitted by young creators aged 18 to 30 years and to projects aimed at benefiting the youth.

BUSINESS 7 WEDNESDAY, MARCh 23, 2016

Energy engineers launch body to manage sector, create awareness East Africa’s energy engineers have launched an association to ensure the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency in energy management within the region.

The Association of Energy Professionals Eastern Africa (AEPEA) is the regional chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE), the world’s leading professional body of certified energy professionals with more than 17,000 members across the globe.

The regional body was launched

during a workshop on the National Energy Policy sponsored by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) at Strathmore University in Nairobi.

The AEPEA Chapter President, who is also the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Academic Affairs at Strathmore University and the Director of the Strathmore Energy Research Centre, Prof. Izael Da Silva, said the association will promote scientific, educational and business interests of those engaged in the

Airtel Kenya chief executive officer Adil El Youssefi with Sportpesa chief executive Ronald Karauri. The two signed a deal to enable bettors deposit money in their account via Airtel Money free of charge.

Airtel Kenya emerges top telecom brand on social media in Africa Airtel Kenya has been recognised as the top Social Media Brand in Africa by the Africa Brand Index. The award recognises the telecommunication company’s use of social media platforms in engagement and resolution of customer issues.

Airtel Kenya outperformed all the other telecom companies in Africa to become the top Telecommunication brand on Social Media for the month of February. In the report published by Africa Brand Index, Airtel Kenya scored the highest in several categories, including; Community growth, Content, Engagement and Sentiments.

The Africa Brand Index is a listing of the top brands on social media each month measured by an aggregate score of dozens of social signals. The top brands are shown alongside their metrics and leaderboard position, showing the aggregate scores on a monthly basis.

Social media engagement rate

measures how well people interact with the content an organisation or brand posts on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and many others.

It also provides the platform for users to share comments or express their feeling about a post of a particular brand to the total number of fans of the brand at the time it was posted.

“Our social media teams are dedicated to serve our customers on social media, 24/7, 365 days a year. We are proud of this recognition of their dedication to offer the best service experience to our customers,” said Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi.

Airtel also continues to be a socially devoted brand based on recent report from Social Bakers dated OctoberDecember 2015 that verifies the company’s 100 per cent response rate on Facebook and 98 per cent response rate on Twitter.

Dennis_x254

industry.

“We now have an association that will advance by lawful means the common purposes of its members, and promote activities designed to bring efficiency in the sector,” said Da Silva.

AEPEA Vice President and Director of Regulation and Corporate Affairs at KenGen Eng. Simon Ngure said the association gives energy professionals a platform to communicate effectively with the public in creating awareness of the importance of managing

energy.

“Energy plays a key role in economic development and as professionals we will use the Association to cooperate with other stakeholders and promote dissemination of scientific and educational information to those engaged in the energy industry,” he said.

Energy Principal Secretary Joseph Njoroge said energy is a critical catalyst in a country’s development.

“Kenya is one of the first countries to develop an energy strategy. Since

2007, over 300 energy audits have been undertaken in the country. We are also proud that Kenya has the second highest number of energy managers in Africa, after South Africa”, said Eng. Njoroge.

The association will also promote training and capacity development of the professionals interested in careers in energy management.

German Deputy Ambassador to Kenya Michael Derus said Germany was proud of AEPEA’s achievements.

enock_x254

8

BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

KCB Group ranked top social media financial brand in Africa The KCB Group has been named Africa’s top social media brand in the banking industry.This is according to the latest Africa Brand Index Rankings. The Bank has been ranked position one for its outstanding use of social media platforms in customer engagements. KCB Group chief executive Joshua Oigara said with the increased brand awareness online, KCB has been keen to leverage on social media to meet its business objectives. The Africa Brand Index is a listing of the most successful brands on the continent on social media, according to key metrics such as community growth, content engagement, sentiment and dozens of others.

In the latest rankings, the Bank has improved to position 20 overall in the Top 25 African Brands on Social Media.

KCB shrugged off stiff competition from among other recognised regional banks in the category who included GT Bank, First bank, Ned Bank and First National Bank.

“Social Media has grown from being a mere digital channel for “socialising” to one of the most powerful digital marketing tools for products and brands. It has also proven to be a cost-effective way of communicating to a global audience,” said Oigara, adding that the bank has seen an increase in

social media interaction with many customers now engaging it through social media and expect timely feedback.

Last year, KCB Group was named the winner for “Best Use of Social Media by a Financial Institution in Africa” during the Social Media

Africa Awards in Lagos Nigeria for the banks use of social and digital media as a means of mobilisation and awareness sub-platform for deepening access to and enhancing the use of Social Media and to facilitate the clear-cut awareness about its positive impact.

KCB has invested heavily in social and digital platforms in a bid to reach out to its targeted audience in different locations given its presence in six African countries and a wide network of over 240 branches. kevin_x254

KBA chief executive Habil Olaka, DEG Regional Director Eric Kaleja, KBA Chairman and KCB Group CEO Joshua Oigara, and FMO Chief Investment Officer Linda Broekhuizen display signatures of the bank CEOs who attended the meeting.

Safaricom named Kenya’s most influential brand

Global market research company Ipsos has named Safaricom Kenya’s most influential brand for 2015.

