201701030 xnews

MOnday, JanUaRy 30, 2017 | www.x254.cO

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MOUNTING RESISTANCE TO TRUMP’S US TRAVEL BAN PETITION SEEKING TO BLOCK THE AMERICAN LEADER FROM SETTING FOOT IN THE UK REACH ONE MILLION SIGNATURES AS WORLD CONTINUES TO CONDEMN HIS ORDER TO LOCK OUT MUSLIM VISITORS

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NEWS

MANE FLOWN BACK TO LIVERPOOL ON PRIVATE JET AHEAD OF CHELSEA CLASH TOMORROW

MONACO HOLD PSG IN LIGUE 1 AS REAL MADRID MOVES FOUR POINTS CLEAR AT LA LIGA SUMMIT

Keep children away from political campaigns - CS STROY ON PAGE 2

Amina’s date with AU

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oreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed (pictured) is hoping to become the next chairperson of the African Union when elections are held this afternoon at the organisation’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this afternoon. Ms Mohamed remained upbeat tweeting earlier today that her chances were good following intense lobbying across the continent. President Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday met several heads of states alongside Rwanda’s Paul Kagame in last ditch efforts to lobby for ambassador Mohamed to succeed outgoing chair Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa. But Ms Mohamed faces stiff challenge from Senegal’s Abdoulaye Bathily and Equatorial Guinea’s Agapito Mba Mokuy. Others in the race are Pelonomi Venson Moitoi of Botswana and Moussa Faki Mahamat of Chad. The voting starts at 3pm and is expected to last an hour. Each head of state and government has one vote. They will first vote for the chairperson then the deputy.

They cast the ballot electronically by keying in special codes given to each eligible state.

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NEWS MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

New strategy to ensure higher voter numbers in Nyanza The Suba MP said each ward will have five youth who are tasked with mobilizing potential voters who have not registered.

“In the coming week, we will have at least five youths in every ward, who will walk door to door in a bid to tell people to register as voters,” Mbadi told X News.

He said the youths will give a report every evening to the area Mp who will in turn relay the same information to the national office for necessary action.

“Of course we did not do well in the first week of the registration exercise but things are set to change and we will surpass the target put by the electoral commission,” Mbadi said.

Data for the first week of the month long exercise reveal that more than 800,000 Kenyans have so far registered as voters which falls way below the target of at least 1.4 million registered voters for week one.

Areas such as North Eastern, Central and Rift Valley recorded highest number of registered voters in week one.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) which enjoys massive following in Nyanza has adopted a new strategy to persuade residents to register in large numbers as voters.

The region has not met the IEBC estimates for voter registration and politicians from the area have devised a new strategy they hope will lead to more voter numbers.

ODM chairman John Mbadi has said they have an elaborate plan to boost the number of people registering as voters, especially in their strongholds.

Mbadi said the party has embarked on campaign to ensure that the constituencies in Cord stronghold especially in Nyanza surpass the target set by electoral commission on registration of new voters.

According to the ODM chairman, the party held a strategic meeting last week to bolster the numbers of registered voters following the release of figures of registered voters so far by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on the first week.

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ODM leader Raila Odinga during a voter mobilisation campaign in Nairobi’s Mathare constituency two weeks ago.

Mbadi also said that current aspirants for various seats have been urged to put their political differences aside and work with incumbents in order to increase the number registered voters.

“In some way the aspirants have sabotaged the process, we have prevailed upon them to work together because they all need the voters,” Mbadi said.

He pointed out that the low figures especially in his constituency was due to lack of timetable on where BVR kits will be stationed at a particular day.

“Not all the wards in my constituency have the BVR kits, do most people did not know where the equipment’s will be but that has now been sorted and things are set to improve,” Mbadi said.

This comes amid concerns of low numbers recorded in cord strongholds.

Cord chief Raila Odinga yesterday asked Governors in Nyanza to step up their effort in registering more people. The cord leader also told area MPs that they have been doing very little to make more people register as voters.

CS Matiang’i orders school pupils not to entertain politicians during campaigns Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has ordered all county directors of education not allow students to engage in any activities related to the ongoing mass voter registration.

Speaking in Nyamira County, Matiang’i directed all school heads to ensure that their students are not used to entertain politicians who are crisscrossing the country in a bid to rally their supporters to enlist as voters ahead of elections in August.

He warned that if allowed to engage in political activities, the children would lose a lot of time affecting their academic schedule and proper learning.

“Our county directors should make sure our children are not used to entertain politicians especially now that they are all over rallying Kenyans to registers as voters,” Dr Matiangi stated.

And to the teachers with political ambitions, the CS has said that they should resign early enough to give room for replacements and without unnecessarily affecting the learning of the students.

“I have the list of all those teachers who have

declared their interest to join politics in the next general elections. We have enough teachers who can replace you in all those positions,” the CS added.

His sentiments came even as education stakeholders meet at the KIE today to chat the way forward for the new proposed education curriculum.

Various stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the proposed curriculum arguing that it was fit in the emerging market trends and skill needed to develop the economy while critics disagree on its implementation.

According to the proposal by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), there will be Early, Middle and Senior schools with focus on continuous assessment tests over summative evaluation.

Early childhood and lower primary education; middle primary and lower secondary; and upper secondary will take five, six and three years, respectively.

However, the National Basic Education Curriculum Framework (NBECF) does not indicate how many years students will take

in tertiary institutions.

It has however been established that one of the options the conference is likely to be presented with is from a 2012 report of a taskforce chaired by Prof Douglas Odhiambo, which proposed the scrapping of the 8-4-4 system.

It recommended a 2-6-3-3-3 system, which it says would ensure learners acquire competences and skills to meet the human resource aspirations of Vision 2030 blueprint.

NEWS 3 MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

Students now threaten to join lecturer’s strike

University students have threatened to join their lecturer’s on strike in the don’s work boycott is not resolved in a two days.