In one of its latest surveys, the group has recognised Kenya’s leading Telecommunications Company for its growing brand. Others who featured in Ipsos’s top 10 list included Citizen TV, Radio Citizen, Colgate, Facebook, Omo, Ariel Washing Detergent, Kenya Power and Equity Bank in that order.

There were about 1,036 respondents in the study. Safaricom’s M-Pesa product was first runners up out of 106 local brands selected for the study.

According to Ipsos: “Safaricom is a huge advertising spender with the highest telephony subscriber base of over 20 million in Kenya which also records 11.6 million 30-day active mobile data users. Safaricom is one of the most profitable companies in Kenya and the East and Central Africa region! Kenyans trust Safaricom.”

“The role brands play in our lives and the world at large is becoming more important. From improving our personal well-being to transforming the communities and societies we live in, many brands today are driven to make a dent in the universe,” said a report from Ipsos.

According to the research firm, influential brands create habits and routines, and are deeply entrenched in the lives of their users.

“We place a tremendous degree of trust in these brands, and give them the power to guide how we shop, interact, and behave,” the group said.

Nigerian State oil Excel, Tetra Pak in partnership firm ‘withheld Sh2.5tn to produce new fruit juice over five years’ Nigeria’s state-owned oil company has failed to pay the government $25bn (Sh2.5 trillion) over five years, the nation’s fiscal commission has said.

It includes $15bn (Sh1.5 trillion) that the nation’s auditor general last week said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) failed to pay in 2014 alone.

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to crack the whip on corporation which accounts for two-thirds of the government funding since coming to office last May. In a statement, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), an independent body, said: “Records at the Commission’s disposal indicate that between January 2011 and December 2015, the total indebtedness of NNPC to the Federation Account was 4.9

trillion naira (Sh2.5 trillion)” Under the current set-up, the NNPC hands over its oil revenue and money is then paid back based on a budget approved by parliament.

The state oil giant has been mired in corruption allegations and losing money for many years.

Last month, the government announced that the NNPC would be broken up into seven different companies.

A separate audit ordered under former President Goodluck Jonathan and carried out by global accountancy firm PwC, found that the NNPC had failed to pay the government $1.48bn (Sh150 billion) between January 2012 and July 2013.

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, but the economy has suffered because of the recent decline in the price of oil.

Bottling company Excel has partnered with Tetra Pak, the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions firm to produce affordable juice for the local market.

The two organisations yesterday unveiled on-the-go fruit juices targeting middle class consumers.

Being the first of their kind in Kenyan market, the products will be available in a range of juices for consumer’s on-the-go for the first time in East Africa in 200ml and 250ml packages, the partners said in an announcement.

The juices have been made from high fruit content ingredients and are full of essential nutrients with a unique taste profile, enhancing the health, Excel and Tetra Pak said in a statement yesterday.

“This is a great boost to our Fruitful brand and is a direct response to the current need to offer our consumers a greater choice and experience in the market. Today’s consumer has evolving needs

and an increased desire for more affordable and convenient choices while on the move,” said Prasoon Shah, Managing Director of Excel.

“The new on the go package will bring a fusion of different fruits with a great taste and no compromise on quality as it is made without preservatives,” he added.

The juice market in Kenya has grown over the years, targeting the country’s expanding middle class, with convenience and functionality being the key drivers.

Excel has targeted both the top and bottom end of the market with the juice packaged in different sizes

and prices to allow consumers to buy according to the amount of disposable income they have.

“Our Fruitful range of juices will retail at Sh40 and Sh50,” said Shah.

Speaking during the launch, Suresh Shah, the Founder and Chairman of Excel, said: “The new generation of consumers wants more choice when it comes to what they drink on the go and we are providing the choices they want. For years we have been improving this portfolio to offer more and better drink options. We are continuing this journey with this new range of variants to improve the choices we enock_x254 give them.”

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

ACCESS top story

sibling rivalry has deep roots across the globe

The Wiliams psquare

ashlee and Jesicca simpson

SIBLING RIVALRY: When Psquare stumbled and almost fell

A

joint tweet by the twins to their fans read, “That it took our stupidity to realize that family comes first, we are very sorry,” and with that daggers were put back to their holsters perhaps they might come in handy next time. But just before that it was war between Africa’s most beloved pop group. Everyone had a story to tell and social media as always was a buzz.

Their beefs were many but one that stood out was allegedly that a lady identified as Lola Omotayo became engaged and married Peter Okoye. A move that was against their mother’s wish.

This resulted in having Jude their big brother and manager, sideline Peter and favoring Paul by releasing most of his songs while Peter was kept in a “cool box”.

This exploded when brother went against brother and even going ahead to release solo songs.

Sibling rivalry has its deep roots in families across the globe.

Where one child feels more special than the other and hence a superiority “cold war” begins which might degenerate into a physical duel.

According to Dr. Tom Austin, a psychologist with Medicine Sans Frontiers, “the ideal family is that of three children a husband and a wife.”

This according to the Dr. Tom has more of family love shared equally, with the first two children get to compete for love but this in neutralized by the third.

Thankfully, for peter and Paul, there is Jude, who acted as sort of a big bro in real life and business wise.

All seemed to go well until an imbalance in matters of love, according to Dr. Tom was created by “having a one extra person

joining the equation, who in this case was Lola.”

Even though there are other matters that might be at play like parental favoritism, character traits and environmental upbringing, competition among sibling is always present.

As the dust settles on PSquare, hopefully for good this time; Peter and Paul are not alone, other celebrities have suffered such in the public glare.

Julia Roberts and her brother have gone through the same sibling issues. Julia was once living with her brother, Eric after moving out of his parents’ home. But after Eric had issues with substance abuse from his girlfriend Kelly, Julia did not side with him. Julia went even further to fight the brother in court denying him custody of his own child!

Another famous sibling rivalry is that between Ashlee and Jesicca Simpson, Ashlee was four years younger into the celebrity business. She penned down a song hinting of years of being jealous and neglect from her older sister.

Tennis darlings Serena and Venus have also had their share. Where the Williams are said to have had pressure from family to have one sibling lose a match in favour of the other, but both have ranked world number one.

With the tweef between Paul and Peter now calmed and having them put family first, “it’s always good to know that sibling rivalry is real and how you handle it should be to the benefit of both,” says D. Tom. @duncan_x254

10

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

HEALTH &FITNESS

instead of reaching for a sugary soda or candy from your office vending machine, reach for an apple or banana with some peanut butter or a small pack of trail mix for energy.

Three unhealthy habits you must stop small pack of trail mix for energy. noT Moving ABouT It’s common knowledge that sitting on your behind all day can be just as bad as smoking. According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and reported by CBS News, an overall analysis of previous research finds that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk for diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and early death even in people who exercise regularly. The study found

that your health is most affected if you sit for eight to nine hours a day.

And those who didn’t exercise at all have a 40% risk of early death.

Additionally, the study found that sitting for prolonged periods raises your risk of cardiovascular disease by 14%, cancer by 13%, and diabetes by 91%.

Simply standing up and stretching can give you an energy boost. noT sTiCking To youR To do lisT It’s important to stick to a to-do list,

so you can keep track of everything you need to accomplish for the day.

A LinkedIn survey revealed that our professional to-do lists are in need a makeover because we’re not doing a good job of getting everything we need to get done, done. If you can get some tasks finished before you leave for the day, it will save you the trouble of having to rush to finish it the next morning.

WORKOUT

ReAChing FoR sugAR It’s hard to blame your body’s internal clock for making you sleepy, but we can blame the way you choose to deal with it. And that starts with breakfast.

Skipping this important meal of the day can lead to an afternoon energy crash. “ When that afternoon slump hits, instead of reaching for a sugary soda or candy from your office vending machine, reach for an apple or banana with some peanut butter or a

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Outdoor ponds, water features and water gardens or f s e c stan lFeet

parallel – squat, deadlift, leg press, vertical jump. l lFeet split – lunge, split squat. llsingle leg – step up, pistol, bounding, running.

There are only three choices, no more,

no less. Traditionally the strength and conditioning world has stuck to exercises such as the squat, deadlift, power clean, and the like

to teach athletes to be strong.

There’s nothing wrong with these exercises and there’s many years’ worth of good results to show that they bring about a good result.

Single leg lifts don’t suffer from this same problem. Even when you are going all out and working as hard as possible you really aren’t using much weight in comparison to a similar exercise performed on two legs.

I

ntroduce beauty and tranquility into your outdoor space by adding a water feature. Find inspiration in these works of water art.

Landscaping with fountains and ponds adds a sense of calm and character to a backyard and you should consider adopting in the home.

spaces?

Add Ornamental Offerings…

The large French limestone fountain offers a dramatic touch to balance the clean lines of the pool. The running water offers a peaceful sound, and pumps are used to recirculate the water.

HOW TO MAKE AN EASTER TREE DECORATED WITH TASSELS For an easy and inexpensive Easter decoration, make colorful tassels from tissue paper and twine then hang them on a tree .In order to make the indoor egg hunt a little more festive, use tissue paper scraps, a little twine and some washi tape, to whip up some adorable mini tassels.

Then hang the tassels from a tree branch. It’s bright, cheerful and just plain adorable.

Find a Branch Go on a hunt for a branch. Full disclosure: I used the “hunt” as a sneaky way to enlist my daughter’s

help to pick up some of the sticks around the yard before declaring one as THE PERFECT BRANCH. I then used a tall vase and some sand as an anchor for my branch.

Cut Tissue Paper Cut the tissue paper into 3” x 5” pieces. Tissue paper makes perfect tassels, so grab whatever spring-y colors you have on hand. You’ll also need some washi tape, twine or ribbon, and scissors – bonus points if you have fringe scissors, because that will save you some time.

Fold in Half

Fold the tissue paper over once, lengthwise.

Cut Fringes Use either the fringe scissors or regular scissors to cut thin strips, but stop cutting 1/2” from the fold.

Unfold Paper Open the tissue paper back to original size.

Roll Starting at one end, roll the tissue paper all the way to the opposite end.

Cinch in the Middle Tie a 6” length of twine or ribbon around the center of the rolled tissue

DIY

paper.

Bend Around Twine Fold the rolled tissue in half at the string.