The lecturer’s strike entered its second week today.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i last week asked the dons to suspend the industrial action until March to allow more time for negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

But the dons have defied the calls, telling the CS that the strike will continue until the CBA is negotiated, registered and implemented.

And their absence from lecturer halls seem to have now gotten the impatience of students who have also threaten to join them. “If the strike persists for the next two days and the government continue to play cat and mouse games with Kenyans, we will join the lecturers in their strike starting Wednesday,” Multimedia University of Kenya students governing Council Secretary General Talo Harrison told X News on phone.

He said students across the public universities were ready to take on the government following their laxity to intervene on the on-going lecturers strike.

“It is so sad having a government that does not care for its citizens,” he reckoned.

In an interview with X News on Monday, University Academic Staff Union (UASU) Organising Secretary (University of Nairobi Chapter) Dr. Maloba Wekesa said their demands for fair remuneration was just and can be sustained by the country’s economy.

“What we are asking as lecturers is reasonable and sustainable for the government and the country’s economy.

We urge the government to immediately implement the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement,” Dr. Wekesa said.

He maintained that even in the face of uncertainty, lecturers in the country were more than willing to report back to their work stations, as long as their predicament is not given a blind eye.

He accused the government of treating its workers with contempt.

Inter Public University Council Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) Chairperson Prof. Ratemo Michieka had said last week that government had tabled a counter offer to striking dons but Dr. Wekesa said no such deal was offered to them. The lecturers are demanding a 300 per cent payise and harmonisation of salaries with workers of the same academic levels in other fields in their CBA. They also want the government to improve

the working conditions in the institutions of higher learning with some alleging that do not have teaching aids like sound projectors that would allow them to handle the rising numbers of students, with a single class at times accommodating 1000 learners. In the 33 public universities there

are about three hundred full lecturers with a sizeable number of support staff spread across the country, and their decision to down tools has paralyzed learning in public universities for the last one week. @hillary_x254

Medical students from University of Nairobi chant slogans as they demonstrate in solidarity with striking doctors in Nairobi on January 19, 2017. Students from across all public universities have threatended to join their lecturers on strike if the impasse is not resolved in two days’ time. PHOTO: DAI KUROKAWA/ EPA

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NEWS MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

NEWSBRIEFS

Ban protesters jam airports

America’s major airports became ground zero Sunday for a second consecutive day of protests against President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies.

The affected airports included Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, New York’s JFK, Raleigh, Houston, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta and more.

Crowds gathered in and around terminals to challenge the executive order, which temporarily bars entry to the United States from seven Muslimmajority countries. It also bans all refugee admissions for the next 120 days.

Like they had a week ago at the Women’s March rallies across the country, demonstrators carried thousands of colorful handmade signs, many written with markers on cardboard panels.

Throngs of people protested at major US landmarks, including the White House, Boston’s Copley Square and Battery Park in Manhattan.

The park was packed with more than 10,000 people, according to an official at City Hall. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Nydia Velazquez, New York Sens. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, and Kirsten Gillibrand took turns speaking.

Protesters sang and chanted: “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”

At airports, the crowds waved signs in solidarity with travelers stuck inside -- students, doctors, professors and refugees. They cheered as impacted travelers left airports and reunited with loved ones. But many more remain in limbo.

Six killed in Canada mosque shooting

Six people have been killed and another eight wounded in a shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada.

Shots were fired at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre last night, where dozens had gathered for evening prayers. Police confirmed the death toll and are treating the incident as a terror attack.

Two people are in custody, and officers do not believe there are others suspects at large. Police said the area was secure and the situation was “under control”.

Dozens of people left the mosque safely, they said.

A spokesperson said there was no information about the suspects in custody, saying their probe had just started. Earlier Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also described the shooting as a “terrorist attack”. Mr Trudeau said he heard of the news “with tremendous shock, sadness and anger”.

“We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge,” he said in a statement.

Resistance mount on US travel ban

US President Donald J. Trump after he signed three executive actions in the Oval Office in Washington, DC, USA, on Saturday 28 January 2017.

PHOTO: PETE MAROVICH/EPA

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resident Donald Trump enters the second week of his presidency facing a growing political backlash - with protesters in the streets, lawsuits mounting and his own party fracturing over his executive order banning travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority nations.

The resistance is offering an early and immediate preview of the dynamics of the Trump presidency: It tests the opposition’s strength and durability, the White House’s crisis management capabilities and Capitol Hill Republicans’ willingness to stomach the controversy that accompanies Trump’s efforts to fulfill his campaign promises.

Meanwhile, stories of students, public figures and even a military translator who are suddenly unclear on whether they can enter the United States are setting social media ablaze. It all comes as the nascent Trump administration enters a critical period, with Trump still seeking Senate confirmation for most of his Cabinet nominees.

The White House is scrambling to tamp down the controversy, with Trump addressing it in a statement and taking a warning shot at critical Republicans. And his administration is considering moving up the announcement of his first Supreme Court appointment from Thursday to possibly Tuesday, potentially in an effort to change the subject, one source told CNN. Trump released a statement defending his ban Sunday evening, while also

lashing out at two Republican senators who had opposed it and the news media over its coverage of the ban.

“America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave. We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say,” Trump said in the statement.

He continued: “To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting.

This is not about religion -- this is about terror and keeping our country safe.”

In a joint statement, Arizona Sen. John McCain and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham earlier Sunday had called Trump’s travel ban a “self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism.”

“This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country. That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security,” the two said.

Trump lambasted McCain and Graham together in a two-tweet response, writing: “The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain & Lindsey Graham is wrong - they are sadly weak on immigration.

The two Senators should focus their energies on ISIS, illegal immigration and border security instead of always looking to start World War III.” But even as Trump hit McCain and Graham, other Republicans were similarly criticizing

his executive order. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, called it “the ultimate display of mistrust.”