Wrap Middle With Tape Wrap a short length of washi tape around the rolled and folded tissue, just below the string. Then tie a knot in the top of the string to form a loop to hang on the branch.

Repeat Several Times Repeat the steps until you have made enough tassels to deck out your Easter tree.

11

ACCESS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH OCTOBER 23 28, 2016 2015

FASHIONScoop

@VoGuE, CoVER GIRL AnD Fox CELEBRATE EMPIRE

Serayah: Looking athletic in sneaker heels.

Lais Rebeiro: Glowing in the dark.

Margot Caitlyn: Simple and elegant.

THIS IS WHY WE HOT

Devon Windsor: Perfect from top to bottom.

Andreja Pejic: Fierce in blue.

Empire is one of the most celebrated Black Hollywood production of all times and the celebrations just keep streaming in, from Grammy and Emmy Awards and most recently, Vogue, Cover Girl and Fox hosted celebrities for a night in celebration of the series, which has taken the film and music scene by storm.

Sample the best looks of the night:

HOT

Diamond and Zari planning to have another baby

pinky ghelani

TOPICS

Pinky Ghelani talks skincare In celebrating the African woman, Pinky Ghelani has gone all out saying that there is need to protect her face. And #TeamMafisi ought to be ready for fairer maidens coming soon! This is after the launch of a celebrity soap, dubbed Dettol even tone. The launch was endorsed by other celebrities, who included Size 8 and Patricia Kihoro .

Get ready to pay Sh 500,000 for a BET VIP ticket!

A VIP ticket for the Black Entertainment Awards (BET) 2016, is going for half a million Kenya shillings! The ticketing is categorized with as VIP Diamond package, with the lower VIP dubbed Gold Package going for a hundred thousand shillings only. The Awards which seek to appreciate entertainers of African Descent, is set to take center stage in June with Lil Wayne booked to headline performances.

Anyone going?

@mercy_x254

Sara Sampaio: Wearing fur like a boss.

diamond and zari

Diamond Platinumz was speaking of his never ending love for Zari and in the process promised that soon Zari will be a mother again. Zari had earlier hinted that they will give T a sister or a brother sooner rather than later.

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AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 A new interest has captured your imagination, so you may decide to sequester yourself at home or in the library to learn about it. Your concentration is high, as is your perseverance, so anything you begin today is likely to succeed. Pace yourself.

..

WEATHERFORECAST

DAILYHOROSCOPES CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan19 Your ambition and concentration have led and will continue to lead to significant accomplishment, which isn’t likely to escape the notice of those above you in the hierarchy. Draw satisfaction from your achievements and continue as you are.

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WEDNESday 23/3/2016

sunny

30

28ºC 37%

THURsday 24/3/2016

More sun than clouds

29 6:36 am 6:42pm

28ºC 38%

PISCES Feb 19 - Mar 20 Memories welling up today could trigger a desire to get in touch with old friends, Pisces, or relatives you haven’t seen in a long time. Some of these recollections could be bittersweet, bringing pain experienced in the past to the surface once more. Don’t hang on to these ancient grievances.

6:36 am 6:42 pm

FRIday

28

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

Yesterday’s Solution

Sudoku

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 If the latter, however, it could well be more than one. You’re feeling especially outgoing at this time, so you should make a good impression and possibly even make a few new friends. However, it’s also important to remember to take some time for yourself.

TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 Authority figures may seem a little intimidating, but hang on to your self-confidence. Hard work and dedication have also brought you some corporate kudos. Therefore, it’s quite possible that you might hear of forthcoming career advancement. Onward and upward!

GEMINI May 21 - Jun 21 It’s possible that you may be considering innovative ways of earning extra money. All signs indicate that any enterprise begun or continued today is likely to succeed, so go to it. However, it’s important to give whatever you’re working on a lot of thought before presenting it to others.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 21 All signs indicate that your patience is likely to bear fruit, so at least one of your longtime goals should bring success right now. Also, if you’ve been considering investing some money in your house, such as remodeling or building an addition, start planning today.

LEO Jul 23- Aug 22 Kicking ideas around with colleagues today could lead to planning social events and bringing important people together in order to ensure cooperation on ambitious projects. Express polite interest in those around you even if you don’t feel it.

VIRGO Aug 23-Sep 21 You could make or save some money for your employer, which could prove important. Expect some sort of acknowledgement or recognition for your efforts from superiors, which could lead to advancement or a possible raise. However, there may be some delay with regard to the latter.

LIBRA Sep 23 - Oct 22 This is a good idea, Libra, because all signs indicate that whatever you begin today, whether it’s for your employer or yourself, could well lead to success. You could, however, find yourself spending a little more money than you would normally care to. Don’t hold yourself back, but be careful!

SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 All indications are that you aren’t going to want to do much else, Scorpio, but it’s important to remember to take breaks and get a little exercise throughout the day. Moving the body and shaking out the kinks in your muscles can get your mind going as well.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 However, Sagittarius, delays could get in the way, although you aren’t likely to let them stop you.

Your concentration and perseverance are both higher than usual, so it isn’t likely that you’ll give up on anything you start today.

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13

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

CROSSWORD Across 1. Staunch 5. “Star Trek II: The ___ of Khan” 10. “____ Toy or a Treasure?” (Kay Starr tune of 1954) 14. Othello’s nemesis 15. M*A*S*H role 16. Punches 17. Free 19. Athletic apparel company 20. Two-time Emmy winner Fabray 21. In secret language 22. Suave serial killer 26. Shore up 30. Allowed 34. One suffering from Hansen’s disease 35. Chromosome component 36. Terminate 37. Be a bad houseguest 39. Cases for Mulder and Scully 42. ___ gow (gambling game) 43. Daffy Duck’s impediment 47. Heron’s cousin 48. Trattoria offering 51. Change for a pound 52. “Messiah,” notably 54. “Don’t Know Why” singer Jones 57. Paid in 62. Narrow opening 63. Reconsider 66. Penalty for keeping a library book

too long 67. Stockpile 68. Gaelic 69. Got up 70. Start of a rumor 71. Ring arbiters Down 1. Leo or Pisces 2. “Gone With the Wind” setting 3. First governor of Alaska 4. Bit of dust 5. Jot down 6. Suitable for most movie viewers 7. Big deal 8. Sorority letter 9. There are 168 in a wk.

10. Auto-racing legend 11. One of “the help” 12. Suffix with flex 13. “What ____ state of affairs!”

18. Says something 21. 401, once 23. Type of buzzer?

24. Coffee dispenser 25. Albuquerque’s st.

26. Spots on a screen 27. Fix the cartography 28. Rome’s Via ___ 29. Company head 31. Falcon’s claw 32. Put out 33. Array in a newsroom

38. Ancient Greek city 40. “The Great Gatsby” author ____ Fitzgerald 41. Resident’s suffix 44. Cousin of Gomez 45. Pou ___ (basis of operations) 46. Toothy fish 49. Tufted beard 50. Princely abbr.

53. Pen user 54. “I wouldn’t click on this link now,” initially 55. Varied mixture 56. Ice hockey venue 58. Nightstand pitcher 59. Desperate 60. Golden State sch.

61. Uses the loo 63. Cable co. bought by AT&T in 1999 64. Derisive cry 65. Cold cube

Yesterday’s answers

YOURSAY Does Easter add value to Christians’ life?

Easter festive has come again, a worldwide Christian tradition to celebrate death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Churches will throb to the fullest and streets will be washed with “unfaithful believers” marching to and from churches with dramas portraying the death of Jesus on the cross.

Some Christians have however question the celebrations, saying Good Friday and Easter Monday have never been mentioned in the Bible which is the ultimate source of all things for Christians. Since hundreds of millions keep it, supposedly in honour of Jesus’ death and resurrection, certainly the Bible must have much to say about it.

Unfortunately, there are absolutely no verses within the pages of the Bible that authorise or endorse the keeping of Good Friday or Easter celebration.

Many a times believers take their belief for granted and most often take no time to prove why they do some things. A lot of people hitherto celebrate holidays and practice traditions learned from a young age in the name of Christianity without ever proving why.

Some of these celebrations could turn out to be mere precepts of men based upon creed books and have absolutely no Biblical authority. Few if not none, would deny that this is just a subtle attempt to insert pagan festival into scripture for the purpose of authorising it.

Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and on the third day arose, the Bible affirms that, but can your Pastor or Priests find anything within that context alluding to Easter celebration?

If Easter is not found in the Bible, then where did it come from? The vast majority of

ecclesiastical and secular historians contend that Easter and all the traditions surrounding it, are deeply rooted in pagan religion.

It come to us from German Ostara or Eastra, the AngloSaxon goddess off spring for whom a spring festivals were being held annually.

According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, the term comes from Old High German plural for dawn; eastern or Ostern and to our English Easter. The church fell along with these pagan festivals, conformed to pagan practices and continued these festivals to present day because of its esthetic desires without second thought.

To any reasonable and unmystical believer, these festivals add no value to our spiritual lives, and should be taught perfectly without prejudice, philosophical vagaries and religious bigotry.

—Phabian Jr

IEBC should come clean on Okoa Kenya signatures The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is once again on the spotlight over the manner in which it has handled the Okoa Kenya referendum push.

Just days after conducting shambolic byelections in Kericho and Malindi which were marred by malpractices, the Commission has again cut short the Cord’s push for a referendum.

The Commission claimed that more than 700,000 signatures presented by the Opposition were fake. More curiously is that the government was privy to this information

even before it was released officially by IEBC. Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale and TNA chairman Johnson Sakaja announced last week that the signatures presented by Cord were fake.

The big question remain how did the two know about the fate of the signatures which were only supposed to be handled by IEBC. IEBC is expected to verify signatures not to conduct data cleansing as they have done. It is time for complete overhaul of the body if Kenyans want a free and fair election in 2017.

IEBC must prove Okoa Kenya signatures are fake Last night’s debate on Citizen TV about the Okoa Kenya initiative by the opposition got me thinking. Is it possible for us to resist the over -critical attitude we adopt towards others and which in the end isolates us?

I noticed a deliberate refusal last night by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Commissioner Thomas Letangule to see any value in the points raised

by Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo.

In demanding publication of the rejected signatures, Midiwo is asking for transparency.

I do not think this is too much to ask. This will curb a trend of not believing in others and regarding them in a negative light and without finding any real aspect of value in them or in what they say.