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tennessee, said the order “has been poorly implemented, especially with respect to green card holders.”

“This was an extreme vetting program that wasn’t properly vetted,” Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”

Already, a federal judge in New York blocked part of Trump’s executive order on immigration, ruling that authorities could not remove individuals from seven Muslimmajority countries who had arrived in US airports after the order had been issued.

Other judges had ruled against the order, as well.

Sixteen Democratic state attorneys general issued a joint statement calling Trump’s move “unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful” and vowing to fight it in court.

The controversy comes the week Trump has said he will announce his choice for a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Democratic House and Senate leaders have planned a protest outside the Supreme Court for Monday afternoon.

The chaotic scenes around airports Saturday came in part because Trump’s administration had reportedly not allowed career Homeland Security Department staff to see the executive order.

NEWS 5

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

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NEWS MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

NEWS PICTORIAL

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AST DITCH EFFORTS FOR AU BID: President Uhuru Kenyatta with Namibia’s President Hage Geingob at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa yesterday. Mr Kenyatta met with several African Heads of State as he mounted a last efforts to lobby for Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s bid to become the next AU chairman person ahead of the vote today afternoon.

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ORLD”S TOP BEAUTY QUEEN: Iris Mittenaere (R) from France is crowned the 65th Miss Universe by her predecessor, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (L) from the Philippines during the coronation night of the Miss Universe pageant at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, south of Manila, Philippines, earlier today. A total of 86 candidates competed for the crown.

PHOTO: ROLEX DELA PENA/EPA

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NTI-MUSLIM TRAVEL BAN PROTESTS: A young girl holds a sign during a protest against President Trump’s ban on the immigration of citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries in Battery Park in New York, USA, yesterday. On 28 January, a federal judge in Brooklyn temporary blocked the executive ban, which had stranded as many as 200 inbound foreigners at U.S. ports of entry. PHOTO: PETER FOLEY/EPA

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ASSION FOR THE GAME: Herve Renard, coach of Morocco reacts during the 2017 Africa Cup Quarter final match between Egypt and Morocco at the Port Gentil Stadium in Gabon last night. Mr Herve’s quest to become the first coach to win the tournament with three different teams ended after Morocco bowed out following a 1-0 defeat to Egypt. The Frenchman won the trophy with Zambia in 2012 before winning it again with Ivory Coast in the 2015 edition. PHOTO: CHRIS RICO/EPA

xnews | MONday, JANUARY 30, 2017 | www.x254.co

BUSINESS

Hero MotoCorp, Ryce EA to offer free personal cover for Bodaboda riders

Bodaboda riders across the country are set to benefit from a new free personal accident cover courtesy of Hero MotoCorp in partnership with Ryce East Africa.

The plan targets new bodaboda riders entering the business, who will be registered free of charge once they purchase their motorbikes at any dealer across the country.

The move further seeks at helping Ryce grow its market share in the rapidly expanding insurance market.

Ryce East Africa Managing Director, Mr. Srinivas says the new product is designed to shield riders from financial losses arising from accidents.

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) recently urged Bodaboda riders to observe traffic rule and regulations which were put in place to tame motorcycle-related accidents. The Authority ssid those caught breaking the rules risk a fine not exceeding Sh20,000 or a jail term of no more than six months or both.

Part of rules and regulations require both the rider and the customer to wear helmets and reflector jackets inscribed with the registration number of the motorcycle. Riders are also required to have PSV insurance, a valid driving

of Friday CBK EXCHANGE RATES(As January 27/2017)

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

Bikers parading in the streets of Nairobi during a self-declared National Bikers Day, organized by Motorcyle Kenya Association in Nairobi, Kenya, 31 July 2015. The Association, which is comprised of private motorcycle Clubs, Association and Groups in Kenya, declared July 31 as their National Bikers Day which will be the day to focus on the state of the motorcycle industry in Kenya to be held every year.

EPA/DANIEL IRUNGU license and third-party insurance.

The Bodaboda sector has grown rapidly, becoming one of the most favoured means of transport both in rural and urban areas.

According to a 2015 report by the

BuSINESS DIARY ‘Pitch to the Ladykillers’ event at The Hub East Africa

The Hub East Africa will host the latest edition of its ‘Pitch to the Ladykillers’ event on Thursday, February 2, 2017 from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm at its headquarters along Waiyaki Way in Nairobi.

The Ladykillers are veteran business women and women investors. They have experience sitting in panels and judging ideas as part of pitching competitions.

The event invites entrepreneurs to take part in a panel discussion that seeks not only to empower attendees, but help grow existing enterprises.

There will be a pre-pitching workshop starting at 1:00 pm open to everybody. Interested parties are advised to contact saadah@thehubeastafrica.com.

Spark* Kenya 2017 Demo Day at the Amani Institute

Spark* Kenya, an international non-profit that works to support emerging social entrepreneurs will host a Demo Day event at the Amani Institute at the Insecta Centre Braeside Gardens, off Muthangari Road in Lavington, Nairobi on Friday, February 3, 2017 from 10:00 am to1:00 pm.

A part of the organisation’sinitative to empower innovators, Spark* Changemakers have been identified from across Kenya and will attend an intensive five day entrepreneurship accelerator in Nairobi. On this day they will pitch their ventures to an invited audience of some of Nairobi’s best social enterprise leaders and investors. All audience members have the chance to cast a vote for the Spark* Kenya Changemaker of the Year. This will be followed by a networking lunch for all invited guests. Entry is free.

Motorcycle Assembly Association of Kenya (MAAK), the sector has created thousands of job opportunities and contributes over Sh400 million to the country’s economy every day. This translates to an annual contribution of

Sh146 billion. The report adds that the country has currently over half a million motorbikes operating as bodabodas with approximately 14.4 million Kenyans using them daily as their preferred means of transport. @enock_x254

Central Bank to set new benchmark lending rate at Monday MPC meeting The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) will hold its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting today where it will set its benchmark lending rate.