This lack of positive appreciation of other’s point of view leads to rising unhappiness level in our society. We are all missing the point here. IEBC must prove that the over 700, 000 signatures presented to them by Cord are fake because the opposition says they are not. We must begin the process of building this country on the values enshrined in the Constitution.

For a society to progress, it must be built on some sense of common values which are

necessary to sustain people in the effort to live and work together, and to appreciate and learn from each other.

Without a value system that we respect and adhere to, there will be neither Cohesion nor growth in individual members of our beloved country. We must work on strengthening our shared values.

The stronger the sense of shared values, the deeper the dialogue and the better the basis for social Cohesion. We must resist this culture of seeing other Kenyans as rivals. We must work to change our deeply held believe in material accumulation. When the overriding concern in a society is the economic sharing of material goods, it is hard to avoid seeing others as rivals.

A more truly human Kenyan Society can emerge when others are seen as a source of values to be discovered, admired, and protected as collaborators in nation building.

IEBC must prove that those signatures are fake because our Constitution demands that they do. We are still healing from 2007/08.

We cannot afford another 2007. So please take your work seriously. Put Cord to shame by the facts you produce.

— Prof Gitile Naituli, NCIC Commissioner

Destiny of women not in make-ups and parties A guy who wants you to party hard every weekend, expose your boobs, wear skimpy clothes, loud make ups and get down with 11 bottles of your favourite alcoholic drink while he is on his12th will never marry you!

That guy who is only drawn to you by his sexual hunger will see a slut in you when the time for marriage eventually comes.

Have you ever wondered why most of these guys go for the

‘timid’ and ‘local’ looking girls when it comes to marriage, but run away from their sexy, sassy looking partners? A real man wants more than beauty in his house.

Those tatooed boobs you are flaunting everywhere thinking that will make him stay will eventually sag someday so invest in yourself!

A man really wants a place he can call home, he wants a woman who is modest and can take care of his parents,

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

one with whom the children can confide in, the one he can take major decisions with and tell all his goals and fears.

He wants a wife, mother and sister all in one.

I’m not saying that looking good is bad. No. In fact, looking good is good for business, but you have got to look beyond that and pay more attention to things that keep a home. Be a woman every man would want to keep

14

SPORT WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

SPORTS BRIEFS Ex-basketball player hurt in terror attack Former Belgian Basketballer Sebastien Bellin was among the dozens of people who were injured in the Brussel’s bomb attack that claimed 28 lives. Brazilianborn Bellin, 37, has since under gone two surgeries after he was thrown 20 metres into the air by a blast that ripped off the Airport on Tuesday morning. Bellin used to play for Oakland University in California before moving to Europe. International Basketball Federation Europe Cup tweeted after the bloody incident: ‘We wish former @BCOOSTENDE and Belgium national team player Sebastien Bellin a speedy recovery.’ BC Telenet Oostende, a professional Belgian basketball team which he played for before moving to Belgian club, Gent Hawks wrote “We wish our former player Sebastien Bellin much strength and a speedy recovery! #PrayForBelgium.’ “Sebastian Bellin has his first surgery. There are now still shards in his leg and hip. He was thrown out 20m.’

“The whole Gent Hawks family wishes him a speedy recovery,” Genk Hawks later posted on their Face Book page

Ohaga big dreams for Sports

“A

nybody who wants an interview, is always free to come to my office,” says Sports Dispute Tribunal chairman John Ohaga as he disappear into the corridors leading to his spacious offices at the NSSF Building, just moments after delivering a landmark ruling which gave the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) a lifeline after some members went to court challenging the legality of Nick Mwendwa-led federation.

That pronouncement is what distinct Ohaga, the judge of the Sport tribunal from the rest. The former Mwamba RFC fly-half who made his debut for Kenya against Bedford in 1987 before he retired in 1996 to concentrate on his other love, law is one of a kind, probably the only local lawyer who feels easy before the cameras and even more at home answering tough questions from the inquisitive members of the fourth estate.

Sports Dispute Tribunal chairman John Ohaga e during an interview in his private office.

While local judges are known for quickly dashing into their chambers after delivering rulings, Ohaga has taken unconventional way of dealing with the sports

Werder player face ban over gesture Werder Bremen defender Papy Djilobodji has been banned for three games after making a throat-slitting gesture during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Mainz. Referee Manuel Graefe missed the incident, but German football officials reviewed the matter.

Senegal international Djilobodji, on loan from Chelsea, made the gesture towards Mainz winger Pablo de Blasis.

Werder have appealed in a bid to ensure Djilobodji, 27 play to help them battle relegation from the Bundesliga. They are one point above the drop zone with seven games left to play. “We maintain that the ruling of a three-match ban is unjustifiable,” Bremen chief executive Thomas Eichin said. Djilobodji, who joined Bremen in January, faces a further one-game suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card against Mainz.

Two teams pull out of R. Valley tourney Blakblad and Western Bulls have both pulled out of the coming weekend’s Great Rift 10 a side rugby tournament.