Earlier this month, it emerged that analysts expected the Central Bank to leave its benchmark lending rate unchanged when it meets today.

At the beginning of this year, Market Analyst, John Kirimi of investment group Sterling Capital and Rich Management CEO Aly Khan Satchu both projected the CBK would leave the rates unchanged. The bank held the rate at 10 per cent at its last meeting in November. During the meeting, CBK stated that inflationary pressures were mild and inflation would remain within the Government target range in the short term.

CBK Governor, Patrick Njoroge had stated that the new banking law capping interest rates at four per cent above the Central Bank Rate had complicated the monetary policy.

He had however stated that they would be monitoring how the new law is affecting the monetary policy. Monetary policy consists of decisions and actions taken by the Central Bank to ensure that the supply of money in the economy is consistent with growth and price

objectives set by the government. It’s objective is to maintain price stability in the economy.

Price stability refers to maintenance of a low and stable inflation.

The Central Bank’s monetary policy decisions are made to maintain a low and stable inflation rate over time, which is an indication of price stability.

The decision will be made just days after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that interest rate controls pose a threat to Kenya’s financial stability and slow down economic growth.

President Kenyatta said in August that the controls, which are enforced through the Banking (Amendment) Act 2016, require banks to charge a maximum of four percentage points above the prevailing 10 per cent Central Bank Rate (CBR).

The minimum interest on fixed-term deposits was fixed at 70 per cent of the CBR, further eating into profit margins of the lenders.

The introduction of the cap has seen major restructuring in the banking sector, with the industry driving a shift to digital banking to lower operating costs.

MEAN 103.9494 127.6242 110.5861 7.6571 34.6323 21.5009

BUY SELL 103.8494 104.0494 127.4822 127.7661 110.4722 110.7000 7.6469 7.6673 34.5509 34.7137 21.4321 21.5697

CIC says 2016 earnings to fall by more than 25 pc as new policies shake up sector CIC Insurance Group Limited has said the firm’s earnings for the 2016 financial year are expected to be lower by more than 25 per cent of the earnings reported for the same period in 2015.

The announcement is based on the company’s indicative financial data with regard to the year ending 31 December 2016.

The announcement comes just as an expanding middle class, anchored by a young population, is set to support growth in Kenya’s insurance sector, although a regulatory overhaul is likely to increase consolidation pressure in the near term.

Insurance penetration and accessibility have been improving steadily in Kenya, according to a report by the Oxford Business Group, a research organisation that focuses on economies across the globe.

The report found that Kenya’s middle class is growing and more consumers have disposable income hence the potential for new demand for insurance.

A number of major infrastructure plans have created investment opportunities in insurance. Some of the main ventures include the construction of the second runway and new terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the Lamu Transport Corridor project and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project. CIC’s Chairman said in a recent statement that the company had registered strong topline growth with improved quality of business in most of the lines of business.

“However, because of the prevailing market conditions, the valuation of our shares portfolio at the Nairobi Securities Exchange has significantly dropped. Some lines in our general business had adverse claims experience while a reserving policy change in our life business resulted in significant increase negatively impacting overall business performance,” the statement added. With the completion of CIC’s rebranding exercise, investment in administration systems for medical and pension business lines as well as continued enhancement of management of claims costs, the board said it is confident that this will see improved future performance by the Company.

The announcement also comes just as Kenya is in the final stages of a regulatory overhaul, including establishing a Financial Services Authority (FSA) to consolidate the fragmented insurance landscape. The FSA will merge four regulators – the IRA, the RBA, the Capital Markets Authority and the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority – under one umbrella to provide a more organised approach to the sector. @Dennis_x254

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BUSINESS

HIF offers local NGOs Sh26m to combat waterborne diseases MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

The Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF) is offering local non-governmental organisations and development groups up to Sh26.1 million in grant money to encourage the development of new water filters specifically designed for emergencies.

HIF is currently seeking applications for its “Emergency Household Water Filter Challenge” to develop a better understanding about how existing household water filters perform in humanitarian emergencies.

The call comes just as Kenya is experiencing a devastating drought with the likelihood of increased cases of waterborne diseases, according to a recent report by the Red Cross humanitarian group.

The call also comes just days after First Lady Margaret Kenyatta received 630,000 sachets of water purifiers from multinational manufacturer, Procter and Gamble (P&G). At State House Nairobi, a P&G team demonstrated to the First Lady how the product purifies a bucket of contaminated water in five minutes.

P&G made the donation under the Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) programme as part of its corporate social responsibility.

“Providing clean water in humanitarian emergencies is essential. However few household water filters have been developed with this context in mind,” the group said in a statement. “In an emergency setting usability, durability, transportability, and cost arise as crucial aspects of filter design.”

HIF has launched three calls for its programme, including a ‘Call for a Field Testing Partner’, which requires a research partner capable of field testing household water filters in an emergency

A woman pours water from a hand-dug well in the dry riverbed near Matinyani, in the semi-arid Kitui County in southeastern Kenya, March 22, 2015. Residents of Kitui County and other arid and semiarid areas of the country have been hard-hit by extremely poor rainfall this year while the government said in previous month that some 1.6 million people countrywide are facing acute starvation due to drought. According to an estimate by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 17 million people lack access to safe water in Kenya, where the drought is a perennial problem. EPA/DAI KUROKAWA setting. This call will offer successful applicants £200,000 (Sh26.1 million) in funding. The group has also launched a call for manufacturers of existing household water filters to submit their devices for field testing and a call for researchers and manufacturers working on early stage water filters or looking to adapt existing filters for a humanitarian

emergency context. HIF reports that under these calls, there are three grants of up to £50,000 (Sh6.5 million) each up for grabs.

“The Call is open to anyone, however special consideration will be given to filter designs and technologies that have the potential to be effective in humanitarian emergencies. Because of

this, the design and usability of filters will be central to the selection process. Filters should be easy to use and maintain, durable, affordable, effective at removing harmful pathogens from water, and acceptable for use by the people affected by humanitarian crises,” HIF said in its statement. @Dennis_x254

WPP Scangroup appoints new Creative Head Integrated Advertising and Communications agency, WPPScangroup has appointed Robert N’gan’ga as the new Creative Head.

“Robert has a broad range of agency and client side experience from Redhouse Group, Scanad and RedSky, where he headed creative departments in the respective agencies,” the firm said in a recent statement.

Robert brings over 15 years of experience to the role and joins WPP-Scangroup’s robust award winning creative team.

In his most recent assignments, he has been the creative mind behind the iconic campaigns for Tusker, Tusker Lite and Google. In his new role, he will oversee the creative team, and will be responsible for creative output.

WPP-Scangroup won 43 out of 66 Awards at the 2016 Association of Practitioners in Advertising (APA) Awards held Nairobi.

The company won the gold award for Safaricom 2016 calendar by Scanad, 2 craft certificates for The Madaraka Story and Duracoat & Dads Everywhere present – The DuraCODE campaigns

by Ogilvy Africa, 1 Grand Prix for Scrollpong campaign by Ogilvy Africa, 2 silver awards for Story for Chela and This is my Kenya campaigns by Squad Digital. Three silver awards for Solve the Murder Mystery, The World’s first Smellable Website and Duracoat & Dads Everywhere present.

WPP-Scangroup is a subsidiary of WPP and is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. It is the largest marketing and communication group operating a multi-agency model across multiple disciplines in sub Saharan Africa. It offers a comprehensive and integrated range of advertising and communication services in traditional advertising, marketing consultancy, public relations and experiential/shopper marketing.

Twenty 4G sites will be operational by end of January, Airtel confirms Airtel Kenya has confirmed that 20 of its 4G sites in Nairobi will be operational by the end of this month, providing consumers with access to high-speed internet services.

Airtel Kenya recently rolled out its 4G LTE service in the country with an initial pilot rollout of 20 sites in Nairobi.

The success of the pilot phase will give way to setting up of a full roll out across the country starting with 65 more sites in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu by end of April.

The telecommunications company has said a 4G network will allow consumers to enjoy faster browsing and explore more media on diverse devices. The rollout will bring Airtel sites in Kenya to 1,563, up from 1,211 two years ago, a 30 per cent increase in Airtel’s sites across the country over the period.

Airtel Kenya’s roll out of 4G network comes at a time when Kenya’s telecommunications industry is recording significant wins and losses

across all sectors from mobile and fixed telephony, data/internet subscriptions as well as broadband, postal and courier services, according to the latest numbers. Airtel Kenya’s CEO, Adil El Youssefi has said the company remains committed to competing in the Kenyan market and providing choice to Kenyans by further investing in the rollout of 4G services in the next few months and the continued expansion of its network coverage.

“We are happy with our performance in the first quarter, and we attribute the gains to the company’s continued investment in network expansion, the introduction of innovative and value for money services and our resolve to provide the best customer experience,” he said.

Overall, Kenya’s telecommunications sector recorded notable gains in mobile money services where subscriptions and mobile money agents grew to 31.0 million and 169,698 respectively during the quarter under review.

A total of 400.6 million transactions

were made valued at over Sh1 trillion.

But the industry has also recorded a significant decline in mobile subscriptions whereby the number of mobile subscriptions stood at 38.5 million down from previous quarter which was 39.7 million marking a 3

per cent decline.

This is largely attributed to the heightened crackdown on subscribers who use the services to commit various criminal activities, especially mobile money fraud.

Mobile and data services experienced a

Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said a 4G network will allow consumers to enjoy faster browsing speeds on more devices.

downward trend in subscription numbers, recording a declined to 25.6 million from 26.8 million subscriptions in the last quarter, representing a 4.5 per cent drop. Airtel Kenya recorded an increase in its market share with regards to mobile data/internet subscriptions posting a 21.2 per cent share up from the previous quarters’ 18.7 per cent.

Airtel Africa MD, Raghunath Mandava is confident the cost control measures has led to earnings margin expansion of 4.9 per cent Y-o-Y, standing at 24.5 per cent.

“Africa is now generating positive free cash and is PBT positive in constant currency,” said Mandava.

Airtel is the country’s second-largest mobile network provider by coverage, with a market share of 17.5 per cent as of last September after Safaricom which controlled 69 per cent share.

The telco announced on January 13 it would lay off 100 staff, bringing the tally to 160 as 60 others were sent home in January 2016.

BUSINESS 9

Consumer demand falls as beer prices rise, says EA Breweries MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has said that increased taxation of beer has dampened consumer demand through successive price increments.

According to EABL Chief Executive, Andrew Cowan, there have been four major excise duty increases affecting bottled beer volumes in the last five years, with the most aggressive one taking effect in December 2015 when the beverage saw a 43 per cent rise in duty, he said in a recent statement.

Excise tax on beer increased to Sh100 per litre in December 2015 from the previous Sh70 per litre. Mr Cowan said this was the highest excise duty increase in Africa.

EABL says its sales in Kenya, which account for 74 per cent of total turnover, were flat in the review period as a consequence of the higher taxes.

Higher taxes raised additional revenue for the government but the brewer says the taxman would have collected more if beer prices were affordable.

EABL blamed the jump in Kenyan tax on beer for its flat sales in the six months to December 31, 2016, but expects a recovery in the next half-year period.

EABL is set to cut shareholders a total interim dividend cheque of Sh1.5 billion despite reporting a 27.7 per cent drop in net profit for the half year ended December.