The two Kenya Cup sides withdrew from the two-day rugby extravaganza set for March 26-27 at the Nakuru Showground citing financial challenges Their withdrawal leaves Strathmore Leos, Mwamba and Masaku RFC in Pool C and Nakuru Top Fry Nakuru, Eldoret RFC and Kenya Harlequins who were pooled with Western Bulls in Pool A. Blakblad’s withdrawal will give them enough time to rest before they take on Nondiscrip in the Kenya Cup match while Bulls will host Thika RFC in Kakamega the other weekend. Bulls’ were to play the tournament opener on Saturday against champions and top seeds Nakuru RFC. The two, as well as Eldoret RFC and Kenya Harlequins made up pool A.

John Ohaga (centre down) with members of the Sports Dispute Tribunal during the swearing in ceremony at the Milimani High Court, Nairobi.

issues, more so handling the media. He is one of the few judges who bothers to explain to the press why he certain decisions were arrived at.

“I do not look at myself as your normal judge,” said the former member of Mean Machine squad that won back to-back Kenya Cup in 1989-1990.

“The world wants to know what is happening in our sports and I see the Tribunal as a significant mouth piece. We want to send a message with every decisions we make, and we cannot achieve that if we keep our decision secret,” he said.

The main role of the Tribunal, according to Ohaga is to entrench proper governance in Kenyan sports which currently grapples with doping, corruption and

power struggle at almost all levels, right from club to federations.

“The tribunal has decided to develop its own style and philosophy to entrench proper governance, integrity and administration in the management of sports because it is solely lacking,” said Ohaga who began his rugby career at the Prescott cup with Alliance High School.

While Ohaga has presided over and eventually ruled on some cases including the historical FKF case, Kenya Volleyball Federation, Kenya Hockey Union and Kenya Golf Union, this is just the beginning of the elaborate plans he has for the Tribunal, created

by Sports Act 2013 and which is slowly evolving into one of the most powerful sports bodies in the country.

His main agenda when he took up the work at the Tribunal on a fiveyear renewable term as the chair, was to build a reputation in sports by setting up a world class Sports Arbitration body complete with modern technology and media centre.

“We need to have a hearing room that really reflects the prominence that we want to give sports,” Ohaga says during our interview in his private office, just a stone throw away from the Tribunal.

“We need technology. I would love to see a media centre at the Tribunal for the media to have a place to file their reports.

Another thing is to have a library for sports law so that when members of the tribunal need to research on a particular issue, the resources are available to them,”

My comments were taken out of context: Djokovic World number one Novak Djokovic said he never meant to cause controversy when he said male players deserve more prize money than women.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion said he spoke out because the sport needed a “fairer and better distribution of funds across the board”, adding that he cares “deeply” about tennis and that his remarks were “not the best articulation of my view” before apologising to anyone who had taken his comments “the wrong way”.

Djokovic’s remarks had drawn criticism from high-profile players Serena Williams and Andy Murray. Williams, the women’s number one, said the Serb was “entitled to his opinion” but wondered what he would say to his daughter if he had one.

“If I had two kids, I would never tell my son or my daughter that one deserves more because of their sex,” the American said.

Murray reiterated his long-held view that there should be equal prize money in tennis and gave short shrift to Djokovic’s notion that men’s tennis is a bigger draw than the women’s game.

“At the US Open last year, the tickets for Serena’s matches were selling out much quicker than the men’s matches,” the world

number two said.

The 28-year-old Briton added that there would be women’s matches at the Miami Open that would hold more appeal than some of the men’s, so it made “more sense to make it (prize money) equal”.

Djokovic caused a stir when he was asked to react to comments by Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore, who said the women’s game “rides on the coat-tails” of the men. In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Djokovic sought to “clarify” what he had meant to say.

“Tennis helped me so much in my life and being where I am today, I felt the need to speak about the fairer and better distribution of funds across the board,” he wrote. “This was meant for both men and women.

“We all have to fight for what we deserve.

This was never meant to be made into a fight between genders and differences in pay, but in the way all players are rewarded for their play and effort.

“Tennis is a sport that I love and that gave me the opportunity to help others who still have a long way to go to achieve their dreams.

“This was my view all along and I want to apologise to anyone who has taken this the wrong way.”

Novak Djokovic from Serbia celebrates after defeating Milos Raonic from Canada during their final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, at the weekend.

PHOTO: DANIEL MURPHY/EPA

Dispute Tribunal in Kenya The former Kenya Rugby Union disciplinary committee chairman is currently soliciting funds to set up a modern registry at the Tribunal.

With all these plans, the biggest challenge ahead for the Tribunal is the limited space at the poorly refurbished Tribunal offices at the NSSF building.

“Anyone who sees sports as a viable entity and wants to invest in it, must first invest in the sports Tribunal which will entrench governance in sports, this will subsequently earn returns for such investments. Our core business is to entrench governance in sports, therefore corporates should assist the Tribunal with necessary equipment and infrastructure,” he says.

“We are not stuck here, with enough resources, we can move to a more spacious place, but at the moment we have to use what we have,” Ohaga said of his current office.

In terms of human resource, the Tribunal which also has plans to digitise its records, will leverage on technology, but will still require entry clerks, customer relations officers to act as the inter-link between them and the public.

“The resource base is still not sufficient,” he added.

While security has always been given prominence at the traditional courts, Ohaga has a different school of thought

when asked about the need to have security personnel at the precinct during the hearings.