The Sh2 per share payout, same as last year, will be made on or about April 21. The beer maker’s net profit stood at Sh5.5 billion in the review period

therise

E.A Portland Cement Co. Ltd

East African Portland Cement Company. Ltd was the week’s top gainer for a third consecutive week after edging upwards by 9.6 per cent. The share price was up to Sh28.50 from the previous week’s close of Sh26.00. The counter still traded small volumes as compared to the previous two weeks with only 1,400 shares trading. Year-to-date, its share price has gained 21.3 per cent to become the best performing counter at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

thefall

Sanlam Kenya Plc

Sanlam Kenya Plc, which is trading on a profit warning, was the week’s top laggard after declining by 10.1 per cent over the course of the week’s trading. The share price closed at Sh20.00 from their previous closing price of Sh22.25. Year-to-date, its share price has shed 27.3 per cent, making it the worst performing stock at the NSE. Analysis by Amana Capital info@ amanacapital.co.ke

compared to Sh7.7 billion the year before when earnings from normal operations were boosted by a Sh2.2 billion gain from sale of Central Glass Industries. Besides the absence of the one-off gain, its profit in the review period was also weighed down by a 6.2

per cent drop in sales to Sh35.1 billion.

These developments come just months after the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) barred beer distributors from fixing prices.

CAK Director General Mr Wang’ombe Kariuki said in June last year that

distributors cannot determine the pricing of the beverages they handle.

“We cannot allow the distributors to sit and agree on a price,” Mr Wang’ombe said at the close of a three-day training workshop for journalists. He argued that allowing businesses operating

within the supply chain to determine the appropriate pricing is not permitted under competition laws as it tends to expose consumers through higher retail prices. He added that it any price increase along the distribution chain is reflected in the eventual pricing.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

ACCESS

12

I GET MOTIVATED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING GOOD MUSIC, WORKING HARD AND BEING SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

D

escribe your sound I do hip hop, RnB and RnBass; basically I rap and I sing. But I’m a versatile artiste because if I stuck to one thing it would be boring, I even do some zouk here and there.

How did you get a start in the industry?

I have always loved doing music, since I was a kid. All through school I still had music on my mind but my big break came in 2013 when I did ‘Limelight.’ It was a single that I did which got a lot of views. Because of this people started encouraging me to continue

doing music. So I kept at it and that’s basically what happened.

What would you say is the message of your music?

I like to make people have fun. My music is all about having a good time. I do have some spiritual songs but my main aim is to have fun. Basically making people feel good about themselves.

Who inspires you?

Actually many people have inspired me in the music industry. I get motivated by people who are doing good music, working hard and being successful at it.

Particularly artistes who have been in the game for decades and are still making hits like Snoop Dogg. He’s been consistently making music for a long time. Jermaine Dupri and Diddy, they are musicians who have maintained their popularity in the industry for a while. Wiz Khalifa too, he’s skinny like me and although he hasn’t been around for as long as the other artistes he works hard on his music.

What are you working on currently?

I’ve been working on a few albums. This year I’m planning on releasing two of them. I started the first one last year and I’ve shot some videos for it, one being ‘In Another World.’ I just want to give the music to the fans, go out there and perform.

Are there any artistes that you would love to work with?

Of course, STL is one of them. Any artiste who is making great music I would be willing to collaborate with.

Do you ever listen to your music on your playlists?

I don’t think I’ve ever gone a day without listening to my tracks. I listen to songs that I’m working on, songs that I’m going to perform and for me it’s

kind of a rehearsal.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself as a billionaire, living in Miami in mansion with a wife and kids. I come from Jinja in Uganda and my dream has been to use this platform in Nairobi and finally settle in Miami. I also see myself with some plaques on the walls.

1Rail I Slow but sure @christine_x254

Ugandan artiste 1Rail is slowly but surely making waves on the Kenyan music scene. With a couple of hits to his name the rapper took a seat with XACCESS and spoke of his big dreams and passion for the craft.

ACCESS

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

11

FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS DO AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MAKING YOU BELIEVE THAT THEIR SALADS ARE LOW-CALORIE

REVEIEW OF THE WEEK’S EVENTS

HOT TOPICS

MAJOR LAZER’S WALSHY FIRE HEATS UP PRIVEÉ Matonya to court Lady Jay dee for ‘Anita’ remix

B @kevin_x254

ongo music star Matonya has said he is seeking to once again collaborate with Lady Jay Dee in the remix of their 2008 hit track ‘Anita’. Matonya who is currently riding high with his single titled ‘Hakijaeleweka’ made the announcement on Instagram over the weekend with fans supporting the idea. Matonya rose to fame with ‘Anita’ in 2008 having collaborated with Jay Dee who was already an established artiste at the time. ‘It is possible to record the remix of

responded to a fan who sought to know if the remix is truly in the

R

‘Riri’ devastated by Trump immigration ban executive order

Ladies on the scene.

ihanna’s global commitment was made clear when she joined global voices against President Trump’s immigration ban executive

Malawi where she is continuing her commitment to young people around the world. “America is being ruined right before our eyes!

What an immoral pig you have to be to implement such BS!!” visited children in Malawi, sharing a video of the fun and games to Twitter. part of her work with the Clara Lionel Foundation which aims to increase access and opportunities for c h i l d r e n worldwide.

The crowd doing it up.

Walshy Fire of Major Lazer on the decks.

V

Jeff Koinange set to reignite ‘The Bench’

Koinange is set for a comeback. Fresh from Berlin, Germany, where he was moderating a special global summit discussing the The crowd wilding out.

at a time when political temperatures are fast rising and Kenyans a debate he was moderating went awry. It is not clear however whether his show will be back on the same TV station.

The audience at Priveé.

DJ/producer and part of the internationally acclaimed dancehall-electro trio Major Lazer held the decks down at Priveé last Saturday. The show was an exclusive affair with DJ Kalisouth & DJ Bash serving as hosts. Here are the highlights.

Images: Priveé, Facebook Dapper guys enjoying a drink.

12

ACCESS

ACCESS

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

2017 SAG AWARDS KERRY WASHINGTON showed of her post-baby bod in lace.

NATALIE PORTMAN stunned in Dior.

KIRSTEN DUNST stood poised in cream.

EMMA STONE was neither modest nor sleazy.

TARAJI P HENSON left little to imagination.

SOFIA VERGARA shimmmered in silver-black.

THE BEST DRESSED GUILD

WAYA’s beat is the best thing about the jam. It’s a great production by Lufa for Switch Productions and that’s enough to make this a club anthem. The hook is a bit clumsy and disjointed and if the YouTube comments are any indication, it’s obvious it could have been better. It’s something new from Joh Makini and a reinvention that maybe is not going as smoothly as it could be.

OLLAH

This song is straight fire, there’s no other way to put it. Even though the ladies in the song, ironically do have makeup on, it is their prerogative so haters can chill. ‘Urembo’ will warm even the coldest, darkest hearts and it’s great to see Calvo Mistari flex his rap muscles plus Amos and Josh have been too quiet for too long.

CHRISTIAN BELLA FEAT. KHALIGRAPH JONES

JOH MAKINI WAYA

UREMBO

MISTARI FEAT AMOS & JOSH

@christine_x254

With the Oscars and Grammys just around the corner, you would be forgiven if you forgot the Screen Actors Guild awards but do not underrate this event which went down a few hours ago because it is viewed as an experimental ground for fashion ahead of the bigger red carpets and this year, Hollywood did not disappoint.

Here are those who impressed us the most:

Christian Bella does what he does best, serenades. It’s not the greatest love song from him out there but it’s a standard by now. Khaligraph on the other hand seems to go through the motions. Love songs might not necessarily be his wheelhouse but the rapper is definitely phoning it in on this one. It’s a beautifully shot video though directed

by Hanscana.

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SPORT

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

Liverpool fly Mane back on Private jet Liverpool arranged for a private jet to fly attacker Sadio Mane back from the Africa Cup of Nations to give him a chance of facing Premier League leaders Chelsea at Anfield tomorrow.

The Reds hope the Senegal forward will be ready for the clash at Anfield with Jurgen Klopp’s side looking for a win to jump-start their dwindling fortunes in the League.

Mane is available again after Senegal lost 5-4 on penalties to Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Saturday. The 24-year-old former Southampton player missed the crucial penalty.

Liverpool have struggled without Mane and have won only one game since he left for international duty after a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on 2 January.

They were knocked out of the EFL Cup

by Mane’s former club on Wednesday, then eliminated from the FA Cup

by Championship side Wolves on Saturday.

The Reds will check on Mane’s fitness before making any decision on his involvement in tomorrow’s game against Chelsea, who are 10 points ahead of them.

Premier League fixtures took a break over the weekend to pave way for the FA Cup round of 32.

Liverpool’s Sadio Mane (L) celebrates scoring with teammate Philippe Coutinho during a past Premier League game. The attacker was flown back to England in a private jet as Liverpool hope he will be fit to play against Chelsea tomorrow.

PHOTO: PETER POWELL/EPA

But the big teams will be back in action in midweek.

Arsenal who whipped Southampton 5-0 on Saturday are at home to Watford

who exited the competition at the hands of Millwall Sunday.

Arsene Wenger rested several first team players and should be able to recall Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Petr Cech to the starting line-up.

But the form displayed by attacking duo of Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott might give the Frenchman some headache after both shine with a double and a hat-trick respectively.

Swansea who stunned Liverpool 3-2 in their last outing will be at home Southampton while Sunderland host in-form Tottenham Hotspurs.

David Moyes side are stuck at the bottom of the table and desperately need a win in their relegation battle.

But that will be a tall order tomorrow against a well-rested Spurs side with Pochettino fielding a changed team in their FA Cup win over Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

In other matches line-up for tomorrow, Bournemouth host Crystal Palace while Champions Leicester City travel to Burnley. Middlesbrough will be at home to Tuny Pulis West Bromwich Albion.

On Wednesday, Manchester City travel to West Ham while rivals Manchester United play host to Hull City. Stoke are at home against Everton.

West Ham accuse Payet of lacking respect as player rejoins Marseille

West Ham have accused Dimitri Payet of showing a lack of “commitment and respect” after the France international rejoined Marseille for £25m.

The Hammers insist they did not need to sell Payet and joint-chairman David Sullivan said he wanted the player to stay to “make an example” of him.

But Sullivan added that manager Slaven Bilic approved the sale in “the interests of squad unity”.

Payet has signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the Ligue 1 club.

The attacking midfielder joined West Ham from Marseille for £10.7m in June 2015 and signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract in February 2016.

He excelled in his first season with the London club, scoring 12 goals and earning a nomination for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award. He then helped France reach the final of Euro 2016, where the hosts were beaten by Portugal.

But Bilic said earlier this month that Payet, who has scored three goals this season, did not want to play for the club any more.

West Ham insisted he would not be sold, but after rejecting two bids from Marseille and signing Robert Snodgrass, they decided to sell the France international on Sunday.

As well as the purchase of Snodgrass this month, the Hammers also signed centre-back Jose Fonte from Southampton for £8m.

Monaco hold PSG as Madrid go four clear Bernardo Silva’s stoppage-time equaliser to help Monaco secure a point as PSG and return to the top of Ligue 1 table on goal difference.

The Portuguese midfielder struck in the second added minute at the Parc des Princes to take countryman Leonardo Jardim’s team ahead of Nice.

Paris St-Germain looked set to go level with Monaco in second when Edinson Cavani scored an 81st-minute penalty.