“For me, security becomes almost a statement that that we are afraid of our own stakeholders. That we are afraid of the people we trying to serve. I would rather use education. When people have knowledge of your process then they have better understanding,” added Ohaga who has a session at least once a week with AFC Leopards fans to discuss their concerns as part of the ongoing mediation process at the club where he is the chief mediator of the club’s Interim Management Committee (IMC). IMC is composed of two factions, one led by Dan

Mule and another Mathew Opwora, the two protagonists in the AFC Leopards power struggle that ended before the Tribunal.

“If you are insecure because you think you are going to give a bad decision and someone will respond negatively, then you need security, but if you are honest about your decision then you should not fear.

But critics have also pointed fingers at his decision, accusing him of shielding the Sports Registrar who is yet to transit any sports body despite the fact that the deadline for registration expired in June 2014.

“I welcome criticism as long as it is objective and is not

directed at my person. But we are at an initial stage and I don’t want to start criticising the institution, but rather give directions,” he says when asked about the registrar’s failure to transit sports bodies.

Another challenge Ohaga, one of the co-founders of TripleOKLaw firm will have to grapple with is striking a balance should his firm which also deals with sports law find a client at the Tribunal.

The commercial lawyer will remain a key player at the local sports scene especially with the formation of AntiDoping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) which will also form art of the Tribunal. @elvince_x254

John Ohaga and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga during the swearing in of the Sports Dispute Tribunal members.

Deaf games body polls put off over hitches A power vacuum looms in the Confederation of Africa Deaf Sports the planned Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for April was pushed back by four months.

The AGM which was to be used to replace current president Peter Kalae during the inaugural Deaf All Africa Games has been postponed due to lack of commitment from expected participants.

The games were initially scheduled to take place from April 14-26 in Nairobi.

The local Organising Committee has since rescheduled it to August 6-13.

So far, only three countries, host Kenya, Ghana and Sierra Leone have confirmed participation leaving the organisers with no option, but to push the dates to give the rest ample time to prepare.

It is not yet clear whether elections will take place before August. If it doesn’t, then Kalae whose term comes to an end in April will continue holding the office until a new secretariat is brought in.

Kenyan Washington Akaranga has expressed interest in succeeding Kalae who is also Kenyan.

The games also faces venue challenges

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.

Another cause for the postponment would have been as a result of failure to raise part of the Sh94 million required

for the organisation of the inaugural championship.

Hosting federation Kenya Deaf Sports Federation (KDSF) are yet to raise the cash while the government has not committed fully in supporting the poor federation with preparation for Team Kenya. @elvince_x254

STILL IN OFFICE: Confederation of Africa Deaf Sports president Peter Kalae during a past forum. The election to replace him has been postponed after the AGM was rescheduled from April to August.

SPORT 15 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2016

wednesday, MaRCH 23, 2016 | www.x254.Co

SPORTS TRIBUNAL CHAIRMAN JOHN OHAGA OUTLINES HIS DREAMS TO GROW KENYA’S SPORTS

p14

Harambee Stars players in a squad photo before a their 2017 qualifying match against Zambia at Nyayo National Stadium. Kenya lost 2-1. Stars will be in Guinea Bissau to take host in a must-win match to salvage their qualification to Gabon next year.

Stars eye Bissau scalp in AFCON tie

H

arambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has backed Kenya to beat host Guinea Bissau in tonight’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifier, saying Kenya must beat their host to improve their chances of qualifying.

Wanyama, who arrived in Bissau a few hours before kick-off after he missed a connection flight in Morocco following a delay occasioned by the Air strike in France, said the match followed by a home tie next weekend in Nairobi must bear fruits if Kenya

is to keep their hopes of returning to the continental scenes for the first time since 2004.

Speaking with Southampton media after their weekend dramatic win against Liverpool, the bully midfielder said Stars who are third in their group must win the two fixtures to keep the hopes of a trip to Gabon alive.

“It’s a massive game for us. We have two games and hopefully we can get something to keep us in the qualifiers,” said the man who was only 13 when Stars last

took part in the Cup of Nation under Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mule.

“I am always proud going to play for my country and I always want to represent my country well and hopefully get the result that we want,” added the Captain.

Wanyama’s late arrival means he must shake off the jet lag fast and the injury to his midfield compatriot Anthony Akumu is giving head coach Stanley Okumbu headache ahead of the tie.

Akumu is nursing a right eye in-

jury after he was hit by an object during their CAF champions’ league match with Zesco United of Zambia.

If he is ruled out, it will be a big blow to the squad in the midfield that w’ll also have Wanyama, still shaking of the effects of a twoday trip from England to West Africa. “I will have a word with the doctor to ascertain if he will be fit for the match,” Okumbi said.

Akumu, together with Jese Were and David Owino linked up with

the team yesterday in Guinea.

Akumu is still waiting for the doctor’s clean bill of health even though the coach has refused to rule him out of the starting squad.

Probable starting line up Arnold Origi, David Owino, Brian Mandela, Musa Mohamed, Dennis Odhiambo, Victor Wanyama, Teddy Akumu, Johanna Omollo, Eric Johanna, Jesse Were, Michael Olunga elvince_x254

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