But a draw leaves Unai Emery’s men three points behind Monaco and Nice, who won 3-1 at home to Guingamp.

Nice had moved above Monaco earlier in the day with Alassane Plea, Jean Michael Seri and Mario Balotelli on target against Guingamp, for whom Jimmy Briand briefly made it 2-1.

PSG and Monaco then played out an evenlymatched game before Julian Draxler was fouled by Djibril Sidibe and Cavani gave the home side the lead from the spot.

That looked set to keep Nice on top but Silva’s strike from 20 yards edged Jardim’s side back ahead thanks to their goal difference of plus 43.

Meanwhile in Spain, Real Madrid took advantage of Barcelona and Sevilla slipping up by beating Real Sociedad to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.

The hosts led when Cristiano Ronaldo played

in Mateo Kovacic for his first La Liga goal.

The two players then exchanged roles when Ronaldo clipped the ball over keeper Geronimo Rulli - his 13th goal in his past 13 games.

The visitors had Inigo Martinez sent off for two bookings before Alvaro Morata headed in Lucas Vazquez’s cross.

Real Madrid were the only one of the top four in Spain to win this weekend, after Barcelona drew 1-1 with Real Betis, Sevilla lost 3-1 to Espanyol and Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 with Alaves.

Their convincing victory was even more impressive, given Real Sociedad are in fifth place, only one point behind Atletico in the race for a Champions League spot.

Monaco’s Bernardo Silva celebrates after scoring the stoppage equaliser against PSG at the Parc des Princes during their Ligue 1 clash last night.

SPORT 15 MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2017

SENEGAL’S SADIO MANE FLOWN TO ENGLAND ON PRIVATE JET AHEAD OF LIVERPOOL’S LEAGUE CLASH WITH CHELSEA TOMORROW

P 14

Afcon Semis: B. Faso v Egypt Camn v Ghana

Seven-time champions Egypt score late to see off Morocco and set date with West Africans on Wednesday as Ghana defeat DR Congo 2-1

E

gypt knocked out Morocco to set a semi-final date with Burkina Faso on Wednesday in the Africa Cup of Nations last night.

Substitute Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim prodded home a dramatic 87th-minute winner for the Pharaohs to seal their slot in the last four.

Ghana also advanced after seeing off DR Congo 2-1 in the third quarterfinal played last evening.

At the much-criticised Port-Gentil stadium in Gabon, Egypt took on their fellow North Africans with some familiarity advantage having played all their group matches at the venue.

Mohammed Salah had twice been denied

by Munir Mohamedi, but prior to their goal Morocco had missed a host of good chances.

Aziz Bouhaddouz failed to connect with a cross from two yards out, before seeing a header deflected just wide.

And Morocco defender Romain Saiss and midfielder Mbark Boussoufa were both denied by the crossbar.

Egypt - the most successful side in Africa Cup of Nations history with seven titles are yet to concede a goal in Gabon on their return to the competition after a sevenyear absence.

But Morocco boss Herve Renard’s bid to become the first manager to win three Africa Cup of Nations title with three different countries is now over.

The Frenchman led Zambia to unlikely

triumph in 2012, and won the 2015 title with Ivory Coast.

On a pitch that has been criticised for its poor quality, his side created the greater number of clear opportunities to score but were wasteful in front of goal and were made to pay as extra-time loomed.

From an Egypt corner that Morocco failed to clear, the ball dropped kindly to 22-year-old forward Abdel-Moneim, also known as Kahraba, who stabbed home the winner on the spin.

In the other quarterfinal played last evening, Ghana’s Ayew brothers grabbed a goal each to beat DR Congo 2-1 and put the Black Stars through to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals where they will face Cameroon on Thursday.

Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew opened the scoring on 62 minutes, curling the ball past Ley Matampi in the Leopards goal.

Paul-Jose M’Poku equalised for DR Congo with a sensational long-range effort from outside the box.

West Ham’s Andre Ayew then coolly dispatched a winning penalty, sending Matampi the wrong way to seal the win.

It marks Ghana’s sixth consecutive Nations Cup semi-finals appearance, as they seek to end an agonising 35-year wait for a continental title.

In a game that only properly sparked to life in the second half in Oyem, DR Congo - and their captain Dieumerci Mbokani in particular - were left to rue several missed chances early on.

Egypt’s Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim (left) wheels away in celebration alongside teammate Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet (R) after scoring the winner against Morocco last night.

PHOTO: CHRIS RICCO/EPA

The Hull City striker’s best opportunity came on six minutes, after a terrible mixup in the Ghana defence, but he hit the post when he had the goal at his mercy.

Mbokani then teed up the competition’s top scorer Junior Kabananga on 25 minutes, who fired high over the bar.

The Congolese talisman again broke through the Ghana defence, only to slice his chance into the side netting.

Ghana showed a lot more intent in the second half, with Wakaso whipping a free-kick at Matampi, who saved with his feet.

Jordan Ayew - the younger of the two brothers - scored his first of the tournament, surging into the box and stroking the ball home confidently and decisively.

The lead lasted all of five minutes, with M’Poku unleashing a breathtaking longrange shot with the outside of the boot

that arrowed into the top corner.

Ghana continued to press and were awarded a penalty when Christian Atsu went down in the box after contact from Lomalisa Mutambala, who was lucky not to receive a second yellow card.

Andre Ayew then coolly dispatched the spot-kick, sending Matampi the wrong way, to grab his second of the competition.

Leopards substitute Cedric Bakambu missed several chances to equalise in the final minutes, forcing a good save from Razak and finding space in the box at the death before shooting badly wide from close range.

Atsu could have finished it for Ghana in injury time, but the busy Matampi produced a great save at his feet.

The Black Stars’ celebrations at the end showed Avram Grant’s side’s relief at edging the contest.

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